Issue 12, Volume 123

news 2

thursday march twelfth, 2015

EDITOR: JULIA O’HANLEY xw.news@stfx.ca @ohanleyjk

Open contributor meetings are held every monday at six in the newsroom: bottom floor SUB, left from the bookstore. X

TRANSIT PROJECT TO CONCLUDE MAR 31: WILL SERVICE CONTINUE?

IZAAK MACMULLIN Senior Reporter Antigonish Community Transit (ACT) buses have been running in Antigonish for several months, but few students seem to be using them.

In fact, many don’t even know the program exists. There are two buses that run routes around the town and county, with a round trip bus ride into one of several stops in town costs just $2 for StFX students.

ACT also offers rides out to the parts of Antigonish County (to locations such as Pomquet Beach) – which at $10/one way are used less by StFX students than in-town routes. Nearing the end of the pilot project, why aren’t ST FX students taking advantage of this transportation option?

As a follow-up on our September article, the Xaverian spoke to Alida Campbell, Project Manager for ACT for an update on student use of the transportation service. Mrs. Campbell noted the same concern as she had earlier in the year, saying is still concerned with how few students know about the program.

“We’re trying really hard to break into the student population, but it seems to be very difficult, which is a shame because I think it could benefit a lot of students, but they don’t know about it.” ACT has tried several ideas to boost awareness on campus, like running ads on the SUB TV screens

and on CFXU, but these initiatives have seen limited success.

One factor Campbell thinks has limited the appeal of the ACT buses for students is the fact that these buses run only 9 to 5 on weekdays - the time of day when most students are attending classes. The organizers of the ACT service intend to introduce a later running time on Tuesdays and

dent population, town locals frequently make use of the service. According to Campbell the buses serve “an average of, I would say about 70 to 80 [people] a week,” with the majority of users non-students.

Campbell thinks the buses have had a positive impact on the community, especially for lower income residents and those who live outside of town and don’t own a car. “I think its

“Essentially [he said] ‘use it or lose it’.

Alida Campbell Project Coordinator

have introduced Saturday routes to try and combat the problem. Campbell says the committee is “wanting to push this through as quickly as possible, but we have to wait. Every time we add a route or add a stop or change something we have to go through the Utility and Review Board.” The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSURB) will have look over the case and make a decision, so Campbell says the introduction of extended hours before the end of the academic year is unlikely.

Campbell says that although the service has had a harder time attracting the stu-

been able to help people get around cheaply, it’s a more affordable way of getting around town, going to do the groceries, getting out into the community.” Part of the reason the ACT program was created was to address poverty in the Antigonish area, and Campbell believes their project has been successful in that regard.

As the pilot project will only continue past March 31st with continued funding from the province and the Town of Antigonish, the Xaverian contacted local MLA Randy Delorey for comment on the program and his views on its continuation.

His remarks were supportive,

although he says he does recognise concerns of the low user rate. “The only concerns I’ve heard expressed about the program, even by individuals who support it, is ridershiprecognising that it is a cultural shift to change our behaviour, to adapt schedules and expectations to public transit models”. He also adds “I think its important, especially in the early days of public transit systems, to share comments made by the Mayor of the Town of Antigonish [Carl Chisholm] at the launch of ACT in the fall. Essentially [he said] ‘use it or lose it’. While I believe in the value of community transit, I also recognise the fiscal reality that public transit is an investment in a social service for the region, its up to citizens to demonstrate the value of the service by making use of it.”

Both Campbell and Delorey are confident that ACT will continue its service past the March 31st pilot deadline, although Campbell emphasises “It is government funding an, so you don’t know until it’s actually in your bank account.”

“If anyone is reading this and the want to help it continue, they can contact their county councillor or their town councillor and say, you know, we want you to support this, please vote for it, because if it gets put in their budget they have to vote on it. Hopefully we’ll be around for the next school year as well.” X

The Quick

and Dirty

IZAAK MACMULLIN Senior Reporter

Students Rally Against Bill C-51

With the federal government’s Bill C-51 stirring up controversy on Parliament Hill and beyond, some StFX students have taken it upon themselves to bring the debate to campus. A rally, entitled “Antigonish Snap Action: Stop Bill C-51, is planned for Sat. March 14 at 1pm. The event, commencing at the Coady Gardens is described by it’s Facebook page as an intion to “show the government that Canada’s young adults aren’t going to sit back as our civil rights are dismantled.”

As well, a seperate event is planned for Fri. March 27. As an additional effort to educate the public on the proposed Bill C-51, there will be a screening of the film ‘The Secret Trial 5’ in Schwartz 215 at 7pm. The film is an examination of tactics used

by Canadian security services as part of the “war on terror.” X

Election Results

Board of Governors Kim Campbell 40% (344)* Alex Miller 28% (241)* Brian Pattenden 24% (205) Spoil 8% (70) Education Counselor David Rankin 78% (38)* Lana Cameron 22% (11) Spoil 0% (0) Senate: Arts Chris Greencorn 52% (103)* Erin Abbott 37% (74) Spoil 12% (23) Senate: Education/Grad Alannah Farouse 53% (30)* Laura Graham 47% (27) Senate: Science Victoria Sandre Yes 92% (209) No 3% (6) Senior Class President Snow & Wright 46% (157)* Coveyduc & Jackson 23% (80) Flower & Elliot 16% (54) Singfield & Doyle 13% (44) Spoil 3% (9) *denotes win X

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Survey to aid Mulroney Institute Students and faculty asked to help design new facility RACHEL REVOY Senior Reporter The Nicholson Hall Renovation and Expansion Committee has asked Off Campus Councillor Kelly Nelson to assist in gathering student opinion. The committee, created to gather information on what changes students would like to see occur within Nicholson Hall, will be used as a consult to aid in the construction and design of the Mulroney Institute for Government.

“There is always student consultations within a university committee, but for this committee I’ve never been so welcomed in and [I have been told that I] need to get student feedback because we want to know what they want,” says Kelly Nelson.

The online survey found on the U website is seven questions long, beginning with an identification of the student’s academic program they are currently enrolled in. The initial question is designed to tailor programs to specific classroom styles, because students have different needs based on their programs. Students have an opportunity to express interest in the rooms that will fill the renovated building. Results from the survey thus far have suggested students are looking for labs, study spaces, gender neutral bathrooms, debate rooms and more.

There is a likely chance that the Annex with be taken down and all the programs

currently within moved into the renovated space.

“Right now we have 40 million dollars from Brian Mulroney and his own fundraising. Based on his specifications of the project - since he is donating the money - on that we figure out how much money he wants to put into the [Mulroney Institute], and then we figure out from there how much we can put into the rest of the building,” Nelson explains.

“It will have a lot of windows, which has been the main comment from the survey. [The committee] is really open for students to figure out what kind of classrooms they want, what kind of study spaces, and what they need best to succeed,” says Nelson of the results thus far.

For the study spaces in particular, students have suggested whiteboards and projectors so they can have an opportunity to practice presentations and work on group projects. Students also have shown an interest in having private study pods with multiple outlets, comfy chairs with table space, and a small cafe or kitchenette station.

Another focus of the future renovations has an emphasis on environment sustainability and accessibility inside and outside of the building. On suggestion that has been brought up in this regard is the concept of “desire paths.”

Rather than choosing where to place sidewalks and routes around the building, students would be able to scope out a

path themselves. “They won’t pave any sidewalks: they [will] let students walk on the grass and build their paths so they can see what routes students would take to get to the building,” Nelson explains.

Currently, Nicholson Hall is only at 40% capacity each day.

With the renovations and additions, the goal is for the building to exist at 80% capacity.

After the survey has concluded, the information will be

compiled and all comments and suggestions will be reviewed. The compilation of the information will them be presented to the committee. In the coming months, information on student and faculty feedback will be discussed alongside Brian Mulroney’s ideas for the institute. After the plans are finalized, construction and renovations will commence. Ultimately, the opening date for the new and improved building is set for

December 2017.

“There is always a concern with the financial state of the university, whether or not student’s money is going towards this project, but this is all externally funded,” she emphasises.

If you have ideas you would like to submit, the Nicholson Hall Review Committee survey is available on theU.ca.

For further questions contact Kelly Nelson at x2010omu@ stfx.ca. X

Nova Scotia discusses tax increase on books Talks of adding provincial tax on books raises concerns for some Nova Scotians ANGELA MACKENZIE Senior Reporter The Nova Scotia Tax and Regulatory Review has made a suggestive change that will affect all students, teachers, and general book lovers across the province. The suggestion is to change HST [Harmonized Sales Tax] on books from 5% to 15% in Nova Scotia. If this change occurs Nova Scotia will become the first and only province to put a full taxation on books.

For perspective, a textbook valued at $200 would cost students $210 with the current tax system, however if these changes are introduced that would hike to $230.

Some have expressed concern with the tax’s potential impact on literacy rates within the province. Emily MacKinnon, publicist of Halifax-

based Nimbus Publishing voices her concern, saying “With books less affordable, reading levels and literacy rates will decline even further. We need to nurture and promote literacy as much as possible, and one of the major ways we do that is by charging 5% HST on books instead of 15%.”

Reaction to the proposed increased has mixed reviews on campus. Megan Allain, a fourth year Psychology student says she would support a hike under certain conditions, saying “I think it depends on what they do with the money. If it [tax revenue] were used for education or education related things, it’d be ok. If not it’d be annoying.”

Another opinion on the matter stemmed from Jessica Doirion, a fourth year student in Human Kinetics.

When she was informed that

the government was considering adding a tax to books she stated, “I think it’s ridiculous. Raising taxes on books will likely discourage people from reading and learning.

Especially if they’re in a situation where money is an issue and they’re struggling to put food on the table.”

Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association is taking stand against the proposed change and has developed a petition in opposition. The petition strives to enhance the promotion of literacy by encouraging people to fight against the full 15% HST. The petition has already received close to 2000, but strives for more in hopes of creating change. This petition can be found at change.org. X

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thursday march twelfth, 2015

Lessons in politics Former finance minister visits X to talk realities of life in government IZAAK MACMULLIN Senior Reporter “I don’t feel like I accomplished very much:” a statement wrapped within an evening of blunt moments of candour revealed to everyone who attended Graham Steele’s talk on his experiences in politics.

The event, hosted by the Political Science Department, exposed many things former Nova Scotia Finance Minister had to say about what government is really like from the inside, and they were rarely positive. According to Steele, the way in which the Canadian political system works is one where most politicians are not qualified to perform their jobs, almost all important decisions are made behind closed doors, and ordinary people feel completely disconnected from the machinations of democracy.

The reality is that our MLAs mostly ignore each other: they chat with their neighbours, read the newspaper or a book, fill out the crossword, and in the fall sitting, sign Christmas cards.

Graham Steele | Author

Steele’s talk was in support of his new book, What I Learned About Politics: Inside the Rise-and Collapse-of Nova Scotia’s NDP Government.

The author claims he wrote the book as a sort of “manual” for aspiring politicians, explaining how the system works from his perspective.

Steele says he wants to show how good, well meaning people are unable to create positive change for the people they represent.

He outlined the “rules of the game” that politicians need to follow in order to be elected and stay popular.

One of these unspoken rules is to always vote with your party, and Steel thinks this mentality prevents real, honest debate over legislation from occurring, because the parties have already decided how their going to vote on a bill before it ever gets debated in the legislature.

This means that few politicians actually pay attention to debates in the legislature.

As Mr. Steele writes in his book, “The ideal is that our elected representatives listen to each other carefully and make up their minds accordingly. The reality is that our MLAs mostly ignore each other: they chat with their neighbours, read the newspaper or a book, fill out the crossword, and in the fall sitting, sign Christmas cards.”

Steele also addressed the tribal nature of Nova Scotia politics, as he explained that people in Nova Scotia often vote because of a sense of loyalty to a person of family rather than on policy.

When it comes to convincing people in such cases, “speeches don’t matter,” according to Steele.

What matters is whom the candidate knows, and how much connections and name recognition they have in the community.

As he explains, “If a family has lived in one place for a long time, typically generations, there is a tendency to vote the same way.”

Steele suggests this is the part of the reason why many politicians are good at popular

constituency work in their communities and getting elected, but do not always possess the skills necessary to be effective lawmakers.

When asked about what advice he would give politically interested students, Steele advises getting some experience in the nitty-gritty of politics.

“Work on a campaign, find a candidate, find a party – [it] doesn’t matter if that ends up being the one you’re with long term.

Watch what goes on and

see what happens.

I said this at the talk tonight and I’ll say it again, the best political education anybody could ever have is to go out knocking on doors, talking to voters. Don’t be sitting in a room talking about it, go and see what’s on the voter’s minds.”

For those without interest in politics, Steele is blunt, saying “For heavens sake get involved. Get involved because it’s your world, and if you are not at the table making decisions, then someone else is.” X

StFX students co-author national survey Major’s project engagement survey to be used at X and beyond GRAHAM HAYNES Managing Editor StFX Business Administration (BBA) students graduating with a Major must, as a capstone experience, complete a real-world consulting project and consultant’s report that integrates their education into a hands-on business application. This project, commonly called a Major’s project, sees students participating in local market studies, brand awareness campaigns, introduce new products or information systems. There are few limitations which constrain the potential scope of this project.

Fourth year BBA Major students Marissa MacNeil, Stewart Barclay, Jillian Marchand, Aaron Ford &

Ginny Anderson have created a survey measuring student engagement in conjunction with Nova Scotian consulting companies Howatt HR Consulting and TalOp. The survey is being conducted with intentions for use on campus. where it will play a role in the Presidential Task Force Action Plan.

As well, the survey is slated for launch at the national level, released to the Globe & Mail by author Bill Howatt, of Howatt HR Consulting.

This survey, originally built as a quality of life survey for employee engagement by Howatt has been reevaluated to operate as a benchmark for student quality satisfaction and engagement. Through questions regarding emotional, financial and psychological health,

time management, stress levels and more, the team has already compiled extensive data which will be used to evaluate student engagement on campuses. From there, correlations to the findings as well as methods of improvement can be conducted with the data.

If participation is high, the StFX Human Resources (HR) Department will be receiving the report created by this group, who have named their company “New Perspective Consulting.” HR will then have the opportunity to use this business intelligence to aid in decision-making regarding university president Kent MacDonald’s strategic plan for student engagement.

The survey was not intended to start until next

year, but with the help of this fledgling company it will be conducted now, providing insights across the board into both student and employee engagement.

These students will be recognized as coauthors of this survey as Howatt HR expands it to a number of Canadian campuses, which will thus enrich his consulting services.

To participate in this survey, visit https://t.co/ W0uJrDvtN0. X

Bill Howett | Author

opinions

5 EDITOR: EMILY MACGREGOR xw.opinion@stfx.ca

Student life in the psych ward Pursuing an undergraduate degree while living with severe depression and anxiety ASHLEY DUGUAY Contributor University is tough on everyone, that goes without saying. Now imagine trying to get through these four years with a physical or mental disability—the difficulty level rises.

On a near daily basis I hear someone on campus say, “University is going to drive me insane.” For most it’s an expression. For me and many others on campus, it’s closer to reality. All I want is to make it through university without taking my own life. Unfortunately, over the past four years I’ve come close to losing that battle twice.

I medically withdrew from StFX on January 27 2014. Daily anxiety attacks and neverending thoughts of suicide plagued my mind day in and day out. I cut myself, burned myself, had no interest in eating, slept for hours on end, and tried overdosing on my sleep medications numerous times. The closest I came to succeeding, I fell asleep before I could finish the bottle.

Eventually I got so low that I resorted to asking my mum if she knew anyone with a handgun. Shocked and with a frog in her throat she asked why, to which I replied, “So I can do the world a favour and just get it over with.” With broken hearts, my parents admitted me to the psychiatric unit

where I spent the next three with my inability to focus on weeks fighting to regain my school work. Urges to selfmental health. harm slowly crept back into Every day during my stay, I my mind, until one day, after was seen by a psychiatrist, a accidentally sleeping through psychologist, a social worker, an entire day of classes due to and followed by registered insomnia my mental state nurses. Meals were served came crashing down. My promptly at 8:00, noon, and roommate walked into my 5:00 with occupational thera- room after hearing me cry, py and counseling sessions in only to find me in the fetal pobetween. Some days were pro- sition on the floor, whimperductive, others I spent nap- ing between breaths that I just ping. Crosswords became my wanted to make it through saving grace, and I’d made it clear to the rest of the patients that the television was mine from 5:30I found myself yet again in 6:00 every evening the psychiatric unit, this time so I could catch the at St. Martha’s Hospital.

Fresh Prince of Bel Air. After countless Ashley Duguay Student hours spent with a psychologist identifying distorted thinking patterns, how to university without killing mycounteract them, and breath- self. Why was it that hundreds ing techniques to make it of other students could make through an anxiety attack, I it through their four years convinced myself I was ready with minor speed bumps, yet to go back to StFX. I was de- for me these four years were termined; no way was I going nothing short of a living hell? to let something as silly as Knowing my history, my anxiety stop me from complet- roommates quickly packed me ing my degree. Perhaps I a bag and stayed in the emershouldn’t have pushed myself gency room with me until nearly one in the morning so hard.

A little over a year after when I was admitted into the medically withdrawing from mental health unit.

The first few days are alStFX, I found myself yet again in the psychiatric unit, this ways the most difficult. You’re time at St. Martha’s Hospital. bombarded with questions My anxiety had snowballed like, “How are you feeling?” and I was beyond frustrated and “What brought you in

here today?” The anger inside of you wants so badly to answer, “I want to kill myself – how do you think I’m feeling?”

But once the anger subsides, you begin to realize that you don’t feel anything at all. Depression completely drains your body of life, to the point where you become a corpse burdened with the responsibility of carrying the weight of living. Every tiny thing you do suddenly feels impossible or pointless - including school.

Physically, depression causes muscle pain, extreme fatigue, a lack of or increase in appetite, and a complete lack of care for your personal hygiene all together. Some days I spend three hours lying in bed convincing myself to get up and shower, others I don’t get out of bed at all. Mentally, you cease to exist. Your emotions flat-line, save for the peaks of anger and troughs of overwhelming hopelessness. You lack ambition, motivation is non-existent, socializing becomes a responsibility more than a pleasurable outing, and life loses its appeal. The idea of remaining stagnant until you wilt away, the idea of dying, brings relief.

So where does this leave my academic career? Up in the air or down the drain, I’m not entirely sure. At my lowest I was convinced that I would be nothing more than an uneducated adult with tens of thousands of dollars in student

loans, who would forever be too mentally unstable to finish school or maintain a full time job - the true reality of a depressed student. In the words of Sylvia Plath, “I have the choice of being constantly active and happy or introspectively passive and sad. Or I can go mad by ricocheting in between.” But after my weeklong stay at St. Martha’s, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, regardless of how faint it may gleam. My family doctor, a social worker affiliated with the mental health unit, and counselors from the StFX Tramble Rooms have supported me every step of the way. After updating my professors on my condition, they altered their course syllabus to accommodate my needs, and to make sure that I finish this year, regardless of whether or not I was “on time.” My professors and the counsellors of the Tramble Rooms want to see me succeed at finishing the school year as badly as I do, and with such a fantastic support system, the finish line doesn’t seem so far away.

We’re taught when we’re young that slow and steady wins the race, only to have society rush us to the finish line.

Every now and then, a few of us need reminding that finishing first isn’t the objective.

Perseverance is the key to success, not the speed at which you race. X

Out of sight but still on your mind How to maintain a long-distance relationship with your pet LINDSAY JOHNSTONE Staff Writer Are you an animal lover?

Did you leave your furry friend behind when you came to StFX? Are you homesick for canine companionship? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. Most students who study away from home are forced to leave their pets in the care of family or friends while living in Antigonish.

For the animal lover who can’t go a day without thinking of their pet, what can you do? First of all, you must face a hard truth: you will not see

your pet everyday. It is a difficult thing to come to terms with if you are used to playing with your animal buddy on a daily basis. While this may sound odd to the nonanimal lover, Skype dates are a great way to keep in contact with your furry friend. Seeing those big eyes on the screen could alleviate the stress you never knew you had. Your pet might ignore the screen or stare blankly back at you, but it will be able to hear your voice!

If your pet is hearing impaired there are other ways that you can communicate.

Animals rely strongly on scent, so have you every

thought of mailing home a little treat? The anticipation of opening a box that smells of their beloved owner will get them through the long lonely days. Just be sure to pick the toy, package it, and mail the present yourself because that way it will have your scent all over it.

Animals are very aware of things that are going on in your household – they can tell when you are happy or sad, and when you need some furry snuggles. Our pets are a part of our everyday life and when we leave for long periods of time, sometimes our furry friends don’t understand why we left. They

might feel sad or abandoned.

It’s important that you explain to your pet that you are not leaving them; you are just expanding your intellectual horizons on a trek of self-discovery. They might not fully understand what you are trying to tell them, but they understand your patient explanation. Animals have the capacity to understand much more than we give them credit for.

Don’t forget that if you were the primary caregiver for your pet when you lived at home, be sure to communicate with whomever is now taking care of your pet to continue the same eating routine

and rules. It is really important for your pet to continue the same routines, as when you were living with them, otherwise the animal can get confused.

Don’t feel that you have to go a long time without visiting a furry friend. StFX offers regular “Dog Den” sessions, with friendly loving dogs. You might be surprised how much better you feel after you have petted or played with a dog. It can remind you of your own loving companion.

And if you need a quick fix, call home and tell your pet that you’re thinking of them.

It’ll keep their tail wagging until you’re reunited. X

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thursday march twelfth, 2015

The delusions of moralism: part I The dark side of conventional morality

COLTAN THOMPSON Psychology Columnist It underlies every appraisal of culture, person, or idea; beneath every value judgment, allowing us to categorize the world in terms of an internalized “good/bad” dichotomy. In some ways we learn it, in others we create it—some even say it is innate. It is often prejudicial, frequently self-certain, and strives, by its very nature, to be generalized, consuming our entire social frame of reference. I speak, of course, of morality.

Morality is a process by which people create – or accept – idealistic principles of behavior and apply them to the self and society in an orderly way. While morality as an abstract concept or transcendent principle is often left to the care and concern of philosophers, morality is also very much a psychological experience. It is more than a personal or cultural set of values: it is a lens through which people perceive the world. We are often socialized to accept certain moral values, but to forget that we are raised to assume so many moral premises is a dangerous thing.

Overconfidence in the truth of learned values is easy, and all too habitual. “It’s just what I was taught.” Who says that? “It’s what I know.” That’s what the many say.

Moral opinions are unique in their need to be generalized, to extend to everyone. The self-certainty of morality invites a dangerous brand of ignorance, especially when it comes to traditional, conservative moral positions.

Of all the opinions we hold, moral opinions seem to be the most stubborn and unyielding. By their very nature a moral opinion prescribes, seems to say, “I am right in this; this should be the case for everyone.” The arrogance of moral opinions need no justification; strong intuition, or others who share our views, is all that is required, as opinion and truth become blurred. Too few of us (much less any right-winger) really probe the assumptions, biases, and other cognitive errors that support false confidence in moral positions. We live in a highly rationalized society, yet intuition rules the moral domain. As I see it, this is why moral campaigns, such as fights for equality, have historically been hard won: the opposition rarely has a decent argument and rarely needs one: only fear and “intuitions” of what is right are necessary. Why the absolutism and moral self-confidence? Can a truly personal morality exist?

Humans are idealizing creatures, a truth that philosophy speaks to again and again. Imagination allows humans to contemplate the best possible outcomes of any circumstance and we inevitably want to see these ideals come to pass. Morality is idealistic by definition—it says, “this should be so,” regardless of how valid our premises are, and often with little regard for context and conscious-

ness. This helps explain morality’s character and emphasis, but the source of stubbornness and desperate clinging to moral opinions goes deeper. Ulterior, unconscious motives drive people to adopt moral opinions with feverish fervency.

Moralist: “a person who teaches or promotes morality,” according to ever-wise Google. The word has, however, taken on connotations of greater extremity, implying conservative, traditionalist morality. It is this aggressive form of moralism that I seek to address.

The moralist takes a strict, deontological approach to ethics and gives little latitude to circumstance. Moralism tends to take a black and white approach to ethics, fixating on “thou shalt nots.” It is, quite frankly, outmoded by ethical approaches that appreciate the complex relationship between circumstance and moral imperative.

Certain levels of education and religious affiliation may be more common in moralists, but it is best to here avoid such nuanced relationships.

It is helpful to distinguish between the moralist and the antimoralist (one who denies moral absolutes and conventional systems of morality), polarizing their worldviews for the sake of contrast. Few of us fall completely to one side or the other, as we are more conservative on some moral issues than others—i.e., we are largely morally inconsistent. Nevertheless, the moralist very often subscribes to an all-encompassing system of belief that provides answers to life’s most pressing existential questions (e.g., Why are we here? Does life have any meaning?). This is how the moralist arrives at the absolutes they are so sure of. The system of belief could be philosophical, in the case of Platonism, or perhaps a Secular Humanist stance; any dogma that attempts to suggest how people should live, and usually featuring a suspicious depreciation for lived experience. But let’s not be coy— the most aggressive and absurd right-wing absolutists are usually of the religious variety, an unfortunate but unavoidable observation.

It should not be surprising, as religion is a powerful and commonplace system of meaning.

Regardless of the worldview one adopts, there is something disappointing about prostituting moral decisions to third party dogma.

Why, if anything is immoral, depreciating rational thought in lived experience in favor of following an alleged moral authority certainly is. Some moralists insist that morality is a transcendent principle, usually provided by a deity or some equivalent, and ready-made for consciousness; they deny that mind and society produces evolving moral values or participates in morality at all. This view of morality as transcendent and untouchable is insulting to modern understandings of psychology, sociology, anthropology, even biology, which

demonstrate the many ways that upbringing, social structure, or brain abnormalities, to name a few, can alter one’s sense of right and wrong. It is absurd to dismiss the massive variations in right and wrong across time, society, culture, and individual as “Godlessness” or “uncivilized,” yet rightwing moralists somehow find the gall to mumble these very things.

Recasting moral issues in terms of transcendent, often supernatural good and evil allows the moralist to claim higher ground. So much for dialogue. There is no discussion once morality is elevated completely to a transcendent status.

The moralist inserts excessive emotion alongside intuition, bringing his moral views to a fever pitch.

Take the example of child molestation, an act agreed to be immoral no matter one’s conservative or liberal moral leanings. A moralist may react with excessive emotion, recasting the issue in terms of absolute evil and demonization of the perpetrator: “They’re just evil!”

Labeling and reliance on emotion and intuition to guide moral decisions and judgments are unhelpful pitfalls of moralism. Understanding the perpetrators of such a heinous crime and his or her motives and history reveals that such people are damaged, not devils; it allows us to source the etiology of the crime back to the criminal’s psyche and experiences. At the very least this progressive understanding of heinous acts can lead to prevention. An anti-moralist appraisal of a child molestation scenario is more likely to be even-tempered, and is therefore more able to recognize the degenerated humanity of the perpetrator (without robbing the victim of their dignity).

The fact that a child molester is still a person, albeit a horribly damaged person, is a progressive insight unavailable to right-wing moralism, which cannot get past its revulsion in order to understand. Demonization is always tempting but rarely justified.

Generalizing to lesser moral qualms, keeping an even temper in moral matters is critical to understanding and mindfulness. Keeping an open mind can allow us to overcome nepotism for our own moral opinions. One might point out that this is in itself a value judgment, and presume inconsistency: not so, as moral relativism is not the preferable alternative to conventional morality and moralism that it has been made out to be. Rationally guided “secular” moralities can fill the void—ones which, in the light of science, end up being more tolerant and inclusive. A rational, science-tempered morality is compatible with the “absolutes” (that is, typical human values) almost all humans societies share (e.g., killing innocents is wrong).

This is not surprising, as the current scientific view is that core aspects of morality are innate, though modifiable with experience, socialization, and the like.

But notice again—realizing innate moral tendencies is not the same as appealing to the transcendent as moralists do. Transcendent value systems see no need to justify themselves, so once a transcendent value system is invoked (be it Marxism, Christianity, whatever) crude attitudes and actions can be justified.

There are plenty of anti-moralists who go so far as to reject conventional morality, but who are not closed to a few moral absolutes.

One of the things that makes an anti-moralist is simply rejection of conventional, dogma-ridden systems of morality. Anti-moralism also tends to sources morality more in the material, the social, the here-and-now—in evolutionary psychology, social contracts, and human pro-social tendencies. If the anti-moralist does assert any “absolutes,” they usually surround (not coincidentally...) matters of coincidence, matters that have real world consequences: murder threatens our sense of security and respect for consciousness; theft also threatens our sense of security; lying undermines our ability to act in the world assuming meaningful information. The moralist blankets ambiguities with notions of transcendent moral law.

The anti-moralist is more morally creative: he or she is likely to recognize, for instance, that in some scenarios an untruth might be

preferable: the world is complex and complete honesty might not always be in everyone’s best interest. The moralist is more likely to classify lying as an absolute wrong, sometimes for no better reason than that it violates the dogma he or she adheres to. Moralists are more likely to obsess, as absolute ideals make no concessions; they are always fighting because they box themselves into a corner with no concrete defenses.

Moral vendettas provide a sense of meaning. Too extreme? I think we all have a mental picture of someone who fits this description. This is also not to say that moralists don’t face moral indecision, they of course do. It is that moralists perceive fewer instances of ambiguity, having their minds all too concluded.

The heart of the moralist pleads, “I need this to be true”; for stability, for belief in a moral world order, for meaning. I hesitate to reference the right-wing empiricist position that is logical positivism (sworn enemy of the moralist mindset, of course), as right-wing empiricists are no more openminded than right-wing moralists.

Nevertheless, A. J. Ayer’s attack on conventional morality bears consideration: perhaps insisting on moral absolutes really is a desperate way of expressing emphasis and conviction.

To be continued next week. X

Pursuit of equality International Women’s Day continues the fight

ANGELA MACKENZIE Senior Reporter Women around the world are currently fighting for equality in a male-dominated society. Despite our capacity for great intellectual and physical feats, women have been subjugated for centuries. As a woman I consider myself strong, independent, and capable of performing tasks that are considered “masculine.”

Many women would describe themselves using the same words, but it seems the rest of society is still caught-up in a stereotyping mindset.

Over the past century-and-ahalf women have greatly expanded their rights, from being legally recognized as “persons” to fighting on the front-lines of conflict. We have fought and continue to fight for a future in which men and women are truly equal. International Women’s Day is so important because it increases general awareness of inequalities in our day-to-day living.

International Women’s Day was on Sunday March 8 this year, and the theme was “Make it Happen.” We should have more women in senior leadership in business and government, more women in science

and technology professions, more recognition for women’s athletics, and so much more. International Women’s Day is a day that women of all ages, races, sexualities, and religions come together to make positive change happen. This day is so important for women not just in Canada, but all around the world.

Canadian women are working hard to ensure equality, but International Women’s Day is not just about us. This is a day to appreciate how far we have come while advocating for women in other parts of the world. In some countries women are not allowed to work while others cannot leave the house without a male escort. It is easy to forget how lucky we are when blatant oppression is not an everyday reality. We should take this day to be grateful that we are able to work, able to vote, able to speak freely, able to love who we want to love.

International Women’s Day is a day of recognition. It stands to remind us that no matter how far we have come, we must fight.

The women before us have fought relentlessly for equal rights and treatment. We must strive to uphold what has already been won while continuing to fight for global equality between men and women. X

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State of the Students’ Union Student apathy and lack of participation is dividing the campus

ERIKA KINACH Contributor Over the last few years, the growing apathy among StFX students has created a disconnect between them and the Students’ Union. While the U succeeds in providing services and opportunities to students, apathy towards the U has never been more prominent.

Involvement is at an all time low. The same faces seem to lead every student project on campus. And critical articles about the U and its policies are published in the paper without counter opinions.

Election-time is lacking in new candidates because students are uninterested and unmotivated to share their opinions and participate. There is a divide among the newspaper, the U, and the student body as a result of widespread apathy.

As a president of a society I have regularly corresponded with U executives about event organization and fund allocation, giving me further insight on what the U does and the amount of work its members put into a successful student operation. I’ve come to realize there is a disconnect between what the U does and what the student body sees. What do we see, as students, exactly?

We see the announcements for events on the Facebook page and live tweets during council meetings; we see posters around campus during election time; and we see harsh criticisms published week after week in the Xaverian Weekly. Approximately 4 percent of our current student population manage a society or plan events, meaning there is a limited number of students who have seen what I have seen. When the student body reads complaints about lack of transparency and the cliquenature of the U voiced by the editor of the Xaverian newspaper, they do not see how hard these individuals work to run a successful U on campus, with many elements that are hard to identify who exactly is behind it all.

As students we seek an active, memorable, and fun time at university. In order for the U to be recognized as a provider of much of the fun that we have on campus, we as a school community must shift our perception away from the idea that the U is an “old boys club.” Instead we should become more engaged with what is happening on campus and get involved no matter our academic program, year, or personal interests. A change in attitude will better reflect the wonderful community the U serves.

So how can this change?

Students from all programs

should more actively participate in the U and run for office.

There is underrepresentation of science students in the Students’ Union, and while I respect that these students have an arguably more demanding schedule due to labs or a decreased interest in student government compared to say, a Political Science student, involvement of students from all faculties should be more actively pursued.

We should make a concerted effort to include more international, aboriginal, and LGBTQ students (along with other underrepresented minority groups) to make the Union feel even more authentic to its true purpose: a gov-

erning body resembling the students that they represent.

The U should work to hear the needs of the students. I have attended many interesting events this year, ranging from Greg Wells’ Mo talk in November to a discussion panel contextualizing Ebola.

These events are not getting the exposure necessary to have more than a handful of students in the audience. It’s one thing to see a poster in the SUB, but another to have the U engaging the student body on a personal level. We have the resources, so now it’s a matter of implementation.

As Troy Mrazek takes the lead next year as President, I present him with a few chal-

lenges I believe he can resolve that will make a positive impact on our school community: First, he should make sure U is absolutely and completely about students, and not just the super-involved students you see every day on campus.

He and his team needs to figure out a way to give more of an active voice to the currently underrepresented populations in the student body.

Second, he should stay engaged and get others engaged in not only student politics, but issues that all students should be thinking about. And he should find a way to communicate these issues and what we can do about them; improving the sexual violence

prevention and education programs, lobbying to lower tuition rates, and health concerns on campus to name a few.

Finally, Mrazek and the members under him need to dream big. Mazrek is currently in the position to guide the U’s future direction, and if he plays the cards right, great things will happen. To truly relight the fire of student engagement, the U needs to go out on a limb and take some risks to peel students away from watching “Friends” on Netflix and get them involved, get them talking and taking up causes, and get them to contribute to our school community. X

8 LEWIS FORWARD Features Editor

a school with StFX is moving forward with plans for increased international student recruitment.

Meanwhile on campus, the distinction remains between international students and students. Our invitation is wide open to the global student, so the borders around our school are down. Getting past those borders are only the first step in integrating them cohesively into the StFX community. More borders remain. We asked a few students about the circumstances they came from, their concerns, their experience here, what they miss about home, and what StFX has that their home countries don’t.

Bilha Ndomo NIGERIA

I am currently in my fourth year BBA majoring in Information Systems, and I am expecting to graduate in Spring 2015. It has been a long and fun journey to get to this point of my life and I am largely excited, while also having a bitter-sweet kind of feeling.

I would not say with certainty that there is a sense of belonging as an international student at StFX. The beginning was definitely tough, just trying to fit in an environment I had never even imagined. I particularly find coming from Africa is more stereotyped, either you are going to the Coady (not that it’s a bad thing), or you have an

I would not say with certainty that there is a sense of belonging as an international student at StFX Bilha 4th BBA

accent and are just viewed as coming from a region only identified as having problems. While the latter may be true, it helps that people know there is also a lot of good that comes from Africa.

Because of stereotyping, I found fitting in was more of a struggle than it should have been. By the time I was in second year, I started to get involved on campus and joined a student group, Unsilence the Violence, as a facilitator and stayed in that place for 2 years.

In that team you are working with groups, and there were times when group dynamics would cripple progress and some of it I attribute to the fact that as an international student, not everyone was receptive to the idea of being led by an inter-

national student. Despite the minimal hiccups, being in this team was my best time especially the second year of the project.

In the classroom scenario, as a business student you have to be part of group presentations. Unless the professor prearranges teams, international students find it hard to select groups and get confined to only being in a group of international students. Otherwise it can be difficult because you will be in a group and get frustrated because of the fact that you are of a different culture, speak differently and also perhaps share different opinions.

On a positive note, my last 2 years have been great. I allowed myself to become completely immersed in the campus and student community at different levels and groups, and because of this decision, I have made lasting friendships and broadened my horizons. At present, as president of International Students’ Society, I have been able to build connections and encouraged many international students to get engaged and get out of their comfort zones. It is possible that as an international student you have to work extra hard to put yourself out there. Whether that is true or not, there is a lot of satisfaction in being engaged.

As I come close to graduating, I would like to say that I leave feeling like a member of this community of StFX. I walk away a very satisfied international student, and I walk away knowing I have gained so much and coming to StFX was the best decision that I ever made.

Khaled Al Omari PALESTINE

I’m originally from Palestine, and I graduated high school there but I was also lucky enough to live outside of Palestine, and see the rest of the world. My parents both have

good jobs, and they are financially stable and able to support me in pursuing my education.

There is no particular reason why I chose to come to StFX, the reason why I agreed to come here in the first place was because I am a transfer student and X transferred most of my credits that I had finished in the previous university that I attended. But before coming here I didn’t know what X was all about.

My biggest concerns before coming here was how I would actually be able to fit in a completely new community and society that I have never experienced in my life before. I did not know what it was like to here, and how people would accept me as an international student.

I remember my first semester was very hard for me trying to adapt to a new country and new school, being the only middle eastern student around. It was hard for me to make friends at first, I did not know how to approach people because ev-

rived, which was in 2013.

I definitely miss my family, friends, the warm weather and the food! I’m not a very big fan of pizza and burgers.

I love it here at StFX now and wish I could stay longer.

Sometimes I even say that I wish I knew about this school during high school and directly came here instead of going somewhere else. Although it is just like any other school, it has it’s pros and cons but I think in general it is a place that I would recommend people from back home to apply for. I have made many great friends and memories at this place, and I don’t think any of my friends from back home have experienced what I have here at X. I like the unique campus of X, and it’s something that we don’t have back in Palestine. Everyone knows each other and even if they don’t know each other by name, they do recognize each other. And the most important thing that I like about StFX is the X-Ring! It’s something that’s

The school has to be involved in welcoming new internationals as a whole, and not just leave it up to the International Students’ Society.

Khaled 4th BBA

erything was new to me and I didn’t want to leave a first bad impression. Before arriving to X I was expecting it to be very easy to make new friends, but I found it rather hard at first. Everything that I expected was completely different. I think the International student society isn’t as strong as it should be and also the school has to be involved in welcoming new internationals as a whole and not just leave it up to the International Student Society. We are all part of this school regardless of where we come from. I think this year the International Society addressed this issue better during welcome week. There was a better welcome program than the year that I have ar-

not found back home, or anywhere else in the world.

Luc Daut USA

My name is Lucas Daut, and I am a fourth year biology major from the United States. Antigonish is very similar in terms of community dynamics to where I am from in the US. I chose StFX because I wanted to

push my comfort zone. When applying for university my parents encouraged me to go to schools within a five hours drive; it didn’t really work out that way. After deciding to come here, I still had not considered what it meant to be a Xaverian. I understood that this was a school where I could get a well-regarded education and a start to my life as my own person. Any concerns I had coming here must have been irrelevant because I can’t remember having any. I must have felt nervous about leaving home and afraid of not fitting in, just stunned, but all I remember is being excited for the next four years at my new home. Much more has happened since that first day, exams, stress, friends, a strike and a lot of learning.

This school and everyone part of the Xaverian community have made my experience here like no other, and the bulk of what I take away will not be academic. Being an international student here has done nothing but broaden my experience and I have never felt excluded or targeted because I wasn’t a Canadian. The only real thing I have to gripe about is the quality of what Nova Scotia calls an aged cheddar cheese, but I suppose nowhere is perfect. Moving on from here is going to be difficult; I don’t know what’s next. However I can say this for certain, even though I will miss this school, its professors, the community and my peers I believe that St FX has made me a better person and short of Alzheimer’s or a swift blow to the head, I will not be forgetting this place any time soon.

Shuchang Dai CHINA

Coming to StFX has been so far the best decision I have made in my life. Instead of saying that I chose to come here, I feel more like it was StFX choosing me to be a part of it.

9

hout borders The borders we still have to remove are around students in the international student community once they’re here at StFX. There are challenges many of them face.

These challenges are the same things that make them welcome additions to StFX’s campus: differences in language, culture, and ways of thinking.

For this I am forever grateful. I do not really remember if I was concerned about anything when coming here; however, the thing I can still recall is that I was so excited for going to experience entirely different cultures and meet new people.

I was very lucky to have three wonderful Canadian roommates when I was living on campus in my first year.

They were all very nice and friendly; and were always there for me when I got sick or needed a friend to talk to. One of my roommates even took me home for Christmas in Ontario annually. Needless to say, it has always been a fabulous experience for me.

Instead of saying that I chose to come here, I feel more like it was StFX choosing me to be a part of it.

Shuchang 3rd English

Located in a small town as well as the east coast of Canada, StFX, I believe, makes it possible for one to learn English as a second language and to experience Canadian culture to the largest extent. As for myself, choosing English as a major at X makes my university life even more challenging but also more stimulating. Constantly speaking to professors and getting help from classmates has always helped me go through hard times. I am thankful for never walking alone.

In terms of my personal experience, I have also been quite involved with the community of artists in Antigonish. By means of taking drawing and painting courses at StFX, attending art fairs in summer, displaying my art works in the local café, contributing my works to the fundraiser auction for StFX art gallery and so on, I have met lots of amazing local artists as well as people who very appreciate art and individual talents. These experiences gradually re-awakened that artistic self inside me and, have been shaping me to become who I am right now.

Although I miss my parents and friends back home, I enjoy living in Canada and being able to be independent. Besides, I love my friends I have made here dearly. Since coming here, Canada has no longer just been a name; and X, I am proud to say, is my home where my heart will always and forever belong to.

Dorje Tobjur BHUTAN

In the circumstances that I have faced so far back home, I would say that they were very normal, with nothing thrilling or out of the blue. Home always felt like home, quiet and safe with my big family always around me to support me and guide me.

It was very easy choosing StFX, because my cousin graduated from here and by the time I had finished high school I had heard so much about StFX from him that me and my mother decided to study the university’s website. We were obviously in love with what we saw: a beautiful campus with great diversity and a friendly surrounding.

My parents believed it was a very safe and tranquil place to be in. I immediately decided to attend StFX, and it was the only university I applied to.

When the time really came to leave home I had all sorts of feelings flowing in, about how I would be able to accept and adapt to a new surrounding without my family and friends that I grew up with. Leaving my culture and life back at home and flying across the globe was definitely overwhelming and crazy, but I think that I was always looking forward to StFX because it was definitely a big opportunity for me.

My journey has been a learning experience for me. I have met so many people who are very helpful and loving. Coming to StFX has definitely made me more open to diversity. I have no worries anymore because I’m very comfortable and safe

here.

The only thing I miss from my country would have to be my family. We’ve always spent a lot of time together and supported each other so just now and then I miss them enormously and wish they were here. Besides that, I would say Antigonish is very much like my home country, safe and sound.

StFX has a diverse environment which I really appreciate and love, because my country is very small and we are just developing, not many are aware of its existence and its mostly only Bhutanese people living there although tourism is increasing now. However, I definitely believe my country will have a big diverse nature in the future.

And it’s meeting new people from all over the world which amazes me the most, communicating with people from all around the world, learning about cultures , traditions, languages will have to be something I’ve gotten as an opportunity here which I wasn’t able to get in my country.

Jose Islas MEXICO It has always been my wish to study abroad, there was opportunities available for me to go to Australia, USA and Canada.

I was recommended by a friend, after doing my research about Canada and StFX, I decided to apply to attend school here as it seemed like the best option and it is closer to home and not USA The weather here in Canada was my biggest concern as it is a great change of climate, I was also unsure of the opportunities available. Staying away from home for too long was also my biggest concern.

Overall, my experience here at StFX and the town of Antigonish has been good, although i do feel that the town might not be very multicultural and there might be some incidents where you hear racism. It is perhaps also not 100% what I had expected.

What I miss the most from home are my family, food, friends, and also things that I can do outdoors all year long.

The classrooms are much nicer and also the distance to the school is something you

usually don’t get in Mexico, as campus here is very close to everything.

McCulloch LaForce USA

Kunle Idris NIGERIA

I am from West Africa Nigeria with two siblings. I am from an average family, my mother works for the government and my father is a businessman.

I choose StFX because of my uncle who lives in Toronto mentioned about the university, told me he had a friend whom son attended StFX and the experience he had here was great.

That was one of my main influence of deciding to come to StFX. My biggest concern was the weather since I am from a very warm country without snow. I was worried if i am going to be able to survive the weather here in Canada, as my concerns was based on the information i had gathered from my uncle and the media on how cold it is here.

My experience here at StFX has been great. At first it was very difficult to socialize due to the different environment, language barriers, and other issues, but now I am bold to say that I am happy to have come to StFX, with the kind of friends I have around me and the great professors and the town of Antigonish itself.

What I miss about my home country is the warm weather. I think I am getting use to the weather now, or should say I had to as my part-time job requires me to stay outdoor for a long period of time.

I also miss my parents as I am not able to speak with them as often as I used to due to time difference and distance.

What I like most about StFX that we don’t have in my country is the relationship of the StFX community, X-Ring , and a town like Antigonish.

I come from a little town called Burton, that’s about an hour away from Cleveland, Ohio.

Despite my small town life, I have always been exposed to the world. I’ve been traveling since I was two years old.

I’ve always been willing to travel for my education. I drove 45 mins to high school each day.

I knew that college, (or university as its called here) had to be out of state.

But I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lyphoma in grade 11 and that really put my family in a tight financial place.

I started looking into colleges in Ohio. My mom could tell I was disappointed and worried about it. She went to McGill and thought I might do well in the Canadian university system. My family in Ontario suggested StFX. I really liked what I saw from the website. I was pleased with the academics that was offered and the small family orientated community.

That was really important for me, as I would be leaving such a great support system back home that had been with me through my cancer treatments.

When I came and visited, I just fell in love. I felt myself here on campus, and that was the key thing for me. Not only could I see myself at X, I felt myself at X. I’m always amazed that I’m getting such a quality education in a different country for less than most of my friends back home and I’m almost paying double because im international.

While I pay attention to the money I’ll have to pay back, I’m not weighed down by it like I used to be before I even attended university.

Most importantly though, I’ve already fulfilled that dream of mine to travel. I heard that X gets you places, and just being accepted got me to a school where the world will unfold even more to me. X

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thursday march twelfth, 2015

culture

EDITOR: DEVON GREENE xw.culture@stfx.ca @greenedevon

Featured Artist: Chelsea Cameron Bringing StFX Artists to the foreground DEVON GREENE Culture Editor This weeks featured artist is fourth year student Chelsea Cameron. Cameron started using bright colours to draw and create art from an early age. By the time she got to high school, her passion had developed into a more focused desire to learn. Cameron attended high school in the small town of Port Hawkesbury where she took art class as an elective in grades 10, 11 and 12. This “free for all” style class allowed students to work in various types of mediums of their choosing. It was not long before Cameron discovered her preferred medium, oil pastel.

She used this medium to create a reproduction of a work of art she found online. The piece was created as a project for African Heritage month in February for her high school art class. The original piece caught her eye because of its bright colours and highly detailed images, which Cameron was sure to incorporate into her reproduction.

Cameron took her first Fine

Arts course at St FX in her second year of study. The introductory art class was a great opportunity for her to continue to develop her skills oil pastels. The growth of her technical and artistic abilities is clear when comparing her high school piece to her final project for the class. Unrestrained by strict criteria, Cameron took the opportunity to create something that was meaningful to her. “[My professor] kind of just let us go free. I like the oil pastels so I knew that’s what I wanted to do it in and I wanted it to have something to do with where I’m from.” Cameron created the piece “Cape Breton Sunset” which presented a great challenge of blending colours to produce the perfect sky and water. “I must have scraped the paint off about three times,” says Cameron about the artistic process.

Cameron has taken advantage of the classes offered through the Fine Arts Department to explore various forms of art mediums by branching out into multimedia and water colour courses. Cam-

eron says that she still prefers to work with oil pastels but she enjoys the challenge of working with new forms of art. “For oil pastels and oil painting you can texturize your painting a lot and build it up. You can just take away what you don’t like. With water colour you have to actually work with water in the paint. It spreads a lot easier and it’s harder to get the colour because the water affects the paint and the water on the brush… I like the challenge and it’s definitely broadened my art experience.” Cameron feels grateful that her professors have been there with her every step of the way to support her through

her art education. “[The professors] are definitely helpful and encouraging and everything you want out of a professor. They are there to give you advice and show you where you’re going wrong and show you where your positives are. You definitely need that when you’re doing art and you want to get better. They are really there to help you improve.”

Fine Arts professor Andy MacLean, recognized Cameron’s hard work and improvement this semester. He advised Cameron to apply for the MacGillivary. Cameron submitted six examples of her art on Friday March 6th and just two days later received an

email informing her that she was chosen as the winner of the bursary which will go towards her university expenses. Cameron’s art will also be featured in the student art show at the St FX Art Gallery in the SUB, opening Thursday, March 12th.

After graduation in May of this year, Cameron plans on continuing her academic career at St FX through the Education program using art as one of her teachable credits. Art has been an important part of Cameron’s life since an early age and she is certain that she will continue to create, realist art for the rest of her life. X

StFX Continuing & Distance Education Spring & Summer 2015 Online – Spring AQUA 100 Introduction to Aquatic Resources BIOL 220 Selected Topics in Biology BSAD 221 Introductory Financial Accounting BSAD 363 Human Resource Management BSAD 415 Electronic Business CHEM 100 General Chemistry ESCI 171 Understanding the Earth I HKIN 301 Elementary Statistics HNU 215 Nutrition for a Healthy Lifestyle INFO 446 Electronic Business MATH 111 Calculus I PSCI 345 Women and Politics PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology PSYC 354 Developmental Psychology I: Childhood & Adolescence PSYC 363 Psychology of Persuasion PSYC 372 Cultural Psychology SOCI 100 Introduction to Sociology SOCI 210 Sociology of Marriage and the Family STAT 201 Elementary Statistics WMGS 210 Sociology of Marriage and the Family WMGS 345 Women and Politics Antigonish Campus – Spring ART 100 Drawing ART 145 Introduction to Colour ART 211 Stained Glass Studio I BIOL 307 Field Biology HKIN 226 Focus on Personal Health HKIN 321 Advanced Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries HKIN 334 Coach Leadership and Planning HKIN 365 Exercise Physiology PSYC 368 Pharmacology of Drugs of Abuse RELS 215 Sociology of Religion RELS 225 Cults & New Religious Movements SOCI 227 Sociology of Religion SOCI 310 Gender WMGS 310 Gender

Online – Summer BSAD 231 Foundations of Marketing BSAD 241 Introductory Financial Management BSAD 261 Organizational Behaviour CATH 341 Catholic Social Thought: Social Justice ESCI 374 Geographic Information Systems INFO 374 Geographic Information Systems MATH 112 Calculus II MUSI 118 World Music PSCI 295 Religion & Politics PSYC 374 Human Development Across Cultures PSYC 355 Developmental Psychology II: Adulthood & Aging RELS 120 Religion, Spirituality, and Health RELS 295 Religion and Politics SOCI 230 Sociology of Education SOCI 250 Deviance and Social Control Online/On-Site - Summer RELS 398 ST: Mind, Self & Society in Tibetan Buddhism On-site: Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton Antigonish Campus– Summer ART 125 Materials & Methods ART 200 Painting I HIST 326 History of Cuba HIST 337 History of Modern Mexico HIST 390 World War I

University Math Preparation (Online) July 20 - August 28

(902) 867-2372 or toll free 1-877-867-3906 continuinged@stfx.ca www.sites.stfx.ca/continuingeducation/

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Muscians: athletes of tiny muscles A journey through a muscian’s injuries LINDSAY JOHNSTONE Staff Writer The life of a musician may not be quite all the glitz and glamour that we think it is. A working musician is doing just that, -working. It may not be the same type of work as someone working in a cubicle or at a high rise in a big city, but they are constantly trying to improve. What may come as a surprise to nonmusicians is that many musicians have to deal with injuries.

When you attend a performance you will likely not see physical injuries from the audience perspective, however, it is likely that, if the performer has been working at their instrument for some period of time, that they have had various injuries. Some of the most common injuries instrumentalists have are tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and trigger point.

These are injuries that are

caused by repetitive motions which, if left untreated, can be extremely painful and leave damage to important muscles in the body.

Often, we assume that athletes, and typists are the only types of professions where people can get repetitive strain injuries. However, if you talk to an instrumentalist and ask them if they have ever experienced some form of pain from practicing their instrument it is likely they will tell you that they have in fact experienced pain.

Paul Tynan, professor at the StFX Music Department, and professional trumpet player, says, “a music injury is anything that restricts performing, practising, or engaging as a musician”. Tynan explains that many musicians’ injuries develop because of poor habits such as, over practising, and improper technique.

“As musicians, we practice hours every day” explains Tynan.

“Instead of being

physically active during those hours, musicians are often sitting practicing their instrument” says Tynan. After personally experiencing tendinitis, Tynan says he recovered by doing exercises, “The exercises I did, were simple light strength exercises with medical rubber bands, and forcing myself to be more physically fit and active helped offset the injury”.

Many musicians find it difficult to simply take a break from practicing to allow time for their body to recover from an injury. As many instrumentalists will tell you, their instrument is like their “baby”, they need to be with it all the time!

Tynan explains that over the four years students do their music degrees he notices the most common injuries are tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and various wrist problems. “Its not uncommon to see students have hand braces to help control inflammation,” says Tynan.

“One of the things the StFX Music Department tries to incorporate into teaching is the importance of instrumental health; -how to practice properly” says Tynan.

Good body positions and proper technique are extremely important to know so musicians can avoid getting a music related injury.

Tynan also points out that music related injuries are not solely from practising an instrument; injuries can develop from lifting and carrying heavy equipment. Many musicians often have heavy equipment like amplifiers and other gear that is needed to perform, and those are frequently very heavy and can strain muscles.

This is not just advice for professional musicians, if you have always had an interest in learning how to play an instrument; Tynan says the best way to learn how to play without causing an injury is to find a teacher who will emphasize proper technique.

“Finding a teacher who can show you how to hold the instrument right is really important. If you have somebody physically there, who is directing there attention at you, and who can show you how to remove tension from your body when you are playing, that connection is stronger, and you remember it more, the interaction helps that” says Tynan.

Sam Wilson, a fourth year StFX Music student explains that she has had her fair share of music injuries. Wilson has been playing guitar for ten years and says she wishes her first guitar teach-

er, back when she was in grade school had taught her proper technique and how to properly sit when playing.

Wilson has had tendinitis as a result of injury and over practicing. Wilson explains that in her music classes at StFX music related injury prevention is discussed, but she hopes that one-day music injury prevention could develop into an entire course, because it is so important for musicians to understand.

In order to prevent and control her music injury Wilson always listens to her body. “I always do a half hour warm up before I play,” says Wilson. “You wouldn’t start sprinting without warming up, and it’s the same for musicians; you can’t just launch into playing, you need to warm up your muscles,” explains Wilson.

“I don’t practise more than an hour straight; but, if there is a day where I want to practise for six hours, I will practise no more than two hours at a time, and then take a significant break” expresses Wilson. Wilson, like Tynan, says that it’s important to be physically active because that releases tension and stress.

Wilson also points out that “there are other things you can do to become a better musician that don’t involve practicing, like transcribing, ear training, and listening are just as important as practising.”

As Tynan says “musicians are athletes of tiny muscles” and as musicians we can pull and strain muscles just like athletes. X

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SEND A COVER LETTER, RESUMe, and WRITING SAMPLE RELEVANT TO YOUR POSITION TO xw.eic@stfx.ca

12

thursday march twelfth, 2015

BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah CD Review of Sour Soul MAX MITCHELL CFXU MUSIC DIRECTOR Sour Soul sees one of the certified-all-time-greatest-rappers: Ghostface Killah, teaming up with future-thinking Torontobased jazz trio BADBADNOTGOOD. The collaboration yields interesting results given the vastly different stages that each artist is at in their respective careers. Ghostface’s artistic peak was arguably over a decade ago, and during that time he successfully cemented his place alongside the greats, jump ahead to 2015 however and Ghostface’s once seemingly infinite arsenal of rhymes appears to be running low. That being said this is still probably the best Ghostface Killah record since ‘06’s cokerap opus Fishscale. Much of the credit here is due to the presence of BADBADNOTGOOD. Hailing from the 6ix BBNG have been honing their distinctly nocturnal brand of hip-hop indebted jazz, characterized by a stark, stripped down minimalist sound that gave new life to their interpretations of Waka Flocka Flame and Gucci Mane beats.

Over the course of their first three records you could hear BBNG trying to find their footing in the niche that they were basically carving for themselves, and each consecutive record marked a major development for the group - last year’s III being their strongest and most cohesive statement yet. The music on Sour Soul finds BBNG making another huge leap forward.

Their unique sound still intact, but their vision seems greater.

As opposed to the almost claustrophobic feel of their earlier work the tracks on Sour Soul have a far more cinematic feel than anything they’ve done before, in line with the soundtracks of the violent 70s exploitation samurai films that are so heavily referenced in the Wu-Tang Clan’s early work. Dialogue samples from movies like Shogun Assassin provided a philosophical grounding for the WuTang: combining the mutual wisdom of the mythic Shaolin Warriors with that of Staten Island crack dealers.

In the early days of the WuTang Clan this kind of creativity and originality is what set them apart from the rest, Ghostface becoming particularly notable for his distinctive blend of lyrical deconstruction that’s basically nonsense if you pay close attention. Take this line from 2000’s Apollo Kids for example: “A-yo this rap is like ziti/facing me real TV/crash at high speeds strawberry kiwi.” It doesn’t matter what it means, the point is that Ghostface is such a skilled performer that you forget what you’re listening to is totally indecipherable. On Sour Soul this skill works to his advantage

since you never really notice how mediocre his lyrics are at this point (the distraction of BBNG’s backing tracks helps too). Lyrically there’s not much by way of innovation or creativity, and his boasts often come across as pretty weak. But as the classic Al Capone quote goes: “do not mistake my kindness for weakness.” Modesty is not seen as a virtue in hip-hop, but apparently a successful career (and a ton of weed) has mellowed Ghostface. He’s not worried about asserting himself anymore – he’s done that already. So now he’s content to just sit back and drop truth bombs for us. His lyrics now give props to the benefits of healthy eating, reading the Qu’rān, doing yoga and having a positive outlook on life – gone are the days of giving shout-outs to drive-by shooters.

So while it’s not a masterpiece on the level of the classic Wu-Tang records it still beats last year’s A Better Tomorrow by a long shot, and is all in all a solid listen. If anything the album is maybe best understood as the new BADBADNOTGOOD record, which just happens to be featuring Ghostface Killah on almost every song.

The amazing production alone makes it worth a listen, but in the end the underlying positivity of a lot of Ghost’s lyrics on the record do add something even if they’re far from his best. And although the lyrics may constitute the album’s weakest points in a way they can at least be seen as making good on Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s assertion that “Wu-Tang is for the children.”

Rating: 29/36 Chambers Highlight Tracks: Gunshowers, Nuggets of Wisdom & Experience X

distractions ANTIGONISH UNRATED: St. Paddy’s Day Traditions!

13 EDITOR: KURT BROTHERS xw.distract@stfx.ca

Help the Leprechaun get to the Pot of XRings!

It’s like HOCO and Burmac all over again; a holiday designed for extended periods of drinking. Residences are packed with green memorabilia and interesting drink concoctions.

People of all ethnicities, not just Irish, partake in the day’s events.

It is a time for bonding and a

glasses, and having green beads thrown over your neck are only

last chance at having a really

a few of the many things to be

good party at X before the

done on this day. Enjoy the

summer long drought. One particular tradition that seems to withstand is the construction of the “Wizard Staff”. The participants must drink enough beer to assemble a tower of cans that reaches their height, officially

celebrations, whether they be on the weekend of March 17th itself, because who doesn’t need

Why is the debate between white/gold and black/blue? I only see black and white... #ViralPhoto

another reason to drink, especially around this time?

-Kurt Brothers (see attached

embarrassing St. Paddy’s Day pic)

proclaiming themselves as a wizard. For some reason this game seems to resurface during St. Paddy’s Day celebrations.

Dying beer green, wearing clover The 5 Things You Think During St. Paddy’s Day:

“I did not know so many things could be coloured green. The dollar store must do well!”

“Why is my beer green...is it my tinted glasses? Nope my beer is really dyed green, is this toxic?”

“What is this day celebrating? Pride of our drinking tolerance?”

“Does the line ‘Kiss me I’m Irish!’ actually work?”

“Can I count consuming numerous shamrock shakes

as Irish pride?”

The Process of Making Green Beer (A step-by-step guide on the ultimate St. Paddy’s Day Staple) 1) Choose a light coloured beer: this saves on food colouring required. The darker beer you have to stain, the greener your teeth will turn.

2) Add your food colouring: 4-5 drops should suffice, but make sure to add it before you put the beer in the glass!

3) Add your beer: by pouring the beer on top of the dye, it mixes it on its own. You do not want to be stirring beer, or it’ll go flat.

4) Enjoy your very Irish drink! Make sure to use a clear glass or this complicated process will all be for nothing.

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thursday march twelfth, 2015

sports and health

EDITOR: AARON THORNELL xw.news@stfx.ca

X-WOMEN HAND AIGLES BLUES CRUSHING DEFEAT IN DOUBLE OT

STARTING IN THE LOCKER ROOM: THE RISE OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ON BEHALF OF MALE STUDENT-ATHLETES

StFX claims second AUS banner in three years

A problem transcending university campuses is tanishing reputations

LAUREN AGNEW Contributor

SHELBI KILCOLLINS Contributor

In what must have been one of the most exciting game of AUS women’s hockey this season, the StFX X-Women handed a double overtime lost to the Moncton Aigles Bleus in the AUS Finals last Wednesday. The X-Women overcame a 2-0 deficit, scoring 2 unanswered goals and an extra 30 minutes of ferocious on-ice battling to produce an AUS championship trophy for the second time in three years. Leading the team was third-year captain Taylor Dale, who says the past year has been “extremely rewarding”. Dale also says she owes a lot of credit for the success of the team to two of its previous leaders, fifth-years Jenna Downey and Alexa Normore, both of whom have worn the C for the X-Women at some point during their high-profile careers.

“I have a huge amount of respect for both of them. They have taught me so much about what it means to be captain in my three years being a member of this team. Although I am wearing the C on my jersey this year, they are both still my captains and people I continue to look up to, as does the rest of the team”.

Excellent leadership is a quality maintained by many X athletes, and Dale describes her teammates as allaround leaders “whether they have a letter or not”. It was perhaps this, along with a deep bench of speedy forwards and solid defense that kept the X-Women calm and collected as they fought the clock to come back for their sudden-death win.

The ever-present “Downey-from-Downey” connection that has contributed to multiple points over the course of the season sparked a goal in the third period to keep the X-women in the game. Then, with 25 seconds left on the clock and the XWomen down 2-1 after a goal

by Alexa Normore was called off, Jenna Downey scored the tying goal in front of over 500 fans at the J. Louis Levesque Arena in Moncton NB, forcing what would amount to two overtime periods.

The Downey sisters, Jenna and Lisa, racked up over 23 points between them this season, and said the Downey from Downey assist in the final game was a goal that “meant so much”. In a post-game interview, Lisa and Jenna both agreed that it felt like a “fairytale ending”. Lisa also added that playing with her sister in an AUS final was an “unforgettable experience,” and Jenna was quick to agree.

The story isn’t over yet, however. The late overtime goal by Normore means the X-women now advance to the CIS championships, being held in Calgary, AB this weekend. They will face off against teams from all over the country such as McGill, Western and the University of Calgary in the quest for CIS gold. AUS Coach of the Year Ben Berthiaume said that the girls are “going into the tournament with the mindset that nothing changes.” He stated “We will stick with what has made us successful, which is a neverquit mentality. We have to continue to commit to the D side of the puck and work had in all aspects of the game. If our work ethic is there, and I know it will be, we will give ourselves a chance to be very successful.”

For fourth year players, the CIS national tournament will be a last chance to capture a medal, but the X-Women dominated the league this season, going 20-4 in the regular season, and are believed to be strong medal contenders. The team is no stranger to adversity, and captain Taylor Dale believes that they have “something that doesn’t come around often.” They will continue to rely on their strong work ethic and positive attitudes in their push for a national title, hoping to prove yet again that X is always best. X

I recently finished an in class essay for a coaching and leadership class that discussed the rise of sexual misconduct and domestic abuse among college and professional athletes. Although an infinite variety of articles from current news outlets were presented from North American news outlets one article published by The Globe And Mail resinated quite deeply, not because of the condition of any actions but the frequency of situations such a this and presence in my own life: OHL Takes Unprecedented Action, Suspending Players for Sexist Language.

Peterborough Petes Greg Betzold and Jake Marchment of the Belleville Bulls were suspended from the OHL for fifteen games after vulgar messages they sent to a young woman on Tinder were leaked. Although both boys apologized for their language, it was not enough to escape the discipline from commissioner David Branch (as it shouldn’t be).

The men both referred to the young woman as “ugly”, a “cunt”, “dumb” and “dirt”. They also let her know that they are in fact desired by many because of where they play hockey and that their athletic talent should be reason enough for her to desire to have sex with them. This conversation may be absurd, but it it is in no way unique.

Many girls, myself including, have faced this type of harassment at bars, via social media and even in everyday conversation with guys who often label this type of language as a joke.

It’s anything but a joke if only half those involved find it funny.

For example, upon my first weekend returning to school I visited Piper’s with a group of girlfriends and, upon being separated from them was greeted by a male varsity athlete. He continued to speak as I peered around for my friends, visibly distressed by our separation.

Once he realized I was blatantly not dedicating my attention to him, he became extremely rude and accused me of only being

out “looking to go home with any guy.” Although this scenario is minor, it is just the beginning of an unhealthy culture that implies females – particularly of a younger age group – are sexually and socially present to serve (athletic) males. I asked some of my girl friends across Canadian universities if at any point they have ever experienced harassment from male athletes, and all of them had claimed that at one point they had been called a “slut”, “bitch”, or “cunt”, and generally told that they “wanted it.”

Although all colleges produce student-athletes who contribute tremendously to the school and community, based on the research I gathered for my coaching essay, personal experience and the frequency of headlines in the media, it appears that many cases involving abuse on campuses are conceived by a sports member, whose punishment is rarely more than a slap on the wrist. George Wesley, the UVA lacrosse player who murdered his girlfriend. The four Vanderbilt football players were recently convicted of gang raping a woman. The two members of the Ottawa U men’s hockey team, Guillaume Donovan and David Foucher who were found guilty of sexually assaulting a young female while at an away game. Former Stanford University swimmer Brock Allen recently charged with the rape of an unconscious woman. All concrete examples of the significance of this epidemic.

This version of abuse spans across an incredibly large spec-

trum, however there is no doubt that the misogynist, demeaning language that often begins in the locker room is the seed of rape culture across colleges.

The inappropriate comments made by the boys on Tinder above and ones similar to it, can trigger or contribute to a girl’s unhealthy perception of their self worth. These words and actions also have a negative social impact, by creating a discriminatory power imbalance where men are solely in control. The idea that women are subservient to men also leads to the perception that rape can somehow be justified. Unfortunately, stories such as those mentioned earlier can also leave people to have unhealthy stereotypes of larger groups – ignoring the example set by upstanding student-athletes. Indeed, many of the former University of Ottawa hockey players find it difficult to escape the negative shadow and reputation the two players have created around their team.

If Canadian and American colleges want to create the healthiest possible environment, this problem needs to be addressed, involving solutions that involve prevention as well as proper punishment. This may simply begin with a discussion about how to speak to the opposite sex with respect, or what the definition of consensual sex is during preseason training. We must recognized that this is an epidemic, where the solution lies in the hands of the athletes to the coaching staff and greater administration. X

15

The beauty of the sports movie Why everyone should make time to enjoy a classic sports flick AARON THORNELL Sports and Health Editor Coach Carter. Mighty Ducks. Bull Durham. The Damned United. A League of Their Own. Raging Bull. Jerry freakin’ Maguire. Rocky I. Rocky IV. Rocky VI. There are few genres of film that seek to incorporate the corny drama with raw emotion as often as is seen in the realm of sports movies. And there is no genre I love more.

Granted, there are a lot of things I hate about sports movies. Overuse of the slowmotion feature is top of that list. There is nothing worse than watching a bead of sweat rolling down someone’s nose for a solid twenty seconds while a dramatic, sub-quality soundtrack playing in the background. One could also do without the attempted seriousness in movies that just don’t need it there. I’m thinking of one of my favourites here, Mighty Ducks, which unfortunately attempts to build in some overly-heavy plot-lines. There’s really no need to have that Emilio Estevez and company.

But enough with the drawbacks. Think about the possibilities. The predictability of almost every story does nothing to take away, it only adds to the glory. Yes, you might know that the underdog team will overcome their challenges to take home the trophy. Or that the scrawny kid will make the team. Or that the rookie will bounce back from injury.

We all know what the trajectory of the plot will be before we hit the play button.

But there is almost something comforting about that. There is a reassurance that comes with being knowing exactly what your favourite character will say at that climatic moment.

I know I made a dig at the soundtracks

before, but there are some movies that rise above this musical mediocrity. I must now take this opportunity to introduce the greatest sports movie of all time – Remember the Titans. It all starts with the opening scene of the movie, when the director, Boaz Yakin (who has not made any even close to as good since) drops a beautiful, a cappella rendition of “Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye” at the funeral of one of the former players. If that doesn’t open up the waterworks for you, then I can only conclude that you are heartless.

The rest of the movie takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. Unlike many of its fellow sport flicks, this one seeks to address serious topics at the outset, and does not disappoint. It tackles the issues of racial segregation within the context of the Virginian high school football in the 1970s.

The one and only Denzel Washington delivers the performance of his career – and he is one of the best out there.

Some of these movies attempt to bridge the gap between serious and the lighthearted. Between the comical and the tragic. Between the realistic and the unbelievable...

Apologies, I got off track there. To ensure I don’t go on gushing, I asked some friends what their favourite sports movies were, and they did not disappoint.

Sam Hutchinson: “It would have to be the documentary ‘Rise and Shine: The Jay Demerit Story’. Its a look into his rise from a no-name college player to competing at the FIFA world cup. Essentially the message is that you are never too old to do what you really love.”

Ah, the sports bio-doc. Is there anything better? I had completely forgotten these until my discussion with Sam. While most sports movies are based on true stories, and they get to dramatize the aspects of

reality, documentaries have little to hide behind – they’re raw exhibitions of the lives of athletes and the rise of teams.

What’s more, they don’t always have that classic Hollywood finish.

Emma Gibbons: “‘Bend It Like Beckham’. No hesitation. I’m not sure if it was the cross-cultural friendships, the forbidden romance or the strong female leads, but it was a staple in the Gibbons household.”

As much as some of you may scoff at this, I have to say that this is a fine film.

While many disregard it as a chick-flick posing as a sports movie, I honestly think that this movie tries to bridge that gap, rather than take advantage of it. And it also made David Beckham the most famous footballer for a generation.

Al Issa: “I will say ‘Remember The Titans’. Denzel is the reason this movie is great. Anybody who ever played on a sports team would have loved to have him as a coach – great motivational speaker and great man-management of players.”

A man after my own heart. He mentions Denzel, who will legitimately make you watching at home, covered in Cheetos crumbs, want to rise out of your bean-bag

and believe in yourself. Or at least, that is what happened to me...

Cameron Finney: “Probably ‘Miracle’.

Just an incredibly motivating story. The Herb Brooks speech is very motivating, and I’ve listened to it to get pumped up. I’ve played hockey and won gold in a hockey tournament on the same ice surface – the 1980s Lake Placid rink. And I love an underdog story.”

This is about as good as it gets. ‘Miracle’ is one of those sports movies in the pantheon. It is untouchable. I challenge anyone to listen to “The Speech” and not get absolutely jazzed. I literally just did a lap of the sub chanting “U. S. A.! U. S. A.!” Thank you Herb.

In my discussions with people, I came to one conclusion. One of the best things about sports movies, something that all great movies do but sports movies do even better, is that they make you forget you are watching a movie at all. They make you believe that Denzel Washington, that Al Pacino, that Sylvester Stalone are the real athletes. They aren’t actors, and this isn’t just a set with cameras and lights and sound equipment. You’re just there, watching it all unfold in real time. X

Host X-Men enter CIS championship St. FX face top-seeded Golden Bears in opener AARON THORNELL Sports and Health Editor The St. FX Men’s hockey team love an underdog story. They showed us that much during their AUS playoff run that ended only two weeks ago when they took the eventual champions, the UNB Varsity Reds, to a final deciding game after staving off elimination for two games. They were unable to win the fifth match in a best-offive series against the Reds, who are the second-ranked team in the country. With that series, they proved to everyone, including themselves, that they can play with anyone in the CIS. The X-Men are placed eighth in the CIS rankings entering this weekend, when they will be playing host (sort of) to eight of the best university hockey teams in the country. While the tournament is being played in Halifax, St. FX is playing host school, meaning that they get a birth in the finals.

Unfortunately for St. FX, their first,

must-win game, has them matched up against the best team in Canada.

The University of Alberta Golden Bears enter this year’s CIS men’s hockey championship ranked first overall, as they have done for the past two years. The Golden Bears won the championship last year.

They finished this year’s play by sweeping the University of Calgary Dinos in the Canada West finals, and posted a national-best record of 24-3-1 this season. The X-Men finished the regular season with a 17-9-2 record.

The X-Men face off against the Alberta side in the last quarter-final matchup on March 13th at 7 PM. They will be one of three Atlantic Division teams competing in the tournament, alongside the aforementioned UNB Varsity Reds, as well as the Acadia Axemen, who were swept by the Varsity Reds in the AUS championship series.

Also travelling to Halifax are the Guelph Gryphons, the Univérsity de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes, the Calgary Dinos and the Windsor Lancers. X

THE xaverian OUR STAFF

March 12 Vol 123: Issue 12

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sean McEvoy xw.eic@stfx.ca

ART IST IC COORDINATOR NEWS EDITOR Lindsay Hatt Julia O’Hanley x2012cdi@stfx.ca xw.news@stfx.ca

MANAGING EDITOR Graham Haynes xw.managing@stfx.ca

COPY EDITOR Molly Schreiber xw.copy@stfx.ca

FEATURES EDITOR Lewis Forward xw.feature@stfx.ca

SPORTS & HEALT H EDITOR Aaron Thornell xw.sports@stfx.ca

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Devon Greene xw.culture@stfx.ca DIST RACT IONS EDITOR Kurt Brothers xw.distract@stfx.ca

SENIOR REPORT ERS Angela MacKenzie Izaak Macmullin Rachel Revoy xw.report@stfx.ca COLUMNISTS Laura Aloisio Coltan Thompson

CONTACT US Email: xw.eic@stfx.ca Twitter: @xaverianweekly Facebook: The Xaverian Weekly www.xaverian.ca

OPINIONS EDITOR Emily MacGregor xw.opinions@stfx.ca STAFF WRIT ERS Lauren Agnew Lindsay Johnstone DIST RIBUT ION MANAGER Devon Chisholm xw.eic@stfx.ca for inquiries xw.managing@stfx.ca for advertising info

FIND US Room 111D, Bloomfield Centre PO Box 924 St. Francis Xavier University Antigonish, NS B2G 2X1

The Xaverian Weekly is the official student newspaper of St Francis Xavier University. The Xaverian Weekly is published on Thursdays by the Xaverian Weekly Publications Board and is editorially autonomous.

The Xaverian Weekly is a proud member of the Canadian University Press, North America’s largest cooperative of student newspapers.

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Opinions expressed in the Xaverian Weekly are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Xaverian Weekly or the Xaverian Weekly Publications Board.

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All materials appearing in the Xaverian Weekly are copyright their creator(s) and may not be used without permission. submissions

The Xaverian Weekly welcomes submissions of articles, letters, photos, and graphics. Submissions must be received by Friday 5 pm the week prior to publication.

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16

thursday march fifth, 2015

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