The Fulcrum - Vol 77 Issue 4

VOL. 77 ISSUE 4

sept. 15, 2016

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In this week’s issue...

A new school of thought P.4 Assisted dying content debuts in Faculty of Medicine

The artist’s right to vibe P.6 Why you should be team Robin Thicke in recent lawsuit The YouTubers you forgot P.8 The Fulcrum chats with Ottawa’s up-and-coming YouTube stars Big Stadium, big dreams P.10 Get to know your Gee-Gees men’s baseball team in our Competitive Club Closeup Canada can’t cool down on climate change P.14 It’s time to hold our nation accountable for environmental issues Get ready to bring back the toy chest P.16 Di Daniels enlightens you to the wide, wonderful world of sex toys

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

Graham Robertson news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0061 @_grahamr

U of O student found dead in Ottawa River

Science student Jessica Ntahoturi mourned by family and student community graham robertson news editor

T

he Ottawa Police Service confirmed on Sept. 8 that the body of a woman found in the Ottawa River was that of 20-yearold Jessica Ntahoturi, a third-year bachelor of science student at the University of Ottawa.

Police became involved after a lifeless body washed up on the shore of the Ottawa River near Lady Grey Drive by the Royal Canadian Mint on Sept. 4. They were called to the scene around 7:15 p.m. after a person fishing found the body “partially submerged” in the water.

Ntahoturi had gone missing several days earlier, having been last seen on Sweetland Avenue on Aug. 30 at 2 p.m.

Following her disappearance,

Ottawa police and several news agencies in Ottawa and Sudbury issued reports that she was missing.

In an interview with the Sudbury Star, Const. Chuck Benoit of the Ottawa police said the results of the autopsy, which took place following the discovery of the body, were not made available to the public until later in the week, so as not to “compromise the integrity of the investigation.”

Police have since confirmed that no foul play is suspected in Ntahoturi’s death.

In the meantime, Ntahoturi’s family and friends posted on social media to mourn her death, suggesting that they had connected her disappearance with the body found in the Ottawa River.

Rachel Faber, a third-year nursing student at the U of O posted on Facebook about Nta-

hoturi’s death, saying “I can’t believe such a beautiful spirit was taken from us. Jess, you were so funny, kind, beautiful. I’ll never understand why God only gave you 20 years on this earth, but thank you for sharing some of them with me.”

Faber also spoke to the Fulcrum about her friendship with Ntahoturi.

“I met Jess in first year through residence. She was one of a few people I met who were interested in going to church in Ottawa. We went together a few times and kept in contact as friends.”

Like many of Ntahoturi’s family and friends on social media, Faber had only positive things to say about the late U of O science student.

“What I knew of her was kind, funny, and always willing to lend you a smile. I can’t believe that I’ll never run into

Jess in the library again, or go to church with her, or see her smile.”

Ntahoturi was known to be very active in her church community in Sudbury, reflecting Faber’s comments about her faith.

According to the Sudbury Star, Ntahoturi had received a $1,000 bursary from her church last November, and a celebration in the church was held in honour of her accomplishments.

She was also described in the same article as being someone who “excelled both athletically and academically.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Ntahoturi’s family with the cost of the memorial service. As of the date of this publication, over $3,500 has been raised. Friends and family are encouraging others to donate to help support the costs after the unexpected tragedy.

Jessica Ntahoturi, late U of O student.

Photo: Courtesy of Emilie Carrey.

Assisted dying to be reinforced in U of O med school curriculum

Medical ethics professor to teach students about new assisted dying laws graham robertson news editor

With Canada’s new legislation on assisted dying introduced in June, medical students at the University of Ottawa will be introduced to a new curriculum surrounding this medical procedure beginning this fall.

Dr. Jeff Blackmer, U of O professor of medical ethics and vice-president of medical professionalism at the Canadian Medical Association, spoke to the Fulcrum about the new laws surrounding assisted dying and what this means for the incoming class of U of O med students.

“Even for those physicians who do not intend to make it a part of their practice, they need to know about the legal, ethical, and regulatory aspects so that they can discuss it with those patients who have

This year’s incoming med students will be the first to learn about new legislation on assisted dying.

questions,” said Blackmer on the importance of this change to the curriculum.

The curriculum itself is not entirely new—assisted dying has long been taught at the U of O medical school, but in different

ways.

“Until now, teaching has focused on other aspects of care at the end of life, such as palliative care and withdrawal of life-sustaining interventions. When assisted dying was discussed

Photo: CC, valelopardo.

previously, it was in the context of court cases or failed government bills.”

Blackmer highlighted that, due to the new laws, this will be the first year in which medical students will be learning about as-

sisted dying as a safe and legal medical procedure.

Even though assisted suicide is legal across Canada, the ways in which it will be taught to students will depend on the standards of each individual medical school in the country, as Blackmer noted.

“While there are national standards for undergraduate medical education, they are fairly high level and the implementation occurs at the individual medical school level.”

Similar changes, therefore, will not take place all at once across Canada.

Blackmer expects them to be slowly incorporated into curriculums across the country over the next few years depending on the school, to meet the needs of students as necessary.

Last week, the U of O’s incoming class of medical students listened to Blackmer lecture about the new

4 | NEWS

assisted dying laws for the first time. While many students were responsive, Blackmer does foresee some opposition to the changes to the curriculum, though nothing too drastic.

“The only opposition I would foresee would be with respect to the question of whether students would be forced to directly observe or participate in the procedure itself.”

Blackmer compared the changes to the curriculum to what students are already learning about therapeutic abortion—students will only learn enough that they will know what options are available for their patients. “(Students) will not be forced to observe or participate directly if it is against their moral conscience to do so.”

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City hall hosts new crop of U of O entrepreneurs

Student entrepreneurs pitch business models to the community at annual rally Isabel Graham

fulcrum contributor On Sept. 8, young entrepreneurs from across the city, including many University of Ottawa students and alumni, joined members of the community at city hall to pitch their business models as part of the seventh annual Startup Garage Rally.

The Startup Garage is a three-month summer program which provides Ottawa’s post-secondary student-entrepreneurs, between the ages of 18 and 29, with the skills and opportunities they need to get their business ventures off the ground.

Services provided to the entrepreneurs through the program include space to develop their business platforms, funding to support them as they work full time, and mentorship to help them with marketing, accounting, and pitching, among other aspects of their operations.

With the culmination of

Andre Bellerive, co-founder and CEO of Spivo, at the annual Startup Garage Rally at city hall on Sept. 8.

this year’s Startup Garage program, 12 business owners were given the opportunity to network with potential investors and present a sales pitch.

At the end of the night, the three businesses deemed most promising were awarded with prizes of $1,000 by the sponsors.

“We have to diversify our

job market and economy—not just the government jobs, but also the private sector,” said mayor Jim Watson in a speech prior to the business pitches.

The group of winners at this year’s rally was comprised of students, former students, or researchers at U of O. The first winner of the night was Spiderwort, a startup

Photo: Graham Robertson.

geared toward offering lowcost DIY kits with basic scientific technologies and materials to anyone with an interest in biological research.

The second winner was Kegshoe, a website and app that allows brewers to track the location of their kegs.

“A lot of (breweries) have slow rotation times in their

kegs, or they’re wasting their resources,” said Torin Regier, Kegshoe co-founder and student at the Telfer School of Management. “They’re sending (their kegs) out to restaurants, they eventually have to make their way back to their brewery, so we built this software to essentially help them track that.”

The final winner of the night was a device known as Spivo, a camera stick which rotates at the push of a button.

“This creates a continuous movie clip that has built-in whip-hand transitions,” said co-founder Andre Bellerive, an engineering student at the U of O. “And it makes for interesting and fun videos to watch without any editing.”

Other U of O-based startups that presented at the rally include Balance, a locally sourced and manufactured clothing initiative, and Go Give-Back, an app allowing donors to give to their favourite causes with one tap.

“This program was designed to help companies grow,” said rally co-ordinator Nolan Beanlands at the event, noting that there have been many success stories to come out of Startup Garage.

One success story from past years is MicroMetrics, a software company that manages customer feedback for companies like Popeye’s Canada and Chapters.

The app Spoonity has been similarly successful, since it gives restaurants a platform to interact with customers and accept mobile orders, and has served clients such as Burger King and Bridgehead Coffee.

Watson said that he encourages the young entrepreneurs to be open to meeting new people and to share their ideas, as he believes this is the best way for them to grow their businesses.

For student-entrepreneurs looking to be part of next year’s summer program, visit Startup Garage’s official website.

Campus club starts initiative for young women and girls at local shelter

U of O’s United Way chapter to host leadership events over the next eight months Zainab Al-Mehdar

associate news editor This year, the University of Ottawa’s United Way chapter will be organizing the first “LeadHer” initiative, aimed at empowering young women and girls at the local Sandy Hill Hope Outreach Shelter by teaching them valuable life skills.

The initiative, spearheaded by club president and fourth-year public administration and political science U of O student Alana Couvrette, came into the works after an event held last year where members of the club met with groups of young women at the shelter.

“Despite all these unfortunate things, they really had a plan for their future— they were really careeroriented, they wanted to finish school to get a great job and lead a good career.

They were really motivated despite all that they’ve been through,” said Couvrette in an interview with the Fulcrum.

Couvrette said that, after speaking to these young women, she felt like she

Alana Couvrette is spearheading the LeadHer initiative this year.

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could step in and help them achieve their goals.

The LeadHer initiative is an eight-month project running from September 2016 to April 2017, where each month the club will

host an event centred on the theme of leadership and confidence-boosting.

Couvrette believes that the LeadHer initiative is different from anything her club has done in the

Photo: Amitesh Malhotra.

past because it involves working directly with the young women in the shelter. Couvrette and other members of the club hope that this will be an incentive for other students to

volunteer and be a part of the project.

Some of the workshops which will take place over the year focus on topics such as financial literacy, self-defense, and safety awareness.

The U of O’s United Way chapter will also be partnering with Dress for Success Ottawa and the Head Start for Young Women Program, in order to provide interview coaching sessions and other forms of job training. The club is partnered with the U of O’s learning garden as well, in order to teach the girls how to cook simple meals. Other recreational activities include yoga, origami classes, and “crazy cupcake nights.”

Couvrette said that part of the reason why this initiative is so important is because most of the girls are aged 16–21.

“It’s such a tender age in your development. You discover who you are as a person, and if there are obstacles in your way it can really hinder your personal and spiritual growth.”

The project does come

with some challenges, however, namely due to cuts to club funding this year by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa.

“It was very difficult this year, a lot of funds were cut or the deadlines were pushed back which makes the funds inaccessible to us because they were only offered in January. We can’t wait that long for such a small amount.”

After a long summer of searching for funding, the club currently has three potential sponsors who will be part of the LeadHer initiative.

Couvrette hopes that students will volunteer and be a part of this project in order to give back to the community and help change some lives for the better.

“Our goal is really to liven the lives of the girls and young women who reside in the shelter or transitional housing unit. They have been through many hardships so it is great to see them with a smile on their face.”

NEWS | 5

A&C EDITOR Anchal Sharma arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062 @imtherocks

Bitch, don’t steal my vibe

“Blurred Lines” lawsuit could discourage artists from seeking out inspiration eric davidson opinions editor

R

emember “Blurred Lines”? The 2013 pop hit stirred up a fair amount of controversy, (read: misogynist drivel.) and actually got sued successfully for millions of dollars.

The suit came from the estate of Marvin Gaye against Robin Thicke and Pharell Williams, which claimed that “Blurred Lines” had copied the “vibe” of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up”, leading a judge to award the estate $7.4 million in damages, later reduced to $5.3 million.

Now, as much pleasure as this decision may have given anyone who’s ever heard of Robin Thicke, it happens to have some potentially devastating consequences for aspiring artists everywhere.

Right now, Thicke and Williams are appealing the suit, and as of Aug. 30 over 200 musicians have noted their support—includ-

The blurred line in music rights can prevent artists from expressing themselves through their work.

Photo: CC,Brandon Giesbrecht.

ing Earth, Wind & Fire, Tears for Fears, Linkin Park, and composer Hans Zimmer.

According to a brief signed by the artists, they’ve done so because the ruling could have a negative impact on “their own creativity, on the creativity of future artists, and on the music industry in general.”

So, is it OK to borrow from another artist’s vibes, especially if the end result turns into a monster hit?

The first thing to bear in mind is that most music—pop music

especially—can hardly be called original. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, after all, not all chords sound good together.

The exact same chord progression can be heard in the background of thousands of songs from “Let it Be” to “No Woman, No Cry” to “Let it Go” from Frozen. A drum pattern known as the “Amen Break” was found to be sampled in 2,237 popular songs.

So, at a base level, there is already an inherent amount of

“copying” going on in elements of modern music.

Now, copyright law is very important in the right situations. It’s designed to protect artists from having their work stolen, so they can keep credit for themselves. It also to protects their profits from other people passing off their work as their own.

In these categories, this case should not have been ruled a copyright infringement. I don’t think Marvin Gaye’s creative legacy needs credit for a Robin Thicke pop song, and it’s hard to imagine many music fans are opting to support crappy modern pop music as opposed to a Motown legend like Marvin Gaye.

The real problem comes when the lines get blurred, so to speak, and copyright law starts to move beyond flagrant duplication—lyrics, a long series of musical notes, etc.—and into more subjective areas like “vibes”.

The problem lies in the fact that taking a “vibe” from another artist is very similar to taking inspiration from them. If an artist fears

that being influenced by great music will get them sued, they won’t even bother, which means that a lot of great music won’t see the light of day.

But what about originality?

Well, originality doesn’t mean doing everything yourself, and this is true no matter what the discipline.

After pioneering modern physics, Albert Einstein admitted that he had been able to “stand on the shoulders of giants” like physicists Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell.

If this verdict is allowed to stand, it will set a bad precedent for tighter controls on musical style, and create an environment where artists are putting themselves at risk of losing millions by learning from the masters of their craft.

So when you’re considering this case, don’t get blinded by the song that’s at the centre of the lawsuit.

Instead, think about 200 prominent musicians, and the pain they must be feeling having to champion artistic creativity by rallying around Robin Thicke.

LIVE! on Elgin set to showcase rising indie talent Dress Black and Emmas Ringer jump into the Ottawa music scene ryaN pepper

fulcrum contributor LIVE! on Elgin is about to receive a double dose of indie rock goodness when two up-and-coming bands, Dress Black and Emmas Ringer, arrive to perform on Sept. 17.

Having formed just two years ago, Toronto-based group Dress Black have been on a steady rise since the release of their first self-titled EP in the summer of 2014.

“We decided to release a recording so that we could start getting listeners involved before we even started playing a live show,” said vocalist and guitarist Stephane Monten. “It’s a weird way to start, but it was cool to have a product online that we could use to show listeners what we’re up to.”

Since then, they have been touring extensively through-

out Ontario, and play in Ottawa about three times a year.

Even though they’ve only been together for a short time, the four band members are already making a name for themselves. They are one of five nominees for Best Indie group at the 2016 Toronto Independent Music Awards, and are playing sold-out shows across the city.

“Toronto is really making a name for itself now in the music scene,” said Monten.

“There’s a lot of good content coming out of here, and we feel confident that Toronto is a good city to be in for the next little while.”

But Toronto isn’t the only place where one can make a living as a local musician, not if homegrown Ottawa talent like Emmas Ringer has anything to say about it.

The 90s grunge-inspired

6 | ARTS & CULTURE

group released their fulllength album Generations in 2014, recorded in Ottawa and Toronto at Capital Art Productions.

Scott Maybee, a Telfer School alumnus and lead vocalist/guitarist for Emmas Ringer, is not ashamed to hype up the Ottawa music scene.

While he says Ottawa might lack big names like Drake or July Talk—and we definitely won’t count Organized Rhyme as a big-name Ottawa act—the city is not without its perks.

Maybee says it’s easy to get gigs in the city with its large number of music venues and festivals on hand. He sums it up as one of the best scenes in the entire country.

When asked for advice to give to students that are new to Ottawa, Maybee said that

it’s all about balance, but he maintains that academics isn’t everything.

“A big part of university is the work you do outside of school,” he says, whether that means joining clubs, groups specific to your program, or even starting a band.

The upcoming year holds big promises for both bands, with new music and tours of the East Coast on the horizon.

But before all of that transpires, Ottawa residents have the opportunity to see these two up-and-comers perform in the nation’s capital on Sept.

17..

Emmas Ringer and Dress Black are playing LIVE! on Elgin at 220 Elgin Street, on Sept.

17 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Emmas Ringer is opening for Dress Black on Sept. 17 at LIVE! on Elgin. Photo: Courtesy of Zak Johnson, MUTT design .

thefulcrum.ca

Award-winning play showcases local talent at Academic Hall

TotoToo productions presents three-part play dealing with LGBTQ+ themes Alice Kensit

Fulcrum Contributor The act of reimagining an established work on the stage is usually a daunting task for any theatre company.

But this wasn’t the case for Ottawa-based LGBTQ+ theatre company TotoToo, who had no qualms about bringing Harvey Fierstein’s 1983 Tony-award-winning play Torch Song Trilogy to life for a local audience.

Playing Sept. 7–17 at the University of Ottawa’s Academic Hall, the production follows Arnold Beckoff as he progresses through life as a Jewish drag queen in 1970s New York.

The story is broken into three acts, each depicting a distinct moment in Arnold’s life. Starting with his first love in “International Stud”, Arnold moves in with a new

Photo: Glynis Ellens.

man and settles down into the closest thing to “marriage” possible for himself in “Fugue in a Nursery”. Finally, he faces parenthood as a single father in “Widows and Children First! “ Directed by Ottawa’s Sarah Hearn, the play earned

lots of laughs and was easily relatable to a large audience.

After all, this is part of TotoToo’s mission statement, since they strive to educate the community on the different challenges and experiences the LGBTQ+ community faces. With Fierstein’s

production, issues ranging from dishonesty to violence to the complexities of human love are put on display in a darkly humorous way.

“This show is a lot about love,” says Sam Dietrich, who plays Arnold. “It deals with themes of LGBTQ+ issues, but more than anything this show is about people not being honest with each other.”

Although it was, as cast member Cathy Nobleman phrased it, “divine synchronicity,” that the cast came together, she stresses that it was a learning experience for everyone involved.

Nobleman was drawn to her character, remarking that she had never played a full blown antagonist before.

“It was a really interesting challenge for me, to figure out what’s driving her, why she says the things she does.”

Ma Beckoff, played by No-

bleman who appears in the final act, is a character who embodies all the stereotypes of the misunderstanding mother, who, despite wanting the best for her child, cannot comprehend accepting her son’s openly gay lifestyle.

Ryan van Buskirk, who plays Arnold’s gay teenaged son in the final act, was attracted to the play’s vivacity, stating that “Even with script in hand, the dialogue was so lively.”

From the first act until the closing curtain, each moment is filled with snappy back-and-forth banter, a theatricality that’s inherent to Arnold’s character. Despite the play’s ability to elicit more than a few laughs, it also presents a definite undertone of confusion, loneliness, and isolation through the experience of each of the characters.

A brilliant cast brings each character to life in a unique way, with wit, sarcasm, and dry humour are present in even the most highly charged moments of the show. Despite a few dated references that may not be widely understood by a younger audience, the production is incredibly relatable to anyone who has experienced extreme love, grief, or confusion.

The four-hour show flies by, with every scene bringing you closer to each character’s struggles—hopefully allowing the audience to empathize with those in their own lives that struggle in similar ways.

Torch Song Trilogy is playing at Academic Hall until Sept. 17. Tickets can be purchased online, at tototoo.ca, or at the theatre itself before the show.

Night Market comes to Chinatown

Authentic international cuisine on display for Ottawa Asian Fest based rock band Maybe Refuge provided live music, with frontman Joey Nico Than later taking the helm for powerful, semi-acoustic renditions of Adele and Imagine Dragons, among others.

madison mcsweeney staff contributor

On a late summer’s night, the pocket between Bronson Avenue and Cambridge Street was abuzz with an extensive array of Asian foods and treats. The Ottawa Asian Fest’s third annual Night Market, previously held in Lansdowne Park, made its debut at Chinatown’s famous Royal Arch.

Running from Sept. 9 to 11 with free admission, it was a big hit on its opening night, with plenty of eyecatching entrees that you definitely won’t be able to find at your local Loblaws.

The Japanese squid teppanyaki, or squid on a stick, was one of the most popular dishes, as evidenced by the long line leading up to it.

University of Ottawa’s own professor of economics Miles Corak was spotted on opening night, and noted he was eager to try this dish.

According to Peng Cheng, a volunteer for the event and a second-year U of O biology student, the unconventional cuisine is a key attraction.

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Foodies rejoiced at the authentic asian cuisine avaliable at the annual night market.

“The food here is not very common,” she said.

Cheng also noted that the Night Market offered an avenue for those “really interested in Chinese food, (and) Chinese culture.”

Despite long hours—8 p.m. to 1 a.m. on the opening night—she emphasized that the festival was extremely enjoyable to volunteer at.

It was not hard to see why.

The $10 squid was a culinary delight, as its tentacles were chewy without being too tough. The mantle was texturally similar, and the barbeque sauce, with notes of cilantro, was imbued with just enough heat. Further, its size was adequate for one person.

Another popular item was the South Korean “twist potato”, a deep fried potato spiraled with extreme precision onto a stick.

Photo: Marta Kierkus.

For $7, the small spiral was enough to share, and various toppings were available, including cheese, salt vinegar, and buffalo spice.

A sweet potato option was also available for $10.

For the daring, there was spicy fried chicken and whole peppers for $8.

This could be followed by the sweet $5 Icy Cool Mint drink, made of jelly, ice, and fresh mint leaves.

The Night Market was

rich not just in food, but also entertainment, with dance routines by the Ottawa Hallyu Dance Team, which specializes in K-Pop dance. With the backdrop of the Chinatown arch crowds were captivated by their seamless routines, as they marked their third performance with the Ottawa Asian Fest, according to lead dancer Gaëlle Garnier.

Additionally, Toronto-

Overall, the Night Market in warm mid-September was a great idea by the Ottawa Asian Fest, attracting new and returning students of the city’s universities to a culturally suitable location.

However, it will be interesting to see whether the event’s organizers will choose a new venue next year. Since this year’s event was held mostly in a single parking lot, lines of people crisscrossed each other, which led to a more disordered atmosphere.

But for someone like Cheng who is originally from China, this cramped location lent a sense of greater authenticity to the proceedings, especially compared to previous events at Lansdowne Park.

“This is really like a night market in China.”

ARTS & CULTURE | 7

Ottawa showcase Alexa-Eliza Carter & Kyle Darbyson Features Editor & Managing Editor If we’re being honest, Ottawa is not the first place that comes to mind when you think of hot YouTube talent.

But if you do a little digging, you’ll find that this is not the case. The Fulcrum sat down and talked with a number of local content creators to document their journey and success on the popular video sharing website.

amynicolaox (Amy Nicola) Subscribers: 161,700+ Joined YouTube: Aug 18, 2008 Genre: Beauty, style, fitness, and travel vlogs

Former University of Ottawa student Amy Nicola’s transformation as a YouTube content creator has been professionally and personally gratifying. Not only has her channel come to include new content and better production values throughout the eight years she’s been on the platform, she’s also come to embrace a much healthier lifestyle. After undergoing a dramatic body transformation in the past couple years, Nicola is now dedicating her channel to helping people lose weight, eat better, and look good while doing it.

What encouraged you to get into YouTube in the first place?

I started YouTube in my first year in residence at the U of O. One of my good friends and floormate saw that I had recently gotten interested in makeup and had grown quite a larger than average collection. So she showed me the whole YouTube community as I had no idea that people made makeup and beauty videos online.

How has your channel evolved throughout the eight years you’ve

been on YouTube?

Initially, I created just beauty videos, so my focus was entirely there. It was also more of a hobby—I didn’t have a set schedule and made videos sporadically whenever I felt like it.

selves and how much work they want to put into their channel. Subscribers like consistent uploads and, now that things have progressed, great high quality videos, so it’s up to the creator to set an upload schedule and stick to it.

As I progressed I started being able to monetize my videos and create a revenue stream, so I began to take creating content more seriously by adhering to a set weekly schedule and investing in better equipment—DSLR camera, lenses, professional lighting—to upgrade my quality.

What’s your favourite video that you’ve produced?

I am very proud of my “How To Get Rid of Belly Fat” video. It was a topic I was very nervous to talk about on camera and I didn’t expect such a huge response and millions of hits.

Also, when I lost the weight two years ago, I uploaded a video documenting my experience and what I did. That video gained a ton of views and great feedback, so I realized there was a huge appetite for weight loss and healthy lifestyle content.

My personal favourites however would be my recent “Spring & Summer Fashion Lookbook 2016” as fashion videos are the most fun to film and I had to find locations in Ottawa that would be appropriate to film in outside without bothering people.

What’s it like producing entertainment content in Ottawa, a city that’s not really known for producing this kind of content?

In terms of the content I produce, it hasn’t affected me too much as (my content) isn’t Ottawa specific or doesn’t require a lot of amenities, or sets or permits to film on location.

What’s the worst part of doing YouTube?

The worst part is probably not having a dedicated filming room or studio. It means I have to set up and take down my tripod, lights, etc. every time I film multiple times every week. It’s hard to get it exactly perfect and takes about 25 minutes every time!

However, most of the YouTube community events or beauty brands I work with are located in large cities—Toronto, New York, Los Angeles—so I don’t get to meet and engage with other content creators as much as I would like.

Oh, and how hot it gets sitting under all those filming lights!

Ideally it would be great if Ottawa became more of a central city in the community and more events were held here.

How is the path to success on YouTube different from the path to success in other entertainment mediums?

On YouTube your success is directly tied 100 per cent to you as the content creator. Ultimately, your success is down to being as genuine and true to who you are as a person.

People come to YouTube to watch “real” people just like themselves, so it’s important to let your personality shine through and be transparent, honest, genuine, and interact with your subscribers to build that relationship.

Success also depends on the creator them-

Any plans for the future?

I want to do YouTube videos for as long as I can, basically until my viewers don’t want to watch anymore or I don’t find it fun, because it’s something your heart has to be into.

I definitely want to go to more industry events where I’m able to meet more of my subscribers in real life, as those experiences are unforgettable!

I also want to upgrade my quality and play with new lenses/lighting even more, and I’ve already got great future content and videos planned and lined up for the next few months, so it keeps things exciting!

Outside of YouTube, beauty/fashion/lifestyle still is a huge passion for me and I majored in communications, so I’d love to combine the two and get into that field, perhaps as a beauty publicist or in the PR department for one of the ma-

Michael Rizzi Subscribers: 116,600+ Joined YouTube: Feb 24, 2012 Genre: Travel vlogs, comedy videos, edutainment content (sex ed and LGBTQ+ issues)

I think Toronto, as well as Montreal, have become strong YouTube hubs. I think Ottawa is obviously lacking in that, but that’s for every reason that it lacks in other things; public service, employees, and its much older population.

A lot of our sets are bedrooms or living rooms, so you can totally start a YouTube channel and acknowledge that you’re here in Ottawa. You don’t have to live in a city where all the action is happening all the time.

How is the path to success on YouTube different from the path to success in other entertainment mediums?

I think, especially now, there are so many different channels, similar to something like traditional media where it’s very difficult for a new network to come in, because it feels like everything’s been done.

So, in the same way with YouTube, I feel like almost everything’s been done. But when I see YouTubers blow up it’s because they’re doing something that no one’s done before. They’re doing a variation on something.

Self described as a 21-year-old, Nutella-eating, boy-loving, clothing-obsessed guy who likes to talk to his camera, Michael Rizzi started his YouTube channel in high school with the sole intent to make friends online. Now that’s he’s got a partnership with Much and is about to finish his communications undergrad at Carleton, Rizzi is looking forward to putting his “heart and soul” into his videos on a full-time basis.

What’s it like producing entertainment content in Ottawa?

C had W itha J (Jad Slaibeh) Subscribers: 472,000+ Joined YouTube: Apr 2, 2013 Genre: vlogs, public interviews, skits, and challenges

What’s your favourite video that you’ve produced?

There was a video I did when I interviewed a series of HIV positive people. So there were different age ranges, different genders, and I sort of talked to them about, not necessarily living with HIV, but living with the HIV stigma.

That was sort of a really cool thing for me because I had the idea, I reached out to everybody to confirm, produced the video, edited it, and uploaded it within two weeks while I was a full-

ternet.

So, you said you started with a group of friends. How many people?

We all have our own channels, but we started as a group and the group is called Team Alboe, which stands for “a little bit of everything.” Our group is multicultural. The combined subscriber count for all of us is just under 6.5 million subscribers.

What’s it like producing entertainment content in Ottawa?

Ottawa is so important to us because not many YouTubers are from Ottawa and many transition to Toronto right away. Us staying in Ottawa and showing love to Ottawa and being in the Ottawa scene is important to us and we are trying to embrace the local support.

ChadWithaJ is a full-time local Ottawa YouTuber who specializes in skits, vlogs, and generally having a good time on camera. As a member of Team Alboe—which consists of local YouTubers DavidParody, WolfieRaps, ItsyeBoi, and Deejdesign—Slaibeh is part of growing movement that aims to dispel the idea that the nation’s capital is not the place to be when it comes to producing online content creators.

How did you get started on YouTube?

My friends and I started on YouTube four years ago, kinda before the boom of YouTube happened. We got into it because we were all interested in filming and videography and it was a nice medium to control what we put on the In-

How has YouTube developed over the last few years?

Four years ago when we first started, if you had 20,000 subscribers you were a top YouTuber, you were killing the game.

But now you have thousands of channels that have over one million subscribers. It just shows the amount of growth with YouTube. It is crazy to see how YouTube used to be such a niche thing, but now it’s very normalized. Even if you are not a daily watcher you will end up watching a viral video from YouTube throughout your week at some point.

Why did you choose YouTube over other entertainment paths?

I chose YouTube mainly for versatility. On YouTube right now, I can upload any type of video

time student. And I think that was the moment where I thought “Damn, if I want to put my mind to something of actual substance I could totally do that and I can do it essentially by myself.”

What YouTube creator(s) inspire you the most?

I watch Casey Neistat. He really pioneered artsy vlogs…they’re not even vlogs, they’re like daily films.

I also watch Laci Green because she also pioneered the sex ed genre on YouTube.

Are you concerned about having some of your videos demonetized by YouTube?

Nothing for me has been demonetized. But I would say even if they were to get demonetized I’m not too worried about that because I sort of structure my channel where the ad revenue is not necessarily my main source of income. I try to make something a little more well-rounded.

I work with brands, I make my own merchandise, I try to make value in myself, and not necessarily my YouTube channel.

Any plans for the future?

I find that, as much as I like being a personality, I also really like engaging with people and interviewing people, and I think doing my YouTube has taught me that I really like being a voice for something.

So I think television works for that because it reaches a broad amount of people and I want to interview because I want to be a sort of voice behind something. A cause or a brand or something.

I want—a funny cooking video, or prank calling somebody. (With) the versatility that YouTube offers, you can film anything you find entertaining and there are no limitations. Other platforms, especially media, if I am going to go into television I can only follow what they want to do.

What’s your favourite video that you’ve produced?

I started a viral trend on YouTube. Well it’s been done before, but I gave it its own style. I started with a paper clip and see what you can trade with in a mall. I ended up with Beats headphones just by trading.

How did you come up with that idea?

When I was a camp counsellor we would do that as a challenge with the kids. It was really fun and I just saw how engaged they were and I thought I should try that on my YouTube channel.

What YouTube creator(s) inspire you the most?

There’s this guy that is everyone’s favourite YouTuber. Casey Neistat, a daily vlogger entrepreneur from New York City. His videos have such a high quality, but he releases a video every single day. He’s mastered the art of both quality and quantity.

Any plans for the future?

Immediate future is to potentially sign with a network. MuchMusic is one that we are interested in, and then releasing merchandise so people can buy our merch, and then hopefully one day doing a North American tour to meet our fans across the globe.

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Murdock sports@thefulcrum.ca

@SpencerMurdock @FulcrumSports

Gee-Gees dismantle McMaster in home opener Victory over fifth-ranked Marauders silences doubters Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

A

fter a byeweek to start the season, followed by a thrashing of a struggling Waterloo team, the Gee-Gees football team had to make a statement in their home opener.

For the Gees, everything up until kickoff against the nationally fifth-ranked McMaster Marauders really didn’t mean much.

In the eyes of many across the country, the Gee-Gees were not trending upwards coming into the year, but with a 30-8 dismantling of a bitter rival and high-quality team, the Gees appear to be the real deal.

This game wasn’t a blowout, but it also was never truly within reach for the Marauders. While the Gee-Gees had their struggles and successes throughout the game, when it came time to crack down and execute the team showed they can play with the big dogs.

Last season, the Gee-Gees and Marauders engaged in a shootout in Hamilton, which resulted in a 57-42 McMaster victory. Quarterbacks Derek Wendel and Asher Hastings both had fantastic games, but it was Hastings that led his team to the early season win.

This year, Wendel outplayed his counterpart and affirmed his status as the top quarterback in the conference, and possibly the nation.

The fifth-year signal caller was poised and well-prepared in the pocket, his tempo and execution proved to make the difference in leading the GeeGees offence to 535 total yards and five scores.

Wendel finished with 441 yards and three touchdowns hitting on 35 of 47 passes. He also led the team in rushing with 67 yards. His only missteps were three interceptions, one of which was a freak play where his receiver dropped the

ball directly into the hands of a Marauder.

Third-year running back Bryce Vieira had a breakout game. Despite only picking up 31 yards on the ground, the Montreal native hauled in an impressive 146 receiving yards resulting in one touchdown.

“This was amazing,” said Wendel. “The guys on defence and special teams killed it today.”

As for the offence, Wendel was a little more reserved in his praises, saying the team needs to focus on fixing their mistakes.

“We could’ve executed a lot better on a lot of different things,” he said. “We did have some big plays, but we’re going to take that with a grain of salt and work on the bad things that happened.”

Defensively, the Gee-Gees have looked their best in a long time so far this season.

Through two games, the team has only given up nine points, none of which have been touchdowns.

The unit did a remarkable job at shutting down a typically potent McMaster offence, only forfeiting 249 passing and 87 rushing.

Last season, the defence was a liability for the Gees and often singled out as the source of the team’s struggles. New defensive coordinator Jean-Vincent Posy-Audette has worked hard to prepare players on his side of the ball for the season, which is something that head coach Jamie Barresi is pleased with.

“It’s a great improvement for the defence,” said Barresi. “No one has seen our defence before and we were very conservative last week … that’s why I didn’t have an exhibition game, I didn’t want to let too much out of the bag.”

It seems that the surprisingly vast improvement of the defensive unit was a wellplanned and equally well-executed offseason endeavor.

One of the cornerstones of the new Gee-Gees defence is Jamie Harry, a former wide receiver turned cornerback, who led the team with five and

a half tackles, an interception leading to a 33-yard return, and a forced fumble. Harry also had a solid game against Waterloo on Sept. 5 with four tackles and an interception.

“It’s a crazy feeling,” said Harry about his personal and team success. “With a new coach I didn’t know what to expect, but now that I see what we can do I’m excited for the season.”

On all sides of the ball, the Gee-Gees physically look different. This year, it seems that an injection of size, speed, and strength has paid off for the team.

With young players like Harry, receivers Kalem Beaver and Luke Ffrench, linebacker Jackson Bennett, and defensive tackle Parker Bolton, among others upping the physicality of the team, everything seems to be headed in the right direction.

“I thought our offseason conditioning was outstanding in terms of developing speed and athleticism,” said Barresi. “You can see it on the field, our kids can flat out run … we’re a speed team.”

With a definitive win in the books and with sweeping change of opinion and national ranking being likely, the GeeGees football team is on path to succeed this year. For now, every game will be a new test where the team has to prove themselves.

It seems as if they’re going to revel in being the underdogs— only time will tell how far this team can go.

“Our team legitimately believes every single week we play we can beat any team,” said fifth-year receiver Mitch Baines, who had monster 110yard, two-touchdown game.

“Every time we come out and play, whether it’s McMaster, Guelph, Western whatever big team it is, we feel confident we can beat that team.”

The Gee-Gees will look to put that confidence to the test on Sept. 17 against the tenthranked Guelph Gryphons, when they come to Gee-Gees Field at 1 p.m.

10 | SPORTS

Photos: Kim Wiens.

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Women’s soccer sweeps Toronto teams in weekend series Third-ranked Gee-Gees improve to 5-0 on the young season spencer murdock sports editor

The nationally thirdranked Gee-Gees women’s soccer team has been nothing short of sensational so far this season.

With two more wins on Sept. 10 and 11 over Ryerson and the University of Toronto, respectively, the team has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

On Saturday, the GeeGees defeated the Ryerson Rams by a score of 2-0. The game was almost a carbon copy of the team’s win over Carleton on Sept. 3.

Just like the previous week, the Gees’ offence couldn’t find the back of the net throughout the entire first half and a majority of the second. Almost on cue, the team’s offence erupted for two goals in rapid succession in the 79th and 82nd minutes.

Midfielder Katherine Bearne, in her second-year of eligibility after a seasonending knee injury last year, is finally starting to

Gee-Gees women’s soccer contimues their thunderous start to 2016.

return to form as she netted her first goal of the season against the Rams.

Minutes later it was midfielder Faythe Lou that sealed the game for the

Gees. The fourth-year is having a breakout season so far, with a total of four goals and an assist in five games.

Going forward into the following day’s game

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

against the Toronto Varsity Blues, the plan was for the Gee-Gees offence to strike earlier than it had in recent games.

The Gees executed their

plan effectively, scoring two first half goals to set the tone for the match.

In the 17th minute, fifth-year striker Victoria Marchand sprinted down the sideline past three Toronto defenders to fire the ball home for the team’s first goal of the day.

Later in the half, striker Sophie Curtis ignited the crowd at Matt Anthony Field by scoring on a sliding kick while parallel to the net. The impressive play was the third-year’s first goal of the season.

In contrast to their previous two games, the GeeGees didn’t have a late game burst of scoring against the Varsity Blues.

Toronto striker Natasha Klasios scored in the 66th minute, handing the Gees their second goal against all season. The goal was representative of a second half shift in pressure from the Toronto end.

The Blues matched the Gee-Gees’ total of nine shots in the final frame, something that has only been

done once so far this year.

“Our finishing should’ve been better,” said Gee-Gees head coach Steve Johnson.

“I was happy that we scored early, but I think we had better opportunities in the second half. There were just chances we didn’t take advantage of.”

With the weekend sweep, the Gee-Gees sit atop the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) east division as the only undefeated team.

York is the only other team in the OUA that has not yet suffered a loss.

“Looking onward, we see we can be a first half, second half, and full game team,” said Marchand. “It’s really important to know that the depth on our bench is strong, we have players coming in at any point in the game and the intensity is still the same.”

The Gee-Gees will now look forward to a home match against rival Queen’s Gaels on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m at Matt Anthony Field.

Women’s rugby’s strong defence outlasts Laval

Simone Savary adds two tries in the second half to put away the Rouge et Or Eric Davidson opinions editor

The Gee-Gees women’s rugby team took down the Laval Rouge et Or at home on Sept. 10, riding a strong defence to a 20-10 victory.

Not only is the team 2-0 after this triumph, but the win kept an impressive 16 consecutive win streak alive for the Garnet and Grey in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ).

The match wasn’t a blowout victory, but it was a showcase for the team’s commitment to defence, which was touted by head coach Jen Boyd.

“Defence, that was our focus all week,” she said.

“Laval put 45 points on Concordia so we knew they were good, but man did we ever play well defensively.”

After going up 5-0 thanks to a try from fifthyear prop Dani Erdelyi, the Gee-Gees had to fight through a close first half, holding on to a 5-3 lead.

Laval came out strong in the second half, scoring a try and a conversion to go up 10-5 early on. It was a tight match after that— with time ticking away, the Gee-Gees had to have a spark or suffer a rare defeat.

The Gees’ offence kicked into gear in the nick of time, with scrum-half Erin McCallan scoring a conversion and prop Simone Savary scoring two tries to close the game. Centre Courtney Mastre also scored on a penalty kick to give the Gee-Gees the 2010 win.

The team’s defence was strong throughout the half,

always keeping the game within striking distance.

“Second half I don’t think we missed a tackle, we were just awesome,” said Boyd.

“It’s just a mentality that we won’t let them break our line,” she said. “It’s a culture that we breed here … we just don’t let teams score against us.”

“We shut down all their key players, and the score reflects the fact that they couldn’t do anything,” said McCallan. “I think defence definitely won us that game.”

After an 11-point victory in their first game of the season, there are some lingering questions about the team’s offensive power, but Boyd said she expects that the team will continue to grow as the season progresses.

McCallan carries the ball past a hoard of Laval players.

“Our attack needs some work, but we’ve got a lot of time to work on that,” she said.

Overall, the team is happy with the win, and with their display of defensive

strength.

“It feels awesome, we haven’t lost a game in two years, so definitely this is a huge win,” said McCallan.

“We’re just really excited for McGill next week and

thefulcrum.ca

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

to keep our season rolling.”

The team will face the McGill Martlets in Montreal on Sept. 18, in hopes of continuing their dominance in the RSEQ.

Sports | 11

FIFTH-YEAR FILE: Victoria Marchand spencer murdock sports editor

Fifth-year file will outline the career of a graduating athlete that has spent five years as a Gee-Gee. These seniors have all had an impact on advancing varsity athletics in their time at the University of Ottawa.

Victoria Marchand has not spent all five years of her university career playing for the Gee-Gees women’s soccer team, but her contributions since joining the team in 2014 have been significant.

Marchand’s path to the U of O started in Gatineau and would eventually lead her to the other side of the river to play for the Algonquin College Thunder.

With Algonquin, Marchand won a provincial title and was a role player on a very powerful team.

Prior to the 2014 season, Marchand transferred to the U of O where she joined the Gee-

Gees team and instantly had a positive impact.

Despite only dressing in 12 games and starting in just two in 2014, Marchand scored five goals to open her career with the Gees. The team would ultimately go on to win a national bronze medal later that year.

“My first year I think I was just trying to figure out the team and coaching staff,” said Marchand. “Going from one soccer system to another was kind of difficult for me, but they made me feel so welcome.”

Last year, the striker’s role increased and she saw much more playing time. Even though she left most of the goal scoring up to teammates Julia Francki and Pilar Khoury, Marchand scored four goals in the 2015 campaign that ended in the Gee-Gees falling short of a trip to nationals.

“All of a sudden I had to step up with players like Pilar and Julia and I was like ‘Holy crap, that’s so exciting for me!’” said Marchand. “I learned so much

from them and I’m just trying to take what I learned and bring it into this year.”

Coming into her final year at the U of O, Marchand knew that there would be more weight on her back this season, something she has taken in stride.

“The preparation I did this summer was a lot different,” she said, explaining that she needed to focus more on consistently getting shots on goal and setting up better for her teammates.

This new mindset has obviously paid off, since Marchand’s on-field production has spiked, scoring three goals and contributing with an assist in the 2016 season—which is shaping up to be her best yet.

“Knowing that it’s my fifthyear, it’s my last chance to leave my name on the field. Putting away goals makes me feel so damn good, but I couldn’t do it without my teammates.”

Marchand provides veteran leadership in final year.

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

Competitive club closeup: Gee-Gees baseball Catching up with the team as they enter their 21st season Dolly Cepeda Montufar fulcrum contributor

Believe it or not, the GeeGees men’s baseball team has been around for over 20 seasons. Its humble beginnings date back to 1995, when a group of players at the U of O formed a team to take on Carleton University and a number of teams from Quebec.

Following the team’s first season, Larry Belanger was appointed head coach, a title he held until his retirement at the end of the 2013 season.

Since Belanger’s retirement, there has been some changes in leadership for the competitive club.

Hitting coach Dave Dunn took over for the 2014 season, followed by former professional and college baseball player Matti Emery, who took over last season in hopes of steering the team to success.

The team participates in the newly reformatted Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association (CCBA), which contains teams from Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic provinces.

RCGT Park on Coventry Road, the home of Gee-Gees baseball.

The Gee-Gees spent many years as an athletics club sanctioned by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa before being granted competitive club status by Sports Services in 2002.

Although it may be hectic handling a roster of over 20 players, Emery knows his work with the team is important.

“A lot of talented guys come

to Ottawa to get an education, but also want to have that student-athlete experience, so coaching them is rewarding,” he said.

The 2016 season is still young for the team. After five games, the team is 1-4, but has shown some promise and resiliency.

The team had a packed schedule for the weekend of Sept. 9–11 where they played

Photo: Spencer Murdock.

all five of their games.

Cross-city rival Carleton defeated the Gee-Gees in their home opener 8-0, before the Gees collected a win and a loss over McGill the following day.

A trip to Montreal to close out the weekend didn’t fare well for the team, falling to McGill in two different games.

This year, the team’s goal is to improve as much as they can, and part of that is taking

early season losses and learning as the year goes on.

“We have to take it a game at a time,” said Emery. “This season we have eight new players and I see a lot of talent … I’d like to see us going deeper into the playoffs, and if we’re fortunate enough, to make the national championships.”

From an operational standpoint, regularly competing against baseball teams that have varsity status is something that is always on the team’s mind. According to Emery, like many other competitive clubs, it’s the Gee-Gees baseball team’s long-term, ongoing goal to become a varsity program.

Playing most home games at the over 10,000-seat RCGT Park in Overbrook (south of Vanier), the team has access to the largest venue of any team at the U of O, but struggles to draw a crowd.

“They’re playing just as many hours as any varsity team at the University of Ottawa,” said Emery. “There’s no discrepancy between the

12 | SPORTS

hours the guys put into this game. They play three games and have two practices, so they really only get one and a half days off a week.”

As time consuming as playing baseball is, the team still finds time to regularly participate in community outreach projects, namely volunteering with Miracle League of Ottawa. This organization gives children with special needs the chance to play baseball by providing a wheelchair-safe baseball diamond, as well as providing their batting cage for use.

For Emery, it’s little touches like these that helps make his work with the Gee-Gees more than worth it.

“Watching them learn to balance their lives and grow up to become men while playing sports at a higher caliber is a great experience.”

Gee-Gees baseball’s next home game is Sept. 18 at 12 p.m. against the Montreal Carabins at RCGT Park. Follow @GeeGeesBaseball on Twitter for more information.

thefulcrum.ca

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR Eric Davidson

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @eric_davidson93

SFUO needs a report on whether or not to ditch the CFS

Ryerson report raises questions about the value of federation membership eric davidson opinions editor

H

ave you heard of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)?

It’s a union for student federations in Canada, and our own Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) is a member.

As it stands, the SFUO site says that the CFS provides assistance with “tuition fee levels, student financial assistance programs, and funding for research.”

The Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) is also a member, and it recently released its report on whether or not the union should break ties with the CFS. Last year, the Carleton University Students’ Association produced a report to examine its affiliation as well.

The RSU released a report looking at its relationship with the CFS.

In light of the red flags that appeared in these reports, it’s time for the SFUO to make a CFS report of its own.

The Ryerson report found that the RSU paid $475,000

Photo: CC Adam Stanislav Edits: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

per year to the CFS. As it stands, no mention of fees paid to the CFS is made on the SFUO’s website or in their bylaws. Given the SFUO’s current austerity measures, a

report is necessary to clearly outline how much students are paying the CFS, and what exactly the student executive is getting in return for that money.

For example, the RSU report stated that one ostensible benefit of the CFS is that they fight for tuition decreases.

However, the report also found no evidence that this work had yielded any results since the two unions joined forces in 1982.

Any report done by the SFUO needs to really examine what benefits are provided by the CFS. It can’t stop at superficial terms like “lobbying”—it must dive into the data to see if CFS services are working.

The RSU report also cited “concerns with the CFS not taking meeting minutes during official meetings and not making them available to the general public.” This lack of transparency can only be seen as a bad influence on our own student union.

This is especially true given that SFUO transparency was called into question at

the Aug. 16 Board of Administration meeting.

An SFUO report must also include details concerning the relationship of the SFUO and the CFS. This includes current and recently departed members who have moved between the organizations, or work within both.

This is not to say there is anything inherently wrong with being associated with either the SFUO or the CFS. If the SFUO is going to consider cutting ties, the student body needs to have all the information about both organizations.

This is a serious issue, and we need this information to be disseminated throughout the student body as quickly as possible. After all, there are enough warning signs present that a publicly released report on the subject is an absolute necessity.

Obese patients and smokers should not be denied surgery

Decision to deny medical care to a portion of the population is discrimination, pure and simple Mickaela Churchill Fulcrum contributor

For once, fierce debate about equal medical treatment and universal healthcare isn’t being staged in Canada or the United States. Instead, Britain’s health-care system has recently been put under scrutiny.

In a decision made by the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), British patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 and/or who smoke will face delays of up to a year in receiving non-life-threatening surgeries—a move described by The Royal College of Surgeons as “the most severe the modern National Health Service (NHS) has ever seen.”

The decision arose amidst what has been referred to as a “funding crisis” for the NHS, who recently admitted to overspending £2.45 billion in 2015–16, a figure three times greater than the previ-

British patients who smoke or are obese will face restrictions on surgeries.

ous year.

But rationing access to healtcare is not a reasonable solution to overexpenditure, though it might seem so at first glance.

According to the CCG, patients with obesity-related conditions cost the NHS in the Vale of York £46 million in 2015. Restricting access to costly surgeries thus, in theory, seems like a logical solution

Photo: CC Shane Tuck

to balancing the books.

There also appears to be a medical rationale. As one NHS spokesperson put it, “major surgery poses much higher risks for severely overweight patients who smoke” and that the CCG is “entirely right to ensure these patients first get support to lose weight and stop smoking.”

Quitting smoking is difficult and

can often be very painful, but losing weight raises different kinds of challenges, not simply based on lifestyle.

Even if you do eat right, sometimes it’s genetics—not lifestyle— that determines your BMI. There are many factors that contribute to weight gain, and yet, with this stance taken by the NHS, it is as though they are viewing obesity as a choice for everybody, regardless of what other factors are at play.

In an interview with the Guardian, bariatric surgeon Shaw Somers, noted that “obesity is an illness,” and denying patients the right to healthcare until they lose weight is not unlike denying patients healthcare on the basis of their race or religion.

Not only that, this policy also discriminates against people based on their socioeconomic status.

There is a proven link between low socioeconomic status and poor

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dietary habits that leads many down the path of obesity. There is also a link between low socioeconomic status and higher levels of smoking. Thus, restricting surgery for smokers and obese people will disproportionately affect the poor.

This is why, in many ways, denying obese patients access to the same medical treatment as “normal” patients is cruel and discriminatory, just the same as it would be to deny patients who come from an ethnic or religious minority.

With obesity rates continuing to rise in Britain, more people than ever will be affected by these new restrictions.

While this decision may appear to be an efficient way to distribute limited resources to some, at what point does this type of rationing become the norm, and universal healthcare become the exception to the rule?

OPINIONS | 13

Canada must change breezy attitude on climate agreements When it comes to environmental action, our government falls short Canada remains without any national greenhouse gas reduction plan.

Canada is also currently nowhere near achieving its 2009 Copenhagen Accord commitment to reducing emissions 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Our nation is even further away from its commitment to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, a goal already achieved by many countries in the European Union.

In fact, according to data obtained by the Globe and Mail, without a plan of intervention, Canada’s carbon emissions are set to rise to eight per cent over the 2030 targets.

The G20 summit itself has been criticized for not doing more to enforce compliance with environmental legislation—not setting a clear deadline for when the Paris Agreement must be signed, and, even more

sarah murphy

fulcrum contributor Sept. 5 marked the end of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, where leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies met to discuss economic, environmental, and development issues that affect the global economy.

This year’s meeting has been particularly monumental in the field of environmental policy. The United States and China, the world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, ratified the Paris Climate Change Agreement, which affirms their commitment to ensuring that global temperatures do not rise more than two degrees celsius past pre-industrial levels.

This ratification also shows just how far behind Canada is when it comes to fighting climate change.

Canada has been a signa-

Canada is a signatory member of the Paris climate agreement, but has yet to ratify it.

Photo: Angjelos Fero.

tory member of this agreement since April. However, despite being the eighthlargest emitter of greenhouse gas, Canada has not yet ratified this agreement, and has thus far failed to

put in place decisive policies mitigating its emissions.

While Prime Minister Trudeau has spoken about ratifying the convention “by the end of this year,”

alarmingly, not setting any deadline for when fossil fuel subsidies must be phased out.

The agreement resorts to ambiguous language affirming “medium-term” commitments to eradicating this practice of subsidies.

Yet this ambiguity is standard practice in G20 summits, as enforcing deadlines is not its purpose or even within its scope of power. The G20’s only real goal is to provide outlines—it’s up to the individual countries to hold themselves accountable.

And in this light, Canada is not doing its part. In addition to not ratifying the Paris Agreement, Canada has failed to take action in eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, a practice that costs Canadians $2.7 billion each year.

Last March, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr asserted that now is “not

the moment” to start phasing out these government subsidies, rather locking itself into a liquefied natural gas subsidy until 2025.

These subsidies, which are measures that keep fossil fuel prices for consumers below market levels, undermine the world’s efforts to combat climate change as they incentivize the consumption, extraction, transportation, and processing of natural gas.

It’s time that Prime Minister Trudeau puts his money where his mouth is and ratifies the Paris Agreement, puts in place a national policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and begins phasing out fossil fuel subsidies.

Canada’s delay in taking such action is shameful and serves only to accentuate our country’s lack of commitment to dealing with climate change, the most pressing and important issue in the 21st century.

Don’t give charities more lobbying power

Current legislation necessary to keep money out of politics alec conner

fulcrum contributor

Canada Without Poverty, an Ottawa-based charity, is arguing that it should be allowed to use more of its resources for political work.

In 2011, the Harper government created an amendment to the Income Tax Act (ITA), that, as the name suggests, regulates much of Canada’s federal taxation. One part of the ITA, which deals with charities, is now stirring up controversy.

Canada Without Poverty has argued that the government’s policy, which mandates that charities may only spend up to 10 per cent of their revenue on non-partisan political work, is too restrictive and should be abolished.

14 | OPINIONS

To examine whether this legislation truly is harmful, we need to look at what charities actually are, and what their purpose is under Canadian law. If we do that, it becomes clear that the legislation is fair, and prevents larger societal problems.

Canada’s definition of charity is rooted in the Statute of Charitable Uses, passed by the Parliament of England in 1601, which lays out an exhaustive list of examples of charitable activities, ranging from taking care of the sick to educating orphans.

It is notable that none of the activities included describe any sort of lobbying. Though some interpretations have changed since 1601, the basic principle of charitable action has not changed. Charities, at least as defined

Photo: Courtesy of Canada Without Poverty.

by the government, are meant to be non-partisan and meant to work towards the common good.

Charities are, therefore, charitable, not political, and should remain so.

The Trudeau government, like the Harper government before it, recognizes the need of charities to engage in

some political activity to further their cause. This is why charities in Canada are allowed to devote a small portion of their revenue on political activity, as long as it is explicitly non-partisan.

When an organization like Canada Without Poverty allocates a staggering 98.5 per cent

of their resources to political activity, no matter how benign, it should no longer be put in the same category as, for instance, the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank, which devotes 95.6 per cent of its resources to its cause. People donating to Canada Without Poverty or similar organizations should know that the vast majority of their money is going directly to the poor, not for some partisan lobbying effort.

Despite pressure from groups such as Canada Without Poverty and other activists, the government is right to keep the current restrictions in place. Large-scale lobbying by private organizations, whether they are collecting profit or not, can have a harmful influence on democratic

discourse, and eventually debilitating effects on governance.

If the application by Canada Without Poverty is successful, then a precedent is set for large amounts of tax-free contributions to start having an effect on our governance. One only needs to hear the clamour about Citizens United and Super PACs south of the border to know that this is not the appropriate course of action for Canada to take.

The amendment to the ITA may be harsh, and it could certainly benefit from some clarification regarding what constitutes political activity, but the inherent idea is sound. It is a necessary protection against the further influence of money in Canadian politics.

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"Together, Ensemble" 101 Week devolves into battle royale

Students from all faculties duke it out in the university’s new green space eric davidson

Tomato editor This year’s 101 Week had a “Together, Ensemble,” theme that was meant to bring new students together. While the week started out as a positive experience, tempers started to build throughout the week, culminating in an all-out battle royale as students broke into factions along faculty lines.

“At first it was nice to hang with people from other faculties, but then they started to get on my nerves,” said Robert Churchill, a first-year arts student. “I mean, Telflix? That doesn’t make any sense?”

In response to back and forth insults about t-shirt quality and inter-rez rivalries in full swing—especially Stanton versus 90U—first-year students began arming themselves with textbooks, full water bottles, and food from the university’s dining hall.

After days of peaceful coexistence, 101 Week took a turn for the worse.

“The all-you-can-eat nature of the cafeteria really worked to our advantage,” said Albert Robinson, a first-year sociology student, as he stuffed a helping of meatballs into his jacket pockets.

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

As the fighting intensified, an unidentified member of the SFUO executive could be found across campus yelling “Can’t we all just get along?” and “Won’t somebody please think of the children?”

After searching campus for a nice open space to have an uninterrupted brawl, the students settled on the university’s new green space in front of FSS. “It was awfully kind of the university to build this arena

for us,” said Timothy Morris, a first-year communications student and honorary 101 Week gladiator.

Some faculties took preparations more seriously than others. The engineers dyed themselves purple to intimidate their foes, while the history students opted to read up on tactics used at past 101 Week skirmishes.

As members of all the faculties jumped into the fight Anchorman-style, the situation devolved into chaos, with textbooks ripping, pies flying, and several students actually slipping on banana peels.

Although there were some minor injuries sustained throughout the battle, medicine and the nursing students were there to tend to the wounded.

“Thanks to the brawI I got some much-needed real life experience,” said Nathan Wise, a medical student. “That’s definitely going on my resume.”

As the battle raged on, stu-

dents enrolled in the U of O’s conflict studies program sat off to the side, taking notes and brainstorming on how to solve the crisis.

“The whole situation was unexpected to say the least, but it kept people entertained,” said SFUO vice-president communications Crancesco Faruso. “We knew we had no budget to plan 101 Week, so I’m happy that the students could entertain themselves.”

Hailing the event as a triumph, media representatives from the U of O are already planning a battle royale for next Frosh Week, saying that student engagement is up a whopping 45 per cent.

“There is certainly a lively student population here at the U of O,” said Fraques Jémont, the university’s new president.

“It’s exciting to see so much school spirit. I may join in myself next year!”

iPhone 7S missing more than just headphone jacks Next model to be built without home, lock screen buttons david campion-smith tomato contributor Following the revelation that the new iPhone 7 will come with wireless earbuds and no headphone jack, Apple has announced even more “visionary” design ideas for future releases.

“The whole company feels that we made things too easy for our users by having a headphone jack,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in an interview with the Tomato. “It lets users do too many things at once, like charging the phone while listening to music.”

Cook said that “Removing one key element has made us really examine what other important features we can get rid of in our products.”

Continuing on with this trend, Cook said in a Sept. 12 morning press conference that the next version of the iPhone will come with no home or lock

After releasing the iPhone 7, Apple has continued to scale back popular features.

screen buttons so that Apple users can fully appreciate their phone’s wallpaper for the ten minutes it will take for it to lock.

“We’re also looking into making the earbuds even smaller,”

thefulcrum.ca

Photo: CC, Apple. Edits: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

said Cook. “We’re hoping to have the Apple headphones be so sleek and refined that they don’t even exist—try losing that!”

But according to Apple’s chief

marketing officer Philip Schiller, future products won’t simply be stripped down devices. In fact, the upcoming iPhone 7S will flip closed to protect what will be an actual keyboard. Schiller said

the company hopes this new addition will create an entirely new type of phone called the “flip phone”.

In addition to the new physical design, these Apple flip phones will no longer come with data plans or the ability to access Wi-Fi. After facing another wave of consumer outrage over this latest announcement, Apple executives explained that this new design will help encourage users to spend more time enjoying the new phone interface, along with some of the many mobile games that the phones will come with—like Brick Breaker.

“Hardworking Apple programmers spend years working on operating systems that you people just ignore. Phones are more than just Angry Birds!” shouted one Apple employee in the audience at the Sept. 12 press conference.

Emily Grand, a marketing professor at the University of

Ottawa, believes that Apple’s removal of these key features could set off a ripple effect throughout the tech sector.

“If more companies follow this minimalistic approach, who knows where it could end? We could have television sets without colour, and the return of the cassette deck.”

Grand theorizes that the next step would probably be the slowing of Internet speeds and the outright abandoning of mobile networks in favour of using landline connections.

“People would really appreciate websites more if they’re spending half an hour loading one page.”

“Who can tell how far this trend will go? But if we’re all living in log cabins and using horse and buggies decades from now, we’ll be able to say that it started, unbelievably, with the removal of a headphone jack.”

THE TOMATo | 15

DISTRACTIONS Dear Di,

Dear Di

During 101 Week I heard multiple people joke about using vibrators. Now I’m interested in trying one, but I don’t know anything about them. Would you be able to give me a quick primer on these devices?

-Good Vibrations

FEATURES EDITOR Alexa-Eliza Carter

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @aecart043

Dear Di, Last night my partner told me that they want me to be more “romantic” in our relationship. I was so surprised at the comment, I never even asked for clarification. And now that I’m thinking about it, asking my partner what they mean by “romantic” just seems naive and embarrassing. Am I simply supposed to spend more money or make more time for them?

-Romance Reject

Dear GV, Exploring the wonderful world of sex toys is important at your age. After all, if you don’t know what turns you on, how is a future partner supposed to learn?

While you should still attempt to explore your body sans vibrator, there is still lots of fun to be had. So if you’re interested, don’t hesitate to give it a go.

A moment of clarification here may be needed, since people tend to confuse dildos and vibrators. Vibrators are battery operated and typically meant to focus on the surface area like the clitoris. Dildos, however, are designed to be penis replicas in their shape. The lovely thing about penis-shaped vibrators and dildos is that they can be used to stimulate both the anus and vagina.

While penis-shaped toys are commonplace in pop culture, luckily, you can get vibrating devices in many shapes and sizes.

For the adventurous men reading, there are a variety of vibrators to stimulate all of your sensitive spots. From vibrators that fit around your balls, to vibrating prostate massagers, the opportunities for experimentation are endless. For the lusty ladies, some vibrators are double-pronged to stimulate both your clitoris and your G-spot.

After determining which device suits your specific needs, you are ready to seek and satisfy.

If you do get a vibrator, remember to always keep sex toys clean. Liberal use of hygiene spray can keep your toys free from bacteria.

When it comes to sex toys, it’s best to take things one step at a time. Make sure to start up a new vibrator on a speed you’re comfortable with, and build up the intensity as your body adjusts.

If you’re in res, it’s always a good idea to keep in mind that some toys are louder than others. The ones with AC adaptors may be extra strong and powerful, so they may be too loud for a dorm room.

If you love to act dirty in the shower or bath, you should remember that not all vibrators are waterproof, so make sure you investigate that fact before you get started.

If you want to take your vibrator with you for long-distance travel, make sure you lock it down and take out the batteries.

If airport security asks you to explain or identify your pleasure treasure on the x-ray scan, don’t be afraid to own up to it. Airport security has definitely seen stranger things than a vibrator, so try not to feel embarrassed about it!

For more information, check out some of Ottawa’s local sex shops. Establishments like Venus Envy, Aren’t We Naughty, or festivals like the annual Ottawa Sexapalooza should have a more extensive selection of items for your new toy chest.

Love, Di

Dear RR, Some people may see romance as a Shakespearean sonnet, while others may view it as simply holding hands. When the subject of “romance” comes up, it can be broadly defined as any gesture really that is showing your partner you are thinking of them.

A lot of people shy away from the idea of “romance” because they think it comes packaged with a hefty price tag, like eating at an expensive restaurant or a surprise trip to Paris.

But in reality, the most romantic gestures are the most thoughtful, not necessarily the most costly. In fact, the time you put in to demonstrate you thought of your partner is the most thoughtful expression of romance.

For example, leaving a personal love note that details how your partner’s dimples make you weak costs next to nothing. Plus, buying their favourite obscure candy, sneaking in a kiss when they least expect it, bringing them coffee before class, and giving lots of hugs on a hard day are all similarly low on cost.

The things is, if your partner wants more romance, whether or not you are already trying, it just means they want more attention from you. This could be compensating for some extra stress they’ve run into in their life (back to school, or otherwise) and it may not even have to do with you personally. Either way, it’s important on both the good and bad days to take a second to make your partner feel appreciated, loved, and understood. This will make all the difference.

The end game to romance is that you should always be on the lookout to find little ways to make your partner smile.

Not only will it bring you closer together, but the time you spend together will also help provide your partner with a greater peace of mind.

Love, Di

To get all your sexy and saucy questions answered, email Di at deardi@thefulcrum.ca ;) 16 | DISTRACTIONS

thefulcrum.ca

Sept. 15–22 2016

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

Thursday, Sept. 15

Dropkick Murphys, CityFolk Festival, Lansdowne Park—6:15 p.m.

Boeing-Boeing, start of the fall theatre season, Ottawa Little Theatre—7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 16

Finger Eleven, Mavericks—7 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s hockey vs. Nipissing University, exhibition game, Minto Sports Complex—7 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s soccer vs. Queen’s, Matt Anthony Field—7 p.m.

Joey Bada$$, CityFolk Festival, Lansdowne Park—7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 17 Taste of Wellington West, restaurants and shops offer free samples, sales, and raffles, between Island Park Drive and Somerset Street West—11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Twist & Stout (Best Stouts in the 613), hosted by the Ottawa Brewery Market, Hintonburg Park—12 p.m.

Gee-Gees men’s football vs. University of Guelph, Lees Campus—1 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s hockey vs. York, exhibition game, Minto Sports Complex—2 p.m.

Arts and Craft Crawl (Whiskey Edition), an exclusive walking tour of four Ottawa art galleries, Bronson Centre—6 p.m.

Makem & Spain (Irish ballad group), Centrepointe Theatre—7:30 p.m.

Basia Bulat, CityFolk Festival, Lansdowne Park—7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 18

Gee-Gees men’s hockey vs. Université du Québec à TroisRivières, Minto Sports Complex—4 p.m.

Canada Army Run,

along Rideau Canal—7 a.m.

Monday, Sept. 19

The Man Who Knew Infinity (film with Dev Patel), ByTowne Cinema—9 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 20

One Shot (Croatian Film Festival), ByTowne Cinema—6:50 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept.

21

Ottawa International Animation Festival (40th anniversary), opening day, ByTowne Cinema—7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 22 Sip N Style, sampling of exclusive local craft beer, 100 per cent of profits go to Epilepsy Ottawa, Mill Street Brew Pub—6 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s hockey vs. University of Waterloo, Minto Sports Complex—7 p.m.

Animals Rock: A Night to End Animal Cruelty, Orange Art Gallery—7 p.m.

thefulcrum.ca

DISTRACTIONS | 17

18 | LETTERS

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL Volume 77, Issue 4, sept. 15, 2016 First out of the gate since 1942 Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this paper or we’ll.

Savannah “Laci Green” Awde Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Kim “Lily Pebbles” Wiens Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Red Letter Media” Darbyson Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Graham “Gigi Gorgeous” Robertson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Anchal “Glozell” Sharma Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Big Quint” Murdock Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Alexa-Eliza “Philip DeFranco” Carter Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Vlog brothers” Davidson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Jenna Marbles” McRaeSadik Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Allegra “Gaby Dunn” Morgado Social Media Coordinator social@thefulcrum.ca Reine “Troye Sivan” Tejares Webmaster webmaster@thefulcrum.ca Zainab “Anthony Fantano” AlMehdar Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Lucas “Fred” Ghosn General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca Shanèl “Essie Button” Dear Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca Dayne “Cenk Uygur” Moyer Outgoing General Manager dayne@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Isabel “Annoying Orange” Graham David “Tipsy Bartender” Campion-Smith Anoop “Casey Neistat” Kaur Naomi “Pewdiepie” Harris Ryan “Fine Brothers” Pepper Alice “Henry Reich” Kensit Lakshana “Jouelzy ” Mahabir Dolly “Matthew Patrick” Cepeda Montufar Nick “Mehdi Sadaghdar” Robinson Mickaela “Peter Hadfield” Churchill Sarah “Anita Sarkeesian” Murphy Alec “Kingsley” Connor Amitesh “Daily Grace” Malhotra

Board of Directors

Mackenzie “CGP” Gray Kate “Zoella” Murray Carolyn “Akilah Hughes” Mutis Jonathan “Michael Rizzi” Rausseo Raghad “Samuel de Luque” Sheikh-Khalil Will “TomSka” Hume Maggie “Tyler Oakley” Gollish Niharika “Franchesca Ramsey” Namulla Julia “Amy Nicola” Miraflores Thivya “ChadWithaJ” Naganathan Cover: Kim Wiens.

Canada’s government should have studied up on top U of O researchers

On Sept. 6, the federal government announced the 13 Canadian universities to receive a whopping $900 million in funding for research activities—and the University of Ottawa wasn’t on the list.

This financial support hails from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, instituted by the Harper government, which serves to support post-secondary schools in their research endeavours, ultimately allowing them to compete in a global context.

While the U of O wasn’t recognized for their research projects through this prestigious federal grant, there are so many innovative projects in the works across campus that, according to the Fulcrum, deserve funding.

Not only can these projects have a big impact on students at the U of O, but they also have the potential to improve lives worldwide.

Mental health studies for the next generation Following a major donation from the U of O to the Royal’s Brain Imaging Centre in June 2016, the U of O Brain and Mind Research Institute (uOBMRI) has received a positron emission tomography functional magnetic resonance imaging (pet-fMRI) machine. This device, the first of its kind in Canada to be used solely for mental health research, will be used to crack several mysteries surrounding mental illnesses and the underlying brain mechanisms involved.

And what better place to begin such research than at a university campus? A study commissioned by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) notes that in 2011, more than 6.7 million people were living with a mental illness. Of that group, more than one million were children and teenagers aged 9–19, a group which represents the next generation that will be driving our Canadian universities forward.

Keeping Canadian youth mentally healthy is an essential part of achieving the very mission set out by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund—competing on the global stage of research.

But the impacts of mental health research aren’t contained to Canadian campuses. The same MHCC study found that mental illness costs Canada at least $50 billion per year, or 2.8 per cent of Canada’s 2011 gross domestic product.

According to the Royal’s president and CEO George Weber, the goal of studies that will use the machine “is to improve diagnosis and move to personalized treatments to help each individual get better faster.”

Given that the number of disorders in the current Diagnostic Statistical Manual is approximately 297, there is a definite need for not only the pet-fMRI machine, but for many research groups to use its findings. More funding for this project means that a greater number of studies can be designed and facilitated, addressing the broad spectrum of mental disorders affecting

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Canadians today.

Shedding light on the world of photonics The Centre for Research in Photonics at the U of O is a cutting-edge research facility that has lit the way in Canada’s photonics research— studies surrounding the science of light and its many applications.

The U of O holds one of the three Max Planck Institutes in North America, marking the university as a world leader in photonics.

You might not have heard about photonics, but you definitely use devices that can be radically impacted by it. Its main applications lie in computing, energy generation, and environmental technologies. With the effects of global warming becoming increasingly discernable, and the massive, global shift of communications to online platforms, these applications are pertinent not just to Canada but to nations across the globe.

The Energy Information Administration reported that in 2014 approximately 78 per cent

of U.S. global warming emissions were energyrelated, involving carbon dioxide. Of this proportion, approximately 42 per cent was from oil and other liquids, 32 per cent from coal, and 27 per cent from natural gas.

Meanwhile, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report indicating that non-fossil fuel energy generation technologies—like wind, solar, and geothermal—contributed less than one per cent of the total energy related global warming emissions in that same year.

Clearly, the need for alternative energy generation is stronger now more than ever.

Through its many applications, from harvesting solar energy for electrical and thermal power generation, to chemical energy conversion and fuel generation, photonics is a field that offers a plethora of alternate energy opportunities—if only it can be adequately explored.

The U of O, with its state of the art facility and international recognition, is the ideal place to do it.

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

EDITORIAL | 19

Université d’Ottawa

|

University of Ottawa

UNLEASH YOUR INNER ARTIST...FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $2000!

What does innovation mean to you?

Show us with a work of art.

Seasons of Change by Alexandra Ruhr, Faculty of Medicine, 2015 winner

For more information: www.research.uOttawa.ca/greeting

The University of Ottawa will purchase the winning entry for $2000. It will grace the cover of holiday greeting cards sent out by the Vice-President, Research.

Who can participate? All full-time and part-time students of the University of Ottawa.

How? Participants are invited to send photos of a maximum of three original works of art (drawings, paintings, sculptures, etc.), along with a short paragraph explaining how their works illustrate innovation, to innovation@uOttawa.ca.

Deadline: Friday, October 21, 2016