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westerngazette.ca THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 109 ISSUE 48 stealing olivia’s powers since 1906

Federal budget unveiled on Parliament Hill

Highlights for students in the Liberal government’s federal budget includ funding for post-secondary research and student grants.

FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, SEE PG. 3.

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MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

Ryan Robinson, Zymbul Fkara, R.Flex — three different names for one man.

“I got into music around the time of the Ferguson protests,” he recalls. “I was listening to an artist named Noise Level and I told him I wanted to interrupt his tracks.

Put my voice over them, to form a new space.”

The fourth-year English major isn’t one for organization or cohesion. Instead, he chooses to mix, interrupt or distort established works to make his own.

“I love the idea of things being recycled,” he muses.

“Every time we recycle something, we can never go back to the original. Think of a wheel — when it comes back to its original position, it’s always in a new place.”

Ryan, who has lived in London for seven years, has cultivated an attitude equal parts critical and affectionate towards the city. He notes the “WASPiness” of the city, for example, as not entirely welcoming to people of colour.

“It’s hard for folks of colour… to find a rhetoric here,” he says. “It’s an attitude thing — nobody puts up signs that say ‘no coloured people here,’ but you do feel the atmosphere.”

This produced the moniker Zymbul Fkara: a “name [he] created in constructing a space for post-colonial queer folks of colour… which allows people to explore sexuality freely.”

He finds that London can be remarkably resistant to new ideas, which clashes with his drive to invent and reinvent.

The usual concerts and music in the city, he notes, tend to be country or rock, with a very occasional splash of hip-hop.

Ryan has made it his goal to shake up the city, in his own way — he’s taking what he calls “London soundscapes,” the work of local songwriters and singers, and putting his own “flux” on them.

It’s been said that there are only seven basic plots and every narrative is some new iteration of them. It aligns well with Ryan’s philosophy of remixing the classics, his English education at Western and his motivation: stories.

“Stories are something we can plug ourselves into — man’s oldest machine,” he says. “When I approach these songs, I look at them as machines that I get to reengineer to my liking, but also to speak about different things that are coded in our everyday lives.”

Ryan is working on a new mixtape, entitled Hologram.

The record explores political aspects such as the lives of new immigrants to Canada. He focuses, too, on women coming to Canada and the suspicion they’re met with.

The record takes a turn towards more romantic love, queer love and exploring the potential of London as a city.

It doesn’t deal with the concrete and tangible, but rather the sometimes invisible attitudes that Ryan has encountered — thus the name, Hologram; something simultaneously there and not there.

What does the future hold for Ryan, Fkara and R.Flex? He hopes to continue to find and collaborate with London producers, perhaps even in Toronto and beyond.

“I want to remix the shit out of what I do,” he says emphatically. “There’s always an evolution, a feeling of renovation that’s happening. It’s going to be pretty dope.”

■■RICHARD JOSEPH

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 • 3

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Reactions to the budget AMY O’KRUK NEWS EDITOR @AMYATGAZETTE

TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE

What students need to know about the budget AMY O’KRUK NEWS EDITOR @AMYATGAZETTE The Liberal government unveiled their 2016-17 federal budget on Tuesday and here are the things that will affect Canadian students.

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY Increasing Canada Student Grants The Liberals’ biggest strategy to make post-secondary education more affordable for students is to increase grant amounts by 50 per cent.

Current students from low-income families are eligible for $2,000 in federal grant money per year, and students from middle-income families are eligible for $800. Under this budget, those numbers jump to $3,000 and $1,200 respectively.

The increased grant amounts will be available by the 2016–17 academic year and will cost $1.53 billion over five years followed by $329 million per year from then on.

The Liberals say that nearly 100,000 students from middle income families and 247,000 students from low-income families will benefit from these changes.

Revamping the way student financial aid eligibility is determined Right now, Canada Student Loans and Grants determines each student’s eligibility by assessing his or her income and financial assets.

For many students who work while in university, this can mean a reduction in federal financial assistance.

The budget proposes implementing a flat-rate student contribution model: students will contribute an annual flat amount toward the costs of their education

and in return financial assets and student income will not be considered.

The change will provide $267.7 million in assistance over four years, beginning in 2017-18.

The budget did not include what the flat rate will be, or if it will vary depending on the financial situation of students.

Bumping up the loan repayment threshold The Liberals will be increasing the student loan repayment threshold under Canada’s Repayment Assistance Plan. Currently, if you’re a recent university graduate making more than $20,210, you’re expected to start paying back your student loans.

The threshold will be lifted to $25,000 next fiscal year and provide assistance of $131.4 million over five years, beginning in 2016-17, and $31 million per year afterwards.

How are they going to pay for it?

Together, these three initiatives by the Liberals to decrease student debt loads will cost the government close to $2 billion by 2021. To help pay for these initiatives, the Liberals will eliminate the education and textbook tax credits, redistributing those savings.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES Investing in the youth employment strategy Right now, the government annually invests more than $330 million in the Youth Employment Strategy, which helps young people gain the skills and experience necessary to find employment.

In 2016-17, the Liberals are upping that amount to $495.4 million, an increase of $165.4 million.

The Liberals state the funding will be used to create new green jobs for youth and to increase the number of young people who access the government’s skills link program, which helps Canadians transition into the workforce. In addition, the money will help increase job opportunities for young Canadians in the heritage sector.

Summer jobs for youth Back on Feb. 12, the government announced it would invest $339 million over three years, starting in 2016-17, to create up to 35,000 jobs annually. If the investment is successful, it will more than double the number of job opportunities currently supported by the program.

INVESTING IN POST-SECONDARY RESEARCH Infrastructure investments at post-secondary institutions The Liberals are pledging $2 billion over three years to create a new Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, an initiative that will support up to 50 per cent of the costs of post-secondary institutions’ infrastructure projects.

The project’s goal is to modernize research, training and commercialization facilities on Canadian campuses and support projects that reduce improve these facilities’ environmental sustainability.

Research grants The budget also allocates an additional $95 million to Canadian research granting councils with $30 million going to the Canadian Institute of Health Research and $16 million for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. ■

Budget day’s first protestor AMY O’KRUK NEWS EDITOR @AMYATGAZETTE Aside from the eternal flame being out — so much for eternal — the only curious thing on Parliament Hill this morning was a lone man in a wheelchair wielding a sign reading: “Sunny Days or Shady Ways.”

Budget day’s first protester was a little early; 64-year-old Eric Magill, a war veteran, parked his wheelchair in front of the Peace Tower at 7:30 a.m. this morning.

“I wanted to be here on budget day to say … this budget won’t affect me at all,” said Magill. “The money is there, I’m approved for all of these services and the government just isn’t doing anything.”

Magill, whose one leg is

amputated, said he protested for over a month in “rain, hail, sleet or snow” to get a wheelchair, and when he did, it didn’t have the right wheels.

“I’m here today to express the voice for other veterans and myself that the system is terribly broken within Veteran Affairs Canada,” said Magill.

Magill also said his house isn’t modified for wheelchair use, a service that’s supposed to be provided by the government. He contacted a government minister in December, but hasn’t heard anything from Veteran Affairs since then.

“To deny me the basic right to have safe equipment is inexcusable and a lot of vets are in the same situation,” said Magill. “Everything isn’t as rosy as they portray.” ■

ANNE-MARIE ROY NATIONAL DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON, CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS I think we’re happy to see some good new investments. I think it’s a first step for the government. We’re happy to see great investments in grants. The repayments assistance threshold has been increased from $20,000 to $25,000, which is a great first measure to put money into the hands of young people and struggling students. We’re also happy to see investments in the Youth Employment Strategy and good investments in experiential learning. I think that we were hoping to get more investments toward graduate students, so we’re looking forward to working with the government to try and implement some of those changes. The education and textbook tax credits were abolished. It’s a very progressive measure putting into money into the pockets of students that are in need; however, graduates cannot access grants at the moment and so they’re the only ones who are gaining from tax credits but now cannot receive grants in return. So it’s definitely a concern for CASA. BILL MORNEAU FINANCE MINISTER We made a very clear decision to support students with this budget.

We made significant changes in the Canada Student Grant Program, so for people coming from low-income families we’ve increased their annual grant from $2,000 to $3,000 dollars, and people from middle-income families from $800 to $1,200, and for part-time students as well we’ve gone from $1,200 to $1,800, so it’s a really significant difference in helping students to access funds. We’ve also made a difference for students when they graduate. They won’t have to start paying back their loans until they have $25,000 in annual income.

Both of these measures will make a big difference, not only in student’s ability to get an education, but to pay it back afterward.

minister use a round table. I think that was a really interesting innovation, so we’ll see how that goes.

I like that there will be an expert panel on youth unemployment.

There is significant money going to youth employment ... There will be more money for Youthworks. But for the universities, there’s no new money. There is grant money and it will be distributed differently, and students won’t have to start paying back their student loans until they make $25,000 a year. It’s not as bold as the Green Party planned, as in actually abolishing tuition and to really invest in our universities, but I’d say it’s going in the right direction overall.

PAUL KERSHAW GENERATION SQUEEZE The prime minister campaigned on a motto that said better is always possible and I would say that in respect to the 2016 budget – I think better is definitely possible. There may be lots of new announcements about student grants and loans ... but really the biggest spending that the prime minister is going to phase in over his fist term is a $11.3 billion dollar increase to old age security. I want a country that wants to do right by an aging population, but they want to do right by their kids and grandchildren who are facing lower earnings for fulltime work despite more post-secondary education and then face housing crises. ... There’s got to be a way where we can make this country work for all generations and I hope our Prime Minister will find that better is always possible and strike a better balance between young and old. ■

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Western’s game design program internationally recognized ELLA PURTILL GAZETTE STAFF @NEWSATGAZETTE

TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE

Grants Program taking applications for panel JUDY BASMAJI GAZETTE STAFF @NEWSATGAZETTE The London Community Grants Program is now accepting applications from community members for the program’s review panel.

“The city is basically looking for any London resident to sit on this panel, that’s the only qualification.

We’re looking for people that can demonstrate an understanding of the community and that have some relevant experiences that would be beneficial to them in assessing the grants applications,” said Jen Carter, manager of policy and strategic issues in London.

The London Community Grants Program is the city’s biggest grant, providing about $8-million worth of funding towards not-for-profit agencies in the community. The

review panel will be made up of about 11 to 13 people, including two to three community members, who will be responsible or reviewing every grant application that comes into the program.

“The role of the community review panel will be to make all of the final decisions on funding.

They will individually assess all of the applications online … and we’ll have about four to six formal meetings where they’ll have a chance to sit down and talk as a whole committee and make final decisions about where that money is going to,” said Carter.

The position is volunteer based in order to make sure there is no conflict of interest. In addition, community members with connections to an agency applying for a grant cannot become members of

the review panel.

All other community members are eligible to apply, including students. The program gives priority to applicants with diverse backgrounds demonstrating knowledge of not-for-profit agencies and relevant experience.

“We are supposed to make sure that [the panel] is as diverse as possible and obviously having the opinions of young people reflected makes that panel diverse,” said Carter. “Anyone with any relevant experience at Western in terms of volunteering at a club or volunteering with the USC would definitely be able to demonstrate that applicable experience.”

More information about the program and the application process can be found online. ■

Western has ranked 44th in the world for undergraduate game design by the Princeton Review.

The ranking reflected the top schools to study game design. Of the 58 schools named, Western University was one of only three Canadian schools on the list.

Factors considered in the ranking included academics, faculty, technology and career prospects.

Hanan Lutfiyya, department chair of computer science at Western, was happy with the recognition the department gained.

“I am happy that they’ve recognized us,” Lutfiyya said. “It recognizes the faculty’s efforts in trying to put together a quality program.”

Western’s game design specialization is part of the computer science program. This background differentiates the game design aspect from other schools as it gives students a thorough understanding of technology as well as design.

The program is also well known throughout the gaming industries. Large gaming companies such as Big Blue Bubble and Ubisoft will come specifically to Western to recruit new staff. “[Ubisoft] has made it clear to us that we’re one of their top

choices now,” Lutfiyya explained.

“They like that we have the right background and attitude that goes with it.”

Western’s interdisciplinary flexibility allows students from all backgrounds to explore the realms of computer science. This includes a host of programs from economics and medical science to music.

“What’s nice is that we do get a lot of students who do come from a lot of different disciplines,” Lutfiyya said. “That gives us a huge advantage.”

Robert Franek, the Princeton Review’s senior vice-president publisher, said in a statement that the schools included in the list were second to none.

“The faculties at these schools are outstanding,” Franek said.

“Their facilities are awesome.

And their alumni include legions of the industry’s most prominent game designers, developers, artists and entrepreneurs.”

In p a r t i c u l a r, Mike Katchanbaw, the undergraduate chair of computer science, put a lot of time and effort into organizing the gaming design program. “[Katchenbaw] was ver y inst r umenta l a nd passionate about the program,” said Lutifiyya. “I would like to give him a special thanks.” ■

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 • 5

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Passing down the torch HALA GHONAIM SPORTS EDITOR @HALAATGAZETTE CALGARY – It’s Stacey Scott’s fifth year playing for the Mustangs, meaning this past weekend’s nationals marked the last time she will play with her friends as a team.

Last year, her parents were in Hawaii for their 25th wedding anniversary when Stacey was battling it out at the nationals. This year, their purple colours can be seen proudly cheering on number 88 from the stands at the Martin MacPhail Centre in Calgary.

Terry Scott has been coaching his daughter since the age of five, when she first expressed her interest in hockey. Whether it was young Stacey playing for the London Devilettes or 22-year-old Stacey playing for the Western Mustangs, Terry will always see a piece of himself in his daughter. “Play your best and always keep your emotions off of the ice,” is what Scott constantly reminded his daughter, the way he used to remind himself.

Although it's been a long five years playing varsity sport, Terry knows that hockey is not tucked away for Stacey. However, he will certainly miss being a part of the hockey culture at Western.

"When she gets up on Tuesday morning, there’s no practice to look forward to. The structure of the whole thing kind of changes for her,” he said. “We’ll miss her hockey friendships. All of the rips. All of the good times.”

Despite leaving many younger teammates next year, Terry recognizes the important leadership role Stacey played on the team. He believes it was important for her to take on a strong supportive role after the coaching transition last fall. Coach Chris Higgins and Dave Barrett used to co-head coach in 2014–15; however, Higgins left the job to Barrett last fall.

Different structures and systems were added this year that were evidently working for them during this year’s playoffs. The head coach of the women’s hockey team relies on his seniors to be role models and continue encouraging the team leading up the nationals. "[Stacey is an] exceptional teammate, always wanting to improve upon her game and [she] sets a fine example for our younger players on how they should conduct themselves,” Barrett said. “She is an absolutely wonderful individual. She’s got a tremendous sense of humour. She’s one of those people

that tells jokes and doesn’t smile and you’re not sure actually if she’s telling a joke or not but she’s a very funny person.”

Since the women’s hockey team won the Canadian Interuniversity Sport title last year, they came in hoping for a repeat; however, they were defeated in the first game by the Saint Mary’s Huskies 1–0.

Nonetheless, Stacey continued to encourage her teammates, only she does it in a different way than traditional pep talks.

"I'm not a motivational speaker but I try to joke around with the [young players and] make them feel like they’re part of the team,” Stacey said. “I get them to get involved to keep things light so that they’re not as nervous.”

Stacey's last five years have been jam packed with numerous achievements.

In her first season in 2011-12, Stacey scored four goals in seven games in the OUA playoffs while also leading the team in scoring in the regular season with 27 points in 26 games. Her second year brought just as impressive numbers, when she scored four goals and four assists in the playoffs and again led the team with 27 points in the season.

The Scott name was becoming popular in her third year when she netted seven goals and added 10 assists in a season that was also limited by injuries. Last year, she chimed in as a leader and helped propel the team to the CIS championship title, the first in the history of the women’s hockey program.

This season, Stacey helped get her team back into the CIS championships when they finished second in Ontario. Unfortunately, the defending champions couldn’t muster any goals in their 1–0 loss to the Saint Mary’s Huskies and subsequently lost again in their consolation semifinals 3–1 against the host Calgary Dino’s.

Now that the team is making its way back to London from Calgary, the big question hitting every senior on the team is: What’s next?

"I'm not ready to join the adult world yet... I’m down to playing next year still but I don’t know where yet,” she said. “It’s scary thinking you’re not there anymore. You could go on the rink at anytime during the season and see the girls hanging around or in the dressing room and you always had a support system.”

Despite having many friends around, one of Stacey’s number one supporters is her mother, Heather.

It all began when Stacey was glued

to the television at the age of five, watching her local Toronto Maples leafs playing.

"She was fascinated by the strategy and she said, ‘One day I want to play daddy.’ He said ‘well, you have to ask your mom,’ “ Heather said. “I said okay, but [explained] that you have to play with girls.”

Heather was more than content with Western’s supportive learning environment after letting her daughter go under Western’s wing.

However; it’s time for another goodbye as the Scott family come to terms with the end of Stacey’s university career, along with the end for many other traditions that come with it.

"We have a tradition of a big hug at the end of the game,” Heather said. “She’ll come up and I jump in on her and wrap my legs around the waist and give her a big sweaty hug.”

Nonetheless, Heather is embracing the changes because she’s proud of her daughter for leaving such a large impact on the younger players on the team. Heather recalls many parents approaching her during post game warm ups and expressing their delight over her daughters ambition to encourage others.

Katelyn Gosling is another senior player leaving the team and not only is Stacey her buddy, but her best friend and roommate. Gosling has been playing with Stacey for 10 years, ever since they were young Devilettes together. Even though Gosling is unsure about the future of their hockey careers coming together again, she will cherish the last five years together at Western.

"We've seen each other grow in different ways. We have become close,” Gosling said. “We have learned a lot about each other and just how important each person is no matter what they are, who they are and what they bring to the team.”

Gosling hopes to play in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League next year alongside some potential Mustangs. As for her roommate Stacey, playing in the CWHL is also a option; however, playing in Europe or simply the taking a break sounds appealing as well.

Although many senior players will no longer wear that purple and white jersey, the sportsmanship and camaraderie on the team will forever be engrained in their memories.

"You forget the games, you forget the scores,” Stacey said. “But it’s the people that you come in contact with that make the biggest difference.” n

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Adventuring under the Eastern stars Moses Monterroza Arts & Life editor @MosesAtGazette

Eight Western undergraduates, 10 internationally renowned speakers and four Western graduates, among countless international students, head to Agra, India, for an unforgettable adventure at Astronomy at Taj 2016

PHOTOS BY MOSES MONTERROZA GAZETTE

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A

GRA, INDIA — It’s 12 p.m. and the New Delhi airport is bustling with masses of people. The sounds of ceaseless honking and incomprehensible chatter reverberate all throughout the area with high levels of energy and excitement.

The mid-February air is heavy with the scent of food and a cool Indian breeze seems to undulate through the outside terminals.

Amongst the droves of people is a small group of Western researchers, professors and students waiting for their bus to take them to Agra, the so-called city of love and home to the Taj Mahal.

There is a genuine look of disbelief on the face of astronomy professor Shantanu Basu. The idea of a winter school in India was merely a topic in conversation only a few months ago.

As the bus arrives, the group of eight Western undergraduates, 10 internationally renowned speakers and four Western graduates quickly grab their luggage and cram into the rusted yellow vehicle. Below the windows of the bus are lightly faded words that spell out “Anand Engineering College.”

The driver revs up the engine, presses on the gas and dangerously zooms into the left lane of the road, weaving and zipping past cars, rickshaws and motorcycles. The unfinished pavement and dirt roads make the ride comically bumpy as passengers nearly hit their heads on the roof whenever a pothole sinks the wheels.

“Welcome to India!” laughs 23-year-old Pranava Sharma, trip organizing secretary and engineering student.

•••• It would be a day after the group arrived that 21-year-old engineering and physics student Toluwa Ajibola would make an unexpected appearance. His difficulties with getting a travel visa had everyone thinking he couldn’t make it.

But despite the odds, Ajibola manages to navigate through New Delhi, eventually boarding a train and walking for hours just to get to the college.

“I was observing people, asking for train tickets. I kind of up picked up a little bit of the language with as much time as I had,” says Ajibola. “I managed to get myself a ticket, got on the train and journeyed like three hours from New Delhi to Agra. It took me through so many different parts of India that I wouldn’t have normally been able to see if I took the regular bus or car.

“I saw people just bathing outside, I saw cows on the train tracks stopping the train. I saw so many different towns and villages. I met a lot of really great people on the train. There was a man and a wife who tried to speak Hindi to me — didn’t work very well. But we established a temporary method of sign language that helped us communicate. Don’t ask how I managed that, it took a while.”

It was late into the opening ceremonies when Ajibola finally caught up with the rest of the group.

Let the games begin On the left stage of the Anand auditorium stands a statue of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning.

Lined up around her are the guests of the college, waiting to be inaugurated in the traditional Indian lamp lighting ceremony. Thus begins the conference — and the adventure.

For the first couple of days, the participants of Astronomy at Taj engage in intense scientific and philosophical discourse, navigating through topics like gravitational waves, star formations, extraterrestrial life and the discovery of Pluto.

Henry Throop, senior research scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, talks about his time working with NASA on the New Horizons mission and his first time seeing images of the distant dwarf planet.

“It was mind blowing to be involved in the mission,” says Throop with excitement. “To see these pictures come down every day as they get sharper and sharper.”

The Indian students, frantically writing in their notepads, listen with intrigue and fascination. Every chance they got, they would raise their hands and labour the professors with

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 • 7

insight

questions.

The conditions were ideal – interested students and engaging professors coupled with the expansive topic of astronomy. It was the exchange of knowledge in its purest form.

In between talks and presentations, domestic and international students would have long-winded and deep conversations with some of the most prominent figures in astronomy. It was a breaking down of barriers. It didn’t matter who you were; if you wanted to talk to a NASA scientist, he was right there.

After the first two days of lectures it was clear that the whole thing had already been a success. But much more was awaiting the days following.

Traversing the grounds of the Taj Mahal and through the Agra streets While everyone’s making their way to the college cafeteria for breakfast and chai, a couple of buses are parked outside waiting patiently by the road.

Ajibola, sitting at the breakfast table with seven of his fellow Western students, turns to his left and asks “what’s on the agenda today?”

“We’re seeing the Taj Mahal!” replies Chandrika Manjunath, fourth-year medical science and political science student.

Everyone’s eyes light up with excitement. They quickly finish their meals and board the waiting buses. The ride is long and arduous, and to pass the time, some of the Indian students break out into song. At one point, a student begins reciting poetry in Hindi. After each line spoken, a series of “oohs” and “aahs” would follow.

Fast forward two hours later and the group is standing on a hill top some 600 metres from the Taj. They gaze upon one of the seven wonders of the world aside a vista of greenery.

It’s in this setting where another session begins. The group starts talking extensively on practical subjects dealing with the difficulties of applying for PhDs. “Can you please tell us what are the crucial features [professors] look for in a candidate?” says Krishna Kumar Kowshik, 22-year-old research scholar at the RNS Institue of Technology in Bangalore. “I’ve been rejected from many universities and it feels almost impossible to get accepted.”

As in any other region of the world, competition is rising quick and students are beginning to feel as though they need mounds of experience in order to get any type of job in academia. For the most part, the only way to get your foot in the door is if you’re Einstein or if you’re well connected. It seems as though the difficulty of being a student is a universal norm.

•••• As the day progresses, the sights of India become increasingly more beautiful. From the meticulously carved out interior of the Taj Mahal to the humble, sublime and rustic streets of Agra.

Mark Baker, mathematical physicist, graduate student and organizer, takes full advantage of every opportunity to explore. While the rest drive back to the college, Baker stays to see the golden light of the sunset bathe over the Taj. It dawns on his mind how just a few months ago, this whole trip was only a possibility.

Before the scientific talks and the ancient monuments, it all started from a conversation in Basu’s kitchen.

How it all began Flashback four months ago to September when a young international student by the name of Pranava Sharma began working as a research intern with Basu. As fate would have it, the two discovered that with their extended connections – both in Canada, India and several other countries – they might be able to pull off a winter school abroad.

“It was kind of weird, you know?” says Sayantan Aubby, graduate student and member of the organizing committee. “[Sharma] was in Canada as an intern and weirdly, when they were just cooking lunch in Shantanu’s place, they suddenly came up with the idea for Astronomy at Taj.” What began as a benign conversation quickly unfolded into a real conference with renowned academics from India,

Japan, Denmark, France and the USA all participating in workshops and lectures. The puzzle pieces couldn’t have fallen together more perfectly.

Baker recalls how quickly the whole process transpired.

“It was pretty crazy. This wasn’t even in the realm of possibility until two or three months ago,” says Baker. “We literally just sent out a couple of posters to a few universities in India and all of a sudden, dozens and dozens of people began applying.”

In fact, they ended up receiving nearly 200 applications from regions all across India. “Within a couple of weeks, we had to shut down the registration because we could only accept 50 people,” says Baker.

For Sharma, this conference meant much more than lectures and workshops. It was a chance to open up internationally and foster greater interest in the fields of science and astronomy.

“We need to promote research if we want to have greater scientific minds here in India. If we don’t give the young minds the zeal to learn new things and the passion to do something, then we will never develop our educational system, and India will fall into ruins,” says Sharma.

That is why it was imperative to him that the expenses were taken care of for potential applicants.

“It’s very important to provide students with this kind of opportunity because many of them rarely get to do something like this,” Sharma says. “If you’re not going to give them experience then how are they going to get it? Someone has to give them a chance.

“If I hadn’t made this conference free and if I had charged for it, then we would have gotten people with money but no grades. They would have come here just for the certificate,” continues Sharma.

There and back again On the second last day, the participants sat together in a circle on a patch of land for a bonfire. Accompanying them was a guitarist and the crackling and popping of the flames.

Sharma thanked everyone for their engagement and passion and encouraged the students to talk about their experiences throughout the week. Suddenly Kowshik put up his hand and relayed how he felt.

“It was extremely helpful,” he says. “Far more helpful than any of the astronomy conferences I’ve attended. We’ve made a lot of meaningful connections with the speakers. In any other workshop, speakers would either be very busy or uninterested in talking to us. Here, they practically wanted to know everything about us.”

The level of engagement that some of the students experienced was characteristically uncommon as far as conferences in India go. The cultural engagement and the opportunity to meet professors from Japan, Denmark, France, USA and of course, India, was something many of the Western students didn’t expect coming into the conference.

“You can have a wide world view and you can have a very international scope but to experience it is a completely different thing,” says Ajibola. “You get to see how big the world is. Every culture has a different way of expressing different things. It’s just fascinating to take yourself out of your bubble and experience new things.”

•••• Outside the Anand cafeteria, the graduate and undergraduate students are packing up their bags and getting ready to drive to the New Delhi airport. In many ways, this is a sad moment but also the beginning of what could be a series of more winter schools around India. With the success of Astronomy at Taj, it’s only a matter of time before Shantanu Basu and Pranava Sharma pack up their bags and organize another trip.

Before the Western students completely separate, there is a final goodbye at a hotel 20 minutes from the airport. But just before they get caught up in the sadness of leaving, 21-yearold astrophysics student Sean Pentinga says, “Wait. Won’t we all see each other at school?” A bout of laughter occurs and as one adventures ends, another will soon begin. n

www.westerngazette.ca

8 • THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

insight

•

Western Film has a long history and is now the only fully serviced campus cinema in the country, but can it overcome its declining sales?

TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE

OREN WEISFELD GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Western University houses the only fully serviced campus cinema in Canada — and you might be missing out.

Commissioned in the 1980s, Western Film started as a student club operating in Middlesex College. Over time, with the ongoing complications of film, Western Film was forced to either fade away or adapt.

James Waite is now the coordinator of Western Film, but his passion for the industry began long ago and his ability to obtain his projection licence was crucial to the survival of Western Film.

“When we ran as a club over at Middlesex College [in the 1990s] we used 16mm [film], which was going away much the same way film just went away,” Waite explains. “So we either had to switch to video, which at the time really sucked, or go to 35mm [film], which is what all the theatres used.”

Waite was able to obtain his projection license to help Western Film transition to the more complicated 35mm film.

In 1994, Western renovated the University Community Centre and added a third floor to make the McKellar Room into the theatre it is today. The club then moved their projectors into the room and Western Film was born.

“Western Film [slowly] turned into a service with a paid manager and paid staff largely because it was just becoming too complicated for a student club to operate,” says Waite. “Ever since it has basically operated as a movie theatre.”

Now, Western Film is the only cinema of its kind. Owned and operated by the University Students’ Council, it’s located in the McKellar Room on the second floor of Western’s UCC,

making it the only full service campus cinema in Canada.

As part of the USC, Western Film’s target audience is students here on campus. The one-theatre cinema offers students essentially all the same features as any other cinema, just at a lower price and in a more convenient location. As a second-run cinema, Western Film offers low prices by paying a lower fee to the studios after waiting for the more mainstream theatres to finish showing the films first.

According to Waite, Western Film offers students affordable and convenient entertainment, educational value and community building through events, club activities and more.

Christine Yan, a first-year geography student, frequents Western Film because of its location and movie selection.

“I like that it’s close and it’s cheap, and they show the cult films, which are funny, like The Room and Mean Girls,” Yan says.

Unfortunately for students and patrons who enjoy the one-of-a-kind service, Western Film has seen declining attendance and profit over time. In the 2009-10 school year, Western Film had an annual revenue of $109,000; that number fell to $88,000 just four years later, in 2013–14.

According to Waite, this decline in popularity is due to a few reasons.

“Part of it is the Internet,” Waite explains.

“Before the Internet, we used to do huge numbers. I think cell phones are also part of [the reason], just because people aren’t looking up so they don’t see our advertising as much, and just generally people are busy.”

Marcus Lalande, a second-year economics student who has never been to Western Film, attributes its lack of popularity to students wanting the “real” experience when going

out to see a film.

“People aren’t interested in going to see movies unless it’s a major blockbuster, in which case they want [the real experience] and I’m assuming Western Film is not a full size theatre with a full size screen … and does not offer Imax [or 3D],” Lalande argues.

Yan believes that students simply aren’t aware of Western Film and all it has to offer.

“I remember telling people on my floor about Western Film and they were like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know we had a theatre,’ ” says Yan. Waite assures Western Film has done its best to adjust and modify with the times to keep the theatre full and profits up. To do so, Western Film stopped showing movies on Sundays and Mondays because they were slow nights and it made more sense to leave them open for rentals like the Indigenous Film Festival that just passed.

Waite explains that Western Film has also increased their non-movie festivities, such as holding charity events where a student group can use the theatre to raise money.

Jamie Cleary, incoming USC vice-president, believes Western film has done a good job adjusting to offer a larger variety of uses.

“Western Film is a space that can and is used by clubs for a multitude of reasons,” says Cleary. “The space also allows the USC to connect with communities through a program that brings high school students in to watch documentaries and get a taste of what Western is all about.”

Additionally, Cleary brings up that Western Film employs students and provides part-time opportunities to any student at Western, helping them gain experience in retail sales as well as running a movie theatre.

In 2013, Western Film went digital, adding an array of new possibilities to the service.

1980s

1993

1994

1998

2005

2013

2014

Western Film student club is founded

Western Film transitions from 16mm film to 35mm film

Western Film student club moves into McKellar room in newly renovated UCC

Western Film becomes a functioning theatre run by paid staff after becoming too complicated for a student club to operate

Rise of Internet and cell phones leads to decreased popularity of Western Film

Western Film goes digital, increasing the variety of films and events held

Western Film invests in new screen and improved look of theatre

JENNIFER FELDMAN GAZETTE

“When we were on film all we could play was movies,” Waite explains. “Now that we are digital, we can do things like show the Oscars [and] the Superbowl on the big screen. We can show a bigger variety of movies, including older movies on video.”

Western Film also spent $24,000 to add a brand-new screen and improve the look and feel of the theatre late in 2014.

Despite the improvements and increased variety Western Film has worked hard to achieve, its decline in popularity and profits make it subject to speculation regarding its uncertain future.

Cleary says they have made a significant investment in Western Film and closing it down would not be an easy decision. As of now, Cleary believes the incoming USC is doing everything it can to keep Western Film alive.

“In the upcoming budget, Western Film remains as we know it,” Cleary says. “We are also renting the venue out more and more, which brings in added revenue to subsidize the programs and services administered by the USC.” Waite is also confident in Western Film’s importance and hopes it has a future.

“Theatres are not going to go away,” Waite argues. “No matter what people say, people will always want to go to the movies. We still are doing pretty good numbers, [but] it is always a possibility [that Western Film will be replaced]. At this point I don’t think it’s going to happen, but you never know.”

Yan and many students like her hope Waite is right, as the cheap, convenient entertainment and various community events are appreciated by many. A lot is riding on Western Film staying open and students will be losing a special attraction if it ever goes. n

January February 2016 2016

Western Film stops showing films on Sundays and Mondays, and rents the theatre instead

Western Film hosts Oscar night with over 200 patrons attending

2016-17

Incoming USC makes decision to keep Western Film around, for now

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 • 9

insightopinions

Rob Ford’s death is not a punchline Breaking Brad

BRADLEY METLIN OPINIONS EDITOR @BRADATGAZETTE Rob Ford, the colourful former mayor of Toronto, passed away on Tuesday after a fight with cancer. He was 46 and had dedicated over a decade of his life to public service in Toronto. Ford famously smoked crack cocaine during his mayoral tenure and was engulfed in controversy as a result. While his actions brought a degree of infamy to Toronto, the reaction to his death on social media has been disgusting.

As a polarizing conservative politician, Ford had his fair share of detractors — I get it. That does not give people the fuel to take to social media and lampoon the news of his death. I’ve seen people post “good riddance,” “that’s worth a chuckle” and other things implying his death is funny.

Ford is someone’s father, he is someone’s son, a brother and someone who — despite how many feel — engaged a number of people in the political process through his plainspokenness. To dismiss and make light of his death is a sign that social media allows people to be particularly ruthless.

COURTESY OF TORONTO STAR

A large portion of undergraduate students here at Western hail from Toronto and surrounding area, and likely feel passionate. Toronto was in the spotlight in a very negative way during the Ford crack scandal. But today is not the day to go after him on a personal level.

This vitriol isn’t limited to social media — media outlets have brandished their knives as well.

Buzzfeed has published a list of “25 Iconic Photos of Rob Ford” and the main chunk of the pictures are pretty unflattering. Do we really need to see Ford have his sweat wiped off his brow? A creeper shot of him coming back from a workout?

It all seems unnecessarily invasive.

When people die, there is an oft-mentioned rule: “never speak ill of the dead.” Generally, I’ve been skeptical of this statement because people should be remembered for how they lived their lives. That being said, Ford just died.

Moreover, the way everyone has been posting dismissively makes it sound like Ford was the worst and most shady politician ever. Please.

As with virtually every politician, there will be those who disagree with their platform. Ford was far from perfect and I am not his biggest fan. But I think we all need to exhibit a little bit of reverence for the dead, particularly in the immediate aftermath.

Imagine that was your relative the public was laughing at. ■

AARON MALLET GAZETTE

Federal funding for CBC commendable Green Eggs & Hamza

HAMZA TARIQ BREAKING NEWS EDITOR @HAMZAATGAZETTE Journalists all over the country tuned in on Tuesday for the unveiling of the federal budget, which revealed a substantial funding injection in CBC/Radio Canada, the country’s national public broadcaster.

The government has promised to invest $675 million over the next five years “to modernize and revitalize CBC/Radio Canada in the digital era.” CBC will receive $75 million this year and $150 million annually until 2020-21. They will also develop a five-year accountability program in collaboration with the federal government.

The digital transformation of media is no longer a matter of choice but one of necessity and survival. However, shifting from traditional means of presenting information such as print and

radio is by no means an easy task.

The digital transformation of any media outlet isn’t just about getting a spiffy new website.

Among numerous other considerations, it requires developing new revenue sources, building digital infrastructure and changing how newsrooms have functioned for decades to adapt to a system where things change everyday.

Even as Canadian media comes under increasing scrutiny, it hangs in the unenviable position of constant criticism from the public and keeping those in power in check with ever decreasing resources. Journalists have gone from working on print schedules — which allowed them some sanity — to working on a 24-hour news cycle with almost no breaks. News can happen at any time of the day and they will have to break the story online or on-air for their audiences. There’s no waiting until the printers issue the latest copy of the paper.

As if dealing with a whole new level of journalism intensity wasn’t enough, media outlets have to deal with increased budget cuts, which leads to staff cuts. With staff cuts comes errors and less investigatory reporting.

Hundreds of journalism professionals in Canada have lost their jobs in 2016 alone.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel. National, private and even campus media are fighting last pitched battles to transition completely into the digital realm.

The Toronto Star has spent millions producing its Star Touch tablet app to grow its audience on the platform. Canadian founded magazine Vice has had hundreds of millions of dollars injected in its operations as it exhibits one of the most successful digital media transformations. On a much smaller scale, Western’s own student newspaper, The Gazette, is seeing a successful digital transformation, funded by students.

The government’s new funding for CBC sets a positive precedent for media all over the country. It shows faith in the fourth estate and encourages young journalists who have become increasingly dejected by the lack of job prospects.

Digital transformations are the only way forward for media outlets, but to make a successful switch, we require time, patience and resources. I have my fingers crossed for CBC. ■

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, MARCH 24, 2016

experience

•

RITA RAHMATI GAZETTE

Alternative Easter eggs decorating RITA RAHMATI NEWS EDITOR @RITAATGAZETTE

Every Easter, millions of people decorate and hunt for Easter eggs.

In a DIY-obsessed society, we thought we’d try out some unconventional methods for decorating eggs.

Before decorating, we dug up some background information on the tradition.

There is no precise origin of Easter eggs, but it is known that decorating eggs is an ancient practice. Surprisingly, it allegedly started with ostrich eggs. Fast forward a few thousand years and legend has it that the Church began staining eggs red to represent Jesus’ crucifixion and the blood he shed. Traditionally speaking, when Christians crack Easter eggs, they are celebrating

the empty tomb of Jesus.

Fast forward to 2016 and Easter eggs come in many forms.

Chocolate eggs, plastic eggs and eggs filled with candy are popular types — an office favourite is Cadbury Mini Eggs.

Many Gazette editors are used to painting eggs, but we really haven’t decorated eggs since primary school. Thanks to Pintrest and parenting blogs, we learned some new methods and were reenergized about decorating Easter eggs.

DYEING EGGS WITH VEGETABLES For a more natural option, you can use different vegetables and natural ingredients to make different colours. Cabbage can make teal eggs, hibiscus makes dark green and turmeric makes yellow. We decided to use beets to make dark pink and

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

1

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

yellow onions to make orange eggs.

Each vegetable used was boiled, saving the water to use later. Then, each vegetable is grated. In separate jars, the beets and onion are mixed with vinegar and water. The eggs are then left in the jars for a few hours, although they could likely have been taken out earlier.

Cons of this method include grating the onions — I could barely hold back tears. Beets are a hassle to cook, because they take about 45 minutes of simmering, but they sure do smell good. Be careful not to accidentally mix the different vegetables together or you could get a funky colour.

We left the eggs in the jars for a few hours and were pleased with the vibrant colour of the beets on the eggs. But, the onion colour didn’t come out on the eggs, likely

RITA RAHMATI GAZETTE

Hard boil the eggs.

2 Cook the vegetables (beets & onions).

3 Grate the vegetables.

In individual jars, mix the vegetables

4 with vinegar & water.

Place the eggs in the jars and let

5 sit for a few hours.

1

Hard boil the eggs.

2 Spray shaving cream into a pan.

Squirt food colouring onto the shaving

3 cream.

4 Gently mix.

Add the eggs to the mixture then remove

5 and wipe off with a paper towel.

JORDAN MCGAVIN GAZETTE

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

because we neglected to cook them. The smell of the decaying vegetables and vinegar was not so nice... we threw out the jars because of the foul smell.

SHAVING CREAM AND FOOD COLOURING The next method we tried was a lot messier. First, we sprayed an inch of shaving cream into a pan. Next, we put spots of food colouring across the pan. We bought a basic pack of four colours: red, blue, yellow and green. Then, with a straw, you gently pass through the pan. Finally, we picked up the eggs — which were very messy — and wiped off the shaving cream with paper towels.

We likely mixed the colours too much, mainly blue and red, because our eggs turned out a light pink colour. Additionally, our eggs didn’t get too much colour, so

I definitely suggest putting more food colouring in.

Cons of this method include stained hands; the shaving cream and food colouring are extremely difficult to take off and now my hands are dried out.

Overall both methods were somewhat effective, but I think the shaving cream method is more fun and allows for more variety. Although ours didn’t come out great, I look forwarding to trying it again and with different colours.

You can also try using melted crayons, glitter glue and Kool-aid to spice up your egg decorating kit.

And just a tip: If you hide your Easter eggs for your friends to find, remember where you hid them. If not, you’ll have an unpleasant, smelly surprise in a few weeks. n

RITA RAHMATI GAZETTE

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 • 11

experience

Butter in coffee: Good or too good to be true?

ELLIS KOIFMAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Everyone has a different way of enjoying their morning cup of coffee, but a recent trend has people substituting their cream and sugar with butter. Can this really be a good idea?

“Bulletproof” coffee is created by blending a tablespoon or so each of grass-fed organic butter and MCT oil into your cup of coffee each morning.

It was invented by Dave Asprey, who aimed to get the same energy kick that coffee gives without the crash later in the day.

According to David Asprey’s website, the benefits don’t stop there. Replacing your daily breakfast with this coffee each morning can allegedly help you lose weight, increase your Vitamin K, provide a good ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids and increase your cognitive function.

Linsor Wayne attests to these benefits as an avid Bulletproof coffee drinker and owner of the newly opened café, The East Village Coffeehouse, located at 754 Dundas St. “My first meal of the day is

generally Bulletproof and then I’ll eat after that,” says Wayne. “You’ll lose weight if you drink a Bulletproof every day. That really does work.”

Rather than simply go with the basic recipe, his espresso café adds in a unique spice mix of raw cocoa, raw cinnamon and homegrown and dried stevia to make it healthier, fully organic and have a low carbon footprint.

Unfortunately for the community at large, Bulletproof coffee isn’t such an easy fix, nor is it that great for you — at least not to drink every day, according to Brescia food and nutritional sciences professor, Latifeh Ahmadi.

“Butter is just fat,” says Ahmadi.

“When you have your breakfast meal — whatever it is — it is a combination of different nutrients.”

According to Marilyn Temple, contact centre dietitian for EatRight Ontario, drinking this coffee does help you lose weight — in a manner of speaking — by having you replace a typical nutrient-rich breakfast of around 500 calories with coffee that has around 200 to 300 calories.

In other words, you lose weight because you are consuming less.

In addition to potentially losing a

Curating their future at ARTS Project SAMAH ALI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @SAMAHATGAZETTE Third and fourth-year studio art students are taking their future into their own hands by curating a show outside of the Western bubble.

After being encouraged by their professor, Kim Moodie, 10 students decided to put on their own art show at the ARTS Project called TRAP CARD. The gallery features various art forms ranging from paintings to photography.

Although Moodie took an advisory role, the students organized all of the work behind the gallery over the past two months. Students reached out to the Arts and Humanities Student Donation Fund to pay for the space and worked on different pieces outside of class specifically for their exhibition.

Third-year studio art student Jill Smith was in charge of finances and communications, and she was extremely excited to see what happens behind the scenes of an art show.

“It’s really nice for a window into the future — it shows how easy and possible it is to really go about doing this and producing an exhibition,” Smith says. “You are just organizing it or putting on artwork for the exhibition itself, so it kind of sheds light on various different roles as well, whether you want to go into [public relations], communications, I guess even law to a sense.”

Planning the show gave students more insight into the

different positions available in an art gallery as well as a tangible experience when planning a show.

“There are so many different possibilities with this and it’s nice to know that we’re all super capable of producing an exhibition,” Smith says, “and doing it on our own without the assistance of someone who has the connections and expertise.”

The initiative from the students shows the spark and dedication from the studio art students.

Moodie admits he is impressed with what the department has in store for the coming years.

“They’re a select group of studio based students and so you expect them to be ambitious and you’re glad to see them,” says Moodie.

“You’re trying to get people out into the world and to understand how they can go about developing a professional CV and that’s what happened.”

Moodie recommends opportunities like these are great for getting out of the Western scene, especially since the exhibition is curated and organized by Western students wishing to branch into the city.

The independent success of TRAP CARD shows the realistic venture of an art show and students like Smith are only encouraged by this experience to pursue their future careers in the art industry.

TRAP CARD will be on display at the Arts Project until March 26 and admission is free. n

You expect them to be ambitious and you’re glad to see them … you’re trying to get people out into the world and to understand how they can go about developing a professional CV and that’s what happened.

KIM MOODIE STUDIO ART PROFESSOR

AARON MALLETT GAZETTE

third of your daily nutrients, Temple says the amount of butter you’d be consuming could increase your blood cholesterol level.

While the coffee may make you more alert without a crash or function to some extent as a replacement for breakfast, Temple says it isn’t the best way of going about things.

“It’s certainly better to use glucose for [cognitive function] rather than ketones,” says Temple, explaining that ketones are produced from burning the fat in the butter. “[You usually get glucose from] the fruit,

from the breakdown of your grains, [from] carbohydrates.”

That said, for people who usually don’t eat breakfast or only have coffee, it isn’t quite as bad.

“They’re not giving up nutrients, [but] they’re just adding the saturated fats. It’s extra calories and cholesterol,” says Temple.

However, Temple adds that there does seem to be a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest the energy boosts and other health benefits do in fact work for some people.

While EatRight would certainly not

recommend replacing meals with it, you may want to try to see if it works for you.

Knowing Wayne had felt the benefits himself, many people were asking about it even before the Coffeehouse opened. Wayne says he has customers coming in every day who can depend on the healthy ingredients used in his Bulletproof coffee.

Placebo or otherwise, people are still feeling the positive effects of this new trend in coffee. n

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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 3

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12 • THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

CROSSWORD BY EUGENE SHEFFER

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE ALOHA. Best Buddies Western celebrates the end of the semester at the annual Best Buddies Ball in the Mustang Lounge on Tuesday.

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