The Mike, Issue 2 (2017-18)

The official student newspaper of the University of St. Michael’s College since 1947.

Volume LXX, Issue 2 October 19, 2017 readthemike.com

FEATURE

NEWS

OPINIONS

FEATURES

The Masculinity Mask (pages 8–9)

A New and Inclusive SMCSU (page 10)

Your 2017–18 SMCSU (page 3)

Gord Downie’s Canada (page 15)

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NEWS

News Editor: Aaron Panciera news@readthemike.com

Volume LXX By students, for students.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Josh Scott editorinchief@readthemike.com

BUSINESS MANAGER Rhonda Rathburn business@readthemike.com

CONTRIBUTORS Bardia Besharat, Braedon Balko, Korto Zambeli-Tardif, Ascenza Paolella, Samantha Douek, Ishtiaque Mahmud, Lukas Faust, Farah Rasmi, Aloysius Wong, Aaron Au, Yinan Liu, Hannah MacDonald, Mykola Potapenko, Rory McCreight, James Ginther

MANAGING ONLINE EDITOR Prijanga Ahilan

FACULTY ADVISOR Randy Boyagoda

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Jamie Stalcup

COVER IMAGE The inimitable Kate Dockeray

NEWS EDITOR Aaron Panciera news@readthemike.com

LOGO DESIGN Le nonpareil Chris Quental

MANAGING EDITOR Liam McConnell managingeditor@readthemike.com

FEATURES EDITOR Julia Orsini features@readthemike.com ARTS EDITOR Miranda Mirabelli arts@readthemike.com OPINIONS EDITOR Garnet Ryu opinions@readthemike.com LOGOS EDITOR Francesco Rampino logos@readthemike.com SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR Jiaxing Huang science@readthemike.com SPORTS EDITOR Ben Denomme sports@readthemike.com PHOTO EDITOR Layla Pereira-DaSilva COPY EDITORS M. Kalaczynski, Rebeca Ancer WEBSITE EDITOR Angela Feng SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Emily So OUTREACH DIRECTOR Josh Simpson DESIGN MANAGER Varisha Naeem DELIVERY MANAGER Manyi Luo

VACANCIES Features Editor (1), Associate Features Editor (1), Associate News Editor (1), Associate Arts Editor (1), Copy Editor (2), Design Manager (1) We are currently in the midst of a by-election to fill the vacant positions listed above. All positions are open to ALL USMC STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE. For job descriptions and more information on how to apply, see page 4 or page 16 (the back cover).

The Mike has been the official student newspaper of the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) since 1947. It is published bi-weekly, 12 times a year, with a circulation of 2,000, delivered to over 40 newsstands across U of T’s St. George campus.

The Mike is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP).

The Mike is published by The Mike Publications Inc. and printed by MasterWeb Inc. on recycled newsprint stock.

The Mike has complete editorial autonomy from USMC. All editorial inquiries should be directed to editorinchief@ readthemike.com.

The Mike welcomes submissions. All submissions may be edited for taste, brevity, and legality.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @readthemike.

You can also find us on the web at readthemike.com.

USMC Professor Leads U of T, Toronto in UNESCO Bid Paolo Granata pilots application for Toronto to join UNESCO Creative Cities Network Bardia Besharat CONTRIBUTOR Julia Orsini FEATURES EDITOR Professor Paolo Granata, coordinator of the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) Book and Media Studies program, U of T, and the City of Toronto are working on a bid to join Montreal as the only two Canadian cities to become part of the the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network. The bid emphasizes Toronto’s “accomplishments in the field of media arts.”

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is a system of 116 cities in 54 different countries backed by the United Nations. This network emphasizes creativity within cities, which could help increase tourism and draw more artistic talent to Toronto. Granata has taken the lead on the application process and now holds USMC’s “Marshall McLuhan and Print Culture” Professorship.

“I see in St. Michael’s College a fertile and dynamic community where I can continue my work in an area of study which I truly love,” Granata explained to The Mike. Granata has become a vital part of Toronto’s growth as a creative capital and is now sharing his love for creativity and media with the students of USMC. Granata also aims to create a great student experience within and beyond his classroom. “I think McLuhan’s “city-asclassroom” pedagogical approach is the perfect compliment to classroom learning and a way to help students develop their own learning interests to face the rapidly changing world. I believe that education

and urban engagement play a fundamental role [in helping cities to] creatively flourish and prosper.”

Granata will continue his role in the city’s creative development through his engagement with students and their influence and appreciation of the city of Toronto.

Prior to joining USMC, Granata spent 15 years at the University of Bologna, and two years as a Visiting Professor at the McLuhan Centre for Culture and Technology in U of T. During his latter appointment, he began to develop the UNESCO application project.

While Granata’s influence and role within Toronto’s creative network is sure to inspire students to engage more with a city teeming with creativity, the success of the bid is still to be determined.

Photo from Prof. Granata’s Twitter.

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NEWS

Website: readthemike.com Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @readthemike

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A Brief Guide to Your 2017–18 SMCSU Outlines of what we can expect and hope for from each Aaron Panciera NEWS EDITOR Josh Scott EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bardia Besharat CONTRIBUTOR Keeping up with your St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU) can often be overwhelming, so we’ve created the following guide to your 2017–18 executives. This should give all you University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) students a better idea of what you can expect and hope for from each.

SMCSU President: Samantha Douek Samantha Douek, a third-year USMC student, seems confident that SMCSU’s tarnished past is just that — behind it. “I feel like we’ve accepted [last year’s controversies] and can now move past [them],” Douek said at the SMCSU All-Candidates Forum. The fact that Douek had no involvement in the past SMCSU could help serve to distance her from the student union’s tumultuous past. Douek was a frosh leader for USMC’s 2017 Orientation. You can find her platform posted here. She also has experience serving her community. As she told The Mike, “I’ve organized food drives, toy drives for underprivileged children, served and delivered warm meals on holidays, volunteered as a tutor for children at the elementary school level, volunteered with the Friendship Circle, and have taken part in many fundraisers for hospitals in Montreal.” Her goals for SMCSU seem to reflect her past community involvement, as she cites wanting to collaborate with other colleges for events, creating events for study breaks, and, more personally, forming a volunteer program to connect USMC students and underfunded city schools. Doeuk seems excited for the opportunity to contribute to the USMC community. “My time at St. Mike’s is what motivated me to get involved,” Doeuk said. Some of her plans for SMCSU include monthly updates on SMCSU’s plans and finances, various events that encourage a healthy sense of competition, Monday breakfast and coffee at Brennan, more seasonal/holiday events (like gift exchanges and a Christmas party), reaching out to alumni and having more guest speakers and networking events, a job/volunteer fair in Brennan, and the funding of more student-led projects that exemplify creativity and innovation in the arts. She also hopes to increase mental health awareness through a variety of initiatives and believes that “students should have a say in which causes and organizations USMC supports and raises awareness and money for.”

SMCSU Vice-President (VP): Kate Strazds Kate Strazds is a third-year USMC student and is currently an executive of two student groups at U of T. She is the active secretary of Spoon, a student-run pop-culture publication, as well as the social media executive of Get REAL, an organization dedicated to preventing bullying and homophobia on campus. Strazds’ involvement in the latter appears to inform one of her

main preoccupations: the importance of equity within SMCSU and USMC as a whole. Her focus on equity is reflected in various policies she proposes, such as “mandatory equity training for students in leadership positions” and reaching out to LGBTQ groups on campus to collaborate on SMCSU events. In addition to reintroducing equity and acceptance at USMC, she also strives to create more career opportunities for students through contact with the Young Alumni Committee, in addition to other career services. Strazds also wishes to create a more transparent and stronger USMC community through forums and community events. When asked why she is right for the job of leading SMCSU at the SMCSU All-Candidates Forum, Strazds responded, “Social justice, equitability, and inclusivity are very close to my heart.” Strazds’ stance on equity is firm.

Her larger focus is on rebuilding the USMC student community, and she hopes to help create “a safe and positive environment for all students.” To ensure that SMCSU becomes more connected to USMC students, she also wants to create “a forum for students to share feedback about what they want from USMC. VP Communications: Hiromitsu Higashi Hiromitsu Higashi, a second-year USMC student, has a very definite vision of his plans for SMCSU. “People think SMCSU is detached from the student body, but it’s actually a problem of communication,” Higashi said at the SMCSU All-Candidates Forum. “I’m going to change the perception of SMCSU’s communication skills.” According to Higashi this will be done mainly through two policies, simply named SMCSU Reach and SMCSU Talk. SMCSU Reach will ensure that all emails about SMCSU events will contain the acronym in every email subject line. “This shows the student that SMCSU is functioning,” Higashi said. SMCSU Talk is a policy in which Higashi promises to hold opendoor office hours for two hours a week, during which he will listen to both students’ suggestions for SMCSU and their grievances.

VP Community Life: John Russell John Russell, a second-year USMC student, is the sole candidate running for SMCSU Vice President of Community Life. Russell was not able to make the SMCSU All-Candidates Forum, so a delegate came in his place.

“John is very industrious, he studies very hard, and he will work even harder for USMC,” Russell’s delegate said. Russell, who lives in USMC residence, hopes to bridge the gap between USMC student residents and USMC commuters and unite the two through, in part, and without mentioning specifics, events and activities that involve “all the USMC students no matter what background they’re from.” According to Russell, the

“Catholic values” stressed in the new USMC Student Society Leadership Policy are simply “values people should uphold. Just caring for people, making sure that the students are represented and transparency...

That’s what everyone wants to see.” *Special thanks to Daniel Kim of The Varsity for providing The Mike with a transcript/recording of his interview with Russell.

VP Academic Affairs: Alison Feise Alison Feise, a second-year USMC student, is very keen on taking a multifaceted approach to academic affairs. Not being able to make it to the SMCSU All-Candidates Forum herself, Feise sent a delegate who read a statement that she wrote. “I plan to make everyone feel comfortable and supported at [USMC],” it read: “This promise includes more resources for academic success,” which she listed as learning exam skills, establishing study groups, and having a better knowledge of different learning styles. Feise also wants to implement “events that support mental and physical health, such as meditation, writing, or exercise groups.”

She ended her statement with an acknowledgement of the importance of her position in SMCSU. “As [Vice President of Academic Affairs], I can assure you that I will be responsive to your needs and ideas because I understand that this position represents the voices of all USMC students.”

VP Arts: Maher Sinno Maher Sinno, a fourth-year student at USMC, understands the need for inclusivity at USMC at a time when many feel alienated. “My platform would primarily include introducing a safe space for events,” Sinno said at the SMCSU All-Candidates Forum. “For us to be as inclusive as possible, we will hold various events for everyone.” This included events such as poetry readings, film viewings, and “jam sessions.” Sinno has experience in both the arts and in holding executive positions. According to his campaign poster, Sinno is the president of the Film Club as well as the founder of the U of T Spoken Word Club. However, Sinno still understands that his role as Vice President of Arts will be to act as an instrument for USMC students. “My objective this year is to listen, observe, and monitor what [the USMC community] has to say.”

The following positions remain vacant for the time being: Vice-President Finance, Vice-President Athletics, and Vice-President Religious & Community Affairs (RCA). They will likely be filled via by-election.

Calling all writers!

Would you like to cover what’s happening around USMC and U of T? Do you have a desire to try your hand at journalism? If so, you’re in luck!

Here at The Mike, we’re looking to grow. We’re currently seeking reporters in order to expand our News team. ALL ARE WELCOME AND NO APPLICATION OR PRIOR EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED. All we ask for is enthusiasm and a willingness to learn!

We offer Staff Reporter tags to anyone who contributes to 25% of our regular issues, which means a minimum of 3 separate issues (given that we produce 12 on the year, bi-weekly). Staff membership entails voting rights in next year’s masthead elections, as well as in any other elections or voting situations before then and, since we are also anticipating becoming CCR-approved, would also be an exciting, low-commitment way for you to add to your respective CCRs! If you’re interested, email Aaron at news@readthemike.com, or Josh at editorinchief@readthemike.com.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out. If this opportunity sounds in any way like it might be up your alley, don’t self-reject! Just shoot one of us an email!

We’d be happy to hear from you, and gladly tell you more.

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EDITORIAL

Editor-In-Chief: Josh Scott editorinchief@readthemike.com

Editorial: New Leaves By the time you read this, the weather will be getting colder, the leaves on the trees will be turning, and a new batch of St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU) representatives will finally be set in place. In this week’s issue, we introduce you to the new team, but Samantha Douek — newly elected SMCSU President — introduces herself.

Listeners at the SMCSU all-candidates meeting heard two words repeated over, and over, and over again, by every candidate for every position: equity and transparency. By now, I don’t have to tell you what those two words are referring to.

It’s clear that the new SMCSU is trying to turn over a new leaf, with candidates propelling themselves equally on the strength of what they will do as what they won’t do. Namely, they won’t be like SMCSU boards of years gone by. They promise to tell us exactly where our tuition money is going while making USMC a college that everyone can feel welcome at. Only time will tell if our new representatives will keep their word. But I, for one, am optimistic.

On the subject of SMCSU, you’ll find an article written by our Editorial Board this week on “The State of SMCSU,” that approaches some important and timely concerns.

Indeed, as you may have read in our October 4 issue, the first of the academic year, The Mike is turning over a new leaf of its own. That issue was among the best that I have been a part of since I started working for The Mike over a year ago. This one is even better.

Our main feature, “The Masculinity Mask,” touches on men’s mental health: a concern near and dear to my heart. Admittedly, it’s quite a change in tone from last week’s feature, but I think that speaks to the diversity of what the team at The Mike is equipped to discuss and what our readers want to see. Speaking of diversity, we’ve rebranded our Faith & Thought section as “Logos,” as a part of the new vision of The Mike. In this issue, Logos Editor Francesco Rampino explains why.

You’ll also find a review of Hart House Theatre’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, an article on the new Toronto Maple Leafs, and even a piece on the emergence of biofuel.

As the USMC community goes through a transitional period, we hope that you will continue turning through the leaves of The Mike every week for the news that impacts all USMC students.

One more thing. Only a few hours ago at the time of this writing, news was announced that Canadian icon Gord Downie had passed. Many of us at The Mike are massive fans of The Hip, including Editor-in-Chief Josh Scott, who has elegized the mythologist poet with an article entitled “In View: Gord Downie’s Canada.”

You were ahead by a century, Gord. Rest in peace.

Your 2017–18 Managing Editor, Liam McConnell

The State of SMCSU

Important and timely concerns coming off of the completion of SMCSU’s 2017–18 Elections The Mike Editorial Board

The University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) has roughly 5,000 students. Nine of them ran for six executive St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU) positions. SMCSU is the highest student governing body at USMC. Nine for six of what might otherwise be considered the most prestigious student leadership roles at USMC. Never mind the candidates who ran, became elected, or their qualifications. Simply put, and it needs to be said: that’s outrageous — and it’s so without even mentioning the fact that no candidates ran for three other no less important positions: Vice President Finance, Vice President Athletics, and Vice President Religious & Community Affairs (RCA).

Nine for six to represent 5,000: three vacant, for the time being.

Again, set the particular candidates and executives aside for a moment and ask yourself the following: Is this the way USMC students want to elect their highest student governing body? (By hoping that the students who run unopposed for certain positions are qualified, moreover?) All candidates will be academically qualified, of course, in that they are required to have a minimum cGPA of 2.5 to run for and hold office. They will

also “agree to model good citizenship and to engage in responsible and respectful conduct which reflects positively on USMC students, USMC and the broader community.” However, that being said, nine for six to accurately represent the needs and wants of 5,000 is not, by any stretch, a sustainable model.

SMCSU has a major image problem. In no small part, this is due to the despicable actions of many (though definitely not all) previous SMCSU members over the course of the past “six plus years,” from those who participated actively in the corruption to those who acted as bystanders.

SMCSU handled $140,000 in student fees in 2015– 16, via a levy of $14 per semester ($28 on the year) from full-time USMC students. At the very least, given USMC’s prescribed increased (dare we say, intimate) involvement with the new SMCSU as outlined in the “Re-Imagining Student Government at St. Mike’s Report” through such measures as requiring a USMC Administrative Advisor to co-sign for any “expenses that meet a cost threshold of more than $500,” the new SMCSU will be held financially responsible going forward.

What is also clear is that a significant number of qualified USMC students who might otherwise have run for SMCSU positions chose not to because they didn’t want their names to be associated with the student union — and to be thus damaged by association. This number includes, to our tremendous benefit, some key members of The Mike’s current masthead.

While signs so far have suggested that the “re-imagined” SMCSU will have much less autonomy than the previous SMCSU, the tangible effects of such indications, including what they might mean for the USMC student body, remain to be seen. Still, they deserve to be monitored closely.

What is clear and unfortunate however is that the

Here at The Mike, provided they cater to and represent all USMC students — and truly follow through on their promises for equity, while remaining transparent in the process — we want the new SMCSU to succeed. So far, it seems our primary goals align: we both hope to rebuild and reconnect the entire USMC student community.

The plain reality is, as it stands, a great deal of USMC students want nothing to do with SMCSU. A good year could go a long way toward changing that. Here’s to 2017–18 being a step in the right direction.

NEWS

News Editor: Aaron Panciera news@readthemike.com

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A More Perfect Union?

Outlining some of the changes to SMCSU’s structure Braedon Balko CONTRIBUTOR In April 2017, the St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU) released a report which advocates for a myriad of structural changes to the SMCSU. This came in response to the events of the last year, which culminated in the eventual prorogation of SMCSU. These amendments to the constitution come from student input via the “Re-Imagining Committee” and the “Re-Imagining Student Government Survey.”

The purpose of the committee and the survey was to see how University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) students want their student government to look like.

It was found that, despite the diverse needs of a student body as large as the one at USMC, there were common themes that students wanted to see in their government. These included very broad needs such as transparency, communication, and accountability.

Student responses varied widely in terms of their detail. Ultimately, it seemed that students wanted SMCSU to “function as a body to serve students through various programs and services” and to “reflect the diverse cultures and interests of St. Michael’s College students through every action.”

From this point of reference, USMC set out to reform SMCSU. While as of yet there have been no set amendments to SMCSU’s Constitution, the college has put out a list of changes to be implemented or considered for the new version that presumably is to come. This has broadly included rearranging the council’s structure, redefining their purpose, and creating the groundwork for holding SMCSU financially accountable.

The first significant change mentioned in the committee’s report is a major alteration to the roles of the Councillors on the SMCSU. The nine positions will henceforth be President, Vice-President, Vice-President Finance, Vice-President Communications, Vice-President Community Life, Vice-President Academic Affairs, Vice-President Arts, Vice-President Athletics, and Vice-President Religious & Community Affairs. While the responsibilities of each position remain

relatively intact compared to previous years, nearly all of the titles for the positions have been altered. Formerly, the term “Commissioner” was used to describe most of the positions, but this has been replaced with “Vice-President”. Much of the report seems focused on simplifying the roles set out in the Constitution, and it seems that this trend applies to the names of the positions themselves — and not simply through the use of Vice-President. For example, the Education and Government Commissioner has been renamed Vice-President Academic Affairs. Also, all former officer positions will hereafter be named Volunteer Officers.

Aside from modifications to SMCSU Commisioner titles, the report also details some changes to the responsibilities of the various councillors. Most notably, the 2016 roles of Community Life Commission and Double Blue Commission have been fused into a single Vice-President Community Life position. The Community Life Commission was formerly in charge of planning social events for the wider St. Michael’s College community, while the Double Blue Commission oversaw social activities for the members of the SMCSU themselves. The position of Vice-President Community Life will serve to streamline all SMCSU-planned social events and render the process of planning them more efficient.

The report also details changes to eligibility to run for office. Two major changes from the old constitution include a newly imposed minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and adherence to a Code of Conduct that is currently being developed. Additionally, a new requirement stipulates that all those vying for a position in the council must have either have formerly held a position in the council or have volunteered on an SMCSU committee in the past.

Major changes have also been made to how the council will run as a whole. These are outlined in the ReImagining Committee’s report on SMCSU’s new structure and guidelines. The changes are highlighted by

mandatory leadership training for council members, public presentations outlining SMCSU’s budget in the fall and spring, imposing term limits on council members, and requiring the USMC Administrative Advisor to co-sign on any expenses over $500.

Perhaps the biggest changes will come to Article III of the Constitution which deals with accountability. This part of the current Constitution is incredibly vague.

Most of Article III focuses on how to vote out a member of the council. On transparency the Constitution states only, “All financial records, budgests, general correspondence, and the minutes of Council meetings […] shall be open for review by any member of the Student Union.”

This has in turn been one of the USMC administration’s main focuses. In a statement on re-imagining student government posted on the USMC website, USMC President David Mulroney highlights “evidence of wrong-doing by some of our student leaders in a pattern that goes back a decade or more.”

This has brought to the fore questions of how autonomous SMCSU will remain from USMC, which have in part been addressed by USMC’s recently introduced Policy Document for Student Societies at USMC. Student societies to whom it applies include SMCSU, The St. Michael’s Residence Council (SMRC), and The Mike.

“The actions of student societies have the potential of reflecting, both positively and negatively, on the name and reputation of USMC,” the document reads.

“Although USMC affirms that student societies are self-governing, it also recognizes that it has an ethical obligation to hold these societies accountable for the activities they seek to hold in USMC’s name.”

The consensus appears to be that in order to avoid the mistakes of the past SMCSU, USMC needs to implement change. The extent to which new policy will be introduced and enforced, however, remains unclear.

UTSU, Former Executive Director Settle Lawsuit Hudson to repay portion of overtime hours Aaron Panciera NEWS EDITOR The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) announced that they have agreed upon an out-of-court settlement for lawsuit against former Executive Director Sandra Hudson on Thursday, October 12. The settlement ends a lawsuit brought against Hudson, former President Yolen Bollo-Kamara, and former Vice President, Internal and Services Cameron Wathey in September 2017.

The lawsuit was over a termination agreement signed

by Hudson, Bollo-Kamara, and Wathey in April of the same year. The agreement relieved Hudson of her duties while also “entitling” her to a compensation package of $247,762.40, which included 1,974.5 hours of overtime pay. Lawsuits against Bollo-Kamara and Wathey were settled in January 2016 and May 2016, respectively.

The settlement ends a two-year-long dispute. Hudson has agreed to pay back a portion of the overtime pay-

ments, according to a press release put out by UTSU on October 12. However, the amount that Hudson will repay has not been disclosed and has come without comment. The exact amount Hudson agreed to repay will be published in UTSU’s annual budgets.

“The settlement was the best of all possible options,” current UTSU President Mathias Memmel told The Mike. “We made a commitment to resolve the lawsuit in a way that put the organization first, regardless of political considerations.”

An emergency meeting was held to vote to approve the settlement on October 10. While the settlement was voted through, the vote was not unanimous. Vice President External Anne Boucher, University College (UC) Director Aidan Swirsky, and Engineering Directors Chris Dryden and Andrew Sweeny all voted against the measure.

“We were very limited on what we could reveal to the rest of the student body and the settlement was very disappointing,” Dyrden told The Mike. “I would really stress for students to demand the right to learn more about the settlement, but all directors are legally bound to not [discuss its results].”

Dryden is also confident the UTSU council members have nothing but the students’ best interest in mind, regardless of how they voted. As he told The Mike, “I believe that all of the people voting for the settlement had the best intentions in mind.”

For now, UTSU is focused on leaving the settlement as water under the bridge and moving forward with their agenda for the academic year.

“As for moving forward [with the settlement] there really isn’t anything to do,” Memmel said. “The lawsuit is over, but there are still other battles to fight.”

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ARTS

Arts Editor: Miranda Mirabelli arts@readthemike.com

Hedwig Takes Hart House

Lauren Mayer and James King in Hedwig and the Angry Inch Korto Zambeli-Tardif CONTRIBUTOR The 2017–18 season at Hart House begins with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which first debuted Off-Broadway in 1988. It is familiar territory for director Rebecca Ballarin, who returns to Hedwig after a previous production at the U of T Drama Centre. Ballarin’s connection with the material is evident through the deft communication of theme and aesthetic.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is the band that occupies the stage for an uninterrupted hour and forty minutes.

In that time, we witness the confessional rock stylings of the lead singer, Hedwig Robinson (James King). Born a male resident of East Berlin, Hedwig’s escape was effected by a marriage with an American soldier who required a sex change. With that operation botched and Hedwig’s gender identity thrown into confusion, she reinvents herself as a rock star while searching for a theoretical alter ego who she hopes will complete her. As Hedwig’s put-upon husband Yitzhak (Lauren Mayer) bluntly instructs us, the star is not to be touched — unless she explicitly invites us to do so. Indeed, the show invites us to “touch” Hedwig, to empathize with an individual whose life story could hardly be more salacious, grotesque, and ultimately worthy of our attention.

Given that John Cameron Mitchell’s book crafts such a confrontational lead, Hedwig’s actor is faced with the challenge of asserting the singer’s outrageous persona as well as her humanity and respectability.

Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig presents a conviction in the rightness of her quest for love. King is at his most enthralling in the autobiographical monologues between musical numbers. The many disappointments of

Hedwig’s career have twisted her self-acceptance into disdain and spiking rage. But throughout, King maintains Hedwig’s emotional openness as a virtue — her self-deprecation is knowing and warm, while her anger is affecting rather than pitiful.

However, King is somewhat weaker on the musical numbers. While numbers like “An Angry Inch” make good use of his lower register, the words of several other songs are swallowed. King’s previous turn as the Baker in Hart House’s 2016 performance of Into the Woods landed Sondheim’s exacting diction, which reflects in the great success of Hedwig’s monologesmonologues and her calmer ballads. However, the content of Hedwig’s more celebratory rock anthems is often incomprehensible.

The performance of Lauren Mayer as Yithzak is a different matter. Relegated to the sidelines, Hedwig’s husband spends much of the show simmering until the anger explodes into misogynistic slurs. This is effectively shocking for the audience, which at the performance of Friday, October 6, reacted with anticipation for Hedwig’s retorts. It is worth noting how effectively Mayer builds Yitzhak’s importance. We first assume that Yitzhak is a kind of comical stage manager, monotoning the standard rules of live theatre and staring down giggling audience members. As the show unfolds, Mayer’s backup vocals soar over the rest of the arrangement and leave us wanting more.

The increasing recognition of Yitzhak is key for Hedwig’s character development, an effect which is reproduced in the audience.

King and Mayer’s collaboration of contrasts results in the successful communication of the show’s themes.

Hedwig’s identity crisis provokes the epiphany that selfless love is more constructive than her own need for completion. She bestows her wig on Yitzhak and encourages him to begin his own journey. Whether Hedwig finds her own satisfaction remains strikingly unclear, as she mysteriously transforms into Tommy Gnosis and exits. This is ultimately for the best, as the questions posed overtly throughout the show remain in suspense while the quieter plot line of Yitzhak and Hedwig’s personal rapport concludes cathartically. To this end, it is perhaps a thoughtful directorial choice to eliminate Yitzhak’s emergence in full feminine regalia, an episode that concludes most productions of Hedwig.

Not to be outdone are the four other members of An Angry Inch, particularly Iain Leslie on guitar. The atmosphere of a live concert is completed by the set and lightning design of Shannon Lea Doyle. Between the rainbow spectrum of lights that highlight Hedwig’s Bowie-like aesthetic and the blinding white doorway that suggests a more mainstream concert off stage left, Doyle makes good use of the venue’s capabilities.

There were, however, some technical issues on October 6, including a fair bit of mike microphone feedback characteristic of Hart House.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is the first of four productions this year that re-interpret an existing play. If Ballarin’s confidence and particular direction promises anything, it is that Hart House is prioritizing an individual touch to successful material.

Inexpensive, Timeless Art Sold on Campus U of T hosts Imaginus Poster and Prints Sale Miranda Mirabelli ARTS EDITOR Last week, the Arts & Science building (Sidney Smith Building) lived up to its name by hosting a poster and prints sale in the entrance and lobby. Through October 10 to October 13, U of T hosted Imaginus at Sid Smith on St. George. This mobile gallery is one of Canada’s largest travelling poster retailers, visiting numerous university and college campuses and has been in circulation since 1975. Imaginus has over one thousand prints and posters, including a vast variety of timeless historic masterpieces, empowering pop culture phenomena, photos of famous celebrities and scenic landscapes. The poster company sells many timeless prints for less than a fraction of the cost, allowing any university or college student to decorate their dorms with exciting collections of famous posters and prints.

Many of the posters and prints showcased and presented by Imaginus are replicas of paintings and famous artworks we’ve seen throughout our lives, composed by many famous painters and artists. There is a wide range of sizes to choose from, as well as the option to buy specific frames for the art. Imaginus’ posters and prints are a constantly evolving collection comprised of new works as well as old, with catalogues of artworks from eighty publishers located all around the world. Some examples sold are pieces by Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol, and Giuseppe Garib-

aldi. Other examples of pieces include photography of nature and scenic landscapes, silly cartoons and maps, ranging from the World Map to The Lord of the Rings map of Middle Earth.

nomena and imaginative maps. The mobile gallery has been successively traveling to different universities and colleges to pass along the opportunity to purchase amazing artworks for the lowest prices possible.

The Imaginus poster and prints sales bring together an array of art appreciators to purchase timeless masterpieces for the lowest price possible. I, myself, decided to purchase a number of pieces, despite not being able to hang any art in my room due to very little wall space. However, I bought the artworks because there is a large variety of prints that I had found beautiful and intriguing. For a big Vincent van Gogh fan, I was amazed to see the large variety of paintings and replicas. I decided to purchase a print I had never seen before, called “Almond Blossoms,” painted by the famous artist in 1890. The painting is not like van Gogh’s other famous paintings, such as “The Starry Night” or “Starry Night Over the Rhone.” The painting I purchased was something I had never seen before, and something I do not regret buying for $7, despite not being able to hang it in my room.

With the wide variety of posters and prints, Imaginus provides any student the opportunity to decorate their rooms with artwork ranging from timeless masterpieces and silly cartoons to empowering pop culture phe-

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ARTS

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At Home with Monsters

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The loss of innocence, free will, and female empowerment in Guillermo del Toro’s exhibit at the AGO Layla Pereira-DaSilva PHOTO EDITOR The Art Gallery of Ontario’s (AGO) current exhibit invites you into the fantastical world of the famous filmmaker, Guillermo del Toro. At Home with Monsters brings together pieces from del Toro’s films and vast personal collection, totalling approximately 500 objects spread over eight thematic sections. “My cabinet of curiosities,” as he dubs it, “is a devotional sampling of the enormous love that is required to create, maintain, and love monsters in our lives.” While it is unquestionably a testament to del Toro’s love of monsters, it is the philosophical insight on the human condition that seems to be the essential message of the exhibit. “To del Toro, the imperfections of monsters are found in all of us, whether we see them or not,” says Jim Shedden, co-curator and the AGO’s Manager of Publishing.

The first section you walk into is “Childhood and Innocence,” which is unsurprising given that children are often the central characters in many of del Toro’s films.

This is especially the case in his seminal film Pan’s Labyrinth, a movie about Ofelia, a young girl who is desperately trying to escape the harshness of her current reality and traverses into a fantasy realm. One of the characters, the Faun, gives Ofelia tasks which she must complete in order to make it through the labyrinth – a metaphor for life. These tasks increasingly challenge Ofelia’s childhood innocence – the ultimate task is to draw blood from her baby brother. The movie is not only an allegory for growing up, but also a commentary on the loss of innocence in the process of becoming an adult, and this is evinced in the “Childhood and Innocence” section of the exhibit.

The Pale Man, another character from Pan’s Labyrinth, is the life-sized, unsettling statue guests are confronted with first in the exhibit. “The Pale Man scares me,” del Toro says, “this is a monster that represents something that eats innocence. It is a monster that is literally blind to anything but a completely brutal and perverse appetite.” The Pale Man – though merciless – is enslaved by his insatiable appetite for children, meant to distinguish what is intrinsic to humanity: free will. A lot of the monsters in del Toro’s films take on insect characteristics meant to emphasize that they are aby-product of their lack of free will. Central to del Toro’s philosophy is that: the seed of the soul is free choice. “What makes us human is that we can choose, whereas insects are hardwired. What is beautiful about humanity is that we can choose to be heroes or villains,” he explains.

In the section “Victoriana,” a life-sized representation of Edith, the central character in the movie Crimson Peak, is displayed. Edith is one of del Toro’s characters that chooses to be a hero. “Contrary to all the gothic-romance, I wanted Edith to have sex with the male protagonist and not be hindered by that, but actually empowered by that,”he explains, “I wanted her to lose her innocence and become a stronger woman and save herself.” Del Toro’s feminist criticism isn’t hard to miss, “As a male driven society, we do not reconcile beauty and power. We cannot make them analogous, or compatible, and what I wanted was for Edith to be beautiful and powerful at the same time,” he says. You also can’t help but notice that Edith’s white dress – no doubt a metaphor for innocence – is blood-stained.

This is del Toro’s unsubtle way of conveying Edith’s metamorphosis into womanhood. “It was extremely important for me to present Edith as having gone through the blood, and the sweat, and the tears; this is now a woman that understands the evils of the world,” he explains.

Fans and newcomers alike should find this oft-philosophical experience appealing, if not for the open invitation to navigate del Toro’s imagination, then surely for the hard-to-miss coincidence of this being the month of Halloween. Regardless of the reason, the experience of being at home with monsters is not one to miss. “It is my most cherished desire that as you leave the exhibition theses monsters follow you home,” he says. Just, may it not be the Pale Man.

Photo by Layla Pereira-DaSilva.

Old vs. New: Unlikely Concert Audiences In Concert: Roger Waters and Kid Cudi Ascenza Paolella CONTRIBUTOR On October 3, Roger Waters performed his second of three shows at the Air Canada Centre (ACC) for his Us + Them tour. Although it was not the average concert for a teenager to attend, the audience still knew how to have a good time. This concert contained songs from his new album as well as his hits from his Pink Floyd days. Not only did Waters bring forth a show with optical spectaculars, the show contained political expressions, which have been a part of Waters’ shows since he began making music. Through his various guitar solos, Waters had montages of social issues including materialism, Trump hazing, and poverty. As a 19-year-old growing up with a father who has a passion for rock and roll music, I have been listening to Pink Floyd for my whole life. I used to think Pink Floyd’s

Optical spectacular from the Roger Waters (ACC) concert. October 2017. Photo by Ascenza Paolella.

music was best experienced through headphones but Waters and his band were able to turn the classic songs into a lively experience. Compared to the lively, mosh-pit filled concerts with a younger age group, the Us + Them tour was a relaxing, thought-provoking, and exhilarating experience for the audience.

To add to this, I had the privilege of attending the Kid Cudi concert on Wednesday, October 4, at Rebel Nightclub. Similar to Waters’, the show provided a spectacular optical experience. However, in my opinion, the audience and vibe were both very different.

Cudi put on a show that contained hits from his recent album, Passion, Pain & Demons and hits from his older albums, Man On the Moon, Vol II and Man On the Moon: The End of Day. After a five-year gap from his last tour in 2013, the audience was excited and overjoyed to see what Cudi had in store for them. The audience was jumping, dancing and singing to the songs on the set list and cheered on the different visuals that Cudi provided. The general admission concert provided a venue that allowed the audience to engage better through dancing and movement. Cudi engaged with his audience by walking through the crowd and signing autographs before his last song of the night.

Not only was the concert musically inclined, the audience and visuals had a great impact on the art values of the concert.

There are some differences and similarities between

Kid Cudi performing at Rebel Nightclub in October 2017.

Photo by Ascenza Paolella.

these two concerts that are important to the artistic values of the artist and the audience. Although both artists connected with the crowd and had visuals that were an important influence on the audience, Waters put on a show that was relaxing and thought provoking, whereas Cudi’s show can be seen as an escape from thoughts. The Us + Them tour allowed the audience to reflect on issues in our society that are an obvious thought in everyone’s mind and although Waters did not interact with the crowd, the visuals were an important aspect for Waters to express his thoughts.

Cudi’s visuals and interaction with the crowd were an escape from the issues of the audience’s mind through his ability to allow the audience to solely connect with the music and dancing intended. Both concerts were an experience that were artistically inclined. After attending both, the experiences allowed me to appreciate both genres of music, both artists, and understand both values of the audience.

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FEATURE

Managing Editor: Liam McConnell managingeditor@readthemike.com

The Masculinity Mask

Breaking the Stigma of Men’s Mental Health Through Popular Culture Liam McConnell MANAGING EDITOR On September 27, Dr. Benjamin Rosen, a psychiatrist who specializes in men’s mental health at Mount Sinai Hospital, held a lecture and town hall at our campus entitled “The Crisis in Men’s Health.” During his lecture, he raised some frightening issues and statistics.

These are only two reasons why men tend to deny themselves treatment. The predominant notion is that mental health is something to be kept under wraps. “Talking about sports or work is a breeze for guys,” Rosen writes. “But most men keep their health worries private.”

In Canada, one in five men experience mental illness of some kind — such as PTSD, anxiety, or eating disorders — which means that you likely know someone who is afflicted. Unfortunately, as Rosen points out, men often tend to suffer in silence. In fact, men are five times less likely to seek help for mental issues than their female counterparts, often due to the stigma surrounding mental health.

North American society has carved out an image of the quintessential ‘man’ that many of us strive, consciously or unconsciously, to live up to, often at the cost of our own health. This stereotypical ‘man’ is a self-sufficient and independent “lone wolf,” somehow able to “pick himself up by his bootstraps” instead of getting treatment. Not only is seeking help for mental issues considered weak or feminine — as if being compared to a woman is an insult — this ‘man’ will deny his suffering in the first place: even to himself.

The lack of treatment is not only a product of men’s attempts to live up to the societal expectations placed upon them. An idea persists in our culture that the men who are “outed” as sufferers of mental illness are violent, dangerous, or unpredictable. The truth, according to Rosen, is that the two don’t necessarily coincide. The diagram below is a recreation of one of the slides of his presentation.

People with Mental Illnesses

People who are Violent

Dr. Benjamin Rosen.

The horrifying reality of the situation is that untreated mental illnesses can sometimes lead to disastrous consequences. 75% of all Canadian suicide victims are men. Suicide is the leading cause of death for males ages 10– 50. The problem is much, much worse among some Indigenous communities of this country, particularly in Nunavut.

One of Rosen’s main objectives as a mental health professional is to break these stigmas.

Ultimately, one of the best ways is to “bring it out of the shadows,” as he puts it, to inform people with depression, anxiety, or other disorders that they aren’t alone. When men’s mental health is destigmatized, more men will feel more comfortable seeking treatment for disorders they are worried that they might have.

Adding the topic of mental health to the national conversation is the best way to demonstrate that there’s no shame in being mentally unwell, sufferers are anything but alone, and there are people out there who harbour no judgement but simply wish to help.

Diagram courtesy of Dr. Benjamin Rosen.

It occurred to me that an effective way of spreading this message is through fair representation in popular culture: specifically, in television. If these programs are “thoughtful about how their characters are represented,” says Dr. Rosen, they can be valuable tools to spread awareness and dismantle stigma.

Even though those who fit into the middle category make up a comparatively small portion of the population, men’s anxieties over being thought of as dangerous and unpredictable as a result of their illness perpetuates the stigma and prevents them from seeking help.

One of the most harrowing depictions of male depression in popular media comes to us by way of the Netflix original series created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, BoJack Horseman.

The titular character, voiced by Will Arnett, is a failing actor unable to regain the celebrity status

People with Mental Illnesses who are Violent

afforded him by his turn on a 1990s sitcom, à la Full House. His lack of confidence as a major star fallen to relative obscurity combined with trauma left over from a rough childhood as a result of his irresponsible, unloving mother and abusive father, have afflicted him with a depression that manifests as self-destructive tendencies — including self-medication by way of alcohol abuse — and inconsiderate or even cruel behaviour directed at those around him, particularly at those he holds most dear.

However, he exists in a world in which humans and anthropomorphized animals live side by side.

BoJack, as you may have guessed based on his last name, is decidedly unhuman: he’s a horse.

That raises a particular issue. Dehumanizing the character also robs gravity from his situation. We can look at BoJack and his tortured mental state and separate his issues from the very same ones suffered by humans. This arbitrary difference in the species of the main character may be the only thing that makes this show enjoyable to watch as escapism. Without the constant stream of animal-based puns and general shenanigans, watching a man destroy his own life as he suffers from debilitating depression would just be too, well, depressing.

BoJack (Will Arnett) of Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s BoJack Horseman (Netflix).

BoJack Horseman may be one of the most progressive shows on television — dealing as it does with issues of depression, alcoholism, feminism, and asexuality — and the fact remains that viewers are able to separate his real-to-life issues from reality, rather compartmentalizing them as the problems not of an adult male but of a cartoon horse. The entertainment our culture demands is reflective of the status of that culture’s collective consciousness. If our culture has still not progressed to a point where we can look at issues of mental health in the face — the human face — then we are not ready to band together to dismantle the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. But credit must be given where it is due. It

FEATURE may be a fault of our culture, not the show, that we cannot handle a human depiction of depression so starting. Perhaps BoJack Horseman has found a way to surreptitiously begin the conversation.

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without might be impossible. It’s a dangerous approach to mental illness of any kind, to assume that the sufferer holds the key to his own salvation and just doesn’t realize it.

One of the most ill-advised moments comes in the series finale when Kevin threatens suicide.

Hannah, played by Kerry Godliman, immediately accuses him of “just looking for attention” and says that he’s “selfish” and “useless.” Anyone would agree these are dangerous messages to impart to any viewers that may see their own struggles reflected in Kevin’s.

BoJack again, from the opening title theme.

Ricky Gervais’ Netflix series Derek addresses the problem in a different way. The show itself is unusually sensitive, dealing with such issues as greed, kindness, the abandonment of elders, fulfillment, forgiveness, and ultimately death. I admit that the series one finale has moved me to tears multiple times.

However, the show’s approach to the issue of depression is misguided. A character named Kevin Twine, played by David Earl, is portrayed for the majority of the series as a lecherous, perverted slob who, like BoJack, self-medicates with alcohol. His alcoholism, a product of his mental illness and an attempt to run from his depression, is the cause for the other character’s general resentment of him. When asked the question, “Do you think you’ve had a good life?,” Kevin answers with one of the most heartwrenching changes of tone in the series: “When I look back at my life, it’s been appalling. I’ve got my limbs, no problem there, but up there [pointing to his head] it’s been a war, since day one. No one would want be me. That’s what it feels like.”

Kevin Twine (David Earl) from Ricky Gervais’ Derek (Netflix).

The writers make it unequivocally clear that Kevin is severely depressed. However, the idea of his getting help never arises. Instead, his friends leave it to him to sort his own life out. The show does not acknowledge the possibility that, for some men — due to barriers of any kind such as financial, emotional, or the individualistic culture in which they’ve grown up which teaches them that help comes from within — finding help from

The show eventually comes around, thankfully, when Kevin, thinking about his lifestyle, agrees that he’s been “selfish.” Hannah responds: “You’re not selfish… You’re just in pain.” When Kevin begins to come to terms with his illness, he says words that ring enormously, verifiably true: “It doesn’t matter what’s happening outside: it’s what’s happening in your head. It could be the best time in the history of the world, but if there’s something wrong up there [motioning to his head], you’ve had it. You can deaden the pain; drink and that. But you’ll never truly be happy.”

The creators of Derek couldn’t be more correct.

However, the series ends by contradicting its own message. Kevin gives up drinking, which is a step in the right direction, but he does not address his depression: the root cause of his alcoholism.

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the fact that depression exists out of the shadows and into the public conversation, it’s clear that we still have a long way to go. Stigma surrounding men’s mental health is alive and well, and until we as a culture can stare the spectre of mental illness in the face and tell it we’re no longer afraid to speak its name, it always will be.

Gethard baring it all with a smile on Career Suicide (HBO).

Now, it’s important to realize that the power to progenerate positive change is not limited to those in the entertainment industry. You — yes, you, with this newspaper in your hands — are capable of impacting the life of someone you know: man, woman, or otherwise. The answer could not be simpler: just talk to them. Go online to an accredited website and teach yourself case-specific ways of approaching someone that you think might be suffering from mental illness of some kind. It is not hyperbole to say it could literally help save their life.

If you or someone you know is suffering from a wellness issue of any kind, please be aware that the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) has its very own Wellness Counsellor, right here on campus. Nicole LeBlanc has worked as a counsellor for people dealing with a range of life challenges, ranging from depression, anxiety, and relationship issues to severe mental health diagnoses and addictions.

Chris Gethard on the poster for his new comedy special Career Suicide (HBO).

Without a doubt, the most positive portrayal of a man struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts that I have seen in popular culture is not fictional. Comedian Chris Gethard, in his HBO special Career Suicide, straddles the line between comedy and tragedy as he bares his darkest inner feelings in front of a theatre full of strangers. Willfully inhabiting a persona that flies in the face of male stereotypes of toughness, Gethard is not afraid to be vulnerable as he tells his story, even succumbing to tears at several points. He addressed depression by name, and details his own suicide attempt, and the antidepressant medication that helps him through daily life. He even acknowledges his upbringing in suburban New Jersey, an area largely populated by men competing to find who is the most masculine, and that he never quite met those standards.

What’s more is that Gethard is abundantly clear that all of these things are okay: it’s okay to feel depressed; it’s okay to be vulnerable; it’s okay to cry; it’s okay to not feel or want to feel like a tough guy; and it’s even okay to feel suicidal, as long as you know it’s also okay to get the help you need. Gethard’s work is an invaluable resource in spreading awareness and destigmatizing male depression: essential to help more people find the treatment they need.

While the representation of male depression in the media is getting better all the time, bringing

USMC Wellness Counsellor, Nicole LeBlanc (from the USMC website).

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OPINIONS

Opinions Editor: Garnet Ryu opinions@readthemike.com

A New and Inclusive SMCSU A word from your 2017–18 SMCSU President Samantha Douek SMCSU PRESIDENT In light of past controversies, the reputations of the St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU) and the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) have both suffered. Many harsh words have been said about our college’s administration and student leaders, and, truthfully, some were well-deserved. It is no secret that these days USMC has been under scrutiny, and more so now that SMCSU has been reinstated. Therefore, this is a defining moment for SMCSU; it stands at a crossroads. The council can either entangle itself in its problematic past, or take this as an opportunity to reinvent itself.

If there was an overarching sentiment during this year’s election it was the need for change. For current USMC students, there are two main areas of concern; the first deals with the consequences of St. Mike’s’ push toward embracing its Catholic values and traditions, and the second addresses the question of whether SMCSU and USMC’s administration can be relied upon and trusted. Therefore, the greatest challenge that St. Mike’s faces is that of reasserting itself as a community that inspires respect, integrity, and inclusivity.

between USMC as a Catholic institution and the council’s agenda. A main cause for concern among the administration is the fact that St. Mike’s has come to be known as U of T’s “party college”. However, though the “party college” image may be disconcerting, it is much worse to be regarded as the “narrow-minded” and “antiquated” college. And, although we want to believe otherwise, we are not that far from that being the case. The tension between diversity and a strict adherence to tradition is St. Mike’s’ weak point, and is a problem that SMCSU needs to redress. The St. Mike’s community needs to be one that is based not merely on tolerance, but mutual respect with regards to its members’ diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds, religions, traditions, and sexual orientations.

The fact that USMC is a Catholic institution and thus prides itself in upholding Catholic values and traditions is a fundamental aspect of its identity.

Embracing tradition is something that is important to me personally, so I in no way believe that we should cast this aspect of St. Mike’s aside and diminish its importance; however, to say that these values and traditions are a defining feature of USMC is not the same as saying that they are the only defining feature, which is inherently false. Furthermore, with respect to SMCSU, the administration has spoken of a discord

Your 2017–18 SMCSU President, Samantha Douek.

Furthermore, when it comes to trust at St. Mike’s, there are many issues that need to be worked out. SMCSU needs to regain the trust of the administration in order to ensure its autonomy. It is a mistake to believe that SMCSU can proceed without the administration’s trust, as the council needs to be assured of its autonomy in order to meet its fundamental responsibility, which is to act on behalf of the students that it represents; and, this is only possible if those same students have confidence in the council and trust that it is always working in their interest. Having said that, trust goes both ways; the administration also needs to regain the trust of the council and of all the St. Mike’s students. Therefore, before anything else, SMCSU needs to arrange for a meeting with the members of the administration so that together we can reflect on the past controversies, discuss what went wrong and where we both erred, and from there determine how to move forward. SMCSU and the administration are two distinct bodies; however, they both operate within the bounds of St. Mike’s and, though they have different immediate priorities and responsibilities, they are ultimately both oriented toward the same goal, which is to act in the best interests of those individuals they represent. I truly believe that we cannot have the inclusive community we envision as long as this conflict between SMCSU and the administration exists.

The standards for this year’s SMCSU are high; however, I am confident that we will be successful in making St. Mike’s a place where everyone genuinely wants to be involved in community life. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve as your president this year, and am excited to work with my fellow council members toward what is a fresh start for SMCSU and St. Mike’s.

Let’s Talk About Financial Literacy

We can never be truly free without being financially free Ishtiaque Mahmud CONTRIBUTOR We all want to make money. Arguably, for most of us, going through the education system for many years of our lives is solely to secure a stable source of income in the future. There’s just one big problem — we are trying to fill a bucket full of big holes. We study so hard to someday work for money, yet we never learn how to make money work for us. Financial literacy is a subject that no one teaches us about in school or at work.

Today, nearly one-third of Canadians live without any savings or investments at all, and recent surveys have shown that more than half of Canadians live paycheck to paycheck. Consumer debt of Canadian households continue to soar higher without ever decreasing in credit card usage. Student loan totals have already surpassed the total national mortgage debt.

There is hope, however. At this very moment, there is a campaign for financial literacy going on nationwide, and I am part of it. In this article, I want to make two arguments why you, as students, need to grab this bull by its horns right now and take control of your money before heading to the work force. Financial literacy is an issue that will play a role in our lives every single day, and being proactive is the only hope for a future we all want.

The first argument I want to make is that our country right now faces an education-funding crisis. Post-secondary tuition keeps increasing every year at a pace higher than the inflation rates. With the average Cana-

dian household income being around $70,000 annually — more than half of the population living paycheck to paycheck and one-third without any savings — many students resort to student loans to get a degree or diploma. However, the truth is, if parents were educated about some of the fundamentals of personal finance, each student would have a chance to go through postsecondary education fully funded. For example, assuming a household invests $250 for a child from age 0 to age 18 in an appropriate investment vehicle that provides an 8% annual compound growth, that child’s account would reach more than $100,000 in value before age 18. Maybe it’s too late for us, but not our future generation. Financial literacy gives you the power to take control of life, right here, right now. The same power can be used to invest for our future right now as well as paying off any debts that we have — with a different method, of course.

The second argument I want to make is that we have a spending crisis nationwide. That is, perhaps, the biggest crisis we are facing today without any awareness.

There is a saying that, in North America today, we buy things we do not need with the money we do not have to impress the people we do not like. It’s funny, but it’s true. It is ironic that we live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet most people have money problems. As young adults, it is crucial that you take responsibility for your money, starting with your daily expenses and savings. Most money problems stem

from lack of self-discipline and lack of knowledge. Millennials today are spending on many consumer products and activities that did not exist in previous generations and, thus, we are spending more at this age than other generations did while earning less. If we are financially educated, we can make much better choices about our money and start building assets for our future much easier than anyone did in the past. Each person under 25 has a guaranteed chance of accumulating a million dollars before retiring, just by investing a few hundred dollars every month in an appropriate investment vehicle.

The degrees we get and the money we make will not matter in the end if we cannot keep what we earn. As things are now, a vast majority of Canadians cannot keep their hard-earned money because of lack of financial literacy. It has never been a priority to our nation. But now things must change — it is our generation who must take the initiative to change because we have both the disease that we inherited and the cure. We must choose the cure and spread it far and wide. Imagine a future where your family, friends, and neighbours are all crippled by financial instability, and a future where all of them are financially independent with no worries about job security, paying bills, taking time off for vacation — more time to focus on the things that truly matter in life. Which one would you choose?

OPINIONS

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Engineering Science: A Jack of No Trades

When your department knows less about its career options than you Lukas Faust CONTRIBUTOR Every student hopes their degree will be worth their time and tuition. However, only few fear waking up to find their major completely disappear from the face of their university. This might be the unfortunate fate of several alumni at U of T’s engineering department, as their flagship program struggles to find its identity.

receiving a major makeover. The faculty plan to introduce a new Machine Intelligence (MI) option. This has drawn the ire of some undergraduate students, who describe the program and its new additions as “overly specialized” and “soon-to-be unrecognizable”.

The academically rigorous program is in danger of losing one of its other key majors. In an email the faculty sent to its students, it was revealed that the Department of Civil Engineering has proposed to “close the Infrastructure Major, given low demand and shifting departmental priorities…” In the 2017 Annual Report given out by the faculty, only 14 students were enrolled in Infrastructure. This was the second smallest option in the division. Nanotechnology, which was phased out in earlier years, still has two brave souls studying on.

EngSci began at U of T as “Engineering Physics” in 1943, and throughout the years it has branched out to different disciplines. While the curriculum has been changing since its inception, there are several drawbacks to this flexibility. When a new option is introduced, it might take time for it to get properly recognized by the industry. The term “Engineering Science” itself is quite vague, and sometimes students have to clarify their education to potential employers. However, the degree is not only causing some confusion outside of the university.

Graduates of the Engineering Science (EngSci) program typically find employment and postgraduate studies at top universities very easily. Those who have studied infrastructure engineering at U of T would still find themselves working for the top institutions around the world. Still, it might be depressing (or delighting) for them to realize nobody else will get the same education as they had.

This new MI option is problematic. There are already separate Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering degrees within U of T, both with specializations of their own. The EngSci program itself has almost half of its nine future options related to these fields (that is, machine learning, energy systems, robotics, and an EngSci-specific Electrical & Computer Engineering degree).

Furthermore, in Fall 2018, the EngSci degree will be

These ordeals beg several questions: who decides

what options are added or dropped? Why create an entirely new option when there are so many programs with existing overlap? Will the major I studied as an undergraduate exist in five or 10 years? If I’m a first-year, will I have a chance to get into my program before it gets shut down by the faculty?

The fundamental problem with EngSci is that its options are starting to become overly specialized. There appears to be a desire by the entire faculty to make EngSci the “coolest, most cutting-edge” degree in the university by adding new content rather than improving existing programs. After all, to basically anybody in the world, it is a lot easier to build than to fix. Perhaps in the future, all of the EngSci options will become electrical or computer engineering in disguise, or nobody will remember nanotechnology (also the supposed “hottest” new field at the time) and infrastructure even existed. If this is the path the faculty wants to take, they should be more transparent about it to their students.

Respectfully, I recommend that the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering review the addition of Machine Intelligence to the EngSci degree. There are ways to add these specialized topics into the curriculum of existing programs, rather than hyping up a new option that makes the question, “What is EngSci?,” even harder to answer.

Don’t Settle!

Why I love travelling, and you should try it Farah Rasmi CONTRIBUTOR You’re sitting on that uncomfortable bench, staring at the gate numbers, waiting impatiently for your plane to start boarding. Next thing you know, you’re in your seat, staring out the window at a clear sky, miles from land, and your world just falls into place. For many people around me, travelling is seen as the epitome of freedom, as important to our souls as air is to our bodies. From the feeling of getting on a plane, to running to catch the next train, to fuelling your car for that long road trip you’re about to embark on. They all involve a singular rush inexplicable to a soul who settles.

I recently attempted to explain to someone why travelling is important to me. I quickly became frustrated as I realized that for them, the entire concept was so alien that they could barely fathom why anyone would do it. As someone who has had the good fortune to travel from a young age, travelling has always constituted an important part of my life. It was not only valued by everyone in my immediate circle, but it was also extremely encouraged. I, therefore, was wholly unable to explain why travelling was so important to me.

It just seemed obvious. Why do I have to explain this to you? Can’t you see it?

It’s as bright as this abnormally warm

October day!

I soon realized, however, that my frustration with the topic wasn’t as much this person’s inability to see my perspective, but my failure at explaining it. We are all entitled to our opinions, and to this person, travelling was just not something they needed. They saw it more as a very occasional thing one will do for a week or two, mostly within the borders of their country. But it was otherwise a waste of time and money.

After trying and failing to completely grasp their point of view, I decided to try and paint a better picture of mine instead. Maybe, if I understand why I love it, I will be able to understand why someone who doesn’t value the same things I do, wouldn’t.

We were born into an infinitely complex storyline full of horrible histories and tragic events. Yet, there is something inherently magical to me about the world we live in. Borders formulate nothing but different windows of opportunities around the planet. Between nature and its inexplicable wonders, humans and their uncountable differences, each square foot of our planet presents a new adventure.

Nothing beats sitting on a rooftop in Athens, staring at the beautifully lit Acropolis with people from literally all walks of life; going diving in the depth of the Red Sea and swimming along with the inhabitants of those waters; climbing a random mountain in Colombia with the hikers you just met on the trail; getting lost in the small streets of the tiniest towns of Europe; or dining with the kindest host families in southeast Asia.

Travelling erases our borders; it builds human relationships based on love and acceptance. It plants compassion and deepens our respect for Mother Earth.

It allows us to, at once, accept ourselves and grow beyond what we ever were.

In every trip I have taken, whether it was for days, weeks, or even months, I grew as a person. My perspective of the world changes and evolves with every experience. I was taught to value differences and cherish them. I was forced out of my comfort zone and was given a chance to learn about things that were beyond my craziest imagination.

There is something unbelievably surreal about the moment when the people who were complete strangers to you a day ago become like family bonded with each other by the shared experiences of travelling.

Most people settle; they stick to what they’re comfortable with, they are content with the familiarity of everything around them and cannot imagine the world outside. Others however, are pulled by the pursuit of the new, of the different, of the unfamiliar; it pulls them so much that they become more comfortable with discomfort.

Travelling is important, not because of the fancy commercial aspects of it, but for the simplest most genuine moments where you laugh your heart out at a joke that was said in a different language, and yet you somehow still got it. I may have only been to a few countries, but the relationships and memories I have built in them are my most valued possessions, as they have made me who I am today.

I thus urge every person reading this article to venture out of their comfort zone. You do not have to go book a flight to Argentina right now, but you can go stroll down Little Italy or Greektown, Little India or Little Portugal, meet some strangers, and make them friends.

Above photo: ellecroft.com.

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LOGOS

Logos Editor: Francesco Rampino logos@readthemike.com

The “Logos” Section Why the name change?

Francesco Rampino LOGOS EDITOR What was formerly the “Faith and Thought” section will now be called the “Logos” section. Why? Well, in order to give you some context before diving into the reason behind this change, let us picture ourselves in Brennan Hall. Take in the totality of the atmosphere: the strong bouts of laughter from the groups on the couches, the melodic tune of prodigy piano playing, the dryer’s noise in the boy’s bathroom, and much more. Now, depending on the time of day, the student lounge might be full, or it might house no more than three lonely students. Whatever the case may be, among all of the ‘hoikity choik’, we can assume that the subject of faith and thought very rarely comes up in student conversation. Perhaps the only signs of faith can be found in the pictures of our heavenly friends Sts. Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena, and Teresa of Calcutta, along with all of the other lovely images posted in front of our chaplain’s office. Be that as it may, it’d be fair to admit that many of our fellow students don’t take into consideration any of these, which is a pity.

This brings us to the reason behind this section’s name change. The Mike, being our college newspaper, has the honour of representing both students and faculty of the college. Despite our pride for our college’s Catholic roots brought to us by the Basilian Fathers, “faith” (used in a theological sense) is an almost foreign word in regular student discourse. We can always use the word “faith” to describe our hope in something or someone, but how often would we casually talk about our actual faith, as in belief (if we have one), on campus? This is the question that made me think, as editor, after our first issue was released two weeks ago. While distributing copies of our paper to students at Brennan Hall, I listened in to the conversations that took place about our articles (in particular within this section). In all honesty, they were quite interesting and made me rethink the approach I’d like to take. Perhaps, I thought, a more profound and significant name to my section (rather than the explicit “Faith and Thought”) would be more appropriate given the opinions of my peers.

“Logos” in Greek.

I believe that, in order for this newspaper to give to the students, it must first connect with the students.

That being said, making the new name of this section “Logos” is a definite step in doing just that. Let’s make another assumption: not many of our fellow students know what the meaning of “logos” is. Logos is a Greek word, and according to many academic web sources, it’s an appeal to logic and is a way of persuading an audience by reason. This, my dear readers, is exactly what I had in mind when I accepted my editorial position. I believe that there is a definite need of a sort of “reconciliation” between our college and our faith. Furthermore, I believe that this section should be able to connect you, through logical and reasonable means, to a fuller understanding of the beauty of faith; understanding it to be something tangible and accessible to you in everything. This is pure logos, and logos will be our method from now on.

Newhere?

(I knew where.)

Aloysius Wong CONTRIBUTOR It’s not the tallest building on campus, it doesn’t have a large neighbouring church, its website isn’t the most aesthetic or well-designed — in fact, many people (arguably) don’t even know it exists — but it’s one of the most beautiful places on campus, not only because of the space, but also because of the welcoming atmosphere and the loving people you’ll meet there. However, doesn’t everyone assert that about every new place? Isn’t every location on campus safe and welcoming? What’s so different about it? And, for heaven’s sake, where is it and what is it called?

I could go on, it’s of no use unless you go there and meet them yourselves.

Newman Centre (interior).

The Newman Centre’s main building.

board game nights (such as their Tuesday night “Pray and Play”), frequent free snacks, various clubs, groups, and volunteer opportunities, among many, many others. There’s a grand piano in the Oak Room (one of the living rooms in the house) that’s free for use, just like the ones in Brennan Hall. There’s a library with beautiful natural lighting and a calming atmosphere on the second floor. Nevertheless, my personal favourite are the couches by the coffee machine, which are undoubtedly some of the comfiest couches of the postmodern era (warning: decreased stress levels and an increased desire to nap may follow).

The Newman Centre is actually fairly easy to locate.

It’s located on the northeast corner of Hoskin Avenue and St. George Street, right across from the sinking ominous concrete peacock that is more commonly referred to as Robarts Library. It serves as a Catholic student centre, chaplaincy, and parish on campus.

However, this does not mean that only Catholics are welcome; on the contrary, it fulfills the truest meaning of “Catholic,” which, at its core, means “whole” and “universal.” In other words, the Newman Centre, like the Catholic faith, is open to all. Everyone, regardless of their faith or lack thereof, is welcome.

“The Oak Room” of the Newman Centre.

But what’s there? Sounds pretty boring so far, doesn’t it? What if I told you it has the cheapest coffee on campus? Ah, now I’ve got your attention. Apart from the 50-cent coffee, though, there’s much more that the Newman community has to offer. There are weekly

It isn’t, however, so much the atmosphere that brings people there. Rather, it’s the individuals that make up the community. “Newmanites,” as the regulars are dubbed, are intelligent, kind, funny, welcoming, and overall very good people. And honestly, as much as

As Erin Kinsella, Associate Director of Campus Outreach at the Newman Centre says, “Newman and St. Mike’s work together to be a support for students.

They are the point for both of our institutions. We hope students find a home at Newman and a home at St. Mike’s because the wider our community of faith is, the more opportunity we will have to encounter the Lord in everyday life, and the more support we have in translating that encounter into a life of authentic love.”

St. Thomas Aquinas Church, the Newman Centre’s Parish.

“I would love students to know that they are loved and there is a purpose to their lives,” Erin continues.

“Discovering that love and purpose is intimately tied to faith and reason: faith is not a naive response to a system of rules, it’s a relationship.”

And really, what else do we do as students and as human beings except try to discover that love and purpose in our lives? We may go about doing it in many different ways, but that’s a goal we all share. And so is our need for companionship.

Come to the Newman Centre; everyone is welcome.

Maybe you’ll find a new friend. Maybe you’ll find a new place to read. Maybe you’ll find a new hobby. Maybe you’ll even find God. Or maybe you’ll just find a nice cup of coffee, which is fine too, but at least you’ll find Newman.

SCIENCE & TECH

Science & Tech Editor: Jiaxing Huang science@readthemike.com

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Nature’s Guise The call of the wild Aaron Au CONTRIBUTOR Have you ever taken a long hard look at nature and marveled at its intricate systems at work to maintain life? Through many generations, nature has withstood the test of time. Animals have developed ways to overcome inherent problems in their dynamic ecosystems.

These adaptations have been a source of inspiration for many people trying to solve issues in their fields of work. Biomimicry is the term coined to describe designs, materials, and algorithms that were influenced by biology.

the reptile can climb on walls and even on wet surfaces. This mechanical adhesion is achieved by lots of microscopic hairs on its feet called setae. The setae are spread into even smaller bristles called spatulae , which allow for a physical bond between the gecko and the surface. Inspired by this, scientists have created a credit-card-sized fabric that is able to hold 500 pounds. And because it does not rely on chemical adhesion, no tape residue will be left on the surface afterward.

One notable form of biomimicry comes from the kingfisher, a very stealthy fowl that dives into the water vertically to catch fish before they can react. The bird’s large head and long narrow beak are shaped to reduce the rippling as it enters the water, allowing it to approach its prey stealthily. Stealth was a problem for the older Japanese bullet trains, as loud booming sounds occurred as the trains exited tunnels going 300 km/h.

And by mimicking the kingfisher, the Japanese bullet trains could significantly reduce the noise when exiting the tunnels while going at breakneck speeds.

Another disruptive material taken from nature is an anti-fouling layer developed to mimic shark skin. Fouling is the accumulation of unwanted materials on surfaces; on boats this includes barnacles, sponges, and bacteria. The attachment of these organisms increases drag on boats, slowing them down and making them less maneuverable. Shark skin is made of tiny scales with micron-sized bristles, which makes them rough to touch when stroking in one direction. It also doesn’t allow for organisms to attach to their skin, a natural anti-fouling material. The shark skin patterned design has seen applications in boat hull coatings and even the coatings of hospital walls, where the coating helps reduce the growth of bacteria on the walls.

Aerodynamics have taken many lessons from nature, such as from the flippers of humpback whales, which have bumps on their flippers that allow them to make smaller turns. In scaled models, wings with tubercles have been shown to be more efficient than the traditional smooth design. These tubercles have been implemented in wind turbines and ceiling fans.

Another inspiration of nature comes from the gecko;

Apart from the physical sciences, we have also adapted animal behavior models into algorithms to solve mathematical problems. Ant colony optimization is a technique used to find the optimal path, modeled on the action of an ant colony. The particle swarm optimization technique was inspired by the flocking of birds

and was first intended to simulate their social behavior.

Now this technique has found applications in antenna design, the biomedical industry, and have also been used to predict financial risk.

Chemists have taken advantage of nature in a different way; they have managed to manipulate organisms into producing their desired compounds. This technique is something humans have been doing for a long time.

For example, we have cultivated yeast to produce alcohol. In newer bioreactors, scientists are experimenting with ways to create complicated chemicals, like insulin, and to improve sewage treatment.

In the realm of nanotechnology, scientists have developed molecular machines. These are nanoscale devices that are made up of a small number of molecules. To make these tiny machines move, scientists have adopted techniques derived from biology: nanomotors and molecular walkers have been inspired by biological components such as muscle contractions, ion pumps, and the movement of ribosomes on DNA. Biology has been a source of inspiration in all disciplines. Scientists and engineers have applied lessons learned in nature to real world problems, and some have seen major improvements in their fields. So, the next time you’re stumped on a design problem, one that straightforward intuition cannot solve, I implore you to look out the window and see if this problem has already been solved in nature.

Biofuel: Food or Poison?

A closer look at how biofuel will change the way of life Yinan Liu CONTRIBUTOR What is one of the hottest topics around the world today? Climate change, of course!

With the recent decision made by U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord, the topic of climate change has once again been in the headlines. According to a former report released by the United Nations, if countries around the world stand still and do nothing, then during the 21st century, the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 0.3 to 1.7 °C (0.5 to 3.1 °F) in the lowest emissions scenario, and 2.6 to 4.8 °C (4.7 to 8.6 °F) in the highest emissions scenario. Since the primary suspects for the cause of global climate change are fossil fuels, many countries around the world are now trying to replace them with renawable sources of energy.

That is when biofuel comes into the spotlight.

Biofuel is the general term for energy sources that come from living matter. It has been a hot topic recently as it emits fewer greenhouse gases than other fuel sources, and it is a renewable energy source. Several sources of biomass have been proven to be potential candidates for producing biofuel, including algae, jatropha tree, and fungi.

Biofuel production is a complex, multi-step process that combines both biological and chemical technologies. Phase change, sugar production, and sugar-ethanol conversion are the main steps. Phase change

makes the raw materials easy to transform through a chemical reaction to simple sugars. Afterward, several types of alcohols can be produced by fermentation.

C5H10O isomers are potential energy storage molecules, which can form during the biodegradation of several sources of biomass, and some of them might have high-energy and high-density structures.

Compared to fossil fuels, biofuels indeed have many strengths, the most important one being that it is a renewable resource. Unlike fossil fuels, which cannot be regenerated, biofuel can be generated again and again from living organisms around us. Also, even when it comes to combustion, biofuel has some advantages over fossil fuel. Take bioethanol, for example; although it produces lesser energy than traditional gasoline, it makes up for this by having a higher octane rating, meaning it will have far less energy knocking, thus giving a far smoother ride.

On the other hand, biofuel also has its weaknesses as well. The most prominent one is that biofuel production uses food crops such as maize to generate biofuel. Thus, scientists are worried that if biofuel is to completely replace fossil fuels, then it will take up more arable farmland and affect food safety, especially in developing countries. This is one of the main reasons why biofuel still cannot completely replace fossil fuels until now.

However, scientists are not easily scared by this challenge. In fact, they have come up with many smart ways of overcoming the aforementioned weakness.

Producing biofuel from food crops only counts as a first-generation biofuel. Second-generation biofuels are fuels manufactured from various types of biomass.

Biomass is a wide-ranging term meaning any source of organic carbon that is renewed rapidly as part of the carbon cycle. Biomass is derived from plant materials, but can also include animal materials. Then, there is also third-generation biofuel, which uses algae as a biofuel source. According to scientists from the United States, third-generation biofuel offers estimates for the realistic replacement of all vehicular fuel with biofuels by using algae that has a natural oil content greater than 50%, which can be grown on algae ponds at wastewater treatment plants.

Unfortunately, scientific research is not always a smooth ride. Until now, only first-generation biofuel has been successfully commercialized because there are still significant drawbacks in both the second- and third-generation biofuels. However, does that mean biofuel is indeed a poison? I do not think so. After all, looking back in history, new inventions do not always seem to work well at first (when the steam locomotive was first invented, it couldn’t even run faster than a carriage), but eventually, people overcame all the obstacles, and these new inventions changed the world. So, who is there to say that biofuel is not next?

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Sports Editor: Ben Denomme sports@readthemike.com

The Leafs’ Big Break

SPORTS

Rookie talent has Toronto fans thinking Cup, but plenty of other NHL teams have the same view Hannah MacDonald CONTRIBUTOR As a Montreal Canadiens fan, it pains me to see the hot start that the Toronto Maple Leafs have experienced this season. Toronto has been stockpiling young players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. Toronto has become a youthful team with a bright future, provided they can manage the salary cap.

All over sports centers and news outlets, reporters are forecasting a fruitful season for the Leafs. The Leafs’ first game against the Winnipeg Jets set the tone with a 7-goal outburst that will probably have Leafs fans squealing and excited to shell out hundreds to watch their team at the Air Canada Centre.

Some of these young players will be due significant raises in the coming years, and it’s hard to tell if the Leafs will be able to hold on to all of them. One can only expect some hefty contracts when players like Jack Eichel, Nickolaj Ehlers, and Connor McDavid all recently negotiated big-ticket deals.

Cap management will play a role in which players the Leafs will be able to keep. Hopefully, the Leafs are willing to pay hand over fist for these players because their impact on the organization has been very positive. These claims can so clearly be backed up with performances like the Leafs’ 4–3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on October 9. The Leafs came back from a 3–1 deficit, scoring 2 goals to tie the score in the last few minutes of the 3rd period. In overtime, Matthews netted a beauty topshelf goal from the top of the faceoff circle. Continuing performances such as these will surely secure a big contract for Matthews.

Photo by Kevin Sousa via NHL / Getty Images.

The Leafs have a more well-rounded defence core this year with players like Ron Hainsey and the big Swedish defenceman Andreas Borgman, who has cracked this year’s starting line-up. The Leafs have proved they can play some entertaining hockey this season, and matchups between teams like Chicago and Washington will be worth the watch.

Other teams to look out for this season would be the Edmonton Oilers and the Washington Capitals, who have something to prove after last season.

Alexander Ovechkin recently had 2 back-to-back hat tricks against Ottawa and Montreal. Something like this hasn’t happened since the 1917–18 season, when the most goals in 3 games was set by Reg Noble of the Toronto Arenas and Joe Malone of the Montreal Canadiens at 9 goals apiece. However, Ovechkin’s success is far more impressive as we all know back then goalies were the quality of Swiss cheese and only knew the word “butterfly” as a term for an insect.

Goaltending quality is far superior now, but even that can’t stop skilled players like Ovechkin.

Edmonton on the other hand, has had great performances so far from its captain, McDavid, who scored 3 goals in their 3–0 opening win over the Calgary Flames. His performance so far shows the fans exactly why he deserved his Art Ross Trophy, which is given to the player who leads the league in points at the end of regular-season play. It would be exciting for McDavid and the Oilers organization to win the trophy again this season and with his calibre of play, McDavid will likely receive it again.

Stay tuned for an exciting 2017–18 NHL season.

The Race for October Analysis says Astros win big, but baseball’s no stranger to shocking results Mykola Potapenko CONTRIBUTOR With both the American League Division Series (ALDS) and National League Division Series (NLDS) done and dusted, the 2017 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason is shaping up to be a two-horse race. Right now, the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers are leading the odds for World Series champs.

The Astros oversaw a 3–1 series victory over the Boston Red Sox in a series that many had as already deciding the eventual champions. Facing off against the Astros will be the rebuilding powerhouse New York Yankees, who are coming off an impressive 3–2 series win against last year’s runner-ups, the Cleveland Indians.

Photo by Max Edison.

As far as upsets go, this was likely going to be the most shocking of the postseason, and as impressive as this series win was, the Yankees are still far behind the pace of the Astros. The Yankees do have the better of the two teams in terms of earned run averages (ERA)

this season with an ERA of 3.72 while the Astros are pitching 4.12. While the Astros did pick up starting pitcher Justin Verlander, it is clear that the Astros have more of an advantage in hitting.

As a team, the Astros had the best batting average at .282, while the Yankees find themselves at seventh with only a .262. The Astros also manage to lead the Yankees in total runs scored; 896 to the second place Yankees run total of 858. The Yankees’ bullpen statistically has been far superior.

What that means is that the series rests on Houston’s pitching and the Yankees’ hitting. The Astros will score runs against the Yankees, especially given their starting pitching. The question is whether the Yankees can do the same to the Astros’ starting pitching. If the Yankees can force the starting rotation out early in games, then they can go wild on the poor Astros’ bullpen. Regardless, I believe that the Astros’ starters are experienced and strong enough to hold off any of the Yankees’ batters.

Looking over to the NL, we find the Dodgers pitted against the reigning World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs. The heavy favourite of this matchup is the Dodgers, and rightfully so, to a team that boasts perhaps the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, as well as a dominant starting rotation.

In this case, this matchup is very similar to the American League Championship Series (ALCS). The Dodgers boast both the second-best team ERA and the fifth best bullpen ERA in the league, the Cubs sit seventh

in team ERA, but have the second-best bullpen. What this means is that the Dodgers must attack the Cubs’ starting rotation very hard and very early. The problem the Dodgers will be facing is that they sit 22nd in the league in terms of batting average at just .249. The Chicago Cubs aren’t much better at 16th with a .255 average. The Cubs won’t be scoring any easy runs in this series; the question is whether the Dodgers’ bats can heat up and score runs off of the struggling Cubs’ starting rotation.

Photo by Jeff Chiu via MLB / Getty Images.

Personally, if it comes down to a pitching duel, my logic points to the Dodgers moving on to the World Series.

The sole hope for Cubs fans is if Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester can turn around their postseason form because, despite the Dodgers’ poor regular season batting, they are third in terms of batting averages in the postseason with a .298. As far as World Series predictions go, I would be surprised if it wasn’t the Astros against the Dodgers, with the Astros taking it in the end.

FEATURES

Features Editor: Julia Orsini features@readthemike.com

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In View: Gord Downie’s Canada And the stories we (ought to) tell Josh Scott EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Saturday, August 20, 2016 history was made: The Tragically Hip performed the final show of their Man Machine Poem Tour. While massive in scale, the national event was also tender and intimate, not to mention, bittersweet in hindsight: it ended up being the bands’ last with Gord Downie at its helm. Downie died on the night of Tuesday October 17, 2017 following a battle with terminal brain cancer.

To the uninitiated, The Tragically Hip are merely the band that play the song “Bobcaygeon” — you know, the one no cottage weekend can seem to pass by without. To the rest of us, they’re so much more.

Whether you watched it alone, with friends, or perhaps most fittingly, at a cottage somewhere, you couldn’t help but feel a part of the process.

As Gord said prior to the first encore (there were three) the band wanted to do “something where everybody’s invited, everybody’s involved.” That’s exactly what they did.

Watching Downie power through an impressive 30song setlist, I couldn’t help but think back to the first time I heard The Tragically Hip. I must’ve been about 13 when I discovered “Blow at High Dough”, a hard rock song with an implicit moral — don’t get ahead of yourself. It came on the radio and it sounded… Cool.

When I later learned that The Tragically Hip was Canadian, I was even more surprised. Unable then to fully grasp the band’s larger cultural significance, I was nevertheless seduced by Downie’s eccentric singing style and Rob Baker’s driving, near-hypnotic guitar.

Fast forward a few years to the first time I truly heard them: “Three Pistols” and I was hooked. Familiar with plenty of Canadian bands that either compromised or

The Canadian Press / Chad Hipolito.

ignored their heritage only to end up as cheap imitations of the latest American groups, it’s hard to stress how refreshing it was to hear a rock band be so unabashedly Canadian.

Nowhere is Downie’s immense talent and imaginative ability showcased better than in “38 Years Old”. The premise: “Twelve men broke loose in seventy-three, / From Millhaven maximum security,” is taken from a headline. The rest of the story didn’t actually happen; though to many, it might as well have.

In a few lines of verse, Downie weaves such a vivid and compelling portrait that the song eventually became to some fans, so real that the band had to stop performing it due to the unwarranted attention it brought upon the Downie family. More than anything, it serves as a testament to Downie’s poetic prowess.

in order to do so, he’d have to confess his guilt. Clearly, Milgaard’s stubborn unwillingness to compromise and unwavering faith in the face of grave injustice struck a chord with Gord. In a sense, Downie now shares his plight.

Gord’s real goodbye seemed to come after the second encore, which saw him fight back tears during “Grace, Too”. “Thanks for listening. Have a nice life,” he said, humbly bidding adieu to the 6,000 adoring fans lucky enough to be present, and the nearly 1 in 3 Canadians watching and listening at home. Reportedly, 11.7 million were reached by the late breaking broadcast on the CBC. Over the years I’ve heard fans young and old, recent and seasoned claim The Hip as their own. They’re all right, and they’re all wrong.

“Wheat Kings” on the other hand, represents perhaps one of the more important aspects of the band’s legacy. Not only did it give voice to the voiceless by relating the story of the wrongly convicted David Milgaard; it channeled the concern of a country’s unrest.

“Come in, come in”, he invites in “The Darkest One.” “From thin and wicked prairie winds come in. / It’s warm and it’s safe here and almost heartening / Here in a time and place not lost on our imagination.” Accept his invitation and I promise, you won’t regret it.

As beautiful as the song makes it seem, Milgaard’s story is not a pretty one by any stretch. Sadly, it’s familiar: “Twenty years for nothing, well that’s nothing new”.

If the weird, impossible to pin down pied piper-looking man with the strange dance moves has taught me anything, it’s to always, always, be proud to be Canadian, but never without being mindful of its grossly checkered past.

While others like, Guy Paul Morin, Donald Marshall and Stephen Truscott have shared similar experiences, arguably none lost as much as Milgaard. He was convicted in 1969 of the rape and murder of Gail Miller 1969. He was 17. He remained in prison to the age of 40, and wasn’t officially exonerated by DNA-evidence until 1997.

Presented with 20 opportunities for parole, he neglected to make a single request for an early release — as

Thank you Gord, for immortalizing our country, our heritage, our stories — even the atrocious ones — in song.

No need to wait and see what tomorrow brings because I assure you, The Hip, their songs, and Canada will live on, as entwined as ever.

Ein-Stein on College Experiencing a local favourite full of good times and headaches Rory McCreight CONTRIBUTOR It’s Eye on Toronto’s 2003 winner for best chicken wings, its house beer costs $10 a pitcher, its Sunday night comedy hour is more likely to make you cry than laugh — for these reasons and many more, Ein-Stein pub (just off College and Spadina) is my favourite bar in Toronto. This is going to be one of those reviews where it’s impossible to be biased. I live at this pub — I celebrated my last three birthdays in its hallowed halls.

So, instead of breaking down what there is to love, I’m going to try and let you experience Ein-Stein through my eyes.

that means it’s Toonie Tuesday. Jaeger shots and a selection of appetizers (all different shades of brown) for a toonie each. One John A. Mac later, and you’ve downed three drinks and a well-balanced dinner consisting of a full garlic loaf and some popcorn chicken.

You nearly fall off your stool because your pocket’s so heavy! But you’re not worried about that hiccup. You’ve got a beer in hand and eyes on that vacant pool table.

the glory of great games and beers (mainly beers) over the years. Just like the bar, the tables are generous.

The tables slope a little to the west, almost like they’re guiding your balls to the pockets. That generosity translates, as you impress your friends, your girlfriend, or your opponents with your spectacular ability to sink a ball despite having the cue-to-ball coordination of a five-year-old.

The first thing you notice as you approach the bar is that it lies below street level, as if it holds great mysteries, but is disguised as a dive bar. The bar’s mystery is its unpredictability: who will be there this night? Will a pool table call, or maybe foosball if you’re feeling bold? Will the house beer give you diarrhea? (Note: the house beer will probably give you diarrhea, but it’s only $10! Just think of it as an excuse to use that extra toilet paper you had laying around.)

As you squeeze your way back to the tables, you can’t help but take in the sights and sounds of the bar. A Leafs game has just started — they’re already down three goals and no one can look directly at the TV anymore. You hear some people arguing about some nonsense concerning which they both seem to be wrong.

As you eavesdrop, you realize you’ve been dragging someone’s jacket with your foot, so you kick it away, tripping on a wayward boot in the act and spilling some beer on a person’s well-stained jacket. Thankfully, no one notices your display and you arrive at the pool table.

The night progresses, the lights dim, but the drinks keep flowing. You sink a ball. You have a drink. A riotous laugh. Drink. Pocket. Laugh. The night was already a classic just because you came to Ein-Stein. Cheap food followed by another round of pool. Getting to know some out-of-towners. Look who just showed up!

Yelling and laughs. Pockets and drinks. 9:30 and class?

Why are there pins and needles up my whole body?

What is happening in my gastrointestinal system? What happened…?

Now, where were we? Say it’s a Tuesday. You know

You’re an expert on these tables — tables stained by

Five stars.

16

FEATURES

Features Editor: Julia Orsini features@readthemike.com

Mario D’Souza, A Leader in Catholic Education USMC mourns the loss of key figure James Ginther DEAN OF USMC’S FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

I had the privilege of knowing Father Mario D’Souza, CSB, for only two years before his untimely death on September 26, 2017. He was my consigliere when I became the new dean of the Faculty of Theology at the University of St. Michael’s College. That he had held this same position from 2009 to 2014 is not the reason I sought his counsel on a regular basis. Nor was it because he had been president of Assumption University of Windsor from 2005–06, nor because he had experience teaching undergraduates (first at St. Michael’s in 1991 and then at St. Joseph’s College, Edmonton, from 1996–99) and graduate students. It was because he saw the world differently than I did, and I needed to hear that different perspective as a dean.

But Fr. Mario was not ethereal in his teaching. He certainly wanted his students to reflect on the Catholic philosophy that informed the world of education and to think carefully about the church documents that underpinned Catholic education — but that critical reflection had to have an impact on how teachers developed lesson plans, how chaplains thought about faith formation, and how all Catholic educators ought to embrace the spirituality that had to inform Catholic schools.

To call Fr. Mario “old school” may sound negative, but I cannot think of a more apt general descriptor of my late colleague, and one of which he approved.

His formation as a scholar and teacher reflects a pathway of yesteryear. Born on June 28, 1956, in Karachi, Pakistan, Fr. Mario began his education in the Catholic schools of Pakistan. He noted recently that it was very natural for Catholic and non-Catholics to learn side by side and that he soon realized that education was one way to break down barriers that sometimes differing beliefs can erect. His formation allowed him to traverse the world, from University College, Dublin; to the University of Calgary; to Boston College, and finally to the University of Toronto. It is a pathway that few scholars these days could ever enjoy (and perhaps ever afford), but that international experience permeated Fr. Mario’s worldview.

I also think of Fr. Mario as old school because of his deep love for philosophers like Jacques Maritain, Josef Pieper, and theologians like Romano Guardini and Bernard Lonergan. As an educator of educators, as someone who rubbed shoulders with scholars who talked about policies and practices, Fr. Mario focused on the philosophical roots of Catholic education. I call this old school because it is the product of a slow fermentation of ideas and experience, of the intermingling of philosophy and policy, and it is rigorous and elegant in its literary execution.

Father Mario D’Souza (1956–2017).

Fr. Mario as old school also reflects his mannerisms that made him such a wonderful colleague and friend.

It captures his notion that casual dress meant a bow tie; his delightful accent and vocal cadence that made anything he said sound authoritative and absolutely correct; his penchant to cite English aphorisms or to quote an essayist to make a point; and his dry wit that would sneak into his lectures and decorate his comments at Faculty Council and Senate meetings.

If you’re looking for a way to get involved at the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC), look no further. Join our growing team!

The Mike (the official student newspaper of USMC since 1947) is currently holding a by-election to fill all of its remaining 2017–18 volunteer staff positions.

We’re looking for students with an interest in writing, journalism, managing a section, copy editing, design, video, and illustration! All positions listed are pending CCR-approval.

If you’re into any of the above, apply by filling out the following application (which, by the way, only takes a few minutes): https://goo.gl/forms/kqJQ5ANXDJTzZuNG2 Applications are open to all USMC students of all levels of experience, so don’t self-reject! Apply now.

You can find more information on the positions here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9yUYuOd_8lST21MVEI2a2o2NXc/view Please direct all questions to cro.themike@gmail.com.

Applications are due by Monday, October 23, at 11:59 p.m. Successful applicants will be contacted by email.

Fr. Mario was more than just old school. Above all, he was a priest of the Congregation of St. Basil, one of the founding orders of St. Michael’s. He had been ordained for 26 years at the time of his death. His priestly life was not parallel to his scholarly career, but they were intimately intertwined. When I came back to Toronto in 2015, I had to admit that I did not understand the Basilian charism. I knew the scriptural motto — “Teach me discipline, goodness, and knowledge” — but I could not articulate what a Basilian institution should look like. I had spent the previous 13 years working at a Jesuit university in the United States, and much of that time I worked closely with Franciscan scholars from other universities. In a sentence, I could state what the Jesuit or Franciscan charism is, but I was unable to do the same for the Basilians. It was Fr. Mario who taught me, but without any prompting. Instead, I watched him, listened to him, and read what he had written. It soon became clear to me why the idea of a federated university was invented by a Basilian: it was spawned with the desire to engage (and ultimately to evangelize) those who did not share one’s worldview. It was a modern form of monastic hospitality, where the stranger — even the disagreeable stranger — was a welcome guest. The goal was to make that stranger a friend and fellow labourer in higher education. All this I saw in Fr. Mario’s life and outlook: his life was shaped by discipline, goodness, and knowledge to welcome both Catholics and non-Catholics to the conversations he thought were important. Fr. Mario was equally comfortable in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education as he was in the Faculty of Theology.

I shall miss Fr. Mario’s counsel, his insightful comments, and his laughter. St. Michael’s was made all the richer by his presence, his scholarship, and his friendship.

A memorial mass will be held for Fr. Mario D’Souza on Wednesday, November 1, 2017, at 1:30 p.m. in the chapel at Cardinal Flahiff Basilian Centre, 95 St. Joseph Street, Toronto, ON. All are welcome.