Volume 20, Issue 7– March 2020
The Sputnik, We Orbit Around You.
Fashion for Freedom Raises Funds Annual charity show collects approx. $2000 for Shinerama and Cystic Fibrosis awareness
SARA SHEIKH/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY
BAILEY ZIMMER SPUTNIK WRITER
Laurier Brantford rolls out the red carpet and struts their stuff for the fifth-annual “Fashion for Freedom” fashion show. Roughly $2,000 was raised from this year’s fashion show and all the money will go towards Shinerama, an initiative started by Wilfrid Laurier University in support of funding and raising awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. “[It’s] a very fun and eventful process that led up to an overall exciting and entertaining night of doing something for a good cause,” said Gordon Bowden, a model for the show. Ticket sales skyrocketed this year, and over 200 tickets at $10 a piece were sold, doubling the sales of the previous years. This year the show was held at the Sanderson Centre, a different location than the previous One Market last year. The theatre was packed with News, pg. 4
LGBTQ+ EVENT
Brantford public library hosts event aimed at being an ally to youth
audience members excitedly awaiting their evening ahead of them. Hoots and hollers rustled throughout the crowd and only livened as the night wore on and spirits heightened. “The Laurier community itself allows students to volunteer ... and have fun ... and brings the Brantford community together with the Laurier community to promote their clothing and bring new students out to see what Brantford has to offer,” said Mackenzie Parke, co-president of the fashion for freedom club. The fashion show changed the pace of strut and added some new features to the event. Drag queens and divas scattered the stage and left the audience wanting more. The event, which was started by Laurier Brantford students, passes each year while developing new creative ideas to make the event even better for the coming years. The fashion show brings the Laurier community, as well as the city of Brantford together to create Features, pg. 6
RELAY FOR LIFE Danielle Gledhill reflects on her mother’s cancer diagnoises
an evening of harmony and stunning new looks. 30 models strutted the runway, each going about three times. Although street clothing was the main presence on stage, models would wear everything from casual street wear, to extravagant prom dresses. Between sets, dance performances would keep the audience entranced with the magic of the night. The clothing used for the fashion show was all donated from local stores to be worn for the evening and then delivered back to the company the next day. The businesses can show the styles they have to sell, all while making a charitable loan to a good cause. Although the models would show their clothes off individually, the fashion show brought the crowd, models and event organizers closer together and created an unforgettable bond. “It was a great way to get to know more people around the Opinion, pg. 8
2020 OSRCARS REVIEW
A controversial take on this year’s show
campus as well as making friends,” Bowden said. The crowd was full of Laurier students who want to discover what Brantford has to offer for them and to have a good time with their friends and family. Although the fashion show seemed to head onwards and upwards, there were a few minor setbacks before the performance. The biggest bump in the road was the worry about the proper amount of funding. The Sanderson Centre was a much bigger venue, which resulted in a greater rental fee, making fundraising a challenging part of the process. Luckily, more people than ever came out this year to show their support. Ultimately, the club overcame their obstacle and the fashion show went on with a great response from the crowd. Fundraisers, such as selling doughnuts on campus, helped raise money to rent the Sanderson Center for the night, which made Arts & Culture, pg. 10
WHY AM I A LIFEGUARD?
How a few dedicated guards save lives
the event possible with such high numbers of attendees and offered a more professional look for the fashion show. Although there were minor setbacks, the evening was mostly smooth sailing, and will be even bigger and better next year. “My favourite part of the event was seeing it all unfold, the whole time the show was running, my co-president, Kyle and I, were standing backstage and watching it happen,” Parke said. “Watching all the models have fun, and seeing everyone’s reaction to the show and seeing how our vision was coming true was the best.” The feedback from the crowd was overwhelming and a guarantee of a fashion show next year is underway. Everyone from the participants, models, organizers and crowd all had a fabulous time and are excited for the preparation and execution of the show in the following years. Sports, pg. 12
KAOS DANCE SHOWCASE
Hip hop, jazz and tap, our golden hawks do it all
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MARCH 2020
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Editor’s Note: Linda Schuyler — an influencial canadian woman
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CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
(Left) Linda Schuyler, Stacie Mistysyn (Caitlin Ryan) and Christopher (Kit) Hood with geminis awards for Degrassi Junior High, 1989.
Dhruvi Modi Varsha Sriganesh Nicole Sguigna Wesley Strassburger Jessica Lorch Reuben James Soriano Hyrra Chughtai Sharna Emrith
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Linda Schuyler has always been ahead of her time. Her strongest memory growing up in Paris, Ont. just outside of Brantford, is her father teaching her how to drive. They used to drive around the Paris Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoons before she got her license. “As much as one loved Paris as a child growing up, you couldn’t wait until you turned 16 and got your license to spread your wings a bit,” she said. Schuyler and her family moved from England in the 1950s and she spent most of her childhood in Paris playing by the Grand River. During the week, she would walk to and from school about a mile away. She had a lot of freedom as a child. “Come home before the streetlights come on,” she said her parents would say. This carefree childhood later led Schuyler down the path to university. She accepted a math scholarship at the University of Waterloo, but soon after left when she realized math did not interest her as a career. The 1960s is a time when life was about “free love and the hippies,” she said. So she packed her bag and set out to travel the world. She was planning to stop at a few places to gather some money to keep travelling. “Well it didn’t go as I planned,” she said, “I hadn’t even left England before I was involved in a very bad car accident … so I had to come home.” Schuyler remembers being more embarrassed than anything else about her not being able to travel like she planned. After she recovered, she decided to go to teacher’s college. “I really thought, oh second choice … I really wasn’t too excited about it,” she said, “until I started practice teaching and then I really started loving the kids.” At Earl Grey Senior Public School in Toronto Schuyler admired the amount of diversity in ethnicities, religion and language in her class. This gave her the idea to do a short documentary on her students; Between Two Worlds.
The school principal found Schuyler some money to make the documentary even though at the time she didn’t even know how to use a camera. She had a crash course at the Toronto Filmmakers Corporation and had enough in her budget to hire a professional editor. “I sort of learned on the fly,” she said. That’s when Schuyler realized her passion for storytelling and met friend and co-creator of Degrassi, Christopher (Kit) Hood. “It was an ideal combination … we used to laugh saying he was form and I was content,” she said with a smile. Unfortunately, a few days prior to this interview Hood passed away unexpectedly. Schuyler remembers her friend and partner of Degrassi for 16 years as someone with a “lovely wit and charm.” The hit Canadian TV franchise currently has 500 episodes during five different generations. It is best known for its daring but realistic storylines as teens navigate through their high schools years. “What I’ve been most proud of is how we have been able to keep up with the times, and yet not lose the passion and the building blocks that make Degrassi good,” said Schuyler. Some of the most talked about storylines include sex and teen pregnancy, characters of the LGBTQ+ community and a character who died by suicide. Tarah Brookfield, associate professor at Laurier Brantford, remembers the powerful suicide storyline. In Degrassi High there are two characters in a relationship and the male in the relationship ended up killing himself because of the breakup. As a teen, Brookfield was in a relationship that she wasn’t happy with. She broke up with her boyfriend and he threatened that if they didn’t get back together he would take his own life. Terrified, Brookfield called the Kids Help Phone and got him some help. “I don’t remember being inspired by the show but seeing something I’ve gone through was comforting, you weren’t going through things alone,” she said. The storylines about sex and pregnancy explored how different charac-
ters either kept or gave up their babies for adoption. “All of the stories were possible realities out there,” said Brookfield. Growing up watching Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, Brookfield said she felt like she was watching real people and connecting with them. The later generations of the show explored more LGBTQ+ storylines such as characters who were gay, transgender and non-binary. “Even to this day she [Schuyler] tried really hard to make it inclusive … storylines about all minorities …and she’d been doing that since the ‘70s when that really wasn’t cool,” said Tyler Britz, third year history student. When listening to Schuyler speak at Laurier Brantford this past month, Britz was surprised by how early in the series she tackled controversial topics. He was most impressed by a storyline about a character making fun of a person with a disability and how another character stood up for them. Britz describes Degrassi as “ahead of its time.” Teaching students over eight years inspired some of Schuyler’s most prominent characters. One memorable character, Stephanie Kaye, in Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, was inspired by a Greek girl she had in her class. “I sort of took bits and pieces of each of them [her students] and created characters,” Schuyler said. Their goal was to always tell realistic coming of age stories. To continue to do this Schuyler made sure they caste age appropriate actors and work shop all scripts with the actors having input. Schuyler has owned and been the boss of her own business. That’s partly how she escaped sexism in the industry, she said. “In my generation it was a completely male dominated field in all spaces.” Over the years, she had the privilege to work with some “brilliant women” on the series from directing to editing. The final season of Degrassi: Next Generation aired August 2015. After more than 40 years in the industry, Schuyler is now going to shift focus to writing a memoir.
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MARCH 2020
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EQUALITY
Three perspectives on International Women’s Day NICOLE SGUIGNA SPUTNIK WRITER
March 8 marks the yearly campaign for International Women’s Day, as it will be celebrating women’s achievements and representations, looking at actions for equality and confronting gender bias. In honor of this day, three different women have lent their perspectives on the importance and meaning of international women’s day in their lives and the sexism they have experienced. Jessica Wagner, whose titles includes but should not be limited to: “a mother, a partner, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, a student, a teacher, a dog lover, a seeker, a reader and a businesswoman,” sees International Women’s Day as an opportunity to honour all women. To her, this includes the women in her family, her daughter, herself, as well as the historical women, their governments, mothers and teachers who have contributed to the future of women’s success and equality. As a businesswoman in a maledominated industry, Wagner is familiar with the ongoing struggles of sexism. “There were times when I felt like I needed to be more firm than my instinct directed me, times when I felt like vulnerability could be perceived as weakness … I have often been the only woman in the boardroom,” Wagner said. Her role as a working mother undermines traditional roles at home in what she calls a “revolution opportunity” as her husband is a stay-at-home dad. She hopes this upbringing will give her daughter the “viewpoint where she sees you can be a successful mother while also being
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
career-minded.” “I hope she will feel lucky that she has such a strong fatherdaughter bond with her dad,” she said. Wagner said she is appreciative of having a day dedicated to bringing attention to women. “International Women’s Day is important because it allows space for celebration, honouring and understanding of women,” she said. Mya (Mamta) Gokani, a businesswoman of Indian descent, sees the importance of international women’s day for its celebration of women’s equality. “A day on which women and men around the world celebrate the progression toward an equal relationship between the sexes, it is also a day on which we celebrate the various achievements women have accomplished,” Gokani said. Gokani’s experiences with struggle deal more with racism
than sexism. “For instance, I changed my name from the more ethnicsounding, Mamta to Mya when I was young,” Gokani said. “I realized there was a significant disadvantage to using my real name versus my chosen one.” “I also noticed call-backs from jobs were more likely when it was Mya Gokani not Mamta Gokani when I was applying,” she said. She recognizes that her experience with racism is not as severe as others, due to her multicultural and progressive upbringing, nor has she felt as held back by sexism in her career as other women. “I’ve been lucky … I think the industry I work in has flexibility and I’ve capitalized on opportunities to build a strong enough career … where I’m respected and not sexually harassed at work,” Gokani said. She said that International
Women’s Day’s importance comes from its ability to bring attention to the “historically ignored contribution of women to society … and enduring inequalities women ace in Canadian society.” For Gokani, it also means having a promising future for her children. “Just as I was fortunate enough not to experience the level of sexism and racism my mother and grandmother did, I hope my children won’t experience the barriers I have … international women’s day is a part of that future,” Gokani said. Kat Georgiadis, a competitive volleyball player, believes this day provides an opportunity to celebrate and appreciate women around the world. “It is a day in which we reflect on the important contributions that women have made to humanity and continue to make on a daily basis,” Georgiadis said.
It is in her role as a female athlete where Georgiadis experiences many levels of sexism. “I have had many experiences when I’ve participated in co-ed activities or played with males and they’ve always played cautiously once I stepped onto the playing field,” Georgiadis said. “It is almost as if they assume I’m not as strong or do not have the ability to compete with them.” Georgiadis recognizes that female athletes gain less notoriety than male athletes; though she hopes days, like International Women’s Day, will challenge this inequality. “This day allows women to be the center of attention and is a way of educating the public,” Georgiadis said. This attention is important, especially for young girls, as it provides an opportunity for women to “aspire to be the best they can be.”
MENTAL HEALTH
Therapy dogs will be returning to the Laurier Brantford campus CHELSEY KING SPUTNIK WRITER
Wagging tails and smiling faces return to the Laurier Brantford campus as the beloved therapy dogs program is expected to make a come back, after a semester-long break, this March. The therapy dog program, that has been a part of the Brantford Wilfrid Laurier University mental health initiatives since 2012, was put on hold last semester due to a recent policy change and a slight misunderstanding. “We are happy to say that we proudly support therapy dogs and are excited to announce that we’re running an event in March,” said Jodie Lockey-Duesling, a wellness education coordinator at Laurier, in an email statement. With new information surfacing, the program is expected to come back in full swing. Students and faculty alike across the Brantford campus are overjoyed at the thought of their favourite furry form of stress relief coming back to the grounds this spring. Therapy dogs have had a large
impact on the mental well-being of many people over the years. Studies have shown that the use of these animals can greatly reduce the amount of stress and anxiety experienced by students. “We’ve been to the campus a few times over the years,” said Bruce Wilson, a new leader of the Brantford Therapeutic Paws of Canada team (TPOC) and proud owner of his therapy dog, Parker. “His job is to go into places and give people a break from whatever their regular routine is, and bring some smiles....we’ve always had a good reaction from the students.” With the semester wrapping up, it’s no surprise that many of the students on campus are experiencing feelings of anxiety and stress by the thought of their upcoming exams and other final projects. “I think it’s a great program for students, programs like this really do help us de-stress and relax especially around exam time,” said Nataly Manychanh, second-year student in the digital media and journalism program. “Plus, I can’t wait to see all of the furry little animals.” Therapy dogs offer many
positive impacts on their patients, both physically and emotionally. Therapy animals, like Parker, have the ability to help lower stress levels and bring a sense of calmness to their visitors. Their presence alone can assist in lowering blood pressure and releasing endorphins. It has been documented that the simple act of petting a therapy animal produces a relaxation response within the human body. “The impact they have on patients is huge, aside from the physical, the emotional uplift and smile they give is priceless, they break up the patients’ day, they raise morale, ” said Mike Kroeber, therapy dog owner. “Bailey does quite a few tricks, like dancing on his hind legs or giving high-fives.” “I love teaching the kids how to do many of his tricks with the idea that people tell the kids what to do all the time and it gives the kids a sense of empowerment to be able to tell Bailey to do something and have him listen to them,” he said. It is the wish of many therapy dog owners to bring smiles to the ones that need them most.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE/ MIKE KROEBER
THE SPUTNIK
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NEWS
MARCH 2020
EVENT
Laurier Brantford’s first-ever beer fest on campus SAMANTHA MCGREGOR SPUTNIK WRITER
Tucked in the back corner of the research and academic centre courtyard, among brightly-coloured tents, stands a small table with a wooden sign that reads Meuse Brewing. They stand out not only because of their small size, or because the vendor behind the table is the only female vendor present, but because no one has ever heard of Meuse Brewing. And that’s simply because Meuse is currently debuting its first batch of beer. “We have been working on this for over a year probably, and this beer is maybe two months old,” says Meuse co-founder, Estelle van Kleef. Meuse is 20 minutes south-west of Laurier Brantford, in Scotland, Ont., and will officially open this spring. Van Kleef is from the Netherlands and wanted to create a beer that blends her European roots with her new home in Norfolk County, Ont. But what does a small, local brewery have to do with Laurier Brantford? They were one of five breweries participating in Laurier’s first beer fest, hosted by the Students’ Union. During the week of Feb. 6, the students’ union held annual snow week events—a winter alternative to the fall orientation week—the centerpiece of which was the beer fest.
Vendors sold five-ounce samples and half of the proceeds went to vendors with the rest donated to Nova Vita, a local women’s shelter.
This is an opportunity to expore another avenue for students and bring a new culture here, where students can enjoy and have the option of drinking alcohol. - Andre Thames , VP Programming and Services, LB
SAMANTHA MCGREGOR/SPUTNIK CONTRIBUTER
Along with Meuse, the event featured Waterloo Brewing, Cameron’s Brewing in Oakville, Pommies Cider in Caledon, and Steam Whistle Brewing in Toronto, and was open to the Laurier community. Andre Thames, the vice-president of programming and services at Laurier Brantford hopes that events like beer fest help students understand how to drink in moderation. “I think this is an opportunity to explore another avenue for students and bring in a new culture here, where students can enjoy and have the option of having alco-
hol and being able to be respectful and responsible,” says Thames. Those who were 19 years of age and older were given wristbands and access to a fenced-in area guarded by security. Only those permitted inside could purchase alcohol but there were other activities for minors. Students like Michael Okunola were surprised by the idea that Laurier would have a school-sanctioned drinking event. “I didn’t know what it was going to be like,” said the second-year criminology student, “but I think it’s good to have more people aware of what we have on campus
and I think the more awareness we have about [drinking] the better we can deal with [it], especially here at Laurier.” Thousands of students—33, 000 by police estimates—gather at an unsanctioned street party every March on Ezra Street, near Laurier’s Waterloo campus. Police arrested 18 people last year. Despite this reputation, Laurier Brantford wants to create a positive drinking culture. The event focused on sampling from local breweries and not drinking, said Anthony Massi, director of operations at Laurier Brantford.
Thames said that students have been asking for an event like this for years but most assume that it is against the rules. The university worked closely with Laurier’s safety, health, environment and risk management (SHERM) department to make sure the event didn’t break any rules, said Massi. Van Kleff supported the event not only as the owner of a brewery but because, “it promotes students drinking in small quantities rather than going to a frat party with overconsumption.” The event was a success, says Thames. About 60 students attended and there were no incidents, showing that Laurier students can drink responsibly and respectfully when given the opportunity.
COMMUNITY
LGBT Youthline event hosted at Brantford library CHRISTIAN MEJIA SPUTNIK WRITER
Brantford public library holds LGBT YouthLine, an event aimed to bring out stories and struggles of LGBTQ+ youth in the community. The event that is a part of the provincial youth ambassador project hoped to hold healthy, supportive discussions on how to improve conditions and address the needs of these youth across Ontario. There were a number of people at the event, and it became noticeable that despite the project being small and relatively new, there was plenty of support in Brantford. The evening started out with the many volunteers welcoming professionals, youth, and allies alike into the library and preparing for the dinner which would occur later. There was an amazing support and overall positive environment, with many noting that the discussions held were informative and sensitive about how to approach the youth and their families. “The information they got from the they’ve done was very intriguing about how the youth is experiencing their identity in today,” said Sara Sheikh. The event was mainly aimed at the community leaders and professionals who are involved with youth, as it taught them how to approach kids with these subjects. The event was fueled by helpful discussion and questions from the community in how to engage in
these issues, and how to help the youth as they develop and come to a better understanding of who they truly are.
The information they got from the they’ve done was very intriguing about how the youth is experiencing their identity in today. -Sara Sheikh, an attendee at the LGBT Youthline event
The event coordinators and organizers, LGBT YouthLine, were very kind and brought young volunteers to tell their touching and close-to-home stories about their upbringing and the support they either had or wish they had from their families, education system, and community. The stories took a personal turn and were sometimes blunt, as needed, to have a bigger impact on the audience. Analyzing these experiences and how to proceed encouraged those who attended to mind their actions and speak to youth in a constructive manner. The YouthLine conducted an interesting survey among the youth of Ontario in 2019. The results revealed and were explained as the audience learned further what this means as a
community. Ways to support the mental health of young LGBTQ+ were explored and the ways to fight against homophobia were brought up. The social, physical, mental, creative, spiritual, and other needs a young person within that minority were discussed and how they tend to be neglected due to either inaction, stigma, or lack of knowledge of how to approach that person. YouthLine aims to help the young people with that, providing donations and activities as well as active support for those struggling to find who they are and accepting themselves. The organizers made sure to use the best language possible to approach the community and the youth, and acknowledged that the language used still does not encompass the rich diversity that may fall under these umbrellas. There was a transformative effect on the audience that attended, and many were thankful for the experience and the chance to have these discussions in how to move forward as a community that cares for all its youth. The night ended with a free meal and further thoughtful discussions among presenters and audience alike, and plans for the future discussed and proposed. Many proposed to help out and donate, and some interest in volunteering in the future was shown. If you are looking for peer support as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, please visit the YouthLine website.
PHOTOS BY SARA SHEIKH/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY
MARCH 2020
COLOURING PAGE
RIDDLE
Why can’t you borrow money from a leprechaun?
THE SPUTNIK
GAMES
05
Answer: Because he’s always a litle short!
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THE SPUTNIK
MARCH 2020
CRIME
Brantford asks Ont. Government for police force funding MATHEW SACKRIDER SPUTNIK WRITER
In July 2019, Brantford police chief, Geoff Nelson, made an announcement that he was requesting financial support from the Provincial Government for dealing with an extraordinary increase in gun violence within the city. According to Nelson, after adjusting for population differences, Brantford had received twice as many reports of shootings as Toronto did in the first half of 2019. Since Toronto receives millions of dollars in provincial tax money to help in its fight against gun violence, Chief Nelson believed Brantford should be another strong candidate for assistance in a similar capacity. “Specifically, we have asked for financial support from the province, through the community safety and policing grant,” Nelson said. This is so the police force can further implement their gun violence reduction strategy. That will include the working partnerships with other jurisdictions, to identify people and networks of people connected to gun-related crimes. Nelson also made it clear that violent crime and particularly firearm offences were not just a problem here in Brantford, but all across Ontario, so although this may seem distressing, things may not actually be quite as bad as it seems for the city of Brantford. According to Stats Canada’s crime severity index in 2018, all across Canada, Brantford ranked only fifty-ninth for all-crime related offences. Brantford also ranked one hundred and thirty-eighth for
related acts of gun violence. So, a well-deserved reduction in violent crime seems to be on the way for Brantford’s law-abiding citizens.
Specifically, we have asked for financial support from the province, through the community safety and policing grant. -Geoff Nelson, police chief for the city of Brantford
VARSHA SRIGANESH/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY
A Laurier Special Constable speaking with a security guard at One Market: both are commited to keeping students safe .
firearm offences, and fifty-eighth for violent crimes. When compared to only other cities in Ontario, Brantford was tenth for all-crime related incidents, thirty-ninth for firearms offences and sixteenth for violent crime. Overall, Ontario is still statisti-
cally one of the safest provinces to live in, in Canada, with crime rates per population second only to Quebec. Interestingly enough, the Canadian areas with the current worst crime rates are Nunavut, followed by the Northwest Territories and Yukon. There is no need to panic just
because the city is struggling with a few bad apples. It is reassuring to note that the city did indeed receive a grant for 3.2 million dollars in funding from the Provincial government to help aid the municipal police over the next three years. A task force has also been set up to specifically address these gang-
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The unfortunate truth is that crime has been gradually increasing across our entire country again after reaching a low point in 2014. The crime severity index for Canada nationally in 2018 is still far below where it had once been back in 1998. Our latest upward trend shouldn’t be a cause for too much concern because, as a nation, our law enforcement agencies have faced much greater challenges than this in the past. Out of respect for the Indigenous communities of Canada and here in Brantford, it’s a sad fact to note that while Indigenous populations account for only five per cent of the Canadian population, they’ve accounted for 22 per cent of the countries homicide victims in 2018. This means much more needs to be done to protect our vulnerable Indigenous communities, so that we can continue to grow stronger and lead safe, fulfilling lives together.
THE SPUTNIK
MARCH 2020
FEATURES
07
PROFILE
CRAIG VAN MANEN/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY
Paying attention to your neighbours: Meet “Kevin” CRAIG VAN MANEN SPUTNIK WRITER
Colborne street, warm with traffic, eats up the slowly falling snow as Kevin and I sit down in the library
lobby. He’s half-way through his third cup of coffee and I’ve just finished my tea. In the age-old tradition of relating to a stranger he brings up the weather.
“Winter’s finally here I guess.,” he says. But this is more than a formality for Kevin, he says he’s grateful to be here and not back in Winnipeg. Only four short years ago he was
battling temperatures more than twice as cold. “Can you believe they’re proud of it”, he says of friends who live in Winnipeg, “they’re proud they can make it in some of the coldest weather in Canada.” Kevin was a police officer in Winnipeg for three years and while he saw some tough things nothing really prepared him for his return to Brantford in 2016. He grew up in this city but says it’s changed quite drastically from what he remembers. The drug and housing issues have left Brantford much more hopeless than he left it, and according to Kevin, the number of factors causing the social issues of 20 years ago have increased exponentially. Interestingly, he believes that much of Brantford’s revitalization could come from a better perspective. “People don’t want to come to the downtown because they hear of stabbings or theft but a lot of that is reputation,” he says, “if people looked closer, they’d realize that, yes, there are crimes, but most of them happen really late at night or really early in the morning—that’s why timmies closes at midnight now.” Kevin’s infectious positivity shows that he really cares about his city. I would very much agree that it’s impossible to breathe new life into a broken Brantford if it’s not embraced by its own inhabitants. Kevin also shares that he’s thankful he recently found a place, but he knows the struggle to stay afloat amidst an increasingly competitive rental market. That’s why he volunteers at Friendship House, a local shelter that provides two
meals a day, every day. When he needed the basics and received more than enough from Friendship House he thought of a way to repay their kindness. “Because of my expertise I run security for them—some shovels were stolen out of our shed a couple months ago and there’s not much you can do but have somebody always keeping an eye out,” he proudly states. As I thank him and get up to leave Kevin tells me he’s waiting for something, however, he’s not quite sure what. One thing he does know, if he’s waiting for the snow to stop, he’ll be waiting for quite awhile longer. I don’t doubt that Kevin’s trusty walking stick and plucky attitude keep him up and about in Brantford for many years to come. I’m inspired by community advocates like Kevin who know what it’s like to be without and therefore give out of empathy. Keep an eye out for him when you’re in the library, he’s often there working on his projects, as he’s a full-time writer, or passing the time colouring. He’d love to tell you all about what we can do for a needy but hopeful city and our neighbours within. Writer’s note: This is the first in a series of profiles that feature our neighbours in downtown Brantford who are a part of the homeless community. At times, the real names of these neighbours will be substituted with another for the preservation of their privacy. It’s important to remember that every resident of Brantford we meet has a completely unique story and a life that deserves to be valued. I hope that’s achieved, if even in the smallest of ways, by means of this series.
LIFE-CHANGING EVENTS
Facing Challenges: “She called me and said: I have Cancer” CHRISTIAN MEJIA SPUTNIK WRITER
Danielle Gledhill was getting ready to face the challenges of coming to a new campus this past September at Laurier Brantford, when she was hit with the news. Her mother, Nancy Gledhill, had been diagnosed with stage three Breast Cancer. Just after moving into her new residence, Danielle called her mother and the conversation was very surprising. “She called me and said — ‘I have cancer’ — and it was very unexpected, it was not where I was expecting that conversation to go … it’s still unreal to this day,” Danielle said. From that day, Danielle’s world was shifted. For many students the stresses of balancing school, work, social life and sleep is already a constant struggle. To add to this, Danielle had to take care of her mother as well as her younger siblings. “I am determined to finish my school not only for myself but for my parents, they motivate me for the best and to go after what I want in life,” Danielle said. “ I’m here in criminology because I wanted to go into forensic science, and I didn’t want to throw that education to stay at home because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.” She takes the time she needs for schooling and constantly calls home to check in with her family.
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Pictured: (left) Danielle Geldhill, Mike Gledhill, Nancy Geldhill, Nicole Gledhill (17) and Dylan Gledhill (15)
Her father, Mike Gledhill, also needs support as both his parents also suffered from cancer and unfortunately passed away. Even through the difficult days, Danielle remains determined to maintain her grades and balance everything as well as she can, while being the most supportive daughter she can be. In support of her mother’s chemotherapy, Danielle also decided to shave her head. She said her mother protested against it in the beginning worrying about what others would think of it and her, but Danielle insisted that she do it.
Danielle sees the strength her mother continuously shows despite her situation. “I went back home for my mom’s birthday, and she was in the worst pain I have ever seen her in: she had a lot of anti-nausea medicine pumped into her and she couldn’t eat or drink anything the whole day,” Danielle said. A friend’s parent reached out to Danielle and offered help to her and her family, through an alkaline water called Kangen Water, and claimed that it would help with chemotherapy side effects. They proceeded to take the
water and Danielle and her family were amazed to see that Gledhill was showing less to no signs of nausea, pain and other side effects. Whether or not the water had a legitimate medical impact, or if it was a placebo, cannot be confirmed; the important part is that Gledhill seemed to suffer less because of it and the family remains grateful to this day. The past few months have been a struggle for the family as a lot of bad information has been given to them. The surgeries did not go as well as hoped, and there was suspicion that Gledhill might have
Bone Cancer. The doctors had been checking her lymph nodes, and thought that the cancer might have spread throughout the body. However, it was revealed that there was no cancer around the body, and it remains isolated in the one site. Danielle said that everyone deals with the news about cancer differently. “Don’t be afraid to reach out, it’s okay to reach out but be patient, everyone deals with this their own very different ways and I was very angry at first and didn’t want to talk about it… but I opened up over time and now I’m good to talk about it,” she said. It’s important to note that it is tough not only for the patient but for their family and close friends, and that not everyone handles this issue the same way. For Danielle and Gledhill, they didn’t want people to talk to them feeling like they were “walking on eggshells.” Danielle says that she would rather people act as they always have around her and her mother. She said that there tends to be a notion that you have to be careful and always sorry around cancer patients. Laurier Brantford is taking part in their annual Relay for Life event which will be held Mar. 6 in the basement of One Market. Danielle took part in Relay for Life all four years of her high school career. This year, at Laurier’s event, she will be going up and speaking about her mother’s story.
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THE SPUTNIK
MARCH 2020 OPINION WRITER NOW HIRING eicww@thesputnik.ca
HOT TAKE
“The Acade-money Awards”: a 2020 Oscars review CHRISTIAN MEJIA SPUTNIK WRITER
I dislike awards shows in general, not because of lack of representation or the incredibly annoying political commentary of those who win the awards. No, I dislike awards shows because the main determinant of the winners is not because of talent or exceptional artistic contribution, but rather how much the studios, networks, and actors use money to influence the votes in their favour. Something many people don’t know is that directors and producers will campaign their movies to win, similar to a political campaign. Yes, I’m ruining the Oscars for you, but I’m not Adam Conover from Adam Ruins Everything, so I digress. The Oscars this year had the usual red carpet fashion flex, nothing special in particular, and if anything ,an excuse for magazines to judge and body shame celebrities. As I forced myself to watch it all I could hear are the obnoxious yelling of photographers as they instruct the celebrities on their poses. I will give the Oscars some good points this year though. The first is the fact that Parasite won the award for best picture. Yes, this is iconic, since this is the first nonEnglish film to win an Oscar.
To those thinking that they only won this because of diversity points, this is not true. Parasite was actually an amazing movie, everything from the director, the music, and the writing was absolutely award-worthy.
Yes, I’m ruining the Oscars for you, but I’m not Adam Conover from Adam Ruins Everything, so I digress.
President Donald Trump sure had something to say about their win, stating: “what the hell was that all about ... we’ve got enough problems with South Korea with trade, on top of it they give them the best movie of the year?” If only people like him understood that trade and politics should not impact an award show supposedly based on talent and artistic excellence. Not all fantastic movies have to be made by white Americans. The other nominees for best picture deserved to be there though. For example, Jojo Rabbit was an amazing comedy showing both the innocence of children, and how
absolutely absurd racism is in the real world, a lesson many need to learn to this day. 1917 was a fantastic movie depicting the horrors and challenges soldiers faced in the First World War, with amazing A-list actors. Joker was an amazing portrayal at the background of a long-time favourite comic book villain. I’m proud of Joaquin Phoenix for winning best actor, since he did an amazing job in that role. I remember watching Joker with my friends and just being absolutely captivated with his wide range of laughter from psychotic rage laughs to uncontrollable, wheezing, depressed laughter. He pushed his body and mind to the limit, and as a person who used to act I can admire that. Phoenix made Arthur Fleck seem completely relatable and we pitied him while still heavily cringing at many of his actions and his spiral into madness. Bravo. Props to Brad Pitt for winning best supporting actor, however I despise Once Upon a Time In Hollywood for its wrongful portrayal of Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee was not a cocky, arrogant man constantly challenging people to fight, it was the other way around. He was also a giant role model to Asian-American/ Canadian kids like me who had nobody else to look up to. Growing up, Asians were constantly cast
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into stereotypes or yellowfaced by white actors. The night became interesting as Eminem came on stage to everyone’s shock as he performed his songs which were long overdue from his Oscar win for best original song in 2003. It only took 17 years. Better late than never though, and a lot of the crowd sang along including myself. I will give my favourite perfor-
mance to Billie Eilish though and you can hate on her all you want but I got to admit that she’s got talent and her In Memoriam segment touched me. She hated it herself and views her performance as trash but I loved her cover of Yesterday by the Beatles. Her voice was just right for that sorrowful mood in mourning people who touched many hearts.
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MARCH 2020 ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR VACANT arts@thesputnik.ca
HOLIDAY years. After escaping his captors, Patrick travelled to Britain and then to France. Here, he joined a monastery and spent twelve years training and studying.
I first learned of its origins from a small and quite entertaining cartoon on YouTube about Saint Patrick from silly songs with Larry. -Monica Van Ittersum, second year English student
PHOTOS BY EVA OU/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Saint Patrick’s Day myths solved
Who is Saint Patrick, and why does he have a day to celebrate? DHRUVI MODI SPUTNIK WRITER
It’s hard to think of March without thinking of green decorations and clothing, shamrocks, and Irish beer. But what do we really know about the reason we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day? Monica Van Ittersum is a second-year English student at Laurier Brantford who became familiar with the Saint Patrick’s Day story long ago, in an entertaining way. “What I know of the origins of
Saint Patrick’s Day is that it was first a day dedicated to Saint Patrick, who was the patron saint of Ireland,” she recalls. “I first learned of its origins from a small and quite entertaining cartoon on YouTube about Saint Patrick from silly songs with Larry.” Ittersum is referencing, Veggie Tales, cartoon vegetables that can provide some useful and broad background information for viewers of all ages. Doug Webber, a criminology graduate from Laurier, associates Saint Patrick’s memorable actions with this holiday.
“Saint Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland,” he said, “historically and geographically there were never snakes in the British Isles, so most likely he drove the heretics out.” Both individuals are absolutely right. Still, who really was Saint Patrick? According to an article from The Holiday Spot, Saint Patrick was actually born in either Scotland or Roman England in the late 4th century AD. He only made it to Ireland when he was kidnapped by pirates as a boy and imprisoned there for six
Once he became a bishop, Patrick felt compelled to return to Ireland and convert the Gaelic Irish, who were predominantly Pagans, to Christianity. Saint Patrick is known for his considerable volume of converts through his active preaching, and for his diplomatic nature of giving gifts but refusing to receive any in return. Saint Patrick died on March 17th, 461 AD, and left behind many well-known legends, such as using the shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity and driving all of the venomous snakes out of Ireland into the sea. After 1500 years, it’s difficult to discern whether these statements are true or not. Originally, Saint Patrick’s Day emerged as a Catholic holiday due to the saint’s religious works and career. It began as a feast day, and was characterized by formal gatherings like banquets and dances. Today, this holiday has essentially evolved into a secular holiday that simply celebrates Irish people and culture. The way individuals experience
the holiday can change over time, too. “When I was a child I spent it scouring the grass for a four-leafed clover, sadly I was never successful,” shares Van Ittersum. “In the recent past I usually celebrated by doing some Saint Patrick’s Day baking and dressing in green,” she said. Being a student at Laurier can enhance the Saint Patrick’s Day experience as well. “When I was a Laurier student, I went to the Waterloo campus to celebrate on Ezra Avenue,” says Webber, “over 20,000 people each year makes it crazy.” It’s true that Laurier’s Waterloo campus is known for their extravagant Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations, but what’s the story behind it? According to an article in The Record, one out-of-control house party at the end of the school year in the early 1990s started everything. In the following years, on-campus events on the third Saturday in April were licensed and planned, and parties in student homes were common as well. Celebration in April began to dwindle as students came to prefer Saint Patrick’s Day as a time to blow off steam; March doesn’t have many exams like April does. As well as, the earlier date doesn’t interfere with any summer commitments. Celebrating the holiday at Ezra Avenue is now a much-anticipated experience for Laurier students on all campuses. When asked about her favourite memory of the holiday, Van Ittersum reminisces on a cheesy experience. “Making a Saint Patrick’s Day themed cheese and charcuterie board, and eating an incredible amount of Claddagh Bo and Guinness cheese—both Irish cheeses that you should really try.”
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PERSPECTIVE
Lifeguard culture: taking an inside at look saving lives ALLIE LEASK SPUTNIK CONTRIBUTER
Being a lifeguard does not just mean we sit and watch you swim and do nothing. It means we are always on alert and making sure nothing goes wrong. Over six years of my life has been dedicated to being a part-time lifeguard during the school year and full-time during the summer. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t want it any other way. When I was younger, trying to figure out what part-time job I wanted, my mom pushed me towards lifeguarding. I was hesitant. It sounded very intimidating and I didn’t think it was right for me. Many people dwell on how scary it will be if there’s an emergency. Being a lifeguard is like being a part of a sports team. You’re never on your own, you have a whole team behind you if something goes wrong or if you have a question. A really good example of this was when I witnessed a co-worker
having a suspected seizure at the top of the stairs leading to a slide. She was on her way to rotate me off and I noticed that she wasn’t responding to what I was saying. When I asked if she was okay, she began to shake where she stood and I had to sit her down. I blew my whistle to the guards and they immediately got everyone out of the pool as fast as they could and made sure the head guard was on her way. Once the nearest guard was over to help, my co-worker had come back to her senses and couldn’t remember climbing the stairs. At the time, it was one of the scariest things I had to be prepared for. I never thought I’d have to rescue another guard. The ease came when I saw all the guards who had my back. They let me make the decisions and helped where they could. One of them took my position while another guard and I helped her down the stairs and into the office. It could’ve been a lot worse if
I didn’t have the help that I did. This was still a fairly new team for me to work with but that day we all gained a little more respect for each other. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing guards as well as teaching new co-workers the ropes of the job. One of the most satisfying parts of being a lifeguard is teaching children how to swim. Everyone knows that taking care of kids has its challenges but, it’s an amazing feeling when you can get a crying, scared child to swim by themselves. Your heart swells when, even a year later, that child remembers your name and gives you a big hug. There are a lot of required courses lifeguards have to take to get a job. If it weren’t for the help of my parents I wouldn’t have been able to afford it. If a child decides they want to be a lifeguard, at 13 years old they can take the bronze courses, bronze star, bronze medallion, and bronze cross. Bronze star alone costs over
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$100 and the prices keep increasing after that. After the bronze courses, when the child turns 16 years old, they have to take the National Lifesaving course (NLS), Standard First Aid with CPR C, and Water Safety Instructor (WSI). All those courses can cost over $800 depending where they are offered. On top of that, every two years the guards have to recertify those three courses. Luckily, almost every aquatic centre gives compensation to recertify.
One of the appeals to becoming a lifeguard is the pay. When I started my first job in 2013, minimum wage was at $10.25/hour and I was getting paid $12/hour. As the minimum wage and my experience increased so did my pay. By my last year of high school I was getting $5 above minimum wage. In the end, all the hard work is worth it. Being a lifeguard takes a lot of responsibility, dependability, patience, and teamwork. But, it also creates memories and friendships that last a lifetime.
ART EXHIBIT
Quilt of Belonging showcased at Woodland Cultural Centre KATELYN THOMSON SPUTNIK CONTRIBUTER
263 nations of the world come together at Woodland Cultural Centre with the opening of the Quilt of Belonging exhibit on Feb. 29. The Quilt of Belonging is an artistic textile piece started by artist Esther Bryan, created in collaboration with volunteers from across Canada and the globe. The quilt itself is made up of hexagon-shaped pieces that represent the carbon molecule, where life stems from. Within these hexagons are smaller diamond-shaped pieces, each of which was created by a different person from every different culture and nation of the world. The hexagon pieces are separated by red cording throughout.
Bryan says that this is representative of the relationship we all have. “The cording frames them as individuals and makes them shine in a unique way, it also connects them to the neighbour … You have to find a way to be who are meant to be and at the same time understand that every action impacts our neighbour,” Bryan said. The 120-foot quilt features a large variety of fabrics from cotton, pieces of clothing, leather, banana leaves and even butterfly wings. This massive textile work took six years to complete. Bryan determined that they would not show the quilt until every single nation of the world had a block. She wanted to provide a place for every single person. The Quilt of Belonging grew into something that Bryan says she
could never have imagined. Over the years, Bryan and her volunteers have travelled the equivalent of five times around the equator, and the Quilt of Belonging has had over three million visitors since. Bryan was inspired to create the quilt by her own journey of discovery. “I realized we are marked by our experiences and they are part of who we are, part of it is genetic, but part of it is the life that we lived,” Bryan said. Bryan found out in the late 1990s that her family had roots in Scandinavia. After visiting her distant family there, she felt an instant connection and it inspired Bryan to create the Quilt of Belonging. After presenting her past exhibit showcasing her family’s history, she heard numerous stories from those who attended. The stories
that she heard from these people struck a chord in her realizing that everybody should have a chance to have their family stories to be listened to and remembered. “I just began to feel, when I saw that reaction, that there was a real need for people to do two things; to feel that they had value and that we were interested in hearing about them,” Bryan said. Bryan hopes that the quilt would showcase and celebrate the differences of each individual and their culture. Laurie Daniel, the attendee of the event, felt this sense of connection and celebration. “You don’t have to know the language, you could all just have a needle and thread and put something like this together, it’s just beautiful to feel so connected,” Daniel said.
Alongside the Quilt of Belonging is a second exhibit called The Fabric of Community. This exhibit features quilts made by creators from the local Brantford community. Patricia Deadman, the curator at Woodland Cultural Centre, says that The Fabric of Community holds the same essence of the Quilt of Belonging. “I think everybody has their own story to tell … It’s about inclusiveness, and it’s a representation of the diversity that Canada is made of,” Deadman said. “For me, that’s how I identify, to be able to look at all of the different pieces, which are all so unique and meticulous that it just blows me away.” The Quilt of Belonging exhibit will be open at Woodland Cultural Centre until May 9.
KATELYN THOMSON/SPUTNIK CONTRIBUTER
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SPORTS
MARCH 2020 SPORTS WRITER NOW HIRING sports@thesputnik.ca
FUNDRAISER
Successful annual showcase for the Laurier KAOS Dance Team RASHIDA POWANKUMAR SPUTNIK WRITER
Laurier Brantford’s KAOS dance team showed off their dance moves for the annual showcase on Feb. 7. The sport club holds the showcase every year for friends and family and to fund raise for their competitions. This year, the show was coordinated by dancer Selena Alaimo and hosted by Students’ Union VP of programming and
services, Andre Thames. Throughout the year dancers have been working on all their dances, including tap, hip hop, jazz and lyrical. The show is a fun way for dancers to engage in expression and for the audience to admire art and performance. Jordan Cameron, is in her final year of the social work program at Wilfrid Laurier is proud to announce that she has been dancing all her life. When she is on the
stage in the midst of movement that when she feels free. “Dancing is a part of my self care, it is a part of who I’m and how I release stress and express emotions,” she said. “Anyone can do it anywhere, it doesn’t discriminate against an individual’s gender or capabilities.” This year the team has left their fundraising goal in the dust and had a very successful show. “I loved the set up this year...this
year was way better than previous years,” he said. “A lot more people showed up this year, way more audience members.” Georgia Gilmore is a first-year criminology student who has been dancing for 14 years. She admits that her confidence has developed significantly since she began dancing. Gilmore got into performance at the beginning of the year because it is a great way to make friends,
stay busy, learn new things, and have fun. She expresses what she does when she feels discomfort on the stage. “Trust yourself and if you feel weird you’re probably doing it right,” Gilmore said. The dance team will be travelling across southern Ont. and the greater Toronto area throughout the month of March to three competitions.
PHOTOS BY NATASHA O’NEILL/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EXTRAMURAL DODGEBALL
Hawks wrap up 2019-2020 season SHAMA EMRITH SPUTNIK WRITER
The Laurier Golden Hawks wrapped up another remarkable dodgeball season with their last tournament on Feb. 6. Game One did not go so smoothly with Humber North in the lead at five and WLUB at zero. However, the golden hawks drastically turned the day around with a nail biting game against George Brown college. The Golden Hawks were neckto-neck with George Brown college at three and WLUB at four. The third round of the day was against Humber Lakeshore. WLUB scored one point and Humber Lakeshore lead the game with six points. “There is a lot of passion on that team and they leave it all out on the court,”said Megan Jacklin, athletic coordinator. “It really was a pleasure to see such a talented team have fun despite the odds.” Despite the ups and downs of the last tournament, the Golden Hawks were once again able to advance to the semifinals against Humber North.
The last round of the tournament resulted in one point for WLUB and five for North Humber.
There is a lot of passion on that team and they leave it all out on the court - Megan Jacklin, athletic coordinator for Brantford Athletics
Overall, the team was all smiles during the tournament. They had an incredible season with so much fun throughout all the good and nerve-wracking times. Marcus Shirley, team captain of the co-ed intramural dodgeball team, said that although they did not score the most points, they had the most fun and he really enjoyed working with such a great team. “ It always makes for a fun day out of the office to watch the athletes ... dodgeball is definitely an entertaining sport,” Jacklin said.
PHOTOS BY HYRRA CHUGHTAI / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY
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MARCH 2020
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Brantford tournament sees Hawks make it to semifinals BRENDAN MCWILLIAM SPUTNIK WRITER
Laurier Brantford’s women’s extramural hockey team played their third and final tournament on Feb. 7, here in Brantford at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre, one week earlier than their original scheduled date. The women’s home tournament was originally scheduled to be on Feb. 14, but it seemed there were several issues that arose with the tournament being played on Valentines Day, the day which also begins Laurier Brantford’s winter reading week. Summer Belanco, the captain of the women’s team, and Megan Thring, another core member of the team, were willing to share why the tournament had been rescheduled. “If we had to play next Friday, we would have possibly had to forfeit our participation since a handful of us will not be here due to early reading week plans,” Belanco said. “There are some of us who play in an Intermediate A league outside of school, and there is a tournament on that day, so some of us need to be at that as well,” Thring said. However, when the organizers were asked about the tournament date change, they had a different reason for why the tournament was to be played a week earlier. “The rescheduling of the
ALL PHOTOS: HYRRA CHUGHTAI/CONTRIBUTER
tournament was due to scheduling conflicts with other attending schools and was required in order to meet OCR hosting standards,” said Megan Jacklin, coordinator of recreation and student life at Laurier Brantford. Regardless of the reschedule, the tournament went off without a hitch, and the Golden Hawks played a solid tournament throughout the day and made it to the semifinals before being eliminated in a tight game
against Fanshawe College. The women played their first game of the day against the University of Toronto Mississauga, with which they came out of with a 5-1 victory, with Megan Thring scoring four goals on the way to their win. They came up short in their second game against Fanshawe College with a 4-0 loss, who they met again in the semifinals, where the Golden Hawks lost 3-0 to a fast offence and a sharp goalie.
“I think we played really well offensively, we drove to the net really hard, and our practicing of cycling the puck in corners in training allowed us to execute it here today,” said Thring. “I do think we need to play more defensive hockey. We’re letting them break up through the middle, as well as protecting our goalie a little more.” “[Communication] is definitely one of our bigger weaknesses and that’s the problem with
facing teams like this, we don’t practice as consistently,” Belanco said. Scores do not always show the full story of a sporting event and it is difficult to capture the energy and effort put in by both teams. While there is always room for improvement, both players and coaches were very impressed with the level of determination displayed in each and every game throughout the tournament. “Everyone played really well and we’re starting to gel as a team more,” Belanco said. “We played hard and we were able to capitalize on their flaws.” The men’s team also played their final home tournament on the same day and were also successful in making it to the semifinals where they were eliminated. The men won 4-2 in their first game against UTM, and lost by one goal in their second game against Lakehead Orillia with a final of 5-4. They met Redeemer in the quarter-finals and took a decisive 9-3 victory, and in the semis, they faced Lakehead Orillia once again and were defeated 3-2. This tournament marked the end of the season for both teams. They will begin playing again in the Fall of 2020.