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THE xaverian Nov 26 2015 Vol 124: Issue 7
OUR STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia O’Hanley xw.eic@stfx.ca
EDITOR: IZAAK MACMULLIN xw.news@stfx.ca
Terrorism vs civil liberties Allan Gregg explores the social impact of the War On Terror
MANAGING EDITOR Ryan Finn xw.managing@stfx.ca
IZAAK MACMULLIN News Editor
ART IST IC COORDINATOR Devon Chisholm xw.artistic@stfx.ca
The respected pollster and political pundit Allan Gregg stopped by StFX on Nov 3 to give a speech about an issue of great relevance to modern politics and the recent election: the impact that the War On Terror has on civil liberties. His visit was part of the Allan J. MacEachen Lecture Series. He argued that the Canadian government has been using the fear of terrorism to advance an agenda of increased government surveillance and powers like searches without warrants and detention without trial. He lays a great deal of blame on the Harper Government for this situation, but he takes issue with the laws the Liberals passed in the wake of 9/11 as well. This talk was given before the Paris attacks. The most recent government bill Gregg finds concerning is bill C-51. The bill has been highly controversial and subject to numerous protests across the country, including one in Antigonish last March. As he explains, “Bill C-51, which is facing a Charter challenge by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression and has been criticized from quarters as varied as former Prime Ministers, academics, and the federal Privacy Commissioner, lowers the bar even further on the exercise of preventative detention and investigative hear-
COPY EDITOR Molly Schreiber xw.copy@stfx.ca NEWS EDITOR Izaak MacMullin xw.news@stfx.ca OPINIONS EDITOR Emily Keenan xw.opinion@stfx.ca FEATURES EDITOR Paige Chisholm xw.feature@stfx.ca ARTS&CULTURE EDITOR Rachel Revoy xw.culture@stfx.ca DIST RACT IONS EDITOR Ty Kingston xw.distractions@stfx.ca SPORTS&HEALT H EDITOR Shelbi Kilcollins xw.sports@stfx.ca SENIOR REPORT ER Lauren Agnew xw.reporter1@stfx.ca SENIOR REPORT ER Rachel LeBlanc xw.reporter2@stfx.ca STAFF WRIT ER Sebastian Jurga xw.writer2@stfx.ca COLUMNIST Lindsay Johnstone xw.columnist1@stfx.ca COLUMNIST Caitlin Vance xw.columnist2@stfx.ca DIST RIBUT IONS MANAGER Devon Chisholm xw.distributions@stfx.ca xw.eic@stfx.ca for general inquiries xw.managing@stfx.ca for advertising xw.distribution.ca for subscriptions
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ings, and adds new weapons in the arsenal to be used in the War On Terror. Under this law, threatening national security will now include ‘interfering with the economic or financial stability of Canada’; a provision that some believe threatens legitimate protest. It also criminalizes speech that glorifies or
benefits to our safety, simply in the process of waging it”. He justifies his view that terrorism is not an overwhelming threat by citing data from the US State Department about the known casualties due to terrorism around the world. According to Gregg this data shows that “60% of the attacks and
A fearful, divided citizenry fights off uncertainty by protecting its own turf, politicians exploit this division by choosing sides and offering simplistic solutions to address these fears Allan Gregg | Pollster promotes terrorism; a provision that some believe poses a direct threat to free speech. “ When describing the government’s response to terrorist threats he claimed that “this over-estimation of the risk of terrorism and harbouring a fear of something that is 100 times less likely to occur than drowning in your bathtub creates a climate of hysteria that breeds calls for an equally irrational response – one that is completely out of proportion to the size of the threat.” In Gregg’s view the War On Terror is “a war that could cause more threats to our freedoms than
78% of the fatalities [due to terrorism] took place in five distant countries – Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria. In addition, the average attack killed only 2.5 people. So we also know that ‘terrorism’ is being played out predominately in areas of serious civil conflict and in Muslim countries. We also know that with a few exceptions, these incidents take place on a small scale and pose no immediate or consequential threat to the West. In fact, in 2014 only 24 US citizens were killed in terrorist incidents, all of them overseas.” The Western nations that have been hardest
hit since 9/11 are European ones. In his talk, Gregg outlined his fear that radicalization seems to come from elements of society that feel marginalized, and a lack of interaction between different ethnic groups. He uses an example from his own life to illustrate how people from different ethnic groups are separated in Canadian cities, even highly multicultural ones, saying, “I mean, I’m as guilty as anyone; I don’t have any Chinese friends, I don’t have any black friends, I don’t have any Arab friends. I live in Toronto! Help me! When you get on the subway it’s like the United Nations. But I live in a tiny little gentrified, hipster neighbourhood.” He contends that this separation of groups is problematic because it can lead to radicalization and also because politicians can exploit these tensions to win votes. As Gregg says, “A vicious cultural wheel therefore is turned by a political one. A fearful, divided citizenry fights off uncertainty by protecting its own turf; politicians exploit this division by choosing sides and offering simplistic solutions to address these fears; and the population seeks solace in the simplistic solutions. So instead of trying to bridge these differences through consensus and finding compromise based on reason, what we see all too often today is the politics of polarization, over-torqued partisanship and dogma.”
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Big time payout Sean Riley’s newly revealed contract raises questions IZAAK MACMULLIN News Editor Last week CBC news broke a story of potentially great interest to the StFX community. Through an access to information request, CBC reporter Sandy Smith gained access to the employment contract of the previous StFX president, Sean Riley. The newly revealed contract shows that on top of his base salary of $272,825 a year plus bonuses, Riley was entitled to a year of administrative leave every 5 years, and he could expect payment in lieu of taking this leave. As a result, when Riley retired he had received $1.2 million in payments for administrative leave he had not taken. According to professor Peter McInnis, a history professor at StFX and Chair of the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee at the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), the revelations about the level of compensation Riley received are disappointing but not surprising. As he says, Riley’s compensation “was known to some, and certainly known to me because I’ve been interested in this issue for a number of years…a couple things come up with this. One is executive compensation. Sean Riley, like a number of university presidents these days, didn’t come from an academic area, he wasn’t a practicing academic. He has a background in academics and he has an advanced degree but he was never a professor. So he’s an administrator, and he came from business, and he brought some business culture with him, and part of that was increasing the salaries of senior administrators, quite substantially, and bringing in a bonus culture.” McInnis feels this level of compensation is not appropriate due to the fact that universities are primarily founded by taxpayers, in order to educate the populace. As he explains, as the higher level administrators start to think of themselves more as CEO’s than public servants, “they get convinced that they should be paid like executives in the private sector, and that’s a
problem because universities are a public good. Even though universities have faced cutbacks over the years, the majority of the funding for any university, about 55-58%, is still coming from the federal government through transfer fees. It’s increasingly made up of student tuitions, but that’s still not even half. Some of it’s coming from industry.” McInnis also makes sure to emphasize that he feels that the very highly paid executives are at odds with financial reality at StFX. He says, “The question is, should university administrators like Sean Riley be paid like this? It is a really serious question. I don’t think they should be at a time when we are having layoffs. We had staff layoffs - layoffs of support staff at this university in 2013. We really reduced a lot of our staff. Its and inconsistency, you could say it’s hypocritical to say that ‘we’ve got to run a lean, mean machine, we’ve got to be very accountable’ and senior administrators are not being accountable.” Another aspect of Riley’s tenure that McInnis thinks deserves consideration is the fact that Riley sat on the board of Alnico Eagle Mines, a mining company, while he was president of StFX. “He is paid an annual retainer, and that can vary. It’s often over 6 figures, as well as stock options, which he can cash out and may be worth many times more than that. So, the question is, if you are paid to do one job, and paid very well to do it, should you actually be doing this other job when you are on the job? University professors can’t do that; it’s against the rules for us to have two jobs. So why are university presidents doing this, and does it compromise their ability to be impartial?” This issue could be relevant to students because the Nova Scotia government will soon be temporarily lifting caps on tuition in a procedure known as a “reset”. According to Brad Long, a StFX business professor, there is a strong possibility that tuition at StFX will be raised in the name of financial sustainability. As Long explains, “The
tuition has been capped for the last number of years. So they’re going to allow the universities to do a one time reset, and pick any number, any tuition number. I have no idea where that’s going to go, but it is a tough conversation because the universities are looking to get more revenue. There’s two sources of revenue, really; if the governments not going to pay more revenue than they’re going to look and see if students will.” Long also feels that the compensation Riley received is not appropriate, largely because of the guaranteed administrative leave option. According to Long, it has been compared to sabbaticals professors receive, but that comparison is not valid. Part of his reasoning is that professors cannot simply ask for cash in lieu of taking a sabbatical. Professor sabbaticals can also be denied, among other differences. Long outlines his objections, saying, “A sabbatical is to pursue a research project. You have to have a research plan, with the promise of some kind of productivity that
will result from that year…[But the administrators] get 20% of their salary as a bonus for not going on their leave, which is really what this was. It’s a 20% bonus, just for staying. Plus [Riley’s] contract had up to 30% bonuses on top of that for performance-related issues.” The Xaverian spoke to Troy Mrazek, the president of the StFX Student Union, in order to get his reaction to the news. He feels that the level of compensation provided to executives is within reason, saying via email, “I do believe the level of compensation at StFX is reasonable. All salaries of University employees over $100,000 are posted publicly. In comparison with other University administration compensation, current StFX admin are either in line, or less than average compensation in the province.” Mrazek is concerned with one aspect of this story, and that is the likelihood of tuition raises in the near future. However, he does not believe that tuition increases can be blamed on excessive compensation for administrators. As he ex-
plains, “in terms of tuition increases, we know they’re coming in some way, shape, or form. It’s our responsibility as the Students’ Union to lobby against these increases and advocate for accessible and affordable education here at StFX. I don’t see the salary expenses of University employees as the detriment to affordable education. Tuition increases come from government regulation and market competition, unfortunately. If the provincial University funding formula weren’t capped at a 1% annual increase, then we would see less financial hardship on student pockets and less incentive for University’s to fund their operations through their students. If tuition increases are coming, I would like to see the revenue invested to benefit students through student services and scholarships/bursaries, not debt funding.” The Xaverian has submitted a request for comment to the University spokesperson Cindy MacKenzie. We had not heard back at the time of going to press.
Photo: New Glasgow News
Solar panels on the SUB A message from the Sustainability Office MIKAELA HENDERSON & VICTORIA CULLEN Contributors Last year theU Sustainability Office dreamt up the idea to begin a green energy movement on campus through the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Bloomfield Centre. Initially, the project seem far fetched and more of an “idea” than an “action”, however, with the hard work of the Sustainability Officers
(Mikaela Henderson and Victoria Cullen) and a group of engineering students (Jasmine Dezeeuw, Joe Deering, Jenn Samson, Patrick LeClair and Erica MacIsaac) there are now 40 green energy producing panels sitting atop the Bloomfield Centre. This student-led initiative would not have been possible without the help of Facilities Management’s Kevin Latimer, who was always willing to lend a hand with research and sup-
port in any way possible. After several months of research, writing, and many back and forth emails, the group presented their report to the VP of Finance of StFX (Andrew Beckett) in the spring of 2015. The university was very impressed as well as excited to see the level of student initiative and gladly agreed to help turn this project into a reality. Once funding was secured from many valuable sources on campus, the group moved for-
ward and put the project out to tender; basically, looking for the company who was best suited for the project. Nova Sun Power (owned and operated by Robert MacKean) was chosen and the panels were installed in mid-June. Currently, the panels are producing enough energy to power a residential home. This means that the environmental impact of the Bloomfield is being directly offset, only months after the installation. Moving
forward, The U Sustainability Office and the Environmental Society hope to expand the solar field and continue to raise awareness and offer support regarding the importance of green energy on campus. Come check out the solar panel display at the Winter Famers’ Market! The Environmental Society and U Sustainability Office will be hosting a grand opening for the solar panels on Jan 20, 2016 at the INN; stay tuned for more details!
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Professors give refugees new home StFX faculty members work with SAFE to bring refugees to Antigonish LAUREN AGNEW Senior Reporter As the refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East continues to grow, governments in the European Union are facing a serious pressure to accept more displaced families. While some, like Germany, have offered to take significant numbers, many others are still hesitant to open their doors. Canada and the United States have been reluctant, committing to taking in only 25 000 and 10 000 refugees respectively. This is a fairly small number compared to Germany, which has already taken in over 450 000 and has pledged to take 800 000 this year. However, in Canada there are many people and organizations taking it upon themselves to raise money to bring refugee families to Canada.
The Syrian-Antigonish Families Embrace, also known as the SAFE Society, has pledged to do just that, and is currently raising money to bring one refugee family to Antigonish as soon as possible. Physics Professor Michael Steinitz, however, believes that this is not enough. In late September, Dr. Steinitz sent an email decrying the inaction of Canada in the face of the refugee crisis. The was a strong response was heard, and a committee of five professors was assembled, including Dr. Michael Steinitz himself, Dr. Norine Verberg, Dr. Linda Darwish, Dr. Elizabeth McGibbon and Dr. Joseph Khoury. The committee has been named “StFX for SAFE”, and is currently working in collaboration with the SAFE society to bring many refugee families to the Antigonish area.
At a committee meeting last Wednesday, representatives from faculty, staff, administration, and the student’s union discussed goals and fundraising initiatives in order to begin bringing families to Antigonish. The overall goal of $100 000 will allow for the support of 4 families, and with the promise of each family’s sponsorship of approximately $25 000 to be matched by the government. This funding will provide support for a year in Antigonish, including necessities such as winter clothing, housing costs, school supplies, and more. Dr. Kent MacDonald attended the committee meeting as well, and committee members were pleased with the amount of support received from the President, as well other members of the StFX community. English professor Dr. Joseph
Khoury said he was thankful for all the support the initiative has already received, and he believes that it “speaks to the best of human impulses to help and protect”. Nursing professor Elizabeth McGibbon added that she felt the commit was “follow[ing] STFX’s roots in social justice action and [demonstrating] our current commitment to humanitarian efforts locally and globally.” Although the committee acknowledges it is a challenge to achieve such lofty goals in such a short period of time, StFX for SAFE believes that the St.FX community spirit will be enough to pull it off. Many members of the committee also have a personal connection to, and understanding of, the refugee crisis, whether from relatives, previous work experience or family history,
making the achievement of the goal a “priority”, says Dr. Khoury. Those looking to get involved with the project can like the SAFE Society Facebook page, or email any committee member for more information. StFX for SAFE hopes to have specific fundraising events established soon, in an effort to reach the $100 000 goal as soon as possible. In the meantime, donations can be made directly to the SAFE Society at safefamiliesembrace@gmail.com, or via cheque, with tax receipts available for donations over fifty dollars. Any indication of involvement with the StFX community will direct funds to the “StFX for SAFE” account, helping to reach the goal of bringing at least four refugee families to the safe harbour of the Antigonish community.
Write for Rights: AMNESTy AT ThE TALL & SMALL RACHEL LEBLANC Senior Reporter On Nov 21 the Amnesty International Society at StFX, along with the community Amnesty group, hosted a Write for Rights Campaign at the Tall and Small cafe. Between 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM the society set up a booth in the coffee shop where people could write letters to convince government officials to release “prisoners of conscience.” Amnesty’s aim is to free those imprisoned for expressing their opinion, and to stop the use of torture and death sentences and end other human rights abuses. Corrina Degen, a second year development studies student and Amnesty society member, helped facilitate the event. “The event was pretty successful for a Saturday morning. We had quite a few students come in and write letters to either one or all three of the cases we had presented. Additionally, a few members of the community came in inquiring about what we were doing and some even wrote a letter themselves. We had about 30 letters written, going to the governments featured in these cases as well as letters of support for the people imprisoned. Awareness was the key goal for the day. Even if people didn’t have time to write, we were able to provide them with enough information and resources to participate on their own time. We wanted to show people that activism and social justice doesn’t necessarily mean doing big, grand, expensive charity work. Your words alone can make a difference, and turning to your
community for support can do wonders too.” Pens and papers were scattered about as students and community members alike were invited to help the campaign. StFX’s society looked at a variety of cases this year, where people were imprisoned for discriminatory reasons like gender or race. Those who decided to write a letter chose a case and wrote to the respective government in hopes of having it revisited and overturned. The aim of the Write for Rights campaign is to inform people that basic human rights and freedom are not granted everywhere, and to hopefully build a network of people to act against unfair imprisonments. On Saturday, members of the society met several people who took an avid interest in the campaign. One in particular stood out to Corrina. “A man came in with his young son, and asked us about the campaign and mission. The father allowed me to explain everything, and then took three cases back with him and his son. During their lunch, they worked on letters for all three of them.” The Amnesty society is planning more events for the nest semester, Corrina says. “We have connected with the Development studies society to combine our members and plan some events in the winter semester surrounding human rights and working with food security for Food Week. It’s a big, transitional year for the society; our president Amanda attended a conference in Halifax and brought back some fantas-
A UNIQUE JOB. AN ICONIC LOCATION. AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER. M R
Become a PARLIAMENTARY GUIDE Applications due January 15, 2016 This summer, be part of the action at the Parliament of Canada. Find out more and apply online at
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opinions
5 EDITOR: EMILY KEENAN xw.opinion@stfx.ca
Marginalization at Mizzou The continued prevalence of racism on university campuses
MALLORI INZINGA Contributor The University of Missouri, commonly known as “Mizzou”, has struggled with addressing race and diversity on campus for many years. The school did not admit its first African American student until 1950, 111 years after it was founded. On Sept 12, 2015, the Missouri Student Association president Payton Head wrote an impassioned Facebook post about being called the “n-word” on campus the previous night by a group of while males in a pickup truck. After several more students of color experienced similar encounters, coupled with silence and inaction from the Mizzou’s president Tim Wolfe, the faculty threatened to stage a walkout and the school’s football team pledged to boycott further football-related activities on campus. White-power students then took to Yik Yak to anonymously post threats such as, “I’m going to stand my ground and shoot every black person I see.” A walkout was organized by the student activist group Concerned Student 1950 and demonstrations were held to demand Wolfe’s resignation as president and protest racism on Mizzou’s campus. Incidents like these are not uncommon. Students of color
Photo: msnbc.com at Yale, Princeton, Ithaca College and University of South Carolina are also protesting racial injustices on campus and subsequent administrative inaction. But it is also not uncommon for white people to declare, “I’m not racist”, or “but I have black friends” when they don’t actively stand behind racism against people of color. However, by not learning from and understanding the experiences of those who are disenfranchised, especially when the experience is so different from one’s own, it is easy to involuntarily become a part of
the racism. The Mizzou riots brought to light discrimination that the majority of us will never experience. Prior to his resignation, Wolfe told a black female student that systematic oppression exists because, “you don’t believe that you have the equal opportunity or success in this world.” Wolfe, who is a middle-upper class white man and the president of a higher learning institution, is part of the majority that will never experience racism. He, along with the rest of the dominant group, upholds a system that works
in his favor. It doesn’t feel racist to those benefitting from it because white supremacy is an inherent part of our society, ever since both Canada and the United States were proponents of the slave trade. Many media outlets covering these riots express sentiments similar to that of Wolfe’s. They say that the real world is hard, racism isn’t real, and safe spaces don’t exist so be less sensitive. But the real world is undoubtedly much harder for anyone who is part of a minority group and faces dis-
Let us study, StFX How the university indirectly enforces party culture JULIA O’HANLEY Editor-in-Chief Does anybody else enter the weekend and say, “Oh crap, I actually have a lot of shit to do in the next couple days?” Well, unfortunately most weekends I do. So then why is it, for those of us who desperately need these 48-odd hours to cram information into our brains, that the library shuts its doors and meal hall keeps us out? Now that I’m in third year and finally living off campus, this thankfully isn’t as much of an issue for me anymore, although it still persists. My roommates often enjoy going out and destressing after a long week, and why shouldn’t they? They should be able to party and make all the noise
they want to when they have the time to do so. I, being the weirdo that always wants to study, would normally perch myself in the fourth floor of the library in these instances, say, if they happened on a Wing Night or Thirsty Thursday at the Split Crow. But for those of us who want to be productive into the wee hours of the weekend, our serene study space is no more. Well then, why don’t you just go to the SUB? Great idea, muchos problemo. TheU has this newfound fascination with SuperSUBs, thus rendering the space unusable. And besides, if all of us who would prefer to be in Angus L. decided to pile into Bloomfield even on tame evenings, we’d soon find ourselves sitting three to a chair: the place just isn’t big
enough to house all of us. So, studying ends at 10:00 PM on Fridays and at 8:00 PM on Saturdays. Combine this with meal hall’s delayed 11:30 AM opening on weekends and you’ve lost just about half of your weekend if you live in residence. Again, spending my first year in Bishop’s and second in Power, I at least had a kitchen to make breakfast if I was really in a pinch. But for those living in more traditional residences, or people (like myself) who would rather spend their overpriced, mandatory meal plan than invest their minute funds at Sobeys on Tuesdays, this situation is a little ridiculous. First the university shuts off study spaces earlier than usual, and then we can’t even eat until almost lunchtime.
So what do you expect us to do, StFX? I guess we might as well all just go out and drink. If there is ever a discussion in the future where the university administration want to put a synch in this excessive party culture we all know we are a part of, then maybe they should allow us to be productive while the rest of our residence, apartment, or off-campus house uses their time as they please, and then wake up at a decent hour in the morning to get started again.
crimination on a daily basis, especially if students of color can’t safely get to class each day to receive their education. For most of us, these riots are something to read about in the news. For students of color, the actions that cause riots like those at Mizzou are part of their reality. Confronting racism needs to be an everyday reality for all of us who are lucky enough to have never experienced it. It is our duty to be agents of change so that the playing field is leveled, and so that marginalized people are no longer marginalized.
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Life without literacy Millions of Canadians can’t read this headline LINDSAY JOHNSTONE Columnist What if you could not read? What if you were unable to understand what numbers signify? How far would you get in this world? I’ve often tried to imagine what it would be like to walk in an illiterate person’s shoes even for day. Try as I may, however, I am unable. Privileged as I am, it is impossible for me, or for any other literate person, to fully understand an illiterate person’s perspective. That being said, I can try to gain some insight on what it means to be illiterate. Our society is based almost entirely on being able to read. Wherever you go (or don’t go, for that matter) you have to know how to read and how to make sense of what you read. When you are shopping for groceries, you have to read labels and know basic math skills. When you are travelling one place to another, you must understand geography, which involves reading. Even when you stay at home and don’t go anywhere, you still require basic reading skills. When cooking, you typically have to read the back of a box with instructions on how to cook your food. Sometimes you even need a recipe from a cookbook, a task that involves a
lot of reading comprehension. Without this ability to interpret text and put it into practice, there could be serious consequences in the kitchen. If food is undercooked or not cooked properly, it is possible you could get food poisoning. Or worse: you might cook something for too long and have it start a fire. Even the simple task of watching television involves reading. The TV guide obviously requires reading, but what if you want to watch a show or movie that is in a foreign language? Subtitles are on the bottom of the screen, but if you can’t read then you are probably out of luck in understanding what is going on. Rarely do we have imagebased instructions to illustrate what is being conveyed. We are a society based on words and comprehension, which turns out to be problematic when over 40% of adult Canadians are estimated to have low literacy. Is this problem the individual’s fault? No. When millions of people share in the problem of illiteracy, it becomes a societal issue. I have worked hands-on with some people who were illiterate. At university, you are completely immersed in literacy, and so working among folks who never completed grade school was a big change.
Photo: decoda.ca Can you imagine trying to raise a child if you are illiterate? You would have limited ability and resources to help them with their homework, communicate with other parents, and never mind health care literacy. If the child is ill, how is the illiterate parent supposed to know how much medication to give them? When meeting with individuals who were illiterate I could hear the pain in their
voices. The frustration is very real to them. Each and every day they have to grapple with the challenges of being illiterate in a society where literacy is taken for granted. Now that is a difficult life to live. If ever you are somewhere where you are required to read, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone came up to you one day and said something like “Excuse me, I forgot my glass-
es, can you read this for me?” Know that this could be an indication of illiteracy. Reading is a gift, writing is a gift, and helping others who don’t have what you have is probably the most rewarding gift you will ever experience. Literacy is something we should not take for granted. There are many who will never learn how to read and write. Be thankful that you can.
Kerrick, Daniel Pantaelo, Ben Fields and those who have unrightfully injured or killed while on the job are not police officers. They have disregarded the written code and ethical standard intended to ensure citizens are kept safe. Their actions speak to a larger issue of institutionalized racism throughout America, but when it comes down to it, they were improperly armed individuals on a narcissistic power trip. The media chooses to focus their reports on these cowards and in doing so drown out the voices and actions of those who fulfill their duties with a code of ethics that go above and beyond what is asked of them. In all sectors of society - religion, medicine, politics, or others - the media allows the minority who warp a thoughtful and just frame-
work for their destructive motives to pervade and saturate our consciousness, resulting in the formation of skewed opinions. There is no denying that institutions like defense forces must be viewed with a critical eye, but so too do the channels through which we are fed information about them. I acknowledge that brutality by police forces driven by racial privilege persists but I refuse, just as I disregard groups like the Westboro Baptist Church as honest Christians, to identify them as true officers. I once again return to my moderate position. I protest the women and men who wear a badge and inflict inexcusable harm on innocent people, but I celebrate those who like my Dad, who refuse to be jaded and honorably follow out their role as safeguards of justice.
No more good cop? Why I celebrate my father and condemn assholes with guns SHELBI KILCOLLINS Sports&Health Editor I am the granola crunching, anti-Lowell Green, treehugging daughter my father was scared to raise. Although I have oscillated dramatically between both ends of the political and social spectrum, I now simply adhere to the facts and policies that best align with my set of national priorities and reflect my continually evolving morals, regardless of the political label they technically earn. Whilst engaging in small talk over the last two years, I have found myself hesitant to discuss what my parents “do” whenever the question gets brought up. My father is a former sniper and staff sergeant for a metropolitan tactical unit. He dressed in a uniform that seemed to be the cross of a ninja, soldier, and Inspector Gadget each morning and set
out the door with a full heart and clear intentions to get the bad guy. In the past, his career would pump adrenaline through my body when I had the opportunity to profess all the evil he confronted and combatted. However, as increasing stories and videos of police brutality began to flood the media, I began to silence this familial pride. My rifle-holding father is a feminist - whether he labels himself as one or not - who continually advocates for equal pay, texts me about the latest documentaries on sexual assaults across campuses, and is a major proponent for increased female leadership among athletics. He dedicates hours to ensure raids happen smoothly and without disturbing innocent bystanders. Throughout his entire career, my father has argued for an increase in tasers, not because he believes
officers should have more power, but in order to eliminate as many reasons as possible to reach for a gun. My father was the first person to oppose the relaxed laws surrounding pedestrian gun use in the United States. His understanding of guns is that they are deadly weapons to be used in times of dire need, not for unnecessary and brutal, prejudiced violence on behalf of those who wear a badge. We seldom see the pedophiles he and his coworkers have removed from society, the physical force he didn’t use after being spat at during a protest, the criticism he gave his fellow officers when poor choices were made, or the confrontations he has had with cruel individuals who have yet to trump his bravery. My father is a police officer. Michael Slager, Randall
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I can’t, because November RACHEL LEBLANC Senior Reporter Is it just me, or is everyone else also going mad with high stress, guilt, homesickness, emotional rages, broke wallets, and broken hearts all in the month of November? The lingering time between Halloween and the holiday season is often associated with intense nostalgia, not-so-exciting winter coat shopping and flu-like symptoms as the temperature drops. You would think Canadians would be better prepared by now, right? While I applaud those who optimistically await the holiday season, I have come to a conclusion about November: it is really shitty. And I know I am not alone in saying this. Each year, between 10 and 20 percent of people are affected to some degree by Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is a mood disorder in which people who have standard mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms
in the winter or summer. As soon as November is upon us, the drop in temperature and diminishing daylight are enough to frustrate and sadden many. The academic workload also begins to pile up in November, only intensifying the misery and anxiety before exam season. By November, students are just beginning to recover from October’s midterm tests, while others are cramming for long research papers with fast-approaching deadlines. We are all checking our MesAmis accounts to see how well, or not well, we are doing in class. We long to see home again and crave that comfy bed of ours. While it seems obvious that November has an incredible impact on the mental health of students, are we doing enough to mitigate it? As the misery makes a visit every year, why are we failing to address the issue and trying to change the mood? For students, November means a loss of motivation, self esteem, and energ y
Photo: fitnesswithaviewsc.com to complete assignments. Many college students are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health’s nationwide survey in 2011, 30% of col-
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lege students reported feeling “so depressed, it was difficult to function.” Well, it’s 2015 - and we are still trying to finish three papers in two days then write a math quiz and do a business presentation by the weekend and, you know, sleep. Universities across Canada are failing to address this problem for students. When November sneaks up, students who intend on working hard simply can’t because they experience seasonal depression. A student’s educational outcomes depend on his or her wellbeing. If universities are seeking to maximize their gains from student success, they need to look after the mental health of their students. Many institutions have demanded formal university mental health policies be
implemented and along with increased funding for student welfare services. One of the most important things we can do, however, is support students and let them know that their mental health is more important than that paper, math quiz, or business presentation. The good news is this: we are almost done with November. The bad news: we are going to have to deal with it every year. The dreary minds of students in the month of November are very good reasons for universities to review their priorities when it comes to students’ mental health. Counselling, student support, and raising awareness should work towards making students feel comfortable focusing on their mental health. Hang in there, kids.
Food for Thought ON THE POPULAR DISCOURSE The media may be our only source of information about what’s happening on the other side of the world, but that doesn’t mean we should believe everything we hear. Fear mongering was not limited to the Harper government; it is inherent in our so-called ‘liberal democracy’. Take everything you read with a grain of salt, especially when it endorses our Western bias. Remember that the media is controlled by those who benefit from the current status quo, and that they edit the discourse to their advantage and to serve their interests. Stay critical, StFX.
ON DOG DENS The only opinion I have is that there needs to be more dog den days on campus. ON DAYLIGHT SAVINGS I get that this whole Daylight Savings Time thing is supposed to be beneficial, but as a student who never wakes up before 10am, it ain’t doing a whole hell of a lot for me. THINGS TO DO Take a deep breath. Remember that in less than a month it will be Christmas.
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SLUT: The Play thursday november twenty sixth, 2015
Article: Rachel Leblanc Features Editor: Paige Chisholm In less than a month, students and faculty members will be invited to attend the Bauer Theatre’s presentation of SLUT: The Play. The production recounts one night in the life of 16 year old Joey Del Marco, when she began drinking with long-time friends and ended up on the bathroom floor, covered in vomit with her underwear in hand. This raw, immediate, ground-breaking yet breathtaking production should be on every single student’s calendar this fall, and I would like to tell you why. On a rainy Sunday evening, I sat down with the director, Ryanne Chisholm, to talk about the play while the actors and stage crew took a brief pause from rehearsals. What I wasn’t prepared for was how hard this would all hit me - a play about sexualized violence that I believed I had never played a part in - was striking a chord. The Xaverian Weekly: What is the background to this play? Ryanne Chisholm (Director): This play was developed through a process that this theatre company - run by two women in New York developed at a high school with teenage girls. So the first thing that we say about this show is that it was developed with real teenage girls, which is why the characters speak with what I’m referring to as ‘authentic language’. [The girls] swear, they talk about sex, they call each other stupid bitches. These are real teenage girls in the real way they interact with each other. I think what’s really lacking both in the literature surrounding sexual violence and slut shaming is the ability for teenagers to recognize themselves in the world that is being told to them. This is what happens and these are the dangers, and it’s often told in such a way that someone goes, ‘That’s not real life.’ That is what’s really unique about this play. The other thing is, I think, because it is aimed at everyone [though the characters in the play are all young women], this is about educating both young women and men about consent, about slut shaming, and how we treat young men and women in their views around sexuality. This play itself takes place following the sexual assault of the lead character, 16 year old Joey del Marco, who is played by Laura Pichette. It follows the kind of rumour mill and fallout that happens after a sexual assault that she experiences at the hands of two of her good friends. This is the most typical kind of assault, which everyone knows, but what’s really unique about this play is we actually see it; we can understand that these are guys she has known her whole life. This is not to demonize men and victimize women, but to actually talk about a situation in the way it actually happens. There’s also a lot of dialogue in this play about being a bystander, which is part of the main focus of a lot of research. It has changed in 2015 in the way we all talk about it. It isn’t that sexual violence is something new, but the online media presence of young people is new, and the fact that everyone’s business becomes everyone’s business and everyone gets to weigh in on it...
stages, both from young men and women, which is something that’s really important. We’ve spent an awful lot of time in our culture to teaching young girls how not to get raped, which isn’t something you can teach. We have not done enough education around teaching men and women what consent is, and where those lines are because the majority of sexual assaults happen at the hands of someone that the young woman or man knows. This play doesn’t talk specifically about sexualized violence against men, but that’s a whole other big problem that we do discuss in a lot of our talk back. The kind of shame that has accompanied that kind of sexualized violence which has layers upon layers of other issues involved. The idea is that this is conversation young women and men should be having together, and there isn’t a spot for that in our culture right now where we educate people that way. One of the statistics I like to mention is, most people have heard it by now, but 1 in 4 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. But the statistic has actually changed - 1 in 4 women will be sexually assault before she graduates from high school. This tells us the conversations about sexual education and violence is not happening young enough. There are very few instances where sexual education has anything to do with consent. And that’s a whole level of education. It’s about ‘don’t get pregnant, don’t get STD and/or don’t have sex at all.’ If we are ignoring the option that teenagers can choose to have sex, then we are ignoring the conversations about the safest ways to do that for yourself, and what consent is and all of those things. That’s really what this play aims to do as well - to broaden the perspective and also to just have that discussion. There are too many of these things happening, and no one is really talking about. That’s why my goal with this play is, if nothing else, I don’t want a single person leaving this production saying ‘wow, those girls in New York have it tough.’ This isn’t about girls in New York - this is about teenagers everywhere. And so, because of that, we have taken out any reference that sets the play specifically to make it more general to make it clear we are talking to people everywhere. We are not setting it in Antigonish, Nova Scotia; we are setting it in Canada. XW: You talked about how it is really important to acknowledge the surrounding members. What kind of message are you trying to drive home for the audience that would, more often than not, play a role as a bystander?
RC: What this play does is it shows you the reality, and what it doesn’t do is tell you what to do about it. Which is kind of interesting; we are starting the discussion. There is a key example of a bystander in this sexual assault, but many people, if they have never been a victim or perpetrator, will have been bystander to a certain extent. What I mean by that is seeing a girl or guy, who is really drunk leaving with someone who they don’t know well, makes you a bystander. This brings up the discussion around bystanders, which hasn’t been talked about a lot in this kind of national discussion of sexual violence. It shows the audience the life of a bystander - that bystanding happens - and from the audience’s perspective it is kind of unbelievable that this bystander isn’t doing anything. But in reality, that is quite common, and there is this crowd mentality about how you deal with that. It poses the question, ‘What should the bystander have done? What would you do as a bystander?’ Just by bringing it up, everyone in the audience should be able to relate to some character in the play that way, and basically from the responses I have read, there was a lot of letters written from students with the perspective of a bystander saying they had so much empathy for him, and what he did was wrong. A lot of people have said they feel the best way to change the culture of slut shaming and sexual violence is by educating bystanders. The more you have that are well educated on sexual violence, the less sexual violence will occur in these types of settings. We are talking about parties, where there are lots of people around. Maybe it’s the friend of a roommate; we all know that you can be in a situation where later you might find out something 'went down’ with someone, and you might be like, ‘Oh, she was pretty drunk,’ or, ‘She was asking for it.’ If we can actually educate bystanders to a stronger degree, it might have a stronger impact on sexual violence in general. There’s this sense of not knowing when it is your place to speak up, or who you should speak up to. It’s all grey area, and I think this brings light into that grey area. It’s one main focus of the play many will watch and it will kind of dawn on them. We understand what’s good and bad, but it’s the grey areas that we get confused with. It’s in the grey areas that sexualized violence happens. And I left, heading back out into the rain, c h i l l e d . I am chilled by knowing how every single person on campus has, in some way or another, been affected by sexualized violence. Whether we are the victim, the perpetrator, or the bystander lingering, for every incident there are many, many ways to stop this. And yet, we don’t.
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The production follows the memories of a 16 year old victim of sexual assault, but SLUT: The Play explores much more than that. Slut shaming, sexualized violence, our media presence, and the fine line we walk on through it all is a painful, vivid reality for young people today. There is more to an instance of sexualized violence and rape - a story behind it, in front of it, fragile friendships and wounded spirits. Mental illness ensues and there are risks involved and way too many people not doing anything at all. We are in 2015 - why is this still a problem? As Chisholm says, we see girls and guys drunkenly step out of the bar with someone, but no one says anything. We just watch what might very well be an act of sexualized violence flash before our eyes. Especially with media’s role, sexualized violence and slut shaming is impossible to
SLUT: The Play will be performed from Nov 26 to Nov 29 and again on Dec 4 and Dec 5 at 8 PM in the Bauer Theatre. I really, really hope to see you there.
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thursday november twenty sixth, 2015
culture
EDITOR: RACHEL REVOY xw.culture@stfx.ca
You can’t always have it your way with cupid A lesson learned from letting love happen in unexpected ways ALEJANDRA TORRES Contributor “Welcome to Burger King, have it your way. What would you like to order?” This is the message that we have received countless of times when we’ve had a midnight snack drive through Burger King. This food franchise takes on their slogan of “Have it your way” very seriously. Whenever you order a meal you can adjust it to your own personal taste. You are able to add more of this, remove that, make this larger or even smaller. It is their job to satisfy your requests. Over the last couple of years I’ve noticed a phenomenon that goes around in the dating world. I would describe this situation as the “blindly unsatisfied customer syndrome.” In order to understand this metaphor we would have to think of the dating world as if it were a business, just like a fast food restaurant. The restaurant provides a very extensive menu that offers several options for you to choose from. When you, as a customer, arrive at this restaurant you order a meal, but begin to ask for different variations of the meal presented. As a customer you are never satisfied with what the restaurant offers originally, so you feel the need to adapt and tweak the product to your own liking. This is exactly how many treat the dating world – as their personal fast food restaurant. Have you ever noticed that whenever you address the subject of love or dating with a group of people there is always someone
who can’t seem to find the right person? This individual will constantly complain about not being able to find their perfect match. As young adults, most of the time we have a certain stereotype or mold inside our heads of what our ideal partner would be like. The worst part is that we might even miss out on finding a great match due to our prejudice of looking for a specific type. As humans we take our free will very seriously, and try to apply it into everything we do. We feel as if we have this sort of power over our lives because we own our decisions and even our mistakes. This sense of being powerful creates an illusion inside our mind that we are able to take control over every single aspect of our life. In relationships, we blindly believe that we can choose who to fall in love with or even change little aspects of a person in order to create our “dream partner”. But in reality, we are completely vulnerable beings when it comes to love because Cupid does not abide to what we incessantly ask. Cupid does not work at Burger King and say “Have it your way”. Cupid, if this cherub of love were to exist, would visit at your door on the most unexpected occasions. You know how many say, that love will come when you least expect it? Well, I know a lot of us rolled our eyes whenever we were given that advice, but it is actually very true. Love will not only come when you least expect it, but it might come in a completely different mold than you had pictured. And at first you might take a step back, and try to reject
the fact that you might be falling for the one you least expected or even the one you said you would never fall for. Your mind will create this endless list of pros and cons, and you could even try to convince yourself that you are not falling for this person. You will stay up all night asking yourself, “Why is this person, who is completely different to what I had pictured, still stuck in my head?” But Cupid is a very persistent worker who always gets his job done. Sometimes we try to shut ourselves down from the external world when things aren’t going our way. We might try to shut someone out, not because we actually believe they are too different from our “ideal mold,” but because we are afraid of taking a leap of faith into the unknown. We are afraid that things will start to divert from this straightforward plan we had organized inside our heads. This fear will slowly creep into your soul, and it might prevent you from stepping out of your comfort zone to get to know someone. But the truth is, there is nothing wrong with being scared because deep inside we all are. On the other hand, it is not okay to let this fear win over and prevent you from taking that jump. This mold we create throughout our lives is based on things we want in our ideal partner. We list a group of qualities that they must possess and a group of traits that they shouldn’t. The problem with these molds is that they encompass what we want, but not what we need. And sometimes what we
need comes in a completely different package from what we had pictured. This shouldn’t discourage you or cause you emotional stress; instead, you should embrace the opportunity. Take a risk and enjoy the journey it brings. We cannot control who we end up falling in love with; it just happens. It is those surprises that will cause you to view things from a whole different perspective. This might sound like a completely fabricated and cliché advice, but it is very true. Cupid personally decided to shake my world with the most unexpected person in my life, and two years later I now call that person my boyfriend. My boyfriend and I met two and a half years ago and I wasn’t very fond of him, to put it in nice terms. I couldn’t see him or even hear his name without having unfriendly thoughts run through my mind. Ironically enough I ended up sharing a missionary trip with him where we lived together for a week. It wasn’t all butterflies and roses after that, but we both knew that our blossoming friendship wasn’t a coincidence. Fast forward to now. We are currently in a long distance relationship; he is in Honduras (my home) while I am a student at StFX. It would be a huge understatement to state that he is completely different to the person I envisioned falling in love with. We are entirely opposite poles in almost everything. He studies engineering and likes numbers while I study arts and fantasize about words. I love watching movies and TV shows, but he will only
Budget survival guide Looking like a million bucks without spending it ALYSSA HILTZ Contributor With StFX events like the Catalina Wine Mixer and the Bishop’s Ball just behind us, and holiday parties, X Ring, and Two Year’s Eve in our future, dressing up without blowing the student budget is oftentimes difficult. Everyone wants to look their best to impress, but most of the time that requires them to spend their hard-earned money on overpriced clothes and accessories. When in doubt, wear black. The always-reliable black dress is an excellent choice. Slipping this on allows the wearer to add a pop of color through earrings and shoes. Bright flowers and neon colors are not appropriate for the autumn and winter season. They will cause the outfit to stand out in an unflattering way. Wearing print like lace, dark floral, vertical or horizontal stripes
are the styles to look out for. But, solid colors should never be overlooked. This is a perfect opportunity to add some personal touches. Accessories can make or break an outfit. Slipping on a couple small bracelets, a necklace, a petite belt around the waist, and/or a scarf will not cause a chunky layered look. Accessories should add and not take away from an outfit. This also helps save money because of the absence of the need to buy a closet full of just things to add to clothes. Makeup is an issue when trying to find the proper look for an outing. It should be used to accentuate a person’s features. Simple makeup is always in style, so go for a natural look. This will not only make you look classy but it will be easier on your wallet as well. Makeup from drug stores are as good and possibly better than popular, high priced brands like Estee Lauder, MAC cos-
metics, L’Oreal, Mary Kay, and Chanel. Cosmetic brands to watch out for are Covergirl, Elf cosmetics, and Revlon. These companies do an excellent job at creating great makeup and brushes at affordable prices. When it comes to nice nails it’s the same as makeup: make it simple. A clear coat, black, or even nude shade is fine as it doesn’t take away from the overall attire and won’t take up much room in a drawer or makeup bag. Manicures are pricey at times so instead go to Sobeys and buy a four-sided buffer block. It manually smooths, buffs, and shines fingernails and is less than five dollars. For men looking for tips, a three piece suit is very unnecessary. Save that look for a wedding - not a dinner or university event. White button up dress shirts are classic and handsome but if you want to add some color into your attire,
chose a deep red, or blue. Stripes or checkered patterns are also fitting as well. Incorporate it into the design of the shirt or tie. If the shirt is red have some red in the tie as well. Having too many designs will make the outfit look too busy. A wool vest is a great investment as it adds color and will keep the user warm as the temperature is getting chillier. With the fancy events soon to be underway for the holiday season, know that you don’t need a million bucks to look like a million bucks. Wear your confidence, and a smile for the best look.
turn on the TV to watch a soccer or football match. To put it in “stereotypical” expressions, he is a jock who wears blue polo shirts and beige preppy pants while I am a sort of rebellious hippie with big curly hair and purple lipstick. Cupid didn’t even take a look at my list when he knocked on my door, and I’m actually grateful he didn’t. My boyfriend might not have
Cupid, if this cherub of love were to exist, would visit at your door on the most unexpected occasions.
been what I originally “wanted” but he was what I needed. He calmed my nervous ways, brought me peace and security, and also brightened up my moody manners. The least expected individual in my life turned out to be the one for whom I would risk everything now. If I hadn’t taken the unknown road then I would’ve never experienced genuine happiness, as I have with him. So when Cupid sends someone unexpected your way do not close the door on his face. Instead, shake off your fears and doubts and make a left turn when you’ve always turned right. In the end, you never know where an unfamiliar road might lead.
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Sustainability at Pachamama Environmentally beneficial cafe
ELLA MALTBY Contributor The new up-and-coming café Pachamama is the answer to your prayers. They have made the impossible dream of eating healthy chocolate a reality. They have a seemingly endless stock of organic, fair trade tea that will warm you up in the cold winter months ahead. Their delicious homemade vegan meals are made from scratch every morning, and are mostly supplied by local farmers. All of this is all done while being environmentally friendly. We have owners Leanna Braid and Adam McCannel to thank; their innovative and ethical approach to building their business has struck home for a lot of people living in Antigonish. When Braid and McCannel renovated the building they employed local carpenters and trades people to use Nova Sco-
tian wood to avoid using environmentally unfriendly materials such as plastics and chemically processed wood. They invested in sustainable technology by using a heat pump as their main energy source. It’s not just the building that is environmentally-sound, but the products they sell and the food they make. When you buy meat and dairy you are contributing to the deforestation and water contamination that can occur as a result of building and maintaining farms. For this reason Leanna and Adam decided to make only vegan food, use as much locally produced food, and if they cannot access the ingredients they need locally they only invest in organic, fair trade organizations. With health as another concern, their internationally bought ingredients also come in raw form to avoid preservatives and processed foods.
Pachamama is driven by a vision, where the safety and health of the environment is necessary before the goal of profiting. Braid and McCannel do not work with other businesses without doing research on them, making sure that they share their ethical standards. A family-owned Canadian company that fits their set of standards, known as Grosche, supplies them with tea products (such as tea pots and ware) and pride themselves on being carbon neutral (for every coffee maker they sell, they will plant a tree). They are not leaving any stone unturned; thinking of the impact everything they use has on the environment. One thing a lot of people would not even think about is packaging, which is can be detrimental for the environment so this was a big concern for Pachamama. They’ve accomplished the im-
pressive feat of being 75-85% waste-free in their packaging, and don’t plan on stopping until they reach 100% waste free. Pachamama is driven by environmental and health initiatives, so you can be reassured that when you buy from there you are not only supporting a local business, but also supporting local farmers, fair trade
organizations, and sustainable initiatives. Need another incentive? You can even get a discount if you bring your own coffee travel mug or an empty tea bin to restock. Not all businesses care about the environment. Pachamama is striving to reach a goal of becoming 100% wastefree.
It’s Yours.
Find us off exit 32 at 133 Church Street
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: CHLOE GIBERSON DEVON GREENE Contributor It all started for Chloe Giberson when a friend bought a “Learn to Draw” book in high school. Giberson had taken art classes, but something about the structure of a guide-book, balanced with the idea of
Art has something you can actually give to it. Take it your own way. Chloe Giberson
teaching herself, drew Giberson in, so to speak. After exploring visual art through high school classes and self-teaching, Giberson enrolled in a month-long program to learn the basics of computer animation at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. Giberson traveled from her hometown of Moncton, New Brunswick to participate in the course, and had already been dedicated to self education, showing from a young age that she was committed to her craft. Currently in her second year, she is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Psycholog y with a minor in Fine Arts. Giberson started
as many fine art students do: in Drawing 100. Now she has moved onto pastels, with watercolour to come next semester. With each course, Giberson explores a new aspect of art, which helps her develop her skills to become a well-rounded artist. Giberson loves attending her fine arts classes and is always impressed with the faculty and their ability to help their students. Giberson is showing talent and dedication in her courses, but she practices her true passion of creating artwork on her own time, outside of class. Digital drawing has become widely popular over the last few years through online sharing and social media. Giberson is thrilled that you no longer have to be a professional to create and share digital art. Giberson explain to the Xaverian how she uses an electronic pad that she connects to her computer to draw virtual images on the computer. Her actions are very similar to drawing with physical materials, however she feels as though she has more freedom drawing virtually. “When you work on real paper if you mess up even once you’re done. I just find that on the computer there are so many more options: you can make it look realistic, you can colour it you can do whatever you want and I liked that a lot.” Giberson typically draws human characters and is trying to expand her subject matter by practicing her
skills as often as she can. Giberson loves how easy it is to practice because it is not as messy as other mediums like acrylic paints, which she also enjoys. Giberson is uncertain what her plans are to pursue art in the future, but knows that if she were to make a living by doing art she would likely stick to the virtual side of things. “I would probably try to be an animator or a comic book artist or a book editor. But who knows? Maybe I’ll be a doctor!” Giberson has been surrounded by the scientific stream her whole life and has not ruled anything out when it comes to the possibility of a career. “My parents are both surgeons and my sister is in medical school and so are my cousins so I always kind of felt like that was the way to go. But then when you look at art I just find it’s like almost beyond that. I’ve always found that with science, there was always a specific formula to figure it out, and someone has already figured that out for you. Art has something you can actually give to it. Take it your own way.” Visual art has such a wide spectrum of styles and techniques, but Giberson believes that every good artist adds their own flavor to their creations.“Copying a photograph without adding anything to it- I don’t’ really see the point of that. It might be fun to make, but I don’t find it a statement. It’s impressive but it’s not really fun to look at because it just
looks like a photograph. I think you have to go somewhere in the middle where you can show what you want to show in a photograph but also make it your own…You’ve got to have something extra to make it yours. Make it worth seeing.” For Giberson, this is usually done through colour. She describes her use of colour as if she was trying to sneak colours into places they did not belong so they almost go unnoticed but add another layer to the object she is creating.
Giberson is a sincerely humble artist with endless respect for her craft and fellow artists. She encourages everyone who is interested in art to give it a try, no matter what the initial result might be. “The most important part is to keep going, because if you quit then it’s never going to get better. Might look ugly, but just keep working at it and maybe something good will come out of it.” These are wise words from a young student that can be applied not just to art, but any aspect of life.
By Chloe Giberson
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thursday november twenty sixth, 2015
Polyamory: loving without limits A cultural shift that challenges the conventions of monogamy RACHEL REVOY Arts & Culture Editor Can there ever be limits to love? Typically, society views monogamy as the most accepted – and expected – way to go about loving someone. But a sub-culture shift is taking place as we move into a new mindset on how relationships can exist and it’s something worth talking about. Misconceptions have plagued polyamory. First, it is not polygamy - that is the practice where one man has multiple wives. Polyamory is where both men and woman have multiple partners. “Poly” means multiple, and “amory” is love. Multiple loves. Get it? Great. But how does it look in the real world? I asked two individuals who practice polyamory to open up about their lifestyles in order to bring polyamory out of the shadow of misconceptions. The following names have been changed. Jesse believes that we are changing the ways we view love in order to be susceptible to the nomadic lifestyle that is expanding in our young lives. Travel can make relationships fall apart, yet polyamory provides a way to stay in touch on a romantic level with one partner without the pressure of denying other potential love interests. When Jesse first met Cam, she was about to move across the country. “[Polyamory] gave me a way to have a connection while I left but I didn’t feel held back. For the distance, it was comforting,” says Jesse on why polyamory has worked in this instance. This relationship with Cam was not Jesse’s first encounter with polyamory. She first became aware of the notion when her older brother and his girlfriend starting practicing it. “My brother and his girlfriend, who had been dating since high school, had decided that they were going to be polyamorous, they were going to date each other and date other people. I read books, and there is all this literature that exists on not-monogamy, and ways that this can look that look like partnerships,” explains Jesse. Another reason why polyamory seemed appealing to Jesse when she first discovered her brother would be polyamorous was because she recently got out of an abusive relationship. Polyamory seemed like a safe space to her after that. “I looked at polyamory as this way that I could create this safety net around myself where I was connected to multiple people in that intimate way, so that I wouldn’t miss the signs that things were bad.” Now, Jesse has had a recent experience where she met someone whom she wanted to date, and he was also dating someone else. “Since moving, I have dated someone for a week who also dated someone else. I was kind of chill with it, I can’t describe what it was like because I was like
‘Okay, cool, you like this other person too, no big deal.’ But I think there was a lot of false truth in that for me. I kind of didn’t care, I didn’t become invested, because I saw this as having an expiry date. I had no room for it to matter to me,” says Jesse on her recent experience. A challenge that Jesse faced in that relationship was the public scrutiny. She feels that as a private person, the stares and murmurs that accompany being affectionate with one man as another girl is also affectionate with him is rather unnerving for someone who prefers if their private life stayed private. Since she was living in a small town, she knew how gossip spread like wildfire and wasn’t fond of the idea that peop l e would be judging. “In the small town, I didn’t want to stir the pot anymore. I didn’t want my life known in a big way. There are places I go where I know every person in the building! Knowing how insular communities are, I didn’t want to deal with other’s opinions on me. So it was less about shame, more about the fact that for some people I knew it was going to cause a problem,” says Jesse on one of the issues she has faced in publicly practicing polyamory. “Another issue surrounding polyamory is the language used. Because polyamory isn’t spoken about in the mainstream – it’s not on Buzzfeed or on CBC – you don’t read about it. Space for misinterpretation is really big. When it’s not being written about, when it’s not being talked about, the common knowledge isn’t there. Stigma on multi-person relationships is very damaging. Our idea of multi-person relationships sometimes look like the religious groups where men have multiple wives and child brides in an abusive way, in a cult like way, that makes polyamory seem associated. At the cultural level, we are not able to separate that image away,” says Jesse on the changes that need to take place in order to create a safe place for polyamorous people to separate themselves from the stigma. A way that polyamory affects mainstream society is that it challenges the monogamous standard and the damaging way people deal with relationships. Jesse has found that a benefit to polyamory was a change in the language around break ups: “People look at
monogamous relationships that end as failed relationships because the ultimate goal is to find someone to spend your life with – generally, in mainstream ideology. I think polyamory relieves that pressure; you can look at things as not failures. Loving someone even though it doesn’t work out can never be a failure,” Jesse explains. Further, she talked about how the feeling that your partner has another partner creates a level of comfort where you feel that leaving them is less damaging because they have someone else. However, Jesse has discovered this misconception that she had can be wrong. “ With
Chris, there was an aspect of it where it was simpler to break up with him because he had someone still. So I felt less weight about the role I played in his life. Which was a complete misjudgment of the situation.” Jesse made the assumption that the break up would mean less to him because he would still have another partner. “But, I misjudged that his attention was split between myself and another person so if I left than he would focus on the other person. That was a harsh misjudging on what polyamory was. People who are poly, and I know this of myself, it’s the scarcity of love idea. Love is not scarce – giving love to one person does not leave you with less love to give to someone else. But, in a moment where I needed that to be true, I used that to my advantage to feel less guilty about leaving someone.” Jesse considers herself to be mostly polyamorous, while she sees herself eventually settling down with one partner in order to raise a family. Ben, another young non-monogamous person, feels that being polyamorous is part of his identity. When I first met Ben, I remember having a conversation with him where I curiously asked him about polyamory. It was very sin-
cere, the way he talked about how true his beliefs were in that there was no wrong way to go about loving someone. What a profound idea! Have we been doing it all wrong for centuries? No, I later reflected, since monogamy is fantastic in some ways for some people. But, it is always refreshing when someone challenges and overthrows an aspect of the regular, the everyday, in order to bring a sort of awakening. “I picked up a hitchhiker, and when I dropped her at home she introduced me to her partners. I had no idea that it was allowed,” says Ben on his initial interaction with polyamory. “I was really confused, surprised, and then excited. I realized a part of myself that I was suppressing my whole life. I thought my ability to love more than one person was bad because it challenged the monogamous standard – peop l e ’ s expectations – and then I realized I was trying to kill a part of myself but it was just a massive ability to love people.” For Ben, coming face to face with polyamory was a life changing experience, one that made him question his life completely. He was engaged at the time, which made his realization of wanting to explore polyamory confusing, and frustrating. But, as they say, honesty is always the best way to get through issues. So, Ben talked to his fiancée and was open about his new understanding. “I had to talk to my fiancée about my discovery of polyamory and the feeling that I was needing to openly explore what my connection to this meant for me and for us. At the end of it, she said it was okay if I loved other people but she wanted sexual monogamy; that was all she required. I took some time on what I might need, and I did some research. The only answers I could find was that if I was identifying and polyamorous that it was unlikely that I would eventually feel satisfied with monogamy. Because I identified so strongly with polyamory, my big question was: is this intrinsic?” Ben had to figure out what polyamory meant for him. For some individuals who identify as polyamorous, they believe it is as much a part of their identity as their sexual orientation or their hair colour. For others, it could just be a lifestyle for a certain period of their lives. For Ben, he would have to search in order to find out what it meant for him. His journey involved a lot of re-
search, self reflection, and then exploration. “Without having a roadmap, I challenged every aspect of what a relationship is supposed to be. I broke down every wall and expectation. I let every experience flow as naturally as it possibly could with absolute honesty and acceptance,” Ben explains in reference to how he navigated his polyamorous journey. As he explored he ended up breaking his engagement with the understanding that his fiancée and him would want to explore different things. She wanted a family soon, and he wasn’t ready to compromise his new exploration into his self. Now, having had multiple polyamrous relationships, Ben says that it is a tool to explore honesty and love in all its forms. For him, being upfront about his beliefs is key to having a successful experience with any new potential partner. “I discovered that with honesty and trust amazing things are possible. Most of the women that I’ve told my situation to thought it was really cool; at the least they were refreshed by my honesty. We have a great time exploring trust and honesty.” For Ben, he faces a challenge with being so honest in the beginning because some people are very quick to judge. “The concepts are so new, a lot of people are more hesitant; it would be cool to see what would emerge if there was a national discussion. For me it was just ‘this is how I’m going to live my life right now’ and people can accept it or not. Others who think it wouldn’t work for them want to tell someone that they’re wrong. Some monogamists felt threatened by polyamory. There are beliefs about the way the world is supposed to be and they’re resistant to change,” says Ben on the issues of polyamory in our society. Whatever the future holds with non-monogamous relation-
I discovered that with honesty and trust amazing things are possible. Ben | Polyamorist
ships, it’s important to realize that there is not only one way to love a person. As Ben explained, once you start challenging the norm of what a relationship looks like, you realize there are different ways to love a person. The ways one loves should be based upon what works for their life; and their partner’s life – or partners’ lives.
distractions
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EDITOR: TY KINGSTON xw.distractions@stfx.ca
Ty Kingston Presents Local Poetry (eat this shit up) B. Chisholm Total Bae:
The Battlefield Wake up cold sweat gun cocked loaded honey whatsthematter he’s right there he’s coming for me he’s right there shh… honey shh… I see him he’s coming for me come back to bed you’ll forget about it in the morning late nights finger on the trigger Daddy why are you shaking it’s nothing go to bed sweety here I’ll tuck you in gun slides away daddy there is someone following you daddy there is a soldier behind you look daddy shh baby dear it’s nobody it’s nobody
HEY YOU! You can write poetry and other creative stuff too! Please submit to Ty Kingston at x2014hgs@stfx.ca please state if you wish to remain anonymous
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thursday thursday november november twenty fifth, 2015 sixth, 2015
sports and health
EDITOR: SHELBI KILCOLLINS xw.sports@stfx.ca
Please tell me more about Uteck Bowl An opinion about the unfair dismissal of our varied and successful sports programs LAUREN AGNEW Senior Reporter The Uteck Bowl held at Oland Stadium was undoubtedly a historic event in StFX athletic history. Fans and supporters rallied around the X-Men, who won the conference championship for the first time in nineteen years. As a fellow varsity athlete, I am immensely proud of the football team, whose hard work and dedication finally came to fruition in Sackville, NB. Every player deserved the recognition they received for winning that trophy and no one will ever be able to take that away from them. Unfortunately however, the way the Uteck Bowl was promoted on campus took more than a little shine off that Loney Bowl Trophy. Following the outstanding
win in the AUS Conference Final, the promotion of the Uteck Bowl took an unexpected turn. For all the touting of “12 Sports, 1 Team,” the current StFX Athletics slogan, over the course of many years, it really seemed like StFX only had ONE team this fall. Prior to the game, there were press releases, media interviews and numerous statements made that cast a shadow over StFX Athletics as a whole. The Uteck Bowl was called, among other things, “The biggest event in StFX Athletics history”, and “The most historic game to have ever been played at Oland Stadium”. Of course it was important, and exciting, and well-deserved, but was it really anything more? StFX boasts some of the best athletic records in the
Uteck Meets x Winning even when we lose SHELBI KILCOLLINS Sports and Health Editor The wind, rain and UBC trumped our X men this past Saturday as football CIS semi finals took place at Oland stadium. The night though stormy drew in an exuberant number of fans who although slightly intoxicated rejoiced in Xaverian pride with chants like, “I believe that we will win.” The X-men entered the game with an understanding that they were the under dogs but conveyed no hesitation off the first kick. Although our men weren’t able to move on to the final game in Laval, Quebec their successes and hard work haven’t gone unnoticed by the X community. The school as a whole can also celebrate in the positive media coverage and vast attention it deservingly received. What probably added to this
long awaited match is the roots UBC’s coaching staff had with X. Head coach Blake Nill is a former alumnus of our prestigious institution and expressed sincere credit to his time as a student athlete here as a major influence in his now successful career as a CIS coach. It is rumoured he removed his X-ring for the game. At the press conference a day before the game the Thunderbirds expressed concern for our tradition of rowdiness and how it may influence their mental state… nonetheless it appeared no amount of cheering was able to prevent their consistent completion of passes. So the score failed to fall in our direction however we should continue to celebrate the stage it allowed our petite but powerful school to shine and exposure it awarded our incredible student body.
Photo: Jess Pomeroy
country, believe it or not, from teams other than the football team. There have in fact been other equally “historic” events played at Oland Stadium, and equally “important” events in StFX athletics history. In 2000 and 2001, Men’s Basketball won back-to-back National Championships, something that has not been accomplished by another varsity team at StFX. The Men’s basketball coach has also lead the program for over 40 years now. But maybe that’s just not as historic or important as a semi-final game. The X-Women Rugby team won seventeen straight AUS Conference titles (almost as long a streak as X-Men football’s streak without winning an AUS title) and four National Championship titles.
Most notable was a shutout victory in 2012 at Oland Stadium, to take home the gold in front of a record-breaking crowd of over 5,000 people, and culminating a perfect 23-0 season. But maybe that’s just not as historic or important as a semi-final game? We could also talk about men’s and women’s hockey, both of whom have hosted national championships in recent memory, both of whom have won national medals in recent memory, but neither of whom were recognized as “important” or “historic”. Or what about men’s and women’s cross country, who have won six and eight AUS titles respectively. Even more closely related to the football record, X-Men track and field won the AUS title in 2014 for the first time in 20 years, beating the reigning champs
Dalhousie by a landslide. Their win however, received nowhere near the same level of attention for its “importance” and “historic” value. Perhaps it was a simple exaggeration, or a case of getting caught up in the moment, but proclaiming the Uteck Bowl as the ultimate StFX sporting event is outrageously disrespectful to the hundreds of StFX athletes, past and present who have worked hard to set records, achieve what others could not, and who, at the end of the day, wear the X with pride day in and day out. It is not about recognizing the football team less for their accomplishments, but perhaps a greater awareness of what it means to be an “important” and “historic” contributor to StFX Athletics as a whole.
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Carbphobia
An irrational fear of your body’s precious fuel CAITLIN VANCE Health Columnist From the well-established Atkins diet to the more modern “Grain Brain” and “Wheat Belly”, diet gurus have greatly influenced consumers to perceive carbohydrates as demonic when it comes to losing weight. For one, this fear of carbohydrates is extremely unnecessary. More importantly, this carb-phobia is detrimental to our health and is contributing to our current obesity epidemic rather than helping to solve it. When questioned about weight-loss, many individuals will resort to carbohydrate-restriction as a solution. Though this method may work initially, it is not a sustainable way of eating. By eating a low carbohydrate diet, the body is forced to go into ketosis; which is where the body resorts to stored fat for fuel. This may sound beneficial, but longterm ketosis is harmful to the body. Carbohydrates are broken down after digestion into glucose. Glucose is the preferred energy source for the body, and the brain specifically runs solely on glu-
cose. While body fat can be broken down as an alternative means of energy, it cannot be converted to glucose. On the other hand, protein can be. So while fat is being taken out of storage as an alternative energy source, precious muscle tissue is also being degraded to provide energy for the brain. Not only do low carbohydrate diets encourage muscle loss, they also increase our likelihood of developing diet-derived illness such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Low carbohydrate diets are based heavily, if not solely, on animal products. Approximately 80% of the calories in plant foods come from carbohydrates. Consequently, low-carb dieters are encouraged to eat from a wide spectrum of animal foods such as meats, fowl, fish, cheese and eggs. Yet they are restricted from consuming health-promoting plant foods such as whole grains, legumes, fruit, and even some vegetables. After all, low carbohydrate out of default equates to a high fat and high protein diet. Animal products are alarmingly high in unhealthy fats and cholesterol. Along with lack-
ing many essential vitamins and minerals, these foods contain no fibre. This leaves consumers to deal with digestive issues such as indigestion and constipation. Countless studies have been done showing the destructive health effects that comes with high consumption of animal foods. The fact that people, especially authors, promote these types of diets despite of all of this information is appalling. Carbohydrates are essential for health. First of all, they provide the cells of our bodies with much needed energy. The body so efficiently runs off of carbohydrates that restricting them in the diet only appears counter intuitive. A well-accepted notion is that carbohydrates, once consumed, turn into sugar and then into fat. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Once consumed, carbohydrates circle the blood to be used immediately for energy or are stored in the muscles and liver for later use. Only when a great excess of carbohydrates is consumed is it sent to the liver to be turned to fat. Even then this process occurs sparingly because it is so energeti-
cally expensive. Fat, on the other hand, is readily stored as fat. A lot of people choose these low-carb diets with the hope of weight loss. Yet, long-term success and adherence to low carbohydrate diets is rare. The lost weight is often gained back plus a few extra pounds just for good measure. Because the body wants what it’s not getting, you won’t be satisfied much long after consuming a carbohydrate-deficient steak and asparagus meal. Anyone who has followed a low-carb diet can attest to that. You are not weak, nor do you “lack willpower”. Your body is simply trying it’s absolute best to meet its nutritional need, herein signalling you to eat more food. Following a low carbohydrate diet is not sustainable, nor is it healthy. If the focus is on weight loss, the best advice is to choose nutrient-dense yet satisfying foods to fill up on rather than carbohydrate-def icient foods. Everything about low carbohydrate diets is irrational. Whether the goal is health, weight maintenance, or weight loss, carbohydrates are not the enemy. Keep in
mind that consumption of carbohydrates from added sugars in highly processed foods such as soda and candy is not advocated. Alternatively, consumption of the phytochemical & fiber-rich carbohydrates found abundantly in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables is highly encouraged! As Canadians we are advised to get at least 130 grams of carbohydrates per day based on our brains needs. I could write for ages about the absurdity and destructivity of low carbohydrate diets, but just remember that carbohydrates are neither evil nor fattening. Observing populations following their traditional carbohydrate-based diets, such as slim Asians with rice, reinforces this. Please don’t fall for these low carbohydrate schemes; they’ll end up doing you much more harm than good. I long to see a day when dietrelated information lies in the interest of the consumers health rather than publishers wallets. Spare your muscles, your arteries, your vitality, your overall health- it’s time to get over your carbphobia. Trust me, your body will thank you for it.
More than moustaches A guidebook to the prevention of male dominated cancers in honour of Movember SEBASTIAN JURGA Staff Writer Yup, it’s that time of year again. Girls shudder while men grin with pride at the prospect of their glorious man beard, bars, or moustache taking full form. Although there is effort put forward I can’t exactly grow anything more than some dusty side burns or the not so glorious crus-stache. However, I do support what this month stands for – if not by facial hair, than by spirit at the very least- as prostate and testicular cancer is the most common form of body consuming tumour there is, other than skin cancer in the male population. So yea, the mows are for a good cause. Now as stated before, my face is somewhat lacking when it comes to hair, so at the very least, I can write this article to do my part. To raise awareness, yes, but also to educate. Lifestyle is a drastic indicator of whether or not you’re at risk for this disease, and since surgery on that region of the body is a lot less appealing to us than on other
body parts, I would say it’s better to get an early start in prevention than later kick yourself for not when you may actually develop it. When it comes to cancer, it really is true that the best offence against the disease is a solid defence. So anyways, here’s a few simple things you can do now so the man in white doesn’t have to take a bit of your manly parts. So first and foremost, avoid those little things called carcinogens. For those that don’t know, a carcinogen is a substance that is capable of causing cancer in the human body. Things like cigarettes, and more recently included in the group bacon (though bacon is a very weak carcinogen) are stuff you should avoid. It is also a good idea to avoid asbestos if you like your cellular DNA to stay intact. Seriously though, get off the cigs if you smoke. While smoking isn’t actually a risk for slow growth prostate cancer, that doesn’t mean you should get hyped yet. Apparently, smoking drastically
raises the chance of you developing aggressive forms of prostate cancer instead, which is not good at all. Radiation is also a neat thing to avoid, and yes sadly that includes sunlight. Aside from the fact that it raises your chances of getting melanoma, overexposure plays a role in all cancers, let me tell you.
Tanning booths are a bad idea for that reason (fun fact: in the Victorian era pale skin was a sign of the upper class, and the image of beauty). But hey, you choose your lifestyle so if tanning is your thing, don’t let a negative Nancy like me tell you otherwise. Diet has a huge effect as well, with specific foods raising your chances (I mentioned bacon, but I’m not about to stop eating it) and other foods
drastically lowering it. Leafy greens, when consumed raw especially. Delicious, nutritious, and it will keep your balls from swelling to the size of a small water balloon. So get that broccoli into you! Alongside that, if you’re on the basketball team I guess you should be slightly worried, since height for whatever reason also raises your chance of acquiring this terrible disease. Ethnicity also plays a role, with Asian cultures being at about 5 times lower the risk to develop skin cancer than the average American (2% prevalence among the population versus 12%), and it only gets worse the farther south you move, most likely because of increased UV radiation from the sun. People of African descent are at higher risk, with genetics playing a massive role as well. So while you can’t really control those risk factors, there are changes you can make to promote prevention.
Exercise! Gosh, exercise is good for you, both physically and mentally. The more active you are, the better off you are. In terms of cancer, it can lower your chances of developing a tumour anywhere from 30-40 %. Aerobic, cardiovascular activity is key here (creatine and other supplements are carcinogenic as well) as it will give you the best chances of avoiding the disease. Also, self-examination: make sure you don’t have any lumps in any weird places! Catching cancer early is key to victory against the disease in conjunction with this it’s an incredibly good idea to get a general physical of this kind once a year from your general practitioner. Any ways, I hope this article proved informative for you all. The great thing about these little guidelines is that they are such: simply recommendations. Whether you follow them or not is up to you, but they will reduce your risk for all kinds of cancer, not just prostate or testicular. Anyways, happy Movember, and keep the beards coming guys.
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thursday november twenty sixth, 2015
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