Thursday, October 8, 2015

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westerngazette.ca THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 looking spiffy since 1906

How do you know who to vote for?

With the federal election coming up, it’s hard to figure out who to vote for. Fortunately, there are a few resources that can help you.

SEE PAGE 7.

JORDAN MCGAVIN GAZETTE

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2 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

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Ham and Swiss cheese on asiago sourdough, substitute the tomatoes for cucumbers and add honey dijon instead of mayonnaise.

“That is my go-to,” says Hannah Higgins, a second-year kinesiology student.

And chances are, she knows your order too.

Having worked at the Spoke since her first year at Western University, Higgins finds that her time revolves around the café, even on her days off.

“Whenever I wake up and I’m on my way to school, I’m like ‘what am I going to get at the Spoke today?’ ” Higgins says.

Higgins was initially introduced to the Spoke through her brother, Nick, who started by working as security and later moved to bartender.

He would tell her stories about his time on the job and about how accommodating the Spoke was as an employer, enticing Higgins to apply at the café. But nothing compared to the real deal.

“I went there and kind of fell in love with the job,” says Higgins, who has since been promoted to shiftsupervisor.

Of course, being a full-time student and working a supervisor position is not the easiest of tasks. However, Higgins maintains that it would not be possible without the help of her fellow co-workers.

“Everybody is on the same track there — we all have the commonality of being students and everyone covers for one another,” Higgins says. “Everybody has each other’s

KNOW

backs.... It’s difficult, but it’s definitely worth it in the end.”

On those off times where Higgins isn’t working or visiting friends at the Spoke, she’s studying to become a physiotherapist. Specifically, she wants to work with hemophiliac patients. While she got her love for the Spoke from her brother, it was her mother, Terry-Lee, who influenced her career path.

After working with disability patients for 20 years, Terry-Lee decided she wanted a change of scene and applied for a maternity leave position with Hemophilia Ontario. Higgins was in grade six at the time her mom made the career switch and she has been interested in the cause ever since.

“I just want to help [hemophilia patients] increase their quality of life and be able to do things that others might take for granted,” says Higgins.

In the past, Higgins has volunteered at a camp designated specifically for children with inherited bleeding disorders. The camp teaches camp counsellors how to deal with situations a child with hemophilia might encounter in order to treat them quickly and effectively.

Her other goal?

“I really want to have my own food truck,” says Higgins, smiling. “That’s why I like working in the food industry, because you get to see the little bits and pieces and the behind-the-scenes.

She advises Western students to step outside of their comfort zone and make connections on campus.

“If there’s someone you might have seen around campus and you notice they’re in a lot of your classes,” she says, “take the 30 seconds to talk to them and get to know them … because you don’t want to be alone for the next four years.”

INSIGHT

Katelyn Gosling getting national attention

Candidates spar at campus debate

Mustang defenceman Katleyn Gosling attended a national women’s team training camp in August and is looking to use that experience to help Western repeat as champions.  PG 8

Candidates in London North Centre debated on a variety of topics, ranging from environmental issues to issues affecting students.  PG 4

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• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 • 3

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New early athlete registration period gives athletes first pick at courses SERENA QUINN SPORTS EDITOR @SERENAATGAZETTE Every upper-year Western student knows how frustrating course registration can be, especially if you lose the lottery and end up with the last possible time slot.

The months of June, July and August induce students’ stress far before the school year even starts, and while the chaotic song and dance that is course registration has become common to you now, the normality of it is still frustrating year after year.

But this year, a hidden element may make it even more frustrating for students who didn’t get into the classes that they wanted.

That hidden element is called early athlete registration.

Early athlete registration means that some student-athletes at Western had the opportunity to enrol in their classes before other students.

While upper-year registration did not begin until late June, some student-athletes were able to enrol in classes starting June 18.

This early registration period for student-athletes is a pilot the university is testing out. Last year they tested it with the men’s and women’s hockey teams and this year they extended it to the programs that are currently competing at the national level, according to athletic director Thérèse Quigley.

The idea behind the pilot is for student-athletes to be able to co-ordinate their academic schedules and their athletic schedules without having to compromise one or the other.

“What’s great about Western is that they really look to support and provide the pathway for excellence, both athletically and academically,” Quigley said. “It’s not that you have to choose one over the other. At our institution we provide the support that you can excel in both and not feel compromised in any way.”

For student-athletes, this early registration period gives them a chance to make an academic schedule that they can balance with their practice times and competition schedules.

Take Michelle Bronstein’s practice schedule for example. As a rower for the Western rowing team, Bronstein has practice six days a week. Her schedule looks something like this: 4:55 a.m.: Leave house for 20-minute drive to Fanshawe Lake 5:15 a.m: Practice 8:05 a.m: 20-minute drive from Fanshawe Lake back to campus 8:25 a.m.: Arrive back on campus 8:30 am.: Class “A lot of the rowers are in programs that have 8:30 a.m. classes and it sucks,” said Bronstein.“Some profs get mad when you walk in late and for us it’s really hard to walk into class late every single time.”

Bronstein and the rowing team are not the only varsity teams that have demanding practice schedules.

The women’s rugby team also commits more than 10 hours a week just to practicing.

“We practice every day, Monday to Sunday,” women’s rugby player Nikki Case said.

In addition to her practice schedule, she also has to account for her game schedule.

“Saturdays are basically a writeoff because you have to travel for a game. On Saturdays I’m usually gone from my house from 9 [a.m.] to 6 [p.m.],” Case said.

While it’s clear that student-athletes do make huge time commitments to their respective sports, not every student-athlete at Western had the opportunity to access this early registration period.

While Bronstein knew about the early registration period but did not have access to it, Marielle Fernback, a goaltender for the women’s field hockey team, had no idea about it.

“I didn’t really know about it until later,” Fernback said. “I didn’t get any emails [and] my coach never said anything. No one said anything.”

The reasoning behind some student-athletes getting early registration and other student-athletes not is that this registration period is still in a trial period.

“The way it was explained to our team was it was going to be four or five teams, men’s and women’s, who [would be] getting access to this early registration as a trial,” Case said. “I think the reason that other teams didn’t get it was because they just want to do a small sample.”

Some non-student athletes were surprised by this new early registration period for athletes.

Second-year management and organizational studies student Shawna Wiznuk thinks that the early registration period for athletes is unfair.

It’s not a perk, it is not a privilege; it is necessary to provide the support for student-athletes to excel in athletics and recreation and not be compromised in either.

THERESE QUIGLEY WESTERN ATHLETICS DIRECTOR

“I understand the viewpoint of it but I think it’s a bit ridiculous because athletes are not the only people who have other extra-curricular [activities] going on,” Wiznuk said.

A member of an athletic club on campus who wishes to remain anonymous also believes that the early registration period for athletes is unfair, especially when you look at students who are involved in athletic clubs that they commit a lot of time to as well.

“If varsity students have the privilege to get priority then what about the rest of us? Because they represent Western they get a lot more luxuries,” she said.

Quigley’s response to the general student body is that the early registration period for student-athletes is not a luxury.

“It’s not a perk, it is not a privilege; it is necessary to provide the support for student-athletes to excel in athletics and recreation and not be compromised in either,” Quigley said.

Case believes this to be true.

“It’s not like we’re tying to get it so we have amazing course schedules,” Case said. “It’s just working so that we can compact our schedule a little so that we can go to practice, which is super important.”

But while some people were

TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE PERK OR SUPPORT? Some Western varsity athletes get early registration to accommodate their busy schedules.

upset about this early registration period, the majority of students that were asked about the topic were supportive of this initiative. Seven out of 10 students who were asked about this said they believe early athlete registration is fair.

“I’m totally fine with it. I played sports in high school so I would support that for sure if it makes them able to do their schedules so they can still compete,” first-year social science student Ryan O’Connor said.

“I don’t have a problem with early registration for athletes,” fourthyear accounting and BMOS student Justin Baker said. “They have a hard enough time with their other schedules.”

While most students supported this new registration period, they almost unanimously disagreed with only a select few teams having this opportunity as opposed to the entire student-athlete population.

“The athletes that are on the teams that are not getting it are still varsity athletes,” said firstyear engineering student Matthew Bertuzzi. “They are still going to spend just as much time in training, just as much time practicing and they are going to want to do just as well in school.”

While some students may disagree on the early registration period altogether, or some might take an issue with the fact that only the top-performing Mustang teams are given access to it, Quigley is pleased with the results that they have received from the trial runs.

In the past some of Western’s athletic facilities have been empty during the day and booked full during the evening hours. With certain teams now being able to schedule their classes around their practice schedules, that has allowed for the university to utilize their facilities better.

The men’s hockey team’s practices, for example, have been moved to the 2:30 p.m. time slot which opens up space for intramurals and other forms of recreation for students.

“Students also benefit from the facility utilization. We need to look at long term planning for recreational and athletic space on campus and this gives us an opportunity to maximize those facilities,” Quigley said. 

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4 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

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Candidates for London North Centre met at Western on Tuesday to discuss federal elections issues relevant to students.

In attendance were the Liberal Party’s Peter Fragiskatos, New Democratic Party’s German Gutierrez and the Green Party’s Carol Dyck. The Conservative Party’s representative and incumbent MP Susan Truppe did not participate.

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Candidates were asked a series of questions about the economy, post-secondary issues, poverty and women’s issues, the environment, and answered questions from the audience.

When discussing Canadian poverty issues, Gutierrez and Fragiskatos butted heads over how the NDP plans to lessen inequalities between Canadians.

“It’s okay to be wealthy, it’s okay to do well … but it’s not okay that the differences and the inequalities are so huge that you see poverty and homelessness in a nation that is a member of the G7 countries,” Gutierrez said.

Fragiskatos responded that regardless of Gutierrez’s personal desires, the NDP’s platform doesn’t include taxing the country’s wealthiest citizens.

“Mr. Mulcair is not committed to increasing the taxes of the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians making $200,000 or more,” Fragiskatos said.

“Mulcair wants to keep taxes low for the wealthiest.”

Gutierrez argued the Liberals and NDPs have different targets, but their desired outcome is similar.

“We have to put a stop to those inequalities in salaries … you have to correct that, but over that you can

also tax corporations,” Gutierrez said.

Dyck spoke about the need for Canada to re-establish itself as a progressive nation when it comes to social programs and the environment.

“I travelled abroad … and I witnessed first hand that Canada enjoyed a very good reputation, but most recently … it became very clear very quickly that Canada is not a country other countries wish to emulate,” she said. “I believe that Canadians would like to have a different image for their country and a different direction.”

During the audience question period, all three candidates expressed their desire for electoral reform, specifically a shift away from Canada’s first-past-the-post election system.

“The first-past-the-post is not fair right now … Mr. Harper in the last election — in 2011 — obtained 39 per cent of vote but had 100 per cent of the power,” Fragiskatos said.

Dyck agreed with Fragiskatos, adding an elections systems change could increase voter turnout. All candidates recognized there would need to be substantial national dialogue before any radical changes were made. 

TA union calls for end to on-campus carding

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Western’s teaching assistant and postdoctoral union has called on the police to stop carding on campus and in the city of London.

In a press release, the union said London has higher rates of police carding than other Canadian cities.

Carding is the practice of “street checking,” when citizens are stopped on the street, asked to show documents and information is collected about them. It has been widely criticized and a campaign to stop the practice has gained momentum in cities in Canada, including notably in Toronto.

“The issue of carding was brought up during a meeting. The issue was raised that London has one of the highest carding rates in the whole province,” said Jaime Reyes, community chair of PSAC Local 610. “I got in touch with the people in the labour council to learn more about and to take a stance on it.”

A member of PSAC Local 610 approached Reyes and told him that when he was standing by a

residence with a group of friends, he was the only one approached by campus police and asked to show documents.

The president of the union, Indranil Chakraborty, said their concern is that it’s only happening to non-white students.

“What’s even worse is that this is happening on campus given that part of Western’s strategic plan is to attract international students, so it is very troublesome to see how people are being profiled because of racial assumptions,” Reyes said.

The union also asks for all citizens of London to oppose carding being carried out against any group or individual.

Their release went on to say that carding causes London residents and students to view the police as adversaries instead of people that protect and serve the community.

PSAC Local 610 has not received an answer from the University or from the city.

“We hope the university will take care of this issue and obviously the London mayor will also take care of this issue,” Chakraborty said. 

The Western University Book Store is hosting a Fall Food Drive to support the University Students’ Council Food Hamper Program, running from September 23 until October 9.

“Typically, we get a lot of canned goods: dry goods, pasta and what not… The more nutritious the better,” said Stephen Cribar, Western Retail Services spokesperson.

The program supports struggling students who can contact them confidentially to receive food.

“The [food hamper program] will give them a secret location with a locker combination to retrieve the food,” Cribar said.

People who donate will receive a ballot that will be entered in a draw to win a Globe Sagano skateboard, or one of five Book Store gift cards.

Donations can be dropped off in UCC room 7, between 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Thursday, or 9 a.m.

– 5 p.m. on Friday.

RISHIKA WADEHRA

WESTERN TAKES ON CYBER THREATS

All October, Western is bringing attention to the risks of the web by participating in International Cyber Awareness month.

Western’s Information Technology Services is introducing students to the resources at their disposal for dealing with the dangers of our information age.

In the past, concerns like the hack of the 2012 University Students’ Council elections have highlighted online vulnerabilities.

“We look at the vulnerabilities on campus when something happens, such as the USC election,” said Jeff Gardiner, central information security officer at ITS. Gardiner believes people are starting to recognize the importance of protecting themselves online.

“This is the information age and really, information is the deal-breaker for global influence,” Gardiner said.

MICHAEL CONLEY

27 WESTERN STUDENTS COMMENDED WITH INTERNATIONAL AWARD

Twenty-seven Western students have been presented with Undergraduate Awards for their work as undergraduate students.

Among them are Emma Rose Bonanno, class of 2014, who has been commended in three separate categories — an accomplishment earned by only one other student internationally.

“What differentiates a strong essay in the social sciences is that it requires a lot of evidence-based research,” Bonanno said.

Overall, Western had the second highest number of “highly commended” papers, beating out several American Ivy league universities, and top Canadian universities.

Bonanno says students should put themselves out there and apply for awards no matter how prestigious or out of their league it’s perceived to be.

“Even if it’s going to take a little bit of extra work, it’s worth it in the end when you get recognized,” Bonanno said.  MAAILAH BLACKWOOD

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 • 5

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Strategic voting Parties unveil platform could have impact points targeted at students KATIE LEAR NEWS EDITOR @KATIEATGAZETTE With the federal election just around the corner on October 19, there has been an increase in chatter of strategic voting on social media.

Laura Stephenson, associate political science professor at Western, explains that strategic voting is when a constituent votes to keep their least preferred party out of power.

“It requires coordination, so if everybody that supported the Green Party decided that they all were going to support another one of the parties … then they may have the ability then to help that party get ahead,” Stephenson said.

Strategic voting typically unites supporters of political parties that are close on the political spectrum, but its effectiveness relies on concentrating support to one additional party.

Given the Canadian political landscape, strategic voting often combines the three left leaning parties: the NDP, the Liberal Party and the Green Party.

One of the ways that voters have coordinated is by promoting websites such as www.strategicvoting. ca on social media, where voters can coordinate with others in their ridings to elect the progressive candidate most likely to win.

The owner of the site, Hisham Abdel-Rahman, explained that the number of Canadians who don’t end up voting for the the winning party was his inspiration for creating the site.

“I am encouraging the website visitors to vote strategically in all 338 ridings to cement the position of progressive MPs in ridings that elected a progressive MP in 2011,” he said in an email. “[I also want to] encourage voting strategically in swing ridings where ... projections show that a progressive MP could win the riding.”

Strategic voting is most effective in swing ridings – ridings where the election results were close in the past and have the possibility of changing the party in power.

This voting style has been inspired by Canada’s current electoral system, first-past-the-post, where the governing party is chosen on the basis of how many ridings they win, not the overall percentage of votes they receive.

However, Stephenson cautions against strategically voting if a voter’s most preferred party has a chance to win the election.

“You only strategically vote if your most preferred option has no chance of winning,” she said.

“Right now, the top three parties are fairly close, so how do you decide who has no chance of winning?”

HAMZA TARIQ BREAKING NEWS EDITOR @HAMZAATGAZETTE Election day is less than two weeks away and all the major federal parties have unveiled their plans for reducing the burden of the cost of education to students.

The most radical plan is offered by the Green Party. The party is promising to cap all student debt at $10,000 and eliminating loan interest over time. The party leader, Elizabeth May, has also pledged to abolish university tuition across the country by 2020 if elected.

The plan to eliminate tuition fees will begin soon after the party is elected starting with those students who are in most financial need, according to Caroline Dyck, speaking at the federal candidates’ debate held at Western. She added that her party sees education as a right and not a luxury.

“If we keep on sending people to university and only those who have the funds to go then we’ll see an increase in inequalities across the country,” Dyck said.

The Liberal Party has offered one of the more comprehensive plans to deal with student debt. The party plans to increase federal grants by 50 per cent and offering low-income full-time students up to $3,000, and part-time students $1,800 a year in Canada Student Grants.

“Students are worried about their

future — they are worried about the lack of opportunities that exist and they worry about the debt they are incurring to attend university or college for that matter,” said Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal candidate for London North Centre at the debate.

The Liberals have further asserted that they would require repayments of student loans to begin only after graduates have started earning at least $25,000 a year. Another $50 million a year will also be provided for programs that aid First Nations students in post-secondary education.

The NDP have announced that their party will be committing to increasing federal student grants by $250 million. They have also promised a gradual removal of interest on student loans.

According to German Gutierrez, NDP candidate for London North Centre, federal governments should work towards making post-secondary education accessible to all.

He stated that the NDP wants to start cutting down on student debt and create scholarships. Gutierrez also spoke about the possibilities of employment opportunities in London after students receive post-secondary education in the city.

“In London we have a huge amount of potential in terms of technology and diverse industry that we have not exploited,” he said.

The Conservative Party has presented a plan to help families save for post-secondary education of their children by doubling the the federal grant in registered education savings plan for the low and middle-income brackets.

The increased government funding will mean that a family earning up to $44,000 will receive $200 for the first $500 they save for their child’s higher education each year and a family earning up to $88,000 will received $100 on the first $500 saved. 

If we keep sending people to university and only those who have the funds to go then we’ll see an increase in inequalities across the country.

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6 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

knowsports

Athletes outside the varsity world

Students involved in nontraditional sports see the same benefits regarding mental, physical, and emotional health as varsity athletes HALA GHONAIM SPORTS EDITOR @HALAATGAZETTE? We’ve all heard that playing a sport could benefit your overall health mentally, physically and emotionally.

But what if you never tried out for the volleyball team in high school or attended that track and field meetup?

It may be true that the importance of varsity sport is far more ingrained in Western’s culture, but keeping active through non-traditional ways definitely comes with its perks, such as not having to wear sponsored uniforms and traveling across the country.

Varun Akaran, dance instructor for the UWO Breakers, Western’s breakdancing club, broke down the barriers between traditional and non traditional sport.

“There is a very important element of competition that is shared between breakdancing specifically and other sports, for example basketball,” he said. “Our tournaments are layered the same way that sports tournaments are

Your academic success is more than just about what you learn in the classroom. It is about building connections with students as well…It also allows you to take a break and that’s really important.

KRISTIN OLIVER PRESIDENT OF THE PURPLE YOGIS

layered.”

The third-year political science student relied on the same foundation all sports are comprised of: unity.

“Dance was a way for people to come together [through] practices, sessions, competitions and we all just bond together,” he said.

“Beyond that, school can get very tough. The academia is very hectic and you just wonder ‘what am I doing here,’ but dancing just lets us step back from that and really get our minds together and head back in the game and then we can go back to studying.”

Akaran kept coming back to breakdancing to turn his negative energy into positive without the need for traditional sports from a young age.

“There were points in high school where I gave up on dance,” he said. “In terms of my fitness or physicality — I am not really into sports — but when I stopped breakdancing, I really felt a change.

I really felt a lot more depressed and negative.”

Michael Huang, president of the Western Taekwondo Club, advocates athletes without “really being into sports.” The narrative seldom changes when comparing varsity sports to non-traditional university sports. The benefits are very similar.

The fourth-year undergrad feels the difference between Western’s taekwondo club from other clubs because of the large social aspect a part of the club’s mandate.

“Most of us are just there to have fun,” he said. “It is a very laid back environment and we play a lot of games and we do have a

COURTESY OF THE VARUN AKARAN TAKIN A BREAK. The UWO Breakers at the Spring Cypher on March 7, 2015.

•

MUSTANGS LOOK TO EXTEND 5-YEAR WIN STREAK

COURTESY OF THE UWO BREAKERS HEAD OVER HEELS. Varun Akaran from the UWO break dancing club performs.

lot of socials as well. Honestly, I like the club because of the social aspect more so actually than the taekwondo.”

Aside from the physical aspect, a large part of staying active is staying mentally fit.

Some people can argue that art is not a form of sport but we train just as hard as other athletes. We still have that strive and passion like all other athletes out there.

VARUN AKARAN UWO BREAKERS DANCE INSTRUCTOR

Kristin Oliver, president of the Purple Yogis, Western’s yoga club, notices a change in mindset without taking a drastic physical test.

“Your academic success is more than just about what you learn in the classroom,” she said. “It is about building a connection with students as well. It gives you the opportunity to get outside the classroom…. It also allows you to take a break and that’s really important.”

However, if balance and time management is neglected, the avid yogi sees sports as something that could hinder one’s academic success.

“You are taking that break…. You could become so involved with [a sport] that you could really deter away from the academics,” Oliver said.

The academic part is the real job during university and the sports aspect is one’s outlet. That’s the way

fourth-year varsity softball player Michelle Reynolds has been thinking about it since first year.

“I am not going to go play professional softball somewhere whereas my education … I am going to have it for the rest of my life and I am going to be able to do what I love.”

When managed properly, sports and academics don’t clash with each other at all. The duo works to complement each other, possibly providing one with a more successful school year.

In an interview for the Purple Pipe Podcast, the senior said her first-term marks are higher than when she’s not playing.

“I find that when I’m out of softball season I just sit around and don’t do anything and my homework slacks,” she said. “Whereas when I’m in baseball season I know that I have limited time to do everything so I am more focused on getting my school work done.”

Overall, according to several non-traditional and varsity clubs on campus, athletic involvement in post-secondary institutions leads to improved concentration, higher test scores and overall better mental health.

Western provides a perfect balance with academics and athletics without limiting it to students taking part in organized and competitive sports.

According to Akaran, it doesn’t matter what you define as a sport, as long as you’re getting the benefits.

“Some people can argue that art is not a form of sport but we train just as hard as other athletes. We still have that strive and passion like all other athletes out there.” 

The Mustangs women’s lacrosse team has a relatively long history of rolling over their Ontario University Athletics West division competitors and hoisting the Patterson Cup. If you need some examples look, no further than the Mustangs regular seasons over the past five years.

The last time the women’s lacrosse team recorded a loss was on Oct. 30, 2010, when the Mustangs endured a heart-breaking 7-5 loss at the hands of the Golden Hawks in the OUA championship game.

Since then, the Mustangs have been on a five-year winning streak, and this season looks to be no different.

The purple and white have played eight contests so far in the 2015-16 regular season and sit atop the OUA west division standings with a perfect 8-0 record.

But the Mustangs have not just been winning match after match, they have been completely dominating their opponents as Western has posted 126 goals in just eight games, while only allowing 31 goals against.

After spending the past four weeks on the road the Mustangs are finally bringing the action back to their home turf of Mustang Field this weekend as they take on the Brock Badgers and the Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday, Oct. 14.

The Mustangs are set to play Brock at 9:45 a.m. and it is sure to be a game that Western Lacrosse fans will want to come out for.

Brock will be coming into this weekend’s contest fresh off of a pair of wins last weekend where they defeated Laurier (12-8) and Guelph (10-7) on the road to continue their undefeated 6-0-1 record, good for second in the OUA west.

When the Mustangs and the Badgers met up last season it was Western who walked away with the 11-7 victory. This week the Badgers will be out for revenge and looking to usurp the Mustangs from their reign atop the standings.

The Mustangs second match of the day is set for 3 p.m. against the Golden Hawks.

The Golden Hawks will enter this weekend’s double-header after splitting their games last weekend when they downed the McMaster Marauders 9-4 on Saturday before falling to the UOIT Ridgebacks 11-9 on Sunday.

The Golden Hawks will be ready for game action on Saturday afternoon as they start their day with a match up against the Guelph Gryphons Saturday morning.

While Laurier currently third in the OUA west division standings with a 2-6 record they will need to remain motivated and energized both offensively and defensively to overpower a strong Mustang powerhouse.  SERENA QUINN

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 • 7

insight

Finding your footing for the federal election KAITLIN PACKER CONTRIBUTOR @NEWSATGAZETTE

Whether you’ve been silently overwhelmed at social gatherings when the subject of politics arises or you’ve been disinterested altogether, the fast approaching federal elections gives reason to pay attention.

“There’s lots of directions that are taken in the context of an election that have direct relevance to students whether they conceive of it or not,” says Cameron Anderson, a professor and graduate chair of Western’s department of political science. “The act of participating is important to register your views.”

Virginia Cooke, a fourth-year student in MOS finance and president of the Model United Nations Club, agrees that voting is important but that it’s also essential to be politically informed.

“I think an uninformed vote can almost be worse. You need to know your own personal beliefs and values but also the beliefs and values of the party and the leader,” she says.

Although for someone who has never paid attention to politics, figuring out one’s political stance can be intimidating.

Anderson says the first step to having an interest is “choosing to say, ‘You know what?

There’s a debate going on. There’s an election going on. I don’t know anything about it. How do I start?’ ” Cooke shared Anderson’s sentiments and encouraged fellow students to watch debates as well since they are useful to become politically informed.

“I think it really shows people … what the leaders are really saying and how their debating skills are under pressurized environments,” she says, regarding the most recent Munk debates.

Anderson and Cooke agree that a great way to become educated is to read various sources such as The Globe and Mail, The National Post, The Toronto Star, The Economist and Time. Cooke also mentions pollenize.org, a website focusing on informing voters, as well as elections.ca and

JORDAN MCGAVIN GAZETTE

CBC’s poll tracker. “[Reading newspapers] on a continuous basis will begin to develop a sense of actors, issues, positions, problems and solutions,” Anderson says.

Cooke also adds that it’s important to get information from a variety of sources.

“If you’re going to look at CBC, also make sure you look at The Globe and Mail and Maclean’s to take in multiple news sources rather than just one,” she says. “Otherwise, you’re likely going to get biased opinions because certain columnists will cover certain things over and over again.”

CBC’s votecompass.com, a tool that asks its users their position on certain policies, is another way to understand your political stance, Anderson says.

“Answering through those questions as best as one can with whatever understanding one has can help to begin to develop a sense of where you stand politically,” he explains.

He also recommends studentvote.ca, a resource geared towards high school and elementary students that is helpful in understanding the basics of politics.

Both Anderson and Cooke recommended that doing a random Google search may not be the best way to become educated.

“If you go online and search for ‘Why should I hate Harper?’ or ‘What is it about Justin Trudeau’s hair?’… avoiding consuming everything and targeting reputable newspapers … is a better strategy than just Googling questions about politics and hoping something relevant comes up,” says Anderson.

Distinguishing the realistic from the unrealistic claims of the political candidates also requires discernment, and “inevitably, it’s an element of common sense,” Anderson says.

With federal elections looming, now is the time to get educated and develop a political stance.

“Even if it only takes you 20 minutes to read a few sources, it’s important to know platforms and what parties support and what they don’t,” says Cooke. 

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8 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

insight

NATHAN KANTER DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR @NATHANATGAZETTE It’s halfway through September and the Western Mustangs women’s ice hockey team is preparing for their upcoming season with three pre-season games.

Many familiar faces are back, as the team is looking to defend their national title.

Seniors Kelly Campbell, Kendra Broad, Brittany Clapham, Brianna Iazzolino and Stacey Scott, all of whom contributed to Western’s first ever Canadian Interuniversity Sport and Ontario University Athletics championships, are all back.

But there’s one person not on the roster for these particular exhibition games: defenceman Katelyn Gosling.

Gosling, a three-time OUA first-team all-star and two-time CIS all-Canadian, considered not coming back for a fifth year. But this is not the reason she’s temporarily absent from September’s camp. She’s absent for now because she’s hundreds of miles away, in Calgary, Alberta, attending Hockey Canada’s national women’s team’s fall festival with 46 of the country’s best female hockey players.

Thirteen olympic gold medalists, including Hayley Wickenheiser, Meghan Agosta, Natalie Spooner and many others, are present.

Then there’s 22-year-old Katelyn Gosling: London born and bred, playing for the Western Mustangs in the OUA. “It was an unbelievable experience,” Gosling says in a radio interview in early October after returning from Calgary. “The atmosphere there and being around some of the players that I’ve looked up to for many years, I still can’t even describe what it meant to be there.”

“It would be a dream to make the team and play with them and wear the jersey,” she adds.

Gosling roomed with two-time Olympian Rebecca Johnston during her time in Calgary and said Johnston was a huge help with getting her comfortable.

“It was unbelievable rooming with a player that I have watched and looked up to for many years,” she says. “[She] was more than willing to help answer any questions I had ... and offered suggestions and encouragement.”

It took a while for Gosling to get the attention of national team scouts, as over 20 of the other players invited are younger than her. Typically, first-time invitees are in their late teens.

“For whatever reason, she either slipped through the cracks or was a late-bloomer,” Melody Davidson, general manager of national women’s team programs with Hockey Canada, said in an article in September on their website. “I think the best part is that she’s here and she’s getting this opportunity, and it’s totally in her hands.”

Gosling knows she has many options after Western, but in the meantime her goals are focused on winning another CIS title. “[Last year] we were much closer [than in previous years],” Gosling says. “We weren’t just playing for ourselves. We were playing for each other so it didn’t matter who was having a good game or who was performing [or] who was scoring the goals, we were all happy for each other’s accomplishments.”

Gosling and other teammates point to new coach Dave Barrett as the reason for a lot of last year’s success.

“He kind of stepped away from the focus of individuals and just kind of always put it in the team: it’s all about the team,” Gosling explains.

When asked to describe her journey last year, Gosling points out that it wasn’t until the final playoff round against Guelph when the team realized winning it all was physically possible.

“The league is very close. The team’s have always put up a challenge,” she explains. “It wasn’t until it was actually happening that we were like, ‘we got this.’

After defeating Guelph in the OUA championship, Western rolled through Moncton, Montreal and then McGill in Canadian championships. Gosling says the feeling of winning it all is impossible to put into words.

“I would say no thoughts [were going through my mind],” she says. “We were all just overwhelmed and excited and I don’t think we knew how to take it.”

After this season, Gosling says there are “lots of decisions” to make. That may be an understatement.

She could play in the National Women’s Hockey League, a new paid professional American league, where former Mustang Sydney Kidd will be debuting this season. Then there’s the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, an unpaid professional league that has been around since 2007. “[The NWHL] is brand new so this year [will] be a huge test for that league to see how it goes but then the CWHL, they play more games and I feel like it’s more Canadian structured for the national program,” Gosling explains.

Plus there’s the option of playing hockey in Europe.

“I kind of have to look at those three options and see exactly where I want to go [and] what I want to do,” she says.

But that’s not the end of the decision making.

Gosling also wants to head back to college at some point so she can become a firefighter.

“It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I decided that becoming a firefighter is the path I want to take,” she said in a follow-up email. “I think what firefighters do is incredible.”

“To be honest I am like a little kid and get overly excited when I see fire trucks driving down the streets with their sirens on.”

As her hockey season gets going at Western for her final year, Gosling has a message for those who may have preconceived notions about women’s hockey.

“I feel like girls hockey brings out a different style of hockey and it’s not that its lower or whatever, it’s that we play in a different way,” she says. “There’s no body checking but that doesn’t mean there’s no body contact. So still when we’re battling in the corner, you’re still going for body ... [and] still rubbing them into the boards or you’re still being aggressive.”

Playing aggressive in fact is part of the Mustangs identity. Gosling prefers a different word to describe the team: bad-ass.

Whether that bad-ass mentality takes the team all the way to the finals remains to be seen, but regardless, Gosling will be a focal point on the team at Western and beyond. 

It would be a dream to make [Team Canada] and play with them and wear the jersey.

KATELYN GOSLING

MUSTANGS DEFENCEMAN

[Last year] we were playing for each other so it didn’t matter who was having a good game or who was performing [or] who was scoring the goals, we were all happy for each other’s accomplishments.

KATELYN GOSLING

MUSTANGS DEFENCEMAN

BRANDON VANDECAVEYE BRANDON DAVID PHOTOGRAPHY.

•

Katelyn Gosling getting national attention

The Mustangs’ star defenceman was in Calgary for a national team camp in September and hopes to bring that experience back to Westen for her final year

www.westerngazette.ca

9 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

insightopinions

•

letters to the editor Re: “I don’t say ‘boom’ because I don’t want to diminish fireworks,” Monday, Oct. 5, 2015.

To the editor: Towards the end of the 2015 spring semester, I wrote a letter to the editor in response to the Western Housing campaign against racial microaggressions. It was titled “Microaggressions or just hypersensitivity?” You can probably guess my position on the matter.

As a Canadian-born half-Asian of mixed race ethnicity, I felt that the project instilled fear and reverse racism despite its good intentions.

Asking where I’m from and what languages I speak doesn’t alienate or offend me, it actually does the opposite. I relish cultural curiosity and welcome questions about my racial background. To me, that is what diversity is all about. Shaming and guilting those who want to learn more about my ethnicity works against the entire mission of the Housing microaggression campaign.

But something held me back from submitting that piece. I intended to publish the work anonymously, but because of the Gazette’s policy against it I refrained. I feared the social shaming and backlash that I might receive because of my views.

Bradley Metlin’s piece on Western’s increasing oversensitivity has inspired me to speak out. I am realizing that many have similar sentiments against the borderline liberal censorship of certain words and phrases that “might potentially be offensive to some.” As it turns out, there are others like me who wonder: where will the line be drawn on political correctness? Who decides what is or is not considered a trigger and why?

If the words “bossy,” “skinny” and “depressing” are socially unacceptable, then what’s next? Just last week

I was ascending a staircase with one of the photographed spokespeople for this new language awareness campaign. They said “God I hate stairs… I can’t even feel my legs.” I smirked and thought about all the wheelchair-bound paraplegics who would surely be offended by such an insensitive statement. But I stopped short of saying anything since we were in a stairwell. I doubt there was anyone in a wheelchair nearby to hear that brazenly hypocritical trigger anyway.

Cynicism aside, I find it terribly ironic how offended some people are by an article criticizing how easily offended we’ve become. Don’t get me wrong, I love Western’s inclusive and diverse student community.

Half my family speaks Cantonese, I listen to Kendrick Lamar and I perform at Pride parades annually. But as an inclusive and diverse community, we must be vigilant in detecting when racial/cultural/sexual sensitivity becomes self-righteous leftist speech control.

I am sure to make enemies with this letter and that saddens me. I was rather shocked at how violently many of my personal friends reacted to Metlin’s views simply because his were in opposition of theirs.

So I encourage all those reading to remember that opposing beliefs fosters discussion and that discussion leads to growth.

As the infamously politically incorrect stand-up comedian Louis C.K. once said: “Offending people is a necessary and healthy act. Every time you say something that’s offensive to another person, you just caused a discussion. You just forced them to have to think.”  ISAAC ENG MUSIC IV

Re: “I don’t say ‘boom’ because I don’t want to diminish fireworks,” Monday, Oct. 5, 2015.

To the editor: I agree it is impossible to accommodate everyone. There is no way to go through life and never offend someone, unintentionally hurt a friend or say something you regret. This is not possible because we are human. We cannot know what language someone will find offensive until it has been discussed and sometimes we forget and use it anyways. We make mistakes.

Western’s Language Awareness Campaign is intended to help us consider others. It is working to remove or diminish the use of language that disenfranchises minorities, reinforces sexist, racist, ablest and other harmful power structures, triggers painful memories in others, and excludes or ridicules someone for being who they are. It is not enforcing a “culture of silence” – it is enforcing a culture of conversation, where students can feel comfortable sharing their experiences without those experiences being belittled or discredited.

If believing in this mission is “hyper-sensitive,” then I’m hypersensitive and I’m proud to be. Another word for this is “empathetic.”

I will never understand why some believe there is shame in considering others’ feelings. Every year our orientation program supports two wonderful foundations that raise funds and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis and Cancer research.

We put endless volunteer hours into

supporting these, and other organizations across campus. So why, when we are asked to change our language to make others happier, more comfortable and more accepted, do we act like it’s such an unreasonable request?

I believe that it is because admitting that you have done something wrong is hard. Looking back on a word you have used in the past and acknowledging its potential negative impact is admitting that you might have prejudices inside of you that you didn’t even know about. This discovery is terrifying but it is necessary.

Sometimes we even think that it is our duty to tell someone whether or not they should be upset by our language. We tell ourselves that, if we were in their position, we wouldn’t take it so hard. We’d be able to brush it off.

The problem with this line of thinking is that we are not in their position. We have absolutely no idea what experiences they have had and why that word or phrase affects them so deeply. We cannot know but we can change our vocabulary when they ask us to.

For those of you wanting to argue about freedom of speech: yes, it is within your rights to say anything you want. However, just because you have the freedom to speak how you wish, does not mean you are excluded from the consequences of what you say.  ROBYN OBERMEYER CREATIVE WRITING IV

Parties need to do more for student issues

BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD

I

t’s election season and that means the federal parties are making promises to anyone and everyone.

Nestled in all the parties’ platforms is something about post-secondary education and making it more affordable, whether that’s through lowering tuition, forgiving student debt or increasing savings allowances.

The most headline grabbing platform points have been made by the Green Party’s promise to make tuition free by 2020, cap student debt at $10,000 and reduce interest rates to zero. I don’t think any student would complain about any of those things but they are unrealistic, attention grabbing positions.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it will start a conversation about the cost of education to individuals and what value we place on getting an education.

The Greens aren’t wrong when they say that our economy depends on what we invest in our youth. Education is the foundation of an economy and its benefits are tremendous in the long term.

Where they lose voters, though, is that these are unrealistic, especially in the time frame they are proposing. The buy in from the Canadian public just isn’t there right now, as much as we would like that to be the case.

The NDP have promised a $250 million

Re: “I don’t say ‘boom’ because I don’t want to diminish fireworks,” Monday, Oct. 5, 2015.

To the editor: When I was in elementary school, a “big kid” came up to me and pointed out the word f**k on the side of our school. On the ride home that afternoon, I remember asking my father the meaning of the word.

After asking me where I heard it, he proceeded to tell me to never say it again. I may have tried to push him a little bit, but I’m sure I quickly gave up my inquest.

As a university student I come across words I don’t know all the time. Instead of settling for uncertainty, I always try to inquire. That is because I came to university to learn and to be pushed out of my comfort zone. I came to university because I thought it was a place where you’re told to keep talking, to keep exploring your ideas.

increase to federal student grants and the removal of interest on student loans. Both are good promises but they aren’t specific enough for us to know how or how many students they affect.

The Conservatives have the most roundabout way of lowering the cost of tuition and it relies on something out of students’ control: their parents. The Conservatives will increase the federal grant in registered savings plans for low and middle-income earners, even though they are the least likely to have an RESP in the first place and to be able to continually contribute to it over the long term.

Finally, the Liberals have promised to double the student grant for low-income fulltime students and would require repayments on student debt only after graduates are earning at least $25,000 a year. In addition, they promise to spend $515 million a year on First Nations education.

The Liberal plan is specific and realistic. It targets low-income students and those with heavy debt loads. It’s not perfect but it addresses the economic issues facing students better than the alternatives.

While the Liberals have done a good job, we need to see more specific, realistic and beneficial platform points from our federal parties. 

There are certain words I never say because I know they don’t belong to me; I know I have no right to take ownership over words that are unreflective of my lived experiences. But just because I can’t say them doesn’t mean someone else can’t. Language can threaten and devalue, but language can also empower.

Instead of saying the language awareness campaign’s Facebook page is problematic for reason A or good for reason B, I would encourage every student who stumbles upon it to take the words and the statements at more than face value.

What does this word mean? What are its historical connotations?

Do I agree that this is a harmful word? If not, can I see why it might be harmful to someone else? Are there certain words often targeted at specific groups that are missing?

Who, if anyone, has ownership over this word?

I saw a number of students post about Bradley Metlin’s opinions column on Facebook on Monday. I also saw people telling their Facebook friends to avoid even reading the article and other people personally targeting individuals with different opinions.

That is not how you engage in critical discussion. That is not what university is for. We owe it to ourselves to think critically, to seek out views that make us question our own and to never take anything at face value.

Settling for “just don’t say it” might have been okay back in elementary school, but now we owe it to ourselves to dig a lot deeper.  ALANA KITELY, POLITICAL SCIENCE IV

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.”

www.westerngazette.ca

10 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

experience

SHACHAR DAHAN CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE

KYLE PORTER GAZETTE

Please sir, I want some more ELLIS KOIFMAN CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE If you’re looking for a filling meal to go along with your alternative pub experience, you should check out Olive R Twist down by Covent Garden Market.

Olive R Twist is good for going out with a group of friends for some drinks and bistro food, but don’t expect it to come cheap. There are, however, coupons in the Western Student Guide that could make for a less expensive trip, including a free brunch offer.

Since they do not take reservations, I had to wait about 20 minutes for a table in the packed restaurant.

The restaurant is dimly lit with black tables and offers a less crowded, somewhat upscale, publike atmosphere, with a full bar on one side and many TVs lining the walls. It seats around 60 people inside, plus a large outdoor patio that curves around.

Conversation was made difficult by the noise level, though I made the mistake of accidentally coming on

a London Knights game night. The restaurant might be quieter other nights.

We were seated at a corner table and the waitress brought menus and took our drink orders. Despite being packed, the service was fast and the waitress took the time to kindly offer menu suggestions when asked.

The very large and diverse menu has bistro, pasta, seafood, and chicken dishes, along with a few Asian dishes for around $18 each.

Pastas appear fairly expensive at around $20 each and steaks are all $20 or more. Martinis are on special for $5 on Fridays.

WHAT I TRIED: Brisket Stacker for $13.99: Lots of red peppers, brisket and excessive sauce that dripped out, making a mess. Difficult to eat as the filling easily slips out. Bread is somewhat bitter. The beef was fatty and fairly salty but otherwise enjoyable and substantial. Very filling.

House soup (came with sandwich- other options were salad or fries): Creamy potato broth, thin slices of potato, bacon and chives.

Topped with a bit of sour cream.

Initially creamy potato taste that is quickly overwhelmed by the heavy salt that ruined the soup.

1lb of Wings for $12.49: Came with 8 jumbo wings that while large, is still on the pricey side. Got the recommended JD BBQ sauce, which was fairly sweet and a bit salty. Crispy skin, pretty heavy on the sauce (ask for extra napkins).

Also came with four small lettuce and carrot sticks and ranch dip.

RATING: PRICE: 4/5: For the most part a good bang for your buck, especially with entrées.

ATMOSPHERE: 3.5/5: Great publike feel, but the noise level makes having a good conversation while dining difficult.

SERVICE: 4/5: Was quick for the most part but forgot some requests like more napkins and was really slow to bring the bill.

FOOD & DRINK: 3/5: Good variety but everything was very salty, making multiple drink refills a must.

OVERALL: sssdf 

Apple’s new OS X, El Capitan, was released on September 30 as a free update. Here are my initial impressions of the new operating system after using it for a few days.

The feature I was looking most forward to was the new split screen capability – something that Windows adopted long ago. To enable split screen capabilities, start by opening the two applications you wish to use. In one of those apps, navigate to the green full screen button on the top left. Hold the button until you see the screen split and pin it to one side. You can then select the other app you want to run on the other side. The sizes of the app windows can be adjusted by dragging the black bar in the middle to either side. My only complaint about this feature is that once in split screen mode, it is a tedious process to swap one of the open apps with another app.

Apple has updated the spotlight search to make it easier and more intuitive to use. Spotlight can now handle sports scores, stocks and more natural searches such as “documents I worked on today,” among other things. I have found that some searches don’t work 100

•

per cent of the time, but this seems like a bug that I expect Apple to address.

Perhaps the most gimmicky feature of El Capitan is if you ever lose your cursor, just wiggle your mouse or trackpad and the cursor suddenly gets huge, making it almost impossible to miss. The colourful loading pinwheel has also been redesigned to show less shadow and brighter, more solid colours to better match the design of the user interface.

The most useful updated feature to the new OS is Metal. Metal is a new graphics core technology that gives games and apps near-direct access to the graphics processor on your Mac, delivering enhanced performance and a richer graphical experience. This results in a major speed boost in app launching, app switching and app display.

A major problem of El Capitan is that many apps, including Microsoft Word, have too many bugs – a problem that developers are working to fix.

All in all, El Capitan feels like a minor but necessary update once the bugs are fixed. It is rare to see an Apple OS with this many bugs and unless you are dying to try out El Capitan, I would recommend waiting for a patch before updating. 

COURTESY OF APPLE

ArtLab gallery showcases Western talent ANNIE RUETER CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE Western’s McIntosh Gallery is a familiar name on campus, especially after being featured in Western’s Nuit Violette art show. However, not to go unnoticed is the Artlab Gallery, the student art gallery in the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre.

The Artlab Gallery features student work on a rotating basis, often showing work relating to social and cultural issues. The gallery hosts approximately 14 exhibitions of student work annually, ranging from the undergraduate to PhD level.

Nestled in the corner of Cohen Commons, the gallery is essentially a white cubic space that is open to hosting a variety of mediums.

“We’ve got something very unique here. It’s almost a 2,000 square foot space. It can accommodate all types of different work, whether that be painting, sculpture, instillation, performance, etc.,” says Troy Ouellette, the interim director of Artlab.

Ouellette explains that the artwork selection process is contingent

upon the timeliness and relevance of the artist’s work.

“Maybe they are nearing that time in their second year when they have produced enough work to have a show, maybe in conjunction with a speaker who’s being brought in,” says Ouellette. “It could be anywhere from one person having an exhibition to a class of 10 to 20 people.”

For many visual arts students at Western, Artlab provides the first opportunity to be featured in a professional gallery. This experience includes working with a professional proprietor, hosting a gallery opening and networking.

“It’s really essential that you can work with a proprietor, essential that you get to produce your work and have it shown in the greatest light possible,” explains Ouellette.

“Just the fact that you know some curators who come out to the exhibition, you can network with people that way.”

To help artists in the networking process, Ouellette works with them to create short publications designed to promote their work.

“We are looking to cast our net

further to help with giving opportunities for artists,” says Ouellette.

“One of the things I like to work on with the graduate students is a small publication. Something they have at hand … that acts as a visual resumé.”

In Artlab’s future, Ouellette sees more integration of technology. A new media lab called the Explorations Lab will open at the end of October and contribute to this ideal.

“It will have 3-D printers, be a kind of a media space.… In terms of 3-D printing and sculpture, applications for installation and sculpture are immense. That will change the nature and fabric of what gets displayed in Artlab,” explains Ouellette.

The upcoming exhibition is Second Wind, featuring the work of Juanita Lee Garcia, Mina Moosavipour, Simone Sciascetti and Jason Stovall. All are in their second year of a master’s of fine arts.

Admission to Artlab is free.

The gallery is open Monday to Wednesday and Fridays from 12–6 p.m., and 12–8 p.m. on Thursdays.



JENNY JAY GAZETTE

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 • 11

experience

COURTESY OF GERONE NASH GIVING THANKS. G0LDEN G acknowledging his supporters and the people making his dreams a reality.

Student brings ’Stang pride into raps SAMAH ALI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @SAMAHATGAZETTE STUDENT: Gerome Nash aka G0LDEN G YEAR & PROGRAM: Third-year English student FIELD: Music — Rap HIS WORK: Gerome Nash, also known as G0LDEN G, is known for his wicked lyrics and tracks sporting his Western pride. His undeniable passion and relentless effort makes him a staple in the contemporary London and GTA music scene. Making connections with Mississauga rapper John

Rivers, YouTuber Pat Greenall and the founders of nightlife company Ahead of the Class, Nash has been releasing videos and songs reaffirming his abilities to wrap words around your mind while you’re digesting your daily dosage of Western pride.

His current video series take a spin on popular tracks and adds some Western flavour. Covers like King of the Hall and 6PM at Western put him on the map in the Western music scene and also act as a scrapbook of his growth. His latest edition, 100 At Western, has thrown him in the

COURTESY OF GERONE NASH HOW FAR WE’VE COME. Rising to the forefront of the London Rap game, Nash is on his way up.

spotlight and made him the new king – of the hall.

Despite his hard lyrics and tempo, Nash’s genuine love for the music gives him a competitive edge compared to most up and coming rappers. He’s not into a quick success. He’s studying the game, ready for his moment to rise.

“I am documenting my years and times that I’ve had with these lyrics in these videos. So it is very personal to me because I feel like I am making a video journal – a musical journal of my journey through Western while

showing my talent and representing the school.”

INFLUENCES: Earl Sweatshirt, Eminem, Drake, Jay Z PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE: Nash started out playing around with lyrics and poetry while specializing in percussion at the Merriam School of Music in high school. His drumming past carved his abilities to stay on beat, no matter the cadence and boosted his confidence levels when he performed. He began releasing videos while attending Fanshawe College – most mentionable being Credits and Too Much at

Fanshawe – similar to the series he launched while attending Western.

Currently, Nash is writing lyrics and releasing new Western-affiliated covers as he prepares himself to do a musical album.

After releasing a plethora of songs and establishing himself as a talented, unapologetic rapper, Nash plans on heading to the recording studio to put his latest project into work: What If It’s Me? WHERE TO FIND HIM: You can find Nash on his G0LDEN G Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Soundcloud pages. 

To place your classifed ad, please contact us at 519-661-3579 or adoffice@uwo.ca

thegazette EMPLOYMENT

classifieds

COACHES/INSTRUCTORS NEEDED FOR hockey and Learn To Skate programs. Email resume to: universityskate@rogers.com or call 519-645-1136. Winter session (September to March).

VOLUNTEERS WANTED CAMPUS RADIO STATION CHRW is looking for all kinds of creative & fun people (Hosts, Producers, Writers, Videographers, etc.) for “Wake Up Western”, 911am weekdays on 94.9fm. See chrwradio.ca/WakeUp for info and e-mail wakeupwestern@chrwradio.ca to register your interest.

THE LOVE LAB is recruiting same-sex and differentsex couples over the age of 18 for a study of reactions to couples in public spaces. Participants will complete a set of questionnaires in the Social Science Center at UWO. In addition, participants will be asked to walk through a public space on campus while holding hands, wearing a hidden camera. This should take no more than 60 minutes, and participants will receive monetary compensation in appreciation for their time. If interested, email couplesuwo@gmail.com.

WORK YOUR DEGREE WITH A POSTGRAD Our postgraduate certificates help you accelerate your career by providing specialized training that builds on your previous degree or diploma combined with the opportunity to gain practical experience taking on real-world challenges.

business.humber.ca/postgrad

UPCOMING EVENTS DANCE CLASSES AT DANCE STEPS- 275 Colborne St. between York and Horton Accessible by bus. Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop drop in or join a session. www.dancestepslondon.ca or contact us dance_steps@hotmail.com, 519-645-8515.

SERVICES BEAUTIFUL YOU - HAIR by Sarah Mobile Hair Services. Women’s and men’s cuts, colors, up-dos and extensions. Call, text or email today! Student group rates available. beautifulyouhairbysarah@gmail.com 226-926-6474 PRIVATE GUITAR LESSONS. All styles and levels.

Graduate of McGill and educated at Berkelee, The New School for Jazz. 30, 45, 60 min. lessons. Reasonable rates and flexible scheduling. leschiedguitar@gmail.com. 226-977-4121.

ANNOUNCEMENTS ADULT FIGURE SKATING at Thompson arena Thursday mornings 10:00-11:50am, beginning Oct 1. Learn to skate and figure skating for teens/adults.

Also at Nichols Arena. www.londonskatingclub.com to register.

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.

2. Visit banks' websites by typing the URL into the address bar. If you suspect an email is bogus, do not follow any embedded links within it.

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 ?

www.westerngazette.ca

12 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

experiencegames

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crossword by eugene sheffer

photo of the day

Kyle Porter GAZETTE PLEASE SIR, MAY I HAVE A PINT? OLIVE R TWIST PUB OFFERS A WIDE ARRAY OF BEER ON TAP TO SATIATE ANY BEER LOVER. READ OUR REVIEW ON PAGE 10.

glaucoma word search

ACUTE ANATOMY ANGLE AQUEOUS HUMOR BLEB BLINDNESS BLURRY

BUBBLE CANAL CENTRAL CHRONIC CONGENITAL CONJUNCTIVA CORNEA DIAGNOSIS

DILATE DRAINAGE EYE GLAUCOMA GONIOSCOPY HISTORY INTRAOCULAR IRIS



LASER LENS OPHTHALMOSCOPY OPTIC PERIMETRY PRESSURE PUPIL

RETINA SCLERA SURGERY SUSPECT TONOMETRY VISION

For solution go to westerngazette.ca/solution

comics

ARE YOU THE NEXT BILL WATTERSON? TOOK A DRAWING CLASS? INTERESTED IN ART? OWN A PENCIL? SUBMIT YOUR COMIC STRIPS TO GRAPHICS@WESTERNGAZETTE.CA