The Silhouette - February 1, 2019

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THE BUILD STARTS NOW Meet your new MSU president-elect, Josh Marando // PAGE 3

Friday, February 1, 2019

INSIDE>>

NEWS: MSU presidential voter turnout hits new low // PAGE 5 FEATURE: Different approaches to student housing // PAGE 6-7 ARTS & CULTURE: Thrive Week focuses on mental health on campus // PAGE 17

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The Silhouette

Volume 89, Issue 19 Friday, February 1, 2019 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

EDITORIAL BOARD

/THEMCMASTER SILHOUETTE

#TBT

@THE SILHOUETTE

/MCMASTER SILHOUETTE

@MCMASTER SILHOUETTE

LEGAL Feb. 1, 1974

September 23, 1955

editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca Emily O’Rourke @emily_oro digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca Aaron de Jesus managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Sasha Dhesi @SashaDhesi production editor | production@thesil.ca Hamza Furmli online editor | online@thesil.ca Yvonne Lu sections

Cassidy Bereskin news reporter Ryan Forrest Tse news@thesil.ca news editor

features reporter

Hannah Walters Vida

features@thesil.ca

Sabrina Macklai

opinion editor

opinion@thesil.ca

Justin Parker Jessica Carmichael sports@thesil.ca

sports editor sports reporter

arts arts

& culture editor Razan Samara & culture reporter Rya Buckley aandc@thesil.ca media

Kyle West photo reporter Catherine Goce production coordinator Sukaina Imam production coordinator Sabrina Lin production@thesil.ca photo editor

Sasha Roshan Martin Burwell online@thesil.ca

video editor

social media coordinator

COVER Kyle West

CONTACT

LEGAL

MUSC, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4

The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters should be 300 words or less.

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.

The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.

Editor-in-Chief (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Main Office (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising ccpc@mcmaster.ca 6,000 circulation published by the

The long-standing ice debate

Back in 1974, the Silhouette published an opinion article about the need for an ice rink on campus. I guess everything does come full (ice)circle.

You can hang with us!

We’re always looking for more contributors! If you’re interested in contributing to the Sil, email a section editor below, or come visit our office in MUSC B110 during a meeting.

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

The Silhouette

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News Meet your new MSU president-elect MSU president-elect Josh Marando talks about finding about the results, why he won and his future plans

During his first few months, Marando plans to develop smaller projects and consult services about his larger goals.

Daniella Mikanovsky Contributor Ryan Tse News Reporter

On the evening of Jan. 24, Josh Marando was voted in as the next unofficial president-elect of the McMaster Students Union.

Marando, a fourth year arts and science student, garnered over 600 first-choice votes compared to the second-place candidate Jeffrey Campana.

Overall, Marando received 40 per cent of the 2,654 firstplace votes.

Marando’s platform consists of 12 pillars, touching on issues like mental health support, sexual violence and education costs.

Marando learned of the news of his victory via a phone call from the current MSU president Ikram Farah at 9:00 p.m. on Jan. 24.

He was surprised by how early he got the call.

“I was not expecting to hear as soon as we did. Last year, I knew that they heard at around 3:10 a.m, so when Ikram called me at 9:00 p.m., I was not really sure. I thought she was joking at

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

first. I really expected her to say, ‘Just kidding,’” Marando said.

Marando was relieved to hear he won, admitting the last few days of the campaign were the most stressful ones. On the last day of polling, he went home in the afternoon to relax on his own before his campaign team gathered to await the results.

“We just invited the core team over because either way we just wanted to be happy because I think we did run a pretty good campaign and I think we are all

Looking ahead to the next few months, Marando said he will begin implementing smaller projects, like creating a student lounge in the McMaster University Student Centre.

pretty proud of the work that we did, regardless of what the outcome would have been,” said Marando.

After receiving word of his victory, Marando quickly sent a text to his parents.

“I sent a nice little text in our group chat just saying that I won,” Marando said. “I think my parents still don’t fully understand what it is. They do not really know what the MSU does.

There are obviously so supportive because they know it’s something I have been working on for a very long time and they’re just very, very excited.”

Looking ahead to the next few months, Marando said he will begin implementing smaller projects, like creating a student lounge in the McMaster University Student Centre, while continuing to consult different services on bigger projects, like academic accessibility and mental health support.

Marando is also focused on formulating a plan to advocate against the provincial government’s changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program and

student fees.

“Something that I am trying to do is fully understand the changes, fully see what impact that will have on students and see what we could do differently than what we were doing before,” Marando said.” We have been advocating to this government for however many months now and we still saw this happen, so clearly something needs to change.”

“I think the real way that you can create meaningful change is by being one of the students and really connecting with them during this process,” Josh Marando President-elect McMaster Students Union

Reflecting on his campaign, Marando believes he was successful because his message resonated with what students truly wanted.

“Something that we really try to do is just talk to students and see what exactly they wanted, and also some things that they would have wanted when they were in first year,” Marando said. “The people see the MSU president that shirt and jacket and suit and it feels very disconnected from students, but I think the real way that you can create meaningful change is by being one of the students and really connecting with them during this process.”

Slated to begin his term in May, Marando is excited and optimistic about the job in front of him.

@tweetingryantse

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NEWS

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

McMaster EIO feedback session leaves unanswered questions The strategy event lacked clarity and specificity about McMaster’s plans to improve equity, diversity and inclusion

Al Shaibah aims to advance McMaster’s equity and inclusion goals, but her plans remain abstract and unclear.

CATHERINE GOCE / PHOTO REPORTER Donna Nadeem Contributor

On Jan. 22, Arig al Shaibah, the associate vice-president (Equity and Inclusion) with the McMaster equity and inclusion office, held an event in the Mills Library Connections Centre centered around McMaster’s “Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework and Strategy.”

During her term, al Shaibah plans to engage with local and historically underrepresented and marginalized communities to understand and learn about their challenges.

She hopes this awareness will enable her to build strong ideas and strategies to advance the equity and inclusion goals at McMaster.

The event begin with al Shaibah’s presentation on McMaster’s EDI framework and strategy.

McMaster’s EDI framework is broken down into four pillars: institutional commitment and capacity, educational content and context, interactional capabilities and climate and

compositional diversity and community engagement.

The first pillar aims to “mobilize McMaster’s commitment and capacity to advance inclusive excellence by establishing and resourcing structures, systems, policies and processes that facilitate equity, diversity and inclusion leadership, governance and accountability.”

The second pillar seeks to strengthen academic programs, practices and scholarships to ensure they “demonstrate relevance… to diverse local, regional, national and global communities.”

The third pillar focuses on improving the McMaster community’s ability to foster a culture of inclusion and an environment where members feel “a sense of dignity and belonging.”

The fourth pillar aims to engage marginalized communities on campus, enhance employment equity, and improve student access and success amongst historically underrepresented students and community members.

“Not everyone here feels

included, so even among our diverse [community population], some of us may feel included and others not, in part because of inequities that exist,” said al Shaibah.

Al Shaibah explained an action plan that would help facilitate the development of the EDI plan.

Some of the points included developing goals across the institution and faculties and integrating the EDI into academic programs and self-reported student experiences, strengthening complaint

During her term, al Shaibah plans to engage with local and historically underrepresented and marginalized communities to understand and learn about their challenges.

resolution from harassment and discrimination complaints and increasing training for McMaster community members and committees.

Throughout the presentation, al Shaibah spoke in abstract terms, not outlining specific initiatives that the university will undertake take to improve student access and success amongst marginalized students and training for McMaster community members.

After the presentation, the floor was open for students to express concerns and feedback.

Students asked for more clarity about McMaster’s plans to meet the objectives stipulated in the EDI. Even after students pressed further, Shaibah still failed to clarify what in particular she would do to work to combat the problems she raised.

One student expressed concern over the fact that his friend who is of Indigenous descent was not able to obtain a Teaching Assistant position for an Indigenous course while a student who was not of Indig-

enous heritage successfully secured the position.

Al Shaibah responded that if the candidates’ qualifications were equal, the Indigenous students’ application should have been prioritized.

Students also asked about whether other universities have implemented this EDI framework and whether it has been successful for them.

Al Shaibah said that some schools have explored strategies similar to this, but have not pursued an ‘across the board’ strategy that applied to faculties across the entire institution.

In addition, students asked how they could get involved with the implementation of the strategy.

According to Al Shaibah, McMaster students can promote the EDI framework through clubs and the McMaster Students Union. Students can also contact McMaster’s equity and inclusion office at equity@mcmaster.ca. @theSilhouette

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

The Silhouette

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MSU voter turnout at seven year low

The student union’s voting system changes failed to restore turnout to previous numbers

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

Maanvi Dhillon Contributor

Voter turnout in the 2019 McMaster Students Union presidential election fell 1.2 per cent from last year, marking the lowest rate since 2012.

Just two years ago, voter turnout sat at 41.6 per cent and saw 9,327 student voters.

Following last year’s election, the MSU elections department promptly investigated the sharp decline in voter turnout.

“The voter turnout rate continues the impressive upward trend in McMaster student voter turnout, and marks five consecutive years with more than 40 per cent of students voting in the MSU Presidential

election,” reads a statement on the MSU website from 2017.

This ‘upward trend’ did not continue the following year. In particular, the 2018 election saw voter turnout fall 13.6 points.

Following last year’s election, the MSU elections department promptly investigated the sharp decline in voter turnout.

After finding no issues with the voting software, Simply Voting, low turnout was estimated to have been caused by students opting out of receiving elections emails.

“Students who voluntarily opted-out of emails from the MSU’s election software provider, as per Canadian anti-spam legislation, did not receive future emails,” said Uwais Patel, the MSU’s chief returning officer.

Patel pointed out that this did not necessarily prevent students from voting in the election as they could have received a ballot if requested. However, it still likely would have reduced their likelihood of voting.

Low voter turnout is a seri-

ous concern given the role and position of the MSU president, who Patel describes as “an important representative who will help shape the student experience for years to come.”

As a result of the change, in this year’s election, students were able to access their online ballot with their Mac ID instead of email.

Students were also enabled to use a general link and log in with their McMaster login information, eliminating the necessity of email for access and making the process fit more naturally with other online McMaster activity, like accessing Mosaic or Avenue to Learn.

For these reasons, Patel believed the transition would make “voting more accessible and the process of voting more reliable.”

Before the election, Patel was confident that the MSU Elections’ lineup of strategies would give students access to the details they need to easily vote.

“Using resources and

technology, we are maximizing the way we deliver… information,” said Patel. “By voting and engaging with the election this year, students can be confident in who they elect as MSU President to represent them on issues

This year’s notably low voter turnout casts doubt over the new MSU president’s capacity to ‘represent’ McMaster’s nearly 30,000 undergraduates when only 6,576 voted in the election. pertaining to student life and advocacy,” said Patel.

In effort to increase voter turnout, the elections depart-

ment also released an instructional video showing how to vote.

They also asked committee members and MSU Maroons to promote the election on campus and encourage students to vote.

However, this year’s drop in voter turnout suggests that the new voting system and array of promotional efforts did not sufficiently improve the turnout rate.

This year’s notably low voter turnout casts doubt over the new MSU president’s capacity to ‘represent’ McMaster’s nearly 30,000 undergraduates when only 6,576 voted in the election. @theSilhouette

SUKAINA IMAM / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

FEATURE

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1 , 2019

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Where do all the students go?

How universities across Canada are dealing with increased demand for residence space Hannah Walters-Vida Features Reporter

For many students, living in residence is an important part of the first year experience. n recent years, universities across the country have had to act quickly to meet the increased demand for residence space on campus.

McMaster has 12 residence buildings that house approximately 3,700 students. The demand for student housing, however, is far higher. Currently, there is only enough residence space for about 40 per cent of incoming first year students.

McMaster is one of the only universities in Ontario that does not provide guaranteed campus housing for first year students. In order to be guaranteed admission to residence, students must meet a minimum grade average.

All other students are placed on a waitlist.

Finding Space on Campus In 2016, McMaster had to fit 200 additional students into residence due to higher than anticipated enrollment numbers. As an immediate solution, double rooms were converted into three person units.

The Living Learning Centre currently being built on the north end of campus will help to meet the need for residence space. In addition to classrooms and student services, it will also offer 500 suite and traditional-style residence rooms.

But there is only so much space on campus. In order to meet the rapidly increasing demand for residence space, universities across Canada are rushing to create new housing options.

One novel yet controversial approach to the problem of min-

imal housing space comes from the University of British Columbia’s “nano suites” pilot project.

Enrolment numbers at UBC have been steadily increasing and have led to space and resource shortages. The university is now considering scaling back admission of international students, according to UBC’s student-run newspaper The Ubyssey.

Nano suites are 140 square foot housing units containing a bed, desk, bathroom and kitchen.

A desk sits under the bed, which can retract into the wall to save space.

The nano suites will account for 71 rooms in a new 362 unit student residence building on UBC’s campus.

One of the main draws of the nano suites is the cost. Each unit costs around $700 a month which, compared to Vancouver’s notoriously high rent costs, is a strong draw for students.

However, living in such a small space is not a feasible option for everybody. The Ubyssey notes that the units are less than double the size of a minimum-sized single occupancy Canadian prison cell.

While scaling down the size of residence rooms is one approach to the problem, the more common approach is to build residences off campus.

Turning to Private Companies Private developers have noticed this trend. In some cities such as Waterloo and Toronto, the demand for student residences is so high that private companies have built student residences independently of the universities.

Since privately operated residences are not affiliated with universities, students do not get access to the same benefits and

support systems that are typically available in traditional residences. Additionally, privately owned residences are often far more expensive than traditional options.

Due to a lack of government funding for residence construction, many universities are unable to build their own new residence buildings.

In recent years Canadian universities have begun exploring public-private partnerships to fund university-affiliated student residences.

York University, U of T and McGill are among the growing cohort of Canadian universities who have partnered with private companies to fund student residence buildings.

In 2017, McMaster announced its plan to follow suit. The university bought a group of nine Westdale houses around campus for $9.5 million with the plan to develop a multi-storey residence building in partnership with Knightstone capital management, a Toronto-based company that specializes in student residences.

While the construction will be handled privately, McMaster will run the residence as part of the university-wide student housing system.

The proposed first phase of the residence will have 950 beds, and there will an additional 455 if there is sufficient demand.

In addition to the Westdale residence, McMaster is also partnering with Knightstone to build a residence in downtown Hamilton for graduate students and their families.

Knightstone aims to build residences that challenge the perception of unclean, unsafe student living. Their website claims that they cater to the

new generation of students with higher expectations about their student living conditions.

“These expectations, taken together with security, cost and cleanliness as their parents’ hot buttons, have created consumers that seek a student residence experience at a level that corresponds to their home life,” read a part of their site.

Some of the new privately developed student residences across Canada more closely resemble luxury condominiums than traditional student dormitories.

CampusOne is a student residence in downtown Toronto that houses students from the University of Toronto, Ryerson and Ontario College of Art and Design. The building houses movie theatres and a fitness studio, and the website advertises Feng Shui compliant rooms.

While privately and jointly funded residences offer luxury, they also tend to be more expensive than university owned buildings. A standard room at CampusOne, for example, costs about $1700 a month, not including the meal plan.

McMaster has yet to announce the costs of the new residence buildings in Westdale and downtown Hamilton.

Community Impact By building student residences the surrounding city, universities are better able to meet the increasing demand for housing.

However, building residences off campus means that universities must account for the needs of the surrounding community members.

The proposed Westdale residence concerned residents, who worried that the height and density of the proposed building

would alter the community. A letter from Ainslie Wood/Westdale Community Association Of Resident Homeowners Inc. to the city of Hamilton expressed concern about foot and vehicle traffic and the plan for yearly move in and move out.

“We understand the need of the University, and we endorse a development on the proposed site; however, we feel that this development in its present form will have long-lasting negative effects on the immediate community,” states the letter.

Community resistance to off-campus student residences is not unique to Hamilton.

In 2013, a proposed private residence for U of T students faced similar backlash from members of the surrounding community. The Harbord village residents’ association found issues with the proposed building’s height and density, among other concerns.

A new proposal was announced this past summer that accounted for the concerns raised by the HVRA. However, it took five years of negotiation to come to the agreement.

While building residences off campus may be necessary to accommodate for increasing enrollment, it requires careful consultation with community members.

As university admissions continue to rise across the country, so too will the demand for student housing. While many incoming students want the first year residence experience, the future of campus living is anything but traditional.

@theSilhouette

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

January 31, 2019 | thesil.ca

New Democrat Party of Ontario. Our conversation addressed the demand for increased financial aid, support for student services, and how now, more than ever, students in post-secondary education should be engaged. At the protest in Toronto, more than 1000 students gathered and marched to Queen’s Park in the freezing cold. I was amazed to see the solidarity, strength, and passion in the students who came together to make their voices heard.

IKRAM FARAH President president@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23885

Following the announcement of changes to Ontario’s tuition framework, OSAP, and institutions’ ancillary fees from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, students overwhelmingly condemned this governmental approach at ‘saving students money’. I firmly believe that these changes will negatively impact students, despite the narrative that suggests otherwise. As a student who personally benefited from the Free Tuition model, I understand the opportunities and financial certainty it provided.

Over the last two weeks, students across Ontario have taken to the streets in many forms of protest and demonstrations, condemning the actions made by the Ministry under the provincial government. This past Friday, the McMaster Students Union was able to support students by providing busses for a rally in Toronto organized by other passionate students. That same day, the Board of Directors had the opportunity to meet with Andrea Horwath, leader of the Official Opposition, the

if you disagree with the recent changes that have been made, I encourage you to engage with the communities you are a part of, whether that be clubs, services, or volunteer groups. Access msumcmaster.ca/osapletter to find resources to assist you in emailing your local MPP. You can also attend a rally against the recent changes to OSAP in

Hamilton this Friday, February 1 from 12 PM - 1:30 PM at Gore Park, hosted by Hamilton Student Mobilization Network. If there are any more updates regarding this matter, they will be made available on the MSU website. Until then, keep finding ways to express how these changes affect you and support other students as they mobilize.

“As President of the MSU, I am committed to fighting for affordable education as it pertains to both access and inclusion.”

I cannot stress enough the importance of collective action and solidarity on this front. The McMaster Students Union has partnered with academic institutions across the country to unite on this matter with the creation of a national letter. While this issue is pertaining to Ontario, the purpose behind a letter that unifies student unions across Canada is to address the power of student unions together and make sure the affordability and service delivery of university is not jeopardized within other provinces in the future.

Moreover, appearing as a united front ensures the current provincial government is held accountable and the priorities of students are put first. This national letter represents over 1.5 million students: together, we will continue to gain momentum and support.

As President of the MSU, I am committed to fighting for affordable education as it pertains to both access and inclusion. Of course, I would also like the help of students on this matter - so

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.

Students gather at a rally in Toronto against the recent OSAP changes. C/O Haley Greene.

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

EDITORIAL

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Editorial

Student media matters

The Progressive Conservative party’s plan to make ancillary fees optional is an incredibly dangerous move for student media Emily O’Rourke Editor-in-Chief

Premier Doug Ford’s recent move to make ancillary fees optional can affect a number of valuable groups and services on campus. On a campus that prides itself in student life as much as McMaster does, many of these groups are left to question what is to be deemed essential by the university.

The Silhouette is in a similar position.

The Silhouette has been McMaster’s student-run newspaper for 89 years. For a university without a journalism program, this is particularly impressive. We’ve been through generations of passionate staff members, critical eyes at city hall and decades of keeping McMaster’s students and administration accountable.

This past year, we’ve turned around our online presence and have reached up to 300 per cent more people through our coverage. Our audience engagement is the highest is has ever been

and more people are relying on the Silhouette as their immediate news source. Not only that, but over the past decade we’ve won awards, both locally and nationally, for the work that we put into this paper.

If the Silhouette were to dissolve at the hands of a government who campaigned for free speech on campus, what would that look like? Local news outlets do not have the capacity to cover McMaster or student specific news, nor do they have the capacity to cover issues in student government. For the most part, if you look at any student-centric stories that local news sources have covered, student media has covered the same stories first.

If you need an example of this, Ryerson’s student-run newspaper, the Eyeopener, was first to report on a story in which the five-member executive team that governs the Ryerson Student Union had spent over $250,000 using the union’s credit cards. After the Eyeopener reported on this, several major news sites, including

the CBC, CP24, BlogTO, Vice and CTV News among other major outlets released coverage on the matter.

If you need an example of something that is closer to home, following our coverage of the Hamilton Student Mobilization Network’s protest at McMaster on Jan. 30, Cable 14 Hamilton covered the protest and used our video footage in their segment, City Matters.

We have continuously proven ourselves as a valuable service that the McMaster Students Union provides, but we’re left in the dark about what our next steps are to prevent the total dissolving of a paper with a legacy as long as the Sil’s. For the past two weeks, we’ve been having long meetings with MSU members, Canadian University Press representatives, lawyers and university administration to conjure up the best course of action and hopefully, we can continue to be a valuable news source for years to come. @emily_oro

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For school, play and everything in between the HSR wants to take you there.

is transit for the next generation

That’s why it’s time to think about the Hamilton of tomorrow and how you’ll help to shape it. Tell us how you would (Re)envision the HSR.

Take the survey: hamilton.ca/reenvision

10 |

HUMANS

Catherine Goce Photo Reporter

What gave you the idea of starting your own web design and marketing company?

It all happened I guess you could say by mistake. I got into Photoshop when I was a kid and when I was 14 one of my siblings was working on Photoshop and I liked how it turned out. The first thing I ever learned how to make was one of those old Apple ads that used to say Think Different and it was kind of my first experience with Photoshop and design. I felt like I had a knack for it but never really explored it that much.

In grade 12, I applied for both kinesiology here as well as business. It was like my back burner just in case I don’t get into kinesiology. I ended up getting into kinesiology but at the same time I was in high school and I was doing all these competitions and business in grade 12. They were all telling me I should go into business and that kinesiology is not my thing. I was also doing really bad in chemistry so it kind of started making a little bit more sense to me. I ended up going into commerce not 100 per cent sure what I wanted to do but I got a little bit more exposure into marketing through some of the extracurricular activities on campus.

Then, I was kind of applying for some summer jobs and everything kind of looked to be unpaid. I didn’t want to work for free so I found out about the business loan that you can get through the government called the Summer Company.

It gives you $3000 to start and then from there I just applied and got into it. I had some difficulty through the program just because I wasn’t 100 per cent sure on how the sales process worked. There was a lot of grinding to understand how everything worked and it actually took me the entire summer to land my first client. I’m glad it turned into something a little bit more stable and it’s been helping pay for university so far.

It kind of just happened. I think it was more so I was interested in design and so naturally I figured an easy way I could make money is by designing websites. From that I got into taking photos because some people asked me. I used to do the club photos at TwelveEighty for a few years because of that and I did photos on Hess and

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

then started doing some video work. So, it’s been a lot of just picking things up as I go.

Where does your passion for this come from?

I think it’s from when I was a really young boy, I had difficulty speaking. One of the earliest things that I remember doing is poetry as a child. I did Arabic poetry because that’s kind of what helped me get over my inability to talk. I guess is the first creative thing that I kind of got into. From then, it shifted into liking design a little bit and learning how to do Photoshop when I was 14.

How did you find a balance between school and running your own business?

So, you don’t. It always comes down to prioritizing. There are certain things in school that I really care about and there’s certain things that I don’t care about. When I say that it kind of comes out wrong, but there’s certain classes that you just don’t care about and you just do it for the credit and then there’s obviously other classes that you really invest time into because you care about your learning. I guess it all comes down to finding that balance in terms of developing a daily structure. For me, it includes waking up super early but also going to bed super late. I have a habit of sleeping around 4-5 hours and I’ve been doing that for 3-4 years. I usually wake up at 6 a.m. and go to the gym and then I do extracurricular activities, school and work. So, having a routine and planning ahead is always really good Who is your biggest influence?

My dad is literally my idol in every sense of imagination. He grew up in Syria really, really, really poor. He would go to bed hungry at night and he told me that one of his earliest memories was that there was a gym near his house and he always wanted to go but he never had the money to actually pay for the gym membership. He used to always stare outside the gym and would watch people workout. He was he wasn’t supposed to go to school after grade six because during his generation, after grade six in Syria you actually paid for school. So, you could leave school when you were 12 and just work like in labor shops and whatever else.

Ammar Nabulsi Owner of OneRoof Digital Co. C/O CATHERINE GOCE / PHOTO REPORTER

From the time he was 12 he just did odd jobs every single day and managed to get enough money while still did super well at school and got a full-time scholarship into university.

Then, he became a teaching assistant and met my mom. He moved to Saudi Arabia and just grinded his way to move up in his corporation.

Through his stories, I’ve seen him working really hard from the time he was a child until now. He still works super hard every day for a guy who’s in his mid 60s. So that’s always been an inspiration to me and I always think about what I can do to pay him back. In a way, by really pushing myself and trying as hard as possible it kind of pays him back and doesn’t let his work go to waste. I just

kind of want to be, in a sense, like him and end up hopefully somewhere decent in life with a decent family and just kind of call it a day.

What advice would you give a student wanting to start their own business?

I just say go for it and I’m sure if you’ve interviewed anybody else for this they would also say the same thing. I think planning is one thing and people always think too long on things when really you just go for it and then you learn along the way.

Also, there’s so many resources nowadays on campus and they’re constantly increasing.

The Forge is a super good one and there’s so many programs on how to help students like

that helps you become entrepreneurs and develop those skills.

People see the hustle and there’s always somebody who’s going to appreciate what you’re doing and want to work with you and collaborate with you regardless of what it is that you do.

facebook.com/ HumansOfMcMaster

McMaster Students Union’s

Events Calendar

Drag Show: Featuring Morgan McMichaels Wednesday, February 6. 2019 Where: Twelveighty Time: 6:00PM Join us in TwelvEighty Bar & Grill on February 6th, 2019 for this ALL AGES Drag Show! Enjoy an evening of drag featuring RuPaul's Drag Race star Morgan McMichaels! This evening will include a spectacular performance, open discussion and meet and greet!

Grab your tickets before they are gone at msumcmaster.ca/campusevents

The McMaster Student Sustainability Action Plan Movie Night

Stay Connected: @CPAcanada #HelpingHamilton #TaxPrep

Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Where: Bridges Cafe Time: 8:00pm — 11:00pm The McMaster Student Sustainability Action plan invites you to come enjoy waste-free snacks and a screening of The Lorax followed by a discussion regarding waste reduction on campus!

The F******* Word: Art Showcase

displayed and a silent auction is set up. The F in the title, which stands for “feminism�, is a play on words meant to highlight the stigma around this movement towards equality. Through this showcase, students are invited to educate each other on the topic of gender equality and education in an inspiring environment. It is also a chance for the community to get together and is emphasized as a creative outlet in a safe, welcoming environment. All proceeds donated are used to sponsor girls in developing countries.

Thursday, February 7, 2019 Where: Bridges Cafe Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm As a part of the three major events held during the Spring, The F******* Word is an art showcase dedicated to educating the McMaster community about gender equality through slam poetry, singing, dancing and visual art. In addition, community artwork relating to the theme of the art showcase is

Check out the full Events Calendar at: msumcmaster.ca/events

MSUMcMASTER.CA

MSU_McMaster

Join the Tax Squad!

Where the only super power you need is the ability to make a difference in your Hamilton community. By becoming part of the Tax Squad you will volunteer for the Tax Preparation Assistance (TPA) Program. Learn how to file personal income taxes alongside Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) and other volunteers.

Time Commitment: Minimum of 20-25 hours between February and April.

Registration is now open on oscarplusmcmaster.ca

Experience is not required, training will be provided.

The deadline to submit your application is Monday, February 11, 2019.

Email money@mcmaster.ca with questions, comments or for more information. You will receive further information on the program after registration.

Mac’s Money Show

Mac’s Money Show!

Mac’s Money Centre is proud to announce the new Facebook Live Series: Mac’s Money Show! Find it on the @MacSSC Facebook page and check out our new website at money.mcmaster.ca.

*Events - Mac’s Money Centre - Join The Tax Squad!

Gilmour Hall, 110 money.mcmaster.ca

(905) 525-9140 x24254

#MacTalksMoney

money@mcmaster.ca

@MacsMoneyCentre

12 |

OPINION

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

Opinion Where are our grades?

McMaster University should create and enforce deadlines for instructors to submit final grades Justin Temple Contributor

Waiting for final grades to be posted is a terrible experience defined by an abundance of anxiety coupled with the constant refreshing of Mosaic.

Usually, this biannual waiting game ends before the new year for fall term grades and before the beginning of May for winter term. At that point, the “grade anxiety” faced by so many students, myself included, has subdued.

This time around, however, I am still waiting on a final grade nearly two months after the course ended. A situation like this should never occur at McMaster University and needs to be addressed by mandating grade submission deadlines for course instructors.

Such a mandate is not without precedent. Carleton University requires that instructors submit their final grades within 10 calendar days of the course’s final exam. The University of Western Ontario grants instructors even less time, requiring submission of final grades within a week of the final exam.

Besides Carleton and Western, the University of Regina, the University of Victoria, the University of Windsor and Ryerson University are other postsecondary institutions which have implemented grade submission deadlines for instructors. It is evidently not a new idea.

Despite this, McMaster currently has no policy that requires instructors to submit final grades by a specific deadline. This is beyond an inconvenience and only serves to complicate students’ lives.

For example, should an instructor fail to submit marks by the drop-and-add deadline for a prerequisite course, students’ registration in a secondary course may be thrown into limbo.

Simultaneously, students planning on taking a second course based on their perfor-

McMaster University should adopt final grade submission deadlines like other Canadian universities.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

Despite this, McMaster currently has no policy that requires instructors to submit final grades by a specific deadline. This is beyond an inconvenience and only serves to complicate students’ lives. mance in the prerequisite class are withheld critical information that would likely dictate their decision to take the second course or not.

Even more alarming, a long delay in the submission of final grades can create a negative

impact for students eyeing graduate studies. Given that grades are required to be reported to an applicant’s desired graduate school as early as late December, an instructor sitting on their hands can put prospective graduate students in a completely unnecessary pinch.

With so much riding on those applications, McMaster is doing a disservice to its students by failing to force accountability onto its faculty.

Moreover, McMaster’s mission to promote health and wellness amongst its students could be furthered by mandating a grade submission deadline. As the time between when a student finishes a course and subsequently receives their final grade is variable and can last for weeks in length, existing academic anxiety is worsened.

A mark deadline could quell some of the existing anxiety by limiting the amount of time students spend worrying about marks they have

With so much riding on those applications, McMaster is doing a disservice to its students by failing to force accountability onto its faculty. yet to receive. Additionally, a grading deadline would provide students with a much more concrete timeframe to expect their marks, limiting any anxiety derived from the uncertainty of when grades will be uploaded.

As students, we should not have to deal with the mental and bureaucratic turmoil created from the inability of instructors to submit our marks promptly. Requiring instructors to provide their final marks by a specified date could easily avert

A mark deadline could quell some of the existing anxiety by limiting the amount of time students spend worrying about marks they have yet to receive. such issues. Besides, as instructors demand us to submit our assignments on time, is it not time that they get a taste of their own medicine?

@theSilhouette

OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

| 13

Protecting students’ safety Ontario landlords being allowed to enter student-rented property without giving 24-hour notice is a violation of privacy and a risk to students’ safety

Ontario should revisit its Residential Tenancies Act to better protect students.

CATHERINE GOCE / PHOTO REPORTER

Sabrina Macklai Opinion Editor

It’s that time of the year where everyone is looking for a place to rent. Searching for off-campus housing is a source of headache for many students. But what students shouldn’t have to worry about are invasions of their privacy.

As of now, my landlord could text me saying he has a viewing for the house within the next hour and he’d be allowed to enter the property. Why? According to Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, once tenants have given notice to terminate their tenancy, landlords are allowed to show prospective tenants the property so long as they make a “reasonable effort to inform the current tenants of their intentions to do so”.

The ambiguity of “reasonable effort” allows landlords to barely give any notice that they will enter the property. It even states in Section 26 that this

“reasonable effort” does not have to be within 24-hour notice.

Though this is technically legal, it serves as a major inconvenience to tenants who cannot be expected to schedule their day around frequent and inconsistent house showings.

Beyond a mere inconvenience, allowing landlords to enter student-rented property essentially whenever they wish to do so can be seen as a threat to student safety. Without adequate notice, students may have not have time to secure their valuables or ensure that they are not in compromising positions.

Students are in especially vulnerable positions, many of who are not well versed in their rights and may even be minors.

Although it may very well be in the best interest of students to allow their landlord to show the property to prospective tenants — as the sooner the new lease is signed, the sooner the invasions of privacy can stop — it does not excuse the blatant disrespect that students have

The ambiguity of “reasonable effort” allows landlords to barely give any notice that they will enter the property. It even states in Section 26 that this “reasonable effort” does not have to be within 24-hour notice. to endure when their landlords appear at odd hours of the day with little notice.

The only requirement of landlords when showing the property to prospective tenants, besides “reasonable effort to inform”, is that they must enter between the times of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. This should barely

be considered a requirement as that timeframe basically cover the entirety of waking hours.

Realistically, appointments for house showings are made well in advance of 24 hours.

As such, landlords should be mandated to inform tenants at least 24 hours in advance prior to entering the property, as they are required to in almost any other situation.

In fact, as it stands, landlords can only enter the property without giving 24-hour notice in cases of emergency, under the tenant’s consent, where the tenancy agreement allows for the landlord to enter the property within specified times to clean or during property showings.

While the other situations make sense, as with the exception of an emergency, they require the tenant’s consent, there is no reason to not give tenant’s 24-hour notice before property showings.

Beyond such a requirement being in the best interests for the tenants, giving adequate notice

As such, landlords should be mandated to inform tenants at least 24 hours in advance prior to entering the property, as they are required to in almost any other situation. can benefit the landlord as it gives the tenants time to clean the property and make it look presentable.

The government should seriously consider revisiting their tenancies act in order to make these changes. This not only affects students, but tenants across Ontario. @_sabrinawitch_

14 |

OPINION

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

Exploring experiential learning opportunities Students should consider taking interdisciplinary experience courses to enrich their learning and develop new skills

Students should consider taking interdisciplinary experience courses offered by the school of interdisciplinary science.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

Youssef El-Sayes Contributor

Choosing a degree and career path is not an easy task.

Students pursuing a degree in science have a wide variety of available career options.

These range from positions in research, industry, medicine, illustration and so much more.

It almost seems like the possibilities are endless.

But how does one truly understand their goals without experiencing their options?

Many professionals end up with a job that they thought would interest them but eventually learn otherwise.

This issue has become so commonplace that institutions like McMaster University have developed strategies to help students gain a variety of experiences outside of their chosen undergraduate program. A great example are the interdisciplinary experience courses, offered by the school of interdisciplinary science.

For a full credit, students can choose from a wide array of IE courses that cover topics

such as three-dimensional printing, visiting Kentucky for a caving fieldtrip or hiking Algonquin park while learning about Canadian history, geography and literature.

IE courses serve the purpose of introducing students to

For a full credit, students can choose from a wide array of IE courses that cover topics such as threedimensional printing, visiting Kentucky for a caving fieldtrip or hiking Algonquin park while learning about Canadian history, geography and literature.

a variety of disciplines that will help broaden their perspectives and opinions towards science.

By providing students with active learning opportunities, they can develop a personal connection and a deep motivation for the subject.

The idea of active learning has been studied for decades. In essence, active learning requires students to be engaged with the delivered content while critically thinking about the activities they are working on.

Current research suggests that fostering engagement in class activities is more likely to improve student learning compared to simply spending extra time on a topic. This is why IE courses available at McMaster University consist of short workshops, field trips or tutorials that keep students motivated and prove that learning does not need to be time consuming.

These experiences are especially rewarding for students because they earn a credit for their work. The results of IE courses are also long-lasting.

For example, upon completion of IE courses, many students

often undertake related volunteer positions and internships, in order to put what they have learned into practice.

Aside from personal growth, IE courses also provide a multitude of professional benefits. Due to the small class sizes, students can engage in one-on-one interactions with instructors or guest speakers and build valuable networking skills.

Due to the small class sizes, students can engage in one-on-one interactions with instructors or guest speakers and build valuable networking skills.

These experiences also set students apart by giving them something distinct and unique to include on a resume. Overall, IE courses allow students to

build on their academic, personal and professional qualities and become multi-faceted individuals.

McMaster University has always led the path for innovative teaching and learning, and offering IE courses is no exception. Students should always challenge themselves to step outside of their comfort zone in order to find their real interests and ambitions. By doing so, students can become professionals in their fields that truly love what they do.

It is clear that experiential and active learning opportunities are able to foster skilled and competent individuals who are willing to create a brighter future, and this is exactly what McMaster has been striving to do. So the next time you are enroling for courses, consider taking an IE class.

@theSilhouette

OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

| 15

Socializing versus studying Why students should ditch the books every now and then in order to avoid procrastination and preserve their mental health

Students should make time for socializing in addition to study, in order to improve their mental health.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

Saadia Shahid Contributor

How does a student get good grades? I know the most obvious answer being shouted out is “by studying, of course,” with some sarcastic replies of “watching Netflix” thrown in the mix. But what if I told you both those answers were correct?

A balance of socializing and studying, which can include watching Netflix, is necessary to achieve those highly sought-after grades.

Though our cognitive needs are met by virtue of being university students, it is our need for “love and belongingness” that is present on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Socializing is a basic human need. To become functioning members of the society, we must engage in leisure activities.

Yet, we almost never put time aside to socialize with our friends. Even when we do, studying takes precedence and ends up taking over the time we

allocated for socializing.

This is often a result of procrastination. Whether it is procrastinating by scrolling through clickbait articles or watching videos, when we procrastinate, we take away time from both socializing and studying.

Procrastination is also looked down upon so badly.

Rarely do we try to understand why the person might be engaging in procrastination. Procrastination is a sign of anxiety.

In my opinion, procrastination is often a hugely unrecognized sign, too. Besides anxiety, procrastinating habits have been linked to depression and low self-esteem.

If you find your friend procrastinating, don’t “leave them alone so they can study”.

Study with them. If left alone, they may continue procrastinating for even longer, and worsen their mental health.

Some people do emphasize their preference for studying alone. In that case, make sure they’re okay and continually

check on their progress and their mental health. In severe cases of anxiety, they may even lie about it.

Socializing is a basic human need. To become functioning members of the society, we must engage in leisure activities.

As a perfectionist, I speak from experience. My habit of procrastination stemmed from being anxious about the imperfect outcome that might ensue.

As a result, I took longer getting started on assignments with the thought that if I didn’t do well, I could justify it by telling myself that I didn’t have enough time.

So far this year, I have been doing better as I have come to terms with the non-existent nature of perfection. This is

something creatives struggle with as well. Things like “is this good enough?”, “should I post this now?” and “I want to make this better” are examples of what goes through their minds on a regular basis.

Whether it is procrastinating by scrolling through clickbait articles or watching videos, when we procrastinate, we take away time from both socializing and studying.

So how do you achieve the grade you’ve been aiming for?

Consistency is the answer. Being consistently diligent with your workflow will not just aid in im-

proving your skills, but also get you your coveted grade. Doing well in a course is a long-term goal, and definitely doesn’t occur when you start an assignment a day before its due.

Procrastination also leads to long hours of isolation in the library behind laptop screens or a stack of books, taking away the satisfaction of “love and belongingness”, and according to Maslow, halting an individual’s growth.

So, the next time you find your friend procrastinating, ask them why, take them out to get them relaxed and help them get started on their studying. Mental health is no light issue.

@theSilhouette

— 2019 —

spring valedictorian nominations are here!

Nominations are due by March 4 at 4:30pm Nomination forms are available in the MSU Office (MUSC 201) and online: msumcmaster.ca/valedictorian

late forms will not be accepted

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“I am enhancing my problem-solving skills and other competencies so that I will be successful in the real world.”

Olusola

Business Analysis graduate student

A&C

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

Arts & Culture

| 17

Thrive Week comes to campus Week-long series focuses on students and staff’s mental health Natalie Clark Contributor

The definition of “Thrive” is most simply put as “to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.” This definition embodies the true meaning of McMaster’s first ever Thrive Week, beginning Feb. 4.

Thrive Week is a weeklong series of events focusing on improving and maintaining good mental health of students, staff and faculty on campus.

Events include yoga, Zumba, meditation circles, stress management workshops and various panels for students to get information on a variety of topics such as career planning and suicide awareness.

Although Thrive Week is new to McMaster, the wellness event has been a part of many schools around Canada for the past 10 years.

“Thrive began at [University of British Columbia] in 2009 and since then, a number of Canadian colleges and universities have adopted the spirit of Thrive,” mentioned McMaster wellness educator, Wil Prakash Fujarczuk.

“The wellness education team decided to join these schools for a number of reasons… one reason is to connect students to pre-existing services on campus… we know that there are a number of departments that promote mental wellness in ways that may not be so obvious,” said Fujarczuk.

Fujarczuk mentions “Sketching Thursdays” at the McMaster Museum of Art, which is a weekly event that allows students to distance themselves from their devices and work on mindfulness and creative expression.

Thrive Week is intended to promote events similar to “Sketching Thursdays” on campus and add additional resources and events throughout Thrive Week for students to participate in to further their mental health journey.

“Thrive is also an opportunity to bring in community partners to showcase the valuable expertise that Hamilton community resources have to offer,” mentioned Fujarczuk.

Some of the community partners that are taking part in Thrive Week at McMaster include Healing Together Yoga, The AIDS Network

#MacMoves Giant Zumba Feb. 4, 2019 1:30 p.m. to 2:20 p.m.

IWC Smith Gym Add a little fun to your workout by participating in the biggest Zumba party McMaster has to offer!

Combining some serious dance moves with a swift workout, Giant Zumba is a great way to kick of Thrive Week.

“Thrive is also an opportunity to bring in community partners to showcase the valuable expertise that Hamilton community resources have to offer.”

Wil Prakash Fujarczuk McMaster wellness educator

and Asian Community AIDS Services.

Body Brave, another Hamilton-based organization, will also be taking part in the event to introduce students and staff to their off campus support system.

Body Brave’s main purpose is to address the major gaps in resources for eating disorders, raise awareness and reduce the stigma around eating disorders, particularly with those who are over the age of 18.

Kelsea McCready, a McMaster student who holds

the position of secretary on the board of directors at Body Brave, mentions the barriers that individuals may face when struggling with an eating disorder and are looking for help.

“Programs within Ontario as a whole have a limited capacity which means that many individuals who are struggling are left on long waitlists without any kind of specialized support,” mentioned McCready.

McCready notes that although Body Brave is not a direct replacement for professional specialized support for eating disorders, the organization offers a variety of affordable treatment programs such as workshops, individual treatment and support groups.

“It is a priority for Body Brave to engage more with the McMaster community as an off-campus support in addition to on-campus services,” said McCready.

Body Brave’s involvement in Thrive Week is important for those who may be suffering from an eating disorder and are wary to seek out support. Thrive Week introduces programs and organizations to the McMaster campus that are similar to Body Brave in

diversity & intersectionality in eating disorders Feb. 5, 2019 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

MUSC B118 (SWELL) Body Brave will be facilitating a discussion session on diversity and intersectionality in eating disorders. The session will be led by board member and McMaster student, Kelsea McCready, who will be speaking from a perspective of lived experience and interest in the welfare of marginalized populations.

order to make these services more accessible to students.

“Given that it’s our first year running Thrive, we are hoping to use it as an opportunity to evaluate programs and build on for future years,” said Fujarczuk.

While Thrive events will only be taking place for a week, the path towards bettering the mental health of the McMaster community needs to be addressed and explored on a consistent basis.

Thrive Week is the first step towards shedding light on the services available on-campus and in the community.

Thrive Week will be running on campus from Feb. 4 to Feb. 9. More information about the event can be found on the Student Wellness Centre’s website, which includes the Thrive Week schedule and other mental health resources found year-round on campus.

@theSilhouette

stress less Feb. 5, 2019 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

MUSC B118 (SWELL) Does the stress of second semester already have you feeling down?

Come to MUSC B118 for a seminar on how to conquer those nerves. This workshop features strategies, mindfulness practice and a lesson in progressive muscle relaxation.

18 |

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

The Silhouette

PERU MEETS THE steel city Culantro Peruvian Cookery is a little restaurant with a big heart

Natalie Clark Contributor

In 2013, Culantro Peruvian Cookery opened up on King William Street, hoping to help Hamiltonians discover Peruvian cuisine. Three years later, the restaurant moved locations to Main Street East, but the new venue has not changed its goal to cook up authentic Peruvian food for the residents of the city it loves.

The restaurant’s chef and owner is Juan Castillo, who has a long history of working in restaurants. When his family moved from Lima, Peru to San Francisco, California when he was a teenager, Castillo began working in restaurants as a dishwasher. In time, he realized that the kitchen was where he wanted to be.

Castillo’s love of cooking, however, didn’t start in San Franciscan restaurants but in his mother’s kitchen. The

In 2013, Culantro Peruvian Cookery opened up on King William Street, hoping to help Hamiltonians discover Peruvian cuisine. recipes that he uses belonged to his grandmother and mother.

He was raised by and among chefs, with his family currently operating the Limon Rotisserie restaurants in San Francisco and Fresno.

“Cooking was an inspiration… growing up. My mom used to cook all the time… Sunday was the day that everybody in the family would come over, uncles [and] aunts. My mom was one of the best cooks in the family so everybody asked her

“Cooking was an inspiration… growing up.

My mom used to cook all the time… Sunday was the day that everybody in the family would come over, uncles [and] aunts. My mom was one of the best cooks in the family so everybody asked her to make things for Christmas or birthdays...”

Juan Castillo Chef & owner of Culantro Peruvian Cookery

to make things for Christmas or birthdays... Growing up we always [had] people cooking in the house,” Castillo explained.

Castillo left California for love over 10 years ago and settled in the north end of Hamilton with his wife and daughter.

Castillo left California for love over 10 years ago and settled in the north end of Hamilton with his wife and daughter.

The city has always felt like home to him as it reminds him of San Francisco and has hot summers like Peru.

Culantro is the only Peruvian restaurant in Hamilton.

Castillo recognizes that the

Castillo recognizes that the cuisine of his home country is largely undiscovered but, in his research before opening the restaurant, found that many Hamiltonians have experience with Peruvian or Latin American food. cuisine of his home country is largely undiscovered but, in his research before opening the restaurant, found that many Hamiltonians have experience with Peruvian or Latin American food.

A&C

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

| 19

“[I like] the inspiration that you get from people. A lot of people come over here asking you for certain things that you don’t have or they give you feedback. I think that’s what I like, the challenge of having something new when I come over to work.”

Juan Castillo Chef & owner of Culantro Peruvian Cookery

C/O CULANTRO PERUVIAN COOKERY & CATHERINE GOCE / PHOTO REPORTER

Castillo wants all patrons to feel comfortable in the familyfriendly restaurant, regardless of whether or not they have tried Peruvian food in the past.

Castillo wants all patrons to feel comfortable in the family-friendly restaurant, regardless of whether or not they have tried Peruvian food in the past.

Not only is the atmosphere welcoming to families and students alike, but the affordable menu is too. Most appetizers are under $10 and most main courses are under $20.

In the last year Culantro has added new items to the small

menu including the slow-roasted lamb shank and the Peruvian platter. Castillo also enjoys exploring new ideas in the kitchen. “[I like] the inspiration that you get from people. A lot of people come over here asking you for certain things that you don’t have or… they give you feedback. I think that’s what I like, the challenge of having something new when I come over to work, having a kitchen that I can make whatever I want.

That day if I want to change it, I’ll change it… [T]he liberty that I have with that is amazing,” Castillo explained.

Culantro aims to use the freshest and most authentic ingredients. Key Peruvian ingredients are sourced directly from Peru such as the Peruvian aji peppers, Peruvian soft drinks and the purple corn for Chicha Morada, a Peruvian corn drink.

For other main ingredients, Culantro tries its best to source locally from places such as the

Culantro aims to use the freshest and most authentic ingredients.

Key Peruvian ingredients are sourced directly from Peru such as the Peruvian aji peppers, Peruvian soft drinks and the purple corn for Chicha Morada, a Peruvian corn drink.

Hamilton Farmers’ Market.

It is not just local farmers that Culantro supports but local charitable organizations as well.

It is not just local farmers that Culantro supports but local charitable organizations as well. They have supported churches and fundraising events, such as the Annual Salsa for Heart in 2016.

They have supported churches and fundraising events, such as the Annual Salsa for Heart in 2016. The city has inspired Castillo to give back.

The cookery is also a place where members of the community can gather. The restaurant

regularly hosts open mic nights and live music performances.

There have also been special celebrations for occasions such as Peruvian Independence Day. Culantro is currently operating with a small staff consisting of Castillo, manager Susan Abbey and waitress Julianna Lachance. But don’t let the small venue, menu or staff fool you — this restaurant is serving up big flavours, big passion and big heart to the community.

@theSilhouette

20 |

The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

Culinary Class Act

Mexican Kitchen

Street tacos, homemade salsa and Mexican tostadas with a side of memories from Tonalà, please!

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

Razan Samara A&C Editor

What is it: The Mexican Kitchen at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market recently underwent a major shift in flavor. While you may know the vendor for their homemade chocolate creations, the new owners are cooking up more savory classic Mexican dishes in the kitchen.

While Mexican cuisine is no stranger to Hamilton’s downtown restaurant scene, the tacos, quesadillas, corn tamales and pozole coming out of this tiny kitchen are worth paying a little extra attention to.

Housed in what has become my favourite spot in Hamilton over the years, the Mexican Kitchen is not only serving up fresh dishes at an affordable price but adds a little Mexican hospitality to the market’s tight knit community feel.

From the hanging glass hummingbirds on the tiki umbrella to the colourful handmade cups from the Tonalà Craft Market near Guadalajara, every single embellishment is a conversation starter to learn more about the owners’ stories and memories from Mexico.

At the Mexican Kitchen you’ll find great food at argu-

ably the cutest vendor at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, while also learning something new. It definitely hits all the sweet (or shall I say spicy) spots for me.

turn right onto Summers Lane until you reach York Boulevard.

Turn right on York Boulevard and the main entrance will be on your right.

The Mexican Kitchen is located on the lower level opposite from Slurp Ramen and Leslie’s European Deli.

How much:

How to get there from Westdale/ Ainslie Wood: There’s a couple ways you can get yourself downtown. Either take the 5, 51 or 1 Hamilton Street Railway bus from Sterling Street and University Avenue heading east, or take the 5 or 10 heading east from Main Street West and Emerson Street. Hop off at Main Street West and MacNab Street South.

You can cut through the MacNab Transit Terminal towards Jackson Square and make your way inside to the Hamilton Farmers’ Market mall entrance.

If you prefer a slightly longer walk outdoors you can head west on Main Street West and

At the Mexican Kitchen you can easily get away with spending under $10 for a filling meal, but it is cash only. Delicious soft corn tortilla tacos or quesadillas go for $4.50 each or you can order three of the same kind for $11.50. Each taco or quesadilla comes with a side of homemade red or green salsa.

Four different kinds of Mexican tostadas are $7.50 each while corn tamales go for $6.50. A small warm traditional pozole soup is $8.50, while medium and large go for $10.50 and $12.50, respectively.

The simple menu also has a few tasteful extras, you can add fresh squeezed lemonade to your order for $1.00, a churro

for $2.00, some extra avocado, cheese, sour cream and beans for $0.75 and salsa or meat for $0.95.

What to get:

If you’re dining solo or simply not up for up for sharing, I recommend the pozole soup with chicken topped with lettuce, radish, tortilla chips and lime.

You can add fresh avocados or meat as an extra to the dish.

Complete your meal with a glass of fresh lemonade and treat yourself to a churro for dessert.

If you’re like me and like to convince friends to tag along so you can try as much things as possible without breaking the bank then I’m proud to share with you my Mexican Kitchen game plan for three.

Start off with tacos, I recommend the spiced potatoes or grilled poblano peppers with onion and zucchini, sprinkled with roasted garlic, lettuce, pickled red onions and cilantro.

Share a tostada, which is basically the flat version of a taco topped with a mountainous pile of fresh ingredients.

All tostadas come with a bed of homemade beans on a crunchy grilled tortilla and the option of sour cream and cheese. Your choice of filling includes slow cooked meat (chick-

en, beef, pork or chorizo and potato), veggie (avocado, sour cream and cheese), vegan (extra avocado), or cauliflower ceviche (cauliflower with onion, parsley, cucumber, avocado topped with spices and lime juice).

Don’t forget the lemonade and churros, and your meal will still be under $10.00 each!

Why it’s great While the menu at the Mexican Kitchen consists of five main dishes, each one is made from scratch, is gluten-free and can be customizable for meat, vegetarian and vegan diets.

You can also add an extra helping of their fresh ingredients and handmade beans and salsas for an incredibly affordable price, where else can you get extra avocado for less than a dollar?

The corner vendor has also utilized their space to maximize seating. There are bar stools spanning the entire length of the counter lining the vendor and several tables that seat four.

At the Mexican Kitchen there’s something for everybody and when doubt you can never go wrong with a taco. @theSilhouette

OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018

| 13

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SPONSORED

It’s okay not to know right now.

“We often don’t realize how resilient we can be,” says Kerri Latham, career counsellor at the Student Success Centre. “The truth is, the more times you fail, the easier it is to try.”

As Jenna Storey, academic skills program coordinator at the Student Success Centre, says, “Students often encounter challenges in achieving their academic goals. Resiliency in academics is about bouncing back after these challenges, and also recognizing and working through them by incorporating better academic and personal management skills.”

For the Student Success Centre, providing students with the resources and supports needed to develop their resiliency in university is important. One piece of this work is normalizing failure, uncertainty and other factors that Most recently, the Centre led a digital campaign called contribute to wanting to give up on a goal, project, idea, or dream. #StickWithIt, a resiliency

campaign that responded to student experiences the Centre addresses in its regular roster of programs, services and workshops. Staff have also participated in the CFMU’s MorningFile show, covering topics from Thriving in Academic Uncertainty to Developing Career Resilience.

In Kerri’s role, resiliency is an ongoing conversation and practice. Whether it’s through her one-on-one appointments, a career and employment session, or a Career Planning Group, one thing is clear: there is a shared uncertainty for many students around what they are going to do and where they are going to go next.

Kerri shares, “Though there are expectations, reflecting on your own priorities can help you stay grounded to pursue a direction that is best for you. Try not to get swayed too much by what others

are doing. Know yourself and honour your own path.”

Knowing yourself does not necessarily mean “know your passion.” As Kerri suggests, “This puts a lot of false expectations on students, but the main thing is to pay attention to those seeds of interests and allow them to grow. Though it might feel like everyone has it figured out, there is always change, uncertainty and new directions. It’s okay to not know right now – uncertainty is to be expected.”

For students focused on what’s next, Kerri recommends breaking big decisions into smaller chunks; and when job searching, focusing more on the opportunities and skills students want to develop.

She also encourages students to use their strengths and supports, like family, friends or mentors.

The good news is: students don’t have to go through it alone. The Student Success Centre is a place

By: Elizabeth DiEmanuele Photo: Grant Holt

for students to explore, from the moment they accept their offer of admission and up to ten years after graduation. Upcoming sessions include: • Beating Procrastination: February 6, March 28 • Study Smarter, Not Harder: February 7, February 27, March 27 • Explore Your Career Options: February 28 • Discover Your Skills: March 1, March 22 • Life After Mac: March 22 • Career Planning Group: March 23 Register for workshops or a career counselling appointment on OSCARplus.

Visit studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca to learn more.

Sponsored by:

22 |

SPORTS

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

Sports One week out

Anticipation mounts for the Mac swimming team during the final days of preparation for the OUA Championships

The swimming team will head to St. Catharines in early February for provincial championships.

THE SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES Coby Zucker Contributor

The swimming season is a short one punctuated by smaller meets, split in half by the Divisional Championships and capped off with the climactic Ontario University Athletics Championships. For the team, the OUAs give the opportunity to show the improvements made across the season, and encourage their teammates in an event packed with some of the best swimmers from across Ontario.

“We’re very excited about the OUAs,” said head coach Grey Fairley. “This is always the most fun meet of the year. The passion and the excitement that all teams exhibit but especially, obviously, our team, it’s just so infectious. We’re all exhausted at the end of it, but it’s like we’ve taken ourselves to a higher

plane of existence.”

Hannah Dvorski, now in her fifth and final year of eligibility on the team, will be looking to add to her collection of hardware in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, and on the three team-relays.

“I think physically, we’re all there right now,” said Dvorski.

“We’re just getting into the right mental headspace and just believing in ourselves. I think, as we get closer, we’re going to start to feel what we refer to as the ‘OUA magic’. So I’m excited for that to take place and I know we’re all really really excited.”

Dvorski is looking to improve on her bronze finishes in the 50m and 100m at the Divisional Championships, and put forward a performance that will help the women’s team climb the standings.

On the men’s side, thirdyear Simeon “Mony” Tch-

ervenelekov is coming off a dominant performance over Waterloo University in a recent dual meet at McMaster. Tchervenelekov is looking to notch his first podium OUA finish in the intermediate medley, breaststroke or team relay categories.

Chosen as one of the team’s captains for the season, Tchervenelekov has the added responsibility of looking out for the rest of the team and helping them get into mental form for the OUAs. “I know a couple of the guys who got sick this past week,” said Tchervenelekov.

“And you know they’re getting worried about their performance. That’s kind of where [Mitchell Muizelaar], the other captain, and myself, on the men’s team at least, stepped in and kind of give them a little boost of morale.”

Emotional and mental

readiness, as well as generally getting into the right headspace, is a pivotal part of the OUA preparation. As practice eases up and distances decrease in favour of shorter sprints, the shift in focus moves from the physical side and starts to emphasize capturing the championship mentality.

“I feel like the team a couple of weeks out of OUAs, we’re all physically there,” said Tchervenelekov. “And then about like a week out, it starts to hit us and we get a little bit nervous.

But that’s good because OUAs is coming up and you know it’s the meet of the year and everyone gets a little nervous, and that’s how you know that we’re ready.”

For Dvorski, the emotional frenzy of the OUAs is underscored by a degree of sentimentality as she participates for her final time.

“It’s special to wear the Marauder on your cap and to represent McMaster on the blocks,” Dvorski said. “I think I’ve done it well for the past five years, and I’m excited for what the future holds for me.”

Although the University of Toronto Varsity Blues have swept the OUAs for the past five years, the Mac women were able to score a bronze medal finish two years running, and are looking to keep the streak going. Their male counterparts will also have their sights firmly set on a return to the podium.

This year’s OUA Championships, hosted by Brock University, runs from Feb. 7-9.

@theSilhouette

SPORTS | 23

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

Always a grind

After recently returning from injury, 2018 OUA all-star Matt Passalent is back in the rotation of a volleyball team ready to dominate Ontario once again Justin Parker Sports Editor

On Jan. 20, the McMaster men’s volleyball team narrowly avoided a division-shaking upset at the hands of the bottom-of-the-division Brock University Badgers. After managing to survive the close five-set match, the Marauders found themselves ranked fifth in the country, holding onto their spot atop Ontario University Athletics West division.

A large reason why the Marauders were able to survive the Badgers was thanks to right side Matt Passalent, who recently returned from a torn labrum that had kept him out since preseason. Passalent’s six aces, 18 kills and team-high 25 points helped the Mac men stay undefeated in the new year.

“It’s so good to be back with the guys,” Passalent said. “When you’re not doing something for a really long time it makes you really miss it and you can almost take it for granted when you have really tough weeks. It really made me hungry to get back.”

Passalent first returned to action just in time to help the Marauders in two key wins over top-10 teams. The 2018 OUA all-star combined for an impressive 25 kills and 31 points in his debut over the Jan. 12-13 weekend in Burridge Gym. There was a reason why Passalent was named an all-star last year, and his presence was missed in the Marauders’ rotation.

“Just working hard for three years, every day practicing, going to lift,” said Passalent on his all-star campaign. “It’s definitely a grind and it’s not an easy thing to do at all. I would also say just having my teammates there, it makes it a lot easier to go to a late practice or workout when you have your best friends with you.”

“I’d say we just have a really good bond and culture on our team and the guys always get along and we’re all brothers,” Passalent added. “I would say that’s a big reason of just why it’s so fun to play for this program.”

Passalent has deep ties to McMaster’s volleyball program, going back to his childhood.

He was introduced to volley-

Before facing off against OUA competition, Passalent participated in Mac’s international series.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

ball through his family, who all played the sport, and he began to play in a Hamilton house league around eight years old.

Being in the Hamilton community, it was a natural progression to get involved with McMaster volleyball as Passalent began to make a name for himself, catching the eye of Mac head coach Dave Preston at a young age.

“Just having my teammates there, it makes it a lot easier to go to a late practice or workout when you have your best friends with you.”

Matt Passalent Men’s volleyball team “Mac’s always had a really good program for the last like 12 years,” said Passalent. “I started going to their summer camps… for like six or seven summers

straight, and then I’d kind of developed a bond with Dave. Then I didn’t really have any doubt that I was going to go to Mac. I mean, it’s in my hometown, both my parents went here, so it was definitely the right choice for me.”

Now in his fourth year with the team, Passalent noted how much his role has changed since first donning the maroon and grey.

“Being a fourth-year, I’m kind of more of a leader now,” Passalent said. “I’m a guy I think the younger guys look up to and I like to take some of them under my wing. And obviously, now that I’m a fourth-year, I’m becoming more depended on game-wise, like more load, more volume. So that’s definitely changed over the four years of what my role is on the team.”

Rounding the corner into the final sprint of the regular season, the Marauders have their sights set on returning to the U Sports Championships once again, which will be held at Laval University this season. After hosting the tournament last year and finishing with a bronze

medal, the Marauders know it won’t be an easy task to repeat as OUA champions.

But before the team can even think about making a trip to Quebec City in March, they still have six regular season games to play. The remaining games begin with two tough weekends ahead, with a trip to a hostile Waterloo University

coming on Feb. 2. The following weekend, the Marauders will be hosting back-to-back games against Nipissing University and York University, where Passalent will surely play an integral role in the team continuing their winning streak. @writingparker

THE SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES

24 |

SPORTS

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

The return of Ptaszek After leaving the maroon and grey following three Vanier appearances, Coach Stefan Ptaszek discusses his return to McMaster and building for the 2019 season Jessica Carmichael Sports Reporter

When Coach Stefan Ptaszek was presented with the offer to be the head coach at a program he had called home for over 10 years, there was no way he could refuse.

“It wasn’t just a job for 10 years, it was more than that,” said Ptaszek. “A lot has changed over the last two and a half years, but there’s still a lot of the great people around the campus and football program which made it a very, very exciting offer, and something that I was extremely interested in.”

Ptaszek’s name speaks volumes when it comes to Marauder football. So though many players and supporters were not too happy about the letting go of previous head coach Greg Knox, the arrival of Ptaszek quickly changed that.

Being the only coach to lead the Marauders to a Vanier Cup championship in 2011, his reputation certainly precedes itself. Ptaszek also held the record for longest winning streak in U Sports (formerly known as Canadian Interuniversity Sport) history, 21 games, brought home three Yates Cups and was named the CIS Coach of the

Year in 2012.

For Ptaszek, his success can be linked back to his philosophy for leading a team: ‘Football Family’. Using his own experience as a university student-athlete as the blueprint, Ptaszek’s goal to ensure that those in the program see one another as a family is a part of what makes those under him do so well as a unit.

“It’s not just 80 guys that get together to play games eight times a year, they have to learn to believe and trust each other,” said Ptaszek. “All of that, under the umbrella of a world-class education, helps them to hopefully leave this place with the tools to be successful forever.

That’s the big picture here; winning football games is just a by-product of doing all these other things” Ensuring that a team has a family bond after such a controversial firing is a difficult task, but for Ptaszek, he finds that the incident has made the team more tight-knit than before.

“When [the players] were not having much guidance in terms of who their next coach was going to be, I think it caused them to have to build a tighter relationship. But they’re stronger now, and capable of great things,” said Ptaszek.

“Coaches like Scott Brady and John Parkes have been instrumental at keeping this locker room focused, so moving forward I think I inherited a really great situation. I’m going to be smart enough to build upon the great things that are in place here.”

“When the Yates Cup is being played in 2019, the Marauders want to be on that field, and I think that’s a realistic goal” Stefan Ptaszek McMaster Football Head Coach For Ptaszek, building on things that are in place means listening to the needs of the team first, by getting to know his new student-athletes.

“I’ve had at least one sit down with each player and we’re planning another one,” said Ptaszek. “I’m also getting to know the quarterbacks better because quarterback play is a huge thing we have to focus on in the off-season.”

Working hard in the weight room and getting stronger in the winter, the Marauders who are one of few teams lucky enough to most likely be keeping a majority of their starters for the 2019 season, will not have to do a lot of rebuilding.

With a small graduating senior class, the team is young with a bright future ahead.

“We have two seniors, Eric Blake and Jordan Lyons, that we may potentially lose to the CFL, but if we’re lucky, they’ll be back for their fifth year,” said Ptaszek.

“We’re going to be a year older, smarter, bigger, faster, stronger and in a great position. McMaster wasn’t broken when I took this job, so I’m excited to see where they go.”

Though they have very few players leaving, this has not stopped Ptaszek from adding to the recruiting that was done before he arrived.

“I’m trying to compliment Brady and Parkes to have a great recruiting class,” explained Ptaszek. “It’s still early in the process, but we’re really excited about our recruiting class.”

With 23 commits so far, the 2019 recruiting class is shaping up to be a good one.

As for goals for the 2019 season, reaching their full potential is all Ptaszek wants

out of the Marauders. With the standard of excellence in Ontario set by the Western University Mustangs, he aims to close that gap.

“This year we’re a bit better at every position, plus our great recruiting class that is coming in, so I think we will be able to achieve our goal of closing that gap of the provincial standard set by the Mustangs down the road,” said Ptaszek.

“This means being better at offence, defence and special teams ,and attention to detail in every area,” Ptaszek added.

“When the Yates Cup is being played in 2019, the Marauders want to be on that field, and I think that’s a realistic goal.”

With weight training, quarterback play and recruiting well underway, the only thing missing is an offensive coordinator, after the departure of Tom Flaxman last week. Once that role is filled, hopefully, Ptaszek and the Marauders will be able to return to that level of excellence that Ptaszek is known for. Although we will have to wait for that first kick-off come August to find out. @JaayCarmichael

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

The Silhouette

| 25

“When [the players] were not having much guidance in terms of who their next coach was going to be, I think it caused them to have to build a tighter relationship. But they’re stronger now, and capable of great things,” said Ptaszek. “Coaches like Scott Brady and John Parkes have been instrumental at keeping this locker room focused, so moving forward I think I inherited a really great situation. I’m going to be smart enough to build upon the great things that are in place here.”

Stefan Ptaszek McMaster Football Head Coach

26

|

GAMES

www.thesil.ca | Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

Games

ACROSS 1- Native of Hyderabad or Mumbai; 7- Deranged; 10- Lopsided victory; 14- Yellowish brown pigment; 15___ see it...; 16- Inventor Rubik; 17- One making fun; 18- UFO pilots; 19- Actor Estrada; 20- Specialist’s point; 23- Commonplace; 26- Decoration at the top of a chair leg; 27- “Exodus” actor Sal; 28- Elvis’s middle name; 29- Old California fort; 30- Hurried;

31- Garment worn by dancers; 33Racket; 34- Gown renters: Abbr.; 37- D.C. pol; 38- Compass point opposite WSW; 39- Use an abacus; 40- Get thee ___ nunnery; 41- Bass, e.g.; 42- Neither partner; 43- Down-to-earth type; 45- After taxes; 46- Bro’s counterpart; 47- Would ___ to you?; 48- Cop ___; 51- Firearm; 52- Bob and Elizabeth; 53- Lounging robe;

56- Trent of the Senate; 57- Bleat of a sheep; 58- ___ Pieces; 62- Bacchanalian cry; 63- Neighbor of Syr.; 64- Stanza of six lines; 65- Barrett of gossip; 66- Bashful; 67- Haunt;

23- Light wood; 24- Staggering; 25- Nary a soul; 29- Ready ___...; 30- Travels on; 32- Virgil hero; 33- Boldness; 34- Motionless; 35- Comic O’Donnell; 36- Fills to the gills; 44- Pride woman; 45- Lipton competitor; 46- Sweet; 48- Freud contemporary;

49- Brigham Young University site; 50- Divulge; 51- Grind, as one’s teeth; 52- Nerd; 54- African wading bird; 55- Roughly; 59- Canonized mlle.; 60- Some MIT grads; 61- Ave. crossers;

DOWN 1- Believer’s suffix; 2- Never, to Nietzsche; 3- Narc’s employer; 4- Moment; 5- Slippery as ___; 6- Pusher pursuer; 7- Frenzied woman; 8- Moving; 9- Frisbee, e.g.; 10- Land, as a fish; 11- Senator Hatch; 12- Join; 13- Capital of Japan; 21- Guy who tends goats; 22- Actress Plummer;

MSU CAMPUS EVENTS AND RIGHTTOPLAY McMASTER PRESENTS

JERSEY CLUB NIGHT TWELVEIGHTY BAR & GRILL | ALL AGES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH 10:00PM—2:00AM | COVER: $5

RIGHTTOPLAY McMASTER UNIVERSITY

FINDING YOUR WILL TO DO YOUR JOB WHEN IT MIGHT ALL BE FOR NOTHING C12

THURSDAY

THE

HAMILTON SPECULATOR SCREAMING IN THE BACK ROOM SINCE 1934

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

NOTSPEC.COM

After all this time, I am giving up!

All satire articles that I want to write are real life now, so, it’s over!

HILDA O’HOOLIHAN THIS IS THE END

After the past two weeks of crying in my office and having nightmares featuring wax figures of Datrick Peane and Foug Dord telling me that student media doesn’t matter, I’ve given up!

It’s official, there is no point anymore! Why would I try when these wax figures aren’t melting in a room ablaze? What’s the point of spinning an article to satire when everything that could be satirical is... actually happening right now?

Before giving up, I turned to a spin expert to really seal the deal.

Could I learn more about how to spin my current state by expert

Mackle Tooter, the pooplic relations coordinator for the McMabster Students Union?

The answer was, honestly, no.

“You really have to learn to make fun of the situation you’re in. Understand that, yeah, everything sucks, but spin that into a direction which makes for a good laugh,” said Tooter. Yeah, no shit Tooter, but how can I find the will to continue on this satirical path?

There was only one thing left to do: go to the man himself and try to find SOME kind of content to keep this thing alive. That man?

Foug Dord.

After eight interview requests, four phone calls, two unsuccessful visits to Queen’s Park and getting

POLL: Did you read this week’s article?

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

lost on the subway that one time, I couldn’t reach him, which is good because honestly I would probably cry and yell at him.

I did, however, run into the “Minister of Education” who said that that she would give me some answers as long as I never mention Dord’s name in print again. I politely declined, obviously, cause most of my content relies on him.

So what’s next? I’ve exhausted all of my resources. I’ve lost my comedic flair and am honestly pretty hungry. What else is there to do but give up?

Out of nowhere came an idea; what if I wrote about my own life in some kind of satirical manner? Would that sell? Would

my audience keep reading past the point where I called someone Mackle Tooter? There was only one way to find out; by broadcasting my stream of consciousness on a newspaper with a pretty high circulation.

Anyways, I’ve given up. Sorry if you cared at any point, and if you have any content worth spinning into satire, send me a message or something. Until then, it’s over! Bye!

INSIDE BC STUDENT JOURNALISTS OPEN BUREAUS IN EVERY PROVINCE IN CANADA A3 SUNNY AND MINUS 65, YOUR FORECAST FOR THIS WEEK A6 EXPERIENCE SOUTHERN ONTARIO WINTERS B2 SHUT DOWN? MORE LIKE SHUT UP, AMERICA B5 ARTICLE IN STUDENT PAPER CHANGES SOMEONE’S MIND C1 A GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE, EXCEPT FOR POOR PEOPLE, STUDENTS AND HONESTLY EVERYONE ELSE C4 PER ISSUE: Justin Trudeau’s tears in a glass vile

Tweets to the Editor I’ve talked with many students. Several. Lots, about fucking up their lives and they’re down!

- @fougdordnation

Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. It’s over! Go home!

I pitched an article about Ontario student politics to a major news site and it got picked up!

- BC student journalist