THE VARSITY
Vol. CXXXII, No. 4
University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880
19 September, 2011
MPP candidates talked tuition and health care at the on-‐campus debate on Thursday. BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Provincial candidates target students at Hart House debate All-candidates debate brings student concerns to the table Dalana Parris VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
T
he candidates for the upcoming October 6 provincial election are making their presence known at U of T. On September 15, the Hart House Debate Committee and the University of Toronto Students’ Union co-hosted an all-candidates debate for the Trinity-Spadina riding. The debate, entitled “At Issue: Youth and Education,” brought forward topics dear to students, including health care, tuition, unemployment, and government spending. The participants were Liberal Party candidate Sarah Thomson, NDP candidate Rosario Marchese, Progressive Conservative Party candidate Mike Yen, and Green Party candidate Tim Grant. Shaun Shepherd, UTSU VP External, opened the debate by highlighting the “Take It Over” campaign. This voter education initiative aims to make student issues an election priority. Shepherd noted that the large audience turnout to the debate proves that students “are listening … [and want] to ensure [student] concerns reach the table.” Thomson was quick to define this election as being “between the Liberals and the
Conservatives,” but her dismissal of the other parties did not deter them from presenting their views and goals. While discussing health care, Grant put forward the Green Party’s Junk Food Tax initiative. The tax is meant to make healthy food more affordable in order to curb rising obesity and its associated problems. Marchese supported the idea of prevention versus treatment, lobbying for the provincial budget to allocate more of its resources to preventative measures. Yen argued that having more long-term beds, front-line service, and investment in the health care system in place of bureaucracy would improve the well-being of Ontarians. Thomson reminded the audience that the Liberals opened 18 new hospitals, are lobbying to provide more at home care for seniors, and are lowering the costs of generic medicine. Dr. Nelson Wiseman, debate moderator and professor of political science, raised the issue of rising tuitions. Green Party’s Grant responded by asking the audience if anyone had experienced a tuition increase over the last few years; without hesitation, all hands were raised. NDP’s Marchese acknowledged that tuition has been increasing at a rate of 5 per cent every year, pushing more and more students
Haggling for health care As election looms, GSU revives international student OHIP campaign Sarah Taguiam ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
into debt. He proposed a tuition freeze for the next four years. Thomson rebutted that the Liberals have already frozen tuition over the last two years and that they are now looking to decrease tuition by 30 per cent. “Is anyone going to believe what McGuinty says?” asked Yen. The PC candidate went on to propose that money be invested in Ontario students and that OSAP be made more accessible. As for unemployment, each candidate agreed that increased taxes have rendered many businesses unable hire and keep employees. Marchese suggested that the government support employers who provide longterm and full-time employment and that it reward companies for their provision of adequate training. Yen stressed the importance of reigniting our economy, arguing that higher taxes do not facilitate job creation. He supported a more business-friendly approach, suggesting that by helping businesses, employment opportunities will rise. As the election approaches, the candidates encourage voters to review their party’s platforms in order to have their voices heard on October 6.
Seeking to start a dialogue with provincial leaders, U of T’s Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) has resurrected its decade-long campaign, OHIP for ALL. Launched just in time for Ontario’s provincial elections, the initiative seeks to reintegrate international students into the province’s health insurance plan (OHIP). International students used to be covered under OHIP until they were excluded from the coverage in 1994 and forced to buy the compulsory University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). International student organizations have consistently tried to regain their coverage, only to be met with silence from the government. This year, to extend its reach, the GSU has sent letters to each provincial party leader and to three Ontario ministers: Minister of Health Deb Matthews; Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities John Milloy; and Minister of Immigration Eric Hoskins. “For the past years, nothing has changed. So this year we are trying to push a little more in order to get some traction … and finally set up a stakeholders’ meeting,” said GSU International Students’ Caucus chair Christopher Klinger, who mentioned that last year’s campaign only got them a teleconference with one of Matthews’ campaign officers.
For more information on the candidates and voting, visit elections.on.ca/en-CA/
SEE ‘OHIP’ P6
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
contents Leading from the front Alberto Bustamante talks to new Blues striker McConville
“What’s a doctorate to do?” Erene Stergiopoulos weighs her options.
Ditch your readings and hang outside while the weather’s still decent. Your top spots for outdoor campus chilling.
Too cash strapped to catch TIFF? Read about what happened and pretend you were there!
Assertive love? How courtship strategies may be linked to sexism.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Varsity
3
T:10�
Available at the following Bell stores: ETOBICOKE
Cloverdale Mall Sherway Gardens Woodbine Centre
MISSISSAUGA
6965 Davand Dr. 980 Eglinton Ave. E Dixie Value Mall Erin Mills Town Centre Heartland Power Centre Sheridan Centre Square One Shopping Centre Square One Shopping Centre (kiosk) Westgate SmartCentres
NORTH YORK
1635 Lawrence Ave. W. 170 Rimrock Rd Bayview Village Centerpoint Mall Crossroads Plaza Empress Walk Lawrence Square North York Sheridan Mall Sheppard Centre Yorkgate Mall
OAKVILLE
Hampshire Gate at Dundas Oakville Place
RICHMOND HILL
Fibe is the ultimate roommate.
Hillcrest Mall Richmond Heights Plaza Time Square Shopping Centre
TM
SCARBOROUGH
259 Morningside Ave. Bridlewood Mall (kiosk) Cedarbrae Mall (kiosk) Malvern Town Centre Parkway Mall Scarborough Town Centre
THORNHILL
Promenade Mall
TORONTO
2256 Bloor St. W. 209 Danforth Ave. 2171 Queen St. E 2081 Steeles Ave. W. 2323 Yonge St. Chinatown Centre College Park Dufferin Mall East York Town Centre Eaton Centre Eaton Centre II Eglinton Square Gerrard Square Holt Renfrew Centre Royal Bank Plaza Scotia Plaza Shoppers World Danforth Shops at Don Mills Yorkdale Shopping Centre (kiosk)
When Fibe Internet moves in you get: 4 A free Wireless Home Network set up on the spot by pros, perfect for all your gadgets1 4 The fastest upload speed,2 so you can share your pics and videos in an instant 4 * ! . ( -$"./ *"/2+-' +# & & %+/.,+/.
VAUGHAN
4 -""!+) #-+) (+*$ /"-) +))&/)"*/
WHITBY
Vaughan Mills Vaughan Mills (kiosk) Whitby Mall Whitby SmartCentres
WILLOWDALE
WOODBRIDGE
4080 Highway 7
Also available at:
18
$ FROM
BELL FIBE INTERNET
48/MO. For 12 months in the bundle.3
All monthly fees included, +*" /&)" /&1 /&+* #""
! ! Offer ends September 25, 2011. Available to residential customers in select areas of Rogers’ footprint in Ontario where technology permits. For non Fibe TV subscribers, $49.95 ($99.95, less a $50 credit) one-time modem rental fee applies for Fibe 25 and up. Usage 25 GB/mo.; $2.00/additional GB. Subject to change without notice and not combinable with any other offers. Taxes extra. Other conditions apply. (1) Conditions apply; see bell.ca/fullinstall. (2) Current as of August 7, 2011. Comparison between Bell Fibe 6 Internet (upload up to 1 Mbps) and Rogers’ comparable service, Hi-Speed Express (upload up to 512 Kbps). (3) Available to new customers who subscribe to Fibe 6 Internet and at least one other select service in the bundle; see bell.ca/bellbundle. Promotional $18.48 monthly price: $46.95 monthly price, less the $5 bundle discount, less the monthly credit of $23.47 applicable for the first 12 months. Total monthly price after 12 months is $41.95. Fibe is a trade-mark of Bell Canada.
T:14�
Fairview Mall Fairview Mall (kiosk)
4
ADVERTISEMENT
The Varsity
news@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY NEWS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
5
Photocap goes here. BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Mature students find success at U of T Academic bridging program opens doors for those who come to university later in life Semra Eylul Sevi VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Everyone has a story, and mature students are no exception. Many have worked day jobs and paid bills for years before attending U of T. Today, more students are coming to university directly from high school than they did ten years ago. However, a number of students still take time off from school and for a number of factors. Sarah Lyons, 29, took a leave of absence on two different occasions, first in 2004 due to financial difficulties and again in 2008 when she found out about a rare tumour she had. She had to overcome many adversities to get where she is now. Lyons is currently finishing her last year as an undergraduate student and will be applying to medical schools in the fall. Nathan Bergman, 50, began studying at U of T in 2006. He previously dropped out of high
school because of his dysfunctional household where he experienced physical violence. He was unable to focus on schoolwork due to the many disruptions in his home. “Not all families are happy families, but it’s still my family,” he said. After high school, Bergman worked in kitchens, demo recording studios, and industrial settings as temporary unskilled labour. He would rarely make much more than minimum wage. Bergman moved to Hamilton from Toronto because the rents were cheaper there. Most of his acquaintances are employed in the “informal economy,” on social assistance, or trapped in unskilled labour. In Hamilton, he was dismayed by the hate graffiti he saw; tags of Swastikas, homophobic slurs, and gang messages disturbed him for years. The vandalism pushed Bergman to be active in lobbying the city to remove the hate graffiti, but he encountered roadblocks. He realized that he needed credentials to be taken serious-
ly. He decided to enroll in the academic bridging program at U of T and is currently finishing off his last year of study in political science. The academic bridging program, which consists of a single course that must be passed, is the closest thing that the Faculty of Arts and Science has to a policy towards mature students. According to Glenn A. Loney, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, U of T does not have a special category for mature students. They fall into the same grouping as students who come directly out of high school, meaning that U of T does not have enrollment or graduation statistics for mature students. Bergman has seen success: since starting his full-time studies, he has received many awards at U of T. He’s been on the Faculty of Arts and Science Dean’s List every year. Bergman plans to pursue a master’s degree in political science with a focus on ethnic politics.
MATURE STUDENTS ACCORDING TO STATS CAN In 2006, over 1.6 million students were enrolled in postsecondary education across Canada. Over 90% of them were under the age of 40. In 2007, 10% of international university students were older than 25, compared to the 17% of Canadian students. In 2007, it was more common for matures students over the age of 40 to be completing an undergraduate level certificate than a Ph.D. The median age of university students decreased between 1992 and 2007, indicating that fewer students are taking time off between high school and postsecondary education. obtained from statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2010005/ article/11386-eng.htm
6
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
THE VARSITY
TH
VARSIT HE
ES
Y
T
VOL. CXXXII No. 4
TUDE
AP NT NEWSP
ER
21 Sussex Avenue, Suite 306 Toronto, ON, M5S 1J6 Phone: 416-946-7600 Fax: 416-946-7606 www.thevarsity.ca
Editorial Board
VARSITY NEWS
news@thevarsity.ca
OHIP for ALL relaunched just in time for provincial election Union resurrects campaign to include international students in OHIP
Editor-in-Chief editor@thevarsity.ca Tom Cardoso Design Editor Anamarija Korolj design@thevarsity.ca Photo Editor Bernarda Gospic photo@thevarsity.ca Online Editor Sam Bowman online@thevarsity.ca Senior Copy Editor Maayan Adar copy@thevarsity.ca News Editor Robin Buller news@thevarsity.ca Comment Editor Alex Ross comment@thevarsity.ca Arts & Entertainment Editor Ariel Lewis arts@thevarsity.ca Features Editor Erene Stergiopoulos features@thevarsity.ca Science Editor Bianca Lemus Lavarreda science@thevarsity.ca Sports Editor Murad Hemmadi sports@thevarsity.ca Associate Design Editor Vacant Associate Photo Editor Vacant Associate Online Editor Patrick Love Associate Copy Editor Vacant Associate News Editor Sarah Taguiam Associate Comment Editor Vacant Associate A&E Editors Brigit Katz Assunta Alegiani Associate Features Editor Vacant Associate Science Editor Vacant Associate Sports Editors Vacant Copy Editors Simon Capobianco Emily Dunbar Ken Euler Bianca Lemus Lavarreda Jasmine Pauk Erene Stergiopoulos Fact Checkers Laura Mitchell
Designers Yasi Eftekhari Mushfiq Ul Huq Jenny Kim Suzy Nevins Michelle Yuan
Contributors
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Rida Fatema Ali, Nicole Baker, Patrick Baud, Cameron Becker, Zoe Bedard, Alberto Bustamante, Sherine Ensan, Kevin Grace, Murad Hemmadi, Brigit Katz, Damanjit Lamba, Bianca Lemus Lavarreda, Laura Kathleen Maize, Laura Mitchell, Mina Park, Dalana Parris, Semra Eylul Sevi, Charlotte Smith, Erene Stergiopoulos, Sarah Taguiam, Akihito Tse, Fiona Tran, Daniel Tsiokos, Irina Vukosavic, David Woolley, Jonathan Wu
Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer Paul Humphrey ceo@thevarsity.ca Chief Financial Officer Vacant cfo@thevarsity.ca Chief Operations Officer Matthew D. H. Gray coo@thevarsity.ca Editor-in-Chief editor@thevarsity.ca Tom Cardoso Board Members Lauren Ash (St. George) Jessica Denyer (St. George) Matthew D. H. Gray (St. George) Paul Humphrey (St. George) Ariel Lewis (Staff) Andrew Rusk (Staff) Erene Stergiopoulos (Masthead) Vacant (UTSC) Vacant (UTM) Vacant (ProFac) Vacant (ProFac) Vacant (ProFac) Business Manager business@thevarsity.ca Arlene Lu Advertising Executives ads@thevarsity.ca Jamie C. Liu jamie@thevarsity.ca Kalam Poon kalam@thevarsity.ca Ivana Strajin ivana@thevarsity.ca Ad Designer Vacant addesign@thevarsity.ca The Varsity is the University of Toronto's largest student newspaper, publishing since 1880. The Varsity has a circulation of 20,000, and is published by Varsity Publications, Inc. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock. Content © 2011 by The Varsity. All rights reserved. Any editorial inquiries and/or letters should be directed to the sections associated with them; emails listed above. The Varsity reserves the right to edit all submissions. Inquiries regarding ad sales can be made to ads@thevarsity.ca ISSN: 0042-2789
Please recycle this issue after you are finished with it.
‘OHIP’- CONTINUED FROM PG1 The petition letters, signed by a number of U of T students and staff, outlined the reasons for GSU’s discontent with UHIP. Some of the most common complaints were: the small number of hospitals included in the Preferred Provider Network who accept UHIP; upfront out-ofpocket expenses; no access to information regarding claims approval and UHIP meeting minutes; and no student representation on the UHIP Steering Committee. Counting on Ontario’s increasing dedication to the “internationalization of its education system and economy,” the student group hopes that this year’s campaign results will be different.
“Ontario is really keen on getting more students, so why not take the first step and reintegrate them back [into OHIP],” started Klinger. “Even the universities seem to support it. David Naylor is one of our supporters because he really wants international students to get reintegrated,” he continued. But Milloy, the minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, explained that re-accommodation will further strain the government’s already empty pockets. “At the moment, resources are very tight. We want to support our international students, we’re always looking at ways to do it, but I have to be very direct — we don’t have any plans of changing the present system currently,” said
Milloy, listing government scholarships put in place to help international students financially. Klinger admitted that most international students — aside from those who have secured jobs — do not pay any government taxes, but he justified that they are “healthy risks.” “International students are not usually a bad risk. [They’re] mostly healthy people, very young, their costs cannot be that high … There’s actually a lot of screening on international students before they can actually go to Canada,” he clarified. “We’re talking about roughly 26,000 people,” Klinger continued. “It can’t be such a huge impact [on] the system.” Klinger points out that in 2007, Newfoundland and Labrador had
already spearheaded the move to provide health coverage to international students. But Milloy dismissed the argument: “I don’t know the specifics of the situation in Newfoundland, but I suspect that [they] have a very small number of international students. In Ontario … we’re close to 40,000 international students, which I suspect … represents more than [their] entire post secondary population.” Newfoundland is home to 27,000 post-secondary school students, 1,300 of which come from countries outside of Canada. OHIP for ALL has garnered support from other unions, such as the Canadian Federation of Students, the OISE International Students’ Association, and CUPE Local 3907.
VARSITY NEWS
news@thevarsity.ca
Sex in the City New UC One course hopes to engage students with Toronto’s unique sexual identity
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
Wanna get involved but don’t know where to start?
Drop by The Varsity’s open house! Friday, September 30, 2011 from 12 to 4 pm
Meet editors. Eat food. Be awesome. SWEET ONE/ FLICKR
Akihito Tse VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
This semester, first-year students can get excited at the prospect of a new Sexual Diversity Studies course that will give them real hands-on contact with the city’s rich and boisterous sexual history. Sex in the City, a full-credit seminar-style course beginning in September, will explore sexual politics and sexualized spaces. The University College initiative is a part of ‘UC One: Engaging Toronto,’ which follows on the heels of similar firstyear programs at Victoria and Trinity College. The programs aim to couple the experience of large lectures with the benefits of small, interactive seminars. Dr. Scott Rayter, who teaches the course, was enthusiastic after his first session with the students. “It was great. It’s a different kind of experience that most first-year students don’t get to have,” he said. “It also allows students to have exposure to some really great academics who don’t get a lot of undergraduate teaching,” he continued. The course is one of four interdisciplinary streams that UC One students can choose from; each will look at how university-based research can stimulate “larger questions” about the city. The other streams are Canadian Studies, Drama and Health Studies. Students will be marked based on critical reflection papers on weekly readings and lectures, participa-
tion and a final research paper. The course is limited to 25 students, and every week in the fall, students from each program stream will have a two-hour lecture by guest speakers and then break into four tutorial groups based on their stream. Guest speakers will include prominent business leaders, community activists, and political figures such as former Toronto Mayor David Miller and Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation, Glen Murray. In the winter, students do the research seminar portion of the course with their instructor and go out in to the community. Students enrolled in Sex in the City will have the opportunity to tour some of Toronto’s most historic sexualized spaces including the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and the Pink Triangle Press. Among other assignments, students will organize their own sexthemed “Jane’s walks” or walking tours aimed at engaging people with their neighbourhood. Jane Farrow, founder and executive director of Jane’s Walks, will be a guest lecturer this fall, talking about queer history and queer space in Toronto. In the second semester, she will show the students how to design a ‘Jane’s walk.’ Rayter hopes that having students organize these tours will help them to critically engage with Toronto’s unique sexual identity. “It’s about getting to know your spaces and taking advantage of them,” he said.
7
VARSITY NEWS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
Write for news.
TH
VARSIT E H
ES
Y
T
8
AP TUDE NT NEWSP
ER
news@thevarsity.ca
NEWS IN BRIEF Investigation into U of A dean’s plagiarized speech to be kept under wraps The results of an investigation by the University of Alberta into its Dean of Medicine’s plagiarized speech to graduating students last spring will not be made public. University spokeswoman Deb Hammacher told The Globe and Mail on Monday that in keeping with a faculty agreement, the investigation would be kept confidential. She added that the same confidentiality agreements are in place for students who plagiarize. Many, including the university’s students’ union, are unhappy with the decision and feel that the university should release the results. “It’s important that the university is transparent about the process,� student vice-president Emerson Csorba told the Globe. –Charlotte Smith
news@thevarsity.ca Prof ventures to other side of the desk
OPT-OUT Notice
Nicholas Everett, associate professor at U of T’s history department, has decided to become a student of pharmacology. Having always been interested in medieval history, Everett came across a seventh-century medical manuscript in the Vatican, and the badly-written Latin caught his attention. Soon, however, it was the contents of the manuscript — reference works for 300 natural drugs from Ancient Greece — that became his focus. The discovery of this document and research into its contents led Everett to re-enter the life of a student; the document also inspired Everett to adopt the Renaissance ideal that the humanities and sciences are both fundamental institutions, the studies of which should not be separated. With files from U of T News. -Rida Fatema Ali
Students in the Faculty of Arts and Science who wish to OPT-OUT of the OPIRGToronto fees could claim their fees refund: Please come to the 23,5* 7RURQWR RIĂ&#x20AC;FH 1RUWK %RUGHQ %XLOGLQJ 6SDGLQD &UHV 5RRP WR Ă&#x20AC;OO RXW WKH OPIRG OPT-OUT form between September 12-26 ZLWK \RXU VWXGHQW FDUG $1' SURRI RI SD\PHQW <RX ZLOO EH DVNHG WR VLJQ WKH IRUP LQGLFDWLQJ \RX KDYH UHFHLYHG \RXU UHIXQG
)RU PRUH GHWDLOV SOHDVH FRQWDFW WKH )LQDQFH DQG $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ &RRUGLQDWRU at opirg.toronto@utoronto.ca or opirg.toronto@gmail.com
York arms cops with batons after high-â&#x20AC;?profile sex assaults York University is increasing security on campus to make students feel safer. Security personnel are being armed with batons, and an extra $1.1 million is being invested in campus safety. While York has seen gains in both domestic and international applicants, the move comes after a 0.6 per cent drop in enrolment confirmations in a year when Ontario confirmations grew by 2 per cent overall. Several highly publicized assaults are cited, including two rape cases and the murder of foreign student Qian Liu. York spokesperson Wallace Pidgeon told The Globe and Mail that the university has increased the security budget from $8.9 million to $10 million since last year. Pidgeon did not disclose how the money would be spent, although the university has recently hired 12 new security personnel. He stressed that the boost was not related to the assaults. With files from Macleanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Irina Vukosavic
2XU RIĂ&#x20AC;FH LV RSHQ 0RQGD\ WR 7KXUVGD\ $0 30
Chicago uni puts tuition on Groupon On September 6, National Louis University in Chicago posted the first Groupon deal for tuition. The graduate course, Intro to the Profession and Craft of Teaching, regularly costs $2,232. However, through Groupon, the class only cost $950. The purpose of the deal was to attract new students. To sign up, an individual was required to have an undergraduate degree and could not be enrolled in an NLU graduate program. The course was not transferable, and students would have to pay full tuition for other courses. With files from Time Magazine. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Jonathan Wu
news@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY NEWS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
9
UTSC opened its new Instructional Centre on August 31. The building marks the campus’ expansion north of Ellesmere Rd., where campus space will almost double in coming years. KEN JONES/UTSC
50 Grads. One Weekend. Your Future. We’re inviting 50 of Canada’s top engineering students to Waterloo for one weekend to plan their futures.
The 50 Graduates Weekend is a chance for selected Canadian students interested in master’s and PhD studies to learn about graduate programs in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo and experience life in one of Canada’s most vibrant
All expenses paid.† Want to join us?
communities. You will tour state-of-the-art engineering facilities, explore innovative research programs, and learn about collaborations with the region’s growing list of technology, automotive, financial, health and environmental companies. You will also get a taste of the region’s exciting social life with visits to local cultural centres, restaurants and the idyllic village of St. Jacobs.
It’s happening
November 3 to 6, 2011
Apply at:
engineering.uwaterloo.ca/50graduates Apply by: September 30, 2011
†Details regarding travel expenses can be found at: engineering.uwaterloo.ca/50graduates 3212
Condom breaks ties: the hidden surprise in EFUT’s promotional material has aroused concern among the French Department’s faculty. See thevarsity.ca for the full story. SARAH TAGUIAM/THE VARSITY
10 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
VARSITY COMMENT
comment@thevarsity.ca
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
No sunset on terror laws
Canadians should be concerned that the Conservatives want to reintroduce terror legislation that will have no expiry or oversight Patrick Baud VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Ten years after the September 11 attacks, terrorism remains a serious threat to Canadian security. While there have been no attacks in Canada since 2001, the RCMP and CSIS have foiled several plots. The most serious of these plots was hatched by the “Toronto 18,” who planned to detonate truckbombs and to kidnap and execute Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Arguably, the risk of terrorism has increased since Canada stepped up its involvement in the war in Afghanistan in 2006. In order to meet the threat of Islamist terrorism, the Conservative government plans to reintroduce extraordinary post–9/11 security legislation this fall. The legislation, which had expired in 2007 due to a sunset clause, granted two controversial
powers to the courts and the police. First, the police can detain anyone they suspect of being associated with terrorism for three days without charge. This lets the police prevent people whom they suspect of planning attacks from doing so while they gather enough evidence to charge them. Second, the courts can compel potential witnesses to testify terror-related activities by imprisoning them. This allows the courts to bypass the usual procedure, which would require a trial and conviction for contempt of court. While both powers are hypothetically useful in support of Canada’s counter-terrorism efforts, they were not used during the period in which they were in force. However, it may be that the types of threats that Canada faces in the future, such as an increased number of so-called “homegrown” terror plots, will
require the use of these powers. Thus, what is disturbing is not that the government plans to reintroduce these powers, but that Public Safety minister Vic Toews hopes to do so without including a sunset clause or substantial judicial or legislative oversight. Most laws passed by Parliament remain in force until they are repealed. However, some controversial or time-sensitive laws are subject to sunset clauses, legislative self-destruct buttons which ensure that they expire after a period of time. Thus, no matter what Parliament is doing at the time, the sunset clause forces the government to consider whether they will reintroduce the legislation, and gives the opposition a chance to decide whether they will resist it. That way, it is hard for these laws to outlive their utility and, more importantly, ensures they will not be used for
purposes other than those for which they were intended. Past Canadian governments not only interned “enemy aliens” during the First and Second World Wars but also made plans to arrest thousands of communists and communist sympathizers if war had broke out with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. These arrests and plans for arrest were authorized under similar legislation to that which the Conservatives plan to reintroduce. They are now widely considered to be an overreaction, as the threats to Canadian security were vastly exaggerated. Unless these anti-terror powers are limited, they could be used in similar ways by future governments. Moreover, aside from the requirement that the Public Safety minister report annually on the use of these powers, the government has no plans to provide real account-
ability. The opposition should demand that the government only be allowed to reintroduce these powers if it agrees to provide ongoing and substantial oversight. Since these powers will largely be used by the RCMP and the federal justice system, the government should make the RCMP more accountable for its national security activities by creating an external committee, modeled on the one which oversees CSIS, to scrutinize its operations and recommend policy changes. It may be that radical Islamic terrorism is actually a significant threat to Canadian security, and the courts and the police require these new powers to meet it. Granting these powers without giving them an expiry date and providing for real accountability, however, leaves too much room for abuse. Canadians want to see our society kept safe, but not at the expense of fundamental rights.
comment@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY COMMENT
The doctorate’s dilemma Weighing your options when workaholia is valued over a good work-life balance Erene Stergiopoulos VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
When people ask me what I did this summer, I tell them that, among other things, I worked in a cognitive neuroscience lab. After an appreciative pause, I am quick to explain: “it’s not as cool as it sounds, believe me.” This summer I learned that I don’t want to be a scientist. And for someone who has always had some plans to do some sort of science-related PhD, that’s a pretty big deal. As many students in their final year at university will appreciate, the decisions we’re facing aren’t just about what we want to do; they’re about how we want to live. For me, the life of a scientist just doesn’t seem like a good fit anymore. For a taste of that life, look no further than last month’s issue of the science mothership journal Nature. The issue featured a series of pieces on “24/7 lab” culture — a phenomenon that has become increasingly prevalent in scientific research. It’s a culture where the expectation of working nine to five will get you laughed out of the room. Evenings, weekends, and holidays are all fair game for a long haul in the lab. The rationale is simple: the more hours you can work, the more grants you can apply for, and the more articles you can publish. The sheer volume of work isn’t simply about attaining post-human productivity. In science, working hard is sexy. Of course, hard work is applauded in other fields, but scientists take it to the extreme. Take Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, a neurosurgeon in the US who’s notorious for pulling 140-hour workweeks. He enforces the same hardcore work ethic on his grad students, and he also happened to publish 113 articles in the past six years. Scientists of this breed pride themselves in driving themselves inhumanly hard without an ounce of a break. They’re feared, and enormously respected. Yet for the kind of person who has interests, (or friends), outside of science, the 24/7 lab culture spells-out a pretty certain road to burnout. In my brief stint at the cognitive neuroscience lab this summer, I became accustomed to the 12-hour workday. I lived on cafeteria sandwiches, becoming completely numb to the passage of time and study participants. When I wasn’t pitying myself on the bus-ride to work, I was looking forward to my favourite part of the day: the time to sleep before another day of research would dawn. But I don’t want to paint an unnecessarily bleak picture of science. Thankfully, not all scientists subscribe to the cult of workaholism, and not all labs will drive you to those extremes. For the soon-to-be graduate who’s
on the brink of a research career, however, your work life is something to consider seriously. The trouble is that as competition increases for limited research funding, the chances of succeeding without putting in the extra hours are growing increasingly slim. If you want to be ambitious — get published, earn grants, and do all the things that the culture of science has ever taught us to want — you have to make sacrifices. Are the sacrifices worth it? On a personal level, it means throwing away any naive notions of work-life balance, and recalibrating your biological rhythms to the pulse of the grant cycle. Some people have the stomach for it, others don’t. Still, there’s more at stake. It’s not just a question of whether the 24/7 work ethic is good for the scientists; it’s worth asking whether this culture is even good for science. What are the chances of generating creative, penetrating research questions when you haven’t had more than ten minutes to yourself apart from sleep? What is the likelihood that you’ll commit an error in analyzing data when you’ve been awake for the past 20 hours? What can your science be worth if it has mistakes in it? As Julie Overbaugh argues in her Nature commentary, science needs to create space for both kinds of researchers — the hardcore workaholics who focus all their energy on research, and the original thinkers who seek a better work-life balance, and drive new ideas. So let me qualify my first assertion: This summer I learned that I don’t want to be a scientist only. Like most people in their twenties, I want to pursue other interests outside of the laboratory. I want to keep up my relationships with friends and family. I want to have the space to generate my own ideas. But by the looks of the current scientific landscape, that kind of balance seems near impossible if you want to make your mark. I’m not afraid of hard work, and have put in my fair share of 18-hour day with gusto. But I’m not willing to put the rest of my life on hold while I complete a PhD that will get me somewhere I’m told is amazing. In the end, nothing is worth it if I don’t find some value in the process of doing it. In a perfect world, of course, we’d all be able to be ambitious, award-winning scientists, who have time for both the grunt work and the deeper questions. Until that world is created, the doctorate’s dilemma is simple. Being able to say “I was at the lab til 10 p.m. last night” may give you that wonderful sense of self-pitying pride and even a few publications under your belt before graduation. But if you’re more inclined to find some joy in what you do, it might be wiser to take the scenic route.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
11
12
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
VARSITY COMMENT
comment@thevarsity.ca
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Police for the people How to ensure police officers are responsible to the citizens they protect David Woolley VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
After this last election the Harper government stated proudly that it would push an omnibus crime bill through Parliament without delay. The provisions that have led to the most scrutiny are the establishment of mandatory minimum sentences for marijuana offenses, and the reinstatement of post–9/11 anti-terror provisions that allow police to detain individuals for up to three days without charges if they are suspected of terrorist activities. The ramping up of the war on drugs and terrorism has already happened in the United States, and to get a sense of what may be in Canada’s future, we need only look south of the border. Similar programs have led to the racial profiling of two primary groups in the United States: African Americans and Arab (or Arab-looking) Americans. The most recent
case was the removal, interrogation, detention, and strip search of blogger Shoshana Hebshi from Frontier Flight 623 after suspicions were raised about two Indian men she was sitting next to. It is a well understood fact that relationships between police and black youth are abysmally poor in inner city neighbourhoods where young black men are racially profiled and, as a result, frequently stopped and searched without reasonable suspicion. This deterioration of relations between police and community has made it nearly impossible for police to solve crimes in the inner city, because many residents refuse to assist those they view as their oppressors. Police become aggressive when community members are uncooperative and locals become uncooperative because police become aggressive in a spiral that dooms the community to lawlessness. To prevent such a breakdown of relations, citizens need to be given
a greater role in community policing. The police work for the people — they are sworn to serve and protect, not to harass and intimidate. To ensure this remains the case, citizens need to feel they are an integral part of the law and order process. The way to achieve this is by ensuring that the citizens — not the politicians — have control over the police. The first step towards this end would be electing police chiefs. A similar system is used in many Western US states, in which local sheriffs are elected. The sheriffs (essentially Canada’s police chiefs) decide how to best to distribute scarce police resources. There are only so many officers on the force and so much time that can be spent cracking down on certain offenses. This reality means that some areas of the law will be prioritized over to the detriment of others. However, the person who currently determines these priorities is an unelected bureaucrat. If lo-
cal citizens could vote for who the police chiefs, community concerns would determine priority. Say a candidate ran on a platform that puts priority on addressing vandalism and violent crime, while lowering the priority on pursuing marijuana offenses. If the community felt this was a sensible position, they would elect that individual. Unlike a politician, however, the chief would not need to attempt (and possibly fail at) passing a bill that would change the law. Instead, he or she would simply redirect resources and inform officers of the new priorities, ensuring strategies were moulded to fit the specific needs of communities and protecting locals against what they felt were overbearing laws. The second step, which would be of particular importance in inner city neighbourhoods, would be the annual appraisal of local patrol officers. This could be done in town hall meetings, or by sending out forms for the locals to fill
out. Whether police were overbearing or aloof, if the citizens felt certain segments of the community were being unfairly targeted, and other such concerns would be addressed. If major problems arose about the treatment of residents by police (or specific officers), they could be targeted and dealt with swiftly. This would ensure a positive rapport between beat cops and the community and would allow residents to feel more involved with the law and order system, which would make them more likely to assist officers when necessary to help solve crimes. If we ensure that police are getting their priorities from the citizens whom they are sworn to protect and that bad cops are being regularly removed, it will not only guarantee a smoother functioning of the legal system overall, but will also protect the citizens of Canada from abuses of the law regardless of who is in power on Parliament Hill.
comment@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY COMMENT
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
13
Why the world should support a sovereign Palestine A Palestinian state is the only solution to the growing rift between Israel and Palestine Cameron H. Becker VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
On September 13 the Palestinian Authority announced their intention to travel to the UN general assembly to call on the international community to recognize a sovereign Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders. The Palestinians have given up on the Netanyahu government making meaningful steps towards peace. Israel has responded to the Palestinian resolution with indignation. Many in Israeli, American, and even Canadian politics are calling the moves by the Palestinians “a mistake” intended to
With negotiations stalled and Netanyahu unwilling to end settlement construction, the Palestinians are turning to the international community in an attempt at solidifying their claim to sovereignty.
HEWZIT WATSITT/THE VARSITY
“delegitimize” Israel. While this all remains to be seen, there is significant gridlock in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. What is not being widely discussed is the very possible positive effects recognition of a Palestinian state could have for both Palestine and Israel? Following the signing of the Oslo Accords, Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank didn’t stop, nor did Palestinian violence towards Israel. Thus, negotiations have been sporadic yet ongoing. After a 10-month settlementfreeze by the Israelis in September 2010, illegal Israeli-settlement construction in the West Bank resumed, and negotiations fell apart. Israeli PM Netanyahu has said that he is ready to renew negotiations at any time, but the Palestinian leadership remains adamant in their refusal to enter into negotiations as long as Israel continues to annex Palestinian land in the West Bank
through settlement construction. With negotiations stalled and Netanyahu unwilling to end settlement construction, the Palestinians are turning to the international community in an attempt at solidifying their claim to sovereignty. While many in Israel and the West remain apprehensive of the bid, an increasingly hostile regional environment, and growing internal unrest within Israel are showing that the possibility of rec-
ognition of a Palestinian state, and the entrenchment of the two-state reality, could in fact be beneficial for both parties. In the summer of 2011, a growing social justice movement gained significant notoriety throughout Israel. In September upwards of 450,000 protesters took to the streets of Israel calling for increased social spending and lower rent. While Netanyahu has come out in support of reform, he
maintains the importance of Israel’s ‘capitalist’ economy. Yet while people take to the streets to demand increased social spending, what is not being widely discussed is the fact that since 1967 over $50 billion has been spent on the occupation. In fact, while young Israelis who are unable to pay their rent sleep on the streets of Tel Aviv, the Israeli housing ministry is spending $540 million per year on settlement subsidies; the very
settlements which today represent the primary obstacle to peace. Netanyahu has, of course, steadily defended the settlements as necessary for Israel’s security. When President Obama recently called on both Israelis and Palestinians to return to peace negotiations based on the 1967 borders, Netanyahu called this unacceptable, as these borders represent an “indefensible” security situation. This was not the case in both 1948 and 1967, when Israel not only defended these borders but also expanded itself with combined offensives surrounding Arab countries. Today, Israel is a regional superpower and receives more US military aid then any other country in the world. Furthermore, when Netanyahu made a last ditch effort to persuade the Palestinians back into negotiations last month, he offered to base negotiations on the 1967 borders. While the Palestinians once again refused, it became clear that Netanyahu is willing to negotiate on the indefensible 1967 borders, but only if Israel was allowed to continue to build its settlements within them. In 2011, the Middle East was a place of great upheaval; the regional norm changed significantly, and while many in the Arab world are calling for reform, Israel continues to face threats on all of its borders. With a string of recent attacks and further diplomatic isolation, as Israeli ambassadors are forced to leave both Ankara and Cairo, Israel is sitting at a crossroads. As the Palestinians, on the other hand, prepare to head to the UN, the World Bank has concluded that: “Palestinian public institutions compare favorably with other countries in the region.” Unfortunately, Hamas remains popular in Gaza. What does appear to be missing is a stamp of legitimacy, something the pro-peace Palestinian Authority in the West Bank could use to wrest power from Hamas if they attain UN recognition. Both the Palestinians and Israelis are ready for the establishment of Palestine. Israel would be able to more easily address its growing social issues, and peace between the two parties could bring increased regional stability and normalization. If the Palestinian Authority attains UN recognition it can re-enter final status negotiations with the Israelis as a sovereign equal. Furthermore, Hamas will be significantly weakened, as Palestinians in Gaza may turn to the PA in hopes of a better future. When the Palestinian leadership travels to the UN in its bid for a Palestinian state, the world should support it — not only because it is pragmatic, but because it is just.
ADVERTISEMENT
14
The Varsity
Win a VIP GRAMMY experience. *
*
®†
You and a guest could walk the red carpet at the 54th GRAMMY®†* Awards on Feb. 12, 2012, compliments of MasterCard®*. Plus, you’ll get a tour of L.A. and a professional pre-event makeover! HOW TO ENTER: Apply* for a No Fee BMO® SPC®‡ MasterCard between Sept. 1 and Oct. 15, use your card before Nov. 30, 2011 and you’ll automatically receive one entry. Prize includes: • Flights and four nights accommodation for two • Access to a GRAMMY rehearsal, awards show and official GRAMMY Celebration after party • PLUS, you’ll receive a $1,000 credit on your BMO SPC MasterCard! For complete contest details or to apply visit bmo.com/smartstudents
rvices
* No purchase necessary. Open to residents of Canada over the age of majority. Approximate retail value of prize is $15,000. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Contest closes October 15, 2011 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Correct answer to skill-testing question required. See BMO.com/contestrules for full rules. Draw will take place on December 19, 2011, at approximately 3:00 p.m. (ET), in Whitby, Ontario. ® Registered trade-marks of Bank of Montreal. ®* MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. M‡®‡ Trade-mark/registered trademark of Student Price Card Ltd. ®†* GRAMMY, GRAMMY Awards and the gramophone logo are registered trademarks of The Recording Academy and are used under license. © 2011 The Recording Academy.
Docket #:
11-1338
AD Size:
5 Cols. x 196 Lines
Newspaper:
University of Toronto Varsity
FILE COLOURS:
VARSITY FEATURES
features@thevarsity.ca
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
The great outdoors
15
It’s September, and let’s face it, you’re not thinking about school yet. So why not take advantage of the best outdoor campus spots while the weather’s still bearable?
by Laura Mitchell and Murad Hemmadi photos by Bernarda Gospic
nap
read
play
BEHIND ROBARTS
KNOX COLLEGE
WILLCOCKS STREET
PHILOSOPHER’S WALK
A prime spot for people-watching, particularly on windy days when keeping your ‘look’ is all but impossible. Robarts’ food court is easily accessible, which is handy for when your light reading leaves you with an appetite (Robarts books: not suitable). The grounds staff at U of T will thank you for not running through the flowers as you play frisbee or toss a ball around. The abundant parking space here is a bonus, whether your chosen mode of transportation has two wheels or four.
Knox College is a sanctuary from the modern world, and you can feel the history in the silent courtyard. Though the windows of the encircling walls look upon the quad, you feel as if you are totally alone. The outdoor hallway that runs through the centre provides shelter from the elements when you’re playing a game of chess or backgammon on the table-boards. On either side of this hallway, there are contrasting lawns; one manicured and the other more natural. Though it’s relatively obscure, it’s surprising that more people do not spend their free time here.
The blocked off section of Willcocks Street is the ultimate outdoor café. You’re not restricted to one restaurant, and there are no waiters to rush you off. There’s plenty of seating, between the tables (equipped with umbrellas), benches, and geological formations. Just off of St. George, this lively gobetween is a fun place to chill after or between class. It’s one of the more socially vibrant locations around, though the astroturf is more suited to sports than sitting. The basketball nets are also a draw, but remember to B.Y.O.B(asketball).
Spacious enough that everyone can ponder, reminisce, meditate, or vegetate without interference. Much like Rome, all pathways seem to lead here, and its amphitheatre is well-suited to spectacle. It lends itself to all forms of relaxation, whether you want to read, nap, study, or people-watch. Its contemplative and calm ambience puts you in a quasi-meditative state, providing you with some much-needed tranquility. The name says it all.
Battle of the quads MASSEY
UNIVERSITY
Beside hustly-bustly Hoskin Street, Massey’s quad is the secret garden of the St. George campus. Serene and solitary, it’s a place to stop and philosophize — make sure to ask (or sneak past) the porter.
Conveniently located at the centre of our teeming campus, UC’s quad is a veritable campus Shangri-La. Private and sublime, it’s the ideal place to talk quietly with friends.
ST. MIKE’S Think back to your childhood adventures. It may not be the showiest of spaces, but the residences backing on to the St. Mike’s quad give it that same yard-like feel.
VIC Literally and figuratively, the quad is the hub of Vic. Along with (arguably) the best waterfall on campus, Vic’s quad is populated by students from across campus, reading, socializing, and playing guitar. Also, frisbee.
TRINITY Stepping into Trinity’s quad takes you back to a time of sophistication and prosperity. If the insularity of it all doesn’t send you running for Philosopher’s Walk, you’ll feel quite at home.
16
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
VARSITY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
arts@thevarsity.ca
Tippin’ our hat to TIFF DAMANJIT LAMBA takes us through the highlights of the festival UNION SQUARE
A DANGEROUS METHOD
Mia Sorvino and Tammy Blanchard star as two estranged sisters in this indie drama. The product of three women compelled to just shoot something, this hidden festival gem was predominantly shot in producer Neda Armian’s apartment in Union Square. Lucy (Sorvino) is a questionably-attired woman from the Bronx who is on the verge of a mental breakdown. She decides to visit her sister, Jen-
Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method is subtle and patiently executed, though hopefully only a temporary departure from his usual gritty settings and overwrought characters. The film revolves around the hostile relationship between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen), or two psychoanalysts working on the eve of the First World War.
Dir. Nancy Savoca
Dir. David Cronenberg
much discussion by theorists hoping to discredit psychoanalysis, but we never see any heated debates or confrontations. The crucial moment when Jung and Freud sever their connection is demonstrated through streams of letters sent back and forth, draining the moment of any substantial drama. The script is intelligently written, and the sexual indulgence is a definite draw, but the real significance that this time period held for psychoanalysis is left unaddressed.
rain as thick as motor oil gushes down from above, it becomes clear that Curtis is dreaming. The visions leech off his energy and mental health, leaving him exhausted and physically injured. Director Jeff Nichols plays on the terror of not being able to trust your own state of mind. Shannon’s versatile performance grabs hold of our sympathy while refusing to free us from the fear of Curtis' increasingly volatile behaviour. Whatever you take from this film’s ambiguous conclusion, Take Shelter will prompt a reconsideration of the boundaries defining mental health.
DOPPELGÄNGER PAUL Dir. Kris Elgstrand, Dylan Akio Smith
Doppelgänger Paul (Or A Film About How Much I Hate Myself), revolves around Karl, a selfloathing part-time writer. After a near-death experience caused by a simple bee allergy, Karl be-
THE ORANGES Dir. Julian Farino
David and Paige Walling (Hugh Laurie and Catherine Keener) and Terry and Carol Ostroff (Oliver Platt and Allison Janney) are two middle-class couples from Jersey who do everything together, from jogging to Sunday dinners. Their ties are shaken, however, when Terry and Carol’s daughter, Nina (Leighton Meester), returns home after a few years of jetting around the world. Nina instantly sparks drama when she hooks up with David one night as he shares details about his unhappy marriage. Alia Shawkat, who plays David and Paige’s daughter, Vanessa, sinks her head into architectural designs and recreational drug use to drown out the image of her dad in bed with her childhood best friend. Adam Brody plays the Ostroff's son, Chris, delivering a repeat performance of his role as Seth Cohen from The O.C., as he unenthusiastically deals with two clashing suburban families. It is ultimately hard to buy the
Union Square ny (Blanchard), who can barely feign enthusiasm when Lucy appears at her doorstep. It has been three years since their last get-together, and the two women realize that they know little about one another. Although spatially restricted, the budget had no bearing on the quality of the narrative. The apartment changes with the tone of the script, which jumps from elation to suspicion in an instant. Nancy Savoca skillfully shatters female stereotypes with these unexpectedly expressive female leads. Just over an hour, this film triumphs in its portrayal of the bond between two wounded sisters.
Both actors deliver well-paced, composed performances. Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley), a patient of Jung's, forces him to reconsider the sexual bent of Freud’s work and introduces the main chaotic force of the film. Mentally burdened with memories of abuse, Knightley brilliantly demonstrates the physical pain of disturbance, becoming a contortionist with her body and face. However, she slips in and out of Sabina's thick Russian accent, resulting in a comically self-aware performance. Ultimately, A Dangerous Method lacks any real danger. There is
TAKE SHELTER Dir. Jeff Nichols
A desolate, rural Ohio town is the setting for a reserved man’s battle with mental illness — at least that’s how Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) and his doctors understand Laforche's series of nightmares. A construction worker with a wife and disabled daughter, Curtis is the main source of income for his small family. The household’s emotional and economic stability comes under pressure when Curtis’ visions begin to affect his conscious behaviour. When birds begin falling from the sky in large numbers, and
Doppelganger Paul comes fixated on the last person he sees before blacking out — a scrawny copy editor named Paul. After recovering from the blackout, Karl can't seem to get Paul off of his mind and soon begins following him, leaving letters in which he claims to be Paul's double. When Paul agrees to meet this supposed doppelganger in person, he is instantly aware of the fact that Karl looks nothing like him. However, Karl is relentless, as he clings to their mutual love of travel agents and cheapsmelling dollar stores as evidence of a deeper connection. This straight-faced comedy rightly points to every individual’s innate desire for recognition, even if it is completely fabricated. While Paul initially resents the idea that Karl is his binary, he unintentionally begins borrowing details from Karl’s life to recreate his own bloated self-image. This dark Canadian indie film proffers a witty look at the understandably strange methods some use to find meaning in life, and the degree to which arbitrary runins can significantly alter one's sense of self-worth.
“connection” between Nina and David. Hugh Laurie comes off as an incredibly awkward sex object, and Nina seems driven more by boredom than true passion. You can predict the outcome long before the news of this unusual relationship becomes neighbourhood gossip. You just have to wait a good hour-and-a-half before the one-dimensional cast finally gives in to the stretched-out formula we all know and dread.
THE PATRON SAINTS Dir. Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatzky
Canadian documentary, The Patron Saints, offers a dark and voyeuristic glimpse into a nameless nursing home for the disabled and the elderly. Shot over four years, directors Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky employ an atmospheric lens that floats through the pastel walls of the institution, dropping in on various residents along the way. By structuring the narrative around the candid stories of Jim, a frank and upbeat man who is the youngest resident of the
SEE 'TIFF'- PG 17
VARSITY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
arts@thevarsity.ca 'TIFF'- CONTINUED FROM PG 16 institution, The Patron Saints effectively avoids the common problem of condescension. Instead, the film’s lyrical approach to documentation distinguishes it as a haunting reflection on human frailty. The film taps into our fears of seclusion, making us dread the day that we no longer self-reliant. Jim’s anecdotes introduce us to a vast array of cases — some sweet, some a bit disturbing. For instance, there is Roro, a disabled woman who was molested by her brother, her only regular visitor. However, even that one visit seems preferable when juxtaposed with scenes of distraught mothers crying over their children's lack of concern for them. A trying emotional experience for all, The Patron Saints lets viewers wrestle with the significance of the fading minds and static bodies presented throughout the film.
KILL LIST
Dir. Ben Wheatley
Jay and Gal are suburban ex-soldiers who decide to revive their posts as hitmen in order to save their cash-strapped families. Shel, Jay’s wife, constantly pushes him to find work so that they can
pay off escalating debts. Jay’s former partner, Gal, convinces him to re-enter the realm of assassins. The reason for the pair's extended leave from a life of crime is only ever implied — references to a former botched job in Kiev continuously threaten the completion of their latest assignment. Everyday settings and Blair Witch-style camera work define the look of Kill List, bestowing the small London town with a tense atmosphere. Unanswered questions and mysterious symbols are thrown into the plot alongside Jay’s increasingly erratic behaviour; initially eliminating targets with a gun, he begins to prefer the unhurried satisfaction of hacking limbs and burning faces. The reason Kill List has garnered so much critical attention is its unorthodox approach to the horror genre. Director Ben Wheatley transitions between story modes at a cleverly calculated pace. What initially starts off as a character study unexpectedly transforms into a gruesome thriller/ horror amalgam. At the film’s conclusion, the bloodbath reaches such a level of excess that you’ll surely forget when the spats about buying groceries ended and the cult-like death matches took over.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
17
Joseph Gordon-Levitt wants to film you Few film festivals bring out a starstudded cast for their interactive programming. Luckily, TIFF decided to keep things high profile when they showcased hitRECord last Monday. Joseph Gordon-Levitt hosted the event, which was devoted to original shorts and on-the-spot collaboration. The hitRecord website, which Levitt formed roughly five years ago, is a collaborative production company focused on the areas of video, writing, photography, and music. Artists from all over the world can share ideas and inspirations with this online community and work on projects as a collective. Gordon-Levitt presented recent collaborations at TIFF’s Bell Lightbox and used the live setting to refine existing pieces. As host, the actor was incredibly engaging and enthusiastic, inviting audience members on stage to share personal stories, recite anecdotes, and even provide sound-effects for videos. Fresh from the premiere of his latest film, 50/50, he was even able to convince co-star Anna Kendrick to join him on stage and narrate a
short story about first love. Most surprising was Levitt’s insistence that audience members turn on all phones and recording devices, a direct rejection of every copyright infringement ad plastered across festival screens. Each smart phone and digital camera was aglow, granting everyone an opportunity to tape his or her own unique perspective of the night. An inspiring get-together, especially for Toronto’s young artistic community, the show deviated from
TIFF’s usual style of programming that fixates on artists who have already secured success. HitRECord’s backing of digital remix culture at a time when Tumblr and Twitter are social network kings is commendable and very much appreciated. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has posted his own personal footage of the show on the hitRECord website – and after viewing it, you may well be inspired to start carrying around your own recording device on a daily basis.
Joseph Gordon-‐Levitt presents HitRECord
HYSTERIA Dir. Tanya Wexler
Hysteria is the best kind of big budget, highgloss gala presentation, featuring a star cast and a beautifully captured period in history. Director Tanya Wexler’s first feature film in 10 years, the premise — the very true story of the invention of the electronic vibrator in the 1880s — provides a light-hearted and surprisingly comical take on the Victorian era medical scene. Wexler explains that “If there’s any critique of the film, it’s that
the doctors from their patients, the netherregions explored are alluded to in the most amusing way. Historical figure Dr. Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy) is the protagonist of the film. Frustrated with the application of dated practices such as bloodletting and leeching among London’s medical establishments Granville moves from one hospital job to the next, in constant despair over the high rate of patient mortality.
“hysteria” — a catch-all diagnosis for everything from insomnia to depression, or anything else a man doesn’t understand about the female sex. Unable to properly attend to his growing clientele, Dalrymple takes on Granville as his assistant in the treatment of manual massage, a therapeutic procedure applied to a woman’s vaginal area. Though the women clearly enjoy the procedure, reacting with operatic singing
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy star in Hysteria Hysteria isn’t salacious enough. But I think it’s more subversive to make a film about the vibrator that you can bring your mom to.” With little velvet curtain sliders dividing
Granville soon stumbles upon the private practice of Dr. Robert Dalrymple (Jonathan Pryce) who has a booming business dealing with bourgeoisie housewives afflicted with
and shouts of “Jolly ho!”, Dalrymple stresses that the treatment is not sexual in the least (orgasms still being an unfamiliar concept at the time).
Dalrymple’s daughter, Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who goes against her father’s wishes by running an East-End settlement for the poor, is a spirited woman who pokes fun at Granville for wasting his medical talents pleasuring bored housewives. When persistent hand cramps prevent Granville from getting the job done, he is discharged. Shortly thereafter, he joins forces with his wealthy mate Edmund St. John-Smythe (Rupert Everett), whose love of power tools is transferred to the invention of a handdevice capable of inducing paroxysms in women — in half the time a manual job ever could! Maggie Gyllenhaal, no stranger to sexuality in her acting repertoire, stated that Hysteria presented an opportunity for her to address the taboo behind female sexuality. “It's about vibrators and women's orgasms, and I don't think people really do talk about it very much, and I think it does still make us flushed and uncomfortable.” Wexler stated that she was well aware of the taboo-status surrounding depictions of women reaching climax; she got around the stern American rating system that would have limited the scope of her film by situating the unmentionable topic within a comedy. Dancy's interest in the topic led to parallels between Hysteria and Cronenberg’s latest, A Dangerous Method: “In reference to the Cronenberg movie, it’s interesting that they’re dealing with hysteria but even with the time shift between the two movies, it’s completely different. In this case, it goes from a completely fabricated physical diagnosis, to an arguably fabricated psychological diagnosis.” What Dancy found most outrageous about the film was that men in the field of medicine were “without any irony, without any deception, diagnosing this nonexistent condition and doing what they were doing manually…failing to see there might be anything sexual about it.” With Gyllenhaal’s character serving as an advocate for women’s independence, the hilarity and strong social discourse of the film stems from everyone else's obliviousness.
18
ADVERTISEMENT
The Varsity
Back to School with Lenovo! ThinkPad Edge E420 Perfect for taking to class!
from $599
U of T special offer: Double the RAM for free! ThinkPad T420
Premium Performance!
from $1199
College St. CSC
Computer Systems Centre, 275 College Street. 416-927-8000 www.csctoronto.com
Spadina Ave.
Our Lenovo authorized service centre is always here to help!
arts@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
19
A Midseptember Night’s Dream UC Follies’ Shakespeare in the park is fun-filled, though a bit frost-bitten Brigit Katz ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR
The most obvious time to stage an outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream would be at some point during the summer months. Despite the season-specific nature of the play’s title, UC Follies decided to launch their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Hart House Circle on September 15, right on the cusp of the fall season. Initially, this choice of timing and location threatened to detract from the performance. It was uncomfortably cold on the play’s opening night, and while the stage was nestled beneath a canopy of trees that perfectly evoked the depths of a forest, it was also directly in the path of some distractingly noisy students making their way across campus. Fortunately, traffic in the Circle settled down not too long after the play began, and the actors performed with such spark, wit, and humour that it was possible to forget about the dropping temperature. The Follies’ production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens with the mythical battle between the Amazons and the Athenians, during which King Theseus captures the Amazonian Hippolyta and takes her back to Athens to be his wife. Shakespeare only briefly alludes to this conflict in the original text, but the Follies’ decision to bring Hippolyta’s abduction to the foreground of the action was a striking addition to a play that is clearly preoccupied with the complexities and injustices of gender hierarchy. But perhaps the most impressive part of the performance was the actors’ treatment of the comedy. Making 16th century Shakespearean humour palatable to a contemporary audience requires a thorough understanding of Shakespeare’s characters — their emotions, their intentions, and the meaning of their words. All of the actors in the Follies’ production seemed to possess this understanding, and they carried out their roles with a naturalness and energy that brought the play to life.
OLIVE LI/THE VARSITY
The Mechanicals (especially the character of Nick Bottom, played by Lauren Goodman) were consistently hilarious in their bumbling attempts to create a play for Theseus’ wedding, and Victoria McEwen skillfully captured Puck’s gleeful sense of mischief and his child-like reverence of Oberon, King of the Fairies. The actors also succeeded in drawing hu-
mour out of the less obviously comedic characters in the play. Helena is generally portrayed as weepy and morose, but in the Follies production, she is a source of comedy, stumbling around the stage, drinking from a flask and chasing after her uninterested beloved with a licentious determination. Titania, Queen of the Fairies, is played by a man (Shakir Haq) in drag, who saunters around
in an oversized wig, a multi-coloured skirt and, in one scene, a red silk leotard. The Follies’ production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream marks the first time the company has performed one of Shakespeare’s plays, and the first time they have taken a production outside. In spite of a few numb fingers and toes, there was much fun to be had.
The $10 Restaurateur with Laura Kathleen Maize The Phoenix, 1151 College Street
L
ast week I wrote about my favourite place to get bun in the city, and I mentioned that until quite recently, bun was my absolute favourite Vietnamese meal. I would only order pho (a big bowl of steaming broth with rice noodles and meat) on a cold winter’s night or when I was really sick. A good bowl of pho would soothe my sore throat, and the steam would clear my stuffed-up sinuses. Of the little pho I've had, however, I can safely say that none could measure up to the pho at the Phoenix Restaurant. The Phoenix (properly known as Pho Phuong Hoang) is directly across the street from Pho Linh and is much less busy, meaning a quieter space with better service and ambience — it makes me sad to
think of the people across the street who are drinking a second-rate broth. The rare beef pho at the Phoenix is phenomenal, and I know I’m not alone in this thought. The broth, rich in flavours, is more complex than I could have imagined. I could really taste the cinnamon, the ginger, and a hint of star anise. The broth is the soul of the soup, and alongside the thinly-sliced, rare-but-nottoo-pink beef, this bowl is the Aretha Franklin of pho. A small bowl, enough for any hungry girl or boy, will run you $5.95 — a bit pricier than some other pho offered in the city but worth every cent. Be forewarned, however: while their pho is the finest, the rest of the menu leaves something to be desired.
ADVERTISEMENT
20
The Varsity
U.T.S.U. is YOUR Students’ Union. We are governed by a Board of Directors elected by YOU. Our campaigns and services are shaped by YOU. Our aim is to provide services and events that save you money and enrich your university experience. The University of Toronto Students’ Union is holding its Fall 2011 by-elections to łHH PDe following positions:
SEAT(S)
POSITION DIVISION I New College
One (1)
Transitional Year Program (TYP)
One (1)
DIVISION II Faculty of Medicine
One (1)
Faculty of Law
One (1)
Faculty of Physical Health & Education
One (1)
Ontario Institute of Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE)
One (1)
To run for a position, pick up a nomination package during the nomination period at the U.T.S.U. KBł?A. Please keep in mind the dates and deadlines.
DATES Election Nominations (All Positions)
Friday, October 7, 2011, 09:00 to Friday, October 14, 2011, 16:00
Election Campaign Period
Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 09:00 to Thursday, October 27, 2011, 18:00
Election Voting Period
Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 10:00 and Thursday, October 27, 2011, 18:00
For more information, visit your Students’ Union website at www.utsu.ca or contact the Chief Returning ,Bł?Ar at cro@utsu.ca U.T.S.U. St. George OBł?A: 12 Hart House Circle Monday – Friday 09:00 to 16:00 Weekends CLOSED
arts@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
21
arts’ arts Catacombs by GLORIA SIMUNIC
Missing the Letter E By Mitchell Gauvin
—park caught conflagration (kids lit pixy sticks), can’t patch up a park with crappy plastic, had birds burn to a crisp glow bright akin to light bulbs, but what a flash what a wham, what a blast colliding kid bits and birds, skillful cynics insisting it’s blight on our backs as birds blow up randomly. Just boom and bam, bombastic bird parts bombarding downtown’s town folk bringing light to Bob’s dug-in porn shop. Spasms across all blocks as townsfolk flock for hot stocks of dirty books shots of odd knots and jobs a lot of us usually pass off that Bob shot his wad off on, what a blast that was.
I See My Eyes
By Bianca Lemus On the bus Lots of people
Hey, That guy looks like Pepe The King Prawn Wow Many groceries No Frills sales I love cheese Next stop, Groovy Grove Who are you? Guy in front No GTL, but i’d hate-fuck you Anyways
By Michael Labate
High school kids
I see my eyes beside my eyes from better days before the webcam window on the screen I live in where a personal library pauses faces to remember me when I can’t
Child services Oh tricycles! I remember those
I see my eyes in the eyes of the opposite pedestrian in shaved skin shaking his head like the lobotomized survivors bisecting the intersection policing the sparse streets’ meet I see my eyes as the eyes mechanizing the dead boy refrigerated with visiting fish to pay his tuition sell me stale cigarettes for automatic fire
Cars by GLORIA SIMUNIC
Tickets Sold on Mars
I see my eyes are electric still as in the dream where I’m made of mirror glass mosquitoes eat when I push the store door open when I push myself closed
Lots of people Want to go home Want to laugh At Pepe
22 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
VARSITY SCIENCE
science@thevarsity.ca
Why we use coasters How scientists are working to prevent the coffee-ring effect Fiona Tran VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Ever notice how a dried coffee stain looks like a ring? You take a long sip, spill a drop, and look up a while later to see that as the liquid evaporated, the particles suspended in the coffee drop moved to the outer boundaries of the drop and deposited there. Known as the “coffee-ring effect,” this phenomenon is not limited to table stains. From coating techniques to inkjet printing, it prohibits the even spread of particles across a surface as the particles accumulate at the edges of the liquid drop. As it turns out, this tendency is directly linked to a particle’s shape. In an article published in the journal Nature, Yunker and colleagues found that the more spherical the particles, the more pronounced the effect. When particles are more ellipsoidal than spherical, surface tension forces them to the air-liquid interface where they assemble evenly. To make an analogy to a coffee mug, ellipsoidal particles will move towards the centre of the mug’s curved bottom. The mechanics behind the coffee-ring effect were uncovered a few years ago. The liquid
adheres to the substrate — your table — especially the edges of the drop, which may attach based on the substrate’s surface roughness. When the drop adheres to the substrate, the drop radius remains constant. During evaporation, the liquid will tend to move from the center outward (as a result of surface tension) in order to replace any lost liquid at the edges. Yunker and colleagues targeted the surface tension that leads to the coffee-ring effect and manipulated the particle shapes so that the particles would self-assemble along the airliquid interface. Doing this increases the interfacial viscosity so that particles won’t disperse and create a ring; this works since increasing a liquid’s viscosity makes its particle suspension bind together more like mud than water. Benjamin Franklin demonstrated this principle of increasing interfacial viscosity to stabilize flows within a bulk of liquid when he poured about a teaspoonful of oil into a London pond, instantly causing the waves and ripples to disappear. The researchers evaluated how particle shapes, ranging from spheres to ellipsoids of varying eccentricity, influenced drop-drying
SEE ‘COFFEE’ P24
VARSITY SCIENCE
science@thevarsity.ca
Tomorrow’s Professionals Apply Today!
Apply Online! OMSAS www.ouac.on.ca/omsas/ Ontario Medical School Application Service
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
23
Two hearts for the same sexist team KEVIN GRACE explores the courtship between sexist heterosexual men and women
September 15, 2011: Last day to create an account for the online application October 3, 2011: Application deadline
OLSAS
www.ouac.on.ca/olsas/ Ontario Law School Application Service
November 1, 2011: Application deadline for first-year English programs February 1, 2011: Application deadline for first-year French programs May 1, 2012: Application deadline for upper-year programs
A
s it turns out, males keen on picking up casual sex partners ought to dispense with the romantic fluff and opt for a more caveman-like approach to courtship. In a recent study published in the journal Sex Roles, University of Kansas researchers Jeffrey Hall and Melanie Canterberry suggest that women open to engaging in casual sex are more attracted to men that employ assertive courtship strategies — strategies some may deem borderline misogynistic.
The study surveyed 363 male and female undergraduates at a mid-western American university as well as a nationwide non-college online sample of 850 volunteers. Both the students and non-college volunteers were given several measures to assess assertive courtship strategies. For example, participants were asked to rate either their reported use or attraction to strategies
SEE ‘TWO HEARTS’ P24
TEAS www.ouac.on.ca/teas/ Teacher Education Application Service
December 1, 2011: Application deadline for English programs March 1, 2012: Application deadline for French programs
ORPAS
www.ouac.on.ca/orpas/ Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs Application Service
(Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy/ Physiotherapy, Speech-Language Pathology) January 6, 2012: Application deadline
170 Research Lane Guelph ON N1G 5E2 www.ouac.on.ca
VICTORIA COLLEGE 20TH ANNUAL BOOK SALE 2011
5 DAYS OF HEAVEN FOR BIBLIOMANIACS!
Thousands of good books: used, new, old, rare! All subject areas; Amazing prices! Stock replenished daily!
(First night only -- admission $3; students free with ID) IN OLD VIC ALUMNI HALL & THE CHAPEL 91 Charles Street West (at Museum Subway Exit) For more information call 416-585-4585 vic.booksale@utoronto.ca Proceeds to Victoria University Library.
JENISE CHEN/THE VARSITY
Thursday September 22: 4pm - 9pm* Friday September 23: 10am - 8pm Saturday September 24:11am -6pm Sunday September 25: 11am -6pm Monday September 26: 10am - 8pm (half-price day!)
VARSITY SCIENCE
24 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 CONTINUED FROM ‘COFFEE’ P23 such as “not letting up” when a women becomes defensive, picking on a woman’s appearance or behaviour, and letting a woman know she is not in control. Results confirmed the researchers’ prediction that males and females who both harbour more sexist attitudes and have unrestricted sociosexuality (the degree to which individuals require closeness and commitment prior to engaging in sex), were more likely to report use and reciprocation to assertive courtship strategies. The aggressive courtship strategies explored in the study reflect popular maleoriented dating advice, namely, the bulk of Neil Strauss’s New York Times best-selling memoir, The Game. The book describes Strauss’s own training in the “art” of speedseduction. The so-called pick-up artists who mentored Strauss advocate that upon meeting a woman, a man ought to compete with other men for her attention, tease her with back-handed compliments and minor insults, and initiate sexual contact upon successfully isolating her from her friends. The study analyzed sexism from the perspective of ambivalent sexism theory, which claims that sexism is composed of hostile and benevolent components that reflect a deeply ambivalent relationship between men and women. Hall and Canterberry define hostile sexism as “negative attitudes toward women and an overt justification to preserve male privilege in the face of threats to patriarchal power.” So a male known to hit his wife is clearly a hostile sexist. Benevolent sexism, on the other hand, is what most of us would euphemistically call “chivalry,” according to researchers from the Washington, D.C.-based Society for the Psychology of Women. In an article published in Psychology of Women Quarterly, they warn that women may be benevolent sexists if their expectations of men include carrying things for them, performing car maintenance, or paying for the entire bill when out on a date. Aside from claims that benevolent sexism arises fas a response to hostile sexism, there are many worries that benevolent sexism, although
CONTINUED FROM ‘TWO HEARTS’ P22 patterns. Ellipsoids deform the air-water interface to create attractions between particles and become “stuck” to the interface. Even though the particles might flow to the edge of the drop, they effectively block each other’s way like a traffic jam and gradually blanket the surface of the drop. The same cannot be said for spherical particles, which clump together near the edges of the drop. This is impressive cocktail banter and all, but what is the practical significance of the study results? Simply including a small amount of non-spherical particles (as few as 0.015 per cent) can help strengthen the interfacial flow resistance enough to suppress ring formation such that one can spread a thin film of uni-
seemingly positive, is a threat to gender equality. A benevolent sexist man will put a woman on a pedestal in exchange for her subordination: she is wonderful and all, but must know her place. In a scenario where a woman must have sex in return for a man’s paying for dinner, both people are benevolent sexists. Both hostile and benevolent sexism were shown to predict a positive reception to aggressive strategies by women. Although hostile sexism is undoubtedly more condemnable, benevolent sexism may play a great role in promoting aggressive courtship strategies due to its widespread social acceptance. From a wider cultural point of view, it may not come as a shock that there are men capable of practising such backward sexual objectification. It is perhaps more counterintuitive to think that some women find these strategies suitable, even desirable, grounds for intercourse. In the case of undergraduate males, harbouring sexist attitudes did not predict use of aggressive courtship strategies but did predict a positive reception to aggressive strategies by female undergraduates. The results were confirmed in the larger national online sample. However, in this sample it was instead found that hostile sexism was indeed predictive of male-reported assertive strategy use. Since the online sample was taken to make the results more generalizable to the population, the authors suggest that this finding may indicate that sexism as a whole is more predictive of assertive strategy use. Despite the female reaction to aggressive courtship strategies, the results do not mean that heterosexual women must have a negative opinion of their own sex as some kind of prerequisite for finding speed-seduction pick-up cues attractive. The study was not trying to place a value judgment on the use of such tactics but instead investigated the characteristics of the initiating males and reciprocating females involved. The authors warn that one of the unfortunate implications of their study is that persistence of sexist attitudes, even subjectively positive ones, could serve to “socialize and make acceptable male sexual aggression” via the promotion of aggressive courtship strategies.
form coating. Because interfacial resistance to bulk flows takes place whenever liquid is in contact with a solid, we can transfer the findings to paints, coatings, and lubricants. The finding applies to food and consumer products, as many of them come in foams or emulsions — creams, lotions, hairstyling products, shaving foam, and so on. The popping of bubbles in the foam or drops in emulsions, caused by flow in thin films, can leave behind ring stains as well. Luckily, however, the addition of ellipsoidal particles have already displayed the ability to stabilize emulsions thanks to strong interfacial flow resistance. Manipulating particle shapes may eventually become a valuable widespread method to stop certain types of bulk flows that are caused by surface tension.
SCIENCE IN BRIEF USING VIRUSES TO FIGHT CANCER
A collaborative study conducted by researchers from Canada, the United States, and South Korea, published recently in the journal Nature, describes a way of using mammalian poxviruses to selectively eliminate cancerous tissues. Poxvirus JX-594 was genetically engineered to selectively infect and replicate in cancer cells as well as express transgenes that would result in tumour destruction. In a clinical trial, 23 patients with advanced metastatic solid cancers were given intravenous infusions of JX-594 of differing concentrations. Eight to 10 days after receiving the infusions, biopsies of the tumours were taken, and patients given higher doses of the virus displayed infection and transgene replication in the cancer cells. Scans taken of the tumours after infection also showed decreases in tumour size and metastatic tumour growth in the high-dose patient group. This study represents a novel system for the delivery of selective and biologically active cancer therapy. — Mina Park Source: Nature
science@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY SPORTS
sports@thevarsity.ca
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
25
McConville wins CIS and OUA honours Blues striker recognised for five-goal weekend Alberto Bustamante VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Varsity Blues women’s soccer player Eilish McConville won big with three awards, being named CIS, OUA, and Varsity Blues’ Female Athlete of the Week. The honours came after the striker scored five goals combined in games against the Laurentian Voyageurs and Nipissing Lakers over the September 10 weekend. McConville’s OUA-leading five goals have come in her first season as a Blue, though this is her second year studying medicine at U of T. She does, however, bring a wealth of experience to the team. McConville spent four years as a member of the Gaels soccer team while doing her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at Queen’s University. With the Gaels, she was named the CIS women’s soccer rookie of the year in 2003 and a first team All-Canadian from 2004–06. She also won two of Queen’s University’s most prestigious athletic awards, the Alfie Pierce Award in 2004 and the PHE ‘55 Alumnae Award in 2007. Every sports team goes through a transition period at some point. In university athletics, graduation inevitably leads to the loss of key players. A crucial component of championship success is consistency, as is a veteran leadership presence. McConville has stepped up to fill the latter role for the Blues. As the oldest player on the team (nicknamed ‘Grandma Rook’) McConville has proven to be an invaluable resource for her teammates, as they go through a transition period themselves. “I think I bring a lot of experience to the team,” McConville said. “Because the team has just had this coaching change and we’re going [in] a new direction for U of T soccer … I was excited to be able to be a part of that and hopefully bring my experiences from Queen’s … and bring a new winning attitude.” After leaving Queen’s, Eilish moved to Calgary, where she worked for an engineering firm for two years before returning to school, this time at U of T. Injuries kept her out of action in her first year. Fully recovered from a patella injury, she began training with the team in the winter semester of 2011. Some athletes never forget the moment they got involved in their chosen sport. Some, like McConville, have been doing it for so long that it’s hard to remember that moment. “The first season I played, we played seven a side. That’s all I really remember.” McConville played competitively for most of her youth as a member of the Ottawa Internationals and the Ottawa Furies. Soccer runs in the McConville family: one of Eilish’s two brothers currently plays as a defender for the McMaster Marauders. “We were sort of hoping the McConville’s
would take the OUA by storm this year,” she explained. “[McMaster] have done well so far this year, so I’m really excited for [my brother] but I can’t go see him play this year because I’m playing myself.” McConville was a multi sport athlete growing up, competing in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. The sports in which she really excelled, however, were soccer and tennis. “Tennis was kind of my winter sport, and soccer was my summer,” she explained. McConville eventually qualified to play in the Indoor Tennis national championships at the age of 14, but in high school she decided to focus solely on soccer. The decision to quit tennis was partly due to the benefits of playing a team sport as opposed to an individual one. “Tennis is a very demanding individual, mental sport,” she said. “On the other side I had soccer, where you have a team of girls who are really supportive of you, and you definitely get more of a camaraderie with the girls.” As for the advice ‘Grandma Rook’ has for student athletes aspiring to compete at the university level, McConville stresses that academics have to be the first priority. “What I would advise is [to] first pick a university that’s going to give you a university experience,” she said. “The number one goal of going to university is not to play soccer. It’s to get a good education and to learn the life skills that will help you later on in life.” That is not to say, however, that soccer should play no part. “If you have the opportunity to go to a university that is both going to give you that experience and have a strong soccer program ,then that’s obviously the ideal choice for you,” McConville said. “And then once you get there, put in the work — because it’s the stuff that you do outside of your time at university that is going to benefit you most on the soccer field.” The Gaels made it to the national championship tournament in three of the four years that McConville was on the team but only made it to the final in her last year. Despite scoring first, the Gaels ultimately lost the game. Still, among all her personal accomplishments, she counts “stepping out onto the field to play in the national finals [and] being able to share that moment with my teammates” as her greatest achievement of all. As is the case for any high-level athlete, the goal is always to win a championship. McConville now has a second chance at winning that final game, and has set the bar high for herself and her teammates. The OUA’s leading scorer has her sights set on winning both the OUA and CIS championships. “I love the feeling of scoring a really important goal in an important game. I don’t think there’s anything that I’ve done in my life that really matches that. It’s just exhilarating.”
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
ADVERTISEMENT
26
The Varsity
2011-‐2012 University of Toronto Students Union
OPT IN & OPT OUT your health PERIODS Students STARTING in SEPTEMBER:
AUG. 29 - OCT. 7, 2011 Students STARTING in JANUARY:
JAN. 3 - FEB. 3, 2012 OPT OUT at: studentplans.ca OPT IN at: U.T.S.U. 12 Hart House Circle For more information: Dan Gillespie health@utsu.ca 416-978-4911 ext. 227
utsu.ca/health
benefits
sports@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY SPORTS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
27
Write for Sports! sports@thevarsity.ca
CLASSIFIEDS EDITING EDITING, TUTORING, ACADEMIC PROPOSALS, GRAD SCHOOL APPLICATIONS, AND WORLD-‐CLASS RÉSUMÉS. Serving UofT community since 1983. Excellence Guaranteed. Resume_expert@consultant.com or 416/539-9443.
Blues quarterback Andrew Gillis scored two touchdowns during his game against the Gryphons. HAI BAO/VARSITY ARCHIVES
Gryphons singing the Blues U of T football comes out on top over Guelph Daniel Tsiokos VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Over 1,600 fans were on the edge of their seats throughout this past Saturday’s home opener between the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and the University of Guelph Gryphons. It was a nail-biter to the end, but Toronto secured a 21– 12 victory over the Gryphons, improving their record to 2–1 for the 2011-12 season. Fifth-year veteran quarterback Andrew Gillis led the charge, gaining 173 yards by air and 52 yards on the ground while adding two touchdowns to his stat sheet. The Blues’ defense also made a big contribution, sacking Guelph’s quarterbacks six times, and repeatedly shutting down the Gryphons’ offense, allowing Toronto to gain excellent field position whenever they got the ball back. Fourth-year linebacker Wilkerson DeSouza kept U of T’s defensive intensity at a maximum, leading all Blues players with 11 tackles. “We just kept bringing the pressure, and our defensive plan worked,” said DeSouza.
The game not only had implications in terms of the season’s record; the Blues were also looking to exact some revenge. In last year’s matchup between these two teams at Guelph, Toronto held a 13-12 lead late in the game, only to see it slip away as the Gryphons convert a field goal with six seconds to go to win 15-13. The Blues were determined not to suffer the same fate again, though the Gryphons certainly gave them a run for their money. Down 7–0 after Guelph blocked a punt from Toronto’s own end zone and recovered the ball for the touchdown, the Blues opened the second quarter with an 11-yard touchdown run by second-year running back Aaron Milton. Two and a half minutes later, Gillis scored on a play from a yard out, set up by a huge 49-yard pass to fourth-year receiver Michael Prempeh. Guelph came out for the third quarter with fire in their eyes, pushing Toronto’s defense all the way to their own two-yard line. Fortunately for the Blues, DeSouza recovered a
fumble, putting the Blues back on offense. Forced to punt from their own end zone again, Blues head coach Greg Gary — in his first year at the helm — elected to take a knee and concede a safety rather than risk another blocked punt by Guelph. The Gryphons trimmed the deficit to two points after converting a 33-yard field-goal in the fourth quarter, giving Blues fans a scare and no doubt reminding the players of last season’s loss. Gillis, however, would make sure there would be no repeat of last year’s result. Paul de Pass reeled in a 44-yard reception — the highlight of a six play, 84-yard drive by the Blues — and Gillis capped it off, rushing for a 25-yard touchdown with 47 seconds to go. This effectively sealed the win for the Blues and dashed any hopes Guelph had of making a comeback. “I approach every game the same, but this game had a little extra drive behind it,” said Gillis. “Getting this [win] definitely meant a lot to the team as well as to myself.”
EXPERT COPY EDITING SERVICES AVAILABLE TO GRADUATE STUDENTS FOR THEIR RESEARCH PAPERS AND DISSERTATIONS. Five years’ experience editing for both native and non-native speakers of English. Contact Patricia by telephone at (416) 922-2804, or by email at mbishop@rogers.com.
FOR SALE VINYL RECORDS & CDs High quality, hand-picked selection. Major & minor musical genres. We buy and sell. 3 minutes S of College & St. George, 18 Baldwin. 416-9792822. Around Again Records.
RANSACK THE UNIVERSE, 1207 BLOOR ST., LOWER LEVEL. 12-7 daily. Affordable funky furniture, retro decor, handmade crafty awesomeness, books, vinyl, unique gifts, unusual treasures. 10% off with this ad.
VARSITY CLASSIFIEDS
Cost $12.00 for twenty-‐five words. $0.25 for each additional word. Rates include one line of bold type for the ad header. No copy changes after submission. Submit ads by email, mail or phone. Ads must be submitted at least four days prior to publication. Varsity Classifieds, 21 Sussex Ave, Suite #306, Toronto, ON, M5S 1J6. Call 416-‐946-‐7604 or email ads@thevarsity.ca.
VARSITY SPORTS
sports@thevarsity.ca BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
28 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
OLYMPIAN JOHN BARRETT TO COACH MEN’S VOLLEYBALL Former CIS All-Canadian John Barrett has been appointed interim head coach of the Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team. Barrett first joined the program in 2006 as assistant coach while serving on the national team selection committee and coaching at the National Beach Volleyball Practice Centre. “I am grateful for this coaching opportunity,” said Barrett. “It is a privilege to be a part of a program with great history and to mentor these student athletes to strive for excellence. I look forward to improving in all sectors of the game, facing the challenges that lie ahead and building a team that will advance to the OUA playoffs.” Barrett played at the University of Calgary and on the national men’s volleyball team. Highlights of his career include participating in the 1984 Olympic Games and winning nationals while playing at the University of Manitoba in his final year. The Blues open their season against the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario on October 22, 2011. —Nicole Baker
HOME GAMES WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY VS. UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO Sat. 24, 11:15 am at Varsity Centre WOMEN’S RUGBY VS. MCMASTER UNIVERSITY Sat. 24, 1:00 pm on Scarborough Campus WOMEN’S FASTPITCH VS. UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO Sat. 24, 2:00 pm Syntex Green Park (Mississauga) TENNIS VS. UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO Sun. 25, 10:00 am on Scarborough Campus MEN’S LACROSSE VS. CARLETON UNIVERSITY Sun. 25, 2:00 pm at Back Campus
Who’s got game? She does Varsity Centre hosts event promoting fitness Zoe Bedard VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
As footballs and soccer balls were distributed along the edge of Varsity Field, “She’s Got Game,” an event aimed at recruiting women for the various University of Toronto Intramurals, kicked off. The nearly 75 participants were welcomed by upbeat music and a breakdown of the day’s activities, which ranged from Zumba to flag football to soccer. Zumba, a Latin-inspired workout combining salsa, merengue, and world rhythms, set the event in motion. The warm-up was particularly impressive in that it involved women of all abilities with its repetition of a series of basic steps. By the routine’s conclusion, all those participating were confident and successfully doing the workout. One student raved that the dancefocused exercise was invigorating and “got my body moving with a certain rhythm that I can take to the dance floor.” Some of the most popular women’s intramural sports were on display throughout the day as
participants engaged in a circuit featuring flag football, ultimate frisbee, and soccer. Students led by members of the flag football intramural team ran short routes along the goal line, and took part in a series of tackling drills. Centre field was occupied by a game of ultimate frisbee, preceeded by short lessons on proper throwing and catching techniques, while on the far side, attendees were put through a series of soccer drills before playing a short game. Cindy, a first year social sciences student and the winner of an iPod shuffle — one of several prizes awarded throughout the afternoon — said that she chose to attend the event because she wanted to maintain the high level of enthusiasm and social networking that she experienced during Frosh Week. Initially interested in joining the Varsity Blues badminton team, but fearful of the intensity of intercollegiate sports, she opted to test out some of the intramurals instead. Many of those in attendance were in first year, seeking a way to connect on what
can often be a daunting campus. While planning “She’s Got Game,” Michelle Brownrigg, the Director of Physical Activity and Equity, stressed the importance of equity, paying special attention to targeting commuters like Cindy, as well as international students. By holding the event on the Varsity Field, Brownrigg hoped to teach the women that the turf and track are not reserved for high-level athletes. “If they don’t know where to go when they first arrive,” Brownrigg said, “they will probably never come to the Stadium.” The goal of Caley Venn, a Physical Activity Ambassador, is to get students off the couch and create an environment in which they can train and progress at their own pace. As an ambassador, she strives to make people more comfortable with sports, since she has witnessed the positive attitude and increased motivation that grows from such involvement. In the hope of drawing in new members, Mohsin Bukhari, the Assistant Manager of Intramurals, organized a series of sports clinics that will be offered over the upcoming weeks for players of all abilities.
Intramurals specifically for women include volleyball, basketball, soccer, hockey, field hockey, and lacrosse. Elite players can try out at the tri-campus level, which involves a greater level of commitment and games between all three University campuses. Over the next few weeks, clinics, including those listed below, will be held across campus. After the event had wound down with a relaxing yoga session, a group of women, representing a wide range of skill and experience, trickled off the field with an increased sense of unity, eagerly awaiting all that intramurals have to offer.
CLINICS Thursday, September 22: 5–7 pm soccer (Front Campus) 7–9 pm flag football (Back Campus) Wednesday, September 28: 7 pm ice hockey (Arena) Thursday, September 29: 5–7 pm basketball (Athletic Centre) 7–9 pm volleyball (Athletic Centre)