THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 22 • MARCH 6, 2019
TAKE A RIDE ON THE CRIMSON TIDE Arts & Life, page 8
ZERO WASTE WEEK
INTRODUCING THE NEW TURRET
COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE!
EQUAL VOICES
CREATING HISTORY
Promoting sustainability at Laurier
Looking back at budgeting and more
Comparing cups of joe in the Waterloo region
The value in validating male assult survivors
Pattison wins first middle distance medal
News, page 4
News, page 5
Arts & Life, page 7
Opinion, page 13
Sports, page 16
2 •
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
VOCAL CORD
What important feature do you look for in a good coffee shop?
@cordnews
The Cord
@thecord.ca
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
CordNews THIS DAY IN HISTORY: MARCH 6 1836: Battle of the Alamo: After 13 days of fighting 1,500 to 3,000 Mexican soldiers overwhelm the Texan defenders, killing 182-257 Texans including William Travis, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. 1865: US President Abraham Lincoln’s second Inaugural Ball.
“Comfy couches.” –Raman Grewal, second-year political sciences
1869: Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society. 1906: Nora Blatch is first woman elected to American Society of Civil Engineers. 1940: First US telecast from an airplane, NYC. 1997: Picasso’s painting Tete de Femme is stolen from a London gallery, and is recovered a week later.
“Lots of space and electrical outlets.” –Lara Curasev, second-year archeology
GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR
2018: Forbes names Amazon founder Jeff Bezos the world’s richest person for the first time at $112 billion, Bill Gates as number two.
“Well priced coffee and good sandwiches.” –Ryan Norley, second-year political sciences
“Moderately quiet environment.” –Avril Jonker, second-year BBA
Compiled by Margaret Russell Photos by Jackie Vang NEXT ISSUE MARCH 13, 2019
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Emily Waitson arts@thecord.ca
CORD STAFF
OPINION EDITOR Alyssa Di Sabatino opinion@thecord.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Safina Husein editor@thecord.ca
SPORTS EDITOR Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sadman Sakib Rahman creative@thecord.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Kashyap Patel graphics@thecord.ca
WEB DIRECTOR Garrison Oosterhof online@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Eva Ou photos@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Hayley McGoldrick news@thecord.ca
ONLINE EDITOR Katherine Weber online@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Aaron Hagey news@thecord.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Sarah Tyler video@thecord.ca
FEATURES EDITOR Vacant features@thecord.ca
LEAD REPORTER Margaret Russell news@thecord.ca
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Abdulhamid Ibrahim sports@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jackie Vang photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Sara Burgess copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Vacant editor@thecord.ca CORDCAST PRODUCER Brielle Huang cordcast@thecord.ca
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Olivia Jones Eliza Moratz Diana Edworthy Dylan Kavalsky Dotun jide Yitian Cai Yana Manevska Rachel Burns Jennifer Webb
The Turret grand re-opening by Aaron Hagey
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community. Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors. Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used
for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ontpress.com. The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 4,500 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada. The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.
PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy. The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to
reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
Quote of the week: “YOU!” -Sports Editor Pranav Desai answering News Editor Aaron Hagey’s request for a synonym for garbage.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
News
• 3 NEWS EDITOR HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR AARON HAGEY news@thecord.ca
INITIATIVES
Laurier hosts eighth annual Indigenous Education Week HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR
The Office of Indigenous Initiatives at Laurier is hosting their eighth annual Indigenous Education Week from Mar. 4 to the 8, hosting various events around campus to get students involved and educated on the Indigenous work that happens on campus. The week-long event first started in 2011, and is celebrated on both Waterloo and Brantford campuses. It starts during the first full week of March, getting started this year with an event: “Lucinda House Lunch & Learn: Discovering Our Past and Exploring Our Future.” “Having a week like this is our chance to provide opportunities for our students to see really great role models, while at the same time letting the campus community get to know us, raise awareness and bring people together,” said Melissa Ireland, manager of Indigenous student services at the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. “We have a lot of partnerships in a lot of different departments, so sometimes it’s a great excuse to gather and share and combine
partnerships and those resources.” Other activities included in the week are a soup and bannock lunch, a lecture with Sarain Fox, a Métis dot art workshop and concludes with a final lecture from Lee Maracle on Friday afternoon. “We have some internal programming we specifically market and target to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students; we don’t have the space capacity and resources to run programming for all students all the time, so this is a week we can really open the doors and celebrate,” Ireland said. “We want to promote that we are on this campus to other students and we do have probably the most attendance at these activities that we do during this week.” The Office of Indigenous Initiatives hosts many events throughout the year, like soup lunches, teachings about parts of Indigenous culture like the big drum and song sharing, as well as talks with Indigenous professionals in many different career paths like writing, art and music. “I am so excited for Sarain Fox to be coming to campus: she’s a youth leader, she’s an actor, an
advocate and so many Indigenous youth, whether or not they know who she is, when they see her they recognize her,” Ireland said. “We took students last year to the Trent Youth & Elders gathering and she did a presentation there and people were really inspired, we asked her to come and we think it’s a really big deal that she’s coming.” The week is not only promoted and executed for Indigenous students to showcase their culture on campus and attend special events, but non-Indigenous students who wish to learn more about Indigenous culture and get educated on just what goes on in traditional practices. “They can be exposed to Indigenous folks or activities they may have never been able to before, as who usually has the opportunity to do loom beading or print screening or Métis dot art, they may not have the chance to see art or artists in a real contemporary way,” Ireland said. “It’s a chance to see that Indigenous students and community are here on campus and we’re active, prominent and worth celebrating.”
JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
One of the events offered for students was a loom-beading workshop.
ADVOCACY representatives regarding policies and mandates that directly concern international students and specifically, international students coming from regions in the world currently experiencing armed conflicts.
The government was impressed by the idea of how ... only four-dollars [from] Laurier students was able to help students from conflict zones. -Maria Almhana, a Syrian Laurier international scholar
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
ISOW goes to Parliament to spread word of success MARGARET RUSSELL PLEAD REPORTER
Last week, Wilfrid Laurier University’s student-run organization International Students Overcoming War (ISOW) took a trip to Parliament Hill to promote and advocate
for their work concerning scholars from international areas of conflict. ISOW currently supports 14 international scholars from Syria, Egypt and Lebanon, who are working to complete either their undergraduate or graduate degrees. Their organization is providing
full, student-funded scholarships for these students, without which would have to put their educations on hold. The 10 scholars and 17 executives who were able to attend ISOW’s trip contributed to presenting a dialogue to our political
ISOW went to Ottawa two years ago as a generalized trip for students to become more acquainted with the infrastructure of the Canadian government. “This time we went with an ‘ask.’ We went to present ISOW to different ministers and senators, asking if the government somehow could match the funds that we’ve been raising as a Laurier Community to provide more scholarships over the next five years,” said Paula Belliveau, director of events for ISOW. “Our main goal was to spread the idea of ISOW to the government … we wanted to find additional avenues for partnership with the government,” said Maria Almhana, a Laurier international
scholar from Syria. Laurier’s ISOW scholarships are funded by ancillary fees as a contribution from each student’s yearly invoice. Based on ISOW’s funding, the goal of this excursion was to present such success to ministers and hopefully receive additional financial support from the government in order to provide scholarships to more international students at Laurier. “We met with representatives from [ministries such as] foreign affairs and immigration and international development,” Belliveau said. “We attended [the] Prime Minister’s question period, Citizenship and Immigration Committee and Justice and Human Rights Committee,” Almhana said. “The government was impressed by the idea of how the contribution of only four-dollars by Laurier students was able to help students from conflict zones.” ISOW came back to Laurier with validation of their mission by the many ministers and senators that took the time to listen to them and engage in discussion. “We realized how unique ISOW is — it doesn’t really fit the mold of any one ministry … and that was really empowering to hear,” Belliveau said. “We learned that if there’s a goal we need to achieve, we have to go and do it ourselves … We were able to meet with politicians and that they were willing to hear about our experiences, hear about ISOW — and know that they are passionate about what we are doing.”
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
CONSERVATION
Zero Waste Week looks to increase sustainable options HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR
Monday, Mar. 4 signified the start of Laurier’s first ever Zero Waste Week, hosted by the Sustainability Office at Laurier, that will run until March 8. The week is full of events that hope to help decrease the waste that patrons of Laurier produce with a short-term blitz of activities that students and faculty can continue to practice in the long term. “It kind of came out of just the general increased interest in zero waste, it seems to be kind of an insta-popular thing these days; National Geographic did a big issue on plastics this summer, so we started listening to the trends of what students are interested in,” said Tyler Plante, outreach and program coordinator for Laurier’s Sustainability Office. “Waste reduction and zero-waste targets have always been part of our office’s mandate. Over the past year we’ve been developing our new five-year action plan, and we have waste reduction and diversion rate goals in that already, so it’s things that we’ve been working on.” Within this past year Laurier’s Sustainability Office has run initiatives through residence life and running workshops to help reduce waste and divert from landfills, but a high-profile event like Zero Waste Week aims to gather the attention of everyone at Laurier.
“With a big, public-facing event like this, we just kind of wanted to double down and get our office more visibility, for students to know that we’re a resource here, and as we were looking at our programming for this upcoming year, we thought we should try to do one big thing engagement-wise and this was the natural choice,” Plante said.
We wanted to make sure there is something each day that is manageable but also has enough of a reach that people are going to see what’s going on. -Tyler Plante, outreach and program coordinator, WLU SO
The calendar of events for the week includes bin blitzes aimed at correctly sorting waste, reusable mug giveaways to reduce coffee cups going to landfills, clothing swaps and even a zero-waste cooking class. The aim of these events is not only to promote a more sustainable future at Laurier, already a LEED certified green campus, but for individuals to choose more sustainable options in their day to
day lifestyles. “When we talked about doing a week-long series around waste, we looked to our peers, we looked to other resources we have, and we kind of came up with this long list of small, medium and large style events that we could do,” Plante said. “We wanted to make sure there is something each day that is manageable but also has enough of a reach that people are going to see what’s going on, and ideally, the goal is that we start changing behaviours.” In 2018, Laurier produced 1,660 tonnes of waste and diverted 60 per cent of that waste out of landfills. Still, the 40 per cent that did end up in landfills could have been reduced if correctly sorted and disposed of, and events like Zero Waste Week aim to get the number lower. “We hope that by having a greater exposure and people aware of our office, people will then use us as a resource, we’re about to publish a new layer on the campus map that will all be sustainability services, so that will provide us more accessibility as well,” Plante said. “Ideally, we run something like this for a longer period of time so we can start engraining behaviours, and we’ve been talking to some campus partners like food services and residence staff about doing longer programming and
JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
promotions.” Participants in the week of events can track their progress online and will be entered into the grand prize draw to win a zero-waste three course meal at Veritas, courtesy of the Sustainability Office, taking place on Friday. “This September, food services increased the reusable mug discount from 10 cents to 40 cents, and that was in conversations with
our office. We’re starting to push that needle a little further, they’re installing new recycling stations in the food courts,” Plante said. “Those types of things are kind of the policy and infrastructure level changes that will allow students to see when they’re making daily decisions, they’ll see that information, but it’s also easier for people to make those choices and will allow for behaviour change.”
SCIENCE
Perimeter Institute hires new director, Robert Myers SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Perimeter Institute, the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics, has a newly hired director. The appointee, Robert Myers, is an internationally-recognized Canadian theoretical physicist. He was chosen as the new director following a long international search process for the right individual to fill the role. According to the Perimeter Institute, Myers was chosen unanimously by a search committee appointed with the task of finding a new director. The announcement became official on Feb. 28, 2019 at approximately 12 p.m. in Waterloo at the Perimeter Institute. “It’s an honour and a privilege for me to be chosen as Perimeter’s new Director,” said Myers in a press statement to the Perimeter Institute. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to lead Perimeter into the future, to build on the legacy of Perimeter’s first 20 years and to continue to fulfill the founding vision of Perimeter as a world-leading centre in research, training and outreach.”
YITIAN CAI/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
At a ceremony on Feb. 28, physicist Robert Myers was named the incoming Director of the Perimeter Institute.
Some of Myers’ accomplishments include being recognized as one of the world’s most influential scientists in the years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. He was also listed on the Thomson Reuters/Clarivate Analytics of “Highly Cited Researchers.” The list included a multitude of researchers with citation rankings in the top one per cent in their respective fields. According to the Perimeter Institute’s press release, the new director’s research background fo-
cuses on “foundational questions in quantum theory and gravity. His contributions span a broad range, from quantum field theory to gravitational physics, black holes, and cosmology.” “Perimeter is an environment unlike any other, in which researchers from around the globe collaborate across disciplines in search of profound new truths,” said Myers in the statement. “Breakthroughs await where brilliant people, bold ideas and diverse cultures intersect.
Some of his discoveries and theories, such as “linear dilaton cosmology” and the “Myers effect,” have been highly influential in the scientific community. “We are thrilled to move into the next exciting phase of Perimeter’s evolution under Rob Myers’ leadership,” said Mike Lazaridis, founder and board chair of Perimeter Institute, in a press release. “Rob’s contributions as a scientist are second to none. He is highly respected throughout the global physics community, and
he possesses the drive and vision to advance Perimeter at a particularly exciting time in the history of the Institute and of physics more generally.” Lazaridis, the well-known founder, was present at the event held on Thursday to welcome the new director into his role. Myers is taking over for Neil Turok, who held the role of director for 10 years. Turok, however, will still be working at the Perimeter Institute in a new role, leading as a full-time researcher at the “Centre for the Universe at Perimeter Institute,” which is a new sociology research hub. In a Perimeter Institute press release, Myers expressed his wishes that, as director, he will strive to “inspire his colleagues every day to embrace the Ideals on which Perimeter was founded.” ““Be bold, be adventurous, be audacious in our aspirations to advance humanity through exceptional science,” said Myers in the release. “I’d like us all to take on that quality which helped Perimeter’s previous directors bring the Institute so far in such a short time: namely, to not be intimidated by the impossible, but rather be determined to make it a reality.”
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 CELEBRATION
THE TURRET GRAND RE-OPENING JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR
The long-awaited — and anticipated — grand re-opening of The Turret has come and gone at Wilfrid Laurier University, a celebratory occasion that has left students and faculty with a newfound chance to explore and utilize the newly-renovated event space. After less than a year of construction, unexpected delays and costing a staggering $2.2 million, The Turret celebrated its official re-opening event on Mar. 2, from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m., with a chance to socialize and network — for students and faculty alike. “We had … around 100 people — and that’s inclusive of Alumni … all in all, I thought it was a really good event,” said Phil Champagne, executive director and COO of the Students’ Union. The official announcement of The Turret project was made on Jan. 26, 2018, by former president and CEO Kanwar Brar, when the Students’ Union released a statement noting that the space would be “undergoing significant renovations this coming summer.” A statement from the university confirmed that construction began on May 7, 2018, meaning that building the new space took just under 300 days. However, this is notably longer than Brar’s estimated “Fall 2018” date of expected completion. The idea for the renovations has been in its formative stages for approximately five years. Official plans in Mar. 2015 were noted as being delayed because, according to the then president and CEO, Sam Lambert: “the university [didn’t] really have any money.” “When [former ED and COO of the Students’ Union] Roly Webster was here … he and the then president, Sam Lambert … started conceptualizing ideas. They decided to engage Conestoga College’s engineering department to come up with a … [pro bono] quote and vision of what that could look like … ultimately we decided to use those as a reference point for an architect,” Champagne said. In Nov. 2016, the plans for the changes seemed tentative at best, as Champagne stated at the time that there were “currently no plans for the Turret.” Unable to actualize the renovations until they could receive the proper funding, the “best case
scenario” for its total completion at the time was stated to be Sept. 2017 — slightly outside of this year’s estimations. The new space, as noted by the WLU Alumni Association, will now function as both a social and study area, for entertainment and education — and will add 260 more seats to the campus, making it an expanded community hub for the Waterloo campus. The last time The Turret encountered a major renovation was in 1990, and its look has changed quite drastically from that time. Since then, there have been multiple minor alterations to the space, including in the mid-1990s and the summer of 2002. Costing approximately $270,000 — roughly $450,000 today — the 1990 renovation cost was nearly one-fifth of this year’s at $2.2 million. This time, however, the project was funded thanks to the Students’ Union’s Student Life Levy (SLL), an undergraduate initiative which supports “special projects that enhance student life.” Because Laurier has been ranked number one in student satisfaction for the past three consecutive years, this significant investment by the SLL should come as no surprise. SLL has provided the financial backing for a number of undergraduate projects in the past, including the “Alumni Field Project (2005-2008),” costing $500,000; the “Athletic Complex Bleacher Replacement (2015-2016),” costing $750,000; and the “Turret Renewal: Phase 2 (Waterloo campus),” costing $40,000. The need for increased study and student space, which has been a top priority for the university for a long time, wasn’t the difficult part of the proposal. What would be more difficult, however, was justifying a $2.2 million expenditure in terms of logistics. “The general argument was: we need to change the nature of this room. The only way we’re going to convince students that we’ve actually done that is to actually do [significant renovation],” Champagne said. The majority of the proposed budget, in terms of changing The Turret’s “nature,” was dedicated to updating two significant functions in the space: a more efficient mechanical unit for temperature
control, as well as improved and updated lighting to create a more bright, inviting and vibrant space for students. The funding for the second phase of this project went towards “compensating the successful design firm” composed of architects and designers who created the plans used in the proposal to the SLL. In a Feb. 2018 interview with
Kanwar Brar, Students’ Union president and CEO before Tarique Plummer, it was indicated that the anticipated cost of the entire project was going to — allegedly — be “below the $2.2 million [budget] in all aspects.” The total spending of The Turret project came under the expected budget: “comfortably under,” according to Champagne. As far as the future, Champagne
— and a number of other Students’ Union members, to be sure — are excited for what the next year will bring for students. “I’m really, really looking forward to what September has to offer and [hopefully] we can get students used to going up to The Turret in a way that they haven’t traditionally done — and hopefully be part of that student routine,” Champagne said.
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6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
REPRESENTATION
Black History Month at Laurier honors cultures and experiences Laurier Lettermen Club and Association of Black Students offer series of events to commemorate and advocate AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR
Black History Month at Wilfrid Laurier University ended with a series of events from the Laurier Lettermen Club (LLC) on Feb. 27 and Laurier’s Association of Black Students (ABS) on Mar. 1, which took place at The Turret on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. The events brought together students to honour the achievements and culture, as well as recognize the lived struggles, that People of Colour (PoC) have and continue to experience across the world. The LLC organized a Black History Month speaker panel through the combined efforts of Cedaleia Graham and Osayi Iginuan, executive members for school-day games at LLC. “We had some speakers that came to speak, to make us aware of some of the struggles that they have gone through to get to the positions that they are in today,” Graham said. “They’re all African-American. They came and spoke to our audience and were pretty much explaining the ways that they achieved what they did, in terms of some struggles that they went through; so, [for example,] not getting recognition for certain things that they should have as opposed to their white counterparts.” The event had a good turnout, with audience members responding positively and showing a lot of appreciation for the speakers that came to share their stories. “I know a lot of people in the crowd were able to relate and share their own experiences, so I think
that’s just really important and sends such a strong message to our students,” Graham said. The ABS held their annual culture show, which celebrated the various cultures of black students within the Laurier community. “We have performances: we have dancers, singers, spoken word [performances], fashion shows … It’s a fun night; usually, afterwards, we have an afterparty,” said Ashley Bello, president of ABS.
I feel like it’s important for everyone to be able to know and appreciate all the different cultures that do occur on our Laurier campus. -Cedalieia Graham, executive member, school-day games, LLC
Celebrating the culture and achievements of the black community is an important aspect of Black History Month, which Bello says is often left under-discussed. “I feel like black people, in general, have had a lot of large contributions to the world today that we live in, as well as on this campus. I feel like it’s very necessary that we are able to celebrate those things,” Bello said. The ABS held a series of events throughout the month, including their “The Beating the Odds” on Feb. 8, which celebrated its
thirteenth anniversary, as well as a screening of the film Moonlight on Feb. 27. Other events included “Freedom is a Constant Struggle: A Talk with Angela Davis” on Feb. 26, a speaker event at the University of Guelph, through the collaborative efforts of Laurier’s Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the University of Guelph’s Office of Intercultural Affairs, as well as the Laurier Student Opportunities for Unity and Leadership’s (SOUL) “Black History Month Gala” on Feb. 28. Raising awareness for the month, especially given that both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses have such a diverse student population, means that events like these are significant for Graham. “It is important for us to spread this awareness to all students, not just African American students. I feel like it’s important for everyone to be able to know and appreciate all the different cultures that do occur on our Laurier campus,” Graham said. With the success of the events, both organizations are looking optimistically to the future, in the hope that they will be able to hold more outside of Black History Month. “We’re really encouraging it through Lettermen — not just for Black History Month, but for all of our students to just be able to be appreciative for their culture, their race — and even in terms of some of the things that they celebrate and support that other students may not,” Graham said. “I think It’s important for us to show that we’re in this for that.”
DOTUN JIDE/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
The Association of Black Students (ABS) hosted their annual culture show.
7 •
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
Arts & Life
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR EMILY WAITSON arts@thecord.ca
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Coffee spots in Waterloo that you’ll love a latte DIANA EDWORTHY STAFF WRITER
The coffee shop scene in uptown Waterloo is filled with great drinks and fun aesthetics. If you walk down King Street, you’ll find ample options to study, hang out with friends or just grab a quick treat for yourself. Every coffee shop has its own style and unique features. Oftentimes during midterms and exams, it can be hard to find any space to study on campus. Why not venture off campus and into the local businesses that make uptown Waterloo so special? Death Valley’s Little Brother, or DVLB, starts off the coffee shop crawl with coffee and whiskey. This rustic looking shop has a wide variety of coffee and alcohol-based beverages to choose from, depending on the mood you’re in. DVLB has a good amount of room to study, but don’t be surprised to see it filled with people. Further up King Street, you’ll hit Princess Café. Conveniently located at the Princess Cinema, this is the perfect place to grab a treat before seeing a movie with your friends or significant other.
The Princess also has lots of seating and food options if you need somewhere to camp out for an extra-long exam study session. If you’re looking for somewhere that has space for your study group and has a plethora of food and drink options, Settlement Co. will be your go-to coffee shop.
The Princess also has lots of seating and food options if you need somewhere to camp our for an extra-long exam study session.
One of the highlights of Settlement Co. is their selection of dessert waffle creations with everything from cinnamon roll to cookies and cream. Right next door to Settlement Co. is BRCH. With its minimalist aesthetic and simple menu, BRCH serves coffee and tea by day and
natural wine by night. BRCH has a ton of plant-based and vegan-friendly options for their drinks and snacks, perfect for anyone who has dietary restrictions. BRCH has a big table and lots of natural light which is great for studying or a good Instagram picture. Finally, if you just need somewhere to stop in for a coffee and a pastry, check out the Bauer Bakery and Café, attached to the Bauer Kitchen. Bauer’s pastry chefs fill their showcase every morning with cookies, cakes, sandwiches and a weekly feature item. There’s not much room to study here, but it’s the perfect place for a caffeine pick me up and a snack. As a student in Waterloo, it’s easy to just spend time on campus or in a nearby Starbucks to get coffee or get some work done, but there are so many great places just a few steps, or a few bus stops away that students should be more eager to take advantage of. If you’re looking for good food and coffee and a unique atmosphere that you can’t find on campus, don’t hesitate to explore the options in the Waterloo community.
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8 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
MUSEUMS
SAFINA HUSEIN/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Bleeding for your art: FLOW exhibit uses menstruation for creative expression EMILY WAITSON ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR
On Mar. 6, THEMUSEUM will be unveiling a new art exhibition that intends to encourage an open conversation about menstruation and foster acceptance for a natural bodily function that’s been historically viewed negatively. The project, “FLOW: The Menstruation Exhibit,” will showcase a collection of art installations which display the experience of periods through a variety of media including performance, dance, paint and embroidery. These pieces will explore the topic of monthly bleeding and reproductive health by attempting to challenge period perceptions in contemporary society, as well as foster an educational environment where surveyors can learn from the
art that’s displayed. The title sponsor of the installation is Diva International Inc., which is headquartered in Waterloo and is the maker of the acclaimed period product, DivaCup. Their sponsorship is fitting, given the contributions they are currently providing for the menstrual care industry. The exhibition design was created by local artist Andrea Deering, a Kitchener-Waterloo graphic designer, and was curated by Virginia Eichhorn. Plans for the installation have been in the works for over a year, and Eichhorn is pleased with the direction the exhibition will take. “A lot of what we wanted to do was to de-stigmatize conversations around menstruation and also to bring in really a strong educational component of it as well. We’re
looking at environmental impact, we’re looking at health, we are looking at all different aspects as to what is involved with menstruation,” Eichhorn said. The exhibit also focalizes important and somewhat shocking — by today’s standards at least — views on menstrual health throughout the ages of history in Western society and other cultures. “Some of the works that are involved touch on historical aspects and considerations. Looking at menses as an indicator of female health and also looking at the stigma and the fact that women were made to feel shameful about it,” Eichhorn said. “So, looking at rituals, different cultures and also even just fun things — there [are] some historic advertisements that we’re gonna be including that are just kind of
crazy ideas.” The art that was in the process of being displayed was varied, shameless and refreshingly raw. While menstruation is often treated as an embarrassing aspect of womanhood and existence as a human being who happens to bleed once a month, this art does not shy away from the reality of periods. The mixed media that is featured maintains individuality to the respective artists and represents different aspects of the period experience. From the ritualistic elements to the confrontational directness of menstruation maintenance, the exhibit is compelling even before its completion. THEMUSEUM is also accepting personal stories from people in the community who wish to share
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their thoughts in an effort to make menstruation discussion less taboo. Furthering their positive period agenda, THEMUSEUM encourages those interested in viewing the exhibit to donate a period product on March 8, 12 or 26 to receive a discounted admission rate of five dollars. The exhibit will be open to the public until May 28, providing KW with a progressive display of menstruation inspired art. Eichhorn hopes that people will gain an understanding from the art of what women have had to go through over time simply for dealing with a bodily function they can’t control. “But also what women deal with and [what] wasn’t spoken about, but was a real part of life,” Eichhorn said.
ARTS & LIFE • 9
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 LOCAL
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
New band tackles Kitchener-Waterloo music scene
No Service is a budding band that’s quickly gaining traction with their live shows and new singles DYLAN KAVALSKY STAFF WRITER
Talented new bands are making their way into my Apple Music library, and not all of them come from faraway places. No Service is an innovative rock band from Kitchener that formed in April 2018, and it consists of five members: Alex, Sam, Max, Evan and Keegan. Alex Hobson sings and plays the guitar, Sam Morin plays the guitar and the keyboard, Max Cadilha plays the guitar, Evan Fernandes plays the bass and Keegan Gingrich plays the drums. The band often switches up which person plays each instrument, which lets them have very flexible setup. These guys are ambitious and very passionate about playing music. Over the past 10 months, they’ve released two new singles and have played live shows at several local venues around Kitchener and Waterloo, including Maxwell’s and The Boathouse. They also have an EP coming out mid-March this year, which will feature five songs. It’s hard to categorize the kind of music that they play, since they don’t really stick to one genre or style.
We hope that people connect with our music and it touches them the same way that it emotionally touches us. -Keegan Gingrich, drums, No Service
“We’re kind of an amalgamation of a couple different bands’ influences because we all kind of have varying styles from different places,” Hobson said. Blink 182, Arkells and the Eagles, are just a few of the artists that
have influenced their style in some shape or form. Through it all though, they have their own signature sound and you can hear it in their two new singles. The first one is called “Caught in
We’re kind of an amalgamation of a couple different bands’ influences because we all kind of have varying styles from different places. -Alex Hobson, lead vocals, No Service
the Moment,” and it’s truly about getting caught in the moment while you’re playing live music. “I always wanted to write a song that was just about tackling the stage fright and embracing the adrenaline for when you get onstage,” Hobson said. The second one is called “Staircase Girl,” and it was released Feb. 22. This one you can really bob your head and dance to. “Out of all of the five songs, it’s definitely the most radio-friendly,” Hobson said. Both songs can be listened to on Spotify, Apple Music and SoundCloud. Being in a band hasn’t just given these guys an opportunity to make new music that we all can listen to — it has also given them an opportunity to grow as people. “I think that it’s taught all of us a bit more of how to be really responsible and how to take initiative in ways ... because it’s a lot more than just the music that people will hear and that we play live ... there’s so much preparation that goes behind it,” Cadilha said. Their story is far from over; with their passion for music and sizeable collection of unfinished projects, they have big plans, and they’re willing to see where it all goes. “At the end of the day, we don’t
care where we’re playing as long as we have fun and we know that the stuff we’re making is the best stuff that we can create in sharing our
thoughts and our emotions with our people,” Gingrich said. “I think that’s the biggest thing for us. We hope that people con-
nect with our music and it touches them the same way that it emotionally touches us.”
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum. All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord. ca no later than Monday at noon each week. Dear Life, The Shamrock Shake has been know to turn poop green/gray
ber?
Dear McCafe,
Sincerely, News Editor
You are half the reason behind America’s obesity problem; the other half is the McDonald’s dollar menu.
Dear Mayley “The Gold Standard” HcGoldrick, You better come to VA’s so we can drunkenly cry about how much we’re going to miss having you here or I swear I will hunt you down. P.S. You will be successful in everything that you do, please let us come visit you on your private boat one day. Sincerely, NewsCrew4Lyfe
Sincerely, Found out the scary way
Dear Time of the Month,
Dear Laurier,
Stop it.
Please change your toilet paper to a stronger ply. I’m tired of it ripping every time I go to use the bathroom or blow my nose. Sincerely,
Sincerely, Flow
More Fragile Than My Mental State Dear Arts & Life Editor,
Dear Starbucks,
SUDOKU
Sincerely, Starbucks Dear Tim Hortons, Your line isn’t long because your product is good, it’s long because your service is slow. Sincerely, Williams Dear Williams, We serve more people in an hour than you’ll see all day. Sincerely, Tim Hortons Dear News Queen,
I don’t what costs more: tuition or a venti latte.
Production isn’t the same without you, please never miss another one again or I will cry. P.S. Your ass is outta this world
Sincerely, McCafe
Sincerely, You’re biggest fan
You’re a cutie, what’s your num-
THE CORD.CA
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
12 •
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR ALYSSA DI SABATINO opinion@thecord.ca
Editor’s Note: Prioritizing SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sometimes, taking the two-per cent isn’t that bad. I tend to say these words to myself frequently. When I was in high school, I would say I was a pretty motivated student. I studied hard and got pretty good grades; but I prioritized school over everything — work, extracurriculars and my social life. When I got to university and realized that getting the same grades that I did in high school would not always be feasible, I began to find it easier to slack off. When I came to Laurier, my interests also began to disperse from what I was studying in school. I was therefore far more interested in the extracurriculars and work that I was doing aside from school, which is why I’ve always seemed to put academics second. In my opinion, the work I do here at The Cord is almost just as valuable — if not more valuable — as the things I am learning in my classes. When choosing to work or join extracurriculars while in school — especially if taking a full course load — is quite the commitment. And by making that commitment, I believe it’s important to follow
through on your responsibilities and complete your commitments to the best of your ability. However, for me, I often put school on the back burner in order to prioritize my job and other components of my life. I have an essay due tomorrow as I write this. And although school is important to me, so are many other things. Today is my girlfriend’s birthday and the day we produce the paper. So tonight, instead of going home and finishing my essay all night, I’m choosing to take the two per cent and celebrate with her instead after taking my time to focus on making the paper. I’ve found that, for me, having a more balanced life in which school is not my first and only priority makes me more happy. I don’t often pull all-nighters to study, and instead, try to plan ahead to study as much as I can and to the best of my ability without stressing myself out too much. Even more importantly, this has left me more time to focus on things that add positivity to my life, such as spending more time with friends, getting physical exercise, etc. Putting school second isn’t for everyone — especially those looking to pursue further education. However, for me, it works. Focusing on things that make me happy is a solid payoff for getting a grade slightly less higher than what I could have gotten.
EDITORIAL CARTOON
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Changing old habits for the best ALYSSA DI SABATINO OPINION EDITOR
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The differences between high school me and university me are plentiful, but I think the most profound one may be my newfound organizational skills, on more than one level. I used to be a messy person, although I’m sure my roommates might have a hard time believing this. My bedroom was always in a state of disarray, I had little motivation to go to class, and overall, found it hard to put effort into most things. I found general neatness and self management as a whole very burdensome. The chaos of my physical spaces made the chaos in my mentality worse. University for me was a chance to master new skills, and change old habits. This pretty much began with me making an effort to be as organized as I felt it was possible. In first year I remember making an effort to make my bed every morning, something I rarely made a habit of doing prior to living in residence.
Because university was supposed to be a chance for me to start over in a way, I didn’t want to jeopardize that by not fixing my faults to the best of my ability. I think one of my underlying goals coming into residence was being as considerate of a roommate as possible, and being able to maintain your environment and be as personally responsible for your mess is a huge part of being considerate. My roommates and I would all sit in each other’s rooms and talk for hours, and having visitors in my personal space made me value the tidiness of my bedroom. Living with others definitely became a motivating factor for me to upkeep my space. By keeping my environment clean and neat, I find that it makes me feel less overwhelmed all together. I personally find it hard to study and focus in an area that isn’t organized. I feel like my environment directly affects my quality of work. During midterm season or the end of term, it definitely becomes harder to maintain my normal routine, but in the long run I know that any environmental disorganization only works to further make a mess of my mental state. Obviously your environment can’t create something that isn’t already there. If you’re stressed,
having a clean room won’t remedy that altogether, but having an orderly environment might work to encourage productivity. It’s also worth acknowledging that having a clean room isn’t possible for some people, especially if they’re suffering from mental illness. There’s a level of monotony associated with having a cleaning routine, and for someone with a mental illness, it might be especially draining to keep up with routine tasks. If someone is feeling overwhelmed, it might be harder to find the time or motivation to clean and organize. The best approach in cases like these is to make small steps towards being orderly, and cleaning in manageable bursts. Letting things slip every once in a while is pretty normal, especially for busy students. Unless it’s becoming concerning to you, then making a mess every once in a while is truly no harm. At the end of the day, I suppose having a mess is only a problem if it’s bothering you, or affecting your roommates. If the mess doesn’t bother you, it’s likely not a big deal. But there’s no harm in trying to change old habits and better yourself in the process, even if it’s as simple as cleaning up after yourself.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
• 13
Opinion
OPINION EDITOR ALYSSA DI SABATINO opinion@thecord.ca
Are billionaires responsible for sharing their wealth? ELIZA MORATZ STAFF WRITER
What can someone buy with $1 billion? Approximately 1,100 houses in Toronto. 140,000 years of tuition at WLU. A luxurious steak dinner, for three meals a day, for 9000 years. It’s hard to comprehend, but a billion dollars is an absurd amount of money. More than any individual can spend in a year, maybe a lifetime, even when living the most lavish lifestyle. Despite this, our society has created the conditions that allow numerous people to earn this much, and more, at the expense of the rest of the population. Jeff Bezos, the Founder and CEO of Amazon.com, is worth $125 billion. In 2017, he made almost $20 billion. That’s about $55 million a day. If he worked 24/7, with no breaks or sleep, that would be $40,000 a second. In two seconds, he will make more than the average Canadian does in an entire year. According to Business Insider, the source of Bezos’ wealth is listed as “self-
made,” along with many other people on the list of the richest in the world, such as Bill Gates. While there’s no doubt that many of the richest people in the world have added tremendous value — I’m sure the world would look a lot different without Amazon or Microsoft — but that doesn’t mean they are worth billions of dollars. Billionaires like Bezos and Gates are not solely responsible for creating their wealth. Often forgotten are the workers in offices and factories, here and around the world, making minimum wage (or less). These workers create value for their companies, and by paying them less than their worth, those at the top are able to profit on the value of their labour — and use it to buy their second, third or fourth yacht. In both America and Canada, along with most other countries, tax rates are progressive. This means that each bracket is taxed at a different rate, getting progressively higher as you make more money. As many of the world’s richest are in the US, let’s take a look at their federal tax rates. In 2019, anything an American makes over $500,000 is taxed at a rate of about 40 per cent. This may seem like a lot, but compare it to
the 1944-45 rate of 94 per cent for any income above $200,000 ($2.4 million in 2009 dollars). In recent years, politicians, such as President Trump, have promised to increase taxes for the richest in society, but that still doesn’t mean they’re paying their fair share. And while corporations have their own tax laws, many still manage to find a way around paying. It’s likely that Amazon will not have to pay any federal income tax for 2018, despite the fact that is made over $11 billion in profit. Does that really seem fair? In a world where one in 10 people are undernourished; where 80 per cent of the world lives on less than $10 a day; where 22,000 children die each day due to poverty; where approximately 35,000 people are homeless on any given night in Canada, we must consider if we have a moral responsibility to share this wealth. I’m not an expert in economics, or wealth inequality, or taxes. People can argue about the value that these people bring to the world, and that it’s not the place of us, or the government, to take this money away from them. Yet, I can’t help but feel like we have an obligation to do something. When some people make more than the GDP of entire countries,
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Stop silencing male abuse victims
ALYSSA DI SABATINO OPINION EDITOR
Actor Brendan Fraser recently revealed that he was a victim of sexual assault at the hands of former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, HFPA for short. Fraser, who has been in many notable movies, including The Mummy and George of the Jungle, revealed the details of his assault in an interview with GQ.
He said the assault occurred in public, but despite this he felt stuck, and was overwhelmed with panic and fear, leading to inaction in the situation. Fraser’s story isn’t a one time thing. Hollywood is rife with abusers who take advantage of actors and actresses in positions of subordination. Fraser’s abuser denied all allegations though, despite there being witnesses who reported the groping. I originally read his account of the assault on a Facebook post, and while I read many comments that sympathized with him and commended him for his bravery in speaking out, I still saw a fair amount of posts saying things like
“men can’t be assaulted” or “be a man and fight back.” Another comment said he acted like a “girl” for not resisting. These comments are problematic for many reasons. First, men can be assaulted and it’s not as uncommon as might be believed. One in 6 men is reported to have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime; this number is not far off from female assault rates. Sexual assault has nothing to do with “being a man,” because being a man does not grant immunity from assault. The notion of men being hyper-sexual all the time works to let assaulters off the hook, under the assumption that the victim must
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
and other individuals are struggling to put food on the table, the system is broken. So, what can be done? On a personal level, it doesn’t seem like much (unless you’re prepared to become the new Robin Hood and rob Jeff Bezos to redistribute his wealth). However, we can become aware of how our system is failing
most people in favour of the most elite. We can support politicians who care about the working and middle class more than their corporate donors. And we can call for higher tax rates for the most wealthy in society, and for that money to go towards things that benefit the most vulnerable.
have “wanted it.” The commenter who said Fraser was acting like a “girl” for not fighting back implied that he was being unmanly, but also implied that girls are supposed to be passive and willing victims. Fraser said he was inspired to come forward after seeing women at the Golden Globes in January wearing all black. This movement was named #AskHerMore, in solidarity with the #MeToo movement. It was done to inspire interviewers to ask women about more than just what they wore to the event, as a protest to gender inequality in the industry. After Fraser came out publicly with the allegations, the HFPA investigated their former president and ultimately found him not guilty, making the assault out to be nothing more than a friendly joke, to which Fraser said “I don’t get the joke.” Neither do I. Whether the former president was joking or not, intention doesn’t matter. What matters is the impact it had. Fraser isn’t the only male actor to come out and bravely speak on their assault. Terry Crews recounted his assault at the hands of an unnamed Hollywood agent back in 2016. When Crews, a former NFL player, was asked why he didn’t fight back he said that violence would only have worked to hurt his reputation and career. Still, he reported the assault but nothing came of it. Even though Crews’ report was ignored, he has continued to testify
on his experience and speak out for other victims of assault, both male and female. He spoke out before a Senate hearing for a proposed legislation known as the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights. He told the committee “the assault lasted only minutes, but what [my assaulter] was effectively telling me … was that he held the power. That he was in control.” One committee member referred to Crews as “big and powerful,” failing to understand why he was unable to resist being violated. But size, power or gender has nothing to do with it when someone else is in a position of control. This is where peoples’ concepts of masculinity fail them. Societal expectations of what a man should and shouldn’t do or be only works to disarm men against abuse and pain. Crews has also called on both victims and perpetrators to speak more openly about sexual assault in order to lessen the stigma faced by survivors. Open dialogue in an industry that works to protect abusers from punishment is exactly what should be happening. If survivors don’t speak up, abusers are excused. Vulnerability in this sense does not equate to weakness. It takes strength to speak up against your abuser in front of the whole world. If men aren’t given allowance to speak on their experiences, good or bad, then society has failed them.
14
•
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
You shouldn’t mourn people while they are still alive HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR
I’ve always had this philosophy that you shouldn’t mourn people while they’re alive. It seems like a pretty obvious concept, but the amount of times I’ve seen my friends and members of my family severely distraught baffles me. That’s not to say people can’t have emotions – I lack a majority of the key ones most people have, but every time a little kid gets to meet his sports hero, I usually tear up a little bit. With that being said, my point is that I find too often people act like people have already passed when in reality they’re still alive, they’re just a shell of their former self. Take my family for example; in 2011, my granny moved out of our house into a nursing home as she had dementia. My father was her primary caretaker, but as he had to work in a city 45 minutes away at the time,
he felt it was his only option. We would go visit her every day, and at first, we seemed to bawl our eyes out after every visit. Once a nurse told us that it didn’t matter if she thought it was Christmas or she thought dead people were still alive, how did that affect our lives? We knew the truth and telling her she was wrong only agitated her. Once we learned that, it made our visits so much better. We would go see her every single day, despite my dad coaching both of the rep sports I played. I would show up in my uniform before a game just to say hi. It didn’t matter that she had no concept of the outside world, we just wanted to spend time with her. There was no point in getting upset when she was still here. She passed seven years ago, and I would do anything to give her a hug one last time. Now, my mom is going through the same thing with my nana. She is also suffering from dementia, as well as the added diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, so my nana is currently in the hospital. I’ve seen her twice now since she’s been admitted, and the first time
my sister was in tears. My nana didn’t look great, she had an oxygen mask on, and she looked distraught. It’s not the “same” nana who travelled with us to Punta Cana just four short years ago for my mother’s wedding, the same nana who used to drive two hours from Oshawa just to spend a few days with us to “get away from her husband.” Everyone is up in arms about how my nana isn’t how she used to be. But in my opinion, she’s still alive isn’t she? I don’t see a point in mourning about someone’s past and how they’ve changed when they’re still alive. I still get to hold her hand and tell her I love her. Sure, she can’t do 90 per cent of the things she used to, but as long as she’s still on this earth I refuse to shed a tear. I won’t let something like dementia make me sad when I still have the physical person in front of me. My nana may not remember that her husband visited earlier that day, but she still is witty enough to force my mom and I to crack a smile and that’s all we can ask for. There are many people on the planet who lose parents, children
JACKIE VANG/FILE PHOTO
and siblings way too young. So for me to be upset about someone who is still alive seems so silly.
As long as I can cherish the time I have with someone while they’re still on this earth, I will have nothing but happiness within me.
15 •
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR PRANAV DESAI sports@thecord.ca
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Golden Hawks’ magical season ends against Ryerson ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
For the first time since 1976, the Laurier Golden Hawks men’s basketball squad hosted an OUA semi-final and in front of a full house at the Athletic Complex, the #8 ranked Golden Hawks did not disappoint in giving an exciting one against the #3 Ryerson Rams, falling 99-84 in a valiant effort. To the surprise of some, Laurier seemed to be the team ready and unbothered by the moment. On the other hand, Ryerson and their veteran-laden squad seemed rattled to start committing five turnovers in the first 4:07 of the game, three of them by star big man Tanor Ngom.
The problem was our defense. We had too many ups and downs, they made some tough shots, kudos to them, they did a great job. -Justin Serresse, Laurier men’s varsity basketball head coach
“I thought it was great. We didn’t come out nervous. Everybody was playing with confidence and we executed keeping them on the outside, challenged as much as possible and really trying to get the rebounds. They got rattled and they went away from what typically worked for them and they had to go to option B, sometimes option C and that’s what we wanted. To really push them to things that they maybe didn’t really wanna do at first and I was happy with that,” coach Serresse stated. The issue for Laurier not being able to take advantage of such a moment was foul trouble as Ryerson went 11-11 from the free throw line in the first quarter alone, carrying them to a 21-17 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was a nightmare of a quarter for the Golden Hawks. Ryerson opened up with a 5-0 run in 22 seconds (8:21 to 7:59) to push the lead to nine. From there, Jayden Frederick took over for the Rams as he had 13 points in the quarter and was red hot from three. Laurier also struggled to stop the bleeding as Ryerson outscored the Hawks 33-18 to go up 54-35 going into halftime. “Funny enough, we got nervous in the second quarter. Some foul trouble, some lineups that I wasn’t really a fan of, we didn’t really have a choice, we tried to go to certain matchups but it didn’t really work out the way we wanted and we just put our head down a little bit too. It’s tough in the first half when you only have two timeouts. I burned one early and then burned another one, they kept making runs, so
realistically, it was all about trying to show a vibe that that’s a bad quarter, knowing we were gonna make a run at one point,” coach Serresse said. The third quarter started out as an extension of what Ryerson was able to do in the second. Another 5-0 run to start with a JV Mukama dunk and Frederick three ball pushed the lead to 24. Laurier after this point showed the fight they really had in them. Slowly but surely, the Hawks cut into the lead. This was aided by a Ben Stevens poster of Tanor Ngom which had the Athletic Complex on another level of noise and energy. There was a feeling of hope. The big dunk was part of an 8-0 run, which was later followed by a Kemel Archer and-one that cut the lead to 12. It was a game now and everyone knew it. A Ryerson 8-0 run pushed them back but Laurier answered with another 8-0 run topped off by a Chuder Teny three-pointer that cut the lead to eight points. In the fourth, it was a continuous back and forth as Laurier at one point cut the lead to five points with the score being 85-80. Ryerson took over from there as Keevon Small and Jayden Frederick hit three three-pointers to push the lead to 94-80. The Hawks could not recover as Ryerson helped themselves to another OUA title game, eliminating the Hawks. “We knew we were gonna have a chance to win if we were in the 80s and that’s what we did. The problem was our defense. We had too many ups and downs, they made some tough shots, kudos to them, they did a great job. Just too many mental mistakes within the game plan that gave them open shots on top of them making the tough ones and that’s why we gave up 99 points and it’s going to be tough win a playoff game if we do that.”
... obviously as we get better, we earn the respect and that’s something we use to get ourselves motivated and to work harder. -Justin Serresse, Laurier men’s varsity basketball head coach
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“In terms of getting respect, overall, obviously as we get better, we earn the respect and that’s something we use to get ourselves motivated and to work harder. Again, it showed tonight that we’re capable to compete but now a lot of teams can do that. It’s about consistency and we were consistently competing this year, way more than prior years. But I think we can still do a better job,” coach Serresse concluded.
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16 • SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019
MIDDLE-DISTANCE
Sydney Pattison makes history at OUA championships OLIVIA JONES STAFF WRITER
Standing on the podium to accept a championship medal is a great accomplishment for any athlete, but for third-year runner Sydney Pattison receiving a bronze medal at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Track and Field Championship also marked a significant moment in Golden Hawk history. During the weekend of Feb. 23 to 24, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawk middle-distance team competed at the OUA Track and Field Championship at York University. Pattison brought home a bronze medal in the women’s 1500-metre race with a time of 4:32.74. Her medal achievement signifies the first championship medal in the 10-year history of the Golden Hawks middle-distance program. “It didn't set in at first, but now I’m realizing how big of a deal it is and it’s just really cool,” Pattison expressed while speaking of her historic accomplishment. The race was close from the start. Pattison staying within strides of Dana Earhart of Guelph and Kristina Popadich of Western, who were also on the track giving their all. Championship track races are different than regular season track races in terms of tactic. Athletes begin to shift their focus from speed to strategy because they are
EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR
no longer running for a time, they are running to claim a lustrous championship medal. “Every time the front two girls made a move to try and separate themselves I made sure I went with them because I knew if I missed it once it was gone,” Pattison shared, talking about her racing strategy. Through that last lap Pattison
realized there was only two people running with her and thought to herself: “I’m getting a medal, I just don't know what colour it’s going to be.” Pattison, Earhart and Popadich all bought the heat within the exhilarating final sprint to the finish line, finishing within one second of one another.
For Pattison this track season has been both exciting and unexpected. “I knew I could do it all along, it’s just this [race] finally gave me the push, and I actually showed myself that I could do it,” Pattison said. Pattison has come a long way since her rookie season in 2016-17. She is a sheer example of how
time, consistency and effort can lead you toward an outcome that you may have never expected for yourself. “I was just happy to even make a team in first year, and now I’m going to nationals. I did not expect that; I just wanted to run.” Next up for Pattison is the U-Sports Track and Field Championship at the University of Manitoba from March 7-9. She is ranked eighth in the country with her season best time of 4:28.70. Pattison is the only Laurier middle distance runner, male or female, to represent the Golden Hawks at the championship, which is another historic moment in and of itself. Pattison hopes to either tie or beat her eighth place ranking during the 1500-metre race scheduled for Saturday. “It’s a championship race, so anything could happen. It could go out very slow and then change in the last two laps, or it can go out very fast. So I’m just kind of like going in expecting anything to happen. I’m just trying to stay with the group.” Like Pattison said, it’s a championship race and anything could happen. With the right race she may even have the capacity to make Golden Hawk middle distance history happen once again.
ALUMNI
Golden Hawks shine on national and international stage PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
Former Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawk curling alumna Sarah Wilkes won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts championship on Sunday, Feb. 24 as a member of Team Alberta.Team Alberta were trailing 5-1 at one point in the finals against Team Ontario. However, Wilkes helped her team complete the biggest comeback in the his-
tory of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts finals, as Team Alberta won by a final score of 8-6. Wilkes was recently nominated in the Golden Hawk Hall of Fame in 2018, and this accomplishment is just another award that will be added on to a magnificent curling career. During her time at Laurier, Wilkes led the Golden Hawks to three national curling championships — more than any athlete in the school’s history.
There were also two other former Hawks at the Scotties, including Cheryl Kreviazuk as a member of runners-up Team Ontario, and Jen Gates as a member of Team Northern Ontario. Wilkes will now advance with Team Alberta and represent Canada at the Ford World Curling Championships in Denmark, which take place from March 16 to 24. Sarah Wilkes isn’t the only Hawk who has shined at the national and
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international stage in recent weeks. Current Laurier Golden Hawks men’s hockey forward Danny Hanlon is representing Canada at the twenty-ninth Winter Universiade. The Winter Universiade is an international competition between youth players, and it is taking place this year from March 2 to 12 in Russia. Hanlon helped Team Canada get off to a great start at the Winter Universiade, as he scored two goals in an emphatic 13-0 for Canada
over Great Britain on March 2. Canada then followed up with a 6-1 victory over Latvia, as Hanlon added another goal to his international resume. Hanlon had an impressive 2018-19 season for the Hawks. The third-year forward contributed with eight goals and seven assists in 28 regular season games played. The Waterloo native is making Laurier proud it is going to be exciting to see how far Team Canada can go.
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