Issue 12 - February 12, 2014

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the

Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - Issue 12 // www.thesputnik.ca

News

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On Campus

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Features

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A&E

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Sports

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Opinion

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Brantford: The city of love?

Page 7

Partnership with Laurier likely page 3

James Alfred Cooper back in custody page 3

Alone on Valentine’s Day page 9

Family ties: George Bush and Bill Clinton page 12

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

NEWS

Nathanael Lewis // news@thesputnik.ca | @Sputnik_News

Eleven dollars: The new standard Kathleen Binder Staff

Ontario’s minimum wage is set to increase at the beginning of this summer from its current $10.25.

As of June 2014, Ontario will see their current minimum wage raise from $10.25 to $11. The new rate is aimed to reflect the rise in the Consumer Price Index [CPI].

Student minimum wage and minimum wage for liquor servers will increase as well. Students can look to receive $10.30 as of June 2014, and liquor servers will increase to $9.55 from $8.90, according to Ontario’s Ministry of Labour website.

tion Strategy. Within the first three years of this strategy, approximately 47,000 children and their families were brought out of poverty.

“Our government is focused on helping hardworking Ontarians by ensuring fairness for people living on minimum wage and predictability for business,” said Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Labour. “By establishing a transparent, fair and responsible method of setting minimum wage in the future, we are taking the politics out of minimum wage.”

“By establishing a transparent, fair and responsible method ... we are taking the politics out of minimum wage.”

“Increasing the minimum wage will help improve the standard of living for hardworking people across the province.”

- Kathleen Wynne Phil Gillies, Ontario PC candidate for Brant, believes that a “modest minimum wage increase” is not unnecessary, seeing as there has not been an increase in “some years.”

“I believe going forward that the minimum wage should be pegged to the rate of inflation and get periodic increases based on this criteria,” said Gillies in an e-mail statement. “But this is not going to address the real issue for modest-income families— which is the need for good-paying, high-quality

- Yasir Naqvi The new minimum wage is $11. (Photo by Christina Manocchio)

jobs. We need to bring value-added jobs from industry and business into Ontario and into Brant.”

Gillies states that he believes Ontario Government’s present policies [high taxes, high energy costs and over-regulation] are driving away new investments that has the potential to create good jobs in our community. He believes this must be fixed.

The last increase of minimum wage occurred in 2010, when rates changed from $9.60 to $10.25.

The 75-cent increase reflects

the annual change in Ontario’s CPI since the last increase on March 31, 2010.

This is part of the provincial government’s commitment to fairness.

“Increasing the minimum wage will help improve the standard of living for hardworking people across the province, while ensuring that businesses have the predictability necessary to plan for the future,” said Ontario’s Premier, Kathleen Wynne.

Increasing the minimum wage supports Ontario’s Poverty Reduc-

Naqvi believes that by doing this, Ontario workers and their families will be provided fairness, predictability and transparency for their businesses to remain competitive and succeed.

The province’s Minimum Wage Advisory Panel recommends that the province do a thorough review of its minimum wage rates and revising process every five years.

The current minimum wage is $10.25. It has increased nearly 50 per cent since 2003.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

NEWS

Nathanael Lewis // news@thesputnik.ca | @Sputnik_News

James Alfred Cooper back in custody EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Layla Bozich eic@thesputnik.ca ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Rohith Sothilingam rohith@wlusp.com (519) 756-8228 ext. 5948 PHOTO EDITOR Cody Hoffman photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Rebecca Duce visual@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Sylvia Hernandez-Rassavong web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Kyrsten Lowell Jessica Lalonde SECTION EDITORS Nathanael Lewis, News Now Hiring, On Campus Dillon Giancola, Features Amber Richardson, A&E Kyle Morrison, Sports Cody Groat, Opinion

CONTRIBUTORS Brittany Bennett Taylor Berzins Kathleen Binder Stevan Bodrozic Jaclyn Brown Hannah Brunsdon Brian Holland Chris Pimentel Priscilla Popp Kristen Rodgers Swathy Sooriyakumar

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Kathleen Binder Staff

A 78-year-old convicted sex offender was arrested and taken into custody on Friday.

James Alfred Cooper, at one point named the worst sex offender in Canada, moved to downtown Brantford earlier this year to the Salvation Army half-way house on Dalhousie.

At approximately 11:40 a.m. on Feburary 7, 2014, the Brantford Police Service took Cooper into custody under a “Warrant of Apprehension, Suspension and Recommitment to Custody of Statutory Release” which was issued by the Correctional Service of Canada.

Cooper was arrested without incident under the authority of the warrant.

This warrant allowed Brantford Police the authority to apprehend Cooper and bring him to the Brantford Jail, into the custody of Correctional Services of Canada.

Possible reasons for a warrant to be issued may be for a breach; to prevent a breach; for the protection of society, or for automatic suspension.

In the case of Cooper, the offender was taken into custody “for the protection of society”.

Brantford Jail. (Photo by Aldo Zhang)

Finance Minister to visit Brant Swathy Sooriyakumar & Nathanael Lewis Staff & News Editor

Finance Minister Charles Sousa will be discussing Ontario’s pension plan this Monday in Brantford.

Sousa will be meeting up with the Brantford, Hamilton and Halton Hills chapters of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons to discuss the potential future for pensions in Ontario.

Sousa will discuss a proposed pension plan with CARP representatives from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Wilfrid Laurier Brantford’s Carnegie Building, located at 73 George Street.

After, the Ontario minister will be holding a pre-budget consultation session with Brant MPP Dave Levac, the riding

Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc.

FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREDITS: Main: Cody Hoffman Left: Also Zhang Centre: Christina Manocchio Right: Rebecca Duce

into play for all seniors in Ontario - the results of which have secured senior's positions in society to be able to stay active and safe within their communities. It was the direct result of a report Living Longer, Living Well by Dr. Samir Sinha.

“I am proud of the progress we have made since introducing Ontario’s Action Plan for Seniors. Together with our community partners, seniors and their families, we are creating and sustaining supportive environments that help Ontario seniors live active, safe and meaningful lives,” said Mario Sergio, Minister Responsible for Seniors Affairs.

Taylor Berzins Staff

February is Canada’s Black History Month, and the Brantford arts community wants the public to get in the know.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of diversity to help recognize the racialized narrative of western history, and in turn unpack the frameworks upon which history is told by recognizing the achievements and roles people of African descent have played in shaping the Canadian experience.

Brantford’s Black History Month Committee, in partnership with local art groups, has arranged for a series of events to take place throughout the month.

The 2014 celebration has been designed around the theme of “homecoming”.

Brantford’s Black History Month opening ceremony took place at Sydenham United Church on February 2 and the church will also be host to a film night, with the closing ceremony on March 1.

The 12th celebration put on, the events are held through teamwork between Glenhyrst Art Gallery, and the Brantford Arts Block, who will be showcasing Afro-Caribbean themed art throughout the month to help promote a discourse about the role of black artists in shaping Canada’s art scene.

Brantford artist Nicole Alexander, whose work is featured this month at Glenhyrst, will be hosting an event there to speak about her work on the 15.

Alexander, who is a member of Caribbean Canadian Artists, The Association of African Canadian Artists and the Black Artist’s Collective, uses art to transcend racial stigmas. On her website, Alexander states, “coming from a place where I never thought that I was beautiful based on the colour of my skin, my paintings are a reminder to me and a lesson to my children that beauty comes in all shades and forms.”

This February marks the 19th official Canadian Black History Month. The event was officially recognized in Canada in 1995 after passing a motion established by Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament.

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of Brant for the Ontario Liberal Party and Ted McMeekin, representing the riding of Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, and Westdale for the Ontario Liberal Party.

Sousa, member of Provinical Parliament born in Toronto; is in the riding of Mississauga South and Ontario’s Minister of Finance, while also serving as the Chair of the Treasury Board and Management Board of Cabinet.

Sousa will definitely be making an attempt to explain and promote the benefits of the Ontario Government's Action Plan Benefiting Seniors and their Caregivers.

Just over a year ago, the plan was put

Black History Month in Brantford

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In November of last year, several petitions popped up on the site Change. org. All of these petitions called for the removal of Cooper from the Brantford half-way house.

In December, Brant MP Phil McColeman went to the House of Commons to complain about Cooper being released.

“This repeat sex offender is being released into my community. Our government promised to crack down on those who victimize children. We will also be bringing forward legislation to ensure that life sentences actually mean life sentences, behind bars, for the worst of the worst criminals.”

The Brantford Police Service does not have an ongoing Criminal Investigation in regards to this offender.

The Brantford Police Service High Risk/Repeat Offender Unit is responsible for managing and investigating the high risk and repeat offenders in the City of Brantford. They work in partnership with correctional authorities to lessen the risk that offenders may pose within the community.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

ON CAMPUS

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Sam Lambert elected Students’ Union president with 51 per cent of the vote Marissa Evans The Cord (Wilfrid Laurier University)

With 51.8 per cent of the vote, Sam Lambert was elected the Students’ Union president for the 2014-15 year.

“I want to thank everyone who supported me throughout the process,” he said, following the news. “It’s an unbelievable feeling and I can’t explain it.”

Lambert explained that his first step as president elect will be to go to the Students’ Union office tomorrow to pick up the proposals for the VP positions he will be hiring for.

“I’m looking forward to everything the VP’s have to propose,” he continued.

“I’m looking forward to hiring and then budgeting.”

Lambert spent the last two weeks campaigning, along with his fellow candidates Chandler Jolliffe and Justin Tabakian.He said he appreciated the “friendliness” of the campaign period.

“I think we all appreciated the fact that we were doing our best,” Lambert said. “…It was very friendly and I appreciate everything the other candidates did.”

Lambert won the election by 148 votes. Chandler Jolliffe was a close second and Tabakian came in third.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team or our campaign,” commented Jolliffe. “We set out with a goal to run a campaign that was based around ideas and platform issues, not around

Sam Lambert celebrates after hearing the news he was elected. (Photo courtesy of Jody Waardenburg)

marketing gimmicks, and that’s what we did.”

He wished Lambert best of luck with his presidency next year.

Tabakian said he doesn’t have any regrets in regard to his campaign.

“Everything I have done is hands down a reflection of my campaign team,” he said. “…For the people who put their faith in me, I’m sorry that I disappointed

them. I appreciate them having their support in me.”

Moving forward, Tabakian said he doesn’t have any plans solidified. But he’s aiming to take some time to reevaluate the next 12 months and wants to “make the best of it.”

“I honestly couldn’t have enough respect for Chandler and Sam,” he concluded. “They put an incredible

campaign forward- they made it such a good race.”

Polls officially closed at 8:00p.m. on Thursday. However, the results were delayed until nearly 12:30 a.m. due to technical difficulties with the new voting software. This was the first election that a ranked voting system was used.

Jordan Epstein, chair of the board and chief governance officer, explained that there were “absolutely no kinks” for the president and board of governors portion of the tallying. When it came to the board of directors, however, there was a problem with looping the votes which caused the delay.

In terms of voter turnout, over 5,000 students logged onto the system.

However, many students did not vote.

Epstein speculated that they may have logged on, been confused with the new system and did not cast any votes.

As well, Brantford turnout was less than half of what it was last year.

Overall, however, Epstein said he was happy with the way elections ran.

“I did feel this was a very clean campaign. Last year was the hacking incident, this year there was nothing approaching that level. Candidates had really amicable relations between them.”

International Development Week a success at Laurier Brantford Dillon Giancola Features Editor This past week was International Development Week and it was celebrated at Laurier Brantford by a number of events put on by WUSC. But what is International Development Week and what, exactly, is WUSC? International Development Week is a time recognized around the world to raise awareness and support for humanitarian efforts across the globe. WUSC stands for World University Service of Canada, which is based out of Ottawa and is headed on our campus by Alex Carson, a 4th year Human Rights student.

On Tuesday, they held an event raising awareness for Shine A Light, a program to bring educational opportunities to female refugees. They raise money to buy lamps for the women so they can study at night, as they are usually busy with chores during the day.

Thursday saw the WUSC’s cake event, their most popular and most successful.

They give out cake and thank you cards to

students and tell them about the Student Refugee Program. “Almost a hundred per cent of the people we give cake to have never heard of the program,” Carson said.

The Student Refugee Program takes one refugee a year and brings them to Laurier Brantford to be a student, helping them with studies, housing and other areas. It is funded by the students themselves, as we each pay four dollars per semester. Laurier Brantford has three refugee students.

Steve Mayang, is a first year Business Technology refugee student from South Sudan. “I really like it here so far. But it’s really so cold,” Mayang said. Mayang, together with the other refugee students, work closely with Carson and the rest of the club to bring awareness of the program to our campus. Mayang explained that this program has been around for a long time and at places like the University of Toronto, it is very popular, with lots of students.

But at our campus, and even Waterloo, it is relatively new, so they are still in the

Matt Mente

process of growing the presence of the program here at Laurier.

On Friday, WUSC held an info booth for Bike Parades. This was to raise awareness and funds for bike ambulances, which are used in developing nations around the world to transport HIV and Aids patients to hospitals when ambulances are not available and they are free to use. To set up a bike ambulance, it costs about $280.

Look for their next event to be held this week, in RCW. They will be selling fair trade chocolate and encouraging students to purchase fair trade products for Valentine’s Day. WUSC is always looking for more members. The members help in events and enhancing the clubs presence on campus and help with the student refugees transition to Brantford life. To volunteer, email Carson at wusc.wlubrantford@gmail. com.

Student refugee Steve Mayang, left, and WUSC president Alex Carson, right, at an info booth for International Development Week. (Photo by Dillon Giancola)

WE ARE HIRING Brantford Manager Sputnik EIC Carnegie EIC Advertising Assistant for 2014-15

Find the application at www.wlusp.com/volunteer Applications are due February 25 at midnight.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

FEATURES Dillon Giancola // features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

The psychological aspects of the Mars One Mission Brittany Bennett Staff

As many of you may know, the Mars One mission has passed the first phase of the selection process, narrowing down the pool of more than 200,000 to just 1,058 candidates. For these candidates this could be the most exciting adventure of their lives, and something they have been dreaming of for years.

But critics are questioning the technical feasibility, cost overruns and ethical issues of this plan. These are all very important factors to consider, but one that may be slightly more overlooked are the psychological implications of the potential astronauts.

Dr. Judy Eaton, associate professor in psychology, explains that, “you can certainly mimic the situation or environment that they’re going to be in and see how they respond, but ultimately you don’t ever have 100 per cent confidence that you’re finding the right person.” It is a given that finding the right candidates will be key for the mission’s success, but what if there is no accurate way of doing this?

Running candidate Stephen Fenech from Toronto explains that the online

“It just seems, you know, like somebody could kind of get under the radar and hoodwink them.”

- Stephen Fenech application tested the psychological stability of the applicants’ through a series of essay-style questionnaires.

These questions asked how the applicants would cope in a variety of situations. Fenech has just been told that he successfully passed through the medical examination, and the next examination will be further testing the candidates’ psychological stability. They have not yet been told what will go on during this examination, but Fenech says, “To be honest, I thought it would have been a little more extensive at this point in terms of the psychology aspect. It just seems, you know, like somebody could kind of get under the radar and hoodwink them.”

Eaton says many psychologists believe that certain people have predispositions to specific psychological disorders. These people are considered to be more susceptible to acquiring that

“Death is the main risk, and money is the second. Money is put before the astronauts’ psychological stability.”

The psychological aspects of the Mars One Mission. (Art by Rebecca Duce)

psychological disorder because of their genetics or family history. Eaton says that someone like this could be perfectly fine their whole life, but it is not until they are put into a stressful enough situation that the disorder will be triggered. This is a difficult issue to test for because not all people who have psychological disorders in their family history have this predisposition.

Keeping that in mind, even if all the astronauts are found to be completely psychologically stable, the conditions of the mission have many possible triggers that could bring on psychological issues. The flight alone will be 210 days of containment in an incredibly enclosed place, with no form of personal hygiene besides wet wipes, and constant noises from computers, ventilators and life support systems.

The mission also takes away the physical aspects of the astronauts’ personal relationships outside of one another. Eaton explains that the physical connection within relationships has many positive effects as it releases the hormone oxytocin (also nicknamed the cuddle hormone). Oxytocin is associated with happiness and is said to relieve anxiety. It plays a large role in creating a bond and trust within relationships, something that the astronauts will no longer be able to have or give to their loved ones on Earth.

The astronauts will be preparing for these possible issues and triggers through training simulations for three

months out of each year. The simulation training is said to “invoke as many of the Mars conditions as possible.”

Eaton explains that in reality, it can only be truly seen if the astronauts can handle these conditions when they are on the actual mission, since so little is known about what to expect. “Sometimes these [problems] don’t start to occur until many, many months and even a year after [the mission] started.

No, I don’t think three months is long enough to really see what to expect in a life time of that kind of situation,” Eaton says.

Within phase three of the selection process the participants will be doing their training on live television and the audience will be the ones to select who will move on. Although Mars One ex-

“No, I don’t think three months is long enough to really see what to expect in a life time of that kind of situation.”

- Dr. Judy Eaton perts will be choosing additional participants to move on as well, they are still putting the important decision of picking who is able enough for this mission into the hands of many people that may not have expertise in any way that could benefit their decision.

The two major risk categories outlined under the “Risks and Chal-

lenges” page of the Mars One official website are human life and cost overruns. Nowhere on this page are the minds of the astronauts said to be at risk. Death is the main risk, and money is the second. Money is put before the astronauts’ psychological stability.

Eaton says that the most likely reason they did not include the psychological risks on this page is because they have no idea what psychological risks there are. This is an issue that can only be solved after the observation of pursuing the actual mission.

In a perfect world for Mars One, the astronauts will arrive on Mars alive and survive on the planet, all without going over the budget. But this perfect world still has unknown risks and challenges such as the psychological implications. Even the most effective testing and training may not be enough, but that is the risk that people like Fenech are willing to take.

What is your opinion on the Mars One Mission?

Send your opinions to eic@thesputnik.ca for the chance to be featured in our next issue or on our website!

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

FEATURES Dillon Giancola // features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

Alexander Graham Bell is feeling a little romantic during this time of year. (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

Brantford: The city of romance Nathanael Lewis News Editor Everyone has a different definition of romantic. Some define it as a fine dinner with the best wine and a quartet of string instruments in the background. Others define it as taking time out of your day and spending time with the person you care for the most. And then, there’s Amazon.ca.

Amazon.ca generally defines romance by how many romance novels and Michael Buble albums you buy. And why shouldn’t it? After all, that’s exactly what they sell.

It’s also what they track all around Canada— and, according to them, Brantford is pretty darn romantic.

Now, it’s no Victoria, B.C., coming in first, or even Winnipeg, M.B., who came in second; but Brantford made the top twenty most romantic cities in Canada, ranking number fourteen.

What does this mean? Well, before we jump to conclusions and imagine that Brantford, Ontario is the be-all-and-end-all of romantic destinations that we have just all been overlooking— let’s take a grain of

salt where it’s due and see what the Mayor of Brantford, Chris Friel, had to say about the stat released by Amazon.

Mayor Friel originally posted the link to a CTV B.C. article which mentioned the list— hoping people would get a kick out of it. But, after some negative comments, the Mayor reposted the link with the comment, “I’m going to try this again...This is fun and meant for enjoyment. Don’t get it?

[Move] along, nothing to see here.”

The link got 25 ‘likes’ almost instantly and spawned a lot of conversation. “I think it’s a fun little stat,” said Friel. “I mean, people need to recognize that we’re not a romantic destination like Niagara Falls for example, but that we seem to spend quite a bit of money on romantically linked items purchased online.”

What does Mayor Friel mean? Well, quite frankly, just because Brantford as a whole buys a lot of romance novels, it does not mean it’s romantic. But, hey, don’t just take the Mayor’s word on it— let’s go to

the numbers for this one.

According to the last census, taken in 2011, Brantford has a whopping 33,805 people who could be classified as single— that’s out of just over 90,000— with over 1,000 more single men than women.

Split the difference, one-third of Brantford is single— the other two-thirds are married to each other.

But, enough with the negative. What are some of the positives of Brantford? Is there really anything romantic about it?

Not really.

Brantford has been kicked around in the dirt a bit the last few decades. The fall of most of the factories in the area has caused people to move out because of the lack of jobs. But, even through hard times, Brantford has been consistently building its infrastructure and improving their parks, making Brantford a more beautiful place to be.

Regardless, according to Mayor Friel, there is something romantic in these old

streets. “From my perspective, I met my wife when she walked into the last class of my first day in grade nine in high school.

And we’ve been friends and then ultimately we’ve been married for 23 years this year.

We started dating officially in grade 13, so I must say that Brantford is truly romantic because that’s a truly romantic story.”

But, Mayor Friel is definitely not the only one who found romance in Brantford, as stats clearly show. Many students have found love while going to school in Brantford. Chanel Barbosa and her partner Emma are just one pair that met at Laurier Brantford. “My partner and I met during O-week,” said Chanel. “I was a first-year and she was a second-year. We talked, went on a few dates and have been with one another ever since.”

Brantford might not be the most romantic place in Canada, but it definitely has spawned some great stories for the couples who have met here.

LEAF students and the international connections at Laurier Stevan Bodrozic Staff Our small and intimate campus is home to a surprisingly large number of international students. The LEAF program, which draws the most international students to our campus, is designed to build English skills for those who meet the academic requirements for university, but lack the English skills that the university requires. Students come from around the world, with many coming from China and Saudi Arabia. Some come with friends or have family close by, while others make the journey entirely alone. Although it’s daunting for many students to come to a foreign country with little knowledge of the language and customs, Laurier students quickly make them feel at home.

Some LEAF students end up spending a lot of time together with other LEAF students, but many are quick to join campus clubs, make friends at Laurier and become part of our community. In addition, many Laurier students welcome LEAF students with open arms, including them in activities and events to make their transition easier.

LEAF students Aldo Zhang and Wynne Du, for example, were quick to embrace the local community and have made many friends as a result. Aldo volunteers with The Sputnik as a photographer, while

Wynne is involved with a number of workshops and sports.

Living with Canadian students has had a definite impact on their experiences here; many are quick to reach out and include LEAF students in activities and events, as well as lend a helping hand.

“Every Goldenhawk is full of passion and energy,” says Zhang. “By the encouragement of my Canadian friends I have tried many new things here.”

In addition to including them in activities and providing some form of support, many students have also had a positive impact on the LEAF students by helping them practice English. Learning Services runs a program that pairs Laurier students with LEAF students as a way for LEAF students to practice their English skills and build relationships.

“They are so nice and willing to help you,” says Du, “it reflects the typical helpful spirit of Canadians.”

Both from China, Zhang came to Laurier from Tieling, a city in northeastern China roughly between Beijing and the North Korean border, while Du came from Nanjing, which is closer to Shanghai. Like many other LEAF students, both plan on staying in Canada to begin undergraduate studies.

Zhang is planning on beginning a degree

in communications, while Du has already been accepted into the business program at the Waterloo campus.

While they are from rather large cities (Tieling is home to 3 million people and Nanjing is home to around 8 million), they have quickly fallen in love with the students, the school and a much smaller city.

It’s our friendliness and willingness to interact that sets us apart.

“Although Brantford is such a small city, it is quiet and people here are nice which just reminds me of my hometown.

I love the environment of Laurier,” says Zhang.

Brantford doesn’t have the appeal of larger, more cosmopolitan cities, but it does have a certain laid-back feel to it. It’s the tight-knit community that we have here that appeals to LEAF students looking to become part of the community.

“I like the cozy atmosphere of Brantford. The houses and buildings are beautiful and unique,” Du says.

Taylor DeClerico works in the Student Life and Engagement Office as a LEAF Liaison. She says that the quicker that the LEAF students are able to immerse themselves in student and Canadian culture, the quicker they can learn and excel socially and academically. We as students also have

a role in ensuring that each LEAF student is becoming part of the community.

“Laurier students can help by treating them like every other student, and by making the effort to involve and include them in events that Laurier runs,” DeClerico says.

Part of our university experience here at Laurier Brantford involves interacting with students in the LEAF program and developing relationships with them. Moving halfway across the world to attend school is daunting for anybody, but going alone to a place with an entirely different language is downright terrifying. As Laurier students, the little things that we do are what matter most: inviting LEAF students to events, including them in group activities and even simply asking how their day was all go a long way in making sure they have positive memories when they look back on their time here.

Start a conversation, invite them out for lunch or just hang out with a LEAF student, they’ll appreciate it more than you’ll ever know. At worst you know that you helped them understand English a bit better or made them feel included, and at best you’ve made a new friend.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

A&E Amber Richardson // arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

July Talk. (Photo courtesy of yaletownfm.com)

with Amber Richardson

Last week I got the pleasure of speaking with Leah Fay of Toronto’s most dynamic indie rock band, July Talk. July Talk debuted with their self-titled album after only doing less than a dozen live shows and they have taken the Canadian music scene by storm. The group is notorious for crazy on-stage antics, providing one of the most memorable concert experiences to be had in this great nation.

Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis met in a dingy candlelit bar where Peter fell in love with Leah’s voice. Since then, the fivepiece outfit consisting of Leah Fay, Peter Dreimanis, Ian Docherty, Josh Warburton and Danny Miles have been touring across Canada, spreading the July Talk seed. If you’re not familiar with their music, think of it as bull vs. delicate flower and that is the dynamic Peter and Leah deliver. They rereleased their first album with four new songs, introducing listeners to a more collaborative effort. The day before I spoke with Leah, the group got back from a writing excursion and I was told that we can expect to see a new album within the next year and a half. Until then, I believe it is in everyone’s best interest to pick up July Talk’s album and bask in that Canadian glory.

The story about how you and Peter met is like a story straight from a Hollywood basement. But what was it really like; was it awkward getting together the first few times?

Umm, not really. People always say that it sounds really romantic, but we were shocked the first time we heard that people thought of it like that. It was just two people meeting in a bar and people meet in a bar all the time. I guess under the circumstances of like being a candlelit bar in the middle of the night, and all those things make it seem like that, but it happens all the time. And it terms of the first couple times getting together, I had heard some of Peter’s recordings that he had done on Garageband or something like that and he posted them on a MySpace account. There’s this song, I’ve Rationed Well, which is on the album, that I heard and I just absolutely fell in love with. It was a perfect mix, kind of reminiscent of all these artists that I loved and it was like, “Ok, we can make music together.” It was maybe a little bit awkward, in the way that it would be starting a collaboration with someone you don’t really know very well, but it was the basis for our friendship.

: Sitting down with July Talk All of your videos are in black and white, I’m assuming this is metaphorically you and Peter, both representing opposite sides of the spectrum. How do you maintain the black and whiteness at live shows?

When it first started, it was kind of the idea of having me represent a more lighter, higher pitched sound and energy and Peter kind of being this dark, groveling being.

The album came out and we hadn’t really done any touring yet, so our punch and our essence all sort of came together from being on the road, and living in a very extreme sort of lifestyle -- of no sleep and being really tired,and playing this super high energy show every night, getting on each others nerves and lashing out and freaking out.

We’ve been trying to figure out a way to do a show that’s actually black and white, I don’t know if it will work out, but maybe one day. But for now it’s about making the quiets as quiet as possible and the louds as loud as possible and just kind of constantly playing with opposing forces.

At Edgefest, you pushed the audience way out of their comfort zone and you wanted everyone to take their sunglasses off, can you tell me about that?

I think it’s partially that there’s such a thing about artists wearing sunglasses all the time and I understand it. Like being hungover in front of people, but it’s also a way of hiding and I really like looking people in the eyes. We normally play indoors and we normally play at night so there’s not many people wearing sunglasses, so you can connect and see them and there’s no barrier. Starting to play shows outside and realizing it’s harder to connect when you look out at a whole crowd of people that seem like they’re trying to be cool or something like that, even though it’s just a funny little pair of plastic things you wear on your face. It was just an experiment to see if I could get people to do it. It’s fun to have all eyes and all ears on you and being able to communicate. By being in a band and having that audience, you can push people in a different way. Rock and roll is such a great thing because it lends itself to so much exploration and so much creativity. you can be on stage and you can take the energy of the live show and take the energy of the audience and transform it into whatever you want it to be. There’s no limits to rock and roll. Why not get experimental with that?

I know of some quirky pre-show rituals, what kind of stuff do you guys do before you hit the stage?

I used to read Gord Downie poetry really religiously. There’s this one poem called Earth Diva that I really like that I would always read and I couldn’t go on stage unless I’d read it. But that was then, things are different now. I think everyone just kind of tries to relax in their own way, whether that’s having a beer or restringing their guitar. Peter always buys a new shirt and irons it. Everyone just kinda tries to take a moment... they wouldn’t call it meditative... but that’s what I think it is.

What influences your writing? You get artists like Adele or Taylor Swift who can seemingly only write after they break up with someone, what motivates you to put words on paper?

We are currently writing about a lot of things that are going on in our lives, in the music industry, thing we see happening with our peers, the big shots, or whatever.

We’re constantly listening to other people’s music and other people’s lyrics, and we’re kind of in the midst of trying to figure out if it’s better to write about something so specifically that no one else can relate to it, or is it better to say things in a more all encompassing kind of way. I think it’s doesn’t really matter what you put out through your art, no matter the medium or how specific and personal you make it to yourself, what we do as human beings is try to read into things and personalize them and filter them through our experiences to what we want them to be. We really like Father John Misty lyrics, because he really seems to be hitting the nail on the head and talking about things that people don’t want to talk about. I don’t know if we’ll be able to achieve that, but it’s definitely something we’re being inspired by right now. Right now we’re most interested in having a conversation, being able to present two sides to a story, or two energies, or two different beats, or synth sounds, whatever.

Your album is rock in essence, but it has the sounds of a bunch of different genres.

Is this something you’re going to keep doing?

steps towards something that we didn’t know would grow to be as important as it has become to us. But now the way that it’s happening when we have these 5 people with different ideas about what music should be and their favourite music sounds like, and I guess until we’re forced to choose exactly what our sound is, we’re just going to be ok with being influenced by a bunch of different things.

Which other band or artist has been your favourite to tour or play a gig with?

They’ve all been so good, we’ve been so lucky to go out on the road with everyone we’ve been out with. Personally, I enjoyed the Besnard Lake shows the best. I just love their band and I think they’re all such special people.

July Talk is full of artistic people, Josh and Peter both involved in film as least at one point, you do everything from dance, to drawing and now as a leading member of July Talk. How do the artistic personalities in the group help you create and foster your brand?

Peter has his favourite font, it’s Futura, that will forever be the font of July Talk.

Josh and Pete make amazing music videos for other bands. Josh directs all the videos for our band. In term of the brand, we see the importance of allowing for personalities and the relate-ability of being a clear image of someone. I don’t know how other bands brand themselves, maybe by using projections or images that have more to do with a theme than the people.

We’re standing on stage and we’re really presenting ourselves and we’re trying to connect with people, we’re not the shoegazey type.

What is your opinion of Rob Ford?

Oh. Oh boy. Um, I mean. Yeah. I’m ready for him to not be our mayor anymore. I wish he’d conducted himself a little differently, of course. I think what it comes down to is that I wish the best for him, because I really think that he needs some help, so I hope he gets it. And also that he stops being our mayor.

That was a very polite answer.

That’s the first thing that we noticed that people were saying about [the album].

We didn’t really choose a genre. We were too young to, our band was too young, the sound was too young, everything we were doing was just these tiny little baby

Well, my dad is a political writer, so I’m trying to be diplomatic. But I did get a t-shirt made that says ‘Crack is Whack’.

And I’ve been wearing it all over.

9

The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

A&E

Amber Richardson // arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts Jaclyn Brown Staff with Amber Richardson

Alone on Valentine’s Day

with Amber Richardson

Last Valentine’s Day was incredible. I was in my car and the cool February air made the windows fog up faster than I had anticipated.

I had managed to fog up the car windows from heaving desperately lonesome tears on to the steering wheel of my rusty 2002 Hyundai Elantra parked outside of my house. There was no traumatic past relationship that sparked such a violent sob fest and there was no guy I was longing to be with on that February night, it was nothing of that nature. I didn’t want to boycott Valentine’s and be “that girl”, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to punch the love drunk faces of those girls walking around school with a rose clutched in their hands. I had cracked under the pressure of the holiday and I felt emptier than a student’s gas tank.

Looking back now, it was there behind a steering wheel coated in salty mascara tears that I realized the truth about Valentine’s Day. I was blessed with the crying style of a Kim Kardashian, so I sucked the snot back into my nostrils and braved the remaining two hours of the night completely, utterly and undeniably alone. I went inside and ran upstairs -- straight into the shower. I wanted to avoid the Mom radar so I wouldn’t have to be consoled with promises of finding eventual love. So into the mildly scalding water I went. The shower happens to posses an extraordinary ability to coax out my most philosophical side, which is

where I experienced a minor epiphany.

I know what you’re thinking, “It’s just another day… It’s a Hallmark holiday,” yeah, okay. Thanks for that advice, but unfortunately I am a product of a childhood that majored in Disney princesses, wedding Barbie and a detailed plan to marry all of the Backstreet Boys.

It’s completely unrealistic to shroud any trace of melancholy lonesomeness on that fateful holiday, it’s human nature to long for affection. Amidst the stream of the shower I realized Valentine’s Day revolves around all types of love, family love, erotic love, romantic love, chocolate love … the list goes on. There’s one kind of love that’s missing from that list… selflove. In that moment, I couldn’t honestly recall a recent occasion where I did something to show myself a little love.

It was easier to whine about my cellulite or tell myself to put down the Nutella and go to the gym. So I turned off the showered, dug out those scented candles I’d saved for possible re-gifting, grabbed the bubble bath and had an intimate date with the sounds of John Mayer and my bathtub. That night, in the most sincere way without a trace of narcissism, I showed myself some love. So if this Valentine’s Day you find yourself alone, don’t take it out on your liver. Dust off an old book, watch an entire season of Full House, buy a guinea pig, colour a colouring book and watch baby animal videos on YouTube. You have relied on yourself your entire life, show a little gratitude. Ditch the self-pity and selfsabotage for one day and confide in the fact that it’s completely acceptable to love yourself. You deserve it.

Alone on Valentine’s Day. (Photo by Christina Mannochio)

Raising money for mental health a success for Bell “Let’s Talk” Priscilla Popp Staff

For the fourth year in a row, Canadians were more than willing to talk. Bell’s “Let’s Talk” campaign, a mental health initiative aimed at ending the stigma associated with the illness, raised almost $5.5 million in just a 24-hour period. Social media was a major contributor to the campaign, as 109,451,719 tweets, Facebook shares, long distance phone calls and texts were sent with the intent of adding five cents to the total amount raised. Just as important as social media, however, was the front woman of the campaign – Canadian gold medalist Clara Hughes. Hughes was featured on several television shows and

radio stations across Canada this month, where she talked about the cause and her own battle with depression in the 1990s at the height of her athletic career.

Hughes story is representative of the fact that mental health is insusceptible to no one – not even world-class Olympic athletes. Having Hughes as the face of such a successful initiative allows people to see that however hard to believe, even the idolized and admired are still only human, making up part of the one in five Canadians who will experience mental illness in their lifetime, according to the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

When public figures are associated with

struggles that any of us can plausibly go through, whether that is mental illness, substance abuse or something different altogether, the power to create change and evoke a positive outlook is both extremely significant and meaningful.

Especially for younger generations who are growing up and looking for guidance, someone who they admire sending a message of hope could change their entire life and even shape their ideas of their future selves. Several examples of celebrities who have embraced this notion can be seen in many contemporary examples of pop culture. Demi Lovato, who successfully completed rehab in

early 2011, has since started her own scholarship program, released a self-help book and has reiterated the message “Stay Strong” to fans who are going through their own struggles. Clara Hughes and Demi Lovato have influenced an entire group of people while only being honest about themselves, admitting their flaws and personal mistakes along the way. In a Hollywood era filled with the pressure to be perfect, going against such norms is a rare occurrence. However, campaigns like Bell’s “Let’s Talk” are only strengthened by such endorsements, for when a person sees that they are not alone can they truly start to get better.

Juno nominees announced last week Kristen Rodgers Staff

It is that time of year again, when Canada celebrates the creativity and successes of Canadian musicians. The 2014 Juno Nominations were announced

by The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences at a press conference in Toronto on the morning of February 4. Canada’s top artists will be getting ready to head to Winnipeg, a city rich in musical history, where Juno week will be taking place from March 24- 30. The award show will take place on Mar. 30.

Canadian artists who have released music between September 1, 2012 and November 13, 2013 are eligible for a Juno Nomination.

Montreal’s very own rock group, Arcade Fire, has been nominated for six awards this year, including Group of the Year, Songwriter, Best Single and Alternative Album for their album Reflektor, leaving them with the most nominations. Michael Bublé and Serena

Ontario-natives Walk Off The Earth are also up for Juno nominations. (Photo courtesy of chfi.com)

Ryder trail closely behind Arcade Fire with five nominations each.

In addition, there are several artists lined up for Juno’s Fan choice Award including Arcade Fire, Avril Lavigne, Celine Dion, Drake, Hedley, Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, Robin Thicke, Serena Ryder and Walk off the Earth. Last year, the ‘Baby’ star, Justin Bieber took home the 2013 Juno’s Fan Choice award.

Many of you may be questioning why Robin Thicke is eligible for a Juno Nomination. He is eligible for a nomination because his father, Alan Thicke, is Canadian. He is competing against Dion, Drake, Buble and Ryder for Artist of the Year.

Surprisingly, Canadian artists are not the only ones up for an award. There is an international category featuring

Bruno Mars, Eminem, Imagine Dragons, One Direction, and P!nk in the running.

For those of ya’ll who are country fans the albums Brett Kissel’s Started with a Song, Dean Brody’s Crop Circles, Gord Bamford’s Country Junkie, Small Town Pistols’s Small Town Pistols’ and Tim Hicks’s Throw Down have all been nominated for Country Album of the Year.

City and Colour was originally scheduled to perform at the award ceremony however on Feb. 7, the three time Juno winners decided to reverse their decision to perform.

Congratulations all the Canadian artists nominated for the Juno Awards.

Who are you cheering for on Mar. 30?

With the Sochi Olympics taking place, there will be a lot of Canadian pride this winter. For a complete list of the Juno Awards Nominations for 2014, check out their website; junoawards.ca.

10

The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

SPORTS

Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Opening Ceremonies celebrate everything the Olympics should stand for Kyle Morrison Sports Editor

After all the dazzling colour, lights and fantastic imagery that Fisht Stadium in Sochi held on Friday night for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics, one thing holds true: athletics are a true equalizer and have the ability to unite unlike any other protest and social movement ever can.

The Parade of Nations, in which every country participating in the Olympics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 88 countries this time around, a new record â&#x20AC;&#x201C; walks around the stadium with one athlete having the honour of carrying the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flag. And you see each and every athlete, from less developed countries like Afghanistan to Western

powers like Canada and the United States, are nothing but smiles; because the Olympics are about embracing sports and the achievements that come along with them. Over the next 17 days of competition, there will be winners and losers, but the pride athletes and countries alike get to experience is not like anything else. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not very often that every country can go on the world stage and celebrate something exciting and positive.

Even with all the attention brought to the world of apparent poor hotel conditions and the ongoing scandal regarding Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LGBT policies and

intolerance, when the lights are brightest whether on the ice, flying through the air of a ski jump, or half pipe or speeding down a mountain slope, everyone needs to take a step back and enjoy the performances and drama that is about to unfold. Cheer and embrace the Olympics, because the athletes walking around the Parade of Nations were sure doing a whole lot of it.

And when you consider that many of these athletes train for four years to participate and perform in one or two events over a two week period, they deserve our full attention. The Olympics are about the athletes and the meaning of

sport; letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s try to keep it that way.

Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vibrant and powerful display showed off everything the country has to offer, from Tchaikovsky to Saint Basilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral to of course, the Sputnik, which culminated in a very well done celebration of the host countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture and history infused with the culture and history of sport and athletics, the culmination of what the Olympics stands for. Hopefully by the closing ceremonies (which, after today, I have high expectations for) these Olympic ideals will still be in the forefront.

Keep politics out of the Olympics Alexander Quot The Sheaf (University of Saskatchewan)

SASKATOON (CUP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Political controversies are taking over the Olympics, which is unfortunate when this shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever be the case. Athletic performances should be the focus, not a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s politics.

On Feb. 7, with much pomp and circumstance, competitors will march into the Fischt Stadium in Sochi, Russia waving the flags of their home countries to officially open the 22nd Olympic Winter Games.

But no matter what happens during the course of the games, who wins or what country will place first in the medal tally, I will remember something different.

I will remember the months leading up to these Olympics and the narrative not about the athletes but distracted by political controversies surrounding host Russia.

We should be focused on the athletes taking centre stage, but instead the world

chooses to direct its attention on the host country and the controversial policies it has implemented, effectively blinding everyone to the simple act at the heart of the Olympic Games â&#x20AC;&#x201D; athletic ability.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event has had no shortage of controversies. While these games started with a projected budget of US$12 billion, due to extensive over-spending the budget has expanded to over $51 billion, making the Sochi Olympics the most expensive games in history. But debate extends beyond simple finances.

Russia has a controversial track record regarding human rights â&#x20AC;&#x201D; due in no small part to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current stance on LGBTQ issues. While homosexuality is decriminalized in Russia, the ability to openly express homosexuality is prohibited.

These controversies are not excusable â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in fact, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re deplorable. LGBTQ rights are a major issue in Russia and

globally. They are, and I cannot stress this enough, one of the most important social and political topics of our era â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and they will continue to be important for years to come.

But the Olympics are a competition unlike any other. Instead of watching highly paid athletes compete, we watch top-tier athletes receive very little pay, or none at all, while participating in events that often go unnoticed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; simply for the glory of representing their home nation.

The Olympics are supposed to be as free from politics as possible, but historically they have proven to be anything but. By the virtue of competitors representing unique nations, it is difficult for any Olympic Games to be free of political affiliations. Everything is viewed through a political lens, even the judging of individual events.

Vladimir Putin, Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president, has not made the political nature of the Olympics any less apparent.

When responding to questions about Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy on LGBTQ, his responses have been noncommittal at best, perplexing at worst.

In a recent statement, he claimed that when gay people are in Russia they can â&#x20AC;&#x153;feel calm and at easeâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as long as they â&#x20AC;&#x153;leave the kids alone.â&#x20AC;?

What does that even mean? Those who are apart of the LGBTQ community are not trying to corrupt anyone, they are simply trying to live Graduate Certificate Programs: their lives. , Business Ventures â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Small Business Ventures While the , Career Development Practitioner implication that the , Community and Social Service Management LGBTQ community , Event Management targets minors is , Financial Planning Services incredibly disturbing, , Global Business Management it should not receive , Green Management - Sustainability as much attention as it , Human Resources Management (May and Sept. start) already has. Due to the , Professional Accounting Practice large focus on Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s , Project Management (May and Sept. start) human rights, other , Social Media Marketing controversial or unique stories have fallen to the wayside or been ignored altogether.

For the first time in 12 years a Jamaican bobsled team has made their way to the Olympics. Made up of

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Keep politics out of the Olympics. (Illustration courtesy of Stephanie Mah/The Sheaf)

Winston Watts and Marvin Dixon, the two-man team sought donations through PayPal to raise the $80,000 needed for their trip to Sochi. In days the world will be able to see how Jamaicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long absence from the bobsled scene has affected their chances of gold.

And letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not forget Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remarkable results last winter Olympics.

We not only hosted the games in Vancouver, B.C. but won gold in a sport at an Olympic games we had hosted for the first time in Canadian history. And then Canadians won 13 more, breaking our previous national record of most gold medals of 13. We may not be hosting the winter Olympics this time around, but the chances of Canada producing another spectacular performance are very high.

So why are these other news stories not the focus of the media? Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s domestic and internal policies should not be the central focus of the media coverage leading up to these Olympics.

The spotlight should be centred on the athletes and the sports they compete in, not the politics surrounding them.

The media should focus on the unique stories presented by athletes and coaches, not the countries and the policies they represent.

The plight for LGBTQ rights around the world is an important one and attention should be brought to this battle in Russia, but the sole focus should not be on that plight. The Olympics are apolitical and they should stay that way.

11

The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

SPORTS

Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Laurier fights for a chance in front of the net vs. Lakehead. (Photo by Chris Pimentel)

Women’s hockey team struggles in tournament at home Chris Pimentel Staff The Wilfrid Laurier women’s hockey team hosted a tournament on Friday at the Wayne Gretzky Centre and if there is one word to describe how the tournament went, it would be frustrating.

Laurier opened up the tournament against Conestoga College and came out flat. They struggled to get the puck out of their own zone early on. They gave up the first goal after Conestoga’s captain was able to score one short side on the goalie. Laurier then woke up after the goal and they capitalized on a power play.

Conestoga then responded with a goal of their own in the second period, putting the team up 2-1.

That forced Laurier to pick up the pace in the game, which led to many chances in the slot area of the offensive zone. After two periods, Laurier was still losing 2-1.

In the third period, Laurier controlled the puck for the majority of the period. They were able to keep the puck in the offensive zone, but could not put one past the goalie.

Laurier ended up dropping their first game 2-1 to Conestoga.

After the game, Amy DeSilva talked about the frustration of not being able to score any goals and what needs to change in the order to score more in the tournament.

“Better communication, making those passes tape to tape and I think we weren’t getting those lucky bounces,” DeSilva said after the game.

Laurier’s next game was a must-win game against the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). Laurier needed to win in order to have a chance to be put in pool A to win the tournament. Laurier had a much better start to this game than their last one against Conestoga. They controlled the play in their own zone for much of the first period. They had a good forecheck throughout the period and were able to get a power play.

The UTM goalie however was standing on her head for the majority of the period, stopping numerous chances in front of the net. Because of her play, the game remained scoreless going into the second period. In the second period, not much changed from a pressure stand point in the game.

Laurier kept pushing and pushing throughout the whole period, but nothing was getting past the UTM goalie. Finally, with time running down in the second period, Laurier was able to break through when a shot by Shannen Head from the point was able to find its way through traffic and get past the goalie with one second left on the clock.

That goal seemed to give Laurier a little bit of life going into the third period. In the third period, Laurier continued to control the play. But then, when UTM had the puck in the Laurier zone, Kristin Cavarzan delivered a big hit in the offensive zone.

Unfortunately, checking is not allowed

in the tournament and she got sent to the penalty box. On the ensuing power play, UTM was able to score to tie the game up.

But the hit by Cavarzan seemed to give Laurier a spark.

After the UTM goal, Laurier continued to apply pressure, finally cracking the goalie for another goal and giving them the lead, 2-1. At that point, the game started to get out of hand. Laurier added another goal two minutes later when UTM wasn’t able to clear the zone and put another one in for good measure. Laurier was able to win the game 4-1, giving them a good chance to advance to pool A and a shot to win the tournament. After the game, Head talked about what they did in order to give themselves a chance at scoring more goals.

“We cut down our shifts a lot more and spread out more and took our time more and we were able to get the opportunities.”

Laurier unfortunately was not able to advance to pool A in the tournament thanks to tiebreakers with other teams in other groups. But they were put in pool B, a consolation bracket that would allow them to gain valuable points that can be put towards the Challenge Cup tournament in March.

Laurier started their bracket against Lakehead University. Like a majority of the games before this, Laurier was controlling the game from the start. They had strong play in the offensive zone, but

couldn’t capitalize on any of their chances.

Lakehead was able to score off a rush to put them up 1-0 early on in the game and the score stood going into the second period.

Laurier picked up where they left off early in the second period pushing the pace and putting Lakehead on their heels. But to no avail, they hit a couple posts and couldn’t put one past the goalie.

The third period began and frustration started to set in for the Laurier Golden Hawks. It seemed like nothing they were trying was going in. After they took a hooking penalty they still were able to generate a scoring chance, but that went off the crossbar. The height of the frustration came midway through the period when a loose puck seemed to walk the goal line while a mad scramble in front of the net ensued. Lakehead covered the puck with an open palm and that gave Laurier a penalty shot. Laurier missed the shot however, shooting wide. That was their best chance because Lakehead was able to add an empty netter to give them the victory 2-0.

The loss to Lakehead eliminated the Golden Hawks from the tournament and gave them a major hit in the Challenge Cup standings. It remains to be seen how much needs to be done in other tournaments for Laurier to qualify for the Challenge Cup in March.

Co-ed soccer team falls victim to uncalled rule violation Kyle Morrison Sports Editor After a solid finish to begin the season, Laurier’s extramural soccer team had a rule mishap at Redeemer on Friday that cost them a possible win and a chance to climb up the tournament standings. Instead the Golden Hawks finished with a record of one win, one tie and two losses.

According to co-ed extramural soccer rules, there must always be at least two women on the field at the same time and at most three men, not counting the goalkeeper. Seneca instead had four men and one woman on the pitch, swinging things in their favour, resulting in a loss for Laurier.

The team claimed that because the goalkeeper was a woman that should’ve counted as their second female player, but according to Co-captain Deca Campbell, that’s not the case. “After the game I talked

to the convener about it and he said he’d look into it,” she says. “But when he came back he said that the game had already been played so it had to count.”

A very unfortunate result for the coed soccer team, as the game should’ve counted as a forfeit and a victory for the Golden Hawks. “That really brought the team down,” Campbell said. “And we had a two-hour break [in between games] so that really affected us.”

Although Laurier lost a lot of momentum because of the call, Co-captain Kamden Holder thought the team looked pretty good. Regardless of the rules, the team still had to go out there and play, and if they could’ve scored some key goals, that would’ve possibly made the loss against Seneca not matter. “Overall we did play well, but we just had a hard time scoring,”

says Holder. “We moved really well and did everything we were supposed to do; it just didn’t come for us.”

The Golden Hawks success was a result of key performances coming from multiple players. “Quite a few players had their best games yet,” Campbell says. “Maggie Kenny played really well, Daniel Orellana played well.” Goalkeeping was also huge.

“Our keeper Tyler [Webb] played well,” Holder added. “He saved our ass a couple of times.”

But scoring goals has been the story of the season so far. Offense has been one of the weaker points for the Golden Hawks.

Campbell is impressed and feels confident in the team’s defence and the team chemistry is better. They’ve posted some shutouts in games, so it’s simply putting the ball in the back of the net. But they

won’t be able to count on their defence all the time, as even if they only allow a single goal, who scores first and gets that 1-0 can quite possibly be the difference between a win and advancing in a tournament, and a loss. Humber-Lakeshore, winners of multiple tournaments, will be one of the toughest teams for the Golden Hawks, Campbell says.

They will face off against them and the rest of the extramural soccer teams when the Golden Hawks’ co-ed extramural soccer team plays their final tournament at UTM on February 28. Last year they made it to the semi-finals, so expectations are high. Campbell and Holden both believe they can win it all.

12

The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 12, 2014

OPINION Cody Groat // opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion

Don’t watch the Olympics Hannah Brunsdon Staff

Imagine yourself in this scenario: You are with your friends are at a restaurant, there is a gay couple at the door and the hostess refuses them entry. You ask the waiter why they were turned away and he replies that gay people are not allowed to eat at the restaurant. What would you do? I, personally, would leave that restaurant. Never go back and tell my friends to do the same. It would be no question. Now, this sounds obvious and ridiculous, but isn’t it exactly what we are doing with the Olympics?

For those of you who don’t know, this year’s Olympics are being held in Sochi, Russia, where it is currently illegal to distribute propaganda of sexual relations that are not heteronormative. Basically, this means that it is illegal to suggest that any relationships that are not heterosexual are okay. This means that gay rights activists have been arrested and this has encouraged a lot of hatecrimes against the LGBTQ+ community and individuals all across Russia. For example, there are literally Russian gangs, such as “Parents of Russia”, who hunt gays for sport. There is case after case of gay people being injured, threatened, or harassed and no one is doing anything about it because it is illegal to advocate on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights. The International Olympic Committee has promised that athletes and visitors will not be targeted by Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law, but I think we’re just going to have to wait and see how this plays out.

This is a very controversial issue but I think that it is so incredibly important

Olympic pride. (Art by Rebecca Duce)

that something is done. I have seen videos of gay people being beaten and heard news stories of horrendous things happening to the LGBTQ+ community in Russia. This law was intended to protect children (as the Russian laws equate homosexuality with pedophilia), but is harming LGBTQ+ youth by cutting them off from any support. This is a huge issue and it needs to be dealt with in a big way.

So, here comes my suggestion. Don’t watch the Olympics. Boycott it, don’t take part in any celebration of these games, and send the message that what is going on is not okay. I think that the games should not even be taking place in Russia. They should have been moved somewhere safer to send the message that we don’t support what Russia is doing to its citizens. But, since that didn’t happen, I think that a message needs to be sent to the Russian government that we do not and will not stand by as they discriminate against people. By watch-

ing the Olympics, the message some are sending is that sports are more important that the safety of our fellow human beings who are being persecuted.

Unfortunately, this is not a new situation for the Olympic games. In 1936, the games were held in Berlin, Germany and I’m sure that many are aware that Hitler was in power by that time. There was a proposed boycott because the Western world was aware of the problems that were going on, but it was rejected. I’m in no way suggesting that if people boycotted the 1936 games the Holocaust would not have happened, but there was an opportunity for international resistance and disapproval that could have put some pressure on the Nazi regime. The other controversy with the 1936 Olympics was the racism that Hitler portrayed. Jesse Owens, an African-American track and field Olympian, won four gold medals, but Hitler refused to shake the hands of medallist, leading several to believe Ow-

ens’ race was the reasoning. This sort of action would not be tolerated today, but isn’t it just the same thing that we are putting up with in Sochi, just instead of racism, it’s homophobia?

Here’s what we need to do, as a community of people who believe that everyone should have equal rights and freedoms. First of all, we need to not watch the Olympics, or buy any of those cute mittens, or anything that supports the games. Second of all, we need to start conversations about why we are boycotting the Olympics. Third, we need to put pressure on large corporations not to support the Olympics to send the message that they are not okay with this either. Coke and McDonald’s have both commented that they do not support the law, but they want to support the games.

AT&T came out with a blog post stating, “Russia’s law is harmful to LGBT individuals and families and it’s harmful to a diverse society”. They are not a sponsor of the games, but they have sponsored the United States Olympic Committee. They are urging Olympic advertisers to act and I am urging you to act as well. Let’s start putting people ahead of sports traditions and you can start by not watching the Olympics with me.

As stated in the Olympic Charter, “The practice of sport is a human right.

Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”

Family ties: George Bush and Bill Clinton Cody Groat Opinion Editor

In a January 2014, C-SPAN conducted an exclusive interview for a new series to be released regarding the lives of the former First Ladies of the United States, Ms. Barbra Bush (age 88), the wife of former President of the United States George H.W. Bush, issued a sentence that made political analysts do a complete 360 degree turn from what they thought they knew. With a big smile on her face, she stated “I love Bill Clinton”, who, as it happens, replaced her husband when he was sworn in as the 42nd President of the United States on Jan. 20, 1993. But, Barbra made things even more interesting when she stated how her former husband, a Republican leader, and his Democratic replacement had a “fatherson” type relationship, like “the father he didn’t have”, as his passed away while Clinton’s mother was only six months pregnant. George Bush Jr., the replacement for Bill Clinton, is only a month older than his predecessor. It’s almost like getting a twin at the age of 67. For those who know, or may not know much of American politics, George Bush Jr. and Bill Clinton didn’t see eye to eye, to say the least. To be honest, I’m surprised TLC or The Opera Winfrey Network haven’t snagged up this inevitably incredible reality television opportunity. As it were, I’m glad that this news became common knowledge. I’m glad this rather odd, very unexpected familial-bonding has came to light, for I feel it has a world of possible greatness that could come as result. I’m not just saying Christmas dinner could also feature Uncle Barack, Great-Uncle Jimmy and maybe even Crazy-Cousin Kissinger, but I mean in our very own country, too. In fact, I feel it may have al-

ready started, as seen on the way to the Mandela funeral.

A now iconic series of photos were released by Canadian Press photographer Adrian Wyld en route to the December state funeral of Nelson Mandela.

For the first time in history, four of our nations’ Prime Ministers were seen together. Together in a confined space, for an eighteen hour flight, from two different parties (three, in theory) and laughing while being regaled with stories of the past. Brought together in mourning, the aircraft featured Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (Progressive Conservative, 1984-1993), Kim Campbell (Progressive Conservative, 1993), Jean Chrétien (Liberal, 1993-2003) and incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Conservative, 2006- present). Some Canadian security policies were even broken on this crazy plane ride, such as the following “for security purposes, no more than eight ministers of the Crown may travel on the same aircraft at the same time.” Although only four are listed there, the plane also featured four Canadian provincial or territorial Premiers (Alberta, Nova Scotia, Yukon and Northwest Territories), two former governors general (Adrienne Clarkson and Michaelle Jean), the head the Assembly of First Nations (Shawn Atleo) and the leader of the Official Opposition (Thomas Mulcair), bringing the total to twelve current or former Canadian leaders. On a plane, for eighteen hours (with former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Joe Clark, 1979-1980, arrived by his own means).

There are pictures of the group laughing, smiling, even going out for dinner once landing. In modern Canadian histo-

ry, former Prime Ministers haven’t been used as a resource for diplomatic reasons.

Therefore, it’s safe to say that the only interactions many of these individuals had would of been political in the party, or against each other while in opposition.

The chance arose, just as with the Bush family and Bill Clinton, to see each other and interact as humans. See each other with out the party label, have a discussion without an agenda behind it. The potential behind this is astonishing, for several reasons. Not only could these leaders be used for their diplomatic services, global connections and years of political experience, but to shine a new light on Canada, and even the world. Several individuals I’ve interacted with in the past few years feel defeated in regards to the political happenings of Canada solely because they see no hope.

A world full of arguments and no discussion is evident, but a level of civility, the image of people divided by ideas but about to associate socially can bring upon a new world.

An example for the children that difference doesn’t make us evil, but simply different.

“We don’t agree politically, but we don’t talk politics,” Barbra Bush continued with a smile. “I love Bill Clinton, maybe not his politics, but

I love Bill Clinton” she laughed. When asked about the rumours of her second son Jeb (43rd Governor of Florida, 19992007) possibly running for President, she felt he was extremely qualified, but shouldn’t run. As she said, the two Bush Presidents, Clinton, and Kennedy were all great leaders, and great people. With that in mind, there are several other families producing civil servants worthy of one of the most powerful titles in the world, “President of the United States of America.” To me, Barbra Bush has grown wise in her old age and is teaching the world that differences aside, you can still be friends. Differences aside, you can still be family.

If we realized this, I feel we could change the world.

Family ties, (Art by Rebecca Duce)