Rejecting religion Young adults are choosing to follow different beliefs. Page 4 MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2018
SPOKE
No more knockin’ Some companies banned from going door to door. Page 5
A LEARNING NEWSROOM FOR JOURNALISM STUDENTS
CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.
WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM
49TH YEAR — NO. 9
CONESTOGA’S CULTURAL DIVERSITY WEEK CELEBRATES OUR DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION
PHOTOS BY TAYLOR PACE
Conestoga played host to Cultural Diversity Week March 5 to 9, which featured many different activities. Above, Ajyah Hussain, a member of the Muslim Student Association, applies henna to a student’s hand.
Conestoga students Alex Tobias (left) and Kujaang Lama, along with the rest of their class, participated in Cultural Diversity Week on March 8 for their world cultures class. There were several displays meant to teach students about different cultures and their festivities around the world, such as the Holi Festival celebrated in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. The festival is a celebration of life and colour, and each colour on the wheel pictured stands for something different: green is nature and happiness, red is fertility and love, blue is power and yellow is holiness.
International Women’s Day celebrated BY AUSTIN WELLS
Despite the fact that several countries around the world, including Canada, feature a population with a female majority, perfect equality still doesn’t exist. International Women’s Day, which was on March 8, is a day that helps to spark the discussion of promoting equality. Schools around the world held events to celebrate the day, and Conestoga was one of them. The event was held in the Venue Restaurant on Doon campus. It featured guest speaker Julia Biedermann, who is the executive dean of Conestoga’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, Trades and Apprenticeship and the Institute of Food Processing Technology. The event also featured a womanthemed Kahoot pop quiz game, live music, drinks and other activities for students to participate in. Held by Conestoga Students Inc. in partnership with the Student Engagement department, the event
was well attended and received, with Biedermann being especially popular and receiving a gift of Rupi Kaur’s The Sun and Her Flowers after her rousing speech on women, feminism and the future. “To me, International Women’s Day is a celebration of what women have done and recognition of what we still have to do,” Biedermann said. “The concept of being a feminist is very misunderstood. It’s a bad word for many, and many women are afraid of being identified as a feminist because of the concept that it’s a bad thing, when in reality it’s not and that true feminism is a very good thing. It’s not about putting men down, it’s about campaigning for equality, equal rights, equal pay. Gender shouldn’t matter.” When asked about how she felt about the future for women, Biedermann was hopeful but realistic. “In Canada, I can see the wage gap being reduced. I think the demographics will result in women going into non-traditional careers
because there’s more exposure to it. As an aging population, we can’t afford to only have 10-20 per cent of women in the engineering and trades fields,” she said. After Biedermann’s speech, students were encouraged to participate in some of the games and activities, including a crafts station, a Kahoot pop quiz and a guessing game that resulted in a prize for the winner. Jennifer Durst, the leadership and development programmer for the Student Engagement department and planner of the event, was happy with how things turned out. “Conestoga has been doing this for about five years, and this is my first time running it,” Durst said. “I’d like to thank the committee of students who helped us plan this event. Without them, it really would not have been possible or nearly as vibrant an event as it was. It was really encouraging to see everyone come out and support women and Women’s Day, and to see men coming out to support everything was really encouraging as well.”
PHOTO BY AUSTIN WELLS
Guest speaker Julia Biedermann, executive dean of Conestoga’s School of Engineering, addresses students as part of Conestoga’s International Women’s Day event on March 8.
NEWS
Page 2 SPOKE
Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, March 19, 2018
FILBERT CARTOONS
Random questions answered by random students
“What do you do to stay motivated?”
“Exercise. I run. When you’re training for something that gets you really pumped.”
GETTING TECHY AT THE TECH BAR
Kristy Elinesky, first-year environmental public health
“Honestly just set aside time and power through it.”
Richard Armstrong, first-year software engineering and technology
“Think of the future. You’re going to do better in the future.” Aaron Stanley, first-year broadcast and independent technology
PHOTO BY JOSH PEDERSON
A Conestoga College student signs out a phone charger at the Tech Bar, which celebrated its grand opening on March 7. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
“Think of the end goal.” Kylie Paradisi, second-year general arts and science
“Work with other people.”
Ricardo Rodriguez, first-year business fundamentals
“Set deadlines.”
Steven Miller, first-year business fundamentals
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
Monday, March 19, 2018
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FEATURE
Monday, March 19, 2018
Religion is a dying belief
Young adults are identifying as either agnostic or atheists BY REBECCA SOARES
Religion, and the practice of it, is a tradition and belief that has been carried out and passed down from generation to generation, yet seems to be lost on the current one. Throughout the previous generations, families would often come together for religious events and take great pride in their religious connections. Maria Resendes, a 65-year-old resident of Cambridge, has been Catholic her whole life, but has noticed a change as she gets older. “I was raised Catholic by my family and I still consider myself to be very Catholic to this day. It’s something that my parents raised me into and that I strongly believe, but I see my nieces and nephews growing up and wanting nothing to do with it,” Resendes said. “It’s weird that they’re rejecting it so strongly and want nothing to do with religion. Sure, they went when they were younger but once they get to the age where they make decisions, it goes out the window. I went no matter what all my life but people aren’t like that anymore.” So what has changed? Students at Conestoga College offered their personal views on why they don’t identity with any religion. “I could probably never be religious because too many horrible things in history happened due to religion and it’s preaching,” said Taya Indoe, a third-year student in the financial planning program. She isn’t the only one with a tainted view of religion. “I was religious as a child, on my own, no one else was in my family. Circumstances changed with the church I attended and I did not believe what they stood for,” said Will Homerston, a third-year bachelor of applied health information science student. Mitch Day, a first-year student in the business foundations program at Conestoga, isn’t outrightly against the idea of religion, but is rather skeptical about what many religions stand for. “Part of me not identifying with any religion is based on the fact that I am open to ideas. I don’t wholeheartedly believe in any of the ‘stories’ told by various religions. Although I do support a lot of the basis for them, I don’t 100 per cent agree with any,” Day said. “I know that I am open to new ideas though, so yes my mind could change. I have
a high interest in science, and ironically, it has given a slight push towards my potential to believe in some sort of intelligent design. The more I learn about the countless natural processes and the makeup of things, it seems fairly thoughtfully engineered. I’m not set in that belief, but I’m not closed off to it.” According to David Haskell, a religion and culture professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford campus, it’s quite common for the younger generation to not identify with any religions.
“
Only the in-group knows – if they can’t figure it out they won’t try to join which limits people ... — David Haskell
”
“What we’re seeing nowadays is more and more young adults are identifying as agnostic or atheists,” said Haskell. “Young adults don’t want to be a part of it as some of the religions are seen as dangerous to society because of their stance in some matters like pro-life. There’s stigma attached to religion in creating a supply and demand. What I mean by that is the product has to do well in order for people to demand it, so with Christianity I think its marketing is very poorly supplied. Sing songs, secret handshakes, only the in-group knows – if they can’t figure it out they won’t try to join which limits people who might want to join, creating a low demand for the product.” But according to Haskell, there’s another crucial factor that is playing a role in young adults not wanting to identify with any religions. “Hollywood figures create stories that are not religious or anti-religious. Scott Clark (an academic writer on church history and historical theology) did a story of religion on prime time TV; less than two per cent of people in TV are devout religious followers and when they are represented, they’re portrayed as mentally unhinged. It’s the pop culture side of things. If pop culture says religion isn’t cool, it’ll impression young adults to that very same image, ” said Haskell. But why should we care if young adults choose to not identify with any religions? “When people lose faith in
PHOTO BY REBECCA SOARES
Cambridge resident Adelina Chaves holds rosary beads which help her say prayers in the proper sequence. Rosary beads are used by various religions including Christianity and Hinduism. religion, it affects society. Christians give more to charity and volunteer more than the average person, so for every one Christian you’d need to have two average people to equal the charity and volunteering they do, which has an incredible impact on volunteering and charity,” Haskell said. “For example, Sweden has less religious citizens than any other country but also the lowest rate of charity. Christians see things in a way that gets them to do things for others; they do stuff for people they don’t know, it’s not exclusive to people they know. Without religion, people will believe that they don’t have to be nice to people outside their tribe.” So, what can be done? Young adults can’t be forced to believe in the ideology of a certain religion, but perhaps if young adults expressed their concerns, religions could learn to adapt. Perhaps church officials need to start accepting that others can have views outside their religion’s teachings and that they shouldn’t aggressively express their religion’s views in a way that offends young adults trying to get involved. Maybe then young people would return to the fold.
INTERNET PHOTO
Fewer young adults are attending church. In 2015, 26 per cent of Canadians said they reject religion.
NEWS
Monday, March 19, 2018
SPOKE Page 5
Door-to-door sales ban takes effect
BY MELISSA HORTON
A new door-to-door sales ban took effect on March 1 preventing certain companies from knocking at your door. For years, residents have been dealing with door-to-door sales tactics, some of which are too aggressive for most consumers. The ban prevents almost all heating, air-conditioning and water companies from soliciting through door-to-door sales. You may be wondering why just these companies have been targeted. The reason is credited to the large number of complaints received by the government about these companies. A Feb. 27 Global News article states that doorto-door sales of these specific services resulted in 7,058 complaints over the last three years. Since the ban is limited, other salespeople can still knock on your door. For instance, charities can show up because it is less likely they are trying to sell you a product and there have not been a high volume of complaints. This new law offers a wide variety of protection for consumers, more than we have ever seen before. Consumers now have a 10-day cooling
off period if you have entered into a contract, which allows you to back out of the contract penalty free. It also bans repair companies from trying to sell to you while on a maintenance call at your home. So what can happen if the law is violated? A pretty hefty fine of $50,000 could be issued or up to two years of imprisonment. If a corporation is in violation, they could pay a fine of up to $250,000. With such serious consequences, companies may begin to rethink how they do business. However, other companies will continue to go door to door. Avon is one of these companies which has utilized door-todoor sales since its inception in 1886. It is one of the oldest companies leading the charge in home sales but that doesn’t mean the tactics haven’t changed. Consumers are no longer looking to buy from a typical salesperson. With online shopping and retail stores, companies let the customers come to them. Gone are the days of old-fashioned samples and products being brought straight to the door. According to Avon representative Jen Newton of Cambridge, the purpose now is to inform rather than to sell,
“We do sometimes knock on doors to introduce ourselves and offer free catalogues and discuss the Avon opportunities. We act more as information providers and advertise in an old-fashioned way. At that point, if they need more information or are interested in our services, they can contact us.” With a growing irritation of aggressive sales tactics and confusing contracts, sales representatives remain cautious in order to avoid turning off potential customers. “We are never pushy or aggressive like other door-todoor salespeople. I personally dislike pushy salespeople so I would never do it to anyone else,” said Newton. It seems that the world of sales has changed along with the customer. Customers no longer respond to the older ways of selling products, leading companies to pursue a more informative route, which means they can still knock at your front door. Ontario is only the second province to ban door-to-door sales. Alberta’s ban took effect on Jan. 1 after that government similarly received a large number of complaints regarding energy contracts. Alberta’s ban, although not as extensive as
+ 500 Medications Available
24-hour Self-Serve Pharmacy Kiosk
PHOTO BY MELISSA HORTON
A Cambridge resident gets a knock at the door on March 11. A door-to-door sales ban took effect on March 1, preventing all heating, air-conditioning and water companies from soliciting door-todoor in Ontario. Ontario’s, seems to have paved the way for protection of the consumer in Canada. For now, we will have to wait
and see if other provinces will follow suit. To learn more about what the door-to-door sales ban covers, visit www.ontario.ca.
INCLUDING: • Acne • Allergy medication • Antibiotics • Anti-depressants • Birth control • Creams • Inhalers and more...
FIND US IN THE DOON MAIN BUILDING BROUGHT TO YOU BY
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COMMENTARY
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Monday, March 19, 2018
No SIS in Galt BY TAYLOR PACE
Last month, Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig told CTV News that he wants to “make it very clear to the public that from Cambridge’s point of view, we’re not supporting an SIS (safe injection site) in the downtown Galt core area.” He even went so far as to say, “were not going to do that.” But perhaps the mayor should have refrained from making such an impetuous comment so soon, as no decisions have been made yet on the location of the sites, or if Waterloo Region will even be getting them. Public health officials have recommended the sites be located in downtown Kitchener and the Galt core. A public meeting will also take place later this month to better understand where the community stands, but with the mayor’s statement out there, a site in downtown Galt could easily be a no-go. The mayor said if the city gets a site, he would like to see it near the Cambridge hospital, away from the busy downtown where experts have recommended it go. His statement turned this multi-faceted issue into a one-sided one: the public is concerned for their safety. While some may believe safe injection sites will increase drug-related incidents and litter in the area, research shows this fear is misplaced. As mentioned in a previous column, studies have found that safe injection sites do not increase crime rates or drug-related litter, and the neighbourhood around Vancouver’s safe injection site, Insite, saw a 25 per cent decline in overdose deaths. The concern should not be whether safe injection sites will make Galt unsafe, but what will happen if the sites aren’t placed where public health officials have advised, at the heart of the epidemic: the Galt core. Galt, along with downtown Kitchener, report the highest volumes of opioid-related emergencies in the region. Last year alone, paramedics responded to over 500 overdose calls in the region; 71 people died of overdoses; and the streets and public bathrooms in the area have become littered with needles. SIS would be an immediate solution to a critical problem, and placing them away from where they are needed most because of misplaced fears could risk their effectiveness. Downtown Galt is already plagued by the opioid epidemic, and thus, those concerned for their safety should welcome the safe injection sites as the much-needed infrastructure it would be, offering help to those suffering addiction and creating a safer, cleaner downtown. The views herein represent the position of the newspaper, not necessarily the author.
Letters are welcome Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer. Writers will be contacted for verification. No unsigned letters will be published. Letters should be no longer
than 500 words. Spoke reserves the right to edit any letter for publication. Address correspondence to: The Editor, Spoke, 299 Doon Valley Dr., Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4
New Ontario PC leader Doug Ford, if elected premier, will review and possibly repeal Ontario’s new sex education curriculum.
Number of opioid deaths alarming With the opioid blocker naloxone being offered for free over the counter, it is clear that prescription and street drug use is a growing issue. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths from prescription opioid overdoses have tripled since 1999. It is thought that because these drugs are more available than they used to be, drug abuse is easier. Online pharmacies make it even easier to obtain opioids. Opioids are a class of drug that include fentanyl, heroin and over-thecounter pain relievers such as OxyContin, Vicodin, codeine and morphine. The province says there were 1,053 opioid-related deaths from January to October 2017, compared with 694 in 2016. There were also 7,658 emergency department visits related to opioid overdoses from January to October of last year, which is nearly twice as many as the 4,453 reported in 2016. Naloxone works to reverse the effects of an overdose when administered immediately. It is currently
Veronica Reiner
Opinion available over-the-counter in pharmacies without a prescription, and generally comes in a single use filled syringe. Many bars also have it onsite. One example is the Less Bar in Toronto, according to Global News. “We received a naloxone kit delivered to our door,” said Cassy Dietrich, a Kitchener resident. “Everyone in the building got one. Someone in the building overdosed, which lead to a guy going door to door and offering ones to everyone.” For anyone who wants to get help for themselves or those using these substances, Above the Influence is a great online resource to go to. However, different treatments work for different individuals. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends that when choosing a treatment
method, ensure that the process is backed by solid evidence. Furthermore, make sure that the treatment is tailored to each individual person, considering their background and history with drug abuse. Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous are available everywhere and are effective ways to guarantee ongoing support for those struggling with addiction. Treatment for addicts is not the only solution. Raising awareness about the issue and finding out what can be done to prevent it in the first place is crucial. The National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) uses research to determine which methods of treatment work and which ones are less effective. CASA also focuses on the link between behavioural traits and substance abuse, helping to raise awareness about the warning signs of an addict. With the number of opioid overdoses continuing to grow, awareness, recognizing the signs of an addict and knowing where to seek treatment is crucial in prevention.
SPOKE
IS PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED WEEKLY BY THE JOURNALISM STUDENTS OF CONESTOGA COLLEGE Editor: Taylor Pace Assignment Editor: Austin Wells Advertising Manager: Christina Jonas Spoke Online Editors: Mike Turcotte-McCusker, Josh Pederson Production Manager: Christina Jonas
Photo Editors (print): Lucas Hutteri, Tyler Medeiros Photo Editors (online): Veronica Reiner, Peter Swart Social Media Editor: Melissa Horton Circulation Manager: Becky Soares
Faculty Supervisor and Adviser: Christina Jonas Spoke’s address is 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1B23, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4M4.
Phone: 519-748-5220, ext. 3691, 3692, 3693, 3694 Email: spoke@conestogac.on.ca Website: www.spokeonline.com
The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of Conestoga College. Spoke shall not be liable for any damages arising out of errors in advertising beyond the amount paid for the space. Letters to the editor are subject to acceptance or rejection and should be clearly written or typed; a MS Word file would be helpful. Letters must not contain any libellous statements.
FUN & GAMES
Monday, March 19, 2018
SPOKE s Page 7
Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope Week of March 19, 2018
Aries
March 21 April 19 It’s time to help a stranger. Then you’ll understand your place in the world. Now is the time to give advice to others.
Taurus April 20 May 20
No doubt, you will uncover a photograph in black and white. It’s of a person who is no longer with us, and it will force you to remember things gone by.
Gemini May 21 June 21
Today, why not give someone you love a word of encouragement. By doing this, you will finally be able to realize your potential
Cancer June 22 July 22
You need to make plans today, so see if you can grab a colleague or your mate and figure out how the next few months or years are going to look.
Leo
July 23 August 22 If you wonder what your future holds, it might be time to focus more on yourself than others. Understand that life is not a destination, but a journey.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 Are you wondering about changing careers? Soon you will make the right choice and though it will be uncomfortable, you’ll know what to do.
There is approximately one chicken for every human being in the world.
Libra
Bees have 5 eyes. There are 3 small eyes on the top of a bee’s head and 2 larger ones in front.
September 23 October 22 Are you considering doing something new? This week will prove to be the time you made the right choice and everything will become clear.
It has NEVER rained in Calama, a town in the Atacama Desert of Chile. The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.
Scorpio
One-fourth of the world’s population lives on less than $200 a year. Ninety million people survive on less than $75 a year.
October 23 November 21 You got up today knowing you had to do something meaningful. This will happen through spending a little less time doing those things you know don’t add to your life.
Sudoku Puzzle
Sagittarius November 22 December 21
Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommodates the digits 1-9, without repeating any.
If there is nagging doubt in your mind, you might want to hold off on a big decision. Bear in mind that you can do anything you want in the end.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
If you don’t know where you’re headed in life, consider waiting before deciding that relationship thing you had in mind.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
If you’re looking for direction, then maybe you should talk to those closest to you for advice. If that doesn’t make sense to you, then the time is obviously wrong.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 The stars say that you will come to terms with something you forgot about. The power is within you.
Diodonna Winona dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension. She also enjoys people watching and coffee.
Word Search
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NEWS
Monday, March 19, 2018
Make the most of your tax return
BY PETER SWART
It’s officially tax season and students should be starting to look into every possible tax break they can get before filing. According to David Sukhdeo, one of Conestoga’s accounting professors, there are plenty of benefits that students can take advantage of. “All tuition that students paid is what they get to claim on their taxes,” he said. “As well, if they paid interest on a student loan they can claim that amount.” One option students have that they may not know about is to claim any money they spent to relocate for school. “Any moving expense a student incurred in order to attend school can be claimed,” said Sukhdeo. On top of school-related expenses students can also claim regular items such as public transit costs, money spent on child care and any rent paid. For a complete list go to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website at www.canada.ca/en/revenueagency.html. The notable difference this year from previous years is that the education and textbook credit is no longer relevant. The textbook amount was available to every student no matter the income bracket, but this year the
PHOTO BY PETER SWART
David Sukhdeo, an accounting professor at Conestoga, skims through his tax textbooks to find information that students can use when filing their 2017 tax returns. government decided to use that money to help out students with a lower income. “One of the reasons it was discontinued was because they increased grants and scholarships,” Sukhdeo said. “They are income tested, so students in lower income
brackets will receive these scholarships.” Conestoga’s accounting program will not be holding a tax clinic this year as there are no students who have gone through the required training. However, there are other resources for
students who need help. “We have had the tax clinic for the past seven years, but this year there is no tax clinic at the college,” Sukhdeo said. “However, there are other free tax clinics in the neighbourhood and students should call
CRA to get the dates and times.” One of these is a free clinic at The Working Centre, located at 58 Queen St. S. in Kitchener. Tax help is available by appointment. A full list of clinics is available on the CRA website.