January 16, 2017

Vol. CXXXVII, No. 14 January 16, 2017 thevarsity.ca —— The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880

UTSU amends statement of claim in lawsuit against former executive director Union alleges that Sandra Hudson had access to confidential emails up to one year after her departure Jack 0. Denton & Katrina Wozniuk Associate News Editor & Varsity Contributor

On January 3, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) filed an amendment to its statement of claim in its case against Sandra Hudson, who served as the union’s Executive Director from 2012– 2015, The Varsity has learned.

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Allegations of a secret email account and unauthorized access The amendment alleges that Hudson operated an email account, operationsutsu@gmail.com, of which the union executives were unaware, and that from September 2012 onward she forwarded all emails from UTSU-operated accounts such as executivedirector@utsu.ca — the executive director’s official account — to this address. The UTSU is alleging that the email account was used by Hudson for both work and personal purposes.

Hudson did not respond to The Varsity’s request for comment regarding these allegations.

According to the amended statement of claim, the UTSU alleges that “Hudson’s refusal to turn over her access to her ‘operationsutsu@ gmail.com’ email account is a breach of her contract and the minutes of settlement she is seeking to uphold.”

UTSU President Jasmine Wong Denike told The Varsity that the union “discovered the secret email account on April 28th, 2016, while

NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

investigating an unrelated problem with the internal email server. We terminated the forwarding feature immediately.” The allegations, if true, could mean that Hudson had access to confidential UTSU emails for over a year after her departure from the UTSU on April 16, 2015.

“As far as we can tell, Ms. Hudson had unauthorized access from the time that she left the UTSU until we deactivated the account,” Denike said.

Denike also said, “Notably, the account also forwarded all emails sent to Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Elections and Referenda Committee.” The details of forwarded sent emails, however, are not explicitly articulated in the amendment to the statement of claim.

In the amended statement of claim, the union argues that this information is sufficient to support Hudson’s termination “without contractual or statutory notice or severance payment” and is demanding the “return of all UTSU property, including the emails contained within ‘operationsutsu@gmail.com.’”

The UTSU has intended to settle the case against Hudson out of court, and these new allegations do not change those intentions. “We remain willing to settle out of court, if an acceptable offer is made, although any offer would need to address the secret email account in order to be acceptable,” Denike said.

UTSU, page 5

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2 • THE VARSITY • NEWS

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Hussein Fawzy, Saad Hasnain, Mohamed Hammad, German Guberman, Christina Kefalas, Aidan Harold, Jannis Mei, Tom Cardoso, Jade Colbert The Varsity is the University of Toronto’s largest student newspaper, publishing since 1880. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock. Content © 2016 by The Varsity. All rights reserved. Any editorial inquiries and/or letters should be directed to the sections associated with them; emails listed above. The Varsity reserves the right to edit all submissions.

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Given the ubiquity of online media it is easy to forget that supremacy of the Internet as the medium through which we consume news is still relatively new. So too is the encroaching perception that the institution of journalism is elitist, redundant, or even malicious.

The Varsity’s Editorial Board wrote about the importance of preserving journalism in our November 27 issue, and I am cautiously optimistic that institutions that prioritize journalistic ethics and high standards for reporting will be the choice of readers in the long-term. As the scope of possibilities that have not yet been realized on the Internet wanes, I hope and believe that the novelty and urgency associated with the medium will wear off, and we will be left with both a public of democratic-minded citizens who prioritize substantial news and analysis, and a wealth of professional journalists with a greater array of tools at their disposal.

A healthy future for journalism requires that readers trust journalists to seek and expose truths — sometimes even uncomfortable ones. For their part, news media organizations must constantly reaffirm their commitment to journalistic standards.

This is why we are introducing Sophie Borwein as our first ever Public Editor. As I see it, the next wave of journalists are working at newspapers like The Varsity, and the next wave of informed citizens are reading them. We strive to always provide a high standard of journalism in keeping with our Code of Journalistic Ethics, and we know from the many engagements our team has with readers that they care a lot about our adherence to those standards. The appointment of Sophie as our Public Editor is our latest commitment to transparency with respect to our journalistic standards and practices that our readers rightly demand from us, and should continue to demand of media organizations throughout their lives.

Sophie was selected by a joint committee consisting of two members of The Varsity’s masthead, and two members of our Board of Directors, and she reports to that same committee. As a PhD student in U of T’s Department of Political Science Sophie is both active in the U of T community, and separate from The Varsity’s core membership — full time undergraduate students. For this reason, and because of her sharp critical eye toward the media, I believe she will do an excellent job of considering readers’ feedback, and holding us accountable.

Welcome, Sophie, and readers, to the pages of The Varsity.

— Alex McKeen, Editor-in-Chief

If there was ever a golden era of newspaper journalism, this isn’t it. Mainstream media is stuck playing catch-up with the Internet, as readers that once subscribed to one or two trusted newspapers delivered to their doors now look first to the dizzying array of online news sources for their information. Today’s news organizations face steep competition from online sites, blogs, social media, and even fake news publishers — few of which hold themselves to the same journalistic standards as established newspaper brands.

But it isn’t all bad news — at least not for the Canadian media. A recent poll by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that Canadians trust their news organizations more than other countries. The news is especially good for long-circulating publications like The Varsity, since established news brands continue to be most trusted by readers.

But Canadian newspapers should also be vigilant. They need only look to their neighbours to the south — where in the most recent election, the mainstream media was both ignored by large segments of American voters and oblivious to the depth of President-elect Donald Trump’s support — to see how wide the gap between the media and the public can grow.

As The Varsity’s new (and first) Public Editor, it is my job to ensure the gap between the newspaper’s readers and its journalists doesn’t become too wide. Readers — I am here to hold the newspaper accountable for its promise to you, found in The Varsity’s Code of Journalistic Ethics, to report the news comprehensively, accurately, and fairly at all times.

As the University of Toronto’s student newspaper, The Varsity caters to a more tailored audience than other media sources, but it holds itself to the same journalistic standards as other publications — and for good reason. As is true of the stories covered by other publications, campus events — from the Jordan Peterson controversy to the surfacing of videos documenting Islamophobic behaviour at a party attended by St. Michael’s College Student Union representatives — regularly touch on deep-seated debates in Canadian society, and provoke passionate responses.

It is in these circumstances, where journalists can find it most difficult to maintain balance, that readers most expect it. In appointing a public editor who is free to criticize the newspaper at times like these, The Varsity demonstrates its commitment to readers to adhere to the highest standard of journalism at all times – not just when it is easy.

As Public Editor, ensuring The Varsity’s reporting is fair and accurate means taking readers’ concerns seriously, investigating them thoroughly, and reporting back to readers with an appropriate response in my columns. It does not mean the reader is always right. As Slate journalist Isaac Chotiner writes, “there is a difference between giving readers what they want and ensuring that readers receive the best news coverage possible.” As public editor, it is my job to make sure The Varsity always strives for the latter.

Here at The Varsity, we are all new to the position of public editor. There will be a learning curve, but I can’t wait to get started. I hope you will reach out to me at publiceditor@thevarsity.ca with your questions and concerns. Remember: the more challenging your criticisms of the newspaper are, the more effective I can be as your Public Editor. As someone who helps teach University of Toronto undergraduates, The Varsity’s core readership, I have no doubt you are up to this task.

Together we can make sure The Varsity maintains your trust, and continues to provide you the highest standard of news coverage possible.

— Sophie Borwein, Public Editor

JANUARY 16, 2017 • 3

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UC revitalization plans updated Proposal for “the iconic building of U of T” presented to Planning and Budget Committee Emaan Thaver Associate News Editor

More changes may soon be coming to University College through the ongoing UC Revitalization plan.

According to a report presented to the Planning and Budget Committee by the UC Revitalization Project Planning Committee, “Approval is currently being sought to include the design and implementation of additional scope totaling 408 net assignable square meters.”

This additional project scope includes several new proposed design, construction, and cost changes to the original set of plans.

One of the major changes outlined in the report includes relocating the college’s library, Laidlaw, to the East and West Halls located in the main building. The space will then be occupied by the School of Public Policy and Governance.

The revitalization plan will also see the construction of a second elevator to serve the building, in an effort to “radically increase accessibility,” said University College Principal Donald Ainslie.

With the additional project scope, the elevator is to be upgraded to a full-service elevator from the previously proposed limited-access lift, which would have required manned operation. The elevator tower is now to be located adjacent to the northwest corner of the central tower at UC.

As a result of the changes, there will be several classroom relocations, including the conversion of UC 371 and UC 373 to the librarian’s office, the relocation of the mail room to the current Chief Administrative Operator’s office at UC 158, and the renovation of UC 375 as a faculty office. Classrooms UC179 and UCA101 are also set to be renovated and restored as part of the revitalization.

Funding for the revitalization has already been acquired, said Ainslie. Alumni donations formed a significant chunk of the funding sources, such as those from Edmund Clark and Paul Cadario, he explained.

“Various parts of the university recognize the significance of this project and wanted to contribute,” continued Ainslie. “So we have funds from the central university’s budget, from Arts and Science and then UC has put some of its own operating funds as well.”

The University College Literary and Athletic Society (UC Lit) will also be contributing funding towards the construction of a third floor cafe as well as additional student lounge space between the East and West Hall, after UC Lit members voted in favour of a building revitalization levy in a referendum that took place in March 2016.

The additional plans are to go through several stages of approval before being implemented. They will be looked over by the Business Board and the Academic Board later this month, the Executive Committee

The project is scheduled to be completed in May 2018. RACHEL GAO/THE VARSITY on February 6, and finally, the Governing Council for approval on February 15.

Pending Governing Council approval, construction on the additional projects is slated to begin in May 2017, with an estimated completion date of May 2018. Work on some phases of the overall revitalization has already been completed, with UC’s Junior Common Room having undergone extensive renovations during the summer.

Ainslie said that the University College revitalization had been planned to address the

amount of underutilized space at the college as well as to rectify some of its accessibility shortcomings while respecting the building’s unique historical value.

“UC is, of course, the iconic building of U of T so we wanted to make sure that when you take a picture of UC, as people do all the time when they’re wanting to illustrate U of T or even higher education in Canada ... that the building spoke to what U of T is really all about,” Ainslie said.

UC Lit orientation deficit over $10,000 following forgotten $7,200 invoice Contingency fund down to 2 per cent of total budget, from 12 per cent Jack O. Denton Associate News Editor

On January 15, members of the University College Literary and Athletic Society (UC Lit) council met for their first monthly meeting of 2017. Amongst routine business, the council discussed how to come up with an unexpected $8,000 drained from the contingency fund, and how it was possible that a forgotten invoice from Orientation last September was the cause.

The meeting revealed financial mismanagement by Abby Godden and Julia Davis, the Co-Chairs of UC Orientation, and a lack of compliance with Council Policies in regards to their payment of honoraria.

Forgotten invoice discovered, contingency fund at risk UC Lit President Ramsey Andary said during the meeting that he and Financial Commissioner Snow Mei were working on final details for the Orientation account when he “just had a hunch to just check this one expense — we looked into the food services expense.” He and Mei found an invoice for $7,200 for breakfasts for the week that did not appear to have been paid.

After reaching out to UC food services and having the UC admin look into the matter, it was confirmed that the bill had not been paid.

Andary, Mei, and UC Lit Vice President Daman Singh also found another $800 in various expenses, including the website for orientation

and associated expenses, and first-aid training for some of the executives, that had not been properly documented.

“This was a case of purely financial mismanagement. We’ve already spoken with both Co-Chairs about this and about the situation,” Andary continued. “Straight after this discovery and us talking to the Co-Chairs, they have voluntarily stepped down from the role of the hiring committee as a sort of consequence of the financial mismanagement they felt was right to do.”

Andary, Mei, and members of the finance commission are going to embark on a thorough internal audit of the financial account of Orientation to make sure they have looked through everything and can close the file.

The unexpected costs from Orientation have drained the $12,000 contingency fund — which makes up 12 per cent of the total budget — leaving only a $2,000, or 2 per cent reserve.

“We’ll talk about it more during the budget process, but that’s why it’s so important to keep contingency high, especially because right now, we don’t know 100 per cent if that’s the end of Orientation’s finances,” Mei said of the need to raise the contingency fund back to 12 per cent.

Singh said that members should “think of this as a practice in good governance and good budgeting. Although the deficit isn’t the fault of the Lit, it is good governance for us to make sure that our finances are properly checked and the way to do that right now is

[to] make sure that we always have a stable contingency.”

A question of balance In light of Andary’s statement, saying there was broader financial mismanagement involved with Orientation, Upper Year Representative Felipe Vicencio-Heap raised the question of why the forgotten breakfast cost would be an unexpected expense if the Orientation budget was balanced going into the week of events. Mei confirmed that the budget was, indeed, balanced going into Orientation.

A number of UC Lit members expressed that there was an unexpected rise in some costs during Orientation. Mid Year Representative Michelle Beyn suggested that the cost of the breakfast services themselves was hiked after the budget was made, and that this is one of the reasons for the deficit.

At press time, The Varsity was unable to confirm whether or not these post-budget cost increases or broader financial mismanagement were to blame for the deficit.

Godden’s statement to the Lit Andary read a statement from Godden to the members of the Lit. Godden, also the Off-Campus Commissioner on the Lit, was not present at the meeting on Sunday. “My Orientation journey has been a rocky one,” she begins.

“I am so honoured to work with you all. I do not deserve the opportunity to work with

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UC students march at the UTSU Frosh Parade. a group of such wonderful people,” her letter continues.

“To think that my work with orientation has had such a devastating effect on our council and our community breaks my heart... My intention was to provide a positive and supportive experience for everyone involved in or with orientation - and in that, I failed.”

“I have let you all down, and this community down, and I am ashamed,” Godden writes. Godden has removed herself from the hiring process for the next Co-Chairs and will be working on transitioning them to ensure that they “will not make the same mistakes that [she] did.”

“I’m sorry it’s not enough, but there’s little else to say. I truly am sorry,” the letter concludes.

Davis did not submit a letter to the Council.

UC LIT, page 4

4 • THE VARSITY • NEWS

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Availability of most recent board packages, financial statements lacking in some of U of T’s largest student unions The Varsity looks into transparency of five of the largest student societies on campus Kaitlyn Simpson Associate News Editor

With the start of 2017, The Varsity has considered and compared the transparency of five of U of T’s largest student societies: the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU), the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU), Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU), the Association of Part-Time Students (APUS), and the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU).

In measuring transparency, The Varsity took into account the availability of board of director packages — which include minutes from meetings and other relevant material — and financial statements on student union websites.

UTSU On its website, the UTSU has board packages from the previous five academic years available online. The board packages include minutes and executive reports.

Currently, 12 board packages are online for this academic year, beginning with the initial transition meeting last April. At press time, the latest board package available was from UTSU’s Board of Directors emergency meeting on December 8.

UTSU has audited financial statements from the previous six academic years and operating budgets for this year and the previous three academic years.

The UTSU’s Vice-President Internal and Services Mathias Memmel is responsible for overseeing that board packages and financial statements are made available and accessible online for students.

In an email to The Varsity, UTSU President Jasmine Wong Denike confirmed that, currently, all UTSU board packages and financial statements online are up to date.

When asked about the importance of transparency, Denike said, “It’s incredibly important to have this information available and accessible to our members — without this, how can we expect to be held accountable?”

“Arguably sharing board packages and financial statements publicly is as important as running free and democratic elections.

Students have the right to know where their money is being spent,” Denike continued.

Denike also suggested that “clarifying the information” is also important for student accessibility and union transparency.

Additionally, Denike commented that the UTSU makes agreements with other student societies — such as UTMSU and the Engineering Society — available online.

UTMSU Board meeting packages from the last academic year and nine from this academic year are on the UTMSU’s website. The 2016–2017 minutes have not been updated since their October 29 meeting. Under the UTMSU’s bylaws, at least one meeting must be held every month.

Additionally, the UTMSU has financial statements available online from the previous six years.

UTMSU President Nour Alideeb said that ensuring documents are uploaded is “of utmost importance.”

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The UTMSU AGM from November 2016. The union has not made board packages available since October.

Alideeb continued saying that changes have been made to the UTMSU website and to board packages this year “so that students can find our board packages more easily and actually enjoy reading them.”

“Moving forward I think the UTMSU should continue to find effective ways to communicate what work is being done for our students,” Alideeb said.

SCSU SCSU has the previous five academic years’ board packages on their website alongside eight board packages from this academic year. The December meeting minutes are the latest available package.

SCSU has audited financial statements online for the years of 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016. SCSU also includes monthly income statements which are included in board packages.

In an email to The Varsity, SCSU President Jessica Kirk said that Yasmin Rajabi, Vice-President Operations, is the current acting Secretary of Board who is responsible for uploading the packages.

When asked about the importance of transparency for students, Kirk said the following: “We believe that it is important to open up various channels of communication with our members as a means to be more transparent and accessible. This includes things like doing outreach, responding to questions asked online, and uploading the necessary reference documents for our members.”

Kirk added that SCSU “will continue to be open to hearing feedback on ways we can improve.”

APUS Previous board packages are available for last academic year on APUS’ website. For this academic year, four packages are currently online. The most recent package that is available online is from the union’s October 5 meeting, which appears to be the latest meeting held.

Audited financial statements from the

previous academic years have been posted, however no financial documents from the 2016–2017 year are currently online.

“Access to information is a service, whether at APUS or across the University of Toronto,” said APUS President Mala Kashyap in a statement to The Varsity. “We want our members to be involved so they can shape the work of APUS, but many part-time students may not enjoy the time or capacity to get involved personally and should benefit from our services, campaigns and programming.”

“As a team, our Board is collectively responsible for making sure we meet the needs of our membership and we strive to continue to improve accessibility within our organization,” Kashyap added.

UTGSU UTGSU separates their council documents into four categories online: agenda, executive reports, highlights, and minutes. All of this content is available online for the 2015–2016 academic year.

For this academic year, six packages have been posted; the latest available documents are from the December meeting, the minutes of which have not yet been posted.

Financial audit statements from the previous two years are available on the UTGSU website.

According to UTGSU’s Internal Commissioner Elizabeth Eng, documents are posted by staff members with her oversight.

Eng spoke on the issue of transparency saying, “The UTGSU understands that it is a Members organization and upholds its responsibilities to its Members as a primary duty. It is committed to transparency and accountability towards its Members and works hard to fulfill the UTGSU governing documents towards this end in spirit as well as practise.”

When asked if there were areas for improvement, Eng said that there “is always room for improvement” but that UTGSU’s Policy and Operations Committee, as well as the Executive Committee, “frequently review the UTGSU practises regarding engagement and transparency.”

UC LIT, from page 3 Events, services cut from budget In order to make up for the $8,000 that Orientation has drained from the budget, the Lit had to quickly make amendments to the budget during the Sunday meeting. This came at the cost of a number of events and services.

All Night Fung, which offers the Howard Ferguson Dining Hall as a 24 hour study space during exam season, has been cut down with the intent of attempting to make it up through partnerships. Certain costs associated with food and drink at pub nights and the awards banquet were slashed in addition to a portion of the costs associated with the commuter retreat at Hart House Farm.

A large chunk of the cuts ended up coming from cancelling the orders of new promotional material and spirit wear for the current term, and promotional food giveaway events.

Andary clarified this, telling The Varsity that “a line-by-line rundown of the cuts made to the budget will be included in the minutes of today’s meeting... The cuts made will not have any impact on the quality or quantity of events and services offered by the UC Lit.” Orientation co-chairs face questions regarding pay Godden and Davis signed off on their own cheques for the remainder of their honoraria despite the fact that a full written report and a financial audit of orientation was not presented to the council, as required under chapter six, section two, subsection E of the UC Lit’s Council Policies for the funds to be released.

In a discussion of whether or not the CoChairs would face any sort of repercussions or punitive actions for not accounting for the $7,200, Beyn asked during the meeting if the UC Lit could withhold pay if they were at fault.

Singh responded, “there are a lot of labour regulations when it comes to employing staff and, as a progressive body, there are more than just regulations we have to follow.”

Andary confirmed with The Varsity that the employment contracts for the Co-Chairs have come to an end and that they are no longer staff of the Lit; they voluntarily stepped down from their duties related to hiring next year’s Orientation Co-Chairs. “The Society will focus on putting measures in place to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future,” Andary told The Varsity. There is no indication that the UC Lit is pursuing punitive action against Godden and Davis.

The proceedings of the meeting also raised questions regarding the paid role of Orientation Co-Chairs. As shown in the meeting minutes from November 13, 2016, there was a rift between the Office of the Dean of Students and the Lit during Orientation arising from the paid nature of the Orientation CoChairs. The paid role of Orientation Co-Chair was doubled in 2016 to $6,000 to accommodate financial accessibility concerns related to the extensive nature of the job. “[Dean of Students] Melinda [Scott] states that there was substantial conflict during the planning and execution processes of Orientation Week – in her 14 years of work, she has never encountered this type of conflict before,” the minutes read.

Both Godden and Davis were in favour of removing the paid agreement with the Office of the Dean of Students at the November 11 meeting: “Abby states that the agreement with the Office is not for the benefit of Orientation as a whole; she does not believe that the positives of the Honorarium Agreement outweigh the negatives. Abby and Julia believes that for the most part, the interactions were positive, but believes that without the agreement, it would have been a much smoother process,” the minutes state. The motion did not pass.

The Varsity has reached out to Godden, Davis, and Scott for comment.

JANUARY 16, 2017 • 5

var.st/news UTSU, from cover

Anti-CFS domain names registered by CFS ‘iamnotcfs.com,’ ‘no-cfs.com,’ ‘votenocfs.info’ among domain names registered in 2013

Jenna Moon Associate News Editor

MAISHA ISLAM/THE VARSITY

Hudson allegedly had access to all of the Executive Director’s emails until April 2016.

Mediation between the UTSU and Hudson In September 2015, the UTSU commenced legal proceedings against Hudson, former UTSU President Yolen Bollo-Kamara, and Vice President Internal & Services Cameron Wathey. The union has since discontinued its lawsuit against Bollo-Kamara and Wathey.

The UTSU claims that Hudson was improperly issued $126,809.15 from the union in the form of overtime hours, the logging and legitimacy of which is called into question in the case. In addition, the allegations include those of destroying confidential documents.

Hudson’s total compensation from her termination with the UTSU totalled $247,726.40. She filed a Statement of defence and a counterclaim against the union in November 2015, alleging that the disparagement and confidentiality clauses of her termination agreement with the union were breached.

The UTSU and Hudson underwent an eighthour mediation session on October 6, 2016. The session was mediated by Allan J. Stitt. Stitt is a

professional mediator and the President and CEO of ADR Chambers, which describes itself on Stitt’s website biography page as “the largest, private alternative dispute resolution service provider in the world.” Stitt has also been an Adjunct Professor at the U of T Law School.

“Since 2015, the UTSU has always intended to settle the matter out of court.

Mediation is a mandatory part of most civil disputes, so both parties attended a full-day, eight-hour session on October 6, 2016,” Denike said of the matter.

Clarifying the terms of any settlement out of court, Denike said, “We should also note that any settlement would require the approval of the Board of Directors.”

No settlement was reached during the mediation session, and Denike said that “everyone who was there signed a standard confidentiality agreement, so we can’t talk about what was discussed.”

Stitt also declined to comment or confirm his involvement in the case, despite the fact that his name is listed in public court documents.

The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) purchased 15 anti-CFS domain names in 2008 and 2013, The Varsity has learned.

A Reverse Whois search reveals that these domain names were registered to ‘it@cfs-services.ca’ and Anna Dubinski, who served as National Treasurer of the CFS between 2014–2016.

The domain names purchased in 2008 expired last month, but the names from 2013 remain under the purview of the CFS. The registered names include ‘iamnotcfs.com,’ ‘no-cfs. com,’ and ‘votenocfs.info.’ The CFS confirmed that there are no current plans to repurchase the expired domains.

In both 2008 and 2013, anti-CFS sentiment was high across several Canadian university campuses. In 2008, the University of Cape Breton, Simon Fraser University, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University all attempted to depart from the CFS. In September 2013, a press release circulated, stating that 16 student associations were planning to leave the CFS. When asked if the domain names were registered to prevent anti-CFS movements from using those web addresses to organize against the CFS, CFS National Chairperson Bilan Arte stated that she believes “students benefit from being members of the Canadian Federation of Students, but the CFS doesn’t prevent students from organizing against it.”

Arte noted that the tactic of purchasing

LOGO VIA CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS

Anti-CFS sentiment was high across several canadian universities in 2008 and 2013. multiple related domain names is “a common approach that organizations often take.

Most of the time domains are renewed automatically. In any case in every referendum I can remember - both to join and leave - both sides have created a website.”

Dubinski confirmed that while her name was associated with the domains, she was not responsible for purchasing them.

“When I became treasurer my name was added as administrator to various accounts, previous records must reflect [that] change as previously purchased accounts were renewed,” she said. At the time the domains were purchased, Dubinski was

U of T to celebrate three anniversaries in 2017 Plans underway for U of T, UTM, Canada anniversaries Olivia Wilson Varsity Contributor

This year is a very exciting one for U of T, as it begins celebrations for three anniversaries: U of T’s one hundred and ninetieth anniversary, Canada’s one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, and UTM’s fiftieth anniversary.

For the celebration of Canada’s one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, U of T has planned numerous events to coincide with ‘Canada 150’ festivities across the country, including conferences, lectures, workshops, and art exhibits, which look to celebrate the Canada of the past, the present, and the future.

U of T will be hosting a Kent Monkman exhibit at the U of T Art Museum from January 26 to March 4. Consisting of a variety of artworks, this exhibit begins at the present day — with portrayals of urban settings — and transports the viewer back before Canada’s Confederation, to the time of the fur trade.

In addition to this, Monkman will also be holding an art lecture art on February 1 and will be leading a tour of the exhibit on February 4.

The university will be hosting the band DEYS on March 1. DEYS will be composing a song and creating a collaborative music video that celebrates both Canada and its diversity.

As a way of looking towards the future dur-

ing Canada’s anniversary, U of T will also be hosting a lecture on climate change by professor Stephen Scharper on January 16. As part of this lecture, Scharper will discuss how climate change can be discouraging, and how Canadians still may be able to find a sense of hope in the face of this unsettling reality.

Additionally, on March 10, U of T will be hosting an event called, “Sounds of Silence” to celebrate Canada’s anniversary. At this event, 15 singers, 15 poets, and 15 composers will collectively offer 15 performances that celebrate the diversity of Canada and give a voice to communities that have been repressed.

Meanwhile, UTM’s fiftieth anniversary is going to be a yearlong affair where faculty, staff, alumni, and students are encouraged to join in on the celebration. While there was only one building at UTM when it was founded in 1967, it has now grown to be the second largest division at U of T, and its anniversary promises to be a celebration of everything that the campus has achieved during that time.

UTM has already begun its celebration with the 50 Challenge, whereby alumni are encouraged to submit memories from their experiences at UTM. The winners of the challenge will be featured in UTM’s alumni magazine.

UTM has also begun a program called 50 Faces that asks the community to nominate

RIA PERRAULT/THE VARSITY

individuals who have somehow had an impact on UTM. The individuals chosen for 50 Faces will then be featured on UTM’s fiftieth anniversary website throughout the beginning of the year.

To further celebrate 50 years at UTM, and the influences that have shaped it, the Centre for Student Engagement will be hosting a celebration of Aboriginal and Indigenous contributions in late January.

As UTM uses its fiftieth anniversary to look at the future of its campus and community, the Department of Geography is planning to host a conference focusing on Canada’s Arctic.

Finally, UTM is also planning to host a film festival for its anniversary to celebrate the diversity of the campus. It has hired a photographer who will be taking photographs of the campus and the community throughout the year, as a means of celebrating the beauty of the campus.

While U of T is currently working on plans to celebrate its one hundred and ninetieth anniversary, no announcement has been made about what the events will entail. It is expected that the plans for the celebration will be revealed shortly.

6 • THE VARSITY • NEWS

news@thevarsity.ca

University—Rosedale MP Chrystia Freeland chosen as Foreign Affairs Minister Freeland to face challenges with Trump, Russia Josie Kao Varsity Contributor

In what has been seen as an effort to prepare for the new Trump administration in the United States, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced changes to his cabinet on Tuesday.

Most notably, University—Rosedale MP Chrystia Freeland, who had been serving as the Minister for International Trade, will now take over as Minister of Foreign Affairs, a crucial role in dealing with the US. With her background in journalism and her experience in global affairs, Freeland, who represents the riding in which UTSG is located, has been seen as someone who is capable of handling Canada-US relations in the coming months.

“Chrystia Freeland is one of the smartest and sharpest Ministers in the Trudeau Cabinet,” said Professor Mel Cappe, who teaches

at U of T’s the School of Public Policy and Governance. “And far and away the most experienced in global affairs. She is the real deal.”

Freeland distinguished herself in cabinet when she successfully negotiated the CanadaEuropean free trade agreement in late 2016, after it had almost collapsed at the last moment.

Her achievements in trade put her in a strong position to handle the Trump administration.

“President-Elect Trump… very much takes a trade and job lens to his engagements with the world,” said Trudeau. “It makes sense for the person who is responsible for foreign relations with the United States to also have the ability and the responsibility to engage with issues… that we’ll be facing with our friends and neighbours south of the border.”

Freeland was also one of 13 Canadian lawmakers who were banned from entering Rus-

U of T offers course in Ge’ez Over $100,000 collected to make offering possible

sia in 2014 after her public condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

According to Cappe, the fact that Freeland was banned by Russia “should be worn as a badge of honour... Especially in juxtaposition to Trump.”

“Her strong views on Ukraine show her passion,” said Cappe.

Freeland replaces Stéphane Dion, who will be leaving politics. John McCallum, who had served as Immigration Minister, will also be leaving politics. Both have been offered diplomatic positions, although Dion has not yet confirmed if he will be accepting the offer.

François-Philippe Champagne will be taking on Freeland’s former position as Minister of International Trade, and Ahmed Hussen, the first Somali-born MP, will be the new Minister of Immigration.

Other changes include the appointment of newcomer Karina Gould to Minister of Democratic Institutions. She is the youngest ever

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Freeland represents the riding in which UTSG is situated in. female MP to be appointed to cabinet. Gould is replacing Maryam Monsef, who has faced scrutiny for her handling of electoral reform.

Monsef has been named Minister of Status of Women, replacing Patty Hajdu, who is the new Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Labour.

Professors undertake project for preservation of Old English language Old English dictionary underway Ahmed-Zaki Hager Varsity Contributor

DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY/CC FLICKR

The course was made possible after donations were made by Michael Gervers and The Weeknd.

Aaron Panciera Varsity Contributor

The University of Toronto has begun offering an introductory course on Ge’ez this semester as the first step towards a future Ethiopian Studies program.

Ge’ez is an ancient Semitic language native to Ethiopia. Similar to Latin, it is no longer a spoken language and is used exclusively in religious services. The class is taught by Robert Holmstedt, Professor of Ancient Hebrew and Northwest Semitic Languages.

“Offering Ge’ez as the first step in creating a fuller sequence in Ethiopic creates a number of important connections for the U of T student body and larger community,” said Holmstedt in an email to The Varsity.

The concept of the course, according to Holmstedt, began as a summer course he taught in 2008. Michael Gervers, a history professor of at UTSC, then made a $50,000 donation to support the idea. Gervers later sought support from Toronto’s Ethiopian community to help fund the course as well as the program.

The community, for their part, responded enthusiastically. This community includes Grammy award-winning Canadian R&B singer Abel Tesfaye, better known as The

Weeknd, who donated $50,000 to the university’s Ethiopian Studies initiative, matching the donation made by Gervers.

Holmstedt expressed his delight in being able to teach the course, acknowledging that this would not have happened without the “energy, generosity, and vision of the Ethiopian community in the GTA.” Along with University of Toronto students, those in attendance at the very first Ge’ez class included members of the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities.

Teaching students Ge’ez is a way to expand the university’s regional studies to much of Africa, an area which Holmstedt claims is not as widely taught at U of T as Europe or the and Middle East. It also creates an ability to study the connections between these three regions, as well as early Christianity in Africa.

“In sum, studying Ge’ez gives us access to texts and culture that stands at a medieval crossroads of many different disciplines,” writes Holmstedt, referencing the interdisciplinary and multi-regional value in studying Ge’ez.

Holmstedt has ambitions to offer multiple levels of Ge’ez: “The current course has not drawn on the raised funds, which means that we will be able to offer a second course next year.”

Robert Getz became interested in Old English while studying Russian at the University of Chicago, which later led him to complete his PhD at U of T. His interest brought him to the Dictionary of Old English (DOE) as co-editor, along with fellow professor Stephen Pelle, in 2014.

“One of the more interesting entries I got to write was hell,” he said. “That was the first entry I got to write as drafting editor.”

“It was sort of funny that as soon as we got there, they gave heofon (for heaven) to Stephen and hell to me.”

The DOE released their latest volume for the letter H last November. The DOE is a project led by the Centre for Medieval Studies, which aims to preserve the origins of the language that billions of people around the world use daily.

Getz, along with co-editor Pelle were recently featured in a video on U of T’s YouTube channel, which showcased the dictionary and some Old English words included in the newest volume of the DOE. Old English refers to the earliest recorded use of English by Germanic settlers in Great Britain. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Old English branches from Western Germanic languages, including Old Frisian and Old Saxon.

Getz says that Old English differs from its modern form, as English has borrowed words from other languages over time.

“A lot of our Modern English vocabulary has been borrowed from other languages, especially French and Latin,” he said. “If you were to pick up an Old English text, a lot of the vocabulary you may not recognize at all.”

“English has changed dramatically since the Old English period,” Getz continued.

The DOE aims to cover words from the first six centuries of the English language, from 600–1150 CE. According to its website, the DOE says it aims to “complement” the Middle English Dictionary and the Oxford

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

The DOE already has nine volumes, from A to H.

English Dictionary, which covers English words from 1100 CE to today.

The project was launched in 1970 by the late Angus Cameron, who was a professor of Medieval Studies at U of T. The DOE is based on a corpus consisting of the earliest text of written English from the seventh century. The corpus is digitized by graduate research students.

The DOE began creating entries in 1982, and its first volume was published in 1986 in microfiche.

“All our entries are intended to be a comprehensive examination of that corpus,” Getz said. “We will account for all the evidence, all the Old English instances of a word when writing an entry.”

In its forty-seventh year, the DOE has completed nine volumes, from A to H, and a volume for the letter Æ — pronounced ash. By the time of its completion, the dictionary is projected to have between 33,000–35,000 entries.

Getz says that looking into Old English would give the public a greater understanding of “where our words come from.”

“Everyone who speaks English today would be likely to be curious in the history of our language,” he said. “The most basic part of our vocabulary is largely inherited from Old English.”

Comment

January 16, 2017 var.st/comment comment@thevarsity.ca

Let’s do something The hashtags and trends of the Bell Let’s Talk campaign only trivialize mental illness NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

The connotations of mental illness remain unspoken and trvialized by the Bell Let’s Talk campaign.

Jenisse Minott Varsity Columnist

I was in grade one when I had my first panic attack.

The bell rang for recess, and I was unsuccessful in my attempts to locate my new winter hat. My friends said I could find it afterwards, but it was a cold Ottawa winter, and my mother would not be happy if I showed up that evening without it.

I started to cry, as children often do when in distress, but it felt different. Hyperventilating, I sobbed out disjointed sentences attempting to appeal to anyone who could help me. I remember the severity of the pain in my chest, the solid wedge of fear sitting on my lungs, crushing my sternum, making every breath more laborious. I thought I was dying.

Even after my hat was found, my body had not caught up to what should have been immediate relief. I stayed inside that recess with a juice box in hand brought to me by my beloved teacher, and she gently rubbed circles on my back. That became something of a regular occurrence — missing recess, having juice boxes, and crying until it felt like my lungs would explode.

It took 10 years before I learned that there was even a word for that experience, and another four before I was formally diagnosed.

Bell Let’s Talk was introduced in 2010 as a method of encouraging Canadians to speak more openly about mental health. Though the campaign has successfully raised $79.9 million to date in support of mental health programs, it lacks the ability to meaningfully impact the stigma ascribed to mental illness.

No matter how many hashtags people attach to tweets and photos, the unspoken connotations of mental illness permeate our society. In fact, the social media outlets that procure visibility for the Bell Let’s Talk

initiative also prevent the message itself from being taken as seriously as it ought to be.

As Marshall McLuhan argued, the way the masses perceive a message or text is inherently shaped by the manner in which they receive it. Though social media allows people from all over the world to access information at a remarkable rate, it also fundamentally trivializes the content they are consuming.

As relevant as apps like Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are to our culture, they are not the media that I would have chosen to elaborate on my own struggles with mental illness. For example, I would not have tweeted about the time before a Calculus midterm when my panic disorder grew so intense that, on the way to the bus stop, I hallucinated that the cars, cement, and grass were above me, and the clouds and sky were at my feet. Twitter is meant to be consumed in bursts; quick bullets of information that are as easily digestible as they are forgotten.

The Bell Let’s Talk initiative focuses on reducing stigma and increasing momentum for mental health research in the years to come. However, tweets cannot do justice to human experiences; this is especially so when it comes to the implications of mental illness.

In this regard, a number of scholarly and journalistic resources have more meaningfully addressed this topic. Take, for example, the research published by Angela M. Parcesepe and Leopoldo J. Cabassa on the stigma and criminalization of mentally ill people, or Rachel Hallett’s piece in The Guardian detailing the associations between mental illness and guilt. These pieces are thoroughly researched and convey nuance that could never be captured by a tweet.

Furthermore, Bell Let’s Talk fails to capture the unwavering nature of mental illness by shining the spotlight on it during one day out of the year, without encouraging more consistent discussion beyond its parameters. This suggests that being mentally unwell is an identity that can be put on and taken off at will — which could not be further from the truth.

The consequence of isolating mental health discourse to one day, for many, is to attempt to express their most severe experiences first, just to validate their illness. If given one moment to speak of my depression, I would probably first cite the summer after my first year of university when I could not leave the house, shower, eat, or speak to anyone. Yet this hardly captures the whole picture of my experience; to this day, I set a 30-minute alarm during crying jags to maintain my illusion of being a functional, productive human being.

Finally, Bell Let’s Talk reflects the idea that, too often, society begs for the end result without putting in the work. For those who do not understand the reality of mental illness, snippets shared through social media will not fill in those blanks as effectively as doing one’s own research. Simply skimming tweets punctuated with “#BellLetsTalk” hardly constitutes the learning that is needed to make informed assessments and critiques.

Even those with mental illnesses are only able to truly understand their own; I could write pages upon pages about panic disorder or depression but would not know where to begin if the subject were bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Society cannot continue to fool itself into thinking that such complex and life-altering illnesses can be explained trivially. There is no way to learn about mental illness as a passive observer: research, reading, and open dialogue is necessary — and this should take place year-round.

Bell Let’s Talk attempts to even the playing field and fill in the gaps in our collective knowledge, but the attempt is ultimately misguided and weak. With a true desire to understand where mental illness comes from and how to accommodate it, there is absolutely no reason that we cannot do better.

Jenisse Minott is a second-year student at UTM studying Communications, Culture, Information, and Technology. Her column appears monthly.

8 • THE VARSITY • COMMENT

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Examining the equity hierarchy Ignoring elitism in equity discourse is part of a growing issue in campus activism

SOFIA PHAM/THE VARSITY

Saambavi Mano Varsity Columnist

It is a common university experience to hear an unfamiliar equity term in conversation and consequently be faced with two choices. We can either admit that we have no idea what our peer is talking about and ask for clarification, or we can smile, nod, and Google it later.

The increasing stigma associated with the former — admitting to not being up-to-date with equity terminology — is part of a much bigger problem on campus. Equity language can be extremely useful, but it can also alienate the people it is being used to help if it isn’t explained. It is mistaken to assume that everyone who is affected by the issues being discussed will undoubtedly understand the sometimes convoluted language being used to describe them.

Yet exclusion based on equity knowledge can be a conscious choice, used to distinguish between those in the ‘in-group’ and the ‘out-group’ of campus equity organizations — and this is where it becomes dangerous.

This dynamic is perfectly understandable in equity circles, given that specific shared experiences are bound to bring people together. But when these circles fence off people who share similar experiences under allegations of having an ‘inadequate’ equity education, elitism in equity becomes a real problem.

Rather than buying into the elitism in certain equity circles, we should be working to unlearn it and address the various ways in which it takes form around campus.

Carving out equity spaces reserved only for those in marginalized communities who ‘get it’ is, by nature, exclusionary and elitist. I use the phrase ‘get it’ to describe people who have access to the equity education necessary to partake in these conversations; use the lingo regularly; and toe the lines set out by the ‘equity knowledge’ power structures within these circles — power structures that are often carbon copies of those they purport to be working against.

Not only does this create new types of marginalization under the guise of equity, it shows the unwillingness of some of the most powerful voices in campus equity discourse to support and engage with those in their communities who — for myriad reasons — have been unable to access the same kind of education.

Jumping into equity discourse can be a difficult feat, especially for those who face barriers related to language differences and learning disabilities, and it is important to accommodate the fact that not everyone starts at the same point when it comes to understanding equity.

It is true that it takes an incredible amount of emotional labour to explain things like systemic marginalization to those who are unfamiliar with the term.

But that explanation doesn’t necessarily have to be a one-on-one conversation; it can be as simple as providing resources for people to educate themselves. Disregarding the importance of this educational component — especially when it serves to benefit

marginalized people who have not been able to acquire an equity education — turns campus equity into something inaccessible and elitist.

Regrettably, campus equity circles often leave no room for this kind of education. Those looking to voice their opinions are expected to know the catchphrases and acronyms and are not taken seriously if they do not.

On the other hand, the unwavering and uncritical praise of those who do ‘get it’ should also be avoided; it implies that there is a point that can be reached where one knows everything there is to know about equity, which simply isn’t true. Equity and social justice work is a constant process of learning and unlearning, and spaces where the learning process is ignored — or worse, stigmatized — are detrimental to the promotion of equity on campus.

Indeed, one of the biggest barriers to participation in equity groups is the use of inaccessible or ‘academic’ language in campus equity discourse. This kind of language can be very useful, but if used, it needs to be explained.

The easiest way to work against elitism in equity and to ensure that it isn’t always the same voices being heard is to recognize that not everyone has had the privilege of learning these terms and phrases. Consequently, we should make an effort to explain them, particularly if they are acronyms.

Doing so doesn’t always take a lot of work.

For example, organizers of events catering to BIPOC should ensure that they include the full descriptor of ‘Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour’ somewhere in their posters and Facebook events. In addition, it is possible in some cases to avoid jargon if there is an evidently simpler way to describe something — this makes the event less intimidating to students who may not be well versed in equity terminology. Saying ‘learning and incorporating different cultural elements’ rather than saying ‘acculturation’ is simpler and has the potential to increase participation from people who may have felt alienated or confused by the unfamiliar term.

Finally, context and audience must be considered before equity language is employed. For example, many South Asian people living both in their home countries and in Canada — myself included — are jarred and discomforted by the use of the word ‘bodies’ to describe those killed in conflict. Yet, this term has become a commonplace term in equity discourse, especially in the context of the normalization of war in Asian and African countries. It is most often used to draw attention to the objectification and dehumanization of people of colour by governments and the media, but this kind of ‘academic’ social science language can be perceived as insensitive and disrespectful in the context of conflict and death.

While equity language is useful, it cannot simply be thrown around to sound impressive or give credence to ideas when it will be lost on those who it affects. Equity must be accessible to those it claims to be helping, and ridding organizations and groups of this kind of elitism is one of the easiest ways to widen its reach.

Saambavi Mano is a third-year student at Victoria College studying Peace, Conflict, and Justice Studies. Her column appears tri-weekly.

JANUARY 16, 2017 • 9

var.st/comment

Mourning stardom How we ought to think about celebrity deaths Adina Heisler Varsity Staff

I never met Carrie Fisher, but I was very upset when she died. Through her openness about her bipolar disorder and addiction and her refusal to stay quiet about pervasive sexism she saw in her industry, I do feel like I knew her. I feel like I can understand her personality on a much deeper level than those of most strangers.

In a similar way, I was also upset by Leonard Cohen’s death. Cohen’s music was intensely personal and beautiful, touching on sex, love, politics, isolation, God, and sometimes all of those at once. Through his music, I also feel like I knew him particularly.

The year 2016 was a year full of celebrity deaths: we lost Cohen, Fisher, Fisher’s mother Debbie Reynolds, George Michael, Prince, Muhammed Ali, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Christina Grimmie, Anton Yelchin, and Zsa Zsa Gabor, just to name a few. The world has certainly enjoyed the art, influence, and representation provided by these figures, and so it is understandable that there has been such immense public response to their deaths. Yet why do we mourn so much for people we have never met?

Consider, for instance, that the world observes what celebrities do, and the mass exposure associated with their actions means that they have a pronounced effect on the world. We feel we know celebrities through their works of art or their activism, and

therefore we consider ourselves connected to them.

This is the same reason why some of us get upset when celebrities get divorced. I was somewhat saddened to hear of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie divorcing, even though I will likely never meet either of them.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this inferred closeness — in fact, our feeling of understanding celebrities and subsequently mourning them as if we knew them can be a very powerful tool. After Fisher’s death, many people took to the Internet to discuss how her openness about her own mental health not only gave them strength, but helped them connect with others who were similarly impacted by the star. Just as a cultural phenomenon like the Star Wars series gives people enjoyment, a cultural icon like Fisher provides individuals with a shared consciousness, in this case with the productive result of giving people an occasion to talk about mental illness.

Celebrities can also be role models to people who normally do not get to see positive portrayals of themselves in pop culture and the media. Although Ali was certainly a boxing legend, he also embodied the importance of representation, and was widely appreciated as a champion for racial equality and peace.

At the same time, we ought to take precautions when handling this blurry divide between public and private life. When people confuse ‘knowing’ a celebrity through their

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work and publicity with knowing them on a personal level, they may be motivated to subsequently invade celebrities’ privacy, not to mention the privacy of their families.

Further, however warmly you might feel toward a celebrity and their work, you must also be prepared to accept your own lack of knowledge about their personal lives — particularly when they may do something wrong.

If a celebrity is accused of domestic violence or sexual assault or is caught using a racial slur, it would be inappropriate to continue to praise them or deny the accusations on the basis of their apparent media personality or artistic contributions to the world at large.

This extends to the problem of excusing celebrities’ past wrongdoings after they pass away.

It is fine to be entranced by celebrities, so long as we understand that they are both people deserving of privacy and respect, and people who are fallible. Perhaps most of us can never truly know celebrities on an intimate level, yet little stops us from collectively mourning the legacies they leave behind.

Adina Heisler is a second-year student at University College studying Women and Gender Studies and English.

IF NOT HILLARY, THEN WHO? Following the 2016 election, U of T women discuss the future of female leadership Eduardo Montero Varsity Staff

T

he results of the last American election have brought about a lot of uncertainty, especially considering nasty and divisive attitudes towards the election from both ends of the political spectrum. Hillary Clinton, despite winning the popular vote, will not become the first female president of the United States. Her loss should not be construed, however, as a symbol of overall defeat for women.

The Women’s March on Washington protest planned for the day after President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, for example, proves women will not give up in the face of adversity.

From the American presidency to the prestigious offices at the University of Toronto, there is every indication that women will keep fighting for equality and positions deserving of their efforts.

Political representation Despite Clinton’s loss, female leadership in the US is not declining by any means. In the latest Senate elections, held the same day as the presidential election, 21 female senators were elected, out of 100 available seats. In comparison, 1992 was considered the “Year of the Woman” and saw a record of five women in the Senate.

Notable examples from 2016’s election include the first Latina senator, Catherine Cortez Masto, as well as the first IndianAmerican senator, Kamala Harris. Currently, there are six state governors who are women, including Nikki Haley of South Carolina and Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island. Any one of them could eventually rise to the presidency.

Despite the number of women in the Senate and high expectations for Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren in the next four years, Laura Wiesen, PhD Candidate in the Department of History, wrote that future of female leadership in the US after the election looks bleak.

“Let’s put it this way: [President-elect Trump] has not given us any clues as to if he even intends to advance the role of women AT ALL, in any realm, let alone leadership. I don’t think it’s a priority for him,” Wiesen wrote.

In Canada, despite many challenges, women have risen to prominence in the political scene, with more than half of the federal cabinet being composed of capable women.

Ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould, Chrystia Freeland, and Carolyn Bennett, among others, hold senior cabinet portfolios — Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Indigenous and Northern Affairs respectively.

The Conservative Party in Canada has also comprised many woman leaders; well known parliamentarians Lisa Raitt and Rona Ambrose were both cabinet ministers in Stephen Harper’s government before becoming a Conservative Party leadership candidate, and interim leader respectively. Canada’s first and only female Prime Minister to date, Kim Campbell, was also a Conservative.

Mayo Moran, Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Trinity College, does not underestimate the challenge that a Trump presidency will pose for women. She suggests that, “In the United States, it will be a more challenging period for many kinds of leaders including women, and in Canada it’ll be interesting to see the very different approach and attitude that our governments will take.”

“The biggest issue in my view, is that women’s concerns have never been considered central political concerns,” Wiesen said, condemning the lack of attention to women’s issues and alluding to a more deeply-rooted problem. “They are clickbait during election cycles, but the hard political work of advancing women is always out of fashion once the policy cycles begin.”

Regardless of the setbacks of the last American election, and other potential setbacks to come for women leaders, it is important to remain optimistic. U of T women in leadership seem to agree that women should continue to strive for these positions and continue to bring attention to women’s issues.

The long road to achievement While change may be slow, it is important not to forget the progress that women have made significant strides in breaking glass ceilings in recent years. Clinton’s long career may not have led to presidency, but it did lead to the closest a women has ever been to becoming President of the United States, and that itself shows how far society has come.

The same can be said for U of T. The university has undergone considerable change over time to get on the path to equality, and is still changing to become a more diverse and inclusive community. For leaders like Moran, it took years to reach a position of prestige, to take charge, and to represent others.

“The most important thing to me about leadership is that it shouldn’t just be about blind ambition, it should be about actually wanting to make a difference,” Moran said. “I think the more diverse voices that we have in leadership, including women’s, will lead to improved leadership.”

Moran’s confidence mirrors her years of experience and dedication to her career. Starting out as a high school teacher in British Columbia, Moran chose to pursue a career in law and higher education, graduating from McGill Law School, obtaining a Master’s and Doctorate in law, and then working as a professor at U of T. She went on to be the first female Dean of Law, and after her second term, she took on the job of Provost. “I’m someone that’s always thinking about how we can make things

By the numbers: 59/144

countries have had female leaders by 2016 according to a world economic forum report

3 female premiers in Canada

23 per cent

of seats in international parliaments were held by women in 2016

10

female heads of state as of January 2017

9

female heads of government as of January 2017

4 female governors in the US

better, and I guess that naturally draws you to leadership positions,” Moran said.

There is little challenge to the idea that leaders must be competent and qualified to do their job. While what makes a competent leader is subjective, the career of a leader is what demonstrates passion and will, and of course, all their actual experience. This is one reason why Moran found the American election disappointing.

“Even if Hillary wasn’t your like, your absolute dream candidate, she did everything right… She was incredibly, and is incredibly accomplished… to see [someone] who was fabulous, especially in the last couple of debates ... it’s kind of disheartening ... and President elect Trump and some of his supporters brought out this, very sort of ugly, misogynistic streak in American politics, and probably around the world,” Moran said.

Unfortunately, relying on merit has not always been enough to reach positions of authority.

For instance, in the case of South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, Haley was faced with doubts, insulting allegations of adultery, and even questions about her religion due to her Indian background. Nevertheless, she managed to gain support from members of the Republican Party, and most importantly, support from the public in a state that had never before elected a female governor.

The challenges faced by women aspiring to be leaders are still present, even in a society that has moved forward in terms of equality. Moran said, “I think women have done very very well, but I still think there are questions asked of women and a bit of a skepticism about women’s leadership abilities in a way that are probably not directed towards typical paradigmatic leaders.”

A pattern is evident: women tend to be questioned on their ability to lead. Nevertheless, it seems that women increasingly persevere in the face of this skepticism.

Role models for each other Becoming an example to others is inevitable for any leader and mentorship is often an associated requirement for leadership roles.

Wiesen suggested that Clinton’s defeat will inspire women to support one another further. “I think if anything [Clinton’s defeat] has galvanized women to continue to fight for this highest office,” Wiesen said.

Taking on the role of inspiration takes patience and humility; it is hard to plan. “I had a bit of an unusual course,” Moran explained, “I didn’t aspire to [become a leader] at all, actually.

You know, I just, I think I just did what I loved doing,”

“I mentor many, many people, many of them new deans, men and women, so in a whole array of different areas,” Moran said. “Fundraising is something where women are often sort of ‘well, can they really fundraise?’ so people will come to me, and I mentor them and try to give them advice and help them out. I view it as part of my role really.”

Wiesen’s career trajectory is also impressive. She was a fourth-year undergraduate student when she decided to continue learning and studying. From there, she completed a Masters in International History and is currently working on a PhD at U of T. Wiesen also works as a TA with undergraduate students, with a straightforward goal: “I aim to be a warm, compassionate, and helpful guide to undergraduate students seeking skills to complete their degrees.”

Emily Wuschnakowski, a first-year undergraduate student aspiring to complete a double major in Political Science and Public Policy described her favourite role model: “Malala Yousafzai stood up to a countless number of men and [fought] for her right to education. She did this despite knowing the risks involved, and put her life at risk for the betterment of all girls. Most of all, her actions have made me really appreciate the education and the opportunities that I am getting here.”

People find inspiration in the face of adversity. Although Clinton lost, her campaign and Yousafzai’s story are all important to future generations of women. Wuschnakowski, for example, hopes to put herself in leadership positions more often, to improve her public speaking skills. “[Malala] has inspired me to use my education to help others and do my best to inspire others to do the same,” Wuschnakowski said.

Leaders also have role models of their own, people who have mentored, taught, or inspired them. Wiesen describes one of her own role models: “Here at U of T, Professor Rebecca Wittmann comes to mind. She’s a role model for me in many ways- as she’s managed to do such important research on the Holocaust trials all while raising a family.”

For any female students striving to be leaders, Wiesen advised women to take themselves seriously and stand up for their ideas. “I think it’s important to be kind and courteous to everyone, but only to a point,” Wiesen said. “I think I suffer from being too diplomatic at all times. If you feel someone is dismissing your arguments too quickly or not listening to you — don’t hesitate to point it out. Work hard, and be kind to yourself.”

There are four more years before women will have another shot at the American presidency and women still have a long way to go to reach full equity, but Wuschnakowski still has hope. “If one man’s opinion hasn’t stopped us already, then I’m pretty confident that it won’t now.”

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Arts&Culture

January 16, 2017 var.st/arts arts@thevarsity.ca

When you play the Battle of the Bands... everybody wins FOMA takes home the prize in an enjoyable night for all Nicolle Iovanov Varsity Contributor On Wednesday January 11, Lee’s Palace invited students in from the cold to witness the final showdown of the University of Toronto’s annual Battle of the Bands. The four finalists battled it out in one of Toronto’s best-known live music venues for the winning title and $500 in cash.

The night was charged. The bands used a wide range of instruments including a cello, a trombone, a trumpet, guitars, saxophones, and keys, which together created an all-around exceptional live music performance from start to finish. The energized audience never faltered, and kept the mood elevated the entire night.

The first band to perform was the duo Dorval, comprised of guitarist Daniel Lewycky and drummer Adam Moffat. They captivated the audience by taking full advantage of the stage, performing their own stunts while playing a rock and blues style of music. Judging by their profuse clapping and whooping, the crowd was all for it.

The second band to perform was Pictures of Richard, who describe their style as “jazz infused rock.”

The Varsity caught up with Ryan Genis, the lead guitarist. “It’s nice to come to a venue with people that

you’ve never met before and have them be so involved. It makes performing that much better,” Genis said. Pictures of Richard’s upbeat, funky style of music had the audience dancing throughout their set.

The third band, FOMA, was composed of five members from York University and a keyboardist from U of T. It was clear upon seeing the band on stage that it was highly experimental, due to their unique collection of instruments.

The vocal-free band exuded fun and creativity, all the while looking like they were having a blast on stage. Bandmate William Dietrich, who plays bass, said that “the energy was there and the crowd responded really well.” I would have to agree; the audience didn’t seem to stop dancing.

FOMA’s upbeat, funky style of music had the audience dancing throughout their set.

The fourth and final band, The Accolades, were visually striking, with the members looking very stylish in coordinated suits, and the vocalist rocking a gold jacket.

They took the crowd on a “musical, funky journey” from beginning to end. The band produced a surprise guest singer, Jamie Gabbani, who told me that she felt the atmosphere was really positive. The Accolades’ exciting performance ended the night perfectly.

In the final hours of the night, the time came to announce the winner of this year’s Battle of the Bands.

After a dramatic pause and a drum roll FOMA was deemed winner of the night.

With a heartwarming speech, the members graciously accepted their award, thanking the other bands and those along the way who helped them get to where they are.

The event itself felt fresh and upbeat. The audience was very receptive to the music throughout the night — it seemed that there was never a dull moment. Members from all four bands were also seen mingling with the crowd, giving the event a very intimate feel. Overall, the night was a huge success, with all four bands excelling at their performances.

It was an enjoyable night, especially considering the dreary weather outside. Thanks to Lee’s Palace, students were able to see the best of the University of Toronto’s up and coming musical talent, not to mention gain respite from the cold.

This year’s Battle of the Bands was reflective of Toronto’s diverse music scene, and provided new artists with an outlet to showcase their talent, a great opportunity for university students to get their name out there in Toronto’s music scene.

NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

FOMA (top) and Pictures of Richard perform at Lee’s Palace.

On Street Patrol, chance encounters change lives forever A student reflects on addressing homelessness through the Newman Centre’s relief program

MAISHA ISLAM/THE VARSITY

The Newman Centre’s Street Patrol program is dedicated to relief work for the homeless.

Adina Samuels Varsity Contributor After a gruelling day of winter classes, the only thing on many students’ minds is climbing into a warm and comfortable bed. For many of us, this is a matter of a short walk or subway ride.

It is often on these walks and transit routes that we see the people who won’t make it to a warm bed that night. The train, the bus, or the street becomes their home for the night.

On any given night, approximately 35,000 Canadians are homeless. In Toronto alone, there are approximately 5,000 homeless people, up to 2,000 of whom are children.

Mark Horvath, founder of the video blog “Invisible People,” explains our tendency to effectively shut out homelessness from our reality. “It’s not that people are bad, but if we make eye contact, or engage in conversation, then we have to admit they exist and that we might have a basic human need to care. But it’s so much easier to simply close our eyes and shield our hearts to their existence,” he says.

This may be the easiest thing to do, but it is far from what we have the ability to achieve. We can change the way we look at homelessness and turn our willingness to learn into an opportunity for social action.

There are students on our campus who feel this way, and who dedicate their time to relief work for those living on the streets of downtown Toronto.

The Newman Catholic Students Club comprises some of the students. The club organizes Street Patrol, a monthly gathering of students and community members who make packages consisting of sandwiches, clothes and supplies, discuss homelessness, pray together, and then deliver the packages and engage in discussion with people on the streets.

Michelle Donnelly, Social Justice & Community Services Coordinator at the Newman Centre, explains that “the truly lasting impact is in providing hope during our discussions. Many of the encounters we have had have led to meaningful conversation, both for those we serve, and ourselves... the most memorable part of any Street Patrol is the stories some people choose to share with us. Every person

we encounter has a different one, and many of them started similarly to our own... Street Patrol gives students and community members an opportunity to learn more about homelessness, discuss, change attitudes and drive change in a group setting.”

I, too, was profoundly affected by my experience on Street Patrol; it was the night I knew would have a lasting effect on the rest of my life. The initial fear of approaching someone on the street vanished the second I looked into his eyes and saw him for who he was — a human being, just like any one of us.

The most meaningful moment was when, after handing out a winter hat, a man put it on, turned to me and said: “I don’t mean to be thickheaded here, but how do I look?” Even through the most difficult of situations, he was able to find a reason to laugh. It struck me that we can all learn from attitudes like this.

As students, we have the ability to raise our voice and speak for those who cannot be heard. We can be a part of the movement right outside our university’s doors, to create connections with those living on the streets and work towards the ultimate goal of ending homelessness.

Sure, it’s easier to keep on walking.

But dare yourself to look at those living on the street in the eye and make a connection. Because when we do, more than one life can be changed forever.

Anyone can join Street Patrol’s monthly gatherings, which generally occur on Friday evenings. More information can be found on the U of T Newman Catholic Students Club’s Facebook page. Donations of peanut butter, mustard, brown paper bags, Ziplocs, outerwear, and most especially socks, are always welcomed.

Adina Samuels is Vice President, Charity, at Hillel U of T.

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JANUARY 16, 2017 • 15

var.st/arts

“More than just a campus theatre” Carrie’s assistant stage manager on what she’s learned backstage at Hart House Theatre Jordan Clark Varsity Contributor Working for Hart House Theatre has been the highlight of my university experience. My first experience with stage management came about when my drama teacher at Etobicoke School of the Arts enlisted me to work on her show A Doll’s House at The Theatre Centre.

Somehow, I felt that this was something I was meant to continue in, and found myself in a large group of people all eager to wiggle their way into theatre production.

Being the eager first year that I was, I immediately perked up when I heard that the theatre was looking for a third assistant stage manager (ASM) on the musical Into the Woods. It was at that moment that I decided that the job was mine and I was going for it.

Since then, I’ve participated in every Hart House production, from operating sound on Boeing Boeing, working as an ASM on Tideline, and now, taking on a leadership role as head ASM on the upcoming production of Carrie: The Musical.

There is no facet to the process of producing a show that Stage Management is not involved with. We start in production meetings, go to rehearsals with the cast, track their movements, script changes, directorial ideas, entrances, exits, and much more. It is our job to embody organization and always be ready with the answers to any questions, voiced or otherwise.

An ASM is the actor’s first point of contact backstage. If something goes wrong, it is the assistant stage manager’s responsibility to do everything in their power to resolve the problem. This is what drew me to the job: not only would I be a constant presence behind the scenes, but I could watch a show grow and mature.

Carrie specifically has been a testament to the vast opportunities that Hart House Theatre has to offer, not only for an aspiring stage manager like myself, but for all of the young talent that is featured in the cast.

Working under director Richard Ouzounian and stage manager Crystal MacDonell, in addition to the dream-team Hart House The-

atre staff members Doug Floyd and Rebecca Ostroff, has been a once in a lifetime opportunity for the cast and crew alike.

It has been an amazing experience to see firsthand the amount of work and dedication put in by our actors, who have grown into their roles tremendously.

Rehearsals for Carrie are well underway. As we move into our tech week, I urge everyone to come out and see this show. It is truly something you don’t want to miss.

This is the chance to see something truly meaningful, and to support emergent talents that, without a doubt, are going places. Hart House is more than just a campus theatre, it is the first step that every young theatre individual needs.

Be it cast or crew, it is the stepping stone that leads to amazing opportunities and a bright future.

Jordan Clark is a second year student at the University of Toronto, and the assistant stage manager for the upcoming Hart House production, Carrie: the musical, which opens January 20th.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HART HOUSE THEATRE

Carrie is a musical based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.

The dangers of depicting bigotry Where A&E went wrong with its cancelled KKK documentary series Anil Partridge Varsity Contributor The television network A&E has cancelled a proposed documentary series on the Ku Klux Klan amidst allegations that the series’ producers fabricated much of the filmed content.

Klan members allege that the show’s producers paid them hundreds of dollars a day to enact scripted material and even orchestrated elaborate and fictitious scenarios, including a cross-burning.

The show, which drew the support of human rights organizations such as Color of Change and the Anti-Defamation League, was initially titled Generation KKK, and was billed as a “hard-hitting” documentary series focusing on disillusioned Klan members attempting to leave the hate group.

The show received criticism on social media for its title, which was seen as being overly sensationalistic, prompting the network to retitle the show Escaping the KKK. The day after the name change the show was cancelled amid allegations that producers had promised Klansmen the show would be an honest portrayal of life in the KKK, while telling them to act out scripts and pose for multiple, staged takes, a Variety investigation revealed.

Klansmen told Variety that producers had encouraged members not to file taxes on cash payments, and had goaded them into essentially playacting characters with fictional identities in elaborate, scripted dramatic scenes — even attempting to coerce some members into using racial epithets on camera.

Two months after Donald Trump’s election, a direct look at the inner workings of the KKK could be a powerful, informative undertaking. In the wake of the election, hundreds of reports have been sent to civil-

ELHAM NUMAN/THE VARSITY

rights groups detailing harassment and hate crimes against ethnic minorities, Muslims, immigrants and LGBTQ+ people.

But by staging scenarios and offering secretive payments in exchange for participation from Klan members, the show’s producers risked creating a product that could exacerbate a deeply polarized political climate.

The danger of normalizing racial hatred is real in the current political climate; white nationalist, racist, and anti-semetic sentiments are increasingly permeating the mainstream masquerading as a political movement — the so-called ‘alt-right.’ It is evident that ‘altright’ promoters have been given a platform lately, as agitators like Milo Yiannopoulous are offered book deals, and arch-conservatives like Breitbart’s Stephen K. Bannon are given roles in a Trump administration.

In this context, paying Klan members to play caricatures of themselves will only feed unfounded accusations of “race-baiting,” a term used by ‘alt-right’ members to describe what they see as attempts to discredit individuals by accusing racism.

In a preview of the now-cancelled show, we are given a glimpse of something that feels more like a melodrama than a documentary.

As ominous music sets in, we see a Klansman giving his daughter a set of pointed hoods as a present. We see the daugher in private, wrestling with how to tell her father that her best friends are black. Here we see an exposé on an aberrant hate group transformed into a coming-of-age drama. The drama is only heightened, and as Alexis Okeowo writes in The New Yorker, it feels “like a mockery of a disturbing shift” in our culture.

The failure of the show demonstrates a conflict between its potential to educate, and its potential to give a platform to bigotry.

One danger of producing such a documentary could be giving a platform to a group that routinely misrepresents itself.

In interviews with cable news networks, former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke and others present themselves not as white supremacists, but as simple “white separatists” and “white nationalists,” concerned citizens rejecting the tyranny of liberal values, who just want their racial group to be left alone.

In The Crusader, the KKK’s newsletter, white supremacists paint themselves as loving neighbours, irregardless of a flurry of transphobic, homophobic, and racist remarks, including claims such as: “Sexual deviants like Bruce Jenner are praised for their courage while a white nationalist who says nothing more than ‘Love your people’ is treated like the scum of the earth.”

Presenting such vitriolic nonsense in an undiluted form would be unethical. As news consumers gravitate towards their social media feeds and away from broadsheets, the thought bubble of the social media feed gives such statements persuasive power. Critical thinking and rational public discourse is the only way to overcome this — something that A&E’s documentary could have provided, had it been handled more appropriately.

A series like Generation KKK, if aired, would only have further eroded public discourse. Instead of a critical presentation of the realities of race issues in America, A&E was set to profit by turning bigotry into a spectacle. It was a good decision for A&E to cancel the documentary when the allegations about how it was made came out.

16 • THE VARSITY • ARTS & CULTURE

arts@thevarsity.ca

A creative impulse is a “direct route to your higher self” Author, actress, and UTM instructor Barbara Radecki on creative inspiration Selena Mercuri Varsity Contributor Author Barbara Radecki is an accomplished actress and writer. Her new novel, The Darkhouse, is about Gemma, a young girl who discovers the dark truth about her identity and her father’s mysterious experiments.

Radecki explains the novel’s curious title by elaborating on Gemma’s journey. “At one point, Gemma, the main character, is going up the lighthouse and she sees that it’s very narrow and enclosed and she says to herself, ‘I realized for the first time it was a darkhouse and not a light one,’” Radecki says. “I just thought that was a perfect definition of where the book had landed, that this girl’s journey was… illuminated by points of darkness.”

The novel’s cover design also holds special significance to Radecki because her daughter, Stefanie Ayoub, designed it for her. As the voice of Sailor Neptune in the English version of Sailor Moon, Barbara was invited to attend Comic-Con. Her agent, Sam Hiyate of The Rights Factory, recommended that she get a postcard made to promote her upcoming novel while she attended.

Radecki asked her daughter to design the postcard and suggested to her publisher that they consider her daughter’s design for the cover.

Pleased by the evocative and visceral design, they agreed that it would make a great cover.

Radecki has had many roles as an actress, and when asked what pushed her to transition from acting to writing, she replies, “I think I was meant to be a writer. I think I was acting because I enjoyed it. I

mean, acting, if you get permission to be an actor, you get to dress up like people, so it’s a great career if you can get work in it.”

Radecki went on: “The other thing about acting is that you can’t perform a role that doesn’t look like you, so I can’t be a 70 year-old man or a 70 year-old Italian. When you’re a writer, you can be everyone, so to me, there was no comparison once I started to write.”

Radecki is also teaching a screenwriting course at UTM this semester. When asked about her number one tip for aspiring writers, Radecki said, “I think if you have a creative impulse of any kind you should be following through on that impulse, you should be exploring that impulse as much as you can because it is a direct route to your higher self, your higher way of thinking. The best parts of you are in the parts of

you that have your creative expression. It’s the part of you that is free, it’s non-judgmental, it doesn’t care about what people think, it doesn’t care about what you think of it.”

She stressed the importance of frequent reading and writing, and believes that refinement and editing should come later in the writing process, after fully indulging the creative impulses.

In addition to teaching, Radecki is working on two other novels.

This Life in Circles was the first novel she decided to write after her transition to writing. Radecki describes her other work in progress, Messenger 93, as being about a young girl “who gets a message in the middle of the night. She gets a vision of this crow coming at her and telling her she has to leave to save her sister, save the world, and be the next messiah.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BARBARA RADECKI

Barbara Radecki is a novelist and instructor at UTM.

All’s fair in love and sports ESPN and The Bachelor team up for a new fantasy league game Ayesha Tak Varsity Contributor In December, ESPN announced that it would join forces with ABC for a new online fantasy league game, based on the twenty-first season of the network’s reality television mainstay, The Bachelor.

A typical elimination style reality TV competition, each season of The Bachelor begins with a group of 25 to 30 women — or men in the case of The Bachelorette — vying for the affections of each season’s star. Each week, the star decides who will remain in the competition by presenting them with a rose.

After finishing as runner-up on The Bachelorette (twice!) and appearing this past summer on Bachelor in Paradise, alumnus Nick Viall has returned as the latest Bachelor.

The way both dating and sports competitions are structured makes it easy to create fantasy league sweepstakes and contests. Traditionally, fantasy sports are online games where each player assembles a team of professional athletes, who compete virtually based on their real-life performance.

Each season of The Bachelor is akin to a sports match, where the individual contestants vying to be chosen and proposed to are the teams, and the starring Bachelor or Bachelorette is the prize. Similar to the playoff process in professional sports, with each passing episode, another contestant is eliminated.

TROY LAWRENCE/THE VARSITY

However, ESPN is somewhat late to the party. Since its beginnings, The Bachelor has spawned many informal fantasy league sweepstakes among family and friends, across living rooms and Internet forums alike. Longtime Bachelor fans will find ESPN’s announcement unoriginal, or at the very least, overdue.

The Bachelor first premiered in September 2002, and while trends show that reality television shows

usually die out as their impressionable young viewers grow older and wiser, The Bachelor franchise has only grown, giving rise to several spin-offs, including The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise. The show’s burgeoning popularity has certainly not come without critique.

Reality TV dating shows like The Bachelor have been criticized for cheapening and commodifying love and dating. Imagine being a con-

testant on one of these shows, constantly having to watch the man or woman you’d like to spend the rest of your life with dating and rubbing up on other people.

If that wasn’t enough, you’re forced through frivolous games and activities to prove that you’re worth a 30-minute date. People argue that basing a game or contest on an emotion as pure as love is destroying society, and that these

shows are setting us up with unrealistic expectations that we project onto our own dating lives.

The truth is that the commodification of love and dating is at least as old as the commercialization of Valentine’s Day. It’s only natural that in our generation, our contemporary media would jump at the opportunity to further capitalize on this commodification. No matter if it’s derived from a television show like The Bachelor, or dating apps like OKCupid and Tinder, money always speaks the same language.

In fact, much like television, IAC, the company that owns both OkCupid and Tinder, is for-profit, receiving revenue from subscribers and paid advertisements.

So is Nick Viall really a crazy masochist for appearing on the franchise for the fourth time looking for love? While I wouldn’t go that far, he is certainly a product of the franchise that has polarized fans and kept The Bachelor in the news.

The Bachelor franchise is easy to sell and consume because it’s based on an emotion that we all crave and are fascinated by: love. The idea of presenting a star with many contestants to begin with may be so that we, the viewers, might see ourselves reflected among them.

All of us daydream about getting the guy or the girl at the end. We might look down upon the sexual debauchery and hedonism promulgated on The Bachelor, but we keep watching. It’s a delightful, gratifying trainwreck from which we just can’t look away.

Science

January 16, 2017 var.st/science science@thevarsity.ca

Study on social behaviours of mice reveals potential autism cause New U of T research has linked autism to a protein Jessica Gosio Varsity Contributor

Autistic children tend to be introverted, choosing to play by themselves rather than with others.

These behaviours are also visible in mice, who can also prefer to interact with an inanimate object over another mouse. These analogous behaviours were examined in a U of T study led by graduate student Mathieu Quesnel-Vallieres.

The team’s findings, which were recently published in Molecular Cell, offer new insights on the enigmatic biology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

ASD is a neurological disorder that impacts 1 in 68 children. It is particularly difficult to study “because molecular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of autistic disorders diverge between specific cases,” explained Quesnel-Vallieres.

Fortunately, Quesnel-Vallieres and his team in the research labs led by Dr. Ben Blencowe and Dr. Sabine Cordes, professors in U of T’s Department of Molecular Genetics, have overcome this hurdle. They discovered a causal link between the

nSR100 protein and mice that appear to have autism.

When the researchers reduced the levels of nSR100 protein by half the mice appeared normal and healthy.

It was not until the mice underwent a series of behavioral tests assessing sociability that a change became evident.

The mice with reduced nSR100 consistently scored high on measures attributed to “antisocial” behaviour and showed a heightened sensitivity to auditory stimulation — similar to the sensory hypersensitivity experienced by humans with autism. These effects were also more dominant in male mice, again paralleling human autism presentation.

To recognize the relationship between nSR100 and autism, the researchers first needed to understand the protein’s normal function in the body; it is a master regulator of a process called alternative splicing, whereby multiple proteins are made out of the same genetic sequence to create a greater diversity of proteins.

Alternative splicing is particularly important in the development and functioning of the nervous system.

“Neurons use this mechanism more than any other cell because they are more complex and require a vast repertoire of proteins to establish countless connections with other neurons and organize brain circuits,” explained Quesnel-Vallieres. nSR100 therefore plays a critical role in the overall proper functioning of the nervous system. “Our work shows that changing alternative splicing even subtly can lead to the often nuanced differences in social behavior and nervous system function that accompany autism spectrum disorder,” said Cordes.

Blencowe was initially responsible for research into the nSR100 protein. His lab had previously illustrated that in a large cohort of human autistic brain samples, where the cause of autism was unknown, one-third of patients had disrupted alternative splicing and decreased levels of nSR100.

This gave Quesnel-Vallieres the idea to deplete nSR100 levels in mice to those found in ASD patients.

In addition to the autistic-like behaviour described previously, the mice also had altered neuronal network communication and structure.

Quesnel-Vallieres and his team then aimed to understand how nSR100 levels initially became diminished in humans. Strikingly, they found that when human neurons were depolarized in a dish to stimulate neuronal activity, there was an accompanied decrease in nSR100 levels. These results suggest that changes in neuron excitability during development can affect nSR100 levels in the brain, and could be the cause of a substantial proportion of autism cases.

Dr. Karun Singh, assistant professor at the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute of McMaster University, also commented that nSR100 may in fact control the expression of many other autism risk genes and could act as a central signaling hub that is aberrant in ASD. Blencowe explained that his lab is “currently exploring tangible ways to determine which group of autistic patients have reduced levels of nSR100. Ultimately, our goal is to determine whether drugs that restore normal levels of nSR100 can represent a viable treatment option for autistic patients.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

Dr. Blencowe’s research may be useful in autism treatments in the future.

With files from Aditya Chawla

City moves to improve data on homeless deaths Toronto Public Health will partner with non-government agencies to track instances of death among Toronto’s homeless population

KARIM CORBAN/CC FLICKR

Previously, only the deaths of homeless people who were staying in, or had recently left, shelters were tracked.

Elizabeth Loftus Varsity Contributor

As of January 1, 2017, Toronto Public Health will collect data on the deaths of homeless people.

Previously, only deaths that occurred in, or shortly after leaving city-funded shelters were tracked,

which resulted in misleading statistics. Now, Toronto Public Health will collect data from nearly 200 agencies throughout the city dedicated to supporting the homeless.

A Toronto Star investigation published in February 2016 titled “Ontario’s uncounted homeless dead” outlined how the methods

for monitoring homeless deaths in Toronto have evolved over the past few decades. Data collection ranged from volunteers in the mid1980s, to official organizations like the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee and the Toronto Indigent Death Enquiry programs which began in the late 1990s, to the tracking of deaths in city-administered shelters as of 2007.

Toronto Star reporters found two major reasons to explain previous approaches. First, “[t]he coroner’s office ... has no mandate to track all homeless deaths ...,” and second, “hospitals and social agencies, such as homeless shelters, are not required to report all such deaths to any central provincial registry.”

The lack of a clear mandate and direction has hindered meaningful statistical understanding of the issue.

Dr. Stephen Hwang, Director of the Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital, and a leading researcher in the area of homelessness as a determinant of health, suggested that, “In order for a system like this to work, there

needs to be a coordinating agency or body that has the authority and the mandate to collect the information.” Toronto Public Health certainly fits this description, but the agency will not assume this task without significant challenges.

Hwang cited the absence of a standard reporting system and issues of confidentiality as historical challenges to data collection.

Healthcare providers cannot disclose information on the death of individuals without the consent of kin, which is difficult to obtain for many homeless individuals.

In terms of immediate effects of these recent changes, Dr. Hwang stated that “[these changes] will not have an immediate impact on the lives of people who are homeless, or deaths among the homeless, which is the primary goal, but [are] important as a first step, as we need to be measuring the dimensions of the problem to take appropriate action.”

Data from approximately 200 agencies on homeless deaths will provide information that can deepen understanding of instances of homeless deaths and facilitate the

development of targeted responses.

When asked whether there was a specific event that pushed Toronto Public Health to make this change, Dr. Hwang replied, “An article in the Toronto Star [“Ontario’s uncounted homeless dead”] got attention in the general public and the media. This was when Toronto City Council members made the decision. But it’s important to note that this was something that has been discussed on and off for about 15 years.”

In order to reduce the incidence of homeless death, data needs to be collected over a long period of time, Dr. Hwang said. “[A]ttention to homeless deaths is something that comes up in the winter time. But the truth is that homeless deaths occur throughout the year, and are not particularly concentrated in the winter.

The challenge is to maintain commitment to data reporting to Toronto Public Health in the coming months and years. It’s like a census, where the value of data is in tracking over time, not just of tracking data for one year, and this will be the ongoing challenge.”

18 • THE VARSITY • SCIENCE

science@thevarsity.ca

Become a wine and cheese whiz U of T’s Donnelly Centre uncovers the science behind wine and cheese pairings

The Planet Earth II series examines nature in the world, and humanity’s relationship with other species

Tiffany Lieu Varsity Contributor

We’ve begun to settle back into school, while the holiday season’s turkey and stuffing have settled into our waistlines. But the end of the holidays shouldn’t mean the end of lavish feasting — at least in the case of wine and cheese.

The perfect wine and cheese pairings can be hard to find, and the wide array of selections can be daunting.

Luckily, a newly developed computer program is here to help.

Gary Bader, a professor from the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto, has created an interactive mapping graphic so that our ordinary lives can be enhanced with the perfect wine and cheese pairings. The graphic is powered by Cytoscape, a computer program originally designed for the visualization of gene networks. The site features nearly 1000 pairings between both domestic and imported wines and cheeses.

The interactive map displays an intricate spider web of connections between 270 cheeses, and about 100 wines. The pairings are derived from the book, Cheese: A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best, by renowned cheese expert, Max McCalman.

“You might want to either look on the map and place a taste region that you’ve never heard of, or if you know a cheese that you like and want to find similar ones to it, you can find connections,” says Bader.

Planet Earth: Not just our home

Ibnul Chowdhury Varsity Staff

MATEJ NOVAK/CC FLICKR

You no longer need to ‘wine’ about choosing the correct pairing.

The map can also be used to search for specific cheeses or wines and their complementary pairs, or similar tasting cheeses or wines to the ones that you enjoy. Additionally, you can further refine searches by inputting a country of origin, type of wine, or cheese type.

Using wine and cheese as the foundation for this mapping graphic has exposed everyday users to the complex field of network analysis.

“Complex network analysis is about looking at a lot of data and representing it in a way that helps you understand how the data is connected and how individual data points are connected within that data,” Bader explains.

This interactive mapping graphic helps the average person relate a common culinary interest to the intimidating world of network

analysis, and sheds light on the endless capabilities of scientific programming.

“You might have a general idea of technology that helps you understand data, and in this case, it’s applied to a database of a thousand wine and cheese pairings. Hopefully that analogy helps people think about the idea that they’re looking at a map of wines and cheeses.

They may not have seen a network visualization of data before, so it’s an introduction of that concept and can help them think about other ways that they might use that type of map,” adds Bader.

So the next time you reach for that bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, don’t agonize over the best cheeses with which to pair it. Pull up this interactive map to impress others with your pseudo-impeccable wine and cheese knowledge.

In the modern world, geology proposes a new epoch in which human beings have enormous influence over the Earth’s climate and environment: the Anthropocene period.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the human march toward new technologies, population growth, and urbanization has simultaneously questioned the extent to which the rest of the animal kingdom has a claim to the planet.

One great display of this march is in the Planet Earth series. Ten years after its first installment, Planet Earth II aired over the last several months.

Utilizing ultra-high-definition resolution, advanced camera capabilities, naturalist Sir David Attenborough’s narration, and composer Hans Zimmer’s music, the dramas of nature are captured by and for human beings like never before.

Each episode of the series focuses on a different environment and how life thrives and struggles therein. ‘Islands’ serve as microcosmic worlds, hosting precious wildlife in spite of their remoteness. ‘Mountains’ exist at the edge of existence, where only the toughest can survive. ‘Jungles,’ despite their smallness in size, are the most abundant in biodiversity.

‘Deserts,’ given their lack of water, have the harshest conditions — and are growing hotter and dryer every year. ‘Grasslands’ are the most versatile environments, being able to survive floods and fires and playing host to the largest animal migrations on the planet.

Planet Earth II offers a look past our “anthropocentric” worldview.

With the personification of animals as agents that strive to gather resources, find mates, reproduce, protect their offspring, and fight rivals, Planet Earth’s animals — including humans — are shown as diverse and yet fundamentally similar in their life story.

Perhaps the most compelling insight is the most recent development in the human-animal relationship. The final episode, ‘Cities,’ shows how urbanization and human populations have forced animals to adapt to urban life. In fact, Attenborough repeatedly emphasizes how many urban animals are more successful and resilient than their wild counterparts.

Featured in ‘Cities’ are Torontonian raccoons, who make homes out of rooftop chimneys and struggle to climb down vertical structures. As Torontonians, along with the 50 per cent of humanity who live in urban spaces today, it can be difficult to empathize with other animals given our isolation from the natural world — and our occasional visits to the Toronto Zoo do not count as a connection. It is not surprising, then, that Toronto Mayor John Tory declared a ‘War on Racoons,’

to combat their infiltration into the organic content of green bins.

However, this demonization of animals is neither justifiable nor universal. The Toronto Wildlife Centre, for example, strives to rescue and rehabilitate animals — such as falcons, squirrels, and racoons — who are jeopardized by urban structures. It is also noteworthy that urban animals are adaptive to circumstances imposed upon them, and so blaming racoons when we leave out our garbage, or when they are using our attics for purposes of giving birth, is not totally fair.

With the city becoming a new home for animals, Attenborough makes a plea for the creation of spaces that are conducive to wildlife growth.

Citing Milan and Singapore as cities that have created vertical forests and man-made ‘supertrees,’ it is clear that cities like Toronto do not have to be irreconcilable with animals.

One traditional golden rule in the creation of nature documentaries is that human beings should not interfere with the proceedings of nature, however cruel they may be. However, Planet Earth II breaks this convention in ‘Cities,’ with the story of baby turtles that are misled by manmade lights to crawl in the wrong direction and endure dire survival rates. The filmmakers of Planet Earth II collected and placed every filmed baby turtle back into the sea.

Within cities, the human-animal relationship is closer than ever, and in this era of integration, a laissezfaire approach to animals is no longer feasible when our actions have such a great impact on their existence.

Where Planet Earth II succeeds, then, is not only in building awareness and empathy in its human audience, but in calling us to action — to recognize our responsibility to invest in creating more hospitable homes to other species.

This is not only true within cities, where integration is most obvious and where animals are closest. In all major settings — whether islands, mountains, jungles, deserts, or grasslands — many animals face dire prospects due to human-induced climate change and habitat destruction.

A recent report claims that the cheetah is dangerously close to extinction. Attenborough emphasizes the difficulty of filming rare endangered animals like snow leopards.

Of course, human beings are not immune to disaster either, as Albertans experienced in the Fort McMurray wildfire last year.

The ultimate message in Planet Earth II is that human beings can no longer remain idle or disconnected from the natural world. In light of the upcoming transition to a Republican-dominated American government that overwhelmingly denies or refuses to act against the threat of climate change, the human species must be more resilient than ever to protect all species of on Earth.

JANUARY 16, 2017 • 19

var.st/science

Science Around

Town

Adios, Asbestos

Common Misconceptions about the Universe: From Everyday Life to the Big Bang The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is hosting a lecture by U of T astronomy & astrophysics professor, John Percy. He will be discussing the common mistakes people make when talking about space.

Federal government announces plan to ban asbestos by 2018

Date: Wednesday, January 18 Time: 6:30 – 8:00 pm Location: Hinton Learning Theatre, Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street Admission: Free

WENDY GU/THE VARSITY

Ian T. D. Thomson Varsity Contributor

On December 15th, 2016, The Canadian Federal Government announced plans to ban asbestos and asbestos-containing products by 2018.

The move was announced by the Honourable Kristy Duncan, Minister of Science; ministries including Health, Environment and Climate Change, and Public Services and Procurement were also involved.

“Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is of utmost importance to the government.

There is irrefutable evidence that has led us to take concrete action to ban asbestos,” explained Duncan in the government’s press release.

Asbestos describes six types of a natural fibrous mineral. The substance has many chemical and physical properties that make it a strong, long-lasting and heat-resistant material. This has resulted historically in asbestos being a desirable resource for industrial applications; it has been utilized as an insulating material in developing houses and buildings, and thermal and electrical systems. Its unique physiochemical attributes also made it helpful in developing car brake pads and producing industrial furnaces and heating systems.

Modern use of asbestos as a building material began around 1880 and peaked in the 1970s, with asbestos being used in over 3,000 different applications and products. However, once longterm negative health effects associated with the material became well known, the risks of asbestos clearly outweighed the benefits.

Through the inhalation of its fibres, asbestos exposure has been found to lead to diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, a condition resulting in scarred lungs.

Asbestos was named a human carcinogen by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1987. In ad-

dition, the Rotterdam Convention, an international treaty adopted by 165 countries, labelled five types of asbestos as being a hazardous material in 1998. The designation came into effect in 2004.

Asbestos production has long been a part of Canada’s economic history. With large asbestos mines located in Quebec, Canada was once one of the world’s largest exporters of chrysotile serpentine (the Canadian type of asbestos), shipping the mineral to developing nations like India and Thailand.

Canada continued to produce and export the mineral even after its peak use in the 1970’s.

In 2011, the last two asbestos mines in Quebec were shut down and in 2012, the federal government announced plans to back down on support of the industry.

Given the harms that the mineral causes, it is surprising to some that Canada has not banned the use or import of asbestos sooner. Dr. Paul Bozek, assistant professor from the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health, explains that the inaction was both political and economic.

“Canada used to be a leading exporter of asbestos, but only because the previous federal government and government of Quebec used to subsidize the asbestos mining industry in Quebec. When the subsidies stopped, so did the mining, at the loss of a few thousand jobs,” Bozek told The Varsity.

“There has also been a mental block about linking asbestos to health since the lag between exposure and disease takes decades, so despite scientific evidence dating back to the 1950’s, policy changes slowly when jobs and exports [are] at stake.”

Bozek has previously researched asbestos remediation levels outside of building remediation enclosures, showing how certain practices can lead to asbestos release outside of an enclosed zone.

The government declared plans to work with the labour, trade, health and commercial sectors to realize the asbestos ban by 2018. Additionally, the government is aiming to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) to install new regulations for banning the import, export and manufacturing of asbestos.

“CEPA can be useful to ensure imported products (e.g. brake pads and asbestos building products) are banned or at least labelled and restricted in their use. But asbestos will continue to be present in the built environment for decades and I doubt that CEPA can force people to tear down a perfectly habitable build[ing] to eliminate a threat that is generally managed in-situ by provincial legislation,” explained Bozek.

In addition to proposed amendments, the federal government plans to work with provincial and territorial jurisdictions to change building codes to prohibit asbestos use in new construction projects. Canada’s domestic and international position regarding asbestos as a hazardous material is to be updated before a meeting of countries subject to the Rotterdam Convention. The federal government also will catalogue its list of federally-owned buildings containing asbestos.

Bozek also posits that additional regulation is needed regarding the re-use of asbestos wastes.

“For example, road asphalt that contains asbestos (purposely added as a reinforcing fibre) is currently legal to re-use when a road is repaved and is recycled into either new asphalt or simply ground into pieces that are used in place of gravel,” explained Bozek.

“Banning or labelling to ensure control of the asbestos release into air from these sources will further protect Canadians,” he said.

The Food from Thought Project The Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science is hosting a lecture

by Dr. Evan Fraser of the University of Guelph (U of G) and his work on the Food from Thought project, a U of G initiative that aims to increase agricultural food production while sustaining the environment.

Date: Friday, January 20 Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm Location: FCP Gallery, First Canadian Place, 100 King Street W Admission: Free Beyond the B.Sc. Conference Wondering what to do with your Bachelor of Science degree, besides medical school or graduate school?

Come explore all the job opportunities a life science degree opens up for you!

Date: Saturday, January 21 Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Location: Cathedral of St. James, 65 Church Street Admission: $20 with registration On the Brink: Advancements in Therapeutics for Neurodegenerative Diseases The Neurodegenerative Disease Society of Toronto is hosting an educational conference to present the wide array of medical research on therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Andres M Lozano, the most cited neurosurgeon in the world, will be speaking at the conference.

Date: Saturday, January 21 Time: 10:15 am to 5:00 pm Location: JJR Macleod Auditorium, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King’s College Circle Admission: Free with registration

JANUARY 16, 2017 • 20

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