THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 57 ISSUE 17 • JANUARY 11, 2017
2 •
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
VOCAL CORD
Which celebrity figure would you choose to be Students’ Union president ?
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
“Margot Robbie.” –Giuliano Thornhill, second-year economics
“Ryan Gosling, pretty much my answer for everything.” – Evan Gelis, fourthyear kinesiology MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES EDITOR
On Jan. 7, The Cord’s Senior News Editor Kaitlyn Severin won Student Journalist of the Year at the annual JHM Award ceremony. More on pg. 7.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: JAN. 11 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell becomes first woman in U.S. to earn medical degree
“Leonardo Dicaprio.”
1962: Volcano Huascaran in Peru, erupts; 4,000 die
–Kiercin Pavao, second-year political science and sociology
1963: Beatles release “Please Please Me” & “Ask Me Why” 1973: Trial of Watergate burglars begins in Washington, D.C. 1982: Honduras adopts constitution
“Beyonce, she runs the world, girl.” –Ali Winter, second-year English Compiled by Nathalie Bouchard Photos by Marco Pedri
NEXT ISSUE JANUARY 18, 2017
CORD STAFF
HAVE A VOICE LIKE SAMUEL L. JACKSON? MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE ON RADIO. radiolaurier.com
FEATURES EDITOR Mitchell Consky features@thecord.ca
LEAD REPORTER Nathalie Bouchard news@thecord.ca
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Manjot Bhullar arts@thecord.ca
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bethany Bowles editor@thecord.ca
OPINION EDITOR Madeline McInnis opinion@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Will Huang creative@thecord.ca
SPORTS EDITOR Rob Fifield sports@thecord.ca
WEB DIRECTOR Brian Phillips online@thecord.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Fani Hsieh graphics@thecord.ca
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Severin news@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Paige Bush photos@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Safina Husein news@thecord.ca
ONLINE EDITOR Andreas Patsiaouros online@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Shyenne MacDonald news@thecord.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Garrison Oosterof video@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
1989: 140 nations agree to ban chemical weapons (poison gas, etc) 1991: Congress empowers Bush to order attack on Iraq 2010: Simon Cowell leaves American Idol
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Emily Waitson Chris Luciantonio Josh Goeree Chad Butt Tanzeel Sayani Victoria Panacci Luke Sarazin Karlis Wilde Nicole Stumpf Dylan Leonard Erin Abe Ayesha Ferdaous Mira Busscher Meghan Ince Owen Martin Abdulhamid Inbrihim Zach Savlov
“Abe Erb’s Waterloo wonderland” by Karlis Wilde
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community. Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors. Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used
for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ontpress.com. The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 4,500 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada. The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.
PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy. The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to
reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
Quote of the week: “You ate shit last night, but then you turned it into snow angels.” - Features Editor, Mitchell Consky reflecting on the walk home from the bar with Sports Editor, Rob Fifield
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
News
• 3 SENIOR NEWS EDITOR KAITLYN SEVERIN news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR SAFINA HUSEIN news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR SHYENNE MACDONALD news@thecord.ca
STUDENTS’ UNION
Transitioning to a new era How president and CEO Tyler Van Herzele will take part in training the 2017-18 Students’ Union president-elect NATHALIE BOUCHARD LEAD REPORTER
The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union is once again electing a new president and CEO. The purpose of the Students’ Union president and CEO is to be the voice of the students, as well as give students the tools to attend events, start a club, join a club or use the resources available on and off campus. The president and CEO of the Students’ Union oversees all of the daily operations, as well as communicates with university staff and community personnel to articulate the students needs above all. The transition period of a Students’ Union president involves a lot of training and hands on practice. Tyler Van Herzele, current president of the Students’ Union, explained the process of transitioning a new president and his plans on training. The process begins from the moment the president is elected until they start their role on May 1, giving more or less a three month
period to transition. “Within those three months, a lot has to get done. Last year, I described this role, as I have said, [as being] two sides of the same coin. The president, which is the representative body of the students, and the CEO, being the management side of the Students’ Union [and] dealing with the full-time staff and the student staff — things under that umbrella,” said Van Herzele. Van Herzele also expanded on his own personal experience as president. “It is a lot to take on, but it also requires a lot of focus from the president to ensure this can happen. I, myself, was not very easy to transition as I was in a program that had me in a practicum for eight weeks out of the 12 I had to transition.” It is ultimately up to the current president to transition the newly elected president. The board of directors, which is elected as well, does not assist in transitioning the newly elected president, although they have a large role in the president-elect’s
time at Laurier. “The board does not transition the president, the board oversees the president. With the election night also comes a new board,” Van Herzele explained. “On May 1, the president will report all of the operations to the board and the board [will] set the perimeters in which the board can operate under. So our governance structure means the board cannot operate on an operational level but oversee the operations by having the president report to them.” Van Herzele explained that it is very important for the presidential candidates to develop their vision over the election period. “I don’t want to influence whoever the president may be. The beauty of student elections is that [if ] someone doesn’t like what happened the year before, there is an opportunity for change. What I will do during this transition is work with the new president [and] find out what their goal is and vision.” Van Herzele also explains that he wants to stick to his visions and
WILL HUANG/FILE PHOTO
Van Herzele will train the president-elect over the next three months.
goals until the completion of his term. According to him, there are things he wants to complete while transitioning the president-elect. “It’s in my job description to remain neutral when it comes to everything to do with student elections.” Van Herzele expanded on the importance the president has in accommodating the president-elect during the transition
period. However, it also depends on who the president-elect may be by the end of January and their schedule. “If they are not on campus, it is still up to me and my team to make sure that them and their team receives the proper transition that they need from the people whom are in the job,” said Van Herzele. “We need to make it work for those who are coming in.”
ARTS
Portrait project displays diversity in Waterloo ‘We Are Waterloo’ display aims to establish a connection between local art, culture and identity ERIN ABE CORD NEWS
On Jan. 17, the We Are Waterloo Portrait Project display will commence at the City of Waterloo Museum, located at Conestoga Mall. The We Are Waterloo Portrait Project is comprised of self-portraits created by those within the Waterloo community with the purpose of displaying the diversity within Waterloo. The project was created through a joint effort of the arts and culture department and the City of Waterloo Museum. The project is also an initiative put forth by the City of Waterloo, in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday with the purpose of recognizing the many faces proud to be a part of the community. The goal of the We Are Waterloo Portrait Project is to create connections between arts, culture and identity, while promoting diversity in Waterloo, as said by Katie Wilde, culture program coordinator at the City of Waterloo. Over 500 self-portraits will be displayed, which were made upon attending one of the 20 artist-led public workshops that took place all over the Waterloo community throughout 2016.
asked to RSVP online prior to the reception. Admission is always free. “I like that there are always new things happening in Waterloo and the We are Waterloo Portrait Project is another thing making this city unique,” said third-year communications studies student, Shannon Toms.
We’re just many faces, all different ages, all different cultures, all different and proud to be from Waterloo. VICTORIA PANACCI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The We Are Waterloo Portrait Project will commence at the City of Waterloo Museum from Jan. 17 until June 9.
“Everybody was invited to drop in and pick up a paint brush or a pen, whatever the artist’s medium was and create a self-portrait,” said Karen VandenBrink, manager for the City of Waterloo Museum. Including Wilfrid Laurier University students, a public workshop became available during Orientation Week at the beginning of the fall semester. Many artists from Waterloo and the surrounding area contributed
to lead the workshops, allowing the participants to create a diverse collection of self-portraits. “As a community art project, it is not an exhibition of individual art work, it’s a chance to see the community portrait as a whole and see all of these faces together in one place,” said Wilde. Beginning on Jan. 17 and continuing until June 9, the exhibit will be displayed at the City of Waterloo Museum for visitors and those
from the Waterloo community, to view the many faces that are proud to be a part of Waterloo. “[The artwork is displayed to] create a snapshot of our community that is symbolic of our growing cultural diversity,” said VandenBrink. Following the opening of the exhibit, there will be a reception on Jan. 26, from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the City of Waterloo Museum. Those who wish to attend are
-Karen VandenBrink, manager for the City of Waterloo Museum
The We Are Waterloo Portrait Project invites everybody to visit the display and view Waterloo’s community art project. “We’re just many faces, all different ages, all different cultures, all different and proud to be from Waterloo,” said VandenBrink.
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
CONSTRUCTION
SUMMIT
Students become “Agents of Change” A leadership summit to promote positive change is held at Laurier SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS EDITOR
CHAD BUTT/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Expansions to the school will provide more space for Conestoga’s growing student population and curriculum.
Conestoga College under renovation for expansion DYLAN LENORD STAFF WRITER
On Monday, Dec. 19, Conestoga College announced a $43.5 million expansion of its North campus in Waterloo. The expansion will more than double the size of the campus by its expected completion in September 2018 for the fall semester. The North campus currently hosts about 700 post-secondary and 2,500 apprenticeship students. It is used mainly for trades education, alongside small culinary and hospitality programs and programming classes. One of the goals of the expansion is to incorporate Conestoga satellite campuses into the North campus. One of these satellite campuses hosts the Language Instruction for New Comers (LINC) program. Another is an access program for people that have been out of school for some time, currently hosted on Weber Street. These satellite campuses will be shut down and incorporated into the expanded North campus through the new Access Hub. The facility will provide students, new Canadians, employers and employees with access to
appropriate information, programs and services. The campus will also host a new Institute for Culinary & Hospitality Management. The goal is to expand the size of the existing culinary hospitality program from 350 stu-dents to well over 1000.
It’s a very dynamic education market in Waterloo...There are a lot of students we think we can reach out to. -John Tibbits, Conestoga College president
“It’s becoming much more of a ‘foodie’ culture … many more restaurants are open in Waterloo and Kitchener, more people are concerned with what they’re eating and how it’s prepared, so we’re going to have a major expansion with that,” said Conestoga College president John Tibbits. Another goal of the expansion is to improve the image of the
college, which is currently built up on the old University Heights Secondary School building. The building, built in 1968, was taken over in 2006 by Conestoga. “Frankly, we needed to really improve the image … it’s a very dynamic education market in Waterloo. We have Laurier and Waterloo right there. There’s a lot of students we think we can reach out to who might want additional applied learning or accreditation or employability skills, after graduation,” Tibbits said. The expansion was made possible through a joint effort of the federal and provincial governments, alongside Conestoga College. $14 million will come from the federal government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund and an additional $1.8 million will come from the Government of Ontario. Conestoga College itself will be paying $27.7 million. During the construction, the campus will not be shut down at all, with work being done in a way that won’t impact classroom activity. Once the expansion is complete, as many as 3000 more students are expected to arrive.
Wilfrid Laurier University’s sixth annual Leadership Summit took place this past weekend and was hosted at Laurier’s Waterloo campus. With a turnout of over 300 students, individuals from all Laurier campuses and the Waterloo community came to take part in the one-day leadership conference.
Oftentimes, it’s the little things that we can do that have transformative impacts on the lives of others and on our own lives. -Orlando Bowen, founder and executive director at One Voice On Team Youth Leadership
This year’s summit’s theme was “Agents of Change,” which reflected the organizational committee’s belief that all Laurier students have the capacity and potential to lead positive social change in all aspects of their lives, explained Jason Verhoeve, director of student experience at Students’ Union. “It aims to support and enhance the culture of student leadership and engagement, provide meaningful and quality leadership training and development to students and try to strengthen the identity of what it means to be a Laurier leader,” Verhoeve said. Students attending the summit were engaged in leadership learning and development through keynote speakers, workshops and seminars, all of which exposed them to a range of concepts and skills. “We looked to help identify what their purpose at Laurier and beyond Laurier would be through some of the sessions they attend,” Verhoeve said. Aside from the two main keynote speakers, Orlando Bowen and Zach Ingrasci, the conference and its seminars were hosted by staff, faculty and students who spoke about leadership and the importance of self-understanding. As well, alumni had returned to speak about their experiences in the workforce and their connection to Laurier. Orlando Bowen, founder and executive director at One Voice One Team Youth Leadership Organization, was the opening speaker for the summit. “At the summit I spoke about being an agent of change. And in that, understanding that there are certain elements that assist on that journey of being and becoming an agent of change. One, being that people only know what they know,” Bowen said. Bowen focused on conveying the
importance of understanding the perspectives of other individuals. He also touched on the significance of connecting with something that is fulfilling or that instills passion in order to make change and be an advocate on any level. “Oftentimes, it’s the little things that we can do that have transformative impacts on the lives of others and even on our own lives.” Bowen said. “So it’s focusing on those little things, the small interactions like the words that you share with someone such as words of encouragement.” Bowen also explained that he feels sharing various perspectives with student leaders is essential, as it helps students understand how they can be a successful leader using their own skill set. “You often have ideas of what a leader looks like, sounds like, walks like and talks like. But it’s those things that we want to fufill that is reflective of our ideal of a leader, and it’s not always an alignment of who [we] are and who we stand for.” The closing keynote speaker, Zach Ingrasci, shared another perspective on how individuals can be positive leaders. Ingrasci co-produced, directed and starred in the film Living on One Dollar which became number one on iTunes for Documentaries, received multiple awards at international film festivals and reached the top banner on Netflix. Ingrasci’s film stemmed from his experiences living in a Guatemalan village.
I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for students ... it speaks volumes to the work that the steering committee put in... -Jason Verhoeve, director of student experience at St udent’s Union
He and his friends lived off of a single dollar a day. His story focused on the importance of working with people and finding out what they need before creating change in the lives of others is possible. “[He taught] the idea that everybody’s the expert of their own life,” Veroheve said. “To not go in and create change with understanding and talking to people about what it is that they need, which was a different approach to being a change agent,” “I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for students … it speaks volumes to the work that the steering committee put in and the passionate student leaders we have here and their ability to engage in that type of environment.”
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 BUSINESS The headquarters was meant to provide resources and raise awareness about a potential job action, if necessary. MPP of Kitchener-Waterloo Catherine Fife and MPP of London-West Peggy Sattler were also in attendance.
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
A tentative agreement between WLU and WLUFA has been reached.
Agreement with WLU reached NATHALIE BOUCHARD LEAD REPORTER
On Jan. 6, a tentative agreement was reached between Wilfrid Laurier University and the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association. On Dec. 14, both parties participated in a day of conciliation with the help of conciliator, Greg Long. Later on, two additional concilia. tion dates were scheduled for Jan. 5 and 6, as said on the university’s
official website. Conciliation was announced by the university and WLUFA on Nov. 7, a process by which a union can ask the Ministry of Labour for help in resolving their differences in order to reach an agreement. Before the agreement was reached, WLUFA held an event to raise awareness about their mission and the possibility of a strike, should it be necessary. This was held at their strike headquarters on 65 University Avenue.
Ultimately, you know you reached a point where you can agree on things when everyone is a little bit happy ... and a little bit unhappy. -Michele Kramer, president of WLUFA
“The only real power the contract faculty [has] is to threaten to withdraw our services. Having a very strong strike mandate, showing that we were prepared and organized [and] having two members of provincial parliament is heartening for our members,” said Michele Kramer, president of WLUFA. While the tentative agreement has been reached, the information is yet to be disclosed to the public.
“Both of the parties, the administration and the union agree not to divulge the agreement until the agreement has been ratified by both parties,” Kramer said. Kramer explained that WLUFA is currently in the midst of putting together meetings for their members in order to present the agreement. “We have to allow them to vote on ratifying the agreement,” Kramer said. “On Wednesday, we will take the tentative agreement to our executives and explain the agreements to our [executives] and say, ‘are you okay with taking this agreement to the members?’ The [executives] will give an okay and once the [executives] say it’s okay. The [executives] will recommend yes or no on the agreement.” After this process is complete, Kramer said they hope to have a ratification meeting by the end of this week, which will give members the opportunity to vote on the agreement by the end of next week. When speaking on the agreement itself, Kramer explained that it is all about balance between both the administration’s ideal scenario and WLUFA’s preferred result of the agreement. “Ultimately, you know you reached a point where you can agree on things when everyone’s a little bit happy with what they’ve got and everyone’s a little bit
unhappy with what they’ve got. That usually means we’ve struck a balance with the employer and the Union.”
The agreement must be ratified by the university’s Board of Governors and CAS members.
-Wilfrid Laurier University Website
On Jan. 6, the university released a statement on their official website announcing they had reached a tentative deal for a new collective agreement with Contract Academic Staff.The statement read: “The agreement must be ratified by the University’s Board of Governors and CAS members, who are represented by the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (WLUFA). The tentative agreement is retroactive to Sept. 1, 2016.” The Cord reached out to the university for comment but did not receive a response.
RECOGNITION
MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES EDITOR
The Cord brings home JHM awards BETHANY BOWLES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
On Jan. 4, ten members of The Cord staff headed to Fredericton, New Brunswick for NASH, an annual post-secondary media and journalism conference. This yearly conference brings in student journalists from across the country to meet various professionals in the journalism industry and learn about the most recent trends in reporting, photography, multi-media and design, among others. At the end of each NASH conference, student journalists from all over Canada are recognized at the JHM Award Ceremony, where students are nominated for awards in various categories. Last year, The Cord was nominated for four JHM Awards at the conference in Toronto. Current Creative Director, Will Huang, took home the only win
last year, as he was recognized as Photojournalist of the Year. This year, The Cord was nominated for 12 awards. Out of 12 nominations, The Cord took home two wins. Former Editor-in-Chief Shelby Blackley and former Creative Director Lena Yang won for Layout of the Year, for their feature layout called ‘Movember’ which was published in November 2015. Current Senior News Editor, Kaitlyn Severin, took home arguably the most prestigious award of the night, as she was recognized as Student Journalist of the Year. This is Severin’s first win in her four years with The Cord. This was also the first year that she was nominated, for not one, but two awards. The Cord and all of Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications thanks Severin, Blackley and Yang for their hard work and dedication in past years.
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6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
BUSINESS
NEW BEGINNINGS Veritas Café reopened as of Jan. 9 with a new manager and updated menu after sudden closing.
PHOTOS BY WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
BETHANY BOWLES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As of Jan. 9, Veritas Café has re-opened, with a new manager, altered menu and fresh look. On Dec. 12, The Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students’ Association terminated its contract with Sandor Dosman, operator of Veritas Café, which is located in the quad, beside the GSA office. His termination was a result of a help wanted ad that Dosman posted on social media. The ad read, “‘I need a new slave (full time staff member) to boss (mentor) around at Veritas Café!” After the termination, news outlets across Ontario began reporting on the situation and GSA president, Samantha Deeming, was harassed via social media for being “too sensitive” or unable to “take a joke.” Deeming’s emails were and still are being monitored by Waterloo Regional Police. As a result, both the GSA and the university refused to make any further statements and acknowledged that legal agreements kept them from speaking about the situation. On Monday morning, Veritas Café was busy with people as they handed out free coffee to celebrate their opening after the brief hiatus. Patrick McMahon, new manager of Veritas Café, said he is excited to be back on Laurier’s campus, as he was the restaurant and catering manager of Wilf’s five years ago. McMahon also currently runs the Woodstock Farmers Market, runs a community centre’s communal lunch and catering business, works with the social planning council of Oxford and teaches children’s cooking classes. “The mission was to get the space back open to the students,” McMahon said. “What I do … is I bring local food, fresh food, from sustainable sources. We try not to use … big corporations in my business plan so that we’re always supporting small businesses. In terms of what we’re doing for our staff, [we’re] paying a living wage. We’re just trying to be a positive space on campus for both students and staff.” Veritas’ revamped menu features gluten free and vegan options. The baking will also be done in-house. Deeming explained that McMahon’s name was passed on by
university partners as a person the university can trust to get the ball rolling. “His name came up a couple times, so we gave him a call and we said, ‘hey, can you help us out?’ And … it seemed like the perfect timing. He works with the Woodstock Farmers Market right now and in the winter, it’s a little bit quiet. He had the opportunity to provide us with some of his time,” she said. Customers of Veritas prior to Dosman’s contract termination were also pleased to see familiar faces behind the counter at Veritas,
the graduate student community. We’re looking at different ways that we can spend those funds, in terms of scholarships, bursaries, providing food programs for graduate students specifically through Veritas … as well as a GSA initiative was providing staff with living wages, again because we’re not looking at that bottom line of profit.” Deeming, who received a tremendous amount of negative feedback for the GSA’s decision to terminate Dosman’s contract, said those in place at Laurier who offer assistance when experienc-
their support.” Deeming and the GSA were also ridiculed for not releasing statements in December. “I consider myself a fighter and I don’t like not being able to speak and defend myself,” Deeming said. “I wasn’t able to defend [myself ] based on legal advice and I totally respect that and I understand that. But it makes it very difficult when that’s what you want to do — when that’s your initial reaction.” While Deeming appeared to receive the most amount of public negativity, Ellen Ménage, executive director of the GSA, also received
A lot of our members are looking for us to make a stance on social justice.
-Samantha Deeming, president of Graduate Student’s Association
I bring local food, fresh food, from sustainable sources. We try not to use ... big corporations.
-Patrick McMahon, manager of Veritas Cafe
as the majority of Dosman’s staff are now working for the GSA, under McMahon’s management. “The staff from Veritas have been wonderful and they’ve helped as much as they can. They’ve been in hours on hours, trying to get everything up and running and they’re really excited,” Deeming said. Along with slight menu changes, Deeming also explained that the GSA will now be running Veritas as a social enterprise. “We’re not looking at the bottom line of profits and any profits that we do make go right back into
ing gendered violence offered her excellent support. “A lot of the comments that were made privately to myself contained language surrounding the fact that I was a woman. That was difficult. Very difficult,” she said. “It was shaking. A lot of the things that I received personally, you wouldn’t be able to put in print. There was a lot of negativity, followed by there was a lot of private support that was sent … There were a lot of faculty and academics from across the country who reached out to us to show
backlash for the GSA’s decision. “As an executive director with over ten years’ experience working with student leaders here at Laurier, I was particularly concerned by the comments that reflected an ageism perspective. The narrative around student leaders not being able to make good decisions, or the idea of them being kids.” “I think that for me, in particular, I’m passionate about the work I do, and my commitment to the graduate students here at Laurier and I was really disheartened by the number of people that felt that
our student leaders were not in a position to make solid, important decisions for the future of our organization,” Ménage said. The decision to terminate the contract, Deeming explained, was not made as quickly as some individuals may assume. The GSA had attended several meetings and consulted legal counsel before deciding to terminate Dosman’s contract. “In a non-for-profit government structure, there are obviously policies in place … multiple people go into making decisions like this. It’s not just one individual,” Deeming explained. Another factor that Deeming clarified was that there were prior issues with Dosman himself before he had posted the ad. While the majority of the community’s response to his termination has been that the decision was made too quickly or without a second chance, Deeming explained that second chances had already been given to Dosman prior to this incident. When asked if there was a reason for Dosman receiving more than just a slap on the wrist, Deeming said, “Yes. And then what I can say is that we protect the confidentiality of all the people that were involved and that’s about all I can say towards that.” Deeming also talked about how this issue will hopefully start a larger conversation about the importance of tolerance and inclusivity on Laurier’s campus for all students. “A lot of our members are looking for us to make a stance on social justice and protecting the rights of minorities and underrepresented groups.” “Not saying that that’s the reason why this decision was made, in any means, but we look at that larger picture as well and supporting that community feel that everyone is equal on campus. A joke, to someone, might have hurt someone else and that doesn’t make it right,” Deeming said. On Jan. 9, the university released the following statement in regards to Veritas Café: “The university is pleased about the opening of Veritas Café. Laurier strives to foster an inclusive, welcoming and respectful community environment and we appreciate the efforts and support of those who are committed to a similar vision.”
NEWS • 7
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 ELECTION
Candidates kick off campaign season Students’ Union’s election period commenced Jan. 9 KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
The 2017 Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union election season has officially opened to students. The All-Candidates Meeting, held at 10 p.m. on Jan. 9, properly kicked off the season by introducing the candidates for Students’ Union president, board of directors, senate and board of governors. Throughout the meeting, Nick DeSumma, chair of the board of directors and Elizabeth Thompson, assistant chief returning officer, proposed the rules and regulations of the 2017 elections over the next two weeks. Campaigning officially began 30 minutes after the end of the All-Candidates Meeting and will end 30 minutes prior to opening of voting polls on Jan. 24. Unlike years prior, the dates of the campaign period will end in late January, rather than early February.
I’m going to run this election just how I would anyways with an opponent.
-Kanwar Brar, fourth-year political science student and former director
According to DeSumma, the Students’ Union wanted to take a risk and see if the date changes will impact voter turnout. “Unlike other years — at least in my mind and my experience, elections have been more of a topic
in October, November and December and then it’s a surprising thing that’s happening in January. It’s more of a topic earlier on and I think that’s been great to see,” he said. During the meeting, DeSumma announced that all candidates, including the two candidates for board of governors and three candidates for senate, would be acclaimed, yet one spot is still available for senate. There are 15 candidates for the board of directors, including three on the Brantford campus.Last year, 20 candidates ran for board of directors and four candidates ran for board of governors. This year, however, there appears to be more female candidates than years passed. “I would’ve loved it to be a race but obviously those positions are a little bit more difficult because it’s on the university’s side, so students have a harder time grasping what they do, so for the students who did get acclaimed,” Thompson said, “I think they’ll do a great job.” Only one candidate is running for the position of the Students’ Union president and CEO: fourthyear political science student and former director, Kanwar Brar. While running alone can bring both positive and negative factors, Brar believed the biggest challenge during the campaign season will be encouraging students to vote, even if it is a “yes or no” voting system. “I’m going to run this election just how I would anyways with an opponent, just to make sure people are voting “yes” and just because I’m the only candidate so they don’t assume I’m acclaimed or [I’ll] automatically get it, because that’s not the case,” he said. When asked if the low participation rate of this year’s election season will mean low voter turnouts at the polls, Brar explained that
while he cannot confirm nor deny, he does anticipate the turnout rate will be low. “When you assess past elections and there have been times where five presidential candidates have run and the benefit of that is that each candidate draws out their own demographic and people and when I started this process that’s one thing I really wanted to do,” said Brar.
...for the students who did get acclaimed, I think they’ll do a great job.
-Elizabeth Thompson, assistant chief returning officer
Thompson, however, believed one presidential candidate will hopefully increase voter turnout. “We’re promoting ‘you just vote yes or no.’ It’s even easier than ranking candidates, so hopefully students will be like “this is awesome!” and see him around and vote for him.” “I think that really depends on the campaign period, even low numbers can be a high voice,” DeSumma said. “Depending how engaged the candidates are with the students of Laurier and how we are as well, running the elections. I really don’t want to say it has anything to do with voter turnout because really, it’s up to us over the next two weeks.” The Students’ Union election season will feature events on both the Waterloo and Brantford
MARCO PEDRI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Rules and regulations are explained to all of the candidates at a meeting.
campuses. Open Forum will take place on Jan. 12 in Brantford and Jan. 18 in Waterloo. As well, the Live Presidential Debate will be on Jan. 19 in Waterloo. Polls will be open from Jan. 2426 with the election results party being held at Wilf’s later that evening. “I want to hear your issues and I think a benefit of running alone
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is it gives me an opportunity to actually engage in issues very thoroughly so I can solely focus on the idea, so that’s one thing I’m looking forward to,” Brar said. “We’ve opened info sessions and started live-streaming. We have voting booths in multiple buildings. There’s more opportunity for engagement and for students to see elections and see what’s going on,” said DeSumma.
8 •
Arts & Life
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MANJOT BHULLAR arts@thecord.ca
RESTAURANTS
ABE ERB’S WATERLOO WONDERLAND
LUKE SARAZIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
KARLIS WILDE STAFF WRITER
Serenaded by Swedish indie-folk music, a local farmer carts a heavy load of wheat past gleaming silver tanks. To his immediate right, a man in a knit sweater runs the counter for a tiny shop, hocking cans and growlers of beer, teas, t-shirts and glassware. Extending behind them both is a large space with lofty ceilings, boasting beautifully simple, brand new furnishings. The bar adorns the centre of the space, reaching back into the open kitchen. All along, their motto bears down on the approaching consumer: “Blood, sweat, and beers.” This is the new brewpub at the Tannery. It’s the newest iteration of the popular Waterloo brand: Abe Erb Brewing Company. The man in the knit sweater is
founding manager Tony Theodosiou, and the farmer is one of several local partners. They share a relationship committed to creating a local, communal experience — the very heart of the craft beer movement. In committing to local relationships like this, Abe Erb embodies the ideals of a burgeoning movement. Local brewing forms exciting, adaptive communities, creating jobs that are inherently passionate about community and partnership. Of almost equal importance, it creates exceptional, unique, delicious beers. This new location is part of realizing the future of the brand; with the extra space, Abe Erb is able to brew their flagship beers in Kitchener, freeing up space in the Waterloo pub for more experimentation. And the future looks bright:
they’ve just released 1857, a light, malty, Kölsch-style lagered ale, onto LCBO shelves — their first expansion to third party sellers. The plan is to continue in this direction with their Hefeweizen, Das Spritzhaus, scheduled to hit LCBO stores in the spring. Inside such a competitive market, it can be hard to break into a larger presence across the province. But with 1857 not only taking up half of their brewing space, but actually selling out, it makes sense that they’re already looking toward the future, having procured a space on Colby Drive exclusively for manufacturing. Along with Abe Erb, several other local brewers have continued to expand their reach. Block Three, Descendants and Innocente are just a few of the proliferating contemporaries that have blossomed over the past few years. This kind of incredible, exponential
influx of brewers in the market has some seeing craft beer as a bubble that’s bound to pop sometime in the near future, but Abe Erb has another perspective. “[The bubble] is only going to burst if the market doesn’t expand,” said Ian Pattenden, brewmaster. Statistically, beer drinkers have been buying less beer — but they’re buying more varieties and they’re focused on keeping their beer money localized. In 2015, 6 per cent of beer sold in Ontario came from craft brewers. Realistically, this leaves a great deal of room to grow, as evidenced in similar, advanced markets in the U.S (12 per cent of total market in 2015), France and Switzerland. The core purpose and concept of beer is fundamentally changing, evolving from compulsively drinkable macros to experimental, artistic micros with heart and
variety. Continuing at the 20-30 per cent current annual market growth is unsustainable in perpetuity — but we haven’t yet reached peak microbrew. Perhaps craft beer is so important because in this heavily divided, digitized world, there aren’t many strongholds of physical community remaining — the average consumer shops online, distancing themselves more and more from their locality into a brand-powered, watered down version of the real world. Abe Erb, and by extension, the entire craft beer movement, are about relocalizing our interests and creating something that is more than just a product and reflects the heart and the history of a community. In an odd, liquor-drenched kind of way, craft beer is making us human again.
“With this EP, I was able to get it on Apple Music and Spotify and that really helped with exposure.” If the progression of output of his music is any indication of his future, Yanchan is, for certain, going to leave larger marks in the arts for the South Asian communities
within the GTA and shine a light on the unique sounds achievable when combining two seemingly opposite cultures. Released in November of last year, Yours Truly can be found on Soundcloud, as well as the rest of his discography.
MUSIC
Former Laurier student’s inventive EP inspires MANJOT BHULLAR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
After your first listen, you might not realize how quickly the Yours Truly EP finishes. Perhaps that’s due to its fluidity, or the tone of the album as a whole. And without knowing anything upfront, you might have inclinations to box Yanchan into a sub-category of R&B/hip hop that Toronto so proudly finds itself dominating. However, after piecing together the puzzle of this former Laurier student’s discography, you soon realize the music is garnished with numerous ethnic elements. “My whole EP has that late night vibe you can sit back and relax to. With this beat, I just really wanted listeners to get drawn to the emotions,” Yanchan said. His beginnings in Scarborough, Ontario led him to aspire to a future in India as a professional drummer.
Yanchan has been playing the mridagam, a South Indian barrel drum, his whole life and it’s here where he realized that his cultural background and Western hip hop could intersect to carve out a whole new genre. “When I got into Missy Elliot and Timbaland’s work, that was the first time I heard a producer sample Indian songs. He was able to mix it so well. It got me thinking.” As foreign it may seem, hip hop and South Asian culture have continually found themselves in harmony – from artists with ethnic backgrounds as MIA, to Jay Z and Timbaland inspired by the drums and flutes that provide an extra, complex layer to their verses. An interlude, 12:01 am, is perhaps the most notable song off the album for me. It’s a bit of a breather between the music and provides just the perfect mix of a sample of Tamil music to remind the listener of the artist’s approach. It may only touch a niche market
of listeners, but I can only imagine how it resonates off the walls for them – I can still appreciate it melodically, but the sense of nostalgia it creates for Tamil listeners, I can only imagine, truly makes it a standout track. “I have a home studio in Scarborough. My whole album was recorded in my home studio. Everything was mixed by me and mastered by a friend,” Yanchan said. For such a well-rounded collection of songs, it’s amazing to know how tight the production behind the music is. As a first generation child growing up in the GTA to immigrant parents, Yanchan is one of many emerging artists channeling their experiences through art. Striving to be a trailblazer for other Tamil artists, Yanchan hopes his dedication to making it in the music business will encourage others to pursue their artistic inclinations.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
ARTS & LIFE • 9
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 PROFILE
All eyes on Waterloo’s Amberwood MITCHELL CONSKY FEATURES EDITOR
As we drove along in a car stuffed with tripods, lighting equipment and a couple camera cases, I glanced at my phone to review the message for directions. It told me to look out for a big sign that said “Creative Enterprise,” but no such sign existed — not much help when we were already running late. We drove past a parking lot on the corner of Erb Street and my eyes met a couple of guys in leather jackets and skinny jeans. They were out for a smoke and one of them was sipping on a Monster. I knew immediately that we found our rock stars. The two guys were Oli Duguay and Cam Weber, the singer and lead guitarist of Amberwood — a local Waterloo band that has gained popularity throughout Canada and the UK for their dynamic live performances and unique sound. After some quick intros, the videographer, photographer and I unloaded the car and followed the band members down the steps into what they called their “jam hall.” The space was rented out by multiple bands, but according to the boys, none of the others spent as much time in there as them. “We essentially live here,” Weber admitted, as we walked through the door and into the hallway. The studio was crammed with electric guitars, sound boards, drums and speakers. “It can get really loud here,” Colin Briscoe said, the bassist, who was sitting on a stool amongst the chaos of equipment. After the three of them found seats in the tight space, Wes Martin, the drummer and final member of the band, caught the
interview right on time. Briscoe took me back to how everything started. “Cam and myself were good
high school, but we went out and got electric guitars so we could jam with the drummer. We showed up and we had one of those jams
start off as exceptional musicians right off the bat. “We definitely didn’t start off great,” chuckled Duguay.
where we kind of just walked out thinking, ‘wow, this is awesome; this is exactly what we want to do.’” Shortly after, Duguay, who also went to the same high school, was called in as a singer and guitarist. The group clicked, but they didn’t
The four guys didn’t come from any musical background and learned to play and write songs as they experimented and went along. “When we started that was kind of when we first picked up instru-
WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
friends in high school and we decided, for whatever reason, that we should just start making music. We posted a song on Facebook and then Wes, our drummer, saw this video and asked us to jam. We thought he was cooler than us in
ments,” Briscoe explained. “When we were learning we were learning by writing our own songs. We didn’t even start off doing covers because we weren’t even good enough. We just started writing by doing our own stuff and eventually just learned how to play that way. It’s a little unorthodox but that’s kind of how it ended up being.” The four members collaborate when it comes to writing music. Since the earliest moments, they’ve found the most inspiration in stadium shows. As they all agree, their live performance is the biggest selling factor in their music. “We’ve really upped the show volume,” said Weber. “We’re trying to play as much as possible, get in front of as many people as we can. We’re going to be all over Canada this year and then we have some UK plans in September as well. Our goal is to just keep writing and just keep playing.” After they shuffled around and took out some acoustic guitars, the band performed one of their songs: “Excuses.” The tempo and rigour of the guitars gave an old school vibe, but their harmonious vocals in the chorus paid tribute to their alternative rock sound. The melody was likable and I could only imagine the energy brought forward during live performances. After asking them what people can expect from one of their live shows, Weber said it loud and clear: “Sweaty, energetic rock music.” Amberwood will be playing Jan. 14, next Saturday at Maxwell’s Concerts and Events. With their lively stage presence, I can only hope it will be one hell of a show.
KITCHENER HOT SPOTS
As a Matter of Taste, yes NICOLE STUMPF STAFF WRITER
Coffee is often the companion of many students — either waking them up for early morning classes or at night to finish essays and assignments due at midnight. Generally, when students order coffee, they usually concern themselves with determining the proportionate amount of coffee needed to satiate their immediate needs. Often students do not know where the coffee comes from nor the different varieties that are available. Perhaps students need a coffee place that is willing to explain certain facts about the coffee that they consume. Matter of Taste Coffee Bar may be the place for this. “We are known for our knowledge of coffee,” Phong Tran said, the owner of Matter of Taste. Located on 115 King Street West
in Kitchener, the coffee bar has been in business about 13 years. Matter of Taste has approximately twenty-four varieties of coffee in-store. For those new to drinking coffee and have no idea where to start, Matter of Taste may be the best place to go to. “We get to know you a bit,” said Tran. Staff will ask the customer about their preferences in taste and help them decide on an order – this is because there are approximately 780 varieties of coffee in the world. According to Tran, Matter of Taste encourages patrons to ask questions about where their coffee comes from. There are not only many different varieties of coffee, but also many different methods of preparing coffee. Matter of Taste supplies items like presses and grinders to prepare the coffee. Further, Matter of Taste is also
willing to explain how to operate certain appliances that are designed for making coffee. So if you got a French press for Christmas and you have no idea how it works, Matter of Taste is the place that would help you with your coffee woes. If coffee isn’t your thing, Matter of Taste offers other options, too. According to Tran, the shop also carries a variety of black, green and herbal teas. If you’re looking for a snack while you enjoy your coffee or tea, Matter of Taste also has an assortment of pastries available to be enjoyed. So, whether you are looking for a place to meet up with some friends to catch up, or are looking for a new study spot that has plenty of coffee available, instead of stopping by your usual spot, perhaps venture out of the Waterloo bubble and check out Matter of Taste to broaden your horizons.
MANJOT BHULLAR/ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
10 • GAMES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
WORD SEARCH
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DID YOU KNOW THAT
JOIN THE DISCUSSION We are considering the expansion of the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex which may include an older adult centre. Wednesday, January 25, 2017 Hauser Haus Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex 2 – 4 p.m or 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. waterloo.ca/recfacilitystudy
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GAMES • 11
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
Dear Life
SUDOKU
Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum. All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord.ca no later than Monday at noon each week.
Dear Life, The Graduate Students’ Association’s handling of Veritas has been despicable. Free coffee and a chance to enjoy a “rejuvenated cafe”. You had an entire holiday season to come up with something more creative than this.... Sincerely, Turd Ferguson Dear WLUSU, Figure your shit out. You are acclaiming a president, have an executive who constantly embarrasses them self while they are drunk, and don’t effectively communicate what you are doing. The 1 place where presidents used to effectively communicate was BOD meetings yet all the current Brantford President talks about is his presidents council. You either have done nothing all year, or don’t tell us. Sincerely, Disgruntled student Dear Life, Roses are blue Violets are red Winter is a bad idea Im going back to bed Sincerely, A boy who misses his ape Dear The Cord, You guys are fucking awesome journalists. Through thick and thin. Through tough interviews and crisis situations. Through awful publishing weeks and well deserved awards. You make me proud to be a Golden Hawk. Sincerely, Inspired by U Dear Life, Can’t tell if these kids are real high or real dumb. Sincerely, Stay classy
thecord.ca
Dear guy from FS241, “What movie is this from” - bruh. I can’t stop laughing. Sincerely, It’s Wizard of Oz - the movie we’ve been talking about for the last half hour Dear Life, When you’re trying to evesdrop on a juicy convo but other people are talking. Let me be a snake, fam. Sincerely, 24/7 creeper Dear Life, After another stolen cream soda, I’m storing them in my room. How do you like them apples? Sincerely, Stop taking my shit!! Dear Life, There is no better feeling than peeing after holding it in for three classes in a row. Sincerely, Relieved Dear Life, I hope this water freezes over so we have an “Ice Day.” Sincerely, Macro Dear Klaige, Feel better home skillet. I also forgive you for infecting my car. Sincerely, Your home gurl B Dear Life, The Laurier plague strikes again Sincerely, Send me soup Dear Life, Walks into the first day of class. Sees “group project and essay in the syllabus.” Logs onto Loris and drops the class in the class and leaves. Sincerely, Ain’t about that group project life Dear Life, I am like a bird I wanna fly away I don’t know where my home is... Seriously, I don’t know where I am. Sincerely, Higher than a kite Dear Life, BUTTS Sincerely, Baby GOT back
12 •
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
The meaning of running an unopposed student election platform and only agree with half of the things he proposes? Will you vote “yes” simply because you see no other option? That’s entirely up to you. So it seems a better question would be what does this mean for our student body? It’s safe to say Laurier boasts itself as a close-knit university community. Students are involved in so many activities and know so many people. This is exactly why it seems so surprising that there is only one applicant for this position of a leader of our community. There has to be more than one qualified candidate from our diverse student body. We implore all of our readers to still think critically about their decision this election season. Make sure you make a vote that you agree with and not just the one that you feel you have to make.
Campaigning for Students’ Union elections is now officially underway, but the selection for president seems pretty bare. With only one person running, what does that mean for the election? We can see this “race” for president going in one of two ways. The first is that the lone candidate takes the election as a for granted win. The second is that he works even harder to get the approval of the voters, proving to them and to himself that he truly belongs at the head of the Students’ Union. In this circumstance more than ever, the voter is left up to their own moral decision. It seems easy to choose the candidate and platform that seems most qualified, but with only one applicant, there is no one to compare him to. What happens if you read his
Trust in the press to tell you the truth over individuals not be your only news outlets. As citizens, we have an unnatural trust towards politicians, especially politicians that we have voted for in the past. Let us do our jobs as journalists; let us challenge the voice of authority and hold them accountable for the people who are listening for the truth. Think critically about what is being presented to you, as always, but trust the people who are committed to bringing you facts. As Streep says, there is a relationship between the press and the viewer — the press protects the truth and the consumer protects the press in order to do so. Don’t trust any one high-profile person or outlet to tell you the whole truth. There’s inherent bias in everything presented to you. Consume your media responsibly. Stay informed and stay committed to protecting the integrity that comes from the truth.
At the Golden Globes this past weekend, Meryl Streep used her platform upon receiving the Cecil B. DeMille award to bring attention to recent political events and the future of the United States. Streep’s speech began to take a political turn when she stated that the Hollywood Foreign Press were the “most vilified segments in American society right now … Hollywood, foreigners and the press.” Notably to us, she called on the press to hold the people in power accountable for their words and actions. Though she did not call Donald Trump by name, his presence was obvious in her speech and he took to Twitter following the show to voice his displeasure. Trump has also recently tweeted misinformation that led to Toyota’s stock losing over a reported $1 billion in the first five minutes after the tweet. This is a perfect example of how Twitter and word-of-mouth should
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
Anti-Semitism is thriving SHYENNE MACDONALD NEWS EDITOR
I’m sitting in the 24-hour lounge, pretending to study. I stopped listening to music a while ago and instead opted for casually eavesdropping on conversations around me, like the Samwise I am. At the table behind me, a guy is sitting with a friend and chatting. Their conversation is boring until another person walks by. He greets this person with shalom and mazel tov. When the person carries on with where they were headed, I hear the guy explain to his friend that this person was his “Jew friend.” The comment merits no response and they both fall silent. That was until he started up another conversation when he asked his friend if there’s a dating website for Jewish people. He goes on to explain that he’s not Jewish, but would want to “date a Jew girl.” Jewish girls, he claimed, are morally grounded and ethically superior to other girls. There is about an infinite number of reasons why putting one group of people above another is
catastrophic. If you Google search “did the Holocaust happen” directives to neo-Nazi sites such as “stormfront” and “expeltheparasite” are the first to pop up. Thankfully, Google has made a move to create an algorithm that put results such as these further down the list. As an answer to the question, maybe Google should instead give searchers the names of families wiped out from the Holocaust, directions to Auschwitz, an outline of “The Final Solution,” or one free viewing of Schindler’ List. Okay, I’m being sarcastic, but that’s only to cover up the real terror I feel. Neo-Nazis, of course, are furious about this. They believe it’s an impeachment on the first amendment. In America, the freedom of speech act is a catch-all term. The government has no right to censor your voice. For a country that was founded in revolution, I’m sure you can see why such a thing is so important. Now, I’m a big believer in freedom of speech; I agree that it is one of the fundamentals of a free country. But this isn’t free speech, it’s hate speech. This is Nazis actively wanting to kill Jewish people in the twenty-first century. In Montana on Jan. 15 (Martin Luther King Day), there will be an armed march against the Jewish.
How is a thing like this possible? Because America is a country that still has a Nazi political party and the first amendment protects all. The American government cannot and will not intervene with Nazis. Instead, they protect and sanction them. It’s not fair to uphold this guy from the 24-hour lounge to the same demonization as the Montana March or the neo-Nazis critizing Google. Those people are dangerous and will hurt others. While this guy didn’t want to hurt anybody, he most likely doesn’t understand that his words uphold marginalizing ideology. But I’m also not letting him, or anyone who speaks like this, get away scot-free. No, you’re not leading an armed march to slaughter or refusing to believe a genocide, but your words do harm. Marginalizing Jewish people this way, though extremely minor comparatively, is part of a larger problem. Anti-Semitism thrives in our world like a cancer and it is killing us. Despite all that is happening, I want to believe that things are going to be okay. After seventy-two years, people have changed. So, right now, neo-Nazis may be loud, people may not understand the things they say are wrong. The world is better than this and we’ll rise above it.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
Opinion
• 13 OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
A daughter’s best friend EMILY WAITSON STAFF WRITER
MADELINE MCINNIS/OPINION EDITOR
Pages to frames Adaptations’ worth shouldn’t be linked to how faithful they are to their books
CHRIS LUCIANTONIO STAFF WRITER
A while ago, while wandering the bookstore, I noticed a copy of the novel Nocturnal Animals with a large, obstructing, eye-catching sticker on the cover, proudly announcing “Now a Major Motion Picture!” This is a common practice for the sake of sales when these developments of adaptation occur, but then I noticed at the bottom of the cover the disclaimer “previously published under the title Tony and Susan.” I wondered for awhile if it was ethical for the film adaptation to directly affect the way the novel is received and read just because, in the minds of the producers, the two have to be fundamentally linked together. I take issue with this practice and believe that the two products, the novel and the film, should remain and be regarded as separate entities. One may spring from the other and use it as a source to inform how it was created, but the switch between the different mediums of novel and film ensure that some things have to be changed to fit the new media’s schemata. I always felt this was a known aspect of adaptation, yet the common flippant criticism when watching a film adapted from a book is always someone claiming that the “book was better.” Off the top of my head, I’ve heard this critique applied to the Wachowskis’ Cloud Atlas, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice and of course Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy and I question what basis this statement has. How do you compare a book and a film against one another in terms of their quality? You are dealing with two separate formats with
their own set of conventions and believed requirements for quality. The idea that one can impact your opinion of the other is ludicrous to me. One to one adaptation from book to film is fundamentally impossible, despite how prominent the process is, so why not just keep the two separate? Treat them as separate entities entirely, where one cannot inform your opinion of the other. If you operate under the idea that an adaptation has to be faithful in order to be good, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment when a chapter gets cut to fit into a conventional theatrical running time or when a detail gets changed to suit the whims of the director’s creativity. Plenty of great films have been made because they understood the folly of using the source material as a sacred text, not to be deviated from. Look at Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park as examples. Even a film like Spike Jonze’s Adaptation openly mocked the idea that a true to form adaptation can exist and that film became infinitely more fascinating because of it. If anything, wanting a film to be as accurate as possible limits the creative potential of the resulting adaptation. A visual medium needs to take liberties from a purely textual one to make it more susceptible to the format. A want for accuracy is reasonable of course, but having this being the only lynchpin to whether or not you like the resulting adaptation is not fair. A bad adaptation does not necessarily mean a bad movie or else we’d have to discredit a lot of Disney classics for their butchering of the works of Hans Christian Anderson. The book will always remain the same experience as you last read it, even if it gets republished with a new title or cover. So why not let the film be its own medium with its own merits, rather than a mirror of your thoughts on its source material?
I am undeniably fortunate in that I have very close relationships with both of my parents. I have a father who has always been my unwavering protector and supporter and a mother who has remained my best friend for as long as I can remember. This is probably an odd concept to some, but the friendship that I have with my mum has always been something that I’ve never questioned; it’s just been a mere facet to my life.
The most valuable thing about my mother, apart from our banter and shared humour, is her ability to kindly, but firmly, tell me when I’m wrong.
When I first started watching Gilmore Girls as a young, brace-faced preteen, I connected instantly with Rory. Her bond with Lorelai was something that I had never seen represented in this way before: in a fashion that so closely captured the connection that I have with my own mother. I feel like female relationships in general are not given nearly enough credit in their overall importance and the fact that I refer
MARCO PEDRI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
to my mother as my closest confidant has definitely raised some eyebrows whenever I’ve talked about it. Funnily enough, I can safely say it’s never been something I’ve felt insecure about. She has been my rock through life, but especially through university. I can safely say there is no greater comfort than having a hard day and being able to call her when I need advice or just a quiet presence to listen to me vent. Mum fostered an environment where I could bask in my love of books, movies and everything in between. She would admirably move through each phase of my likes and dislikes along with me, knowing the fictional characters I held closest to my heart and the names of each spiky-haired boyband member on the posters in my room (I’m looking at you, Jonas Brothers). The most valuable thing about my mother though, apart from our banter and shared humour, is her ability to kindly, but firmly, tell me when I’m wrong. She is my steadfast voice of reason who points me in the right direction or rightfully nudges me where I need to go. Even if I don’t want to hear it, she is always there pushing through my ingrained stubbornness in a way that is al-
ways annoyingly successful. As most people will agree, going through school is challenging. From start to finish, high school to university, young people don’t always have it easy. I have had my fair share of awkwardness, broken hearts and upset over the most trivial, to the most devastating moments in my 21-year-long life. Luckily for me and my sanity, she has been beside me through it all. My mum’s fierce desire to stand by me when I’ve been wronged, or pick me up when I’ve felt downtrodden, has done nothing but raise my head on my shoulders a little higher each time and give me the mindset I need to recover, learn and forge ahead. Rather than be entirely dependent on her (as you might assume), she has ensured that I’ve grown into a woman that is primarily independent, sure of herself and never doubting her true worth. She is Molly Weasley wrapped in Lorelai Gilmore with a hint of her own unique fortitude that has made her so effortlessly competent in gaining my respect, admiration and utter desire to be just like her. There are many things that change throughout our young adult lives, but thankfully, I know I can always count on the kindred spirit that is my mum.
14 •
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
GOING BEYOND THE CONFLICT Learning about the Isreali people beyond our perceptions
MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES EDITOR
MITCHELL CONSKY FEATURES EDITOR
Instead of going to the beach and sipping on piña coladas this past December break, I got on a 12hour flight to the Middle East with one focus: educating myself on the Israeli-Arab conflict. I drove a dune-buggy along the Israeli-Syrian border, riding through the ruins and rubble that was the Syrian army’s headquarters up until the 1967 Six-DayWar; the immense valleys and mountains loomed over me in the distance as I hurtled along the destruction of the past. I went over the green line and visited settlements in the West Bank — both Jewish and Palestinian villages and cities that strived in some areas and were crumpled in others. I got to experience the breathtaking scenery of the Golan Heights and the ancient architecture of Old City Jerusalem. In Israel, I had the opportunity to speak with parliament members at the Knesset, a chief officer of border security, a counter-terrorist first responder, an acclaimed
Palestinian journalist, an Israeli political correspondent, humanitarian aid volunteers, medical teams, intelligence officials and a variety of influential and high-status voices that opened my eyes to the good, the bad and the ugly. I learned about perceptions on occupational regions — differing consensuses on the recent UN resolution declaring all Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be “occupied territory” and a flagrant violation of regional rights. I learned about military intervention. I walked right outside the Gaza border, touching the wall, and gained an understanding of daily conditions, learning about the struggles and constant threats looming over every decision a civilian on either side makes. I developed an understanding of the Palestinian National Authority, the complications of the Oslo Accords and the terrorizing and persistent motivations of Hamas. I learned about claims of excessive force towards Israeli Defence Forces, Israeli checkpoint security, suicide bombing history and an overwhelming load of information on the un-flushable shit-storm that spirals through the majestic toilet bowl known as the Middle East. More than anything, I learned that the conflict is not black and white. It’s no hero versus villain comic book. It’s a complex
political conundrum that’s often overlooked, simplified or flat-out misinterpreted. But more importantly than what I learned throughout this political conundrum of misunderstanding is what I learned through the Muslims, Jews, Christians, Ethiopian refugees and diverse civilians that walk the streets of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and settlements in the West Bank. It was the Armenian cab driver who talked about Israeli’s togetherness and unconditional love for one another despite the loud honks and impatient confrontation during Friday afternoon rush hour. It was the Arab waiter that served me one of the best Middle Eastern meals I’ve had who told me about his love for photography and how he’s worked at the restaurant for over 20 years — watching the progression of the conflict from up close by serving countless civilians and tourists. It was the Turkish man that feeds the birds at the Tel Aviv shuk with the only rationale being that “everyone needs to eat.” It was the Palestinian who stopped what he was doing as we crossed the green line and told us how peace and cohesion is all he really wants. It was the Jewish mother who fled Ethiopia as a six-year-old on her father’s shoulders with her
family’s dreams of a better future bringing her to the land of boundless potential. It was the father whose son was brutally murdered by terrorists that said leaving this place would “go against everything I believe.” It was the four-year-old girl from Syria that received open-heart-surgery from Israeli doctors — those that forgot all battles and did what needed to be done.
More than anything, I learned the conflict ... [is] no hero versus villain comic book. It’s a complex political conundrum that’s often overlooked, simplified or flat-out misinterpreted.
It was all the conversations I had with everyday people that really allowed me to understand Israel as a place of individuals and not just a state of political tension. Those were the voices that really mattered. It’s one thing to fight for Israel. It’s something else to know who
you’re fighting for. Israel is more than a land of conflict. It’s more than a state of regional division, clashing ideologies and advancing military enforcement. It’s more than a clogged toilet bowl of controversy — I’ve heard this reoccurring analogy more times than I could count. It’s a place of humanitarian aid, technological advancement and medical progression. It’s cities of Middle Eastern streets where the LGBTQ community is celebrated in massive parades. It’s where non-profit rescue organizations fly out to European shores in order to assist arriving refugees. It’s where religions, cultures and art exist cohesively. It’s where diversity is celebrated, not oppressed. It’s where freedom of speech and curiosity for knowledge are intrinsic values within the growing culture. Despite the shit-storm, Israel is where unconditional unity holds strong. It’s not perfect. No country is. But within the borders, no matter who you are, where you come from, what you believe in, or how you live your life, no matter the enemies and threats that quake your reality, Israel stands together. For those reasons alone, I stand with them.
Keep your outlook positive JOSH GOEREE STAFF WRITER
It is safe to say that 2016 sucked a lot. Celebrities were dropping dead left, right and centre. It seemed terrorist attacks became more common and don’t get me started on “Donald the D**k” (as I like to call him). For this new year, I suggest something obvious that some may see as radical: let’s cut it out with the negativity and actually try to get along. Has anyone else noticed how negative everyone seems to be? News channels, social media, obsessive nationalism and social activist groups all seem to have a large negative stick up their asses and are pushing negativity to a whole new level. The main reason for it is simple:
people refuse to get along and live peacefully with others. There are two reasons why we don’t get along. The first one is diversity. Human beings come in all different shapes, sizes and colours — of course we are going to be different. There are humans that are tall, short, white, black, tanned, skinny, fat and “swole” — being different doesn’t make us weird. Mankind is basically a bowl of party mix; it’s a variety of different looking snacks mixed together. The second reason for the constant negativity is that we believe we deserve special treatment. As a human being, you deserve to be treated the same as everyone else, no more and no less. This is where social activist groups like feminists, LGBTQ rights, or Black Lives Matter come in. They are arguing that they should be treated equally, which is 100 per cent fair. In society today, marginalized groups are totally mistreated and there is a clear problem that needs to be addressed. But when they are
being extremely negative and try to jam everything down our throats, we will not listen and we will not care about their causes. Being negative and feeling superior will turn people away from you. I should know because I’ve done that before.
For this new year, I suggest something obvious that some may see as radical: let’s cut it out with the negativity and actually try to get along.
In my last article I talked about a girl named Heroin who broke my heart over a text. Well, for months after I was extremely depressed
MEAGHAN INCE/GRAPHIC ARTIST
and I shoved it in everyone’s face. I wanted people to know that I was screwed over and wanted that attention. At first, they listened to me. But as time went on and the more negative I got, the more people stopped caring and started getting annoyed. I was looking for special treatment instead of getting along with others.
So for 2017, let’s not be so gloomy, but look to work together and cut the melodramatics. This week, my mom, Caron, who showed me that it is better to get along with people than to be negative, will be undergoing heart surgery. While I’m encouraging everyone to try out positivity, I’m also sending you love, mom.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
Sports
• 15 SPORTS EDITOR ROB FIFIELD sports@thecord.ca
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Golden Hawks get their first win of 2017 ZACH SAVLOV CORD SPORTS
WILL HUANG/FILE PHOTO
The Laurier women’s hockey team started off their 2017 schedule by ending an eight game losing streak Saturday night with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Brock Badgers. The win was also the team’s first of the season in regulation. At the beginning of the game, a possible Laurier victory did not seem likely. Through the first ten minutes of play, Brock was applying all of the offensive zone pressure and the Golden Hawks found themselves in their own end more often than not. A Brock power play goal just 9:17 into the game put the visitors up 1-0. The Hawks, however, would get the spark they needed from rookie standout and team goal leader Emily Woodhouse. After an attempted no-look backwards pass from a Brock player in the Laurier zone missed its target, Woodhouse collected the gliding puck and took it down the ice, evading Brock defenders, and fired a wrist shot top shelf over the
Badger goaltender’s glove to tie the game. The goal was her sixth of the season and instrumental in jumpstarting the Hawks’ offence. “I thought we had a slow start in the first period but the Woodhouse goal really got our bench excited and allowed us to regroup between periods and really pick the pace up in the second period,” said Laurier head coach Rick Osborne postgame. The game was a physical and, at times, undisciplined bout. The teams combined to take 24 penalty minutes (Brock: 14 and Laurier: 10), leaving much of the game to be decided by the effectiveness of their respective special team’s units. “Our penalty killing really saved us with [Carly] Aucoin and [Kaitlyn] Hatzes leading the way,” Osborne said, whose team killed four of five power play chances for Brock. At the other end of the rink, Laurier’s power play was only able to capitalize on one of seven chances. The lone power play goal came from Madison MacCulloch,
ar-Fanus hit a three, putting Ottawa up by three. Nicole Morrison followed that with a jumper to bring Laurier within one. Amelie Hachey would then answer back with a jumper of her own, to put Ottawa up 43-40 with 1:25 left. Laurier could not recover after that, as Kellie Forand hit two free throws to secure the win for Ottawa by the score of 45-40. Head coach Paul Falco said that the biggest concern was that they lost their shooting touch. “Two games, I think we had some really good looks for people
who we want shooting those shots and we weren’t able to knock them down. I think some of that is probably a lack of reps coming off of Christmas holiday, didn’t get a lot of shots up in our own gym, unfortunately, and we need to get back to having people in a rhythm offensively, shooting the shots that are high percentage,” he said. Defensively, Falco said the team did a good job. “To keep a team to 45 points, usually you think you’re gonna be in good shape. But I think the other thing we were missing offensively was our transition game,” he said.
who fired a rebound home in the second period for her first goal of the season, giving Laurier a lead they would not relinquish. The third period was tough for the home side as Brock looked like their first period selves, controlling the puck and leaving Laurier backed up in their own zone for most of the last ten minutes of the game. The Hawks were able to stay on top, thanks to many key saves from goaltender Amanda Smith, who stopped 29 of 30 shots in the victory. Brock’s barrage of scoring attempts in the final minutes was halted when the team took a cross checking penalty with just over two minutes remaining, which gave Laurier back possession of the puck. Aynsley Harrison then added an empty net goal with less than a minute remaining, securing the victory for the Hawks. The Golden Hawks hope to pile up more wins over the remainder of the season, as they look to climb out of last place in the OUA standings.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Tough weekend for Laurier ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM STAFF WRITER
Coming off the holiday break, the Laurier women’s basketball team were looking to carry their momentum from 2016 into 2017, playing the No. 2 ranked Carleton Ravens and the Ottawa Gee-Gees. They kicked off the new year with their game against the Ravens Friday night. The Hawks played the Ravens close for much of the game, but Heather Lindsay of Carleton proved she was too much to handle as she put her team on her back with a dominant 34 points and 10 rebounds as Carleton won 71-60. Next up were the Ottawa GeeGees who were also looking to bounce back from a loss. This was a defensive game from the jump, as both teams struggled to do much offensively, as it was a very low scoring affair. The first quarter started out with both teams struggling to score, as the game was tied at 2-2 until about the 5:11 mark. From that point on, both teams found their way a little bit offensively, as the score was 13-11 by the end of the first, with Irena Rynkiewicz leading the way for the Hawks with 5 points. Ottawa came out strong in the second quarter, going on a 7-1 run
in the first 3 minutes. The Gee-Gees began to take control of the game from there, as they got out to a 10 point lead by the 5:27 mark and led 26-17 by halftime. Coming out of halftime, neither team scored until Laurier’s Lauren Jameison nailed a jump shot.
To keep a team to 45 points, usually you think you’re gonna be in good shape. LUKE SARAZIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER -Paul Falco, head coach
The third quarter belonged to the Golden Hawks, as they outscored Ottawa 13-6 and came back from being down 10 at one point in the quarter, to only being down two going into the fourth. In the fourth quarter, the game stayed close, as both teams traded buckets for much of the quarter. This was the case until the 2:09 mark, when Brooklynn McAle-
“We just played two teams that are historically, two of the better defensive teams in the OUA and they were able to negate us in a lot of areas, especially in the transition area and we had to rely on a lot of half-court offence and were either not able to get enough good looks or when we got the good looks, we weren’t able to make the shots.” It does not get any easier from here for the Golden Hawks as they are set to try and regain form as they play the No. 3 ranked team in the nation, the McMaster Marauders, tonight at Hamilton Burridge Gymnasium.
16
• SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
WOMEN’S CURLING
One match at a time for Laurier PRANAV DESAI LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
The Laurier women’s curling team is coming off an extremely successful season, as they look to repeat the success they achieved last year. The Golden Hawks were able to win the OUA gold medal and eventually reached the CIS finals. Because of last season’s success, there is an immense amount of pressure on the Hawks for the upcoming season. Fourth-year student Chelsea Brandwood commented on the team’s expectations for this season.
I think we’ll be just as good as last year. I think our team’s good enough to get the gold.
-Chelsea Brandwood, skip
“The expectation is to try and repeat the gold medal achievement, at least make the finals and make it to CIS would be ideal. The gold medal is definitely the expectation,” she said. It won’t be easy, as the Hawks have made some sweeping chang-
WILL HUANG/FILE PHOTO
es over the offseason, including the acquisition of new head coach, Matt Wilkinson. In addition to the new head coach, there have also been other changes involving personnel. The team has lost three of its players from last season, and has also added a new player: Susanna Wright. “Definitely switching some people around and getting a new coach is going to make things different, but the majority of our team stayed the same. I think we’ll be just as good as last year. I think our team’s good enough to get the gold
medal,” said Brandwood. When asked about the team’s mindset and routine, Brandwood was quick to mention that it has not changed much, if at all. “The routine is just the same. Playing one game at a time. Winning one at a time. Everyone is there to win, so we know we have to bring our best game. I think overall we train the same.” The changes in personnel might have changed the atmosphere, but have not affected the team’s chemistry. The team’s mindset of taking it slow and thinking about one game
at a time shows the veteran leadership embedded within the team. A different coach and the departure of some long time players will undoubtedly add some adversity but the Hawks will still decide their own fate. This team can go as far as it wants and the high expectations shows that it’s all or nothing for the Hawks this year. The Golden Hawks kick off their new season on Jan. 21, as they travel to Brock University in St. Catherines to compete in the Brock invitational and try to recapture OUA gold.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Top ranked Carleton Ravens outlast Golden Hawks
TANZEEL SAYANI /STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PRANAV DESAI LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
The Hawks were tied at halftime with the best team in the country last Friday: the Carleton Ravens. Laurier was down early in the first half by as many as 11 points. However, they were able to battle back and tie the game right before halftime, thanks to an offensive explosion from guard Tevaun Kokko. It has become a recurring pat-
tern for the Hawks to fall behind early in games and get back into it as the game starts to wind down. Their resilience, however, was not enough on this day. The Carleton Ravens showed their quality in the second half and started the third quarter on an 18-0 run, eventually winning by a score of 109-73. Hawks head coach Justin Serresse talked about the team’s secondhalf struggles after the game.
“They are the best team in the country. Defensively, they locked in and we got scared a little bit. We went away from what was working at the end of the second quarter. Maybe we were a little tired. I rotated a lot, wanted to make sure everybody got a chance to play against the best team in the country. They did a great job. We’re just going to watch the tape and get better.” Rebounding was an issue
throughout the game for Laurier, as the Hawks were outrebounded 54-23. This ultimately lead to the Ravens scoring 25 second chance points, compared to just 6 for the Hawks. This game was the first game back from the winter break and rust could be seen on both teams. However, Serresse did not use that as an excuse for the poor rebounding effort. “Some of our big men were a little banged up,” he said. “It was also us just not boxing out, not locating our men, just technical stuff. They did what they do. If we were focused enough for 40 minutes, we could’ve given them a better game. I’m a little disappointed we gave early in the third quarter. When you do that against a team like them, it’s not easy.” Despite the tough loss, Kokko put on a show, especially in the first half. He finished with 27 points, while shooting an absurd nine out of eleven from the field and five out of six from three-point range. Kokko’s performance should not surprise anyone, as he has been the Hawks best offensive weapon all season. The Markham native is averaging a team high 17.8 points per game this season. When asked if the Hawks rely too
much on Kokko, Serresse pointed out that he is their best player and it is only natural for the best player to carry the load offensively.
They did a great job. We’re just going to watch the tape and get better.
-Justin Serresse, head coach
“I thought he played an amazing game. I didn’t play him too much in the second half because we got a lot of games coming up. I wanted to make sure he would be fresh for tomorrow’s game and next week’s game,” said Serresse. The Ravens also relied on their best player, as starting guard Kaza Kajami-Keane matched Kokko’s performance by scoring 24 points, while shooting an efficient ten out of thirteen from the field. With this recent loss, the Hawks are now half a game back of the lead in the OUA West standings.