Vol 43 issue 5

The future vision of UTM

Defending journalism

Arts and Crafts for all

U of T’s new antique

Eagles look to come back

News, page 2

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

New UTMSU hire raises questions Munib Sajjad hired as UTMSU’s executive coordinator before becoming executive director MENNA ELNAKA NEWS EDITOR UTMSU’s decision to hire Munib Sajjad as the new executive director has sparked debate from former ERC members regarding whether the choice is a conflict of interest.

ALIDEEB STATEMENTS Earlier this year, UTMSU’s president, Nour Alideeb, provided different statements to The Medium and to The Varsity.

When asked who was on the hiring committee, Alideeb responded in an email to The Medium on September 4, citing the Hiring Committee section in UTMSU’s Policy Manual, which states that it must consist of UTMSU’s president, VP internal, VP Equity, and two board members.

On September 6, in an article by The Varsity, “Former UTSU President Munib Sajjad hired as UTMSU Executive Director”, it was stated that Alideeb was not part of the hiring committee.

“Alideeb did not participate in

FACEBOOK.COM/UTMSU/PHOTO

Munib Sajjad served as UTSU’s president in 2013-2014. either the Executive Coordinator Hiring Committee or the Executive Director Hiring Committee after having rescued herself to avoid a conflict of interest,” stated the article.

The Medium asked Alideeb what

was meant by the “conflict of interest” that The Varsity mentioned, and Alideeb emailed The Medium saying that the hiring processes are confidential.

“I cannot comment on hiring

processes, as they are confidential Human Resource matters. However, conflict of interest is self-invoked and as such I chose to step down from the hiring committee,” she said.

When further asked what she

meant by “self-invoked”, Alideeb did not respond, as of press time.

The Medium also contacted Sajjad for comment on how he was hired into the position.

“I applied for the job, as I saw a job posting listed on the UTMSU website,” he said in an email to The Medium. When asked to confirm who was on the hiring committee, he redirected The Medium to Jackie Zhao, UTMSU’s VP internal, whom Sajjad stated was the chair of the committee.

Zhao responded in an email saying, “The hiring committee for the executive director consisted of myself [Zhao], Marise Hopkins [UTMSU’s VP external], Maleeha Baig [UTMSU’s VP equity], Walied Khogali [former executive director], and two board members.”

Zhao also mentioned that the job posting of executive director “was advertised through the UTMSU website, newsletter, and through professional networks.”

Sajjad continued on page 2

UTM looks into options for co-op programs Principal Krull explains plans for co-op programs, a new building, and all-gender washrooms six years, there will be 38 new hires to bring a balance to the student-faculty ratio.

Krull also mentioned that multiuser and single-user all-gender washrooms have been spread across campus, including Deerfield, CCT Building, the RAWC, and the Student Centre.

“More [all-gender washrooms] will be put in, and future planning will always include all-gender washrooms as we move forward,” Krull said.

SAHIBA SHAH The first of this year’s monthly town hall meetings took place last Tuesday between students, interim principal Ulrich Krull, and the administration.

CO-OP PROGRAMS Krull talked about possibilities for co-op related programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels at UTM. “One of the aspects was to push the sense that students would like more of this type of hands-on implementation of their academic knowledge,” said Krull. He also explained that the forensic science program offers hands-on experiential learning for its students, and that other programs should do the same.

“The question has been posed whether co-op at the undergraduate level is possible, and it is. It is something that is going to be phased in likely as a pilot. It’s going to take time,” Krull also said, adding that the

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Town hall meetings are held every month, except for December and April. professional graduate programs are operating with a co-op style education.

NORTH II According to Krull, the new second phase of the North Building

project, worth around $120 million, is ongoing. The building will be an office space for social sciences and humanities, will offer classroom and research space, and should be able to accommodate about 18,000 students.

“What that means for this campus,

when this opens in August 2018, is we will for the first time in probably two decades have enough space to accommodate people,” said Krull.

He stated that the student population has reached 15,000 this year. He explained that over the next five to

STUDENTS’ CONCERNS Students were also able to direct their questions and concerns to the administration.

UTMSU’s VP equity, Maleeha Baig, raised concern over the lack of adequate multi-faith prayer space on campus, saying that there has been vandalism in one of the prayer rooms.

Concerns continued on page 3

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«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 10.03.2016

UTM designs a new vision draft Office of the Dean plans on holding consultations with students

September 23rd, 2016, 4:00 PM Theft under $5000 A student reported the theft of her purse and contents of it from the Instructional Centre.

September 24th, 2016, 11:50 PM By-Law Offences Campus Police were called to attend a loud party in Roy Ivor Hall. Campus Police attended and shut the party down without incident.

September 24th, 2016, 3:15 PM By-Law Offences Campus Police received a noise

complaint from McLuhan Court.

Campus Police attended the area and spoke with several people and asked them to return to their units.

September 26th, 2016, 5:30 PM Campus Police were advised of students selling UPASSs on Facebook.

Investigation is ongoing.

September 29th, 2016, 7:35 AM Property Damage A non-community member visiting campus reported damage to his car, which was parked in lot 11.

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.

Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905 453 3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.

Blood donors at UTM Lifeline and CBS host donation clinic

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Lifeline hosted blood donation clinics for two days.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN NEWS EDITOR ASSISTANT The UTM Blood and Stem Cell Society and Lifeline hosted a blood donation clinic with the Canadian Blood Services in the Student Centre last Wednesday and Thursday.

A team of volunteers and nurses from CBS and Lifeline hosted the event. “[Lifeline] are the recruiters for the clinics, while CBS administers them with qualified nurses and volunteers,” said Shubneet Malhi, the president of the UTM Blood and Stem Cell Society in an email to The Medium.

According to Malhi, there is a need for donated blood in transfusions, to treat injuries from incidents like car crashes, cancer conditions, as well as several others. The purpose of the clinics is to help reduce the shortage of blood in the medical field across Canada.

“We hold outreach events in the William G. Davis Building, where we

inform students about our upcoming blood clinics, add them to the mailing list so they get reminder emails, and sign them up for appointment times at the clinics,” said Malhi.

Students had the opportunity to set up the appointments through one of Lifeline’s tabling events that are usually held in Davis, or by walkingin on the day the clinic is held.

At the event, around 140 people signed up to be donors. However, the number was dropped to almost 120 because of deferrals as a result of medical situations.

Malhi also explained that the number was less than last year because of these “unexpected” deferrals that happened.

“However, we are sure these individuals will be back to donate blood in our next clinic after their situations have been sorted out,” said Malhi.

The blood donor clinics are held once in each of the two semesters of the academic year.

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

Three professors reviewed the school’s facilities to determine how efficient it is operating.

ALICIA BOATTO ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The Office of the Dean has designed a new vision draft that will help UTM determine its goals as a community, and guide the campus’ growth over the next years.

“This vision was about bringing together the departments; rather than just growing, we grow with a common purpose,” said Amrita Daniere, the vice-principal, academic and dean, in an interview with The Medium.

The draft is a result of an external review the campus underwent in 2015. According to the dean, three “eminent” professors reviewed the school’s facilities to determine how efficiently the school is operating.

“One of the professors’ main concern was that UTM had grown very quickly over quite an amount of time, and there wasn’t a consensus among the different stakeholders about where we were going,” Daniere said.

The current draft, created by the dean and other administrators, was distributed by email to students last week. It cites a variety of areas of focus the school would like to continue

to develop, such as sustainability, communication, and innovation.

“I read the external review, I read the academic plan, I talked to staff and students informally,” Daniere explained.

“It’s a draft because it’s meant to spark discussion, to give people something to criticize and comment on.”

Daniere is planning on holding consultations with students regarding the draft by welcoming constructive feedback.

“In November, I’m going to have at least three focus groups, which will be led by a professional facilitator, and each focus group will be given an hour to give input in an organized manner,” Daniere stated.

“This is when we get feedback, and then we will revise the document based on feedback.”

In addition to the focus groups, the Office of the Dean is planning two open houses to be announced in October and November, where students can meet and speak with Daniere to provide suggestions about the draft.

“The goal would be to have two months of opportunity for feedback; then in December, I will re-draft the

vision. In January, we will re-circulate it again. At that point, what we circulate will be close to final,” Daniere explained.

Daniere also explained that a working group of volunteers will be established to help bring the goals in the Vision Draft into practice throughout the campus.

When the plan gets finalized in early 2017, it will slowly be integrated and begin to guide any requests put forth by departments. These requests and investment opportunities would be held against the vision’s statements to ensure consistency with UTM’s goals.

According to the dean, the draft will not be enforced fully until this time next year.

Students looking to provide feedback can also directly respond to the mass email that distributed the draft last week. Daniere stated that the Office of the Dean is working on creating different modes of sending suggestions for students who wish to remain anonymous.

The dates and times for both the open houses and focus groups are expected to be announced soon.

Sajjad returns to UTMSU Sajjad continued from cover

EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR In an interview with The Medium, Sana Chishti, who was a member of UTMSU’s election review committee for the 2016 Spring elections, stated that Sajjad was the campaign manager for Unite UTM, the current executive team of UTMSU.

“That position was only created for [Sajjad].

It is a complete conflict of interest.” ­— Sana Chishti Chishti also said that Sajjad became an executive coordinator on July 12, after Unite UTM started their term in UTMSU’s office early last May.

“That position never existed before. I’ve never heard of that in my years [at UTM],” said Chishti.

“That position was only created for [Sajjad]; to get him into the picture. It is a complete conflict of interest due to creating positions based on him.”

As of press time, Sajjad did not respond to The Medium’s requests to respond to Chishti’s comments.

“The executive coordinator role was created to support the executive team and board while Mr. Walied Khogali prepared for his departure,” said Zhao.

Zhao confirmed that the position no longer exists. “The job no longer exists because it was advertised as a fixed part-time contract position from July 12 to September 9, due to the absence of a full-time executive director,” he said.

Zhao also stated that, like the executive director position, the executive coordinator position was posted on the “UTMSU website,

newsletters and professional networks”.

SAJJAD’S FORMER POSITIONS Sajjad has served as the VP external for UTMSU for two terms from 2010-2012, UTSU’s VP university affairs and academics in 2012-2013, UTSU’s president in 2013-2014, the VP internal for the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students and the executive director for Scarborough Campus Students’ Union in 20142015, which he stayed in for almost a year and departed for reasons that remain unclear, according to a September 2015 article by The Varsity.

The hiring of Sajjad for the executive director position took place after Walied Khogali, who had been UTMSU’s executive director for almost five years since August 2011, vacated it.

10.03.2016 THE MEDIUM NEWS

Students voice their concerns

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»THOUGHTS ON THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE?

Mykyta Ivanov 1st year, chemical sci

Mohamed El-Hamamy 5th year, biology

I didn’t really watch it.

Both of them were just as bad.

Priyanka Narasimhan 2nd year, computer sci

Gheeda Alnoubani 2nd year, management

Hilary’s going to win.

I actually didn’t watch it.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Lack of campus police investigations and CR/NCR options were among the students’ concerns.

Concerns continued from cover She also expressed her disappointment over the lack of campus police investigations on such cases.

“Even though we knew which students had done this, campus police didn’t go forward or do any investigation in terms of this,” said Baig.

“The office of the dean is committed to increasing training and education for faculty, staff, and students around equity and diversity,” stated UTM’s vice-principal, academic and dean, Amrita Daniere.

Another second-year student,

who did not provide his name in the Town Hall, reported that he saw an incident that occurred on campus on the same day of the town hall: “A lot of ambulances came to the school. Looks like some girl got hurt,” the student said. He expressed overall concern regarding students’ physical and mental health. “[Incidents] like this can be avoided if the school cared about students on an individual basis,” the student continued.

Krull stated that he had not been informed about the incident yet, and could not offer comments on the matter at that time.

An undergraduate psychology student, who also did not provide their name, raised an issue over the lack of debates and forums in his program. Krull suggested that such matters are best directed towards departmental representatives.

Another academic concern brought up was over the credit/no credit option and its limitations, which Krull responded to by saying that he will report back on the issue in next month’s meeting.

Town hall meetings are held every month, with the exception of December and April.

UTMSU explains goals of WUSC U of T surveys staff

on personal matters FATIMA ALVI

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Students got to learn more about WUSC and its goals.

GIANG TRAN UTMSU’s WUSC 101 event last week explained to students the roles held by WUSC and its plans regarding student refugees.

The World University Services of Canada is a non-profit organization working with Canadian colleges and universities. According to its website, their aim is to address international development issues, such as the equitability and sustainability of underprivileged youths worldwide.

According to Marise Hopkins, UTMSU’s VP external, in an email to The Medium, the WUSC 101 event aimed at increasing awareness of WUSC, and providing students with opportunities to do volunteer work, fundraising events, and engage in topics of education advocacy.

“The purpose of organizing events like WUSC 101 is to better educate the membership on the organization, as well as get students involved in the advocacy work associated with the organization,” said Hopkins.

According to Hopkins, WUSC will concentrate on developing its Student Refugee Program this year, which is a student-levy sponsored program for student refugees.

The SRP at UTM was approved in 2007, and has since been welcoming one refugee student to UTM every year.

Peter Kungania, a WUSC coordinator, stated that with increased awareness and participation, WUSC can lobby UTMSU and the administration to give more refugee students a chance to get an education at UTM. Besides SRP, another event on WUSC’s agenda is the Uniterra Symposia.

Hopkins stated in the email that the event is expected to take place early this winter semester.

The purpose of a Uniterra Symposia, according to Hopkins, is to allow students a space to discuss “issues pertaining to international development” on campus.

Kungania also talked about upcoming WUSC fundraising events,

like Ride for Refuge—set to take place on October 4—and Shine a Light.

The Ride for Refuge participants will be given a choice of cycling or walking, and for every mile, WUSC UTM will be raising money to help “the vulnerable, displaced and exploited”, according to the WUSC website.

WUSC’s campaign, Shine A Light, addresses education and gender gaps for refugee children by funding after-school classes for girls.

Kungania stated that WUSC is not only exclusive to UTM students, but is also open to their friends, families, and people who live near UTM, if they want to volunteer with the program.

Kungania also relayed hopes to have all members of WUSC and student bodies take initiatives to create plans and take part to carry out future activities for the rest of the year.

“Students are free to come to our meetings to learn more about what we decide to do this year,” he said.

U of T collected information on this year’s faculty and staff in an online survey pertaining to race and gender.

The university has been doing the survey for a few years. According to Angela Hildyard, U of T’s vice-president for human resources and equity, in an interview with The Medium, some changes took place in the structure of the survey this year “to better mirror the ethnic diversity of U of T”.

Hildyard stated that questions on past surveys included the staff “selfidentifying” themselves in terms of gender, stating whether or not they are a visible minority, if they have a disability, and if they have an Aboriginal status or not.

Hildyard also mentioned that most of the questions asked were what the federal government had required and outlined for the university.

The Human Resources and Equity Office of U of T has altered this year’s survey by taking into account how many trans staff members the university has, and to take into consideration that the term “Aboriginal” is not what indigenous staff prefer to be identified as.

“By changing the language to make it more appropriate for 2016 and changing the categories in the questions, the survey now includes specific questions on race and eth-

nicity and sexual orientation,” said Hildyard.

According to Hildyard, the employment number is entered into the online system when completing the survey, but is not reflected in the employment data, so that it doesn’t affect the employment history and remain confidential.

Analysis will take place to understand what positions the staff are in, how promotions could be earned, and if there could be any development opportunities.

“Our hope then is to, by the end of the calendar year, have collected data from the vast majority of our staff and faculty tri-campus, so that we can start doing some analysis of that data,” said Hildyard.

The university is also looking into conducting a survey for students.

Prior to launching it, the university will be considering methods that can ensure the confidentiality of the students.

“It could be done anonymously, but if it is connected to a student’s academic program, then it creates some other issues,” said Hildyard.

“That is why discussions are still ongoing and active at the present time regarding student surveys to analyze the diversity of students on campus,” she continued.

According to Hildyard, a report about the areas of diversity in the university will be posted online in the spring.

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10.03.2016

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Maria Cruz editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Mahmoud Sarouji managing@themedium.ca News Menna Elnaka news@themedium.ca A&E Hailey Mason arts@themedium.ca Features Farah Qaiser features@themedium.ca Sports Eric Hewitson sports@themedium.ca — Photo Olivia Adamczyk photos@themedium.ca Design Sarah Yassine design@themedium.ca Copy Farah Khan copy@themedium.ca Online Meg Sharpley online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Alicia Boatto A&E TBD Features TBD Sports TBD Photo TBD Copy TBD GENERAL STAFF News Assistant Kassandra Hangdaan Webmaster Luke Sawczak web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Alison Ross distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Mayank Sharma ads@themedium.ca Cartoonist Anthony Labonté BOARD OF DIRECTORS Edric Michael Bala, Mike Dopsa, Maleeha Iqbal, Arika Macaalay, Rafay Mirza, Christine Capewell, Maria Cruz, Maria Iqbal COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent.

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Giving students the full story In the face of resistance, student journalists devote their time to the facts Running a paper gives the opportunity for several people throughout the year to come knocking on your door or calling the office with complaints. Regardless, if it was something that you yourself didn’t even say, people are opinionated. Which they should be.

But as the editor-in-chief of this paper, it’s my job to defend journalistic practices. It’s my job to defend this team. It’s my job to stand by any journalist, past or present, from this paper and defend their devotion to their duties.

Admittedly, I don’t speak with as much experience as previous editorsin-chief. I’m only in my fifth week of my editorship. But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t know what I’m talking about when it comes to journalistic practices and integrity. I’ve been at this paper for four years, and I’d like to think that I’ve picked up a thing or two.

In the years that I’ve been here, I’ve quickly learned just how important it is to stick to your opinions and to stick your knowledge, despite what others may think. This lesson has become more evident now that I’m editor-in-chief.

In this position, my eyes have been opened a little wider to the difficulty of obtaining information. Sources don’t answer you, they redirect you to other people, or claim information is incorrect when that isn’t the case. I’ve been here long enough to know that past incidents have held us responsible for printing stories that weren’t spun in the favour of those we were writing about.

We’ve spent countless hours in the newsroom to ensure that students are getting the full story of anything they may have heard. It’s our job to search for facts. It’s our job to ask the hard questions. It’s our job to take the heat from people when we inadvertently push their buttons.

Our job is to report on the facts. Journalists mustn’t be afraid to give students the truth, even in the face of resistance.

I think the job of a student journalist is immediately thrown under the rug as a legitimate profession. If we ask the tough questions, all of a sudden we become snoops. If we persist for answers, we’re annoying. The harder we try to get to the bottom of a story, the more resistance we face.

In the face of resistance, it’s important that journalists keep pushing.

Students have a right to know where their money goes. Just like they deserve information on a CUPE strike or the fact that the English and drama department faces sexism in their department.

I can’t stress enough just how little credit investigative journalists get for their work and dedication to finding answers. I think people underestimate our job and publication because we’re perceived as students who take the paper too seriously, thereby making us look like just another student paper that tries too hard.

I also think another significant reason that we’re underestimated is because we’re students. Unfortunately, student journalists don’t get taken seriously, because others don’t take the publication seriously. Thereby, we all get lumped into the same category of something that can be ignored because it’s irrelevant.

But serious student journalists are the ones who bring information to the students, regardless of how difficult it is to obtain. Countless students write to us, post on our website, or even mention to me on the way to class how they want stories on this or that. And we try our hardest to bring those stories to light.

Despite my short amount of time here, I think one of my biggest qualms about any criticism thrown our way— recently or in the past—is that we’re somehow in the wrong for chasing answers. Journalists, especially student journalists, get a lot of flak for asking the questions that some people don’t want to answer.

Journalists are even depicted in this fashion in the media. The little annoying journalist who snoops too much or goes too far. Before I became a journalist, I thought the same thing of those in the field. But, when your job is to report on the facts, it’s your duty to achieve those facts.

The importance of getting both sides of the story is something any journalist tries to give the public. It’s the same with giving as much information as possible. To face backlash or complaints just comes with the job.

Student journalists are often misperceived as people who are will-

ing to sacrifice their journalistic integrity that other, larger, papers follow. We’re young and on a smaller scale, so we have no set of journalistic principles that we follow. We’re part of a smaller paper, which somehow translates into asking us to bend the rules that every journalist follows.

In all my years here, I’ve been exposed to this numerous times. It happens even more now that I’m the editor-in-chief. I can’t explain our jobs any better than I am here.

Our job is to report the facts.

There’s no hidden agenda, and we’re not out to get anyone. Students have always had the right to know where their money goes, who’s a part of the union, departmental changes, and the like. Journalists mustn’t be afraid to give students the truth, even in the face of resistance.

YOURS, MARIA CRUZ

CORRECTION NOTICE The Sept. 26 article, “A new year, a new lineup for UTM” mispelled Bilal Rifai’s surname.

In the article, “Prepping for professional tests - with help?” the 10-day course priced at $700 was described as a 14-day course priced at $2200.

The article, “New GRM to reach programs across UTM” contained wording of one metaphor suggesting that deBraga first used the GRM on rats instead of students.

10.03.2016

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Paint your way into Queer Orientation Arts and Crafts provides a safe space for students in support of Queer Orientation Week LAURELLA JOSE Queer Orientation is an annual tri-campus event that offers LGBTQ-focused programming over the course of one week. This year’s Queer Orientation at UTM continued with Arts and Crafts, an event hosted by UTMSU and OUT@UTM last Monday.

Located in the Presentation Room of the Student Centre, Arts and Crafts was an intimate gathering. It featured groups of friends who sat around a table in the company of canvases, paint, and cookies.

“First impression: very welcoming,” says Sam Hill, a first-year art and art history student. “I felt like they all were very open to new students to make them feel comfortable.”

While the week’s events are open to everybody, Hill is one of many first-year students that Queer Orientation focuses their events on.

“I’m glad that these spaces exist, because it allows queer students to

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Students gather in the Student Centre’s Presentation Room for the Arts and Crafts event. mingle and see all the different representations of gender and sexualities that exist on the campus,” Hill says.

With the classic prompt to “paint

our feelings,” the small group I was a part of worked on pieces ranging from our childhood to experimental portraits.

Roya Ghahremani, a fourth-year

psychology student and the executive director of OUT@UTM, says that Arts and Crafts was “a way to escape that everyday bustle and negativity that we are exposed to,

and take a bit of time off our busy days to reconnect with one another and ourselves—and what better way to do that then with art, which we have so little opportunity for these days.”

“The goal this year is to create an environment where LGBTQ students feel comfortable and welcomed, and that they are supported and welcomed, and that this is their campus as much as anyone else’s,” Ghahremani continues. “By getting involved with us, people can feel they are contributing to the creation and spread of that positive space, as well as find a place they can come to at the end of the day to feel accepted, no matter who they are.”

This year, OUT@UTM aims to conduct more outreach activities through collaborations with the equity department. An initiative both these organizations are working on is the Equity Service Centre, which aims to centralize most of the positive spaces around campus, such as the Food Centre, all in one building.

Let’s talk art: Ed Pien shares his insight The artist of Shadowed Land discusses his inspiration and artistic process at AGM art talk KEENA AL-WAHAIDI Shadowed Land, one of two featured exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, has been a hit since its opening on September 22. Ed Pien, the artist behind this display, led a talk at the gallery last Thursday to discuss his inspiration and insight into his work.

From hearing Pien speak, it was evident that he is knowledgeable on the struggles of the basic human condition. Pien explained how art played a role in the passing of his grandmother. Because of this tragedy, he had the opportunity to connect with various relatives that he’d never met before. He described the paper flowers they made together over the span of a couple of days.

For Taiwanese Buddhists, like Pien and his family, this tradition is common after the death of a loved one.

The art of paper flowers led Pien to find peace with himself, even when his grief was hard to overcome. At the time, the death of Pien’s grandmother seemed like it would remain in his consciousness as a bad memory. However, he explained that this memory defined his artistic ideas in Shadowed Land.

To be clear, Pien didn’t exploit his

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Pien leads a discussion on his thriving exhibition at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, Shadowed Land. grandmother’s death for his own artistic purposes. Rather, he used his grief as a driving force to share his talent with the world—an act that his grandmother would undoubtedly respect.

Pien’s slideshow switched to images of The Last Flowers of Manet,

a book by Andrew Forge and Robert Gordon. According to Pien, Edouard Manet painted every bouquet of flowers he received at his deathbed in a series of 16 still-life paintings. Pien claimed that in doing so, Manet captured the energy of nature. Manet knew he was dying, yet

his desire to portray the essence of beauty outweighed his current state.

The Last Flowers of Manet is crucial to the themes of Pien’s artwork.

Pien connects this text to his Mason jar creation, the first piece you’ll notice when entering Shadowed Land.

Pien recalled capturing tiny insects

outside with jars as a child. With this piece, he wishes to showcase the idea that life moves quickly. He hopes to capture the small blessings of nature, the same way he captured insects. Overall, Pien is interested in how nature produces beautiful creatures with short lifespans. This notion is essential in the way he processes the beauty of nature in his art.

Pien ended his talk with his most celebrated piece in the gallery—the room of record players. He discussed the influence of memory on the creation of this piece. Pien insisted that the way we recall memory is based on the present; we construct our present with an incorporation of our past. This is the reason, he notes, that the music from the turntables is intermittent.

Memories fade and resurface, similar to the rhythms emanating from the records.

Pien’s passion was evident from the moment he stepped up to the podium. The overarching theme he expressed was empathy. This emotion is a way for us to share our experiences with each other. Without it, we have no way of understanding one another’s past, present, and future.

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THE MEDIUM 10.03.2016

Representing diversity Culture Day unites different cultures in Mississauga

JANINA MALAPITAN

ANUM SYED/THE MEDIUM

The Living Arts Centre presents a variety of cultural performances in the Smart Centres Atrium.

KIMBERLY DAY Culture Day, held at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga last Saturday, was an event of immense interest.

The family-friendly event offered a selection of free performances and activities that demonstrated cultural diversity in the arts. Culture Day provided something for everyone; guests of all ages watched performances, while children jumped in the bouncy castle and played with clowns.

Culture Day took place primarily in the Smart Centres Atrium. The spacious area was filled with a small stage and a cluster of tables filled with arts and crafts for guests to enjoy.

The first performance I viewed was the Mississauga Pops Concert Band.

Playing beautiful pieces from several modern artists, the band captured the crowd.

Following them was a series of acts by the Mississauga Chinese Arts Organization, a non-profit organization that performs at different events in Mississauga to spread awareness of Chinese culture. The group’s first performance was the Xihu Lake dance.

Prior to this performance, the audience was told to imagine a beautiful woman walking with an umbrella through the rain towards the Living Arts Centre. Ladies wearing bright pink and white dresses and holding delicate umbrellas ventured onto the stage to entertain the crowd.

Following this performance, the MCAO presented several more acts, including dances to “Drumming Dance of the Homeland” and “Snow Jasmine Flower.” Also, a song called “Salim Salim” was sung by a group of men belonging to the organization.

Of all the performers that participated in Culture Day, the MCAO was definitely the most popular among viewers.

Sagelee and the Robins, a group of student guitarists and vocalists from Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, were next. Their act was impressive; they covered well-known songs such as “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake, and “This Love” by Maroon 5. Although the act started slightly late due to sound checks, it was well worth the wait.

After the intermission, the audi-

ence was introduced to Indian culture with the Sampradaya Dance Academy. Following the introductory dance, the team performed a dance that incorporated the use of Ghungroos, ankle bracelets comprised of multiple bells. The academy danced to modern Western songs as well, such as Adele’s “Hello.”

The final act was given by Frog in Hand, a multidisciplinary group of artists founded by Noelle Hamlyn and Colleen Snell. The group performed a brief dance routine from their upcoming show, Creature. The dancers acted as workers in a gun factory. They danced to “Rocky Road to Dublin” by The Dubliners, an Irish song about a man’s travels from his home in Tuam, Ireland to Liverpool, England.

Most of the dances for Culture Day were interactive, occurring off the stage and in the crowd. This year’s Culture Day was definitely a worthwhile event, as it allowed guests to experience different cultures through a variety of artistic mediums.

Expanding the spotlight U of T Spotlight hosts first Cabaret Night of the year RACHAEL MASIH Last Wednesday night, I had the pleasure of attending U of T Spotlight’s first Cabaret Night of the year in Hart House’s Arbor Room. U of T Spotlight involves students from all three U of T campuses. Their initiative is to provide theatrical opportunities for growing artists to share and improve their work.

U of T Spotlight did a wonderful job creating a performative space with this event. However, the night got off to a rocky start. Very few people showed up to participate, and of the few who officially signed up to perform, only one came out. This was due to a general lack of promotion. According to Christina Kompson, the event planner and MC for the night, they were “trying to go for paperless advertising”. Learning from this experience, all parties involved agreed that posters will be used next time.

Despite its humble beginnings, the cabaret turned out to be a fantastic

night.

The atmosphere of the Arbor Room was pleasant and conducive to the flow of creativity and community. Overall, the room was cozy and the people were welcoming.

As the event started, people slowly trickled in. Cabaret Night began with a spoken word poem from Kompson that touched on the prevalent issue of drug abuse, and the different ways it affects families. Ben Murchison, a representative of the U of T Drama Coalition, lifted the mood with his performance. He recounted the hilarious and cautionary tale of his first threesome. An ex-boyfriend, a drug dealer, and a fake death later, he reached the end of his story with laughter. The last scheduled performer was Ezera Beyene, who began by singing a few songs. The talented Beyene then continued to perform some spoken word poems.

The second half of the night was reserved for open-mic. This small, inviting group of people allowed even the quietest artists to get up on

stage. Their support compelled me to perform some of my own spoken word poetry.

Luke Maynard was undeniably the star of the night. He performed three poems in total, one of which was witty for a change of pace. Listening to him speak nearly brought me to tears on two occasions: first, as he sang “The Ballad of Penny Evans” by Steve Goodman, and second, as he read a poem for a friend who had passed away. He recounted how sometimes, these major events cease to exist in time. They are simply a part of us.

As they continue to occur every day, they shape who we become.

Many wonderful discussions such as this arose among the gathering.

The message I ultimately took home with me—one you should keep in mind for the next Cabaret Night in November—is that cabaret isn’t reserved for extroverts, or people who love to perform. While it includes these people, it also provides an opportunity for the soft-spoken to experience their voice.

“What do you call an alligator in a vest?” asks actress Olivia Wilde.

“What?”

“An investigator.”

This is how every episode of The Dinner Party Download begins—with an icebreaker or a joke told by one of the guests of the episode. Hosted by Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam, The Dinner Party Download follows the basic structure of an actual dinner party in each hour-long episode. The podcast uses minimal music and background chatter when introducing segments.

After the introductory icebreaker, the hosts and guests engage in small talk. They discuss subjects such as events in the news that may have been overshadowed by more popular topics. As the small talk fades, Gagliano and Newnam introduce the cocktails, where they share a story that occurred the same week in history. Then, they contact a bartender from the city the story took place in to seek inspiration for a drink.

After drinks have been served, the guests mingle while the food is prepared. At this part of the podcast, Gagliano and Newnam invite a musician to create their own dinner party playlist. This list must include three songs

they would play at their own dinner party, as well as an original composition. When the needle on the turntable fades to warm fuzz, the guest of honour enters the scene, introduced by the two hosts. Following this event is the main course. Here, the group discusses trends and other subjects in the current food scene.

The Dinner Party Download is heavily interview-based, which adds a certain realism that mimics a dinner party. The interviews are insightful but still conversational, so it doesn’t feel too one-sided or formal. The segments are witty, creative, and usually follow a narrative format. This lends an especially entertaining element to the cocktail segment, “A History Lesson with Booze®”—trademark and everything. The hosts never miss a beat with their sharp wit, whether they’re asking rock legend Alice Cooper to answer questions of etiquette, or chatting with journalist Anderson Cooper about a book he wrote with his mother.

As a commuter, I download a couple of episodes the night before a school day so I can have something entertaining, informative, and fun to listen to on the bus. If I somehow end up at a dinner party at any point in the week, I’ll have an arsenal of interesting talking points ready.

REWIND KEENA AL-WAHAIDI From the outset, Garry Marshall’s Pretty Woman seems like a superficial film with stereotypical “chickflick” characters. If you find yourself on the back of its DVD cover, chances are you won’t be lured in by its charm.

Pretty Woman is about a woman who learns to achieve her goals without backing down.

However, Pretty Woman is the film that began a long line of influential movies from the 90s, such as Indecent Proposal, and Titanic. The story follows Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts), a beautiful and quirky prostitute searching for something new. When she’s hired for a week as an escort for a dashing businessman, Edward Lewis (Richard Gere), the pair begin a hopeless romance.

Pretty Woman doesn’t just tell the story of a prostitute; it allows us to experience it firsthand. We can feel Vivian’s naïveté when she enters Edward’s swanky hotel for the first time. Her ignorance of city life and

high society makes us cringe; yet this is how she navigates herself in this new world. She compels other people to accept her for who she is.

Vivian talks with her mouth full and is kicked out of retail establishments, yet these features make her relationship with Edward that much more compelling.

Initially, there was a backlash towards Pretty Woman’s overall premise, and it’s not hard to see why.

When Edward parades through his social circles with Vivian on his arm, we’re forced to wonder if Vivian derives her self-worth from the nice clothes and expensive hotel suite Edward buys for her.

While the route of the film’s controversy is debatable, its message is simple. Pretty Woman is about a woman who learns to achieve her goals without backing down. She doesn’t find success in a man, but rather, she finds it in herself.

Almost 27 years after its release, Pretty Woman’s innocent plotline never fails to clash with its serious undertones. Despite the film’s glorification of prostitution, we’re able to relate to its characters. We can feel comfortable with people we have nothing in common with, because ultimately, we all share similar goals.

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U of T: home to the oldest book in CA U of T acquires 500-year-old classic, The Golden Legend, for the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library JESSICA CABRAL About two months ago, U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library purchased a 1507 copy of The Golden Legend, making it the oldest English book currently found in the library’s collection. This book was extremely popular in the Middle Ages, and the library believes that acquiring this ancient classic will be beneficial for the U of T community.

P.J (Pearce) Carefoote, the medieval manuscript and early books librarian at U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, explains that the library staff is constantly browsing through catalogues in search of rare classics that will complement the programs offered at U of T. In this case, Carefoote came across The Golden Legend in an electronic catalogue from a dealer in London, and knew that U of T had to obtain the vintage copy.

“We look for things that will fit the educational needs of our students and the research needs of our professors,” says Carefoote. “We didn’t have anything that old in English at the library. We are always trying to find earlier instances of English printing, so I recommended [the book] to the purchasers.”

Prior to this purchase, the oldest English text residing at the library was from 1527.

UTORONTO.CA/PHOTO

During the 13th century, The Golden Legend was written by the Italian Jacobus De Voragine.

For those unfamiliar with the work, the The Golden Legend is a collection of the lives of the saints, and was originally written in Latin during the 13th century by the Italian Jacobus De Voragine, a member of the Dominican Order of Priests and the Archbishop of Genoa.

By the 15th century, the compilation was translated into most modern languages, including Dutch, German, Italian, and Spanish.

It is unknown who first translated the work into English. The second

translation into English was done

by William Caxton, who is known for introducing the printing press to England. The copy now owned by U of T is Caxton’s translation, which was printed by one of his apprentices.

At the time, translating the Bible into English was considered illegal in England. Caxton, however, included small excerpts of Bible passages translated into English at the beginning of his edition of The Golden Legend.

Carefoote believes that this risky behavior makes the 1507 copy extra

special. “[They are] not entire translations, [but] this is the first time in print [where] you get Bible stories in the English tongue,” Carefoote says.

“There are earlier manuscript versions, but this is the first printed Biblical material in English.”

Another important quality to note is that this version has been visibly censored by one of its past owners.

Carefoote thinks that at some point between the 1530s and the 1540s, the copy had belonged to an individual

who practiced the new Protestant religion during the Protestant Reformation.

Words like “pope” have been clearly struck out, as well as the story of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in an attempt to censor the text.

“I’d definitely be interested in visiting the library and taking a look at this book. I appreciate the value of classical texts such as these, because they can be used to further our understanding of the time period from which they originated,” says Shayna Jan, a second-year history major at UTM. “Primary sources allow us to get a glimpse into the past, and new discoveries are certainly helpful in decoding exactly how people lived and thought.”

Alongside this 1507 copy of The Golden Legend, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is home to the first printing of Shakespeare in 1623, which is the only copy in Canada. In addition, they own early editions of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, as well as first editions of scientific texts, including works by Charles Darwin and Galileo Galilei.

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is open to the public. Everyone, especially students, is encouraged to visit the library to physically browse through U of T’s newest—and oldest—printed English text.

Aboriginal relations: past, present, future Former supreme court judge, the Honourable Frank Iacobucci, spoke at this year’s Snider lecture MAHERA ISLAM Last Tuesday, UTM’s annual Snider Lecture, focused on improving Canada’s relationships with Aboriginal people, was held at the Kaneff Centre. This year’s speaker was former supreme court judge, the Honourable Frank Iacobucci.

Throughout his career, Iacobucci has worked extensively with various demographics, including Aboriginal individuals. He was the federal government’s representative in the negotiations that led to the 2005 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Additionally, Iacobucci compiled a comprehensive 413-page report, titled “Police Encounters with People in Crisis”, for former police chief William Blair of the Toronto Police Services. His recommendations included creating a police and mental health oversight committee, and proactively educating officers on the available mental health resources.

Iacobucci currently represents the

OSCAR ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

This year’s Snider Lecture focused on improving Canada’s relationship with Aboriginal people.

Province of Ontario in its negotiations with the Chiefs of the Matawa Council on the Ring of Fire.

The Snider Lecture began with a traditional Indigenous welcome by UTM’S Aboriginal Elder Cat Criger.

At the beginning of the lecture, Iacobucci stated, “With over 55 years [of experience] in the law, I have never encountered issues more complex and more difficult than those relating to Aboriginal people.”

He highlighted the history of Aboriginal people in Canada, particularly how the systemic discrimination and marginalization they faced under the government has impacted the kinds of issues they experience

today. For example, the treaties that were signed between the Aboriginal people and the British and the French post-contact led to them losing their land.

“In the minds of the Aboriginal people, the treaty is about sharing the land […], whereas in the minds of the government of our country, it was about their surrender of land,” said Iacobucci.

Iacobucci also spoke about Indian Residential schools, which were created to assimilate and “kill the Indian in the child,” causing an intergenerational trauma, as well as dysfunctional family relations in the Aboriginal community. He further elaborated about how all these human rights violations have led to everyday challenges, such as inadequate housing, poor education, and even shortages of clean water on reserves.

“No amount of money can compensate [for this],” said Iacobucci.

Snider continued on page 9

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Global threat: superbugs UTM’s buildings: more than bricks AYESHA TIRMZI

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

The UN has officially classified antibiotic resistance as a crisis, similar to HIV and Ebola.

FATHIYA MOHAMED

Even as a casual observer of the news over the past few years, it would be difficult to avoid terms such as “superbug”, or its more scientific counterpart, “antibiotic-resistant bacteria”. A quick Google News search on the “antibiotic apocalypse” will present pages upon pages of results. As inherently alarming as the word is, it begs the question: just how serious is this issue, and at what point should you be worried?

As you may know, doctors generally prescribe antibiotics to individuals with infections caused by bacteria, fungi, and certain parasites.

However, with rampant antibiotic misuse (such as not taking antibiotics for the entire time period prescribed by the doctor, or using antibiotics when they are not necessary), bacteria have the opportunity to evolve and become resistant to antibiotics.

This antibiotic resistance is not limited to the bacteria residing in your body—it is now a global concern.

On September 22, 2016, the UN officially classified antibiotic resistance as a crisis—that is, on the same level as HIV and Ebola. All 193 member states came to the consensus that action must be taken.

“The crisis has been stimulated by our overuse and misuse of antibiotics as unnecessary prophylactics in medicine, household products, and agriculture,” says Steven Short, a UTM biology professor with a focus on microbial ecology and virology.

“This has created microbial environments with strong selective pressure for antibiotic resistance. In essence, we have favoured resistant bacteria and helped them outcompete their sensitive relatives.”

Antibiotic resistance is nothing new, as bacteria have developed re-

sistance to enemy compounds as a form of self-defense throughout their history.

A troubling result came from a 2015 multi-country survey, conducted by the World Health Organization, which demonstrated that 64% of participants understood that antibiotic resistance is a key issue that could affect them and their families, but do not understand how the issue affects them and what can be done to address the problem.

UTM’s Fiona Rawle, a biology professor, has previously led various research projects which sought to out to assess and remedy the misconceptions about antibiotic resistance amongst students.

Fatima Atyani, a third-year biology for health sciences major and chemistry minor, was one of the students involved in this research project.

“The thing that makes antibiotic resistance so scary nowadays is that not many undergraduate students are aware of its existence and of its dangers,” Atyani says. “If the antibiotic resistance problem is going to be at its largest in a couple of years, these students are the ones that should be the most educated on the topic, [especially] if we want to tackle [it] and hopefully prevent this issue from ever getting out of hand.”

College students have been identified in previously established research literature as a surprising demographic to harbor these kinds of misconceptions, given their high level of education.

Landi Zhou, a third-year biology and chemistry double major, aimed to categorize all known antibiotic resistance misconceptions in the literature through his ROP with Dr. Rawle. “[Antibiotic resistance misconceptions] was a lot more prevalent in countries in Asia. This had a lot to do with the various superstitions or

cultural practices that are deeply embedded there. Globally, the groups of people who have more difficulty [with the concept of antibiotic resistance] are groups such as the impoverished and less educated,” says Zhou.

Given this information, many would wonder—are we doomed to a future without any antibiotics?

I reached out to a few UTM biology professors with the same question: “What are some solutions you can think of for counteracting the possibility of a post-antibiotic era?”

Professor George Espie, a UTM microbiology professor, commented, “We haven’t invested much in the discovery of new antibiotics. It was, at one time, admirable to explore the field of antibiotic resistance. It has now become a business venture. The focus is changing from one that used to be a human enterprise into a business enterprise”.

“It seems like throwing our money at something once it becomes too late in the game is often our solution, and this is a recurring issue.”

Short offers a similar viewpoint, stating, “A more judicious use of antibiotics will help mitigate the crisis, and ongoing research on new antibiotic compounds will certainly provide new countermeasures to treat resistant infections.”

“The biggest thing that we can change is the over-prescription of antibiotic drugs. Relying on a very small number of antibiotics, and applying them at any sign of a cold that the immune system may be able to fight off, is probably a contributor to resistance,” comments bioinformatics professor Rob Ness.

Despite many signs pointing to a bleak future, awareness of the issue is key to implementing solutions in order to tackle these superbugs.

At the recent Mississauga Urban Design Awards night, UTM’s Deerfield Hall was awarded one of the 2016 Awards of Excellence, the criteria of which involved innovation, “living green”, and the building’s significance in the community and city.

Last week, I sat down with Paul Donoghue, UTM’s chief administrative officer, to learn more about the overall design concept and history of the buildings on the UTM campus.

“We’re always happy with recognition. But we don’t build buildings of any kind to win awards. We don’t seek it, but it’s obviously nice to know that somebody out there, in addition to those here on the campus, who actually live with those buildings and use the[m] all the time, think they are worthy,” said Donoghue.

The architect behind Deerfield Hall was Andrew Frontini, who had previously designed UTM’s Instructional Building, as well as the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre.

“We don’t dictate designs [for the buildings]. In each of our projects, we spend a year with a project committee to come up with a space program. That’s the basic building block of any new building: what has to be in the building, what kind of space, equipment—all of that detail has to be ready, and then we go out to the market and we invite proposals,” explained Donoghue.

“Typically, we’ll get anywhere from three to five submissions from teams of contractors and architects, and then we go through a process, which is quite transparent, in selecting who will actually build the design and the project. So we don’t tell them what it should look like.”

In the past few years, there has been extensive growth and development of buildings and constructions around campus.

“The colors [for the buildings] are all different. In fact, it’s more than the colors, it’s the materials [that] the architect chooses to use. The library has a wooden exterior, IB is copper, Deerfield Hall is terracotta, Erindale Hall is brick, the CCIT building is glass, the Health Sciences Complex is stainless steel, [and] the Innovation Complex is made up of stone,” said Donoghue.

“It’s interesting to watch how the same architects will approach different projects. And we’ve been very

fortunate in our selection of architects—they’ve [all] been brilliant,” he continued.

Despite having different architects and visions for each building, the designs of the buildings still manage to connect and complement each other.

“What is similar, I think, between all of the buildings, is more evident when you go inside. All of the buildings reflect what I would call ‘blurring of the distinction between the outside and the inside’. You’re in the library [and] go to the second floor, and there’s this expansive view. [If] you go up to the second or third floor in the IB building, it’s the same thing. In Deerfield Hall, you feel like you’re in a tree house. And so there’s an overall approach to the design aesthetic of blurring that distinction inside and outside, so that it’s not definitive,” described Donoghue.

Currently the North Building has been demolished for the construction of North Building Phase B, which is scheduled to be ready by the summer of 2018.

“The construction of the new building [will finish] in two years.

It connect[s] to Deerfield Hall from at least two levels, and so what that does is completely replace the North Building. The North Building was over 40 years old. It was [actually] put up as a temporary building, [but] 40 years later, we were still using it,” said Donoghue.

“For me, what the guiding principle for our development and what we would like to leave behind as a legacy, is a recognition and respect for the natural setting of the campus. This is a remarkable physical site—you don’t have a lot of universities who have this. And I think that’s what our legacy should be,” said Donoghue.

The Seneca land and Credit River on which UTM campus resides today has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, before being bought by the University of Toronto in the 1960s in order to open up Erindale College.

“We continue to develop the site, intensify the use, divide up all the facilities that people need and deserve, and at the same time, respect the site that we have. We’re very vigilant around the notion of protecting the green space that we have. We are very privileged that those who came before us left this site for us, and it’s our obligation to make sure that we protect the site for future generations.”

Future relations must be based on mutual respect Snider continued from page 8 He also stated that while the 2008 apology made by Stephen Harper to Aboriginals was directed towards the past, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is orientated towards the future relationship between Aboriginal people and the Canadian government.

Iacobucci has hope for the fu-

ture, as Canada is the only country in the English-speaking world that has provisions in its constitution for Aboriginal people.

“It’s only the beginning, but it’s important,” he said.

Iacobucci spoke about the ways that the Canadian government can move towards building better longterm relationships with the indigenous community. He emphasized

the importance of educating nonAboriginal people about the history and culture of the Aboriginal communities. He also pointed out the need for representation of Aboriginal people in Canadian juries, and how the government should incorporate the Aboriginal approach of restorative justice into its system.

“Our relationship with the Ab-

original people has to be based [...] on the fundamental pillar of mutual respect and trust [...] There has to be meaningful participation on our side,” emphasized Iacobucci.

After the lecture, Iacobucci spoke with The Medium about the current efforts of the Canadian government in regards to Aboriginal issues. “I think both the prime minister and the premier of our

province are very committed in trying to improve the relationship,” he said. “I don’t have any doubt of that.”

The lecture was followed by a reception in which traditional indigenous food was served, inspired by the culinary practices of the Anishnaabe, including wild rice casserole and iced sweet grass tea.

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THE MEDIUM 10.03.2016

What makes Islamic finance different?

UTM’s Li Koon Chun Finance Learning Centre held a seminar featuring Rehan Khan as the speaker FARHAT AMINI

Last Thursday, UTM’s Li Koon Chun Finance Learning Centre invited Rehan Khan, a Liaison Officer with the Islamic Finance Advisory Board, to introduce students to Islamic finance and how it differs from conventional finance.

Approximately 25 students attended the evening event, where 15 were students from business-related programs.

Khan has an MBA in Islamic banking and finance from the International Islamic University of Malaysia, and a Bachelor’s in information technology from York University.

When Khan was in Malaysia, he worked as a research analyst and trainer for the Kuwait Finance House, which is one of the largest Islamic banks in the world. Currently, Khan is working with the Islamic Finance Advisory Board, which is a non-profit organization based in Mississauga.

Khan helps promote Islamic finance through conferences and seminars throughout the GTA. Khan began the seminar with the statement that “[Islamic finance] is not something new, it’s just something we aren’t exposed to.” Khan further added that the biggest misconception people have about Islamic finance is that they think that it is only for Muslims and no one else can practice it.

Khan then provided examples of how Islamic finance is being accepted by not only secular institutions, but also religious institutions, such as the

AISHA AHMED/THE MEDIUM

Rehan Khan is currently working with the Mississauga-based Islamic Finance Advisory Board.

Vatican, who approved of Islamic finance and even offered it to Western banking systems as a solution to the housing economic crisis.

“When I was studying in Malaysia, they said the biggest subscribers of Islamic financial products are not the Muslims in Malaysia, they are actually predominantly the Chinese— the business, the community. It was a very interesting fact for me,” said Khan.

Currently in the Western World, according to Khan, the United Kingdom is the centre of a growing and very influential hub for Islamic finance. The largest banks in the world

“have their dual banking systems.

They have the conventional system and they also have [a] sharia compliant version of banking.”

“The United States today has more than three chartered banks that operate in a sharia-compliant fashion,” Khan continued. “Malaysia is considered as one of hubs for Islamic Finance.”

During the seminar, Khan emphasized three key points that highlighted the difference between Islamic finance and Western finance.

Islam’s objectives include safeguarding five things: faith, life, intellect, family, and wealth. In the

Western finance system and Western society, debt is viewed in a bad light, uncertainty is seen as a normal risk in business, and in terms of interest, the giver would hate it while the receiver would want it.

The most forbidden acts in Islamic finance are interest and usury (i.e. an excessive amount of interest). Therefore, Islamic finance will never charge interest on any loans they give out, as it is against Islam’s ethical principles.

Uncertainty in Islam is another act that is looked down upon. This implies that one cannot sell something they do not own, or an item that does not exist.

“There is one key principle, either the delivery must be first or the payment must be first. If both are [delayed]. There is too much uncertainty.”

Islamic finance also encourages risk, because if there is no risk factor, there is no reward for that risk. Khan stated that “investing in bonds to get a fixed rate of return is not allowed […] but having fixed-profit sharing ratios are allowed”, because both parties together in the risk share the losses or gains from the business.

He then moved on to the concept of debt in Islam, which he proclaimed is a responsibility. Khan explained that the longest verse in the Qur’an talks about debt: “A good Muslim will pay on time, because this is not something that can be forgiven [but this depends on the circumstances of the person].”

During the Q&A session, students had questions regarding mortgages, student loans, and how banks make money in the Islamic financial framework.

Sanober Zuberi, a fourth-year commerce and finance student, expressed, “The reason why I’m at this event is because I don’t know a lot about Islamic finance […] I don’t know if it’s a system or is it just a service that’s offered to the Muslim community. I want to know what role it could play in a capitalist market.”

As Khan answered questions, he joked, “Money-lending is one of the highest acts of worship [for a Muslim]—the best part is [that] they can’t charge you interest.”

U of T’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Approximately 30 UTM students headed to Sawmill Creek as a part of the cleanup initiative DEVANSHI ADHVARYU When confronted with the word “environment”, concepts of global warming, climate change, and pollution immediately come into play—depicting only the negative connotations of the word. Sadly, these terms reflect the reality of the Earth today.

With such concerns in mind, on September 24, U of T conducted a tri-campus event to clean up major shorelines near each campus.

Opportunities like these are rare—so I signed up without hesitation.

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup initially started in 1994, with a small group of employees of the Vancouver Aquarium. Today, it is a national program, providing citizens with a chance to make changes within their communities.

According to the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup’s website, the top offenders on “Canada’s Dirty Dozen List” for 2015 include cigarette butts, food wrappers, beverage cans, straws, and stirrers. Additionally, the group’s website states, “Nearly 60,000 registrants cleaned 2,000+ shorelines across Canada in 2015, removing almost 180,000 kg

WWF.CA/PHOTO

In 2015, this group cleaned over 2,000 shorelines and removed about 180,000 kg of litter. of litter from more than 3,000 km of shoreline.”

This year, UTM students headed to Sawmill Creek, while students at the Scarborough and St. George campus went to Bluffers Park and Woodbine Beach respectively.

At first, I thought that not many people would have signed up for

the event, but I was surprised to find a good turnout. Dorcas Ajari, a staff member at the Centre of Student Engagement, said, “The turnout for this year [at UTM] was better than last year. Last year, only 15 people came to the event, but this year about 30 people attended.”

Ajari was my team leader—and like

the other members, she was also passionate about protecting the environment.

Once I arrived at Sawmill Creek, I was surprised to find that on the surface of the trail, there seemed to be no litter. Additionally, the forest seemed to lack the many signs of litter and waste that I had expected.

It seemed almost too perfect.

However, when my team and I ventured off trail and went deeper into the forest, we found massive amounts of garbage that were probably years old.

In the beginning of the cleanup, our team started off with three empty garbage bags. By the end of it, our garbage bags were filled to the top, and were so heavy that lifting them was a difficult task. It goes to show that from the outside, the forest may be beautiful, but look a little deeper, and you’ll find the traces of human influence on nature.

Following the event, I often ask myself: What if I hadn’t picked up that beer bottle or that plastic wrapper? I believe that even a small plastic wrapper can impact that overall ecological system of the forest. In fact, as I observed the forest’s inhabitants, I found a chipmunk scavenging through a potato chip bag.

The well-being of our environment is so heavily dependent on the decisions we make. So the next time you see a piece of litter or decide to litter, I encourage you to think twice about your decision, as even a small piece of litter can have a drastic impact on our environment.

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The Eagles can only go up from here The UTM Eagles look to rebound against Seneca College and improve their 0-5 record GUSTAVO SILVA

Last Sunday, the Eagles faced off against George Brown’s Huskies in a demanding game, losing 5-1. They then went on to face the Humber’s Hawks last Tuesday, where they experienced a nightmare, hoping to never again finish a game with the same result.

UTM Eagles men’s varsity soccer team had a challenging week, but the fans and players aren’t discouraged. “I feel like we’ve gotten better each game, playing-wise and chemistry-wise,” says Dimitrios Gogos, UTM’s defensive captain.

During Sunday’s game, both teams fought hard for possession of the game. There was a total of nine yellow cards given out—five yellow cards came from George Brown, and four came from UTM. In the end, the Huskies had the upper hand.

On Tuesday, the Eagles lost 9-0 against the Hawks, which was due partly to the Hawks’ unforgiving offense. Humber took 23 shots, while UTM took only four.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

The Eagles lost 5-1 to the George Brown Huskies last Sunday.

“We just have to keep our focus throughout the whole 90 minutes of the game if we want to be successful,” Gogos said of what he thinks needs to happen for future wins. He went on to say that if the Eagles focus throughout the game,

they will make it to the top.

In regards to his feelings towards changes in the team’s strategy, Gogos replied, “There aren’t any changes really, just a lot of preparation for the last part of the season.” The Eagles squad have plenty

of young players that have never played in the league, so practice will be the key to refining their skills.

Giovanni McDonald, the assistant coach of the men’s varsity soccer team also commented on the

performance. “Both games showed a lack of mental intensity. There was more mental strength displayed against George Brown, but in both games, the team suffered from not being able to compete fully due to injuries.”

“As a coaching staff, we like to motivate our players no matter what, and we are very approachable,” he continued, addressing the main goal of the coaching staff.

The Eagles are ready for their next challenge, and won’t give up without a fight. “We need to start getting results,” says McDonald.

Currently, the Eagles sit in last place in the OCAA Central division with a record of 0-5. The Eagles play Seneca College in two out of their next three games. Seneca has yet to score a goal this season, so UTM has an opportunity to bump themselves up in the standings and gain some confidence going forward.

After their Sunday October 2 home game against Seneca, the Eagles play their next home game on October 16 at 3:15 p.m. against Niagara College.

Fourth quarter woes persist for Blues Veteran football players feel the sting of another losing season after being blown away in Windsor ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team lost in their sixth game of the year, 51-30, to the Windsor Lancers on October 1 at Alumni Stadium. The loss to Windsor (2-3) the OUA’s third-worst team was an end to the Blues 2016 playoff hopes.

Last year, the Blues beat their Windsor opponents 8-7, the win being their first since 2001. The Blues looked to make a win streak out of their visit to creep into a late playoff push, but as usual, the Blues fell late in the fourth quarter, eliminating any post-season opportunities. In the back of the Blues’ minds was the fact that Windsor upset the powerhouse Guelph Gryphons in week two of OUA action. Despite Windsor’s poor record, they were capable of playing at a high level.

Fifth-year quarterback Marcus Hobbs had the game of his U of T career, completing 23 passes out of 39 attempts, throwing for a total of 314 yards. Hobbs took advantage of Windsor’s poor defensive passing coverage; they have given up an average of 418.5 passing yards per

EDWIN TAM/PHOTO

The Blues will not continue to playoffs after their 51-30 loss against the Windsor Lancers. game so far this season.

Hobbs threw to fifth-year receiver Anthony Naccarato for one touchdown; he also rushed seven times for 14 yards, scoring two touchdowns in the process.

Fifth-year linebacker and UTM political science major Adrian Bernard matched his career-high 10-tackle performance. Michael

Leslie also had a great game against the Lancers, tackling opponents 7.5 times, forcing one fumble and sacking the quarterback once.

Tarrence Crawford scored the first touchdown of the game for Windsor, finishing off a nine-play 75-yard drive by rushing into the end zone.

The Blues responded with a rushing touchdown of their own. Alex

Malone, the Blues running back, carried the load down the field before Hobbs ran it in for the major.

After the first quarter, the Blues and Lancers found themselves tied 8-8.

The Lancers took the lead at home, and never gave it up again for the rest of the game when fourthyear quarterback Casey Wright threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to

Jeff Masson.

First-year Blues kicker, Ryan Grandell, made his fourth field goal of the year by kicking a 28-yard field goal. Grandell, who was demoted from his additional kick-off responsibility to just field-goal kicker, has stayed steady this year despite the setback. Toronto’s all-star punter TJ Morton’s 42.3 punting average is ranked best in the OUA, and second-best in the entire CIS. The American native kicked a season high 75-yard punt, while averaging 57.8 yards on his kick-offs.

Toronto brought the game to a 3036 close call when Hobbs connected with Naccarato deep in Windsor territory, setting up his second rushing major on the afternoon. However, the Blues couldn’t hold back the Lancers late in the fourth, giving up a pair of touchdowns.

The last time the Blues made the playoffs was back in 1993, when they ended up winning the Vanier Cup. It’s been a long 23 years since the Blues saw any exciting action within the OUA, which has been dominated by teams like Laurier, Western, and Guelph for many years.

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Until next year for the Blues Blues continued from page 11 Head Coach Greg Gary is in his sixth year as the man in charge of the Blues. Over that amount of time, he holds a 15-31 (0.326) record against OUA competition. It’s been five years since Gary stood in front of a wide-eyed group of first-year football players telling them that they were going to be the ones to change the culture of the program. The dwindled cast of athletes within that draft since the beginning of 2012 still haven’t seen a change in the culture of the program. With only two games left in the careers of Blues athletes Marcus Hobbs, Kyle Draga, JJ Lam, Peter Harris, Kyle Draga, and Jaden McBride, to name a few, the culture of losing still hasn’t changed.

Since the beginning of their OUA football careers, they’ve seen an inaugural Carleton Ravens team go from 0-8 in 2012 to defeating the Western Mustangs in 2016.

The Blues, who once had confidence before playing the Laurier Golden Hawks in 2012, now look at the schedule and frown, expecting a double-digit loss. There are teams in this league who have turned themselves around into powerhouses—whichever formula they’ve been using, the Blues need to adopt similar philosophies if the culture is going to change.

The Blues look to take on the formidable Laurier Golden Hawks on October 6 at Varsity Stadium.

The Hawks sit second-best in the OUA, with a record of 4-1. The Turkey Bowl kick-off is set for 7 p.m.