The Silhouette - October 18th, 2018

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The Silhouette Thursday, October 18, 2018

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FEATURE: East end tenants protesting proposed rent hikes in Stoney Creek towers // PAGE 6-7 ARTS & CULTURE: Youth council piece together Women’s History Month Exhibit // PAGE 13 SPORTS: As the season comes to a close, the women’s soccer team looks forward // PAGE 15

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Thursday, October 18, 2018 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

September 24, 1964

EDITORIAL BOARD

The Review

editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca

In 1964, the Silhouette added a new section titled the Silhouette Review.

The Review would look critically at various arts and culture performances, galleries and exhibitions and was open to submissions from student, graduate students and faculty members at McMaster.

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 opinion editor

Sabrina Macklai

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

photo reporter

Sasha Roshan Martin Burwell online@thesil.ca

video editor

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

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WE WANT YOU The Silhouette is always looking for contributors. Visit our office in MUSC B110 or email a section editor for further information!

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

The Silhouette

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News How do Ward 1 candidates’ platforms differ?

While candidates agree on the importance of many of the election’s key issues, they are proposing different steps to tackle them Elliot Fung Contributor

The Ward 1 councillor candidates are promising a number of changes that aim to improve McMaster student life. While ideas such as support for landlord licensing and the light rail transit project can be found in multiple platforms, the candidates differ in their approach to some key areas.

With the constant rise of housing prices, affordable housing, which includes student housing, is considered a top priority for all candidates.

However, there are many unique proposed methods to tackle this election issue.

Carol Lazich proposes cooperative student housing initiatives and the purchase of excess land for construction of student housing complexes. Sophie Geffros proposes that new developments be required to have 15 to 25 per cent affordable and geared-to-income units.

On the other hand, Both Ela Eroglu and Sharon Cole propose intensification and infill developments. Harrison White also supports cooperative student housing initiatives and proposes the re-introduction of rental-property based tax breaks.

Sharon Anderson proposes an increase in the number of medium density developments through zoning by-law adjustments. Linda Narducci proposes better negotiations between existing landlords, patrons and developers.

Another issue pertinent to McMaster students concerns the health and safety problems caused by absentee landlords of student rentals and education about tenant rights.

Candidates Maureen Wilson, Cole, White, Geffros and Lyla Miklos support a licensing system for rental properties that would help to ensure that tenants’ rights are sustained.

They also promote educational

SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES programs for students to ensure that students understand tenant rights and what landlords are legally allowed to do.

Geffros’ plan includes a $10 to $50 fee for landlords to lease a home; in return, the city would inspect rental units to ensure they are up to health and safety standards. Eroglu proposes a

Another issue pertinent to McMaster students concerns the health and safety problems caused by absentee landlords of student rentals and education about tenant rights.

Some proposed plans include better enforcement of speed limits and working with the city of Hamilton to clear roads and sidewalks after snow falls during the winter. different approach through a two-year pilot project in the Ainslie Wood area aimed at enforcing rental housing by-laws.

Lazich proposes the implementation of stricter regulations and penalties for landlords if properties are not maintained.

Candidates Wilson, Narducci, Jason Allen, White and Anderson aim to address street and traffic safety, an issue particularly relevant to students com-

ing to campus every day from surrounding residential areas.

Some proposed plans include better enforcement of speed limits and working with the city of Hamilton to clear roads and sidewalks after snow falls during the winter.

Retention of McMaster graduates in Hamilton is another issue that Lazich and Eroglu aim to address. In particular, Eroglu proposes to attract new businesses to set up in Hamilton. Lazich proposes partnering with corporations and small businesses and providing grants to students for startups.

Moreover, some candidates are promising the launch of new services and initiatives unrelated to the most significant issues at play.

For instance, Lazich wants to introduce a number of new services concerning students including dog therapy, an Indig-

enous Enriched Support Program, male support groups for first years, promotion of student success programs and education programs for cannabis use.

Geffros aims to address safety, hate crimes and sexual violence in Ward 1 by creating well-lit pedestrian paths, implementing emergency poles and funding free bystander intervention training.

With this year’s large number of candidates, there is a great deal of consistency across platforms with respect to themes and topics being prioritized. But while candidates are focusing on the same issues, they diverge when it comes to how they intend to address them.

@theSilhouette

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NEWS

Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

Getting a final say This week’s candidates disagree on the need for the LRT project Ryan Tse News Reporter

As the Hamilton municipal election looms, The Silhouette will be interviewing Ward 1 candidates about their platforms and why they believe McMaster students should vote for them. This week, we are featuring our final set of candidates: Jordan Geertsma, Maureen Wilson, Carol Lazich and Syed Bakht.

Jordan Geertsma Ward 1 Candidate Jordan Geertsma has been the operating owner of the Snooty Fox in Westdale Village for the past 10 years. While he has no previous political involvement, he has contributed to several community organizations.

Geertsma’s main focuses are safe roads, increasing communication and advocacy for Ward 1 residents and housing licensing and inspections.

From Geertsma’s perspective, the lack of affordable housing stems from inadequate living space and increasing demand. He sees the current model that fits students into single-family homes as impractical, instead promoting “medium-density, mixed use, transit accessible” units.

Regarding transit, Geerts-

ma wants to eliminate area rating, implement “staggered” express routes and upgrade buses to electric in the future.

Geertsma does not support light rail transit, wanting to use the money instead on other infrastructure. He is concerned about the safety of LRT, specifically the potential for substantially increased volume through the city and increased accidents as construction takes place.

As someone who is currently pursuing a degree at McMaster and interacts with students every day, Geertsma believes he understands student concerns and issues.

“I want to work with the city and the university to find and create incentives that will keep people here in Hamilton after their academic careers are over,” said Geertsma. “Both Hamilton and the people who study here have a lot to offer, and I believe each side can help the other become stronger.”

Maureen Wilson Ward 1 Candidate Maureen Wilson served as the chief of staff to the mayor of Hamilton from 2000 to 2002.

She was also the executive assistant to the regional chairman in the Hamilton-Wentworth region for three years and has been involved in various senior roles with schools and city committees.

Wilson is focused on addressing safer streets and affordable housing. She also hopes to improve transit, including GO, LRT and the BLAST Network.

Wilson’s plan to tackle the affordable housing issue includes allowing secondary suites in single-family dwellings.

In Wilson’s view, the city’s current five-year budget, which calls for large infrastructure and urban sprawl investment, does not support the BLAST network vision. She suggests that the city instead should invest in public transit. She also considers area ratings “unfair” for citizens.

Wilson strongly supports LRT. She believes her track record, particularly unique experience in the Hamilton municipal government, makes her a strong candidate.

“We can opt for a progressive path of city building and make the kind of strategic investments that will position Hamilton for future prosperity, environmental sustainability and inclusivity. Or, Hamilton can be left behind by pursuing

“We can opt for a progressive path of city building and make the kind of strategic investments that will position Hamilton for future prosperity, environmental sustainability and inclusivity.”

Maureen Wilson Ward 1 candidate

the path of least resistance, absent of courage, vision, and facts,” said Wilson. “I choose to champion the first path and believe I am the only candidate with the experience to do so.”

Carol Lazich Ward 1 Candidate Lazich responded to the request for an interview, but her responses did not address all of the questions asked by The Silhouette. This profile was supplemented with information from The Hamilton Spectator and MacVotes campaign.

Lazich was the president of the Strathcona Community Council. She has also been involved as a board member with Crime Stoppers and in various capacities at the Art Gallery and George Brown College.

In addition to community safety and affordable housing, Lazich wants to prioritize infrastructure, financial accountability and transit. To address affordable housing, Lazich is advocating for stricter regulations for landlords and student rentals. She also believes the university should partner with the city of Hamilton to purchase “excess land inventory” to build housing.

Lazich’s plan for improving transit includes promoting the BLAST network and implementing electric buses for the

HSR. She does not support the LRT, instead wanting to focus on increasing the ridership of the HSR. Syed Bakht Ward 1 Candidate Syed Bakht did not respond to the request for an interview from The Silhouette. The following information was reported

by The Hamilton Spectator.

Bakht is self-employed in tax and accounting services. He was involved with the finance department of United Way for six years.

Bakht’s platform priorities include basic services, existing playgrounds and small business growth. He emphasizes the importance of addressing affordable housing.

This candidate does “not necessarily” support the LRT project. Rather, he believes more research on the project and its financial ramifications should be undertaken.

More information about the candidates’ platforms can be found at https://elaeroglu.ca, and https://www.hwhite4ward1.ca, and https:// www.msumcmaster.ca/ macvotes/macvotes-municipal-elections-2018/ ward-1-candidates/sharon-anderson respectively. @theSilhouette

C/O CANDIDATES’ CAMPAIGN

HUMANS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

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Catherine Goce Photo Reporter

Why did you decide to transfer schools and come to McMaster?

When I was at Queen's I realized that the program I was in was just not interesting to me.

I was in Arts and Sciences, and I was doing a minor in Theatre.

After joining the school musical, I talked to a lot of people who said it was primarily theory based for all four years.

This didn’t seem interesting to me because I wanted to act and I realized I hated psychology.

The distance was also really hard. I’m not the type of person that gets homesick but if I had really bad anxiety and stress I would have to come home to Guelph for less than 24 hours and go back to school. So it wasn’t an enjoyable time.

I picked McMaster because on the last day to accept my application I was deciding between McMaster and Queens. My best friend goes here and I’ve heard only good things about McMaster and the programs I looked at were most interesting. It was either that or Ryerson, and I didn’t want to go into an atmosphere that wasn't a campus and society feel but McMaster had that.

What would you say was your best experience at McMaster so far.

Joining the cheerleading team was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I took a semester off because my anxiety was really bad, but joining the team made me fall in love with cheerleading all over again. Everybody was so inclusive, I just felt an instant relationship with everybody on the team. It was amazing.

Getting into one of the film clubs here, getting to do more filming and gaining experience on what it’s actually like being behind a camera was super cool because it’s something I’ve never done before, because usually I do stuff onstage.

Where does your passion for film and theater come from?

It definitely comes from my dad. He didn’t start university until his mid 20s because he lived in Toronto doing acting and doing a lot of theatre productions. That’s what he wanted to do and he ended up being a drama teacher. I grew up on stage with him, watching him, being behind the scenes and everything. Then I fell in love with cheerleading, so performing was

already in my blood. A lot of his friends are in the industry now too and I’ve always watched them and learned from them so it’s always been really big for me. My dad wanted me to get an education before I pursued it more, which I understand but it's unfortunate that you can’t put 100 per cent into what you want to do, but I still love what I’m doing here.

“[...] my dad wanted me to get an education before I pursued [acting] more, which I understand but it's unfortunate that you can't put 100 percent into what you want to do,” Maia Dinucci Multimedia Student Do you have any film projects you’re working on right now?

Yes, at school were working on a short film, on and off, we’re just waiting for fall. The film is set years after an apocalypse ended, that kind of thing. I play the ditzy girl who’s in the pack with the leader.

Maia Dinucci Multimedia student C/O Catherine Goce

I’m the girl that’s not down for the apocalypse. I'm just over it and want to have a good time and that’s ultimately my downfall. They always do a screening of it once it’s done, so people will be able to see it.

Tell me something you’ve done in your past that you recommend everyone doing.

I definitely recommend going either scuba diving or snorkelling. I’m terrified of swimming. I hate it and I hate going out, that freaks me out but when I lived in Australia we went snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef and it was the most beautiful experience I’ve ever

seen. You can see pictures of it but you can’t really grasp the feeling or the beauty of what’s underneath everything. It’s just beautiful and I recommend doing that even in a resort in Cuba or anything, there’s always a snorkelling opportunity. It’s so worth it even if you’re terrified of water because I am.

facebook.com/ HumansOfMcMaster

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The Silhouette

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

EAST END RENT STRIKE BRINGS TO LIGHT HAMILTON HOUSING ISSUES East end tenants are protesting proposed rent hikes and disrepair in Stoney Creek towers RENTING IN HAMILTON Hannah Walters-Vida Features Reporter

Since May 1, a group of 100 tenants from Stoney Creek towers in Hamilton’s east end have been protesting proposed rent increases and uncompleted repairs in their apartment complex.

Stoney Creek towers is a four building, 618-unit complex owned by InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust and managed

by CLV group.

The rent strike demonstrates ongoing issues with housing in Hamilton and across Ontario.

A 2018 report from the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario found that rent is unaffordable for nearly half of all Ontario tenants.

Hamilton has experienced significant rent increases in recent years. The average cost of rent in Hamilton has increased at double the rate of inflation since 2012.

Rent increases come as a result of both rising house prices and decreasing rental vacancy rates, according to a 2017 report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. As a result of increased demand, apartments are more expensive

Overdose Prevention Sites in Hamilton

and harder to find.

“Because of the real estate situation, rent is going up everywhere, people from Toronto and Mississauga are choosing to move here,” said Syed, a tenant at Stoney Creek Towers.

DISREPAIR Despite higher rent, living conditions often remain the same. Many low to medium income renters across Hamilton experience substandard living conditions.

According to a study of low to medium renters across Hamilton conducted by Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, 43 per cent of

tenants across Hamilton reported a lack of heating in the winter.

Unresponsive landlords are also common across Hamilton.

Fifty-nine per cent of tenants surveyed by ACORN reported having problems getting their landlords to conduct repairs.

According to Sarah Wahab, a volunteer with the Hamilton Tenants Solidarity Network, leaving units in disrepair is an intentional strategy to push current tenants out so that the landlord can increase rent for new tenants.

The Ontario rent increase guideline restricts the amount that rent can be increased on occupied units each year. However, there is no rent control on

empty units.

“The landlord will neglect repairs in order to push the tenant out of the unit so that they can raise the rent for the next tenant that comes in,” said Wahab.

Tenants living in Stoney Creek towers say that long-standing repairs in their units are often left uncompleted.

The Stoney Creek Towers website states that, “24-hour professional maintenance staff are just a phone call away”.

However Rita*, a resident at Stoney Creek Towers, found the property management to be difficult to access and unresponsive to requests.

When Rita experienced

FEATURE | 7

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

structural problems in her unit, she had to call multiple times over the course of a week before anybody came. After three or four visits over the course of a month, it was finally determined that there was an underlying problem.

Syed says that his apartment building has an ongoing bedbug problem. He also identified issues with plumbing, lighting and mold in the building.

According to Syed, rent for new tenants is often double what current tenants pay.

CLV group makes repairs to units before renting them out to new tenants. However, Syed says that these repairs are minor. Flooring and baseboards are replaced, and the apartment gets a new set of paint. However, the underlying structural issues remain.

RENT HIKES The Ontario rent increase guideline protects tenants from sharp rent increases. The guideline limits the amount that a landlord can increase tenants’ rent in a year. In 2018 the maximum rent increase was 1.8 per cent.

In order to increase the rent on occupied units beyond the 1.8 per cent limit, landlords can apply to the Landlord Tenant Board for a rent increase above the guideline.

If a landlord can demonstrate that significant repair, renovation or replacement has been undertaken in the building, they are eligible for an Above Guideline Increase, which allows rent to be increased beyond the yearly limit.

CLV has applied to the Hamilton landlord tenant board to be approved for a rent hike of 9.6 per cent over the next two years.

According to Roseanne MacDonald-Holtman, community relations manager for CLV, investments have been made to improve heating, air exhaust and plumping, among other repairs.

However, tenants at Stoney Creek towers say the repairs have been primarily cosmetic and have not adequately addressed underlying structural issues.

“CLV is doing superficial work that’s completely cosmetic, just to attract newer tenants,” said Syed. “Painting the lobby, putting in a fake fireplace that’s completely digital, it doesn’t

even give off heat, it gets you to think are they really thinking about the tenants?”

Furthermore, if approved, the AGI increase would make rent unaffordable for many of the current residents at Stoney Creek towers.

According to Wahab, the Stoney Creek towers buildings are home to a lot of immigrants, poor people and people with disabilities.

“The issue is that this issue in Hamilton, the demographic cannot afford this price rate,” said Syed.

RENT STRIKE To demand that CLV drops the AGI and does repairs in all the units, tenants in the Stoney Creek towers began a rent strike.

According to Wahab, a rent strike involves withholding rent.

Tenants set their rent aside with the understanding that they will pay it back once the landlord agrees to the demands.

By engaging in the rent strike, tenants aim not only to appeal to their landlord and property manager, but also to the general public.

“Everybody should know

what is going on in the apartment,” said Rita. “People will not know what is going on until people open their mouths.”

Tenants, supported by HTSN, have been engaging in campaigns and rallies to engage their landlord and property management company over the course of the campaign.

Rent strikes have been a protesting tactic since the early 1800s. One of the largest rent strikes occurred in New York city in 1907, and led to the establishment of rent control.

More recently, tenants in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood engaged in a three month long rent strike to protest a proposed AGI increase and unfilled work orders in their buildings.

Their efforts paid off when the landlord withdrew their AGI application in August 2017.

So far in Stoney Creek, neither CLV nor REIT has agreed to meet with the tenants to negotiate. Instead, Wahab says that they are engaging in a “campaign of harassment”.

On Sept. 12, CLV staff posted letters to tenants’ doors stating that loitering was not permitted in the lobby, stairwells, or common areas. Soon

afterwards, CLV group erected walls in the lobbies of two Stoney Creek buildings that block access to meeting spaces.

According to the HTSN blog, this is meant to prevent tenants from holding meetings in their building lobbies.

According to MacDonald-Holtman on behalf of CLV, the walls were part of a lobby renovation.

“When complete, residents will benefit from upgraded facilities and services,” stated MacDonald-Holtman in an email.

On Oct. 9, rent strikers received eviction notices. According to Wahab, this is a strategy to scare people into not going on rent strike.

Tenants are supported by lawyers from the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic and have raised money to cover the cost of potential filing fees. Over the course of the campaign, @theSilhouette

C/O HAMILTON TENANTS SOLIDARITY NETWORK

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

SCOTT ROBINSON Vice President (Finance) vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x24109

Do you have an idea that will help improve student life at McMaster? Have you ever caught yourself walking around campus thinking about something that would benefit the student experience for Marauders? This week, we opened the idea submission portal for the Student Life Enhancement Fund to give students the chance to have their ideas come to fruition The Student Life Enhancement Fund, otherwise known as SLEF, is a joint collaboration between the McMaster Students Union and McMaster University. Each year, close to $100,000 is allocated to fund new projects with the aim of enhancing the McMaster student experience and benefiting the student body. All full-time undergraduate students are eligible to submit their ideas - no idea is too big or too small to be considered for funding through SLEF. After being vetted by a joint committee of MSU and University partners, viable ideas are then brought forward for a vote amongst students. The ideas that receive the most votes are then al-

October 18, 2018 | thesil.ca

located funding to become a reality.

SLEF is a direct representation of students being able to turn their ideas into meaningful action. You don’t have to be involved in student politics, be connected to your faculty society or put yourself out there publicly to have an influence on the student experience - you can simply submit your ideas to SLEF. Over the years, SLEF has provided seed capital and financial support to student submitted ideas that have served to improve the student experience at McMaster for thousands of Marauders.

Some of the ideas which have received funding in recent years include: • The Refresh Nap Lounge on the 3rd floor of MUSC • Phone charging stations across campus • The outdoor fitness circuit across from Les Prince Hall • The huge new screen in the MUSC atrium • 3D printers in Mills Library • Campus gardens and wildlife zones

“No idea is too big or too small to be considered for funding through SLEF.” This year, student representatives of the MSU Finance Committee are organizing a promotional campaign to engage more students in the SLEF process. Student volunteers will be at tables across campus and online content will be circulated to encourage students to submit their ideas. With more students engaged in the process and more ideas submitted, our hope is that the resulting vote at the end of the year will produce amazing projects to improve McMaster University for generations of students.

SLEF is now taking submissions

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.

for ideas to help enhance student life and student services on campus. The online SLEF portal will be open from October 18 to November 7 for students to submit their ideas. After ideas are narrowed down by the joint MSU and University committee, students will have a chance to vote on ideas they

want to see funded, when the online voting portal opens in late January. To submit an idea, all students need to do is write a short paragraph describing the idea via enhance.mcmaster.ca. I am excited to see what student-led ideas the Student Life Enhancement Fund will help turn into a reality this year.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

EDITORIAL

| 9

Editorial A call to keep the planned wage increase The MSU needs to follow through with their initial wage increase, despite the cancellation of Bill 148 Sasha Dhesi Managing Editor

A few weeks ago, the provincial government froze the minimum wage at $14 per hour and cut the planned increase to $15 per hour that was planned for January 2019. With this cut, many businesses, but not all, have decided to forgo the planned increase they had set up for employees. The McMaster Students Union should not be one of them.

Studies have shown that the actual living wage in Hamilton is $15.85. The cost of tuition ranges, but the majority of programs at McMaster are roughly $7000, with some programs slightly below that figure, and many significantly above, going as high as $13,829. There’s no collected data on the average rent McMaster students pay, but anecdotal evidence points to most students living in off-campus housing paying somewhere around $500 per month, not in-

cluding utilities. Some students pay less and others pay more.

With this in mind, working during your undergraduate degree is inevitable for a lot of people. Whether it’s a retail job or a paid internship, many students find themselves working two to three jobs at a time just to pay all of their fees. I can personally think of a handful of friends and acquaintances who juggled three jobs just to pay for rent and school.

The MSU employs 300 students, and the jobs they offer are unique to the university bubble. They offer the kind of experience many people would not receive otherwise and are often set up with the student schedule in mind, making them ideal for anyone who wants to work on campus. The MSU’s minimum wage for these jobs is currently $14.15.

It’s no secret that students are struggling to pay tuition and the rising costs of rent. One of the easiest ways to support these

students is to go ahead with the wage increase, something that had already been worked into the 2018-2019 budget.

The MSU has a lot of initiatives that support low-income students such as the Food Collective Centre, but one of the easiest ways they could vastly improve the livelihood of hundreds of McMaster students is by raising the wages for their workers. The MSU is run almost entirely off of student labour, so it would only make sense that these students are compensated appropriately.

If the MSU really wants to support low-income students, they could easily do so by making sure that their workers are compensated appropriately. In doing so, they set a standard not only for other student unions but for any future employers students may have.

@SashaDhesi

WRITE US LETTERS! The Silhouette accepts feedback! These letters are a great way to provide feedback on our content and shape the newspaper you pay for. We miss hearing from students!

If you’re interested, write a letter (300 words or less) in response to our content. If it isn’t slanderous, we will run it! Send the letter to thesil@thesil.ca.

to the good kush

to the Ordinary closure

to picking your fantasy lineup according to hairline

to football depression

to snacks

to regular depression

to Kyle’s new backpack

to regular depression turning into seasonal depression

to Deceim gossip to Chris from Fido to goat day to the first real day off since August to finally getting your OSAP

to never kissing your wife to only having one MSAF to long morning commutes to getting SICK

10 |

OPINION

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

Opinion Petition to ban campus smoking bans

The decision to smoke should be that of the individual and not the university Sabrina Macklai Opinion Editor

I would like to preface this by saying I have never smoked.

Blame the contract six-year-old Sabrina signed in purple crayon or the hour-long lectures my mother gave about the “dangers of drugs” but to this day, I’ve never had the desire to smoke, cigarettes or marijuana. I actually dislike the smell of smoke, especially that of cannabis, and so I can understand the motivation behind campus smoking bans. And yet, I still think they’re wrong.

If the federal government can legalize cannabis use and possession for consenting adults, then what right does McMaster or any university have to impose their own notions of health onto their students? Especially amidst the lack of evidence concerning the risks and therapeutic benefits of cannabis, it screams arrogant paternalism for a university to infringe upon our autonomy like this. Whether I chose to smoke or not should be my decision, irrespective of the institution that I pay into.

McMaster prides itself on being the first Ontario campus to go 100 per cent tobacco and smoke-free. So far, the rules have been fairly simple. If you

Especially amidst the lack of evidence concerning the risks and therapeutic benefits of cannabis, it screams arrogant paternalism for a university to infringe upon our autonomy like this.

SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES

are caught smoking on campus grounds, you get a warning, and maybe a fine too. The ban has not stopped students from smoking, however. It has only stopped them from smoking in well-lit, safe areas.

And that’s the kicker.

Prohibition has never worked.

If someone intends to use a substance, they’re going to use it whether you ban it or not. The government realizes this. They realize this so much, in fact, that they have legalized — and will soon profit from — cannabis. If universities were smart, they would realize this too.

I am not saying that students should be encouraged to attend classes high or to smoke during lectures. But the rules need to be revisited and revised to be more realistic and definitely more comprehensive.

Students will smoke. If the university truly cared about their students, they’d help these students smoke in a safe way.

Specialized university smoking policies are unnecessary. Smoking in Canada is

already banned in indoor public spaces and within nine meters from the entrance of social service institutions, including universities. If these rules are sufficient outside of the university bubble, there’s no reason they can’t be sufficient within it.

Brock University has recently updated their smoking and vaping policy to address the use of cannabis on campus; specifically banning smoking cannabis, banning the production of any cannabis edibles, and implementing scent-free cannabis storage rules. In addition to these policy updates, Brock is proposing to create a new “Fit for Work Standard” which could potentially include the monitoring of substances including cannabis to judge the impairment of their employees.

This is where my main concern lies. Regulation of a substance is a slippery slope. It’s no question that marginalized communities are disproportionately profiled and stand a greater risk of being unfairly policed and mistreated. I fear that what

may start as well-intentioned smoking bans could quickly lead to prejudiced behaviour against vulnerable groups on campus.

It’s important to remember that there are many social determinants of cannabis use, and its misuse. Last week, I attended a roundtable on the impact of cannabis legalization which was held by the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research. One of the attendees, a representative from the Canadian Mental Health Association, stressed that we must not tread into the medical

Prohibition has never worked.

If someone intends to use a substance, they’re going to use it whether you ban it or not.

reductionism of cannabis. The harms that are associated to cannabis are tied to a myriad of social issues that we must address first. Poverty, housing instability, food insecurity and racism are all factors that contribute towards cannabis use.

There are also those who use cannabis as a treatment for an uncountable number of diseases and disorders including insomnia, anxiety and depression.

How can we then justify a ban against cannabis? This would essentially be a ban against its users, many of whom are the vulnerable and disenfranchised. It’s unclear what McMaster plans to do. What is clear is that when creating policies like smoking bans, it is the responsibility of the university, which claims to care about its students, to consult the people who will be impacted.

@theSilhouette

OPINION

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

OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

| 13 | 11

Students and the Hamilton election Think municipal elections don’t impact you? Think again Angela Dittrich Contributor

As young adults, we experience a lot of exciting and important milestones — getting our driver’s license, attaining legal adulthood and entering university, college or the workforce.

An often overlooked milestone is becoming a voter, or rather, becoming individuals with a rarely-exercised right to vote.

McMaster University students are a vital part of the Ward 1 community, and yet we continuously fail to show up to the polling stations. And before I continue, yes, you can vote here. Not only can you vote here, you should — whether you live in residence, in a student home, or commute from another part of the city.

Hamilton, for better or worse, is your home for on average four years of undergrad, and potentially beyond. Electoral issues such as housing, transit, and safety affect every one of us on a daily basis. If we speak

up and elect a councillor willing to listen, we can influence real change in this city. This election, I urge you to consider some of these major issues, evaluate what matters most to you, and make certain your opinion is heard.

With 25,000 undergraduate students and only 4000 beds on campus, navigating through off-campus housing, landlords, and leases is part of the typical McMaster student experience.

Unfortunately, there are homes packed to over-capacity, absent or negligent landlords and rising costs of rent which create levels of stress beyond what students should be experiencing.

As well, safety has become a major concern for many student housing neighbourhoods due to an increased number of breakins this year. We are much more than university students; we are members of this community. We need to elect a councillor who will make housing a priority, hold landlords accountable, and address our safety concerns to make our neighbourhoods a

better and safer place.

One of the most defining features of this election is transit. The fate of our proposed light rail transit system hangs in the balance as Doug Ford threatens to revoke the promised provincial funding. While transit is not the most exciting issue, it significantly impacts our everyday lives. McMaster would house an LRT terminal, providing us with a faster and more reliable way to get around and explore the city. The McMaster Students Union has taken a proLRT stance, and if we want this project to succeed, our Ward 1 councillor and mayor must be on board.

A more current issue is the Hamilton Street Railway. In 2017, students voted to increase tuition fees in exchange for expanded HSR service. However, last fall, there were over 200 hours of missed bus service each week, to the point where students could not rely on public transit to arrive to their exams on time. McMaster students are

one of the HSR’s largest rider groups, contributing over $4.5 million annually, yet we are constantly overlooked in times of financial stress. By voting, we show the city that our transit needs must be valued, and that the level of service provided needs to match our financial contributions.

If you’re still unsure, think about it this way — your voice is just as powerful, just as important, and just as valued as those who have lived in Hamilton for decades. We are all impacted by at least one key issue in this elec-

This election, I urge you to consider some of these major issues, evaluate what matters most to you, and make certain your opinion is heard.

tion: housing, transit, safety, the environment, student relations, student job opportunities or economic growth.

But voting comes with great responsibility. Take the time to research the Ward 1 and mayoral candidates, as well as their stances on the key issues. Many young adults feel like their vote doesn’t matter, and unfortunately, by the way we are viewed by most of city council, that feeling makes sense. But this can change if we vote.

Go out to lunch with your friends and swing by the voting station. Talk to your classmates about why you’re planning to vote. Make a post on social media about your voting experience or issues that matter to you. We should all leave a place better than we found it, and making your voice heard in this Hamilton election is an incredible first step. On Oct. 22, make your vote count. See you at the polls, Marauders. @theSilhouette

SPONSORED

Now is the time to learn about Student Services

By: Elizabeth DiEmanuele

With Fall Reading Break now over, we are officially halfway through the semester. Deadlines and stress levels are a building – now is the time to take advantage of the many services available to support you during your time at McMaster.

As Gina Robinson, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Director of the Student Success

Centre, says, “For many students academics and university life can understandably be overwhelming. What is important to know is that we have the resources to help you”. Learn about them and take advantage of the support.

One common thing that the Student Success Centre often learns from students is that they wish they knew about services on-campus sooner. “As Student Affairs professionals, one of our goals is to increase awareness

that students are not alone.

Whether it’s with academics, extra-curricular involvement, managing your spending, figuring out what’s next, or somewhere in between, we’re here to teach you the skills and support you during your time in University and afterwards,” says Gina.

Support services like the new Undergrad Writing Centre, career advising and counselling appointments, workplace integrated learning programs, the development of the career access program (CAPS) and the new global experience program enables the Student Success Centre to work with students and alumni at many different stages of their University journey. The people in the Centre are one of your first points of contact as you transition to life at McMaster through programs offered during Welcome Week, and they are here for you after you graduate, providing alumni career services up to ten years post-graduation ensuring you

are supported in your life after Mac. The Centre offer so much more, including international student services, the McMaster exchange program, and Mac’s Money Centre.

There are so many services available through the SSC, and yet, this is only one of many supports available for McMaster students. As Maclean’s university rankings recently shared, McMaster is a top five University in Canada. Student satisfaction played a key role in this ranking – this accomplishment for McMaster relies on how our staff, students, faculty, departments across campus, and the community come together to support McMaster University’s learning environment.

Building upon this momentum, students can learn about all the services available to support their success at the upcoming Spooktacular Student Services Fair. The fair is an opportunity for students to connect with services they may not know about,

all in one place. Students will get to trick or treat to different tables, ask questions, play games, and exchange tickets for prizes.

The event will take place on October 30 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in MUSC Marketplace.

To learn more about the Student Success Centre, visit the website at: studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca You can also follow @MacSSC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Sponsored by:

12 |

The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

Arts & Culture

Taking control of your impact Environmental advocate Jennifer Yee shares tips for living greener Razan Samara A&C Editor

Jennifer Yee is the self-proclaimed love child of Stevie Nicks and Indiana Jones, an identity I realized she’s adopted wholeheartedly as we went on a little adventure around her Riverdale neighbourhood looking for community gardens and a worker-owned natural food market.

In recent years she’s delved deep into researching ways she can adopt a more sustainable and ethical lifestyle. From making her day to day tasks more green to acting as a natural ambassador and advocate, how she impacts the environment and the world around her is always on her mind.

Yee recognizes the challenges of going zero-waste, avoiding fast fashion and its negative impact on the environment and workers and changing habits and mindsets around more ethical, environmentally-friendly and sustainable practices.

Despite how easy it may be to partake in practices that save us time and money, ultimately there’s no convenience in neglecting the environment. Yee had an abundance of tips and tricks that can be implemented into daily routines for those that are up for the challenge.

Single-use plastics can easily be replaced by investing in a reusable counterpart. Grab your coffee in the morning in a travel mug and keep a reusable bottle on you.

There’s a diverse selection of budget-friendly and washable produce bags for your groceries made from mesh,

cotton or recycled plastic.

Sustainable food storage can be tricky to navigate, especially when packing food is made so much easier with Ziploc bags. Wrap foods in reusable beeswax wrap and consider an eco-friendly lunch bag. FUNCH is a collapsible, washable, water and tear-resistant option made from recycled material. Toss in some bamboo or metal utensils and you’re set for lunch.

Billions of tiny bits of plastics escape into our waterways from hygiene and beauty products. Avoid bath products, cleansers and toothpastes with microbeads as they do not enhance the effectiveness of the product but rather add to the plastic pollution crisis.

Billions of tiny bits of plastics escape into our waterways from hygiene and beauty products. Avoid bath products, cleansers and toothpastes with microbeads as they do not enhance the effectiveness.

Washing clothing also sheds plastics in the form of microfibers. Polyester fleece garments tend to be the biggest offenders and Friends of the Earth report that one wash load could shed up to 17 million microfibers. Yee recommends placing clothing in a special bag, such as Guppy Bag, that is designed to catch microfibers as the clothing gets washed.

Washing at low temperatures and a full load can also reduce shedding.

Think about the packing products come in and consider investing in companies that have recycling practices. For menstrual products, menstrual cups can be an easy-to-use and less wasteful alternative to pads and tampons. Yee recommends the Ruby Cup which also has a social mission model wherein they donate a cup with every purchase.

It’s also important to develop an understanding of recycling practices in your own community and on campus as they may differ. For example, coffee cups and pizza boxes with grease are not recyclable at McMaster.

The university has a composting initiative, recycling program and nine electronics collection drop-off

locations. Acceptable items for recycling are outlined on the university’s website.

Wasteful practices on campus also include the plethora of take-out containers thrown out on a daily basis. Avoiding take-out may be difficult with the limited space for sit-down meals but being conscious of how much food to order, the kind of container offered and bringing your own storage containers to avoid waste can go a long way.

There are plenty of local options in Hamilton that offer eco-friendly dining. The Nook was renovated with minimal waste and tries to operate as close to zero-waste as possible.

Dundurn Market as well as the Mustard Seed Co-op have a focus on supporting local eating, which ultimately reduces impact on the environment.

While Hamilton’s food scene is increasingly paying attention to more sustainable practices, the slow fashion scene is thriving too. Hamilton’s Out of the Past and McMaster’s very own

Threadwork events promote reusing clothing and reducing waste.

Yee recalls experiencing a huge learning curve while changing habits and picking up environmentally-friendly practices. A simple reminder of why she pursues her lifestyle as an environmentalist, advocate and wild keeper keeps her going.

It may be difficult, but the environment is worth taking a moment and thinking about the place we each have in the world and how we are impacting it with every move we make.

@theSilhouette

C/O JENNIFER YEE

A&C

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

| 13

Piecing together the history Community art exhibition at Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre celebrates Women’s History Month Rya Buckley Rachel Katz A&C Reporter Managing Editor

A pomegranate, some books, plants and a kiln. On their own, these images may not speak to the inspiring legacy of women’s stories. However, in the hands of the youth leaders from the YWCA Hamilton and Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre Youth Councils, items such as these have been transformed into powerful symbols within beautiful collages.

This artwork currently hangs at WAHC’s community gallery in an exhibition entitled Portraits of Gratitude: Women+’s History; Women+’s Future.

All the pieces came out of a two-hour collage workshop led

by Hamilton artist Stylo Starr for the youth council members, all of whom are between 16 and 29 years old.

The individuals behind these pieces are not necessarily artists by trade, but were passionate about telling stories of woman-identified individuals’ power and leadership. The idea came out of a conversation held during the YWCA Youth Coun-

cil’s summer book club wherein they were reading Elizabeth Renzetti’s Shrewed. “[T]here’s a chapter in the book that discusses the relationship between Mary Shelley and Mary Wollstonecraft and we were remarking on how interesting it was that both of these women eventually got such recognition for their work and about how women’s stories and history are often absorbed by their husbands,” explained Daniela Giulietti, the coordinator for the YWCA Youth Advisory Council.

Giulietti approached WAHC with the idea of creating an exhibition to combat this erasure and bring women’s stories to the forefront. This brought the WAHC Youth Council on board and the group decided to hold the exhibit at the WAHC, a massive two storey historic house on 51 Stuart Street.

October is Women’s History Month in Canada and this year’s theme has been designated with the #MakeAnImpact hashtag.

The government has set up Women of Impact in Canada, an online gallery celebrating the achievements of remarkable

women.

In the same vein, the collage workshop that produced the exhibition’s pieces began with the participants reflecting on women who inspire them.

Some of these women were activists, authors and pop culture figures. Notable figures such as Toni Morrison and Beyoncé were highlighted in the pieces.

However, many were women that would not be found in national collections: mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts and friends. Hitoko Okada, a textile artist and coordinator for the WAHC Youth Council, shared how her grandmother inspires her at this time in her life. “[W]hen I’m weaving and sewing, I really feel like she is coming through and…even teaching my small movements of the hand…I just feel like that she’s really with me and guiding me and encouraging me to connect to my ancestry through craft,” explained Okada.

“I feel like that’s a knowledge that was transmitted to me through this…indirect way but it’s a hand movement and a practice that…most of the women in our family have shared.”

The influence of family comes through in many of the collages. Several invoke domestic imagery and contain allusions to women relatives. One piece has clippings of a farm that reminded the artist of her grandmother’s farm where she grew up. Another seems to spell out Mom. It is special that this exhibition provides a place for the stories of women that figure most prominently in our personal histories. In this time where the experiences of women are continuously being cast aside, it is empowering to have a space wherein the narratives of women are valued. “[T]he timing ended up being really important because this was…when a lot of anti-survivor narratives were present in the media around the Brent Kavanaugh confirmation…[I]t felt for me like the space created was almost a really nice relief.

You can see that in some of the pieces where there’s survivors and I believe survivors, we believe survivors,” said Jordyn Perreault-Laird, a member of the YWCA Youth Council and Outreach Coordinator at

WAHC. The exhibition will culminate with a closing reception on Oct. 26, during which there will be a screening of the film, Bread and Roses. The film is inspired by the Justice for Janitors movement and tells the story of the janitorial strike in Los Angeles by undocumented immigrants and led by women.

The film sheds light on history that is often obscured by louder male narratives. It also demonstrates the power of young women and marginalized people to change their world. Creating space for the lesser known stories of women was one of the main goals of the exhibition as a whole. Reflecting on the success of the exhibit, Okada summed up the gravity of this impact.

“It really makes me think about the power of an image and the image of a woman in leadership. It speaks volumes. It’s really so powerful…[it] gives me chills.” @theSilhouette

Celebrate Social Sciences

M

Time: 11 am – 3 pm Location: L.R. Wilson Hall

•

Check out event listing on alumni.mcmaster.ca for details | mcmaster.ca

All are welcome.

years SINCE 1968

•

Time: 2:30 pm Location: L.R. Wilson Hall

RSITY SO VE C NI

SCIENCES

Open House Saturday, October 20

L IA

Come for Cake!

Friday, October 19

S cMA TER U

50th Anniversary

14 |

SPORTS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

Sports The final set

Fifth-year Priti Gujadhur reflects on her time as a Marauder as the OUA season comes to a close

Jessica Carmichael Sports Reporter

McMaster University’s tennis teams wrapped up their Ontario University Athletics season at the beginning of the Reading Week. After a hard fought battle, both the men’s and the women’s teams finished in fourth place. In the bronze medal match, the men’s team lost to the York University Lions 7-0, while the women lost to the Lions 6-1.

For fifth-year women’s team member Priti Gujadhur, getting to this point has been a journey in itself. First starting playing tennis thanks to her father who loved the sport, she has had a love-hate relationship with it ever since. She did love it enough to look into the team prior to coming to McMaster.

“I had a friend who went to Mac and was on the team, so I reached out to the coach Peter [Patiakas] prior to my entry,” said Gujadhur.

After visiting McMaster and meeting with women’s head coach Patiakas, she knew this was the school she wanted to play for but was not too sure what she wanted academically.

“I walked into my first year and I just felt really lost,” said Gujadhur. “I knew that I loved to play sports, but coming into school I didn’t have any focus in terms of academics.”

One undergraduate degree in political science and a postgrad degree in sports business management later, she has finally found solace in her master’s degree: international relations.

Looking back, Gujadhur knowns now that she did not need to have all the answers right away.

“If I could go back and tell my first-year self one thing, it would be to just enjoy the process and to have fun playing tennis,” said Gujadhur. “I feel like because I always wanted to win so bad, I forgot that I was so lucky and privileged to play

on a university team. There are so many people who play sports, and get injured and are never going to play again. So I’d tell myself to just be humble and enjoy the ride.”

As a master’s student, this past OUA finals was Gujadhur’s last one, and it is still such a surreal feeling for her. Though it may not have ended in the result she wanted, Gujadhur’s and the team’s improvement from last year’s OUA finals is something she is pleased with.

“This is our best finish in a long time, so that in itself is a big accomplishment,” said Gujadhur. “Finishing fourth was something to be really proud of because we have a lot of young really talented players on the team, and they’re just going to continue to develop and get better.”

These young players include first-years Julia Schuster,

“I feel like because I always wanted to win so bad, I forgot that I was so lucky and privileged to play on a university team,” Priti Gujadhur McMaster women’s tennis team Adele Lee and Maya Emerson, who all contributed in the team’s efforts. During their singles matches on the first day, Emerson won her threeset match (2-6, 6-4, 6-1), while Gujadhur and Lee both beat their opponents handedly, both shutting out their opponent 6-0.

The three helped once again to win their doubles matches, as Gujadhur and Schuster won their match 8-6, while Emerson and Lee defeated their opponents 8-1.

“The fact that they came on

Gujadhur lead the Marauders to a fourth-place finish in her last OUA championships.

C/O MARTIN BAZYL

to a university team and won so many matches is something to be super proud of,” said Gujadhur.

Unfortunately, the young team did not have what it took to go all the way to the top.

Dropping their semi-final and bronze medal matches, they had to settle for fourth place.

“As a team, obviously we were a little disappointed that it wasn’t the result that we wanted, but I think we can still hold our heads up high and take the positives away from the weekend,” Gujadhur said.

“Now that it is all coming to an end, it really doesn’t feel real yet,” Gujadhur added. “I’m a really competitive person, so [tennis] was almost like

a release for me. Though we do have another shot at the national qualifier coming up in November.”

“I think we can still hold our heads up high and take the positives away from the weekend,” Priti Gujadhur McMaster women’s tennis team These nationals are sanctioned by Tennis Canada, and

will take place on Nov. 16-18.

Both the men’s and women’s team will have another shot at getting to the podium. After this, that will be the end of university tennis for Gujadhur, but she has no plans on putting down her racket just yet.

“Tennis really gets on my competitive side and because I’m such a competitive person

@JaayCarmichael

SPORTS | 15

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

Starting off strong, ending off stronger As a strong regular season draws to a close, the women’s soccer team hopes to learn from where they fell short as they prepare for a post-season run

McMaster women’s soccer team C/O MCMASTER ATHLETICS Bina Patel Contributor

The McMaster women’s soccer team started off their 2018 campaign strong, and throughout the season, proved that they have become even stronger towards the end of it.

“This team has a lot of talent, so it is nice to see it translated into results,” said team captain Stephanie Roberts.

Going into their last two games of the regular season, the Marauders sit with a record of 6-3-5; good enough for fourth place in the Ontario University Athletics West division. Their wins are results of their strong work ethic, as described by Roberts and echoed by her teammates.

Season highlights include their home opener against the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks on Aug. 24, and their six-point weekend at the end of September, with wins over the York University Lions and the University of Guelph Gryphons.

Their home opener against the Golden Hawks foreshadowed the strong season that followed, as the team began that

game with a bang, getting up 3-0 in the first half. This allowed the team to cruise to season-opening 4-1 win.

“This was an amazing way to start off the season,” Roberts said.

“This team has a lot of talent, so it is nice to see it translated into results,” Stephanie Roberts McMaster women’s soccer team captain With York and Guelph traditionally being two of their strongest competitors, backto-back games against these rivals were positioned to be a tough test for the Marauders.

Coming out with six points over that weekend truly showed the strength of the McMaster team.

In both games, the Marauders shut out their opponents with 1-0 wins.

Despite their dominant wins and solid ties throughout the season, the team did fall

short of a few key victories.

Described as their toughest moment of the season, the team suffered a “winning drought” of six straight winless games. This included all three of their losses during this season, punctuated by a one-goal loss to the Western University Mustangs.

“This [challenge] caused us to work harder in practice,” said Roberts. “We ended up coming back from this by beating two teams that were ahead of us in the standings.”

The hard work paid off, as they women bounced back with four straight wins.

The team’s greatest weakness seems to be that they are unlucky at times, resulting in ties and losses. Sometimes, the unlucky bounces just overpower the skills of the players. Including their 2-1 Sept. 21 loss to the Mustangs, where they blew a 1-0 lead early in the second half.

That score did not reflect their performance, as their strong defensive and offensive skills showed. This game is an example of the ways in which the scoreboard was not defined by their playing abilities.

“We have had some unfor-

tunate breaks, but are overall playing good soccer,” head coach Joe Valvasori said.

Most recently, the Marauders collected a couple of 1-1 ties, tying Laurier in Waterloo, and returning home to tie the University of Waterloo Warriors.

The team will next be travelling to Sault Ste. Marie to face the Algoma Thunderbirds in backto-back games to close off their season.

The team’s greatest weakness seems to be that they are unlucky at times, resulting in ties and losses.

Sometimes, the unlucky bounces just overpower the skills of the players.

“We have always had success playing against them, so we are hoping to have successes again this year,” explained Roberts. “However, these are a

crucial six points and we cannot take any team lightly in our league, so it will definitely be a battle.”

As the team moves forward towards the playoffs, they are hoping to finish in third or fourth, and are confident that they are talented enough to beat any team they may face.

Their confidence and skill will definitely be exhibited in their upcoming games.

“As we near the end of our season, I can say with confidence that we now play more as a unit, and not just as individuals,” said Roberts.

Looking ahead to next season, the team anticipates that with the number of fifth-year students on the team, they will all definitely go out with a bang.

Catch their next games against the Thunderbirds on Oct. 20 and 21 at 1:00 p.m.

@theSilhouette

STUDENT AC TUALLY READS DURING READING WEEK S5

THE

THURSDAY

HAMILTON SPECULATOR ILLEGAL SINCE 1934

NOTSPEC.COM

OC TOBER 18, 2018

Here’s a list of secret on-campus smoking spots Weed is legal now!

HILDA O’HOOLIHAN SORRY @ SECURITY SERVICES

Wow! Weed is legal! Can you believe it?

After 95 years of criminalizing a drug that might make you a bit sleepy, maybe focused and like probably hungry, you can now smoke kind of freely depending on where you are.

Unless you’re on campus.

In that case, here is a list of the best-hidden smoking spots on-campus so that you can smoke your ganj without getting a ticket.

Don’t tell anyone where you got this information. Or else.

5) That spot behind Alumni House that’s basically in Cootes but not Hiking is fun, but hiking is even more fun when you’re high, alternatively, you could just go into Cootes cause I think that’s technically off campus.

You could probably get away with smoking anything, anywhere on campus, if you’re fearless. You could also just like, I don’t know, walk off campus.

1) Behind that wall in the Arts Quad There’s some wall in the Arts Quad that basically makes you invisible. I’m not really sure how to direct you to this wall, but it’s kind of to the right I guess. It’s also past a door? I don’t know.

2) In the rose garden behind a bush I’m not entirely sure either why there’s some random, fenced in rose garden in the middle of campus but what I do know is that if you hide behind a bush in there, you could probably get away with smoking a J. 3) That weird lecture hall in the TSH basement that is so underground that you don’t get any reception, probably I’ve never actually had a class here but I just can’t believe how underground this lecture hall is. How are they going to find you if you’re 50 feet below the main floor?!

4) ITB I think this building is fake cause I’m not entirely sure what happens here and it’s kind of eerily quiet, but yeah, you should probably be fine here?

Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Pam, this one’s for you.

The best 10/17 headlines on this 10/17 HILDA O’HOOLIHAN Happy second 4/20! To celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of the best weed-related headlines.

You’re welcome.

1) Taking the lid off the pot 2) That’s grow biz, baby 3) Goin’ up in smoke 4) Goin’ green 5) Lookin’ green 6) Positions on pot are hazy 7) A clouded debate 8) One toke over the line 9) Snap, Crackle, Pot 10) Big Bong Theory

INSIDE WEED IS LEGAL NOW A3 AN ELECTION IS HAPPENING A6 TWO OF THE BIGGEST PIECES OF NEWS ARE HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME B2 ANOTHER LETTER TO THE EDITOR ABOUT HOW MUCH WESTDALE RESIDENTS HATE STUDENTS B5 THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, PAM C1 ANT FARMS ARE ALL I’M THINKING ABOUT LATELY C4 WILL THIS GET ME IN TROUBLE? FIND OUT NEXT WEEK D4 PER ISSUE: I’M STILL WAITING ON MAC AND CHEESE BALLS. INCL. HST, PST & three of it.