The Community Edition: October 2021

16 COSMIC RELIEF: A ROMANTIC AUTUMN AHEAD

an alternative

Klassen

Viveen

Di Sabatino

Funk

Pipia Altay Coskun Mariana Bilbao

Zachary Stronge

Layla Morrison

Doan

Mana Behzad

Sageman

Community Edition

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NEWS IN BRIEF

OKTOBERFEST KICKS OFF IN KW

Oktoberfest kicked off early again for a second year. This move was once again made in order to accomodate more outdoor activities and allow organizers to take advantage of patio season. The keg was tapped at the end of September and in-person and virtual programming will take place over the next few weekends.

COVID-19 SPIKE AT GUELPH SCHOOL

École élémentaire Catholique Saint-René-Goupil in Guelph reported 18 COVID-19 cases among staff and students—the most COVID-19 cases reported at any school in the province. The French immersion school has 244 students. According to health officials, spread is happening at home rather than in the classroom.

HYDRO-MERGER DRAWS NEAR IN WR

On Oct. 1, Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro and Waterloo North Hydro announced their intentions to merge. In order to move forward, the merge will need approval from each affected municipal council. These include Waterloo, Kitchener and the townships of Woolwich, Wellesley and Wilmot. The Ontario Energy Board will also have to sign off.

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

Thousands marched through the streets of Kitchener in order to recognize Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Donna Dubie, executive director of The Healing of the Seven Generations, addressed the large crowd before leading the group down Fredrick Street. The march saw a large sea of orange pooling at Victoria Park.

MORRICE OUT FOR LEADERSHIP RACE

Recently elected Kitchener Centre MP Mike Morrice passed up on the opportunity to run for Green Party leadership. After Annamie Paul announced her intention to resign as party leader there was some speculation that Morrice might step up to the plate. A spokesperson for Morrice said that he intends to focus on his riding for the time being.

CONESTOGA STUDENT KILLED

An 18-year-old student, Joshua Bennett was identified as the victim of a homicide that took place on Sept. 24 after police responded to a report of an injured person near Paulander Drive in Kitchener. Bennett was enrolled in the carpentry and renovation technical program at Conestoga College. Police are currently investigating.

NO MORE RAPID TESTS FOR YOU!

The Ministry of Health ordered Communitech to stop distributing COVID-19 rapid tests as a part of their StaySafe program. Through StaySafe, the company gave rapid tests to roughly 4000 individuals, including parents, who signed up to receive a regular supply of test kits. The Ford government said the kits should be going to small businesses instead of parents.

165 CHARGES POSTHOMECOMING

Despite the bolted-down barriers lining Ezra Street and a temporary nuisance bylaw passed by the city, Waterloo police reported that a decent amount of Liquor Licence Act and Highway Traffic Act citations were handed out during homecoming. Along with these, the police also issued citations for 15 criminal code and drug-related offences.

SYLLABI UPDATED BY WRDSB

Students in Waterloo Region spent time reflecting on the tragic history of residential schools as they approached Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The board challenged students to take action outside of their school work by having conversations and doing their own research into the impacts of residential schools.

EDITOR’S

I don’t much care for apologies, especially when they come a dime a dozen from the person giving it.

They’re easy to fake and, too often, the person offering it is hoping to sweep their mistakes under the rug and make minimal effort to be and do better.

The same is true for the government’s half-hearted attempts to reconcile with the Indigenous nations they wronged.

This year, we had the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It was a statutory holiday where people were given the day off of work and encouraged to reflect on history on their own time.

Telling the general public to go off and do their own research on a history they never learned is foolish. That’s not to say that Canadians aren’t smart enough to engage in reconciliation, but reconciliation depends on the truth and the truth has never been easy to access in this country.

Just take the residential schools as an example. Many people are hearing and learning about them now, but that is a recent development. It took the horrific discovery of childrens’ remains buried in mass graves to incite national interest in the residential school system.

Only recently has this information become a part of school curricula—six years after the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) were released.

The TRC had 94 recommendations— will we have to wait for 94 tragedies to meet them all? How many years will that take? How many generations?

The residential schools were the main focus of the TRC, but they did not exist in a vacuum. The schools were immoral, genocidal and, most importantly, illegal. The men that created and enforced them, the systems that maintained and neglected them all knew this: what they were doing was illegal.

Among other things, it was colonialism that allowed them to commit these attrocities, as well as the idea that whatever they did was civilized by virtue of their whiteness.

These ideas were held by individuals but they were systemic.

Decolonization is hard and neverending work. What Canada is doing is asking every citizen to engage with it on their own without proper guidance or resources.

Moreover, the average Canadian is a hard worker and an extra holiday is well-deserved. To ask the general public to catch up on history on a day

off is hardly efficient. Instead, this day should be a day where people go into work and the workplaces dedicate the time to educating their workers and making plans for the coming year’s reconciliation work.

This way, rather than asking every person to repeat the same process of learning and working on their own time, there can be a greater basis of knowledge and resources readily available to working Canadians.

Also, having time set aside for reconciliation work makes it a more concrete idea—there is a schedule, a time frame, a plan.

A day of recognition and comemmoration of residential schools is important but they are not a relic of the past. There is much work to be done and so the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation cannot be a passive holiday like other statutory holidays. It should be a day of working together as a workplace and as a nation toward decolonization and reconciliation.

Local seagull stands off with photographer Dave Klassen at Riverside Park. DAVE KLASSEN PHOTO

WATERLOO WELCOMES AFGHAN REFUGEES

ALEX KINSELLA STAFF WRITER

The effects of the Taliban’s defeat of the Afghanistan government last month are being felt worldwide, including in Waterloo Region.

Organizations such as Reception House, the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation and Immigration Partnership Waterloo Region have mobilized to support new arrivals from Afghanistan with housing, education and other settlement support services.

Helen Loftin, director of Fundraising & Communications at Reception House Waterloo Region, said that over 120 refugees from Afghanistan have arrived in the region since the beginning of August.

“The nature of the arrival has been a little bit more frenetic. Typically, when Reception House receives refugees, we get a notice of arrival

from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [IRCC] that would give two plus weeks to prepare for that arrival. It is very different from that in the Afghan context because we don’t always get those notices of arrivals. We have had a couple of times where we were told to go to the airport and pick up a family,” Loftin said.

Reception House is the local agency that implements support programs for government-assisted refugees for IRCC. Their programs provide financial assistance for accommodations, clothing, household necessities, and other living expenses.

In addition to financial aid, Reception House also helps refugees with processes ranging from getting their social insurance numbers to opening a bank account.

The majority of people that Reception House provides assistance to are brought here by the Government of Canada with a recommendation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The arrivals from Afghanistan are part of a government initiative created quickly in the wake of the Taliban seizing control.

“Everyone at Reception House has been keen to make sure that we can make this reception as smooth as possible and get them the best landing here in Canada. We’re all scrambling but spirits are high. We’re excited to help in whatever ways we can,” Loftin said.

Reception House supports new arrivals and refugees from other countries who were already scheduled to arrive in the region. The number of arrivals dropped during the pandemic but has increased to prepandemic levels with the easing of travel restrictions.

Loftin said that the government was already looking at increasing the number of arrivals before the government collapsed in Afghanistan.

“The information we received was that those numbers were going to go up this year. Already, we have seen that pace start to tick up in May and June. On top of that, we have the Afghan arrivals, which has meant all of our resources are stretched,” Loftin said.

Funding for Reception House comes from both public and private sources.

Loftin said a significant component

of their work is finding housing and healthcare support for new arrivals.

Increases in property prices and rent are making it difficult to find adequate housing options.

Issues around housing affordability are top of mind for Elizabeth Heald, president & chief executive officer of the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation. The organization is launching its Waterloo Region 2021 Vital Signs® Report on Affordable Housing this month to rally community engagement on an issue that affects everyone in the community.

“The problem has just been exacerbated because trying to find housing for people is such a challenge. Reception House does such an amazing job of welcoming newcomers, but it’s a short lived period of time that they are engaged with Reception House. Finding them a place to live in that period of time is going to be really challenging,” Heald said.

Grants from the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation go to charitable organizations, including those that support refugee resettlement. However, the

organization’s goals extend beyond solely providing financial assistance.

“Our mission is not only helping through grants to organizations, but also in convening these important conversations, and creating these opportunities for the average citizen to be able to make a difference in the lives of refugees–whether it’s someone from Afghanistan or from another country and helping them–have a safe place to call home,” Heald said.

Community support through volunteerism and donations are crucial to helping Reception House support refugees in the region.

“We really have such a wonderful community here in KitchenerWaterloo. It’s unbelievable generosity. There is an outpouring of people wanting to help. Donations rose with people saying we want to help in some manner. Things are happening and the outlook is good for these folks who are arriving because now they’re here and able to resettle and establish themselves here in our region—which is a wonderful place to be,” Loftin said.

Reception House in Waterloo is one of the many organizations working to help Afghan refugees fleeing from Taliban rule.

MATTHEW VIVEEN PHOTO

MORRICE GRABS SEAT FOR KITCHENER CENTRE

Morrice.

RACHAEL MACINTOSH STAFF WRITER

On Sept. 20, history was made in Ontario as, after 38 years since its establishment in 1983, the Green Party of Canada won their first MP seat with Kitchener Centre’s Mike Morrice.

In 2015, the local vote for the Green Party was 3 per cent and this year, Morrice was elected with 32.7 per cent of the vote.

Morrice ran in the 2019 election and decided to run with the Green Party due to similarities between their values and his. For example, the Green Party’s values of social justice, participatory democracy, nonviolence, and ecological wisdom.

“The Green Party, within the values of the party, encourages their MPs to focus on representing their community first and foremost, rather than being spokespeople for the party. And so, to me, that was really important, because it meant that when I was knocking on doors I could be genuinely listening to the person I was speaking with, and that, now, as MP Elect, I’m intending to go to Ottawa to be a strong representative for our community, to be a voice for our community first and foremost,” Morrice said.

Once in Ottawa, Morrice wants to focus on listening to the communities he represents and working across party lines to create solutions to pressing problems. For example, the housing crisis is a big concern for

KITCHENER

“When it comes to the specific priorities, we’ve got to address the unaffordability of housing... It’s over 360 people in our community who are living unsheltered. It’s also about young people who I’ve spoken with who are unsure if they’ll ever be in a position to afford to move out of their parents’ place or to even buy a home of their own. And it’s true for seniors who are living on fixed income who are anxious as their rents go up,” Morrice said.

Morrice is a graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU), where he studied business and computer electronics, and founded Sustainable Waterloo Region. This passion for local organizations stemmed from a frustration with the Conference of Parties hosted by the UN in 1992.

Through his work with environmental organizations, Morrice became interested in politics. He believes that not enough action has been taken on a national level to address climate change and other crises.

Sustainable Waterloo Region started the Green Economy Hub, an organization that supported businesses who voluntarily set targets to reduce their carbon footprint and increase profitability. During his time with Green Economy Hub, Morrice worked with dozens of companies and other organizations including Laurier itself. The organization would eventually contribute to the regions first climate action plan “Climate Action WR.”

“We are not on track to meet what scientists and Indigenous leaders and young people have been calling for to ensure that we leave our kids and

nieces and nephews and grandkids with a safe climate future. At a time when our government continues to build new pipeline infrastructure and subsidize fossil fuels, I realized that it’s policy that we need to shift if we’re going to be honest about what is required to address the climate crisis,” Morrice said.

“And this extends to other big challenges we’re facing, when it comes to the affordability of housing, when it comes to mental health supports, long-term care it just felt increasingly existential to me when I decided to run just before the 2019 election that we need system change, we need policy change, if we’re going to meet the scale of the crises that we’re facing.”.

Morrice credited his community with helping him win. He said it was a humbling experience and that he hopes to work with his community to address the issues that they feel are important.

“It’s pretty humbling, just to know the number of people that have placed their trust in me. I think of the day before the election: I was on Westmount and spoke with a mother and her daughter, it was her daughter’s first time voting. And she said to me, she said, ‘Mike, I believe in you’ And so that comes with a real sense of responsibility to follow through on,” he said.

“Now, [I am] not saying, you know, ‘elect me and I’ll solve the housing crisis,’ but I did say that I would be respectful, that I would be working hard on our community’s behalf to be a strong voice for us,” he said.

CAMBRIDGE:

Mike Morrice is the first MP from the Green Party in Ontario. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

UPTOWN BUSINESSES UPDATE FAÇADES

ALEX KINSELLA STAFF WRITER

In September, the City of Waterloo announced they were accepting new Uptown Façade Community Improvement Program applications through Oct. 18, 2021. The program offers small businesses in Uptown Waterloo matching grants of up to $10,000 to update a building’s façade, improve the streetscape, or conserve heritage features.

The City of Waterloo initially launched the program in 2015. Justin McFadden, director of economic development for the City of Waterloo, said the program was designed to support businesses affected by construction for the ION light rail transit system.

“We knew it was going to be challenging times ahead for Uptown businesses with all of the disruptions that were about to take place. So we felt that Uptown needed a little bit of a boost,” McFadden said.

Business owners take part in the program through an application process with the City of Waterloo. To qualify for the program, the business needs to be located in the Uptown area, and they also need to submit cost estimates for the improvement project. In addition to the $10,000 matching grant, business owners can apply for an additional $5,000 matching grant for designated heritage properties. Corner properties qualify for up to a $15,000 matching grant to cover the additional street frontage.

“Pretty much anybody that’s got some new signage or fresh looking

signage along King Street or the side streets has probably taken advantage of the program. For projects that were $20,000, the City would cover $10,000 of that. That’s a reasonable amount of money to do a nice upgrade on the front,” McFadden said.

McPhail’s Cycle & Sport, The Crumby Cookie Dough Co., The Princess Cinemas, UNI+KONCEPT and Ethel’s Lounge are a few of the businesses that have taken advantage of the program.

McFadden said the City saw an increase in businesses using the program in 2016 and 2017, a period of significant construction in the Uptown core that drew the ire of many business owners. Princess Cinemad owner John Tutt said that the constant construction felt like getting knocked down again and again.

“First it was the LRT, then the streetscape project. The perception was that the area wasn’t approachable,” Tutt said.

There were ten grants issued in 2016, and 23 grants being issued in 2017. Over 40 businesses have used the program to make improvements, from restoring building frontage to new signage.

Tutt used one grant to retrofit the Princess Twin marquee with LED lights to reduce energy usage. This year, Tutt applied for a grant to update the façade of the Princess Original cinema—another example McFadden said represents the benefits of the program.

“It’s been a very successful program. By the end of this year, the City will have spent over $550,000 towards façade improvements for Uptown businesses. Those businesses have spent at least that much too. That’s driven well over a million dollars spent in investment for Uptown Waterloo during the last five years,” McFadden said.

Tracy Van Kalsbeek, executive director of Uptown Waterloo BIA, said the façade improvements are a welcome part of the City of Waterloo’s efforts to enhance its uptown core.

“Over the past few years, Uptown’s streetscape has significantly changed for the better. On top of the existing green spaces and trail systems, we now have wider sidewalks for patios, separated bike lanes and unique and programmable LED lighting around our trees. All of these initiatives have boosted Uptown’s vibrancy, making it a destination for many,” Van Kalsbeek said.

The Uptown core has seen a number of changes due to construction, aging business owners and the pandemic. These changes have resulted in the loss of several longtime businesses including Harmony Lunch, Starlight, and Chainsaw.

This summer, Angie’s Kitchen also closed after 60 years of business, which put the fear of change into many local minds. The Uptown Façade Community Improvement Program is a way for the city to help business owners attract new customers and keep their buildings in good condition.

Tenille Bonoguore, City of Waterloo Ward 7 councillor looks at the program as a way to prolong the life of buildings and reduce the need for new construction.

“ We’ve got old buildings, and anyone who has an older home knows that old buildings can be a fair bit of work. You can compare the before and the after and you can definitely see that it’s put a lot of life in the building. For me, it helps with our environmental goals as well. If we look after what we have, that means we don’t have to knock it down and build a new one,” Bonoguore said.

WATERLOO FOOD BANK EXCEEDS GOAL

aren’t as full. And although we’ve been doing a lot of additional work to serve the community to address the needs during COVID, we’re also purchasing a lot more food.”

ALYSSA DI SABATINO CONTRIBUTOR

Food assistance is a much needed service, especially during a global pandemic. Food insecurity was exacerbated during the last 19 months for many reasons, ranging from unstable finances to grocery shortages that were abundant in the beginning of the pandemic.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is working to address this need through their yearly Full Bellies, Happy Hearts campaign. This campaign launched in 2019 and runs annually from July 1 to Aug. 31 with the goal of raising one million meals for those in the community in need of food assistance. In the summer, donations decrease as people spend time away from their communities.

“We know a lot of people who make food donations every week when they’re at the grocery store. But if you’re at the cottage, you’re not in your grocery store every week making those donations,” Wendi Campbell, CEO of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, said.

“[Summer] months are times when donations tend to decline. Our shelves

This year, the Food Bank surpassed their goal and raised 1.5 million meals for the community. Campbell said that the majority of the fundraising this year was made through financial donations.

“With financial donations, for every dollar we raise, we can provide [six] meals in the community,” Campbell said.

“We’re going to be able to restock our shelves, replenish our inventory, keep essential services moving, keep trucks on the road and ensure that food continues to be distributed out to our food assistance network, which is close to 100 programs in our community that [fed] more than 33,000 people last year.”

Last year’s fundraising goal of 500,000 was more than doubled, with donations coming in at over 1.1 million meals by the end of summer 2020. The campaign is part of a larger effort by the organization which, according to Campbell, distributed almost 4 million total meals through its Community Food Assistance Network.

One third of the people served by the Food Bank’s network are under 18. With school out for those summer months, food can become even more scarce for students who benefit or rely

on regular school food programs.

“We’ve always known that the reality is hunger can happen to anyone at any time for a variety of reasons. And we know that there’s been sudden job loss, there’s unexpected expenses and medical costs that people are dealing with,” Campbell said.

“The pandemic is adding a whole layer to economic insecurity. And at the end of the day, people are faced with unimaginable decisions and really difficult decisions about buying groceries or paying rent or buying groceries and paying bills.”

Navigating the food bank’s services through COVID-19 was not easy, but Campbell said community support has helped to fill their needs.

“We kept adapting to all the changes that were happening in the community with provincial regulations and public health regulations, but the needs in the community changed dramatically,” Campbell said.

“It’s a true testament to the support that we’ve received from the community that it has allowed us to really pivot and adapt and distribute more food than we ever have before.”

“It’s about the community coming together and showing our neighbors that we care—that we want to help through challenging times,” Campbell said.

Some businesses have taken advantage of a grant for updating their storefront. NICK STANLEY PHOTO

Food banks often get fewer donations over the summer.

DARIEN FUNK PHOTO

YETI FINISHES RENOVATIONS

Kent and her team decided 2021 was the right year to move forward with their renovations. Although renovations are ongoing, the café had a soft opening on Sept. 24.

KAITLYN SEVERIN STAFF WRITER

The Yeti Café, located on 14 Eby St. N., Kitchener, is known as one of KW’s best kept local secrets and has been a favourite in the area since its opening in 2012. Victoria Kent, owner of the cafe, used to work full-time in the kitchen, but has spent more of her time over the last few years focusing on other projects related to the business.

Once the doors opened, the business became infamous for its popular and iconically-named dishes, including the Sasquatch and the Cowgirl. With renovations and more residential development in the area, the Yeti Café has been through quite a few changes this past year.

Now with more growth in the area,

“There’s so much development right around our location, there’s so many buildings going up and more density finally coming to that area, which we really need and we’ve been waiting for it for years,” Kent said. “It’s so great to see it finally happening, and that’s why we had the confidence to grow.”

The business has added more bathrooms to the space and a heated patio will be installed later. They have also acquired a liquor license and will be adding alcoholic drinks to their menu.

One of the biggest and most unique changes to the space has to be the Yeti Café’s collaboration with KWFamous, a venture that sells a collection of KWinspired merchandise.

The Smallest Little Store in KW has a home in the closet at the Yeti where customers can now purchase

local merchandise, including t-shirts and mugs, right in the café. They even have their own Instagram page一 @smallestlittlestoreinkw.

“We started having a collection of Kitchener-Waterloo merchandise that we sold at the Yeti and I started realizing like there’s no other place that really sells that amount of Kitchener-Waterloo merchandise,” Kent said.

“We have this [...] stairway that goes nowhere, and we used to just keep toys there for kids, then we decided to turn it into a little merch closet, and then we had this idea to call it the Smallest Little Store in Kitchener.”

The Yeti Café is now open for dine-in and take-out and will stay open on Friday’s and Saturday’s from 7 P.M. ’til late. Follow them on Instagram @theyeticafe.

GROWING PAINS, SHRINKING PAIN

The first puff was harsh, billowing and anxiety inducing. I was a “good” kid, a child who did not break rules or rebel against authority. But that day my friends and I smoked some joints in a car, drove to Taco Bell, pigged out, and then went to perform a school play. I realized at some point I had smoked too much when my teacher and stage assistant were mouthing my lines to me, while I stood frozen on stage. I awkwardly improvised my scene and scurried backstage to hide in embarrassment, without too much suspicion raised.

This was my first brush with cannabis as an 18-year-old high school student.

This incident began what is now a lifelong passion; consuming, rolling, dabbing and now growing cannabis. At the time it was decriminalized by the Stephen Harper government, but I was a minor and had to buy from dealers and friends, so the risk to obtain it was high and the quality was questionable.

On Apr. 13, 2017, the Canadian government introduced a bill to legalize cannabis which passed the senate on June 19, 2018 with a legalization date of Oct. 17, 2018. Like a birthday present four days before my birthday and about 8 years since I had started smoking in the first place, cannabis was finally legalized.

Legalization was and is one of the best moves made by the federal Liberal government. It is harm reduction by

taking on the illegal market; where lack of regulation produces cheap products. Legalization also began the end of one aspect of the government’s persecutory treatment of people of colour, who were disproportionately affected by cannabis mandatory minimum sentences and fines, as well as for cultivation.

A reason to grow your own cannabis may stem from protest of legalization, to bring attention to the industry being run by police officers formerly opposed to legalization - such as Raf Souccar, Julian Fantino or Bill Blair, all of whom participated in the denigration of cannabis and its usersnow profiting off the legal market.

Cannabis growers may be born out of material necessity; the average price of legal cannabis is approximately $5/ gram, compared to $2-3/gram for home cultivated cannabis. Growers may also be born through simple curiosity, but whatever the reason, cannabis legalization has brought millions of Canadians a new pastime and point of pride, being the only country besides Uruguay to fully legalize cannabis.

One of the most important pathways legalization has opened has been in the field of medical cannabis. Prior to legalization, research into cannabis was stagnant and underdeveloped.

Recent gains in the research suggest specific Cannabinoids such as Delta THC-9 may play a role in psychosis

developing in otherwise healthy adults. Research into Cannabinoids can help identify the harmful and the harmless forms of Tetrahydro Cannabinoids, as well as help companies develop more and effective medicinal effects for users.

Medical research will also lead to less insurance speculation of medical efficacy, paving the way for medical cannabis to be covered under health insurance more broadly. Currently there are only a handful of insurance providers who offer coverage for medical cannabis.

Broadening access to patients who need relief from pain, or issues with eating, or terminally ill patients in need of specific strains, will be a net positive for Canadian. That’s a goal worth achieving.

With all that being said, before growing can even begin to think about growing, you will need the hardware. In the next columnw you will find a non-exhaustive list of materials and tools that will help you get started. Keep in mind that cultivation includes drying the cannabis on racks and curing it in glass mason jars.

Additionally, these are the two best online resources I can recommend; Coco for Cannabis https://www. cocoforcannabis.com/ and Grow Weed Easy https://www.growweedeasy.com/.

They are both incredible resources for the first time and the experienced grower.

Looking to grow at home?

what you’ll need:

Tent or mylar film

Growing material

Nutrients

Fabric pots

Grow light

Water filtration system

pH Down

Watering can

Carbon filter and intake fan

Duct tubing

Durable tape

Paper towel

test strips

Hygrometer

NICK STANLEY

BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF GROWING YOUR OWN CANNABIS PLANTS IS DAUNTING, CONFUSING AND, UNFORTUNATELY, A LITTLE EXPENSIVE. THERE ARE SOME PROS, HOWEVER, LIKE GROWING YOUR OWN CANNABIS BEING CHEAPER THAN BUYING IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

YOU CAN ALSO CONTROL WTHE PROCESS AND PRODUCE THE BEST POSSIBLE QUALITY BUDS, IN THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS WAY.

A STEP-BY-STEP, BARE BONES SET OF INSTRUCTIONS ARE CONTAINED BELOW, AND SHOULD PROVIDE HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR THE BUDDING GROWER.

1 First, you will need to choose a space to grow in your home. If you share the domicile, it is best to gain consent to grow from roommates/housemates. This is unless you have personal space that is sequestered, such as a closet in your room, which would insulate others from the smell, which will be distinct during the flower stage.

2 Next, once a space is determined, an appropriate tent; or even a cardboard box with reflective mylar film roll should be set up with a grow light. Grow lights come in three different professional varieties: high pressure sodium, fluorescent (CFL) and LED bulbs. All three types have advantages and disadvantages, but for the price and efficiency, LED lights are by far the best of the three. I recommended LED lights, specifically the brands; Mars Hydro, Spider Farmer or VivoSun.

3 The next choice is what material, or medium, to grow in. Soil is the cheapest, most universally used medium. For soil, Fox Farms soil is above and beyond the best, hands down. Coco coir, which is shredded coconut fibers buffered with calcium and magnesium, is an inexpensive, recyclable, and inert option. It is also resistant to pests and root rot. For everything coco coir, I recommend Coco Canna for both nutrients and the physical medium. Hydroponics uses water and nutrients, constantly pumped over the roots, to produce the highest yields and the fastest growth times. In terms of difficulty, soil is easiest to use, while coco coir and hydroponics are for intermediate and advanced growers. For hydroponics I recommend using the brand General Hydroponics.

4 If smell is a concern, an intake fan with a carbon filter is recommended� it will take the dank smells of flowering buds and make your operation scentless. Intake fans and carbon filters correspond to growing space size, so buying space appropriate intake fans is necessary, but the brand isn’t important to be picky. Some hardware stores carry intake fans, as will the local hydroponics store.

5 Now that equipment is mostly taken care of, it is time to germinate seeds. Seeds can be purchased legally through the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS); or through other online retailers, but the product grown from seeds not bought from the OCS is considered illegal. First time growers should use auto-flowering, feminized seeds, as they will switch between vegetative stage to flowering stage automatically and have no chance to be male. Male plants are undesirable, as cannabis grows only in the absence of male pollen. Soak your seeds in reverse osmosis or distilled water for 24 hours, place seeds on a paper towel and spray with reverse osmosis water to keep the paper towel moist. Cover seed with a paper towel and continue to soak and monitor them for an emerging taproot.

6 Once the tap root has emerged from the seed shell, place it in the growing medium approximately 1.3 cm (0.5”) deep, with the taproot facing down. Growers must take care to handle the seedlings carefully as the taproot is easily damaged. You can amend soil and coco coir with perlite to prevent compaction but it is not necessary.

7 The grow light should be 30 to 45 cm from the seedling or maturing plant, this is to ensure both maximum light utilization and to prevent foliage burn.

8 Water for soil should be pH 5.8-6.2 and 6.0-6.5 for coco coir for maximum nutrient absorption at the root, with as little work on the part of the plant as possible. Add nutrients to a container, following the manufacturer’s feed directions, then test the solution for pH levels. To manage pH, it is recommended to buy pH down (more acidic) or pH up (less acidic, more basic). Adding nutrients to your water will change the pH, so adding nutrients first , then the PH amendments is the best way to prepare nutrient mixes.

9 After about 8-12 weeks, the plant will be most likely ready to switch from vegetative stage, to flowering stage. Auto-flowering seeds will begin to show tear-drop shaped budding sites at the crevice between the plant’s limbs and the main stem. When starting seedlings, a light cycle of 16 hours on, and 8 off is advisable. When switching to the flowering stage, the light cycle will be 12 hours on and 12 hours off.

10 About 6-8 weeks after flowering has started, your buds should be almost fully developed, if your plant is an auto-flowering cultivar, then it will begin to show signs of the plant signalling harvest time. Regular feminized seeds allow the grower to control when the flowering stage is initiated and can therefore allow the plant to develop further past these general timelines. These signs will include; fan leaves browning and dying, lack of rapid growth in the buds and eventually, if left too long, bud rot and complete plant death.

11 Once the plant is ready to harvest, it should be flushed of nutrients excess nutrients in the plant will cause the bud to taste bad and the smoke harsh. Flush the plant for two to three days before harvest. I recommend General Hydroponics Flora Kleen, one or two flushes with flora clean will leave your bud tasting and smoking cleanly.

12 For harvesting, a grower will need a drying rack, trimmers, and gloves. Bud should be dried for 5-7 days or until the stems attached to buds snap with a satisfying, stick like sound. Once dried and trimmed, buds should be cured, but this is not a necessary step and changes the buds’ taste as well as the kind of high one can experience.

13 After about a month, the first changes to cured bud can be observed and felt, the crystal structures visible on the buds will change color from clear, to amber, which is THC breaking down to another cannabinoid, cannabinol or CBN. CBN produces pronounced body effects compared to more cerebral effects produced by THC. The taste of cannabis changes over time as well as terpenes, the molecules responsible for cannabis’ flavor break down. It is possible to cure buds for the long term, but for the smoker who grows it for daily consumption, a month is the most ideal compromise.

BEST OF WATERLOO

LOCAL SCREAMO BAND PREPS DEBUT ALBUM

to release on Oct. 8 through Murray’s record label No Funeral Records.

ELISE PIPIA CONTRIBUTOR

In 2018, Nathaniel Murray and his friends began making some noise. They started a noise project where they would get together and make experimental music, which progressed into writing actual songs with a cohesive vision of hardcore music with emotional impact.

Now, Karloff, a local band, is debuting a full length self-titled album after three years of work and it is set

Murray, who is also the lead singer of the band, said it is an emotional project with a lot of heart. It is 25 minutes and pulls from influences such as Jeromes Dream, Slint, Modest Mouse, Hella, Orchid, Envy, City of Caterpillar, Daughters, Merzbow, and more.

“We all think this is the best thing the band has done and hopefully we can top it going forward. But if not, we are all really proud of the emotion and the work we put into this,” Murray said.

“It is very cathartic, introspective music. I think it’s that way for all of us [in the band]. We are all kind of in our own world, and we all contribute to

the music in our own way that is really important,” Murray said.

The band chose to release the LP in October because of their love of horror. The name Karloff is a reference to the actor Boris Karloff who played Frankenstein’s monster in the original Frankenstein film from 1931.

“Halloween is the best [and] fall is when I’m most comfortable. I watch multiple movies a day in October to try to get as much horror in as possible. Horror has always been super ingrained into my writing and everything that I do in my free time really,” Murray said.

Karloff teamed up with local horror filmmaker Torin Langen to shoot a music video for one of the singles off

the album, Hibiscus, released on Sept.

27. The video is a seamless blend of Langen’s signature folk art cult horror with Karloff’s black-and-white glitchy nature aesthetic, it is unnerving and gory, but also artistic and emotional.

“Working with Torin was easy. We gave him full creative control,” Murray said.

“I didn’t want to work with anyone else. I don’t think anyone would have been able to nail it the way [Langen] did,” Murray said.

There have been some changes in the band, including a new drummer.

“It’s going to be very different, but we’re excited. So we’re just trying to get our bearings and write all new stuff. We are taking it slow and just trying to get back to the place we were

at,” Murray said.

Although it will be a while before they are feeling ready to play live shows again, Karloff is excited to one day tour more parts of Canada and eventually Europe.

“There’s endless possibilities of bands to tour with. There’s so many good bands in our scene from all over the world. It’s not a very common music genre, or at least specific style, so we all [tend to] gravitate towards the same values and the same people,” Murray said.

To find out more, visit www.nofuneral.ca.

WR DEMANDS STRONGER CLIMATE ACTION

COUNTRY, CANADA SHOULD BE LEADING THE CHARGE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

transition to a future where we’re not just going from one crisis to the next.”

The Region of Waterloo and its seven area municipalities have all endorsed the 50by30 goal. Reimer-Watts said that the solutions should be led by the communities that are most impacted by climate change and no one should be left behind in our journey to a more sustainable society.

“[T]hese are also often people who have done the least to contribute to the crisis...As we’re looking towards a transition which involves change, we need to make sure that the solutions prioritize community well-being and particularly folks who are on the frontlines of this crisis,” Reimer-Watts said. “Solutions [should be] led by communities that are impacted so that their well-being is taken into account and they are some of the first to benefit from a clean economy.”

and I want this place to be liveable for them. I am not a political activist, I’ve never been...but we need to be bolder, we need to move forward because it is really time to act now,” he said.

Coskun said people need to take small steps of their own and demand bolder actions from their leaders and politicians. It is important that regular people continue to make their demands be known and not wait for politicians to make decisions before reacting to them. It is also important to continue spreading the climate justice movement.

HARLEEN KAUR DILLON EDITOR IN CHIEF

On Sept. 8, Waterloo Region community members and organizers held a rally for climate action in the Waterloo Town Square. After hearing from speakers, including Amy Smoke and Maddie Resmer from the Land

Back Camp, attendees helped paint a mural designed by local artist Pamela Rojas.

Kai Reimer-Watts is one of the original organizers for 50by30, a group that advocates reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, whothe group that organized this rally. He said the rally was meant to draw politicians’ attention to both the climate crisis and to the fact that citizens are concerned and demanding climate action.

“An election has been called in the midst of a pandemic, a climate

emergency, fires burning across the country and we really urgently need to draw attention for all of our political leaders as well as society at large that the time for action on climate change is now. It can’t wait,” he said.

“With a potential change in federal government, it’s more important than ever for a wealthy, privileged country like ours to be leading on this issue and leading a just transition to a more sustainable society that leaves nobody behind. So we’re here to say climate change is an accelerating crisis...and we need to protect people and begin a

Altay Coskun, a classical studies professor at the University of Waterloo, also attended the rally. He recently joined a climate action group on campus and has become increasingly involved in community events, but does not think of himself as an activist.

Coskun said that, regardless of academic background, everyone should be concerned with the climate crisis. It is his role as a father that motivates him to attend these events, make changes in his life, and be a model for his children.

“No matter what my background is, I sense that this world is falling apart! I have a family, I have four children

“I asked my wife, my oldest daughter, my best friend to join and I think that’s also the strategy that we need for promoting our agendas; we need to talk to people close to us and then go the next step, go the next step, make the movement always larger and larger so we cannot be [overlooked] by the politicians in power,” Coskun said.

“We shouldn’t wait until the politicians make their choices, their decisions, or not, we have to do our little steps every single day...But I do think that the many, many little steps have to be there to back up the bold demands with which we approach our politicians because they do not seem to take us seriously.”

“We have to show them that we mean it, we want change now,” Coskun said.

Signs lay around the edges of Waterloo Public Square, outlining the giant concrete canvas. HARLEEN KAUR DHILLON

SERA NICOLE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

I HAVE TO MAKE MY OWN STEPS, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS OPENING UP TO THE TRUTH THAT HAS BEEN SURROUNDING ME LIKE A GHOST...

“ ”

CELEBRATE FALL WITH YOUR FAMILY IN WR

For art walk lovers, you can’t miss DTK Art Walk. Discover Kitchener like you never have before. There are over 43 talented artists that have made the city more beautiful with their talent.

GOOD COMPANY PRODUCTIONS

Secret Locations

Farm fun is getting real around here and farms are stepping up their game with more ways to let us enjoy fall in a safe way outside. But let me tell you, there is much more to do than visit pumpkin patches or pick up apples.

CAMPFIRE EXPERIENCES AT SNYDER’S FAMILY FARM

936685 Blenheim Rd, Bright, ON

Book a Campfire Experience surrounded by the countryside and enjoy a physically distanced evening with friends and family. You can choose a small or a large area and cosy up by the fire with homemade smores, hot dogs and other food and drinks from the selection available.

WALKTOBERFEST

St. Jacobs Village

Walk around St. Jacob’s and collect stamps to win one of their prizes. You can see the new art installations in the village and enjoy the crisp air as the leaves start to turn brown and red.

ART WALK Downtown Kitchener

As COVID-19 becomes the new normal, live music finds new ways of making it through and our pals at Good Company Productions always make the most of things. New concerts are scheduled for October and the locations are only revealed to ticket holders.

TRAVEL BACK IN TIME

Doon Heritage Village

A stroll in this picturesque 60-acre living history village is a must! Travel back 100 years and experience life with real buildings, people dressed in historic attire and activities scheduled for the whole family. Visit their website for more information about events and opening times.

HORSEBACK ADVENTURES

535 Northfield Drive East (Hwy #22)

Looking for an epic adventure with your people? Book a horseback ride with an experienced rider and be amazed! This is a wonderful way to connect with nature. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s to live life to the fullest. Don’t wait for the best time to do something you want to do.

SHOALTS

AJAY MEHMI COLUMNIST

Fauna’s Claire (2020) is a collection of meditations exploring love, memories and the relationship between nature and electronic music.

The artist traverses a lush terrain of instrumental plains while expressing emotional complexity through lyrics that read like poems and unsent letters. Ethereal melodies invoke visions of pristine, natural scenery that tempt the listener with a dreamy respite.

A swarm of chirping crickets envelops your circuitry as kick drums land before a resounding drone.

Claire reveals the artifacts of a fabled romance, professing affections through subconscious hums that allay the storm clouds above from falling too suddenly. Microphones scratch the sonic landscape of crescendos and cyclical rhythms. A bashful

guitar sheds doubt of apprehension as notes take flight against a surging polyphony. Pulsing arpeggiation anchors the fault line between sandstrung violins and field recordings in which snapped twigs are hushed into the depths of silence. Claire allows a distorted transmission to flow through the ether while silicon boards lay zapping at the mouth of a great bog.

Those attuned to clairvoyant frequencies may intercept the psychic murmur of mushrooms as they bounce from rubber bands tied between fern stalks. Their thumping bass may find the depths of your ears, warming your perception to an invisible place where poetry is sung to no one in particular.

Claire is honest, fierce and resolute to leave its mark. Resting at the point where experimentation and composition coalesce, it will remain a noteworthy offering in Fauna’s discography.

Genres: electronic, pop, ambient, minimalism, organica, nature sounds

Starting this issue, the New Tune Review column will be taken over by Ajay Mehmi. Ajay is a local multimedia artist and local musician.

Enjoy safe and fun activities with the family this fall all around the region.

MARIANA BILBAO PHOTO

LISTINGS EVENT

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

#HOWDOWEBEGINAGAIN?

MT SPACE

WE’VE HAND SELECTED

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13

EVENING GHOST WALKS

MCDOUGALL COTTAGE

Programming for the Impact 21 theatre festival wraps up on Oct. 9. There are still various performances scheduled up until that date. If you aren’t able to attend in person, check out their online programming and free digital conference, #HowDoWeBeginAgain. Sign up on their website and catch the tail end.

11:00am–4:00pm

Spooky season is here: officially. That means ghost walks in Galt, starting and finishing at the McDougall Cottage Historic Site. Dress for the weather and bring a flashlight or don’t, if you dare. Various walks will take place in the evenings leading up to Halloween. Check on line for more info/dates and times.

EVENTS AND WRITTEN SOME

MONDAY, OCTOBER 25

FEAST ON THE FARM LANGDON HALL

Good food and friends, perhaps some that you have not seen in a long while. Grab tickets and join the conversation on topics like vertical farming, aquaculture, racism and staff retention at immersive talks in the orchard. Hands-on demos to boot.a Rub shoulders and reconnect with industry friends on the farm!

$144.67

Online

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8

RUSTY NAIL COMEDY COMEBACK CRAZY CANUCK

Grab some great food with a side of yuks at The Crazy Canuck. Featuring acts from all over North America. You’ll find Rusty Nail putting together some shows there on Fridays throughout the month as well. Support a great local restaurant and some local talent, too.

Comedy • $20 • 8:00pm–10:30pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

UNCAGED CENTRE IN THE SQUARE

The stars of hit Netflix doc, Tiger King are going to be at Centre in the Square this month. Peak behind the curtain of the first show you binged during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The show consists of an hour of moderated discussion followed by a Q&A session where fans can interact. Too bad there will be no Joe. Next time, maybe?

Entertainment $39.50–$76.25 8:00pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

PRIDETOBERFEST 2021 THEMUSEUM

This year, tri-Pride put together this inclusive Oktoberfest event taking place at THEMUSEUM. Food, drinks, dancing: what more could you ask for? How about DJ Jayson Spank, BoylesqueTO and Sassy Ray? Plus exclusive Drag Queen hosts? Sign me up! Oh, yeah! Proceeds will support tri-Pride 2021. See you there!

Party $30 (advanced) 8:00pm–1:00am

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

OKTOBERFEST PARADE SPECIAL ONLINE VIA CTV

CTV Southwestern Ontario is bringing the Oktoberfest/Thanksgiving Day Parade Special straight to you this year. Check out the one hour special presented by Pillers Fine Foods. The show will include a retrospective on previous parades, behind the scenes looks as well as footage of local staples, floats, bands, special guests and more.

Online FREE 12:00pm–1:00pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

FREE SPIRITS

THE JAZZ ROOM

Free Spirits is an up-and-coming jazz quintet led by pianist Teri Parker. The group will be taking over The Jazz Room for a night of forward-looking jazz that celebrates the work of Geri Allen and Mary Lou Williams. Check out some powerful and creative improvised music.

Music • $.22.00+fees • 8:00pm–10:30pm

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17

HAUS OF PARKS DRAG BRUNCH SWINE & VINE

They’re back! Join some of Ontario’s most succesful Drag Starz at Waterloo’s hip new dining spot, S&V. Come for the looks, the choreo and the deep cuts, stay for the brunch... and the looks... and the choreo... and the deep cuts. Honestly at this point you’d be hard pressed to find an excuse not to go. Plus a special guest from Drag Race?

Entertainment $45.00 12:00pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20

AUGMENTED CELLOS THE WALPER HOTEL

This unique event features Canada’s Norm Adams and Italy’s Nicola Baroni. The duo use different approaches and styles to develop a theme of “electricacoustic interaction and real-time musical creation.” The performance will take place in the Konig Room at TWH Social.

Music PWYC/$5.00 8:00pm–10:00pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23

DIZZY W/SPECIAL GUEST ELLIS MAXWELL’S

Indie pop lovers rejoice. This show is sure to pack some feels. Dizzy won a Juno a couple of years ago for their debut and Ellis is an up-and-coming emo pop act from Hamilton. Shows require proof of vaccination. I think that is the case for a lot of these events at this point to be honest so you are probably safe to assume.

Music $15.00+fees 8:00pm • All Ages

9:00am–5:05pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27

CONVERSE AND CONNECT SPECTRUM

This group meets online once a month and provides those in the 2SLGBTQ+ community an opportunity to chat, connect and share with others. This is a great opportunity for folks aged 19 and up to get support and connect with people in their community. Can’t make it? They meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28

EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL ALPINE CLUB

What is spooky season without Ash and the gang? This musical experience takes elements from each of the iconic installations in the Evil Dead film series (specifically The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness). From the description online: “Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. Demons tell bad jokes and all to music.”

Theatre $32.84 8:00pm–11:00pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28

HALLOWEEN MUSIC BINGO MALT & BARLEY PUBLIC HOUSE

Join along for music bingo at the Malt & Barley Public House. The theme for this week will be Halloween. Get there early to make sure you get a good seat: they don’t take reservations! Sponsored by the lovely beer brewer’s over at Wellington and sure to be a great night. The fun starts at 7:00pm!

Bingo FREE 7:00pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30 SPECTRUM PRESENTS APOLLO CINEMA

SPECTRUM is teaming up with Apollo Cinema to present one of Tim Burton’s FINEST flicks. If you haven’t seen Beetljuice, I won’t spoil it for you, but why haven’t you seen Beetljuice? There is no excuse. This movie ages like fine wine too. If you missed the original 1988 theatrical run, here is your chance to make amends!

COMMENTARY. YOU’RE WELCOME.

PROTESTING WITH MUSIC

providing a morale boost to the allied troops fighting below. The song was also played at protests held by the flower children of the 1970s and other anti-establishment groups, unifying people under the disdain of a common enemy.

Music is powerful.

It is a unifying force of rhythm and melody that brings people together from all walks of life and has been present in some form at all kinds of gatherings throughout human history.

We hear music in bars, restaurants, funerals, birthdays and even in wars. Historically, music was used to increase morale among troops, and instill fear within the enemy. Booming bass drums combined with a harmony of beautiful, intense, clamouring voices to create songs expressing frustration and anger toward a common enemy. This is true in cultures across continents, no matter how isolated the community. No culture is exempt from music and its power over people.

The beauty of music also comes from its ability to express all emotions, not just rage and discontent. Protest songs in the 1970s against the Vietnam War were often inspired by love of our fellow humans and hate for organized chaos and war created by establishments and governments.

Ironically, “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, a song written in protest to the war in Vietnam, could be heard playing above the canopies of Vietnamese jungles from helicopters and low flying planes, with the sole purpose of instilling fear in the enemy and

“Fortunate Son” lives on in protests even to this day�I played that same song at our protest against housing inequality outside Waterloo City Hall. It is a song equally about wealth inequality, nepotism and violence. Our housing crisis is a direct result of nepotism and free markets left unchecked and is increasingly violent to those who aren’t so fortunate.

The act of removing somebody from their home outside of their own terms is violent and life changing. Which adds to the importance of playing the right music at the right time during the recent housing protests.

As a DJ in a protest setting, there is a responsibility to fill the role of the historical drummer boy, a need to draw people together and send the appropriate message with the music being played. I handpicked songs with political undertones, and expressions of love, anger and discontent in regards to our housing crisis, which affects thousands of families across Waterloo Region and even the country. Everybody has a different opinion on what will solve this problem and I and the organizers had the ultimate goal of fostering healthy conversations with our politicians and neighbours. I wanted to create an environment with music that allows for these discussions and exchanges of ideas to occur. That’s when the real magic and positive changes will happen.

JUSTICE INADEQUATE FOR VICTIMS OF HATE SPEECH

With the Liberals back in power, they pledged to introduce anti-hate legislation within the first 100 days of taking office, along with a national anti-hate action plan by 2022. A national fund for survivors of hate attacks was also proposed.

With the federal election now over, the Liberal government promises to address the resurgence of hate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN), which monitors far-right hate groups, declared this resurgence a “hate crime crisis.”

Taking a look at how we currently approach this issue reveals why it’s so hard to tackle in the first place.

According to Waterloo Regional Police data, there were only 15 policereported hate crimes in the region in 2019. However, according to Statistics Canada data analyzed by the CAHN, Canadians self-reported 223,000 hate-motivated incidents in 2019, with police only managing to investigate fewer than one per cent of them as hate crimes.

Dr. Noah Weisbord, associate professor at Queen’s Law, explained that current laws aren’t as simple as just criminalizing hate, but rather there are four provisions laid out in the Criminal Code: Section 318, which prohibits advocating genocide; Section 319, which addresses public incitement and willful promotion of hatred; Section 430, which is

regarding mischief relating to religious property; and Section 730, which is evidence of the offence being motivated by prejudice and bias.

Weisbord explained that after police officers, prosecutors make their own judgements on the situation and what charges are appropriate.

“So, the police come in with a million different possible potential charges and the prosecutors choose the ones that they think are the most serious or worthwhile to spend their time on,” Weisbord said.

Sometimes, it may be easier to prove assault or harassment without tying in discrimination as well. Alternatively, officers fail to recognize and collect the pertinent evidence needed for those charges.

Last year, an Asian woman reported a man following and yelling racial

epithets at her. Guelph Police spoke with the man, but did not press charges. They pressed charges only after receiving more reports alleging the man had done this multiple times. Guelph Police issued an initial statement explaining why they didn’t charge the man.

“While racist comments are seen as an aggravating factor when combined with criminal activity, such as making death threats, racist comments on their own are not illegal under the Criminal Code of Canada,” Guelph Police said in their release.

Weeks later, the same man was charged again for harassment, along with an assault charge. While it required multiple reports for harassment charges, all that was required for the assault charge was the man allegedly spitting at a person.

During the federal election, little was said in regards to addressing hate crimes. This was despite the rise in anti-Asian sentiment, Canadians still struggling to call residential schools acts of genocide, and a Muslim family killed in what Crown prosecutors say amounted to terrorism. Locally, an online vigil held for the victims was Zoom-bombed by Islamophobic trolls. During the campaign, Justin Trudeau was dogged by fervent anti-vax/ lockdown groups, which the CAHN found to be fertile grounds for white nationalist recruiters. A former People’s Party of Canada (PPC) riding manager was at the London campaign stop and was charged for allegedly throwing gravel at Trudeau and later evidence found by CAHN connected him to multiple white nationalist social accounts.

The Liberal platform echoes their previous attempt with Bill C36 earlier this year, which aimed to clarify the definition of online hate speech and bring back Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. It would allow Canadians to file complaints against hatemongers. After tribunal hearings, the courts would be able to issue peace bonds and collect fines.

There were concerns about freedom of speech and potential exploitation, but proponents say it would only be reserved for the worst perpetrators.

“On the other hand, you don’t want the government to come out with overly sweeping powers to restrict. There’s a risk of the government turning that on Black Lives Matter or these Asian community organizations if the government shifts,” Weisbord said.

Coincidently, there was a Liberal MP that sponsored a petition calling for criticism of police officers to be classified as hate speech.

Whatever new legislation brought forward to address hate crimes will still require institutions to be able to recognize that element of hate in the first place. Weisbord suggested that more diverse representation in the legal system would be needed to do this.

LAYLA

MANA BEHZAD GRAPHIC

With the definition of hate speech being so vague, among other issues, getting justice for victims is more difficult

PHI DOAN PHOTO

A ROMANTIC AUTUMN AWAITS YOU

COSMIC RELIEF

ELFIE KALFAKIS COLUMNIST

It’s no surprise that autumn falls in Libra season in the northern hemisphere. In October every year, nature renders a colourful dream with soon to be falling leaves which mimics the harmonic, beautiful and romantic energy of Libra season.

This year it brings us an immense amount of release from a lot of inner confusion. Get ready for some clarity and newfound awareness as Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury return to their regular direct paths, marking the end of retrograde season.

And in true Libra form, our inner peacefulness will be balanced out by some fiery, sexy and tumultuous tensions brewing with the sensual Venus entering the fiery sign of Sagittarius on Oct. 7 and the aggressive Mars entering Scorpio on Oct. 30.

This could be just the right formula to kick off Scorpio season on Oct. 22 and celebrate the Halloween season.

As always, here are words of wisdom based on your sun and rising sign and another cosmic mixtape to put a spell on the coming month.

Libra

You’re likely feeling reenergized this month, but also very indecisive. Take some action this month by following your gut instinct.

Scorpio

You’re feeling a little restless and mischievous these days. Maybe hold off on doing anything too indulgent for another few weeks.

Capricorn

You’re taking a bit of a back seat from the action this month and sussing out your next big move. Inasmuch as it’s hard for you to sit still, perhaps take a slower more strategic approach to this month.

Aquarius

Your aloof and lone wolf attitude will be in full swing this month. Feel free to march off into your own world this month�you may find it’s the right way to keep your sanity.

Aries

This month is going to pull you out of your comfort zone by asking you to take more of a passive approach. Taking a step back and waiting for the right time to take action will help you this month.

Cancer

You’re a little moody and craving time alone in your crab shell, but somehow that’s hard to come by this month. Canceling some plans to make room for some self care might not be a bad idea.

“The Archer” by Alexandra Saviour

“My Darling” by Wilco

“Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby” by Cigarettes After Sex

“When You Know Why You’re Happy” by Richard Reed Parry & Little Scream

“Dream A Little Dream Of Me” by The Mamas & The Papas

“Moonlight Serenade” by Glenn Miller

“At Last” by Etta James

“The Way I Am” by Ingrid Michaelson

“Quelqu’un m’a dit” by Carla Bruni

“Crash into Me” by Dave Matthews Band

“Loving You” by Paolo Nutini

“Do You Realize??” by The Flaming Lips

“Hoppípolla” by Sigur Rós

“Us - 2005 Remaster” by Regina Spektor

“With Or Without You” by U2

Taurus

You’re looking forward to the colder months and the prospect of settling into a cozy homebody routine. Make a cup of your favourite warm drink and enjoy some quality time recharging indoors this month.

Leo

You’re running a little out of steam from the active energy of the summer months. Perhaps looking for a fun new fall wardrobe can bring back some spark into your step.

“Wonderwall” by Oasis

“Roses Are Falling” by Orville Peck

“Season Of The Witch” by Lana Del Rey

Sagittarius

For Sagittarius, ’indulgent’ would be your word of choice this month, especially in the realm of romance. Pamper yourself in all ways possible this month and enjoy the finer pleasures life has to offer.

Pisces

You’re caught up in your daydreaming this month and feeling a little romantic and nostalgic.

Finding some fun ways to get creative this month will help those feelings find a landing point.

Gemini

You’re feeling a bit of a reprieve from your social obligations and introspectiveness this month. Finding a new book to devour this month might be the best way to settle into autumn.

Virgo

You feel like you’ve settled into a healthier routine and ready to face the colder months ahead. Plan some fall milestones to help you transition into the new season and keep that momentum going.

ELFIE KALFAKIS GRAPHIC