The Silhouette - Home For The Holidays - December 9, 2021 by The Silhouette

Thursday, December 9, 2021 | Volume 92

The Silhouette

Our special holiday issue // PAGE 3

INSIDE:: INSIDE

FEATURES: A look at Transforming Mac week // PAGES 8-9 HUMANS: Holiday Letters with McMaster Crafters and Seniors with Skills // PAGE 18 A&C: Bake some cookies with In the Kitchen: Holiday edition // PAGE 20 SPORTS: Sit down with Alex Anthopoulos // PAGES 26-27

The Silhouette

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Volume 92, Home for the Holidays Issue A6(t 7”K'*X*Q”: T*’’"^("jt G»:X

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Santa Claus is coming to town In December 1933, The Silhouette decked the halls with the first holiday-themed issue our publication ever did. Happy Holidays from The Silhouette! .2Y' r](((xxQ]> (0 (V6Yxxx"

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Andrew Mrozowski editor-in-chief | eic@thesil.ca Derrick Chappell digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca Adrian Salopek managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Graham Wyndham-West online editor | online@thesil.ca Christina Osadchuk production editor | production@thesil.ca News

Elisa Do Amarah Hasham-Steele news staff writer Abonti Nur Ahmed news staff writer Kate O’Melia news@thesil.ca news editor

news reporter

Features features reporter

Novera Shenin

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Opinions

Diya Ahmad opinion staff writer Ana Mamula opinion staff writer Kimia Tahei opinion staff writer Hadeeqa Aziz opinions@thesil.ca opinion editor

Arts & Culture arts & culture editor Nisha Gill arts & culture reporter Subin Park arts & culture staff writer Sarah Lopes Sadafi humans of mcmaster staff writer Esther Liu artsandculture@thesil.ca Sports

Jovan Popovic sports reporter Sava Jankovic sports staff writer Acacia Lio sports@thesil.ca sports editor

Multimedia

Yoohyun Park Jessica Yang Daisy Thang

production coordinator production assistant production assistant

production@thesil.ca

social media coordinator online@thesil.ca

Jane Lee

Travis Nguyen Ainsley Thurgood photo@thesil.ca

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Winter break plans of international students How are international students staying connected with loved ones this winter break? “The thing I miss the most is my mom’s cooking because I have not had my mom’s cooking in so, so long. I can’t wait to spend time with my dad.” Cleon D’Souza

Fourth-year Math & Stats Student

YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Kate O’Melia News Staff Writer uring August of 2021, Hamilton saw a D massive influx of students returning to McMaster University, including a large number

of international students who were finally able to return to Canada. Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on previous years, this is the first semester many international students are able to attend university in person and live away from home for the first time. Dipto Prasun Nath, a fourth-year business student, spoke about his experiences during the holidays as an international student and his plans for the upcoming winter break. Over his winter breaks before the COVID-19 pandemic, Nath met up with his international friends from Bangladesh, whom he has been friends with for eighteen years. Although they’re all in Canada, they are separated by university so they have often picked a starting point to meet before travelling as a group. “It’s nice to have your school friends around. When we move to Canada, it’s a new place where we don’t have any family. So whenever we get together with school friends we always have like, nostalgic feelings,” said Nath. This year, Nath said he and his friends may be connecting through WhatsApp calls to keep in touch. Nath also commented on how each winter break has been a different experience for him. In his first year, Nath was invited by his roommate’s family to stay over during the break. “Every time it’s a new experience, right? I made really good friends at McMaster, I have to say that. One of my roommates, they were really nice to me. I had [the] experience of spending the winter break at a friend’s place,” said Nath. Last year, Nath stayed in Bangladesh and continued classes online, keeping the apart-

“Every time it’s a new experience, right? I made really good friends at McMaster, I have to say that. One of my roommates, they were really nice to me. I had [the] experience of spending the winter break at a friend’s place.” Dipto Prasun Nath

Fourth-year Business Student ment he had rented during the first half of his second year. This year, he will be in Canada once again for the winter break and for the first time, his family will be visiting him for the winter break in Canada. He says he is looking forward to the visit as he misses his parents. “In Bangladesh the coldest we get is like 10 or 15 degrees . . . so we never got to experience snow,” said Nath. Nath said he and his family are looking forward to visiting Vancouver and Montreal during the break. Another international student, Cleon D’Souza, plans to return to Dubai this winter break to visit his family for the first time since 2018. He looks forward to being in Dubai to celebrate Christmas, his parents’ anniversary and his father’s birthday. “The thing I miss the most is my mom’s cooking because I have not had my mom’s cooking in so, so long. I can’t wait to spend time with my dad,” said D’Souza. D’Souza also talked about meeting his friends during the holidays in person, instead of over the internet like he had during previous

winter breaks. “100 per cent I’m so excited . . . Usually every winter it’s [my friends] meeting and me just being virtually available in Canada. This time I can actually physically meet them, see them [and] spend lots of time with them,” said D’Souza. Not only will D’Souza meet up with old friends, but he will also have the chance to reconnect with high school teachers and volunteers from his church that he hasn’t seen since he left to study in Canada.

“100 per cent I’m so excited . . . Usually every winter it’s [my friends] meeting and me just being virtually available in Canada. This time I can actually physically meet them, see them [and] spend lots of time with them.” Cleon D’Souza

Fourth-year Math & Stats Student “There’s also other events, like meeting my highschool teachers . . . a lot of them played a really important role in my life. I can’t wait to meet with them and discuss things that they’ve taught me that I use in my real life,” said D’Souza. After so many lockdowns due to the pandemic, there is more catching up this winter break to be done than usual. Whether it’s through Whatsapp calls, flights home or visits with friends, international students are finding ways to stay connected to their friends and family this winter break.

The Silhouette | 3

How are professors spending their holidays? Time off work doesn’t always mean a perfect break for professors

JESSICA YANG/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Abonti Nur Ahmed News Staff Writer or many people, the holidays have always Fdents, been something to look forward to. For stuthis means time away from school and

for others, it can mean time away from work. This year, at McMaster University, student examinations end officially on Dec. 22, 2021, with winter classes beginning on Jan. 10, 2022. While professors technically have the same time limits when it comes to class dismissals, they spend a large majority of break bringing

their courses to fruition. Courses often require a lot of planning leading up to the first class, but the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in professors planning for online classes since March of 2020. Now, for the upcoming winter semester in 2022, there is going to be a transition to an almost entirely in-person learning format, which can mean a shift in planning for professors yet again. What this planning looks like will differ depending on the course. Joe Kim, an associate professor at McMaster under the department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour, spoke about how

4 | N E W S www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

the IntroPsych team at Mac had already had a relatively hybrid learning style prior to the pandemic as they were using virtual modules. Kim explained that planning for the upcoming semester was close to completion. Krista Howarth, an assistant professor at McMaster under the department of kinesiology, explained that, although a large majority of her course planning had been completed, there were still things like the Avenue2Learn course shell that needed to be activated and then formatted. To Howarth, the way her course appears on Avenue is important, as it is an essential

S Though professors spend time planning, many also try to balance spending time with family and friends over the holidays. For Kim, the holidays are a chance to be closer with his family. He talked about the variety of games they play, whether that be Sorry!, Dominoes, Clues or Jenga. He also talked about the importance of good food, exercising and binge watching television shows to help create a relaxing break. “The holidays means the end of semester, so it is a chance to rest, regenerate and spend a lot of time with family. For my daughter, I think she just loves the holidays because everyone is together in the same house so we have time for lots of games,” said Kim.

“The holidays means the end of semester, so it is a chance to rest, regenerate and spend a lot of time with family. For my daughter, I think she just loves the holidays because everyone is together in the same house so we have time for lots of games,” Joe Kim means of communication to her students. She talked about how it would have been nicer to have a longer winter break so she can better prepare for the winter semester. “I do wish there was more time between term one and term two and even last year, there was a survey that went around and [asked], “Would you guys mind if we sort of started the term later this year?” to give everyone more time. Not just the students, but also [so that] the faculty have more time to get ready for term two,” said Howarth.

“I do wish there was more time between term one and term two and even last year, there was a survey that... [asked], “Would you guys mind if we . . . started the term later . . . ?” to give everyone more time. Not just the students, but also [so that] the faculty have more time to get ready for term two,” Krista Howarth

Assistant Professor at McMaster Univesity, Department of Kinesiology

Assistant Professor at McMaster, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour

Howarth. Both Kim and Howarth shared advice for students on how to have a balanced winter break. They stressed the importance of how

Both Kim and Howarth shared advice for students on how to have a balanced winter break. They stressed the importance of how taking a break is essential to wellbeing. taking a break is essential to wellbeing. Kim shared how it is good to be productive, but that there are realistic ways to achieve this. He suggested making a list of things one hopes to finish during the break

Kim shared how it is good to be productive, but that there are realistic ways to achieve this. He suggested making a list of things one hopes to finish during the break and to ensure that they are realistic goals.

Howarth also spoke about how excited she is for the upcoming holidays. It’s a hard earned break that she always looks forward to because she gets time to spend with her family. Her family loves to do puzzles together as she said it was their own form of relaxation. Howarth also discussed how few days she actually takes off during the winter, spending the rest of the days working towards the first day of winter semester. “I don’t often get to spend as much time as I would’ve liked over the holidays with my family, [but] at least I do get to take a little bit of time off to do some things with my kids and my other family members . . . Most years I take off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day and I’ll spend that at my parents’ house. I go with my kids and we just hang out there and do our typical Christmas celebrations,” said

“I don’t often get to spend as much time as I would’ve liked . . . with my family, [but] at least I do get to take a little bit of time off,” Krista Howarth

Assistant Professor at McMaster, Department of Psychology

The Silhouette | 5

Meaningful donations in the community this holiday season McMaster Aiding Women’s Shelters Canada sets up gift card drive for the holidays Amarah Hasham-Steele News Reporter cw: domestic violence omestic violence, also referred to as intiD mate partner violence, is an ongoing issue that has seen increasing numbers in Hamilton over the last several years. In 2019, Hamilton police responded to 7,090 calls regarding domestic violence and laid 1,657 charges.

In 2019, Hamilton police responded to 7,090 calls regarding domestic violence and laid 1,657 charges. Domestic violence refers to situations of power and control that an individual has over their intimate partner. This can lead to abuse in many different forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people in abusive relationships face an increased risk of being trapped in the same home as their abusers. At McMaster University, the McMaster Aiding Women’s Shelters Canada is a McMaster Students Union club that works to address domestic violence. MAWSC’s goals include spreading awareness within the McMaster community around domestic violence, raising money for women’s shelters in the Hamilton area and creating a safe space for people to discuss domestic violence and sexual assault. According to Sarah Coker, one of MAWSC’s co-presidents, MAWSC holds a variety of fundraisers, workshops and events throughout the year in order to achieve these aims. For the holiday season this year, MAWSC is holding a gift card drive for the Eagle’s Nest Association of Waterdown. The Eagle’s Nest Association, located only a few minutes outside of Hamilton, is a community organization that helps women and families. The Eagle’s Nest Association owns the HOPE Centre, which offers a variety of services, such as positive parenting programs, programs that help children understand emotions and counselling for people of all ages. According to Coker, the Eagle’s Nest Association holiday gift card drive goes towards providing holiday experiences to the people who access their services. The Eagle’s Nest Association recommends that donors buy specific types of gift cards for people who access different services at the HOPE Centre. For those accessing counselling, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends a Canadian Tire or Esso gift card to help them get to their counselling sessions. For those accessing coaching, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends a Starbucks or Tim Hortons gift card.

AINSLEY THURGOOD/PHOTO ASSISTANT

For those in a support group, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends an Indigo or Amazon gift card. For children and youth, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends a restaurant or Walmart gift card as these gift cards create opportunities for children to have fun experiences with their families. “They’re asking for gift cards so that they can give something back, so that these people on Christmas don’t have to leave without anything,” explained Coker.

“They’re asking for gift cards so that they can give something back, so that these people on Christmas don’t have to leave without anything,” Sarah Coker

McMaster Aiding Women’s Shelters Canada Co-President Coker reflected on the importance of supporting women’s shelters in the holiday season. “It’s a way to give back to the community and [for] a lot of people who may be less fortunate than you, [you can] give them that chance to experience what you might consider a norm in your life — to go home for the holidays and get a gift,” said Coker. In Hamilton, women’s shelters such as the Martha House, Inasmuch House and the Native

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“It’s a way to give back to the community and [for] a lot of people who may be less fortunate than you, [you can] give them that chance to experience what you might consider a norm in your life — to go home for the holidays and get a gift,” Sarah Coker

McMaster Aiding Women’s Shelters Canada Co-President Women’s Centre offer emergency shelter for women and their children fleeing from an abusive situation. All three shelters are accepting monetary donations on their website. In addition, Native Women’s Centre is accepting in-kind donations including various hygiene products and household items. Although they are not providing emergency shelter, YWCA Hamilton is another organization that works to find housing solutions for women and their families. YWCA Hamilton is also accepting donations including various clothing items, transportation cards, hygiene products, toys and games.

Mobile entertainment units delivered to McMaster’s Children Hospital Starlight Canada’s new initiative to cheer up hospitalized children over the holidays Amarah Hasham-Steele News Reporter Children’s Foundation Canada is a Sizedtarlight nonprofit organization that helps hospitalchildren and their families. The organi-

zation has been running for more than thirty years, with the ultimate goal of bringing joy to sick children. Brian Bringolf, CEO of Starlight Canada, explained that hospitalized children can receive support from Starlight Canada from the time they are admitted into the hospital to after they have been discharged. When children are first admitted, they are given admit kits from Starlight Canada, which contain age-appropriate toys, writing materials and toiletries. Throughout their hospitalization, Starlight Canada continues to provide toys and activities. Once children are discharged from the hospital, Starlight Canada also holds exciting monthly activities through their Great Escapes program. “We’re dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families,” said Bringolf.

“We’re dedicated to brightening the lives of ... ill children and their families.” Brian Bringolf

CEO of Starlight Canada This year, for the holiday season, Starlight Canada is delivering 48 Fun Centers to hospitals across Canada. Fun Centers, according to Bringolf, are brightly-coloured mobile entertainment units, each one featuring a flatscreen television and a Nintendo Switch preloaded with games.

PHOTO C/O Starlight Canada

The McMaster Children’s Hospital is one of the hospitals receiving a donation from Starlight Canada. According to Bringolf, the Fun Center at McMaster Children’s Hospital is sponsored by Air Canada. “They can go on. They can play games. They can be distracted. They have these little headphones that they put on and they can play with their friends that are at home. They can visit mom and dad with these games,” said Bringolf.

“They can go on. They can play games. They can be distracted. They have these little headphones that they put on and they can play with their friends that are at home. They can visit mom and dad with these games.” Brian Bringolf

CEO of Starlight Canada

PHOTO C/O Starlight Canada

Bringolf explained that when children use the Fun Centers to distract themselves from their illness, this helps them cope with pain. Bringolf cited well-known filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s involvement with Starlight Canada as being crucial to their use of distraction therapy. “The premise [of distraction therapy is] that when you’re distracted from pain, when you get distracted from your illness, there’s less pain medication required. And there’s a whole science behind this,” said Bringolf. Bringolf explained that, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic, hospitalized children have not been able to receive the same level of support or distraction. Although restrictions are now loosening, children were isolated in their rooms for much of the pandemic, with family members unable to visit. Even some of the supports offered by Starlight Canada, such as Starlight Fun Rooms, were shut down for the pandemic. In response to this, Starlight Canada launched numerous virtual programs, such as crafts and bingo games. “We did still try to be there for them,” said Bringolf . Bringolf explained that Starlight Canada is constantly growing and changing, based on what kind of support is needed by hospitalized children.

Starlight Canada is constantly growing and changing, based on what kind of support is needed by hospitalized children. “I always say that Starlight Canada is not what we were five years ago and we’re not today what we will be in five years. We continue to evolve with the needs of the kids,” said Bringolf. This holiday season is Starlight Canada’s first time bringing Fun Centers to hospitals. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the past year especially challenging for hospitalized children, but Starlight Canada looks forward to brightening up their holiday season.

The Silhouette | 7

Transforming Mac 2021

A week aimed at enabling trans students to network and heal Novera Shenin Features Reporter

commemorate Trans Day of RememTandobrance on Nov. 20, the McMaster Women Gender Equity Network dedicated itself

to organizing Transforming Mac, an annual weeklong series of events dedicated to giving trans Marauders a space just for them. Intended to provide opportunities for trans students to create community and connections on campus, there are a variety of Zoom events and ways to engage. Given that emotionally supporting gender marginalized folks by providing them with closed spaces and further resources is one of WGEN’s primary mandates, WGEN views Transforming Mac to be an event where trans folks feel normal connecting with others who share similar intersections of identity. Running for over five years at McMaster University, Transforming Mac is more pertinent than ever in 2021, a year which proved to be one of the deadliest on record for violence and hate crimes committed against trans individuals across North America. The events for Transforming Mac include a vigil, a community group discussion on Nov. 20 which marks Trans Day of Remembrance in Canada and closed spaces for trans folks to watch movies, make art and engage in self-care together.

The events for Transforming Mac include a vigil, a community group discussion on Nov. 20 which marks Trans Day of Remembrance in Canada and closed spaces for trans folks to watch movies, make art and engage in self-care together. Centering normalcy is greatly emphasized in Transforming Mac’s events, where existence of oneself without constant explanation and advocacy is framed to be an empowering choice in and of itself. Julia Ford, the assistant director of WGEN, attests to the importance of WGEN maintaining its tradition of hosting Transforming Mac despite the restrictions placed on gathering capacities. “It’s really important to provide spaces where trans people can feel safe because the broader world unfortunately does not offer trans folks that chance to exist normally,” explained Ford. Transforming Mac is characterized by its multitude of safe and closed spaces, referring to events where only individuals of a specific identity can attend. Alongside closed spaces for only trans folks, there are also spaces specifically for racialized trans folks. 8 | F E AT U R E S

Namely, the purpose of closed spaces is such that individuals who attend these spaces do not feel the need to explain their identities. It is important to note that Transforming Mac is not a week only for education or remembrance, but a week of moving forward and acknowledgement for trans students on campus. Transforming Mac serves to help trans folks feel safer. Trans activism, while certainly crucial in its own right, is allowed to coexist with Transforming Mac’s main priority of providing trans folks with the opportunity to build community without becoming the center focus. “We have received really positive feedback from the broader McMaster community about Transforming Mac. [In] our more educational oriented events in the past, many folks were intimidated by the proper terminology to use and our events really helped to break some of this hesitation to learn more about trans issues,” explained Ford. WGEN attempts to ensure it does not speak over trans voices when organizing events or closed functions and welcomes collaboration with trans organizers in an effort to center trans voices with planning respectful and inclusive events. Attendees are not required to participate in any specific way. The events are designed to allow folks to engage in such a way that is safe and comfortable for them. Encouraging organic conversations and having an actively monitored chat and texting functions for attendees who may not be able to speak freely are ways the organizers of Transforming Mac ensured comfort and safety. “We as organizers have no set expectations for an event and it is of [the] utmost importance that attendees are able to come to the event and enjoy it on their own terms [and] not by any requirements we put in place,” explained Ford.

“We as organizers have no set expectations for an event and it is of [the] utmost importance that attendees are able to come to the event and enjoy it on their own terms [and] not by any requirements we put in place.” Julia Ford

Assistant Director of WGEN Transforming Mac did not measure its success by the quantity of attendees, but rather the quality of the conversations fostered over the week. Additionally, the organizers of Transforming Mac wanted to ensure students do not feel pressured to publicly engage with the week and to freely use the resources offered. “Being situated online in accordance with COVID restrictions has its advantages and

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

disadvantages. It is good for individuals who wish to remain anonymous and is more accessible for folks who are still not ready to identify themselves. Unfortunately, not everybody may not be able to speak freely online,” explained Ford. Rija Khan, the WGEN resources coordinator helped organize Transforming Mac alongside the Queer and Trans Club of Color by overseeing the distribution of resources for each event. As a representative of WGEN, Khan is also trained to provide peer support for individuals who may require it. “Alongside support resources, we provide gender affirming resources such as binders, packers and sanitary items at certain events. We also have a library I oversee and catalog,” explained Khan.

“Alongside support resources, we provide gender affirming resources such as binders, packers and sanitary items at certain events. We also have a library I oversee and catalog.” Rija Khan

WGEN Resouce Coordinator It was significant to have WGEN representatives at Transforming Mac as it encapsulated WGEN’s belief in catering its services to all genders and oppressed individuals and that is not only limited to cisgender women. The involvement of trans individuals of colour at Transforming Mac served to prevent conversations about gender, identity and the trans experience only centering around white trans folks, whose experiences often greatly differ. Racialized queer folks must feel safe to speak about their lives without being judged or feeling pressured to revisit and reexplain their life experiences which may often be traumatic. Addressing shared experiences was a way to foster self-healing and increased self-awareness for Transforming Mac attendees. “Growing up without queer friends, I find that Transforming Mac is to an extent educational because I was able to learn lots from the anecdotal and lived experiences of others. It allowed me to get to know myself better too,” explained Khan. Transforming Mac has undergone an evolution since its existence. From education to remembrance to a space for community, it will continue to occupy a place at McMaster where it will keep transitioning to accommodate the changing needs for trans McMaster students.

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The McMaster Students Union

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

DENVER DELLA-VEDOVA President president@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23885

As the semester winds down, I want to wish everyone a successful exam period. Remember to take breaks, relax, and focus on self-care, as exam time can be quite stressful. However, we have much to look forward to on campus, as we approach the last stretch of our heavily online education. In March 2017, via referendum, undergraduate students approved a plan to fund and build a 60,000 square foot expansion to campus fitness and recreational facilities, as well as create 40,000 square feet of new, non-academic, student lounge, study, and event space. The partnership

msu_mcmaster msumcmaster.ca text “MSU” to 71441

between the McMaster Students Union, McMaster University, and Athletics & Recreation, has driven the massive construction project forward over the last two years. When complete, the student life expansion will be known as the Hub. The building will become a new ‘hub’ of student life on campus, expanding on the non-academic student event and programming space for which McMaster students have been seeking. Construction - led by McMaster Facility Services - has continued throughout 2020 and 2021, despite the general campus closure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to public health regulations in Ontario, there were times over the past two years in which construction efforts were paused, to comply with legal requirements. Compounding with the massive supply chain disruptions that the pandemic has caused around the world, the project did experience unanticipated disruptions with the sourcing and supply of construction materials. That said, the partners involved have worked diligently to overcome obstacles and the timeline for

The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the Board of Directors of the McMaster Students Union (MSU) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.

opening the new building is beginning to come into focus. The new building, along with the expanded fitness and recreational spaces of the Pulse, is now expected to be substantially complete by the summer of 2022. Currently, I anticipated public access to the new spaces at the beginning of the next academic year in September. The Hub will boast four floors, hosting multi-faith prayer space, as well as bookable multi-purpose space on the third and fourth floor, respectively. A peer support hub, featuring collaboration rooms and bookable meeting spaces for all undergraduate students, student clubs, and MSU services, along with the MSU Food Collective Centre food pantry, will be located on the third floor. In addition, a new community kitchen will also be located on the third floor. The main floor will boast open-concept study/lounge and event space and a two-story ceiling, while the second floor will offer more robust lounge areas, as well as a grocer. In addition to the new student life areas, the scope of the project also includes an impressive

DENVER DELLA-VEDOVA President

E E www.thesil.ca 1010 | P R| EPSRIEDSEIN www.thesil.ca| |Thursday, Thursday,December December9,9,2021 2021 DTE’S N TPAG ’S PAG

CHRISTINA DEVARAPALLI Vice-President (Adminstration)

expansion of the Pulse. Accessible via the David Braley Athletic Centre (DBAC), the Pulse will feature expanded health and fitness equipment, along with more gym and studio spaces. In addition, there will be a women’s only fitness area, expanded cardio and weight training spaces, a climbing wall, and a bouldering wall. McMaster University contributed $10 million in upfront capital and will pay the operating and maintenance costs of the buildings. Undergraduate students approved a $95 a year fee, which will increase by an additional $2.99 per unit (up to 30 units) once the building opens. The student fee includes a full, 12-month membership to the Pulse, so all students can access the new, state of the art fitness amenities. As the building is scheduled to open to the public next September, undergraduate students will not pay the $2.99 per unit fee increase until the 2022/2023 school year. Along with the services and advocacy efforts of the MSU, I remain ever diligent in supporting students as we return to campus. See you soon!

SIOBHAN TEEL Vice-President (Education)

JEGANIYAH (JJ) JAYACHANDRAN

Vice-President (Finance)

Editorial

Are Mac students ready to return to campus? Yes we are all sick of staying at home, lord knows I am, but what comes next? Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief t the end of August, the Silhouette and A 93.3 CFMU teamed up to do a roundtable called “MacDiscussions”. This question and

answer panel featured Dean of Students Sean Van Koughnett, Acting Vice-Provost Kim Dej, McMaster Students Union President Denver Della-Vedova, third-year arts and science student Nisha Gill and second-year mechatronics engineering student Couper Smith. While the main focus of the roundtable was to discuss what the fall 2021 semester would look like, towards the end we discussed the 2022 winter semester. Dej stated that while nothing was concrete, the university was planning classes to pre-pandemic levels. Over the last few weeks, McMaster University has released several updates on COVID-19 Back to Mac discussing the winter return to campus. An increase in residence capacity, student life and of course, a return to in-person learning are among the main points listed in return to campus plans. However, as the Omicron variant of

PHOTO C/O McMaster Daily News

COVID-19 is slated to sweep the world, what does this mean for the winter term? Many students, faculty and staff still have a lot of unanswered questions about what this near-full return to campus will look like, yet McMaster has not provided any answers. I will be the first to say that yes, it is still too early to speculate on how Omicron will shape 2022, but what is our contingency plan? Will McMaster push students back to online learning if in-person is deemed unsafe by public health officials?

The Silhouette and 93.3 CFMU will be once more conducting another “MacDiscussions”, this time on the return to campus in winter 2022. We want to hear from you. What are your concerns about coming back to campus this winter? Send an email to eic@thesil.ca and share your thoughts with us. Have a strong opinion about the near-full return to campus? Send an email to opinion@thesil.ca and write an op-ed.

Alumni and Partners Network MCMASTER.FIRSTHAND.CO Over 3,000 McMaster alumni are available at your fingertips and ready to make a connection. Join our online mentorship and networking platform, Firsthand, for career conversations, mock interviews, resumes critiques, grad school conversations, and more. Tap into the expertise and experience of friendly alumni who are more than happy to help you with your career questions. Join today!

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 11

Opinion Holidays from the eyes of a first-gen immigrant How migratory grief makes the makes the holiday season hard for some immigrants Kimia Tahaei Opinions Staff Writer mmigration has the power to perplex many Ibrating components of an immigrant’s life and celethe holidays is one of them. While most

people enjoy the New Year’s and Christmas break with their friends and family, immigrants are often left feeling puzzled. Time and time again, people tell us to be thankful for the opportunity that we have. They tell us we have the luxury of living in a first-world country filled with freedom and liberty. They tell us we are living the dream of our people back home. They instruct us not to complain as we are the privileged ones compared to our fellow “third worlders.” Constantly hearing these bitter statements makes an immigrant feel as if they can’t possibly be upset about anything. No one dares to discuss the brutal reality of migratory grief.

Constantly hearing these bitter statements makes an immigrant feel as if they can’t possibly be upset about anything. No one dares to discuss the brutal reality of migratory grief. Migratory grief is significantly different from other types of grief, with the main difference being there is no actual disappearance. In most cases of grief, there usually involves a complete disappearance of someone or something. However, with migratory loss, no one has disappeared and you’re merely mourning the separation from the country of origin, which is still there. Perhaps because there is no physical disappearance, no one addresses the doleful aftermath of departing from your home country. One of the hardships that often gets swept under the rug is the difficulty of celebrating a holiday that is so foreign to you. To begin with, the celebration of Christmas and New Years is simply strange to most immigrants since we celebrate at a completely different time of the year. Moving past the sheer confusion, the customs that often accompany these holidays are also challenging to follow. Christmas is a package that comes with traditions such as receiving gifts, decorating trees and cookies with milk. Not only are most of these rituals unknown to an immigrant, but they are also costly. Most first-generation immigrants are 12 | O P I N I O N

YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

struggling financially and simply trying to make it day by day and Christmas shopping is the last thing on their minds. As a result, an immigrant often can’t even partake in these festivities because of their financial circumstances. Consequently, Christmas and other holidays become just a regular day — a regular day filled with disappointment, uncertainty and embarrassment. To make things worse, you can’t complain because others will label you as ungrateful.

Consequently, Christmas and other holidays become just a regular day — a regular day filled with disappointment, uncertainty and embarrassment. Another factor that adds to the mix of these unpleasant feelings is the reminder of how your own holiday is just another day in this country. While most are celebrating Christmas, first-generation immigrants are thinking about their traditions back home and how much they miss them. However, as mentioned above, you have no right to complain about such an “insignificant issue” as this should be a small price to pay for liberty and freedom.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

As first-generations grow up and successfully integrate into Western society, the holiday season does not bother them as much as before due to the power of adaptation. However, I believe that it would have been great if we were given the room to mourn the loss of our country, traditions and customs as children. Although we get over it after some years, the acknowledgement of our struggles as immigrants on a new land would have given us a smoother start.

Although we get over it after some years, the acknowledgement of our struggles as immigrants on a new land would have given us a smoother start.

Avoiding the holiday crash While the holiday season may be welcomed, the extreme shift to total relaxation can cause us to “crash”

TRAVIS NGUYEN/PHOTO EDITOR

Ardena Bašić Contributor holiday season is often a welcomed time Ttheirheoffexams for many, especially students who face period immediately prior to the

break. However, given that we are exceptionally busy beforehand, the decrease or change in responsibilities can be a shock to our system. Although we certainly deserve the rest after busy and stressful times, we must balance that with different endeavours and activities to ensure that we are not putting ourselves in significantly contrasting environments. Such an approach will allow us to get the most out of the holiday break and return to school and work with a renewed sense of motivation. Many individuals become acclimated to such high levels of productivity, particularly students who must balance their school work, extracurriculars and other endeavours on top of maintaining their health and social lives. In the moment, we often fail to realize how much of our energy is coming from the sheer adrenaline of all our obligations, likely alongside copious amounts of caffeine. Thus, when we take a break from such a hectic lifestyle, the drastic drop in our stressors often leave us feeling drained and lethargic, a phenomenon often called ‘adrenal fatigue.’ In fact, going from one extreme to another — overworking to completely resting — could leave us feeling worse off. We need to find a place in the middle of

this continuum that will allow us to recharge without radically lowering our adrenaline levels. There are a variety of activities and methods that can allow individuals, no matter their specific interests, to find this balance. For example, some hobbies can be both restful and stimulating to the brain and body at the same time. Reading, exercising and listening to or playing music all have beneficial effects on the body and mind, but are not as taxing as arduous readings or complex essay prompts. Moreover, social interactions can be highly energizing for some individuals, especially after being deprived of them during the pandemic. It not only has physiological benefits since humans are naturally social creatures, but it also helps abate feelings of loneliness and isolation that can be extremely draining on a person. Finding solidarity in finally getting a break after a long semester can also be a great bonding tool among students.

Finding solidarity in finally getting a break after a long semester can also be a great bonding tool among students. Of course, such approaches will vary for everyone. Some people who are more intro-

verted may find that individual activities are a better way to stay occupied without creating overbearing stressors during the holidays. Furthermore, one cannot expect every day of the break to be the same. Our energy levels fluctuate constantly and we need to respond as needed.

Our energy levels fluctuate constantly and we need to respond as needed. This may mean being outside and active with friends for one day and then deciding to stay in for a movie marathon by yourself on another. So long as we are not keeping ourselves on one end of the spectrum for a prolonged period of time, we can find a healthy equilibrium between complete rest and the hustle of our daily life. In sum, although the holidays may seem like the perfect time to fully recharge, we have to balance such rest with engaging activities to ensure that we do not completely crash. Given the spirit of the season, reaching out to loved ones and peers, finding new or old forgotten hobbies or simply taking what comes with the day can allow one to reach this balance. Take care of yourself and those around you and you will come back with a new vigour for a successful next term.

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How the cold months can be the most difficult for students Shorter days and longer nights have mental and physical effects

TRAVIS NGUYEN/PHOTO EDITOR

Ana Mamula Opinions Staff Writer on’t get me wrong, I love the colder seaD sons. Halloween, Christmas, doing winter festivities, the snow and much more. But I do

not like when it’s pitch black outside by 5 p.m. and the day that felt as though it just started is already done. It confuses me because, although I’ll still have classes, meetings or work after the sun sets, it becomes hard for my brain to wrap around the notion that I’ll be working for hours in complete darkness. We may not truly even realize it, but we do rely on the sun for a lot. When it comes to the simplicities of aiding our health, the sun is a great mood booster and important for your physical health as a whole.

We may not truly even realize it, but we do rely on the sun for a lot. Light is the most powerful regulator of our internal clock, known as our circadian rhythm. In fact, some people may not even adjust to the 14 | O P I N I O N

time change after several months. We also rely on the sun everyday without even knowing. We use it as a way to tell time in our dayto-day lives. It nurtures the food and plants that we need, it keeps our ecosystems growing and it keeps our earth moving. With these shorter and colder days, we see the sun less, which has large effects on us both physically and mentally. The shorter and colder days can also cause depression to increase in prevalence. The darkness and coldness limits how often we go out and we can begin to feel isolated. As university students, it becomes difficult for many to have the motivation to do work when it feels as though it is night-time and one should be unwinding instead. This is where seasonal affective disorder comes in, also known as seasonal depression or the winter blues. One way to recognize the symptoms of SAD is if you feel normal during spring and summer, then feel drained with your energy and mood as days get shorter during winter, almost like you want to hibernate. As the semester is either ending or a new one is starting at this time of the year, our stress is at its peak and the effects of daylight savings can have immense effects on us physically as well. The lack of sunlight can cause cluster headaches that can cause pain for days or

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

weeks on end. If you’re not getting enough sleep during this transition, this can lead to increased levels of a hormone called ghrelin which regulates hunger and may cause an increase in appetite. It is important that you keep your mental health in check and professionals recommend taking Vitamin D supplements during this time, seeking help if you need it, eating healthier and maintaining some kind of physical activity during the cold months. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, focusing on one’s self and still taking it easy will help immensely. It is a difficult shift for many, but attempting to balance everything in a healthy way can improve one’s physical and mental health during these cold months.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, focuing on one’s self and still taking it easy will help immensely.

Avoid being consumed by holiday consumerism Save a little more and spend a little less, your OSAP savings will thank you

PHOTO C/O Heidi Fin, Unsplash

Hadeeqa Aziz Opinions Staff Writer ust hear those sale signs jingling, ring ting Ja day tingling too. Come on, it’s lovely weather for out shopping with you! The holidays are

just around the corner, clearly indicated by the new red and green Starbucks cups, ridiculously gigantic Christmas trees in store-fronts and most important of all, the “door-crashing” sales in shopping malls. Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day, though surprising how they came to be when you think about it, effectively offer North America with excuses to splurge on clothing, toys and other items that they “might use.” It’s interesting because, throughout the year, it is easy to witness many folks treading carefully with regards to their spending habits but the holiday season will have you whole-heartedly believing that emptying out your savings account is the best way to go. You can’t really blame the general public though, can you? I mean, corporations do quite a good job of reeling in the customers. How are we expected to walk away from caramel brulée lattes, red flannel pyjamas and winter candy apple scented candles? For most of the developed world, these select holiday items are the prime marker for enjoying the holiday season. It’s just not Christmas without going on a shopping spree for yourself and the people that made it onto your gift list. Multinational corporations exploit the vulnerability of consumers at this time and have

spectacularly transformed the ability to cause confusion between necessity and desire into a fine art. This often causes individuals to get lost in the excitement of it all and forget to pay any mind to the negative effects consumerism can entail. Before we get into that though, what exactly is consumerism? If you haven’t guessed it already, consumerism is essentially the purchasing of market goods and resources. More importantly, it’s a technique used by capitalist societies where suppliers are ever-producing to meet the demands of the general public, or the consumers. It is much more prevalent in Western societies where there is often codependency between our personal identities and the items that we purchase. In fact, according to economists, the driving force behind the steady increase of consumerism is the phenomenon of Americanization, otherwise known as the ‘manipulation of preferences’. It is important to note, however, that the market seldom invents new desires — they simply give existing desires a new form to make them more appealing. This phenomenon effectively feeds into consumerism and creates an extreme version of itself: hyperconsumerism. A variety of different factors, including the holiday season, can help normalize the dangers of consuming beyond what we need while ignoring the mental, physical and environmental effects. For large corporations, hyperconsumerism comes at the cost of violating workers’ rights since these capitalist markets often treat human rights infractions as collateral damage. It also goes without saying that, as the de-

mands for consumer products increase, so does the need to produce more and this inevitably leads to an increase in pollutant emissions, exploitation of natural resources and accelerated climate change. Did you know that the wealthiest 10 per cent are responsible for consuming 59 per cent of the world’s resources? Ironically, they are not the ones experiencing the effects of climate change; it’s the bottom half of the population that is affected. Now, I can’t possibly advise you to ditch the shopping malls and ignore Black Friday sales altogether. Most individuals will invest time in figuring out a solution that allows them to continue consuming at the same rate while dodging the effects that hyperconsumerism has. Ethical consumerism calls upon the consumer to critically analyze their favourite brands and products before making a purchase. However, it’s no secret that purchasing from ethical brands can be expensive and is not a solution that’s accessible to everyone. Before making a purchase, consider its versatility, quality and whether it will stick with you in the long run. Limit impulsive haul orders to conform with trends and instead look for basic clothing items that offer more flexibility. If you want wide-legged jeans, go for it — just make sure they’ll last and you don’t relieve the store of its entire denim section. I want them too.

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 15

Immerse yourself in the final weeks of fall with CFMU’s mid-November mix! With music by JESSIA, BUKOLA, Kevin McLachlan and more! https://bit.ly/CFMUNOVMIX

16 | C F M U w w w. c f m u . c a | 9 3 . 3 FM | www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

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T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 29

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Humans of McMaster: Holiday Letters with McMaster Crafters and Seniors with Skills feel a little bit more included in the community. HL: We really also notice that the holidays don’t really feel the same on campus, especially with the restrictions. We really wanted to do something that could unite the fellow crafters.

Esther Liu HOM Staff Writer The Silhouette: Please introduce yourselves. HL: I’m Hannah Laycock and I am president of Mac Crafters. KD: I’m Kelly Deeth and I’m the vice president Finance for Mac Crafters. AS: I’m Amr Saleh and I’m the vp finance of Senior with Skills. ZA: I’m Zoe Ang and I’m one of the vp events for Senior with Skills. Can you elaborate on your Holiday Letters event? ZA: We wanted to host a collaborative event where we could make holiday cards for seniors and then eventually donate them to senior homes. We were in a Zoom call making the cards together. We have a drop-off box on campus so whoever made cards can drop them off and then we’ll send them out to a senior home. We’re going to be scanning some of the physical cards and making them into a book so we can reach more homes as well. AS: From the point of view of Seniors with Skills, one of our main missions is to combat senior isolation, especially during the pandemic. When Mac Crafters reached out to us, we thought this opportunity just perfectly aligned with our missions and goals.

“From the point of view of Seniors with Skills, one of our main missions is to combat senior isolation, especially during the pandemic. When Mac Crafters reached out to us, we thought this opportunity just perfectly aligned with our missions and goals.” Amr Saley

VP Finance, Seniors with Skills What were your goals for this event? AS: We just recognized that during this time, especially during the pandemic, a lot of seniors can feel quite lonely, especially due to things like COVID restrictions; maybe they might not have the same number of guests [or] maybe they just can’t see their family as often. Hopefully, through these cards, we can say that people are thinking of them and we hope they can 18 | H U M A N S O F M C M A S T E R

Do you have a favorite memory from your club experiences? AS: This event has been my most memorable experience so far just because our mission is all about trying to tackle the senior isolation that many in Hamilton might be facing. Putting together an event and seeing a tangible end outcome of the cards that we can then give to the seniors was something I found really, really rewarding. KD: This event was so fun. It was a great chance to meet people from other clubs and meet general club members, seeing that even in an event that seems rather simplistic such as making holiday cards, everybody really does bring something different to the table. People can show that by doing something virtually or being good at art or hand lettering, as Zoe mentioned. It just showcases that even with something that seems simple and straightforward, everyone brings something different. Do you have any big takeaways from this event in particular? HL: For Mac Crafters, it’s definitely the importance of giving back to the community. Really being able to see that in action was great, especially since we haven’t been able to do that much from an online environment for such a long time. It’s really an impactful thing. It’s just such a warming feeling — it brings people together and, especially at this time of year, it’s a wonderful thing to do.

“It’s definitely the importance of giving back to the community. Really being able to see that in action was great, especially since we haven’t been able to do...much from an online environment for such a long time...It’s...such a warming feeling — it brings people together and, especially at this time of year, it’s a wonderful thing to do.”

up to more volunteering opportunities. Even though we haven’t given the cards to the seniors yet, just the event itself and people coming together for the reason of helping others made it really nice to be in that call with everyone. It was amazing to be with everyone working together and taking time out of their days to help out. Hopefully, when the seniors get the cards, we can also see what they think and see their reactions. AS: Just how much of a difference small actions can make. Taking an hour out of your day to make cards [for] seniors who might be feeling socially isolated can make a really, really big difference. I’m really looking forward to seeing the reaction from seniors once they do eventually get the cards. KD: A lot of times with Mac Crafters, a lot of our focus can be on our own students, our own club members and mental health. That’s such an amazing and really important cause in and of itself. But it was really nice for this event to shift the focus to something outside of the McMaster community and to the senior community, which is also so important.

“A lot of times with Mac Crafters, a lot of our focus can be on our own students, our own club members and mental health...But it was really nice for this event to shift the focus to something outside of the McMaster community and to the senior community,” Kelly Deeth

VP Finance, Mac Crafters

Hannah Laycock

President, Mac Crafters ZA: I think that this event has opened my eyes

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

PHOTO C/O Hannah Laycock

Arts & Culture

Eight seasonal events to attend this December Get into the winter spirit with these events during your break from school Sarah Lopes Sadafi A&C Staff Writer ith orange and red leaves falling off trees W and midterms coming to an end just before exams, the winter season is quickly

approaching. As the seasons change, winter seasonal and holiday events are coming back to the Hamilton area. For students currently living in and around campus, here are eight events to get you into the spirit of the season in December. Winter Wonders at the Royal Botanical Gardens From Nov. 24 to Jan. 9, Hendrie Park will be transforming into a wonderland at the Hamilton Royal Botanical Gardens — complete with festive lights and nature at every turn. As you stroll through the gardens, there will be festive music as you go along the 1 1/2 kilometre walk, which should take around an hour to complete. Student and youth admission is currently on sale at a discounted rate. The Nutcracker Ballet Jorgen will be carrying on the time-honoured winter tradition with this year’s production of The Nutcracker, held at the FirstOntario Concert Hall. Located at George Brown College, Ballet Jorgen is a Canada-wide touring company founded and directed by acclaimed choreographer Bengt Jorgen. The show will feature costumes designed in collaboration with Kleinburg’s McMichael Canadian Art Collection and backdrops inspired by 20th century Canadian landscapes. Tickets are now on sale for the show on Dec. 4. Centre[3]’s Small is Good Show and Sale Centre[3]’s annual holiday show and sale will return this year after being postponed last year. The exhibition will run from Dec. 10 to 31 and it will feature a range of works from the artist-run centre’s members. Ancaster Craft Show Local vendors and small businesses will be gathering at the Ancaster Fairgrounds on Dec. 11 for the annual Ancaster Christmas Craft Show. Admission costs five dollars and provides community members with access to the mistletoe and tinsel lining the hall and all of the local vendors this year. Holiday Night 2SQTBIPOC Market The third and final event in Black Owned Hamllton’s Holiday Pop-Up series, their Holiday Night 2SQTBIPOC Market will be held on Dec. 4 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Side Door Bar. The market will feature Black, Indigenous and People Of Colour and Queer vendors in collaboration with community organization Fruit Salad, which aims to expand space dedicated

YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

for 2SLGBTQIA+ women and gender non-conforming folks. Cranky Celtic Christmas The Westdale’s Hamilton Originals series is continuing with a holiday concert featuring Celtic Christmas tunes. The Westdale is a historical Hamilton theatre and registered not-for-profit charity located in the heart of Westdale Village. Musicians Wendell Ferguson and Scantily Plaid will be performing, with the event hosted by Mike McCurlie. Though the concert will be happening in-person at The Westdale’s theatre, the entire event will be live-streamed over Youtube and Facebook. Tickets are on sale for the concert on Dec. 20. Holiday Historic Cooking: Victorian Delights The Dundurn National Historic Site is also offering a Holiday Historic Cooking workshop on Dec. 3 and Dec. 12. In Dundurn Castle’s 19th century kitchen, participants will learn how to prepare seasonal desserts from two Dundurn cooks. Tickets are on sale now. Participants will be socially distant, masked and asked to show proof of vaccination before entering.

Christmas Tree of Hope Lighting The City of Hamilton and the Downtown Hamilton BIA will light the city’s Christmas of Hope, in Gore Park, on Dec. 3 at 6:15 p.m. This year there will be both in person and virtual viewing options, with in-person attendees being asked to mask and maintain social distance. Live on the stage in the park, Little Peter and the Elegants will kick off the event at 5:30 p.m., with a live stream being available from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. There will also be ferris wheel rides in the park, from Dec. 3 until 23, 2021. Students looking to get into the winter spirit have many events in Hamilton to choose from this upcoming December. Take advantage of these opportunities as the semester comes to a close.

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In the Kitchen: Holiday edition

Four fun, delicious recipes you can try this holiday season Subin Park A&C Reporter know the holiday season is here when I IFortinos. begin to see Christmas Pillsbury cookies at During my first year at McMaster

University, my friends and I went through over a dozen boxes of Pillsbury cookies and it was always an intense battle to get our hands on them at the grocery store. I still remember the smell lingering in our communal kitchen all throughout December finals. I’ve never been much of a baker myself but during the pandemic I have been cooking and baking more fresh food. This year I’m especially looking forward to making winter holiday treats for my family and friends. I’ve gathered below a few beginner and budget-friendly recipes from friends and fellow Mac students. London Slices Allergy warning: walnuts The Chef: Una Pasagic, a human behaviour student, shares her Bosnian family holiday recipe. Ingredients: Dough: • 300 g all-purpose flour • 200 g unsalted, room temperature butter • 120 g, sugar • 2 egg yolks • 1 teaspoon baking powder • Zest of one lemon/orange Filling: • 4 egg whites • 200 g sugar • 210 g coarsely ground walnuts • Apricot or strawberry jam Directions: Dough: 1. Mix flour & baking powder in large bowl. 2. In a separate bowl, whip butter and sugar together until slightly fluffy. 3. Add the butter and sugar mixture to the large bowl with flour then combine the ingredients by hand. 4. Add yolks and zest to the bowl then combine ingredients by hand. 5. Set dough aside to make filling. Filling: 1. Whip egg whites and sugar until fluffy. 2. Fold in 150 g of walnuts. Assembly: 1. Spread the dough onto a large rectangular baking sheet pan. The dough should only cover the base and does not need to go up to the sides of the dish. 2. Spread a layer of jam, enough to cover the surface of the dough. 3. Add the layer of filling and top everything with 60 g of walnuts. 4. Bake at 375 ˚F for a maximum of 25 minutes. 5. Let it set after removing it from the oven. 6. Once set, cut into rectangular pieces and serve.

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AINSLEY THURGOOD/PHOTO ASSISTANT

Toblerone Cookies The Chef: Subin Park. This is a recipe I learned from a friend. You can never have too many chocolate chip cookies!

Vegan Brownies The Chef: Emma Sood, a student studying psychology, neuroscience and behaviour, shares her favourite vegan dessert recipe.

Ingredients: • 30 grams Toblerone • ¾ cup room temperature unsalted butter • ½ cup sifted icing sugar • ½ teaspoon vanilla • ¼ teaspoon salt • 1 ¼ cups flour

Ingredients: • One stick of butter • One teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup cocoa powder • 3/4 cup all purpose flour • 3/4 cup sugar • One tablespoon of flaxseed meal

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 300 ˚F. 2. Coarsely chop one chocolate bar into quarter-inch pieces (approximately 1/3 cup). Set the remaining chocolate bar aside. 3. In a mid-sized mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. 4. Beat in vanilla and salt. 5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in one cup of flour until just mixed. 6. Stir in remaining flour and chopped chocolate bar pieces until mixed. 7. Scrape dough into an ungreased eightinch square baking dish. Lightly flour fingers then pat mixture into an even thickness. 8. Use a fork to pierce the dough in one inch increments. 9. Finally, chop the remaining chocolate bar and sprinkle over top of the dough. 10. Bake on the lower rack at 300 ˚F until the edges are deep golden and the centre is pale golden for 35 to 40 minutes. 11. Remove from the oven and immediately cut into 16 squares. 12. Cool completely in the pan. Once cool, store in an airtight container in a cool place or refrigerator for up to two weeks.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 ˚F. 2. Line a muffin tin with a paper liner. 3. Prepare flax eggs by mixing 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons of water stirred to a smooth, gel-like consistency in a small bowl and let it rest for a couple of minutes. 4. Melt vegan butter in a mixing bowl. After stir in flax eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine. 5. Add all-purpose flour. You can fold in chocolate chips, nuts or fruits at this point. 6. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin until three-fourths full and bake on the middle rack for around 24 minutes. It could be a little less or more. Look to see if the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the tin. 7. Remove from the oven and let the brownies rest for a couple of minutes. Enjoy!

The one-of-a-kind STORE on James

The STORE specializes in handmade pieces by artists and makers in Ontario Subin Park A&C Reporter mid the current supply chain shortages, A many are opting to shop local for this holiday season. For shoppers who aren’t sure

where to go or what to buy at local vendors and platforms such as Blkownedhamont, Wiiji’iwe Collective and On James North are great places to start. Through these platforms, buyers can find gift guides, discover Indigenous makers and handmade artisan shops like the STORE on James. The STORE offers a wide selection of handmade items by over 25 artists and makers in Ontario, including ceramic houseware, glasswork, jewelry, fibre art, woodwork, cards, prints and posters. The books sold in the STORE are the only products that are not handmade. “We really try to be almost like a mini market fair or one-of-a-kind establishment. Everything is done by local artists and we always have new things coming in. But we have a pretty steady roster of artists who have been here for many years,” said Christine de Takacsy, owner of the STORE. The shop opened in 2014 on 129 James Street North and is operated by de Takacsy and her husband Bill Swallow who handles the section of used books. Working in the art scene and being an artist herself is how de Takacsy found other creatives and makers to join her list of artists. Many of the artists on the list are people she met within the community at different shows and opening galas. There are also artists she has reached out to after seeing their work at various shows and artists who have contacted her first. In general, she prioritizes full-time professional artists and curates a wide selection of different styles of works. “There are so many good artists around, you could have way more artists than you have space, but I tried to have a good selection of different styles so when customers come in, they really have a nice variety,” said de Takacsy.

“There are so many good artists around, you could have way more artists than you have space, but I tried to have a good selection of different styles so when customers come in, they really have a nice variety,” Christine de Takacsy Owner of the STORE

Although the COVID-19 pandemic brought on many challenges for small businesses, de Takacsy was floored by the support

PHOTO C/O Christine de Takacsy

from the community. The continuous love from locals, combined with her enthusiasm for promoting fellow artists, sharing her own creations and seeing first-hand the reactions of customers to her artwork, has been her favourite aspects of running the business. “Artists don’t always get to see how people are reacting to their work if they aren’t actually in the retail side of it. So that [part of running the STORE] really is good,” said de Takacsy. During the holiday season, the STORE is offering special accessories such as glass, felted and ceramic ornaments, tea cozies, scarves and holiday themed tea towels as well as unique giftable goods. There are also handmade and locally designed holiday cards. “We are excited for the holiday season. There are lots of little gifts and decorated things and James Street North is trying to open later than we normally are…We are really trying to get into the Christmas spirit to encourage people to come and help support locals,” said de Takacsy.

“We are excited for the holiday season. There are lots of little gifts and decorated things and James Street North is trying to open later than we normally are…We are really trying to get into the Christmas spirit to encourage people to come and help support locals,”

From Nov. 12 to Dec. 17, all stores on James Street North will operate on extended holiday night hours on Thursdays and Fridays. The STORE will now be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays. For shoppers who can’t visit the store in person, the STORE has almost all their products available through their website as well. The online shop opened in June of 2020. It was de Takacsy’s first time running an e-shop and although it has been challenging, she is committed to delivering a shopping experience similar to what customers would experience visiting in-person. “[Opening the online store] was definitely forced by COVID. It made me get it up, do it and get it done. There are still learning burps and it is hard because they are all one-of-a-kind pieces and very time consuming [to create the online listings] but it’s definitely worth it,” said de Takacsy. De Takacsy is looking forward to the festive months and giveaways the businesses on James North are organizing to share the love of gift giving. With so many local businesses accessible both online and in-person this holiday season, instead of rushing to Amazon or other corporate businesses, shop local. There are many hidden talents and artists at vendors like the STORE and other shops in the community shoppers may be surprised to find. These oneof-a-kind items will surely capture and mark a memorable, one-of-a-kind holiday.

Christine de Takacsy Owner of the STORE

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 21

The Cotton Factory’s Holiday Market is a welcome light this season Light the Night market brightening the winter season for artists and community members alike

PHOTO C/O Cotton Factory

Nisha Gill A&C Editor rtists have been among those particularly A hard hit by the pandemic, having limited to no opportunities to exhibit their work as well as

significantly reduced income. In recent months, such opportunities are increasing but the uncertainty of the pandemic is still taking a toll. The Cotton Factory’s second annual Light the Night event is brightening the winter season and bringing some joy to the community while also supporting local artists and businesses. Located in Hamilton’s industrial district and formerly a cotton mill, The Cotton Factory is now home to artist studios, the coworking space, CoWork, and a number of community events and workshop spaces. Night markets, featuring various local artists, performers and vendors, are a particularly unique staple of the Cotton Factory, though the pandemic has made such events more difficult. Last year at this time, the provincial lockdown didn’t even allow for a traditional market. In place of a traditional market, the team at the Cotton Factory held Light the Night and transformed the building into an illumination installation piece. They gathered donations from the community and through installation pieces, light exhibitions and projection art, they created a drive through exhibition for the community for three days in early Dec. 2020. “It was pretty magical,” said Annette Paie22 |A R T S & C U LT U R E

ment, curator of the Cotton Factory. This year the Cotton Factory will host Light the Night, a night market, on Dec. 4, 2021 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Similar to last year, the event will feature illumination and projection art, but there will also be two markets where many local artists and businesses will have booths. It will take place inside and outside, with the entire first floor of the building being open, and the Cotton Factory will also be following provincial public health guidelines, requiring masking and checking vaccination status at the door. At its core, Light the Night is about supporting local, particularly local artists. “This is really to feature them. It’s been a long two years where many artists haven’t been able to perform, they haven’t been able to sell work, they haven’t been able to showcase work because the galleries have also been closed so this provides an opportunity for them,” explained Paiement. Paiement also noted how excited the artists are for the event. Many also participated in the Cotton Factory’s recent fall market in October. They are eager for another opportunity to celebrate and come together as a community. Community is a crucial part of the holiday season. Given how difficult these last few years have been for everyone, an opportunity to gather and celebrate safely is a welcome one, not just for artists but also for the entire community. “I’m hoping that if people get out of the house for the first time in a few years it’ll bring

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

a little bit of joy — a little bit more joy — back into their life. I think we need community and we need interaction with people and I think it’s been a really tough two years for people, so I’m hoping it brings light into their hearts,” said Paiement.

“I’m hoping that if people get out of the house for the first time in a few years it’ll bring a little bit of joy — a little bit more joy — back into their life. I think we need community and we need interaction with people and I think it’s been a really tough two years for people, so I’m hoping it brings light into their hearts,” Annette Paiement

Curator of the Cotton Factory

Drove downtown in the rain with Steven Page Sil sitdown with Steven Page before first BPAC performance since COVID Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief n Nov. 13, the Steven Page Trio is once O again performing at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre as part of an Ontario-wide

tour. This performance marks approximately eighteen months since the trio’s last performance in Burlington — the group’s last show before the COVID-19 pandemic locked down Canada. “It feels great . . . I think I might have maybe expected something — some deeper feeling that I was getting because it’s what I’ve done for 30 years and if you’re away from it, but [because] I’ve been doing the online shows through most of the pandemic, I kind of kept some of my chops up and I’m able to because they’re on Zoom,” said Page. Since April 2020, Page has been livestreaming weekly concerts from his basement. Selling tickets for a small price, the musician has been able to ensure fans still get a taste of live music in a safe way from home. To date, Page has livestreamed 74 shows with plans to do more in the future in between his in-person shows. “When everything shut down and I watched a lot of musicians, my peers and also superstars and young people doing online streaming shows . . . at first I resisted it. I thought “I don’t know how interested I would be sitting here at this table with my guitar” and that they were often that kind of intimate “Hang out in the kitchen with Hugh Jackman” or something like that. I didn’t know if I wanted that, but people started to kind of expect if from everybody,” said Page. Although Page was apprehensive at first, he became inspired by friend and Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan’s company Side Door. In a pre-pandemic time, Side Door would organize concerts in peoples’ homes. Due to COVID-19, Side Door pivoted to organize livestreamed concerts. Page watched one of Mangan’s concerts and saw the opportunity to have a musician play to an audience, albeit virtually. “I thought I’d try [performing] one and

Photo C/O Burlington Performing Arts Centre

so you charge eight bucks a concert, it’s not a heck of a lot but I play two to two and a half hours. They’re long shows, but that’s how it ended up evolving and I think once I realized it was something that we could actually do as musicians that kept us in our jobs in a time when our jobs were impossible, it was pretty exciting,” said Page. In 1991, Page rose to popularity with the release of “The Yellow Tape”, a demo tape created by Barenaked Ladies. Helmed by duo Ed Robertson and Page, the band was set to play Toronto City Hall’s New Year’s Eve party but were removed from the setlist due to controversy of the band’s name. Instead, BNL performed at McMaster University, “I guess I remember it was one of those things that it didn’t register with us that much that we got kicked off the Toronto City Hall show. We were bummed about it, but we had other shows before too where people would be like “Oh I don’t want those guys” and sometimes it was about our name, sometimes it’s just that they didn’t like us or we didn’t draw well enough or whatever. So, we went and did the show at McMaster for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Eve is always fun and wild and that was that. But the whole publicity that came out of that thing later, happened after New Year’s. I think somebody at the [Toronto] Star caught wind of it and ended up putting it on the front page of the newspaper and that was a big part of how people got to know who Barenaked Ladies were back then. But we were kind of nonplussed and just happy to have the university gig,” said Page. Just over 30 years later, Page is still performing, now with the Steven Page Trio comprised of Craig Northly on the guitar and Kevin Fox on the cello. “The greatest thing for me at the beginning was reuniting with Craig Northly and Kevin Fox in my trio because we haven’t been able to be in the same room together like that, but after a few shows under our belts, now we can step back and go “Oh, we’re playing really well together”. You start to, I think, enjoy the things that you maybe took for granted pre-pandemic, just the little nuances musically or the moments together on stage, or the response from the audience,” explained Page.

Although provincial restrictions are slowly lifting, many live shows have yet to return with many still apprehensive to partake in an atmosphere with hundreds of people. Page shared why he thought now was the right time to return with Northly and Fox to the stage. “You know I’ll be honest; I didn’t have any plans to be first out of the gate. It was not what we’re trying to do, but this tour of these shows, you often book a whole bunch of shows at once and it was supposed to happen in the fall of 2020 and of course it didn’t happen then. So, then they’re like “Well, let’s move it to March of 2021” because the whole industry kept trying to figure out when was live music going to happen again” said Page. The show was moved to middle of November in hopes it would be safe to perform to a full audience. In July 2021, Page performed a few shows in the United States to a very welcoming audience; however, then the delta variant of COVID-19 became prevalent. Page has attempted to find a way to bring music to those who are comfortable to be in public settings as well as those who might not be comfortable yet. “People got a lot more cautious, which was great — I’m happy for people to be cautious which is why, for instance with these shows, in Burlington, people can buy a streaming ticket if they’d rather have one in-person. Which I think is great, but we also have all the vaccine and mask precautions, so it makes it safe,” said Page. Many know the sound of Page’s voice from hit songs like “If I Had a Million Dollars” or “One Week”. Although much of his set is comprised of songs from his solo adventures, Page shared his favourite song that never gets old to play. “I’ve been lucky. I enjoy playing most of the songs all the time and I also have enough of a catalog that I can skip one now and again, if I want to. But “Brian Wilson” is the one I usually close with and that one, it doesn’t get old. For me, it’s not about me singing my song or whatever else. For me it’s about hearing and seeing the audience bring whatever [memories] . . . and I love that. I love that people bringing their own memories of a song with them to this new place altogether and that’s what “Brian Wilson” is for me,” explained Page. Reflecting on his career, Page had some

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 23

Sports What do student athletes do over the holidays?

During the season athletes are always in action, but what do they do during the winter break? Sava Jankovic Sports Reporter s the winter break slowly approaches, there A is more anticipation for the holidays than before. Not only do students get a good three

week break from their studies, but student athletes also get a chance to resort to activities other than their actual varsity duties. One may wonder, what do student athletes do once their season finishes and the holidays approach? Do they work on recovery, do they try out new activities or do they simply sit back and enjoy their time off. Focusing specifically on the men’s varsity baseball team, they have had a successful season within the Ontario University Athletics competition, finishing in second place at the final OUA championships in Ajax. Magnus Hanson, a first-year baseball team member, expressed dissatisfaction at not winning the final tournament. “This season had ups and downs. We had a very tough incident at one of our games that our players are still recovering from, but we did make it to the OUA finals which is a good achievement. The team and I are still not satisfied. We wanted to win the whole thing and show the baseball community that we mean business,” said Hanson.

“We did make it to the OUA finals which is a good achievement. The team and I are still not satisfied. We wanted to win the whole thing and show the baseball community that we mean business.” Magnus Hanson

Baseball Team, Outfielder On the subject of holiday season and the team’s direction after the season, Hanson described what he is up to and how the team spends their time during the winter break. “For this Christmas break, we will all have to undergo a workout program. It is actually run by one of our senior players who is a trainer at the pulse and is obviously good at what he is doing. The work out program consists of a couple hours of a training program on a daily basis and lasts up until [New Year’s Day]. [After Jan. 24 | S P O R T S

JESSICA YANG/ PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

“The work out program consists of a couple hours of a training program on a daily basis and lasts up until [New Year’s Day]. [After Jan. 1], the rest of the holiday is a recovery period.” Magnus Hanson

Baseball Team, Outfielder 1], the rest of the holiday is a recovery period,” said Hanson. Hanson also mentioned that his time will be spent in his home province of British Columbia, where he will return for the winter break. “For the holidays, I’ll be back in British Columbia with my family. However, I will still need to undergo the workout program that the baseball team requires. After the workout program ends, I will practice with my baseball team to keep in shape. As an athlete, it is vital for me to do my best to keep my form up even during the off season,” explained Hanson. Finally, Hanson added what the team is expecting for the rest of the off season, even beyond the holiday break. “The rest of the season will consist of us playing in a soccer pitch bubble. Although it is not a baseball field, we will still get the opportunity to practice on turf during the winter, which is vital,” said Hanson.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

“The rest of the season will consist of us playing in a soccer pitch bubble. Although it is not a baseball field, we will still get the opportunity to practice on turf during the winter, which is vital,” Magnus Hanson

Baseball Team, Outfielder Although many sports seasons have ended leading into the time off over the winter, it is evident that athletes haven’t finished their business of keeping in shape. Far from it, they consistently practice during the off season to keep their form up.

Men’s basketball team extends winning streak to four

With three wins under their belt, the men’s basketball team has set their goals high Jovan Popovic Sports Editor hile many Canadian University teams have W needed time to get back into the swing of things after a year off from playing, the

Marauders Men’s basketball team has found themselves in the midst of a four game winning streak, starting the season blazing hot. With their most recent win against the Algoma Thunderbirds on Nov. 19, the Marauders have found themselves sitting in second place with a four and one record, with their lone loss finishing with a one point spread. Sefa Otchere, a third-year guard for the team, spoke about the team’s recent performance and the success they’ve had over the last stretch of game. In an interview Otchere discussed an event relating to an injury affecting a member of the team, emphasizing the optimism the team has regarding their future. “I feel very good about the team’s performance. I still feel like we have a lot more to go because right now we don’t have our full team. Some people are injured, but hopefully by the second half of the season we can get them back,” said Otchere

“I feel very good about the team’s performance. I still feel like we have a lot more to go because right now we don’t have our full team. Some people are injured, but hopefully by the second half of the season we can get them back,” Sefa Otchere

Third-Year Guard, McMaster Men’s Basketball Discussing his own performance, Otchere felt that he could’ve played better for his team, despite averaging a relatively strong 10.4 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting to a 41.9% field goal and an 84.6% free throw. “Subpar honestly. I feel like I can do better to help the team win more. I feel like I can be better and hopefully I can pick it up a little bit in our last two games in Algoma and pick it up in the second half as well,” explained Otchere. As he had hoped, he did pick it up in their first game against Algoma, extending their winning streak to four after an 18-point victory. Otchere scored 15 points, good for third most on the team, while hitting all his free throws, grabbing five boards and raking up three steals. With so much time off from their previ-

TRAVIS NGUYEN/PHOTO EDITOR

ous season, it’s a challenge for teams to start themselves up again so quickly. Otchere credits the team’s success to their high standards and coach, Patrick Tatham. “Training-wise, we pushed each other. We worked hard and worked with a common goal of getting to nationals. I think with that goal in mind we came in as a collective unit. Since Sept. 1, since [coach Patrick Tatham] came back from [coaching] team Canada we’ve all had the same goal: one mind, one body [and] one big family just working together,” said Otchere. With a significant portion of their schedule still ahead of them, the team will look to continue their success down the stretch and into the new year. After completing their final game of 2021 against the Thunderbirds on Nov. 20, the team won’t see the court again until Jan. 12, 2022, when they will return for 10 more games leading up to the playoffs. With championship aspirations on their

mind, they will have a real opportunity to take the crown if they can keep up their recent performance and continue closing out important games into the new year.

With championship aspirations on their mind, they will have a real opportunity to take the crown if they can keep up their recent performance... into the new year. T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 25

Sports Alex Anthopoulos: McMaster Alum and World Series champion One Alum’s journey to winning a world series Jovan Popovic Sports Editor year was 1996 and McMaster students Tjusthewere arriving on campus. For some, it wasn’t their first time at McMaster, but also in

Hamilton. This was the case for a first year economics major making the trip from Montreal. This was the story of Alex Anthopoulos. “I remember having left Montreal [with] my father and brother . . . Waking up in Hedden Hall the morning after I got dropped off, I didn’t know a soul. I remember calling home and I had a lump in my throat,” said Anthopoulos. The experience of leaving home can be stressful, but it’s what follows that makes all the difference. Anthopoulos remembers his time at McMaster fondly. School, his experiences and his friends had long-lasting effects on his life. “Definitely the best, both academic and social, experience of my life,” said Anthopoulos. “My best friends in the world are friends I made at Mac and the life experiences and everything I went through, I would never change it for the world.”

“Definitely the best, both academic and social, experience of my life...My best friends in the world are friends I made at Mac and the life experiences and everything I went through, I would never change it for the world.” Alex Anthopoulos

General Manager, Atlanta Braves It was during his time at McMaster that Anthopoulos would enter the baseball world. He loved sports, specifically baseball, but never expected to work in the sport. He recalled frequently discussing the possibility, but never made a move on it until a friend of his just couldn’t take it any longer. “One of my good friends to this day, Rich Martinelli, went to Mac with me [and we] roomed together. He was the one who I would just annoy, [telling] him about how I just wanted to get into baseball, [and] kept talking 26 | S P O R T S

PHOTO C/O John Lott, Flickr

about it. He finally snapped on me one day and said ‘I’m sick of hearing you talk about it, I want you to do something about it,’” explained Anthopoulos. After that conversation in his third year, it was exactly what he decided to do, reaching out to the Blue Jays and Expos in search of an opportunity. Although it wasn’t exactly what he expected, he found his way in. “The Expos said, ‘we don’t have an internship in baseball operations, but we have something where you can basically open the players mail, coordinate it, work with them, work in the clubhouse, those types of things.’ It was a non-paying job, but I just wanted to get my foot in the door,” said Anthopoulos. As minimal as the role seemed, it would play a big part in the advancement of his career. He always eyed scouting and felt he had an opportunity at hand. He would complete his mail duties during the day and spend his nights working on scouting. “At night when I was done and the games were starting, I would go sit in the seats and write scouting reports. I knew I was capable of more than doing player mail, but that was a way to get my foot in the door. I got paid in experience,” explained Anthopoulos. This is where things began to take off. The organization took notice of his skills and deter-

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, December 9, 2021

“I knew I was capable of more than doing player mail, but that was a way to get my foot in the door. I got paid in experience.” Alex Anthopoulos

General Manager, Atlanta Braves mination and had him travel to Florida to work as an international scout. After a year and a half, he would become a scouting coordinator. Two years later, he took on a scouting coordinator position from the Blue Jays and would get his big break after another two years. “I got offered [the] assistant [general manager] position, did that for four [years] and then the GM position came up. A lot of it was right place, right time — no doubt about that. I think the key was that I really enjoyed what I was doing . . . I couldn’t wait to get into the office,” said Anthopoulos. He discussed many late nights at home, watching VHS tapes and DVDs of draft videos. He worked so hard not just to get ahead, but

S because he was genuinely interested and loved what he did, calling it “a real labour of love.” He was just glad to do something he loved. For those wanting to follow in his footsteps, he emphasized the importance of having a true passion for the job, suggesting that it’s a requirement for the line of work. “Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons, meaning you absolutely adore it,” explained Anthopoulos. “The sacrifices, socially, time commitments, things like that — it’s really a way of life. . . I’ve told people before that have interned with us — there’s nothing wrong with just being a sports fan and having another career.”

“Make sure you are doing [the job] for the right reasons, meaning you absolutely adore it,” explained Anthopoulos. “The sacrifices, socially, time commitments, things like that — it’s really a way of life. . . I’ve told people before that have interned with us — there’s nothing wrong with just being a sports fan and having another career.”

In 2021, Anthopoulos found himself in a similar situation with the Braves sitting third in the division with a 51-54 record, and batting injuries. Over the course of the season the Braves would see Canadian ace Mike Soroka retear his achilles, perennial MVP candidate Ronald Acuna Jr. tear his ACL, and two time all-star Marcell Ozuna break his hand while also being arrested on domestic violence charges. All three would miss the remainder of the season. Leading up to the trade deadline, Anthopoulos rebuilt the Braves outfield entirely, trading for Joc Pederson, Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler, all of whom were huge contributors in the title run. Rosario was named NLCS MVP and Soler was named WS MVP. “We still had a chance to get in the playoffs . . . Your job as a GM is to try to get your team in. If you get your team in, anything can happen. Our runs allowed, our runs scored, we had scored a lot more runs than we had allowed, it just wasn’t resulting in wins. We thought we were capable of a lot more,” said Anthopoulos.

“We still had a chance to get in the playoffs . . . Your job as a GM is to try to get your team in. If you get your team in, anything can happen” Alex Anthopoulos

Anthopoulos surely made the most of this opportunity, never giving up after many had written his team off. “Our run differential was like plus 100 and something and we were a game under .500, we should’ve been so much better — it just ended up showing up over six months. It wasn’t a tough call. Selling just didn’t make any sense,” explained Anthopoulos. A few months later, he would be proven correct, as it was the Atlanta Braves celebrating with the World Series trophy during their parade. It was a long journey for Anthopoulos to become the first Canadian GM to ever win the World Series and it was a journey that all started at McMaster University. “[McMaster] will always have a piece of my heart. . . I definitely wouldn’t have been where I am today without having experienced it,” said Anthopoulos.

“[McMaster] will always have a piece of my heart... I definitely wouldn’t have been where I am today without having experienced it” Alex Anthopoulos

General Manager, Atlanta Braves

Alex Anthopoulos

General Manager, Atlanta Braves Anthopoulos was always very passionate and never stopped working on his way to the top. After being named the Blue Jays GM in 2009, he spent six more seasons with the organization. In his final year with the team in 2015, they won the division and made the playoffs for the first time since 1993. Anthopoulos gained a reputation as a top-tier GM that season and was named the Major League Baseball Executive of the Year following a flurry of moves to bring the team into contention. With a 53-51 record at the trade deadline, Anthopoulos pulled off one of the “best-ever” trade deadlines, acquiring five time all-star and Cy Young winner David Price, and five time all-star, Troy Tulowitzki, along with several other pieces.

With a 53-51 record at the trade deadline, Anthopoulos pulled off one of the “bestever” trade deadlines, acquiring five time all-star and Cy Young winner David Price, and five time all-star, Troy Tulowitzki, along with several other pieces.

PHOTO C/O Andy McCullough

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 27

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