The Cord October 6, 2021

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 61 ISSUE 2 • OCTOBER 6, 2021

SADDEST LITTLE BABY ON THE SLIDE

CAMPUS PUP STEALS HEARTS

CAST YOUR VOTE

CREEPY CAKE WINS BIG BAKE

REFINING YOUR READING WEEK

HAWK MAKES HALL OF FAME

Laurier supports new service dog in-training

Students’ Union by-election polls now open

Local bakery takes home prize

How to make the most of your time off

Basketball alum reflects on her time at Laurier

News, page 4

News, page 5

Arts & Life, page 10

Opinion, page 14

Sports, page 16

2 •

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

CAMPUS EVENTS Friday, Oct. 1-29

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: OCTOBER 6

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

1882: First World Series baseball game

Get to Know with Jonathan Newman, 12:15 PM

1889: Thomas Edison shows his first motion picture

Monday, Oct. 4, 18, 25

1893: Nabisco Foods invents Cream of Wheat

Get Stuff Done Session, 2:00 PM

1917: Battle of Passchendaele: Canadian troops capture the village of Passchendaele in the Third Battle of Ypres, after 250,000 casualties on both sides

Thursday, Oct. 7 Final Voting Day, Students' Union Fall Elections

1926: Babe Ruth becomes first MLB player to hit 3 home runs in a World Series game as NY Yankees beat St. Louis Cardinals, 10-5 in Game 4 at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis

ASPIRE Peer Support for Black Students, 3:00 PM Tuesday, Oct. 12-15 Reading Week

1927: "The Jazz Singer", directed by Alan Crosland, starring Al Jolson and May McAvoy, released, 1st film with a soundtrack

Tuesday, Oct. 19 Yoga for Mind and Body, 6:00 PM Thursday, Oct. 21 Consent and Healthy Relationships, 1:30 PM Music at Noon featuring the Penderecki String Quartet

TIM HARRISON/PHOTO EDITOR

1961: JFK advises Americans to build fallout shelters

FROM THE ARCHIVES

1966: Oriole Jim Palmer, 20, is youngest to pitch a World Series shutout

Friday, Oct. 22 ASPIRE Marketing Your Transferrable Skills, 9:30 AM

1987: "Faith" single released by George Michael

First-Year Coaching Study Strategies for Midterm Exams, 11:00 AM

1989: Bette Davis, American actress (All About Eve, White Mama), dies at 81 1993: After nine seasons & 3 Championships with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan announces his retirement from the NBA; returns on March 18, 1995 and leads Bulls to another 3 NBA titles

Wednesday, Oct. 27 Delton Glebe Centre Virtual Breakfast, 12:00 PM Friday, Oct. 29

1995: 51 Pegasi discovered as the first major star, apart from the Sun, to have a planet orbiting around it

Exchange Program Information Session, 2:00 PM

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES An ad published in the Oct. 6, 1967 issue of "The Cord Weekly." From peanuts to pipe tobacco, Campus Shop had everything a student could need.

NEXT ISSUE NOVEMBER 3, 2021

1956: Scientist Albert Sabin announces that his oral polio vaccine is ready for testing; it would soon supplant Jonas Salk's vaccine in many parts of the world

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Crystal Xue arts@thecord.ca

CORD STAFF

OPINION EDITOR Sam Duffy opinion@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Waitson editor@thecord.ca

SPORTS EDITOR Mark Cascagnette sports@thecord.ca

MANAGING EDITIOR Brontë Behling creative@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Tim Harrison photos@thecord.ca

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Kashyap Patel multimedia@thecord.ca

VIDEO EDITOR VACANT video@thecord.ca

NEWS DIRECTOR Yasmeen Almomani news@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER Ashley Barry news@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR VACANT news@thecord.ca

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER VACANT photos@thecord.ca

ARTS EDITOR Amichai Abraham arts@thecord.ca

LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Ethan Caplan sports@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Shoffana Sundaramoorthy

“Q's Cakes serves up big win on Food Network competition” - Crystal Xue

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Kurtis Rideout at kurtis.rideout@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.

2008: MESSENGER spacecraft performs a second Mercury flyby

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to acknowledge that Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications is located on the Haldimand tract, traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples.

We recognize, honour and respect these nations as the traditional stewards of the lands and water on which Student Publications is now present.

Cover photo by Brit Kovacs, President and Publisher Ghost, Abigail Heckbert

Quote of the week: “Yet another Halloween without the joy of gorging myself on WLUSP candy with Monster Mash playing in the background. What is life?”

- Multimedia Director, Kash Patel

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

News

• 3 NEWS DIRECTOR YASMEEN ALMOMANI news@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER ASHLEY BARRY news@thecord.ca

ACTIVISM

Walkout held on Laurier campus to support survivors YASMEEN ALMOMANI NEWS DIRECTOR

The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union joined other students’ associations across Ontario for a walk-out to demonstrate support for survivors and individuals affected by gendered and sexual violence on Thursday, Sept. 23.

The walk-out was held in the Quad on the Waterloo campus where over 100 Laurier students and staff turned out wearing blue and holding signs of support.

“We believe that survivors on all campuses across Ontario should be supported and know we believe them,” Pegah Jamalof, Laurier students’ union president said in an email statement.

Earlier this month, there were thousands of students at Western University protesting sexual violence following the allegations of 30 drug-related sexual assaults at a residence on campus during reading week.

There were also hundreds of students who marched through the University of Guelph on Thursday to raise awareness about gendered and sexual violence.

“The idea of a walk-out came to us this past Tuesday afternoon from our partners in Guelph,” Jamalof said.

who commit sexual violence acts.

They also touched on the ties between sexual violence and colonization in Canada.

“This demonstration is viewed as a means to challenge the status quo and the culture of rape, victim-blaming and shaming prevalent across all Ontario campuses,” Jamalof said.

Students should not fear sexual or gender-based violence or harrassment when coming to our schools.

-Pegah Jamalof, Students’ Union president

TIM HARRISON/PHOTO EDITOR

The walk-out at Laurier started with a land acknowledgement and a chant of “hey, ho! sexual violence has got to go, whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no!”

There were speakers and sexual violence survivors who spoke about the negative impacts of rape

culture and the lack of resources available for survivors.

A support team was present for attendees to speak with and the sexual violence support team held a safe space during and after the event.

Laurier’s gendered and sexual violence prevention and supports

offer support, advocacy, and trauma-informed resources to 150 survivors a year on campus.

Sarah Scanlon, the manager of the sexual violence response, emphasized that consent is the bare minimum and spoke about the importance of healing for survivors and accountability for individuals

“Students should not fear sexual or gender-based violence or harassment when coming to our schools,” she said.

“I am proud of my team and the support services from Laurier that were able to come together in a short period to make such an event possible.”

INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

Laurier honours national day for Truth and Reconciliation ASHLEY BARRY LEAD REPORTER

On Thursday, Sept. 30, Wilfrid Laurier University invited the community to participate in virtual events to honour the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

More than 1,309 unmarked graves of Indigenous children were discovered during the summer at former residential schools: 215 in Kamloops, B.C., 182 in Cranbrook, B.C., 751 in Marieval, Sask. and 160 on Penelakut Island, B.C. Most of these children died of disease, malnutrition and isolation from their families due to the harsh conditions and treatment endured.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day of remembrance and reflection intended to honour First Nations, Inuit and Metis survivors of residential schools, the lost children, their families, and communities to ensure public acknowledgement and commemoration for their tragic and painful history.

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo and Brantford campuses are located on the Haldimand Tract, traditional territory of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee

peoples.

To honour this day of reflection, the office of Indigenous Initiatives collaborated with WLU to connect the community with resources to help educate people on the history of residential schools in Canada and their lasting impact.

Listening to survivor testimonies The office of Indigenous Initiatives shared a pre-recorded video about the legacy of residential schools. It featured an interview conducted by Darren Thomas, associate vice-president of Indigenous Initiatives, with Six Nations community member Sherlene Bomberry, who shared her experience as a child at the Mohawk Institute and her journey to healing and helping other survivors.

There was also an Orange Shirt Day event by the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford. The event included a Thanksgiving Address with Elder Tehahentah Meller, a virtual tour of the Mohawk Institute Residential School — operating from 1831 to 1970, survivor testimonials and questions and a presentation of Truth and Recon-

ciliation.

Save the Evidence Campaign Community members had the opportunity to purchase an orange shirt from the Woodland Cultural Centre. One hundred percent of its proceeds went towards the centre’s Save the Evidence campaign, which aims to raise funds to restore the former Mohawk Institute Residential School into an interpretive heritage site designed to educate residential school history.

Social Media The WLU community was encouraged to wear orange shirts and post to social media, using the hashtags: #EveryChildMatters, #OrangeShirtDay and #LaurierIndigenous.

Celebrating Indigenous Musicians The Faculty of Music hosted a musical performance called “Children Are Sacred: A Fundraising Concert” to celebrate Indigenous musicians and honour the lost children, which raised $2,535.

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

4 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

ACCESSIBILITY

Service dog makes paws-itive impact on campus YASMEEN ALMOMANI NEWS DIRECTOR

Wilfrid Laurier University is committed to providing accessible services and welcomes regulated service animals to all facilities on campus.

The university supports the presence of service animals-in-training with policies and requirements that the owner must abide by.

Rolo, an 11-month-old yellow Labrador retriever mix, is a service puppy-in-training being raised by Carly Zeller, a first-year bachelor of education student at Laurier.

Zeller is a volunteer raiser for National Service Dogs, an organization that provides service animals for children with autism and individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.

She has been training him since December 2020 when he was in kindergarten, which consisted of him learning house manners online and socializing with other dogs at training.

He was transitioned to grade school in February and transferred to high school in the summer.

“All the high school classes are out in public…they’re out at stores where we’re able to practice his public training abilities of staying calm in busier environments, being around closer proximity to dogs, that kind of thing,” Zeller said.

Rolo spends most of his time with Zeller, including the time she spends on campus.

“Going to Laurier is good for him to be in a busier environment and learn to settle and it helps him basically have more access to being outside in the public world … it broadens his experiences and helps him have a well-rounded training.”

Her family are involved as they help take him to vet appointments and she is constantly connecting with the NSD staff about this training.

When lockdown ended, it was difficult for Rolo to get used to the increased cars going past the road and the people coming to the door, but he is adjusting.

Going to Laurier is good for him to be in a busier environment and learn to settle and it helps him basically have access to being outside ...

-Carly Zeller, volunteer raiser for National Service Dogs

Zeller said that bringing Rolo to campus also benefits the students in her program.

“I come from a Bachelor of Education program so I also think it’s important for my classmates, we have no idea maybe one of our students will have a service dog.”

It is important for future educa-

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

tors to see service animal before teaching because their future students could require accessibility in the form of a service animal. “[Being on campus] helps him practice settling … but I also think it could benefit the students as well, especially for our [future] teaching,” Zeller said.

Seeing a dog attracts attention but students should remain calm around him for his training. “[People crowding him] throws him off because he’s so concentrated, and then he gets excited. He builds off your energy, so if you’re crazy excited, he better be crazy

excited, so I think it’s good that people are just calm around him.” “’When we do practice petting the dog, we try not to actually look at the dog they’re about to pet,” she said.

This keeps Rolo calm and prevents him from getting distracted during his training.

In January, Rolo will be moving onto an adult raiser to teach him more advanced skills and brush up on what he has learned so far.

“Our next couple steps from now until then is really just brushing up with skills so that he is ready for his adult raiser and getting all those

things crisper.”

After the adult raiser, he could go to NSD university or to special advanced training to be placed in a forever home.

“For me, I would hope to continue on, either as a puppy raiser again, or try a new role and be an adult raiser.”

Rolo has an Instagram account run by Zeller where his progress can be followed by anyone interested.

“People are always welcome to come up to us and talk to us.

We love to share more about the organization.”

REGION

Local COVID-19 update for Oct. 4 YASMEEN ALMOMANI NEWS DIRECTOR

As of Monday, Oct. 4, 11 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Waterloo Region, and the number of active cases decreased by four to 176. There are currently six active outbreaks in the region.

Some of the cases reported so far this month have been in public schools in the region.

Ontario logged 511 new cases today and two COVID-19 related deaths with the total death toll standing at 9,754 in the province.

Almost 82 per cent of people over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated province-wide.

Last month, Waterloo Region said that it is planning COVID-19 vaccine roll out for individuals aged 5-11 later in fall or winter so that protection is prepared for this age group if approved by Health Canada.

In that case, there will be information sessions for families and children’s doses would be offered at doctors’ offices, pharmacies and regional vaccination clinics in the region.

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE

submitted initial trial data for vaccines for this age group and they said they would make a formal request with U.S. regulators for emergency use.

With Thanksgiving approaching next week, it is important that people remain protected from getting or transmitting COVID-19.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Waterloo region’s medical officer of health, said that vaccination is the strongest layer of protection, but distancing, masking, and maintaining small gathering sizes, and staying home when you’re sick are also important.

“The more that we add those layers the more that it protects us and our loved ones,” Hsiu-Li Wang, said.

She said that small gatherings of people who are fully gathering are much safer than larger gatherings with unvaccinated people, or people whose vaccination status is not known, to limit the spread and stay protected.

Students who are attending a Wilfrid Laurier University location in-person in the fall term are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 8.

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

NEWS • 5

CAMPUS COMMUNITY remote next term will allow Bryan, who writes from Calgary, Alberta, to share her experiences from across Canada.

I look forward to the diversity in style, and the writers themselves.

-Ali Bryan, author, Laurier Writer-in-Residence

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Laurier announces Ali Bryan as remote Writer-in-Residence IAN SCHACKEL NEWS INTERN

Wilfrid Laurier University has announced author Ali Bryan will be the Edna Stabler Writer-in-Residence for the winter term.

The Writer-in-Residence program is run by the Faculty of Art and allows students to talk directly with an experienced author.

This winter will be the first time the position is held virtually. It was left absent last year due to the shift to remote learning.

Ali Bryan has written in a variety of styles, including contemporary adult fiction, creative non-fiction and recently a dystopian young adult novel. Her work often includes elements of humor and themes of humanity.

While working on the follow-up to her young adult novel, she will be available to talk to any student interested in creative writing.

“The best part of residency is reading different styles,” Bryan said.

“I look forward to the diversity in style and genre, and in the writers themselves.”

The fact that the position will be

“I’m in Western Canada, so outside of the hub of traditional Canadian publishing […] I’m very excited to engage and share ideas about what it’s like to be a writer published in Western Canada,” she said.

Any student at Laurier, or member of the Waterloo community at large, will have the opportunity to talk with Bryan this winter term.

“It’s supposed to be a resource for all to partake in,” explained Tanis MacDonald, professor in the Department of English and Film Studies.

Bryan’s first public talk as Writer-in-Residence will be in late January, titled “Only Dead Fish Swim Upstream.” It will focus on risk-taking and advocating for oneself in the publishing industry.

“If people have been wanting to write but [have] not [been] writing, or writing a little bit but feeling frustrated … the Writer-in-Residence is a good person to talk to and say, ‘how did you start’ and ‘what was it like for you when you started’?’,” MacDonald said.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Students’ Union by-election in full-swing EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Voting for the Wilfrid Laurier University Student’s Union by-election opened on Tuesday, Oct. 5 and will close Thursday, Oct. 7 at 8:00 PM. Students will have the opportunity to vote in three directors for the students’ union board.

In June, three former directors resigned from the board, resulting in an unprecedented fall by-election to fill those vacancies.

The board of director candidates include Sam Bryant, Nicholas Lafarciola, Blake Phillips, Angeline Redford and Tyler Rolczewski. Rolczewski did not submit a platform summary.

A virtual Open Forum took place on Oct. 1 and was moderated by current chair of the board of directors Andrew Dang and chief returning officer Francesco Del Giudice.

Phillips and Lafarciola were the only candidates present.

The 45-minute question and answer period focused on topics that ranged from equity, diversity and inclusion training to transparency and the management of student

NEWS IN BRIEF Canada marks first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Sept. 30 was Canada’s first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The federal government announced the new statutory holiday in June.

The day is intended for the country to reflect on Canada’s mistreatment of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

It’s been estimated that 6,000 children died at residential schools.

The day was honoured by virtual and in-person ceremonies across Canada. In Kitchener, hundreds of people began a walk at The Healing of the Seven Generations and ended at Victoria Park.

Despite making it a federal holiday, provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario chose not to recognize it — schools and provincial offices remained open.

Government moves ahead with OUSA recommendations on sexual and gender-based violence response on campus In a press release shared by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance on Sept. 16, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities announced it would be making amendments to Ontario Regulation 131/16 “to make post-secondary sexual violence policies more trauma-informed, survivor-centric, and evidence-based.”

Four formal complaints were filed at Western University after 30-plus girls were allegedly sexually assaulted during the first week of classes.

These amendments include “all essential aspects of survivor-centric sexual violence policies ... students who bring forward a complaint of sexual and gender-based violence are not punished for lesser policy violations related to drug and alcohol use and will prevent post-secondary institution staff and investigators from asking questions about the complainant’s sexual history or sexual expression,” the news release said.

Laurier launches initiative to hire more Indigenous and Black faculty members

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

concerns that included equitable access to mental health resources.

Lafarciola’s platform focused on providing “clear and accessible information regarding [students’ union] initiatives, discussions, and decisions that impact students. “ As well, he wishes to use his voice “to ensure that the decisions and

policies discussed by the board align with the best interests of the student body.”

Phillips’ intends to deliver on “three promises” in his platform: “formally address and educate our community on sexual violence and safety in our community, improve transparency between the Stu-

dent’s Union and the student body, and ensure easy access to meaningful mental health resources for our community.”

Laurier students can access the online forum on the students’ union’s #LaurierVotes information page where voting can also be accessed through a link or QR code.

Beginning Sept. 29, Wilfrid Laurier University is pushing forward its Inclusive Excellence hiring initiative, which will “see the university hire at least six new Indigenous faculty members and six Black faculty members,” Laurier’s press release said.

The initiative, which was first introduced in May 2021, “seeks to increase the representation of Indigenous and Black faculty throughout the university.”

“The new hires will further Laurier’s Indigenization strategy and the university’s role, duty and responsibility to support reconciliation in Canada.”

an average day in a ghost’s life

8 • GAMES

Horoscope Libra, Oct. 1-23

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 Happiest of Octobers to you, Libra.

Take this month to jump into new challenges.

You will have the opportunity to make an impression on others and to assert your influence — don’t hesitate to make your voice heard.

With renewed confidence, this month is your time to prove yourself — whether that be in your

personal or professional life.

Apply a critical mindset to the aspects of your life that have been overlooked and require some attention. Clear out a messy closet, redecorate your room, set boundaries with an overbearing friend or parent.

October is your month, so make good use of it.

THE CORD’S

MIXTAPE IT WAS A GRAVEYARD SMASH

MR. FOX IN THE FIELDS // ALEXANDRE DESPLAT

SUDOKU

SEVEN DEVILS // FLORENCE + THE MACHINE OH KLAHOMA // JACK STAUBER SPACE GIRL // FRANCIS FOREVER PSYCHO KILLER // TALKING HEADS PUMPED UP KICKS // FOSTER THE PEOPLE PET SEMATARY // RAMONES SPIDERHEAD // CAGE THE ELEPHANT ZOMBIE // THE CRANBERRIES BLACK MAGIC WOMAN // FLEETWOOD MAC

Answers:

2. When is it bad luck to see a black cat?

4. In the dictionary

3. What room do ghosts avoid?

3. The living room

5. What candies do zombies hate?

1. A coffin

4. When does Halloween come after Christmas?

2. When you’re a mouse

?

1. The person who built it sold it. The person who bought it never used it. The person who used it never saw it. What is it?

5. Lifesavers

Riddles

HALLOWEEN // PHOEBE BRIDGERS ORANGE COLOURED SKY // NAT KING COLE SMOTHER // DAUGHTER 1980S HORROR FILM // WALLOWS (DON’T FEAR) THE REAPER // BLUE OYSTER CULT HOWLIN’ FOR YOU // THE BLACK KEYS

Sign up for The Cord’s spooky newsletter

ZOMBIES // CHILDISH GAMBINO BREEZEBLOCKS // ALT-J PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES // THE SMITHS NO BODY, NO CRIME // TAYLOR SWIFT, HAIM MONSTER MASH // BOBBY PICKETT, THE CRYPT-KICKERS

ARTS & LIFE • 9

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6,

Arts & Life

ARTS EDITOR AMICHAI ABRAHAM arts@thecord.ca

LIFESTYLE EDITOR CRYSTAL XUE arts@thecord.ca

BOOK REVIEW

Unconventionality in House of Leaves AMICHAI ABRAHAM ARTS EDITOR

No book has changed my perspective on writing more than Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves.

A novel that takes every typical writing convention, turns it on its head, then burns it.

After enough time reading it, one eventually discovers that the novel is less of a work of literature, and more of an endlessly sprawling puzzle that has been the subject of in-person and online debate for over twenty years.

But what makes the novel so mysterious and unsettling? What makes reading House of Leaves such a wholly unique experience?

First, there’s the plot, or perhaps more accurately, plots.

The novel begins with a man who introduces himself as Johnny.

He tells a story of how he discovered a chest full of notes in the small messy apartment of an old man who died under mysterious circumstances.

Johnny took the chest home and found that its contents were that of an essay written by the old man

about a film called The Navidson Record.

This finding becomes more bizarre once Johnny discovers that a) he wrote a detailed essay about a film despite being blind at the time of the film’s release and b) that the film in question has no evidence to support its existence. From there, the plot diverges into two distinct stories.

Perhaps the novel is best known for how uniquely formatted it is, which is a well deserved reputation indeed.

Just flipping through the pages idly is enough to entice some to investigate it further.

The majority of the book is formatted as an essay, with footnotes often playing a critical role in understanding the story.

The way words are placed on the page is also very mysterious. Some words like “house” are coloured in.

Sometimes, you have to turn the book upside down or sideways in order to read the text.

There are even parts of the essay that have apparently been lost or partially destroyed,and only partially reproduced onto the pages.

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Page numbers essentially become meaningless, as some will contain hundreds of words while others contain few or no words at all.

All of these formatting choices are not just for the sake of aesthetics.

These choices work to elevate the story told in a way I’ve never seen another novel accomplish.

It allows for situations and emotions to be captured not only through the meaning of the words, but also through their physical arrangement of them.

House of Leaves knows not only how to properly present an unreliable narrator, but compounds this issue by adding multiple layers.

This novel has the unique function that makes the reader question who’s words we are actually reading.

If nothing else the novel drags the reader into the story with it, almost making it feel that just by reading the novel, you are an active participant within its plot.

The scary elements described in the film are unsettling enough to make an experienced horror

enthusiast scared of the dark.

After reading the novel, so many questions remain unanswered.

Too many specific details are found within the pages for it to be random.

Something much more deliberate and mysterious hides within the pages of House of Leaves.

Discussion continues online and within fanclubs about the novel.

It’s a book one can read a dozen times over and discover something new upon each subsequent reading. In some sense, the novel is truly endless.

HALLOWEEN

Think twice before you buy a disrespectful costume CRYSTAL XUE LIFESTYLE EDITOR

She’s in a v-neck kimono with shot glasses attached to her belt, holding a fan with Chinese letters.

She’s the model for “Smiffy’s Vodka Geisha costume”, sold on Amazon, eBay and other retailers.

For a more conservative look, there’s Fashion Nova’s geisha outfit or Escapade’s “Playboy Geisha costume”, if pink bunnies and rhinestones are what you prefer on your kimono.

These are well-known retailers capitalizing on the desire to dress up as members of a seemingly “exotic” culture for Halloween. A geisha is one of the most popular choices, and it can be often accompanied by yellowface.

In recent years, geisha costumes have sparked controversy for cultural appropriation, which is defined as “using elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that doesn’t respect their original meaning or reinforces stereotypes.”

Those against cultural appropriation will often say it promotes an inaccurate view. “Smiffy’s Vodka Geisha Costume,” for instance, is a far cry from what actual geishas in Japan look like.

Others believe cultures should be shared and celebrated. When it comes to geisha Halloween costumes, I find there’s not much

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

celebration of Japanese culture occurring as there is overt sexualization and misinformation.

If anything, the costumes celebrate a Westernized view of Japanese culture.

Geishas traditionally attend to guests at teahouses and high-end restaurants in Japan. They perform classical arts too, including dance and music, for which they’ve received years of training.

They demonstrate omotenashi;

visible and invisible hospitality in Japanese culture.

The perception of geishas as sex workers can be credited in part to American writer Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha, which became a best-seller despite its many inaccuracies. Mineko Iwasaki, the real-life geisha on who the novel is largely based, even sued Golden for defamation.

The novel stresses mizuage — a ritual where a girl loses her virgini-

ty to become a geisha.

It’s a ritual that was widely discouraged in geisha communities, and is limited to a rite of passage in the few where it was practiced, before it was banned in 1958.

Another major reason geishas are seen as sex workers came from, believe it or not, actual sex workers. Post World War II, amid the influx of American soldiers in Japan, some women in the sex industry pretended to be geishas to

seduce Western men — and wore costumes to boot.

This created misunderstandings such as “Geesha girls,” an American mispronounced term for Japanese sex workers and nightclub hostesses, the majority of whom are not geishas.

From 1603 to 1886, geishas were assistants to the oiran; high-class Japanese courtesans in major cities like Kyoto and modern-day Tokyo.

They weren’t even allowed to sit near guests, since the oiran were worried about losing customers.

Even so, geishas eventually replaced oiran as the life of the party.

There were well around 80,000 geishas in 1920s Japan when they were key to hospitality and entertainment at government and large company dinner events.

Their popularity dwindled with the onset of World War II. Today, there are around 1,000 geishas in Japan, mainly in Kyoto.

Of course, we wouldn’t know any of that if we saw a girl in yellowface wearing Escapade’s “Playboy Geisha costume”.

Bottom line, there are so many Halloween costumes that don’t rely on stereotypical portrayals of Japanese culture to be sexy.

I’m all for wearing a low-cut top and fishnet stockings to dress as a robber, can of White Claw, or any of the million other possibilities for us college students to choose from.

• 10

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6,

LOCAL BUSINESS

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Q’s Cakes serves up big win on Food Network competition CRYSTAL XUE LIFESTYLE EDITOR

“That was definitely the biggest cake that we’ve ever made,” Raquel

David said. “The finished cake itself was about 5.5 feet tall.”

David is the winner of this year’s “The Big Bake: Halloween Competition”, which aired on Food Net-

work on Sept. 27th. In the episode, teams of bakers made gigantic cakes that move for a $10,000 prize.

As the owner of Kitchener Waterloo bake shop Q’s Cakes

and Cafe, David competed on a team with coworkers Carolyn and Monica.

“It’s really nice to know that if you work with the right people and put your mind to something, you can accomplish it even in a short amount of time,” David said.

Teams were given five hours to finish their creations.

“It was stressful to make such a big cake in such a short amount of time,” David said. “But the overall experience was really exciting.”

The result was a 5.5 foot zombie wedding cake complete with roses, spiders and a large bride and groom topper — whose mouths opened and shut.

It had chocolate and pumpkin buttercream layers and was drizzled with bourbon simple syrup.

Not only that, but there were also traces of candied hazelnuts and bourbon caramel in the cake.

“I thought both the other contestant’s cakes were really neat,” David said.

“The one with the gnomes was very cleanly finished, and had lots of attention to detail. And the Corpse Bride was such a cool idea — to do a person standing five feet out of cake was a really big task to undertake.”

As it turns out, the competition’s unique demands were what drew David to enter.

“I’d watched this competition before and thought it was interesting how big the cakes are and that they included a dynamic element,”

she said.

Her team’s work in “The Big Bake: Halloween” reflects the dedication and creativity Q’s Cakes is known for.

“We try to make beautiful, fun cakes for everybody’s celebrations,” David said.

It’s really nice to know that if you work with the right people and put your mind to something, you can accomplish it even in a short amount of time.

-Raquel David, owner of Q’s Cakes and Cafe

“And we love to see the smiles it brings to people, especially with people who order cakes for their children’s birthdays.”

“We love creating those special moments for everybody, whether it be a birthday, wedding, or anniversary and being part of those celebrations with the local community,” she added.

When talking to David, the charm of Q’s Cakes was clear.

It’s the devotion to Kitchener Waterloo that complements baking skills- which are ever present.

FILM

Not-so-spooky flicks that give more laughs than scares AMICHAI ABRAHAM ARTS EDITOR

a tasteful way, with what is sometimes distasteful humor. It is a joy to watch.

Army of Darkness (1992) The third and final film of the original Evil Dead series, this final installment does not disappoint.

While Evil Dead 2 (1987) was known for being much more humorous than its predecessor, Army of Darkness even exceeds that almost becoming more of a comedy than a horror.

Yes, while there still are plenty of spooky demons, skeletons, and the Necronomicon, the film is carried by slapstick humor and comedic performances.

Much like the prior two films, we spend a lot of time with Ash. Bruce Campbell playing the role of Ash may have been the greatest stroke of genius in casting history as he nails the part.

His hilarious portrayal of the dumb, rude, action anti-hero is very unique and extremely fun to watch. It is a role Bruce was born to play.

Even with all that praise, it may eventually become stale if Bruce returned to that infamous cabin for the series’ third installment.

Instead, he is time-traveled to the medieval era, and seeing him react with his surroundings never gets old.

I mean who could forget his legendary ‘boomstick speech?

Army of Darkness certainly carries many horror elements but is far too goofy to give watchers

Dracula (1992)

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nightmares. It’s classic Halloween fun.

Beetlejuice (1988) A much more direct comedy, Beetlejuice creates its own post-mortem universe that it explores to great effect.

There aren’t a whole lot of other movies, let alone horror flicks, that have a similar look or aesthetic to Beetlejuice.

An aesthetic that has gone on to influence contemporary style

with its loud colors and with its costumes.

Many’s first impressions of the goth styles came from Winona Ryder’s character in this film.

Her character fits with the theme of ghosts and the supernatural being kind of misunderstood.

A silly idea to be sure but one that’s right up the alley of Tim Burton.

It’s difficult to watch this film without instinctively thinking about his other work that frequently includes gothic aspects.

Aside from the set design and costumes, the film has some very memorable performances.

Michael Keaton as the titular Beetlejuice is both gross and hilarious.

The two leads, Geena David and Alec Baldwin play the roles of lovable ghosts, who just want a bit of peace and quiet in their home.

The more horror movies you’ve seen, the more you should be able to appreciate this film.

It takes those tried and tested horror tropes and parodies them in

Unlike the prior two films, no comedy was intended with this film. Horror was the main dish with a side of soap-opera-style drama.

However, while both of these genres are certainly present there is a lot of unintentional that sneaks around this film.

That’s not to say that Dracula is a bad film, far from it, it’s only that when the film has bad moments, they are usually quite funny.

Keanu Reeves’ character is a great example of this. Keanu’s portrayal of Johnathan Harker is one of the worst I’ve ever seen.

This may seem like harsh criticism, which it is, but watching Keanu flop on screen is as entertaining as any comedy film I’ve seen.

Aside from the bad stuff, the film has a very interesting look and is very well made.

How could you expect any less from Ford Coppola after all.

There are several cool sets and costumes.

Similar to Beetlejuice, the supernatural being is made into a sympathetic character, in this case, Dracula as he’s excellently played

by Gary Oldman.

This film doesn’t receive nearly as much attention as it should, and it’s the perfect film for getting into the Halloween spirit!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

ARTS & LIFE • 11

NOSTALGIA

Viewer beware, you’re in for a scare: the creepiest episodes of kid’s television shows EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I have an overabundance of nostalgia for the television shows I watched during my childhood.

As someone who is now obsessed with horror movies and Halloween, looking back at the things I watched as a kid in the late 90s and early 2000s … well, let’s just say there might be a correlation as to where that interest started.

In what’s going to show my age, here’s a list of my favourite “scary” episodes from kid’s TV shows.

1. “Have You Seen This Snail?”, SpongeBob SquarePants season 4, episode 3 The peak of kid comedy can be summarized through the antics of a talking sponge and his dim-witted starfish best friend. But it’s somewhat surprising how many boundaries SpongeBob would push.

From somewhat gruesome, hyper-realistic closeups to Squidward’s now-obvious, ever-present depression, the show’s creators certainly didn’t try to coddle their young audiences.

Especially, with this Stephen King-esque episode.

SpongeBob unintentionally forgets to feed his pet snail Gary, who runs away thinking he’s no longer loved. An old woman named “Grandma” takes him in as her own.

The creepy old bat — who’s animated with unsettling detail, varicose veins and all — seems sweet, at first.

That is until Gary stumbles across a closet containing the empty shells of former pet snails that were overfed to the point of bursting, and discovers that Grandma was trying to lead him to the same fate.

Honestly, what the fuck.

2. “Arthur’s Almost Live Not Real Music Festival” Arthur season 3, episode 11 In the Arthur episode best known for the absolute banger “Library Card,” there’s also a segment with a song performed by the character Brain called “Jekyll-Hyde.”

I would have been pretty young when this came out, so cut me some slack if you decide to watch it now.

The cartoon bear (I think that’s what he’s supposed to be) turns into a ghoulish green monster that eats eyeballs and wrecks havoc, for God’s sake.

I toughened up and got over it pretty quickly, but I definitely remember having a nightmare after I watched it for the first time.

3. Every episode, Courage The Cowardly Dog The definition of “nightmare fuel” can be found in every single episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog. The combination of disturbing animation styles and haunting plotlines did a great job of making sure my sleep pattern was routinely disrupted.

I’m not sure how this show was greenlit for kid consumption but it certainly didn’t veer away from tackling full-on horror and introducing the campiest, most frightening characters kid-me had ever seen.

Did I ever miss an episode?

Absolutely not.

Did it scare the shit out of me every time I watched it? You bet.

4. “The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float,” Are You Afraid Of The Dark? Season 5, episode 1 Reflecting on all of the shows that existed to terrify children during this golden age of television is truly something else. Are You

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Afraid Of The Dark? was a Canadian-American teen horror show that I vividly remember watching on YTV every Saturday night. The opening alone was enough to set any kid on edge, and this episode specifically screwed me up for weeks.

What could be better entertainment material for a young child who took swimming lessons than a 25-minute story about a disfigured pool monster who tries to drag unsuspecting teenagers to their deaths?

I was convinced for weeks if I was ever in a pool alone that freakish creation would grab me by the foot and pull me under.

until I watched this episode. My trust in that claymation penguin was completely destroyed the moment I saw the absolute atrocity that was Pingu’s dream-conjured walrus onscreen.

This bizarre, human-looking crime against nature spends a few minutes antagonizing a traumatized Pingu, eventually eating his bed and laughing at him as he runs away. I don’t blame him for crying on his mother’s lap when he wakes up, the poor guy probably needed therapy afterwards.

standards.

A father of two is a botanist who was fired from his job as a professor and is doing weird, probably very illegal experiments that no one is allowed to see.

He warns his kids when their mother has to go away for a few days to “stay out of the basement.”

Much like Are you Afraid of the Dark?, Goosebumps went out of its way to disturb their viewers.

It’s certainly dated by today’s standards, but boy oh boy did it ever petrify me.

6. “Stay out of the Basement” Goosebumps, Season 1, episode 11-12

Honourable mention: Freaky Stories

5. “Pingu’s Dream,” Pingu season 1, episode 26

For some reason, owning this specific double-episode of Goosebumps on a VHS tape upped the scare factor for me as a child.

The concept for the storyline was fairly convoluted by children’s TV

Pingu, with all of its vague plotlines and babbling, nonsensical language, was a show I liked — up

Nothing says wholesome entertainment like a wisecracking maggot and cockroach sharing sinister “true stories” from “a friend of a friend,” which usually involved something mildly disgusting or unsettling.

Say Cheese. it’s time for your grad photos.

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• 12

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

Editorial

OPINION EDITOR SAMUEL DUFFY opinion@thecord.ca

EDITORIAL CARTOON

EDITOR’S NOTE

The older I get, the more I love Halloween EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I always assumed the love I had for Halloween would wane as I got older — I was wrong.

Growing up, my mom and I would start planning my costume by the end of August, I would be giddy with excitment over Oct. 31 starting in early September and I’d be bouncing off the walls ready to go trick-or-treating by 5 PM the day-of.

My dorky love for dressing up, sorting my goblin horde of candy into specific piles and watching horror movies every day through the month of October has surprisingly prevailed well-into my twenties and I’m not complaining.

I’ve noticed that people either have a casual indifference towards Halloween or they absolutely love it — no in-between.

Even if you’re not wild about Halloween, what’s not to love about autumn?

Yeah, yeah. Basic white girl strikes again with her strong opinions about the most Instagram-able season of the year.

But I will embrace my basic-ness if it means I can enjoy my pumpkin spiced drinks, apple desserts, haunted houses and oversized sweaters in peace.

Sure, the thrill of hitting that one great house that handed out full-sized candy bars and cans of soda isn’t there, but as an adult, I can buy the boxes of my favourite chocolate myself whener I want.

No more having to pick through Dots, Rockets, Popeye Candy Sticks and God-forbid a box of raisins, I can choose my own assortment of sweets as I please.

The fantastic thing about get-

ting older is creating and embracing your own traditions centered around holidays.

I recently bought tickets to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Princess Cinemas for the first time in two years and I couldn’t be more excited.

I can’t wait to stand in line outside in the cold wearing a skimpy character outfit, yell obsceneties at a movie screen with a crowd of Frank N. Furters, Magentas and Riff Raffs and enjoy all the raunchy absurdity my favourite seasonal musical has to offer.

Working for The Cord for as long as I have has meant that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing Halloween productions spent listening to “Monster Mash” on repeat,laying out newspaper pages dressed up as Arthur and posing for photos in Shrek-themed group costumes.

That’s a tradition I never consciously thought I’d have to miss, especially with the pandemic getting in the way of that particular aspect of team-togetherness.

I get a thrill out of being scared in safe settings.

Horror movies bring an odd sort of comfort to me.

Maybe it’s something about watching other people immersed in fictionalized chaos that’s worse than my own? Who knows what it is, but I love em.’

Nothing gets me more giddy than going to the movies to see a freshly released horror film in October.

A pleasure that I’ll happily engage in year after year.

For all of the things I miss about my childhood and lament about being an adult, I don’t have many complaints about this.

Sure, aging changes a lot of things but that doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.

I think I have just as much fun around this time of the year as I did when I was nine years-old dressed up as Jack Sparrow.

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EDITORIAL

I don’t like Marvel — here’s why BRONTË BEHLING MANAGING EDITOR

Look – just hear me out before you respond in horror.

As a film student, I’m required to watch films from many different time periods, genres and cinematic universes.

However, whenever I’m confronted with watching a Marvel film, I find any way I can to avoid it.

Why? You may be asking, ready to cancel me wherever you can find me on the internet.

My dislike of Marvel films comes from a place that some may call my “elitist film student viewpoint.”

Simply put, I don’t like what the films stand for.

I can understand why people enjoy films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – exciting fights, characters that may resonate with you and a lush fantasy universe where great power results in great responsibility.

However, these films take up far too much of our modern movie landscape.

At any one time, you can find some sort of “exciting” or “new” Marvel content to watch. There may be a new film in theatres gen-

erating millions in the box office, or on Disney+ in some exclusive ‘limited series.’ I believe that this oversaturation shows the sorry state of the film industry in our modern age.

Believe me, I’ve tried to like the content that Marvel comes out with. I watched the entirety of WandaVision, trying to understand why people connected so much to this universe that they’ll eagerly gobble up whatever Marvel comes out with. After watching the final episode and taking a moment to reflect, I felt hollow.

In my mind, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is comparable to a giant bag of popcorn. In the moment, you enjoy the taste and feel that your hunger has been satisfied.

However, the food has no nutritional value and you come away feeling guilty.

This is the essence of Marvel – pretty to look at, easily digestible in the moment, but hollow inside.

I wish to clarify that I’m not shaming anyone who watches Marvel content and enjoys it. As a fan of Star Wars, I’m aware of the criticism one can garner when they speak on a Disney franchise they

enjoy.

My criticism is more for the Disney Company, which pumps out content so quickly to — no one’s surprise — make sales.

Based on this, I ask that people are more aware of the parts of the film industry they are supporting.

When you go to the theatre, are you solely seeing big-budget film franchises? What about independent films that have a shorter showing time but are (often more) of a valuable viewing experience?

Without supporting every facet of the film industry, it is my fear that smaller and more independent films will get crushed by mass companies such as Disney. We need to be supporting them just as much as we’re supporting the next “greatest” Marvel film.

To relate this back to my food analogy – it’s fine to eat popcorn.

However, you should also remember to get some salad in there as well. A balanced diet keeps your system (and the film industry) healthy and diverse.

In a world where the Disney company is slowly consuming every property you’ve ever enjoyed, remember the “little guys” as well.

That’s all I ask.

• 13

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 6, 2021

Opinion

OPINION EDITOR SAMUEL DUFFY opinion@thecord.ca

There was a time when these avid readers would read solely for enjoyment.

And then high school came along and mandated that they read a few books. But now, in university, it can be hard to escape academic texts and delve back into the hobby that many of us used to adore.

But now, in university, it can be hard to escape academic texts and delve back into the hobby that many of us used to adore.

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Just take a look, it’s in a book SAM DUFFY OPINION EDITOR

Most students, especially those in

disciplines that require an extensive amount of reading, have not made their way to those disciplines by accident.

I’m sure that most readers or former readers understand the battle between being a book-reader and a book-buyer.

Personally, I have felt the latter pulling ahead slightly, so this article can be my self-serving way to narrow the lead. If you, like me, discover that you too are in this position, I may be able to offer some advice.

First, you must figure out what

you are willing to read. When selecting a book, do not overestimate your abilities.

Sure, I could read Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason.

It’s a book I would like to read.

But which scenario is more realistic? Will I trudge through its cryptic pages every time I want something fun to do, understanding half of it if I’m lucky?

Or is it likely I will get about 10 pages through and give up on the whole endeavour?

Don’t overestimate yourself. Put down the Kant.

Grab the Spike Milligan. You might even finish it.

So now you’ve got yourself a book you can actually stand, where are you going to read it?

I would suggest the strategy of having one location per activity.

For example, if every time you do schoolwork, you sit at a desk, the two ideas will co-exist in your brain.

When you sit down at the desk, your brain will know the task at hand, and you’ll study productively. I’m not saying a spot for reading has to be all that formal. But finding a comfy chair in your house or apartment, or a table on the library’s silent floor, might be the flip of a switch your brain needs to focus on reading.

My final word of advice would

be one applicable to many areas of life.

Be easy on yourself.

For example, if every time you do schoolwork, you sit at a desk, the two ideas will co-exist in your brain.

If you get 20 minutes into reading a book, and you’re not enjoying it, that doesn’t make you “not a reader.” Put the book down, go outside, and come back to it later.

And if you don’t come back to it, that’s okay too.

Many of us have been too focused on getting class readings done for years that it’s hard to imagine that reading can be fun again. It can be. It’s just going to take some practice.

So, grab a book you think you might enjoy, find a warm spot on a couch, and read for a little while.

Who knows, you might even enjoy it.

All missing and murdered cases should get the same attention and treatment as Gabby Petito EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

When the news of Gabby Petito’s disappearance and subsequent homicide broke, internet sleuths and armchair true-crime experts on TikTok took the opprtunity to analyze her case and pose their theories.

Petito was offically reported missing on Sept. 11 and her body was found on Sept. 19.

Her case received wide-spread attention from people online and through the media, which significantly aided and impacted the discovery of her remains.

Petito’s story is a tragedy. She was only 22 years-old and should not have had her life horrifically taken from her.

But she is not the only person worthy of justice.

In 2020, more than 540,000 people went missing in the United States.

Crowdsourced crime-solving can clearly have a positive impact in helping law enforcement find a missing person.

However, the same treatment and urgency should be extended to other unsolved missing persons cases as well.

According to the Native Women’s Association of Canada, there are over 2000 Indigenous women missing and murdered in Canada.

For BIPOC victims, the focus from the media and general public

devotion they gave towards finding Petito. It shouldn’t take public fascination and conspiracy theorists to push action forward when people’s lives are at stake.

More than 400 Indigenous women have gone missing in the state of Wyoming over the past decade where authorities also found Petito ...

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is rarely, if ever the same as it is for white victims.

Petito’s family did not have to beg to receive media coverage of their daughter. They didn’t have to fight with the police to take their concerns seriously so their child could be found.

“Missing white woman syndrome,” highlights this notion.

It’s mainstream media’s apparent fascination with white women who have gone missing and their

disinterest regarding women of colour in the same or similar situations.

More than 400 Indigenous women have gone missing in the state of Wyoming over the past decade where authorities also found Petito eight days after her disappearance was reported.

I, like many people today, have a fascination with true-crime.

But if you’re going to listen to two white women talk on a self-

made podcast about the murders and mysteries surrounding the disappearances of other white women in your spare time, why not diversify your scope?

Engage with stories about missing and murdered women who aren’t popularized and exploited in newspapers like the Daily Mail and Sun. Pressure should be put on law enforcement to address these countless cases with the same

News outlets, most of which are owned and run predominately bywhite men, should not be dictating which lives are more worthy of people’s care and concern.

“I want to ask everyone to help all of the people that are missing and need help,” Petito’s father said in a public statement on Sept. 28.

“It’s on all of you, everyone that’s in this room, to do that. And if you don’t do that for other people that are missing, that’s a shame because it’s not just Gabby that deserves that.”

“So look to yourselves on why that’s not being done,” he concluded, addressing members of the media who were also present in the room.

14 • OPINION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

Making the most out of your Reading Week SHOFFANA SUNDARAMOORTHY OPINION COLUMNIST

Reading week is fast approaching. For the students who moved off-campus for their class, they have a chance to go back home this coming week. Of course, it can be challenging in deciding whether to catch up on all school work or take the whole week off to treat yourself.

The truth is … you can do both.

Moderation with the work-life balance is crucial, and therefore, I would like to recommend some tips to ensure you’re making the most of your Reading week.

Reflect on your semester so far Going into Reading week, you would have attended a week’s worth of lectures, tutorials, and/ or labs. Take a moment to think about what exactly you are doing well, alongside what you need to improve on.

Ask yourself the following questions. “Was I able to attend all my classes? Did you leave yourself enough time to finish assignments, or did you leave them to the last minute? For the first half of the Fall semester, do you recall yourself feeling more burned out and/or unproductive?

These questions will provide direction in the development of your game plan for Reading week. You can establish realistic goals that will provide a visualization of what you want your final result to be, such as completing your schoolwork or feeling more well-rested.

Get organized Write a to-do list of the courses that you want to work on for the week and from there, break down each course into the exact tasks (ex. Completing readings or starting essays). You should then write down an approximate time duration that you intend to work on each task.

To-do lists make schoolwork less daunting and more manageable. It

is a way that allows you to set clear expectations for what must be done and prioritize the more important tasks, verify that you have not forgotten anything, and makes you feel less stressed.

Though, organization does not have to stop after Reading week.

Whether through a planner or online calendar, try outlining a typical school week by making note of class times, extracurricular meetings, and so forth. Planning out your week like a blueprint gives you a visual overview which will help you instill a sense of a consistent schedule alongside how much free time you have.

Do not procrastinate We all have our moments where despite an impending deadline, we end up leaving something to the last minute. It is okay to do occasionally, but making a habit out of it will do you more harm.

For some, it may be hard to study back home due to distractions. I recommend going to a local café, the library, or even studying outside to get a change in working environment. If you have trouble studying by yourself, arrange a study date with your friends and that will motivate you more to start your work. Do not push yourself and remind yourself that it is completely to take breaks as long as you go back to working afterwards.

In the event that you are already caught up with your courses, you can use the extra week to actually get ahead in some of your academics. Things get busier towards the second half of the semester, so getting stuff out of the way will put less pressure on you.

Spend time with family Remember, having a great Reading week means moderation and

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Who should win the Nobel Peace Prize?

SAM DUFFY OPINION EDITOR

The five Nobel Prizes, awarded annually to those who have made

great strides in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace, were the product of founder Alfred Nobel’s final wishes.

The arms manufacturer, best

DARIEN FUNK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Focus on your health

spending time with your family is important.

You may have not seen them in a while, so it is great to catch up on how everyone is doing. Go out of your way to plan a family event, whether it is visiting a local Fall fair or an at-home movie night.

This week also gives you the chance to confide in your family about your school experience.

Learning in a hybrid/ remote format is not suited for everyone, so many have been dealing with their own issues.

Your family is one of many in your support system, so openly talking with them can make you feel better and strengthen your familial bond.

In the heat of the moment, the first half of the semester may have led to us sacrificing some hours of sleep or not going out as much as we should. A healthy body and a healthy mind can go hand-inhand. Beyond the schoolwork, Reading Week is supposed to be your chance to relax and treat yourself.

Take the time to establish consistent sleep schedules during this week to bring back the remainder of the semester. As for physical health, do it in a way that feels right to you, whether it means going to the gym, attending a Zumba class, or simply walking around the

neighborhood.

Mental health is also important.

If it means bringing your favorite show or having a spa day at home, make time for your favorite activities to relax.

In addition, try to practice mindfulness and living in the moment to detach yourself from any outside stressors.

Again, Reading week is not about prioritizing work or play over one another, but rather equally in moderation.

We may all have different goals and expectations for our Reading week, which is completely fine.

Make the most of the time you have and instill habits then to carry on for the rest of the semester.

known for the creation and production of dynamite, dictated that his large fortune would be used to set up a series of prizes for achievement in these categories upon his death.

The most controversial choices are always for the Peace Prize.

Innovation in physics and chemistry is easier to quantify. “Peace” remains hard to define in a world such as ours.

Some atrocious choices haunt the list of Peace Prize winners.

Henry Kissinger, for example, received the prize in 1973 for his work on a Vietnam ceasefire. Those who criticize this choice claim that Kissinger is the architect of crimes against humanity in half a dozen countries.

Upon receiving his award in 2009, President Barack Obama claimed he viewed the choice as a “call to action.”

And there I was, under the impression that prizes are given for doing something, not in the hope that it will motivate someone to action.

He was even brave enough to acknowledge that giving the award to a leader whose country was fighting two wars seemed odd.

My dissatisfaction is completely bipartisan.

The prize was intended to be awarded to an individual who worked for peace between nations and the reduction of standing armies.

These choices hardly made the cut.

Another group that has historically made the cut with no justification is organizations. I’m talking about the UN World Food Programme, last year’s winner, and the European Union, among others.

The original mandate by the founder of the prize specificized that it should be given to individuals.

Our modern sensibilities, if we can call them that, should not allow us to act like changing dying wishes is a noble act.

If you want to award a peace prize to an organization, make a new prize.

I feel that awarding a peace prize to someone bogged down in partisan politics when they’re not busy doing good work might also be a misstep.

This year, those figures would be Stacey Abrams and Jared Kushner.

It’s really difficult to believe that Stacey Abrams is fully and completely committed to voting rights activism when she was trying to become Joe Biden’s running mate.

It’s even more difficult when she takes money from Michael Bloomberg and then fails to endorse him.

Jared Kushner is an equally inhospitable choice.

The Abraham Accords were a productive step towards peace in the Middle East. Changing the location of the American embassy in Israel was not.

My first choice this year is Alexei Navalny. I’ve wrote about the Russian opposition leader before, and the passage of time has only been my admiration for him grow.

If you want to give the Peace Prize to someone working to bring freedom, democracy and peace to millions, with complete disregard for the personal costs, you pick Alexei Navalny.

Poison gas attacks, prison, hunger strikes, and being forced to watch eight hours of state television a day, and he still campaigns for Russian democracy.

That’s the kind of person who should win a Nobel Prize.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

OPINION • 15• 15

Sports

SPORTS EDITOR MARK CASCAGNETTE sports@thecord.ca

LEAD SPORTS REPORTER ETHAN CAPLAN sports@thecord.ca

FOOTBALL

Mustangs defeat Golden Hawks 36-16 in second dissapointing loss of the season MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

Despite leading throughout three quarters and putting forth an impressive defensive performance, Coach Faulds and the Laurier Golden Hawks dropped their second consecutive game, losing to the Mustangs 36-16.

The Western Mustangs who returned home and entered the game as the top ranked team in Ontario, used a dominant fourth quarter to score 22 unanswered points and come back from a 15-7 deficit to improve their record to 2-1.

After Laurier’s defense shut out Western in the first half, the Mustangs flipped the switch in the second. After a slow start, Western was able to get their top ranked rushing offense in gear, starting the third quarter with a 51-yard touchdown rush by Keon Edwards, the conference’s second leading rusher.

Laurier’s offense struggled to move the ball down the field in the second half as Western’s offense got into a groove and the Mustangs capitalized on a Savaugh Magnaye-Jones 55-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter, to take their first lead of the game.

Freshman quarterback Taylor Elgersma started his second career game for the Golden Hawks after an ugly four interception performance last week against Waterloo.

For the second straight week, Elgersma faced a mountain of pressure, matched up against another nationally ranked team and a fierce rival in Western.

Returning to his hometown of London this week, Elgersma played a strong game, despite not throwing a touchdown.

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Elgersma did not commit a turnover and was able to connect with Ente Eguavoen, Nick Peterman and Romy Simpson on some impressive throws.

After a one-sided loss to the Warriors, which saw Laurier give up 27 points in the first half, the Golden Hawks came out of the gates quick and caused frequent challenges to the potent Mustangs offense.

Laurier shut out Western in the opening two quarters and was able to record three interceptions, and two fumbles in the game, increasing their league-leading total.

The Golden Hawks opened the scoring with two field goals and a

single by Dawson Hodge. Hodge, who leads the OUA in overall scoring with 29 points has now begun his Laurier career, a perfect 12/12 on all field goal and extra point attempts.

Laurier went into the halftime break, leading 7-0 as the defense recorded three sacks and forced three takeaways, led by veteran linebacker Tommy Bringi and defensive back Christian Hutter-Coppin who each recorded an interception.

The second half was the main difference, as Western opened the scoring two minutes in with Edward’s touchdown run - the longest in the conference this season

— before connecting on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Justin Nickson at the end of the third.

With Laurier still holding a slim lead with four minutes left, Hodge punted to Magnaye-Jones who had the first return touchdown in league play this season, putting Western up 20-16.

Two rushing touchdowns in the last two minutes, by Trey Humes, put the game out of reach and helped the Mustangs win their fifth consecutive game against the Golden Hawks.

On the strength of their dominant second half, the Mustangs rushed for three combined touchdowns, 257 total yards and nearly

seven yards per carry, compared to less than 100 rushing yards by Laurier.

While only committing one turnover, the Golden Hawks committed nine penalties and punted the ball eleven times. Two areas that Coach Faulds will certainly focus on as the team looks to regroup, entering the thanksgiving holiday and their bye week.

While Peterman, Simpson and Eguavoen each had over 50 yards receiving, no Laurier rusher had over 30 yards on the ground as the offense struggled with balance and ultimately could not advance the ball in the later stages of the game.

The Golden Hawks have committed a slew of penalties in each of their first three games and will hope to get their offense back in gear after scoring only 28 combined points the past two weeks, after 37 in the opener against York.

The Golden Hawks drop to 1-11 against the Mustangs in Coach Faulds’ tenure and have not beat Western since the memorable Yates Cup Victory, 43-40, five years ago, in London. While falling to 1-2 on the year, the Golden Hawks can take some positives out of their matchup with Western.

The defense played strong, while Elgersma and the passing offense showed some potential despite some growing pains in the second half. With three games down and three to go, the Golden Hawks will head into their bye week before a road matchup against McMaster (1-1).

Laurier will be back in action two Saturdays from now, when they travel to Hamilton, to play the tenth ranked Marauders.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM EST on Oct. 16 and can be watched on OUA.TV.

Do you live and breathe sports?

email editor@thecord.ca

16 • SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Whitney Ellenor’s induction into the Hall of Fame MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

Whitney Ellenor was simply one of the most dominant women’s basketball players in the history of the program. Through three seasons with the Laurier Golden Hawks, Ellenor displayed the utmost amount of confidence on and off the court and will now be rewarded with the well-deserved distinction of Laurier Hall of Famer.

“I was completely shocked, surprised, and obviously super excited,” Ellenor said about receiving the news of her induction.

“I’m so honoured to be included in this group of athletes and coaches,” she continued.

In only three seasons with Laurier — 2012-2015 — Ellenor put together an impressive resume.

An OUA First Team all-star and Second Team All-Canadian in the CIS, Ellenor led the Golden Hawks to a place at the national championship tournament in 2014. The following year, she was the team MVP on Laurier’s team of the year after spearheading a 17-3 women’s basketball season in 2014-15.

“A very-well deserved recognition for Whitney. She had a huge impact on our program,” Coach Paul Falco said.

“I didn’t think that it was something that I was going to get, just because I only played at Laurier for

three years,” Ellenor said.

In those three years, the 6’3 center, Ellenor displayed her talent, dedication and competitiveness on the court. More then that, Ellenor was an extraordinary leader. As team captain, she displayed her large personality and leadership skills while developing a strong bond with her teammates in the purple and gold.

Friend and teammate, Nicole Harrison inducted the basketball star into the prestigious hall of fame class. The two have remained close after graduating from Laurier, while Ellenor credits Harrison as a “huge part of her career and time at Laurier.”

Ellenor had received the special call from director of athletics and recreation, Peter Baxter on her 30th birthday. She joins the distinguished 2021 Hall of fame class with five other Golden Hawk athletes, a legendary men’s hockey coach and the memorable 2004 Yates Cup football team.

The Pickering native joined Laurier for the 2012-13 season and played in 60 regular season and playoff games for the Golden Hawks. She quickly became an instrumental part of Coach Falco’s team. In her second year, Laurier was able to win the OUA bronze medal after a victory over Carleton on a game-high 21 points by Ellenor. She was a pivotal piece of that

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team which earned a spot at the national championship tournament in Windsor.

In her final season at Laurier, Ellenor was a dominant force in the post. Averaging over two blocks, nearly 16 points and nine rebounds per game that regular season, the team went through their 20-game schedule with only three losses, while Ellenor was one of the top players in the country.

In her 52-career regular-season games, Ellenor scored over 600 points and grabbed well over 300 rebounds, just shy of 100 blocks.

She recorded 12 double-doubles with the team, while averaging 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and two blocks per game in her career.

“She became a dominant post player in USPORTS,” Falco said.

After high school, Ellenor went to Canisius College, in Buffalo, New York playing two seasons of NCAA basketball. She used that

time as a learning experience as Canisius and the extreme focus on sport was not what Ellenor was looking for.

“I learned a lot from my time in the states. I learned what I was looking for in a school and an athletic program and what I wasn’t looking for,” Ellenor said.

After exploring her options at a variety of schools across Ontario and Canada, Ellenor decided on Laurier due to the size of the school, the proximity to her home, and the focus on academic studies – something not as nearly valued across American university sport. ““It seemed as if she had lost her love for the game. But that love was quickly re-found,” Coach Falco said.

More then all of that, Ellenor felt welcomed with Laurier and credits her teammates and coaches for a lot her achievements within the program.

“My teammates and Coach Falco, I owe all of my success to them… I really would not have been where I was, without them,” Ellenor said.

“Coach Falco was great from a coach perspective and from a mentor perspective, he’s been amazing,” she continued.

Both Ellenor and Falco have remained close since her graduation and have an incredible level of respect towards each other.

“He is someone who really wants his athletes to succeed. Coach [Falco] cares about them, both in sport and outside of sport,” Ellenor said of Coach Falco, who was a key part of her decision to play basketball at Laurier.

“I think Whitney would tell you she grew a lot as a player and person during her time here at Laurier,” the long-time women’s basketball boss said while congratulating her on the honour.

SPORTS BROADCASTING

OUA partners with USPORTS and CBC Sports

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MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

University sports across Canada should garner more attention and see an increase in viewership, following agreements by USPORTS and Ontario University Athletics

to partner with CBC for exclusive streaming rights.

In a significant move for the growth of university sports in Canada, USPORTS - the national governing body of university competition — announced an agreement with CBC Sports two weeks ago.

The partnership will allow the

flagship Canadian network to broadcast all 19 national championships until 2025.

The biggest provincial league in Canada, the OUA, also reached an agreement with the public broadcaster, announcing a twoyear partnership earlier this week, which will see CBC sports broadcast all 13 conference championships over the next two years.

The partnership is seen as an important measure for universities and their student-athletes as the agreement will provide a larger platform for the competition to be seen.

With several games available to fans on a variety of CBC streaming platforms, the OUA and schools across the country will be able to showcase the incredible talent of their student-athletes to a far larger audience.

In it’s press release, USPORTS director of marketing and communications, John Bower, stated that the move was, “the first step towards reshaping coverage of university sport in Canada.”

“Coming together with CBC Sports is a significant step for university sport in Ontario,” Gord Grace, President and CEO of the

OUA echoed in its release.

CBC Sports will broadcast 13 Ontario championships and 19 national championships across various sports this upcoming year.

The marquee events include both men’s and women’s basketball, hockey, and soccer championships, along with football, rugby, and several other competitions.

Digital coverage of both OUA and USPORTS championships will be available through cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem, their free streaming service.

CBC Sports and USPORTS also reached an agreement on the 56th Vanier Cup, scheduled to take place Dec. 4 in Quebec.

CBC Sports will be the exclusive broadcaster of the 2021 national championship and will televise Canadian University sport’s biggest game in a few months time.

The addition of these platforms is meant to significantly improve the attention and viewership that University Sports across the country receives.

Canadian student-athletes will be provided with a bigger stage and fans will have increased access to view the impressive talent and competition across so many sports

and schools in Canada.

“We look forward to growing our audience with CBC so that the stories of our student-athletes reach the widest possible audience,” Bower said in the USPORTS release.

After airing only six national championships in the 2019-20 season, CBC Sports increased the total this year to include all 19 championships and will now spotlight provincial championships in Ontario, something they had never been a part of before.

The partnership with the OUA has already begun, as CBC sports and their digital services broadcasted a marquee game this past weekend, airing the always intriguing Panda Game, featuring the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton Ravens.

While absent a television deal, universities across the country and specifically the OUA should be delighted to hear the news about the increased coverage.

Under the partnership, both male and female student-athletes across Canada will be able to showcase their talent through a larger platform and towards a far larger audience.