The Silhouette- Oct. 8, 2015

S The Silhouette Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

He wants to end interest on student loans

INSIDE >> FEATURE// ADDICTION AMONG STUDENTS// PAGE 20 >> NEWS// LION’S LAIR// PAGE 3 >> SPORTS// CATCHING UP WITH GLEN GRUNWALD// PAGE 25

On Oct. 19,

Know your options .

He wants to expand eligibility for student loans

She wants to cut the cost of tuition

He wants to pay your student loan interest

STUDENT VOTING GUIDE INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL CANDIDATES LETTERS FROM PARTY LEADERS OPINIONS FROM CAMPUS GROUPS

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LOOKING BACK SEPT. 25, 1950

The Silhouette

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Volume 86, Issue 8 Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

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Mills Library was first under construction in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Here it is being built in the middle of a relatively empty McMaster campus. Mills was the first full library built for students and according to the caption, construction was going quickly and would be open “well before graduation.”

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

In this

issue:

The Silhouette

News

MSU services move to new spaces for more visibility Page 4

Candidate interviews: Our news team sits down with local MP candidates Page 5

The LiON’s LAIR

Party representatives send letters to The Silhouette Page 11

After five years, this local entrepreneurial competition has seen a noticeable increase in attention and quality of ideas

Steven Chen Contributor

In ancient myth, even the brave felt the empty silence of the beast’s cavern. Clearly the times have changed, as more than 500 attendees packed Carmen’s Banquet Centre on Wednesday, Sept. 30, while they awaited the winners of the annual LiON’s LAIR entrepreneurship competition.

Presented by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and Innovation Factory, this year marked the fifth annual LiON’s LAIR awards gala. Similar to the widely-popularized television series Dragon’s Den, the event features ten finalists who offer business pitches with ambitions of competing for over $100,000 worth of cash and professional services.

The pitches are assessed by a panel of five “Lions” – comprised of some of Hamilton’s most distinguished business experts. It is the Lions who ultimately make the grand decision of which companies stand out on top.

Mario Paron, a Lion, McMaster alumni and Canadian Managing Partner of the KPMG Enterprise, is thrilled to have been involved with the competition in many ways. “[KPMG] has been a sponsor since the very beginning and in the last two years, I have actually been directly involved as one of the judges,” said Paron.

When considering the growth of the LiON’s LAIR over the past five years, there is a noticeable increase in the number of contestants, media attention, gala attendees and prize value.

Likewise, Paron notices that the level competition is also rising.

“People are more prepared and the ideas have more business merit,” mentions Paron.

| 3

Lee and April Wright were announced as the winners of the fiifth annual LiON’S LAIR competition for their product Sniper Skin.

C/O BANKO MEDIA

“If you look at it as a basket of entrepreneurs, every year the bar seems to go up in terms of the quality of the presentation and the underlying concepts that they are bringing forward.”

This year’s group of finalists brought out an array of innovative and canny start-up businesses. Companies ranged from Chipsetter, an economical pickand-place machine for printing circuit boards, to xocial, a social platform inspiring “do-gooders” to motivate each other through healthy competition.

The first-place winner of $77,000 prize package was Sniper Skin, a start-up company that designed a revolutionary alternative to hockey tape. Lee Wright, a committed parent and mechanical engineer, used his own frustration with fabric tape and applied it towards creating a new marketable product.

Looking back on his jour-

ney in developing this company, Wright appreciated the support he received from the Innovation Factory in preparation for the presentation pitches. “They warned us upfront that there was going to be a lot of effort on our part,” noted Wright, “but every week we learned something new, for example how to speak to the media and how to talk on camera. And just meeting the other companies that we were competing against was a fantastic experience.”

McMaster was well represented at the awards gala, with several of the finalists being alumni from the university. In fact, Brandon Aubie, founder of QReserve (LiON’s LAIR finalist), expresses inspiration for the start-up stemmed from the challenges that arose while studying at the university.

“While working at McMaster University’s Biointerfaces

“

They warned us upfront that there was going to be a lot of effort on our part, but every week we learned something new.

Lee Wright Sniper Skin Engineer Institute, we faced the problem of having a lot of research tools and resources, but not enough people using them. Tracking these [research tools] down, even within your own university, can be tedious and result in endless email chains,” said

Aubie. “[QReserve’s solution] is to build a national database of research equipment, services and facilities for anybody to access and utilize,” he added.

The role of formal education in boosting these entrepreneurial efforts is often overlooked. “If I look at Hamilton right now and the momentum that it is building, some of it has to do with the fact that our educational institutions are really contributing. I really think that we need higher education, which can be a bit of a breeding ground,” noted Paron.

The annual LiON’s LAIR is once again helping to spur the entrepreneurial spirit in the Hamilton area. With the event increasing in scope year after year, it serves a tremendous role in profiling local success stories and start-ups.

4 |

NEWS

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

New year, new space

Two MSU services have moved this year following an internal MSU space audit

JON WHITE/PHOTO EDITOR

Sophie Hunt Contributor

The new year has brought changes for certain MSU services.

The Women and Gender Equity Network, is an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, intersectional feminist organization.

It provides a safe space for women, trans individuals and survivors of sexual violence to meet. The group has moved to a new location in MUSC 204, which is located directly beside the McMaster Student Union offices.

“It’s supposed to be a space that caters to communities that are marginalized,” said Hayley Regis, WGEN’s part-time manager. “So having a space and the ability to decorate it and make it as we see fit to best help the community makes more sense.”

Giuliana Guarna, VP (Administration) of the MSU, highlighted some of the factors that contributed to the shift in spaces. “Last year there was a

Emile Shen Contributor

Queen’s alumnus donates $50 million to Commerce program

space audit completed, and we evaluated to see how we’re using space.”

The MSU considered placing the group in the MUSC basement, but the idea was discarded. “Being downstairs next to all the medical services, they thought that for what their service was going after, especially supporting victims of sexual violence and assault, they wanted to demedicalize it,” Guarna said. “By being in this location they are very close to all of the other peer support services.”

When asked about current

and future plans for WGEN, Regis emphasised the new space itself. “We’re finishing updating the space to make it feel like a cool space that’s nice to be in and is a good place for discussion.”

Visibility and a welcoming atmosphere are at the forefront of WGEN’s recent move. “I want the space to be something that’s permanent, comfortable and lived in,” Regis said, “like a living room, a place where you’re at ease.”

There was some speculation about how high traffic at

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their new location will affect those who might be uncomfortable coming to the space with private matters. “We haven’t had any adverse reactions,” Regis said. “People are still acclimatizing, but I would say we’ve seen a much higher amount of people.”

The Student Walk Home Attendant Team, has also moved locations, now residing in MUSC 226. The service aims to promote on and off campus safety, and has volunteers that walk or bus with students during evening hours.

“SWHAT is a unique case because they operate after hours,” Guarna said. “The Student Success Centre was generous enough to donate the space to us after hours, which is exactly what SWHAT needs it for.”

“This office space is a lot bigger,” said Serena Arora, the current SWHAT part-time manager.

“In the past volunteers who wanted to study or meet at a quieter space would share the back offices. Now we have rooms that allow you to do your own thing.”

When asked about the remote location in comparison to other services in the Student Centre, Arora said this is a good change for those who are “embarrassed” to use SWHAT, so the change will add another layer of confidentiality for service users.

Despite the change in location, Arora stresses the importance of remaining visible on campus. “We’re making sure that students know where we are, that we’re still here, and we’re still excited to walk you home.”

Both WGEN and SWHAT are aiming for more visibility on campus, and encourage the McMaster community to become more involved in their

Queen’s School of Business has accepted a $50 million donation from alumnus Stephen Smith.

Smith is a Toronto-based financial analyst and entrepreneur who graduated from Electrical Engineering at Queen’s in 1972.

He hopes that this gift, which doubles the school’s current endowment, will make the Queen’s Smith School of Business the best business school in Canada.

Urban forestry program launched at UBC to “climateproof” cities The new bachelor’s program, with an inaugural class of 55, teaches students how to manage ecology and green space in urban environments. This subject matter has become more complex to navigate due to the effects of climate change and urbanization in the last 50 years as traditional forestry training is not applicable to urban forests.

The students will learn how to plan cities and prevent the canopy from shrinking.

Overcompensation at Western University Earlier in 2015, Western University’s president was discovered at the top of Ontario’s Sunshine List of all public sector employees who earn $100 000 or more a year.

Amit Chakma earned $96 000 in salary and benefits in the 2014 year, which is was double what he made the previous year.

Western’s board of governors defended their payment to Chakma. Chirag Shah, the Board Chair, explained that the double payout was common in other Canadian universities.

This has not been found to be the case. Since then, President Chakma returned a $440 000 payout to the university.

NEWS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

| 5

YOUR LOCAL CANDIDATES Interviews with the candidates running to be your Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas Member of Parliament

The Green Party: Peter Ormond Alexandra Florescu News Reporter

Among other party values such as non-violence, social justice and democracy, the Green Party is predictably focused on the environment.

The shift to sustainable energy use will be facilitated through the implementation of a carbon tax, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and a support for the divestment movement on fossil fuels.

Peter Ormond, the Green Party candidate for the Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas riding, believes that it is time to redefine the system.

“Times are changing. I always say that seasons change, and so naturally the times are changing. We have to get

“

Energy is the economy, is the environment.

The thing we have to do is have the mind shift.

Peter Ormond Green Party candidate

aligned with the times. We have an older population, we have more diversity . . . let’s adapt to that.”

One of the ways the party hopes to do this is to shift focus to community sustain-

ability. By raising corporate taxes, the party will be able to reallocate funds to municipal initiatives, such as water quality, public housing and public transit. The party also aims to facilitate the creation of jobs within the community, likely in green economy.

Another aspect of the Green platform is to have equal pay for equal work, or a Guaranteed Livable Income, though the specifics will be ironed out in detail in the future.

“I don’t know exactly, with the student factor in there, we would bring that [to] the table and discuss it,” said Ormond.

This is where the Green Party hopes to integrate collaborative discussion by opening up issues like equal

pay to conversation within a new board, the Council of Canadian Governments. The Council will be chaired by the federal government and bring together the provinces, territories, municipal governments and indigenous people to discuss national strategies.

Ormond says that the Green Party does have a plan for tackling student debt, as they hope to abolish tuition for college, university and skill training programs by 2020.

“By relieving student debt, we are going to allow people to have the freedom to invest in things that make your life more beautiful . . . Instead of paying that money to the bank for the first ten years of their working life, they can invest in the economy.”

The Green Party has also taken a stance on several issues that caused a ripple of dissent within the student population. When it comes to the controversial Bill C-51, the Green Party sustains that such laws have no place in Canadian legislature. The Green Party has said that it will be looking to reverse Bill C-51 if elected.

Ultimately, the Green Party believes that the root of all of these issues is the environment. If we take care of our environment, the rest will follow.

“Energy is the economy, is the environment, ” said Ormond. “The thing we have to do is to have the mind shift.” @alexxflorescu

The Conservative Party: Vincent Samuel Patrick Kim News Reporter

As a McMaster alumnus, Vincent Samuel is proud of the close ties he has with both the school and the community.

As the Conservative candidate for the Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas riding, Samuel is counting on both his personal connection with the community and the experience of the Conservative party as support for his election this Oct. 19.

"I think that hard work, education and the focused approach always helps. It's our job to make sure we create the opportunities and that is what we are doing ever since the Conservative Party came into power nine years ago," he said.

With regards to students, Samuel focused on the experience of the Conservative Party, along with citing examples of measures the party has previ-

ously taken to support students.

"Since 2012, we eliminated the interest on new and existing loans for part-time students, so that education can become more affordable," Samuel explained.

Samuel also described how the Conservatives have expanded the eligibility of the Canada Student Loans and Grants program for part-time and fulltime students in time for 2016.

This includes lifting a penalty on the amount of financial assistance students receive who are both working and receiving a student loan. The number of weeks a student must be enrolled to be eligible for a grant is also being reduced from 60 to 34 weeks to help students in practical skills programs and improving the transition from education to employment.

The Conservative government's main pull for students has been to promise $65 million to businesses and industries

that will work with post-secondary institutions to better align school curriculum with the needs of employers. They've also committed to doubling the federal contribution to supplementary grants for low- and middle-income students who have a Registered Education Savings Plan.

Samuel explained that the Conservatives are aiming to help students beyond the issues of student debt, looking to expand the job market available to students when they enter the workforce.

"There must be an alignment to the job market. I know every year there are so many graduates, but they're not ready.

Whatever they learn at school is not applicable in every market . . . so that's something that should be a key focus."

While other parties have put in more substantial plans to directly support students, Samuel argued that they are simply

throwing numbers to create the impression they are addressing the problem.

"Some of the complex problems may have a very simple but wrong answer. One of the easiest ways — and what I think the other parties are doing — is they're throwing money around. That if the Conservatives have put in $5 million, let's put $10 million. If they're putting $10 million, let's put in $20 million. Just throwing away the money is not the answer, because the answer is to make sure that students have the right education, which can be used in real life."

Samuel explained, "If the focus is only to reduce the student debt, but not giving you a better or high-paying job, then it's not something that will go a long way in your life." @patrickmkim

“

There must be an alignment to the job market. I know every year there are so many graduates, but they’re not ready.

Vincent Samuel Conservative candidate

6 |

NEWS

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

YOUR LOCAL CANDIDATES CONT. Interviews with the candidates running to be your Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas Member of Parliament

The New Democratic Party: Alex Johnstone Isaac Kinley Contributor

Alex Johnstone, the Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas candidate for the New Democratic Party, discussed her party’s plans to make living more affordable for the riding’s residents. She said that her party plans to raise the corporate tax rate by two percent, generating enough revenue to both balance the budget and facilitate increased spending.

Some of Johnstone’s major platform points include the NDP’s proposed $15 per day universal childcare, an investment in Medicare to reduce the cost of medications by 40 percent and investment in retirement, considering the large volume of baby boomers

reaching retirement age. She said that she was personally most excited about the NDP’s proposals both to introduce a cap-and-trade system aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to repeal Bill C-51. “Our party and the Green Party were the only ones to vote against Bill C-51,” she said. “We are committed to repealing [it].”

To address student debt, the NDP plans to create interest-free federal student loans and invest $250 million in the creation of 74,000 new federal grants for students in need of financial assistance, according to Johnstone. They also intend to “crack down” on unpaid internships that aren’t related to the intern’s education and invest $200 million in the creation of paid co-ops and internships.

Additionally, they plan to reintroduce the recently defeated Intern Protection Act, which would extend labour rights to interns, such as the right to refuse unsafe work.

The NDP’s $15 per day child care proposal has received criticism from Justin Trudeau, who said it isn’t necessary to provide services at that price to Canadians of all levels of income. Johnstone responded, arguing that the Liberal childcare plan does not involve the creation of any new childcare spaces and would therefore not contribute to the equitable administration of childcare services.

The existing childcare centres in Hamilton are concentrated in Ancaster, she said, and mostly absent in the poorest

areas farther east. She likened the $15 per day plan to universal healthcare and education, saying, “[universal childcare] is another program that, just like [those two], is going to be a societal game-changer.”

Johnstone also criticized the Liberals’ planned tax breaks, arguing that $6 billion of Canada’s annual deficit is the result of tax breaks for families with children, including families with wealthy parents on the Sunshine List.

“It’s important to note that Trudeau’s system only targets the top one percent [of earners],” she said. “That still leaves the vast majority of people who are on the Sunshine List.

They’re still benefiting [from tax breaks].”

“

Our party and the Green Party were the only ones to vote against Bill C-51. We are committed to repealing [it].

Alex Johnstone NDP candidate

The Liberal Party: Filomena Tassi Patrick Kim News Reporter

As the Liberal candidate in the Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas riding, Filomena Tassi believes that her party is best prepared to meet the needs of students on campus.

When asked about the work that best exemplifies the type of role she would embody as an MP, she highlighted her work as a chaplain over the past 20 years in Ancaster’s Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School.

“In that role, I’ve had the opportunity to work with youth hand-in-hand throughout many difficult challenges. We’ve dealt with things like suicide, criminal charges, loss of a loved one … I’ve been able to see the resilience of our youth, and their sense of justice,” said Tassi.

Tassi believes that her experience with youth over her past twenty years has uniquely

equipped her to manage and understand the issues that students have at McMaster.

Tassi also cited several of the campaign promises made by the Liberal party that have been targeted for students, including the plan to create a Prime Minister’s youth advisory council, which will consist of a non-partisan group of young people whose ages will range from 16 to 24.

However, one of the main pillars that the Liberal party is relying on for student support is the promise to push all repayment requirements for student loans until after a graduate is earning a minimum income of $25,000. This is in contrast with the NDP promise to phase out interest on student loans over the next seven years.

“We recognize that student debt can be crippling . . . I have two children now, who are in university, so I’m experiencing it first-hand,” she said.

Tassi also explained the

Liberals’ goal of increasing the maximum Canada Student Grant to $3,000 for full-time, low-income students, and $1,800 for part-time, low-income students.

“They’re saying the average student debt is $26,000. This is why we want to work with students to try and ensure that the cost of going to school is lowered, and that when they graduate they won’t have to repay [right away],” Tassi said.

The Liberal party has promised a $1.3 billion threeyear plan that, amongst a suite of various initiatives, will invest $300 million annually for creating 40,000 new youth jobs and 5,000 youth green jobs each year, as well as an annual $40 million to help employers create new co-op placements for students in science, technology and business programs.

“We’re just trying to bridge the gap from education to work,” she explained. “The real difference in our plan is that

it offers fairness to the middle-class and those trying to get there, and job creation through investing now.”

While Tassi has dealt with some controversy after describing herself as a “pro-life” individual in an interview with the Hamilton Spectator last year, she is planning on supporting the party’s position on abortion if elected as MP. “My position is this: a woman has a right to choose — that’s based on the Charter — and I will not vote against that right,” she explained.

“I’m a believer in the Charter . . . and secondly, in the separation of church and state.

As an MP, my role is to represent the people, and that’s all of the people.”

@patrickmkim

“

We’re just trying to bridge the gap from education to work. The real difference in our plan is that it offers firness to the middle-class and those trying to get there.

Filomena Tassi Liberal candidate

NEWS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

LETTERS FROM YOUR

LOCAL AND

NATIONAL

CANDIDATES In collaboration with the MSU, The Silhouette has gathered letters from each of the four major parties. We reached out to federal leaders several months ago; two responded.

The remaining two parties were able to provide alternate letters from local ridings.

Special thanks to Michael Beattie, Bianca Caramento and Christine Yachouh for helping us acquire these letters

Green “Dear McMaster students, There’s good reason for you to feel disillusioned with politics. We face runaway climate change, pipelines, student debt and skyrocketing fees, unemployment and underemployment, unaffordable housing, an unconscionable gap in quality of life between Indigenous people and nonIndigenous people, and a wealthy country where citizens still live in poverty, yet youth are offered the same stale ideas from parties presenting themselves as the only choice.

While the oldline parties fight over the turf at the cutting edge of the status quo, the Green Party is offering new ideas.

I’m pleased to share some of these bold new ideas with you.

PostSecondary Education Whether Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden, or Finland, many of the world’s most successful economies have proven that expanding the public education system to include postsecondary increases prosperity, equality, productivity, and economic competitiveness.

We will start investing in Canada’s future by abolishing tuition fees for students without adequate financial means, including removing the

From Elizabeth May, federal leader of the Green Party inadequate 2 percent annual cap on increased funding for post secondary education for all First Nations and Inuit students.

Through consultation and collaboration with provincial governments and universities and colleges, by 2020 we will abolish tuition fees for postsecondary education and skills training for Canadians, guaranteeing that income is never a barrier for qualified students. It is widely recognized that Canada’s success depends on an educated population, yet we burden youth with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt...

Our plan will eliminate any existing or future student federal debt above $10,000. We will abolish charging interest on new student loans and will increase available funding for bursaries...

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share some of our ideas with you.”

Sincerely, Elizabeth May

Read the full 1,760 word letter at thesil.ca

NDP

| 7

From Thomas Mulcair, federal leader of the New Democratic Party

“Dear Students of McMaster University, New Democrats believe that cost should never be a barrier when accessing post-secondary education; and all Canadian students deserve the opportunity to attend accessible and high-quality public post-secondary institutions... I’m proud to be working with a strong youth caucus who are bringing new energy to Parliament Hill.

Members of the NDP youth caucus have introduced: • A comprehensive Post-Secondary Education Act (MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan) which would ensure stable and

Liberal “Dear Marauders, There are thousands of eligible voters at McMaster. If you all voted, you could put the concerns of students and youth on the agenda for Ottawa. Voting is a small personal step on a life journey that can change the world...

As a Liberal, I am committed to continue to work to ensure that our youth are engaged and empowered. When our youth are empowered, amazing things can be achieved.

Under a Liberal government, I will help form Canada’s first-ever prime minister’s youth advisory council, ensuring your generation has a voice at the

Conservative “Dear students of McMaster University, Over the past decade, Conservatives have introduced measures that are helping Canadian students just like you, gain improved access to post-secondary education and the training they require for high quality jobs.

We are building [on our current education] measures by: • Investing $65 million to support business and industry associations working with willing post-secondary institutions to better align curricula with the needs of employers.

• Making the Canada Student Loans Program work better for families by reducing

predictable federal funding for universities like McMaster and help ensure the quality, accessibility, public administration and accountability of those programs.

• Intern Protection Act (MP Laurin Liu) which grants protections including the right to refuse dangerous work; limits on excessive hours; and protection from sexual harassment to all interns in federally regulated industries. The bill also requires that internships be primarily for the intern’s benefit; include training; and cannot replace paid employees. Finance Minister Joe Oliver included our work to protect unpaid interns in the

recent Conservative budget.

Our youth caucus is working on issues that matter to young Canadians and proving what’s possible when our elected officials actually reflect our society...

Please accept my best wishes for a successful school year at McMaster!”

Sincerely, Tom Mulcair

Read the full 365 word letter at thesil.ca

From Filomena Tassi, Liberal candidate Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas highest levels of government.

That means a seat at the highest table in the land for young people, aged 16-24. As someone who has devoted the last 20 years of my life to our community’s youth in my role as a high school chaplain, I know that giving youth this powerful voice to speak truth to power will change how Canada is governed. For the better.

As Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau will invest $300 million annually in a renewed Youth Employment Strategy and invest $40 million annually to create more co-op placements for students and increase the number of jobs funded by the Canada Summer Jobs Program.

The Liberal plan will create 120,000 job opportunities for Canada’s youth.

On Oct. 19, I hope that you will vote and choose me as your representative in Ottawa. Let’s bring the student and youth agenda to Ottawa together.

I pledge to you that I will do that.”

- Filomena Tassi

Read the full 322 word letter at thesil.ca

From Vincent Samuel, Conservative candidate Hamilton West- Ancaster-Dundas the expected parental contribution under the needs assessment process • Expand the eligibility for the Canada Student Loans Program, by eliminating in-study income and student-owned vehicles from needs assessment process, so that students aren’t penalized for working and driving during their studies.

• Investing $2 million over two years, starting in 201617, to expand the Computers for Schools program, extending access to refurbished computer equipment to non-profit organizations such as those that support low-income Canadians, seniors and new Canadians...

Elections should be about more than rhetoric, they should be about responsible leadership. Leadership requires being able to look at all aspects of life and deal with the issues that matter to all Canadians. On Oct. 19, I ask you to vote for the proven leadership of our Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and vote for me as your Member of Parliament.”

Sincerely, Vincent Samuel

Read the full 769 word letter at thesil.ca

8 |

HUMANS

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

Tell us about yourselves.

Mairi Mortimer and Cristina Harcourt Hospitality Services staff at Centro

Mairi: I’m from Killmarnock, Scotland. I’ve been here for 34 years. I have a son and a daughter, five grandkids, and I’ve been at McMaster for 15 years. It was hard when we first came, with the language difference. It was hard to be understood, ‘cause I was real broad Scottish back then. My son was born in Scotland and it was difficult when he went to school because he’d get teased a lot, right? So he picked it up really quick.

The snow ... that was a shock. We came January 13, and it was up to here, and I had high heels on. I said, “oh my god!

What have I done? Why did I come here?!” I mean, we didn’t even have proper clothes, you know? And it was just like - oh my god, did I ever come wrongly dressed! ‘Cause we’d heard that there was snow, but in Scotland, snow is a little dribble on the ground. That was the big difference - the weather — the summers were hard to take at

Where are your shoes?

I stopped wearing shoes when I was at music festivals. You don’t need them there, and there’s no glass. I realized that you really don’t have to wear them, unless businesses and establishments tell you that you have to. So, I just wouldn’t wear them. I would leave them in my car. I would leave them at home. And then I just started to not have them. I have them with me now, just because. But the reasons that it just became clear of why I was doing this was because, in my materials science program, I do everything with metallurgy, and especially iron — steelmak-

Jonathon Tonietto (Toni) Materials Science and Engineering with Society VI

ing. In the program, I’ve also done stuff in quantum mechanics and electromagnetics. I looked at it as like, if we’re floating on a giant ball of iron, which is the globe, you’ve got electromagnetics that are flowing from north to south, and we’re on the north side, so we’d be getting positive ions. And I just figured that if I wear rubber or something, then that’s dampening it from me collecting the energy

that is flowing from the earth.

Have you felt any difference since you’ve started going shoeless?

A hundred percent. My posture at all times is better. Before, I had a hip and knee problems from swimming when I was younger, but it’s gone away. It’s minimal now. Your feet are not meant to have shoes on. It was

also in combination with yoga, ‘cause I started doing yoga as well. So with yoga, you have to be aware of what part of your foot is touching at all times, so the pads of your foot have to connect with the ground to create that stable base. I had flat feet when I was younger, and I was noticing that my flat feet went away when I stopped wearing shoes so much because I was starting to be aware. And

then it was like, I would use it for mindfulness and meditation where I would walk and slowly, let each part of my foot down onto the ground, lift the other part, and then be aware of how my foot was moving, instead of just walking aimlessly and scrolling on my phone. That’s a whole other issue.

HUMANS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

the beginning. It was so hot, you know? But it’s been a good life; I’ve enjoyed it. My kids both enjoy it. My daughter was born here, and she loves it.

Cristina: I was born and raised here. I have three daughters, and I’ve been [working] here for eight years — eight glorious years. My daughters are 10, nine and four. I have lots of memorable moments with my kids.

We go and do a lot of stuff. I would have to say, going to the street festival downtown last year - it was amazing. I got my daughters’ faces painted. It was awesome. That would have been my happiest moment here. We like to sing a lot, and play cards.

You’ve gotta make time for the

little things! There’s lots of big adventures to be had, but the quality time of doing something simple, like singing around the kitchen table, they’re going to remember that forever. There are two things I want them to know: to always have compassion, because you don’t always understand other people’s situations, and to always try. ‘Cause if you don’t try, then you’ll never know. You can’t just leave an opportunity unattended. Those are things I strongly preach to my children. A try is an opportunity to do something different.

We noticed you have matching necklaces. Can you tell us about that?

Mairi: Those are from a really good friend of ours. She used to work here and she has one too.

We call ourselves the “SFAM Sisters” — Sisters From Another Mother. She came up with that name. Isn’t that neat? And that [tight-knit community] - it all started here, you know? It makes a huge difference, and it helps you get through the day.

You could come into work a bit down, but I could go to Cristina and [chat with her]...

Cristina: Then we’re happier and everything doesn’t seem so bad, right?

Mairi: We have fun upstairs [at Centro] — we call each other brothers and sisters, which I

What’s on your mind?

In high school, you care so much about what other people think of you. Because you are in a small area, you’re in a hierarchical system sort of thing.

Coming to university... being “normal” isn’t a thing.

You want to be weird in university. You want to go and find the kind of people who are like you because they are here.

They’re here somewhere. And, you’re not gonna feel weird, you’re not gonna feel out of place. You’re not going to feel uncomfortable. You’re going to feel like you. You’re going to feel like you belong.

I feel like that’s what a lot of people in high school don’t understand, because I know a lot of people who struggle with stuff in high school, even people close to me. Some have a really hard time, some are very socially awkward and some have really bad anxiety. When [I see] someone struggle so much in high school, I’m just like, “just wait ‘til you’re out. You’ll shine once you get out.” And I just feel like that can apply to so many people.

I wish I had heard this in high school. It would have been so comforting.

When you’re there, you don’t see anything beyond. You see the worst ... but it’s not your fault, because you don’t know what’s beyond there. People you don’t know could be like, “oh it’ll get better,” but you’re not going to believe them right away.

But it does help. It does help hearing it, especially if you hear it from somebody you know. I didn’t have an older brother, sister or anything, so that was kind of rough to be the first one to go

think is great. We need brothers and we need sisters. We’re like family.

Cristina: They are extended family for sure.

Mairi: And it’s great. We try to be there for each other, and we can’t be there all the time, but we try to help each other out.

And what do you want students to know about what you do?

Cristina: We do it from the heart, for sure. We’re always trying to give the best quality, the best experience, best service that we can possibly give. Without students to serve, we would

| 9

have no job. So if we can do it in a great way, and keep you guys coming back, it’s mission accomplished, my friend.

We’d like to thank you for all that you do for students. It means a lot more than you know.

Mairi: Well, thank you. It’s just like extended family, right? We can be their mothers, or their grandmothers, or their sisters.

We can do that. And if there’s anything we can help you with, please feel free to come and talk to us.

Christina Caldi Communications and Sociology III

JASON LAU/ PHOTO REPORTER

for it. But I know thousands of people are in that situation everyday, and I didn’t even have it nearly as hard as some people...

But, don’t devalue your own experiences.

I know, one of the most important things that you do need to keep in mind is that you can’t devalue your own experiences.

You learn from them, and you grow from them. You meet other people, and they tell you about their situations or you see certain situations that you didn’t see before. That changes things.

My best friend’s dad passed away the same year I was going through some crap... I really try to take that into perspective and,

wow, it could be so much worse.

Seeing what people have to deal with everyday, the stuff that pops up ... it really makes you thankful for what you have.

Even though it doesn’t devalue your own experience, it makes it easier for you to deal with the stuff that you have going on. I try to reiterate that a lot. I actually got a tattoo about it. It says “it’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what

you’ve got.” So, be thankful for what you have. Honestly, you’re in school. You have your health, this and that. Just try to enjoy it.

Life’s too short to be upset over trivial things.

That’s something that I really struggled with in elementary and high school. University has definitely taught me to live in the moment and be thankful for what I have.

Is there anything you want McMaster students to know?

We all have our struggles.

Everyone has their struggles.

But, you’re not alone in it. We just need to try and not get too caught up in trivial things, because life is short. It’s really scary how fast it can be taken away. It’s really, really scary.

You can view more photos online on the Humans of McMaster Facebook page: facebook.com/HumansOfMcMaster

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

The McMaster Students Union

PRESIDENT’S PAGE The MSU should and will always play a role in conferences that foster a safe space. It is our responsibility as student leaders to empower women.

Could you describe your experience at the LSW in previous years?

Last year I attended the LSW for the first time. I was able to listen to community leaders and partners discuss the necessity of diversity in leadership. Everyone felt comfortable sharing their stories, perspectives, and visions.

I was able to meet people who have continued to educate me on the importance of women in leadership positions.

Why is the LSW important to you?

As a woman in a male-dominated sphere, I constantly look towards my female counterparts and mentors for inspiration and guidance. The LSW reinforces the importance of making connections between women. It also encourages women to draw on those connections for the strength to challenge societal norms.

Could you summarize what the Leadership Summit for Women (LSW) is about?

The LSW is an annual oneday conference that aims to create a safe space for the diverse voices of women-identified individuals and their allies. The LSW is a partnership between the MSU, the Student Success Centre (SSC), the Alumni Association, and YWCA Hamilton.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Make it Happen Hamilton”. The aim is to develop delegates’ leadership skills and to facilitate conversation about meaningful change. Our vision is of a society in which all people, irrespective of gender, have equitable leadership opportunities.

How do you see the MSU’s commitment to women in leadership continuing throughout the year?

Through the MSU Wants You Working Group, the MSU will continue its efforts to increase the representation of individuals from underrepresented groups. We will do this by host-

What aspect of the LSW is most important to you?

I think the most important aspect is the chance to connect with a diverse group of women and their allies. The partnership between the SSC, YWCA, and the Who should consider attend- MSU will enable high school stuing the Leadership Summit for dents, university students, alumWomen? ni, faculty, staff, and community The LSW is a truly open members to engage and connect learning environment. While this with each other. Mentorship is event obviously caters to wom- essential for women striving to en-identified folk, the LSW also attain traditionally male-domiwelcomes transgender individu- nated leadership roles. The LSW als and allies: anyone interested opens the door for new mentorin a more equitable society. ship opportunities.

Why is the MSU involved?

Over the past couple of years, the MSU has played a very active role in this conference. When I ran for president, one of my platform points was women in governance. This conference is one of the many ways in which I plan on pushing for reform in this area.

ing workshops, seminars, events and roundtables that encourage and empower people to run and apply for governance and leadership positions.

I encourage everyone to register and attend this year’s LSW. It will change you for the better as a student, a citizen, and a leader.

What needs to improve for women in leadership at McMaster and in the MSU? We need to increase the number of women in leadership positions. When you sit in Council Chambers and look up, you only see one past university president who is female, and that’s isolating.

Our current Board of Directors is only 25% female, even though If you’ve ever wanted to con- women comprise more than 50% nect to other women, this confer- of our student body. However, ence is for you. If you ever wanted I am encouraged by the progto find a safe space to learn and ress that I have seen, especialask questions, this conference is ly through the MSU Wants You for you. If you want to participate campaign and the fact that our in discourse pertaining to wom- Student Representative Assembly en’s issues, then this conference is is approximately at gender parity. definitely for you!

I hope that capable women con-

The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

The Silhouette | 11

Editorial Swing dancing 101 Amanda Watkins Editor-in-Chief

With elections taking place during reading week, we are using this week’s issue to share as much as we can with you about candidates and knowing your options.

For myself, and many other students, this will be my first time voting in a federal election. I have voted in provincial and municipal elections before, but this will be my first time approaching the beast that is our national electoral system.

As someone who is ready to see our current overlord shimmied out of his current throne, I am making sure that before I go to the polling stations this year, I am informed, aware, and prepared to vote strategically. There has been a large amount of discussion this year about our ability as voters to create the change we want by voting in or out certain parties, and using majority voting tactics in swing ridings to ensure one progressive

Know your parties, and know your best strategies

party receives the majority of votes, instead of having them evenly split across the spectrum and going to the wayside with not enough support.

Our current first-past-the-post system allows for a party to win with a minimum of 34 percent of the votes when split between three parties.

This means the two remaining parties could receive up to 33 percent of the vote each, but that one percent would make the difference.

My priority as a citizen, and as a student, is to elect one of the progressive parties that can create meaningful changes for students, education and job prospects, among many other issues.

In the 2008 federal election, a website called strategicvoting. ca identified 68 districts where the combined progressive vote was greater than that of the Conservatives.

Meaning there were overall more votes for left wing parties, but the votes were split in a way that made them each negligible.

If the method of strategic voting

was followed at that time, we would currently have a minority progressive government.

If you live in a swing riding, look online to see which progressive party has the highest chance of being elected, and if you support the difference this could make, use your vote to count towards that, instead of falling into an almost even split between parties.

As McMaster students alone, we account for thousands of potential voters. It is important that we use this position wisely in order to incite change where we see it fit. In this month’s issue, both our News and Opinion sections look at ways students can benefit from each party’s platform. And while the point of this whole article is to emphasize the importance of strategic voting, it is even more important to know who you’re voting for, and how they can make a difference to you — that’s the real strategy behind voting. @whatthekins

to the return of Soulja Boy.

to the haunting of InDesign.

to gnocchi.

to the office fly babies.

to the Harry Truman song.

to copy edit runs.

to the accidental vegan mom.

to legal size paper.

to office halloween costumes.

to the quest for Lightroom CC.

to chins not bleeding.

to the thumb of all thumb jokes.

to Laruyn Hill sound walls.

to “Live in the Moment.”

to the start of the old puck and stick.

to corporate PR language. to other people’s copy.

to HDS.

Get involved with The Sil! NEWS

OPINION

LIFESTYLE

SPORTS

ANDY

Are you interested in current affairs, campus events and student politics?

Join our News team as a writer or photographer!

Do you have something you want to get off your chest?

A pressing opinion about campus life or the community?

Write for Opinion!

Are you a foodie, fashionista or pop culture enthusiast with an interst in student life and Hamilton? Write for Lifestyle!

Do you stay updated with Marauder sports? Do you have commentary to share about your favourite teams? Join the Sports team!

Are new music, movies, arts and games constantly on your radar? Get involved with our arts and entertainment section, Andy!

Send them an email at: news@thesil.ca

Send them an email at: opinion@thesil.ca

Send them an email at: lifestyle@thesil.ca

Send them an email at: sports@thesil.ca

Send them an email at: andy@thesil.ca

Or, attend their volunteer article brainstorming meeting on Tues. @ 12:30

Or, attend their volunteer article brainstorming meeting on Tues. @ 10:30

Or, attend their volunteer article brainstorming meeting on Tues. @ 11:30

Or, attend their volunteer article brainstorming meeting on Tues. @ 2:30

Or, attend their volunteer article brainstorming meeting on Tues. @ 12:00

MacVotes All-Candidates Debate When: October 08, 2015 from 12:00PM

SHEC Sexual Health Committee Presents: Sex101

until 12:00PM

When: October 08, 2015 from 06:30PM

Where: MUSC Atrium Join us in MUSC Atrium where we’ve

until 08:00PM Where: Moulton EMR

Creativity Circle When: October 09, 2015 from 11:30AM until 12:20PM Where: McMaster Museum of Art – basement Educational Library Whether you are already an engaged cre-

invited Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas

SHEC’s Sexual Health Committee will be

ative artist, or are beginning to explore

candidates Alex Johnstone, Peter Or-

holding our annual SEX101 event where

your creative journey for the first time,

mond, Vincent Samuel and Filomena Tassi

we will be having an interactive presen-

this group has something for you. Learn

to debate!

tation on sexual health, consent, relation-

from each other to live all of life creative-

ships, dating and all that good stuff. This

ly, whether through an artistic medium

is a conversation you don’t want to miss!

or through how you raise questions and

The Role of the University in the City, Speaker: Meric Gertler, U of T President When: October 08, 2015 from 03:00PM until 04:00PM Where: Convocation Hall

engage society and your inner life.

McMaster Marauders vs Waterloo Warriors When: October 08, 2015 from 07:00PM until 07:00PM Where: Ron Joyce Stadium

Elections 101 When: October 08, 2015 at 05:00PM until

Go Marauders!

September 21, 2015 at 07:00PM

Thursday Night Lights

Where: TwelvEighty

When: October 08, 2015 at 09:30PM until

Are you interested in running for the SRA By-Elections or Presidentials? Curious about the process but don’t know exaclt what to do?

Come learn how to run in an MSU election this Thursday October 8 at 5pm in TwelvEighty Bar & Grill! Topics covered will include the nomination process, campaigning, and voting. Get tips and advice from experienced candidates while enjoying the amazing free food.

For more information, shoot us an e-mail at elections@msu.mcmaster.ca

October 09, 2015 at 02:00AM Where: TwelvEighty Bar & Grill Get in free with your football ticket before 11PM.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

Check pages 14-16 for election coverage

The Silhouette | 13

Opinion

Doctors are overwhelmed at Kunduz hospital in Afghanistan.

C/O DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS Inset: President Obama at Oregon Shooting press conference.

C/O THE GUARDIAN

Compassion at home and abroad If President Obama wants gun control, he should include military weaponry

Article contains graphic descriptions of violence.

Instead I want to ask you the uncomfortable question of why we allow Obama to call for the preservation of American lives, while simultaneously disregarding Afghani ones.

After the Oregon shooting, I watched Obama’s speech to the American public. It was heartfelt and powerful, and I could not help but agree with the President’s call for legislative gun control. He was visibly upset, and so was I. I can’t imagine feeling that my safety could be so easily compromised by someone with their finger on a trigger. And yet, sometime between listening to Obama claim that America would “wrap everyone who is grieving with prayers and love,” and the hospital bombing in Kunduz, Afghanistan on Oct. 3rd, I lost faith.

On the first of October, a shooter opened fire at Umpqua Community College, killing nine. This is not an article asking you to be any less passionate about gun control, nor do I want to diminish this tragedy.

A large factor is rhetoric. We have become far too familiar with the excuse of terrorist activity justifying civilian casualties. The American military has admitted that they may have caused “collateral damage” to the Kunduz hospital – which was bombed for an hour – killing both employees and patients. “Ten to fifteen terrorists” were using the hospital, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry, “they are dead now.” Meanwhile, hospital staff reported seeing patients in the intensive care unit burn in their beds during the resulting fires.

Regardless of whether or not the Taliban was using the hospital as a base, the Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and the UN have all condemned the act as a war crime. Terrorism should not be an excuse that we are willing to accept for this loss

Talia Kollek Opinions Editor

of life.

In his response to the shooting at Oregon, Obama asked us to be compassionate.

To think about those “who were studying, and learning, and working hard, with their eyes set on the future.” He begged us to “let young people grow up.”

His statement about Kunduz in contrast was short – less than 200 words posted on the Whitehouse website – and dry.

Mr. President, it is hard for me to swallow your compassion for grieving families when it is selective.

I recognize the implication of asking the President of the United States to try and care for all lives globally. I understand that the leader of one country cannot possibly guide us single handedly to beat the world’s swords into ploughshares. Suppose you argue that Obama was elected by the American people, for the betterment of the American people alone, and thus his focus on gun control and mass shootings is not unwarranted.

Maybe you disagree that all lives should be of equal value to the

President, regardless of citizenship. This insular thinking is counter productive.

We are part of a global community, and the actions of individual governments have widespread ramifications, not just for others, but for ourselves. American mistreatment of foreign civilians backfires by destabilizing the Afghani government, which is forced to justify attacks on citizens from their supposed ally. It must be hard to swallow the Taliban as the ultimate enemy when Americans are the ones who bombed your hospital. If Americans want to bring stability to the Middle East – if for no other reason than protecting themselves from terrorism – then the path to doing so is through the preservation of civilian life.

If Obama wants gun control, I fully support it, however I want it to come with restrictions on military might.

Mr. President you were right in saying that “our thoughts and prayers are not enough,” but I will not be convinced that you are genuine until your actions –

“

We are part of a global community, and the actions of individual governments have widespread ramifications, not just for others, but for ourselves.

not just words – show that you care not just about Americans, but also lives abroad. Until then, we should not accept your apologies. @TaliaKollek

14 |

OPINION

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

The best bet for students On election day, strike a blow against austerity Sophie Geffros Contributor

On Oct. 19, I’m voting for Alex Johnstone and the NDP because for the first time, Canada has a chance to elect a genuinely progressive government.

Liberals and Conservatives are two sides of the same coin.

I grew up in southern Ontario, and I watched the federal Liberals and provincial Conservatives shatter our social safety net with their austerity measures.

Though they have now traded places, the damage continues.

Jean Chretien cut more from social programs than Stephen Harper has ever managed to.

Kathleen Wynne plans to sell more public assets than Mike Harris ever could. It is Liberal philosophy to campaign left and govern right.

The Liberals cowardly support Bill C-51, a regressive piece of Islamophobic legislation that crushes civil liberties in the name of national security.

Ever since Canadians made their disdain for the bill clear, Justin Trudeau has switched

gears and claimed that if elected he will “amend” the legislation.

Why sweeten a poisoned pill?

Tom Mulcair and the NDP are committed to repealing Harper’s reprehensible legislation.

Bill C-51 has been condemned

by Amnesty International, the ACLU, the United Nations, Canada’s own national security watchdog, and every legal group in the country.

We can see the similarities between the Liberals and Conservatives at the local level, where both candidates are social conservatives. Filomena Tassi, the Liberal candidate for Hamilton West self-identifies as “pro-life” and has worked with Birthright, an anti-choice organisation that shames and abuses vulnerable pregnant teenage girls. She has described herself as possessing “traditional family values,” a phrasing which is most commonly associated with the worst kind of homophobic politics. She has refused to publicly state how she would vote on an abortion bill in the House of Commons.

A candidate who is not willing

“

I grew up in southern Ontario, and I watched the federal Liberals and provincial Conservatives shatter our social safety net.

to stand up for a woman’s right to choose and who supports an organisation which harms the vulnerable has no place in modern society.

The Conservative candidate, Roy Samuels, released a fear-mongering piece of election literature that suggested that an NDP or Liberal government would lead to ISIS murdering Canadians in their beds. He

has suggested that the shameful inaction of the Conservative government on Syrian refugees is the result of so-called “security concerns” – the implication being that refugees fleeing danger only wish to come to Canada in order to destroy it from within. A candidate who openly engages in xenophobia and fear mongering likewise has no place on our ballots.

Liberals would have you believe that they will be allies to students, but this has never been the case. University costs in Ontario have increased disproportionally over the last 12 years. Since 1993, the average cost of post-secondary education in Ontario has increased by six thousand dollars. The Liberal Party has only worsened this by federally cutting provincial education transfers, and provincially by cutting funding for universities. The party is not an ally to students, or to young people, or to anyone who relies on the government for some form of support.

Conversely, the NDP is the reason why Canadians have

universal healthcare. We have committed 2.6 billion dollars to implement universal pharmacare. We have committed to ceasing military action in Syria and Iraq and immediately admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees, with an additional 9,000 admitted each year for the next four years. We will implement a federal minimum wage of 15 dollars per hour, and restore federal transfers for social programs, including 40 million dollars to build shelters for victims of abuse, so that nobody will be forced to choose between their personal safety and a roof over their head. We will also permanently remove interest on federal student loans.

On Oct. 19, I will be working to strike a blow against the forces of austerity, racism and opportunism that permeate the Liberal and Conservative campaigns. I am committed to being part of the solution by voting for the first NDP government in Canadian history.

Frankly, I can’t afford not to.

A more promising Canada Students shouldn’t be afraid of voting Conservative Michael Klimuntowski Contributor

I don’t blame students for suffering from a bad case of Harper Derangement Syndrome.

Heck, if I had gone to the MSU’s Panel Discussion last week undecided and heard Professor MacQueen suggest the Conservative Government staged the Ottawa shooting to pass Bill C-51, I too would vote anybody but Conservative. And if I only relied on The Silhouette as my source of news I’d participate in Professor Clark’s asinine “Hospitality Project” and be regular pen pals with Omar Khadr.

Fortunately, I made my mind up long ago and only sparingly follow our school paper. Let’s discern the radical spin from the facts.

Prime Minister Harper’s legacy is the envy of the world.

He has implemented lower consumption taxes, lower income taxes at all brackets, lower small business tax rates, lower

corporate tax rates, pension and income splitting for families and seniors, and the lowest federal tax burden on Canadians from every walk of life in nearly 50 years. Furthermore, a 2014 study published by The New York Times stated that “median income in Canada has climbed by 19.7 per cent since 2000.”

These are all tangible results felt by our families.

Furthermore, our Conservative government has remained attuned to the fact society is changing. In order to remain competitive in an increasingly globalized economy our government has signed 39 new trade agreements since 2006. This has opened half the world’s economy for business for Canadians.

You may hear claims that Prime Minister Harper doesn’t care about the youth, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Multiple initiatives taken on by our Prime Minister will directly impact our generation.

On the horizon we can expect to benefit from increased contribution limits to TFSAs, an increased first-time RRSP withdrawal, and a sounder Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement that will be there when our time to exit the workforce comes. Programs such as the Job Grant have earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars to train Canadians for existing or better jobs, allowing for an easier transition into the workforce.

Under Prime Minister Harper we have seen our country ranked one of the happiest (despite “angry Tom”), most reputable, and most admired in the world by groups such as the Reputation Institute, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN).

We have also seen the best job growth since the 2008 recession.

In addition to our domestic prosperity, our government has gained the admiration of

our allies through bold foreign policy stances. It was only several months ago when Stephen Harper made headlines across the globe for his comments at the G20 in Australia, telling Vladimir Putin to get out of Ukraine.

Last week’s Munk Debate on foreign policy further highlighted the stark contrast between the Prime Ministerial candidates. When Justin Trudeau was asked how he would deal with Vladimir Putin, the audience burst into laughter before he even answered the question (maybe they expected another hockey-related wisecrack?). Do we really want the divorced-from-reality Liberals confronting the geopolitical challenges of our time?

Over the last nine years Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s leadership has been repeatedly tested by challenges at home, financial turmoil and global conflict. What voters will decide in just a couple weeks

“

You may hear claims that Prime Minister Harper doesn’t care about the youth, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

is whether our country today faces a more promising future.

As Mulcair’s NDP move to the right, willing to say anything to come to power, and Trudeau’s Liberals move to the left, offering platitudes and cynical “progressivism,” the Harper Conservatives will continue to stand firm on their record and at the helm of our more promising Canada.

OPINION | 15

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

A philosophy nation Diversity of opinion in the Liberal Party is its greatest strength Bianca Caramento Contributor

I entered university as a diehard New Democrat. Now I’m the president of the McMaster Young Liberals. What the hell happened? My guess: philosophy.

Studying philosophy involves what most people would call “hairsplitting.” Minute details are endlessly debated.

Everyday assumptions are constantly challenged. Basic

“truths” are subject to intense scrutiny. For instance, philosophers might ask why we believe that what goes up will indeed come down, just because it has every time before. Simply put, nothing is sacred in the field of philosophy because no belief is taken at face value.

So, how does the Liberal Party emulate this modus operandi and why is that a good thing?

Many people give the Liberals flack for not abiding

by a particular ideology. In fact, the party is often referred to as “The Big Rent Tent” because its members hold wildly different political views. There remains one constant, however. As a rule, Liberals place debate, critical discussion, and evidence-based decision making before all else.

Much like the study of philosophy, Liberals challenge and debate just about everything.

In NDP circles, chances are you won’t hear anyone question the

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need to regulate capitalism or provide social assistance. They may debate how they ought to, but it is unlikely they will debate if they ought to. Among Liberals, these policies, along with all others, are subject to critical discussion.

In the Liberal Party, a policy’s merit does not stem from its alignment with party values, but from its ability to reflect existing reality and best address the problems at hand.

This method of policy making is content-neutral. It may result in a highly left-leaning platform; it may not. What matters is that the resulting policies have withstood rigorous debate.

Political philosopher, John Stuart Mill, provides convincing justification for this form of policy development in his discussion of free speech. Mill argues that without the freedom to debate and challenge existing views, two things happen. First, we end up with blindly accepted truths that we cannot fully understand nor defend. Mill refers to this as “dead dogma.”

FEEDBACK

“

Liberals challenge and debate just about everything.

Secondly, we miss out on the opportunity to adapt, improve and strengthen our beliefs by virtue of having to defend them with others.

This translates rather seamlessly to Liberal policy development. By staying committed to an ongoing discussion of each policy’s merit and efficacy, no matter what it may be, the Liberal Party seeks to implement the best possible solution, instead of the solution that simply fits an ideological framework.

The philosophy nerd in me can’t help but appreciate that.

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16 |

OPINION

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

The elephant in the room Attitudes towards Bill C-51 should be front and centre

Julianne Mundle Contributor

Bill C-51, otherwise known as the “Anti-Terrorism Bill,” was implemented in January 2015. The purpose of this bill, according to the Conservative Harper government, is to protect Canadians from terrorism.

Critics have argued that this bill is racist, ineffective and violates sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, the flaws of the bill have already been discussed at length so here I will outline the stances of non-Conservatives parties on the bill and why it should affect your decision on Oct. 19.

Justin Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal Party, stated in a speech in February 2015 that he is a firm believer that the “in-

dividual freedoms” enjoyed by the people of Canada “cannot exist without collective security.” If collective security is the curbing of individual rights for the safety of all, then how does Trudeau believe them to be complimentary? Possible amendments have been introduced by the Liberals, including reducing the authority held by the CSIS, as the organization’s new found status gives them the power to infringe upon the privacy rights of Canadians, as stipulated in the Charter.

However, it is still unclear how they plan to limit the power that the CSIS possesses, as the basis of Bill C-51 is to empower the organization.

Let us put the Liberals aside for a minute and investigate the platform of the New Democrat-

ic Party and the Green Party.

The NDP has stated that they intend to implement stronger privacy protections throughout the bill and ensure that regular reports are made to the House of Commons by the Security Intelligence Review Committee. These strategies might be able to lead to a monitoring system. It will only work, however, if taken seriously.

Last but certainly not least, the Green Party. Elizabeth May, the party’s leader, has accepted the fact that this bill, as flawed as it is, cannot be fixed entirely.

She explains that it can however be amended to ensure that the rights of Canadian citizens and permanent residents are protected. The first part of her “60 amendments,” as stated in detail on the party’s website,

is to denounce the bill. The amendments clearly and concisely condemn the rights violated by Bill C-51 and provide suitable solutions. May stated that “C-51 creates a dangerous scenario with a complete lack of due process and the ability for Canadian officials to share the information on the list with virtually no caveats.”

Political leaders of the three major parties have shied away from this issue and have spent their time attacking each other.

This bill actively curbs individual freedoms and freedom of expression, along with sharing the personal information of Canadians, along with expanding the opportunity of abuse within CSIS. This is a piece of legislation that affects you, and should

“

This is a piece of legislation that affects you and should absolutely be part of your vote.

absolutely be part of your vote.

Bill C-51 is the elephant in the room for this year’s election, because it has not been focused on nearly enough. We have to take the next step and vote for those who want to change it.

Ban the unpaid internship Paying students makes economic sense, but it is also what we deserve Sunanna Bhasin Contributor

I remember scrolling through endless lists of summer jobs last year trying to find something worth my time. I had specific criteria to fill when looking at potential job, the biggest one being a job that actually offered to pay me. Students want experience, yes, but most of us would like to pay off our student loans or help our parents out. Some of us would even like to save for post-graduation. So when I see unpaid internships plaguing job listings when I have bills to pay, just like any other working adult, I can’t help but clench my fists at the blatant disregard for the hardworking, often loan-bearing post-secondary students.

Unpaid internships are a means of manipulating post-secondary students into doing free labour. Students are told that they need real-life

work experience to get anywhere after graduation, and so they feel compelled to take whatever they can get. However, there are students who are struggling to pay their tuition and still require that important experience. Should they be expected to compromise and work for free? Companies who leech off unpaid internships are well aware that students will likely work without complaint because they are looking for reference letters and likely hope to receive a full-time job offer at the end. Companies may also exploit their interns by giving them gruelling tasks that may not provide them with the skillset they’re looking for, or set ridiculous hours for students who are often not in a position to reject them.

Economically speaking, it makes little sense that companies would want to have students work for free. Efficiency wage theory states that firms

that pay efficiency wages, or wages that are higher than the market equilibrium or average, do so in order to avoid shirking on the job, reduce turnover, and attract productive employees.

There is the possibility that students won’t neglect their job because they are looking for other rewards, such as the aforementioned reference letter (so that they can get a paid job in the future). However, the third point about attracting productive employees is out the window. Just as I scroll past unpaid internships, I’m sure there are many others who refuse to work for free. These are students who would potentially make very valuable employees.

The unpaid internship is a loophole in Canada’s labour laws. The minimum wage laws do not cover every single type of employment, and internships happen to be one of them. This needs to change. If a company is making profit, it has no right

to ‘hire’ individuals to work for them without pay. Using the label “volunteer position” in place of “unpaid internship” does not suddenly make the practice okay. Volunteer positions should exist only at non-profit organizations because they don’t have a means to pay all employees. It is ridiculous to be able to take advantage of students who need experience in a certain field but also bear the burden of debt on their shoulders. Students should be able to obtain valuable work experience while at the same time making money to put towards continuing education or to pay off existing bills.

Ultimately, the unpaid internship is a means of exploiting students by perpetuating the notion that experience should be their primary concern and that everything else should be secondary, when in fact, students have real financial worries that need to be addressed while

“

Students are told that they need reallife work experience to get anywhere after graduation, and so they feel compelled to take whatever they can get.

they are still in school, rather than later in life, when they are knee-deep in debt.

OPINION | 17

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

C/O FLICKR COMMONS

Cosmetic freedom Danielle Collado Contributor

I often find myself faced with the internal battle of whether or not to wear makeup on a daily basis. For the most part, I take the time to apply my everyday look. Days when I’m tired or in too much of a rush to do my makeup I fear that I’ll be judged for not caring about what I look like. Why is it that if we go a day without looking the way people are used to seeing us, unwanted comments are almost inevitable?

“You look tired.”

“Are you sick?”

We’ve all been victims to the subtle shaming of a makeup-less face. But as often as women are shamed for not wearing makeup, we are also shamed when we become dependent on it.

TV ads featuring the best looking celebrities have always taught us that we need makeup to be as beautiful as them. For some reason, a woman is only powerful and desirable if she looks put together. The way she achieves this is through her perfect eyebrows and the right shade of lipstick. Studies have shown that women who wear a considerable amount of makeup are always taken more seriously than those who opt for a more natural look.

A New York Times article from 2011 entitled “Up the Career Ladder, Lipstick in Hand” states that makeup makes women appear more competent and amicable. According to the article, makeup can also increase people’s perceptions of a woman’s likability and trustworthiness. If makeup can enhance these valuable

“

Studies have shown that women who wear a considerable amount of makeup are always taken more seriously than those who opt for a more natural look.

workplace traits, is whether or not we choose to wear it really our choice? In 2014, an article from the Huffington Post called “Makeup Is Not A Prerequisite For Success” challenged the notion that makeup is necessary for workplace professionalism.

Sally McGraw argued that there are no laws stating that women must wear makeup in the work-place, and that there are other ways to look professional without makeup. Although these articles represent completely different opinions of makeup in the workplace, both contribute to the manipulation of what women should consider the “right” way of thinking.

Women are shamed regardless of whether or not they wear makeup. An example of this is the recent social media trend featuring a woman’s before and after makeup pictures with the caption “Girls, stop lying to us.” This form of shaming a woman for wearing makeup

Women should be able to wear as much makeup as they want

is particularly hurtful because it targets what she looks like without makeup, while simultaneously shaming her for altering her natural appearance.

It is the perfect example of how society convinces us that we aren’t good enough regardless of what we do. Even celebrities are victimized as soon as they are spotted without makeup in public. “Demi Lovato leaves the gym looking like a mess”

is considered a worthy piece of news in modern media, because breaking the illusion that celebrities always look like they are red-carpet ready is somehow frowned upon.

While society is busy looking for ways to tell women what they should and shouldn’t do with their appearance, they’re failing to remember one very important thing a woman has complete control over her

decisions. Although makeup is something that has become normalized, opinions regarding how or when a woman should wear it are unwanted and unnecessary. Women do not need makeup to feel beautiful, but there’s no doubt that we will continue to wear it, and we shouldn’t be shamed for that choice.

GAMES

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Supermarket 6. Doll’s cry 10. Manner 14. Wall board 15. Iraq’s neighbor 16. Baldwin or Guinness 17. Helps a crook 18. School exam 19. Aft 20. Lion’s cry 21. Say 22. Bean curd 23. Consolation 25. Agra attire 27. Desert plants 30. Professor’s protection 34. Traveler’s stopover 37. Not processed 39. Ostrich’s kin 40. Absolute 41. Excavate 42. Tiny 45. Sardonic wit 47. Position 48. Green shade 50. Forwarded 52. Vacation spot 56. Painter Salvador ____ 59. From then on 62. Norse god 63. Eager

64. Object of adoration 65. Australian “bear” 66. Musical sound 67. Hot, molten rock 68. Made mistakes 69. Water jug 70. Cabbage salad 71. Web-footed birds

DOWN 1. Masts 2. Forbidden 3. Shaquille ____ 4. Go back over 5. Raised railroads 6. Catcher’s glove

MINI SUDOKU

M.A.S.H. M.A.S.H.

M.A.S.H.

| 18

7. Neighborhood 8. Sail supports 9. Aardvark 10. 007’s drink 11. Bogus butter 12. Hearing-impaired 13. Beige 21. Dry, as wine 24. Pres. Coolidge 26. TKO caller 28. Ballerina’s skirt 29. Preface 31. Unfasten 32. Harness strap 33. Tense 34. Skirt edges 35. Pass over 36. Salad fish 38. Rod’s partner 40. Kitchen tools 43. ____ trading 44. Air hero 45. “____ Got You Under My Skin” 46. Make like new 49. Rage 51. Wave type 53. Chicago’s airport 54. Stage parts 55. Exchange 56. Appointment 57. Assert 58. Queue 60. Bossa ____ 61. Cat’s weapon 65. Beer barrel

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

The Silhouette | 19

Lifestyle THE SKINNY

Colour me bold

What’s good?

Embrace your eccentricities and get to know the more unconventional sides of fashion

Nicki Minaj is still waiting for an answer to her question after calling out Miley Cyrus at the VMAs. In a recent interview with the New York Times, she expressed her continued concerns, directed at Cyrus: “You’re in videos with black men, and you’re bringing out black women on your stages, but you don’t want to know how black women feel about something that’s so important?

Come on, you can’t want the good without the bad.”

Ark and Anchor opens

C/O STATE LIBRARY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Hamilton now has a new coffee shop to add to its growing café scene. Ark and Anchor, located at 300 King West (at Queen) is one of a handful of new coffee shops to open its doors in the city this year.

Chester for Mayor

Chester the Cheetah, a.k.a. the mascot of the Cheetos franchise is running for Mayor, in an actual city. The city at hand is Chester, Montana, an apt location for the cartoon’s run for office. He isn’t allowed to technically be on the ballot, but his campaign is in full swing. God bless America.

Sonia Leung Contributor

“Five colours to wear this fall!”

“Biggest trend of the season!”

These headlines (and their variations) make their way around the fashion magazine circuit year-round. Magazines and similar media are quick to prescribe a trend to track, a culture to associate yourself with, and rules to abide by.

There is nothing wrong with these trends or adhering to a culture of following fashion guidelines. After all, they only become widespread as more and more people appreciate the proposed aesthetic. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with pushing boundaries, testing the waters and seeing what works for you even if this may means you’re the only one swimming against the current.

As much as I love seeing the analogous colours of autumn as fall trends make their way into the fashion zeitgeist, other colours need some love too.

If you are a utilitarian, kudos to your practicality! But if you are like me, clothing possesses a dual purpose — it is an outward expression of your inner reality. For me, attire is a mood ring of sorts, an in-anutshell approximation of the uniquely intricate properties that make you, you (or of the thoughts and emotions that morning when you got dressed up.)

If I wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy, I’m likely to be sporting a vibrant colour or bold print. On a dull uneventful day of hiding under readings and paperwork, I may be spotted with a more demure ensemble to reflect my state of hiding. When a day rolls around where I don’t feel as conversational as I usually do, I may wear a purple or black lipstick.

If I find myself hankering to wear a colder-coloured lip gloss but still come off as inviting and approachable, I consciously smile more and adjust my body language to appear more open

to counter the bold choice of makeup.

In a world where advertising is ubiquitous and there are constantly messages competing for your attention, we are conditioned to make split second judgments on what we see. Like it or not, this is the paradigm in which we live. We are required to form impressions quickly; we judge books by their covers.

Of course, there are intellectually stimulating books with uninviting covers and vice versa. Covers aren’t always a fair preamble to the content lying thereafter, but in an ideal world, they would be.

Every action is a message.

The absence of actions is also a message. Your attire and the way you carry yourself is a message and first impressions matter. Whether the messages you send are intentional or not, they are undeniably received by your peers. The way you present yourself may affect how others are primed to expect, think of, and interact with you.

“

Your attire and the way you carry yourself is a message, and first impressions matter.

Your appearance is not a testament of your character or personality just as covers are not a good measure of how fascinating a book is, but a book with a cover composed with care and intention would definitely invite more readers to read it.

Be bold, try a new colour, and redesign your cover.

20 |

FEATURE

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

HALF EMPTY, OR Many students don’t know how many drinks constitute unhealthy habits.

Could your drinking be problematic?

THE REALITY:

Tips for safe

DRINKING

1. Set limits for yourself and stick to them 2. Drink slowly. Have no more than two drinks in any three hours.

3. For every drink of alcohol, have one nonalcoholic drink.

4. Eat before and while you are drinking.

5. Always consider your age, body weight and health problems that might suggest lower limits.

6. While drinking may provide health benefits for certain groups of people, do not start to drink or increase your drinking for health benefits.

How much is

TOO MUCH? Here are some simple daily drinking limits for men and women

3 2

Daniel Arauz Features Reporter

To suggest that university students are buying into the culture of partying and binge drinking as an expected part of campus life is an all too clichéd and patronizing generalization.

The myth of the “party campus” does not exaggerate the existence of large-scale frosh and homecoming house parties, but it does exaggerate their occurrences and popularity.

In popular media, post-secondary institutions are still synonymous with Hollywood depictions of young people, enjoying their newfound freedom through excessive partying, cheap beer, drugs and sexual liberation.

There’s some truth in these depictions, but they are mostly stories told about a minority of students. While this myth has not influenced the behaviour of the vast majority of students, it has created a perceived norm among undergraduates. More significantly, it has skewed measurements of how much alcohol is too much.

Binge drinking — five or more drinks for men, and four or more for women in one sitting — is inevitably part of not just university life, but young adulthood as a whole.

The Canadian Campus Survey in 2004 reported that 28 percent of students across Canada are heavy drinkers, and 32 percent of undergraduates meet the criteria for “drinking hazardously.”

Even underage drinking, while clearly frowned upon, is widely accepted as an essential part of the coming-of-age university experience, and few university students would argue for strict, effective steps to be taken to end this practice.

The danger of this drinking culture does not lie in an inability to see one-time excessive drinking as a threat, but in the way its complacency prevents students who regularly drink unhealthy amounts of alcohol to recognize their behaviour as problematic.

McMaster participated in the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) in 2013.

The study ultimately concluded that students overestimate the norm for alcohol consumption levels on campus.

When asked about the amount of drinks participants consumed the last time they “partied,” 24 percent said they didn’t drink, 29 percent of students consumed three to five drinks, and 24 percent of students consumed six to ten drinks. When asked what they thought the “typical student at Mac” drank, students estimated that 45 percent of students consumed three to five drinks and 43 percent of students consumed six to ten drinks. This data indicates that most students drink a limited amount, but many believe the majority of McMaster students drink heavier, thus promoting a larger acceptance of binge drinking, and possibly leading to a perceived need to drink more.

The vast majority of students said that they experienced at least one of the negative consequences associated with binge drinking: getting in trouble with police, non-consensual sex, unprotected sex, physically injuring someone else, or contemplating suicide. About 25 percent of students experienced other minor, negative effects associated with drinking, such as feeling some kind of regret about something they did while drinking.

ARRIVE AND THRIVE: Raising awareness about student behaviour, substance-based or otherwise, is an important part of many campus initiatives. Arrive and Thrive is a comprehensive McMaster project that has been funded through the Mental Health Innovation Fund provided by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The focus of the project is to help students develop approaches to

deal with mental health and addiction issues, with a focus on students who are transitioning into university.

The campaign, due for a fall launch, consists of three parts. First, Arrive and Thrive Online will launch as a questionnaire designed to help students identify their current habits and coping strategies, offer immediate feedback about how their habits compare to their peers’, and suggest further resources both online and on campus if they feel that they are experiencing difficulty. The second portion, titled Pause, will allow students to meet with a professional counsellor trained in the area of substance use and addiction on a self-referred basis. The final part of the service will introduce a series of interventions and courses to support healthy habits and coping with problematic ones.

“It’s tough because you have this perception that it’s a rampant problem and if I don’t do it, I’m not conforming to the norm. But then, you don’t want to minimize those people that are in the far side of dangerous drinking,” says Arrive and Thrive Project and Research Coordinator Allan Fein.

“Most people will have a positive and fun experience associated with drinking and alcohol, and it’s the few that we really need to focus on. How do we target those people in a way that’s not demeaning to them and not putting them down and not victimizing them or blaming them, but is helping them?” added Fein.

“It’s really about a harm reduction approach, trying to take the person and say, you know, you’re a whole person, you’re not just an alcoholic, you’re not just someone who is dealing with mental health but you are a whole person and let’s deal with you as a whole person and figure out the best way for you to be most successful.”

Dr. Catherine Munn, who is also heading the project, stresses that “people drink for a reason and the reasons are unique to each individual

FEATURE | 21

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct.8, 2015

“

Perceived percentage of students’ drinking habits Actual percentage of students’ drinking habits

0 drinks a week 24%

1-2 drinks a week 18%

3-5 drinks a week 45%

The Canadian Campus Survey in 2004 reported that 28 percent of students across Canada are heavy drinkers, and 32 percent meet the criteria for ‘drinking hazardously.’

Myth vs fact

29%

43%

24%

10+ drinks a week 5%

@DanielArauzz

6-10 drinks a week

2%

tion for students to be conscious about the choices they make. Its aim isn’t to tell students that the decisions they are making are wrong, or that there is something inherently shameful about these decisions. It will offer online questionnaires, professional help, courses and extended services in an attempt to reach parts of the student population that may be otherwise left without the outlets to ask the right questions, and seek help if they need to.

Never drink while...

- Pregnant - Operating a motorized vehicle - Responsible for the safety of others

WHAT COUNTS AS A “DRINK”?

Shots 43ml (1.5oz) of 40% distilled alcohol

Do McMaster students overestimate student drinking habits?

6%

volunteer, who shall remain nameless due to AA policy, shared her story with The Silhouette, and the concerns she has about young people lacking the resources to recognize problematic alcohol consumption. She described what she felt separated her personal experience with alcohol from that of others around her. “If I was partying and drinking, there would be people who come to a point and they’d say ‘I’m going to bed, or I’m going home, or I’ve had enough,’ but not me. I was always looking for that next drink, always thinking about that next drink.”

“I used to come home and I’d think I was going to the bar on Friday night and even before I got there — I remember one time I was sitting there — and I was thinking about the night and I remember saying, ‘oh, I could just feel the rush of that drink and what it was going to do for me and I could talk to people and you know, be more friendly and open and not be an introvert,’ … it was a high for me even before I got the drink.”

She further stressed the importance of recognizing a problem, “It’s physical, it’s mental, it’s spiritual for us, you know. We don’t have anything left because alcohol takes everything away.

And if you’re younger you have to think you’re going to save yourself all those years, all that pain, but you can’t force it on anyone. If they’re not ready, they’re not ready.”

When Arrive and Thrive makes its official launch this fall season, it will come as an invita-

4%

who drinks … It’s really about educating everyone about what is healthy drinking and what is risky or problematic drinking.”

Problematic drinking habits are linked to the motivations behind the habits. Alternatives for Youth is an organization that provides services for youth with addictions. Their Executive Director, Penny Burley, referred to the 2004 Canadian Campus survey that asked students to identify the reasons they drank.

“Largely the reasons youth identify were to be social and to celebrate … when we look at the youth that we work with, often those are the initial reasons for engaging in drinking or other substance use, but overtime, for some people, it can become about anxiety, mood issues.

It can become about various mental health concerns, it can be about stress, about coping.

So while in the survey there are fewer people who tend to identify that’s the reason they drink.

It often becomes the reason why they continue to drink.”

Burley believes that there is a need for a widespread approach that aims to educate and raise awareness about low-risk drinking guidelines and offers alternatives. “I think there’s a responsibility as a community, as a society, to work on changing that culture somewhat. And so when I look, there are university campuses that have policies and protocols to try and shift that culture — things like having dry frosh weeks. It won’t eliminate alcohol use by any means, but it gives youth an alternative.”

An Alcoholics Anonymous

Wine

Beer

142ml (5oz) of 12% wine

341ml (12oz) of 5% beer

22 |

LIFESTYLE

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

#shoutyourabortion sweeps Twitter Decision to cut funding for Planned Parenthood sparks online hashtag movement Jennifer La Grassa Contributor

In response to a vote passed by the U.S. Senate to cut funding for Planned Parenthood, America’s largest provider of women’s reproductive health services, legions of women have taken to social media to display their outrage and share their profoundly intimate and personal stories of abortion.

Amelia Bonow, an American activist and the co-creator of the hashtag, took to Twitter to share her personal story; she had an abortion at a Seattle Planned Parenthood in 2014, and the idea of her hashtag was to destabilize the stigma that surrounds women who have terminated pregnancies. Bonow called the senate’s vote to cut funding for Planned Parenthood an “attack on women’s physical autonomy,” and urged women to shout and share their stories despite the tremendous

societal pressure to stay silent.

The hashtag was used more than 100,000 times in the 24 hours following its inception, and women from all over the globe shared their stories. Many of the tweets displayed the emotion surrounding an unwanted pregnancy and around the often difficult decision to have an abortion.

Some women spoke of being young and terrified, as well as unable to afford raising a child or about being in dangerous and abusive relationships that would be unfit for a baby.

Bonow’s co-founder and fellow activist Lydia West stated that by cutting funding, the Senate is implying that “abortion is something to be whispered about.” Instead, they decided to shout.

Despite the four decades since abortion was legalized in the U.S., the topic is still extremely sensitive and Bonow has stated that she has received

countless hate-fuelled tweets, as well as several death threats.

The onslaught of hate, courtesy of pro-lifers, has produced #shoutyourabortion’s counterpart, #shoutyouradoption.

The majority of tweets containing #shoutyouradoption blatantly criticize the concept of abortion, and some specifically target women who have received an abortion, and in their eyes, committed murder.

The movement has swept social media, and Bonow hopes it will reach Senate, where the vote to cut funding can be reviewed. She refers to the defunding plan as a “misogynist crusade,” seeing as it will only truly and directly affect women and their own reproductive health. If Planned Parenthood is defunded, it’s absolutely terrifying to think of what might be next.

“

The hashtag was used more than 100,000 times in the 24 hours following its inception, and women from all over the globe shared their stories.

Amelia Bonow American activist, co-creator of #shoutyourabortion

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

Lifestyle’s Declassified midterm survival guide Healthy snacks Mitali Chaudhary Contributor

Raw fruits:

Nothing can fill you up (and taste as good!) as a bowl of your favourite fruit. With essentially no preparation required, this is the perfect solution for a sweet tooth, while providing you with vitamins and fibres. It just involves a bit of forward planning – if you sense a stressful week ahead, remember to load up on your fruits at the grocery store.

Greek yogurt:

Being a healthier alternative to regular yogurt, with a smooth texture and taste, this is one of the most versatile options as a quick snack.

You can top it with (almost) anything, like bits of cereal, almonds, bananas, granola, and honey and it is guaranteed to taste delicious. It’s best to stick with plain Greek yogurt, and toppings without additional sugars, to keep this snack healthy.

Almonds and other nuts: These can sustain you for

a surprisingly long time, and are filled to the brim with unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, and minerals.

They can be eaten alone, roasted as a substitute for potato chips, or sprinkled over some oatmeal or Greek yogurt (see below).

Study spaces Sohana Farhin & Allison Mizzi SHEC

SWELL If you like company and tea, check out the Student Wellness Education Lower Lounge in the basement of MUSC. Open to all, the SWELL is a space for students to relax, learn about wellness education, and take a break from busy university life. The lounge features couches and chairs, perfect for students to work. Its basement location, across from the Underground, makes for a quiet and relaxing space, away from the hustle and bustle of MUSC. The SWELL features daily programming, including Mindfulness Mondays and Wellness Wednesdays, which can be great study break opportunities as well as a microwave, free tea, and free fruit on Fridays to keep your energy up as you cram.

Empty tutorial and lecture rooms There are lots of empty tutorial and lectures rooms all over campus. Take your pick, whether it is ABB, BSB, the Arts Quad, or Hamilton Hall.

These rooms are usually used for tutorials. However, they’re often left open and perfect for student use, particularly after the library closes. If you are looking for a quiet and private space for self-studying, empty classrooms are equipped with white boards or chalk boards that are begging for flow charts and diagrams. As such, they also work well for group studying. Bring some snacks and your books, and you’ll be set to study in your own private space.

Hospital cafeteria If you like cafes, try studying in the hospital cafeteria, found on the main lobby in the second floor of the McMaster Children’s Hospital. There are lots of seats that are usually left empty at night. It is a great place for quiet studying, without the atmosphere of a library. There is also the “Corner Café” near the hospital entrance that is open 24 hours, seven days a week.

With healthy meal options, as well as baked goods, coffee, and tea, the hospital cafeteria is the way to go if you need an energizing late night snack for your studying.

MDCL atrium Veggies with hummus: Make mom proud with this one. Vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli or cucumbers all deliver the crunch you crave while note taking, and taste great with any kind of hummus dip. The hummus adds a savoury flavour to the veggies, which are packed with essential nutrients, and it’s an excellent source of protein.

If you are looking for a calm and relaxing location, the waterfall room in the atrium of the Michael DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery is ideal. Its floor-to-ceiling windows let in natural light, a nice change from the fluorescence of most buildings on campus. If you enjoy studying outside, this is the next best thing, allowing you to appreciate natural greenery, rain or shine. With ample benches, the waterfall room is an excellent space for catching up on your reading, or listening to a lecture podcast.

Whatever kind of space you need to succeed, McMaster has it. Sometimes, one just needs to do a bit of searching. The above four places are some of our favourites. What are yours?

24 |

LIFESTYLE

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

Musings of a cafe dweller After falling in love with the drink of coffee, this author soon discovered that her methods of preparation could be improved Sonia Leung Contributor

If you cut me open, I would probably bleed coffee. If you find me on Instagram, you would probably find dozens of pictures of Americanos fondly filtered with slumber or gingham. My name is Sonia and I am a coffee addict. I wasn’t always this way though.

Summer after second year, I went job searching and landed

a job as a barista at a cafe near McMaster. It was just a job — I needed to pay rent and my barista job afforded me that.

Little did I know, I would eventually tumble down the rabbit hole of coffee and all things related.

At this point in my life, coffee was just a tool, a pick-me-up for the groggier of mornings and the occasional all-nighter for that extra resilient project that didn’t like when you tack-

led it. On such occasions, my virgin tongue would shudder in anticipation of the bitterness that the “double-double” imposed.

In the following months, however, I had the misfortune of developing lactose intolerance and my digestive system no longer responded amicably to the dairy component of my “double-double.” Soy and other dairy alternatives aren’t comparable as creamers and were not

worth the 50 cent add-on.

Notably, in the same timeframe, I also decided to reduce my sugar intake as per my family history of diabetes. And so it went, I now drank my coffee black. This one change, though unassuming, would lead me to new discoveries.

1. To my surprise, coffee breath was no longer an issue. The culprit to the unanimously dreaded case of acute coffee-induced halitosis is dairy and sugar. Black coffee does not mark its territory!

2. Black coffee has pleasant flavours even without creamer or sweetener stirred in.

3. Caffeine is a laxative.

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These findings were serendipitous; no longer must I channel my exhales carefully so as not to subject my peers to coffee breath. I also found that I enjoyed coffee much more without the embellishment the “double-double” calls for.

Tasting the flavour notes of coffee requires a few steps.

First, inhale. Gently waft in the smell of your cup of java. Let the aroma saturate your nasal cavity, hold your breath for

a brief moment, and exhale.

Your olfactory senses contribute to your perception of taste, so this step primes you for optimal enjoyment of coffee.

Then, take another breath, drink some coffee, and swish it around your mouth and let it evenly coat your tongue for a few seconds. After you swallow it, exhale through your nose.

Discernment of flavour notes comes with practice, but the first two domains of flavour you will experience are fruity (from varying levels of acidity) and nutty (varies between crops of coffee and levels of roastedness). Graduation from this dichotomy of flavour entails experiencing other tones. Three cheers to you if you taste that your coffee is earthy, herby, spicy or flowery.

Due to my penchant for flavour, I made the switch from drip coffee to Americano (FYI, Americano is a mix of espresso and hot water). The subtleties of flavour aren’t so subtle in such a beverage.

Drop the cream and sugar in your coffee if you’re feeling a little adventurous today. And in case you’re wondering, the best coffee I’ve had in Hamilton is the Americano from Pinecone Coffee Co. on John Street South.

Commons pick-up at 6:00PM | 7:00PM | 8:00PM Final drop off 9:30PM

The author’s favourite place for a cup, Pinecone Coffee Co. AMANDA WATKINS/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mary Keyes pick-up at 6:30PM | 7:30PM | 8:30PM Final drop off 10:00PM

LOOK FOR THE

BIG YELLOW School Bus!

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

The Silhouette | 25

Sports One year later with Glen McMaster Athletics director Glen Grunwald chats about his successes and memories after completing his first year with the department

5 5 4 4 4 2 2 2 1 1 0

WESTERN GUELPH McMASTER QUEEN’S CARLETON OTTAWA TORONTO LAURIER WINDSOR YORK WATERLOO

0 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 5 5 5

CALGARY LAVAL WESTERN MONTREAL GUELPH MANITOBA McMASTER SASKATCHEWAN SHERBROOKE UBC

Men’s Soccer OUA East W L

W L

WINDSOR McMASTER YORK GUELPH LAURIER WESTERN WATERLOO

9 8 6 7 4 3 3

1 3 1 2 4 3 8

RYERSON TORONTO CARLETON QUEEN’S NIPISSING UOIT LAURENTIAN

8 8 5 5 3 4 3

2 1 3 3 5 1 1

Women’s Soccer OUA West

OUA East

W L

YORK LAURIER WESTERN GUELPH WATERLOO

9 9 8 6 4

1 1 3 5 1

OTTAWA UOIT TORONTO LAURENTIAN QUEEN’S

W L

7 7 6 5 4

3 2 1 2 5

Men’s Cross Country CIS Top Ten 1. GUELPH 2. LAVAL 3. TRINITY WESTERN 4. WINDSOR 5. MCMASTER

6. VICTORIA 7. QUEEN’S 8. StFX 9. LAKEHEAD 10. CALGARY

Women’s Cross Country

Our mission here is to cultivate human potential through sport and recreation.

CIS Top Ten 1. GUEPLH 2. TRINITY WESTERN 3. TORONTO 4. QUEEN’S 5. LAVAL

6. VICTORIA 7. DALHOUSIE 8. McMASTER 9. LAURENTIAN 10. CALGARY

NEW RECORD? Gryphons. It seemed like a game that was slipping out of the hands of the Marauders as they trailed Guelph 24-9 late in the third quarter. Things turned around for the team and quarterback Marshall Ferguson scored the game-winning touchdown.

“It was really exciting to be a part of that. It was my first day on the job and a huge win at home.”

Once a student athlete himself, Grunwald understands the work needed to foster excellence.

“My old college basketball coach, Bobby Knight at Indiana University always had a great saying: ‘Everybody wants to win, everybody wants to be

successful, but few people are willing to do the work to prepare to be successful.’”

The preparation of student athletes creates an opportunity for championships. Athletes spend their summers training in the weight room, running on the track and do all the extra necessary steps to stay committed and be successful in both sport and in life.

There is no doubt that Glen Grunwald has added to the quality calibre of staff in the athletic department and with one year behind him, the future for Mac Athletics is a bright one. @itssofiaAM

McMaster quarterback Asher Hastings is currently tied for the program’s record of most touchdown passes thrown (21) in a single season. The OUA single-season record is 24.

GO MAC GO

Home games this weekend Men’s Rugby FRI

C/O FRASER CALDWELL

AT 4 P.M.

VS. Women’s Rugby

FRI

“It’s a great culture here at McMaster across the board, it’s so fun to be around to see all of this energy and to see good things happening,” said Grunwald.

Though the year has been a memorable one for Grunwald witnessing many team wins along the way, his favourite was on his first day of the job: Sept.

1, 2014.

It was a football game at Ron Joyce Stadium where the McMaster Marauders battled it out against the Guelph

CIS Top Ten W L

OUA West

“

Glen Grunwald Director, McMaster Athletics and Recreation

OUA

VS.

AT 7 P.M.

Women’s Soccer SAT

With his first year as Athletic Director in the books, Glen Grunwald reflects on a successful year for McMaster Athletics.

Various championship banners finding their place on the walls of the David Braley Athletic Centre and corporate partnership announcements continue to place McMaster sports amongst the best in the country.

Grunwald is no stranger to the world of sports. He has previously served as general manager for the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks before finding his place here at McMaster.

Now, with the Marauders, his day-to-day involves everything from being in the office working out business deals to being in the stands cheering on the Maroon and Grey.

“Our mission here is to cultivate human potential through sport and recreation,” said Grunwald.

An area of improvement for the department under Grundwald’s guidance has been finances and partnerships.

Building and maintaining a winning tradition here at Mac will bring more sponsorships.

Two of the most recent partnerships to have been announced are with BioSteel and Sheraton Hotel. Biosteel will be the official sports drink for the 2015-16 CIS season. Sheraton Hamilton Hotel will be the host hotel for all visiting teams.

“We are trying to partner with the right companies and also partner with community groups,” said Grunwald.

Aside from the business aspect, Grunwald has been involved with many community initiatives with the department. McMaster Athletics and Recreation invites schools in the city for home games, is a place for sports camps in the summer

and student athletes spend a lot of time in the community engaging in volunteering.

“We are making a difference with people and in the community,” said Grunwald.

Just a few weeks ago, Grunwald and members of the McMaster Men’s Basketball team participated in a neighbourhood hoops event in the inner city Beasley community.

These moments and so many others have been made possible through McMaster Athletes Care, a program where our student athletes take part in valuable volunteer experiences that help build strong relationships in the local community where athletes can make connection and be role models.

Football

VS.

AT 12 P.M.

Men’s Soccer SAT

Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor

LEAGUE AT LARGE

AT 4 P.M. AT 4 P.M.

VS.

AT 2:15 P.M.

26 |

SPORTS

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

McMaster remains focused on gold Fresh off of two wins over Alberta, the McMaster Men’s Volleyball team is looking to build depth for another shot at CIS gold

C/O ALISTAIR BOULBY

Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter

McMaster Men’s Volleyball hosted the defending national champions Alberta Golden Bears for a three-game series that commenced on Thursday night and ended on Saturday night. The Marauders won two out of the three games in straight sets and conceded Saturday night’s game in a hard-fought five-set battle that McMaster Head Coach Dave Preston called a “title fight.”

A title fight is exactly what is on the minds of the McMaster Men’s Volleyball team. McMaster hosts the 2016 CIS Men’s National Volleyball Championship from March 10-12, 2016. As the host school, McMaster has an automatic bid to the tournament.

In terms of university volleyball, the nation’s attention will be fixed on the action inside Burridge Gym come March.

The Marauders have turned into a national powerhouse. In the past three years, McMaster has come within reach of national

glory, taking silver in 2013 and bronze in both 2014 and 2015.

This group has one ultimate goal: national gold. Nothing less. This year’s road to glory started with a preseason game at Redeemer last week and the Alberta games this weekend were another set of steps. Every step along the way will serve to ensure that they get closer to that goal. Many things can happen throughout the course of a season, but the Marauders have one guarantee that acts as a benchmark for them.

“We know that on March 10 at 8 p.m. we play a national quarterfinal. That end point in past years was not a fixed agenda. This year it is,” said Preston.

“So now we get to work back from there and do all kinds of different things but we want to make sure that come March 10, we’re ready for our defining moment.”

Until then, however, depth and rhythm are two key concepts that Preston and the rest of the coaching staff are trying to instill.

“If you want really strong rhythm right now, then you need to play six or seven guys.

But if you want to get depth and create that, then you have to play a lot of guys and that’s what we’re doing right now,” Preston said.

“We’re going to build our depth. We don’t need our rhythm right now as much as we need our depth and so we’re going to continue to do that.

After Christmas is when we’ll start to build our rhythm. In the meantime we’re going to play a lot of guys and give them some really meaningful moments and good opportunities.”

Valuable experience will come in the form of a trip to Poland that begins on Oct. 10 and ends on Oct. 19. Along with working on depth and rhythm, Preston is focusing on something he refers to as “performance standards.” A stats coach on the Men’s Volleyball staff is responsible for tracking every single contact a Marauders player makes. All of those plays are rated on a scale of zero to four.

“It’s basically like writing a test. We evaluate those tests as they’re going on. Our goal is to serve and pass at a certain number (on that scale). We didn’t

get there this weekend,” Preston said. “Those are our performance standards so as much as we want to take some solace in the fact that we played the twotime defending national champs pretty good, we didn’t do what we wanted to do.”

With the Alberta series in the rearview mirror, March 10 inside Burridge remains the inevitable destination. No matter what happens this season the road will end, and in another sense, begin on March 10 when the lights turn on and this hungry Marauders team shows their home crowd how much they really want national gold.

Does the fact that this Marauders team has a guaranteed spot in the national quarterfinal at home change their level of focus and preparation?

“Oh no. This group wouldn’t do that. They’re too dialed in. They’ve been dialed in for years. You don’t get this good by just showing up and throwing your sticks in the middle for some shinny,” Preston said. “We’re dialed in.” @_jayceecruz

“

We want to make sure that come March 10 at 8 p.m., we’re ready for our defining moment.

Dave Preston Head Coach, McMaster Men’s Volleyball

SPORTS | 27

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

BALANCING THE

GAME OF LIFE First-year cornerback Adam Poole speaks on his experience of juggling academics and athletics Ben Keymer Contributor

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The adjustment for student athletes from high school to university is riddled with challenges and tribulations, and for first-year defensive back Adam Poole, these challenges are only magnified. Many first-year students know how hard it can be to balance sleep, school and a social life. For Poole, there is a fourth element: football.

Hailing from Brampton, Ontario, Poole serves the role of starting cornerback for the Marauders football team.

While most first-year students were moving into residence and starting their first day of Welcome Week, Poole was in downtown Toronto playing his first university football game against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.

The academic adjustment from high school to university is significant for all students and it’s no different for athletes.

Balancing regular practices, meetings and games with a university course load is a lot to ask of an 18-year-old, but the football support staff do an excellent job of ensuring that their players are successful on the field and in the classroom.

Poole said that his coaches are adamant that their players must not be “one hit wonders.”

To ensure that all players are successful student athletes, they are paired with an academic advisor for the year they meet with weekly to discuss academic goals and plans for success in the classroom.

While the transition in the classroom is difficult, the onfield adjustment is even tougher.

“Training camp was really hard,” said Poole. “I was getting used to the speed, getting used to the game, getting better.” He pointed to speed as the largest change from high school, with the mental game as a close

second.

There is not much room for error in university football like there was back in high school.

Every decision must be made in a split second and while much of that comes from physical size and speed, the innate sense many university football players possess for the game makes it exponentially harder.

Flashing back to Varsity Stadium in Toronto, where the Marauders beat the Blues 55-33, Poole showed little difficulty in his transition. He picked up 4.5 total tackles and an interception in the victory. “It was pretty amazing,” Poole said regarding the game, “First start, first pick, first win. It was a good feeling.”

The Marauders will be looking for similar production from Poole through the final games of the season and hopefully into the playoffs, where they will be looking for a second straight Vanier Cup appearance. The team’s offense is particularly strong this year, so if Poole and his fellow defensive backs are able to shut down the opposition’s air attack, the Marauders will compete with the best teams in the country.

Poole seems to be handling the student athlete transition extremely well, in part thanks to his combination of natural ability and work ethic, and in another due to the support provided to him by the university’s coaches, trainers and advisors.

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SPORTS | 29

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

Finding victory at the finish line During McMaster’s Homecoming weekend Maddy McDonald of the Women’s Cross Country team leads the Marauders to gold

TOP FIVE RUNNERS WOMEN’S

MEN’S

1. Maddy McDonald - 3rd 2. Chelsea Mackinnon - 10th 3. Gabrielle Foran - 17th 4. Maddie Benjamin - 19th 5. Emily Nowak - 25th

1. Blair Morgan - 3rd 2. Connor Darlington - 4th 3. Gabriel Ghiglione - 12th 4. Jeffrey Tweedle - 18th 5. Derek Van Schepen - 21st

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Fourth-year runner Maddy McDonald led the McMaster women’s team to gold. She scored first for the Marauders completing the 5 km course with a time of 17 minutes and 42 seconds.

Visit us online at thesil.ca

Get Engaged in your #HamOnt Community Have you ever done something for others, not because you were told to, or to receive extra bonus marks, but rather because of that warm, fuzzy, you-just-didwell-by-the-world feeling.

This fall, take the opportunity to do something beyond the classroom, not because your prof said so (although if your prof does, we recommend you listen), or because your mom thinks it will look good on your resume (which it will) but because you want to learn more about your community, be fully engaged in your McMaster experience, and share your learning with others.

Leadership Summit for Women: Presented in partnership with McMaster University, McMaster’s Students Union and YWCA Hamilton. This event helps women and supporters access leadership education, personal development and skills training, networking and mentorship opportunities through powerful dialogue. Be part of creating a more just and equitable Hamilton community.

Registration is open: bit.ly/2015LSW

Hamilton Series: A collection of topic presentations focused on the social, historic and economic perspectives of Hamilton. These presentations are paired with excursions off-campus into the city of Hamilton.

MacServe Reading Week: Volunteer your Reading Week!

Choose from one of the six locations around the world and take a closer look at local, national or global issues and how you can effect affect positive change. Registration for this event closes November 2.

One Bite at a Time: Cultural restaurant owners will give a background story to students and how they ended up in Hamilton and then students share a traditional meal. There is approximately one event per month. Next event is October 29 to a Chinese restaurant. This event is open only to International Students.

This is a paid advertisement by the Student Success Centre.

The Student Success Centre is located in Gilmour Hall 110 or you can visit online at studentsucess.mcmaster.ca.

Pop the Bubble: Many students refer to McMaster as existing within a ‘bubble’. Pop the Bubble is a year-round student-run civic engagement initiative to encourage students to step beyond the campus boundaries and become engaged within the greater Hamilton community. Plus, they go on lots of fun day trips. popthebubble.wordpress.com Find out more about all of these programs and others by visiting the Student Success Centre website. These events are warm, fuzzy, and you-just-did-well-by-the-world feeling guaranteed.

First 30 students to visit our office in Gilmour Hall 110 and mention that you read or saw this ad will receive a “Free Coffee” card for My Dog Joe in Westdale.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

The Silhouette | 31

andy Review: What A Time To Be Alive Drake & Future The two rappers united to much hype, but the pairing didn’t boast the sort of return fans expected

“

The Verdict

TRACK LISTING

The Sil recommends: JUMPMAN Overwhelmingly unanimous

Tomi Milos Andy Editor

What a time to be alive indeed.

If you’re not a corny old-head who thinks the height of rapping is astute grasp lyricism, your favourite rappers right now are probably Future and Drake. With the pair coming off of absolutely massive years in which their only competition has been each other, it makes sense that they’d pool their star power together link up for a full-length project.

Although Drake was effusive in his praise for Future at OVO Fest, no one could have seen this one coming and the internet was thrown into a frenzy by the announcement. Recorded in a week in Atlanta, What A Time To Be Alive bears the marks of its impromptu creation, but still boasts a fair bit of quality.

Whenever Drake has linked up with Future on tracks like “Tony Montana” and “Shit,” the pair’s joint efforts have always seemed a tad disjointed. While

getting in the studio together may have brought them closer as friends, it hasn’t helped their scant chemistry in the booth.

Certifiable stars in their own respective lanes, when the two get together on a track it can sometimes feel forced.

Take the mixtape opener, “Digital Dash.” Future immediately entrances listeners with some mumbled lyrics and ad-libs, but we’re left waiting for Drake’s verse, which is slotted into the last minute. “Big Rings” is quite awkward at best, with Drake drowning in the swells of the beat and his own shoddy hook.

Things pick up on “Live From The Gutter,” where the two MC’s seem to find their rhythm before they absolutely crush the next song, “Diamonds Dancing.” It’s the first track that seems them working in tandem rather than just tacking on their own bars to the end.

Perhaps an ode to Drake’s deal with Jordan, “Jumpman” is the clear standout of the mixtape and not just because of Metro Boomin’s insane produc-

tion. The song boasts amazing one-liners like “chicken wings and fries, we don’t go on dates” and “jumpman” is really fun to say consecutively.

WATTBA is not without its flaws, but they are more ideological than technical. Both rappers will remain problematic favourites for their fans, with the pair still degrading women to no end. In many a way, they have both risen to mainstream fame via their misogyny; Drake with the boo-hoo nice-guy simping that has made millions of bros believe the friend zone is a thing, and Future with more rampant hatred like the pettiness found on Monster, the mixtape he made following his very public breakup with Ciara (see “Throw Away” for a brilliantly tortured five-minute summary of their relationship).

We must also must have willingness to listen to the black male experience and attempt to understand where there pain is coming from rather than just critique how it is expressed.

Very often, the angst that they are misguidedly dumping upon

1. Jumpman 2. Diamonds Dancing 3. Live From The Gutter 4. Digital Dash 5. I’m The Plug 6. 30 for 30 Freestyle 7. Change Locations 8. Plastic Bag 9. Scholarships 10. Jersey 11. Big Rings

the women in their lives is motivated by familial and financial loss. One only has to look to “Blow A Bag”, a single from Future’s Dirty Sprite 2 to grasp this. On the anthemic track full of boasting, Future takestime in the first verse to expose some of his personal demons: “I know I came from poverty, I got my name from poverty, I know for sure, for sure, if my granddad was livin’, I know he be proud of me.” That said, one can always hope that artists would find a better place to dump their frustrations than on the backs of women who suffer enough at the hands of patriarchal society.

If you can excuse the cringe-worthy chauvinism, you’ll be able to appreciate the few really good bangers that the tape yielded. Think of it less as an album and more of a stocking stuffer to compliment the massive presents that Future and Drake’s full-length solo projects were to music fans this past year. @tomimilos

In many a way, they have both risen to mainstream fame via their misogyny; Drake with the boohoo nice-guy simping that has made millions of bros believe the friend zone is a thing, and Future with more rampant hatred like the pettiness found on Monster, the mixtape he made following his very public breakup with Ciara (see “Throw Away” for a brilliantly tortured fiveminute summary of their relationship).

32 |

ANDY

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

The Andy approval matrix

COMING UP IN HAMILTON

The best and worst in arts and culture. This is a concept borrowed from New York Magazine. We hope they don’t mind.

MUSIC

BALTIMORE HOUSE OCT 8 > Ratwolf OCT 9 > Perdu

HIGHBROW

OCT 11 > The Human Orchestra

Aaron Sorkin insists that those who’ve spoken up about his upcoming Steve Jobs biopic don’t hate the movie. He’s right, they probably just hate his overly sensational writing.

THE CASBAH

OCT 9 > Hachey The Mouthpeace

OCT 17 > Stars

Selina Nwulu named new poet laureate of London, England.

MILL’S HARDWARE

OCT 23 > Lindi Ortega OCT 24 > Grand Analog

Harvard debate team loses to prison inmates from a New York correctional facility.

Vanessa Grigoriadis of the New York Times tried to suggest that Nicki Minaj enjoys the drama of the men in her life warring as if she were responsible for them.

FILM Westdale Theatre

Currently playing > Learning To Drive > This Changes Everything > The Stanford Prison Experiment Art Gallery of Hamilton

This week’s quick pick

DESPICABLE

> Oct 16-25

Yassss, Nicki, yas. In an interview with the NYT, Nicki put Miley in her place.

BRILLIANT

Film Festival

Patti Smith releases her new book, M Train, and it’s brilliant.

Run The Jewels

Meow The Jewels Toronto Police tried to diffuse a rowdy crowd at Nuit Blanche and only made it worse.

Beats by Dr. Dre releases a new pill speaker that won’t blow up on you.

That’s all I have to say about an already good album remixed using cat samples.

Justin Bieber accused One Direction of hijacking his album campaign after announcing their own release on the same day. It’s called competition, bud.

LOWBROW

ANDY

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

| 33

Top flicks from the AGH film festival Some of the best films from around the world visit the Art Gallery of Hamilton from Oct. 16-25

Porch Stories Saturday, Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. @ Mills Hardware Runtime: 73 min.

Rating: 14A | Drama

Court

From the director of acclaimed 2004 Hot Docs prizewinning documentary Army of One, Toronto filmmaker Sarah Goodman displays a sure hand with her first narrative feature.

Porch Stories captures the intersecting lives of three people. With a strolling camera and beautiful black-and-white cinematography, Goodman perfectly portrays the web of events and overheard conversations that make up the city’s soundscape.

Monday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. @ Ancaster SilverCity Cinemas Runtime: 116 min.

Rating: PG | Dramaa Winner of top prizes at the Venice and Mumbai film festivals, Court is a quietly devastating, absurdist portrait of injustice, caste prejudice, and venal politics in contemporary India.

An elderly folk singer and grassroots organizer, dubbed the “people’s poet,” is arrested on a trumpedup charge of inciting a sewage worker to commit suicide. What truly distinguishes Court is the brilliant cast of professional and nonprofessional actors; an affecting mixture of comedy and tragedy; and the naturalist approach to the characters and to Indian society as a whole, rich with complexity and contradiction.

Al Purdy Was Here Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. @ Mills Hardware Runtime: 95 min.

Rating: PG | Documentary The story of Al Purdy, Canada’s leading poet, and the A-frame cabin that he built, now being restored as a writers’ retreat.

Featuring interviews and performances by artists including Leonard Cohen, Bruce Cockburn, Gord Downie, Gordon Pinsent, Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Sarah Harmer, Tanya Tagaq and Joseph Boyden, the film moves between Purdy’s story and the compelling characters bound up in his legacy. Purdy has been called the last, best and most Canadian poet.

Vannessa Barnier Andy Reporter

Amy Sunday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. @ Landmark Cinemas 6 Jackson Square Runtime: 90 min.

Rating: 14A | Documentary / Biography

and top y pick ’s !

With a voice oft-described as a combination of Billy Holiday, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan, Amy Winehouse was a pop star with soul, a once in two generational musical talent whose appeal crossed cultural and demographic boundaries. As riveting as it is sad, Amy is a powerfully honest look at the twisted relationship between art and celebrity — and the lethal spiral of addiction.

Read our review from this summer on thesil.ca!

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Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

Review: Do Ho Suh at the AGH Andy checks out the New York artist’s contribution to the Are You Experienced? exhibit currently on view at the AGH Nicole Vasarevic Contributor

Do Ho Suh’s art installation, 348 West 22nd St, Apt A, New York, NY 10011 (bathroom) is currently part of the Are You Experienced? exhibit at the Art Gallery Of Hamilton.

The first time this piece caught my attention was in my media critique course last week. I am not a contemporary art freak.

Going to the AGH to see Do Ho Suh’s installation was the first time I’ve stepped foot in an art exhibit that was not a required class trip.

The piece is a life scale model of the bathroom where Do Ho Suh grew up and is part of a larger installation of the whole apartment 348 West 22nd

St, Apt A, New York, NY 10011.

I have never stepped foot in this said apartment, however the reasoning behind his installation is all too familiar.

Moving away from home is a shock, whether your home is four hours away or, as in my case, 45 minutes. You leave behind your place of childhood and transition into a new “adult” life. Moving out means leaving behind that security blanket that is being a child. The idea that your actions are thoughts do not have a permanent effect on your future has been left behind.

Do Ho Suh’s installation leaves you feeling empty and unprepared. The blueish transparent walls allow you to look into the most private room of a home. The piece stirs the nostal-

gic and uncomfortable feelings that come when thinking about childhood. The quiet and stillness of the art exhibit amplifies that uncomfortable feeling that resonates off the piece.

I felt as though I shouldn’t have been looking at this bathroom – I was peering into someone’s private thoughts. A bathroom is so much more that just a small space with a toilet and a bathroom. It is the only place while growing up where you are completely yourself, by yourself. The bathroom is where you can hide and be alone with your thoughts.

Do Ho Suh’s piece turns an everyday space into a case of loneliness, nostalgia and the unsettling truth that you are not a child anymore.

A view of the life-scale model bathroom by Do Ho Suh C/O NICOLE VASAREVIC

Lady Gaga’s new video is a must-see “Till It Happens to You” points out the hypocritical assumptions that sexual assault victims are met with from the rest of society and calls for the end of such toxic rape culture

Sunanna Bhasin Contributor

Lady Gaga’s video for her latest song “Til It Happens to You” opens with a trigger warning explaining that it contains graphic content but “reflects the reality of what is happening daily on college campuses.” In other words, this video needs to be seen. The video challenges common views regarding sexual assault. There’s no “obviously-shady-looking character” that initiates the first attack.

Gaga reveals the truth behind many sexual assault cases: the perpetrator is often a friend or someone close to the victim. It also calls out those who question the victims when they come forward. The irony is that the victims should feel supported enough to speak out, yet the reason they often don’t is because of people – who, in most cases, have never experienced sexual assault – shaming them for getting involved in such egregious acts, implying that they had a choice.

In the music video, a young woman is raped by a colleague in her music studio. In this way, Gaga brings the notion of victim blaming to the forefront: would you really think to blame a girl who is attacked by someone she considers a friend in a work environment?

The pop singer doesn’t stop there. In fact, she explores the stereotypical party setting in order to question the common accusation victim blamers tend to make—“oh, well she shouldn’t

have been drinking.” To this Gaga argues, no, he shouldn’t have drugged her drink. This exact instance of sexual assault is depicted in the video when a young man drugs two women at a party by slipping pills (Rohypnol, no doubt) into their drinks.

This case is all too familiar to anyone who pays attention to the news. Gaga captures almost every case involving male perpetrators and female victims.

While these do not comprise all rape cases, they do make up the majority.

While some may criticize Gaga for excluding scenarios where men are raped, it is imperative to understand that she does this purposely. She makes it clear that she is focusing on sexual assault (which describes less violent cases as well) on college campuses. While she could have broadened the scope of her video, the message she leaves behind can be applied to either of the aforementioned situations: support victims, and don’t be too quick to make assumptions about what happened because you won’t understand “‘til it happens to you.”

Although the video starts out overwhelming and heart wrenching, the most beautiful aspect is the solidarity you see towards the end. Slowly, the victims come together to share their traumatic experiences, and then the community begins to reach out. At the end of the video, the victims march out of a college building together confidently with male and female supporters urging them

forward. Gaga encourages viewers to be among those who listen to the victims and try to understand them, but she doesn’t allow you to become complacent just because she has proposed one small solution to a much larger problem. When this group of survivors leave the building, there is the silhouette of a victim who hasn’t been able to speak out yet looming in the background. Gaga’s lesson is clear – make sure that no victim feels isolated or blamed for what happened. This is demonstrated by victims, who had previously tattooed self-hatred on their arms with messages such as “I am worthless” and “Believe me”, writing words of encouragement and love on their bodies: “I am worthy” and “I love myself ”.

One in five college women will be sexually assaulted this year unless something changes. It’s a haunting statistic mentioned at the end of the video which has resulted in positive changes at McMaster, such as the #consent campaign during welcome week.

As the issue of sexual assault becomes more large-scale, international superstars like Lady Gaga address it openly. However, as a McMaster student, I encourage all of you to understand the urgency of dealing with this atrocious rape culture that has encroached onto college campuses across North America and ask yourselves: which role will you play?

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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS A free service provided from Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers for non-profit agencies and groups

Good News As you go through the routine and not so routine aspects of college life, take comfort in the fact that there is nothing new under the sun. While there is never going to be anyone with identical genes who will experience life exactly as you do, your feelings, good and bad, emotions, good and bad, are universal.

Life as you know, comes in phases, getting a college education is one phase. This is around the time in which your prefrontal cortex begins to develop and when you become more aware, emotionally, that your behaviour affects others. It is a time of greater self-awareness, particularly awareness of a moral conscience. Up to this point your behaviour has been shaped by fear of punishment, or what you can get away with. With a moral appreciation of consequences, your behaviour should be shaped by a desire to pursue goodness, for goodness’ sake.

This is a narrow road, but it brings peace of mind, success and happiness. It is also the surest road to wisdom. So try not to despair when the day seems dreary or the task seems impossible.

Bad times never last, and you will adjust like you’ve always done.

Don’t be hard on yourself, after all, you did not make yourself and you are not responsible for the factors that shaped you up to this point. Never forget that we live in our minds and so just as negative thoughts bring you down, positive thoughts will lift you up. And so it is important to control your thoughts.

This, by the way is one of the triumphs in life – the control of what we allow our mind to dwell on. No one knows where thoughts come from, but thank God that we can shut out the bad ones and nurture the good ones.

Work hard, and try to remain honest, so you can keep growing in your ability. You are capable of much more than you realize. Learn self-discipline and organisation so that work doesn’t spill into play, and your play is not spoiled by guilt from

work left undone. Try never to panic. Better to seek help and buy yourself precious time to recover from trouble. Offer good advice and don’t hesitate to seek counsel. We are all in this together.

Don’t be embarrassed to embrace faith so long as you do not become self-righteous and you are not a hypocrite. Your friends may not tell you so, but they will respect and admire you as a spiritual person. After all, true spirituality is about learning to love. You will find that the more you pray, the better you know yourself and the less mistakes you make.

Pray for those you don’t like and forgive others so that it is easier to forgive yourself. Overcome your shyness, not by heavy drinking or by using drugs, but by reminding yourself that we are all shy more or less. In fact, shyness tends to be a function of self-awareness. You are about to come into your own so learn to pick up after yourself and hang in there. You have yet to taste the best that life has to offer.

Compassionate Listening Society

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BANDWAGON This train full of washed-up rockers is driving through town nex t week C1

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OC T. 8, 2015

NOTSPEC.COM

Harper trying to keep Old Stock Canadian voters alive until next week When life support becomes the best way to gain support

This doctor was recently fired from the project. He was deemed to be “just not ready yet.” INSET: Voters excitedly admiring the advancements of technology.

CASSIE NOVA-MOORE Rhino Enthusiast

When death comes knocking on your door, look twice, it’s actually your riding’s Conservative candidate.

Amidst the ongoing drama of the upcoming election on Oct. 19, Harper has decided to launch a new “support” campaign, so to say, that is set to boost his ranking in the polls.

In an effort to gain more constituents, the Conservative party is funding a life support system that is meant to force elderly Old Stock Canadians into living until the election date.

“There are a great number of Conservative supporters that are

just about ready to pop the clog, but we need to keep them going until the polls close. Pop those clogs back in!” said Derek Trigger, a public relations representative for the party.

The Old Stocks, abbreviated to the OS’, account for a large chunk of Harper’s supporters, and he simply is not ready to lose them. The party will be footing the bill for extended hospital care, medications, and about 10,000 plush versions of those little mushrooms from Mario Kart.

“We just thought those were cute,” said Trigger.

Harper, lovingly nicknamed The Wizard of OS, has been praised for the work he has been doing for these senior citizens. Unfortunately, the luck for these OS’ stops on Oct. 19. After polls close, all special treat-

The Speculator is a work of satire. It does not claim to be real, nor should you think it is. Please don’t harass us on social media.

ments will be revoked, including the plush mushrooms.

“We hope to reuse those in the future.”

The system has been working well so far, as many an OS has been able to push past their expected expiration dates.

“We recently had a few voters go to the advance polls. One of our OS’ stepped into the polls and screamed ‘Jesus Christ!’ We thought the lord was about to take him.

Luckily, he was just screaming about the amount of immigrants in line.”

The party feels hopeful that this new tactic will work out well for them.

“We’ve cheated citizens for years. Now it’s time to cheat death.”

“I’m just looking out for my crew.”

Stephen Harper Old Stock King

INSIDE ARGUABLY OK ARTICLES A3 BACKSTREET BOY, JUST THE ONE A4 DONALD TRUMPET OF THE SWAN B2 HOW TO DO THAT WHISTLE FROM THE HUNGER GAMES B4 FRANK OCEAN. I JUST MISS HIM B8 ELIZABETH GAY C2 THOMAS MULFAIR C4 STEPHEN HARPOOP D2 JUSTIN TRUDAT D5

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