Vol 124 Issue 8

news 2

thursday december third, 2015

THE xaverian Dec 3 2015 Vol 124: Issue 8

OUR STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia O’Hanley xw.eic@stfx.ca

EDITOR: IZAAK MACMULLIN xw.news@stfx.ca

Local MLA traveling to COP21 Acting Environment Minister Randy DeLorey to join Canadian delegation

MANAGING EDITOR Ryan Finn xw.managing@stfx.ca

JULIA O’HANLEY Editor-in-Chief

ART IST IC COORDINATOR Devon Chisholm xw.artistic@stfx.ca

On Saturday, Dec 5, local MLA Randy DeLorey is travelling to Paris as part of the COP21 (Conference of the Parties) Environment Summit. As acting Environment Minister, DeLorey will join the exceptionally large Canadian delegation.

The lengthy summit, stretching Nov 30 to Dec 11, has been long awaited by international observers. Contrary to recent installments of the annual affair, COP21 is deemed to be of utmost importance, with anticipation and expectations for the meeting building for years.

Although serving as Minister of Environment for a year and a half prior to his appointment to the Finance Portfolio, this will be the first COP DeLorey attends in his role.

“I didn’t actually go to Lima because even at that point last year, the international community was and has maintained focused on COP 21. The meetings in Lima were really preParis meetings so I didn’t go down. We decided that I would focus my time on Nova Scotia, in Nova Scotia, and get ready for the Paris trip,” DeLorey explains.

The Canadian delegation is exceptionally large this year, featuring representatives from all provinces and territories as well as the federal Minister of Environment Catherine MacKenna and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Newfoundland and

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@stfx.ca for subscriptions

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Labrador, who found themselves in the middle of a provincial election during the conference, will still be represented even in this time of change. In the interest of including all Canadian actors, DeLorey explains that non-partisan, political staff will travel to the summit in place of their elected representatives.

DeLorey feels Nova Scotia is in a good place heading into the meetings, citing pride in the success the province has seen in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the past number of years. “We probably have the best track record in the country with the target we have set, a reduction up from baseline 1990 levels for the year 2020 which is only 5 years away, we are one of if not the only jurisdiction in Canada on target to meet our reduction. In fact the model we have has us slated to exceed those targets.”

The accomplishment of this goal he says is a result of effective regulations implemented and enforced by the province of Nova Scotia. “We have established regulations in our electricity market that contributed to over 40% of our greenhouse gas emissions. [It’s] our biggest emitter by far, so that’s the area we focused on to see the major improvements.”

The Minister says he is most looking forward to the conversations he will have with national colleagues as part of their collaborative relationship moving forward. “[The federal government has] made it very

clear federally they are going to establish a framework for the country in collaboration with the provinces,” DeLorey comments. “This conference has the national governments doing the negotiations to come to the agreements. [The provinces] are there to provide feedback and input to our national representatives who are at the negotiating table and also learn from them to understand what the outcomes and what they are negotiating may mean in our own provincial context.”

DeLorey speaks to the attention, both in and outside of Canada, to the notion of pricing carbon. Although not imposing a carbon tax or cap and trade system of its own, he explains the existing system does in its own way price carbon emitters, just more on the industry side of carbon production. “I assure you regulatory regimes [like in Nova Scotia] also put a price on carbon, with the cost of putting in the technologies to achieve those regulatory targets. So there is a cost, it’s just not as transparent as a cap and trade or carbon tax model.” This said, the Minister realizes the potential for change in this respect depending on the direction the federal government decides to take. “When the federal government is talking about putting a price on carbon, it’s important for us to understand what that means, what different models are going to be acceptable. Whatever those options are we need to continue our research and we’ve been

doing lots of it in the past year on carbon tax, cap and trade models and what they may mean in a Nova Scotian context.”

Since the Oct 19 federal election, DeLorey says relations between his departments and the federal governments have seen an “interesting and almost instantaneous shift.” “They want to participate and work with the provinces. I think already out of the gate I think we’ve seen, and it’s not myself, it’s my colleagues across the country, a willingness to engage in a dialogue that interests are considered when making these national decisions. The fact of the matter is, the only way to achieve success is to work together, and if you start by establishing a framework in isolation, the odds of having support in implementation goes down.

That is their intended approach, and everything I’ve seen to date with the new national government is that they are going to follow through and participate. So in Paris, with lots of meetings and access, they’ve invited us as official delegates so we do have that access, so we can observe the negotiating tables, we can know what information is being debated and discussed, so we can know what spots are of interest to us, so we can provide feedback before the next day’s negotiations continue.”

DeLorey declined to disclose his schedule of events while in Paris for the purpose of security.

3

The secular shift Is StFX losing its Catholic heritage?

IZAAK MACMULLIN News Editor This past week StFX welcomed a new chancellor, Susan Crocker.

The appointment is intriguing for several reasons. Not only is she the first woman in the history of StFX to become chancellor, she is also the first non-priest to hold the position. The Bishop of Antigonish has traditionally also been StFX’s chancellor, in line with the universities origins as a Catholic institution. The bishop in question, Brian Dunn, is not being entirely removed from involvement with StFX. A new role called the Vicar of the Founder has been created and will allow the Bishop of Antigonish to continue to sit on the Board of Governors. This occasion may allow us to appreciate an apparent shift that has occurred over recent decades as the university has become more and more secular.

To gain a more fulsome account of this issue, the Xaverian spoke to philosophy professor Steven Baldner. In his opinion, StFX has experienced a gradual shift ever since it started to become publicly funded in the 1960’s. It had been entirely operated by the Catholic Church before then.

As Baldner explains, “The University broadened its mandate and brought in people as professors who weren’t catholic and gradually the university became, really, a secular university like every other uni-

versity in Canada.” One of these major changes was related to the selection of presidents. Until the selection of David Lawless, the president before Sean Riley in the 1990’s, the president of StFX University had always been a priest.

Baldner feels that the Catholic tradition is an important part of the StFX tradition, saying, “We are a secular university with a very rich Catholic heritage, and part of the university charter, from the government, says that we are supposed to preserve this heritage…it means that in some way we try to honour that.” Baldner points to initiatives like the Coady Institute, the Catholic Studies program, and the Services Learning program as aspects of StFX that carry on the Catholic tradition and reflect church teachings.

The long history of Catholic tra-

dition at StFX was marred in 2009 when the then-Bishop of Antigonish, Raymond Lahey, was caught with child pornography on his laptop when arriving at the Ottawa airport. This led to a motion to move the position of chancellor away from the Bishop, making it possible for a layperson like Susan Crocker to become chancellor. According to professor Baldner, the scandal had an impact, but may not have been the only reason for the shift. “There was a motion that came from the university faculty, and the motion was to ask the board to consider a new model, rather than having the Bishop as chancellor. The effect of this motion was to refer it to the Board of Governors. The Board then took it up and returned with essentially a change in our charter that the Bishop would no longer necessar-

ily be chancellor…I think Bishop Lahey’s crimes were on people’s minds, but I don’t think that was the principle reason. I think that part of the reasoning was that people wanted more visibility for the university in fundraising, in sectors where the Bishop might not be as effective. To get a chancellor who could have connections with business leaders and others who could help us to raise money.”

Another Philosophy professor who was able to shed some light on the subject is William Sweet.

Besides his work at StFX, he also serves as the president of the World Union of Catholic Philosophical Societies (WUCPS). He concurs with Baldner that there has been a gradual, almost unconscious shift away from explicitly Catholic ways of doing things on campus. As he says, “When I came

Photo: Devon Chisholm

here [in the early 1990’s], the calendar would have described it as a ‘Catholic Liberal Arts University’.

It couldn’t say that today. So there been an evolution, but it’s not an evolution that is unique to us…If you look at a number of Catholic universities, they’ve moved away from having the Bishop as chancellor. Not all of them, but a number of them have. It’s really more of a figurehead role anyways, so it doesn’t really influence the day to day life.”

Sweet does feel that in this shift towards more secular university operation we may lose some of what makes StFX unique. As he ventures, “I think we might lose a little bit in that, if you are attentive to your history and where you came from, that’s inspired you.

Take the Coady Institute. It wasn’t just because the University decided to engage in local work with fisherman and farmers and stuff like that.

It was really part of an inspiration of Catholic social teaching. So the roots of the Coady Institute and the extension program are clearly noted in the Catholic traditions. But they aren’t Catholic anymore, you wouldn’t call them that. So I think that Catholicism is part of the history and inspiration of the place. It’s probably what distinguishes the place for some people, certainly for alumni, maybe for some students too.

I think that if you lose a sense of your history, it does affect where you go in the future.”

University Response to the Riley Story IZAAK MACMULLIN News Editor Last week The Xaverian sent questions to the university spokesperson Cindy Mackenzie as part of our story on Sean Riley’s expenses. Unfortunately the Xaverian had to go to press before Mackenzie could respond. She did get back to us, and this is the full transcript of all the questions and answers.

Xaverian Weekly: Does the university administration feel that the compensation provided to the President and upper level staff at the university is reasonable considering that most of the budget for the university is derived from federal** funds?

Cindy Mackenzie: For clarification approximately half of our operating funds are derived

from Student Fees and half from the Provincial government. Our current President and administration salaries are in line with national standards.

XW: Do other senior administrators have the same benefit as the President when comes to being able to take a year off every 5 years or accept payment in lieu of taking that break?

CM: Academic Administrators (Academic Vice President, Director of Coady, Deans and Associate Vice President Research) who have completed a full term are permitted to take an administrative leave. The intention is they will return to the classroom and the leave is to allow time to prepare materials, lectures and research.

Other senior administrators (Vice President Finance & Ad-

min, Vice President Advancement and head of Student Services) are not entitled to an administrative leave.

XW: Does the administration feel this “every 5 years” benefit is justified? It has been compared to sabbaticals for professors, but professors are expect to demonstrate their research during that time, run on a 7 year cycle not 5, can have their sabbaticals denied, and cannot demand payment in lieu of taking a sabbatical.

was making more than $100000 a year sitting on this board.

Should a president be “moonlighting” in this way? Is President MacDonald sitting on any corporate boards?

CM: This provision is standard.

CM: It is not uncommon for President’s to sit on boards.

Currently President MacDonald is not sitting on any board other than the Board of Governors for StFX. President MacDonald’s employment contract specifically precludes him from accepting any other remuneration from an external sources without prior approval from the Chair of the Board.

XW: Does the administration feel it was appropriate for Sean Riley to be serving on the board of Agnico-Eagle Mines while President of StFX? I have been told by a professor he

XW: There is a tuition reset happening soon, and it is widely expect that tuition rates will be hiked during that time. Is that appropriate when administrators are being given such

“egregious” sums, as professor Brad Long stated to the CBC? CM: The monies being paid to Dr. Riley were all recognized in the University’s operating results during the term of his contract, they do not impact current operations. The Board is currently considering the direction that will be taken with regards to the tuition resets and students will be advised once a decision has been made.

**Correction: Half the budget of StFX university comes from the government, but not just the federal government.

This money is a combination of money from the Nova Scotia government and money provided by the federal government through transfer payments.

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thursday december third, 2015

OceanPath Fellowship An opportunity to give back to a community you love LAUREN AGNEW Senior Reporter Known for its sustainable and innovative approach to leadership, the Coady Institute is once again offering a learning opportunity to students to broaden horizons and make a positive impact on the community. In partnership with McGill, OttawaU and Queen’s, the Pathy Family Foundation and StFX are offering a $25,000 Fellowship for graduating students looking to strengthen or develop any community that they feel a strong connection to.

The OceanPath Fellowship is described as “community-focused experiential learning” to allow students to become “active and effective change-makers”. It is a yearlong experience where Fellowship recipients get the opportunity to learn “Foundations for Community Change”, the Coady approach to development, before spending nine months developing and initiating a sustainable project to improve a facet of life in that community. It is open to Development studies students after their last year of studies.

Current Fellowship recipients are placed all around the world, and there are four StFX graduates among the group of twelve. Amy Brierley, an advocate for food jus-

tice in the Antigonish community, Rachael Garbary, working for Radio Ada in Ghana, Aaron Thornell, working to better the overall community in central Malawi, and Asia Van-Buuren, working with “Hearts and Hands” in Antigonish, all illustrate the diversity of the Fellowship program and their wide scope in terms of issues and location. Other

initiatives have taken place in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The Fellowship can help support students who otherwise could not afford to spend a year working to help a community. As Amy Brierley explains “Having the opportunity to remain in Antigonish to spend time working on an initia-

tive that means so much to me with the community that I call home is something I am very thankful for.

Each day I have the privilege of learning more about the complexity of our food system here in the place known to some as Antigonish. I think this knowledge is helping me understand my community in an even deeper way and I hope

Photo: Richard MacKenzie, The Casket

will allow me to continue to do work that contributes to food justice here.”

Another current Fellow Asia van Buuren, says, “This Fellowship has opened me up to an entirely new area of work that I really want to continue to contribute to in any ways that I can moving forward.

This Fellowship is also a great opportunity for anyone that wants to deepen and catalyze their personal learning journey. I’ve learned so much about my values, my gifts, what holds me back as a leader, and about battling my inner critic. I continue to learn about myself and the way I live every day. It has not been an easy journey, but one I will be eternally grateful for.”

The Fellowship application is open to students graduating from their undergrad or Master’s program, and final applications are due on Jan 7, 2016. Students interested can contact Marla Gaudet in the Service Learning department or or Adam Baden in the Coady Institute. Buuren adds, “[I] absolutely would recommend it to other students. This is a brilliant program for anyone who has a meaningful connection to a community and is looking for an opportunity to deepen that connection. In my opinion, relationships and valuing of those relationships are what is central to making a good candidate!”

Irritation at Riley’s contract StFX students react to news of substantial payments RACHEL LEBLANC Senior Reporter This month, former StFX president Sean Riley’s employment contract has become a topic of discussion around campus. In his final contract, the University Board of Governors allowed Riley to collect more than $1.2 million. Riley was paid $527,563.63 when he sig ned his agreement in 2011 and had an additional $733,074.40 set aside in a trust for retirement allowance. Details of Riley’s final contract were obtained and released through a request made under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Private Act by the CBC. The contract has raised eyebrows on campus. Students are questioning whether or not the money they are paying for school is being distributed fairly. “As a student like many others who are struggling to pay off loans, I am upset and wondering why he gets paid so much more? Especially when our school is heavily

in debt,” says Jasmine, a second year nursing student. “I would much rather have my professors paid more, or perhaps those working hard to make our food,” says Emilia, a second year psycholog y student.

Meanwhile, tuition at StFX has been rising. The University has seen a cut in monetary support for post-secondary education due to provincial budget cuts and teachers have been striking out against these cuts. In 2013, StFX faculty went on strike, cancelling classes for three weeks for over 4,000 students without compensating the students for this loss. According to Statistic Canada’s 2011 report, assistant professors at StFX made an average of $74,377 in 2010 while full professors earned an average of $123,673. Comparably, the average assistant professor’s salary nationwide was $91,035 and the average full professor’s salary was $143,366.

“This doesn’t surprise me. X is a great place, but

has one of the most expensive tuition rates. That money could have been put to better use. It should be paying faculty more than for someone’s retirement allowance,” says Breagha, a second year arts student.

Others have tried to justify administrative leave by comparing it to sabbaticals that faculty earn. Arg uments made in 2014 by Frank McKenna—the chair of the university’s board of governors at the time Riley’s deal was signed — state that greedy faculty are driving up the costs of higher education. However, as Professor Brad Long states, “Faculty have to apply for sabbatical leaves based on a planned program, and they can be denied.”

This isn’t the only place in Canada where there faculty benefits and payments are polarized. Former Dalhousie University president Tom Traves’s contract showed he received one year’s full salary for each five years he served as

president. He is the highest paid person at Dalhousie, making more than $450,000 a year, even though he’s been retired since 2013. Recently, at the University of Alberta, 56 Canadian academics applied for the $400,000-ayear job of the departing president in groups of four to highlight the pay disparity.

Some at StFX have called for more transparency, considering the contract was only released to the public

four years after it was signed. The current President Dr. Kent MacDonald has already posted his contract online for transparency. Bonuses will be smaller, capped at 15 per cent of his $288,000 salary. However, like Riley, his in entitled to a year of administrative leave once every five years, and he will be paid in cash if he decides not to take the leave.

Happy or angry about these contracts? Let us know what you think!

It’s Yours.

Find us off exit 32 at 133 Church Street

opinions

5 EDITOR: EMILY KEENAN xw.opinion@stfx.ca

Solutions for Syria?

The importance of thinking long-term in regard to ISIS and Middle East

SEBASTIAN JURGA Staff Writer One thing I have noticed over the past few months, both around Antigonish and online, is that for whatever reason people are finally starting to pay attention to all the chaos that is the Syrian War. Why the refugee crisis and the atrocities committed overseas in the Middle East are only becoming huge issues to the general public now, almost 5 years after the war started, is beyond me.

However, having followed this conflict since it started in 2011, I’ve had some opinions on it for quite some time now.

And in light of the recent attacks on France’s capital by one of the factions engaged in warfare over Syria, I think now is as good a time as ever to spit them out.

So let’s get down to the brass task here: what exactly is going on overseas? Well, Syria’s conflict is actually pretty complicated. Originally, the war started with a pure motive: the rebellion of a people against an extremist dictator, Syria’s own President Bashar al-Assad (whom, by the way has killed more people than both ISIS and rebel forces combined). The war got “dirty” very fast.

Assad doesn’t give a shit; he’ll drop barrel bombs and chemical weapons on entire villages if it means killing a few rebels. This led external forces such as Saudi Arabia who, seeing the situation as a way to remove Assad from power, started supplying weapons to the rebels. Following suite to support his ally, Iran got involved with Assad. The Kurdish PPG, a faction who oppose the rebels and Assad but support a free Syria took the uprising as an opportunity to carve out a chunk of territory as well. ISIS did the same, fighting not the Assad regime but instead waging war over the contested territories owned by the rebels and Kurds.

While all three of these factions in some way support extremism, ISIS was and is by far the most audacious of the three, and quickly stoked the fears of the West by decapitating a several POW’s and internationals – not to mention the other horrific acts of terror.

And of course, now we have the coalition airstrike by members of NATO and more recently Russia, another sup-

porter of Assad, as a direct response to the ISIS problem.

That being said, both countries had vested interests in the war long before they got involved. The only difference now is that with the US backing the rebels and Kurds, and Russia backing Assad, it’s hard for the international community to agree exactly on what the solution to the conflict is. Either way, the great powers of the world hate terrorism, so bombing ISIS seems like the way to go to everyone. Moral of the story, and what everyone should take from the above paragraphs is that Syria is a completely war-torn and chaotic country, the result of which is hundreds of thousands killed or wounded, caught in the crossfire of the major players’ game of war. Millions have been displaced, and everyone knows about and has an opinion on the refugee crisis.

So where does the resolution to this conflict start?

Personally, I feel this war won’t end any time soon.

The major factions on the ground are in a push and lean stalemate. In fact, I would be very surprised if the war ended in the next decade. ISIS doesn’t appear to be going anywhere fast, and neither does Assad.

I think the West needs to acknowledge our responsibility at this point, not as a spearhead of the war campaign, but as a direct cause and (hopefully) a mediator.

The Middle East has been messed up for a while (since colonisation by the various empires of the world, in fact), and time and time again it has been proved that invasion, and perhaps even any attempt at regulation of the conflict overall, simply fails. Afghanistan definitely proved that, with over $2 trillion in spending overall by all countries involved and countless casualties, all of which ultimately led to our withdrawal and nothing changing in the country.

Both wars in Iraq have proved much the same, and from what I have seen of modern warfare in my limited time on this earth, invasions in the contemporary age don’t fix anything at all.

In fact, I would say it just makes things worse.

So while Trudeau’s stance on the war in Syria and the refugee crisis may prove controversial to some, it’s one of his plans I support.

Our jets simply don’t need to be in Syria, and neither do those of the US, Russia, France, or Britain. Why, you may ask, should we withdraw our forces? Because the results they create are not worth the overall price we pay. When we drop bombs in Raqqa, and Damascus, yes, we strike the terrorists; we also destroy a war-torn people’s already limited infrastructure, kill or mutilate men, women and children with explosives, and just in general destroy the moral of the population just trying to survive a terrible situation.

Imagine living in a country like that, where around ten times a day you hear the telltale hiss of a jet engine zoom by followed by the more ominous booms of explosive shells. Perhaps the next day you hear your uncle’s family was killed by said airstrike.

All of a sudden, it makes join-

ing that militia, that army, or those extremists a little more tempting, if simply because it’s a means for you to channel all your anger and hate for the West. Not to mention, bombing just creates more refugees. For me, these airstrikes seem to be our leaders ways of saying, “Yup, we’re fighting the terrorists,” to satisfy the public’s need for action, brewed by the fear mongering of the media, without finding effective solutions through international cooperation. That’s not even considering how expensive this campaign is, with a day of air strikes costing $7.5 million.

For me, all of the Western powers could better use these funds to handle the refugee crisis. It is our responsibility to help Europe deal with this massive influx, since we had a role to play in creating it.

The war in Syria isn’t going

to just end, and I have to admit there is a fine line between doing too little and too much. One thing is clear to me though. Assad needs to be removed from power, and so far the airstrike aren’t cutting it.

If the Syrian people had an actual working government that wasn’t so caught up in its own pride, perhaps the situation and casualties would not be so extreme. I think if anything, solve the roots of the war and get Syria back on its feet, then deal with ISIS afterwards. So pour money not into airstrikes, but into sanctions, and figure out a way to remove Assad from power. Of course, this is easier said than done, and I have my doubts about whether or not this would be possible. I know one thing though: what we are doing right now about the “Syrian Problem” is not part of the solution.

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thursday december third, 2015

Alberta’s new carbon tax is long overdue ALEX MILLER Contributor First and foremost, let me begin by acknowledging my strong personal bias when it comes to the topic of the environment. I rather like living on planet Earth.

I like breathing clean air and drinking clean water. I believe that we need to do more to protect the environment while also developing an economy which is truly sustainable; one which will allow for the prosperity of future generations as well as our own.

Right now, the future of humanity is being threatened by climate change, a phenomenon driven by the emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, are emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The international scientific community has reached a consensus which unequivocally shows that climate change is occurring directly as a result of human activities. World leaders, including US President Barack Obama and our newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have argued that we must lower greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat the threat of climate change.

On Nov 22, the Provincial Government of Alberta, led by Premier Rachel Notley, announced a new strategy which will help to reduce the province’s emissions by implementing several new policies. These actions include creating an economy-wide carbon tax, phasing out the use of coal-fired power plants for electricity generation, and setting hard caps on emissions from the oil sands. Before I get into specifics about the new policy measures, I’d like to give a little bit of background into the current political situation in Alberta.

Alberta has enjoyed quite a bit of prosperity over the last several decades as oil and gas production has been a boon to the pro-

vincial economy. The drop in the global price of oil has decreased production of oil in the province given that extracting oil from the oil sands is more expensive than conventional extraction techniques.

In order for an oil-producing company to break even on a barrel of oil from Alberta’s oil sands, they need to be able to sell it for at least $65/barrel. The price of oil is currently sitting at about $45/barrel. Production from the oil sands dropped, oil companies began to lay off employees, and Alberta’s economy began to slide into recession.

Albertans were not happy with the way the province’s Progressive Conservative (PC) government was handling the economic downturn, and so on May 5, 2015, voters booted out the PCs and elected the NDP as a majority government. The NDP have sought to take a different approach than the PCs when it comes to the economy and their new climate change strategies reflect this change in mindset.

Alberta is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in Canada. This is mostly due to the energy-intensive petroleum extraction industries in the province’s oil patch, but is also caused by the province’s dependence on electricity generated from coalfired power plants. The government’s climate change strategy addresses emissions from the entire economy, including oil production, electricity generation, and emissions from vehicles.

I could go on at length about Alberta’s decision to phase out coal-fired electricity and replace it with energy from renewables, but I’ll focus on the province’s decision to implement a carbon tax instead.

The province is setting a tax of $30/tonne of carbon emitted. This increase means that emission-intensive industries will have to pay more in order to operate. Things like the price of gas, home heating

Photo: cbc.ca fuel, and electricity will go up.

The tax is intended to act as an incentive for consumers and industries alike, encouraging them to move toward practices which emit less carbon. A lot of the media coverage on Alberta’s carbon tax has focused on the cost that the new policy will impose upon consumers. In my opinion, it is very short-sighted of the news media and of consumers to only focus on the short-term costs of the policy without discussion of what sort of long-term benefits may arise from a carbon tax.

The reality is that there are costs associated with emitting carbon dioxide whether they are reflected in the costs of production or not. Without going too much into detail, the emission of pollutants is what economists term ‘externalities’, as they are external to the production process of the firm or industry that are producing them. Essentially, emissions impose costs on society due to the resulting environmental degradation. A carbon tax is simply a way of internalizing the costs of an externality

and ensuring that businesses have to pay the cost of harming the environment. Carbon emissions, the main driver of climate change, can be reduced.

Albertans should be particularly concerned about climate change, as they will be hit particularly hard by it. A changing climate will result in more extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns, and variable growing seasons. These impacts, which may not seem major at first glance, could result in significant impacts on Alberta’s agricultural industry, municipalities, and even their oil and gas production industry. It is important that Alberta takes the threat of climate change seriously. The government’s new policies seem to indicate that they are willing to take action on climate change. I’d argue that this is long overdue, but as they say, better late than never.

To conclude on a positive note, Alberta’s new climate change policies may give the federal government a boost when it comes to establishing a country-wide

strategy on climate change. Until recently, resistance from Alberta on climate policy has hindered the development of a Canadian action plan for climate change.

Alberta seems as though it is ready to come to the negotiating table as a constructive partner in the process of developing a strategy in conjunction with the other provinces and the federal government. The timing here is important; Canada will be participating in COP21 in Paris, which seeks to create a new international and legally-binding agreement for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the impact of climate change.

It is not too late. Canada can still make progress in addressing climate change, while reforming the economy to ensure the prosperity of future generations as well as our own.

About the author: Alex Miller is a fourth year Political Science and Aquatic Resources student.

His honours thesis focuses on the politics of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy in Nova Scotia.

Students who are graduating have already dropped at least $26,000 to get here.

Those from outside of Nova Scotia pay at least $28,000 and international students pay even more. With tuition rates that already rank among the highest in Canada, why are we also expected and encouraged to pay $1,000 more?

Graduating without an X Ring is like Antigonish without the Wheel, or Burke without MacIsaac. We teach new students from their first day about the X Ring and encourage them to count down for

four years until it’s supposedly there, right on their finger.

But the sad truth is, students struggling to graduate alone cannot afford to participate in the fun.

So this week when you slip that shiny gold ring on for the first time, take a minute to be extra grateful and remember: the X-Ring is a symbol for everything you have accomplished over your four years here. While the ring itself carries tremendous value, in no way does it outweigh the worth of your four years spent at this institution.

X-Ring Exclusivity Not everyone can afford to participate in the excitement RACHEL LEBLANC Senior Reporter Imagine this - You are flying across the world to a whole new place, when someone taps you on the shoulder and recognizes that gorgeous X Ring glimmering on your finger. They show theirs. Next thing you know, the two of you are chatting away about res life, societies you signed up for, the workload, and the community that got you through it all. Then, you exchange contact information, you find yourself networking

and opening new doors to opportunities you may have never had before you had this golden X on your finger. People all of a sudden notice you, trust you, and connect with you. Everyone can see how awesome you are because your finger says it all.

The X Ring is amazing, isn’t it? Too bad lots of students can’t get one.

Some students can’t get one of the most recognized rings in the world; one that has allowed alumni to make connections all over the globe – a ring that symbolizes your intelli-

gence and awesomeness simultaneously. Yeah, not everyone who deserves it, gets it.

Why? Because the X Ring is extremely expensive; much more so than other graduation rings. Today, students pay anywhere between $800 and $1,300. At the University of British Columbia, the same quality of ring will run between a more reasonable $450$550. What, then, is the extra $500 for? It is, after all, one of the most recognized rings in the world - couldn’t have any average undergraduate wearing it now could we?

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A guide to your worst nightmare The five people you’ll meet while working on a group project JANE STEVENSON Contributor “For this project, you will be working in groups.”

In high school this was the sweetest sentence you could possibly hear. A group project was an excuse to get points for dicking around with your friends. Flash forward to university, where the words “group project” have you frantically looking around the room wondering which of these semistrangers you will be matched with like some sort of deranged academic Tinder. These humans are going to determine your mark for the project, the course, and could potentially harm your precious average.

Over the past month, I have been involved in six group projects, so I like to think I am an expert in the subject. I have also conducted extensive aca-

demic research via Yik Yak and by listening to fellow students complain about their shitty group project mates. So grab your favourite Mini Moe’s beverage and take a deep breath, because I am about to prepare you for the five people you will meet while working on group projects.

1. The Broadway Star: This person has taken drama classes and was on the debate team. This person is a great asset to have in your group, but be aware of their tricks. This person will offer to take on extra talking time if someone in the group isn’t comfortable presenting. Do not fall for this trick. This is the Broadway star’s way of doing minimal prep work, while still looking like a star on presentation day. Thank them for the offer, but shut it down.

2. The Unicorn: Having this person in your group is like winning the group project lottery. They have a good grip on the course content and are willing to take on extra work if needed. This is the group member that keeps everyone on track and will answer your questions even if it’s 2 AM. If you find this person in your group, take a picture and Instagram that shit, because this is a rare moment.

3. The Control Freak: This person will try to do the whole project themselves, then rip apart the other group members in the group evaluation, thus giving you a potentially bad mark. It’s also bad news if one person is trying to do the work of five people. In this case, you need to pry the project from their cold lifeless hands and demand they let you

do something.

4. The Phantom Who May Not Even Be From Fraser: No one is sure if this person even exists. You saw them on the first day of class and again at the midterm, but they seem to go into the fourth dimension when they walk out the classroom door. They may read the Facebook messages, but contribute little or nothing to the project. This Shitbag MacGee does not deserve a grade for the blood, sweat, and tears you and your group put into this precious project. If you’ve tried to engage them and nothing is working, go talk to your prof.

They’re very understanding and will save you a lot of headache.

5. The Procrastinator: This person is similar to the phantom, but at the last minute

they will pull their weight. This person may be super busy or just bad at time management, as most of us are. They will message the group chat at 11 PM the day before the project is due, announcing they have finally added their part to the PowerPoint or Google Doc. Be understanding with this person and thankful they at least put some effort in.

Working in groups is about as guaranteed in life as accidentally liking someone’s Instagram picture from 44 weeks ago. It’s bound to happen whether you like it or not. Don’t be afraid to take on a leadership role or to talk to your professor if something goes wrong.

Ultimately, the best you can do is to be prepared for the cloud of doom that is a group project and wait for a future where group projects are obsolete.

A criticism of Western media bias The need for increased inclusivity in Western media representation LINDSAY JOHNSTONE Columnist What is media representation? One common meaning of media representation is the way in which mainstream media depicts the news. What perspective is taken? What are major news companies and corporations leaving out from the story? Who is being interviewed, and what side of the story is being told? In other words, how the media is framed is part of what media representation is.

If you listen to the news or read news articles published by some of the larger media companies from around the world, we don’t always question what we are told or think about what may lie beyond the specifics of the story the reporter is explaining. Or for that matter, we don’t often think about what the reporter is not reporting.

This past month has been horrific in many parts of the world. There are major war acts going on all over, and yet, living in a Western country, we seemed to have been informed primarily about only one of the major war acts this past month: Paris. The Paris attacks were devastating and an absolutely horrendous incident. Western news reports were covering this incident to their fullest capacity. The reporting went on for weeks and is still ongoing. The coverage of the attacks was ex-

tensive. It seemed that a lot of the news was about Paris, but were there any other major events going on in the world aside from the Paris attack around the same time? Indeed there were. But why was other news not reported as widely as the Paris attacks?

I think one of the main reasons we heard a lot about the attacks in Paris was because we, as a Western society, can relate most directly to Parisians. We look similar to Parisians (we are predominantly a Caucasian society, and we have immigrants, just like France), we have the same type of governmental structure, we mostly share the same Christian religion, and we have historical links to France. For all these reasons, mainstream Western media coverage flocked to Paris and made sure we heard every detail of the Paris attacks. Then too, there are Western reporters who are permanently based in Paris, which in part, explains why the attacks were covered so much.

I recognize that Canada has economic relations with France, including trade and military alliances so for those reasons as well we have a special interest in France; but notwithstanding this…

Did you know, that the day before the attack on Paris, a massive suicide bombing occurred in Beirut, Lebanon, which happened during a busy time in the evening when

men, women, and children were commuting home from work and school? At least 43 people died and another 200 were injured. Why did this not make the Western news headlines as much as the Paris attacks? It seems discriminatory how unreported the Beirut suicide bombings were. Is it that the color of a person’s skin, religion, or ethnic origins, or the location of the event determines what gets reported in the news?

Had people who were “more like us” predominantly populated Lebanon, I think newscasts in Western countries

would have been reporting on two major acts of war this month, not one.

And did you know? Way back in April 2015, there was a terrorist attack at the Kenyan Garissa University. Had you even heard of that incident?

In the Kenyan University attack, 147 students and teachers were murdered. This attack has now been compared to the Paris attack as being of the same level of terrorism.

The two attacks were both tragic and brutal, but the Kenyan attack was far less reported in Western countries.

Can we ask ourselves why?

Photo: theintercept.com

This is an inadequate way to learn about events that occur all over the world. Western reporters must be more inclusive in what they are reporting. When reporting a significant event that could shake the world, it should be reported on wherever it is located, whether it’s North America, the Middle East, Europe, or Africa. But I have to say, Western mainstream media clearly prefers coverage of “western people”. Perhaps we should be letting the media know that this “balance” of reporting is just not equal enough.

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thursday december third, 2015

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culture

EDITOR: RACHEL REVOY xw.culture@stfx.ca

Call to action: An end to gender based violence Creating a safe space and a conversation on how violence impacts our community of December 4th HAYLEY MCOSTRICH Contributor We will honour and commemorate the tragic Massacre of the Polytechnic Institute on December 4th by participating in a collaborative event in order to inspire change that is brought about through a strong supportive community.

December 6, 1989, marks a tragic day in Canadian history as 14 students at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal were murdered for the sole reason that they had were women who chose the traditionally male dominated career of engineering.

In 1991, the Parliament of Canada declared December 6th to be the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. This Friday, there will be a day for our community to come together and speak, reflect, and act on the heartbreaking phenomenon that is gender based violence in its many forms that remain beyond the tragic event in 1989. We remember, and we plan to ignite change.

What has traditionally been a day of solace and commemoration is moving towards an event that reflects and actively moves forward to address violence against women in our society. It represents a time for communities and individuals to speak out against all forms of gender based violence and its impact on victims, their families and friends.

The planning for this event has been a community effort that reflects the transition of feminism to a more inclusive and cooperative project. The direction of this event has been driven through the collaborative effort of the Human

Rights and Equity Office, the Naomi Society, the Aboriginal student society, the Antigonish Women’s Resource Center, the Engineering Department, representatives of the Students Union as well as other interested students and community members.

Marie Brunelle, StFX’s Human Rights and Equity officer, stated “This event has always been a

Gender violence is not something happening in the past and somewhere else, but happening here and today and impacting all sections of society and all groups.

Marie Brunelle | Human Rights & Equity Officer campus and community partnership; the town is too small to work in silos. We have to get together to have more impact. So we start with an open invitation to many people (community members, staff, students) and see who shows up and from there we start building our planning committee and drafting an event. We want to make sure this event is inclusive.

Gender violence is not something happening in the past and somewhere else, but happening here and today and impacting all sections of society and all groups.”

Although the focus of the event is on violence against women, the aim is to create an environment that invites conversation and action against all gender based vio-

lence. The planning is in ways just as important as the actual event as it aims to reflect the intersectionality of such an issue as gender based violence.

Some of the main features of the event will include a prayer, song and dance from representatives of the Mi’kmaq community and the Aboriginal Student Society. Women’s Engineering scholarships and bursaries will be awarded and we will be fortunate enough to hear from Michelle Parent, a former StFX engineering graduate, as the keynote speaker.

The event will end with a period of reflection and a group call to action that will demonstrate the motivation and commitment we make as individuals and as a community to ending this senseless violence.

This commemoration is the basis for a call to action that we must answer. The event will create conversation and space to identify the ways in which this violence affects our community. Whether in our cultures, traditions, attitudes, relationships or other area of our lives, there are many manifestations of this violence; none of which are acceptable. In partnership with the women’s center, this year will focus on this call to action and what the community will do to address this issue. Whether it is writing to your members of parliament, breaking the stigma, challenging problematic and harmful aspects of StFX culture, pushing for policy change on this campus or not being a bystander, there are many ways that you may decide to take action.

While we look to these tragedies of the past, we must also look to the present to identify ways to overcome the violence and to avoid cause for another heart

wrenching commemoration. It is intolerable that anyone should feel targeted or victimized by their gender and by identifying the various ways gender based violence remains in our community, we are better equipped to deal with it head on.

Please join us in solidarity at the Schwartz auditorium, on De-

cember 4th at 12:15 to listen to speaker experiences and wisdom. We invite you to participate in a call to action project and to reflect afterwards with tea, coffee and refreshments. Gender based violence is a reality of this community and we have a collective responsibility to ensure that is comes to an end.

Get involved with StFX’s Enactus society RACHEL REVOY Arts & Culture Editor Enactus StFX is an active group on campus that strives towards creating sustainable projects based on the triple bottom line: they create entrepreneurial opportunities, promote financial literacy and remain environmentally sustainable. Currently, Enactus StFX has seven ongoing projects. These projects include X Denn, the consignment shop located on the first floor of the Student Union Building, Pocket Change, Perfect Cents, and more.

X Denn is a new initiative, and one that is growing. “Students can donate or sell used

items to other students and people in the community. Part of the profit goes towards funding a student in financial need to run the store,” says Maura Brennan, President of Enactus StFX. X Denn is open Friday and Saturday from 124pm.

Another successful Enactus project called Perfect Cents is an initiative that promotes financial literacy for students in public school.

Perfect Cents provides students with basic knowledge on how to manage finances, a crucial information session that will help students learn about finances at a young age.

“We have started a Mi-

chelin team which consults people who are applying for loans that need assistance with their business plan. Michelin, the company that approves these loans, connects us to the people in need and we consult them. So, we’re going to be looking for more people to help create another team so we can help more businesses” says Brennan.

Enactus has helped two businesses and they are planning on consulting their third in the next few weeks.

Enactus works alongside the Paq’tnkek First Nations community to work alongside them on resume building, interview skills, and to help them build confidence. Fur-

ther, they teach the Paq’tnkek members financial literacy and skills to help them work towards their careers. Enactus hopes to soon start a program with the community that assists with building applications for college and university programs.

Enactus works with the L’ARCHE community in Antigonish. They help by providing a location and another audience on campus so L’ARCHE members can sell their artwork and connect with people at StFX. In February, Enactus StFX will be travelling to the national Enactus event in Toronto. They will be searching for presenters who are look-

ing to get presenting practice to join the team. “We went to Nationals last year, there are so many cool projects! All the Universities have done great things with their groups,” says Maura Brennan on the inspiring learning experience on seeing what other schools are working towards.

If you have an idea for a project, Enactus StFX will create a meeting to begin working towards bringing your sustainable idea to life.

To keep up with Enactus events and to find out how to get involved, join Enactus StFX on facebook and follow them on twitter and instagram. For other questions, email enactus@stfx.ca.

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Practicing yoga for peace, not oppression UOttawa’s student union cancels yoga due to concerns of cultural appropriation AIDEN HASSEL Contributor Apparently, donning your lulus and yoga matts is a symptom of globalized colonial racism and oppression. Or at least that’s what the University of Ottawa Students’ Union intimated when it shut down their yoga society this September over “cultural issues.”

In an email outlining the formal complaint that snuffed out the free weekly classes, Ottawa Union staff wrote that “while yoga is a really great idea and accessible and great for students… there are cultural issues of implication involved in the practice.” The email further stated that since many global cultures “have experienced oppression, cultural genocide and diasporas due to colonialism and Western supremacy... we need to be mind-

ful of this and how we express ourselves while practicing yoga.” But this act implies a painfully ironic and misguided judgment on what the practice of yoga is actually about, for yoga is all about disciplining the body and mind in order to cultivate a more compassionate and respectful outlook on life.

Yoga, properly practiced, could not possibly be insensitive. There is a difference between adopting aspects of another culture and vandalizing that culture. Halloween caricatures are offensive because they mock the cultures they steal from; enjoying sushi at a Japanese restaurant or pasta at an Italian one (itself a product of cultural appropriation, after Marco Polo decided that those noodles he had in China were bomb) is not. And modern Western yoga practice is by no

means on the same level of mockery as molly-inebriated white kids in knock-off native headdresses at music festivals nor the more sinister degradation that is blackface.

Yoga is more like listening to rock n’ roll or, more recently, R&B- and hip hop-influenced pop music. White people devour these things and often do so in utter ignorance of their rich histories. It’s rare that a white person really thinks about how rock n’ roll was a successor to jazz and the blues, both innately black artforms whose spiritual ancestor was the work songs of African slaves. Nor do North Americans normally know anything about the spiritual roots of the Hindu religion from which modern, spandexed, Starbucks, and “yoga” sprung up (it’s one of the six orthodox schools of traditional Hindu philosophy,

by the way).

However, does this ignorance amount to cultural vandalism? I don’t think so. These

Yo g a , p r o p e r l y practiced, could not possibly be insensitive

traditions encompass some of the most wonderful and vibrant facets of human experience. Jazz, blues, rock n’ roll, and hip-hop are cries of freedom and of solace in the face of life’s sorrow. Similarly, one of the Hindu traditional vehicles

for achieving a more enlightened, compassionate state of being is through conscious, purposeful discipline of the body. It is no surprise that other cultures want to take part in that. Does engaging in the most sacred, wise, and cherished parts of human life amount to cultural appropriation, cultural imperialism? Or, if we accept and respect other cultures, do we get a taste of the very ideas that could put an end to it?

The University of Ottawa has an answer for you: we should end this flagrant theft of tradition! We should stifle the ravenous, living growth that is culture, and in doing so actually enforce our own manifestation of tyrannical, colonialstyle authority! As for me, I don’t know; I say just read the Bhagavad Gita or something and get back to your practice.

Namaste.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: LOGAN LEE-KNIGHT DEVON GREENE Contributor From big city to small town, athlete to artist, Logan LeeKnight is well rounded. Soccer was always been her main focus throughout high school as LeeKnight attended an athletics focused high school 20 minutes outside her hometown of Calgary. Although this young athlete had natural artistic ability, there was little opportunity at her high school to explore her talent. That all changed when Lee-knight decided to attend University in a small town across the country.

“I honestly didn’t think anything of StFX until I came here for my recruitment trip in grade 12 for soccer,” says Lee-Knight.

Despite coming from a big city, the small class sizes and close teacher-student relationships was what she was used to in her high school setting.

Lee-Knight’s first year was an effort to balance her life as a student athlete with an exploration of academics in the Business program. She quickly caught onto what she liked and did not like about the business world. “I started out in business not really knowing what I wanted to do but through testing it out I knew I didn’t want to go into finance and I knew I didn’t want to go into accounting. I thought marketing was such a creative aspect of the business world so I went on with that.” With a couple semesters under her belt, Lee-Knight had a much better idea of what direction she wanted to go. “In my second year I was able to take two courses in fine arts and I just fell in love with it. It’s a lot of work but it’s

just so relaxing and a great way for you to express your creativity. It went hand in hand with the marketing perspective.” LeeKnight is clearly drawn to the artistic side of things, even in her academics and feels that her focus on marketing will be complemented with a minor in Fine Arts.

Since her time at StFX began, Lee-Knight has taken several Fine Arts courses including materials and methods, batik studio, stained glass and is currently enrolled in weaving. “I definitely don’t pride myself on my painting or drawing skills,” says Lee-Knight. “The classes that my high school had gave us options of painting or drawing and I knew I wasn’t good at it so I stayed away from them… It

There’s always going to be someone that doesn’t like your piece and someone that does and I think it’s up to their perception LOGAN LEE-KNIGHT

wasn’t until university that I was able to express myself through art. I always had an interest in it but I was never able to fully develop my art skills because I didn’t really know how much I could do or how much I was able to do through all the different

mediums that I’ve been able to work with.”

Lee-Knight feels that a career in marketing would be a great outlet for her artistic abilities in a professional setting. “With my Claymations that I made the second one was almost a kind of commercial. Definitely I’ve been able to make [the projects] my own and make them different and I think that goes hand in hand with marketing; People are always looking for the new best thing.”

Lee-Knight does not only see art as a part of her career professionally. It is also one of her favourite ways to relax and re-center to a peaceful mindset. Those who know her well can easily see this in the art she creates based on her subject matter. She creates images of her favourite animal to remind her of spending summers with her grandparents in Saskatchewan. “I’ve done a ton of deer art pieces… My Grandparents actually have deer that comes and they feed it every single day. I thought that was the coolest thing, to take yourself out of the big city and the ‘go, go, go!’ aspect of life and put yourself in a place where there isn’t even cell reception and to humble yourself. To see my grandparents deer and how calming it is and how cool it is to be in that nature setting, deer are my favourite animal because of that.

The piece Lee-Knight created for her stained glass course, as well as her weaving project both feature beautiful images of deer.

Lee-Knight combined the already calming image with a similar colour scheme of softs blues, which bring an even more relaxing feeling to the pieces.

Despite having created fairly realistic images for her stained glass and weaving projects, LeeKnight describes herself as more of an abstract artist. She tends to look more at the message behind the artwork rather than simply admiring the image itself. “There is always going to be emotion expressed in any art piece no matter if it is a realistic image or it’s abstract. There is a large difference but there will always be emotion in it no matter what. I’m a big believer in abstract art and I think that there will always be some people that love it and some people that hate it and that’s what makes art so interesting and so diverse… People have such different perspectives of what’s good in terms of art.

You always see it in different art galleries, like, when you look at something and you think ‘How is that worth that much money?’

But whose perspective is that coming from? In every situation there’s always going to be someone that doesn’t like your piece and someone that does and I think it’s up to their perception.”

Lee-Knight certainly has a deep appreciation of the emotions and feelings attached to pieces of art and combined with her versatility as an artist makes for some pretty amazing work. Dabbling in everything from Claymation to weaving, Lee-Knight has proven to be a very talented artist and a creative force to be reckoned with in the world of marketing.

By Logan Lee-Knight

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thursday december third, 2015

Someone in heaven is gifting us our X rings For two sisters, their x rings will be a constant reminder of their brother’s love and support SIOBHAN KELLY & MOIRA KELLY Contributors A short six months after John’s passing, my parents sat me down with tear-filled eyes and told me that they had a strong feeling that they knew John, my younger brother, wanted to pay for my X ring, and my younger sister, Moira’s, in two years. It was always John’s dream to receive his own. Our mother, who graduated in 1983, gifted her ring to John. He was buried with it on his finger on

tended the school. It is no surprise that the majority of our siblings chose X to call home for four short years.

Growing up in Ottawa and then travelling to Nova Scotia for the picturesque east coast summers, we quickly developed an appreciation for the area. We always found a clever way of taking mom’s (Sheila Livingstone ‘83) X Ring off her finger to try it on and imagine having a ring to call our own one day. Evidently, StFX became the only school that three out of five of the Kelly children decided to apply

Moira, Siobhan, and John Kelly December 31, 2014; reflecting the love and motivation he carried for his dreams.

The Livingstone family’s footprint has been engraved at Saint Francis Xavier University since 1960. Since then, we have had a total of approximately fifty family members who have at-

to and hopefully attend.

I spent one year of my university journey at Carleton University in Ottawa. After a quick year, I realized that applying to StFX was always something I aspired to do. Thus, in August of 2012, I made the decision to transfer. After emulating John’s

desire to attend StFX, I found myself saying goodbye to my large family in Ottawa and beginning a new life only a short month after applying. A hurried year later, I grasped quickly how lucky John and I were to have each other during his first year, and my second year (2013/2014).

Without John’s continuous academic and moral help, I don’t think I could have been as successful as I was throughout our year together.

Now, as I (Siobhan) am receiving my X Ring this year, it is extremely bittersweet knowing that John won’t physically be here to congratulate me in my efforts to continue the dedication that he ignited in me throughout my second year. I can’t speak for John, but somehow I know that he is proud of his big sister, and we’re taking the steps together to be gifted with this X Ring.

Since John is paying for my X Ring, every time I look at this gift, I’ll know that it was gifted to me by an incredible little brother, an inspirational figure, and by someone who motivates me to accomplish my life’s desires.

Being the second youngest of five children, I will be forever grateful for the path that my siblings have paved for me. Their life experiences and choices have greatly influenced and brought me to where I am today.

From learning how to ride bikes together to helping me apply to StFX, John, only 16 months older than me, had the selfless responsibility of guiding me through elementary, junior high and high school, which proved to be a hassle at times.

Because of John’s infectious personality and love of life, it is

Exam Study Playlist RACHEL LEBLANC Contributor If I had a nickel for overtime I spent “hours” studying, but was really just jamming out to Beyonce’s unbelievable 4 album, I wouldn’t even need school.

But in a world where many students are actually productive while listening to music, exam season can be like a front row seat. Below you have your diverse, for-the-moment playlist that will get you through those hefty exams.

The Long Sessions of review and Cue Card extravaganza - This playlist should be saved for you long, long, long study sessions. Reserve your favourite artist’s albums and play their albums through.

Some great artists like Coldplay, City and Colour, and Bon Iver have very fluent albums, which transitions smoothly to keep in tune with your studying.

1. Blood Bank Album - Bon Iver 2. Little Hell City and Colour De

luxe Album 3. Alt-J 4. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head Album 5. Frank Ocean - Channel OR ANGE 6. Ingrid Michaelson - Be Ok 7. Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Album The Cram-Sesh Motivation: This is for the time you have oh-so responsibly set aside for the exam… aka, three hours and a bit. Your music should work to pump you up, get your confidence level up and stay focused. Han Zimmer rocks it, and any motivational words work wonders.

1. Take On Me - Aha 2. Moonlight Sonata - Bethoven 3. Pain is Temporary - Motiva tional 4. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor 5. I’ll make a man out of you - Mu lan 6. Time - Hans Zimmer 7. Paradox - Hans Zimmer 8. Where we’re Going - Hans

Zimmer ...Anything by Hans Zimmer really 9. Stronger - Kanye West 10. Fireworks - Katy Perry 11. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People Study Break: Keep the inter periods light and airy with this mix of happy, classic and acoustic playlist.

The point of these breaks is to enter a stress free zone. Stick to artists that you personally get good vibes from. Jack Johnson, Howie Day and Fleetwood Mac are good examples.

1. Banana Pancakes - Jack John son 2. Upside Down - Jack Johnson 3. Tiger Striped Sky - Roo Panes 4. Collide - Howie Day 5. 100 years - Five for Fighting 6. Big Jet Plane -Angus and Julia Stone 7. Go Your Own way - Fleetwood Mac 8. Home - Phillip Phillips 9. Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show

an understatement to say that I was more than excited to start my StFX adventure with my big brother, John Kelly, by my side.

Unfortunately, the selfish expectation of spending 3 years of 4

credible angel guiding us from heaven to fulfill our aspirations.

It is understood that out of the approximate 1000 graduates this year, everyone will

Rory, Moira, Brea, Siobhan, and John Kelly with John was cut completely short due to him becoming insidiously ill in September 2014.

John left StFX at the beginning of his second year, with an empty promise of ever returning. After his passing on December 24, 2014, Siobhan and I made the difficult decision of coming back to school second semester, to fulfill a legacy that John would have indefinitely left at StFX. John always pushed me (Moira) to move forward in spite of the obstacles I faced. With that being said, when I receive my X Ring in two years as a gift from John, I will forever cherish the motivation he has and is still giving me in my life. Although John may not physically be here anymore to participate in the foolish decisions he and I used to make together, I consider us the lucky ones to have such an in-

have a personal meaning and reason behind their X Ring.

For us, it is John; our little brother, our older brother and one of our best friends, who is giving us a gift that we will carry with us and cherish for the rest of our lives, until we one day see him again. It has taken us a while to get back on our feet after losing such an important part of our lives, however, the importance of doing what we want is no longer a cliché, because we have first handedly witnessed that life is too short.

We would personally like to thank Erin Austen, a psychology professor at StFX, who pointed out how important it is that people need to know that the X ring means so much more than just a piece of jewelry.

Xaverian interfaith MASTER CHIMBALA Contributor We are babies unborn, walkers without feet, swimmers in a world of no water, but seeking to be bound together by faith and love, in peace.

By faith and love we pray that there may be divine mending to occur in the places where our hearts are broken; We pray that aspirations, dreams, and yearnings of a child will find space within the place of happiness; We pray that the union of people of all entities of the world will find their hearts in the communities of others, and that what is treasured at most in the neighbors’ keep may be what we render to them in charity; We pray for the joy and happiness of every girl, and every woman, that there will be a place and life blessed and honored to the core of their dignity, dearly in a world that will with an open heart believe in the essence of every woman in our global commu-

nity.

On this day, we remember in prayer all manner of ill-intention against humanity; we submit a declaration against every measure of evil deeds perpetrated in the lives of the oppressed; on that path we pray for peace to amount, for love to surmount, for prosperity to be pronounced and for interfaith connectedness to be announced.

Much more on this day, we pray and declare, justice, peace and liberty for masses of human life facing injustice, communities lamped-up with endless oppression, individuals encountering deep depression, voices tied-up by surpassing suppression, human dignity compressed by repression, life tramped-up by subjugation, domination, persecution and every layer of ill deeds.

We pray for unconditional love, unbreakable peace, and the promise to embrace all, as our very own, as best as our very selves.

I wish you all well!

distractions

13

EDITOR: TY KINGSTON xw.distractions@stfx.ca

Read This

Food for Thought It’s the most wonderful time of the year; X-ring is here! Although I’m only a sophomore, I too shiver with anticipation. Only two years (three if I don’t get my shit together) and I’ll have mine! However, I shall inherit mine from my Grandfather. My primary reasons are: keep it in the family, and save that sweet cash money! Upon reflection though, there is a deeper sentiment.

The X-ring can be a symbol of everything this school is and what the bearer gained while there. Your X-ring will be different from every other, but let’s talk about what they all should symbolize.

They should all symbolize X’s history, X began as a covenant between the Catholic Church and the newly arrived Scottish refugees of Nova Scotia. With education, these people would gain the tools to end their poverty and their discrimination. This is StFX’s historical mission, and was

the reason why my Grandfather came here.

I’d like to think that’s why I came here, and that an X-ring will bring that to my mind when I wear it. But, does X still hold true to its founding mission?

I don’t think so, how are we honouring that mission when graduation now comes after an $80 000 bill ($40 000 if you’re getting half-of-an engineering degree)? I don’t think that makes university education at all accessible to the poor. The few and far between scholarships are paid for by alumni. Thus, a new X-ring symbolizes a school that has abandoned its founding mission, not kept it.

Perhaps the X-ring symbolizes how we have reached the same level of academic excellence that was required of Xaverians past.

This is false. Truthfully, my grandfather did not graduate from X. He flunked chemistry and opted to go home rather than repeat the

whole year, as was required of engineers at the time. He did not earn his X-ring, yet he’s in the same prestigious club as though who do. Has that changed since then?

I am still excited to get my ring, but because it’s a reminder that failures do not always reflect in one’s life. After flunking, my grandfather became an entrepreneur, fathered six children, sent four of them to get the education he didn’t, he’s in his 55th year of successful marriage - he’s even a patented inventor! His ring to me is a symbol of him – not his school.

It was worn by a man who failed and came back from that failure on his own merit. Hopefully, when I fail in life, I’ll look to his ring, and be inspired to find success. The ring has almost nothing to do with this school, besides the desire to earn it before parading with it.

That is what my X-ring means to me, what does yours mean to you?

The Syrian refugee crisis is one of the greatest challenges of this decade. The community of Antigonish has responded by forming SAFE, a non-profit group which will provide care 2 Syrian refugees when they arrive in 2-3 weeks.

SAFE reached out to StFX this past Monday by requesting donations and volunteer services which will help the families adjust.

“We want to raise $100 000,” says Lucille, a SAFE representative. This $100 000 would be used to settle either a third family, or extended family members in the coming months. $100 000 is a large sum, until it’s divided by the 5 000 or so members of the StFX community, then becomes $20/ person. This isn’t difficult and would certainly follow StFX’s tradition of helping those less fortunate (i.e. Moses Coady leading the Antigonish move-

ment during the depression).

Maybe your aid will come through alternative ways such as tutoring the children. Maybe that’s by going to SAFE meetings and what brainstorming what issues these families face in adjusting to life in Canada. Maybe it’s simply practicing our social skills by saying ‘hi’ and being friendly when we see them.

There are many ways to get involved. Donations can be made to SAFE at its account at the Credit Union. Tax receipts will not be given as SAFE is still applying for charitable status. Rotary Interact is already involved, if you wish to contact them. A new society “StFX for SAFE” is being led

by Emma Greer, who can be contacted at x2011sks@stfx. ca. To directly contact SAFE, please e-mail safamiliesembrace@gmail.com.

Happy Holidays!

It’s exam season.

Look on this in your despair!

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thursday thursday december november third, fifth, 2015

sports and health

EDITOR: SHELBI KILCOLLINS xw.sports@stfx.ca

It’s not over

The prevailing issue of racism in professional and collegiate sports SHELBI KILCOLLINS Sports and Health Editor A dominant ideology that strings together athletes, coaches and fans is the notion of sport,”being pure and good,” an arena separate from corruption. Unfortunately the FIFA administration, ruthlessness of fantasy football (see John Oliver’s rant) and continued socioeconomic inequity on the field have destroyed this desired sociological reputation. Although we yearn for sport to be the branch of culture free from prejudice, it appears that issues particularly those driven by racism are reflecting back onto the spheres of our athletes in a forthright manner.

Sports history is defined by

the moments where athletes such as Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens and Thommie Smith overcame obstacles grounded in the colour of their skin and ignorant mindsets. Although these athletes’ successes dramatically contributed to a transformation in the perception of differing ethnicities, the use of racial slurs to eliminate an individual’s power during a competition persists. In North America we see this most clearly at the collegiate and professional level.

Last year, Donald Sterling former owner of the NBA’s L.A. Clippers was recorded saying to his significant other, “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people”, and,

“You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want”, but “the little I ask you is ... not to bring them to my games.” These astonishing statements were followed by an (obvious) protest by his players, fan uproar and lifetime ban from the NBA issued by commissioner Adam Silverstein alongside a $2.5 million fine.

Racism in sports is hardly left behind the scenes. In fact its often displayed in the most public manner: social media. Following a game winning goal by PK Subban against the Boston Bruins in 2014 a flood of discriminatory tweets flood the internet on behalf of Bruin fans to the point that the n-word was trending.

CIS is renowned for producing individuals driven equally by character, athletic and academic success but even this group of reputable leaders are not segregated from incidences of racism as experienced by Xmen hockey player Trey Lewis.

When Trey is not in Antigonish he resides in Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick (his mother is Mi’kmaq). Playing major junior and in the AUS Lewis has encountered slurs aimed at his native roots, expe-

rienced most recently in a game against the University of Moncton. When asked how the scenario with the opposing player evolved Lewis states, “After a whistle in the game against Moncton I was talking to one of the Moncton players when another one of their players skated by calling me a *bleep*-ing Indian. It wasn’t the smartest decision because the linesman again was right beside us and heard the comment, (Trey politely substituted the word fucking for a kinder option).” He continued by describing his response to the remarks, “I turned to see if the linesman or ref had heard it, and then I’ll admit I overreacted and was quite mad at the player, but he was kicked out of the game, so nothing more came of it. I wouldn’t hold a grudge or anything, usually if anything like this happens I understand that it is a heat of the moment decision, and more often than not the player is not truly racist.”

Although this athlete displays an uncanny level of sympathy that can only be associated with incredible maturity he doesn’t deny that ignorance flows from the ice to everyday life regarding his heritage, “I have experienced more or less

uneducated comments, for example someone upset that Natives get a treaty day holiday, or someone thinks it’s unfair that Natives have reduced taxes. I think this simply comes out of lack of education, throughout grade school and such we’re not taught nearly enough about Aboriginal histories and issues.

This can lead to “accidental” racism in my opinion.”

There is no denying racism is prevailing throughout Western society via police brutality, continued cultural appropriation and absurd Islamaphobia propaganda on Facebook. However our idea that the world of sports is isolated from this cruel, disempowering language is wrong and must be acknowledged if we desire to one day completely abolish racism.

From the classroom to the national stage How one UBC assignment is addressing gender inequity with humour CONNOR GARAGAN Contributor For many students, it was just another last minute assignment pulled together Sunday night, but for members of UBC Eagles Women’s hockey, it was a different story.

The video that went viral and focused on the common stereotypes of female hockey players with a light, joking twist, has caught the attentions of individuals across the nation, and is slowly turning heads towards the focus of what female hockey truly depicts.

Kirsten Toth, a transferred fourth year to the UBC women’s hockey team, says that they did the video for a number of reasons but to, “Mainly highlight that a lot of the questions we get asked are stupid - and that is because people are uneducated on the female game”. After the last few Olympics, the evident uproar and attention on female hockey has seen expo-

nential growth, but certainly hasyet to sit on the same level that the attention the male game is receiving.

“We don’t have Saturday hockey night in Canada all over Sportsnet and TSN, or highlights every day. People have no idea and that is a problem that needed to be addressed”, Toth says regarding this issue. But this video is opening the eyes of many Canadians to show them that not only are the common assumptions of the women’s hockey world falsely understood, but surprisingly unrealistic as well. The video runs as a number of unrealistic questions that are asked by the public around the female game: “Does your coach yell at you? Do you even practice?

Do you girls fight?Do you even work out?” These are then answered by the members of the women’s hockey team in a sarcastic manner.

Toth says that, “Through sarcasm, swearing and joking we finally delivered a message that women have been

trying to deliver for a long time”.

The video has now become a catalyst for change in the kind of attention women’s hockey receives. Certainly, there will not be dramatic improvements on what kind of coverage overnight, and that is important to understand, but the Women of the UBC hockey team are hoping to turn the attention of hockey fans across the country with this small start.

“Women have been preaching for gender equality in sport for a long time” Toth says. “And not much has changed. There have been small positive windows, but we are still very far behind”.

This video has come a long way from a small creative writing class project. The assignment has caught the attention and respect from CBC, local news papers and stations, as well as the reputable TSN.

Grasping attention from these media sources is what truly sparks and disperses messages across the sporting world, so for this video with this empowering message to be shared amongst the country, is a seemingly good start to see the level of respect towards women’s hockey enhance.

“We made the video to take a different approach. An approach that forces people to listen,” notes Toth.

15

Where do we draw the line?

The escalation from a healthy lifestyle to dissorded eating CAITLIN VANCE Health Columnist Looking back at pictures of myself from first year, I am reminded of the adventures and excitement that came with my first time living out on my own. First year of university brought many new experiences, new relationships, and new perspectives.

I had some wonderful times that I will never forget. But I’m also reminded of the notso-great memories. The days spent obsessing over a stupid number on a scale, the countless hours spent logging my daily food intake and exercise, and the poisonous thoughts constantly circling in my head that were so reluctant to leave. The lonely nights spent teary-eyed in my room when I could have been out living the life I fantasized about leading, the life that I believed I could only have if I was 30 pounds lighter. In my pursuit of physical perfection, I lost myself.

I was always the athletic

tom-boy growing up, but in my upper years of high school I discovered what calorie restriction and excessive exercise could do. I lost weight, and when I went away to University things only continued. Now in charge of the food surrounding me, and the gym being so conveniently close to me on campus, I took advantage of the opportunity to get even “healthier”. The gym became an everyday task.

Striving to burn 500+ calories every day, I felt good!

The more results I saw, the more I wanted. I started to restrict my food intake even further. My body continued to change, but not in the ways that I’d hoped. I started to grow hair in new places. I still hadn’t had my period at the ripe old age of 18.5, I was always sleepy, and I experienced on and off crazy breakouts; all common side effects to severe calorie restriction.

But it wasn’t only my body that took a beating. I started to avoid social interaction.

Rushing to my room with my dinner to go while avoiding my floor mates who were eating together, and neglecting invitations from friends, I soon found myself exclusively alone in my room. I excused my anti-social behaviour on the basis that I was there to get good grades, and obviously work out. Somewhere along the way, I got lost. Even if I looked good on the outside, my mind has never been so toxic. I would never ever ever speak to anyone the way I was talking to myself. Unworthy, fat, and not good enough were part of my regular vocabulary.

One of the major influencers that helped me get to a healthier state of mind was a dear friend going through a similar situation, the two of us found comfort in relating to each other and I am forever grateful for her.

I guess I never had anyone tell me how to improve my health the right way, so I was left trying to navigate it for myself. Despite my obsessive habits, I eventually came to the realization that my current lifestyle was in no way healthy, nor was it a satisfying way to experience university or life in general. I’m not sure how nor why my preoccupation got to such an extreme, but over the past two years I have learned a lot. I’ve learned that obsession around food and disordered-eating habits is as common as the winter flu.

I’ve learned that it’s acceptable and normal to be overly critical of ourselves, to regard our bodies as anything but good. I’ve learned that

ATHLETIC THERAPIST OF THE WEEK

Name: ERIN BROCKLEHURST TRAINER FOR: women’s hockey NICKNAMES: BROCKO, BROCKLEBUTT, RON, RONNY, EBROCK, HOCKEY MOM hometown: TRURO, NS (BIG TO OF NS) FAVORITE BONE: SCAPULA FAVOURITE BODY PART TO TREAT: Foot Least favourite injury: concussions

WHEN ERIN ISN’T IN at THE RINK TAPING UP OUR XWOMEN,YOU CAN FIND HER MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY evenings AT 8:30 TEACHING ZUMBA IN THE FITNESS DANCE ROOM.

taking care of our mental health is an integral part of happiness. I now work out because I enjoy it, not to hit a target calorie goal. I eat well to nourish my body and because I love the way good food makes me feel. I call my best friend or make plans when I need comfort. I work to take care of myself both physically and mentally, because I know how. I think the saddest thing is how twisted our perceptions get. Looking back at pictures of me from this time, I wonder where the hell all the flaws that I thought I had are hiding.

If you or anyone you know is going through anything similar, change is possible.

Confide in a friend, call a loved one, or take advantage of the help available on campus. Importantly, be mindful of the conversations you have with yourself. If you say something often enough, you’ll soon start to believe it.

Kind words and encouragement go a long way. If you find yourself constantly preoccupied with excessive thoughts about food, exercise, and appearance, it’s gone too far. Constantly projecting our happiness to the future is no way to live. Obtaining the “perfect body” won’t solve all of your problems. You deserve to be happy now, in whatever shape or size you come in.

If I could go back I would wrap my arms around myself, drown myself in kisses, and remind myself that my physical appearance is merely a small fraction of who I am as a person. There was so much good surrounding me that I missed out on because my view was so severely narrowed. But I’ll take it as a learning experience.

In the end, appearance has never been the only thing that makes a human beautiful.

20 workout tunes: From the turkey and onto the treadmill this holiday break Feeling Myself- Nicki Minaj, Beyonce SHELBI KILCOLLINS Sorry- Justin Bieber Sports and Health Editor Together- Ella Eyre Delilah- Florence and the Machine Public Service Announcement (Interlude)- Jay Z Put it on me- Ja Rule Waves- Miguel Headlights- Robin Schulz, IIsey Partition- Beyonce No Church in the Wild- Jay Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean Blessing- Big Sean, Drake Lights (Bassnectar remix)- Ellie Goulding Back to Back- Drake Fat Lip- Sum 41 Do What U Want- Lady Gaga, R. Kelly Fergalicious- Fergie No Sleep Till Brooklyn- Beastie Boys A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)- Fergie Good Life- Kanye West, T-Pain X Gon’ Give It To Ya- DMX

16

thursday december third, 2015

www.xaverian.ca

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Congratulations Lauren Agnew, Paige Chisholm, and all other members of the Class of 2016 on your shiny new bling!