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NEWS: How the ward boundary changes may affect Mac students // PAGE 3 ARTS & CULTURE: Sí se puede and the legacy of Dolores Huerta // PAGE 18-19 FEATURE: King Street’s burgeoning businesses // PAGE 6-7
The Silhouette Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
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Volume 88, Issue 11 Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
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The Silhouette
| 3
News Ward boundary changes under review From concerned citizens to student politicans, Hamiltonians are speaking against the proposed ward boundary changes Sasha Dhesi News Editor
Voting may change drastically in Hamilton, as the Ontario Municipal Board votes on how the city ought to divide up the city’s ward boundaries. The discussion began earlier this year after city council hired a third party consulting firm to review the current ward boundaries and how they interact with population distribution throughout the city. The firm created a series of different suggestions based on their own research, but city council ultimately scrapped these suggestions in order to adjust the boundaries themselves. They have focused their efforts on ensuring suburban residents have more representation in city council. Local citizens have taken issue with this process, some accusing the councilors of gerrymandering, or the process of dividing up geographic areas to give a politician more political control. One of the main issues at hand focuses on whether ward 1, which includes Ainslie Wood and Westdale, should be split up and absorbed into ward 13, which is the ward representing Dundas. Joey Coleman, a local journalist, has expressed concerns about splitting up the student vote throughout two different wards. “The Dundas councillor has no reason to effectively represent student interests as the students are a small segment of ward 13 with their potential votes (even if they voted at the average of 40 per cent, which they do not) diluted among 30,000 residents of Dundas,” Coleman wrote in an analysis from Oct. 11. At the Oct. 25 OMB hear-
“We are affected the exact same way by decisions made by council, and often times, disproportionately so. These may range from issues regarding by-law enforcement, to housing regulation, and investments or divestment in transit.” Chukky Ibe President McMaster Students Union ing, McMaster Students Union president Chukky Ibe spoke against the ward 1 split, arguing that the McMaster is a cohesive community of interest. “We are affected the exact same way by decisions made by council, and often times, disproportionately so. These may range from issues regarding by-law enforcement, to housing regulation, and investments or divestment in transit,” Ibe said. “This community is first of campaigned too, and then disproportionally targeted, and scapegoated for political gain.” Within his delegation, Ibe referenced the specific issues affecting students, such as transit and policing which affect students disproportionately. “When the major bus route is altered through McMaster, or service reduced in the summer, it is this community that feels the brunt of it. When our councillor Johnson worked to increase the presence of student by-law officers patrolling our neighbourhoods, it is our stu-
A map of the proposed ward boundary changes. The proposed changes are meant to ensure the urban areas in Hamilton are not overrepresented in city council. C/O THE PUBLIC RECORD
dents that pay fines close to 700 dollars,” he said. Ibe expressed particular concern about the student neighbourhood’s access to city funding, particularly the Area Rating Reserve Fund. This $1.5 million fund is given to wards 1 through 8 in order to help facilitate local infrastructure projects. If the ward 1 split is approved, students who live in ward 13 will lose access to this project, as the largely suburban area of Dundas does not receive
this funding, instead relying on property taxes to pay for these projects. “Taking away a significant part of our community will weaken the incentive, elected officials have to heed the concerns of their constituency. We lose our critical mass in one regions, and in the other region, our population becomes deeply insignificant, further entrenching this negligence by council on the issues that matter to us,” Ibe said.
The OMB has previously voted that students count as a community of interest. In Nov. 2013, the OMB voted that the main student neighbourhoods in Kingston were their own cohesive communities. The OMB will release their decision as soon as possible.
@SashaDhesi
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NEWS
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Aidan Johnson speaks at Student Representative Assembly meeting Ward 1 councillor’s delegation ignites heated discussion THE SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES
Cassidy Bereskin News Reporter
At the Student Representative Assembly meeting on Oct. 29, ward 1 Hamilton city councillor Aidan Johnson addressed the SRA and Board of Directors for the first time since 2014. After Johnson delivered some ward updates, he was met with contentious questions from the assembly. Alex Wilson, caucus member (science) and Ainslie Wood resident, noted that students make up the largest demographic of ward 1, and asked Johnson if he agreed that “students deserve effective representation”. He also questioned Johnson about his characterization of ward one’s off-campus student community as a “hygiene problem”. Johnson responded that his use of “hygiene” was literal, not metaphorical, meaning that the community has a garbage, not
Chukky Ibe, MSU president, expressed frustration over the fact that Johnson had not spoken in front of the SRA in three years. He also noted Johnson’s failure to sufficiently answer Wilson’s second question and critiqued Johnson’s characterization of students as of “low intelligence.” student, problem. Dodging the answer to
Wilson’s first question, Johnson replied, “I’m sorry that you feel that way.” Most of the following questions dealt with the recently passed motion to increase the number of bylaw officers in Westdale and Ainslie Wood. The program began in 2016, after Johnson stated that the McMaster area needed more help to aid the hygiene problem. The program does not address other problems within the community, such as absentee landlords for student housing. This particular motion was met with a backlash from students, particularly Ryan Deshpande, vice president (Education) and Stephanie Bertolo, associate vice president (Municipal Affairs), who voiced the concern that “the proposal unfairly targets students who are still learning bylaws.” Chukky Ibe, McMaster Students Union president, expressed frustration over the fact that Johnson had not spoken in
front of the SRA in three years. He also noted Johnson’s failure to sufficiently answer Wilson’s second question and critiqued Johnson’s characterization of students as of “low intelligence”. Ibe asked Johnson if he “regards himself as an honest man”. “I have never been so impressed with an MSU President,” Wilson tweeted. “Chukky Ibe’s questioning of Aidan Johnson and defense of McMaster students was phenomenal.” Johnson reiterated that he would never reduce humans to garbage. He also stated that he would never work for a “stupid” population in the first place, dodging the need to acknowledge his inflammatory comment. In addition, SRA members addressed the proposed change in ward boundaries, asking Johnson whether or not Ainslie Wood actually belongs in Dundas. Johnson stated that he favours the status quo. After the discussion
shifted back to the bylaw officer motion, Johnson stated that he “urges student tenants to learn bylaws.” Bertolo noted that Johnson, in stating that students should learn bylaws, implies that bylaws are intuitive and free of legal jargon, putting the burden on them. Johnson said students should seek out a lawyer first. “The notion that students can just "hire a lawyer" is fallacious. We are in unsafe student housing because that's what we can afford,” Wilson tweeted in response. The next SRA meeting will be held on Nov. 12 in Gilmour Hall.
@cassidybereskin
NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
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Discrimination in student housing Students and property managers reflect on the prejudice they have experienced from landlords
According to Spotted Properties, it often takes students of colour months to find housing, something they deem as questionable. MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
Cassidy Bereskin News Reporter
Discrimination from landlords is pervasive in McMaster’s off-campus housing market. Students and grads are finally speaking up and working to address the problem. In his second year, Alex, a recent McMaster alumnus who requested to be referred to under an alias, and his friends were looking at off-campus housing. With money in hand, they approached an owner. “We talked to the owner. [Though] he was browsing groups, he seemed more interested in renting to an all-caucasian group than he was to us,” said Alex. Though Alex and his friends were keen on making the deposit, the owner would not let them. “He definitely seemed like he was going to take the other group should they have wanted it, though,” said Alex. After sending some caucasian female friends to the owner
with the same deposit, however, Alex was able to secure the place. A second-year McMaster student experienced problems with her landlord after moving in. Despite being able to speak English fluently, her landlord refuses to communicate with tenants except for the one who spoke the landlord’s first language. “She does not respond to my texts anymore so I stopped messaging her,” said the student. “One day she sent a contractor and needed to speak to one of us so I took the phone from the contractor. I was explaining the situation when she interrupted me and asked if [the favourite tenant] was in the house, when I said yes, the landlord asked to speak to [her] instead of me.” Another McMaster student said her landlord started policing the social situation in her house. “The landlord had made many comments about regulating who comes into the house and who comes over [specifically any male guests] due to the
fact that we were ‘women who needed to be taken care of ’ and made it clear that he can check in at any time because of safety concerns,” said the student. Most of the discrimination, however, manifests itself before tenancy. According to a property manager from Spotted Properties, a local consultation and management service that works with landlords during the vetting process, a handful of landlords request student tenants from particular demographics. The discrimination, in large part, stems from the fact that these landlords are part of an older generation. “The[ir] bias ranges from gender, university program, race, dress style and the list can go on,” said the property manager, who asked to remain unnamed. Landlords often explicitly discriminate against students from minority and marginalized groups. “One time, this elderly lady whispered to me that she doesn’t want to rent to Indian students,”
“[Students of colour] tell us that they’ve been looking for places for months, and I doubt it’s just bad luck,” Property Manager Spotted Properties he said. Academic problems are also grounds for discrimination. “We get clients who say they only want students in health science…. We also get clients who say they don’t want any social science students.” Students of colour are disproportionately disadvantaged. “[Students of colour] tell us that they’ve been looking for places for months, and I doubt it’s just bad luck,” said the property manager. “We started keeping tabs on this and found that towards the end of August, we see an influx of students of colour.”
When asked how Spotted Properties is curbing the discrimination, the property manager said that, though the business has yet to take concrete steps, he believes that education is key. “We try to disconnect landlords and tell them that, as a company, we can’t accommodate them…. But we want to do more,” he said. The property manager noted that, because many landlords are parents of McMaster students and grads, the university could also be doing more to reduce discrimination. “Even if McMaster sent out some awareness information about the laws governing tenancy and the inaccuracy of stereotypes, it could make a difference,” he said. While increased education may not remedy the problem entirely, it’s a step that needs to be taken. @cassidybereskin
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FEATURE FEATURE
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Down to the core
The effects of revival on the Steel City Emily O’Rourke Features Reporter
Steel mills in Hamilton were once the city’s largest employer and one of the main reasons that the downtown core was thriving. However, when the steel industry began to lose its edge, so did the city, leaving a lasting effect that shook Hamilton down to the core. Hamilton’s downtown looks significantly different than it did a few years ago. In particular, the King Street strip, which once hosted abandoned storefronts and eclectic businesses, has entered a new state of revitalization. Businesses of all types have been flocking to the Steel City over the past decade in an effort to contribute towards Hamilton’s “renaissance”, a term being used across the board to explain Hamilton’s urban revival. The options are seemingly limitless when it comes down to what you can do in Hamilton. The changes that the core has faced within the last five years,
specifically along King Street East, has given the city of Hamilton a breath of renewal. However, the changes in infrastructure with the Light Rail Transit project moving forward and the rise in costs of living and operating a business are challenges that several businesses amongst the downtown core are facing head-on.
You can do anything on King Street From chain restaurants, to co-working spaces to niche, experimental business concepts, the versatile nature of King Street proves that there’s something for everyone. The street is home to a ping pong bar, a game store that doubles as an arcade, several boutique, vintage purveyors and an escape room, in addition to several other hospitality and retail destinations. Whitney McMeekin opened her business, Girl on
GRANT HOLT / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
the Wing, along King Street nearly four and a half years ago. Amidst several abandoned storefronts and a diverse range of businesses, McMeekin opened up shop in an effort to bring attention to the area. “I liked the idea of being off the beaten path a little and attempting to bring some attention to an area that not many people frequented,” said McMeekin. “I also loved the diversity in types of businesses here.” McMeekin’s business is one of several specialty retail stores that finds its home along King Street and who have opened for that same reason. There is definite character to be found in storefronts along King Street that is hard to find anywhere else. The eclectic range of business ventures, the architectural attributes in which many store owners take pride and the rich history several buildings along King Street hold often make it the best place for one to set up shop.
Rising costs of operating The rise in popular entrepreneurial ventures within the city has also contributed to the overall rising cost of living within the city itself. With a tremendous spike in higher-end business ventures and hospitality services, there has also been a significant spike in the cost for both residential and commercial rental spaces. From 2013 to 2015, vacancy rates within the city of Hamilton fell to 1.8 per cent from 3.4 per cent, forcing rental costs to skyrocket and lowering the means for affordable rental spaces across the city. “When I hear other people’s rents around me, especially newer people, I’m always a bit surprised that it’s so much higher than mine. But I signed my lease almost five years ago,” noted McMeekin. This past spring saw the opening of The Fizz: Soda and Sandwich shop on King Street East. The niche, specialty soda shop, run by Trevor and Amanda Hunt, is just one of many new businesses to open up shop
along the King Street strip who pay significantly more than their neighbouring entrepreneurs. “Property prices are rising for sure. I myself pay more than my neighbour who has been here for only a few years prior to me,” said Trevor Hunt. “It’s only going to grow more. Especially with projects like the Spallacci buildings and the condos near King William.” With higher-end condos on the rise within the city, specifically projects such as the Royal Connaught, the costs of living and working within the city will most likely continue to grow over the next several years.
“
It’s only going to grow more. Especially with projects like the Spallacci buildings and the condos near King WIlliam.” Trevor Hunt Co-owner The Fizz
FEATURE
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
Moving forward at light speed In August 2017, the province gave the city of Hamilton a green light on the well-debated Light Rail Transit project. In its current state, one of the LRT routes takes form along both Main and King Streets from McMaster University to Eastgate Square. Major construction of the LRT lines are set to take place from 2019 to 2024, a five-year gap that may reduce traffic for business and host other complications that construction often sees. Kerry Jarvi of the Downtown Business Improvement Area notes that the specifics of how this construction will take hold are still up in the air. “I think most people are aware that there is going to be construction and that construction can be difficult. Our role [at the BIA] is to make it as seamless as possible,” said Jarvi. “We don’t have a lot of specifics on what exactly [construction] looks like yet. It could be that the whole route is up for the whole few years or it could just go block by block.” Other business owners along King Street have voiced their concerns regarding how this construction can impact their business. Some businesses have come up with secondary access points to consider, depending on the nature of the construction.
Hamilton rising The revival of the downtown core, specifically throughout King Street, has brought an onslaught of change within its demographics. The former blue-collar, working class individuals who were once at its centre are now being overwhelmed by a rise in students, families and Torontonians who are looking to make Hamilton home. In addition to the changing demographics that the city is seeing, dozens of investment companies are looking at Hamilton as a new hotspot for new opportunities in business or financing. Several vacant apartment units along King Street are seeing investment and restoration as Hamilton continues to grow, which ultimately increases the overall value of the buildings and testing the affordability of the lower storefronts. This rise within these demographics and investment opportunities that Hamilton has to offer can ultimately lend to the increase in specialty business ventures, but the thriving nature of the city’s state of renewal will most definitely continue throughout the next several decades, which may challenge the state of independent businesses within the core. @emily_oro
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PRESIDENT’S PAGE
November 2, 2017 | thesil.ca
PREETHI ANBALAGAN Vice President (Administration) vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23250
Amidst blanket scarves and pumpkin spiced lattes, we approach my second favourite season of the year: hiring. Throughout your time at McMaster, you may have noticed some of the exciting events and programming delivered by our wide range of services within the McMaster Students Union. Behind each of these services are individuals titled Part-Time Managers. These are students that oversee, lead, and set the vision for their respective services. The MSU has begun the search for eleven passionate, responsible and self-directed individuals to join next year’s team of Part-Time Managers. We are looking for students who are committed to enhancing the student experience through program delivery, advocacy and hosting events. However, students do not have to have previous experience working within the MSU.
You may know about the services the MSU offers if you attended “Spooptacular” hosted by WGEN, requested a safe walk home from SWHAT, or volunteered as a Welcome Week faculty representative in September. There are two fundamental pillars of our organization: political representation and student life enhancement. Oftentimes, the operations of services blend both of these constructs together. Services frequently deliver programming in response to the current political climate or assist with policy development within the University. They do this all while planning an abundance of events and programs aimed at fostering a sense of community amongst students.
We are looking for students who are committed to enhancing the student experience through program delivery, advocacy and hosting events Part of what these services offer to its staff and volunteers is a powerful medium for experiential learning. Part-Time Managers receive the integrated experience of management, finances, budgeting, logistics, and policy work. As the hiring cycle commences, we intend to build a workforce that helps students make the most out of their learning, translate classroom knowledge, and equip them with skills needed for life after graduation.
HIRING HAS BEGUN FOR:
!
MANAGERS Bread Bin Director
CLAY Coordinator
Diversity Services Director
EFRT Director
Farmstand Director
Horizons Coordinator
Peer Support Line Coordinator
QSCC Coordinator
SHEC Coordinator
Shinerama Coordinator
SWHAT Coordinator
Welcome Week Faculties Coordinator
Applications Open November 1 to 15
For more info visit:
msumcmaster.ca/jobs A common question the Board of Directors receive is, “What was your first involvement with the MSU?” In true SparkNotes fashion, we all started with services. In truth, my entry began with selling cabbages at Mac Farmstand, a student-run campus farmers’ market that provides access to fresh and local produce. My
steadily-developing passion for the work of the MSU, started with part-time employment in a service I loved. Throughout the next couple of months, I encourage students to keep an eye out for part-time employment opportunities of interest with the McMaster Students Union. Visit msumcmaster.ca/jobs for the full list of available jobs.
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The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
EDITORIAL
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Editorial
Corrupted live stream archives Issues with archives can inhibit the ability to double-check reporting pearance at the beginning, it still pales in comparison to having the primary document available. There were a substantial number of issues that went into this appearance such as the city’s Indigenous justice policy, the transgender protocol, the LRT, the city’s attempts to adjust Hamilton’s ward boundaries and McMaster students experiencing breaking and entering thefts. A large portion of the discussion was directly about how you and other McMaster students interact with the city. The majority of the issues discussed will continue to be important points. An unfortunate part about this live stream corrupting is that you no longer have any way to verify the entirety of the meeting. While you may be able to place your trust in whatever source you like when it comes to updates around campus, the only way you can verify is by checking other secondary documents. If any of these issues come up again in the future, and the
majority of them likely will as we move closer to the Hamilton municipal election taking place next year, we will not have the depth of information that we could have provided. Any number of points that were not documented at the time are now lost. It is important to understand that mistakes can happen, and technology might be a bit finicky from time to time. A backup plan would have been nice. It is simply disappointing that this meeting, the one that radically altered how McMaster interacts with the city, is the one we have the least amount of access to.
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Weekly in-person volunteer meetings are Mondays at 1:30
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Shane Madill Editor-in-Chief
On the Sept. 28 editorial entitled, “The McMaster Students Union’s lack of communication,” it was noted that a significant chunk was cut out from the archives from the Sept. 24 Student Representative Assembly meeting. This has not changed. It remains just over an hour long, a fraction of a much longer meeting, and 17 minutes of that is a break. The Oct. 28 meeting promised topics like Aidan Johnson and updates about ward 1, discussions about the smoking ban policy and the McMaster Marching Band. The archives have the ending 11 minutes and 51 seconds of the meeting available. The rest seems to be unrecoverable. While going through the tweets made by those in attendance or watching at home and the News article in this week’s issue will be decent resources, specifically about Johnson’s ap-
Weekly in-person volunteer meetings are Mondays at 4:30
to corny e-cards from parents to asking out your summer crush to Cult Daddy Daniel to morning pudding to HoC to sexy starfish to accepted pitches to Reem’s mom
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HUMANS
Kyle West Photo Reporter
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
difference because the people here are so welcoming. So I don’t feel like I am away from family at all.
Navodit Kathpalia Commerce I
What year are you in?
What aspirations do you have after finishing your undergrad?
I’m in my first year, I am studying commerce at McMaster. Where are you from originally?
I plan to do start a career in financial services. Something in investment banking, just something really focused because when I took a gap year I did investment banking for one year so I am leaning towards that. Then move towards corporate development or work for a larger agency.
I am from New Delhi in India and I moved to Canada in the summer. How do you like it so far? It’s a good journey, but it is a big change. I am away from family studying, and it’s the first time I am away from my parents. It’s a big change to studying back home in India and over here it is pretty different, but the people are really good. They are more welcoming and I feel like the standard of living over here in Canada it is somewhat better than in India. For example, I see people here when there is no traffic on the roads that it is not a big deal, but back in India for there to be no traffic on the roads is a really big thing. A lot of changes culturally, but everyone is really welcoming and so warm. I really like that about Canada.
What drew you towards commerce? I just understand numbers, so much more than like physics. If I can’t see anything then I can’t do it. If someone gives me atoms, vectors, I don’t know that stuff. But for commerce, my dad is a businessman so I used to go to his business since grade two so I feel like I know how business is done. It is in my blood. So, I feel like commerce was a natural step for me. I knew since grade five that I would do something in business; science just isn’t my game.
How do you like McMaster so far? McMaster is amazing. I was supposed to be coming to McMaster in 2016, but I deferred my admission for one year to come in 2017 so I could work one more year back in India. So, my first introduction to McMaster was at Horizons. My LD did a really good job with showing us around like I knew the campus really well before even starting the school year. Then I also applied for a job at the Underground in July and my uncle has a restaurant near campus so I used to come to McMaster on a regular basis even before starting this year. It is a great campus, it is super green. I love that Cootes Paradise is right behind my residence. The backyard at McMaster is amazing. People are so welcoming, I visited Laurier and I feel like in comparison McMaster is more like one big family. Why did you choose to come to McMaster? I chose to come here because I really like the program. The fact that commerce offers an internship program after the
third year that was really important to me and definitely influenced my decision to come here. Even if I wanted to go for a Masters, the McMaster commerce graduate school is well known as well. I thought that it would provide a good base for me in my career and not to mention it is one of the best-ranked universities in the world. The research faculty is really good. I got connected with students before coming here and they were really helpful and approachable and made it an easy choice. Why did you choose to come to school in Canada instead of India?
here. It was somewhat of a natural step for me. What have you found to be the most difficult part about moving to a new country?
I decided to come to Canada because I want to immigrate to Canada later on. I have been to Canada before, in 2013. I was here for two months summer break and I really liked the atmosphere. I had gone to Ottawa and everything was just really good. My relatives have been here for the past 15 years so it was something that for grade five or six I had wanted to be
I would say that being away from family is one of the most difficult parts. I miss my family a lot of times. There are times you wish you could see your mom to get a hug when you are having a bad day. I also had a small dog, a beagle, that I just got about three months back and I miss him a lot. Apart from that, I don’t feel a major
“It’s a good journey but it is a big change. I am away from family studying and it’s the first time I am away from my parents. It’s a big change to studying back home in India and over here it is pretty different but the people are really good. They are more welcoming and I feel like the standard of living over here in Canada it is somewhat better than in India.” facebook.com/HumansOfMcMaster
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
The Silhouette
| 11
Opinion Spotted at Mac and Westdale
McMaster has something that not all universities get to experience: a supportive community
MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR Mohamed Mahmoud Contributor
As a student who is currently living off campus, I can confidently say that McMaster feels more like home to me than any other campus could have. Like most students from Mississauga, of the first places I considered applying to was the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus. But as soon as I took the campus tour, I knew there was no way I could make it my second home. McMaster was not like that for me. Aside from the fact that I needed a reputable school for engineering, one of the main reasons McMaster was one of my top choices was because of the student sense of community that Mac comes with. Yes, there are many universities in Ontario that are visibly and reputably surrounded by million-dollar homes and expensive cars that are centered with the hustle and bustle of a downtown city center. There are larger campuses and better parties, but there is a more important priority for first years.
When I was an incoming first year, I knew that the environment that what would soon become my second home is surrounded would need to be welcoming. McMaster in collaboration with the Westdale community certainly provides me with a sense of inclusion, and I believe that this is something that is unique to McMaster. As someone who has both commuted on the GO bus and lived off campus, I can certainly vouch that living so close campus is a luxury. It allows for me to get to know students more closely with time being more of a flexibility (even though 30 hours a week of school is hardly a luxury for engineering kids), my full-time commitment seemed like less of a hassle. I also had the opportunity to visit local coffee shops and had a chance to admire the character that downtown Hamilton buildings have in comparison to the ones in Mississauga. With the reputation of Hamilton being viewed as a “ghetto” area, and in light of the recent break-in reports on the
Spotted at Mac Facebook page, there have been mixed feelings about whether or not living off campus is such a great idea. This is understandable. However, these reporting have presented something great about the Mac community that not all universities have. With so many students living off campus in the Westdale area, these reports have prompted an increase in police presence around the campus and a great support with student stake outs and communal protection. With the security on campus and the increased security off campus as well as groups like the Students Walk Home Attendent Team, students can begin to feel more reassured of their safety both on campus and off campus. Hamilton may be seen as a second-class city next to Mississauga or Toronto, but it opens doors for a friendlier environment for students to grow, live among their peers and experience a sense of community beyond McMaster’s borders. In addition, paying my own rent and struggling to make
As someone who has both commuted on the GO bus and lived off campus, I can certainly vouch that living so close campus is a luxury. student sense of community that Mac comes with. time to go grocery shopping in order to stop spending on food has taught me many valuable life lessons. In struggling to cook my own meals without my mom and feeling broke every time I check my bank account, I can now say that I understand what “adulting” is. When choosing which schools to apply to, my guidance counsellor told me to seek out the campus that is the smallest and balance that with the reputation of the program
I was going into. At first, I did not understand why this was important, and sought out the school with the largest campus with the classiest city life. But as my first round of university midterms came along, I began to understand why community and a sense of inclusion is so important for students. As students, there is no doubt that we are susceptible to the feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression, and trust me, Thode does not help. Though there are people to reach out to and share your feelings with at ever university, sometimes that’s not what you need to “fix things”. In some cases, simply having a sense of belonging is just enough to do the trick. Although we don’t have the University of Toronto name and our buildings are not extravagant, we have something that is more genuine and definitely more important to graduate with. @theSilhouette
Why Study Abroad?
fill a gap
Attend an Exchange Information Session to learn more.
in your program
BRIGHTER WORLD | mcmaster.ca
346
students participated in a McMaster exchange during the 2016 to 2017 school year.
175
171
INCOMING
OUTGOING
Self-awareness and confidence were reported as top outcomes for learning abroad. 1
Athabasca University has over 850 courses for you to choose from to meet your needs. Monthly start dates of undergraduate courses fit into your schedule so that you can work at your own pace. Fill the gap and save a semester.
Skills gained from learning abroad go.athabascau.ca/online-courses
GLOBAL AWARENESS RESOURCEFULNESS COMMUNICATION ADAPTABILITY
According to the CBIE’s national study, top learning abroad benefits include academic, personal, 11 and professional success.
85%
of students said the experience increased their self-awareness.
2 out of 3
said the experience influenced their academics.
9 out of 10 students said it helped with their career goals.
Sources: 1. CBIE, http://cbie.ca/our-network/learning-abroad/ 2. Photo submissions from: Leah Sikkema and Julia Young, McMaster students.
Find us in Gilmour Hall, Room 110. iss.mcmaster.ca @MacSSC
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OPINION
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
| 13
Halloween: cultures are not costumes
If a costume might be seen as offensive to a certain group or community, find a new one.
CATHERINE TARASYUK / PRODUCTION EDITOR Jordan Graber Contributor
Content Warning: This article contains a racial slur. From the candy to the decorations and the costumes, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. When I was young, I loved to dress up as the basic Halloween ensembles like Count Dracula and Sleeping Beauty. As I grew older and became more exposed to the overarch of social media, I became more aware of the issues surrounding the cultural appropriation and essential jokes made by seemingly innocent costumes worn on Halloween. In this new light, I began to understand the distaste of several of the costumes that I have chosen to wear over the years, such as my gypsy costume or my Native American princess. These were costumes that, at the time, I thought nothing of but in reality, have negative connotations and may be seen as oppressive and offensive to certain groups. Just last year, a sophomore attending University of Central Arkansas sported “blackface” to a fraternity party on campus,
posing the famous comedian Bill Cosby. After posting a photo of his get-up captioned, “It was a bold night,” the image went viral and he received large amounts of outrage and backlash, which included threats against his life. He later posted an apology on Instagram which outlined his regret of the offense that he had caused, as well as the fact that until that night, he had apparently never heard of the term “blackface” or the negative connotations that went along with it. Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that these costumes are okay, and the student is not the only one who doesn’t realize the serious offense taken in misrepresentation. This includes, but is not limited to, Julianne Hough sporting blackface while dressing as a popular Orange is the new black character, young people dressing as “sexy terrorists,” a young woman dressing as a Boston marathon bombing victim, sexy ebola nurses, eskimos and Native American chiefs. These costumes continue to be mass produced and sold in everyday stores and Halloween pop-ups, driving the idea that
Intentions do not matter when representations are all that people can see. Disney princess or not; think about the ramifications. You can choose to be whatever and whoever you want for a day, just don’t make it at the expense of another. these are somehow actually okay to wear. Costumes are a fun and exciting way to be what you can’t be everyday. By no means is this something that should go away, but a certain amount of consideration is required when deciding what to wear. Representations, whether they are recreational or inten-
tional, call for some sensitivity. Dressing to represent any sort of lifestyle or experience that is not your own is offensive and oppressive to the identity of another, no matter what the intention is. The people that we may want to dress up as represent real lives, experiences and histories. A “sexy “gypsy” costume can be worn for a fun (and hopefully legal) night and then taken off the next day, but the person wearing the costume may not understand the very real harassment Romani people face in Europe. Likewise, one can dress up as a “sexy terrorist” for a Halloween bash while there are real Muslim men and women out there who are discriminated against based on this awful stereotype. To make a costume out of something that represents the experience of another is to make fun of a group’s passions and struggles. It deems their life experiences unworthy of real acknowledgement, insinuating that these lifestyles are ones that are thoroughly understood by all. Traditions, heartbreaks, tragedies and passions are all made into nothing more than a
costume. It strips people of their individuality. Cultures are not costumes. Gender or sexual identities are not costumes. The sexualization of real people and minorities, and costumes referring to violence against women is not okay. Essentially, if you have to ask yourself if what you are wearing is culturally appropriative or offensive in any way, it might be time to get yourself a new ensemble. There are people who face real discrimination, poverty and violence as a part of their everyday identity. This Halloween, be mindful of the costume you are choosing to wear. Intentions do not matter when representations are all that people can see. Disney princess or not; think about the ramifications. You can choose to be whatever and whoever you want for a day, just don’t make it at the expense of another.
@theSilhouette
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OPINION
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
| 15
Why bird courses are a bad idea Elective space should be seen as an opportunity, not a way to sidestep hard work Takhliq Amir Contributor
One of the earliest pieces of advice I remember getting when I began studying at McMaster was one I can almost guarantee every student has heard: to take bird courses. Now I’m not sure where the “bird” in this phrase comes from, but its general meaning is to take courses that have easy content and are taught by easy professors. There are several problems with this strategy. Approaching one’s undergraduate degree with the mindset that a high GPA can be maintained by taking courses based on their level of “easiness” is fundamentally wrong for many reasons. There might be individuals out there who may genuinely be interested in the course — trust me, you might think Earth Sci 2WW3 is just a bird course because it is about water, but it could be the best thing ever for someone out there — and if it has limited seats, then you may be taking a spot away from someone more deserving and definitely more invested in the content. Even more than that, it represents beginning what should be the foundational point of one’s career with a way of thinking that essentially puts more trust in the difficulty (or lack thereof) of a course than in one’s own capabilities. By deciding to take “easy” courses, students are essentially beginning a new journey considering themselves not competent enough to excel in tougher courses. This certainly won’t apply to everyone, but there are many out there who begin university with the fear that their averages are going to drop by 15 per cent so they must try their hardest to avoid the “inevitable” failure. There are people I know who have taken “bird” courses only to struggle often because they had absolutely no interest in the topic, thus eventually not putting effort into the course and suffering academically as well because of that. Studying at a university allows you the freedom to choose courses from an incredible list of options. As a health science
student, I was so excited to have had the opportunity to take a history course this semester, even though it may not necessarily count as one of the easier electives that others had recommended. I took it because it is a subject I have always found to be fascinating — there are a lot of lessons to be learned from the past, and it can be incredibly entertaining too — but could not take due to limited elective space in the past. It has required effort but it has also been rewarding and enjoyable, which has done a lot to push me to work hard for the course.
By deciding to take “easy” courses, students are essentially beginning a new journey considering themselves not competent enough to excel in tougher courses. This is what I see as the purpose of elective courses. Most often it is an opportunity to pick the courses that you might be interested in, but it can also be a chance to step out of your comfort zone or explore something completely unique. From beginner language courses to community-based engagement projects, all this elective space is there to give us students the resources and opportunity to increase our knowledge, improve our skills and develop our own undergraduate pathway. It can expose us to other cultures, beliefs and perspectives, and push us to open our minds and see things in a way we may never have otherwise. These types of scenarios can be so invaluable in teaching us about the incredible complexity of the world and the diversity of the populations that inhabit it. I can completely under-
stand the need to maintain a high GPA, and I would never say that students should not be strategic about choosing their courses. It certainly would not be the best to take a course that is just not manageable in a particularly difficult semester, but it may not be to the benefit of one’s personal development to take courses that are also too easy (and sometimes boring). When the interest is there, the hard work and effort usually follows. By taking courses simply on the basis of an easy mark, students do themselves the disservice of not trusting their own abilities and thus limit their experiences, knowledge, and growth.
@theSilhouette
MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
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The Silhouette | 17
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
Arts & Culture Going against the grain Check out the new Ainslie Wood brewery Grain & Grit’s debut line of craft beers Galaxy IPA
-American pale ale named after the single Australian hop of the same name -First part of the Prohibition Series -Stone fruit (peach, apricot) citrus notes of mango
Citrus saison
-Traditional saison (fruity, spiced and very carbonated beer) -Added citrusy hops, more sweet citrus to give it a summer-y, fruit punchy flair
Bob’s best bitter
-Traditional series, English, session beer, dry roast-y notes, low alcohol percentage -It smells like coffee and cocoa, definitely a good pick for a cozy, chilly evening in the late fall
Pineapple rye pale ale
-American pale ale with pineapple puree -Rye makes it dry, sharp finish with earthy notes -Pineapple is more in your nose -Fruit flavours are great for summer, albeit subtle
Breakfast milk stout
-Developed for co-founder Joe Mrav’s father, who was an avid coffee drinker -Uses beans roasted by Grupetto, a cycling shop and coffee roaster in Dundas -Like all milk stouts, it uses lactose to make beer creamy and sweet, balances out the coffee
West End India pale ale
-West coast IPA, fruit forward, passion fruit, mango, stone fruit -Finishes with just a hint of bitterness -Even people who hate IPAs like it
18 |
A&C
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Sí se puede: Inspiring new generations Workers Arts and Heritage Centre commemorates legacy of Dolores Huerta Razan Samara A&C Reporter
Perhaps you’ve never heard of Dolores Huerta’s name before today, likely due to the deep sexism that prevents her work from appearing in textbooks and classrooms, but chances are you’ve heard her iconic words, “Sí se puede”. Spanish for “yes we can”, Huerta’s rallying cry inspired labour rights movements in the United States, and her words were famously echoed by the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign. Huerta is an American labour and civil rights activist who fought for the rights of agriculture workers and consumers’ rights. She co-founded the United Farm Workers in 1962 and was the leader of the fiveyear Delano grape strike. Huerta’s life as a rebel, activist, feminist and mother was documented in the film Dolores which released earlier this fall. The film is part of the official selection for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and winner of the Seattle International Film Festival.
RAZAN SAMARA / A&C REPORTER
The Workers Arts and Heritage Centre had spent months planning a public screening of Dolores and a presentation by Evelyn Encalada Grez, a local migrant worker activist and
“She’s a very important feminist leader in France. Thanks to her, we have the right to abortion. She’s a very respectful and important woman for us, and she [passed away] a few months ago so I chose to honour her.” Alexane Heredia Attendee
advocate, which took place on Oct. 26. At the event, a banner with the words “Sí se puede” surrounded by paintings and iron-on transfer photographs of feminists from around the world hung proudly. Youth had gathered the night before the screening at a banner making workshop organized by WAHC program coordinator, Tara Bursey, and Daniela Giulietti from YWCA Hamilton, to learn about the legacy of Huerta. “[Dolores Huerta] served as the foundation for the workshop, we are taking inspiration from her and thinking about how we
can make a collective statement together, as youth, as artists and ask folks who are interested in feminism, labour and activism,” explained Bursey. At the workshop, attendees had complete creative freedom to make the banner a statement of their own. Together, they decided to emphasize Huerta’s iconic words by writing “Sí se puede” in the different languages of feminists. Mehar Hamid, who is a member of the WAHC Youth Council, described banner making as a unique skill that played an important role in
A&C
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
“The purpose of today’s event is to gauge people’s interests and for the youth to see where their interests take them through this hands-on activity, and maybe the activity would be a catalyst for [the Youth Council] this year.” Tara Bursey Coordinator labour history and activism. “[Banner-making] is something that can be learned and used when you go to a protest… It’s a piece that links to activism. Instead of just learning or hearing about things, [banner making] is a form of action,” explained Hamid. The members of the WAHC Youth Council were also joined by youth who had
never heard of the centre before. Alexane Heredia, a French student who is learning English in Hamilton, came out to the event hoping to meet new people and learn something new. “I’m super happy to discover a place like that. I’m thinking to come back as a volunteer… I come from France, so I chose to write ‘yes we can’ in French next to Simone Veil,” said Heredia. “She’s a very important feminist leader in France. Thanks to her, we have the right to abortion. She’s a very respectful and important woman for us, and she [passed away] a few months ago so I chose to honour her.” Other attendees printed and painted Huda Sha’arawi, a pioneering Egyptian feminist leader and author, Simone de Beauvoir, a French political activist and existentialist philosopher and Rosemary Brown, the first Black Canadian woman to run for federal party leadership. The banner making workshop and film screening fulfilled WAHC’s purpose of engaging the community with the contemporary experiences of workers and labour history, while also paving the way
for the Youth Council’s future initiatives. “The purpose of today’s event is to gauge people’s interests and for the youth to see where their interests take them through this hands-on activity, and maybe the activity would be a catalyst for [the Youth Council] this year,” explained Bursey. Dolores Huerta’s strengths, struggles and powerful words are serving as the inspiration and foundation for this year’s youth initiatives at WAHC. “Sí se puede” will continue to be the anthem for pushing the limits and making strides through activism, here in Hamilton,
and beyond. The Workers Arts and Heritage Centre is a multidisciplinary art centre and community museum located at 51 Stuart Street. McMaster students, especially those studying or have an interest in the arts, sociology, labour studies or activism are encouraged to be part of the Youth Council. @theSilhouette
| 19
A&C
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
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A&C
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
Katherine Moore turns love for antiques into a thriving business
Razan Samara A&C Reporter
When Katherine Moore posted a picture of a vintage style Morgan & Co lace dress on her West Village Vintage page in May, she had no idea how much her little Instagram shop would turn into a thriving business. Known as the Hammer girl who hunts and sells fun antiques, Moore’s collection is made up of over 900 unique items that she proudly displays through thousands of pictures online. Her shop is a nod towards her love for collecting vintage and desire to share it with her Westdale Village community. Despite starting her shop a little over five months ago, Moore had been collecting vintage pieces since she was four years old.
“I loved penny sales where old ladies sold stuff, [I would] touch everything and I used to think everything was so expensive and beautiful, like obviously a four-year-old would think that, but looking back I always did enjoy it,” said Moore. Moore is now a second year student in English and Multimedia at McMaster. She still loves to collect beautiful vintage, but now focuses more on exploring and learning about the history behind the items she comes across. West Village Vintage came to be when Moore realized that her collection was starting to outgrew her home. The shop was the perfect solution to continue collecting vintage, without having to keep all of it. “The main reason that I do it now is for the people. I
love hearing comments like ‘my grandma had this, or my parents had this’ and [my clients] don’t know where to go and find it, so I like finding it for them and giving it to them,” explained Moore. Finding the perfect pieces for her shop and clients can be a challenge. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. Much of her collection pieces are from spontaneous road trips with her mom. “Sometimes we’ll drive two hours away to an auction and just go and look… My mom and I have a lot of fun at garage sales. We usually drive out, if we see a yard sale we’ll stop, or a little antique shop, pretty much whatever happens on the road,” said Moore. Their Toyota Yaris may be small, but the vintage hunting duo never fail to take home the most amount of antique treasures. At first, Moore relied on her natural instincts when sifting through pieces and assessing their value. She would often look into the history of an item on the spot or if she has a good feeling, she’ll take it home and do the research then. With practice, Moore was
all able to retain the information she’s learned and can now appraise items herself. Her vintage shopping superpower is the ability to easily identify the year and make of antique washboards. Moore’s instincts tend to be spot on and West Village Vintage’s charming aesthetic has been met with positive response from eager customers and supporters. However, her shop’s success does come with challenges. Moore spends countless hours hunting antiques, organizing them in a tote system, wrapping them like Christmas gifts, talking with customers and keeping track of orders. She also goes out of her way to ensure pieces are affordable and conveniently delivered for students, often leaving little profit for herself. The West Village Vintage is driven by genuine passion. “I like doing something that feels like it’s mine in a way… It’s kind of like my baby, I love seeing the growth of it. Even watching the page change, the way the images look and I like getting the positivity of the comments,” explained Moore.
| 21
“I love hearing back from people who bought something and they’ll send me pictures of where it is in their house.” What the future holds for West Village Vintage is unknown, but Moore is working hard to continue growing her brand. She’s excited to see her antique pieces fill more homes, with exception to her brass, a secret collection the antique lover will continue to hold onto. The West Village Vintage can be found at @westvillagevintage on Instagram and will be at the Christmas in November Market at 459 Ofield Road South in Dundas on Nov 18. @theSilhouette
MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
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22 |
GAMES
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.43)
2
5
5
9
7
3
2
7
2
1
6
9
6 4
2
7
1
3
8
4
9
9 2
8
7 6
5
3
5 7
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Nov 1 17:43:33 2017 GMT. Enjoy!
Across 1. Ancient Greek city-state 6. Turkish bigwig 10. Zip-____-Doo-Dah 14. Sad poem 15. Simpleton 16. Aloe ____ 17. Kingdom 18. Tears 19. Support beam 20. Airplane with one set of wings 22. Beneficial 23. Western Natives 24. Wounded 26. Floor covering where the cat sat!
Down 1. Salon offering 2. Butter substitute 3. The Tower of Pisa does this 4. Inuit dwelling 5. Indicator of illness 6. Like sandpaper 7. Enter 8. Wished 9. Stomach muscles, for short 10. Indigenous birds of a region 11. Rid of insect pests 12. Clear the boards 13. Dog-____ (like some used books) 21. Timber wolf 22. Gen. Bradley 25. From ____ Z 26. Dissolve 27. Fruity drinks 28. Daly of “Judging Amy”
29. Final notice 31. Kind of cross 32. Dreyer’s partner in ice cream 33. Relocate 34. Elaborately adorned 38. Optical device 40. Nov. rank 42. ____ mater 43. Deadly fly 46. Confident 49. Ballet step 50. PIN requester 51. Dutch cheese, wrapped in red wax 52. Undivided 53. Having bulbs 57. Historic Scott
30. Uptight 35. Iams alternative 36. Counterfeiter catcher 37. Comfort 39. Piercing 41. Abruptly 44. Greek portico 45. Relative of an ostrich 47. ____ avis 48. Appeared 53. Foundations 54. Hives 55. Light unit 56. Beat it! 58. “Our Gang” girl 61. Apparatus for weaving 62. Dresden denial 63. Yield 64. French summers 66. Tree-ring indication
59. Island off Venezuela 60. DIsposal sale 65. Highway hauler 66. Elvis’s middle name
67. Welcome 68. Paradise lost 69. London jail 70. Omit in pronunciation
71. Album unit 72. TV award 72. Borge’s countryman
Follow #MacTalksMoney throughout the month for money myths and truths.
November, 2017 Workshop: The Walking Debt 12:30–1:30 p.m. GH 110
Special Event: Financial Auditing w/ the Globe and Mail’s Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw
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Workshop: Wheel of Fortune: Building Wealth 12:30–1:30 p.m. GH 110
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The Silhouette
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
| 23
Sports Feisty and focused
A year removed from a bronze medal finish, the women’s basketball team looks to return to form with a newer and younger roster Andrew Sarkis Contributor
With last year in the rear-view mirror, the McMaster women’s basketball team have turned a new page, beginning the 20172018 season with an opening night 71-60 win over the Guelph Gryphons. In what was a foulfilled game, the Marauders ultimately came out on top, thanks in part to a team-leading 15-point performance from guard Hilary Hanaka. It was evident both teams had to shake off a bit of rust during the season-opener, as the game started off slowly on offence for both teams before picking up in the later parts of the game. Head coach Theresa Burns saw that the opener was a scrappy match, and acknowledged that wins did not have to look pretty. “It was a scrappy game,” Burns said. “Bodies were flying everywhere and there were lots of fouls. It was a very difficult game with lots of contact. For us, they’re not always going to be pretty and you got to be able to adapt to the teams we’re playing.” Despite the tougher conditions of the game, Burns drew positives from the win, citing the team’s ability to adapt to high-pressure situations as an important factor. “I was really happy with the pushback that our team showed,” Burns said. “Whether it was diving to the floor for the ball or pushing back on boxouts, our team showed a lot grit and tenacity for 40 minutes. Despite the fact Guelph ramped up the pressure and were trying to play a fast game with us, I was really happy that we made decisions at a fast pace. It took us a minute or two to figure out their pressure and once we did I thought we adapted well.” Prior to the season-opener, McMaster had a unique international preparation opportunity. Through July 25 to July 30, the team travelled to Taiwan to
partake in the Buddha Light International Association Cup Tournament. The Marauders were able compete against teams from seven different countries, an experience that head coach Theresa Burns spoke highly of. “They’re critical,” said Burns. “To be able to challenge the best teams in the country you have to play the best teams in the country, just to figure ourselves out and show weaknesses in our own game that we need to fix up before heading into league. Playing games in Taiwan was just incredible. International basketball pace, style, intensity and skill level was just off the charts.” The Marauders were also able to partake in the annual Ryerson Darcel Wright Memorial Tournament on Oct. 20 to Oct. 22. Mac swept the competition, defeating the University of New Brunswick and the host Ryerson Rams en route to a gold medal game victory against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. “The Ryerson tournament gave us three good quality out-of-conference games against teams that are going to be top 10 teams all year,” Burns said. “To challenge ourselves that way is fantastic and all about learning what we’re doing well and not doing well to better prepare us for the league.” With both preliminary games and the season opener out of the way, the Marauders are now focused on moving forward with a lot of new faces on their roster. The departure of notable star player Danielle Boiago marks one of many ways how the team will be much different from the bronze medal winners from last year. “Well, we’re definitely younger,” said Burns. “Our team last year was heavy with fourthor fifth-year players. I think that for this year’s team, we’re going to score by committee.” Having a well-rounded team will be integral for the Marauders in their 2017-2018 campaign. Burns notes that
THE SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES
though the team possesses all-star players, having a good supporting cast on both offence and defence will pay dividends for the team. “We have some people that are going to garner some all-star looks: Linnaea Harper, Hilary Hanaka and Olivia Wilson, in particular,” said Burns. “They’re some of the best players in the league but we also have a great supporting cast that are going to do their fair share of scoring and defence as well.” Despite evident changes within the landscape of the team, expectations stay the
same. With the presence of top-tier facilities and team staff on hand, the players can step forward and aim to achieve these expectations with aid and continuous support. “We really focus on walking into the gym everyday and focusing on that day and getting better,” Burns stated. “If we operate that way, the results will take care of themselves. We have a fantastic strength and conditioning staff that works with our group. They have the team so well-prepared in strength and fitness. We try to give all support possible.”
With a superb coaching staff and excellent support system behind them, the new-look Marauders will turn to Queen’s University to build off their opening night success. Mac will face the Gaels on Nov. 3 for what promises to be the next step in a successful season.
@theSilhouette
24 |
SPORTS
The last race Jessica Carmichael Sports Reporter
If you have gone through elementary school or high school, chances are you have run cross-country in some way, shape or form, but that does not mean you have the capability to compete at the university level. That is what Jeff Tweedle, fifth-year civil engineering student and cross-country star, used to think before he took a try at running. Growing up, Tweedle played volleyball throughout high school and loved it, but he also knew that his chances to play at the next level were slim. It was not until the end of grade 11 that the Cardinal Newman
Secondary School student was introduced to local track coach Patti Moore of the Hamilton Olympic Club. He started training with the club more seriously shortly after, and did so throughout the twelfth grade. “I didn’t have that much of an intention of running when I came to Mac,” said Tweedle. “My track times were okay, but compared to the guys they recruit now I was really slow.” In his first year, Tweedle struggled with adjusting and balancing to life as a student-athlete and had the worst year of his career. Over the summer after his first year, he had the opportunity to train with head coach Paula Schnurr and from there has seen nothing but constant improvement. Tweedle believes that they
took a chance on him, and that chance has been paying off ever since. The fifth-year runner is the McMaster record holder in the 1,000 metre (2:22:58), 1,500 metre (3:45:80) and mile (4:02.05) distances. “It was just something that neither of us expected to happen and it was just such a big breakthrough for me,” said Tweedle on his 1,000 metre McMaster record he made two years ago at the Boston University Valentine Invitational. At the time, Tweedle was suffering from Achilles issues and was not where he wanted to be going into Boston. So winning his heat, finishing third overall and breaking both Mac’s record and his personal best came as a huge surprise. “I was just in shock,” said
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Mac cross-country star Jeff Tweedle runs his last OUA championship as his university career comes to a close
Tweedle. “I stepped off the track and looked for my coach Paula and we just hugged it out.” Over the years, Tweedle has had many good surprises on the track, but he’s had bad ones too — as any athlete does. After having a solid start to the 2017 season, Tweedle was in contention to win at the Ontario University Athletics Cross-Country Championships on Oct. 28. Unfortunately, he ended up falling at the five kilometre mark, which set him back from the lead group. “I had to do a lot more work to close that gap and collect myself after falling,” said Tweedle. “It hurt me a bit physically, but it was more just the mental shock of hitting the ground, rolling around and trying to pop
back up to finish the race.” Tweedle ended up coming in fifth with a time of 30:46.4, helping the Marauders men’s team place second overall. Sergio Raez Villanueva, Marauder newcomer and sophomore, placed second overall with
SPORTS | 25
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
“
One of my friends I ran track with gave me a book when we came to university, Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. It’s an inspiring book based on true stories from great runners from the past and a bit of a cult classic for runners. So every meet it always comes with me. Sometimes I take it out and read it before the race, but if not, it’s always in my bag somewhere. It has been to Europe, everywhere I’ve gone in the U.S and to all OUA and U Sports championships.” Jeff Tweedle Cross-country
30:37.3. First-year Max Turek took home the individual bronze and OUA rookie of the year honours with a time of 30:39.5. “When I was coming in with 100 metres left and I could see Sergio and Max crossing the line I was just so happy for them,” said Tweedle. “It’s crazy to see these guys early on in their Mac careers doing so well. I may be heading out and it may be the end for me, but to see what these guys are accomplishing is insane.” The McMaster women’s team also came in at a solid fourth place thanks to Melissa Caruso, who individually
placed at 11th with a time of 28:40.7 and Emily Nowak who came in 14th place with 28:57.1. Both women were named OUA second-team all-stars, while Tweedle, Turek and Raez Villanueva were named OUA first-team all-stars. As his university career comes to a close at the end of the fall semester, Tweedle hopes that it is not the end of his running career. “I’m not too sure what I want to do after I graduate,” said Tweedle. “I’m leaving it pretty open so over the next year I can take a crack at running and see how far I can take it.” Working out a deal with bigger track clubs or a running shoe and apparel sponsor would be the next step for Tweedle to become a professional runner. Although once he hangs up his cleats, Tweedle hopes to work
in municipal engineering. But for now, he still has one more race to try to win as a Marauder. His sights are set on the U Sports championships, where both the men’s and women’s teams will be competing. “[The OUA Championships] wasn’t quite what I hoped for as I was hoping to get a medal and it didn’t quite go that way,” Tweedle said. “But it’s nice to have the U Sports in two weeks. We were ready for the OUA’s, but we’re gonna be even better in two weeks.” @jaaycaramichael
C/O RICK ZAZULAK
SPORTS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
| 26
A bump in the road
The 2017-2018 season started unexpectedly for the reigning women’s volleyball champions, but was just the beginning of a promising campaign
THE SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES Griffin Marsh Contributor
The McMaster women’s volleyball team, the reigning Ontario University Athletics champions, suffered a disappointing upset to the Ryerson Rams at home on Oct. 27, an unexpected start to a season that is full of hope, leadership and potential. Coming into the 2017-2018 U Sports season home opener, the Marauders were riding high, initially ranked No. 4 in the country. The team was also coming off of a preseason tuneup in Ottawa at the end of September that saw the Marauders take all five possible victories. The story on Friday night did not follow the same tune as the Marauders handled the first two sets, but quickly let the next three sets slip away, culminating in a 15-7 loss in the decisive fifth set. This was McMaster’s first loss to Ryerson since Nov. 2014 and came as a complete surprise to most involved. “It initially felt very good to be back underway, but unfortunately the game did not go the way we have liked it to,” said
Maicee Sorensen, a fifth-year middle and one of the team’s captains. “We did not play the game we wanted to. Ryerson outplayed us, and they deserved the win. I am not happy about it, but again we will use this first game as inspiration to work harder and better for the next one.” It should be noted that Sorensen was a real bright spot for the Marauders against the Rams, notching 21 kills and a kill percentage of .750, easily the most efficient of any player on the floor. While the Marauders may have been outplayed on Friday, this does not seem to be an expected trend moving forward. The Marauders carry four players on the roster who are heading into their final year of eligibility, and coming off an OUA championship and U Sports National Championship appearance last season, this team is battle tested. One of those players in her final year, along with Sorensen, is libero Carly Heath, who is excited about a lot of the upcoming season. “We have a strong core
group of players that I think have the skill and mindset that will bring us right to the end of the season and ultimately the U Sport championship at Laval in March,” said Heath. For Heath, another key excitement is the opportunity to finish her time as a Marauder with the same women she started with four years prior. “We’ve been through a mix of different teammates and wins and losses in the past four seasons together,” recalled Heath. “I’m super excited to end out my McMaster career here with these same girls that I came in with.” When thinking about larger goals for this season, the message seemed to be reaffirmed by both Heath and Sorensen: a message centred on winning. “We need to be better than the year before,” began Sorenson. She added, “This year is a little different in my head though. It is my fifth and final year, and we are coming off of a championship year so the expectations are quite high.” While the expectations are high for this season, the
We have a strong core group of players that have the skill and mindset that will bring us right to the end of the season and ultimately the U Sport championship at Laval.” Carly Heath Women’s Volleyball Team Marauders boasted a packed preseason, playing nine games in a little over two weeks during September. While this may seem to be a burden for a lot of teams, Heath argued that it is key in allowing for routines and systems to be established. “We had some time to get back into things and get more used to playing with some new members,” Heath said of the preseason. “Building off of what we learned in those preseason
games and practices will be important in our actual league play to focus on what we need to do to be successful together.” While Friday may have been an unexpected speed bump in the road for the Mac women, there is much to be excited about moving forward. This roster is deep from top to bottom, boasting both new talent and veteran staff. Much of this team also knows what is needed and expected of in a grueling U Sports season, losing only two players to graduation last season. Up next for the Marauders is the Waterloo Warriors in our own Burridge Gym, on Friday Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. Don’t start stress eating your Halloween candy yet, volleyball fans. This team knows what is needed, and has proven it can adjust in the past. This season is fresh and there is a lot to look forward to.
@theSilhouette
MORE
THAN YOU’D EXPECT FROM A
PUB!
McMaster Students Union’s
EVENTS CALENDAR MSU Open House
MSU Policy Conference
Thursday, November 2, 2017 Pop-up Showcase
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Time: 10:30am to 3:30pm Where: JHE Lobby
MSU Tours Time: 2:30pm, 3:30pm Where: MUSC 201
Drop-in Discussions: Academics & Wellness Time: 12:00pm to 3:00pm Where: MUSC 201
Health Services Review Focus Group Time: 3:30pm to 5:30pm Where: MUSC 311
Stay Connected:
Time: 9:00am to 3:00pm Where: TwelvEighty/KTH Breakfast & Lunch Included
Holocaust Education Week Art Exhibit Monday, November 6 at 10:00am to Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 3:00pm
Asteroids: Vermin of the Sky Wednesday, November 8, 2017 Time: 7:00pm to 8:00pm Where: McCallion Planetarium To reserve a seat for any of our planetarium shows, or for more information, visit: physics.mcmaster.ca/planetarium
or call us at (905) 525-9140 ext. 27777
Where: MUSC Atrium Art is a meaningful and expressive way to learn about the experiences of others. This will be an exhibit of visual artwork and poetry from the Holocaust, showcasing pieces from Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Israel).
/MSUMcMaster
Check out the full Events Calendar at: msumcmaster.ca/events
@MSU_McMaster
msumcmaster.ca
GERALD UNDERPAY Enac t h*ck in’ unethical business prac tices with these emo -inspired strategies C12
THURSDAY
THE
HAMILTON SPECULATOR Waiting on purchase orders since 1934
November 2, 2017
NOTSPEC.COM
Amazon is setting up their new headquarters in Hamilton No one planned this far ahead, and some big issues remain
The new headquarters will be built with parts shipped in giant boxes like this one. It will take approximately 100,000 shipments to complete, and at least three people will develop carpel tunnel because of the signature needed for each.
SAINT PETER VEGAS Jesus costumes were only $50
After city representatives patted one another on the back for the initial proposal and readied speeches for a seemingly inevitable first round exit, the impossible has happened. #HAmazon is a reality. However, there is one tiny stipulation. The headquarters are in universe six. We are in universe seven. As you may recall from the recent local zoning laws that shifted the student vote between planes of existence, universe six is a mirror image of our universe. It is an equal and opposite representation of our
reality. As such, cats are better than dogs, StarCraft is not a dead game and Hamilton put forward a desirable enough pitch to win the bid for Amazon’s headquarters. City representatives from our universe, however, will still continue to take credit for the successful universe six bid. “So the only way they could have possibly done so well is if we did so poorly, right? That was the plan all along,” said mayor Werner Heisenberg. “Every tool carries with it the spirit by which it has been created.” No comment was given when asked if they had coordinated or communicated with
POLL: What’s your favourite Halloween activity? Not participating in Halloween
Eating candy alone in my room
Having spooky nightmares
anyone about this plan. Universe six plans to capitalize on this more by requesting that the most qualified employees in universe seven’s Hamilton be transferred over to help out, but critics say this will add to the current brain drain issues the city has. “We prefer the students in the area to move to other places in our universe. While we have no real interest in keeping students in the city, they should at least stay in the same galactic area code,” said Heisenberg. Some members of the student population do not share this sentiment. “Hamilton is a fantastic city with an incredibly support-
ive community and a strong young professional network,” stated Damien Trombone O’Malley, vice president (Finance) of the students union and acclaimed ska musician. “However, if that requires me to switch universes, then that is a process I will undergo to find opportunities that will challenge me and help my professional growth.” Moving forward, the universe six version of Hamilton will submit applications to host the Junos, the 2036 Canada Summer Games and the Interuniversal Salt Competition.
Tweets to the Editor
Watching scary movies
Amazon sucks! Why would we ever want them here?
This Speculator is bad and you should feel bad.
Listening to the Emo Forever playlist on Spotify
Using it as an excuse to drink in the office
Slapping together a bad costume at the last minute
- Jason, 34, Google advocate
All of the above
- Sean, 21, Interuniversal Salt Competition participant
INSIDE HOW TO PUBLISH A PAPER WITHOUT ANY LICENSES A4 ARE STUDENTS SMELLY? B2 WILL I BE ABLE TO GET ON A BUS HOME TONIGHT? PROBABLY NOT B4 MAYBE YOU WILL PICK UP THE PAPER IF WE INCLUDE AS MUCH WEED AND BEER AS POSSIBLE SO HAVE FUN WITH THAT C1 SECOND HEADQUARTERS FOR OUR ADOPTED DOGS WILL BE BUILT D3 TINDER FOR SMASH BROS. PLAYERS D5 PER ISSUE: Screamo covers of your favourite Halloween songs.
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. This year’s extended lore for the Speculator is getting pretty intensive, but you can catch up if you miss a few. Don’t worry about it.
Published on Nov 2, 2017
In this week's issue, we take a look at how boundary changes may affect McMaster students, discrimination in student housing, the legacy of...
Published on Nov 2, 2017
In this week's issue, we take a look at how boundary changes may affect McMaster students, discrimination in student housing, the legacy of...