The Cord, October 3, 2018

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 59 ISSUE 7 • OCTOBER 3, 2018

EZRA UNDEFEATED News, page 3

MYSTERIOUS CLIPBOARDS

THEMUSEUM TURNS 15

INTERACTIVE ARTS FESTIVAL

BILL COSBY IS SENTENCED

SYMBOL OF SUCCESS

Story circulates around job sign up sheet

Culture-hub celebrates anniversary

Lumen brings light to uptown Waterloo

The defamed comedian faces consequences

Former hawk thrives in sports media

News, page 4

News, page 5

Arts & Life, page 9

Opinion, page 13

Sports, page 15 GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR

2 •

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

VOCAL CORD What dish does not belong at Thanksgiving dinner?

@cordnews

The Cord

@thecord.ca

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

DO YOU HAVE SKILLS IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING? THE CORD IS HIRING A SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

“Pizza is good, but not for Thanksgiving.”

–Shannon Campbell, first-year BSC and psychology

EMAIL EDITOR@ THECORD.CA FOR MORE INFO OR TO APPLY.

“Save candy corn for Halloween.”

–Blend Mustafa, firstyear computer science

“Definitely not sushi.”

–Saeed Mohamud, second-year, political science

“Tim Horton’s donuts.”

–Abi Jeeva, fourth-year biology

CordNews

EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR

GRADUATING IN 2019?

Don’t miss the deadline to be included in the 2019 yearbook & class composite.

Book your graduation photos now at wlusp.com

Compiled by Margaret Russell Photos by Jackie Vang NEXT ISSUE OCOTBER 17, 2018

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Michael Oliveri arts@thecord.ca

CORD STAFF

OPINION EDITOR Emily Waitson opinion@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Safina Husein editor@thecord.ca

SPORTS EDITOR Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sadman Sakib Rahman creative@thecord.ca

GRAPHICS EDITOR Kashyap Patel graphics@thecord.ca

WEB DIRECTOR Garrison Oosterhof online@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Eva Ou photos@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Hayley McGoldrick news@thecord.ca

ONLINE EDITOR Katherine Weber online@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Aaron Hagey news@thecord.ca

VIDEO EDITOR Sarah Tyler video@thecord.ca

FEATURES EDITOR Madeline McInnis features@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER Margaret Russell news@thecord.ca

LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Abdulhamid Ibrahim sports@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jackie Vang photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Sara Burgess copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Vacant editor@thecord.ca CORDCAST PRODUCER Brielle Huang cordcast@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Sarah Tate Homecoming 2018 by Alyssa Di Sabatino Margaret Russell Jamie Mere Lauren Symbolik-Berger Olivia Jones Jennifer Webb Yana Manevska Victoria Marshall

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Quote of the week: “The hashbrowns were actually tater tots but they were still good.”

- News Editor Hayley McGoldrick jokingly giving us a quote about the Homecoming pancake breakfast.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

News

• 3 NEWS EDITOR HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK news@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR AARON HAGEY news@thecord.ca

HOMECOMING

HOMECOMING 2018

PHOTOS BY GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR AND EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR

MARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER

Wilfrid Laurier University celebrated its annual Homecoming this past weekend with a Friday, Saturday and Sunday itinerary filled with scheduled events for returning Alumni, students and visitors to take part in.

Saturday, Sept. 29 did, however, see the bulk of the weekend’s festivities with the Laurier Golden Hawks versus Guelph Gryphons football game, a pancake breakfast, Alumni Endzone — Laurier’s designated pre-game event — and an alumni party at Wilf’s restaurant.

Among organized Laurier events, the spotlight for the weekend’s celebrations comes back to the massive displays of student celebrations that have now received national attention.

Once again, the infamous Ezra Avenue that sits in close proximity to Laurier’s campus saw a sea of young people dressed in purple and gold who were gathered throughout the day on Saturday, which resulted in a forced closure of the road by police, who were there early to manage the crowds and eventually clear out the unsanctioned event.

Annually, the Waterloo Regional Police prepare for such gatherings by creating a largely increased and much needed police presence in

the areas surrounding campus, especially Ezra Avenue, to monitor and facilitate order amongst students.

The peak attendance on Ezra for Saturday has been estimated at 14,000, making it the largest homecoming gathering yet.

Amidst the homecoming festivities, Waterloo Regional Police Services laid a total of 462 charges. “[The charges were] mainly alcohol-related: open-liquor, underage drinking [and] public intoxication,” said Cherri Greeno, media relations coordinator at the Waterloo Regional Police Services.

Other types of infractions that were abundantly seen over the weekend included Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act offences, Highway Traffic Act and Waterloo by-law breaches, as well as violations of Trespass to Property Act. “For the most part students were celebrating in a respectful manner. However, there were a lot of situations that caused us concern,” Greeno said.

“The dangerous nature of some of the incidents we saw — beer bottles being thrown off of high-rises onto police cruisers, individuals going onto rooftops of high-rises which required assistance from emergency response teams to get them down safely — which is definitely a drain on our

resources.”

“We also saw people jumping from trees [and] damaging neighbours’ property … we are disappointed in some of the behaviour we did see,” she said.

The Waterloo Regional Police and Waterloo’s Emergency Response Services received assistance during homecoming festivities from Wilfrid Laurier Spe-

It’s important that we look after our campus and the environment around campus.

-Kara McDowell, vice-president of internal relations of the LSS

cial Constables and Peel Regional Police Services.

Special Constables received 566 calls for service and issued 114 Provincial Offence Notices — which is alarming when comparing to an average day of service on a weekend.

Paramedics were active in responding to 36 calls in relation to homecoming celebrations

between 10 a.m. on Saturday and 3 a.m. on Sunday — 20 patients were subsequently transported to local hospitals and six were determined to be in critical condition.

Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener saw a combined 37 patients over the weekend — all homecoming related.

Throughout the month of September, in response to the influx of students in Waterloo, Waterloo Regional Police are running their annual campaign Project Safe Semester,” Greeno stated.

“The campaign’s purpose is to “promote the safety and well-being of university and college students as they return to schools.”

Throughout the duration of the campaign, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 28, there were a total of 687 charges laid; they were composed mostly of Liquor Licence Act, the Highway Traffic Act and by-law infractions.

This total does not include the charges laid during homecoming weekend and represents nearly a 125 per cent increase from the same period of time during the campaign in 2017.

Amongst the more negative feedback that Laurier students and visitors have been receiving regarding homecoming weekend, a group of students took the initiative to reconcile with the environment that subsequently

took a beating.

On Sunday morning, following the bulk of celebrations, student volunteers from both EcoHawks and Wilfrid Laurier’s Lazaridis Students’ Society teamed up to perform a clean sweep of campus and surrounding areas.

“We partnered with the EcoHawks team. Just to cover more space — LazSoc went in one direction and EcoHawks went to Ezra Avenue and the high school close by so we could make the biggest impact possible,” said Kara McDowell, vice-president of internal relations of the Lazaridis Students’ Society.

“We were out for about an hour or so to just generally clean up the King and university area, specifically the King and university food plaza because it was quite messy there,” McDowell said. “We picked up about 16 bags of trash in an hour.”

“We should definitely have more volunteers coming out on days like this. We really want to aim for one after St. Patrick’s Day as well,” McDowell added.

“It’s important that we look after our campus and the environment around campus.”

The Waterloo Regional Police continue to encourage the safe and respectful behaviour of students and visitors who choose to engage in celebration.

4 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

ELECTIONS

Get to know your local ward AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR

On Sept. 26 between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., the University Affairs Department of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Students’ Union hosted a “Meet the Candidates” event for the upcoming municipal election candidates at the Paul Martin Centre on Laurier’s Waterloo Campus.

The meet-and-greet networking event gave the electoral candidates for the positions of mayor, regional council and chair — as well as the seven ward councillors — the opportunity to speak with local voters and discuss important issues.

With the municipal elections coming up on Monday, Oct. 22, it is crucial for every university aged voter to begin seriously considering which candidates, both at the mayoral and council level, they feel best represent their interests and beliefs.

These “Meet the Candidates” events as well as formal debates will be happening across the Region of Waterloo up until the actual date of the elections.

The Cord had the chance to speak with the mayoral candidates, as well as the Ward seven councillor candidates and get their thoughts on the importance of student engagement and voting, specifically when it comes to municipal government.

“I think it’s important for everybody to get out and vote, because regardless of whether you’re here in this city for four years, my hope is that students will make this a lifetime choice as I did,” said Dave Jaworsky, current Mayor of the city of Waterloo, who is also seeking re-election this campaign season.

According to the city of Waterloo, municipal election turnout

is becoming more critical a focus than ever.

As of the 2014 election, 25,750 out of an eligible 71,667 total voters in the city voted — only 36 per cent of the voting population.

While the results of the 2018 provincial and 2015 federal elections weren’t necessarily groundbreaking with regard to turnout — 58.4 and 68.3 per cent respectively — this sharp decline represents a growing lack of interest towards local government.

I don’t think students realize the power of their potential voice ...

What students need to believe themselves is that their voice has power.

-Tenille Bonoguore, Ward seven candidate

This year’s municipal elections candidates are well aware that this fact is increasingly apparent in the university-aged demographic.

“We know that many students typically don’t come out and vote: some students come from different cities and they don’t necessarily partake in the municipal elections,” said mayoral candidate Chris Kolednik.

The motivation behind getting students to rally behind voting in their local municipality share many common elements amongst the candidates: the first being to keep people living, working and contributing within the city.

“We have three fabulous post-secondary institutions in our city and we need to make sure that we pay attention to the needs of students in our city,” said mayoral candidate Kelly Steiss.

“I want to make sure we are attracting and retaining those students as our talent, and that they stay in Waterloo.”

Some of the candidates agree that students don’t have enough interest in a level of government that has the ability to be an important influencing factor in their lives.

It’s something that many of them wish to shed light on.

“You don’t really realize how much of your day-to-day life is affected by municipal politics,” said Ward seven candidate Rami Said.

“Generally, it gets drowned out by the provincial and federal stuff — it’s so overarching and feels so much more important. But in terms just your well-being within your community, the municipal stuff is really the ground.”

“That’s the thing I love about it — you can enact something and within six months its suddenly in existence … within six months you can really change [something],” he said.

Others want to ensure that the city is properly organizing and harnessing the tremendous political expression that is dormant in the minds of university-aged voters.

“I don’t think students realize the power of their potential voice,” said Ward seven candidate Tenille Bonoguore.

“If a massive student body decided to show up at the polls, they could literally swing the election in many situations.”

“The potential is there, but I think what students need to believe themselves is that their voice

MANRAJ SINGH/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

has power,” she said.

Some candidates simply want to get students engaged in any capacity, to ensure that they are politically educated and comfortable coming out to vote, through the usage of social media.

“We’re gonna be working with influencers in the community — Oct. 5, we’re launching a huge media campaign, all on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter — and engaging the students,” said Ward seven candidate Devon McKenzie.

“In the last election, there was about 4000 people who voted in my ward and of that 4000, only 160 of them were students. So we’re looking to get a higher turnout and we’re looking to engage the students and really educate them that they really can vote.”

The event gave candidates the opportunity to reflect the concerns and questions that they want directed towards the students, to get their feedback and find out how to get them more interested in politics.

“I do hope that everyone is interviewing the students too, to find out what is it about it that

doesn’t engage them? It’s very difficult as a potential candidate or a future potential politician to truly understand how it is you can reach somebody and thus understand what it is the barriers that they find in the current system … and it would be lovely to find out,” said Ward seven candidate Elizabeth Sproule.

However, all of the candidates agree on the same foundation — that university-aged voters are one of the most important demographics for the coming years of the city.

“They’re our future, right? If we don’t have them engaged and interested in what’s happening in our city — well then what’s the future of our city? ” said Ward seven candidate Carol Parsons.

“It’s so important to make sure we’ve got those relationships, develop that trust and we [need to] show them the value of being connected and committed to the future.”

Keep up with The Cord, where we will be looking in-depth at the upcoming municipal election: including how and where to vote, the candidates, their platforms and plans for the city if elected.

SECURITY

Summer job postings rumoured to be suspicious SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A story surrounding mysterious clipboards has been circulating at various post-secondary institutions, such as the University of Windsor and Ryerson University.

Students in various lectures and classes had been given the opportunity to provide their information to unspecified summer jobs. However, despite a seemingly harmless concept, rumours began to circulate that the clipboards and sign up sheets were linked to human trafficking.

According to The Eyeopener, the sign up sheets asked students to write down their first name, last name, cellphone number, faculty and the city they’ll be living in next summer if interested in a “management opportunity” for summer 2019, and that there was no specific company name listed.

There was no reported evidence that the clipboards were linked to anything suspicious.

postings have not been reported to have been present at Wilfrid Laurier University, the school iterated that the company who had been distributing the sign up sheets confirmed the validity of their company and explained that the sign up sheets were simply a part of the company’s recruitment initiatives.

SADMAN SAKIB RAHMAN/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

The Eyeopener also reported, however, that some students began to receive unknown calls after inputing their personal information on the sign up sheets.

“Student Experience has confirmed that the organization that is collecting this information is attempting to recruit students for Ontario-based employment

opportunities in spring/fall 2019,” said a statement published by the University of Windsor.

“Exercise due diligence should you elect to engage with these people. If you have any concerns about the nature of their call, end your call, or do not reply to their emails,” it continued.

Although the mysterious job

Exercise due diligence should you elect to engage with these people. If you have any concerns ... end your call.

-Statement published by the University of Windsor

“Shortly after this became an internet story a couple of weeks

ago, Laurier was contacted by a representative of a company called Student Works,” said Kevin Crowley, director of communications at Laurier, in an email.

“He apologized for any concern their approach caused. The company appears to run student-operated house-painting and window-cleaning services.”

The company’s website states a similar goal, which is to employ students in a management program as well as window-cleaning and painting services.

“Before this company came forward, the university issued a SafeHawk message to students through our SafeHawk twitter channel advising students not to provide personal information if they encountered the clipboards,” Crowley said in an email.

As a further precaution, Laurier’s Special Constable Services spoke to Waterloo Regional Police about the clipboards. But, again, the company came forward since then to explain the situation.”

NEWS • 5

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018 ANNIVERSARY

THEMUSEUM celebrates 15 years of operation EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR

On Saturday, Sept. 29, THEMUSEUM hosted a celebration in honour of their fifteenth anniversary which featured special announcements, interactive exhibits and of course, birthday cake.

After 15 years in Downtown Kitchener, the now well-known hub for arts and culture has big plans for the upcoming months and even years to come.

David Marskell, CEO of THEMUSEUM, talked about the exhibits that are planned for the near future, specifically those connected to “Brain: The World Inside Your Head” which will be open until April 2019.

“On Oct. 17 we have the Gord Downie tribute night — that’s the anniversary of his passing due to brain disease.”

“We have a number of dialogues around the brain and Ben Fanelli — he was a Rangers hockey player that had a brain injury playing hockey — he’s going to be speaking here, there’s a whole series,” Marskell said.

As well, THEMUSEUM is partnering with The Coalition of Muslim Women of KW (CMW-KW) for “Connections and Context: Islamic Influences.”

“And there are four artists who will explore Islamic influences and traditions. So that’s very much a part of what we do and what we aspire to do,” Marskell said.

Perhaps one of the most highly anticipated events coming up is

positive changes.

“It was a flawed financial model and it’s been a challenge for us.

We’re underfunded — and there’s a longer story to that one — but we believe going forward, status quo doesn’t work and we don’t want to shrink or scale back, so we believe that expansion, being able to double or triple our revenues, will get us to sustainability,” Marskell said.

Expanding THEMUSEUM will play a large role in maximizing its potential overall and is something that Marskell is hopeful to work towards after receiving a sizable donation as well as support from BMO. “They saw not just sustainability for THEMUSEUM, but for other arts and cultural groups that wanted to participate. It would also be a great anchor and entrance to

Downtown Kitchener, so they’ve allowed us to buy the building at the corner, our neighbouring building, the bank. They didn’t put it on the market so we’ve got it at a reduced price and they donated a million dollars.”

In terms of what the outlook is for the new space, that remains uncertain.

“We’re quietly fundraising to own it and we’re talking to all sorts of people to understand — once we tear it down and build up — what should it be?” Marskell said.

“We want to really understand what university students want, what the tech community wants and what politicians want, so we build something that is part of the DNA of this community and that the municipalities will support.”

Regardless of the time frame — at least four to five years — before the new building would be ready to open, the success and achievements of THEMUSEUM so far have been numerous.

“Going back to the fifteenth anniversary, I’m really pleased with what we’ve been able to pull off. I mean bringing rock carvings from China, having a Terry Fox exhibition, a Warhol exhibition, working with Yoko Ono, celebrating Havana and Russia and pushing the envelope — we did an exhibit called ‘Getting Naked’ with a hundred artist works that had to do with nudity and it was about body image — we got into The New York Times with that.”

“We are a very unique organization,” Marskell said.

city has undergone, as well as the strength of the community and its durability, enduring the construction that has plagued the area and its businesses.

“During the last three years, I’ve [been] struck by the resilience of those business owners and I want to acknowledge the [city’s] toughness throughout this construction,” Durrell said.

“It wasn’t easy and we lost some businesses along the way. I want to acknowledge the resilience of the people ...”

She optimistically discussed the conditions that uptown residents and businesses have adapted to, sharing words of wisdom that echoed against what seemed like endless uptown construction. “[But] we’re tough, no doubt — four out of five years of construction has made us that way. And there is beauty in that toughness,” Durrell continued.

“Groundbreaking, by its very nature, is disruptive — and disruption is one of the reasons people resist change.”

Van Kalsbeek also showed her excitement about the completion of the bike lane construction.

“We’re super thrilled, as you can imagine … we’re also showcasing the new LED lighting that’ve gone in … 16 million colours, if you can imagine,” Van Kalsbeek said.

“We’re gonna get a sneak peak and a lights show with that [tonight]. [We’re] celebrating all this uniqueness, this cool vibe that’s

happening in uptown Waterloo.”

Emily Slofstra is the chair of CycleWR, a cycling advocacy group that is currently working to make cycling safety an election issue.

As an avid cyclist, she is equally delighted about the new lanes; but as a parent, her feelings are mixed.

“The uptown lanes are better than a lot of other bike lanes in the Region ... I can bike with my kids in uptown now, which is great, but it’s still a little bit nerve-wracking because they aren’t actually protected,” Slofstra said.

“They aren’t separated from the car traffic, so a car could pull over and into the bike lanes at any time or will hit [something] if they come across stopped cars, so it’s a little bit frustrating.”

Slofstra gave detailed insight into some of the frustrating obstacles she sees as a fantastic opportunity for the city to improve upon and grow in the second phase of the bike lane project.

“Even though they’re open, there’s still no bike racks ... It would have been nice to see some bike racks tonight … [But] they do have the bike valet, which is really great,” Slofstra continued.

The region has plans to expand the bike lane project north of Bridgeport Road and towards University Avenue over the next three years, but this will take place following consultations with the uptown Waterloo BIA and the city, as well as environmental assessments in the area.

YITIAN CAI/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

the appearance of acclaimed Canadian author, Margaret Atwood.

“And for those who want to feed their brain, we’re announcing today that we’re having Margaret Atwood — author of The Handmaid’s Tale — she’s going to be interviewed through an informal conversation with Dave Bidini — [he] is the lead of the Rheostatics band.”

A large part of their focus is centred on diversifying exhibits and events in order to appeal to a more expansive array of people seeking arts and culture.

“We want to have family experiences, we want to have exhibitions, we want to have that community stage and we want to have Museum After Dark events for cultural craving urbanites and university students. So, along that line we

have Dance Mix 90s, a big party coming up,” Marskell said.

THEMUSEUM has come a long way since its meager beginnings in 2003; it was transformed into the building it is today through the efforts of countless people who came together to bring their vision to life.

“I wasn’t here at the time, but people — parents, the tech community led by Jim Balsillie, [the] University of Waterloo, a number of groups — came together and raised 17 million dollars. Then created this glorious space and that truly is an amazing vision and it got us to this point and time,” Marksell said.

As far as THEMUSEUM has come in the past 15 years, the outlook for the next 15 will present its own set of challenges and push for

COMMUNITY

SADMAN SAKIB RAHMAN/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Uptown bike lanes now open AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR

On Sept. 29, the City of Waterloo hosted a celebration between 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m., honouring the official opening of the Uptown Waterloo bike lanes running along King street, an undertaking that has been part of the larger “Uptown Streetscape Improvement” joint-project between the City and Region of Waterloo.

This event was promoted and arranged by a number of organizations in the region, including the City and Region of Waterloo, the uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area (BIA), the Uptown Streetscape Improvement Project

Task Force and Cycle Waterloo Region (CycleWR).

The bike lanes, which are physically elevated from the road, have been given distinct cycling markings, road paint and cycling crossings, and also have been administered no-parking signs and by-laws that are being enforced by both the WRPS and local businesses to discourage vehicle traffic on them.

Present at the launch of the bike lanes were many members of municipal government, local businesses and residents, all of whom were clad in their cyclist gear and ready to participate in the evening’s activities.

Among them were Mayor Dave

Jaworsky, Regional Councillor Tom Galloway, Uptown Ward seven councillor Melissa Durrell and Southeast Ward five Councillor Mark Whaley; as well as some of the Ward seven candidates for the upcoming election, Tenille Bonoguore and Rami Said.

The event commenced with remarks from Jaworksy, Galloway, Durrell and Tracy Van Kalsbeek, executive director of the uptown Waterloo BIA. The event then transitioned into a community bike ride on the new lanes, concluding with a display of the new LED lights along its path.

In the opening comments, many of the attendees reflected upon the significant changes that the

6 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

ART & CULTURE

have been selected to create and display artworks for the project.

Otasevic’s piece, “Fabric of Place,” has been arranged to be installed at the Albert McCormick pedestrian crossing as a barrier enhancement, located in the community of Lakeshore Village closest to the Northfield ION Station.

“I was mostly inspired by the Mennonite community and nearby St. Jacob’s community,” Otasevic said.

“My initial idea was guided by their crocheting, hand-made

“First I presented my idea and they presented theirs back with suggestions, they brought fabrics from their different cultures and countries where I was able to see the colours and patterns,” Otasevic

said. ”I developed the final version to include at least twelve different patterns.”

Vickerd’s piece, “The Passenger,” will be located at the Research and Technology Stop, just North of the University of Waterloo and walking distance from the Accelerator Centre.

“It’s essentially a single bronze figure that from a distance appears to be a commuter waiting for a train, but as you get closer to it you begin to realize that its head and its hands are actually composed of animals,” Vickerd said.

“All the animals in the figure are native to the Kitchener-Waterloo area, and were specifically chosen because of their relationship to the local environment.”

“The Passenger” represents interconnectivity with our wildlife and environment, specifically within our transit systems.

“The piece really talks about how we perceive animals and nature to be somewhere removed from the city, when, in fact, a lot of these animals share the urban landscape with us,” Vickerd said.

All of the artworks scheduled to be installed surrounding the ION LRT have been shared on the Region of Waterloo website where you can look further into the stories behind them and check out the artists who have created them.

Although no dates have been finalized regarding the installation and unveiling of the artworks, it is suspected to be at some point before spring 2019.

There are currently nine recipients of the award, and the aim is 15 — which is five per semester.

The disciplines of these students range from business administration to global studies, as the Schlegel Centre exists to help students beyond the classroom in all degrees, not just business students.

The funding is an accelerating factor in helping students the way Schlegel already does but lets them work full time instead of being in class or co-op.

Executive director Laura Allan has been helping students achieve their entrepreneurial goals for years, but RBC’s program is giving the Schlegel Centre that extra push. “$125,000 per year is allocated

for the Entrepreneurship Accelerator program, so 15 students; and then another $25,000 is for the experience, so if they have a competition they want to go to or a conference to attend — that type of thing,” Allan said.

“The momentum of the students wanting to engage in entrepreneurship and developing their entrepreneurial skills is bursting.

We at Schlegel are an incubator — and it’s full. There’s new students wanting in all the time, but the one hitch to all this momentum is money.”

RBC and Laurier have had a strong relationship for many years, but now with this funding, they are helping students achieve their

dreams at the next level.

“How do you find funds? How do you take away time from school? That is expensive, when you should be working, so that you can actually apply that back into your business.” Allan said.

“The capacity they have been given to focus on pursuing the dream, to push it forward, because that’s what they’re able to do now, that focus allows them to move it forward.”

“That would not be possible.” As for Schlegel, this is just the beginning, Allan says.

“At Schlegel, we’ve launched, we’re moving forward and now RBC has put an accelerant on it. It’s incredibly exciting.”

works, as well as quilting. It played very well with what I wanted to represent in this piece — connectivity and diversity.”

“Fabric of Place” is an interactive sculpture that seeks to facilitate community engagement and was placed at a pedestrian crossing for this purpose. It consists of several panels which can be rotated and moved by passers-by to shift and create new patterns.

Purposefully, “It reflects that the community is evolving and restructuring … nothing is permanent,” Otasevic added.

“We organized two workshops where I had the opportunity to meet the representatives of the community,” Otasevic said.

CONTIRBUTED IMAGE

Brandon Vickerd’s piece, “The Passenger”, has limbs that are created with various animals native to the KW region.

ION LRT brings art to life MARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER

Kitchener-Waterloo eagerly awaits the completion of the ION Light Rail Transit system that will consist of 19 stations across Kitchener-Waterloo.

At nine stops and designated areas along the ION route, custom artworks will be installed as part of the ION Public Art Project, commissioned by the region of Kitchener-Waterloo.

These works depict a broad

range of artistry styles and all represent Kitchener-Waterloo differently as an expanding, diverse and bountiful area through various mediums.

The artists were commissioned through a two-stage jury selection process that was completed in February of 2017.

The community of KW, being an essential part of the process, was involved through workshops, surveys and a stakeholders group.

Lilly Otasevic and Brandon Vickerd were two of the artists who

It reflects that the community is evolving and restructuring... nothing is permanent.

-Lilly Otasevic, artist

BUSINESS

RBC launches futures HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR

Tuesday marked the launch of the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation’s partnership with the RBC Entrepreneurial Accelerator program, as part of RBC’s Future Launch.

The program gives Laurier students the opportunity to work on their own start-up or work for an existing start-up that aligns with their passions, while still funding the students with co-op level wages to support themselves without having to get a part-time job on top of working with these initiatives.

Applicants went through an intense interview process, in which most already had ideas or were currently growing their own startups.

The interview included questions asking about how their idea would blossom in a cutthroat business environment and how they could deal with competition.

The launch event began with a workshop hosted by RBC called “Build Your Personal Brand.” It consisted of helping students create their own personal imprint on the community, rather than just how to market an existing enterprise, which is helpful for start-ups that want to give a face to their brand.

Jovic Howland, a senior recruiter in wealth management at Griffith Dias and a recruiter in corporate

functions represented RBC in the workshop, which taught participants skills like defining a brand, creating a professional presence, refining social media, personal branding and telling your story with an elevator pitch.

“A lot of times when it comes to presenting to a recruiter like myself, they love individuals with a high GPA, but they’re also looking at social perception. What was seen as soft skills before they are now placing so much greater emphasis on. This workshop itself is elaborating on that upscale of those soft skills,” Dias said.

“RBC just released a publication called ‘Humans Wanted’ — and it’s incredible. It talks about how a graphic designer and a dental hygienist share the same skills.

Transferrable skills are required in many different roles. It’s great to say: ‘yes, I have this high GPA, but I also have all these soft skills’.”

The workshop was followed by a networking event in Lazaridis Hall, where faculty many different disciplines were present for the announcement of all the grants received by the school from RBC. Speeches were delivered from president and vice chancellor of the school, Deborah MacLatchy, the regional vice president for RBC Kitchener-Waterloo Massimo Iacurti and executive director of the Schlegel Centre Laura Allan, among others present at the launch event.

HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK/NEWS EDITOR

ARTS & LIFE • 7

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

Arts & Life

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MICHAEL OLIVERI arts@thecord.ca

PROFILE

Local singer and student shines MICHAEL OLIVERI ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

If you were to meet local singer, songwriter and fellow student at Wilfrid Laurier University, Kirstin Corbett in person, I think you would be most struck by her kindness and warmth as a person.

“I won a belching contest, I won an award for best hidden talent in first year at Willison Hall and that’s how people may or may not recognize me,” Corbett said.

Corbett is also becoming more recognizable for her singing and performances across the K-W region. In particular she often spends time singing at Wilf’s on open mic nights, The Boathouse in Kitchener and The Pub on King in uptown Waterloo.

“I love playing at open mics because you can always see new talent and play whatever you want with a really easygoing audience,” Corbett said.

Through the more relaxed form of open mic nights at various places in K-W Corbett has created a name for herself, proving to be a

popular and often seen fixture.

I think many of us can relate to how difficult it can be to hone, practice and perfect a hobby.

Whether it’s basket weaving or singing, a great deal of time can be put into things.

“I loved writing poems when I was younger and it was around Grade Seven that I was like ‘oh my god this is what I want to do’ and I started writing songs and then in grade ten I learned guitar and I put music to it and then I’ve just been playing ever since,” Corbett said.

Corbett especially challenges herself with the material she performs.

“Yes I write all my own songs, I don’t like playing covers,” she said.

“I have a hard time mimicking another artist’s sound and finding my own, so I find when I write my own music I already have my own sound.”

While Corbett has been exploring her musical talents for a great deal of her life, she hasn’t always done so.

“I took a really big break from it and I wasn’t playing for almost a year and a half during second and third year of university cause I got really overwhelmed and I was getting super depressed, so I when I started writing again and getting back into it, it made me a lot hap-

pier and better, I just felt better too.

So it’s more of a therapy for me,” she said.

For Corbett, music is not just about what it does for her and how it functions as her own therapy, but for what it does for her audience as well.

“I like the way it makes my audience feel, and how when I have emotion in a song because all my songs have a meaning behind them that when other people listen to them and they can relate, it just makes me really happy and makes me like it’s the reason why I’m doing it,” she said.

“I’m not too sure [when I’m performing next] but the people that I’m working with right now they just secured some festival space, so they secured some land in Doon, so we might be playing a festival which will be really cool,” Corbett said.

Kirstin left our interview with a piece of positive and uplifting advice about singing and music in general: “I would tell anyone who’s struggling writing music to just do it for you because it can make you such a better person, and make you so much happier and even if you aren’t getting recognized or getting money from it, at least you’re having fun.”

AL DOERKSEN/CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

Kirstin Corbett, on the right, at An evening of peace event on Sept. 21 2018

COMEDY

Legendary comedian stops by Centre in the Square EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR

On Sept. 25, the legendary female comedian, actress, singer and writer, Carol Burnett, graced the stage at Centre in the Square for “an evening of laughter and reflection where the audience asks questions.”

At 85 year-old, the unfailingly eloquent comic has had a career spanning over five decades on television, delivering her individual and beloved style of comedy primarily through her most wellknown work, The Carol Burnett Show.

Nearly every seat in the auditorium was filled and when the lights dimmed people were immediately drawn into one of the several nostalgic montages that were played over the course of the night.

Beginning as she did with her show many years ago, clips of Burnett performing her iconic Tarzan yell transitioned across the screen.

As the real-life woman walked across the stage, the queen of comedy was immediately treated like the entertainment royalty she is,

with the entire audience standing up and cheering over her presence.

Resolutely humble, Burnett effortlessly guided the night through a series of questions and answers with the crowd — similar to what was originally done during the opening of her TV show — and kept everyone in attendance laughing at each of her responses.

The comedian looked exceptional in a glittery outfit that she claimed was “at least 40 years old” and showed off her sharp wit with every answer she gave.

One person asked if she had ever done a nude scene in a film, to which she replied without missing a beat, “If I had, you would have remembered it.”

Questions ranged from queries regarding her career and co-stars to her general opinions, including her thoughts on Donald Trump.

After a comically long pause, she tartly replied, “You don’t wanna know.”

She relayed anecdotes that were primarily connected to defining points in her career, including her friendships and working relationships with other prominent women in the industry, like Julie Andrews and Lucille Ball.

Burnett detailed a story about the time she was having a drink with Ball, who was lamenting the difficulties she had not having her

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

ex-husband help her with the more tedious parts of her job.

Ball explained that she experienced a disagreement about a script with some of her writers and decided that she had to be confrontational about it in order to get what she wanted.

To which she told Burnett, “Kid, that’s when they added the “s” to my name.”

Between the endless laughter and interesting stories, there were heartfelt moments where members of the audience conveyed just how much Burnett meant to them.

One man told her that he had

pursued a career in musical theatre because of her and sang a touching rendition of “Sweet Caroline” with altered lyrics about her and her career.

A woman in the front row tearfully told Burnett that her show was “the only bright spot in her difficult childhood” and could barely finish thanking her for bringing her joy when she needed it most.

A proud, self-proclaimed 17 year-old girl said that Burnett was one of her heroes and that she gave one of the best things someone could bring to the world — laughter.

The clips from her show that were interspersed throughout the evening showcased just how much talent she has — from her impressive singing skills, flawless comedic timing and natural ability to playoff anyone she shared a scene with — proving that she continues to shine in both the past and present.

Her legacy is something that continues to flourish today, especially with clips of her show living on YouTube, from where she has gained a recent influx of young fans who have started watching her sketches.

She commented to a nine yearold boy in the audience of one of her previous shows that she was surprised that he knew who she was, with him replying, “Frankly, so am I.” Burnett is still able to leave audiences throwing their heads back with laughter after years of work and at 85, she continues to leave an impression on those new to her and those familiar.

She gracefully exited the stage after enthusiastic applause and left an unshakeable feeling of contended warmth that seemed to ripple throughout everyone who was present.

It takes a special kind of talent to deliver the impact that she did, and she certainly made the evening a memorable one because of it.

8 • ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

HALLOWEEN

Screampark 2018 terrifies MICHAEL OLIVERI ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

Thursday Sept. 27 marked the day some colleagues and I went to Bingemans Screampark.

For those who don’t know, Screampark is an annual event at Bingemans in Waterloo — essentially, picture a really long and extended haunted house with several different stages.

Once we arrived, we were greeted by a headless woman dressed entirely in black.

This started our experience off on the right foot by immediately getting us in the mood to be scared.

This year’s Screampark theme was a medical treatment centre/ asylum that has gone horribly wrong.

You aren’t immediately given many narrative details, but instead they are slowly given out by the lines of the actors as you progress from stage to stage.

One early-on experience that really put a damper on the mood was the initial waiting.

Although we were in line for at least 45 minutes before actually starting the stages, I can safely say the wait was worth it.

This year’s Screampark was sep-

arated into nine stages with their own distinct aesthetic and scares.

Some of these stages really knocked it out of the park.

In particular, the ocular observatory had many areas that really subverted your vision, and the preparation penitentiary was spooky overall.

Some of the other sections, while scary were underdeveloped.

The section that immediately comes to mind is the pitch path, where clowns with chainsaws wait to chase you.

Sounds terrifying right? It just felt too short, even though we were running for our lives.

Luckily for attendees, half way through the Screampark is a small eatery for you to take a seat, relax momentarily and grab a drink.

One section that I am undecided on is the maze trial.

This section featured a maze that was filled with the artificial fog, strobe lights and blinding bright lights. The maze is made out of chicken wire and wood and you have to navigate through it virtually blind.

It was a fun time exploring how to get through the maze; however, the level to which our visibility was limited was concerning at times.

Luckily, we could follow the voices of our friends ahead.

The actors here seriously deserve an award; they all did a fantastic job of scaring the daylights out of us.

I think they have a sixth sense

on which person in a group is the weak one who scares easily. In our case this was me, and they did not hesitate to make sure they knew I scared easily.

It should say something that based off of previous encounters it created a growing sense of terror every time we ran into someone.

They also deserve an award for keeping a straight face every time I screamed like a small child.

There is some required information you should know before you make your visit to Screampark if you so choose.

Dress warm because you will be outside for the most part. Bring comfortable running shoes for all the walking in outdoor paths that you will do, and for the clowns.

Also if you have any sort of mobility concerns this might be extremely difficult to get around, there is a lot of area to cover and much of it is dirt/forest path.

Another thing to keep in mind is to avoid bringing valuables because they might get lost during a nice healthy jog away from the clowns.

The real question overall is, is this experience worth my hard earned $30-$35?

Well it depends; if you refuse to have anything to do with spooky things then this probably isn’t for you.

However, if like me you are intrigued and willing to give Screampark a try I would go for it, you will have one hell of a time.

LAUREN SYMBOLIK-BERGER/CORD VIDEO

BOOKS

A review and appreciation of Indian Horse SARAH TATE CORD ARTS

It’s been almost six years since Richard Wagamese wrote his novel Indian Horse, and yet it continues to catch the hearts and minds of many readers up to this day.

Richard Wagamese is an Ojibway, Canadian writer born in Northwestern Ontario.

With experience as an author and journalist, Wagamese’s pieces of work contain no shortage of heartfelt experiences and touching moments.

Indian Horse is a novel about the life of Saul Indian Horse, a member of the Fish Clan of northern Ojibway.

While reading the story, I went through a rollercoaster of emotions alongside Saul, as he is stripped away from his family at a young age and is forced into the residential school system.

“The tearing away of the bush and my people was like ripped flesh in my belly. Every time I moved or was forced to speak, it roared its incredible pain,” the book reads.

The story is told from flashbacks, as it begins with Saul as a resident in a treatment centre for alcoholics.

Originally reluctant to get help, Saul discovers the best way to cope with his trauma is to tell the story

I suggest this book for a reader who is looking for a novel that is

It is an excellent story that highlights an important part of our Canadian history

EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR

of the past. Here, readers will be exposed to the hardships of Saul’s life.

“That was a border my generation crossed, and we pine for a return that has never come to be,” the book reads.

It is an excellent story that highlights an important part of our Canadian history.

It re-tells Saul’s experiences at the residential school, and explores the effects it carries with him for a long time, often something that is ignored in the history of residential

school students.

“When your innocence is stripped from you, when your people are denigrated, when the family you came from is denounced and your tribal ways and rituals are pronounced backward, primitive, savage, you come to see yourself as less than human. That is hell on earth, that sense of unworthiness,” the book read.

The novel shows the many experiences and emotions residential school children have to overcome during and after their stay.

I found that the demonstration of how Saul learns to survive and cope is an intense journey, but Wagamese makes it extremely authentic.

While reading, I felt as if I was right there along Saul; healing, growing and facing the trauma.

“In what seemed like an instant, the world I had known was replaced by an ominous black cloud,” the book read.

Although I found it easy to read, with just over 200 pages, it is not an easy topic to handle.

filled with struggle, abuse, but most importantly, someone who is ready to read the truth.

“I suppose when you can’t understand something yourself it’s impossible to let anybody else in even if your motivated to,” the book read.

Touching on subjects of facing racism and abjection, anyone who wants to learn more about the significance or importance of Indigenous culture and values should read this novel.

Indian Horse is incredibly well written, and really made me consider what there is that meets more than the eye.

Wagamese has nothing to hide in this journey of surviving; it is raw and pure.

ARTS & LIFE • 9

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3 2018 LOCAL

Lumen Festival lights up Uptown Waterloo SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On Sept. 29, 2018 the Lumen festival took place in Waterloo for the very first time.

The festival, which aims to celebrate light, art and technology, features 26 installations which were located in five different zones throughout uptown Waterloo.

“We get a lot of criticism from the tech community that nothing is happening in Waterloo and that’s not exactly true, but we thought we’d create an event specifically for the tech community with arts as the focus,” said Sonya Poweska, culture program specialist at the City of Waterloo.

“It seems to me that light art and tech is a great way to represent what Waterloo actually is.”

Although the festival started off

on a smaller scale, more and more artists and sponsors showed interest in partnering with the event, allowing it to grow and operate on a larger scale. “[We had] some tremendous sponsorship support from a number of developers in the area,” Poweska said.

“We’re really lucky and fortunate to have their support and to really have them believe in Waterloo the way that we see it and the way that they see it moving forward, so that’s really how it all came to be.”

Although Poweska iterated that organizers were proud of all 26 installations that were present for the festival, Kid Koala, the kaleidoscope installation and the Kazoo stage were some of the most anticipated installations.

Kid Koala — a well known DJ in Canada — took place in the park-

ing lot located at the intersection at Regina Street and Bridgeport Road, saw hundreds of participants and attendees.

It seems to me that light art and tech is a great way to represent what Waterloo actually is.

-Sonya Poweska, Culture Program Specialist, City of Waterloo

“He offered an opportunity for people to come and DJ with him.

As part of the festival, we had two

shows for that one,” Poweska said.

Waterloo Park, which was one of the five zones of Lumen, saw installations which celebrated its history, being that the park recently celebrated its 25 anniversary.

“Waterloo Park was really a labour of love,” Poweska said.

“We worked really hard to celebrate and showcase the assets of uptown waterloo as well as really celebrating the artists that make up the vibrant arts community.”

The Lumen festival also offered an opportunity for uptown Waterloo to show off the recently installed LED lights which are situated along the King streetscape.

“Definitely we were really pleased to see them featured as part of the event, the streetscape is something that the city has been working on for a real really long time,” Poweska said.

“The lights were coordinated in the colour scape of human branding and that’s something that the city sees going forward as initiative that certainly we can build upon this year.”

With over ten thousand participants this year, Lumen saw great success in its first year running in Waterloo.

“Lumen is a festival that was built for everybody,” Poweska said.

“We were really happy with our partnerships and sponsors. Waterloo is known for collaboration, that’s really how the event took place, so we we are really thankful to all the pope who participated; we couldn’t have done it without the support of others.”

Lumen Festival was a great time that helped to demonstrate the beauty of the art exhibts, as well as of Uptown Waterloo.

PHOTOS BY EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR

10 • GAMES SUDOKU

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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 10 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 Sleep, I get over eight hours of you every single night. Why is it not enough.

Sincerely, My eyes are so sleepy Dear Pancake Breakfast, If you’re going to include potatoes, do not disrespect the integrity of a hashbrown EVER again.

Sincerely, Potato Papa

Dear Life, Saw a LONG LINE at Harvey’s on Friday night - 28th - I wanted to leave when I saw but took a chance. I didn’t wait long! I had food super fast! Dear life the food court is awesome!

Sincerely, j

Dear whoever decided to make reading week a thing, Bless you, for you have saved both my sanity and my sleep schedule from falling apart.

Sincerely, Poor Time Management Dear Midterms,

Dear football, Ugh. Sincerely, Disappointed Dear Life,

Why are you before reading week?

Isn’t the whole point of reading week to do the reading I need to do in order to do well on my midterms?!

Sincerely, This week sucks

Why are you so challenging all the time?

Dear prof,

Sincerely, Ready to Burst into Tears

Why was our midterm on the day after Homecoming?

Dear team,

Sincerely, Sad Hawk

It’s been a blast.

Dear A, Sincerely, Thanks for the laughs Dear Reading Week, Thank you for existing.

Sincerely, I need you

You may annoy me sometimes, but you’re still my favourite person.

Thanks for putting up with me, even when I’m having my third mental breakdown of the week.

Sincerely, E

Dear workplace, Dear A and E, You are a lot sometimes.

Sincerely, Sometimes I imagine you don’t exist.

Love y’all. I enjoy every second of being your third wheel.

Sincerely, So Cute

GAMES • 11

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12 •

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

Editorial

OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca

Celebrating school spirit while remaining responsible: shouldn’t be blindly crossing the street in tipsy packs, completely unaware of your surroundings.

You shouldn’t be drinking so heavily that you pass out on the sidewalk. And most importantly, the unsafe or disrespectful behaviour that comes along with excess drinking should not be an accomplishment which student strive towards.

Common sense is not something that should go out the window once the date of Homecoming comes around — it should go without saying that knowing your limits and respecting the people around you is the decent thing to do, whether you’re on Ezra or not.

Far be it for us to sound like an after school special determined to take away the joys of young adulthood, but there needs to be a reasonable line drawn somewhere: one that isn’t necessarily done through unneeded force by the police. For some, Ezra has increased our need to be more ridiculous, get more attention and do whatever we can to receive it.

A rite of Laurier passage these days seems to be whether or not someone can get a ticket or pull a stunt that’s thrown on the news — like sitting on top of a high-rise apartment or hanging a crude and inappropriate sign outside of a house.

More people are flocking here just to be a part of the somewhat out of control experiences we’ve become known for across Canada and that shouldn’t be the standard we’re setting for ourselves.

Keep your party spirit within the boundaries of appropriate spaces and settle on simply having a good time for a day in our school colours — post those cute Instagram photos with pride, but don’t be an idiot just for the sake of getting noticed.

At the end of the day, we should be representing our school with a little more dignity and respect. We shouldn’t be putting ourselves in danger or trashing an entire street with the idea that there are no rules or boundaries just because it’s Homecoming. Celebrate Homecoming for what it is and try to remember that Ezra should be a safe place for everyone who goes there.

The infamous, day-long drinking and partying spree that takes place on Ezra Avenue twice a year was no different for Laurier’s annual 2018 Homecoming.

A day that should primarily be about school spirit, football and returning alumni, has become synonymous with alcohol consumption.

A sea of purple and gold bodies took up space on the well-known street this year, resulting in yet another string of potentially dangerous behaviours, controversy and overall unease — especially with the Waterloo Regional Police and emergency responders in the area.

The culture of Ezra has become a conflicting concept — on one hand, it brings together thousands of Golden Hawks to celebrate their shared happiness for a day, regardless of whether or not our football team won — but on the other hand, it has turned into a place that has encouraged disrespectful and unsafe behaviour.

As the magnitude of Ezra has grown over the years, the pushback from the police has strengthened in turn. And when students feel like they are being condescended or looked down on as if they’re toddlers who have climbed over a child-proof gate, they push back even harder.

As a collective, university students typically don’t like to feel as though they are being patronized whose fun needs to be shut down or limited in some extreme way.

When this happens, outrageous behaviour amongst our yearly growing numbers seems to increase more than it needs to.

Although there should be reasonable limitations placed on the actions of students on a day focussed on excessive partying, the answer may not be creating a divide between students and the police trying to keep them safe.

It shouldn’t be the “us” versus “them” mentality that creates an aggressive divide between people who believe they’re just having fun and those who want to do their jobs appropriately.

Ezra is a contained space that can perpetuate senseless conduct that you typically wouldn’t see on many other days of the year: you

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.

THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DIRECTOR Rosalind Horne

CHAIR Terrence Mroz

DIRECTOR H.G. Watson

VICE-CHAIR Shyenne MacDonald

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DIRECTOR Maiya Mistry DIRECTOR Vacant

PRESIDENT Terrence Mroz president@wlusp.com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Care Lucas care.lucas@wlusp. com

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EDITORIAL CARTOON

KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR

Finding your passion within clubs

HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR

As someone who enjoyed my high school experience — being a part of multiple sports teams, student council and DECA, to name a few — it seems almost obvious that I would say getting involved in university will be the best thing you ever do and to 100 per cent apply to Laurier.

Yet, during my first two years at Laurier, I wanted absolutely nothing to do with this place. In first year, I didn’t have the most ideal living situation — I lived in the dungeon that is 50 University Place and didn’t talk to any of my roommates except for the one I slept five feet away from. Even then, she wasn’t the kindest person to me behind my back. I had spoken to my residence coordinator to discuss moving out of residence for my winter semester.

So, what was the only thing keeping me in residence? The fact that I played on two intramural teams. The residence coordinator had just come out to one of the games, and she knew how much

being part of a team and having fun was good for my mental state, even during one of my darkest times. My residence advisor on my floor was my coach for both teams and is still a life-long friend of mine to this day.

That all changed when I decided I wanted to go into sports writing as a career and looked for resume builders within my school.

Things slowly started to look up for me, as my not-so-nice roommate eventually ended up dropping out and it was just me by my lonesome in my room for my second semester of first year.

Though the immediate drama was out of my life, she was really my only friend and even by the end of second year, I only had two friends who were my roommates from that year. I had still lost previous friends through the drama that accompanies four 20-year-olds living on their own with no rules for the first time ever. So here I was,

20 years old going into my third year of university with two whole friends.

I wanted to transfer so badly; I said I just wasn’t in the right program, but realistically, I was so terribly upset over the fact that my life was nothing like it was in high school — I just wanted to start over somewhere else. It seemed to me like all of my other friends were thriving and I was a friendless loser who would probably stay that way forever.

That all changed when I decided I wanted to go into sports writing as a career and looked for resume builders within my school.

Sports Management Laurier was looking for a sports journalist, and I applied. I wasn’t in business, and didn’t have any published work, but I thought I’d give it a try. When I got the email that said I was hired, I knew my life was about to change for the better, and it sure has.

Flash forward to my fourth year, and I don’t want to leave Laurier. I’ve joined so many clubs, I work for Laurier Athletic, and I’ve really found my people here. Just because your first and even second year may not be what it seems like in the movies or even what your friends from high school are experiencing at their schools, it will get better — you just have to put yourself out there.

• 13

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

Opinion

OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca

Coca-Cola may be expanding its ingredient list AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR

If there was ever a time to start seriously considering consuming cannabis-based commodities — the time would definitely be now.

When cannabis becomes officially legalized in Canada on Oct. 17 of this year, companies like Coca-Cola will be demonstrating their dedication to a burgeoning marijuana market through an increase in innovative products.

That’s right Canada — we might be getting weed Coke. The soft drink juggernaut is rumoured to be in talks with Aurora Cannabis, Inc., a Canadian licensed cannabis producer, about uniting their efforts to create a line of cannabis-infused drinks.

More specifically, the company has been “closely watching” the cannabis market as a whole, and is showing interest in creating products that contain cannabidiol, or CBD, for its use in what they call “functional wellness” beverages.

According to BBN Bloomberg, the ultimate goal of this new venture “would likely develop beverages that will ease inflammation, pain and cramping.” While the new line of drinks are not likely to contain the active psychoactive

JAMIE MERE/GRAPHIC ARTIST

chemical THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, this transition into any sort of cannabis-centric product is a big step for such a large company.

Coca-Cola is already a major success in Canada, which will see cannabis legalization as of October, as well as in American states like California, Nevada, Washington and Colorado — states that currently have legalized recreational use of cannabis and related products.Because of this, Coca-Cola’s transition into a flourishing new market, is nothing short of the intelligent business practice that you could expect from such a success-

ful company. But Coca-Cola isn’t alone in this decision.

Molson Coors also has plans to sell a cannabis-infused, non-alcoholic beverage in its partnership with the Canadian-based Hydropothecary Corporation (HEXO).

As well, Constellation Brands, the parent company for beer makers like Corona, has already put more than $4 billion into Canopy Growth, another Canadian cannabis corporation.

Now, I’m not going to give Coca-Cola so much credit as to suggest that this potentially controversial move, one which will inevitably create some anger from the

conservative fans of the company, was borne out of a humanistic desire to show its support for the soon-to-be legalized drug.

The CBD market in the US is expected to grow to $2.1 billion in the next two years, from a mere $202 million in 2015. Though CBD usage is not federally legal in the US, the legalization of it in multiple states means that this market will only continue to grow exponentially as other states follow through.

For a company that has the sheer size and capital that Coca-Cola does, they have the flexibility to embark in such a venture, regardless of how successful

it might be — and again, let’s be honest, there’s an extremely good chance of it going well for them — because even if they pull another “New Coke,” nobody is going to be jumping ship anytime soon.

There’s a reason why memes about the new suggested Pepsi slogan being “Is Pepsi ok?” exist.

But Coca-Cola isn’t off the proverbial hook yet. It’s quite ironic for a company like theirs to be suddenly investing in a series of “wellness products” and it certainly isn’t unexpected.

With the cultural trend towards “health and wellness” — a problematic phrase in and of itself — being what it is, Coca-Cola’s shift towards a drink that has historically been marketed to treat a long list of pain-related symptoms.

Coca-Cola’s main product measures at a shocking 2.52 on the pH scale, an average of 1.5 lower than acid rain and 1.5 more than sulfuric acid — each point indicating ten times more or less the concentration of acid. Enamel begins to dissolve at 5.5 on the pH scale.

Because of this, the company’s movement into “health” drinks becomes significantly less of a shock and more indicative of a company desperately trying to stay relevant in a “health-crazed” world.

I’m definitely going to heavily scrutinize this hybrid “wellness” product that will doubtlessly be marketed in traditional Coca-Cola fashion — as the literal incarnation of joy and friendship.

Cosby faces consequences ALYSSA DI SABATINO STAFF WRITER

It was in 2014 when sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby first went viral. Nearly four years later, he has finally been convicted of aggravated assault.

Cosby’s first trial was in June 2017 — it ended in a mistrial.

He was retried by a jury on April 26, 2018 and was ultimately found guilty of three counts of aggravated assault against Andrea Constand, who came forward in 2004 as a victim.

On Sept. 25, 2018, Bill Cosby was sentenced to serve three to ten years in prison. The earliest accusation was reported to have been in 1965, when he was accused of drugging and assaulting a woman.

The next accusations made were in 1980 and from then on, he has been periodically accused and investigated until around 2008.

In 2014, stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress mentioned the allegations in one of his routines, to which both the audience and media were taken aback.

Publications and media sources began picking up on the accusations and started to question how Cosby had managed to keep his image intact despite decades of public sexual abuse allegations.

After the allegations became public, more women stepped forward — over 60 women have claimed to have been abused by Cosby. The accusations range from drug facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery and child sexual abuse.

Despite being accused and convicted of sexual misconduct for decades, Cosby has managed to receive an outpouring of sympathy from people who believe he is innocent, that his contributions to popular culture amend his wrongs or that his conviction is a conspiracy against him.

Cosby had many television roles throughout his career, most notably playing Dr. Huxtable on The Cosby Show, and much of the backlash against his accusers comes from people who have a hard time separating his pop culture persona from his real life personality.

Most of his supporters paint Cosby as the victim. Some outlets have twisted the story saying that Bill Cosby is a casualty of a system that is biased against black men during conviction.

Truthfully, men of colour are often targets of harsher sentences and policing. This applies to many cases. Just not this particular one — Bill Cosby is not a martyr or a political hero. He’s a serial rapist

who was tried and sentenced accordingly.

To diminish Cosby’s wrongs is to also diminish the suffering and harm he has caused to countless women by his wrongdoings.

During his trial this month, Cosby’s publicist Andrew Wyatt claimed that this was all a result of a conspiracy formulated by the judge, prosecutors and victims.

He claims Cosby is the victim of a “sex war” which Wyatt characterizes as women accusing men of sexual predation in order to receive money.

This notion is extremely detrimental. Rape is statistically the most underreported crime with about 65 per cent of sexual assaults not ever being reported to the police and only about 16 per cent of those accused of sexual assault ever seeing prison time.

When rapists and assaulters receive more support than their victims, it becomes harder for victims to come out and bravely report what happened to them.

By normalizing or excusing sexual misconduct, victims of assault are endowed with guilt, shame and the stigma of sexual victimization.

This enforces the perception that sexual violence does not warrant reporting.

Before anyone mentions false

NAME/POSITION

reporting, I think it’s worth noting that within the last decade, only somewhere between two to seven per cent of cases are found to be falsely reported.

Despite Bill Cosby being accused over 60 times, he was only charged successfully once. This is a testament to the way in which the justice system involuntarily compromises the safety of the victims.

With all this being said, it is clear that the justice system does not always work in favour of the victims.

So, why would these victims “lie” or “conspire” against their assaulters? It takes an insane amount of courage to report a sex crime and it’s time we stop making accusations up to be mere “conspiracies” and start considering sexual violence as completely unacceptable.

14

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

• OPINION

Is Miss Oktoberfest an outdated tradition?

MANRAJ RAI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR

Miss Oktoberfest is a title that dates back to 1969, when the first young woman — Christine Orendi — was crowned and graced with the responsibility of representing the beloved Kitchener-Waterloo festival.

Since then, the role has served as a cultural point of significance to Oktoberfest.

Each woman to assume the position has served as a sweetly smiling figurehead, known primarily for her apple-cheeked presence atop her golden throne during the Oktoberfest parade.

What many people don’t realize is that her obligations run over the course of an entire year and she is rife with numerous duties that she is expected to attend to at all times.

Merely reading the expectations and responsibilities associated with the role is exhausting, to say the least.

Miss Oktoberfest’s schedule is seemingly endless, with 225 (or more) appearances that she is anticipated to make throughout the year across Waterloo Region.

According to the “What Kind of Commitment Does It Take?” section of the Miss Oktoberfest website, she makes 50 appearances over Thanksgiving weekend alone — with late nights and early mornings listed each day until Oktoberfest is finished.

Without trying to sound overly critical, the whole process and extensive list of duties are very reminiscent of outdated pageantry norms.

Does Oktoberfest really need this role just to stay in tune with a decades-long tradition? That’s difficult to say. She is placed on (almost) the same level of importance as Onkel Hans, the lederhosen wearing mascot known for photo-ops and leading school children in the chicken dance.

Miss Oktoberfest’s time is demanded only slightly less than Hans’ and it is highlighted heavily throughout any information written about her that there is quite a lot of pressure placed on her in

order to wear this crown and wear it well for a year.

When a tradition that’s marketed as “Young Women, Our Future’s Finest” operates alongside an orange-headed mascot that overshadows those women simply by existing — you would think that more would be done to evolve the role in order to effectively showcase what these young women have to offer to their cities, rather than their ability to make appearances and be shuttled endlessly smiling to the next event.

The application and selection process isn’t an easy task either — there’s a thorough form to fill out, a fee of $350 and sponsorship that is required in order to apply at all.

The effort that it takes to even be considered for such a high-profile position is daunting. These women — all eager, worthwhile and dedicated, I’m sure — are sorted through and critiqued like show dogs. This year’s crowning took place on Friday at the fiftieth Miss Oktoberfest Gala, placing Sandra Dynka in the role for the 2018 Oktoberfest.

Harping on the commonly perceived frivolity and apparent sexism associated with the entire practice is a tricky area to debate.

I have never entered into a pageant or anything like it in my life, so I can’t truly determine if the entire process is worth it and reaps benefits beyond being profiled so heavily during Oktoberfest — or if it’s just a way to shove a pretty woman into the forefront of events and keep up a very contrived public image.

I won’t diminish the hard work of these women either, as they certainly each have unique talents and ambitions that got them there in the first place.

To brush off their goals or their intentions to apply for Miss Oktoberfest would be disingenuous, but it begs the question as to whether or not it’s needed at all, given the push for progressiveness our society has encouraged in recent years.

There isn’t a concept remotely similar to this for men where they have to jump through dozens of hoops in order to wear a crown and grin at crowds for a year before it’s passed off to someone else.

The pageantry aspect is reserved solely for women who can maintain a certain image and be perceived as the “ideal” represen-

tation of grace and femininity.

As much as I wouldn’t like to continue cherry picking problems with Miss Oktoberfest, it’s hard to overlook the fact that the competition has yet to feature any diversity either. While I believe that these women should be selected, if they must, because they were the best, most competent person for the po-

sition, it should be noted that in 50 years, there has yet to be a woman of colour wearing the crown.

Why isn’t the focus more heavily placed on the visions, accomplishments and potential of the women who assume this role, rather than an old-fashioned dog and pony show that’s losing its overall relevance?

I can see the validity in those who consider it to be empowering, rather than sexist and reductive, but I believe the process needs to change more than it has since it began back in 1969. We live in a city that continues to innovate, grow and adapt to its ever changing population and needs, so Miss Oktoberfest should follow suit.

• 15

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

Sports

SPORTS EDITOR PRANAV DESAI sports@thecord.ca

ALUMNI

Finding a successful career within the world of sports PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR

Every year, there are plenty of varsity athletes at Laurier who go on to play professionally at a high level after graduation.

However, there are also a great deal of athletes who are unable to transition to the pro level.

And it’s often these students who still go on to make a career out of sports, just in a different manner.

Laurier grad Isabelle McLemore was one of these students.

McLemore graduated from Laurier in 2002 and has gone on to have an extremely successful career in sports communications.

“Growing up, I had an incredible passion for sports. I was definitely interested in a possible scholarship to the U.S. My primary summer sport in high school was soccer so I was sort of chasing that opportunity to go to the U.S. But when push came to shove, I realized that I wanted to stay in Canada and so I went to Laurier and although soccer didn’t work out, I saw signs in the halls of Laurier for tryouts for the lacrosse team, so I ended up joining the lacrosse team,” she said.

Although a professional playing career wasn’t in the cards for the Whitby, Ontario native, McLemore found a way to stay involved in sports after graduation.

Her first big opportunity came through Tennis Canada, where she went from being an intern to

at those teams and leagues, they’re always looking for people with new perspectives, and new perspectives come from different sports or spaces,” she added.

McLemore has been in the sports communication industry for over 15 years now, and she has been a part of the constantly changing sports world.

When asked about the impact of social media, McLemore explained how it has forced sports organizations to change the way they do

things.

“Social media has incredibly changed the sports landscape.

There’s so many things competing for attention in the same space.

You have to find out how the different age groups [of fans] are viewing sports. Businesses have to change and evolve to go to the viewer and the fan,” she said.

“Your core audience will always come and find you, but you have to go and find those fringe fans who won’t always view and consume your sport. So we are always looking at that with different content digital strategy plans, whether that’s social media or even streaming on our site.”

McLemore is a great example of an individual who continued to chase her dream, even when things weren’t going her way.

She pointed out that one of best ways to succeed in the sports media world is to volunteer and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.

“It’s just getting to know as many people as you can. Take every opportunity you can, even if that’s volunteering your services at an event. Things pop up all the time.

Organizations are always willing to go above and beyond to retain top talent.”

“If someone comes in for an internship and does an amazing job, I think there is room there for the team to say ‘how can we make this work?’ and a lot of times that’s how it happens.”

After tying it up with Levondre Gordon’s touchdown to end the first quarter, it was Kurleigh Gittens Jr. who broke the game open once again.

Gittens Jr. returned a punt 80 yards to take any momentum that the Gryphons had straight away from them.

The Golden Hawks continued their strong play, besides three first half interceptions from Tristan Arndt. Levondre Gordon was eating in the run game, going on to score again and helping the Golden Hawks go into the half up 24-10 behind his 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

The second half was all Guelph though, as has happened to Laurier a couple of weeks prior. After a rouge point off a missed field goal

by Gabe Ferrero to make it 24-11, the Gryphons got their own game breaking moment, courtesy of defensive back, Dotun Aketepe.

Aketepe took an interception that came off the hands of a Laurier receiver and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown, Arndt’s fifth interception, pulled the Gryphons within six points of the Golden Hawks in the third quarter.

After a sixth interception by Arndt at about the 10 minute mark of the fourth, Connor Carusello was inserted into the game at quar-

terback for Laurier.

“Some of them were [unlucky interceptions]. They had a lot of tips including a couple tips that went off our receivers hands, it doesn’t all get pinpointed at one person,” coach Faulds said in regards to the quarterback situation right now.

But this was not before Guelph managed to finally score on offence as running back Jewan Jeffery capped off an impressive drive with a strong 8-yard touchdown run to take the lead and go up 25-24 after a failed two-point conversion.

After failing to move the ball even a yard, Laurier would kneel to take a safety, putting the Gryphons up 27-24. Laurier never came close to scoring again as they never managed to make anything of their final drive.

“Turnovers. It really is the turnovers. Defence played outstanding, played well enough to win.

14 points came off interceptions so there’s no sugar-coating that, that’s the reality. I look at myself as responsible for not finding us a way offensively to move the ball and win the game.”

Now sitting at 2-3 on the season and eighth in the OUA standings, the Hawks are not in the best of positions to make much, if any, noise this year.

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

the full time media and public relations coordinator. She then transitioned to managing media relations for the Canadian Olympic committee before joining the UFC as the vice-president of corporate communications.

McLemore currently operates as the senior communications director for USA Swimming; her fourth major position in sports communications after graduation.

But moving from job to job, especially with massive national

and international organizations, is far from easy.

“There’s definitely a steep learning curve when you look at the sports that I’ve moved from.

You just try to get up to speed as quickly as you can in terms of the intricacies of the sport. But if that’s what you’re passionate about then you put the time and effort in,” McLemore said.

“There’s a lot of people moving and bouncing around [in this industry] because when you look

FOOTBALL

JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Hawks drop into danger zone ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER

We’ve all heard the story of the great team that has that one year where people question the state of the team because of a drop-off.

Well, it’s come that time at Laurier.

Another blown lead in the second

half and a third straight loss, as the Golden Hawks lost to the Guelph Gryphons, 27-24.

After the first two games of the year, the success of the last two years didn’t seem like one bit of a stretch.

Now having lost as many games as they have the last two years, the

narrative has completely changed with there now being a shot the Hawks miss the playoffs.

Guelph got to the punch first as they opened the scoring with 72-yard pick six by linebacker Job Reinhart off a tip at the line of scrimmage from a Guelph lineman.

16 • SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Parhar is prepared for greatness OLIVIA JONES CORD SPORTS

A humble leader, Gagan Parhar enters into her fourth year with the Laurier Golden Hawks women’s soccer team with a new confidence and high hopes to help bring her team to the OUA championship finals.

Parhar is fresh off of being named Female Athlete of the Week, and is the current leading scorer for the Golden Hawks.

“Anyone could have scored it but I was just there in the right time, right spot,” she modestly said about scoring the game winning goals during two games against Algoma.

Parhar did not intend to play those games due to a persistent ankle injury; however, she dressed and warmed up with the team just in case. Within the last 10 minutes, Parhar entered into the game and she scored the game-winning goal.

“There’s nothing that I did myself, it’s a team effort that it comes from,” Parhar said.

Her modesty is a testament to the player that she is. Throughout the interview, Parhar could not

help but to acknowledge that her personal success as a Golden Hawk would not have happened without the support of her teammates.

Parhar began her soccer career at only four years of age. Both her father and brother were very invested in the game, and “it was something I looked forward to doing,” Parhar stated.

Anyone could have scored it but I was just there in the right time, right spot ... There’s nothing that I did myself, it’s a team effort ...

-Gagan Parhar, Laurier women’s soccer forward

She said that by grade five she knew she wanted to play soccer for the rest of her life. When entering into high school, her goal while playing was to attend a good university with a great soccer pro-

SPORTS BRIEF

Weekend Roundup PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR

It was an up and down weekend for the Laurier men’s baseball team as they went 2-2 against Queen’s and the University of Toronto.

A number of different player impressed for the Hawks, including pitcher Ben Braun, who struck out eight batters in the first three innings against the Varsity Blues on Sunday.

This now brings the Hawks overall record to 9-5, which puts them in a tie for third place in the conference.

Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams participated in the Don Mills Invitational tournament on Saturday, and both teams were impressive to say the least.

On the women’s side, Lizzy Laurie finished first and won an individual gold medal, leading the team to an overall first place finish.

Joe Sheridan came in third place which led the men to a second place finish overall.

The Laurier women’s lacrosse team continued their hot streak with wins over Guelph and Brock over the weekend. The Hawks were fantastic offensively, scoring 20 and 11 goals respectively against the Gryphons and Badgers.

Taylor Miller led the way for Laurier, contributing with five combined goals over the two games. The Hawks record is now 8-1, good enough for second place in the OUA standings. With only four games remaining in the regular season, the Hawks are well on their way to the playoffs.

The golf teams took part in multiple invitational tournaments over the past week. The men’s

team finished in fourth place at the McMaster Invitational on Thursday. Andrew Cox led the Hawks as he won silver in the individual standings.

The women’s golf team won bronze at the Waterloo Invitational on Sunday. Stephanie Elsey led the way individually, as she finished 10th in the individual standings.

The women’s golf team won bronze at the Waterloo Invitational on Sunday.

Stephanie elsey led the way individually ...

Both of the Laurier rugby teams picked up victories on the weekend. The women won against their cross-town rivals, the Waterloo Warriors, by a final score of 25-0.

They will now look ahead to their first playoff game on Oct. 5, as they will head to Hamilton to take on the McMaster Marauders in the OUA quarter finals.

On the men’s side, the Hawks beat down the Royal Military College Paladins by a final score of 55-7, a week after they put up an astonishing 98 points against the University of Toronto.

The Hawks overall record is now 4-1, with their lone loss coming against Queen’s, the defending OUA champions. They will now look to continue their three-game winning streak against McMaster on Friday.

gram, and to receive a scholarship.

Needless to say, she reached that goal and surpassed it.

Her efforts do not come without work. Parhar said she worked hard this summer on her shooting and finishing which has increased her confidence going into this season.

When asked about her personal goal for the rest of the season, she said she wants to “continue to be a leader for the team, and just motivate [her teammates].” Parhar also hopes playing soccer motivates and inspires young soccer players, especially in her Indian Punjabi community.

When they see her play she wants them to take away that “anything is possible,” and nothing is in the way of achieving and pursuing their dreams.

There is no doubt that Parhar and the rest of the Golden Hawk women will continue to execute and perform as they get higher in the standings and closer to the finals.

The women’s soccer team will take on the Warriors next in the ‘Battle of Waterloo’ as they look to gain some momentum. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 3.

EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR