The Silhouette - March 7, 2019

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INSIDE>>

FEATURE: What the heck ever happened to boxed water? // PAGE 6-7 ARTS & CULTURE: Witch’s Fix brings magic to John Street North // PAGE 18-19 SPORTS: Vanessa Matya’s journey from McMaster to NFL Canada // PAGE 24-25

The Silhouette Thursday, March 7, 2019

N I G K L A T

TR AS H MSU sustainability education committee looks to improve Mac’s environmental practices // PAGE 4

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Volume 89, Issue 23 Thursday, March 7, 2019 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

#TBT

March 10, 1987

EDITORIAL BOARD 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 online editor | online@thesil.ca Yvonne Lu sections

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

FEATURES Hannah Walters Vida features@thesil.ca

features reporter

OPINION opinion editor Sabrina Macklai opinion@thesil.ca SPORTS Justin Parker sports reporter Jessica Carmichael sports@thesil.ca sports editor

ARTS AND CULTURE & culture editor Razan Samara arts & culture reporter Rya Buckley aandc@thesil.ca

arts

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

ONLINE Sasha Roshan social media coordinator Martin Burwell online@thesil.ca video editor

CONTRIBUTORS staff writer Elliot Fung staff writer Andrew Mrozowski staff writer Rida Pasha staff writer Neda Pirouzmand staff writer Drew Simpson staff writer Graham West staff writer Eden Wondmeneh COVER PHOTO Catherine Goce

In 1987, McMaster developed a recycling program under the McMaster Recycling Initiative. The group was made up of various concerned McMaster Students Union clubs and the Student Representative Assembly.

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 8,000 circulation published by the

WRITE FOR US NEWS Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. news@thesil.ca

OPINION Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. opinion@thesil.ca

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ARTS & CULTURE Monday at 11:30 a.m. aandc@thesil.ca Join our weekly meetings in MUSC B110!

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

The Silhouette

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News Concerns arise over China’s involvement in campus polititics The MMPJ and McMaster MSA’s letter follows Chinese student groups’ efforts to oppose Uighur Muslim activist’s talk

These events come amid growing concerns about Chinese government involvement in Canadian universities to oppose any criticism against the Chinese Communist Party.

C/O UYGHURMAN UYGHURIAN (YOUTUBE)

Daniella Mikanovsky Contributor Ryan Tse News Reporter

On Feb. 20, the McMaster Muslims for Peace and Justice and the McMaster Muslim Students Association sent a letter to Canadian ministers Chrystia Freeland and Ralph Goodalech, asking the government to investigate the Chinese government’s role in directing students to silence human rights activists on campus.

The letter follows an event organized by MMPJ and McMaster MSA on Feb. 11 where Rukiye Turdush, a Uighur Muslim activist, spoke about the Chinese internment of UighurMuslims.

According to the Washington Post, a group of students of Chinese descent created a WeChat group chat to oppose the event.

During the event, a student filmed Turdush and cursed at her. After the talk, the students say that they contacted the Chinese Embassy in Canada, which directed them to investi-

gate whether university officials or Chinese students attended the event.

A few days later, five Chinese student groups, including the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, released a statement condemning the event and stating they contacted the Chinese consulate in Toronto.

The internment of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China has been confirmed by multiple news outlets and the international community.

Approximately one million Uighur Muslims have been detained by the Chinese government, according to the British government. The Chinese government has denied any wrong-

The CSSA did not respond to multiple emails from the Silhouette about the situation.

The internment of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China has been confirmed by multiple news outlets and the international community. doing, suggesting the camps are constructed for counter-terrorism purposes.

On Feb 16, the Chinese Embassy released a statement defending the actions of the Chinese students on the principle of free speech and dismissing any accusations of misconductas ‘groundless accusations’ and ‘anti-China sentiment.’

Representatives from McMaster MSA and MMPJ say this is not a free speech issue.

“I do not think this was ever a conversation about freedom

of speech. I think it always has been a conversation about human rights violation and speaking up against that,” said representatives from the McMaster MSA and MMPJ. “It’s blatantly obvious that the government is supporting these attempts to quell discussion about these human rights violations.”

The CSSA did not respond to multiple emails from The Silhouette about the situation.

McMaster MSA and MMPJ said the government acknowledged their letter but has yet to engage in any formal action on the matter.

“It’s important that we help people understand the university’s commitment to free speech and to the sharing of views and opinions, even those that might be controversial,” said Gord Arbeau, McMaster’s director of communications.

It is worth noting that these events come amid growing concerns about Chinese government involvement in Canadian universities to oppose any criticism against the Chinese

Communist Party.

Following the protest at Turdush’s talk, an unnamed McMaster student created a Change.org petition in hopes of removing the CSSA from the MSU. As of March 2, the petition has amassed 461 signatures.

McMaster MSA and MMPJ said they did not start the petition.

“We definitely have mixed feelings about this petition simply because I think we somewhat recognize that these students these Chinese students are also victims of surveillance and they are victims of a form of control,” McMaster MSA and MMPJ representatives said.

“It has never been a priority for either of our organizations to go and attack them, to take revenge.”

The MSU clubs department is aware of the situation but will not take any action without instruction from the government and/or university administration. @tweetingryantse

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NEWS

Thursday, March 7, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

Student group starts new sustainability movement at Mac The MSU sustainability education committee is pushing to improve the university’s current practices

The MSU sustainability education committee believes this campaign will lay the groundwork for a wave of change in sustainability practices on campus.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

Neda Pirouzmand Staff Writer

On Feb. 27, the McMaster Students Union sustainability education committee began their three day “Compost at Mac” education campaign in partnership with the academic sustainability programs office and the MSU Maroons.

The campaign marked the beginning of a movement to create more opportunities for students to engage with long-term investment towards changing McMaster’s sustainability practices.

The committee set up a booth in front of Union Market in the McMaster University Student Centre for students to take home herb plants for free.

In addition, the committee distributed cards highlighting the locations of the new compost bins that have been installed across campus.

The new bins have been placed on the first and second floors of Mills Memorial Library and the H.G. Thode Library.

Bins can also be found

in front of Union Market in MUSC, in Burke Science Building and in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery near the Tim Hortons cafe.

Tasneem Warwani, the MSU associate vice-president (University Affairs) and a member of the MSU sustainability education committee, acknowledges the importance of coordinating efforts within the MSU to achieve sustainability goals.

“I think the MSU definitely plays a role in advocating for issues such as no waste. We represent the needs and wants of our students, and this is definitely an important and topical issue,” she said.

According to the Canadian government, methane is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.

Bins can also be found in front of Union Market in MUSC, in Burke Science Building and in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery near the Tim Hortons cafe.

According to Warwani, system-wide changes will only be effective with the combined effort of many teams as the task is simply too big otherwise.

Warwani expects the committee to undertake work in the near future that could set the stage for a wave of change in sustainability practices at McMaster.

Without compost bins, solid and organic waste go straight to landfills. The piling of waste in landfills prevents oxygen from reaching buried food waste, causing food waste

to produce methane gas.

According to the Canadian government, methane is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.

Diverting organic waste from landfills prevents hazardous effects while simultaneously allowing for the proper harnessing of methane gas for renewable energy.

The Ontario government has publicly available information on its major landfills.

Currently, Hamilton houses one of the largest landfill sites in Ontario in the Glanbrook district.

Based on available information, there are less than 200 years left until this landfill runs out of space. This creates another reason to remove unnecessary organic waste from landfills.

In addition to green bins, McMaster also has electronics recycling bin drop-off locations in a number of campus buildings, including the Arthur Bourns Building, John Hopkins Engineering Building, Information Technology Building and the Ivor Wynne Centre.

Created because electronics contain harmful chemicals and cannot be easily responsibly disposed of, drop off centres take products like computers, hair dryers and microwaves.

“We are interested to see what other initiatives we can encourage next year’s committee to run. We got a ton of great feedback about the reusable cutlery,” said Connor Maclean, the chair of the committee. “I think making sustainability convenient for students can get so many people engaged in environmental protection and preservation.”

Over the next few weeks, the MSU sustainability education committee will be taking the feedback it received from last week’s campaign to advocate for more green bins on campus.

@theSilhouette

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

The Silhouette

| 5

McMaster takes second census to evaluate diversity The second employment equity census follows 2016 report suggesting low representation of LGBTQA2S+ and minority staff Ryan Tse News Reporter

McMaster University is currently taking its second employment equity census to evaluate the diversity of McMaster’s staff and faculty.

The voluntary census is open to all McMaster employees and identifies the representation of five target groups: women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and LGBTQA2S+ employees.

The census comes three years after the first census, which was taken in 2016 and produced the first employment equity report and led to the development of McMaster’s employment equity framework.

According to the report from the 2016 census, 43.07 per cent of all McMaster staff and faculty participated. Of that 43 per cent, only 2.12 per cent across the institution self-identified as part of the LGBTQA2S+ community.

In a number of high participation-rates groups, less than two per cent per cent identified

as Aboriginal, 10.18 per cent indicated they were members of visible minority groups and less than four per cent indicated that they had a disability.

61.93 per cent identified as women.

According to the report, the representation of women was above representation in the overall Canadian labour force statistics, while internal representation of Indigenous individuals and individuals with disabilities fell below them.

The visible minority representation was far below external representation.

One recommendation from the first census was that McMaster form an employment equity implementation team to promote the employment equity framework.

Since 2017, May-Marie Duwai-Sowa, the university’s employment equity specialist, has been working closely with Arig al Shaibah, the associate vice president (Equity and Inclusion), to improve McMaster’s employment equity.

According to Duwai-Sowa,

The Equity and Inclusion Office at McMaster University is currently working on improving diversity within employment.

CATHERINE GOCE / PHOTO REPORTER

over a thousand faculty members, chairs and directors have undergone training for equitable hiring and recruitment practices. The EEIT has also run Indigenous cultural competency training for many McMaster employees.

One pilot project has been a self-ID survey for interviews, where applicants are asked to identify their background.

“If you have candidates from diverse backgrounds that meet the requirements, there should be no reason why they should not make your long or short list,” Duwai-Sowa said.

“The focus is still obviously hiring excellent candidates that meet the bar of excellence and meet the requirements that are in the posting.”

Duwai-Sowa also pointed to McMaster’s efforts to reach applicants from different backgrounds. For example, McMaster is ensuring its jobs are posted on Indigenous Link, a website to help Indigenous communities find employment.

“It is really about making sure our workforce is diverse

now so we are meeting the needs of our students because our student population is also diverse,” Duwai-Sowa said.

“It is really about making sure our workforce is diverse now so we are meeting the needs of our students because our student population is also diverse,” May-Marie Duwai-Sowa Employment Equity Specialist

This is expected to begin soon and be released by the end of 2019.

Noticeably absent from both the 2016 report and the upcoming 2019 employment census is race-specific data.

Many major Canadian universities still do not collect data on the race of their faculty and students.

“We are currently working on incorporating disaggregate breakdowns of radicalized groups and Indigenous peoples for both the employee census, applicant self- ID survey and student self ID survey, which is planned to be initiated this fall,” said Duwai-Sowa.

The equity and inclusion team is hoping to release the results of this year’s employment census in the upcoming fall.

McMaster University

One key recommendation from the 2016 report yet to be implemented is a systems-wide review of current hiring and retention practices and policies.

@tweetingryantse

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The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

OUT OF THE BOX What happened to boxed water at Union Market?

Hannah Walters-Vida Features Reporter

On Jan. 30, 2017, the McMaster Students Union announced plans to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles from Union Market as part of a strategy to work towards a more sustainable campus.

However in the fall of 2017, the newly elected board of directors decided to return single use bottled water to Union Market. Soon afterwards, boxed water was pulled from shelves.

Proponents of the boxed water project say that it was the first step of a plan to work towards sustainability on campus. According to others, the project was doomed from the beginning.

WHY BOXED WATER? Former MSU president Justin Monaco-Barnes introduced boxed water as a more environmentally friendly alternative to bottled water. Monaco-Barnes was elected on a platform of sustainability, and had included the implementation of boxed water in his campaign.

Boxed water cartons are

recyclable and made from well-managed forests. Furthermore, less energy is required to ship, produce and package boxed water bottles.

Prior to making the decision to phase out single use plastic water bottles, the MSU Advocacy team, led by Blake Oliver, had compiled a research report considering the sustainability, marketability, and financial considerations of implementing boxed water.

According to Monaco-Barnes, boxed water was meant to be the first step in a long-term plan to push the university to eliminate single use plastic water bottles altogether.

By taking a moral stance against single use plastic water bottles, the board of directors hoped to encourage the rest of the university to follow suit.

Monaco-Barnes stated the next step in the project would have been to implement a water bottle filling station at Union Market complete with options for adding flavour and carbonation.

“By selling plastic water bottles again and undoing this ban, the MSU has effectively undone not only the work that was put into this effort, but has

also undone the planned multistaged process by removing the underlying principle,” stated Monaco-Barnes in a letter responding to the decision.

WHY BOTTLED WATER? According to Jeffrey Campana, the current Union Market manager, the main issue with boxed water was the financial losses. Bottled water had been one of Union Market’s top selling items, and the switch to boxed water led to revenue losses resulting from both a lack of student interest and a lower profit margin on boxed water.

Campana was a cashier at the time that boxed water was introduced. He stated that the lack of interest in boxed water was a result of a higher cost, reluctance to purchase an unfamiliar product and an ineffective advertising campaign.

Boxed water was more expensive than the least expensive bottled water. For example, Eska was sold for $1.13 for a 500 mL bottle, while a box of water the same size cost $2.49.

Additionally, Campa-

i t ta k es T O P R O DUCE

**

O F BOTTLED w at e r

plastic

takes over **

years to degrade

www.waterdocs.ca/

THE SILHOUETTE ARCHIVES

SUKAINA IMAM / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

FEATURE

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

JAN 2017

Plans announced to phase out bottled water at Union Market; replace with boxed water

*

of the box is

f u l ly

recyclable *

of profits are donated to world

wat e r relief foundations * C/O BOXEDWATERISBETTER.COM

** C/O WATERDOCS.CA

na noted that students were hesitant to purchase boxed water due to its unusual design.

Since there were other places on campus that continued to sell bottled water, consumers were not forced to make the switch to boxed water.

Campana also stated that students were not effectively incentivized to purchase boxed water. In early January the MSU produced posters and infographics giving information about the environmental impact of bottled water. The graphics were displayed in Union Market.

However, according to both Campana and the 2016-2017 Union Market manager, a more robust and long term marketing campaign might have made boxed water sell more successfully.

The previous Union Market manager stated that she had not been properly consulted when deciding to phase out bottled water and market boxed water.

The decision to transition to boxed water came as a directive from the board of directors instead of being a result of collaboration with Union Market management.

Generally, the part time manager of Union Market is responsible for deciding what items to stock. However, since Union Market is owned and operated by the MSU, the students union president and board of directors can make decisions about what is sold.

If she had been consulted, the previous Union Market manager stated that she would have worked towards a long term advertising plan in preparation for the introduction of boxed water.

“I don’t think it would have had the same results had I been a part of it like effectively,” she said.

In addition to being more

FALL OF 2017

Newly elected board of directors opted to reintroduce bottled water

expensive for consumers, boxed was also more expensive to produce. This meant that Union Market made less money off of each unit of boxed water sold than what they made off of bottled water.

“I think it’s a great product, I just would never sell it. Simply because I don’t make money off of it, the MSU doesn’t make money off it,” said Campana.

But for Monaco-Barnes the overall purpose of the campaign was not to sell more boxed water. Ideally, students would switch to reusable water bottles and would therefore stop buying water from Union Market altogether.

Monaco-Barnes had anticipated that a revenue loss was likely to occur. From his perspective, the environmental considerations outweighed the financial losses.

“Because it’s such an important cause, becoming more sustainable and reducing carbon footprint, I think it’s okay if it’s going to take a bit of a financial hit,” said Monaco-Barnes.

“That’s the crux with sustainability […] if it was an easy, cheap, simple solution, everyone would be doing it,” he added.

OFFSETTING LOSSES To help offset some of the financial losses from the removal of bottled water, the board of directors decided to raise the costs of other best-selling items at Union Market such as chocolate milk. In 2017, the price of chocolate milk increased from $1.86 to $2.25.

According to MSU General Manager John McGowan, prices were raised so that Union Market could continue to financially support its cost centres. However, they not raised to the point of recoupling the lost revenue from

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FALL OF 2018

Union Market gets rid of boxed water

bottled water, as this would have made prices unaffordable.

According to the Union Market manager at the time, however, this price increase was not enough to make up the losses from bottled water sales.

Bottled water has since been reintroduced, meaning that Union Market is no longer facing revenue losses resulting from its absence. With that said, the price of chocolate milk has not been brought back down, despite being raised to help compensate the loss of bottled water.

Campana noted that the price of chocolate milk may still have increased due to inflation. “$1.86 is miles away from being financially sound in 2019,” stated Campana

SEEING PLANS TO FRUITION Monaco-Barnes noted that the structure of the MSU makes continuity difficult. Due to the high rate of turnover in student government, long-term projects often do not get seen to completion.

While the overall project was ambitious, the implementation gap and lack of year to year continuity meant that the boxed water plan was short-lived.

@theSilhouette

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

March 7, 2019 | thesil.ca

their success or achievements. It was also shown that across the population, Tall Poppy Syndrome has negatively affected their work performance and psychological wellbeing. If women with the potential to be world-changers and leaders in their field continuously feel ostracized for achieving great accomplishments, our society will suffer an immense loss of potential.

KRISTINA EPIFANO Vice President (Administration) vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23250

Tall Poppy Syndrome was coined in Australia as referring to the tallest growing flowers being cut down to match the size of shorter flowers. This concept is generalized to represent the societal and potentially innate reaction to resent, discredit, criticize, and ‘cut down’ those who stand tall. A tall poppy is an individual who is recognized for their notable abilities and strengths.

Gender alone often causes successful women to stand out, resulting in women being unjustly targeted.

Dr. Rumeet Billan is an award-winning author who used Tall Poppy Syndrome to look specifically at working women across Canada and how their workplace performance is affected by their interactions with colleagues. Her publication and findings highlight the need for immediate change in our culture to better support women in the workplace and to encourage their accomplishments. Some findings to emphasize are that 80% of women stated they have experienced hostility, been penalized or ostracized at work due to

and equitable. On Friday, from 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM in Wilson Concert Hall, I will have the pleasure to sit amongst amazing women to discuss strength and perseverance in the workplace and how as women, we need to support the goals and achievements of our fellow female-identifying colleagues. The event will begin with a keynote speech from Dr. Rumeet Billan, who will elaborate

“... rather than sitting back and allowing for the status quo, we need to use the power we have to raise the voices and concerns of all women to ensure equal representation.”

This year, for the first time ever, the MSU has a majority female-identifying Board of Directors. This is not to say that we have officially accomplished gender equity and equal representation. However, it does mean that hopefully we are one step closer to making meaningful change to breaking down the barriers that exist for women who wish to access these positions and opportunities. Representation is nothing without change. As women in these positions, rather than sitting back and allowing for the status quo, we need to use the power we have to raise the voices and concerns of all women to ensure equal representation.

Friday, March 8, is International Women’s Day. A day to shine a positive light on great achievements being made by women in our communities and across the world. Feminism has never been about stealing opportunities, but instead about creating more opportunities and ensuring they are accessible

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.

on the impact of Tall Poppy Syndrome within the workplace. To follow is a panel discussion with myself, Dr. Arig al Shaibah (McMaster’s AVP Equity and Inclusion), and Dr. Rumeet Billan.

Tickets are free for students, so make sure you register in advance to secure a spot at the event. Most importantly, be a resilient tall poppy, and don’t let anyone cut you down.

International Women’s Day A discussion on

Female Leadership and Success FRIDAY, MARCH 8

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. refreshments at 9:00 a.m.

Wilson Concert Hall

SPEAKER: Rumeet Billan Tallest Poppy Syndrome Discover what it is and what we can do about it

PANELISTS:

Arig al Shaibah – McMaster AVP Equity & Inclusion Rumeet Billan – Author, learning architect and entrepreneur Kristina Epifano – MSU Vice President (Administration)

MODERATOR:

Dee Henne – McMaster AVP Administration & CFO

Join the discussion of how we can focus on self-awareness to support and celebrate the efforts of our colleagues.

Registration: tallest_poppy_syndrome2019.eventbrite.ca Students: FREE Staff: $25 (MPDA eligible) or a donation of gently-used business wear for the Interval House of Hamilton.

In Partnership with the Interval House of Hamilton

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

EDITORIAL

| 9

Editorial State of emergency Is fear the only thing that can save us from climate change?

Emily O’Rourke Editor-in-Chief

There is absolutely no doubt that climate change is happening.

From heat waves this past summer that killed up to 70 people in Quebec or this winter’s freezing polar vortex, we’re seeing undeniably extreme weather disturbances across the world. That said, by no means is climate change a new thing.

For decades, scientists and researchers have warned about the effects that come with global warming and for decades, policy makers and industries have neglected these warnings.

In October, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the “Doomsday” report. The detailed report reviewed climate impacts of global warming of 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the context of strengthening the global

response to the threat of climate change.

Essentially, the IPCC report said that we have only 12 years to get our shit together if we want to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, beyond which increases the risk of drought, flooding, extreme heat and other terrible climate emergencies.

The research that this report summarized is not new, but it did make room for a new reaction from scientists, policy makers and constituents when it comes down to climate change.

In essence, the report made it okay to be alarmed by this and to encourage an alarmist attitude when discussing the fact that the world is literally melting.

On March 5, Kingston’s city council unanimously voted to declare a climate emergency, making Kingston the first Ontario municipality to do so.

The declaration is for the pur-

poses of naming, framing and deepening their commitment to protecting their economy, their ecosystems and their community from climate change.

Seeing some action on a municipal level is great, and while this is a great first step for a municipality to take, why aren’t other municipalities following suit? Why is there still a debate about the fact that plastic water bottles are bad? Why is there still a debate about the fact that climate global warming, even if it’s snowing? Why does this need convincing?

Neglecting the problem is not helping anyone, and now is the time to start taking action.

@emily_oro

to Nick stealing Joe’s middle spot to the new Solange album and a good cathartic March to using table salt to melt the ice to Andrew wanting chicken, money, and sexual charisma to Sabrina getting into grad school!

We’re so proud of you! to oat milk to the sun returning to us

to C+Ds to Joe Jonas looking like he writes blog posts about putting his hairless cat on a keto diet to unseasoned potatoes to money, power and yams to PR scams calling themselves news to Hannah slowly morphing into a dad, one complaint at a time to being swindled

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

brings my customers to me

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

Thursday, March 7, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

Mohamed Mohamed MacAfricans President CATHERINE GOCE / PHOTO REPORTER

Catherine Goce Photo Reporter

Tell me about MacAfricans.

Essentially, MacAfricans is a club at McMaster that has a lot of activities. The purpose is to establish a network for mainly first year students that are of African and Caribbean descent, because one of the things that most students, especially international students, find difficult is that they come and they don’t really have opportunities to make friends and strive academically. It’s hard when students come from different backgrounds to ask for help and things like that. We have a bunch of different activities where you can form relationships. Upper years come and help the younger years as well.

“Our main goal is that at every event, every person has to make one new friend.”

Mohamed Mohamed MacAfricans President

Being president of MacAfricans, what is something that you’ve learnt?

I’ve definitely learned that you have to be more open-minded when it comes to speaking with different individuals. Often times, not everything that a person says is truly how they feel. I’ve learned to kind of get better at reading between the lines. There are certain topics that people may not feel comfortable speaking about so you have to see things and work around them.

“I’ve definitely learned that you have to be more openminded when it comes to speaking with different individuals.”

Mohamed Mohamed MacAfricans President

I basically facilitate weekly meetings as well as come up with events. I try to meet up

with people who are responsible for those non-profit organizations, tell them who we are, what our goals are and work with them.

Our main goal is that at every event, every person has to make one new friend.

“[...] one of the things that most students, especially international students, find difficult is that they come and they don’t really have opportunities to make friends and strive academically.”

Mohamed Mohamed MacAfricans President

meeting new people. I’ve been connected with so many different, cool people that come from different backgrounds, and different experiences that they share and just listening to people speak about that.

“I would say the best part about being in this community is meeting new people. I’ve been connected with so many different, cool people that come from different backgrounds, and different experiences [...]”

Mohamed Mohamed MacAfricans President

What is the best part about being in this community?

What is AfroFest and what can we expect to see there?

I would say the best part is

AfroFest is an annual show that

we put on and it has conflicting topics of interest. The theme is pretty much dealing with a conflict that is current in Africa and it adds a little bit of humour to lighten the mood. So it’s a little bit of comedy but at the same time our main purpose is to have people here that are aware of the situations that are happening there. You’re going to see an act, there’s modeling incorporated into it and dancing as well.

Africans are split up in four different regions which are North, South, East and West and the dancing is kind of incorporating different bits and pieces and making one dance that’s choreographed.

facebook.com/ HumansOfMcMaster

FOLLOW US @UNDERGROUNDMSU TO STAY UP TO DATE + LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND!

12 |

OPINION

Thursday, March 7, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

Opinion Students’ basic rights under threat

McMaster University affiliates and McMaster Students Union clubs should not be backdoors for foreign governments William Li Contributor

On Feb. 11, Uighur activist Rukiye Turdush’s presentation at McMaster University about China’s mass internment of Muslims was disrupted by student protestors.

Controversially, these students had rallied not only to protest the event, but to coordinate with the Chinese Embassy.

The Washington Post reports that this coordination went beyond ordinary consular services: in addition to sending photos, the students say they were requested to search the talk for any university officials or Chinese nationals.

This is alarming, as it represents an attempt to harass and intimidate Turdush into silence.

It is also disturbing because the Chinese government has no business collecting information about political events on campus.

It is important to remember that the Chinese Communist Party currently runs an authoritarian government with absolute control of China, including its foreign embassies. The regime also has a long history of violently crushing dissent.

Most notably, at the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, thousands of students were massacred with tanks and machine guns. Lawyers, activists and even Nobel laureates are regularly imprisoned for criticizing the Communist Party.

Today, China also uses internet censorship and a social credit system to neuter any challenge to Party rule.

The incident with Turdush shows that similar political repression is not something distant and foreign; it is something that happened on campus and continues to happen.

One of the most overlooked victims here are the Chinese international students. This is especially true if photos are being sent to the Chinese Em-

bassy. This essentially creates a system of fear in which students surveil each other, reporting to officials any deviance from the Communist Party line.

For international students seeking a liberal education in Canada, where our academic freedom would let them develop skills in independent-thinking that may be frowned upon in China, these hopes are dashed.

Instead, they are kept on a tight leash. Any deviance from Party-approved behaviour risks a report to the embassy, and resulting repercussions back home, such as endangering family members or losing job and business opportunities.

Despite being on Canadian soil, these students will never get to fully experience basic freedoms that Canadian citizens take for granted. If Chinese students cannot speak freely, or even attend a political event, without risking state punishment, then this prevents any

One of the most overlooked victims here are the Chinese international students. This is especially true if photos are being sent to the Chinese Embassy. This essentially creates a system of fear in which students surveil each other, reporting to officials any deviance from the Communist Party line.

Uighur activist Rukiye Turdush delivered a presentation at McMaster University on Feb. 11.

C/O uyghurman uyghurian (YOUTUBE)

real discussion about Turdush’s presentation or any issues affecting them.

Even worse, this kind of political repression is being advanced by McMaster Students Union-ratified clubs.

In a statement written in Chinese, the McMaster Chinese Students and Scholar Association, McMaster Chinese News Network and McMaster Chinese Professional Society condemned Turdush and confirmed they contacted the Chinese Consulate in Toronto.

The McMaster English Language Development Student Association, an affiliate of the faculty of humanities, and the McMaster Chinese Graduate Students Club also signed the statement.

This statement was not directed at Turdush, nor any non-Chinese students. Rather, for the international students who can read Chinese, the

thinly-veiled threat was crystal clear: promote the Communist Party line on political issues, or you will be reported to the Chinese consulate.

This is deplorable. MSU ratified clubs and affiliates of the university should not be surveilling McMaster students and reporting their activities to foreign governments.

They should not propagate an environment where fear of surveillance prevents students from speaking out. They should not masquerade as safe spaces for international students if they have a hidden agenda to allow authoritarian regimes a backdoor to covertly monitor their citizens abroad.

There is also evidence that this problem is not unique to McMaster. The Chinese government has actively tried to influence academic institutions in several liberal democracies, particularly with its Confucius

Institutes.

The MSU needs to investigate if these clubs have violated the Clubs Operating Policy by reporting political activity on campus to the Chinese government, through negatively affecting students’ ability to conduct their lawful affairs (5.1.1.1), interfering with other clubs’ activities (5.1.1.2) or failing to fully disclose connections to bodies outside of the MSU (4.2).

Declining to take action would betray anybody who feels surveilled, muffled or repressed by the Chinese government, and tarnish the MSU’s reputation as a safe and inclusive union that puts students’ interests first.

@theSilhouette

OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

| 13

Making meal plans optional

McMaster University students living in on-campus residences should not be mandated to purchase expensive meal plans Rida Pasha Staff Writer

McMaster Hospitality Services offers meal express plans for purchase to all students, staff and faculty. Users can swipe their McMaster University ID card to easily access the range of food choices on-campus, as well as at participating restaurants off-campus.

While this may be a convenient solution for those that want to purchase food on-campus, it can pose a problem for many students living in residence.

Each student living on-campus is required to purchase a mandatory meal plan ranging from $2,975 to $4,735. For many students who are unable or don’t prefer to cook or store food, this meal plan can be a relief.

Meal plan options range from minimum, light, regular and varsity, each increasing in price, allowing students to choose the option that best suits their needs. Each plan is sug-

gested based on how often the student is on campus, how much they regularly eat and how much they can afford.

Since the meal plan is paid in advance, many students and parents feel a sense of security knowing that they food is always available throughout the entire academic year.

With tuition and residence fees on the rise, forcing the purchase of a meal plan places an unnecessary financial strain on students. This can create a boundary against students being able to live on-campus.

Additionally, mandatory meal plans limit students’ options to eat as the plan restricts students’ to eating on-campus with only a few participating off-campus restaurants.

While McMaster does try to offer a variety of food options, eating at the same places daily can be tiring for many students, especially for those that are on campus during weekends and only go home during long breaks.

With tuition and residence fees on the rise, forcing the purchase of a meal plan places an unnecessary financial strain on students.

The meal plan becomes an unnecessary hassle for those that seek to try out new restaurants, prefer to eat off-campus or even just wish to eat out less.

Looking more deeply into the structure of meal plans, the money within the paid meal plans are divided into two categories: basic and freedom.

The basic account is nonrefundable and is used for most on-campus locations. The freedom account is fully refundable and is used for specific off-campus restaurants, confectionary, personal grooming items and convenience products.

There is more money

allocated to the basic account than the freedom account since students are likely to be on-campus more.

However, when the freedom account money runs out, students can’t transfer money from the basic to the freedom account in order to take full advantage of their meal plan.

This means that when the freedom account is depleted, students either have to add additional money into that account or can no longer use their meal plan at participating off-campus restaurants.

Students are then left with only on-campus food options, limiting the variety of food available using their already expensive meal plan.

At the very least, students living in Bates and Mary Keyes residences should be able to make the decision to opt-out of mandatory meal plans, since they have apartment and suite-style rooms equipped with kitchens.

Each kitchen includes a

fridge, stove, an oven in Bates, a microwave in Mary Keyes and cupboard space to store food, as well as a full-sized fridge shared amongst the roommates.

Although Hospitality Services offers a reduced meal plan for students living in these residences, the amenities provided make it reasonable for students to live on-campus without requiring a meal plan.

Reduced meal plan are still, at a minimum, an added $2,975 cost.

Unlike McMaster, the University of Waterloo allows students with a personal kitchen in their residence to choose whether they would like to purchase a meal plan or not.

Following suit, McMaster University needs to consider the circumstances and preference of students by making all meal plans optional.

@theSilhouette

In addition to being expensive, meal plans offer students a limited variety of food options.

KYLE WEST/ PHOTO EDITOR

14 |

OPINION

Thursday, March 7, 2019 | www.thesil.ca

Assigned listening?

Students should be given the option to purchase digital copies of their required textbooks with included audio components

Students should have the option of purchasing digital copies of their required textbooks with an audio component.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

Geena Sandhu Contributor

Assigned readings are an essential component of university life. Having said that, students should be given the option of purchasing their hefty 400-page McMaster University courseware as a digital copy with an included audio component.

Finding the time to sit down and read five assigned readings in one week is undeniably strenuous. As students, we prioritize completing assignments, papers and tests to the point where readings often become neglected.

This is where the solution of audiobooks comes in. Oftentimes, they are formatted so that one may listen to the text while simultaneously reading it.

We hear about leisure reading audiobooks, however, academia has also developed audiobooks. Many professors at McMaster have made their textbooks accessible online with

a convergence feature, that is, the text being read aloud to the listener.

However, the long lines at the campus stores at the beginning of each semester indicate that many professors still prefer old school physical textbooks.

Before pushing for more audio textbooks, is listening to a textbook as beneficial for students as reading it?

As a first-year student, when my professor announced the textbook could be accessed physically from the bookstore or online, I was hesitant towards the idea of an audio textbook because it was not something I was familiar with.

Even though the idea did not appeal to me, this semester I was obliged to try audio textbooks as one of my textbooks was only accessible through an online app.

Since then, the process of accessing my audio textbook at any time of the day through my iPhone rather than carrying

a copy in my backpack has become exceedingly convenient.

One of the critical differences between reading and listening is that audiobooks are great for multitasking — on the condition that one of the tasks being performed is a menial job that does not hinder one’s mental capacity.

As students, we prioritize completing assignments, papers, and tests to the point where readings often become neglected.

Since audiobooks are easily accessible, the text can be listened to while commuting to school, between classes, running errands, cleaning your

room and in innumerable other instances. This is a great way to occupy extra time through doing something productive.

Additionally, scholarly textbooks can include words that may be too technical or advanced for students that are learning a concept for the first time. This may interfere in the process of the student comprehending the message.

Consequently, students may become unmotivated to continue reading the required texts.

However, when an audiobook is used, it allows readers to effortlessly decode the message as well as learn the pronunciation of unfamiliar words as the narrator speaks.

McMaster is also a very diverse school where English is not everyone’s first language.

The use of an audio textbook would be especially useful for English-language learners as audiobooks not only improve vocabulary and comprehension, but they also increase students’

ability to communicate with others.

Overall, the university should encourage instructors to offer audio textbook options as they benefit a wide range of students. Through audio, students will have an extra one to two hours for other productive activity, and also have a better time understanding the syntax behind a language.

My recommendation for students would be to set the pace of the narrator’s voice to a speed that feels comfortable and compatible to your own.

Students should also read and listen concurrently so that during a test, the words may appear familiar.

@theSilhouette

OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

| 15

Life as a commuter The Hamilton Street Railway should extend their bus schedules into the later hours of the evening to ensure off-campus students don’t miss out Rimsha Laeeq Contributor

As a commuter at McMaster University, getting home early isn’t always an option. For students who commute, studying late for a midterm in the library or attending an evening event is hardly an easy decision to make.

When deciding to stay late on campus as a commuter, transit is an issue to consider.

It is crucial for students to be involved in the many activities that the university hosts.

Students should not have to worry about their safety when commuting home from school.

This is why the Hamilton Street Railway should extend their bus schedules to the later hours of the evening.

The HSR has many buses that operate throughout the day, from the eastbound to the westbound, including the 5, 1, 51 and the 10, otherwise known as the B-Line Express.

Nevertheless, after 7:00 p.m., the B-Line stops running, meaning off-campus students have to either arrange their own

rides or take one of the three other buses, which usually requires transferring onto another bus in downtown Hamilton.

As an off-campus student, the last B-line bus I can take to reach home under an hour departs from McMaster at 6:43 p.m. With most events ending after this, it becomes difficult for me to get home.

My 50-minute commute on one bus turns into an hour and 15-minute commute over two buses, and includes waiting in the heart of downtown to catch the second bus.

Students living off-campus are often forced to leave campus early and miss amazing events that McMaster offers because their bus won’t run after a specific time.

Being a university student does not mean to solely “work with academics”. I believe it is important for the HSR to extend their bus timings not only for the safety of their students but to allow students to become more involved with the different events taking place on campus.

With extended bus timings,

The Hamilton Street Railway should extend evening bus service to accommodate off-campus students.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

students can engage in the abundant cultural events occurring at McMaster, with the opportunity to meet several other students at the university from a variety of programs and levels.

This gives students the benefit of learning about the diverse cultures present at McMaster.

Off-campus students shouldn’t feel like they don’t belong, or don’t have a say in many of the events taking place due to inconvenient bus timings. These students, including myself, need to be a part of the university culture.

When it comes to academics, H.G. Thode Library of Science and Engineering is open until 2:00 a.m. during exam season for students to effectively study, whether that be alone or in groups.

For most students, once you sit down to study and are motivated to do so, you can study for hours on end. With a restricted time period due to bussing, this can often demotivate students, as getting in a ‘grind’ mode may be quite difficult for some.

Additionally, students study differently, which means that they need to be able to switch up their study environments. Some students prefer to study on campus while others prefer their home. Students shouldn’t have to compromise their academics because a bus doesn’t run at a later time.

For students who commute using the B-Line Express, this bus only runs on weekdays.

With midterms, exams or other events occurring on the weekend, students are forced to take two or more buses or find

Students living off-campus are often forced to leave campus early and miss amazing events that McMaster offers because their bus won’t run after a specific time.

alternate means of transport to get on campus.

Students should not be afraid of staying late at the school they attend. They should feel safe and have no difficulty commuting back and forth from campus on the daily.

When considering the safety of students, their involvement at McMaster and networking with people to make their university career a more fun-filled experience, HSR bus timings should most definitely be extended.

For students who are currently commuting and have to stay late, the McMaster Students Union offers a volunteer service, the Student Walk Home Attendant Team, who will walk or bus with students to their destination. This service is open seven days a week from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

@theSilhouette

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

| 17

Arts & Culture Green is not White

Workshop explores how hefty environmental racism is in our backyard

Attendees brainstorm together.

KYLE WEST/PHOTO EDITOR Drew Simpson Staff Reporter

On Feb. 26, the Green is not White environmental racism workshop took place at the Hamilton Public Library’s Wentworth room. The free, open-to all workshop, garnered intrigue from attendees interested in learning about environmental racism.

Presenters sat on a raised platform and the room was filled with chart easel pads, activist posters and resources.

The Green is Not White workshop, which is organized by Adapting Canadian Work and Workplaces in partnership with the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Environment Hamilton and the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion started its seven-hour agenda with a land acknowledgement, icebreakers and then laid down foundational knowledge.

Environmental racism is originally defined by Prof.

Benjamin Chavis as the racial discrimination and unequal enforcement of environmental policies. The types of environmental racism have expanded since this 1987 definition and currently encompass air pollution, clean water, climate migration, extreme weather, food production, gentrification

and toxins in the community and workplace.

The crust of the issue is that ethnic minorities are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards. Black and Indigenous populations are most affected by environmental racism, yet this makes it no less of a collective issue. Local case studies were highlighted to drive this message close to home.

For example, most of Hamilton’s waste facilities are clustered just north of and within residential areas. This includes a proposed electronic waste processing facility, which can cause lead and mercury exposure, and an existing chemical wastes facility that is known for chemical explosions causing evacuations and serious injury.

Loads of biosolids have been trucked through neighbourhoods posing disease risks from pathogens, concerns of terrible odours and ammonia use for steam filtering.

Studies show that Hamilton neighbourhoods with single-parent families and low education are the most exposed to air pollution. Since these neighbourhoods have fewer resources and are systematically marginalized, they are targeted by acts of environmental racism. The hashtag #EnvRacismCBTU-

ACW continually discusses case studies across Canada.

Along with the extensive examples of Canadians and Hamiltonians living in dire conditions due to environmental racism, as well as the government’s oversight of this issue, various Hamilton organizations have taken it upon themselves to drive change.

This workshop was the third part of a four-phase action research initiative on environmental racism by ACW, which develops tools to better the environmental conditions of jobs and the workplace and CBTU, a coalition that breaks the silence on African-Canadians’ labour issues. While this third stage involves community engagement, the fourth and final stage involves a joint report and video that will be housed on both the ACW and CBTU websites.

The slogan “Green is Not White” highlights that green jobs and environmentally safe conditions should not be reserved for white people.

People of colour are most likely to work and live in dire conditions, and therefore deserve economic justice and access to clean water and land. @theSilhouette

C/O SHANICE REGIS

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The Silhouette

C/O KATIE BENFEY

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

A&C

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

A MAGICAL MERCANTILE OPENS UP DOWNTOWN Witch’s Fix brings its enchanting goods and gifts to a brick-and-mortar store on John Street North Rya Buckley A&C Reporter

Kyanite crystal allows the creation of new pathways and the opening of one’s mind to new positive possibilities. Lauren Campbell was wearing kyanite when the idea for a bright, quirky store with crystals, tarot cards and other magical items came to her. The name for the store, Witch’s Fix, also came to her in that moment.

At the time, Campbell was working a full-time job in Toronto and wasn’t entirely happy being a commuter and working a nine to five job. She couldn’t get the idea of Witch’s Fix out of her head, so she decided to quit her job and try to make her dream a reality.

On Feb. 26, 2018, Campbell opened an Etsy store and began to sell spell kits and mugs.

Throughout the year, she attended craft markets and hosted candle rolling workshops.

Exactly a year after her online store opened, her dream of a physical store came to life. The store is located in the historic Treble Hall, which Campbell had had her eye on for some time.

“Before I even had the Witch’s Fix, I’d drive by this space in Treble Hall and I would look at it and… say ‘if I ever have a store, I want to be there because it’s so cute’… And one day I was on Kijiji…, I saw this space [and] I was just like oh my God… that’s my dream space…I’m going to do it,”

Campbell said.

“I’m going to take the plunge, take a huge risk and do it because this was the space that I always wanted. It was going to be here or it was going to be nowhere.”

The store is a realization of Campbell’s vision. The storefront is welcoming, with the glass walls serving as a window to an enchanted world. Inside, the shop is charming and cozy with Victorian elements and the feel of a library mixed with a traditional witch’s shop. A playlist of hot jazz, saxophone-containing music and songs from Campbell’s favourite magical movies adds to the ambience of the store and makes it feel as if it is in another place and time.

The storefront is welcoming, with the glass walls serving as a window to an enchanted world.

The store sells a variety of gifts and enchanting items, several of which the crafty shopkeeper makes herself. She makes Abracajava mugs and candles and puts together mystery bags, spell kits and crystal kits. As for the items that she doesn’t make herself, like the tarot cards and zines, she tries to source from independent makers, especially those who are female and female-identifying.

The store sells a variety of gifts and enchanting items, several of which the crafty shopkeeper makes herself.

She wants the products to be mostly those that cannot be found in big box stores.

While they may be a little more expensive than similar products in other places, her customers know that they are supporting creative entrepreneurs. In the future, Campbell also hopes to rent out the parlour at the back of her store to individuals who do readings to make this type of magic more accessible to the community.

“Honestly when people come in the store, I really just want them to feel inspired…[I] inspiration and creativity are such huge parts of magic for me. So I hope people come in and feel like they can be curious…,” said Campbell.

“I want to awaken a childish enthusiasm in them that makes them remember when they were a little kid and anything seemed possible, [when] they just looked at everything with wide eyes and believed in magic.”

Campbell has been drawn to magic and magical items since she was a kid. As she grew older, magic became more about having a connection to nature. Campbell understands

that the store might not be for everyone, but she wants it to be approachable. Having experienced the benefit of everyday magic in her life, she wants to bring a little magic to everyone else’s life too.

Campbell put the word witch in the title of her store to help change the perception of the word. She wants to do away with the idea of long fingernails and cackling laughs and replace it with the idea of magic as ownership of one’s human nature and connection to the world around us.

“I mean there are so many days where it seems like there is no magic in the world and being able to spot it in the tiniest things… [it] makes my mental health better. It can be as simple as just birds on somebody’s front lawn hopping and chirping, like that is magical to me…

It’s just really about finding things that make me smile and are really accessible,” Campbell said.

Once the dust settles a little more, Campbell will plan a grand opening celebration to mark the fruition of this vision.

In the meantime, she looks forward to watching the store grow. With the warm responses that she has received thus far the online and Hamilton community, Witch’s Fix should continue to grow and become the store for all-things sorcery and magic downtown.

@theSilhouette

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The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

Steel City Studio has grown The creative co-working space’s 2000-foot expansion will allow it to grow its influence Rya Buckley A&C Reporter

On March 1, creative co-working space Steel City Studio threw a grand reopening celebration to mark the completion of its expansion and renovation.

The changes, which began last November, brought better workflow to the space and will allow the studio to grow as a business.

The studio is now 2,000 feet larger than it once was. When the second floor unit beside the studio became available, cofounders Nadine Ubl and Jennifer Donaldson jumped on the chance to increase their square footage. By knocking down the walls between these two units, Steel City Studio now enjoys a brighter and more open space.

Beyond expanding, the renovation involved refinishing the oak flooring on the second floor, replacing the front door with a glass door, changing the tile at the front of the studio, adding a double glass door at the entrance and bringing the wiring up to code. It was important to Ubl and Donaldson to stay within the existing layout and maintain the charm of the 120-year-old building.

The most significant updates involved making the space more environmentally friendly.

The old windows facing east and south were replaced by more efficient windows. Wherever they changed the light fixtures, they also changed the light bulbs from halogen to LED to decrease their power draw. “[P]art of what we do is keeping in mind [the] environmental component. So by sharing a lot of resources, it means that we can sort of lessen our environmental impact,” Ubl explained.

The studio has become

green in more ways than one.

The most impressive part of the renovation is the moss wall and ceiling on the second floor. The greenery was done by Greenteriors, one of the businesses that uses space at Steel City Studio.

While designed to absorb acoustics in the new open floor plan, the moss also serves to inspire the makers and benefit their health. It is also a sign of new beginnings.

To celebrate these new beginnings, the studio hosted an event to share the refreshed space with the community. They filled the space with artwork by the Hamilton Female Artists Collective and provided snacks, a cash bar and live acoustic music by musician Murray Thiessen.

They also announced the winner of their Spring Start-up Contest. The contest, which was ran through their socials, was open to creative entrepreneurs, artists and small businesses.

They then invited the nominated makers to share their vision and tour the studio. The lucky winners were awarded two months of free studio space. “[W]e hear a lot that people want to gain access to the studio, but they’re not really sure how to go about starting or, financially, they’re not sure if they can make that commitment. So the point in this contest was to give someone the opportunity to get started in the space for a couple of months and help them to grow their business so that they can sustain staying in the studio,” Ubl said.

Helping small creative businesses grow is the main goal of Steel City Studio. Not only does the studio offer space on a membership basis, it also provides flourishing businesses with business knowledge and supplies. An example of this is

the six-week program, Open Co-tivation, which kicks off on March 12 and is designed to help entrepreneurs keep one another accountable.

In addition to these programs, the studio hosts various workshops, such as the upcoming Screenprinting Basics on March 16. And on March 30, the business will be hosting its seasonal Open Studio, which allows members of the community to check out the studio as well as meet and buy from makers.

Expanding the space will allow the studio to further meet its mandate and grow its influence in the city. There is a definite benefit to being able to work with, support and seek advice from other makers. The studio wants to continue to cater to individuals who are just starting creative endeavours.

“I think what we hope to be is that next step for people that are transitioning into either work in a creative field or into their own business…. [T]hey had everything at their fingertips while they were at school and then when they go to leave it’s like ‘okay and now I’m doing this from home, how do I do that?’ So we definitely want to solidify that a little bit,” said Ubl. Steel City Studio occupies a unique niche in Hamilton by bridging the gap between the maker and start-up cultures. By expanding its space, the studio has more room for Hamilton’s small creative businesses to grow in. @theSilhouette

Progress images from the recent renovations.

C/O STEEL CITY STUDIOS

McMaster Students Union

General Assembly Wednesday, March 20 4:00 to 7:00pm | Burridge Gym

We’re hiring

Registration starts at 3:15pm Bring your student card

MANAGERS

Motions must be submitted to the MSU Speaker by Wednesday, March 13 via speaker@msu.mcmaster.ca

*The Speaker will order motions based on logical reasoning, not necessarily in the order in which they are received

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on March 10, 2019

www.msumcmaster.com/jobs

SHOW UP.

All MSU members are welcome.

Email speaker@msu.mcmaster.ca with any questions

SPEAK OUT.

msumcmaster.ca/ga

KEEP ALL WIPES OUT OF YOUR PIPES

Learn more at hamilton.ca/OwnYourThrone

22

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SPORTS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

Sports Training for what’s next

After capturing his second national medal in consecutive years, McMaster wrestling’s Ben Zahra is nowhere near done

McMaster’s Ben Zahra took home silver in 76kg category at this year’s U Sports tournament.

THE SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVE Graham West Staff Writer

On Feb. 23, Ben Zahra placed silver in the U Sports 76-kilogram wrestling championships, but for Zahra, silver isn’t quite where he wanted to be. Although his performance earned him his fourth Pita Pit Athlete of the Week, the third-year commerce student had aspirations of topping the podium in Calgary.

The second-place finish is the second time Zahra medaled at U Sports, winning bronze last year in a convincing bronze medal match. Even though the tournament just ended, the third-year wrestler is already looking forward to training hard to achieve his goal of finishing first.

“Next year I really want to win U Sport, it’s my big goal,” Zahra said. “I was hoping to do it this year, but I had a really tough competitor from Brock [University] so it didn’t really go as well as I wanted it to, but I’m

still ok with a silver. It’s good progression because last year I came third.”

Injuries were something bothering Zahra on his way to capturing silver, making his journey to the podium at the national championships and improve his finish from last year that much more impressive.

Battling through the mental and physical limitations of injury made to his road to nationals even more difficult.

“This year it was a little different because I was struggling with injuries a little bit, I had a rib injury and a lower back injury that I was dealing with,” Zahra said. “Last year my body felt great, it was really healthy, but this year I had to adjust my practices accordingly because I couldn’t do a lot of stuff everyone else was doing.”

One of Zahra’s main motivations on the mat is performing well for his team.

Even though wrestling is an individual sport, they place as a team based on their combined

performances.

This plays an important role for when they’re competing, as it increases their support for each other, always being there to cheer each other on and make each other better.

“It makes the wins that much sweeter when you do it for your team and you help contribute to your team’s score.”

Ben Zahra McMaster wrestling team “There’s this team aspect to it where if you win, you contribute to your team’s overall total points and then at the end of the tournament, there’s a team title for men, women and overall,” Zahra explained. “So when you’re wrestling, it’s in the back

of your head and you have a lot of your teammates cheering you on, so you almost do it for them more than yourself.”

“Ultimately, it is an individual sport and you’re wrestling for yourself,” Zahra added. “But it makes the wins that much sweeter when you do it for your team and you help contribute to your team’s score.”

Zahra has been a perennial Pita Pit Athlete of the Week for the Marauder’s after he claimed his fourth title on Feb. 25.

Recognizing athletes who have had notable performances every week, Zahra has regularly been named to the spotlight despite being in a sport that does not always get a lot of attention.

“It’s nice to get a free pita out of it, but I don’t really wrestle for that,” Zahra said.

“It’s nice to get recognition but it’s not why I do it. I love the sport, it’s something I’ve done my whole life and those little things are nice, but overall I try not to pay too much attention to them.”

Zahra knows he does not want his wrestling career to end with university athletics as the star wrestler has his sights set on the Olympics. “[Club] Nationals this year are in Saskatoon. I’m competing up a weight class which should be good, I’m excited,” Zahra said. “It’s actually the qualifying year for the Olympics… so this year is what gets you on the seating platform for next year’s Olympic trials. It should be a really competitive nationals for us.”

Zahra has been one of McMaster’s best wrestlers during his time here and is well on the path to getting gold at next year’s championships. With possibly a trip to the Olympics in the near future, Zahra will be a name to watch in the Marauders community as he continues to dominate the mat. @theSilhouette

SPORTS | 23

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

How ‘bout seven?

Head coach Dave Preston and fifth-year Andrew Richards discuss the OUA playoffs and what it would take for a seventh-straight gold medal for the men’s volleyball team

Outside hitters Andrew Richards (back) and Craig Ireland (front) have been staples of Mac’s championship teams.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR Coby Zucker Contributor

Coming into the Ontario University Athletics playoffs as the fourth-ranked team in Canada puts a target on your back. Add to that a record-breaking sixyear stretch where McMaster has taken home the Forsyth Cup for first place in the OUA playoffs, and you now know which team is the one to beat.

And yet, pressure is nothing new for head coach Dave Preston who has been leading the team since 2002.

“The way our program and the way I deal with [pressure] is that I don’t think that there’s anybody outside of our team room that expects more out of our program than us,” said coach Preston. “So I think when teams start to feel pressure, it’s because the external expectations become greater than what the internal expectations can handle. There isn’t anybody who expects more out of us than us.

So pressure is not an issue.”

Playing on such a decorated

team, it is safe to assume the Marauders have lofty expectations for themselves with none loftier than those of fifth-year hitter Andrew Richards, who will be playing in his fifth and final OUA playoffs this season.

Richards welcomes the competition and the opportunity to leave it all on the floor.

“I definitely know teams want to beat us with our history of having the success that we’ve had in Ontario,” said Richards.

“I’m sure it would be a sweet feeling for someone to try and knock us off but that motivates us even more to know that any time we play a team they’re going to bring the best they have and they’re going to be motivated to take us down. So it’s something that we welcome almost. We want other teams to play their best, which in turn will make us play our best.”

One game into their playoff run, the Marauders’ opponents’ bests have not been good enough. The York University Lions certainly looked motivated this past Saturday coming into

Burridge Gym taking the first set 25-27, but their momentum was quickly stifled.

“We want to sleep in hotels, we want to play in different gyms, we want to be in front of other fans. It’s just the kind of identity our team’s going to take on here in the playoffs.”

Andrew Richards McMaster men’s volleyball team The Marauders proceeded to take the next three sets (2523, 25-15, 25-19) in a mirror of their last meeting with the Lions in the regular season. Next, it is onto Kingston to face the University of Windsor Lancers for the semi-finals on March 8.

For the first time in seven years, McMaster will not be hosting the OUA Final Four due to formatting changes that no longer guarantee home court for the overall highest-seeded team.

Continuing their seven-year streak will potentially require they face off in the finals against the Queen’s University Gaels, the only team against whom the Marauders have a losing record in the regular season, in Queen’s own gym.

“We’ve kind of adapted to this road warrior mentality where we’ll go into anyone’s gym and do our thing,” said Richards.

“We sort of feel comfort in the sense of being uncomfortable, if that make sense? We want to sleep in hotels, we want to play in different gyms, we want to be in front of other fans. It’s just the kind of identity our team’s going to take on here in the playoffs.”

It remains to be seen how the Marauders will adapt to this wrinkle in their era of dominance. They certainly still have all the tools they need to succeed, including seasoned

players, a veteran coach and an all-star-calibre player in Richards who, along with fellow fifth-years Connor Santoni and Jeffrey Driediger, is looking to put his final stamp on a McMaster legacy. The Marauders themselves are not lacking in confidence.

“I love the way our guys are playing right now,” said coach Preston. “I love our style. I think we probably have another level or two left in us to play at. But the way our guys play? The style we play? The passion that we play with? It’s everything a coach could ask for.”

Competition remains tough as the Marauders head into their final weekend of the OUA post-season, with the Lancers, the Gaels and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues all looking to displace the reigning champions. It all goes down March 8 and 9 in Kingston.

@theSilhouette

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SPORTS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

BRINGING THE NFL TO CANADA Vanessa Matyas’ journey from McMaster to NFL Canada and how hard work and perseverance led her there

Jessica Carmichael Sports Reporter

In Canada there are no National Football League teams, so the way fans choose who they will support is by following in the footsteps of their family or friends, or by becoming in awe of a certain player that leads them to a team.

For Vanessa Matyas, marketing & media manager for NFL Canada, the former is how her journey with the NFL began. Growing up Canadian, Toronto teams like the Toronto Raptors and the Maple Leafs were all she really knew.

That is until she got older and became a student at McMaster University, where football became a part of her social life. But it was not just the social aspect of football that caught her attention, the New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees did too.

“I started falling in love with Drew Brees as a person because he just seemed so nice and personable, and that really got me more interested in the New Orleans Saints,” said Matyas. “The year that the devastation that was Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans was the same year they won a Super Bowl, and it really brought back so much joy to that city. That is when I started really to see the magic behind football and really get into the battles in the on-field action and the whole story around everything.”

Though Matyas knew that she had a new-found love for football, she was not entirely sure what she wanted after her undergrad in communication studies at Mac. This uncertainty led her to apply for her Master of Arts in communications and new media at McMaster.

“Part of the reason I decided to do my master’s was

Though Matyas knew that she had a newfound love for football, she was not entirely sure what she wanted after her undergrad in communication studies at Mac. because I wasn’t sure what my next step was going to be,” Matyas said. “So I thought getting a master’s would help set me apart from other job candidates.”

Following her master’s, Matyas got the opportunity to move to Geneva, Switzerland to work for a non-governmental organization. Although it was an amazing opportunity and ev-

erything she thought she would love, her mind kept going back to how much she loved sports and how amazing it would be to work in media or sports. When she returned to Canada, she applied and was lucky enough to land a digital marketing job with Rogers Media.

“While I was there, I was very vocal with my boss about how I wanted to take on other brands if I had the opportunity,” said Matyas. “So just from being partially in the right place and the right time and also being my own personal advocate, I got to expand to other brands which were two sports brands.”

In Matyas’ three years with Rogers, she focused on working on the skills that would help her do a great job in the sports world. Instead of worrying about not having that dream job of working in sports, she focused on getting the skill set that she needed to apply that to her passion later on.

This ability to focus on the big picture is something she credits McMaster for giving her.

Along with education, connections, lifelong best friends and memories, she left with a valuable lesson that ultimately got her where she is today.

This ability to focus on the big picture is something she credits McMaster for giving her.

Along with education, con-

SPORTS | 25

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

KYLE WEST / PHOTO EDITOR

nections, lifelong best friends and memories, she left with a valuable lesson that ultimately got her where she is today.

“Looking at the big picture of things is what Mac really showed me. I think when you’re here, you’re so focused on looking at the task at hand, but you don’t really see what it is leading towards or what you’re working towards,” said Matyas. “I think Mac really showed me the value of the big picture and not sweating the small stuff along the way.”

When she applied for the role with NFL Canada, she had not only the passion for the role, but the actual skills the job required. Now she wakes up every day working for a company that she not only loves, but one where she deserves to be.

Matyas works with NFL Canada’s media partners to further promote the NFL in Canada. and marketing initiatives such as influencer and public relations

“I think Mac really showed me the value of the big picture and not sweating the small stuff along the way.”

Vanessa Matyas

Marketing & media manager for NFL Canada

programs, player marketing and social and digital campaigns.

But one of her most rewarding tasks is that she gets to bring little pieces of the NFL to Canada, so people can bond with the players and ultimately start following teams. One of her most memorable moments so far has been the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta. Not only was being in ‘NFL-land’ surreal for her, being able to bring Canadians to experience the joy of

football was something that will stick with her forever.

“The experience and bringing [fans] down is very special for them, but it will always be such a big memory for me too,” said Matyas. “To see what the passion of sports does, helps us to remember why we do what we do.”

To those who look at Matyas’ journey, it may seem like she had it all figured out, but she constantly reminds those who are just starting out that there are always going to be challenges along the way, and to not let them discourage you from your goal.

“My career wasn’t a clear path of sports, so getting back into what I wanted was hard when I was ready to leave Rogers. I was looking for other jobs which was very discouraging because there were many nos before there was a yes,” said Matyas. “That can be really hard to take in especially when you

“My career wasn’t a clear path of sports, so getting back into what I wanted was hard when I was ready to leave Rogers.

I was looking for other jobs which was very discouraging because there were many nos before there was a yes. “ Vanessa Matyas

Marketing & media manager for NFL Canada

feel like you’re prepared for the role and you have a skill set that you need, but you can’t let it get

you off your path. Just know that you’re working towards something better and all of those nos and let downs are going in a direction that you’re supposed to be.”

Matyas’ journey to the NFL is an example for all of us, those who want to work in the sports industry and those who do not.

If you work hard, even when it is not what you love, eventually you will see the return on your investment and find the way to be rewarded for your passion.

@JaayCarmichael

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GAMES

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 7, 2019

Games

ACROSS 1- Panhandles; 5- Hot sauce; 10- Equipment; 14- Moises of baseball; 15- Ginger cookies; 16- Opposite of ecto-; 17- Workers’ rights org.; 18- Now; 19- Top draft level; 20- Soviet spacecraft; 22- Division of the United Kingdom; 24- ___ Nui (Easter Island); 27- Monetary unit of Portugal; 28- Broad-brimmed straw hat;

32- ___ at the office; 36- Be obliged to; 37- Frozen dew; 39- Lubricated; 40- Literary collections; 42- Sierra Nevada lake; 44- An apple or a planet will have this at the centre; 45- Starbucks size; 47- Staggers; 49- Taxpayer’s ID; 50- Car bomb?; 51- State of USA; 53- Let up; 56- Actress Russo;

57- Recently married; 61- Pitchers; 65- Q.E.D. part; 66- Specific geographical places; 69- “___ Tu” (‘70s hit); 70- Exchange premium; 71- Give up; 72- Mmes., in Madrid; 73- Color quality; 74- Turkish palace; 75- Recipe amts.;

23- Small jazz combo; 25- Sassy; 26- Noisy; 28- Italian white wine; 29- Possessed; 30- Averages; 31- Milo of “The Verdict”; 33- At ___ for words; 34- Vice follower; 35- Perfect places; 38- It’s human; 41- Work boot feature; 43- Actress Sommer; 46- Now ___ me down...; 48- All there;

52- Most recent; 54- Influences; 55- Unsettling; 57- Tidy, without fault; 58- Consequently; 59- Farm wagon; 60- Forest forager; 62- Makes mistakes; 63- Cut the crop; 64- Flat sound; 67- ___ carte; 68- Star Wars letters;

DOWN 1- Outlaws; 2- Cockney greeting; 3- Bloody; 4- District adjacent to a city; 5- Fast flier; 6- “Wheel of Fortune” buy; 7- Scottish boys; 8- Room; 9- Start of a Shakespeare title; 10- Based on the study of the earth; 11- Sicilian resort; 12- Yemeni seaport; 13- Highway; 21- Middle Eastern coffee holder;

FREE! Student SURVIVAL GUIDE

COUPONS | ASSIGNMENT PL ANNER GRAB YOUR COPY FROM THE UNDERGROUND (MUSC B117 ) OR AT THE MSU OFFICE (MUSC 201)

WHY DOES THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION WANT TO TALK TO A STUDENT NEWSPAPER? OH, RIGHT, IT ’S AN ELEC TION YEAR C12

THURSDAY

THE

HAMILTON SPECULATOR HELP I LOST MY VOICE IN 1934

NOTSPEC.COM

Something about Canadian poli

March 7, 2019

I don’t really know what it is but I do know that something is going on!

HILDA O’HOOLIHAN I’m bored

Last week, something pretty major happened in Canadian politics. I have no idea what it is, but it was pretty major from my understanding.

I don’t want to give you any fake info, but like, apparently, Premier Ministre JT is implicated somehow. I’d tell you how if I knew but I genuinely don’t. If you get anymore info, can you please let me know?

I was too busy watching the Cichael Mohen testomony when all of this went down and boy, I could tell you everything about that. Actually, I could tell you literally anything about American politics. Couldn’t tell you anything about Canadian politics, tho.

Basically, what I know right

now is that there was like one of the biggest scandals in recent history. I don’t know who was involved, I don’t know how they were involved, all I know is that it was playing instead of the Food Network when I was at the gym and I’m pretty pissed about it.

Honestly, I’d pay more attention if it were anywhere near as interesting as American politics, I really would. Turn it into a reality show! Give me some talking heads! Do SOMETHING and maybe I’d care more than I care about the KarJenner drama.

I asked my parents what they think about the whole thing cause I thought they might know a bit more than I do. Turns out they didn’t though.

“Hilda, you’re the journalist in this family. How could you not know what the hell is going on

POLL: Do you know about the SNC-Lavalin affair?

Yes

IDK

No

Cops on campus

I would if the Globe and Mail didn’t cost $25/mo

That sounds like a snowboarding thing

the SNC Lava-who?

Why should I?

right now?” said my mom. “We’re extremely dissappointed in you, even though we generally don’t know the difference between Justin and Pierre except for the fact that Justin is cuter.”

To make matters worse, Canada’s most trusted news source broke this story behind a pay wall! How could they do that to

us? How the heck do they expect us to care about what happened if we DON’T KNOW about what happened? These questions keep me from going into journalism as a career, tbh.

Anyways, I’m bored of this whole thing and it’s only really just beginning! Wake me up for the election.

INSIDE THE JONAS BROTHERS ARE TRUMP SUPPORTERS. CHANGE MY MIND A3 RETURN OF THE STREP A6 WHAT OTHER BOY BAND IS GETTING BACK TOGETHER IN 2019? B2 UMMMMMMMMMMMMMM IS THAT ALLOWED? B5 IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE ANYONE CARED ABOUT STUDENT JOURNALISM C1 CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT MY REIGN IS ALMOST OVER? C4 I MEAN, THANK GOD JM4 CAN SOMEONE TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON NEXT YEAR? JK5

Tweets to the Editor Read a damn book Emilia - My friends in Hamilton, ON

YOU’RE NOT FUNNY - Everyone in Hamilton, ON

Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. As much as this is a joke, I still don’t really understand what’s going on. Help!

PER ISSUE: Politics without scandal please