Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
TCSA Election Coverage: Pgs 3, 4, 6, 19
INside:
Pictured is TCSA President-elect Alaine Spiwak on the campaign trail Photo by Keila MacPherson
Trent Express Changes coming
Teaching assistants What the Not Quite Feature: Arthur don’t strike Festival means to PtBO Editorial Elections
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Pages 9-11: Arthur has elections too! Editorial platforms and voting information.
This Page: All About Arthur
Pages 12-14: Arts&Culture
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Pages 8: Local Page
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This Issue in History: Volume 37 (2003), Issue 22
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When you do This Issue in History, regardless of the issue, you tend to notice some trends developing. After all, they say history repeats itself. One such trend is that Issue 22 tends to include a report on the TCSA’s elections. Across the page, you’ll see that’s the case with our Issue 22 as well. While this year the TCSA got all the scandal out of the way in the two months before the election, previous years saw a different set of events take place. TCSA presidential candidate and then-VP University Affairs Dwayne Collins had key to the TCSA office. Nothing surprising about that. In the TCSA office there was a door. Behind the door were the ballot boxes. In those boxes were ballots with Collins’ name on it. They also had the name of the person who ran against him—Jorge Rosales. None of this is particularly out of the ordinary. What is out of the ordinary is the fact that Collins’ key could open that door, and Collins’ hands could tamper with the ballots in the boxes. Despite all this, he didn’t turn in his key until day two of the election that saw him declared TCSA president for 2003-04. Rosales stopped short of calling Collins a cheater, but he did say the situation “made me feel uncomfortable and uncertain about the [electoral] process.� The current President Mark Naylor admitted that Collins could have had the opportunity to tamper with the ballots, though he remained confident that the election was done “fairly.� Rosales didn’t buy it. He had employed his own scrutineer, a mysterious man known only as “Alfredo.� Alfredo conducted some polls, and found that it was looking better for Rosales than the final results seemed to indicate. As TCSA Chief Returning Officer Christine Chang told Arthur though, all scrutineers oversaw the voting, and none—Alfredo included—were disatisfied with the ballot counting. Is Rosales a sore loser with no sense of when to give up,
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t -JWF NVTJD MJTUJOHT 4VEPLV or is Collins a filthy liar, taking vote tampering advice right out of George Bush’s playbook? While the TCSA board tended to agree with the former, I find myself in the latter camp. You see, Collins has crossed not only Rosales, but also Arthur. You might know him as the Steward of Sadleir House (a facility that was funded for the first time in the very same election, by the way), but he’s also Arthur’s Web Administrator. While the facade is that he does this job for free, his pay is actually pilfered from the Arthur Archives. I would love to report on the controversy that ensued the following year when Collins ruled via his stolen presidency, but conveniently for him, it’s “gone missing.� How can this be? Well, you may have noticed that part of our Arthur Archives is available for public viewing online. Guess who’s project that is. It’s Collins’. A project he’s been doing since his time as a Masters of Information Studies student at the University of Toronto. He took the volume from Arthur’s office to have it “photographed�—probably U of T shorthand for “destroyed.� You may also notice it drops off at 1986. A Sadleir House Warden called it “creepy� when I demanded to know Collins’ year of birth. Eventually she told me it was “maybe� 32. No doubt these responses are what she was told to say if anyone asks. 1986 is only 29 years ago, but I doubt Collins would have been making much news at the age of three. My theory is that Collins has no plans to upload subsequent volumes of the paper online, thereby erasing any possible evidence of himself. At the time of writing, Collins was not available for comment on the story. He’s in Florida. Probably in Jeb Bush’s own palatial mansion, remembering that election 12 years ago when he pulled the wool over a whole school’s eyes. With the erasure of a whole year of Arthur’s history, it seems he’s just pulled it a little further down. Wake up, Trent! Doesn’t this sound ridiculous to you? DISCLAIMER: This is mostly a satire. Collins is not evil.
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92.7 FM
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CampusNews TCSA general elections marked by high turnout and engagement By Matthew Rappolt
The Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) has rebounded from recent controversy with a highly successful 2015 general election. According to the results released on Thursday, March 19,—still unofficial at the time of publication—more than 22% of the TCSA’s membership of 6000 full-time undergraduate Trent students cast ballots to contest levies and elect the association’s board of directors for the 2015/16 term. The association’s new president will be Alaine Spiwak, this year’s Ethical Standards Commissioner, who won the position by a wide margin, beating out each one of the three opposing candidates by more than 500 votes. During the election campaign, Spiwak’s platform focused on the need for the TCSA to re-engage with its membership. After her victory she commented, “building and leading a strong unified executive and board will ensure we can focus on what really maters: the students and their voices.” Other election results saw TCSA employee Hilary Stafford become the new Vice-President Campaigns and Equity as
she edged out Betty Wondimu and Asgiga Corriveau, both Equity Commissioners on this year’s TCSA board. The final executive position, the VicePresident University and College Affairs, was closely contested as Lady Eaton College’s Minister of Finance Pippa O’Brien clinched the post over TCSA Events Coordinator Kelsi Dalton. Meanwhile, all six students running for Equity Commissioner positions ran uncontested and were acclaimed with strong mandates. The results also seem to indicate a affirmation of the student levy system at Trent University, as all five levy questions posed to the membership were accepted with broad support. Starting next year, Trent Valley Fencing (see page 19) and the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Society will each receive a $2.00 refundable levy. Students also approved the continuation of the $2.15 Frontier College levy, which will now be collected under the organization’s new name Trent Students for Literacy. A modest increase to the TCSA transit levy was also accepted by the membership (see page four for more details), as was the
unification of the existing TCSA health and dental levies.
Women making strides on TCSA executive
Significantly, next year will mark the first full term in the organization’s 20 year history that all executive positions will be held by women. The only other time women have constituted the entire TCSA executive committee was in 2005/2006 when a male executive member resigned his position. This milestone continues a broader trend towards increased female representation seen over the past few electoral cycles. With her win, Spiwak becomes just the fourth woman to hold the office of TCSA president since the union’s founding in 1995, but she is the second woman to gain presidency in the past three calendar years. Furthermore, of the eight candidates running for executive positions within the organization this year five of them (62%) were women.
Election sees large participation increase
Voter turnout was up significantly this year as almost 1400 students elected to cast their ballot. This represents a dramatic in-
crease over last year’s spring elections in which on 898 students took part (16.3% of membership). While some students took to Facebook to point out that the turnout still represents less than a quarter of the total membership, it is worth noting that 22% percent actually ranks as a higher percentage than most student union elections across the province. For example, last month the University of Guelph’s Central Student Association elections drew only 19% of the undergraduate body. Meanwhile, the Students’ General Association at Laurentian University, which is comparable in size to Trent and the TCSA, managed to draw only a 16% percent turnout in their recent general elections. Beyond the general voter turnout rate, the TCSA was also witnessed an uptick in the number and diversity of candidates they were able to attract. These elections saw 15 students compete for nine unique board positions as compared to 11 students for eight positions last year. Although there are still six equity positions that will be vacant until by-elections in the fall, this is one less than last year.
TPSA membership overwhelmingly approves TCSA merger By Ayesha Barmania
The Trent Part-time Student Association (TPSA) passed its referendum to merge with the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) with an 84% vote in favour. This merger has been in the works since the beginning of the school year and incorporates the two student associations into one. The merger will be substantially implemented over the summer and changes will come into effect September 1. The TCSA will be hiring a student position to work on implementing these changes, which will involve reviewing the TCSA Constitution and getting part-time students included on TCSA Health and Dental insurance. Up until September 1, the TPSA will continue to represent part-time students. As summer students are all part-time students, the TPSA is planning on maintaining all of their current programming and advocacy work. Current TPSA President Ashley Bonner, in an interview with Arthur, said that she is hoping that the TCSA will be open to collaborating with the TPSA over the summer to host these events for summer students. In the fall, during the TCSA by-elec-
tions, the future part-time student constituency of the TCSA will elect two new board positions to represent them. The TCSA will also offer a job for a part-time student in the office. In terms of services, part-time students will be able to opt-in to the TCSA bus pass for $277. In the original proposal, this optin fee was slated as $262 with a $20 additional fee. This fee has since been scrapped. And due to the TCSA’s referendum question to increase the charges for the bus
pass, the fee will now be increased. In the fall, part-time students taking 2.03.0 credits will be automatically included in the TCSA’s Health and Dental Plan, with an option to opt-out. Students taking 1.5 credits or less will have the option to optin. Additional to all of this, part-time students will now be eligible to receive all of TCSA’s regular programs like exam care packages, etc. The referendum process had a slight
hiccup with the online voting mechanism. Bonner recounted that as she and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) were doing promotions for the vote, many part-time students told her that they had not received the email that had the link to the ballot. The issue was resolved by the IT department late in the week so Bonner motioned to the TPSA board to extend the voting period, which was unanimously passed. It was for this reason that the voting period was extended until Monday March 16, giving students an opportunity to vote. The referendum was also exceptionally close to not making its quorum. With quorum being 131 submissions (15% of the part-time student body), the referendum received just 132 votes. Bonner said, “I wondered if we were going to reach quorum, but luckily there were a few people who came through!” This represents an exciting time for students and will hopefully mean a student association that can best represent its constituents. Bonner’s enthusiasm shone through the whole interview. She said, “I’d like to thank everyone that voted. I’m very happy, and it’s not necessarily with the result, but I’m happy that everyone came out to vote.”
Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
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Campus
TCSA transit fee increase means fewer cuts to Trent Express By Zachary Cox
The City of Peterborough is increasing transportation fees for Trent University by 10%, and the university has the option of making significant changes to the offered bus services or altering the fees to match the cost increase. Those who voted during the Trent Central Student Association elections would have noticed a referendum question on precisely this topic. The unofficial results of the referendum released on the afternoon of Thursday March 19, 2015 indicated that 57% of students were in favour of the price increase, which will take effect in September’s fees. On Tuesday March 17, Tracy Milne, the TCSA Operations Manager and Benefits Coordinator, explained the price increase and the potential results of the referendum to increase the transit fee. The cost increase being implemented is one that will bring Trent University to the same cost level that is in place throughout Peterborough. Milne said that several
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years ago a price increase applied to the rest of the city that was not applied to the university. “I believe it was two years ago now there was increase to fares. We were not impacted at that time so now we’re playing catchup,” she said. Currently, the hourly rate the university pays for a bus is $73.76. With the increase, that will be going up to approximately $88 per hour. For students that means a transit fee change from $252.35 to $277.59, as indicated in the referendum question. Milne explained that asking students whether they would be willing to accept a 10% fee increase was first discussed in a Transit Committee meeting. “The city came to that meeting, let us know the 10% was happening, that’s when we first discussed where to take things,” she said. “I then put the question on our services survey to kind of gauge students’ desire. My question on the services survey was ‘would you be in favour of an increase to see a similar level of [transportation]
service, or no increase and see a reduction of service’.” The results from the services survey demonstrated that the numbers of those willing to pay the increased price were “overwhelmingly positive.” Thus, the question was added to the election referendum. The comments from Milne were obtained when the result of the referendum was unsure, so she explained both possibilities. If a majority voted in favour, as it did, a similar level of service would be maintained, though the bus schedules would not necessarily remain exactly the same. In preparation for responding to the cost increase the services survey was used to gain student opinion on the current service, and a two week count of usage was requested from the city. With these, the goal was to determine the most valuable bus routes and times so that the least used could be eliminated first in cost-saving measures. “One run for an academic year costs
about $8,000. We want to be sure that where the busses are placed are actually being well utilized,” said Milne. The TCSA is well aware that the Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm service with three busses on each bank each doing two rounds per hour and stopping every 10 minutes is well used, and therefore changes there would be unlikely. Other bus times that are less used, however, would be more likely to be cut if necessary. “We’re always cognitive of the fact that our main goal is getting students to and from their classes safely,” said Milne, suggesting that cuts would first be made to times outside of class schedules, such as weekends, evenings, and late nights. With the results now in and a majority voting in favour of increasing the fees, Monday March 23 will mark the beginning of the more in-depth planning of the bus services for the summer and the next school year, but there will be fewer changes to be made than there would have been had the vote turned out differently.
Campus
Trent teaching assistants avoid strike, but with reservation By Ugyen Wangmo
Members of CUPE 3908 Unit 2, which represents 350 graduate students, have voted to ratify a three-year collective agreement with 77% in favour, alas with reservation, says the bargaining team. The CUPE bargaining team implied that the members didn’t see potential gains of a strike in this particular round when weighing the cost. And the members felt that relative to the settlements people have got at other universities and other public sector employers, “this was a reasonable deal.” After four months of active bargaining, a new collective agreement commencing 1 September 2014, to 31 August 2017 came in to effect on March 17 following ratification of the deal by both Trent’s Board of Governors and CUPE Unit 2. “Although the result might sound enthusiastic, it is a reserved 77%,” said a member of CUPE’s bargaining team, Gary Larsen. “Ultimately the graduate students are still going to suffer in three years time, with a widening gap between tuition and wage, which was the concern members had emphasized throughout the process,” reasoned Vice-President of CUPE Unit 2 and a member of CUPE’s bargaining team, Phil Abbott, for the reservation. CUPE 3908 President Stephen Horner pointed out that, “We can’t do anything now about the wages, and our focus has to now shift to working on pushing back against tuition increases.” They are aware that it is going to be hard because the university controls the rate of tuition increase, and the government plays a role in setting caps on tuition increases. The government also controls the amount of funding (to an extent) that universities have, which determines how much they need to charge for tuition. So they will look towards working with
other university workers and other graduate student groups to try to figure out how to be effective at pushing the government to provide better funding to universities, and also pressure the university to limit the increases that they apply to tuition, said Horner. One of the fundamental things that needs to happen right now is a change in the funding formula from the province, says Larsen. This, according to him, has to be instigated by universities putting pressure on the province to change it and find a equitable solution, without which universities will continuously raise tuitions and use lack of change in the funding formula as an excuse for the increase. “With the rising cost of tuition I think there is a legitimate argument to be made that people having access to right to education is being seriously challenged. Without reformulating that to make education easily achievable, there is a legitimate cause to question whether we have that right or
not,” said Larsen. Associate Vice-President Human Resources for Trent University (AVP-HR) Stephanie Williams said, “We are pleased that the parties were able to reach a mutually acceptable agreement without any interruption to the academic year for our students.” She also believes that there is a sense of satisfaction that this is a fair agreement. According to her, both sides worked hard to make the bargaining process fulfilling, especially during a time when the university is facing a challenge of fiscal constraints. As outlined by Williams, major highlights of the agreement include changes to benefits including enhancements to the professional development fund, and an offset by a slight reduction of reimbursement for the GSA Health Benefit Plan. There will be amendments to the way graduate teaching assistant (GTA) positions are assigned to employees. Also included is the
improved monitoring of hours worked by GTAs, shared Williams. In addition, the university will offer modest across-the-board increases to salary in the three years term–a 1% increase in both the first and second year, while the third year will see a 1.5% wage increase. Further gains from the new agreement will be provision of one time student worker recognition, enhanced health benefit reimbursement, and a significant increase in the Professional Development Fund, added Williams. Meanwhile CUPE will continue to build on solidarity with other locals, build relationships between student worker unions, student organizations, organizations that represent grad students, and students at the provincial and national levels. These, according to them, are important relationships to build and cultivate, and strategies to use for pushing back against tuition increases - the real issue that this is all about.
Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
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Campus
Unofficial TCSA 2015 Spring Election Results Candidates
Queer Students Commissioner Andrew Clark
Yes No
President Alaine Spiwak Brendan Edge Chris Mckinnon Jeff Campbell No Choice
723 134 199 177 125
53% 10% 15% 13% 9%
Students with Disabilities Commissioner Calla Durose-Moya Yes No
Vice President Campaigns & Equity Asgiga Corriveau Betty Wondimu Hilary Stafford No Choice
174 386 546 240
13% 29% 41% 18%
Trent Valley Fencing ($2 refundable) Yes No
Vice President University & College Affairs Kelsi Dalton Pippa O’Brien No Choice
446 655 243
33% 49% 18%
Yes No
1203 122
91% 9%
Ethical Standards Commissioner Alexander McKee Yes No
1126 152
88% 12%
Indigenous Students Commissioner Brendan Campbell Yes No
1227 94
93% 7%
International Students Commissioner Boykin Smith Yes No
1156 150
88% 12%
Anti-Racism Commissioner Tinotenda Maskosa
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1162 150
89% 11%
1243 73
94% 6%
746 605
55% 45%
Referenda Questions
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems ($2 refundable) Yes 1060 No 291
78% 22%
Trent Students For Literacy (name change, $2.15 refundable) Yes 994 No 348
74% 26%
Benefits Merger (no change in cost)
Yes No
10% Transit increase to maintain level of service Yes No
1134 207
85% 15%
780 577
57% 43%
Turnout: 22.6% These results were still unofficial by the time we went to print. They will have been ratified at the March 22 TCSA Board Meeting.
Campus
Revolutionary Student Movement hosts Day of Action By Jack Smye
Tuesday, March 24, will see the Revolutionary Student Movement (RSM) mobilize Trent students to organize in solidarity against the furthering increase of tuition and to rally together against austerity. The March 24 Day of Action, endorsed by the Trent Central Student Association at the spring Annual General Meeting, will be in correlation with a pan-Canadian day of action that will see strikes, rallies, and walkouts across the country. The rally at Trent is scheduled to start outside of Gzowski College at noon. The rally will make its way across campus in a demonstration format and will feature speakers from the RSM and others. The Day of Action, as a broader Canadian movement, has illustrated 5 clear demands for what they are seeking to achieve. 1. Abolition of tuition at all levels of education and the cancellation of all outstanding student debt. 2. Open access to post-secondary for all. 3. Access to post-secondary education for all Indigenous people and an anti-colonial aspect to all programs. 4. Education in the service of the people and not profit. 5. Democratic control of Post-Secondary institutions. The movement that is uniting students and workers to fight for free and accessible education has its roots in Quebec, where the last call saw 80,000 students strike on Halloween of 2014. This level of organization and militancy simply doesn’t exist in Ontario, however, where students have the highest tuition fees and the lowest per-capita funding for education. The Day of Action is seeking to introduce this level of unification across the rest of the country as a means to effectively push back against austerity. Similar movements are happening during the same week across the country and are being mobilized by the RSM under the hashtag #redspring2015. The RSM is still a relatively new organization; a product of a variety of like-minded organizations across the country amalgamating into one unified organization.
Currently there are 14 sections across 10 cities including movements at the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa. RSM at Trent was founded in September 2014 and has spent the year organizing and educating while simultaneously trying to engage students. The past few weeks has seen the group preparing for the day and spreading awareness that this movement has come to Trent. The organization has been circulating a petition of interest (which had garnered well over 100 signatures at the start of the week) and has been reaching out to students through classes, meetings, and social media to try and implement a strong level of resistance to student debt and ever-increasing tuition. According to Ken Mills, an active member of Trent’s chapter of RSM, the reasoning behind this is “…I see student activism as needing to be militant. By that, I don’t mean violent but I do mean antagonistic; realizing that sometimes there is an us and a them.” Mills also added that the Day of Action is in conjunction with a much larger sentiment felt amongst students across the country - the debilitating realities associated with student debt. Pushback against this has been seen with campaigns such as Debt Sentence and The Hike Stops Here. The RSM and the Day of Action is approaching the issue with more militancy, supporting strike mandates for teaching assistants for instance. According to Mills, the RSM has taken the stance of “… this is our vision of education, we realize that we don’t share it [with everybody] but we’re not willing to compromise.” Mills also said, “I think what people are realizing is that if they don’t take a stand now, it might be too late. We have to take a militant stand and we have to struggle for this and we have to fight – whatever that fight may be: a strike or a walkout or whatever.” The RSM fights under the banner of socialism and communism in Canada and are truly an anti-capitalism organization. While this sentiment certainly doesn’t appeal to all, student support for fighting against student debt seems to be widely shared and accepted amongst Canadian students.
Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
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LocalPage Local coalition helps workers with long-term compensation claims By Carly Roome
Making a compensation claim is a long, frustrating, and complex process to navigate on your own. In order to remedy some of the stress that the process can create on already sick, injured, anxious, and vulnerable claimants, the Occupational and Environmental Health Coalition in Peterborough (O&EHC-P) has been dedicated to expanding their knowledge on the process and, in turn, have been using their experiences to help workers through the system. The coalition consists solely of volunteers, and they tend to focus on the compensation claims process from a long-term disease standpoint, rather than an acute, specific injury standpoint. The volunteers at the O&EHC-P have been especially busy in recent years because of the high number of people who have sought their help. Former employees of General Electric Peterborough, for instance, have used the resources at the O&EHC-P in filing for claims that address long-term latency exposures that have now caused severe illnesses and, in some cases, cancers. When the GE-Peterborough plant first opened in the early 1900’s it had eight different manufacturing departments and employed thousands of people. There was a plastics department, a large motor department, a manufacturing department, an infrastructure department, even a nuclear equipment department within the plant. People moved to Peterborough from all over the area to secure steady, full-time employment positions at the plant, and it soon became the biggest manufacturing plant in Canada. Peterborough’s economy boomed as a result. Unfortunately, in the expansion and intensification of the manufacturing practices in the plant, health and safety precautions did not match the rapid extent at which GE-Peterborough was developing. For some workers, there was very little protective gear worn, for others there was very little information known about the chemicals they were working with.
For most all of the workers there was a blatant misunderstanding of the extent of the problems their exposures could create for their health in the future. There were about 3000 different chemicals used in the plant (to different degrees), such as toluene, benzene, methane, propane, and butane. Long-term latency diseases, illnesses, and cancers, which could have been caused by their employment at the GE-Peterborough plant, have developed in many retired workers. Asbestos, for example, was used extensively in many departments of the plant. It has a latency period of 20-50 years, which means that people might only notice the affects on their lungs 20-50 years later. The number of people who will be seriously and negatively affected by its latency was expected to peak between 2010-2015 (asbestos.com). That is one of the main reasons why, if people have not already passed away due to their illness, they have sought out the O&EHC-P and asked for help in filing for occupational long-term latency compensation in recent years. The O&EHC-P offers
support and guidance for these workers in their time of stress and need. The compensation claims process tends to recognize the legitimacy of specific work-related injuries, while the link between workplace exposure, long latency periods and long-term illness or disease is lost in the complexity of the compensation claims process. With little support from unions, WSIB (who files the claims and ultimately provides the compensation) and employers like GE- Peterborough, it leaves sick workers and the volunteers at the O&EHC-P experiencing a constant uphill battle in receiving fair compensation for their health. O&EHC-P continues to advocate for a Fair Review compensation claims Process and continues to dedicate a lot of time to helping those suffering with long-term latency illnesses through the system as best they can. They deserve heavy recognition for their hard work in helping claimants through the complexity that is the compensation claims process. The O&EHC-P is always looking to improve their knowledge base and help
more people with the compensation claims process. They welcome the collaborative opportunities that the Trent Community Research Centre offers through community-based research projects, for which students can receive credits for their work with the organization. The O&EHC-P would be thrilled for more scientific research to be done for their records. For example, research concerning longlatency periods of exposures and chemicals, the effect of mixed exposures on one’s overall health, and linking disease to ones former/current occupation are topics the organization would be keen on facilitating. If the work of this local organization interests you, for either academic purposes or personal reasons, I encourage you to contact Kathy Harris at kathy@harrisgroup.ca to see how you can get involved. For information regarding the many opportunities offered by the Trent Centre by way of Community Based Education Projects, including opportunities with the O&EHC-P, visit their website at www. trentcentre.ca or contact 705- 743-0523, or e-mail info@trentcentre.ca.
A booklover’s guide to Peterborough will be available on trentarthur.ca this week, and will return to print next week.
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Arthur Elections
Arthur’s spring elections take place March 26 You’ve been reading this column for a few weeks now and it’s finally time: Arthur’s Spring Elections are happening this week! At these elections, Arthur’s staff collective chooses who they would like to be editor for the next publication year—Volume 50. We also choose who will represent the staff collective on our board of directors. Platforms for the position of editor were due last Wednesday, and are printed on the next two pages. Candidates who would like to serve on the board of directors will either identify themselves or be nominated for the job at the meeting. The official voting list is below. Your name appears in that box if you contributed towards three issues of Arthur. There are 47 people who qualify.
Question Period rules Each staff collective member is entitled to
Time and Place The election will take place at 7pm on
at the time of the election can vote (the list is below). Voting is done by secret ballot. Everyone on the staff collective is entitled to a single ballot.
Thursday, March 26, 2015 in the Lecture Hall of Sadleir House (room 106 wheelchair accessible). Refreshments, likely sushi, will be provided.
Agenda The official Agenda is as follows. The editors serve as chair of the meeting:
1. Editor(s) Remarks 2. Presentations of candidates for editor(s) platforms (10 minute limit per set of candidates) 3. Question Period 4. Election of Editor(s) 5. Election of three Board directors by the Staff Collective 6. Adjournment
ask questions to the candidates regarding any aspect of the newspaper. These questions must be directed at, and will be answered by, all four candidates. Furthermore, questions must refrain from attacking any candidates. The night is one of civil discourse and respect. Each set of candidates will have up to two minutes to answer each question. This is absolutely not a debate format, though inevitably candidates will disagree, and are free to voice that disagreement.
Who can vote Only those who are on the staff collective Who’s on the Staff Collective? You are considered part of the staff collective
if you have contributed to the production of at least 15% of the issues of Arthur released before the election. For our purposes that means you must have contributed to at least three. (Again, see below.)
those along.
Proxy Votes In accordance with section 6e of the Arthur
bylaws, staff collective members may participate in the election through means of proxy vote. They may appoint, in writing, a proxy holder to vote for them in the election. The proxy holder does not need to be a member of the staff collective. Proxies must bring: - The name and signature of the Staff Collective member - The date the proxy is signed - Who the proxy is giving voting powers to - Who the Staff Collective member is voting for (or the Staff Collective member can allow the proxy holder to choose who to vote for).
Who can run for editor? Candidates for the position of editor(s)
must be members of the Staff Collective at the time of the election. Two Staff Collective members may choose to run as co-editors. They must have been running together to fill the positions of co-editors together.
Who can run for the Board? Anyone who is a member of the Staff Collective at the time of the election.
What if my name isn’t below? Then you can’t vote. That said, we might Deadlines have made a mistake. In that case, bring The deadline for nominations for editorial a list detailing your contributions to the Volume. We’ll double check your list, and if you’re right you get a vote. If you happen to have copies of the issues you can just bring
candidates has passed. Those wanting to run as Staff Collective directors on the board can be nominated at the Spring Election meeting.
Volume 49 Staff Collective—Official Voting List Pat Reddick Matt Rappolt Jesse Woods Renzo Costa Simon Turner Quinn Ferentzy Lindsay Thackeray Emma Cullen Adriana Sierra Calvin Beauchesne James Kerr Steve Snow Pei Hsu Keila MacPherson Ayesha Barmania Ugyen Wangmo
Caleigh Boyle George Peregudov Jack Smye Nathan Prendergast Jade Willington-Watson Jenny Fisher Brian Lukaszewicz Brian Hough Kristina Dergacheva Patrick Assink Daniel Martin Zachary Cox Michael Eamon Sara Desmaris Hannah Collins Reba Harrison
Zara Syed Crystal Peckford-McGrath Danielle Bimmer Will Willis Yumna Leghari Matthew Davidson Corey LeBlanc Elizabeth Thipphawong David Tough Leighton Schubert Sarah McDonald Betty Wondimu Boykin Smith Sara Ostrowska Andrew Tan
“ “
David Foster Wallace There is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling the value of some Diehard’s vote. Jarod Kintz I thought orange was a more electable color, so I dyed my whole cat orange, and renamed him Abe Lincoln. I licked his fur clean in celebration of his victory.
Should you be on this list? Email editors@trentarthur.ca A recap of the election, indentifying the editors of Volume 50 and the three staff collective members voted to the Board, will be in Issue 23. Incoming editors traditionally write an editorial for Issue 24.
Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
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ArtsPages Not Quite festival is redefining Peterborough’s culture By Brian Hough
So much about this weekend’s Not Quite Music Festival, March 26-29) comes at seemingly just the right time after a school year in which both Trent University and the Peterborough off and online communities have been in embroiled in bitterly divisive local and social issues. Feelings held by many in the community, that Trent seemed to be continually retreating from its in the downtown area and the wider Peterborough community, were exacerbated by frustration over both the student centre levy and the way that it was passed. Issues like sexual violence and street harassment continued to plague us both on and off campus. An article in Arthur about comedian/ burlesque performer Kristal Jones helped add fuel to an ongoing online incident igniting an often tense and polarizing cultural divide, waged online and off, about the role of rape culture, victim blaming/ shaming and cyberbullying while subsequently revealing not only just how deeply entrenched those attitudes are but also how inadequate the resources allocated to addressing the issue. To make matters worse, there has been a growing trend among local media outlets to blame the city’s crime and unemployment on the poor, the mentally ill, and the disabled while simultaneously disparaging the downtown as some sort of Central Ontario Tatooine of panhandlers. On campus, the year ended with two extremely combative and fiercely contested events- the debate and the rescinding of the Israel-BDS and the scandals surrounding both the resignation of Braden Freer and subsequent head-scratching attempt to impeach VP of Campaigns and Equities Boykin Smith. These are events that in combination, and without going into all the details here (they’ve been covered elsewhere in Arthur), involved alleged incidents and accusations of racism, anti-semitism, corruption and harassment. Taken all together, this is a narrative that paints Peterborough as a uniquely shitty town most likely to find itself spending another decade slowly slithering down the drain. But it’s also a narrative that’s not quite true, and the Not Quite Festival is the proof. At almost twenty acts, about two thirds of which are local, over four days at multiple venues, the festival is an attempt by the organizers to create a platform with
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which to draw the attention of wider variety of bands in order expand their touring circuits to Peterborough, while also pooling local talent into an event big enough to expand and articulate Peterborourgh’s art and music scene into a wider regional provincial presence. More than that, the organizers have taken care to promote and incorporate the festival along the lines of wider safe space movements, offering spaces and events free of oppressive and abusive language and activities. In many ways, Not Quite is not just a celebration of local and independent music but a response to many of those issues listed above. And has to be, because if local politicians, the DBIA, the University, real estate developers and the community itself is as serious as I think they are about the potential for the creative and digital economies to rebuild the local economy, then the importance of developing Peterborough, in both actuality and brand, as a site of inclusiveness, acceptance and respect can’t be underestimate. What the organizers of Not Quite have done, demonstrated by both their willingness to do it and the support that they’ve already received, is given us an opportunity to re-asses the narrative I presented above, the one that I think is given too much credence far too often. Ultimately and unfortunately, people being dismissive and abusive of rape survivors and people who dare to speak out about the normalization of rape culture isn’t unique to Peterborough; rather, what is unique to Peterborough, is that when Ms. Jones found herself embroiled in those circumstances, Arthur gave a platform for her voice that eventually drew to her side students, activists, artists and public figures even as many in the local media establishment backed away. Street harassment isn’t unique to Peterborough, but what is though is that an awareness campaign like #Courageptbo could not only emerge and find support from a wide spectrum of the community. Casting suspicion on the poor or seeing their very presence as a reason to be afraid of crime is unfortunately common- what’s uncommon is that when the community speaks out against those representations, those voices actually find people willing to listen. What’s unique to Peterborough isn’t that 13 year old autistic boy could be bullied and neglected by his peers; it’s that when his mother told people about it, Peterborough listened. And then they went
bowling. And lastly, there are many cities across the province, country and even continent stagnating under the persistent grind of manufacturing losses and searching some way of revitalizing their ailing through their cultural economy and ‘vibrancy. What’s unique to Peterborough is that two third year Trent students and local musicians decided not to wait for Peterborough to be hand-picked from above, but to invest their time, energy and whatever financial resources they could find into making it happen in the here and now. Peterborough: Not Quite Toronto, Not Quite Ottawa and so much the better for it. Early bird festival passes are $20/$15 for underaged attendees, however each individual event is specifically priced. Also a special shout out should be given to TUMS (Trent University Music Society) for sponsoring and supporting all the events of the fest. For more information about the festival check out www.facebook.com/notquiteptbo. Passes are available at Curated art gallery.
Not Quite Festival Lineup Thursday, March 26: East Coast solo musician, and former member of influential east coast indie band Plumtree, Catriona Sturton will be not only be performing at Sadleir House dining hall but also giving a Harmonica workshop. Joining her onstage will be local acts Hello Babies, Slowly, Slowly, and solo musician Musgrave Ritual. This event is all ages but licensed. The workshop and the show together is $7 and the show on its own is $4. Starts at 7:30.
Playing with them are experimental jazz band Commander Goznalez, the aforementioned Hello Babies and local soundscape artists Paulabulus. This show starts at 9:00 is all ages but licensed, and is $12 if paid for individually (sertiously, the $20 festival pass is such a great value for the number of shows going on- go get one.) Starting an hour later than The Spill show, The Red Dog will be hosting awesome Guelph-based fuzzed out two-piece math rockers Badminton Racquets, surfpsychadelic band The White Crowleys (Peterborough/Hamilton) and the groove heavy, reverb laden local psychadelic rock band Severed Feathers. 10:00pm start, l9+, $5 individually priced. Saturday, March 28: Headlining the Saturday night event at The Gordon Best theatre is uptempo and energetic dream pop/shoegazers Moon King (Toronto). Joining them are The Lonely Parade, who have been steadily emerging as one the city’s most enthusiastically embraced new bands, dance floor stirrers Television Road (Peterborough) and noise-pop band Stuka (Guelph/Toronto). All ages and licensed, starts at 9pm and individually priced at $10 ( did I mention there’s a $20 pass that gets you into all the shows?) Starting at 10pm, The Pig’s Ear will be hosting an all local line-up featuring Toronto’s raw and raucous facemelters Soupcans, 2013 TUMS Battle Of The Band winners (and festival organizers) The Watershed Hour, and garage rock incendiaries The Beef Boys. 19+, individually priced at $3.
Friday, March 27:
Sunday, March 29:
One of the festivals most anticipated acts, the London based, frenetically eclectic and just downright weird, Nihilist Spasm Band take the stage at The Spill. These cult favourites established themselves a devout fan base amongst the pathologically particular while opening fr the likes of Sonic Youth. The oldest, still active noise band in existence, NSB offer a chance to really explore the farthest reaches of the musical universe. Or they’ll just madden you into a puddle of incoherent sobbing. Whatevs.
Finally, the festival winds down with an afternoon at Curated (203 Simcoe)downtown. Running from 1-4pm, passholders who come will be treated to a vegan meal and live performances from the atmospheric and lyrically dextrous hip-hop of Continuous Lee (Danny Taro) and the one-man Peterborough arts community institution Nick Ferrio. For people without festival passes, the Curated event is $3 or $5 to get in and get some Chilli.
Arts
Peterborough’s historic Darkroom Project turns two years old By Caleigh Boyle
In Peterborough of 1856 a building was established that would become home to the longest running darkroom in Canada. Shortly after this building was constructed, the Roy family, a family of photographers, bought it in 1896 and turned it into a dark room. For three generations the Roy family operated this darkroom/ photography studio capturing the essence of life and work in the Peterborough area. In 1992 Rob Roy, the third Roy, died, and the Roy family retained ownership of the building into the early 2000s when it was sold to Miranda Hume. For a period of time the darkroom remained unused. Then in late 2012, a wonderful thing happened! Elizabeth Fennel founded and opened Gallery in the Attic. “When the space was available for rent, I thought yes, this will be a really cool and perfect place to do a gallery,” says Fennel. Located at 140½ Hunter St., this art studio became a meeting ground for many artists throughout the Peterborough community. In the spring of 2013 Fennel, recognizing the historical significance of the darkroom, (which at this point in time was serving as a makeshift kitchen as part of a improvised apartment) noting its reputation as the longest running darkroom,
paired with an unfinished masters thesis on the Roy Studio archive that was created there, she decided the use this designated Heritage building for what is was designed to do, produce photos. And so became The Darkroom Project. “The architecture of the space is one fascinating aspect, it is all designed around the pre-electric era, so the reason for the crazy windows and the old skylight is all because it was built before electricity was commonly used here,” explains Fennel. “It seemed like a no-brainer to get things going again.” Fennel put the call out to photographers who still used film and created a group that would use the dark room. “Everything in the darkroom, all the equipment, is donated from photographers who had it in storage and didn’t want it to go to waste,” she says. Over the past two years the Gallery and the Darkroom have grown, “I feel like we are kind of part of a film revival movement, there’s definitely a strong group of people who are dedicated to keeping film alive. So as we’ve gone through this and developed a social media following and got to know other people in the film network, we have had visitors from all over Canada. People are really interested in what is happening in the space.
We have workshops, we’ve been teaching about film and a lot of our members are young people who grew up more or less in the digital era and want to discover or rediscover film and how it works. It’s very hands-on, you are physically making an actual physical object,” says Fennel. The Darkroom Project now has the official status as a not-for-profit organization, which is very helpful when it comes to getting government grants. “Her [Miranda Hume] long term goal is the same as mine, a restoration of the entire building and restoring the skylight, which is sort of there but covered over, and then operating it as a contemporary and historical photography cite. So that’s the long, long term plan.” Fennel can now ask for municipal or provincial funding because of this not-for-profit status, which will aid greatly in attaining this “long, long” term goal. On April 2, The Dark Room Project is hosting an opening for the SPARK Festival, “we are hosting three different SPARK shows,” says Fennel. The opening will consist of the regular wine and cheese
along with a meet the artist. Then on April 11, there will be a birthday party that you won’t want to miss! This spring The Darkroom Project turns 2. There is going to be food and drinks, there is going to be door prizes there is going to be music and of course, there is going to be art! The doors will open for the Birthday Party at 7:30 followed by musical performances from bands such as Robot Eyes. There will also be a photo booth running the whole time, so for $20 while you are there have your photo snapped and know that you have made a very valuable contribution to a really great cause. The cover for the event is $10 and drinks are by donation. Now there’s a competitive drink price! “My hope for the space is that it out lasts me and that it becomes the seed of something more significant over time,” says Fennel. The word may be that film is a dying art but it is clear from projects such as The Darkroom Project that this is not so and that a film revival is on the rise.
Trent Writer’s Society celebrating first anthology with release party By Brian Hough
Having existed for only seven months, the Trent Writer’s Society has worked continuously to build a community of Trent based aspiring writers through regular meet-ups, workshops, special events, guest speakers and their own blog and all that work culminates (for this year at least) in the launch party of their first published anthology . The launch is being held on March 27 at 8:30pm in Sadleir House, and for $15 you not only get in but get a copy of the book, two drink tickets and appetizers. One hundred percent student produced, organized, edited and financed, TWS’s Transmigrations, a collection based fittingly around the themes of journey and adventure, is an 84 page collection featuring 16 pieces of short fiction and poetry by thirteen different Trent writers. The stories were collected through late January/early February and run the spectrum from far out speculative fiction to personal, intimate stories and the collection as a whole introduces a whole new facet two Trent’s already robust student media offerings and a unique opportunity for aspiring writers among the student
body to start getting their work ‘out there’ and into the world. While the process was not without hiccups and surprises even some last minute changes to the print shop and print schedule, the Trent Writers’ Society organizers could hardly contain their pride in what they had accomplished as they gathered for the last meeting before the
launch on Friday in Champlain. With Transmigrations being so clearly a labour of love, the Trent Writer’s Society is bringing it out into the world with style, asking attendees to observe a semiformal dress code and promising, according to their event page, “a classy night of literary celebration, with drinks.” The book is published and ready for
readers, the launch is ready for partiers, Transmigrations is the first step of what will hopefully be many more works of it kind and set a template for turning ‘aspiring’ into ‘actual’ writers and ephemeral dreams into the comforting tangibility of a good book and a great example of the ambition, creativity and initiative of TWS’s leadership and directors.
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Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
arts
Movie Review: Insurgent - Factions be crazy! By Brian Lukaszewicz
The first instalment of a big film franchise is a lot like a TV pilot. The first episode of a series isn’t always a great episode, or even a great indicator of what the show will be – the burden of introducing characters and building a world tends to make crafting an interesting story fall by the wayside. There are, of course, always exceptions, but that’s beside the point. Where I’m going here is that great series have come out of so-so pilots… And so was my hope with the Divergent trilogy, Veronica Roth’s series of young adult novels. The first book in the series did not make a strong movie, but it also had to bear the brunt of all that world building. By the end, there wasn’t much left but a stilted romance and a pretty generic power struggle. The world it built though, while containing its fair share of silliness, seemed like a decent enough platform to move forward from. Insurgent begins right where Divergent left off. Tris (Shailene Woodley), her soldier-boyfriend Four (Theo James), her brother Caleb (Ansel Elgort) and allaround trouble maker Peter (Miles Teller) have just escaped the ruined city of Chicago by train. Jeanine (Kate Winslet), leader of the brainy Erudite faction who have just seized power, quickly blames the murder of the previously ruling Abnegation faction on a small band of divergents as an excuse to institute martial law. Now if you had trouble understanding most of that last paragraph welcome to the experience of watching the first 20 minutes of the movie. If you forgot the names of these quirky factions you’re going to be lost pretty fast, because Insurgent
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does not ease you into it. Tris and the gang quickly find asylum with the Amity faction (the peace loving faction, in case you forgot). There she struggles to cope with her memories of the people who died trying to protect her, not to mention the brainwashed friend she was forced to kill in order to escape the city. In her grief, she does the most drastic thing she can do… and cuts her hair. Of course, their stay with Amity doesn’t last long, as Jeanine and her thugs contin-
ue to chase them to different locales within the walled-in city. Tris and Four meet the Candor (truth telling) faction and the factionless (it’s what it sounds like) as they try to elude her clutches. That all ends up being what I find most disappointing about Insurgent – it’s still obsessed with fleshing out every angle of a premise that doesn’t really stand up to a whole lot of further scrutiny. For the first two-thirds or so of the movie, we’re just touring through the factions Roth couldn’t get to in the previous instalment of the series. And the final act? It’s dedicated almost solely to opening an extra special box that requires more of the same faction themed virtual reality mind games that dominated Tris’s first outing. There’s no attempt to move the series forward in any meaningful way. The faction system may be the hook of this particular dystopian future, and I can see why Roth would want to build around that, but this whole concept of divergents being this society’s menace gets increasingly difficult to comprehend. By the time Tris has demonstrated her aptitude for each faction (aka just being a normal human being) the idea has basically worn itself out. Likewise, the romance between Tris and Four is still ridiculously cloying and very much at the forefront. It’s a YA novel so that doesn’t come as too much of a surprise, but seeing as the two of them are
caught in the middle of a paradigm shifting rebellion it would be nice if the movie kept their focus a little more on that. Or even just made their relationship more than one running after the other whenever they’re in danger. Obviously this is an element that’s important to the fan base, but other YA franchises have executed it far better. This is particularly problematic for Four. He’s an absolute empty shell of a character outside of his relationship with Tris, and all attempts to make him more than that fall so miserably flat you almost wish they’d have just kept him one dimensional. Tris makes out a bit better thankfully. If Insurgent has one saving grace, it’s the brief glimpses into her psyche over the course of the movie. It’s the film’s most emotionally satisfying arc. Unfortunately, “brief ” is the telling word there, and it’s not nearly enough to sustain the movie over its two hour running time. When Insurgent finally does hit its twist ending it ends up being more confounding than anything, in one sense stale and predictable and in another remarkably vague, a tease for the next instalment. Once again, the Divergent series leaves us with the promise that the best is yet to come. Thing is, eventually it’s got to deliver.
Opinionpages
Guest Editorial: Fairness for Editorial: Community news is an international students essential service
By Jessica Rogers, TCSA International Students Commissioner
International students are an integral part of our university campus, making Trent more diverse and contributing to the academic community. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of international students at Ontario colleges increased five-fold, while the number of international students at Ontario universities almost tripled. International students have a large economic impact, contributing $3 billion yearly to the province’s economy through paying tuition fees, spending on basic living expenses, income taxes and consumer spending. Despite these significant contributions, international students are faced with various challenges when it comes to access to postsecondary education, health care and immigration processes. Here at Trent University, new undergraduate international students pay nearly triple ($17,773) the tuition fees of domestic students ($6,040) for the same education. This figure excludes the UHIP, ancillary, and levies fees ($648, $1,228, and $769 respectively) international students pay each year. Now is that fair? As successive provincial governments have cut funding from public post-secondary education, institutions have used differential fees for international students as a revenue generating strategy. Many international students feel as though they are seen as an easy revenue source as they are perceived as having less direct political influence in Canada. In 1994, the Ontario government eliminated coverage for international students from the Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) and now all international students attending university in Ontario must pay for a private, for-profit health insurance program
Letters to the Editors
Thank you letter from the Canadian Blood Services. Dear Trent Students, The Canadian Blood Services would like to thank Trent University students and faculty for the great success of the March 6 donor clinic that took place at the Athletic Center. The clinic had a steady income of donors throughout the day and passed our goal by collecting 69 units of blood. We really appreciate everyone’s participation, which helped to make the clinic such a huge success. We hope to encourage Trent to keep up the great work and donate on a regular basis. Every 60 seconds someone in Canada needs blood. Share what matters most, and be there when you are needed most. Book an appointment to donate at www.blood.ca or call 1-888-236-6283. The Peterborough clinic is open Tuesday 3pm7pm, Wednesday 10am-2pm, Thursday 1pm-7pm, Friday 8am-12pm. You don’t need to wait for a phone call to make an appointment to donate blood, booking is as easy as pulling out your cellphone. Download the GiveBlood app and get social with us by spreading the word through sharing. Many thanks, Peterborough Canadian Blood Services Letters continue on page 16.
called the University Health Insurance Program (UHIP). This for-profit health insurance plan provides limited health coverage that is not accepted universally by physicians, hospitals and clinics in Ontario. Provinces like British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia currently include international students in their provincial health insurance programs, so why not Ontario? Students across the province are also voicing their concerns with issues regarding immigration and are seeing many victories. The Canadian Federation of Students has the only student seat on the Immigration Advisory Board for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). Through such channels the Federation has been actively advocating improving the quality, experience and services offered to international students. As a result the student movement has seen many victories such as the Government announcing new regulations for Study permits (Student Visa) that will automatically authorize international students to work-off campus up to 20 hours per week during the academic session and full-time during scheduled breaks without the need to apply for a separate work permit. Let’s hope this is only the beginning as the TCSA launches the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario Fairness for International Students campaign, to address the challenges faced by international students on our campus. It calls for the elimination of differential fees and the restoration of post-secondary funding for international students; the elimination of UHIP and simultaneously, restoration of OHIP for international students; and the continuous advocacy for immigration policy initiatives and changes to ensure international students lives in Canada is easier.
By Matthew Rappolt
The fact that print media is facing an existential crisis might be the worst kept secret in the world. Thousands of articles – tens of thousands even – have been drafted, written, and published on this topic, but there has yet to be any hint of meaningful solution. Journalism schools across the country, Trent included, have now weighed in with their own ideas on print media’s future, giving rise to new industry jargon such as “New Media” and “Digital Journalists” as they try to sell their degrees and diplomas to aspiring storytellers. Now I am certainly not naive enough to think that I have the answer to any of the immensely complex economic, social, and even anthropological issues tangled beneath the turbulent surface of today’s print media landscape. However, what I think have been forgotten in the many state-of-the-industry discussions that pop up across the interweb are the more fundamental philosophical and practical questions about the role journalism within public society and public discourse. In this respect what actually needs to be discussed, immediately and rigorously within the public sphere, is the troubling phenomenon of deprofessionalization and how it is affecting not just the profession of journalism but also the public discourse that journalism informs. The stark reality is that never before have Canadians been surrounded by so many forms of news media and yet, conversely, it has never been harder for news-reporters to make a living off of their work.
Similarly, there have never been more stories communicated between people than there are now, but it has never been more difficult for proffesional storytellers to make ends meet. This paradoxical reality has not only poured cold water on the career prospects of thousands of would-be-journalists, it has also had a profoundly debilitating impact upon the quality and content of public debate within local communities. Across the country (and indeed around the world), independent community newspapers are being closed down, cut-back, and consolidated enmasse by the national and international media empires that can no longer afford to pay for peripheral enterprises. Local communities, especially those outside large metropolitan centres, are increasingly without the services of reliable, dedicated, and investigative news coverage. Here at Arthur, we are able to maintain a paid staff of student reporters thanks in large part to our annual levy, which provides us with stable and predictable funding year over year. However, we fully acknowledge that ours is a privileged position as most outlets can’t lean on this crutch in times of financial hardship; when faced with the realities of the digital news revolution these outlets have been forced to cannibalize themselves by cutting both staff and content. Ultimately, this vicious cycle has meant that it is the public discourse that suffers most of all. Community news is a essential service in any democracy, and it is time that our governments and the public treated it like one.
Comment: The Diva Cup - An iron fist By Sara Ostrowska
There are three kinds of things I put in my vagina: fingers, dicks, and my diva cup. My journey with the diva cup started two years ago when my friend graciously got me one for my birthday. How was it going to get in there? How was it going to get out? Is this really the best option? I was perplexed. I probably spent a good ten minutes the first time just trying to get it in right. It was awkward, for sure. But after that, the day just flew by. People with vaginas, I forgot about my period. I actually ended up spending all day wearing it and then going to bed without taking it out! Although this won’t actually harm you in any way, I don’t recommend leaving it in for that long. The point is: the diva cup was so convenient and comfortable that I forgot it was shark week! I have a pretty average flow and normally put the cup in the morning and take it out at night. No need to carry any tampons or pads around. How many times have you forgotten some of those pesky things and had to scramble and freak out about it? Sheesh! Regardless of your flow, the diva cup will take care of you. My mom has incredibly heavy flows that required her to switch
tampons sometimes every 45 minutes (sorry to bring you into this mom!). She was incredibly skeptical of the diva cup but now she can’t live without it; she says she can wear it for 6 hours during her heaviest flow! Besides, we all know that moment when you need to go to the washroom but you just put a new tampon in and you need to decide whether to just use a new one or try to salvage it by tucking away that stupid fucking dangling string. I hate that string! The string is a constant reminder that
you’re on your rag and pissed about it. Sometimes that damn string would escape the confines of my panties when I’d be out walking around and my thunder thighs would just tug at it until I could hurry to the nearest washroom. I can’t even describe what that horrible tugging feels like- I can’t be the only one that this has happened to! The diva cup just stays in there and does its job. Despite looking bigger and scarier, you can’t feel it at all. It’s made of latex and bends to suit your vaginal walls. But what’s my favourite part about the diva cup? Blood art! When I dump it out in the sink or toilet, I can’t help but express myself. Anyway, the diva cup is only around $40 and lasts for years. There are also no health risks involved with it, so it’s good for your health and your wallet. There are other types of menstrual cups too so you’ve got options. Did I mention that a lot of people have noticed a reduction in their cramps after using a menstrual cup? I know pads and tampons have a monopoly in the market and your minds, but you’ve honestly got to give the diva cup a chance. I’ve converted several lovely ladies and none of them have gone back. You’re beautiful and deserve to feel beautiful on your period.
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Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
Opinion
Comment: Living with intention
By Keelan Drumm
With just a brief glance at any modern news media outlet it is plain to see that our society is one obsessed with consumption and material possession. We have allowed North American materialistic culture to define individual happiness, and that definition is reliant upon the possession of material goods, such as a large house, a fancy vehicle, and most importantly, the latest technology. Amidst this chaos of consumerism, few people take the time to consider what this version of happiness costs, and I’m not talking about the price tag. It was recently announced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that the human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. However all hope is not lost, and a turn toward sustainable living is on the rise. As human beings, like any animal, we have needs which must be met in order to survive: food, water, shelter. Due to our consumer based culture however, our wants and desires have become confused with our needs, and have transitioned into a demand for comfort - extreme comfort. During a Ted Talk, Nigel Marsh sums up the lives of many North American adults perfectly: “The reality of the society that we’re in is there are thousands and thousands of people out there leading lives of quiet, screaming desperation, where they work long, hard hours at jobs they hate to enable them to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like.”
Letters to the Editors Some basic definitions Dear editors, We live in an age where digital forms of communication are by far the most prevalent. That shouldn’t be news to anyone reading this. Print media persists largely by doing things that digital media cannot do. For instance, community news is still well served by print media. Digital news media is great, but one thing it usually lacks is a Letters to the Editor section. Why would it? That role is basically served by the comments section. On second thought, a short look at any comment section I know of reminds us of why a moderated Letters of the Editor section is highly necessary. Evidently, the prevalence of digital news media has led to a disparity of understanding as to what a Letter to the Editor is, and therefore, what an article is. I shall attempt to explain that here. A response to an article printed in a publication or a publication’s editorial policy in general is a letter to the editor. Often they attempt to add a perspective or information that they believe was missing from an article or opinion in the paper. Other times they flat-out disagree with an article or opinion, and argue a different point instead. Unfortunately, due to the absence of such sections online, many people now brand their reactionary rants as “Response Articles”—which don’t exist—and attempt to have them published as an op-ed piece, or worse, as a news piece. A great example of this happened last week. Trent Conservatives Vice-President Corey LeBlanc sent in a reply, after the print deadline, to an article published by a volunteer who also works for OPIRG. Upon learning that it was published as a letter, he took to social media and accused us of burying his article. This is apparently a clear demonstration of bias, since we published the article he was responding to
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www.trentarthur.ca
This Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a principle which states that 80% of the effect comes from 20% of the cause. This has since been applied to human consumption by stating that we use 20% of our stuff 80% of the time. We live a life of excess which is derived from the creation and possession of personal property. We have become accustomed to a way of life that is not sustainable, living in a world of pollution, mass extinction, natural disasters, and extreme climate events. It is undeniable that a change must be made if we, as human beings, are going to continue into the future with any hope of sustainability. This change could take many forms and one, in fact, has already started, which reinforces becoming conscious about our personal decisions and how they affect not only us but our community as a whole. Minimalism is a tool in finding freedom. Freedom from worry, fear, guilt, de-
pression, from the trap of consumer culture that we are so accustomed to. It is a tool to rid yourself of the excess and focus on what is important. What is important to you, and no one else. When most people think about a minimalist lifestyle they assume it is simply the abandonment of all things material, for example, giving up all your personal possessions. This however is not the case. Minimalism first and foremost is about a reassessment of personal priorities; an individual endeavour to examine the things in your life and decide what you really need as opposed to what you merely want. When you rid yourself of the excess you can not focus your life on what is important and find fulfillment, freedom, and happiness. You can also minimize your personal impact on the environment. Not only will you lead a happier, more fulfilling life, but an indirect effect of your personal change will benefit the environ-
as an article, not a letter. The article he was replying to was a piece of independent research presenting a viewpoint we hadn’t covered in any other article up to that point. It was original, interesting, and contrarian—a recipe that makes for a great story. Furthermore, it was clearly labelled as a perspective. LeBlanc’s reply, on the other hand, restated an opinion he has already seen published in Arthur. It criticized an article we published, and argued that it misrepresented his group Trent4Israel. It corrected several points that he perceived to be erroneous with the initial article. All of that is welcomed with open arms at Arthur, and I’m glad that LeBlanc took the time to put his thoughts into writing and express them publicly in a positive way. I think he’s taking part in an important discussion by doing so. But, the piece he prepared for us is, without a doubt, a letter to the editor, and ought to be branded as such. There’s not a damn thing wrong with that in my opinion. We have a letters section for a reason, and part of the reason is to facilitate criticism of Arthur from our readers. Others might use the space to raise awareness about topics of public concern not related to Arthur, and that’s also fine. But a reply to an article is a letter, at least in a newspaper. Online, it would just be a comment.
Sustainable Trent, for their dedication to sustainable development. But I would like to correct any impression that the University’s Board of Governors has not taken the issue seriously. The Board has been impressed with the collegial and productive way in which Sustainable Trent has initiated a dialogue on divestment within the University community. It is precisely because of its studentled efforts that the University and its Board, led by the Board’s Investment and Pension Committee, have taken the time needed to carefully consider an extremely complex and multi-faceted investment issue. As one of the members leading the Investment Committee’s effort, I can share that the question of responsible investment has been allotted a great deal of time and consideration. It will continue to do so as we parse out many ethical, environmental and fiduciary concerns. While Trent is not alone in grappling with the issues, I believe that we have been going about our deliberations in a way that truly reflects the hallmarks of Trent, which include open discussion and dialogue among those with diverse points of view. Our considerations began with an open panel discussion representing different University constituents and competing viewpoints on fossil fuel divestment in November 2013. Since that time, we have: t QSPWJEFE TQBDF BOE PQQPSUVOJUZ UP hear a full range of points of view on fossil fuel divestment; t EFQMPZFE UIF ZFBST PG FYQFSJFODF PG Board Members in various areas of business, finance, ethics, governance and innovation in bringing due diligence to an important issue; t DPOTJEFSFE B WBSJFUZ PG JOWFTUJHBUJPOT and research by various members, including the Responsible Investment Association Conference in 2014 and a review of the Trends Report 2015; t CPSO JO NJOE UIF JNQBDU PG PVS EFDJ-
Pat Reddick A Letter to the Editors from an Editor
Trent BoG taking fossil fuel divestment seriously [Editor’s Note: This letter was originally published in the Peterborough Examiner, but was sent simulatenously to Arthur.] I read Calvin Beauchesne’s recent editorial on divestment from fossil fuels with interest. I commend him and his organization,
ment as well. The ability to live with less means reductions of consumer waste, pollution from transport, reductions in energy demand, and less stress on natural resources which are currently being depleted. My personal experience with minimalism was initially inspired by my sister only two short years ago. After looking into multiple aspects of this way of life, I began to think of my purchases as not only the upfront cost, but the hours I spent working my minimum wage job to come up with the money, and the amount of time I would spend on upkeep. As I began to do this, I found myself more frequently leaving stores empty handed, and eventually trips to the store became a rare occurrence. My time became better used with people I cared about, making memories that would last much longer than the latest must-have item. The decisions we make are a reflection of who we are as individuals within a larger society. To find a balance is an art form. This balance between needs and wants, humans and the environment is often taken for granted or even ignored. By embracing minimalism I feel that have become a more thoughtful and fulfilled individual; my hope is that this could be true for you as well. Living a minimalist life is ultimately defined by you. Everyone will define it differently, and that is okay. Some may make a more drastic change than others, but the final outcome is a person who is happier and fulfilled. Some may call you weird, but this life is yours, and who ever said weird was a bad thing? sions on the investment portfolios on a Return on Investment (ROI) basis, considering all the ways it is relevant to students, faculty, researchers, alumni, donors and Trent as a whole; t DPOTJEFSFE IPX EJWFTUNFOU NJHIU BGfect environmental research at Trent with its fundamental focus on protection of our ecosystem in a way that enables economic development; t EJTDVTTFE B WBSJFUZ PG EJČFSFOU BQproaches to divestment and sustainable and ethical investment in an attempt to determine what is the right one for Trent and all of our stakeholders; and t XPSLFE UP BMJHO QPUFOUJBM EFDJTJPOT with who we are as a university: an interactive, research-intensive, environmental and ethical institution. I believe that those who are eager for action on divestment would be encouraged by the meaningful dialogue underway at our Board meetings. As we work to tackle the serious pension solvency issues which must be our first priority, we are also considering the trends we are seeing with regard to fossil fuel divestment in provincial leadership and in our sector across the country and internationally. Trent is well served by an ardent student voice and a Board which gives its full attention to issues of intricate detail. We have an opportunity to demonstrate that distinction to the outside world with a decision that will reflect the care with which we have approached the question of fossil fuel divestment – and we look forward to sharing our findings with the University and our entire community once that process is complete. Robin Dines Robin Dines is a Trent alumna and is currently a Member of the Trent University Board of Governors and the Investment and Pension Committee.
Opinion
She... By Ahad Kashif
Sunsets are magical. It’s as if time stops for a few minutes and you find yourself in the majestic spectacle of hope and all that you’ve lost. The dazzling yellow of the sun gradually crescendos into a shocking pink, torching the evening sky into a multitude of colors. Admiring the natural transition, on the top of Armour Hill, I could feel the passive cadences of the wind caressing my cheeks, thrusting me deeper into the realms of my thoughts. Today had been a rather odd day. All day I had been antsy and had been overwhelmed by this agita that I couldn’t get over. For the past four years, every time I have felt low or dejected, I have found comfort at Armour Hill. Today was just one of those days. Earlier I had engaged in a diatribe with her. She has always been a figment of my
wild imagination, a creation of my subconscious, a specter of hope that denudes me of my façade and egoistic tendencies. Bordering on schizophrenia and insanity, I feel mesmerized by the aura of beauty that she projects. Our conversations often crystallize into heated arguments which, in turn, mutate into battles, and hence it’s war for her. It’s usually me who ends up surrendering and apologizing because the majority of the time it is my fault, but at times I feel that it’s her fault as well and that I would be nice to get an apology or two from her. Speaking of apologies, I have often pondered about the ideation of forgiveness, and why it’s so hard for people to forgive. For one, a large populous of us feel they need to be convinced a gazillion times over before finally giving in. Maybe it’s the need to feel important, or I don’t know, some people just need love I guess. Many a time people won’t forgive you
because perhaps they feel that the sin is unforgivable and maybe it’s right to banish you from their kingdom of rabbits and unicorns. I’m in no way implying that either of the two are reasons why she is upset with me. She would probably send me to the gallows if she thought I was implying that. Wait. She exists in my subconscious so she knows what I’m implying? Hey, hey, I was just trying to implicate that you are gorgeous and it’s all my fault. I actually am. She just pinched me for saying that. Wait let me just take a sharp turn on the right and lose her in one of the corridors of my brain. Yeah she is gone, just lost her. Anyways, coming back to what we were talking about earlier. I believe that forgiving is harder than apologizing. It takes a big heart to apologize and even a bigger heart to forgive.
As I always say, life is unpredictable and short and as human beings we are running on a limited power source with quite a few of us already half way through that source. You never know, the person you are not talking to might not even wake up the next day, or get hit by a bus, or fall from the roof, or get eaten by crocodiles. “Are you listening? Hey I’m talking to you. Don’t roll your eyes when I’m talking to you. Just because you are beautiful doesn’t mean you get your way. Hey stop pinching me for God’s sake. Listen I’m trying to be civil and have a normal conversation with you. So stop ignoring me.” She never listens, I have given up. No matter how many times I apologize or make her try to understand things, she always turns up the music to drown my voice. Well, I guess here is to an eternity of madness for me. As for you, all I have to say is, be the first to apologize and the first to forgive.
Open letter to fellow geeks: Tune in, turn on, keep thinking! Part 2 By Nikolay Afonin
In his article titled “The Role of the Public Intellectual,” MIT physicist and author Alan Lightman describes different types and responsibilities of intellectuals. There is Emerson’s intellectual, someone who preserves, creates and communicates ideas to the public and acts as the “world’s eye”. One does this out of obligation to themselves in the goal of becoming a whole person. There is Said’s intellectual, someone who advances human knowledge and freedom while disrupting the status quo. Said’s intellectual is both outside and inside of society, balancing their private and public life. They have to be true to personal principles while ensuring that their work has relevance to the needs of society. Lightman also describes a three levelled hierarchy of public intellectuals. The first level is that of the specialist who develops and communicates ideas within their specific field. The second is that of the specialist who connects their specialty to the wider issues of society. Finally, the third level is that of becoming a symbol of something that connects with all issues of humanity. I’m sure you’ve heard this mantra many times, but I will chant it again here: If you want to change the world, one of the most effective ways of doing that is changing how people think about it. Not by any authoritarian top-down approach of course (that tends to lead straight to the gulag and usually fails in the end) but rather by genuinely convincing people that your ideas will actually make their lives better. All this requires a great diversity of both competing and cooperating ideas, much like in the case of natural selection of organic life. Every totalitarian system, whatever its form, seeks to have maximum control over the minds of its subjects. Every totalitarian system knows full well the political power of a liberated imagination. Methods of control can vary anywhere from banning books depicting non-government approved fictional worlds to murdering apostates, girls seeking education, and now cartoonists. It is therefore the free exchange of ideas that is one of the most foundational pillars of a civil society and democracy, and one of the most powerful shields against tyranny. Wherever tyranny reigns, the pen (or the paint brush, or the camera) is silent. Keep in mind too Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in all this. It’s very hard to contem-
plate the nature of distant galaxies when your stomach is empty and you fear for your life every waking second. What I am describing requires first a bottom up process of securing basic material, and the social and psychological needs of human beings. The mind can venture far only when the body is secure. And so here you are, my blossoming thinker, studying at Trent University in O Canada, an astounding privilege. You’re aspiring to save the world, or at least make it a little less awful for the unfortunate souls stuck in it. Or maybe you’re here hoping to make lots of money one day, or striving for world domination. Or all of the above? Whatever your case, I want to share with you these words that the brilliant Stanford biologist Robert Sapolsky gave to his students at their graduation ceremony: “You guys, as of tomorrow around noon, are officially educated. And as part of your education, what has happened is that you’ve learned something about the ways of the world, how things work. You’ve learned the word ‘real-politik,’ you’ve had your eyes opened up, you’ve wised up. And one of the things that happens when you’ve wised up enough is that there is a very clear conclusion that you have to reach after a while, which is that at the end of the day, it is really impossible for one person to make a difference. And thus, the more clearly, absolutely, utterly, irrevocably, unchangeably clear it is that it’s impossible for you to make a difference and make the world better, the more you must. You guys are educated, you are privileged, you are well connected, you are enormously lucky if you’re sitting here at this juncture, and thus what that means is that there is nobody out there who is in a better position to be able to sustain a contradiction like this your entire life and use it as a moral imperative. So do it, and good luck, and have good lives in the process.” As for sticking out at parties like a sore pimple, and all the social awkwardness, introversion, and desire for solitude that often accompanies our tendency to ruminate, heed these words of science historian and three time Pulitzer Prize nominee James Gleick who has studied the lives of many great scientists. Talking about the common character traits of scientific geniuses, he tells us that “when it came time to make the great discoveries of science, he was alone in his head. Now, when I say he, I mean both Feynman and Newton, and this applies, also, I think, to the geniuses that
I write about in The Information, Charles Babbage, Alan Turing, Ada Byron. They all had the ability to concentrate with a sort of intensity that is hard for mortals like me to grasp, a kind of passion for abstraction that doesn’t lend itself to easy communication.” So if you’re ever feeling that you’re not living up to the image of the super-smooth hyper-extraverted ‘kool’ portrayed in beer commercials, remember that being ‘kool’ is for idiots, basically. In closing, I want to say that what I really hope to see more of in the future is increasing numbers of female leaders and pioneers of thought. Women have been making remarkable emancipatory break-
throughs in many parts of the world, including leadership in politics, sciences and arts. The battle, however, has just begun. Most women in the world are still oppressed and marginalized, often in the most brutal of ways. I for one believe that the struggle for gender equality is perhaps the single most important struggle of our time, and it is only by attaining this equality that we might be able to begin properly addressing, let alone resolving, the rest of our global crises. But this is a topic for a whole other conversation. And so my noetic comrades, on this note, be ye thoughtful, and illuminate!
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Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
Clubs&Groups
By Pei Hsu
To wrap up another wonderful semester and to celebrate April Fool’s Day, TFS would like to invite everyone to our screening of Why Don’t You Play In Hell? on Wednesday, April 1 at Market Hall. We promise you an exhilarating night that will relieve your stress with laughter. Combining the unique “yakuza” genre film with Tarantino-style comical violence, director Sion Sono creates a surreal scenario where two rivaling yakuza clans find themselves being choreographed and cinematographed by “The Fuck Bombers”
on a film set. The term “yakuza” refers to organized crime groups, the Japanese equivalent of mafia. “The Fuck Bombers”, on the other hand, is a team of wretched aspiring filmmakers who have been waiting for the chance to produce a real film with a 35mm film camera since their teenage years. A series of coincidences, or in the words of Hirata, the leader of The Fuck Bombers, “the guidance of the god of cinema,” brings about the unfathomable cooperation between the zealous cinephiles and tough yakuza members. The film is hilarious to watch as the
yakuza members grow extremely devoted to their role in the film production process, during which their heads and limbs are cut off. While messy bloody scenes are common in Sono’s work, the lightheartedness and the comical romance in Why Don’t You Play In Hell? are certainly unseen in his previous films. The film is often compared to Tarantino for its homage to Kill Bill and a similar aesthetic style. While Tarantino masters in the cross-genre Spaghetti Western, Sono demonstrates his creativity in this film by transforming the established yakuza genre in Japanese cinema with his
signature nightmare-like violence. Yakuza film has been established as a popular genre in Japan since the 1950’s. It centers on the life and struggle of yakuza members. One of the most prominent and prolific filmmakers of yakuza film is Takeshi Kitano, who appears in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, which TFS screened last semester. Sono successfully rejuvenates the conventional yakuza film style and uses it as his tool to express his love and devotion for film and filmmaking. In the film, Hirata, the optimistic director and Muto, the yakuza leader, share a profound faith and passion for filmmaking, though they are from distinctly different backgrounds, implying that film is something that can bring meaning to life for everyone no matter who you are. Sono and Tarantino have more in common than their interests in playing with genre and transcending boundary. Sono wrote the script for this film fifteen years ago, and fifteen years later the 35 mm film camera used by Hirata in the film now carries the nostalgic sentiment Sono feels toward the obsolete film stock as it gets replaced by digital video, echoing Tarantino’s public claim that “digital projection is the death of cinema.” Whether you are a regular at TFS screening, or you are looking for something ridiculous and fun to watch on April Fool’s Day, please join us for a FREE public screening of Sion Sono’s Why Don’t You Play In Hell? on Wednesday, April 1 at Market Hall (140 Charlotte Street). The show begins at 8pm.
OPIRG:Somethinggreenerthangrass Trent Radio: Blind Date Radio By Meghan Johnny
By James Kerr
When telling friends from out of town about Peterborough, there are a few things that are sure to make your list: frigid temperatures in the winter, its vibrant (or boring, depending on your perspective) downtown, and of course, its greenspaces. While we are just getting glimpses of it now, the City of Peterborough in the summer is decidedly green, from grass-lined bike paths to a grass-lawned city hall; from large grassy front yards in the boroughs to small grassy front yards in the student areas. Grass lawns have their roots in European aristocracy, but have become as Canadian as maple syrup. Having a neatly trimmed lawn today is a status symbol indicating that the household has the disposable wealth and time to keep up with lawn maintenance. It is also contributing to a monoculture, a harmful ecological process which discourages diversity and contributes to several negative ecological repercussions. Envisioning alternatives to uniformly mowed lawns means envisioning alternatives to the way our city runs. With thousands of people in our community resorting to food banks every month, why aren’t we using our lawns to grow food for ourselves and our neighbours? With a near-constant reminder in the news of dying pollinator communities, why are we favouring grass over milkweed, yarrow, and dahlias? And, with pride for our city’s beauty ingrained into our relationships, why aren’t we working together to beautify public spaces? Guerrilla gardening is one way to radically transform these spaces, by reclaiming the city’s greenspaces as public and digging into our municipality in a meaningful way. Guerrilla gardening is, essentially, gardening in spaces which we as gardeners do
There is another event day coming up at Trent Radio, a day when we sweep aside regular programming and programme only on a particular theme. “Blind Date Radio” is the next, happening Friday March 27, 2015. It’s a kind of blind date among radio programmers - they know WHEN they’re coming in to do the show, but they don’t know WHO their co-host will be. Co-hosts
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www.trentarthur.ca
Photo from a 2013 guerilla gardening project in Peterborough. Photo by Zara Syed
not legally have access to. It is also one way to directly take action in our municipality against the issues facing our community. It can be anything—a vegetable plot in a grassy area often overlooked, wildflowers poking their way up through cracks in back alley pavement, or a native pollinator habitat growing on an otherwise unused front lawn. You don’t need a background in gardening to be a Guerrilla gardener—for most of us, this project is our first experience with gardening. What you do need is a creative vision for our municipality and a commitment to taking direct action to make these changes happen. While Guerrilla gardening hopes to speak to specific issues such as food insecurity and disappearing pollinator habitats, it is also a sign of something bigger. It is grassroots resistance, minus the grass. It is a call to re-examine property laws, and reconsider who really owns public land. It is a form of protest against disengagement. Above all else, it is fun—an important tenet of political resistance often overlooked. Next time you see an abandoned flower plot or a patch of soil which could sustain growth, don’t walk away; dig in.
meet in the Trent Radio kitchen just before their show, and have only that long to find common ground and plan their radio show. Sparks will fly. Hearts will be broken. Programming will be awkward. Listen in all day on Trent Radio, 92.7 FM, CFFF or online at trentradio.ca. [Editor’s Note: Our editor Pat Reddick will be on a blind date at some point during the day. Tune in to hear the embarassment.]
SportsPage
Trent Valley Fencing Club secures levy funding By Renzo Costa
During the past TCSA spring elections, the Trent Fencing student club got 746 positive votes (55%) to get a $2.00 dollar refundable levy. Arthur talked with some members of the Fencing club. Courtney Peeters, Evan McDonnell and Grant Stott discussed some of the reasons why the group asked for the levy and what the group offers to the Trent University community. The Trent Fencing Club was founded in 2013 to continue to legacy of fencing at Trent University after the varsity program was cut. It is divided between a competitive team and a club for those who want to learn how to fence. Peeters also explained that the Fencing team has been around since the 70’s, and bouncing back from the cut by organizing as a club is a statement that they plan to stay around. They argued that fencing is an excellent exercise and it provides an opportunity for those who are interested in trying a different sport. The club supplies equipment and lessons for people from all levels. The club is also open to everybody, there are no cuts, and all members all welcome as long as they are interested. Students interested in joining the Fencing club do not need any previous experience and do not have to be athletically inclined
to do well in the sport. At the moment the club has approximately 80 registered members, 20 of which are in the competitive group. Peeters, Stott and McDonnell expressed that those recently starting in the world of fencing have a chance to learn the sport in a safe environment that is also instructive. Peeters expressed that becoming a club was challenging, especially in the financial aspect. Once they organized themselves as a club, assembling an executive and attracting members, they figured out that a more sustained and reliable fund-
ing source was needed in order to assist to competitions and renew equipment. As a result, they added that applying for the levy would allow them to get new equipment as well as assist those looking to challenge themselves in competitions, where fees can be expensive. Stott articulated that it is very important to fence with other people in order to improve since fencing against people with different styles is very instructive. The levy would allow the club to get more out of competitions, which would increase the level of the team. Courtney explained that this year the
Trent athletics conducted a pilot project where they sent the fencing team to the OUA’s finals. She added that one athlete finished fourth, and one of the women rocky was the second highest ranked after an amazing performance. The club finished 7th overall out of fourteen schools. McDonnell also added that they hope that athletics will look at how they have done as a club and recognize that the team is able to take it to a more competitive level. He explained that something that separates fencing from other sports, especially rowing, is that there is no novice category so new people are going against the same people that go to world cups and national tournaments. If there were a novice tournament we would have probably done extremely well, he added. The Fencing club is in a grey area since it is not as intense as a varsity team but demanding enough to appeal to those students that are interested in doing an organized sport activity and being active students. The approval of the levy will allow them to expand their activities as well as better support their members. It will also enable them to renew equipment and make competitions more accessible. Fencing presents itself as an alternative opportunity for those students interested in being active and challenging themselves to learn something new.
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Volume 49 | Issue 22 | March 24, 2015
listings Clubs & Groups Trent Writers Society Transmigration Anthology Launch Party will be on Friday March 27 at the Sadleir House Dining Hall from 8:30pm until 12am. Semi Formal attire recommended. We are celebrating the launch of our first annual anthology of short stories. $15 per ticket and it gets you two drinks and a copy of the book! Tickets are being sold in the OC Foyer Thurs March 26 or contact us at trentwriterssociety@ gmail.com! All dressed up and nowhere to go? The Trent Student Psychology Society is pleased to announce our Parisian Café themed semiformal taking place on March 28th in the LEC dining hall at 7:00p.m. Tickets will be $10 for Trent students and $12 for guests. There are several fun psychology themed door prizes and a lots of raffle ticket prizes. Raffle tickets will be 1 for $3, or 3 for $5. All raffle proceeds will go to Five Counties Children Centre. Please RSVPpsycsociety.trentu@gmail.com to reserve a seat! Let’s celebrate the finale to another amazing year together! The Seasoned Spoon is currently hiring TWSP eligible students to work during the 2015/16 school year. The application deadline is Monday, April 6 at 5pm. Cover letters and resumes can be sent to seasonedspoon@trentu.ca. Visit our website for more details www.seasonedspoon.ca Learn to Fence! Practices are Thursday 6:30-8:15pm and Sunday 7-9pm in the Main Gym. No experience required. You need to arrive in workout gear with athletic shoes, all other equipment is provided. It is $20 for the semester. For more information go to trentu.ca/fencing or email courtneypeeters@outlook.com Weekly Open Mics EVERY Thursday evening at 8pm at the Trend pub in Traill college! Hosted by the Trent University Music Society. Bring your instruments or just come to listen for a night of good music and good company. Free admission, all welcome! More info: trentumusic@gmail.com. Come learn basic to advanced Arabic! Our classes cover reading, writing and speaking. Weekly Arabic classes every Tuesday from 5-6pm at GCS 108. Absolutely free!
Sadleir House All events in this section take place at 751 George St N in Peterborough. Come visit the Sadleir House Library Open Mondays 11am-4pm, 6-9pm, Tuesday 1-9pm, Wednesday 12-9pm, Thursday 1-6pm, Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 11am-4pm in Room 107 (wheelchair accessible). The Sadleir House Library is a free lending library open to all students and community members. With over 4000 books covering general academic interest and 2000 films focusing on international titles, documentaries, art house, and LGBT interest.
SUDOKU
Sadler House Library - Zine Making Workshop. Thursday, March 26, 4pm. Lecture Hall
(room 106, wheelchair accessible). During this workshop, we will explore the history and importance of zines, self-publishing, and DIY communities. We will make our own zines and explore the library’s new zine collection. SPARK Photo Festival, April 1-30, Hobbs Library (room 101, wheelchair accessible) & Senior Common Room (room 201). Sadler House is hosting two SPARK exhibits: Gregory Burke and the Trent Visual Arts Network NOTE: exhibit in Hobbs may not be available when room is in use. SADLEIR HOUSE IS CLOSED FRIDAY, APRIL 3 FOR GOOD FRIDAY STAT HOLIDAY Let’s Go: Learn the Ancient Game of Go, Hosted by James Kerr and Josh Raspberry. Come play the ancient Chinese board game of “Go” (a.k.a. Weiqi or Baduk) in a fun and welcoming environment, Saturday April 18, from 11am until 4pm in the Dining Hall (room 209). This event is free. No experience required. All skill levels are welcome, from first-time players to seasoned amateurs. From 11:00 to noon we’ll provide some basic lessons geared to first-time players and beginners. After that, the idea is to have a casual round-robin tournament from noon to 4:00 pm. The exact format can be flexible based on the number of people and what everyone is interested in.
Trent Community Innovation Forum: Knowledge and Talent in Action. The annual showcase of Trent’s students community-based research is happening on Thursday March 26 at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club, 1030 Armour Road (on the East Bank bus route opposite Thomas A Stewart high school). Doors open to the public at 12:30pm and the event closes with the giving of student awards at 5.30pm. Trent students, faculty and staff are invited to come and see the exciting work that Trent students have been doing through the Trent Community Research Centre. Keynote Address by Trent Chancellor, Dr. Don Tapscott. Registration is appreciated but not required. More information at: communityinnovation.ca Centre for Human Rights, Equity, and Accessibility (CHREA): MV-1 Services. The MV-1 Vehicle provides shuttle services for Trent students, staff, and faculty with a wide range of disabilities. Passengers are individuals experiencing challenges in negotiating distances, topography and pitch that are inherent in the physical landscape of Trent’s campus. The MV-1 service is free-of-charge and can take you anywhere you need to go on any Trent campus (Symons, Traill, or Water St. Residence); rides can be booked online through http:// www.trentu.ca/ohrea/mv1.php. If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact Trent’s Andrea Walsh (Accessibility Advisor) at 705-748-1011 Ext. 6002. Walkhome—Trent’s safe walk service. Late class? Working in the lab? Call us for a walk; 25 minutes from Symons or Traill (downtown) Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 7pm to 1am, Saturday & Sunday: 9pm to 1am 705-748-1748 Walkhome—Pre-book your safe walk. Do you
send yours to listings@trentarthur.ca
regularly have practice Monday night, work in the Library Tuesday night or go downtown Friday night? Our team of volunteers walkers can meet you, on campus or downtown. Monday to Friday: 7pm to 1am, Saturday & Sunday: 9pm to 1am. Call us 705- 748-1748 or email walkhome@tretnu.ca to Prebook a walk. Worried about a course this semester? We want to help! Register for the Academic Mentoring Program to request an upper-year student mentor. Mentors meet regularly with students to discuss course concepts and build an understanding of course material. To request a mentor, or to volunteer, visit trentu.ca/academicskills/ peermentoring.php. It’s paper season! Do you need helping organizing your essay, developing a thesis or doing citations properly? Come visit us as the Academic Skills Centre for all the help you need! Our services are always free! Suite 206, Champlain College. Phone: 705-748-1720. Call to book your appointment or book online through your Student Experience Portal at trentu.ca/sep. Click on “Book Appointments” and select “Academic Skills”.
Local 1 Bdrm Apartment - Available May 1st. $680.00/month + Utilities (hydro) 1st & last - 1 year lease. Smoking outside only. 3rd floor apt in a house (sep. entrance), downtown Ptbo., near Bus Terminal &Traill Coll. WIFI Incl. Contact: Wendy - tesltrainer@sympatico.ca Canadian Blood Services will have new clinic hours as of April 1. Tuesday: 3-7pm, Wednesday: 10am-2pm, Thursday: 1-7pm, Friday: 8am-noon, and the second and fourth Saturday of the month: 8am-noon. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can book your appointment online at www.blood.ca, or by phone at 1-888-2-DONATE (366283). The Peterborough Clinic is located at 55 George St. N. Development Drinks (hosted by Jamaican Self-Help) at St. Veronus from 7-9PM on March 31st, 2015. The Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough welcomes you to: An Evening of Stories of Our Land with Doug Williams, Elder of Curve Lake. Friday, April 17, 2015, 7:30 – 9:30 pm. At the Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough 775 Weller Street (at Medical Drive) $5-10 donation or pay what you can. Free parking. ESLHelp & Editing. Contact: worldeslschool@sympatico.ca
one-
St. John’s Ambulance Standard First Aid Our Standard Certificate is valid for 3 years! Includes CPR and AED training! This course provides a certificate in Standard First Aid & a CPR/AED certificate. 13 to 14.5 hours of instructional time (2 days); includes 435-page First Aid/CPR/AED book. **This course is required by the WSIB if your place of work employs more than 5 employees per shift.** Upcoming sessions: Weekdays(8:30-4) March 25-26, or Combo Course SFA/Level-C CPR (8:30-5:00) Mar 2526, 28-29, Contact: sjapeterborough@bellnet.ca, 705-745-0331, sja.ca
Thursday
St. John’s Ambulance CPR Recertification (Weekdays at 6:30 pm, or Saturdays at 1:00) Mar 21. Call for additional dates, or organize your own group at a convenient time at any location--discounts for groups! sjapeterborough@bellnet.ca, 705-745-0331, sja.ca
Arts Highway of Tears Film Screening and Panel Discussion with director Matt Smiley present. Sunday March 29, 2pm. Wenjack Theatre at Trent. Admission: PWYC with support going to, Families of Sisters in Spirit. As the call for a national inquiry into the more than 1100 unsolved cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada continues to grow louder, a collective of local organizations are hosting the screening of a new documentary film to highlight the need for such an inquiry. Info: highwayoftearsfilm.com and www.reframefilmfestival.ca 5Rhythms Waves Classes and Weekend Workshops. Rock yourself right down into your hips, out of your head and into your heart! Come put your body into motion and re-awaken to your soulful self. Gabriel Roth’s dynamic movement meditation practice, www.5rhythms.com, is offered every Monday night in Peterborough 7-8:30pm, $15, at All Saints Anglican Church Hall 235 Rubidge St. Peterborough K9J 3N9. Weekend workshop in the 5Rhythms Fri. March 27 7-9pm & Sat. March 28 11am-5pm. Contact katehuband@ gmail.com 705.304 6186 www.5rhythms.com/ teachers/Kate+Huband The Theatre on King is excited to present Myrmidon, by Bernie Martin, as a part of Public Energy’s Emergency Festival of New Dance and Performance by Peterborough-area artists this March 26 - 29, 2015. Shows are at 8pm on March 26 and 27. Show is at 5pm on March 28. Show is at 1pm on March 29. Directed by Ryan Kerr, featuring Kate Story and Curtis Driedger. Set/costumes by Martha Cockshutt. Funded by Theatre Trent. $15 at the door or available in advance from the Market Hall box office: www.markethall.org or 705-749-1146. TTOK, 159 King Street (around back) The Theatre on King is proud to present “Not I” by Samuel Beckett on Tuesday March 31 and Wednesday April 1 at 8:00 p.m. $10/$5. Featuring Kelsey Gordon Powell. Funded by Theatre Trent. Tickets at the door. TTOK, 159 King Street (around back) The Theatre on King is happy to welcome back Mysterious Entity and Script Club on Thursday April 2. Last one until September! Come listen or read a new work and join the discussions afterwards. Some Mysterious Entity performers will always be on hand, but local actors are also welcome to come and sign up to do a cold read. Theatre lovers - come and be a part of the process! Participants to arrive at 7pm. Audience at 7:30pm. PWYC
Send your listings to: listings@trentarthur.ca
Friday
t TUMS Open Mic @ The t Dirty Blues Jam, feaTrend (8pm) turing N.L. Sideburns of The Venisons @ The t Goetia, Biipiigwan, Spill (5-7pm) Garbageface @ The Spill (9pm) t Mass Device Presents: Havens DJ Set @ The Sapt The Stellas with Tim phire Room (9pm) Chaisson and Express And Company @ The Red t I Dunno Psychedelic Dog (9pm) Rock Explosion! @ The Garnet (10pm)
This Weekend in Live Music: presented by ElectricCityLive.ca
Saturday t The Next Country Music Star Talent Search @ The Ranch Resort, Bethany ON (7:30pm) t Nosys and friends @ The Spill (8pm) t The Language Arts with Television Rd @ The Red Dog (9pm) t High Waters Band @ Puck N Pint (9:30pm) t Kill Good, Nagasaki, Muddy Hack, and Tyler Watson @ The Garnet (10pm)