VOL. 5 NO. 7
May 2017
Stepping Up: Voices That Challenge by VARUN VENKATARAMANAN, JULIE XIAO, ARANI KULAMURUGAN, AREEBA ASGHAR, and AYMAN KAZI
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n 11 May 2017, MGCI held its inaugural Grade 11 Conference at Central Technical School from 9 am to 3 pm. The conference, titled “Stepping Up: Voices that Challenge,” featured speakers who informed students about various world issues, hoping to inspire action. Prior to the conference, students signed up for two of the ten workshops offered through an online portal. All of the following ten workshops were held once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Understanding Diversity and Its Impacts on Difference and Exclusion Richard Landau, an expert on diversity issues, explored the importance of diversity in societies and populations. Drawing a comparison with biodiversity, Landau discussed the perils of monoculture and the resilience that diversity fosters. He urged the audience to stand in solidarity and to take action when witnessing acts of hate.
Resilience in the Face of Stress Canadian filmmaker Azfar Rizvi described resilience as a characteristic that requires practice to be mastered. “Resilience,” Rizvi stated, “is about staying your ground, about staying solid.” He discussed the three ingredients of his “secret recipe” to combat stress and achieve resilience: believing in oneself, being responsive to challenges, and surrounding oneself with people who care. Media and Fake News Ryerson University Journalism professor Joyce Smith discussed what fake news is and its impact, not just on the subjects in fabricated articles, but also on journalism and the news industry. Smith talked about what people have done to combat fake news, such as Debunk, a website that verifies news. She also encouraged students to ignore clickbait and refrain from sharing suspicious stories on social media. See CONFERENCE on P2
Photo: Matthew Tse
Financing the Future
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International Show 2017: A Message of Friendship by RUKNOON DINDER
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n Thursday, 27 April 2017, Marc Garneau’s cafeteria was abuzz with the chatter of people dressed in their fanciest cultural clothing as they waited for the curtains to rise on the International Show. At 6 pm, the noise subsided and the annual celebration of cultures and ethnicities began. The cafeteria walls were decorated with shiny stars as well as lights, and red fringes covered the edge of the stage. The event was planned by the International Show committee, led by Special Events Coordinator Isha Sarfaraz. Tickets were sold at five dollars for students and six for guests. Sales started on 20 April 2017 and tickets were sold out within two days. The committee had raised a large amount of funds from bake sales earlier in the year and, as a result, fewer tickets were offered compared to previous shows. Isha said that she wanted to keep the show “less crowded” and “more personal.” The International Show committee was divided into three sections: decorations, performance, and food. The performance team held auditions and rehearsals for participants starting from the first week of April. The exact number of participants could not be determined; the show clashed with other school events causing many students to drop out of the show with some rejoining at the last moment. However, well over one hundred students participated in the event this year. Maleeha Danyal, a dancer for Diversity Crew, said, “It was my first time performing at school so I was quite nervous. But the applause from the audience helped ease the tension.” The show began with a video made by SAC and Video Production Club President Zaid Baig featuring the history of MGCI and the International Show. Clippings of the International Show article by The Reckoner were shown, followed by a montage of Thorncliffe through the ages. The video was followed by the flag parade,
Photo: Justin Ye a long-standing tradition of the International Show, which was greeted with a roar from the audience. For the next two and a half hours, the audience watched over fifteen solo, duo, or group acts spanning Bollywood, Hip-hop, African, and Tamil dancing and singing. A fashion show replaced the intermission. Each act was accompanied by audience members whistling, cheering, and clapping for the performers. The show did not end with the customary dance by SAC members, but rather a dance performed by the International Committee. This year’s show also saw representations of Chinese and Bangladeshi culture, with songs being sung by Jennifer Huang in Mandarin and Lumuat Nusaiba in Bengali. Another unique act was a comedy performed by Mr. Teres’ Drama Club. The most popular acts were the ‘70s themed dance by the teachers and the Salsa by Razmik and German, drawing out cheers and encores from the audience. Over three hundred people attended the show. All in all, the night received pos-
Halal Food in the Cafeteria by TAZIK SHAHJAHAN
by ANGELA PANG and GRACE XIONG
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tudents often question the practicality of many subjects currently covered in the Ontario curriculum. A question every student has asked at one point in their high school career is “Why am I even learning this?” Although Grade 9 French and AP Calculus undoubtedly have academic value, most students will not use this knowledge on a day-to-day basis. To address the lack of courses that teach students practical skills, the Ministry of Education may soon introduce a mandatory Financial Literacy course to Ontario high schools. According to Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter, the new curriculum will be integrated into the mandatory Grade 10 Careers course [1]. The course aims to improve the financial skills of Ontario students, which have been lacking even after students graduate high school. She hopes to launch a pilot course at twenty-eight high schools throughout the province, which will be fully integrated into all high schools by fall of 2018 if successful [1]. Though many critics argue that these types of courses are a hassle to implement and will not actually improve anything, this new addition is much needed in the Ontario high school curriculum—the current state of financial literacy in Canadian youth is far below satisfactory.
According to the National Report Card on Youth Financial Literacy (NRCYFL), only 44% of Canadian high school students use a budget to record expenses, and more than one in ten have shared information about their personal finances with others [2]. What’s even more troubling is that although 51% of youth carry debt, only half of them set aside money to repay them, while a quarter of youth do absolutely nothing. This leads to many financial issues that become more evident after students graduate university, as the average Ontario student will graduate with twenty thousand dollars in debt from provincial loans [3]. With poor financial planning skills, a result of a lack of previous experience and training, many students struggle severely, which leads to a variety of other problems such as poor mental health [3]. From this, it is clear to see that something must be done in order to prevent youth from falling into overwhelming debt. Should the solution come in the form of mandatory financial literacy classes in schools? Does incorporating these programs into the current Grade 10 Careers course have a positive impact on financial literacy levels? The answer to both of these questions is yes. See FINANCE on P3
itive reviews, but many people thought that the multiple Bollywood dances and songs were unnecessary. Hamza Talal, one of the organizers, thought otherwise: “It was our last year at this school, so we wanted to make it memorable. I think we managed to deliver a stunning performance. This year’s show was the best in my eyes.” After the show, dinner was provided. Audience members were given a wide selection of food in the gym, including sushi, biryani, pasta, samosas, and kulfis (milk ice-creams). Attendees were also given the opportunity to have their pictures taken at the photo booth station at the back of the cafeteria. As an improvement from previous years, there were no food shortages. When asked about the show, Isha said, “I think we could have outdone the previous shows because we had a a lot of funding this time. I was too busy coordinating the show, so I only managed to catch snippets of it. But I hear people loved it, so that makes me believe it was a success.” ■
Infographic: Lila Huang and Jeffrey Liu
STAFF FEATURE P2 www.thereckoner.ca
ART P4
VOL. 5 NO. 7
P2
May 2017
NEWS Achievement in Anaheim: MGCI DECA to ICDC
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by TOM LIU
rom 24 April to 1 May 2017, thirteen students from Marc Garneau travelled to Anaheim, California to compete in the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC). DECA is a high school business competition, with ICDC being the highest level of competition offered. Over eighteen thousand students from around the world attended the conference. DECA Ontario sent approximately six hundred students to compete at ICDC. To qualify as a delegate, students had to advance through regional competitions and place top seven overall at the provincial conference held earlier in February. MGCI students competed in four types of events: Individual, Principles, Team Decision Making, and Writtens. Students in the Individual, Principles, and Team Decision Making events had to complete one multiple choice
exam and one case study, while competitors in the written events had to deliver a prepared presentation. Competitors in each event were divided into sections of sixteen to twenty students or teams. A Mini Awards Ceremony was held to recognize the top ten exams and roleplays in each event. The top two overall from each section qualified for the final round. There, the competitors completed one final case study. The top ten performers were recognized in the Grand Awards Session and received medals, with the top three receiving trophies. The top ten competitors also won a monetary prize.
thirteen, a total of nine students qualified for the final round, with four placing in the top ten overall. The Reckoner would like to congratulate the following students for their achievement at ICDC 2017:
Jason Cai (Principles of Finance): Top 10 Exam Laura Lu and Angela Pang (Hospitality Services Team Decision Making): Top 10 Roleplay, Top 20 Overall, Top 10 Overall Hargun Kaur and Abirami Sivakanthan (Financial Services Team Decision Making): Top 10 Exam (Hargun), Top 20 Overall Matthew Tse and Lisa Wang (Buying and Merchandising Operations Research): Top 20 Overall, Top 10 Overall Jaitra Chauduri (Sports and Entertainment Marketing): Top 10 Exam Cindy Cui and Riling Chen (Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making): Top 10 Photo: Cindy Cui Exam (Both), Top 20 Overall This year, the success of Marc Jessica Fung (Quick Service Garneau’s DECA chapter reached Restaurant Management): yet another new height. The thir- Top 10 Exam, Top 20 Overall teen MGCI delegates was the most ever sent to ICDC, and an ICDC officially began on 26 improvement from the twelve in April at the Anaheim Convention 2016, three in 2015, and one in Centre. DECA Ontario delegates 2014. Furthermore, out of the arrived in uniform with khakis,
white shirts, red ties and scarves, Ontario flags, and the signature DECA Ontario hat. During the Opening Sessions, students enjoyed performances from singer Billy Gilman and music group Echosmith. Students also had the opportunity to trade and sell hats, pins, flags, and other types of apparel with international competitors. DECA Ontario students participated in multiple training sessions leading up to the official competition. There were also over a hundred exhibits showcasing different colleges and careers at the Convention Centre. During their free time, MGCI students had the opportunity to visit these exhibits, as well as venture around nearby attractions such as Disneyland and tours to Los Angeles. The overall atmosphere of the competition was very well received by students. Grade 9 student Laura Lu, who placed top ten in the Hospitality and Tourism Team Decision Making event said, “It was an amazing experience to be able to meet and learn from so many new people. I’m really proud of my partner and I because we accomplished so much more than we expected. I learned so much from DECA this past year and I can’t wait to grow even more as an individual from it.” ■
Inspiring Action CONFERENCE Continued from P1
Critical Thinking Julia Coburn introduced participants to the website she co-founded, Worldvuze. Worldvuze is an online global discussion platform for students. During the workshop, students were taught how to use the website, and discussed various topics regarding the environment and social media. Unfortunately, many students left the workshop disappointed, as they felt it was more about promoting the website instead of critical thinking. Mental Health A cyclothymic and the Executive Director at Minds Matter Magazine, Ary Maharaj spoke about the importance of mental health education in schools. He stressed that the stigma surrounding mental illnesses needs to disappear, and that students with such conditions should seek out the appropriate accommodations through school. Black Issues Kwsei Millington, a former RCMP officer and decorated public speaker, spoke about his experience in the RCMP and the conflict between police officers and the black community. He discussed the stereotypes associated with different races and how there is no such thing as a ‘positive stereotype.’ Millington said that students should value characteristics they can change, such as their kindness and intelligence, rather than what they cannot, such as their race. Women’s Rights Nour Bakhache (morning), a global health researcher, and Hania Ahmed (afternoon), a computer engineer, focused on the struggles that women face in the work force. They stressed the importance of equal opportunity
A Houseless Home H
by AYA SHANTI
ome: a simple word that can make you feel a rush of emotions. For most, hearing the word brings back memories of playing in the backyard with siblings and then being lured back into the house by the smell of freshly baked cookies. But when I think of home, I think of an airplane. I was born in Houston, Texas. Before I was even a year old, my journey started. In 2001, my parents moved my two older brothers and I to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a place I only know today through pictures and stories shared over the dinner table. In 2002, not too long after my young-
and equal access to education for girls, as well as the importance of women’s rights advocacy. They have seen how women and men rarely have equivalent pay, and explained the many glass ceilings women have to go through. Money Management Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) member Kevin Maynard spoke about managing and handling money. Maynard also talked about what the CFEE does and handed out free books that teach youth about money and financial literacy. Human Rights and Freedoms April Julian, the Director of Education at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Education Trust, pointed out some rights the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides citizens, while also noting they have reasonable limits. She encouraged her audience to remain vigilant if they believe that their rights are being infringed upon. Cyber Violence and Bullying April Luu and Lydia Rezene, founders of internet safety hub Webwise, discussed various forms of cyber violence, including but not limited to, stalking, cat fishing, blackmailing and cyber bullying. Luu and Rezene also advised the audience to be especially careful, since in the age of social media, all information is archived. In between workshops, guest speakers spoke to all the Grade 11 students. The first talk kicked off the conference and was given by Lakehead University’s Chair of Truth and Reconciliation, Cynthia Wesley Esquimaux. She discussed the injustices against Aboriginal peoples and the importance of reconcili-
er sister was born, my parents decided to move to Jeddah, another city in Saudi Arabia, for the many job opportunities there. We lived there for about seven years and welcomed a new addition to the family, my youngest brother. Then, my parents decided that Saudi Arabia was no longer the best place for raising five children and once again, we packed our bags, moving to Toronto, Canada. After being moved around so much, the question was no longer an if—it was when and where. 2010 came with a new home, this time all the way back to the Middle East. After only a year of living in Toronto, my father received a better job offer in Amman, Jordan. I remember being excited about moving to Amman because of the amount of family we had there. Every weekend was spent at either a relative’s house, or outdoors picnicking in the middle of nowhere. I loved
ation. Following her presentation, the second talk was given by two speakers: Imam Hamid Slimi of Sayeda Khadija Centre and Rabbi Baruch Frydman Kohl of the Beth Tzedec Congregation. They talked about the reasons why Islamophobia and anti-Semitism exist and how to combat them. After the first round of workshops and lunch, the third speaker was Mubin Shaikh, an expert on radicalization, national security, and counterterrorism. He spoke about what radicalization and extremism are and shared his personal story as an individual recruited by ISIS. United Charity, a program that unifies youth through hip-hop, concluded the conference with a presentation. Three presenters shared how breakdancing changed their life and how it is never too late to find a passion followed by a showcase of their talents. Many students enjoyed the conference. Maheen Khalid said, “The conference taught us a lot of things. It opened our eyes and gave us more insights on issues in the world.” When asked why she wanted to organize a conference, Ms. Goldenberg said, “I’ve wanted to do a conference ever since I came to this school.” Through the conference, students would hear “challenging things” that would inspire them be more involved at MGCI and their community. Ms. Goldenberg chose to run the conference with the Grade 11 student body, hoping to see how it inspired students the following year. As to how she thought the conference went, she said, “It was amazing.” Ms. Goldenberg hopes to introduce the conference as an annual event at Marc Garneau. ■
it. Surrounded by loved ones, I finally felt as if I belonged. When my dad sat us down again and told us that we were moving back to Toronto, I remember being in utter shock. I was not prepared leave everyone behind, to start the cycle all over again. In 2011, we came to Toronto and finally settled down. I was in sixth grade then, and though I had many friends from the last time we were here, time and my experiences had created distance between my friends and I. Acceptance, however, was never my main concern. I was constantly fearing that my father would gather us once again and announce our next move Life in Canada began terribly; I lost my grandfather that year, and was unable to attend his funeral. Yet over time, I got used to how things worked and eventually got over the fact that I would
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Ms. Tharshan by MEI YI NIU Q: Anthropology, psychology, or sociology? A: Sociology. All the way. I did my education entirely in sociology, so that’s my passion.
Photo: Jenna Wong
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s. Tharshan is a social sciences teacher at Marc Garneau. Q: What courses do you teach? A: Currently, I’m teaching Philosophy and two Civics classes. I also usually teach Introduction to Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology. Q: How long have you been teaching at MGCI? A: I’ve been here for ten years. Q: How would you describe your teaching style? A: I really like collaborative discussions—I usually give the foundations of what they need to know, and then based on that foundation we do a couple of questions. The type of classroom that I like is one where students can actually talk about their ideas, and even scrutinize each other’s ideas. But, at the end of the day, they can share and still feel safe in this environment.
Q: Have you ever pranked anyone during your years as a teacher? A: (*Laughs*) All the time! One prank was on our old department head, Mr. Persaud. So I told Ms. Woodley to squeeze herself into the cupboard and I asked Mr. Persaud to come and help me like, “My keys aren’t working! Can you help me open the cupboard?” So he comes out of his classroom and he’s huffing and puffing (because I interrupted his class) and he’s asking me what’s wrong with my keys. So he opens the cupboard and out jumps Ms. Woodley, and he freaked out. It was almost like—I can’t describe it in words, you had to be there—but he literally jumped back and he couldn’t talk because he was so scared.
Q: What’s your philosophy on life? A: Be true to yourself! As hard as it is sometimes, especially when you’re bombarded by so many things. Trying to be true to yourself as much as you can, whether it’s the way you teach, or your intuitions, you have expectations and sometimes you won’t meet those expectations, but you have to stay true to yourself. It’s still Q: What’s the most import- something that I’m working ant thing you hope students on. would learn or take away Q: If you could meet one phifrom your course? A: When I teach, I want them losopher, who would it be? to understand that there’s a A: Probably Mohandas Gandworld outside of where they’re hi. The reason I want to meet living, and to be respectful of him is not only because of his the differences or conflicts political connection to India that may exist. And to care, and the fact that he led the to have empathy. What I want independence of India, but them to take home with them mostly because in his memis that they should have com- oir, he wrote about a concept passion at heart. I want them called ahiṃsā, which means to see that they’ve got it great, “non-harmfulness” and in but not everyone is in the every possible way to tell the same boat as them. And they truth and nothing but the need to actively do something truth, even in times of politiand be a part of that change. cal unrest. He was a politician, and when are politicians ever Q: What was your dream job known for telling the truth? If I had a chance to meet him, as a kid? A: Actually, I grew up in a fam- that would be my question: ily of teachers: my mom and How did you do it? And did my grandmother were teach- you really do it? ers, so I naturally stepped into that role. I remember when I was little I’d line up all my stuffed animals, and I’d pretend that I was teaching them. I would use the cupboard walls as a chalkboard and pretend to be making notes to my stuffed animals. (*laughs*)
miss aspects of my former life. I knew that dwelling over the past wouldn’t do me any good, and would simply make me sad.
Illustration: Sheri Kim Because I was moving so often, I questioned my identity and struggled with the concept of home; my home was everywhere, yet nowhere. Am I American, Canadian, Arabian, or Jordanian? Does our identity depend on where we
Q: What do you think is the best comfort food, or your favourite comfort food? A: Perogies. Perogies with salted caramelized onions on top, sour cream with salsa. Hands down the best food on Earth. ■
were born, or where we were raised? Should our identity even be attached to a place? After a period of turmoil, I came to the conclusion that home isn’t necessarily a physical place, but it’s wherever I feel comfortable and loved. My home is where my loved ones are. No matter where I am, as long as I’m with them, I am home. ■ The story above was written by an immigrant who attends Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute. The submission is part of The Reckoner’s Coming to Canada Column: a column featuring the diverse and unique backgrounds of immigrants at MGCI. If you are interested in sharing your immigration experiences with The Reckoner, please contact the paper at editorinchief@thereckoner.ca. Guest submissions are encouraged, and will be made anonymous on request.
May 2017
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VOL. 5 NO. 7
EDITORIAL Blue Chip Courses FINANCE Continued from P1 According to NRCYFL, similar financial literacy courses have greatly improved the financial literacy of students. The study surveyed over three thousand high school graduates and found that 57% of them reflected that the courses “helped them manage their finances today” [1]. More importantly, 71% of those who took an extra financial literacy course remarked that even more time should be spent teaching the subject in school, further highlighting the importance of such courses [4]. All in all, regardless of what impact the course may actually have on the financial literacy of students, it’s undoubtedly an improvement from the previous Careers course. A study done by the Ontario Student Trustees Association in 2011 shows that less than half of students would take the course if it were optional, suggesting that students didn’t learn sub-
stantial information in the course. Furthermore, 74% of high school students thought that the course was a waste of time, as there was an excess of irrelevant material such as personality tests [4]. It is quite evident that incorporating a mandatory course into the curriculum will improve the low standards of financial literacy in Ontario. Not only will it add more
by JULIEN LIN substance to the current Grade 10 Careers course, but it will also teach useful life skills to teens entering the adult world. With this new addition, more than six hundred thousand students in Ontario will finally have the chance to learn something applicable to their daily lives [5]. ■ Works Cited [1] https://www.thestar.com/news/
gta/2017/03/23/ontario-launches-planto-teach-high-school-kids-financial-skills. html [2] https://www.investright.org/ wp-content/uploads/2016/09/National_ Youth_Survey_Executive_Summary_English-25-10-11.pdf [3] http://news.nationalpost.com/news/ canada/as-student-debt-climbs-to-anaverage-past-25k-schools-invest-in-battling-the-mental-health-issues-it-causes [4] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ ottawa/civics-and-careers-course-needswork-say-students-1.1259976
[5] http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/eduIllustration: Amy Yan
cationFacts.html
A Different Approach to the Wage Gap OP-ED by ZAIN RASHID
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Pucking Up the Olympics
n an interview on the Stephen clearly rejected the seventy-nine Colbert Show, former U.S. cents narrative; the very report President Barack Obama said, “I that encouraged voters to accannot stand it when people recept the wage gap narrative only duce complex ideas to some simadded to voters’ distrust in cerplistic catchphrase” [1]. Irontain politicians. In today’s hosically, President Obama did tile political environment, where just that during his presidenone party denies gender-based cy: he championed a report wage discrimination and the other by the U.S. Bureau of Labor claims that women make sevenStatistics stating that, on averty-nine cents for every dollar men age, a woman earns seventy-nine make, the average voter is stuck cents for every dollar a man makes between two extreme choices, nei[2]. While it is clear that a gender-based ther of which reflect the truth [6]. wage gap does exist, misleading and Ultimately, statistics like the sevIllustration: Amy Yan oversimplified statistics do little to enty-nine cents report—however solve the problem at hand. well-intentioned—ultimately fail to reduce the wage The report compares men’s median earnings gap because of their overly simplified nature. The to women’s but fails to include several crucial fac- only way to eliminate this disparity of earnings betors contributing to the disparity. Some include life tween men and women is to ask the right questions choices, education, experience, or even the number and to re-examine our approach to the gender-based of hours worked. Consequently, it paints an over- wage gap. Instead of implementing surface-levly simplified picture of a complicated issue. Today, el measures, the focus of the legislature should be men dominate the highest-paying jobs while women towards developing an educational funding system occupy those which pay the lowest [3]. The report that encourages women to go into higher-paying itself states that women comprise of only 26% of the fields. For example, in the United States, there are highest-paid professions with a median wage gap of dozens of organizations that provide women scholnineteen cents, and 64% of the lowest-paid profes- arships in STEM fields that range from one thousions with a median wage gap of twelve cents. The sand to twenty thousand dollars. In 2016 alone, the real issue is not that women on average earn less Society of Women Engineers provided one hundred than men, but that on average, fewer women go into and eighty-eight scholarships to women pursuing a higher-paying professions. This is one factor that career in engineering [7]. Governments should also results in the reduced median income compared to introduce legislations that encourage both parents men. to play an active role in child-rearing. For example, The report also fails to consider that the average the Canadian Federal government is planning to inwoman dedicates more time to her children and crease maternity leave to eighteen months for both family than her male counterpart, often having to parents [8]. compromise workplace success as a result. This inSincerity and honesty in the presentation of facts hibits our ability to understand the social and per- is needed to bring to light the actual discrepancy sonal stigma that might compel women to make in wages. Until then, reports like the seventy-nine these choices. For progress to be made, the discus- cents will continue to be misused or dismissed, while sion must shift towards exploring the reasons behind doing nothing to solve the issue of the gender wage women’s choices, rather than creating legislation gap. ■ that is impractical—and in some cases, detrimental. President Obama’s executive order that feder- Works Cited al contractors are not allowed to “retaliate” against [1] http://ca.complex.com/pop-culture/2016/10/stephen-colemployees who discuss their wages with each other bert-president-obama-job-interview-late-show is a prime example of an unnecessary and danger- [2] https://www.dol.gov/featured/equalpay ous law inspired by the seventy-nine cents statistic. [3] https://datausa.io/story/04-04-2016_men-still-dominate/ This executive order, while attempting to solve the [4] http://www.hoover.org/research/many-problems-equalwage gap issue, overlooks numerous negative conse- pay http://fortune.com/2016/11/09/hillary-clinton-elecquences. For instance, an office environment where [5] tion-gender-gap/ employees are encouraged to discuss their wages [6] https://newrepublic.com/article/117550/gender-pay-gaprisks creating a workplace plagued by jealousy and and-77-cents-claudia-goldin-says-its-real conflict, where personal financial information can [7] https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/stem-educabe jeopardized [4]. tion/2011/12/13/9-college-scholarships-for-women-in-stem Furthermore, misuse of these misleading statis- [8] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/federtics in order to further parties’ political interests and al-budget-2017-maternity-leave/article34414374/ agendas leads to the public being misinformed. For example, Democratic presidential nominees such Op-eds are opinion articles that reflect the views of as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders used the sev- the author, but not necessarily those of the Editorial enty-nine cents report to appeal to female voters in Board or of The Reckoner as a whole. Please note the United States in the 2016 U.S. Presidential elec- this important distinction when reading this article. tions. Given the outcome of the election, the public
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or every controversial issue the National important as salaries to the players. The NHL Hockey League (NHL) faces, commission- also sees little reason in expanding the sport er Gary Bettman seems to be the target of the for such a large sum of money. Hockey, unlike blame. If all the jeering and boos at each NHL other sports, requires an extensive amount of Entry Draft aren’t enough, every hockey forum infrastructure to develop, an investment that is is filled with comments revolving around Bet- unlikely to occur in South Korea. If there is little tman’s “greed and stupidity” [1]. Bettman is potential for growth, why would the NHL put always the villain, and his decision to prohibit money on the table? NHL players from attending the 2018 Olympics If the IOC is to lecture the NHL about develonly worsens his image. oping a sport, then its board directors should The International Olympic Comfirst look into the mirror. Though the mittee (IOC) met with Bettman platform is supplied by the host and the NHL at the bargaincountry, and the players are ing table for several weeks, supplied by various comdiscussing the various petitive circuits around the compensations that the world, the IOC receives NHL would want before it all the revenue from the agrees to send its players event. While the IOC [2]. At one point, the wresclaims that 90% of these tling match between the two profits go towards funding organizations ended in a stalesports programs around the mate. Neither side was willworld, none of these profits Illustration: Hanlin Cheng ing to budge, and on 3 April go back to the host coun2017, Bettman officialtry, which would go into ly closed the matter and stated that the NHL improving infrastructure and helping to pay would not have the traditional two-week black- back debts [8]. The IOC helps only to further out to accommodate for the Olympics. He also establish programs that are already prominent, stressed that players would be punished should rather than encourage growth in more foreign they choose to leave their teams. sports. By that logic, the NHL is simply tryAs you might imagine, Bettman should ex- ing to further cement its league in established pect louder boos in June at the NHL Entry North American markets, since it is already beDraft—as he should. Pyeongchang will be the hind in revenue [9], compared to leagues such first Olympic Games since 1994 where NHL as the NFL, MLB, and NBA. players will not be participating. The OlymThe IOC’s method of negotiation essentially pics are heralded as the ultimate international places all responsibility onto the NHL, diverthockey tournament largely because top NHL ing the attention of hockey fans away from the players compete in the event. terms of the offer itself. The IOC knows that But is it really Bettman’s fault? The terms the NHL is under pressure to say “yes” to the of the IOC’s offer were incredibly lacklustre. Olympics. After all, if the players leave to go Laughably, they claimed that “the NHL had to the Olympics regardless of the ruling, this been offered the same conditions like in the could spell disaster for the NHL, as the league Olympics before” [3], which couldn’t be more would air three weeks of hockey without its top inaccurate. Traditionally, the IOC has always stars. The league, however, remains unfazed. agreed to pay for the players’ insurance and The IOC, upon hearing the NHL’s decision, has transportation costs to and from the Olym- publically stated that the negotiation table is pics. However, fearing a precedent that would still open, perhaps realizing that its offer was force them to compensate other sports leagues, not up to par. the IOC asserted that they would not cover If the IOC is unwilling to pay for insurance, any costs this year [4]. In comparison, for So- then it should at least grant the NHL the right to chi 2014, the IIHF and IOC spent $18 million market its own players. The NHL and its teams and $14 million respectively to cover the hefty would have access to Olympic highlights that it costs. The IIHF was willing, but the NHL was could use for advertising and promotions. If the reluctant to allow the largest hockey govern- players truly want to sacrifice their NHL playing body to pay such expensive fees. The IOC time and paycheque to go play at the Olympics, also refused to give the NHL any media rights, then the NHLPA should extend the collective meaning that, in addition to the blackout and bargaining agreement for an extra three years, the $32 million dollar expense, the NHL would and the NHL would let the players go. The NHL have been prohibited from using Olympic foot- isn’t the only organization involved in this deciage of its players for advertising purposes. sion and every contract is a two-way street. The Unfortunately for the IOC, insurance is im- IOC and NHLPA cannot reasonably expect the portant. Canada does not own the rights to its NHL to give everything, gain nothing, and alhockey players—the NHL and its teams nego- low Bettman to take all of the blame. tiate contracts, thereby paying for their hockThe NHL’s decision was not a spontaneous ey talent. The NHL and its owners then have one. It was provoked by months of frustrating to evaluate whether going to the Olympics is negotiations with the IOC and NHLPA. Neither worth it to them as an employer. From an own- the IOC nor the NHLPA were willing to pay, yet er’s perspective, allowing their players to at- they expected the NHL to fund a $32 million tend the Olympics means risking their players dollar project. The IOC and NHLPA can point getting injured. Not only would that be a colos- fingers all they want, but the truth remains: sal blow to their team’s playoff chances, but the they weren’t willing to offer anything, and now team itself would not be compensated should everyone will suffer the consequences. ■ the players sustain any career-ending injuries. While fans argue that the Olympics showcase Works Cited top hockey talent, the owners themselves have [1] http://nypost.com/2016/01/15/gary-bettmans-uglyno incentive to consent to their players partic- arena-greed-meets-its-match-in-calgary/ ipating. It’s a simple and logical thought pro- [2] http://www.tsn.ca/olympic-nhl-meeting-planned-forfriday-1.663130 cess: the owners have the assets, and they see [3] http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/ioc-hasntno benefit in lending them out. lost-hope-that-nhl-may-return-to-bargaining-table-sendCritics toss out phrases like “national pride” players-to-pyeongchang-olympics and “marketing the game worldwide” [5][6], [4] http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/ioc-decides-notboth of which are absurd. Regarding national cover-costs-nhl-players-olympics/ pride, if the players wanted to play at the Olym- [5] http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/wharnsby/ nhl-olympics-gary-bettman-1.4054069 pics, the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) [6] http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/nhl-iocwould have surely reached out to negotiate olympics-no-go-1.4053882 with the NHL. Yet, the NHLPA has remained [7] https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2017/01/01/ fairly silent. The NHL was even willing to ac- nhlpa-upbeat-about-taking-part-in-2018-olympics.html cept the terms of the IOC, should the NHLPA [8] https://www.olympic.org/ioc-financing-reveextend their collective bargaining agreement nue-sources-distribution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professionto 2025 [7]. The NHLPA rejected the NHL’s [9] al_sports_leagues_by_revenue offer, implying that “national pride” isn’t as
The Reckoner of Marc Garneau C.I.
EDITOR IN CHIEF PARNIKA GODKHINDI DEPUTY EDITOR IN CHIEF & NEWS MANAGER CHENG CHENG LIN EDITORIAL MANAGER LAWRENCE PANG
www.thereckoner.ca
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DIRECTOR OF PRINT DEVELOPMENT JESSICA FUNG
MEDIA MANAGER: ILLUSTRATIONS LILA HUANG
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LIFE MANAGER LAUREN CHANG OUTREACH MANAGER JOAN-SHIAO CHEN 100% Original Content Policy
VOL. 5 NO. 7
P4
May 2017
LIFE Efflorescence
Garneau’s Top 10 Stairwells
by MADELINE KIM
by BRIDGET HUH and AYMAN KAZI
G
arneau, does not actually have ten stairwells. It doesn’t even have nine, despite one of the stairwells being named Stairwell 9. In fact, we have a whopping total of six stairwells, numbered 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9. Now, why this is, we don’t know. We won’t question it though, because we’re scared of authority. The different stairwells oddly have varying numbers of steps. Stairwells 5 and 7 have fifty-five steps from the first to the third floor, whereas Stairwells 2, 3 and 9 have the standard fifty-three, excluding the six steps that lead outside. This is because the steps themselves are smaller in stairwells 5 and 7. We know that we should’ve measured the step height, but Bridget was already getting strange looks as she marched up and down the stairs, counting every step out loud. Anyways, supposing the stairwells with more steps have smaller stairs, take one of the stairwells with fifty-five steps (Stairwells 2, 3 and 9) if you want more of a cardio workout. Stairwells 5 and 7 are probably ideal for plyometrics. #legdayeveryday There is one stairwell we want to get out of the way first: the clear loser, Stairwell 3. Not only does it not open to the first floor, but it also locks!!!! So, if by any chance you need to get inside the school and have the luck of being outside Door 3, you better pray to the heavens that someone inside is coming out. Its only saving grace is that its reputation of isolation makes it the perfect place for some uninterrupted romance ♥ ♥ ♥. Another non-contender is Stairwell 8. The mere fact that it only goes to the second floor disqualifies it from first place. Otherwise, it is actually a pretty good stairwell. The window has a nice
view overlooking Don Mills Road (even in winter). And it always smells like something, whether it be overpowering perfume, the sour-smelling sweat of the slaving student body or the tar from the construction on the roof, which is arguably sexier than perfume or body odor. Then there’s Stairwell 5, which is good when you need to travel between the second and third floors (like every other stairwell besides Stairwell 8). However, when it comes to going to the first, it’s pretty useless, unless of course your destination is the cafeteria. The stairs are sort of coloured, too. Most of them are brown while others are a faded and ugly orange. In third place we have Stairwell 2. With its murals and forever open doors, it’s actually pretty nice. From the second and third floor you get a view overlooking the field. But no stairwell is perfect. Stairwell 2’s problem is that it is at a corner—the southeast corner, to be exact. This becomes a problem when you need to go to most classrooms but it’s also closest to the washrooms and water fountains. Silver linings, eh? Second only to Stairwell 9, Stairwell 7 is one of the best stairwells at MGCI. It’s right at the front door, making it one of the most used stairwells. But this comes with strings attached. If, for some reason, you are reli-
giously bent on not looking out the window, you can tell the weather by checking out the state of the stairs in Stairwell 7. Don’t get too excited if you see milk spilled on the steps, though. That’s simply due to the boorish laziness of the students. Be careful when you are on those stairs. You never know what you might slip on. There is no art in this stairwell, but there is a window facing Overlea Boulevard. Maybe it’s just us, but we feel very vulnerable with our back to this window. Just something to think about next time you go up those stairs. So here’s our verdict: Stairwell 9. Why? Well, its only flaw is that there are no windows. But it makes up for this with murals generously painted by Garneau’s own artists. Stairwell 9 is also very central and the closest to both the library and the office located on the first floor. Although Stairwell 9 is locked from the outside, Door 1 is right beside it so it really isn’t that big of a problem. What makes Stairwell 9 truly special though is the absence of major problems rather than any real advantage. There you have it, Garneau. This is our take on the best stairwell, but at the end of the day, it is up to you to decide. Who are we to say otherwise? Do you agree or disagree? Go to thereckoner.ca to vote for which stairwell you think is the best. ■
Illustration: Hanlin Cheng
Inside Those Sharpie-Covered Lockers by MADHUMITA NATHANI
T
hat boy, always bleeding, forever the companion of disbelief and the spouse of fear. Why, you ask? Shunned, pushed, twisted. Wrung like clothes, hung out to dry in the face of the blistering sun beating down on him like the venomous stares he receives every day. Clothespins stab at his soul, as if he is the target and the arrows hit their mark each and every time. Why, you ask? Tossed around like the ball a group of teenage boys are playing monkey in the middle with at three in the afternoon. Three in the morning, tears hit the fabric of his shirt while he sits in the midst of hateful Facebook messages and scornful texts. Why, you ask? Because he brought this upon himself, thinking it would make him happy. Because he was different. Because stepping into the world as himself would allow him to be true to his own self. And that’s all that was needed for a meek kid like him, who didn’t require other people’s company to be content. At least, that’s what he thought until it all came crashing down. A smile that lasted a full two seconds turned upside down. A body that stood so tall and square for the first time in his life slowly shrank back into the hunching figure most were used to. Disapproving glances and Sharpie on his locker were just a few of the “good job” stickers that he seemed to be getting from this one step he took that most teachers would’ve applauded. Something he was proud of on the inside soon held a negative connotation, and all he wanted to do was hide, just like he’d used to. For once, people cared about him. For once, he was the star of the show. But for all the wrong reasons. Why, you ask? You know the answer to that already. ■
Illustration: Sheri Kim
www.thereckoner.ca
by GREATON TAN