March 27, 2017

Vol. CXXXVII, No. 23 March 27, 2017 thevarsity.ca —— The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880

Dust-up at Med Sci Dispute between university administration and CUPE 3902 leaves unanswered questions about the asbestos leak at the Medical Sciences Building page 3

os Asbest

Trees ture c e t hi l arc

Coo

Students

Research

This sculpt ure

We’ll work if you* let us If millennials are studying more and working hard, why are they so worried about their futures?

*We’re looking at you, babyboomer employers

REDress Project comes to campus The art installation raises awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women page 13

Feature — page 10

2 • THE VARSITY • NEWS

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Correction:

Due to an editing error, an article published March 20 titled “Referenda for levies pass” incorrectly stated that the Innovation Fund would go toward UTAT rockets. In fact, the new levy will go only towards the satellite project, and will last two years, not three. This article has also been updated to clarify that the Innovation Fund levy was established through the referendum, not increased; the new fund is distinct from UTAT’s existing operating levy.

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CUPE 3902, U of T give different account of Medical Sciences Building asbestos U of T says no air samples show asbestos, calls CUPE’s statement “deeply disappointing”

rooms, some number less than ten, probably less than five,” and said that there are a total of 1905 rooms in the MSB.

Jack O. Denton Associate News Editor

University carries out testing The source of the asbestos was initially thought to have been within a primer or undercoat of paint that was used when the building was completed in 1968. This was first reported in a memo from Graham L. Collingridge, Chair of the Department of Physiology, and was also relayed in an email to CUPE 3902 members

by Ryan Culpepper, the union’s Chair.

This has since been proven inaccurate. “It’s a wall sealer,” Mabury said, and “it is only released if somebody penetrates the sealer.”

Mabury noted that the asbestos found in the sealer was “exceedingly rare.”

“Our external experts who do hundreds [of tests] per year — this is either the first or the second time they’ve ever seen it in a sealer ever and we’re talking decades of measurements,” he stated, and said that this is the first time asbestos in a sealer has been found at U of T. The university is rigorously testing the air in the MSB, as Mabury said, “over and over again, under every condition, day and night, hallways, labs, common areas.”

CUPE 3902 is meanwhile contesting the validity of the university’s testing procedure.

Culpepper’s email states that “concerns have been raised that the tests may not have fully complied with OHSA and other statutory health and safety obligations, and the Union is still investigating these concerns.”

“The information in the query is patently false,” Mabury said in response to Culpepper’s statement. “We are clearing an area after cleaning. We used approved, regulated methods.”

“We have to date 243 air samples, all negative,” Mabury continued, “Why that’s not the headline, I am baffled.”

The Medical Sciences Building (MSB), located at 1 King’s College Circle, has been under scrutiny after construction caused the displacement and proliferation of dust containing asbestos.

Asbestos is a silicate material that was widely used in construction for insulation and fireproofing until both Canada and the US took steps to eliminate the use of most types of the substance in 1979.

When asbestos fibres are released into the air, they can pose a serious health risk if inhaled.

U of T has maintained that its testing procedures are showing low amounts of asbestos and that a capable contractor is dealing with containing and removing the dangerous materials. CUPE 3902, the union representing sessional lecturers and teaching assistants, is contesting this.

Construction causes closure of lab The $189.9 million Lab Innovation for Toronto (LIFT) project, which set out to make improvements to laboratory infrastructure on campus, began abating and removing asbestos in the MSB during November 2016.

By early February, after construction in four of the LIFT labs had been completed and one was still underway, “occupants reported unusual dust in their sixth floor lab, adjacent to the remaining construction site,” according to a release from Trevor Young, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine on March 17.

Asbestos in dust, in a site unconnected to the first incident, was discovered on February 24, according to Young.

Scott Mabury, the university’s Vice President University Operations, told The Varsity that asbestos has been found “in a handful of

Unions, faculty association respond CUPE 3902, the U of T Faculty Association

(UTFA), and the U of T Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) have all issued responses to the ongoing asbestos investigation.

In Culpepper’s email, he said that the union’s “view is that this is not an acceptable level of safety and that all workers have the right to go to work without taking unnecessary risks. It is your choice what to do with the information you have.”

CUPE 3902 is advising that members avoid going into the MSB for any reason until the Ministry of Labour clears the building.

“Our concern extends to all members of the U of T community,” said Culpepper.

In a statement on their website, the UTFA says that it “feels compelled to urge its members and the wider community to think seriously about whether they should be entering the Medical Sciences Building at this time and under these circumstances.”

The UTFA also makes clear that, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, all workers have the right to refuse unsafe work. Further, “UTFA will advise and support any members who wish to exercise this right.”

The UTGSU echoed the UTFA, saying that “all students who work and/or study in the MSB... have the right to refuse to enter the building should they feel that their safety is at risk.”

Mabury finds these statements “deeply disappointing,” citing “all the information we’ve provided, all the test results we’ve provided... the extensive sampling that’s ongoing that shows no risk of inhalation exposure of asbestos.”

“We believe that the building is appropriate to be working in. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be saying otherwise,” Mabury concluded.

CUPE 3902 and the UTGSU have asked all members who have worked in the MSB between November 2016 and March 2017 to visit a doctor and fill out a Workplace Exposure Incident Form and submit it to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

These unions have also said that anyone who may have come into contact with some-

one who was exposed to asbestos, before the person had bathed or changed clothes, is also recommended to visit a doctor and follow the same procedure.

Potential legal challenge facing U of T CUPE 3902 is alleging that the university’s handling of the situation warrants legal action. Culpepper cites three “major violations of legislation.”

Culpepper is alleging that the university hired an incompetent contractor to handle the asbestos. He also says that the university failed to notify both employees and Joint Health and Safety Committees about these workplace hazards, as required by law.

“I can 100 per cent guarantee you that there will be legal action,” Culpepper told The Varsity.

“These are disappointing statements. They’re all false,” Mabury said in response to Culpepper. “The contractor we’ve hired is a very well respected asbestos contractor. Worked for years on this campus, worked for extended periods of time on the broader sector. They have an excellent reputation. They’ve had excellent performance up until one incident.”

Mabury refused to name the contractor but stated that the contractor is no longer working with U of T and will not do so for “for some period of time.”

On the issue of their communication, Mabury said that the university has “notified all employees as required. We’ve done it on a routine basis. We’ve done it from the beginning.” Mabury went on to say that, more broadly, “we’re very comfortable with our legislative communication.”

CUPE 3902 is holding an information session for its members and graduate students who operate out of MSB on March 27.

—With files from Tom Yun and Kaitlyn Simpson

Kevin O’Leary speaks at U of T Conservative leadership candidate signs pledge to balance budget if elected Helena Najm Varsity Staff

On March 20, Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leadership candidate and reality TV star Kevin O’Leary spoke at the Bahen Centre for Information Technology at an event organized by Generation Screwed, the student wing of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

O’Leary signed a pledge committing to balancing the federal budget in two years if elected Prime Minister. Regarding his expectation for the upcoming federal election, he stated “2019 will not be an election, it will be an exorcism” — an expression of his confidence that he will secure the Conservative leadership.

O’Leary spoke about the unaffordability of school and the lack of job prospects as motivating him to sign the pledge, referencing students and graduates living in their parents’ basements. O’Leary stated to the cameras, “not only is Trudeau screwing you, he is screwing your children.”

His message contrasted approaches to leadership, referring to Prime Minister Trudeau as exhibiting “weak leadership by any measure.”

He also spoke about the importance of Canada being competitive with its southern neighbour. This would include matching the US’ tax-cutting policies and elimination of carbon

taxing. However, he did not say that this would be a reaction to the US’ direction in policy, instead stating that he would wait and see what the US does, and then emulate it if successful.

He also referred to Jim Flaherty, the late Finance Minister under the Harper government, as an inspiration for his fiscal policies and the kind of legislative era that he wanted to return to.

When a comparison between himself and President Trump was drawn, O’Leary noted his personal history of and stance on immigration — having Lebanese and Irish heritage — as sharply contrasting those of the US President. He also proposed that skilled workers, such as engineers and computer scientists who are affected by the American travel ban, be encouraged to come to Canada to foster more business and innovation.

When his lack of experience in office was raised, he spoke to the necessity for people with demonstrated track records to be elected into office because of their leadership skills, regardless of whether or not they come from a political background.

The Conservative leadership candidate touched upon other issues such as the movement of refugees from the US into Canada and the conditions that they endure while crossing the border.

When The Varsity asked him about any policies that he plans to present with regards to this issue, O’Leary mentioned that there would be a more detailed press release on the matter later in the week.

When specifically probed about the Safe Third Country Agreement — an agreement between the US and Canada that limits refugees to making a claim in only the country of the two to which they first arrived — O’Leary spoke of the possibility of Canada developing its own policy to control the flow of migrants from the US if Washington disagreed with his approach.

When The Varsity asked whether O’Leary had plans to garner multi-party support for his policies on migration and other matters if elected, he simply stated, “We’re going to win a majority.”

With regards to allegations of vote buying by Conservative leadership candidates, O’Leary’s response asked for a greater focus on transparency in politics and disavowing the actions of the associated staffers.

He did not detail a plan for addressing these discrepancies in the future or further investigating whether other CPC members are affected.

O’Leary also spent a few minutes taking pictures with supporters, even signing a book for one eager attendee. Though Generation Screwed is itself non-partisan, O’Leary urged attendees to register as members of the CPC. One such participant, Eden O’Shell, heard about the event through Facebook and recently started following O’Leary’s campaign because of its heavy news coverage.

“Arrogance at times is fun, but as long as you can back it with action, that’s what matters,” said O’Shell, referring to O’Leary’s public personality.

STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY

The Conservative party will choose its new leader on May 27.

Renaud Brossard, the National Student Coordinator for Generation Screwed, mentioned the group’s plans to reach out to NDP candidates to sign the pledge, adding, “It’s great to see candidates care about students’ futures.”

Mack Blyth, the head of U of T’s branch of Generation Screwed, ended the event with the following sentiment: “I don’t want us to get involved in the brand of celebrity politics that the Liberals are engaged in.”

Last month, Generation Screwed held a conference on campus featuring Rebel Media founder Ezra Levant and Psychology Professor Jordan Peterson, which was disrupted by protestors.

The Conservative leadership election will take place on May 27.

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Student groups team up to host event on genocide recognition, reparations Life After Genocide brings together Jewish, Armenian, Indigenous experiences Kaitlyn Simpson Associate News Editor

On the evening of Friday, March 24, the Indigenous Studies Student Union (ISSU), Armenian Students Association (ASA), and Jewish Studies Student Union (JSSU) came together to host a panel discussion entitled “Life after Genocide: From Recognition to Reparation.”

The Facebook event page stressed that the discussion was to “promote co-existence amongst minority groups.”

Following a land acknowledgement, the event began with a song by Indigenous artist Jasmine Spence.

Talene Torigian, President of the ASA and Treasurer of the JSSU, shared some introductory remarks touting this specific collaboration as having “never been done before” at U of T. Three individuals then shared their personal experiences of the impact of genocide on their communities and families.

First to speak was the Social Media Coordinator of the JSSU, Rachel Glowinsky, whose grandparents and great-grandparents were survivors of the Holocaust; next was an Executive Member of the ASA whose great-grandparents were affected by the Armenian genocide; lastly was current ISSU President Jennifer Sylvester, who spoke about her family, systemic anti-Indigenous racism in Canada, and her experiences with education.

There were three panelists who offered unique perspectives on the topic of genocide and reparations.

First to speak was Professor Henry C. Theriault, the current Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Worcester State University and the Chair of the Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group at U of T. Professor Theriault discussed the importance of understanding history “because it determines what’s going on today.”

Theriault added, “In many cases, those who really have an obligation

to deal with that history through reparative justice and other methods are willfully oblivious to what is at stake and the suffering that is still in their mist.”

The second speaker was U of T professor Doris L. Bergen, the current Chancellor Rose of Holocaust Studies. Professor Bergen took an in-depth look at reparations and the many forms they take. She began by discussing the implementation and execution of reparations following the Holocaust as perhaps a “model of success.”

Bergen then explored the purpose of reparations, asking the audience to consider material reparations versus symbolic reparations, concluding that within “the complex trauma of people... there’s no way to fix or repair what has been broken.”

“I want to also draw attention to, in the case of the Holocaust most of the reparations paid, in fact, have not been paid to individuals but to collectives — usually to the state,” Bergen added.

STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY

The event was organized by the Indigenous Studies Student Union, Armenian Students Association, and Jewish Studies Student Union.

The final speaker was Verne Ross, a social worker and a PhD student at U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Ross is also from the Cote First Nation in Saskatchewan.

During his talk, Ross spoke of his personal experiences, beginning: “You’re looking at someone who has struggled in the educational system.” He recounted his experiences as an Indigenous student who had a hearing impairment growing up.

Ross then spoke on various issues affecting Indigenous communities in Canada, including stereotypes within education, residential schools, and intergenerational trauma. “Something that our mothers told us,” Ross said, “is that

our spirits were never meant to be caged. You caged that spirit. You’re about to kill that spirit. And that’s exactly what happened in the residential schools, the sixties scoop.”

Ross then discussed the importance of language for Indigenous communities and how stories are a tool of healing. At one point, he read a letter from his mother — a residential school survivor — reaffirming her love for him.

There was a question and answer session following the discussion, where a variety of questions were asked, touching on subjects like the education system, learning from others, and the possibilities of removing prejudice.

You Decide gets boost from UTSU commission U of T chooses not to pursue Brampton campus “Final push” for referendum petition is underway, UTSU VP External says Ryerson University to make a bid Erin Calhoun Varsity Contributor

Alex McKeen Editor-in-Chief

Resources from the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) Community Action Commission (CAC) are going towards a “final push” for the You Decide campaign.

Proponents of the You Decide campaign seek to collect enough signatures from members of UTSU Local 98, which includes full-time undergraduates on the St. George campus, to launch a referendum on the union’s membership in the Canadian Federation of Students.

The campaign does not take an official stance on decertification from the CFS, although many of its promoters have been vocal about wanting to leave the federation.

Since Tuesday, the CAC has been setting up booths marked with UTSU banners in several locations across campus, including Sidney Smith, Bahen Centre, and Robarts Library, with representatives of the CAC soliciting signatures for the You Decide petition.

Matt Thomas, UTSU Vice-President External, is responsible for chairing the CAC and was on the steering committee of You Decide before being appointed to the UTSU executive.

Thomas said that the CAC “passed a motion” to support You Decide with their time and resources. He asserted that “the UTSU is behind this” decision, and that the additional effort is evidence of the

NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

You Decide needs signatures from 15 per cent of UTSU Local 98 members in order to trigger a referendum. outgoing UTSU administration delivering on its promises.

The petition must be concluded by the end of this academic year, Thomas said, in order for the signatures collected from graduating students to be valid.

Though he said his own views on CFS decertification are “as far from neutral as you can get,” and he concedes that anti-CFS sentiment contributes in part to the motivation behind the campaign, Thomas asserts that the campaign itself is neutral on the question of decertification.

“When we are talking to people when we are collecting signatures we tell them that this isn’t to defederate. By signing this you’re not saying that you want to leave, you’re not saying that you want to stay, you’re just saying that you think that the students should vote,” he said.

He referred to recent UTSU presidential candidate Andre Fast as one example.

“Andre Fast has signed. You know? Like people who are very much pro CFS have signed.”

When asked if he thought that Fast was pro-CFS, Thomas said, “Scratch that” and requested that The Varsity not publish his statement. “I’m on the Elections and Referenda Committee, I can’t say that,” he said.

In an interview with The Varsity during the campaign, Fast said that he would support leaving the CFS or staying — whichever option was supported by a majority of students.

In January, four UTSU executives signed a letter supporting decertification from the CFS for Local 98.

The three other executives denounced the statement in a response letter the following week, as did University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union executive Jackie Zhao.

The incoming UTSU executive, which includes candidates from the Demand Better slate, an independent, and one executive candidate from the We the Students slate, consists of a majority of individuals who support decertification.

“Next year it will be the executives’ job to take out the mantle of the referendum,” Thomas said.

After nearly two years of considering a campus expansion to Brampton, U of T has decided not to participate in the process to bid for provincial support for the idea.

On October 26, 2016, the Ontario Government announced their support for the prospect of expanding post-secondary institutions to a Brampton location. Deb Matthews, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, announced that the new locations would focus on “science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.”

The province received interest from Wilfrid Laurier University, Ryerson University in partner with Sheridan College, and U of T. “We looked at [the expansion] and gave [it] great consideration”, stated Andrew Thomson, U of T’s Chief of Government Relations. Thomson explained that potential costs were considered and faculty and academic leaderships were consulted.

The estimated cost for the province to conduct this expansion is nearly $180 million.

Thomson explained that campus expansion at UTM should continue to grow as the campus already brings in many students from the Brampton area, and as the western GTA grows, UTM will continue to deliver high capacity education opportunities.

Thomson added, “UTM is doing an effective job for students from

Brampton” and explained that the university is continuing to look into program expansions. “We hope to work with Brampton in the future – for research industries and continuing studies,” Thomson said.

Ryerson University, in partnership with Sheridan College, is pursuing their bid on the Brampton location. Matthews confirmed that the partnering schools were the main institutions to submit a formal Expression of Interest expanding to the City of Brampton.

Institutions were required to submit an Expression of Interest

by March 6 to implement the first step of the planning process by the Government. The City of Brampton had reached out to the major Ontario universities.

The province received an Expression of Interest in a Milton location from Wilfrid Laurier University in partnership with Conestoga College.

Brampton and Milton are the two Ontario cities being pursued by the Ontario Government for postsecondary grounds expansion. The two cities are recognized as some of the fastest growing areas in Canada. The current population of 18- to 24-year-olds in the Halton and Peel Regions is nearly 200,000.

According to Matthews, expanding post-secondary institutions to the Halton and Peel Regions “will help residents of Milton and Brampton access top-notch postsecondary education within their communities.”

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UTSU ERC releases new rulings on bribery allegations, non-English campaigning Rulings may be appealed to Appellate Board

Over a week has passed since the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) elections concluded, and the Elections and Referenda Committee (ERC) continues to issue and overturn demerit points.

The ERC has the ability to overturn or modify demerit points issued by the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) or issue demerit points itself in the event that the CRO does not issue any.

The members are Law Director Aidan Fishman, St. Michael’s College Director Georgina Merhom, Victoria College Director Garnet Loller, Vice-President University Affairs Cassandra Williams, Vice-President External Matthew Thomas, and Vice-President Professional Faculties Ryan Gomes, who is the ERC Chair.

Candidates also have the ability to appeal ERC decisions to the Appellate Board, a group of four Faculty of Law students and three upper-year first entry undergraduates who were confirmed by the UTSU Board of Directors.

the four executive members conducted this behaviour on behalf of the rest of the 88-member executive team, and whether CUA UTM directors were non-arm’s-length individuals of Demand Better.

While the Chief Ruling Officer (CRO) originally issued three demerit points to each Demand Better candidate involved, the ERC believed that the meager value of the red envelopes did not constitute a strong enough incentive, and that the actions of four executive members did not reflect the views of the entire team.

In addition, a CRO ruling gave all Demand Better candidates two demerit points, alleging that a Demand Better campaigner had posted graphics about the UTSU on social media over a month before the campaign period.

The graphics had similarities with Demand Better campaign materials, including “colour scheme, design, and slogan.” The CRO alleged that this violated rules against precampaigning.

The ERC subsequently overturned the points, citing that the material was up for less than five minutes and had “significant differences” with Demand Better’s campaign material.

Demand Better An ERC ruling from March 20 regarded incidents of alleged bribery by executive members of the Chinese Undergraduate Association at the University of Toronto Mississauga (CUA UTM). These took the form of ‘red envelopes,’ virtual credits sent in the WeChat messaging app that amounted to $0.06 CAD each.

A maximum of six of these envelopes could be sent to any user, and screenshots revealed that CUA UTM executive members used these credits to incentivize people to vote for Demand Better.

The complaints regarding this incident claimed that this was an intentional breach of Elections Policy, and that this constituted a violation of the Elections Procedures Code (EPC), which prohibits distribution of goods.

Since CUA UTM publicly endorsed Demand Better, the ERC questioned whether

We the Students ERC Ruling 27 described an unnamed club complaining about a We the Students post misrepresenting the club’s views. The club’s representative stated that their president was approached by We the Students and declined to endorse them, but that We the Students posted a flyer on Facebook indicating the club’s endorsement anyway.

We the Students did not automatically take the post down, but edited it later when they cleared up that the UTM chapter of the club endorsed them. The slate did not issue a public apology.

The ERC ruled that this was a violation of the EPC, specifically a misrepresentation of facts.

More evidence was necessary to determine whether this misrepresentation was intentional. In correspondence with clubs, it became evident to the ERC that the implicated club

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explicitly refused to endorse We the Students and that the slate used the name “University of Toronto” on their promotional materials.

All We the Students members were issued six demerit points.

A revised ruling on March 24 decreased each of the accused’s demerit points to four after the ERC obtained further evidence regarding the intentionality of this act. This was due to We the Students’ contesting argument that while they acknowledged their wrongdoing, the mistake was unintentional. Even though the ERC did not change its opinion, it took these efforts into account. Since the accused acknowledged their mistakes and accepted the facts of the case, the ERC decided to rule less harshly, pursuant to EPC Article VI.3.k.

In two separate rulings on March 21 and March 24, the ERC dismissed the cases of two individuals accused of electoral misconduct with the intent of aiding the We the Students campaign.

The second was against an alleged unauthorized campaigner — Charlotte Mengxi Shen — who was accused of posting campaign messages on WeChat in favor of We the Students, in violation of the Elections Procedures Code Article VI, section v. The CRO originally assigned all of We the Students five demerit points.

The ERC ruled that there was no substantial proof that We the Students endorsed Shen’s post, even though We the Students Vice-President Internal and Services candidate Jackie Zhao liked Shen’s post on Facebook and overturned the ruling.

Based on this one post, the ERC did not think it was pertinent enough and overruled the CRO’s ruling.

We the Students presidential candidate Andre Fast denied that Shen had any involvement with the campaign.

On March 23, the ERC presided over a complaint about Vice-President University Affairs-elect Carina Zhang’s use of Chinese campaign materials without translations.

The CRO issued her five demerit points.

The ERC found that these materials were sent to several people on WeChat as part of private conversations and therefore were not obviously privy to the translation rule that mandates that campaign materials be translated into English when distributed.

However, a violation was recorded because of the similitude of the template sent to each WeChat recipient, since Article VI.1.f.ii of the EPC states that this rule applies to “private communications that follow a common template.”

Since this was Zhang’s first violation, the ERC adjusted the number of associated demerit points to four.

Last year, Zhang, who was initially elected as Vice-President Internal, was disqualified following a series of ERC rulings also relating to non-English campaign material without translations, in addition to the rest of her slate. The Varsity has reached out to Zhang for comment.

Disclosure: The Varsity’s Comment Editor, Teodora Pasca, is a member of the Apellate Board.

MARCH 27, 2017 • 7

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New student residence in the works at UTSC Proposed project would add 750 more residence spaces Emaan Thaver Associate News Editor

The University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) is partaking in talks to construct a new dormitory-style student residence on the UTSC campus to address increasing demand for on-campus accommodation.

According to the residence project’s Planning Committee, the proposed nine- or 10-storey residence building would be constructed north of Ellesmere Road and east of the planned rerouted Military Trail, a space that is currently occupied by 358 parking spaces.

The 750-bed residence would include a mix of private and dormitory style accommodations, bringing the total number of residence beds at UTSC up to 1,261 from 765 by the time the project is completed in March 2020.

Additionally, the space would house a new 250-seat campus dining hall, commercial retail space, as well as student support and academic services, including the Student Housing and Residence Life offices.

There has been a pronounced shortage of residence spaces at UTSC as enrolment figures have increased over the years. While student enrolment at UTSC has increased by 45 per cent between 2004 and 2015, residence spots on campus have not reflected the growing demand for accommodation.

With an average wait list of 145 for residence spots over the last three years, most students resort to finding off-campus accommodation, the planning committee found.

The new residence building project hopes to remedy such figures, aiming to take the percentage of UTSC students living in residence from the current six per cent up to nine per cent by the 2019–2020 academic year.

“While the University of Toronto Scarbor-

Police arrest Andrew Smith, known to frequent UTSG campus The 36-year-old escaped police custody on March 15

PHOTOS VIA UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO CAMPUS POLICE SERVICES

JASONPARIS/CC FLICKR

UTSC has had an average wait list of 145 for residence spots over the last three years. ough has benefited from strong enrolment growth, it has exhausted its physical capacity to satisfy residence demand based on existing facilities. Student Housing and Residence Life currently has an inventory of 765 beds and new beds have not been added since Joan Foley Hall opened in 2003 although undergraduate enrolment has grown by 58%,” reads a portion of the residence’s Project Planning Committee report on March 22.

UTSC’s Media Relations Officer Don Campbell echoed similar sentiments in an email statement to The Varsity about the new student residence.

“We’re very excited about this project for a number of reasons,” he said.

“Our main goal is to really enhance the student experience, especially in terms of building a sense of community among our first-year students,” Campbell continued. “We’re looking to do this in the way the residence rooms are configured as well as the availability of student lounges, academic spaces, multi-use spaces and dining facilities that will be in the building.

“We currently have 765 residence beds on campus, so this project is also about meeting

demand for more spaces. We’re also sensitive to concerns from our neighbors and local political leaders about off-campus housing, so we want to address some of these concerns by creating high quality, sustainable spaces that our students will enjoy,” said Campbell.

Since the plan is still making its way through council, Campbell noted that “there’s still no cost associated with the project,” although potential funding sources are being identified. According to the committee’s documents, the new residence building would be funded through “a capital investment through an investor partnership that would reimburse the University for all construction costs and associated fees.”

The project is still in its early days, however it will have to go through several more stages of approval before construction begins.

The Business Board will discuss the plan on April 6 before it is taken to the UTSC Campus Council for recommendation, as well as the Academic Board and Executive Committee later in the month.

Governing Council will then consider the plan for approval on May 18, 2017.

Supreme Court dismisses Victoria University appeal bid

Police warned that Smith had a history of violence and was known to frequent the northwest side of campus.

Jenna Moon Associate News Editor

Toronto Police have arrested a man that escaped police custody during a trip to Mount Sinai Hospital on March 15. Andrew Smith, 36, was located near King and Charlotte on Thursday afternoon.

Smith evaded police for more than a week, having fled from Mount Sinai after receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical concern.

Toronto Police took to Twitter to thank the public for their assistance. A tweet posted on March 23 credited “tips from citizens” for helping to locate Smith and bring him back into custody.

Smith was first arrested on March 7 after allegedly threatening to kill a U of T security guard and for possessing dangerous weapons. The initial safety report issued by U of T advised students to travel in groups, warning that Smith has a history of violence and of frequenting the northwest side of campus.

Vic President William Robins expects arbitration panel to “convene in the near future”

Sole candidate loses NCSC presidential race

Tamim Mansour Varsity Staff

Voter turnout nearly doubles from previous year

Victoria University’s application for leave, appealing the judgement of the Court of Appeal for Ontario to the Supreme Court of Canada, was recently dismissed. This is the latest development in a 27-year dispute between the college and its tenants over rent reset negotiations.

Revenue Properties Company Limited and GE Canada Real Estate Equity Holding Company each hold 100-year leases from Victoria University for the land on 131 and 151 Bloor Street West respectively.

The parties were unable to agree as to whether the fair market value of the land should include the potential for freehold condominium projects, which would give the land a higher valuation.

An arbitration panel was convened and the majority ruled in favour of the higher land valuation, setting the values of 131 and 151 Bloor Street West respectively at $182,700,000 and $37,325,000.

The panel cited Musqueam Indian Band v.

Glass which, amongst other important decisions, established that land should be valued as freehold, or as if there were no lease on it, and according to its “highest and best use” as per legal restrictions on land use.

The tenants appealed the panel’s decision

to the Ontario Superior Court, asking for a re-hearing with a new arbitration panel.

While the Superior Court judge determined that the panel was mistaken for including the potential for freehold condominium development into the value of the land, the judge did not believe this warranted a new panel and remitted the issue back to the same arbitration panel. Last summer, the Court of Appeal for Ontario had dismissed appeals by both Victoria University and its tenants on the Superior Court decision and, again, remitted the issue back to the arbitration panel. It was this dismissal that the college tried to appeal with the Supreme Court.

William Robins, President of Victoria University, says that the college was “disappointed” with the dismissal. “It is part of the fiduciary responsibility of Victoria University and its Board of Regents to ensure that Revenue Properties and G.E. pay the fair and appropriate land rent due under the terms of their leases, and the application to the Supreme Court was part of the fulfilment of that fiduciary responsibility,” Robins said, adding that the college “will continue [to] be strong advocates for Vic and its students at the negotiating table.”

Victoria University is also participating in ongoing discussions with the City of Toronto on property taxes on the unoccupied land it owns. Currently, the college is exempt from

Rachel Chen Features Editor SOFIA LUDWIG/THE VARSITY

Victoria University has been embroiled in a legal disputes with its tenants since the 1990s.

paying such taxes in accordance with the Victoria University Act. The land on 131 and 151 Bloor Street West are two of the most highly valued properties that the university leases out and would have incurred $5,027,736 and $1,052,611 in property taxes respectively from 2013 to 2015 if the taxes had not been exempt.

According to Robins, the rent reset negotiations and property tax discussions are “separate issues.” He also says the arbitration panel is not currently meeting but the college expects it to “convene in the near future.”

GE Canada Real Estate Equity did not answer repeated phone calls and messages to its Montréal office. Calls to Morguard Corporation, which now owns Revenue Properties, were also unanswered.

Following a campaign against Nicholas Grant, New College Student Council’s (NCSC) only presidential candidate, a simple majority has voted ‘no’ to his reelection.

Grant is currently the NCSC President. As an unopposed candidate, voters had the option of voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to reelect him. The NCSC constitution says only a simple majority is needed to win a position on the council.

Grant lost with 79 per cent of the constituents voting no, 10 per cent voting yes, and 11 per cent spoiling their ballots. The total number of voters was 366 people this year, up from 185 last year.

The protests against Grant were run by the No Excuse for Abuse: Vote No to Nick Grant campaign, which cited allegations against the candidate, all of which were denied by Grant.

Grant expressed to The Varsity that he did not have any strong feelings about the result and criticized what he described as the “toxic and personal nature of attacks.”

—With files from Tom Yun

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Where Reboot went wrong While their anti-establishment critiques of the UTSU seemed promising, the slate’s execution fell short Reut Cohen Arts & Culture Editor

Well before this year’s University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) campaign season began, students were given notice of the existence of a decidedly anti-establishment slate dubbed Reboot UofT. Reboot’s leaked platform included promises such as dissolving the executive, cutting the number of full-time staff, and avoiding “political involvement/ virtue signalling pet projects.”

All of this seemed to indicate that the slate’s members were capitalizing on a wave of anti-establishment sentiments that have been growing in U of T’s student population since this past fall, at the latest. Yet it is now clear that the self-proclaimed ‘outsiders’ will remain as such for at least another year, having failed to secure a single position on the Executive Committee.

How is it that Reboot did not garner adequate support in a year that saw such divisive debates over the role of the union on campus? The truth is that throughout the campaign season, Reboot displayed a profound disregard for the procedures that govern UTSU elections. Its members routinely demonstrated unfamiliarity with issues pertinent to students, in addition to exhibiting a degree of unjustified vulgarity.

It is certainly possible that there are problems with the way UTSU elections are run, including with respect to the jurisdictions of the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) and Elections and Referenda Committee (ERC). The fact that members of these governing bodies have working and personal relationships with the candidates to whom they are supposed to be issuing rulings raises all sorts of questions, all of which deserve to be investigated in their own right.

Many students found it opportune, for instance, that the demerit points issued by the CRO and ERC with regard to comments made on Reboot’s Facebook page resulted in the disqualification of several members of the slate. However, pretending that these members were disqualified purely because of the slate’s political bent, as some have done, is silly and dishonest.

Many of the offences for which members of the Reboot slate were issued demerit points were entirely avoidable, such as several incidences of pre-campaigning, including by the slate’s former presidential candidate, Micah Ryu. While the Facebook comments may have been the tipping point, it was certainly not a single incident of refusal to adhere to standards of ‘political correctness’ that disqualified these candidates — it was their sustained lack of discipline in running their campaign.

The Reboot campaign also reflected a lack of familiarity with pertinent issues. In an interview with The Varsity, Reboot’s candidate for Vice-President Equity Keelie Shay-Eaid displayed a profound lack of understanding of the equity issues surrounding the UTSU, such as the allegations by the Black Liberation Collective (BLC) that the union contains elements of anti-black racism.

Shay-Eaid said that the BLC’s narrative was “pretty aggressive,” but also said she supported their demands. One such demand is the discontinuation of the lawsuit against the union’s former Executive Director Sandra Hudson, and Shay-Eaid was unable to clarify whether or not she supported it. A day later, she commented on The Varsity’s webpage where her interview was published, stating that this representation was inaccurate and that she fully supported the continuation of the lawsuit.

PRI SHARMA/THE VARSITY

Ryu himself was disqualified hours before the presidential debate hosted by The Varsity on March 13, but decided to participate nonetheless. In response to a question about UTM students feeling disconnected from UTSU elections, Ryu responded, “Frankly, UTM students should fuck off.”

It is entirely possible that the relationship between UTM and the UTSU should be called into question, but there was no need to so crudely discount a significant portion of U of T’s student population. UTM students are certainly not responsible for the details of the legal relationship between their campus and the union — and all of them pay fees directly into the UTSU’s pockets.

During the same debate, as well as the prior executive forum hosted by the UTSU itself, Reboot representatives constantly defaulted to increased funding for clubs as the ultimate solution to the union’s problems — a solution that could, they argued, solve everything from equity disputes to advocacy to concerns about free speech. Such an approach is neither logical nor pragmatic.

Ultimately, Reboot’s downfall can be traced to the slate’s refusal to follow the rules, even for the purpose of being empowered to tear them down. It is a disservice to

students to pretend to offer an alternative to corruption within the UTSU and then run a campaign that lacks organization, thoughtfulness, and respect.

It remains to be seen whether the UTSU’s next year of governance will bring with it significant changes to the status quo. Issues like the future of the Hudson lawsuit, contract negotiations with the union’s permanent staff, and the UTSU’s relationship with the CFS are among the items that will define the incoming executive team as insiders or disruptors.

I hope I am not alone in considering my vote something to be earned. While Reboot certainly had the chance to do so, it squandered that chance by failing to follow procedure and displaying a lack of forethought on many of the issues that are of importance to students.

One thing that is clear from Reboot’s failure is that if students want to challenge the establishment, they should not expect to be exempted from its rules.

Reut Cohen is a second-year student at Trinity College studying International Relations.

She is The Varsity’s Arts & Culture Editor.

The views expressed here are her own.

Forgoing the LSAT is only a superficial change Harvard Law School’s decision to accept GRE scores does not expand access in the ways it claims

Saambavi Mano Varsity Columnist

Harvard Law School’s (HLS) recent decision to allow prospective applicants the option of submitting GRE scores instead of LSAT scores has been lauded as a significant step in the right direction with respect to making admissions more inclusive. However, this recent change to HLS’ admissions policies does not broaden access despite its proud declarations of increased inclusivity.

The statement released by HLS regarding its decision claims that the change in policy will “eliminate barriers” and “diversify [the] community,” but any true attempt to do so would involve a significant move away from standardized testing or concerted efforts to remove financial barriers to a legal education.

It is necessary to acknowledge that this change was made primarily to benefit HLS. The intention behind accepting GRE scores was not simply to make it easier for those suited to legal education to attend HLS, but rather to make “sure the most qualified candidates continue to consider [Harvard Law],” as stated by Associate Dean Jessica Soban.

Accordingly, this move will likely benefit those applying out of Master’s and PhD programs more than it will benefit undergraduate students. This may seem fair at first glance, but it in fact reinforces barriers to inclusivity instead of removing them. There are significant financial obstacles to completing graduate programs that students from lower-income backgrounds often cannot overcome, making it highly unlikely that

accepting GRE scores in the place of LSAT scores will diversify the community in the way HLS claims it will.

Even if some of those Master’s and PhD students are able to forgo the costs of preparing for and writing the LSAT, the fact remains that the students most likely to be accepted with GRE scores — the students HLS is likely to consider the “most qualified” — also have the financial means to complete their degrees in the first place.

The GRE itself is also not necessarily more accessible than the LSAT; the only thing that makes it distinctly more so is the fact that it is offered almost every day of the year. However, the GRE still costs almost $200, not to mention the cost of preparatory materials or courses.

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The benefits to HLS’ new admissions policy are only illusory. CHRISTY AHN/THE VARSITY HLS’ claim, as published on their website, that their decision “will alleviate the financial burden on applicants who would otherwise be

required to prepare and pay for an additional test” is true for students who are considering both law and graduate school, and who will now

not have to take the LSAT. But this does nothing to address the fact that some students may not be able to afford to write either.

Finally, the GRE and the LSAT are both standardized tests that are similar in length and composition. Consequently, the GRE still serves as a huge barrier for people with learning disabilities or other conditions that make standardized tests difficult to write. For students with ADHD, for example — students who may fall into the category of “most qualified” to attend law school — training to sit through a fourhour test can be brutal.

Regardless of whether or not this new policy change allows for the substitution of one test for the other, prospective applicants are still required to write a standardized test in order to be admitted.

The central claims of HLS regarding the change in admissions policies are misleading. Though the statement released by HLS claims that this change in policy will diversify the community in terms of “academic background, country of origin, and financial circumstances,” the school uses the word

“diverse” to refer mainly to a variation of academic backgrounds that ultimately boils down to students who are considering both law and graduate schooling.

Furthermore, given that the GRE is in fact more expensive to write outside the United States, like it is in Canada, this change does not make a difference to international students in the way HLS claims it does.

The notion that HLS’ decision is revolutionary from an inclusivity perspective is absurd when one considers the weight of the claims it makes to justify its reasoning. Removing barriers and diversifying a community implies making systemic changes to the way an institution operates; substituting one standardized test for another does not constitute this degree of change.

Saambavi Mano is a third-year student at Victoria College studying Peace, Conflict, and Justice Studies. Her column appears every three weeks.

Speaking against silence The important work conducted by the Silence is Violence campaign highlights inadequate responses to sexual violence on campus Adina Heisler Varsity Staff

On March 16, a group called Silence is Violence (SiV) put up a series of posters detailing negative interactions that survivors of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment have had with U of T administration, staff, and people affiliated with the university, such as union leaders. This action was part of a broader campaign called Survivors Speak Back.

The stories depicted on the posters paint a picture of an institution that seems incapable of dealing with sexual violence: “U of T paid my rapist to live at a hotel across from my residence throughout the investigation;” “U of T threatened to remove me from my PhD program for reporting my stalker;” “My College told me if I spoke about my rape they’d punish me for ‘retaliation.’”

The power and horror of these stories is found in their volume — and the number of stories of sexual violence at U of T that are not even being told. How many survivors, fearful of no response or even retaliation from university officials, simply choose not to report at all?

In 2015, the CBC reported that between 2009 and 2013, there were 34 reports of sexual assault at U of T. Similar to what happens with low reports of sexual assault skewing crime statistics, such a low number of campus reports does not mean that sexual assaults were low during this period.

As experts cited by the CBC noted, the low numbers are “an indication that [Canadian universities] are doing a poor job of encouraging students to come forward.”

It is also telling that U of T’s response to this very campaign was to tear down the posters. The university claimed, via spokeswoman Elizabeth Church, that “the posters were removed in accordance with the university’s Procedure on Distribution of Publications, Posters and Banners.” The spokeswoman failed to mention which rules of the procedure the posters violated, but section three of this procedure — which specifically deals with posters — contains rules only pertaining to where posters can be placed and how large they can be.

Unless the university is referring to another rule that has not been made public, it seems that the posters were not in violation of any of the rules: they were in appropriate public spaces and were appropriately sized.

SiV is doing very important work in highlighting the inadequate university response to sexual violence. Survivors need to feel safe and supported, and it looks like U of T has little interest in treating them with respect.

To be fair, the university does have a comprehensive policy on sexual violence and harassment, which was approved by the Governing Council in December. SiV has participated in consultations on the policy, but, as the group stated on Facebook, these consultations aren’t necessarily adequate — especially since the policy didn’t adequately take into account their concerns, and many of the support workers were not very engaged.

While the existence of this policy is important, it is futile if it does not translate into action. It does

not matter how well thought-out a policy about sexual violence and harassment is as long as survivors continue to feel shamed and threatened by the institution that is meant to protect them. Numerous instances of the university suppressing sexual violence survivors’ voices are reflected in SiV’s posters — and it is unclear whether the policy will adequately anticipate and address these cases in the future.

The university has sent a clear message by tearing down the posters: that survivors should stay quiet. U of T must improve its actions with respect to preventing sexual violence in the first place. One of the best places to start would be to ensure that an alternate message of support rings loud and clear and that everyone on campus knows that violence comes with consequences.

If U of T wants to actually make change, it should dig through its recycling bins and read survivors’ stories to understand what they need. Reporting and disclosing sexual violence needs to be more accessible, and survivors should have an easier time finding mental health and academic support.

In turn, survivors should not have to worry about seeing their perpetrators again, and they most certainly should not have to worry about retribution for speaking about their assault.

Ultimately, survivors should never be punished for speaking up, nor have their stories torn down.

Adina Heisler is a second-year student at University College studying Women and Gender Studies and English.

MUBASHIR BAWEJA/THE VARSITY

Posters from the Survivors Speak Back campaign appeared on campus about two weeks ago.

Behind the lives of twenty-something-year-olds Millennial stereotypes and the real reasons we’re struggling to find employment Linh Nguyen Varsity Staff I’m a 21-year-old writer, English major, and soonto-be jobless graduate living in my parents’ basement. As my brother often reminds me, I’m a living stereotype of the millennial generation, a group generally categorized as people born from 1980 to 2000.

In 2013, Time used “cold, hard data” to show that we are lazy, developmentally stunted, and convinced of our own greatness. These views have since become commonplace and are echoed by hundreds of voices.

The idea of millennial entitlement is rooted largely in a perceived new period between adolescence and adulthood. Whereas people in their twenties once had stable work and were living independently, many graduates today still live at home.

This phenomenon has led to several assumptions, like the idea that millennials are too lazy to work, are stunted in their ability to grow up, and lack the initiative to seek high-level employment and move out, preferring to instead mooch off their parents for as long as they can get away with it.

Her experience is not unique. One girl in my fourth-year seminar declared just last week that she had applied to over 85 jobs. Though Jane lives independently, her peers staying at home aren’t necessarily taking it easier. Daniel Neiman, a 2016 Neuroscience graduate, was promoted to Assistant Manager at DAVIDsTEA shortly after graduating.

“I thought – perfect! I can earn a lot of money, work full-time and still have time to figure out what I want to do!” he said. “That is definitely not what happened... I usually worked eight hours a day and had to commute an hour and a half to my store each way. I felt like I had no time to enjoy simple hobbies because every time I came home, I would be exhausted from the day and [dread] that I had to go to sleep in an hour only to wake up at 7:00 am again the next day.”

Rhianna Jackson-Kelso, a 2016 graduate in English, described a similar routine. “I’ve been working three jobs at 60 hours a week,” she said. “I think it’s been about a month and a half since I last had a day off work. None of these jobs are ones I would like to keep doing Millennials at work long-term, but I find I’m always too tired to do Jane*, a 2016 graduate in Political Science any real job hunting during my off time, and I’m and Latin American Studies, counters these starting my master’s this coming September so assumptions by providing some insight into I feel like there isn’t a point anyway.” her job search experience as a recent graduate.

She elaborated, saying, “Having zero free time After going through a stressful period of apand still facing economic problems, seemingly plications, she has found work as a University no matter how much I work, has been incredibly of Toronto employee — a position she feels stressful. Seeing so many angry think-pieces fortunate to have, but still feels unconfident written by out-of-touch Baby Boomers who about holding. think my entire generation is lazy, as well as Due to her apprehension regarding her hiring, having to serve coffee to such people daily, is so The Varsity agreed to grant her anonymity for frustrating and degrading. this article.

“So many of my friends are in the same posi“I worked really hard on my job search during tion as me, where they need to work multiple my last four months of school, and applied to jobs to get by, or even switch to part-time stuover 100 jobs,” she said. “Some I knew I wasn’t dent status because the stress of working and really suited for, but I just kept applying and doing full-time school is too much,” she said. hoped that something would work out. I did get a job that started literally the Monday after I The times have changed submitted my final essays, and then got another A common theme of generational disputes is job about four months later through a position I the assertion that times have changed. For exheld as a student.” ample, Jane pointed out that home ownership in the city is so out of reach that it is no longer a realistic goal for many people. Priorities have shifted.

“It’s hard out there,” said Jane. “Most of my friends are working very hard and taking their careers very seriously, but we are also grappling with a changing workforce and the notion that

we will mostly work for several employers in different roles through our careers.”

CBC television journalist Gillian Findlay offered some insight into what her undergraduate experience in the seventies looked like in comparison, as an example of how much has changed over the past 40 years.

She described working a unionized job at a plywood company full-time throughout the summers, an opportunity she admitted that she was fortunate to come by. “It wasn’t a fun job,” she said, “The hours were terrible... but I was making almost twenty dollars an hour.”

As a result, working part-time during the school year was never a necessity. Although she did work waitressing and tutoring jobs on the side, they were supplementary and did not take up more than a few hours a week.

“I could in the course of four months over the summer make enough money to support myself through eight months of school,” she said. “I don’t know if there are any kids now who can work four months a year and make enough money in that time to support themselves, certainly not to live in a city like Toronto.”

The uncertainty of reward Indeed, the students I talked to reported working multiple jobs to support themselves throughout the year. The rising costs of tuition and living have also prompted significant mental health challenges for the younger generation, who seem to be balancing more work with less certainty of reward.

“This has probably been the most difficult year I’ve had to deal with yet,” said Neiman. “I wasn’t feeling like myself, and if I did see my friends on the rare occasion, I felt tired and disconnected from them. It almost felt like others were moving forward with their lives and I was just stuck.”

Neiman is not alone in feeling this way, and even Jane, whose University of Toronto job is full-time, expressed that her job does not feel final.

“I love my job now and it’s in the field I want to work in,” she said. “Even though I am very secure, I feel like I have to keep doing more.

I’m taking courses at night and plan to go back to school for a master’s part-time in the fall of 2018. I don’t know when I’ll feel fully settled, and I have a hard time allowing myself to relax and take time off.”

According to Findlay, these concerns are not necessarily unwarranted. “In my generation, you understood that the reward was going to be there,” she said. “As long as you were prepared to work hard, you could assume that one way or the other, the opportunities would present themselves, and you would get a chance,” she said, “I don’t think that you can assume in the same way I did that those opportunities are going to be there for you.”

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New priorities Madison Laithwaite, a 2016 Sociology and Criminology graduate, also points out that the older generation’s model of living may be outdated.

“You went to high school, got a job, found a husband or wife, bought a house and had children.

That isn’t the case anymore,” Laithwaite said.

“Today there is more opportunity for schooling and pursuing a career we enjoy rather than settling on what pays the bills. We aren’t as pressured to have kids young. Life has become more about exploration, freedom, and ‘living life to the fullest,’” she added.

While this new model is sometimes viewed as indulgent and supportive of delaying responsibility, Findlay said, “I think [millennials] figured out more stuff than perhaps my generation did.

They understand that all satisfaction doesn’t come from a job, and it’s a big world out there, and there’s lots of opportunities in a broader sense.”

She indicated the strong qualities that she sees from this increased schooling and exploration. “I’m quite blown away by the young people that are coming in,” she said. “They’re better educated than I ever was. They’re smart. They know the world. They’ve travelled usually. They speak many languages. These are really accomplished young people that I see.”

“I’m going home now” One reason that Findlay feels the ‘entitled’ label has stuck is because millennials, perhaps more than any past generation, have a strong sense of worth and are willing to set boundaries.

“They don’t want to be exploited,” she said. “And I think we have not done a terribly good job of not exploiting them.”

She pointed out the abundance of unpaid internships, even at the CBC. “Sometimes, people stand up and say ‘I’m not going to do that’ or ‘I’m going home now. It’s seven o’clock and I already put in two hours of overtime that you’re not paying me for,’” she said. “I think that maybe has been shocking to some people in management, so that may contribute to this notion.”

She also gave a less popular take on her own generation. “I think that we were probably the most privileged generation to come out of school,” she said. “We were the tail end of the baby-boomers. We came out at a time of growing economic prosperity where businesses were expanding and there were opportunities.”

As many students and recent graduates discovered, this abundance of opportunity is no longer the norm. “Millennials are faced with worse pay rates and higher costs of living than our parents ever were,” said Jackson-Kelso.

“Post-secondary education has become mandatory if you want access to jobs that pay a living wage, and tuition fees are much higher now than they were in our parents’ and grandparents’ day,” she said. “Anyone who claims all millennials are lazy and entitled is seriously out of touch with our current economic situation.”

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Which stereotypes, if any, hold water?

A few students did admit that there might be some truth to the stereotypes, largely as a result of how our generation was raised. “There is definitely a certain amount of false helplessness and a sense of entitlement among some millennials,” said Laithwaite. “Helicopter parenting or ‘babying’ has been a concern in recent decades.”

Jane echoed the sentiment, saying, “Perhaps extreme focus on making sure everyone felt like a winner when we were young may have contributed to how people view themselves now.”

Findlay also pointed out that millennials receive mixed messages when they are raised to follow their dreams and then shamed for not being practical.

“I think if we’re going to tell kids to go out and pursue your dreams and study what interests you, we also have to understand that when they’ve done that, we’re going to have to help them figure out how to apply that,” she said, affirming that the focus should be on helping young people direct their skills rather than dissuading them from pursuing what they like.

The rise of social media has also contributed much to the reputation of what Time called the “Me Me Me Generation.” Even Laithwaite admits that there may be truth to the stereotype: “I think that our generation is more selfabsorbed than those in the past,” she said.

Although everyone I talked to had mixed feelings about the impacts of social media — Neiman agreed that it was easy to get lost in our follower count and number of likes — few agreed that it had actually caused a rise in self-absorption. Jackson-Kelso attributed selfabsorption simply to the age of millennials.

“Your 20s are a time when, ideally, in addition to hammering out the details of your professional life, you’re also having fun and finding out who you are as a person, and social media broadcasts and amplifies this process of discovery to judgemental older generations who apparently have forgotten what it was like to be our age,” she said.

Findlay agreed, saying, “You’re at that stage in your life where you’re defining yourself, making decisions about what to do and where to go.

All of that requires you to be self-absorbed. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have the ability or the instinct or the desire to look at the world in different ways. But your job at that particular time is to figure yourself out.”

“It’s because they can’t” Perhaps it is natural for every older generation to look down and scoff at the new one. The media today may have only amplified those sentiments.

As Findlay said, “Every generation has its challenges. If you came of age in the mid 1930s, how difficult that must’ve been. Or if you came of age and you were a boy in 1914, imagine what that was like... I don’t know if in a historical sense, we’re going to look back and say that you guys were uniquely challenged, but you have your challenges.”

In the end, the part of the stereotype that every interviewee rejected most was laziness. Our situations, everyone expressed — from living at home to working temporary jobs — are entirely to do with necessity rather than choice.

“I think there’s a really apparent instinct at that age to be independent, to want to be independent, to go out in the world and live your own life and prove to yourself and to others that you can,” said Findlay. “If people aren’t doing that, it’s because they can’t.” *Name has been changed at individual’s request.

Arts&Culture

March 27, 2017 var.st/arts arts@thevarsity.ca

In search of a safe space Ahead of a stressful season, our contributors share their comfortable campus spots of choice Cup, Second rth College wo Woods

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Rhodes Room, Trinity College

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Third floor, Robarts Library

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Caffiends, Victoria College

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The Rhodes Room, located on the second floor of Graham Library, might seem like an intimidating spot to some people, but not to me.

The room was built as a tribute to the outstanding men and women of Trinity College who received the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Each photograph of these scholars carries a name with its own story of academic achievement, providing me with guidance on my own academic journey.

I study there in the hopes of finding excellence in myself and obtaining an appreciation for scholarship. And, if I might be so bold, it is a great place to nap.

As my third year at U of T comes to a close, the Rhodes Room remains a haven. It keeps me grounded. Amidst the toxic competitiveness and other hardships of university life, it reminds me of my pursuit of knowledge. Though I may not yet be as excellent or as impressive, sitting in a room full of Rhodes Scholars makes me feel like I am not alone in this pursuit.

It reminds me why I am here.

— Grace Manalili

There is no quintessentially comfortable spot for me at U of T. The St. George campus is a vibrant hub of activity, a bustling city setting in which I thrive. However, when I do feel the need to sit down and relax with a cup of coffee and a friend or book, there are a number of suitable options.

The upstairs sofas at the Kruger Hall Commons at Woodsworth College are a perfect spot for a quick chat or a long debate, overlooking a Second Cup that’s just a flight of stairs away. New College’s Wilson Hall has a serene workspace in front of a window with a view of Willcocks Street.

My personal favourite spot would have to be the sofa chairs in Sid Smith Hall — if by some miracle they’re ever free, they are the most comfortable to kick back and relax in. There’s a Second Cup right next to them so muffins and coffee are never too far, and the centrality of Sid’s means you’re never too far from your next class.

— Sarim Irfan

Many coffee shops in Toronto have become so aesthetically minimalist that they have lost their coziness. By contrast, Caffiends at Victoria College is a space where one can come to hang out, study — if you’re disciplined enough — and also share a laugh.

The Caffiends crew will become your friends in no time, as they are welcoming and caring, and you will always find a friendly face happy to put off doing their schoolwork.

Being a daily coffee consumer, having an inexpensive $1 coffee every day makes a big difference, and the shop’s coffee is delicious.

The tea is exceptional, and the muffins… oh, the muffins are out of this world, and I can assure you they will improve your day.

Being an environmentally friendly café also means Caffiends is a place where you’ll learn to stir your coffee with a piece of raw spaghetti. The café also partners with fair trade businesses to supply its products. Caffiends is my favourite place on campus because it allows me to leave my stresses outside its doors on a daily basis.

— Charlène Hanania

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Deep inside the monolithic architecture of Robarts Library is my happy place: a particularly lovely sofa chair on the third floor near the Media Commons. The surrounding area is quiet due to the studying taking place, but it isn’t overcrowded like other study rooms on campus.

Though there are two chairs surrounding mine, the one on the left is my pride and joy. This chair allows enough space between you and the other tables and chairs to feel like you’re a part of student life, while still being isolated enough to sleep peacefully without judgement from others.

I don’t know what my academic career would look like if I didn’t have this seat on campus to return to at all times. My only fear is that writing this down will mean others will use this sofa during my times of need. But if this sofa chair might provide you the peace it’s given me over the years, then by all means, give it a try.

— Edgar Vargas

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There is no place on campus quite like the foyer in Old Vic at Victoria College. The portraits of past presidents along the wall greet visitors, welcoming them into a space of rich academic history. Even during the busiest hours of the day, the foyer stays tranquil and cozy.

The leather couches placed outside Alumni Hall are arguably the comfiest seats one’s butt could have the privilege of sitting on. On days when I’m desperately seeking inspiration and motivation, I often find myself wandering into the foyer, plopping myself into one of the couches.

Perhaps it’s the portraits of Gooch and his predecessors, or the faint but constant buzz of students walking up the flight of stairs to their classes. Pratt Library is too eerily quiet, a trendy coffee shop is too lively, but the foyer of Old Vic is pastoral.

The earthy tones of the foyer also help its ambience — enticing out my suppressed sense of creativity. I might even argue that the Old Vic foyer is my muse, as some of my best poems and short stories were produced there. It is truly my home away from home.

— Carol Eugene Park

MARCH 27, 2017 • 13

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History resurfaces through Jaime Black’s REDress Project The Women & Gender Studies Institute’s artist-in-residence on addressing violence and evoking presence Sabrina Ramroop Varsity Staff

This year, the University of Toronto’s Women & Gender Studies Institute is hosting Jaime Black as its artist-in-residence. Black is a Métis artist based in Winnipeg, who has brought her installation, The REDress Project, with her to U of T. Black’s project began in 2010 in Winnipeg, her hometown. She had publicized a call for donations of red dresses for her project, receiving over 100 donations. Thus began The REDress Project, which calls attention to the thousands of cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada.

Through the project, Black addresses gender violence, racialization, silencing, systemic discrimination, and loss as a product of settler colonialism. Black’s work demonstrates an aesthetic response to these issues. The REDress Project has been shown in various locations across Canada and is now present in public spaces on U of T’s campus.

“I really feel like Canada is actually built on an abusive relationship with Indigenous people... that’s still carrying on today,” said Black.

She noted contemporary instances of people being displaced and sacred sites being desecrated

for purposes of industrial development, such as at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. “Peoples’ voices are not being heard despite their active and persistent and collective efforts to have their voices heard.

They’re still being silenced and so that kind of relationship between Indigenous people and the state is still alive and well and that’s something we need to start thinking about,” said Black.

Black’s art is made up of multiple layers that speak to the relationship between the state and Indigenous women in particular. When asked about the significance of the use of the colour red in her work, she said, “It’s a sacred colour to me… I’ve always used red in my own personal spiritual practice… It’s the colour of life blood, so it’s really our vitality, and our essence of who we are.”

Black said that the red dresses serve as a way to safely discuss the violence that Indigenous women are experiencing. She said that “it hints at the violence without recreating trauma,” encouraging people to listen to voices that often go unheard.

Black’s work was installed on various sites around campus, with most sites chosen based on their access to open space. The Philosopher’s Walk is one site that was picked for its meaning. “Taddle Creek, Philosopher’s Walk was a

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B-Sides is a weekly feature where we pose a question about the arts to generate discussion about the role of culture in our everyday lives.

This week’s question is: CLARA MACKINNON-CABRAL/THE VARSITY

Over 100 dress donations have been made to the project. really significant spot that we wanted to put dresses because… Indigenous people used to meet at the river running through that space, that is now underground, so it’s a really beautiful space to kind of bring Indigenous precedence back to that space,” Black said.

The installation calls attention to the missing and murdered Indigenous women of Turtle Island through the illustration of the intersections of art and history. “Art has the capacity to connect with people in a different way than maybe text would, or maybe a story, or maybe people have negative views of activists and activism and people are overloaded with information often, and they find ways to shut down from that,” said Black.

“I feel like art really supersedes that, and connects to people before they have a chance to put their guard up. It really allows them to emotionally and viscerally and subconsciously connect to the work before they hear the story and they’re actually curious and open and wanting to hear what the story is,” she added.

In Black’s artist statement for the project, she wrote, “Through the installation I hope to draw attention to the gendered and racialized nature of violent crimes against Aboriginal women and to evoke a presence through the marking of absence.”

Her salient installation demonstrates what happens when voices refuse to be silenced and histories resurface.

Does U of T live up to its reputation?

First-year students weigh in on the merits and failings of the U of T experience Alyssa Da Costa Varsity Contributor

Around this time last year, university acceptance letters were rolling in as high school seniors desperately awaited those nicely packaged envelopes that would reveal their fate. I know because I was one of them.

Each of us has our own personal reasons behind our decision to attend this university. U of T is regarded as one of the most prestigious schools in Canada, attracting many of the most determined and hard-working students, but the competitive and rigorous nature of work here deterred some of my own friends from attending this fine institution.

If these pessimistic associations are true, do they actually hinder student life and life after university? To unravel this mystery, I decided to interview several first-year students with the hopes of dispelling several myths surrounding U of T. Chris Dryden, a first-year engineering student who lives on campus, confessed: “After the fun of Frosh week was over, I realized how academically intensive U of T is, and the huge commitment that the engineering program entails.” He also noticed that U of T can be socially limiting for commuter students.

In response, Rotman Commerce

and commuter student Joe Atkinson-Orlando agreed that getting involved can be difficult for commuter students but suggested that with the right amount of effort, a social life at U of T is possible.

“There are no morning announcements,” said Inayat Singh, who intends to pursue Psychology and Cognitive Science, implying that the onus is on each student to discover opportunities they might find fulfilling.

I would argue that the ambitiousness so evident in U of T students is not perpetuated by the establishment itself, but rather the people surrounding us. Dryden also observed that dedication is the common thread that binds us students together, stating that hard work was not only reflected in our academic pursuits, but also in “various side-projects and initiatives that [students] would work on.”

Although some people may feel pressured to compete with the students who go beyond the typical daily schedule of a university student, simply indulging the idea of developing a competitive edge demonstrates the will to thrive, now and in the future.

Still, the desire to excel in university life makes our lives “incredibly enriched [but] incredibly busy, incredibly exhausted, and incredibly broke,” as prospective Diaspora and

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Transnational Studies student Maral Attarzadeh put it.

Some students, like Sneha Patel, find the culture at U of T “quite welcoming, diverse and friendly.” Valeria Gonzalez Rios, who has never lived in the same place for more than two years, revealed that although “[U of T] seemed intimidating… I consider it home away from home.”

However, not all students feel the same way. Elizebeth Thorkelson, who intends to study Political Science, said that the University of Toronto still has more to do in terms of creating a safe space for minorities and finding ways to reduce, if not eliminate, the overwhelming number of sexual assaults

that take place at fraternities.

In addressing these concerns, U of T might become a more accepting and safe place for everyone.

I also spoke to a recent graduate of U of T for insight into how the competitive university experience described by first-year students might affect our futures in the professional world. Adlai Salcedo, who graduated in 2016, commented that U of T’s competitive nature contributed to his own personal and professional development, rather than directing his energy to the need to “beat someone else” in order to garner success.

“I am always seeking opportunities to enhance my skills and to make a change in the community, majorly to stay marketable in this everchanging digital economy, but also to create change in our interconnected world. UofT taught me how to selflearn and enjoy the path of lifelong learning. I am therefore very grateful for the opportunities UofT provided me,” said Salcedo.

Accepting our offers to U of T required us to chase the visions we had for our own futures. While it may be tough at times, students can take comfort in knowing that this competitive edge, along with the dedication and hard work required to succeed at this university, is what will lead us to success.

“What are your thoughts on Drake’s More Life playlist?”

While Views was a love letter to Toronto, More Life is its B-side.

Not only does Drake throw out Toronto slang like an urban dictionary, but the project lacks a definitive spark. Without the innovation of If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late or the passion of So Far Gone, Drake has gotten away with selling his audience the same thing twice.

Can Drake return to his former groundbreaking status, or will he continue to bask in his Drake-ness? Only time will tell.

— Gabrielle Warren

Drake definitely made up for the wait with More Life’s 22 tracks, gifting us with Toronto’s sounds of the summer yet again. The playlist has a good balance of international features and sampling, from legendary figures to exes. Although many of the songs are pretty bland, I like the overall laidback feel of the playlist. Of course, I’ll also be sitting back waiting for the artists he called out to clap back.

— Sasha Rakkar

If you haven’t heard Drake’s newest album More Life yet, you’re too late fam! Not only did Drake master sweet dancehall vibes with Views and hype on If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, now he’s annihilated the house genre with tracks like “Passionfruit,” “Get It Together,” and “Madiba Riddim.”

And we can’t forget about the Quavo and Travis feature either — more chunes for your head top still.

— Riel Flack

This whole playlist feels like the B-side of Views, the equivalent of a Blu-ray with a movie’s deleted scenes. I respect Drake for letting grime artists like Skepta and Giggs share his platform — not that Skepta needed it — as the British music scene needs more recognition.

— Sarim Irfan

14 • THE VARSITY • ADVERTISEMENTS

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“I am a single mother. I need a good job to support my two children. I have worked at U of T since 2009. I moved to Canada from Portugal.

I worked in two textile factories which closed down before I was lucky enough to start work at U of T.” Deborah, U of T Caretaker since 2009

Cleaners deserve more than $12.20 an hour. Don’t contract out cleaning services at U of T! Please let the President, the Vice President Human Resources and the Vice President University Operations know you support decent jobs and want your workplaces to be cleaned by direct employees of the University Professor Meric Gertler president@utoronto.ca Professor Kelly Hannah-Moffat vp.hre@utoronto.ca Professor Scott Mabury scott.mabury@utoronto.ca

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Science

March 27, 2017 var.st/science science@thevarsity.ca

Science Around Town

How U of T Medicine plans to diversify health care The Black Student Application Program hopes to increase rates of black U of T Medicine students

ELHAM NUMAN/THE VARSITY

Clara Osei-Yeboah Varsity Contributor

The Black community makes up about 8.4 per cent of the GTA population but accounts for only one to two per cent of all medical students at the University of Toronto. This current paucity of Black students in medical school and in health care is alarming.

Chika Oriuwa is the only Black student in a class of 259 firstyear medical students at the University of Toronto. She said that learning to adjust had been a process. “I think that there was a process where I was a little bit disillusioned in a sense… Getting through that process [was] realizing that it was a similar environment [to what I had experienced in my undergraduate years].”

Correcting the Issue To increase the diversity of their medical program, U of T has announced an initiative called the Black Student Application Program (BSAP). Inspired by ISAP, U of T’s application stream for Indigenous applicants, BSAP seeks to attract more Black medical school applicants.

BSAP does not mean that spots are guaranteed or reserved for Black applicants. Black applicants must still meet the same rigorous academic and extracurricular requirements as students applying via the regular stream. This is the case despite studies having shown that the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) disadvantages ethnic minorities.

U of T requires all students to meet a score of at least 125 in each of the MCAT’s four sections. This admission process looks at MCAT scores differently from other schools in Ontario.

“U of T uses MCAT as a minimum threshold score; it is not looked at on a competitive scale,” said Dr. David Latter, Director of MD Admissions for the Faculty of Medicine.

What this means is that once BSAP applicants have met this minimum score, like all other applicants, their applications can move onto the next stages — file reviews and interviews.

One of the major differences between BSAP and the regular application stream is that these next stages are conducted by a team

that includes members of the Black community. “In this way, there may be less room for unconscious or conscious bias,” said Latter.

But there still may be those who misunderstand the aim of the program. One of the challenges that the program may face, Oriuwa said, is that “other people may interpret and criticize the program for the work that it is trying to do… Maybe, people might have certain presumptions or assumptions about students who enter the program.”

Therefore, maintaining transparency and educating people is essential to increasing the success of the program.

Why is diversity in medicine important?

A lack of diversity in medical classrooms translates to a lack of diversity in health care. The cultural discordance between physician and patient means that this interaction does not always produce the best outcomes.

This is especially concerning because Black Canadians experience higher rates of certain afflictions, including HIV/AIDS, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and strokes than their white counterparts.

Increasing diversity among health care professionals can provide underserved minorities with greater or improved access to healthcare, and potentially increase doctor-patient trust.

In the long-term, diversity in health care can improve and sustain patient-physician interactions, making them meaningful and positively impactful, not only for Black or First Nations individuals, but for other ethnic minorities as well.

“Greater diversity in medical classes leads to doctors with a greater ability and sensitivity to serving diverse communities,” said Latter, “Ensuring many different ethnic and racial groups within the profession also broadens the scope of care and concern for unique health conditions that affect specific populations.”

The American Journal of Public Health published a study that found that “implicit racial bias and stereotyping of patient compliance” were correlated with negative experiences for Black patients and positive experiences for their white counterparts.

In another study published by the Proceedings of the National

Academy of Sciences, students at the University of Virginia, in believing that Black people had a higher tolerance for pain than white people, said that they would be less likely to prescribe painkillers to Black patients.

The University of Toronto understands that all students must have some level of cultural awareness if they are to be competent doctors.

U of T is trying to incorporate more cultural awareness in its courses to better equip students with the tools they need to serve underserved minority communities.

“It can be frustrating... if you don’t see yourself reflected... in a lesson or [if] you don’t think that it translates necessarily to some minority groups,” Oriuwa pointed out.

At the same time, she said that the opportunity to increase cultural awareness can also be empowering for her: “There’s been a number of times where I’ve become acutely aware of my identity and that in and of itself can sometimes be empowering in a sense, when you have a lot to offer to [the] discussion.”

Creating a better sense of community, therefore, means that more dialogue can be generated among different people. For Oriuwa, who, as a member of the Black Medical Students Association, helped with the launch of BSAP, community and support networks have also been integral to her medical school experience.

“There were some amazing mentors that I had in the program, like Ike Okafor… [and] I also joined the BMSA, which is a very good support system and network.”

She gives back to the community by doing outreach programs, observing that the social capital within the Black community “is currently at a deficit.”

Promoting medicine as a career path early on U of T has also implemented outreach programs to recruit Black high school students and create a better sense of community.

The Summer Mentorship Program (SMP) provides high school students with Indigenous or African ancestry the opportunity to explore the field of health sciences at the University of Toronto. For a period of four weeks in July, high school students are mentored by professionals in the field and also

get hands-on experience in the lab.

It is important to target students early on. Although it is now less than the former 40 per cent dropout rate, Toronto’s Black youth are still dropping out at a higher rate than other youth at roughly 23 per cent. This means that even before their undergraduate careers, some Black students have been eliminated from the potential pool of medical school applicants.

In the United States, studies have shown that the educational disparities between Black and white students are evident early in their academic careers. If this kind of data could be collected for black Canadian students, Toronto might be better equipped to address the lack of diversity in health care.

SMP has been around for over 20 years. While the initiative is implementing positive change, the paucity of Black students in medical school suggests that outreach programs can still be improved upon.

To create this sense of community, U of T has also implemented the Community of Support (CoS), which encourages more ethnic minorities to pursue a career in the health sciences. CoS offers advice and guidance throughout the medical school application process and events or programming so that students who want to pursue medicine do not feel alone or overwhelmed.

Supporting diversity throughout the degree Latter also said that it is important to continue to support Black students even while they are in medical school. “We are working to develop a Diversity focused office.

This will include programming for Black students. Our focus will be on offering mentorship opportunities and increased visibility of Black physician role models,” he said.

Part of this focus means that U of T is interested in working with Black student clubs and the Black community to accomplish this longterm goal of diversifying medicine and health care. As Oriuwa pointed out, “U of T is making great strides in its ability to be more accepting in how it’s teaching medicine.”

The university is working with the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario, the Black Medical Students Association, UME Enrolment Services Office and other groups so that diversity in medicine can finally become a reality.

Food Fight: How Nutrition Trends Are Changing the Way We Eat Healthy eating, or the lack thereof, is one of the most prevalent issues on university campuses today. The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine will be holding a public lecture on the topic of nutrition and how our modern-day diets are affecting our development.

Date: Tuesday, March 28 Time: 6:00–8:00 pm Location: Hard Rock Café, 279 Yonge Street Admission: Free with registration Department of Psychology Ebbinghaus Empire Lecture Series Come join U of T’s Department of Psychology for their weekly lecture series, where Dr. Deborah Talmi, senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, will be this week’s keynote speaker.

Date: Wednesday, March 29 Time: 12:15–1:30 pm Location: Room 3130, Sidney Smith Hall, 100 St. George Street Admission: Free The Impact of Institutional and Social Contexts on the Relationship between Caregivers and Persons with Dementia The U of T Joint Centre for Bioethics will be holding a public lecture to discuss the issues that surround patient-caregiver relationships within care facilities. Dr. Angel Petropanagos, a postdoctoral fellow from the Novel Tech Ethics team at Dalhousie University, will be speaking at the event.

Date: Wednesday, March 29 Time: 4:10–5:30 pm Location: Room 108, Health Sciences Building, 155 College Street Admission: Free 2017 Open Minds Conference The U of T Graduate Students Union Grad Minds committee is holding their annual Open Minds conference to discuss mental health and how to deal with the often stress-inducing environment of university. Speakers include Dr. Sakina Rizvi of St. Michael’s Hospital and U of T’s Dr. Bill Ju. Date: Wednesday, March 29 Time: 5:00–10:00 pm Location: Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle Admission: Free with registration (for students)

16 • THE VARSITY • SCIENCE

science@thevarsity.ca

Policy of truth: the pursuit of clinical trial transparency New Health Canada policies intend to improve access to medication research Geith Maal-Bared Varsity Contributor

Three years ago, the efficacy of antiviral medications Tamiflu and Relenza was called into question when a highly-publicized report suggested that the drugs’ benefits were overstated by Roche, their manufacturer. The report was the work of the Cochrane Collaboration, a non-profit that evaluates health care practices and clinical trials for the purpose of disseminating information.

This kickstarted a saga consisting of myriad reports and articles supporting or challenging the findings of the group. However, the group’s efforts to access information from the manufacturer were not met with open arms.

When data was requested in 2009, Cochrane Collaboration reviewers were met with a drawn-out abstinence, resulting in intensified media scrutiny toward Roche.

Here in Canada, getting access to research reports remains difficult. Health Canada’s approval of medications is often based on research reports that are exceedingly difficult to obtain. This ultimately leaves patients, physicians, and independent researchers in the dark regarding evidence.

St. Michael’s Hospital Physician and University of Toronto Assistant Professor Dr. Nav Persaud spent five years struggling to access records of clinical trials for the morning sickness drug Diclectin. Following a longwinded endeavour, he was given access to reports that, upon his analysis, reaffirmed his position that the medication was ineffective at quelling nausea and vomiting.

Despite having published his findings in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, the amount of information he was able to disclose was limited due to a confidentiality agreement he was required to sign.

A recent Health Canada proposal may alter the current state of affairs. The proposed regulation calls for the release of detailed reports for new clinical trials and retroactive release of old reports based on demand.

Persaud placed emphasis on the crucial nature of the contents of the reports, saying, “This is information about the effects of medication — so how effective they are, how safe they are — that’s the sort of information that’s included in the detailed clinical study reports. This is information that anyone taking these medications should have access to,� Persaud said. “This is definitely information that doctors and patients should have and they need it to make informed decisions.�

Nevertheless, there are complications that emerge upon close inspection of the policy.

Information with “ongoing commercial value� — the definition of which is not explicitly stated — can be withheld. This did not seem to rouse Persaud’s concerns, as he said, “Information that pharmaceutical companies submit to Health Canada includes technical information about the way medications are made. This is information their competitors would like but most other people wouldn’t benefit from having access to. So there might be some examples of information that pharmaceutical companies have a legitimate interest in keeping confidential.�

SHANNA HUNTER/THE VARSITY

How much red tape does it take to make a best-selling drug?

Persaud expressed more apprehension toward the provisions around projects that have not officially been completed. “There’s exception for ongoing studies and interim results. The sponsors of these studies — the pharmaceutical companies — they could describe any study as ongoing or any result as interim and so if they make that an exception, it could be a way around transparency‌ there may or may not be an actual plan to continue a study. If they haven’t decided they could just label it interim‌ So in the future‌ I hope that it’s not the case that sponsors of these studies stamp them all as interim because that would be a way around the regulation.â€?

Such reports are not written for a lay readership and this, Persaud hopes, may minimize the possibility of misinterpreta-

tion. “They are fairly technically written‌ so they’re not easy to analyze or interpret‌ realistically most people aren’t going to look at the raw clinical study report,â€? he said. “These documents can be ten thousand pages long‌ But these documents could lead to publications describing the results and those could be read by members of the public and reported in the newspapers.â€?

Facilitating access to vital information will likely eliminate some of the delays and red tape in which requests are currently shrouded. One may argue, however, that among the chief benefits the policy would impart is increased participation. After all, getting involved is likely less appealing if the sole benefactor is the drug company.

Health Canada is welcoming input from the public until May 26.

Notice to Members: Annual Ratification Meeting The Elections and Referenda Committee of the University of Toronto Students’ Union has called the Annual Ratification Meeting for the purpose of ratifying all incoming Board of Directors and Executive Members.

Details

Accessibility

Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Location: Bahen Centre, Room 1160, 40 St. George Street Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Registration starts at 5:00 pm

Agenda Â’

Call to Order

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Ratification of 2017-2018 UTSU Board of Directors A list of all individuals elected to the Board of Directors under Bylaw VI shall be presented to the Annual Ratification Meeting. This list shall be ratified or rejected in its entirety by a simple majority of those members present. Under no circumstances may any part of this list be externalized.

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Adjournment

Wheelchair accessible. If you have any accessibility requests, require ASL interpretation, childcare, or have other inquiries, please contact Ryan Gomes, Chair – Elections and Referenda Committee, by Wednesday, April 12 at vpprofac@utsu.ca.

Instructions for Voting by Proxy If you are unable to attend this meeting, and wish to give another person the authority to vote for you, please complete an online proxy form at utsu.simplyvoting.com by Friday, April 7, 2017 at 11:59 pm. You can login to the online proxy system starting Monday, April 3, 2017 at 9 am.

The UTSU proxy system is online. Please note that due to the regulations applicable to the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, the member who is giving the authority to vote to another member must initiate the process.

Visit utsu.ca/arm for further information.

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MARCH 27, 2017 • 17

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Food for thought U of T research examines methods of protecting your brain against cognitive decline with a good diet

VIVIAN TONG/THE VARSITY

Sheryl Montano Varsity Contributor

A group of scientists at Baycrest Hospital’s Rotman Research Institute recently published a food guide to help people ward off cognitive decline as they age. The guide highlights evidence-based diet recommendations to keep your brain healthy.

The recommendations within the guide are based on randomized trials that showed tremendous benefits for adults aged 50 years and older.

The Brain Health Food Guide notes that “after four months of eating well, study participants performed as if they were nine years younger on tests of reading and writing [speed].”

Individuals with high blood pressure who were on a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet with their caloric intake restricted and performed aerobic exercises regularly had improved neurocognitive performance — especially those with poorer vascular health.

Studies conducted by other researchers found that a Mediterranean diet combined

with antioxidant-rich foods was associated with improved cognitive function.

Based on this evidence, the guide emphasizes an “overall pattern of healthy eating” rather than one specific ‘superfood.’ There is no single magical elixir or exotic fruit that will boost your brain power, so beware of misleading claims by so-called ‘health gurus.’

“There is increasing evidence in scientific literature that healthy eating is associated with retention of cognitive function, but there is also a lot of misinformation out there,” warns Dr. Carol Greenwood, co-author of the Brain Health Food Guide and Professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Nutritional Sciences.

In a statement published on the Baycrest Institute’s website, she says that “there is not a lot of evidence about individual foods, but rather classes of foods.” In the guide, readers are encouraged to embrace “balance, moderation and variety.”

Similar to a healthy heart dietary approach, a plant-based diet rich in raw leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, berries, unsalted nuts and beans is prescribed. Foods to limit include any meat — especially red and

processed meats — as well as sources of unhealthy fats such as butter and cream cheese.

A complete description of the food guidelines is available on the Baycrest website. It is not surprising that the dietary recommendations for maintaining brain health are similar to those aimed at decreasing cardiovascular disease risks. Longitudinal studies have shown that overall cardiovascular health is associated with improved cognitive performance.

Genetic factors can predispose a person to age-related cognitive decline. Thankfully, however, some of this is within our own control. Lifestyle factors including diet, sleep, and physical activity have been shown to also improve cognitive functioning in the shortterm. So instead of chugging those Red Bulls or pulling an all-nighter just before your exam, you might want to munch on some nuts and get a restful night of sleep.

Our brains are our most important assets and it’s important we keep them healthy.

Through this new publication, we may have a better insight on what keeps our brains in peak condition.

Food preparation tips and healthy snack alternatives are also included in the guide: Choose colour Include colourful fruits and vegetables in each meal.

Grill, steam, and bake Avoid deep-frying food.

Stock your kitchen Buy a variety of dried or canned beans, frozen or canned fish, vegetables, and fruits.

Add beans or legumes Soups, stews, and stir-fries are healthier with vegetables.

Snack smart Reach for nuts, fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, and low fat yogurt Keep hydrated Drink water or unsweetened beverages.

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Sports

March 27, 2017 var.st/sports sports@thevarsity.ca

Call of Duty Canadian championships come to Toronto Eight teams, three game modes, and $65,000 in cash Sean Smith & Brock Edwards Sports Editor and Associate Sports Editor

Reload, strafe, jump, throw grenade, pull trigger, and — boom — headshot. The player that was just killed is facing forward, away from the big screen at Scotiabank Theatre, anxiously waiting to respawn and rain a symphony of virtual death down on his opponents. The theatre is packed, full of fans cheering gleefully for each simulated kill.

Ignoring any inference about our society that this spectacle may provoke, the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Cineplex WorldGaming Canadian Championship Series 2017 is evidence of the quickly growing eSports industry.

Although eSports has only recently enjoyed widespread popularity, video game competitions have existed for decades. Notably, Atari held a Space Invaders Tournament in 1980 with over 10,000 participants, and Microsoft sponsored a Quake tournament in 1997 that drew in 2,000 participants — the winner took home a Ferrari that belonged to one of the game developers.

The 1990s saw a huge expansion in competitive gaming. The emergence of console and PC gaming led to a profusion of tournaments for games like Street Fighter II, Quake, and Starcraft. The first professional eSports league, Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL), was founded in 1997. Within a year, CPL was hosting tournaments with cash prizes of up to $15,000.

In 2002, Major League Gaming (MLG) was founded. According to Wim Stocks, General Manager and CEO of WorldGaming, the “[MLG] have to be credited with so much of [the] vision of what competitive gaming could look like.”

MLG is the longest running eSports league in North America. They host a variety of high profile tournaments across the globe, implement a pro points system that ranks players internationally, and provide a free digital platform that streams eSports competitions.

WorldGaming, in conjunction with Cineplex, has been hosting eSports events across Canada, but one of the major problems facing eSports is the lack of a strong centralized league. “It’s the only thing that’s missing in eSports today, these events go on around the world, but there’s no dedicated spot, there’s no city teams… There’s one event in Poland, one event in Shanghai.

And no question those are leagues, but there’s nothing to sustain involvement from an event perspective in between,” said Stocks.

Last Sunday afternoon, Cineplex and WorldGaming held their second annual Canadian Championship Series, an event that brings the country’s best Canadian eSports teams together to contend for the national title.

The tournament saw eight Canadian teams compete in the popular first-person shooter Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare before a raucous crowd at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto.

Gameplay was projected onto the big screen with a rotating series of different players’ perspectives as commentators Clint Evans, Jack Dunlop, and Matt Morello announced the action.

Along with the championship title, the winning team was set to claim $20,000 in cash and a berth in the CWL Anaheim Open, an MLG tournament, to compete on the North American stage and prove their worth internationally.

“This is a big event for Canada, it’s a big event for the Call of Duty community,” said Stocks. “These are all very skilled Call of Duty

The big screen at Scotiabank Theatre. BROCK EDWARDS/THE VARSITY players. They’ve been playing Call of Duty almost exclusively for years, and they’re some of the best players on the planet.”

The teams reached the championship after a series of Canada-wide qualifiers and playoffs winnowed the pack from an original 208 participating teams down to the eight finalists. Each team had four players connected with headsets, allowing members to coordinate movements and strategize on the battlefield during gameplay.

Gameplay cycled through three different modes over the course of each round. The Hardpoint game mode features a ‘king-ofthe-hill’-style objective, requiring a team to acquire and maintain dominance over a location on the map.

The goal in the Search and Destroy mode is to attack and eliminate the other team through direct kills or by detonating a bomb.

In Uplink mode, the objective is to pick up a satellite from a neutral part of the map and carry it into the opposing team’s uplink station, typically while under heavy fire.

The SetToDestroyX team ended up winning the championship round three games to one versus the heavily-favoured GIRG team, who mowed down their semifinal opponents Earthroot Gaming on their way to the finals.

Stocks is adamant that the rise of eSports is only beginning and that leagues of city-based teams will rival real-world professional sports leagues. “You will start seeing the whole organization around eSports model what’s happening in traditional sports,” he told The Varsity.

“Pre-season, a season, playoffs, a championship… That will… bring more predictability and more awareness with what’s happening with eSports on a localized level,” he said.

All hail the madness March Madness, a university spectacle of sport that can leave fans in tears Sam Caldarone Varsity Contributor

The Ides of March has come and gone.

Summer is coming. Final essays and exams are occupying your mind. Summer jobs, for those of you unfortunate to not currently have one, are stressing you out.

But if you’re anything like me, it’s all okay because March Madness is here and that makes everything alright.

Starting with the conference tournaments at the beginning of the month, March Madness is a frenzy of college hoops that always seems to end too soon. This year’s iteration started weak, with fewer upsets, overtimes, or buzzer beaters than usual in the first two days, which saw 32 games played.

But the next two days, with another 16 games played, saw a number one seed and two number two seeds fall — including the powerhouse Duke Blue Devils, who fell to a South Carolina Gamecocks team led in part

by Toronto’s Duane Notice — lending credence to the ‘Madness’ moniker.

And let’s not overlook the significance of those early conference tournaments. While the major conferences have less riding on them — Duke may have defeated Notre Dame in the ACC championship, but both teams

DARRY2385/CC WIKIMEDIA

The ‘madness’ in March Madness all comes down to the fans. still qualified for March Madness — for the minor conferences, it is the culmination of a season’s worth of effort.

Any team that wins their conference tournament gets an automatic bid to the ‘Big Dance.’ So a little-known school in rural Alabama that sucked all year still has a chance

to extend their season if they can win the conference title.

Occasionally, this can result in ridiculously entertaining games, such as last season, when Cal State Bakersfield upset New Mexico State on a buzzer beating three-pointer to earn the team their first trip to the NCAA tournament.

There is, of course, a flip-side to all this.

That would be ‘March Sadness.’ The agony of defeat. Players, fans, coaches: they all cry — all the time. You may have seen the famous ‘piccolo girl’ GIF from a few years ago. It’s virtually impossible to watch an entire tournament without seeing at least some tears.

Even in the conference tournament there are tears. In 2016, Holy Cross finished the regular season with an underwhelming 10–19 record. Undeterred, the squad pulled off four upsets in eight days, securing the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

This included a double overtime victory over top-seeded and heavily favoured Bucknell. While the Crusaders celebrated their hard-earned victory, the other side was left in a state of shock, knowing their season — and in some cases, their careers — ended at the hands of an opponent that had been, well, crappy all season long.

This is a busy time of year for all of us. But if you get a chance to, I’d recommend tuning into whatever games you can. On the weekend of April 1, we’ll have the Final Four games, setting up the championship game on April 3.

You don’t have to be a fan of any team, or even the sport. Just embrace the chaos, the absurdity, the culture, the tears, and the cheers. Embrace the madness.

MARCH 27, 2017 • 19

var.st/sports

The Leafs just might do it

Last season’s end-of-year vs. this season’s current stats

How they went from the basement to playoff contention in only one year Aidan Currie Associate Features Editor

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2015–2016 season ended with a 5–1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. The Leafs finished with a record of 29–42–11, which meant they were last in the league. The season left fans despondent.

In their disappointment, Leafs fans turned to the Toronto Marlies, the future of the team, for hope.

Last season did, however, have a silver lining. Finishing with the worst record in the league gave the team a 20 per cent chance of winning the NHL draft lottery for the first overall pick.

The Maple Leafs won the lottery and drafted Auston Matthews. He was already drawing comparisons to All-Star centres Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Toews when he came to the team.

Between the two of them, Kopitar and Toews have won a handful of Stanley Cups in the last few years. The prospect of Matthews playing in Toronto invigorated Leafs fans — they became eager and expectant.

Despite these lofty expectations for the newly minted Maple Leaf, the consensus among the media, the NHL community, and within the Leafs organization itself was that Matthews would not lead the Leafs to the playoffs for another few seasons.

There are now less than 10 games left in the Leafs’ 2016–2017 season, and Head

Coach Mike Babcock’s team is battling with the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division, which would guarantee them a playoff spot. The extensive media coverage of the new and improved Leafs squad is hard to miss. As this rags-to-riches story unfolds, it may, at first, be difficult to tell how this all came about.

It’s well known that the Leafs were a sleeping giant, accumulating an abundance of high draft picks in the last few years. But the amount of offensive power produced this year couldn’t have been predicted.

The Leafs brought in reinforcements in the form of young playmaker and former OHL scoring leader Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, the hyped-up Canadian-born Swedish prospect who the fanbase begged to be released from AHL purgatory during the infamously dismal 2015–2016 campaign.

Lastly, of course, there is Matthews.

Not only have these three young stars joined and transformed the team, but other rookies like Connor Brown and Zach Hyman have stepped up, taking advantage of playing under Matthews’ wing. Morgan Rielly and Nikita Zaitsev have formed a strong top pairing on defense, and Nazem Kadri has spent his season shutting down the likes of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, remoulding his game to be the shutdown centre the Leafs so desperately needed.

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Newly acquired Frederik Andersen brings some much needed stability in the crease, and Mike Babcock’s influence can not be overlooked.

Even Leafs General Manager Lou Lamoriello and President Brendan Shanahan admit that they could not have predicted this season would go as well as it has. That the team has outperformed expectations makes this season a win, regardless of whether the Leafs make the playoffs.

With a contentious first round matchup with rivals Ottawa Senators, or perhaps the Montreal Canadiens, possibly looming, Leafs Nation is chomping at the bit to see some playoff hockey at the Air Canada Centre.

The Leafs may still be too young and inexperienced to battle past the powerhouse teams of the Eastern Conference, but don’t count them out.

No matter what, the young team should be proud of what they have accomplished this season. Matthews and Marner are both deeply rooted in the Calder Trophy race, while Kadri has snuck into the Selke Trophy conversation. The Leafs have six players with at least 50 points on the year, leading the league.

Last Thursday night featured a rematch of the Leafs and Devils, and the situation was considerably different than the matchup that ended the Leafs’ 2015–2016 campaign — the Leafs won, 4–2.

2015–2016

29

Win Loss Draw

2016–2017

35 42

24 11 15

Goals for

192 226 Goals against

240 211 Goals against average

2.93 2.85

MARCH 27, 2017 • 20

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