The Silhouette - November 17, 2016

S The Silhouette

One campus for everyone

pg.6

MACCESS ADVOCATES A WEEKLONG CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITH ACCESSIBILITY

Defending home court

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OPENED OUA SEASON AGAINST LAKEHEAD

pg.23

Thursday November 17, 2016

KARAM KITCHEN Five women running a catering company use food to empower themselves, share their culture and bridge the gap between our differences.

Pages 18-19

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Thursday, November 17, 2016 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

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EDITORIAL BOARD editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca Scott Hastie @Scott1Hastie managing editor | managing@thesil.ca

Rachel Katz production editor | production@thesil.ca

Nick Bommarito online editor | online@thesil.ca Haley Greene sections

Sasha Dhesi Steven Chen news reporter Emily O’Rourke features reporter Alex Florescu news@thesil.ca news editor

news reporter

opinion editor

Shane Madill

opinion@thesil.ca sports editor

Cullum Brownbridge Lauren Beals sports@thesil.ca

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& culture editor Daniel Arauz & culture reporter Michelle Yeung aandc@thesil.ca

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Madeline Neumann photo reporter Yung Lee production coordinator Nicole Vasarevic production@thesil.ca video editor Philip Kim social media coordinator Jasmine Ellis online content coordinator Susie Ellis online@thesil.ca photo editor

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We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions and editorials expressed in the Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding the Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications.

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The Silhouette

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News Who doesn’t love an extra long Thanksgiving?

The survey reflects an overwhelmingly positive response from students Saad Ejaz Contributor Salman Surangiwala Contributor

This year marked McMaster’s second fall reading week since its inauguration in January 2015 for the 2015-2016 academic year. The break provides students with a full week recess mid-way through the semester with the goal of improving academic performance, student mental health and well-being.

Marking the second fall reading week, the Silhouette conducted a survey looking at the current student views and whether the full-week recess was successful in achieving its intended goals since its inauguration. The survey seems to suggest that students are in favour of having a reading week, however some may reconsider its placement at a different time of the semester.

In total 307 responses were collected from students across all undergraduate faculties.

The survey asked students how they used their fall reading and whether it helped them relax

and recharge before facing their academic and extracurricular workload for the rest of the term.

From the data collected, it was clear that students were overwhelmingly in support of a fall reading week, with 91.9 per cent of students being in favour its inclusion.

Professor Gregg Flynn from the department of political science states the new addition of a fall reading has changed the delivery of courses.

“The insertion of a fall reading week has rather changed the way we have to think about the delivery our courses… with fall reading week coming right at the point we need an assessment, it has forced all of us to push our assessment up or have them earlier,” he said.

Due to the fall reading week, instead of assessments being spread over a three or four week period, they are either right before or after reading week.

“Its not done intentionally on our part to take advantage of the fact that students have a

week off, rather it is we have to assess students early enough so that they can make a decision of whether they want to stay in a course or not.”

Students were also asked how they spent their reading week. The results indicated that most students used their week to relax and spend time with family, followed by studying for school, working for pay and volunteering.

Many students are in favour of the current reading week and its structure, referencing the importance of rest during the school year.

“It is necessary, especially for first year students who may be away from their family for the first time. It gives them a good opportunity to go back home and visit,” said Elise Lin, a fourth-year Chemical Biology student.

The survey also asked students about the stress and workload before and after reading week. When asked to rank stress levels during midterms on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest levels of stress, 88.6 per cent of

students responded that their stress levels were at either a four or a five. When surveyed if the fall reading week was helpful in reducing stress levels, 90.2 per cent of students answered “very much” or “somewhat”.

Under the new academic schedule that includes the fall reading week, there is no longer time for a break between classes and fall end of term exams.

“This means that final exams are more squished together, and students are more pressed for time when studying for

The amount of study days received before final exams and increased workload after reading week leaves some debating whether the break was effective for its purposes.

them,” said Lin. Imaad Ali-Mohammed, a third-year Electrical Engineering student states, “I think reading week could be placed better near the end of the semester so that students can take advantage of it to catch up on their work. At the time reading week is given to us, students for the most part are already caught up on their work,” The survey indicated that a fall reading week was successful in accomplishing the objectives that it was implemented for.

Student stress levels were reported to decrease, giving them a much-needed rest from daily university activities, in addition to a time to relax and enjoy time with family.

However, the amount of study days received before final exams and increased workload after reading week leaves some debating whether the break was effective for its purposes.

Nevertheless, the majority of upper-year students appreciated the break, despite the backlog it created. @theSilhouette

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NEWS

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Always remembering On Nov. 11, McMaster held its annual Remembrance Day service to honour the lives lost in war Steven Chen News Reporter

Last Friday, members of the McMaster community gathered at Convocation Hall for the annual Remembrance Day service.

From the sound of the bagpipes, to the trumpet call of the Last Post to the singing of O Canada, the ceremony remained as traditional as it has been for nearly a century.

“The [McMaster Alumni Association] has always felt that it’s an important thing to honour the memories of our fellow alumni, and it’s a way for us to keep the names alive for even 60, 70 or 80 years after,” Karen McQuigge director of alumni advancement and graduate of the class of 1990 The McMaster Alumni Association tries its best to bring tribute to the graduates and undergraduates of McMaster who were in the World Wars and the Afghanistan War. “The [McMaster Alumni Association] has always felt that it’s an important thing to honour the memories of our fellow alumni, and it’s a way for us to keep the names alive for even 60, 70 or 80 years after,” said Karen McQuigge, director of alumni advancement and graduate of the class of 1990.

“I think what is unique about McMaster, is that every year we stop and we read the names of the individuals who died in the wars and it’s become one of those traditions that I think we are most proud of to be able to do this for the university,” she added.

Suzanne Labarge, the chancellor of McMaster, deliv-

ered the main address for this year’s service. She told the story of Stuart Ivison, a McMaster alumnus, Baptist minister and during the Second World War, a chaplain in the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

Major Stuart Ivison served on the front lines in Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

During his military service, Ivison’s frequent letter exchanges with his family back home served as an eloquent chronicle of his experiences in the war.

The letters quietly rested over the years in a shoebox until just recently when the Ivison family decided to donate the correspondence to McMaster’s William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections.

“Collectively, the letters are an important window on our history and an invaluable document of the experience of military service and combat.

Individually, many of the notes are nothing less than works of art,” Labarge said in her address.

While the event had a high turnout this year, McQuigge describes some of the troubles they faced in the past.

“I’ve been in the Alumni office for 18 years and about 10 years ago, I was actually quite worried. We weren’t getting as many students out to the service,” she remarked.

In recent years however, there has been a sudden surge in students coming out on Nov. 11 to pay their respects to war veterans.

“We haven’t really changed the service; we may change the poem, the address, and having the student gospel choir participating, but mostly it is the same,” she stated.

McQuigge found it very admirable that current students are coming out more to the service and that they considered it important to remember.

“I think that is the most heartwarming thing that I have seen and learnt from the student body today. I really believe that this service will always be an important part of the McMaster experience and our students are leading the way.” @steven6chen

This year’s service saw an increased audience.

MADELINE NEUMANN/PHOTO EDITOR

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

NEWS

McMaster’s new policy against gender-based violence

As a part of the “It’s Never Okay” action plan, McMaster has finished its first draft of the policy Sasha Dhesi News Editor

After months of planning, McMaster has released its first draft of its new policy against sexual assault.

The policy comes from the Liberal government’s “It’s Never Okay” policy, which was passed in March 2015. The draft was first made public on Oct. 28.

The policy updated sexual assault and harassment policies in Ontario, and specifically outlined that university campuses implement a policy to handle sexual assault cases. The policy stemmed from previous controversies on university campuses such as the University of Western Ontario and Dalhousie University, which made headlines and sparked a national dialogue concerning sexual assault.

The university secretariat is the executive in charge of creating the policy, with consultations from various groups on campus such as the Presidents’ Advisory Committee on Creating an Inclusive Community, the McMaster Equity and Inclusion Office and the McMaster students’ union’s Women and Gender Equity Network.

McMaster does not currently have an official policy to deal with cases of sexual assault, but instead utilized the Discrimination, Harassment & Sexual Harassment: Prevention and Response policy to handle such cases.

Additionally, WGEN and McMaster’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Meaghan Ross, offer support to survivors as well as directing them to services elsewhere such as the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton Area).

As mandated by the Liberal

government, the policy draft has been accessible to the public since Oct. 28, and a consultation was held on Nov. 8 to discuss the nuances of the draft.

The current draft includes a procedural guideline detailing the process of reporting a complaint and data gathering, the role of various levels of university administration, the investigation guidelines, and differentiations in different situations.

The policy gives students, staff and faculty the ability to file a report of sexual assault confidentially and it is the role of an assessment team to determine whether the complaint is within the jurisdiction of the policy and whether they will pursue an investigation.

The policy also allows for survivors to make rearrangements or modifications to their study or employment arrangements, such as permission to extend a program or taking a leave of absence.

for suspension or removal for faculty.

The policy also allows for survivors to make rearrangements or modifications to their study or employment arrangements, such as permission to extend a program or taking a leave of absence.

The new policy differs from the harassment policy as it explicitly outlines the process to investigate sexual assault and focuses its attention on supporting survivors. For example, Section IV allows for survivors to be accompanied by a support person or legal counsel throughout any stage of the procedures.

In addition, the new policy accounts for the complexity of the university institution by specifying the course of action when the accused is in different positions of power.

This is outlined Section VI, and ensures that different contexts are considered.

The final version of the policy is due in Jan. 2017, and all members of the McMaster community are asked to voice their concerns or additions. The complete draft may be found on the McMaster Daily News website.

Policy Timeline March 2015: Liberal government passes the “It’s Never Okay” Policy Oct. 28, 2016: McMaster finishes first draft of sexual assault policy

Nov. 8, 2016: McMaster holds public consultation meeting to discuss concerns

Survivors of sexual assault may contact WGEN by visiting MUSC room 204 or by calling SACHA at (905)525-4573.

@SashaDhesi

If an investigation occurs, the accused will be informed to ensure procedural fairness.

If it is established that a sexual assault occurred, the sanctions range from receiving a No Contact order to expulsion for students, suspension or dismissal for staff, and recommendation

January 2017: The final draft must be completed and implemented

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NEWS

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

(In)accessiblity at McMaster Emily O’Rourke News Reporter

Campus looks drastically different to a person who experiences disability. Throughout a weeklong campaign of identifying both physical and non-physical barriers around campus, Maccess brought forth these concerns.

Maccess is a new service to McMaster this year, acting as both a community peer support and advocacy service for students who experience disability.

Through events and campaigns, the service aims to build a community for students who self-identify as experiencing disability and raise awareness about accessibility concerns on campus.

Volunteers identified several spots on campus that posed as both physical and non-physical barriers to students who experience disability by placing caution tape and signs on entrances and inaccessible locations as part of (In)accessibility Week, a week-long campaign aiming to recognize these barriers and incite discussion surrounding accessibility.

“It’s a chance for students to feel heard on that front and also allow other students to kind of lean in and see what campus may look like, because I think the caution tape is really representative of ‘you can’t go here’ and that’s what it screams,” said Maccess coordinator, Alex Wilson.

“Caution tape says this is not for you, you can’t go here, not now, danger, and honestly, that’s what [Burke Science Building] looks like to a lot of people; you can’t go here, this is not for you.”

Through Facebook and Twitter, Maccess shared examples of both physical and non-physical barriers that may be difficult to recognize to students who do not experience disability, including the seemingly never-ending construction on campus, the use of the McMaster Student Absence Form, and being able to move through bookshelves in the library.

(In)accessibility Week also saw the third annual MSU Accessibility Forum, an opportunity for students who experience disability to discuss and provide feedback about

their experiences with accessibility services on campus. The conversations from the forum lend to shaping policy, in-fluencing recommendations and supporting advocacy.

“It’s a chance for students to feel heard on that front and also allow other students to kind of lean in and see what campus may look like,” Alex Wilson, Maccess Coordinator “It’s a chance for us to talk about ways that we can actually make change in the systems that deal with disability and how we can work to actively improve systems like Student Accessibility Services, which function to support students but often don’t necessarily reach their full potential in terms of things that they can do for students,” said Lauren McClinton, training and volunteer coordinator for Maccess.

“We get to actually hear from the students who are using these systems and so I’m really excited that we’re going to be able to take students’ input and see what students need and actually make those changes happen.”

The campaign was a chance for students to recognize that academia is not as accessible as it may seem, both within the physical institution itself and the overworked culture that it perpetu-ates.

“I’d like people to understand that like this whole stress culture that we have around midterms and academia and going to all of your classes and getting 12s and studying more than your friend and this whole culture that we have about how to perform academically is inaccessible,” explained Wilson.

“It’s fundamentally exclusionary to certain groups of people regardless of ability. We create a really ableist culture when we perpetuate it.” @theSilhouette

Maccess’s first advocacy week aims to shed light on inaccessible aspects of campus life, from broken doors to lackluster resources Maccess highlighted inaccessible parts of campus using caution tape and explantory notes.

MADELINE NEUMANN/PHOTO EDITOR

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

NEWS

Hamilton talks about police oversight

Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch consults with a colleague at the meeting held on Nov. 8.

C/O ELIZABETH SAUCIER

Hamiltonians gathered to reflect on various police oversight agencies, and give their recommendations Elizabeth Saucier Contributor

On Nov. 8, Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch hosted a police oversight community outreach meeting at the Hamilton Public Library.

The Independent Police Oversight Review occurred following the results of a string of investigations into police activity in the city. Along with this meeting in Hamilton, several others have been scheduled in the province.

Tulloch was tasked by the province of Ontario to study current police oversight organizations and draft a report, due in March 2017, to include suggestions about how to ensure accountability and transparency.

The meeting began with a light buffet and the crowd was a diverse group of around 100, who were asked to mingle and discuss the issues at hand.

“I assure you that in this process all of you will be heard,” said Tulloch, after which the meeting took an unexpected format. Instead of holding a town hall meeting, attendees sat in groups around tables.

Danielle Dowdy, the strategic initiatives lead, explained that each six-person table of attendees was to have a 45-minute round table discussion where various topics were explored.

Some of the topics discussed were the likelihood of reporting police brutality, the transparency of police oversight agencies, and the appropriateness of former police officers working for said agencies.

Since many of those who attended did not have any prior knowledge of the three police oversight agencies that were being reviewed, namely the Special Investigations Unit, the

Office of the Independent Police Review Director and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, a pamphlet with a flowchart was provided to explain their functions.

These agencies are currently facing public criticism for lack of transparency, inability to establish justifications for use of force and their continued operation in a climate that encourages retaliation against victims.

The goal was that, after 45 minutes of group discussion, one member from each table would stand and give a four minute speech outlining the answers at which his or her group arrived.

Many recommendations were given, along with criticisms of the current organizations. Some individuals argued that these agencies don’t share enough information to increase public confidence in their function, and that the SIU can establish that an officer acted in self-defence without establishing that he acted with sound judgment or compassion, or without establishing that the officer didn’t cause the initial escalation from which he was defending himself. Attendees also stressed the lack of public education about encounters with the police and the role media outlets hold in smearing victims.

Tulloch listened to the various recommendations without comment. He will publish his review of the SIU, the OIPRD and the OCPC in March 2017.

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

EDITORIAL

| 9

Editorial Five years and a piece of paper Who says you have to do an undergrad degree in four years?

Scott Hastie Editor-in-Chief

When this issue hits stands, I will have walked across the stage at Hamilton Place with my diploma in hand. Graduation is an exciting day for everyone, but the date is significant for me.

Two years ago, almost to the day, I was sitting in my bedroom in Westdale, calling my parents to tell them I think I had to drop out of school and move back home.

My fight against depression and anxiety was not going well: I had no motivation to go to class, did not pay attention to deadlines and felt alone after ending a relationship in the summer.

Dropping out was the right decision, but it haunted me for a while. It meant that everything would have to be delayed a year and the plan I had was junk now.

I started at McMaster in Sept. 2011, coming to the Hammer wide-eyed with high

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expectations for the next four years.

My original plan was getting my honours Bachelor of Arts degree at McMaster in the Communications program and then go into a sports journalism program at Centennial College.

I wanted to be done in four years, because that is how we talk about most university programs. “It’s a four-year program,” you say to your family at the holiday gatherings, further cementing the arbitrary deadline. I continued to hold myself to that expectation after I dropped out, wondering how this would affect my life moving forward.

It didn’t.

I came back from the year off with momentum. I spent the summer working an amazing internship, I was taking four classes instead of five a semester and I had strategies for coping with my mental health.

Taking the time off allowed me to come back and truly be successful in everything I was trying to do, not just put in the

The first ten people to get the right answer and come to the Silhouette office with the paper win a $15 Pizza Pizza gift card!

Can’t be a previous winner, member of the Board of Publications or full-time MSU staff

time to get towards that June 2015 finish line.

As university costs rise and the prospects for employment after graduation continue to shrink, I think more students will feel like they have to complete the four-year sprint and I worry about the impact that is going to have on our mental health.

Yes, there is a cost to stretching your undergraduate career, like rent or the opportunity cost of not working full-time. But the flipside is the toll on your personal wellbeing and that is more important than debt.

Ignore the pressures of a plan you set out when you were 18 and figure out what is best for you. Maybe it’s a year off, maybe you can fly through the degree in three years.

Don’t hold yourself to the four-year program ideology like I did. Finding success doesn’t mean you have to take the same path as everyone else. @Scott1Hastie

What percent of students reported that their stress levels were at a 4 or 5? ___________________

to the free coffee.

Never gets old. to graduation. Maybe I’ll stop waking up in a panic about an assignment I don’t have. to Big Sunday. to raindrop pudding.

to Big Soda. to a crushing TigerCats playoff loss. to the Pulse washroom sneak. to Free Kodak Black. to Kellie Leitch.

to solutions to gym problems.

to rescheduling meetings. Come on, Kevin!

to Bionicles.

to laws.

to the Yates Cup.

to the smell of cool ranch doritos.

to Arthur memes, still. to Norm Powell.

to recency bias.

Spare me.

to closing the book on the 2K16 printer fiasco.

to knees.

to holiday work parties.

to May.

to Motown. to December. to the rail trail. to The Head and the Heart.

to Phil Jackson.

to grumpy dog walks. to Twitter. to not enough negativity to fill the thumbs down section.

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HUMANS

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

W.J. McCallion Planetarium McMaster University

YUNG LEE/ PHOTO REPORTER When did you first work here? What motivated you to work here?

I started working as a presenter for the planetarium as soon as I started my Masters [Fall of 2014]. When the previous manager of the Planetarium, Dr. Robert Cockcroft (Department of Physics and Astronomy), moved to Western University, I took over his job. So I’m still in the process of getting oriented and such. Outreach has always been something that I’ve been interested in since my undergrad. When I found out that there was a planetarium that I could present in while doing my graduate work, I thought it would be a no-brainer to work here.

What do you think makes this place special?

I think our planetarium is extremely unique. Not every university has facilities like this on campus. I think it’s really Ian Roberts (Top left) Manager, McCallion Planetarium

cool that graduate students are responsible for running the whole planetarium - this program would not work without the help of all graduate students. With everyone's assistance, we are able to communicate to the general public about physics and astronomy in a more relatable manner.

I think it’s really good for the community around Hamilton to have something like this where they can bring school groups. I certainly did not have anything like this nearby when I was growing up. I think it’s one thing to cover space and astronomy, but also being able to see the nice sky and zooming into different planets using the planetarium is a fantastic privilege.

What would you say is one thing that an average McMaster student would not know about this place?

First of all, many people don't know that this place exists right in the middle of the campus.

Even if people know about the planetarium, not a lot of people know about

My favourite part of about my job is hearing different questions from younger audiences.

I never ceased to be amazed by the questions that I get asked by sixth graders asking me about dark matter, galaxies and other crazy stuff. I certainly wasn't thinking about these things back when I was a sixth grader. I love going through the show and talking about our work here, but for me, the best part is the Q&A period at the end.

What kind of advice would you give to a group of students that are thinking about starting their Ph.D.?

the fact that we have have weekly public hows that they can come drop by.

What would you say is the best part about your job?

I would tell them to make sure that this is something that they would really enjoy. McMaster is a great place to do graduate school with amazing support from staff and faculty members.

So before starting any graduate school, I would say that it

should be something that you look forward to every morning —or at least most mornings.

Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?

I’m still sort of undecided.

There are couple different things that people can usually do after Ph.D. in physics. One option is to stay in academia by doing a post-doctoral fellowship in other universities with the idea of landing a faculty position— it's definitely something for me to think about. But, I think I'll know better a few years down the road to see if it's something that I would want to do for the rest of my life.

facebook.com/ HumansOfMcMaster

Yung Lee Photo Reporter

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

The Silhouette | 11

Opinion Financial literacy at McMaster More can be done to help students understand their finance stresses

SILHOUETTE ARCHIVES Spencer Nestico-Semianiw Contributor

Financial literacy is a problem on post-secondary campuses. In Canada. In Ontario. At McMaster.

The unfortunate reality is that this statement is not repeated nearly enough across universities or within our levels of government. Yet Canada has seen a huge focus in 2016 on student and youth issues. Ontario’s provincial government introduced sweeping changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program, Trudeau’s Liberals brought much-needed expansion to the Canada Student Loans and Canada Student Jobs programs and initiatives to indigenize universities and better support student mental health are well under way. These are vital steps that need to be taken.

While celebrating the progress made on these issues however, politicians and university staff cannot forget an extremely important determinant of student

well-being and future success: financial literacy.

Financial statistics show the situation is grim. In the Spring 2016 National College Health Assessment by the College Health Association, 34.3 per cent of student respondents admitted that finances had been “traumatic or very difficult” for them in the last 12 months.

This was higher than all other options except for academics, the death of a family member or friend, career issues or intimate relationships. In the 2016 Firstyear University Survey Master Report by the Canadian University Survey Consortium only 77 per cent of students stated that they had successfully transitioned in the area of managing their finances between high school to university.

Even more concerning is that several studies have found mixed results around whether current financial literacy courses are effective in teaching students literacy skills. A 2009 study by Mandell and Klein

found no measurable difference in financial knowledge between students who had taken high school financial literacy courses and those who had not, while evaluations of British Columbia’s mandatory life skills course Planning 10 have provided similar mixed results on student financial literacy takeaways.

By sitting down with McMaster’s Student Accessibility Services and the Student Wellness Education Lower Lounge, it is clear that staff perceive financial stressors as a notable driver of student mental health challenges. The connection is intuitive; difficulty to afford university education or curtail rising debt are inherently stressful, and are exasperated by a lack of financial literacy skills.

As a result, financial literacy not only impacts the well being of our students, but stresses already incapacitated campus universities.

Where can we go from here? Recommendations made by the Task Force on Financial

Literacy include integrating financial literacy into elementary, high school and post-secondary education, while including a financial literacy component into the Canada Student Loans Program. A continuous concern by student groups such as the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance is that programs such as CSLP and OSAP are often extremely complex, and can inhibit students from understanding their finances and the arduous

It is more important than ever that the federal government and universities invest in a financially literate graduate pool.

processes of applying for aid.

When meeting with the McMaster Alumni office, it is clear that more can be done to help successfully transition graduating students into the workforce. As graduation brings a plethora of new financial challenges, including financial aid repayment, investment opportunities, mortgages and debt management, it is more important than ever that the federal government and universities invest in a financially literate graduate pool.

When evaluating the progress universities are making in areas important to student success, one must ask a perennial question. Who are we leaving behind? And amongst many groups, students without financial literacy skills stand out strikingly.

Disclaimer: the author of this article works for the Student Success Centre.

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OPINION

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Sexual assault response at McMaster

Sexual violence responce coordinator Meaghan Ross talks about the Sexual Violence Response Protocol and other services on campus WARNING: This article contains mentions of sexual assault, sexual violence and rape.

Sara Jones SHEC Contributor

Roughly one year ago, McMaster instated the Sexual Violence Response Protocol in order to offer better and more consistent support to survivors of sexual assault. In conjunction with this change, Meaghan Ross was hired as the Sexual Violence Response Coordinator to facilitate the implementation of the protocol and to deliver education around sexual and gender-based violence for McMaster students.

Ross describes the creation of the McMaster Sexual Violence Response Protocol as a response to a project two years ago that looked to address violence against women on campuses.

“One of the things we realized was that there wasn’t a consistent and clear response to survivors when they disclosed on campus. So some teaching assistants, or professors, or academic advisors, or a staff person that received a disclosure had a really good response; they knew the resources and knew how to do non-judgemental listening, those kinds of things.

Some folks were well-intentioned but didn’t have those

skills. And then some folks were doing really victim-blaming or slut-shaming responses. And so the protocol was designed so that everyone on campus had a really consistent response and one that was grounded in a survivor centered response.”

If you’re not yet familiar with the Sexual Violence Response Protocol, that is fairly common. While there is still

“

“Seeing folks come in who are super resilient, really strong, have lots of courage, even when they don’t feel like they have lots of courage, even when they don’t feel like they’re being really strong — that’s really rewarding.”

Meaghan Ross Sexual Violence Response Coordinator

work to be done, the net benefits of the protocol currently, and especially once it becomes well-known as a resource, are worth the investment.

“I would like folks to know that the protocol and the work that I do is about providing options for folks and making sure that folks know that there’s a space where they can come and work through options before they figure out exactly what they want to do,” she said.

“They can work through what counselling might look like before they access counselling or they could work through what sort of reporting options exist before they make any decisions if they want to go ahead and report. Also, one thing that I find a lot of students are surprised by is that I can help students to arrange for academic accommodations so when they’re coping with their trauma of sexual assault and they’re not able to fill the requirements of school, I can help.”

What’s more, these services apply more broadly than many expect.

“I think that one thing that people don’t know is that it applies to all students, staff and faculty. Anyone can access my services; it’s not just for stu-

dents. Though the majority of folks who do come in the door for me at this point in time are students, staff and faculty can also access my support.”

Even those who are familiar with the protocol may find that Ross’ work is much more involved and diverse than they expect. “One of the things that I’m not sure folks know about is that I do lots of training for McMaster Students Union services, for folks like Peer Support Line, or the Women and Gender Equity Network, or the Student Health Education Centre. Folks who maybe don’t know about the position don’t also know that I do a lot of education that’s broader than just the protocol that is generally about addressing sexual violence and rape culture.”

Unfortunately, there is not only a lack of awareness about the protocol, there are also misconceptions surrounding the issues it addresses. “I think about all the rape myths that we internalize: all the myths about survivors, about what survivors ‘should or shouldn’t have done.’

We look to survivors’ actions to try to make survivors responsible for what’s happened to them rather than thinking that this shouldn’t have happened at all

v

RESOURCES ON AND OFF

CAMPUS ON CAMPUS Equity and Inclusion Office Provides confidential complaint resolution according to the University’s Sexual Harassment Policies.

(905) 525-9140 x. 27581 hres@mcmaster.ca

Meaghan Ross, Sexual Violence Response Coordinator

(905) 525-9140 x. 20909 rossm4@mcmaster.caca

SHEC Provides confidential peer support, referrals on and off campus, anonymous and confidential pregnancy testing.

(905) 525-9140 x. 22041 shec@msu.mcmaster.ca

Student Wellness Centre Provides a wide range of counselling options and medical services and testing.

(905) 525-9140 x. 27700 wellness@mcmaster.ca

WGEN Provides confidential support for all victims of sexual assault.

(905) 525-9140 x. 20265 wgen@msu.mcmaster.ca

OFF CAMPUS SACHA Provides a 24-hour support line, counselling services and public education.

(905) 525-4573 (905) 525-4162 (24-hour Support Line)

Hamilton General Hospital, Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre Provides a 24-hour support line, counselling services and public education.

(905) 521-2100 x. 73557 sadvcarecentre@hhsc.ca

Hamilton Police Services Takes crime reports from city constituents.

(905) 546-4925

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

and rather than saying that it’s not their fault. All the misconceptions about sexual violence and about why it happens and how it happens are definitely some of the things I see in my job.”

The nature of Ross’ work is sensitive and impactful, and while an awareness of the protocol and the issues that it targets is increasing, there remain challenges and institutional barriers.

“I think it’s hard to keep trying to make things stay survivor-centered and that is really there for the support of survivors. I think that’s widespread — at all universities. It’s hard to make the institution itself a survivor-centered space.”

Despite this, Ross is able to overcome the challenges of her work by focusing on its impact.

She lights up when describing the greatest rewards of her work.

“Certainly seeing the resiliency of folks. Seeing folks come in who are super resilient, really strong, have lots of courage, even when they don’t feel like they have lots of courage, even when they don’t feel like they’re being really strong — that’s really rewarding. And then seeing other folks on campus like staff or administrators who are really trying to be survivor-centered and are really trying to do the best they can from a survivor-centered perspective.

Having those allies out there is really important.”

Many students continue to echo those sentiments, however, according to Ross, campus culture has changed since her time as a student. “There’s a lot more on campus now than there used to be. And I think that one of the best things that’s changed is the Indigenous Studies Program, really seems to have been validated a lot more in terms of the practical tangible ways that the program is given credit.

So things like the new open learning space outside; the open classroom is a really interesting space that I think is important to have. And the fact that the Indigenous Program is in a new building now where they finally have a good space and an accessible space. I think that that’s really important. I think that’s one of the better changes that I’ve seen.”

It is inspiring to consider the positive impacts that former and current McMaster students have on our school’s culture and community members.

Ross encourages that even students can make profound

impacts in supporting her role.

“I think that the number one way is to practice consent in everything that folks do. So those folks who are out there really trying to make sure that they are using consent every time that they have some sort of interaction with someone.

That really goes a long way to challenging and changing the kinds of cultures that exist on campus and in society. I think supporting survivors, actually following the protocol — knowing what the protocol is and how to provide a good response for survivors. That is really important work that folks can be doing.

And challenging rape culture wherever they see it and however they encounter it, and trying to change it into a consent culture rather than a rape culture is really important.”

Ross’ work sets a valuable example for responses to sexual violence, but there are many cases where students themselves take on a supportive role to a survivor. Ross offers advice to students in these situations, saying “I think the number one thing that folks can do is not reinforce any of the rape myths that we learn. Reinforcing that it is not the survivor’s fault that sexual assault has happened to them and saying that they believe survivors goes a long way into changing the kinds of responses that people tend to get when they disclose their experience of sexual assault.”

Ross’ work for the McMaster Sexual Violence Response Protocol and her commitment to the education of McMaster students is an impressive part of an important step forward in supporting survivors of sexual assault and dismantling rape culture and misconceptions about sexual violence.

“Take a look at the protocol and to make sure that folks are familiar with it and know about it. Folks can come chat with me at any time if they have any questions or want to talk about things.”

OPINION

| 13

MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR

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14 |

OPINION

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

LRT and you

Commuting McMaster students should advocate for Hamilton’s transit plans

ONLY AT

@MSU_1280

T W E LV E I G H T Y OW N S T H U R S DAYS .

THURS, NOV. 17

C/O CITY OF HAMILTON / THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR Rob Hardy Contributor

Even though full funding for a light-rail transit line was finally announced for Hamilton last year, local politics has ensured that the final word on the subject has yet to be spoken. Despite the fact that 18 months have passed since Kathleen Wynne’s promise to cut Hamilton in on regional transit funding, LRT opponents have remained vocal and hopeful that a referendum on the subject is forthcoming. It is perplexing that the desire to keep Hamilton stagnant and inferior to most other cities in the GTA, in terms of public transit, is so prevalent.

What remains crucial to recognize in this debate is that the LRT matters most for those who will most feel the benefits.

Yes, the project as a whole will have numerous effects on most of the population, but it seems somewhat condescending for

Rejecting LRT would take the city right back to the drawing board.

those who drive cars to say that the status quo is good enough.

Those who don’t take public transit may not fully understand what a geographically-challenged city Hamilton is for bus riders. As a McMaster student, commuting to school is more than half of my daily stress. Many students arriving from the mountain or the eastern suburbs face one or more connections each morning, with additional walking required if they get off at Emerson. Implementing LRT will make this experience faster, smoother and less draining.

Considering Hamilton’s proximity to Burlington and the rest of the GTA and the fact that the city’s population has been well over 500,000 for over two decades, it is far past time to beef up our transit systems.

The HSR has been running on fumes for years, and Hamilton simply doesn’t have the financial incentive to improve it over pursuing other options.

One has to wonder, if not now, then when? Hamilton has to go beyond buses at some point. Rejecting LRT would take the city right back to the drawing board. Yes, Hamilton would eventually get funding for other transit options, but

not from the money currently reserved for rapid transit.

Some feel that bus rapid transit is a better deal for Hamilton. If that’s the case, then why doesn’t Toronto use this?

That system means taking away a whole lane from vehicular traffic. Some people forget that this is what comprises the actual difference between regular bus routes and those of the rapid variety. Since there was a huge uproar over the bus lane experiment downtown a couple of years ago, it’s clear that drivers and businesses would be even more enraged as they enviously see a mostly empty bus lane from Eastgate to McMaster that they are prohibited from using.

Some are of the opinion that Hamilton is booming, despite our downtown having only a fraction of the energy and business density of Toronto.

It’s also worth noting that some of that positive vibe has been spurred on by projects that have taken root here based on the promise of eventual LRT operation. After already spending tens of millions of dollars on this endeavour, does it really make sense to now throw away all that money, leaving local transit not one bit better for it?

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EVENTS CALENDAR Video on Trial

and beverages, and a special guest speaker, informing you about Fair Trade efforts made on campus!

games and board games. Great prizes to be won sponsored by RedBull Energy!

Where: IAHS 143

Men’s and Women’s Volleyball

Campus Blood Donor Clinic

Video on Trial is an event hosted by Diversity Services happening November 17 at 8-10 pm.

The night will feature a trial of mainstream videos followed by discussions of misrepresentations and cultural appropriation. Come and have some fun with us watching music videos and gain insight into the impact of mainstream media in society.

When: November 18, 2016 from 06:00PM until 10:00PM

When: November 22, 2016 from 10:00AM until 04:00PM

Where: Burridge Gym

Where: McMaster University Student Centre

When: November 17, 2016 from 08:00PM until 10:00PM

Free food will be provided!!

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Fair Trade Coffee House When: November 17, 2016 at 08:00PM until September 17, 2016 at 11:00PM Where: Bridges Café Come on out to the EWB Fair Trade Coffee house! There will be free Fair Trade food

VS. Brock. Tickets avaialble at: http://www.marauders.ca/sports/2015/10/7/ MBB_1007154207.aspx

Movember: MO’Gamers Night When: November 19, 2016 from 01:00PM until 07:00PM Where: TwelvEighty Bar & Grill Come on out and bring your friends in one of biggest gaming evevnts to hit our campus! Test your skills in our FIFA 17 (Xbox One & PS4) and Super Smash Brothers (WiiU) tournaments or come out for some play-fun

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO GIVE LIFE! 3rd floor Student Centre in CIBC Hall BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT AT BLOOD.CA Walk-in’s Welcome Book a group donation & save more lives together! Contact: kristen.beneteau@blood.ca

PRESIDENT ROCK D wayne “ The Rock ” Johnson is the sexiest man alive and the 2020 president A5

THURSDAY

THE

HAMILTON SPECULATOR Following @hoodclips on Instagram since 1934

November 17, 2016

NOTSPEC.COM

“Spotted At Mac” relationship goes awry

I found this photo after I wrote the story by googling “couple photo.”

It was meant to be!

SHIT HASTINGS Has fun with phonics

The Facebook page “Spotted At Mac” is generally a cesspool of posts and comments, but there is one story worth nothing.

Meet Hannah Lyons and Fred Crowder. They met through “Spotted at Mac” when Fred posted “To the girl in Thode second floor with the blue shirt, coffee some time? :P :P :P?” Lyons responded to the post, saying “hey that’s me!” and it went from there. But, Lyons is not that girl. She was in Thode that night, wearing a blue shirt, but she is not the girl Crowder was posting about.

“I feel terrible. We’ve been seeing each other for three

months now, I’ve met her dog, but Hannah isn’t the girl I saw in Thode that day. I still love her, but this ruins our whole romantic narrative,” said Crowder, a second-year Life Sciences student.

“When she posted, I thought she was cute so I just went for it. I’ve been living a lie.”

After speaking with Lyons, it is clear that she has no idea that Crowder was looking for a different person.

“I’m not really the kind of person to do something like this, but I figured why not, I’m 19, what could go wrong with meeting someone through ‘Spotted’? It turns out I met the most honest, genuine boy on campus. I couldn’t be happier,” said Lyons.

POLL: who should be McMaster president?

Bear Peppers

Gordon Lightfoot’s third wife

Shit Hastings

Gordon Lightfoot

DISCLAIMER: This is the Speculator, a joke page. The stories and continuing plot lines are fake. If you fell for this, please go to jail, do not pass GO, do not collect $200 and stop texting your mom. Fucking nerd.

Now, Crowder faces a nadir: should he be honest with his girlfriend and risk everything? Or is it better to say nothing and continue to live a lie? We asked students waiting in line for a TwelvEighty Thirsty Thursday club night: Jon-o: “Tell her, brah. Honesty and communication are the key to every relationship. Don’t you watch Maury?”

Heather: “Don’t tell her. As long as you love her, the details are irrelevant.”

“Boomer”: “I’ll let you know what I think after I crush three vodka-crans.”

Agnus: “Tell her. You are

“I feel terrible. We’ve been seeing each other for three months now. I’ve met her dog. But Hannah isn’t the girl I saw in Thode that day. I still love her, but this ruins our whole romantic narrative.”

Fred Crowder Second-year Life Sciences student

- Vikram, 24

HOW MANY ASSHOLES WILL DAB AT CONVOCATION? A3 WHAT HAPPENS AT A HAMILTON TIM HORTONS BEFORE 7 A.M.? A7 MMKAY HALL C2 HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF WATCHING BAD MOVIES B2 THE 30 BEST PODCASTS TO LISTEN TO WHILE DOING THE DISHES D9

FEATURE the one couple that actually met through those “Spotted At Mac” shitposts, so you owe us. Don’t screw it up.”

Tweets to the Editor Hess Village is the gate to hell.

INSIDE

I went to the Ticats game and I couldn’t love Hamilton anymore than I do now.

- Brenda, 25

How many dead bodies have been discovered in Cootes?

A10-11 PER ISSUE: A strand of Patrick Deane’s beard.

The Silhouette | 17

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

Arts & Culture Power of performance and poetry McMaster School of Social Work’s We Are Not the Others tells real stories of Hamilton immigrants

C/O IZAD ETEMADI Michael Dennis Contributor

“I think I have seen a light shining strong across the river, the day will slowly overcome this cold… I keep paddling firmly, and deep within I smile… there is a voice calling me, ‘keep rowing, keep going!’”

These are the words that open Izad Etemadi’s play We Are Not the Others, a play that aims to explore immigrant struggles through the real stories of immigrant women in Hamilton.

The performance was held at the Art Gallery of Hamilton from Nov. 11 to 13, and is the result of months of collaboration between students of McMaster’s School of Social Work, members of Hamilton’s Immigrant Working Center and writer/director Izad Etemadi.

Many of the stories presented in the play were collected from the research conducted by Prof. Mirna Carranza from Mc-

Master’s School of Social Work.

“The show is based off of research. Everything in this show has happened to someone in this city, which I think is the coolest part of it,” explained Etemadi.

“I have tried really hard to keep their words as close to what they said in the interviews.”

Through a display of monologue, song and poetry, the play provides a multifaceted view into the lives of immigrants and the struggles they have to endure in order to live a normal life.

“People are not fully aware of the systems in place for immigrants in Canada. Sometimes it’s really set up for failure,” said Etemadi.

“We want to showcase the real struggles that these women have to go through. Not only taking care of their children, supporting their husbands and getting recertified in whatever field they studied back home,

but also working 12 hours a day in a job that is hard on their bodies, and trying to navigate this new world in a system that is sometimes unhelpful.”

The play explores many of the barriers that prevent a smooth transition to Canada, such as language.

From being unable to make friends on the playground to not being able to find fulfilling work, without being fluent in English, many immigrants find themselves alone in an unforgiving society.

“We want people to feel those struggles,” said Etemadi.

“Maybe when they are in a grocery store and someone can’t speak English very well, instead of jumping to judging them in a negative way… maybe think ‘what has this person had to go through just to get here’ and ‘why can’t they speak English?’… There is one story that we have… of a woman who says, ‘I never had the privilege to learn the language, because

“This show is based off of research.

Everything in this show has happened to someone in this city, which I think is the coolest part of it.”

Izad Etemadi Director I had to work whatever job I could.’”

Yet, as Etemadi explained, theatre allows us to develop deep and personal connections to individuals we would otherwise never meet, it allows us to move past labeling someone as “the other.”

For example, a woman from Mexico comes to Canada and finds love, only to be

confronted with a number of challenges. She struggles to provide for a husband with a progressing illness, and to pay the mounting bills while her husband is unable to work.

It is through the work of a compassionate social worker, however, that she is able to start caring for herself and find a community where she had none.

The play closes the same way it opened, with poetry. “We are not the others, we are just like you, we may have not been born here, but we belong here too.”

The play reminds us to reconsider what we call ‘the other’ and to listen and empathize rather than judge.

Moving forward, Etemadi and Carranza hope to use this performance as an education tool and to make it freely available through the School of Social Work’s website so that all students can listen and learn. @theSilhouette

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A&C

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

PHOTOS BY YUNG LEE/PHOTO REPORTER

generosity.

In Arabic, karam means,

For Karam Kitchen, a Hamilton-based catering company that beckons a heartfelt story and fantastic food, this came to fruition because one of its co-founders, Brittani Farrington, extended a little piece of generosity herself.

Michelle Yeung A&C Reporter

In February, Farrington volunteered to drive a Syrian newcomer from his new home in Hamilton to Toronto, where he initially settled with his family.

From there, she befriended his wife, Manahel Al Shareef, as well as her friends Rawa’a Aloliwi and Dalal Al Zoubi. The three women, who fled Syria in fear due to ongoing war and civil unrest, were soon invited to a feast held in their name at Farrington’s church. When they agreed to the invitation, there was a small twist – they would attend, but only if they could be the ones to cook. When they saw how much everyone loved their cooking, the women wondered whether they could sell their food in Canada. From there, Farrington partnered with caterer Kim Kralt, and Karam Kitchen was born.

Since its inception only a few months ago, Karam Kitchen has been garnering widespread attention and praise.

Farrington, though beyond ecstatic, is still in disbelief as to how her idea has been met with such open arms and overwhelming support.

“From my perspective, everything’s happened so quickly. We were only dreaming of this in June and now it’s all happening. [Before Karam Kitchen really started], we had a test cooking day where we just invited some friends and family to try [the women’s] food. It was very well-received and [that gave us the motivation to] launch our Kickstarter page, which [was how we got our initial funding]. We set the goal of $6,500 in a month but within a few weeks we received

“

It’s genuinely delicious; we’re trying to make an accessible workspace that overcomes barriers newcomers might face Brittani Farrington Co-Founder Karam Kitchen

almost $18,000 in donations,” said Farrington.

However, the process hasn’t been easy by any means.

“It’s definitely hard to go into business with people where you don’t speak each others’ languages. The language barrier is definitely quite difficult to maneuver. But I think it’s remarkable how much the three women are able to do without English fluency… [Al Zoubi] has amazing conversational English so she’s been wonderful.

[They’ve also had to make] the transition from home cooking to catering… culturally, they’re still baffled that Canadians will pay other people to cook for them. [At first], they wondered ‘are Canadians just terrible cooks?’” Farrington added with a laugh.

“The other big challenge [was finding a commercial kitchen]… we couldn’t have started the business without The Kitchen Collective because we get to rent by the hour and it’s wonderful.”

Farrington’s favourite item on the menu is a dish called moutabel, a cousin to baba ganoush. Moutabel is a mix of grilled eggplants, charred to smokey perfection, with yogurt,

tahini and garlic. Besides delectable classics such as kabobs and falafel, another specialty item is Kousa Mahshi, which is a fresh Lebanese zucchini stuffed with a savoury blend of meat, rice and spices, stewed for hours in a tomato sauce until tender. Recently, Hamilton’s vibrant culinary scene has also caught wind of Al Shareef, Aloliwi and Al Zoubi’s talents.

Pop Up Hamilton’s event Shuraka’, held on Nov. 19, is meant to showcase Karam Kitchen’s food in combination with some of the brightest culinary forces in the city, including Jonny Blonde (Jonny Blonde Kitchen) and Salar Madidi (Pokeh/Meat Ventures), who will create complimentary dishes to Karam Kitchen’s signature Syrian delicacies.

“A big reason as to why we didn’t decide to become a non-profit is because we think the food stands on its own.

It’s genuinely delicious; we’re trying to make an accessible workspace that overcomes barriers newcomers might face,” said Farrington. “There are certain ways in which this isn’t a traditional business [due to our backstory] but at the same time the food is honestly so good

that we’re already having repeat corporate clients who go: ‘We ordered the first time because it’s a great story, and now we all want the food again.’ That’s really encouraging… and exciting.”

Al Shareef, Aloliwi and Al Zoubi and their families have lived through horrors that most of us could only imagine.

Escaping their war-torn home and leaving their lives behind to seek asylum in a completely new country, their journeys have been filled with impossible hardships. Al Shareef’s husband, Faisal, was buried under rubble four years ago when their home was bombed in Syria. He narrowly escaped death.

Although she is now safe in Canada, Al Zoubi still to worry about her family and friends who still live their lives in fear back in Syria. However, sharing her cooking with Hamiltonians allows her to feel as though she is bringing the good parts of Syria to her new home.

“I loved [everything about Syria]. I loved my home, my family… [Five years ago], everything was good. Now, no.

No safety. War, bombs, terror and fear; everything’s bad… but I am happy now. All Syrians

ns

A&C | 19

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

are happy in Canada. Especially in Hamilton, [where everyone has been so welcoming],” said Al Zoubi.

“I’m happy today because I work. I work, I help my husband, I help my children. I’m happy because of this. And I love cooking and sharing food with [Canadians]. Cooking is my hope. [It is] my passion.

I’m happy because everyone who tastes our Syrian food is happy. We’re all happy for that, my friends and I. Our families are happy [that we are a part of Karam Kitchen]… [they’re proud of us].”

And it isn’t just the women’s families who are in awe of them. Like many other Canadians, Farrington collects recipes of 30-minute meals to keep up with her busy schedule. What amazes her about Al Shareef, Aloliwi and Al Zoubi is that they are the very opposite; Syrian cooking is an all-day experience where meticulous time and care are put into each dish.

Farrington believes the women’s care transfers over to the food they cater.

“They’re the hardest working people I’ve ever met, and also the most hospitable.

It’s amazing… when I first met these families, they just moved to Hamilton and had next to nothing in their apartments. But I was being sent home with so many sweets and coffee and goodies everywhere I went… it’s just this amazing mix of [talented resourcefulness] with warmhearted generosity.

They’re incredible,” said Farrington. “[Al Shareef, Aloliwi and Al Zoubi] have been through

“

Food is a universal language.

It knows no race, religion, gender. Karam Kitchen is a catering company that standsout with the delectability of its food, but also with its beliefs.

so much; it’s just so exciting to see them use the skill they’re passionate about to support their families. Hopefully [Karam Kitchen] is providing a model for other Hamiltonians to follow, showing them that newcomers have so many skills and our city is richer for having them here.”

In the past few weeks, recent events have shown us that the world is more divisive than we thought. Unsurprisingly, since Karam Kitchen’s vision is rooted in celebrating diversity and fostering togetherness. Farrington hopes her company can help bridge this divide.

“One thing I thought was so special was that we actually had this order, which was [both amazing and bizarre] where this guy from Boston had read about us and he was going to visit his daughter in Chicago… and he

“

This guy from Boston had read about us and he was going to visit his daughter in Chicago… and he drove to Hamilton to pick up our food to take to his daughter …

Brittani Farrington Co-Founder Karam Kitchen

drove to Hamilton to pick up our food to take to his daughter… I actually just got the kindest e-mail from his daughter where she said: ‘I’ve been really struggling to process the results of this election and what this means for our country. But then I thought about what you guys are doing at Karam Kitchen and it gives me this little glimmer of hope. Please keep doing what you’re doing,’” said Farrington.

“I just truly believe that if anyone spent time with a Syrian or any newcomer refugee family… [any immigrant]… that it’s impossible to have a hardened heart toward them.

You can’t meet [people like Al Shareef, Aloliwi, Al Zoubi and their families] and then want to

close your border… it’s so easy to view the refugee crisis just in terms of numbers and not in terms of individual people. I hope one thing [Karam Kitchen] does is that it exposes people to people they might not have met otherwise through our food and through our Syrian women serving them this food… I’m hoping that in some tiny way we can bridge the [divisiveness around the world].”

Food is a universal language. It knows no race, religion, gender. Karam Kitchen is a catering company that standsout with the delectability of its food, but also with its beliefs: to empower women, provide a platform and opportunities for those less fortunate, and to

bridge the gap between our differences through great food.

When asked why Karam Kitchen’s food is so good, Al Zoubi says that “[the three women’s] food tastes great because [they] bless every item they make to [the heavens] before serving it.” You can definitely taste their blessing, in more ways than one – on your palette and in your heart.

@mich_yeung

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A&C

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Lightcraft takes off Vanessa Polojac Contributor

With a new EP, Another Life out on Nov. 22 Jakarta-based Indonesian indie-rock/ dreampop quartet Lightcraft transport audiences through their soft melodic instrumentations and melancholic lyrics.

Formed in 2004 when they were still studying in Kuala Lumpur, Maylasia, Lightcraft was originally a quintet but recently lost a band member.

Now the band consists of members Imam Mbudz (vocals and guitar), Safarilhag Febrain Kiaidemak (lead guitar), Enrico Prabowo Siek (piano/keyboard) and Yopi Santosa Sasmita (drums).

“We went to the same university in Maylasia and we’re all Indonesian. I accidentally rented the same place as my future guitarist and he introduced me to the others so we formed Lightcraft,” explained Mbudz.

Over the past 12 years, Lightcraft has released two EPs, three albums, a mini-compilation cassette tape and is currently writing a fourth album set to be released in 2017.

From their 2006 debut EP, The Modern Seasons, the band has evolved both lyrically and instrumentally since their debut.

“We have matured as a band but not as people,” joked Mbudz.

Despite being more than halfway around the world, North American indie acts such as Mac DeMarco are extremely popular in Indonesia while also having their own set of successful bands.

“I am heavily influenced by bands like Snow Patrol and Coldplay and even electronic music but when we mix it all together it comes out as Lightcraft.”

Imam Mbudz Lightcraft vocalist/guitarist

Lightcraft is heavily inspired by early 2000s Coldplay and is nostalgically bringing back acoustically based tunes with keyboard instrumentation.

“I am heavily influenced by bands like Snow Patrol and Coldplay and even electronic music but when we mix it all together it comes out as Lightcraft,” said Mbudz.

Lightcraft has plenty of experience playing live. They have performed on stages and festivals in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Canada, America, England and South Korea. The band members have experienced the world and have noticed differences in their audience across continents.

“They’re all quite different in terms of how they show their appreciation. In Asia they’re more reserved. When we play in the United States, Canada and Europe, when people like us, they will approach us and tell us how much they like our band and in Asia they don’t do that,” explained Mbudz.

Back in April 2016, Lightcraft wrapped up their North American tour, which encompassed two showcases at Canadian Music Week 2016. They made a return to Canada this month to play shows in Toronto and Hamilton.

Being an international band causes many difficulties for Lightcraft but also gives them many advances as well.

Another Life consists of five mesmerizing tracks. The EP opens up with broken piano chords from the instrumental track titled “A Perfect Kaleidoscope” which sets the mood by creating a hypnotizing and hazy atmosphere. From lust to heartbreak, Another Life covers a wide range of lyrical topics and is described as by the band members as “music to sooth your heart.”

“The EP is a reintroduction of Lightcraft I suppose. I hope that the listeners will enjoy the EP and take to the heart the messages that are trying to come across in the songs.” @theSilhouette

Indonesian indie-rock band hit Hamilton ahead of their new EP release.

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The Silhouette | 23

Sports (We’re going) back to back The McMaster women’s basketball team start their season at home with two very different wins over Lakehead Lauren Beals Sports Reporter

Two games, two nights, same result.

The McMaster women’s basketball team got the ball rolling last weekend when they welcomed the visiting Lakehead Thunderwolves to Burridge gym. First up was a Friday night showdown against a physical Lakehead squad known for their tough play in the post.

Coming off a two week break in the schedule, the Marauders struggled to find their rhythm offensively, shooting just 30 per cent from the field and going 3-16 from beyond the arc.

“Unfortunately we didn’t come out the way we wanted to,” said third-year player Hillary Hanaka. “Our first half was slow, and we weren’t focused on a couple of skill things as we hoped to be.”

But the Marauders hung tight, relying on gritty defensive possessions to keep within striking distance.

In the end, it was leading scorer and fifth-year veteran Danielle Boiago who put the team on her back and delivered a clutch performance.

Boiago put up an incredible 31 points on the night, including a pair of deep threes and a perfect 7-7 shooting from the free-throw line, while add-

ing five assists.

“Dani is a special basketball player,” said assistant coach Andrew Baillie. “Sometimes she will pick up the slack where it is needed, and yesterday was a good example of that. She played very tough, physically [and mentally]… the fans got a good show.”

On the defensive side of the floor, Boiago had a gamehigh eight rebounds and three steals, forcing the Thunderwolves to transition quickly in a game where McMaster struggled to dictate their fast pace of play. Clare Kenney added 10 points, while Linnaea Harper had a big game on the glass, pulling in 12 boards on the night.

Down by as much as nine points earlier in the game, the Marauders stayed composed late, forcing Lakehead into making errors and capitalizing on missed opportunities.

Perhaps the most telling progressions came late in the fourth, when McMaster forced a shot clock violation out of a Lakehead timeout to open up a clean three-point opportunity at the other end.

Later in the quarter, when up by three with 26 seconds left on the clock, Boiago came up with a clutch steal under the basket to set up a clean jumper from Harper in the paint, making it a two possession game. Harper’s basket closed the scoring for the night, giving the Marauders a hard earned 63-58 win.

“It was obviously nice to pull out the win in the end,” said Hanaka. “I think our first half [could be improved]. Near

McMaster guard Danielle Boiago scored 31 points in a Rememberance day victory C/O KYLE WEST

the end of last season we came out really strong but this year we have sort of lacked it. We are a quick team when we get into it, [and] I think we can out-run them.”

Flash forward to Saturday night and the Mac women did just that. Off to a roaring start, the Marauders outscored the Thunderwolves 26-16 in the first quarter alone, working off of fast transitions and shooting just over 43 per cent from the field.

Forward Clare Kenney led the way with 17 points in

In the end, it was leading scorer and fifth-year veteran Danielle Boiago who put the team on her back,

and delivered a clutch performance.

22 minutes of action, while Hillary Hanaka added 14 points and seven assists on the night.

Lakehead struggled to match Mac’s up-tempo style of play, falling behind by as many as 20 halfway into the third.

Fatigue seemed to be a factor, as the Thunderwolves lacked the speed and explosiveness they showed the night prior, struggling to stay with Mac’s deep backcourt.

“We know we can outlast almost every team, and if we just keep pushing through to the fourth quarter, we can keep up,” said assistant coach Anne Marie Thuss. “When you are fit, your mental game stays level too, and that’s important.”

In a night that highlighted McMaster’s depth, second-year guard Erin Burns had a breakout evening, showing incredible grit on the defensive end and finishing with five steals on the night.

“Her coming in and diving on balls gives us a little more energy,” said Thuss. “She was able to steal the ball, distribute it back to the shooters and

really produce. That was a gutsy performance.”

It was that “win at all costs” style of play that truly defined the Marauders over the course of the weekend, and will continue to do so moving forward.

Because at the end of the day it isn’t the 31 point performances or loose ball plays you rely on, it’s whether or not you can find a way to win.

And find a way they did.

Twice. @theSilhouette

24 |

SPORTS

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Marauders remain undefeated The McMaster women’s volleyball team moves up to fourth place in the U Sports rankings after sweeping Lakehead over the weekend Cullum Brownbridge Sports Editor

The women’s volleyball team continue to flex their muscles over the Ontario University Athletics competition, sweeping away the Lakehead Thunderwolves in their two-game series in Thunder Bay, ON. The Marauder women showed poise in the first match on Nov. 11. After dropping the second set to Lakehead, the women came back swinging with dominating performances in the third and fourth set, eventually leading to a 3-1 victory over the Thunderwolves.

Fifth-year outside hitter Rebecca Steckle led the charge on Friday, posting 11 kills on 23 attempts to go along with a serving ace and nine digs. Setter Caitlin Genovy played a huge role in the victory, recording 34 assists while putting Steckle and fourth-year outside hitter Joanna Jedrzejewska with multiple opportunities to win big points for the Marauders.

The Marauders followed up their victory with a stellar performance on Nov. 12, sweeping Lakehead in three sets, not allowing their opposition to score more than 15 points in any set.

Genovy, in her fourth year of eligibility, continued to be the core to the Marauder’s offensive success, tallying 31 assists on the evening.

With their sweep over Lakehead over the weekend, the women’s volleyball team continued their undefeated season and move to 5-0 on the season. The two victories also saw the team move up in the University Sports rankings, who now rank as the no. 4 team in the country behind Alberta, University of British Columbia, and fellow OUA team Universi-

ty of Toronto.

Head coach Tim Louks has been impressed with the strong start from the team, and points to the role players as an important factor to their fast start.

“The depth of our team is evident in the practice room,” Louks said, prior to the team’s trip to Thunder Bay. “If you can practice at a very high level, then you will compete with that expectation in matches. That will help us along the path for sure. The players have been outstanding in the process.”

Although the team has yet to face the toughest competition the OUA has to offer, beating teams ranked lower in the standings is just as important. Doing so marks a team as a consistent force in the league, one who takes each game one at a time and does not fall into a trap of overlooking the competition.

“Our season is extremely long and [at times] disjointed with stopping for exams and breaks,” Louks said. “Our ability to stay focused through distractions will assist in our desire to be among the best. We will train with good intelligence and energy.”

The success of the McMaster winter varsity teams has been impressive, and the women’s volleyball team has been no different. Even with their first true competition coming from Western (who is currently undefeated with a 5-0 record) on Nov. 26, the team will continue to take their season one set at a time, and learn from every match.

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

Digging for success The McMaster men’s volleyball team continues to steamroll through OUA competition

McMaster has enjoyed a strong start to their season, thanks to outstanding play from veterans.

C/O ALISTAIR BOULBY Griffin Marsh Contributor

A strong start shows positive signs for the upcoming season of Marauder men’s volleyball.

The University Sports volleyball season is long and gruelling; 17 regular season games followed by half a dozen elimination games during postseason play.

With their eyes fixed on a national championship, the Marauders have kicked off their season with a 3-0 start.

Getting this season off to a good start was an important first step for this team, especially coming off a frustrating end to last season and an up-anddown preseason. The nerves, excitement, and effort were

tested in the first set against the Guelph Gryphons on Nov. 28, where the Marauders battled out a 27-25 victory.

“What was more impressive was we were able to execute down the stretch at that emotional level,” head coach Dave Preston said. “Once we got used to playing at that emotional level, we started to roll, and the next two sets took care of themselves.”

Not only did they beat the Gryphons, but they have yet to lose a set this season, dispatching Trent and York with ease. To Preston, though, the results are not the focus right now.

“We are really focused on our serving, our passing, and our defence, and I’m much more pleased with that than

I am about the three wins,” he said. “This Marauder team wants to win, but most importantly they want to grow and build off of each game so that each win becomes cleaner, stronger, and more confident.”

When asked who has stood out on the court thus far, Preston praised the play of flexible setter Andrew Richards, veteran hitter Jayson McCarthy, and Brandon Koppers. “[He] is positioning himself as one of the premier hitters in the country,” Preston said of Koppers.

These are the veterans and leaders of this team, so it should be encouraging for everyone involved that these players are leading by example. Another positive sign for the Marauders

is the play of their two liberos, Pawel Jedrzejewski and Jordan Pereira.

McMaster has changed its use of the libero this season, adopting a new U Sports rule change that allows for two liberos to interchange between points without a substitution.

Some teams have not elected for this strategy, fearing that it would break up the rhythm and momentum of the players. In contrast, the Marauders have used the rule change to great success, and the credit goes to the personnel in play.

“We are in the good fortune of having three amazing liberos, so I think [with] Pawel and Jordan attaching themselves to it right now, we are using both of their strengths,” said Preston.

For Pereira, a freshman just beginning his Marauder career, this is a wonderful opportunity.

“I’ve learned a lot playing alongside Pawel. He has been a great mentor to me and I try to learn as much as I can from him to improve my own game,” said Pereira.

The results and performances have lined up thus far for the Marauders, but there is still a lot of regular season play left. McMaster has three games before the winter break, with the goal of approaching each game one at a time.

It is early, but the current attitude and results point towards an exciting year of Marauder volleyball. @theSilhouette

26 |

SPORTS

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Mac men sweep Thunderwolves Marauder defence stands tall through a tough weekend series against Lakehead Justin Parker Contributor

The McMaster men’s basketball team kicked off their Ontario University Athletics season last weekend with tough back-toback wins over the Lakehead Thunderwolves, including a Friday nail-biter that ended in overtime.

In both games, the Marauders saw a dip in scoring in the second quarter, most notably being held to one basket in the second quarter of Saturday’s game. Head coach Amos Connolly noted that despite being held to two points in the quarter, the team showed improvement defensively.

“Lakehead is phenomenal defensively and I think we settled for bad shots,” Connolly said. “I thought the guys did a really good job of not panicking. You get a score like [two points in a quarter] and it can kind of mess with your head.

I think they did a good job of not letting it get to them too much… They committed to the understanding that we are going to make mistakes and just to make sure we improve and learn from it.”

The Marauders leaned on their starting five on the weekend, with Connor Gilmore playing a total of 76 minutes and posting a double-double in each game. Fifth-year forward Rohan Boney shined on Friday night, leading the team with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.

While the starting five for McMaster played a majority of the minutes, the team is still trying to figure out how to spread the remaining minutes among the bench players. One of the top rotation players from the bench of the weekend was Chris Thompson, who played 39 minutes between the two games. The sophomore guard contributed on the stat sheet

Rohan Boney (22) recorded a double-double in Friday night’s win with 24 points and 14 rebounds C/O KYLE WEST

with 12 points on Friday night but came up big late Saturday, sinking three key free throws to seal the game for the Marauders.

Coming away from their first weekend series, the Marauders have a lot they can use to build upon through the rest of the season. The team was able to hold the Thunderwolves to 56 points on Saturday, beating a usually low-scoring team at their own defensive game.

“We have to be able to win games in that style, that mindset,” Connolly said after the team’s practice on Monday.

“I think this weekend was really good for us. It sort of opened our eyes to how we need to play to slow down some of the faster teams, and to rebound against

some of the bigger teams. Both of them were sort of gut-check scenarios where guys had to make big free throws. I’m happy with the win and I’m happy with the lessons that we learned.”

Many teams can get caught up in rankings, trying to justify wins based on opponent records and other analytics. The Marauders, ranked third in the U Sports Top Ten, have a tough road ahead. They play Brock twice and travel to the nation’s capital to take on Ottawa and Carleton. Despite the tough schedule, Connolly is making sure that the team focuses on their own game, rather than arbitrary rankings.

“We don’t get caught up in being third in the country,”

Connolly added. “It’s something we don’t spend time thinking about. For us, it’s just every opportunity, every game is a chance to learn something different. Brock is a transition-oriented team who are very big. That’s different than what we’ve had so far. We are going to have to account for their size and sheer talent.

It is test after test after test. These games aren’t fail and die. They’re fail and learn.”

The season has started on the right foot for the men’s basketball team.

But it’s just the beginning; how they perform

in the final weeks of the fall semester will give Maroon and Grey fans a greater understanding of where Mac stands in the OUA landscape.

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