Volume 72, Issue 18 by Daniel St. Jules

Art on the walls p. 9, 21 INSIDE: Breaking through PSE barriers, pp. 12-13 Swimming success, p. 18

Volume 72, Issue 18 Feb. 2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;8, 2012

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mercedes Mueller | editor@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5261

LETTERS

Student federation elections and voter turnout

DEAR STUDENTS, THE University of Ottawa Young Liberals want you to participate and vote in the upcoming elections for the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa. We want you to become involved, have your say, and engage the executive, the bureaucracy, and staff by letting them know what you want.

We want this localized government, which uses your money, to represent the will and needs of 33,000 students—not just the 1,600 or fewer that went out and voted last year. It is the executive and the Board of Administration who decide the structure and funding of your money and government, thus making it imperative that every student has a say in their election. The number one complaint against our university is the lack of community.

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There is no University of Ottawa culture; there are club cultures, there are association cultures, there are athletic cultures, but our students do not positively associate with a single collection of students. The voter apathy is a direct sign and cause of this fact. Students need to come together as voting members and express themselves. Everyone needs to demand more of our representatives. We need to demand they build a strong, better, smarter community together. We need to demand a federation that listens to all of its community and works with all its members rather than fights with them or ignores them. We as a club and as a group of students believe in you, and believe in your choices. Please, we ask you to have a say and say what is right and what is wrong. No matter what your opinion is—just say it. Say it to the administration, say it to the federation, and scream it to all other students. Eleven per cent voter participation should not be a norm and should not be considered one that is sufficient. University of Ottawa Young Liberals Canadian university presidents concerned about human rights choose their battles AT A TIME when Israel, backed by the United States and Canada’s power elite, is calling for all-out war to destroy Iran; even having a U.S. Zionist pundit call-out in the media for U.S. President Obama to be assassinated by Israel if he won’t attack Iran (as recently reported in the Globe and Mail)... At a time when a major regional war is threatened to satisfy Israeli regime ambitions... What better time for two university presidents—two champions of Canadian government-sanctioned human rights advocacy—Allan Rock and Lloyd Axworthy, to point out (in the Huffington Post, Jan. 5) Iran’s human rights violations against Iranian Baha’i educators who had their University of Ottawa degrees stripped from them by the Iranian

government? It is heartening to see these men of principle call out for the protection of human rights irrespective of the political circumstances. In their own words: “Those who support human rights, who believe in access to education, and who deplore repressive governments are increasingly speaking out.” Does this mean that we can soon expect our two academic champions of human rights to jointly and publicly denounce the lack of access to higher education for the occupied Palestinians of Gaza, mainly due to Israel bombing schools, hospitals, and public health infrastructure? I hope so. But somehow I fear this will not occur soon. Th is author does not minimize the human rights abuses of Iran or of any state, Canada included. But it seems to this author that influential citizens should be fi rst concerned with the human rights abuses of their own nation and nation’s allies, since that is where these concerned actors have the greatest potential influence and responsibility. Denis Rancourt Former professor of physics and U of O alumnus Got something to say? Send your letters to editor@thefulcrum.ca Letters deadline: Sunday at 1 p.m. Letters must be under 500 words unless discussed with the Editor-in-Chief. Drop off letters at 631 King Edward Ave. or email editor@thefulcrum.ca. Letters must include your name, telephone number, year, and program of study. Pseudonyms may be used after consultation with the Editor-in-Chief. We correct spelling and grammar to some extent. The Fulcrum will exercise discretion in printing letters that are deemed racist, homophobic, or sexist. We will not consider hate literature or libellous material. The Editor-in-Chief reserves the authority on everything printed herein.

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Advertising Department Deidre Butters, Advertising Representative email: ads@thefulcrum.ca Check out our rate card online. Go to www. thefulcrum.ca and follow the link for “Advertisers.” Multi-market advertisers: Campus Plus: (800) 265-5372 Campus Plus offers one-stop shopping for over 90 Canadian student newspapers. The Fulcrum is a proud member of Canadian University Press: www.cup.ca

HSS still scattered 5 Health sciences without sought-after building

Playing the dating game and winning 10

Love guru Irene Yarkoni gives advice on how to get coupled up

‘Cultural matters more than money’ 12–13 The Fulcrum explores the barriers to post-secondary education in Canada

Awarding the best 15 Ottawa Sports Awards recognize some Gee-Gee favs

Spray-painting the city red Board of Directors The Fulcrum, the University of Ottawa’s independent, English-language student newspaper, is published by the Fulcrum Publishing Society (FPS) Inc., a not-for-profit corporation whose members consist of all University of Ottawa students. The Board of Directors (BOD) of the FPS governs all administrative and business actions of the Fulcrum. BOD members include Andrew Hawley (President), Devanne O’Brien (Vice President), Des Fisher (Chair), Ben Myers (Vice President Internal Communications), Matthew Conley, Ben Mitchell, Alex Smyth, Sameena Topan, and Naushin Vighio.

The pros and cons of a graffiti-ridden city

Show a little apathy23

To contact the BOD, email board@thefulcrum.ca. To contact the FPS ombudsman regarding the Fulcrum’s editorial practices, please email ombudsman@ thefulcrum.ca. The ombudsman is an impartial party not employed by the corporation who has the power to investigate and pursue a resolution on your behalf.

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NEWS EDITOR Jane Lytvynenko | news@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5260

‘Make us the actual priority’ Health sciences still waiting to be under one roof Christopher Radojewski | Fulcrum Staff

THIS MONTH, LUC Cormier, president of the Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Association, addressed university President Allan Rock in a letter published in the Fulcrum on about the lack of attention toward the Faculty of Health Sciences. Cormier hopes his faculty will be unified under one roof like every other faculty on campus. “The administration didn’t reply to my letter specifically, but in Le Droit they replied to my letter with an editorial,” said Cormier. “They replied saying that we are still the priority, but the issue of space for the faculty is the priority. We don’t want space; we want a building where we can work together.” The Faculty of Health Sciences has classes at the main campus, Lees campus, and Roger Guindon Hall, located on Smyth Road. After the Faculty of Social Sciences’ new building is completed, the Faculty of Health Sciences will be the remaining faculty that has not received infrastructure to combine students and staff in one central location. Cormier believes this places his faculty and the health sciences student experience at a disadvantage. “I think it would help if we had one building where we can work together,” said Cormier. “Even professors could collaborate with each other for different projects, [while] students do interprofessional workshops, which is already going on a little bit but it’s hard because everyone is all over the place.” Cormier said the lack of a united faculty has an impact on the sense of community among health science students,

who lose a lot of time travelling between buildings on different campuses. His greatest concern is the lack of administrative support. “In terms of administration services, we have a nursing secretariat that we could go to for changing courses and stuff, but because of budgeting issues, they’ve moved that to main campus,” said Cormier. “We no longer have any administrative support and no services at our campus.” The administration said the Faculty of Health Science is one of many priorities the university is trying to address as it grows. “Spaces for the Faculty of Health Sciences, as well as the main library, the Department of Visual Arts, and additional classrooms and student spaces, have been identified among the most critical current needs,” said Karine Proulx, media relations officer at the U of O. “We are in the midst of preparing a five-year capital plan that we will table with the Board of Governors this spring, setting out our proposal for addressing these needs.” The growing student population is a problem for the U of O, which has been addressed by renovations to Vanier Hall and the construction of a new tower for

WHERE’S THE ROOF?

photo illustration by Mico Mazza

Faculty of Health Sciences want their own building social sciences. Claudio Brun del Re, director of Physical Resource Services, said bringing faculties together is one of the university’s goals. “It is an objective to regroup everybody into efficient groups,” said Brun del Re. “It will take time to complete, but the university has done a lot toward that in the last 15 years [and] only health sciences remains.”

Cormier said he has heard this answer before and doubts things are being done for his faculty. The Board of Governors just approved a new stadium for Lees Campus before anything has been planned for health sciences. He wants the university to commit to supporting the faculty. “At some point, someone has to take

control of the situation and make us the actual priority,” said Cormier. “I didn’t just wake up last month and decide I was tired of taking this bus. Th is has been something that has been going on for years and years. Someone needs to give us a building so we can have the student experience that is being advertised by the f University of Ottawa.”

GSAÉD, SFUO, CLS get power to veto ads in Unicentre Groups focus on student-related advertising Jane Lytvynenko | Fulcrum Staff

STUDENTS PASSING THROUGH the Unicentre in December found themselves staring at large Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers advertisements. According to Caitlin Campisi, internal commissioner of the Graduate Student Association (GSAÉD), students filed several

complaints, which resulted in GSAÉD and the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) gaining power to veto ads in the Unicentre. “The Community Life Services (CLS) rents out ad space for outside companies within the university centre,” said Amalia Savva, SFUO president. “We received a complaint for one of the ads, and the ad was for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, which has close relations with the Alberta tar sands. “There were three extremely large banners of this ad,” she added. “After that, the SFUO took initiative and forwarded the complaint to Community Life Services

and asked them to remove those posters.” The University Centre Management Board (UCMB), which governs activities in the Unicentre, has four student representatives, two from the SFUO and two from GSAÉD. The board called a meeting upon receiving the complaints. “It was an unfortunate thing that those ads went up, but it was actually a positive decision that came out of the UCMB, which is that students now have a say in the ads that go up in the [Unicentre],” said Campisi. The advertisements in question went up due to an oversight. Newad, the advertising company the U of O currently employs, didn’t send the advertisements to

CLS for approval like they usually do—no one saw the ads before they were posted. According to Savva, the advertisements were taken down as soon as the problem was detected. “The Community Life Services were very responsive to our request; they had the posters down within a week, so that’s excellent,” she said. “Now we are in a situation where before ads are put up in the University Centre, they are sent to myself and Caitlin Campisi, and then we have five days to either approve them or not approve them.” A proposal for a university-wide advertising policy has also been brought up.

“The university will be looking at advertising on campus,” said Marc Duval, CLS director. “It’s been expressed by members of the SFUO and GSAÉD, the need to look at ethical advertisement. The issue has been put on the table.” Duval said no official committee has been formed, but the discussion has begun. Campisi, Savva, and hilmeslf all agree advertisement in the university should be student-centric. “This is about collaboration, and that’s the message I want to get out,” said Duval. “Both our student groups are working together to make sure the ads that go up are in agreement with out mandate.” f

6 | news

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

news briefS Concordia heads to court to settle unpaid holiday case MONTREAL (CUP)—CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY IS heading to court to settle a case with support staff who said the administration stole their holidays. The Concordia University Support Staff Union (CUSSU) has fi led three grievances regarding unpaid holiday vacations in 2010–11. According to the technical sector of the support staff union, the workers are owed paid vacation time. Even though the arbitrator in the case ruled in favour of the union, the university appealed the arbitration and has fi led a judicial review. Because of the university’s request, no action will be taken regarding the CUSSU grievances until a decision is made in a superior court. The union says, as per their contract, if a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, an extra day off should be given the following or previous day, while the university says the union wrongfully interpreted the document. —Katie McGroarty, the Link U of A student embezzled $27,000 from BSA EDMONTON (CUP)—A STUDENT EMBEZZLED more than $27,000 from a faculty association at the University of Alberta, according to a statement to Faculty of Business students released Jan. 23. In their statement, the Business Students’ Association (BSA) revealed $27,745 was stolen from a BSA bank account over the course of the summer. When asked to comment, the BSA said they could not elaborate on the investigation or the identity of the student, but BSA president Kimberley Menard said the association is working with the University of Alberta Students’ Union (SU) to ensure this does not happen to other clubs in the future. The BSA statement said the student in question acted alone despite all transactions requiring two authorized signatures. Menard was unable to elaborate on how the student was able to accomplish this, although the statement indicated it was due to a bank error. Emerson Csorba, Students’ Union vp academic, confirmed the SU and the BSA have been working together with the Office of the Dean of Students to investigate the issue. —April Hudson, the Gateway UVSS moves forward on needle disposal boxes VICTORIA (CUP)—THE UNIVERSITY OF Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) has agreed to move forward with the installation and ongoing maintenance of needle disposal boxes in designated areas around the Student Union Building. A motion to provide the main hallway bathrooms and on-site bar with drop-off boxes was put forward by Tara Paterson, UVSS chairperson, after the UVic Department of Occupational Safety and Environment reported its finding of 10 stray needles on university grounds in 2010 and 15 more in 2011. AIDS Vancouver Island and Campus Security have also discovered a number of discarded needles in many places around UVic. Disposal boxes will be similar to the ones currently used by B.C. Ferries, said Paterson, and will cost roughly $200 initially plus a $96 pickup fee as needed. —Brandon Rosario, the Martlet Newly elected student representative sues Thompson Rivers University KAMLOOPS, B.C. (CUP)—A RECENTLY ELECTED student representative to Thompson Rivers University’s (TRU) board of governors and senate is in the midst of suing TRU for 16 different claims. Adrian Miller, who was elected by students in an online election held between Dec. 8 and Dec. 22, said in legal documents fi led to the court that the university failed to reasonably accommodate his disability and medical problems, the nature of which was left unspecified. Miller’s documents go on to say when he went to senior TRU officials to ask for help in receiving accommodation, they ignored or squelched his complaints and failed to apply university policy. The documents also say TRU sought to make Miller miserable so he would leave the university. The university has denied the allegations. “[Miller] knows these allegations are false, unnecessary, scandalous, frivolous, and vexatious,” stated a legal document fi led by the university in response to the lawsuit. —Devan C. Tasa, the Omega

Right Bike receives funding Bike-share program launched as a community initiative Christopher Radojewski | Fulcrum Staff

RESIDENTS OF WESTBORO will have access to bicycles with the purchase of a membership starting May 2012 with the launch of Right Bike, a bike-share program run by the Causeway Work Centre. The centre put the program together with help from the community, local businesses, the City of Ottawa, and Earth Day Canada, an environmental granting agency. “Right Bike was formed out of an organization called SLOWest, a grassroots organization in Hintonburg and Westboro, formed of concerned citizens trying to reach ways and means to bring realizable action and change to their community,” said Shane Norris, community program coordinator of Right Bike. SLOWest’s goal is to promote west-end living that is environmentally sustainable, develops local economies and culture, and addresses challenges of social inequity. “Bicycles are a virtuous means of transportation,” said Norris. “They emit a zero carbon footprint and all the bikes we are using are donated from the community.” Causeway Work Centre, a not-forprofit organization that assists individuals facing barriers to employment, manages Right Bike. The centre had a preliminary launch last November to introduce the program to the community, and will officially launch the program in May 2012. The plan is to introduce 40 bicycles in the first year starting this spring and increase the total number to 60 in the second year of the program. Anyone within the neighbourhood of Westboro and Hintonburg can use the bicycles to access

local businesses that, according to Norris, are supportive of the program. “Businesses were having a hard time trying to get customers into their stores,” said Norris. “Th is idea that cars bring customers is an antiquated view that a lot of business in the neighbourhood realize. They see bicycles as a way to support their community, promote local economic activity, and to create more foot traffic and more customers.” Norris said in addition to the partnerships from the City of Ottawa, community business, and the government sector, Right Bike was one of 11 projects in Ontario that received funding from Earth Day Canada and Sobeys. “We have two grant periods and we get 100 applications each grant period,” said Keith Treff ry, director of communications for Earth Day Canada. “We end up funding around 40 [programs] per year and the money we give out ranges from $250,000 to $500,000 annually.” Earth Day Canada funds projects based on their need for resources, effectiveness of addressing environmental issues in innovative ways, and sustainbility charact cteri eristi stics cs Tre Treff ryy believes believes ability—characteristics ight Bike poss ossess esses. es. Right possesses.

Go to Rightbike.org to find out more about becoming a member or donating to the organization.

illustration by Brennan Bova

what the Armed robbery trumps daycare ILLINOIS CHILD WELFARE officials are investigating allegations of child endangerment in the case of Lauri L. Ruble, who allegedly brought her fiveyear-old son with her while she and her boyfriend robbed a bank. According to the Chicago Sun Times, Ruble and her boyfriend Brandon Stancliff proceeded to the Wauconda Community Bank in Island Lake with the intent of committing armed robbery on Dec. 29. The couple left Ruble’s house with an orange bandana, a butcher’s knife, and Ruble’s five-year-old son who sat in the car while the felons robbed the bank.

“The idea of encouraging more bike riding as opposed to driving your own vehicle is good for the environment and the individual,” said Treff ry. “It is an innovative project based on the business model they have adopted. Having this community owned and operated initiative with a focus on a social enterprise aspect is unique.” Right Bike was designed around the needs of certain neighbourhoods. Norris explained the City of Ottawa has undertaken studies examining the feasibility and effectiveness of the program so it can be implemented elsewhere. Treff ry believes programs like this are necessary to help the environment while benefiting local communities. “These initiatives are gaining publicity,” he said. “These kinds of things are important from an environmental perspective, a health perspective, and a personal perspective.” f

Ruble had gone into the bank to ask about a change-counting machine, hoping to figure out how many tellers were on duty. Shortly after Ruble left, Stancliff entered the building wielding the knife and demanding money. With the child in tow, the couple reportedly got away with $4,800 in cash. The pair were later identified by a police informant and arrested. While Ruble was released on a $5,000 bail on Jan.12, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is launching a full investigation into allegations of abuse and neglect fi led against the couple. The department could not comment on the boy’s status, but Ruble told

?! Federal Bureau of Investigation representatives she regrets putting her son in such danger. This is not the first time a woman from Illinois has had her child accompany her on a bank robbery. In 2007, Lyndsey Tucker was charged with robbing a bank while her four-year-old daughter waited in an SUV. Tucker was sentenced to 53 months in prison. If anything, these two instances demonstrate how far some parents are willing to go to avoid paying for daycare services in the economic recession. —Kyle Darbyson

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

news | 7

Stop street sweeps Organizations call on police to make policy changes Keeton Wilcock | Fulcrum Staff

ON DEC. 9, the Ottawa Police Service made a public announcement stating they had observed a pattern of violence against women involved with street-level sex work. Tyrus Cameron, chief of Major Crimes, later noted the police believe a single predator is responsible for the deaths of several female sex workers in the Ottawa area over the last 21 years— a safety advisory was put out shortly after the announcement.

photo illustration by Mico Mazza

A DANGEROUS PROFESSION Police put out safety advisory to female sex workers

The advisory recommended sex workers avoid isolated areas, take longer when getting into clients’ cars, and work in teams to reduce their risk of physical harm. Ottawa groups that advocate on behalf of sex workers, including Prostitutes of Ottawa/Gatineau Work, Educate, Resist, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa, Sexual Assault Support Centre, Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS), AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, found flaws in these recommendations. “We thought that it wasn’t enough for the police service to say there’s a serial killer and girls need to protect themselves,” said Kristen Gilchrist, cofounder of FSIS. “Our feeling, along with the other five organizations, was that if

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they’re really concerned with the security and safety of street-level sex workers then they need to stop the street sweeps, they need to stop the harassment, the criminalization, and the arrests.” While trading money for sex isn’t illegal in Canada, many of the activities surrounding the exchange are, such as soliciting in public and gathering in groups on the street. Although the police’s recommendations would increase the physical safety of street-level sex workers, they would also raise the likelihood of the workers being arrested in one of the Ottawa police’s regularly occurring street sweeps, a fact the organizations fi nd problematic. “‘Sweeps’ are the language that the Ottawa police has used when they will

go out with a concerted undercover operation and arrest people, most often for drug-related offences or for sex workrelated offences,” said Karin Galldin, lawyer at Galldin Law, a fi rm hired to represent the organizations. “Street sweeps push sex workers farther to the margins to avoid criminalization, and it is in those margins that they’re more vulnerable to violence,” Galldin added. In light of the Ottawa Police Services’ December announcement, the six Ottawa organizations met with Galldin Law, a feminist legal practice, to advocate on the organizations’ behalf that the police change their current policies and keep street-level sex workers safe. On Jan. 20, Ottawa Police Services received a letter from Galldin Law.

“POWER [Prostitutes of Ottawa/ Gatineau Work, Educate, Resist], the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa, SASC [Sexual Assault Support Centre], FSIS [Families of Sisters in Spirit], ACO [Aids Committee of Ottawa], and CAEFS [Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies] all demand that your organization reverses its position on street ‘sweeps’ in Ottawa, and issues a moratorium on street sweeps until the Ottawa Police Service investigation into a serial predator is concluded and there are no further patterns of violence against women involved in street-level sex work,” says the letter. The letter also notes legal action may be taken if the Ottawa Police Services do not change their policies to provide adequate protection to street-level sex

workers. While both Galldin and Gilchrist questioned the current criminalization of many activities surrounding sex work in Canada, they noted their primary goal is to ensure the safety of the city’s sex workers. On Jan. 26, Galldin stated the Ottawa Police Service had responded to their letter and invited Galldin Law and the groups they’re representing to a conversation. “Th is is just the first step. We’d really like to see [the police’s] response before we can move forward,” said Gilchrist. “I think that will require us to be plugging into what the women on the street would like to see.” The Ottawa Police Service declined the Fulcrum’s request for an interview. f

IN THE 2008–09 Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) elections, voter turnout was a record 27 per cent of the undergraduate student population, thanks to the Internet. The implementation of e-voting in 2009 increased accessibility and interest among the student population. When evoting was discontinued last year, voter turnout was a low 11 per cent, showing how inferior paper ballots are to e-voting. To gain the much sought-after participation from students, the electoral office has to indulge voters’ laziness. If

we want to engage U of O’s students, we have to do it through their favourite pastime—the Internet. Every year, SFUO candidates and the elections office spend hundreds of student dollars on posters and flyers, trying to convince students to vote. Not only is it a waste of paper and money, but it’s a waste of time. The reality is, when a student is bored, he or she will turn to the Internet. For basic information, there’s Google. For the latest news, there’s Twitter. For stalking a friend’s activity, there’s Facebook. And every one of these

websites can be used to get students informed about the upcoming election, at the very least. I’m sure there was a time when postering the walls until you couldn’t see them anymore worked, drawing attention and informing passersby about an event, but not only will I fi nd out more about a candidate by looking them up on the Internet, but I’m much more likely to do that than stop in an overcrowded hallway between classes to read a poster. That’s exactly why the Fulcrum will provide detailed coverage of the election

not only in our newspaper, but through video and social media. And that’s why—if not this year, then the next—the elections office should consider reinstating e-voting. The SFUO elections need a comprehensive online strategy, complete with e-voting, to gather awareness and participation. Let’s follow the student’s digital footprint, making sure they see #SFUOelxn every time they go online. It’s 2012: Let’s get with the times. news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

news@thefulcrum.ca

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Go on Thefulcrum.ca and follow #SFUOelxn starting Feb. 5 for the latest news on Student Federation of the University of Ottawa elections. And your executive candidates are… Drum roll, please: President Philippe Mulet Ethan Plato Amalia Savva

Vp Finance Adam Gilani Vp Communications Anne-Marie Roy

Vp Student affairs Kate Hudson Marco Kuyu Tasha Peters

Vp University affairs Christopher Clarke Liz Kessler

Vp Social Marie-Claude Noël Jozef Spiteri

ARTS & CULTURE Sofia Hashi | arts@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5931

ARTS&CULTURE

Interview with a graffiti artist What does street art mean to the city? Sofia Hashi | Fulcrum Staff

GRAFFITI IS A subject that sparks debate in the art world. Either people are for graffiti art, citing it as colourful investment our city should take advantage of, or they’re against it, likening it to vandalism. For Venise One, graffiti is more than just a heated discussion—it’s his profession. The graffiti artist, whose work has been commissioned in Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto, recently sat down with the Fulcrum to speak about what he does and why he considers street art important. The Fulcrum: How did you get into graffiti art? Vinceso One: Well, you kind of see [the art] around you, kind of wonder how [graffiti artists] do all that stuff … How does it happen? So you kind of get interested in it and you start drawing letters. It’s always fun. What do you mean by letters? [It’s] manipulating letters, design, or even people. It’s just basic art that becomes bigger than its original level. Where do you paint in Ottawa? There’s a wall under a bridge on Bronson. You can go there and paint. I mean, you try and not go over something that’s nicer than what you can do, just out of respect for someone. You won’t just go and paint over a Picasso, you know. There’s one [at] Slater and Bronson … It’s called the Tech Wall. That’s like the hall of fame of graffiti in Ottawa, like you really got to have

ALL THE PRETTY COLOURS

photo by Yolande Winegarden

Ottawa Tech Wall’s latest graffiti design a lot of respect in the city to be able to paint there. Is there a big community of graffiti artists in Ottawa? There’s quite a bit of people, but it’s not as big as other cities … It’s harder in this city compared to Montreal or Toronto. [In those cities], it’s a lot more accepted to do it and in Ottawa it’s really strict and harder. [In] Montreal, they’re really laid back about it. You can do a commission

on any wall in the city if you ask the owner. In Ottawa, we [have] got to go through official this, official that, and I would say, “Forget it.” You don’t want to have to deal with that every time you want to do a commission. Since you don’t use a conventional canvas, is it hard to have to paint over your work? Yea, it’s really hard, especially if you’ve done something in a dark corner in town where nobody cares about and for some

reason they erase it because apparently it’s important. In that case, why do graffiti art? I think the fact that it’s on a wall, it’s a lot stronger and if you want to do something big, a canvas is expensive. If you want to paint … something big [and] you paint it on an abandoned building, it sends a strong image. If you paint it on a canvas, it’s really about what you paint and not the environment.

What do you say to the people who say graffiti is just vandalism? Graffiti is really easy to get into. It’s straight in your face and that’s why people get so frustrated [over it], I think. It’s too much for people to handle. I don’t know why [there’s] such a big controversy over this. I think there [are] a lot more things in the world to focus on and worry [about] than paint on a wall. Poverty is everywhere. Why don’t they clean that up instead? But when it comes to graffiti, it’s the end of the world. f

A naughty night at Maxwell’s Ottawa burlesque troupes unite for city’s first major collective show Keeton Wilcock | Fulcrum Staff

IT WAS IN 2002 that Bella Barecat and a group of friends saw a travelling burlesque troupe’s show and decided to start their own troupe in Ottawa. “It just looked like they were having such a great time. It was a beautiful expression, and it was something that we’d

never really seen before, so we created the Devil Dolls and we performed mostly with Johnny Vegas and the Johnny Vegas Orchestra,” says Barecat in an interview with the Fulcrum. While the troupe was initially successful, the members eventually left for other projects and the Devil Dolls dissolved. Still interested in burlesque performing, Barecat got back into the scene when she joined Browncoats Burlesque in 2010. Over the last few years, she has witnessed the Ottawa burlesque scene grow tremendously. “I think with Ottawa, it’s becoming so successful, because we tend to work in a corporate and government city, and we need to have outlets for creative expression after hours of work,” says Barecat.

The recent boom in Ottawa burlesque led Barecat to organize Ottawa’s first-ever Burlesque Collective show. Maxwell’s Bistro and Club will host five city burlesque troupes and a vaudeville act for an exciting night of performances on Feb. 2. “Getting the troupes together—working together—is kind of history in the making; this has never been done in Ottawa yet,” explains Barecat. “We’ll see how it goes and hopefully Maxwell’s will become the stomping ground for Ottawa burlesque troupes to hang their hats.” The night will showcase acts by many well-known Ottawa performers, such as Barecat, Audrey Hipturn, Headmisstress Holly Sin, Helvetica Bold, Kerosene Misfortune, and Shade Nyx, among others.

“Everybody was open to it,” says Barecat about organizing the show. “It was very welcomed when I approached each of the troupes. It was funny because each one of them had stated that they were looking to do something like this, but that they hadn’t gotten around to it, or were looking at different venues and it just hadn’t happened.” Barecat notes one of the defining features of the show is the diversity of the acts, with over 30 different performances planned. “You’re going to get burlesque that you might not have seen before, going to just one of the troupe’s shows,” she says. “It’s not just about stripping. There’s hoola hoops and fire, and it’s going to be a magi-

cal evening from top to bottom.” While the Ottawa Burlesque Collective show will be exciting in itself, Barecat hopes the city’s burlesque scene will continue to grow into something even bigger than it is today. “I see Ottawa becoming a real player in the burlesque game,” says Barecat. “I see us holding a burlesque festival, which would be a weekend or a week-long series of events with workshops and classes to offer to people. It’s just going to get bigger and better.” f The show is 19-plus, with doors opening at 8 p.m. and the show beginning at 9 p.m. at Maxwell’s Bistro on 340 Elgin St. Tickets are $12 at the door.

10 | arts&culture

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

arts briefS

Sex in the capital city

Spartacus returns OTTAWA—POPULAR STARZ PROGRAM, Spartacus, returns to TV sets later this month. The action-packed, antiquity-set show brings forth a new lead actor and more bloodshed in its third intstalment of the series. Fans may be excited to see the return of the Roman drama, but Spartacus: Vengeance begins with a sombre note. Th is time around, Australian actor Andy McIntyre takes the lead in place of the late Andy Whitefield, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2010 and passed away last September. “It’s probably the saddest thing I’ve ever had to be part of,” said McIntyre to the Ottawa Citizen. “I think, in the beginning, I was able to tackle the role because I believed he would get better. He made this choice to leave the show and get better, and that was fantastic.” The series picks up following Spartacus as a free man and leader of the slave rebellion, ready to seek revenge for the brutal murder of his wife. Fans can catch the return of Spartacus on Starz later this month. —Sofia Hashi photo illustration by Mico Mazza

CALLING ALL SINGLES

Researching the male psyche

Love guru Irene Yarkoni helps Ottawans get coupled up OTTAWA—MASCULINE STUDIES ARE becoming a popular subject within Canadian universities. Although the topic is still in its early stages, professors report more interest and potential research appearing in the field. “Clearly it’s at a very nascent stage in its development, in the humanities and social sciences,” said Marc LaFrance, Concordia University professor in sociology, while speaking to the Ottawa Citizen. The new subject is cropping up on campuses as an answer to women’s studies. The latter has been taught since the 1970s, focusing on female gender roles and sexuality in society, while male issues have been largely neglected. Masculine studies aim to not only examine the male identity and construct within society, but to see how masculinity is disempowering to men. “[People are] either unwilling or unable to see men as fully human beings—people who can indeed be hurt, both individually and collectively,” said Paul Nathanson, McGill University professor in religious studies. Researchers of the new study don’t want to ignite a gender war. “There’s lots of anti-male stuff out there and anti-female stuff,” said Anthony Synnott, a sociologist. “A lot of people are badly hurt by men versus women. We should be noting the glory of female and male achievements.” —Sofia Hashi Ban on book sparks controversy EDMONTON—TORONTO-BASED RABBI IMMANUEL Schochet is condemning Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s new book Kosher Jesus, declaring it heretical. Schochet insists on a permanent ban, having said in an interview with the Ottawa Citizen, “It is forbidden for anyone to buy or read this book.” Schochet’s anger stems from what he considers a misrepresentation and falsification of thematic messages in the book. Schochet, who is also a professor of philosophy at Toronto’s Humber College, believes the book blurs those lines between Christianity and Judaism, and inadvertently encourages those of the Jewish faith to favour the realms of Christianity. While Boteach claims he is a proud follower of Schochet’s written work and public speeches, he emphatically defends the context of his book. Boteach insists his book “goes back to the original gospel source materials to uncover the real story of Jesus prior to later Christian editors significantly modifying the story to accommodate the Romans.” “My book, for those Jews who care to read it, will offer significant information to argue convincingly against my Christian attempt to evangelize Jews,” said Boteach. —Kajahni Th armarjan

“I need a brief joke.”

Learning how to play the dating game Èva Morin | Fulcrum Contributor

WALKING INTO MY fi rst dating workshop was nothing short of terrifying. Having agreed to participate solely for research purposes, ideas of stereotypical motivational speakers and lonely singles ready to mingle haunted me the night before the seminar. I spoke to Irene Yarkoni, a dating coach in the Ottawa region, briefly beforehand and was not given many details as to what I should expect. I was relieved to learn the workshops were for small groups of five to 10 people, which eliminated the possibility of coming face-to-face with hoards of confused singles searching for enlightenment. Appropriately titled Dating 101: For Single Women In Today’s Dating Culture, the workshop was intimately set in Yarkoni’s office. I knew little about her, but what I did know was rather impressive. Fifteen years of experience as a dating guru was nothing short of striking for someone coming into the workshop with vague questions and bipolar expectations. The workshop begins with Yarkoni making a strong statement, setting the tone for the next three hours . “Th is is not what I think is right, but rather what I know is right for women,” she says. Th roughout the seminar, the dating

coach boldly and frequently emphasizes how the dating scene has changed in the 21st century—changes mostly related to women’s liberation. “Women’s fi nancial independence is very important; nevertheless, women’s power in dating is not necessarily an advantage,” she says. Yarkoni’s dating perspective may seem odd, especially as she insists that a woman should never make the fi rst move. “A man’s primary goal is to be successful,” she explains. “When a woman makes the fi rst move, he has no success … When a woman makes the fi rst move, she doesn’t know if the man is actually interested, because he was not the one to approach her.” The workshop continues with an exploration of different qualities found in each gender, and takes a scientific approach to answer why each sex behaves a certain way. “There will be no solution for gender differences until there is proper understanding of gender qualities,” says Yarkoni. “Men and women operate differently; understanding this is the fi rst step.” Research has proven a woman’s limbic area in her brain, which is connected to emotions, is much bigger than a man’s. Women possess 11 per cent more neurons than men, which are directly related to communication and language. As the seminar progresses, Yarkoni mapped out her three cardinal rules for dating in the beginning stages. Authenticity made the top of the list. “The reason we are not able to connect with one another is a lack of authenticity on our part, and the reason why we are not authentic is so the other person will not know how we feel,” she

explains. “We don’t want to lose the upper hand by exposing our self.” Having a “joie de vivre”, or love for life, is number two on the list, because according to Yarkoni, it demonstrates that someone is confident and open. Finally, expressing gender qualities rounds out the love guru’s list. Despite teaching a seminar on love and dating, Yarkoni doesn’t believe that perfect someone is out there. “You will never fi nd someone with all [three of] these qualities,” says Yarkoni. With the workshop coming to an end, Yarkoni gives some tips on how to score a great date in the city.

There will be no solution for gender differences until there is proper understanding of gender qualities. —Irene Yarkoni, Dating coach

She encourages women to fl irt as much as they can, mainly through the subtle use of open and inviting body language. Yarkoni also gives advice for men on how to approach women. “There is no sure pick-up line for a man,” advises the love coach to worried men. “Everything in dating is a game,” she adds. “You just have to know how to play it.” f

“Wait... So like a short joke?” arts@thefulcrum.ca

Arts smarts? Show ‘em off.

Email arts@thefulcrum.ca

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

arts&culture | 11

album reviews Elias Fossils | Wax Records

VANCOUVER-BASED BAND ELIAS is set to release their sophomore album Fossils on Feb. 14. For those of you spending Valentine’s Day alone, the dark and sometimes depressing album will be the perfect companion to your loneliness. Miserable wailing aside, band members Brian Healey (guitar, lead vocals), Rob Tornroos (guitar, backup vocals), and Stefan Tavares (drums) put forth a complete and solid album with lyrics that will compliment your self-pity. Luckily there are also some upbeat gems, such as the title track, “Fossils”, which functions as an introduction to the theme of reflection that continues throughout the album. The trio makes use of strong vocals but is weighed down by a sound that, although complex, does not strike the listener as something new and unique. The album flows as a whole and paints a picture of self-reflection. Though the lyrics and sound are intricate and fast paced, sometimes the tracks blend together too well, making the release sound repetitive. Anyone looking for a rock alternative to the excess of folk-based bands sprouting up in the Canadian scene, Elias will make a nice addition to your Canuck pop-rock playlist. —Colin Sutherland

First Aid Kit The Lion’s Roar | Wichita Recordings

You Me at Six Sinners Never Sleep Virgin Records

ou Me At Six catapulted to fame through a timeless pop-punk formula: Catchy choruses, power chords, and a teenage fan base. It’s now been four years since the band’s debut album, and their third release has been highly anticipated. With album number three, the group had to make the all-important choice of whether to settle into the specific, genrefied sound that made them famous or to begin experimenting with different instruments. The band has touted Sinners Never Sleep as a step in the latter direction, calling it the sound of “a band who have enjoyed their youth but who are moving into new pastures.” Yet the hope of something fresh and exciting fades by the minute mark in the opening track, “Loverboy”. The song moves straight into the classic mould of the band’s previous hits, with singer Josh Franceshi belting out angst-filled lyrics and a simple earworm of a riff playing over and over in the background. The two noticeable attempts to deviate from formula come in the form of “When We Were Younger”, a gentle soft-rock tune about childhood, and “Bite My Tongue”, which moves in the opposite direction with a guest metalcore verse from rocker Oli Sykes. They both involve changes in speed but not in mood, as the band clings to its safe simplistic melodies and dramatic themes. Neither song is very successful at diversifying You Me at Six’s sound, and the overall effect on the album is awkward and fragmented. Sinners Never Sleep comes across as a 20-something half-heartedly attempting to prove his independence to the world. He goes out and gets a part-time job, but still lives at home and gets his mom to do his laundry. It’s an unconvincing attempt at originality from a band that has yet to prove itself as more than another forgettable blip in the world of pop culture. —Julia Riddle

grades

meh

epic fail fail

legit win

FIRST AID KIT’S album The Lion’s Roar starts out with a passionate song about cowardice and relationships. It sets the stage for an album full of emotional and ardent lyrics, ranging from upbeat songs to ballads. The Swedish duo may be made up of two young sisters, but their lyrics demonstrate maturity and strength beyond their years. The sisters’ sound contains powerful, folksy, vocal harmonies that are backed by catchy guitar and strong rhythms. The title track of the album, “The Lion’s Roar”, is by far the best song on the album. The next song, “Emmylou”, has an honesty to its lyrics that is extremely endearing. As far as love songs go, the mood to “Emmylou” is upbeat and catchy. The rest of the album continues in this same vein—lovely songs defi ned by their beautiful female vocals. The fi nal song, “King of the World”, ends the album on a musically pleasant note with more acoustic guitar and intelligent lyrics. Rather than being just another love song, it talks about the purpose of living and how short life truly is. First Aid Kit may be a young band, but their music is mature and has a fun edge to it. After giving the album a listen, one of the songs from The Lion’s Roar will be the next song you’re humming as you walk down the street. —Emily Glass

Lake Forest Silver Skies | Vérité Recording Company

WILL WHITWHAM IS better known to Canadian indie music fans as the lead singer of the folk band The Wilderness of Manitoba, but his latest musical endeavour is a solo album under the moniker Lake Forest. Fans need not be wary of Whitwham’s newest tunes; the album, Silver Skies, is full of peaceful folk tunes with nature imagery, similar to the artist’s previous work. Starting with a two-minute instrumental introduction entitled “Cathedral”, Silver Skies doesn’t begin on a promising note, but the album only improves afterward. The next two tracks, “Autumn Skies” and “Whispers”, have vocal qualities reminiscent of Bon Iver. The song “Untitled” follows, which brings new depth to the album with some catchy guitar and more folksy vocal harmonies. Other noteworthy tracks include “Silver Stars”, which starts out with sombre but beautiful guitar and vocals. The song says to “count the clouds above your house,” bringing forth the album’s nature feel. Symbols like the sky, stars, sun, and moon continue throughout the record. Overall, the album is rather melancholic, and while it is certainly beautiful music, it’s probably best listened to while doing something else. The melodies are subtle and the tracks become more interesting after several repeats. Even though it’s not the most captivating music, Will Whitwham has created an introspective and interesting folk album worthy of a listen. —Emily Glass

The Fulcrum is having a movie night! Join us on Feb. 17 @ 8:30 p.m., at 631 King Edward Ave., for some popcorn and a viewing of Urbanized. Email production@thefulcrum.ca for more details. answers from p. 19

12 | features

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

Access to post-secondary education Who goes? Who stays? Why does it matter? Mercedes Mueller | Fulcrum Staff

AS THE POPULATION ages and the demand for highly skilled workers increases, investment in post-secondary education (PSE) is becoming more and more necessary for economic growth. Equal opportunity for high-school students to go to college or university also matters. Most Canadians believe those who have the desire and academic merit to attend a post-secondary institution should be able to.

From an economic and social justice standpoint, there’s a need for government intervention when it comes to opening up the PSE system for those groups traditionally under-represented in college and university classrooms. So who comprises these groups, and why aren’t they making it to school? Experts on access to PSE, as well as current University of Ottawa students and recent graduates, shed some light on this topic of growing national importance. Money isn’t everything Over the last two decades, the steady rise of tuition fees and student debt, in addition to a decline in education spending by the government, has many student-interest groups, politicians, and policymakers

focused on fi nancial barriers to PSE. In 1991–92, the average full-time undergraduate student in Canada was paying $1,706 for one year’s tuition, while the average student in 2009–10 paid $4,917—a 188 per cent increase alongside a 38 per cent rise in the cost of living. Despite the higher costs associated with getting a university education, the number of university graduates increased by 24 per cent since 2001. That’s not to imply money doesn’t matter when talking about access to PSE; it does, but as Ross Finnie, associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and director of the Education Policy Research Initiative (EPRI), explains, the financial barriers to education have largely been

illustration by Julia Pankova

dealt with. “One of the things that the governments have done over time is make sure that there’s probably enough money in place for students who want to go to college and university to do so,” he says in a video interview sponsored by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). “The whole affordability barrier—that’s probably been dealt with by good public policy.” Many groups are fi xated on reducing the costs of PSE as a solution to the perceived financial barriers to higher education. The Canadian Federation of Students’ National Day of Action on Feb. 1 highlighted rising tuition and student debt—and it’s not just student-interest groups advocating for lower fees. Earlier this year, the Liberal Party of Ontario implemented their 30 per cent tuition grant to reduce the financial burden faced by students, a move lamented not only by the student population. “Th is is an example of extremely poor public policy and the triumph of politics over reasoned public policy,” says Richard Mueller, associate professor of economics at the University of Lethbridge, in an email to the Fulcrum, noting the marginal number of students the policy will bring into schools. “Given the huge cost of the program, these resources could have been better directed at other programs and policies.” Although the disconnect between reality and policy is stark, Mueller explained the obsession with money as a barrier to education is rooted in a basic economic concept: When the price of a good goes up, the demand goes down. According to Finnie, this is an outdated way of looking at accessibility to postsecondary education. “To go forward—to bring groups of students that are not currently attending college or university into the system— we’re going to have to go beyond those traditional measures,” he says. Parents and the PSE culture More detailed data sets on youth participation in PSE have unveiled a number of factors that affect a student’s decision to enter college or university, many of which are unrelated to family income. Finnie notes the importance of parental education on a child’s PSE choices. “There’s a very strong correlation between parental education and who goes to university—and once you look at that, the income effect goes way down,” he explains. “So the interpretation is that it’s not about money.” Parental education can shape a child’s

aspirations or attitudes toward higher education through many channels. Parents who have attended a PSE institution are more likely to communicate positive thoughts about that experience; students may also be less intimidated by the idea of going to school if their parents have gone. “There are various avenues through which these things get communicated, whether it’s those discussions around the kitchen table or letting your kid know you’ve started saving for their education,” adds Andrew Wismer, researcher at EPRI, who also worked on the Measuring the Effectiveness of Student Aid (MESA) Project. “Say you are a 13-yearold kid and your father tells you, ‘I just started saving for your education—if you decide you want to go.’ [That gets students] thinking about their grades.” A briefi ng released by the MESA Project in 2010 reported low-income students whose parents never attended college or university—“fi rst-generation” education students—are much less likely to say they always knew they would attend PSE and have parents who saved for their education compared to those with parents who have post-secondary education. They also tend to have lower grade point averages in school. For Laurel Hogan, recent graduate of the U of O, her parents always encouraged her and her sister to pursue higher education. Her mother holds a bachelor’s degree, and her father has a bachelor of science and two master’s degrees. “It was always presumed that I would go to university and I never questioned it,” she recalls. “When it came time to actually decide whether and where to apply at the end of Grade 11, I was already very comfortable with the idea because I’d been introduced to it practically before I could even remember.” For Hogan, her parents played a significant role in her choice to go to university. “Through the way they raised me, and leading by example, they made it clear that PSE was an extremely worthwhile investment of time and money,” she says. “They gave me the facts, encouragement, and support, and let me decide for myself.” Finnie notes it is more difficult for students to get those positive messages about both the university experience and the value of getting a degree when their parents haven’t had that experience to relate. Emily Hamilton, another recent U of O grad, remembers learning about her options after high school at a university fair in Grade 9—making it to university was left largely up to her. “We never spoke about it,” she says, when asked how her parents talked about

university with her. “I always felt I had more of an inner drive to push myself into higher education.” What else matters? A recent paper by EPRI looked at access to PSE among under-represented and minority groups, citing parental education, disability, Aboriginal status, attending a rural high school, and coming from a low-income family as the most important determinants in whether a high-school student makes it to university. Interestingly enough, these groups are over-represented at the college level. One of the most prevalent patterns in PSE participation is related to gender: Since the early 1990s, the percentage of women attending university has been greater than that of men. As of 2003, 38.8 per cent of 19-year-old women had attended university, compared to 25.7 per cent of their male counterparts. Although one could chalk these numbers up to males not wanting to go to university as much as females do, Torben Drewes, professor of economics at Trent University, asks the question: “What if both males and females want to go to PSE in equal numbers?” “High-school averages among boys are a little bit lower on average than girls,” he explains. “So when universities apply a gender-blind admission standard of, say, 80 per cent, and if both genders apply in equal proportions—we’d get the observed gender gap.” Some of the discrepancy in grades can be explained by differences in effort when is comes to school work, but by using data on work effort and grades in high school, Drewes found boys still fall short when it comes to getting the grades—even when they work hard. “Boys don’t work as hard as girls do, but if even they did, they’d still have grades that are lower than girls,” he says. “Somehow, boys are not able to translate their work efforts into higher highschool averages—or at least at the same rate that girls are.” Alternatively, some segments of the population will attend university irrespective of family income, parental education, and other aforementioned characteristics. One MESA briefi ng reported visible minorities and children from immigrant families are more likely to go to university, study more hours per week, and cite parental pressure as a reason to persist through their degrees when compared to non-visible minorities or natural born citizens. “The Chinese students go to university,” says Finnie of the cultural phenom-

features | 13

Mother (and father) knows best STUDIES HAVE REVEALED a strong link between parental education and attendance in college or university— if your parents have gone to university, it’s likely you will too. The Fulcrum talked to students and recent grads about how their degreeholding moms and dads influenced their decision to go to school. “My parents, who were already on board to support me both financially and morally, gave me all of the resources to make the decision to go to university … Their full backing [of my going to school] by the end of Grade 12 gave me the extra incentive to see my PSE through to the end, and I still feel supported after three years.” —Sean Campbell, third-year history student

enon, noting the children of Chinese immigrants have a 90 per cent attendance rate at PSE institutions. “It doesn’t matter how low family income is, there’s almost no income effect—they just go.” Lai Hoang, recent U of O graduate currently applying for master’s programs in economics, is a Chinese-born Canadian whose parents immigrated here with very little formal education. She explains her parents played a significant role in her decision to go to school, not unlike those whose parents have attended university themselves. “When my parents came to Canada, they didn’t have anything,” she says. “Education was a huge thing, because they didn’t have the opportunity to have that kind of education back home.” Although her parents wouldn’t have been disappointed if she chose not to go university, Hoang says they were in the back of her mind while she completed her studies. “They would be more disappointed if I didn’t do anything with my life, but obviously they knew [PSE] would give me that extra boost to get a job,” she explains. “I felt I needed to work a bit harder, but just because of my parents. They paid for it and worked hard; I didn’t want to do badly in school.” Communication is key So if these cultural barriers matter to PSE accessibility, how can we change the way they affect education outcomes? Although the idea of substituting for parental education or geographic location may seem abstract or costly, Finnie asserts the solution can be as simple as getting the message about the benefits of attending college and university to students in their early teens. “What we have to do is—somehow— get the idea of going on to PSE into their heads when they’re young so they’re thinking in that direction and they’re preparing for that possibility down the road,” he says. Getting school-aged children excited about university can be as simple as taking a field trip to a local university and showing them around campus, or talking to them about the benefits and opportunities associated with PSE while they’re in high school. The key is relaying the message in a way that speaks to kids— and that’s also the challenge. “The communication of ideas doesn’t cost that much,” Finnie explains. “At schools, there’s sunk costs that have already been paid,” adds Wismer. “Getting kids together—well, they’re already together in a class. Having someone to speak to them—OK, there’s a

“They encouraged me to apply to universities—to make up my mind to figure out what did I want to study … When they had enough savings, they told me that I could go abroad … They pushed me to work hard and get good marks to be able to get accepted in universities. There was no option of not pursuing PSE.” —Philippe Mulet, fifth-year engineering student illustration by Julia Pankova

teacher already there. There’s certain costs that are already covered—” “It’s just a new message,” Finnie interjects. “Adding in to the curriculum.” Some schools across the country have implemented early intervention programs that focus on counselling, academic enrichment, parental involvement, and mentoring designed to increase PSE access for under-represented youth, most notably the Future to Discover program in New Brunswick and Manitoba. The creation of web-based initiatives is also popular in targeting the newest generation on the path—or not—to the PSE system. Finnie is critical of approaches like these that rely on students to reach out. “I feel pretty strongly that you have to be more proactive than that—you can’t just wait for the students to come forward, because you’ll get those who were already going in that direction,” he explains. “You need to have programs that proactively get to everyone ... Information is part of it, but also how that information is presented.” Changing the conversation on PSE access If money is not the most significant determinant in deciding who goes on to post-secondary education, education

policy—and the dialogue that shapes it— needs to evolve beyond the traditional understanding of barriers to higher education. “Getting the word out is a lot of it,” says Finnie on changing the current public discourse regarding PSE access. “I think that requires leadership, which unfortunately we don’t always see. For example, the recent Ontario election, the issue we’re talking about here— the election could have taken place 20, 30 years ago and it would have taken approximately the same tone.” Focusing on monetary barriers is easy for policymakers and politicians alike, as they have financial levers at their disposal to directly tackle those obstacles. Nonfinancial barriers are different. One of the biggest challenges to the evolution of education policy is justifying the usefulness of these cultural interventions. “Culture interventions are more complicated. They involve more research and need more information on how to do them properly—how to measure if they are working,” Wismer explains, comparing these barriers to traditional ones related to money. “It’s not as easy to communicate to voters.” “You can’t just say, ‘OK, it’s culture.

Great. We got it: We got the answer, we’ve put it in place—check mark,’” adds Finnie. Looking ahead... Although the body of literature on access to PSE is rich and ever-expanding, researchers still have a long way to go in terms of understanding the causes and effects of what’s determining who goes to colleges and universities. Nonetheless, they remain optimistic, both about the future of their work and the Canadian PSE system. “There has been a shift in thinking in policy circles who appear, in the last few years, to be very receptive,” says Finnie. “There is a shift going on, and that frankly, for us, is inspiring. We see our work and others as maybe having an effect.” Mueller agreed, stating he is confident in Canada’s higher education system— despite the growing pains it has endured in the past two or three decades. “We have to better use our resources, and this doesn’t mean that everyone needs or deserves a university education,” he writes. “We would like to see the best students succeed at university, but they have to come in the fi rst place—this is what myself and others are trying to achieve through our research.” f

“[My parents] were, and continue to be, big influences in my academic life, including my decision to attend university. I think they also played a big role in helping me decide to pursue a different path in my life by attending college after I finished my degree.” —Cassie Gibb, BA in linguistics and psychology “It always seemed like a university education was expected for my sisters and me growing up in my house … Because both of my parents attended university, I grew up just thinking that was the ‘normal’ thing to do—none of the other options (college, military, or even taking time off in-between) ever really occurred to me.” —Catherine Dicesare, BA in psychology; certificate in corporate security and risk management

14 | arts&culture

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

Café de dummy, please Simplifying your caffeine experiences Jaclyn Lytle | Fulcrum Staff

LAST WEEK, I strolled into Timothy’s on Laurier Avenue and confidently ordered a macchiato. “What exactly do you mean by that?” asked the barista, much to my surprise. Bewildered, I stammered some explanation of what Starbucks led me to believe a macchiato was. “No,” said the barista. “What you want is a latte.” If you’re as coffee illiterate as I found myself to be, then you’re in need of a little espresso education. Ordering a complex coffee will never be easier than after you peruse the Fulcrum’s guide to basic caf-

feine-crammed drinks.

steamed milk, and one part milk foam.

Espresso Contrary to popular layman belief, espresso does not refer to a specific kind of coffee bean or roast, but rather a particular brewing process. Made by first packing coffee grounds tightly, then quickly forcing extremely hot water through the grounds, espresso is the base of most mixed coffee drinks. Often enjoyed as a single, double, or triple shot, espresso is packed with caffeine and quicker to make than a traditional cup of coffee.

Café au Lait No espresso in this bad boy! A café au lait is exactly what it claims to be—a hot drink made from equal parts percolated coffee and milk.

Latte A hot drink made with one or more shots of espresso, topped off with steamed milk and about a finger’s width of milk foam. Cappuccino Similar to the latte, and thus confused with it by most coffee shops, a cappuccino is made from one part espresso, one part

8 launch

Corretto Despite what Second Cup’s menu claims, a corretto is a cup of percolated coffee with one shot of liquor added to the mix.

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATES IN:

Red Eye Only for serious caffeine fiends, the Red Eye takes one full cup of coffee and an

Café Mocha Made from percolated coffee mixed with chocolate, usually a powdered hot

Machiatto An espresso drink with either hot milk or milk foam added on the top. f

Marketing Management

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spotlight on LORENA ZIRALDO

You always proof us wrong, but we’re OK with that!

Thank you for your nearperfect attendance at Tuesday night proofing!

Keep calm and proof on!

Edyta Dabrowska and Emily Glass | Fulcrum Contributors

Public Administration

business.humber.ca

And the award for most dedicated Fulcrumite goes to...

Global Business Management

International Marketing

espresso shot for some extra punch.

Financial Planning

International Development

chocolate mix. Anything that has mocha in its name will have some hot chocolate added for flavour.

Event Management

Human Resources Management

Americano For those who like their caffeine watered down, the Americano is the perfect drink. Made from espresso and hot water, this is one drink that takes the flavour right out of your morning cup of Joe.

ways to

YOUR CAREER

illu

BORN IN ITALY but raised in Canada, Lorena Ziraldo debuted her exhibition A Conversation with a Painting… Continued on Jan. 25. Since graduating from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2000, Ziraldo has held many exhibitions in various cities across Canada. The Ottawa-based visual artist is known for paintings that are sophisticated, contemplative, impressionistic, and rich in colour. Showcasing repetitive fluidity, Ziraldo’s fi nely detailed brushwork conveys different possibilities of expressions through various uses of light, composition, and space. Most of her paintings present a narrative quality and make the viewer want insight into the story told. Her current display conveys the unique theme of viewers observing artwork in a gallery setting. Th is showcases her experiences as an artist at art openings and how viewers may have looked at her work. Looks like: Looking at a person viewing a painting at a gallery—kind of like Inception, but for the painting world. Check it out: Her paintings can be viewed at The Orange Gallery (233 Armstrong St.) until Feb. 12.

LAUREN MANN AND THE FAIRLY ODD FOLK MUSIC TODAY DOESN’T prioritize the relationship between the audience and the artist, but for Lauren Mann, the connections made through music are the inspiration for her song writing. After three tours across Canada and over 200 shows, she has succeeded in achieving that connection. The group backing Mann is consistently changing—hence the name The Fairly Odd Folk—collaborating with the Calgary musician on her latest release, Stories from Home. Combining Mann’s classical training with her jazz roots, the sounds on the album are more eclectic. The band keeps in tradition with an indie folk sound, but borrows from modern pop rhythms, making the record more diverse. Top tracks include “Stow Me Away”, “Lost In The Sound”, and “Lady In The Yellow Dress”. The former sounding like an eerie but pleasant, carnival-esque song, while “Lady In The Yellow Dress” keeps the tempo upbeat and peppy.

Sounds like: The music of a casual, spontaneous outdoor summer concert. Check it out: At Laurenmannmusic. com and live on Feb. 23 at the Elmdale House Tavern (1084 Wellington St. W.).

@The_Fulcrum

SPORTS Katherine DeClerq | sports@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5258

Ottawa Sports Awards give Gees something to celebrate I was very shocked. It is a huge honour, knowing that [Groves] has won it for so many years and the calibre of athletes that [have] won it before. It was definitely a surprise.” —Kate Goodfellow, Female athlete of the year

GARNET AND GREY TASTE THE LIMELIGHT Kate Goodfellow (above) wins female athlete of the year; Grace Lonergan (right) takes home an individual award for softball photos by Dan Plouffe

U of O athletes honoured at banquet Katherine DeClerq | Fulcrum Staff

ON JAN. 25, athletes from across the city gathered at Algonquin College to celebrate amateur sport in Ottawa. The Ottawa Sports Awards (OSA) honoured the recipients of over 60 individual sport and lifetime achievement awards, including teams recognized for winning provincial or national championships. The University of Ottawa was well represented, with the Gee-Gees stealing three awards that night. What are the OSAs? In 1953, the Associated Canadians Travellers (ACT), an organization dedicated to acknowledging members of the community for their accomplishments, spon-

sored the fi rst ACT Sportmens Dinner, where 16 amateur athletes were recognized. Fift y-six years later, the dinner is now called the Ottawa Sports Awards, and honours amateur athletes from universities and local teams. “Ottawa is enriched by the athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, and media who make a huge commitment to excellence in sport,” said Doug Scorrar, chair of OSA. “The City of Ottawa likes to celebrate excellence in fields of human endeavour—the arts, the social and cultural community, in humanitarian efforts, and in sport.” The OSAs do not recognize athletes currently pursuing professional contracts in North America, but rather focus on local athletes that have shown commitment to their activity. “The defi nition of amateur athlete has become less precise and very much sportdependent over time,” Scorrar elaborated. Athletes are nominated by local sport experts, as well as members of the community. A committee is then created to choose the winners that will be given awards at the OSA banquet. Female athlete of the year Kate Goodfellow, a fourth-year student

at the University of Ottawa and four-year member of the Ottawa Rowing Club, won the prestigious title of female athlete of the year. It has been seven years since someone other than speed skater Kristina Groves, an Olympic champion with 13 medals under her belt, has had the honour of that title. “I was very shocked,” said Goodfellow. “It is a huge honour, knowing that [Groves] has won it for so many years and the calibre of athletes that [have] won it before. It was defi nitely a surprise.” Goodfellow recently won a gold medal in the 2011 women’s eights at the Under-23 World Championships, setting a world record at the same time. She has won the single sculls race at the Ontario provincial trials and won the Under-23 pairs race at the National Rowing Championships. Goodfellow has also won two silver medals at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships and another silver at the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) championships during her time with the U of O Gee-Gees. Goodfellow is preparing to step on to the world stage, training for the rest of the semester in order to make that dream a reality. “It’s just indoor training until this

semester is over,” she explained. “I head to Mexico to train in the water for two weeks, then when I’m done school, hopefully I can focus on national and international opportunities.” Individual awards: Softball Grace Lonergan, a fi rst-year Gee-Gee, and Ontario All-Star catcher who fi nished fourth in the All-Ontario Championships with the Missisauga North Tigers, was awarded recognition for the individual sport of softball for the second time. “It felt great,” Lonergan said of the ceremony. “It is always an honour to be recognized for your accomplishments and effort, but especially in your own community. The awards ceremony is really nice … Athletes are very well treated and made to feel very special.” With the University of Ottawa GeeGees, Lonergan batted .482, hit three home runs, and made only one error in 28 games. She has also won a silver medal with the Brampton Blazers in the Softball Canada Canadian Championships. Lonergan will be playing with the Ottawa Valley Attack at the junior level for the rest of the season and hopes to continue to be part of the Gees team come fall.

Individual team award: Gee-Gees women’s ultimate frisbee team The awards continued to pile up for the Garnet and Grey as the U of O ultimate frisbee team was recognized for its victory in the 2011 Eastern University National Championship. “It’s pretty sweet,” said Kaylee Sparks, a third-year translation student and cocaptain of the ultimate team. “I think it’s amazing. We were also up against curling for women’s team of the year, so it’s pretty big that we are going up against these sports who have been to the Olympics. It’s great to finally see ultimate frisbee getting [recognition].” Co-captain and first-year master’s student Kathryn Pohran agreed it was a huge honour to receive an award at the OSA, and she appreciates the acknowledgement of the sport of ultimate frisbee. “Its nice that Ottawa sport is recognizing university sports, as well as sport teams from the community,” she said. “Because [ultimate] is such a new sport, recognition is the biggest thing. Having it recognized as a sport that receives awards and not just a hobby or a pastime or a hippie sport is a big step.” The team will be focusing on their upcoming tournament in the United States this spring. f

16 | sports

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

Foolproof fitness Gym bag necessities Sarah Horlick | Fulcrum Contributor

THIS WEEK, ARM yourself with a can of Febreze and check out the contents of your gym bag. If your bag is stuffed with cash, you’re likely a supporting actor in a Mark Wahlberg film. But, if it contains maggots and an apple of the 2006 vintage, it’s high time to head to Wal-Mart, Sports Experts, or a local garage sale to stock up on the essentials (and perhaps toss the disintegrating bag). Resistance bands Resistance bands are a great alternative to dumbbells if you’re travelling, working out in a small space, or if the free weight equipment at the gym is being monopolized by future UFC rejects. They come in varying resistances, so it’s a good idea to purchase a couple of different kinds depending on the exercises you want to perform. Water bottle Hydration is extremely important before, during, and after a workout. If you want to avoid interrupting your workout to make frequent trips to the water fountain, pack a durable, reusable water bottle in your gym bag. Be sure to rinse your water bottle with warm water and dish soap on a regular basis to avoid funky tasting water.

Snacks It’s important to eat after a workout to promote recovery. Don’t bother packing expensive protein bars—old school bananas, granola bars, and nuts will do the trick. If you have room for an ice pack in your bag, throw in some chocolate milk as well and sip on it within an hour of working out. Flip-flops Plan on showering post-workout? Bring a pair of flip-flops, unless you enjoy a burning sensation between your toes and an itchiness that can’t be satisfied through thick winter boots. Towel We all sweat. If you perspire profusely, you might feel more comfortable bringing a towel to the gym to wipe yourself down or to act as a barrier between yourself and the equipment. Just pick up a cheap hand towel at a department store and throw it in your gym bag. Deodorant Pro tip: For the sake of everyone in the vicinity, avoid any deodorant that sounds like a stripper’s name: “Phoenix,” “Dark Temptation,” “Summer Breeze,” etc.

weekend in review One loss and three wins bring the Gees closer to playoffs THE GEE-GEES ARE gaining speed on their way to the playoffs. The women’s basketball team didn’t surprise its home crowd with a double win last weekend, continuing their streak with eight home-game victories. While the men’s team lost their first match on Friday, they made up for it on Jan. 28 with a convincing against the York Lions. Home-game streak

Motivated.

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How much longer can the women’s basketball team go? The University of Ottawa women’s basketball team (15-2) has won their last 15 consecutive games. Ranked sixth nationally, the Gees made easy work of both their opponents on Jan. 27–28. With only five games left until the playoffs, head coach Andy Sparks is ready for a challenge, which will come in their game next week against Carleton. “It’ll be a completely different game,” said Sparks of the upcoming match. “Now, we [would] get looks if we run our stuff ; against Carleton we won’t get any looks. We have to play a lot better than that against Carleton and hopefully we have the potential to do that.” During the Gees’ annual Shoot for the Cure awareness and fundraising night on Jan. 27, the Garnet and Grey crushed the Laurentian University Voyageurs (314) 85-50. The fi rst quarter saw the Gees spring a 16-point lead. Fift h-year centre Hannah Sunley-Paisley and fourth-year centre Jenna Gilbert contributed 15 points each, leading the Gees to their victory. With quick feet the Gees sprinted down the court for a convincing 73-47 win against the York University Lions (6-11) on Jan. 28. First-year point guard Kellie Ring started the scoring off with a three-pointer from beyond the arc, while fi ft h-year guard Teddi FirmiKuehn and second-year guard Émilie Cyr each contributed four points to the quarter to fi nish the fi rst 10 minutes 238. York University pulled together a small comeback in the second half, gaining on the Gees by 10 points midway through the third. They were unable to maintain their play and allowed the Garnet and Grey to rebound for a

photo by Sean Done

KEEPING THE STREAK GOING Women’s basketball team sinks in another win 19-point lead. “We didn’t seem to pick it up in the third quarter, but I think we defended well in the fi rst half,” said Sparks. The fi nal minutes of play saw SunleyPaisley score a three-pointer to fi nish the game. —Katherine DeClerq The Gees will go on the road to meet their crosstown rivals, the Carleton University Ravens (12-5), on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.

Getting their groove back Gee-Gees men’s basketball team rebound after another loss Unable to secure a win during last Friday night’s game against Laurentian University Voyageurs (8-9) with a fi nal score of 90-80, the University of Ottawa men’s basketball team (11-6) were desperate for a win. Making quick work of the York University Lions (3-14) and ending the game 92–61, the Gees fi nished the match with 11 wins under their belt for the regular season. From the opening seconds of the fi rst quarter on Jan. 28, fans could tell it was a different team on the court that stepped up to face off against the Lions. A stronger defence and higher energy

level allowed Vikas Gill, fi rst-year forward for the Gees, to score back-to-back three-pointers in the second quarter. While the play got slower in the third quarter, the game ended with both the Lions and Gee-Gees picking it up and sinking most baskets. “[We did a] much better job defensively,” said second-year guard Johnny Berhanemeskel about their win against York. “Everyone realizes our effort is what’s going to make us, especially with Warren being out. That energy … [and] every minute matters.” Head coach James Derouin echoed Berhanemeskel’s sentiments about the team’s defensive play. “Defensive energy was probably night and day difference from yesterday; we came out physical with a chip on our shoulders,” he said. “Lesson has to be we don’t have to go through a Friday night to play like we [did] tonight. We should play like that every single night we play.” —Sofia Hashi The Gee-Gees men’s basketball team will make their next appearance at the Raven’s nest, squaring off against Carleton Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.

Gees fan? Write for sports! sports@thefulcrum.ca

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

sports | 17

weekend in review Loss to McGill brings forth vengeance win against Carleton Ravens

photo by Mico Mazza

CROSSTOWN REVENGE Men’s hockey team fights against the Carleton Ravens for a 4-1 win WITH SO FEW games left in the season, both the men’s and women’s hockey teams suffered excruciating losses in their respective conferences over the weekend. The teams each saw defeats by McGill University, but the men’s team was given an opportunity to redeem themselves with a 4-1 win against crosstown rivals, the Carleton University Ravens.

Fighting a losing battle Gee-Gees struggle against top ranked Martlets On Jan. 28, the Gee-Gees women’s hockey team (6-10) faced the McGill University Martlets (14-1-1), currently ranked first in the country. Only minutes into the game, a crack resonated throughout the arena. A quick pass up the right side by Gee-Gees thirdyear forward Fannie Desforges met thirdyear forward Dominique Lefebvre’s stick for an early lead.

from the sidelines

Katherine DeClerq Sports Editor

Students aren’t members AS A STUDENT at the University of Ottawa, I like to take advantage of the free classes offered at the Sports Complex. On Fridays I attend the Zumba classes, while I relax with an hour of yoga on Sundays. However, this week I came to a startling realization: While the Sports Complex allows students to use its facility, programs, and free classes, we aren’t actually considered members of the gym. It was a Sunday afternoon, and I had a lot of deadlines to make and readings to do for an assignment. Completely stressed, I trekked down King Edward to

After many opportunities in front of the net, the Martlets retaliated with a wrap-around goal, tying up the score and setting the pace for the rest of the game. Though the Gees kept the Martlets close in the first period 1-2, the second period onslaught by McGill was too much for the U of O to handle. The Martlets added another four goals to their tally. “Every time we made mistakes. they made us pay,” explained Gees’ head coach Yanick Evola. “In the second period, they were able to capitalize on every chance they had.” The game ended with McGill up by six points, winning 7-1. Despite the loss, Evola said he was pleased with the overall effort displayed on the ice. “We were playing the best team in the country,” explained Evola. “We wanted to give the best effort possible, [but] we got a couple of crossbars.”

Despite the looming loss, spirits remained high in the stands as the Hockey feminine de l’Outaouais’ (HFO) novice team—ages nine to 10—continued to cheer on the Gees. Sophie Shaver, who was celebrating her birthday, was impressed with the speed of the game and the puck handling. Being the only novice team in the Outaouais region, most girls transferred over from boys’ teams where they were captains, explained Sophie’s mother, U of O alumnus Tara Shaver. “What we’re trying to show them is that the girls’ [teams] can skate just as fast as the boys,” explained Shaver. The Gees travelled to Concordia University to face the Stingers (3-12) on Jan. 29, where they won by a single point on some successful power-play action. —Michelle Ferguson

the Sports Complex for some yoga, figuring I would stretch, relax my mind, and then get back to work. I arrived around 2:35 p.m., and there was already a waiting list for the class that started at 3 p.m. I was told to return at about 2:55 p.m. to see if I could get in. I was a bit confused—how could there be a waiting list? Do people usually sign up for classes and then decide not to go? I asked the people at the desk and got the following response: “There are 15 spots for students and 15 spots reserved for members. By 2:55 p.m., if no more members show up, we will start taking people from the waiting list.” When I asked why that was so, I was told that members paid a lot more than students and were complaining there were never any spots for them in the classes offered. My response—get there early like the rest of us. Let’s just say it wasn’t the most relaxing yoga session I’ve had in my lifetime. Students pay about $202 for access to the Sports Complex, while members of the community can pay anywhere between $275–523 for a year. So yes, they pay more, but I don’t think that should

give them special treatment over students. If you really want to do a quick calculation, take a look at how many students pay for gym “membership” and don’t use any of the services, yet the fees are mandatory in their ancillary fees. Even if we focus on the full-time students at the University of Ottawa, I would bet anything that the money accumulated would amount to more than the funds the Sports Complex receives from community members. Last time I checked, I held a student membership. I may not pay as much as some random person from Sandy Hill, but that shouldn’t mean I can’t get in to a free class. Students have to get there half an hour early to ensure they get a spot, so why should members be able to show up five minutes before the class and still get in before those who have been waiting? I always assumed the Sports Complex was part of the university, and that students were their main customers. But I guess if you pay less than $275, none of that really matters.

The Gees will travel to McGill for a rematch on Feb. 10, and return to face the

sports@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5931

University of Montreal Carabins (10-4-1) at home on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m.

victory over the Carleton University Ravens (13-9-3) on Jan. 29. The Gees opened the scoring early in the game with a goal from fourth-year forward Matthieu Methot, and brought the score to 2-0 before the period ended, first-year forward Stephen Blunden scoring on a power play. After adding two more goals in the second and third periods by forwards Alexandre Touchette and Maxime Chamberland, the team focused on playing smart defensively to secure the victory. “We didn’t want to give good opportunities to our opponents” said Paiement. “We wanted to create scoring chances without taking chances.” —Kyle Nightingale

Best offence is a good defence Men’s hockey team extends losing streak As the season comes closer to its end every game is crucial for the Gees to see a playoff spot. The University of Ottawa men’s hockey team (13-11-1) faced off against the McGill University Redmen (18-3-2) on Jan. 27 in Montreal only to see their losing streak increase to four games after a disappointing 7-2 loss. “Our confidence is low … It seems like any time we make a mistake [the puck is] in the back of the net,” explained head coach Réal Paiement after the game. “We’re running out of time [in the season] and we have to fi nd a way back onto the winning track”. The Gees did just that when they tightened up their defensive play to earn a 4-1

The Gee-Gees play the first of their last three games of the season on Feb. 4, taking on the Concordia University Stingers (1210-2) in Montreal.

scoreboard 11-5

Volleyball (W) Gees Gees Next:

3 2 vs.

0 3

Rams Golden Gaels

@ Montpetit (Feb. 2, 7 p.m.)

Track and Field @ McGill University Mark Farnsworth: Finished first in men’s pentathlon Jennifer Perrault: Finished first in 600M event Emery Terrell and Johanna Dobransky finished first and second in women’s pentathlon Next @ New York, N.Y. (Feb. 3–5)

18 | sports

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

‘Just keep swimming’

Swimming to the top

FLYING TO THE FINISH

photo courtesy Richard Whittaker

Sherry Patel competes in the butterfly for the Gees

FINISHING IN RECORD TIME

photo courtesy Orléans Star

Adam Best completes a race for the Gees

Adam Best to focus on Olympic trials Katherine DeClerq | Fulcrum Staff

AFTER COMPETING IN Shenzhen, China during the summer for the International University Sports Federation, third-year swimmer Adam Best began his season with the Gee-Gees motivated and determined to get back on the world stage. His latest meet saw him capture gold in the 100M backstroke and bronze in the 50M backstroke, but while Best is preparing for the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships, his vision is a little broader. Best took the time to share those ambitions with the Fulcrum. The Fulcrum: What program are you in and why did you choose to come to the University of Ottawa? Best: I’m in third year, arts. I chose the University of Ottawa because my club coach was the coach for the university, and it al-

lowed me to stay at home, which was financially the best decision at the time.

at those two meets; however, my focus is shifted a little bit further this year.

Have you always been a swimmer, and if so, for how long? I’ve been swimming competitively for about eight years now. I was very active growing up—I played soccer and ran until I was about 14 until I decided to focus only on swimming. I stayed in swimming mostly because I was pushed into [it] by my mom, which I didn’t totally enjoy at first, but now [it’s] impossible to live my life without [the sport].

What has been your best race, personally? My best race personally was my 200M backstroke at CIS last year, winning the silver medal behind my good friend Matt Hawes. He had helped me improve dramatically throughout the year and everything came together perfectly for me in that race.

Can you describe a typical week of training? We train nine times a week at the university: Every weekday afternoon from 2–4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings from 5:30–7:30 a.m., and Saturday mornings from 8–10 a.m. We also have weight training sessions three times a week as well. What are your goals for the OUA Championships and the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) meet? This year, with Olympic trials being my main focus, I’ll most likely be training straight through both of those meets to be better prepared come April. Of course, I’ll be looking to do the best I can for the team

Do you see yourself as pursuing an athletic career post-university? Although I have no real idea of what I’d like to do following university, I feel like it will be sports-related in some way—mainly based off the fact that I have always lived my life in a very active way and sports, in general, have greatly shaped the person I am today. If you were a fish, what fish would you be and why? I would probably be Dory from Finding Nemo. Like her, I have a hard time remembering certain details all the time, but I try to stay positive as much as possible around the pool deck, because even though our training sessions can be long and monotonous sometimes, I try to be the person to say “just keep swimming, swimming, f swimming.”

Sherry Patel brings home three medals and hopes for more Katherine DeClerq | Fulcrum Staff

ROOKIE SHERRY PATEL made her mark in university athletics last Sunday during the Ontario Cup swimming meet, where she brought home a gold medal in the 50M butterfly, a silver in the 100M butterfly, and a bronze in the 100M breaststroke. In preparation for the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championships in February, the Fulcrum sat down with Patel to talk about her goals and expectations for the rest of the season. Fulcrum: What program are you in and why did you choose to come to the University of Ottawa? Patel: I’m in fi rst year of biomedical. Ottawa was always my fi rst choice. I really liked the program here, and the swim team when I met them. It’s also a great experience living on my own without my parents. Have you always been a swimmer, and if so, for how long? I’ve been swimming for almost four years now. In high-school I did triathlons, cross-country running, and track and field. I joined my high-school swim team to keep in shape for the track and field season, and when I ranked third in my region and qualified for [the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations], I decided to join a club team. I swam for three years with the Oakville Aquatics Club, and currently swim with the Mississauga Aquatic Club. Can you describe a typical week of training? A typical training week for me includes

four morning practices before class, usually starting at 5:30 a.m., five afternoon practices, three weight-training workouts, and I also run once a week. What are your goals for the OUA Championships and the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) meet? I’m not sure yet what I’m swimming at OUA’s, but my goal will defi nitely be to [get a] medal in all my events and hopefully the relays as well. The team as a whole is looking really good in the water now; I’m sure we’re going to have a great meet. Heading into CIS, my goal is to be top three in the 50M butterfly. What has been your best race, personally? My best race has always been the 50M butterfly. It only took me two tries to qualify for nationals in the 50M butterfly during the long-course season. I’ve had a lot of great opportunities racing some of the top flyers in Canada. Last summer I had the opportunity of racing side by side with the Canadian record holder in the event. I set a best time and was ranked 17th overall in Canada for the event in the current season. Do you see yourself as pursuing an athletic career post-university? My career goal is to be a sports medicine physician. I want to have a professional career, but still be involved with athletes and have a relationship with them. If you were a fish, what fish would you be and why? Th is question stumped me for a while! I had to ask my friends what fish they could see me as. My mother and I both agreed that I would make a good pufferfish. They’re pretty small, but they can stand their ground against bigger fish. All they have to do is puff up and become a ball of spikes. I’ve had a lot of coaches come up to me before and say they didn’t expect me to be as competitive as I am, or as fast as I am, given that I’m quiet and haven’t been training that long. f

We’ve got ALL the sports! sports@thefulcrum.ca

FEATURES Kristyn Filip | features@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5258

DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di...

Dear Di, My girlfriend told me the last guy she dated was able to make her squirt in bed and she loved it. She hasn’t done it with me yet and I’m worried this makes me a bad lover. I want my girlfriend to love having sex with me and I don’t think she will until I make her squirt. How can I get the job done? —No Squirtle Here Dear NSH, A bad lover is someone who has no appreciation for his partner’s body and no interest in his or her desires, concerns, and fantasies. Your letter alone proves you are not a bad lover, but are rather a concerned and somewhat self-conscious one. Long confused with urination or natural lubricant, female ejaculation remains a hotly contested topic to this day. Whether all researchers believe squirting to be true, the fact remains: Most girls who squirt report it to be an out-of-thisworld way to orgasm. So what are you to do? First of all, you need to relax. The more pressure you put on yourself to perform, the less likely it is you’ll achieve your ultimate goal. I believe the easiest and most direct way to turn your sweetie into your own personal Super Soaker is by communicating with her. Ask your liquid-

loving lady to recount the precise penis positioning, fi nger motions, and tongue tricks that got her flowing in the fi rst place. I encourage you to be honest with your honey about your desire to make her come like Niagara Falls, but bear in mind the difference between talking with someone and pressuring them. If your woman feels like she’s disappointing you, her wet and wild water park will close indefinitely. There’s no better way to crush a girl’s climax than by commanding she come on the spot. Making your girl gush like a geyser may be your own personal Everest, but if you stay calm, keep the lines of communication open, and listen to her lead, I have no doubt you’ll be towelling yourself off in no time. Love, Di

Dear Di, I have never been attracted to anyone in my life. I’ve never had sex or dated anyone, nor have I had the desire to. My friends try to get me to date because they think I’m lying to myself or that I’m too scared to attempt having romantic relationships with others, but I think I’m asexual. What do you think? And how can I get my friends to lay off ? They’re really making me feel like a freak. —Not For Me

Sexy Sidenote: After locking lips for 46 hours, 24 minutes, and nine seconds, Thai couple Akekachai and Raksana Tiranarat won the world record for longest kiss in 2011.

Dear NFM, I believe what I think is irrelevant—when it comes to your sexuality, the only opinion that matters is your own. Although I don’t doubt your friends’ encouragement comes from a place of love, their actions are seriously misguided. Urging someone to do anything that doesn’t feel natural to them is a recipe for disaster. It seems your gang doesn’t realize that by singling you out and egging you on, they’re also isolating and hurting you. Assuming you are asexual, it’s safe to say your orientation is difficult for your pals to comprehend. There’s a good chance your friends are like many other 20-somethings who stumble through life using only their penis or vagina as a guide, so learning a member of their own ranks operates differently is probably somewhat shocking to them. Young people today can accept homo-, hetero-, and bisexuality, but removing sex entirely from the equation throws them for a loop. I suggest you take the high road and show your friends the courtesy and respect they’ve denied you. Sit them down and calmly explain that while you appreciate their concern, your private life is none of their business. Explain that you feel happy and fulfi lled without a partner or sex, and you hope your besties will support your decision to follow your heart and not what society tells you is right. I encourage you to seek out other asexual people who will be able to offer you advice and friendship. Consider looking into the Asexual Visibility and Education Network, an online group that will provide you with the opportunity to connect with other asexual people and tools to educate family and friends. Love, Di Questions for Di? Email deardi@thefulcrum.ca or find her on Twitter (@Dear_di) or Facebook (Di Daniels)

“You can’t explain that” | Brennan Bova answers on p.11 (CUP) — Puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com. Used with permission. Across 1- Soviet news service; 5- Narc’s employer; 8- Copied; 12- Dos cubed; 13- Boarded; 15- Mex. miss; 16- Caspian Sea feeder; 17- Appliance brand; 18- Mariners can sail on seven of these; 19- Merciless; 22- Advanced degree?; 23- Pinch; 24- Westernmost of the Aleutians; 26- Scottish pudding; 29- Drowsy; 31- Equinox mo.; 32- Grind together; 34- Alma _ ; 36- Glimpse; 38- Stare angrily; 40- Jester; 41- Bottom line; 43- Olds model; 45- Former nuclear agcy.; 46- Filament; 48- High-speed skiing; 50- Always; 51- Blend; 52- Center Ming; 54- Psychokinesis; 61- “ _ quam videri” (North Carolina’s motto); 63- Draw a bead on; 64- City near Phoenix; 65- Arguing; 66- Thin glutinous mud; 67- Friends; 68- Sibilate; 69- Part of TNT; 70- Very, in Versailles; Down 1- Travel from place to place; 2- 160 square rods; 3- Counterfeit; 4- “Farewell!”; 5- Cupola; 6- Bibliography abbr.; 7- Bang-up; 8- Balaam’s mount; 9- Before marriage; 10- Coup d’ _ ; 11- Morse element; 13- Breathless; 14- Like Fran Drescher’s voice; 20- Diana of “The Avengers”; 21- Flower part; 25- Side; 26- Serf; 27- The ideal example; 28- Cobb, e.g.; 29- Termagant; 30- Arabian republic; 31Cpl.’s superior; 33- Gal of song; 35- VCR button; 37- Sportscaster Albert; 39- Recluse; 42- Internet writing system that popularized “pwn3d” and “n00b”; 44- Thor’s father; 47- Bailiwicks; 49- Free from an obligation; 52- Casual assent; 53- Italian wine city; 55- Light air; 56- Chieftain, usually in Africa; 57- Animistic god or spirit; 58- Scorch; 59- Archipelago part; 60- Back talk; 62- Aliens, for short;

It happened this week in history

The FULCRUM 1993

OTTAWA 1889

CANADA 1880

THE WORLD 2004

We report U of O criminology professor Robert Ross has been arrested for allegedly abusing students from the Grandview School for Girls.

The Catholic Oblate College of Ottawa becomes known as the University of Ottawa.

In Lucan, Ont., the entire “Black Donnelly” family is murdered by a group of young vigilantes.

Harvard University student Mark Zuckerberg launches a social-networking site he names “The Facebook”.

20 | features

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

thethryllabus Music Feb. 2: Shad plays at the Algonquin College Observatory (1385 Woodroffe Ave.), 8:30 p.m. Feb. 2: A Sight For Sewn Eyes, Bare Bones, Lifestory: Monologue, The Gillingham Fire Demonstration, and Letters From The Princess play Mavericks (221 Rideau St.), 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3: Yamantaka and Sonic Titan play Babylon (317 Bank St.), 8 p.m. Feb. 4: The Johnnies, The Polymorphines, and The Shakey Aches play Dominion Tavern (33 York St.), 9 p.m. Feb. 4: Sheezer and Rouge play Zaphod Beeblebrox (27 York St.), 8 p.m. Feb. 6: JEFF The Brotherhood, The White Wires, and Dagger Eyes play Babylon (317 Bank St.), 8 p.m. Feb. 7: Theory of a Deadman plays the Bronson Centre (211 Bronson Ave.), 7 p.m. Feb. 8: Hanson and Carly Rae Jepsen play the Bronson Centre (211 Bronson Ave.), 7 p.m. Feb. 9: Kathleen Edwards and Hannah Georgas play The Bronson Centre (211 Bronson Ave.), 7 p.m.

Feb. 10: Banditas, Garaga, and Shankers + Romps play Raw Sugar Café (692 Somerset St. W.), 9 p.m. Feb. 11: Bravestation, Young Empires, and The Glass Chain play Ritual (137 Besserer St.), 9 p.m. Feb. 11: Will Currie and the Country French and The Flats play Zaphod Beeblebrox (27 York St.), 8 p.m. Feb. 11: Sam Roberts Band and Zeus play the National Arts Centre (53 Elgin St.), 8 p.m. Film Feb. 2: Groundhog Day plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 9 p.m. Feb. 3: Big Miracle, Chronicle, W.E., and The Woman in Black released to theatres Feb. 3: J. Edgar plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4: The Divide plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 8:45 p.m. Feb. 8: Carnage plays at the ByTowne Cinema (325 Rideau St.), 6:50 p.m. Feb. 10: The Way plays at the ByTowne Cinema (325 Rideau St.), 4:30 p.m.

Want your event listed on the thryllabus? Email events@thefulcrum.ca

Feb. 11: Annie Hall plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 3 p.m.

Theatre

Feb. 12: Harold and Maude plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 3 p.m.

Now–Feb. 5: Blood on the Moon plays at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (1233 Wellington St. W.)

Feb. 12: Sleeping Beauty plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 8:15 p.m.

Now–Feb. 18: Cyrano de Bergerac plays at the Gladstone Theatre (910 Gladstone Ave.)

Feb. 12: A Separation plays at the ByTowne Cinema (325 Rideau St.), 3:45 p.m.

Now–Feb. 20: Creation plays at the National Arts Centre (53 Elgin St.)

Visual art Now–March 25: Works by Janet Cardiff displayed at the National Gallery of Canada (380 Sussex Dr.) Now–April 1: Made in America: 1900– 1950 is displayed at the National Gallery of Canada (380 Sussex Dr.) Now–April 27: Leiber and Sullivan is displayed at the National Gallery of Canada (380 Sussex Dr.) Feb. 3–26: Works by Caleb Speller displayed at La Petite Mort Gallery (306 Cumberland St.) Feb. 7–Mar. 4: Nature Morte is displayed at the Cube Gallery (1285 Wellington St. W.)

Feb. 4: Question Period: The Musical plays at the Art Courts Theatre (2 Daly Ave.), 8 p.m. Feb. 7–18: Pack of Lies plays at the Kanata Theatre (100 Walter Baker Pl.) Sports events Feb. 3: The Ottawa Senators play the New York Islanders at Scotiabank Place (1000 Palladium Dr.), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4: The Ottawa Senators play the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Place (1000 Palladium Dr.), 7 p.m. Feb. 7: The Ottawa Senators play the St. Louis Blues at Scotiabank Place (1000 Palladium Dr.), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9: The Ottawa Senators play the Nashville Predators at Scotiabank Place (1000 Palladium Dr.), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10: Men’s hockey: Gee-Gees

play the McGill University Martlets at the Minto Sports Complex (801 King Edward Ave.), 7 p.m. Feb. 11: Men’s hockey: Gee-Gees play the Université du Québec à TroisRivières Patriotes at the Minto Sports Complex (801 King Edward Ave.), 7 p.m. Feb. 11: The Ottawa Senators play the Edmonton Oilers at Scotiabank Place (1000 Palladium Dr.), 7:30 p.m. Miscellaneous happenings Feb 2: Happy Groundhog Day! Feb. 2: The Third Annual Reach Comedy Night held at the National Library and Archives (395 Wellington St.) Feb. 2–4: The Ottawa Winter Jazz Fest presents three nights of local and international musicians at venues downtown. See Ottawajazzfestival. com for information Feb. 4: Free the Children Ottawa Mobilizers host a concert to benefit children in Berna, India at Memorial Hall (39 Dufferin Rd.), 8 p.m. Feb. 6: The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and the Canadian AIDS Society hosts a screening of Criminal Sex? Women, HIV, and the Injustice of the Law at the Andrew S. Haydon Hall (110 Laurier Ave. W.), 6:30 p.m.

feb. 2–12

We’ll pick your news.

OPINIONS Jaclyn Lytle | executive@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5258

OPINIONS

Gabbing about graffiti

Get your spray on...

Street art or vandalism?

CONTRARY TO POPULAR belief, there are areas in Ottawa where graffiti is not only legal but encouraged. Though few and far between, the success of these local paint walls are paving the way for a more sprayfriendly city.

THOUGH NOT THE largest or most urban city in Canada, Ottawa is no stranger to the colourful world of graffiti art. Some adore it and others abhor it, but what does graffiti really say about our city?

But be legal about it

House of Paint Carleton University, beneath Dunbar Bridge Home to the largest independent hip-hop festival in Ottawa, the large space beneath Dunbar Bridge on the Carleton University campus has come to be known as House of Paint. The area, which is picturesque in its own right, is continuously redecorated by Ottawa artists and spray-paint aficionados. Open to the public and legal to graffiti, House of Paint is one of Ottawa’s best-kept spray paint secrets. Tech Wall Ottawa Technical High School, at the corner of Slater Street and Bronson Avenue

illustration by

Mathias MacP

hee

All the graffiti

Spray-painting lipstick on a pig

point

counterpoint

Living in Ottawa, we see graffiti all the time, but rarely do we get an opportunity to truly enjoy it. Every week, Rick Mercer shows a different Toronto alley during his celebrated rant sessions, all of which highlight beautiful and ornate graffiti art displays. Some may not see the true merit of this art form, but for those who do, the world becomes their canvas. There are many places in Toronto that display graffiti in a more refined form, like the pointillism rendition of “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat, located at the corner of Wilson and Bathurst, or the many tags that litter the downtown core. The variety of graffiti styles is actually distinguished in some places. In Brazil, graffiti is seen as an art form, with galleries and exhibitions dedicated to its recognition. In England, however, the artist known as Banksy is viewed as a criminal by the police. Graffiti is an expression of freedom of speech, and that freedom should be pro-

Hide your kids, hide your wife—they’re spraying everything out here! Well, everything they can reach. From trains to lamp posts, graffiti has taken over the urban landscape in the past decade, bringing with it a culture of vandalism that is harmful to our communities. In the last few years, Ottawa City Council voted to allow three graffiti walls for aspiring spray-masters to display their work. The City of Ottawa then found the graffiti walls were doing nothing to stop the spread of graffiti, because “graffiti must be illegal to be ‘real’.” And therein lies the problem. Most people would agree that spraypainting a car without permission is crossing a line, but somehow train cars are not viewed the same way. Both are privately owned forms of transportation, yet trains always seem to be decorated with graffiti “art.” People who break into train yards can vandalize with a clear conscience, and the problem seems to be growing.

Graffiti is an expression of freedom of speech, and that freedom should be protected.

tected and even encouraged by the city government. Living in a place with very little vegetation, such as the University of Ottawa’s campus, the presence of graffiti murals would add a bit of colour to our dull grey campus buildings. We all know that Carleton taunts us for being a hole in the wall—maybe with a little bit of colour we could create a more beautiful campus. Graffiti will always be a hotly contested form of artwork, but like many of its predecessors, it is an expression of a generation of people. It should be encouraged rather than squashed. —Andrew Ikeman

Why should the fact that some trains are owned by crown corporations mean their rights are forfeited? It should be up to individual property owners to decide what colour their possessions are, not whomever can jump a fence the fastest. Graffiti is also prevalent in public spaces, spaces owned by all residents of the city. Putting graffiti in these places is not simply freedom of expression—it is an imposition of one’s views. If you have something to protest and a can of paint you’ve been dying to use, go make yourself a sign. Graffiti is difficult and costly to remove, and the mess it leaves behind usually lasts longer than the message. No one wants to stop freedom of expression. If graffiti is art, keeping it to your own walls won’t hurt. But if that doesn’t satisfy your need to spray stuff, graffiti should be labelled what it is— vandalism. —Ben Martin

Tech Wall is likely Ottawa’s most popular graffiti wall. Largely painted by Ottawa Technical High School students, any amateur can try their hand at graffiti here. Located at the back of the dog park on the corner of Slater Street and Bronson Avenue, art displayed on the Tech Wall is seen more than any other graffiti in the city due to its proximity to the OC Transpo transitway. MacQuarrie skate park Orleans, outside Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex The MacQuarrie skate park is the most spacious graffiti park in the Ottawa area, but also one of the least accessible. Open only during the summer months, the park is frequented by Ottawa East artists, rarely visited by Centretown or Ottawa West graffiti artists. Still, with the most open area to go around, art is likely to stay up at this location. —Jaclyn Lytle

22 | opinions

thefulcrum.ca | Feb. 2–8, 2012

Now open until midnight! And kissing principles goodbye

Jaclyn Lytle | Fulcrum Staff

We’re really sorry RCMP ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER Craig Callens issued a public apology Jan. 27 regarding the organization’s handling of the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. The announcement was made to families of the victims, and comes mere days before officers in charge of the Pickton case make their statements to the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. The inquiry will determine whether the officers’ conduct throughout the length of the Pickton investigation was neglectful or irresponsible. The father of one of Pickton’s victims has already spoken out, saying the apology is too little, too late. Is the apology enough to acknowledge the RCMP’s missteps throughout the investigation or is it time an action plan dealing with crime against sex trade workers was presented by the organization?

Jaclyn Lytle | Fulcrum Staff

IT’S NO SECRET that we live in a fast-paced society. “Go go go!” seems to be the personal mantra of every citizen of down-

Get a ball, why don’t you? illustration by Brennan

town Ottawa, and local businesses have

Bova

picked up on that.

During the holiday shopping season, store hours city-wide were lengthened considerably. Small shops opened earlier and chain stores kept their doors unlocked until the wee hours of the morning. Bayshore Shopping Centre, one of the largest malls in the city, carried on its annual tradition of staying open until midnight for the week before Christmas, and outlets at College Square and Trainyards held midnight madness Boxing Day sales, refusing to close up shop until sales ceased. We live in a world where convenience

is key and the retail business is capitalizing on our need to have what we want, when we want it. But at what cost? The majority of retail workers are employed part time and paid minimum wage, which sits at a meagre $10.25 per hour in Ontario. Often forced to work long hours with breaks so short and infrequent they border on illegality, retail workers experience an extremely unforgiving work environment. And what do they get for enduring all that with a smile glued to their face? More hours and fewer breaks because, hey, ‘tis the

season to be buying. Maybe it’s because I’m a former retail worker myself that I’m so empathetic to their plight, but I am sick and tired of seeing store employees worked to the bone. Whenever I enter a store, I witness exhaustion and frustration plastered across the faces of almost every employee, and I will not stand for it. Tired, hungry, overworked, and underappreciated, retail employees are some of the hardest workers I have ever encountered. Selling their soul for sales targets and barely bringing home

enough dough to make rent, these people deserve our admiration and a heck of a lot more respect from employers and customers alike. Next time you see a sign that reads “Open until Midnight” or “Hours: 24/7,” I beg you, walk away. Or, if you do enter that store, tell management exactly what you think of their blatant exploitation of their employees. As for me, I have a long list of stores that can kiss my business goodbye. I’d rather sacrifice convenience for prinf ciples any day.

THE HIGHLY CRITICIZED sport of dwarf tossing is making headlines in Ontario. A strip club in Windsor, Ont. has publicized the return of their annual dwarf tossing event, an evening when customers can literally throw a little person as part of a competition. The event is already attracting considerable backlash; a local man and father of four little people called it “ignorance at its highest level” in an interview with the CBC. On the other hand, the club manager claims he has been contacted several times by little people who are eager to participate in the event. Is dwarf tossing a brutish and offensive game or is it all in good fun when consenting adults are involved?

Care to comment? Tell us what your opinion is at Thefulcrum.ca/category/opinions/.

Student responds to crosstown rivalry Online war petty and immature Raza Amir | Fulcrum Contributor

AS MIDTERMS APPROACH, more and more University of Ottawa and Carleton University students are abandoning their books. Why, you ask? To participate in

an all-out Facebook meme war, which is gaining increased attention by the day. It all started with a Facebook group called “B!tch Please. I go to the University of Ottawa,” on which U of O students posted humourous pictures targeting Carleton and its student body. As these pictures circulated between students and through other online groups, Carleton U students retaliated. Less than 24 hours after the original anti-Carleton pictures were posted, a page called “Carleton Pride” debuted on Facebook and gathered over 1,200 likes. Two days into this epic battle, most

following the feud on Facebook have started to become annoyed by the ongoing war. As a wise man once told me, “Words are just words unless you give them a meaning.” What started off as witty entertainment has now turned into more than anyone had anticipated. Though tedious, this meme war is not totally pointless, but it is gradually becoming nothing more than a child’s game. In Canada, a country where education is considered a right, we have a bunch of supposedly mature adults arguing about whose university is better

like kids fighting over whose father is the strongest. There are people the world over who would do anything to have the same opportunity Canadian students have to study at post-secondary institutions. What are we doing with this amazing gift of education? Arguing about rivalryfuelled gossip. Are we so self-centred that we’ve forgotten how fortunate we are to have access to these institutions? Who cares if a program offered at the U of O is better than the one offered at Carleton U, or vice versa? No one does. What matters is

what you learned and how you apply it, not where you learned it. It would be sad to see this meme war deteriorate the positive relations the campuses have with each other. U of O and Carleton U have a healthy sports rivalry and I hope it stays that way. We are the best educational institutions in the National Capital Region, and there is no need for our students to argue over such pathetic drivel. Open your minds and learn to laugh at yourselves. You’re about to hit the job market and a bad attitude isn’t what you should be taking with you into it. f

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mercedes Mueller | editor@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5261

EDITORIAL

Volume 72, Issue 18, Feb. 2–8, 2012

Don’t vote, sleep in

Tagging boxcars since 1942. Phone: (613) 562-5261 | Fax: (613) 562-5259 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this, or get vandalized.

staff Mercedes ‘national monument’ Mueller Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca

IT’S ELECTION TIME at the University of Ottawa. Brace yourself for the onslaught of poster campaigns and classroom presentations where Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) candidates plunge into brief yet vague explanations of their visions for 2012–13.

Michelle ‘metropolitan’ Ferguson Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn ‘urban jungle’ Lytle Executive Editor executive@thefulcrum.ca Mico ‘mural’ Mazza Art Director design@thefulcrum.ca Jane ‘space invader’ Lytvynenko News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Sofia ‘statues’ Hashi Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Kristyn ‘work of art’ Filip Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Katherine ‘crew’ DeClerq Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Charlotte ‘banksy’ Bailey Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Christopher ‘spray can’ Radojewski Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Ali ‘anonymous artist’ Schwabe Copy Editor Keeton ‘i was here’ Wilcock Staff Writer Sam ‘subways’ Cowan Staff Proofreader Julia ‘obey’ Pankova Staff Illustrator Joshua ‘paint-eater’ Pride Volunteer & Visibility Coordinator volunteer@thefulcrum.ca Danielle ‘vandalism’ Vicha General Manager business.manager@thefulcrum.ca Deidre ‘offensive’ Butters Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca

contributors Raza ‘concrete’ Amir Devin ‘dropsy’ Beauregard Brennan ‘throw up’ Bova Sean ‘cannon’ Campbell Kyle ‘stencil graffiti’ Darbyson Kyle ‘honour-among-thieves’ Hansford Sarah ‘slash’ Horlick Andrew ‘shepard’ Ikeman Ben ‘fairey’ Martin Loukia ‘landmark’ Merdanos Kyle ‘crew’ Nightingale Julia ‘bathroom stall’ Riddle Alessandro ‘all city’ Seccareccia Darren ‘stop signs’ Sharp

cover art by Alessandro Seccareccia and Loukia Merdanos

photo by Mico Mazza

What’s the importance of student politics, anyways? It’s just a bunch of political science kids practising for their totally obtainable future careers as the next Stephen Harpers and Bob Raes of the world, with the slight chance of Nycole Turmel. What’s funny is most students don’t even know who the aforementioned politicians are, so why should we worry our pretty little heads over a silly school election? It’s not like these positions could be considered real jobs, with legit paycheques. The fact that the majority of executives make about $30,000 a year— more than most of us have earned over the span of our university careers—can and should be easily ignored, especially considering we contribute to their salaries by drinking ourselves stupid on Toonie Tuesdays or buying coffees at Café Alt and books at Agora. Oh, wait—as of last summer, 1848 still hadn’t broken even. Well, maybe by this summer they’ll become an SFUO money-maker—doesn’t matter to us! Come to think of it, where does that $80 fee on our statement of accounts mysteriously disappear to once it fi lters out of our bank account and into

the black abyss of the U of O administration? Well, $23.74 goes to the SFUO. Multiply by around 40,000—that’s a lot of money toward a student federation we couldn’t care less about. After salaries, the remaining revenue is managed by the SFUO, divided amongst their services, such as the Student Food Bank, Foot Patrol, and the Bilingualism Centre. The SFUO is also responsible for negotiating U-Pass prices, setting up our health and dental plans, and funding student clubs. It also invests in campaigns. Th is year, nearly $106,000 was set aside for campaigns, including Education is a Right and the National Day of Action. The larger campaigns were organized mostly in conjunction with Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), an organization we pay twice for the privilege of our membership—once to CFS and again to CFS-Ontario. The SFUO also decides how students spend the money they haven’t handed over to the federation yet, collaborating with the City of Ottawa on potential price increases for the U-Pass. But playing around with a budget of over $14 million must be easy as pie—

the SFUO does it every year, so we don’t need to put much thought into who’s toying with this kind of money. We all have a little extra cash to blindly throw away, don’t we? When you think about it, so long as the fi nances of the federation are looked after, who cares about anything else the SFUO does? All those services, clubs, and programs that enrich our student experience at the U of O—they don’t affect us. Like student spaces. It didn’t matter much when the SFUO heard our desperate pleas for longer library hours during exams, and then proceeded to collaborate with the U of O administration to provide us with 24-hour library services during December and April. And certainly everyone would be opposed if the SFUO similarly advocated for better cafeteria food once Chartwell’s contract with the U of O expires in 2013. Our current model of providing students with $4 pizza slices is flawless and leaves nothing to be desired. Let’s face it: Politics is... political. Who wants to spend more than a minute contemplating the fact that recent SFUO efforts have been devoted to the

promotion and organization of the National Day of Action, a CFS-led effort of the Education is a Right campaign? The SFUO represents the political views of our diverse campus, after all—why wouldn’t we support their alignment with the politically charged CFS and the participation in all of their campaigns? Multiple views or not—who cares? Tunnel vision is an asset to a governing body, anyways. Our current prime minister would attest to that. Serious discussions where alternative opinions are valued and respected have no place in politics. Slates are much more effective in achieving results, even if they are in no way beneficial to the general population. But rest assured, dear students, with the knowledge that we don’t need to rely on the SFUO to suppress our voices—we are doing a fantastic job of that ourselves. Voter turnout last year was an outstandingly low 11 per cent. Way to stick it to the man! We can only hope it is even lower this year. I mean, voter apathy is the new big thing, right? editor@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5261

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