THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 57 ISSUE 13 • NOVEMBER 23, 2016
MISSING PIECES Exploring the student housing nightmare in Waterloo Features, page 11
BOOKSTORE THIEF
EULOGY FOR A POPULAR APP
A TRIP TO STARS HOLLOW
GOLDEN WINGS CLIPPED
$31,000 theft case from 2014 resurfaces
Investigating the rise and fall of Vine
Hopes and fears for the Gilmore Girls revival
Laurier loses to Laval in Uteck Bowl
News, page 5
Arts & Life, page 13
Opinion, page 17
Sports, page 20
2 •
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
VOCAL CORD
What is the worst excuse you’ve heard to get out of going on a date?
@cordnews
The Cord
@cordwlusp
CordNews
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
“My pet died.” –Adriana Marich, second-year sociology
“Their goldfish died and they were really close with them.”
PAIGE BUSH/PHOTO EDITOR
–Rutik Patel, fourthyear biology
“Someone told me that they had a broken bone.” –John Long, first-year economics
“The worst excuse is that someone had diarrhea.” –Georgia Grundnanis, second-year business administration
Compiled by Safina Husein Photos by Marco Pedri
NEXT ISSUE: NOVEMBER 30, 2016
CORD STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bethany Bowles editor@thecord.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR Will Huang creative@thecord.ca WEB DIRECTOR Brian Phillips online@thecord.ca SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Severin news@thecord.ca NEWS EDITOR Emilia Curcic news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Maddy Cutts news@thecord.ca FEATURES EDITOR Mitchell Consky features@thecord.ca ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Manjot Bhullar arts@thecord.ca OPINION EDITOR Madeline McInnis opinion@thecord.ca SPORTS EDITOR Rob Fifield sports@thecord.ca GRAPHICS EDITOR Fani Hsieh graphics@thecord.ca PHOTO EDITOR Paige Bush photos@thecord.ca ONLINE EDITOR
WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Last weekend, the Laurier football team was defeated by Laval in the Uteck Bowl, hosted by the Laval Rouge et Or. This loss wrapped up the season.
CLASSIFIED FREE WORKPLACE communication classes for permanent residents with a professional background in the health care industry OR working with youth. For more information, contact Marta Wilkinson at OSLT@conestogac.on.ca or 416-729-2806.
Andreas Patsiaouros online@thecord.ca VIDEO EDITOR Vacant editor@thecord.ca LEAD REPORTER Safina Husein news@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Marco Pedri photos@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Emi Zibaei photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Christian Paron copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Brittany Ditizio socialmedia@thecord.ca
CONTRIBUTORS Philip Su Serena Truong Sam Tundup Emily Waitson Josh Goeree Erick Flockhart Dylan Hines Abdulhamid Ibrahim Chad Butt Alex Trkulja Luke Sarazin Tanzeel Sayani Nathalie Bouchard Shalayna Treford-Ladd Shanaya Vanhooren Karlis Wilde Alexa Woluszuk Zachary Habayeb Kayla Hegarty Brigette Kloss Mira Busscher Anita Gogia Garrison Oosterof
EDITOR’S CHOICE: COLOPHON “Purple and gold off to impressive start,” by Abdulhamid Ibrahim
EDITOR’S CHOICE ONLINE: “Search is on for Laurier’s new president” by Maddy Cutts, links inserted by Andreas Patsiaouros
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
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: “I really like staying here late. You get to try out your comedy, you know? Try something new, week after week.” - Arts & Life Editor, Manjot Bhullar, about working for The Cord
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
News
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR KAITLYN SEVERIN news@thecord.ca
• 3 NEWS EDITOR EMILIA CURCIC news@thecord.ca
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR MADDY CUTTS news@thecord.ca
FUNDRAISING
Preparing for another cacti sellout Rotoract Club is set to host third cacti and succulent sale after two successful events SAFINA HUSEIN LEAD REPORTER
Due to the popularity and success of their first sale, Rotaract decided to host another cacti and succulent sale this year. Wilfrid Laurier University Rotaract Their second sale took place this Club will be hosting their third past Nov. 8 and they brought in cacti and succulent sale on Dec. approximately 150 of the plants. 1 weeks after having two majorly Within two hours of launching successful fundraiser sales in the the events Facebook page, over concourse. 1,400 people Last winter were interested term, the club and over 600 had held their very clicked to say first fundraisthey were planer cactus sale, which was shockning on attendingly successful ing the event. in regards to Before the sale We had no idea how the huge buzz it had even started, many we should have created among a large lineup students around of people had or if it would even campus. formed across create a buzz or “We had no the concourse. anything like that. idea how many “That was a bit we should have of another shock. or if it would After we had sold -Asad Raza, even create a out, there were president of Rotaract Club buzz or anything still so many like that, so we people in line or went with 40 on Facebook who and thought that said they really would be a good wanted to buy a starting point,” cacti or succulent said Asad Raza, president of Rotawho didn’t get one,” said Raza. Rotaract then decided to host ract Club. a third cacti and succulent sale The Rotaract Club members had planned to be in the Concourse the this coming Dec. 1 for those who missed out. entire day selling the cacti; howev“We’re structuring it a little bit er, they were surprised that within differently, what we’re doing is the first 45 minutes their entire since we have other events for the supply of cacti had been sold. club as well, we want to tie them in “It was something we really together,” said Raza. didn’t expect because our club The club plans hadn’t been that on handing out active on campre-sale tickets pus up until that to their cacti point,” said Raza. and succulent sale at their
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Professional Development event on Nov. 28, which will take place prior to the main sale. Some of the individuals who come out to their networking event will have first access to the plants the next day. The main sale will then take place on Dec.1. Eligible individuals for the presale include the first 50 to show up to the Professional Development event. Proceeds from the upcoming sale will be donated towards Movember. The club has created a Facebook page in support of their upcoming event.
The page has already garnered significant interest among viewers. With over 1000 Laurier students selecting interested on the event page, the turnout expected on the first of December is huge. The prices of the plants will vary from 6 to 10 dollars per plant. The event is expected to runfrom 10 am to 4 pm during the day, however the high interest might cause the event to end early if the club runs out of products to sell. The club feels their unique fundraising strategies account for the large amounts of success they have seen. “I feel like it’s very different. That’s the idea behind it. We started with just cacti, and moving on to the succulents, which has appealed to even a bigger range
of people.” Rotaract strives to support both local and international charities through their community outreach, volunteer work and fundraisers. “We have three type of events every school year, we have fundraising, community outreach and professional development,” said Raza. The Professional Development event will provide students with interview tips, cover letter and resume advice, online branding, and general networking. Rotaract’s community outreach includes working with Homeless for Waterloo, potentially 5 Days for the Homeless and organizations that support youth, such as OneRoof. In addition to their partnership with Rotary Organization, the club makes it a goal to volunteer at Saint John’s Soup Kitchen at least once a month.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGES
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
EVENT
Game night with LSPIRG
LSPRIG hosts launch of BLOC BY BLOC: The Insurrection Game EMILIA CURCIC NEWS EDITOR
Last Wednesday, Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) hosted K-W Launch of BLOC BY BLOC: The Insurrection Game. The game was created by Rocket Lee and Tim Simons as a semi-cooperative strategy board game inspired by twenty-first century urban rebellion, according to the Out of Order Games website. Together, the pair have many years of experience in game design, printing, graphic design, web development and running worker cooperatives. Since its launch in 2015, the game has been promoted through a tour organized by Darius Mirshahi and Sakura Saunders. “The tour has been going relatively well so far. We’ve done events in about six other places. It’s been a pretty good response everywhere. A lot of board game clubs have come out and have been involved in organizing some of the events. It’s been really cool,” said Mirshahi. The stop at Wilfrid Laurier
University was coordinated by LSPIRG’s volunteer and community engagement coordinator, Hannah Batten. “I think the interest in hosting the BLOC BY BLOC event was just to give people the opportunity to play a board game that kind of talks about and has conversations about colonialism and imperialism and capitalism and have a larger scope of a discussion about a political discourse of different movements that have happened throughout the world,” said Batten. “I think the nice thing about it is that it gave people the ability to play a game. I think a lot of people like playing games, while also having conversations around those games and the political ethos around them and the philosophies around them and also to meet other people also thinking about the same kinds of struggles, which I think is really significant and building bridges and connections between people in that way.” The game is currently in board game format, however, individuals are also encouraged to download the game for free from the website and print on their own.
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Due to local sourcing of production and supplies from the United States, the cost of production and distribution is higher. “There is a version that people can download and print online,” said Mirshahi. “Another cool thing about this board, is that it’s not a copy written type thing. The creators of the board game want it to be accessible and license the game under creative commons, so that anyone can print it out themselves if they don’t feel like they can afford to pay for the cost of production.” According to Mirshahi, the game is inspired from real world events in recent history like Tahrir Square in Cairo and Gezi Park in Istanbul. “Some of these movements [sic]
It provided a very interesting learning opportunity for people to engage with various topics in a very different context. -Hannah Batten, LSPIRG volunteer and community engagement coordinator
over the course of the last decade, where people have been working together to try and bring attention to political corruption and social
issues in their countries and have engaged in pretty large demonstrations,” said Mirshahi. “A lot of it is inspired by those events.” All members of the community were encouraged to attend the event. “It provides a neat opportunity and a really interesting opportunity for students and people in the community to engage with various types of conversations and different modalities,” Batten said. “I think often times, our conversations are very academic or sometimes they’re not as accessible to different audiences. It provided a very interesting learning opportunity for people to engage with various topics in a very different context.”
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QUANTUM: THE EXHIBITION
“Will Quantum make medical science more effective?” Welcome to the Quantum Revolution THEMUSEUM.ca
DOWNTOWN KITCHENER
WLUFA and WLU await conciliation KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
There have been minimal updates on the negotiations for a collective agreement between the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (WLUFA) and Wilfrid Laurier University. On Nov. 7, the university announced they would file for conciliation with WLUFA, which is a process by which a union can ask the Ministry of Labour for help in resolving their differences in order to reach an agreement. In October, WLUFA members also voted 95 per cent in favour of authorizing a strike, should it become necessary. Michele Kramer, president of WLUFA, said if a strike should occur, there is a chance of interruption to classes. According to Kramer, it all depends on when a conciliator is appointed and when the conciliation is scheduled. In order to authorize a strike, employees from the bargaining unit have to vote in favour of a strike and all parties must have participated in a conciliation, as said on the official university website. Kramer also confirmed they have been assigned a conciliator.
Kevin Crowley, communications and public affairs, noted that contract talks continue between the university and the union representing Contract Academic Staff (CAS). On Nov. 15, the two bargaining teams met again, which results in a total of 23 meetings since negotiations for a collective agreement began on May 16. While progress has been made since the beginning of negotiations, Crowley said the university is now waiting to confirm meeting dates with the conciliator. “Conciliation is a normal part of the collective-bargaining process and allows the parties to engage a neutral third party to assist them in coming to an agreement,” he said via email. While a conciliator has been called in and meeting dates will soon be scheduled, Crowley said the university remains hopeful that a new collective agreement can be reached with CAS. “The university values its CAS members and seeks to negotiate a fair and equitable contract that aligns with student needs, market standards and financial realities,” he said. More information about the negotiations will be provided in the upcoming weeks.
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 THEFT
ADMINISTRATION
Recruitment still underway for a new Laurier president MADDY CUTTS NEWS EDITOR
Recruitment is well underway in the search for a president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University. The current president, Max Blouw, is approaching the end of his second five-year term and as such, the decision was made earlier last year to begin the recruitment process. A committee was formed to carry out the recruitment and hiring procedures. It was comprised of members of university staff and the institution’s board of governors. A statement posted on the university’s website read, “the Committee has consulted with the Laurier community and stakeholders to define the experience and qualities Laurier should look for in its next leader through an electronic survey, solicitations of written feedback, as well as individual
MARCO PEDRI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
In 2014, Flynn was charged after $31,000 went missing from the bookstore.
Update on Laurier bookstore theft Former bookstore employee loses fight to exclude evidence found KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITORS
In 2014, Breanna Flynn, a former financial operations assistant at the Wilfrid Laurier University bookstore, was charged when $31,000 was found missing from the store’s safe. According to The Record, Flynn has recently lost a fight to exclude evidence that was found in a search of her residence in Elmira. In September 2014, Flynn was charged with possession of stolen property, as well as theft over $5,000. When Flynn was later arrested, it was found that she owed approximately $12,000 in taxes. Justice David A. Broad, Kitchener superior court judge, had written a ruling on Flynn’s application to exclude the evidence. However, a Waterloo Regional Police officer applied twice to a justice of the peace for a warrant to search Flynn’s house, which was granted the second time. “I can confirm that Wilfrid Laurier University requested the assistance of Waterloo Regional Police in investigating the disappearance of a quantity of money from the university bookstore on the Waterloo campus,” said Kevin Crowley, communications and public affairs, in a statement made
to CTV News Kitchener back in 2014. As said in The Record, during the search warrant, police found $27,962 in Flynn’s bedroom. After the money was found, Flynn said the cash should be excluded from evidence, as the search warrant should not have been issued and infringed her charter rights to be
[The police officer] “did not deliberately or recklessly mislead” the justice of the peace who approved the search warrant. -David A. Broad, Kitchener superior court judge
free of unreasonable search. Last week, Justice Broad said that the police officer, as stated in the Record, “‘did not deliberately or recklessly mislead’ the justice of the peace who approved the search warrant and ruled the omission ‘did not bear on the merits or substance’ of the search warrant application.”
interviews and group consultation sessions, conducted over several weeks.” That experience and quality was then used in the drafting of the
The committee will be considering candidates throughout the fall before making its recommendation to the governing bodies. -John Bowey, chair of the board of governors and chair of the Presidential Search Committee
official president and vice-chancellor job posting, a posting currently hosted on the website of Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette, a leading Canadian human capital
consulting firm. Respondents can complete the application by completing a personal profile on the consulting firm’s site, as well as attaching a resume and cover letter. “The Presidential Search process is underway as per the Board-Approved Procedures for Searches and Reviews of Senior Administrators,” stated John Bowley, chair of the board of governors and chair of the Presidential Search Committee, in an email to The Cord. “The job ad was posted in late July, the consultant did extensive outreach over the summer and there was a strong and positive response. The committee will be considering candidates throughout the fall before making its recommendation to the governing bodies.” Once a nominee has been chosen, a recommendation will be made by the search committee to the university’s board of governors and Senate.
6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
VENTURES
SLL fall funding selected Projects from both Waterloo and Brantford campuses have been selected to receive financing this semester SHALAYNA TRELFORD-LADD CORD NEWS
The Student Life Levy committee at Wilfrid Laurier University has released the projects approved for funding for the fall 2016 term. The Student Life Levy approved eight Waterloo projects this term, with an additional five Brantford projects and both multi-campus applications. “[Student Life Levy projects must] enhance student life whether it be physical or mental health, for students, since it is students paying into this fund. And it can be non-academic,” said Nick DeSumma, chair of the board and chief governance officer. “It can’t work towards a course credit.” The two largest projects to secure funding this term were hiring musical group, A Tribe Called Red for Aboriginal Education Week, which was given $31,000 and The Library in High Definition: Film, Data Visualization and Artist Video Project which was given $22,500, both on the Waterloo Student Life Levy Committee. “[A Tribe Called Red is] an all First Nations DJ crew from Ottawa, Canada, that produce a true
unique sound that impacted the global electronic scene and urban pop culture. It’s part of Aboriginal Education Week, a celebration celebrating Aboriginal culture,” said DeSumma.
[Student Life Levy projects must] enhance student life whether it be physical or mental health.
-Nick DeSumma, chair of the board and chief governance officer
“It allows students to engage in a culture of learning — learning about Aboriginal culture, trying to educate on Aboriginal culture in more of a relatable way for all students to try and make it a more popular environment for all students, particularly Aboriginal students.” While this project was for an
on-campus event, a number of projects, such as The Library in High Definition, will involve long-term infrastructure-based improvements to aspects of Laurier’s campuses. “[The Library in High Definition] is essentially more projectors for a film experience so students can watch these in a theater system. The initiative will help students engage with each other and their environment in a culture of learning outside the classroom, by providing a venue for experiential learning through showing of film, art exhibits and interactive data presentations,” said DeSumma. Other projects that received funding from the Brantford campus include: The CityStudio Brantford which will be given $8,2777.50, the Formal Gala which will be given $7,500 and FLASS Presents Special Guest Speaker Molly Burke from Me to We which will be given $7,500. While the two Multi-Campus projects, Wen-Do Women’s Self-Defence and An Event for Social Justice: Education and Community Building through the Arts received $3,400 and $4,000, respectfully.
PAIGE BUSH/FILE PHOTO
‘Hawk Mascot’ is one Waterloo project that received funding this fall cycle.
Overall, the Student Life Levy committee received applications for 14 Waterloo campus projects, seven Brantford campus projects and two Multi-Campus projects this term. “Personally I wasn’t [happy with the number of applicants] just because we’ve had higher numbers in the past. Particularly, there was a large drop from last years’ application pool, but I was pretty satisfied with how many students applied,” said DeSumma. “The difference between last year and this year was that, sure there was a lot less applicants, but on the other hand, there was a
lot more students applying to the Student Life Levy.” Overall, the total amount of funding given out this term was $108,874.73. The Student Life Levy accepts applications in three cycles and encourages curious students to approach members of the committee with any questions they may have before next semester’s deadline. “Definitely reach out to all of us and get that information to enhance [your] application, because we have the background knowledge of what can be approved and what can’t be approved and the guidelines,” said DeSumma.
TRANSPORTATION
CHAD BUTT/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Uptown Waterloo will be open for the holidays GrandLinq announced that two-way traffic will be allowed on King Street come November 30 SAFINA HUSEIN LEAD REPORTER
GrandLinq recently announced that King Street in uptown Waterloo will be open to two-way traffic on Nov. 30. Since February 2016, King Street, the main road running through uptown, has been closed due to LRT construction. Uptown Waterloo as a whole has now been under LRT construction since September 2014. Michelle Maw, public relations and community liaison at Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area (BIA), explained that the BIA is very excited for King Street’s opening. “We’re planning a big event in December throughout uptown Wa-
terloo to celebrate the road being open,” she said. The event, The Festival of Living Streets, will be held on Dec. 3 from 11 am to 4 pm and will be a celebration of movement within uptown Waterloo. The event will be holiday themed and will feature a living gift guide of products provided by businesses within the BIA. “It’s kind of like a Christmas window display. But instead of looking at product from one store, there’s going to be products from all sorts of stores throughout uptown waterloo. So you can come and look and maybe see a cool gift idea and then go to the actual store to buy it,” said Maw. Santa Claus will be present at the event, as well as various
activities and events, including live music and prize giveaways like Uptown Dollars, as well as gifts complimentary of various uptown businesses. For businesses in uptown, King Street’s reopening will hopefully mean more traffic and a steady flow of customers to the area. “I think that without question, construction has a significant effect on the core for businesses, especially ones that rely heavily on walking traffic,” said Maw. Maw explained that there has not been a significantly elevated amount of turnover and closings this year. In fact, only one to two of the businesses that have closed in uptown have said their closure was directly due to construction.
We’re planning a big event in December throughout uptown Waterloo to celebrate the road being open.
-Michelle Maw, public relations and community liaison for Uptown Waterloo BIA
“It’s hard to separate businesses closing from construction from just businesses closing. For the most part, it’s just places that close because it was time for them to close,” she said.
Throughout LRT construction, the BIA has seen fewer pedestrians walking around uptown; there have also been many destination businesses which have helped to bring shoppers and their purchasing to the area. “With the construction, some people have chosen to make other plans and go elsewhere. It’s really important that the road is opening. We’re really excited for it,” said Maw. King Street will be open just in time for the holiday shopping season, an extremely important time for retailers. “I know a lot of businesses are hoping to make up a lot of sales in December for Christmas to help them out for the last little burst of the year,” Maw said.
NEWS • 7
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 MUSIC
Student music comes to Laurier Concourse A piano was installed in the common area to encourage a stronger sense of campus community NATHALIE BOUCHARD CORD NEWS
This past week, Wilfrid Laurier University’s faculty of music hosted an event in the Concourse to inaugurate the newly donated piano for all students to use. The piano is located in the Fred Nichols Campus Centre beside the Starbucks on the Waterloo campus. The concert took place on, the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 17. The concert included performances from various students from the faculty of music who played instruments such as the violin, bassoon, trumpet, vocals and finally the piano, which was showcased. Music students continued to inaugurate the piano even after the concert was over. Glen Carruthers, dean of the faculty of music, explained the importance of having music as a binding force that brings all Laurier students together. The faculty of music donated the piano to ultimately increase the participation of musical expression on campus. Pianos exceed their useful lifespan when they can no longer
be used by university level pianists, after which they are sold for low prices. “In this case, rather than selling the piano, it made sense to reposition it in the Concourse so that students from across campus could access it,” said Carruthers. Carruthers hopes students from not solely the faculty of music, but also other faculties will use the piano.
Rather than selling the piano, it made sense to reposition it to the Concourse so that students from across campus could access it. -Glen Carruthers, dean of the faculty of music
“We live in a very musical community on campus and off, it’s a community that values music and something that my students
We live in a very musical community on campus and off, it’s a commuity that values music.
-Glen Carruthers, dean of the faculty of music
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
hear from me all the time is that I am convinced that music will be a catalyst — something that will bind people together during difficult times,” he said. The faculty of music wants to create a space in which every person in the university benefits, not just music students. Although music students have other opportunities to play at events like the one this past Thursday, Carruthers emphasized that
Laurier has a role to allow students to express themselves musically, either inside the John Aird Centre or anywhere on campus. “I think having instruments accessible is a very good thing and any role that we can play in increasing that accessibility, we have a responsibility to do what we can,” said Carruthers.The university hopes to increase the musical engagement of those inside and outside the faculty of music.
This is not only for music students to host concerts that showcase their hard work in the studio, but also for Laurier students to share their musical outlet with peers. “We look for the commonalities and the differences that may not be the same music that we listen to, or my neighbor listens too, but we are all musically engaged in one level or another,” Carruthers said. “Whether we are making music ourselves or appreciating music made by others or appreciating music solo, there’s no one in our community who’s not musically engaged one way or another.”
Construction?
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8 • GAMES SPOT THE ANDY
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
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, WHY THE FUCK WON’T FIL TEXT ME BACK!? He hates me, doesn’t he. Sincerely, Need another bottle of wine to get through this heartbreak Dear Life, Isn’t it amazing and terrifying how much parents influence their kids? And they don’t even know it. They accidentally push their problems onto their children and suddenly you have an instant recipe for an emotionally unstable young adult. Sincerely, A basket-case Dear Football Team, You reminded me why I picked Laurier. Thanks for spreading the Golden Hawk spirit and I am so proud of you. Sincerely, We still beat Western! Dear Life, Okay, but like he was the best character in that movie, please tell me he’s not dead. Sincerely, I will become a Fantastic Beast if he’s not back for the sequel Dear Life, Roses are red Violets are blue I wish you were a gorilla pit So i can drop a baby in you Sincerely, A boy that misses his ape Dear Life, Shout out to the person in control of music for the gym during the weekends. Finally something that gets the blood pumping! I get it, you’re from a small town, enjoy reminiscing about your “broken down Chevy” and have drinks in not one but both your hands. But hey, you’re here to get that body that would make your ex-girlfriend jealous. Sincerely, Now I miss my dog Dear Life, I like your laugh Sincerely, JB Dear Dentist, I YouTubed the cavity removal procedure and now you will never insert anything in my mouth again Sincerely, Aching Cavity-free Patient Dear Beth, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sincerely, You know who Dear Coughing Women At The Office, Feel free to give me $20 to pay for all the medication I will have to eventually buy once you make me sick
Sincerely, My Immune System Will Hate You Dear Kanye We love you like you love yourself. Feel better Sincerely, Yeezers Dear Life, I have no grip on life Sincerely, What the fuck Dear Life, hi. Sincerely, bye. Dear Life, If only I could scare life as much as it scares me Sincerely, A sp00ky skeleton Dear Life, If there’s a way for me to have more tacos without gaining weight, that would be nice. Even just more tacos would be great. Sincerely, Forever missing Taco Tuesday Dear Paige, I love you. I’ve had a crush on you for months. BE MY VALENTINE. Sincerely, Harambe Dear Life, What is my perfect crime? I break into Tiffany’s at midnight. Do I go for the vault? No, I go for the chandelier. It’s priceless. As I’m taking it down, a woman catches me. She tells me to stop. It’s her father’s business. She’s Tiffany. I say no. We make love all night. In the morning, the cops come and I escape in one of their uniforms. I tell her to meet me in Mexico, but I go to Canada. I don’t trust her. Besides, I like the cold. Thirty years later, I get a postcard. I have a son and he’s the chief of police. This is where the story gets interesting. I tell Tiffany to meet me in Paris by the Trocadero. She’s been waiting for me all these years. She’s never taken another lover. I don’t care. I don’t show up. I go to Berlin. That’s where I stashed the chandelier Sincerely, Assistant Regional Manager Dear Nick Carter, Be my husband. Father my children. Fuck the rest. Sincerely, Day dreamer Dear Wilf’s, Spin dip mozza sticks??? PLEASE INVENT THIS NOW. Sincerely, I don’t even go to Laurier anymore but I still dream of spin dip Dear Life, Missed connection. RIP Carly with the big smile and the phat ass. Sincerely, Tinder prince Dear Life, Please bring Michael Buble and Mariah Carey together for a Christmas collaboration. Sincerely, I’m really feeling the holidays and I just wanna dance.
GAMES • 9
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 WORD SEARCH
ANGUS BEEF COFFEE HAPPY MEAL
MCFLURRY QUARTER POUNDER APPLE PIE
FILLET O FISH MILKSHAKE RONALD MCDONALD
BIGMAC FRIES MCDOUBLE
NUGGETS SUNDAE
10 •
FEATU
FEATURES EDITOR/MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES@THECORD.CA
Senior News Editor Kaitlyn Severin discuss There’s a new trend in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region and no, it doesn’t involve fashion, food or phone apps. Rather, it’s undeveloped student apartments. Over the past two years, four condominium buildings have failed to be completed on time for the beginning of the fall term. The first building was 1 Columbia in 2014. The second was the Sage 2 condo in 2015. The third and fourth buildings to be delayed in 2016 were ICON and K2, respectively. It has been reported that the K2 delay has been pushed to Dec. 27. According to CBC News Kitchener-Waterloo, students renting with the K2 building on King Street and James Street were supposed to move in on Sept. 4. In August, the building’s customer care department emailed their tenants saying their move-in date would be delayed, as construction workers were on strike. Tenants with ICON had the same experience. On Sept. 2, tenants received an email that said their move-in dates would be delayed, as the construction site was affected by the drywall strike that occurred throughout May and June of this year. While some ICON tenants were forced to wait until Sept. 28 to move in, some K2 residents have yet to move into the building. Since they have moved in, ICON tenants began to publish complaints about the building on social media, particularly on the Facebook group, “I (got) CON(ned).” Jennifer, a tenant at ICON, signed her lease with the building in November 2015. She commented to the building representatives upon signing the lease that the building was yet to be finished, but she claimed they promised her this would not be an issue. They gave her this answer when she asked again in July. Like many of the other tenants, Jennifer’s move-in date got pushed back from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5 and then once again to the week after. During their delays, ICON allegedly offered their tenants free rent for the month of September or they were put in hotel rooms in the Waterloo region. Luckily for Jennifer, she was able to drive from Guelph to Wilfrid Laurier University during the delay. When Jennifer and her roommates were finally allowed to move in, she claimed the apartment was missing various appliances and furniture, such as a couch, desks and even bedroom doors. “[We] didn’t get [bedroom doors] until about a week ago,” she said. This was only the beginning of her problems. In the beginning of October, Jennifer claimed that ICON told their tenants they would give them back September’s rent. When Jennifer went to pick up her cheque, ICON allegedly told her they would only give back half of her utilities, which they had never mentioned before. When Jennifer came back again, ICON was allegedly requesting that their tenants sign a form saying they cannot sue them or ask for anymore money. “When people said, ‘I’m not going to sign this because it’s not fair if things aren’t done, I’m entitled to a rent reduction,’ they said ‘okay, get a lawyer’, [and] peo-
ple said ‘okay I will.’ So they e forms] and [then] it said ‘oka you got a rent reduction,’ so w back for October and Novem anything about December,” J Jennifer had also originally higher rent, but later switche a lower rate. She told The Co destroy her previous cheques to which they complied. In September, Jennifer clai she had lost money while che Jennifer believed that ICON h of her previous cheques. Over the next few weeks, Je ICON office to ask them to fix money back, to which they a would. While buying groceries in card got declined. ICON had her old cheques. “I said okay, [when I asked owe me a substantial amoun et change. I’m a student. I ca ICON, once again, alleged problem Jennifer ended up emailin promising again to fix the pro that ICON told her they had n talking about, even though sh managers about her situation She told The Cord that she an ICON representative, who “I was like, ‘I have the proo of the cheques that only get p cashed and I have my bank s withdrew,” she claimed. According to Jennifer, ICO about a stop payment on her plained that they did not take “They pretty much want m hour and I don’t have time ri to sit for an hour but I need t the biggest pain.” Jennifer claimed that she h legal action if she doesn’t hav 2017. “It’s a lot of money and my ed right now.” Believe it or not, Jennifer h problems in her short time at ties with parking, privacy is a fer explained that ICON repr walked into her apartment w Jennifer stated she is not p lease with ICON next year. Stories like Jennifer’s have Waterloo that student leader come to a consensus: someth “It’s one of the biggest thin said Colin Aitchison, vice-pre “It can add significant stress done.” Aitchison, along with Sara education at University of Wa dents, have started advocatin in Waterloo. The pair brough municipal and provincial lev Catherine Fife, Michael Harr
URES
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • 11
ses the topic of improper student housing in Waterloo
ended up getting rid of [the ay, sign this paper saying we ended up getting $50 mber. We still haven’t heard Jennifer claimed. y paid for a room with ed into another room with ord that she asked ICON to s and gave them new ones,
imed that she noticed ecking her bank account. had ended up cashing two
ennifer came into the x this and give her the allegedly promised they
October, Jennifer’s credit d, again, allegedly cashed
d them about it], but you nt of money. This isn’t pockan’t afford this.” dly promised to fix the
ng ICON. Rather than oblem, Jennifer claimed no clue as to what she was he had spoken to the ICON n. e later got a phone call from o asked Jennifer for proof. of. I have the photocopies photocopied when they get statements that say it’s been
ON sat her down to talk r bank account and exe her money. me to sit there for like an ight now. I don’t have time the money, so that’s been
has been tempted to take ve the money by January
y savings are a little deplet-
has experienced other at ICON. Aside from difficula separate problem. Jenniresentatives have allegedly without her consent. planning on renewing her
e become so common in rs and politicians have hing must be done. ngs that affects students,” esident of university affairs. when your building’s not
ah Wiley, vice-president of aterloo’s Federation of Stung for student tenant rights ht their concerns to the vel with the help of MPP’s ris and Kathryn McGarry.
Both Aitchison and Wiley have been meeting consistently with the MPPs to discuss the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. MPP McGarry has offered to bring up the issue in a cabinet meeting and discuss the issue with Chris Ballard, the Minister of Housing. Aitchison also sent a letter to Ballard stating that the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union wants the Ministry of Housing to review and amend the Residential Tenancy Act to ensure increased protections during the preoccupancy phase. “We also asked [Ballard’s] ministry to work alongside the Ministry of the Attorney General to increase funding for the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) so they can hear cases a lot quicker, because oftentimes when you have to go to the Landlord Tenant Board it’s a timely issue. It’s not something that can wait two or three months,” said Aitchison. “The [Residential Tenancy Act] provides protection for residential tenants from unlawful rent increases and unlawful evictions; establishes a framework for the regulation of residential rents; balances the rights and responsibilities of residential landlords with those of tenants; and provides for adjudication and other processes to resolve disputes informally,” said Ballard via email. “It’s important to point out that the RTA applies to agreements between a landlord and a tenant and not to a developer’s contractual obligations.” Recently, Aitchison and Ian Muller, director of policy, research and advocacy, also met with MPP Daiene Vernile, who brought up their concerns to Ballard. Minister Ballard was concerned about the problems raised by Vernile and is currently looking into these issues. “I’m not sure where this will lead, but I expect that the ministry will look into it,” said Aitchison. Last year, MPP Catherine Fife wrote a formal letter to the former Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Ted McMeekin, to express her concern regarding the increased number of students moving into recently built apartment buildings in Waterloo. In her letter, Fife called attention to building developers who were exploiting Waterloo’s housing system and leaving students with insecure housing situations. She asked the Minister to support MPP Jagmeet Singh’s Bill 60, Tarion Accountability and Oversight Act, which makes developer’s building records accessible to the public. In response, McMeekin pointed Fife back to the LTB and provided little external information on what must be done to solve this problem. “[The LTB] has been a source of frustration for students, as well. They neither have the resources or the time to pursue legal actions,” Fife said. “Unfortunately, this minister and others before him don’t fully agree that there is a problem — and we all know that finding a solution is more difficult until you acknowledge that a problem exists.” In June, Fife wrote a second letter to Ballard asking, once again, to review the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and to support Bill 60. “At the end of the day, it’s that clearly students are at a disadvantage when they run up against a developer and around advocating for their rights to access property on time and having those developers honour their contractual obligations,” said Fife.
While students may experience stress when looking for a place to live during the school year, MPP Michael Harris explained how the main focus for students should be education. Harris realizes that undeveloped apartment buildings in Waterloo have become a reoccurring problem in the region. He explained that his party is currently advocating this issue on behalf of students and hopes Minister Ballard will listen to them as well. “The minister needs to meet with students to listen to their concerns. Clearly using the examples in Waterloo is justification for the minster to look hard and long at the Landlord or Residential Tenancy Act to ensure that there are protections there for student tenants and ensure that there’s something clear there that speaks to developers who fail to meet their obligations for housing provisions,” he said. As a way of educating students about tenant rights locally, Aitchison and others at the Students’ Union have been conducting “House Hunting 101” campaigns for first-year residences. “They should definitely do their homework and ensure that they know what they’re getting themselves into before it happens,” he said. “Housing is one of the biggest issues facing students in Waterloo right now. I am happy to see support on this matter from our local politicians, and I’m glad that Colin and I have had the opportunity to work together on this issue,” said Wiley. “Housing issues will not go away unless the provincial government takes action.” Note: The Cord reached out for a statement from ICON, but they declined to do so.
12 •
Arts & Life
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MANJOT BHULLAR arts@thecord.ca
CONCERT
May be skint, but have a wealth of talent ZACHARY HABAYEB CORD ARTS
Arriving at Starlight Social Club in Waterloo to an intimate crowd of admiring fans, the Skints felt the love as they took the stage to loud cheers, before even picking up their instruments. The Skints, a reggae-ska-punk rock-funk-hip hop fusion band from London, England cannot be contained to one genre of music. “We began as a ska/punk rock thing and then started to develop as people, as players … It’s cool that we can see the band’s sounds progress,” said Joshua Waters Rudge, guitar and vocals for The Skints. From song to song, the group seamlessly switched it up from the sun soaked reggae sounds of Jamaica to thrash-your-head-about punk rock. There’s really no equivalent to The Skints’ unique sound. “To be Skint means to be low on cash!” joked Rudge. The band opened with their hit single, “This Town,” off their latest album FM, an ode to London, England — the city where the band was formed. From the first chord, the band captivated the crowd, causing everyone to sway and dance under the band’s reggae riffs and fast-paced lyrics. Despite the cold Canadian
off stage the audience immediately started chanting “three more songs.” The band returned and gave the crowd what they wanted performing an encore of “This Town” and “Tazer Beam”.
[Reggae] just works as the foundation of our sound. It’s also our strongest sound with a lot of heritage and roots to it. -Joshua Waters Rudge, guitar and vocals
TANZEEL SAYANI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
winter winds that blew outside the venue, it was as if The Skints transported the audience onto a breezy, palm tree laden beach in Jamaica. “[Reggae] just works as the foundation of our sound. It’s also our strongest sound with a lot of heritage and roots to it.” The Skints went on to play old hits including “Rat-at-at,” “Up Against the Wall Riddim” and “Rise Up” off the album Part & Parcel. Each song they performed seemed to highlight the multi-tal-
ented nature of the band. It wasn’t uncommon to have Jamie Kyriakides on vocals and drums, Joshua Waters Rudge on guitar and vocals and Marcia Richards of keyboard and vocals to share the harmony on multiple tracks, adding an intense layer of depth to each song. Richards, however, held a commanding presence on the stage as she treated the crowd to showings of the alto saxophone and the flute throughout the show, captivating
the crowd and adding an element of showmanship I’ve never seen before. For an off the cuff concert, The Skints really made a statement. “Whenever we get an off day we try to do a headline show and Waterloo was just on the list,” Rudge said. Despite their genre ambiguity, one thing is clear: when The Skints take the stage they give it their all. The set ended with the band sweating and praising the Waterloo crowd in front of them. As they got
“There’s been incidence in the UK around law enforcement and brutality and we felt a need to talk about it ... there’s no place in the world where that song doesn’t have some sort of truth to it,” Rudge said about “Tazer Beam’s” message. The concert left everyone happy and dancing. There was at least one sound throughout the night that made every audience member tap their foot uncontrollably.
FILM
CROWNING QUEEN OF KATWE MADDY CUTTS NEWS EDITOR
LUKE SARAZIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Disney has been releasing rags-toriches tales since the dawn of time, though its latest addition, Queen of Katwe, is a far cry from the Cinderella of our youth. While the film opens to a scene of the heroine, Phiona, smartly dressed as she enters a chess tournament, the film quickly rewinds years earlier to Katwe, an area in the Ugandan capital of Kampala. It is here that young Phiona lives with her siblings and single mother, in small shacks and dirt roads set against the skyscrapers of the capital on the horizon. Phiona, played by Madina Nalwanga in her debut role, must help support her family by selling corn with her brother and Disney does not shy away from showing the means they employ to make a sale — approaching cars, dancing and singing for customers. The story truly begins when
Phiona follows her brother to a missionary program coached by Robert Katende, where she is introduced to the game of chess. As Phiona’s skill and passion for the game grows, so too does Katende’s desire to lift his team out of the depths of poverty, leading to the first major underdog victory when he manages to maneuver his team into competing at a tournament in the city, and a number of the Katwe children win their matches, including Phiona, who wins the tournament. What follows is a somewhat predictable series of personal and competitive wins and losses, accompanied by an expected amount of inner conflict and uplifting optimism. On the surface, Queen of Katwe follows the Disney formula for an unexpected misfit discovering hidden talent and then overcoming personal and environmental conflicts to rise above her circumstances and succeed. Where the film differs from other similar tales is that while it’s a film about a young teen and likely intended for a similar demographic, it doesn’t shy away from incorporating elements of Phiona’s story, not
typically found in children’s films. When Phiona’s brother is hit while selling corn one day, the film shows, in no uncertain terms, the struggle the family has to get him to the hospital. Having to flee the hospital without paying as they are unable to cover the bill, the family is greeted upon return to their home by a landlady waiting to evict them, forcing them to spend the night on the streets. Phiona’s glimpses of luxury while attending chess tournaments abroad are juxtaposed against her life in Katwe, where she must travel to collect water for her family and her mother’s struggle to send her children to school and feed them. While viewers should not seek out the film for a storyline filled with unexpected twists and a surprise ending, Queen of Katwe nevertheless manages to deliver on its promise of a new take on the Cinderella framework. Its talented and intelligent female lead, all-black cast and raw depiction of life in Africa for those living in poverty, will treat children and adults alike to a classic Disney tale with an unmistakably modern and mature twist.
ARTS & LIFE • 13
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
The Death of
Vine
Arts & Life writer Alexa Woloszuk reflects on the impact the application left on the social media world
If you’ve never made one, you’ve definitely spent hours scrolling through them. Vine was one of the most popular video sharing services that left people wondering where the time went. To think looping six-second videos could take up so much time, Vine reinvented the concept of delivering content through lengthy videos. For being so short, in both video length, as well as the app’s lifespan, Vine came and went quickly — leaving behind a strong influence on users, slang, pop culture and unfortunately stereotypes. It began in Florida with Dom Hofmann, Rus Yusupov and Colin Kroll back in June 2012. Twitter acquired Vine by October 2012 for $30 million dollars and it was officially launched as a free app for iOS devices on Jan. 24, 2013. By November 2013, the app was available for Android and Windows devices. Within the first couple months of being launched, Vine became the most used video sharing app available and the most downloaded free app in the App Store. By May 2014, a web version of Vine was available as
a new way to explore the looping six-second videos and soon an Xbox One version. With all these releases, and a growing social media community, Vine updated their app with features like loop counts, “Snap to Beat” for perfect music playing loops and added video attachments for up to 140 seconds. Due to the growth rate of members of the Vine community, the company launched a secondary app, Vine Kids, in January 2015, to cater to their youngest community members. On Oct. 27, 2016, Twitter announced the discontinuing of the mobile app, Vine. Sticking with its theme of short timespans, Vine came and went in a matter of four years, leaving hilarious videos and opening up opportunities for many of its members. “While the brand is going away, the service isn’t. You’re just not allowed to upload to Vine anymore,” Jeremy Hunsinger, director of cultural studies at Laurier, said. As a supposed silver lining to the entire ordeal, current users will always be able to look back at the great memories and trends it created. With Vine as an outlet, “Viners” gained huge fame and success, allowing them to pursue other entertainment positions. Andrew B. Bachelor, otherwise known as King Bach, is notably the most followed person on Vine. His viral success led him to the United Talent Agency which allowed him reoccurring entertainment opportunities despite the fall of Vine. Other popular “viners” include Jerome Jarre, Marcus Johns and Cody Ko. Not only did Vine influence popular culture by introducing comedians like King Bach into the entertainment sector, it also created and popularized slang we all use today. Terms like “on fleek” is an example that people in the online beauty community have adopted as a way of describing well-groomed eyebrows. It was created by Peaches Monroe, but popularized by Ariana Grande, and is now being used by the entire beauty community to this day. Other words popularized through Vine include “bruh” and “or nah”. “Unless you become a habitual user and your friends are using it, it sort of fades to memory. I think that’s happening with Vine, too. The user base changes and interests change,” Hunsinger said. The social media cult presence of Vine could have prevented users from seeing how niche the market had become. Vine left its heyday of being the top downloaded app for phones and some just couldn’t see that coming. Though Vine brought a lot of positive influence into the world of popular culture, it also
brought some negative stereotypes. Many of the humorous Vines display stereotypes, hugely focused on racial stereotypes. Viners like “Dem White Boyz” and “Zane and Heath” perpetually created Vines drawing on stereotypical symbols that clearly identified them as mocking African American characters by using stereotypical names, such as “Tyrese,” “Latoya” and “Tyrone.” This form of humour is Black Face without the makeup, which in turn, shows that society has yet to dismantle these racial stereotypes. Instead of completely removing these, society has only altered and reinvented ways to fit humour like this into current societal context. Vine acted as the outlet to do so. Aside from racial stereotypes, Vine also gave way to sexist controversy, as it birthed Nash Grier’s fame. Famous through his Vine account, Nash Grier posted a controversial sexist Youtube video titled: What Guys Look for in Girls. This received major backlash and perpetuated the already high social standards girls have to abide by to gain any recognition from a romantic counterpart. Vine created an outlet for everyday people to become viral, leading to great social influence. Unfortunately for Vine, this outlet was also used by those with bigoted opinions. As Vine slowly vanished from the top of the App Store, users were left scrambling for where to get their next short-form video entertainment. Twitter and Instagram have already risen in producing new social media trends such as #MannequinChallenge. “[Twitter] wants to capture the market they have with Vine, so basically what they’re doing is forcing people to migrate over to twitter video,” Hunsigner said. This comes as no surprise, as Twitter generates only a modest amount of money and competing against itself would require more investment in providing support. The decision to sell Vine may have been unnecessary, as Twiter could easily have integrated the valuable intellectual property into its platform to be unveiled in the future. One chapter of our social media experience has come to a close and for a lot of us it’s the first time. This could be our MySpace. Through both the positive and negative influences, Vine has left its mark on the technological sphere. For all we know, Twitter could integrate Vine’s most appealing attributes into its platform in the future. But until then, RIP Vine. With files from: Manjot Bhullar Graphics by: Philip Su, Andreas Patsiaouros
14 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
E-SPORTS
Breaking an e-sweat
NATURE
DYLAN HINES/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
KARLIS WILDE CORD ARTS
In 2014, the FIDE World Chess Championship attracted a viewership of more than 1.2 billion people. That means that over 1/7th of the world’s population hit pause on their varied, normal lives to dedicate their meager attention to a series of long, straining sessions of mental combat involving a limited number of options within a field of rigid parameters. This is the perhaps the only prestigious analogy that exists when attempting to legitimize the rise in popularity of watching strangers play video games competitively, or “e-sports”. Twitch alone, likely the most popular website to tune into these live streams, attracts the attention of over 45 million vicarious gamers each month. Viewers can search by game (from DOTA 2 to Mario Teaches Typing 2) or host to find the best stream to suit their interests. Despite the superficial oddness of the hobby, there is an enormous community of people with an incredible interest in the intricacies of the more esoteric functions of their favourite software. With this kind of attention, there is the opportunity to create a dissecting fork between profits and communities. Perhaps the latter is what the
rise in popularity can be best attributed to: creating an accessible place for people to build relationships. By spectating, a person is able to invest themselves in an activity by alternative and superficial means. Just as how comic book conventions create communities and interactions simply based on the virtue of liking Spider-Man, so can the able-bodied and confident or the bedridden and socially anxious create friendships and become impassioned with something from the safe-space of their desktop monitor. It’s a comprehensive hobby that has the potential for serious or casual interest.
[E-sports] expanded into corporate sponsored and influencial groups that now exert power over companies to decide how games function. -Jordon Wood, EB Games employee
Unfortunately, even with all the inherent good one could argue for, in legitimizing a movement, there
are always going to be significant ancillary impacts. Jordon Wood, an EB Games employee for over ten years, harbours a legitimate concern with the movement and how it has influenced the industry. “[E-sports] expanded into corporate sponsored and influential groups that now exert power over companies to decide how games function,” Wood said. “It decentralized games from single player and couch co-op [and] placed emphasis to quick and primarily online versus.” It’s an interesting consideration that has even more universal implications, considering how ubiquitous sponsorship is the competitive world. There is room to expose virtually anything that even barely qualifies as a sport to this type of scrutiny, whether sponsored by Under Armour Athletic Apparel or Mountain Dew and Doritos — but what is the cost? Real qualms seem to be with its impact on the industry: are changes in gaming to facilitate for more immersive viewing actually degrading the gaming experience, or are we too caught up in our now “classical” idea of what video games are supposed to be? It is only when we are able to reconcile the dichotomy of corporation and community that we can genuinely have an answer to that question.
QUANTUM: THE EXHIBITION
“Will Quantum change the way that I use a computer?” Welcome to the Quantum Revolution THEMUSEUM.ca
DOWNTOWN KITCHENER
LUKE SARAZIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Happiness can be a walk in the park SHANAYA VANHOOREN CORD ARTS
Many of us would agree that being outdoors is often a positive aspect of our day, even if it is in the dead of a Canadian winter. Do you enjoy the walk to school simply because of the changing leaves in the fall? Do you feel an unexplainable joy when you see a swan in Waterloo Park? That’s because the satisfaction of being outdoors and in nature is a legitimate sensation. Human beings are hard-wired for nature. Don’t take my word for it; you need only to look to Richard Louv and Jon Young, leading experts and advocates in the field of nature connection. Nature connection is essentially the idea that human beings, as mammals, are one part of an interconnected natural world. Humans inherently crave nature. Advocates of nature connection often point to the transformative effects that outdoor learning can have on children. They argue that children suffering from learning disorders and other conditions, such as ADHD, are more efficient learners when their classroom is outside. Being outdoors encourages hands-on learning, an essential factor that supports healthy brain development. There are even cases of doctors “prescribing” nature to young children. But what does a connection to nature mean for university students? The greatest downfall of the developing movement for nature connection is that we associate it almost solely with childhood education. Advocates remain focused
on challenging traditional primary school learning environments. Forest schools have developed as a result. But why should getting connected with nature be only for kids? I would like to make it very clear that extending nature to children begins by extending it to adults and young people — like us. It is the leaders of today who first need to bring nature back into our daily routines. The fact of the matter is that if we don’t ensure today’s adults are connecting with nature, children will not magically connect on their own. Some would argue that natural environments simply do not exist in the capacity that they used to, as the rise of urban environments inevitably led to its destruction. Let us remember that nature can be defined and experienced in many ways. Experiencing nature can be as simple as taking a walk down a road sidelined by trees. Nature can be found all over cities. Just because we are students living in dorm rooms and high-rise apartments does not mean that we should think of ourselves as isolated from nature. Ask yourself: when was the last time you spent part of your day walking through Waterloo Park? Next time you go, take five minutes to sit under a tree. Make yourself conscious of the effects the natural surroundings have on you, physically. When you realize that you are making a connection with nature, remember how it made you feel and pursue this feeling again the next day and the day after that. You don’t need to be a die-hard conservationist, environmentalist or naturalist to incorporate nature into your life. Take a few extra moments outside today and see how it makes you feel. It’s only natural, right?
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
• 15
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS editor@thecord.ca
An open letter to our Yates Cup winning football team for Laurier during almost every commercial break. That’s nothing but good for our school. Because of you, we’re being recognized. Because of you, we’re on the national stage. You did our school a great service, just from trying your best and working hard. That’s the true Laurier spirit in all of us and we saw it in you. It’s evident that our team has been improving by leaps and bounds since Michael Faulds took over as bench boss. We’re going up. We didn’t peak at the Yates Cup. You inspired the next round of Laurier players. We hope you look back on this season with such fond memories. We also hope that you look at the rookies in the coming years and know that they’re here, at least in part, because of what you accomplished this season. Thank you for making us proud to be Laurier Golden Hawks.
As your season draws to a close, we just wanted to send our regards for what an awesome run you had this year. We’re such a small school compared to Western and Laval. You proved that we should be taken seriously, despite our size. We’ve never seen more excitement over a sport in our school in our time as we saw when you won the Yates Cup. How many people can say they played in a national level competition? Not many. You also gave us an invaluable opportunity — we got to report on that prestigious national game. That’s something for our resumes that we wouldn’t have been able to get without your accomplishments. You were surely not worried about the exposure were playing, but those of us who watched on SportsNet saw an advertisement
Stealing from work is sometimes accepted in our culture between the employer and the employee as to what is actually considered stealing. It’s understandable if employers have to have a “no food” rule due to health concerns, but should an employee really be fired for stealing if they eat left over fries on the way to the bin, especially if they’re only endangering themselves? Those stealing instances should come down to what’s really important — like the cash from the bookstore. Taking cash is actually taking from the livelihood and business. It’s not like they were just going to toss out $31,000 cash, but food waste does add up to a monetary amount. Taking food is still stealing and stealing is always illegal, but unused product shouldn’t go to waste either. Employers and employees should come to an agreement on how to better manage the food waste without stealing any product.
A former bookstore employee is being charged with theft over $5,000 after $31,000 went missing from the bookstore safe in September 2014. Though the alleged act is obviously wrong, this led us to put theft on a spectrum. Do we see some kinds of theft as lesser than others? It seems to be a consensus that taking food, even when explicitly told not to, is still seen as mundane, compared to taking a tangible item like cash or office supplies. By putting theft on a spectrum, we’re also weighing the consequences of our actions. Eating the leftover burger that’s just going to be thrown out at the fast food restaurant you work at, while punishable in some cases, doesn’t seem like we’re taking anything from anyone, since it’s going to waste anyway. Food, especially leftovers that are still good to be eaten, should come down to an understanding
These unsigned editorials are based off informal discussions and then agreed upon by the majority of The Cord’s editorial board, including the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor. The arguments made may reference any facts that have been made available through interviews, documents or other sources. The views presented do not necessarily reflect those of The Cord’s volunteers, staff or WLUSP.
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WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DIRECTOR Matt Burley
CHAIR Meghan Roach
TREASURER John Pehar
VICE-CHAIR Abdiasis Issa DIRECTOR Maddy Cutts DIRECTOR Mynt Marsellus
PRESIDENT Meghan Roach president@wlusp.com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Caroline Schummer care.schummer@ wlusp.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp. com HR MANAGER/CORPORATE SECRETARY Taylor Berzins hr@wlusp.com
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Changing for the future CHRISTIAN PARON SENIOR COPY EDITOR
Some may say that now, perhaps more than ever, we are facing revolutionary social climates. This is not to discredit the beliefs upon which this statement is built, but it is exactly this rarefication of events that poses a problem: a secularity in thinking and the misremembrance of the past and future. As a result, what we fail to see is that this modern society was shaped by millennia of discrimination, war, injustice – every subsequent reform with the same goal: to move humanity and the world around us forward. You would not be here if it weren’t for the immeasurable amount of work put in by those who came before us. Loathing in the hatred of the world we live in doesn’t change a thing. The reality of the matter is that our fears for the future may very well be realized in our lifetime, but this does not equate to an end,
as so many treat it — it equates to change. Change is not a fluid process. Reconstruction of the world we live in is not and never has been an easy feat, let alone one that goes from start to finish in one lifetime.
The reality of the matter is that our fears for the future may very well be realized in our lifetime, but this does not equate to an end, as so many treat it — it equates to change.
The rise and fall of empires, the beginning and end of wars — no change starts and ends with a sharp reformation, but with an immeasurable amount of time, thought and understanding from those who truly wish for it. With it comes a mindset, one that must be nurtured, not instilled. A rather remarkable gift that humanity possesses is its ability to
sense the inevitable end to time; the ability to view something that does not physically exist. Likewise, humanity has always had a remarkable ability to survive despite odds and it is this tactic that bleeds into our unique desire to not only stay alive as beings, but to create a world in which we can do so. With this knowledge, we create new values, laws and cultures, all to prepare ourselves for the impending crash to a time with which we are so familiar. However, we do not prepare ourselves for an end; we prepare ourselves for change, so that we may build again as a nation something bigger and better than before. Our goal should not be to act impulsively, slowly breeding hatred for the world we live in now, but to repair the framework so that future generations can raise and nurture the new world that we worked so hard to give to them. Change cannot be given up upon simply because we will not live to see it unfold before our end. Like so many before us, we will not see it, however much we desire. It is up to us to use our precious time altruistically, so that one day, the future of humanity may live in a world in which we so desperately wanted.
16 •
Opinion
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
50 Cent’s harassment of man with autism SAM TUNDUP OPINION COLUMNIST
50 Cent, one of the most recognizable rappers in the world, has achieved much in his career. However, the icon has recemtly gone on a downward slope. The rapper has clearly been affected by controversies and bankruptcy, eventually leading him to fail to be the role model he should have been. Additionally, in May 2016, Andrew Farrell, a 19-year-old airport janitor with autism, was verbally harassed by 50 Cent, who accused him of being high on drugs at the Cincinnati airport. Not knowing he had autism, the rapper began recording Farrell, mocking him for believing him to be high, asking his name. He later posted the video on his Instagram for his 12.5 million followers to see. The young janitor was simply minding his own business, pushing his cart after refusing to respond to 50 Cent, not giving into his cruel remarks.
Shortly after, a courageous young man and former classmate informed the rapper of Farrell’s autism, claiming that he already deals with enough hardship and the rapper’s harassment only added to his pain.
I think this is a reminder that we, as human beings, have to think about the repercussions and responsibilities we have in life, especially how we treat others. FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
50 Cent apologized for mistaking him to be on drugs and claimed it was a misunderstanding. Farrell was known as a kind, hard-worker who did not do drugs. Looking back on this, I think there is a great lesson to be learned from this situation. Regardless of how another person may appear to you, it is unacceptable to humiliate them on social media.
You should stop and think about how to approach people who appear to be different. This situation presents several issues surrounding consent and ableism, but also just plainly comes down to a grown man, with a large cultural following, acting like a bully. This heartbreaking case of bullying has spread awareness on how not to treat others, especially people that you do not even know. In addition, it is incredibly rude
MADELINE MCINNIS/OPINION EDITOR
Inexhaustable form of magic Harry Potter lives on from childhood into university lives
EMILY WAITSON STAFF WRITER
I saw Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them this weekend with trepidation and muddled expectations. I did not expect to leave the theatre euphoric and beaming, with the eternal love that I hold in my heart for the magical universe penned by the transcendent J.K. Rowling,
stronger than ever. I picked up the first Harry Potter book when I was nine years old. I read it totally unaware of what the stories entailed, completely oblivious to the overall impact it would inevitably have on my life. Delving into the Harry Potter series was one of the most enjoyable and simplest things that I’ve ever done. I inhaled the books one by one, absorbing their magic like a sponge and wishing with an aching soul that I could somehow go to Hogwarts, too. I eagerly awaited each new movie and I perched by my front
door all day, anxiously waiting for my pre-order of the last book. I was enraptured with the entire magical world that Rowling created, an excitable young fan brimming with adoration for a series that had affected me so greatly. Harry Potter was never a mere book series to me; it was the source that sparked my love of reading and my eventual desire to write. The books gave me characters that felt so tangible and entirely relatable, that I cared for them as though they were my own. Hermione epitomized everything that I was, I am and who I
to pull out a camera on someone without their permission. I hope that 50 Cent, who has dealt with the paparazzi, could sympathize. The amount of difficulty that people with autism go through in life is tremendous. Being able to work at a normal job without being constantly under supervision is something to be encouraged, not ridiculed. What makes me more upset is that the celebrity did not even
strived to be. She’s an exemplification of strength, intelligence and independent womanhood who bravely grasped her flaws with pride. As a little girl who once felt embarrassed to reach out of her seat to answer a question or read a book during recess, Hermione gave me a familiar comfort that I didn’t know I needed. For years, up until the release of Deathly Hallows Part Two, I had always had some form of Harry Potter to look forward to. Something enchanting was always on the horizon, waiting for me. When Pottermore was announced, I leapt on the opportunity to find my Hogwarts house. I cried with happiness when I was told that I was a Slytherin. I was able to interact with a likeminded group of people who were equally as passionate about a fictional world that held so much power and meaning to them, as it did for me. The last movie felt like my final step onto Platform 9 and 3/4, but I always hoped that there would be more in store. It’s strange though, when Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was announced, released and now sitting (unread) on my bookshelf, I couldn’t bring myself to open it. I don’t want to know anything else about my beloved characters, my ragtag assortment that I consider my own close friends. I have my own firm ideas of where I wanted them to go and who I wanted them to be. I don’t want those expectations dashed away to something less-than. I want to look at it with blissful
give thought to Farrell’s life before putting him on display. He did not give consent to be filmed or to have that video posted. Farrell, however, handled himself very professionally, deciding not to retaliate, which showed a huge amount maturity. It does, indeed, take a lot of control to not act out in anger against a bully. To me, this is an example of how one should learn from their past mistakes. I think this is a reminder that we, as human beings, have to think about the repercussions and responsibilities we have in life, especially how to treat others. What warms my heart is the amount of support that Farrell has received from his city and the citizens of Cincinnati. They did not take kindly to 50 Cent’s behavior and have since boycotted 50 Cent’s drink line, Effen Vodka. I am glad to see that there are people who care for one another and that in today’s world, a cruel act like this will not go unpunished. My hope is that the publicity this situation gained will not only teach 50 Cent to think before he acts, but also that 50’s followers will take this as a lesson on how to treat others.
ignorance. Yet, when Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was introduced, I was more willing to accept it. This film was a new chapter: a new addition to a realm that mattered most to me. I believe that is where the success of it was tied to, in making itself separate from Harry Potter overall, but keeping its familiar warmth.
As a little girl who once felt embarrassed to reach out of her seat to answer a question or read a book during recess, Hermione gave me familiar comfort ...
When the title appeared onscreen, accompanied by the welcoming, friendly notes of the series’ theme, I became tearful, knowing that I was back home, once again. These books and their vast, beautiful universe aren’t just items of fiction to me. They are the pieces that completed my personal puzzle. They make me feel safe, make me laugh, cry and value the true worth that books hold. For those reasons, along with countless others, the fantastical wizardry of J.K. Rowling’s creation will be something that I cherish for the rest of my life.
OPINION • 17
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
Learning from the 2000’s The Gilmore Girls reboot brings opportunity for growth
BETHANY BOWLES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Gilmore Girls first aired on TV in 2000 and was a fan favourite for seven years, wrapping up in 2007. Not only did this show provide a heart-warming, quirky narrative, but on the surface, the show is a bildungsroman — a coming of age story — for two characters: mother-daughter duo, Rory and Lorelai. Everyone loves a bildungsroman. There’s a reason why S.E Hinton’s The Outsiders, is still taught in high school and university classes nearly 60 years after it was published. Western culture has an obsession with dissolving innocence. Gilmore Girls, however, has a bit more depth than the typical bildungsroman. This is mainly because it is women that are coming of age, while the traditional bildungsroman is generally geared towards male protagonists. I’m looking at you, Holden Caulfield. Gilmore Girls tells the story of a girl who gets pregnant at 16 and must raise a child before she’s become an adult herself. The show
starts up when Rory, the daughter, is 16 and Lorelai, her mother, is 32. The audience is subjected to this bizarre mother-daughter relationship, where both parties are, essentially, at the same level of maturity.
All of these homophobic jokes are made to be lighthearted ... TV today celebrates diverse sexualities, while Gilmore Girls revolved aound heternormativity.
I love Gilmore Girls, mainly because it presents some interesting issues regarding feminism and female independence. Lorelai struggles to find a balance between taking care of herself and her daughter without the help of a man, while also yearning for a male companion. During the first five seasons, before Lorelai ends up with Luke, Lorelai’s love life is somewhat destructive. She fears commitment,
but also sticks to her guns when someone mistreats her (Digger could never win her back, the asshole). Although her parenting tactics can be a bit questionable — regarding Rory as her best friend first and her daughter second — Gilmore Girls was desperately trying to be progressive in the early 2000’s. And for that, I applaud them. There still lies a problem, however. While Lorelai and Rory were trying hard to maintain the “I don’t need a man” mentality, several other issues in the series seemed to overshadow the positive feminist approach. Let’s talk about Lane’s mom, Mrs. Kim, and the blatant racism that coincided with her character. Mrs. Kim’s character upholds the stereotypical Asian parent trope — strict, oppressive, controlling and only concerned with her daughter’s educational success. The majority of their mother-daughter relationship consists of Mrs. Kim trying to fine Lane a “good, Korean husband.” In general, the show really only featured white characters, with the exception of Michele. Even then, he was consistently “othered” and also made to be the source of many jokes, quite frankly, because his French accent was hard to under-
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
stand. Let’s also talk about the gay jokes. In the beginning of the series, Lorelai accuses Dean of being gay in a lighthearted tongue-andcheek kind of way. Luke also calls Kirk gay for holding his girlfriend’s purse. Any time a male character displayed any stereotypically feminine qualities, they were subjected to teasing or having their sexuality questioned. All of these homophobic jokes are made to be lighthearted, but that just doesn’t exist in TV anymore. TV today celebrates diverse sexualities, while Gilmore Girls revolved around heteronormativity. The point is, watching this series in 2016 can be painful to anyone who respects political correctness, or to anyone who celebrates Hollywood’s newer approach to tell the stories of characters who aren’t straight, white, cisgendered people.
Now, fans are gearing up for the revival, which is set to air on Netflix this Friday. I’m also one of those fans that’s bursting with excitement. I love the story of Lorelai and Rory. I love their friendship. I love the feminist ideology that lies in telling the story of a successful single mom who owns her own business. But what I’m most excited for is to see this story told in 2016, a time where making gay jokes and being racist on TV isn’t as acceptable as it was in the early 2000’s. I acknowledge that Gilmore Girls existed in a time when the majority of people thought this was okay and that this was acceptable humour. I’m hopeful that the revival will still feature several cups of coffee, fast-paced dialogue, Miss Patty’s town gossip, Luke’s pessimism and jokes that don’t uphold the marginalization of certain groups.
Stop being offended by jokes that are lighthearted Now I would be a hypocrite to say that I was not pampered and spoiled. I had my parents pay for my schooling. The difference was, I was raised to live life and not to worry about little micro-aggressions like “being offended”.
JOSH GOEREE OPINION COLUMNIST
When I was growing up, I was the class clown. I would do and say funny things for a laugh. Even to this day, when I go to work at the Wilmot Recreation Complex in Baden, I waltz in with a comedic smile and banter to make our shifts go by more smoothly. But in recent years, especially at university, I’ve noticed that when I make a joke, people look at me the wrong way for using a certain word. Political correctness has turned from a good idea, when you are not mean to those who can’t defend themselves, to a point where no one wants to offend anyone anymore. This has effectively made our generation a bunch of super-sensitive, ignorant dolts that do not know how to take a joke. How did university turn into a time when you could explore and learn about yourself, to a time when pampered, spoiled, entitled brats get mad because of a joke? It’s as if those kinds of people have something shoved where the sun doesn’t shine. It’s time for a reality check:
How did university turn into a time when you could explore and learn about yourself, to a time when pampered, spoiled, entitled brats get mad because of a joke?
SERENA TRUONG/CORD GRAPHICS
everyone gets made fun of for something and it is never 100 per cent fair. I should know: I was bullied from elementary school to high school by morons using the same jokes and kicked me when I was down, figuratively and physically speaking. That’s not to say that jokes aimed at hurting people are okay — racist, homophobic and misogynistic jokes, as well as jokes that marginalize certain groups, shouldn’t be the norm. But getting offended by every joke is a waste of energy for everyone involved.
The point of comedy and humour isn’t, as the PC police will tell you, to be cruel or nasty. The whole point of comedy is that it is critical and it over-exaggerates. All jokes, in some fashion or other, are going to be critical. It points out the humanity in ourselves and helps in getting over tragedy. When you take away the ability to be critical and unwillingness to offend anyone, humor is gone. To comedian John Cleese, if that is the case, we might as well be living in 1984, George Orwell’s totalitarian nightmare.
The whole notion of being politically correct is that it is trying to protect everyone from anything uncomfortable. Robin Skynner, a psychiatrist from London, once said, “If people can’t control their own emotions, then they have to start trying to control other people’s behavior.” Once you start to control people’s behaviour, language, or opinion just because you don’t like it or find it uncomfortable, then you have started a dictatorship. If all of society is like that, it will become the totalitarian nightmare like in 1984 and being pampered and spoiled started it all.
We have two choices: either get the politically correct stick out of our rear ends, or continue to live in a world where if speech isn’t sanitized or censored, you get in trouble. To again quote my favourite comedian George Carlin: “Political Correctness is fascism pretending to be manners.” So, if you like telling people to control what they say, cannot take a joke and are a fan of fascism or dictatorship, then go move to United States. I believe they just elected a guy who kept a copy of Hitler’s speeches at his bedside.
18 •
Sports
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 SPORTS EDITOR ROB FIFIELD sports@thecord.ca
MEN’S HOCKEY
MARCO PEDRI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Hawks down Varsity Blues ERIC FLOCKHART STAFF WRITER
Coming off a narrow 2-1 victory against the Windsor Lancers on Friday evening, the Golden Hawks men’s hockey team continued their strong play on Saturday, earning a 5-4 win over the University of Toronto Varsity Blues at the Sun Life Financial Arena. Despite some sloppy passing from both sides early on, the Hawks controlled the play early and had a number of good scoring chances in the first few minutes. Just over three minutes in, Erik Pushka won a faceoff just outside
of the U of T zone. The play progressed, with Pushka eluding the U of T forwards and carrying the puck towards the net. Running out of room, Pushka faked a shot and slid around behind the net for the wrap-around attempt. Waiting out front, Will Cook and Kyle Morrison hacked away at the rebound, before Morrison was able to bury it over the outstretched pads of the U of T goaltender, Andrew Hunt. Midway through the first period, Golden Hawk starter Chris Festarini came up with back-to-back glove saves to keep the Hawks ahead 1-0. With just over six minutes to go
in the first, the Varsity Blues’ Casey Knight set up Charlie Connell who tucked it under the blocker of Festarini to tie the game at one. Just two minutes later, Toronto continued their pressure, capitalizing on poor passing by the Golden Hawk forwards, leading to an odd-man rush and an easy goal for Knight. The period would end with the Golden Hawks down 2-1. U of T took a quick hooking penalty just 12 seconds into the second period, giving the Hawks their first power-play of the game. However, it was the Varsity Blues who would dominate the two min-
utes, putting constant shorthanded pressure on Laurier goaltender, Colin Furlong, who replaced Festarini to start the second. Furlong would handily dismiss the shorthanded rush from Toronto, making two stellar blocker saves as the power-play drew to a close. Only two minutes later, Laurier’s Christian Mroczkowski made a great feed from the side of the net to winger Matt Dupont just above the hash marks, who buried it over to Hunt’s outstretched glove. The deadlocked game would not last long, however. Just over eight minutes into the frame, Furlong was unable to handle a weak shot from the blue line, allowing Toronto’s Max Lindsay to collect his own rebound and put the Varsity Blues up 3-2. With about five minutes to go in the period, Mroczkowski won a great battle along the boards in the U of T zone before rifling a pass to defenseman, Derek Schoenmakers, who fired a wrist shot through traffic, tying the game at three. Laurier would successfully kill off a power-play late in the period and the frame would end locked at three a piece. For the second straight period, the Varsity Blues got into penalty trouble early, with Connor Bebb called for interference just under two minutes into the third.
The Golden Hawks would capitalize this time around, with Fritsch taking the cross-ice feed from Schoenmakers before burying a slap shot between Hunt’s legs. The Hawks continued to dominate the third period. Bursting into the zone with just over 13 minutes to play, U of T goaltender, Hunt, deflected Derek Schoenmakers wrister directly to Mroczkowski, who buried a snap-shot into the open side. The 5-3 advantage would prove to be enough, despite a late onslaught from the U of T offence. With their goalie pulled with roughly two minutes to play, the Varsity Blues frantically applied pressure, but Furlong remained poised, making two confident glove saves to keep the Hawks ahead. U of T would narrow the deficit to one, with a late goal from Corey Jackson, but the Laurier defence would prove too much and would hold on for the 5-4 victory. On the backs of three-point performances from Mroczkowski and Schoemakers and a 25 save performance from Furlong, the Golden Hawks earned their second win in as many days. The Hawks are back in action Friday, November 25, at the Sun Life Financial Arena for the first of two games against Lakehead.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Purple and gold off to impressive start ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM CORD SPORTS
The Laurier women’s basketball team has come out of the gates quickly, starting the 2016-17 season an impressive 4-1, as they defeated the nationally ranked Ryerson Rams, Algoma Thunderbirds twice, losing a close one to Queen’s and pummeling York by 30 in Toronto. Even though the roster now consists of six first-year players, they have managed to find ways to win. “Yeah, I think with such a new lineup, big change over, had six new players coming to the team that we knew that it was going to take a little bit to figure out what we had and get people into their roles,” said head coach, Paul Falco. “Our expectations were that we’re going to be a work in progress team, where we need to find a way to keep improving over the course of the season, month after month and I think some of it was unknown in terms of how we would do, because we did have so many new pieces that we had to figure out or how it’d all fit together Falco said, in regards to expectations going into the season. This team has shown early and often that they are capable of winning games, as they got contributions from different players across the roster, which Falco considered
to be one of the big factors to their 4-1 start. “I think defensively, we’re asking everybody to contribute on the defensive end and I think our senior leadership from Kaitlyn Schenck has been a big part of our early success. She had a great preseason; she’s carried that forward into the regular season, but really if you look at the defence and scoring and rebounding, we’ve had contributions from a lot of different players and I think that’s allowed us to be successful in the early going,” he said. Falco has also had contributions from Nicole Morrison who was an OUA all-star last season, Irena Rynkiewicz, Sarah Dillon, Lauren Jamieson and Tayania Siwek-Smith, to name a few. Despite having six rookies, they have managed to make an impact, and quickly too. “Yeah, fortunately they’ve had a big impact. I think, you know, we’ve relied on them a lot,” Falco said. “There’s a number of times where I’d look out on the floor and we’ve got three first-years out there and they’re battling away and they’re learning on the fly. We’re making lots of mistakes but I can see them getting better and could see them learning from their mistakes and if we continue to do that, we should be able to make bigger steps as the season goes on, but
we’re very pleased with the firstyears at this point of the season.” First-year players such as Rachel Woodburn and Brianna Iannazzo, to name a couple have made their mark. Woodburn has had success on the defensive end, finding ways to get her hands on the ball often, while Iannazzo has shown she’s more than capable of putting points on the board, scoring 20 in the loss to Queen’s on Friday. Even though they have gotten off to fast start, they don’t plan to ease up. “We still, actually, have a lot of work to do in terms of improving to get to where we need to be come February, so it’s been a good start, but we’re not satisfied with where we’re at right now,” said Falco. “There is so much room for improvement, especially on the defensive end.” In terms of expectations for the rest of the season, coach Falco stressed the importance of constant improvement. “But, for us, we’re trying to look less where we end up in the standings as opposed to how we could reach our potential and what can we do to make ourselves better week after week.” “If we keep improving week after week, then we’re gonna be pretty darn good come the end of February.” Next up, the women’s basketball team will face off against Western.
SHELBY BLACKLEY/FILE PHOTO
SPORTS • 19
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 STUDENT ATHLETE’S
What do student athletes do over break? DYLAN HINES CORD SPORTS
DYLAN HINES/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Winter break is a time most students look forward to — getting to visit family, a break from the books, enjoying the holidays and seeing old friends. It also marks the end of first semester, meaning we are halfway to summer. Our Golden Hawk athletes, however, experience winter break a little bit differently. OUA athletes take on the tremendous challenge of balancing books and athletics. Some argue that the time consuming schedule that comes with university sports allows the students to better manage their time, however include a social life in the mix and things become increasingly difficult. Fortunately for student athletes, during exams they only need to fit in team workouts where possible, until after Christmas when it is back to everyday practice. This means come break time, our athletes get to cram eight months of “normal” Laurier student life into a couple of weeks. Matt Tait, defensive lineman for the Golden Hawks football team explained what he plans to do with his free time.
“I look forward to curling up next to the fire, enjoying a hot cup of cocoa and spending much needed quality time with my Xbox One.” Which I am sure includes playing Madden, to make sure he stays on top of his game.
I look forward to curling up next to the fire, enjoying a hot cup of cocoa and spending much needed quality time with my Xbox One. -Matt Tait, defensive lineman
Fall athletes have much needed fall reading week in their season, but winter athletes must be ready to get back into the groove of things during the turn of semesters. Kaitlyn Schenck of the women’s basketball team said this is an easy task. “Considering ball is life … we work so hard over the break be-
cause we know we still have half of our season left to play,” she said. In contrast to Tait, Schenck is excited that she won’t have to worry about getting her nails and having them break in practice, she explained. On a more serious note, the winter break means much needed time with family, friends and pets alike. It is possible for some of the hardest working students on campus, despite their other commitments. Both Tait and Schenck expressed how excited they are to get home. Despite having a break, student athletes aren’t able to completely forget about the commitments they’ve made back in Waterloo, even if they do go back to their hometowns. As a sports fan myself, I will probably spend time over the break stressing over the Indianapolis Colts .500-win percentage, but for the Golden Hawks it’s a little different. “We never really leave the Athletic mindset,” Schenck said. While some students could be baking shortbread cookies with their families, Laurier’s student athletes can be found training, hitting the gym, or receiving stockings filled with KT tape and nutrition bars.
20
• SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
FOOTBALL
HAWKS GO DOWN FIGHTING
PHOTOS BY PAIGE BUSH/PHOTO EDITOR, WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
ROB FIFIELD SPORTS EDITOR
The Wilfrid Laurier men’s football team has been waiting 11 years for this. Since their last Vanier Cup win in 2005, this season has been the first time since that the Vanier Cup has been not far from reach. Unfortunately for the purple and gold, their near flawless season came to an end this past weekend in Quebec City, as they lost in the Uteck Bowl against Laval. On a cold day at Telus Stadium at the University of Laval, the Laval Rouge et or and the Laurier Golden Hawks were ready to square off in the national semi-final Uteck Bowl. The stadium was lively with more than 13,000 fans in attendance, and almost all of them wearing the Laval red and gold. The introductions were finished, the anthem sung and the players and fans alike were ready for some football. The Golden Hawks kicked off and the red and gold were able to make it to their own 26-yard line. The Rouge et Or managed to get one first down, before they were forced to punt it away. On a poor punt from Laval, the Hawks took over on the 54-yard line. Unable to do anything with their set of downs, the Hawks would give the ball right back to Laval. Laval would continue to march all the way into the end zone and pick up the game’s first score from a nice pass to Felix Faubert-Lussier. Laurier got the ball back, but was still having trouble getting the offence to click. On Laval’s next drive, they would continue to march into Laurier’s territory and made it 14-0 on another touchdown, passed from Hugo Richard to Jonathan Breton-Robert for the score. At the end of the first quarter, the Golden Hawks were trailing
behind at 14-0. The Laurier offence was hurting badly, as Laurier quarterback Michael Knevel was only to pick up 9-yards in the first quarter. To start off the second quarter, Laval was able to convert on a field goal attempt to extend their lead to 17. Laurier got themselves into more trouble as they had to concede a safety on their next set of downs and give Laval a 19-0 lead. Laurier’s offence, however, improved a little bit throughout the quarter, but not enough to get any points on the board or find any sort of rhythm.
They’re definitely a really good football team ... next week, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re hoisting another cup. -Michael Faulds, head coach
On Laval’s next drive, they would continue to roll as they extended their lead to 26-0 after Laval’s Sebastien Serre was able to take it into the end zone. This one seemed to be getting away from the Hawks as the Laval fans were already celebrating and singing Sweet Caroline. Laurier would make it to the 52-yard line and in search of any momentum, they decided to go for a risky third and short. But, this backfired quickly as Knevel was sacked on the play and the Rouge et Or took over on the Laurier 45. Laval marched down to the 27-yard line and kicked a field goal through the uprights to make it 29-0 at the half. Laurier would
need another miracle comeback if they wanted a chance to play for the Vanier Cup. At the half, the Golden Hawks were only able to pick up 75 total yards, in comparison to the 279 that Laval was able to grab. The second half began with Laval returning the kick to their own 39-yard line. Laurier was able to force a two and out to get the ball quickly at the start of the second quarter. The teams exchanged punts to begin the half. The Golden Hawks looked to have finally broken through the defence, as they got the ball all the way down to the Rouge et Or 18-yard line before Osayi Iginuan fumbled it and gave it right back. Laurier couldn’t convert and punted it right back to the red and gold. This time, Laval was able to capitalize and extend their lead to 36-0. That would remain the score at the end of the third quarter. Laval marched down the field once again and attempted a 40yard field goal that they missed and was taken out of the end zone by the Hawks. Once again, the Hawks offence was unable to take advantage and punted it back. Laval fumbled the punt and the Hawks were able to recover it on the Laval 41-yard line looking for their first points of the game. Unable to do anything with the opportunity, they punted it back and put the ball into Laval’s hands. Late in the fourth quarter, the Golden Hawks were able to get on the board as Knevel found Brentyn Hall. And just like that, the Laval Rouge et Or were the Uteck Bowl Champions after defeating the Golden Hawks 36-6. They are headed to the Vanier Cup next weekend in Hamilton, to face the Calgary Dinos. Laurier head coach, Michael Faulds, was expectedly disappointed with the day’s results.
“Yeah, obviously we thought we would have executed better [sic]. Laval played outstanding. Obviously Hugo Richard, his ability to run the ball early in the game was very effective and we just couldn’t get enough first downs to keep their offence off of the field.” “They’re definitely a really good football team. Hugo played outstanding. The offensive line played outstanding and defensively not too bad … They’re a good football team and next week, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re hoisting another cup,” Faulds said. Laurier star, Kwaku Boateng, also commented on the loss. “They executed very, very well … their offence is pretty simple, right inside zone, short passes but they do it so well it’s like clockwork, but that’s no excuse. We like to pride ourselves on being the best defence in the country and today we didn’t come out and show that.” Nonetheless, the Golden Hawks can add the Yates Cup win to their list of accomplishments and will look to learn from this experience and come back stronger next year.