Bring on the Golden Hawks
The Mustangs women’s hockey team completes a sweep of Nipissing and moves on to the second round of the playoffs. >> Pg. 7
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Elections Canada preparing for October elections
TODAY high -10 low -19
TOMORROW high -13 low -18 VOLUME 108, ISSUE 75
Western researchers concerned about funding Drishti Kataria GAZETTE STAFF @uwogazette
CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER MARC MAYRAND
Chief electoral officer explains changes to voting, including online registration Amy O’Kruk NEWS EDITOR @AmyAtGazette
Canada’s 2015 federal elections are fast approaching, and the key to ensuring voter turnout is an efficient and accessible polling system. Marc Mayrand, Canada’s chief electoral officer, came to London last week to update returning election officials on changes to the federal electoral process, and consequently what voters can anticipate when they go to cast their ballots this October. Mayrand explained that a major new feature is an online registration process for voters — an addition, he said, that could prove particularly significant for young, potentially first-time electors. “You can go online again and check if you’re registered, and if you’re not you can add yourself,” Mayrand said. “They get voter
W
E’RE NOT THERE YET BECAUSE NOBODY HAS RESOLVED THE ISSUE OF WHETHER THE ELECTOR THAT’S CASTING THE BALLOT ONLINE IS ACTUALLY THE PERSON HE OR SHE CLAIMS TO BE, OR WHETHER THAT PERSON IS BEING INFLUENCED. MARC MAYRAND
CANADA’S CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER
cards that tell them their options for voting, and the location where they can go cast their ballot, so we hope that this online registration will allow more young electors to register.” Other changes will include new federal electoral districts, more days for advance polling and polling stations on select campuses across the country, one of which is Western. The chief electoral officer added that youth voter turnout hasn’t been great over the last three general elections with only 39 per cent of 18–24 year-olds consistently hitting the polls. While he said the statistic isn’t dropping, he hopes a combination of online registration, voting on campuses and other new services will encourage youth voters to come out in October. In 2011, Elections Canada sought to modernize Canada’s elections by lobbying to test online voting. Mayrand said that while online
voting may seem like the next step in political engagement, there are barriers to overcome first. “We’re not there yet because nobody has resolved the issue of whether the elector that’s casting the ballot online is actually the person he or she claims to be, or whether that person is being influenced,” Mayrand said. “Until we resolve that it’s going to be tricky to have online voting, but again some issues around the security and integrity of the vote remain.” Mayrand said he encourages students who are interested in the elections process to get involved this fall. “There are opportunities during the elections, and students could benefit from the opportunity, learn a bit more about how elections work and certainly get a bit of an honorarium for their services, so we are open for young people to join us in delivering the elections.”
The dean of Western’s medicine school is raising concerns with how scientific research is funded in Canada. Although financial constraints and tight funds are an ever-present issue faced by most research institutions, there is an even larger problem to be dealt with that is affecting the numbers of junior researchers. “The national change that is occurring with regards to philanthropic organizations asking for matched dollars is creating a problem that is only getting worse,” said Dr. Michael Strong, dean of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. Having to match dollars in this case means the research institute must have money to provide up front to match the grant they are applying for. “The difficulty with that is that we have insufficient funding through a variety of avenues for everything we want to do,” Strong said. “If I have to take dollars and match a grant so that an investigator can be eligible to even apply for that grant, that means that those are dollars that are not available for me to utilize for broader initiatives of the faculty.” It’s not a problem for universities that have large endowments but it’s a major problem for smaller universities that aren’t able to have their researchers compete at that level, Strong pointed out. In Western’s case, as a fairly large university with a medical school, its resources are not endless and scientists have to be careful of where the matched dollars are, he mentioned. The federal funding agency, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, is in charge of the allocation of the money in the health research sector. In an article published by the London Free Press, Dr. Bill Avison, chair of the Children’s Health Research Institute in London, said the process of matching funds diverts scientists from conducting research and instead forces them to spend time fundraising. “Also hurt are scientists whose research doesn’t attract donors easily, including those who combat childhood disease,” Avison said. >> see FUNDING pg.3
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thegazette • Tuesday, February 24, 2015
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Chakma meets with federal parties Katie Lear NEWS EDITOR @KatieAtGazette
Western’s senate held a short but productive meeting on Friday, Feb. 13. The meeting opened with Western’s President Amit Chakma holding a moment of silence for the recently deceased chancellor, Joseph Rotman. Afterwards, he offered congratulations to Western students and faculty on their recent achievements, commending Michael Strong on his re-appointment as dean of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Jana Luker for being hired as the new
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associate vice-president of student experience, and current senator Richard Sookraj on his election to vice-president external of the University Students’ Council. Also mentioned was former senator Jack Litchfield for his election to the USC presidency and Barb MacQuarrie on her appointment to the Order of Ontario on Feb. 3. Chakma also reported on his recent meeting with the Liberal Party of Canada during his presidential report. “We met Mr. Trudeau and it was a very positive meeting,” he said during the meeting. “At the end of the month ... we will be meeting with representatives of the Conservative Party of Canada. Not the Prime Minster, but people who are involved ... with writing the platform.” He also announced a meeting with the NDP leader Thomas Mulcair scheduled for mid-March. Chakma’s conversations with the federal parties have included advocacy for a “large-scale student mobility program within the country and outside of the country.” “Whether any of the parties will make it a priority or not, I do not know, but we certainly believe that there is a gap in that leadership role.” The senate also acclaimed the slate of members who will make up the committee to select a new vice-provost of academic planning, policy and faculty after current vice-provost Alan Weedon steps down on June 30, 2016. Additionally, the senate supported the motion to withdraw the economics summer co-op program, passed a motion concerning a dual-credential PhD agreement with the Université Libre de Bruxelles and voted to introduce a new BMOS specialization of nonprofit management. Further items on the agenda were the renaming and revision of several programs, including the honors specialization in crime and communities, and a motion to revise the combined interdisciplinary medical sciences/HBA program. All motions proposed to the senate passed without discussion.
The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error. © 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.
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thegazette • Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Researchers criticize lack of fed. funding >> FUNDING continued from pg.1
When Strong was asked about ways in which to improve the current situation in the health research sector, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation came to mind. He also mentioned the Lawson Health Research Institute should consider the consequences incurred upon junior researchers through career salaries and research scholarships as a result of the changes that have occurred. “We have sufficient funds; the problem is how they’re being allocated and what’s happening to this generation of researchers,” Strong said.
Courtesy of OneClass.com
Western profs upset with online note sharing site Megan Devlin ASSOCIATE EDITOR @MegAtGazette
An online note-sharing service has professors upset about monetization of student labour. OneClass.com, aformerly NoteSolution,, incentivizes students to upload their class notes and past exams by using a credit system which students can use to redeem for gift cards to stores like Starbucks, Best Buy and H&M. Alison Hearn, president of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association, has voiced her concern. “I’m not angry at students … But I’m outraged at OneClass for trying to make a profit off of the backs of students and professors,” she said. Hearn says she doesn’t have a problem with open source note sharing sites — indeed, she says, students have always shared notes with each other. She says the monetization of that practice is the problem. In addition, she doesn’t like that OneClass exploits her intellectual property.
“It’s really demeaning and degrading. This is what we spend our lives devoted to and all of a sudden it feels like it’s worth half a cup of coffee,” she says. She said other professors are equally “gobsmacked.” She explained it’s hard putting her heart and soul into teaching classes only to find the students aren’t with her in the process of learning together, but are instead subverting the system. Jack Neary, director of growth with OneClass, says his business is neither illegal nor unethical. “We have a team that goes through all the documents that get uploaded to make sure the content is quality and doesn’t infringe on any type of copyright,” he said. The site uses the same practice as YouTube, and will take down material if requested to do so by a professor. Neary added that his company, which is now five years old, wouldn’t have made it this far or been backed by such high-profile investors if it was doing something unethical. Neary says OneClass is most popular for psychology, sociology
and political science classes because those ones have a focus on note taking and memorization. He calls professors who take issue with the service egotistical — he says professors and universities are also making money off of students. “I don’t get their issue with us making money off of content — that’s exactly what they’re doing,” he said. While Neary doesn’t understand why professors feel they have a monopoly on the material they teach in class, Hearn doesn’t understand why students would go to a source like OneClass for their notes when the information is right in front of them in lecture. “It’s all done under the aegis of improving your grades … but for me that’s a boondoggle. It’s a false promise,” Hearn said. Students may or may not get better grades by using the services, but Hearn says what is certain is that OneClass will make money. “Ultimately they’re the ones who win — the owners of the site — because they monetize all the traffic that’s being driven through there,” she says.
Brescia principal leaves after seven years of service Hamza Tariq NEWS EDITOR @HamzaAtGazette
Colleen Hanycz, principal of Brescia University College, announced last Tuesday that she is leaving the university to become president of La Salle University in Philadelphia. Hanycz submitted her resignation to Brescia’s board of trustees on Thursday, Feb. 12 and will leave her post in June. She has served as Brescia’s principal since July 2008. She will become the first lay president and the first woman in that position for La Salle University, a private Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “La Salle is an institution that
is similar to Brescia in many ways. Catholic in the Lasallian tradition, this university has thrived for over 150 years, stewarded by the Christian Brothers of St. John Baptist de La Salle,” Hanycz said in a press release. “Its focus on serving society and, in particular, those who exist on the margins of our communities, is a familiar and attractive ethos. As difficult as it is to imagine leaving Brescia, I believe that La Salle is a perfect place to continue the work I love.” In an email to Brescia students and staff sent on Monday afternoon, Hanycz said she was feeling “bittersweet” about moving on from Brescia after seven years as principal. Earlier this month, Hanycz was
also selected for the 2015 Woman of Excellence award in the arts, culture, education and training category by the organizers of the YMCA Women of Excellence Awards. Under Hanycz presidency, Brescia’s student community has grown by 50 per cent. The college’s latest residence, Clare Hall, and the new dining pavilion were also constructed during her term. “I wish to express my profound gratitude to each one of you for your confidence, your support and your warm collegiality over the past seven years since I was hired by Brescia,” Hanycz said. “Know that wherever life takes me, I will always follow Brescia’s achievements with keen interest.” With files from Iain Boekhoff
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E HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS; THE PROBLEM IS HOW THEY’RE BEING ALLOCATED AND WHAT’S HAPPENING TO THIS GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS. DR. MICHAEL STRONG
DEAN OF SCHULICH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY
Survivor Stories The Gazette is undertaking a new project aimed to empower survivors of sexual abuse, assault and/or harassment and shed light on how these issues impact campus by publishing their stories anonymously. If you are a survivor and have a story you would like to share or feel needs to be heard, contact
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thegazette • Tuesday, February 24, 2015
arts&life
funwithpuns A female Oscar voter was upset she forgot to vote for Rosamund Pike for Best Actress. Too bad the opportunity is gone, girl.
NoR Apparel has your back The return of Mohammad Hussain CONTRIBUTOR @uwogazette
Looking out into the throngs of Western students rushing to their classes, you wouldn’t be hard pressed to find a Canada Goose jacket, Hunter boots or one of the countless other popular pieces. Soon enough, students may have to add NoR Apparel backpacks with their distinct Ghanaian patterns to that list. Second-year Western students and Brampton natives Michelle Osei-Bonsu and Oriena Mensah are studying business and medical science respectively, both with double majors in French. Despite their busy schedule the two have found the time to start their own apparel company, NoR Apparel. “It all started when I got back from Ghana this summer. We came back to school and Michelle saw my backpack and said ‘Oriena we can totally sell these,’ ” Mensah says. The backpacks and satchels feature patterns found in Ghanaian culture and each one is unique. The two entrepreneurs hope to be able to bring their culture over to Western. “Everyone on campus wears the same backpack so when you see something like that your brain goes ‘Where can I get that?’ ” OseiBonsu explains. The two have found time to start their business alongside the full course load they are taking. “It’s no sleep but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, and honestly we love doing it,” says Osei-Bonsu. They opened their online store on February 1 and said they’ve received comments and orders from all around the world — even from as far as Belgium. For them the aspect of being
able to share their culture with the world is what really fuels their passion. “I’d say the culture is everything, if you take out the culture then we don’t exist. That was the whole point of part of this. Western is a very diverse campus but amongst 30,000 students it can get hard to express your culture sometimes,” says Osei-Bonsu. The cultural message is incorporated into every aspect of the business, even the brand name. “Our brand name is NoR Apparel and it comes from the French words ‘notre racine,’ which translates to ‘our roots.’ We thought how could we connect different people, with different cultures into feeling they can wear things like this and it goes
back to the idea we all come from one root. We are all individual. We are all human,” explains Mensah. The two plan on expanding their company and taking their business to universities across Canada but are happy focusing on Western for the time being. They also had a few words of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs at Western. “Just start your business, because you’ll always be waiting for the perfect opportunity, for a little bit of time to open up but you’re just going to keep waiting and waiting. The perfect time is never going to come. You have to push yourself to start, and it’s going to be a struggle, but you’re going to get where you want to go.”
Courtesy of NoR Apparel
>> ALBUM REVIEW > B4.DA.$$
GGGGH Artist: Joey Bada$$ Album: B4.DA.$$ Label: Cinematic, Relentless Highlight Tracks: Piece of Mind, Like Me (Feat. BJ the Chicago Kid), Paper Trail$, Christ Conscious If you’re a fan of the great and legendary east coast rappers, Biggie Smalls, A Tribe Called Quest, Mobb deep, De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas and Gang Starr, then you will no doubt find B4.DA.$$ an absolute masterpiece. Much like Joey Bada$$’s previous work, this album is a nod to the renaissance era of hip-hop. Joey
truly encapsulates the old school 90s vibe with smooth flows and heavy lyricism. However, being that this is Joey’s debut commercial album, it is evident that he switches up this throwback formula by offering a more modern interpretation. With tracks like No.99, we immediately think of Nas’ N.Y. State of Mind or Big Pun’s Twinz. In this track Joey brings to the table an amalgamation of traditional MC characteristics, which first defined the genre. He flows with an arsenal of punch lines and devises a new framework for conventional rap tropes. Lines such as, “We ain’t gon’ settle for no iceberg lettuce/Let us eat when there’s war/Or end up like venison meat in the street/They’re not ready for beef,” just roll off the tongue in a playful way. These lyrics in conjunction with the gritty and nod inducing beat can tempt anyone into sagging their jeans and puffing their chests. Throughout the album Joey shows off his versatility not only in verse but also in style. In songs like Christ Conscious, Joey adopts an almost KRS-One vocal
performance. He’s practically yelling on the track. Again, this song hits deep with playful lyrics and an absolutely dirty beat: “Flow sweeter than vanilla/Tell these haters beat it, can’t Jackson Thriller/I’m the nigga that you see when you’re in the mirror/Say my name five times, this what I deliver.” While there are some bangers in this album, the general vibe is more laid back. Songs like On & On, Piece of Mind, Black Beetles, and Curry Chicken offer an aura of humility and genuineness. With these songs there is a sense that as Joey continues to climb to fame, the detriments that come with it appear clearer and clearer. For instance, in Paper Trail$ Joey expiates on the effects of his continued success. He plays with Wu-Tang’s Cream by reconceptualizing their line “cash rules everything around me” with “cash ruined everything around me.” This album is for the lyrical lovers who revel in airy acoustic snares, deep bass lines and seemingly unending undulating flow. It’s for the hip-hop heads. • Moses Monterroza
Oscar the Grouch Holmes is on the Case
Brent Holmes DEPUTY EDITOR @BrentAtGazette
The Oscars is like Christmas for me — except every year I get coal. As a film critic, it is my favourite night of the year, but often the ceremony is uncomfortable, overly long, fails to maintain momentum and I hate over half of the nominated films. Such was the case Sunday night when it felt like everyone was giving the Oscars shade over the nomination pool this year. The night opened with host Neil Patrick Harris calling out the Oscars on the diversity of the films nominated. “Tonight we celebrate the best and whitest — I mean, brightest,” host Harris opened. It was not the last thing Harris said about the snubs this year; throughout the show he gave shout outs to the unrecognized films and actors including The Lego Movie, Jennifer Anniston and David Oyelowo. Half the time, it felt as though the ceremony was about the people who weren’t nominated more so than the people who were — making for an awkward evening. Harris’ opening song and dance felt short in comparison to previous years. The shout outs and jabs at the nominees were minimal. His zingers introducing presenters provided most of the comedy from his routine. The night was overly long and there were too many uncomfortable moments. Adding to this discomfort was a tense, racial undertone to most of the events going on. Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs was wheeled out to defend the Oscars picks this year. The backlash against the lack of diversity in the Oscar nominations feels inconsistent. Selma’s director Ava DuVernay and lead actor David Oyelowo not getting recognition seemed to be the brunt of the criticism and rightly so.
But this ignores films like Dear White People, which received no nominations and I thought was a stronger film than Selma. It also does not give the Oscars credit for awarding Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Best Director, making him the second Hispanic director to win. Where do these snubs and wins rank in the discussion? The big winners of the night were Birdman, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Whiplash. Birdman walked away with Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography. The Grand Budapest Hotel won several technical awards including Best Makeup, Costuming, Production Design and Score. JK Simmons won Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Whiplash, which won two other technical awards. There were a few upsets too. Eddie Redmayne won Best Actor for his performance as Steven Hawking, upsetting Michael Keaton — who was a suspected front-runner for the award. Boyhood was the expected winner for Best Picture and several other awards but thankfully only walked away with a nod for Patricia Arquette. But despite the wins and the few small surprises, the Oscars telecast couldn’t escape from feeling like it was about the films and people who did not get nominated, rather than the ones that were. To be fair, this is how I feel normally when watching the Oscars. I’m still mad that films like Dear White People, The Lego Movie, Under the Skin, Only Lovers Left Alive, Enemy, Nightcrawler, Nymphomaniac, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Locke not getting the attention they deserve. And if I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again — if you really want to see the best films of the year, you have to look for the independents, the foreign films or the smaller films. With studios lobbying for awards and getting mad when their actors or directors aren’t willing to play politics, it seems likely that going forward the Oscars will continue to be more about the people who aren’t there than the ones that are.
Courtesy of ABC
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thegazette • Tuesday, February 24, 2015
>> IN THEATRES > THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER
Toys for naughty girls and boys Tina Soltani CONTRIBUTOR @uwogazette
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Soaking up some laughs Erik Bajzert GAZETTE STAFF @uwogazette
GGGHF The Spongebob Movie: Sponge out of Water Director: Paul Tibbitt Starring: Tom Kenny, Antonio Banderas, Mr. Lawrence The Spongebob Movie: Sponge out of Water is the second most wumbo film ever made. The only film whose wumbo-ness even approaches the sheer amount of wumbo on display here, would be the first Spongebob film, which was released a decade ago. For those who don’t speak this franchise’s strange language, the lower rank on the wumbo scale indicates that this sequel and continuation of the long running animated series does not top the quality of its roots. When the source material is beloved to the point where many view them as a staple of their childhood, it can be very hard to top. As a standalone film, this animated/live action adventure is often very funny and takes the somewhat surreal elements of the show’s past and puts them into overdrive, resulting in a family film whose unique sense of humour hinges on brilliance. Contrary to popular belief,
Sponge Out of Water is not a fully live action film. In fact, the live action segments only take up about 20 minutes of screen time. Instead, the film follows Spongebob (Tom Kenny) and Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) who must go on a quest across time and space to locate the secret Krabby Patty formula, which has mysteriously disappeared from the Krusty Krab restaurant. They must find the secret formula before Bikini Bottom, which has hilariously plunged into a Mad Max style post-apocalyptic wasteland, destroys itself over desperation for their beloved burgers. This film marks the return of Spongebob creator Stephen Hillenburg, who left the show in 2004. When he left, the humour on the television program became very neutered. Gone were the surreal aspects, the gross close-ups and the subtle edge that defined the program for so many years. Fans of early Spongebob will be delighted to not only see the return of Hillenburg’s unique sense of humour, but will be ecstatic to discover just how weird this movie gets. There are moments in the film that are so bizarre, it becomes very difficult not to burst out laughing at the lunacy of it all. Older audiences will also be delighted to see the constant references to the films of Stanley Kubrick, George Miller and Sergio
Leone, which the writers effortlessly weave into this insane plot. This film is, essentially, what would happen if you took 2001: A Space Odyssey, and let it loose in a hyperactive candy land for kids. It is worth noting, however, that the film seems a tad bit confused. Many of the live action segments before the final showdown are quite awkward, despite a wonderful comedic performance by Antonio Banderas. The film is also quite jarring at the beginning. It seems to throw a lot at its audience all at once, without much breathing room and also lacks genuine heart. Given the silly yet emotional 2004 film’s high standards and the writers’ insistence on cramming in messages of “teamwork,� it is clear that an attempt was made to give the film a greater emotional resonance. It didn’t work. Despite that, The Spongebob Movie: Sponge out of Water is a welcome addition to the Spongebob canon and a very funny film. It will likely be the most bizarre mainstream release of the year and possibly the weirdest family film ever made. This alone makes it worth seeing. The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water is playing at all Cineplex, Landmark and Rainbow locations across London.
Sex toys can be scary, from going to a sex shop to buy one to actually using one. Alex Fise, an employee at Stag Shop in London, explains the basics about sex toys and offers some tips for beginners. “If you’ve never used a toy before, for couples I’d recommend something basic like a cock ring, which is pleasurable for both partners, and if it’s a girl on her own then a g-spot vibrator will do,� Fise says. Fise notes the importance of experimenting to find out what suits your body and satisfies your desires. “There are toys with different modes, so you can kind of get an idea if you like straight vibration or pulsation, and you have the choice of using them internally as well as externally,� says Fise. A toy with multiple functions tends to be the ideal choice for beginners, but Fise notes you still need to take necessary precautions and be mindful about what products you purchase. “There are materials much safer to use than others, but all of this is indicated on the package,� Fise explains. “Everything on the package says it’s safe to use internally, but there are definitely things I would recommend using a condom with. We do still carry such products but you have to be diligent with using and cleaning them,� she says. Taking care of your toys is also important if you want them to last a long time. “We do sell a toy cleaner. I
wouldn’t ever suggest anything besides that. It’s an anti-bacterial cleanser that gets into every crevice, while lubricating and sterilizing the toy,� says Fise. You also want to be sure to store your toys in a suitable environment. Fise recommends that they be stored at room temperature and to have an individual bag or storage case for each toy so that they don’t touch. One unique toy that Fise recommends is called the We Vibe. “It’s the most popular toy for couples ... because it’s the only thing you can wear during sex that both people would benefit from, besides a cock ring,� Fise says. Since females are generally harder to satisfy than men, Fise says that women have typically been their main consumer in the past. “We’re getting a lot more couples coming in, especially with Fifty Shades of Grey,� she says.
I
F YOU’VE NEVER USED A TOY BEFORE, FOR COUPLES I’D RECOMMEND SOMETHING BASIC LIKE A COCK RING, WHICH IS PLEASURABLE FOR BOTH PARTNERS, AND IF IT’S A GIRL ON HER OWN THEN A G-SPOT VIBRATOR WILL DO ALEX FISE
STAG SHOP EMPLOYEE
&Entertainment
Food
EVERY TUESDAY ADVER TISING FEATURE
Look here on Tuesdays for special Western student deals on food and entertainment from London businesses
>> GAZETTE RECIPES > Beef Barley Soup Number of Servings: 12
Ingredients:
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1–1½ pounds stew beef cubed (steak and if you have too ground beef can be used) 3 large onions (sliced thinly) 3 large carrots (large slices are alright) 2–3 celery stalks (sliced thinly) 4–5 cloves of garlic (minced) 1 can tomato paste 3–4 tbsp oil 2–3 bay leaves 10–12 cups beef broth 2 cups pearl barley (rinsed) 3 tbsp black pepper ½ – 1 tbsp soy sauce ½ – 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp thyme salt to taste
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Courtesy of jeffreyw • WIKIMEDIA
Directions:
1. In a stockpot add oil and heat on high until oil begins to shimmer or begins to smoke. 2. In a small bowl toss beef cubes with thyme and tbsp of black pepper. 3. Add beef to stock pot and simmer in oil until brown. You want to make sure to not put in too much beef at one time and may have to do it gradually. Once the beef is browned remove from pot and set aside. 4. Add onions and tomato paste to pot (the same pot you used for the beef)
stirring and scraping pot. Do this until onions are soft and just beginning to brown. Add garlic cloves and stir for about 30 seconds. 5. Add the meat back into the pot. Add carrots, beef broth, celery, and bay leaves to the stock pot. 6. Bring to a boil then turn temperature down to medium and stir in barley. Let simmer for about an hour, or until barley is soft. Remove from heat. 7. Flavour with soya sauce, salt, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce. • JON POLLARD
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thegazette • Tuesday, February 24, 2015
opinions Health Services working to improve Re: “Mental health is a huge campus issue,” Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015 To the editor: The #BellLetsTalk campaign has sparked a great interest regarding the mental health of Western students, in combination with many anti-stigma campaigns and improved mental health literacy in general. Students are more willing to talk about their mental health and are more willing to see a health care professional, which is good news. However, it is also putting a huge demand on the resources on campus. What has Student Health Services done about the demand? The following are steps we have taken to reduce our wait times for mental health issues from 3–4 months to 2–6 weeks. 1. Increased staff: We have hired a new psychiatrist, a new social worker and a new GP psychotherapist. In addition, we have a Registered Nurse to assess all new patients and see any student who comes in crisis. On top of that, all of our 20 family doctors and 12 other registered nurses are equipped to see students with mental health issues. 2. Written guidelines: We first determine whether the person is in crisis or not, as all students in that situation are seen immediately by either a nurse or doctor. Otherwise, we encourage students to see a general practitioner first to ensure the mental health problem is not being caused by a physical health problem. Next steps are usually determined after that appointment. Each student is seen on a case by case basis so no one individual’s treatment is the same as the next. 3. Increased our prevention programming around mental health and wellness: (a) We contributed to the Mental Health Learning Module found on Owl for all students, staff and faculty. (b) We provided speaking engagements about mental health and wellness prevention and treatment at many different student, staff and faculty events. (c) We have started group counselling sessions for grief, anxiety and depression. (d) We have started a healthy body/healthy mind group for mental wellness and illness preventative strategies. 4. Social Media: Health Services provided content for the Health and Wellness website and looks forward to updating the site in the near future to continue to try and meet the needs of the campus. We are actively tweeting on the @WellnessWestern account in collaboration with other services. 5. Collaborated with other resources on campus and in the community, including; Student Development Centre, psychological services, Western residence counsellor for all students living in on-campus residence, Academic Counselling with all faculties, Campus Police Service and the Campus Case Manager, King’s College Counselling services, The Peer Support Centre, Good2Talk, Drink Smart, Leave the Pack Behind, Hope’s Garden, Canadian Mental Health Association Crisis Services, Sexual Assault Centre, Addiction Services of Thames Valley and FEMAP House. Some possibilities to further improve mental wellness on campus take the entire community support and might include things such as: • Creation of one-stop triage for anyone with a mental health issue or question so that confusion of where to go for help is decreased and realistic expectations of help are increased. • Greater involvement of faculties in prevention of stress and anxiety regarding coursework. • Mandatory activities for all students in regards to mental health and wellness such as eating right, exercising daily, good sleeping habits and connecting with others in healthy relationships. Please, let’s keep the conversation going with positive suggestions while working together on solutions as a campus community. Health Services is always open to seeing students, staff and faculty about our services to hear comments and suggestions. Cynthia Gibney Health Services director
thegazette
Volume 108, Issue 75 www.westerngazette.ca
Iain Boekhoff Editor-In-Chief Brent Holmes Deputy Editor Richard Raycraft Managing Editor
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I believe that only a national public inquiry would have the scope and resources necessary to identify the root causes of this ongoing tragedy, provide justice for the victims and true healing for their loved ones.
• Dr. r Carolyn Bennett
Lost women not a lost cause Abracadabra Al-Azem
Nusaiba Al-Azem OPINIONS EDITOR @NusAtGazette
Some things are just considered normal — toothpaste, oatmeal, waiting in line for a coffee during Roll Up The Rim season and winter blues. These are all relatively normal experiences. On the other hand, there are some things that should just never be considered normal. The growing number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada is one of those things. According to Amnesty International, the rate of missing Indigenous women in Canada, reaching around 1,200 cases currently, is so high that it constitutes “nothing less than a national human rights crisis.” Despite that, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared that this issue is not pressing enough for the Conservative government to launch a federal inquiry
into the matter. In his words a few months ago, “it isn’t really high on our radar, to be honest.” As a Syrian-Canadian, I understand the misfortunate of having tragedy become normalized. It’s no longer newsworthy to talk about the civil war that has ravaged and torn apart my country, leaving families broken monetarily and broken emotionally. In conversation, it’s just second nature to discuss Syrian living conditions in a detached and familiarized way. But this conditioning of ourselves to become familiar with tragedy — whether it’s the increasing and alarming amount of Black North Americans under correctional control or the murdered students in Mexico — is incredibly dangerous. As a people, we are becoming desensitized to the deepest misfortunates and heartaches of others. That is how I ended up in a “satirical” conversation yesterday making light of the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada. The issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada is not simply a problem on reserves or with sex workers, as some people — including our Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Bernard Valcourt, unfortunately — have
asserted to rationalize our nation’s lack of concern. But even if it was — would even those characteristics justify our nation’s apathy? I wish there was a simple way, a switch I could flip and suddenly massive problematic societal issues would resolve themselves. But life does not work that way. And so, in the face of overarching sexism, racism, othering and blatant disregard for the lives of minorities that contribute to our perceptions of all the aforementioned crises, any work we do to challenge that perception is necessary. This starts by noticing when we’re responding to news in desensitized ways, and then to stop doing it. It continues by making sure the conversations we have are respectable. And it peaks by contacting our elected representatives. That is how the Conservatives have finally agreed to attend a round table discussion about missing Indigenous women on Friday. Going from “not on our radar” to a roundtable discussion happens with persistence and work on the parts of individuals. It’s our responsibility to create the world we want to live in — and in mine, I’m not left wondering where my Indigenous sisters are.
lives of frosh. And yet, these intangible qualities are being tested exclusively through a written application, which inherently tilts the playing field against candidates that don’t have a strong writing ability — candidates that would still be strong role models for first years. The impact of this is that the best people for the job aren’t being chosen. We saw this happen two years ago, along with the uproar that ensued. It happened again last year. It continues to happen this year. And this has all been at the expense of incoming students’ experience, both during O-week and through the rest of the year. If nothing else, soph exec teams should be given the discretion to bring back individuals who were rejected based on their written application for an interview as ‘wild cards.’ As controversial soph Divya Patodia commented two years ago, “Each team has their own traditions, and each team knows what it takes to be on that faculty team.” For example, if a candidate has demonstrated their worth as a leader within a particular faculty throughout the year, give that team’s exec the ability to take that into consideration. Of course, oversight would be necessary with such power to ensure that it isn’t abused. But that could be as simple as providing a quick written explanation about the particular quality or experience that made each candidate worth a second look. All in all, the system we have in place is broken. There are many more issues in
addition to the one-dimensional focus on a written application, but this is a good place to start. It is imperative that this process evolves to ensure that the people chosen to be directly responsible for executing Canada’s best orientation program are in fact the cream of the crop. Ishan Tikku Engineering/Ivey IV
We get letters!
Soph system is utterly broken To the editor: A leaky roof doesn’t fix itself simply through the passage of time. In the same vein, a broken selection system for sophs introduced for the soph cohort of 2013–14 has not gotten any better just because it has drifted out of the spotlight after two years. Recruiting talent is a vital aspect of the success of any organization or program. A great deal of care needs to be taken to first understand what qualities and skills are desired from successful candidates. From there, a selection process can be built that aligns with the needs and behaviours of ideal candidates. This is illustrated in examples such as how aspiring programmers are asked to share sample projects through Github. Virtually everyone would raise concerns about the validity of the hiring process if the only basis of addressing that aspiring programmer’s capability was their ability to write an essay about coding. In fact, alarm bells would be going off that other potentially important factors were being ignored. But that is pretty much the state of the current soph application process. There is general consensus on what constitutes a good soph — namely, strong people skills, effective teamwork skills and a desire to positively influence the
Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.” All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.
Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising Ian Greaves, Manager Маја Анјоли-Билић
Robert Armstrong Diana Watson
Gazette Staff 2014-2015 Mohammad Abrar Abdul Hanan, Suhaib Al-Azem, Eric Bajzert, Sarah Botelho, Damon Burtt, Tabitha Chan, Jonathan Dunn, Spencer Fairweather, Sam Frankel, Devin Golets, Kevin Heslop, Richard Joseph, Drishti Kataria, Sara Mai Chitty, Soheil Milani, Mackenzie Morrison, Amy O’Shea, Vidhant Pal, Kyle Porter, Lily Robinson, Alex Seger, Tiffany Shepherd, Tristan Wu
News Amy O’Kruk Hamza Tariq Katie Lear Olivia Zollino News-at-large Kevin Hurren Opinions Nusaiba Al-Azem Arts & Life Conrad Floryan Jennafer Freeman Jenny Jay Sports Bradley Metlin Nathan Kanter Robert Nanni Jr.
More books is not the answer Re: “Can we teach more Canadian literature?” Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015 To the editor: Readings for any class are always going to be subjective, so here’s my opinion in response to Brent Holmes. I agree with both his claims that we know “so little about ourselves” and that more Canadian literature should be taught in school. Nevertheless, I would have to disagree with his suggestion of injecting Canadian books into the curriculum as a direct replacement of their American or English counterparts. He speaks of texts that are “dull, simple stories” in which the themes are obvious and the books themselves are unlike the “dynamic pieces of literature that might challenge students to think.” These are the same words I would use to describe Margaret Atwood. Giancarlo Jones Masters in the faculty of science I
Associate Megan Devlin Photography Kelly Samuel Taylor Lasota Winnie Lu Graphics Jennifer Feldman Illustrations Christopher Miszczak Kirstyn Culbert-Kviring Graphics/Video Mike Laine Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator Vivian Liu
• Please recycle this newspaper •
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thegazette • Tuesday, February 24, 2015
sports
factattack Cuban Yoan Moncada, prospective Major League Baseball infielder, has chosen to play for the Boston Red Sox after receiving a $31.5 million US signing bonus. This marks the largest bonus ever given to an amateur free agent.
Mustangs sweep Lakers in first round Nathan Kanter SPORTS EDITOR @NathanAtGazette
Two games, two wins and now it’s onto the Ontario University Athletics semifinals for the Western Mustangs women’s ice hockey team. Western defeated the Nipissing Lakers 3–2 yesterday to close out their opening round best twoof-three series on home ice. The Mustangs took game one in North Bay by a score of 3–1. The wins make for just one regulation loss in the past 26 games. The first round series however, was far from a cakewalk. Nipissing brought an in-yourface game on both nights, and the result was a rough series with tons
A
T TIMES WE GET CARRIED AWAY WITH OUR TOP PLAYERS – THEY ARE VERY, VERY GOOD. BUT WITHOUT OUR OTHER PLAYERS WE WOULD BE NOTHING. WE’RE JUST REALLY STRONG ALL OVER THE ICE. CHRIS HIGGINS
WESTERN HEAD COACH
of contact. “We knew they were going to be very, very physical,” head coach Chris Higgins said. “Playoffs are a time when you have to suck it up, and fight through whatever adversity you get … so we just battled through it.” For the Nipissing Lakers, this was just their second season in the OUA, and they were pleased with their first ever playoff appearance. Their team was mostly made up of first- and second-year players, and they were able to get two tight games against the top team in Ontario. “Did we have the experience and depth to make a long run? Maybe not,” head coach Darren Turcotte said. “The biggest thing was to get everybody’s feet wet in playoff hockey.” Turcotte made it clear he was extremely proud of his squad. “We battle. We compete. We’re not going to give up,” he said. “We’re really happy with the season that we had. We’re looking forward to good things in the future.” For Western, one thing Higgins stressed was the entire team effort. The Gosling sisters each had three points in the series, and when
asked about their impact, Higgins said their contributions are key but only in the scope of the entire team. “[The Goslings] are part of a total team effort,” he said. “At times we get carried away with our top players – they are very very good. But without our other players we would be nothing. We’re just really strong all over the ice.” From a defensive perspective, the Mustangs weren’t able to match their intensity from game one, when they only allowed 18 shots on goal the entire game, including just eight in the final two frames. In game two, they were outshot, 32–26, including 13–7 in the third period. “In game two we got up 2–0 and I think we kind of opened it up a little bit,” Higgins said. “I think we just got on our horses and thought we could run and gun and it turned out to be a mistake.” However, that kind of mistake is not something Higgins is worried about replicating due to the team’s experience. “We’re a veteran team. We’ve been through the playoff wars,” he said. “We’re resilient. We got into a little trouble in the third period last night and then Cassidy Gosling came down and scored.” “In the last minute they never got a sniff. I know they got to within one but they never really got a shot on goal after that.” Not to be forgotten in the rough series was goaltender Kelly Campbell, who stopped 30 of 32 shots in game two, and 17 of 18 in game one. “I thought Campbell was remarkable, in both games,” Turcotte said. “She made the saves that she really needed to.” Western is still waiting to find out who they play in round two, as games are set for tonight, and if necessary, tomorrow afternoon as well. Higgins said if he had a choice, he’d like to avoid the Toronto Varsity Blues, a team very familiar with Western. Eight of the last 10 meetings between Toronto and Western have gone to overtime, he said, including two triple overtimes and one double overtime. “If you really pushed me, Toronto would be the team I’d like to stay away from, only because they’re like us,” Higgins said. “They’ve got a great goalie and they play a strong defensive game.” He ended up getting his wish as the Mustangs will take on the Laurier Golden Hawkes, who are fresh off a series sweep of the Queen’s Gaels. Game one is set for Wednesday night, and all games can be streamed live on OUA.tv.
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2015 INTENT TO Register Open House scheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2015, Physics & Astronomy Atrium (1st floor), 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Find out how your academic choice will lead you to a career path. Hosted by Applied Mathematics, Computer Sciences, Mathematics, and Statistical and Actuarial Sciences. TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING PHISHED 1. Never respond to emails that request personal financial information. Reputable companies don't ask for passwords or account details in an email
and other sexual-minority individuals over the age of 18 for a study on perceptions of discrimination. Participants will complete a set of questionnaires in the Love Lab at Western University. This should take no more than 30 minutes, and participants will receive monetary compensation in appreciation for their contribution. If interested, email uwodiscriminationstudy@gmail.com
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ANNOUNCEMENTS HAPKIDO: TRADITIONAL KOREAN Martial Arts, The Huron Hapkido Society meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00PM-9:30PM, Huron University College Dining Hall (Huron Room) Visit us at “UWO Hapkido” on Facebook for more info.
PUT YOUR SUDOKU SAVVY TO THE TEST! To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.
For solution, turn to page 2
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thegazette • Tuesday, February 24, 2015
KANTER’S KORNER Each week, sports editor Nathan Kanter shares 10 takeaways from the hockey world, spanning the NHL, junior hockey, and Canadian Interuniversity Sport. Whether it’s the latest trade rumour, a prospect you need to know about or just general observations, Nathan will keep you connected to Canada’s game. 1. At one point last week, Canadiens goaltender Carey Price was 5–0–0 in his last five games, having allowed only five goals during that span while sporting a .963 save percentage. He’s now 33–11–3 on the season and leads the league with a .935 save percentage. 2. Pekka Rinne was also 5–0–0 during a similar five-game span, having allowed just seven goals during that time while sporting a .957 save percentage. In his 2014–15 season he’s got a 34–8–3 record and is second in the NHL with a .931 save percentage. Who’s been better? For me, Rinne, and not because I hate the Habs, but because I’ve always thought the Western Conference to be the tougher conference. Plus, his record is better, despite missing time due to injury in January. 3. Speaking of the Preds, last week they acquired Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli from the Maple Leafs in exchange for their first round pick in 2015, prospect Brendon Leipsic and veteran Olli Jokinen. Fair trade? I’d certainly say so. The Preds get a top-four defenceman who can play in all situations. They’ve been looking to add to their already impressive blue-line for quite a while and they also add a forward who can play anywhere in the lineup.
The Leafs, being in full rebuild mode, got the first round pick they had been looking for, as well as a good prospect in Leipsic. Jokinen was just a throw in, and hopefully can be flipped before the deadline for a late-round pick. 4. So, who is Brendan Leipsic? Well, for one, he’s a pest. A fivefoot-nine pest. A five-foot-nine pest who can also score. Some NHL comparables I’ve heard for Leipsic are Brendan Gallagher and Brad Marchand. Both are along the right lines, but I personally think Leipsic has even more upside. He scored 120 points in junior two years ago with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. 5. Other Leafs rumours being thrown around this week include Kessel to Florida, Polak to the Kings, Phaneuf to the Red Wings, and Winnik to just about everyone. First, Kessel will not be traded before the off-season. And Florida? They’re almost in a playoff spot despite having a very young core that they aren’t willing to move. Dale Tallon shot down the rumours right away, and it’s abundantly clear he’s not willing to move centres Bjugstad or Barkov. Polak is drawing interest from as many as six teams, but, as Darren Dreger tweeted, it’s unlikely he’ll be moved – he’s not an unrestricted free agent. Secondly, Phaneuf will not be dealt to the Wings. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun made some good points in his blog on Monday, saying the Leafs would have to eat salary and that a first-round pick from Detroit would also be off the table. I think Detroit will look for a cheaper option. Yes, they have some prospects to offer, but they don’t want to part ways with their top two youngsters – Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha.
Graham Huges • CANADIAN PRESS
Winnik likely won’t be dealt until deadline day, and the Leafs are asking for a second and a third, or a second and a prospect. 6. The Minnesota Wild are climbing up the Western Conference standings quickly, now occupying the second wild-card spot. General manager Chuck Fletcher should be applauded for a minor trade he made about five weeks ago, sending a third-round pick to Arizona for Devan Dubnyk. Dubnyk is 13–2–1 since joining the Wild, with an astounding five shutouts. My bet is they make the playoffs. 7. Dimitri Kulikov was suspended four games for a clipping incident on Stars centre Tyler Seguin last week. It was uncalled for but I do scratch my head when headshots receive less attention. An example is Ryan Suter’s blatant elbow on Steve Downie about a month ago. Suter got two games, while Kulikov got twice that. Doesn’t make sense for me. I think I know why, though. Seguin, a star player, is out three to six weeks because of the incident,
while Downie, a bottom-six forward, returned to the game. I find this problematic. The action of the offending player should be more heavily weighted than we’re used to seeing. Right now, the victim’s injury status is weighted far too heavily: no injury equals next to no suspension. Blatant elbows to the face should be taken more seriously, even if Downie returned, and even if you’re Ryan Suter. 8. Looking towards the 2015 NHL draft, Mitch Marner further solidified his top-five draft stock when he hit the century mark in points last week, at the 50-game mark. He became the third-youngest London Knight to hit 100 points, at 17 years and 287 days. Sam Gagner previously did it in 2006–07, as well as Jason Allison in 1992–93. As of today, he has 103 points in 51 games. That’s a lot of points. As good as Marner has been, I believe if the Leafs are picking fifth this June while both Strome and Marner are available, they’ll take Strome in a heartbeat. 9. Strome’s teammate, Connor McDavid – you may have heard of him – broke an Erie Otters record for
the longest point streak, at 19 games. As of today, it’s at 21 games. How many points does he have during that span? Fifty. That’s over two points-per-game, which is funny, because in 36 total games this season, he’s actually scoring at a better pace, with 92 points – 2.56 points-per-game. He’s currently sixth in OHL scoring — 16 back of Marner, in 16 fewer games. 10. Ontario University Athletics women’s hockey playoffs got underway last week. The last 11 OUA champions have been either Laurier or Queen’s – Laurier nine times, Queen’s twice – and those clubs faced each other in the first round. After game one went to triple overtime — at 0–0 — Laurier’s Tammy Freiburger finally broke the deadlock. Laurier then won game two to advance to the semis, and will now take on the Mustangs. Although Laurier is the “underdog” – they’re the sixth seed and Western is first – it will be anyone’s series. Game one is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Jennifer Feldman • GAZETTE
Our success and continued growth are the result of embracing change Plan to attend our info session to find out what exciting opportunities await you. March 4, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. UCC Room 210 To register to attend, visit the CareerCentral portal: westerncareercentral.ca