The Ontarion - 186.3

186.3 | Feb. 14, 2019

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Canada’s New

Food Guide pg. 12

BLACK HISTORY MONTH PGS. 6, 7, 9, 20, 21, 23

DRAG PG. 10

New issue on stands Feb. 28

fashion PGS. 14 & 16

NEWS

02

THE ONTARION

0 4 | T H E B ULLR I NG

0 5 | EARTHQUAKES

@theontarion

Rally on campus opposes OSAP cuts and Student Choice Initiative CSA-ORGANIZED RALLY DECRIES FORD’S POLICY, ADVOCATES FOR POSTSECONDARY FUNDING S TO RY & P H OTO S BY M AT T E O C I M E L L A R O

JAMIE GIBSON, CSA BOARD MEMBER

MIKE SCHREINER, GUELPH MPP

A STUDENT RALLY to voice opposition to the OSAP and grant cuts, as well as the Student Choice Initiative, was held at Branion Plaza on Monday, Feb. 4.

Following the rally on campus, students and community members marched to the front of the University Centre chanting messages of opposition.

Speakers opposing the cuts included: • Janice Folk-Dawson, sector chair for the Guelph branch of CUPE • Paul Caccamo, executive officer of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) • Mike Schreiner, MPP for Guelph • Steven Del Duca, former MPP in Vaughn and former minister of transit for Katherine Wynne’s liberal government • Kayla Wieler, VP External CSA • Jamie Gibson, CSA board member The liberal finance critic Mitzie Hunter was set to speak at the event, but couldn’t attend due to illness.

“It’s so exciting to see not only students here, but members from the broader community here to stand up for students, and stand up for quality education,” Schreiner said in an interview with The Ontarion. “ We need to be investing more in education, not less and we need to be fighting the Ford government cutbacks to education funding.”

Schreiner also told The Ontarion that the Student Choice Initiative is a “direct threat to student advocacy” and a “frontal assault on [student] democracy.”

The rally was part of a crossprovince organized protest that hopes to send a message to Ford’s government that the lack of consultations will be met with resistance until there are concessions.

Del Duca, former provincial liberal cabinet member, argues that the Ford government’s targeting of groups that cannot fight back is typical of what extreme right-wing conservatives do.

He also noted that their policy is unsound economic policy arguing for higher investments in education, not cuts.

“I was shocked because in a globally integrated modern economy, to not have accessible and affordable post-secondary education is economically counterproductive,” said Del Duca.

“It also strips away at the social cohesion of our communities, but fundamentally it’s economic policy and that’s why our government made the decision to make college and university free for lower- and middle-income Ontarians.”

Del Duca also said it was a huge step backwards for the province and he called on the Ford government to reverse their decision.

“You don’t build a stronger province, you don’t build stronger communities, and you don’t certainly build a stronger economy if you’re not sitting at the table with those impacted by your decisions,” he continued.

In his speech, Caccamo noted that the Ford government lacked proper consultation with stakeholders and lacked a written platform prior to policy decisions that will affect thousands of students and hundreds of campus organizations.

Caccamo also drew parallels between Mike Harris’s cuts to education in 1997, which saw 25 per cent cuts to universities and a total of $1 billion cut from education, according to The Star.

Caccamo told The Ontarion that signs say that the Ford government is going to be much worse.

“This is a government that clearly knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. We are mobilizing and we are going to stand strong against it,” Caccamo told The Ontarion.

After the rally, the group of protestors and politicians posed outside of the UC with fists raised in solidarity.

Weiler told The Ontarion after the rally that more actions against the Ford government are planned including a student walkout on Friday, Feb. 15 and a march to Queen’s Park on Tuesday, Feb.19.

THE ONTARION IS

HIRING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Ontarion is looking to fill this full-time contract position for the 2019-2020 publishing year.

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for everything concerning news operations and all editorial content The Ontarion publishes online and in print. They set a vision and direction for the paper in terms of design, format, and content that is consistent with The Ontarion’s policy.

They will manage and evaluate editorial staff, schedule work hours, coordinate volunteers, and facilitate regular meetings. They troubleshoot and facilitate conflict resolution. While the Editor-in-Chief will make journalistic or graphic contributions to the newspaper, this is primarily a management position.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS: • Supervisory or leadership skills • Excellent communication skills • Interpersonal conflict resolution skills; strong organizational skills • The ability to work in a stressful environment under tight deadlines • Work or volunteer experience in a journalistic environment • Training or experience in journalism, editing • Graphics, some design experience, an asset

DIRECTOR OF LAYOUT & DESIGN

MULTI-MEDIA CREATOR & EDITOR

Responsible for implementing the overall look of the paper by creating weekly page layouts using Adobe InDesign, as well as creating and formatting ads. This position requires excellent attention to detail, creativity, and the ability to manage time wisely.

Coordinates with and manages volunteer photographers, illustrators and multimedia content creators to obtain media elements for the paper. Provides guidance to volunteers regarding image composition and content, distributes supplies, generates and scans photos and images for use in the paper and website.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS Proven skills using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Hours are 30-34 per publishing week. There are 26 publishing weeks between August 2019-April 2020.

For all positions: Only those applicants granted an interview will be contacted. The Ontarion offers a learning environment in student media and considers this in their hiring process. To obtain a copy of The Ontarion’s Employment Equity Policy and/ or the job description for these positions, please email us at ontarion@uoguelph.ca or visit our website @ www.theontarion.com/jobs. The Ontarion reserves the right to prioritize candidates who currently live in, or who commit to moving into Guelph or the immediate surrounding area, during the duration of their employment.

The Ontarion’s Employment Equity Policy is a proactive measure to recruit qualified people from a variety of ethnic, religious, and class backgrounds, lesbians, bisexuals, gays and transgender people, people of colour, Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, and women. To be considered under The Ontarion’s Employment Equity Policy, members of the previously identified groups are encouraged to self-identify and explicitly refer to the policy in a separate letter to the chair of the hiring committee. Such letters must be submitted along with the cover letter and resume.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS Proven skills using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Hours are 20 per week from May to July and 35 per week from August to April.

For all positions, please apply with a portfolio of at least six relevant samples, resume, and cover letter to: The Ontarion EIC Hiring Committee, UC 264, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 Email: ontarion@uoguelph.ca Deadline for applications: Monday, April 1, 2019, 4 p.m.

04

N E WS

| FEB RUA RY 14, 2019

TH E O NTA R I O N

What the future of the CSA could mean for The Bullring WITH THE BULLRING RELYING ON CSA FULL-TIME STAFF, ITS EXISTENCE IS NOW THREATENED LIAM BAKER

RECENT CHANGES to student funding at universities in Ontario have raised concerns over whether many student-funded organizations will stay afloat. The new changes allow students to opt in or out of the organizations and services they’d like to fund. This includes the Central Student Association (CSA) at the University of Guelph.

The CSA owns, funds, and operates many of the amenities on the Guelph campus that are offered to students. These features include the student bus pass, the food bank, the Safewalk program, as well as many clubs across campus.

Among the most popular of these amenities is the on-campus café The Bullring.

“The Bullring offers the best food on campus, at affordable prices. And, at the same time, you feel as though you are eating in your own living room,” said secondyear undergraduate Eyal Brodsky in an interview with The Ontarion.

“We don’t receive a student levy, but the CSA does,” said Katrina Lindsay, operating manager at The Bullring.

The CSA and its subsequent organizations are funded by a student levy, which is the required fee that students pay as part of their tuition that helps fund many of the luxuries that are offered on campus. The CSA student fee is approximately $17, according to Student Financial Services at U of G. Lee Anne Clarke, business manager for the CSA, told The Ontarion that part of the operating costs of all those services is five

full-time, non-elected employees that are in charge of balancing books, accounting, or anything a conventional head office would do.

In addition, the CSA also negotiates the student bus pass stickers and runs the student food bank, among many other services.

Clarke said that without proper funding to the CSA, the managerial and financial operations of The Bullring will be non-existent, threatening its future on campus.

“If the U of G Central Student Association has a significant reduction to revenues from U of G CSA student fee, many of our operations and services will be significantly reduced or cease to exist,” Clarke said.

Although it is likely, it’s still uncertain if The Bullring will survive any cuts to the CSA fee. It all depends on how many students decide to opt-in or opt-out of the fee, as the government has still not released any formal details on the new campus policies, according to The Star.

Given the expected decline in students funding the CSA in the upcoming years, there is a good chance that even one of the campus’ most beloved destinations could experience a few budget cuts, if not, a full closure.

As a result, The Bullring could also lose a few of their other attractions that keep the restaurant popular, such as open mic night.

“Yes, that’s definitely a potential [loss],” said Lindsay. “It will depend on how [the CSA funding] trickles

The Bullring has been an integral building on our campus for 115 years, first being used to show cattle. Throughout the years it has become a destination for students to relax, book events, and perform on an open mic on Wednesday nights. | Photo by Alora Griffiths

down, but it is certainly our mandate to try and give things back to the students programming-wise.”

Clarke said that part of the CSA full staff is John Bonnar, the event programmer for the CSA. He is often the man in the background setting up equipment or working a soundboard. Worst case scenario: without funding to pay people like Clarke or Bonnar, The Bullring will not have the funds or financial capability to continue existing as it has been.

The Bullring may also have to cut positions leaving students out of a job.

“I hope that the Bullring will be able to continue to run open mic night, as well as the many other programs it offers students,” said second-year undergraduate Emily Stone. “They are a major reason

for why many students, including myself, love the restaurant.”

With the possibility of less student funding to keep them afloat in the future, it is unclear if The Bullring will have to raise their affordable prices, which is one of the main reasons students flock to the eatery on a daily basis.

“There are so many factors,” said Lindsay. “It all comes down to what the CSA will look like after the opt-in and -out [is implemented]. We can’t make any decisions, cuts or price changes until we know what is happening [with the CSA], and at this point we don’t know.”

Students can rest easy for the time being knowing that The Bullring won’t change too drastically in the immediate future.

“It’s business as usual for us

right now, and trying to carry on and do what we’re continuing to do,” said Lindsay. “It comes down to the CSA, and [The Bullring] is just the trickle down from all of that. So we don’t actually know what will happen with them. Once we know what the CSA will look like, we’ll know what The Bullring will look like.”

Although The Bullring won’t be changing any of the things that make the homely eatery so attractive any time soon, it is unclear what the future holds for the beloved café.

In the end, it seems as though the future of The Bullring is dependent on how the new changes to the student levy at the U of G will affect the CSA.

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

Gain confidence and clarity in your financial life If you’re looking to simplify your financial affairs, consider Canada’s leading provider of all-encompassing wealth management solutions.

Desmond McCullough, Ph.D., CIM Investment Advisor & Associate Portfolio Manager 519-822-1362 desmond.mccullough@rbc.com

Maysa Mimi Ramadan, CIM, PFP Investment & Wealth Advisor 519-822-1910 mimi.ramadan@rbc.com

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ©2018 RBC Dominion Securities Inc. All rights reserved. 18_90551_GWW_002

PHOTO OBTAINED VIA U OF G TWITTER

I S SU E 186.3

TH E O NTA R I O N .CO M

| N E WS

05

O N TH E H I LL

Earthquakes threaten major cities in eastern Canada, including Ottawa HOMEOWNERS’ LACK OF AWARENESS MAY RESULT IN HUGE ECONOMIC LOSSES E L L A H A RV E Y

ON THE RADAR Compiled by Matteo Cimellaro

THE 61ST GRAMMYS CELEBRATE MOTOWN, CANADIANS WIN AWARDS Hosted by Alicia Keys, the 61st G r a m my Aw a r d s c elebr a t e d Motown through selected performances of old Motown stars and new R&B acts. The late Aretha Franklin was honoured at the end of the show prior to the final awards handed out. All in all, three Canadians won awards, including Drake for Best Rap Song, Daniel Ceaser’s feature on H.E.R’s for Best R&B song, and Greg Wells for his work on The Greatest Showman soundtrack.

S N C - L AVA L I N S C A N D A L LEAVES TRUDEAU ON THE DEFENSIVE Trudeau has been on the defensive after calls from the federal PC and NDP parties to launch an investigation into allegations that the former finance minister and attorney-general Jody Wilson-Raybould resisted pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office to shelve court-proceedings of the Québec engineering company SNC-Lavalin in favour of out-ofcourt settlements. On Monday, Feb. 11 the ethics commissioner launched an investigation into the SNC-Lavalin case. On Tuesday, Feb. 13 Wilson-Raybould resigned amidst the scandal.

PHOTO OBTAINED VIA WIKIMEDIA COMONS

OTTAWA IS KNOWN for many things, including Parliament, the Rideau Canal, countless museums, and of course, cold winters. One thing it is less well-known for is earthquakes. However, according to a report titled “Earthquake Risk in Eastern Canada: Mind the Shakes” issued last year by the company Swiss Re, Ottawa, Montreal, and Québec City are a veritable hotbed of seismic activity.

According to Earthquakes Canada, every year, there are about 450 quakes every year in the eastern provinces. There have already been nine earthquakes with epicentres in Canada in 2019, five of which were in eastern Canada.

Most of the earthquakes are fairly small, but since 1663, there have been at least 10 earthquakes in eastern Canada with a magnitude of 5.0 to 7.0. The most recent large quake was the 5.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 with an epicentre in Buckingham, Qué., about 56 kilometres north of Ottawa. Maurice Lamontagne, a seismologist with the Geological Survey of Canada, told the National Post that there is a 45 per cent chance that the next half-century will see a major earthquake in the Québec City area.

Unfortunately, the public is largely unaware of the threat of earthquakes in eastern Canada. Not only does this lack of awareness create public safety concerns, but it may also lead to huge economic losses in the event of a major event. Many of the older buildings in Canada’s more historic cities were built before earthquake precautions were incorporated into building codes, meaning they are less well-suited to withstand tremors than modern construction.

Moreover, the lack of public awareness means that homeowners are less likely to take out earthquake insurance, and therefore will be liable to cover any losses resulting from an earthquake.

The report by Swiss Re claims that a single earthquake of a magnitude of only 5.8 could result in over $45 billion in damage in Montreal alone. Earthquakes Canada claims quakes with a magnitude under 5.4 rarely cause damage and those under 6.0 cause only slight damage to well-designed buildings.

Pierre Babinsky, a spokesman for the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), told the National Post that only three per cent of homeowners in Québec City and four per cent in Montreal have earthquake insurance. Babinsky went on to state that 85 per cent of people the IBC surveyed recently in Québec did not think they were at risk of being affected by an earthquake.

In contrast, according to Swiss Re 65 per cent of households in B.C. have earthquake insurance. According to Babinsky, the IBC is actively trying to raise awareness about the issue by demonstrating to homeowners around Québec just what a major earthquake feels like — with a portable earthquake simulator. These “awareness” tactics, however, can be interpreted as being in the interest of the insurance industry, given that greater awareness could result in higher rates of homeowners taking out insurance.

Even though the public may not be aware of the issue, the City of Ottawa certainly is. The Ottawa Citizen reported that the city considers earthquakes to be one of the top five most serious threats. This judgement is based not only on the geology of the area but also on the types of buildings in the city.

Pierre Poirier, Ottawa’s Chief of Security and Emergency Management, told the Ottawa Citizen that “an earthquake of 6.5 in this city could be devastating.” While there may not be cause for immediate alarm, Parliament’s iconic Centre Block has shut down entirely for at least 10 years for renovations that include seismic reinforcement of the building’s foundations and walls.

Part of the reason the renovations are slated to take so long is due to a $100 million basement excavation that is part of the seismic reinforcements. Although these measures may not prevent severe damage during a major quake, a Seismic Research Study for Centre Block prepared for Public Works and Government Services Canada by Halsall Associates states that the restraints can prevent the building from collapsing on its occupants.

Writer’s note and disclaimer: My name is Ella; I’m a U of G alumna, and I intern for Elizabeth May — MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands and the leader of the Green Party of Canada (GPC). As Ms. May’s intern, I attend parliamentary committees, correspond with constituents, attend legislative affairs, and work closely with her legislative assistants. The catch is, I have no prior experience with or knowledge of politics. This column details my experiences learning about the political culture and proceedings on Parliament Hill. My views are my own, and do not represent those of the GPC or of The Honourable Elizabeth May, MP.

CONGRESSIONAL NEGOTIATIONS BREAK DOWN AROUND BORDER SECURITY, THREATENS SECOND SHUTDOWN Congressional efforts to find an agreement on border security broke down on Sunday ahead of the Monday deadline set by 17 House and Senate negotiators. Agreements could not be found on democratic demands to limit the detention of undocumented immigrants. On Monday night, Congress agreed in principle on a deal that will give $1.38 billion of funding for new fencing, staffing, and border protection. To pass, the deal will have to go through the House, Senate, and President Trump.

NOW HIRING FOR 7 POSITIONS Professional and Managerial Group

Liaison Officer Admission Services, Office of Registrarial Service Temporary full-time from July 29, 2019 to November 22, 2019 Forbes includes U of G Among Canada’s Best Employers Please read the Application Instructions before applying Reporting to the Assistant Registrar - Student Recruitment, the incumbents will assist in ensuring that the University meets its enrolment and revenue targets through a strong applicant pool of committed and well-qualified applicants by: developing a personal, compelling and informative presentation about the University of Guelph and delivering dynamic presentations at approximately one hundred Ontario high schools as part of both the Individual School Visit Program and the University Information Program. Liaison Officers will be required to complete extensive, rigorous training which will include presentation skill development and content learning regarding the University’s academic programs and student services, admission policies and requirements, and scholarships and awards. This information is used to deliver engaging presentations, respond to questions and counsel prospective students, parents, teachers and secondary school officials. Liaison Officers will also participate in all on- and off-campus recruitment events, including the Ontario Universities’ Fair, Fall Preview Day and Science and Engineering Sunday. Liaison Officers will also be responsible for: logistics planning as it pertains to travel and school visits, preparing reports on all visits, completing expense reports, assisting with the production of liaison materials and information; general correspondence; and other duties as assigned.

Requirements of this position include: A university degree (preferably from the University of Guelph) and one (1) year relevant experience in the liaison, registrarial or student services environment, public relations or marketing or an equivalent combination of education and experience; demonstrated excellence in public speaking, presentations, verbal and written communications and interpersonal skills; professional judgement, tact, diplomacy; flexibility and adaptability; ability to work both independently and as part of a team; excellent organization skills and demonstrated problem solving skills. A valid, full G - Ontario driver’s license is essential. Extensive travel throughout Ontario is required. Must be able to work evenings and weekends.

Classification P02* Professional/Managerial Salary Bands *Tentative evaluation At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: February 13, 2019 Closing Date: March 6, 2019

Hiring #: 2019-0067

06

SPORTS & HEALTH THE ONTARION

07 | H Y P E RS E XUA LI ZI NG & HE ALTH

09 | MODUPE OKEOWO

@theontarion

Black trailblazers standing against racism in sports VOICES OF HOPE, ON AND OFF THE SPORTS FIELD | S TO RY BY A DA M M AU E & P H OTO S F R O M W I K I M E D I A C O M M O N S

Colin Kaepernick

NOBODY SHOULD BE denied the opportunity to play a sport because of the colour of their skin. And yet, it wasn’t until 1947 that baseball player Jackie Robinson broke the colour line and was allowed to play in the MLB. Since then, racial boundaries have slowly eroded, so that black athletes can now participate in all major sports leagues. Unfortunately, in the world beyond the sports field, many black people continue to face hate, discrimination, poverty, and elevated rates of incarceration. In response, several professional black athletes try to use their platforms to draw the rest of society’s attention to ongoing racial injustice.

Take former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and others kneeling during the American national anthem in solidarity for black lives lost at the hands of police officers. Many opposed this movement, calling the protestors unpatriotic, while many others felt they were exercising their right to peaceful protest, standing up for what they believed is right.

Regardless of one’s interpretation, it is clear that actions like these have brought considerable attention to racial issues.

The price for some athletes

has been steep, including being ostracized from playing professional sports altogether, as Kaepernick claims has happened to him.

Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch has also taken to kneeling during the national anthem and continues his activism outside of sports in his hometown of Oakland. On as episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, Lynch said that to combat gentrification, he was “[buying] up some real estate in the area that I grew up at in order to give people opportunity.”

Tennis all-time great Serena Williams has also been a major voice in the pursuit of racial justice in sports. In 2016 Williams spoke out adamantly against police brutality towards black people. For Williams, it hit close to home as she realized her young nephew could be a victim.

Williams explained why she won’t remain silent on this issue in a Facebook post where she quoted Martin Luther King Jr.: “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” Williams also added: “Have we not gone through enough, opened so many doors, impacted billions of lives? But I realized we must stride on — for it’s not how far

we have come but how much further still we have to go.”

Toronto -born NHL superstar defenseman P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators has stood up to racism in the hockey world. When a 13-yearold hockey player from Detroit experienced racial abuse on the ice, Subban reached out to the boy online with a video message, urging him to stay strong.

“You got to believe in yourself,” said Subban in the video.

“And let nobody tell you what you can and can’t do, especially if it’s because of the colour of your skin.”

These are just a few of the many black trailblazers in sports today, and there are plenty more lesser-known athletes doing their parts in the fight for justice.

For the voiceless and victimized, professional black athletes will continue to use their platforms because their voices can be heard loud and clear. For the sake of sports, athletes, fans, and the world, it’s important that these voices are heard. To people enjoying their favourite sport, listen to what’s being said.

It goes beyond the sports field — these protests are dealing with human rights. And that is more important than any game.

PK Subban

Marshawn Lynch

“There comes

Jackie Robinson

time when silence is a

betrayal.”

Serena Williams

—Martin Luther King Jr.

I S SU E 186.3

TH E O NTA R I O N .CO M

| S P O RT S & H E A LTH

07

The NBA vs. racism: from rags to riches to...silence?

FANS DIRECTING ATTACKS AT NBA PLAYERS TO PLAY AND NOT SPEAK OUT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION O D E S I A H OW L E T T

THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 450 players in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and an overwhelming majority of them are black. Richard Lapchick, an American human rights activist and writer, recorded in 2015 that just over 74 per cent of NBA players were black. ESPN writer Peter Keating reported in 2011 that of those black players, 34 per cent grew up under the poverty line, which is approximately $22,000 for a household in America.

With many organized sports, money plays a large role in being able to participate. Fees for facilities, equipment, transportation, and more factor into one’s ability to climb the ranks and make it as a pro. Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, it was common for players to come from low-income backgrounds and succeed with hard work, but now it is more likely to see players come from middleincome households.

Today, there are countless

articles about many of those players growing up poor, but why?

The answer is disconcerting.

There is an underlying assumption that black NBA players came from nothing and used basketball as a crutch to make it through post-secondary schooling, since they are also assumed to not be as intelligent as their white peers.

This is just not true.

The memorable movie, Coach Carter explicitly touches on this topic. Based on a true story, Coach Carter follows a high school basketball team in California that was suspended in 1999 by their own coach, played by Samuel L. Jackson, for low academic grades.

Although Coach Carter is wellknown by basketball fans, there is seemingly a disconnect between that movie (again, based on a true story) and society today.

A recent example of this came last February when Laura Ingraham comment ed on L eBron Ja me s a nd K e v i n D u r a nt ’s

Coach Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) lecturing his team mid-game. Photo courtesy of Coach Carter

political opinions of President Donald Trump. During her Fox News show, The Ingraham Angle, she told the players to “shut up and dribble” and that “no one voted for [James and Durant]…

Millions elected Trump to be their coach, so keep the political commentary to yourself.”

Many professional athletes are faced with the conflicting idea that their presence in the sport itself is important, but their opinions as people outside of sports, especially for people of colour, are not. Because they are being paid to play, sometimes the public sees athletes as less-than, but their

opinions, political affiliations, and feelings are still valid.

The NBA is a powerhouse for black talent and influence; players should continue to challenge stigma and stereotypes against them and their opinions.

TALK N E R DY TO M E

Health impacts of hypersexualizing women of colour RESEARCH SHOWS STEREOTYPES ARE DAMAGING TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH TA S H A FA LC O N E R

WOMEN OF COLOUR are often viewed as hypersexual; stereotypes associated to this can negatively impact their sexual health and reproduction. Researchers Lisa Rosenthal and Marci Lobel note that racial stereotypes “have a long history connected to the sexualized exploitation of black women during slavery.” In their 2016 article “Stereotypes of black American Women Related to Sexuality and Motherhood,” they discuss three common stereotypes about black women that date back to slavery.

1. Mammy : the unat trac tive mother who is cont ent in her caregiving role, which is in service to the white slave owner or employer

2. Sapphire:

the matriarch who is aggressive, dominating, and emasculating

3. Jezebel:

the sexual siren who is sexually promiscuous and sexually available Amanda Whitten and Christabelle Sethna from the University of Ottawa state that “race and racialization historically and currently shape important aspects of sexuality and sexual health.”

These historic stereotypes that continue to permeate society today have a negative impact on black women’s sexual and reproductive health, which white women have benefited from.

Women of colour have been used as test subjects for birth control

technologies, which were primarily given to middle and upper class white women. Additionally, women of colour were targets of the eugenics movement, which forced sterilisation and abortions on women who were considered to have less desirable genetics as a way to control the population.

These inequalities in reproductive health continue today as even in North America black mothers experience the effects of more than two times higher infant mortality rate among black babies than are white mothers with white babies.

There are also impacts on sexual health due to the continued portrayal of black women in the media as hypersexual. America’s National Alliance to End Sexual Violence states that the “Jezebel stereotypes permeate our everyday lives and perpetuate the idea that women of colour cannot be raped because they are willing participants in all sexual activity.” This is backed up by statistics, in which approximately 40 per cent of black women report coercive sexual contact by the age of 18, with many others not reporting. Race and ethnicity never alter the necessity of obtaining consent.

Institutional and attitudinal changes need to occur to dispel

The film Coffy was released in 1973, but the hypersexualization of black women in film is on-going. | Photo obtained via Coffy

these harmful stereotypes and improve the sexual and reproductive health of women of colour.

This article focused mainly on black women because it is Black History Month. It is important

to note that all women of colour can experience negative impacts on their sexual and reproductive health due to stereotypes surrounding hypersexuality.

Looking to get involved with a non-proďŹ t organization?

VOLUNTEER FOR THE ONTARION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Contact Josh at jmillen@theontarion.com for more information.

EST. 1951

Looking to build your portfolio?

VOLUNTEER WITH US AT THE ONTARION! Contact Anna at anaim@theontarion.com for more information.

Volunteer meetings this semester: Thursdays Feb. 28 at 5:30 p.m. Mar. 7 in UC264 Mar. 14 EST. 1951

Be a Pilot!

Unique. Adventure. Excitement.

I S SU E 186.3

| S P O RT S & H E A LTH

09

S TU D E NT ATH LE TE PRO F I LE S

Modupe Okeowo GET TO KNOW YOUR GRYPHS! | R AC H E L W E I T Z Athlete: Modupe Okeowo Sport: Women’s Basketball Position & Number: Centre #15 Year at U of G: Fourth Year Program of Study: Criminal Justice and Public Policy

Integrated Airline Transportation Pilot Program Who is it for?

• Graduates from ANY university or college program • International students seeking a fast, but comprehensive route to airline flying

Full-time 18-month program, includes the following: • 750 classroom ground school hours • 205 aircraft flying hours • 50+ simulator training hours (fixed base)

Program begins January 13, 2020

Visit wwfc.ca/integrated-atp for more information or to apply today!

Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre 3-4881 Fountain Street North Breslau, ON N0B 1M0 T: 519-648-2213 E: info@wwfc.ca

wwfc.ca

WWFC’s program is approved by Transport Canada and approved as vocational programs under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 (#105919).

Rachel Weitz: What challenges do you face as a black female athlete?

Modupe Okeowo: As a black female athlete I find that more often than not we are held at a higher standard to control our emotions. Although the sport may be intense, or frustrations rise because of our individual performances, we need to showcase a better attitude in all situations. Often our athletic build is viewed as too masculine, tying in with the [stereotype] of black girls being more aggressive. Being a black female athlete, I feel there is more pressure on us to excel at sports because society deems that is what we need to be successful.

RW: Who are your biggest inspirations?

Either in basketball, in your education, or overall.

MO: One of my biggest inspirations as an athlete is Serena Williams because to me she is a literal depiction of what it is like to have it all. She’s gone through trials

and tribulations and still strives to be the best she can be, disregarding the naysayers.

She is strong, beautiful, a mother, a wife, and graceful in how she carries herself in this world. I aspire to do half as much and understand that I am on the right track.

Another woman that inspires me is Gabrielle Union-Wade. She is constantly uplifting other women of colour proving there is enough room in the world for everyone to succeed. She makes me want to better myself and helps me to understand that just because you help someone reach their goals does not mean you won’t reach yours.

RW: What is your favourite part about being a Gryphon?

MO: There is a certain responsibility that comes with being a varsity athlete and I love and appreciate the fact that I am able to be a Gryphon. As a team we are working together to reach our goals, so we learn to trust one another, put our differences aside, and become a family. University can be hard and sometimes lonely, and knowing you have support from your teammates and staff is very reassuring. It is a privilege to be a part of the Gryphon family, who have taught me that a simple smile or extension of a hand can go a long way for anyone.

ARTS & CULTURE

10

THE ONTARION

1 1 | R U PAUL’S DRAG RACE

1 4 | TORONTO FASHION WEEK

@theontarion

Guelph Winter Pride hosts amateur

drag night PERFORMERS EXHIBIT THEIR TALENT | KAREN K. TRAN

PI E C E S O F M E

Angels Cry FAT I M A B U E L A

My oh My How the angels cry False idols rise The devil’s smize Corporate greed Plant the seed To world domination Utter destruction The poor will cry Rich turn a blind eye To their pain Driving people insane Healthcare is a privilege Don’t try to break the bridge Student loans

The amateur drag show performers from left to right, Davina Derow, Finn, Amber Dewar, Athena McQueen (host), Mel (event organizer), and Kiki Rhinestone. Photo by Karen K. Tran

Will break our bones Give us time We’ll have your dime And we’ll double it But all we have is deficit PHOTO BY FATIMA BUELA

TOP TEN ALBUMS

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

MUTT** Buck Moon (Self-Released)

LUGE* Tall Is Just a Feeling (Self-Released)

ALLISON AU QUARTET* Wander Wonder (Self-Released)

ROYAL CANOE* Waver (Paper Bag Records)

DEERHUNTER Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? (4AD)

SHARON VAN ETTEN Remind Me Tomorrow (Jagjaguwar)

JOSEPH SHABASON* Anne (Western Vinyl)

HOT 8 BRASS BAND Take Cover EP (Tru Thoughts)

THE O’PEARS* Stay Warm (Self-Released)

PIQSIQ* Altering The Timeline (Coax) *Canadian Artist

**Local Artist

DRAG ENTERTAINERS, poets, stand-up comedians, and queer performers took part in the amateur drag show held by Guelph Winter Pride at the Red Papaya on Thursday, Feb. 7.

“It’s important to showcase drag

as a form of expression — of representing yourself,” said Finn, in an interview with The Ontarion after the show. Finn performed two original poems during the event.

Mel, the event organizer, also performed a lip sync to a medley of Queen songs. “There’s not a lot

of drag kings, and I wanted to show that drag is for everybody,” Mel told The Ontarion. Counter to drag queens, drag kings are usually female performers who dress in male drag.

The MC for the night, local drag queen Athena McQueen, introduced the performers to the crowd — many of which were performing for the first time — including her second drag daughter (someone who is mentored by an established drag performer), Kiki Rhinestone.

“It makes me feel confident, knowing that I can pass along my knowledge to others,” McQueen told The Ontarion. “It motivates me to keep doing drag.”

“I thought I was gonna fumble during tonight’s performance,” said Kiki Rhinestone. “I’m 100 per cent going to keep doing drag!”

Guelph Pride hosts several events throughout the year, including Guelph Pride Festival, which will run from Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 30.

You can follow Athena McQueen  @athenamcqueen

I S SU E 186.3

TH E O NTA R I O N .CO M

| A RT S & CU LTU R E

11

Local drag queen Athena McQueen explores the growing obsession with drag ANALYZING RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A SUPERFAN R AC H E L W E I T Z

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

I FELL IN LOVE with watching drag when I saw a video where YouTube comedy video producers, The Try Guys, tried doing drag for the first time. It was mesmerizing. Something about drag queens’ expertise in makeup and fashionforward ideas really wrapped me up in the drag world. When I stumbled upon seasons eight and nine of RuPaul’s Drag Race on Netflix in my first year of university, I was dragged into a hole (pun intended) of binge watching my current favourite show.

RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) is a reality show competition featuring professional drag queens, beginning with around 13 contestants and ending with a winner chosen out of the top three or four, who is crowned “America’s next drag superstar.” It consists of challenges

which are to be completed over two days and presented to a panel of judges including mainstays RuPaul and Michelle Visage (RuPaul’s best friend and former pop musician). The challenges fit under an array of diverse categories, such as sewing and costume design, acting and comedy, or singing and dancing, as well as lip syncing. Certain episodes combine any number of these themes and often pose the added pressure of performing live.

It seems laughable to some, given that drag features men wearing dresses and makeup. But to viewers around the globe, their talents evoke awe and wonder.

Not only does RPDR provide the drama of reality TV, but it also provides opportunities for up-andcoming performers to showcase their

talent and kickstart their careers.

If you’re not a fan of RPDR, you probably aren’t familiar with Alyssa Edwards, but in the world of drag, she is the equivalent of a Hollywood A-List celebrity — even though she did not win the competition when she first appeared in season five. In fact, Edwards was eliminated before the show’s finale. She then appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season two, where she competed against other famous runners-up and still failed to gain a spot in the finale. After her appearances on the show, fans and promoters fell in love with her unique style, dance moves, and sense of humour. Now, on top of owning and operating a dance studio in Texas, Edwards tours the world for drag performances and has her own Netflix series, Dancing Queen, which is about her double life as a drag queen and artistic director at her dance company.

The career takeoff the queens experience after leaving the show — win or lose — is nothing short of remarkable. This is in large part due to the role Netflix and YouTube have played in the show’s relevance.

“The good thing about it is now these queens can create viable show business,” local drag queen Athena McQueen explained in an interview with The Ontarion. “Even queens who go home episode one… have a good following. You’re not a loser no matter what happens on that show.”

McQueen, resident drag queen of Guelph’s eBar, hosts a weekly viewing party for RPDR at the eBar. She has noticed the significant impac t these media platforms have had on drag culture on a local level.

“My viewing parties doubled or tripled once the show went on

PHOTO COURTESY OF ATHENA MCQUEEN

Netflix,” said McQueen. “It’s been so consistent to the point where I don’t try to over-promote it.

“Social media and expansion of it has allowed me to have a group of people who come hang out with me every week.”

On a broader level, McQueen noted that “the drag universe has really expanded.” Drag entertainment has always been an industry, but now more than ever it is creating jobs for queens and attracting business to gay bars around the world, and a lot of it is owed to the success of RPDR. Drag queens have

gained more and more influence on social media thanks to Drag Race, and tons of fans are flocking to their profiles every day.”

While some find the concept of the show rather bizarre, McQueen feels it has inspired her and many others to elevate their craft. She said that drag has taught her a lot about herself, and “the more I just choose to be myself, the more successful I am. I think that’s the point of drag.”

You can follow Athena McQueen  @athenamcqueen

Comics Games Manga Toys PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Canada’s new food guide Goodbye food groups and serving sizes.

Hello plants and veggies!

Story by Ariana Longley

Forget everything you know about pyramids, rainbows, and the old food guide. Healthy eating is now represented by a circle, or rather a plate, according to the newest iteration of Canada’s Food Guide, which was released in January 2019.

The new guide isn’t just a slightly updated version of the previous guide, which was released in 2007.

It boasts a myriad of changes that significantly distinguish it from earlier versions. Let’s dive into the nuances of this new map to healthy eating for Canadians by finding out what three experts at U of G think about the change.

PHOTO BY ALORA GRIFFITHS

THE OLD FOOD GUIDE

Before we get into the 2019 food guide, we should quickly recall the details of the old guide. The now obsolete rainbow food guide contained four distinct, colourcoordinated arches along with recommended serving sizes based on age and sex. For adults aged 19-50 the guide recommended: • 7 to 8 ()/8 to 10 () servings of fruits and vegetables • 6 to 7 ()/8 () servings of grains • 2 () servings of milk and alternatives • 2 ()/3 () servings of meat and alternatives The old food guide had two distinct features that are absent in the 2019 version: food groups and serving sizes. That’s right, everyone. Canada no longer has food groups. Brag about that to your American friends.

DAVID MA | PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID MA

“It’s not really an update,” said David Ma, a U of G professor in the Department of Human Health and Nutrition Sciences. “It’s a significant upgrade.”

In place of rigid numbers plastered below the food rainbow, we’re now handed a plate with an eclectic collection of foods organized into neatly piled sections.

Half the plate has vegetables and fruits, a quarter has protein foods like milk and beans, and the other quarter features grains. Arrows point toward each segment with phrases like: • “Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables” • “Eat protein foods” • “Choose whole grains” They also added a glass of water to the visual with the phrase: “Make water your drink of choice.”

At first scan you might think, “Yeah, this seems pretty standard.

It’s just telling us what we already know.” Well, to that I say, look at the new food guide a little closer.

Upon further inspection, you’ll notice two drastic alterations to the old version: 1. The addition of the glass of water 2. The conflation of the meat and dairy categories It ma kes sense t o suggest water as ‘the drink of choice’ when you realise that 35 per cent of daily adult sugar intake comes from drinks like pop and juice, and excess sugar leads to issues like diabetes and obesity, according to Health Canada.

However, the amalgamation of two previously integral parts of the food guide is less intuitive to the average consumer.

“This [new food guide] recognizes that milk and dairy is part of protein as opposed to separate from it,” said Ma in an interview with The Ontarion.

In the new food guide, meat and dairy aren’t divided on the plate.

Instead, as nutrition science has advanced and globalization has increased our food options, we now recognize that dairy is more in line with legumes and meat. The joining of these sections form the quarter of the plate known as protein.

With the removal of rigid serving sizes and the reduction of two once mighty food groups, it might seem like this version of the guide has lost a considerable amount of structure compared to the old one.

They’ve made up for this loss of controlled yet confusing and nondescript serving sizes with a list of recommended foods within each category to help consumers understand what it takes to eat properly within each section of the plate.

The list highlights a preference toward plant-based foods, even within the protein section.

“The final text on the food guide merely says, ‘Eat protein foods,’” said Ma. “However, if you look deeper into the text, it does infer that you should choose more plant-based protein foods [like beans, nuts, and lentils].”

Over the past several years, an increasing number of studies have touted the health benefits of choosing plant-based protein over animal products; benefits like decreased instances of colon cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues. To many, the 2019 food guide’s move towards a plant-based diet seems like the next logical step in our public food education.

proteins, larger meat and dairy corporations, like Maple Leaf Foods, have already started adapting. Meat and dairy companies are now collaborating with plant-based food companies and releasing product lines catered to these growing needs.

K eeping up w ith ma rket demand isn’t an issue with the right capital and brand name.

However, the main concern lands at the farming end of the food production line since many farm owners may not have the money or resources to rapidly move with changing food trends.

“Farms can only produce what is possible based on their climate soil profile, acreage, and agronomic conditions of their farm,” said Somogyi.

He suggests that, to open opportunities for certain industries that this new food guide effects, farmers and processors (particularly in the dairy sector) should be allowed to export their products to countries with higher demand for their products, such as China.

THE BUSINESS OF FOOD

“ The previous food g uide mainly focused on what to eat.

Now we are also talking about eating habits,” said Jess Haines, a professor in U of G’s Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition. “There is strong evidence to suggest that the benefits of a healthful diet aren’t just about the foods we eat, but how we eat.”

These tips were developed with modern Canadian food habits in mind. Habits like eating rushed meals in isolation, ordering food on delivery apps, or grabbing fast food on the go.

Some of these research-based recommendations include being mindful about what we eat and how we eat, being informed about what’s in your food by cooking meals at home, and encouraging healthier food choices by sitting down for meals with friends and family (or strangers if you’re into that sort of thing).

It may seem hard for university students to follow Health Canada’s recommendations, as many of us struggle to balance busy schedules, secluded study hours, and possess little to no cooking abilities. As an entry point into Canada’s Food Guide, Haines suggests trying out some of the recipes featured

While it might seem like a good thing for the government to swivel toward recommending plant proteins, the folding of meat and dairy into one category with a severely diminished presence has been a source of contention for the Cana-

SIMON SOMOGYI | PHOTO BY ARIANA LONGLEY

dian meat and dairy industries.

“Since the 1940s, the food guide was more about creating food sovereignty and supporting the farming sector,” said Simon Somogyi, the Arrell Chair in the Business of Food (School of Hospitality, Food & Tourism Management) at U of G. “This food guide focuses more on the nutrition of people as opposed to helping out the agri-food industry.”

Somogyi notes that in response to this public health shift and consumer outcry for more plant-based

THE NEW FOOD GUIDE | PHOTO OBTAINED VIA FOOD GUIDE CANADA

IT’S NOT ALL FOOD

Another unique facet of this food guide compared to the old version is the addition of tips for maintaining healthy eating practices.

JESS HAINES | PHOTO COURTESY OF JESS HAINES

THE OLD FOOD GUIDE | PHOTO OBTAINED VIA HEALTH CANADA

on their website. The recipes are meant to be simple to follow while still meeting the guidelines outlined in the new document.

FOOD AND THE FUTURE

During my interviews with U of G’s resident food guide experts, there was a consensus that the 2019 food guide hits the mark when it comes to evidence-based, relevant recommendations to improve the health of Canadians.

This new document may be a welcomed first step in educating Canadians about healthier living, however it is still only a guideline.

It’s up to us to implement these suggestions and make them work for our own lives and our individual health needs.

Life is short, so why not try to extend it as much as possible by eating well and being more mindful about the food we use to fuel our lives?

Q & A with Guelph: Are you collowing the reccomendations of Canada’s updated food guide?

Every week we’re asking you, the reader, to participate in our poll and tell us what you think about a chosen topic.

Look for our polls posted on our Facebook and Twitter page every Wednesday, and post your comments for a chance to see your opinion printed in the next issue of The Ontarion.

No, I don’t like the new updaded food guide 22%

Yes, I like the new changes 78%

14

A RT S & CU LTU R E

| FEB RUA RY 14, 2019

TORO NTO FA S H I O N WEEK

SHOWCASES UNIQUE RUNWAYS THIS WINTER HIGH FASHION BRANDS MOVE TOWARDS ANIMAL-FREE FABRICS TH O

FROM FEB. 5 TO 7, Toronto held North America’s second largest Fashion Week, only coming in behind New York Fashion Week. The exclusive three-day event was hosted in Yorkville, Toronto’s most prestigious luxury retail neighbourhood, also known as Mink Mile. Unique runway locations included a parking garage, the Gardiner Museum, and the Royal Ontario Museum. Luckily enough I was able to attend some exclusive runways including Wuxly Movement, Thomas Bálint, Lesley Hampton, Zoran Dobric, WRKDEPT, and Hilary MacMillan.

WUXLY MOVEMENT

Wuxly Movement, a startup brand created by former Canadian Football League and Grey Cup winner James Yurichuk, is a completely animal-free brand, opting to use more sustainable fabrics and has saved more than 23,000 animals from harm compared to down clothing. The progressive brand chose to showcase their collection on Feb. 5 in quite an unusual fashion compared to the traditional runway. In place of a runway, figure skaters, including Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle Daleman wore the collection of jackets, vests, and puffer miniskirts while competing in a dance-off on synthetic ice inside Yorkville Village. The lively show demonstrated the outerwear brand’s versatility and performance while in movement.

THOMAS BÁLINT

Thomas Bálint is a Hungarian-Canadian garment worker that has become a staple of Canadian avant-garde fashion.

He is also a third-generation tailor as both of his grandparents worked as tailors in Hungary before fleeing Soviet rule to Canada. The collection debuted on Feb. 6, where Bálint found inspiration in the idea of family, a source of stability and love amidst chaos. For each collection, Bálint has brought the traditions and craftsmanship of his family’s trade into the present by modernizing classic styles with innovative design techniques. In this collection he has appropriated patterns that were drafted by his grandmother dating back to 1940 and used classic silhouettes such as overcoats and vests. This very wearable collection also featured high-waisted trousers, plaid duster coats, and wool shirts in shades of khaki, grey, and black.

MA S BÁ LINT

LESLEY HAMPTON

Paying homage to her Indigenous heritage with every stitch, Lesley Hampton’s powerful runway show on Feb. 6 opened with a performance by Juno-nominated Indigenous artist Iskwé calling upon the spirits for healing. An all-Indigenous line-up of models showed off glam evening wear in the form of pleated, pleather, and floral embroidered dresses and jumpsuits. Hampton, who belongs to the Temagami First Nation of Bear Island, Ont. and has ties to the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne, named the collection “Eighteen Seventy Six” which is the year the Indian Act was enacted and has since affected the lives of First Nations people in irreparable ways. Hampton conveyed a powerful message through her designs without compromising her signature elegant aesthetic using a mix of textiles and colours that tied in different traditions and historic elements. Colour was an important signifier in the collection, with red and blue being prominent colours in the collection where, “the use of blue highlighted the militant and residential schools’ influence in the community, while the red detailing represented the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada,” Hampton explained.

ZORAN DOBRIC

At the Gardiner Museum on Feb. 6, Zoran Dobric in collaboration with Japanese company, Aoyama Kohaze, presented his collection titled “KOHAZE.” For this collection Dobric took inspiration from Japanese art, folklore, and culture, creating textiles that have come to life in innovative and wearable silhouettes.

Notable features from the collaboration included Kohaze clasps that are

W

UX

LY M

OVEMENT

STORY & PHOTOS MIGUEL MABALAY

traditionally used for fastening in Japanese tabi socks and leggings, sewn onto the outside of the garments. Dobric utilized an array of artisanal techniques within this collection featuring elements such as embroidery using vintage hair samples, shibori pleating, fringe, laser mirror foil cutting, digital prints and sewn-on embellishments on dresses and jackets.

WRKDEPT

WRKDEPT showcased their collection titled “Migration” on Feb. 7 at Yorkville Village in a multimedia presentation, where a projected video showed off looks above models laying down on a PVC plastic sheet in dolllike fashion. The models were layered in both colourful and thoughtpr ovok ing g a r ment s ranging from blazers to dress shirts to an eyecatching brown coat with inside-out seams.

HILARY MACMILLAN

Inspired by the ’90s, Hilary MacMillan’s fall collection featured retro silhouettes and plenty of plaid. MacMillan noted that, “This collection gently updates the decade for 2019 by infusing it with undertones of London street style, complete with contemporary accents such as lacing, ruching, and exaggerated menswear finishes.” Since 2016 the brand has been working towards becoming animal-free and is now 100 per cent vegan, having removed all wools and silks from their garments. The collection debuted on Feb. 7, at the Royal Ontario Museum and included two exclusive plaid prints, pieces cut from vegan patent le at her includ ing a Matrix-style trench coat and plenty of eye-catching corduroy outerwear.

OPINION

15

THE ONTARION

1 6 | W I NTE R FAS HI ON

20 | BLAC K HISTORY MONTH

@ Ontarion Web

Only conservatives believe in “equality of outcome” WHY WE NEED A NEW VOCABULARY TO TALK HONESTLY ABOUT POLITICS JA M I E G I B S O N

AMONG STUDENTS AT U of G who have taken a course in politics, it will certainly resonate that describing the difference between the political left and right is a central question considered in many classes. Often, I have heard that the difference is that the left values equality while the right values freedom. Leftists want to redistribute resources and wealth whereas rightists want to protect the rights of property owners from the tyranny of government taxation. Such a concept is more or less accurate. The distinction between the left and right might be even further simplified as to whether a society should change or conserve its way of life.

However, in recent years, I have heard time and time again that the real divide in politics is that the right wants to achieve “equality of opportunity” and the left wants to achieve “equality of outcome.” Or, in other words, one side (the right) believes that everyone should have the right to work their way towards a higher standard of living and the other side (the left) wants to ensure that everyone earns precisely the same amount of income. Not only is this inaccurate, but such a portrayal of politics is inherently conservative.

What exactly is meant by “outcome,” anyhow? As I said earlier, the most direct interpretation is that this term refers to income.

It implies leftists want everyone to earn the same thing, regardless of how much work they do.

But the mere suggestion that one’s income is an “outcome” of their hard work is nonsense. Take the extreme example of Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, who makes around $4 million per hour. The median Amazon employee only

makes $30,000 per year. Also, despite the pay gap ratio, Bezos obviously does not struggle with the day-to-day burdens and labour equivalent to those of two million of his employees. Any psychologist would tell you he’d simply burn out if that were ever the case.

Personally speaking, I can barely manage the affairs of just one person. Therefore, one’s income level is not a strong indicator of their hardworkingness.

The reality of the situation is that Bezos occupies a societal role which allows him to accumulate a vast amount of wealth just by the sheer fact of his ownership of Amazon. Perhaps the achievement of ownership, not income, is the “outcome” to which right-wingers are referring. But again, to equate the difficulty of attaining ownership with actual wage-based labour is ridiculous. The path to acquiring assets, especially among the top few percent of people in society, is dependent upon what one can purchase with the wealth one already has. And in most cases, “the wealth one already has” is not a reward based on merit, or for serving the common good. Instead, billions of dollars are simply inherited between generations of some of the wealthiest families in Canada.

We must also consider not just the inheritance of wealth, but also its historical cause. For instance, the ownership of land in Canada was made possible only through t he v iolent d isplacement of Indigenous peoples, not through business savvy or innovation.

Many colonized peoples in the world would object that establishing the “equality of opportunity” has never been a priority among their oppressors. As such, the

ALTHOUGH HIS SALARY IS $81,840 PER YEAR

Jeff Bezos

makes

$4,474,885/h ACCORDING TO BUSINESS INSIDER

Jeff Bezos is the owner of Amazon. Photo obtained via Wikimedia Commons

positioning of different people within different classes is a consequence of the exercise of coercive power, not cleverness.Therefore, I propose an alternative to the “equality of opportunity” versus “equality of outcome” dichotomy: the distinction between the left and the right is control.

Firstly, should a very small minority of the super-wealthy (or, as former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz calls them, “people of means”) be allowed to control the vast majority of resources? Or, instead, should such resources be redistributed through a democratically-controlled government to serve the needs of everyday people, rather than just the profit margin?

Secondly, who ought to control how work itself is performed?

Today, we have regulations aiming to ensure workplace safety, which are designed to control employers and stop them from overworking their employees. But what if the fundamental question of how a

VS.

workplace carries out its production was controlled by a broad swath of interest groups within the company, particularly the workers themselves? Such workplace democracy could remedy some crucial political issues. For example, workers have a fairly large interest in reducing a company’s environmentally-damaging activities since (compared to the owners) they experience much more of the cost than the direct profits of such activities. Giving workers more power over their daily lives could also improve their self-esteem and reduce their sense of alienation.

By talking about who has control over which resources, we can reach a clearer understanding of how society should be structured, as compared to the abstract and misleading concept of “opportunity” versus “outcome.”

THE MEDIAN SALARY FOR AMAZON EMPLOYEES IS $30,00 PER YEAR

Amazon employees make $15/h

LE T TE R TO TH E E D ITO R

Re: Support for our student paper DOUG FORD and his provincial government are making a mistake.

Student newsrooms have long served as springboards for many aspiring journalists to jump into a career in reporting and journalism.

Some schools don’t even offer a journalism program, which makes their campus paper all the more vital for students who look to them to gain journalism experience.

I was saddened to read 57.4 per cent of students will choose to optout of their student newspaper fee next fall in a recent survey from OneClass. Not only will this likely mean a slew of staff cuts in the newsroom, but also a decrease in overall operations. This is an affront on an establishment that has long served students since the early 1950s.

While most of us continue with our studies, the reporters from The Ontarion have been keeping our school and its faculty accountable and working to bring transparency to important issues that happen on campus. Two stories reported on by our student paper come to mind: the half a million dollar financial scandal our school was involved in and the inappropriate behaviour of a sessional instructor that revealed how ill-equipped our school is at handling faculty complaints.

We have our student paper to thank for keeping our school honest by revealing ugly truths about it.

Ford is trying to kill our student paper, but we have the power to keep it alive.

—Jake Cho, 4th Year U of G student Send your letters to mirali@theontarion.com. They will be published either in the next print paper or online depending on the timeliness of the subject matter. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all letters deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, ableist, advertorial, libelous, or otherwise oppressive or unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. We ask that letters be kept to a maximum of 300 words.

We will edit longer letters at our discretion. All letters must include a full name and phone number (contact information is not published) or @ uoguelph.ca email address, including those which are intended to remain anonymous. The Ontarion may occasionally print anonymous letters when personal safety is an issue

16

O PI N I O N

| FEB RUA RY 14, 2019

TH E O NTA R I O N

Stand out in the cold A R T I C L E BY A N N A N A I M & P H OTO S BY S A R A N A I M

ALTHOUGH THE WARMTH of summer may be easier to dress for, you can still be stylish in the cold, winter months ahead. As a fashion communication graduate, I have learned how to dress cute and stay warm at the same time. You can wear dresses with pantyhose and a cozy cardigan, and dress-up any sweater with a statement scarf. Don’t be afraid to accessorize and add a pop of colour even in the winter days. Whether you are dressing down for school, or dressing up for work, you can bring fun elements into your wardrobe to create a more fashion-forward look!

OUTFIT #1: SCHOOL When you are getting ready for school, opt for more comfortable clothes! You can pair a plain sweater with ripped jeans to add some style to your wardrobe. Wearing a scarf can be convenient for adjusting to fluctuating classroom temperatures throughout the day.

If you are having a bad hair day, going makeup-free, or have dark circles under your eyes, you can add a baseball cap to hide it all.

OUTFIT #2: GIRLS NIGHT OUT You can get creative when getting dolled-up to see the girls!

Lace and faux fur can be a major fashion statement — don’t be afraid to pair different styles of garments together. This black fur vest warms you up when wearing a thin, lace bodysuit. Black jeans are a staple that can be dressed up or dressed down. Typically, people tend to dress in darker colours during winter. If you decide to wear all black, you can add a pop of colour by wearing a pair of orange suede booties.

OUTFIT #3: WORK Depending on your job, you can get away with different work outfits. Here, I have paired a simple black turtleneck with high waist army green cargo pants. This is more professional attire, perfect for going to the office, or to an interview. Cargo trousers can be tucked into your black booties depending on length, and you can add chandelier earrings to complete the look.

OUTFIT #4: DATE When you are dressing for a date you want to be comfortable while still letting your personality shine through. You can wear your favourite black dress with pantyhose and spice up your look by adding a cute jean vest and a costume necklace. Pantyhose look great with knee-high snakeskin boots, which may be more comfortable than heels, and will elevate your style!

I S SU E 186.3

TH E O NTA R I O N .CO M

| O PI N I O N

17

How to survive a ADVICE FROM AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT | S A R A H S E U K E R A N GROWING UP IN the Caribbean put me at a severe disadvantage when it came to surviving Canadian winters. Cold weather in the Caribbean means anything below 24 degrees Celsius. And no, I’m not joking. Transitioning from the warm weather of the tropics to the frozen empire of Queen Elsa that is Canada can be challenging, to say the least.

This is my third winter in Canada and although I still haven’t mastered it (or learned to enjoy it), each year I struggle a bit less. Here is my survival guide to a Canadian winter for exchange and international students from warmer climes who may be asking themselves why they decided to come to this cold land.

1. INVEST IN A GOOD WINTER COAT

2. BUNDLE UP

3. BUILD A SNOWMAN OR HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT

4. NETFLIX AND READ

5. WINTER FOODIE FUN

There are countless winter wear options to choose from and it can be intimidating trying to differentiate between the best option and the best price, but this is an essential purchase. Ensure that your winter jacket is well insulated with a waterproof outer shell, and most importantly don’t sacrifice quality for price. When it comes to keeping yourself warm for the winter, a high-quality, warm coat is a worthwhile investment.

Trust me, your parents are not being paranoid. Listen when they tell you to layer up. It’s legitimately sound advice. Thermals plus a jumper plus a hoodie plus a winter coat make for a happy camper. (Not an actual camper.

Please don’t attempt to go camping in the winter. Remember, we’re not Canadian. We don’t have that superpower.)

I’ve heard people say the best way to survive the winter blues is to submerge yourself in fun winter activities that we wouldn’t otherwise get to enjoy. For example, there are lots of little hills around campus to go tobogganing, or you could even take a walk through our very own winter wonderland in the Arboretum. If you feel like sticking to the basics, you can always build a snowman or have a snowball fight with your friends.

While playing outside is a great way to enjoy the winter, let’s be honest: sometimes it’s just way too cold to step outside and leave the warmth of the indoors. In that case, there’s nothing wrong with cuddling up with a good book or movie. In my first year I started re-watching all the Harry Potter movies with friends in south residence. Now, it’s become sort of a tradition that we look forward to each winter — I’ve even managed to rope my housemates into it!

I personally never liked warm beverages or soups when I was growing up because it was always so hot at home. Since I’ve been in Canada, I’ve grown to love them and have actually found some really delicious recipes to try. If you’re going to stay indoors, why not experiment with some fun winter recipe ideas? One of my personal favourites is Red Wine Hot Chocolate. Hot chocolate on its own is already a delicious way to warm up but the addition of red wine gives it a distinctively delightful flavour. It’s heavenly and will make your taste buds very happy. Just remember to drink responsibly!

Canada’s Largest International University and Student Travel Expo

MARCH 3

SSION MI

SE

R

S

AD

SUNDAY

MINA

Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Expo: 1 pm - 5 pm Seminars: 12 noon - 5 pm

www.studyandgoabroad.com PHOTO BY ALORA GRIFFITHS

18

O PI N I O N

| FEB RUA RY 14, 2019

TH E O NTA R I O N

D IARY O F A V E T S TU D E NT

Beyond the classroom: Learning outside the lecture hall WHERE THE GOOD STUFF HAPPENS! C A R L E I G H C AT H C A R T

THE WEEK SURROUNDING Valentine’s Day is one of candy hearts and mushy sentiments.

Though some are not a fan of the occasion, I thought it might be a good opportunity to reflect on the more positive aspects of vet school that I have grown to love. This is especially helpful at a time of year where both mental and physical fatigue are really beginning to set in.

Of course, a large portion of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) curriculum results in our class of 120 spending consecutive hours in the same room, staring at the same screen (or sleeping on the same laptop, depending on one’s level of fatigue or the excitement of the lecture). This is arguably inevitable given the sheer volume of content to be learned in four short years. Yet, as my ability to concentrate grows noticeably weaker, I am actively working to find enjoyment in the activities presented to us outside the classroom.

Second year vet students (like me) are required to participate in one week of small and large animal shadowing. This entails following — also known as ‘shadowing’ — a fourth (final) year student during the morning and

evening treatments of any patients they may have on their rotations.

The activities observed can include administration of medications, discussions with supervising clinicians, components of a proper physical exam, and more.

While I do think the shadowing requirements could use some adjustments in practicality (7 a.m. and 7 p.m. duties bookending eight-hour class days, not including nighttime studying, are unconducive to physical or mental wellness), the essence of the program is highly valuable to veterinary students. Interacting with colleagues that are where we’ll be in a mere two years (eek!) allows for an engaging experience. Perhaps with some added flexibility, enjoyment of the program can be capitalized by future students.

Outside of mandated activities, vet school provides countless opportunities to indulge in the ‘real’ world of veterinary medicine.

There are OVC clubs for major species groups, branches of veterinary medicine, and areas of special interest. Examples range from the Equine and Small Animal clubs to the Business and Dentistry clubs, with several diverse groups

Experiential learning is a better approach to education and is increasing in popularity. Photo obtained via Unsplash.

in between. Activities run by these clubs include networking dinners, rounds participation, and handson labs led by industry experts.

Yours truly is the current president of the Animal Welfare Club, where I work with an excellent executive arranging lunch talks, labs, excursions, and our annual Animal Welfare Forum. The skills

gained in such roles are not limited to the medical realm; there are many areas for personal and professional growth. Time management, leadership, organizational, and teamwork-related traits are all those that develop naturally from such participation, and they would be foolish to undervalue.

At times, the workload can feel

like too much to handle. I am grateful for the many opportunities presented to us vet students to escape the endless studying and put to use skills that will benefit us most in the clinical world. Now, if only I had the time and energy to take advantage of them all!

LI B R ARY I N S I D E R

What do you know about McLaughlin Library? (Winter Edition) AN INTRODUCTION TO YOUR NEWEST LIBRARY INSIDER

FREE TEXTBOOKS?

B R E N DA N O P I E

W E LCO M E BAC K TO t h e Library Insider! For new readers, this column focuses on McLaughlin Library and the services the library offers students.

Before diving in, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Brendan Opie and I’m a fourth year commerce student studying marketing management. I’m also the library’s newest co-op student.

In my short time at the library, I realized that people need to know more about what the library offers U of G students. This prompted me to create a list to help those who are unfamiliar with what the library does beyond providing studying spaces (that is, people like myself not too long ago)

MARK CALCULATOR

Ah, the fan favourite mark calculator. I believe this is one of the most underrated tools the library created. On CourseLink you get individual marks for each assignment in a class. However, the mark calculator combines all your assignment marks and gives you an average, for a single class or for all of your classes. It also calculates what grade you need on the final to finish the class with a particular percentage. Why does that matter? Well, it could be a relief to see that you only need 50 per cent on the final in order to finish the course with a 70.

Everybody’s worst nightmare.

Either you are searching through Facebook frosh groups to barter for a price or you are accepting defeat and buying a new textbook.

I would like to remind everyone that the library provides access to course reserves. What are course reserves? They are materials your instructor can request for your course that are on reserve in the library. This includes things like videos, readings, and even full textbooks! Make sure to check if what you need for your course is on reserve at the library before you spend any money on materials — all course reserves are free.

AFFORDABLE PRINTING

I already mentioned saving money, so here’s another way: stop buying printers. You know, I

Brendan Opie is the library co-op student for the winter 2019 term.

Photo by Alora Griffiths

know, we all know that as soon as that thing runs out of ink or paper, it is going to stay empty for good.

Also, not only is the initial price of a printer expensive, refilling the ink really adds up over time. I recommend coming to the library and avoiding this print trap. It is 10 cents per page and it’s very easy

to use. Most of us won’t print more than 40 pages in a semester. So, do yourself a favour, spend four dollars, not a hundred.

Well friends, this is the conclusion of my first Library Insider article. Stay tuned as I will be back with more tips, tricks, and services the library has for you.

TH E O NTA R I O N .CO M A S K A PAR ALE G AL

Can I sublet my room for the holidays/summer?

TESL GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PREPARE FOR A CAREER… TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE This graduate certificate program prepares you to teach English language learners in: • community programs across Canada

C A I L E N S WA I N

IF YOU’VE EVER SPENT the summer in Guelph, you know that the campus basically turns into a ghost town. If you have a 12-month lease and plan to return home to work and save up for the new school year, you may be wondering whether or not you are allowed to sublease (that is, lease to a subtenant) over the holidays.

The answer is a qualified yes. Outside of social housing units and superintendents’ units, almost all tenancies can be sublet or assigned. It is important to be aware of the difference between subletting (where the original tenant intends to reoccupy the unit) and assignment (where the original tenant does not intend to return to the unit). The landlord and tenant have different rights and responsibilities in a sublet or an assignment situation.

When it comes to subletting, a landlord can refuse a potential subtenant, but only for a good reason (for example, a failed reference check). Subletting is a fairly straightforward process. The tenant makes a request to the landlord to sublet (the tenant may be on the hook for any out-of-pocket expenses that the landlord incurs as a result of the sublet, such as the cost of a background check). The landlord also has the option to interview the prospective subtenant. Lastly, the subtenant would submit an application to the landlord as if they were a new tenant.

Be aware that in a sublet situation the original tenant remains responsible for the payment of rent and all other obligations of the tenancy. So, if you sublet to someone who is irresponsible, you will be liable if something goes wrong. Also note that it is illegal to sublet a room or unit for more than the lawful rent, to collect a fee for subletting, or to require payment of goods or services as a condition of the sublet.

In an assignment situation, on the other hand, the subtenant takes on all responsibilities and liability for rent, damages, and so on, and would handle everything directly with the landlord. Basically if you assign the rest of your lease then you wash your hands of it and have nothing further to do with the property or the landlord.

In university towns, such as Guelph, it is often the case that parents may own a house their child occupies and the other rooms are rented out. Generally speaking, if this is the case there is no difference legally between a landlord who is a family member or friend and a landlord who is a complete stranger.

The rules for subletting are the same regardless of who the landlord is or if the landlord lives on the premises or not.

However there are some considerations when it comes to a landlord wanting to make personal use of a rental unit. If your parents own a house with existing tenants, or purchase a house with existing tenants but want to evict those tenants so you can move in, they must do the following if the ‘residential complex’ contains three or fewer units (note that a unit is an individual dwelling with its own entrances and mailboxes): • Provide 60 days’ notice before the end of the tenancy agreement. A landlord cannot bring a tenancy to an early end on this ground, it must be 60 days before the end of the period outlined in the tenancy agreement.

• The new tenant must be the owner or landlord’s spouse, child, parent, or caregiver. Personal use under the Residential Tenancies Act refers to immediate family.

This does not apply to grandparents, friends, or any other relative.

• The intention to occupy the unit must be in good faith. The landlord or owner must genuinely want to have the unit available for an immediate family member. There doesn’t need to be any desperate need or special requirement, simply that the landlord genuinely wants to have the unit occupied by a family member.

These laws are found in sections 48-49 of the Residential Tenancies Act.

with us.

• a variety of workplace settings • college and university programs here and abroad • a variety of settings overseas

340-hour program includes applied in-class and practicum experience Recognized by TESL Canada (Standard II) and by TESL Ontario.

Apply now for September! www.conestogac.on.ca

Advertise Ad

with us.

We’ll even Design Design your ad your for you.

Do you have a question for Cailen? Email him at info@swainparalegal.com and remember to put The Ontarion in the subject line.

Cailen Swain is a licensed paralegal with a BA from Western University, a Paralegal diploma w ith distinc tion from triOS College, and a P1 license from the Law Society of Ontario.

Contact Patrick:  | 519.824.4120 ext. 58267  | onsales@uoguelph.ca

20

O PI N I O N

| FEB RUA RY 14, 2019

TH E O NTA R I O N

Are you celebrating Black History Month?

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR PEERS REGARDLESS OF THE COLOUR OF YOUR SKIN ELIANA SINICROPI

WE HAVE A TENDENCY to dismiss initiatives that raise awareness for causes which have not directly affected our own experiences. However, the importance of Black History Month should not be undermined even if you yourself aren’t black. In fact, I think we, especially those not belonging to minority groups, have a responsibility to use this month to bridge the gap between what we’ve been taught and what we can still learn.

There are even a few ways you can contribute to Black History Month on your own time.

continue to be minoritized.

Recognize that certain situations make you uncomfortable because you want to ignore that racism is still an issue.

Accept the fact that you will be constantly learning from others.

We very rarely take the time out of our hectic schedules to contemplate our existence — or at least I don’t; I can’t speak for philosophy majors.

This month, think a little bit about how your behaviour is a testament to your thoughts and what may seem harmless to you may have a larger impact elsewhere.

BE CONTEMPLATIVE

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Reflect on your attitude, biases, and stereotypes. Rid yourself of stereotypes — intentional or not — which may be pervasive to the community you grew up in or a by-product of your peers.

Acknowledge that you might be benefitting from a privilege built on the backs of people who

“Ignorance is bliss” could not be more true than when it comes to learning about black history, and this is why it’s especially important for those of us who are not black to educate ourselves on a history that we don’t often get exposed to in class. Black history is often glossed over; it’s a footnote at the end of a

Left to right: Alice Ball, Ella Baker, Irene Morgan Kirkaldy, Mae C. Jemison. Photos obtained via Wikimedia Commons

chapter, a one-time class discussion, or an elective that too many people who most need to take, won’t. This month, take the time to read or watch a documentary about a little-known figure or event that is of great significance in black history, but was probably never featured on the New York Times bestseller list or nominated for an Oscar.

Black history is so much more than Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Harriet Tubman — but you should also learn about them if you haven’t already. Black history is also about scientific discoveries by Alice Ball (the chemist who found the most effective treatment for leprosy) and activists like Irene Morgan Kirkaldy and Ella

Baker. It’s about Mae C. Jemison, the first African-American woman to become an astronaut, and the Harlem Hellfighters — an all black regiment that fought in both world wars. Learning about important figures is incredibly interesting, and to help with our self-education, there is a lovely booth with books with everything from autobiographies to articles on black feminism located on the first floor of the Mclaughlin Library for Black History Month.

SUPPORT YOUR PEERS

Listen to the experiences and stories of your peers. Speak up when a throwaway comment doesn’t sit well with you. Don’t

just roll your eyes when someone makes a joke that has gone too far to be funny. Don’t talk about how much “progress” has been made when confronted with stories about discriminatory behaviour.

Get involved in events and workshops that campus associations have so thoughtfully put together.

Simply put , stand by your black peers and remember that black history is Canada’s history and since it isn’t taught as it should be throughout the year, we should be especially open to learning about it every February.

Unlearning racism and ignorance takes time and effort IT MIGHT COME AS A SURPRISE TO SOME, BUT RACISM EXISTS IN GUELPH O D E S I A H OW L E T T

Although there are forces such as the Central Student Association (CSA), Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Empowerment and Diversity (GRCGED), and Guelph Black Student Association (GBSA), there are still issues of racial bias, hate crimes, and racism at the University of Guelph and within the city of Guelph. All the hard work these groups do is greatly appreciated, but it seems as though not enough people take advantage of their services.

As a campus well-invested in the news of the provincial, federal, and U.S. government, it is not surprising to have conversations in class or overhear something in the University Centre or library and have opinions on it. Unfortunately, some of those opinions can be ignorant or misinformed. But that’s okay! Professors, other students, and even passersby might be knowledgeable on those topics and have the capacity to educate. It’s important to listen to new information and understand where people are coming from as

this allows us to grow as people and as a community.

If this is not done and people stay firm to their opinions then issues and conflicts are sure to arise.

What’s important to understand is that the opinions of some do not erase the lived experiences of others. If you are not of a certain minority group, you cannot tell people who are of that minority group that what they experience is or is not racist, derogatory, or hurtful.

Sometimes, in that conflicting stage of opinions versus lived experiences, unrestrained anger and hatred come out in the form of verbal and even physical abuse. We hope that things don’t come to this, but it is a reality in our community that we need to address and dissect.

Statistics Canada released a census of 2017’s police-reported hate crimes, and Guelph is high on the list of cities that have increased in hate crimes. There has been a 60 per cent increase in reported hate crimes (representing

an increase from 7.6 to 11.8 documented hate crimes per one hundred thousand people) from 2016 and 2017 and most experiences are due to vandalism and graffiti. There are, unfortunately, many more hate crimes experienced by people of marginalized communities that go unreported.

It’s also important to realize that people find comfort in anonymity.

Several years ago, when the mobile app Yik Yak was popular, people very openly made racist, homophobic, transphobic, and derogatory comments. Because the premise of Yik Yak was anonymity, some people believed they were totally free from all consequences. From that, we see a very pure form of hatred and the unfiltered opinions of our community members.

Sometimes racist actions come about because people allow their first thoughts to be their only thoughts. As someone who is actively unlearning, I try to stop myself from saying the first thing to come to my mind because it is usually based on stereotypes, biases, and incorrect information.

Taking the time to think about a response and emotionally involving myself in conversations with people who I do not share the same experiences as allows me to better understand their truths and empathize with them.

Guelph ranked number eight on Canada’s top ten cities for hate crime.

Photo obtained via Statistics Canada

EDITORIAL THE ONTARION

@theontarion

Lack of diversity in the design industry IT IS THE MAJORITY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THERE IS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE | T I F FA N Y AG L I A N I WHAT MAKES A DESIGNER successful? I always have a textbook answer for that question ready. A successful designer knows their way around a layout, uses typography as a creative element not just text on a page, understands that less is more, has a solid rationale behind every design decision they make during a project and understands user experience is the most important principle.

What good is design if it doesn’t work for anyone? Graphic design is just as much about critical thinking and strategy as it is about having a natural talent for the arts.

With that explanation in mind, being a successful designer has nothing to do with the colour of your skin. So when I asked myself how many times I have worked with a designer who also happened to be a person of colour, why was “never” my answer?

I grew up in a smaller city in northern Ontario that is predominantly white. My entire class in

The Ontarion Inc.

college (all six of us) were white.

All of my design professors were also white. Now, I can certainly try to explain it away and blame my city’s location (almost the middle of nowhere) for the lack of diversity in the immediate community, but even after I graduated and began applying for positions at businesses within the city, I never interviewed at a place that had any non-white staff members. I believe it should be the responsibility of businesses to have policies in place to actively try and be more diverse.

In the short period of time that I have worked at The Ontarion, I have had the opportunity to be part of a diverse community within the newsroom, between the staff and our contributors. It is refreshing to be part of an organization that creates such an inviting environment where everyone feels welcome and part of a unique little community.

Design is a profession that caters to all people. We, as designers, create work and products for

all people. And obviously not all people are white. Designers thrive on bringing unique perspectives to design briefs. The more varied those perspectives are, the more effective the solutions to the design problems have the potential to be. Unique perspectives rely on a diversity of experience. Something that would benefit from the lived experiences of people from all walks of life. Sure, not every white person has the same experience and would thus bring different views to the table, but belonging to the majority comes with privilege that we must recognize and use to the advantage of our peers. It is the responsibility of those who enjoy privilege (whether racial, social, economic, or otherwise) to advocate to our superiors the importance of having a diverse creative team on staff.

The responsibility of industry professionals is to encourage and make sure that all people, regardless of race and ethnicity, have an

EDITORIAL STAFF

PRODUCTION STAFF

BOARD OF DIREC TORS

Editor-in-Chief

Multimedia Content

President

University Centre

Creator & Editor

Room 264

News Editor

Chair of the Board

University of Guelph

Director of Layout & Design

N1G 2W1

Arts & Culture Editor

ontarion@uoguelph.ca

Mirali Almaula Matteo Cimellaro

Alora Griffiths Tiffany Agliani

Josh Millen

VP Communications

Karen K. Tran

Heather Gilmore

Open Position

VP Finance

Sports & Health Editor

BUS INESS STAFF

Phone

Office Manager

519-824-4120

Copy Editor

Staff Representative

General: x 58265

Business Coordinator

Editorial: x 58250

Social Media &

Advertising: x 58267

Outreach Coordinator

Ad & Marketing Coordinator

DIREC TORS

Accounts: x 53534

Miriam Habib

Rachel Weitz Taylor Pace

Anna Naim

Aaron Jacklin

Mehkansh Sharma Alora Griffiths

Lorrie Taylor Patrick Sutherland

Web Designer & Editor

Circulation Director

Jonathan Marun-Batista

Alex Lefebvre

Michael Stone

Salvador Moran

equal opportunity to succeed in this industry.

In the future I hope to see a shift not only in the design industry, but in every industry.

To reiterate what actress, director, and producer Ellen Pompeo once said during a roundtable discussion, “As Caucasian people, it’s our job, it’s our task, it’s our responsibility to make sure we speak up in every single room we walk into… It’s our job because we created the problem.” The world we live in is a complicated one, we have world leaders who encourage hate every day and a naive audience that eats it up.

We cannot let that cloud what we know is right: that all people are people, and it is our duty as members of the majority group to advocate on the behalf of those who do not speak from the same positions of privilege that we occupy, we must do this so that one day things can be better.

CONTRIBUTORS Liam Baker Fatima Buela Carleigh Cathcart Jamie Gibson Tasha Falconer Ella Harvey Odesia Howlett Ariana Longley Miguel Mabalay Adam Maue Sara Naim Brendan Opie Sarah Seukeran Eliana Sinicropi Cailen Swain

As Caucasian people, it’s our job, it’s our task, it’s our responsibility to make sure we speak up in every single room we walk into… It’s our job because we created the problem.

–Ellen Pompeo

The Ontarion is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. Since The Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of The Ontarion staff and Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Material of any form appearing in this newspaper is copyrighted 2017 and cannot be reprinted without the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. The Ontarion retains the right of first publication on all material. In the event that an advertiser is not satisfied with an advertisement in the newspaper, they must notify The Ontarion within four working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement.

The Ontarion is printed by Hamilton Web.

 WWW.THEONTARION.COM

F U N PAG E

22

SUDOKU Fill in the empty squares so that each of the digits 1 through 9 appear once in each row, column, and 3-by-3 block.

7

5

1 2

3

9

7

9

7 6

4

8 6

5

3 6 1

9

5

1

CROSSWORD CLUES Across 1–Editor’s mark 5–Poetic pugilist 8–Refrain 14–Feel concern 15–“The Hunt for ___ October” 16–Must 17–Like sandpaper 19–Rubbed out 20–Supple arms and legs 22–”___ tu” (Verdi aria) 23–Bob and Elizabeth 24–Germfree 26–Chisholm Trail terminus 29–Juan’s uncle

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph presents a bowling fundraiser for Gryphons. Grab 4-6 friends, teammates, family members and strike out for a great time! Must register to participate.

For your chance to win TWO FREE BOB’S DOGS, submit a completed crossword to The Ontarion office, UC 264, by Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m.

Winners are announced in the next issue of the paper and should collect their voucher from The Ontarion office.

6 2

5

MARCH 12 | BOWL FOR KIDS SAKE

4

8

Contact Patrick for more information on the Community Chalkboard at psutherland@ theontarion.com

32–Persona non ___ 33–Foolish 37–In spite of 40–Teacher 41–In the midst of 42–Lower limb 43–Clothing 45–Wave catcher 48–Gannet 53–___ Rosenkavalier 54–Make unstable 58–Moon of Mars 60–Majesty 61–Standards of perfection 62–Unwell 63–Farming prefix

Woodlawn Bowl. REGISTER your team today: www.bfksguelph.ca or CALL (519)-824-5154 ext.230

A N S W E R S F R O M 1 8 6. 2

1

COMMUNITY CHALKBOARD

THE ONTARION

CROSSWORD WINNER FROM 186.2 MEAGHAN THEODORE

4

2

7

1

9

6

5

8

3

5

8

3

4

2

7

1

9

6

1

9

6

5

8

3

4

2

7

7

4

2

6

3

1

9

5

8

9

1

5

7

4

8

6

3

2

6

3

8

2

5

9

7

4

1

8

7

4

9

6

2

3

1

5

2

5

1

3

7

4

8

6

9

3

6

9

8

1

5

2

7

4

64–Yes ___, Bob! 65–Enemy 66–Meets with

1

2

A

A

3

P

S

A

M

I

R

B

A

R

17

20

26

L

27

A

28

4

I T

H

R

A

24

O R

R

V

E

E

P

A

D

R

P

R O

T

41

48

C

49

53

I

50

S

51

T

A 38

E

45

18

7

A V

C

A

C

K

S

E

O

21

E

31

S

42

29

8

L O P

25

B

A

R

T

A

R

T

A

C

E

S

T

59

60

T I

A

Y

T

O N

43

E

46

A T

E

L

S

Y

D

P O

A O N E

23

R E A

33

L

40

S

34

35

O N

2

3

4

5

14

6

7

8

U

P

D

E

N

E

S

E

N

S

E

T

S

A

T

44

47

61

N O

55

I

56

R

E

C

N O

T

E

H

E

64

67

R O D

20

21

23

24

29

30

31

37

33

34

35

36

51

52

42

44 48 54

59

13

39

47

53

12

25

41

46

11

28

38

43

58

10

22

32

40

45

9

19

27

55

57

O N

T

16

18

26

E

P

38–Had on 39–Aardvark’s snack 44–Actually existing 45–___ Ababa 46–___ say more?

47–Judge or juror 48–Sloth, e.g.

49–___ the hills 50–Belgian city 51–Sky blue 52–Peter and Franco 55–End-of-workweek shout 56–Singer Guthrie 57–Bundle 59–Impair

15

17

36

O

CROSSWORD 1

S

E

19

T

S

54

13

A

S

N

66

S

E

R

I

E

A

63

I

12

C

T

N

T

A

P

A

R

11

A

S

N

E

C O R

E

O R

52

R

16

W A

22

A

R

10

L E

B

39

I

A

9

T

32

A

S

65

E

L

S

62

G

15

E M P O R

E

58

6

S A

L

37

5

N

A

30

11–Do-over button 12–Wombs 13–Like salt 18–His, to Henri 21–Lake in W Hungary 25–Hang in the balance 26–Gallery display 27–West Atlantic islands 28–”Who’s there?” response 29–Big bang cause 30–Debtor’s letters 31–Baseball’s Mel 32–Rotating firework 34–Feel lousy 35–U-turn from SSW 36–Cackleberry

Down 1–Burn with water 2–Verboten 3–Swashbuckler Flynn 4–Tantalize 5–Seed covering 6–First name in jeans 7–As previously given, in footnotes 8–Curd stuff 9–Induration 10–Eggs

L

14

56

49

57

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

50

23

C A L E N DA R THE ONTARION

S M T W T

february is Black History Month

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Reggae Night 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. eBar (41 Quebec St.)

Feb. 14

Feb 19

Feb 24

Happy Valentine’s Day

Reading Week, no classes Feb. 19 to Feb 22

Guelph Concert Band presents “A Sentimental Journey” GCB plays music through the decades!

3 p.m. River Run Centre

Hugh Burnetter Story Presented by Theatre Co. Play 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 83 Essex St. Poetry Slam 7:30 p.m. eBar (41 Quebec St.)

Fourth Friday’s Guelph Civic Museum ft.

Aisha Barrow 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 52 Norfolk St. Blackness X Queerness Workshop Exploring the intersection of black, queer, and social justice history. 3:30 p.m. UC 442

2

5

Family Day No classes, regional holiday

Feb 22

1

4

Feb 18

Children’s Literature Event 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 83 Essex St.

S

3

February TO DO LIST

Feb 16

F

Feb 26 Angela Davis Freedom is a Constant Struggle, Black History Month speaker 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Events Centre at Guelph Gryphon Athletic Centre

Dance and Cry Tour Mother Mother w/ special guests Said the Whale 7 p.m. Guelph Concert Theatre Anxiety: Skills & Strategies program with Kathy Somers First of a series of three onehour seminars, organized by Student Wellness 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. UC430

Feb 28 Black History Month Closing Ceremony Performance by Danielle Ponder & The Tomorrow People 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. UC Courtyard New issue of The Ontarion on stands

Feb 27 CSA AGM The annual general meeting for the CSA to discuss changes for the future. | 5 p.m. Peter Clark Hall

so close to campus you can taste it!

50 stone rd west delta Guelph hotel

Eat. Drink.

Repeat.

PET OF THE WEEK PISTACHIO THE SHORT-HAIRED SYRIAN HAMSTER @pistachithemustachi on Instagram Human: Kate Charlesworth Pet’s Age: 14 months Fun Fact: Pistachio has escaped more than 20 times since we first got her a year ago. She has an uncanny ability to store upwards of 50 pounds of seeds in her cheeks at once. She is known to out-muscle the burliest of gym rats. We’ve also trained her to come when she’s called.

Do you think your pet deserves to be the next pet of the week? Send your photos to ktran@theontarion. com by 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 25, along with your full name, pet’s name, age, species, and a fun fact about them.

@barmasonrestaurant |

barmasonrestaurant | barmasonrestaurant.ca

EXCITED. OPTIMISTIC. CONFIDENT.

FUTURE READY. Get the hands-on experience you need to enter the job market with confidence. In one year or less, a Mohawk Graduate Certificate could help you: • Gain workplace experience • Make connections in your field • Increase your employability • Advance your career

“I am enhancing my problem-solving skills and other competencies so that I will be successful in the real world.”

Olusola

Business Analysis graduate student

APPLY TODAY! mohawkcollege.ca/gradstudies

STAND TOGETHER FOR GENDER EQUALITY sponsored by:

March 6th, 2019 7:00pm Cutten Fields Join the Gryphons Football Team as we celebrate the strength of the female U of G community and hear from one of Canada’s most powerful business leaders, President of FedEx Canada, Lisa Lisson.

Tickets available at: uoguelph.ca/business