Next up: the Yates Cup
Coming out proud McMaster’s Queer Students Community Centre led the fourth annual pride parade on campus earlier this week See B7
With last weekend’s win over the Western Mustangs, the Marauders are looking ahead to Saturday’s Ontario championship game against the Guelph Gryphons See B1
Queer side of art ANDY digs up the sexual revolution of the ‘60s, gay role models in the arts and television’s stereotypes in its pride-themed edition See C1-C8
The Silhouette
MCMASTER UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
www.thesil.ca
EST. 1930
Ever prepared to step in as President if the Electoral College, House of Representatives and Senate produce a tie.
Westdale armed robbery sparks investigation
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Vol. 83, No. 14
FEATURE STORY: INDIGENOUS STUDIES PROGRAM
New path, old obstacles
Jemma Wolfe Managing Editor
Just before midnight on Thursday, Nov. 1, Sterling Street near Haddon Avenue was awash with the flashing blue and red of police cruisers, which were responding to an armed robbery incident at a Westdale student house. In the home, four males and one female, ages 20-22, were taken by surprise when suspects described to Hamilton police as all male, black and in their early twenties entered the premises. One suspect armed with a knife and another, allegedly, with a firearm demanded that the students empty their pockets and turn over all their belongings. “The targeted items that were taken were electronic items and cash,” said Sergeant Terri Lynn Collings of Hamilton Police Services. The people in the home complied with the intruders’ demands, and then the suspects fled from the home. Although the burglars were carrying weapons, the students were not injured and did not require medical attention when emergency services arrived. Lydia Vanderkooy, an upper-year McMaster student who resides near the house, tweeted about the incident in the early morning of Nov. 2, and commented that there “must have been about 20 cops cars lining the street on Sterling from Haddon to Cline area.” The normally safe area of Westdale has been the target of several alarming incidents of late, most notably the sexual predator who was reported in the area in July and the petty thief who mugged several Hamiltonians in August. As of Nov. 7, no suspects had been apprehended for the armed robbery, and police were still piecing together the details. “We’re continuing to find out exactly what happened there, and why,” said Collings.
THIS WEEK IN
OPINIONS
An in-depth deconstruction of what it means to be a feminist in this and the coming year See A7
It’s time to bring some order into the discussion of the all-too-taboo topic of eating disorders. See A7
How would Rhett Butler use dating sites to court Scarlett O’Hara? See A11
Dawn Martin-Hill, one of the founders of the Indigenous Studies Program, has watched over the program for over 20 years. As she assumes the role of the new Paul R. MacPherson Chair in Indigenous Studies, she looks back on the early years of getting the program started and where it may be headed. See A4
Mac feels the pain of funding cuts Faculty of Health Sciences loses significant research money Jaslyn English The Silhouette
McMaster Health Sciences has lost more than 15 per cent of its research dollars in the past year, totaling up to a $100 million loss of funding within the city of Hamilton. The research in the Faculty of Health Sciences relies on pharmaceutical companies for the majority of its funding and in recent years, the companies’ interest in the University’s research has plummeted. Since the pharmaceutical industry provides approximately 90 per cent of research funding for this sector of the University, this is a huge setback for McMaster’s research capabilities. YOSEIF HADDAD SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR Joel Lexchin, a professor Mac Health Sciences, as part of Hamilton Health Sciences, has lost research funding. of Health Policy and Management at York University, was quoted in Though McMaster still maintains its “If this were to be a longer term the Hamilton Spectator saying that phar- rank as sixth nationally on Re$earch In- trend over two to four years, then yes, it maceutical companies have halved the fosource Inc, a reporting site that tracks would have an impact,” said Marvin Rydollars going to research and develop- research and development dollars in uni- der, an assistant professor of marketing ment in Canada. versities across Canada, it was also the at McMaster. The Spectator also quoted Dr. Salim only university in the top six to lose any A potential loss of student research Yusuf, a professor in the Department of funding. jobs and a diminished interest in the reMedicine at McMaster as saying, “We’ve Similarly, four of the five top hospi- search done by the Health Sciences fachad one of our worst years financially.” tals lost money, but Hamilton Health Sci- ulty can mean lack of funding which has The main reason for the drop in ences was hit the hardest. further repercussions for students and funds, besides a steadily decreasing inIn Jan. 2012, the provincial Liberal faculty. vestment from pharmaceutical compa- government scrapped $42 million in Dr. Yusuf stated with confidence nies in general, is that three multi-mil- university research grants, which halted that it is “a temporary blip” and that the lion dollar Hamilton-led drug studies research progress across Ontario even university will “bounce back.” have been shut down for safety concerns. before the lack of pharmaceutical comDespite the optimistic climate, it is It would appear that McMaster and panies’ interest was realized this year. clear that next year’s research, coupled the Health Sciences Faculty have been Although the cuts to research grants with results of the impending provincial adversely affected by the funding cuts, may be significant, it takes constant long- election, will have a significant impact considering it was the only university in term depreciation before a loss in fund- on Health Sciences research capabilities the top six national research earners to ing is felt by research institutions such as and the overall research intensity of the lose funding. those housed in Health Sciences. institution.