VOLUME8483 VOLUME ISSUE4 3 ISSUE
ISSUE 4, November 2023 news
pp.3. Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell speaks on gender equality in politics pp.3. ‘We demand change’: Hundreds of students walk out in support of Palestine pp.4. Higher costs and lower density proposed for Lansdowne 2.0
ARTS
pp.5. The Fulcrum Discusses ‘Dandelion’ by Jamie Chai Yun Liew pp.6. Mental Health and Creativity: Mortal Enemies? pp.7. Lyrics and Mental Health: You Are Not Alone
SCIENCES
pp.11. Observation Sites Around Campus (ft. uOAstro)
FEATURES
pp.12. Depersonalization
OPINIONS
pp.13. Boycotting for Gaza pp.13. CIJA’s ‘Antisemitism: Face It Fight It’ Conference: a Jewish student’s perspective
SPORTS
pp.8. Gee-Gees Football: Gaels end Gees season in rematch of previous weekend pp.9. Gee-Gees shine over reading week pp.10. Gee-Gees women’s soccer team crushes Queens 5-1 for second straight OUA championship
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NEWS
NEWS EDITOR
Kavi Vidya Achar news.editor@thefulcrum.ca
NEWS EDITOR
Shailee Shah news@thefulcrum.ca
Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell speaks on gender equality in politics U OF O LIBRARY HOSTS COMMEMORATIVE EVENT FOR PERSONS DAY Kavi Vidya Achar On Oct. 18, the Right Honourable Kim Campbell, the first and only woman to serve as Prime Minister of Canada, commemorated Persons Day with a speech at the University of Ottawa’s Demarais building to a crowd of politicians and former public servants. The event, “The Power of Women’s Voices in Public Life,” was hosted by the Women’s History Project, in collaboration with the Famous Five Foundation, the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, and the University of Ottawa with the support of the Library’s Women’s Archives Initiative. Featured speakers of this event included Famous Five chair Beatrice Keleher Raffoul, U of O President Jacques Frémont, President and cofounder of the Women’s History Project Deborah Davis, Famous Five mentee Sofia Herczegh, Global Dignity Canada chair Giovanna Mingarelli, and Famous Five board member Komal Minhas. The event was emceed by University Librarian and Dean of Libraries Talia Chung.
The speeches detailed the history of Persons Day: the anniversary of the British Privy Council’s 1929 decision that recognized white, Protestant Christian women as “persons” under the law. Raffoul, Davis, Herczegh, Mingarelli and Minhas chronicled their journeys combating systemic misogyny and spoke of the importance of dismantling sexist stereotypes. In her speech,
entist to document the Greenhouse effect, whose work was attributed to a man who published his findings years after she did. “We have to rediscover and rearticulate existing accomplishments,” Campbell said. “We have to tell [these stories] because that’s how people learn how the world works.”
The latter half of the “Power of Women’s Voices” event was an interview of Campbell by Minhas. The two discussed women’s progress in governmental representation and the impact of Campbell’s term as Prime Minister on women’s prospects today. Minhas asked Campbell about the 1993 election and if she felt the Progressive Conservative In reshaping these narra- party “threw her under
Image: Kavi Vidya Achar/Fulcrum.
Campbell stated that women’s “entire personhood is very often ignored, or disrespected” and highlighted the importance of “chang[ing] the narrative.” She cited the example of Eunice Foote, the first sci-
tives, Campbell believes, people can begin to dismantle “so many different myths about sex differences that really make it hard, often, for women to be seen as the strengths that they are.”
the bus.” Campbell recognized that she was upset by the lack of support she received from her party but did not “think of herself as a victim.” However, she states that there is a long
way to go to achieve true representation in politics. In an interview with the Fulcrum, Campbell was asked about her 2017 remarks to Parliament where she said “the landscape of politics needs to change.” She believes “we’ve made progress but we’re not done.” “As long as there is a capacity for more women to participate,” Campbell said. “then I think we have to keep pushing to get consolidated…and raise money for their campaigns.” When speaking about the barriers women today face in being elected to national political positions, Campbell thinks that “often, it’s the parties themselves that are the most difficult.” “A lot of times, the voters are quite happy to vote or figure that women are pretty good at their jobs and can serve them well,” Campbell said. “The structure is slowly changing.” As for when Campbell believes Canada will have its next female prime minister, “not soon enough.”
‘We demand change’: Hundreds of students walk out in support of Palestine INSAF uOttawa declared their demands on Tabaret Lawn Amira Benjamin On Nov. 2, hundreds of U of O students took part in a walk-out in solidarity with Palestine. Organized by Integrity Not Spite Against Palestine (INSAF) uOttawa, the walk-out saw a large
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crowd gather outside the Jock-Turcot University Centre and listen to speakers before heading to Tabaret Lawn to speak their demands. “As we know, there’s been an aggression on the Gaza Strip for the past nearly 27 days now,”
said Aisha Ahmed, an executive member of INSAF and third-year biomedicine student. “We’re out here to call attention to the genocide; to honour our martyrs — we have over 9000 martryrs as of this morning, and as well to
call attention to the university and encourage them to divest from institutions and corporations they may [be] investing in that aid the Palestinian genocide.” The group has made three demands of the university, which are
also outlined in their petition: (1) that the university’s pension fund fully divest from corporations that are associated with Israeli occupation; (2) that the university ends its relationships with “academic Israeli institutions”, such as an exchange program
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with Tel Aviv University; and (3) that the university president, Jacques Fremont, revise his statement made on Oct. 10 to stand on the “side of the oppressed in our fight against our oppressors”. Ahmed emphasized how critical the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank is, and urged students to look to Palestinian voices rather than mainstream media for accurate information. “We are seeing clear, blatant human rights violations and we’re seeing an occupation,” she said in
an interview with the Fulcrum. In addition to marching to Tabaret Lawn, there were several speakers from the university community, declaring their solidarity with Palestine and denouncing the ongoing genocide. One such speaker was Nina Charley, a conflict studies student and co-chair of the Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition. “For the struggle towards justice and liberation is a shared narrative between Black, Indigenous, and Palestinian
communities. I refuse to accept the language that our acts of resistance against colonial violence are barbaric,” said Charley. “I am here as a human pleading to another, why has humanity turned a blind eye to constant suffering and bloodshed? We demand a ceasefire now and to end the siege on Gaza immediately.”
Students assemble outside of Jock Turcot University Centre. Photo: Bridget Coady/Fulcrum.
Higher costs and lower density proposed for Lansdowne 2.0 UOSU PRESIDENT-ELECT DISCUSSES IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSAL ON AFFORDABILITY FOR STUDENTS Shailee Shah Ottawa’s Lansdowne redevelopment proposal, an ongoing project in partnership with Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), has undergone significant changes – and critics aren’t happy. City staff have been working with OSEG since June 2022 when the Lansdowne Partnership Sustainability Plan and Implementation Report was approved at council, and the proposed plan has gone through ongoing public consultation this year as well. The amendments to the original proposal were released on Oct. 6, and include increasing the cost of the project from $86 million to $419 million, decreasing the number of highrise towers from three to two, the decision to not build affordable housing on-site, and removing the green roof from the new proposed arena. The newest proposal was released at a briefing by Mark Sutcliffe, city staff, and Mark Goud-
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ie president of OSEG. Sutcliffe, calling the project an investment rather than an expense, stated “We can’t repeat the mistakes of the past and let Lansdowne dwindle and crumble.” The updates to the proposal bring residential units on the site down from 1,200 to 770. Additionally, as an alternative to providing affordable housing on-site, city staff stated that the equivalent value would instead be added to a reserve fund that would pay for affordable units located in other parts of the city. In a video posted on YouTube, Sutcliffe acknowledged that the newest proposal significantly reduces dense housing at Lansdowne, and stated that it “opens up a significant amount of public space as well.” The project has also faced notable criticisms from several community organizations. In a meeting on Oct. 18, the Federation of Citizens Association (FCA), an organization representing over 70 community groups across Ottawa, voted to oppose the Lans-
downe 2.0 proposal. Robert Brinker, president of the FCA, said during the meeting that the organization believes there are more important uses of tax dollars than supporting a private, for-profit sports corporation. “Our members are concerned about the enormous amount of public funds for a public-private partnership project based on dubious assumptions and uncertain benefits,” said Brinker. The proposal has faced a lack of support from members of the Ottawa city council as well, with councillors Menard, Lo, Troster, Brown, Bradley, Leiper, and Kavanaugh expressing concerns and stating that they will likely not be supporting the proposal. Menard, whose ward includes Lansdowne Park, has strongly advocated for improvements to the proposal through his “A Better Lansdowne” campaign, in response to the original Lansdowne plan. These improvements include transpor-
tation solutions in the area, the removal of the third proposed skyscraper, at least 15 per cent of proposed housing being non-market housing units, no net loss of accessible greenspace, and public realm enhancements. After the release of the latest report, Menard released “the good, the bad, and the ugly” parts of the changes, and expressed that the report failed to meet the priorities outlined by the public, urban design professionals, and the offices of city councillors. “A rejuvenation of Lansdowne Park is needed, but what is needed is a plan that prioritizes public amenities, public access, and the public good to make it a success,” cited Menard. The Lansdowne area is approximately 3 kilometres away from the University of Ottawa campus and 1.5 kilometres away from the Carleton University campus. The Fulcrum spoke with Delphine Robitaille, president-elect of the University of Ottawa Students’ Union, about the impacts
that the Lansdowne proposal would have on students in the neighborhood in an interview. Robitaille described students as an essential part of the Ottawa community and economy, and stated that despite this, students are often afterthoughts in new developments, including the one at Lansdowne. “The new arena, event and retail spaces will likely depend on part-time, minimum wage labour from students who will not be able to afford [to live] in the vicinity. Lansdowne 2.0 has the opportunity to position itself as a modern, public-private partnership that prioritizes sustainability and affordability,” said Robitaille. Robitaille also discussed affordable housing for students, saying “it is also an investment into the dynamism and prosperity of the city. It keeps graduates and skilled workers here.” In terms of next steps, the proposal will proceed to a final vote on Nov. 10 at city council.
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Arts
Arts EDITOR
Sydney Grenier arts@thefulcrum.ca
The Fulcrum Discusses ‘Dandelion’ by Jamie Chai Yun Liew Jamie Chai Yun Liew, a professor at the Faculty of Law and the Common Law Section, discusses her debut novel Sydney Grenier Last week, one of my classmates, an exchange student who speaks accented English, raised their hand and asked the professor a question. Two students who were sitting in front of us giggled like children at my classmates’ tone and insistence that the professor rephrase their response. Rage sprouted in my gut like a tangled
cial functions books serve is to provide a portal into the emotions and experiences of others. Books provide the opportunity to relive the experiences of others–what were they thinking, how they felt in their body, and how the cackling of classmates made them feel rotten. Books are an entertaining lesson in sympathy. Jamie Chai Yun Liew, a professor at the
Books provide a portal into the emotions and experiences of others. Image: Dandelion/Provided.
and thorny root. If only those two students understood the courage my classmate had to muster to speak in class, maybe they would stay silent. One of the cru-
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Faculty of Law and the Common Law Section, utilized this function of the fiction genre in her debut novel Dandelion. Written when Liew was researching statelessness, Dandelion recounts the story of
a young woman who, as she begins her journey of motherhood, reflects on the loss of her mother and her family’s migration to Canada. Expertly recounting a common experience, such as becoming a parent, in parallel to the trials and tribulations of migration, Liew highlights the similarities of the experiences. She explained the structure of her novel in an interview with the Fulcrum: “I try to create a parallel experience for people to relate to emotionally. I find some of the experiences that migrants have very similar to what Lily has as a mother. When you become a mother, you’re leaving your old life behind. Similar to migrants. You’re leaving everything you’ve known behind and you’re entering into a space that you have no idea what you’re going to be experiencing.” By drawing attention to these experiences, the emotions that accompany them are also important to creating a relatable story. Liew stated that “the emotions in those journeys are very similar, and I wanted people to reflect on that if they’ve never experienced [migration] before and how it might disturb our narratives about how migrants should perform themselves in our society.” Overall, by including vulnerable and real emotions connected to difficult experiences Liew presents an opportunity for readers to connect the struggles
and successes of migrants (both real and fictional). A fictional novel based on real struggles is a perfect storm created by the symbiotic relationship of Liew’s talents–research and creative writing. As an academic and creative, Dandelion provided a unique opportunity for Liew. She explains that her research on statelessness did not leave room to tell the personal stories accompanying the people and cases researched. “A lot of my academic reading looks at the actual legal principle, the laws, and the effects of the law,” explained Liew. “One of the things I found that I couldn’t talk about as easily in that writing was the emotional aspects and how people might be seen or felt and how their identities were experienced in everyday spaces. So [the novel] allowed me to explore that a little bit more than my research did.” The mixture of creative and academic talents is crucial to produce a complete narrative. Students are often shown only one path or the other. The reality, however, is that a career in both is possible. Liew asserts that “it’s good to specialize in things but I think, a richer way of experiencing the world of teaching and researching is informed by artistic creativity and collaboration.” Liew shared the work of her colleagues such as Natasha Bakht, a professional dancing ca-
reer alongside her career as a law professor; Rosemary Cairns Way, who sings Handel’s Messiah every Christmas at the NAC; Tracy Lindberg, is also a novelist and an Indigenous legal scholar. In terms of creative writing, students should remember that successful authors rarely exist in vacuums. They do not sit at a desk with a pen and paper and produce a story in a singular strain of thought in one sitting. Community, advisors, and mentors are crucial to the process. For example, Dandelion is the Winner of the Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers Award from the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop (ACWW). The ACCW’s mission is to organize, sponsor, and promote cultural arts activities and events involving Pacific Rim Asian Canadians. Dandelion is available at the public library and the Univerity of Ottawa Library as well. Students can read the novel and or gift it to someone they love for upcoming holidays. More importantly, students can put into action the lessons Dandelion teaches us by picking up a book written about a person or group they have prejudice about.
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Mental Health and Creativity: Mortal Enemies? Writer’s block, burnout, lack of inspiration. There is a reason these phrases are often used to describe the experiences of creatives. Sydney Grenier I often stare at the blank computer screen with a blank mind. You, reader, never see this side of me. All that you see is my productivity; All that you see is what I did write, the ideas I was able to articulate. Readers cannot know the number of times authors break down, tug at their hair, go for a walk, or pet their dog–all in an effort to get the story out. But trust me–we do struggle to get the story out sometimes. I don’t always have great ideas. And here is a secret; your favourite artists don’t either. Writer’s block, burnout, lack of inspiration. There is a reason these phrases are often used to describe the experiences of creatives. While challenges with mental health are a common experience for
every person, artists, and creatives tend to struggle more often and more deeply. There is a parallel between artists and students: Both are judged and deemed valuable by the amount and quality of the work they produce. An A+ student is a good student, an author with a published novel is a good author. The truth is, however, students who try to comprehend the material, and whose grade doesn’t always reflect this, is still a good student. A writer who has a million ideas, and one sentence for each is still a good writer. The challenge is to practice creativity without falling into the trap of a lack of inspiration or motivation. Here are some resources and activities for students or creatives struggling with inspiration or motivation.
Address the severity of the issue. Try TAO Connect. It is harmful to pretend a lack of inspiration comes from the same source for everyone. Feeling unmotivated or uninspired can be situational, emotional, or caused by health or mental health issues. It is important to address these different needs before relying on other activities to improve your mood. Students can try TAO Connect, which is a free mental health chat resource offered by the university. If you or a friend is experiencing suicidal ideation or struggling with mental health you can call Talk Suicide Canada anytime at 1-833-456-4566, or visit TAO Self-Help, a free 24/7 online therapy platform. Take care of your body: Nature and exercise. Try to check in with how you are feeling before jumping to conclu-
sions about your creative self. Taking care of your body can look different for every person. Join the Outdoor club for a hike. Or head to the Rideau Canal or Strathcona Park for a walk.
due. But you will work more efficiently if you actually sleep. Try to have one good night of rest per week. Put on a sleep playlist (of which there are thousands) and try to drift way.
Take care of your mind. Again, this looks different for all and there is no one way to do it. However, community and rest can ease the swirl of doubt in your mind. Community: Have a chill evening with your friends. Go for a walk with your roommate. Maybe try a Fika Evening. Watch another episode: Be kind to yourself and allow a little flexibility in your schedule. Sometimes you need to watch another episode of your show to make you feel better, and that’s okay. Sleep: I know. You’ve been told a million times, and so have I. I know there are only so many hours in the day and you have an assignment
Be creative for fun, not for work. Sometimes, you just have to step outside of yourself to re-align with the creative project you are attempting. Try being creative for fun. If you’re a writer, draw something. If you’re a visual artist, sing a song. If you’re a musician, write a story. You get the idea. Writer’s block, burnout, and lack of inspiration can be temporary if you try slowly and surely to return to your creative projects. Be kind to your mind, so you can continue to create and feel good.
I don’t always have great ideas. And here is a secret; your favourite artists don’t either. Image: Kai Holub/Fulcrum.
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Lyrics and Mental Health: You Are Not Alone Artists and how they portray mental health in their lyrics Ayai Offor We typically perceive our favourite music artists as larger than life and forget they have regular problems too; everyone struggles in one way or another and have different ways of coping with the problems they face. Many artists use their music not only as an outlet for mental health issues but also to connect with listeners that may be going through similar experiences. Here are some examples of artists that use their music to open up about their experiences. Billie Eilish, “everything i wanted” Billie Eilish’s music, a lot of which are collaborations with her brother FINNEAS, covers a wide range of topics. Her song “everything i wanted” describes a nightmare she had in which she commits suicide after struggles with fame and mental health. She has previously mentioned her struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, and how using music is an outlet for her emotions. The lyrics “Nobody cried / Nobody even noticed” explain how her fears of not being missed if she passes were shown in the dream. She stated in a Song Exploder podcast episode that in the dream, everybody seemed to be happier that she was no longer there. Newspapers called her “problematic,” and even her closest friends expressed that they were glad she had passed away. She views her brother, who co-wrote the song with her, as a pillar that has helped uplift her
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in situations where she feels down. She highlights the importance of relying on loved ones during hard times in the chorus. After she woke from the dream, the first person she spoke to about it was her brother who was there to comfort her. Billie also talks about depression in her other songs like “listen before i go”. She highlights the downfalls of her fame that has resulted in over-scrutiny of her body in her spoken word piece “Not My Responsibility”. She used the piece to advocate for women everywhere who are objectified and vilified for what they choose to wear. After intentionally wearing baggy clothing in an effort to turn eyes away from her body at the beginning of her career, she has been vocal about the negative impacts of sexualization and objectification of women. Juice WRLD, “Sometimes“ Throughout his entire career, Juice WRLD was known for his emo and alternative rap style that mostly centres around heartbreak and depression. The song “Sometimes” keeps the same theme, delving deeper into his substance abuse to cope with emotional distress. He also talks about preferring to be alone and experiencing sleep paralysis and paranoia about his relationship and people who are after him. This led him to continued substance use to “numb” his feelings. Juice WRLD sadly passed away on December 8, 2019. He was planning on seeking help regarding his addiction. During his
career, he dropped several albums with notable contributions that fans enjoyed and connected with, two of which were released posthumously.
discuss going to therapy to deal with mental health issues in more of his songs like “United in Grief”. Kendrick Lamar uses his music as an outlet
Cobra, which represents self-reliance and courage in the face of obstacles. Megan has been open to expressing more personal matters in the
for his emotions and as a space for listeners struggling with toxic masculinity and mental health to be seen, understood, and encouraged. He continues to give back by donating to his former high school and various charitable organizations, including the Red Cross.
past as is shown in songs like “Anxiety” and “Flip Flop” in her 2022 album Traumazine. She is also a strong advocate for Black women’s mental and physical health and uses her platform to not only talk about her experiences, but also to shed light on issues that other women face. Ultimately, the message from these artists is that these topics should be discussed because many people face such challenges. Sometimes a person’s success or countenance may not give away what they are struggling with, so the vulnerability that these artists put into their lyrics is a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles. Seeking help from loved ones and professionals and taking time for yourself is a necessary part of self-love and self-care.
Image: Eric Nopanen/Unsplash.
To this day, Juice WRLD is remembered for the vulnerability of his lyrics that many struggling with their mental health relate to. Kendrick Lamar, “Father Time” Kendrick Lamar, is known for his lyricism and storytelling abilities when it comes to a range of social and philosophical issues. In his track “Father Time”, Lamar draws from his experience growing up in an environment surrounded by gang violence, his father’s influence, and how it led to his struggles with toxic masculinity. Growing up, his father taught him that a man showing his emotions should be looked down upon, causing Lamar, even as a child, to refrain from crying when hurt and refuse to express himself. At the beginning of the song, he speaks to his wife, refusing to seek therapy as an act of pride. He does
Megan Thee Stallion, “Cobra” Megan Thee Stallion who is mostly known for her energetic freestyles and trap music deviated away from her usual topics to talk about more personal matters in her new song, “Cobra”. In the lyrics, she talks about her struggles with depression and anxiety following the deaths of her loved ones and being shot by Tory Lanez; She lost her father when she was 15 years old and both her mother and grandmother in 2019. The artist also shared the meaning behind the title
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sports
Sports Reporter
Tyler Beauchesne associate.sports@thefulcrum.ca
Sports Editor
Andrew Wilimek sports@thefulcrum.ca
Gee-Gees Football: Gaels end Gees season in rematch of previous weekend “In the playoffs, you need your veteran players with the ability to make plays” Andrew Wilimek In a rematch that seemed like déjà vu, the U of O football team travelled to Kingston to take on the Queen’s Gaels for the second straight weekend. This time, it would be for an OUA East quar-
14, the squad was missing their offensive firepower. Rookie quarterback Josh Janssen threw for 172 yards but completed just 13 of 24 passes. Returner Charles Asselin was thrust into the starting back role for the second straight week, and although per-
tunities to score – including one which was called back. And we just could not make the plays in those crucial times. Having said that, our younger players will learn from this and improve.” Queen’s broke through first, as back-
goals on four attempts and added a rouge of his own. Fair punted eight times in the game, with a long of 56. On the defensive end, Patrick Cumberbatch once again shone. He racked up 6.5 tackles, good for second on the team (behind Kevin Victome’s 8.5), and
better team because of this year’s experience.” It was not the season anyone around the Gee-Gees envisioned. The team lost Maracle in the very first quarter of that game against Waterloo, and the team’s fans knew that just like Aaron Rodg-
formed well, couldn’t break through for a big run and received just 11 touches. Coach Marcel Bellefeuille admitted the team was missing their veterans. “In the playoffs, you need your veteran players with the ability to make plays,” said the head coach. “Especially because games come down to a handful of plays. We had six very good oppor-
up quarterback Anthony Soles got in the end zone about halfway through the first quarter on a short run play. After that, it was all unconventional when it came to scoring. Although Queen’s kicker Tyler Mullan missed three out of four field goals he attempted, two made it through the end zone for singles. Campbell Fair knocked in three field
added a pick. The team looked a lot different than the one that took down Waterloo in their opener 29-10. “In a season with up to 13 starters out at one point, and 8 of those out for the playoff game, I am excited for all the younger players that got much-needed experience in big games” Bellefeuille added. “When many of the starters come back, we will be a much
ers and the New York Jets, this was a worst-case scenario. But their 6-2 2022 was not a fluke. This team has talent. And they’ll be back healthy next year. Bellefeuille added “I am extremely pleased with the process and growth of our program this season. The student-athletes handled adversity very well. The future is bright.”
Photo: Greg Mason/Gee-Gees.
ter-final playoff matchup. In another low-scoring affair, the Gees just couldn’t break through. The unusual game saw 13 punts, four rouges, four field goals, a safety, and just one touchdown. Having been without starting quarterback Ben Maracle since the first game of the season, and running back Amilcar Polk since Oct.
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Gee-Gees shine over reading week “I’m mostly still full of gratitude for this sport, all who pour into us as athletes, and that I get to be a Gee-Gee.” Andrew Wilimek Women’s Soccer advances to OUA Semifinals; Cassandra Provost named MVP for second straight year It took just two minutes for the Gees to find the back of the net in their opening playoff game against Toronto. And of course, it was none other than Cassandra Provost putting the ball in the back of the net off a cross from Jenna Matsukubo. The Gees would take the game 3-0, with Provost adding another tally in the second half. The win earned them a berth in the OUA semifinals, where they would welcome McMaster to Matt Anthony Field on Nov. 1. Earlier on Nov. 1, the OUA announced Provost as the OUA East’s Most Valuable Player, for the second straight season. Provost’s 23 goals eclipsed the Gee-Gee’s previous program record, set by Provost last season. Provost, Nibo Dlamini, and Maya Smith were all selected to the OUA’s First All-Star Team. Jenna Matsukubo and Adriane Devlin picked up second-team honours. Gee-Gees Softball takes home bronze medal at OUS Championships The Gee-Gees softball team travelled to Waterloo the weekend of Oct. 21 to participate in the Ontario University Softball (OUS) Provincial Championships. Saturday saw the team take down Laurier by a score of 148, and Western, in a 2-1 game that went to extra innings. Sunday wasn’t as good for the Gees, as they
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lost to the U of T 6-3. They still earned a berth in the semi-finals, which doubled as a bronze medal game, where they would face off with Western once again. The team competed hard in another close game, but this time the Mustangs had the final say, as they took the game 6-5. The team batted .320 over the weekend, which includes monster weekends from Amy Schmit, Amber Weese, Jordy Hartley, and Addy Kane. Schmit had a staggering six hits and five walks in just 16 plate appearances; Weese went 8-16 and added 7 RBIs; Hartley went 7-15 with 5 RBIs; and Kane went 5-13 with 5 RBIs. Hartley had a good weekend pitching as well, racking up 11 strikeouts in 13.2 innings while leaving 18 runners on base. Sophie Desy added six K’s of her own in 13.1 innings while allowing just 7 earned runs. Alie-Lamarche named Second Team All-Star after OUA Cross Country Championships Fourth-year André Alie-Lamarche took home Second-Team AllStar honours for his performance at the OUA Cross Country Championships, which took place Oct. 28 in Waterloo. Alie-Lamarche finished eighth in the eight-kilometre race — his best finish of the year. Although he was in fourth place heading into the final two kilometres of the race, the top-ten ending was still good enough to be the best finish of his OUA career. Alie-Lamarche credits consistency for the recognition: “It feels great to be recognized for
the OUA All-Star Team and was tough to get back in the mix since I had a twoyear layoff right before COVID started” the runner
events.
“Without an- Gee-Gees ringette team other female lightweight takes home gold medal teammate, my coach, Zak from Oshawa tournament Lewis, decided to have me The Gee-Gees
Image: Sanjida Rashid/Fulcrum.
said. “I’m really happy to get back at it with the guys again. And just would like to thank the coaches and the teams for the support over the years.” Kennedy Burrows named OUA Rower of the Year Third-year Kennedy Burrows was named the Female Rower of the Year by the OUA after her performance on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 at the Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course in St. Catherines. “I’m honoured to have been recognized as OUA Rowing’s female athlete of the year and to have taken home these two golds for our team,” said the Parry Sound native. “However, I’m mostly still full of gratitude for this sport, all who pour into us as athletes, and that I get to be a Gee-Gee.” Burrows competed in both the Women’s Heavyweight and the Women’s Lightweight divisions and took home gold in both disciplines. Kennedy says she was also told it was the first time any male or female had won both
try out the heavyweight single to get an additional race in and gain more experience in the single. Working with him and Alex Kunkel, I was able to refine some of my technique to prepare for a variety of conditions that we may face on race day.” Burrows, an International Development and Globalization major, credited her faith as a huge reason for the victory. “It was a tough fight in both races that required that I set aside distractions and dial in on the race I was in. As a Christian, I don’t believe I could have overcome the doubt, put forward that effort with each stroke, or be so blessed by my community of coaches, teammates, and loved ones without God’s provision.” Burrows will compete at the Canadian University Championships in Burnaby, B.C., which will take place from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12. Last year, she brought home a silver medal at the event. For more information about the event, see here.
ringette team took home top honours from a tournament in Oshawa over reading week. The team cruised through the round-robin, and faced off against Laurier in the semi-finals, who they took down 4-1. In the finals, they dominated Nipissing and came away with a 10-1 victory. Last March, the team took home a bronze medal from the provincial championships hosted by Ringette Ontario. This saw wins over Guelph, Nipissing, McMaster, and Carleton in the round robin, and Guelph again in the bronze medal game. The team’s leading scorers from those provincials: Elizabeth Plamondon, Jessica Glass, and Mariève Vandervoort, all returned to the GeeGees – so look for this team to go on another run at provincials this season.
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Gee-Gees women’s soccer team crushes Queens 5-1 for second straight OUA championship “It was a statement, and I think it will give us confidence going into nationals.” Andrew Wilimek Well, the GeeGees didn’t quite put seven in the back of the net like Germany did to Brazil in 2014 – but the host Gees still churned out a dominating performance in the OUA Finals on Nov. 4. The U of O racked up five goals on the visiting Queen’s Gaels, taking the game 5-1. This was the second time this year the two sides squared off. In September, they played to a 0-0 draw. The Gee-Gees had moved up the national rankings since then, though – they came into the game ranked first in the nation. Head coach Steve Johnson spoke about the importance of the championship game after their semi-final win Wednesday. “You don’t know what’s going to hap-
and perform well.” And boy, did the Gees perform well. The first 30 minutes of the game was tightly contested, and it was beginning to look like another 0-0 match could be in the cards. But after a Gaels defender fell on the ball just outside of the 18-yard box, an indirect free kick was awarded to the Gees. R e c e n t l y crowned OUA East MVP Cass Provost nonchalantly tapped the ball to Nibo Dlamini, who sent a perfect kick around the right side of the wall of defenders and into the bottom left corner of the goal to break the tie. After the game, Dlamini discussed not getting complacent after gaining the lead. “We just have a lot of respect for Queen’s. We know that no matter what, even if we’re 4-0 up, they can come back because
a chance to beat NFL superstar Tyreek Hill in a footrace, brought the ball all the way down into the Gaels end after getting the ball from her midfielders. She made a couple nice moves to gain some space, and then ripped a shot from just inside the box that glanced off Gaels keeper Kirstin Tynan’s gloves and into the back of the net. Post-game, firstyear Gee Matsukubo was asked about what the game meant. Matsukubo transferred back to her hometown Gees after last season, from the opposing Gaels. “Especially the confidence going into nationals next weekend, this was a huge win. [Johnson] was saying he’s never won a final by that many goals [over] the 30 years that he’s been here. It was a statement, and I think it will give us confidence go-
and she was able to find the bottom left corner. The Gees had a commanding lead midway through the second half, and the fans were getting louder and louder. After Queen’s got on the board just a couple of minutes later, it was once again Matsukubo’s turn for a run. She danced and dashed almost all the way to Tynan in the Gael’s net, but was taken down by a Gaels defender, and the referee awarded a penalty kick to the home team. Matsukubo showed time after time throughout the game why she was named a 2022 First Team All-Star, and why the GeeGees were so happy to see her don the garnet and grey this season. Dlamini placed the ball at the penalty spot, and the Gee-Gees faithful began chanting Tynan’s name. The third-year Ne-
they’re just such an amazing team.” And just after half-time, the Gees kept pushing. Jenna Matsukubo, who is probably one of the only people I’ve ever seen that might have
ing into nationals.” In the 62nd minute, an in-position Provost received an aerial pass, but couldn’t quite get her leg up to feed it towards the net. It bounced to Gabrielle Ferland though,
pean product drilled the ball into the top left corner of the goal – there was no doubt about this shot. Dlamini was appreciative of the boisterous faithful in attendance. “It was so important. I think that
having the crowd with you helps momentum-wise, and to give you the extra push to make that tackle or get there, it was amazing. It was a really awesome crowd.” With the game winding down, and extra time on the clock, Matsukubo was gifted the ball with no defender between her and Tynan, and she promptly knocked in her second of the game. The striker also touched on the atmosphere. “It’s pretty incredible. The fans were amazing today – it felt like they didn’t stop cheering for the entire game. They really lifted us up today, and we needed that.” Johnson was very proud of his team, talking post-game. “I’m really pleased with today’s performance”, the longtime Gees coach said. “This team has progressed so far since we started off in August. I’m pleased to have a hometown win in front of a fantastic crowd. Our players knew what to expect from Queens – we held them in the first half, and things opened up in the second half. Our players did what we asked them to do.” The Gee-Gees will travel to Kingston next weekend for the U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship. The top-seeded Gees will play a quarter-final game Thursday to kickoff their tournament.
Photo: Tim Austen/Gee-Gees.
pen at nationals – we don’t want to wait, we want to get what we can when we can.” Johnson said. “We’re relatively healthy, I think we’re in the best position possible to be able to host
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Sciences
Science Editor
Emma Williams science@thefulcrum.ca
Observation Sites Around Campus (ft. uOAstro) Look up
leaves are semi-gone and [there’s] no snow yet; and Stargazing can be end of winter where the one of the most fulfilling leaves are not growing yet hobbies around, however, and the snow is almost it can be difficult to know which places are best. Not to worry though, the Fulcrum spoke with uOAstro to create a list of spots around Ottawa to stargaze. To give readers an idea of the quality of each site, here is the ranking system created by author Terence Dickinson and associates in the 4th edition of the Backyard Astronomer’s Guide. For local areas (within 1.5 kilometres of campus), there are a couple areas with walkable distances off campus fit for both spontaneous stargazing and longer periods alike.
oculars,” said Dokuz. “One of our executives was able to capture the young star-forming complex NGC7822, how-
This is a great site if you star parties. need a bit of quiet in Ottawa. Tooey Lake Picnic Area The unfortunate Backyard Astrontruth is that Ottawa has a omer Rating: 30/40
gone. We were able to see Strathcona Backyard Astron- Saturn and Jupiter with another club’s telescope omer Rating: 3/40 Strathcona Park during fall.” is a long park just east of campus with various paths Springhurst Park Backyard Astronand greenery along the omer Rating: 5/40 RIdeau River that divides Moving south it from Riverain Park on the other side. Doğa Do- from campus, Springhurst kuz, a fourth-year stu- Park is next. This park dent in physics and pres- contains a wide open ident of the uOAstro had field right along the canal. this to say about the site, When geese aren’t occu“there’s a nice hiding spot pying it, this spot is great in the middle of the park. to set up equipment. “During the It’s quite hard to observe during the summer since summer, we were able to all of the tree leaves can observe the moon and its block the sky view, but [on features at [Springhurst] the other hand] they also park. There [was] some block the light from the light coming from the Lees Stadium nearby but if you city.” He contin- just want to observe simued,“the best period ple objects, [the] field is to stargaze is middle or [big enough] to install teleend of fall where the scopes or even lie down and look through the bin-
ever, he was using a light pollution filter because he was in the city. It’s quite hard to do long exposures in the city because there is a light coming in from somewhere.” For areas a bit farther out from central downtown Ottawa but still within 6km, ,these locations will require a bit of leg power to get to, but they are worth the effort.
lot of light pollution, and that can affect what celestial objects are viewable. Wenbin Wang, an avid astrophotographer and Vice President of Events with uOAstro, highlighted several noteworthy locations (35+ kilometres out from the U of O). Check the light pollution map and Bortle scale to determine what areas in and around your community are suited for dark sky viewings.
Tooey Lake is one of the more remote locations on the list, this site is great for viewing Dark Sky objects (i.e., the Milky Way). Some objects Wang has observed include, “ some deep sky objects like M33, M31,M32, M110, M45, M57” – the labelling here comes from the Charles Messier’s Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters.
Carp Library Parking Lot Backyard Astronomer Rating: 20/40 A frequent location for members of the Ottawa chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada , the Carp Library which is a great and quiet spot, and also an opportunity to meet seasoned stargazers during frequent
Backyard Astronomer Rating: 30/40 “The best place is around Griffith,” Wang explained. Griffith is a remote but densely forested town in the west. Its remoteness allows for viewings of various wildlife and deep sky objects.
Nicholas Socholotiuk
Image: Sanjida Rashid/Fulcrum.
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Experimental Farm Backyard Astronomer Rating: 5/40 Beside the Dominion Observatory, the Experimental Farm has minimal light that allows for a significantly darker local site to sit and gaze. The area between the farm and the observatory is grassy and flat (as both are regularly maintained).
Griffith
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FeatureS
Staff Writer
Nicholas Socholotiuk reporter@thefulcrum.ca
Staff WriteR
Ciku Gitonga staff.writer@thefulcrum.ca
Depersonalization A day in the life Sanjida Rashid
Sometimes, I don’t feel like me. What do I like? Why am I here? What do I want? Sometimes, I don’t know who me is. It’s as if I’m a stack of pieces that amount to me — each one a piece of my identity. When I feel like this, everytime I reach for a piece, it slips out of reach. It doesn’t feel like “me”. Everytime I feel this way, there comes a day where it does. I wait for that day.
Comic and text by Sanjida Rashid. 12
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Opinions
Opinions EDITOR
Keith de Silvia-Legault opinions@thefulcrum.ca
Boycotting for Gaza FREE PALESTINE! Aena Khan Boycotting, the act of refusing to buy or engage in commercial relations to protest something, is a very relevant topic around the world. The reason? The genocide that’s happening in Palestine at this very moment. Thousands are protesting mainstream brands, including myself, to limit the money going to the Israeli government, which is then used for war crimes and killings of innocent Palestinians daily. Palestine is an occupied country by Israel and the genocide of its people has been an ongoing battle for the past 75 years. Millions have already passed away, dying as martyrs; many others are injured. Bombings of hospitals, houses, kids, the elderly and schools in the Gaza Strip is a normal thing for Palestinians, which should not be the case. These bombings are done by the Israeli government, but they get help from Western brands that we all love. I have decided to boycott the following
brands until they stop supporting genocide and the erasure of an entire nation. Some examples are: McDonald’s, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Burger King, Subway, Coca-Cola, and Nestle. Supporting these brands, buying their products, means supporting the killing of innocent civilians. There are people suffering so it is absolutely crucial for each one of us to do our part. That starts with a small action, such
as boycotting brands that support Israel. Deciding to boycott and sticking to it can be difficult as a university student since all these fast-food chains are on or near campus. It is possible that convenience might win over our conscience when we are in a rush to get to class. For this reason, here are two alternatives, that are just as convenient (and delicious) 1. Experiment with new
recipes. Homemade is always better! 2. Buy local (PIVIK, Figaro Coffee House, Happy Goat Coffee, 3 Brothers Shawarma and Poutine, Oka’s, etc…) All these stores can be found near campus. Boycotting is an effective method of protest, to get to a common goal. My goal, and hopefully everyone reading this, is to help lessen the Palestinians’ pain just by doing little by little every single day. If Palestinians
can be strong through such a big war, it is very easy to avoid certain things for the better of humanity, to avoid killings of innocent people. Signing petitions, demanding ceasefires, educating others on the matter, and protesting are all amazing ways you can make a difference. Always and forever, Free Palestine
Image: Avif/Getty Images.
CIJA’s ‘Antisemitism: Face It Fight It’ Conference: a Jewish student’s perspective Antisemitism vs. anti-zionism: are they really the same? U of O’s silence in the midst of student outrage. Chana Mucher I attended the “Antisemitism: Face It Fight It” conference hosted by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) on October 17th. The two-day event featured speakers from various backgrounds, including journalists, activists, politicians, and young
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Jewish and Israeli individuals. As a Jewish student at the University of Ottawa, I saw this as an opportunity to engage with the Canadian Jewish community and gain insights from the panelists.
with elected officials and keynote speeches from Canada’s political party leaders, such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre, New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh, and the The highlight of the con- Bloc’s leader Yves-François ference on Tuesday in- Blanchet. The discussions cluded a cocktail reception primarily revolved around
pro-Israel perspectives and the importance of Canadian Jews understanding the Israel-Palestine situation but from a solely Israeli perspective. Notably, Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed addressed the audience, expressing concerns about what he termed “misinformation”
regarding the Israeli Defense Forces’ siege of Gaza throughout the past month. During the event, Gil Troy, a prominent Zionist thinker, introduced the idea that the latest “form of hatred toward Jews is anti-Zionism rather than antisemitism.” This con-
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cept challenged my understanding, as I have always separated the two. I have never considered myself a “Zionist,” so when people would address “anti-zionists”, I would not take this as an attack on my Jewish identity.
students are afraid to display their Jewish identity, just as there is a rise in Islamophobia on campus.” While browsing social media, I witnessed several Muslim students post about their experience walking past a pro-Israeli rally, where they were
nadians, I pondered the role Canada should play, especially regarding the NDP’s rise in popularity among the youth. Singh expressed “[the NDP’s] commitment to a peaceful resolution” and suggested that “Canada, as a soft power nation with expe-
equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism…we have Jewish allies, such as the progressive organization Jewish Voice for Peace, who oppose the Zionist occupation.” They also mentioned the explosion of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital on October 17th, which
Photo: CPAC/Provided.
Growing up, I was aware that some Orthodox Jews actually opposed Zionism due to their interpretations of the Torah, suggesting that Israel should only exist through divine intervention rather than as a nation-state created by humans. This opinion varies, and I always found it understandable. But now, we are seeing Orthodox Jews get attacked by the Israeli police force and the Jewish communities around the world for participating in anti-Zionist protests. Is this not a case of antisemitism by a socalled “defensive” military superpower?
spat on and denounced. Several of my Jewish peers on campus have gotten harrassed for “supporting” Israel’s atrocities, including myself, insinuating a close association with Zionism. I am not Israeli nor have I ever lived there, yet somehow I am lumped into this because of my Star of David necklace. When I asked how we could create safe spaces in schools for students, he mentioned the importance of allowing people to “discuss human rights, be proud of their Israeli or Jewish heritage, and express their concerns without fear of discrimination.” But how is this possible when our university has stayed relatively silent throughout all of this?
I got a chance to speak with NDP leader Singh, who acknowledged the concerns of Jewish and Arab students feeling ‘unsafe’ on Canadian cam- Given the divisions among puses. He noted, “some young Arab and Jewish Ca-
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rience in conflict resolu- at the time, had no contion, could contribute to firmed statistics. Although achieving peace.” this was later contested by many Western superpowI also had the opportu- ers as being a non-Israeli nity to meet with Prime attack, the protestors statMinister Trudeau, who ed “this wouldn’t be the expressed his concerns for first time they’ve bombed the Jewish Canadian com- a hospital in Gaza.” munity during his speech and “condemns Hamas’ The protesters scrutinized attacks on innocent Is- media coverage and urged raeli civilians.” He also people to “avoid blindly acknowledged the dire accepting the narrative humanitarian situation presented by any party inin Gaza, caused by the Is- volved.” They questioned raeli government’s actions the “media’s willingness following the outbreak of to believe military sources hostilities. Poilievre, rep- over civilian accounts” and resenting the Conservative called for a more balanced Party, expressed support approach. for Israel and the Jewish communities during this In such a sensitive situa“dark period.” tion, it is essential to recognize that people worldPro-Palestinian protest- wide are affected — but ers outside of the venue not as affected as the ciexplained that “[we] are vilians currently living in protesting CIJA specif- Gaza. As a Jewish woman, ically because it has… I am deeply concerned
about the media’s influence on public sentiment. Everywhere I turn, there’s propaganda, which contributes to rising antisemitism and islamophobia, as well as the spread of misinformation by the IDF itself. Myself and many other Jews want Netanyahu and his government gone, but what would that mean for the Palestinians who have been displaced over the years and the Israeli Jews who are worried about losing a ‘national identity’? It is crucial to distinguish between being Jewish and a Zionist, as well as between being Palestinian and a ‘Hamas-sympathizer.’ And throughout all of this, the University of Ottawa has stayed silent, except for one vague statement they made a few weeks ago, and a mass email sent out to students in residence. Students should not be attacked on campus by any means, yet it continues to occur. Arab and Jewish students at the U of O have continued to show their concerns, yet nothing is being done.ha
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AcknowledgementS CONTRIBUTORS
The Fulcrum would like to thank Aena Khan
Chana Mucher for their contributions to this issue.
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bridget Coady (she/her) editor@thefulcrum.ca MANAGING EDITOR Amira Benjamin (they/she) managingeditor@thefulcrum.ca
Opinions EDITOR Keith de Silvia-Legault (they/them) opinions@thefulcrum.ca Staff Writers Ciku Gitonga (she/her) staff.writer@thefulcrum.ca Nicholas Socholotiuk (he/him) reporter@thefulcrum.ca
Production Manager Mattew McConkey (he/him) production@thefulcrum.ca
Graphic Designers Kai Holub (they/he) multimedia@thefulcrum.ca
News Editors Kavi Vidya Achar (they/them) news.editor@thefulcrum.ca
Sanjida Rashid (she/her) social@thefulcrum.ca
Shailee Shah (she/her) news@thefulcrum.ca
Photographer Matthew Osborne (he/him) photographer@thefulcrum.ca
Arts & Culture Editor Sydney Grenier (she/her) arts@thefulcrum.ca
Videographer Pavel Nangfak (he/him) videographer@thefulcrum.ca
Sports EDITOR Andrew Wilimek (he/him) sports@thefulcrum.ca
Online Editor Ayai Offor (she/her) online@thefulcrum.ca
Sports Reporter Tyler Beauchesne (he/him) associate.sports@thefulcrum.ca SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR Emma Williams (she/her) science@thefulcrum.ca
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