Issue 16, Volume 121

THE

VOLUME 121 ISSUE 16 APR 4 2013

XAVERIAN

Find us on Twitter @xaverianweekly

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND SINCE 1895

2

NEWS

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly

XAVERIAN WEEKLY

Thursday Mar 29 2012

Volume 120 Issue 20

EDITORIAL STAFF

Thursday Thursday,April January 4th 31, 2013 2012 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Volume Issue 16 7 Sean McEvoy121 xw.eic@stfx.ca | (902) 870-9431

OUR STAFF

PRODUCT ION MANAGER Emma MacPherson EDITORS-IN-CHIEF xw.product@stfx.ca

Sean McEvoy

MANAGING EDITOR Lewis Forward Joe T hibault xw.managing@stfx.ca | (902) 867-3732

xw.eic@stfx.ca

COPY EDITOR Alexandra Adams ART PRODUCT IST IC COORDINATOR ION MANAGER xw.copy@stfx.ca

Clayton Marie-Eve Pomerleau ART IST ICBlagdon COORDINATOR Marie-Eve Pomerleau xw.photo@stfx.ca xw.product@stfx.ca xw.photo@stfx.ca NEWS EDITOR MARKET ART IST ICING COORDINATOR MANAGER Lewis Forward xw.news@stfx.ca Taylor ClaytonKline Blagdon

xw.managing@stfx.ca xw.photo@stfx.ca CULTURE EDITOR Kennedy Murphy xw.culture@stfx.ca BUSINESS MARKET ING MANAGER MANAGER

SPORTS & HEALT H EDITOR Hillary TaylorSaade Kline Elliott Micha xw.sports@stfx.ca

xw.managing@stfx.ca

FEATURES EDITOR Annie Ewing COPY BUSINESS EDITOR MANAGER xw.feature@stfx.ca

Alexandra Hillary Elliott Adams OPINIONS EDITOR Amanda Daignault xw.copy@stfx.ca xw.managing@stfx.ca xw.opinions@stfx.ca DIST RACT IONS EDITOR NEWS COPY EDITOR EDITOR xw.distract@stfx.ca

Patrick Alexandra LeClair Adams

SENIOR REPORT ER xw.news@stfx.ca xw.copy@stfx.ca Seth Rutner xw.report@stfx.ca SENIOR REPORT ER OPINIONS NEWS EDITOR EDITOR Ellen Crosby Noelle PatrickJackson LeClair xw.report@stfx.ca

xw.opinions@stfx.ca xw.news@stfx.ca

DIST RIBUT ION MANAGER Adam Ross

FEATURES OPINIONS Contact EIC atEDITOR xw.eic@stfx.ca for information Ellen NoelleCrosby Jackson xw.feature@stfx.ca xw.opinions@stfx.ca FEATURES WRIT EDITOR CONTACT USER

General inquiries Megan Ellen Crosby Dewey (902) 867-5007 Advertising inquiries (902) 867-3732 Fax (902) 867-3941 xw.feature@stfx.ca xw.feature@stfx.ca E-mail xw.eic@stfx.ca

CULTURE EDITOR

FIND US

Kim111D, Luttich Rm. Bloomfield Centre PO Box 924 xw.culture@stfx.ca St Francis Xavier University Antigonish NS, B2G 2X1 DIST RACT IONS EDITOR

The Xaverian Laura O’Brien O’BrianWeekly is the official student newspaper of St Francis Xavier xw.distract@stfx.ca University.

The Xaverian Weekly is published on Thursdays by the Xaverian Weekly Board and is SPORTSPublications & HEALT H EDITOR editorially autonomous.

Aaron Micha Saade Thornell xw.sports@stfx.ca The Xaverian Weekly is a proud member of the Canadian University Press, North America’s largest cooperative of student SENIOR REPORT ER ERS newspapers.

Campus Plus is the Xaverian Brooke Rutner Weekly’s national advertising agency. xw.report@stfx.ca Jonathan Bicknell

xw.report@stfx.ca opinions

Opinions expressed in the Xaverian DIST RIBUT ION MANAGER Weekly are those of the author and Graham DIST RIBUT Haynes ION MANAGER do not necessarily reflect those of contact Graham EIC Haynes atWeekly xw.eic@stfx.ca for more info the Xaverian or the Xaverian Weekly Publications Board. for more info contact EIC at xw.eic@stfx.ca

CONTACT US CONTACT US

copyright

General inquiries: (902) 867-5007 All materials appearing in the Xaverian Weekly copyright their creator(s) Advertising Generalare inquiries: inquiries: (902) (902) 867-5007 867-3732 and may not be used without Email: Advertising xw.eic@stfx.ca inquiries: (902) 867-3732 permission.

NEWS StFX $1.6 million energy upgrade announced

NS government funds campus energy consumption reduction upgrades

PATRICK LECLAIR | News Editor

On Thursday, March 28th, Maurice Smith, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal for the Province of Nova Scotia, came to StFX to announce funding that will be given to StFX for the 2013-14 fiscal year.

Smith talked about a $1.7 million grant to the university to implement energy consumption reduction projects around campus. The funding is also accompanied by energy audits of 11 buildings on campus, including “the Big Four”: Nicholson, J. Bruce Brown, Bloomfield, and the Angus L Macdonald Library.

While these funds will not completely offset the total costs of new energy efficient measures on campus, they will help to reduce the costs of construction. The real benefits, the Minister pointed out, will come with the annual projected savings of $433,326.

These grants are the first that StFX has received from the Innovation Fund, a $25 million investment fund that the provincial government has put in place to help universities implement innovative projects, including projects concerning energy efficiency.

So far, the NDP government has invested $15 million into this fund and will place another $10 million into it in the next year. This fund supplements the $314 million in university operating grants that the province will give out next

year as well. The hopes with the innovation funds, as Smith stated, “[is] to draw the best and the brightest of students, of faculty, of administrators to Nova Scotia.”

The access to $25 million in new funding comes just after the province announced that they will be further cutting total university funding by another 3 per cent next year for a total of $34 million in cuts over the past three years.

When asked how the province intends to help universities deal with the discrepancy between the $34 million decrease and the $25 million increase, Minister Smith stated, “We have had to reduce across the board in Nova Scotia, not just university funding.”

This means that students are not going to see any reduction in tuition or any other financial benefit from these changes. Rather, the university will take the savings and use them to try to balance a budget that has been slashed by the province.

“The savings will be in order to balance our budget from the reduced funding that we have overall from the province,” said Ramsay Duff, StFX VP of Finance and Operations.

Where students will see a difference, according to Duff and Leon Macllean, Director of Facilities Management, is in the overall air and lighting qualities in buildings.

“I think the students will

notice it in terms of the work environment, much as they see in Schwartz. They will notice it as more of a pleasant building to be in,” said Duff.

The installations are scheduled to be completed in the next 12 months.

The big question for many students here is why has the province not allocated these funds to areas where the students will see direct results, specifically to the financial burden? Maurice Smith noted that while students will not see immediate financial benefits from this, they will see an improvement in their universities. As well, the goal here, said Smith, is to “direct the universities on how to spend.” The province hopes that by helping universities innovate, they will be able to increase their ability to compete amongst universities nationally and will be able to save long term.

When asked why this funding has not been given to lower tuition costs and make universities more competitive and appealing Smith said, “Sure, the more we give students the more students likely we’d get, but there is a limited supply of funding for universities.”

Instead, the university is hoping that these long-term plans will help universities to improve their programs.

When asked about how StFX will use this money on its programs for students, Ramsay

Duff was not so optimistic on the benefits. These funds, said Duff, will go back in to “try and preserve our academic programs and services for students.”

This is very different from the government’s view that universities will see an increase in their ability to provide for students. As well, these funding increases are going to be accompanied with StFX cuts that will be announced in upcoming months. Due to the decrease in funding from the province, the university is making cuts to its staff and programs in order to have a balanced budget moving forward.

Next year, the university is hoping to get more grants from the province to help in funding a “total refit” of the central heating system. As was previously reported by the Xaverian, the university is looking at moving away from an oil-based heating system to one that relies on renewable resources, mainly wood.

Hopefully this too will help to alleviate some of the financial burden that StFX has been struggling with recently. While it took the university a long time to receive the $1.7 million, the university has already begun to lobby the province for funding to help with the new heating plant.

Sean Riley looks towards the future President discusses his place at the university, as well as Academic VP SEAN MCEVOY | Co-Editor-in-Chief

Email: xw.eic@stfx.ca

FIND US FIND US

submissions

The Xaverian Weekly welcomes Room 111D, Bloomfield Centre submissions of articles, letters, photos, PO Room Box 111D, 924 Bloomfield Centre and graphics.

Submissions must be St. POFrancis Box 924 received byXavier FridayUniversity 5 pm the week prior to should be Antigonish, St.publication.

Francis Xavier NSSubmissions B2G University 2X1 sent to xw.eic@stfx.ca or to the relevant Antigonish, NS B2G 2X1 section editor.

Opinions expressed are solely those of their au-

The editor-in-chief the section thors Opinions and expressed do not necessarily areand solely reflect those the of their viewsauof editors reserve the right to refuse to The thorsXaverian and do not Weekly necessarily or Thereflect Xaverian the views Weekly of print submitted material and to edit Publications The Xaverian Board.

Weekly or The Xaverian Weekly submissions for length and/or style.

The Xaverian Weekly willinnot mateAll Publications materials Board. appearing Theprint Xaverian Weekly rial that is racist, misogynistic, sexist, are All materials copyright those appearing their in creator(s) The Xaverian and may Weekly not homophobic, or of libellous. be areused copyright without those permission. of their creator(s) and may not

Contributors Editors be usedreserve withoutthe permission. right to refuse to print submit-

ted Editors material reserve andthe to right edit submitted to refuse tomaterial(s) print submitfor

JAMES length/style. ted materialMALLOV, and ThetoXaverian edit submitted MAYS Weeklymaterial(s) will CHAMI, not print for LAURA material length/style. thatO’BRIEN, is The racist, Xaverian misogynistic, Weekly LIAMsexist, will PROST, nothomoprint BREANNA phobic, materialorthat libellous. is racist, MITCHELL misogynistic, sexist, homophobic, or libellous.

With the recent announcement of Academic VP and Provost Mary McGillivray's resignation, the hunt is now on to fill her shoes.

"We had three candidates scripted to be on campus," said President Sean Riley regarding the decision.

“The hiring committee after the visits will take its decision. The committee recommends to me and I make the offer."

The candidates remaining up for the job include Benoit-Antoine Bacon, who visited campus on March 25th, Malcolm Buter, who was at StFX on March 28th, and Jeff Orr who presented to the campus community on April 2nd. Bacon hales from Bishops University, Butler is presently the dean of science

at Carleton University, while Orr comes from within as the present dean of education.

"We had a lot of applicants," says Riley. “There were really a combination of experience. They're all deans with experience and people who have close experience with undergraduate focused universities. We have to get an AVP who believes in what we do, and the whole model of StFX as a residential undergraduate focused university with student research and so on. One of our advantages over the longer term is universities in Canada are getting larger and larger and StFX is a place where students feel more at home and academically engaged."

Riley noted that further staffing changes would also be taking place later in the year.

"We're in the process of recruiting a new dean of business (replacing outgoing Dean Leo Gallant).

That's the first change. We're going to have a real deficit problem," Riley noted, referencing the recent strike and the financial impact it will have on the university."So it's going to be a tense year from our point of view."

In regards to his own status, Riley was unsure of what the future would hold.

"I have as of June two years left in my current contract. We still have a lot of things to do, but it's coming to an end sooner or later. I feel a bit like a fourth year student. There will

be life after, but I'm enjoying fourth year, actually 17th year."

Riley also had words of praise for McGillivray as she leaves her post this year: "Mary has been a very strong person in the administration. She was dean of arts before she was academic vice-president, so she's always been in the driver's seat. So you're always trying to make sure that the transition is smooth. Mary is still very engaged in all of the stuff we've been doing. She hasn't put up her feet up and has been working very hard this year." " She'll still be part of the university", he concluded. "She's very much a StFX person, loves the place and feels for its success."

The Xaverian Weekly | Volume 121 Issue 16

NEWS

3

4

NEWS

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly

Duff letter outlines compensation rejection

Duff cites “continued instructional work,” in rejection of SU-led deal LEWIS FORWARD | Co-Editor-in-Chief

On March 13th, VP Finance and Operations Ramsay Duff sent a letter outlining the reasons for the rejection of the students’ union proposed strike compensation payments to students, citing financial challenges to the university, and “varying amounts of continued instructional work throughout the strike,” as reasons not to provide compensation to students.

The option of university reimbursement to students for the value of missed classes was voted down unanimously by the StFX Board of Governors.

The cost to StFX university for reimbursement payments would have been $138 per student, for a total cost of $597000.

In the letter addressed

to Students’ Union President Nick Head-Petersen, Ramsay wrote that the university “[accepted] many of the points in the presentation of the proposal,” but was unable to meet the students demands for several reasons.

The proposed fee repayment values had been calculated by Head-Petersen, Students’ Union VP Rachel Mitchell, and several other students’ union executive members and councillors, based off of the savings accrued from professors’ salaries that went unpaid during the strike. In his letter, Duff told Petersen that “savings from the strike are more than offset with incremental costs,” and that there were “varying amounts of continued instructional

work throughout the strike.”

Duff cited the continued operation of the library and “other support services” that continued throughout the strike as reasons for rejecting the offer, noting that “program components went on as scheduled in some cases (e.g. nursing students on clinical placements).”

Duff, in his letter, did not provide exact figures of university expenditures on continued programs during the strike, and declined an interview invitation from the Xaverian to discuss the rejection of the union proposal.

Duff described the continuation of some professors’ office hours and email correspondence as one of the factors

that mitigated the negative effects for students of a threeweek gap in classes.

No professors received any form of university-funded salary during the strike.

Duff also said that in the process of agreement after the strike concluded a plan was devised by the AUT and administration to “ensure all courses would be completed without compromising course quality.”

Students, post-strike, have endured what third-year English student Laura O’Brien referred to as a “shit show.”

“I wrote five essays in four days. I got eight hours of sleep in eighty hours,” says O’Brien.

Due dates during the strike were in many cases

pushed forward into the following weeks.

Duff said that the method by which the students’ union team came up with the final n u m b e r s, by calculating the number of missed days, assessing the salary savings during missed days, and subtracting costs incurred to the university based on factors like lower student retention- was not an “applicable measure.”

Duff wrote in his letter that tuition fees are “for courses delivered, not the number of classes or teaching days.” The daily rate measurement proposed by the students’ union did not match the university’s policy, according to Duff, as tuition does not correspond to number of days taught.

Getting to know who’s in charge of the money

Garreth Winsor set to take over as the new VP Finance and Operations for the Students’ Union SEAN MCEVOY | Co-Editor-in-Chief

Incoming VP Finance and Operations Gareth Winsor admits he submitted his application for the position on a whim.

"One of my prof's actually pulled me aside after class and told me that(Outgoing VP Finance) Pat (Carruthers) had talked to him about students being interested, and he told me that I should check it out. I ended up getting invited to interview and it just sort of happened."

"It's been good working with Pat so far," says Winsor, a third year business student. "He's got me working on systems a little bit. He's a funny guy, good guy, nice to learn from. He's had me paying some bills

and updating budget accounts" Winsor was born and raised in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, along with his (younger) twin brother. He will be the first to undertake the newly named position of VP Finance and Operations. Under his new responsibilities, DriveU will now be under his office.

"It kind of makes sense that it would just be with me. It allows the VP of Union Services to be a little more hands on in managing personnel."

"Working on the budget right now is also a big deal," says Winsor. "Upcoming next year, working with The Xaverian and developing an plan and strategy to work well

in the future will be a top priority as well."

In regards to how working with the newly appointed VP exec is going, Winsor is pleased.

"We've been working together pretty well so far. We haven't had too much time to jell together, but we're all really motivated people, all really friendly. I knew Ben and Taylor Mason a bit going into it, but it's mostly been all new getting to know them."

In regards to the ongoing dispute with the university in regards to financial compensation for the StFXAUT strike, Winsor is in support of the students’ union’s proposal.

"Obviously I'd like to see some

compensation, but there's only so much that we can do. Ultimately, it would have to be a movement from the whole student body to make something happen," he says. "We're at a standstill now, but I would like to see some compensation or even a gesture. It seems like it's been treated as not that big an issue. To me it seems like we're paying for a service, and they haven't treated us as well as they should have."

He also believes maintaining positive relations between administration and the students’ union is critical.

"Absolutely. I think that's important. It's easy to get adversarial but I believe in creating a healthy rela-

tionship and open dialogue."

He adds he is excited for many aspects of his new position.

"I like working with all the money. It's a lot of responsibility. What I'm most excited about, I think, is I'll be able to meet a lot of new people through the students’ union and different societies. I think I'm a pretty approachable guy, pretty down to earth. I've got a good connection with MacPherson and MacIsaac as well."

"I'd like to keep things going the way we have", he adds. "We've reported surpluses the past couple of years. I plan on focusing on profit centres like The Shop and the Golden X Inn. Perhaps investing in a new lighting system next year."

New VP Students Relations comes out of her shell

Coming from a background in Rez Life, Kelly Nelson is eager for a new challenge SEAN MCEVOY | Co-Editor-in-Chief

Kelly Nelson has certainly come out of her shell during her four years at StFX. From a shy frosh who was afraid to branch out to taking on one of the most powerful and influential roles with the students’ union as VP Student Relations, her StFX experience has helped her find a role she is passionate about.

"I come from a background in residence services. Coming in I was a frosh in MacIsaac, I was extremely shy, and didn't branch out from my fourth floor," says Nelson.

"Then I applied to be an RA, absolutely loved it. Applied to be a house director, absolutely loved it. Going into my fourth year I wanted to move off campus and get a different perspective of the university.

So I looked into a possible students’

union job. I'd never been a part of the U before. I absolutely fell in love with student relations because it is the primary liaison between the students’ union and Rez Life."

She describes her enthusiastic reaction after finding out she would be up for the job.

"Two hours after my interview, [Students’ Union President] Ben Gunn-Doerge called me and told I had got the job, and I was holding my phone and I started screaming.

There was a long pause and then he said, "Okay, well, I got my ear drum back. Thanks for that!"

Nelson has been working primarily with outgoing VP Student Relations Jessie McEwan in her training to take over the position in over the summer.

"Jessie and I have really similar personalities. I feel like I have a little bit to go to get to Jessie's level because she knows so much and she's so great and she's so involved in the students’ union. Coming from a rez life background, I'm not there yet, but she's a great mentor. She's tough. She's really nice, but she makes me work for this job, and she just loves it so much she wants to make sure she leaves it in good shape. I'm being trained well, and I can't wait to take my turn."

Nelson expresses that McEwan has taught her many important lessons through the training process.

"Being able to rely on people more I've learned is important.

She's taught me to stand up for myself more, because in her position

you really have to stick to your own opinion and do what you believe is right, even if others disagree", she says.

"Next year, I really want to focus on bringing rez life and the students’ union closer together. I also really want to incorporate off campus into rez life a lot more,” says Nelson of her priorities in her new position.

"I also want to bring the rival houses closer together. Something like bringing TNT and Chillis together for a community event.

Some of the rivalries have been great, but some of them have been a little rocky. I definitely want to work closer with the house presidents and have regular meetings throughout the year. I want to make

my presence known in the houses," she adds.

In regards to the recent compensation conflict with the university, Nelson is in full support of the students’ union proposed tuition refund.

"From the students’ union standpoint, I feel like they've done a great job. They've constantly been putting their best efforts forward to get some form of compensation from the university. I definitely feel that university should provide some form of compensation. I know professors wanted us to take the initiative and read our text books but at the same time, what's the reality of students reading the book if there's a chance they may not go to class for the rest of the year? "

OPINIONS

The Xaverian Weekly | Volume 121 Issue 16

5

OPINIONS

Discrimination at StFX: Do You Notice?

StFX’s structure may be contributing to ongoing discrimination and homogenization RACHEL GARBARY | Contributor

As a white, middle-class, able-bodied, English-speaking Canadian woman, I understand my position of privilege relative to the majority of the global population.

Despite the fact that I personally do not experience gender oppression on a regular basis, I understand the marginalized social position of women in a highly patriarchal society. Throughout my daily interactions with the media, and the social and cultural masses that surround me, I regularly come into contact with strong post-feminist perspectives, and I am often reminded of a broader social resistance to feminism and feminist theory. However, a discussion on why the world still needs feminism is another conversation entirely.

What would you say if you knew that discrimination occurs on this campus?

What would you think if you knew that the senior administration of this university was about to be far less representative of the campus community? It seems to me there is general feeling of self-righteousness among the majority of this community that this is a place free from discrimination. I’m talking about sexism, racism, colonialism, orientalism, ethnocentrism, ableism, and classism, in the various open, hidden, structural, and systemic forms they embody. This list is by no means extensive, as discrimination knows no boundaries, and occurs in this world for a never-ending list of reasons from choice of food to style of dress. If you have ever experienced discrimination, or been a witness to discrimination, this is not news to you. However, if you are unaware of the subtle and sometimes blatant forms of discrimination that continue

to perpetuate inequality at this university, it’s time for a reality check.

At this university, we are very fortunate to have a human rights and equity advisor, our very own Marie Brunelle.

Before going on any further, I’d like you to take a second to ask yourself if you know what her job entails, and if you know where her office is. (If so, great! If not, it’s in the back of the lounge on the third floor of the SUB.) This position, and this individual, is an exceptional asset to our campus and community. It is the human rights and equity advisor’s job to work to ensure that StFX is a welcoming, inclusive and respectful learning and work community for everyone, one that respects and encourages diversity and equality. You know the equity policy in your course syllabus that you got at the beginning of the year? That is so much more than words on piece of paper. It represents the immeasurable efforts of our very own StFX faculty, and it is also representative of a hopeful change towards a society liberated from discrimination of any kind.

Also thanks to this position on our campus, along with other faculty positions and student societies, are events such as last weeks Anti-Racism Week. Events of the week focused on building a more inclusive learning and work environment for everyone, and work towards the elimination of colonialism, racism, orientalism, and ethnocentrism. I hope you had an opportunity to attend some of these wonderful events and took away as much as I did. I was largely naive regarding the degree to which racism and cultural discrimination was present on this campus,

and experienced a mind-blowing wake up call regarding the reality of ethnic and racial minorities on this campus. I have since begun to reevaluate my position of privilege in this community and seriously think about the role I have to play in contributing to a more inclusive environment for everyone.

StFX is so fortunate to attract such a diverse group of students from all over the world, and it is thanks to this diversity that our university is such an interesting, beautiful and dynamic learning environment. However, this diversity is sometimes the cause of social and cultural misunderstandings, which may in turn spark unintentional racism and cultural imperialism. Sometimes, you may be unaware of the ways in which you may be excluding someone around you who may be different, or making someone feel badly about who they are. It is time to open your eyes to the subtle forms of discrimination that take place in this community on a daily basis and work towards their eradication. I challenge all of you to think critically about the role you have to play in whatever social position of privilege you may hold and what responsibility you have to contribute to making this campus a more inclusive space for everyone.

This translates not only to the role of students, but also to university faculty, staff, and administration. I was recently reminded that the university is currently in the process of selecting a new academic vice president. Students were invited to attend open presentations by the three candidates, where they will outline their perspectives on the opportunities

and challenges facing undergraduate universities over the next five years. I am confident that these applicants are qualified to act as our academic vice president, and I do not deny that they hold the potential to do great things in the future of StFX. However, what I think requires student consideration and critical thought is the homogeneity of the senior administration of this university.

The three applicants under consideration happen to be white males. Upon the hiring of one of these candidates, the senior administration of this university will continue to fail to adequately represent the diverse population of this campus community on a variety of degrees. I am not implying that there is discrimination within the hiring processes of the administration, but I am questioning the over-arching social institutions and structures that contribute to the existence of such a homogenous group of senior administrators.

What I would like to call attention to is the danger of a homogenous perspective on the highest level of a university’s decision-making body. As I learn more about the various levels and complexities behind racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination on this campus, I sincerely hope that these issues are understood and taken seriously by those who hold the power to make structural changes on this campus.

Sunblock or sunburn: the poison is in the dosage March 17th might just be one of the best days of the year.

OLIVIA KESTER | CONT RIBUTOR

Summer is coming! Which means sunshine, and sometimes sunburns.

We have all been informed of the fact that the sun’s UV rays cause skin cancer and that we should lather up on sunscreen to protect ourselves. Commercials, doctors and sunscreen bottles remind us of this all the time. But where is the proof that sunscreen prevents skin cancer when rates of melanoma have been increasing? And where is the proof that sunscreen is good to put on our bodies?

My mother has always had a saying, “Never trust any food if your grandmother would not recognize the ingredient list.” I apply this to other parts of my life as well, such as skin care products. Now I’m not saying I follow this religiously – my motto is more to try and find products

with the shortest ingredient lists where I can recognize most things on it. Because face it: most people do not know what caprylyl methicone is, or most of any other ingredients on the back of sunscreens. The consequence of this is that we are daily lathering chemicals onto our bodies that we do not know, and we do not know what they do. And why do we do this? Because the commercials on TV show us perfectly happy people with beautiful skin that are using this product. Somehow they are all the #1-dermatologist-suggested, and somehow each product is better that the other ones. They all tell you that their product is going to protect you from the sun longer and better than other products. They do not tell you about all of the chemicals that are hidden in their ingredients lists

that you do not want on your body.

A few years ago, parabens became the bad carcinogen that was found in most sunscreens and beauty products. Nowadays many products are becoming paraben-free, but not all of them. You can often still spot parabens at the bottom of ingredient lists in many sunscreens because it is a good preservative. When I see this, I wonder two things: What gives companies the right to sell products that contain carcinogens to us without telling us about the bad side effects?

And what other chemicals in that list full of words I do not understand are bad for me? The ones that I am aware of are parabens, oxybenzone, and octyl methoxycinnamate, but there are more I am sure.

So here is where I find it difficult.

We are told that the sun’s UV rays

give us cancer, and that sunscreen also gives us cancer – what should we do? I often hear the phrase, “Well, everything today gives you cancer,” but why do we have to take this as something inevitable? There are small things that everyone can do to take life into their own hands.

A few of them related to the sun are: wear a hat or a long sleeve shirt, check UV ratings online to avoid the sun during its peak hours, and be wary of the sunscreens companies are selling you. A great website to compare different sunscreens and their chemicals is http://www.ewg. org /skindeep/. But most of all, still enjoy the sun! The sun is a great source of Vitamin D, a vitamin that many Canadians are deficient in, and the sun always puts people in a better mood! Just enjoy and be safe!

6

OPINIONS NEWS

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly

Rethinking the game of drones Demonizing drones may ignore the improvements they have made in the theatre of war ARIANNA KLUS | The Martlet (University of Victoria)

VICTORIA (CUP) — Every so often, a technology comes along that changes the rules of the game. This is true of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or what has become a pejorative term for many people: drones.

In war, technology tends to lose its redeeming qualities. Tools becoming weapons is the message endemic in the media, making it easy for the public to get lost in the well-publicized uses and misuses of drones. But not all UAVs kill, and those that do kill often do so with minimal collateral damage. Winning over hearts and minds begins with a reconceptualization of drone potential and application.

In combat scenarios, drones have advantages over manned aircraft. They are cost-effective, able to remain airborne longer and dra-

matically shrink the window between the identification and elimination of a target.

Drones can fly over hostile regions without exposing personnel to the risk of injury, capture or death.

Those benefits aside, the controversy that drones kill civilians still looms. But collateral damage caused by drone strikes may be far less than what is played up in conventional media. In his Feb. 19 Slate article, In Defense of Drones, William Saletan says drones’ hi-tech payloads are actually saving lives, with Afghan civilian casualties having decreased by 46 per cent in 2012 compared to 2011.

Drones favour guided missiles over the bombs typical of manned aircraft.

As drone strikes have increased and manned strikes have decreased, there have been a far greater number of

lives saved from the threat of manned strikes than lives taken by drones. The percentage of civilian casualties in drone-related combat actions by the United States is shockingly low, even when compared to events as recent as Kosovo or the Persian Gulf War. Saletan writes, “Drones are like laparoscopic surgery: they minimize the entry wound and the risk of infection,” since those heat-of-themoment decisions by pilots are taken out of the equation.

But combat is only one aspect of drone application.

UAVs have the potential to enrich many areas of human interaction with each other and the environment. UAVs can non-invasively monitor animal behaviours and migrations or map and record environmental events such as oil spills, floods, volcanic

activity or soil erosion. They have tremendous search and rescue capability, from monitoring fires to searching for lost hikers and skiers.

Drones can also track and record social and political movements. Hacktivists can now go online and build a drone kit. They can capture police brutality or agents provocateurs, reinforcing the empowerment of individuals and small groups. In humanitarian crises, UAVs can also provide communication links to areas with little to no service. The Sentinel Project for Genocide Prevention has already proposed the use of UAVs to track rebel and paramilitary forces’ movements as part of a warning system for at-risk communities prone to ethnic rivalry.

Lastly, UAVs have strong potential for foreign and domestic security applications,

from surveillance of narcotrade, warlords and human trafficking to patrolling larger territories to aid in border security. And just as UAVs can protect protestors from police, they can likewise aid police in riot control, allowing them to identify perpetrators for later prosecution.

Moore’s Law states that the number of transistors on a computer chip doubles roughly every two years, increasing the power and efficiency of our computing capabilities. With that in mind, drones’ future is promising.

The scope of drone taxonomy is mind-blowing; the stuff of science fiction is now reality.

We have gone from ComicCon to Pentagon, but if we continue to see UAVs s nothing more than killing machines, then perhaps the big picture is outside our peripheral view.

Has Facebook ruined love?

The constant window into our lovers’ lives might confuse the signals of love JULIA BRENAN | Contributor

In short, yes. Facebook and the Internet in general have ruined love. We now look up our love interests anonymously, see where they are at any given point during their day, if they are in a relationship, who their friends are and what they like. This takes all of the romance and anticipation out of life. We have become a society of immediate gratification and if a text takes to long to come back to us we take it as a sign of disinterest.

It used to be you had to ask around and find out a crush’s name, if they were in a relationship, and what kind of person they were.

Now all you need is an Internet connection to “stalk” a profile. We now judge people not on what others say but on the fictitious front each individual puts up on the Internet. “Is he or she really that artsy?” “Oh he’s not my type. Look at all of those pictures of him at practice.”

A third party’s opinion no longer matters. We think we have become experts at cracking the code of the profile, that somewhere in there the true personality is hiding and that we must dig them out in order to better judge the individual.

Not only do we have the capacity to instantly judge an individual, but now we

must be available to communicate at all times. If in any way shape or form you are not permanently connected to the Internet or at least to text messaging the silent message the other party receives due to that lack of instantaneous response is a negative one. When the reality maybe totally benign like forgetting your phone at home. And, lets get real for a second, even married people go a few hours without talking, occasionally they do leave the same room and go out into the world. And, lets be real, who has that much to say?

Alex Bentley, an anthropologist studying our lan-

guage trends for the past 100 years who has done some research on Facebook and blogs, has found that we express our emotions less now more than ever. Love is not supposed to be instantaneous; it is supposed to be a trust between two people who care deeply for each other. It is not a competition about who can stand each other’s meaningless conversations via electronic devices for the longest. It is something that has to be thought deeply and carefully about, with few distractions.

With the rapidity that our relationships now move at due to mediums such as Facebook, it is a wonder we

find the emotional capacity to carry on the hunt for that next special someone. As Clucky from Robin Hood famously quoted to Maid Marian, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” And who does not love a bit of old fashion romance in their lives? With Facebook we miss out on the daydreams, the excited conversations with friends as to what the next move should be. Instead of continuously talking over Facebook, talking in person on a date would be a good idea, and then maybe give each other time to process what was said and see if you two actually like each other. That one personal interaction can tell

HIT UP OUR WEBSITE, www.XAVERIAN.CA because it will show you a good time. I mean, it’s no 4chan, but it’s pretty rad. we made a deal with the universe: every time you visit our website, the universe has guaranteed a slightly lesser chance that a volcano erupts in your neighbourhood.

That’s a fine deal. Treat yourself to a treat. Visit www.xaverian.ca when you have a minute.

OPINIONS

The Xaverian Weekly | Volume 121 Issue 16

7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Students unload their strike compensation concerns onto the pages of the Xaverian.

To whom it may concern, I am outraged at the way the administration has handled the strike. Sure it may have postponed work for the faculty, but they were receiving strike pay as long as they were on the picket lines. Ad-

ministration still profited from the strike because they did not have to pay as much to the faculty. The students on the other hand were out of work for three weeks and were expected to still pay for groceries, residence, CLASS, etc while we were

patiently waiting for classes to resume.

Acadia University went on strike years ago for three and a half weeks and they reimbursed their students $275 each, which went onto their tuition for the semester.

I think it is only fair that we be reimbursed, and the university should be focused on keeping the students happy as that is what university is for -- STUDENTS. We pay their salaries, they should return the favour.

Allyson Heustis.

A StFX Rant

One student vents her StFX frustrations STEPHANIE DUCHESNE | Contributor

Before going to university I always thought that the institution as a whole actually cared about the amount of knowledge an individual gains. Universities are for those who are seen as “book smart”, are they not? I chose StFX because of the high academic achievements, a.k.a. its reputation as being book smart. Look at all the recognition StFX receives: the media with all its statistics proving how great StFX is, even the everyday conversations of those around me for the most part are positive in regards to StFX. I wanted that, and with a degree I received it. All but a handful of professors have passed

onto me little bits of wisdom, and it is them who have “cared” about my individual ascent to gaining knowledge, not so much those in charge. I know they don’t care, because I myself have never taken the time to put their names to a face. I put the quotations there because I don’t actually know if my professors care about me, or if they care about how I effect their careers; either or is acceptable to me.

That’s why I’m here.

I also wanted to experience those crazy college parties from American movies, Old School, The House Bunny, Accepted, Animal House. The best part is, StFX, from what I understood

prior to getting here is a huge party school. Don’t get me wrong, some of the parties here are absurd; there have been a couple times in the past four years in my own house that I ask aloud “Who is that?!” Even the university itself threw some pretty wild, at least wild to me, parties. Rain, SuperSub, those are a couple of examples I can think of. It’s funny that one is in frosh week, and the second is in your senior year. It makes it seem like you never really matured. But the piece of paper at the end says differently, so why not prove to others that you can get a relatively decent post secondary education while still “par-

tying it up”?

If I could rewind the past four years I would have chosen another school, one that cares more about the academic resources it provides. Ever need a book, journal, CD, or article from the library, and we don’t have access to it? Piss off, eh. Or need one of the “state of the art” Apple computers, to find out that most are “being serviced. It makes you think about the quality of education you are paying for. Some are going to complain about what I just said. The money is from donations, blah, blah, blah.

To you I say, “Shh, your perspective is one I have considered, but do not

8

FEATURE

SEAN MCEVOY| Co-Editor-in-Chief “We’re very disappointed overall with how it ended.”

A tone of disappointment and of bitter defeat is the message that was clearly expressed

by Students Union President Nick Head-Petersen, and Vice President Rachel Mitchell when discussing the recent battle over financial compensation waged with the university’s Board of Governors. Official word came down on March 13th from StFX VP Finance Ramsay Duff that no tuition refund would be granted to students following a strike that forced them out of class for three weeks.

“Basically we heard two things from the students during the strike. The first was the need to get back to classes, the second was that they wanted some form of compensation. So we chose to approach the first primarily, and the second once the strike was over,” explains Head-Petersen.

“We continually got questions, comments, concerns about compensation and we basically developed two proposals. The first one was simply based on unpaid faculty salaries(during the strike) which ended up totally 1.6 million dollars over the two weeks. We were hoping a portion of that could be returned to students.”

“We then met with Ramsay and he presented to us the costs of the strike to the university,” he continues. “There were a number of things laid out that actually put the university into a net loss during the strike.”

These costs were revealed to be related to the settlement that was reached with the professors, as well as costs for paying faculty for the extra week of classes that was added on, along with the costs of keeping residences and facilities such as meal hall open during the three week period.

“So therefore, we felt that moving forward that wasn’t going to be what got the most traction in terms of getting some support at the Board of Governors level,” Nick explains. “So we actually used historical data of 1% a week of loss in retention, to build another model at 2% for the two weeks that we lost, and taking into account our strong alumni presence. We came back with a number of $138 per student which would be approximately $600,000 in costs for the university. That takes into account the approximation of 87 less students next year due to the loss in retention. We thought this was not an unreasonable ask.”

“Ramsay then subsequently outlined in his letter that the university has done a number of things during the strike and since the strike ended, that they felt sufficiently addressed the issues of compensation.”

“The university I think views it as we completed the term, we have a week extension, we’re getting our credits, we’re taking our classes, but it’s like they are not acknowledging the fact that we were off for three weeks, and we were the ones who were severely impacted over this dispute,” says Vice President Mitchell. “It should be recognized that we are the most important stake holders of the university. We are disappointed with what’s happened, because even though we’re still getting our term, we have been negatively impacted. Our March has become much more stressful for all students in terms of mental health. Everything is much more condensed, so even though we’re getting that education, it would have been nicer to have the allotted time.”

“I think we respected due process throughout,” says Nick. “But in the end, the decision of the board was that they did not feel that this is how they would proceed on this issue. It’s disappointing to see the fact that it’s not recognized how much of an impact this could have. We created a proposal to address retention and ensure students return here happy in September, but that was not executed.”

It was noted by Head-Petersen that when Acadia University went through a similar labour dispute, students were reimbursed $275 each for time lost. Despite the lack of monetary reimbursement, he expresses that he understands the administrations perspective.

“In fairness to the university, the financial situation that they are in right now was of utmost concern for them. They continually said that they don’t have a means of paying for this.

We recognize how much of an impact this has had on students, but we don’t have a way to pay for this right now. Respecting both sides of the issue, that was their statement through and through.”

Head-Petersen expressed that not one member of the board expressed support for their proposal. In an email from Board of Governors student representative Olwyn Foley, she expressed that the board was unanimous in their decision. “Although Nick raised the issue and was assertive in his explanation, there was very little discussion on the matter,” she said.

Although the Board of Governors was the last official channel for a decision regarding fees, Head-Petersen is still looking for a creative solution to the problem.

“If students have any type of suggestion about what could be done to appease the situation or help make it better, I would love to hear that. I would love to know how we can make this better for students, and we will absolutely do everything in our power to bring that to the university. In terms of direct compensation, I don’t know where else we could go.”

VP Mitchell also encouraged students to directly contact Ramsay Duff with their concerns regarding compensation.

“When concerns come from a student, then to Nick, then to Ramsay, It kind of loses the momentum a bit or loses that genuine value, as opposed to Ramsay or someone from the board hearing directly from the students their own concerns. Having that personal connection could maybe support things better,” she said.

When the topic of rallies in protest of the decision was brought up, Head-Petersen said that none are planned at this point, although it was a topic of discussion that will be brought up at executive meetings in future.

“My only caution, and I say this disappointed that this is the fact, is that the channels to get compensation are no longer there. It would take a big push. It would be extremely challenging to make an movement on that.”

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly

The Xaverian Weekly | Volume 121 Issue 16

FEATURE

9

10 CULTURE

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly

CULTURE

The emperor’s heir: CFXU’s Brendan Morley takes over Interview: Brendan and outgoing station manager John Sloat discuss CFXU glory with the Xav LEWIS FORWARD | Co-Editor-In-Chief

THE XAV: What foxy hopes do you have for next year?

BRENDAN: CFXU is on a rise and we’re still growing. We’d like to continue to grow in content and listenership, building a stronger image for our station. We want to make sure things are more efficient and well attended next year. We’re really excited.

carry on after he’s gone. From a technical standpoint he’s really upped us in so many areas. He’s brought tons of new equipment into our set up and really knows the ins and outs of things, how it’s wired better than anybody. He’s a big reason why we’ve grown so much

years now, and I’m familiar with the station, so most of the training now is technical stuff, staff management, stuff like that. Upgrades.

JOHN: We’ve been focusing on planning mostly, that’s the biggest part. Not understand-

at that all my second year, and then third year I worked as station manager. I’ve been climbing the ladder, and my experience at CFXU has been great. It’s been probably my favourite thing at StFX in my years here.

THE XAV: What are the plans to get CFXU events going?

BRENDAN: We will be definitely selecting quality over quantity. We have a more efficient way of approaching events and promotion, so things will be more professional.

JOHN: We spent a lot of time this year building our relationship with the union and the Inn, and with the change in management they’re a lot more open to collaboration than they were in previous years. We’re really looking forward to working with the in to put on the best Inn shows as we can, while also working with some groups to put on some good stuff for all ages events at the art gallery.

THE XAV: Brendan, What have John’s contributions to the station been like, and what kind of effect have they had on you?

BRENDAN: John has done more for this station than anyone else I know. The drive, passion, and enthusiasm that he brings to CFXU is something that we’re all going to try to

in the past couple of years.

We’re going to take what he’s started and roll with it.

THE XAV: What’s your training look like so far, and what do you have planned?

BRENDAN: John has updated me on all the positions, we’ve reviewed their responsibilities making them more clear cut so hopefully things will go really smoothly and staff will be really confident in what they do at the station. I really think that will help things move a little more efficiently. I’ve been watching John work for a few

ing what needs to be done is a potential shortfall, and understanding what things are time drains, and also having some goals for the year and the years to come.

THE XAV: What’s your experience in the station so far?

BRENDAN: I got involved right away, as soon as I came here. The first week of school I got a radio show with my good buddy Liam Prost. From there I worked, and helped out at events, got more involved, and that spring I was hired as spoken word director. I worked

THE XAV: What would you say to somebody who’s considering becoming a CFXU DJ? BRENDAN: I’d say go for it. If you’re considering it, it’s really easy to get involved, and something you can get involved in. There’s a lot of opportunity in CFXU, and you get welcomed into a really nice community of people. You get introduced to new music. It’s all of that and more. The best part of my week is when I get on air to do my show.

THE XAV: If you could eliminate one Canadian province, which one would it be?

Which province are you from again?

THE XAV: John, exiting, how do you look back at your experience at CFXU, and what will you remember most?

JOHN: CFXU has been my life here. I can’t imagine first year without it, and I can’t imagine any subsequent year without it. Each year has had its own challenges, and the station’s meaning has changed a lot for me. I joined the station as production manager within a week of coming to school here.

That staff was a strange staff.

I was the youngest member by three years. They were all graduating students. Now I’m the one graduating. It’s been a ride, and it’s great to see things that I’ve influenced, see where we are these days. Doing hiring with Brendan the last few days has been exciting, because we’re seeing next year’s staff come together, and even the year after that we’re seeing where people will fit.

It’s a bright future.

THE XAV: What are your plans for next year?

JOHN: Jeez, I don’t know.

TRAVIS BRASCHUCK: Stripper.

JOHN: If that’s where I can make my money. Probably Toronto? I might want to go abroad again, maybe do some work in the EU, or do some work as a language teacher.

Osheaga’s mixed reviews don’t make it any less awesome LAURA O’BRIEN | Distractions Editor

It goes without saying that Osheaga is Canada’s most impressive and largest music festival.

Located in Parc JeanDrapeau in Montreal, Quebec, the festival is central to most of Canada and has consistently provided excellent lineups since its founding in 2006.

Each year, over 25,000 people attend Osheaga, making it a crazy and impressive weekend.

This year however, the fes-

tival has received mixed reviews; the major headliners have disappointed fans while the lesser-known bands have piqued interest.

With the 80’s gothic-rock band The Cure being the first-listed headliner, they have lost sight of their target sales audience: youth aged 16-24. This age group was not even alive during the Cure’s spree of fame, and they are also not well-known enough to be appreciated as true classic rock. While the fes-

tival boasts all-ages venues and events, it is undeniable that the crowds are almost entirely made up of teenagers and young adults, making The Cure out of place with this age group.

On the other hand, following up behind on The Cure on the headliner lineup is Mumford & Sons, who have reached sky-rocketing success over the past few years, and great reviews from their 2012 album Babel.

This odd pairing of head-

liners is confusing for longtime fans and supporters of the festival, which in the past has selected complimentary headliners to attract a specific audience.

This concept of selecting a wide variety of acts from a large range of genres is turning off some fans, however it maybe beneficial in the long run.

The mish-mash of genres for the Osheaga lineup has not been contained to just the headliners; rather the entire

festival features artists and bands covering all popular music genres, sampling acclaimed and new content in each.

For example, those who are attracted to Mumford & Sons will also be interested in The Lumineers, Imagine Dragons, and The Head and The Heart.

While these names may not be recognizable or interesting to everyone, they will.....

Continued on page 12..

CULTURE

The Xaverian Weekly | Volume 121 Issue 16

11

Summer in the ‘nish: surprisingly awesome RACHEL MITCHELL & KATHLEEN HARE | Contributors

With graduation fast approaching, you will hear more and more about how these are the best years of your life, and it’s true! But if there is one piece of advice that we can give you as fourth years, it is to be sure to spend at least one summer here in Antigonish.

The ‘Nish tends to empty when April ends. However, it transforms into a totally new community and there are always a select few brave souls that embark on the summer ‘Nish journey and get to experience it. Most will emerge declaring it the best summer of their lives.

This is the true story of the summer gals of 104 St. Ninian’s. We had just finished our third year at StFX and chose to stick around for the summer, partly for work and partly because we were already dreading the day we would have to leave. We had heard mixed reviews, and it’s true, an Antigonish

summer can be wasted away indoors and bored. This can be said about any summer, though, and we made a decision that this would not be the case for us.

On one of our first weekends of summer, a hot and sunny day in May, we were hermitting in our dark cave of a living room, watching a movie and nursing a hangover, when Rachel’s mom called. When she asked what the weather was like and how we were enjoying it, we realized the pathetic-ness of our answer and made a commitment right then and there to take advantage of every nice day, and every chance for adventure. Looking back, we can safely say that we achieved this.

If you approach your summer in the Nish with the right mindset and a gogetter attitude, you are surely in for a

treat. For many StFX students, Antigonish extends from the MacDonald’s on James Street, to the Tim’s across the bridge and back to the liquor store.

And although these are still commonly visited locations in the summer, little

did you know that there are endless beaches and waterfalls to be explored, and hidden gems within the Antigonish you know and love. Follow these pieces of advice and we promise you’ll have the summer of your life.

1.

Make a bucket list and follow it: The most important piece of advice is to make a plan to explore all there is to see, get excited and stick to it! Summer flies by after all.

up the highway from Antigonish on a weekend in July. The music is awesome, the people are more awesome and the atmosphere is out of this world. Why not? You may never be in this area at the right time again.

2.

Buy a scooter, to be used as your main form of transportation (to and from work, parties, the pub, and any adventures in between). WARNING do not challenge local scooter gangs.

3.

Go on a beach crawl! There are more beaches than you can count in the Nish: Pomquet, Arisaig, Dunn’s, Cribbons and more. Our record stands at 4 in one weekend.

Start off strong on May Long Weekend no matter how cold.

4.

Party with people you may never have met in the school year.

The Nish feels like a totally different community in the summer. Take advantage of it and get out there and meet people. It’s funny when you run into each other next year on campus and have those summer memories in common.

5.

Go to the Farmer’s Market: You’ll need food, so it might as well be local. Plus you’ll get to see a new side of the community that exists outside the Sodexo bubble.

6.

Raft the river: Seriously, after a rainfall you can make it from the Wheel to the Landing on dollarstore floaties and be sure to pack some bevvies for the journey.

11. Head up Hawthorne: Drive all the way up and you will end up at Malignant Cove, or the famous Watering Hole. Or go left and venture to Arisaig Provincial Park, or further to Big Island. Any way, you’ll hit one of the treasures of Antigonish.

12. Drive the Sunrise Trail: Antigonish’s version of the Cabot Trail.

Stop to have a picnic at Livingstone’s Cove and keep your eyes peeled for Whales.

13. Highland Games: One of the best weeks to be in the ‘Nish, ask any of the thousands of people that travel here just for the week. Take advantage of the day and night activities and get ready for kilts, bagpipes and men throwing trees.

14. Rewatch an old TV show: This is ONLY for the most rainy/hungover of days – pick an old show loved or never experienced and watch from season one (for us, we’ll never hear Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Wanna Be” without being brought back to summer 2012).

15. HAVE THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE: Enjoy the summer, don’t stress and remember our Summer 2012 motto, “Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does buy beer.”

7. Get a pet: Whether it’s a hamster, a fish, or fostering kittens from the SPCA. RIP Hamzilla 8. Crash a least one tree planter party: There will be plenty to choose from, and they’re not hard on the eyes...

9.

Get to know the Maritimes: Be sure to escape the Nish once or twice to see PEI (cavendish weekend), Cape Breton, or other sights of the area.

10. Evolve: You won’t believe what’s going on literally 20 minutes

In the words of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, “We danced, and we cried, and we laughed and had a really, really, really good time. Take my hand, let’s have a blast, and remember this moment for the rest of our lives.” A summer in the ‘Nish is a must and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore this place we know and love further. There is so much to see and experience in this town and county. Get out there and have some fun. Summer will fly by, and so too will your four years of university.

12

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly

Tim Chaisson on origins, music, and PEI PEI native Tim Chiasson talks to the Xav about his sound, his plans, and his family LEWIS FORWARD | Co-Editor-In-Chief

THE XAV: What have you been up to since we spoke with you last in October?

TIM: That was the second date of our Canadian tour. After Canada I went to Australia for a five week tour, spent a couple weeks there, and then we did a couple shows in New York City, then we did a USA promo tour, then South by Southwest in Texas, then Canadian Music Week in Toronto, we’re just finishing another tour of Ontario right now, and that will bring us up to you guys!

THE XAV: Sounds busy.

What are your guys’ plans for the rest of the year?

TIM: I’m heading back to Australia in May, so I’ll be doing a couple shows in April, then heading down to Australia until the end of June, then playing festivals this summer, which I’m pretty pumped about.

THE XAV: So will are you touring in Australia?

TIM: Yup. I’m going for a six week tour, and I’m going to record with some Australian artists while I’m down there, and I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to that, and it will be nice to get back down there, because it’s absolutely beautiful.

THE XAV: Bringing it home to Canada- you have a big, musical PEI family you spoke to us about last time. What kind of influence did they have on your music career?

TIM: It was pretty huge for sure. Thats where listening to music came from for me. In my family, everybody played. My dad was a piano player and a fiddler, and all my cousins and

everybody played. My older cousins had a band that I actually joined later on, but before that they were my favourite band. They were a Celtic/rock/ traditional kind of thing, and that influenced me big time.

All I wanted to do was get up on stage and play with them and do what they did. Jamming with each other, and kitchen parties and that kind of thing is really where I worked my chops up as a musician without realizing it. We all pushed each other in a way. We were improving each other all the time.

much at all, when I am at home, my family and I get together. A lot of my best friends are my cousins and they all play. I’m actually on the road with my cousin Cody who will be at the show as well, we’re doing a more acoustic show right now. Whenever we get home we always get together and jam, and check out

THE XAV: What’s your favourite song to play live these days?

TIM: It changes so much. Right now we’re doing more acoustic sets, and I think that my favourite song to play live is “The Healing.” It’s a slow acoustic song, but with the band it’s always funner to play something a bit more upbeat. “Bail You Out” is one of the funner ones to play live with the boys, because there’s a bunch of great harmonies on it and they’re all great singers.

THE XAV: Was there a moment when it went from jamming with cousins to being a career or did it happen gradually?

TIM: It was definitely gradual for me. I’ve always toured and played, I went to UPEI for four years and I always toured and played as much as possible while I was going to school. Once I finished there I really took it more seriously and put myself on the road all the time, and was playing all the time, because that’s what you have to do to make it work. You have to keep putting records out, putting songs up, and touring and hitting up the same spots, and eventually you’ll see a growth. It’s kind of a job thenI don’t consider it a job- but it is kind of my job. It’s interesting when you get in to the swing of things.

THE XAV: Not a bad job. Do you get a chance to spend a lot of time in PEI and play with the local musicians?

TIM: Since I put the record out I haven’t been home that

Plaskett is awesome, but even a band like Two Hours Traffic who are from PEI and Paper Lions, they were guys I always enjoyed listening to. I always listened to Two Hours Traffic and strive to do what they did.

I follow their ethic, being on the road and playing and getting into the bare bones of the music.

THE XAV: When you guys come to StFX, will you be playing acoustic or full band? all the local music that’s going on and head down to Hunter’s Alehouse. There’s always good bands coming through, and always great local bands playing pretty well every night of the week. It’s pretty awesome on PEI as far as music goes.

TIM: We’ll be doing a full band set. We’ll throw in a bit of everything really, to keep everybody happy. We’ll do some acoustic stuff, but a little more rock and roll. It’ll be a fun night.

We’ll chuck in a couple fiddle tunes as well.

THE XAV: What artists have had an impact on you?

THE XAV: We learned of the tragic passing of Matt Mays and El Torpedo guitarist Jay Smith, what kind of impact did he have on you, and on east coast music?

TIM: As far as PEI goes, or the east coast in general, a lot of east coasters grew up listening to the Rankin family, Natalie McMaster, Ashley MacIsaac, and all that Celtic inspired stuff, and great big sea. In the last couple of years, more so Joel

TIM: Well it’s crazy. I knew Jay pretty well, he was my guitar player on Friday night in Toronto. It was crazy hearing

the news last night about him.

We were jamming with him on friday, and hanging out in the hotel room with him before the show. He’s just one of those guys. From the first moment I met him… He was genuinely one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I can’t even describe how awesome of a guy he was and how sad it was that he passed away. As far as the music goes he had a huge impact on a lot of us. We listen to his first record on the road all the time. He had a huge influence on my songwriting and music. It’s pretty sad.

THE XAV: What is your favourite part of creating music?

TIM: I think one of the best things is whenever its all completed, and you get to the recording stage of it, or the first time you hear it in a full way, whenever you play it live or get to hear it being recorded. That’s the coolest thing. It’s really cool when you finish a song, bring it to the stage, and hear it as a completed project or piece of art so people get to enjoy it. All the stages are pretty awesome though.

THE XAV: What is your advice for StFX musicians who want to share their music with as many ears as possible?

TIM: My best advice would be to play as much as possible.

If you really want to play music full time, touring your music is what you have to do to get your music out there. A lot of the bands that tour all the time are the ones who work up their chops. They do it because they love it. Keep doing what you’re doing, but nothing happens overnight. Keep playing, keep touring, and see what happens.

Genre-based stages make sense FROM PAGE 10 indefinitely catch the attention and the wallets of folk and pop music fans. This trend continues with the dance/ rap genre, featuring big name artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore and Ryan and Lewis, Ellie Goulding and Azealia Banks.

This marketing strategy provides the festival with a widespread audience, and also a guarantee that there will be excellent attendance at every stage.

By splitting the festival’s content into genre-based stages, it ensures that one artist won’t overshadow another in popularity because the genres will divide the audiences naturally.

It appears that the largest difference between this year’s Osheaga and those of the past is that they are relying on the secondary bands to really bring in the audiences. Overall, the list of headliners is relatively underwhelming, but by adding up the many smaller-name

acts that are performing, the value of the festival rises.

One of the joys of attending a music festival is being able to cram in as many shows and acts as possible over a small amount of time. With this mentality, seeing big stars may be enticing, but it is the less-famous artists that are likely to leave an impression because there is the element of discovery. Finding and loving undiscovered artists are a huge part of what makes music festivals enjoyable; it gives

you prime bragging rights over your friends when that band you chose randomly becomes famous in the future. You get to proudly, yet casually slip the “Oh I saw them last summer before they were cool” into a conversation when your friends start freaking out about that new song on the radio.

Suddenly, you become the music hipster of your group and everyone is dying to rip songs off your iTunes library. This is the kind of cool that Osheaga creates.

Therefore, if you love music and can afford it, there are very few reasons why you shouldn’t be at Osheaga 2013. It will make you feel cooler, hopefully you will become cooler, and as long as you have a good group of friends to travel with, it will be your highlight of the summer.

This year, Osheaga is taking place from Friday August 2nd to Sunday August 4th in Montreal and the general admission, 3-day passes cost roughly $240, excluding accommodations.

DISTRACTIONS

The Xaverian Weekly | Volume 121 Issue 16

13

DISTRACTIONS LAURA O’BRIEN | Distractions Editor & Overlord

WEEKLY TOP 10 Things to look forward to about summer It’s just around the corner, so start making your summer to-do list today!

10. Bringing out all your summer clothes 9. Being by water 8. No more cold weather 7. Late summer nights 6. Hanging out with friends doing nothing in particular 5. Chilling out, relaxing, acting all cool 4. Road trips 3. Sleeping in 2. Making money 1. No school!

Summer Spring Exams Pass Fail Drinks LastClassBash Travel Roadtrip

Brain Buster

Exams not hard enough? Try this tricky puzzle designed

by Albert Einstein, the key is being able to solve the puzzle in your mind only.

According to Legend, Albert Einstein wrote this puzzle and said that 98% of people couldn’t solve it without paper or writing it down.

Here is the puzzle: There are 5 houses in 5 different colours. In each house lives a person with a different nationality. The 5 owners drink a certain t ype of beverage, smoke a certain brand of cigar, and keep a certain pet. No owner have the same pet, smoke the same brand of cigar, or drink the same beverage.

The question is: Who owns the fish?

If you find yourself unable to figure out the problem mentally, try it out on paper. If you still can’t get it af ter that, just Google the answer.

“Whether youor think you can, that you can’t, you” are usually right.

–Henry Ford

Driving Festival Music Friends Warm Vacation Green Swimming Poolside Ocean

Beach Tanning Relaxing Sports April May June July August

Hints: • The Brit lives in the red house.

• The Swede keeps dogs as pets.

• The Dane drinks tea.

• The green house is on the lef t of the white house.

• The green homeowner drinks coffee.

• The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.

• The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill.

• The man living in the center house drinks milk.

• The Nor wegian lives in the first house.

• The man who smokes Blend lives next to the one who keeps cats.

• The man who keeps the horse lives next to the man who smokes Dunhill.

• The owner who smokes Bluemaster drinks beer.

• The German smokes Prince.

• The Nor wegian lives next to the blue house.

• The man who smokes Blend has a neighbour who drinks water.

Quotable Quotes “It is our choices...

“Life isn’t about

“Don’t cry because that show what we waiting for the storm it’s over, smile be-” truly are, far more to pass, it’s about cause it happened. than our abilities.” learning to dance in the rain. ” –Dr. Seuss –Albus Dumbledore –Vivian Greene

14

SPORTS & HEALTH

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly

SPORTS & HEALTH

To StFX athletes: a year well played Sports and Health editor Aaron Thornell gives a high-five to StFX athletics AARON THORNELL | Sports & Health Editor

This year at StFX, there were many triumphs and disappointments in the athletic world. Well, maybe a few more disappointments, but besides that, each and every member of all teams represented the school with passion and honour, giving everyone something to be proud of.

While most students arrived in Antigonish during the first week of September. Most athletes, especially those with fall sports, already had two weeks of training camp, filled with plenty of fitness to regain shape. Both men’s and women’s soccer kicked off early, as well as the women’s rugby team, who were hoping to avenge their loss in the CIS finals the previous year. The men’s football team, which continues to be the crown jewel of the StFX sporting community, got off to an amazing start as they crushed Mount Allison in their season opener. The women’s rugby team followed in their footsteps, picking up where they had left off against AUS opponents. Similarly, both the men’s and women’s crosscountry teams won their opening meets in Moncton. The X-Women hockey team also opened their season in September, looking to continue their success from the previous season. Through the first

month of games, the women’s rugby team, as well as the cross-country squads, were having excellent seasons.

Into October and November, the women’s rugby continued their incredible season, crushing opponents every week. By

football team, they did not qualify for the AUS finals, finishing 2-6.

In the first weekend of November, the school played host to the Women’s CIS Rugby Finals, in which the home team was a strong favourite, as

qualified for the CIS finals, and finished in 11th place.

Top-finished Connor McGuire came in 16th overall and also received the CIS male student-athlete community service award. Neither of the St. FX soccer teams would make

the first week of October, most of the teams had gotten their seasons underway, including the X-Men hockey team, which is most popular among Antigonish residents, who also began the season strong. The X-Men basketball team had gotten off to a slower start, and were looking to get back into the winning column, as was the football team. Crosscountry athletes continued to win meets, and the women’s volleyball team looked very strong. Unfortunately for the

they had finished the season a perfect 8-0, and outscored their opponents by an astonishing 657 to 3, cruising to another AUS championship.

They would ultimately come out victorious, defeating the Guelph Gryphons 37-0 in the final game before a sold out crowd.

The St. FX women’s hockey team continued to dominate their division, while the men were encountering problems with a strong side from UNB. The men’s cross-country team

their way into the AUS finals, but would both finish the season strong, and with a great deal to build off of.

At the beginning of 2013, the X-Men hockey team got off to a strong start, winning both their opening games. The women’s hockey team continued to roll along, as both basketball teams encountered adversity. February brought the end of many seasons, as the women’s volleyball team made it to the semi-finals of the playoffs, losing against Dalhousie,

who went on to win the division. The X-Men basketball team saw their season come to a close, also in the semi-finals of the AUS playoffs. The XWomen basketball team made it all the way to the finals of the AUS championships, but they would fall to the St. Mary’s Huskies.

In March, the two StFX hockey teams would finish their years, in much different fashion. The men fell to the PEI Panthers in quarterfinal play in a heartbreaking 5-4 double overtime loss.

The women, on the other hand, closed their season with a victory, as they won the AUS division, and would go on to claim bronze at the CIS finals, defeating the University of Toronto in overtime, 3-2. The track and field teams held their final races in March, and once again Connor McGuire represented the school at the CIS championships, and finished in fourth place in the 1500m race.

All of the teams fought hard and played exceptionally well, representing their coaches and the StFX community well. Many new recruits have been brought in who will hope to make their stamp on the school’s athletic history next year. Additionally, several new coaches have been named and they will undoubtedly give guidance and support to all our StFX athletes.

Injury on display University of Louisiana player’s injury provokes criticism of coverage and curious Googlers AARON THORNELL | Sports & Health Editor

During Sunday night’s NCAA basketball quarterfinal, Kevin Ware of the University of Louisiana suffered a horrible, graphic injury. He broke his tibia after jumping up for a shot-block and landed seemingly harmlessly.

The video of this injury made its way around the Internet in a matter of seconds. There are some, however, who have come to criticize those who seek it out as well as CBS, which was broadcasting the

game, for showing two replays of the incident.

Are you a bad person if you go online and search for the video of this young man breaking his leg? Are you a bad person if you go onto Youtube and browse through the thousands and thousands of grainy videos of people getting hit in the groin, breaking their head open, or suffering a similar injury to that suffered

by Ware? Or worse if someone dies in the video? This

has been the question buzzing around many sports sites and blogs over the past 48 hours.

It is interesting to look at the view count on some of the videos that depict the injury as some have already reached well over two and a half million views. I have contributed one to this total.

CBS defended their actions following the broadcast. They believed showing it twice, directly after it occurred, was enough not to in any way glo-

rify the incident. Many references have been made to the first ever truly gruesome injury on televised sports, when NFL quarterback Joe Theismann broke his leg in 1985.

Theismann himself contacted Ware following his admission to hospital, wishing him all the best. There is no word on whether Theismann saw the injury live, or if he too sought out video online. He did state that he respected the way CBS dealt with the injury, only

showing Ware from the waist up, as well as the extremely disturbing images of players on both teams who were extremely shaken up, and some were even in tears.

Fortunately, no complications arose from Ware’s injury. He was discharged from hospital on Tuesday and is hoping to support his teammates from the bench in their Final Four match up on April 6th against the Wichita State Shockers.

THE BACK PAGE

The Xaverian Weekly | Volume 121 Issue 16

15

The back page: toys.

Greg McGuire dominating on the court

The McGuire rivalry Dual sport athletes shine in McGuire family ROBERT MURRAY | The Argosy (Mt. Allison University)

When Paul and Sandy McGuire welcomed their two sons into the world, they probably didn’t realize the competition that would exist between the two of them today.

Connor and Greg McGuire started their athletic careers on Prince Edward Island before parlaying it into two university athletic careers, where both have received national recognition for their efforts. Connor, a runner, has excelled throughout his first four years at St. Francis Xavier University, winning multiple Atlantic University Sport (AUS) titles in cross-country and track and field.

His younger brother, Greg, is currently in his second season with the Mount Allison Mounties. Like his older brother, Greg is finding success in two sports as well. Serving as a back-up goalkeeper for the soccer mounties the past two years, McGuire has seen action in a total of three games, giving up four goals in three losses, two to the University of Prince Edward Island and one to Acadia University. Greg McGuire has found immediate success with his second sport, badminton, attending Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) nationals for the past two years.

“Our big thing with them growing up was not would they make it to that level but would they develop a life style that would keep them healthy,” noted their mother Sandy over the phone.

Though they have been separated by age, the two manage to remain competitive. “[Connor] grabbed onto running to become a better badminton player in high school in grade eleven. All of a sudden he found a niche and ran with it,” noted Paul McGuire over the phone.

Greg made reference to his particular badminton prowess, noting how up until around grade ten, he was unable to beat his older brother. That has since changed. “He can definitely beat me

now,” Connor said with a laugh during a phone interview last Thursday evening.

Just as Connor readily admitted that he would be unable to beat his younger brother on the court, Greg conceded a potential showdown on the track.

“It was pretty fun up until he started running, then he got really good and I had nothing to chirp him about,” noted Greg. “I would have no chance in a race against him.”

Like most successful young athletes, their success has spawned from the genes of their parents. Speaking about his wife, Paul McGuire commented that they have a family joke that, “she’ll handle the academics from her brain side of the family and I’ll handle the athletics from my side of the family.”

Although he mentioned that he rarely played, Paul was a member of the 1976 Concordia Stingers squad that won the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Men’s Soccer title.

Although both parents are proud of what their sons have accomplished in their athletic careers, the focus remains on academics. “St. FX and Mt. A have been a blessing for both kids to be honest. They’ve excelled academically in both places, which is really really rewarding,” commented Paul. As a testament to his studies, Connor was named a CIS Academic All-Canadian for the 2011-12 academic year. Their competition not only exists on the playing surface, but in the classroom as well.

Connor is an Honours Biology student at St. FX, while Greg is also studying Biology at Mt. A. Though they may not see each other much during the year, the athletic and academic accomplishments of both have written a new chapter in the book on sibling rivalry; a chapter that likely won’t be finished for quite some time.

MIKAYLA MOANING | Sex Columnist

CHUBBY COCKS | Sex Columnist #2

Anyone with female roommates knows the sound; the peculiar buzzing noise emanating from your roomie’s bedroom that sounds quite similar to an electric toothbrush, only stronger. But why would she be brushing her teeth in her room? The bathroom is upstairs. You peek in, curious, and find that her toothbrush remains by the sink. Then what on earth could that buzzing sound be? You pause and puzzle until it hits you– you have just heard the indelible sound of your roommate’s vibrator. Turned on. Your roommate and her vibrator turned on in her bedroom. There are very few reactions to this realization except to shudder. Gross. Is she alone? Can you hear her moaning? The only appropriate response is to get as far away from her as possible for the moment and avoid eye-contact for the rest of the day. She doesn’t know you know, but you simply can’t dissolve the memory.

That night, you hope and pray that you may never encounter the sound again. Reaching into your nightstand drawer for your own vibe, you come to the earth-shattering conclusion that maybe your vibrator isn’t so quiet as you once thought. Has she gone through this same mental state as you? What does she know about your under-the-sheets activities?

Of course, it’s not like you two will ever talk about it, oh no. Sex toys have become so taboo that all the sex-starved ladies are supposed to pretend they’re doing nothing to scratch “the itch”. But in reality all these horny women and writhing and thriving with the help of their right hand and Mr. Buzz. As some woman one time once said, “A woman should always know how to pleasure herself, that way she doesn’t have to rely on a man to do it for her.” And that woman was right.

That’s not to say that sex and toys can’t be fun as well; in fact it is definitely one of the best ways to spice up the bedroom. Everyone has that secret bucket list that they’re just waiting to scratch things off of, and it’s almost guaranteed that toys and fun props are on that list. Maybe it’s fuzzy handcuffs, maybe it’s whips and chains, or maybe it’s a vibrator. No matter what is on your secret list, you shouldn’t be keeping it a secret anymore. Find a partner that’s cool with you, and get going. I’m sure that once you’ve started, there will be more things to add to that list. Find your repressed 50 Shades of Grey persona (don’t pretend like you don’t know what that is), grab a tie and take your sex life up a notch.

All in all, there are few downsides to sex toys. Whether you’re alone or with your sex friend, you can amp up the pleasure and the fun. The variety of toys out there makes it totally possible to find the thing that gets you off faster than you ever have and you have no excuse to not go out and get it. You are a hot, uninhibited, sexually curious university student! You own your orgasm! Just maybe wait until you know your roommate is out of the house.

I have never used a sex toy. But I think I might have to relax my definition of what that means. Does a sex toy have to be a dildo, a strap on, or some kind of new-fangled imitation vagina?

Hell naw. I say that sex toys can take a variety of shapes. Sex accessories might be a better word. When I think toy I think shiny, plastic, and purchased for the purpose of sex. I’m going to put purpose-built dedicated sex toys out of the bedroom for a second and talk about the kind of things you probably already own that can save you from making further trips to Passionate Nights, that strange-yet-awesome ‘Nish sex shop. When you discover that the electric toothbrush you never really use has a vibrating feature that Colgate doesn’t advertise (they should), you will find that those drawers and closets you just put things in are actually treasure chests of untapped sexual possibility.

First off, I’d like to discuss my good friend the pillow. Soft, fucking awesome, and able to be squished and bent into dozens of different positions, pillows are the primary homebrew tool of the sexual adventurer.

If the woman lies on her back and the pillow is placed beneath her bum, the angle is primed, and the G-spot is dead ahead.

Pillows can be stacked to supplement doggy-style sex as well. If you stack three or four pillows and the woman lies on top of them, face down, it reduces the rigid structure of doggy style, allowing the woman to relax to increase intimacy and likelihood of orgasm.

Also, pillow fights are proven to be balls-to-the-wall awesome.

Now, check your drawers. See that belt? It’s leather makers’ finest gift to sex since assless chaps. Belts can double as constraints or handcuffs for those particularly freaky moments, and can also be used as whips or spanking tools for those really, really freaky moments.

If you wander downstairs, fully naked, to the kitchen, you’ll find a couple things there that can tingle, chill, and excite.

If you place a spoon in the freezer and allow it to cool, it can be used as a source of stimulation that can trigger intense reactions.

The body is incredibly sensitive to changes in temperature, so supplementing a cool sensation, which can be shocking and intense, with a warm, soothing sensation will provide a balance that excites without the unpleasantness of one extreme.

If you take an ice cube, and press it onto nipples, skin, and ears, but follow the ice up with movement of a tongue warmed by hot tea, it gives you the same feeling as skydiving, scoring a goal in the final game, or finding ten bucks on the walk to Sobeys. Plus you’ll cum, and blow his or her mind with your incredible bedroom knowledge.

Resourcefulness is a handy quality, and when you’re having sex, toys aren’t always around. Spoons, belts, toothbrushes, ice cubes, and tea are almost everywhere. Know how to use them.

16

Thursday,4 April, 2013 | The Xaverian Weekly