Issue 15 - April 1, 2015

Elephant abuse - A Laurier student looks at the truth behind Thailand’s abusive elephant tourism. Page 6 New pub - Features editor, Karly Rath, checks out The Rose and Thistle, a new pub close to campus. Page 2

Issue 15 | Wednesday, April 1, 2015 | www.thesputnik.ca

A tribute to life’s adventures.

New policy will mass deport workers who have journeyed to work in Canada Taylor Berzins News Editor

On Wednesday April 1, Operational Bulletin 275-C will come into effect, resulting in a mass deportation of temporary foreign workers in Canada.

The 275-C was implemented on April 1, 2011 and has been coined the “four in four out”, or “four and four” policy because it mandates that any temporary foreign worker (TFW) who is being employed in Canada must leave the country after four years of work and bars them from reentering Canada for another four years. After the four-year barrier, a worker can reapply for a four-year work permit in Canada.

The program changes are being poised as an opportunity to extend jobs to Canadian workers. In June, former Minister of Employment Jason Kenney tweeted that, “Recent studies suggest that over-reliance on low-skilled TFWs in certain sectors & regions have caused discrete labour market distortions.”

The changes to the TFW program leave temporary foreign workers without the ability to immediately reapply for work with their previous employer, instead, in order to meet the TFW eligibility requirements, one must be able to prove that they have lived outside of Canada for four years, or have been living in Canada as a student or visitor without employment.

“TFWs occupy all sorts of industries

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and skill levels. Common examples are agriculture, care giving, food service, hospitality, meatpacking, cleaning, and oil sands development,” said Prof. Janet McLaughlin, co-founder of the Migrant Worker Health Project, “but temporary foreign workers can also be found in so-called high skilled occupations like engineering, banking/finance and even academia.”

Ontario currently does not have any processes in place to allow TFWs to transition from temporary status towards Canadian citizenship.

“Most TFWs do not qualify under our immigration system as potential immigrants.

The immigration system is based on a point system, with points gained for things like education level and fluency in English and French…It’s not surprising, then, that most TFWs, especially those considered lowskilled (and with low levels of education), do not have enough points to qualify,” explained Prof. McLaughlin. “Many advocates suggest that all TFWs should have a pathway to citizenship, with the rationale being that if workers are considered needed for the economy, that they should be valued and welcomed as immigrants, not only as temporary guests.

The Conservative government has so far resisted this idea.”

On April 1, Sanctuary City Hamilton will be hosting a “day of action” against the four and four policy by hosting a protest outside of the city’s Citizen and Immigration Office. The day of action is affiliated with the No4and4 campaign, as well as a Change.ca petition.

The event’s Facebook page explains,

“Migrant workers pay tens of thousands of dollars to come to Canada and work at minimum wage jobs to provide an opportunity for their family; so that their children can go to school; and to have a better life. The 4 & 4 rule strips away migrant workers’ dignity, forces workers already in precarity into further uncertainty, and imposes discriminatory and arbitrary barriers on how long workers can stay here.”

“The clock on this started running in April 2011 and the first group of workers, almost 70,000, will face loss of status as of April 1st 2015,” said Caitlin Craven of the Hamilton Sanctuary City Coalition.

According to Craven, uprooting TFWs will likely make working conditions more “precarious” for all workers in Canada.

“Four year limits only further restrict permanent immigration and reinforce the revolving door of temporary migration we have seen growing in the past decades,” Craven explained. “Having a temporary workforce like this only benefits employers who have no incentive to hire Canadian workers, and can simply replace those foreign workers who are forced to leave with others. It also makes it even harder for workers to organize and challenge bad working conditions and low pay.”

“The Temporary Foreign Worker Program has been seriously and appreciably mismanaged by the Conservatives,” said Marc Laferriere, Brant-Brantford Federal NDP candidate. According to Laferriere, the TFW program has worked to driving down wages in Canada and has made the government “drop the ball” on opportunities to train un-

employed Canadians for jobs held by TFWs. “It won’t be Canadian citizens getting those jobs,” said Laferriere. “Instead new temporary workers will be brought in.”

“In some sectors of our work force, there is a huge work demand that is filled by temporary foreign workers, some of whom have gained the confidence and friendship of their employers,” said Danielle Takacs, BrantfordBrant Liberal candidate. “Their families in their native country often depend on this income to help aid their aging parents or keep children in school and away from child labour.”

“We believe that the program must be returned to its original purpose of filling jobs when qualified Canadians cannot be found and that more pathways to citizenship should be created for foreign workers,” said Takacs.

According to Prof. McLaughlin the implementation of this policy will likely force many workers to stay in Canada and work under the table, creating an “underclass of vulnerable and exploitable workers who do not have the same rights and protections because they are working underground and hiding from authorities.”

“Many people without status are afraid to access basic services like health care, education or law enforcement because of fear of detection,” explained Prof. McLaughlin.

“This can have dire consequences, for example, a worker’s child not receiving education, someone afraid to access necessary health care, or a woman who is afraid to report a violent encounter to authorities for fear of deportation.”

Recycling DOES make a difference...thank you!

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News

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Taylor Berzins | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

Several new businesses developing in Brantford’s downtown Karly Rath

Features Editor The Rose and Thistle British restaurant and pub, located at 48 Dalhousie St., across from Expositer residence, had its grand opening on Sat. March 21.

“We have had such a good response from the public,” Owner Audrey Pitcher said.

They were “bombarded” their first week open and have already have customers return a second and third time.

The pub had its soft opening on St. Patrick’s Day. The occasion was such a success that they ran out of supplies before closing that night.

“We just got a whole keg of Guinness put in that day and it was gone by the end of the night,” Pitcher said.

Laurier student Brian Holland went to the pub on the night of St. Patty’s. “[Pitcher] was very friendly even though she was tired from running around trying to get the place open,” he said. “She hadn’t left since morning. She said ‘Hi’ and still had a smile on her face.”

Holland, 22, would recommend the place to students. He believes the owners are trying to

The Rose and Thistle British restaurant and pub, located at 48 Dalhousie St., across from Expositer residence, had its grand opening on Sat. March 21. Cody Hoffman

“create a place similar to home, somewhere you can grab a drink, have some food, and hang out for the night”.

The menu offers delicious food, including lots of traditional English dishes. Entrees include bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, a turkey, cheddar and green apple wrap and ribs, with their best-seller being the fish and chips for

$13.99.

For some sharing food, they offer jalapeño poppers, a three-cheese spinach dip appetizer and fully-loaded nachos. Desserts include the fabulously named knickerbocker glory (combo of vanilla and strawberry ice cream and fresh fruit) and cranachan (whipped cream, toasted oatmeal, fresh fruit and doused in whiskey). The

bar has a wide variety of beers on tap, including their best-selling Scottish Tennent’s Lager.

“It’s definitely a safe place to come,” Pitcher said. She adds that she would describe the atmosphere as “welcoming” and “comforting”.

“I would love if students went often, it would create that kind of atmosphere where you can walk in and see someone you know,” said Holland.

The space the Rose and Thistle calls home was the former John Peel Restaurant, which had been closed for years. Transformed into an open, well-lit, comfortable space, the newly renovated restaurant has beautiful hardwood flooring and fresh paint, tons of seating and photographs of British landscapes on all of the walls.

On Sundays after 4 p.m. they offer a special of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, an English staple.

The pub has already featured live music and is planning to have more special nights such as a Wings Night.

Rose and Thistle is open for business at an ideal time for students: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Pitcher would love to see even more students visit Rose and Thistle.

“We welcome you all in,” she said.

Board game Brantford: The journey to a local game board café Davis Vallesi

Staff Taylor Berzins

News Editor This year Brantford is likely to become home to two new board game cafés, and Laurier’s Game Design and Development program.

For those who are unaware, board game cafés are places where people can gather for food and coffee all the while having access to a collection of board games. Ontario is home to a number of board game cafés, like Toronto’s popular Snakes and Lattes cafe. If the cards are played right, Brantford will be home to both the Devil’s Bench and The Bent King by the end of 2015.

The Devil’s Bench is a game board café, unofficially set to open early this month. Located at 436 Colborne St. E., Devil’s Bench promises customers, “board games, coffee and nerdery.”

“The crux of the business is going to be a board game café in the most traditional sense,” stated Bill Dungey, co-founder of The Devil’s Bench.

The café is also planning to offer unique experiences such as hosting Dungeons and Dragons, which is something that Dungey says very few board game cafés in Ontario are do-

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

This year Brantford is likely to become home to two new board game cafés, and Laurier’s Game Design and Development program. Marissa White

ing. Since Dungeons and Dragons (among other games) require a group of people to play, the scheduled events allow people to participate who may not have their own gaming group, as well as encourage a more collective gaming experience.

Additionally, the Devil’s Bench will have a shelf of comic books for patrons to enjoy and live streaming of video games or other related content on display.

“I am confident that since Brantford has a large enough nerd culture to sustain tiny comic book shops, if we take 15 per cent out of every part of nerd culture – video gaming, analog gaming, the Internet, comics, etc. – everybody should have a home here,” Dungey stated.

Bill Dungey started the café along with his two close friends, Alex and Jeff; the trio knew each other for many years, gaming together under “The Devil’s Bench.”

“Jokingly, we call ourselves the trifecta: Jeff manages the business, Alex manages the storefront and I manage the marketing/tech asset end,” Dungey explained.

Dungey said that although they are likely to face hurdles in their journey, he praised his cofounders as a “solid team backed by a decade of friendship.”

According to Dungey, Devil’s Bench has been speaking with Laurier in regards to the Game Development program, “We’re excited for the head honcho to get into town, when we’ve planned a sit down meeting to discuss a working future together. I feel like there’s a wonderful opportunity to share our passion.”

William and Carrie King owned Game Master’s a board game and hobby oriented store in downtown Brantford during the early 2000s, but wound up closing shop in 2008.

Never abandoning their passion for games,

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the pair has been planning on opening a game board café called The Bent King for the last two years.

“We were young and ambitious and made a lot of stupid mistakes,” said Carrie.

“It was fun but expensive,” added William.

They did not realize another game board café was set to open in town until this January.

“There’s no reason why we can’t co-exist,” said Carrie.

The Bent King has not secured a location yet, but they hope to have an offer on a space early this month.

“We’re looking at four locations… Wherever we end up we want to be on a transportation route,” explained Carrie.

“We’re looking at a September or October opening,” said William, although they are prepared to wait as long as November.

“We know we want to be open by the end of the year and before Christmas,” said Carrie.

According to the King’s, 18 to 35 year-olds will likely be their key demographic, although The Bent King will be the kind of space families can go when it is cold outside and there’s not as much to do outdoors in Brantford.

The King’s are intending on having their board game café licensed and look forward to creating wine and cheese platters. They are also working to facilitate the possibility of roasting their own coffee beans and serving loose leaf tea.

At this time, the King’s have not spoken to the co-ordinators of Laurier’s new Game Development program, but are open to the possibility. trowe@wlu.ca FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREDITS Left: Neha Sekhon Middle: Christina Manocchio Right: Jamaal Owusu-Ansah Main: Taylor Berzins The Sputnik is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns.

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On Campus

Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

Anna Osei named Outstanding Woman of Laurier Melissa Weaver Staff The tenth annual Outstanding Women of Laurier (OWL) banquet, hosted on March 25, 2015 at the Waterloo Conference Inn Hotel, was a huge success, with the largest turnout since 2008.

The award for the Outstanding Women of Laurier is based on criteria of academic achievement, athletic success and commitment to community involvement. Three nominees were selected from the university including Lee Anna Osei; Women’s

basketball, Emily Brown; Women’s soccer and Sam Jacobs; Women’s basketball. Osei was named Outstanding Woman of Laurier and gave an emotional speech touching on the loss of two of her mentors. She spoke about the sense of community she felt as soon as she joined Laurier and how supportive her team was in welcoming her.

Osei began her career in basketball in the NCAA and joined Laurier in the 2012-2013 season where she quickly became one of the top point guards in the province.

Outstanding Women of Laurier began in 2005, when Laurier Alumni, Cheryl Pounder was inducted into the Laurier Hall of Fame. She wanted to have an event dedicated to the hard working female athletes

at the university. The event was a great success raising approximately $25,000 this year and in total $250,000, over the last ten years, to put towards athletic scholarships and initiatives.

The event opened with a montage of previous OWL winners and where they are now. Many had gone on to become doctors and lawyers. The event continued with a silent and live auction for items such as lunch with a Dragon, from the popular CBC show, Dragon’s Den and a trip to Tuscani, Arizona with golfing and spa treatments.

The event included an inspirational keynote speech from Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, the 2010 Olympic Gold Medalists and the 2014 Olympic Silver Medalists in Ice

Dance. The pair spoke about their journey to the top and the obstacles that they had to overcome in the process, such as Virtue’s shin injury, which was not publicized but affected the two greatly. They spoke about the importance of communication and offered their mantra ‘adapt & conquer’ to the crowd of 330 people.

Their address concluded with a Q&A portion of the evening with questions from the audience. The event was hosted by Susan Cook-Sheerer, Host and Associate Producer of the Waterloo Region’s talk show, Daytime on Rogers TV.

Journey to a new land and a new life Arnisa Morina

Staff This summer, June 20 marks the 14th anniversary of World Refugee Day. This year’s theme is “With courage let us all combine.” The event is celebrated to support millions of individuals who were forced to flee their homes due to violence and war.

Laurier is home to many students and faculty who have family or have personally experienced war, and arrived to Canada as refugees. In spite of violence, trauma and forced migration, refugee students have continued to thrive and keep their dreams alive. At Laurier, there are ordinary students who have faced and experienced extraordinary struggles.

“When you get a once in a life time chance you should honor it and give back to those who have given to you.”

The 1998 Kosova-Serbia war forced Suad Murseli to flee his homeland of Kosova. Murseli was four years old when he arrived to Canada with his family.”We were given shelter, education and jobs for my parents. I was fortunate enough to be saved. Canada was more than helpful,” he recalled. Murseli was young at the time

and his memories were vague but he did remember the loved ones that he lost including his best friend. He was determined that everything happened for a reason. His story showed that although war was never

Neha Sekhon

good, something positive could come out of it. Murseli is in his second year of Criminology and hopes to become a lawyer, and is grateful for his journey. “Living in Canada is an amazing blessing, we have to

take advantage of it because there are lives lost in wars, and there are lives being lost every day in foreign countries.”

Araz Abdulmajid shared his story about his family who fled to Turkey to escape a life of persecution in Iraq due to the Iranian-Iraqi war. Afterwards, they moved to Canada when Abdulmajid was 6 months old. Although he did not experience the conflict personally, war is the reason why Abdulmajid is living life in Canada today instead of his homeland. He recalled stories his parents told him about how welcoming and happy Canadians were to support and help his family. “One of the churches in the city of Cambridge provided us with shelter, food, jobs and education for my parents.”

Abdulmajid considered himself one of the lucky ones who were fortunate enough to start a new journey amidst conflict in the world. As a result of Canada welcoming his family and giving them an opportunity to a new life, Abdulmajid is determined to join the Canadian armed forces. “When you get a once in a life time chance you should honor it and give back to those who have given to you,” advised Abdulmajid.

The journeys of refugee students at Laurier are remarkably inspiring and show the importance of prospering in a time of adversity. There are roughly 16.7 million refugees in the world today. One may gasp at that amount but there are countless individuals who struggled as refugees but could not find a safe haven. On World Refugee Day, support and celebrate refugees worldwide but also remember those who did not make it.

#Halfahawknomore: Laurier students campaign for library Melissa Weaver

Staff #Halfahawknomore is the popular hashtag swirling around social media after Luc Daviau, Aryan Arvandi and Victoria Wong’s effort to promote the idea of an academic library on the Laurier Brantford campus. With the recent purchase of Market Square, many students are asking what will it be used for. Laurier for Library believes that an academic library should be added to the space. Daviau explained the groups purpose “The goal of the campaign is to promote the need for an academic library at the Brantford campus to students present and future. We are trying to ensure that students continue to discuss this idea for the years to come, and offer their input and suggestions.“

A library could offer some much needed quiet study space on campus. While the addition of the Digital Commons in the basement of Grand River Hall allows for quiet study space and student access to academic librarians, that is the only area that promotes quiet study space. Students arguably study best when they are able to

“We are trying to ensure that students continue to discuss this idea for the years to come, and offer their input and suggestions.” focus on their work. “I think that students on campus are missing out on the situation of being able to go to one location and have everything you need to write your paper, or to study for your exams.”

After the Brantford Expositor released an article about the students’ efforts, countless comments were made by both Brantford local community members and Laurier Brantford students arguing for and against the project. One anonymous poster said “Rope something off at the Brantford library. Set up some shelves for your professors. Share with your friends. Go to the central campus. Go on Google.”

Daviau responded, “As a History minor, it is sometimes difficult to come across primary resources on very specific topics for final papers. Students also miss out on the actual act of research as well, which is going into the library and looking for books to find resources that could have been excluded from online databases.”

In terms of finances, Daviau is uncertain of the university’s financial situation, especially after the recent budget cuts and e-mail regarding a large deficit, but Daviau remains optimistic. “Judging from the

growth and expansion plans Laurier has, in Milton, Toronto, and Brantford, it seems unlikely that they don’t have enough money for an essential part of post-secondary education,” said Daviau.

Laurier has two librarians on staff which have now been moved to the Digital Commons at Grand River Hall. Brantford Public Library has various resources available to Laurier students. However, many feel as though a reserved, quiet space would be best for academic growth.

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On Campus Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

Laurier’s Gala and Silent Auction raises money for hungry children Arnisa Morina

Staff “Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have,” said MPP Dave Levac at Laurier’s Gala and Silent Auction hosted on March 28 by the CT401 food class. The dinner was hosted in aid of Child Hunger Brantford, a non-profit organization that provides nutritional programs to disadvantaged children and families in the community.

The evening began with an introduction from MPP Dave Levac, who praised and thanked Laurier for being a positive inspiration and making a contribution towards building a

better community. Christine Pizzer, co-founder of Child Hunger Brant also presented and expressed her gratitude, “I’m overwhelmed that we were chosen unanimously to be the recipient of this event and donations. Events like this help create an awareness of the need for assistance in schools.” The event has differed annually in its unanimous class selection of the program that proceeds will go to. It is a student led event as part of the final exam for CT401, but it was evident that the event meant much more to the students than just a course. Their hard work, several months of planning and dedication to aiding child hunger was worth it.

Attendees enjoyed a variety of delicious foods including cornish game hen, cheddar sweet potato biscuits and chocolate mousse with orange scented madeleines. Throughout the night, attendees participated in a silent auction

for products including Raptor tickets, chocolate treats and beauty supplies, donated by various sponsors. The event also included gift draws for lucky attendees.

The event was motivated by the need for awareness of the important social issue of hunger, and the realization that it exists in our own community not just internationally. Caroline Arnold, a student in CT401, commented on the significance of the event. “It is important to be aware that social issues are happening right here in Brantford, and to raise money for a good cause. It also gets Laurier out in the community interacting and mingling with others.”

The event also stressed the reality that a large number of people relied on food banks and programs to survive, which made charity events and donations even more important.

Laurier’s contribution to combating social

issues showed the heartwarming nature of the Laurier community and its positive effects.

“It’s wonderful to see that Laurier cares enough about the community that it works hard to recognize social problems and take positive action against them. This shows one of the many reasons why Laurier is so successful,” commented Aurora Krasniqi on the successful event. The gala showed that Laurier does not shy away from social issues but rather delves into them and is determined to help minimize the existence of food insecurity in society.

The gala was successful from beginning to end and organizers of the event made every attendee feel welcome and part of the Laurier family. Donors for the event gave wonderful gifts. In addition, they received the gift of character by doing something for those who couldn’t repay them.

Dealing with exam stress in a healthy and positive way

can only take in so much information at once.

Make sure you are eating healthy foods, and getting at least 6-7 hours of sleep a night.

Josh Adesina On Campus Editor

Consistency Studying is always tough but consistency will go a long way. Whether it your chapters or your notes that you have to study, a few hours a day will benefit you greatly. Your brain will get used to storing all that information once you get into the habit of studying. Instead of cramming during the night before your exam, make sure you focus on small amounts of studying.

Yes, it’s that time of year again. The time where your student life becomes a lot more stressful. The time when the sleepless nights begin. The truth is that your last few weeks of university before summer do not have to be as stressful. You can put your head down, and achieve the best results – you just have to follow a few easy steps.

Make a timetable for studying This is the first thing all students ought to do before classes end. Making a timetable, and following it thoroughly will create guidelines for you, and help you efficiently manage your time. There will be distractions but having a study guideline will allow you to stay devoted.

Cody Hoffman

As a student, you never really feel like studying, so making a timetable would be a wise decision.

Sleeping and eating habits If this was your New Year’s resolution, now

would be the best time to start. Getting enough sleep will do wonders for your memory, along with the proper diet. You are studying for hours every day, and you don’t want your hard work to go to waste. Staying up all night and cramming won’t get you the best results. Your mind

Exam time is almost always hectic, which is why you really need to shut everything out, and focus. Make the best of your time because you don’t have much of it. As long as you prepare yourself, you will do fine. Take a deep breath and do your best.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Features

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Karly Rath | features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

Living without a home: Brantford and beyond Nathanael Lewis

Manager of Operations He was in a band for five years before he decided to live out of a suitcase. He claims to have seen almost every town across Canada; if you believe it possible – his face’s weathered demeanor would convince you he did. He was a seasoned wanderer, constantly moving from area to area doing what he wanted. Yes, he came from a tough home life, but he did not hinge on that. The experiences he had in the world were much more important than the life he left behind. With two pairs of clothes, a YMCA card and nowhere to be, he made the most out of the life he was living.

Randi Scott was 47 years old when he retired officially, but it was not until years later that the stroke would happen. Scott regretted nothing from his time being without a home because he chose that lifestyle.

“From the band, I got used to basically living out of a suitcase,” said Scott, regaling how he came to be without a home. “Traveling light became sort of a natural thing.”

Now 59, Scott is quite an interesting fellow.

He suffered a stroke some years ago which hampered his short-term memory but enhanced his creativity. Now a photographer known throughout Brant for his work, he possesses a slight scruff of a beard that catches the light and a smile that is constantly on display. He speaks with a quiet yet strong voice that has obviously seen years of use.

Scott explains that as he travelled from town to town, he would drill peepholes into apartment doors for those who wanted to see out. As he put it, it was a different time.

“I knock on the door and I say, ‘I’m here doing the apartment building, now – would you like to get one put in?’ Ten bucks, ten minutes and it’s good to go. And they say we’ve been wanting to do that for a long time, okay well I’m here. No service call charge.”

As he collected the money from his jobs here and there, he was able to put together enough money to buy a house, in cash, when he was about 30.

As someone had once told him – if you don’t have your life together by 30, you’re done.

Once Scott settled down, he never lost his sense of wandering and never gained a sense of entitlement. Even once he had a home, Scott was still on the streets - at this point, helping others who were stuck in homelessness. A Brant county coupon book was Scott’s solution - he would print them and sell them to the homeless at cost. Once they had purchased a book, they would resell them at a standard cost and make some money for themselves. Scott figured that this method was better for the homeless people in Brantford - instead of panhandling, they now had something to offer.

Scott’s story is unique in the fact that he chose the lifestyle of being homeless, a wanderer. Although his story sounds intriguing, there is another side to homelessness that those that are homeless, including Scott, know quite well.

In early 2014, a report called The State of Homelessness in Canada was released as a collective work by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, the Homeless Hub and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

In the summary of the support, authors came to the conclusion that the reason that Canada is experiencing such high levels of homelessness is due to the lack of support. Specifically, the report focuses on those who are without a home due to mental or physical challenges.

In response, the federal Canadian government put together the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS). A community-based program, the HPS would look to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada by 2019.

“The Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2013 announced nearly $600 million over five years (2014-2019) starting in April 2014 to renew and refocus the HPS using a Housing First approach.”

That $600 million would be provided through the three tiers of government to promote a Housing First initiative. The initiative will focus on reinstating housing stability for low-income households and people who currently find themselves temporarily or permanently without a home. The implementation for the program comes after a report released by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC).

“Through this renewed commitment, funding available to communities will remain unchanged and communities will retain flexibility to invest in other proven approaches that complement Housing First,” the statement released with the initiatives outlined.

When looking at the current situation, a situation bound to only get worse with time, one wonders if five years is quick enough to facilitate effective change.

According to Becca Vandekemp, the Community Developer for Why Not Youth Centre in Brantford, the problem is hard to access – especially when it comes to youth.

“At Why Not, we often talk about youth mobility, which means that homeless youth here are always moving. One night they’ll be at a friend’s place, and the next they’ll have started a relationship to have a place to crash. They might get into the one group home in town, but often get kicked out because they are too stressed to follow the rules.”

Homelessness is a problem in Brantford, just like anywhere else in Canada. But Scott takes a different perspective on it: “You can step back and figure out something you can do, so you have a choice about being homeless.” And although this might not apply to everyone who is currently with-

Statistics from The State of Homelessness in Canada report. Nathanael Lewis

out a home in Brantford, it does nod towards a life away from panhandling.

Unlike Scott, many people who end up homeless lack choice at all. According to Raising the Roof, an organization sponsoring homelessness prevention initiatives, homelessness is not by choice, and it can happen to anyone: a teenage escaping an abusive home situation, a senior citizen

on a fixed income or even a child whose parents have become unemployed. The journey of someone who lives without a home depends on how the person handles their situation as well as what support is available to them.

deaf?! You’re not allowed to yell!’”

Again, Burey chose not to let the ignorant comments slide.

“I went over there after my race and confronted him. It wasn’t the best confrontation and I definitely don’t think he owned up to his mistake like he should have. But that was the reality of my situation. You can look at me and tell that I am black, however you cannot look at me and tell that I have severe hearing loss.”

Burey said groups such as the Association of Black Students help her realize there are others going through similar experiences.

“We are able to share a space that is just for us and allows us to feel safe,” she said. “Once I walk into the ABS office, I know I won’t be judged, I know when I say that a race topic came up in class, and I was the only black person in the class, my fellow peers can relate.”

Burey said other students can expect to gain knowledge and perspectives from different social issues when joining a group such as the ABS. Support is also a main gain.

“The amount of knowledge I’ve gained from being a part of ABS baffles me sometimes. We always discuss topics that are challenging and I don’t always agree with my peers, however that is

the point,” she said. “It is to challenge each other as well as support each other.”

Burey said people are not changing the way they think but this can change through education.

“Let’s have people of all races and genders in our textbooks from elementary school through to university,” she suggested. “I remember what I learned about in my high school history class dead white men.”

“I know we need to know about the past in order to understand the present, however there is a whole lot of past that is not being expressed through the curriculum. I will always stand by the education system and being a part of the solution in terms of understanding ‘the other’.”

Burey is one example of how someone can speak up when these daily instances of discrimination happen. By creating conversations, you are educating people. But it is also important to combat these situations in a positive way that is healthy for you, emotionally.

“My advice is to never think that it’s your fault--it’s not. Be proud in who you are and know that [the discrimination] is a reflection of the other person, not you.”

Challenging racism and ableism through conversation Nadine Saba

Staff People journey through life suffering instances of discrimination that may seem small, but the effects are huge. In these cases, it is important to reach out to others who may have gone through similar experiences as methods of dealing with tough situations.

Laurier student Tyla Burey shared her experiences of dealing with racism and ableism.

For the last three years, Burey has been a part of the Association of Black Students (ABS), a group on the Waterloo campus. She has been in charge of theBasement, a Radio Laurier show in partnership with the ABS. Burey also volunteered for Beating the Odds, a day-long conference held on the Waterloo campus to encourage high school students to strive for higher education. Burey not only advocates in these formal settings, she is also vocal in her own life.

Burey recalls an incident that required her to speak up against racism.

“A bunch of my ‘so-called’ friends thought it was hilarious to make racist jokes about black men, even though my father is black,” she said. “I sat there and defended black men [because] that was all I knew. I did not know the stereotype, only the positive [from what] I’d witnessed.”

Dealing with this situation was hard for Burey.

“I didn’t go home and share [the story] with my family, that people thought it was hilarious to make fun of black people,” she said. “I was also embarrassed for being around people like that and didn’t want to share that with my family.”

Burey, who is hard of hearing, also experiences ableism, which is the discrimination or Laurier student Tyla Burey speaks out against racist and ableist remarks. Courtesy of Tyla Burey

prejudice against individuals with disabilities. She recalls a time at a track meet when she was publicly shamed.

“I was running across the field to get to my location and I had yelled to get someone else’s attention,” she said. “The man who was in charge of the shot put yelled at me saying, ‘What are you

Correction: The Canadian obsession with the face veil In Issue 14 of The Sputnik, the story “The Canadian obsession with the face veil” contained an inaccurate statement. The sentence, “[Prof. Shahnaz Khan] points out that this clearly does mean that they will turn their back on their religion” should be “She points out that this clearly does not mean that they will turn their back on their religion”.

6

Features

The Sputnik

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Karly Rath | features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

Kendra Dubrick feeds an elephant while volunteering for Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) last May. Courtesy of Kendra Dubrick

Laurier student reveals truth of Thai elephant abuse Aaleya Waslat Staff Elephants are one of many tourist attractions in Thailand. Tourists visit tracking camps, circuses and often purchase paintings created by elephants.

The torture and abuse these elephants endure are brutal.

“If you see an elephant at a circus with its leg raised, then it has been electrocuted so many times that it developed a muscle memory,” said Kendra Dubrick, a fourth-year Laurier student, who volunteered with the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) last May. These tourist attractions that are prevalent in Thailand are income generators but also the cause of “animal cruelty and abuse”, said Dubrick.

As a volunteer, she spent three weeks taking care of rescued elephants in need of proper food and a space to “retire”, said Dubrick who mainly fed, cleaned and walked elephants.

They are denied food until they follow the owner’s instructions, explained Dubrick, adding that the owners are called “Mahuts”. The horrendous training process is called “Penang”, which she said translates into breaking the spirit of the elephant.

Elephants are forcefully taken from their mother, often times after killing the parent, so that the elephants feel vulnerable. Then, the Mahuts lock them in a “dark hole in the dirt” so that they become desperate for food and protection. The Mahut rescues the elephant, so that the elephant knows that the only way to receive food is to obey his instructions. “If you see an elephant swaying, then that means they are begging for money,” she said, explaining how Mahuts do anything they can to make a profit off the animals.

Courtesy of Kendra Dubrick

The WFFT sanctuary continuously develops space for the betterment of animal lives in Thailand. The program “heavily” relies on donations said Elliot Carr, Volunteer Coordinator of the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre.

The “enrichment” of the elephants helps them to move freely and stay active. The main

goal is to help elephants “replicate natural behavior like foraging food like they would in the wilderness”, she said.

The nightmare of abused elephants becomes visible to the rescue workers. “We often receive calls, or hear along the grapevine of really sick or mistreated elephants,” said Carr.

Once investigations are done, they negotiate the freedom of the elephants and take them to the sanctuary to retire.

Edwin Wiek, who has lived in Thailand for 25 years, founded WFFT in 2001. The rescue project started with a few animals but has grown immensely. The organization has freed thousands of animals back into the wild.

Alongside the elephants, the sanctuary also provides care for about 350 other animals, including bears, birds, turtles, crocodiles and gibbons, who also suffer from the wildlife trade, tourists and human and animal conflicts.

According to Carr, Wiek is motivating the Thai government to introduce an “animal welfare bill” and is also working to transform a “zoo into a rescue center”.

Although tourists have become more aware of the mistreatment of animals around the world, irresponsible tourism still prevails. “We educate volunteers on the horrible conditions many animals have in the tourist trade,” Carr said. Volunteers then pass everything they learn on to their family and friends, which helps raise more awareness.

People may choose not to ride an elephant while on vacation after knowing the truth about what happens to the animals so that they can enjoy a fun, Thai experience.

“Seeing elephants that are still abused, and have scars all over them” is the hardest thing to do, Carr said. Some volunteers are very overwhelmed with different emotions as they learn more about how animals are mistreated.

Dubrick’s journey in Thailand has taught her that paying for animal entertainment is immoral, adding that she does not even like going to the zoo anymore.

Dubrick hopes to continue her volunteer work after graduation. Her volunteer work has not only supported the sanctuary and the rescue program of elephants but has also radically changed her own beliefs.

“My perspective on life has changed,” she said.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

7

The Sputnik

Arts & Culture

Dillon Giancola | arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

The evolution of the hero’s journey Miles Smith

Staff Call to adventure. Meeting the mentor.

Road of trials. First Threshold. Ordeal. Second Threshold. Realization. Third Threshold. Showdown. Resolution and freedom to live: This is the most basic form of the hero’s journey, an archetype that is used in every storytelling medium.

Some examples of films, movies, and books that follow the hero’s journey are Star Wars, The Hobbit, The Bible, and most Disney movies. Like everything in modern day media, the hero’s journey is under constant restructuring and criticism. Some say that it’s overused, and irrelevant to modern day storytelling, while others argue that it is a formula that never gets old. Regardless of your viewpoint, the indisputable fact is that the hero’s journey is evolving and changing as time goes on.

“I’m someone who - in the arts - the arts that I make and the art that I see, I’m seeing the effects of postmodernism, and I feel like that has poked a lot of holes in the traditional study of archetypes and spirituality,” says Manon Manavit, a Philadelphia-based theatre director. “Modernism is over, post modernism is at its peak and perhaps already over, and trans-modernism is the new counter culture. It’s a movement that is trying to infuse spirituality, and any notion of a soul, back into the artistic pop culture.”

Art, due to constant stress, is always changing and morphing, and artists follow suit. Artistic styles rarely come back into the public eye after departing from the mainstream, but when a style does come back it usually incorporates an air of parody with it. Some examples include propaganda - style posters, or a mockery of social modernism. When art changes, it takes on newly relevant societal issues and adopts new media, and some artists fear they will not be able to cope with the new style.

“The hero’s journey is relevant no matter what,” says Manavit. “I’ve come up with the term ‘neo-symbolism’ for my theatre company. It’s the descriptor of what we do, and it’s because the study of man and his symbols has affected me so deeply.

If you ask me what new-symbolism means, it’s a movement that is inspired by the original symbolist movement at the turn of the 20th century, and now its relevant again in the new millennia. It’s the new evolution of symbolism.”

Simply put, there are some things in the artistic world that evolve with the times due to their pre-defined nature in the previous style or the ingrained history within art. However, the hero’s journey has been part of literary, theatre, and filmic art for decades and would be difficult to leave behind completely. Instead, the art evolves, taking on new forms, such as the anti-hero’s journey, or the expanded hero’s journey. Some theories in art will always be present, and relevant.

“On stage I’m against naturalism, I’m against realism, I like to play with dreams and archetypes and symbols and I don’t assume they are universal: they are by their definition arbitrary. So I try to access personal meaning through the essence of what the story is: folklore, mythology, tragedy.

Even if it’s a true story I just try to find what’s meaningful about it.” says Manavit.

Ultimately, art is defined by the artist’s ability to convey truth. Although styles may change, there is not a universal style. While Manavit’s company may take a Brechtian perspective to convey truth, another theatre company could take a realist perspective to convey that same truth.

Art, as Manavit says, is not assumed to be universal, provided the artist accesses personal meaning, it is art by definition.

“A linear narrative is something that postmodernism has done away with, and yet it represents the life cycle of all of people, of discovery, of coming of age, of changes, solitude so on and so forth until death. Joseph Campbell made it very clear,

The hero’s journey is evolving and changing as time goes on. Neha Sekhon

you don’t have to be a king, you don’t have to be noble in any way for any of this to make sense - it’s basically the essence of a person.” Says Manavit, “We are all the heroes of our own story.”

Manon Manavit, and her company Humble Treasure Productions (HTP), are currently developing a new play about the life and times of St. Rita of Cascia called Lovely Rita, and are in rehearsal for an

absurdist-surrealist/conceptual dinner party-performance that will take place on May 1st at Philadelphia’s Little Berlin gallery. They most recently collaborated with writer Mari Shaw to produce Painter and Pataphysician Thomas Chimes, a Dadaist performance/reading inspired by the prolific Philadelphia painter.

ComiCon isn’t just for comic book fans Shelby Do

Staff The Metro Toronto Convention Centre held the Toronto ComiCon on Friday, Mar. 20th until Sunday, Mar. 22nd. The three day event brought fans from all over the country and guests from all over the world.

Fans from all forms of nerd culture came in drones, standing in close quarters with strangers just waiting to get a glimpse of an actor from their favourite television show. From science fiction, to video games, to anime and—of course—comics, people came to see, buy and discuss their pop culture passions.

ComiCon isn’t just for the self-proclaimed nerds. The convention is a celebration of all pop culture and it’s welcoming of all people. While sci-fi may be considered “nerdy”, Star Wars is one of the most beloved franchises in the world. Superheroes were the heroes of geeks, but the success of the Marvel movie franchise, XMen movies and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy have become some of the most successful film franchises in the world. Conventions are often filled with people dressing up as Disney characters,

and not just young kids dressed up as Elsa from Frozen.

As nerd culture and the mainstream seem to merge together, more and more people are finding themselves wanting to get involved. Toronto ComiCon is a great way to do so, but for people new to the

Conventions also have opportunities to get involved. Not only can you volunteer your assistance, but Toronto ComiCon has opportunities for independent artists to get their names out into the public, and make a couple bucks while they’re at it. Comic illustrators and writers are always featured

“ComiCon isn’t just for the self-proclaimed nerds.

The convention is a celebration of all pop culture and it’s welcoming of all people.” convention world, there are a few steps you need to take.

When asked for some tips to give to a new con-goer, four time attendee Joselyn Caron, a student at Sheridan College, advised, “Remember to always have comfortable walking shoes. You’ll be on your feet all day. Additionally, try to go in small groups of friends. Too big of a group complicates things and you end up splitting up based on interests anyways.”

She also goes on to explain why Toronto ComiCon might be a better first convention than a larger scale convention, like FanExpo Canada, saying, “It’s a lot less hectic than Fan Expo. While it is smaller, the crowd isn’t as huge, which is nice.”

at Toronto ComiCon, but there’s also a section of the hall called “Artists’ Alley”, where creators can sell their merchandise.

This ranges from paintings to necklaces to knitted figures of Groot.

Independent artist Cristina Martin, the talented artists behind Super-Chi Art, used ComiCon as a time to promote her new comic, Ball and Chain. She commented, “I really like the exposure. You definitely see a lot of people. A lot of people ask about the comic. I have a lot of customers, so it’s definitely a really good way to get out there and socialize with people who are really interesting, and have like-minded interests.”

It’s through opportunities like setting up an artist’s booth that keeps passion

alive. When you buy or admire a piece of fan work at a convention, you know that the art is coming from a loving place. The artist clearly loves what they’re doing and the subject, so supporting independent artists at conventions, like Toronto ComiCon, supports a group of people who give a lot of creativity to fan communities.

You definitely don’t have to be a fan of genre shows to go to a convention. You don’t have to know every piece of Tolkien trivia, own every piece of Star Trek merchandise or even read comic books. If you like something, there’s no need to worry about being too nerdy or nerdy enough.

There’s something for every person at Toronto ComiCon, and you just might find a solid deal on the Captain America sweater you’ve been wanting for months.

Do you like talking about music, movies, art and culture? The Sputnik is looking for Arts & Culture writers for the 2015-16 year!

Contact eic@thesputnik.ca for more information!

8

Arts & Culture

The Sputnik

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Dillon Giancola | arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

TV and the evolving portrayal of personal journeys Dillon Giancola

A&C Editor “I’ll never give up.” “I won’t stop until I reach the top”. “Once I get that job my life will be set.”

These statements resemble our culture’s current obsession with the personal journey, that which sees someone rise from a bad situation, whether poverty, a broken home or heartbreak, amongst others, and achieve a level of success that most of us will only see portrayed on TV. These journeys are valuable, and they do exist. And they are definitely worth pursuing. But they do not tell the whole story.

They don’t tell you what happens after someone achieve their goal. The 22 year old quarterback, excellent at such young age – his life isn’t over after winning the Super Bowl. Life is not a struggle for one half, and then a happily-ever-after in the second.

But we know this of course. The majority of us do not follow this narrative exactly. We do have goals, and we do have struggles, and we try the best we can to do what makes ourselves and our loved ones happy.

This is something we are seeing more in the arts today. You could call it character transformations. Take a character, usually faced with endless problems, and see him through that until the end, or at least the end of the show. He will experience good times, he will experience bad times. This is seen on shows like Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy.

Walter means well by coking crystal meth to cover his cancer treatment costs in order to support his family.

Wikimedia Commons

The main characters, Walter White and Jax Teller, respectively, do not venture on the most honourable of journeys.

Certainly, none of us would choose these paths for ourselves. Sure, by cooking crystal meth to cover his cancer treatment costs and support his family, Walter means well.

As does Jax, by killing everyone in sight

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only so he can escape the life of an outlaw and his children can have a better future, as ridiculous as that sounds. But obviously, bad things are still happening, and this is reflected in these shows. Things do not end up roses for everyone involved, and everything gets convoluted. But throughout all the carnage we get to watch these charac-

We can watch these shows just out of pure entertainment, or we can see them as hyperbole of the effects our decisions can have. It is important to remember that our decisions and attitudes affect everyone around us, and have ramifications going forward. But life doesn’t stop once you’ve reached the goal, nor does it if something

“But we are not all criminals in real life. The part worth focusing on is the character transformation, and though the current trend in TV is to show the transformation of broken people who do bad things with decent intentions, there is still something we can take from this message.” ters grow. We get to see how their thoughts, cares and priorities change.

Shows like this are exaggerated versions of the kinds of struggles we go through in real life. Better Call Saul and Orange is the New Black show the same kind of journeys. James McGill, in Better Call Saul, is a very likeable, kind-hearted guy, but circumstances drive him to do things most of us would never even consider, much less faced with that decision.

Though the show is only in the first season, we know that he ends up as a much different guy by the time his name has changed to Saul Goodman in the Breaking Bad storyline. In Orange is the New Black, Piper Chapman is sent to prison as a result for an after-thought crime she committed years ago, and her refusal to own up to her actions and admit her wrongdoing only leads her to performing darker actions and hurting more people around her.

But we are not all criminals in real life.

The part worth focusing on is the character transformation, and though the current trend in TV is to show the transformation of broken people who do bad things with decent intentions, there is still something we can take from this message. Which is that life is a journey, a path where we make decisions along the way, decisions never only good or only bad, but decisions that have complex consequences.

terrible happens or things don’t go your way. You move on to the next thing, the next task.

Find areas in your life where you can improve, find new things to learn or new hobbies to take up, and try it out. Often, the experience you gain as a result will be invaluable, and even if things do not turn out as we wanted them to, there is usually an important lesson we can learn.

These are the real journeys that are important. These are honourable things worth pursuing, and worth valuing. Television shows have taken the first step towards providing a more accurate sense of the character-transforming journey by showing us the ins-and-outs of daily life while experiencing huge life-shaping decisions.

Now hopefully the next set or series will come alone where the characters make decisions that we can actually relate to.

Follow Sputnik Arts & Culture on Twitter! @sputnikarts

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

The Sputnik

9

Sports

Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Final thoughts from The Sputnik’s sports editor Kyle Morrison

Sports Editor On a sunny evening in October 2011 I made my first visit to The Sputnik office to interview with Kyle Denton, the current sports editor at the time, to become a volunteer writer for sports. It was seemingly destiny that I got the sports editor position the next year, continuing the legacy of Kyles.

It’s hard to believe that I’m finishing university proudly holding this position for the past three years.

In that time there’s been a whole lot of sports that have happened at Laurier and in Brantford that I’ve either covered myself or had writers report on and it’s been a privilege to do so. Although the campus was even smaller three years ago, the students recognize the importance of athletics and have always been eager to have their extramural tournaments covered. Every year, more and more teams and clubs join the more established men’s basketball and men’s and women’s hockey teams that have often filled the paper’s sports section.

“I’m very happy that I’ve been able to give [Laurier teams] a voice in the paper and show students that we have sports teams that are damn good.”

Because of the smaller campus and less athletics and sports programs, I’m very happy that I’ve been able to give them a voice in the paper and show students that we have sports teams that are damn good. Whether it’s women’s football, men’s hockey, men’s basketball, co-ed dodgeball, cheerleading or volleyball, each one has come in first place in one tournament or another against colleges and universities twice Laurier Brantford’s size. One of the only regrets I have is not being able to witness all of them in person because most of them were away from Brantford.

The lack of varsity teams has posed some problems over the years, but it has created a unique opportunity for The Sputnik’s sports section. We’ve had to think outside of simply reporting on the events and delve into more creative topics that revolve around the world of sports. These have been some of the best moments I’ve had as a writer and editor.

People all over that I’ve interviewed usually have some sort of connection to sports and often times have some awesome stories to tell. The best case of this was when I featured Coloradan recovered alcoholic, Rourke Weaver. Weaver’s story will probably stick with me for the rest of my life; not only because of the unthinkable things that happened to him because of his drinking, but because of his ability to overcome it. I got a ton of praise for this story, which was so gratifying, but I was just fortunate enough to put his story on paper. He allowed me to do what I’ve always strived for as a journalist: give someone a voice. I hope my section will continue to have glimpses of that mixed in for years to come because sports are a powerful thing – and if we can show that to non-sports fans, it makes our paper that much better.

That makes up the “trinity” of what I hoped to accomplish as a Sports Editor for The Sputnik: Put Laurier Brantford’s sports teams on the map, give the people in my articles a voice or platform to tell their incredible stories and represent Student Publications as best I can with quality articles.

The Sputnik and Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications have been my second

home and second family. I’ve spent so much time on the couches in The Sputnik office with so many awesome people, laughing, joking, debating crazy topics, organizing fundraisers, as well as our holiday parties, Dirty Bingo, Volunteer Appreciation, trips to NASH and so much more.

I want to give a quick thank you to my Editor-in-Chief and fellow four year Sputnik contributor, Layla Bozich, who has done such a great job being the driving force behind the paper having a much larger presence on campus and creating a student publication we can all be proud to share with the campus; Dillon Giancola, my partner in crime and the first writer I ever hired as Sports Editor, who ended up being too good a writer for sports so I only had him for a couple of months (but the bond we have formed through The Sputnik has lived on!); Chris Pimentel for sometimes frustrating me to no end due to his lack of understanding of the difference between “there”, “their” and “they’re” and Anthony Fusco, who has been a constant writer for sports throughout my entire time with The Sputnik and contributed even during his year at Conestoga College.

Although it looks like the number of

“People that I’ve interviewed usually have some sort of connection to sports and often times have some awesome stories to tell.”

Sports Editors named Kyle is coming to an end, I hope that whoever succeeds me meets as many amazing people in the editorial staff and Sputnik volunteers, on our sports teams on both campuses, those involved with Athletics and Recreation, the multitude of coaches I’ve bugged for interviews on short notice and Laurier Brantford’s student body. They’ve all been instrumental in shaping the work that I’ve produced and the journalist that I’ve become and it’s been a fantastic experience because of it.

The tools of my trade that I’ve used for four years have given me many memorable moments at The Sputnik.

Layla Bozich

10

The Sputnik

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Sports

Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Viva Las Vegas: The journey to NHL hockey in Sin City Anthony Fusco

Staff When you think of Las Vegas, what comes to your mind? I personally think of casinos, parties and extravagant hotels. It’s a city built for its nightlife and it definitely lives up to the billing.

If all goes according to plan, Sin City may have a brand new attraction in the near future that would come in the unique form of an NHL hockey team. It would be the first expansion of the NHL since the league welcomed the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild back in 2000.

Bill Foley is on a journey to bring the NHL to Vegas. The prospective owner and chairman of Fidelity National Financial took the first major step in securing the team, which was starting a ticket drive to see if the city would be a viable market.

The city responded quickly and had signed up for 5000 tickets within two days.

As of March 15, the deposits had reached over 9000. Foley’s goal was to hit number 10,000, which seems now to be a very attainable goal.

So it appears Vegas will have the fan base. But how about an arena? There is a beautiful, $375 million facility being built by MGM Resorts International and Anschutz Entertainment Group that will

As season ticket deposits continue to roll in, it seems more likely that the NHL will be coming to Las Vegas.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

reportedly seat 17,500 for the games. The arena is under construction on The Strip and should be completed by 2016.

Foley has been quiet about when they will hit their 10,000 deposit goal. He said, “we’ll have a major announcement when we finally get to that point. We want to make sure we do everything conforming with the way the league wants us to do it, so I’m deferring to the league at this point.”

There is some fear that an NHL franchise would not be a good idea for a city

like Las Vegas, but Foley is set on this journey to break ground and bring Las Vegas its first professional sports franchise.

There have been numerous concerns with this idea. The fan base was an issue, but that issue is diminishing day by day as the ticket deposits continue to roll in.

What most people forget is that Vegas and the surrounding area continues to grow. It is a city of over two million people that is continually attracting new residents. On top of that, The Strip does huge business

year round. Casinos will play a part in filling the arena, as will tourists from around the world.

The odds of Vegas getting a team look incredibly good. But there is one thing that has yet to be decided: the name. There have been tons of suggestions thrown around recently.

Personally, I believe the name has to coincide with the city and what it is all about. My picks would be the Las Vegas Aces or the Blackjacks. Both are catchy and really emphasize exactly what Vegas is known for. Or we could go another route and name them the Las Vegas Aliens. Area 51 isn’t too far away and who wouldn’t like to see a match-up between the Nashville Predators and the Las Vegas Aliens?

See what I did there?

I would like to see a successful team in Vegas. Winnipeg recently got the Jets back and it was an exciting time for fans across the league. For Vegas to get a brand new team, I think the excitement level would be just as high.

The journey is nearly over for Foley.

He has done everything right to try and get his own franchise into Las Vegas. A major announcement is expected soon, and with the continued promotion and marketing, it’s not a stretch to think that it could be the official introduction of the team.

If that is the case, then Viva Las Vegas!

March Madness is down to the Final Four

Robert Belardi

Staff Following a month of complete madness, the final four teams are set to face off on April 4. March 28 witnessed two games in the Elite Eight, beginning with the second-seeded Arizona Wildcats, who faced off against the number one-seeded Wisconsin Badgers in their first Elite Eight matchup since 1974. Arizona looked to avoid yet another Elite Eight exit in the tournament whereas Wisconsin looked to enter their second Final Four in a row. The Wildcats persisted against the Badgers, but in the end it came down to great defense from the Badgers and a clutch three ball at the end from Sam Dekker to send the Wildcats on the bus back home. Dekker notched 27 points and his teammate Frank Kaminsky

recorded a game-high 29 points. Kaminsky then entertained the camera following the win by dancing inside a circle of Badgers players celebrating a great game by the seven-foot forward.

The night game featured the unbeaten University of Kentucky, who are surging to win the NCAA men’s basketball title undefeated and have the more season wins in total than any other team in history, and the third-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish who were looking to spoil the party.

This game was a complete nail biter as the Fighting Irish came out strong through the entire fixture. Zach Auguste put up 20 points keeping the Wildcats on their heels and it took until the final whistle to decide a winner.

Following a battle of three-pointers from Aaron Harrison of the Wildcats and Jerian Grant of the Irish, the game was settled at the end when Kentucky saw their final possession end on the free throw

Saturday’s Final Four matchups will decide who plays for the NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

line. Aaron’s brother Andrew drove to the basket drawing a foul with only seconds remaining. He made both attempts and Grant drove down the other way for a final shot only to see the ball come down beside the basket. Aaron Harrison said in an interview after the game, “We know our will to win. And it just showed us we never give up, and we fight to the end just like any other team.”

On March 29 the next two games were played to decide who will play Kentucky and Wisconsin. The seventh-seeded Michigan State Spartans took the floor to face Head Coach, Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals. With much to expect from Louisville and none from the underdog Spartans, the game noticeably went the Spartans way. Travis Trice of the Spartans was the player to watch as he put up a team-high 17 points to lead the Spartans to victory against a favoured Cardinals team. The game finished in overtime by a score of 76-70.

In the other match the number one seeded Duke Blue Devils squared off against Canadian Kevin Pangos and the

second-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs. Duke carried a tall team and the tournament’s most exciting player, Jahlil Okafor, a great defensive player and a good ball handler.

Duke began the game strong, but Gonzaga battled back hard to reach within a five point deficit. In the second half, Duke was too much to handle for Gonzaga as Guard Matt Jones slotted home a few three-pointers to tie Justise Winslow with a team-high 16 points.

The Final Four games will be held on April 4 as Duke battles Michigan State and Kentucky faces Wisconsin. My prediction is Kentucky and Duke will meet in the final and Kentucky remains undefeated by a three point margin.

Follow Sputnik Sports on Twitter! @sputniksports

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

11

The Sputnik

Opinion

Brittany Bennett | opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion

RANTIN’ & RAVIN’

Who needs saving?

Christine Wildman

HR163 Student Recently an ad popped up in my internet browser that read, “Missionaries in Africa – Saving Lives & Spreading the Gospel”. Considering I had just returned from West Africa my curiosity spiked. I clicked the link and read “Our driving passion is to rescue lives and to see communities transformed by the power of the allencompassing gospel of the Kingdom of God.” I read these idealistic notions of saving or rescuing Africa and I wondered, who are the ones that really need saving? I don’t recall seeing people in need of saving. I saw generally happy people.

I witnessed a culture where relationships and community are top priorities. I saw people who cared about, and were connected to those and the world around them.

I thought back to my experience. As I sat for the first time in my one room home, I recall being uncomfortable. It was hot, and unbearably humid. My body behaved in an unaccepting manor to the environmental changes. My clothes were soaked with sweat, and I yearned for hydration.

I had a desk, chair and a single bed. I looked around at the things I had unpacked: a few books, a notepad, my laptop and clothing. I was on what felt like a different planet and these few things; my only possessions. I recall wondering, was there ever a time in my life that my belongings amounted to one suitcase? Even though I grew up dirt poor, I couldn’t remember such a time. The hostel was a far cry from air conditioned home, king size bed, and my many other luxuries here in Canada.

The first time I walked to the store to buy water I thought about how easy it is to access clean water in Canada and how much we waste it. I would be lying if I said I didn’t long for ice cubes and enjoyed drinking warm water in 40 degree weather. In the beginning I thought, I am ridiculous, a spoiled Canadian! I’m never going to make it through this! But as the days went on, things got easier. After a couple of bouts of dehydration my body even learned to acclimatize. Although it was hot and humid I learned that feeling uncomfortable is not the end of the world.

In the West, we are hyper sensitive. We air

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

A war zone takes over a shopping center

Neha Sekhon

condition to the point of wearing sweaters in the summer and walk around our houses in shorts during winter. Midway through my trip I recall waking up cold. I put a sweater and socks on and thought; this is actually what life is meant to be like. I should be cold when it’s cold and hot and sweaty when it’s warm. It isn’t just about being uncomfortable; it’s about being connected to the environment, the world around you. It’s actually about feeling, both the good and the bad.

The parts of the trip that I found intimidating in the beginning wound up being what I grew to love most and what helped me grow as a person. I didn’t need TV or gadgets. Contrary to consumerist ideals in the West and the constant barrage of media shoved in our faces, I didn’t need much to survive. In fact, I was much more engaged and happy without it. On public transit I had interesting conversations with strangers

rather than staring down at my phone. Through not having the distractions, I learned to be alone with myself, my thoughts and emotions. I spent a lot of time thinking about the unnecessary things I acquired back home, about owning my house for 6 years not even knowing my neighbour’s names. I thought about how I wanted to change my life to focus less on the consumerist, individualistic values we in the West hold and more on important things like relationships and community. Ghanaians’ taught me so much about caring for one another, family, communities and foreigners alike. They look out for each other in a way that has been lost to us, not as rescuers or savours but as citizens. My experience in Ghana has got me thinking maybe we are the ones in need of saving!

The ambivalence of charitable financial stewardship Maria Cataluna

HR163 Student In this postmodern era of development, leading NGOs are being criticized for their fundraising and administration fees. Donors are progressively becoming skeptical and resistant to the concept of charity overhead costs; especially as it deals with the salaries of those employed. They are resistant to having a portion of their contributions allocated towards the pockets of CEOs, executives, field workers, and the like. Moreover, they‘re beginning to place their confidence in organizations where 100 per cent of the donation is sent directly to field programs. While I can’t blame donors for wanting to give to agencies who seemingly uphold the most ideal of financial stewardship practices, I would have to question the effectiveness of this approach.

One increasingly popular non-profit organization who delivers this promise of the “100% Model” is Charity: Water. Since its establishment in 2006, Charity: Water claims to have funded 13, 641 water projects in 22 countries, benefitting more over 4.6 billion people. With an annual revenue of roughly $27 million, Charity: Water’s income is no small feat. Though it may not be as extensive as larger, leading NGOs like

CARE, The Red Cross, or World Vision, this is considerably impressive for an agency which doesn’t claim the overhead fees of its supporter base. Operating on a two-budget financial model, operational costs are instead covered by the generosity of private donors and corporate partners. According to their financial report, they ended 2013 with a total of 67 employees, and even while they grow, they continue to keep their 100 per cent promise.

Here is where the problem lies: accountability. The donations from private donors and corporate partners don’t seem to be accounted for. How will we know exactly how much money is attributed to staff salaries? Further, what if a portion of these same dollars could be used more effectively to fund projects overseas? This concept of private and corporate partners funding employee compensation seems to mask a great deal of ambiguity. For a while, Charity: Water’s donation slogan was, “$20 can provide clean and safe drinking water to one person for 20 years.” It’s difficult to prove that the technology Water: Charity uses can actually last 20 years. Achieving long-term sustainable solutions is much more complex. As boreholes require much effort to install, they are even more difficult to maintain. At this point, both the accountability and project sustainability of this charity comes into question.

When it comes to financial stewardship in

“Development is multi-faceted. Its concept is complex; difficult to measure and even more difficult to administer.”

NGOs, donors must learn that cutting administration fees does not equate to more aid. There’s a reason why charities like CARE and Word Vision – as aid organizations – have stood the tests of time, establishing their presence in more countries than most, while providing some of the most impactful methods of aid.

Executives and employees, although compensated, receive salaries that aren’t comparable with positions they might otherwise hold in a typical business industry. Due to the nature of the work, these agencies require employees who are highly skilled and qualified to perform many different functions within the organization. Like most people, employees have families, bills, and lives that require them to draw on a personal income for their labour. The extent and responsibility of the work also requires diligent, long-term commitment that can’t be obtained by volunteers – requiring highly educated and highly trained professionals. Simply put, stewardship may sometimes entail spending more money to make more money.

Development is multi-faceted. Its concept is complex; difficult to measure and even more difficult to administer. I am in no way attempting to assassinate the endeavours of Charity: Water or other agencies with similar practices. I also recognize that donors are well-intentioned, and I respect their willingness to support what they truly believe contributes to long-standing change. Rather, I am simply urging donors to reconsider their scrutiny of charities that provide financial compensation to its employees. I urge them to re-examine the methods agencies are using to attain sustainable development solutions, and learn to identify the intangible benefits well before prejudgment.

I walk in to Target the other day, and I could have sworn a hurricane went through.

The aisles are scattered with random products, price tags and people rushing around.

The one lady could hardly push her stroller through mess, it was a disaster zone. Target’s liquidation is now at 50 to 70 per cent off, and it has resulted in a wild shopping frenzy.

For some reason, caution tape closed off part of the women’s clothing section with signs stating “do not touch merchandise within the tape”. Has Target turned into a crime scene too? I wouldn’t doubt it. All I could picture was two women fighting to the death over a cute grey blouse, I looked for the body chalk within the borders of the caution tape; nothing. I lasted about ten minutes, after I could only find one black boot in the size that I needed. “So long lone ranger, you can make it through this,” I murmur out loud to the boot, as my dad stares in confusion. Then I was out of there. Customer safety is now completely out of the picture; tripping hazards scatter the floor as if a new fashion statement, with no associates in sight. Customers have too lost their decency, leaving products everywhere and anywhere, whether that flower pot belongs in the underwear section or not. Is this what good prices have really come down to?

Is there actually one thing in that store that you could not survive without? Get it together people. We still live in a somewhat civilized society despite the closing of Target, which was hardly here long enough to make a statement anyways. We all know Walmart still kicked its ass.

Being the face of the problem at a minimum wage job Can we just take a second to feel for the poor individuals that work in the field of customer service? I am not talking about the executives, or the owners, or the top dogs, I mean everyone below – even management.

Whether it`s a big box store, a restaurant, or a smaller sales shop, issues will arise. And guess who gets to take the hit? Most certainly not the top dogs that are the real ones in control of the problems, but instead, the minimum-waged staff working their butts off just to get by. My heart goes out to you people. They are stuck being the faces of the problems. The top dogs are not the ones working the registers and on the floor when the problems arise, so how could customers take their frustrations out on them? Take the time to hunt down who’s in charge, call their number to be redirected a billion times and finally get a voicemail? Like that’s going to happen. But instead customers make a fuss to the ones who have little to no control over their problems, and it puts a burden on their day, and in some instances takes a toll on their pay if tips are involved. I think every person should experience working in some form of customer service to really see how things work on the inner level; realize how hard the people work that get shit on for things they have absolutely no control over.

Or, just take the time to think through the situation, and who it is you are taking your frustrations out on. Should a cashier really have to suffer with your attitude because the store isn’t stocked properly?

12

Opinion

The Sputnik

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Brittany Bennett | opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion

Death wanted a sharper blade Brennan Reid

Staff Scissors are not a great suicide tool.

I found this out first hand, lying on the floor of my bedroom – or bathroom, I’ve tried multiple times – scraping the scissors down my wrist. Maybe I just have a dull pair. Maybe I just didn’t press hard enough.

I was definitely afraid of the pain.

Suicidal thoughts are terrifying. Scared I would actually hurt myself doing something stupid, I went into the Wellness Centre here on campus. I’m now on medication, and starting to feel better. I still have many, many low moments, but less of them.

People, when they write their personal journeys with depression always end their piece with the usual “if you or someone you know is depressed, please go find help,” or something in that vein. Why, then, do most of the stories that I see in the media almost never follow their own advice?

Chris Jones’s Esquire article “Some Days, You Just Want To Kill Yourself” is

a beautiful piece. Jones is a captivating writer, to say the least, and his experiences with depression are immediately relatable if you’ve ever suffered with depression.

I found the article almost darkly funny – Jones describes a scene that almost exactly mimics my scissor experiences.

“I turned the water to ice cold, to try to numb my arms, and I dragged the knife, scraping myself maybe a dozen times, and I sobbed, sobbed like a man who had just lost his dead father’s watch,” writes Jones.

See what I mean about captivating?

Again, though, Jones doesn’t go seek out professional help. His depression slowly goes away, a common theme that I see written. He admits how dumb it was to not see a doctor, near the end.

The popular web comic Hyperbole and a Half, created by Allie Brosh, has an extremely well liked and shared comic called “Adventures in Depression” and “Depression Part Two”. Her comic is extremely accurate and relatable, like Jones’s piece. It has 5,000 comments.

Her piece, like Jones’s, describes her depression as slowly disappearing. She goes to the doctors at the insistence of her

friends, but no real mention of it is made after.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Canada is the third-highest consumer of antidepressants, with 86 daily doses of medication per 1000 people.

Many media outlets report on how the rise of antidepressants is a bad thing. Reports that antidepressants aren’t any better than placebos are a more recent trend.

A piece on Psychology Today, written by Dr. Lynn E. O’Connor, describes how the placebo studies the media report on may be based on faulty research. Titled, “The Media War on Anti-Depressants”, this column makes a strong argument for caution when reporting on the ineffectiveness of antidepressants.

Antidepressants work for me. I’m less suicidal, more motivated and more willing to get out of bed in the morning. It’s hard to make the effort to go out and get help—as Jones describes, he didn’t go out because of some sort of misplaced pride. I went because I thought I was a coward, afraid of myself and tired of being tired with life. It did feel like giving up, like I wasn’t good

enough to handle this myself.

I don’t think I could get through this myself. My journey has been long and scary. Medication and counseling is helping, and are extremely effective in ways of helping people through rough times.

We need to see this more in the media – people who get professional help, and who get better. It will inspire people to get help themselves. We talk a lot about destigmatizing mental illness – how about we destigmatize professional help as well.

If you want to read a great piece on medication, therapy and mental health, check out “Roses Are Red, My Psychiatrist Upped My Meds,” written by anonymous columnist, So Sad Today on Vice.

If you are depressed, or suicidal, or stressed or know someone who is, please go get help. Head to the Wellness Centre – they are the loveliest group of people I think I have ever met. Call a friend, call a hotline, call 911 or head to the hospital – do anything. You don’t have to be alone.

And never, ever tell a depressed person to just look on the bright side. Sometimes the only bright side they see is the edge of a dull pair of scissors.

A disgrace against our fundamental freedom to privacy Fatbardha Lajci

Staff Something interesting happened in Quebec City. This actually shocked me.

Something I never knew could possibly happen in today’s society with all Canada’s policies and legislations that protect us. At Neufchatel High School, a fifteen-year-old student was strip-searched by teachers in late February. It was reported that this student was striped-searched on more than one occasion. The school had reason to believe she was selling drugs on school property for a couple of months. During the strip search, the fifteen-year-old was asked to remove everything she was wearing, which includes underwear. The student was suspended from the school she was attending.

The school found no drugs on the student.

The student’s request to remain at Neuchatel High School was turned down by the Judge Bernard Godbout of the Quebec Superior Court on March 16. Furthermore, the board’s lawyer told the court the school had “serious reasons for expelling the student” which the media can’t report yet on. Just what is this reason that the public can’t hear about at this moment?

Neha Sekhon

Personally, I don’t think the school has a reason for expelling the student. I think they are just are trying to save themselves from the opposing public opinions. In addition, the board offered to send the student to a different school. A school that works with troubled young people. I’m failing to understand this. There was no evidence to support that theory. I didn’t think this was possible. I knew the school could conduct an outer clothing search on things such as backpacks or jackets, or let’s not forget our

lockers. But a strip search? I thought that was in no way possible. So I did a little searching to investigate this issue.

According to a posting on the website quickanddirtytips.com, an article written by a person claiming to be a lawyer said the Supreme Court states searches that require a student to reveal his or her private parts to any degree is “categorically distinct” under the Constitution. This requires greater reason than a simple speculation.

The Court states that evidence of some

kind is required to conduct a panty raid.

For example: if the student is in possession of a dangerous item in terms of power or quantity (guns and pills), or there is evidence that the contraband item is hidden specifically in the students undergarment.

That ruling only applies to public schools.

Well, don’t we learn something new every day?

Quebec Education Minister, Yves Bolduc states that school staff can strip search any student if it’s done “in a respectful fashion”. Can a strip search ever be done in a respectful manner?! I don’t think so, but then again, I never thought any teacher could strip search a student if they had no solid evidence to back up their assumptions. In addition, the mother of this girl was never called before or after the school conducted the strip search. Moreover, the student’s request to call home was turned down twice. The school board denied the allegations.

The student’s rights have been violated. Whatever happened to society’s fundamental rights to privacy? The school had no evidence to back up their beliefs.

The strip search was conducted based on guesswork alone, and that’s really wrong.

I understand that the school has a duty to protect the students, I really do, but this is not the way to protect the students.

Letter from the Editor: The end of one journey begins another Layla Bozich

Editor-in-Chief After four years, my journey with The Sputnik and Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications has come to an end.

Four years that have been filled with bright fluorescent lights, the dull drone of the printer (most of the time) acting up, the smell of coffee and fast food, and far too much time spent warming my hands and drying my socks with a small space heater in the dead of winter.

Despite the journalistic training I have

received during my time at Laurier, I am having a hard time finding the words that will summarize the time I have spent in GRH 202 – my home away from home.

I have learned so much from the people here at WLUSP, and I have had the opportunity to travel across Canada thanks to this amazing organization.

It is hard to believe that four years ago I had applied at The Sputnik, awaiting a call back for an interview and nervously picking out my most professionallooking outfit from my closet. Now, I am saying goodbye to all of the volunteers and senior staff that I have had the opportunity to work with over these four

years.

I would like to extend a special thank you to Nathanael Lewis, for taking my jokes with relative stride and for helping me put together this monster every two weeks. Taylor Berzins, for your amazing reporting skills and hysterically sarcastic sense of humour. Josh Adesina, for taking over the On Campus section and making it one of the best I’ve seen in my years here. Karly Rath, for being my best buddy and an admirable writer. Dillon Giancola, for your tendency to argue with me about literally anything but we still end up laughing about it. Kyle Morrison, for not get annoyed with me when I

don’t understand how to write out sports terminology. Brittany Bennett, for your unwavering help and dedication to putting out a great section. Brennan Reid, for being a great friend and talented journalist. I’d also like to thank Cody Hoffman, Neha Sekhon, and Dylan Kellendonk, for your dedication for making our paper look beautiful through photos, art, and online.

My journey with The Sputnik has been long, rewarding, fun, and memorable, and I wouldn’t trade my experience with the world.

At the end of the day, I hope I have done The Sputnik proud.