ENVIROPIG! Page 3
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Student elections 161.7
Mar. 4 - 10, 2010
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For the students, by the students
Gryphon women off to the OUA finals
DANIEL BITONTI Sure, you have your weekly showings at Zavitz. Sure, you have Mac-Stew and Alma Gallery to visit work from local and not-solocal artists. But for a University of Guelph student-artist, no event is more important than the Juried Art Show, this year celebrating its 42nd installment. Taking place on Mar. 19 and 20, undergraduate student art will monopolize every room, corridor and stairwell in Zavitz Hall. The yearly student run exhibition has become the largest of its kind in Ontario, exclusively featuring the artwork of undergraduate students. With a respected panel of jurors deciding the top ten top prizes (first prize is a cool $1000) and 20 honorable mentions, the Juried Art Show is certainly about >
Rashaad Bhamjee
Gryphons goaltender Danielle Skoufranis backstopped her team to their third straight playoff win on Saturday. >
SEE “SWEEPING THROUGH THE SEMIS,” PAGE 3
Onward and upward Wa l t e r s l e ave s Gryphons for special teams position in CFL MIKE TREADGOLD For Kyle Walters,the opportunity was just too good to pass up. Late last week, the now-former head coach of the Gryphons football team announced that he would be stepping down from his position with the team to pursue professional opportunities. Shortly after, it was announced that Walters would be named as the new special teams coordinator with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League. “This is an unbelievable professional opportunity for him to grow in his profession,” said athletic director Tom Kendall. “He did a great job in growing the program to where we expected it to be.” The offer from Bombers head
coach Paul LaPolice essentially came out of nowhere. Winnipeg reached out to Walters at the end of reading week and flew him out to interview for the position. After some serious deliberating with his family, Walters made the decision to leave the program that he has coached for the past four seasons and been involved with since the early 1990s as a player. “From the initial contact until my decision, it was only five days. It was very quick,” said Walters, who had not been seeking other opportunities prior to the call from LaPolice. “I hadn’t been looking at all. I enjoyed my time at Guelph and I was very happy here and excited with what we were doing and where the program was going.” Reflecting on his time spent with the Gryphons, Walters had nothing but admiration for the program that has given him so many opportunities to succeed at
Kyle Rodriguez
After four years as head football coach of the Gryphons, Kyle Walters will be moving on to the Canadian Football League. both the amateur and professional levels.
“I’ll always be loyal to Guelph and cheer for Guelph. It was an unbelievable opportunity to get back and coach there,” said Walters. “I would have been content to have an entire career coaching in Guelph. “I could have seen myself retiring as the head coach in Guelph. My family really enjoyed it here, but the opportunity [in Winnipeg] just seemed too good to pass up.” The players were caught somewhat off-guard by Walters’ announcement, but have offered their support for their former head coach going forward. “The most difficult part of this was to walk away from the [players] and the relationships that I’ve had over the last few years,” said Walters. “The players were shocked at first. There was some disbelief, but they came up and wished me >
SEE “COACHING,” PAGE 11
SEE “JURIED,” PAGE 7
the issues this week LIBRARY 5 LIVING #90 9 KAZOO 16 GREY GOING
19 QUINOA 23 KEEFER GLORY BOWLS
MICHAEL INDEX
Arts & Culture Sports & Health Life Opinion Editorial Crossword Comics Community Listings Comics
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Israeli Apartheid Week at U of G The campus critically explores a seemingly never-ending conflict KELSEY RIDEOUT Student organizations on the University of Guelph campus are taking part in the internationally recognized event known as Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW). Throughout the week, daily events are scheduled to showcase critical perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict, a conflict that has now endured for over half a century and remains a contentious and often deadly dispute. While imposing blame for the ongoing conflict on either state remains a heavily sensitive and controversial task, IAW seeks to raise awareness regarding Israel’s large-scale acts of violence and deliberate segregation in defiance of international law. In 20082009, Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip killed approximately 1,400 Palestinians, and resulted in major shortages in food and humanitarian aid. In the last few years, Israel has initiated the construction of a major barrier consisting of high technology concrete fencing that spans over 400 km along the Palestinian territory of the West Bank. Following the International
Court of Justice’s ruling that the wall is illegal, Palestinians have called upon international organizations across the world to impose boycotts, establish divestment initiatives and institute sanctions against Israel, known as the BDS movement. Along with the support of many renowned critics including Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, and Desmond Tutu, IAW aims to promote the BDS course of action. On the U of G campus specifically, several individuals from organizations collaborated to organize IAW and reiterate this message though lectures, films and various public outreach actions. Guelph Peace Alliance member Drew Garvie explained how he responds to claims that the word “apartheid” is inappropriate and exaggerated by demonstrating how the term was attributed to Israel’s actions against Palestine by those who’ve lived through brutal apartheid systems themselves. “People like Desmond-Tutu, Nelson Mandela, and Ronnie Kasrils…risked their lives in order to defeat racist segregation and now view the situation in Palestine as analogous as or worse than the oppression under which they suffered,” said Garvie. Professors are also taking an
active role in participating in IAW. Dr. Michael Keefer from the School of English and Theatre Studies at the U of G gave a lecture on Tuesday night entitled the Attack on Palestinian Human Rights in Canada. Keefer expressed his steadfast support for IAW and why it is important for students and Canadians at large to engage with this week’s events. “IAW is important because this is an issue that Canada is involved in,” said Keefer. “What is happening in the occupied Palestinian territory is atrocious. The unfortunate fact is that Canada is very distinctly a part of what is going on in Gaza. It’s personally legitimate for people to say it is appalling that the Palestinians made a horrible mistake in electing Hamas, but to say…we will cut off your food supplies and clean water for your kids…is monstrous. Canada was the first nation to join in that blockade in 2006. What that means is Canadians need to be brought to an understanding of what’s happening here, and… return to the tradition of moderate responses as opposed to extremist responses, and return to a tradition of peace making.” While the topic of Israeli Apartheid may appear overwhelming in its scope, some
events are using creative platforms aimed to establish a unique way for students and community members to learn about the subject. On Thursday Mar. 4 at the Carden Street Cafe, an IAW event will explore a riveting movement presently taking shape to denounce injustices and oppose the West Bank barrier. Entitled ‘Art as Resistance,’ the event will feature a presentation with live-poetry and music to illuminate how the Israeli Apartheid is being resisted through artistic measures. As the West Bank barrier has been unexpectedly transformed into the world’s largest canvass, this event will explain why local and international artists have sought to beautify the barren concrete wall in order to voice their opposition. Depending on religious, political and geographical affiliations, individuals across the world hold conflicting opinions in regards to Israeli-Palestine relations. Regardless of how you may already view this issue, participants believe IAW remains an essential opportunity to create meaningful dialogue, establish critical outlooks, and engage with a complex conflict that continues to instigate widespread suffering while sabotaging any progress towards establishing global stability.
More environmentally sound pork? A U of G innovation may soon mean that pigs will produce much less pollution ALDIS BRENNAN It has been a long-standing folk tale that pigs are dirty animals and live in their own filth. But of lately people are becoming more familiar with the interpretation that pigs are in fact very clean animals. The Enviropig, a genetically modified line of Yorkshire pig that is currently being developed at the University of Guelph, is putting the final nail in the coffin of this myth. This enhanced pig is capable of digesting plant phosphorous more efficiently than conventional Yorkshire pigs. It does this by producing an enzyme called ‘phytase’ in its saliva, actively working to degrade indigestible ‘phytate’ contained in the grain that they eat. This reduces the amount of phosphorous in the pig’s manure by 30 to 70 per cent, depending upon age and diet. So great, the Enviropig produces less phosphorous manure, but what does this mean and how does that make this pig cleaner? The phosphorous released in the manure of the average pig is an excellent fertilizer but too much phosphorous in one area can contaminate the soil. When significant amounts of the phosphorous saturated soil reach bodies of water, they become
polluted. The phosphorous in the water can stimulate algae growth that lowers the oxygen content of the water, kills fish and can make the water unsafe to drink. If environmental sustainability is not a convincing enough reason to adopt the Enviropig, then perhaps the economic benefits are. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) have been aware of the problem of phosphorous pollution and to combat it they have relied heavily on expensive phytase dietary supplements in order to reduce the amount of phosphorous in the manure. The Enviropig reduces this cost by being able to produce phytase itself. As with any genetically modified organism, there are of course potential concerns such as whether the modified animal’s welfare is compromised and if they are safe for human consumption. The Enviropig website states that all of their animal experiments have been conducted following the guidelines set out by the Canadian Council of Animal Care, and also that in order to produce pigs meant for commercial use they would have to be healthy. The lead scientist for the Enviropig project, University of Guelph professor Cecil Forsberg, said that “the real issues at this point are the social and ethical concerns…[but] we have produced a pig which can digest phytate, making it a fit animal. [Some people are] against the use of genes from one species in another
Loud noises lasting and hearing loss
3 cause severe
Bad news for all those people who play music in their headphones at full volume: hearing loss, according to specialists, is ‘cumulative and irreversible.’ According to Dr. Brian Filgor, if a person is exposed to overly loud noises as an infant, they can suffer from hearing loss for as much as half of their lives. Because of the significantly smaller size of a young child’s ear canal, reoccurring exposure to the kind of volume common to sports events or concerts can cause serious and lasting damage to the child’s ability to hear. Filgor also explained that this kind of hearing loss is gradual and is usually not painful so it can go unnoticed and can continue to worsen. Being aware of the possibility is crucial for prevention. (New York Times)
Woman sues for wrongful mastectomy A woman who had a mastectomy in November at Windsor’s Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital is suing after it became clear that she didn’t have breast cancer when the surgery was performed. While one doctor provided the breast cancer diagnosis, a pre-surgery test revealed that this was, in fact, not the case. The doctor that performed the surgery misread the test and went ahead with the mastectomy only discovering the true result of the test postsurgery. Inquiries into the case have since been launched by the hospital and the doctor that performed the surgery has since been suspended. (CBC News)
GM recall after faulty power steering leads to 14 crashes
Cecil Forsberg
The Enviropig is an exciting development coming out of the University of Guelph. The Enviropig could one day mean more environmentally friendly conditions for keeping and raising pigs, thanks to less-toxic waste output from the animals. because it compromises their purity.” Whether the Enviropig is safe for human’s to eat remains to be determined by the Canadian regulatory authorities such as Health Canada. This project, which began at the university in 1997, has come a long way and is finally at the stage where it has begun to ask for approval from national and international regulatory bodies. Forsberg explained that it is too
early to tell when the pig will be made available to the public, but added that all applications have been submitted. “[This is the] first transgenic animal to go through this sort of regulatory review,” said Forsberg. At this point, barring any unforeseen obstacles, it seems that the Enviropig may soon be reaching supermarkets around the world where it may also have the benefit of making people feel a bit better about eating bacon.
General Motors is recalling a number of smaller model cars because of a faulty power steering feature. The effected models include Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, Pontiac Pursuit and Pontiac 4. According to GM, the cars can be controlled but required greater effort than usual. GM has placed the blame on a part from a Toyota-owned supplier that apparently didn’t meet quality standards. This comes at a time when Toyota is being forced to recall eight million cars for various problems, including accelerator and braking problems. (BBC News)
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MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
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Disney shows kids a “Whole New World”, but is it the right one? Some critical th i n k i ng may reveal that Disney movies aren’t as harmless as they seem JOSH DOYLE “When we watch cartoons, values are shaped in our minds forever. You can’t escape those values even when you’re older,” said Khatereh Sheibani, an English professor at the University of Guelph. Sheibani teaches classes on post-colonial literature and film at the U of G. The term “postcolonial” refers to places and people that have come under the dominating influence of imperial powers, and for media corporations like Disney, portraying them in the right way is a serious business. Aladdin is one of Disney’s most popular cartoon feature films and is a prime example of how contentious these children’s films can be. Aladdin takes place in the geographic area now classified as the Middle East, giving its own version of that culture which
Bruce Tuten
While Disney cartoons usually fill us with warm memories from childhood, even something so seemingly innocent might require some critical thought. tends to portray the area’s people inaccurately. “Hollywood movies like
Disney productions simplify other parts of world. They present a very standardized “other” meaning
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usually of another culture or nation,” said Sheibani. The character Aladdin is presented as a Middle Eastern boy who doesn’t have much money and is just trying to get by. But critics claim that the strange thing about him is his strikingly North American appearance and demeanor. You need only hear him speak to hear that he has no accent, and his American hairstyle makes him look like Zac Efron. The physically Middle Eastern character’s are the villains in the film, often chasing him around, portrayed as angry, unpleasant men who carry swords and have no manners. “I was born and raised in the Middle East, yet I got to know Arabian Nights through Aladdin,” said Sheibani. “The colonizing process first and foremost happens psychologically.” According to Sheibani, even if one comes from the area portrayed
in a film, Disney and many other Hollywood movies can draw you into believing in false stereotypes. Aladdin is not the only film with stereotyping issues. Pinnochio wouldn’t be complete without its bad tempered Italian villain, Stromboli. Interestingly this film was made in 1940, when Italy and America were fighting one another in the Second World War. Lady and the Tramp features Siamese cats that are portrayed as South Asian, and run around the house causing all kinds of mischief and blaming it on the hero of the film, an innocent American dog. “Normally the hero is American in Hollywood Disney movies, and the ‘other’ is very one dimensional,” explained Sheibani. One of the most prominent ideas within Disney films is its portrayal of gender roles, especially in the princess movies. The majority of feminine characters in these films are defined by their quest for a handsome prince, which is usually their only true hope for happiness. “American women as portrayed in Disney could be considered colonized because again, the idea of superiority is focused on white males dominating them,” said Sheibani. Aladdin, throughout the film, is in love with the beautiful princess Jasmine, which shows young male viewers that they too must go out and find a princess in order to be happy. This, in turn, is perhaps placing a specific type of societal expectations on young male viewers as well. “Women should be beautiful sexual objects of desire for men, but they should also prove economic value,” said Sheibani, on the expectations placed on female characters in many Disney princess films. What Sheibani recommends is to question what we are viewing, even if it’s something as seemingly innocent as our most beloved Disney cartoons.
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Taking out a human book from the library The second annual ‘Human Library’ kicks of at U of G NICOLE ELSASSER For the second year in a row, the University of Guelph library will be abuzz with excitement for the Human Library. On Mar. 4 and 5, students, faculty and members of the community will all have the opportunity to sit down with a ‘human book,’ and through one-on-one conversation, leave feeling as though they’ve learned something from someone with a different world view or experience. The human books for this year’s event include people from groups that often face misconceptions or prejudice. Among 30 people volunteering to be books, there is a drag queen, someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a First Nation Métis and a victim of a drunk driver. Participants, or readers as they are called by Human Library organizers, are welcome to sign up for a time slot with any human books that interest them. Janet Kaufman, who works in the Chief Librarian’s office at the U of G and the coordinator of this year’s event, explained that the ‘human books’ are selected in a number of different ways. Some were participants from last year and were asked to return. Other ‘human books’ were selected
in order to have certain topics represented and there were also people who simply came forward and volunteered to be ‘human books’. “Based on ideas from participants last year, I had another list of topic ideas. Not necessarily names to go with them, but at least some ideas that readers had suggested they would be interested in,” said Kaufman. “We then did some thinking about those topic areas, thinking about people I
about whatever the topics represented were. It was that combination of that buzz and quiet in a way.” With last year’s Human Library event being the first at the U of G, participants filled out thorough evaluations, all which according to Kaufman were very encouraging. “There were overwhelmingly positive comments from people who participated,” said Kaufman. “We had people indicate that they had learned something
It’s a real opportunity to dispel misconceptions, myths and confront stereotypes and prejudices that people have in a non-threatening, nonjudgmental safe space. …It has a very personal kind of connection to it Janet Kaufman coordinator of Human Library might know who might fit those categories and consulted with some other people.” According to Kaufman, the atmosphere of the event is a bit difficult to describe. “As much as there is a buzz, it is also very quiet,” said Kaufman. “What we have is one-on-one discussion going on. People were sitting having quiet conversations
new, that they had appreciated the opportunity to meet with an individual, or maybe several different individuals depending on the topics that they had chosen and to ask questions that they would never have had a chance to ask otherwise.” According to Kaufman, it’s this very opportunity to engage with someone one-on-one that people
Jamie MacDonald
The Human Library brings in people from various misrepresented groups to be human books for the day and invites others to sit down one-on-one for conversation. find so appealing about the Human Library, distinguishing the event from one where an individuals speaks about themselves to a large group. “[It’s] the opportunity to sit down face-to-face with someone in a safe environment where names are not necessarily exchanged…[and]
there’s an atmosphere of respect that we try to encourage,” said Kaufman. “It’s a real opportunity to dispel misconceptions, myths and confront stereotypes and prejudices that people have in a non-threatening, non-judgmental safe space. …It has a very personal kind of connection to it.”
policy and transition manager’s responsibilities. Doyle’s portfolio is also responsible for overseeing student elections. The policy and transition manager thus encompasses the electoral CEO position, which was also formerly a student job. Lastly, Doyle acts as a board resource. The policy and transition manager is responsible for some of the clerical duties associated with board of director meetings, coordinating the board of director training and generally acting as a resource to the chair with regard to policies, bylaws and Roberts’ Rules (guidelines for efficiently running meetings). Doyle’s emphasis on continuity, growth and efficiency through analysis and evaluation starts with herself. “There’s an administrative component involving the review of the job itself because the position is new,” said Doyle. Doyle thinks the new position will not just help transition CSA members from year to year but also help synchronize various programs and initiatives within the CSA. “The CSA has a lot of people working for it who are really passionate about what they’re doing but it’s not centralized in any kind of organized way,” she said. Doyle feels that she can help provide that organization.
“One of my biggest goals is achieving that efficiency and really making sure there’s positive, forward motion,” said Doyle. “My job is not to create new services or change what’s currently working, but to facilitate passing on what’s working.” Any students with efficiency concerns regarding the CSA can find Doyle at the CSA office in the second floor of the UC.
Growth in the CSA Ja k k i D oyl e a s Policy and Transition Manager DAN HOWSE The Central Student Assocaition (CSA) has recently created a new position called Policy and Transition Manager. Former CSA Finance and Human Resource Commissioner, Jakki Doyle, was selected for the position and hired on a one-year contract. While many governments are frequently characterized as being overly bureaucratic and inefficient, this hire is far from extraneous or irrelevant. With the turnover that oneyear elected positions necessitate, one of the policy and transition manager’s primary responsibilities is the development and upkeep of transition materials and operating manuals for the service and programs within the CSA. “Right now, all the services operate with their own form of transition, which is maybe a little more inefficient than it could be,” said Doyle. Doyle is optimistic that this continuity will not only help make the CSA more efficient, but an organization that consistently improves. “If someone’s excelling and doing a really great job one year, in two years a new staff member
Rashaad Bhamjee
Jakki Doyle, the new policy and transition manager for the CSA, is working to improve efficiency in the student government. might not ever have met that person and they wouldn’t know what the benefits were of how they did their job,” said Doyle. The policy and transition manager’s other primary responsibilities include the review of all CSA policies and
bylaws as well as serving as the chair of the CSA Policy and Bylaw Review Committee. This encompasses a former student position, that of researcher. They are currently in overlap, but in the future, the researcher position will be incorporated into the
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CFS ‘for dummies’ The Ontarion attempts to make a convoluted issue simple and clear DANIEL BITONTI A small percentage of students already think it really is a big issue: the university’s student government pursuing legal action against both the provincial and national components of the Canadian Federation of Students, Canada’s largest student lobby group. Last week, the Ontarion ran a front-page news story that detailed the current legal proceedings between the CSA and the CFS. It was dry. It was filled with ith legal jargon. It was perhaps interesting to only those who understood what had happened, how it got to this point, and where the storyy was going. Ironically, the same week, k, we ran a centre story that questioned student apathy towards student politics. Our news story was clearly an ineffective way of curbing this very apathy. So this week, the Ontarion looks at what the CFS is, what has transpired between the federation and the University of Guelph, and some of
the criticisms of the organization. Basically this is a “dummy’s guide” to the issue. The CSA, your student government, is one of over 80 student unions thatt make up the Canadian Federation of Students. The CSA A
belongs to both the national and provincial components of the federation and each semester, every undergraduate student pays CFS membership fees $3.30 to CFS-Ontario and $3.97 to CFS-National. “Basically they have a threepronged approach. They do lobbying, research and campaigning,” said Momina Mir, the CSA’s external commissioner. “And believe it or not,
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the amount of contribution students pay for CFS is outnumbered by the benefits they receive. Students are getting a lot of what they individually would have never been able to accomplish acco without being part of the CFS.” CFS The Th CFS’s best-known initiative is reducing tuition, lobbying the government g on behalf of students. In Ontario, the Drop Fees campaign culminated in a day of action against tuition hikes, a showing of solidarity more than th anything else. According to the CFS, national efforts to reduce and an freeze tuition have had success over the last 15 years. Tuition fees in British Columbia, for example, were w frozen between 1996 and 2002. In Manitoba, fees were reduced by 10 pe cent in 2000-2001, only to finally per thaw last year. Students in Quebec, as well as Newfoundland and Larbrador, have also benefited from tuition freezes in the past decade. Beyond fighting for affordable education, the CFS provides students with services such as the International Student Identification Card and the Travel CUTS program, promoting student-oriented products and services, such as student fares on airlines and trains, and student tour packages. But what gets Mir particularly fired up are the wide range of social justice causes taken up by the CFS, such as the Task Force on Racism and the Task Force on Islamaphobia, a program Mir was personally involved in. “Those students have no other avenue,” Mir said. “This report [on islamaphobia] was done provincially and nationally so you get to see what’s happening at other campuses that are better than you and ones that are not as good as you. “You can share that information and improve on your services. I took this report to all the administrations across the province and I worked with administrations on improving services that impacted students locally.” Erin Millar, a journalist who has been covering the CFS since 2002 and a founding editor of Maclean’s On Campus website, agrees with Mir on the effectiveness of a national student lobby. “[The] CFS has access to so many ministers. They have the ability to put in opinion on the budget. They have all that structure. They have done a hell of a lot over the years,” she said. “If you look at some of the things they have done on campus,
not to do with tuition, they are really important.” Millar points to the No Means No campaign as an example of this, a CFS-run initiative that raises awareness about rape, something that “nobody on campuses wants to talk about.” But the CSA has taken legal action against the CFS, in the name of democracy. In the fall of this year, student organizers, frustrated with the federation, sent petitions to the provincial and national component with student signatures requesting a referendum. According to both CFS-Ontario and CFS-National bylaws, in order for a referendum to take place, petitions must be sent to the federation six months prior to an intended referendum with signatures of 10 per cent of the student undergraduate population. CFS-Ontario has denied students a referendum because petitions were sent in past the deadline. Issues over the validity of student signatures on the petition sent to the national component have stalled the process there. The CSA has asked the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to decide whether a referendum will take place. It will do so on Mar. 23. A smooth referendum process has seemed elusive at other universities, as well. The Post Graduate Students Society at McGill is currently asking courts in Quebec to set a referendum date. In the spring of 2008, the B.C. Supreme Court decided that Kwantlen University College would get to vote on the issue of membership after the CFS tried to delay the vote until the fall of that year. Similarly, the CFS had previously asked the provincial courts in Ontario to rule on the Guelph petitions this April or May, a development that would have effectively postponed the referendum to the fall. What has happened over the last several years continues to be a matter of interpretation; some students have argued that litigations between the CFS and students unions reflects the heavy-handed tactics of an overzealous and greedy organization, bent on putting barriers up to democracy. Other will argue that bylaws are bylaws, and in the case of the Guelph petitions, the bylaws were not followed. Whatever the case, Millar has picked up on a trend over the last eight years: “I guess the thing that has been consistent over the years has been this ends justifies the means thinking that is really, really harmful,”
she said. “I think they [the CFS] honestly believe in it [their mission]... people who want change are kind of seen as just foolish students. So they [the CFS] justify the crazy tactics they have in the name of the issues that are so important.” Millar points to several antidemocratic practices of the CFS she believes has led to a “backlash”over the last several years. While government and university transparency is one of the CFS’s key lobbying platforms, student media has found it difficult to attend CFS annual general meetings over the years. This past December, the Concordian reported that the CFS granted media credentials to only two reporters for their Annual AGM, one being the Ottawa bureau chief for the Canadian University Press. The CFS has also explicitly tried to silence dissent in the past, according to Millar. In 2007, in perhaps the best-known example, the CFS threatened Ryerson’s student newspaper with a lawsuit if it printed certain statements about the organization. In a joint letter to the editor last week, the Guelph Campus Conservatives, University of Guelph Young Liberals and Guelph campus Greens outlined their own issues with the CFS and demanded that the Canadian Federation of Students “demonstrate financial and administrative transparency, take a non-partisan stance during elections, acknowledge student right to choose through a referendum and cease unjust litigation of your own students.” Again, the claims that the CFS is against democracy are a matter of how you interpret events that have taken place over the decade. Mir, however, still remains confused on where anti-CFS rhetoric is coming from. “There hasn’t been a single student out of 18, 500 students who have walked in here to my office and said ‘I have a problem with the CFS being not transparent and asking about issues over litigation.’ This is the first time I have heard of any issue. This is a new concept that [the] CFS isn’t democratic.” Student media across the country continues to report weekly in a way that highlights the transgressions of the CFS. But being such a complex issue, if students wish to truly grasp the issue, you must become journalists, ensconcing yourself in the hundreds of articles written over the last five years. All we have to say is good luck!
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ARTS & CULTURE
7
Helping Haiti rebuild better DAN HOWSE If someone told you Haiti needs to rebuild better, you’d probably think they were referring to architecture. Anyone who owns a T.V. has seen the tragic images of sunken buildings, buried families and massive destruction caused by the recent earthquake. Yet many people don’t realize that one of the reasons the devastation has been so severe is that Haitians have been plagued by similarly catastrophic social and economic disasters. At 1pm this Saturday Mar. 6, the Bookshelf Cinema will be screening Artistide and the Endless Revolution, directed by Nicholas Rosser. Mary Skerrett, one of the event organizers and members of the Canada Haiti Action Network, described the film as “a balanced and fairly detailed account of the removal of the democraticallyelected government in Haiti, in February, 2004, by forces from the United States, Canada, and France.” Many Canadians do not know the role that Canada played in the removal of this government six years ago. This documentary will provide insight into actions that have gone virtually unreported in the mainstream press. Skerrett thinks
it is important that Canadians are aware of the part they have played in the current state of Haitian governance. “Most Canadians do not realize that Canada played a role in not only the coup d’etat, but also the installation and direct support of the ‘installed’ regime lasting two years following the coup,” Skerrett said. “This brutal regime resulted in military occupation by a supposed ‘UN Peacekeeping Mission,’ and severe repression of the Haitian masses.” Furthermore, many of them do not know the role that Canadians play in the support of the government in power currently. “Most Canadians do not realize that Haiti is Canada’s largest aid commitment in the Americas and the second-largest aid commitment in the world after Afghanistan,” Skerrett added. Although Canadians have jumped to Haiti’s aid in response to the recent tragedy, very few of them know precisely where their money is going. Skerrett contended that much of the support going into Haiti is in the hands of loaning institutions and other groups not furthering Haiti’s best interests. “Most of the money in Haiti right now is
in the coffers of the International lending Institutions, and the many thousands of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) which have been operating in Haiti for the past few decades; many of which are funded by Canadian aid dollar.” Skerrett said. “The Haitian government must be strengthened in order to work alongside the Haitian population to rebuild their country.” The event has also been supported by local Guelph labor advocacy groups. Local CUPE 3913 Chair, Trudi Lorenz, urged citizens concerned with where their tax dollars go to check out the screening. “[Much] of the poverty exists because of the foreign policy, imperialism and colonialism that Canada has been implicated in” Lorenz said, “and a lot of people don’t know. We’ve been concerned about the earthquake but we should also be concerned about why the devastation has been so horrible and how we’ve been implicated in it.” The screening will be followed by a question and answer session with speakers from the Canada Haiti Action Network. For further information, check out canadahaitiaction.ca.
Rashaad Bhamjee
University of Guelph student and singer Amy Nodwell performs during a noon hour concert and benefit called Hearts for Haiti,
The Juried Art Show, in its 42nd year takes over the Zavitz Gallery <
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competition. This year, organizers expect close to 200 submissions. And with no categories, the best paintings, sculptures and performance pieces will compete together. According to Miles Stemp and Darryn Doull, this year’s curators, it’s the degree of student involvement that makes the show different from any other. “It’s the shear scale of it all, the fact that it is entirely student instigated,” said Doull. “The whole process starts with the students, it’s for the students and everyone comes together around the students.” It’s the responsibility of both Stemp and Doull to select jurors and organize submissions. This year’s annual silent auction takes place tonight at Atmosphere
at 8pm, featuring the pieces of respected names in the art community, including the works of several professors from the School of Fine Art and Music. All work for the auction was donated. But organizers say the Juried Art Show has as much to do with exposure as competition, providing aspiring professionals with a venue to display their work to the wider artistic community. “We get contemporary Canadian artists, writers and critics from Toronto and the surrounding area because of the connections we have,” said Stemp, still not ready to reveal this year’s respected panel of jurors. “It’s sort of fortifying what the University of Guelph has started to forge with Toronto. I think that is really a key thing,” added Doull.
“As far as the jury goes, that is one of the unique things that they are totally separate from the university … that is part of the value of the experience. People get a chance to know someone in the art world. We bring in a respected person from Toronto and they come and spend the day with us.” Last year’s jurors included Corwyn Lund, a sculptor from Toronto, Erin Stump, a curator who works with Board of Directors gallery in Toronto, and Ivan Jurakic, a U of G Studio grad and the curator of the Cambridge Gallery. Both Stemp and Doull said that Univeristy of Guelph grads are now becoming an extremely hot commodity in the Toronto art community. Members of the “Guelph Mafia” as they are known in Toronto, have seen their work
Julia Chapman
The Juried Art show provides art students the opportunity to have their work judged by an internationally recognized jury. displayed in top galleries in the city. Doull thinks over half the galleries in Toronto have someone from Guelph working in them. Along with the top ten prizes as well as the 20 honorable mentions
selected by the jury, each discipline in the studio art department will award it’s own prizes as well. The Juried Art Show is free and open to the public.
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ARTS & CULTURE
MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
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ARTS & CULTURE
161.7
GIRLS
ALBUM
On the surface, Album by the all male band, Girls, is one of the many melancholy, low fidelity gems of 2009. But catch a glimpse of Christopher Owens’s (singer/ songwriter) back story and demons start to emerge. Owens grew up in the evangelist Christian cult, Children of God (COG), until he escaped at age 16. COG was started in California in the 1960s and grew notoriety for sex abuse scandals involving children. One of the most recent and disturbing scandals was the 2005 murder-suicide committed by Ricky Rodriguez (son of COG leader). It’s not of public record, whether Owens was sexually abused as a child, but his lyrics and music videos suggest a curiosity surrounding nudity and sexuality (see “hardcore version” of the “Lust For Life” music video). In the opening line of the opening track, Owens states, “I wish I had a boyfriend…” it’s possible he is “coming out” but it seems more likely he’s expressing his lack of a male figure growing up and continuing the androgynous joke which started with the band’s name. (In an interview by Faqmagazine, Owens confirms the latter). Perhaps Owens can rest now, after finding Chet “JR” White, the other (lesser profile) half of Girls who does the band’s lo-fi production. Call Album “shoegaze,” “jangly,” “Californian” or “surf-rock.” Or make all the Elvis Costello/Beach Boys/Buddy Holly comparisons you like. At the end of the day, Album sounds just as unique as it did when it was released last September. In the first 22/44 minutes, “Lust For Life,” “Laura,” “Ghost Mouth” and
“Hellhole Ratrace,” floor you with emotional distress. While the second act picks you up and leaves you longing for “Summertime,” “LaurenMarie” and “Morning Light.” For the average person, your troubles pale in comparison, making Album the perfect cheer-up record for the midterm blues. As toe-tapping as some of the tracks are, the lyrics and vocals are what really make Album an impressive debut. It’s a lesson in minimalist writing and on no other track are the lyrics as clear and powerful than in “Hellhole Ratrace.” The song starts out with a pseudoreprise to “Ghost Mouth,” but quickly bursts into an unforgettable chorus. Although never tedious, it’s easy to get lost in the 7 minutes of repetition over ever-dreamier guitars. It’s a disturbing question, “would Girls be famous without Owens’ cult history?” It’s not a stretch of the imagination to think, “No.” Girls are not the first artists to get a publicity boost from COG. Jeremy Spencer, former member of Fleetwood Mac, is also one of the oldest members of COG and gave Owens his first guitar (according to Matador Records). The Phoenixes (River, Joaquin, Summer and Rain), Rose McGowan and Susan Cagle were all COG members. Regardless, even records as good as Album don’t stand the test of time without some undeniable talent backing them.
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Featured artist: Christina Boyer Christina Boyer is a painter that is working herself out of painting within painting. If that description is confusing, that’s alright, but it really isn’t that difficult to comprehend. Think of it as if you were a pediatrician that doesn’t like working with kids, but all your training is in that field. What makes Boyer’s work interesting is that she is thinking about painting in a completely different way. Her source materials are photographs, though she relies on them minimally. She translates the photograph from a real to an abstracted painting, yet still maintains elements of the image. Primarily, Boyer uses pictures taken from Facebook, which is, in and of itself, not unique. What makes Boyer unique is her ability to make the subject matter engaging by developing a disconnect between the subject and painter. Furthermore, she brings the ownership of the image into question, while facilitating a dialogue concerning the façade of our personal identity that we create and censor. She engages our perceived notions of self versus our actual selves. I would describe Boyer’s practice as loose and free flowing, allowing her to develop her paintings intuitively. It becomes the mixture of the shear joy of painting with the agony and frustration of it, yet it all works out in the end. She leaves unprimed sections of the canvas that create a dialogue between the picture plane and the physical surface. This is similar to a technique used by Vancouver painter Ben Reeves, who engages with the painting on both surfaces. Boyer and Reeves blot out the image and create importance in not only the subject, but in the paint, the painting style, and the process. -Miles Stemp
Notable Tracks: “Hellhole Ratrace”, “Lust For Life”, “Laura”, “Ghost Mouth” Listeners may also enjoy: The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – S/T Top: Soap Suds Bottom: Cigarettes Where The Advertisement
Next Sound Check: Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me -Daniel Wright
When life gives you lemonade, make art out of it Dave Willekes shows his work at eBar with Burn Planetarium JOSH DOYLE “I’ve tried to not treat art with as much preciousness as I have in the past, and that sort of influenced how I used different mediums. That’s how the whole coffee thing came about,” said Dave Willekes, explaining some of the bizarre techniques behind his new and old art, both of which he’ll be showcasing at eBar this Thursday. Willekes art will be featured at eBar before a live concert featuring Guelph’s Burn Planetarium and Waterloo’s Tyson & the Trepids. Willekes graduated from the University of Guelph’s studio art program in 2007 and has been busy ever since making waves in the Guelph scene with his unique approach to visuals. The biggest wave he’s made came in the form of a show called Le Cyc. Le Cyc, showcases a dystopian society powered by bicycles, and
the imbalance of power within it. The show’s haunting combination of still frames, all done by Willekes and all done using coffee and wine, has an alluring effect when put to music provided by an indie orchestra. The show is a multimedia collaboration with an indie undertone, featuring vocal performances, a six piece orchestra, and nearly 400 images hand painted by Willekes. All of his work will be available for your viewing pleasure at eBar this Thursday. “For Le Cyc, the overarching theme was to never become complacent with the circumstances that you’re in. You have to continually be questioning your surroundings and the power
Courtesy
structures around you,” said Dave explaining a bit about the show. Le Cyc went on tour beginning in September 2008 and didn’t stop until December 2009, hitting everywhere from Willekes’
hometown of Guelph to Montreal, and just about everywhere in between. If you missed it, don’t fret - they’re looking to book some performances for this year as well. Willekes’ latest work isn’t the multimedia bombardment Le Cyc was, and the paintings aren’t done using coffee and wine. This time he used ink, along with lemonade and orange juice. It seems Willekes can’t get enough of these unexpected sources of colour. What motivates an artist to include these strange ingredients in his work? “There’s colour and pigment in pretty much everything around us,” he noted. “So I just got into the habit of using everything around me, and often they would give me really unusual results, which ultimately are more interesting to look at. You kind of get the chaos of these random elements drying on a page.” It makes sense, when you consider that experimentation is a huge part of the evolution of art.
“Having a cup of some left over lemonade, you think, lets see what happens if I throw some ink in there and put it on the page. Its got this strange effect and I think, ‘wow, I couldn’t have done that if I tried to.’ It’s sort of like embracing the randomness of other elements that you can’t expect.” As of late, Willekes has branched off from his work in Le Cyc and has been putting energy into new projects, some of which will appear at eBar. “Overall I guess those pieces are overlapping other art I’ve done in the past.” He added that his work is partially a response to what some call graffiti, and the art that comes into existence as part of normal city life. “In the streets, art is always covering itself. It’s like this evolving organism the way we see walls and the way they are continuously overlapping and changing.” Visit the walls of eBar and check out Willekes’ newest work and then hear the music of one of Guelph’s tightest local groups.
SPORTS & HEALTH
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MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
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Sweeping through the semis Gr yphons net f ive goals in front of h o m e c r o wd t o advance to the OUA Championship. JUSTIN DUNK The Guelph Gryphons women’s hockey team is playing their best hockey at the right time of year. After taking down the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in the OUA quarter-finals, the Gryphons knocked off the second-seeded Queen’s Gaels 5-2 on Saturday afternoon and ran their playoff winning streak to three games. After defeating the Gaels 7-4 in a surprise road upset on Thursday, the Gryphons started strong again on Saturday, racing out to a 1-0 lead, early in the first period. Jessica Zerafa provided the first Gryphons goal just seven and a half minutes into the period. Zerafa’s goal was her second of the playoffs and added to her leagueleading playoff scoring tally with seven points. Goaltender Danielle
Rashaad Bhamjee
Gryphons forward Dayna Kanis tries to go high on Gaels goaltender Mel Dodd-Moher in Saturday’s semi-final win over Queen’s. Skoufranis had two huge saves early on to keep her team in the game. Skoufranis turned away a breakaway, and a Gaels two-on-
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one rush to keep the score 1-0 after the first period of play. The second period was filled with back and forth offensive action - eventually, the Gaels were able to solve Skoufranis and tie the game at one apiece. Shortly after Queen’s tied the score, third-year
We’re pumped to be coming together at the right time to really give Laurier a taste of their own medicine. Patricia Harris
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Gryphons fourth-year forward Gryphons forward Erin Small grabbed the lead right back with a brilliant wrist shot off the rush that beat Gaels goaltender Mel Dodd-Moher high on her glove side. Small also added two assists
in the game after scoring a hattrick in Game 1. “When I was coming down [the wing], I just cut in and used the defenceman as a screen,” said Small. “[Dodd-Moher] had no idea where the puck was.” Small’s team-leading fourth goal of the playoffs sent the fans at the Gryphon Centre into a frenzy and ignited the rest of the Gryphons attack. The Gryphons took their 2-1 lead into the third period, with a series sweep and a berth in the OUA championship just 20 minutes away. The team carried the momentum from Small’s second period goal into the final frame. The Gryphons were all over the Gaels in the third period, bringing relentless pressure against the Gaels defence and sensing how close they were to advancing to the next round. The Gryphons scored three goals in the final period to slam the door on any hopes of a Gaels comeback. Third-year defenceman Jacalyn Sollis scored the third goal of the game for the Gryphons on a slap shot from just inside the Queen’s blueline. It was Sollis’ second game-winner of the playoffs.
The final two Gryphon markers were scored by thirdyear defenceman Jody Hodgins, and fourth-year forward Patricia Harris, who finished off some hard work from line-mate Samantha Ryder in the corner. With the win over Queen’s, the Gryphons are back in the OUA championship series, and will face the Laurier Golden Hawks for the second consecutive year in the league finals. All of the Gryphons are looking forward to another shot at the five-time defending OUA champions. The team knows what they have to do in order beat the Golden Hawks this time around. “We just have to play really smart and not be selfish,” said Ryder. “[If we] play as a team, I think we can be really successful.” The best-of-three series starts on Thursday, Mar. 4 at the Sun Life Financial Arena in Waterloo, then returns to Guelph on Saturday and then back to Waterloo on Sunday, if necessary. Harris and the Gryphons can’t wait to get back out on the ice. “Were pumped to be coming together at the right time to really give Laurier a taste of their own medicine.”
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Coaching search will begin immediately
League honours for Gryphons rookie Kiriakou takes home OUA hardware as Gryphons season comes to a close
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DAN HOWSE While the Gryphon men’s hockey team had their playoff wings clipped by the Lakehead Thunderwolves in the OUA West semi-finals on Friday, there are plenty of things to remain optimistic about. The Gryphons beat their first-round opponent at Laurier, fell in overtime in both losses to Lakehead, and still, like everyone else, got to cheer on Canada against the United States on Sunday. However,even more importantly, this team is poised for the future. Just prior to the Lakehead series, centre Thomas Kiriakou and defenceman Tim Priamo were both named to the OUA West all-rookie team and Kiriakou was named OUA West Rookie of the year, after leading the Gryphons with 32 points and 14 goals during the regular season. Priamo was the highest-scoring defenceman for the Gryphons this season, adding four goals and 16 assists. Kiriakou was nothing short of a pleasant surprise for the Gryphons this season. While by no means unknown to coaches, the Ottawa ‘67s product wasn’t necessarily planning on pursuing his university education right away. After being cut in training camp by the Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League, Kiriakou decided that taking advantage of the education package the OUA offered was more important than playing for the Florida Everblades, one of the Wild’s minor league affiliates.
Rashaad Bhamjee
Thomas Kiriakou (left-centre in white) was among the team leaders in most offensive categories in his rookie season. Having friends already in the program and having heard great things about the campus, Kiriakou elected to pursue the next stage of his career in Guelph. “I heard Guelph had a great program,” he said. Although Kiriakou was part of a consistently solid ‘67s team, his former OHL club had had limited success in the playoffs. Despite a berth in the Memorial Cup in his first year at age 16, the ‘67s hadn’t made it out of the first round since. With that in mind, Kiriakou was enthusiastic about defeating the favoured Golden Hawks in the first round, but felt that the Gryphons could have easily beaten Lakehead in the semi-finals, leaving him optimistic and focused for next year.
“Laurier was a great series for us.” Kiriakou said. “[Goaltender] Scott Van Bommel stood on his head and in the [Lakehead] series, we lost both games in overtime. “We knew we could beat Lakehead. They were ranked third, but they only had two more points than Laurier,” he continued, showing frustration given the closeness of the playoff losses. “At the beginning of the year, we played Laurier in an exhibition [game] and they just crushed us. But our record after Christmas was [so much better]. We had a lot of young guys and new players so no one really gelled together quick.” Though coming so close was obviously frustrating, Kiriakou was impressed by the teamwork that the
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Gryphons demonstrated. “We came together as a group, which was fantastic,” he added. According to Kiriakou, the strongest part of his game is his passing sense. “I can read plays really well, and I know where my linemates are,” he said. His linemates are inclined to agree. Ed Gale said that he and Kiriakou, along with fellow linemate Kris Belan, clicked immediately once head coach Shawn Camp put them on a line together. “We had instant success together,” Gale said, recognizing that a large part of this chemistry was due to Kiriakou’s understanding of the game. “He reads the play well and is a great finisher at the net.”
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luck. They understand what an opportunity this is for me and my family.” As a former Gryphon player himself, Walters has always been recognized as a player’s coach, and is firmly responsible with having turned the team around in the past few years, instilling a positive winning attitude and earning the respect of his players and fellow coaches. “[Coach Walters] really increased my understanding of the game,” said graduating fifth-year quarterback Justin Dunk, arguably the player that benefited the most from Walters’ teaching. “He always had my back and believed in me as a player. He brought a winning attitude to this team.” This is not Walters’ first professional coaching opportunity. A former defensive back with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL, Walters went on to be the assistant special teams coach with the TiCats in 2003 before returning to his alma mater as assistant coach and defensive coordinator in 2004-05. The head coaching vacancy with the Gryphons is said to be one of the more desired positions in Canadian university sport and is expected to draw a healthy number of applicants from a variety of backgrounds. The position is expected to be filled within the next several weeks in time for spring camp. “We’re going to fill this position as soon as we can. We’d like experience at this level of coaching,” said Kendall. “We’re looking for [someone with] a clear vision where the program will go and how to get athletes to their full potential. “We need someone who will fit right into the culture in this city. We’ll be very selective.”
Gryphons off to the final four SARAH DUNSTAN The Gryphon men’s volleyball team beat the Windsor Lancers in a nail-biting five-set match on Saturday and their celebration, however sweet, was short lived, as the Gryphons are already preparing to compete in the OUA semi-finals against the McMaster Marauders. The full-length match-up featured outstanding back and forth action with neither team able to sustain a great deal of momentum, and, despite Guelph’s best efforts, the Lancers took the first set by a score of 25-23. But, the Gryphons fought back, ending the second set with a resounding 25-12 victory. The score was predominantly tied for the duration of the third set, but the Lancers managed to pile on the extra points towards the end, finishing the set with a 25-23 advantage, putting the Gryphons season on the brink of collapse. Guelph brought the game to a tie by ending the fourth set with a score of 25-18, and worked frantically to beat out the Lancers in the fifth by a score of 15-12. Notable contributors
in the Gryphons victory were Andrew Revie with a phenomenal 25 points, Andrew Bartram with 18, and Jonathan Whitton with 16. The team was ecstatic with the results of the game, bringing them one step closer to the OUA championship title. But, by the time head coach Cal Wigston had returned to Guelph from the St. Denis Centre, he was already watching replay videos and preparing for Friday’s game. Though the team’s winning streak may seem sporadic to onlookers, according to Wigston, the team’s success has been several years in the making. “Four years ago, we sat down and [asked] ‘when do we want to go for the championship?’” said Wigston. Instilling a philosophy in an individual, let alone a team of volleyball players, is a lengthy process; however, it looks as though all the behind-the-scenes planning has finally paid off. The team has finally come together, and has a good shot at winning the OUA championship title. “Friday’s game will be an opportunity for us to get back into
the final game,” said Wigston. Championship outcomes aside, the men’s volleyball team has still had a great season. Last Friday, three Gryphons received OUA honours, including libero of the year Gabe deGroot, who received the honour for the second consecutive season, after placing third in OUA in total digs with 173. Second-year rightside Winston Rosser lit up the scoreboard for the Gryphons this season with a scoring average of 4.22 points-per-game, placing him fourth in the OUA, and Jonathan Whitton, a fifth-year student, finished second on the team in scoring, with an average 3.37 points-per-game. Wigston indicated that all three of these players have contributed to the team’s successful season, and are extremely motivated to win the OUA championship. The Gryphons will play against McMaster on Friday in Hamilton. Guelph has fared well against the Marauders during the regular season with respective game scores of 3-1 and 3-0. But, however skilled the men may be, they can expect no easy victory. McMaster still very much
Rashaad Bhamjee
Fifth-year captain Jonathan Whitton was instrumental in helping to lead the Gryphons over Windsor in the OUA quarter-finals. presents a formidable foe, “They’re a seasoned veteran team
with some very good players,” said Wigston.
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MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
SPORTS & HEALTH
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Track and field competition tightens Unexpected performance at OUA Championships has Gryphons hungry for nationals MIKE TREADGOLD Perhaps all that was needed was a little wakeup call for the Guelph Gryphons track and field teams. The perennial favourites in the OUA, the Gryphons performed well, but not quite as well as they might have expected at the OUA Championships at York University last weekend, with the men finishing second and the women third. “I feel ‘medium’ about how things went,” said head coach Dave Scott-Thomas of how he felt about the weekend’s performances. “We realistically finished a little bit below expectations.” The Windsor Lancers won both the men’s and women’s team titles, cementing their program as the current favourite going into the CIS national championships next weekend. As a team, the Gryphons won 19 medals. The Gryphon men tied for second place with Western, and the women trailed only the Mustangs and Lancers. “The track and field league is very strong right now,” said ScottThomas. “It’s way better now, top to bottom, than it was 10, or even five years ago.” Despite the team’s overall shortcomings, the Gryphons still had a number of outstanding performances, including a podium sweep of the men’s weight throw competition, led by All-Canadian Dustin McCrank, who was joined on the podium by Tim Hendry and rookie Brent Roubos. Gryphons rookies also performed admirably at York, led by a startling
Rashaad Bhamjee
Dustin McCrank continued to dominate the men’s weight throw event, winning gold at the OUA Championships. gold medal performance by Jason Diston in the pentathalon. “Jason is one of the top two or three athletes on campus,” said Scott-Thomas on Diston, who also plays for the Gryphons football team in the fall. “I think he’ll be a strong candidate for OUA Rookie of the Year in track and field. “I’ve been coaching for a long time,” Scott-Thomas continued. “I can tell you that he has national team potential. He’s going to be a keystone of this program for years to come.” Other Gryphon gold medalists included Sarah Peirce in the women’s 60m, Kyle Boorsma in the men’s 1500m and Rachel Cliff in the women’s 3000m. Despite the Gryphons struggles at York, Scott-Thomas, the eternal optimist, is ready for a big showing
in Windsor. “We’ve got [another week] to reload and re-learn for [nationals],” he said. “We’ve got a better team than we showed last weekend, but I’m not down about it.” While the exact number of Gryphons who will be competing in Windsor has not yet been finalized, Scott-Thomas speculated that there will likely be around 14 Gryphon women and 20 men participating. The showcase track event of the finals is likely to be the men’s 3000m, which could feature as many as five Gryphons in the final eight, including the return of Matt Brunsting, the two-time men’s cross-country champion, who has been hampered by injuries during the track and field season but has still managed to qualify for the final races.
Track and Field
Hockey (M)
OUA Championships Individual Medals Sarah Peirce - Gold 60m Rachel Cliff - Gold 1500m - Silver 3000m Jess Vanhie - Silver 1500m Kyle Boorsma - Silver 1500m - Gold 3000m Brittany Herd - Bronze weight throw Shaneista Haye - Silver high jump Mike Lopatowski - Silver high jump Tim Hendry - Silver shotput - Silver weight throw Dustin McCrank - Gold weight throw Brent Roubos - Broze weight throw Guyson Kuruneri - Bronze longjump Allan Brett - Bronze 3000m Genevieve Lalonde - Bronze 3000m Jason Diston - Gold pentathalon
OUA West Semi-Ànals OUA Semi-Ànals Guelph vs Lakehead: 3-4 Guelph vs Queen’s: 7-4 Guelph vs Lakehead: 4-5 Guelph vs Queen’s: 5-2 Gryphons lose best-of- Gryphons win best-ofthree series 2-0 three series 2-0 OUA Finals March 4, 2010 Guelph @ Laurier March 6, 2010 Laurier @ Guelph March 7, 2010 (if necessary) Guelph @ Laurier
West
Hockey (W)
Volleyball (M) OUA Quarter-Ànals Guelph vs Windsor: 3-2 OUA Semi-Ànals March 5, 2010 Guelph @ McMaster
Wrestling OUA Championships Men’s Team Results 1. Lakehead (59) 1. Brock (59) 3. Guelph (53) Women’s Team Results 4. Guelph
Individual Medals Kyle Grant - Gold 130kg Jake Jagas - Gold 72kg Kevin Iwasa-Madge - Gold 65kg Scott Wolowich Team Medals Silver: 4x800m women’s relay - Silver 61kg Bronze: 4x800m men’s relay Mike Katsilas - Bronze 76kg Mathieu DesChatelets Overall Standings - Bronze 82kg Men Allison Leslie 1. Windsor (144) - Silver 67kg 2. Guelph (122.5) Laura Christensen 2. Western (122.5) - Bronze 55kg 4. York (85) Hilary RaÁa 5. Ottawa (78) - Bronze 63kg Women 1. Windsor (179) 2. Western (136) 3. Guelph (111.5) 4. Toronto (92.5) 5. York (63)
Figure Skating OUA Championships Team Results 1. Guelph - 78 2. Western - 70 3. Waterloo - 61 4. Toronto - 57 5. Queen’s - 55 Guelph Medals Gold: Synchro Team Gold: Laura Barbison & Ariel Porty - Sr. Silver Similar Dance Gold: Rebecca Wilkes & Christine Kucava - Bronze Rhythm Dance Four’s Gold: Krista Ricciatti & Tessa Mailling - Sr. Similar Pairs Silver: Charlotte Drewett - Sr. Silver Free Skate Silver: Rebecca Wilkes & Christine Kucava - STARSkate Gold Creative Dance Silver: Sandra McCubbin - Sr. Silver Solo Dance Bronze: Laura Stratton, Tessa Mailling, Lauren Black & Charlotte Hoyle - Pairs Fours
Top: Canadian women’s curling team skip, Cheryl Bernard (photo: Julia ShonÀeld)
Left: Women’s 15km cross country skiing pursuit
Bottom: Canadian Melissa Hollingsworth Ànished 5th in the women’s skeleton.
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Behind the scenes of the Olympic dream The Olympics prove to be a success for Vancouver and the nation’s pride ELIZABETH MCLEOD The Olympic flame may have been extinguished this past Sunday, but the memory and legacy of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada will certainly remain. While national unity is always one of the aims of the Olympic dream, never before has it been as formidably accomplished as in Vancouver over the 17 days of the Winter Games. The combination of the hometown spirit, amazing talent and a record-smashing number of gold medals won by Canadians seemed to work its magic on the Canadian population. However, the Olympics were far from being merely ‘fun and games,’ and it took an extraordinary amount of planning, work and volunteer effort for Vancouver to pull off the spectacle. A series of negative public relations events including violent protests, the tragic death Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, inclement weather, ticket cancellations, and technical malfunctions during the opening ceremonies set the scene for what could have been a disastrous 17 days. While the situation was portrayed as bleak, and the attitude of the nation began to slip, spirits remained high in Vancouver, in part due to the overwhelming help of the volunteer presence. Meryl MacDonald, a University of Guelph student, resident of Vancouver, and volunteer at the Olympic Games was highly involved in Olympic effort and recounted the experience of the city. “I participated in the Olympics every way that I could,” she began.
Geoff Sherman
Short track speed skater Marianne St-Gelais exuded Canadian pride following her silver medal in the women’s 500m in Vancouver. “From volunteering and taking part in the free exhibits downtown, to being a spectator.” The immense commitment and involvement of the 70,000 volunteers who participated in the games cannot be overlooked by the country when celebrating the success of the games. “I applied to be a volunteer two years ago through the VANOC volunteer site,” said MacDonald. “I had two phone interviews and one in-person interview before being accepted. “In 2003 I went to Prague as a ‘Bid Booster’ with several other Vancouverites that had an interest in winning the bid, so this whole experience has really come full circle for me.” The city of Vancouver opened their doors to the world, but many
residents were initially skeptical of how this would affect themselves and their hometown. Preparations for the Olympics were a monumental challenge for all stakeholders in Vancouver, including businesses, residents and the government. Since the bid was won in 2003, the construction the city undertook to improve the transit system (mainly the RAV line – an extension of the sky train from the airport to downtown Vancouver) and construction to the Sea to Sky highway had been a huge inconvenience for the majority of residents. Residents were concerned with the inconvenience and financial strain, as well as issues such as the growing homeless population in the downtown eastside of the city. MacDonald recognized the growing number of
homeless as a definite challenge for the city. “Maybe, while the city is still in a position to spend, it will make more challenging but necessary upgrades,” she suggested. “Work needs to continue in the downtown eastside, addressing the increasing number of homeless, the growing drug problem and the need for social housing developments.” The severity of the issues were the source of a number of protests and the skeptical opinions about to whether the Olympics were what Vancouver really needed. However, many argue that the new spotlight on the city and increased tourism can be seen as positive results from the Olympic investment, which will continue to give back to Vancouver residents. “The majority of people were able to set the issues aside for the duration of the Games,” said MacDonald. “From volunteering to party-going and witnessing an immense amount of pride and patriotism never before seen, I’d say paying this party off for the next 50 years is definitely worth it.” MacDonald has high hopes for the city and it’s post-Olympic legacy. “Over the last couple of years, Vancouver had gotten a reputation of the ‘no-fun city,’ and that reputation is certainly no more,” she continued. “The new developments – both residential and sport venues – will also be part of the legacy that the Olympics have left.” The Olympics were a success, not only for Vancouver, its volunteers, and those directly involved in the games, but also for the nation as a whole. According to TSN, an astounding 26.5 million, or 80 per cent of Canadians, tuned in on Sunday to watch Sidney Crosby score the gold medal-winning goal and the nation’s cheers were heard from coast to coast.
Nothing but praise for Walters’ decision On
tarion
MIKE TREADGOLD In football, arguably more so than any other sport, it is the head coach that drives the team. The players execute, but the coach implements. Whether it’s recruiting, planning, motivating, adjusting, or simply providing the foundation for success, more is demanded of head football coaches than any other boss in any other sport. This is what makes Kyle Walters’ decision to move from Gryphons head coach to special teams coordinator for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL that much more significant. Let’s face it: from a combined playing and coaching perspective, arguably, no individual has had a greater impact on Gryphons football in the past 15-plus years
than Walters. First, as a player, he helped lead the team to a pair of Yates Cup victories in 1992 and 1996, and then, as head coach, Walters took the team back to the provincial championships in 2007, only to eventually bow out to the Western Mustangs after a hard-fought playoff run, including a miraculous comeback against Laurier in the conference semi-finals. For years now, Kyle Walters was one of the faces of Gryphons football. Year after year, he helped bring in some of the province’s most talented high school players, stocking the Gryphons’ previously bare cupboard with a plethora of talent, enabling the program to thrive for years to come. Walters instilled a winning attitude among his players, supporting their every move and helping them grow into outstanding athletes and individuals. He loved his players, coaches
and the atmosphere in the Canadian university game, and openly admitted that he could have seen himself retire as a Gryphon. But, like anybody else with a passion for the game and an ambition to move up, opportunities at the next – in this case, professional – level can be oh, so inviting. And when the Bombers came calling, Walters couldn’t help but entertain their offer for him to uproot and take charge of their special teams unit. The announcement of Walters’ decision caught many off-guard. Players were surprised and I’m sure potential recruits were startled, having learned that the man who had spent so much time soliciting their services would no longer be available to lead them onto the field. But, Kyle Walters should not take any blame from this situation. He, like anybody else, is pursuing his dreams. The most obvious comparison to draw from this story is players
in the CFL taking advantage of opportunities to play in the National Football League. Every single year, CFL players are faced with the difficult decision of abandoning their Canadian roots for greener pastures south of the border. When you dedicate so much of your life to a single venture, you can’t help but have your interest peaked when the next great challenge presents itself. Doug Flutie ate, slept and breathed Canadian football for nearly a decade, but it would be hard to blame him for listening when the Buffalo Bills inquired about his services back in 1998. Likewise, Walters, the ultimate loyal Gryphon, should not be vilified for his decision, but rather, lauded for his ambition and thanked for his commitment to Gryphons athletics. Everyone in this community wishes him nothing but luck and success in the next chapter of life for one of football’s true class acts.
Success on the mats The Gryphons wrestling teams were in action over the weekend at the OUA Championships in London. The men’s team won the bronze medal and the women finished fourth, while a number of Gryphons took home individual medals. Kyle Grant, Kevin Iwasa-Madge and Jake Jagas all took home gold medals with Jagas also being named OUA rookie of the year. Scott Wolowich and Allison Leslie took home silver medals and Mike Katsilas, Mathieu DesChatelets, Laura Christensen and Hilary Rafia won bronze. All Gryphon medalists qualified for the CIS Championships in Calgary in the first week of March.
Men’s ski team takes OUA silver The Gryphon men’s Nordic ski team won the silver medal at the OUA Championships in Orangeville over the weekend. The Gryphons, who came into the event with one of the deepest teams in the province, performed admirably with a number of top ten individual finishes. OUA all-star Matti Little was fourth in the men’s 10km classic and fifth in the 15km freestyle. Ian Ritchie finished ninth in the 10km, earning him an all-star nomination as well. The men’s relay team won bronze. On the women’s side, Vesta Mather and Laura Hewitt both had top ten finishes, resulting in all-star nods as well. The women’s team just missed the podium with a fourth place overall finish.
Women fall in quarterfinals After making dramatic improvements in the 2009-10 season, the Gryphon women’s volleyball team finally met their match in Friday’s quarter-final playoff match up against the Western Mustangs. The Gryphons, who had not taken part in postseason play in the past five seasons, were defeated three sets to none by the Mustangs, ending a very successful season. Before the game, a pair of Gryphons, Claire Sandor and Kylen Van Osch, were named first team OUA all-stars.
Gryphons fall to Thunderwolves in semifinals The Lakehead Thunderwolves handed the Gryphon men’s hockey team a pair of overtime defeats in the OUA West semi-finals to knock the Gryphons out of the playoffs, ending their season. The series opened last Wednesday night at the Gryphon Centre where the Gryphons executed a miraculous third period comeback to send the game to overtime, tied at three. In the extra frame, however, Andy Hyvarinen beat Gryphons goaltender Scott Van Bommel to give Lakehead the win, sending the series to Thunder Bay for the final two games. Game 2, however, was all that was needed as again, the Thunderwolves took the Gryphons to overtime where Matt Caria scored his third goal of the game, clinching the series win.
A guide to who’s on your CSA ballot T
he Central Student Association elections are upon us with voting running from Mar. 8 - 12. And whether or not you are personally enthusiastic about student politics, the candidates running for the executive positions in the CSA are among the most involved and passionate members of the University of Guelph student community. The candidates chose to run for one of the five available commissioner positions based on what they felt they were most qualified for, or interested in the work that the CSA does. Those interested in the academic and university affairs commissioner can expect to advocate for students in matters relating specifically to the university in general. This includes working with student representatives at a number of levels, including Student Senate Caucus, college governments and program/curriculum committees. The communications and corporate affairs commissioner is the mouthpiece of the CSA and works to communicate with students about what the organization offers and any changes or issues that arise within it. The external affairs commissioner is responsible for representing student views outside of the university on a number of levels including local, provincial, federal and global levels. This position works directly with outside unions, including the Canadian Federation of Students to ensure the student voice is heard. The local affairs commissioner represents students in their concerns about living in the city of Guelph. This individual works directly on tenancy issues and their most well-known work is the various issues that arise from transit. Lastly, the human resources & operations commissioner maintains the organization of the CSA from the inside. The individual works with various clubs and CSA-run organizations as well as managing the CSA Health and Dental Plan. Students have the power during the voting period, not only to choose who will represent them in the aforementioned positions, but also to vote on a number of referendum questions.
How will your character, experiences and qualifications enable you to better the individual student experience in your desired CSA executive position? Academic & University Affairs Commissioner Local Affairs Commissioner External Affairs Commissioner Shaun Karey-McKenna
Curtis Batuszkin
Kevin Bowman
There are those who wish to lump us in with high school students, and more than triple the cost of our bus pass. I will fight them with every beat of my heart, with every ounce of my strength. All I have to give is blood, sweat and tears, and give them I will. I promise that every day when you pass by my office I will be sweating, I will be bleeding, and I will be crying; for you. From my days as the Finance Committee Chair of the University Centre, I have garnered much experience in how the University politics work, and have more than once tested my mettle against those who wish to unfairly raise student fees and exploit the student population. Let me be your voice in Guelph and we shall usher in a new era, an era in which the student voice is heard and respected throughout City Hall.
I am well known across campus for my open mind, humorous demeanour, and full-bodied laugh. I am a political moderate with an open mind to discuss any idea, even ideas that I may not originally agree with. My experiences with student groups stems back almost 4 years with my first job as an RA in Mills that sparked a desire to become more active on campus. I am a passionate and well-informed debater with a long track record of engaging in critical discussions about all matters involving our student life. I have demonstrated my resolve to tackling controversial issues such as continued membership in the CFS. I believe that the External Affairs Commissioner should be able to provide leadership opportunities and foster a desire for social change with our students. I believe that in order to do so, we must approach solidarity as beginning locally and being pursued externally.
In my 4 and a half years at Guelph I have had experience with many facets of student life at Guelph: academics, athletics, clubs, student government, living in residence both as a student and as an Residence Assistant, living off campus, financial difficulty and many more. Most importantly I understand the difficult task of balancing these things with the rest of life: friends, family and health to name a few. As a recent graduate I have no other obligations to distract me from my duties as Academic and University Affairs Commissioner and I intend to use this advantage to dedicate myself entirely to the task of accurately and responsibly representing the student body. Unfortunately none of the three candidates (myself included) are particularly experienced in academic policy compared with previous Academic Commissioners. Such as it is, I believe my competence, dedication and lack of other obligations make me the best choice.
Anastasia Zavarella
Denise Martins
Roisin Lyder
I believe I can enhance the students’ experience by helping re-orient the Central Students Association toward an advocacy model, as opposed to a governance one. Students have plenty of people governing them and it’s time their student union began to advocate for the financial, physical and social accessibility of their education. I believe in maintaining a reasonably priced buss pass, increasing safety on campus and in transit and making local farmers’ produce accessible to students. I will work in partnership with the food bank to bring Community Supported Agriculture shares to campus, as well as working with the Bike Centre to advocate for safer and more numerous bike lanes. I will work with stakeholder organizations on campus to attack the problem of growing rates of hate graffiti and sexual assault in order to produce a more safe and harmonious campus for all students. I will fight tooth and nail for students.
Although I have a lot of background around our university, I am especially experienced with this commissioner’s portfolio. I’ve worked closely with both this year’s and last year’s External Affairs Commissioners. This year I also sat on the Drop Fees committee (which is facilitated by the External Affairs Commissioner) and collectively we organized Guelph’s day of action against student fees. While collecting signatures, I met many students that were genuinely struggling to make ends meet. I have had the same fears and struggles myself but this experience allowed me to talk to students firsthand and realize that we all want to rant: we all want our voices heard and we want someone to listen and understand what we go through. The CSA is here for students. Let’s listen.
The individual student experience is improved when we elect representatives who are devoted to defending student interests (at the university, local, provincial and national levels). As your Academic and University Affairs Commissioner I will be committed to advocating for the academic diversity and quality of this institution, even in the face of budget constraints. Working with numerous clubs, organizations and campaigns on campus has taught me that students want more effective representation from the CSA. My experience sitting on the CSA board of directors has given me the working knowledge of the organization that I will need to effectively implement changes. My friendly, approachable and inclusive nature makes me a good resource for students with academic questions and concerns. At the same time, my strong belief in the importance of accurately and effectively representing students will mean that I’m never afraid to tackle controversial issues should they arise.
Shireen Noble
Human Resources & Operations Commissioner
Communications & Corporate Affairs Commissioner
Alexander Moore
Eric Timmie Fortier
I have had a wide range of campus involvement, including RLS, Interhall, club executive, and most currently working as the Clubs Coordinator and Staff Rep for the CSA. My work in RLS and activism on campus has given me an in-depth understanding of how student organizations function on campus and given me the crisis and conflict management skills that are essential for the HR&O position. Working as the Clubs Coordinator and Staff Rep for the CSA has given me the opportunity to work with CSA bylaw and policy, and manage Clubs and finances. All of these skills combined give me the ability, experience, and means to know how to reach out to students and give them the services and safe inclusive space that they deserve. Every student walking into the CSA should know that it is a union elected by them, and is there to support them.
During my time at the University of Guelph I have been able to develop several skills, though my experiences, which I believe will aid me in representing the undergraduate community. I have always been interested in the views of others, and I have a great passion for raising awareness to grassroots that would otherwise go unheard. My experience on campus has allowed me to work with many various groups; this has given me many perspectives on how students needs differ within the university population, and even within specific groups. I believe the most important aspects of being a representative of the student voice is the ability to be both aware and give consideration to the entire student populous. Most importantly when improving the individual’s experience, I would approach the students on a personal level that they are able to relate to. I’m Timmie and I want to ‘Take U Forward.’
Nick Stepanov
Demetria Jackson
It’s important to recognize that no one student experience is like another. Academics or athletics, working hard or party harder, growing as a group or a journey of self-discovery – university is different for everyone. As HR&O Commissioner, I must ensure that CSA benefits ALL students. My three years with the Guelph Campus Co-op, our student bookstore and housing provider, have taught me what makes a large student organization function well and how to continuously improve it. Last year the Co-op rebated over $120,000 to our members. At the end of the day, helping students financially makes the biggest difference. My work in Finance, HR and operational committees, in GCC and CSA, my education in Management Economics, and supervising of up to 40 people in the Canadian Forces have equipped me with the necessary skills and experience to run the HR&O portfolio well. But most importantly, my character, sense of duty, integrity, and community...is what ensures I will.
Being a student at the University of Guelph is all about getting involved; be it events, clubs, sports, or student government, being active defines the University of Guelph experience. I believe that I am the best person for the Communications & Corporate Affairs Commissioner position because I am personable. The experience of being a Student Ambassador during my first year has enabled me to approach students and introduce myself with ease. My involvement with the Ontario Public Interest Research Group has increased my awareness of conflict and respect for diverse opinions. Students need someone who will keep them regularly informed about events and important issues. I plan to use social networking sites and weekly podcasts to keep you ‘in the know’ about the ways you can improve your student experience at the University of Guelph. If you want transparent action, vote Demetria Jackson.
The most important experience for this position for me is that I am a student. I’ve lived, worked, and volunteered here, and I’m aware that the decisions made by the Academic & University Affairs Commissioner can affect your experience here. This has also made me aware of how varied the student experience can be, and why YOU need representation when decisions are made. The university faces having to make a number of cuts next year. I’m committed to engaging you in this process so we can make the best possible choices. It’s essential for all commissioners to work together to run efficiently, and I’m excited to work with any of your candidates. When we graduate from Guelph, I want us to be proud to be from here, and I want to be part of making that happen. So when you vote, make the Noble choice and vote for Shireen.
Vote online at csaonline.ca from Mar. 8 to Mar. 12! Compiled by Nicole Elsasser Contents of candidates responses were printed as written without alteration on behalf of the ontarion
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MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
SPORTS & HEALTH
THEONTARION.CA
Is that paint in your hair? No, I’m just going grey How to respond when your scalp changes its tint JOSH DOYLE Joe saw the look on his hairdresser’s face as she combed his dark hair, ready to make the necessary cuts. It was a look of surprise, and Joe knew exactly why. He recoiled in horror as the woman’s eyes widened. The piece of bubble gum she’d been chewing rolled out of her open mouth and crashed to the floor, along with Joe’s selfesteem, where they mingled with his discarded locks of hair. Ashamed, the woman tried to act as though nothing had happened, but the irrevocable damage was done. You see, Joe was but 21, and although his hair was black and healthy, and had been throughout his entire life, he was beginning to find scattered throughout his dark mane ever so few rogue strands of that dreaded, dreaded colour. The colour that makes one recoil in shame when they see commercials for Grecian 5; the colour that makes one look at their father’s hair with anger and wonder, “Why did you even have me?!” The colour was grey. Joe, who requested his last name be concealed, given the embarrassing nature of his claim, may have exaggerated the story of the hairdresser when he told it. But nevertheless, his feelings were clear. “That’s certainly how it felt,” he
said of the infamous salon incident. “I definitely saw her eyes open up when she started cutting a part of my hair that I knew had greys.” Joe, like many other young males who begin to see grey hair at an early stage, had no idea why his once dark hair was now showing strands of silver. “I was just shocked, really,” he admitted. “I always thought people went grey at [age] 50, not 20. So really, I was frustrated at first.” Some believe that going grey early can be a result of stress, which ties in to the misconception that getting scared suddenly can turn your hair white. Although there may be something behind this idea, it’s far from the whole truth, according to Dr. Jnanankur Bag, a genetics professor at the University of Guelph. “Stress is probably a factor,” said Dr. Bag. “When people take a stressful job or are in stressful situations, their hair can turn grey. “But grey hair seems to be genetically linked. People tend to follow the greying pattern of their parents.” For anyone who just dropped this paper on the floor after recalling pictures of their father with a full head of grey hair at 25, I sincerely apologize. “I have a friend who started to turn grey quite early, not necessarily due to stress,” said Dr. Bag. Certainly, Dr. Bag is not the only one with a friend like this. “Greyness is sometimes linked to vitamin deficiency,” he added. “So it looks like there is a genetic factor, as well as an environmental
[factor].” What Dr. Bag explained was that although factors such as health and stress may have an impact, the issue is thought to be largely genetic, leaving the solution somewhat out of your hands. But, this doesn’t have to frustrate you further. It can help you realize that going grey is only natural, and truly, not a big deal. Grey hair happens, sometimes very early on, and if you have seen a couple of grey hairs popping up, you certainly aren’t the only one. What young men with grey hairs should do is not hide, but share their stories of hair trauma, in an effort to liberate themselves from their prison of premature aging. Besides, grey hair can be cool. Just look at George Clooney, he’s still getting roles in big time movies, and girls love him. U of G student Stephanie Kreplin said she’s not at all against a man with a bit of colour to his mane. “I have a love for men with grey hair. It’s handsome and it screams experience,” she said. “A man I work with has a full head of silver hair and he’s absolutely beautiful.” After hearing this, I jotted down Joe’s number for her. He’s still awaiting the call. In addition, members of the fashion community are beginning to go grey on purpose, completely negating the idea of dyeing their hair to avoid grey. Kate Moss was recently seen rocking grey streaks at a handbag launch in Paris, and people all over are asking their hairdressers to make them look like Richard
Beatrice Murch
Gere. Clearly, salt and pepper is in. So all you young men thinking your first grey hair is the beginning of the end of your good looks, think
again. Don’t be afraid of the grey – embrace it. Coming soon: the survival guide to going bald. Stay tuned.
during the week, he is often tempted by fast food. “When I’m on campus, it’s cheaper to buy fast food,” he said. “But when I was living at my house in Brampton, I ate mainly home-cooked meals.” Schoolwork is likely to be the falling off point for the majority of resolution-keeping university students. If it’s difficult for us to find time to cook and go grocery shopping, how are we supposed to find time to make other healthy choices, like going to the gym? A somewhat more unique resolution came from another student, who, for obvious reasons, elected to remain anonymous. “I vowed to initiate sex more,” she claimed, emphatically. The anonymous student said that before making her resolution, she wanted it to be her boyfriend initiating the sex, to make her feel as though she was desirable to him. “I know it’s silly,” she admitted. “Because I know he loves me and it’s self-deprecating to get into a pattern where my opinion of myself is based on how often my boyfriend initiated sex.” Up until this point, the anonymous initiator indicated
that she has been keeping up with her New Year’s resolution and I – along with her boyfriend, I’m sure – hope that she will continue to do so. It is important for us to make New Year’s resolutions that improve our sense of self, whether it be body image or self-esteem. There are many reasons why we fail to keep our New Year’s resolutions. It is important in creating them that you adapt your resolution if you are using one from a previous year. If you didn’t keep your resolution from last year, why would you keep it this year – something was obviously off. It also makes it easier to keep your resolution if you don’t have excessively high expectations for yourself. Tell your friends and family about your resolution so that they can help you to achieve your goals. Following New Year’s resolutions is rarely easy, so it is important that you reward yourself in your resolution. If your resolution is to save money, reward yourself by going to the movies with friends at the end of the month when you see your improved cash flow.
Revisiting the resolutions Two months into 2010, how are your ambitions holding up? KATELYN DINGMAN It’s easy enough to make a New Year’s resolution, but can you keep up with your goal? The tradition of creating a New Year’s resolution dates back to ancient Roman times. Janus, a mythical kind of the Roman Empire, became an ancient symbol for resolution. In the early traditions of new years, the majority of Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies in their resolutions. Although the tradition of establishing a New Year’s resolution has changed over time, the basic motive behind the New Year’s resolution has remained consistent. Common modern New Year’s resolutions include quitting smoking and becoming healthier. With the spring quickly approaching, we begin to wonder who has kept up with their resolutions and who has fallen off the wagon? Gurvinder Mundi, a third-year
Rashaad Bhamjee
environmental engineering student at the University of Guelph, vowed in the new year to stop eating fast food, but admitted to giving up on his New Year’s resolution after about a week and a half.
“It’s difficult for me to find time to cook full meals and go grocery shopping because of my course load,” Mundi said. Since Mundi spends the majority of his time on campus
THE ONTARION
Life
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Thoughts on Hollywood's biggest night DUNCAN DAY-MYRON Ah, the Oscars. The conflation of so many of my favourite things: betting, watching movies and judging people. Like the Super Bowl, it’s such a celebration of excess, with millions of dollars spent on something most people would probably be watching even if it was held under a tent in a field in Iowa. The Academy switched it up in a few ways this year, although unfortunately not in any ways that will make the broadcast shorter. The Best Picture category was expanded from five nominees to a whopping 10, in part to accommodate films that wouldn’t normally be considered for the award. I’m sure the producers of The Blind Side are eternally grateful. The voting for that award is a little different, too. While everything else is still a simple whichever-gets-the-most-voteswins affair, Academy voters have to take the 10 nominees and organize them from favourite to least favourite, which are then scored accordingly. It may not sound like a big deal, but it could drastically affect future results: if, say, 30 per cent of voters picked one movie as a favourite, in past years it would likely win. Now, if that same 30 per cent liked one movie, but then 99 per cent of people liked another movie second best, that could turn the tables. It will probably mean less controversial and polarizing Best Picture wins (I’m looking at you, Crash) with more populist films, ones that a lot of people liked but maybe not loved, could stand a chance. And this year, the term ‘populist film’ should provoke a single reaction: Avatar. James Cameron’s billion dollar blockbuster, with unprecedented special effects and a narrative that has been almost ritualistically chided for being unoriginal, was seemingly
calculated to have mass appeal. Most people who didn’t enjoy it on some level are probably not being wholly honest. It was a bombastic love affair with filmmaking, just one that didn’t really leave you asking questions or having conversations about it after it was over. It was an unlikely candidate for best picture, but no movie this year was as successful, positively reviewed, culturally significant or will have the longevity. It might be the first time where a movie won Hollywood’s biggest honour for reasons outside of pure artistry. Unfortunately for Sandra Bullock, Best Picture is the only category for which the voting rules have changed. If that weren’t the case, even-money would be on her winning. Even though she’s up against perennial nominee but seldom winner, Meryl Streep (the greatest actor alive), her stiffest competition is probably Gabourey Sidibe, the unknown who turned out a tear-jerking performance in Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire with no experience or formal training. Sidibe has taken to the talk show circuit with a bubbly, upbeat personality, which was the antithesis of her character in Precious. If anything, that has helped her cause. Academy voters love when a then-relatively unknown, or unrecognized, actor pulls off some Stanislavksy feat of “becoming the character.” It’s the same deal with her co-star Mo’Nique. It wouldn’t be all that shocking if they both won. The male acting categories aren’t nearly as interesting as the females. There aren’t any clear frontrunners, or any contentious nominees. Christoph Waltz is probably the closest thing to a runaway in either the lead or supporting category, if only because it’s the only award which Inglourious Basterds has a real chance of winning. Jeff Bridges is a
perennial loser and a great actor, so there’s a lot of support behind his nomination. But Morgan Freeman was born to play Nelson Mandela, and Jeremy Renner, George Clooney and Colin Firth’s performances were just as strong and nuanced as Bridges. Renner has the underdog advantage, which seems like it would be an oxymoron anywhere but the Oscars, but no matter which way the award goes, it won’t be too strong of an upset. My biggest passion, however, is with the Best Animated Feature category. The category was expanded from three to five nominees this year and I couldn’t think of a better year for it. Coraline and Fantastic Mr. Fox breathed new life into stopmotion animation, a previously near-dead art form, and were both visually breathtaking: Coraline’s technicolour imagery alternated beautifully between macabre and whimsical, and Fox’s picturesque countryside was nothing short of magical. And both movies took children’s stories by masters of the genre and translated them into film in ways that expanded, cleaned up and, dare I say, improved on the source material.
The Princess and the Frog and The Secret of Kells were also artistic resurrections, testaments to the longevity of traditional hand-drawn animation. Princess was stylish, with big, beautiful Art Deco inspired musical numbers, and was probably the first Disney “princess” movie not to be a total slap in the face to decades of feminism: Tiana is a BAMF (that’s badass motherfucker) who knows what she wants and will sacrifice it for no man. Kells is definitely the underdog, not even having a wide release in North America yet. Hopefully the nomination is enough to get it some more attention from critics and audiences. It is so thoroughly unique, with incredibly detailed landscapes with visible brushstrokes and vibrant colour. The entire movie is just teeming with creativity and artistic revelation. There haven’t been animated characters this expressive and stylish since Tex Avery. It doesn’t stand a chance of winning, but it deserves the nomination more
than any other on the list. Then there’s Up. The only animated feature nominated for Best Picture makes it seem like a shoo-in for the Animated category. Up was a quality film, no doubt. At this point, Pixar seem incapable of making a bad movie. It broke all sorts of box office records for animated films, and kids and parents went nuts for it. But, it doesn’t deserve to win. On multiple viewings, it doesn’t ever give up anything new. The story is slapdash and at times feeling like two half-baked ideas stuck end to end. It is just dripping with so much sentimentality that it disguises these shortcomings. Essentially everything we feel about Carl, the main character, is set up in a saccharine montage at the movie’s outset. Then, the occasional shot of a photo of Carl’s wife stirs it all up again and reminds us why we’re continuing to sit through the plodding, uninventive narrative. It losing would be a huge upset to a lot of people, but my fingers are crossed that any of the other films are called. So, those are my thoughts, and I’m sure anyone reading this has their own too. So take a break from studying and stop by TheOntarion. ca and share your thoughts on cartoons, on Avatar, and even the important categories I didn’t get to talk about, namely writing and directing.
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^D
When in England, it’s probably you who’s driving on the wrong side of the road.
Save $100 on any flight to Europe with Transat Holidays. Europe for less, exclusively for students at Travel CUTS. Visit your local Travel CUTS or book online at travelcuts.com University of Guelph, University Centre, 519.763.1660 Save $50 per person, per segment (max. $100) on new bookings made from Feb 1 to Mar 15, 2010. Travel period from Apr 1 to Oct 31, 2010. Promotion for students only (student ID required). Cannot be combined with any other promotion. Not applicable on child rates, last minute bookings (bookings made 21 days prior to departure). See travelcuts.com for full details and gateways. ON–4499356/4499372 | BC–33127/34799/34798 | QC–7002238 Transat Holidays – ON Reg. #50009486
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18
MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
LIFE
THEONTARION.CA
a how-to student guide on
I really want to get into...
Photography
Each week, Ontarion editors will divulge their sage advice for breaking into a possibly intimidating aspect of culture. Anything that might overwhelm RASHAAD BHAMJEE You see them in the and seem impossible to "get into," Ontarion editors will seek to demystify newspaper, you see them online, and make the transition from neophyte to connoisseur a simple one. heck, you even see them hanging
in the coďŹ&#x20AC;ee shop, and you want to have some of your own. Photos. Everybody loves a good photo and you really want to start making your own, but the thought of where to start boggles your brain. Megapixels? Grain? Aperture? How is anyone supposed to start taking photos? Like this: STEP 1: GET A CAMERA
Christina Pinto
Whether it records in 1s and 0s or is analogue, you will need to get yourself a camera. While it seems like digital is the only way to go, used ďŹ lm cameras can be bought for a bargain online
to learn how to take pictures is to take them. This is where having a digital camera is handy as you can review what you have just taken and it costs nothing to take lots of photos. Even so, thinking about how a shot will look before you take it is always better than clicking away and hoping for the best. STEP
4:
LOOK
AT
OTHER
PHOTOGRAPHERS WORK
Start looking at photographs you like and ďŹ nd out who took them. Try and ďŹ gure out why you like them and emulate that in your own work. The Internet and the library are great resources for ďŹ nding the work of many photographers.
The interior of the Canadian Opera Company building in Toronto.
DUNCAN DAY-MYRON For the uninitiated, opera can be a little intimidating to say the least. Probably the biggest hurdle for most is that it is almost never in English. Operas tell stories, and without understanding stories it can be easy to feel lost. But the eďŹ&#x20AC;ort can open a door to a whole new world of music and performance outside of what you may be used to. Just follow a few simple rules, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be well on your way. First, stay the hell away from Il Divo, Josh Groban, and all of that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the wrong ďŹ rst step. They have ďŹ ne voices, whatever. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too polished and overproduced. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t real enough. Think about it, if someone knew opera but wanted to get into rock and roll, would you expect them to start with Britney Spearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cover of (I Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Get No) Satisfaction? God, I hope not. So try to ďŹ nd some full performances. Also, pick and choose individual pieces of larger operas, and you should accept early on that the point isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to learn how to make a sweet opera mix CD.
When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something to listen to, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dive in head ďŹ rst blindfolded; ďŹ nd something you might be familiar with. Not necessarily familiar with the music, but the story. There are operas based on Shakespeare, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where I started, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lots out there either based on popular stories, or which have been adapted into other forms that are more popular. A short list of suggestions follows the article. If you know the general idea of where the story begins and ends, you will have a general idea of what is going on as you listen to it. If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ nd any with a story familiar to you, just look it up and read along. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no shame in hitting up Wikipedia to ďŹ nd out some information about a piece either before, during or after you listen to it. Not understanding the lyrics, but hearing the context of a song, can totally change your reaction of it. Sometimes it makes it more awesome. You might be listening to a piece of music and not even realize itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about someone
being brutally murdered. And if you ďŹ nd something you like, keep going with it. Find diďŹ&#x20AC;erent performances and diďŹ&#x20AC;erent performers. You might be surprised how much can change. So much of a performance lies in the hands of the performers rather than the writers. Opera really needs to be approached in a diďŹ&#x20AC;erent way than popular music. If you just sit down and throw on some Bizet, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty good chance you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit through the whole thing. But if you do the legwork and get some stuďŹ&#x20AC; you can follow along with, at least somewhat, it will be a totally diďŹ&#x20AC;erent experience. And, simply put, the people who sing opera, especially those who perform it live, are the ďŹ nest singers on the planet. Bar none. Mariah Carey is a piece of shit compared to these people. Opera requires skill and control of the voice like nothing else. As you listen to more, and hear diďŹ&#x20AC;erent performances of the same productions, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll start to discover what kind of performances appeal to you.
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Berlioz, BĂŠatrice et BĂŠnĂŠdict (loosely based on Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Much Ado About Nothing) Humperdinck, Hänsel und Gretel ProkoďŹ ev, War & Peace Mozart, The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni Puccini, Madama ButterďŹ&#x201A;y (basis for the Broadway musical Miss Saigon; the most performed opera in North America), La Bohème, (basis for the Broadway musical and ďŹ lm Rent) Strauss, Salome (based on the play by Oscar Wilde) Verdi, Aida, Macbeth, Othello
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Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin
John Kratz
and at places like Value Village. They are also a great way to get into photography. Chances are, if you have a cell phone it already has a camera on it. If you have the money and know you really want to stick with it, there are plenty of more expensive options. Ultimately, a $10 camera with one button on it will be a lot better than the priciest DSLR if you actually know how to use it. It really doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter. STEP 2: F IND A SUBJECT People, animals, buildings, clouds; the world is abound with things to take photos of. If you are interested in a particular type of photography, such as portraits, then ďŹ nd a friend or two and ask them to be your models. If your friends are shy, turn that camera around and use yourself. STEP 3: START CLICKING Get in close, get far away and experiment with as many angles as you can. The best way
STEP 5: GET INVOLVED Talking to other people interested in photography is always a great way to explore techniques and new subjects. There are photo clubs both on campus and in the wider Guelph community, which host both informal and formal sessions. These are the best times to ask questions you have and learn a lot from people who were once in the same position as you. The Ontarion is always looking for volunteers and is a great way to acquire a subject, get advice on how to shoot it and then get feedback on what you shot. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done it! You now know how to get into photography without worry about the technical jargon. If you are lacking the motivation to get oďŹ&#x20AC; the couch and take photos, start a 365 project, which involves taking a photo everyday for a year. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll not only will you get better at photography, but you will push your creative limits.
THE ONTARION
LIFE
161.7
19
makes a quinoa glory bowl
? with sausage and garlic green beans ? Recipe for Quinoa Glory Bowl
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Fry the onions until soft and slightly translucent. Add the garlic, chili and mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Add the quinoa and stock, stirring to combine. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid and has become slightly translucent and soft. Make sure that you don’t overcook the quinoa by making sure that when it is soft, For the garlic green beans it still has chewiness to it. When it Olive oil is done, stir in the chopped fresh 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped parsley and add salt and pepper to 2 big handfuls of green beans (cut taste. Meanwhile, grill the sausages into thirds) until cooked through and slice Sea salt and black pepper to taste them once done. For the green beans, heat olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and beans and fry them until they are a bright green colour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When all components are done, assemble in one large bowl and enjoy. For the Quinoa: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small brown onion, diced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 chili, deseeded and finely chopped 250 g sliced white mushrooms 1 cup quinoa 2 cups of chicken stock Sea salt and black pepper to taste Parsley, roughly chopped 4-5 sausages
Kyle Gillespie
NICOLE ELSASSER Quinoa (pronounced keenwah) is amazing. It is one of the lesser-known grains and in my opinion it is extremely underrated. Among its most impressive attributes is the fact that quinoa can be enjoyed by vegans and nonvegans alike, as well as its high protein contents. It can also be used in many of the same dishes as rice or couscous.
Quinoa can also be enjoyed in either savory or sweet dishes. It has a pleasant nutty flavour, but with quinoa the real party comes from the slightly chewy texture and unique translucent appearance. While I usually enjoy using quinoa to make a sort of porridge, with maple syrup, berries and nuts, it really shines in a kind of glory bowl, much like the recipe below. Glory bowls are among my favourite
things to make because it allows you so much flexibility and there is no limit to the combinations one can think up. In order to make a proper glory bowl, the only criteria is that the dish has to be a wellbalanced meal (vegetables, protein, grain) all in one big bowl. This recipe is so great for the last of the long cold nights of winter and will leave your belly full and warm all night.
Dan O'Keefe's Vegan Challenge: part 6
The grand finale and future plans DAN O’KEEFE Even though February is the shortest month of the year, it has been a long one. But, I made it: One month of veganism. No doubt it was a challenge. But if something isn’t hard, what’s the fun? I have to say that this has been an incredible learning experience. ence. That, by far, was my favourite aspect spect of becoming vegan. Only a few months ago, I knew very little about veganism. Now, I’m practicallyy an expert. And, veganism is aabout bout bo u so much more than just the ffood. ood. oo d. When you do the research and realize what goes into processed foods, or the true effects of factory farming, or how animals are processed, it is quite a learning experience. Another terrific part of veganism was just how great I have felt throughout the entire process. Cutting all the over-processed junk out of my diet is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. Remember that saying, “Garbage in, garbage out”? It couldn’t be truer with regards to your diet. A pure, balanced, and healthy diet will make you feel awesome. Now, where do I go from here? Presently,I plan to stay with veganism for a little while longer; however, in
my research, I found another diet that I feel will suit me best for the long run: the Palaeolithic Diet. It is a diet based on what humans used to eat before foods were processed. Humans have existed for about 2.5 million years, and up until about 10, 000 years ago, consumed no processed foods. There is also gravitation towards raw foods, as humans didn’t cook their food until sometime betwe between weeen w n 250, 000 and 5500, 00, 000 years ago. It was about 10, 00 wa 000 00 yyears ye a s ago ar aggo th tthat at
agriculture was developed, and since then, food processing. It is a very healthy diet that includes many of the same foods as veganism, but allows for lean meats – preferably wild game or free range – and eggs. The Palaeolithic Diet excludes dairy and grains, which are some of the oldest processed foods
known to man, as well as legumes, salt, refined sugars, and processed oils. Supporters of this diet point out lactose intolerance (70 per cent of people experience mild or severe cases) and the high rates of food allergies (about 1-2 per cent of people) as evidence why humans shouldn’t consume these foods. Subscribers Sub b to this diet further use th the correlation between the processing of foods and “diseases proces of civilization,” c which include Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and obesity, to support their choice. By no means was the Vegan Challenge easy. I had to Veg completely change my lifestyle com in a very short period of time and work ve very hard not to make mistakes or give into temptations. This was very challenging, ch but made possible by the many m people who helped me along tthe way. I would like to take this chance cha to thank those people. My introduction to veganism was courtesy of Alice and Gemma Stanton-Hagan. They shared a great deal of information and made writing my first article on veganism very easy. My former hallmates in Johnston 3A said that I couldn’t go a month without meat, and then supported me the entire way. My RLS team poked fun and
offered support for the challenge, as they do with every challenge we encounter. My parents gave me a lot of support and put a lot of money towards soymilk and fresh fruit. Many of the hospitality staff here at the University of Guelph went out of their way to look up ingredient lists for me and prepare vegan-friendly food for me and all the others on campus who have special diets. Rasha Taha gave me a very useful interview and offered exceptional insight into veganism from an insider’s perspective. My girlfriend, Mikhaila Lang, supports me in everything I do, especially with the Vegan Challenge, and gave me a very thoughtful fake leather belt for Valentine’s Day. And finally, Mike Treadgold and the team at the Ontarion made the Vegan Challenge possible, gave me so much direction, guidance, and advice, and dedicated a section of the paper to the Challenge. To everyone here, thank you so very much. You are the ones who made the challenge achievable. I will always be grateful for your constant and invaluable efforts. If I can leave readers with one thing, this is it: You don’t have to be vegan to be healthy, and veganism isn’t for everyone. To be healthy, you must eat well, eat unhealthy foods in moderation, and be physically active
in one way or another. If you try veganism and can’t stay with it, don’t be discouraged.Eating predominantly vegan or even just partially vegan can be extremely beneficial. If you think you might want to change your diet, consulting a doctor beforehand is extremely wise and highly recommended. Finally, most of all, have fun with food. Try something vegan, because it is probably delicious, and certainly nutritious.
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20
MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
LIFE
A simple yes or no. . .
A question of trust All through high school and into the earlier part of university, I was in a relationship with a girl that I considered to be my high school sweetheart. Our time together was good for what it was and we both learned a lot from being with one person for so long. As we entered student life here in Guelph, we began to pull away from each other. She was having trouble adjusting to life away from home, while I took in new experiences and met new people on a daily basis. One could say it was a natural progression and an example of two adolescent kids growing up and away from each other. Like I said, we were together for about a year and a half in Guelph, in which time we gained new friends, some mutual and some personal. The one friend in which this anecdote centres around, is a guy who I met on my ďŹ rst night in this unfamiliar new city. As we both had a love for skateboarding, a friendship was immediately forged. We would hang out on a
regular basis, talk and basically have good times together. And when my long time girlfriend and I broke up, he was there to ďŹ ll the void and show me the value and importance of a good pal. About a month ago he confessed that he always thought my ex was cute and asked me if it would be weird if they hooked up. By now, my feelings for my ex have long subsided, but I insisted that it would be disrespectful for one of my now good friends to have sex with my high school sweetheart. So, last week we went skateboarding and at the end of the day he told me that he had invited her over to his house and that they had fooled around. With this act I feel as though he has deliberately broke the mutual trust between us, saying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fuck itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and giving into his bodily urges. Should I forgive this friend, or has he crossed the line and broken a sort of code that is shared between two friends?
Head on over to
www.theontarion.com to comment with your opinion.
THEONTARION.CA
Fur comes out of hiding and becomes a sartorial option NICOLE ELSASSER Among my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s various heirlooms is a bulky, ďŹ&#x201A;oor-length and pristinely white wolf fur coat. This coat was an engagement gift from my father to my mother and is so large that it is most likely made up of skin from no less than three wolves. This coat has sat unworn in its protective hanging for most of my life. The fur coat, which probably seemed like a great idea to my father in 1987, quickly went out of vogue in the early â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s when real fur became terribly controversial and so-not-PC, forcing my mother to hang it up in a closet and quickly forget it was there. This coat continues to be what comes to mind ďŹ rst when I think of fur; warm, soft, impossibly glamorous, yet, hidden guiltily and worn only by a six-year-old while playing dress-up in her room. As a child, I would pull it out, drape it over my shoulders, and hope that someday it would be socially acceptable for me to wear this poor, forgotten coat out into the world. As an adult, I still associate a certain nostalgic glamour with fur, yet I continue to ďŹ nd myself uncomfortable with the idea of wearing that ďŹ rst wolf fur coat. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but struggle with the idea of wearing the skin of three majestic wolves (not to mention
such an unďŹ&#x201A;attering coat). But, if there was any time for the forgotten furs of the world to come out of hiding and see the light once more, it is now. Combing through look books and photos from recent fashion runway shows, one fact is impossible to ignore: fur is back whether you like it or not. And I, for one, am delighted. The wolf coat is not a sartorial option for me personally, but this stems from my true love and respect for the wolf as an animal. As I have been considering furs more and more, I realized that there are furs that I am comfortable wearing. I would consider rabbit, mink coyote and raccoon because these animals are abundant in this world, and in the case of rabbit, are used for meat as well as fur. I would never consider monkey, wolf, fox and leopard because the opposite is true of these animals. You may call this ethical cherry-picking. And I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t disagree with you. This is how I have chosen to make my decision about what I am comfortable wearing, others may take a diďŹ&#x20AC;erent approach. I do have a few pieces of advice, if you, like myself, wish to wear fur but need a little help feeling comfortable with the idea after years of hearing about un-expecting fur wearers being covered in red
paint by PETA. Firstly, consider the following: if you eat meat or wear leather, then you are with animals dying. Coming to terms with this realization is the ďŹ rst step to being a happy fur-wearer. The second step, if you are like me, is deciding which animals you are comfortable wearing the skin of. When making this decision, I generally consider their standings population-wise, their other uses, and my feelings for them generally. Secondly, buy your fur pieces vintage. Most of the demand for fur of late is being met by second or third hand coats, vests, and collars abandoned long ago and now stocked by vintage boutiques and consignment stores. By buying fur from a vintage retailer, you are merely ensuring that older coats are worn rather than thrown away, with no additional animals being used. Lastly, if you are still uncomfortable with the idea of wearing fur, but like the look of it, faux fur has improved in quality by huge leaps and bounds in the last few years. This means that the days of weird textured, oďŹ&#x20AC;-coloured faux fur are behind us and the desired look can be achieved with no harm to animals. So with that said, go forth and be warm, on-trend, and be totally comfortable with your love of fur.
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THE ONTARION
ANDREW T
OPINION
161.7
OPINION
21
KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT DINOSAURS
The importance of a good web presence Here you go, Josh. You asked for it! ANDREW T Good Morning Angels, This article was suggested to me by someone who e-mailed me and told me what to write about. And I turned that suggestion into this elegant piece of writing. It is like The Ugly Duckling. You’ll see. But the idea came from Josh. He’s a loyal reader, I assume, in the same way that samurai are loyal to their master. Anyways, Josh sent me an e-mail and suggested that I write about clubs at the University of Guelph and what they do digitally to stay in touch with their members. What do I know about clubs? Nothing! But I’ve done my best to tell you what I’ve gleaned from Josh’s e-mail. First off, running a club sounds hard. Second off, did you know that not all clubs have offices on campus? I knew that, but Josh reminded me. I need reminders sometimes. Can you imagine being in a club like the Outdoors Club
(henceforth known as The O.C.) and not having an office indoors! That’d be a funny thing to complain about. Luckily, they have an office. What the O.C. also has is a website…but it needs an update. Like your bedsheets, websites should be updated/washed every nine years (at least). The O.C. aside, having a ballin’ website is even more important if you don’t
have an office. I mean, like, how else will you tell members what the dealio is? Or what the haps are? Listservers are lame and complicated. I know that some people utilize those, but I think maintaining a Facebook group is a lot easier. But an actual website is more legit. So do that. For my thirdly point, I would like to accuse UoG for
not helping things! That may be brash, but I’m really just trying to start some beefing. According to Josh, the university’s offer of free webhosting is not compatible with MySQL, which The O.C. needs if they want to use Wordpress as the backbone of their new site. Now, I like Wordpress. As far as backbones go, it’s certainly a spine you want to have. It’s easy to use and change. Like a diaper, but in a good way. And unlike the real O.C. (which is not a diaper), the idea of Guelph’s O.C. paying money for external hosting and a decent Wordpress theme is like the idea of Ryan actually going out with Lindsay: Yeah, we’d like it if the club had the money to do those kinds of things, but…paying for things is actually like dating your foster mom’s half sister? Yeah. For a second there I wasn’t sure if my analogy was sexy enough. It is. (There is a solid dollar for the first person to get in touch with me an accurately explain what I just said and what my reference really meant.) In summation, that last point is calling the university out to provide better integration for web applications. C’mon, UoG. Do
it for the students. Dooooo It! MySQL it up! Basically (fourthly?) a web presence is great. If I had an award show, then I would give an award to Josh for using the internet to reach out to the O.C.’s members. I would also give awards to anyone that saw maintaining a readable and beautiful webspace to be a club priority. Having a webpresence is a great way of a) meeting new people, b) letting people you already know learn more things about you, and c) saving a URL for when some company really wants it and you can sell it for a cool million. That’s why Scott and I are gonna buy BigMoneyButts. com and PelicanDonutDelivery. net. One of those has gotta pay off some day! For my final point (#5) let me just say that I was SO EXCITED when I got Josh’s e-mail. Let me just say that. If there’s ever anything you want me to write about, let me know. Send something to andrewt. press@gmail.com. And Josh, I hope you found this…entertaining. I’m gonna go find something entertaining to do now! I’ll probably watch Joan of Arcadia!
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22
MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
OPINION
THEONTARION.CA
Famous and wealthy individuals are no more than human JUSTIN DUNK Step into the shoes of Tiger Woods for a minute. It is too easy for an overweight couch potato to call out Tiger Woods for all of his transgressions. A man is only as faithful as his options. None of us really know what Woods has to deal with in his everyday life. Woods has been under a microscope ever since he appeared as a two year-old golf prodigy on the nationally televised Mike Douglas Show. After appearing on the program, Woods lived much differently from the proverbial “normal life.” On Feb. 19, Woods finally broke his long silence when he crashed his SUV into a tree outside of his Florida home, and all of his marital affairs became public knowledge. Many of us have seen the Tiger story explode all over different media outlets throughout the world. Woods’ prepared statement apologized publicly to his family, the media, the people who work for his
foundation and the young kids who have held him up as a role model. Woods was raised on strict rules by his father Earl Woods, and when his father died, it has been said that Woods first realized all the freedoms of the world. Earl was the person Woods looked to for the all of his answers. Once he was by himself, Woods no longer had his father to guide him, and suddenly he could do whatever he wanted without any discipline from his father. Woods has grown up to be one of the most recognizable athletes on the entire planet and has earned over one billion dollars during his professional career. Let’s face it: all of this money and fame makes him an attractive target for women. Seems to me that he would have women following him around every place he goes. The issue that is lost in all of Woods’ affairs is that the women he cheated with are just as much at fault as he is, and Woods has no obligation to the world to apologize just because he is a high profile athlete. All of the
women knew Woods was married yet they still pursued a relationship with the famous golfer. By no means am I saying he is innocent, but these women are at fault as well. They should not be painted as victims of a sex-obsessed man. If these women were not also pursuing Woods, maybe there would not have been any temptation for Woods to ever have these affairs. Woods must deal with events in his life that ‘normal’ people will never understand. The argument that Woods deserves the onslaught of criticisms because he chose to live a public life is inherently false. Who are we kidding? Woods never chose this life, he was pushed into it not only by his father but society. Everyone expected the child prodigy to turn pro. Everyone expected him to sign endorsements deals. He had no choice. And when he failed, like so many other people do, he should not have to pay anymore because he is worth millions and because he has a public life he really didn’t choose. Although there are many
Rich Cianci
different opinions of Woods, I’m sure we can all agree that mastering perfection in life may be just as hard as mastering the game of golf. In Woods’ statement he gave no indication of when he is set to return to golf. When Woods does make
his return to the course, it will be a spectacle that will attract attention from his detractors and supporters alike. I bet when Tiger gets dressed for his first golf round back, he will put his golf pants on one leg at a time.
L OOSE CANNON
CFS: Ask how your student movement can screw you GREG BENETEAU It’s not prescience. Just history repeating itself. There was always a good chance that the Central Students Association would be forced to seek legal relief against the Canadian Federation of Students on the issue of holding a referendum vote. It didn’t make me any happier to warn people it was coming for the past 12 weeks. Out of the 13 schools that held petition drives this year, only one, the Alberta College of Art and Design Students’ Association, managed to satisfy the CFS’s conditions to hold a referendum. Those aren’t terribly good odds. But what do you expect from a group that refuses your referendum request because you submitted the necessary materials by process server (i.e. personal courier) instead of registered mail? That’s like showing up for a job interview and being told you won’t be hired because you showed up in a BMW
instead of a Chevy. What’s worse, most schools have chosen not to stand up for their members’ rights. Student petitioners at Western and Carleton have encountered the same problem at U of G, except their student unions won’t go to court to force the issue for one reason or another. That’s a losing strategy – when it comes to the CFS, you have to fight for every inch. I’m not normally a betting man, but I’d like to invite the CFSNational executive to participate in a friendly wager over what will happen next. At stake are bragging rights and a 2-4 of Molson Canadian. In order for me to win, both of my predictions will have to come true: -The CFS will have their asses handed to them in court – that is, the U of G referendum will go ahead this year. While respecting the letter of the law, judges tend to be pragmatic when presiding over disputes within an organization.
A justice might attempt to seek out a compromise on the timing a referendum, but there is no chance the court will throw out U of G’s petition because of the way it was delivered, no matter what CFSOntario’s bylaws say. -When a referendum is finally held, U of G students will vote to leave the CFS. This is not because of the federation’s callous disregard for basic democratic rights, its litigious nature or its hugely expensive and useless attempts at lobbying, but because the vast majority of students have no stake in their version of the so-called “unified student movement.” The CFS has long preferred to concentrate its efforts in schools around Ottawa and Toronto, where seats of government are located. When it comes time to campaign, students will scratch their heads at the federation’s sudden affinity for U of G and its $300,000-a-year membership.
That’s where the bet ends. What happens next depends on the CSA. If the referendum affirms defederation, our student government must submit a withdrawal request to the national executive, who then puts forward a recommendation to be voted on at the next general meeting. (Yes, that means that other schools in the federation get to vote on whether Guelph is permitted leave – a frightening prospect, but far enough away for the moment that it’s not worth the worry). Like at Western and Carleton, if a newly-elected student union doesn’t want to respect the will of students, it can simply stop trying to push the matter with the CFS. The student union will miss its deadline (or the CFS will raise another asinine technicality) and the withdrawal will fail. End of story. This has been the case at several universities over the years who suddenly found their governing bodies stacked with
pro-CFS candidates following an attempt at defederation. I don’t believe that’s the case at U of G. However, I know how student politicians loathe to a take a stance on controversial issues. I still think the CSA’s version of “neutrality” was bone-headed given the history of CFS’s dirty tricks. Nice to a fault, our elected representatives did everything possible to accommodate the federation and, as if on cue, the federation stymied them at every turn. By refusing to push early and hard for CFS to respect the petition process, the issue dragged on until the 11th hour, potentially jeopardizing students’ chances at voting. This year’s executive is finally starting to realize that playing politics with the CFS is a contact sport. They’re making the right moves. The question is, will the incoming executive follow their lead? That’s a question only they can answer.
Visit www.sundaycinema.ca for more info on these Central Student Association events 7:00 pm
8:00 pm
7:00 pm
9:30 pm doors
noon
` a Q Rr s Sq nm`T
docurama Thurs Mar 4
sunday cinema Sun Mar 7
docurama Thurs Mar 11
live music Thurs Mar 11
thornbrough 1307 | free
war memorial hall
thornbrough 1307 | free
e-bar | 41 Quebec | $14 | $12 with food item
uc courtyard
Co-presented with MacLaughlin Library Beware corporate America.
$3 UoG stu | $5 general Appeals to the smart kid in all of us.
Co-presented with MacLaughlin Library Explores the root causes of the global economic meltdown.
Co-presented with KYEO. A night-long set of incredible music.
Live broadcast on CFRU 93.3 FM. Jazzy instrumentalism with trance-inducing indie pop.
nooner Fri Mar 12
THE ONTARION
OPINION
161.7
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ACADEMICS AGAINST APATHY
Profiling Dr. Keefer’s endless will to enable critical thinking KELSEY RIDEOUT Dr. Michael Keefer is a professor in the department of English and Theatre Studies. He is also an engaged citizen who spends much of his time publically revealing injustices within the Canadian government and western policies through delivering public lectures, participating in protests and publishing books. His recent talks to students and the Guelph community have focused on the underlying political dimensions of 9/11, the Canadian government’s involvement in Haiti, and the infringement of Palestinian Human Rights in Canada. Dr. Keefer just recently finished writing a book entitled “Anti-Semitism, Real and Imagined: Responsive to the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition on Anti-Semitism” which aims to harness a critical understanding of Canada’s history and flawed approach to attaining policies, views and actions that are meant to reflect anti-Semitism. KR: In what ways do you combine academic experience with activism? MK: I understand the responsibility of scholars is to do our very best to get the truth out on subjects that
are of urgency to Canadians… The basic thing I feel I can do, is to apply the same scholarly tools that I use in writing in editing difficult texts and exploring issues of early modern philosophy … to issues of I think real urgency in contemporary history. University people have a responsibility. We have the luxury of being able to spend our time trying to understand things and I think we need to try to understand what problems we can manage to grapple with that have urgency for our compatriots. KR: Last week you were a part of the Haiti panel discussion and voiced your opposition in regards to the Western involvement within the country. On Tuesday you talked about “the Attack on Palestinian Human Rights in Canada” for Israeli Apartheid Week. Can you identify any barriers that stand in your way of getting your messages across to the public? MK:It’s a little bit frustrating to realize the news media (the corporate news media) are not hospitable to important critical perspectives… The news media on the subject of Haiti want to project the image of Canada as a good Samaritan. The image we project is that poor Haiti
is lying, beating and battered on the ditch…and we Canadians because we’re binding up their wounds, we are being decent. The unfortunate fact is that this is propaganda, and it’s also a sad falsehood. We plotted to overthrow the democratically elected government of Haiti…I find it really unfortunate that Canadians are not given the truth on these matters. Canadian troops occupied the airport, American troops kidnapped the president, and the French were co-conspirators. Our media are not critically investigating these issues. One has to be extremely grateful for critical news analysis and commentary on the internet. KR: What are you ultimately hoping will result from your efforts? MK:In regards to the book, what I’m hoping is that the analytical work I’ve done will help Canadian Parliamentarians understand the issue more clearly, to understand the ways in which and the degrees in which anti-Semitism remains a problem… It will enable them to approach the issue and not be panicked…because the evidence is quite clear. KR: What would you say to a tired university student who is beginning
to feel that academia cannot lead to any real form of change? MK: A great literary thinker …said that the university is the place, the workshop, where the real stuff is being done. He contrasted that to the ivory tower of the business world. I think we need to remind ourselves that change comes about through understanding, and that’s what we’re involved with – whether it’s legal scholars at work, historians at work, agronomists at work, economists – people are in different ways trying to arrive at a fence of what the truths are, and to disseminate that understanding. Part of the problem with being a university student, and I accept partial blame for this, is that we have a structure here that we’re demanding you to perform this task and another task and not encouraging or permitting you to raise your hands enough… for you to say here are the large critical perspectives, here are the large social issues, and here’s what’s facing the community that we belong to. KR: How can the university system transform ambivalent attitudes into action, concern and compassion? By and large, and I say this with
sorrow, the people who are in universities are those who already enjoy a degree of privilege that many of their contemporaries don’t. There are lots of people who have the capacity to be among us and who don’t have the resources…I think perhaps even if we are racking up debt in university we are still privileged…. Of course, what one of the things I really strongly object to is the degree to which our system pushes people into doing part-time work. Many university students are in effect doing good jobs, in order to eat and pay their rent… and that contributes to or takes away from students, and their capacity and freedom to engage in critical reflection. In terms of motivating people…if we stand back and look at where we are, we should be seriously alarmed, by you name it – peak oil, economic collapse, ecological collapse, the issues of climate change and so on. People may not want to think about issues like that, and part of what universities are there for is to say, ‘no, we have to think about these things’. We cannot afford the luxury of ignorance. We need to engage, develop an understanding, and capacity of critical engagement with these subjects.
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MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
EDITOR'S PAGE
THEONTARION.CA
EDITORIAL
The Ontarion Inc.
While the world is still watching…
University Centre Room University of Guelph NG W
Canada just finished hosting one of the world’s most significant international events: the Olympic Games. We don’t need to reiterate the importance and the spectacle that is the 17-day event that took place in and around Vancouver. The level of captivation among the 80 per cent of Canadians who tuned into the gold medal men’s hockey game speaks for itself. Never before has Canadian unity been so apparent. Never before has the nation been so universally engaged in an ongoing event. And going beyond just Canadians, for all intents and purposes, the Olympics are a time when some of the largest populations in the world collectively focus on a single city and country. The spotlight on Vancouver and Canada has rarely been brighter and with the ongoing Paralympics
highlighting the accomplishments of individuals who have battled through some of life’s greatest challenges, the accolades from other countries should continue to pour in. With that in mind, there has never been a better opportunity for Canada to bestow its most progressive virtues on the rest of the world, beyond the world of sport. Granted, we are not perfect. Not by any means. There are certain features of this country that need work and are cause for concern. Mistreatment of our Native populations and our government’s often-apparent apathy towards the global environmental movement, are but two major issues that need to be examined and reformed for Canada to continue calling itself a global leader and advocate of progressive change. But that said, Canada also has a
lot to offer. Universal healthcare, human rights, access to higher education and relatively low levels of unemployment are things that we, as Canadians, take for granted, but make us the apple of the eye for many in the international community. And with that in mind, let’s use this post-Olympic aura that is resonating throughout the world as an opportunity to prove that Canada can be much more than a sportsenthused mecca of polite individuals with a liking for good beer. The 36th G8 summit will take place in Huntsville, Ontario from June 25-27, 2010 and Toronto will also host the G20 meeting in the same month. These are two massive international events and will be an opportunity for Canada to once again emanate its leadership capabilities to the international
community. With the world emerging from a global recession, Canada will now be looked at to not only provide leadership and stability for recovering developed countries, but also to offer assistance for those in need, particularly countries that have suffered from horrific natural disasters in Haiti and Chile. Now is a time to hear the voices of those who have been previously oppressed and undermined. Now is the time to ensure that exemplary social welfare is made available beyond our borders. Safe to say, 2010 is Canada’s year in the spotlight. It’s time to take advantage of this opportunity. Vancouver has left a satisfying taste in the mouths of those who bore witness to the Games. Let’s ensure that the aftertaste remains equally pleasant.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, In the piece, “A response to Our union, our caucus,” CSA Commissioner Gavin Armstrong writes, “it is critical that the facts presented are correct and coherent. In this case, they were not. I would like to take this opportunity to present the correct facts.” Gavin, I reserve a lot of respect for you and the other commissioners, as you represent Guelph students to the administration, local organizations, and even federal ones such as the CFS. You hold a lot of power and responsibility. That said, it both disappoints and chills me to the bone to think you that you don’t know what a fact is. A fact cannot be incorrect. A fact, such as “24 of 216 students in a poll indicated they were aware of the CFS issue,” is pure truth. An argument, however, such as “One way of properly engaging students is for CSA commissioners to edit their own writing,” can be judged coherent, incorrect, stupid, insightful, etc. But why am I explaining this to you? As the “Communications & Corporate Affairs” Commissioner, shouldn’t you know these things? Darren Monteith Dear Ontarion, I guess it was a slow news week in general, since the Feb 25th issue seemed to be dedicated almost entirely (with the exception of the sports and regular columns, thankfully) to a discussion not of the issues, but of the politics of politics, and the technicalities of student governance complexities. Did you know that reading week was Project Serve week, and that students are still advocating for action and awareness about Haiti, women’s rights, environmental issues, and homelessness? Maybe student awareness and apathy about the CFS and CSA’s
in-fighting is high because students don’t find these things relevant to what really matters: our local community, equality, human rights and environmental sustainability. Maybe students would pay more attention to the CSA and CFS if they did something to improve the world, instead of get caught up in the self-importance of their own bureaucracy. Sincerely, Gillian Maurice Dear Ontarion, On Thursday, Feb. 25, the Ontario Legislature passed a resolution declaring that Israel Apartheid Week incites hatred against Israel. Michael Ignatieff addressed the issue by saying “Israel Apartheid Week” (IAW), betrays the values of mutual respect that Canada has always promoted. International law defines “apartheid” as a crime against humanity. Labelling Israel as an “apartheid” state is... a deliberate attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the Jewish state itself.” It is shocking and saddening to me to see this offensive and hateful terminology being used at the University of Guelph. If organizations like the CSA Human Rights Office are truly in favour of seeking peace and justice in this world, then perhaps next year they will hold Middle East Peace Week instead of Israel Apartheid Week. Students on this campus must unite together in order to create an environment for peaceful and productive dialogue, and this kind of environment must be instituted in order for actions of students to truly have an impact on any scale. Jeff Greenberg MAL Outreach Central Canada - Canadian Federation of Jewish Students Exchequer - ΑΕΠ - ΗΘ Chapter
Dear Ontarion, As I was walking to class today, I was shocked to hear some of the accusations made by Israel Apartheid Week representatives. Accusing Israel of being an oppressor that is not interested in peace is counterproductive and incorrect. Internal Israeli government documents, now declassified, prove that in 1967, following the acquisition of the West Bank, Gaza and Sinai, and the Golan Heights from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria respectively, Israel was willing to return all territory in exchange for peace agreements with its neighbours and an end to violence in the region. Indeed, Israeli foreign Minister at the time, Abba Eban, stated that in direct talks with Arab countries, “everything is negotiable.” The Arab League responded with the Three No’s: no peace with Israel, no negotiations with Israel, and no recognition of Israel. Since then, Israel has made peace and significant territorial concessions with both Egypt and Jordan, and pulled completely out of Lebanon, demonstrating its continuing readiness and desire for peace. People should really do their homework before making hurtful accusations such as these. Thanks Haley Gotfrid I would like to bring attention to a group at Guelph that has made me afraid of coming to campus every morning. The reason that I am afraid is because I support Israel. The now yearly event known as Israel Apartheid Week brings students and other members of our Guelph community’s radicalized beliefs to the surface. We are fortunate that heads have been calmer here than on other campuses, but at the same time the mere mention of Israel as apartheid state makes me cringe and fear the hate that sweeps our campus. How ironic that the group that is making me fearful is the one meant to protect minority groups on campus- the CSA Human Rights Office. If I ever feel oppressed
or discriminated against on this campus I will not feel comfortable going to the CSA Human Rights office. I hope that in the future that our student government will not feel the need to isolate and discriminate against a group of the students that they claim to represent. Aminah Abbas In a letter to the editor, dissatisfaction has been expressed with the Canadian Federation of Students (of whom all students at the University of Guelph are a part of ). I am left confused and hoping for some clarification. A claim is made that the CFS should advocate effectively on issues that matter to students. Yet, the CFS continues to dedicate enormous amounts of time and resources, through various campaigns and lobbying efforts, to advocate on numerous critical issues that matter to all students. That being said, which of their campaigns have not been relevant to the issues students face? Are there other issues that you wish to see the CFS raise and, if so, what are they? Have such ideas been communicated to the CFS, and what has been the response? Similarly, this letter also demands that the CFS demonstrate financial and administrative transparency. Yet, having possession of copies of their publicly-accessible, audited, financial statements, I am more than happy to share them with anyone wishing to review these records (as has been done for others making similar requests). What are the specific concerns that are being eluded to? When such concerns have been raised with the CFS, what has been their response? More so, I am uncertain of the claims made of unjust litigation against students by the CFS. Specifically, what unjust litigation has there been, against which students, and how has such litigation >
CONTINUED ON PAGE 25
ontarion@uoguelph.ca Phone: -- General: x Editorial: x Advertising: x Accounts: x Fax: -- Editorial staff Editor-in-chief Daniel Bitonti Arts & culture editor Zack MacRae News editor Nicole Elsasser Sports & health editor Mike Treadgold Copy editor Roli Wilhelm Web editor Sarawanan Ravindran Production staff Photo & graphics editor Rashaad Bhamjee Ad designer Anne Tabata Layout director Duncan Day-Myron Office staff Business manager Lorrie Taylor Office manager Monique Vischschraper Ad manager Chris Hamelin Board of directors President David Evans Chairperson Timothy McBride Treasurer Curtis Van Laecke Secretary Justine Baskey Members Matthew French Andrew Goloida James Hawkins Aaron Jacklin Rachel Jones Marshal McLernon Joanna Sulzycki
Contributors
Greg Beneteau Aldis Brennan Katelyn Dingman Josh Doyle Justin Dunk Sarah Dunstan Dan Howse Kristian Imgrund Elizabeth McLeod Dan O’Keefe Kelsey Rideout Neil Risk Julia Shonfield Michael Slotwinski Miles Stemp Andrew Townsend Daniel Wright
The Ontarion is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. Since the Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Ontarion Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Material of any form appearing in this newspaper is copyrighted 2009 and cannot be reprinted without the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. The Ontarion retains the right of first publication on all material. In the event that an advertiser is not satisfied with an advertisement in the newspaper, they must notify the Ontarion within four working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement. The Ontarion is printed by the Guelph Mercury.
THE ONTARION
CROSSWORD
161.7
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR <
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(if any) been determined to be unjust? If such litigation has occurred, what has been the outcome (if any) and how has the CFS justified such actions? As the CSA executive responsible for representing the University of Guelph in the CFS, I look forward to hearing the specific concerns behind these accusations so that they can be addressed. Should the authors so wish, I am always more than happy to meet with them, and anyone else, to discuss this and/ or other concerns regarding our membership within the CFS. More so, should anyone wish to raise such concerns with those working at the provincial and national offices of the
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CFS, I would be more than happy to help facilitate such a meeting. Always hoping for an open and transparent dialogue, I look forward to receiving your thoughts. Sincerely, Momina Mir CSA External Affairs Commissioner
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Congratulations to last week’s winner...
Dave Bestin Come by the Ontarion office to pick up your prize.
Submit your answers to UC 264 by Monday at 4:00 for a chance to win
2 Bob’s Dogs!
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1. Exterminator’s prey 5. Snide remark 9. Musical composition 14. Division word 15. Away from the elements 16. Type 17. Drop jaws 18. Lion’s pride, maybe 19. Libreville’s country 20. A slight hint 22. Take 5 24. Brooks of Spaceballs 25. Morsel for Rover 26. Do math 28. Cattral of Sex and the City 30. ____ king (2 wds.) 32. Wound 34. Foe of certain armies 36. George Burns accessory 38. Secrete 39. Hard water remnant 42. Intense rage 43. Hues 44. Reclusive sort 45. Sea worthy craft 47. Bias (hyph.) 49. Gets ready to bake 53. First name in coffee?
54. Trig. Angle 55. Prefix for morning or summer 56. Stew necessity 57. Dandy 59. Hindu adviser 61. Made a yoink sound 63. Strauss’ fabric 65. ‘Alpha-Bits’ maker 67. Fashion rag 68. Debbie Reynolds musical (1976) 69. Butter substitute 70. Pig’s feed 71. Eastern English county 72. Budding body part 73. Uses a towel Down 1. Duel weapon 2. Full 3. Movie credit 4. Singapore’s Prime Minister (1990-2004) 5. Kapow! 6. Sleeper’s nuisance 7. Parti Québécois founder Lévesque 8. Excellent, in the ‘20s (2 wds.) 9. Soufflé ingredient 10. There’s no I in it
11. On a winning streak 12. Most whimsical 13. Poetic contraction 21. Known to a select few 23. Chickadee 27. Cero successor 29. Make do, so to speak (2 wds.) 31. Language and visual 33. The British ____ 34. Made known 35. Is sure-footed 37. Loses faith in (3 wds.) 39. Las Vegas sight 40. Northern trees 41. Clown fish sanctuaries 46. Participate in the Winter Olympics 48. Follow 50. Greek god of the hunt 51. Globular serving 52. Makes orange pekoe 55. Calliope and Erato, for e.g. 58. Christmas tree 60. Nestlé treat 62. Roman Polanski film (1979) 63. Pass on 64. U.S.A. neighbour 66. Digit for the line?
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MAR. 4 - 10, 2010
CLASSIFIED & COMMUNITY LISTINGS
CLASSIFIED
THEONTARION.CA
COMMUNITY LISTINGS
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Rural Landscapers Needed! Planting small trees on farms across south Ontario. Guelph based, from April 19 - May 15. Excellent rates - earn $150+ per day. Treeplanting experience an asset. bartramwoodlands@ sympatico.ca or call 519-8368774. COMMUNITY EVENTS Joe Crowley, Ontario Nature, will talk about Ontario’s Reptiles At Risk at the Guelph Field Naturalists meeting on Thursday, March 11th at 7:30 p.m. at the Arboretum, UofG. Everyone welcome. THE GUELPH RECORD and CD SHOW - Sunday, March 14. 10:30am - 4pm at the Best Western, 716 Gordon St. (opposite the university).
Over 35 vendors. Admission $4. For further information contact: 905-777-1763. HOUSING Student house – two bedrooms available, fully furnished Townhouse at 1155 Gordon Street. $525/month, all utilities included. For more details, please call Valerie at (905)5997993 or email Abbie: aviscard@ uoguelph.ca
THURSDAY MARCH 4 Community members are invited to review the CITY’S PLANS for BIKE LANES on Stone Rd from Scottsdale Drive to Victoria Road South, and on Gordon Street from Stone Road to Harts Lane. 4pm – 7pm at the Delta Hotel on 50 Stone Rd. W. www.guelph.ca/ remastered/?page_id=90
SERVICES
Writer’s block? Professional essay help available for all subjects and levels. Masters and PhD graduates specializing in editing and research. Toll free: 1-888-345-8295. Email: customessay@bellnet.ca Visit us: www. customessay.com
Café Scientifique, a series of science and technology discussions hosted by the SES,
FRIDAY MARCH 5 Talk on Arab-Israeli Conflict with journalist Khaled Abu Toameh The View From Inside the Palestinian Territories.” 12:30pm in MacKinnon 116. SATURDAY MARCH 6 Falun Dafa free qigong instruction. Soothe the mind, heal the body. All ages welcome, no experience needed. 2-4pm. UC 004.
LIAISON OFFICERS Admission Services is hiring six dynamic people for temporary full-time employment (Approx. August 3, 2010 to November 26, 2010)
Reporting to the Assistant Registrar - Student Recruitment, Liaison Officers will be required to give presentations at approximately one hundred Ontario high schools as part of the Individual School Visit Program, presenting information to prospective students, parents, teachers and secondary school officials. The Liaison Officers will be responsible for preparing reports on those visits; participating at the Ontario Universities’ Fair; counselling prospective applicants; responding to inquiries; assisting with on-campus events; assisting with the production of liaison materials and information; general correspondence, and other duties as assigned. Requirements of this position include: a university degree (preferably from the University of Guelph); relevant experience in the liaison, registrarial or student services environment, public relations or marketing, or an equivalent combination of education and experience; demonstrated excellence in verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills; knowledge of word processing. A valid Ontario driver’s license is essential. Must be able to work weekends and evenings. Extensive travel throughout Ontario is required.
For a full description of the job posting please visit: www.uoguelph.ca/HR/jobpost/index between February 26 and March 12, 2010
Canadian Blood Services Blood Donor Clinic. 11am6pm in Peter Clark Hall in the UC. For more information or to book an appointment, call 1-888-2-DONATE.
Café Philosophique, presents Prof. Susan Nance, Department of History, discussing “Can Rodeo Sports Survive the Twenty-First Century.” 7pm at the Bookshelf eBar
Employment Opportunity!
Applications must be submitted on or before March 12, 2010 to: Human Resources, University of Guelph Level 5, University Centre
MONDAY MARCH 8
TUESDAY MARCH 9
STRESS LESS FOR TESTS. Decrease test anxiety. Enhance focus & performance. A 2 session program by the Stress Management Clinic meets March 16 and 18 at 5:30 pm. Details at www.uoguelph. ca/~ksomers. DIVERSE STUDENTS & STUDENT OF COLOUR SUPPORT GROUPS. Mondays and Tuesday: One on One Support 10am-2pm, Discussion 1:30-3:30pm. Wed: One on one support, 10am-2pm. Discussion 5-7pm. Confidentiality ensured. Munford Centre, Rm 54. Contact: rmcleod@uoguleph. ca or x53244.
Info: Mai 519-823-2422. Guelph Hiking Trail Club Meet 2pm to hike on a Private Property Trail. Contact 519836-6570. www.guelphhiking. com.
continues with SES professor Rob Nicol considering “Food, Fuel and Chemicals: There’s Plenty to Go Around.” 7pm at the Diana Downtown. WEDNESDAY MARCH 10 C.J. Munford Centre presents Black History Month Speaker: Dr. Jean Augustine, first African-Canadian woman Member of Parliament, first Fairness Commissioner of Ontario. MacKinnon Room 121, 5-6pm. ONGOING: Stark Raven Radio. 1st-3rd Tues of each month. 1-2pm. Local and international focus on resistance to colonialism and capitalism. Prison justice, indigenous sovereignty and self-determination for all peoples.
Are you between the ages of 15 and 30? Looking for a job? Then come to the
Youth Job Fair When: Thursday, March 11, 2010 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Best Western Royal Brock, Guelph At the corner of Gordon Street & Stone Road
This Event Is Open To All Ages For a complete list of employers and positions, visit us at: www.workforceplanningboard.com
Bus schedule 1:30 – 160 St. David Street, Fergus 2:00 – Arrival at Best Western Royal Brock 3:45 – Best Western bus leaves for Fergus 4:15 – Arrival at St. David Street, Fergus A free shuttle bus from Fergus to Guelph will be available for rural jobseekers on the day of the job fair.
BE PREPARED FOR AN ON-SITE INTERVIEW
This project is funded by the Government of Canada