THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 17, 2018
HIGH EXPECTATIONS Cannabis legalization brings forth burning questions for Canada News, page 3
E-SCOOTERS INTRODUCED
MUNICIPAL ELECTION
RAINBOW REELS
TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAKS OUT
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Waterloo approves new pilot project
Questions and answers with local candidates
Film festival represents LGBTQ2+
Social media’s influence on politics
Rose Williams leads Hawks into playoffs
News, page 4
Features, page 8
Arts & Life, page 10
Opinion, page 13
Sports, page 16 PHOTO BY GARRISON OOSTERHOF
2 •
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
VOCAL CORD What recognition would you award to Laurier?
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The Cord
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CordNews
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
“Best atmosphere.” –Ami Dubey, first-year financial math
“Best student involvement opportunities.” –Leah Mindorff, fourthyear biology and geography JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Ace Ping Pong Bar recently opened up in uptown Waterloo, giving customers a unique social experience.
“Best dining hall.” –Alan Wei, first-year computer science and BBA
“Smallest school.” –Jackson Carse, second-year communication studies
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Compiled by Margaret Russell Photos by Jackie Vang NEXT ISSUE OCTOBER 24, 2018
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Vacant editor@thecord.ca
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NEWS EDITOR Hayley McGoldrick news@thecord.ca
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LEAD REPORTER Margaret Russell news@thecord.ca
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CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Joseph DeFilippis Anne Marie Russell Tyler Currie Jennifer Webb Yana Manevska Victoria Marshall Esme Rigden-Briscall
Boutique Closes Down by Emily Waitson
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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
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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: “Do you ever really look at people and think they dont really deserve compliments?” - Web Director Garrison Oosterhof talking about anoying people.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
News
• 3 NEWS EDITOR HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR AARON HAGEY news@thecord.ca
Legalization and Laurier:
Canada’s new cannabis law SADMAN SAKIB RAHMAN/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, marks the official legalization of cannabis across Canada. Just as with alcohol, each province has their own distinct laws and regulations when it comes to the purchasing and consumption of cannabis — and people must be at least 19 years of age to be able to purchase. Although the substance itself can no longer incriminate someone, penalties for consumption and selling to minors are even more strict than that of alcohol: someone who is caught selling cannabis to minors could face up to 14 years in prison. David Phillips, the former interim president of the Ontario Cannabis Store, as well its former vice president of strategy and partnerships, gave some insight as to how the buying process will work on the online platform. “The way it will work in Ontario — and it’s different in every province — is that the government agency called the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, they will be responsible for purchasing all cannabis that will be sold in Ontario and they’ll be responsible for operating the warehouse where all of that product is received,” Phillips said. “They’ll also be responsible for shipping it one of two places: either to stores, which will be run by the private sector starting on the first of April next year or they will be shipping it directly to people’s homes.” Since the process of packaging, delivering and consuming is now legal, it will be monitored heavily under a microscope from the government’s perspective. “The Ontario Cannabis Store is
responsible for the warehousing operations, employing the people who build and run the website, so those individuals will be responsible for ensuring the product when it comes in and when it goes out is packaged in accordance with the law,” Phillips said. Though the process of purchasing cannabis may seem a lot less intense than going into an LCBO and having someone check your ID, the government will still be making sure consumers are over the legal age in Ontario to purchase and consume. “It’s a two-step process: when you go on to the website, there’s the age gaging mechanism that is put in place that essentially requires the person coming on to put in their age and to verify that they are over the age of 19,” Phillips said. The second step is when the product is actually delivered to the customer’s address, it will only be provided to an individual who is over the age of 19 and has provided identification to the delivery person,” Phillips said. “If you are under the age of 19, the product will not be left at the address and instead will go back to the Canada Post depot, where someone over the age of 19 will then be able to pick it up.” There are many benefits to the legalization of cannabis, not just from a financial standpoint, but also to diffuse the current war on drugs. “Public health experts, like those at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, have found that the criminalization of recreational cannabis in Canada simply wasn’t working. Canada had some of the highest user rates in the world, particularly when it came to youth,” Phillips said.
“The hope and the aspiration in legalization in Canada is going to have a beneficial impact in ensuring that if product is going to be purchased and consumed, it comes from a legal marketplace where the product is completely controlled and consumers have education.” However, the effects of legalization are not positive for all. Ben Willsteed, an employee at Different Strokes in uptown Waterloo, revealed that no longer criminalizing cannabis seems to be merely another act for the government’s gain.
You can’t use recreational cannabis on Laurier’s campuses, in our buildings or facilities, at least for the time being. -Kevin Crowley, director of communications for WLU
“You have to start applying for licensing for the following year in December, right now it’s looking pretty expensive for licensing — about $97,000 a year. They’re saying they’re not monopolizing it, unfortunately, so it’s sort of the way it seems to be going,” Willsteed said. The effects that cannabis has on the body means it can still impair those operating vehicles or heavy machinery. However, the impression that weed and alcohol have equally detrimental effects are causing more
harm to the legalization process, in the eyes of some. “It would be nice if they were looking at it not in the same class as alcohol, because it’s not at all, like with zoning your schools and stuff like that,” Willsteed said. Different Strokes is currently located directly next to an elementary school and still is too close to Laurier to be able to sell cannabis, as a 4 km radius is needed from a government owned and run facility. Different Strokes has been located Uptown for almost 13 years, but being locally owned and operated, the intense costs the government is placing on selling cannabis happens to be working more in favour of the government’s warehouses like the OCS. “They’re only handing out a certain amount of licenses to people who are able to pay the insane licensing costs,” Willsteed said. “We want to see it freed. If it’s legalized we want to see it freed, not [that] you have to pay the government hundreds of thousands of dollars or whatever it will be to sell something that is legal.” Though the costs surrounding legalization may negatively impact those currently in the industry, the negative stigma may change. “I think the stigma with older people will start getting erased once they realize ‘potheads’ or whatever you want to call them aren’t people who drink; it’s not cocaine or heroin or alcohol,” Willsteed said. As for Laurier, the university has put an interim policy in place from six to eight months to work with the government, community and other universities on the best approach to the substance, as well as creating a working group to gather information for recommendations
for a longer-term policy. Currently, cannabis is prohibited in indoor common areas, like university and college residences, as well as on university property, in university facilities and in university vehicles — with the exception of medical marijuana users, who must request accommodation through the university. Kevin Crowley, the director of communications and public affairs for Laurier, clarified some of the policy for students who may be unsure what legalization at Laurier entails. “It’s a prohibition that you can’t use recreational cannabis on Laurier’s campuses, in our buildings or facilities, at least for the time being,” Crowley said. “The interim policy gives us about six to eight months to consult with the Laurier community, consult with the various levels of government, local municipalities and other universities and colleges to make sure that the long-term permanent policy that we have is the best one possible.” As for the working group that has been put together to collect information for a long-term policy, “They’ll go in with an open mind, and they’re going to consult with people on campus, the municipality and the provincial and federal levels of government to understand where everyone is going with it, Crowley said. “We can’t presuppose what the working group’s recommendations will be, they’ll think it through and do their research.” Oct. 17 has a lot of changes in store for every resident of Canada, including those at Wilfrid Laurier, as they work to keep the school safe — but regardless of the choices made on consumption, remember to be responsible.
4
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
ECO-FRIENDLY
E-Scooters coming to Waterloo MARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER
On Oct. 2, 2018, the City of Waterloo approved the region’s newest and most eco-friendly mode of transportation: electric scooters. These scooters are in town for the first pilot of the program, running from Oct. 2 to Nov. 30. The trial is being conducted by regional council, with the goal of examining how they fit into the rest of Waterloo’s transportation system, as well as observing the efficiency of the restricted trail of scooter use being instated. Lime, the California-based company that has provided the City of Waterloo with the scooters, has already opened up their market internationally, with urban areas in the United States and Europe exploring and adapting to the innovative design. There are currently one-hundred scooters available for use in the region. However, use of the scooters is being regulated under certain qualifications; such as having a valid driver’s license, the use of a helmet, as well as being 18 years of age or older. The route, which designates scooter usage, currently extends from the David Johnston Research and Technology Park to the Waterloo Park Promenade. The route is
subject to change throughout the pilot with anticipation to extend it. “They are not to be used on roads, university campuses and sidewalks … we really ask everyone to be mindful and respectful on the designated routes,” said Ryan Mounsey, senior economic development advisor at the City of Waterloo.
We really ask everyone to be mindful and respectful on the designated routes.
-Ryan Mounsey, senior economic development advisor at the City
The scooters must be parked in designated hubs located along the trail, which are marked by blue signs. The initial unlocking fee for this pilot is $1.00 plus 30 cents per minute, making their usage relatively affordable. As the initial weeks of this pilot commence, the region is beginning to analyze some of the data made
available. “On a weekly basis we’ll be receiving more data to understand what user patterns are like,” Mounsey said. “We’re looking at things like trip volume, average length of trip [and] is there some impact on retail in terms of exposure”. The success of this pilot will be measured by the ability of Waterloo to create a permanent and growing presence of scooters and routes, as well as making it as accessible to consumers as possible. Adapting the program to the needs of the city and its residents by “responding to what we learn,” Mounsey said. “That’s really the goal.” Currently, electric scooters do not have a place under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. However, the regulation of their use is still applicable to the Criminal Code. The region hopes to further create success for the program by “using the information that we gain to help shape transportation policy,” Mounsey said. The City of Waterloo urges riders to keep the scooters off of roads, sidewalks and LRT transit routes. Additionally, to walk these scooters across roads and tracks, be respectful of both pedestrians and automobiles and obey the regulations of scooter use.
YITIAN CAI/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVOCACY
“I am Affected” campaign sparks new conversation ESMÉ RIGDEN-BRISCALL STAFF WRITER
Arriving in the Waterloo Region at the end of September, the Indigenous Community’s “I am Affected” campaign has been finding success for approximately two weeks now. The campaign started out in Hamilton and was begun by the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic (HCLC) and has now spread across southern Ontario. It was brought to Kitchener-Waterloo by Luane Roberts — an Indigenous justice coordinator at Waterloo Region Community Legal Services. According to Roberts, the purpose of the campaign was to bring awareness to Indigenous issues in the region and to encourage support for Indigenous peoples living here. “There are Indigenous issues that are still occurring today, residential schools and things like the ‘sixties scoop’ are having a ripple effect,” Roberts said. According to the campaign website: “the poster campaign provides a safe space for Indigenous people to speak their truth, share their stories and to break the silence of the trauma caused by Canadian Indian Residential Schools.” By logging onto the website, people can post images and share their stories. The posters have since
then been put up across town. Alongside her legal services, Roberts also does a great deal of community outreach within Kitchener-Waterloo and works to connect people to cultural based programs and other organizations. The campaign has gained support from outside partners, who have begun to work with Roberts to create services in KW and network within the area, so that Indigenous people living in the region can feel supported and helped when needed.
It shows that there are these issues, but that there is a lot of resilience and a lot of people that [are] working towards more positive things. -Luane Roberts, Indigenous justice coordinator at WRCLS
According to Roberts, the campaign has been a success so far. Following the release of the campaign, she has gotten a number of inquiries and support. Roberts also held a launch event
Monday, Sept. 24 in Victoria Park, which she said was a huge success. “It shows that there are these issues, but that there is a lot of resilience and a lot of people that [are] working towards more positive things.” “‘I am Affected’ is part one of a two part poster and social media campaign. The second part is titled “I am Committed’.” “There’s a website on the posters,” Roberts said, “where you can go to post a photo and a statement to say you are committed to addressing the TRC call to action and to addressing discrimination.” “[It’s] meant to open the conversation,” she said. The campaign works to recognize the importance of collaborative work between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the “I am Affected” and “I am Committed” campaigns seem more prevalent than ever. The Globe and Mail published an article on Oct. 14, reporting that the Supreme Court of Canada has determined that the Canadian government does not have to consult Indigenous communities when considering, drafting or passing laws. Though her work is not directly linked to law-making, Roberts says rulings like this affect every Indigenous community in a systemic
LUKE SARAZIN/FILE PHOTO
way. “The duty to consult needs to be there and the treaties that have been signed for hundreds of years still need to be followed, they just don’t go away — It is overarching”
Roberts said. “There is a responsibility the government has and every individual living in Canada has to know what the treaty rights are and what the treaties are.”
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
•
5
AWARD
Laurier “three-peats,” No. one in student satisfaction AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR
For the third consecutive year, Wilfrid Laurier University has ranked No. one in the “student satisfaction” section of Maclean’s annual rankings of Canadian Universities survey. More than 23,000 students were surveyed, across 15 universities, to get their insight on a number of topics to determine in what areas schools have been the most successful at creating the ideal student experience. This survey ranked Laurier according to the perceived quality of a number of essential campus and administrative services, including Student Life, Administrative and Academic Advising Staff, Extracurricular Activities and Residence Living. Laurier ranked No. one in all of these categories, as well as No. two in Course Instructors, No. one in Promoting Indigenous Visibility and No. five in Steps to Prevent Sexual Assault. But what exactly does a high ranking in “student satisfaction”
EVA OU/FILE PHOTO
mean for a Canadian university? For Leanne Holland Brown, dean of students for the Waterloo campus, it means reputation as well as the opportunity to quantify the quality of the university staff’s work, especially when she gets the chance to talk to students and family who have been to Laurier or are considering it as a university. “When we think about the goal of having students feel pleased and feel proud to have chosen Laurier
and indicating that if they had to make the same choice again they would again choose Laurier, thats a huge compliment,” Holland Brown said. “Part of my job as the dean of students is to deliver on a promise that we make to students when they pick Laurier — that we will do what we can to ensure that they have a positive, difference-making experience at Laurier.” It also helps parents and stu-
dents to navigate the process of choosing a university depending on what is most important to them. For some, student satisfaction is. “I was actually having a conversation earlier this week with a gentleman who spent his first years at a large university,” Holland Brown said. “He said to me: ‘that has exactly been my experience [at Laurier]. When I was at this other university, I was very much a number and I
didn’t feel like I had a relationship with the campus or a relationship with the faculty and staff. I didn’t feel like people were really trying to help me as an individual to have a really fulfilling and meaningful experience’.” “[He said] ‘I can honestly say every class — even the ones I haven’t liked — every interaction I’ve had with staff at Laurier has really made me feel the way you’ve described,” she said. For Holland Brown, one of the most important things about being ranked No. one in student satisfaction is what it means for the future of the school. “I have the really unique opportunity in my role to be able to tell the story of Laurier — to be able to tell the story of the Laurier student experience,” Holland Brown said. “I think we are doing a better job telling our story, sharing our successes and being proud of celebrating where we have done things really well” “[I think] that story being more out there in the world also helps contribute to an awareness about what a special place Laurier is,” she said.
BUSINESS
Boutique closes down EMILY WAITSON ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
Meow! Boutique, the beloved uptown Waterloo vintage fashion retailer located at the corner of King and Bridgeport, recently announced that they will be closing at the end of October. In an Instagram post published to their page on Oct. 2, the store addressed their customer base — fondly referred to as their “Cat Club” — to express their disappointment with the City of Waterloo and the toll the construction had taken on their small business, ultimately resulting in their decision to close their doors. Meow! Boutique — with its strutting pink logo sign and old storefront location that was formerly a doctor’s house — was established in 2011 by two antique sellers. In 2015, it was taken over by Wendy Bones and Melissa Thurston, both Honours Fine Arts graduates who shared a mutual love for vintage pieces, with a keen eye for fashion. Bones noted the lack of importance placed on small businesses in uptown during the ongoing construction. “Seeing the road being closed and how the region didn’t seem to really listen to small businesses voicing their concerns and seeing how their priorities were obviously elsewhere, like putting money into LED trees and things that light up at night to promote the nightlife and restaurants, but nothing for retail,” Bones said. To them, the focus of the region has been shifted onto the city’s nightlife and other projects, leaving little room for their store to be
successful. “So we came to realize that we just don’t fit the vision, that the vision doesn’t include small retail business,” she said. In terms of the main problem with the construction effort, they both agreed it came down to the organization and the implementation of it. “I found that probably the worst of it was last summer, when they had it closed from Bridgeport to Willis or Erb — and it was an absolute disaster.” The lack of access that was available to the store because of the construction inevitably changed how people were shopping and where they were doing it. Meow! Boutique is planned to officially close on Oct. 31, with a large portion of their remaining stock already cleaned out. In regards to what they took away from their time owning the store, they both share fond memories from their experience — like people stopping by to choose their wedding attire. “We had a girl that did that — she came in, she picked out a cute little white dress and she went to city hall and got married,” Thurston said. Ultimately, the biggest reward has been pleasing their dedicated customer base. “Making people happy: it’s so awesome when you find a cool, one of a kind vintage piece you can’t find anywhere else,” Bones said. “How to cheer us up: Get in here and enjoy. Show up in your favourite Meow! outfit. Post selfies and tag us, letting us know that our store meant something to you.”
NAME/POSITION
6 • GAMES
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
WORD SEARCH
BALZACS CANNABIS INDIGENOUS BOUTIQUE MEOW RAINBOW UPTOWN ELECTION LEGALIZATION MUNICIPAL SATISFACTION CANDIDATES FOOTBALL MACLEANS PINGPONG SCOOTERS
DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR WRITING? THE CORD IS HIRING AN OPINION EDITOR. IF INTERESTED CONTACT EDITOR@THECORD.CA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
GAMES • 7
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17 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 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, Dear Safina, No. Sincerely, Pranav
Can school and work and responsibilities go away so I can lay in bed with my girlfriend and watch Netflix? Please and thanks.
Dear Life,
Sincerely, Tired
Don’t tell me what to do.
Dear Dorite,
Sincerely, Bay Boy Dear life,
I miss your dearly. I will never stop grieving you. I will never forget the day my co workers ripped you a part and ate you in front of me.
Oh dededededededededear dear dear, It’s winds-day Piglet.
Sincerely, Your name tag is still sitting on my desk, forever.
Sincerely, C.R.
Dear Sarah,
Dear Life, This is where good intentions go to die. Sincerely, W.D.
Thanks for the haircut. Dear Life,
Dear Life,
Sincerely, Rock Paper Scissors
You’re like a full bag of Sweet Chilli Heat Doritos: After a while it starts to hurt but I can’t get enough.
These municipal candidates need to learn that if they had a dog, I would literally vote for them no matter what.
Sincerely, Bleeding Tongue
Sincerely. The most important civic issue
To whom it may concern;
Dear Life
The blue and white, making things right, in my life, they clear the strife, Tattoo my chest, you’re the best.
I use you as an archive to curate all the Dad jokes I’m going to be making later in life. Sincerely, Big Dad Energy
I just want the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series.
Sincerely, Maple Syrup
Dear S,
Sincerely, A true fan
Dear Garrison, I like listening to Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift in my office with you. Ya pal. Sincerely, Maybe the Leaf’s will win if you’re super sads Dear Life,
What’s updog? Dear Life, Why are all my assignments due on the same day.
Dear Reading Week, Sincerely, Not mcuh, what’s up with you?
Thank you for being over because my girlfriend left me for 10 days.
Dear Guy in the Elevator, Sincerely, Library Dweller
Write yourself.
Don’t ever apologize when your dog starts getting excited to see me and starts to jump up and try and lick my coat. That shit made my week.
Sincerely, 200 more words left
Sincerely, Love French Bulldogs
Dear Essay,
Sincerely, Grr Dear Midterms, When will you be over. Sincerely Please be over
SUDOKU
8 •
FEATU
FEATURES EDITOR/MADELINE MCINNIS/FEATURES@THECORD.CA
Getting Educated
Features Editor, Madeline McInnis, talks to all of the candidates for
Answers have been printed verbatum from interviews with the candida
Mayoral Candidates Are you for or against expanding the ION? Why or why not?
Dave Jaworsky
Kelly Steiss
Chris Kolednik
The first step in getting the ION successful is to build ridership on phase 1, which is around Waterloo and Kitchener. That way we can demonstrate to the federal and provincial government that it’s working here and it’s needed, and then we can seek further funding for LRT phase 2, which will take us down to Cambridge and will complete the system in Waterloo region.
I would really like to hear clearly from the Cambridge residents what they would want for the ION. We do need a system that serves our entire region, but I want to make sure we serve Cambridge in a way that makes sense.
I’m against any expansion of the LRT and the ION, especially they’re talking about going from basically Fairview Mall area to Cambridge. So I’m dead-set against that. The proposed cost was going to be roughly a billion dollars or so. I’d rather see that billion dollars go towards high speed rail basically connecting Kitchener to Toronto.
How can you ensure student retention in Waterloo post graduation?
In your opinion, how has King Street construction affected Waterloo? Has it been and will it be positive?
The talent at the universities is a key contributor to the economic growth of Waterloo. What we are doing here in Waterloo is making it a more attractive place to live, work and play. We are focused on job creation and entrepreneurship so that new graduates have a great job and a great city. We’re building connections between our university district and uptown through Waterloo park with our new central promenade and exploring new transportation options like E-scooters to ensure that we look like a cool place to live and build your life.
The King street streetscape work was necessary because the old streetscape dated back 50 years and was car-centric. The new streetscape supports all modes of transportation including segregated cycling lanes, wider sidewalks for wheelchairs, strollers and patio lifestyle. We’ve installed new exciting tree lighting, an innovative invention of a local company, all along King Street to attract people here every evening so that our retailers can thrive. We will also have the ION running through uptown that will have a great way to bring tens of thousands of people through our uptown area each and every day. Uptown Waterloo is one of the most vibrant urban cores in all of Canada.
We need to make sure that we have a variety of housing options available that are affordable. We also need to make sure that our city is a place where our graduating students feel welcome, where there is a diversity of economy as well as options for entertainment and belonging.
King Street construction has been devastating to our local businesses. I believe we could have done a better job. My hope is that as we move forward that we can make it look great, because right now we have to do better.
Simply, jobs. In my campaign, I even specify in some of my Twitter, it’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs. What do people want after they graduate? And I know that I wanted the same thing, was that I wanted a good paying job. At the end of the day, people want stability, security and a good-paying job. Again, I want to be the jobs mayor. I want to create thousands of jobs in this region, not just in high tech but in manufacturing, continued insurance and continued in the education service.
From my perspective, it hasn’t been a good thing because I’m a commercial realtor, that’s my background. Some of those businesses on King Street are my clients and they were tremendously affected and we’ve actually seen businesses shut down as a result of the LRT construction and then the streetscape construction. Again, it’s not something that I would have been in favour of, per say. I think it should have been better organized and better planned for those businesses, but, again, it’s obviously here now and we have to deal with it. We have to shine a positive light on the situation and we have to get more people back to the uptown Waterloo core.
URES
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018 • 9
on the Candidates
r Laurier’s ward and for Waterloo’s mayor this election season.
ates but have been cut off at approximately 100 words per answer.
Ward 7 Candidates Are you for or against expanding the ION? Why or why not?
How can you ensure student retention in Waterloo post graduation?
I would encourage the expansion of the ION to continue to connect our communities and our business areas.
First, we need to focus on affordable housing and continuing to build job opportunities for our newly educated minds.
I am for expanding the ION. At this point, we’ve already invested a large sum of money into it and it’s in Waterloo and the region’s best interest to ensure that it’s successful. When you give up on something partway through, there’s no chance of it being successful and I think for future generations it’s going to be used quite a bit.
I’m pro ION, as long as, I want to make sure that it is supported by a robust bus system as well. As a transportation tool it is, hopefully, it is going to prove very valuable and essential, but also as a development tool it provides a strong spine on which to intensify. So it think both of those things are really important and great.
I would say I’m definitely for expanding the ION. We need to better support the active transportation in our city. We need to make sure we are bringing people into our city because while it’s allowing them to efficiently commute to work outside of our city, so we definitely need to support the expansion of the active transportation system in Waterloo region.
If the ION meets expectations — we’re talking the LRT down King street — I would actually be open to considering another path that goes in a perpendicular direction, because I think that in order for it to fully service our city it has to go in more than one direction.
In your opinion, how has King Street construction affected Waterloo? Has it been and will it be positive? As somebody who owns a number of businesses in uptown, it was a struggle to try and survive the construction. However, now that the businesses’ streetscapes are open, the businesses are starting to see an upturn in business. So we’re appreciative to have them open and widened.
Devon McKenzie
Well, that’s a complicated one. I think longterm we’re going to see a lot of positive results from it. Obviously, in the short-term it’s been very stressful, we’ve lost some businesses, rent rates are going up slowly, that’s a systemic problem everywhere. So there’s been some negative feedback in terms of how it’s gone. It was over 50 years old, some of it already crumbling and falling apart. This work had to be done. It wasn’t something we could push off saying that it’s not in our best interest. So for future aspects, it allows development, it allows for stronger businesses where things aren’t falling apart or breaking.
Rami Said
Waterloo needs to be a great place to live for all ages and all incomes and this pertains to families, it pertains to seniors but it also pertains to young workers, so its not just about making sure we have excellent jobs here, we also need to have an excellent culture that makes people want to stay. So for me it comes down to strong employment options as well as really thriving culture, a variety of things on offer in the core and across the city and a variety of housing styles so that there are homes that people can afford in the places where they want to live.
The next couple of years are going to be tough. We have to wait for people’s habits to change and to bring them back to uptown, and we also need to, there’s a lag time in the developments that are coming so the population that will be uptown going to their businesses isn’t here yet so I think long term it’s going to get off to a really positive point, but it’s been a hard couple of years and I don’t think the hard times are done yet so I think it’s really important for this city to be working very hard to continue supporting local businesses until those habits change again and people are coming back uptown and living uptown again.
Tenille Bonoguore
Again I think it comes down to a couple of things. It comes down to engagement, making sure that we create a community that they are connected to and therefore after graduation want to commit to staying in. I also think we have to — intensification is something that we hear a lot about and I think it’s so important because we need to make sure we are bringing people into our community by creating jobs and opportunities for them to be here.
It has definitely been challenging, I think especially for uptown retailers, being able to bring people uptown during the construction was difficult. I know that we have some great support from the uptown BIA as well as the city but that’s behind us and I believe that moving forward that it is a good thing, it will bring more people uptown, therefore bringing hopefully more retailers uptown, more business owners uptown and therefore more people uptown so I do believe it’s a positive thing moving forward.
Carol Parsons
People long to live in a vibrant community where there are things to do, places to go, a sense of community and a vision that they can see themselves being in place for many years and I think that if we can build that we will retain people. People want services if they’re there if they say if there’s entertainment, community support, I think that’s the way we get people to stay in our city.
I think in the long term it will be positive when we get a more diversification of our businesses along King Street, assuming that the LRT will increase foot traffic, I think we will have a more robust Uptown at the end of the day. Of course it’s been such a struggle and we have suffered a number of loses, but I’m hoping that in the future that can be counteracted and it will really be a great place to be.
Elizabeth Sproule
So there’s two parts to student retention: the first one is jobs and the second one is culture. So, obviously, some of my positions on the BIA and uptown business committee, we’ve been pushing for employment growth. So a good example is when we sold the art building, ensuring that it was devoted to developing more office space for uptown Waterloo. And in terms of the arts and culture, sites like the Button Factory, for example, you know, making sure people actually want to be in Waterloo. It’s one thing to get a job, it’s another to actually feel included and part of the community..
10 •
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
Arts & Life
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR VACANT arts@thecord.ca
DIVERSITY
Film fest represents LGBTQ2+ MADELINE MCINNIS FEATURES EDITOR
“The films that we have are works of art — they’re pieces that are well put together, there’s good funding behind them, they’re beautiful stories, impactful stories. It’s just amazing to see a good film that also happens to have queer content,” said Hannah Enns, operations and festival coordinator for 2018. Rainbow Reels Queer and Trans Film Festival is well underway for its eighteenth season. This festival is the largest of its kind in South-Western Ontario, as well as the oldest. It runs in Kitchener-Waterloo with the aim of bringing light to diverse issues in the LGBTQ+ community. “A lot of time, you see queer and trans represented in the media in very traumatic events. Or we gather together for vigils or for mourning or remembering the homophobia and transphobia we face in the world,” Enns said. “One of our huge values is celebrating our identities because there’s a place to celebrate.” This year’s festival began on Oct. 12, 2018 and it will run until Oct. 21, 2018. It’s the first year that Rainbow Reels has been split up over two weekends, and it’s exciting to see the variety of content that this brings. Enns stressed that the festival is
also concerned with representation of real people on screen — the trans characters are played by trans actors, the lesbians by lesbians, etc. This is something that separates them from other festivals of their kind, as well. Furthermore, the festival serves to show diverse voices, especially those to speak to other minority peoples, such as discussions of racism and colonialism within the KW community and beyond. On top of the screening events that are traditionally associated with film festivals, Rainbow Reels
A lot of time, you see queer and trans represented in the media in very traumatic events ...
-Hannah Enns, operations and festival coordinator for Rainbow Reels
also features comedy nights, performances and more. Both Princess Cinemas and The Apollo Cinema are screening films for this year’s festival. Fresh Ground and The Walper are also
participating in this year’s festivities, hosting the comedy show and the queer slow dance respectively. Though the runtime of Rainbow Reels is quickly passing us by, the bulk of the movies are still to come. Most of the films will be screened at The Apollo this upcoming weekend. “The lineup we have this year is amazing,” Enns said. “A lot of it is about celebrating LGBTQ2+ identities and they’re all really amazing stories.” Closer to home, the Diversity and Equity Office has sponsored a film, Behind the Curtain: Todrick Hall, at Rainbow Reels this year. Laurier students are able to get into this film for free when they show their OneCard, and it will be screened at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 20 at The Apollo Cinema in Kitchener. Another upcoming highlight is the short film competition from filmmakers in the KW community. The event will take place at the Apollo and many of the filmmakers will be in attendance for the screenings. For filmmakers and film lovers from Laurier, there is plenty of opportunity to get involved. All creatives from the community are encouraged to get involved. “We’re always looking for local content for our film festival,” Enns said. A personal favourite, The Baba-
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
dook, will also be screened at the Apollo on Oct. 20 at 9:00 p.m. The film is not a LGBTQ+ film on the surface, but after a mishap that had the film appear under Netflix’s queer genre session, the Babadook character became a gay icon and was picked up by Pride. According to Enns, this was the Apollo’s contribution of their own
to the festival and she is excited to see the turnout for this up and coming cult classic. The festival is running through to Sunday, so there is still plenty of time to catch some of the films and events that are coming up. “You don’t have to be queer or trans to come to the film festival at all,” Enns encouraged.
FILM
‘A Star is Born’ strives to invoke emotions SARAH TYLER VIDEO EDITOR
In “A Star is Born” we see Jackson “Jack” Maine, an established rockstar played by Bradley Cooper, fall in love with the young talented musician Ally, played by Lady Gaga. Bradley Cooper was in fact the director and the film has made over 135 million at the box office since it was released on Oct. 5, 2018. The movie is actually a remake; however, I am evaluating it on an individualized basis since I have not seen the prior movies or musicals. If you’re just curious if whether you should see this latest rendition or not, then yes, because it is entertaining and a trip to the movies is an overall fun experience. If you do not wish to hear spoilers, I suggest you refrain from reading the rest of this review. The overall plot follows the romance between Jack and Ally and
how Ally transitions into a pop star. But the story also focuses on two main themes, Ally’s rise to fame and the effects of Jack’s alcoholism. The first part of the movie covers Jack’s discovery of Ally after he enters a drag club and she is a special guest performer. It is evident that the use of a drag bar correlated to Lady Gaga’s casting as she is a known activist and spokesperson for LGBQT+ rights. The connection between the characters is portrayed beautifully through the looks they give each other and the way they gently touch. The acting between Lady Gaga and Cooper keeps up the momentum of the film. Jack’s addiction to alcohol is evident right from the start and causes embarrassment and harm to those around him. He eventually goes to rehab, but then commits suicide near the end of the film. Meanwhile, his then-wife, Ally, is connecting with managers and agents to start her own professional career by putting out albums and performing at gigs. There are some great components and also some not-so-great parts. The vocal talent was outstand-
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ing. Lady Gaga in particular steals the show as Ally, and as a musical film this was a fantastic casting for this role. The performances made you feel as if you were up on stage singing yourself. This was created through perspective-style shots, but a complaint would be that these were dizzying. There were many close-up
tightly framed shots that made it easy for an audience to connect to the characters, but it occurred too frequently, and I think the film would have benefitted from more wide-angle and establishing shots. The videography in the opening scene of Jack’s concert was disorientating and on one hand could be referring to the wild lifestyle or the drugged and drunken state of Jack
himself, but it was just too much in focus and not enough out of focus to be done properly; honestly I had to look away so I would not get sick from watching the film on the big screen. Clocking in at two hours and sixteen minutes, it is not a quick flick and I personally was ready for it to end near the end. It was also becoming increasingly sadder and the final part with Jackson Maine’s suicide and Ally’s grieving is drawn out significantly. It dwells just a little too long since the audience would be impacted significantly regardless of the time spent within the montage. It was a good movie to see, but I don’t think I would want to watch the film again. I was also disappointed after hearing my peers speak so highly of the film and thought I would get a good cry out of it, which it I did not. It did not hit me as emotionally as I thought. It depends on what you’re interested in seeing whether you should view it or not. If you like long romantic dramas, then this is a stellar movie for you. If you want some light quick entertainment, then this might be a film to avoid.
ARTS & LIFE • 11
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018 NIGHT LIFE
COFFEE
JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Ace Ping Pong Bar opens in Waterloo KATE WEBER ONLINE EDITOR
What’s your average demographic?
Tired of your weekly trip to Pub and Phil’s? Well look no further, thanks to the new opening of a hot spot attraction in uptown Waterloo. Ace Ping Pong Bar is the shiny new attraction and is here to help you get through your cold and miserable midterm season. I had the opportunity to speak with Chad Yurkin, a Laurier alumni who is the president of Ace along with a handful of others. Here are some of the questions I asked: Why did you choose to open, what is the attraction to ping pong? I have been a DJ for a while now and in the last while there’s been a shift in more of a social expe-rience as opposed to a night club experience. People tend to go out in groups and do more than dance and drink. The idc came from hearing of an opening in Toronto and decided to meet the changing shift in entertainment. I feel like we will create a hybrid of social and night club entertain-ment for younger and older generations. At Ace, there is frequent music with the chance of being social along with other social DJ nights.
The demographic is an evolution. It is still early on in business and we are not fully on marketing yet but there will be a strong appeal of students if they want something else do to since lots of students walking in uptown pass by location in uptown. Looking from the outside it draws in a younger business professional or someone in the tech sector looking for after work outing. The feedback has been positive with sports on the TV’s and ping pong — it catches their eyes. Is it a good work out? It is a good workout. I’m not good but it is a fun activity. I didn’t realize until you play more that it is a large workout. You start with a sweater on and before you now it you have to take it off. For people who have never tried it, why should they. Because they will have fun. At the end of the day they will have a great time, if they have never played … they will have fun. We have high quality equipment with couches to lounge on. We even have people walk around and pick up the balls for you. You will have the chance to loose yourself in an experience.
JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Balzac’s celebrates grand opening SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Balzac’s Coffee Roasters in Waterloo recently hosted their grand opening in celebration of their newest cafe, located at 256 Phillip Street. The Waterloo location, which is found in close proximity to the UW plaza, opened up almost a year ago. “We just did a very belated grand opening. I think it was almost a year to the date that we opened and it was just nice to bring people form the community and some of the local dignitaries,” said Diana Olsen, founder of Balzac’s Coffee Roasters. The grand opening took place in the form of two parts — the first, which happened on Thursday Oct. 4, 2018. The private, evening event was attended by Dave Jaworsky, mayor of Waterloo and Berry Vrbanovic, major of Kitchener. Olsen was also present at the event, where she presented the Button Factory and the University of Waterloo Robots Team with $1000
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donations in support of Waterloo’s local art and tech sectors. Following the private day, Balzac’s handed out free coffee throughout the day to customers, when they also raised $500 for the food bank. “When we do openings we try and tie it in with some of the organizations that we like to support,” Olsen said. “It kind of works for everybody. It’s nice when we can do an event and also help some organizations in the process.” Olsen opened the first location in 1996 in Stratford, Ontario. Since then, she has expanded the company, opening up 14 different locations — Waterloo’s being the most recent addition. When looking to expand in Waterloo, Olsen said that the location on Phillip Street offers close proximity to students, while also being secluded from the traffic and business on University Avenue. “We don't like to be on crazy high traffic streets, part of the cafe experience is to be able to relax and be in a more quiet environ-
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ment. But it’s good to be within a short walking distance from high traffic areas,” she said. For Olsen, she hopes that students and others in Waterloo will take the few extra steps it takes to get to Balzac’s from the main plaza. “We really pride ourselves on the quality of our coffee and the freshness of it. For me it’s worth walking that extra block to get a really good cup of coffee as opposed to just a sub-standard cup of coffee,” Olsen said. “I think students are very savvy to good coffee and good quality teas and coffee … they’ve become foodies, the millennials, and so they appreciate what we do.” Balzac’s uses all organic milk and fairy products in their drinks, and provides alternative dairy options, such as oat milk, to those to come to their cafe to experience drinking fresh coffees. “It’s just a nice atmosphere it kinda takes you out of your day to day-life and it transplants you into a vibrant cafe atmosphere which is kind of a nice break and we all need that break,” Olsen said.
12 •
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca
Editor’s Note: Election’s impact on students control and, echoing the concerns of many residents of Waterloo, the cost to ensure that the Ezra street party is safe and contained is far too high for one day of drinking. Although one councillor may not have the ability to make or break the Ezra street party, it’s definitely something that they might strive to change. Another highly controversial topic discussed among councillors in Waterloo this past year have been the baseball diamonds located in Waterloo Park. As Waterloo continues to grow, city council and the mayor have discussed turning a portion of the park into festival space — however, this space would replace two of the baseball diamonds. This decision effects students in many ways — the diamonds in Waterloo park are often used by students participating in MLSB and other student-run extra-curriculars. However, for some students, the idea of festival space might open up new opportunities and events. Voting is important. Students make up such a huge percentage of Waterloo. Your voices could make a huge impact to the outcome of this election. The topics I have mentioned are only a few of so many that those in running in this municipal election could have a hand in changing. Many of these things can affect the experience you have during your time at Laurier. I highly recommend you read the many resources available to you — such as our feature in this week’s issue, which contains a Q&A with the candidates in Laurier’s ward as well as the mayoral candidates — to find out what each candidate stands for and take a few minutes next Monday to vote.
SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
With the municipal election less than one week away — as is the case with any political election — students are often inundated with people advising them on the importance of staying informed and casting their vote. Finding the time to read platforms, watch debates and making the time to vote as a student can be difficult between classes and studying. As a result, ensuring that students are aware of the tangible things that those running in the municipal election discuss and make decisions about can be the factors that dictate whether or not they take the time to cast their vote. It is true, however, that the mayor and councillors in Waterloo do make many decisions which could greatly effect students — even those of you whom only reside in Waterloo for school. Some of the more controversial topics of discussion in city council meetings this past year, for example, have been the Ezra street parties as well as the potential closure of baseball diamonds in Waterloo Park. The mayor and city councillors have been discussing the ever-growing Ezra street parties in depth. The mayor, who is currently Dave Jaworsky, has spoken out on several occasions iterating his wish that the parties would come to an end. Like him, many figures in Waterloo feel the party has grown out of
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EDITORIAL CARTOON
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Finding inspiration on the field EVA OU PHOTO EDITOR
Soccer has always been a passion of mine, and my long-time love for the sport could not have been fuelled without a dash of inspiration given to me by some of my favourite professional female soccer players. Growing up, I always looked at soccer as a “men’s sport” simply because I was exposed to nothing more. When I played, I only played with boys, and every time I wanted to sign up for a league or play competitively, my mom would just tell me ‘No, that’s for boys’. It wasn’t until 2010 that she finally changed her mind. I continued to watch consecutive World Cup tournaments — sitting in front of my TV every day for a whole month, only to see men hoist up that same trophy every four years. I found it fun keeping up with soccer teams so I eventually started watching European men’s leagues as well. Watching it only drove me to want to improve when I played, but I just didn’t understand the point
because I had never seen women succeed the way men did in this sport, and could have used that time to focus on more important things. It wasn’t until 2011 when I was switching through channels after a long camping trip that I came across my first taste of professional women’s soccer. It was the nail-biting quarterfinal game where the United States beat Brazil in penalties after scoring a last-minute goal in extra time. I was immediately hooked. There was something about watching women who shared the same passion as me play at the world stage, doing what I thought only men did. Don’t get me wrong, watching my favourite male players inspired me to want to improve, but seeing women being successful at the same level instilled a different kind of feeling. Professional female athletes play an essential role for the growth and development of young girls in sport as they promote confidence and participation in sport. Confidence is a trait that should be insinuated into young girls. Having female athletes present, shows that amidst the constant incorrect reminders of how women are portrayed, successful women can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and looks; but what they all
share is their love for the sport, their desire to win, and the love they have for their team. The reality to make it big as a female combined with confidence is the ultimate driver to get young girls to keep playing sports. An increased participation in sports is essential as these young girls will one day be the female professional athlete role models to other young girls in the future, and drive change. Starting off my second year playing league soccer, I didn’t feel great. I thought that my teammates were a lot better than me, which took a complete hit towards my confidence. During and after watching the Women’s World Cup in 2011, I had followed closely with the team, and constantly watched videos of my favourite players training and giving helpful tips that were key to helping me improve. I went out and practiced on my own, and felt an improvement in my own game. I developed confidence in myself and I could see that in my skills. I later won Most Improved Player, and our team went on to win playoff. Since then, despite changing life commitments, soccer is the one activity of mine that I can never let go of.
• 13
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
Opinion
OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca
Taylor Swift shakes off the right-wing on Instagram ANNE MARIE RUSSELL OPINION COLUMNIST
As someone who doesn’t exactly like to talk about their political opinions, politics are all I’ve been hearing about lately, which makes it hard not to form a stance on what you believe in. There’s no doubt that everyone has been aware of what’s going on in the United States, and as a person who values certain things, it’s quite hard to watch. Quite recently, Taylor Swift came out and talked about her political views, encouraging young voters of Tennessee to go out and vote. This sparked Donald Trump to come back and tweet about Taylor Swift, as we’ve seen him do to many others in the past. However, it wasn’t as hurtful as expected, saying “I like her music about 25 per cent less now ...” Taylor Swift has been one of the most popular musicians since her beginnings in 2004, and with that comes influence. Most of her fanbase is made up of youth who look for role models in these powerful singers and performers. They look to Taylor as someone they can admire and learn from, and because of her post on Ins-
Of course, people can always counter that and argue that it was a publicity stunt, or she was paid by the political party to speak out, but again, if we look at what has been happening in the United States and the issues that have arisen, we can see that this was not about money. The American Music Awards were this past Tuesday, in which
many artists performed and received nominations and awards. After Taylor’s Instagram post, everyone was very eager to see what would be next for her at the AMA’s and what, or if, she would comment again on her political stance. That night, Taylor herself won Artist of the Year and didn’t dis-
appoint the public by telling the audience and viewers at home that it’s extremely important to get out and vote. As someone who uses social media daily, it is refreshing to see celebrities be interested and aware of local issues, instead of constantly watching them fighting with one another or promoting their own products. It shows me that we can work together to fix issues in our society, no matter who you are. If you have a voice, use it. It’s not just Taylor Swift doing this, other celebrities have been doing this for quite a while now regarding many topics, including #metoo, battles with mental health, drug addiction, etc. This entire situation tells me that we can use power for good; it might not be dramatic at first, but eventually, with enough support and encouragement, we can better ourselves and our countries. Taylor has further encouraged me to be more aware of my political parties within my community and vote for what I believe in. I strongly agree with the message Taylor Swift is bringing to the public, and I hope others will too, even if they like her music slightly less because of it.
store or getting his first job. My growth didn’t happen in a single moment, but slowly over the years I’ve been away at university. Every personal challenge that came with being on my own in the world, away from mom and dad, was another instance that contributed to who I am today — someone totally different than the kid I was when I lived in Orangeville. My last time in Orangeville gave me the revelation that I was ready to move on from my childhood town — because without even noticing, sometime over the last few years, I already had moved on
from it. I wasn’t an ‘Orangevillian’ anymore. Sure, I had come back to visit dozens of times throughout each school year, but the personal growth I’ve experienced while out on my own was something that I couldn’t have achieved while living at home. There was nothing more to explore, and no one new to explore it with. Any attempt at sparking a new adventure in my hometown felt like a rerun of an old TV show. It was always fun to see old faces
and reminisce, but I had already experienced every nook and cranny of the town I grew up in. There was nothing more to see, and nothing outside of my comfort-zone waiting to be conquered. My child-self wanted to cling to his life because he loved everything about Orangeville. My adult-self wants to move on from Orangeville because he loves everything about life. Moving on doesn’t mean giving anything up, but rather it leads to opportunities to find new experiences and people worth holding on to.
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tagram, there was an exponential spike in voters. Most celebrities hold small amounts of power, whether it be influence, criticism, curiosity, you name it, but Taylor has found a way to use her power for unselfish reasons, and attempt to change the world in which we live for the better.
Moving on from home TYLER CURRIE STAFF WRITER
I grew up in a small town, went to a small school and hung out with a small group of friends. It was great. About 25,000 people call Orangeville, Ontario home, and a few dozen of those residents included my mom and dad, my teachers, my acquaintances, my doctor, my dentist, my mailman, my childhood babysitter and most of the people I’ve interacted with in my developing years who served as my entire world until I left for school. I loved my life and I never wanted anything to change. As a child, I remember fearing the day my parents would decide to sell our house and move away to somewhere less familiar. I would even fantasize about one day becoming rich and buying our family house so I could hold onto it forever. A few months ago, the day finally came when mom and dad were ready to sell the house and move away. London Ontario, a place with more job opportunities and cheaper taxes offered greener pastures and a good change of scenery. The kid version of me would be upset if he heard that I couldn’t achieve my dream of buying my childhood house — I have even
less money now than I did at that young age thanks to fun post-secondary pricing and student loans. So, it happened after a few weeks on the market: the house was officially sold to new people who would hopefully enjoy it as much as we did and make their own memories within those walls. My last time in Orangeville was a day spent moving things from a storage space into the moving truck. I needed a recharge, so when the family took a well-deserved break, I visited one of Orangeville’s many Tim Hortons and took my place in line. I glanced around at the people in the establishment, and couldn’t help but be reminded of the different stages in my own life. I saw two friends chatting about applying for jobs, a family sitting down to eat a meal and teenage cashiers joking around with one another. Typical Orangeville residents doing typical Orangeville things. It was amazing to me that my own life had changed so much in the past few years at school, but my old town was exactly the same as it had been when I was a teenager trying to get through adolescence without embarrassing myself. It dawned on me that I had become someone completely different since that time. I had developed into a more confident and stable person than I was as a high schooler awkwardly bumping into an acquaintance at a
EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR
14
• OPINION
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17 2018
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Weight Watchers makes a change to their brand EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR
Weight Watchers, the American weight-loss support group that was founded in 1963 by homemaker Jean Nidetch, has recently taken a slightly different direction with their approach to weight management. The company officially changed their name to WW in late Septem-
The wellness approach to healthy living is becoming increasingly popular in the world of fitness and body image focus.
ber, shifting their brand and focus towards “health and wellness” rather than just dieting and shedding pounds. Seemingly moving away from their diet-central image, WW is transitioning into a common trend seen across social media, one that’s been a buzz-worthy topic promoted by blogger-style “influencers.” The wellness approach to healthy living is becoming increasingly popular in the world of fitness and body image focus. So, it’s no surprise that a company that began in the 60’s — one that was primarily targeted towards housewives who were made to feel like they needed to lose weight — is attempting to change the wornout perceptions associated with their branding. As a well-known stakeholder and company board member, Oprah Winfrey has served as a spokesperson and a face for WW for years and her association with WW has been a forcefully por-
trayed positive one. With Oprah promoting their rebrand so enthusiastically and new “ambassadors” being added to their company list, including actor Kevin Smith, DJ Khaled and celebrity chef Eric Greenspan, WW seems to be pushing positivity and their well-paid support as much as possible. Dieting has been proven to be an ineffective method for sustainable, long-term weight management. The number of people who turn to diets in order to lose weight has been declining. But no matter how many ad campaigns they want to use with DJ Khaled’s face plastered over them and claims that their plans “really do work,” they will ultimately be the same company they started out as. Wellness and its holistic approach to health are reportedly worth $3.4 trillion globally. Given that it’s pushing dieting out with its popularity (which is for the best), it would make sense that WW would want to jump on the bandwagon that will inevitably make them the most money. WW is still part of a culture that encourages restrictive eating and encourages, whether intentionally or not, skewed perceptions of what it means to be healthy and happy with your body. Living a healthy lifestyle is something that countless people struggle with every day. It isn’t an inherently bad thing to strive towards improved habits that better your physical and mental well-being.
Living a healthy lifestyle is something that countless people struggle with every day.
But when you look past their tacky marketing schemes, it’s easy to see through the flimsy guise
and 21st-century makeover, and see that WW is nothing more than a company capitalizing on the body positivity movement while contributing nothing remarkable or progressive to it in return. WW has lined their pockets for
decades by telling women they’re fat, over-emotional eaters who just need to portion size more effectively and turn to their fellow dieters to hold them accountable when it comes to managing their indulgent meal habits.
Sprinkle in some meditation, green juicing and yoga and you have the same smug company you did before — sitting pretty like Gwyneth Paltrow behind her similarly advertised wellness brand, Goop.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR PRANAV DESAI sports@thecord.ca
FOOTBALL
A new starting quarterback for the purple and gold ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
SADMAN SAKIB RAHMAN/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
After a much needed win against Carleton in the biggest game of the season at the time for the Golden Hawks, a fourth win before matching up with Western for the season finale was crucial. A 39-24 win against the Windsor Lancers was just what the doctor ordered as Laurier managed to move up to 4-3 and the fifth spot in the OUA. The fast start to the game for Laurier was nothing new as the Golden Hawks managed to go up 13-0 by the early portion of the second quarter. This was behind a strong run game that was utilized well in questionable conditions, led by Levondre Gordon who had 90 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter alone. Once Laurier went up 13-0 though, this game took a left turn. Windsor found something within them to score 19 points and allowing two more for Laurier by way of a safety to go up 19-15 at half. The second half was all Laurier as a crazy sequence that led to 16 unanswered points for Laurier. After a fumble by Levondre Gordon at about the midway point of the 3rd quarter, the snap went over the head of Sam Girard on Windsor’s first play of the drive and into the end-zone as he recovered it which was a safety for Laurier. On the next drive, Laurier went
68 yards on four plays and scored on a 19-yard Kevin Wong touchdown. Following that was a Marvin Gaynor fumble in the end-zone on the kickoff that Esson Hamilton of Laurier recovered for a touchdown to go up 31-19. “We didn’t play as well as we should have, particularly in the second quarter. Got off to a lead and a decent start, the wind definitely played a factor in us getting the lead in that first quarter. We kind of regrouped at halftime and said our season’s on the line and in the second half, won the game 245. It really was a tale of two halves and I’m glad we played our best football in the second half,” coach Faulds said. Records also came to fall in this game as receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. broke the former Lancer Jordan Brescacin’s OUA record for career receptions (193) in the first quarter. In going on to catch seven more balls, he became the fifth U Sports player ever to record 200 career receptions. One change that has been good for the Golden Hawks over the last couple of games has been the change at quarterback with Connor Carusello now being the starter. After putting up huge numbers in his first start against Carleton in that 37-31 victory, he did enough to help Laurier get their fourth win. “I’ve been pleased. Obviously these are the first two starts that
Connor’s had, he’s doing a good job managing the offence. The conditions weren’t great last Friday and we chose to have more of a run focus offensively,” coach Faulds stated. Sitting at 4-3, the biggest game of the year awaits the Golden Hawks as they travel to London to play Western on October 20. “But we know against Western, we’re gonna have to stay balanced. We’re gonna be balanced and Connor is gonna be a big part of that. I think he’s smart enough to realize what great weapons he does have outside. So finding the space and time and making the right reads to get the ball in those athletes’ hands,” coach Faulds said. Not only will this be the biggest game of the season for Laurier as their playoff hopes depend on it, it will also be the biggest game of Carusello’s career. “Well, it’s the biggest game of the year. We’re of the mindset, for our season to continue, we need to win this football game. To be Ontario champions, Western’s the team you have to beat. So for us to have any hope, even down the road, we’ve just gotta get it done.” With the odds stacked against them in what has been a shaky year for the Golden Hawks, they will be looking for a complete team effort led by their young quarterback to avenge their Yates Cup loss to Western a year ago.
need our third and fourth year guys to really lead us offensively, there is no secret to that.” That veteran presence on the offensive end was shown in game one of the weekend, during a tough 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Waterloo Warriors. The Hawks came out flying early in the game, controlling play for the majority of the first period, before being rewarded with two late goals from third and fourth year players, Lucas Batt and Anthony Conti. In what would turn out to be a penalty filled second period, the Warriors were able to score three unanswered goals, and thanks to a stunning late game defensive performance, those second period tallies were all that Waterloo needed to close out the win. “For us, obviously we want to [win], but more importantly it is how we play and making sure that we are not being outworked and that we’re competing,” Puhalski said. “The process of winning starts with how we play.” The coach’s message definitely got through to the players in game two of the weekend versus Brock, as Laurier dominated play for the vast majority of the contest, holding a 2-0 lead with less than ten minutes to play. However, a late surge from the
Badgers, including two goals in the final 90 seconds of play, sunk Laurier with another 3-2 defeat. When asked about what challenges face the team going forward, coach Puhalski mentioned that “it’s a little bit too early [for] one specific [thing], at this particular time in the season it is a bunch of little things.” “Maybe that in itself tells you something,” Puhalski stated. “We have to continually get better. I would like to think by about ten games into the season, we’ll have a better idea of pinpointing what way we have to play as a team to get wins, to be productive.” With 25 games still left in the regular season, the Hawks have plenty of time to turn things around. “We want to finish top four in our conference and we want to win a championship,” Puhalski said. “We’re going to be a team that has to outwork teams for us to reach our goals. We can’t rely on pure skill.” “It’s about lining up and being better than [the other team] at competing that particular day. If we do that more times than not, we’re going to be on the right side of the scoreboard.” The team will be looking for their first victory of the season when they go on the road to play Ottawa and Carleton next weekend.
MEN’S HOCKEY
DON JEE/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Golden Hawks off to an icy start JOSEPH DEFILIPPIS STAFF WRITER
The Wilfrid Laurier men’s hockey team has started off their 2018-19 season on the wrong foot. After finishing fourth in the OUA West conference last year, the Golden Hawks see themselves sitting in last place through the first
two weekends of regular season play. Like many teams in the province, Laurier has seen a large roster turnover from the 2017-18 season, with many senior players graduating and moving on from the team. In total, 14 new recruits have been added to the 29-man roster, with one of the most exciting re-
cruits being Kitchener native Alex Black. The defence-man brings over 250 games of OHL experience to a Golden Hawks’ back-end that now boasts four players with OHL games on their resumes. “I think like any other team, you look for your veteran guys to give your team some guidance,” head coach Greg Puhalski said. “We
16 • SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Rose Williams is ready to lead PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
The women’s lacrosse team has been one of Laurier’s most successful varsity teams this year. Boasting an overall record of 112, the Hawks clinched the number two seed in the OUA standings this past weekend as they get ready for the playoffs. One of the key cogs behind their outstanding performance this season has been the play of Rose Williams. The third year attacker has been on fire for the Hawks, scoring bundles of goals game after game. Williams recently discussed the reasoning behind her improved level of play, giving a lot of the credit to her teammates. “I think my performances getting better has to do with the entire team. We’ve really raised our level of play and competition over the years. In [my] first year, we still really took the team seriously, but as we’ve moved on in years, we’ve come to take ourselves more seriously and put the team first,” she said.
The Elora, Ont. native started her Laurier career strong two years ago, winning Team Rookie of the Year honours. Now in her third season with the team, Williams has become a leader on an extremely talented squad. “I do feel a responsibility to pump up the younger players and get their confidence up and I think that’s really helping the younger players to produce this year just as much as the seniors are,” she said. Now that the regular season has finished, the games are only going to get tougher for the purple and gold. The Hawks ended the regular season with a loss against the undefeated Queens Gaels: the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. Williams and her teammates know that the road to the OUA championship is likely going to go through Queens again this year. “We have for sure been thinking about it. Even before the game against Queens, we were thinking that we are likely going to play them again at some point, so we don’t want to show them every-
MEN’S RUGBY
Hawks make history PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
With the OUA playoffs right around the corner, the Wilfrid Laurier University’s men’s rugby team need all the momentum they can get. They got some much needed momentum with a record-breaking win against Brock on Saturday, Oct. 13. The Golden Hawks dismantled the Badgers defence en route to an emphatic 123-0 victory. The 123 points scored by the Hawks is the highest total in the team’s history. The Hawks were up by 64-0 at halftime and they continued to pile on the misery in the second half. Holland Landing, Ont. native Andrew Quattrin led the purple and gold by scoring five tries. The fifth year star became just the second Laurier rugby player ever to score five tries in a single game. Matt Fish and Cameron Sandison also excelled on the day, chipping in with three and two tries respectively. The Hawks are now on a five game winning streak, bringing their overall record to 6-1, with their only loss coming against Queens, who are the defending OUA champions. The Gaels were the team that knocked the Hawks out of the OUA playoffs last year, so it seems likely that we will see this matchup again in the playoffs this year. What makes this five game winning streak even more impressive is the manner in which the Hawks have simply dominated their opposition. Over their past five games, Laurier has outscored opponents by a
combined score of 369-50. The Golden Hawks are now tied for second place with Guelph in their conference standings. This makes their last regular season game against the Gryphons that much more important.
The growth of this team has been a direct result of a combination of talent, hard work, and phenomenal coaching.
In what should be an exciting regular season finale, the winner of that game will take sole position of second in the standings and the victor will also get a first round bye in the playoffs. Considering the fact that the Hawks have one of the best home field advantages in the country, a victory is imperative for Laurier in order to at least secure home field for the OUA semifinals. The Hawks won their first playoff game in over 15 years last season, and now they have broken their single game points record. The growth of this team has been a direct result of a combination of talent, hard work, and phenomenal coaching. It’ll be interesting to see how they perform when things get tougher in the 2018 OUA playoffs. Laurier’s final regular season game against Guelph is set for kickoff at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20 at University Stadium.
thing that we have. But in both the games we’ve lost this season, we have walked away afterwards saying ‘we know we can beat this team,’” she said. “We know this is the year to win it. We know what to do to beat them [Queens] next time. Coach [Lynn Orth] said it’s unlikely that you’re going to beat a good team twice. So we know if we see them again then it’s our turn to do it.” The last OUA championship for the Golden Hawks lacrosse team came all the way back in 2010. But with the talent, depth and leadership on this team, it would be far from a surprise to see the 2018 Hawks finally end that drought. “When I came into the team in my first year, I didn’t know too much about the team and the history. Obviously I know now we had a ton of success years before I had come. We only lost a few players from last year and we were very successful last year. So with the depth we have on the team this year, we have a very good shot of winning it all this year. We need to bring that confidence into next weekend,” Williams concluded.
EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR
