September 20, 2017 Issue by On the Record News (Formerly the Ryersonian)

Editorial: Security staff need naloxone page 10

Ryerson students win green tech challenge page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

yersonian R

ryersonian.ca Volume 72 Number 2

Produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism

RSU trains staff to use naloxone The students’ union is taking proactive measures after Ryerson confirmed it does not provide security staff with kits. AIDAN MACNAB RYERSONIAN

The RSU has equipped its equity service staff with naloxone kits after the Ryerson administration’s decision not to provide them to campus security personnel. Some equity staff have already been trained at the Sherbourne Health Centre to use the antidote for opiate overdoses. Others will undergo training soon, according to Camryn Harlick, the RSU’s vice-president of equity. “Ideally, we’re looking to train all the equity service centre staff,” Harlick said. “I think it’s important that we have student staff that are prepared to deal with an overdose if it happens.” More than 2,800 people died from opioid overdoses in Canada

Go to ryersonian.ca to watch a pharmacist demonstrate how to use a naloxone injection kit.

last year, according to a new report by Health Canada. That’s an increase of 70 per cent in the last decade. In Ontario, two people die from opioid overdoses every day, according to a study by the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. Naloxone counteracts the effects of opioids like fentanyl, which has been found in drugs such as cocaine and MDMA. It comes in the form of an injection or a nasal spray, and can be life-saving if someone is suffering from a serious overdose. There are no negative effects associated with administering naloxone — even if the person receiving it isn’t overdosing.

Please see SECURITY page 5

JU ULIE E FAY FA E GERM GERMANS ANSKY KY | RYER RYER ERSON SON ONIA O IAN

Kim Vaz of the Good Food Centre — one of the RSU’s six equity service centres — took matters into her own hands and learned to safely use the naloxone kit at the Sherbourne Health Centre.

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News

Muslim faculty, staff launch community group page 5 Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Students win hackathon Team introduces green tech to elementary school MANSOOR TANWEER RYERSONIAN

A team consisting of two Ryerson students and one from Carleton University has won the opportunity to help a Toronto school take a big leap into the future. Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Scarborough is looking for ways to retrofit its building in order to become a net zero-energy school. To achieve this goal, the elementary school turned to the young professionals of Canada Green Buildings Council (CGBC): Greater Toronto Chapter. Seven teams of engineers, architects and energy specialists from the organization competed in the CGBC’s event, called the Greater Toronto Emerging Green Professionals Hackathon: Zero Carbon Retrofits, on Saturday. Each team was given six hours to design a pitch for the discerning eyes of a panel of judges from the green buildings industry. The presenters had five minutes to make their case. The winners of the hackathon are afforded the opportunity to stand before the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) and talk to them about how they can retrofit Our Lady of Fatima. The winning team consisted of Daniel Carey and Deva Veylan from Ryerson and Yazan Zafar from Carleton. They were perfect strangers up until the night before the competition. But together, they came

COURT TESY Y BECCA GIL I GAN

Second place team. From left to right: John Beardy-Singh, Mariem Kadhim, Jelena Madzavevic, Francisco Contreras

up with a winning model that emphasized efficiency first. “The general approach is, start with efficiency, and once you have reduced the demand of energy in the building then you produce things like solar and other renewables,” said Deva Veylan, a Ryerson master’s student in the building science program. A big part of their strategy to maximize efficiency in the school’s electrical systems was to remove as much of the human

element as possible from energy consumption. Much of the consumption issues plaguing buildings are the result of lights being left on due to absent-mindedness and laziness. “We looked at building automation systems, or BAS, and that basically automates everything from light switches to dimming lights to self-tinting windows, to take as much control away from the user, so that we don’t have things like lights being left on,”

said Carey, a master of architecture student at Ryerson. Last April, Mike Mattos, president of the Mount Dennis Community Association, announced to Metro News that he would like his neighbourhood to become Toronto’s first carbon-neutral neighbourhood. The following May, the city of Toronto’s parks and environment committee published its plan, called the Climate Action for a Healthy, Equitable and Prosperous Toronto.

The plan called for 100 per cent of buildings in Toronto to become near net zero by 2030. While the need for zero-emissions buildings might seem self-evident, the team is hyperaware of the factors that could lead to potential pushback towards their proposal from the TCDSB. The cost of the hypothetical project casts a large and ominous shadow over their work. “I’ve worked for an architecture firm that has designed schools for several of the school boards in Toronto. It has always been an issue because it is such a strict budget to begin with,” Carey said. The team is pinning its hopes on the school board seeing a possible benefit to the community around the school, should it be retrofitted. Zafar, a recent graduate of Carleton’s engineering program, said one of those benefits could be connecting solar panels to direct current microgrids. Direct current is when electricity flows in only one direction rather than back and forth along a wire. A microgrid is a small-scale localized grid that works in conjunction with the large grid of a city. “It’s a smart system that looks at how much energy the school needs and when the battery storage system is full and will offset it to the grid,” Zafar said.

@mansoortanweer

R yersonian MENTAL HEALTH

News 3

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

A night to shed light Ryerson student affairs co-ordinator hosting an event to raise campus awareness about mental illness EVAN MANNING RYERSONIAN

After watching her son deal with mental health issues over the past year, Beverly Petrovic, student affairs co-ordinator for Ryerson’s school of journalism (RSJ), is hosting a fundraiser for those facing the same battle. The event called “A Night To Shed Light” will take place Oct. 14 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Toronto Centre, located at 30 Carlton St. The night will mark almost

exactly a year since Petrovic’s 16-year-old son, Sasha, was admitted for care. Concerns for Sasha arose when he started breaking objects in their apartment. At the time, Petrovic had absolutely no idea what was going on. “He destroyed our apartment. We’ve had the cops come, and we’ve had him taken away in handcuffs,” said Petrovic. Sasha was brought to emergency psychiatric wards, but no issues with his health could be identified. Petrovic then took him to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), but they were turned away. “They said his anxiety wasn’t high enough, so he didn’t qualify,” she said. “We went to one hospital four times in one week, and they told us he just needs to breathe and needs family counselling.”

During their last visit to the same hospital, they were told to go to St. Joseph’s Health Centre. There, Sasha was admitted for care on Oct. 15, 2016. Eight months ago, Sasha was diagnosed with mental health issues. Planning for the fundraiser began in May. The aim of the fundraiser will be to raise awareness on such issues and proceeds will be given to the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health, where Sasha is currently being treated. “The residential treatment he’s in now is great, but I figure if I can give back to them, with everything they’ve helped my son with, why not?” says Petrovic. Besides mental health awareness, she brought up another very important theme for the night. “The whole theme of the event is family. It’s not just the person

with mental health issues who gets affected, but the whole family,” says Petrovic. Attendees will be treated to two drink tickets, a dinner buffet, dancing, speeches and a silent auction. Auction prizes will include a free massage, a dinner for four at Barberian’s Steak House, a number of free tickets to Cineplex movie theatres, a one-night stay at the Holiday Inn, two tickets to the Christmas show put on by Ryerson’s school of performance, and more. Tickets are currently $100, but Petrovic says students looking to attend the fundraiser can pay a discounted price of $60. So far, 75 of the 100 available tickets have been sold. @evancmanning

EVA VAN MANN V MANN AN N ING IN NG | RYE ERSO RS SONIA ONIA IA IAN AN

Beverly Petrovic says all proceeds from her fundraiser will go to the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health, where her son is being treated.

Go Global at Kerr Hall CHRISTINE CHUA RYERSONIAN

The Go Global Expo will bring a world of opportunities to Ryerson students at Kerr Hall West. Created by Verge Magazine, a publication that features and promotes various ways to study and work abroad, the expo brings in exhibitors from global volunteering and international exchange programs to speak and network with students. Now in its eighth year, the event aims to give those interested in studying, volunteering or simply travelling around the world, the guidance they need to get started. It’s free to attend, and runs Sept. 23 from 11-5 p.m., and Sept. 24 from noon-5 p.m. Jeff Minthorn, co-founder of Verge, said the expo shows students what global opportunities are available to them. “It’s often the case (that) people will be mulling things over,” Minthorn said. “It suddenly becomes that much closer to reality (at the expo).” He added that around 4,000 to 5,000 people attend each year. The event will also feature alumni from Ryerson, York University and the University of Toronto who have returned from internships, volunteering or graduate studies abroad. There will also be guestspeakers, and career- and resumé-building workshops. Minthorn said he wants attendees to think hard about where they’d like to go, how it could support their current degree or career plan, and come prepared with questions. “Man, the experience you get? Invaluable,” he said. “This is your opportunity.” The Go Global Expo runs for one weekend in Toronto, and will also be held in Montreal on Oct. 1. @ChristieCrunch

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

44 News

R yersonian

JOBS IN TECH

Could Amazon office benefit Rye students? Toronto could soon be home to Amazon’s newest headquarters MICHAEL D’ALIMONTE RYERSONIAN

Toronto is in the running to become the site for a second Amazon headquarters, and if the city wins the bid, it’ll mean big things for Ryerson University students. Amazon promises a US$5-billion construction investment to the winning city and as “many as 50,000 high-paying jobs,” the company said in a press release. Toronto is already in the process of securing a bid. If the city is successful, some of those employment opportunities could go to Ryerson students. “By having Amazon close by, we can provide (students) with internships … co-op opportunities … there are a lot of different ways students can benefit from that practical experience,” said Seung Hwan (Mark) Lee, interim director of the retail management school at the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM). “TRSM in general is trying to build a co-op program and expand it,” said Lee. “Having this sort of company be a part of Ryerson would be a great opportunity for many of the students here.” Amazon announced its plan to open a second headquarters, dubbed “HQ2,” on Sept. 7. The Seattle-based company listed certain criteria for the chosen city, including a population over one million people, local tech talent, an international airport and mass transit. Toronto, for the most part, fits the bill. Mayor John Tory has said on Twitter that Toronto is a “prime candidate” for Amazon. Toronto’s mayor promised he “will be leading the charge” to make Toronto the home of HQ2. He has already teamed up with the mayors of Mississauga and Brampton to strengthen the bid.

COU URTESY SY YR ROB O ERT SC COBL OBLE E | FLI FLICKR FL CKR

Amazon will open a new headquarters somewhere in North America, but the location has yet to be announced.

Nothing is set in stone as the tech giant is still accepting bids, but Ryerson students are already excited by the idea of Amazon calling Toronto its second home. “Amazon is such a huge company. It’s going to be a really good opportunity for students in Toronto … to be able to learn firsthand at their headquarters that’s so close to home,” said Kailey Mah, a retail management student at Ryerson. “I think it’s a huge opportunity,” said Daniel Bansgopaul, an accounting and finance student in the TRSM co-op program. Companies taking in Ryerson students would also benefit, said Bansgopaul, and so will Amazon, if it does come to Toronto. “How Amazon could benefit is (in) the wealth of talent we have here. Just having that student perspective is different. It’s fresh, it’s new, it’s unique,” said Bansgopaul. “Both sides would benefit

greatly.” A partnership with Amazon wouldn’t be out of the realm of reason. Ryerson already has partnerships with companies similar to Amazon, such as IBM, a regular recruiter. Ryerson, however, isn’t wellknown for tech programs. If Amazon does come to Toronto, the company may look elsewhere for student talent. “Clearly Ryerson is not going to be their first choice. We’re not (the University of) Waterloo, we’re not known for technology leadership yet, but we have other things that … can attract a relationship,” said Ozgur Turetken, director and professor at TSRM’s school of information technology management. Ryerson has a technology and business-development focus, said Turetken, along with Canada’s largest business technology management and co-op programs.

Amazon isn’t a pure tech company either, so having students with a broader set of skills would benefit the company. But aside from education, there’s something else unique to Ryerson that could give the university an edge over other Toronto-based institutions. “I think Ryerson is ideally positioned to establish a strong relationship … (because of) the diversity of the Ryerson student population,” said Ian Ingles, operations manager at Ryerson’s Career Centre. Diversity, Ingles said, is a key hiring requirement for large corporations like Amazon. Unfortunately, American cities may have an edge over Toronto in the competition for HQ2. Toronto doesn’t offer any real tax incentives for Amazon and operating a multinational corporation is inherently more difficult. Changes to the North American

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and exchange rates between American and Canadian currencies could also be a deterrent to choosing Toronto. Business and tech industry experts, however, believe Amazon will award the bid to a city on the east coast, to complement their current headquarters in Seattle. Toronto may not win the bid, but a nearby American city could, which would likely lead to an increased level of service for the Canadian side of Amazon. More products on Amazon. ca and same-day shipping are examples. So even if Ryerson students don’t receive the employment opportunities gained by a second Amazon headquarters, they’ll still reap the retail benefits. @MDAlimonte

SECURITY cont’d...

Lachemi: Security will not carry naloxone

But Ryerson security staff currently don’t carry naloxone kits. Mohamed Lachemi said on Monday that he was unaware of the RSU’s decision. He added that campus security would not carry naloxone kits because of Ryerson’s proximity to the city’s emergency services and St. Michael’s Hospital. “We are in downtown Toronto and we have lots of organizations that we work very closely with,” he said. “We prefer dealing with the existing facilities and expertise in the city.” However, Harlick says that campus staff should be prepared to assist in overdose cases either way.

R yersonian

News 5

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Muslim faculty group kicks off with Eid event The new group aims to spread the word about its community network DEVIKA DESAI RYERSONIAN

Ryerson’s first-ever Muslim faculty group held its inaugural event on campus last week. The Muslim Faculty and Staff Community Network was formed by Sakeena Mihar and Sarah Bukhari. They said they wanted to support and bring together fellow Muslim members of Ryerson’s faculty and staff. “Being a Muslim is a challenge,” said Mihar, who works as a web content strategist at Ryerson. The group’s first event was an informal social gathering to celebrate Eid. The word Eid means festival. It is often used as a part of many names for religious events in the Muslim world. The event took place last Wednesday at Sally Horsfall Eaton Centre and was open to all faculty and staff members. “It’s basically just an initial kickoff to spread the word about the community network,” said Mihar. “We were trying to find a time that worked for everyone

and decided to plan on celebrating Eid al-Adha, since it’s a time traditionally set for family and friends.” The event was held over a week after the holiday ended. The idea for a community network supporting Muslim staff at Ryerson first came about in January after a terrorist attack at a mosque in Quebec. “The shootings were a big shock to us,” said Mihar. In response, a series of gatherings were organized to lend support to grieving Muslim faculty and give them a space to “unpack.” It was during these gatherings that Mihar came up with the idea to have a group that brought together faculty and staff members who identify as Muslim. “It does send a message to our faculty that our colleagues are trying to support us and be there for us,” said Amina Jamal, a sociology associate professor and fellow member of the community network. While there have been efforts by the Ryerson administration to support Muslim faculty, including

hosting the university’s first-ever Eid last year, no group has been created for them until now. “It’s a place of work,” said Mihar. “We do have a department for equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI), which is great and definitely supportive, but this community network is something created by employees for employees.” Mihar also added, “This is a group that’s open to anyone who self-identifies as Muslim. We’re trying to keep it as inclusive as possible with no barriers.” Sarah Bukhari, who works in the Faculty of Community Services, said the idea was completely supported by the Ryerson administration. “When we broached the idea, we got so much support from EDI and human resources. After that, it was just a matter of trying to find a time to plan this event.” Safia Yousuf, another Ryerson faculty member, said she was happy she was to find a group where she truly belonged. “I’ve found groups and associations supporting Muslim students but where are the groups

supporting Muslim faculty?” she said. According to Mihar, the event was a success, especially as it was attended by both Muslims and non-Muslims. “All the attendees wanted a community network like this,” said Mihar. “They were waiting for an event like this to happen. It showed them and us that there is a community to connect.” While the group does focus on Muslim faculty members, it is inclusive and open to anyone. “What was great was that we saw a lot of non-Muslims come in for the gathering,” Mihar said. “It shows their interest in supporting our initiative.” Jamal added that the group would also be a great way to gather more information on the kind of barriers that young Muslim students and staff face. “It’s also good for us to understand the diversity within us and not just the commonality,” she said. @DevikaDesai1

A NIGHT TO O SHED

AN EVENT IN SUPPORT OF THE SICKKIDS CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH

JULIE EF FA AY YE E GERMA ERMA RM NSKY SKY Y | RYERS YER ERSONIA E ER ONIA ONI ON N NIIA I N

Camryn Harlick, vice-president equity

R yersonian

More than the printed paper.

“I am a little disappointed that security staff are not trained in naloxone,” said Harlick. “It doesn’t necessarily have any negative side-effects, aside from causing withdrawal and stomach aches. So why not prepare your staff to do something that could save a student’s life?” @AidanMacnab

Join us to help bring b i awareness to to th tthe he challenges adolescents lescents with mental health issues face every day so that they can get the support they need.

Saturday, October 14 at 6:00 p.m.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2017

R yers

Features

More Canadian stude

Less than 50 per cent of students join post-seco DEVIKA DESAI RYERSONIAN

It’s not uncommon for students to take time off between high school and university, simply because they are unsure of their next steps. Adam Chen, a firstyear student in the master of journalism program at Ryerson, had two such periods in his life. One lasted less than a year, the other lasted six. Chen says he is no stranger to feeling undecided about the future. When he was 17 years old, fresh out of high school, he chose to take extra courses instead of enrolling at a post-secondary institution, because he had no idea what program to pursue. “I took courses that weren’t required but interested me,” he says. “This was 13 years ago, before everyone was really international. We didn’t have Facebook or were really connected, so for me to realize that the world was this big and that I could do all this, it was a big eye-opener for me.” Chen then decided that he wanted to pursue international development and chose a program that allowed him to travel. “Because I had that extra time, I was able to think about what I wanted to do and prepare myself, and I had a really good undergrad because of that,” he says. Four years later, after graduation, rather than jumping into a post-grad program or a new career, Chen decided to take time off again and travel to East Asia. “I realized that what was a priority for me was to connect with my family,” he says. “I wanted to explore where my family is from, so I convinced my brother to move

with me to Taipei.” After spending two years in Taipei, friends asked Chen if he wanted to start a business with them. So he ended up spending six years in Taiwan running a local smoothie

thing.” But his experience is not too common. While taking a gap year, or more, is considered a rite of passage among Europeans, it has only recently started to gain traction in Canada. A 2011 Statistics Canada

“There is a wide variety of reasons,” says Michelle Garbac, director of My Gap Year, a Canadian non-profit supporting those considering taking one or more gap years. “More people can pull up communities on their laptop and

Not everyone is going to enjoy studying textbooks. — Michelle Garbac store with his brother and friends. After growing up in a school full of students from diverse backgrounds and laced with different cultural expectations, Chen says he never “felt weird doing my own

study showed that less than 50 per cent of high school graduates begin post-secondary education (PSE) within four months of graduation, while almost 75 per cent do so within 15 months of graduation.

connect digitally, but they still haven’t experienced those things in real life, so it’s this teaser that they have that drives their hunger to connect globally,” she explained. Prioritizing mental health over

“the race to finish your degree” is another realization Garbac says is shifting people’s perspective, along with the current uncertainty of the workforce. Many people, she says, want to explore their options before committing to a specific study program, while others decide on taking time off after realizing their current program was no longer feasible. The ever-increasing demand for gap year experience could also be due to a mismatch between the hunger for extracurricular experience and what is offered by the mainstream education system. “It’s just a different way of

COU C OUR RT RTE T SY SY ADA A AM M CHEN EN N

sonian

Features

Wednesday, September 20 2017

ents taking gap years

ondary four months after high school graduation learning. Not everyone is going to enjoy studying textbooks,” Garbac says. “Everyone needs experience to know what deep learning is, fulfilling that hunger for life experience. This is something that the current system isn’t designed for.” While the system may not currently be devised to accommodate this relatively new trend in priorities, changes are being made to allow students opportunities to travel and gain experience during their university careers. Most Canadian universities allow newly admitted first-years to defer admission for certain programs, if not all. Work-study and exchange programs are becoming more accessible to students looking to get experience abroad. It’s just a matter of students taking that initiative to find out what is available to them, according to Yumi Namata, experiential learning co-ordinator at Ryerson. Through her role alone, students can opt for an exchange, a summer abroad, or the chance to work or volunteer with local communities — essentially opportunities where students can work on discovering what they want to do. “I know that sometimes that

can be a lot to do when there is a lot of academic pressure, but I think there are ways to work it in your schedule,” Namata says. Students looking to make the most of their gap year have access to only a limited set of resources. “Currently people have to fumble their way through the available resources,” Garbac says. “But now we’re in the process of launching the Canadian gap year association ... so we (will) be able to have holistic numbers to help people make decisions.” Garbac also says she plans to reach out to guidance counsellors, colleges and universities, ultimately to rid the option of stigma and instead get people to see it as a “viable pathway.” Chen’s time off was longer than most, but he says he is grateful for the perspective he earned during his time away. “I think I might have ended up in journalism anyways, but I feel more comfortable knowing that I wanted to do this, and that I have tried other things,” he says. “I feel comfortable knowing that I made a conscious decision.” @DevikaDesai1

Because I had that extra time, I was able to think about what I wanted to do. — Adam Chen

COURTE T SY Y ADA ADAM CHEN AD CH HEN EN

Left : Adam Chen strawberry picking in the town of Miaoli, Taiwan. Above : Chen and his father on Alishan, a mountain in Taiwan.

R yersonian

Sports

Students won’t pay for sports streaming ryersonian.ca Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Onrait inspires RTA students MAX CIARMELA and LUKE BELLUS RYERSONIAN

As Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole return to TSN to host their new show, SportsCentre with Jay and Dan, some of Ryerson’s first sport media graduating students credit Onrait for inspiring their generation. “The most frequent comment I get is, ‘I grew up with you guys,’” said Onrait. “On one hand it makes us feel old, but on the other hand it’s very flattering.” Onrait began co-hosting SportsCentre on TSN with O’Toole in 2003. After nearly a decade on the air, TSN announced that Onrait and O’Toole would be leaving SportsCentre to join Fox Sports 1 in Los Angeles. They returned to Canadian airwaves this month.

Onrait started his career at TSN in 1996 as an editorial assistant before graduating from Ryerson’s RTA program in 1998. Ryerson sources say that he inspired a wave of sports broadcasting students who aspire to have a similar career path. “Jay proved that you can be an RTA grad and do great things,” said Sarah Jenkins, Ryerson’s play-byplay commentator for women’s hockey, and sideline reporter for men’s hockey and basketball. “He broke into the U.S. market for a bit, which is very difficult, so it just proved to us young aspiring media professionals that anything can happen with hard work, even if your style is unique and different” Onrait is one of the most recognizable figures on the RTA Wall of Fame.

“I think it’s inspiring that the students can see somebody that went through the program, went through the same trials and tribulations they are going through in university and what they will go through,” said Laurel Walzak, an assistant professor in the RTA sport media program. “They see him and realize that it is achievable and as they work towards their goals and they set the direction and focus, they will be able to achieve what Jay has and more,” added Walzak. Onrait said he and O’Toole thought hard about the decision to leave TSN. Despite the huge fan base they created in Canada, Onrait said, “we didn’t want to be 80 and look back on our lives in our late 30s and say we could have gone to the states for four years.”

When Onrait and O’Toole started hosting SportsCentre on TSN in 2003, Mark Milliere, senior vice-president of production, put their show in the 2 a.m. EDT slot with a vision in mind. “The vision was that young people in this country would grow up with us and watch us mostly in the morning,” Onrait said. “They would get up before they went off to school, they would watch our show, and over time it would be something of an institution to them.” Onrait’s humorous style is what makes his approach unique. “What you see on television is very much how we are off TV,” Onrait said. “I think it resonates with people because it’s just different.” Onrait and O’Toole’s time at Fox Sports Live lasted until

February of 2017, after which their contracts were not renewed. Onrait has many fond memories of his time in the RTA program and says he is always interested in what Ryerson has planned next. “It’s not a traditional stoic campus, with 200-year-old buildings, that you’re just trying to maintain,” Onrait said. “It’s constantly changing, because the types of programs that are offered are professions that are constantly changing. “It’s really interesting to watch, I don’t think I could have gotten into the school now and I think I’m pretty lucky that I got in when I did.”

@TheRyersonian

COURTE ESY Y TSN.CA

R yersonian Editorial

Read more about relationships online ryersonian.ca Wednesday, September 20, 2017

EDITORIAL

Ryerson needs naloxone kits Over the last year, Canadians have watched more and more people die from opioid overdoses across the country. The government of Ontario might not be calling it an emergency yet, but based on the numbers, it’s hard to see how it isn’t. Opioids like fentanyl, which often show up in a powder form laced in other drugs, killed 865 people in Ontario last year — 300 more than in 2010. Deaths related to opioid overdoses claimedmore than 2,800 lives across the country last year. But despite the deadliness of the opioid crisis, every citizen has access to a tool in the fight against the drug — the antidote naloxone. Naloxone is incredibly easy to access. Anyone with a health card can obtain a kit for free at pharmacies across Ontario. Using the antidote is even easier; the injection process is identical to using an epi-pen. Pharmacies also provide a short training session on how to use the antidote. Naloxone is also harmless if used on someone who isn’t overdosing. There are no downsides. Despite the easy access to this incredibly powerful tool, Ryerson University is not taking steps to equip its employees with the antidote. Currently, campus security and residence leaders don’t carry naloxone. The current protocol is to call 911 and wait for emergency services to arrive. But health professionals like Deanna VandenBroek, a health promoter at Peterborough Public Health, say that immediately administering naloxone could, in

some instances, be the difference between life and death. That’s why waiting for paramedics to show up — Ryerson’s current policy — isn’t enough. It wasn’t enough either for the RSU. It has taken matters into its own hands and decided to equip equity staff with naloxone. This inaction by our university is not acceptable. While the opioid crisis hasn’t reached the severity that it has in cities like Vancouver and Calgary, communities in Toronto need to get ahead of the curve so that we can protect our students from opioid overdoses. Overdose-related deaths are only rising, and we should be prepared. When the word “opiate” is thrown around, people may begin to think that they’ll never have to worry about such heavy drugs. But that’s far from the truth. Fentanyl shows up in more commonly used drugs like cocaine or MDMA, drugs university students use. Overdoses could happen unexpectedly at a party, or in a student residence. The City of Toronto has been taking steps towards harm reduction for drug users, and it’s more important than ever that Ryerson follows suit. As more people die from opioid overdoses in Toronto, we need to act now to save students. Ryerson prides itself on being innovative and ahead of the curve. We as a school need to use that reputation to fight this crisis so that we can save lives. Lives that are very much at risk right now.

SIMONA CATALANO | RYERSONIAN

OPINION .

Yes I’m in a long-distance relationship. Get over it. KAYLA MCLAUGHLIN

Regardless of how a long-distance relationship comes about and why the two people are forced apart from each other, people will always have something to say. It can be stressful enough to leave everything you know and love — a house, a career, a family — to be with one person, even without the unsolicited opinions of others. The scenario usually goes like this: a couple is together, and one partner receives an opportunity abroad that they cannot pass up. Either that partner refuses to go, or they leave their partner. Sometimes things work out so that the two people can go away together, but even that can make the situation worse.

If the other partner is willing to go as well, that becomes an open door for criticism from others. Either the person is crazy for going with you, or they’re selfish and don’t love you enough if they’re willing to break up just because of the distance. Now, what if you stay together despite the distance and actually find yourself in a long-distance relationship? Let me start off by saying, they are not for the weak. It takes two very strong people to be able to face this challenge. Of course, it is important to do what is right for yourself in terms of opportunities that may change your life, but it’s also important to follow your heart. Long distance can bring a number of doubts into play. You might doubt your partner’s loyalty to you, doubt their love for you, and doubt the strength of your relationship. You may even begin to doubt yourself and whether or not it is worth the heartache.

Each relationship is different and it’s on the parties involved to determine what they can and cannot handle. In 2017, technology can help make long distance work. FaceTime, Snapchat and other social networks allow you to be more connected than ever. WhatsApp even allows you to call or message someone wherever they are, free of charge, as long as they are connected to Wi-Fi. The world is changing, and so are relationships. If you happen to find yourself in a long-distance relationship, stay strong. There may be many people putting doubt in your head, on top of the doubt you create for yourself. And if you’re not in a long-distance relationship, be mindful of the skepticism you give off and keep your unwelcome reservations to yourself. @kaylaalexmc

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