in the paper this week
feature: Retro Arthur - A blast from the past p. 3 - new & old letters • p. 4 - update from the Hill • p. 5 - tuition deduction p. 8 - new occupation of the occupiers • p.11 - columns, then and now
Editorial Volume 46 | Issue 13 | January 9, 2012
Masthead by Jackson Creek Press 751 George Street • Suite 104 Peterborough, ON • K9H 7P5
When I was seventeen . . . or maybe more like twenty one
tel: 705-745-3535 editors@trentarthur.ca • www.trentarthur.ca
Editor in Chief Business Manager Miranda Rigby
Tyson Shennett
Production News Reporters Assistant Matt Jarvis Heather Scully
Anthony Gulston
Copy Editor
Carmen Meyette
Chelsea Rodrigues
Sara Ostrowska
Proofreader
Cornel Grey
Andie Hartshorne-Pople
Distribution
Ayesha Asghar You?
Teigan Sparkes
Co-operatives Photography Wesley Collett-Taylor Mya Rushnell ---
Andrew Tan
Board of Directors Chair • Not yet named Secretary • Not yet named Treasurer • Not yet named Members at Large • Caitlin Currie, Hazel Wheeler, Jacob Bogaard, Jenna Cameron, Ki Alleyne, Maxim Gertler-Jaffe
Contributors Brett Throop • Tyler Prozeniuk • Caileigh Morrison Troy Bordun • Natalie Guttormsson
Submission guidelines Articles Articles should be submitted via email to editors@ trentarthur.ca, in the body of the message, or as an *.rtf, *.doc, or *.txt attachment. The body should be approximately 800 words. Listings, announcements, or briefs should not exceed 100 words. Feature pieces can be up to 1500, but must be arranged in advance with the editors.
Images Hard copies (photographs, original artwork, etc.) should be brought into the office (751 George Street, Suite 104) to be scanned. If submitting files electronically, please save as *.tif, with a dpi of no less than 300 pixels.
Letters Limit letters to the editors to 250 words. Letters longer than 250 words may be published but Arthur reserves the right to edit for length and clarity (but not content). Conributors are encouraged to attend the weekly story meeting on Tuesday at 1pm in our office in Sadlier House, or to contact the editors if considering submitting to an upcoming issue.
Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of Arthur staff, volunteers or its Board of Directors. Contributors are encouraged to attend the story meetings Tuesday at 7pm or contact the Editors to discuss story ideas. All article submissions are due Monday at noon. Letters, Listings, Classifieds, and Events are due Thursday at 9am and should be sent to listings@trentarthur. ca. Advertisers are encouraged to contact advertising@ trentarthur.ca for ad rates and contracts.
2
By Miranda Rigby
In my first year working at Arthur, a common response to the question, “Oh ya, where do you work?” was “Well, that’s too bad.” I could summarize and put it simply that my friends are assholes, and they just didn’t get it, but I won’t give them that satisfaction. The truth is, even though this student press is mostly funded by the majority of students of Trent, there is that misconception that we are a skewed lot who are only out for our own gains. This opinion has been passed down from many generations of upset persons who believe the paper is doing a bad job at informing the public, or that they shouldn’t have to pay for something they don’t read. Due to these and other varying reasons, there have been counter-Arthur or alternative-to-Arthur initiatives on Trent campus since the early 1970s. The original being called “The Sword” and a variety of establishments have happened after this, including the Absynthe and the Nose. The history of the student population’s distaste toward Arthur was what immediately drove me to hold the position I have now. I personally believe that the creativity in the letters to the editors we have received in these past years go beyond interesting to a point of hilarity. This probably goes to prove why my favourite
modern play is “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and why I don’t go overboard when I hear my friends to continue to insult the place I work for and run (notably, they have been nice enough to stop throwing out the papers in mass quantity, and they have agreed to only recycle if they ever feel the need to throw out a few for old time sake). The ultimate truth I have for you, dear Arthur reader, is that I love this place with all its flaws, because I don’t know a better place at Trent to meet a wide variety of people from all walks of life. It sounds weird, maybe even a bit self loving, but I have never meant it more than I do today. So for this reason, the staff at Arthur and I have lovingly crafted you this mixed tape. A mixture of old articles and a few renewed ones from this past year’s biggest stories. I signed our name with x’s and o’s on the cover, I sealed it with a kiss, and sprayed it with my rose petal and lavendar perfume. I wrote you little sidebars, words of encouragement, and historical facts. I even took the time to dust off some political cartoons for you and put them in the middle of the paper. Does this all sound great to you? Well good, because I want you to work here too. Look to the bottom of this page, bring your opinions, and your sense of humour. I hope you like it, and welcome back.
current letter Dear Editor: “This is the first time I’ve seen Kwanzaa (an African celebration) in Millbrook!” said a student (formerly of Toronto). Millbrook South Cavan Public School’s ‘Mosaic Night’ gave families the opportunity to experience a taste of celebrations from around the world. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to travel without leaving Millbrook. Each grade researched and prepared a presentation for their classroom. One class performed a play in the gym covering Canadian Christmas. The children were curious and enjoyed learning about different festivities. They discovered more similarities than differences between people.
Since Arthur’s humble beginnings as a political newspaper, there has been consistent critique of what we have published, what we have “intentionally” not published, and what we could have published better. Before Facebook and Twitter, there were few ways for politically minded students to get their opinions across to other students. Here is a mash up of some of my favourite letters that have graced the pages of our student press.
Canada is a country of immigrants. Some have been here a long time; others are newcomers. Exposure to diversity is an advantage in becoming global citizens. Students living in communities with limited ethnic diversity suffer disadvantages—even in their career options. It is necessary to be on equal footing with multicultural centres. Envision Canada, a model country demonstrating to the rest of the world how Canadians of every nationality are celebrated and valued. This is the true meaning of PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TO ALL. Thank you Millbrook South Cavan for leading the way. Jane Braithwaite Millbrook, ON
Criticism of the existing paper took up the bulk of the time; the most frequent adjective applied was ‘shitty’.”
Volume 5, Issue 9, 19 Nov. 1970
Volume 46 | Issue 13 | January 9, 2012
3
POLITICS By Carmen Meyette
With the beginning of a new year it is a good time to reflect on the past year and tally up the major events. Important as the past year has been in Canadian politics, there is a focal point and recurring characters: The 2011 Federal Election acts as a great focal point in Canadian Politics, and Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party having won the election, have been of indisputable importance since the election. This election was laced through and through with a distinct theme of “change”. Whether it was the price of post secondary education, the assistance offered to our elderly or the effectiveness of our justice system, each party insisted something had to change. On election night there was a disturbingly low voter turnout, and a Harper Majority was the result. So what has happened on The Hill since this majority took charge? Since his victory Harper has been barreling ahead with several new policies intended to do a variety of things for a variety of Canadians. Harper got to work right away sending a strong message to Canadians and to the world about what his conservative nation was going to be about. A list of 1800 persons was drawn up, and these persons were notified that because their citizenship was believed to be attained in fraudulent ways, it would be revoked. Then, almost like a prelude to the promises to strengthen Canada’s military, the renaming of our navy and air forces was announced. They are now called the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy. This move was said to be made as recognition of our long standing connection to the Queen of England, our heritage. It was also around this time that Canada
4
An update from the Hill mourned the loss of a great political figure, New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader, Jack Layton. It is notable that he was given a much deserved state funeral and for a number of weeks, orange flowers, crush soda cans and other memorial bobbles lined the lawns of Parliament. Canada was given some inspiration from this event in the form of Jack Layton’s Last Letter to Canadians. Written when he knew the battle was over, it urges the nation to continue with love and passion in the wake of his absence. The death of their inspirational leader hampered the NDP’s ability to hound the Conservatives. Although their party remains stuck to its values they are somewhat distracted with the decision of who will lead them now. As September dawned a major Conservative promise was acted upon: a crackdown on crime. Much controversy surrounded the so called “Safe Streets and Communities Act”, also known as the Omnibus Crime bill. There is concern about the style in which this act bundles together a number of initiatives, as well as concerns, as always, about cost. There are a number of ways in which the act purports to make Canada a safer place, the combined gist being longer sentences and smaller chances of parole for ‘big crimes’ and tougher sentencing for ‘small crimes’. It came out in November that the Conservative party would pay a $52,000 fine for breaking election laws. While this was publicized it went over with relative quietness, likely because the Conservatives already had so many initiatives happening in Parliament and regardless of how they got there, by the rules or not, they’re there now for three and a half more years. Just in this past December talks of a Canada-US border deal have been
brought to light. Different details are being discussed, including systems for keeping track of travelers. All in all it seems both governments are looking to get things totally refreshed, for better or for worse. Also in December, with the clock ticking down to the New Year, it was announced that Canada would be “invoking our legal right” to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol. This announcement can’t help but remind us of the protests happening on both sides of the border regarding the Alberta-Washington Oil Pipeline. Canada has no plans to rejoin the world in a second phase of Kyoto, when one is proposed, and has no plans to install any significant environmental legislature of our own. The Conservative party seems to be going strong and has been dominating media with their every move. It isn’t to be forgotten though, that we have other political parties in this country. The Liberal and the NDP, of course, are always to be watched. The NDP have had an interesting year in that they are, for the first time, the official opposition party as of the May 2nd election. This is a significant change of pattern for Canadian Parliament, having once been consistently red and blue with the
occasional change of proportions between colors. It is unfortunate that they have been challenged so in their first run as opposition by the already mentioned death of their leader. The Liberals to have had some rebuilding to do since the election in May. Following major blows to their presence on the Hill, Michael Ignatieff resigned as leader in the hopes that the party would find a fresh face and move as quickly as possible towards rebuilding and future successes. The party has taken this mandate seriously and talks of process and leadership races are occurring.
Cover Volume 43, Issue 2
provincial
ShowMeTheMoney! Tuition rebates for Ontario Undergraduates By Cornel Grey
It’s good news for university and college students all over Ontario as Glen Murray, Colleges and Universities Minister, promised to make available 30% tuition rebates in time for the 2012 winter term. This month, over 300,000 college and university students are expected to start receiving refunds on their tuition. College students will benefit from a rebate of $730 while each university student will get back $1,600 according to a CBC report. There is a catch, however. While this plan is said to benefit the majority of post-secondary students, the conditions appear to say otherwise. To qualify for these rebates, family income has to be under $160,000. Those students who are already enrolled in the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), comprising half of the approximately 300,000 students “will be automatically be line for the rebates”, Murray states. Some will receive an automatic computer credit while the remainder while have to apply for these benefits online some time this month. For Murray, the government is “removing significant financial barriers for families who are under
financial stress” in the province that has the highest average university tuition in fees in Canada at $6,640. The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), on the other hand, have found flaws in Murray’s policy. Renata D’Aliesio of The Globe and Mail points out that the tuition rebates favour pupils whose household income falls below a certain threshold, and part-time and graduate students do not qualify for the refunds at all. The CFS takes issue with this and is suggesting a reduction cut for all students. For those students that qualify, the rebates come at a time when undergraduates are desperately trying to find funds for the upcoming term and so while students are left out in the cold, others will be sighing a breath of relief. What they don’t take into consideration The matter of parental income being a major factor in one’s qualification for OSAP and tuition brings to mind a Macleans .article written by Josh Dehaas in October of 2011. In his article “How parental income can kill your student loans”, he discusses the practicality of using household income to measure how small or large of a fund
an applicant should get. Dehaas notes that the common expectation is for parents to assist in the coverage of their ward’s tuition fees but what if the reality does not match up to that hope? Using anecdotes from university students, Dehaas shows how the system is flawed and puts students who seem to be better off by virtue of their parent’s socioeconomic status, into a difficult situation. First of all, students such as Ben Whitney (mentioned in the article) who seek to establish some amount of independence are constrained by caps on student loan funding because of how much their parents make.
The system also fails to take into consideration family dynamics in which some parents choose not to support their child at all, even though they have the means to. What’s more is that a household income as a means of financial stability may not take into consideration all the expenses that families have to account for in their daily lives. Funds may be tied up in other endeavours, used for unexpected maintenance fees of home and family life. In the end, the government’s plan may be doing as much damage to middle and upper class families as it is helping those who rely on these programs to get by.
The CFS takes issue with this and is suggesting a reduction cut for all students.”
Volume 46 | Issue 13 | January 9, 2012
5
the “good ol’ days” By Miranda Rigby Welcome to your own personal time machine. To when the newspaper was not made by Macintosh computers, but by hand. To a time when “typesetting” was not a two second process and to when hairstyles ranged from hilarious, to serious, to hilariously serious. On the adjouning page you will see a collection of old cartoons that have graced the pages of Arthur over the past 46 years. Opinions that were and continue to be relevant to the modern day student. Throughout the rest of the paper, I have left you snippets of the times that were. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past. But please be warned, if my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you’re gonna see some serious shit.
what is in a name?
The hair! The hair! Former PR college residents. Photo donation by the Trent Annual.
the old production process
Ever want to know how a newspaper is made? Well this isn’t how - or at least it isn’t anymore. This is how Arthur used to be made.
the truth!
Arthur was so named after a famous Beatle-ism. At a press conference held in New York, McCartney was asked, “What do you call your hairstyle?” He replied “Arthur”. Trent University students chose the name on the following ballet:
6
Volume 3 Issue 21
Volume 3 Issue 16
Volume 5 Issue 19
Volume 43 Issue 24
Volume 37 Issue 2
Volume 31 Issue 5
Volume 26 Issue 5
Volume 46 | Issue 13 | January 9, 2012
7
national
Why Occupying the Streets was Never what Mattered By Carmen Meyette
The Occupy Together protests have had a pretty clear progression in news media that generally goes like this: 1. There’s a few protesters gathering 2. There’s a whole lot of protesters on Wall Street 3. Other areas are seeing protests 4. There’s a lot of protesters, they’re angry and they’re everywhere, and finally, 5. These protests are fizzling out with no tangible results being demonstrated. For Canada and the United States, however, this wasn’t the kind of project for which immediate gratification was ever particularly tangible. What Occupy Together started out protesting was capitalism. While the economy goes up and down on a daily basis, changing the way in which a country functions is a process which must happen slowly in order to be successful. Furthermore, once the protest gained speed and membership, individuals and small groups brought forth issues above and beyond capitalism alone, fragmenting the front and weakening the protest as a whole. The problem with the news media coverage of the fizzled out protests is that the important part of what was being said, done, and realized, was never who sat where for how long. The refusal of a large group of people to move from any particular park or street was a physical demonstration
campus
about three and a half years. It’s a long way off, but so long as the 99% keeps an eye on Ottawa, and then heads to the poles having educated themselves beyond ad campaigns, there is hope that Occupy Together can make a change here as well. Looking forword, a particular concern is this: Did anybody actually, really, truly “wake up”? Focusing on Canada, who is it that attended the Occupy Together protests? It isn’t as if nobody in this country voted in the last election, it’s just that the 99% did not vote in its entirety or vote together. So if some previously disengaged citizens woke up and are now prepared to raise their voices and vote in the next election, then that’s absolutely great. The tricky thing is that if those who “Occupied” our streets are no more than those who voted in the most recent election, then nobody is being woken up. Should that be a case, there is a real risk that nothing will change. So where Occupy Together stands now is here: There’s a few people still holding on. The Twitter accounts are still active and the dramas of a protest continue to play out on a smaller scale. Many have gone home, because of the cold, the holidays, the lack of immediate change in the presence of an impatient Western attitude, and for other reasons I’m sure. The protests results have not been seen in either the United States or Canada, and they will not be evident until change happens, politically or otherwise.
Pillar of the BrockU community comes to Trent
By Anthony P. Gulston
Trent University’s administration welcomes their new VP of Administration, Steven Pillar, as he leaves his position as VP of Finance and Administration at BrockU in February. Arthur sat down with Mr. Pillar and our special surprise guest, President Steven Franklin. “It’s good to know the prez has got my back”, quips Pillar.
8
which had to end eventually. It was the spirit of the gathering, the intentions and motivation of the protesters which will cause change. In the United States, campaigns are already beginning for the next election. It is then, through their votes, that who is awake and who is asleep will be revealed. The ideal outcome is that the populous of America is awake, aware and ready to head to the poles. If the 99% vote for a party which represents the core values of the American people, then the 99% will find themselves represented and satisfied. Granted it may take time for policies and the like to take effect and the change to be 100% evident, in democracy, it is through elections that change generally happens. However if the 99% become ensnared by smear ads and dirty politics, another outcome entirely could unfold. Not to mention if the 99%, believing their process over, becomes frustrated and refuses to vote, things will most certainly continue in a serve-the-rich kind of way. It’s a simple matter of the parties revealing platforms which usually target one particular group with a few side thoughts to attract voters from other groups, and whichever parties platform motivates their target group to vote in the biggest way, wins. There will always be someone running with an agenda that suits the wealthy, and when the rest of the country votes, an agenda that suits them can prevail. The same is true for Canada when we return to the polls in
Pillar spoke to his style of leadership as a “balance between the academic mission but being able to support it as well.” He could only speak to what he has done at Brock, but he feels that the goal of all universities in general should be “to provide a quality education for students, research opportunities for faculties and in general develop society in a positive way.”
He has been with Brock since July of 2002 and before that he was Saskatchewan’s Deputy Minister of Labour, so he’s used to dealing with unions. “Students are our priority,” said Pillar to The Brock Free Press. “Without the students, this place doesn’t matter. On the other hand, we have to be practical and business savvy. That’s the balance we’re trying to achieve.” He is referring to the near disaster that would have been a faculty strike at Brock. “The students are the ones who suffer the most” during labour negotiations, Pillar told Arthur. During labour negotiations at Brock though there is a an organization called BLAST (Brock Labour and Students Together) that has made it clear that students want a better deal for staff. Pillar though, says it’s a “legitimate effort” on the parts of students to get any settlement. In a 2007 letter to The Brock Free Press editor, Professor Barry K. Grant, of the Brock University Faculty Association, refers to an article as exasperating the “increasingly strained relations between the administration and faculty at Brock.” Though Brock has not made any cuts to faculty in the past four years, according to Pillar, and in fact “typically we have not had across the board reduction exercises.” We have tried to target in a differentiated way, where we think we have more potential for reduction and quite frankly the higher percentages of reductions have been in administrative areas.” Pillar tries to avoid cuts. He made a concerted effort at Brock to “increase revenue streams” instead of employing “reduction exercises.” This included some strategies he and the upper administration at Brock implemented in order to combat a potential 5% budget crunch across the board from declining provincial funding. These strategies were focused on retention, instead of enrollment. This meant an emphasis on improving student services and new programs in order to keep Brock students at Brock. He also mentioned food services and corporate research as alternative ways of increasing revenue without compromising academic integrity.
His vision, based on what he has seen at Brock, would be a “downtown” style set of food stations, including grocery stores, in order to provide food necessities and variety on campus. He stressed the importance of having grocery stores on campus so that students would not have to buy food downtown. This food station style of food services would also allow for multiple bidders for food services instead of one overarching food service provider. When it comes to research opportunities for the sciences, Pillar admired Trent for the work it has already done. President Franklin reminded him that Trent has the most research grants per capita in Ontario. At Brock, companies would pay for research and students would start companies that “spinoff ” the university and Brock would “share equity” in those companies. This represents a “huge potential to marry the money of industry and the research work of scientists that will ultimately produce products that will benefit society and the university can generate some extra equity and become less reliant on the government.” President Franklin made it very clear that this seems great “BUT with the appropriate safeguards, on our terms. So we can protect the integrity of the university. We believe in Academic Freedom, that is our highest value.” When Arthur inquired into his guiding personal and professional ethical principles, he made it clear that “my background is not philosophy, but I have many colleagues at the University that instruct me in that discipline from time to time when they feel I need instruction. And it’s around ethics too!” It seems most of his ethical decisions are based on his experience as a public servant and trusts that public service in and of itself shapes an ethical character within its servants, “I’ve been a public servant my entire life and I think high ethical standards are absolutely crucial regardless of how you define them.” Steven Pillar seems excited to bring his own administrative style to Trent and, hopefully, become a Pillar of the community.
opinion
Cuts defeated last year, but transit’s future still unclear By Brett Throop
In one of Peterborough’s biggest news stories of 2011, more than 200 people attended a city budget meeting last January to oppose a proposed cut to transit funding which would have resulted in service reductions. Public pressure won out in the end and the $422,000 cut was reversed. Transit should fare better in the new year—the 2012 draft budget calls for $541,418 in additional funding (to absorb the rising cost of fuel) and no fare increase— but the service’s future is still in question. Peterborough Transit’s list of capital needs keeps growing while funding is stagnant and council’s support remains shaky. Not to mention transit’s capital needs are in competition with myriad other infrastructure improvement priorities across the city. The 2012 budget identifies over $23 million in foreseeable capital expenditures needed to keep buses running in coming years. That money would go toward keeping the current number of buses on the road and upgrading the Downtown Transit Terminal, among other priorities. Revenue from fares will pay for some of the total. Most of the rest will come from a fund for transit capital expenses. This year, for instance, $1.3 million will
be drawn from that fund to pay for two new accessible buses and two new “Handi-Van” buses. But with only $555,000 a year being paid into it this year and last, city staff note that the fund may run dry by 2015. And that’s only part of future costs. $23 million is to keep things running at the current level of service. City council has committed to doing more than that. They want to increase ridership to the point that 6% of all daily trips in the city are made by public transit in the future, up from the current 4.5%. To do that, the city will have to purchase 10 new buses to run at peak times. The price tag is $5.1 million plus another $1.4 million in annual operation costs. Council would no doubt prefer to increase ridership without spending any more money. “In theory I’m in favour of increasing ridership,” Councillor Len Vass told Arthur last March. “However I don’t think we’re getting the best bang for our buck.” Vass is counting on an operational review of transit services, now underway, to find ways to run transit for less. “We can’t just throw money at it,” he stated. But as witnessed from service reviews in Toronto this past year, where one person sees gravy another sees vital services. Considering transit’s long list of capital needs, its doubtful the city can get much
By Anthony P. Gulston
The day Arthur published its report on the future of 88.1fm in Toronto, the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA) held a national “Reclaim Your Radio!” day, November 14th 2011. This was part of the NCRA’s 25th anniversary, the 11th anniversary of Media Democracy Day, and the launch of the NCRA’s newest campaign “Reclaim Your Radio!” which was decided upon at the June 11 annual general meeting of the NCRA. The campaign is to “mobilize a national public policy campaign aimed at federal MPs and the general public, as well as the CRTC, to ensure that a new license for 88.1 FM Toronto will be awarded to community or campus applicants.” The NCRA has used this initial spark surrounding the only free frequency in Toronto to conduct a larger campaign of awareness for campus and community radio stations. The CRTC exists to ensure diversity and competition, not to play favourites between commercial and community radio interests. But MPs, like Tony Clement has done in the past, can overturn a CRTC decision or force the CRTC to weigh in on an issue. The campaign to “Reclaim Your Radio!” is looking for this to happen more often. As it stands, the way the application process is conducted already favours the chances of most campus/community stations. The involvement of the NCRA in the campaign to get Ryerson its frequency back is not just one of advisement, but serious involvement. Part of Ryerson Radio’s problems was that their governance was disorganized and not representative of the community, students, or faculty of Ryerson. “John Harris Stevenson of the NCRA Advisory Board, and Tom Richmond, NCRA Treasurer, facilitated the meeting on July 24, which resulted in the fair election of four volunteers as the CKLN Board of Directors,” according to the NCRA website. This process of outside facilitation appears to be a strategy to comply with the CRTC guidelines based on the merits of the NCRA and its affiliated stations. “I think that it is very, very important that we still have radio that hones in on particular types of music. Why not, because particular types of music are very important for some people and that’s what makes radio so special, it’s pictures in the mind, when you listen to someone who really cares about what they are playing, it’s fantastic, it’s an appointment to listen…” - David Rodigan, legendary BBC Reggae DJ
more “bang for its buck” without reducing the current level of service, as was proposed last year. Mayor Daryl Bennett thinks the service is inefficient because revenue doesn’t cover all operating costs. “The other side of this is the taxpayer who’s paying the overall cost of all of this is diminished because he can’t even afford to go downtown to have a night out…. We’re not looking to impose hardships on anybody. We’re just trying to figure out how best to balance out those who use the system … and the folks who ultimately have to pay the price,” Mayor Daryl Bennett told The Peterborough Examiner last January about the proposed transit cuts. Bennett ignores the fact that half of all operational costs are paid for by fares. More importantly, he implies that transit is only meant to serve those who can’t afford to drive a car. But the view expressed in the city’s Transportation Plan and numerous other documents is that transit should be a fuel-efficient alternative to polluting private automobile use, for everyone. Bennett should encourage any taxpayers who feel cheated by having to pay for transit to, well, use it. No matter how you spin it, it’s a lot more affordable than driving. If more Peterboroughians did use transit, they would notice just how much its list of
capital projects are needed. More buses are needed so that you don’t have to wait 40 minutes between every run, different routes are needed so that not every trip has to go through downtown. Other examples aren’t hard to find. But transit improvements are only one priority on a long list of capital projects the city is waiting to start on. That list includes $173 million to implement the Flood Reduction Master Plan, $26 million for trails and cycling lanes, a major revamping of Morrow Park, and millions to extend city services to recently annexed rural lands. “These projects cannot proceed in a timely fashion if the City continues with its current capital financing under which only a very few major projects can proceed in any year and most are pushed out because of funding limitations,” city staff note in the proposed budget for 2012. Another major capital cost, identified in the city’s Transportation Plan, is almost $52 million for expanding roads and building new ones, to accommodate more cars. Expanding transit could reduce the need for more and wider roads since, for the number of people they carry, buses take up less road space than automobiles. Last year the city tried to cut transit spending. This year, a much better idea would be to cut spending on road building.
NATIONAL
NCRA to Save Ryerson Radio NCRA to Save Ryerson Radio NCRA to Save Ryerson Radio
The NCRA/ANREC is an organization committed to volunteer-driven, non-profit, community-oriented radio across Canada. They currently represent more than 75 stations across the country, including Trent Radio.
Volume 46 | Issue 13 | January 9, 2012
9
campus opinion
Four Months Later… The Trent Dream in Retrospect By Cornel Grey
Happy New Year everyone, and welcome back to Trent! I trust you all had a wonderful break wherein procrastinatory behaviour was justifiably perceived as well-needed downtime. Our task for this week as reporters was to reflect on a previous piece and/or event and I decided to go back to the beginning, writing a response of sorts to my first submission to Arthur last September. In that piece, I more or less chronicled the emotions associated with the process of applying and coming to Trent and the unique perspective and experience that comes as a result of being an international student. Apprehensive about what to expect in a foreign country and unsure as to my capacity to thrive successfully in a university, my predisposition to pessimism created rather low expectations of campus life here at Trent (initially at least). Luckily for me, it was not at all what I expected and it was all that I hoped it would be. In September of 2011, I had a mental list of things I wanted to accomplish; groups I wanted to be a part of, taking courses that address particular subject matter, finding a particular group of friends. It’s January 2012 and I have been able to cross off everything off that list already.
I would assume it is the same for all of us at this point, particularly first years. It seems to me that everyone has found, in some way, carbon copies (or upgraded versions) of their high school friends. By now, the courses and class times are those that suit our own interests. Many a student dropped and picked up classes, changed seminar times over the past semester and apart from those of us who have to deal with 9a.m. classes, we are all pretty satisfied. Fourth years, on the other hand, I would imagine are trying to salvage the few months they have left. Papers need to get done, time with colleagues is savoured, and deadlines for applications to graduate programs and jobs in the workplace are imminent. I’m not too sure about Trent’s second or third years. Maybe they are experiencing some strange tertiary adolescence where they aren’t as doe-eyed as us freshmen but they aren’t spent from the stresses associated with final year. Looking forward, I am pretty optimistic about 2012. My goal for semester one, as outlined in the first submission was involvement and motivation. This semester it’s to make the most of the small moments. Last time I compared the contrast between customer service in the Caribbean and Canada, this time I will compare the climate. Needless to say, there isn’t any snow in the Caribbean (well, I’ve
trent radio
Like Alan Cross, but prettier A Programmer Profile of Caileigh Morrison Caileigh Morrison: To start, let’s clear something up: why am I interviewing myself? Caileigh Morrison: Well Caileigh, right now I’m trapped in a suburban land about two hours from my beloved Peterborough, far outside of Trent Radio’s broadcast range and ragtag crew of delightful programmers. Also, I am still too holiday-brained to write anything important or interesting. So there you go. CM: That makes sense. Now, why do you deserve to be interviewed about Trent Radio? Are you not just a lowly Arthur columnist? CM: I am an Arthur columnist, yes, but I would say that this gig is more of a liaison situation. I’m actually a representative of Trent Radio, shamelessly using the Arthur to promote Trent Radio’s interests. CM: I see. I guess I’d have to see, since I am interviewing myself. CM: This is true. CM: Alright. Enough with this horribly executed surrealism. What is your programme called and when does it air? CM: My programme is called Growing Pains and it airs on Monday at 6:30. CM: And what is the premise of Growing Pains? CM: It is a half hour of me reading young adult fiction. I occasionally make comments on said fiction, but mostly I just read it. CM: Could you define young adult fiction? CM: Yes. It’s actually a pretty broad term, because “young adult” can sometimes mean “very mature seven-year-old” or “twenty-three-year-old who enjoys reading about teen vampires.” For my show, I’ve narrowed it down to books that may feature main characters up to about sixteen years old but wouldn’t scare off a second-grader with all sorts of sexy mature themes. This all seems very scientific, but to be honest, they are mostly books I read when I was in elementary school and still love more than all the “classics” I’ve had to endure since. CM: Fascinating. What have you read so far? CM: Let’s see... I started with A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, then The Witches by Roald Dahl. I read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume in the summertime, along with This Can’t Be Happening At MacDonald Hall by Gordon Korman, and I just finished The Nose From Jupiter by Richard Scrimger. I have also read bits of The Hardy Boys Detective Handbook and The
10
Nancy Drew Sleuth Book: Clues to Good Sleuthing to fill in gaps between novels. Even though all of the books are written for children, I still find them immensely entertaining and emotional. When I read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret I actually found myself tearing up at some parts because Judy Blume writes so honestly about the painful experience of growing up. I also love revisiting books that I read as a kid because children’s authors tend to put in lots of subversive stuff that you don’t pick up on until you reread them as an adult. CM: When did you first become involved in Trent Radio? In what capacity are you currently involved? CM: I did my first show in the fall of 2009. I loved that show. It was called Intellectual Supremacy. I’d summarize one Wikipedia subject, play a song related to it, and then choose my next subject from all the hyperlinks. It was super fun, but it took me way too long to write the scripts and I’d always skip French class because I procrastinated. Not good. CM: Yeah, that sucked. CM: When I wasn’t skipping French to write Wikipedia scripts, I was also appointed to the Trent Radio Board of Directors. I was vice chair in that first year, then I graduated to president and chair last year, and now I am a fat cat in her second term. CM: What’s it like being president of Trent Radio? CM: Not bad. I get to have final say on decisions and sign cheques, which is cool. I did a lot of work for the membership campaign last year, but since we got our increase things have been pretty calm in the Trent Radio kitchen. CM: Cool. Now, since I obviously know what your answer will be, I’m going to close this interview with a mildly embarrassing question that might actually make you sound cute but probably just really lame. What sparked your interest in radio? CM: Good one, self. Well, I grew up in listening range of CFNY, better known as 102.1 The Edge. My dad was a diehard fan, so I ended up as an eight-year-old diehard fan by default. I listened to the Edge morning show with Humble and Fred, I’d listen to the Nooner on the weekends or if I had a day off school, but my favourite time to listen was Sunday nights, because that’s when Alan Cross’ The Ongoing History of New Music was on. When I was eight, all I wanted was to be like Alan Cross. And now here I am, just like Alan Cross. But prettier. Right?
certainly never found any) so task number one for me is to build my first snowman. I’ll work up to pelting my housemates with snowballs after. Secondly, I need to monitor my grades. I think as first years, we may be one of three types: 1) You didn’t too that great last semester so you’re buckling down for this one, 2) You did pretty good last semester so now you can afford to slack off or 3) You did okay and you’re happy with yourself so you will keep on doing what you did before. Regardless of which type you think matches your habits, try to find a balance. Contrary to what some people who want us to believe, there is a ton to do at Trent and in Peterborough so enjoy the next few months. It will be over before you know it!
film society
TheYoungandtheDamned the new directors of Trent Film Society by Tyler Prozeniuk and Troy Bordun
We’ve inherited something great. And we’re also a little intimidated by the work that former directors Jesse Hoffman and Dahn D’Lion have done over the past three years, from when they inherited the Society in 2008 up to their departure this December. Their meticulous curatorial work, in-depth introductions, spirit of accessibility, and not least of all their passion for cinema, have, for us, laid the foundation for the future of Trent Film Society. Nonetheless, this is an organization that has existed for almost as long as this university has, and while TFS’s programming is in a large way an extension of its directors’ interests and passions vis-à-vis film, it is also part of a tradition of ‘the film society’, which has existed for most of cinema’s short history. This tradition is becoming increasingly important, as we collectively realized at a screening of Tsai Ming-Liang’s Goodbye Dragon Inn, with the disappearance of permanent spaces for cinema, such as the nowalmost-extinct art-house theatre, because it plays a crucial part in keeping cinema itself alive. But who are we? Let us introduce ourselves:
Tyler Prozeniuk, an undergraduate student in Cultural Studies, has been working with TFS for some time already, occasionally introducing films, appearing (in the form of film synopses and discussions) in Arthur, and designing film handbills. Favoured filmmakers include Jean-Luc Godard and Yasujirō Ozu. Troy Bordun, a recent addition to Peterborough, is 12.5% finished Trent’s Ph.D program in Cultural Studies. Aside from reading complicated philosophy texts and running and organizing events for a scholarly space called Hausu (after the film by Nobuhiko Obayashi), he especially enjoys Japanese films, Luis Buñuel, and Lars Von Trier. On occasion he’s known to trash talk Hollywood à la Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, discuss the merits and pitfalls of erotic cinema, and make a case for film as a better medium for analyses of ethical behaviour than philosophical texts. Our programming this semester extends from the Japanese New Wave to the Iranian New Wave, from the cinema of crime to the cinema of dreams and memories. Our hope is that each film will enter into a dialogue with the ones that precede it, creating a kind of cinematic montage in the programming itself.
TheGirlwiththeDragonTattoo
This Wednesday, the 11th, at 8pm at Artspace (378 Aylmer St. N.), we’ll start the season with the very last of 54 films directed by the Japanese master Yasujirō Ozu, titled An Autumn Afternoon, and released in 1962. There’s a very good reason that TFS has not gone a year in recent memory without showing one of Ozu’s films, and his last is one of his best. Come join us for some great films and discussion every Wednesday evening at Artspace. Find us on Facebook, or on tumblr (trentfilmsociety.tumblr.com) for updates and for more information on our programming.
In Volume 43, Issue 2, Jesse Hoffman wrote his first Film Society review for Arthur Newspaper. The review was on Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, a film made in 1927 by F.W. Murnau.
Jan 11 Ozu: An Autumn Afternoon (1962) --- Jan 18 Oshima: Boy (1969) --Jan 25 Shinoda: Double Suicide (1969) --- Feb 1 Hitchcock: Rope (1948) --- Feb 8 Melville: Le samourai (1967) --- Feb 15 Godard: Made in USA (1966) --Feb 22 Buñuel: Los Olvidados aka The Young and the Damned (1950) --- Feb 29 Mohsen Makhmalbaf: The Cyclist (1987) --- Mar 7 Kiarostami: Close Up (1990) --- Mar 14 Samira Makhmalbaf: The Apple (1998) --- Mar 21 Parajanov: The Colour of Pomegranates (1968) --- Mar 28 Tarkovsky: Mirror (1975) --Apr 4 Saakyan: Lighthouse (2006)
review
Dealing with a subject that needs to be discussed By Natalie Guttormsson
Rooney Mara’s portrayal of Lisbeth Salander is right on target. From her anti-social behaviour, to her seemingly cold and indifferent movements, down to her obvious blonde eyebrows below her jet black mohawk, her character leaps off the pages of Stieg Larsson’s bestselling novel by the same title. I tackled the 800 plus page novel between Christmas and New Years, a difficult read not because of the page count but because of the difficult subject matter. The book is a pageturner with intense and thrilling suspense but it also takes an in-depth, critical look at dark social issues like violence against women, racism, government and corporate corruption. The book may target Sweden specifically, but it could be about any country. I feared Hollywood making a movie for reasons that I always feel when a book that I enjoy is converted to the big screen: accuracy of the plot, faithfulness to the vision of the author and the competency of the actors’ portrayal of the characters. With this movie, I was also concerned about how they would portray the graphic, violent scenes on screen. I was worried about censorship. The book describes in great detail sexual violence, a dark and disturbing reality that should not be glossed over, yet it is not often that I have seen a mainstream film deal with such real, painful and disturbing themes. The trailers for the film hardly scratch the surface so if you have not read the book, the four-minute rape scene in the first part of the movie would likely take you by surprise. I had a debate with a friend over the benefits and problems associated with trigger warnings, and neither of us could come to a concrete conclusion whether they should be used or not, but if you plan to see this movie (and I do recommend it!) then consider yourself warned that you will be confronted with uncensored images of violence that are not glorified, but are exposed for the criminality they are. Justice is also an issue presented for question and debate in the film. When government corruption, including both judicial and amongst the police force, is ever present, then how is justice to be achieved? In the case of Lisbeth Salander, she takes justice (some might say revenge) into her own hands. Her punishment served is almost as difficult to watch as the assault against her. But I will leave that to your judgement. Overall the movie has a good mix of the elements of suspense, mystery, thrill, sex and provoking critiques of the dark side of social society, but the best part is the killer soundtrack composed by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails, How to Destroy Angels) and Atticus Ross (How to Destroy Angels). The duo also composed the score for The Social Network and won the Oscar for best original soundtrack. Their genius is evident from the opening credits as Karen O sings their rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” to eye dazzling graphics of dripping oil. I do recommend this movie, I only hope that when you see it you will come away thinking more profoundly about these problems in our society and how you can have an impact to change the norms and spread word that rape and violence against women is not okay.
Volume 46 | Issue 13 | January 9, 2012
11
Listings Jazz Duo, pianist Biff Hannon and vocalist Dona Collison at Curry Village, 306 George Street on Saturday, January 14, 2012 from 6 pm to 9 pm. No Cover. KWIC invites you to Mix & Mingle with Mariatu Kamara (The Bite of the Mango, 2008 Annick Press) at ArtSpace, Saturday, Jan 28th: 6-7pm; food by Black Honey. Tickets include reserved seating at Showplace for KWIC presentation, “Youth, War & the Arts”, followed by ReFrame feature film. $10.00 student; $25 regular at KWIC, Titles Bookstore & The Spill. www.kwic.info or 705748-1680. KWIC World Issues Café series presents “Youth, War and the Arts: A Journey to Transformation” with Mariatu Kamara, UNICEF Special Representative for Children of Armed Conflict and Recipient of the Voice of Courage Award. Saturday, Jan 28th: 7:30pm at Showplace. Advance tickets at KWIC and Titles Bookstore and with admission to ReFrame Saturday night feature film. Info @ www.kwic.info or 748-1680 Dance Your Bones: move freely to music from around the world. Every Thursday beginning Jan. 5th, 2012. 6:00p.m.-8:00p.m. All Saints Anglican Church Hall: 235 Rubidge, Peterborough. more info: www.danceyourbones.com $10, sliding scale down to $5 Deleuze Symposium: Saturday, January 14th @ 12:00pm, Traill College, Principal’s Lodge. Presentations on Deleuze and topics in his work. Screening of a new DVD of interviews with Deleuze. Free food and drink. No registration fee. More info: troybordun@trentu.ca Peterborough
English
Country
Dancers begin the new year with a Community Dance on Saturday, January 21, 2012, 7:30 p.m., at St John’s Anglican Church Guildhall, 99 Brock St, Peterborough. Join callers Tom Calwell and Myra Hirschberg as they lead you through some delightful traditional dancing from England and America. Live music with our house band. No need to bring a partner, families (6 and up) welcome. Adults $8, students $5, kids under 12 $2. Fore more info www.pecd.org or 705-745-1630 The Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre is looking for dedicated volunteers to provide Peer Support for the women and men calling our 24-Hour Crisis Line. Free Crisis Intervention Training will be held in February! For more information please call the Volunteer Service Coordinator 705-748-5901 or ksacvolunteers@ nexicom.net. CABS (Campus Association for Baha’i Studies): Next week, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we are running the “Can You Solve This” campaign on campus in front of the library during lunch time. This campaign started a few months ago in Germany and has been spreading around the world where it is being hosted at various universities. The purpose of the “Can You Solve This” campaign is to spread awareness of the increasing persecution of Baha’is and of other religious and ethnic minorities in Iran. Students are given the opportunity to have their voices heard by sending a letter to one of four high level officials either here in Canada, at the Iranian Embassy, at UNESCO, or at the UN. can-you-solve-this.org/ca. Students - St John Ambulance is Canada’s leader in first aid
training - We offer courses every weekend and many weekdays and weeknights. Renew your CPR in 1 evening - most courses include a student discount. St John Ambulance is a local United Way agency which proceeds from courses going back into the community providing a first aid program to thousands of Peterborough elementary school children each year, first aid at community events and more. If you need to renew your first aid certificate or take a course for the first time contact St John Ambulance 705 745-0331 sjapeterborough@bellnet.ca sja.ca 30 Crafts Market: a nonprofit initiative to support handcrafting and the connection between artisans/craftspersons and the general public in the Kawarthas. This event is still open to crafters/artisans who would like to sell their goods. The market will be held May 12, 2012 in Peterborough Ontario. Booths are 15 dollars. To apply, visit 30craftsmarket.webs.com. HU Song Contemplation Regardless of your beliefs or religion, you can sing HU to become happier and more secure in God’s love. Join us for a 20-30 minute contemplation, every 1st Monday of the month, 7:30pm Sadleir House, 751 George St. N. No charge. Academic Skills Centre: Need help with essay and lab writing? Thinking ahead to exams? The Academic Skills Centre can help you to hone your writing and study skills. We have added extra appointment times to our schedule for the November “Crunch” period. Mondays are drop-in, firstcome, first-served. Call 7481720 to make an appointment or drop by CC Suite 206.
Mock Interview: Participate in a Mock Interview! Get interview experience, get valuable feedback, network and meet professionals in a range of fields have your resume reviewed and targeted. Your first step is to attend one of our interview workshops happening on 3pm, February 14 at 10am, or March 8 at 10am. Go to www.trentu.ca/careers to register for the workshops. Need $ for your theatre activity? Theatre Trent’s funding proposal deadline this month! Apply @ www.theatretrent.ca. We are welcoming new executive members to write cheques for theatre-makers and gain non-
profit Board experience: you are needed.You are welcome to borrow props and costumes from the storage space at Sadleir House - email theatretrent@ trentu.ca.
classifieds Need essay help? Experienced Masters and PhD graduates can help! All subjects and levels, plus resumes, applications, and editing. Nursing, English, Business, Sociology and more! Call toll free 1-888-3458295 or email customessay@bellnet.ca for a quote today! www. customessay.com
Staff Collective Meeting January 27, 2012 at 12PM in Sadlier House Agenda: 1) Opening remarks 2) Election of new staff collective director 3) Discussion of potential replacement for Iris Hodgson 4) Other business 5) Adjournment