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Wrestlers impress at Harry Gerris Mustang women win six gold medals at tournament >> pg. 7
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CANADA’S ONLY DAILY STUDENT NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED 1906
VOLUME 107, ISSUE 41
Universities push back on Gmail switch Jeremiah Rodriguez NEWS EDITOR Students at some leading Canadian universities are pushing for their schools to use the free e-mail storage on Google and Microsoft servers in the United States. But that’s causing worry from professors and some students that the U.S. intelligence services could gain access to private data regardless if data originated in Canada. The University of Toronto is fiercely debating whether or not faculty e-mails and other online resources should be housed on the Microsoft Office 365 cloud-based data storage system. The main hesitancies stem from concerned U of T faculty who would have their personal information in US-based servers, which, via antiterrorist legislation, could be mined by American intelligence agencies on the pretense of national security. So far, Dalhousie University and the University of Alberta have already moved their faculty and student e-mail storage to similar cloud services; university officials expect to save millions of dollars. U of T students already store e-mail data through Microsoft. However, The Canadian
If the NSA or he CIA chose to ask for specific server data there’s nothing we could do about it. —James Turk
Canadian Association of University Teachers executive director
Association of University Teachers is deeply opposed to the push to house faculty e-mail data on foreign servers where American laws would be the measuring stick. CAUT executive director James Turk says the free pitch from Google, which is offering storage, is misleading. According to Turk, the terms of agreement that universities would sign could have their prices jacked up upon completion of initial threeyear contracts. “There are two main concerns — one would be the privacy concerns. The other would be that the data would essentially become theirs. If the NSA or the CIA chose to ask for specific server data there’s nothing we could do about it,” he said. Students from McMaster
Haida Liu GAZETTE
AVOIDING THE GOOGLE CLOUD. Universities are hesitant to transition to online “cloud” storage systems for their e-mail services, with privacy concerns as a big factor. USC president Pat Whelan promised to get UWO mail by Gmail in his election campaign last year — but that was before revelations about the NSA spying, he said.
University and the Unviersity of Ottawa overwhelmingly supported using Gmail because of the access to larger servers. Both faculty e-mails remained on their current servers. Last year, one of the platform points of Pat Whelan, now the University Students’ Council president, was switching the current UWO
e-mail system to the massive storage Gmail servers offer. But no developments are planned until early 2014 as their focus currently lies on academic initiatives and student advocacy. Whelan said that platform promise was made before the summer revelations of former NSA analyst Edward Snowden that the NSA had
been spying on Americans. “I stand by the fact we need to improve the service to students on our e-mail systems. Whether or not we need to do that by outsourcing or doing it internally is something I’m willing to discuss. It’s really more about service than anything else,” Whelan said.
USC fund redundant, councillors say Richard Raycraft NEWS EDITOR Concerns are being raised by at least two University Students’ Council members about a clause found in the USC Grants Fund Policy. With some digging, King’s University College councillor Emily Soti found that the USC Grants Fund Policy allows the University Students’ Council to apply for grants for internal uses — which was the stated purpose for the recentlycreated Executive Innovation Fund. It states that grant funds shall
be made available for “New initiatives brought forward internally by the USC throughout the fiscal year that were not provided for in the approved USC Operating Budget.” The Executive Innovation fund is a temporary $59,000 fund that came from a USC budget surplus this year. Combined with the Executive Innovation Fund, this theoretically could give the USC executive branch over $150,000 to spend on initiatives to enhance the student experience. “Somebody asked me about the grant fund, so I was reading through
the policy, and I came across an interesting clause in the policy, that basically says that any new initiatives that were not previously accounted for in the USC budget can be funded internally by the grants fund,” Soti explained. “I saw that as problematic, because it essentially means that there are two pods of money that the USC executive has access to,” she continued. Soti also said that while money from the Innovation Fund had to receive approval from council, it appears as though this is not the
case with grant money. Spencer Brown, USC vice-president finance and chair of the grants fund committee, said he was not aware of the clause in question until it was brought to his attention by Soti. Furthermore, he said that the clause is not something the executive would ever use. “[Soti] is correct that [the USC] could apply to the grants fund, but functionally we wouldn’t,” he said. “The Innovation Fund is different because it’s supposed to be a largescale investment, above $5,000, and very rarely do we ever give a grant
that’s more than $5,000.” “[The grants] are basically for outside student groups to supplement programming and events,” he continued. Soti stated that she plans to bring forward a proposal to council to strike down the clause until the Innovation Fund runs out at the end of the year, so the USC would not effectively have access to the two funds at the same time. “It’s worse now because they said they didn’t have anything in
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Caught on Camera
Haida Liu GAZETTE
YVAN EHT NIOJ. Ever dreamt of life on the high seas? Lucky for you, Canadian Forces have set up in the University Community Centre atrium to recruit students into joining the Navy.
CROSSWORD By Eugene Sheffer
Obamacare not so smooth Cool Story Broekoff
Iain Boekhoff NEWS EDITOR Turns out, Republicans don’t always cry wolf. Their strategy of decrying everything President Obama does or might do for any — often incoherent — reason whatsoever has finally borne fruition in possibly the greatest thing they could have hoped for: The utter failure of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, or as it has been brilliantly labeled by Republicans, Obamacare. Obama’s centerpiece legacy legislation has come out of the gates flat and full of glitches. Of course, Republicans have opposed Obamacare for entirely different reasons than the ones that eventually landed in their lap. Their ridiculous number of attempted repeals of the law — at last count was at an astonishingly redundant 47 times — shows just how principled they are. But it doesn’t mean they aren’t now right to criticize the law because some of their concerns have turned out to be legitimate.
a little suspect in theory as well as in execution. Forcing people to buy insurance is a little backwards. Insurance companies do not have government or people’s interests as their primary focus. They are profit-seeking companies who are forced to maximize profit for their shareholders. Considering there are so many successful models of national health care out there, it seems more like someone didn’t do their research and incorporate it appropriately into an American sphere. Access to health care is a contentious issue in most countries but has been pushed through by many leaders, even if it led to their defeat in reelection. Why Obama didn’t go full throttle on a radical — and necessary — overhaul when he had a majority in both Houses is a mystery to me. Unfortunately for Obama, what was supposed to be one of the bright spots of his administration has turned into another scandal. If only Republicans had been more constructive beforehand, their concerns could have been addressed and it would have been a win for both sides. As it stands right now, nobody wins, least of all the American people.
Concerns raised over multiple funds
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A lot of the criticism has centred on perhaps one of the most public failures of a website in history. Healthcare.gov has crashed more than it’s worked and that frustration might prevent Americans from trying again to get health insurance. This is especially unfortunate for those that live in states which have tried everything they can to stop Obamacare from getting to their residents. I think a bigger lesson might be that maybe the Internet is just not ready to be a government platform. The amount of security concerns and options a website needs to cover for something so expansive really can’t be done no matter how much planning and precautions are made. Website development could have been more manageable for a smaller government rollout. This would have allowed for developers to get a handle of the ins and outs of it before having to create a high profile service. Piling onto the website problems is that already-insured Americans would keep their existing plans something that, as it turns out, is plainly false. Obama has been caught lying, something that is happening with greater frequency the longer he is in office. Obamacare is also more than
Solution to puzzle on page 8
>> FUNDS continued from pg.1
existence to allow them to bring forward new ideas, when I read through the policies for 10 minutes and found something that they could’ve done,” she explained. “They should not have access to two funds, bottom line.” According to Brown, the grants system is currently under review. Soti is not alone in her concerns. Jordan Pearson, president of the Faculty of Information and Media
Studies Students’ Council, has talked with Soti about this issue. While he stated more research needs to be done, he also voiced his concern. “I am not comfortable with the USC executive having access to two funds to be used on projects not budgeted for, especially since the grant fund was not raised at all in the proposal for, or debate surrounding, the implementation of the Innovation Fund,” he said in an e-mail.
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The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error. © 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Second creeper spotted Police unsure if related to earlier case
Naira Ahmed GAZETTE Logan Ly GAZETTE
Megan Devlin NEWS EDITOR There was another report of a suspicious man with a camera in the student neighbourhood near the Richmond gates last Sunday. The man appeared to be filming people and houses near Broughdale and University Crescent at around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to an anonymous Facebook post on the “Spotted at Western� page. The man was using a black DSLR camera, and was described as caucasian, in his late 40s, and wearing a black coat. Earlier this semester, a suspicious individual filmed Sophie Rosen, a second-year psychology student, through the window of her home on Bernard Avenue. Rosen said she was in her firstfloor bathroom when she looked through the window and noticed a hand holding a video camera with
its red light on, indicating she was being recorded. “[The camera] was black and grey — one of those flip out video cameras — but not an old camcorder,� Rosen said. The police are involved in both cases, but there is no indication that the two are linked. “We can’t conclude that it’s not [related], nor can we conclude that there’s any connection,� constable Ken Steeves, media relations officer with the London Police Service, said. Steeves suggested that people, females in particular, close their blinds or curtains late at night to ensure that nobody can see in. He also asked neighbours and residents to phone the police immediately if they see any suspicious behavior. Aashna Sandhu, a first-year social science student in Ontario Hall, noticed an individual setting up a tripod outside her window
and taking pictures of her building in early October. At the time she assumed Western hired the photographer. However, after hearing the two accounts of filming in student areas, Sandhu became nervous. In Canada, photographers are allowed to take photographs anywhere they are legally allowed to be. This includes the photographer’s own property, public property, and private property with permission from the owner. Individuals are only protected from being photographed when they are on their own property with a reasonable expectation of privacy. Although a photographer could potentially see someone through their window while standing on the street, it is still illegal to film or photograph them since that individual expects privacy within their own home.
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Naira Ahmed GAZETTE
Megan Devlin NEWS EDITOR The Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario is pushing to raise minimum wage to $14 per hour in recommendations submitted to the Ontario Minimum Wage Advisory Panel. The current minimum wage is $10.25 per hour. “The campaign was launched by a group of community labour and student groups who felt it had been three years since the last rise in the minimum wage, meanwhile the cost of living and transportation and education was continuously going up,� Alastair Woods, chairperson of CFS-O, said. Minimum wage workers, even if they work full time, are living ten per cent below the poverty line, according to Woods.
Woods said this issue was important to students because they are the ones working minimum wage jobs. The organization is pushing the Ontario government to commit to ensuring that workers earning minimum wage can live above the poverty line and have meaningful, stable lives. According to Woods, increasing the minimum hourly wage to $14 would provide a $5-million boost to the economy. Fair Wages Now is a new website that has been launched by the group. It contains action items, like emailing your MPP, and also a list of community based events. “On the 14th of every month there are actions that happen across the province on campuses and communities in recognition of the fact that we’re calling for a $14 minimum
wage,� Woods said. On November 14, they had a joint day of action that included many campus events. “We produced a student-based post-card and petition to tally up the various costs of being a student, and asked students how they’re going to make ends meet on $10.25 an hour,� Woods said. They asked students to sign a pledge to pressure the premier to immediately increase minimum wage. Woods said the pressure would continue throughout the winter and into the spring before the Ontario Minimum Wage Advisory Panel releases their own recommendations to the premier. —With files from Richard Raycraft
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Arts&Life
wednesdayword Vitiate Verb. Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of something.
Meditation goes high tech with new app Avery Loi CONTRIBUTOR A new, free app called GPS for the Soul has the ability to change people’s lives. It is based off of HeartMath biofeedback technology and essentially measures your emotions and stress levels. This app has great potential to help students, as many are unaware of, or underestimate the short-term and long-term effects of stress. Cynthia Gibney, the director of Student Health Services at Western, explains the extent to which stress wears on students. “Western did the National College Health Assessment survey this year and of the students who responded, stress was considered by 33 per cent as the top factor that is affecting their academic performance,” Gibney says. “Being in postsecondary school is stressful — it is not surprising when most students report they have stress. It’s how they handle the stress that is important.” What GPS for the Soul can do is very easily notify students when their stress levels are high and show how they can relieve some of this stress. The app guides users through a variety of techniques which have been designed in combination to
relax and calm you. What the app calls “course-correcting” involves multiple steps towards reducing stress levels: From music and poetry, to breathing exercises, to pictures of loved ones or happy moments.
Being in post-secondary school is stressful, it is not surprising when most students report they have stress. It’s how they handle the stress that is important. — Cynthia Gibney
A lot of people also do not realize that things they love and enjoy can also be things that cause large amounts of stress. GPS for the soul uses the flash and camera lenses on your phone as a sensor to measure heart rate variability through the pulse from your index finger. By placing your finger on the sensor for 80 seconds, the app can tell you how stressed you are. While this may seem far-fetched, online reviewers have reported the readings being
Logan Ly GAZETTE
APPLE APP HELPS HEART HEALTH. A new app called “GPS for the Soul” measures stress levels by monitoring the user’s heart rate. It also makes suggestions about how to reduce stress levels to encourage users’ health.
very consistent with how they feel. The app places an emphasis on mini relaxation breaks which can simply be done by stopping to take several deep breaths or through actual meditation breaks. In addition to what the app offers, other simple steps can be taken to reduce stress and some of the
Extracting the heart
complications associated with it. “Eat properly, sleep until you feel rested on a regular basis, and exercise based on the exercise guidelines, at least 150 minutes per week,” Gibney says. “Connect with others and have meaningful face-to-face conversations, not online through social media sites such as Facebook
or Instagram, to prevent social isolation and loneliness.” With stress on the rise and the world’s growing reliance on smartphones, GPS for the Soul seems like an elegant solution to both reduce stress immediately as well as providing ways to lead healthier lifestyles relatively free of stress.
Gazette Tested > Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites
Peruvian filmmaker talks film festival Featured at the Extracting the Earth film festival in London last Friday, Isabel Guarniz’s In the Heart of Conga tells the story of a struggle between a rural Peruvian community and a gold extracting company. “It’s a mining project that is a multi-million dollar investment so the national government is interested, but the people in the region, specifically in two provinces of Cajamarca in northern Peru, Celendin and Bambamarca, are concerned about the effects of mining on the local environment — especially their water supply,” Guarniz says. In the Heart of Conga was released last year in Peru during a documentary film festival. However, it has gained international attention only recently. The film was picked up in Germany and France, as well as screening at independent film festivals such as the Extracting the Earth festival last week. The film is Guarniz’s third documentary film focusing on the region in northern Peru. While her previous work focused on the life of the people in the region, In the Heart of Conga is a more political film. “The first two films were more about the culture history of the region and the rural people of the region, and were also how I got my training as a documentary filmmaker,” Guarniz says. Guarniz had a difficult time
making the film — being from the urbanized regions of Peru, many in the rural communities were suspicious of her intentions. Guarniz had to visit more than 100 different communities affected by the mine, doing thorough research on each before going. “It was very difficult. Some of the communities were not sure or were doubtful about whether to let us in as journalists from the capital. There’s a lot of conflict in the region because of the mine,” Guarniz says.
It was very difficult. Some of the communities were not sure or were doubtful about whether to let us in as journalists from the capital. There’s a lot of conflict in the region because of the mine. — Isabel Guarniz
“One day in a town square there was a bus [...] full of university students going to protest the water, [which I joined],” Guarniz recalls. “When they realized that I wasn’t connected with the university, they became suspicious of me and asked me to leave the bus, which was inconvenient because I was in the
middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, but because of that I was able to meet Michael Ortiz, who was one of the leaders of the protest against the mines and a student at Cajamarca National University.” This struggle worked in Guarniz’s favour as Ortiz became a significant contributor to her film. In the Heart of Conga has been a very important film for Peru, being screened heavily in the region of Cajamarca. “It’s been seen by over 200,000 people in that region because it’s the first film about that region made from the point of view of the country people,” she comments. “The film is seen as part of the mobilization of the general social movement for the protection of water.” Guarniz encourages students worldwide to get engaged with the discussion about preserving water supplies. “Students who are concerned about this [issue] can join the international movement for the defence of water and for local people’s rights to their traditional water supplies, put pressure on our governments on the mining companies, and even perhaps make the pressure reach to the government of Peru, who is still considering this mine in my region depending on the upcoming regional election,” she says. Guarniz’s comments were translated by David Heap of Western’s French Studies department. In The Heart of Conga can be viewed in its entirety on YouTube.
This meal is great for vegans and those seeking gluten-free options, or if you just want a delicious and healthy dinner. Dip the Bites in low-sodium marinara sauce to get the full pizza flavour experience.
Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites Ingredients:
• 2 Cups Grated Cauliflower • 1 Tsp Oregano • 2 Tsp Parsley • ¼ Tsp Garlic Powder • 3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast • 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil • 1–2 Tbsp Hot Sauce • 1 Flax Egg (1 Tbsp Ground Flax and 3 Tbsp Warm Water)
• ½ Cup Firm Tofu • ½ Cup Cooked Chickpeas • ½ Cup Daiya Cheddar Cheese Directions: 1. Pre-heat oven to 450 F.
ground flax and 3 tbsp of water until it thickens 4. Grate the cauliflower with a cheese grater and stir-fry the “cauliflower rice” in a pan until it is slightly translucent (about 6-8 minutes). Place in a bowl and let cool. 5. Place all other ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. 6. Combine the “cauliflower rice” and blended ingredients in a bowl and mix completely. 7. Evenly spoon the mixture into the muffin tray. Press mixture down firmly to ensure pizza bites hold together. 8. Put Daiya on top of individual pizza bites.
2. Coat inside of muffin tray with small amount of olive 9. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. oil using a paper towel 10. Remove the pizza bites 3. Make the flax egg – set from the oven and let cool. aside a bowl of 1 tbsp
✁
Brent Holmes ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
—Mary Ann Ciosk
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Editor’s Picks > The essentials for your week
ON TV
ON DISC
ON DVD
IN THEATRES
ON THE CHARTS
Doctor Who
Not Guilty — Paul Langlois
The World’s End
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
“Royals” — Lorde
Jelly babies, sonic screwdrivers and Daleks, oh my! Ever since Doctor Who’s season seven cliffhanger ending, fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of the Doctor in the 50th Anniversary Special, titled “The Day of the Doctor.” Bringing in legendary English actor John Hurt as a forgotten regeneration of the Time Lord, as well as the return of David Tennant’s 10th Doctor and the promise to reveal more of the Time War then ever seen before , has Whovians stoked for what will likely be a fantastic highlight of the show’s 50 year history.
Not Guilty is a solo album from Paul Langlois, guitarist for the iconic Canadian band the Tragically Hip. Following from his first solo album, Fix This Head, Langlois provides a fresh sound that recalls his work with the Tragically Hip but draws on Neil Young’s distinctive twang. Not Guilty is a very different approach from Langlois’ previous solo work, where he recorded all of the instruments himself. This time, Langlois brings in the support of a band. Like Gord Downie’s solo work on The Grand Bounce, Langlois’ music moves away from the hard rock of the Hip, providing a more atmospheric experience.
The third entry in Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s “Three Flavours Cornetto” trilogy, The World’s End is a hilarious British comedy parodying science fiction films such as The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. When Gary King (Simon Pegg) decides to reunite his old gang for the “Golden Mile” pub-crawl, the crew returns to discover that their hometown has been taken over by robot aliens. Resolving to finish the pub-crawl to avoid being discovered, the group’s misadventures get crazier as they get drunker.
Based on the second novel in the Hunger Games series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire continues the story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) as they try to return to District 12 after surviving the 74th Hunger Games. Drawn back into the games when President Snow (Donald Sutherland) calls a Quarter Quell, reaping the winners of all surviving tributes, Katniss and Peeta must try to survive a harder, more dangerous game, as well as acknowledge the revolution against the tyrannical Capital that they have started.
Recently parodied on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, “Royals” takes the fifth spot on the iTunes charts. From New Zealand singersongwriter Lorde, “Royals” is a catchy song that draws listeners in with her deep and powerful voice and steady drum beat. Casting a cynical look at pop star antics and living a life of luxury, Lorde proclaims we “crave a different kind of buzz” and brings it through with a minimalist approach that builds an addictive song. While Lorde may proclaim that “we will never be royals,” she is the rightful Queen of the Charts.
Muskoka Brewery’s Winder Beard
a tad warmer than you’re used to. Try leaving it in the fridge for 20 minutes or so just to give it a bit of a chill. You don’t have to wait until the mountains are blue; the extra warmth will really bring out the flavours. Oh the flavours. Powerful notes of dark chocolate, a hint of mocha, and the beautiful toasty malts are almost overwhelming, but a faint hint of soft cranberry cuts into the thickness, making it utterly enjoyable. The body is quite heavy, and the alcohol content is relatively high at eight per cent, so Winter Beard’s far from a thirst quencher. But as a winter warmer, it’s hard to beat this superb stout. Don’t let winter get you down. It’s time to bust out those beverages in which only the cold weather can bring out their brilliance. Muskoka has absolutely nailed it with this seasonal brew, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. So pick up a 750ml bottle and share it with a friend, making sure you sip it slow. There’s plenty to go around. —Cam “Smoth” Smith
Going for a long term impact
Courtesy of Cinedigm
Conrad Floryan GAZETTE STAFF Short Term 12 GGGGF Directed by: Daniel Cretton Starring: Brie Larson, Kaitlyn Denver, John Gallagher Jr. Sometimes a movie comes down to one sequence. Short Term 12 is one of those movies. It’s a gripping emotional roller coaster ride with enough corkscrews to fill any barf bag and satisfy a filmgoer’s movie night. Brie Larson stars as Grace, a twenty-something supervisor at a foster-care facility for at-risk teens. She is devoted and skilled at her job, which she balances with her relationship with her quirky fiancé and co-worker Mason (John Gallagher Jr.). When a new charge arrives — Jaden (Kaitlyn Denver) — Grace is compelled to reevaluate her life. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest famously tackled this question — “Who’s really crazy, the institutionalized or the caretakers?” Countless times we have seen movies delve into the hypocrisy of having damaged human beings in need of psychological guidance treating emotionally disturbed people. Short Term 12 taps into
that cinematic trope, and manages to keep it fresh by focusing more so on Grace while still keeping her patients in the foreground. Director Destin Daniel Cretton has crafted a tough movie to experience — experience, not watch. Marcus (Keith Stanfield) is about to turn 18 and so he will be forced to leave the care home and confront the cold real world. In the midst of a tough day, he performs one of his rap songs to Mason. Presented in a single take, it is a transcendent emotional moment. Without spoiling the plot, there are several instances where the audience is truly worried if inpatients have been harmed. The story is replete with authentic, engaging human beings who take you on a tense and ultimately rewarding journey. This is an “indie” movie, and it shows. The shaky camera work, quirky touches such as Mason’s cow-like chef hat, the minimalist soundtrack tinted with acoustic guitar. The movie doesn’t offer much stylistically, but that’s not what it’s trying to do. This is not a cinematic film, rather, it’s meant to be an honest examination — warts and all — of how hard it is being a teenager when the world doesn’t give a damn. Now, about that one scene.
The film ends with Grace, Mason and some caretakers relating a heartwarming story. Suddenly, the facility alarm erupts as Sammy (a young shy patient played admirably by Alex Calloway) runs away while clad in an American flag as a cape. The scene is shot in slow motion as the caretakers try to catch Sammy and the camera gradually drifts away from the facility to an uplifting tune. The American flag has been in vogue in recent years as an aesthetic texture. There are tons of t-shirts adorned with various interpretations of the flag and it’s been used in movies as a stylistic accent too many times to remember. But somehow here it feels original, especially when contextualized in a basically austere film. Maybe you’re not supposed to talk about your personal moviegoing experience in order to keep your review objective, but screw that. When the end credits rolled, a man sitting in front of me stood up and clapped. Damn right. Maybe he can relate with how it feels to be one of those kids. No matter who you are, whether you’ve been diagnosed with mental illness or not, we’ve all been through crap, and this movie brings the crap, wrapped in a beautiful packaging. Christmas comes early at the movies.
Sure, the weather is getting colder. The sweaters are out, the roads are getting slicker, and the appeal of an ice cold lager is waning. Thankfully, there is a beverage custom tailored for this season, and that’s Muskoka Brewery’s Winter Beard double chocolate cranberry stout. This is a beer that embraces its eccentricities. Not for the faint of heart, it’s brewed with real cocoa, 70 per cent dark chocolate, and locally picked cranberries, and packs a real flavour wallop. Lesser stouts wilt in the bristling, hairy face of this enormous beer. The smell is fairly fruity, with decent notes of cranberry wafting from the thick dark fluid. It takes the edge off a bit; anyone who is a little apprehensive about approaching this beverage is forgiven. It froths with a brown head, and the viscosity of the liquid is immediately apparent with rings of it clinging to the glass. It may be cold outside, but I recommend taking your Winter Beard
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Opinions $14/hr too big an increase
While every working student would agree a higher minimum wage would be awesome, the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario’s proposition to jack up Ontario’s minimum wage to $14 an hour may be problematic. Ontario’s minimum wage has been frozen at $10.25 for the past three years. Meanwhile, everything from the cost of living to the cost of tuition has been going up. No doubt it is a problem when working a 40-hour week can’t lift you above the poverty line. It’s definitely time for an increase — at least to index for inflation. However, a $3.75 increase at once would create more of a problem than a solution. Such a drastic increase may encourage employers to higher less people or to reduce the hours of their current employees in order to retain current profits. While the people with jobs will be making a bit more if minimum raise reaches $14, this increase may exacerbate the existing problem of youth unemployment. In fact, we should probably put more effort into reducing unemployment than to increasing wages for those already working, allowing those who want jobs to get jobs. First we should bring more people into the workforce, and then focus on raising wages. The financial woes of students and recent grads require a broader cultural shift — more than just increasing minimum wage. An increase in minimum wage still wouldn’t affect entry-level salaried positions recent graduates may take that could still ring in below the current minimum wage. Also, an increase in minimum wage would mean an increase in disposable income, which retailers would factor in when calculating their price-points. Any new comfort gained by an increased minimum wage could be quickly lost to inflation, leaving the unemployed even further behind. Maybe CFS-O is highballing their demand for bargaining purposes. It seems more likely the government would agree to a smaller increase. There have been other, creative solutions elsewhere. For example, Manitoba and Switzerland have tried guaranteed wages. Manitoba tried it in the 70s, and Switzerland may vote to give all adults a guaranteed $2,800 monthly income. While minimum wage definitely needs to be increased from what it has been frozen at for the past three years, smaller incremental raises would make more sense than immediately raising it to $14.
“A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That’s why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.”
— Truman Capote
Letter to the Editor
Dear Life
USC talks PSC
Your anonymous letters to life
To the Editor: The Peer Support Centre has been the subject of much discussion and the USC has received a lot of feedback around the changes that have happened this year. The centre has had a few functional changes this year. We have implemented official office hours for the centre and coordinators, we require a resource volunteer to be present whenever the space is open, and the conference room within the PSC must be “booked” for usage. The main space continues to be open and available for students to drop in, seek resources, and engage in dialogue. There has been continued feedback that the culture of the space has shifted and become more alienating for those who once felt at home there. This is not our intent, but is understandable, given the changes. Over the past two years at town halls for the PSC, frequent users of the space articulated that their community, which had grown in the PSC, was having adverse and unforeseen effects in that other students felt uncomfortable entering the space. Instead of entering they felt they were intruding. This feedback prompted a closer look at the PSC and the drafting of a policy. We want the PSC to be more accessible and welcoming to a broader spectrum of marginalized persons: people who are seeking out friends, yes, but also those who are looking for a stabilizing force. Someone looking to access resources for a friend who is depressed, or someone who feels their cultural
identity is slipping away, or someone struggling with their sexuality who doesn’t fit into the pre-existing LGBT community in the centre. For some people the PSC has become their home, but we are wary of making people walk through someone else’s living room to get the help and support they need. I would like to believe that the two paradigms — the warm safe haven for community as well as a resources hub — can both still exist. There is value in having a place to hang out, to debate with friends, to eat lunch — but there are other places on campus where it is possible to do that as well. I have heard that some people don’t feel safe in these other spaces, which is why the USC has been working with administration to advocate on a safer campus instead of stewarding only one “protected” space. Right now, there is nowhere else to access the wealth of resources and assistance that can be found at the PSC and it is therefore a priority to maintain this. We are having another PSC Town Hall today at 7 p.m. in UCC 315, and a policy regarding the space will go before council the following week. I have been engaging with students since September to determine the best use of and next steps for the space and look forward to continuing the dialogue tonight. Hope to see you tonight, but if you can’t make it email me at uscvpint@ westernusc.ca with your thoughts. —Sam Krishnapillai USC vice-president internal
—The Gazette Editorial Board
Dear Life, There would be less assholes in this world if everyone worked in retail or customer service at least once in their life. Dear Life, Wow, Ayn Rand is quoted in the Graduate Student Planner. Dear Life, You can call me queen bee. Dear Life, Thanks for the subtle reminder that it’s winter. Dear Life, In four years I’ve learned more from Rick McGhie than I have from most of my classes. I’m not even mad. Dear Life, You’re welcome. Dear Life, I miss “your mom” jokes. Dear Life, Why hasn’t OWL come out with a phone app yet? Dear Life, Do people actually use Facebook pages like “UMentioned Western” and “Spotted at Western” for something other than creepy compliments? I don’t care if you saw a “hottie” at the Rec Centre. Dear Life, Using a handheld pencil sharpener always makes me feel like I’m back in grade 8. Dear Life, Rob Ford just needs to stop.
Naira Ahmed GAZETTE
thegazette
Volume 107, Issue 41 www.westerngazette.ca
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Sports
saywhat? “I find Bryz to be an very intelligent man, maybe with different interest than myself, maybe different interest than some of his teammates. But this is an intelligent guy and I have no concerns with how he was framed in a TV show.”
>> Edmonton Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins on new Oilers’ goaltender, Ilya Bryzgalov
Rundown >> The Western Mustangs swim team won first place at the Stratten division championships on Saturday > Both the men and the women won gold as they swept both the freestyle and medley relay races.
Western wrestlers dominate Harry Geris Two teams impress at memorial tournament Nusaiba Al-Azem SPORTS EDITOR Western’s wrestling team continued to produce positive results at the Harry Geris Memorial Tournament this past Saturday. Besides a number of individual medals won, both the women’s and men’s teams achieved a collective gold. The team was split into a purple squad and a white squad for the event. Mustangs’ assistant coaches Scott Proctor and Saeed Azarbayjani, who coached the majority of the event, composed the squads with an attempt to balance the team’s strength as well as member experience. The purple team ranked first in both the men’s and women’s competition, and the white team finished second in the women’s tournament. The Purple men’s team defeated Lakehead University 31–14 in the qualifying round. Having earned the top ranking in their pool, they went on to narrowly beat the Guelph Gryphons 24–21. In individual medals, the men’s team earned four gold, four silver and three bronze medals. The men’s Purple team was led by veteran Steven Takahashi — who picked up an individual gold in the 57 kg weight class. “This tournament was different in the sense that I wasn’t concerned with my individual result,” Takahashi said. “Instead it was winning it as a team that mattered, so competing to win as a team lead me to win my respective weight class.” In the women’s competition, both Purple and White Western squads won in their respective qualifying rounds to advance to the gold medal match against each
Jonathan Dunn GAZETTE
WAIT FOR ME! Mustangs men’s wrestling did extremely well this past Saturday at the Harry Geris Memorial Tournament, earning a total of 11 individual medals, as well as a collective gold.
other. In this round, Purple defeated their teammates 37–1. The Mustangs women’s wrestling team won six gold medals, five silver medals and two bronze medals — earning a medal in every weight category. “This tournament is really important to our program,” Takahashi said. “We host it in Harry Geris’ name. He was an extremely influential coach to our program and to win the dual means a lot to us.” Mustangs head coach Ray
Takahashi stressed that he expects the squad to regard this victory humbly. “Our success indicates that we are competitive among the teams that attended — Lakehead, Guelph, McMaster and York,” he explained. “Several other teams within the OUA were not present so we cannot let the success breed overconfidence.” Last week, Takahashi was named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport Top 8 Academic All-Canadian for his commitment and results in both
athletics as well as academics. “Winning the CIS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian is a great honour,” Takahashi said of the award. “Wrestling and my academics are the two most important things to me. To be recognized in an award for a combination of both feels amazing.” Moving forward, the team will take to the mat once more this Sunday when they compete in the Ontario Senior Open in Sudbury. The event will be challenging
because it is open to varsity and non-varsity athletes alike, with no age limit. This tournament is extremely important, as it affects members’ statuses in their attempts to achieve a gold card in the Ontario Amateur Wresting Association. The gold card program provides financial assistance to top wrestlers in Ontario. Be sure to follow the wrestling team’s results following the open this Sunday.
Jonathan Last name? GAZETTE
WIN-WIN. Mustangs women’s wrestling team won gold for gold in the Harry Geris Memorial Tournament on Saturday. Western took home both gold and silver in the 51 kg, 63 kg and 72 kg weight classes.
Mike Laine GAZETTE
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Mustangs continue winning streak vs Rams Western batters Rams at Ryerson for fifth straight victory Caitlin Martin Newnham SPORTS EDITOR The Mustangs women’s basketball team is welcoming success early in the season with a five-game winning streak and a 5–1 record to go along with it. Their most recent game was against the Ryerson Rams, who they defeated 84–52. Their strong offence and team cohesion have proven to be helpful in demolishing five of their opponents so far. Jenny Vaughan, guard for the Mustangs, believed that their winning streak was due to the competitiveness of the team and because there are a number of fifth-years that are pushing hard to do their best in their last season. “Our team has a lot of Western pride and our chemistry has allowed for us to be successful. I like that we are seen as underdogs, I think it continues to motivate us to prove how good of a team we are every game,” Vaughan explained. Mustangs head coach Brian Cheng has prepared the team for success mentally by promoting a new kind of mindset. “The wins are nice and we need to bank as many as we can for seeding, but in the end we’re getting our kids to focus [on] the moment to [get] ourselves to compete in the moment. Our view is that we do not have a five-game winning streak, we just have one win — our last game,” Cheng said. Vaughan produced a whopping 30 points in the Mustangs’ latest
Courtesy of Eunhae Chung
PRETTY POWERFUL IN PINK. Jenny Vaughan (right) of the Mustangs puts up a strong offensive effort against the Ryerson Rams. Vaughan scored 30 points in the game to help the Mustangs win their fifth straight tilt of the season.
game against Ryerson. “I’m able to generate points like that solely due to the help I get from my teammates. My teammates were the ones that made terrific plays that led to me getting open shots,” Vaughan said. Mustangs’ sharpshooter Kelcey Wright commented on Vaughan’s talent, explaining that her strong offence is hard for opposing teams
to defend against. Wright herself scored an impressive 18 points for Western. “Kelcey did what she does every game — compete. She is a tremendous three-point shooter and she was knocking down shots on Saturday as per usual […] She has made a huge, positive impact on our team and we are so happy she chose to be a Mustang,” Vaughan
said. A recurring theme in the success of the Mustangs this season is team cohesion. The team has worked hard to work together as a group and do their best in each game. “A five-game win streak began with our first win against Carleton that really motivated us to continue to work hard. We have really grown together as a team and we all know
our own roles on the team and I think that has aided in us becoming a team that will be really hard to beat this year,” Wright noted. Coach Cheng could not predict the outcome of the season for the Mustangs, but he said he has a plan to defeat upcoming competitors. If past games are any proof, the team has many more victories to come.
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