Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 13 January 8, 2018 thevarsity.ca —— University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880
It takes a Village With rising concerns for community safety following the disappearances of multiple people around the Church-Wellesley area, many Torontonians have come together to safeguard the LGBTQ+ neighbourhood. Ilya Bañares explores the daunting trend, law enforcement efforts, and implications for campus safety. page 10
TTC board votes unanimously in favour of U-Pass
Disappearance of funds at VCDS stirs suspicions of theft
U-Pass seeks to make public transit affordable for students
$800 missing from locked cash box in locked VCDS office
Ann Marie Elpa Varsity Contributor
More affordable transit may become a reality for students on the St. George campus after the TTC Board unanimously voted in favour of the U-Pass Initiative during a meeting on December 11, 2017. The Universal Transit Pass (UPass), advocated by representatives from the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU), Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU), Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC), and the Ontario College of Art and Design Student Union, aims to provide an affordable means of transportation apart from the postsecondary metro pass offered by the TTC. A staff report from the Chief Executive Officer of the TTC states that the U-Pass offers greater savings than the 20 per cent discount offered by the postsecondary student metropass, priced at $116.75. Moreover, the initiative also proposes fare integration between several public transit systems in the Greater Toronto Area, such as Brampton Transit and York Region
Transit. According to the report, it is estimated that more than 15 percent per cent of commutes by postsecondary students involve more than one transit system in addition to the TTC. “The TTC is eager to make the U-Pass program work, everyone is in agreement on this,” said TTC Senior Communications Specialist Stuart Green. “A report is being prepared for our board in the first quarter of this year that would outline the specifics of the pass in terms of price and availability. If it is agreed to, it would be introduced in September.” Anne Boucher, Vice-President
External of the UTSU, spoke of an increased ridership during the TTC board meeting as a result of a UPass and how it will improve offpeak travel times. “Creating a long-term transit reliance is key to the sustainability of transit into the future. By securing the student ridership now, students are more likely to be committed users leading into their professional lives,” said Boucher. “A U-Pass encourages students to travel at off-peak times. Currently 76.6 per cent of our students say their commute affects how they schedule classes. They’re compressing their schedules into two to three compact days to avoid paying fares, which means they’re travelling in the morning rush and the evening rush,” continued Boucher. U-Pass, page 3
In 2017...
Aidan Currie Deputy News Editor
Sometime between October 31, 2017 and November 10, 2017, $800 in cash went missing from the Victoria College Drama Society (VCDS) cash box, located in a locked office. According to the society, only eight people have access to the office, located within the larger Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council (VUSAC) office. VCDS believes the money was stolen. While cleaning their office during the fall reading week, VCDS co-producers Alyssa DiBattista and Leora Nash discovered the empty cash box, but they originally thought nothing of it. “We assumed that our Chief Financial Officer, George Wilson, must have deposited the revenue from our first show into our bank account. Later in the month (before our second show), however, George went to count the amount in the money box, to be used as a float for our second show, only to find that
there was only the small amount I had seen during reading week,” wrote DiBattista. Wilson wrote that much of the money allegedly stolen had been “inherited by past years executives who often kept cash from shows in the office,” assuming the cash was revenue from past shows. Most of that money was deposited into VCDS’ bank account, but the money in the cashbox at the time of the supposed robbery was kept as float for the VCDS production of Colours in the Storm, which ran in mid-October of last year. The $800 consisted of the float cash and one night’s revenue from the show. DiBattista clarified that the VCDS exec assumed that the money was stolen because only she, Nash, and Wilson deal with money or the cash box. “We didn’t want to conclude that the money had been removed illicitly but it became more and more clear to us; no one else had used the money box on official business since the end of our first show. At some point, VCDS, page 3
In 2018... The biggest stories at U of T
Politics, law, and human rights in the community
Highlights from U of T’s research findings
The Varsity’s plans for the new year
Students share their resolutions
How to crush your fitness goals
NEWS
COMMENT
SCIENCE
EDITORIAL page 9
ARTS
SPORTS
page 5
page 6
page 15
page 12
page 18
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Time: 8:00 pm Location: Lee’s Palace Hosted by: St. George Round Table through Winterfest 2018
Jan 10 UTSC Party on Ice
Time: 4:00–5:00 pm Location: King’s College Circle Hosted by: Delta Upsilon
Time: 5:00–10:00 pm Location: SW Quad Hosted by: Scarborough Campus Students’ Union
Jan 10 20 Years of HK, China and Taiwan Time: 12:00–3:30 pm Location: Munk School, Room 208N Hosted by: UTHKPASS
Jan 12
Hacking North Korea panel Time: 12:00–3:30 pm Location: Hart House Debates Room Hosted by: HanVoice UToronto
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Any one in Toronto have a place I could stay a couple days in February (4th and 5th). I plan on going to see if Dr. Jordan Peterson matches up to all the hype. #Toronto #jordanpeterson #Canada #uoft @jordanbpeterson @UofT
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U-Pass, from cover
VCDS, from cover
The initiative involves student unions from U of T, Ryerson, George Brown, and OCAD. NATHAN CHAN/COURTESY OF THE UTSU UCOMMUTE
In a survey administered by the students’ unions in late August, 95 per cent of commuter students voted in favour of the U-Pass. Students cited financial burdens as a reason, saying they spend upwards of $100 per month on transportation alone. “U of T is a commuter school, so most students will benefit if this comes to fruition. Currently, I spend nearly $1,400 on transit. The blow was softened a bit by the tax deduction for Metropass, but since that is no longer in effect, I think more affordable transit is all the more necessary,” said Mayar Sashin, a commuter student at Victoria College. “Other Canadian universities and cities are ahead of us in terms of providing transportation to students,” said Avneet Sharma, a student at Trinity College. “Though I don’t necessarily have the longest commute, the U-Pass would definitely be beneficial for all commuters at U of T.” However, not all commuter students can depend on a U-Pass for their daily commute, using other methods of transportation besides public transit. “Frankly, the UPass won’t be very
helpful to me, since I bike to school everyday, so the increase in tuition will negatively impact me, personally,” said Benjamin Liao-Gormley, a commuter student from Victoria College. “Nonetheless, I support it, as it will save many of my friends some money, especially since commuting isn’t cheap if you don’t live in the downtown core.” In an email to The Varsity, Gabriel Calderon, Co-Chair of the Victoria College Off-Campus Association and Commuter Commissioner on the Victoria University’s Students’ Administrative Council, wrote on how a U-Pass would counter the prohibitive costs of commuting, saying the UPass would provide an opportunity for students to come to university when they otherwise wouldn’t. “I mean this in the context of extracurricular involvement,” Calderon said. “Often, a student will want to attend some sort of club/student society meeting, or go to office hours, etc., but they will choose not to because the cost of commuting will be prohibitive.”
it just disappeared, and the only reason we could conclude was that someone got access or had access to the office, and took the money.” The incident has resulted in the VCDS employing stricter policies regarding how it handles its cash. “While there have always been official policies on money handling and counting, there had never really been anything specifically addressing money in the locked VCDS office,” said Wilson. According to Wilson, the new policy is that no cash will be left unattended in the VCDS office, and the drama society will now be using VUSAC’s safe or VCDS’ own bank account whenever possible. Additionally, non-VCDS members will not be allowed in the office outside of normal hours, and keyholders will only be allowed to enter the office for VCDS purposes.
“Our fall production of The Drowsy Chaperone occurred under these new policies without incident, and we believe the policies will continue to succeed,” said Wilson. DiBattista claimed that there was a history of stolen money within the VUSAC office. “However, this was the first time money was stolen from inside a private, locked office at VUSAC and it was also the largest amount of money stolen, so we felt the need to respond thoroughly. We feel extremely disappointed because the purpose of having an office for our organization is to have a safe and useful space, but that’s been compromised, and it feels violating,” wrote DiBattista. The co-producers brought up the matter at a VUSAC meeting but were advised that there could not be an investigation. They were asked to consider more secure
methods for storing funds that must remain in the office for short periods of time. As to why there was no investigation, VUSAC President Zahavah Kay said, “Ultimately it was decided that the best and most practical solution was to improve security moving forward. VUSAC has supported this decision by recommending all levies purchase safes for their offices, limit key sharing, and keep the office locked at all times.” VUSAC itself has also increased security by decreasing the number of office keys distributed, as well as limiting after-hours access to the office. As of press time, there is no update to the identity of a perpetrator, and Campus Police have not been informed of the alleged theft.
Campus Police were not informed of the alleged theft. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
University introduces new gender identification option in HR system
New Quercus software to replace Portal
Addition of ‘X’ gender identity, ‘Mx.’ address reflects change in provincial policy
Change comes after over a decade of Portal
Imani Stewart Varsity Contributor
After over a decade of use, U of T’s learning management software, Portal, is being replaced by a newer program called Quercus. U of T’s Academic Toolbox Renewal Steering Committee announced the new software’s name following a universitywide contest. The name, Latin for the Oak tree genus, follows the oak theme at the university that is seen in ACORN and the university motto and crest. The university’s Chief Information Officer, Bo Wandschneider, told The Varsity that the change marks an important step forward in improving the system used to move academic content throughout the university. “U of T is one of the leading institutions in the world, and we really need to provide our faculty, staff, and students with the best tools possible.” The new academic toolbox, developed with the Canvas engine from educational technology company Instructure, will have new tools and better flexibility than Portal. The university is currently focused on transferring existing tools and features
In a memo released on December 7, Human Resources and Equity at the University of Toronto announced the creation of a new gender identification option in its Human Resources information system for all staff, faculty, and librarians who do not identify as male or female. The option allows all employees who do not identify as male or female to change their identification to ‘X.’ Employees will also be able to change their ‘display names,’ which are the names they choose to go by at work, and their form of address to ‘Mx,’ pronounced ‘mix.’ Documentation of a legal gender or name change will not be required for a gender or display name change in the university system. This change will also ensure that all employees have access to health services, both on campus and externally. The addition of the ‘X’ gender
identity is reflective of changes in provincial policy as of May 1, 2017. The new policy states that gender identity will be the default information collected for and displayed on government documents and identifications. When displayed, “customers will have the option to choose ‘Male,’ ‘Female,’ or ‘X.’” The ‘X’ gender identity accounts for trans, twospirit, non-binary, and binary individuals, and those who do not wish to disclose their gender to avoid discrimination and harassment because their formal documents do not match their gender identity. According to Kelly HannahMoffat, Vice-President of Human Resources and Equity, part of the university’s decision for the change was to keep up with provincial legislation. Hannah-Moffat said that the university also wants to better capture the diverse community in their systems, so that all members feel respected and welcome.
“We’ve enhanced categories, not only in terms of gender identity, but also in terms of racial identity; allowing people to be more precise in terms of which racialized community they are connected to or feel that they associate with,” she said. The university is considering adding more specific gender identity titles in addition to ‘X,’ depending on the feedback that they receive from this advancement and any future changes in provincial or federal legislation. The university is also currently limited by the technological capabilities of the Human Resource systems. Their hope is to develop a more inclusive and representative system as the technology advances. So far, the Human Resources and Equity Office has not received any feedback on the new change from faculty, staff, or the university community.
Pranav Srikanth Varsity Contributor
from Portal to Quercus. While there will be some changes, the major tools will be carried forward to Quercus. U of T is running a pilot during the winter semester with approximately 3,100 students in 33 courses that are taught by different instructors. It is expected that by September 2018, all students, faculty, and staff will transfer to Quercus, and Portal will be decommissioned. Students were quick to take to social media about the change. Student groups on Facebook created posts about what they called the “broken Portal,” even though, according to Wandschneider, Portal is simply outdated rather than broken. Meanwhile, some students on Reddit criticized the name choice, with one user commenting, “Welcome to the University of Toronto, where we have the brightest minds yet the worst creativity.”
ZEANA HAMDONAH/THE VARSITY
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Clubs funding motion concerning favouritism voted down at TCM
City proposes solutions for conflict between Greek life community, residence associations
College leadership mostly silent on motion, outcome
Jillian Schuler Associate News Editor
Carey Davis Varsity Contributor
An amendment to the constitution of Trinity College’s student government seeking to reduce favouritism in clubs funding failed to garner enough votes to move past the first stage of consideration. The motion went before the Trinity College Meeting (TCM) on December 4, but it did not meet the two-thirds majority required to bring it to a second round of voting in January. The proposed amendment, motioned by Trinity student Jessica Rapson, addressed the disproportionate allocation of funding by the Finance Committee (FC) to clubs whose past or current executives are also sitting members of the FC. Mitch Nader, Trinity’s Co-Head of Non-Resident Affairs, was the only elected student official to provide comment to The Varsity on the failed amendment, but only to say that “a lot of work was put into it and it was well presented.” TCM Chair Leila Martin, FC Chair Amanda Cutinha, Co-Head of College Bardia Monavari, and Co-Head of Arts Lukas Weese all declined to speak to The Varsity on the motion and its outcome. Julianne de Gara, Katrina Li, and Victoria Lin, the three other Student Heads at Trinity, did not respond to The Varsity’s requests for comment either. Rapson’s findings and the failed motion According to Rapson’s calculations, clubs whose past or current executive were members of the FC received, on average, three times more funding than clubs with no ties to the FC. Rapson’s proposed amendment aimed to stop this favouritism by ensuring FC members could not partake in discussions or vote on club funding for clubs
of which they were past or present executives or signing officers. Under the TCM Constitution, an amendment requires a two thirds majority vote at two consecutive meetings in order to pass. Trinity students voted 62 per cent in favour of the amendment, with around 50–60 members of the college in attendance. Rapson put the failure of the amendment down to low overall turnout. Rapson also cited the influence of prominent members of college and a digression from the purpose of the motion as other reasons for its failure to pass. “The discussion was not about removing conflicts of interest, it was about if there was causation or whether the statistics were 100 percent reliable,” wrote Rapson. “And a lot of the discussion was just on minutia and it lost the sentiment of what the amendment was supposed to do.” Jason Patrick, who seconded the motion, also attested to the influence that “two very prominent members of the Trinity community who command a lot of respect” had on the outcome of the vote. Alex Forgay, First Year Representative on the FC, voted for Rapson’s motion “despite the motion’s flaws, and the fact that it may not solve the entirety of the problem.” “Any movement toward greater transparency in the Trin financial community is a step in the right direction,” said Forgay. “While I understand why people voed against it, it is always troubling and disappointing to see an attempt at increased accountability fail.” Rapson plans on collaborating with Monavari and Cutinha to craft an amendment satisfactory to all stakeholders. She hopes to move forward with the altered rendition next year, which leaves the winter session of club funding unchanged.
Clubs with ties to the Finance Committee were found to recieve up to three times more funding than those without. GRACE MANALILI/THE VARSITY
Executive Council poised for decision on Greek house licensing
The city’s review of multi-tenant housing regulations, which encompasses fraternity and sorority houses surrounding U of T, has opened up a rift between the residences of these houses and the communities that surround them. The outcome has been a six-month-long deliberation process at City Hall between students in Greek life housing and their neighbours regarding changes to the way these multi-tenant houses are licensed. Issues of excessive partying, lewd behaviour, and improper garbage disposal have been raised by members of housing associations around the U of T campus, with local residents citing problems such as “numerous fires” and “numerous sexual assaults” occurring at nearby fraternities. In a recent public meeting, city staff presented six possible solutions to provide the public with a general idea of what could be suggested in January and then voted upon in February, when the Executive Council meets. The six solutions The first solution is one that was initially proposed in a letter from Ward 20 Councilor Joe Cressy in early June: that fraternities and sororities should no longer be exempted from the housing regulations that all other multi-tenant buildings are required to follow. This suggestion is what first sparked the debate over the status of these houses in September. It is believed that for fraternity and sorority houses to be fully compliant with multi-tenant housing regulations, they would have to fundamentally
change their operations, putting their continued existence in jeopardy. Decades of tension between fraternities — more so than sororities — and surrounding residents have come to light from residences in the neighbourhoods that surround frats and sororities in the wake of Cressy’s letter. This tension has spawned a few of the proposed solutions, which directly target the relationship between Greek life residences and their neighbours. Three of these solutions are community-led meet and greets with Greek house residents, proactive community outreach to fraternities and sororities before school starts, and the establishment of a community working group consisting of both Greek and non-Greek residents to help bridge the gap and improve communication between the two groups. Along the lines of communication, another proposed solution is creating a contact list within the neighbourhood so that residents have a number to call to voice their complaints. The last of the solutions is the establishment of proactive enforcement of bylaws within the area during peak times of activity. One major concern for this solution is that the city may lack the resources for full enforcement. In addition, according to a comment made during a public consultation reported by Toronto Community Houses, “many fraternities and sororities are dry and/or have education on alcohol and housing.” Speaking to stakeholders University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) Vice-President External Anne Boucher was initially skeptical
of Cressy’s original proposal, stating that it appeared to have the intention of slowly removing fraternity and sorority houses from the city. However, Boucher said she was repeatedly met with the assurance that the city is simply looking to ensure that Greek houses are safe and regulated. Boucher said she was presented with a detailed presentation of the licensing change and is convinced that the proposal truly aims to improve the safety of Greek housing. She wrote that “this change specifically would not harm the operation of Greek houses.” Boucher said that while some of the other solutions look to solve longstanding residential grievances such as noise complaints, they fail to really address how Greek houses could be made safer. The Annex Residence Association’s David Harrison highlighted the long-standing tension between Greek houses and their neighbours, saying that “clearly, the Greek group didn’t see any need for change to their status or additional rules and regulations.” He insisted that the residents he represents find the enforcement of some form of regulation on Greek housing to be the most pressing solution. City staff will develop a summary of consultations in a report to the Executive Committee in early 2018. The Inter-Fraternity Council, which represents the majority of U of T fraternities, declined The Varsity’s request for comment. The U of T Panhellenic Association, which represents the majority of U of T sororities, did not respond to The Varsity’s request for comment.
Commuter students react to new TTC Line 1 extension Six new subway stations added, bringing TTC into York region Tuhi Sen Varsity Contributor
With the TTC’s Line 1 extension now open, students commuting from the York region are looking at shorter commutes and cheaper fares going into the winter semester. Opened on December 17, 2017, the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE) subway zone extends 8.6 kilometres between Sheppard West station to the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station, with five new stations in between. The TYSSE allows students living in the York region a more affordable commute to the St. George campus. The TYSSE has been in operation since the end of the fall semester. Anne Boucher, the University of Toronto Students’ Union VicePresident External, is excited about the opportunities the extension
offers students. She commented on the decreased travel time for many students, writing that “students travelling from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre can now get to campus in 40 minutes, compared to the usual 90+ minute commute.” Benefits of the increased TTC services are not exclusive to students who live in the York region; the new stations open up easier access to places and activities north of downtown. In addition, Downsview Park station allows much easier access to Downsview Park, a favourite summer spot for music festivals, than was previously possible. Duke Ogunsuyi, a student who commutes from North York, had the opportunity to test the benefits of the subway extension. Ogunsuyi is pleased with the financial benefits of the new service, saying the
extension offers “a cheaper mode of transportation to get to campus.” Students would likely have taken the GO Train otherwise, which is more expensive. Ogunsuyi is also pleased with how the extension has managed to connect other methods of transport, such as certain York Regional Transit/Viva and Brampton’s Züm bus routes, which connect to the York University, Pioneer Village, and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre TTC stations. Another student commuter, Danyal Uni, from Richmond Hill, explained that prior to the extension, his commute home took about two hours. While Uni has only had the opportunity to use the extended TTC services once over the holidays, he said that it will allow him to save money and optimize his travel time. “I am planning to use it everyday during the second semester.”
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U of T’s biggest stories of 2017 The Varsity looks back at the defining headlines of last year Ilya Bañares Associate News Editor
Toronto and U of T organized against Trump after his inauguration Following Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States, protests broke out in Toronto and around the world in opposition. Trump’s actions have had a direct effect on members of the U of T community. One of his first major acts was an executive order on immigration, which limited the country’s intake of refugees, as well as visitors and immigrants from certain majority-Muslim countries. Joudy Sarraj, last year’s Trinity College Female Head of Non-Resident Affairs, told The Varsity that she would have been impacted had she not had dual Canadian-Syrian citizenship. In the wake of this executive order, a protest took place on University Avenue in front of the US Consulate, attended by a number of U of T students. UTSU: Demand Better dominated, two staff members laid off, Hudson lawsuit settled The Demand Better slate, led by Mathias Memmel, won the majority of executive positions and board seats in the March 2017 UTSU elections. The slate ran on a platform focused on fixing the union after years of mismanagement. Within the fall 2017 semester, two executives, VicePresident University Affairs Carina Zhang and Vice-President Campus Life Stuart Norton, resigned for personal reasons, and they have since been replaced. Demand Better executives also fulfilled their campaign promise of cutting back salary expenses, laying off two full-time staff members who oversaw clubs and health plans. This stirred controversy in the student body; opponents claimed that clubs and student services would be negatively affected, though the UTSU ar-
gued that they would not be. The UTSU also settled a two-year lawsuit with Sandra Hudson, the union’s former Executive Director, who they alleged committed civil fraud. The UTSU was seeking $277,726.40, which was initially given to Hudson as part of a compensation package when her contract was terminated, and an additional $200,000 in damages. Details of the settlement are undisclosed but have drawn the ire of several board members and VicePresident External Anne Boucher. Trinity student alleged assault, TCM vote of no confidence against administrators In September, Trinity College student Bardia Monavari, Co-Head of College, alleged that he was verbally and physically assaulted by Campus Police following a residence party. Monavari placed the blame on college administrators Adam Hogan and Christine Cerullo, who he said refused to intervene when they saw the alleged assault. Soon after, the Trinity College Meeting, Trinity’s direct democracy student government, passed a nearunanimous vote of no confidence in the Office of the Dean of Students. The motion signalled the disappointment of students in Trinity’s response to Monavari’s alleged assault, as well as the alleged mishandling of Tamsyn Riddle’s sexual assault case. Riddle filed a human rights application against both Trinity College and U of T. Since the vote, Provost Mayo Moran has banned alcohol at college events, and the Office of the Dean of Students and the college heads have been using an external facilitator in mediation meetings. College strike affected U of T’s partner schools, campus unions secured strike mandates Faculty at colleges in Ontario went on strike for close to a month, following failed negotiations with the College
Employer Council over job security and academic freedom in classrooms. This affected UTSC and UTM students enrolled in joint programs with Centennial College and Sheridan College, respectively. After faculty rejected a tentative agreement, the strike ended when the provincial government enacted back-to-work legislation. This forced faculty to return and for any other unresolved issues to be decided in binding arbitration. Meanwhile, labour unions at U of T began preparing for negotiations as their tentative agreements with the university expire. Sessional lecturers, under CUPE Local 3902 Unit 3, voted 91 per cent in favour of a strike mandate. The main topics included wage increases and improvements in benefits, but talks stalled on the issue of job security. The union reached an agreement shortly after, which was later ratified. Unit 1, which represents teaching assistants, also voted overwhelmingly for a strike mandate. Their main point is increasing wage rates, but no statements have been released yet about the ongoing status of negotiations. Jordan Peterson remained a source of controversy U of T psychology professor Jordan Peterson gained international attention in September 2016 after publishing his YouTube series criticizing political correctness. The news gave way to many rallies, both in support and in opposition of the controversial professor and the right to free speech. Throughout 2017, Peterson remained a source of controversy. In February, a right-leaning conference where Peterson and Ezra Levant, founder of The Rebel Media, were scheduled to speak was interrupted by protesters and resulted in crowd control police taking to the campus. Later in the year, Peterson had his funding request denied for the first time by a federal agency, proposed creating an online university to counter traditional institutions, and
Thousands of college students in Ontario were out of school during the fiveweek faculty strike. PHOTO BY CONNOR MALBEUF, COURTESY OF THE GAZETTE
Eliminating staff positions at the UTSU was a promise the Demand Better slate ran on. TOM YUN/THE VARSITY
Peterson is in his second year of campus notoriety. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
Trinity students have clashed with their college administration over two alleged assaults and a ban on alcohol-licensed events. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
doxxed two student activists. In November, Peterson proposed creating a website targeting “postmodern, neo-Marxist” professors, which he eventually
abandoned. Later in the same month, hundreds of individuals and organizations across Canada signed an open letter to U of T calling for Peterson’s termination.
Ammara Wasim appointed UTSU Vice-President Campus Life Hiring comes after Stuart Norton’s resignation at end of 2017 Ilya Bañares Associate News Editor
Ammara Wasim, Vice-President Communications of the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA), is the new Vice-President Campus Life of the UTSU. Wasim was appointed at an emergency meeting of the UTSU’s Board of Directors on December 29. She replaces Stuart Norton, whose resignation was announced two weeks prior in a statement posted on Facebook. The selection process was triggered when Norton announced his intent to resign, effective December 31, at a closed session of the board on December 12. A statement posted on the union’s Facebook page said that his departure was for personal reasons, requesting that his privacy be respected. Wasim, a fifth-year Visual Studies
student in the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, said that “it’s a bit easier to jump right in to the position given my experience working closely with the UTSU while I’ve been an executive for the past two years in the [MSA].” Wasim believes that her experience in the MSA will be advantageous to her new position, “especially when it comes to understanding the fundraising/financial responsibilities that come with student clubs,” she wrote. Her plan for the rest of the year includes making sure there are no interruptions or disturbances to the operations of clubs, marketing the events of the Campus Life commission that she chairs as part of her executive portfolio, and helping clubs meet their budgeting goals. Norton wrote that he was “grateful to the students that elected [him] to serve in this role for the past eight
Wasim also serves as the VP Communications of the MSA.
PHOTO BY AMMAR ELAMIR, COURTESY OF AMMARA WASSIM
months.” “I’m a strong believer that, for many students, clubs and campus groups form the core of their community,” wrote Norton. “I wish my team the best of luck for the rest of the term. I’ll miss them but I know that they’ll make me proud.”
Wasim’s appointment is the second time the board has had to fill a vacant executive position this academic year, after former Vice-President University Affairs Carina Zhang resigned in early September, also for personal reasons. Zhang was later replaced in late November by Adrian Huntelar, who had served up to that point as one of the board’s General Equity Directors. The board decided to suspend Bylaw X(5)(b)(ii) in the case of Norton’s resignation to allow for a shortened application period of 10 days, from December 16–26. The bylaws state that if the vacancy occurs after August 1 or once the Fall Session General Elections process has begun, “the Executive Committee shall post the vacant position for no less than twenty (20) days, conduct an interview process and select no less than two (2) candidates to send to the Board of
Directors for election.” The bylaw was suspended due to the late notice of the resignation and the need to have a Vice-President Campus Life in time for the Winter Week of Welcome, a critical component of the portfolio. The Winter Week of Welcome will take place from January 15–19 and is composed of multiple campus-wide student life activities. Norton won his union post in the March elections on the Demand Better slate, alongside UTSU President Mathias Memmel and three other vice-presidents. Prior to his role on the union, he served as Co-President of the Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council (VUSAC), and campaigned on improving funding of clubs.
Comment
January 8, 2018 var.st/comment comment@thevarsity.ca
From hindsight to insight: 2017 in review Contributors reflect on politics, law, and human rights on campus and in the community at large As far as years go, 2017 was a kicker. World politics is a dumpster fire, and a deeply distracting one at that. Within this generally turbulent international political climate, everything can appear devastating, and the doom and gloom of international headlines can feel incredibly disempowering. What is happening in the world might cause us to lose sight of the subtle but pernicious ways in which university affairs have impacted life at the University of Toronto as well. We might also forget that, as students at the largest university in Canada, we have vital bargaining power, and we shouldn’t shy away from trying to make a difference in our immediate community. While stepping into the ring with political moguls might seem like a pipe dream, students retain the power to affect change locally, at the very least. The start of 2018 provides us with ample opportunity for reflection and analysis. I asked six Comment contributors to write about key events and phenomena that forged 2017’s trajectory, both at the university and in the world at large. Going forward, let’s remain vigilant about macro-level political affairs — but let’s also keep local issues situated in our sightline. Happy new year. Stay political. Teodora Pasca Comment Editor
Bill C-6 is among the most significant federal laws passed in 2017, writes Maia Harris. DAVID RUSSO/CC FLICKR
WORLD BILL C-6 SOLIDIFIED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY The Liberals’ Bill C-6 received Royal Assent on June 19, 2017, a clear sign of the Canadian government’s favourable stance toward immigration. Bill C-6 issues a series of legislative amendments that facilitate easier access to Canadian citizenship, a position that stands in contrast to the political atmospheres and antiimmigration policies that characterized other countries in 2017. Bill C-6 came into effect amidst a year of wealthy, influential nations peddling policies that make it significantly more difficult for people to immigrate to their countries. The second tier of the United Kingdom’s statement of change tightening their immigration policy was released in 2017, while the American government’s travel ban was upheld by the Supreme Court as constitutional. The timing of Bill C-6 sets the stage for Canada to counter global political tides and lead as an open-door nation in 2018. The bill repeals many of the previous Conservative government’s citizenship policies, including those implemented through Bill C-24, which allowed for increased liberty to revoke dual citizenship. Among the changes is a provision that greatly benefits international students seeking Canadian citizenship post-graduation: an applicant must only be physically present in Canada for three out of five years preceding
their citizenship, which is more favourable than the previous terms mandating four out of six years of presence. Additionally, the revamped calculation method entails that time spent in Canada on a study permit will count toward the residency requirement. A temporary resident is now able to include one day present for every two days spent in Canada toward their requirement, up to a maximum of 365 days. Bill C-6 stands among the most significant Canadian laws passed in 2017, and its effects will certainly be felt going forward. Potential outcomes include increased immigration rates as well as a possible boost of international students in Canadian schools. Overall, Bill C-6 sets Canada apart from the closeddoor international agenda, and it lays the groundwork for an even more diverse nation.
this establishment that Francis Fukuyama infamously called “the end of history” — yet in light of the events of this past year, such a thesis seems increasingly false. US President Donald Trump, a candidate elected on an ‘America first’ platform of economic protectionism and xenophobia, was inaugurated early in the year. Some of the Trump administration’s actions in 2017 included various attempts at implementing travel bans for those coming from Muslimmajority countries, a war on “fake news,” withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and the beginning of renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement. Outside of Washington, events such as the Charlottesville rally reveal apparently anti-liberal movements on both the right and the left. On one hand, the ‘alt-right’ disavows diversity in favour of an American white ethno-state; on the other hand, leftist Antifa groups have engaged in violence and property damage at protests. In contrast, Canada seems to be one of the states not moving in this direction. Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch’s suggestion that immigrants be screened for “Canadian values” was resoundingly defeated, for example. Justin Trudeau has pursued liberal policies and has been presented as a worthy opponent to Trump in the international political context. Outside of the US, far-right parties continue to influence European politics with protectionism, xenophobia, and anti-EU positions; in 2017, this was demonstrated through several key elections in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, the latter of which saw the introduction of a far-right party to the German Bundestag for the first time since World War II. In light of Germany’s post-war fear of Nazism, this is particularly significant, and it foreshadows a global trend away from the liberal status quo towards new directions — a trend that Canada will need to respond to. Sam Routley is a third-year student at St. Michael’s College studying Political Science, History, and Philosophy.
NATIONALISM BLED OVER THE BORDER, THREATENED HUMAN RIGHTS AT HOME We might like to think that society has progressed in terms of civil and human rights during the 21st century, yet looking back on 2017, this seems doubtful. Women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and migrant rights have taken a hit in the US this year. Among oppressive policies, President Donald Trump said he would eliminate the diversity lottery for foreigners seeking US visas. Racism in political discourse has also been prominent — for instance, Republican state Senator John Bennett refused to apologize for his statement that American Muslims are a “cancer in our nation that needs to be cut out.” What is important to remember, however, is that racism and oppression are hardly unique to the US. On Canada Day, a white nationalist group called the Proud Boys disrupted an Indigenous ceremony in Halifax. As Indigenous folks engaged in ceremony protesting Halifax’s founder, Edward Cornwallis — infamous for collecting bounty on Indigenous scalps — the group disrupted the ceremony and approached the gathering singing “God Save the Queen.” The Québec City mosque shooting occurred on January 29, when six worshippers were killed and 19 others were injured. Both of these acts of racism can arguably be linked to the influence of the US: the headquarters of the Proud Boys is located in New York City, while the Québec City shooter was allegedly a Trump supporter. The development of civil and human rights has rightfully come a long way since slavery and women’s suffrage. However, as incidents of racism continue, it feels as though this progress is not as steady as we might hope. As 2017 has come to a close, we as Canadians should remember that, no matter the actions of the US, we do not have to follow their example. In 2018, we should focus on confronting hatred coming from abroad while also working to address it at home. Areej Rodrigo is a third-year student at St. Michael’s College studying English and Theatre and Performance Studies.
Maia Harris is a first-year student at St. Michael’s College studying English and Political Science. WORLD POLITICS VEERED OFF THE LIBERAL-DEMOCRATIC TRACK Last year saw the continuation of a struggle over the future of the international liberaldemocratic order. Relatively uncontested until recently, this system was put into place following the Cold War, consisting of principles such as democratic values, economic liberalism, and interdependence guided by powerful supranational institutions. It was
Despite nationalist sentiment abroad, Canada maintains liberal values, writes Sam Routley. JACOB LORINC /THE VARSITY
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ON-CAMPUS UTSU AGM REMINDED US WHERE POWER LIES IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT Instead of preparing their Halloween costumes, over 90 U of T students spent the evening of October 30 hotly debating motions at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the University of Torotno Students' Union (UTSU). Taking centre stage was a motion to combine the executive positions of Vice-President External and Vice-President University Affairs into the proposed new role of Vice-President Advocacy. The motion had been passed by the UTSU Board of Directors, but it needed to be approved at the AGM to take effect for the next election cycle. While other motions in the same position passed easily, members decisively voted this one down — an important reminder of the power students can wield when they disagree with student politicians. Those who take on roles in student government often do not seek power or pay — there are arguably easier ways to obtain both — but rather seek to contribute to their communities. Leaving aside questions about the merits of this motion, the events of the AGM showcase an idea fundamental to student government: it exists not for student politicians, but for their constituents, meaning by consequence that decision-making authority ultimately rests with the student body at large. While true for the UTSU, this can also be said of student governments at this university that receive much less attention, from course unions to divisional student societies. A brief survey of the Canadian Studies Students’ Union, the Association of Political Science Students and the University College Literary and Athletic Society shows that their constitutions explicitly reserve for students the power to set direction and change structures by amending bylaws. While their 2017 general meetings were less controversial than that of the UTSU, the meetings still give students the opportunity to wield their power in student government. What happened at the 2017 UTSU AGM should remind student governments, no matter their size, that they should seek to involve students as much as possible in their services and governance — or else they risk watching students vote down the fruit of their labour. Conversely, in 2018, students must seize the opportunity to use their power and engage with their representatives, demanding that their governments serve them better. Andrew Kidd is a fourth-year student studying Engineering Physics. He is the Speaker of the Engineering Society.
MANDATORY LEAVE POLICY REFLECTED STATE OF MENTAL HEALTH AT THE UNIVERSITY It was announced in 2017 that Governing Council was considering a mandatory leave policy, which would allow the university to issue a non-punitive yet compulsory leave of absence on students “whose mental health issues posed a physical threat to themselves or others, or impacted their academics negatively.” The topic of the policy proceeded to occupy much campus discourse over the course of the fall semester, and it was met with a great deal of protest from mental health and student advocacy groups. Criticisms included its vague wording and the potential effects it would have on students in situations where their enrolment would affect their financial, housing, or immigration status. The policy is an unsurprising move from a university that has been so utterly ineffective at helping students with mental illness, often failing to provide them with badly needed support. In my own experience with the Health and Wellness Centre, the waiting list for individual therapy can be anywhere from a month to much longer. Numerous complaints have been raised by students who feel they have had their mental health concerns dismissed by the university or who have otherwise been unable to access vital services. The policy wouldn’t apply to students with a treatment plan who are able to attend classes — yet given the state of mental health services at U of T, students cannot always expect to have access to treatment. The impact of the policy could therefore be to punish students who seek help for mental illness, preventing them from asking for help in the first place out of fear of being removed, worsening an already difficult situation. As Governing Council prepares to vote on the mandatory leave policy in 2018, I can only hope that instead of seeking to remove students whose mental health prevents them from staying in university, they will take measures to improve existing support frameworks. Adina Heisler is a third-year student at University College studying Women and Gender Studies and English. She is The Varsity’s Student Life Columnist. CAMPUS DEMONSTRATIONS SHOWCASED IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDENT VOICE Many of us in 2017 bore witness to student action and involvement in campus politics and issues regarding equity and racism. Examples of such action were demonstrated throughout
Governing Council's mandatory leave policy has faced serious criticism from students.
ANDY TAKAGI/THE VARSITY
Students voted down a motion to merge two executive positions during the UTSU AGM.
STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
the year, serving as positive encouragement for students to actively voice their concerns on the issues that matter to them — personally, campus-wide, and internationally. One of the most significant examples of this happened during the fall of last year. A group of students walked on stage at Isabel Bader Theatre in protest of the annual Keith Davey Forum due to its lack of diversity in the speaker panel and the irresponsible way in which the discussion question — asking if social inequality was "a real problem” — was posed. This protest led to the organizers admitting there were problems with the event, going as far as to say that another forum would be held with the issues at hand resolved. More recently, after students came forward with evidence of racist remarks made on an engineering chat forum, the Black
Students’Association organized a town hall on November 28 to discuss racism and to allow students to share their experiences of racial discrimination. These events are a testament to the impact of the student voice and how it can positively influence events and programs on campus. Demonstrations and forums revolving around campus and international affairs are a vital example of the political involvement of students at U of T, and 2017 was no exception. An active and aware student body is a testament to an environment in which students are not afraid to voice their opinions and can ultimately become a source of social change. Abdul Ali is a first-year student at St. Michael’s College studying International Relations.
The BSA organized a town hall in November as a response to racist incidents.
STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
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Letters to the Editor Re: Teaching assistants vote for strike mandate “I’m a TA and I want to work. Hoping for an agreement!” — Heather Bone (from web) Re: How green are we compared to other Canadian campuses? “Not green at all compared to the satellite campuses. I wish U of T St George was able to secure dedicated greenspace for the campus 100 years ago in a trust. Having a genuine quad, delegating parking space to one area, and a lush greenery within the campus would’ve been beautiful.” — Christine Odunlami (from web) Re: How to get cheap tickets this winter break “Holy hyperbole, Batman!” — Jag Singh Samra (from web) Re: Spending more time in Robarts “Robarts used to offer students 24 hour service on the first floor where the computers were during the academic year. I spent more than one night pulling all nighters there during my undergrad, but they cut back on library hours around 2012. It’s too bad they let that end due to cutbacks, let alone the fact that no one sticks around long enough to have some institutional memory of
the University.” — Lydia Colihue (from web) Re: Doused darts “I’d rather have 6 smokers smoking in my class than have to walk behind vapers and their man-sized clouds.” — Ross Slaughter (from web) Re: Ryerson Students’ Union condemns U of T’s proposed mandatory leave of absence policy “I might be alone in this, but I think that this 'mental health sabbatical' is a really positive thing, and is actually a move toward institutionalizing recognition of mental health as a serious struggle. No university has ever proposed expelling a student based on their mental health, instead they are having them take a break from which they shall return when they are well enough. As a person who’s had their share of struggles, I know that I (personally) tend to push myself considerably harder when my depression gets bad, because I feel like if I just *try harder* it’ll be ok. This has actually the worst thing for me (again, personally) and this sort of no fault time off would’ve been massively helpful. Then again, I never let admin know when I’m struggling because I believe my personal life is none of their business. For students who feel otherwise, I think that
this has potential to be a really compassionate thing. BUT just so I am clear, I do see how this can be 'othering' and further increase the stigma surrounding students who go to admin or Koffler for help and are honest with them end up being put on leave.” — Sofia Dorrell (from web) Re: Do therapy dogs really help with stress? “Support dogs have been proven to help people with physical ailments such as diabetes and cancer and therapy dogs help stressed out students have a pick me up, how does interviewing one person mean that the science is hazy when the medical community is united on the positive effects of support and therapy animals. This article is ridiculous.” — Elly Thorkelson (from web) Re: There was no place like this, any place! “Please keep documenting. Thank you for sharing it with us.” — Moses Wuggenig (from web) Re: 29 per cent of UTSU BoD missed enough meetings to effectively abandon office, according to union bylaws “I demand better!” — Andrew Zhao (from web)
Re: There’s no such thing as unbiased reporting “Yes there is actually. Once a story has been finished, the journalist when editing can redact statements with clear bias: this is unless they are blind to their own ideological leanings. Also, editors can remove this bias also, if they were not in-league with the same one sided outlook.” — Andrew Thompson-WIlkinson (from web)
Re: Black Students’ Association organizes in response to racism in Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering “Shout out to the engineering board members who said that EngSoc didn’t need an Equity director last year” — Ryan Alex (from web) Letters to the Editor should be directed to editorial@thevarsity. ca. Please keep submissions to 250 words; letters may be edited for length and clarity.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS GOVERNING COUNCIL Nominations Open: 12:00 noon on Thursday, January 4, 2018 Nominations Close: 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 12, 2018
Positions Available: 8 STUDENT SEATS (4 full-time undergraduate; 2 part-time undergraduate; and 2 graduate students) Elected student members serve as volunteers for a term of one year. (July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019) As the University of Toronto’s senior governing body, the Governing Council is responsible for overseeing the University’s strategic direction, finances, human resources, capital expenditures and infrastructure, academic quality, and the student experience. Decisions approved by the Governing Council affect all members of the University Community. Nomination forms will be available at: www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/elections between 12:00 noon on Thursday, January 4, 2018 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 12, 2018. Paper copies will be available in the Office of the Governing Council, Room 106, Simcoe Hall, 27 King’s College Circle. Information on elections for student seats on the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) and University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Campus Councils and their Standing Committees are available at: www.utm.utoronto.ca/governance/elections/ elections-2018
Questions? Please contact the Chief Returning Officer, Anwar Kazimi at 416-9788427 or anwar.kazimi@utoronto. ca or the Deputy Returning Officer, Patrick McNeill at 416-978-8428 or patrick.mcneill@utoronto.ca
http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/ governance/2018-elections
Further information: Please consult the elections website for more information and review the Election Guidelines 2018 at: www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/elections.htm
Editorial 201
January 8, 2018 var.st/comment editorial@thevarsity.ca
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Roadmapping our new year’s resolutions An overview of The Varsity’s main projects and priorities for 2018 The Varsity Editorial Board
Another year, another paper. The Varsity is back with more nail-biting, page-turning, sometimes eyeroll-inducing stories. As student journalists, we find ourselves in a unique position: week to week, we are provided the opportunity to experiment with new ideas and to propose sometimes unconventional initiatives. Some might prove successful, others might not — as students, we know it’s all part of the learning process. With this in mind, we’ve developed a number of initiatives for the new year. Here’s what you can expect from us in the months ahead. Content The Varsity’s News section is excited to publish the results of at least two ongoing long-term investigations during the first semester of 2018. Readers can also expect a regular stream of data and statistical analysis within the News pages, especially given the recent hiring of a datadedicated Associate News Editor. The team is exploring more engaging ways to cover the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) elections, scheduled to take place in March 2018, while continuing successful methods from 2017. These include publishing detailed profiles of election candidates and their platforms and promises, and hosting a public, live-streamed UTSU presidential candidates’ debate in our newsroom. The Features section will be starting a new subsection geared toward exploring diaspora and cultural identities in Canada. The goal of this new addition is to shed more light on the diversity of peoples making up the university and
the city of Toronto, as well as to give members of these communities the opportunity to voice how their cultures influence their experiences. The Comment section plans to launch two audio series at the beginning of 2018, and contributors will be invited to participate in both throughout the year. The first is a podcast entitled Comment Up Close, which will feature more in-depth discussion and analysis of cover stories in the section each week. The second is a series of audio articles, featuring narration of Comment articles, created in an effort to make this content more accessible to all readers. Reader and contributor engagement Seeking to maximize engagement between The Varsity and its contributors, our management team is piloting larger staff meetings during the winter semester. Currently, the majority of ideas for The Varsity’s content is developed by members of the masthead; our aim with staff meetings is to improve and diversify the stories put out by the paper by incorporating more people in the decision-making process. The first of these staff meetings will take place on January 24. A joint visuals workshop for design, photo, illustration, and video contributors is also in the works. This week, we also intend to launch an indepth reader survey online, which will function as a good opportunity for readers to give us feedback on our work. We want to know what you think of us — what you like about us and where you think we need to improve. Building off our first Reddit-related initiative in the summer, we’ll be actively participating in constructive conversations surrounding what
JING TEY/THE VARSITY
we produce as well. As we know all too well, the current media climate is fraught — but it doesn’t have to be. To retain mutual trust and to stifle misconceptions of how media functions, publications should actively respond to their readers’ questions and concerns. Accordingly, we hope to use forums like Reddit and Facebook more frequently to clarify confusions or address issues surrounding our content. Finally, part of promoting reader engagement means continually experimenting with creative ways to bring our stories to you. Recently, our online team uploaded all Varsity issues published since the 2011–2012 school year to Issuu, a digital publishing site. Our Issuu page is currently available to readers, and we plan to integrate this platform with our main website soon. Long-term projects The start of 2018 also marks a turning point for one of our most prominent reader engagement projects this school year. In early September, we piloted a Chinese edition of the newspaper, creating a website dedicated to content translated from English into simplified Chinese in order to better engage the more than 10,000 Chinese students who attend U of T, both as readers and as contributors. The results from the site in the first semester have proven promising, so we’ve hired a managing editor for the project; she hopes to expand our presence on social hubs like WeChat and curate the content that appeals most to the Chinese site’s readership.
Ideally, this will pave the way for future initiatives related to The Varsity’s Chinese site. The expansion of this project makes room for more budding student journalists to participate in the site’s efforts, and down the road, we hope to expand this opportunity to writers and editors interested in contributing original works. We recognize, too, that there’s more to improving our quality of work than simply expanding our pool of contributors. It’s also important that we work to improve our accessibility for contributors. Beginning this semester, The Varsity will be registered with the Co-Curricular Record (CCR), providing contributors with the opportunity to have their work recognized by the university. It’s our long-term hope — not for this semester, but for the successors of the current masthead — to be able to compensate those who currently work for us free of charge. Our writers, photographers, and illustrators are, in many ways, the very foundation of the paper; it is only fair that we strive to compensate them for their efforts. On behalf of all of our masthead and staff, The Varsity Editorial Board wishes you a happy new year. We hope you enjoy what’s in store this semester — we’ll enjoy bringing it to you.
The Varsity’s editorial board is elected by the masthead at the beginning of each semester. For more information about the editorial policy, email editorial@thevarsity.ca. YORKVILLE
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After Tess Richey Breaking down the disappearances in and around the Church and Wellesley Village By Ilya Bañares
STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
I
n the waking hours of November 25, Tess Richey walked through the Church and Wellesley neighbourhood after spending a Friday night out. At 22 years old, Richey was doing what many people her age would do on a night off: partying with friends. Friday nights are a rare opportunity for twenty-somethings to go out, enjoy bars or restaurants, and end the night with a plentitude of selfies for the memory book. Richey’s night, however, did not end this way. After leaving Crews & Tangos drag bar, a popular hangout for students and young people, she was last seen somewhere near the intersection of Church Street and Wellesley Street with a man. A couple of days later, a day before her 23rd birthday, she was found dead in an alley near Dundonald Street. Police reported her death was caused by “neck compression.” Although the Toronto Police Service (TPS) investigated her disappearance, her body was discovered by her mother, Christine Hermeston, who had come to the city in search of her daughter. In a now-deleted post on Facebook, Hermeston wrote that “No mother should find their own child,” and derided the police for not checking the area more thoroughly.
Dani Rose, created a map of eleven people who have gone missing in the neighbourhood since September 2010. The Varsity has compiled and updated Rose’s research into a chart detailing their names, ages, area they went missing, date they went missing, and their current status. According to the data Rose assembled, the average age of those who have gone missing is 39 — with the youngest being 22 and the oldest 59. Some cases go as far back as nearly eight years ago, but most listed in the map are recent, with eight occurring in 2017. All of the reported cases occurred in and around Church and Wellesley. Rose told the CBC that there is a “growing sense of fear walking alone” in the neighbourhood. What makes these disappearances and deaths stand out especially is that they appear to be targeting members of Toronto’s LGBTQ+ community. Alloura Wells, who was a transgender woman, was reported missing near the Village and eventually found dead in a ravine in Rosedale. The police faced criticism for not taking Wells’ case seriously because of her gender identity, her status as a sex worker, and because she was homeless for a number
Al Marsupial @IllflexMyears
Can’t help but notice that when billionaire Sherman couple are killed, @TorontoPolice find the energy to turn ever stone, but when at least 8 ppl go missing from #churchandwellesley in a year it’s *crickets*. #TOPoli The case drew heavy attention from the media and public in the aftermath of her death. According to media reports, Richey was found less than fifty feet — around fifteen meters — from where she was reported missing, raising questions about the effectiveness of the law enforcement investigation.
A GROWING TREND Richey’s disappearance and subsequent death is the most recent case in an expanding list of similar stories. A local resident,
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of years. The earliest cases on the list — Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi, and Majeed Kayhan — also attracted public scrutiny. All three men were members of the LGBTQ+ community, were people of colour, and went missing in the same neighbourhood within a four-block radius. Initially thought to be isolated cases, the police eventually connected their cases in 2013 and set up a task force named Project Houston to investigate, but came up with nothing. After more than
five years, their disappearances still remain a mystery. Richey’s case renewed interest in the expanding list of missing people and deaths in the Village. The first three people who went missing, and now the most recent eight, suggest that the loved neighbourhood is perhaps under siege from an unknown force, connected or not.
STORY OF A VILLAGE The Church and Wellesley Village has long been known as a vibrant community in downtown Toronto. It is seen as a place where people are free to be themselves and enjoy the nightlife of multiple bars, clubs, and restaurants. For decades, the area was known as a space for LGBTQ+ people. At first, the Village was an underground scene for primarily gay men who frequented bars and bathhouses. Over time, the neighbourhood expanded to include queer book shops, cafes, and a community centre for all those in the LGBTQ+ community. Today, Church and Wellesley is at the heart of the city’s gay community, hosting a variety of events and businesses geared towards queer people, including Toronto’s annual Pride Festival. U of T students in particular are often in the area: many live there or spend time with friends in the Village. Now, when people search the Church and Wellesley area online they no longer see welcoming signs, but instead words like “missing,” “serial killer,” or “disappearances.” Many Torontonians have been responding to the disappearances by posting supportive messages online or in the neighbourhood. While there is an underlying fear, there’s also a palpable sense of community in the neighbourhood.
LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS The TPS and its officers are central to the missing persons cases in the area. After Richey’s body was found metres from where she was reported missing, the detectives on the case were placed under review by the Professional Standards unit of the city’s po-
lice force, investigating how they handled the disappearance-turned-homicide. I asked the police service about Tess Richey, Alloura Wells, and the process of determining how seriously officers take incoming calls. Detective Barry Radford declined to discuss Richey’s case, however, as it was an ongoing homicide investigation. Responding to the recent Toronto Star article, which reported that Wells’ case was “not a high priority” because of her homeless status, Radford said that homelessness can at times be “a factor in determining the seriousness of the report.” Radford highlighted that homelessness raises concerns such as where to begin the search, how reliable the information is surrounding their last whereabouts, and other factors such as current weather conditions and a person’s mental state, history, and health. Radford also said, “Timing/addressing/ following up on a call for service is dependent on the type/seriousness of the call and to a certain extent the availability of officers to respond.” According to Radford, the TPS’s Communications Centre prioritizes certain calls, using the examples of “a child gone missing or not come home from school vs a chronic runaway teenager who lives at a group home,” to illustrate. I also spoke with Michael Munroe, Associate Director of Campus Police at U of T, to determine how the university would operate if the string of disappearances spread to campus, considering the cases thus far have occurred a block away from UTSG. “Campus Police always works hand-inhand with the Toronto Police Service … They would send information to us, we would pass information to them, they would pass information to us,” Munroe remarked. “Just to
Kavita Dogra @KaveetsD
It’s disheartening that the Church and Wel community feels the need to start a Safe W What year is this? Why are things regressin
NAME
AGE
AREA
LAST SEEN
STATUS
Abdulbasir Faizi
44
Church Street and Wellesley Street
December 29, 2010
Missing
Alloura Wells
27
Downtown
July 2017
Missing; found dead
Andrew Kinsman
49
Parliament Street and Winchester Street
June 26, 2017
Missing
Chase Kincaid
30
Yonge Street and College Street
August 11, 2017
Missing
Francis Doyle
54
Jarvis Street and Gerrard Street
October 25, 2017
Missing; found alive
Joan Lenahan
33
Jarvis Street and Queen Street
November 26, 2017
Missing; found alive
Majeed Kayhan
59
Alexander Street and Yonge Street
October 14, 2012
Missing
Selim Esen
44
Bloor Street and Jarvis Street
April 14, 2017
Missing
Skandaraj Navaratnam
40
72 Carlton Street
September 6, 2010
Missing
Tess Richey
22
Church Street and Dundonald Street
November 25, 2017
Missing; found dead
Troy Mussington
27
Jarvis Street and Gerrald Street
August 30, 2017
Missing; found alive
Dissappearances in the Church-Wellesley area since 2010
ensure everybody was aware of the situation, what could we do to help prevent anybody from being attacked?” Munroe also mentioned a hallmark of Campus Police operations: the Travel Safer program. This program allows students, faculty, and staff to request a member of Campus Police to accompany them between university buildings and public transit stops. “The Travel Safer program has been in place for well over 20 years … It’s been very successful.” He continued, “I think it’s a great initiative to ensure safety on our campus.” Since the rise in disappearances in their neighbourhood, the Church and Wellesley Neighbourhood Association (CWNA) is instituting a similar project called Safe Walk. Andrew Horberry, CWNA President, told Buzzfeed News that they’ve “had about 60, 75, perhaps 80 people put their hands up and say, ‘I’d like to be involved in some way.’ They’re all new volunteers to us.” The plan would allow someone to either physically accompany a person requesting the service, or be continuously on the phone until they reach their destination.
“I don’t think the cases are all connected. I don’t think there is a single serial killer responsible for all the cases,” Abela remarked. However, she believes that “the cases of the three men who went missing in 2010-2012 are definitely connected,” referring to Navaratnam, Faizi, and Kayhan. Abela also observed that this connection “speaks to the larger systemic issues of misogyny, transmisogyny, and homophobia, that leads to people targeting them, seeing their lives as disposable, and the police being slow to respond, [may be] due to the type of community it is or the victim’s background ... The cases aren’t connected, but in a way, they are related.” With regards to Richey’s case, Abela argued that the officers failed in their duties. “They wouldn’t have been able to save her life but they could’ve prevented a lot of undue harm
donal logue @donallogue
terrifying. Church and Wellesley is a special part of TO- no parent should go through what her mom did
on her mother and her family.” Last December, U of T student and Toronto Star reporter Jenna Moon wrote an opinion piece detailing the similarities of the lifestyle of Richey with her and other young people across the city. “I have passed the intersection where Tess Richey went missing more times than I can count,” Moon wrote. “I have never met her, but it’s easy enough to see myself as
her — I’m just a year older, and we frequent the same bars.” Given the recent disappearances, it is unclear what the future holds for the safety of those in Church and Wellesley Village. Despite this, the community is standing strong together.
A COMMUNITY REACTS The local community’s reactions to the string of disappearances and deaths range from sadness to anger, empathy to shock, and compassion to warning. Heather Abela, a fourth year student at U of T, lives near the Church and Wellesley area. “I find it all very sad and disturbing,” she said, also mentioning that she has “noticed people in the Village have been getting more and more nervous since Andrew Kinsman disappeared back in June.” It was not uncommon for people to see posters of Kinsman around the neighbourhood at the time.
llesley Walk program. ng? STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
11
Arts&Culture
January 8, 2018 var.st/arts arts@thevarsity.ca
New year, new me Our contributors share their resolutions for 2018
MIA CARNEVALE/THE VARSITY
Varsity Contributors
2017. We don’t need to rehash it, do we? Let’s not, say we did, and instead discuss things we’re leaving behind and looking forward to. Here are some of mine: I’m looking forward to Black Panther, to second seasons of Atlanta and Marvel’s Jessica Jones, and then to seeing even more Donald Glover on the big screen in Solo: A Star Wars Story. I want to forget that a non-word like ‘covfefe’ ever entered the global consciousness and witness the continuation of the #MeToo moment. Besides these items, 13 Arts & Culture writers also chimed in — read on for their resolutions. — Reut Cohen With 2017, I left behind the tyranny and temptations of social media for good by deleting Snapchat. Through avid reading of The Daily Mail and Cosmopolitan, I realized I had become a scholar of Kardashian gossip and could identify minor celebrities due solely to the coverage of their daring cleavage displays. I’d begun to quantitatively value my friendships via Snapstreaks. While my morning alarm is still met by a conditioned response to reach for my phone and tap on the spot that used to house my Snapchat app, I hold out hope that I will soon come to appreciate the simpler, Snapchat-free life that I’m choosing — aka forcing myself — to live. — Isabel Armiento
I’m looking to leave behind the notion of ‘pics or it didn’t happen’ in 2017. As social media becomes a larger part of how we express ourselves to the world, I fear I may become a slave to my social media image and feel the need to document my every move in order to stay cool or relevant. In 2018, I want to embrace living for myself, not my Instagram feed. — Yasaman Mohaddes After accumulating undue stress, anger, and bitterness in 2017 — a side effect of sensitive mental health and the precarious political climate — I look forward to letting things go in 2018. Whether it be one-sided relationships, constant fear of failing, or bitter envy of others, in the new year, it’s out with the old. — Zeahaa Rehman This year, I’m looking forward to season four of Mozart in the Jungle, one of my favourite shows and a welcome distraction from the mundanities of everyday life. Though I’m not particularly interested in classical music myself, Mozart is especially resonant for anyone pursuing a career in the arts. I’m also anticipating the inevitable morale boost it will provide just in time for February’s reading week. — Avneet Sharma
I’m looking forward to TV series that address issues important to me, most prominently mental health and breaking down stigmas surrounding mental illness. There are many shows focusing on mental illness that are slated to return in 2018: Homeland is one of the most realistic portrayals of bipolar disorder ever put to screen, while This Is Us features a moving portrayal of anxiety and how intersectionally damaging it can be. Marvel’s Jessica Jones surprised everyone by crafting a deeply written, shocking look at PTSD and the dangers of societal male privilege, and BoJack Horseman’s moving portrayal of depression has helped me through many depressive episodes and tough times. I’m looking forward to TV series like these being there for me and seeing how they can help me grow. — Arjun Kaul
the Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year, and numerous protests and inquiries around the world. In 2018, I hope this openness continues and more people manage to find their voices, leaving behind shame and silence of all kinds. — Anastasia Pitcher
For the past few years, I have held on to toxic relationships and accepted toxic labels because I thought I would be lonely if I let those people go. I have come to learn that a part of creating myself is knowing which labels and people are toxic, and to be wary of them moving forward. — Charmaine Nyakonda
I want to shed layers of a past that left me void and relationships that took but didn’t give back. I want to give myself the kindness I deserve so that my confidence may hold against indiscriminate tides, and so I won’t forego opportunities for fear of failure. A new year deserves a new story. — Rehana Mushtaq
2017 was the year of fidget spinners and fiction — fake news, alternative facts, bogus tweets. But the end of the year brought some needed authenticity and truth with the #MeToo movement, ‘youthquake’ as
I’m leaving behind thinking so much about the past and the future, and looking forward to start living in the present moment. Enjoy moments while they last. — Grace Manalili
This year is the final semester of my undergrad. I’m leaving behind self-doubt and fears about what’s next after graduation, and I’m looking forward to keeping promises I make to myself. — Atidiah Celestine I’m leaving behind my procrastination habits, and I’m looking forward to participating in writing workshops this semester. — Vivian Li
JANUARY 8, 2018 • 13
var.st/arts
Live at Lee's Palace Winterfest's Battle of the Bands to take place January 10
Newcomer. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
Rocket Bomb. PHOTO BY KYLE VAN ZEUMEREN
Dorval. COURTESY OF DORVAL
Basset. PHOTO BY TIM LEYES, COURTESY OF BASSET
PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF ROCKET BOMB
Rachel Chen Managing Editor
Winterfest’s annual Battle of the Bands takes place this Wednesday, with four bands competing for $500 and a gig at University College’s Fireball dance. Each boasting a diverse set of influences from funk and blues to classic rock and indie folk, this year’s lineup promises enough energy to give the new semester a proper kickoff. The 19+ event takes place at the legendary Lee’s Palace at 8:00 pm and, as usual, cover is free for U of T students who are of age. For non-U of T attendees, cover is $5. Here’s a look at the groups competing for the grand prize this year. Newcomer Appropriately named for the youngest band competing, Newcomer’s four members all met at U of T and started playing as a full band together last September. Lucas Ratigan and Matias Gutierrez both play guitar, with Gutierrez also on vocals, while Joshua Sofian plays bass and Marty Camara plays drums. Despite their relative newness, Newcomer has already signed onto Mississauga-based record label Coin Records. They describe their sound as similar to alternative rock, citing The Strokes as a major influence, but they describe their writing processes as feeling “for the vibe.” They love performing, but their standout trait is their dedication to producing music they love. “Whenever I feel like the rest of the guys
are really vibing to the song, when we’re all vibing together, that’s a good Newcomer song,” said Gutierrez. “We understand each other musically,” explained Camara. The band said that the audience can expect to “definitely connect” to their lyrics because they are widely interpretable. So far, they have two singles out, “Maternity Leave” and “Zeitgeist,” but all agreed that they are currently the most hyped about their unreleased songs. Be sure to come on time to hear a preview of their upcoming album. Rocket Bomb Rocket Bomb's guitarist and lead singer Jagger Cleeves and guitarist Josh Papa are childhood friends who moved to Toronto about two years ago. They began recording an unreleased EP in November 2016, which helped them recruit their drummer, Daniel Kiss, and bass player, Jerry de la Cruz, last summer. Although they are all alternative rock fans, the band aims to produce pop music with a funk edge. It is refreshing to hear from a band so ready to entertain yet still focused on writing solid tracks, citing DNCE and Bruno Mars as influences for their collective sound. “It’s kind of an effort to write pop music, but it’s so much more fun and more satisfying because it leads to people who are surprised by it,” said Cleeves. “In the end, they are like, ‘Whoa, you really went out on a limb here and made something cool.’” If you are not a fan of pop, don’t worry. According to the band, their performances are
an experience, comprised of not only visuals, sound, and the feel of the show, but also the natural chemistry of the musicians. In other words, you don’t have to love their songs to love their shows. Basset Previously called Sheepishly Yours, the almost year-old Victoria College band comprised of Yasmine Shelton, Sam Clark, and brothers Aaron and Noah Philipp-Muller is now Basset. Primarily an indie folk band, their collective classical training gives them a unique grasp of technical musicality, as seen through their diverse instrumentation and three-part harmonies. For Wednesday’s performance, they will most likely stick to strings, with Clark switching between the mandolin and violin, Aaron on guitar, and Noah on cello — but each member plays multiple instruments. All of them offer vocals on one track or another. Shelton’s lead vocals are especially versatile, easily adapting to different styles. “Especially in Toronto, there aren’t a whole lot of bands that use mandolin and then have a cello as their bass instrument — that’s kind of unusual,” said Aaron. Unsurprisingly, they noted The Punch Brothers as a major influence on their sound. While their acoustic instruments might not line up with the rockability of Lee’s Palace, the chemistry between the four and the effort they put into workshopping each song should make for a tight show. Expect to be pleasantly surprised by unique rearrange-
ments of popular songs and to hear some original tracks. Dorval Those who attended last year’s Battle of the Bands should remember veteran band Dorval’s stunts and theatrics, which they promise will continue at this year’s show. The band formed at the end of 2014, but now bass player James Yoannou joins the original duo of guitarist Daniel Lewycky and drummer Adam Moffatt, allowing them to produce a fuller sound. Yoannou and Moffat are U of T alumni, while Lewycky is still a U of T student. Moffatt described the band as “alternative experimental blues.” Although they have rock and roll similarities, Lewycky emphasizes the climax of a song as much as possible, which he said is “a very bluesy thing to do.” Despite the clear blues influence, they pride themselves on the uniqueness of each of their songs. “It’s when the three of us come together; we start making the songs more progressively interesting than one of us could have done alone, which I really like,” explained Yoannou. They are currently working on a second EP and will play some of their new songs at the show. Their first EP, A Match Made in Toronto, was released last March. Live shows are one of their greatest strengths, and their blues-inspired tracks are “more danceable than you might think,” so prepare to get up and groove.
In review: Brother The Canadian novel depicts the experiences of displaced, marginalized groups Kornelia Drianovski Varsity Contributor
The world is currently seeing unprecedentedly high numbers of displaced peoples. Domestically, Canada faces growing tensions around immigration, race, discrimination, and systemic violence. It’s increasingly easy to forget the faces behind the numbers; human lives often get boiled down to statistics or identity politics. A new novel published by Penguin Random House, David Chariandy’s Brother, aims to address this. It focuses on those living in marginalized communities. Brother is set in Chariandy’s native Scarborough suburbs. Set in the early nineties, Brother follows the lives of two second-generation, mixed-heritage Trinidadian-Canadian brothers, Michael and
Francis, as they navigate the violent, stifling fringes of the city and grow up understanding that almost everybody, by default, underestimates them because of the colour of their skin. As the narrator, Michael is quiet and reflective, a natural observer. Francis, the older brother, is magnetic and strongwilled; he hopes to carve out a space for himself in the music industry. Meanwhile, their mother — single and perpetually exhausted — works multiple jobs, tireless in her ambition to provide ‘opportunity’ for her sons. However, facing the hostile realities of being Black in a prejudiced community, Michael and Francis collide directly with the fear-driven forces of a single bullet. Throughout Brother, Chariandy offers a sincere meditation on grief in the after-
math of careless brutality, the bonds that hold families together, and the corrosive despair of being stuck in one place and tied down by poverty. The book is longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and is a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, and rightly so. The book is a jewel. I found that along with its blatant and honest portrayal of inequality, it’s filled with moments of grit, pride, courage, and hope. Although barely longer than a novella, Brother dazzles and devastates. It’s brutal, poetic, and palpable, all at once. The Boat People, a novel of a similar nature, will be released on January 9. Read the rest online at var.st/bbp Chariandy's Brother is set in the Scarborough suburbs. COURTESY OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE CANADA
14 • THE VARSITY • ARTS & CULTURE
arts@thevarsity.ca
What the suicide of K-pop's Jonghyun reveals about the industry A conversation about K-pop's impossible standards and harsh conditions is long overdue
Jonghyun at the SHINee World Concert III in Taiwan. CC WIKIMEDIA
Katie Macintosh Varsity Columnist
2017 was a banner year for K-pop. The genre, which might have been considered niche just a few years ago, now verges on the North American mainstream. For proof of this, please direct your attention to the group known as BTS, a Korean boy band. In 2017 alone, they performed at the American Music Awards, had their album reviewed in The New York Times, and became Twitter’s most retweeted celebrities. Between 2013 and 2017, K-pop’s overseas revenue from CDs, concert tickets, music streaming, and band merchandise doubled. Last year may have been a dumpster fire for most of us, but it’s safe to assume that the execs at South Korea’s major pop labels are pretty happy with how it played out — their neighbours to the north notwithstanding. This level of material success made it all the more jarring when, last month, a prominent K-pop star took his own life. The suicide of SHINee frontman Kim Jong-hyun, better known as Jonghyun, on December 18 shocked the Korean entertainment sphere and made international news. His death sparked a massive outpouring of grief, with fans all over the world flocking to social media to mourn one of K-pop’s greatest talents. Absent, however, was any degree of in-depth conversation about why it was that Jonghyun felt “broken from the inside,” as he wrote in his suicide note. This is not surprising. Despite having the highest suicide rate of any country belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), South Korea is plagued by stigma surrounding mental illness. Jonghyun identified fame as the specific reason he ended his life. “Becoming famous was probably not my life,” he wrote. “Why did I choose that? It’s funny that I’m able to endure this much.” Fame brings immense and international pressure, but in the context of K-pop, these lines point toward a darker side of the industry — one of which many new fans may be unaware. In South Korea, being a celebrity mandates the total sacrifice of any semblance of personal life, more so than it does in the west. This is especially true in recent years, as new platforms
such as Instagram, where idols post makeupfree selfies alongside professional headshots, have allowed the industry to construct personas for its stars that simultaneously broadcast relatability alongside untouchable, effortless perfection. “K-pop stars are… products of [the] fantasy world,” said Professor Suk-Young Kim, a researcher from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in an interview with the podcast Radiolab last year. “They are not a creature of this world. They shouldn’t be.” Fantasy fuels fandom, and record companies go to great lengths to ensure their stars maintain a transcendental image. This includes forbidding idols to have romantic relationships — because it spoils the illusion. “Stars belong to the public,” said Kim. Jonghyun himself ran up against this mandate in 2010, when paparazzi publicized his secret relationship with actress Shin SeKyung, and fans responded with furious accusations of betrayal. At the same time, K-pop stars are also very much the property of their management agencies, bound by extraordinarily unfair contracts — aptly termed ‘slave contracts.’ YouTubers Simon and Martina Stawski have previously described how K-pop stars may be forced to go years without pay and to work without regard for their physical and mental health. If a group is promoting a new release, they are likely to spend weeks on end being driven around the country, performing at several venues per day. Numerous stars have been injured or killed in car accidents, often because their exhausted drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel. What's more, stars and trainees as young as 12 live in company-run dorms so that the agency can tightly control further aspects of their lives, including their diet. Jonghyun was not the first K-pop star to die by suicide, nor is he likely to be the last. But even as K-pop spreads across the globe, there is no pressure on the industry to change. The current status quo is bringing in $4.7 billion USD as of 2016, according to Bloomberg. For the sake of emphasizing how meteoric K-pop’s rise has been, consider that the number was $30 million in 2009. If working singers to the bone can increase revenue exponentially, that is what agencies
are likely to keep doing. A further barrier is the fact that fans often respond to these abuses with praise for hard-working group members, not condemnation of the entertainment companies that force them to sleep on the floor. A boycott is not in the cards. I would like to hope that something positive
could come out of the death of Kim Jong-hyun, that this tragedy could spur the industry and its fans to look in the mirror and consider the costs of wedging human beings into moulds of impossible, fantastical creations. The truth is that K-pop’s burgeoning popularity likely means we’re just moving further away from that future.
It works in theory, but will it work in the real world? At U of T’s School of Public Policy, we’ll help you find out.
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Science
January 8, 2017 var.st/science science@thevarsity.ca
A year in review: U of T scientific discoveries Looking back at 2017’s major discoveries and steps forward ILLUSTRATIONS BY PEARL CAO/THE VARSITY
Srivindhya Kolluru Associate Science Editor
The year 2017 marked a turning point in Canadian science. After years of lagging innovation and discovery, U of T set precedent by penning the Naylor Report, which outlined federal recommendations for accelerating research in Canada. The U of T-led #SupportTheReport campaign also brought attention to efforts to reclaim Canada as a global research and innovation hub. Policy-related developments aside, U of T made significant strides at the forefront of scientific research. Below are some of the top stories of 2017.
March New ways of measuring biodiversity loss In a study led by Dr. Xingfeng Si, researchers at UTSC found that many of the smaller islands of China’s Thousand Island Lake had a smaller functional diversity than larger lakes. When functional similarity was considered, the degree of biodiversity declined, including the number of functional niches. Correlation found between baldness and risk of prostate cancer Male pattern baldness is a sign of being at risk of prostate cancer. Although the mechanism is unclear, Dr. Neil Fleshner, the head of U of T’s Division of Urology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, suggested that fluctuations in androgen levels could explain the link between baldness and prostate cancer risk.
January Rare childhood brain cancer demystified by U of T research U of T scientist Dr. Daniel De Carvalho and his team classified the atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour into subgroups and discovered ways to treat the stubborn brain cancer. Scientists sequenced the beaver genome Dr. Stephen Scherer, a U of T professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, and his team were the first to sequence the beaver genome. In doing so, they helped develop ‘de novo sequencing,’ which allowed scientists to compare and analyze DNA of different species and eventually develop targeted diagnostic tools.
February Machine learning accelerated drug discovery In a collaborative study, a team of U of T researchers under Professor David Fleet, Chair of the Computer and Mathematical Sciences department at UTSC, developed algorithms to determine the 3D structure of a protein structure. These machine learning algorithms were able to compute a protein’s structure in mere minutes, and they can aid in drug discovery and biological research. Researcher examined how athletes use pain to create social bonds Kristina Smith, a graduate student in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at U of T, theorized that mixed martial artists linked their ability to control their emotional pain as an indicator of masculinity. Smith’s findings encouraged open communication to facilitate a supportive community among athletes and coaches.
Largest genomic analysis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) uncovered new genes In a collaboration between U of T and Google, a team led by Drs. Ryan Yuen and Stephen Scherer analyzed over 5,000 samples from families and determined 61 genes linked to an increased chance of ASD development, confirming the genetic basis for ASD. In addition, the researchers found 80 per cent of these genes could be targets for future drug treatments.
April Tim Hortons found to be the best location for AED placement Professor Timothy Chan, a U of T Mechanical and Industrial Engineering professor, and Christopher Sun, a PhD candidate, analyzed the most accessible locations for AED placement in the event of a cardiac emergency. They concluded that Tim Hortons ranked the highest, with over 300 locations in Toronto alone.
May Raquel Urtasun joined Uber research team in developing self-driving cars Urtasun, a U of T Department of Computer Science associate professor, joined Uber as the head of the first Advanced Technologies Group outside of the US. Her team plans to build on autonomous driving by developing inexpensive sensors that would allow cars to visualize surroundings and safely navigate roads.
June U of T undergraduate student contributed to machine learning study at Google Fifth-year Aidan Gomez co-authored a paper that explored the ability of neural networks to multitask and apply learned knowledge to new tasks in a process known as ‘transfer learning.’
July Hand cleansing found to shift your goals Physical cleansing, specifically of the hands, was found to have psychological implications. A study led by PhD student Ping Dong and Assistant Professor Spike WS Lee found that this process removed psychological separation of past events and made it easier for subjects to switch to a task that required a different mindset. Facial cues were found to be linked to social class People can likely determine others’ social class through facial cues like attractiveness and warmth. A study by PhD candidate Thora Bjornsdottir and U of T Associate Professor of Psychology Nicholas Rule suggested a link between prejudice and visual perception.
October Professor’s startup received funding to develop cancer therapies Patrick Gunning, UTM Professor and Canada Research Chair in Medicinal Chemistry, cofounded Janpix. Janpix has received $22 million in venture capital to accelerate research in oncology treatments. Gunning’s therapies, which inhibit STAT proteins identified in some human cancers, are expected to proceed to clinical trials within the next two years. U of T researchers contributed to the Nobel prize-winning search for gravitational waves Drs. Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish, and Kip Thorne were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering contributions to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the confirmation of gravitational waves. U of T researchers, including a team led by Dr. Harald Pfeiffer of U of T’s Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and graduate student Heather Fong, were among the 1,167 researchers in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration that brought these discoveries to light.
November Lipoxin molecules found to hold potential glaucoma treatment A team of researchers led by Dr. Jeremy Sivak, the Glaucoma Research Chair at the Krembil Research Institute in Toronto, found that lipoxin molecules secreted by astrocyte cells in the retina can protect optic neuronal cells, which can be used in the treatment of glaucoma.
August Dunlap Institute hosted a solar eclipse viewing at CNE On August 21, 2017, at approximately 2:32 pm, a partial solar eclipse could be seen in Toronto. Torontonians saw about 70 per cent sun coverage; the full eclipse could be seen in the US.
U of T professor named Ontario’s first Chief Scientist Molly Shoichet, a U of T professor in Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry and a director at the Institute for Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering, was named Ontario’s Chief Scientist. In an effort to boost innovation in Ontario, the position was created to advise the provincial government on science-related policies and issues.
September Researchers found potential cure to type 1 diabetes in pancreatic cell transplants A study led by Alexander Vlahos, a PhD candidate at U of T’s Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, discovered injecting healthy pancreatic cells under the skin can produce insulin and help maintain normal blood sugar levels.
December U of T researcher found Earth-like conditions on exoplanet and discovered a new planet Ryan Cloutier, a PhD student at the Centre of Planetary Science at UTSC, found K2-18b, an Earth-like planet orbiting a red-dwarf star, by taking measurements of its mass and radius. It is now “one of the best targets for atmospheric study.” In the process, Cloutier also discovered an exoplanet in the same solar system.
16 d THE VARSITY d SCIENCE
science@thevarsity.ca
The most wasteful time of the year Holiday festivities come at a major environmental cost Devanshi Adhvaryu Varsity Staff
Along with the festivities, the holidays are a time for trash — yes, trash. It’s just one of the things that make the holiday season so unfriendly to the environment. Canada produces some of the highest amounts of trash among all developed nations, with 720 kilograms of waste produced per capita in 2012 alone. Even more waste is generated during the holiday season, in part because of the increase in gift purchasing. It is also becoming more common to purchase these gifts online. A report released in 2014 by the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, projected an eight to 11 per cent increase in online shopping compared to the previous year. A large environmental impact of online shopping is the amount of fossil fuel consumed by delivery. This is especially true for items shipped overseas, which must be transported by a boat or a plane. The production of goods themselves have an environmental impact as well. Electronics, now a major part of the consumer landscape, are among the worst culprits. U of T professor Miriam Diamond, who studies environmental contaminants like ewaste, said that the production of electronic devices is typically more wasteful than traditional items made from wood or fabric. “It
takes a lot of greenhouse gases [and waste] to achieve the purity of the materials used in electronics,” explained Diamond. The size of the electronic device doesn’t matter. “You could have a very small handheld device that [has] the same amount of waste and greenhouse gases and toxins in it as a much larger product.” Diamond said that humans produce around 40 million tonnes of e-waste every year. The average shelf life of an electronic toy, such as a doll with a chip in it, could be 10 years. While energy is consumed to produce electronic goods, there is also the same amount, if not more, produced when those same products are thrown out. If the doll is not disposed at an e-waste recycling facility, it may end up in a landfill in a third-world country; it is common for e-waste to land there. There are also social impacts to consider, noted Diamond. Textile workers and electronic toy manufacturers often work in very poor conditions. “There are social costs that are really well hidden from Western consumers... it’s not all about us — it’s also about the impact that our purchasing creates on other people’s lives.” Along with the increase in waste, additional energy is consumed during the holiday season because of Christmas lights. A 2008 study by the US Department of Energy found
Trash from gift giving and receiving significantly contributes to holiday waste. SHANNA HUNTER/THE VARSITY
that Christmas lights consume 6.63 billion kilowatt hours of electricity every year. Haven’t thought of a new year’s resolution yet? No worries. Aim to shrink your ecological footprint.
Diamond suggested that this year, instead of giving material goods, consider giving your time — share experiences with your friends and family instead of goods.
Amazonian birds of a feather The golden-crowned manakin is a result of hybrid speciation
The golden-crowned manakin is a result of interbreeding between the opal-crowned manakin and snow-capped manakin. PHOTO COURTESY OF FABIO OLMOS
Clara Thaysen Associate Science Editor
Mermaids, centaurs, and sphinxes — what could be more fantastical than a mythological hybrid? Try hybrid speciation, a real but rare occurrence where a population of hybrid animals diverge from their parents to develop a new, distinct species. A study recently published in Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America revealed that a small green Amazonian bird with a head of yellow feathers, called the golden-crowned manakin, can thank hybrid speciation for its existence. The study, led by UTSC Associate Professor Jason Weir, found that the bird originated from a population of hybrids of the opal-crowned and snow-capped manakins.
First discovered in 1957, the goldencrowned manakin eluded ornithologists for decades until it was spotted again in 2002. Despite this lack of access, it had long been suspected that the bird may have had hybrid origins. Former U of T PhD student Dr. Alfredo Barrera-Guzmán, who worked on the project, said the team confirmed this hypothesis by sequencing the golden-crowned manakin’s genome. They found that 80 per cent of its DNA was derived from the opal-crowned manakin and around 20 per cent was derived from the snow-capped manakin. “In a traditional species, you expect to see genetic differentiation,” said BarreraGuzmán. “This species doesn’t even have its own mitochondrial DNA.” The admixed genome clearly indicated that the goldencrowned manakin was of hybrid origin. The position of the golden-crowned manakin’s habitat ranges between those of the opal-crowned and snow-capped manakins, which suggested its relationship to the other two species. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, periods of glaciations likely forced the opalcrowned and snow-capped manakins into contact, allowing them to occasionally interbreed and produce hybrids. Over time, the development of physical barriers like mountain ranges may have isolated a population of these hybrids and prevented them from breeding with members of their parent species. This would have reproductively isolated the populations — a prerequisite for becoming a new species. The resemblance of the golden-crowned manakin to its parents species was also a clue, though there was one aspect of its appearance that made less sense: its colouring. Typically, hybrids have a mixture of charac-
teristics from their parents or develop some intermediate form. The head of the golden-crowned manakin is neither iridescent, like the head of the opalcrowned manakin, nor bright white, like that of the snow-capped — yellow does not appear to be an intermediate colour of the two. This is partly because the colouring of the opal-crowned and snow-capped manakins is not from pigments, but it is instead a result of structural colouration. This colouration is caused by the arrangement of the microscopic keratin in the feathers. The researchers examined the structure of the golden-crowned manakin’s feathers under a microscope and found that the actual architecture — that is, how the feathers are arranged — is an intermediate structure of the two parent species. Still, this intermediate structure is not adept at producing intermediate colouration. Instead, the yellow comes from carotenoids in the birds’ diet. When the carotenoids are removed from the feathers, the bird is left with a rather dull colouration. Barrera-Guzmán believes that the goldencrowned manakin likely started out with this dull colouration. He also suggested that the feathers’ hue may have to do with attracting the opposite sex. Not only does this study confirm a decadesold hypothesis, it also has conservation implications. The golden-crowned manakin is at risk of extinction as its habitat faces pressure of deforestation. “If we lost this species, we would lose a unique result of evolution,” said Barrera-Guzmán. “By learning how hybrid species arise, maybe we can learn how to properly manage the genetic diversity.”
JANUARY 8, 2017 u 17
var.st/science
The truth is out there — maybe Evidence of extraterrestrial life is inconclusive, despite ex-Pentagon official’s opinion
Science Around Town Charmaine Nyakonda Varsity Staff
When Small Molecule Met Big Molecule Dr. Hongbo Guo will be presenting two case studies on how mass spectrometry is used to detect small molecule and protein interactions. The first case study will feature an approach to detect drug-protein interactions, while the second case study will look at protein-metabolite interactions at a proteome-wide level. Date: Monday, January 8 Time: 12:00–1:00 pm Location: Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, 160 College Street, Red Room Admission: Free Science at the Movies: Food Evolution The research outcomes and case studies on the benefits and applications of GMOs can often be misinterpreted. A screening of a feature film, Food Evolution, will be followed by a Q&A session with experts in the field to demystify the controversy around GMOs. Date: Tuesday, January 9 Time: 6:00–9:00 pm Location: Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue Admission: Free with registration
MELISSA AVALOS/THE VARSITY
Steven Erwood Varsity Contributor
Has Earth been visited by aliens? Luis Elizondo, a former Pentagon official, seems to think that this might be the case. The former head of the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program (AATIP) recently told CNN that “there is very compelling evidence that we may not be alone.” Elizondo’s conviction is based on information he claims was uncovered by the AATIP, including observations of aircraft traveling and manoeuvring in ways that appeared to defy the laws of aerodynamics. Elizondo’s comments came shortly after an eerie video of an unidentified flying object was released by the US Department of Defense. Sure, these claims are coming from a former government official — a seemingly credible source — but they do not sound too different from the claims you hear on late night call-in radio shows. So, what does the current scientific evidence say? Is the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life viable?
“We don’t have a lot of evidence either way,” explained Michael Reid, an associate professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. “We’ve never found any [extraterrestrial life], despite looking — but you could argue we haven’t really looked all that hard.” In spite of the lack of evidence, Reid doesn’t think we should rule out the possibility of extraterrestrial life just yet. There may be extraterrestrial life forms out there that are not capable or interested in communicating with us. “Maybe there are billions and trillions of planets with bacteria on them, but almost none of them with multicellular life.” “I tend to think that it’s a really big universe with lots and lots of places for chemistry and biology to develop and take place, but we just don’t have any evidence yet,” said Reid. Despite Reid’s optimism about the possibility of extraterrestrial life, the recent reports from Elizondo have not had much sway on him. “If you go on YouTube, you can find decades worth of people spotting mysterious
lights in the sky that at least appear to move in ways that are unlikely if they were manmade technology,” said Reid. Sometimes the observation of these objects is missing context. For example, a nearby object moving relatively slowly could be mistaken for a distant object moving very quickly. Elliot Meyer, a PhD candidate in the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, explained that before any conclusions can be made based on the statements of Elizondo, much more empirical evidence and higherquality observations are needed. Meyer put it simply: “It’s a big logical leap to go from this weird thing you’re seeing to ‘it must be aliens.’” The lack of concrete evidence leaves the whole topic to speculation. Nevertheless, Meyer explained, “[If] you think of the big picture, we as humans have only been looking out there and listening for other life for an extremely brief period of time relative to the age of the universe.” Maybe it’s just a matter of time.
How to accelerate data science learning for career switch WeCloudData will hold a series of meetups that focus on how to become a data scientist in Canada. Topics covered will include what a career in data science entails, the current job market, and what makes a good data scientist candidate. Data scientists from different industries will be present to answer questions. Date: Thursday, January 11 Time: 7:00–9:30 pm Location: WeCloudData, 80 Bloor Street West, Suite 500 Admission: Free with registration Repair and Recovery: Facets of Fibrosis This conference series, hosted by U of T’s Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology Student Union, aims to give attendees a holistic understanding of approaches to tackling fibrosis. The series features experts and presentations that will cover both basic and clinical science research in fibrotic disease therapy development. Date: Saturday, January 13 Time: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Location: Medical Sciences Building, 1 King’s College Circle, JJR Macleod Auditorium Admission: Free with registration
Sports
January 8, 2017 var.st/sports sports@thevarsity.ca
12
Blues open 2018 track and field season with 13 podium finishes Kate Reeve Varsity Contributor
On January 6, the Athletic Centre hummed with energy. Athletes, resplendent in their school colours, milled about the wide oval room. The air was cool but electric, punctuated regularly with the sharp crack of the starting gun. The annual Sharon Anderson Memorial Meet had arrived — and with it, a horde of spandexand lycra-clad students. Michelle Corrallo was the first Varsity Blue to perform in the 60 metre hurdle heats, achieving a sixth place finish at 9.69 seconds. Anderson was followed by three more Blues: Anthony Kwan, Philippe Johns, and Steven Wilkens-Reeves in the men’s 60 metre hurdles. All three finished on the podium. Kwan came first with 8.55, Johns second with 8.78, and Wilkens-Reeves third with 9.03. The smaller heats leading up to the finals were quite friendly — the athletes often patted one another on the back or shook hands after they’d body-slammed the back pads at the end of track. The hurdles were then cleared away for the 60 metre sprint heats, with Anne Gauthier, Marta Bogacki, Phoebe Simmons, Carolyn Solek, and Akeil Zarudny showing up for U of T. Waves of heats flowed furiously over the short expanse of track, runners gushing over the finish line every few minutes. Once finished, the runners idled around the track, waiting to hear if they’d qualified for the finals in a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere. As the morning continued, the track area only
grew more crowded. The finish line was padded on both sides with teammates and spectators. The meet began to transition to longer distance time trials, and the lap counter took its forbidding stance on the track. Alexander Bimm and Jake Carroll kicked things off for the longer distance Blues, striding easily through the 1,000 metre men’s timed race, finishing second with 2:31.85 and fourth with 2:34.10, respectively. Next, Lucia Stafford loped through her 1,500 metre timed race, striking the track powerfully. The 19-year-old engineering student, whose record-breaking rookie year landed her a trip to Poland for the IAAF U20 World Championships, left her mark again. She took a wide first place, finishing with a solid 4:25.19, more than five seconds ahead of the second place finisher. She was followed by Zach Frangos in the men’s 1,500 metre; he ran a clean race in 4:17.92 and finished 10th in a stacked field. A different kind of activity buzzed within the wide blue track, where the field events — including weight throw, shot put, long jump, high jump, triple jump, and pole vault — took place. Two jumps stood at either end of the inner circle, framing the action. First to take the leap for Toronto were Sarah Czmorek and Brittany Salmon in the women’s pole vault. They pounded over the brief stretch of track to gain speed before launching themselves over the barrier and plummeting to the mats below — Salmon placed third with a final height of 3.75 metres, Czmorek took seventh with 3.20 metres. They were followed by Emily Branderhorst in the women’s high jump, the only Blues athlete to
3
Lucia Stafford and Anthony Kwan claim gold
participate in the event; she tied for second with a final height of 1.6 metres. Next to take to the skies was Alexander Lau in the men’s pole vault, who moved dynamically over the barrier to take second place with a 4.25 metre finish. Tess McDonald closed things off on the field side with her second place performance in the women’s triple jump. After a brief lunch break, the races resumed with the 60 metre finals. Zarudny had the best final result, finishing tenth with 7.29 seconds. None of the other Blues women placed in the top 10. After those frenetic bursts of energy, the shorter time trials began with the 600 metre and 300 metre timed sections, starring Alexander Bimm and Mateusz Krekora for the men’s 600 metre and Carolyn Solek for the women’s 300 metre. Bimm stole second in 1:22.92, while Krekora landed in seventh with 1:25.16. As the meet crept toward its final events, athletes who’d completed their day’s work settled in with snacks and hefty doses of Gatorade to watch their teammates compete in relays. For the everyday individual, stripping down to tiny shorts and running furiously around a rubber oval for a day likely doesn’t sound very enticing. Nevertheless, the Athletic Centre was brimming with people who were eager to compete. The Blues made their mark, leaving with 13 podium finishes and another golden performance from Stafford. As the season continues, athletes and spectators alike have a lot to look forward to. Carolyn Solek running in the 300 metre event. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY
How to crush your 2018 fitness goals A guide to achieving a healthier you Carol Chen Varsity Contributor
Are you looking to improve your physical training or begin a healthy diet? To help make your new year’s resolutions a reality, here is a guide on how to start and maintain a healthier lifestyle in 2018. Plan out your fitness goals It’s never too late to start on a new fitness goal. One helpful planning tool is the SMART goal acronym: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Your plan should be specific: what you want to accomplish, when and where you want to work out or eat, which types of exercises or diets you want to do, and why you want to achieve this goal. For instance, for physical training, start by noting down the exact days and times you plan to work out. You can start by making your workout time length 30 minutes and then incrementally increase your time to 45 and 60 minutes. After choosing your desired method, select where you want to work out, focus on what you want to accomplish, and be sure to vary your exercise routine to build new muscles and keep motivated about exercise.
Track your progression A key way to maintain your fitness goals is to make short-term and long-term goals, then monitor your improvements over time. Fitness apps such as Map My Fitness, Nike+ Training Club, and Skimble’s Workout Trainer can track your distance, speed, and calories burned. The Fitbit Charge 2 also monitors heart rate and hours of sleep per night; the Fitbit Flex 2 is a more affordable option for students and can be worn underwater.
MIA CARNEVALE/THE VARSITY
Build up your physical training Strength training increases bone density and strengthens the heart and brain. The two rules to improving strength training are to 1) lift heavy,
and 2) perform multi-joint exercises that engage various muscles. The best strength exercises are squats and deadlifts for lower body, and bench press and barbell row for upper body. Begin these exercises with basic routines, then add variations that make use of your body weight, like resistance bands and dumbbells. Positive techniques include: adding five pounds for upper body and 10 pounds for lower body and five to eight reps per exercise for three to five sets. Cardiovascular endurance improves your metabolism, overall heart health, and blood circulation. To improve your cardiovascular endurance, participate in aerobic activities such as sprinting, rowing, cycling, and stair-climbing. Varying the degree of intensity using high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts will increase your metabolism and VO2 max faster than steady-state training. Implement HIIT when sprinting by running at your maximum intensity for 20–30 seconds, jogging for one minute, and then repeating the cycle for 20 minutes. The same technique can be applied to other aerobic exercises such as rowing and cycling. Enrich your diet Nutrition plays a major role in maintaining a
healthy and active lifestyle. To fuel your performance, eat a variety of natural foods that are not overly processed and contain little refined sugar. One way to stabilize blood sugar is to eat at constant intervals throughout the day — for example, have three larger meals and three smaller meals. A 2017 study conducted by Dr. Emilia Papakonstantinou at the University of Athens showed that eating six meals rather than three meals, with the same number of calories, improved blood sugar control and reduced hunger. According to Canada’s food guide, you should consume six to seven servings of whole grains, such as whole grain bran, oats, and barley, each day. Opt for healthier forms of protein such as red lean meat, fish, and chicken. Unsaturated fats such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, fish, and avocado play an important role in hormone production. Increase your vegetable intake as well — research has shown that the higher your fruit and vegetable consumption, the lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Drink plenty of water to hydrate yourself and maintain fluid balance. The adequate daily fluid intake is 15.5 cups for men and 11.5 cups for women. When you’ve planned your fitness schedule and committed to it for one year, you will have discovered a new you by the end of 2018.
JANUARY 8, 2017 u 19
var.st/sports
Why we root for our favourite teams Students detail their paths to fandom
WEEKLY BOX SCORES BASKETBALL MEN’S January 5 Varsity Blues
January 6 Varsity Blues
65–83
54–103
Ottawa Gee-Gees
Carleton Ravens
WOMEN’S January 5 Varsity Blues
January 6 Varsity Blues
ZAHRA DANAEI/THE VARSITY
Reut Cohen Arts & Culture Editor
When I told my mother I was writing an article about sports, she paused. “I’m sorry,” she said, “but I thought you just said you were writing an article about sports.” It’s true that aside from brief stints in soccer when I was younger — and a dictatorial turn as captain of my middle school dodgeball intramural team — I’ve never been much for sports. I enjoy the citywide support when one of Toronto’s teams makes it to the playoffs, but I wouldn’t necessarily describe myself as someone who follows sports closely. But if there’s one aspect of sports that has always fascinated me, it’s team loyalty. More precisely, how do fans pick their team allegiances, and how do they come to feel so strongly about them? With many fans I’ve observed, the connection was clear. They rooted for Toronto teams because they were from the city. But with others, the reason for their allegiance was less apparent. I was curious to investigate the reasons these fans backed the teams they did, whether personal or arbitrary. A recurring theme I discovered among students I spoke to was the influence of parents or other family members in picking a team. My colleague, Aidan Currie, roots for the Buffalo Bills and Montreal Canadiens, though he has never lived in either city. Currie explained that his mother lived in Buffalo for nine years and actually worked for the Bills during that time, while his father is from Québec. When he first became interested in football, he wanted a team to root for, and his mother suggested the Bills. I asked Currie if he had ever experienced ‘anti-Habs prejudice,’ rooting for Montréal’s team while living in Toronto. He told me about an incident in which a Leafs superfan grabbed his Canadians toque and threw it into the snow, in what can only be described as the most Canadian incident of bullying ever. Lila Shapiro, a McGill University student and friend of mine from middle school, was responsible for a period where I rooted for the Montreal Canadiens, having been a fan since about 13. “That’s going to be what gets me into heaven,” said Shapiro. Shapiro’s parents are both from Montréal, and before she lived there, they would frequently visit her grandparents for holidays. But the main reason she cited for her loyalty to the Habs was the influence of her older brother Josh. “If he was a Leafs fan, honestly, I probably would have been a Leafs fan, but thank God that’s not
the case,” she added. Other students also cited personal attachments to a specific city as reason for rooting for their sports teams. Joe Gluck, a U of T student who used to live in Vancouver, said that he became a Vancouver Canucks fan when he started collecting hockey cards at the age of 10, although his family was living in New Jersey at the time. When his family later moved back to Vancouver, however, he was no longer as invested, and he was also disappointed by the team’s loss of the Stanley Cup in 2011. I asked Gluck if he had considered becoming a Leafs fan since starting university in Toronto. “I have too much self respect to root for the Leafs,” he said, but he did add that he enjoys the feeling of the whole city rooting for one of its teams together, such as when the Blue Jays made it to the playoffs in 2016. One of the more interesting rationales behind team allegiances I heard came from U of T student Robbie Raskin. Raskin follows several sports, including hockey, Canadian football, and soccer. He noted that, especially in European soccer, some teams have certain geopolitical backgrounds, which affected his likelihood to support them. “In Spain I’d cheer for Real Madrid over Barcelona because Barca is historically associated with separatism, which reminds me of Montréal’s teams here and turns me off,” said Raskin. York University student Eitan Cohen — no relation — became a fan of the New England Patriots in high school at the encouragement of his brother-in-law, who took him to a Bills vs. Patriots game. I knew that due to their success, the Patriots are known for having an abundance of bandwagon fans, which refers to those who jump on board with a team when they’re doing well. I asked Cohen how he felt about people referring to him this way. “I usually just laugh and play along with it, because there’s no use in arguing,” he said, adding, “it’s not my fault they’re so good.” Currie supported the idea of jumping on the bandwagon, noting that it gives sports fans a chance to get involved when their team doesn’t make it to the playoffs. “If a team’s doing well and your team isn’t in the playoffs, then go ahead, cheer for the best team,” he said. Others were less approving. “I think it kind of flies in the face of what being a fan means,” said Raskin. “I think loyalty is the main aspect of supporting a team.” Disclosure: Aidan Currie is The Varsity’s Deputy News Editor.
44–61
44–66
Ottawa Gee-Gees
Carleton Ravens
HOCKEY MEN’S January 4 Varsity Blues
January 7 Varsity Blues
1–3 Guelph Gryphons
5–3 York Lions
WOMEN’S January 5 Varsity Blues
January 6 Varsity Blues
2–1
2–3
Windsor Lancers
Western Mustangs
VOLLEYBALL MEN’S January 5
2–3
Varsity Blues
(29-27, 16-25, 22-25, 25-22, 18-20)
Varsity Blues
(25-21, 12-15, 14-25, 24-26)
Varsity Blues
(25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 25-15)
January 5
January 6
January 6 Varsity Blues
1–3
3–1
2–3
Nippissing Lakers
Western Mustangs
Humber Hawks
Saint Jean Sur Richelieu Géants
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JANUARY 8, 2018 u 20
ATTENTION: FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS & FULL-TIME TORONTO SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY STUDENTS
Part-time students and most graduate students are covered by a separate Plan! Visit utsu.ca/health for more details.
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS’ UNION HEALTH & DENTAL PLAN MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT WHAT’S COVERED? UP TO
MORE THAN
HEALTH-CARE COVERAGE
$800 DENTAL COVERAGE
•Prescription drugs •Vaccinations •Psychologists •Massage therapists
•Checkups •Polishing •Fillings •Extractions
$10,000
•Physiotherapists •Chiropractors •Ambulance and more...
UP TO
•Gum treatments •Oral surgery and more...
UP TO
$75
$5,000,000
•Eye exam
• Travel health coverage (120 days per trip, up to $5,000,000 per incident) • Trip cancellation/interruption in the event of a medical emergency
VISION COVERAGE
TRAVEL COVERAGE
Winter coverage is from Jan. 1, 2018 – Aug. 31, 2018. For more details and a complete list of benefits, visit utsu.ca/health.
WHO’S COVERED? •Full-time undergraduate St. George campuses
(including
professional
faculty)
students
at
the
Mississauga
and
•Full-time Toronto School of Theology students Certain exceptions exist. Please check your student account to confirm if you have been charged the Plan fees. Note: students who first became eligible for the Plan in the Winter Session will have their coverage activated shortly after the Change-of-Coverage Period ends (it will be retroactive to Jan. 1).
CAN I ENROL MY FAMILY? CAN I OPT OUT? If you’re a new student starting in January* who is covered by the Plan, you can: •enrol your family (spouse and/or dependent children) for an additional fee during the Change-of-Coverage Period. Common law and same-sex couples are eligible. •opt out of the UTSU Plan (if you have equivalent health and/or dental coverage). You’ll need to provide proof of your other health benefits, but you don’t need to provide proof of other dental coverage to opt out of the UTSU Dental Plan. Visit utsu.ca/health for more information. *Only new students starting in January can make coverage changes. If you already opted out in the fall, you do not have to opt out in the winter.
CHANGE-OF-COVERAGE PERIOD Winter Session (family enrolments and opt outs for new January academic starts only): JAN. 1 – 31, 2018
UTSU Office 12 Hart House Circle Toronto, ON M5S 3J9 (416) 978-4911 health@utsu.ca
Questions? Member Services Centre 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays Toll-free: 1 866 416-8706 utsu.ca/health