Volume 38 -39, Issue 3 (January 13, 2020)

Monday, January 13, 2020 | Volume 39, Issue 3

raffiti

THE VOICE OF NORTH TORONTO C.I.

THE NOSTALGIA ISSUE TRIBUTE TO THE 2010s >> pages 16, 24, & 40 INSIDE @ntci.memes >> page 34

Photo by Sara Chiarotto O’Brien

2 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL

editorial

The difference between semestered and non-semestered schools Is semestered the right decision for North Toronto?

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITORS IN CHIEF Sara Chiarotto O’Brien Emily Sakaguchi

INTERNAL EDITORS

Jane Carli | Sofia Platnick

EXTERNAL EDITORS

Kiara Distin | Lauren Keith

FEATURES EDITORS

Kaya Makivic | Joshua Chong

ARTS AND CULTURE EDITORS Anna Goodman | Jessica Hungate Brendan Weeks

BUSINESS AND TECH EDITORS Defne Tuncer Lee-Ashley Keshet Junior Advisory Board

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hen choosing which high school students wish to attend, many neglect comparing schools based on whether they are semestered or non-semestered.

However, it is something worth being mindful of since both school systems greatly differ from each other. Should North Toronto CI. switch to a semestered system?

Semestered high schools have two semesters every year. For each semester, students attend the same classes every day and then complete their exams and summatives at the end of the first semester, which is usually in January. For the second semester, students attend the other half of their courses until examinations and summatives for those courses are completed in June.

At non-semestered high schools, students take all of their courses at once and attend half of them on one day and the other half the next day, therefore rotating through their classes every other day. They later cover the full school year by writing exams and/or summatives for all of their courses in June.

When evaluating whether a semestered or a non-semestered system is better, it is necessary to consider their advantages and drawbacks.

Semestered schools allow students to focus on fewer subjects at once which could potentially allow them to better manage their workload and time management. Additionally, focusing on less material at a time is likely to strengthen their knowledge on each subject, therefore leading to the possibility of obtaining higher grades.

However, semestered schools do not give students the ability to have an extra day in order to complete their homework because of the fact that they attend the same classes every day, making it harder to catch up if they fall behind. This is not a problem for students at non-semestered schools because they have two nights to complete their homework before returning to the same classes. In comparison, in a semestered system, exams are written over two one-week periods in February and June. This means that students have fewer exams to write at the same time, and less

material to remember for the exams.

Non-semestered schools are beneficial to students who take music.

Kiana Sharifi, a grade 10 band student explains, “[Non-semestered schools] would be really limiting[…]for students learning instruments exclusively at school. It would be strange to only be learning that instrument for half the year. [In some cases students] might lose/forget a lot of [their] technique”.

At non-semestered schools, students would be learning all of their subjects throughout the entire year, and would only take a few months off before con-

She stated, “There are lots of students that cannot cope with [the semester time frame]. The pace just kills them.” tinuing with those subjects once again.

On the other hand, at non-semestered schools, students are tested on all of the material from the beginning of the year which often is extremely overwhelming for the majority of students.

Older students’ preferences for one system over the other has been split. As stated previously, in a non-semestered system, all exams are taken over the course of a two-week period in June and many older students write more than one exam in one day. The non-semestered exam period is also crammed with information from the entire year and is arguably more stressful. Not to mention, all of the assignments, projects and summatives are usually due around the same time of year.

Ela Oktay is a new twelfth grade student at NT who came from Monarch Park C.I., a semestered school. As someone who is familiar with both systems, she said, “in my opinion, the semestered system is better. Having different courses each semester allows for better focus on each course, which I think greatly improves the learning experience, lowers student stress, and leads to higher marks, and so I feel as though it would be beneficial for students if North Toronto switched to a semestered program.”

As you might know, most universities in Canada operate in a semestered system, and that’s another reason why many high school students think getting used to this system in high school can prepare them better for their university experience.

There have been many studies regarding students’ success in these two different systems. A study by the University of Toronto explored the perceptions of six secondary school teachers in the Toronto area regarding their views on both systems, including their thoughts on how they affect the curriculum and their observation of student learning. Due to the way the experiment was conducted, only the first names of the teachers were given.

The research showed that all students in both systems were experiencing increased pressure to do more in less time. Cory, who’s a professor of social sciences and was the only teacher to have taught in both the semestered and non-semestered timetables, believed that the time pressures of the new curriculum were somewhat alleviated by the non-semestered timetable because it slowed the pace of teaching. The student attention span during the longer semestered period was identified as an issue by the participants. Siona, a mathematics teacher, and Terri, an English teacher, thought the longer periods created focus problems for students in Grades 9 and 10 and weaker students in general.

Siona also believed that academically strong, mature students could handle the pace in a semester time frame, but weaker and immature students would have difficulties. She stated, “From Grade 10 up [the math of the new curriculum] is a killer. The pace is very, very fast and if you do not have the basic skills and the work ethic to keep up, you will definitely be in trouble. There are lots of students that cannot cope with [the semester time frame]. The pace just kills them.” Lynn Lyngard, who was the secondary school teacher that conducted this experiment, thought that students should have the choice to choose their schedule since every student has different circumstances for assimilating information.

Semestered and non-semestered schools both have advantages and disadvantages, and students’ views surrounding this topic are highly varied. If North Toronto decides to switch to a semestered system, it will have a very big impact on all students and teachers.

Nathalie Adriana Funes Serna Hao Zheng

OPINION EDITORS

Sean Lee | Ashley Keller

HUMOUR EDITORS

Hannah Argiloff | Emma Frasheri Jayden Orlotti

SPORTS EDITORS Cassandra Chichora Cameron Gilliland

ILLUSTRATIONS EDITORS Yoohyun Park | Yuchen Zhang

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Sahil Turakhia | Kenneth Salim

COPY EDITORS

Sophie Cohen | Audrey Gong Simone Bellengier | Elise Farmar Sarisha Panday

JUNIOR ADVISORY BOARD Lee-Ashley Keshet Defne Tuncer

SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD Maeve Ellis | Julia Goldthorp Rachel Lee

LAYOUT TEAM

Sara Chiarotto O’Brien Emily Sakaguchi Kiana Sharifi | Abigail Shin Madison McBride | Jasmine Lem Sehar Sohail | Jordyn Lee

BUSINESS MANAGERS

Jessica Pearson | Deena Shirkool

STAFF ADVISORS

David Silver | Baruch Zohar

CONTENTS External . ...............................................4 Internal..................................................8 Features................................................12 Business & Technology................................22 Opinion..................................................26 Arts & Culture...................................................29 Sports....................................................32 Humour & Games...........................................34

CONTACT US Facebook: @NTCIGraffiti Instagram: @ntcigraffiti Website: www.ntcigraffiti.com Email: ntcigraffiti@gmail.com

EDITORIAL | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 3 EDITORIAL

A tale of two Canadas: peacekeeping, apathy, and the UN It is a tough race as Canada seeks a place at what Canada’s former ambassador to the UN calls “the most important table in the world.”

The meeting room of the UN Security Council in New York. | Photo by Natan Dvir / DER SPIEGEL

Maeve Ellis Julia Goldthorp Rachel Lee Senior Advisory Board

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anada’s rush to get elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is proving to be a tough race. The fifteen members of the Security Council have a final vote on acts passing through the UN, on decisions like economic sanctions on countries, emergency aid after natural disasters, and moving Peace Keeping forces in to protect civilian populations. It “is the most important table in the world” according to Paul Hein Becker, Canada’s former ambassador to the UN. Five countries, Russia, France, China, the US, and the UK, get to have permanent seats, while the other 187 member states of the UN share the other ten seats, with elections, categorized by continent, taking place every other year. Canada had a seat on the Council every decade from the 1940s to the 1990s. The last time it ran, in 2010, it lost for the first time ever, to much embarrassment. The race in 2021, Canada against Norway and Ireland, will surely be high stakes.

Many Canadians see the country’s international reputation as set in stone and would struggle to find a reason for countries to vote against it.

But in reality, since the 1990s Canada’s foreign affairs reputation has sharply deteriorated. From murdering Somalian civilians in 1993, to supporting military coups in Central America, to being spineless towards more powerful countries, there are plenty of reasons to frown upon this country.

The reasons the Trudeau government gave in 2016 for Canada joining the council are supporting the Paris Accord, helping Canadian

forces in Northern Iraq and salvaging the situation caused by hurricanes in the Caribbean. However critics say that the biggest reason is to save Canada’s failing international reputation- but it might already be too late.

To understand Canada’s current standing in the world, it’s vital to go back to when the UN first started.

It was a Canadian professor, Peters Humpheres, who wrote the first draft of the UN Charter of Human Rights, a keystone document of the UN. In 1957, former prime minister, Lester B. Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize for solving the Suez Canal crisis in Egypt and creating the UN peacekeeping forces.

Between 1948 and 1988, 10% of peacekeeping forces were Canadian, though we are only 0.5% of the world’s population. Canada also had the reputation of being courageous, like in 1947 when it voted for creating the State of Israel, even though Britain heavily lobbied and pressured Canada not to. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, “At the end of the 1980s, Canada was at the height of its reputation as one of the world’s leading peacekeeping nations.”

But this all took a turn for the worse in the 1990s, when news stories swept the country of Canadian peacekeepers tormenting locals on a Somalia expedition. In 1993 some troopers baited starving Somalis into a compound with food, and shot and killed two desperate intruders. The most horrific episode was when two peacekeepers beat 16-year-old Shidane Arone to death, for no reason other than entertainment, while their colleagues listened but did nothing. Military historian David Bercuson has called this “the darkest era in the history of the Canadian military” since the end of the Second World War. Further on, instead of cleaning up its act, Canada continued on a downward trajectory.

The Harper government’s relationship with the UN was the worst period for Canada’s international relations in recent history.

Harper said he wanted a more “principled” foreign policy which served as an excuse for Canada’s withdrawal from international commitments.

Canada boycotted meetings on the Conference on Disarmament whenever countries that Harper didn’t like, like North Korea and Iran took leadership roles. Harper shut down the Montreal Based International Centre for Human Rights, after a disagreement with the board of directors.

Canada, also, turned many heads by being friendly with the internationally condemned Honduras government of Porfirio Lobo Sosa, which assassinated hundreds of people including journalists, activists, LGBT people, and resistance fighters.

A report from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences said that “Canadian foreign policy [had] acquired a much sharper edge, taking sides (as in the Israel-Palestine conflict), putting more emphasis on the use of force (as in Afghanistan), and sometimes obstructing (as opposed to facilitating) key international negotiation processes, particularly around climate change.” This ideological shift has led to overall decreased UN work, embassy closures and alienating policies. More recently, Canada still has not signed the The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons , which “seeks to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons.”

This terrible reputation would be enough to make this election a hard one, but running against two amazing countries will make it almost impossible. Norway is pegged as the largest foreign aid donor with almost 1 percent of Gross National Income (GNI) going towards Official Development Assistance

(ODA), while Canada only gives 0.27 of its GNI. A lot of the money Norway has given goes toward vote-heavy Africa, giving the nordic country a leg-up. Norway’s assistance with negotiating conflicts such as the Colombia peace deal in 2016 should additionally be noted.

In recent years, Ireland has had three times as many peacekeepers deployed as Canada and Norway combined, despite its population only being that of British Columbia. According to Jocelyn Coulon, head of the Université​de Montréal’s Network on Peace Operations “At this point, Canada doesn’t have the 128 votes it needs to win a seat outright,”

This vote is decisive in the future of Canada’s relations with the rest of the world. Is Canada the same country that contributed so much to the UN in the 20th century and were the Somalia crimes and Harper years just flukes? Or was all the apathy and divisiveness a precedent for the future of Canadian international relations?

This bid to get onto the Security Council represents the tale of two Canadas. The country it was in before the 1990s, that went out of its way to contribute to global welfare, and Canada’s Harper years, soaked with divisiveness and apathy. In the 2010 lost election, Canada just relied on its historic good deeds, but other countries saw through that and focused on current actions instead. Now, Canadian delegates are trying the same trick again, but even more half-heartedly. In the 1998 successful election, Canada spent $10 million but on this one it has only been $1.8 million.

The reason that Canada was elected to be on the Security Council so many times in the 20th century was its amazing and selfless acts.

Canada losing the vote in 2010 represents a negative turning point in how the world sees Canada. The vote in 2021 is a chance for redemption.

4 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | EXTERNAL

EDUCATION

external

Teachers on strike: the struggle continues

Ontario teachers walked off the job in December; a deal has yet to be reached in OSSTF contract negotiations.

Photo by Nathalie Funes Serna

Nathalie Funes Serna Editor

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ince December, teachers and education workers across Ontario have been holding oneday walkouts so their petitions for the future of education can be heard.

On several occasions, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education of Ontario, has emphasized that “the union had been really clear” and that “[he thinks] that this [protesting] is becoming about compensation.”

Ms. Rowland, a science teacher at North Toronto C.I., says that statements like this “[drive her] absolutely crazy, because that would be the last thing on the list.” She says that the primary reasons for the protests are for “class sizes, jobs, online courses, and for [better] conditions inside the school.”

In Ontario, the class size for the 2019-2020 school year increased to 22.5 students per class from the previous 22 students last school year. This number will continue to grow over four years until it reaches an average of 25 (reduced from an original plan for 28) students per class. (Because the average includes the periods taught by librarians and guidance counselors, whose classes, on paper, have 0 students, as

well as other small classes, real class sizes are significantly higher than the stated averages.) An occasional teacher from Ontario says that, this school year, there are classes with over 35 students and expresses that “[one] can’t pour acid and dissect frogs when there are that many people in the room.”

The physical classroom environment, however, is not the only change being implemented; e-learning classes are also going to be made mandatory starting September of the next school year. In the spring of this year, Doug Ford’s government established a new graduation requirement: four elearning courses. Across Ontario, 6000 high school students were surveyed on their opinion about e-learning, of which 95% opposed the new mandatory online courses. Mr. Lecce said that the government’s plan “when it comes to online learning is to make sure that young people have access to more course selection utilizing modern technology.”

In response to this statement, Kathleen Wynne, previous Ontario Premier and current member of the Ontario Liberal Party, said “I think [that] the students who were not able to get their options this year because of increased class sizes would take issue with what the Minister said.” Earlier this month, the Ontario government announced a reduction in its previously established four mandatory e-learning courses to

two. Teachers and students are seeing repercussions not only in learning environments but also in the school facilities.

Several schools across Ontario have water fountains whose water exceeds the federal guidelines for the maximum amount of lead in drinking water. According to an occasional teacher from Ontario, “there are a lot of schools that have really poor piping issues [and] students are unable to drink water. Which is rather unfortunate.” Having accessible drinking water is not the only necessity for most students; offering mental health services is also important, something that could be at risk if the cuts proposed by the Ford government go through.

Mr. Lecce said that “[it] is under this premier’s leadership [that] the investments in mental health and increased special education [have been more than doubled, up] to the highest levels ever reported in Ontario history.” A member of the Professional Students Service Personnel (PSSP), however, said that “in [their psychology] department alone, [they] had ten positions cut.” Kimberly Perry, President of PSSP, said that the reduction in personnel would make “young people flounder in the system a little bit more because they won’t get the kind of assessments done that they need.”

Doug Ford’s government continues to insist that no jobs will

be lost with cuts and with class size increases. Still, according to data collected by a teacher in Brampton, Ontario, 2000 jobs have already been lost across the province.

Ms. Rowland says, “I find it appalling that colleagues of mine that had been working for eight to ten years still don’t have job security because they keep getting bumped.”

During Question Period in the House of Commons, Mr. Lecce claimed that “[the] government under the leadership of [Doug Ford is] spending more on public education than any government in the history of Ontario.” He stated that they had invested $550 million on the renewal and building of schools, $200 million for the improvement of the math curriculum, and $1.2 billion on education overall.

To this statement, Marit Stiles, MPP of Davenport, responded, “This is complete fiction coming from this minister. [Ontario’s] Financial Accountability Office says [that the spending on education] is down.”

Ms. Rowland added that teachers are also striking for honesty. She stated, “when you make massive cuts to education it does actually influence students and it does actually cost teachers’ jobs despite [the fact that] people are pretending that it doesn’t.”

EXTERNAL | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 5 POLITICS

Canada’s new cabinet Many familiar faces in Liberal’s new cabinet, though positions have been shuffled.

Emma Kazazi Contributor

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n November 20, 2019, Canada’s new 36-member cabinet was announced at the Rideau Hall swearing-in ceremony.

The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers that, along with the Prime Minister, forms the government of Canada. Although there are no legal rules that must be followed while creating a cabinet, there are certain conventions that are expected to be followed, like having a minister from each province in Canada and having ministers from visible minority groups.

As expected, the new cabinet is gender-balanced, 18 females and 18 males, akin to the cabinet Trudeau had in 2015. Prior to 2015, the cabinet did not have an equal distribution, with Stephen Harper having 12 females and 27 males, and Paul Martin having nine females and 28 males.

In the cabinet, there are four ministers from British Columbia, one from the Prairies, 17 from Ontario, 11 from Quebec, four from the Atlantic, and there has not been a minister from the Territories since 2016. There are no ministers that represent Saskatchewan

and Alberta, as the ministers that once did were defeated in the recent election. However, Jim Carr of Manitoba, who used to be Minister of International Trade Diversification, has a separate role as the representative of the Prairies.

A significant change in the cabinet has been promoting Christia Freeland to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs when she was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Prime Minister is a position that has not been in use for 13 years and is a relatively new one.

It was created in 1977 by former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, with the job description changing from year to year.

Paul Wilson, an associate professor at the Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University, said, regarding the position of Deputy Prime Minister, “There is no job description… It really is a question of what the Prime Minister is looking for in terms of whether it’s managing the caucus [a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement], managing the government agenda, sending a signal about government priorities.”

Freeland, who is Alberta-born, will be focused on western relations, which have become increasingly controversial as Conservative premiers have dominated the provinces.

After an election that focused mainly on the environment, Jonathon Wilkonson, who was previously the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, has been shifted to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Wilkinson spent over 20 years in the private sector, holding leadership positions with several companies dedicated to the development of green technologies.

Wilkinson will have the challenge of negotiating with Saskatchewan and Alberta, where more than 60% of voters chose the Conservatives who, if elected, vowed to scrap the carbon tax.

“I think it’s a good file for him to be in to draw on both his B.C. and Saskatchewan background,” said the University of British Columbia political science professor Kathryn Harrison.

Bill Morneau, the Minister of Finance, retains his position after having it since 2015. He has played a crucial role in shaping government policies and initiatives, such as the introduction of the Canada Child Benefit, tax cuts for the middle class, new investments in affordable housing, and the negotiation of an enhanced Canada Pension Plan.

Trudeau has created a number of new portfolios, including Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth, which was filled by Bardish Chagger, Minister of Middle-Class Prosperity, taken by

Mona Fortier, and Minister of Disability Inclusion, now occupied by Carla Qualtrough. One of these roles, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth, seems to be an attempt to repair the damage done during Trudeau’s blackface scandal.

The Conservatives and the New Democrats each have their take on the new cabinet. Conservative leader Andrew Scheer criticizes Trudeau’s new lineup, saying, “The cabinet he unveiled today is a bigger and more bloated version of the same one that helped create an affordability crisis for Canadian families, attacked our energy sector and put thousands of Canadians out of work and set the stage for a national unity crisis.”

New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh said he is more concerned with what the cabinet ministers do than who they are. “What this government needs more than new ministers is a new commitment to working with us to deliver for Canadians,” Singh said in a statement. “When they’re ready to work to protect and create jobs, make life more affordable, invest in the services people need, and ensure real steps are taken to fight the climate crisis — New Democrats will work with the prime minister and his new cabinet.”

Canada is currently facing many issues, and only time will tell if the cabinet will be able to rise to them.

ENVIRONMENT

Earthquake kills 51 in Albania Citizens support each other in wake of tragedy.

Eris Gjini Contributor

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n November 26, before dawn, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the small Balkan nation of Albania, killing 51 people and injuring more than 3000 others. The epicentre of the earthquake hit closest to the city of Durrës, the capital of Tirana and the small town of Thumanë. Crumbling over 11 000 buildings and leaving survivors to search for their loved ones amidst the rubble, the earthquake was the strongest to hit the country in 40 years and was followed by an estimated 300 aftershocks.

This was the second earthquake to hit the nation this year, with a 5.6 magnitude earthquake striking just two months prior, on September 21. The Albanian government declared a 30-day state of emergency and a national day of mourning as the news broke, followed by the distribution of 2000 military officials to aid those in need. The country lacked the necessary relief equipment to begin the search for survivors, thus relying on the goodwill of neighbour-

ing nations like Italy, Greece, Serbia, and Kosovo that donated millions of euros, supplies, and aid personnel.

As the initial search began, communities banded together to help locate victims trapped under collapsed buildings and houses. Organizations like the Albanian Red Cross also had relief teams on-site to tend to the injured.

As the aftershocks continued, the majority of the surrounding buildings still standing were deemed unsafe, leaving many families sleeping in military tents outside or in their cars. In addition, the soccer stadium in Durrës was converted into an emergency shelter for the thousands displaced by the quake.

With the winter months approaching, residents who could not afford to leave were also faced with the stress of finding long term shelter. The areas most heavily damaged were smaller towns, particularly Thumanë and Laç, whose residents lost everything from family members, to possessions and businesses, leaving the survivors with nothing.

After four days, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that the official search and rescue operation would come to an end, as no more victims were expected to be found. In terms of compensation for the victims, aside from

personal donations made, the government announced that the families of those who died would receive one million Lek (12 000 Canadian dollars) each, as well as scholarships for children and pensions for the elderly. However, many citizens were not consoled by the actions of the government, anticipating corruption and fraud. As more and more financial donations keep entering the country, most victims have yet to receive substantial help from the government.

This is where many local celebrities have stepped in to offer assistance, like Noizy, a rapper who personally visited the city of Durrës to help cook and distribute food to those in need. Other celebrities of Albanian origin, namely Rita Ora, Dua Lipa, and Bebe Rexha, have also started donation funds to aid the victims.

When it comes to helping the country rebuild, Prime Minister Edi Rama said, “simply, it is humanly impossible to do this [reconstruction] alone,” requesting further aid from neighbouring nations. He also stated that everyone impacted by the earthquake would “have stronger homes by 2020.” Many countries like Turkey, Israel, the U.S., and France have offered help in engineering new buildings and determining

the stability of the ones left standing.

However, many Albanian engineers and construction workers say that it was the government’s lax construction regulations and the lack of enforcement that led to structurally unsafe buildings being built in the first place. Urbanization in major cities has increased rapidly in the past few years, with many architectural projects being proposed and completed in less than a year.

The earthquake hit the country just two days before its independence day, when many people were beginning preparations for celebrations. Instead, many are now living without proper shelter, heat and electricity. Nevertheless, the Albanian spirit remains unbroken, with many communities coming together to share what they have and support one another through this time of need. Hotel owners and landlords have opened up rooms free of charge for many families, local stores have begun giving away food and water to those left without, and the rest donated whatever they could. This tragic event only highlighted the Albanian generosity, reminding residents that they can rely on one another through difficult situations and tough times.

6 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | EXTERNAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Sex trafficking at an all time high

As projected from numerous statistics, sex trafficking is only rising and is predicted to be challenging to conquer.

Inessa Azoyan Alya Seker Contributors Audrey Gong Editor

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ex trafficking has been an ongoing issue for thousands of years and officially became a political issue in the 1900s. Today, over a century later, this form of trafficking is at an all-time high, its statistical figures reaching an ultimate peak.

79% of all human trafficking worldwide is in the form of sex trafficking, yet this number is still on the rise, making it a prevalent societal issue around the world. This practice is seen in many countries, but it is mainly focused in Pakistan, Thailand, China, India, and Bangladesh. This being said, sex trafficking is accelerating and advancing in both its strategtic and violent aspects to the United States and Canada, thus becoming more common in these communities.

Sex trafficking can be described in the simplest of terms as human trafficking for sexual exploitation, which can include, aside from an abundance of other strands, sexual slavery. The core of sex trafficking derives from the fact that victims are forced into a situation where they become dependent on their traffickers, often for financial reasons.

In contrast to prostitution, which is defined as the exchange of sex for money, drugs, or influence between two consenting adults, human trafficking means there is third-party control. In nearly all cases, the trafficker achieves full power and authority, often restraining their

victim, and dictating what they eat, wear, say, and do throughout their day.

Although there is an estimation, the exact number of victims will eternally remain unknown, as many cases of trafficking go undetected or unreported. According to the International Labour Organization, it is estimated that approximately 24.9 million people were victims of sex trafficking worldwide, as of September 2019. Additionally, the sex trafficking industry is expected to generate $99 billion in global profits per year. In fact, a trafficker makes $275 000 per year per victim. These high numbers have caused both individuals and international communities worldwide to take further precautions when investigating cases of forced prostitution and sex trafficking. These include organizations like Living in Freedom Together (LIFT), a survivor-led organization which helps individuals exit the world of commercial sexual exploitation.

As the numbers display, millions of people worldwide are victims of sex trafficking. Women are predominantly targeted; however, anyone is at risk. From children as young as 12 years old to men, women, young boys, indigenous women, homeless people and people in the LGTBQ+ community, sex traffickers look for all types of people in vulnerable situations. Studies show that 20% of all trafficking victims are girls, 8% are boys, 51% are females, and the remaining 21% are males.

Traffickers have numerous tactics for finding and capturing their victims. They predominantly strike when victims are alone, which occurs most frequently in parking lots, empty roads, and any deserted area where they are unlikely to be seen. Furthermore, as social media platforms continue to

expand, sex traffickers use this growth to their advantage and eventually lure victims into meeting with them. From here, they ultimately kidnap the victim. In other cases, however, traffickers approach victims in parks, shopping malls, or at parties, and begin a conversation with them, showing a lot of interest and giving the victim a great amount of attention. This then extends to usual meetings and what the victim thinks is a romantic relation. However, the trafficker soon begins to convince their victim to alienate themselves from family and friends. With this also comes financial bribery, where the victims are treated to gifts and expensive dinners in order to sustain the relationship. After a few months of this, the trafficker pretends that there is a problem, and a large amount of money is needed. This is usually a case of a family member being very sick, and hospital bills needing to be paid. The victim then offers to help, making this the turning point of the situation. In response, they are told that if they were to be exploited sexually for money, they would be greatly helping who they see at this time as their significant other.

Thus begins the cycle, where victims are trapped in the situation of being used for pleasurous acts of others as they are threatened by their trafficker.

Traffickers often work in large groups or organizations, which can be local or dispersed worldwide, to aid each other.

The rise of sex trafficking has instilled a newfound fear in this generation that ultimately leads to further precautions and safety measures being taken in order to protect oneself.

Although a significant effort has been made to ensure women and men alike feel as safe as possible wherever they

are, it has been noted that this arising issue currently has no visible conclusion. In fact, future projections suggest that the current number of sex trafficking cases will continue to rise.

There can be prominent signs that someone is being trafficked, which, if identified, have the potential to save lives. Some of these signs include being secretive about one’s life, whether it’s about a boyfriend or girlfriend being hidden from family members or friends, or about strictly scheduled plans. This suggests that the trafficker has total control over the victim’s life. Victims may also have a sudden change of style or personality. These can be signs that the victim’s outfits are being dictated by their trafficker, who orders them to wear clothes that are more sexualizing or that they find more appealing. The outfits could also be very luxurious, as traffickers often keep their victims trapped with promises of financial gain. These experiences can severely affect people mentally, which can also lead to changes in mood and personality. In addition, as a result of the constant stress, trauma, physical, sexual and verbal abuse the victim is put through, many develop mental health conditions. These conditions include depression, anxiety, or PTSD, which are likely to remain with the victim for the remainder of their life.

As projected from numerous statistics, sex trafficking is only rising and is predicted to be challenging to conquer. The staggering number of unreported cases proves the reality that traffickers cannot easily be stopped. However, educating oneself in identifying victims being trafficked and being aware of personal dangers can help secure the safety of future generations from sex trafficking.

ENVIRONMENT

Australian bushfires wreak havoc Climate change thought to be responsible for increasing intensity and duration of lethal heatwaves.

Cassandra Chichora Lauren Keith Editors

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housands of homes and buildings lost, hundreds of thousands of hectares destroyed, and hundreds of people killed. Bushfires are created through many forms, but for a fire to keep burning, it requires fuel, oxygen, and heat. With extreme fire conditions, there is a detrimental increase in the intensity of the fires. Dry, hot, and windy conditions, as well as large quantities of vegetation, can turn a minimal flame into a damaging “mega-fire” that can take weeks on end to obtain control over.

Throughout history, Australia has been prone to bushfires due to the extreme heat and dryness of the surrounding environment. These fires

often lead to severe property damage, and in worst-case scenarios, loss of human life. The most deadly bushfires will commonly occur during the dry seasons, where droughts and heatwaves are most common. As seen in 2009, the southeastern part of Australia experienced an immense heatwave in which a bushfire erupted, resulting in the deaths of 173 people.

Global warming plays a critical role in the increasing number and severity of bushfires. Yet, Australia’s federal government has refused to acknowledge their contribution to the world’s everincreasing rates of carbon emission.

The country is responsible for 1.3% of global emissions, which in turn affects Australia’s amount of annual bushfires.

In the past few weeks, bushfires have taken Australia by storm with dozens of fires burning, including a “mega-fire” already accumulating to the size of Greater Sydney. There have

been six deaths and more than 1000 homes lost across New South Wales and Queensland. The “mega-fire” at Gospers Mountain near the outlying north-western areas of Sydney is likely to burn for weeks until substantial rainfall, which will likely be seen near the end of January to early February.

Meteorologists are predicting strong winds and temperatures of approximately 44 degrees Celsius for the fire-endured areas and absolutely no rain relief, thus leaving them dry and prone to ignition. Hundreds of firefighters are doing critical back burning to control the fires day-to-day, working towards acquiring the upper hand before conditions deteriorate. Yet, these bushfires have a power of their own, becoming exceedingly large and dangerous to put out. According to the New South Wales Bureau of Meteorology, “the largest fires simply could not be extinguished by water-bombing aircraft

or firefighting crews on the ground.”

Not only are humans feeling the heat, but as with such intense damage, there is a significant impact on Australia’s biodiversity. With this, a whole range of species rely on specific trees, nectar, or insects found in the environment as their primary source of nourishment. Consequently, there will be a great loss of life in the affected areas.

The repeated occurrences of high winds and heat levels, in addition to the season’s drought, have been caught in this ongoing battle for decades to where Australia can no longer overcome these bushfires. These excruciating conditions have resulted in higher than average daytime temperatures that will further develop in March.

In the instance that there is no policy change, Australia’s future will consist of more bushfires with further harmful impacts on its people and ecosystems.

EXTERNAL | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 7 ENVIRONMENT

Starbucks’ new lids not a solution to straws New plastic is more difficult to recycle, ends up in landfills.

Abigail Coultice Contributor

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he Starbucks franchise has become a popular part of many adults’ and adolescents’ lives.

Their flashy drinks make up for the high prices just enough for some to purchase products from this brand daily. The glory of this brand has partially come from their ability to target different aspects of the company to a variety of demographics. This includes teas for coffee-haters, smoothies for the health conscious, their Frappuccinos for sugar loving children, and their coffee of all sizes and flavours for coffee consumers.

All of these products have entered the Starbucks market to hook consumers from all demographics on to their drinks.

During 2019, the trending videos of a turtle with a straw in its nose travelled around the internet, revealing the graphic destruction that plastic, including straws, has on the ocean and the animals living within it. Many consumers today have become conscious of their decisions when purchasing products like drinks, as straws are now an enemy to our environment. A change is being made by society, and, as a result, many consumers choose to spend less on chains, like Starbucks. The boycott of many people left Starbucks losing its grip on a whole demographic of customers.

This led to an innovation of the brand, the ‘sippy cup lids’. These new lids require no straw in order to eliminate their use. When this invention first hit markets in 2019, consumers thought this improvement was changing the way chain brands thought about significant issues. Starbucks was expressing that they wanted an edge on a different demographic of consumers, one that makes an effort to better the environment.

However, this invention is not significant to the problem that we face.

The lids are made out of polypropylene, a popular plastic for many food containers, such as yogurt. Theintercept.com reported that “only 5.1 percent of [this plastic] was recycled in the U.S. in 2015, according to the most recent data from the Environmental Protection Agency.”

In addition, the recycling number of this type of plastic is five, which is not as likely to get recycled as numbers one, two, three, and four. The unlikeliness of the substance to be recycled grows as a food-covered container will not be recycled either. If you do not wash your cup and lid, the innovation that should create a change instead enters the landfill to join the straws of Starbucks’ past.

Starbucks’ efforts to be environmentally sustainable bought them much praise in the media; however, the actual benefits of their decisions are negligible.

Illustration by Andjela Urosevic

HEALTH & SAFETY

Vaping linked to lung disease

Young people at high risk of young disease due to widespread use of vaping products.

Thalia Adams Contributor

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aping lung disease is on the rise across the world, particularly in North America. Although ecigarettes were created in 2003 and introduced to Canada in 2004, it was only recently, in 2019, when a link was found between vaping and lung disease.

A specific ingredient was recognized as the root of vaping lung disease but only in regards to THC vape pens (often referred to as ‘weed pens’). This was discovered to occur in most states in the U.S. and cases are now being reported of impacts on Canadian users, especially Canadian teens. The primary source of vaping lung disease in THC vape users is by Vitamin E Acetate, which is used as a thickening agent, or to dilute the THC oil. Other e-cigarettes, such as “Juul” devices, contain a different ingredient that causes vaping lung disease, which currently remains unknown.

Approximately 2.1 million middle school and high school students used e-cigarettes in 2017 according to Katherine Martinelli, a researcher for Child Mind Institute. Specifically, in

e-cigarettes and vape pens, the compact size of the product itself and the flavours that are provided are very appealing to younger consumers. Teens are able to conceal their possession of the product because of its discreet appearance and smell. Despite this, vapes were designed to be a safer alternative fo adult cigarette smokersand cleaner way for adult smokers. But this doesn’t change the long term effects and health risks associated with it. Many people who use vape pens are convinced that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking, considering it to be easier on the lungs and seeming less dangerous.

But, there are several reasons to be concerned when it comes to what consumers are putting into their bodies.

To expand on what Vitamin E Acetate is, it is a pale yellow, sticky substance that is often found in cosmetic based formulations and skin creams due to its skincare benefits. In addition, there is no evidence that Vitamin E Acetate appears to cause harm to the body when taken orally or used on the skin. Although, as reported by the Associated Press, research shows that inhaling this can impair lung functions and result in severe side effects.

On November 8, 2019, offi-

cials from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a “breakthrough” discovery, claiming that they had identified Vitamin E Acetate in the lung fluids of 29 people sickened in the outbreak of vaping lung disease. Patients suffering with vaping lung disease typically experienced symptoms of coughing, chest pain, or shortness of breath before their health deteriorated to the point of hospitalization, according to the CDC.

Along with this, others reported symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever and weight loss. Many of the victims have ended up with acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is a life-threatening condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs and prevents the oxygen needed in order for bodies to function by circulating in the bloodstream.

The first death observed from a vaping-related illness was reported on August 23, 2019. At that time, there was still an ongoing investigation for almost 200 cases of the sickness in 22 states, according to the CDC. Then, a second death was pronounced, following a middle-aged adult falling seriously ill after vaping with marijuana oil.

Putting the cases together, it was found

that the leading cause was, in fact, due to Vitamin E Acetate. Doctors and researchers weren’t quite sure why the injuries were surfacing this year. “We’re all wondering if this is new or just newly recognized,” reported a CDC official.

The companies marketing these products have also had a role to play. Although vaping companies deny that they are marketing to young people, their advertising strategies suggest otherwise. There are apparent features in their advertising as youthful images and colours, animation, actors who appear to be under 21, and suggestions that vaping makes you happier and improves your social status. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb cited these advertising methods when he said, “we see clear signs that youth use of electronic cigarettes has reached an epidemic proportion.”

With the recognition of vaping lung disease, it is urged for e-cigarette users to be using products to their benefit and not just because of their attraction to the devices. If any users are struggling with an addiction to e-cigarettes or THC vape, they are encouraged to consult a doctor in regards to their health, especially if experiencing reported symptoms of vaping lung disease.

8 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | INTERNAL

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SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Choreographing the December 6th assembly The organizers of NT’s Violence Against Women assembly delve into the thought process behind the highly-praised dance performance.

Julia Goldthorp Rachel Lee Senior Advisors

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his year’s December 6 Assembly marked the 30th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre at the Polytechnique Montréal. At 5:10 pm on December 6, 1989, a man entered the Université de Montréal’s engineering affiliate with a semi-automatic rifle.

He then separated the women from the men in one of the mechanical engineering classrooms. The gunman proceeded to murder fourteen women while injuring thirteen others before turning the gun on himself. A letter written by the gunman later revealed that he believed that feminists had ruined his life. This vile belief was emphasized as he screamed, “You are all femi-

nists,” while proceeding to open fire.

The December 6 Assembly has been an annual assembly at North Toronto, with students and staff working together to put together a message to inform the student body on past, present, and future issues regarding violence against women. In the past, December 6 assemblies have had a larger focus on specific issues falling under the umbrella of violence against women, such as human trafficking or domestic abuse. However, this year’s assembly emphasized the commemoration of the fourteen female victims of the Montreal Massacre, as 2019 marked the thirtieth anniversary of the horrific attack.

As we are both co-captains of this year’s dance club, we found it extremely important to create a moving and powerful piece for the commemoration assembly. Getting dancers to come out, and be open to creating a contemporary-based dance, was very

challenging at first. We had a vision of making this dance individualized while featuring classic strands of choreography. In the beginning, we did not recognize the individuality and creativity each dancer brought to the table. However, we soon realized that their unique movement and partner work allowed for a new vision to come to life. Just a day before the performance, we ended up having exactly 14 dancers on stage by circumstance.

Fourteen dancers for 14 lost women.

The song choice for this piece played a crucial part in telling the story.

Before even planning out the choreography or thinking about the story the dance would tell, we stumbled across the song. One night, while watching the new weekly episode of Grey’s Anatomy, we heard the song “Everywhere Ghosts Hide” play in the background, as a patient went through a rape kit. She was traumatized from being violently at-

tacked and now feared that her husband would think less of her. Through the eerie voice of the artist, and heartbreaking reality of the lyrics, the song alone told the story we were looking for.

Those innocent women that were killed on December 6 thirty years ago needed to have their memories commemorated. They needed to have their screams heard, their bravery recognized, and their lives remembered.

Through this dance, and through this song, the 14 of us tried to portray and imagine what those women felt that day, in that classroom. It was important for us to share the aftermath of this horrific and unforgettable attack with our dancers and the entire school. This dance was not only a way to encapsulate what once happened to those 14 victims, but a way to finally shed light on the problem of violence against women.

MENTAL HEALTH

NT’s mental chill spaces

Need a place to unwind or a quiet place to study? Graffiti’s got you covered.

Irsa Alla Contributor

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tudents are currently running full speed ahead into this semester, and it can sometimes feel like school is taking over our lives. It can be difficult to balance academics and extracurricular activities, and sometimes it feels like no one can catch a break. Although, if you are feeling stressed out or overwhelmed and need a place to relax, there are some useful places around the school to do just that.

The first place (my go to) is the library. Most people go here to get work done with friends, so this can sometimes lead to loud volumes, but the library can be an equally good place to get caught up on work. If you just want a place to sit down with some friends and socialize, the little couches in the corner are the place to go. If students want to get some serious work done, the long tables on the opposite side of the library are usually quieter. Just past the computers, the tables tend to be very quiet and calm; they are the ideal environment to get some work done or plan your day to de-stress.

Another place that is very quiet

Photo by Sahil Turakhia

and not as busy as the library is the Commons. The Commons is almost always open and it’s the best place to study if you have an upcoming test to prepare for or a presentation to memorize. This space allows you to be focused and productive as it’s a well-lit area with few distractions around. However, if you do get distracted easily, make sure you don’t look outside the glass windows.

Additionally, the Commons is across from the main office and is really only

closed for roughly 20 to 30 minutes after lunch, as the caretakers have to clean up.

Some other “zen” areas within the school are the third and fourth-floor nooks that are located in the hallways of staircase BB. On the third floor, they are across from Room 310, and on the fourth floor, Room 411. These small areas are calm and cozy. Students can sit down and relax as they are not very busy. You can do whatever you’d like in these spots, and they feel very secluded

from the hallway, offering some privacy.

The last relaxing place is the little cubicle near the doors of Room 215. There are two doors leading into that classroom, and the one that I’m mentioning is furthest away from staircase BB, near the corner of the hallway.

This spot feels very secluded from the rest of the hallway as well, making it a good place to get some work done, or to rest and relax. Since you are sitting near a door there may be someone coming in and out, but this door is rarely used. This means that students most likely won’t be disturbed from their work or nap. Nevertheless, it is a decent-sized space to relax and do what you need to get done. It also acts as a space to take a moment to relax and detach from your surroundings.

Students at NT are lucky to have a school filled with many great areas to help people focus, be productive, and relax. As students, we often have off-days or simply feel overwhelmed. It happens to everyone. To combat this, we have numerous relaxation spaces to take advantage of as well as extra academic help such as peer tutoring. If these do not fit your needs, you can join clubs like NT’s Wellness Club or Mindful Monday’s that also offer relaxation techniques.

INTERNAL | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 9 ACADEMICS

Strategies for success in math class What do NT teachers see as the key to student success in mathematics?

Sara Chiarotto O’Brien Editor in Chief

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alking through the hallways of North Toronto C.I.’s fourth floor, it is common to hear students complaining about math.

“That test was so hard!”

“Did you understand the homework?”

Math is a notoriously challenging subject for students and teachers alike. Ms. Miron teaches mathematics to both junior and senior grades at North Toronto. She took a hiatus from teaching last year to develop online lessons for high school math students in collaboration with the University of Waterloo.

With over twenty-two years of experience in education, Miron has acquired unique insights about how teachers can structure lessons in order to help students to succeed, and what students can do to improve their math skills.

One of the biggest challenges in teaching classes of twenty-five or more students is bridging the gap between students who learn quickly

and those who need more support and repetition to understand concepts. In Miron’s lessons, she focuses on distilling concepts to a series of key ideas and then working through sample problems to show students how to apply what they have learned.

“I focus on what I’m asking and why I’m asking it,” she says of the examples she chooses to take up with students. Miron explains that it’s important for her to go through each question slowly in order to build a habit of recognizing patterns and to impress upon students the importance of breaking down complex problems into simpler components. “I think some students might want me to go faster...through examples,” she says. Ultimately, she feels it is more important that students can “identify the clues in the question that helped us see what we needed to do,” rather than focus only on finding the answer.

In Miron’s experience, “the more strategies [students] understand, the more flexible [they] are when [they] come across a new problem,” and the more successful they can be overall.

However, a single class is rarely a sufficient amount of time for a student to master a concept. Miron attributes dif-

ferences in student achievement to motivation and the amount of time they spend practicing math outside the classroom. “I think the biggest difference between students who like math and students who don’t like math is how much practice they’ve done,” she explains.

Students who regularly do practice problems have more time to work through unclear concepts and are more likely to “notice patterns” in the strategies they use for different problems.

Kaya Makivic, a grade 12 student taking three math courses, echoes these ideas. Makivic, who enjoys math, likes to do her homework “immediately after lessons” to fully absorb content. She also finds internal motivation to practice because she views each question “like a puzzle” and “[loves] when all the pieces come together.” Though Makivic has always liked math, she admits that “it’s more enjoyable when you’re doing well in it,” and tries to derive motivation, not discouragement, from setbacks.

For students who excel in math, it can be an easy, and even enjoyable course. But for students who struggle, the option of dropping math in grade 12 is tempting. However, math still offers many advantages to students who

have no plans of pursuing it beyond high school. As Miron explains, math teaches students how to reason, apply logic, and think analytically — the types of skills that are “transferrable to any situation.” Math also offers a right or wrong answer, which acts as “feedback” so that students can identify and correct errors as they go along.

No matter a student’s level in math, there is always room for improvement. While grades can be a good measure of a student’s understanding of a math concept, Miron believes they can also get in the way of actual improvement. She finds that much of the time, students focus more on their overall mark than the specific areas where they make mistakes. As Miron points out, “talking about your mark doesn’t change your mark,” and she urges students to “understand the why” in order to perform better later on in the year.

Whether you’re struggling with the quadratic formula or flying through calculus problems at the speed of light, Miron thinks all students should remember that “a lot of math understanding just takes time,” so “don’t give up”. Practice is your best bet for improving understanding.

STAFF PROFILE

Farewell, Mr. Zylstra

NT says goodbye to Head Caretaker after a decade with the school.

Sofia Platnick Editor

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fter ten long years of appreciated hard work at North Toronto, Mr. Zylstra, our head caretaker, is retiring. After being a part of the NT community for a decade, Mr. Zylstra is planning a trip down to Panama, in celebration of his birthday, his anniversary, and his retirement.

Throughout the years, Mr. Zylstra has watched NT students grow and change, both as individuals and as generations. He says, “I see the students here take part in a lot of activities, whereas; when I went to high school, and even my son, we didn’t want to participate. I find you guys really motivated, and I think it’s great.”

One of the main differences in learning styles he has seen over the years is, of course, the evolution and incorporation of technology. Over the past five years, the explosion and reliance on cell phones and school websites has been mind-boggling to him.

Mr. Zylstra has also been fond of the students at North Toronto stating, “a lot of you guys make me feel comfortable here, which is good. The teachers are very nice to me and help me any way they can.”

To our graduating students, Mr. Zylstra says, “there’s nothing you can’t achieve. Cause I went from a small school to high school, to here, so I must have done something right.”

Photo by Sofia Platnick

10 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | INTERNAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Changes to the student council constitution

It is now unnecessary for both class reps to attend meetings for voting to be effective.

Katarina Makivic Editor

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s of December 2019, it is unnecessary for both class reps to attend meetings for voting to be effective. When a decision has to be made, a homeform vote will be held prior to the council meeting and class reps will vote in favour of the class majority vote.

North Toronto C.I.’s student government has decided to make these changes to their constitution in an effort to best represent the needs and wants of the student population. The council consists of a president, junior and senior vice presidents, a treasurer, a secretary, and representatives from clubs such as NEAT, music council, and NTAA. In addition to the standard council members, once a month there is a council meeting that includes class reps.

Class reps are the direct link between classes and the council and it is their job to communicate the “sug-

gestions, concerns and questions of their respective homeform classes,” explained student council president, Kamil Mamdani. “[They] play a pivotal role in assisting the planning of NT events such as Red and Grey Day and Charity Week, and lead their classes in making decisions for their homeforms’ contributions. When necessary, the class reps vote on constitutional changes.” This democratic system is crucial in ensuring that the needs of all students are met; however it has proven to be less effective lately and has therefore undergone revision.

Each homeform class elects two reps, which gives a total of 96 class reps. The old system requires at least 66% of reps to vote in favour of a change in order for it to pass, and so a minimum of 64 reps need to support the change. This is not always possible, as low attendance makes it difficult, if not impossible to achieve these numbers. “Only one out of two class reps are in attendance for a lot of homeforms more often than not,” says the coun-

cil president. Students and clubs have been greatly affected by the challenges of the voting system, as the opinions of students are not clearly voiced and necessary changes cannot be made. An example of such is Art Council’s longlasting struggle to get a representative on Student Council. Unlike NTAA, Music Council, and NEAT, NT’s Art Council (NTAC) did not have a seat at student council meetings until recently, putting them at a great disadvantage.

“The most concerning problem was the lack of communication between the councils,” says Connie Trivino, Art Council head. “Art Council collaborates with NEAT, Music Council, and NTAA but since Art Council didn’t have a spot on Student Council’s meetings it was more difficult to reach out to the other councils.” In addition to the difficulty in communication with other clubs, NTAC has struggled to get recognition for all their work on various events and projects. “Most people don’t recognize how much we do for the school in comparison to Music Council, for example,”

says Trivino. Art council’s contributions include but are not limited to seasonal decorations, such as snowflakes on the front windows for winter, face painting with NTAA on Red and Gray Day, Remembrance Day Assembly poppies, semaine blanche murals, and Soda Pop shop with music council. Trivino shares that she is “glad that the voting system got changed because not only was it a big game changer for art council, but in [her] opinion, it will lead to more accurate voting results in the future.”

The new voting system aims to better represent the opinions of the student body and to “better the chance of constructive changes being made to our constitution” according to the student council president. For a change to be made, 66% of classes will need to be in agreement with the change in question.

This change to student council constitution has full support from teachers and students and is expected to greatly improve NT’s democratic system and ensure that all students’ voices are heard.

ACADEMICS

Ontario universities stereotyped How are Ontario’s most popular schools perceived at NT? Ana Andrijasevic Contributor

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o all the senior students of North Toronto, it’s that time: the most stressful, nerve-wracking time of our high school years. A crucial point in our teenage lives: the time to decide what direction we will take in order to prepare for our futures. The majority of NT students are likely to go to university, for the number of students that attended the university information workshop was immense.

First comes the question of which university we should apply for, then follows the struggle of deciding whether or not you should stay in Toronto, or try to expand your horizons by going somewhere else in Canada.

This is where the common stereotypes of Ontario universities come into play and how they can be untrue. Students shouldn’t base such an important choice on inaccurate myths, and should instead complete their own factual research on possible universities they plan on attending, to be the most informed on this meaningful decision.

The most common stereotype is seen in one of the more well-known universities in the world, ranking in the top 20 internationally. You probably guessed it; the University of Toronto.

UofT is known for its reputation of academic excellence, and many people assume that this is the main characteristic of the institution. While it is correct that students work hard to be accepted into the school, many people forget that it is located right in the heart of downtown Toronto. This gives students the ability to thrive socially and have fun outside of school while

also working hard in their studies.

Ms. Biondic, a teacher at NT who completed her undergraduate degree at UofT, is speaking from experience when she says, “U of T is massive, housing numerous programs and some of those programs are more demanding than others. Many students maintain vibrant social lives and take advantage

Another common stereotype has to do with the schools York University and Brock University. One of the most well-known taunts in the Ontario university world, ‘if you can hold a fork, you can go to York,’ suggests that because the university has generally more flexible admission rates, it can be used as the ‘plan B’ op-

Illustration by Christina Kim

of everything that downtown Toronto has to offer.” With the ROM, Bloor Fashion District, and Queen’s Park and multiple other attractions surrounding the university, it would be hard not to have a good time once in a while.

Similarly, these stereotypes can be heard when talking about the University of Waterloo which is popular among students who want to pursue engineering or other STEM-based programs. Waterloo is known to be a successful school where, again, students have to work hard in order to be able to attend, but the stereotype of students having close to no social lives is often wrong. It really depends on each individual student attending.

tion for students who have their top choice reserved for a more academically-demanding school, such as UofT.

One other taunt that many people may know of is, ‘if you can walk and talk, you can go to Brock,’ which supports the stereotype that Brock University is the ‘easy option’ when it comes to earning a degree. These stereotypes are continuously challenged by the universities themselves, with both schools having exceptional programs and amazing learning experiences. Brock has one of the largest co-op programs in the nation, and York has Canada’s only space engineering and global health programs, as well as five million dollars worth of innovative teaching initiatives.

Many students also think Queen’s University and Western University are schools with many students who love to party. While this may be true to some degree, both universities are located in relatively small towns, causing most students who attend to be living alone for the first time. This can mean that with their newfound sense of freedom, it is likely for students to want to celebrate, go to parties, and have some fun.

This should not deter any student from applying, as both institutions have very high academically-achieving programs and services. Western has many students enrolled in the top business, psychology, philosophy, and English programs in the province. In the end, having the ability to maintain an active and enjoyable social life should not stop any student from being able to perform to the best of their academic ability, no matter what school is in question.

The deadline for university applications is looming, and with the new year approaching, seniors’ stress levels are likely through the roof. A current grade twelve student, Parnian Asadi-Afshar, admits her struggle, “The pressure of having to choose which university suits my academicability the best, is at the highest it has ever been. There are so many options, with so many falsifications, I’m not sure what the right choice really is.”

When it comes to choosing the university best suited for your program and career choice, with regards to coop and other options, basing choices off of stereotypes that are untrue and mainly passed around for poking fun, shouldn’t be a factor in the decision.

Proper research should be conducted when making this life-changing choice.

INTERNAL | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 11 EDUCATION

Work to rule strike challenges new policies, lack of compensation The Ford government claims protested changes are a solution.

Sofia Platnick Editor

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he Ontario government has recently proposed a plan to change the high school level education system. Their aim is to introduce two mandatory e-learning courses, as well as to increase class size averages from 22 students up to 25 with the reduction of 10 000 teaching positions provincewide. These changes will allow the government to take money out of the education system to be placed elsewhere.

This plan proposed by the Doug Ford government is called “Education that Works for You,” and one that will work to ‘modernize’ classrooms and learning. While no teachers will be laid off from their jobs, some teaching positions will be declared surplus.

The underlying issue that has led to this budget cut is, as stated by Education Minister Stephen Lecce: “I want to be clear to the Legislature that this government, under the leadership of this Premier, is spending more on public education than any government in the history of Ontario. Those are the facts.” The government’s proposed changes aim to improve education and decrease cost to the taxpayers.

It is widely accepted among teachers that these proposed changes to education will only reduce the quality of students’ learning. It is in the experience of teachers at NT that the best quality of learning a student can receive is in class of 20-25 students, as stated by Mr. Gardner. Fur-

thermore, mandatory e-learning raises many issues; not all students have access to computers, not all students can learn in an online environment, and e-learning courses can allow more opportunities for students to cheat.

I recently had the chance to speak with North Toronto teacher Mr. Gardner, who states, “mandatory elearning is probably going to fail. Parents have spoken to me [in the past] saying that they have done most of the work for their children, [and] that their children have done hardly any work.

I’m not sure that e-learning is a great way for many students to earn credits.

It might be good for some, I don’t know, but I know that it probably shouldn’t be mandatory. Students should be able to make the choice that’s best for them.”

Teachers are also dissatisfied with the government’s proposal around compensation. Recently-passed legislation capped wage increases for all public sector workers at one percent over the next three years. The teacher’s union is asking for inflationary increases, amounting to a two percent increase and more in line with workers in other sectors. These are divisions and points of contention between the teachers and the government that are difficult to overcome.

Ms. Andriopoulos states, “large class sizes hurt kids, and because in a class there are varied learners, and varied learning needs, the larger the class becomes, the more difficult it becomes to meet the individual needs of students.”

One of the problems with the government-proposed class sizes increase is that they take into consideration every teaching author-

ity in schools when doing this calculation. For example, this includes librarians and guidance counselors, who each have a net class of 0. For this reason, class sizes already appear smaller than they actually are.

Currently, NT’s cap for students is 30 for grades 9 and 10, and 31 for the senior grades. Each class is sanctioned to have three extra students, raising these numbers to 33 and 34 students per class. The courses at NT, especially in the lower grades, are sitting at the higher end of class sizes, straining what is considered the limits of an effective learning environment. In the future, if the government moves ahead with their proposals, the school will have no choice but to raise class numbers even more.

Both Premier Doug Ford and cabinet member Lisa Thompson have found studies that point to class sizes having no negative affect on students and their achievements, although research on the relationship between class size and learning is seen as inconclusive. The government aims to push today’s school system toward an evolved work environment, while steering students toward resiliency and collaboration due to these larger class sizes.

Mr. Gardner, on class sizes, says, “I think classes are pretty much as big as they should be. The grade 12 classes in this school could be bigger.

Grade 10 classes of 35 or grade 9 classes over 30 is not helpful to students at all.

Despite what the government says, everyone knows that smaller class sizes are better for students, or else there wouldn’t be private schools. 16-20 students is probably the best situation.”

The Doug Ford government

claims that these changes to education are the solution to a problem created by the previous Liberal government, but one that was never dealt with. The Wynne and McGuinty governments failed to address an issue that arose when they put too much money toward an all-day kindergarten initiative. The attrition of 10,000 teachers proposed by the Ford government will ‘clean up the financial mess’ left behind by Wynne and McGuinty.

Ms. Andriopoulos says, “it is our hope that the government will pay attention to the public, the students, the parents, and the educators who are in the classrooms working with the students, and we’re hoping that they’ll listen to these voices, both the voices of experience and the voices of reason, and negotiate accordingly.”

In protest of the Ford government, teachers across the board participated in a one-day strike prior to the December break. The aim of this strike was to direct media attention toward this issue, and gain public support. “Sometimes in order to get a point across, one has to take necessary measures,” Ms. Andriopoulos states. “What was the positive yesterday was the fact that we received wide support from the public. Parents came out to show us their support, students came out to show us their support. Many members of the public do understand and support us in our efforts to protect public education.”

While this issue is still unresolved and no consensus has been reached,it is clear that once this is all over, the education system will undoubtedly look very different than it does today.

EVENTS

Everything you need to know for Charity Week “This is a charity that is very personal to a lot of students at NT,” says SVP Sam Barton.

Emily Sakaguchi Editor in Chief

N

ext week is North Toronto C.I.’s annual Charity Week. This year the school will be fundraising for Skylark, a local charity that states its mission as “[helping] young people overcome mental health and developmental challenges by finding, developing and delivering the support services that are right for them and their families.” Skylark’s values statement emphasizes youth and families, as well as diversity and inclusion “to create an environment that rights the inequities that exist in society.”

Sam Barton, student council’s senior vice president, says that stu-

dent council has started preparations for Charity Week and has “picked eight committees to start planning homeform events, the raffle, education regarding Skylark, Gotcha, special events, treasury, the grade-9-athon, and promotion.”

Students can expect homeform booths to be “bringing back some of the favourites, including Krispy Kreme, grilled cheese, pizza, and cookies.”

The education team is tasked with organizing the Charity Week assembly, which entails finding a guest speaker and planning “some other exciting parts which [student council is] leaving as a surprise.”

Charity Week Bucks, which made their debut last year, will be returning. “To make this clear, because so many people found this confusing last year, you can absolutely still pay in cash,” Barton explains. “But

if you are one of the many people to only carry a card, you can buy charity week bucks on school cash online and then pick them up or have them brought to your homeform and buy whatever you want with those instead.”

“This is a charity that is very personal to a lot of students at NT which is why we want to make sure [charity week] is amazing,” says Barton.

Barton says that council’s biggest goal for Charity Week this year is they “want people to actually want to feel a connection to this charity.”

“Last year a lot of people weren’t really connecting with the charity and weren’t that clear with what the charity actually did. We are really trying to push how important the work that Skylark is doing and that this is more than just buying a slice of pizza. Every time you buy something or donate, you’re sup-

porting so many people our age and contributing to something so much bigger.”

Charity Week may be only five days in January, but there are ways NT students can support charities year round. Barton explains, “Skylark has a lot of other volunteering events that you can volunteer at or even just attend.” She adds that “even just speaking up about mental health and supporting everyone whether it be friends, family, or even someone you barely know” is a way that students can further the charity’s mission.

“Mental health is just starting to be spoken about as a real issue and I think an important message is that what someone is feeling is real and that it’s 100 percent okay to ask for help.

Even just encouraging and supporting others can make such a big difference.”

12 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | FEATURES

features

GLOBAL CONFLICTS

Fuel protests in Iran are about more than just fuel Years of political dissatisfaction and economic instability lead to civil unrest among Iranians.

Photo courtesy of the New York Times

Deena Shirkool Contributor

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n Friday, November 15, 2019, the citizens of Iran woke up to unwanted news: the fuel prices in Iran were increased by 300% overnight. Previous to this, Iranians were already unimpressed with the state of the economy in their country. The economic instability had left Iran with financial struggles, including the inflation rate of Iran’s currency increasing by almost 40 percent in a year. And so, when people learned of the new increased prices, they took to the streets in protests.

In over one hundred towns all over the country, protests broke out at government buildings, including police stations and government offices, as well as fuel distributors, like gas stations and oil depots. In addition, over one hundred banks were set on fire as the masses filled the streets. Almost immediately, the Iranian government responded with fatal violence, arrests, and a complete shutdown of the population’s internet.

Since the initial protests on the fifteenth, Amnesty International has confirmed that at least 208 protesters have died, with many more injured, and at least 7000 arrested. Videos have been posted to social media showing the way many were killed by the Revolutionary Guards of Iran, shot at from a short distance, unarmed and running away. The dead were not left alone once shot, as some sources have said that the authorities are refusing to return the corpses to their families, and have even removed bodies from the morgue. Of the bodies that were returned, some of the victims’ families were demanded to pay financial compensation for the bullet that was used to kill their loved one.

Many of these horrors were hidden away when the government shut down the internet. Most of the contact in

Iran has always been based on communication apps such as Whatsapp, Imo, and Telegram, but, with the internet shut down, the ultimate form of censorship blocked the rest of the world out from the travesties in the streets of Iran. It was only after several more protests occurred that the authorities relented and the internet slowly returned nearly two weeks later.

Zhamak Abdi left Iran in 2007, but has always kept in close contact with her family in her home country, except for during those two weeks.

“The only way [people outside of Iran] could hear about the situation in Iran was through the news,” Abdi said as she was explaining her fear for her family and friends, “but the news [sites] were biased depending on the source, and they could be conflicting.” And so, she was left wondering what was truly happening during the demonstrations.

Despite the increase in fuel prices triggering the protests, this was not the initial catalyst. In fact, these protests differed greatly from others in Iran for Hedieh Montazeri, who had left the country in 2014. “It was more about the working class,” she listed as one of the main differences, as they were “so angry about their financial situations.”

The reasons behind the protest were quite obvious for many others as well.

“The troubling economy, corruption and ever increasing difficulties for activists across the spectrum are the significant reasons behind such levels of unrest,” explained Jahanshah Davoudi, who left Iran for Canada in 2000. For him, one of the biggest factors in this year was the sanctions placed on Iran by the U.S. Already, “economic mismanagement and entrenched corruption” had left the country with a “high rate of unemployment, inflation, and widening socioeconomic inequalities,” he said, but the sanctions have contributed in “deteriorating living standards.”

After the U.S. abandoned the nuclear deal, which guaranteed that

Iran would have no materials or ability to make major nuclear weapons in exchange for more lax sanctions, they reimposed those sanctions on Iran in 2018. The sanctions limited the trading of gold, steel, oil, and automation among other products, as well as penalties on ports. Sanctions could mean anything from tariffs, trade barriers, or restrictions on financial transactions.

Due to these restrictions, Iran faced a harsh inflation rate, with their currency, the rial, reaching its highest inflation in the spring and summer of 2019. This economic disaster led to the protests that occurred exactly a year before the fuel-protests. These protests garnered the attention of western media, Davoudi noted, as they began to show “political opposition to the theocratic regime of Iran and its longtime Supreme Leader.”

Roshanak Kalantari came to Canada in 2014 with her husband and son, and had just recently visited Iran around the time of the protests.

When asked about the differences between now and five years ago in the country, she mentioned that the “living style of people has changed due to [the lack of an] afforable” life. She explained that “the price of food has increased, almost tripled,” when giving examples of how one struggles in Iran. She added that “people just think about eating...[the] essentials, [and] entertainment is a luxury.” Her experience was common among all of the working class citizens in the country.

CNBC even found that, for some, a grocery list that only cost one quarter of their salary before the sanctions now costs them half of their monthly salary.

Therefore, the last year of economic instability has resulted in a snowball effect where the anger of the people has increased more and more, and the country is in turmoil. “One of the banks set on fire in Karaj was on the ground level of a building complex where my brother and his family lives,” responded Davoudi when asked of the effects

of the protests for him personally. The fear of safety does not stop there, however, as many fear further protest after the death toll in November. “Any social, political, economic, environmental or cultural movement which could mobilize the mass is harshly suppressed by the regime…[and the government] in power is not shy to use bullet guns for attacking the demonstrators,” Davoudi stated when expressing his feelings towards safety and protesting.

Abdi also spoke of lack of contact between Iran and the outside world, saying that she “could not contact [her] family,” and that “even if [she] could, the conversations had to be very careful, as apparently all of the calls [were] controlled” by the Revolutionary Guard.

When the news finally broke out about the protests and violence, people outside of the country began to discuss the human rights violations found in the censorship, killing, and holding hostage of the protesters’ corpses.

Many went on social media to show their support for protesters, doing exactly what the Iranian government had wanted to avoid. “[The internet shutdown] was regime’s strategy to dampen the momentum of the public journalism by disrupting the use of any social media which is the main source of getting the news to the outside world in such circumstances,” Davoudi described.

Social Media support is not the only way to support the citizens of Iran.

“Citizens of [the sanctioning countries] should demand their governments to stop imposing sanctions or limitations that affect the daily lives of the masses,” Davoudi offered when asked for ways that Canada and other countries can help, as the sanctions “primarily weakens the power of the middle or low income classes,” the very same people who tried to protest against the oppressive regime. So, Davoudi recommends to do what the citizens of Iran cannot: join the activists and help make Iran financially stable once more.

FEATURES | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 13 TDSB

NT to change admission policies in wake of new TDSB plan As the TDSB aims to bring schools to 90% capacity, NT will admit fewer students each year.

Photo by Emily Sakaguchi

Jane Carli Editor Sara Chiarotto O’Brien Editor in Chief

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ublic education has long been touted as society’s great equalizer, granting all students the same opportunities to succeed. However, if you ask most families, they will tell you that not all public schools are created equal. According to the TDSB website, all schools are funded using a consistent formula: secondary schools are given “a base school allotment... of $10,000” and an additional $148.50 for every student who attends that school. Funding for special programs such as libraries, technology, school councils, and school office expenses is also dependent on the number of students who attend the school. In this way, schools with larger populations receive more funding overall, and typically have stronger and more diverse extra-curricular programs as a result.

Additionally, schools with wealthier parent populations are able to fund extra programs without government support. One such example is North Toronto’s Fall Fare and Maytime Melodies concerts, which rely heavily on families purchasing tickets. Special school events that are not funded by the school board play a large role in developing a sense of com-

munity and morale within a school and influence how families select public highschools for their children.

North Toronto parent, Bridget Hunt, was very impressed with the school facilities, academic reputation and music program when her child was looking at potential high schools in grade eight. However, they lived out of district and had to apply through optional attendance. If her child had not been admitted to North Toronto, they would have had to attend homeschool Oakwood, a high school that offers a very different set of disciplines compared to North Toronto.

As a result of these discrepancies, many high schools in the TDSB currently face problems with overenrollment or under-enrollment.

In an effort to correct this disparity and restore balance to public high schools across the city, the TDSB is implementing a new strategy to bring all schools to 90% capacity over the next four years. Based on their own data and research, the TDSB believes this plan will revive schools that are on the brink of closing and ease the burden on schools, such as North Toronto C.I., which currently sits at 112% capacity, according to the principal, Mr. Mack.

Here at NT, the student body is currently comprised of around 1400 students, nearly 300 more than the new policies would permit. According to Mr. Mack, principal of NT, the only way for the school to meet these population goals is by gradually “reducing the number of students we take in grade

nine” over the next three or four years.

To do this, Mr. Mack says that there will be greater restrictions on who is admitted to attend NT. Presently, all students who live in district are granted admission at NT. For North Toronto’s many students who live out of district, administrators consider three main priorities when determining which students who apply to NT through optional attendance will be granted acceptance.

First priority is granted to “students who have siblings already in [North Toronto C.I.] and expected to be in the school for the next school year.” Second priority is given to “feeder school students who are currently under optional attendance.” If there is additional space, “students who are in district to the feeder school, but not in district to [North Toronto C.I.]” will be considered, followed by “other students resident in the city of Toronto.”

Mr. Mack notes that in recent years, “the number of people applying exceeds the number of spaces available and that is a direct result of [the influx of condo developments in the Yonge and Eglinton area].” This increased demand for spots at NT, will not translate into changes in acceptance protocol, however, Mr. Mack says that students who don’t attend feeder schools or live in district are less likely to be accepted. It’s not guaranteed that all students who attend feeder schools will be accepted, with acceptance for schools such as Glenview, Deerpark and Hodgson being determined by lottery.

Many feeder schools, such as

Deer Park, Hodgson, and Glenview, lie at the edges of NT’s district and consist primarily of students who do not live in the district. As fewer of these students are accepted to NT, the school’s population will hail from neighborhoods close to NT, rather than from neighborhoods near Lawrence, Davisville, and St. Clair, where many current students come from.

Ziva Manolson is a grade eight student at Glenview Public School.

Manolson will be attending NT next year as she lives in the district and has siblings at the school, but says she is “worried for [her] friends who don’t live in the district.” Manolson says she “doesn’t want to go to [high] school without [her friends].”

Despite the uncertainty this brings to families who previously counted on sending their children to NT, Mr. Mack believes the benefits of these changes will outweigh the harms.

“I don’t believe [NT] will ever face declining enrollment…. Students want to come here” he says. As a result, “there will always be lots of options, lots of staff, and rich programming.” However, Mr. Mack adds that for schools currently facing declining enrollment, the reallocation of students between schools will allow them more funding from the province and local communities, thereby improving “morale” and allowing them to expand their academic and extracurricular offerings so that all students in the TDSB have access to the same opportunities and a high quality education.

14 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | FEATURES EXTRA CURRICULARS

Students and teachers worried about changes to beloved music camp TDSB claims changes are due to “some concerns in terms of equity”, rather than budget cuts.

Photo by Sean Lee

Joshua Chong Editor

“T

here is nothing quite like it,” said Grade 11 student Sean Lee, when asked to describe Music by the Lake (MBTL), the Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) annual music camp for students in Grades 6 to 8. Last year’s camp in June was Lee’s first time being a part of the program.

“I was never able to go as a camper because of my baseball schedule,” said Lee. Yet, his experience as a tuba music assistant for the eight day camp gave him memories and friendships that will last for a long time. “It also was a valuable learning opportunity for the campers to improve their musical ability and for music assistants to improve their leadership abilities,” explained Lee.

So when Lee and the three other North Toronto C.I. students who were music assistants at MBTL discovered late last year that changes were coming to the beloved camp, they became worried about the future of the program. Initial reports coming from middle school music teachers were that the camp was going to be cancelled due to the TDSB’s budget cuts. “Every single music assistant in our Instagram group chat [was] devastated by the news of the cancellation of the camp,” said Lee, when talking about the early reaction to the reports. He, along with other MBTL alumni, started emailing TDSB

trustees and initiated a social media campaign to advocate for the camp.

Since then, the TDSB has clarified that there are no plans to cancel MBTL, but there are concerns “in terms of equity of access as the price to attend is out of reach of many of [the] students at the TDSB.” However, the trustees did not elaborate on whether the school board had ever considered cancelling the camp. Instead, the TDSB is looking into a change of location in order to reduce the cost for participants.

MBTL has been operating for nearly two decades and has always been held at Camp Wahanowin on the shores of Lake Couchiching. Last year, according to a TDSB media release, MBTL attracted 328 elementary students from 65 schools and 80 secondary students (acting as music assistants) from 31 schools. Campers are placed in one of the following streams: strings, band, choir, steel pan ensemble, guitar ensemble, ukulele ensemble, or world drumming ensemble.

Officials from the TDSB remain tight lipped regarding the possible changes coming to the program.

They are unable to say whether the camp could be shortened or altered to a day camp format in the city in order to reduce the cost for participants. At the time of publication, MBTL’s website regarding information and registration has been shut down. Shelley Laskin, the TDSB trustee for EglintonLawrence and Toronto St. Paul’s, said “more information will be forthcoming” regarding the overhaul of the camp. Ra-

chel Chernos Lin, the TDSB trustee for the neighbouring ward of Don Valley West, did not reply to Graffiti’s questions regarding why the changes are needed seeing as, in previous years, a bursary fund was available for students who needed financial assistance.

The news regarding the continuation of the camp comes as a bit of a relief for Lee. “I do still feel a little worried about the future of the camp,” said Lee, “but at the same time I believe that regardless of where the camp is, the thing that makes MBTL special are the people that you meet and the skills that you learn. There’s nothing quite like it, and even though it may change a bit, the heart of it will still be there.”

Others, such as NT’s strings teacher Mr. Rice, are hesitant about the changes, fearing that the program will become watered down in order to cut down costs. “I agree that the camp should be accessible and wanting more students to be inspired by this camp is a great idea,” said Mr. Rice. “However, reducing the experience so more people be part of something that is of lesser quality doesn’t seem like the answer.”

Mr. Rice knows first hand the impact that music camps can have on students. He is currently on the jazz faculty of Interprovincial Music Camp, a summer music program geared towards students in high school. As a student, Mr. Rice attended the now defunct Scarborough Music Camp for four years. “I found my own private teacher by attending Scarborough Music Camp in Grade 11,” he said. For him, music camps offer

students experiences that are hard to gain in a classroom environment. “I’ve seen students from all of these camps come away inspired,” Mr. Rice noted.

“It’s impossible for one teacher to provide instrument specific instruction and inspiration to 30 to 40 students the way a specialist on their instrument can.”

Mr. Rice is also hesitant because this announcement comes on the heels of recent board cuts to music education, such as reducing the amount of itinerant music instruction. He has also seen how the TDSB struggled to follow through with its past proposals. “When the Scarborough Music Camp was cancelled by the TDSB [following the amalgamation of the GTA school boards], they said they would start MBTL and build it up in the image of the Scarborough Music Camp,” said Mr. Rice. “‘We’ll start with a Grade 6 to 8 camp, and [then] add a senior camp next year,’ they said. Of course, the senior level camp never materialized.”

Rather than altering the program in order to reduce the operating cost and fees for participants, Mr. Rice suggests that more should be invested in the program instead in order to make it more accessible. “If they want a more cost efficient camp, maybe they could show us the budget and we’ll see how they are spending the money,” he stated. “They should find a way to be more inclusive, with more students, and more instructors, and more time. Less is not more and that shouldn’t be our mantra.”

FEATURES | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 15 PERSONAL ESSAY

The importance of failure as explained by the venture capital industry If you succeed all the time, you’re not aiming high enough.

Liat Fainman-Adelman Alumna

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hree years ago, I attended a VC firm’s annual meeting — an event where the company would update limited partners and portfolio companies alike on their investment and management strategy moving forward. One of their segments was on win rates. A company’s win rate represents the number of deals they successfully secure or “win” when competing with another firm in a funding round. By definition, you’d think every company would strive for a win rate of 100%, so you can understand my confusion when the venture capital firm stated they were targeting a win rate far below that.

At first this seemed illogical, but as they started to justify their reasoning, it finally clicked. If you’re winning every single deal — sure, it could mean you’re the best — but it more likely means you’re not targeting competitive enough deals. In essence, this margin of failure implies you’re still taking risks and exercising aspirationalism. I believe this margin is critical in leading a successful career and a fulfilling life and should be celebrated, rather than feared.

Last summer, amid third-year internship recruiting, I started to see how deeply the fear of failure is engrained in our systems. I saw my friends and peers retract from their social lives, stop eating, sleeping, and exercising, and even half-joke about self-harm. Whether its a job, extracurricular club, or even sports team that you’ve been gunning for, it can be easy to become all-consumed by

the stress and fear of rejection; so easy that it can distort your self worth and shake your identity to the core. But it’s times like these that it is important to remember that no one has a perfect win rate, nor should they be striving for one.

I feel extremely fortunate to have grown up in an environment where the effort exerted, as opposed to the outcome achieved, was celebrated and encouraged — namely thanks to my parents. It is largely from them, as well as mentors along the way that have allowed me to employ the following strategies for coping with failure:

marks in another course, defer your application for graduate school, or work something out with an academic counsellor. Regardless, if you can go into your exam knowing (a) you’re probably not actually going to fail and (b) if you did, there are ways you could work around the issue, then you will likely feel a weight lifted off your shoulders.

2. Maintain perspective: Pretty generic advice, but when viewed in isolation, anything can seem like a big deal. Remind yourself of how insignificant this will be in the next 5, 10, 20 years and how entirely irrelevant losing that tennis match or case competition is

Perhaps it’s time we start asking “what failure are you most proud of?” With that, we can take the first steps towards building a culture that toasts to rejection and failed attempts.

1. Come to terms with Plan B, while in the process for Plan A: Let me use a very plausible example.

It’s exam season, and finals are right around the corner. You haven’t had enough time to sufficiently prepare for one class in particular — maybe you even need a certain grade to maintain your academic standing, get into graduate school, meet your scholarship requirements etc. — and you’re panicking. ‘What if I fail the exam?’ you think to yourself, semi-irrationally of course. Well, what if you failed the exam? What would you do? I’m guessing there’s actually probably a lot you could do. Maybe you’d try to boost your

in the context of your life and the world.

3. Try for as many things as possible to mitigate the risk of coming up empty handed: Time permitting, the best way to ensure you have options is to simply to apply to everything (within reason).

4. Build up your identity in as many ways as possible: I find that it can be disturbingly easy to become enslaved to your own “archetype.” If you’ve ever felt that people tend to brand you a certain way (e.g. the overachiever, the artistic one, the quant, the “mom” etc.), then you can

probably relate. It can be a dangerous self-fulfilling cycle that can leave you fearful of what people will think if you do something uncharacteristic or don’t get a certain offer or position. Regularly and inexplicitly remind yourself and others of all the different things you care about, skills you’ve developed, and support networks you have. That way, if you fail in one area of your life, you’ll be able to remember all the other ones you can rely on.

When you look at someone’s résumé or list of accomplishments, it’s easy to have tunnel vision. That’s because it’s exactly that — a list of accomplishments. We are accustomed to only promoting our wins and successes when, in reality, that doesn’t tell the full story. I think about this now when I look at my own achievements: I landed first year executive positions (after being rejected from eight other clubs), won a national scholarship (after applying to over 25 and interviewing for five — my mom even framed a rejection letter I received from TD Bank), secured first and second year internships (after cold emailing over 120 companies, being ignored by 70%, and getting rejected by the other 25%) and so on.

The point I’m trying to make is that failure is awesome. It’s a natural part of life and an indicator of your effort — a metric we don’t track enough. In an effort to spark more constructive and open dialogue, perhaps it’s time we stop asking “when was a time that you failed” and rather ask “what failure are you most proud of?” With that, we can take the first steps towards building a culture that toasts to rejection and failed attempts. Because after all, no one wants a perfect win rate.

ENVIRONMENT

Behind the scenes of NT’s recycling program NT’s recycling program is not always all that it seems.

Kiara Distin Editor

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orth Toronto is considered a platinum eco-school, thanks in part to our recycling program. But, what’s really happening behind the scenes of our daily disposals?

Well, let’s begin with the students. Every day, many students at NT put their recycling in the garbage and their garbage in the recycling. Of 95 people surveyed, 23% said that they do not regularly recycle properly at school.

According to the survey, this is due to four main reasons: laziness, unawareness, apathy, and discouragement in individual ability to make a difference.

“I try but you know for recyclables that have food you’re supposed to wash it out and I’m too lazy to go to the bathroom or something and do that,” says NT student Kaura Sankaran.

The school board requires both a garbage bin and a recycling bin to be placed throughout each school in pairs, but students have observed that these rules are not always followed.

“Every so often, I’ll walk all the way down a couple hallways looking for a garbage but I can’t find one and I don’t want to keep going to different floors, then when I look in the recycling bins, it’s already filled with garbage,” an anonymous NT student claims.

Due to unawareness, a great number of people at North Toronto are not familiar with what goes in the recy-

cling and what does not, such as food and liquids. If students are unaware, they often do not care. Apathy is exhibited through the countless students who throw their garbage into recycling and vice versa without thinking twice about it. Of the people surveyed, many said that it was just not important to them.

Lastly, many students feel they can’t individually contribute to a solution.

Damien, a grade 10 student here at NT, has stated that “the bins for garbage and recycling are not clean once you look inside because everything is mixed up.”

So, where does the recycling go after we place it in bins? The caretakers put it all in one place, and it gets picked up every Friday by the recycling plant.

Some caretakers, like Renato, a tem-

porary caretaker at our school, wash and separate misplaced items, while others do not. “I can’t speak for [other caretakers at NT], but when I see recycling with stuff on it, I wash it first.”

When people do not put their waste in the right place, it leads to contamination, which is often not separated.

However, if the recycling plant comes to pick it up and sees that it is contaminated, they will not pick it up at all, and leave it at the school. If it is found to be contaminated once at the plant, they will do what is called a “back charge” at the TDSB. Back charging, as one may have guessed, is when they make the TDSB pay money for the mistake.

Overall, NT’s recycling program is not always all that it seems.

16 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | FEATURES NOSTALGIA

Remembering the 2010s A farewell to the decade.

Elena Vlitas Brooke Williams Contributors

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he 2010s have seen advancements in technology, big pop culture moments, and even changes within North Toronto C.I. The decade has featured many highs and lows, yet the world has persevered through even the toughest of times. As a new decade arrives, here is a look back at the events that have defined the last ten years.

2010

2010 reinvented what it was like to be an NT student with the unveiling of the brand new facility that students still enjoy today. The brand new building, with its beautiful turf field, integrated many of the old school’s architectural features, such as the exposed brick that was previously NT’s front doors seen in the school’s entrance, near the office. Next, in January of 2010, the first ever iPad was released

by Apple in one of Steve Job’s signature presentations. Later on, in February, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics were held and Canada won 14 gold medals, taking home a total of 26 medals, setting a Canadian record. Next, in October of 2010, the popular social media platform, Instagram, was released.

2011 2011 was when the global population reached seven billion; it took only 12 years for the world population to increase by one billion people. In April, the royal wedding of Kate and William took place, and 26 million people tuned in to watch on TV. They spent a whopping $32 million on security, and her dress alone cost $434 000. In May, Lady Gaga came out with “Born This Way”, which has now racked up 256 million views on YouTube. Finally, former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was re-elected to his second term in office, defeating Michael Ignatieff in the federal election and gaining 23 seats for the Conservative party.

2012 In 2012, NT turned 100 years old, a milestone that was celebrated by students, alumni and teachers. In July, Gagnam Style became the first ever Youtube video to reach one billion views. Known for the song’s funny dance moves, Gangnam Style will continue to be remembered as one of Youtube’s earliest dance trends. Later, in October, Hurricane Sandy, a Category 3 Hurricane, barrelled through the Atlantic, devastating the Carribean and many regions in the Southern U.S. Causing over $70 billion in damage, the hurricane killed a Toronto woman, who was struck by a large piece of debris. Also in 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama was elected to a second term in office, defeating Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

Photo by Jewel Samad / AFP

Photo by Saul Loeb / AFP

2013

2017

Early in 2013, the tragic Boston Marathon Bombing occurred, killing three people and injuring about 260 others by the finish line. 2013 was also the year of the catastrophic ice storm that caused 300 000 power outages in Toronto. It sent frozen branches into power lines and stopped TTC services during the storm. Continuing on with the year’s “cold” theme, the hit Disney movie Frozen premiered in November. Frozen became the highest grossing animated movie, making $1.27 billion overall and $350 million in the box office. It included hit songs such as “Let it Go,” sung by Idina Menzel. Finally, Kahoot, a popular game among students and teachers at NT and worldwide, was released. More than two billion people have played since its creation and more than 60 million games have been hosted.

2017 started off with the ending of Vine in January.

Vine kickstarted the careers of many internet sensations and stars such as Cameron Dallas, Shawn Mendes, Logan Paul and Lele Pons, just to name a few. 2017 was a year full of hurricanes, as Hurricane Harvey, Irma, and Maria devastated many cities.

Harvey and Maria tore through America, and Irma blasted Puerto Rico. It was the most expensive year of hurricane damage in American history. Aside from the hurricanes, there was also a total solar eclipse in August. Major cities such as Ottawa and Quebec saw about a 70% partial eclipse, but it was dubbed the “Great American Eclipse”. In addition, the song “Despacito” by Justin Bieber, Luis Fonsi, and Daddy Yankee was on Billboard Hot 100 for a run of 16 weeks, tying for the all time record. Finally, in 2017, U.S. President Trump baffled the Internet with his cryptic “covfefe” tweet. The word quickly became a popular hashtag among the public, who did not understand the meaning of the president’s words.

2014 A major event of 2014 was the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, with little explanation for why or how the plane crashed. The Ebola virus spread rapidly and into major cities such as Guinea’s capital, Conakry. By March 23, there were 49 cases and 29 deaths. From 2014 to 2016, 11 people in America had to be treated for Ebola. In the spring of 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge started to spread awareness about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Videos of people dumping buckets of ice water on their head circulated the Internet, and stars such as Oprah, Bill Gates, and Will Smith took part in the campaign.

2015 In 2015, the world was divided when “the dress” tweet went viral. People could not come to a collective conclusion as to whether the dress in the photograph was blue and black or white and gold. A less positive topic of 2015 was the Zika virus. It started off in Brazil with cases of Zika fePhoto courtesy of WIRED ver, but made its way over to North and South America by 2016. Spread mostly by mosquitos, the Zika virus affected pregnant women and their children. Finally, Katy Perry performed at Super Bowl XLIX and sang some hits like “I Kissed a Girl”, “California Gurls” and “Roar.”

2016

2016 was an eventful year. First off, Pokemon GO exploded, with 26 million users in 2016 alone. Pokemon GO caused 256 car accident fatalities in a few months alone. Another major event in 2016 were the clown sightings. These events sent people into a state of panic and even resulted in schools sending warning letters to families. Halloween of 2016 was filled with the legitimate fear that some of the clowns weren’t dressed up for fun, but had weapons. 2016 was also a year of debate after Cincinatti gorilla, Harambe, was shot and killed when a four year old boy fell into his enclosure. A big video trend of 2016 was the “Mannequin Challenge”, with the original video gaining 6.4 million views. Finally, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton and was elected as the 45th President of the United States.

2018 2018 did not get off to a great start when eating TidePods quickly became a viral trend. The Tide Pod Challenge claimed the lives of six people and thousands of others contacted the poison control centre after consuming a Tide Pod for the purpose of filming a video. On a more positive note, Musical.ly was bought out and was reinvented as TikTok, which became the closest app presently comparable to Vine. In 2018, the Humboldt Broncos hockey team’s bus crashed, killing 16 and injuring 13. In response, Canadians showed an outpouring of support, that included the #PutYourSticksOut campaign and countless donations. In addition, Hurricane Florence also severely impacted parts of Florida, the Carolinas, Cape Verde and Bermuda. This storm resulted in over $24 billion in damages and forced many to evacuate their homes.

2019 2019 finished off the decade with a bang. From the momentus NBA Championship win of the Toronto Raptors to the Area 51 raid, it certainly was a year of some of the most unexpected events. To start off 2019, Instagram account @world_record_egg broke the internet and surpassed celebrity Kylie Jenner for the most liked photo on the platform. The famous photo that gained over 18 million likes pictured a single egg. The account then decided to utilize their fame to raise awareness about mental health and the pressures of social media. Next, the Infinity Series was drawn to a close with the movie “Avengers: Endgame”. The long awaited film became the highest grossing film in the box office and many beloved characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, and the Black Widow left the Marvel Comic Universe. In April, Lil Nas X released what resulted in the most trending and overplayed song of 2019, Old Town Road. There are 4 official remixes with artists such as Billy Ray Cyrus and the viral “Walmart Yodelling Kid”. This caused Lil Nas X to gain a quick rise to fame and set the record for the song to remain longest at #1 on the Billboard Charts, an astounding 17 weeks. In November, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was re-elected to a second term in office. Finally, we ended off 2019 with the threat of a strike from CUPE, and with ongoing negotiations. The OSSTF closed schools for several one day walkouts on Wednesdays in attempt to repeal some of Doug Ford’s changes to the Ontario high school curriculum.

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Extinction Rebellion Peaceful marches were not the only form of environmental protest that characterized 2019. The year also brought with it a surge in civil disobedience, with the British environmental group, Extinction Rebellion, advocating for citizens to use non-violent civil disobedience as a means to interrupt society’s daily functions and pressure governments to act on climate change.

Protestors commit non-violent, illegal acts such as trespassing, with the goal of getting arrested. Similar tactics were used by civil rights and anti-war activists in the 1960s and 1970s. Extinction Rebellion’s influences have spread globally; however, the group remains the most influential in the United Kingdom, where they have glued themselves to gallery windows in British parliament, blocked Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge for a period of days, and

this trajectory.

School Strikes for Climate Youth climate strikes took the world by storm in 2019, with an estimated six million people taking to the streets this past September. Inspired by the likes of climate activist Greta Thunberg, and led by organizations such as “Fridays for Future” and 350.org, the climate movement has grown in size throughout 2019 and is likely to continue on

Sara Chiarroto O’Brien Editor in Chief

Hong Kong Since March 15, 2019, Hong Kong has been in turmoil, with violent riots and protests becoming a daily occurence. The conflicts began as China commenced the process of pulling Hong Kong back under mainland rule as part of an agreement reached decades ago between Britain and China. Unwilling to forfeit their freedom and democracy, thousands of youth in Hong Kong gathered for protests, which have escalated to riots in shopping malls, subways, and a transformation of daily life in Hong Kong.

shut down various storefronts during London Fashion Week. In Toronto, Extinction Rebellion protestors blocked the Bloor Viaduct in October, resulting in 20 arrests.

Lebanon On October 13, 2019, the Lebanese government levied tax hikes on the country’s population, triggering public outrage after years of dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of economic and waste crises, along with a series of water and electricity shortages. Outrage quickly turned to protests, with citizens blocking the streets and demanding for an overhaul of the entire Lebanese government. On the thirteenth day of protests, Prime Minister Saad Hariri declared his resignation, but the unrest

They were met by military opposition, with police shooting protestors on sight. Through all of this, the Iranian government shut down the country’s internet for one week, blocking outside contact and limiting media coverage from international outlets. Protests have since ceased and internet coverage has been restored; however, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani condemned protestors, with many of his supporters calling for the death penalty to be used against those who protested.

Iran In early November, Iranians woke to find that their gas prices had more than doubled overnight on account of price hikes by the Iranian government. For a country whose economy depends on oil, this change made daily life unaffordable for most Iranians and added to the fury many citizens felt about their depressed economy and the government they viewed as corrupt. In the days following the gas price hikes, conflict erupted in the streets of Tehran, the capital city, and then the country at large. Citizens burned gas stations, monuments, and other buildings, calling for an overhaul of the government.

Malta On October 16, 2017, Maltese journalist and anti-corruption activist Daphne Cuarana Galizia was assassinated by a car bomb. For years, rumours and speculation surrounded the circumstances of her death, as many believed the Maltese government had instigated the attack. In 2019, public anger over Cuarana Galizia’s death came to a head, as citizens who were frustrated with political corruption began protesting against the corrupt Maltese government and the delayed investigation and court proceedings of Galizia’s death. Citizens called for the resignation of Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, and other public officials, as

was far from over. Since Hariri’s resignation, civilians are still protesting and calling for the resignation of all Lebanese politicians and the creation of a new government. Civilians have been arbitrarily detained by police and military, while protesters have been met with bullets and excessive force, resulting in deaths. The Lebanese government has faced calls from Amnesty International to cease use of excessive force and respect the human rights of their citizens. Life in Lebanon has ground to a halt, with schools closing and major roads being blocked by both protestors and the military as protests continue.

Since January 10, 2019, Venezuela has been facing a crisis over who is the country’s rightful President. The conflict arose from the disputed results of Venezuela’s 2018 Presidential elections, during which President Nicolás Maduro called early elections and banned many

Venezuela

Bolivia In October 2019, Bolivians took part in a national election. Following evidence of electoral fraud, former President Evo Morales resigned and was replaced by Jenaine Áñez as interim leader. Bolivians have since taken to the streets against electoral fraud, demanding an overhaul of their elections system and an accountable democracy.

Latin American Spring In 2019, existing Latin American Conflicts escalated while new conflicts were born. The following is a selection of the countries struck by political upheaval and violence in 2019 that many are dubbing the “Latin American Spring.”

well as an overhaul of government and electoral processes. As a result of these protests, Muscat announced that he would resign from his position as head of the Maltese government on January 12, 2020. While protests were mostly non-violent, streets and shopping malls were closed during demonstrations, affecting daily life and commerce in Valletta, the country’s capital.

A map of protests worldwide

Chile In October 2019, Chilean secondary students began a unified fare evasion campaign on Chile’s public transit. The act quickly sparked violent protests across the country against price hikes in public transit and housing, along with the increase in the privatization of services. Protestors burned gas stations and vandalized public property, leading the Chilean government to release the military on their civilians. Dozens of Chileans were killed and the Chilean government faced criticism from Amnesty International for excessive use of force. Conflicts are currently ongoing.

opposition parties from running in the race. In the lead up to Maduro’s inauguration, he faced accusations of illegitimate elections and calls to step down; Juan Guaidó, leader of Venezuela’s opposition, was recognized by foreign powers, including the United States and Canada, in late January and swore himself in as President. However, Maduro refused to give up office, throwing the country into political turmoil that resulted in the isolation of Venezuela from trading partners, shortages of basic resources such as food and medicine, and rampant violence in the streets.

Across the globe, this was viewed as a humanitarian crisis and caused foreign nations and organizations such as the Red Cross to send emergency supplies to the civilians of Venezuela. With increasing foreign involvement and support for both Maduro and Guaidó, the country remains in limbo.

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Illustrations by Megan Christoforidis

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INNOVATION

business & tech

The future of plastic (it’s fantastic) Seaweed-based biodegradable plastics could be the solution to the growing plastic pollution problem.

Kristi Gjini Contributor

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very year, eight million metric tons of plastic finds its way into the earth’s oceans. Researchers estimate that plastic will outweigh fish by 2050. These numbers have forced people to start looking for alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Many people believe that the only viable substitute for regular plastics would be bioplastics. Bioplastics are biodegradable plastics that are derived from biological substances other than petroleum.

For a long time, they were not worth mass-producing because they required a valuable commodity: freshwater.

About a year ago, researchers from the University of Tel Aviv discovered a way to turn seaweed into a versatile bioplastic called polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). They discovered a microorganism that fed on saltwater seaweed and broke it down into a bioplastic. The result was a biodegradable plastic that produces nontoxic byproducts and breaks down into organic waste.

“Our raw material was multicellular seaweed, cultivated in the sea. These algae were eaten by single-celled microorganisms, which also grow in very salty water and produce a polymer that can be used to make bioplastic,” said research-

Photo courtesy of Earth.com

er Alexander Golberg in a press release.

The seaweed used to create the bioplastic comes from seawater, which is abundant, as it covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface. This way, countries facing plastic pollution and limited access to freshwater can produce bioplastics made from seaweed.

China and India are perfect examples.

Once there is a sufficient amount of seaweed grown, it is time to introduce the microorganism. The microbe used, Haloferax mediterranei, is capable of living in even the saltiest of waters and it is also easy to find and breed to

create strains for mass production of the bioplastic. The microbes will feed on the seaweed and start breaking it down to a crude version of PHA. Then, the PHA will be pulled from the microbes, leaving them unharmed, and ready to be used again. The extracted PHA is then purified and prepared for many applications. This process is efficient and produces no toxic waste.

PHA has a number of different properties and applications that make it very unique among other bioplastics. They come in many different chain lengths, each of them with different properties. Short-chain length PHA is strong, stiff, and brittle, which makes it ideal for packaging containers. Medi-

um-chain length PHA has a higher elasticity, which is suitable for bags and food wrapping. It is biodegradable and biocompatible, making it appropriate for medical applications because it causes no harm to humans. It is nontoxic, insoluble in water, and it is much easier to handle when melted compared to the regular petroleum-based plastic we use called polyethylene. This allows for easier and more efficient molding processes that can help make more PHA products.

When physically compared to polyethylene, PHA is nearly identical, except for it being slightly more rigid. PHAs are extremely useful for single-use packaging for foods and beverages, as they account for roughly 50% of plastic pollution globally.

PHA biodegrades in six months in both aerobic and anaerobic environments, while polyethylene takes about one thousand years to decompose.

The method used to make PHA using microorganisms and seaweed is sustainable and cost-effective. Since this is relatively new research, many companies lack the equipment needed to produce PHAs. All the benefits of this planet-saving bioplastic, however, outweigh the costs of implementation, which might make this the next big breakthrough in scientific research.

SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTok misuses consumer data U.S launches national security probe into Chinese owned, TikTok. Elena Vlitas Contributor

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ver since its launch in September 2017, the social media platform TikTok has been a hit among children, teens, and even adults around the globe. The short clips featuring catchy songs, dances, and personal talents have served as recreational platforms for teens as well as opportunities to become “TikTok Famous.” The billion dollar acquisition of TikTok, formerly known as musica.ly, by Chinese tech giant ByteDance served as a huge rebranding for the platform. It resulted in increased users and popularity. Today, TikTok receives over one billion views per day and ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, is now worth over $75 billion. In recent months, TikTok, like Facebook and Google, has been under scrutiny for the mishandling of user data. However, unlike these companies, TikTok is based in China as opposed to the United States. Due to this fact, the American government has become concerned over TikTok’s

Photo by Kenneth Salim

data use and censorship of content in fear of international interference and insecurity. This has led them to launch a national security probe, or, in other words, an investigation.

In February 2019, TikTok was forced to pay $5.7 million for breaking child privacy laws, with allegations that they illegally collected data on children under the age of 13. Tik-

tok stored data such as names, ages, email addresses, and locations of children around the world. Now, yet again, they have been under investigation for how they have handled user data.

China’s user data laws are significantly different from those in Canada or the United States. Slate.com explains that Chinese user data laws require mandatory collection of personal data and allow the government access to this information at any time.

This forces Chinese companies to hand over their users’ data with no questions asked. With so many young people using TikTok, this is a major concern that has flown under the radar for a long time.

The probe is also investigating TikTok’s censorship of certain and particularly political content on their platform. American Senator Marco Rubio claims that “TikTok censors out certain content that is not in line with the Chinese government.” His statement directly relates to the censoring of certain content about the Hong Kong riots and how the censorship is impacting the opinions of those involved. According to CBC, American senators such as Democratic Senator Chuck Shummer

and Republican Senator Tom Cotton are concerned that TikTok may use this ability to censor content to potentially impact and undermine the upcoming 2020 presidential election. By blocking certain information, TikTok creates a bias which can easily impact the opinions of the millions of American users and thus the results of the upcoming election.

Canadian users are just as concerned, for their personal data is also being stored by TikTok. Canadians could also be victims of data misuse and censorship. The Canadian government has not issued any warnings about misuse on the platform as of yet, but Canadians should still be aware of the ongoing investigation.

So far, no conclusive evidence has been reached on whether TikTok has done anything incriminating and the claims remain allegations for the time being. TikTok has stated that no wrongdoing has been committed and that the platform is attempting to distance itself from China. With the probe ongoing, be cautious of what data you are sharing on the platform.

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 23 TECHNOLOGY

Humanity in the hands of AI

What are the risks that come along with the growing use of artificial intelligence?

Mary Dmytrenko Contributor

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tephen Hawking once said, “The development of full Artificial Intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” The wide variety of movies about Artificial Intelligence (AI) shows the negative influence of the smart machines in the future of our world. Evidently movies are works of fiction, reflecting the points of view of the movies’ directors, not reality. Nevertheless, the questions raised in such films are worth considering. Artificial Intelligence might appear to the world as a bright tool, but it might also appear as a destructive power. Even though it might not destroy the human race, it does have the power to make people’s lives harder and less private. Eventually, people will rely on AI to perform even the most simple tasks. This new technology will create a future filled with unemployment, data abuse, and addiction.

Unemployment is a major fear in modern society. Young students and experienced adults often ask themselves whether their career paths will be relevant in the next 30 or 50 years.

“By the early 2020s, the share of jobs at potential high risk of automation will be around 3% ... [and] the

risk will rise to 20% by 2030,” says G. Dautovic, a writer for the news and market analysis website Fortunly.

Additionally, schools should not be the only source to rely on when it comes to education. People should be autodidactic. They have to keep gaining knowledge from other sources, like online websites or events. Since the world is constantly changing with different inventions, the knowledge that was useful yesterday may be useless today. You have to work hard every day in order to acquire new skills and become an expert in your profession. Although this is totally fair, hard work, patience, and self-discipline will determine whether one will be a valuable worker or will face job automation.

“As a senior professional, I can undoubtedly say, job loss is the thing that will obviously happen at some point in this world. It’s doing its job very slowly, but it’s already here. And, I think this is fantastic! People will be encouraged to develop themselves to become more artistic and creative, and fascinate this world with new ideas,” says Max Stewart, an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Developer.

Jens, a 16-year old programming and AI supporter, has stated that “[AI] is not that of a big deal. The thing is that Artificial Intelligence networks

are built to perform one task, not many like humans [are]. When it comes to job loss, only some blunt jobs that don’t require any specific skills have the chance to be replaced by machines.”

Moreover, cybercrime is common nowadays due to AI. Hackers will be even more powerful with help from their smart technology. Data could be easily sold to scammers, who could then blackmail the victim or their family.

Have you ever experienced seeing the advertisement of the product you’ve recently talked about? This is made to make your life simpler by finding what you need. The accuracy of the advertisements we see is thanks to data analyzation. This is the prediction of a person’s current and future needs based on a person’s behaviour in the present.

For example, a person is looking online for a cat and eventually buys it. Later on, she might see cat food on sale in advertisements. This prediction was possible due to AI. Does this, however, mean that our phone is constantly listening to us?

AI tries to make our life easier, but, at the same time, it makes people lazier. They start to forget things, by telling Siri to remember them instead, or they stop thinking critically, by relying on the latest news from the Google feed. New technology knows what you are interested in. The more you use it,

the more it knows about you. Unfortunately, it is difficult to distance oneself from this new technology, as it offers many attractive features, such as sorted news, videos, games, advertisements, shops, and surveys. These are all personalized, just for you. It is a vicious cycle. It is impossible to forget our childhood movie “WALL-E”, where people, who live in 2805, were so dependent on AI that they were staring at a coloured screen in front of them all day and night, not even taking a minute to look around or to go out. Hence, the characters could not walk properly, as their muscles had atrophied over time. This is another concern regarding Artificial Intelligence. It makes people less active and has a negative impact on health. In the future, this can lead to gene mutations, making new generations less healthy and more foolish, which in turn would make humans unable to fully function without the help of smart machines.

Currently, the world might not understand the fascinating power of Artificial Intelligence. In any case, people should be delighted by the brilliant abilities of the man-made brain. Yet, be aware of the fact that AI may appear to the world as a positive force, but that it can definitely bring some negative points to the ordinary individual’s life.

OPINION

More control over use of smartphones necessary for teens.

From addiction to sleep deprivation, the risks of using smartphones are not to be dismissed.

Fabian Guerra Contributor

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martphones are useful tools but can be extremely dangerous in many aspects. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, smartphones have revolutionized the technology market in unimaginable ways.

They are small, convenient, and fun to use. Who would not want a smartphone?

The reality, however, is that teenagers do not realize that the little, bright, and flashy dopamine-inducing box in their hands can lead to serious addiction over time, which has detrimental consequences. There should be more control over the use of smartphones in teenagers as it negatively affects their academic performance, causes them to develop sleep deprivation, and leads them to experience personality issues.

The use of a smartphone may negatively affect academic performance. Research published by the University of Chicago found that even when cell phones are turned off, turned facedown, or put away, their mere presence reduces people’s cognitive capacity.

“Smartphones are a handy tool when it comes to research, but they can also be very detrimental in terms of focusing on work,” said teacher Sandra Biondic from the department of Social and Global studies at North Toronto C.I.

Illustration by Yuchen Zhang

Smartphones not only distract students from studies, but may also be their tool of malpractice to score well in evaluations, such as tests or exams.

According to a Grade 11 student at NT, students have been known to use the inbuilt calculator in assessments where it is not allowed, store photographs or reference information to cheat on assessments, or exchange answers with other students over chat during an evaluation. Such behaviours not only affect academic performance, but they also result in a personality issue.

Additionally, sleep deprivation is a dreadful issue for many different reasons. Youth may stay up talking to

their friends, playing games, or scrolling through social media, which, over time, causes fatigue and restlessness.

This issue also disrupts academic life, as students are too sleepy to concentrate on what they are taught in school. The scientific explanation bases itself on melatonin. Melatonin, a hormone produced by the brain’s pineal gland, triggers the body’s natural rhythms. Light is part of what regulates melatonin in the body. Excess light means that less melatonin is created, which is why the body tends to be awake during the day.

In this case, the artificial burst of blue light from the phone fools the body into thinking it should be awake, causing sleep deprivation. This issue has been linked to causing severe diseases, such

as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and overall mortality.

The constant use of smartphones cause not only sleep deprivation, but also other psychological conditions. Personality issues can be caused by smartphone addiction. According to a study published in the Journal of Child Development, teens today are experiencing a slower path to embracing adult responsibilities than ever before. The researchers concluded that cell phone and tablet engagement was at least partially to blame.

With social connection always just a few clicks away, teens today are less likely to leave their homes and seek that connection in the “real” world.

“It is clear that some of the kids in the school are addicted to their phones, to the extent where they don’t even listen to you when you’re in the middle of a conversation,” said one of the parents of a student at NT.

In conclusion, although smartphones are essential tools of the twenty-first century, it cannot be denied that their overuse can bring serious consequences. “Everything in moderation” is a crucial aspect in order to live a healthy life and should not be disregarded in the case of smartphones. Teenagers and parents must work together to combat the severe effects and propose a plan to find a solution to this problem.

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Top gadgets of the decade

The tech of 2020 is worlds away from the tech of 2010. What devices brought us here?

Photo by Nathalie Funes Serna

Nathalie Funes Serna Editor

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ost of us probably don’t remember the beginning of 2010; we were probably busy writing letters to Santa and worrying whether our own names were written on the dreadful naughty list. A full decade flew by without most of us noticing all of the great technological advances or fully understanding the significance of the breakthroughs made. Thus, here are some of the most influential and important gadgets of the decade: Apple iPad When it was first released in April of 2010, the iPad entered the world in a mist of uncertainty and harsh criticism. Nevertheless, the iPad became a huge hit and reached a point where its future potential was evident. Since its unveiling, the iPad has received many improvements, such as the addition of a camera, a Retina Display which provides a better and clearer image, and a new processor chip — the Apple A5X — which was designed especially for the iPad. This device provided an alternative to computers. It is easier to carry around and is as efficient and practical as many computers for most tasks. The iPad has become so popular that it is now being used in different sectors of society aside from personal use. For example, iPads are being widely used in

many classrooms worldwide in order to enrich students’ learning. In businesses, such as shoe shops or technological corporations, iPads are used to provide customers with better and quicker service. Finally, in the healthcare industry, the tablets are used to improve patients’ experience and the hospitals’ efficiency.

When he first unveiled this device, Steve Jobs described the iPad as “a truly magical and revolutionary new product.”

Amazon Echo Picture this: someone completely alone in her house speaking out loud and asking questions. Not so unusual, right? But now imagine a machine’s voice answering these questions. That is just creepy.

Or so it was before Amazon unveiled the Amazon Echo, a cylindrical voice speaker which functions as a virtual personal home assistant and is capable of recognising ‘wake’ words, questions, and commands, even while music is being played. In November 2014, when Amazon Echo was first released, this technological home assistant could browse online to answer questions, set up reminders, and provide news updates. Now, its abilities have increased and Alexa is now capable of turning off lights, starting your car, or helping you sleep by setting relaxing sounds or even reading bedtime stories. Although Alexa wasn’t the first of its kind, it did spark a smart assistant revolution, where competitors like Microsoft, Google, and Apple raced to get to first place. All of these companies, with their respec-

tive virtual home assistant devices, have also created controversy regarding data collection and privacy issues.

Electric and autonomous cars This decade saw great technological advances in electric, autonomous cars. In 2012, a brand new vehicle was released, the Tesla Model S. Some of the sedan’s outstanding features include downloadable software updates, touchscreen display, and advanced autopilot capabilities. Although this was neither the first electric car nor the first autonomous car, it was the vehicle that boosted Tesla’s stock value and the company itself while forcing competitors to try and keep up. This tight competition to manufacture the best electric and autonomous vehicles spurred on the creation of many new and better features in future cars. For example, autonomous cars are now capable of automatically changing lanes, regulating speed within a lane, auto parking, and more.

AirPods According to Patrick Austin, a technology columnist at TIME, “Apple’s AirPods, like the iconic iPod before it, have captured the hearts, minds and ears of music lovers.” Before Apple’s AirPods were released, wireless earphones existed but they were simply not as popular.

Bluetooth earbuds before AirPods were almost always still connected to each other, clumsy, and had poor audio quality. Apple revolutionized the earphones industry, and companies like Microsoft

and Amazon have since released their own set of wireless earphones. Since 2016, AirPods have been recreated with improved sound quality, in-ear fit, music change by double-tapping, instant connection to Apple devices, and noise cancellation. AirPods have become ubiquitous and have had a large “cultural impact” upon this decade.

Nintendo Switch TIME magazine named the Nintendo Switch as one of its top 10 gadgets of the 2010s. But, Nintendo has always been releasing top gaming devices.

Going back to 1989, the GameBoy was a sensation that popularized gaming even among non-gamers. In 2017, Nintendo modernised gaming once again when they announced the Nintendo Switch. With the Switch, gamers have not one, but three ways they can play: TV mode, Tabletop mode, and Portable mode, all of these possible with just one console. With the Switch, you can play handheld games as well as console games anywhere and at all times.

All of the Nintendo Switch’s features — removable Joy-con controllers, multiple playing modes, an online database, and the Nintendo eShop — make it “feel like the culmination of Nintendo’s idea of what gaming should be.”

Time flies and another decade is already at our doorstep. Whatever technological advances this decade will bring remain a mystery.

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 25 TECHNOLOGY

3D printed village could be solution to many modern challenges

“For a majority of the families, this is the first time ever that they will have indoor restrooms and plumbing and sanitation,” says Alexandria Lafci, the cofounder of New Story.

Houses in the world’s first 3D printed village in Tabasco, Mexico. | Photo courtesy of Fuse Projects

Hao Zheng Editor

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ecember, 2019 — the world’s first 3D printed village in Tabasco, Mexico now has its first houses completed, with a mission to provide safe, affordable housing to low-income residents living in the area.

Yves Béhar, a tiny home expert, designer, and founder of San Franciscobased design firm Fuseproject, is working with New Story, a non-profit housing organization aiming to end homelessness, and ICON, a construction technology company based in Austin, Texas.

Although the innovative housing initiative was first introduced during early May 2019, the exact location of the project was only disclosed to the public as its construction began in December due to security purposes.

According to Homeless World Cup Foundation, over 1.6 billion people around the world live in insecure or inadequate housing, which is mostly caused by overpopulation and poverty. As a first step to improve these poor living conditions, fifty homes will be printed to create affordable housing for a rural community in Tabasco, including local farmers and weavers who are living under the poverty line of $200 per month.

“It is our belief that designers, builders and technology innovators have the potential to bring unprecedented speed and scale to housing design, that can elevate the lives of some of the most impoverished populations around the globe,” Fuseproject states, “3D printing, in particular, offers a new and

powerful tool for realizing this potential and driving this mission forward.”

Vulcan II, the 3D printer used in this project, can print wall structures up to 8.5 feet tall, 28 feet wide, and infinite length. Built for even the toughest weather conditions, it is water resistant and able to accommodate different slab sizes. It consists of tablet-based controls, remote monitoring, LED lighting for printing at night, and a software suite for the operators to select, design, and print structures.

Although it isn’t the first 3D printer designed to print an entire house, it is the first technology to be used at a scale as large as a whole rural Mexican neighbourhood. It follows the instructions from a digital file and pipes out a concrete mixed with a special cement from the rural region and other materials layer by layer to build the floors and walls. Inside the printer, monitors sense changes in weather conditions, which prompts the machine to adjust the mixture accordingly.

The cofounder of New Story, Alexandria Lafci, explains, “In the morning it might be drier, and then late in the afternoon, maybe it’s more humid, and then you’ll adjust that mixture a little bit so you get the viscosity that you need in order to have the same print quality throughout the day.”

This means that the houses can be constructed with low costs, excellent quality, and high efficiency, which creates infinite possibilities for home designing in the future.

In fact, the first pair of houses took fewer than 24 hours over multiple days to print. Currently, the printers are only tested to operate in

daylight, but the team is hoping to run the machine for even longer periods of time in the future, making the construction even more efficient.

At the same time, there are some parts that cannot be 3D printed.

Instead, these final touches are finished with traditional labour from the local non-profit company ÉCHALE, which provides jobs to local artisans.

Each house measures approximately 500 square feet and includes two bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, an outdoor kitchen space, and a garden.

“For a majority of the families, this is the first time ever that they will have indoor restrooms and plumbing and sanitation,” notes Lafci. With this project, residents living in poverty will finally get to experience what home feels like.

The interior walls will be white for the most part, but residents can choose the colour of the exterior ribbed walls, which are perfect combinations of traditional adobe flats and designs unique to the 21st century. Interior structures like cupboards and kitchen counters can also be requested by the residents and printed with no extra cost. As families grow and wish to expand their houses, a second floor can also be added.

In fact, a high level of customization is available to the homeowners. According to Béhar, residents can shape the walls to have different functionality, or create a shower stall that doesn’t have sharp corners.

At the same time, special architectural designs are included to ensure that the houses are safe and durable enough for the area’s challeng-

ing environment. Slanted roofs and sheltered gardens protect residents from heavy rain, while reinforced walls are built to withstand earthquakes.

The design and operation team also took time to learn about the community’s culture by talking with locals and potential future residents, so that the housing designs will be as authentic to the region as possible.

“As we spoke to the community members, we realized that a single house design doesn’t respond to the needs and expectations,” says Béhar, “we used 3D technology and the unique design possibilities it enables to provide solutions that addressed important questions related to climate, family structure, and the role that the homes play in creating a larger community,”

As the construction of the fifty homes approaches its end in the near future, New Story, alongside the local government, will select fifty families under the poverty line from the area. They will own the homes immediately and are expected to move in from early 2020.

Often times, those who are in the greatest need of new technologies are the last to benefit from them. However, this will likely change as the construction of the 3D printed village continues in Mexico.

“We feel it’s our responsibility to challenge traditional methods,” states Brett Hagler, CEO of New Story.

“Linear methods will never reach the billion-plus people who need safe homes.

Challenging our assumptions, iterating based on data, and taking calculated risks on innovative ideas will allow us to reach more families with the best possible solutions, exponentially faster.”

26 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | OPINION

POLITICS

opinion

The West wants out: Canada at its breaking point “Wexit” won’t benefit Canada’s western provinces the way supporters think it will, but nobody should be surprised Alberta wants out.

Photo courtesy of the National Post

Maeve Ellis Senior Advisor

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hey say history repeats itself, and Canadian history certainly is. We saw seperatist movements grow in Quebec in the late 20th century, and we’re seeing them again today, this time from the other side of the country, as secession becomes popular fodder for conversation in Canada’s western provinces. With Alberta’s declining economy, rising suicide rates, and a Prime Minister who wants to “fight the big oil companies” — which are the province’s mainstay employer and key to its cultural identity — “Wild Rose Country” is next in line to seperate itself from Canada.

Sixty percent of Albertans would strongly/moderately support the province joining the separatist movement according to the Angus Reid Institute. The Wexit (Western Exit, named after Brexit) organization is well on its way to becoming a political party, and the proposed separate, land-locked, four-million-person country (possibly including Saskatchewan, BC, Manitoba or the Yukon) would have its own military, currency, air space, pension fund, and constitution.

The anger fueling this ideology largely stems from environmental and indigenous rights organizations who are stalling pipeline projects. Advocates say this would allow Albertan oil to be sold around the world. Resource workers and their families see fellow provinces as pesky neighbours who get in the way of home renovation plans.

A lot of their feuding is eco-

nomic. Alberta gives billions of dollars a year to the nation’s capital, yet hasn’t received a cheque since 1965. Some feel like Ottawa goes out of its way to sedate the Albertan oil industry. The provincial government estimates that the Canadian economy loses eighty million dollars a day from the lack of federal induced oil market access. The environmental “pipeline killer” Bill C-69 and the “job killer” carbon tax, are federal initiatives that continue to add fuel to the fire. In another survey, fifty-six percent of respondents, more than twice as many as in 2010, agreed that, “Western Canada gets so few benefits from being part of Canada that they might as well go on their own.”

According to Lori William, a Mount Royal University professor of policy studies, “There are probably some people in Alberta who, just because they’re angry, don’t want to be in Canada… but they probably haven’t thought [about] what the consequences would be.” It’s true that Wexit rally attendees cite emotions as much as conventional economic and resource policy clash-points. At a separatist rally in Calgary, one elderly participant with a “Make Alberta Great Again’’ red baseball cap said, “As a family… you get divorced when you don’t get the respect that you deserve.” Another quipped, “We’re basically a colony of eastern Canada.”

For many, Alberta’s independent streakechoes history from eastern time zones. In 1990, the premier of Nova Scotia threatened to lead the Maritime provinces in joining the United States if French-English Canadian disputes couldn’t be resolved. In

a 1995 Quebec referendum over leaving Canada, a shocking 49.42% of the province voted for forming an independent country. In 2004, Newfoundland and Labrador, expressed its rebellious flair when it replaced all the national flags on government buildings with provincial government ones.

This presents the question: Why is packing up to leave the go-to response for so many factions? The answer may lie within cultural ties or the lack thereof. In most countries, different regions are motivated to push through and stick together by deep histories and shared understanding. Canada has neither.

From day one, Canadian provinces have stuck together out of practicality rather than passion, similar to an unhappy marriage. While our southern neighbours went to war over a yearning for independence, Canada reluctantly inched towards it at Britain’s request.

Even our founders weren’t too keen on a united north. The first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald, who should have been the poster child for northern patriotism, said “A British subject I was born; a British subject I will die.” If even he didn’t have faith from sea to shining sea, who else could be expected to?

The 20th century saw Canada flip-flop between legislation that united and divided. Pierre Trudeau’s 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for the “Dream of One Canada” was toppled just five years later when the Meech Lake Accord declared French-Canada as a “distinct society.” In 1964, Canada proudly got its own flag after half a year of fierce and divisive debating.

People tend to be more loyal to

their regions than the entire country.

For example, someone at the Calgary Wexit rally stated “I’m a prouder Western Canadian than I am a Canadian.”

A Huffington Post article echoed this regionalism stating that, “I Feel More Torontonian than I Do Canadian”. The author portrayed people in Toronto as “sophisticated, curious, and passionate,” while all other Canadians were dismissed as “Tim Hortons-drinking, double-denim-wearing hockey lover[s].”

With the world becoming more complex, it is more unlikely than ever that Canada will forge a new, unified identity. If Sir John A Macdonald couldn’t find common ground between speakers of two languages, how could it be possible with more than two hundred?

Though the internet is meant to forge understanding (34.56 million Canadians use the internet, more than twice as many as those who voted in the 2019 election) it could worsen the situation. Many social media sites, like Reddit and Facebook, are breeding grounds for radical and divisive political discourse. The division carries out into the real world, with the Liberal Party not winning a single seat in Alberta or Saskatchewan and the Tories being completely blocked out of Toronto.

Not having a strong national identity leaves the provinces feeling like tenants in a vast, empty apartment building, with Ottawa as an inconsiderate and condescending landlord. So whether it’s a good or (more likely) bad decision, don’t be surprised that Western Canada wants out. The lease was bound to expire.

OPINION | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 27 POLITICS

The monarchies must go

Royal families are expensive and meaningless figureheads that distract nations from making real progress.

Sophie Cohen Editor

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n November 16, 2019, Prince Andrew of Britain gave a disastrous interview that ultimately drove his career into the ground. The interview discussed his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, and the prince’s own sexual conduct.

In it, the royal made no acknowledgment of the suffering Epstein’s victims had endured and additionally stated that he did not regret his friendship with the sex offender. Prince Andrew also referred to the atrocious actions of Epstein as simply “unbecoming.” Obviously, the BBC interview did not make a good impression with the public and the disgraced prince resigned from his royal duties just four days later.

But why was Andrew, Duke of York, even in a position of such prominence to begin with? Well, quite frankly, the man was born into it. As the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Prince Andrew has been in a position of authority and notoriety his entire life. The family he belongs to rules the United Kingdom and several other states through a constitutional monarchy. According to Britannica, this system is when “a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government.” When a country is run by a constitutional monarchy, the sovereign is more of a figurehead.

Yes, they do still have some power, but they never challenge the government in fear of getting legislated out of their positions. On the other hand, when a country follows an absolute monarchy, the sovereign has complete control over the nation. Only a handful of absolute monarchies still exist throughout the world: Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Eswatini, the Vatican City, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

But why do these states still maintain such backwards systems of government? It is clear that monarchies come with a multitude of issues.

To begin with, maintaining a monarchy is expensive. In the British Royal Family, every thousand-dollar designer outfit that each member wears comes from British taxpayers’ money. During the year of 2018 alone, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex was reported to have spent $723 526 on her wardrobe. This does not even include her custom Givenchy wedding gown.

Additionally, monarchs are made famous solely due to their bloodline. Sovereigns do not need to have accomplished anything in life to garner fame, success, and fortune. This means that a sovereign can be completely incompetent. Prince Andrew and former British king, Edward VIII — a Nazi sympathiser — are perfect examples of this.

Furthermore, many constitutional monarchies can still exercise significant political power. Queen Elizabeth II is still considered the Head of State of Canada even though she

rarely visits. Although this is mostly for symbolic reasons, the Queen, in the form of the Governor General, can deny Royal Assent on Canadian bills. This prevents bills that have been passed by the Canadian government from becoming laws. How is it fair that this monarch holds this power when she is not even Canadian?

It is evident that monarchies are inherently backwards and archaic but they do have some merit. Most royals attend charity events and support important social and economic causes.

Their fame often attracts investment and provides exposure for these move -ments. For example, Victoria, Crown

Photo courtesy of Time Magazine

Princess of Sweden, founded the Crown Princess Victoria’s Fund. This charity provides recreational amenities for youth with disabilities. Nevertheless, the slight assets these monarchs provide are seriously outweighed by all the negatives that come with them.

As our society continues to advance and evolve, it is obvious that our political systems must do the same. The first step we can take in accomplishing this is abolishing the very political system that caused so much pain and grief in the past and continues to hold us back to this day.

SAFETY

University boards to blame for campus sexual assaults University boards frequently mishandle sexual assault cases, leading to further trauma for victims and unsafe learning environments.

Elise Farmar Simone Bellengier Editors

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eports of sexual assault by Canadian university students have increased in recent years, with universities failing to create solutions for the trauma that students face. The misuse of power by university boards is to blame for the lack of action taken for these incidents. Approximately 11 500 of sexual assault cases have occurred on Canadian university campuses. In fact, one in five female undergraduate students are likely to experience sexual assault in their university years. However, women are not the only group experiencing this. According to Maclean’s Magazine, 6.9% of male university students are also affected by sexual assault.

Although these numbers are unbelievably high, once these cases are reported to the university, the boards resort to unconventional procedures

and do not address the issue. This is evident in the case of a student from Mount Allison University, a school located in New Brunswick. When a student reported a case of assault, the school resorted to mediation sessions to solve the issue. The student told Maclean’s, “they put me in a room with the man who assaulted me multiple times, for about two hours each. It was a really bad experience.” As a result, this process failed and the student decided to send in a formal complaint to the university board. Months later, the school finally responded and stated that the offense had been officially dismissed.

Therefore, after multiple rejections, the student felt too unsafe to remain at Mount Allison and dropped out of the university. One month later, her assailant graduated with no penalties.

It is clear that the efforts made by the university did not take into account the best interest of the student’s mental health and educational experience. The informal and ineffective methods in

which the university handled the issue led the victim to leave the school and had no repercussions on her assaulter.

Still, cases similar to this continue to occur frequently on Canadian university campuses. These cases cause victims to feel unsafe and create environments that are not conducive to learning.

In addition, many Canadian universities silence the students who try to report sexual assault cases. A study by the Students’ Society of McGill found that nine Canadian universities have placed restrictions in their guidelines that determine how survivors are allowed speak about their assaults. Different universities place different restrictions on these policies. For example, Carleton University explicitly instructs students that they have to keep their experiences private from the public. They are only permitted to speak with counsellors, support services, family and friends. Concordia University encourages their students to “avoid making public accusations.” This means

they do not advise raising awareness to the public by speaking to the media or sharing on their social media platforms. In addition, Memorial University warns their students that speaking out could lead to “discipline or other appropriate action.” This would result in punishing the victim, as a way to prevent harm in the school’s reputation.

The restrictions universities place on their students are harmful, as they do not lead to change or awareness for the school community. The boards prefer to keep their reputation safe, rather than accommodate the needs of the victims. Universities should offer full support through the process and assure that the assailant is appropriately punished. Instead, the boards do not make efforts to truly address and prevent these crimes. Many students live with constant fear of remaining on the same campus as their assaulter and, as a result, students feel fear and the desire to drop out in an environment where safety should be prioritized.

28 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | OPINION POLITICS

Religion remains one of society’s greatest strengths Religion provides people with a sense of belonging and a reminder to do good in the world.

Nathalie Funes Serna Editor

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ncient Egypt, China, and Rome were all different but efficient societies. Each of them had a different political, environmental, and social structure. However, what made all of these civilizations successful? The same thing that allows our society to work: religion.

In the animal kingdom, species create complex societies which allow for better function, adaptation, and survival. All animals within a species have a specific role which they must fill. For example, in order for an ant colony to work, there must be queens, labourers, and expeditioners. They instinctively know their roles leading them to form nests and lay eggs, collect leaves, or go on expeditions for food to sustain themselves and their group. Humans, however, lack this instinct for serving only one specific task. Nevertheless, we still need something to guide us to make the right decisions, a life guide to embrace. Religion provides it.

One such guiding rule is the prohibition of murder. At the beginning of human civilization, when there was no law -nor moral- system, when anyone could take someone else’s life without blinking or having remorse, religion ordered this chaos. “Thou shalt not kill” is the sixth commandment in The Holy Bible, but Christianity is not the only religion that forbids murder; Islam and Hinduism also prohibits this inhuman act. This shared principle is just the shell that contains the pearl within: the veneration of life. This belief has continued, and even strengthened, up to the present. We can see how many people appreciate life with today’s countless-

campaigns against animal testing and cruelty. Another guiding principle is the importance attributed to forgiveness.

Multiple religions emphasize the importance of forgiveness and portray their divinities as forgiving and merciful. In the Mahabharata, a Hindu religious book says that “by forgiveness is it that the universe is held together”. Forgiveness is essential for any society, for it allows it to progress. If we didn’t forgive, the world would be in chaos where one small wrongdoing can act as the gentle flap of a butterfly which produces a destructive tornado on the other side of the world. We would consume our time in taking revenge instead of focusing on improving.

One may argue that the adoration and respect for humans’ and animals’ lives—shown in all protests againts animal testing and cruelty—is an intrinsic trait of humanity. That it is just basic morality. This topic is still widely discussed by scholars. According to Dr. Ilkka Pyysiainen, a professor at Harvard University, “it appears as if cooperation [and morality] is made possible by mental mechanisms that are not specific to religion, [but] religion can play a role in facilitating and stabilizing cooperation [and morality] between groups”.

Humans may still have high morality, even if religions had not been created; but in our reality, what pioneered and nourished this human trait? Religion.

You might be thinking that religion has been the motivator of terrible injustices and suffering, such as the Crusades where thousands of people died disputing over a territory that was considered sacred to both Muslims and Christians. Another example includes the Spanish Inquisition, where many more people would be tortured and executed if they were accused of heresy. It is indisputable that these events were terrible moments of hu-

Photo by Sara Chiarotto O’Brien

man existence and it is heart-breaking that all good things always come with something bad attached to it.

Just as science has had great advances that have helped keep humans alive, other advances have also killed thou sands. The benefits from physics are palpable in things as simple as everyday objects such as lenses. Nevertheless it had also been devastating. For instance, with atomic bombs, which killed hundreds of thousands during World War II. Religion has been the source of terrible acts, but it has also given something essential to humans; the meaning in life.

Jerome Bruner, a psychologist at Harvard University, stated that without a meaning of life, “we would be lost in [the] murk of chaotic experience and probably would not have survived as a species in any case.” Countless psychologists believe that having meaning and purpose in life is key for one’s mental processes and behaviours. Darius Krok, a researcher at Opole University in Poland states that “religious systems provide individuals with an integrated set of beliefs, goals, and meaning.” Not only is this important in everyday life but also in the most grievous of times.

In a recent survey with cancer

survivors, over 66% of people agreed that “[their] faith or spirituality has helped [them] through [their] cancer experience.” It is not due to the fact that their beliefs heal them, but it is because it allows them to cope better with and be positive about their illness. Religion doesn’t only provide solace for people with cancer, but with all types of sicknesses.

Marisol Del Ángel Torres, a diabetes patient, said: “[My faith] helped me because I [knew] that someone up there [was caring] for me. That I [was] protected by God.” When we are in a strange land, religion provides us with shelter and light in the darkest of nights and a solid path we can follow during the day.

Religion has been a pillar of every society. Religion provides humans guiding rules, hope, and meaning for life. Although today’s generations are not as religious as past ones, people still have a sort of belief that guides them in everyday life decisions and fulfills them. Religions are like trees, there are different species with different types of leaves, colours, shapes, and sizes. But all trees have a strong trunk that holds these leaves which produce the oxygen that maintains human life.

CULTURE

Time to re-evaluate cancel culture Controversy should create opportunities to foster empathy and intellectual growth Sineen Madni Contributor

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he lack of willingness to hear out people with unpleasant ideas is even more inappropriate in universities—places of learning and inquiry—where curiosity and the development of critical thinking skills are the reasons why they exist in the first place.

Robbing people of a platform to express their ideas is a very insecure and fearful approach. At the same time, when people do this, they are shutting down legitimate criticism. For example, China has angrily pushed back against Canada’s criticism of their human rights record and lack of respect for the rule of law after two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were arrested in China in apparent retalia-

tion for Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou’s detention in Vancouver, even though it was in compliance with Canada’s extradition treaty with the U.S.

If society continues to have a “my way or the highway” approach with people who have made unpopular statements, how will future generations learn to distinguish between right and wrong? They won’t! They’ll only learn how to join the bandwagon.

However, cancel culture can be useful when deployed responsibly.

For example, it makes sense for cynical people to be shut down when they try to revisit settled questions, like abortion rights and same-sex marriage. For example, BBC News reported in June 2019 that during the first months of the year, nearly 30 states in the U.S. “introduced some form of an abortion ban in their legislature.” In response, a growing

number of businesses have threatened to divest from those states that want to enact this deeply regressive legislation.

These are hard-won rights that need not be debated any more.

It also makes sense to call out and expose those statements that are framed around “dog whistle” phrases like the “barbaric practices hotline” in Canada during the 2015 federal election campaign, which was widely criticised for adding fuel to islamophobia across Canada by allowing citizens to report suspected “barbaric” activities to the government, or the “very fine people on both sides” justification in the wake of the far-right march in Charlottesville, U.S in 2017. In these cases, it was religious and racial minorities that were being targeted with racist, bigoted and hateful ideas that were meant to incite contempt

and to make their identities unacceptable in otherwise open societies.

The only way to confront these ideas, including within the university setting, is to call out and expose the influential politicians behind them for the divisive bigots that they truly are.

In such cases, to “cancel” these ideas is not just the appropriate response, it is the only response.

But that kind of certainty need not be deployed to shut down ideas that can foster our intellectual growth and our maturity. We need a nuanced approach here. That is why I said at the outset, this is not “either-or.” Rather, it is a thoughtful exchange of ideas on a wide spectrum of mutual accommodation.

That is why it is now high time we re-evaluated cancel culture.

ARTS & CULTURE | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 29

MOVIE REVIEW

arts & culture

Frozen 2 Review Starring: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad Director: Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck Run Time: 1h 43m Rating: PG

Sarisha Panday Copy Editor

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et it be said that Frozen 2 was funny. It had its fair share of jokes that cracked up the entire audience.

Of course, the crowd was comprised mostly of 8 year-olds, but that’s beside the point. They were well-executed, appealed to all ages, and definitely lived up to the standards set by the first film.

The people that I’ve consulted with about this film have said they enjoyed it, thought it was very good, and rated the film their favourite Disney movie of all time. And that’s completely valid. In fact, the movie has so far made $651 million worldwide, but this figure may be in part due to the sheer consumer force of all the children who watched the film out of adoration for Anna and Elsa.

Frozen 2 delves into the origin of Elsa’s powers and magic, which was a smart decision by the director. The story goes that there was a tribe of people called the Northuldra, who were able to harness the kind of elemental magic that Elsa has. They were peaceful with Arendelle, until the King (as well as Elsa and Anna’s grandfather) attacked them under the guise of a peaceful meeting.

Within the movie, the Northuldra are presented in a way that likens them to Native Americans or First Nations people. The narrative of Europeans colonizing and terrorizing indigenous peoples is very relevant today, and I was glad the creative team decided to make this an important aspect of the story, especially considering the film was released around American Thanksgiving. Both Canada and America have been guilty of oppressing Indigenous groups, and I found the film reflected and represented this problem accurately. The idea of Anna and Elsa attempting to make up for their past mistakes sets a good example for the children watching.

Of course, this storyline leaves a couple of plot holes that could have easily been patched up. First of all, if Anna and Elsa’s mother was part of the Northuldra, why did she look so European?

And if the sisters are half Northuldra, why do they look completely European?

Also, if both sisters had the same mother, why did such strong powers manifest in only Elsa? There’s no way we can draw conclusions to these questions from any contextual clues that were

Illustration by Ava Ireland

given. The writers could have easily given explanations but decided not to. It seems like the whole reasoning behind Elsa’s power was simply shoehorned in.

This brings me to my second problem with the plot… it was simply flimsy. There was no clear antagonist. Sure, there was the grandfather of Anna and Elsa, who incited Arendelle’s battle with the Northuldra, but other than flashbacks his presence is minimal. It makes it hard to feel like there is much of a threat. His soldiers, who plan to protect the dangerous dam he put up, are convinced otherwise with barely any resistance. Part of what made the first movie so good was its antagonist, Hans, especially when we realized that he was truly evil. I think the movie might have been made more engaging if there was some kind of a

third party that was trying to stop Anna and Elsa from restoring the Northuldra.

About three quarters into the movie, Elsa finds herself in over her head (because she rejected Anna’s help for the millionth time) and is frozen by what seems to be some kind of magic.

This renders her unable to move and her power useless. This, in turn, causes the beloved Olaf to melt, implicating that he has died. I found this incredibly poorly done. The problem is that we know that Elsa will not be in this state forever, and once she is freed, she will likely be able to bring Olaf back. This makes his ‘death’ a lot less impactful than it could be. And frankly, it seems they used his ‘death’ to give Anna an excuse to sing another sad song.

As for the songs, for the most part, I found them quite forgettable. I

can only think of two to three songs that really stood out to me. This is a stark contrast to the first movie. They are not terrible songs per se, but they just don’t stick with you. And that’s a shame.

Even though it fell short of the bar set by its predecessor, due to the lack of a proper antagonist, the flimsy plot and subpar musical scores, Frozen 2 was a fine movie. It was very funny, included important themes and messages, had terrific performances from the voice actors, and was generally a well-made film.

I only wish that more effort was put into making it a movie that could rival the first. I would recommend it to anyone in the mood to watch something fluffy, fun and lighthearted, or to those with some kids that need to be distracted.

30 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | ARTS & CULTURE CULTURE

Why queerbaiting hurts

Jane Carli Editor

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riana Grande, Rita Ora, J.K. Rowling, Riverdale, Supernatural, and Beauty and the Beast are just some of the celebrities, television shows, and movies accused of participating in the controversial queerbaiting phenomenon.

Queerbaiting is a controversial practice that has become something of a buzzword, used amongst audiences of film, and television and celebrity fanbases. It emerged around 2010 as a market-ploy that celebrities, authors, and television and film writers use to appeal to an LGBTQ+ audience, while never fully embracing and representing a character’s queer identity.

When television studios respond to the public push for diversity and inclusive representation, sometimes, rather than creating equal opportunity romances, a television show will play fast and loose, hinting at a samesex relationship without ever actualiz-

ing it on screen. This can result in prolonged homoerotic tension between two characters without any intention from writers to advance a queer storyline or relationship. It is an effective middleground tactic that increases popularity and viewership from an LGBTQ+ viewership while avoiding the alienation of a majority heterosexual audience.

Supernatural is one of the longest-running scripted U.S. primetime series and enjoys one of the most active fandoms in popular culture. However, for the past 10 years, a driving force of the fandom is the unrequited attraction between Dean and his “best friend” Castiel. The chemistry between the two characters was raved about on screen; so much so that the actors and writers leaned into it as much as they could without actually saying the words or finalizing a romantic storyline. The writers have yet to advance anything between the characters despite the push from their LGBTQ+ fanbase. They have claimed the show is art and art is up for interpretation so people could, and do, argue that

the romantic attraction doesn’t exist; the show’s viewership continues to grow in part because of the underlying romance between the characters.

Although queerbaiting is most commonly found in television and film, it is equally present among artists as a way to hit top charts. Ariana Grande released a song called Monopoly at the beginning of this year that later fueled accusations that she was manipulating her LGBTQ+ fans as it suggested she might be bisexual in one of the lyrics.

While this might seem like a ridiculous overreaction, (there is no reason why Grande shouldn’t be allowed to express her sexuality in her songs) there is no confirmation of the meaning. Grande has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights but has also appeared in “steamy” music videos, kissing girls on screen without any other public mention of it.

An “exclusively gay moment” is what Beauty and the Beast producers claimed would happen between characters LeFou and Gaston. However, fans were disappointed to find the so-called moment lasted barely a few seconds de-

spite the amount of build-up behind it.

The LGBTQ+ community is already underrepresented in the media, and queerbaiting enforces the idea that queer relationships don’t deserve a central storyline. It takes away the humanity of LGBTQ+ people and reduces those in the community to pawns in a game of profitability and politics. As of last year, 8.8% of regular characters on primetime scripted broadcasting were LGBTQ+, an increase of approximately 3% over the last three years.

The line is blurred between whether or not these celebrities and television shows are harmlessly experimenting with sexuality or deliberately using LGBTQ+ representation to their advantage to gain a bigger audience.

Queerbaiting seems to be at its peak when you consider the number of companies that bandwagon on Pride sponsorship or create pride-themed products only for the month of June. Representation of the LGBTQ+ community is not something profitable, and leading audiences on is not something trendy.

MUSIC

Swift Advocates for artists’ rights

Julia Goldthorp Advisor

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rom silly bands to Lady Gaga’s iconic (and terrifying) meat dress, there have been countless standout moments that defined the 2010s.

While some trends lasted about as long as Kim Kardashian’s first marriage, others took a hold on our society with a vice-like grip and refused to let go (I’m looking at you, Fortnite). Then, there are others that shaped pop culture in an irreversible way… one such trend goes by the name of Taylor Swift.

Love her or hate her, there’s no denying her tremendous cultural impact and prevalence. From “Love Story” all the way to “Look What You Made Me Do,” Taylor Swift has long been a notable force in the music industry, so much so that she was crowned “Artist of the Decade” at the American Music Awards (also known as the AMA’s) in November.

Recently, Swift has been caught in a whirlwind feud involving music manager Scooter Braun. The drama comes after Scott Borchetta, the founder of Taylor Swift’s previous record label, ‘Big Machine Records,’ sold her entire catalogue of music to Braun’s ‘Ithaca Holdings.’ The deal included handing over the ownership of Swift’s first six albums, as well as music videos and photos of the artist herself, all of which sold for over $300 million. The worst part of this entire debacle is that Swift reportedly didn’t find out about the sale until the announcement was made to the public. Swift was both furious and heartbroken that Borchetta had willingly given her songs and albums to a man who had allegedly bullied and manipulated her for years, and who played “no part in creating [her music].”

In preparation for her acceptance of the prestigious ‘Artist of the Decade’ award at the AMA’s, Swift was

Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Times

planning on performing a medley of some of her most famous songs from the past decade. On November 14, just days before the awards show, Swift took to social media to express outrage over new developments in the feud — she would be unable to perform any of her old hits on the AMAs stage. Not only this, but the forthcoming Netflix documentary about her life and career would be put at stake, due to the loss of ownership rights for old audio and video footage.

Swift was told that if she wanted to be able to perform her old songs, she would have to agree not to re-record her first 6 albums, something that the artist was eager to do in the new

year. Shortly after, Braun and his team made a public announcement disputing these claims and saying that Swift could perform any songs she wanted to at the AMAs. And Taylor Swift did not disappoint. Opening with a powerful performance of her song “The Man,” a song all about the sexism women (particularly in the music industry) face every day, Swift wore a simple white shirt tattooed with the names of all of her albums.

It was clear that the message was directed at Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta, and the unjust double standards that women face in the music industry.

Taylor Swift has long been an advocate for artists’ rights in the mu-

sic industry and has been quoted saying, “I just think that artists deserve to own their own work. I feel very passionately about that.” While this war against Braun and Borchetta hasn’t exactly been a positive experience for Swift, her refusal to stand down to these men will definitely have lasting effects on the music industry and its progressive efforts. She is paving the way for more artists to speak up and use their voices to eliminate the abuse of power by major recording labels and their CEOs. It’ll be a long battle, but it’s certainly worth fighting for the preservation of integrity in the music industry.

ARTS & CULTURE | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 31 MOVIE REVIEW

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker A dodgy yet satisfying conclusion.

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher Director: J.J. Abrams Run Time: 2h 33m Rating: PG 13

Brendan Weeks Editor

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long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. George Lucas did not exist. Luckily in our galaxy, George Lucas does exist, and his mind birthed the undisputed greatest franchise that will ever be brought to life by cinema: Star Wars.

Star Wars has become synonymous with the science fiction genre itself. It has evolved into a series that runs deep with lore and history. Its merchandise has found its way onto the backs of thousands of geeks worldwide, and its presence in the pop culture community will never die.

Yet once you dig down through the layers of lore, the main theme of the series has always stayed true; the heroes lead the good guys to defeat the bad guys so the entire galaxy can live in peace and harmony. This classic tale of good versus evil on a scale of epic proportions has been tackled in all genres of all mediums of en-

tertainment, yet Star Wars has done it the best. That is why Star Wars will always and forever be timeless.

It has been 42 years since ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ was released, and after four decades, eight main films, three spinoffs, two successful cartoons, and numerous video games, ‘Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker’ has arrived.

With this film, not only will fans see the end of Disney’s first trilogy, but the grand conclusion of the tale of the heroes that were there since its inception.

Fans began to dread the release of Episode IX, due to the sour taste left in their mouths from ‘Episode VIII: The Last Jedi’, yet the hype was back in full force when the trailers and sneak peeks began to drop. So, after seeing it on the opening weekend, I, among hundreds of thousands of other fans, who recognized that it contained everything that makes Star Wars great. Sadly, from a ‘trilogy’s conclusion’ point of view, the movie was a letdown… it was just downright confusing and didn’t bother to attempt to patch up its inexplicability once.

In ‘Episode VII: The Force Awakens’, we were introduced to Supreme Leader Snoke, an all-powerful being at the helm of the First Order (or the replacement for the Empire). Fast forward to halfway through The Last Jedi, where we all witnessed this supposed god-tier character get sliced in half by his subordinate Kylo Ren. Everyone was left baffled and puzzled, but more importantly, curious as to how the final film would make sense. Now rewind about 35 years to ‘Episode VI: Return of the Jedi’ where Emperor Palpatine gets yeeted into the reactor of the Death Star. And even though, in the prequels, it was explained how particular Sith

were so strong with the force they could cheat death, there is no way the Emperor could have had a chance to cheat death after being thrown into the reactor of a planet-destroying mega cannon, which exploded shortly after. Only, that’s exactly what happens.

The movie opens with our friendly, red-lightsaber-wielding Kylo Ren and his band of stormtroopers slaughtering their way through crowds of innocent people to obtain this funny stone that has the coordinates to the planet Exegol, an ancient Sith planet, where he intends to kill the resurrected Emperor so he can rule the First Order without any distractions. Even though it was a very intense start to the film, there was absolutely no indication to how much time has passed since Episode VIII, how Kylo Ren learned about this stone map, or even how he learned about the Emperor being alive. And all of these questions arise before we even get to see what the heroes are up to.

As the movie progresses, it becomes obvious that there would be no answers to questions like these. And even in a world where you can harness the power of an energy field surrounding everyone and everything to lift spaceships out of water and jump really high, all established logic and facts (that are canon) are being thrown out the window, in order to convey symbolism, give character depth and add suspense.

Regardless of the distracting loopholes and horrible case of plot armour for the heroes, the movie is still entertaining, visually stunning, and captivating. Each world that the heroes visit is creative and imaginative, which reminds the audience that Star Wars takes place across the whole galaxy, and

so every planet has its own individual inhabitants, culture, and situations regarding freedom (is it overrun by the First Order or not?). The balance of drama and comic relief was well done, and the callbacks to events and characters from the previous films were included sparingly, which made them all-the-more meaningful. Every battle, clash, and chase scene leaves you on the edge of your seat while managing to incorporate elements of the environment or a character’s quick thinking that make each one flashy and unique.

Since this is a Star Wars movie, there is naturally an epic final battle, with the entire galaxy’s freedom at stake this time. This was my favourite final battle from any of the films, as it balances the classic dogfights, ground assault and the ‘Palpatine issue’ perfectly, similarly to Return of the Jedi’s final battle on the Death Star and Endor. Right before the Resistance engages the First Order, Poe Dameron claims that “good people will fight if we lead them,” which is what separates this battle from the final showdowns in previous films. The support on the battlefront from people who aren’t even with the Resistance show how unity during dark times is what it takes to rise up.

‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ had to be great, and if it wasn’t, causal fans and fanboys alike would’ve been let down… and it was great to a certain degree.

As Yoda once said, “Do or do not, there is no try, only do,” so Disney did conclude their trilogy in a tear-jerking, momentous fashion… but did not follow the rules of decades of source material which made its beautiful conclusion feel unbelievable and hollow.

Illustration by Andjela Urosevic

32 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | SPORTS

POLITICS

sports

Colourful Suits to Colourful Language: the Don Cherry controversy Hockey Night in Canada star, Don Cherry fired from Sportsnet after controversial statements made on Coach’s Corner causes a stir on social media.

Photo by Rick Madonick / Toronto Star

Elena Vlitas Contributor

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on Cherry, well known for his uniquely patterned and colourful suits, was fired by Sportsnet on November 11th, 2019 following his remarks made a few days prior on his weekly segment, Coach’s Corner. After 37 years of the segment, the firing of the 85-year-old television personality sparked a mixed reaction in sports fans across North America.

What is known as Cherry’s “You People Rant” refers to the statements Cherry made on November 9th in regards to his opinions of new immigrants in Canada not wearing poppies to re-

spect our deployed and fallen veterans.

In his passionate rant, Cherry exclaimed, “You people... love our way of life, love our milk and honey. At least you could pay a couple of bucks for poppies or something like that. These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada”.

This caused many to take to Twitter, along with other social media platforms their opinions regarding the previous comments. Thus, they called for Cherry’s termination following his racist remarks towards immigrants. His co-host, Ron McLean, was also under fire for giving Cherry a thumbs up and not interjecting while the statements were being made.

Just two days after the remarks were shared with the world, Sportsnet forced Cherry to step down from his role

on Coach’s Corner as he continued to stand by his comments claiming, “I know what I said and I meant it. Everybody in Canada should wear a poppy to honor our fallen soldiers.” Cherry also added that he did not specify or call out any specific racial or minority group; “I said, ‘Everybody.’ And I said, ‘You people.’”

Nonetheless, both Sportsnet and Ron McLean apologized for the comments made as well as released a statement detailing Sportsnet’s position on the remarks. The public had a mixed response to the news of Cherry being fired from the program. While many believed Cherry was rightfully terminated, there was a large number of people who did not believe Don Cherry’s firing was necessary. Following Cherry’s departure from Sportsnet, many sports fans were upset and frustrated by the

news, causing them to voice their own opinions on social media once again.

Em Robi stated, “He is defending the poppy and his beliefs. He shouldn’t have been fired for speaking his mind.”

Currently, Don Cherry has started his own podcast called “Grapevine.” On his podcast, Cherry plans to continue analyzing the National Hockey League (NHL), which has always been a major part of his life. Although it is now only a podcast, Cherry and his son, Tim, believe that it may convert into a televised program. The globally accepted takeaway from the entire situation is to be cautious with their language as even if it is unintentional or misinterpreted, as seen through the Don Cherry controversy, one action can have a detrimental impact on a person’s entire life.

SPORTS | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 33 TRACK

IAAF removes marquee events ahead of Zurich 2020 finals Cameron Gilliland Editor

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on Cherry, well known for his uniquely patterned and colourful suits, was fired by Sportsnet on November 11th, 2019 following his remarks made a few days prior on his weekly segment, Coach’s Corner. After 37 years of the segment, the firing of the 85-year-old television personality sparked a mixed reaction in sports fans across North America.

Let’s face it, in the grand scheme of general sports viewership, track receives the shorter end of the

stick when it comes to ratings. I mean, who can recall a conversation when your friend asked if you saw the 5000-meter final at the 2019 International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Championship Finals? Although a riveting race, track doesn’t attract the same level of viewership that it used to. This is shown as more and more people are expressing interest by watching a basketball game, instead of a 13-minute race concentrated solely on a 400-meter loop. This proves that track is continuing to dwindle popularity in comparison to other sports.

Therefore, with a declining viewership, a subsequent shorter broadcasting window of 90 minutes,

and a need to reinvigorate its relevance, the IAAF has removed some key events from its final in Zurich, Switzerland.

These include the five-kilometer, 10-kilometer, 200-meter, discus throw, triple jump, and the 3000-meter steeplechase.

It’s unfortunate that these events were dropped, as some of these distances like the 200-meter, five-kilometer, and 10-kilometer, are track classics. Running legends such as Usain Bolt, Eliud Kipchoge, and Sir Mo Farah have all made these events track-defining.

Not to mention these events are still included in the five other major diamond league events throughout the year.

Track is filled with excitement and energy, heartbreak and pain, and a

driven and motivated community. But track has not evolved in over twenty years, and it is common to see audiences starting to get tired of the now outdated foot-race. Therefore, to reclaim any semblance of consistent relevancy and a much needed second wind of popularity, major institutions of the sport must make some tough choices to assure that track is not forgotten.

When the IAAF World Championships in Zurich air on television in September 2020, I encourage the public to watch, as who knows, if the ratings of track continues to swindle, it could be its last televised appearance.

LOCAL

Parkrun

The perfect place, community, and time to begin running.

Cameron Gilliland Editor

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or many, getting into an exercise routine can be daunting and near impossible. Whether it’s committing to a schedule, finding a community, or a place to exercise in general. It becomes easier and easier to find excuses not to work out rather than finding an excuse to work out. Well, for those interested in getting into the sport of

running, I recently stumbled upon a new event, providing the perfect place, community, and time to begin running.

The event is called Parkrun, and it is a free, weekly, timed 5-kilometer event hosted at Downsview Park. Originated in the United Kingdom, Parkrun has taken UK parks by storm with hundreds, sometimes thousands of people flocking to their local park to partake in a Saturday Parkrun.

Parkrun Downsview is an event years in the making, it began earlier this year and has had great

success. With both local and visiting runners coming out on a consistent basis, the event has built a steady and reliable community of runners.

Personally, I ran at a Parkrun Downsview a few weeks ago, and to no surprise, I had a great time doing so.

With a fun atmosphere, an interesting course, and a great team of organizers, the event was an enjoyable experience.

I also had the pleasure of getting an inside look at the inner workings of the event during a detailed set-up and packup session with one of the coordinators.

The event is completely run by volunteers and is a UK-based charitable organization focused on creating “a healthier and happier planet,” by its activities. As a volunteer driven initiative, Parkrun is always looking for new helpers, and for students looking to build up their volunteer hours, it is a great place to collect them.

In the end, whether you’re just starting out, or looking to get from 97 to 100 miles on the week, Parkrun is an amazing, fun, and inviting setting to do so.

BOXING

KSI vs. Logan Paul 2

What went down, from trash talk to illegal strikes.

Cameron Gilliland Editor

“I

t is a majority draw.”

Those infamous words that rang through the speakers at Manchester Arena are what set the tone of the second clash of the online titans during November’s sequel title fight.

The first fight, entailed copious amounts of trash talk and some now iconic amateur fights, bringing boxing into the mainstream, along with two already famous influencers, Logan Paul and Olajide William Olatunji, known as KSI.

To recap, YouTuber boxing began in 2017 when British video creator, Joe Weller, fought fellow YouTuber Theo Baker, who is recognized as Malfoy. Joe Weller’s win, made him the first YouTuber boxing champion, however, his first challenger, KSI, entered the picture in September 2017.

Fast forward to February 4th, 2018, and after 1:30 into the third round, KSI beat Joe Weller to claim his YouTuber boxing champion title by TKO.

While subsequently riding the high of his victory, he started the story that came to an end back in November, and called out Logan Paul to be

his next opponent. That eventual first fight led to a controversial draw, which depending on how its viewed, should have been a victory for either Logan or KSI. However, none of that mattered, as looking forward to the natural rematch of the two brought forth new possibilities, new stories, and new stakes.

As the first fight was an amateur fight, both KSI and Logan wanted to take their second fight to a more professional level. This consisted of getting rid of the required headgear and moving down to 10-ounce professional gloves. The move to a pro fight in a pro setting legitimized and elevated the event that was KSI vs Logan Paul 2.

The six round fight itself, was a tenacious, tense, and exciting show of boxing. With months of trash talk leading up to the fight, Logan being the favourite, and the overuse of the now infamous slogan “Let’s Go Champ,” the stakes for this fight were massively raised compared to the last fight. As for Logan, winning this fight could mean the start of social and occupational redemption for his past several missteps in Japan. Meanwhile for KSI, it was about securing a legacy for himself, one that will not be challenged, questioned, and most importantly, forgotten.

After the obligatory ring walks, entrances and pre-fight routines, the

first bell rang and the fight began.

From the first bell, KSI took the role of the aggressor in the ring while Logan primarily fought off his jab. This dynamic never changed throughout the fight, as KSI was more dominant in the ring while the first three rounds played out. However, as many punches as KSI landed, he missed, making him tire out much more quickly than Logan. Logan, fighting very nonchalantly, struggled in those rounds, which led him to get knocked down in the third round. Now, I know what you are thinking, “Logan didn’t get knocked down in round three”, and you would technically be right, as the “knockdown” was ruled a slip by referee Jack Reese. Yet, if it wasn’t already clear Logan’s legs collapsed after the hit, he also clinched onto KSI’s legs for dear life until the ref separated the two. In fact, Logan even waited on the canvas as if the ref had started a count, but no, it was a “slip”.

The second biggest point of controversy was Logan’s knockdown and subsequent point deduction in round four. After hitting KSI with an uppercut, holding him, hitting him again on his way down in the back of the head, and then hitting him while he was down, Logan received a penalty deduction of two points from the ref.

What makes the deduction more inter-

esting is the fact that if he hadn’t got the deduction, Logan would have won it all. He ended up losing in a split decision, by one point, that one point being lost from the deduction. If the ref had only taken off one point, we would unfortunately find ourselves left in another draw. Now, many find the deduction unfair, citing that Logan should have gotten a warning as it was his first documented offence of the fight.

However, with more than one illegal strike throughout the sequence, and of such blatant illegality, I think the deduction was fair. Plus, if KSI’s knockdown was counted in round three, this fight could have ended in a unanimous decision, instead of a split one.

Throughout round five, a still non-aggressive Logan dominated the weary KSI, while round six could have gone both ways depending on how you saw the fight. In the end, our story, one of two grandiose personalities, clashing for reasons beyond money and fame, fighting for pride and legacy, and duking it out on the world stage, ended with now infamous words said by legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer:

“To the winner by split decision, from the United Kingdom, The Nightmare, K-S-I.”

34 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | HUMOUR & GAMES

SOCIAL MEDIA

humour & games

What it’s like being famous An exclusive insider scoop by @ntci.memes

Illustration by Andjela Urosevic

@ntci.memes Contributor

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i NT. You’ve definitely heard of me before, but you don’t really know me. I run the Instagram account @ntci. memes, and this is the inside scoop.

It all started back in 2017. I had just ended my reign over a different Instagram community, where I was surprisingly successful. That old account is long gone, but what it taught me would change my life: it taught me how to create a successful Instagram account. I knew how to use iPhone apps to do a quick photoshop and addition of text to produce a decent meme, and I had (and still do have) an actual sense of humour, paired with a pretty good ability to not offend the general public. I was organized, punctual, and creative. In addition, I missed the excitement and ego boost of a large follower base, and I wanted to create something new. Just like that, I had the greatest idea of my entire high school career: a meme page for North Toronto C.I.

Don’t get me wrong, a longabandoned meme page for the school already existed. It’s also not like school meme pages hadn’t existed before I had thought of the idea myself. But the thing is, school meme pages weren’t

big. So, I created a new Instagram account called @ntci.memes, and I posted my first (since deleted) meme on my page on September 27, 2017.

Fifteen-year-old me thought I was just the absolute coolest person on Earth.

Even though I was proud of myself, the catch was (and trust me, I know this) that Instagram accounts starting from rock bottom always begin with a very rough start. No one wants to follow a page with only forty-something followers. So however cool I might have felt, for a decent amount of time I was still a nobody that no one wanted to follow.

It wasn’t too long before I encountered another meme page within the, then nonexistent, community, dare I even mention their username. It was the infamous @lpci.memes. This page, having been around longer, had a healthy follower count. They noticed my inferior page ridden with clearly primal memes, and decided to pick on the fact that I had so few followers. They made memes mocking me, but alas! Little did they know that this mocking of my name was the kickstart I was looking for. The username @ntci.memes was now out there, exposed to their follower base. Sure, it was in a negative light, but now at least people knew who I was.

There’s a reason for the saying, “There’s no such thing as bad press.” Now, I just needed the support of real North Toron-

to students to take it to the next level.

Cue the Niners. They’re so excited to be in high school that they’re naive enough to buy into anything. Immediately upon hearing of my account, the Niners were excited. My follower count grew significantly overnight.

I started pumping out actual good memes. Grade 10s, 11s, and 12s were starting to get involved as well. To top it off, new school meme pages started popping up out of nowhere- one of my personal favourites being my partner in crime, @nss.memes. My concept of a school meme page community was becoming a reality. True fame and glory were so close. I could almost taste their sweet, sweet flavour. Then, it was time for the age-old question to first be brought up by the students of NT: so who runs @ntci.memes?

After, sure enough, the inevitable occurred; someone had become jealous of my fame. Another North Toronto meme page emerged. @ntcimemes (note the absence of the dot) was the absolute worst meme page I had ever stumbled across in my entire life. They copied my ideas, they made memes that were clearly subpar and of lesser quality than mine, and even had the audacity to claim that they had the idea for an NTCI meme page before me. I hated them, and our rivalry was no secret. I realized it was time to take it up a notch.

Have you ever asked an NT student where they hear about special schedules? Or where they find important school-related information? I’m proud to say it’s extremely likely they’ll mention @ntci.memes. I made sure my meme page truly went above and beyond, and at the time I even recruited a special team of Niners to defend my back. We were unstoppable, and my meme page had truly become a symbol of our red and grey school. My rival meme page soon disintegrated under my lead.

Here I am now, in two years deep. With 237 successful memes behind me, over 1,400 total followers, DM records with every school club you can think of asking for promotions, and an apprentice under my wing for when I graduate, @ntci.memes will forever remain my legacy. I am proud to say that I’ve done the most I can in bonding the school into a proper, light-hearted community. Being a part of the exclusivity in understanding a true North Toronto C.I. meme really is something special. Anyways, anyone who follows my account really knows that I’m not one to get sappy, so let’s not dwell on the heart-to-hearts.

So that’s how @ntci.memes came to be. I guess all you’re wondering now is: who is @ntci.memes?

Well, that’s one secret I’ll never tell.

XOXO, please DM me your memes :)

HUMOUR & GAMES | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 35 SCHOOL LIFE

5 ways you can use your high school credits in your daily life Think they are useless? Think again.

Elena Vlitas Contributor

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ay after day, you may wonder if you will ever be able to use that mandatory arts credit you had to take or the Pythagorean theorem in your daily life. You await the opportunity to flex your knowledge, but the day never comes until test day. Let’s be honest, if you’re going to go to school seven hours a day, five days a week and spend most of your time after school doing homework, you might as well find a way to actually use it to your advantage. Here are some of my top suggestions that will make you appreciate taking a course, even if the teacher gives you 69% on your report card: 1. Get to places on time.

Math, Science, Phys Ed First, what you have to do is come up with the simple equation of your speed times the distance ( s x d ) to figure out how long it will take you to get to any

given location. It is key that you consider the correct units, because, otherwise, how else will you know that the 10 minutes isn’t 10 apples or bananas?

Next, you must consider your aerodynamics, as your slouched back from the crushing weight of your backpack while staring down at your phone sure won’t make you go any faster. Use everything you know about aerodynamics so you can increase the efficiency of your stride. If this means no running to school, so be it.

Want to go the extra mile? Use your knowledge from Phys Ed to calculate your target heart rate zone so you work at the pace that reduces your risk for heart disease!

2. Send your friends eloquently worded text messages.

English Seriously? The best you can come up with is, “wyd?” Your English teacher is probably kept awake at night with nightmares that their students aren’t using the works of the literary geniuses of the past to communicate with their

peers. Well NT, they don’t make us study Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet for nothing. Obviously, the TDSB feeds us this knowledge so we are capable of texting our friends “where art thou?” instead of “where r u?” like absolute idiots.

3. Type at lightning speed.

Business It’s 11:30 pm, and you have to submit the 8-page essay that you had 2 weeks to complete about the history of all life on earth to the merciless turnitin. com by 11:59 p.m. or else you will get a zero. You don’t know what to do, but then you remember all the touch typing skills that allow you to type at the lightening speed of 60 words per minute (as opposed to your previous speed of 15 words per minute, with those pesky red squiggly lines under each word). Thank you typing club!

4. Decide what you want to do for the rest of your life.

Every credit Yes, Careers might help you figure out your career path, but high school

credits are really like a free trial for the rest of your life. As a kid, sure you might have wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer, but did you not like chemistry in high school? Did you absolutely hate writing a thesis and find drawing conclusions difficult? This easily could help you actually decide what you want to do for the rest of your life, but most importantly what you don’t.

5. Get Those Grades.

Jokes aside, use them to get into university and get a degree. Ah yes, that nice little piece of paper you can proudly display on the wall or let it collect dust in your basement. Also, wow yourself with your ability and actually care.

Yes, I understand we are Gen Z, but one day you will regret watching Netflix all day and not doing something useful, or something that you are passionate about. So please, hit the books instead of asking people to hit you up, because that won’t get you a degree.

SCHOOL LIFE

A culinary review of the NTCI cafeteria Sarisha Panday Copy Editor

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s a culinary connoisseur, I have travelled far and wide searching for the best of the best, the cream of the crop. My refined palate expects nothing less than perfect. So, stepping into the commons of North Toronto Collegiate Institute, my expectations were low. Children milled around like ants and I, a distinguished food critic, could not help but feel alien.

The welcoming environment was… lacking. Before, I was doted on at 5 star Michelin restaurants. And now? I had to stand in line to get my food? Repulsive.

But what I would come to realize over the week I dined in its hallowed halls is that the NTCI cafeteria is not to be trifled with, despite its lack of immediate customer service. The wait to be fed was nothing short of humbling. As I towered over 11th graders, it gave me a chance to truly consider my choices, and what exactly I did to get to this point. It wasn’t pleasant, but it gave a look into the mindset of a student, something I have not considered in 40 odd years.

It soon came to my turn to order, and I was shocked at the price versus the quality. Purchasing a meal here comes out to around less than $10, a far cry from the $250 ragu I had tasted just yesterday evening. Its affordability made me question its taste.

I couldn’t focus on that for too long, however, because I had more pressing matters. What I didn’t realize when I

Illustration by Jocelyn Tang

ordered my food was that there was an added challenge. That challenge was to carry my plate, with a piece of chicken larger than my head, to a table without it all falling off. Some may be annoyed by this, but I actually enjoyed it. Once I got past all the teenagers giving me weird looks, it started to become fun.

Finally, I settled myself at a table with a group of wary 10th graders and prepared to dig in. I would have interviewed them, but apparently, they weren’t interested in talking food with a 50-year-old freelancer. Their loss re-

ally. I could have made them famous.

Exhausted from my trip from the counter to the table, I finally got a bite.

And suddenly, I was in heaven. It felt as if I was Remy from Ratatouille, getting my first taste of real food and seeing colours explode in front of my eyes. The balance of flavours was heavenly. It was not too savoury, with just enough tomato to give the sauce a little kick. For $10 it sure tasted a whole lot better than my $250 ragu. Something awoke inside me at that moment, and I knew that I would never be the same. The emotions

flooding through my body were akin to the ones I felt when my first daughter came into this world. Elation. Pride.

Every positive feeling under the sun.

I made a resolution at that moment: a resolution to come here for the rest of the week. Such Euphoria had never filled me before. I arrived early the next day, hoping to indulge in a timeless classic; Shepherd’s Pie. Much to my surprise, a horde of adolescents had already stationed themselves at the counter, and supply ran out in a few short minutes. I had to settle for Chicken Tenders and Fries, a meal that I hadn’t partaken in, in what felt like years. They were just as good as the previous day, and I found myself just as content.

This establishment is a hidden gem among grub hubs in Toronto, and it’s a shame it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Were they to increase advertising, they could grow to unprecedented new heights. It’s the quintessential high school experience, the only difference being an increase in quality. I recommend all my faithful readers check out the North Toronto Collegiate Institute Commons Cafe and give it a five-star review on Yelp, because that’s what I’ll be doing.

Signing off,

Okaei Boummer, 5-star awardwinning New York Times food critic, Father of 7, and amateur golf pro

36 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | HUMOUR & GAMES

Ok, Boomer

Illustration by Christina Kim

Sarisha Panday Editor

A

new trend has swept the internet, and as with all trends, it is being scrutinized by the older generations. This time, however, the contempt is for completely different reasons. Teens and young adults alike have taken to uttering the words (get ready for it): Ok, Boomer. A phrase so simple, yet powerful enough to cripple old people everywhere. This phrase has risen in popularity over the last few months, garnering music and, quite expectedly, Tik Toks about it.

And why would it not? ‘Ok, Boomer’ represents rebellion. It symbolizes an unwillingness to be silenced on everything we fight for. With climate change and financial inequality becoming growing concerns and baby boomers denying their existences, invalidating our identities and ideas, and continually contributing to the problems we stress about for hours on end, we needed a rebuttal: a way to shut them down as they have to us so

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many times. It’s also kind of fun to say.

In fact, it’s almost addicting.

I worry that I say it too much in my personal life. “Ok, Boomer,” I utter.

“Please,” cries my family, “This is too much. We just want to talk to you.” “Ok, Boomer,” I reply. Tears stream down their faces. I open my mouth to apologize, but I cannot speak. My friends stage an intervention. “You need help,” they beg. I cry out inside my mind; Yes! I do! I cannot speak, save only for… Well, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Arguably the best part of this whole trend is that once you identify which teachers at our school are boomers, you have immeasurable power over them. Why just yesterday I uncovered that Ms. Monteith was part of this generation. Now, whenever she assigns me playing tests I can simply say: “Ok, Boomer,” and suddenly I’m acing Band. I plan to compile a list of all known Boomers teaching at North Toronto in hopes that it will make the student body’s lives a bit easier. It’s like I always say; I am a woman of the people. That being said, use this resource with caution. There’s no telling how your teacher will respond to it.

You may ask yourself; “why would they be offended? It’s only two words!” Well, in retaliation to the public ridicule of stuck-up seniors, boomers have taken to calling this meme a ‘slur.’ I know what you’re thinking. Ridiculous! Comparing ‘Ok Boomer’ to a word that you can’t even say is really telling of how inoffensive it is. In fact, although I’m sure you all have heard it by now, this situation works in tandem quite nicely with a quote from John Mulaney (a world-renowned cryptid, comedian, and just a really solid guy).

In his special New In Town, he muses the following: “If you’re comparing the badness of two words, and you won’t even say one of them…that’s the worse word.” You can draw your own conclusions from that, but it’s quite obvious that “Ok, Boomer” is anything but a slur.

Keeping all this in mind, I have a theory about this phenomenon. We assumed that “Ok, Boomer” was disliked by its targets because they didn’t enjoy the tables being turned on them.

But what if there was another, more arcane, reason. Let’s think about this; Baby Boomers are classified by the generation born between 1946 and 1964.

What do you get when you add up those digits? Both years’ digits (respectively) make a sum of 10. 20 is a multiple of 10. How many witches were killed during the Salem Witch trials? 20! It’s my hypothesis that the Boomers have been cursed by those very same witches, and as a result are somehow physically or and mentally affected every time some utters “Ok, Boomer.” It’s unclear why, but my many fever dreams confirm this information. Further investigation needs to be done, but I suggest asking Ms. Montieth if she ever experiences intermittent headaches.

Now, students of NT, armed with this knowledge, I urge you to go out there and use it. For the good of the planet or not, that’s up to you. In this era where we, unfortunately, have to fight for our future on Earth, it sometimes feels like you can’t do anything.

Stuck inside a classroom all day with an expectation to study and get a good job for the future when we’re not even sure if we’ll have one; It feels hopeless.

But there is one way you can contribute. And it’s two simple little words.

Ok, Boomer.

HUMOUR & GAMES | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 37

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38 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | HUMOUR & GAMES VIDEO GAMES

For all the ways we play A casual defense of the artistic integrity of video games.

AI who desires one thing… your love.

The developers know that this isn’t a story you can put in a book; it doesn’t have the same effect unless it’s happening to you, right in front of your eyes. Formatting the story as a dating simulator is a stroke of genius, comparable to the king of horror himself.

Illustration by Christina Kim

Emma Frasheri Editor

M

y mom and I don’t get along.

We have different interests, clashing personalities, and stubborn mindsets, but one thing we do agree on is that Mario is fun. We both like collecting all the Star Coins, we both like speedrunning through the game, and we both find it relaxing. But the real question is: can Mario be art?

Gaming has risen in popularity over time and is now the number one source of entertainment throughout the world. But with popularity comes controversy. One of the biggest debates over the past couple of years is the concept of video games being considered an artistic medium. Luckily for you all, I’m here to settle the debate. Every way to Sunday, video games are art, and here’s why: 1. Sweet Emooootiooonnnn~ Our story begins in the strangest place of all; Starbucks. It was one of the smaller outlets, in an Indigo, and after ordering my Peppermint Hot Chocolate, I walked up to the first Hippie on a Laptop™ I saw. He gave me an odd look when I took the chair across from him and stared. Without giving the man any context, I asked him: “What is Art?”

After assuring him I was neither a creep nor a girl scout, he gave me his answer, and politely asked me to buzz off. My next target was a mother and her two sons. They were far more polite and answered the question with vigour and enthusiasm. I was kicked out after getting through about six other parties under the excuse of “disturbing other patrons,” but my goal had been achieved.

Everyone I spoke to gave me a variation of “Art is a thing that people create to get you to feel or understand something about the creator.”

So, unless all the people I talked to were part of a conspiracy to invali-

date a random kid’s article, we can assume that this definition is one of an average, reasonable person. Video games fit this definition to a T.

People feel things when they play games. Do you remember smashing your Wii Remote when you couldn’t beat Rainbow Road, or that feeling of sheer victory when you creamed your family members in Mario Party? How is this any different than the angry power of a KISS song, or the chaotic isolation of the Starry Night? These emotions are just as real and just as deep.

2. Story is Substance (sometimes) Let’s talk story. What kind of rating would you give my epic Starbucks fiasco? Were the characters compelling? Was there a solid setting and atmosphere? No, of course not, but all great artists pay attention to their story when they create art.

Why can Stephen King’s novel IT be pit against indie dating simulator Doki Doki Literature Club for creepiest horror story of the modern era?

Well, that’s because both these stories know how to use their medium.

Let’s start with IT. Stephen King is a fantastic writer, made famous by his descriptive style and mastery of tension.

One of the scariest scenes in the book is when protagonist Eddie encounters the monster himself, made so terrifying due to the detail and the drawn out nature of in which his terror is depicted. Stephen King knows that horror in books is hard, which is why he takes time to establish the true terror of the beast and how soul-crushing being hunted can be.

Doki Doki takes a different approach, building trust with the player, only for them to realize that something isn’t quite right after it’s too late. Out of the four main girls, two of them commit suicide, one by hanging and the other by self-mutilation with a knife (there was always something off about Yuri to me), and the other gets deleted by the only girl you can’t date, the self-aware

3. You’ve Gotta Know the Rules to Break Em One of the most common criticisms I hear against video games is that “they’re just for kids”. Yes, in this age of Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, I can see how everything can be confused for Mario. But, gaming is art, and like art, it has a set of tools that can be used to create it, and of course, innovate it. When an artist decides to create something, one of the most important steps is deciding the proper tool for the project, and how to use that tool.

Picasso, for instance, was ridiculed and accused of making a mockery of art in his time, but as we know today, his use of shape and colour made his work revolutionary. He used the same colours and shapes as everyone else but abstracted them, giving them their own feel and life. I can think of a similar instance in gaming history.

Mario is old. It found the money making formula and perfected it to a science. But people were getting bored: is this truly all that platforming has to offer? Then along came Celeste, a platformer in which you play as a girl who wishes to scale a mountain. The first mechanic you get introduced to is the dash jump, in which you dash while in midair to cross large gaps. From there on, the game has you apply this same mechanic in insane and spectacular ways. You can use the momentum from moving blocks, to launch yourself across chasms, you can dash vertically, to gain more height from your jumps, the possibilities were endless. Like Picasso, Celeste used the same tools as Mario did, but only applied them in different ways to create a unique and ridiculously fun experience.

4. No Cheat Codes This Time Alright, let’s address the elephant in the room. Critics. Naysayers. The 5 or so of you who are still reading this and are still saying “Games aren’t art!”

First of all, to you guys, Hi. Allow me to humbly inform you of your position. You’re the minority. The Supreme Court of the United States has acknowledged video games as an art form, protected under the First Amendment, Freedom of Speech.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has twenty-three video games on display in an exhibit and hope to get the number up to forty. To them, it’s part of a broader effort to “celebrate gaming as an artistic medium.”

Oh, and let me guess, you’re about to pull out the “art is meant to create life and joy, video vames encourage violence and give people freedom to do terrible things digitally, such as rape and mass shootings.” Well, once again my dear reader, you are incorrect. Now, gaming is no stranger to controversy, I won’t deny that. In fact, I’ll do the work for you; let’s talk about “No Russian”.

This is the title of a mission

in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in which you, an undercover CIA agent, have to maintain your cover by gaining the trust of a Russian terrorist group by committing a mass shooting at an airport. The title comes from the infamous line “Remember, no Russian” spoken by the terrorist leader, so the ethnicity of the perpetrators can remain hidden.

The optional level caused a massive controversy, with critics debating how graphic the level was, it’s necessity to the story and gameplay, and if the level should be censored due to the sensitive content. But this mission actually falls in line with the moral of Call of Duty. The COD franchise was originally created with the intention of exposing people to the horrors of war, covering very real issues such as PTSD, hostage situations, and military rape. This mission is actually an example of that. The creators wanted to explore how terrorists create such fear and mania in the modern age, and wanted to create an intentionally uncomfortable experience for the player (which it most certainly was).

A situation like this can actually be likened to all sorts of controversy in “real” art, such as the sensitive content in Lolita or the unfair sadness of the ending of The Mist movie adaption.

To finish this section off, I want to bring up a scene from the Adam Sandler movie Pixels. At one point in the film, Adam Sandler sits next to a kid who’s shooting zombies on a TV screen. Sandler then complains to the kid that the game requires no strategy, it’s just mindless violence. This scene broke my heart a little because I immediately recognized the game the kid was playing, The Last of Us.

This is an action-adventure game that came out in 2013, in it you play as co-protagonist Joel, with a mission to escort a teenage girl named Ellie across a post-apocalyptic USA. While seemingly simple on the surface, The Last of Us is one of gaming’s crowning achievements, with a rich story filled with heart wrenching moments, epic action sequences, and honest moments between the characters.

Ellie is simply a joy of a protagonist: funny, resourceful, and badass. her relationship with the grumpy and paranoid Joel carries the game with a layer of depth most other games lack. The themes of family, survival, human will, and guilt are also perfectly conveyed throughout the game. So, to hear such a beloved game with so much thought, effort, and heart behind it, be labelled as “mindless violence” is an insult.

So there you go; gaming is art.

It fits the definition, it has artistic elements that are unique to the medium, and it has a history of innovation and progress with every new installment of the Sonic franchise. Playing a video game is one of the most unique experiences ever because you can get anything out of it, whether you want to relax and farm some crops in Stardew Valley, or just yell at some 12-yearolds playing Fortnite, there’s a game for every way we play. No matter what though, we play games to have fun.

And in the immortal words of Reggie Fils-Aimé, former CEO of Nintendo, “If it’s not fun, why bother?”

HUMOUR & GAMES | JANUARY 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 39

40 GRAFFITI | JANUARY 13, 2020 | HUMOUR & GAMES CULTURE

Memes of the decade: The evolution of meme culture No future generations will understand this humour … EVER

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ad you told someone in the early 1800s that in the year 2019 the plan to raid Area 51 would become one of the biggest memes on Instagram in 2019, they probably would have asked you what a “meme” was. Had you mentioned this, however, to someone in 2009, they would have asked you what Instagram was.

Elena Vlitas Contributor Brooke Williams Contributor

Through the years, memes have evolved into such a twisted and nonsensical type of humour that is funny in an unfunny way.

Popular memes aren’t only images but are taglines. They can cause any group of teens to start cracking up if someone mentions words as simple as “Johnny, Johnny.” In honour of us entering a new era, here are the top memes from each year of the decade:

2011

2010

The OG Troll

Success Kid

“When you are still trending a decade later.”

The absolute purest form of a meme.

2012

Bad Luck Brian

2013

2014 Vine (rip)

Florida Man

Everybody can relate to Bad Luck Brian sometimes.

2015 JOHNNNNN CEEEEEEENAAAAAA

Florida man could defeat an entire army if he chose to.

2016 Distracted Boyfriend

Vine. An honorary meme that is just what you need to butter your croissant.

2017 Loss

Enough said.

2018 Tide Pods

Red dress girl be like, “I could take your man if I want to.”

2019 Please don’t eat tide pods. NTCI does not condone this behaviour. (if you know, you know)

Area 51 2019 has been the year of memes, and it was extremely difficult to choose just one to summarize the year. Area 51, however, was almost the perfect way to cap off the decade. The unique thing about Area 51 was it didn’t have a specific meme format, but rather wrapped a decades worth of memes into one year, the absolute best way to encapsulate an entire decade’s worth of meme culture.