Volume 17, Issue 12 – March 28, 2018
The Sputnik, We Orbit Around you News, pg. 3
FEEDBACK FOR WELLNESS
Student voices are being heard to change the center
News, pg. 6
OPEN INQUIRY INTERRUPTED
Protests in Waterloo cut short by fire alarm
Arts and Culture, pg. 8
A TALK WITH 9/11 SURVIVOR An individual opens up about their experience
Sports, pg. 9
ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS
Opinion pg. 11
I DON’T HATE BRANTFORD
Male and female athlete of Why Brantford shouldn’t the year goes to... have a bad reputation
Leaving Brantford No longer being a student after being one for so long Opinion, pg. 11
CHANDLER BERARDI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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THE SPUTNIK STAFF EDITORINCHIEF Taylor Burt eic@thesputnik.ca
SPORTS EDITOR Jessa Braun sports@thesputnik.ca
DESIGN MANAGER Jamaal Owusu-Ansah design@thesputnik.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Adrienne Hoe graphics@thesputnik.ca
NEWS EDITOR Shreya Shah news@thesputnik.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Bryce James photography@thesputnik.ca
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Avery McIsaac assistantnews@thesputnik.ca
LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Yan leadphotographer@thesputnik.ca
FEATURES EDITOR Vacant
WEB EDITOR Ben Cooke web@thesputnik.ca
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Alexandria Clement arts@thesputnik.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Alex Vialette video@thesputnik.ca
OPINION EDITOR Meghan Gauvin opinion@thesputnik.ca
SENIOR COPY EDITOR Vacant
What are your plans for the summer?
WLUSP ADMINISTRATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp.com
BRANTFORD MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Dellesia Noah manager@wlusp.com
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Andreas Patsiaouros president@wlusp.com
HR MANAGER Paige Bush hr@wlusp.com
FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore finance@wlusp.com
CORPORATE SECRETARY Noa Salamon
ADVERTISING MANAGER Care Lucas advertising@wlusp.com
WEB MANAGER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Andreas Patsiaouros
DIRECTOR Hayley H.G. Watson
VICECHAIR Lisa Irimescu
DIRECTOR/CORPORATE SECRETARY Noa Salamon
DIRECTOR Alan Li
DIRECTOR Rosalind Horne
DIRECTOR Benjamin Cooke
TREASURER John Pehar
“I’m taking two classes and working at Tim Hortons.” –Alex Blendeman, 2, Law&Society
“A lot of work and vacationing.” –Dexter Ramkair, 2, BTM
CONTRIBUTORS Hyrra Chughtai Meghan Slotegraaf Jai Boyal Laura Bannier Miles Smith Chandler Berardi Kurtis Rideout Jake Watts
Anna Principato
“I’m going to volunteer at a summer camp program.”
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
–Naomi Bailey, 3, Youth&Child
“I’m working at Toyota.” –Paige Murtagh, 2, Social Work
All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Lucas at advertising@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
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WLUSP Brantford 206-171 Colborne St. Brantford, ON N3T 2C9 (519) 756-8228 ext. 5948 COLOPHON The Sputnik is a bi-weekly campus newspaper intended to engage and inform the community. Started in 1999, the Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors. Opinions expressed within the Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or Centra Web Printing. All content appearing in the Sputnik bears the copyrightexpressly to their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Sputnik’s primary font is Fira. We also use Utopia, Crimson and Aileron. The Sputnik is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns. For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ontpress.com or call 416-340-1981. The Sputnik circulates bi-weekly. Normal circulation is 1,000. The Sputnik has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through the Sputnik’s contact with the community. The Sputnik will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither reprecussion, nor retalliation. The purpose of community press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
03 NEWS EDITOR SHREYA SHAH news@thesputnik.ca
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR AVERY MCISAAC assistantnews@thesputnik.ca
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Students wary of the wellness centre AVERY MCISAAC ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Over the past school year, both the Brantford and Waterloo campuses have been in hot water over their Wellness Centres. Though it appears there have been continuing issues for many years, multiple complaints came to light on #BellLetsTalk day through social media.
You can wait a full week to two weeks for an appointment, and you can go two weeks without seeing your counsellor -Lee Laurier Student
On the popular twitter page, Spotted at Laurier, many students expressed their frustration with many aspects of the Wellness Centres. One tweet from a student said, “#BellLetsTalk about how horribly I’m doing in school because Laurier doesn’t have enough resources for non-sucidial students still dealing with depression and anxiety.” Another tweet said, “#BellLets Talk about how waiting lists for mental health at the Wellness Centre can’t be over a month anymore. Why is it that if it’s for a problem with my skin I can see them the next day but if it’s about my mental health I have to wait forever? Things need to change at Laurier.” One student posted a picture of a text conversation with another student. In the picture the student recieved texts from a friend saying, “So I went to the Wellness Centre for emergency counselling,and they were so rude. She was basically like if you’re not going to kill youself [right now] then leave. So, of course, it’s me so I started crying
and she just like rolls her eyes. It was awful.” Part of the students caption of the photo stated, “The Wellness Centre needs to step up their game.” Since then, both campuses Deans of Students have made statements promising to listen to students and improve both Wellness Centres. The problem with this is that many students have suffered already. The Sputnik spoke to a student about their experiences using the Wellness Centre in Brantford. Their name has been changed to protect their privacy. Lee, a fourth year student said they have been attending the Wellness Centre all four years of university. They have utilized the Wellness Centre for a range of issues, including anything from a simple cold to mental health check ins. The Wellness Centre has been Lee’s main source of healthcare. When asked about their experience using the Wellness Centre, Lee said, “Typically everyone at the Wellness Centre is very nice. There’s a couple of nurses that are judgemental when it comes to lifestyle choices that a lot of university students are making at this time. There’s definitely that generational gap.” Lee also discussed the issue of getting an appointment at the Wellness Centre explaining, “As far as counselling goes, scheduling is really difficult because they don’t employ as many counsellors as probably are needed to suit the size of the school. You could wait a full week to two weeks for an appointment, and you can go two weeks without seeing your counsellor.” Lee added, “They do try their best to schedule where they need to but it’s still a pretty long wait. They usually try to outsource you, to like St. Leonards or something.” Many students including Lee, are prescribed medicine through doctors at the Wellness Centre. Lee briefly discussed their
prescriptions saying, “There’s a tendency to overmedicate. I’m currently on a medication that is exceeding the daily recommended amount per dosage, and conflicts with another medication that the Wellness Centre also put me on.” However the biggest issue Lee has personally had with the Wellness Centre is confidentiality. To many students this is incredibly important, but the interpretation of the word by students and the Wellness Centre doesn’t seem to line up. “Confidentiality was an issue that was brought up earlier in the year in regard to the information sharing system that the Wellness Centre uses. So I had sensitive information shared without my consent,” Lee explained. “The information that was released was in relation to an assault, and then it just got spread across the Wellness Centre. It was put in my chart without my knowledge, because of the information sharing that happens. They don’t tell students about obviously, theres no document that says that.”
She knew a bunch of random things about my family... and I had never met this lady before -Lee Laurier Student
“I had disclosed an incident, an assault, in a counselling session on a Wednesday, and then had gone into the Wellness Centre for a completely unrelated issue the following Thursday,” Lee explained. “Before my actual appointment with the doctor, I was brought into a separate room by a quoteunquote mental health nurse who began asking me questions about the specific incident that I
discussed - which I thought was in confidence - to the counsellor the day before.” Lee also explained their concern with people knowing personal information not relevant to their medical care. “She also knew a bunch of random things about my family, so like my younger siblings name, my relationship with my parents, and I had never met this lady before. There was an automatic loss of trust, I haven’t really been back to the Wellness Centre for counselling after that.” This incident occurred this semester. After the incident, Lee went to speak to their counsellor about what happened. “She was very upset and she didn’t realize that the Wellness Centre didn’t make you sign any sort of disclosure or notice that your information could be shared, so she actually pushed the Wellness Centre to do a review of confidentiality,” Lee explained. “Now they have signs and booklets all around the Wellness Centre explaining more about their information system and their confidentiality system which is great, but is something that probably should have been done way before.” As a follow up to this, The Sputnik went to the Wellness Centre to look for this information. At the time there was one sheet, with only one copy available that explains their privacy statement. Their statement includes that they may, “Share information with other Wellness Centre providers involved in your circle of care.” In repose to incidents like this, and the many others, a group of students made a twitter page in Jan. under the name Concerned For Hawks. They explained, “Launching this platform was motivated by growing concerns within social circles and on social media about a sense of lack of privacy at the Wellness Centre, and as a reaction to the kinds of feelings students have had after seeking care at the Wellness Centre, particularly in Brantford.”
The page launched in Jan. of this year. The group explained, “We’re a platform for the Wilfrid Laurier University community to discuss and highlight their ideas about what an ideal Wellness Centre could be. We advocate for safe, confidential, inclusive, and accessible-physical, mental and reproductive healthcare for students at WLU.”
The information that was released was in relation to an assault, and then it just got spread across the Wellness Centre -Lee Laurier Student
As of right now, Dean of Students, Adam Lawrence, has emailed out a confidential form to get student’s feedback about their experiences with the Wellness Centre. The email explains that, “feedback given by students will be reviewed by the Deans of Students and the Wellness Centre leadership teams to inform their understanding of priorities and opportunities.” The email also states that “Laurier is committed to supporting students’ personal and academic success by providing appropriate, responsive, and healpful health and wellness supports.” On the Waterloo campus, Dean of Students Leanne Holland Brown held a student feedback session where students could drop in and give their input on the Wellness Centre. This was in addition to the email also sent by Adam Lawrence. This is a great first step, but what is most important is the change that will actually come from the feedback. Students must continue to pressure faculty for change.
BRYCE JAMES /PHOTO EDITOR
THE SPUTNIK
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COMMUNITY
PiT makes sure that everyone counts HYRRA CHUGHTAI STAFF WRITER
Point-In-Time Counts, better known as PiT Counts, is an event that happens once a year to help the community determine the progress of homelessness and the efforts to help them in the area. This year on March 19, in the basement of Market Square, the second PiT Count in Brantford was held. The event had many vendors from different businesses in Brantford that volunteered their time to help and provide services to the homeless.
It was really eye opening because you had to talk to everybody you saw on the street, so you had to refrain from judging if they looked homeless or not
VIVIAN YAN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
-Kaitlyn Steward, Social Work Student
FEATURED ABOVE ARE BUTTONS PROMOTING THE ANNUAL BRANTFORD POINT IN TIME COUNTS EVENT THIS PAST WEEK
The PiT Count includes many volunteers as well that go out onto the street in groups of three as a survey team to ask questions to anyone that appears homeless. “The survey asks questions such as age, gender, sexual orientation, and if they have ever lived in foster care. The purpose of the day and survey is to better know the homeless community and to provide
better services and programs” said Victoria Watson, the PiT Count Coordinator This year the city has also implemented a voluntary registry count. The PiT Count itself is anonymous but the registry is not. The purpose of this is to create a by name list, so the city can see the progress that may have been made by that individual. Brantford Native Housing oversees the PiT Count and they wanted to draw in as many people as they could to raise awareness
for homelessness and to create a better community. The different vendors including Obsession, a hair salon, which was offering free haircuts. According Homeless Hub, a site that offers current information on homelessness all over Canada, Brantford’s homeless population stands at 475 since April 2016. The city offers three shelters and about 94 beds as well. Although these numbers are recent, they do not account for all the homeless population in
Brantford as some may not be accounted for or have been missed. PiT Count in Brantford last occurred in 2016, it shows that having these numbers are important to keep the community involved. This event did not have any association with Laurier, but the social work faculty sent out emails to their students for the opportunity to help and volunteer as a part of the survey team. “I got an email from the school [Wilfrid Laurier] faculty and it was saying it was about homeless-
ness and they wanted to address the needs of homelessness, so I thought that would be interesting and good volunteer experience and to see if I would want to work with that population in the future as a social worker” said Kaitlyn Stewart, second year social work student. The average Laurier students spends their four years either living in or commuting to Brantford and trying to get to know the city may be difficult. With these opportunities, it reveals another side to Brantford and to help the city as well. Stewart said, “It was really eye opening because you had to talk to everybody that you saw on the street, so you had to refrain from judging if they looked homeless or not” Stewart continued, “We were walking down the street and my team mate was like, ‘oh that person doesn’t look homeless’ but we still approached her, and it turned out that she’s been living in a motel…” The event was open to the homeless population and for them to come to different vendors while being surveyed. The Brantford Library, one of the vendors, also came out to reach the children population and let them know there are resources for children as well. The booth showcased many activities offered to the children including colouring pages and robots to make circuits. This was the library’s first time coming to the event, trying to get engagement with the public and to let them know that the library has opportunities for everyone.
Thanks for a great year,
Good Luck on Exams!
@LaurierStudentsUnion
@students_union
@yourstudentsunion
YOUR STUDENTS UNION.CA
@students_union
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
NEWS
LAURIER
05
LB students host health fair part of our project since naloxone is a harm reduction initiative and our health fair focused on substance use and abuse, mental health and addictions, harm reduction, and anti stigma,” said Trojanovic.
The training sessions will consist of representatives from the Brant County Health Unit training students on how to use the Naloxone nasal spray safely
-Melisa Trojanovic organizer
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE HEALTH FAIR
LEFT TO RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHED ARE THE HOSTS OF THE HEALTH FAIR, APRIL DREMAK AND MELISA TORJANOVIC SHREYA SHAH the help of Brantford City staff and Melisa Trojanovic and April NEWS EDITOR a City Studio partnership,” said Dremak, two Laurier students,
On Monday March 19, Laurier hosted the Substance Abuse Health Fair in the lobby of RCW. The event focused on harm reduction, anti-stigma, mental health and substance abuse.
organized and hosted the fair. “I first became involved with the training during a Community Development course April and I have taken this semester. The course allowed us to create a project and watch it come to fruition through
Trojanovic. “City Studio is a program put in place to allow students the opportunity to take the theory they have learned during their studies and put it to use through real world application. These sessions became
The fair was also attended by local Brantford organizations focused on health and substance use. The list included the Aboriginal Health Centre, the Towards Recovery Treatment Centre, Safe Brantford, St. Leonard’s Community Services, the Colborne Street Clinic, Helping Ourselves through Peer Support & Employment (H.O.P.E.), the YMCA, and the Brant Community Healthcare System. The fair also allowed students the opportunity to sign up for free naloxone training. “The training sessions will consist of representatives from the Brant County Health Unit training students on how to use the naloxone nasal spray safely. They will also be going over the DO’s and DONT’s regarding an overdose and how to determine what an overdose looks like, and how to respond to something you don’t
entirely know is an overdose or not,” said Trojanovic. Naloxone is a drug that works to quickly reverse the effects of opioid overdose, helping to restore regular breathing in an individual who’s breathing has either dangerously slowed down, or stopped altogether. According to a report released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, CIHI, Brantford has the highest rate of opioidrelated emergency room visits in Ontario. Trojanovic states, “The significance of substance use in Brantford is very important to understand because of the nature of Brantfords community, with things like mental health and addictions being a very well established issue that has been brought to the forefront even more so now with the fentanyl epidemic.”
...Brantford has the highest rate of opioidrelated emergency room visits in Ontario
“Students have a great opportunity to educate themselves now more than ever on the effects of various substances and how it can be detrimental to a community, as we have one right outside our front door that could benefit from education regarding the services the community has to offer.”
LAURIER
HASSA & FLASS host night under stars MEGHAN SLOTEGRAAF STAFF WRITER
On Fri. March 23, the Human and Social Sciences Association (HASSA) and the Faculty of Liberal Arts Student Society (FLASS) held
their third annual gala in Market Square. The gala was held from 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. and tickets were free for all students. HASSA is a student-run association which represents the
programs of criminology, game design and development, health studies, leadership, policing, and sociology. FLASS covers a wide variety of programs, from traditional arts disciplines like English and history, to
new and interdisciplinary fields of study, like user experience design and labour studies and career development. “We put on this gala each year to give students a chance to get dressed up, socialize with their peers, and take a break from their hard work at this busy time of year,” said Lindsay MacDonald, president of FLASS. The HASSA/FLASS gala is a good opportunity for students in different programs to mingle. The president of HASSA, Joshua Rabe, said, “since the first year hosting this event, we have received good feedback and attendance from the students which quickly turned the HASSA/FLASS Gala into an annual tradition.” This year, between 100 and 200 students were expected to attend. After the first gala in 2016, HASSA and FLASS received such positive feedback from students that they decided to keep it running for the following two years. This year’s theme was “under the stars.” The Healthy Rabbit and Burrito Brothers catered the event, providing students with a taco bar and wraps as a vegan option. A photo booth and a photographer were provided so students could get pictures taken with their friends. Music played throughout the
night and students were welcome to dance as well. The night drew to a close with some performances by several talented Laurier students. FLASS is currently hiring an executive team for the upcoming school year.
We put on this gala each year to give students a chance to socialize with their peers. -Lindsay MacDonald President of FLASS
All students under the faculty of liberal arts are welcome to apply. They are currently hiring a vice-president, director of student outreach, director of events and finance, director of communication, and director of creativity and marketing. For more information on how to apply, email FLASS President, Lindsay MacDonald at macd4050@mylaurier.ca. Applications are due by April 3rd.
THE SPUTNIK
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
ACTIVISM
JAKE WATTS/THE CORD
Open inquiry event interrupted by alarm KURIIS RIDEOUT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus is currently embroiled in another polarizing debate, although this time around it is much less vague with respect to where people stand.The debate is, again, centred around Lindsay Shepherd and her efforts to promote “open inquiry” on campus at Laurier. She aims to do this by hosting a series of speakers under the premise of “The Unpopular Opinion Speaker Series.” The first speaker in the series was set to be Faith Goldy. Goldy – who, back in December, famously cited the 14-word neoNazi oath in a podcast – is known for her ties to right-wing and farright media publications including The Daily Stormer and The Rebel Media. Leading up to the event, hundreds of counter-protestors set up in the quad, performing songs and giving speeches as Shepherd prepared to host Goldy. “We’re just a group of concerned students who got together and thought that we can’t just let one side of the message stand,” Ann Marie, a Laurier student said. Ann Marie acted as the media liaison for the counter protest. “We wanted people to know that it’s not as black and white as it seems and there’s another part to this … there’s another part of the so-called freedom of expression or freedom of speech discourse that actually silences students on this campus.” Ann Marie said that the event was organized by a collective of various students. “Honestly, its just a whole bunch of students from all kinds of different places. We’re not representing one particular group … we’re just students who have had enough of this and wanted to do something proactive and we don’t have a name,” she said. “We wanted to celebrate our own voices that would be silenced in that event and we just wanted to show solidarity with one another and to lift each other.” Ruth Cameron, a second-year
PhD candidate, was among the performers who demonstrated at the counter-protest. “I would say that this event is important to me,” she said. “Students who are marginalized in this institution are put in a really difficult place by the actions taken by the university, to be asked to remain silent in the face of hate speech.” Cameron spoke to the nature of the LSOI’s event which was set to take place on campus at the same time as the protest. “We are not interested in giving a platform to individuals such as the the two women who are engaged in this action over on the other side of campus,” she said. “We’re also not interested in acting like nothing is wrong and burying our heads in the sand.” Back at the Paul Martin Centre
We’re also not interested in acting like nothing is wrong and burying our heads in the sand -Ruth Cameron second-year PhD candidate
the tension began to mount, and as hundreds of people lined up from the entrance to the concourse, it became clear that the event would hit capacity very quickly. Because of this, those in attendance were asked to sign up as members of LSOI in order to guarantee admittance. As the room began to fill up, members of the media pooled up in the side aisles and attendants were asked to back up against the wall if they weren’t seated due to fire safety regulations. Laurier professor William McNally stood at the front of the room and began his introduction. “I want to thank our guest speaker, Faith Goldy, and the Lau-
rier Society for Free Inquiry, the university – I want to thank them because they are taking this very seriously…” McNally began. Just as McNally began to set out “a few ground rules,” the fire alarm was pulled. Laurier confirmed to The Cord that a precondition of the event meant that a fire alarm would result in evacuation and, for safety reasons, the event would not resume as planned in the designated room. The response in the crowd was mixed, some seemed excited at eliciting response, and others disappointed that the event would not longer commence. “This is a really juvenile, irresponsible [response],” McNally said. “Well folks, we’re going to get some fresh air,” he said, as members of LSOI decided to move their talk to Veteran’s Green, an outdoor space directly across the street from Laurier’s campus. After the room was evacuated, Lindsay Shepherd addressed a mixed crowd of supporters and protestors from the very same spot she spoke at five months ago at a free speech rally – which was also attended by Faith Goldy. She expressed disappointment to the crowd, but stated that the next time Faith Goldy is invited to speak on campus – in a month or so, she presumes – they will choose a venue with a larger capacity. “The turnout was amazing but this was super disappointing – so much work goes into this. We were respectful about their counterdemonstration, we attended and we listened for the time that we could before we had to leave. We didn’t disrupt, but it’s just their tactics that they disrupt,” Shepherd told The Cord. “They could have just asked challenging questions at the end, but it’s too bad that that’s how they are going to play it.” After Shepherd spoke, Goldy allegedly made a joke about land acknowledgements before offering a brief statement. “Mark my words, I will come back and I will give that presentation,” she said. The scheduled talk had been
met with resistance from throughout the Laurier community and the Kitchener-Waterloo community as well; the official response from the school vaguely supported LSOI’s right to host the event. Deborah MacLatchy, president and vice-chancellor of Laurier, released a statement addressing the Laurier community on the morning of March 20. In her statement, she spoke to the decision to invite Goldy to campus and the ensuing backlash. “I want to state very clearly that I personally and absolutely reject the ideas and values attributed to this speaker and that they are in no way aligned with or reflective of the core values of our university,” the letter read. “It is my sincere hope that the organizers of, and participants in, this event take seriously the responsibilities and accountabilities that accompany free expression and will engage in a civil discourse that is free from hate.” MacLatchy’s statement also refers back to a notice that was posted by Laurier on Friday. The notice began by stating that: “Some have asked why the university permits controversial speakers on its campuses. Wilfrid Laurier University does not limit the peaceful and lawful expression of ideas.” Among other things, the notice stated that, although these speakers are exercising their right to freedom of expression, “their presence at the university does not imply that the university, or all members of the university community, endorse the views they are expressing.” The notice also acknowledged that “the views expressed may be difficult for some to hear,” and, in preparation for this, is directing students with concerns to diversity@wlu.ca and staff/faculty to hr@wlu.ca. In contrast to the school’s response, the Graduate Students’ Association and Students’ Union at Laurier have released a joint statement, noting that “Sometimes ‘unpopular’ opinions are simply ignorant and complicit in the spread of hate and bigotry.”
The statement went on to describe the implications that hosting certain speakers on campus might have: “While premised on the notion of free inquiry, there is little doubt that these speakers are increasingly brought to campus in a specific attempt to provoke resistance. They are singularly focused on producing and stoking outrage because it distracts from their otherwise weak and unsubstantiated arguments.” The statement continued on to note that both the GSA and the Students’ Union “believe this weaponization of free speech ultimately supresses open debate and prevents many in our community from feeling recognized, valued and included.” The event has additionally drawn response from various faculty members who have begun circulating open letters voicing their disapproval. One such letter, penned by Steve Wilcox, a game design and development professor at WLU, challenged the school to take a stand in the name denouncing bigotry on campus. “I think it’s crucial that the Wilfrid Laurier Faculty Association (WLUFA) and university administrators recognize how the university and their views on free speech and academic freedom have been co-opted to intimidate marginalized students and foster a culture of race-based hate and violence,” the letter read. The letter continued on to describe the negative implications of this type of campus debate: “Campus talks such as these are not meant to foster debate nor serve as a means of exercising free speech; their goal is to marshal support for the supremacy of white people and ultimately to expel people of colour and other marginalized persons from society, an end goal that would obviously curtail freedom of expression by limiting the very people that pertains to.” According to Wilcox, “’free speech is a wedge issue being used to create an opening for hate to spill onto campuses.” Originally published in The Cord.
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
07 ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR ALEXANDRIA CLEMENT arts@thesputnik.ca
LGBTQ
Being an ally to the LGBTQ community
Being an ally is crucial for your LGBTQ peers - here’s some advice for being an ally to your LGBTQ pals MILES SMITH STAFF WRITER
It was a regular day in first year. We began to chat about love lives, and she seemed uncomfortable, but I grilled her nonetheless. She seemed hesitant. “There are only pictures of you with girls on your Facebook,” I said, “You never took a picture with a boyfriend?”. She shrugged, a different answer written across her face. She said nothing more - she didn’t have to. She quickly searched my face, looking for something that had changed. As realization dawned in my eyes, I let out a laugh. She seemed confused, but relieved. I gave a shrug and sipped my coffee. “So what do you do for fun?” Whether it is active participation in parade, rally, or protest, or simply providing a space for a friend to be themselves free of judgement, allyship can come in many forms. To put it simply it is extreme easy to be an ally, but for some people, exactly how to provide support is unclear. “An ally is someone who actually tries to make things better.” says Anne Creighton, President of the Board of Directors for PFLAG, a Toronto based organization of allies, friends, and family of the LGBTQ community. “I like to think of allies as activists. It’s the difference between saying ‘I have friends who are gay’ and actually helping out and sticking up for your friends who are gay. So if someone says something hurtful towards a person who is LGBTQ, you don’t wait for the person who is LGBTQ to call it out - an ally would actually step up and say that we don’t talk like that.” For many allyship can take
different forms, each spanning different levels of involvement and activism. While encouraged, activism is not a prerequisite for allyship - it can simply mean active support of friends and family. For me, allyship takes the form of equal treatment. I have no bearing on how anyone can live their lives, especially in terms of sexuality - and although at times I may not fully understand it, there is no reason why I should be less
If someone says something hurtful... An ally would actually step up and say that we don’t talk like that. -Anne Creighton, PFLAG President Board of Directorrs
compassionate to a person due to their lifestyle choices. Although undoubtedly a large part of identity, sexuality is not the defining feature of a person. Although to many, this may seem like attempt to just ignore an issue, I don’t see it as an issue so there’s nothing to even acknowledge as a fundamental difference. In particular situations, such as the coming out of a child to a parent, there may be a series of emotional charges and deep-seated issues that can prevent allyship from coming so easily. For those that want to actively work at allyship but are unsure of exactly how to go about it, here are some tips: Be honest with your feelings,
ADRIENNE HOE / GRAPHICS EDITOR
both with yourself and with the other person. For life, as well as for allyship, not acknowledging your feelings will leave you unfulfilled and allow the opportunity for difficult emotions such as shock to negatively transform and fester. If you’re feeling a certain way, say it, feel it, explore it. Often times the knee-jerk emotions that we feel are not authentic, and can often be misconstrued. This is not to say that giving into a fit of anger is the correct course of action, but an exploration of why you have the feelings you have could be beneficial to not only you but the person
who is trusting you. Be gentle. For some, this process is extremely taxing, and welcome acknowledgement is for everything to stay the same. For others, this is an extremely difficult and brave course of action, and perhaps need a little reassurance that you can be trusted. Have courage, for yourself, and for the other person. We do live in a world where LGBT people are still victims of harassment and prejudice - although by no means on the same plane, allies have to face this prejudice as well. While not necessarily directed at them,
allies must accept the unfortunate fact of ignorant people and be there to help those in the LGBT community stand strong. It will not always be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is. Be reassuring. It is undoubtedly difficult for someone to put themselves in this extremely vulnerable position and that needs to be recognized. Not only appreciated, but also needs to be treated with grace and respect. Be reassuring, and if that means gently putting your hand on their shoulder, or in my case, shrugging and moving on - then that’s what you have to do.
BLOOD
Canadian Blood Services need you!
A shrinking donor population, and a greater need for blood, means people like you need to be donating ALEXANDRIA CLEMENT ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
Blood donation in Canada is still a complex issue. If you find yourself donating blood this year, as you should, good for you! You are helping to save lives by providing much-needed blood for those in need. If you have O negative blood, you’re in luck – your blood can help anyone of any blood type. The opposite goes for AB positive – only those with the same blood type can receive your blood, but donating is still vital and important. According to Canadian Blood Services, about 39% of Canadians have O positive blood. This blood type can donate to all those with positive types of blood. The next highest percentage of blood types in Canada is A positive, at 36%, so it is important to donate blood as many with that type are also, naturally, in need. Nearly every week, Canadian Blood Services come in below the optimal inventory in donation. It is important for Canadians to donate blood when they can. One cannot donate blood closely after
getting a tattoo or piercing, or visiting several countries, particularly in malaria zones. Furthermore, men who have sex with other men are still not eligible donate blood. This policy causes much debate, and, despite a court ruling that this policy is not discriminatory (as it is based on health and safety rather than opinion or rules), there is still much debate and many feelings to be had. After the Pulse Shooting in Orlando in 2016, the fact that gay and
Canadian Blood Services regularly come in below optimal inventory, so give something to help someone! ADRIENNE HOE / GRAPHICS EDITOR
bisexual men could not donate blood to the victims was an issue in the media. Canadian Blood Services is
considering a policy based on monogamy and safe sex rather than this. However, as of yet, it is not implemented. Giving blood can save lives. So, when you give blood, you could be giving someone an opportunity to live and be healthy
where otherwise they may have not had it. Canadian Blood Services regularly come in below optimal inventory, so give something to help something! The shrinking donor base in Canada brings about a demand for
donors that is new and important. The aging population, as well as new medical innovations, also increases the need for blood in the country. Donating blood only takes about an hour in total, and is not scary at all, so get out there!
THE SPUTNIK
08
ARTS AND CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
NATIONAL
Canadian 9/11 Survivor Recounts His Story
Stephen Clement is a Canadian 9/11 survivor whose harrowing tale was too interesting to miss MILES SMITH STAFF WRITER
For many of my generation, 9/11 is an event on the fringes of our memory – we were old enough to remember, but young enough to not have any concrete memories of the tragedy. I had the chance to talk to Stephen Clément, a 9/11 survivor, and hear his story. “I was working there… I was five or six months into a new job. I was on the 42nd floor. A little less than halfway up.” Clément begins, “It was Tuesday morning. I just got into work. I cycled to the train station, and I took the train into lower Manhattan. I was at my computer.” Clément said he felt something before he heard anything. “It was a big shake followed by a big bang. We had no idea what was going on, it felt like something big had happened or like someone dropped something really heavy a few floors up. The weirdest part was that the whole building swayed. My coffee on my desk spilled, and I remember thinking it was an earthquake or something. We had no idea what was going on.” “We were 40 stories up so we were so far up that we couldn’t see the ground level or anything. Then I looked out the window and I see this huge piece of building go down.” “I could recognize that it was part of my building or part of the other tower. The chunk was about two or three stories up and maybe five or six windows across. Then
I saw a lot of fire come down, and a whole bunch of paper, like confetti.” At this point one of Clément’s coworkers took charge and called for the whole floor to evacuate to the stairwell. “So we’re in the stairwell, and people are crammed and we are going very slowly – one step, one step, one step,” says Clement.
It was a massive gaping hole; multiple floors high and wide with burning fire. Like Hell on Earth was on top of the building -Stephen Clement
“The weird thing about the stairwell is that when we started out, we were joking with each other ‘looks like a real fire’, stuff like that, but when the second plane hit we felt another kind of shake and everyone got quiet after that. Everything got real.” After some time, and sharing the cramped space with emergency crews, rushing up and down the crowded smoky stairwell, those who were closer to the blast on the upper floors filed in.
“Some people look like they had been in a fire, shocked and red-faced and a little burnt up. The lights were flickering on and off, there were a lot of people in there, it was smoky - it was not a good place. There were cracks in the walls – I remember one guy putting his whole finger in a crack, it was that big. We get to the lower floors and the sprinklers are on, so on top of everything else, now we’re wet.” “I couldn’t recognize anything. Everything was destroyed, it looked like a bomb went off,” Clément recounts. “I realized later that because the cables got cut, a nearby elevator shot to the bottom and air compression blew out the elevator doors.” Upon evacuation, Clément got a look at the devastation. “The stuff you see on TV, with the smoke and everything does not do it justice. From the street level right there, it was a massive gaping hole; multiple floors high and wide with burning fire. Like Hell on Earth was on top of the building.” Clément looked for a way back home. The trains were not running, and no bus would run more than a block. So, seeing no other option, Clément began the long trek home, when the building went down. “All of a sudden there was this cloud of concrete dust coming at me – and it’s coming fast. You almost realize ‘I’m not going outrun that thing’. So I start running but it was no use, it washes over me and all of a sudden everything was really foggy and gritty and because I
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY CLEMENT
CLEMENT’S LICENSE WAS RECOVERED AT THE SITE OF THE INCIDENT
was wet everything stuck to me.” After calling his wife Michelle, and his parents Frances and Pierre Louis, to let them know he made it out, Clément searched desperately for a way home. After walking all day trying to find a way out of the city, and running over 3 miles to get home, Clément collapsed, dehydrated and tired. After a brief respite, Clément joins what he describes as “groups of walking zombies” of people in the same situation as Clément – just trying to get home. For Clément, as well as many other survivors, the first few weeks
after the event were the hardest. “For the first couple weeks, I had this Post-Traumatic thing going on. I really didn’t sleep. I would sleep for an hour and then wake up thinking about it – it was a bit of brush with death, so I was thinking about what could have happened and how I survived. It sits in your head.” After the fact though, Clément has come to terms, and now occasionally tells this truly harrowing story. His license was recovered at Ground Zero, and mailed to him later.
ENTERTAINMENT
Celebrating the end of the year with film ALEXANDRIA CLEMENT ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
DRAMAS Lady Bird dir. Greta Gerwig
We’ve come to the full end of the year so far, and everyone is surely feeling relieved to be able to see the finish line in the distance. So, while you’re all studying for exams and working on final papers, let’s take a look back into some notable films of this academic year!
Lady Bird gives a quirky and unique look at young adulthood in the early 2000s, and shows a strained relationship between mother and daughter who love each other so much they can’t be friends. The trials and tribulations of this coming-of-age film feature first sexual experiences, sexual orientation, decision-making, friendship and leaving the nest for the first time. If you don’t get it, you don’t get it – Gerwig manages to capture real life at its finest, and at its worst.
HORROR: It dir. Andrés Muschietti This modern, yet retro, take on Stephen King’s infamously long novel “It” brings us the evil clown that was somehow already featured in all of our nightmares. The 80s tone fits in perfectly with the mood we were already all in thanks to Stranger Things, accompanied by a sweet 80s revival in music, and the film comes in clutch as a cult favorite this year. Bill Skarsgard comes in as Pennywise, the murderous dancing clown, to show the kids their worst nightmares and do something film has left behind in recent years: make kids the remarkable heroes. Get Out dir. Jordan Peele This groundbreaking horror came from typical-comedy actor/ writer Jordan Peele and won a slew of awards this season – Peele won Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. The film was a smash hit, and featured polarizing themes of racism and lack
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
of attention toward missing black people compared to white women, and used them as realistic horror themes in this nail-biter. The Ritual dir. David Bruckner This Netflix Original was a secret hit – many did not see it, and many wrote it off as just another Netflix Original. The story writes horror as a tale of guilt – the nightmares that plague us follow us into the woods and out again (or not…). The enemy is unique, the setting intrinsically spooky, the characters likeable, so The Ritual is a perfect storm of creepy and oddly emotional dreams.
COMEDY The Big Sick dir. Michael Showalter Emily V. Gordon wrote this film with her husband Kumail Nanjiani, whom some might know from Silicon Valley, or from the voice of the loveable time-cube host Prismo on Adventure Time. The film tells the love story of Kumail, a Pakistani comedian, and Emily, the troubles of their inter-religion romance, and later, the story of Emily falling ill and into an 8-day coma, which Kumail spends with her parents. It’s a true story based on V. Gordon and Nanjiani’s real love story. It was a sudden smash hit, and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 90th
Academy Awards. Landline dir. Gillian Robespierre Gillian Robespierre’s follow-up to 2014’s quiet hit “Obvious Child” also features Jenny Slate, and gives us an intimate look into a dysfunctional family, and the way their actions impact each other. The relationship between the two sisters is unique – rarely do we as an audience see such a close, yet strained relationship between two that is so relatable to many with a sibling. The comedy rarely gives us anything to laugh at beyond its harsh realities – you can’t believe your life is so similar to this, but it is. It is.
The Shape of Water dir. Guillermo Del Toro Del Toro’s cry of “I believe in cinema” is surely followed by this film, which won Best Picture and Best Director at the 90th Academy Awards this year. Frequently lauded as the movie where the lady has sex with a fish person, it actually features a diverse and complex cast who dedicate their lives to freeing this monster from its chains as they cannot free themselves from their own. With a lead character who does not say a single line, as she is mute, and a following cast of a black woman, and a gay man, the film presents a particularly terrifying enemy – an angry American man, hell-bent on destroying their goals, and who will stop at nothing to get there.
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
SPORTS
09 SPORTS EDITOR JESSA BRAUN sports@thesputnik.ca
CAMPUS
Laurier Brantford athletic highlights
Sputnik’s sports section chose two athletes who have shown exceptional athleticism and commitment LAURA BANNIER STAFF WRITER
FEMALE Fourth year Con Ed major Sarah Maier is a national-level competitor who was one of Laurier Brantford’s first ever cross-country runners when the varsity program started last year.
In first year I was really looking for a way to have fun on campus and I was interested in running with a group -Sarah Maier
The athlete started running in elementary school and continuously made it to regional championships. She kept going in high school and competed in cross-country for MALE Jerrett Putt is a well-known face to anyone who spends some time at Wilkes. The Hawk Desk coordinator is in his fourth year of Criminology and Human Rights, and is an outstanding athlete at Laurier Brantford. His sport of choice has always been soccer. “I’ve been playing since I could walk,” he said. Before he arrived at Laurier, Putt played in Hamilton. He continued playing in university. During his years at Laurier Brantford, the athlete was always part of the soccer teams. He played extramural the first two years and then became a varsity athlete last year when the men’s soccer team started up. Putt became a multi-sport varsity athlete after joining the crosscountry team last year as well. Along with soccer and crosscountry, Putt also played intramural dodgeball in his first two years. He participated in hockey during his third year. For his final year, Putt was on both of Laurier Brantford’s varsity teams again. He was made captain of the cross-country team by coach
all four years. In grade 12, Maier qualified for OFSAA. Along the way, Maier says she’s made some great coaches and made really good friends. She joined the Laurier Brantford cross-country team again this year and is very proud of her commitment. “I worked a lot harder this year, I was a lot more committed to coming to practice and I think it definitely showed in meets,” explained Maier. This year she competed at the national championships. “My highlight was getting to go travel to Quebec with six other teammates to compete at nationals for the first time in Laurier Brantford history,” said Maier. Her commitment to running doesn’t stop with cross-country. Maier is also the president of the Run Laurier club. “In first year I was really looking for a way to have fun on campus and I was really interested in running with a group,” she said. She signed up for Run Laurier at the Sport Clubs info fair and started running with them a lot. In second year, she continued with the club.
At the end of Maier’s second year, the current Run Laurier president was graduating and so she asked Maier and Craig Van Manen to take over, which they happily did. Maier has now been the president for two years. “I’ve really enjoyed people who come out for the first time and are really hesitant about it but then they come out a second time and keep coming,” she said. Sarah Maier is also involved in the athletics department as an employee. She has been working at the Hawk Desk for the past two years and loves it. Next year, she will be studying at Aarhus University in Denmark. She hopes to find a running club there to keep practicing. She will be abroad during crosscountry season but Maier will be back for the second semester, finishing her last year of Concurrent Education. Upon her return, Maier hopes to still train with the team. “I’m going to miss practices with the team, the encouragement and the push from them to do better,” she said.
SARAH MAIER GETTING A FAST START OFF THE STARTING LINE AT SENECA .
Cory Currie. The 22-year-old athlete was also part of the intramurals volleyball. In November 2017, Putt headed to nationals with the cross-country team. This trip was a bonding moment for the team.
against Fanshawe College and the Golden Hawks tied the Falcons 3-3, missing the provincials by a tiebreaker. “That was special because the boys kind of put their pride besides them and played their hearts out. It was my last game, the last time I wore a Laurier jersey, which is something dear to my heart because I’m really involved in athletics,” said Putt. Besides his involvement as an athlete, Putt is also the coach of the women’s soccer team. The program started in the fall semester and he coaches the team every Sunday. The team played in a varsity tournament a month ago at Conestoga. “Jessa Braun asked me if I would be the coach and obviously I wasn’t going to say no to that, that’s a special experience for me because I’ve never been a coach so I was honoured to do it,” he said. Next year, Putt will hopefully continue his path in law school. The athlete hopes to be able to continue to compete, even though he admits schoolwork obviously prevails.
JERRETT PUTT DRIBBLES THE BALL UP THE FIELD AT CENNTENIAL COLLEGE .
It was my last game, the last time I wear a Laurier jersey, which is something dear to my heart because I’m really involved in athletics -Jerrett Putt
“Crossing the finish line at nationals is always something special. Cory was there waiting and it was my last race. It was pretty cool,” Putt remembered. His last soccer game as a varsity athlete for Laurier Brantford will also stay on his mind. It was
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY SENECA COLLEGE
SAI GNANAHARAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
New YMCA hires Pat Kitchen as manager
FACILITIES
JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR
JESSA BRAUN/SPORTS EDITOR
THE LAURIER BRANTFORD YMCA DURING CONTRUCTION ON MARH 26, 2018.
Laurier Brantford and the YMCA have appointed Pat Kitchen as general manager for the new athletics facility that will be opening in Brantford this September. Kitchen is currently associate director of Athletics and Recreation at Laurier Waterloo. Up until joining Laurier in 2005,
Kitchen worked as the chairperson of Campus Recreation at University of Western Ontario, director of athletics at George Brown College, Ontario branch president for the Lifesaving Society and team manager of the Canadian Lifesaving team. Not only does Kitchen have leadership experience, but she is also an incredible athlete. She won the individual CIAU (Canadian In-
teruniversity Athletic Association) title in the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke. To this day she continues to compete in masters division triathlons. The Laurier YMCA is still undergoing construction throughout the spring and summer but the building is expected to open early Fall 2018 in time for the new school year.
THE SPUTNIK
10
ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR
It has been 25 years since the Stanley Cup belonged to a team north of the border and unfortunately that streak will extend to 26 this spring.
There are only two Canadian teams in a playoff position – there is no chance anyone else is squeaking in. Other than Winnipeg and Toronto who sit second and third in their respective divisions every other Canadian club has had a season to forget.
Now a month after the NHL trade deadline Leafs fans may still be disgruntled over managements decision to only bring in Tomas Plekanec and not mortgage the future to try and win now. But his defence is still inconsistent and prone to giving up multiple goals in a short period of time and the defenceman available would’ve cost them a fortune. Winning a Stanley Cup is a process that doesn’t happen in a year or two. Besides the blueline Frederek Andersen also has inconsistent stretches and this group hasn’t even won a playoff series yet. The Stanley Cup won’t be in Toronto this summer. Winnipeg reminds me a lot of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015. A deep group of young forwards who can score at a high clip with a goaltender lacking playoff experience. The Lightning made it all the way to the Cup finals and then regressed to the conference finals in 2016 and missed the playoffs all
NWHL/CWHL
Isobel and Clarkson Cups JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR
In the National Women’s Hockey League, the Metropolitan Riveters won their first Isobel Cup on Sunday against defending champions, the Buffalo Beauts. Riveters goaltender Katie Fitzgerald earned MVP, made 21 saves and was the first goalie to shut out the Beauts all season. The Riveters are the third team to win the Cup in the National
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
No Stanley Cup for Us
NHL
JAI BOYAL STAFF WRITER
SPORTS
Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). The game put an end to the Beauts’ 11-game winning streak and broke the Beauts’ aspirations of being the first back-to-back Isobel Cup champions. It was the individual effort of the Riveters’ Alexa Gruschow in the first five minutes that led to the only goal of the game. Gruschow was the leading scorer in regular season play and scored her goal off a rebound
produced by Beauts goaltender Amanda Leveille. It was a great way for head coach Chad Wiseman to end his NWHL career. Wiseman has been the coach since the franchise began three years ago. He’ll be leaving his position to take on a role with the Burlington Cougars of the Ontario Junior Hockey League next season. Over in the Canadian Women’s
together last season. Could the Leafs realistically land John Tavares or Drew Doughty? Leafs nation has been dreaming of the day a home town superstar would dawn the blue and white for as long as I’ve been alive. They thought that was going to happen last summer but ultimately Steven Stamkos took a pay cut to stay in Tampa Bay and was likely never close to coming to Toronto. Financially, for the Leafs to sign either Doughty or Tavares they would need multiple players to take a slight pay cut. If they are able to keep Matthews extension under $12 million with Nylander and Marner’s new deals between $6 to $7 million and let James VanRiemsdyk walk this off season they could offer Tavares or Doughty $10 million a year and come in just under this years $75 million salary cap. It is a tough task but doable. The reason neither will end up in Toronto is due to the team’s biggest
need. Doughty would fill the dire need for a top pairing defenceman but he has been vocal about his desire not to be a celebrity in the city he plays in which would be inevitable in Toronto. Auston Matthews was getting mobbed by fans before he ever stepped on the ice in a Leafs jersey. To be the hometown hero in the Toronto market you need a different type of personality from most closed off, quiet hockey players. A stereotype that describes John Tavares to a tee. Unfortunately, when coming to play for the Leafs the decision will never be just hockey related. Management will have better luck targeting the likes of John Carlson or an Oliver Ekman Larson the next couple of summers to bolster the back end. For Leafs nation, they will have to hope Mitch Marner is able to develop into the hometown star they deeply desire. Nobody is coming home to save them.
Hockey League, the Markham Thunder captured the Clarkson Cup after a 2-1 overtime victory against Kunlun Red Star. Laura Stacey, a member of the Canadian women’s Olympic team, was the Thunder’s hero as she onetimed a pass from Nicole Kosta and scored the game winner. Nicole Brown scored the Thunder’s other goal during regular game play. Goaltender Erica Howe made 17 saves and was named Clarkson Cup MVP. Kelli Stack was named Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) MVP and scored the lone goal for the Red Star.
The team’s goalie, Noora Raty, made 37 saves and was also named Goatender of the Year earlier in the week. This was the first time the Thunder has won the Clarkson Cup. They competed for it in the championship in 2010 and 2012 but lost the game both times. The Thunder defeated the defending Clarkson Cup champions in the best-of-three semi-final round earlier this month. Kunlun Red Star is a team from China, hoping to use their experience in the CWHL as a way to build their women’s national team for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
THE SPUTNIK
11
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 OPINION EDITOR MEGHAN GAUVIN opinion@thesputnik.ca
I don’t hate the city of Brantford MEGHAN GAUVIN OPINION EDITOR
As a Laurier Brantford student myself, I understand the weird relationship between Laurier students and Brantford as a city. After spending the last four years in this place I have noticed a trend.Where there is great pride in being a Golden Hawk there is never much to say about loving Brantford. I won’t lie, I’ve taken part in complaining about my school’s city and making fun of the odd things that happen here. However, to be honest, I’m not completely sure why we all love to bag on Brantford when I know a lot of us love to live here. Here are the two main reasons that Brantford is NOT the worst city to go to school (but is actually the best)! The first reason I love Brantford is due to its rich history. What I love most about Brantford’s history, is how well the city works on restoring it. I remember my first time visiting Laurier I was taken back by the architecture in the downtown area. As a student today, I’ve learned that Laurier and the city of Brantford have put a lot of time, effort and money into maintaining these structures. So many of our school buildings still have the original framework from when they were built over a century ago. For example, Wilkes house was built in the 1870’s and was lived in by one of Brantford’s founding families. Apparently, Alexander Graham Bell actually had lunch in one of the front rooms that now serves as a residence. Unfortunately, students don’t realize the history of a place while they are funneling seven beers on their kitchen table. Brantford also has a rich history of Indigenous peoples with Six Nations of The Grand River territory only a short drive away from our school’s campus. We also have the Woodland Culture Centre which once stood as a residential school for Indigenous children and today is a museum.
And of course, we all know that Alexander Graham Bell invented
I can walk home at any time of night and I rarely feel unsafe. And to me, that’s a big deal.
the telephone in Brantford. Which also means that the first successful telephone conversation happened out of our city. This is a pretty cool fact but unfortunately has become overlooked. Students don’t really care or see this piece of history as something worth discussing and it is instead talked about as Brantford’s only ‘claim to fame’. The second reason Brantford is an awesome city to go to university is that it is actually quite safe. Despite students constantly talking about how ‘sketchy’ downtown Brantford is, I find the area a lot safer than the GTA - which is where I am from originally. Growing up in Brampton, there weren’t very many places I could go without an adult. Even an unsupervised trip to the park was a big deal unless I was going with my older brother and a group of about eight friends. Once I hit high school, and my parents allowed me to go out on my own, I quickly learned the dangers of being a young girl alone on the streets of Brampton. My friends and I used to make a game out of how many creepy people would try and talk to us when we were walking together. At the time, it was funny. However, as an adult, it’s pretty unsettling to remember some of the experiences I had and some of the things that were said to me at only 13 years of age. This continued and still continues every time I’m back home.
There is always an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach when I know I have to walk somewhere by myself. In other words, the way I feel about walking past Vegas, one of Brantford’s less admirable locations, is the same way I feel walking anywhere in Brampton. Uncomfortable and kind of dirty. In Brantford, it’s unlikely that I experience being ‘cat called’ and if I do it’s strangely polite and doesn’t make my skin crawl. I understand a lot of people will disagree with my saying that Brantford is a good area. In fact, I’ve even had some police officers tell me I didn’t live in a safe neighborhood after moving out of residence in my second year at Laurier. So, although I have had my share of experiences in Brantford, just as
everyone has, there is something I can say about this city that I can’t say about the one I grew up in. I can walk home at any time of night, and I rarely feel unsafe. And to me, that’s a big deal. I think students give Brantford a hard time because that’s just what you do when you move to a new city. Everything is different from what we are used to and sometimes we don’t know how to deal with that. Even if it’s for the better. So, this is my formal apology to the city of Brantford on behalf of myself and my fellow students.Despite all the times we have poked fun, I know we will miss you when we leave. And I for one, will always be proud of my time spent in the city of Brantford.
BRYCE JAMES/PHOTO EDITOR
STATUE OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL LOCATED ON MARKET ST
Goodbye to being a student MEGHAN GAUVIN OPINION EDITOR
This coming June my graduating class and I will walk across the stage at the Sanderson Centre and receive our long-awaited diplomas. Our journey to this point has been one of countless ‘all-nighters’, millions of cups of coffee, hundreds of dollars spent on textbooks and at least a dozen mental breakdowns per semester. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve said or heard the words “I can’t wait to be done with school” or “I just want to graduate already”. With so much going on in our lives, it’s hard to stop and think about what it will actually mean to be finished with school. When all the exams are done and all the papers have been submitted, a lot of us, myself included, won’t be students anymore. For those of us in this situation, this graduation is unlike any we have seen in the past. We’ve graduated from elementary school into high school and high school into university. Some
of us even had a ceremony after finishing kindergarten and moving into the number grades. However, there is one big difference this time around. We aren’t leaving one school to go and experience another form of education. We aren’t just graduating from Laurier, we are saying goodbye to an identity that has been with us since the early years of Jr. kindergarten. To put that into perspective, the year was 1999 when I started my first day of elementary school. In other words, I have been a student for 82 percent of my life. That being said, I find myself afraid of graduating and leaving behind this part of my identity. It’s not just a fear of responsibility and having to enter the harsh reality of the working world. For me, it’s more about what I’m going to lose than it is about all that I have to gain. I won’t be able to tell people I’m in school when they ask what I’m doing with life. The time has come where I’m going to need a real answer and I’m just not ready for that.
Along with the title ‘student’ comes a type of certainty in my life. I know exactly where I’m going to be, when I’m going to be there and for how long. For the last few summers I’ve had a summer student position with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and I loved my job. As much as I enjoyed my short time in the professional working world, there was always a sense of comfort in knowing I would be going back to school. The same laws apply to life within school. Hate your semester? It’s all good. In a few short months, you will be given a completely new schedule. Do you have nine papers, 12 exams and a 1500 page reading to complete by the end of this week? It’s fine! Sleep in till 1:00 P.M. and do it when you wake up. There are no set times where you have to be working, so night owls like me can still sleep all day and have our work done in time. Having a hard time with a professor? Switch out of their class and never take one with them again. The same cannot be said when you
dislike your boss or someone with higher authority at work. And of course, my personal favourite part of being a student is the time off. Just as our schedule changes every few months, so are we able to step back and take a break from being a full-time student. Between reading week and the near month we have for Christmas break, students have a ton of free time to relax each year. Once I’m locked into a full-time job, these opportunities for ‘time off ’ become scares. It’s time to say goodbye to being a student and so long to the perks that come with it. Fortunately, there are positive aspects of being apart of the ‘real world’. This new chapter in our lives will be one of great decisions and a new found independence. Rather than mourn a part of my life that will soon be in the past, I try to look forward to the life I might leade post graduation.
Editor’s Note TAYLOR BURT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
When I set out to write this, I thought it would be a simple goodbye with some cheesy lines about how much I will miss my team and how much I love this paper. Then, I sat down and started to write and it wasn’t that easy. I have always been the girl who was quiet and reserved. I never asked or answered questions in class, and anything outside of my comfort zone made me freeze. So, why I applied for Editor-In- Chief is beyond me. I knew I loved to write and I knew I loved journalism, but running a newspaper? I went into this not knowing how stressful it would be, how many late nights there would be but I also didn’t know how rewarding it would be. There isn’t a big enough word count in the world for me to express how much The Sputnik and my team meant to me this year. I look back at my time as Editor-In-Chief and am proud of what I’ve accomplished. I can’t say I haven’t made any mistakes and I wouldn’t want to be able to say that – that would mean I didn’t learn anything. From the redesign, to the back-to- back issues to bi-weekly meetings, The Sputnik has been a huge part (if not a majority part) of my life for the past year. Every issue, my editors came in and worked on their pages. But, they didn’t just come in, work and leave. They came in, and we spoke for hours about classes, assignments, relationships, good times, bad times and everything in between – sometimes even with pizza involved. I cannot begin to list how each and every one of them has affected me, because again word count is limited.I will also be bothering the new team next year - and they know it - because I know I will miss them too much to say goodbye forever. I have made so many close friends because of this paper, and I got to watch my team grow. I look back to our very first production, and needless to say, it was a mess. No one – including myself – knew how to use the software, many individuals were new to the paper in general and we struggled to do our first 12-page paper. We had empty spaces and mispelled words. We left it as an online issue, but it was a good learning experience for us and we realized you can’t just put a box in a page and pretend it’s an ad.Now, I look at our final issue – photos, content, all the contributors – and I’m nothing but proud. We have come far over the past 12 issues, 156 pages, one missed deadline, 3 a.m. nights and bi-weekly timbits and I would not give it up for the world. It was hard to sit down and try to put all of this into words, because I cannot express the amount of love I have for these people and this organization, but I hope I got my point across. This was the best possible way to spend my final year at university and my heart hurts a little saying goodbye, but I know the paper is in good hands next year and I can’t wait to see what’s next.