The Queen's Journal, Volume 144, Issue 19

the journal Vol. 144, Issue 19

Queen’s University

Elections Team alters AMS Exec campaign rules

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Bell renews mental health research funding

Our AMS ENdorsement see page 8

Heather Stuart to continue research with $1 million in support from Bell Let’s Talk Initiative

Society president endorsements, alumni campaigning and web domains explained

Sarina Grewal Contributor On Jan. 24, the atrium of the BioSciences Complex was abuzz.

A live band played for numerous attendees dressed in white t-shirts and bright blue toques, there to witness a joint announcement between Queen’s University and Bell Let’s Talk.

Queen’s researcher Heather Stuart, a professor of Community Health and Epidemiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences, had her position of Bell Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair reappointed for a second term of 5 years, with another financial backing of $1 million.

In 2012, when her first term was announced with the same funding, Stuart became the world’s first chair on anti-stigma research.

Bell Let’s Talk ranks as the largest corporate mental health initiative in Canada, dominating social media this week during their annual Bell Let’s Talk Day. Mary Deacon, the Chair of the Bell Let’s Talk initiative, spoke to The Journal about the renewed commitment to Stuart’s work.

“Our motivation was to make sure that we had the benefit of the world leading authority in the area, and we discovered that she was right here at Queen’s,” Deacon said.

“We wanted to create the Chair to help ensure that this world-leading expert had the funding she needed to continue not only her own research, but to work

Victoria Gibson News Editor Six days into the AMS Executive races, the Elections Team has received approximately 15 complaints from both teams, with about half meriting “substantial” responsive action.

On Tuesday, Secretariat Miguel Martinez, Chief Returning Officer Rebecca Warrian and Chief Electoral Officer Michael Poirier sat down with The Journal to discuss the campaign period.

While the exact violations and sanctions are confidential, Martinez and Warrian discussed some of the concerns that have arisen from the teams in the running. Firstly, faculty society presidents — formerly barred from openly endorsing or campaigning for Executive teams — have been allowed to do both this year.

Nursing Science Society President Alexandra Palmeri and Commerce Society President Bhavik Vyas were among student leaders that’ve endorsed candidates freely on social media, alongside their official titles.

“That was more of a legal issue,” Martinez said. “When you look at the law, under freedom of association, people are allowed to associate themselves with whatever they really want.”

After meeting with the AMS See AMS on page 3

Features

since

See $1 million on page 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Opinions

Arts

Sports

Lifestyle

Our not-so-distant Southern neighbours

Barriers to wider student involvement in the AMS

CanLit’s message hurts aspiring writers

Tall dreams in sight despite injuries

We treat broken bones, why not mental health?

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page 9

page 10

page 12

pages 13

Online:

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qjlongform.com

News

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AMS Commissioner of Municipal Affairs Francis Campbell at the Jan. 24 City Hall meeting.

PHOTOS BY RYAN PISTORIUS

Memorandum approved, Kingston and Queen’s begin formal partnership

Friday, January 27, 2017 retention and attraction.

This statement was made in response to an earlier discussion of a proposed interim control by-law that would seek to limit student housing in favour of family housing.

Members of the community attended the meeting to voice their concern about neighbourhoods destabilizing because of the increase of “monster houses” across the city. The by-law would restrict home renovations from accommodating a large number of students.

Local business employee Jason Trueman was one of the attendees in favour of the by-law. He supported the other delegates’ position that student housing constructional changes were displeasing eyesores, using Queen’s student “ghetto” as an example of how student housing deteriorates neighbourhoods and threatens family housing.

In describing student living conditions, Trueman stated, “you wouldn’t want to sit down on a couch … it’s just sketchy.”

AMS Municipal Affairs Commissioner Francis Campbell spoke against the by-law. “You’re generalizing the behaviour of

an entire student body by the behaviour of a few,” he said.

“You can’t argue that it cannot be discriminatory to separate students from the rest of the community.”

Campbell stressed that the approval of the by-law would only increase tension between students and citizens and decrease student retention (one of the primary goals of the new partnership).

He advocated for a mutually respectful discussion of alternate solutions.

A motion was moved by council member Peter Stroud to temporarily withdraw the proposed by-law in favour of seeking an approach that will eliminate legal ramifications and discrimination against the student community. Stroud expressed to the council “students deserve more appropriate housing, we need more stable neighbourhoods … I think council can do better.”

The motion was passed and a public meeting is scheduled in March to discuss the by-law further. The MOU is effective until September 30, 2018, at which time there will be an opportunity to extend the agreement further.

City Hall meeting draws AMS staff, Principal Woolf Raechel Huizinga Contributor On Jan. 24, Kingston City Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to create a formal strategic partnership between Queen’s University and the City.

This partnership would work collaboratively to transition Kingston into a “smart and livable 21st century city,” as described by Principal Daniel Woolf during the council meeting.

Gerard Hunt, chief administrative officer and a city representative, debriefed the council on the benefits and goals of this

partnership which will foster economic development.

Hunt emphasized the long history of collaboration between Queen’s and the City and his hope that, by taking this relationship a step further, Kingston will be able to attract businesses, investors and talented youth to build a strong future.

He told the council that this partnership would include implementing programs to retain students after they graduate by “developing learning opportunities for students through internships” and increasing youth employment.

In his report, Hunt mentioned objectives such as introducing

students to the business community, creating opportunities for student entrepreneurial projects in the city, and developing Queen’s Innovation Park into “a hub for scientific collaboration and business development, incubation and acceleration.”

“This is a great strategic partnership because it benefits both the City and the school,” Mayor Bryan Paterson said before the vote.

There were no objections to the MOU. However, council member Liz Schell asked that a live/work hub proposal be included in future discussions between Queen’s and the City upon the success of youth Principal Daniel Woolf signed a MOU with the City, effective until 2018.

STUDENT POLITICS

The great debates Recaps from this week’s AMS, Trustee and faculty society forums Journal Staff

ASUS Executive candidates at their debate.

Engineering Society Senator candidate Max Berkowitz.

PHOTO BY JASNIT PABLA

PHOTO BY MIKAYLA WRONKO

This week was chock-full of debates and open forums, as the undergraduate student election period operates in full-swing.

AMS Executive debate

expanding and enhancing student study space on-campus.

When asked why they introduced a platform point to grant varsity athletes recognition on their academic transcripts and no other groups, Team JBP defended the point, explaining that it is one small step in the direction of having all extracurricular activities recognized on transcripts.

An audience flocked to Wallace Hall on Tuesday to hear the AMS executive candidates answer student-submitted questions Faculty society’s debates and hash out differences in their platforms.

ASUS election debates revealed The debate heated up when two distinct perceptions of the Team MTW criticized Team JBP society — that it’s failed and that for not specifically acknowledging it’s inspired. the LGBTQ+ community in their Team Jasmine Lagundzija and Stefan platform. JBP responded that Negus, Team Sam Roe and Emma their priority is addressing the Redfearn, and Team Abby Choudhry student body as a whole, not just and Nick Maida debated the two. “isolated communities.”

“ASUS has failed to work for In response to another question, everyone,” Choudhry opened. ASUS, Team JBP pointed to a lack of in his view, had been unsuccessful long-term planning in MTW’s in maintaining its brand, and only platform with regards to worked for a “privileged few” — a

point he would reaffirm several times throughout the debate.

“There are two rhetorics really being said here,” Lagundzija countered. “There is one that says ASUS is irrelevant. But we truly believe ASUS is an incredible society and we are proud to be a part of it.”

Undergraduate Student Trustee Open Forum

The forum for candidate Victoria Chappell focused on unifying graduate and undergraduate voices, as well as her response to Board of Trustees issues like sexual violence and racism.

In addition, Chappell faced questions about audit and risk as well as her uncontested campaign.

For our full-length debate recaps, visit queensjournal.ca/news. For candidate profiles and Q+A’s, visit qjlongform.com.

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AMS campaign violations and web domain registration addressed Continued from front

Olympian Clara Hughes (left) and former PSC Director Charlotte Johnson (right).

$1 million for Stuart to continue anti-stigma research Continued from front

with students, and to be able to share her findings around the world and across the country.”

Stuart’s work has resulted in an annual public lecture called Breaking the Silence, which has expanded beyond Kingston to various other cities, and the introduction of ‘5 simple ways to help fight the stigma around mental illness’.

At the announcement, a large crowd included speakers like Rector Cam Yung, ArtSci ’16, Principal Daniel Woolf, former Peer Support Centre director Charlotte Johnson, Con-Ed ’17, Dean of Health Sciences Richard Reznick, and Olympian/mental health advocate Clara Hughes.

Many discussed the importance of mental health advocacy, with an emphasis on the prevalence of stigma. For Deacon, Stuart’s integration into the Bell team’s discussions has been invaluable.

“We have a lot of conversations with her, she makes herself available, and she’s a really valuable resource,” Deacon said, “So with the Chair ending, we felt it was absolutely essential to continue the relationship to ensure that we were staying on message with respect to our work to eradicate stigma, but at the same

time to make sure that the world got to hear her research.”

In her speech, Stuart expressed her gratitude to the initiative.

She also explained that her research would become youth focused in these next few years, explaining that Canadian youth report experiencing more stigma surrounding their mental health struggles than any other age group.

“When I see the statistics we’ve been able to create with Statistics Canada, young people — high school and university students — are reporting the most stigma of any age group,” she said.

“I think we need to give them tools. I don’t know what those are yet, so the job is going to be to figure out what do they need, and how do we supply it in such a way that makes the difference for them.”

She added that her research will need to go beyond establishing a set of tools as the initiative continues for the next five years.

“I can create something that I want people in class to use, but how do I get the school boards, the teachers, the university administration across Canada?” she asked. “How do you get the structures on board, and what needs to be done in terms of knowledge exchange, to get those things in place?”

Rector Cam Yung at the Jan. 25 announcement.

PHOTOS BY AUSTON CHHOR

Judicial Committee, a ruling was made to allow faculty society presidents and other student leaders to endorse teams, provided it isn’t done in their official capacity or linked to their official role.

When situations like Palmeri’s and Vyas’ came to their attention, where their titles were listed directly below photos declaring their support, the elections team stepped in and offered a choice.

“If you want to keep the cover photo up, please remove in your bio what your role is, or vice versa,” was the message from Warrian. Martinez acknowledged that concerns came alongside the alteration in ruling, including that when the teams spoke at faculty assemblies, they’d feel a bias.

“

If you want to keep the cover photo up, please remove in your bio what your role is, or vice versa.

”

— Rebecca Warrian, AMS Chief Returning Officer

“Our hope is that they remain as impartial as possible,” he said. “We can’t really have too much say in the way they run their Assemblies ... so we asked that any questions asked are asked at both groups rather than just one at a time.”

A procedural change was also made to the allocation of boothing space. A coin flip determined which team was able to choose all their spots first, versus a back-and-forth system. Executive teams went

one by one, followed by Trustee candidate Victoria Chappell, any groups on the referendum, and faculty societies.

“There were no issues whatsoever,” Warrian said, noting that there was ample space for both teams. However, Team MTW Campaign Manager Emmy Vassos countered Warrian’s statement, saying that their team wasn’t “100 per cent thrilled” with the outcome, as the second to choose.

“Some of the spaces we had initially hoped for we didn’t get, because JBP had already got them without us in the room,” Vassos said.

Another point of contention in this year’s campaign period has been the emergence of a familiar face. Troy Sherman, an AMS alumnus as former Student Centre Officer, returned to campus to campaign for Team JBP at their booths until the Elections Team sent a warning to both teams.

“Without getting too much into specifics, there’s actually nothing in policy that would restrict non-AMS members participating in the campaign boothing,” Martinez said.

However, after a ruling was made by Poirier on Jan. 21 based on a section of policy for referenda — which “strongly discouraged” non-AMS member involvement — those members have been formally restricted from campaigning at booths, though they can participate behind the scenes.

“As of the time of that ruling, Troy Sherman no longer performed public functions of the campaign in compliance with the CEO ruling and no complaints

THE JOURNAL

have been formally made against Team JBP for non-compliance,” JBP Campaign Manager Andrew DiCapua told The Journal.

“To be clear, this ruling was made for both teams,” he added.

“We hope the Elections Team brings forward recommendations on this point as AMS Executive election policy is currently silent on the matter.”

DiCapua also answered on behalf of JBP when The Journal inquired why — when a previous interview with Martinez revealed the election team’s belief that JBP wasn’t assembled until after a Dec. 1 Assembly, where policy was altered in Lockridge’s favour — a reverse domain search revealed their ‘Vote JBP’ site was registered on Nov. 28.

Palmer preemptively “ bought the domain after speaking to Jenn and Brian who were already considering to run for AMS Executive.

”

— Andrew DiCapua, Team JBP Campaign Manager

“Purchasing a domain preemptively is standard for AMS campaigns,” DiCapua said, recalling an incident in 2014 when Team WRL’s domain was poached and replaced with a GIF of Rob Ford.

“Palmer preemptively bought the domain after speaking to Jenn and Brian who were already considering to run for AMS Executive.”

Editor in Chief Elections Voting will take place online on February 9, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Journal Elections Policy Section 1.1 The Editor(s) in Chief shall be chosen through an election in the winter term of each year by members of The Queen’s Journal staff, as listed on the masthead, and students who have made five (5) or more forms of contribution to the current volume of The Queen’s Journal. A submission classified as a contribution shall include photographs, written articles (excluding letters to the editors) and graphics, and presence at meetings of Journal Board as a student at large.

Eligible voters:

Jacob Rosen Jane Willsie Kayla Thomson Victoria Gibson Blake Canning Morgan Dodson Maureen O’Reilly Shivani Gonzalez Mikayla Wronko Ramna Safeer Arththy Valluvan Erika Streisfield Alex Palermo Julia Balakrishnan Joseph Cattana Sarah O’Flaherty Jenna Zucker Ashley Rhamey Valentino Muiruri

Auston Chhor Ghazal Baradari-Ghiami Zachary Chisamore Brigid Goulem Irene Liu Rachel Liu Vincent Lin Renee Robertson Sebastian Jaramillo Anisha Jain Vishmayaa Jeyamoorthy Caela Fenton Spencer Belyea Stephanie Nijhuis Adam Laskaris Sebastian Bron Sydney Urbanek Michelle Allan Nick Pearce Clayton Tomlinson Joshua Finkelstein

Emma Sewell Baylee Hennigar Ronen Goldfarb Sean Sutherland Bryan Cuypers Josh Malm Sebastien Molgat Amanda Norris Matt Christie Christian Smith Matt Scace Kiera Liblik Iain Sherriff-Scott Jasnit Pabla Madeline White John O’Flaherty Gregory Radisic

If you feel your name should be on this list, please contact Anisha Jain at 613-533-2800.

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AMS winter referendum and candidate statements The Journal provides this free space for parties on the ballot.

All statements are unedited.

Candidate Statements TEAM JBP We are Team JBP, comprised of Jenn Li, Brian MacKay, and Palmer Lockridge. As a team, we believe that the students of Queen’s University are the institution’s greatest asset and strength. The unparalleled student experience that sets us apart from other schools is created and maintained by students themselves. When we form clubs, govern faculty societies, and work in student run services, we are shaping our own student experience. This is why Team JBP firmly believes it’s time to take ownership of our time at Queen’s -- our student experience, our campus community, and our AMS. We are passionate, experienced student leaders ready to step up to the challenge. But we can’t do it alone. Queen’s is facing challenges that need to be met with creative solutions. Our traditions are being challenged and the student body is experiencing fragmentation along strongly opinionated lines. The need for student leaders who are passionate and vocal about important issues has never been greater. We are Team JBP - let’s do this together.

For more information on our platform, who we are, and why we’re running, please visit our website at votejbp.com

TEAM MTW

Hi everyone! We are Team MTW, better known as Aniqah, Julie, and Landon!

We could not be more excited or more humbled to have the opportunity to be running for your 2017–2018 Alma Mater Society Executive. Brought together by a shared passion for making Queen’s the best home it can be for all of us, we are committed to creating an AMS that represents you and advocates for your voice to be heard. Aniqah Mair is a third year Computing student and currently serves as President of the Computing Students’ Association (COMPSA). Passionate about social issues and creating pragmatic change, Aniqah is excited to bring her unique viewpoint and governance experience as your Presidential candidate. Julie Tran is a third year Political Studies student and currently serves as Services Commissioner of the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS). As a woman and a visible minority on campus, Julie is committed to making Queen’s a home for all of her fellow students, advocating on behalf of students and raising the level of dialogue on race and other social issues. Landon Wilcock is a third year Political Studies student and currently serves as 2018 Year President of ASUS. Having walked onto this campus knowing that Queen’s was the only place for him, Landon is committed to building and improving services and resources for students that make Queen’s an even better place to be.

Our love for Queen’s brought us together, but it is you that makes this school a vibrant place full of ideas and passion – we are simply here to make your vision come to life. Thank you for everything that YOU do to make this school a place

that we like to call home! We promise to do the same.

VICTORIA CHAPPELL FOR TRUSTEE

Throughout my time at Queen’s, I have been privileged to work with so many wonderful people through a variety of positions. During my first year, I became deeply engaged with ASUS Cancer Triad, continuing this year as a co-chair to raise money for fantastic causes such as Movember and the Canadian Cancer Society. As well, working as the ASUS Executive Intern granted me the opportunity to work alongside ASUS Council to champion numerous academic advocacy causes. My exposure to finance at Queen’s has been broadened through my involvement on the Senate Committee for Scholarships and Student Aid, assisting in the review and establishment of awards, bursaries and scholarships. Lastly, I have been an active member of AMS Assembly where I have fostered the student experience, the preservation of our traditions, and advocated on issues of student health and wellness. As a member of the Board, I would bring your voice to the highest governing body at Queen’s. I would work tirelessly to make sure students remain the drivers of conversation on campus and the administration always acts in our best interest. I intend to continue addressing the concerns of students, such as increasing study space on campus, and improving the efficiency and accessibility of physical and mental health services. By furthering discussions on faculty renewal, I hope to reinforce our value in providing an unparalleled educational experience, while addressing the push for a more diverse, representative and accessible staff. I want to make sure that students are well supported, our traditions preserved, and our experience remains unforgettable - and I hope you can support me through this! Make sure to vote Victoria for Undergraduate Student Trustee. For more information on me or my platform, visit victoriafortrustee.ca .

Club Statements AERO DESIGN

The Queen’s Aero Design Team designs, prototypes, builds, and ultimately flies two small-scale aircraft (designated as “advanced” and “micro”) each year in the annual SAE Aero Design Competition.

In doing so, its members develop the core design, project management, and teamwork skills essential to a career in engineering, and are given practical applications in mechanical and electrical engineering related to what is taught in the members’ respective programs at Queen’s University. Last year the team was especially successful, the advanced and micro-class aircraft achieving respective scores of 8th and 11th overall at the SAE Aero Design Competition.

The team, currently working on a faster, lighter, and more efficient design, is aiming to achieve a podium ranking at

the upcoming competition in 2017.

BAJA TEAM

Queen’s Baja is an entirely student run team, comprised of approximately 60 members whose goal is to design, manufacture, and race a single-rider, off road vehicle. The most significant purpose of this design team is to provide learning opportunities for students. Members of Queen’s Baja are able to develop irreplaceable machining and manufacturing skills, as well as a high level of engineering design intuition and computer aided design fluency, which are integral to a well-rounded understanding of engineering and the design cycle.

Queen’s Baja aims to encourage team members to get involved in design work they are passionate about by creating an environment of teamwork and innovation.

Queen’s Baja is now entering its 41st consecutive year in the SAE collegiate design series. Our designs have been passed down through generations of members. As a result, the team now has a strong base of experience from which to draw input for new design ideas and manufacturing techniques. Since 2006, the Queen’s Baja legacy has clinched 9th, 7th, 4th, and 1st place standings out of 100 teams in the North American Baja SAE competition three-series. The team is proud to carry on this amazing school tradition year by year.

DECA QUEEN’S

DECA Queen’s is a chapter of an international organization dedicated to developing students’ problem solving, creativity, and presentation skills through fast-paced case competitions and professional development. On the competition side, students have 30 minutes to analyze a business problem and present a 10 minute recommendation to judges. At the Queen’s chapter, our primary focus is to run the Invitational conference, a three day conference case competition for over 120 students from 15 universities across Ontario and Quebec. Aside from the case competition, the Invitational conference also involves professional development workshops, speaker events, and networking opportunities with industry representatives. DECA Queen’s also holds various workshops and panel events throughout the year.

We currently have a student fee and we have utilized the money we have received to organize the Invitational conference, held at the Delta Waterfront Hotel each November. The delegate fee to this conference is subsidized due to the AMS opt-out fees we have received, which helps to decrease the costs of providing accommodations, travel, meals, and more to our students. The student fee ensures that our team is able to provide the best possible delegate experience in order to further their professional development. In addition, the opt-out fees help to cover the costs of running a one-day Internal case competition for Queen’s students only, held one month before our Invitational conference.

FOOD BANK The AMS Food Bank is a service run through the Social Issues Commission that offers patrons a confidential food service in a comfortable and supportive environment. The Food Bank is open to all Queen’s students and postdocs who experience difficulties purchasing food on a regular basis. Given the rising costs of living, education, and associated costs, the Food Bank is an invaluable service committed to ensuring that patrons are able to meet their basic costs of living while engaged in post-secondary education.

The AMS Food Bank, having not had a fee increase since its establishment, is now in significant need of additional resources. According to the Bank of Canada’s consumer price index (CPI) calculator, the average basket of consumer goods increased in cost by 42.1% from 1997 to 2016 – over the same period, the Food Bank has not increased its fee. Furthermore, in line with the Hungry for Knowledge Report

by Meal Exchange Canada which found that approximately 40% of university students in Canada face food insecurity, it is estimated that a large portion of the Queen’s community is in need of assistance. This fee increase will thus also be used to raise awareness about the services of the Food Bank on campus and to accommodate increases in usage.

Lastly, the fee increase will go towards internalizing the existing salary of the AMS Food Bank Manager; a shift from the Social Issues Commission expenses to the AMS Food Bank expenses.

The Food Bank serves as the main support service for many students on-campus, and the increase of the fee is pivotal to its ability to operate and provide adequate service to those that need it.

ENACTUS

Enactus is a global community of 68,000+ student, academic and business leaders in 38 countries who are using entrepreneurial action to create a better, more sustainable world.

At Queen’s, we provide opportunities for students from all faculties to take leadership roles in or contribute to sustainable social entrepreneurship. A truly interdisciplinary club, we create opportunities for different faculties to work together and learn from each other. Our portfolio of four projects include interactive entrepreneurship workshops taught to 150+ students in Kingston (Project Envision), implementation of organic waste bins in student residences (Project Pledge to Go Green), the creation of a social enterprise employing at-risk women locally (Project Fresh Start), and the prototyping of a device helping to improve the freedom of people in wheelchairs (Project Wheebike).

We’re focused on developing all our members both personally and professionally, and we believe in our collective ability to transform others’ lives as well as our own. At the end of the year, we go represent Queen’s and present our projects at Enactus competitions facing local and national universities and colleges (including

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Western) - and when we win a few awards, we yell Cha Gheill!

GOLDEN WORDS

Golden Words is one of the six services of the Queen’s Engineering Society.

We provide 4000 free weekly issues for 25 weeks a year of our Golden Words newspaper, distributed across campus. Founded in 1967 and running uninterrupted for over 50 years, it is a Queen’s Engineering institution, and one for the broader Queen’s community.

Our paper has challenged views and kept students laughing and entertained.

Golden Words provides a very unique service to the Queen’s campus. The main purpose of our service is to make the student experience better. Our newspaper is satirical; our content is on current relatable events and is intended to relate to the students of Queen’s University. Our service believes the experiences and ideas of students are valuable, and important. The paper provides a place of discussion, as well as a creative outlet for any student on campus. Our service wants to empower students to have voice on campus, in a welcoming and safe place, and lets students expand their skills writing articles, creating graphics, and editing our paper. With mental health being such a large issue on campus, a service like this is extremely valuable. Golden Words shows that Queen’s ultimately wants to promote the well-being of the students. Further, Queen’s Alumni look back fondly when thinking of Golden Words, and contact us often to share old copies or to ask about current ideas. This paper creates a real sense of community within Queen’s University.

HANVOICE

In November 2016, Queen’s HanVoice invited a North Korean refugee to deliver a live testimonial at our conference called, “What Would You Ask A North Korean Refugee?” Over 100 individuals from Queen’s University and the Kingston community attended this event, including a Canadian Korean War Veteran. In 1998, Audrey Park, the North Korean refugee, left her sister and father behind, bribing a soldier to cross the border into China. They were caught three times and were deported back to North Korea, where they were detained in a labour camp as punishment. Audrey Park, noted, “I’m not special. My story’s not unique.”

At Queen’s University, our club supports HanVoice’s mission to mobilize empowered and informed Canadians to affect change in the lives of North Koreans through humanitarian aid and the promotion of human rights. HanVoice was first established to support the resettlement of North Korean refugees in Canada and has grown over the years to become the largest Canadian organization advocating for improved human rights in North Korea. We believe that witnessing a live testimony from a refugee will provide a unique insight into the injustices around the world and it will leave a lasting impression in the lives of students attending the event. It will motivate sympathy within these students, and be an eye-opener for those that wish to become global humanitarian leaders.

After receiving many positive comments about this event, Queen’s HanVoice hopes to invite individuals like Audrey to Queen’s University in the future. In order to facilitate these conferences, there are costs that must be covered. These include, but are not limited to, transportation, accommodation, facility bookings, event foods, and more. Thus, our club is sincerely asking to be on the referendum

to cover these costs.

of the LGBTQ2SIAP+ community at Queen’s and in Kingston. Since 2008, NEUGENERATION we have coordinated a wide range of social and educational events, including NeuGeneration is Queen’s University’s awareness campaigns, speaker events, first ever neuroscience conference, now open-mics, resource fairs, social in its second year running. Completely gatherings, dances, sports, workshops, run by passionate students that come panel discussions, film screenings, together from a variety of backgrounds, theatrical performances, and art they strive to bridge the gap between exhibitions. Our opt-out fee of $0.55 academia and industrial aspects with allows us to offer all our events for free to the integral goal of providing future all members of the Queen’s community, insights into the multidisciplinary field and to properly compensate our guests of neuroscience. This weekend-long for their work and dedication. conference allows attendees to have Last year, thanks to the support of the opportunity to attend a diverse students who choose to contribute range of lectures held by professionals through their opt-outable fee, we were who work within or around the field able to have many events: we hosted of neuroscience, including Queen’s five film screenings featuring LGBTQ+ professors and guest lectures such protagonists, provided free athletic as top doctors, researchers, and events to all interested (including a biotechnologists, all of whom share dodgeball game and a rock climbing a common passion in this field. In night), organized a foodshare and addition, the conference hosts a case discussion, ran a poetry open-mic competition in which attendees will be and workshop with writer Kai Cheng able to apply the theoretical knowledge Thom, coordinated a Gender and Sexual they have obtained over the course of Diversity Fair at which community the weekend in a practical setting. members were introduced to other Currently, little attention is provided to LGBTQ2SIAP+ positive organizations lower year students towards furthering in Kingston, and held a reading, film their knowledge of this anatomical screening, and Q&A with artist, writer, system and its impacts in other facets of filmmaker, and musician Vivek Shraya. one’s life. Hence, this conference strives In the past, we have confined to provide opportunities for students our events to the month of March, to strengthen their insight and explore designated Pride Month here at Queen’s, this predominately untouched field. but this year, we hope to expand our Our hope is that each attendee will reach by hosting events throughout take away a deeper understanding and the entirety of the school year. Our appreciation of neuroscience, and an goal is always to make Queen’s a more acute awareness of the possible future equitable, inclusive, and safe space, and endeavors one can partake in within by providing LGBTQ2SIAP+ oriented this field. events for the whole year, we hope to It is our hope that as NeuGeneration contribute positively to the environment continues to grow, it will act as of this institution. We are so grateful to the catalyst for Queen’s University all the Queen’s students who support further stepping into the spotlight us financially or by voting in our favour. in becoming known as the premier You are all helping to make Queen’s and university at the forefront of student Kingston better spaces in which to be education in neuroscience and neuro- LGBTQ2SIAP+! Thank you! research. Moreover, we hope to attract individuals across Ontario and beyond QCOP who view Queen’s as a leading place to learn, network, and explore all fields Queen’s Conference on Philanthropy surrounding neuroscience. is Canada’s faculty-wide, premier undergraduate philanthropic conference.

HHRC It aims to educate, inspire, and empower delegates nationwide to discover their The Queen’s Health and Human Rights passion and make a difference in Conference (HHRC) is an annual event today’s world. The conference features that continues a 16-year tradition of a lineup of motivational speakers who providing students, academics, and have made an impact across various community members from a variety industries. Delegates will be exposed of backgrounds the opportunity to to diverse insights on philanthropy, its participate in an interdisciplinary evolving role in society, and numerous conversation about health as a human ways they can get involved. A series of right. The organizing committee of the hands-on workshops will be provided HHRC is composed entirely of Queen’s to equip delegates with the tools to students from various faculties including address, analyze, and tackle both local students from professional programs, and global issues. undergraduates and graduate students.

Our mission and vision is to connect In addition to increasing delegates delegates with various philanthropic knowledge about health in a variety professionals and act as enablers of contexts, the conference aims to of relationships, enterprises, and/ provide other practical means of actively or projects that are born out of the engaging in this field and networking conference. As a hub for changeamongst interdisciplinary students. In oriented dialogue and activism, we strive order to provide this experience, this for a culture of creativity, a supportive conference includes a diverse repertoire community, and an ever-lasting impact. of events. These include a keynote This year’s theme, “Today for address from a professional within the Tomorrow,” capitalizes on not only the realm of healthcare and human rights, motivation and initiative, but also the small group workshops lead by other hope and long-term visions involved interdisciplinary professionals in this in humanitarian work. This year, QCOP field, the initiatives fair, and breakout is emphasizing the importance of session workshops. As a wholly student- evaluating and realizing the impact run conference, it is unique in Canada, one’s actions of today has on others and thus also attracts students from for all their tomorrows to come. various other Canadian universities Accordingly, delegates will learn to adopt and promotes Queen’s reputation as an a comprehensive, critical, and reflective institution that fosters interdisciplinary lens with which to continue their path in collaboration, critical inquiry, and the vast world of philanthropy. We have student initiative. the ability to create and contribute to meaningful change, so join us in starting QUEEN’S PRIDE PROJECT – by becoming a delegate at QCOP - today for tomorrow!

Queen’s Pride exists to celebrate the history, courage, diversity, and future QUEEN’S CORRECTIONAL

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SERVICES VOLUNTEERS The Queen’s Correctional Services Volunteers (QCSV) in collaboration with the Kingston Parole Office and the Henry Trail Community Correctional Center is a student initiative which connects interested Queen’s University students with volunteer opportunities with Correctional Services Canada.

QCSV volunteers make a difference in the lives of many by aiding in the successful rehabilitation of federal offenders, therefore helping to fortify the community as a whole. In our presence on campus we would to increase awareness of our club’s activities through team promotional materials. To improve the experience of volunteers we are seeking funds to cover travel costs to the institutions in cases where public transport is not feasible.

Lastly, the student opt-out fee would allow further growth for QCSV in terms of opportunities available to volunteers.

QUEEN’S EVENTS

Wouldn’t it be cool if all the events happening at Queen’s were listed in one place, easy to find? QueensEvents. ca aims to increase accessibility to all the academic, arts, and social events on-campus, as well as to “pop the bubble” and introduce students to the variety of activities in Kingston year-round. This unique calendar of events includes all departments, faculties, and student groups within Queen’s. We list 19+ and all-ages events that are within walking distance of campus. Past events include concerts, film screenings, fundraisers, speaker series, conferences and more.

Anybody can add events for free. We also run social media feeds to promote and share upcoming events.

QUEEN’S DEBATE UNION

The Queen’s Debating Union is Queen’s University’s oldest club, and helped found the AMS in 1858. It is the oldest debating union in Canada, and currently holds the Canadian National Championship trophy. The Union teaches and competes in British Parliamentary debate in Fall Semester, and Canadian Parliamentary Debate in the winter semester. Members attend competitions across Canada and the United States, as well as international tournaments including the World’s Universities Debating Championships.

On campus, the QDU facilitates teaching debate to incoming members, as well as partnering with organizations and events during the year. Previous partnerships have been with Amnesty International and the Inter Collegiate Business Competition, as well as the Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, and War Child. The Union uses its opt-out fee to fund tournaments and subsidize competitions for members needing financial aid. We also use the money to host our high school tournament in January, which attracts hundreds of high school students from across Canada. Fees help the Union maintain its status as an internationally recognized competitive organization, as well as ensuring that debate is open and accessible for all Queen’s students.

Operating as a resource for those interested in casually improving their public speaking skills or debate ability is a valuable part of our campus presence.

Making sure that we can run as smoothly as possible not only helps the University’s reputation in debate, but also ensures that we can be as helpful a resource as possible to Queen’s students.

The Union provides opportunities for any Queen’s student to debate every week about current, important issues, but beyond that we partner with organizations on campus and off to give

Referendum

6 •queensjournal.ca

all students the opportunity to engage in debate. We feel that debate is an integral tenant of a university education, and are excited to continue our legacy at Queen’s in the years to come.

QUEEN’S CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION

Since its inception in 2002, Queen’s Conference on Education has since evolved into the largest student-run annual conference at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. The conference is tailored towards anyone who is interested in expanding, enriching, and evolving their educational viewpoints.

In the past, conference delegates have ranged from Queen’s students in other faculties to external delegates from over fifteen other universities in Ontario.

QCE has provided hundreds of conference delegates with the opportunity to explore a number of themes in the world of education through keynote presentations and interactive workshops that range from discussing current issues in the field of education to a focus on professional development and refining practical and related skills. The conference also provides the chance for delegates to interact with peers who are also interested in pursuing careers within the field of education. Over the course of a weekend, QCE hopes to bring fellow future educators together into an environment of learning about oneself, others, and the workplace. During a delegate’s stay in Kingston, they will experience two dynamic keynote speakers, a special lunch time speaker, three workshops to learn about various aspects of education, and a banquet shared with fellow delegates.

QCE 2017 aims to provide a conference like no other, and hopes to make it a milestone of all delegates’

undergraduate career. We will seek to provide delegates with the tools and resources that will allow them to explore the breadth of teaching strategies that are sustainable in the constantly evolving world of education. Conference will focus on modern education as a whole, and the different paths educators can take to inspire future learners that are not your typical in the classroom setting.

Friday, January 27, 2017

to and volunteer at the WAAF clinic in Ghana. The program focuses on cultural integration, and it offers professional opportunities including job shadowing, administrative work, and involvement in rural outreach programs and prevention programs.

relationships with Kingston and the municipal government and launch carbon measurement and target setting programs (2016). The organization’s success is the product of student efforts, institutional support, and community buy-in.

Choosing the Tea Room, means choosing zero consumer waste, 100% QWAAF compostable, carbon neutral, FairTrade certified, bullfrog powered, and more!

The Queen’s West Africa AIDS The Tea Room is a sustainable food Foundation (QWAAF) is a student run establishment located at the corner organization on campus with the aim of of Union Ave and Division Street. combatting HIV, AIDS, STIs and related Fully student-run, this organization is stigma. Main goals of the organization spearheaded by passionate individuals include educating the Queen’s and with an interest in proving that a Kingston community about sexual sustainable business model is possible health and available resources, and a and attainable. We take stewardship focus on providing funds for the West very seriously and have taken on two Africa AIDS Foundation (WAAF) clinic large projects this year to further reduce in Accra, Ghana. With the help of a few the ecological impact of our business: international branches, WAAF currently carbon audit and goal setting with works to subsidize costs of healthcare Green Economy Kingston and a waste services in order to provide necessary flow assessment with the Queen’s attention to vulnerable populations in Sustainability Office.

Ghana. Our organization mainly works The Tea Room was established by a to support the Orphans and Vulnerable group of engineering students in 2006, Children Project and the Crisis Funds spearheaded by Michele Romanow, the established at the WAAF clinic. The Crisis youngest Dragon on Dragon’s Den. The fund is meant to provide support in business model is founded on three areas otherwise not funded at the clinic pillars: Environmental Responsibility, or may provide support when civilians Community Education, and Fiscal cannot afford treatment or education. Sustainability. Through our ten years of The Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s operations, the business has worked to Project helps to pay educational fees, continuously refine its environmental covers the costs of hygiene and personal performance and has introduced a care items, helps children afford clothing series of eco-projects and campaigns. and school supplies, and provides a Some of our milestones include: means to offer transportation to WAAF introduction of the TR Environmental medical and school facilities.

Education Library (2007), joining as QWAAF has close ties with our a Bullfrog Power member (2008), international branches. In particular, reaching zero- consumer waste status QWAAF offers an opportunity for (2011), reaching carbon neutral status volunteers to engage in an enhancement (2014), and launching a Green Economy program that enables students to travel Kingston membership to reaffirm

War Child attempts to assist children in communities that have been torn by war by reclaiming childhood through access to education, opportunity and justice. War Child raises awareness about social justice issues pertaining to youth and families affected by war. War Child recognizes that civilians, especially women and children are often victims of extreme violence in war zones. Rape is often used as a tool of war and children are subjected to abductions to become child soldiers or labourers. War Child strives to help communities recover from being affected by war. War Child works to create an environment in which childhood can thrive. This is done with the belief that receiving an education can save lives in a war zone, such as including the ability to read medical and safety instructions. War Child strives to provide opportunity to those affected by war, opportunity allows men to become employed and avoid joining armed groups, as well as referring to the opportunity women can be given to receive an education.

War Child works to seek justice for those who have been affected by sexual violence and emotional abuse through rebuilding legal structures and ensuring legal procedures and policies are in place and followed. War Child at Queen’s seeks to fundraise for the War Child organization in order to raise money and awareness toward such causes. War Child holds events such as conferences, documentary showings, merchandise sales etc.

Sometimes, the whole story doesn’t fit in print.

THE TEA ROOM

WAR CHILD AT QUEEN’S

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Friday, January 27, 2017

Features

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IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

POLITICS

From FDR to Trump The intertwining history between Queen’s and American politics has a large effect on many students

Shivani Gonzalez Features Editor

“It was very interesting when the election happened and for some people here it wasn’t real for them, when it was real for me.”

Myriam Bouti, ConEd and Music ’18, is a Canadian-born citizen but spent most of her life in Vermont. “It was interesting to see how involved on Facebook my Canadian friends were,” she added.

Bouti’s father and his wife are practicing Muslims and initially, Bouti said, she was very worried for them to be in the United States following the election.

Attending school in Canada, separate from and yet a part of American politics, Bouti is one of many Queen’s students who feel personally involved in the future relationship between Canada and the United States.

“I think it makes people more aware of their actions,” she said. “It has an impact in the sense that people are thinking more about politics and racism and inclusion and all that stuff, maybe we will see a rise in international students?”

As Donald Trump takes his first days in office and the Doomsday Clock clicks closer to midnight, it may be comforting to many Canadians that at least we’re on the other side of the border. But this isn’t the first time that Queen’s students have had a front row seat to American politics.

Due to Queen’s close proximity to the American border — 50.6 km to be exact — Queen’s historically has had its fair share of involvement in American politics.

“We’re probably the closest university to the States — we’re on the doorstep of the United States which has made us very conscious of what goes on there,” Duncan McDowall, Queen’s Historian told The Journal.

Most notable in Queen’s historical involvement in American politics was President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1938 speech at Richardson field.

“The Dominion of Canada is part of the sisterhood of the British Empire. I give to you assurance that the people of the United States will not stand idly by if domination of Canadian soil is threatened by any other empire,” Roosevelt stated on that August day in 1938.

Prior to World War II, the United States had a solid non-entanglement mentality.

The country was founded on the idea that because they were surrounded by two relatively non-confrontational states, Canada and Mexico they didn’t have the obligation or desire to get involved in the constant conflicts in Europe.

“But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She

SUPPLIED VIA WIKIPEDIA

SUPPLIED VIA WIKIPEDIA

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

SUPPLIED VIA WIKIMEDIA

Clockwise from top left: President Roosevelt and Prime Minister King; Washington welcomes Justin Trudeau; Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama; President Carter recieves honorary degree from Queen’s.

is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own,” John Quincy Adams, one of the United States’ founding fathers, proclaimed in an 1812 speech entitled “Warning Against the Search of ‘Monsters to Destroy’”. Adams’ attitude is one of the many examples of the non-entanglement ideals America was founded upon.

“

Due to Queen’s close proximity to the American border -- 50.6 km to be exact -- Queen’s historically has had its fair share of involvement in American politics.

”

But in 1938, when FDR stood on Queen’s campus, World War II and Adolf Hitler were looming, and the United States could no longer justify non-involvement.

FDR’s speech at Queen’s was one of the first times that the American government followed this new found idea of needing to

help spread democracy through out the world to eliminate potential for disaster.

Since that moment, the relationship between Queen’s and the United States has continued.

Five years ago in 2012, former President Jimmy Carter received an honorary degree from Queen’s.

According to McDowall, the United States was always the number one international student rate, and when graduate programs opened up, a lot of Americans came over.

While that’s in the past, the real question is what is yet to come for the relationship between Canada and the United States.

Under former President Barack Obama’s administration, Canada and the United States worked harmoniously together on many issues and had a very co-operative relationship.

Obama and Trudeau, in the short time they were both in office, agreed on many issues that are important in the future, one of which was the US-Canada Joint Statement on Climate, Energy and Arctic Leadership which highlighted specific plans to reduce carbon emissions and develop clean energy sources.

Climate change and the importance of reducing carbon emissions is something that

President Trump has outright dismissed making the future of that plan is uncertain.

Other joint plans they worked on were the continuation of North America Free Trade Agreement and plans to support and empower adolescence girls in Canada and around the world to reduce teen pregnancy and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Trump “andPresident Prime Minister

Trudeau have agreed on one thing so far -- implementing the Keystone XL Pipeline. Whether that is an indication for willingness to cooperate in the future or not, only time will tell.

”

President Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau have agreed on one thing so far — implementing the Keystone XL Pipeline. Whether that’s an indication for willingness to cooperate in the future or not,

only time will tell.

For Queen’s mining engineering student Ryan Kealy, Trump’s relationship with Canada has a lot to do with the future of his own field.

“In the long run for the biggest issues, it’s going to change oil a lot with the pipeline,” Kealy, Sci’18 said.

“Whether that’s a negative or positive in the long run, Canada’s resource economy is going to change with more pipelines, more oil and more mining in the energy sector.”

Kealy is a dual AmericanCanadian citizen from Rochester, New York with a vested interest in politics.

While Kealy recognizes that there’ve been and always will be connections between the two countries, he said the effects of Trump’s presidency might not be as detrimental as people think.

“I think there are a lot of ties between the US and Canada but I think the biggest thing that Canadians have a hard time understanding is that the Prime Minister of Canada is a lot more powerful than the President of the United States.”

In terms of checks and balance, President Trump has a much more thorough system facing him than Trudeau who has the majority party in the House of Commons.

Canada and America are different countries and there isn’t any type of requirement of what their relationship needs to be.

For Queen’s students nervous about what’s going to happen in the next four years, Kealy argues that Canada is it’s own strong country and students in Canada should have a positive outlook on the future that this country can have.

“Focus more on issues happening here where we can actually make a change that is helpful to Canadians instead of paying attention to a country that doesn’t give a shit about us, for lack of better words,” Kealy said.

“But at the end of the day, we just need to have hope.”

On the other hand, Professor Emeritus Geoffery Smith believes that the real effects that President Donald Trump could have on Canada all depend on the stance that Justin Trudeau is going to take.

Smith is a former history professor and a current health and physical education professor from San Francisco, California — a part of the country, he joked, that’s no longer part of the United States due to the large proportion of Democrat voters.

“It’s going to be a real struggle for Justin Trudeau to stand in the room with this man and get anything done… essentially Justin Trudeau is going to have to stand up,” Smith said.

8 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 27, 2017

EDITORIALS

The Journal’s Perspective

Our Endorsement

MTW’s sincerity surpasses JBP’s preparation

Our process: The Journal Editorial Board’s votes took into consideration interviews, debates, platforms and a private questioning period with the teams. The endorsement is the result of a straight vote by the Editorial Board.

Y

ou can practice and memorize how to answer a set of common questions, but sincerity and honesty are a lot harder to learn.

The Journal Editorial Board voted to endorse Team MTW for the 201718 AMS executive, with a 14-3 vote and two abstentions.

Team JBP exudes preparation. They’ve done their homework and they know what they’re talking about — when asked common questions about racism on campus or mental health, they have answers ready.

But Team MTW exudes genuineness.

During their meeting with The Journal, when answering a question about whether their focus on personal experience would inhibit their ability to keep emotion out of governance, presidential candidate Aniqah Mair, CompSci ’18, began by explaining that their experiences don’t encompass all 16,000 students’ experiences — but quickly corrected herself from ‘students’ to ‘peers’.

The moment exemplified what Team MTW stands for — they don’t have everything figured out, but for the Editorial Board, their willingness to sit down as equals and have a frank discussion about how to move forward stretches beyond Team JBP’s confidence in their preparedness.

Team JBP often listed action-oriented platform points in response to commonly asked questions — a characteristic their opponents lacked and need to work on.

Jennifer Li, ConEd ’17, JBP’s presidential candidate, is assertive and sure of her answers to big questions in a way that Mair isn’t. But Mair gives off an impression of frankness and straight-forwardness that makes her seem, to the Editorial Board, a better candidate for president.

While Li’s experience as undergraduate student trustee is undoubtedly an asset, Mair’s casual demeanor shouldn’t downplay her experience. As current COMPSA President, she lobbied tirelessly for a new hire in the Computing faculty — making an impact that will last beyond her one-year term.

When it came to unscripted questions, Team JBP’s confidence wasn’t as apparent.

When asked difficult questions about their team’s formation, they skirted them. While it’s fair to assume they were caught off guard, their inability to respond directly hinted at a reluctance to hold themselves accountable even though they’d pledged transparency moments earlier.

On the other hand, MTW was open about explaining their reasons for forming, even admitting that their lack of surety, their biggest weakness, was the result of forming late in the game. Each member of the team stressed that they don’t know all the answers — if elected, they’d work

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Volume 144 Issue 19

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ILLUSTRATION BY VINCENT LIN

to ensure the answers are discussed and — they wouldn’t be setting out to “decolonize found collectively. the University in a year.” Instead, if elected, When discussing arguably the MTW would focus on consulting with those most relevant topic at Queen’s recently most impacted by campus racism instead — the racially-charged incidents of fall of on “airy platitudes.” The Journal Editorial semester — Team JBP didn’t disappoint. Board noted the significance of this kind of They were practical in their approach, honesty in such a sensitive and divisive issue. whittling the issue down to a set of tangible JBP have what it takes to represent movements, such as establishing a timeline students and make decisions. Brian McKay, for implementing equity recommendations ArtSci’ 17, Vice President (Operations) and enhancing equitable hiring practices candidate for Team JBP, has a visible passion within the AMS. for feasible solutions to student issues — so Team MTW, however, had a sincerer much so that he was the only candidate approach. They prioritized the voices of who was cut off because he consistently had students of colour above a set of talking something to say. points. They also recognized their inability Wilcock has the same passion, but fell to reduce such a complex issue into short on the clarity front. In discussing the something that didn’t do it justice, while concrete details of AMS services — which Landon Wilcock, ArtSci ’18, the Vice would fall under his purview if he is elected President (Operations) candidate was — he spoke in vague and unspecific terms, prompt in acknowledging his own privilege unlike McKay. as a white male student on campus.

Team MTW doesn’t give off the same When asked how they would promote impression of professionalism and anti-racism on campus, Mair was blunt experience. But while consultations can

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be done and professionalism learned, the members of MTW have a unique perspective that can’t be taught. And they’ll have the time and resources to learn.

Team JBP’s extensive and punctuallyreleased platform is an asset they have over Team MTW, who, at the time of their meeting with The Journal, hadn’t yet released their official platform.

JBP’s platform points were rooted in administrative change. To support campus sustainability efforts, they plan to implement a carbon audit that would evaluate the carbon output for each individual AMS service. They also hope to establish an online booking system for counseling services to expedite the intimidating process of seeking mental health support.

Team MTW’s platform is much less set in stone, mainly because they stressed the significance of openness and continuous consultation while implementing change.

They shared their plan to create an ‘inclusion week’, a time for open dialogue about race issues and diversity at Queen’s.

Rather than work to change appointment booking, they said they want to expand the amount of space available to the Peer Support Centre or Student Wellness Services.

JBP’s platform is a lot more straight forward, but while MTW lacks the same tangible points, its vagueness may not come from being unqualified but from recognizing that some of these issues really aren’t that simple. We have to take them at their word that they have concrete steps towards accomplishing their goals but that might be a worthwhile risk.

In the face of issues like Queen’s culture of whiteness, MTW’s uncalculated and selfreflexive terms — when accompanied by their willingness to listen and learn — are a way to avoid undermining their complexity.

JBP, if elected, will fit neatly into the picture of AMS administration and there’s no doubt that they would competently and admirably fulfill their duties and responsibilities. But that is all.

MTW, if elected, may bring the freshness and shift in mindset that students need.

In the days following up to the election, MTW could benefit from working on their preparation and fine-tuning their confidence.

It takes some digging beneath the surface to find the air of cohesiveness and sureness that JBP convey right off the bat.

At the end of the day, The Journal Editorial Board believes MTW’s values of sincerity and honesty can carry them farther than JBP, without leaving anyone behind.

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Want to contribute?

For information visit: www.queensjournal.ca/contribute or email the Editors in Chief at journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca

Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

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The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

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queensjournal.ca

OPINIONS

•9

Your Perspective

AMS’ inaccessibility remains a problem Not all students have the opportunity to run for a position in the AMS Vishmayaa Jeyamoorthy, ArtSci '18 Staff Writer Every year, when election season rolls around, I wonder how candidates prepare to run. This year, I had a taste of that process myself, when I chose to make a bid for Undergraduate Student Trustee. In the end, I chose not to fill out the campaign paperwork, but it wasn’t because I got cold feet. I chose not to run because the entire election process is incredibly inaccessible to the average student.

I knew that I’d be asking a lot of myself and my team if I ran for Undergraduate Student Trustee. I knew that we would lose out on a lot of sleep; I knew we’d have to talk to my professors about missing class; I knew we’d be eating like garbage because we’d have no time to cook. I thought that it would be okay though, because we had the commitment and determination to push through.

Turns out that even if my team did, I didn’t.

It wasn’t a lack of determination that stopped me from running. If all it took was hard work, I would be on the campaign trail right now. But running for these elected positions — like AMS executive, Undergraduate Student Trustee or Rector — takes a lot more than that.

I wasn’t ready to take the academic or financial hit that the campaign would bring me, and more importantly, I wasn’t ready to ask other people to sacrifice their physical and mental wellbeing to do all of this work for me. I wasn’t ready to give up everything I was doing — my classes, my job, my extracurricular activities — to spend every second of January preparing for this campaign.

end, I chose not to fill “outInthethecampaign paperwork,

but it wasn’t because I got cold feet. I chose not to run because the entire election process is incredibly inaccessible to the average student.

”

This also isn’t the first time a Journal op-ed has been written about the inaccessibility of the AMS. Mark Asfar, who ran as the

Vice-President (Operations) with Team SMH in 2014 wrote a piece called “Putting the pain in campaign” that highlighted the various barriers to running. His op-ed outlined how much time and money running a campaign required, and how he suffered academically, personally and financially because of the campaign he ran.

Previous teams have talked about making the AMS more accessible and transparent in their campaign platforms for years.

Someone always promises to make the AMS easier to understand, easier to approach, and easier to take part in. However, none of these promises lead to election reform.

experience necessary”?

Right now, you need to have read every scrap of policy that Queen’s has ever put out, and you need to talk to every student leader on campus to get their opinions and their support. If you don’t, you have no chance of winning — and who wants to run a losing campaign?

This came up in the AMS executive debates last Tuesday. Team MTW argued that their position as an “external” team gave them a fresh perspective, even if they lacked some of the knowledge that comes with being “internal” to the AMS. Team JPB argued that there was no excuse to not knowing how to competently do the job.

I don’t disagree with Team JPB entirely I wasn’t ready to give — I’d love if my student representatives were well-versed in everything they up everything I was doing do — but it’s also not a realistic claim if the — my classes, my job, my AMS continues to function as it does now. extracurricular activities — in Information is not easily found within the order to spend every second AMS, and information greases the wheels of a campaign team. of January preparing for Every year, I hear candidates promise this campaign. to make the AMS more transparent and accessible, but nothing changes. The AMS elections tend to be fairly democratic, elections are just as inaccessible as they so that’s not the kind of election reform I’m were three years ago, and in the AMS, three talking about. I’m talking about the culture years is a long time when it means three that surrounds elections on this campus. different governing teams.

I want to know why candidates have to skip every class in order to do class talks from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and spend the Why do these elections time in between at a booth in the ARC. I operate within a culture want to know why every candidate and that asks so much of its every campaign manager has to work from candidates, and then midnight to midnight every day, catching wonders why so few students a few naps in between, to run a viable campaign. I want to know why the AMS choose to participate? touts itself as a “no experience necessary” organization, when it really isn’t.

Why do these elections operate within a Perhaps that’s the question that really culture that asks so much of its candidates, should have come up in the debates this and then wonders why so few students year — how do you plan to make the AMS choose to participate? easier to run for? How do you plan to make There’s no question that to run a the AMS an institution that people want to successful campaign, a candidate needs to run for? What do you really mean when be prepared — but where does the AMS’s you say you want to make the AMS more “no experience necessary” mentality fit in transparent and accessible? with all of this?

How do we know you’re not just saying Just because a student hasn’t held a that, like all the candidates that came leadership position in student government before you? doesn’t mean they can’t bring valid ideas to the table. Shouldn’t they be able to learn V i s h m a y a a Jeyamoorthy is a and the ins and outs of student government third-year stage and screen along the way — isn’t that the point of “no certificate of business student.

“

”

“

”

Talking heads ... around campus

PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN SMITH

What campus issues do you take into account most when voting for your AMS execs?

“Inclusivity in hiring practices.”

Amy Haddlesey, ArtSci ’18

“Accessibility around campus.”

Emily Forbes, ArtSci ’19

“Encouraging more hands-on learning strategies.”

Jacquline O’Rourke, ConEd ’18

“Addressing the culture of whiteness on campus.”

Aniqa Mazumder, ArtSci ’18

10 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 27, 2017

Arts REVIEW

Getting my nuts cracked One man’s journey at The Nutcracker

Joseph Cattana Sports Editor I have to be honest — I’m no ballet expert. Before I walked into The National Ballet in Toronto, I had to ask my girlfriend, “Are there words in The Nutcracker?”

To which, if you know ballet at all, she replied no. I was doomed.

When the lights faded to black, I was sure I was going to fall asleep at some point to the sound of classical music and a bunch of ballerinas jumping around on stage.

But to my surprise, I was more than awake. It was amazing.

If you don’t know The Nutcracker, here’s what I gathered: On Christmas Eve, Clara, a young girl receives a nutcracker that takes her and her brother on a journey to a magical world. They dance with snowflakes, meet the sugar plum

COMMENTARY

fairy and defeat a rat army, only to wake up on Christmas morning after what seems like a vivid dream.

As the action ensued, the first thing that stood out to me was the musical score. When the ballet started, I was surprised that I knew the music. While I always thought of classical music from a famous composer, I never knew it was in The Nutcracker. As the orchestra began to play the sounds became increasingly familiar, it was a mix between magical bells and loud trumpets. I usually associate it to the scene in Elf where Will Farrell decorates the toy store — who knew?

After I discovered that there was no dialogue in the show, I became more attuned to the music that filled the space.

While in today’s movies and TV shows music is used to balance

the ongoing action, I found that The Nutcracker’s score gave me a chance to better appreciate the dancing.

Although I know nothing about how ballet is accomplished, one thing is for sure — the dancing is captivating. The women flew across the stage and the men jumped and spun higher than I thought was possible. Even though I didn’t know the storyline, through their movements across the stage and both body and facial expressions, I could pick it up pretty easily.

Every few minutes, I found myself asking my girlfriend how the dancers did certain moves, or my most often question — how they didn’t get dizzy. Even though I was in awe of the endless pirouettes from my seat, I was getting nauseous. I learned the importance of spotting — keeping

your eyes glued on one spot while spinning around again and again — and how ballet dancers use it to their advantage so they don’t get dizzy.

If only university students could do that after a late night on the town.

While the dancing made the show stand out, the pageantry was on another level. With the detailed costumes and ostentatious sets, I felt as if I was transported back in time. Even though the remotecontrolled rat made people laugh, the overall feel of the ballet placed me in a time before 2016. Rather than being asleep in downtown Toronto, I was glued to the dream world of The Nutcracker.

This world was something I’d

PHOTO BY AUSTON CHHOR

heard about here and there, but nothing that ever really grabbed my attention. But during this show the finesse, action and dance kept me from the sleep I thought I was doomed for.

I walked into The National Ballet with a pretty empty mind, but left with an appreciation for the art of ballet. Although this ballet was created in the nineteenth century, I can understand why it has regained popularity and stood the test of time.

Unfortunately, I don’t see myself actively searching out another ballet in the near future. When it was over I turned to my girlfriend and asked, “Do other ballets have words?”

What the CanLit controversy means to an aspiring Canadian writer Ramna Safeer Editorials Editor Dear Canadian literature —I think it’s time we see other people.

With Canadian names lining my bookshelves and a lofty dream to be one of those renowned Canadian writers some day, one incident is hard to swallow — the involvement of those renowned names in the Steven Galloway scandal.

Last November, the University of British Columbia (UBC) fired Steven Galloway, a celebrated Canadian writer and former chair of the University’s creative writing program.

Another celebrated Canadian writer, Joseph Boyden, penned an open letter in response to the allegations against Galloway, which included accusations of harassment and sexual misconduct.

The letter, which was accompanied by the signatures of 88 CanLit luminaries and shared widely under the hashtag #UBCaccountable, stressed the significance of “due process and

fair treatment for all,” expressing Boyden and many CanLit personalities’ support for Galloway.

Nowhere in the letter did it express concern for the former UBC student who had come forward, offer support for survivors of sexual assault or recognize the difficulty of coming forward with such an experience.

Internationally-acclaimed powerhouse Margaret Atwood, multi-awarded poet and novelist Michael Ondaatje, and 2016 Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Madeleine Thien were all signatories of the open letter.

In short, a generous helping of Canadian literature’s biggest names, people who aspiring Canadian writers idolize, overtly disbelieved those who had come forward — that speaks volumes.

When I read the letter last November and scanned the names below it — many of them populating my bookshelf — I remembered watching the 2016 Canada Reads competition and feeling proud of Canada’s

literary community.

The annual competition includes five Canadian icons each defending their favourite novel of the year, with the last book standing dubbed as the book all Canadians should read.

The 2016 competition featured novels that delved into all facets of Canadian identity. Discussions and debates explored all facets of identity — race, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, health and ability — and championed the power of the written word to represent and embody all of them.

I remember watching and feeling as though the CanLit community was one that pushed readers to engage — that asked Canadians to welcome the unknown, to explore the untraversed and most importantly, to speak for those who go unheard. In the words of The Walrus’ Simon Lewsen, “it reminded you that somewhere — perhaps across mountains, prairies, and lakes of calving ice — there were people whose lives you should care about.”

A collection of Canadian literature in Stauffer library.

And then, with a letter that protected the privileged and alienated the vulnerable, supported

by Canada’s most heralded writers, CanLit seemed to become an elite club that tightens to protect one of their own — not a place that publishes and empowers diverse voices.

As a professor at Carleton University tweeted following the letter’s release, “imagine being a young writer in Canada. Imagine being sexually harassed. Imagine seeing the top writers in the country sign that letter.”

Sierra Skye Gemma, a former student who filed a complaint against Galloway, told The Toronto Star that reading those names was incredibly emotional.

“I wept when I read those names because I truly believe those

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

writers have no idea the silencing effect this letter has on victims, both of the past and of the future,” she said.

As an aspiring writer, Canada’s literary community often made me feel hopeful — in a time where it’s tough to be non-white and non-male, words that reflected worlds that looked like mine were, and still are, a place of refuge.

But as a female student, on one of the many campuses in this country still struggling in a battle to protect survivors of sexual assault and those most vulnerable to it, the world of Canadian literature isn’t making me feel hopeful right now — it’s giving me a sour taste in my mouth.

Arts

Friday, January 27, 2017

queensjournal.ca

• 11

UNION GALLERY

A striking exhibition

Union Gallery’s new show features a wide array of talent

AJ Lockhard Contributor

dark, with a glimpse of pink sky in the distance promising more light ahead and What effect do your beckoning me farther surroundings have on into the work. your life? Maybe this Angel Lin’s Venez et isn’t a question you ask Danse avec ces Escaliers yourself commonly, (2016) is a series of two but it’s one that Union paintings facing each Gallery’s new exhibit other in a smaller room Striking the line will have attached to the main you considering. gallery. They’re full The exhibit, part of the of bright colours and gallery’s winter showcase, straight lines detailing features various works the outlines of churches, from Queen’s students. making me want to The pieces are arranged do exactly as the title around the outside of the suggests: dance up main space, starting with the staircases and into Julia Fast-Grass’ The Space these grand structures.

Between (2016) depicting PHOTOS BY SEBASTIEN MOLGAT Also in this room is the top third of a brick (Left) Lin’s Venez et Danse avec ces Escaliers (right) Khangura’s Untitled.

Daisy Barrette’s digital house. The details of this colour film Loci (2016). The video overlays piece drew me in, while the way it beautifully with a warm sky of pinks and purples, while like my beloved Queen’s is running out.

Next, Chanpreet Khangura’s digital images from a dollhouse and abandoned captured an uncommon angle of an everyday the latter is all greens that made me giddy for a long-awaited spring. These landscapes are print Untitled (2016) brought me back to stairwells. As each frame shook it took on scene kept me glued to the painting.

Beside it, Austin Henderson’s Into Place somewhat abruptly disturbed by shocks of a calmer reality. The three frames showing more of a bad dream quality and unsettled (2016) furthers this feeling of drawing varying colours applied in thick strokes over different far-off shots of buildings amidst me further. Not to be missed on your way out attention to the ordinary, illustrating the the scene, providing a stark contrast that full-leafed trees reminded me of High Park is Biba Esaad’s I Cried at this Museum (2016). paradoxical stability and collapse of a brick took me away from my otherwise tranquil in my hometown of Toronto and that taking As figures take in blurred-out art works, a a pause from the concrete jungle doesn’t single person is facing the viewer in the grey wall and reminding the viewer that our most feeling inspired by the nature presented. gallery, head in hands. The piece acutely In addition to paintings, the exhibit require a complete change of scenery. familiar places aren’t permanent. Although Coming upon Madison Tyrell’s piece captures feeling loneliness amid people. the title could imply optimism, the dark also featured Daisy Jin’s monoprint Stay This exhibit left me keen to become more colours and looming bricks made me feel (2016). The piece reveals two figures with 01.S02.016 (2016) was a wonderfully calming more of the wall’s dividing quality — adding their backs to the viewer, moving off to experience and reinforced the exhibit’s aware of and reimagine the spaces I inhabit destinations unknown. Its addition to this overall feeling of solitude in my environment. everyday, while feeling nostalgic for the a different dimension to the work.

Emma White’s Solstice (2016) and Cloister exhibit is unclear as the piece didn’t seem to The scene feels familiar, reminiscent of visits places I love best and how they’ve shaped 2 (2016) are two of the bigger pieces in the have a spatial setting, unlike Carrie Emblem’s to friends’ cottages and taking evening walks me. This exhibit isn’t to be missed, as it offers exhibit. Both embodied a feeling of home in colour lithography Time will tell (2016), an along the Canadian shield. Birch trees and a starting point to embark on the unique their classic Canadian landscapes of full trees, anxiety-inducing work made of pieces of rocks form the bank of a black river flowing task of acknowledging everyday spaces and fresh water, and rocks. The former is filled clocks that remind me that my time in places to the viewer’s feet. The area is barren and insisting on their ability to shape our world.

LIVE MUSIC

The Embassy: Kingston’s holiest live music cafe

fill a gap in your program

St. George’s Cathedral is home to a unique performance venue Alex Palermo Assistant Arts Editor Earlier this month, Kingston residents made their way downtown to the opening night of the city’s most hallowed new music venue.

The Embassy Live Music Cafe’s pop-up is tucked away in the back half of St. George’s Cathedral in an area called the Great Hall.

Every Saturday night, the dramatic space that’s complete with an acoustic friendly A-frame ceiling and wooden beams, is lit up with local sound.

“We are under the umbrella of a local charity and are therefore not-for-profit. All of our staff are 100 per cent volunteers,” Tyler Blackmore, general manager at The Embassy, said in an interview with The Journal. It’s the benevolent hearts of The Embassy’s staff that seems to be the driving force in putting the new cafe on the live music map.

The $2 entrance fee isn’t only lower than most cover charges, but includes also a fresh cup of coffee and a baked good.

What’s not to love?

The Embassy, while booking indie acts such as Tony Silvestri and Elevation Music Studio, is also fairly unique in their artist preference. “We want to book acts that have a broad, mature appeal for our guests and will leave them wanting more at the end of

the evening,” Blackmore said of the process.

“So far our booking agent scouts and invites [acts] that might suit our fashion of venue.”

The Embassy is open to booking any local talent, and encourage requests from both performers and audience members. They urge artists to reach out if they’re interested in performing, and operate on an audience preference-based system: more requests for an artist, higher likelihood of performance.

“We love music, and believe it can soothe the soul,” Blackmore said of their self-labelled high standards, “[We] want to book only the best in local talent.”

In a university town like Kingston it’s fairly easy for live music venues to book the same kinds of talent again and again. It’s also tempting to cater to the party scene as a venue, booking electronic acts, DJs and music that people can easily dance to.

The Embassy takes the focus off of the curb appeal and puts the focus back on the actual musical experience — a task made much easier by their lack of a liquor license, 11 p.m. closing time and their particularly holy locale.

“We are a great way to start a Saturday night with some friends, listening to only the best live music,” Blackmore explained of their vision for The Embassy as a student watering hole.

Athabasca University has over 850 courses for you to choose from to meet your needs. Monthly start dates of undergraduate courses fit into your schedule so that you can work at your own pace.

Fill the gap and save a semester.

go.athabascau.ca/online-courses open. online. everywhere.

12 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 27, 2017

Sports

Will Hoey (18) played his first game of the year against RMC on January 15.

Not without a few bumps in the road

SUPPLIED BY IAN MACALPINE

Will Hoey’s return to volleyball has been anything but easy

Sarah O’Flaherty Assistant Sports Editor Will Hoey, the men’s volleyball team’s 6’11” star middle, hasn’t had an easy time during his five-year stint wearing tricolour.

This season alone, injury has forced him to remain on the sidelines for nine of the team’s 11 games.

Making his debut halfway through the season, Hoey put up an efficient 10 kills on 12 attempts in the Gaels’ victory against the RMC Paladins two weeks ago.

He followed up the performance a week later, again against the Paladins, with 11 kills and 7 digs.

“I forgot what it was like to play volleyball for a long time, because I didn’t play for 11 months,” Hoey said. “It’s pretty surreal.

For instance, before our first RMC game, I didn’t get any sleep because I forgot how excited I got to play games.”

But getting back on the court has been a long and difficult journey for Hoey, going as far back as his first year in a five-year

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

career as a Gael.

In his first year, he dislocated his knee for the first time. From that point onward, his knee became easier and easier to dislocate, until he had completely torn his medial tendon, which keeps the knee in place. The last time his knee dislocated, Hoey was simply throwing a football. He planted his leg as he stepped forward to launch the ball and his knee just slipped out.

In April of 2015, Hoey had to undergo an MPFL reconstruction to repair the damage that was caused by these dislocations.

Recovery from that surgery took six months, and when he came back to Queen’s, he developed tendonitis in his patellar tendon, which sits at the top of the knee.

The tendonitis lead to Hoey suffering two quad tears, in January and February of 2016, which have taken him a substantial amount of time to recover from.

Hoey says that his journey with sport injuries have been tough, not only physically, but mentally as well. “With a lot of surgeries

you get, you get it because you aren’t healthy in that moment. It was difficult for me to think, ‘I’m walking into this room and I’m not going to be able to walk out.’”

Recovery, particularly jumping recovery, has been difficult for the self-described “bouncy and jumpy” player. “Jumping recovery is annoying, because you’re building up the tolerance that your knee can take. It’s a very slow process,” Hoey said.

Hoey said his recovery routine started with rehab for the injury, and then building strength and power.

These injuries were difficult for Hoey not only because they derailed his career playing volleyball with the Gaels, but also because they threatened to stop his beach volleyball career, which Hoey refers to as his “preferred sport.”

Rather than going straight into his indoor season, Hoey took the first four months to rehab, saving his legs for the latter half of the OUA year and his beach volleyball system. Hoey said his coach and

teammates were supportive of this difficult decision.

The men’s volleyball team graduated six of its players last season and has nine rookies this year. Hoey saw his time stuck on the sidelines as an opportunity for the team to develop its bench and get younger players quality game time.

“It was also beneficial,” Hoey said. “I’m graduating this season.

We had two rookies and a second year that we just moved to the position, Dylan Hunt. So me being out gave them the opportunity to play more.”

While he was unable to play, Hoey transitioned his role on the sidelines to more of a coaching role for the younger players, which

he enjoyed. “I feel strongly about having a good influence on the young guys because my fifth-year vet, Jackson Dakin, was a huge role model to me, and I hope that I can affect them the way he affected me.”

Even though he had a difficult five seasons, Hoey has fond memories of his time as a Gael.

“The past four years alongside Markus [Trence], Thomas [Ellison] and Jamie [Wright] have been incredible, and having Austin [Payne] back on the team has made this season a lot of fun.”

Hoey is looking forward to finishing his last three months as a Gael on a strong note. “I couldn’t be more excited to take this one to an OUA medal,” Hoey said.

Gaels beat best in country

Women’s basketball extends winning streak to 12 Eric Gallo-Miscevich Contributor After knocking off the number one team in the country last weekend, the women’s basketball team is clearly going for gold. With the 70-68 win over McMaster, the team moved to 12-0 on the season, sitting atop the OUA East.

In an interview with The Journal, head coach Dave Wilson discussed how close of a game it was.

“They’re ranked number one in the country for a reason,” Wilson said. “They don’t give up and they’re very talented so we knew it was coming. It was just a question of if we could weather the storm and maintain our composure, and I thought we actually did a good job of that.”

The Marauders started the fourth quarter off with a 7-0 run but the Gaels fought back and took the lead with less than a minute remaining. Veronika Lavergne knocked down a jumper with 25 seconds to go, putting the Gaels

up by three. With a missed shot on the other end from McMaster, Lavergne’s shot sealed the deal.

“We had some defensive lapses but we were able to pull it out on the offensive end and [take] the lead,” said fourth-year nursing student and Queen’s forward, Andrea Priamo.

The Gaels finished with a record of 14-5 last season and their actions speak more than words this year. They want to win and they have a team that doesn’t shy away when the game is on the line.

“We knew that we had something special with this group [this year],” Wilson said. “We have, I would think, the deepest team in the country … we’ve had nine different players be our top scorer in a game.”

At the core of the team’s depth is its veterans, Wilson said. Being a part of the system for a few years now, these players have acted as teachers for the younger players.

“Our veterans have become more savvy every time they come

on the court and what that’s done is accelerate our younger players so they’re learning from the veterans much more than learning from the coaching staff, which is the way we would like things because our veterans are the ones that are in the trenches,” he said.

Depth is crucial to stamina through the long and strenuous season. In only three out of Queen’s 12 games this year an opponent’s bench outscored the Gaels’ bench.

In the other nine games the Gaels’ bench outscored their opponents’ by roughly ten points.

“I think that all 15 players make such a difference … and everyone trusts all 15 players, which is important,” Priamo said.

The success of the team’s depth isn’t just a factor in games, but heavily impacts team development in practices as well. Coach Wilson puts players through a drill called four-on-four-on-four, where one group plays another and the first to score stays on. The next group of four rushes onto the court and play continues aggressively.

Andrea Priamo (14) in action against Laurier.

“All of our players get pushed hard every day in practice by very talented players, whereas other teams that aren’t as deep, it’s hard to push the starters as hard because the backups aren’t quite as strong,” Wilson said with regards to the four-on-four-onfour drills.

A benefit to having a deep bench enables the Gaels to exercise versatility on the offensive floor.

Each game has been different this season in terms of the type of scoring Queen’s executes.

“Friday night against Brock, we did all the damage with the post, and then against Mac it was our perimeters,” Wilson said. “So I think that’s the other thing that comes to the table with us; our breadth of how we can score.”

Having a clean 12-0 record is daunting moving forward, and that’s why Queen’s looks at these wins through a different lens. Instead of waiting for a loss to figure out what they need to improve, the Gaels look at winning not so much like a victory.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

“You can learn so much from a loss and that’s where you really grow and learn, but our concept this year is you can learn from a win,” Wilson said. “And that’s what we’ve been trying to do…[we] treat every game after we’ve won as if we’ve lost.”

Looking forward, the Gaels want to maintain the intensity and keep running the rotations from the bench. They have a motivation to work hard and not get too excited about a single win, because they realize the season is a grind.

“My favourite part is working with athletes who are committed to a common goal and are willing to do exceptionally difficult things and make that happen,” Wilson said. “It’s special to see what the players can accomplish, both academically and athletically with the drive they have. I think it’s amazing and it’s very exciting to be around.”

The Gaels are at home this weekend hosting the 1-12 Nipissing team and the 3-10 Laurentian team.

Sports

Friday, January 27, 2017

queensjournal.ca

• 13

MEN’S HOCKEY

Brett Gibson reflects on success

Head coach heads to Kazakhstan to coach Canada at FISU games Bilal Shaikh Contributor Gaels’ men’s hockey coach Brett Gibson has been enjoying his fair share of success behind the bench for the Gaels, with a 16-6 record this season. This level of success has put many people on notice, including Hockey Canada.

In early December, Coach Gibson received the offer from U Sports to lead the top university hockey players in an exhibition series against the Canadian Junior National Team, in preparation for the World Junior Hockey Championships.

“It was an unbelievable experience and it was truly humbling,” Gibson said. “Anytime

you get to hang around Hockey Canada for four and a half days, the knowledge you gain and take back to your own program is priceless. It makes you step back and wonder ‘why me?’, but you also know that it’s a great honour.”

Working with some of the most talented players in U Sports, Coach Gibson recognized that there would be some challenges to deal with. With only two practices before the showcase began, it left little time to bring everyone together.

“You really have to set the tone with your initial talk to them when they walk in the room, and I thought we did a good job,” Gibson said. “They had to take their school colours off and come together as

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Brett Gibson has the Gaels at 16-6 this year.

one, and they’re all professionals, so we jelled really quickly.”

There’s an often-quoted myth that if you’re playing university hockey in Canada, your NHL dreams are over. However, in the past, the U-Sports All-Star showcase has been a bridge for university players still looking to turn pro. NHL scouts have taken notice of the game, and just last year alone, eight players from the U-Sports team were invited to NHL training camps.

“The opportunity for the kids who were playing was tremendous,” said Gibson.

“U-Sports sometimes get overlooked, and these are great hockey players. For them to play in front of the NHL scouts again, I was excited for them.”

Building upon his efforts at the showcase, Coach Gibson has

MEN’S BASKETBALL

also been invited to take part in the FISU Winter Universiade, as the coach of the Canadian Hockey team, in Almaty, Kazakhstan starting January 30. The FISU Winter Universiade is the second biggest congregation of athletes, next to the Olympics. It has long been a dream for Coach Gibson to represent Canada at an event of this magnitude.

“You always dream, and I guess the best part about it is that one of my dreams is coming true,” Gibson said. “It’ll be something I get to remember for the rest of my life, which is truly something I cherish.”

Gibson won’t be the lone Gael at the event. Forwards Slater Doggett and Eric Ming, defensemen Spencer Abraham and goalie Kevin Bailie have joined the coach in Kazakhstan.

The success Coach Gibson

has enjoyed haven’t come easy.

It’s been a long journey, but he’s starting to prove all the critics wrong.

“The journey has been great,” he said. “People always told it would be tough to win at Queen’s, and well, we proved that myth wrong.

Everyone told me, kids from the OHL or Major Junior wouldn’t come to Queen’s, well that myth was wrong too.”

Coach Gibson believes in having an attitude of always working hard, no matter who tells you that you can or can’t do something and to never give up.

“If you work hard, you have a vision and you have a plan, you can be successful,” Gibson said.

“It’s been a great story, but I’m not done yet. I’ve got a lot of chapters left to go, and that’s where my focus is right now.”

Looking to snap streak on hardwood Gaels have lost five consecutive games Sebastian Bron Staff Writer Isse Ibrahim driving to the hoop against Toronto.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

“Resiliency is one of the core values of our team.”

Even after dropping five consecutive games, guard Sukpreheet Singh said the Gaels don’t buy into the idea of bad karma. It’s something they’re familiar with, he continued, but not something they’re afraid of.

“We’ve definitely shown we’re capable of bouncing back on various occasions and I’m sure we’ll do it again.”

After losing to McMaster this weekend, the feeling in the locker room wasn’t one of false hope, but rather an eagerness to improve.

“I don’t feel like our guys are overreacting to whether we win or lose, they react to whether we played to our capabilities,” head coach Stephane Barrie told The Journal.

While team morale is seemingly in check, the streak certainly begs the question of what happened to the 5-1 Gaels who entered the New Year with the fourth best record in the OUA? Barrie attributes the team’s early success to a lighter, friendlier scheduler. The Gaels didn’t play any nationally-ranked teams before January but they’ve since faced three in their last six games.

“We played top-ten teams this past weekend, so the margin for error becomes much smaller,” he said, alluding to the team’s recent matchups versus the nationally-ranked number five

Brock Badgers and number ten McMaster Marauders.

“In other games we maybe played a similar level and were able to win…but we weren’t playing the competition that we are now.”

Against the Badgers, the Gaels fared poorly.

A close opening quarter kept the men in the thick of it, but in the second they slipped right back out.

The Badgers ripped off a 20-6 run and subsequently took hold of any momentum the Gaels thought they had. The game totalled to a final score of 77-63 for the home team.

In spite of being down most of the game and finding little, if any, spurts of consistency, the problem for the Gaels was their inefficiency on the glass. They were out rebounded 53-29 — tying their lowest output on the boards since November 14, 2015.

“Pretty much everything that could go wrong with rebounding went wrong,” Barrie admitted.

“We didn’t have the urgency on loose balls, we didn’t box out. They made us pay.”

Singh, who notched his lowest scoring performance since his junior year — with eight points — agreed with Barrie, saying that any time the team plays that poorly, wins are hard to come by.

“You’re never going to win a game if you do that — no matter what,” Singh said of the Gaels’ troubles on the glass. “I’m surprised they didn’t win by more.”

After only a night, the Gaels showed considerable promise in regards to rebounding against

the Marauders. They managed to match the home team’s total boards at 34, however they suffered 20 turnovers, a significant reason to why the team suffered yet another 87-75 loss.

But in each of their losses, there is one stat that acts as the outlier. This past weekend it was turnovers and rebounds. The weekend before it was free-throws and field-goal percentages.

Rather than making a complete overhaul of the team, Barrie believes it’s about going back to the basics.

“It’s not some magical formula or coaching wizardry, it’s being consistent,” Barrie said, on how the team can bounce back. “It’s doing the things you do when you’re playing well, and doing it throughout the entire game.

“And when you do that, you have a chance to put together a full 40-minute game and be a very good team.”

A highlight for the Gaels was their finish to the weekend. Being down by as much as 25 to the Marauders, the team showed the resiliency that Singh vouched for and Barrie praised. They went on a 20-2 run, and although they failed to secure the win, the Gaels hope that momentum is on their side heading into their weekend games at the ARC. Queen’s will face off against Nipissing and Laurentian this weekend, who have a combined 9-17 record on the season.

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Friday, January 27, 2017

Lifestyle KINGSTON

The stories behind the structure

Kingston’s most architecturally interesting buildings uncovered The entryway at Hochelaga Inn at 24 Sydenham Street.

Hochleaga Inn: 24 Sydenham Street

VIA GOOGLE MAPS

MENTAL HEALTH

Cassandra Littlewood Contributor The Hochelaga Inn is one of the most recognizable buildings on Sydenham Street.

The Victorian-style mansion looms over the street and walking by it takes you right back to the year 1876, when it was built for John McIntyre, a Kingston lawyer who became the mayor of the city in 1878. The home was later converted into a retreat for executives of the Bank of Montreal, then apartments in 1933 and finally into a bed and breakfast in the 1980s.

The mansion has very intricate brick and wood work. On a central tower, contrasting green and white woodwork gives the exterior its Victorian charm. The front of the mansion boasts a porch and entranceway decorated with wooden panels while the prominent central tower, hexagonal at its

ILLUSTRATION BY C.R. LAWRENCE, PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

top, rises above the house much in the manner of a steeple of a church.

The mansion was initially built for a single family, but it’s almost unimaginable in the present day that a single family could occupy such a large house. McIntyre even added an addition, known now as the carriage house, which was built to house extra servants.

The Inn is named after Hochelaga, a sixteenth century Iroquoian village situated where present day Montreal now lies. The name also means “beaver dam,” however there’s little resemblance between a beaver home and the Inn other than its impressive woodwork.

While the Inn is featured on the Haunted Walk of Kingston, the manager, Robert Penev who lives there says that he’s never had any ghostly experiences. While there’ve been guests in the past who’ve claimed such occurrences, staff members who’ve worked

at the Inn for over ten years don’t have any ghostly encounters to recollect either.

In 2005, The Journal dug up reports of some ghostly occurrences retold by a past owner. One guest described a figure that appeared throughout the night at the foot of her bed, giving the impression of being one of her daughters sleeping in the adjoining room. Another guest described a women dressed in black Victorian garb who often occupied the house, apparently unseen by other guests.

Penev describes being a part of such an old and known establishment in Kingston as “fantastic” and said that it’s an honour to be a part of the Kingston Historical community in this way.

The Hochelaga Inn undoubtedly adds to an area that is the pinnacle of history in Kingston.

You can’t put a cast on your mental health Making my invisible pain visible to break the stigma Madeline Heinke Contributor It’s visible on the outside when you’re physically injured and in pain, people can see. You might have a limp, a bruise or wear a cast. But the pain of poor mental health is more easily hidden.

In some ways, it’s a good thing. Pity looks are bad enough and people don’t always want to be treated differently because they’re going through something. But the other issue is that because we can’t see it, no one talks about it.

Poor mental health can cripple you in the same way a broken leg does. I’ve struggled and still do with my mental health, experiencing highs and lows countered with varying intensities all the time. Sometimes I feel so weak I might as well have broken a bone, and what makes it even more painful is feeling like I can’t talk about it in the same way as a physical injury.

When you fall and break your leg, it’s pretty obvious you’ve broken something because you’re in so much pain and you’ll

need help to get back up. Then you’re diagnosed by a doctor, and you have a list of steps and procedures to go through if you want to start walking again.

If you break your leg, you’ll need a crutch or two. You’ll have to start depending on these crutches for support, because you can’t walk on your own. And it’s good because a part of you is getting by, going to class and keeping up with daily activities, but a question always stands. Just how long will you need these crutches for before you can stand alone?

For a while you won’t be able to do what you’re used to doing, like sports or getting to all your classes. Your injury holds you back and the fact that you need crutches reminds you that you can’t do all of the things the same way as before. But eventually, after surgery and finding the right physiotherapy, you get back on your feet, always keeping the scar or memory with you.

So why can’t we talk about mental illness in the same way we talk about a broken leg?

At the beginning, something will be

wrong and you’ll need help to get back up. Someone will diagnose it and it will keep us from doing some of the things that were once easy for us. It will scare us, but by reaching out to resources and finding the treatment that works the best, it will get better.

I know we’re all scared of what people will think about us, but holding in the mental pain and frustration instead of letting it out doesn’t lead to getting help and the support from others.

Opening up about my own mental health might’ve been one of the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but when I did, I found a

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

community of others like me that struggled, as well as my crutches and the right treatment to help me get back on my feet and stand tall by myself.

More often than not, no one will be able to see the pain that you’re in when you’re struggling from mental health, compared to the pain that you’re in from a broken leg. So be brave, have confidence and begin to talk openly about mental health.

You may be surprised by the thoughtful support people will give you, and the care that your family, friends and peers will be able to offer you as well.

LIFESTYLE

Friday, January 27, 2017

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TECHNOLOGY

Exploring virtual worlds VR event at the Isabel displays the wonders of interactive tech

Carly Williams testing out virtual reality technology.

Carly Williams Contributor I stood on an asteroid, visited a Nazi-era prison and got to be Pac-Man, all in just one day at the Isabel Bader Center for the Performing Arts.

On Jan. 24, I attended i-ON Kingston, a session showcasing virtual reality technology. i-ON Kingston is a series from Interactive Ontario, an organization that aims to spread awareness about interactive media.

The session showcased five virtual reality experiences and also featured a talk from Henry Faber, the co-founder of Gamma Space. It was attended by around 60 eager students as well as a range of industry professionals.

The event began with time to try out all

of the virtual reality consoles and after lining up to test out the installations, I was in a whole new world.

The installations ranged greatly in both the content as well as technological scale.

One installation was a desktop-supported tour of a Nazi-era asylum. This means users dawned a virtual reality headset, used an Xbox controller to move around, and became immersed in a World War II Nazi Germany asylum.

Users could move through the building, listen to an interview with a war survivor, and look at virtual artifacts, all at their own pace.

When I donned the helmet for a Pac-Man-style game created by Queen’s computing students, I was captivated. I was also momentarily dizzy, but I found my footing fast enough.

CULTURAL COMMENTARY

Childhood cartoons uncovered Examining the messages behind your favourite sandbox soaps

Ashley Rhamey Assistant Lifestyle Editor During an undercover sting operation, contraband is traced back to an infamous gang. An officer looking to make her mark goes undercover to join them, with the intention of taking them down from the inside out. Instead, she finds herself slipping away from her former identity, becoming drunk with power.

This may seem like a synopsis of Law and

Order, or any other police procedural on TV, but it’s actually from a 15-minute episode of Disney’s Fillmore! Swapping drugs for candy, gangs for girl guide troops and police officers for a middle school safety patrol. It seems that just about anything can be woven into a G-rated children’s show.

Cartoons operate on two levels of understanding because, at the end of the day, parents are the ones who decide which shows they let their kids watch.

If a show is going to succeed, it’s going

Disney’s Recess, Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, and Disney’s Filmore!

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

PHOTO BY GARRETT ELLIOT

I traveled around the game as Pac-Man, gathering Pac-Dots and fleeing ghosts, quickly forgetting the world around me.

Even the observers standing just over my shoulder seemed to disappear. While I was only given a five-minute demo, I could’ve been Pac-Man for hours.

On the other side of the tech scale were two room-scale installations. This means the user is standing, they have space to move around and use a virtual helmet and two hand held controllers to explore the space.

The hit of the show was a room-scale exhibit provided by Gamma Space. This installation allows users to blast away what appears to be rock walls, until it’s revealed that they’re actually floating through space on an asteroid, with stars and planets all around them.

If given enough time, users can explore a

to have to capture a child’s attention and sustain it, while simultaneously being bearable for the fully-developed brain of their parent who’s likely watching alongside them.

Not that I’m making an excuse to binge-watch cartoons — well, maybe. But the plot and visual stimulation that we all loved to get absorbed in as children, often offer up smart and sometimes compelling allusions and messages running alongside.

Even if it’s silly on the surface, a quality children’s cartoon provides some engaging questions for the big kids too.

Disney’s Fillmore! may be set at a middle school, but that doesn’t detract from the witty dialogue — which is riddled with puns — and complicated plots of this police procedural for kids. Episodes tackle organised crime, betrayal, corruption and even a femme fatale or two.

The appeal of this show is that it takes itself so seriously you can’t help but laugh when a perp is nailed for trafficking maple syrup. On a deeper level, the audience is often asked to question the integrity of the law and the pitfalls of looking at the world as if it was black and white.

Disney’s Recess is a 2000s Family Channel classic that you probably watched long after you would like to admit. The long running animation features main characters with unique interests and intricate backstories who interact with a world on the playground that’s both extremely familiar and completely absurd. T.J. and his friends deal with their own versions of fascism, demagogues and corruption.

For instance, Ms. Grotke, the fourth-grade teacher who’s consistently shown teaching her students about feminism and racial equality and is best known for the line, “take these textbooks with a grain of salt, as they primarily focus on western males.” Occasionally, the showrunners even dip their toes into the

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space station and even operate it. Every new discovery in an installation like this one is exciting. I wasn’t just playing a video game, I was on an adventure.

When I took off the helmet and returned to earth, I was once again a little dizzy. I also wanted to play again. The games are so addictive that it’s no surprise companies such as Sony, Google and Nintendo are investing in virtual reality.

While I may not be able to purchase my own virtual reality headset just yet — the HTC Vive headset retails for around $800 — speaker Henry Faber assured attendees that the technology is advancing quickly, and will be accessible soon. ethics of psychological torture, such as the episode where T.J. Dettweller is put in the time-out box.

Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time is a worldwide favourite for its spontaneous humour, post-modern storytelling style and charmingly simplistic art style. While certain 13-minute episodes involve extreme games of charades or quests for recipes, others literally delve into hell — it’s a place called the ‘Underverse’ that’s perpetually on fire and filled with genuinely terrifying soul-eating demons — and explore the nature of evil, mortality, healthy relationships, self-love, body positivity and a wealth of other things that even fully-grown people still struggle with.

Getting nostalgic and revisiting your childhood can transport you back to a time when everything seemed a little simpler.

Your favourite TV shows may have seemed mindlessly fun back in the era of the sandbox, but watching them as an adult you may just realize you were taking in some pretty grown-up content.

You don’t need to be a kid to love them, but you may need to be an adult to really understand the deeper implications of their plotlines.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

16 •queensjournal.ca

LIFESTYLE

Friday, January 27, 2017

POSTSCRIPT

Living with an invisible disability Learning to live with and through arthritis Danielle Ruderman Contributor For the average Queen’s student, typing or writing notes during class isn’t something they have to stress about. Two years ago, it wouldn’t have been something I stressed about either. Starting off my adult years, most of my concerns were centered on being independent, making friends and attending as many parties as I could.

In November of my first year I began to experience odd body pain that felt similar to the body aches you get when you have a fever. It was hard to ignore and often distracted me. This is when I had my first experience with Queen’s Student Wellness Services. The doctor really had no idea what to do and told me it was probably stress related. As a remedy, she said try to find time to relax more.

I continued to experience the pain throughout the year, until the summer when it seized. “It must have been stress related!” I said to myself. My questions were answered, or so I thought.

The Kingston cold resumed in second year and my symptoms returned worse this time. Mixtures of sharp and dull pain took

over my entire body.

It felt as if someone injected air into each digit of my hands and I couldn’t close them. So again, I went back to LaSalle. The doctor was again unsure of how to handle my odd symptoms. She called for an x-ray and blood test, ultimately referring me to my rheumatologist — a medical specialist who deals with various joint and tissue related disorders.

After a trip to Kingston General Hospital, I found myself in an office with most of its clientele in their senior years. The doctor examined my x-rays and blood tests, touched all of my joints extensively and did an ultra sound on my hands. The result — there was no inflammation, and no inflammatory markers in my blood.

“But, I have pain, my hands feel so swollen!” I screamed in my head. The doctor dismissed me, telling me to get tested for diseases like chlamydia, and many others that cause inflammation. “Come back in six months,” he told me.

I returned after six months of stiffness, intense inflammation and harsh pain, and was yet again told by the doctor that I was still not presenting any markers. In a similar fashion to my last visit, I was dismissed and

Danielle Ruderman lived with invisible pain for years before being diagnosed with arthritis.

told to come back in a year.

Visit after visit, I held in my tears until I left the office to bawl my eyes out. My body told me there was something wrong, yet the trained doctors saw nothing.

The physical pain wasn’t the only symptom I’d been experiencing, my social life was also being impacted. Few people knew about the horrible pain I’d been experiencing, so most of the time I just tried to mask it with a grin. I felt invisible.

Two weeks ago, I saw my rheumatologist, and he went through his usual routine. He checked my hands and continued with his ultrasound. All of a sudden I heard a “hmm.”

Then he casually said, “Well, I see some inflammation here.” He wiped my hands off and nonchalantly told me “you have palindromic rheumatism or arthritis.”

I was in shock — finally a real diagnosis.

“Maybe I’m no longer invisible,” I thought.

There’s a catch though. According to the Arthritis Foundation, “Palindromic rheumatism (PR) is a rare episodic form of inflammatory arthritis — meaning the joint pain and swelling come and go. Between attacks, the symptoms disappear and the affected joints go back to normal, with no lasting damage. Half of the people who have palindromic rheumatism eventually develop rheumatoid arthritis, which does cause permanent joint damage.”

The causes are also entirely unknown.

Flare ups are a commonly used term, meaning one day you can wake up feeling okay and the next it feels like you’ve been hit by a train. Even worse, there’s no interventional treatment until it develops farther. Some people live like this for the rest of their lives, and due to the rarity of the disease, doctors still have no idea what to do with me.

Essentially until my blood work comes back crappy, I’m going to feel like crap. The appointment ended with the doctor telling me “You’re in limbo, see you in a year.”

PHOTOS BY AUSTON CHHOR

Post-diagnosis has been the hardest part for me. The disease has progressed quite quickly and has affected me physically and mentally. There are still some nights where I stay up crying in pain until 3 a.m., and others where I lay awake frustrated with my newfound inabilities.

During those nights I scoured the Internet, trying to find answers, and others who understood me. One night I found the website called “Arthurs Place,” a website and social network for young adults with arthritis. Although PR is quite rare, and every case of arthritis is individual, people across the world between the ages of 18-35 became my new confidants. Giving advice on pain management, coming to terms with diagnosis and sharing personal details.

These people, made me feel less invisible.

But, how do I feel at Queen’s?

I’m currently in a studio course for my Fine Arts teachable. In the past, I would say this course was a ‘bird course,’ but now it’s proving to be my most difficult. In a studio class, everyone works simultaneously in an open space, where discussion naturally occurs. Often I hear things like “this assignment is easy.” Once again, I’m invisible.

Nobody is like me.

So, next time you say, “that’s so easy,” or “I can’t believe you can’t do that,” think about people with invisible disabilities like me.

Trust me, I wish I could still go for runs and practice art the way I used to, or even go to lecture without making sure I take a pain killer first.

Ability and disability aren’t binaries, they exist as a spectrum. Everyone has their own ability to do certain things, some better than others. Some may be obvious, but others may be more easily hidden. I felt alone and often still do, because nobody around me could understand what I was going through.

But, you never know, maybe this article will help someone else feel seen.