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Thursday, October 24, 2019
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NEWS: A divide at the Gandhi Peace Festival // PAGE 4 FEATURE: The political role of the McMaster librarians’ union // PAGES 8-9 ARTS & CULTURE: Reflections on memory at Hamilton Artists Inc. // PAGES 18-19
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Disability inclusion within Athletics and Recreation at McMaster // PAGES 24-25
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Volume 90, Issue 7 Thursday, October 24, 2019 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
EDITORIAL BOARD editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca
LOOKING BACK
Aug. 29, 1985
Hannah Walters-Vida digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca
Maxine Gravina managing editor | managing@thesil.ca
Neda Pirouzmand online editor | online@thesil.ca
Razan Samara production editor | production@thesil.ca
Elisabetta Paiano sections
NEWS Trisha Gregorio news reporter Shamir Malik news@thesil.ca
news editor
FEATURES Adrianna Michell features@thesil.ca
features reporter
OPINION Steffi Arkilander opinions@thesil.ca
opinion editor
SPORTS Graham West sports@thesil.ca
sports editor
ARTS AND CULTURE & culture editor Andrew Mrozowski arts & culture reporter Lauren O’Donnell artsandculture@thesil.ca
arts
MEDIA photo editor Cindy Cui photo reporter Matty Flader production coordinator Katarina Brkic production coordinator Zoya Gomes production@thesil.ca ONLINE video editor Jaden Lall social media coordinator Erica Mark online@thesil.ca
COVER GRAPHIC Elisabetta Paiano
THIS HOLDS TRUE Not the part about Hamilton Hall though, we live in the MUSC basement now (come visit!).
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CORRECTIONS
LEGAL
An article published on Oct. 3 about the deratification of the Chinese Students and Scholars association stated that MACCSSA’s act of contacting the Chinese government was considered an attempt by the SRA to intimidate students, when in fact it was considered an attempt by MACCSSA to intimidate students into avoiding discussions that might disrupt the Chinese regime. The article stated that WeChat is a Chinese multi-purpose app used by members of the McMaster Chinese community. It has since been corrected to state that a group of Chinese students at McMaster created a group on the app. The article also stated that no evidence was provided to directly connect the CSSA with the Chinese Communist Party. This has since been removed, and evidence has been presented. An updated version of the article posted online corrects these errors and provides additional context.
The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters should be 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions and editorials expressed in the Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding the Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.
CONTACT MUSC, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4 Editor-in-Chief (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Main Office (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising ccpc@mcmaster.ca published by the
NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
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News
HCCI holds press conference following summer of mounting tensions A timeline of a growing divide in Hamilton Hawley Flett Contributor
On Oct. 9, the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion held a press conference announcing the steps that the organization will take to address the rapidly growing amount of hate crimes in the city. This announcement was made following the release of a Statistics Canada report in which Hamilton was recognized
as having the highest number of hate crimes per 100,000 people in Canada in 2018. The Strengthening Hamilton Community’s Initiative was formed in 2001 in response to the burning of a Hindu Temple after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Its original intention was to manage the distress caused by these events. In 2006, the HCCI was founded, with the recogni-
tion that systemic change was necessary to address continuous and growing racial tensions in the city. In an Oct. 9 press conference, the HCCI reported that their organization has been receiving an increasing number of threatening emails from various Hamilton residents and allegedly from People’s Party of Canada representative Tyrone McAllistair. Their response plan
consists of holding community and MP consultations throughout October. An anti-racism conference will also be held in February of 2020, for which the government of Canada has offered funding. The HCCI plans to consult with Hamilton MPs regarding possible hate speech legislation in greater depth after the federal election. The following is a timeline
of the increasing hate incidents and growing tension between minority groups and the Hamilton Police since the beginning of 2019.
@TheSilhouette
April 2019
January 2019 Yellow Vest protesters began increasing in number across Canada and in Hamilton. Their ideology is often not cohesive — while some protesters counter the Carbon Tax, an anti-immigration sector of the protests is beginning to gain prominence.
June 2019 June 15, 2019 - Several people sustain minor injuries as violence breaks out between Yellow Vest protesters and participants at a peaceful Pride event in Gage Park. The Hamilton Police come under scrutiny once again as their slow response time to the incident is called into question. June 18, 2019 - Hamilton councillors instruct the city manager to investigate ways to put a stop to the increasingly alt-right, white nationalist Yellow Vest protests in front of City Hall. Mayor Fred Eisenberger calls the message delivered at the protests one “of a racist tone”. June 22, 2019 - A anti-hate demonstration takes place against the Yellow Vest protesters in front of City Hall. The 60-70 protesters are separated by a large ‘safety zone’ filled with police officers. No violence breaks out. June 22, 2019 - Hamilton protesters march from the police headquarters to Barton Jail in protest of the arrest of Cedar Hopperton. Hopperton, a prominent member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, was the first arrest made following the violence at a Pride event on June 15th. Hopperton was arrested for alleged parole violations. Protesters argued that Hopperton was acting in defense of the community as violence broke out after Hamilton Police failed to arrive at the scene in a timely manner. Signs at the protest read “Hamilton cops hate queers”.
August 2019 Aug. 10, 2019 - Yellow Vest protestors confront a no-hate protest in the forecourt of City Hall. Aug. 16, 2019 - City employee Marc Lemire and the City of Hamilton mutually agree to end Lemire’s employment. This came after Lemire’s ties to numerous white supremacist groups, including Heritage Front, were brought to light following the publication of a Vice article alleging he utilized his role as a network analyst for the city allowed him to gain access to sensitive information about fellow Hamilton employees.
October 2019 Oct. 5, 2019 - A synagogue is vandalized with anti-Semetic, pro-Nazi graffiti. Hamilton police opens an investigation. Oct. 10, 2019 - Two 19-year-olds from Hamilton are arrested in connection with the synagogue vandalism and are charged with mischief under $5,000.
The Hamilton Police Board faces criticism for an ongoing lack of representation of women and minority groups as Fred Bennick, a white man, is appointed to the board, over 21 other candidates. Many regarded the vacant seat in the board as an opportunity to appoint one of the many minority and female candidates, including Ameil Joseph and Lyla Miklos, both of whom have long histories of working in the community alongside vulnerable minority groups. Joseph has applied for the seat three times and was interviewed yet was not even informed that he did not get the position. Miklos organized a silent protest in City Hall on April 11. Around 20 people held up signs reading “Representation Matters” at a Police Board meeting.
July 2019 July 8, 2019 - City councillors approve bylaws aimed at decreasing hate demonstrations on city property. The General Issues Committee vote to increase surveillance, collect data from demonstrations, and to share this information with the police when necessary. July 13, 2019 - Hundreds participate in the anti-hate “Hamilton For Who?” rally at city hall. Multiple groups participate including Pride, Environment Hamilton and the District Labour Council. A number of city councillors are also in attendance. A group in attendance called “Camp Chaos Gays” calls for Hopperton’s release from jail. July 16, 2019 - Cedar Hopperton’s lawyer confirms that Hopperton is to be released from jail.
September 2019 Sept. 4, 2019 - Paul Fromm, a self-proclaimed white nationalist and a prominent member of the Hamilton Yellow Vest protests, requests to speak at City Hall. City councillors unanimously vote to deny this request. Sept. 25, 2019 - Tensions rise once more between the City Council and the 2SLGBTQ+ community as the historic Balfour house on the mountain brow was leased to Cardus, a Christian-based research facility that has been accused of promoting homophobia, Islamophobia and misogyny in a number of their publications. However, Brad Clark, the city councillor for Ward 9, told CBC that there were also many publications that demonstrated Cardus’ acceptance of Canada’s diverse society. Sept. 29, 2019 - Violence break out as Maxime Bernier, leader of the People’s Party of Canada, spoke at an event at Mohawk College. Attendees and protesters alike throw taunts and profanity, while men from each side are led away in handcuffs following a scuffle before the event began.
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NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
A philosophical divide at the Gandhi Peace Festival
Presence of yellow vest members at the Gandhi Peace Festival leave many feeling frustrated
C/O BARRY GRAY Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace March on Main Street in Hamilton on October 5th, 2019
Trisha Gregorio News Editor
CW: References to white supremacy and homophobia Hundreds marched down Main Street on Oct. 5 for the Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace March, an annual event honouring Gandhian principles as part of the 27th Gandhi Peace Festival. This year’s march held special significance, coming on the heels of the growing prominence of hate incidents in Hamilton. Statistics Canada ranked Hamilton as the city with the highest rate of crime. Among the contributing incidents are weekly interactions at city hall between the alt-right Yellow Vest movement and its counter-protestors, an attack at Hamilton Pride and hate-oriented graffiti. For Rama Singh, a professor at McMaster University’s biology department and a member of the organizing committee for the Peace Festival, the growing need to wage action on hate
and racism rendered Gandhian principles of peace and justice all the more relevant to the current socio-political climate. “What we need as a nation is a conversation. That may sound simplistic, but honestly, in any community, any society, the only way to solve problems is to meet, discuss and decide,” Singh told The Hamilton Spectator. It is with this motivation that Singh met with yellow vest members and invited them to attend the Oct. 5 march. Not everyone left the Gandhi Peace event feeling that Singh’s intention to bridge differences were achieved. Cameron Kroetsch, a member of the Pride Hamilton board of directors, published a Facebook post on Oct 5. explaining how he felt about the presence of yellow vest members at the event. “I was at the Gandhi Peace event today in #HamOnt and I left feeling rattled … Organizers invited members of the yellow vest crew to come to the event today. They said so, on stage, publicly, and called them friends. The vesters came, without their yellow vests, with their own friends and allies
from other white supremacist groups,” he wrote. Kroetsch provided an account of his experience at the Peace Festival, detailing the presence of white supremacists known for delivering racist vitriol and the homophobic overtones of Mayor Fred Eisenberger’s speech at the event, which Kroetsch described as ignorant. “[Eisenberger] misspoke again of “the trans” and said things that revealed his troubling assumptions about marginalized communities,” said Kroetsch. With regard to the decision to invite yellow vesters, he added, “It was the textbook definition of emboldening and legitimizing white supremacy. Vesters were invited to a peace festival by organizers, held up as special guests and friends, and chatted up by our Mayor as if they were nothing more than ‘concerned citizens’.” Tina Fetner, chair of the department of sociology at McMaster, said that the organizing committee behind the Peace Festival is clearly on the side of anti-hate. Instead of vilification, she hopes that this event will
highlight the difference between the Peace Festival committee and counter-protestors in how each party approaches the same goal of fighting hate and racism. “The difference is one of strategy. Where the [Gandhi] Peace committee has a universalist understanding of peace and conflict that seeks to embrace all humans with love, the counter-protests to the Yellow Vest movement are dealing with the daily grind of resisting white nationalist, anti-LGBTQ growth in Hamilton by making their message and their protests unwelcome in the public sphere,” she explained. The committee’s decision to invite members of the Yellow Vest movement, she added, undercut the philosophy that has been motivating people to protest against yellow vesters outside city hall over the past several months. The universalist approach has its drawbacks for the counter-protestors, such as exposing them to being filmed and risking harassment from yellow vesters. Fetner calls the invitation a total reversal of the counter-protestors’ aims after they
have been working week after week to organize protests against the Yellow Vest movement. Since the march, Singh has issued an apology acknowledging the repercussions of the invitation. “The Gandhi Peace Festival Committee does not endorse any hate groups … I apologize for the unintended pain and hurt caused. I commit to working more closely in the future with those confronting hateful elements within our community to make this a safe place for all,” he said. Singh declined to issue a statement to the Silhouette, expressing his concern that it might deflect the focus from the recommendations for action that came out of the “Waging Action on Hate and Racism” conference held on Oct. 4. However, he encourages students to visit the “Gandhi 150 Exhibit: Taking Gandhi’s message to the world” at the McMaster University Student Centre. @TheSilhouette
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PRESIDENT’S PAGE
SARAH FIGUEIREDO VP (Administration) vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23250
During my undergrad, I found that when academic pressure kicked in, loneliness slowly crept up on myself and those around me. Between midterms, papers, and work, I found myself giving up activities that occurred outside of the classroom. I was often sacrificing community – something so intrinsic to my wellness. During months with high academic pressure, I encourage you to reach out to your community instead of shutting it out. Maccess, the Women and Gender Equity Network (WGEN), the Pride Community Center (PCC), and the Student Health Education Centre (SHEC) offer community in different ways, each specializing in one general area of support. Maccess focuses on supporting students with disabilities and addressing accessibility concerns on campus. The space (located in MUSC B111) offers drop-in support groups on a number of different topics including chronic illness, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders
October 24, 2019 | thesil.ca
and ASD (autism spectrum). They also offer drop-in support between 11:30 AM and 4:30 PM Monday to Friday. The Women and Gender Equity Network, commonly referred to as WGEN, aims to provide a safe(r) space for students, specifically catering to women, trans folk, people who identify outside the gender binary, gender non-conforming folk, and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence from all gender identities. Along with offering drop-in support, they also offer binders, bras, and breast forms, as well as menstrual products for students who need them. Stop into MUSC 204 or connect online to request any of the available items.
array of relevant resources and literature in their MUSC 202 office. For those that would prefer to anonymously and confidentially access some of SHEC’s menstrual products or safe(r) sex items, SHEC has a partnership with the MSU Food Collective Centre through their anonymous Lockers of Love program via msumcmaster.ca/lockers-of-love. Accessing community through inperson peer support isn’t a comfortable option for everyone. The McMaster Okanagan Charter hosts a holistic,
online resource for folks looking for wellness support beyond the MSU. From financial aid resources to wellbeing apps and websites, the Okanagan Charter is available at okanagan.mcmaster.ca. Regardless of how you define your community, please remember you are not alone. Whether that community is an MSU service, university resource, an off-campus group, or something else entirely, I urge you to stay connected over the next few months.
“During months with high academic pressure, I encourage you to reach out to your community instead of shutting it out.” The Pride Community Centre (PCC) aims to provide community and support to students who may identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or any of the other diverse identities that make up the Pride community. The space, located in MUSC 219/221, offers one of the few 2STLGBQI+ resource libraries in the Hamilton area, filled with books, DVDs, and journals. Use of the library is free and open to all McMaster students. The Student Health Education Centre, often abbreviated to SHEC, focuses on health promotion and education. Along with peer support, they also offer free confidential pregnancy tests, a breastfeeding space, free safe(r) sex items, as well as a wide
The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
SARAH JOSH MARANDO FIGUEIREDO President
VP (Administration)
SHEMAR HACKETT VP (Education)
ALEX JOHNSTON VP (Finance)
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
The Silhouette
STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES NOTIFICATION TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FOR APRIL 2019 EXAM ACCOMMODATIONS
to a VERY last-minute video shoot
to 30 per cent midterms
to my parents for feeding me during reading week
to the death trap fan in our office
to leftovers for dayz
All requests for accommodations must be activated by March 15, 2019. Returning students (previously accommodated) can self-activate via sas.mcmaster.ca. Newly identified students must make an in-person appointment with SAS. For more information, please contact:
STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES (SAS)
by phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 28652; or in person at MUSC (Student Centre) B107; or by email at: sas@mcmaster.ca
to halloween candy to union market’s pumpkin spice flavoured coffee to getting a free kettle and square mason jar to getting a free metre stick to finally sleeping during reading week to space heaters to our giant pumpkin
to missing the first half of your day to going to a thesis check in with no work done to union market not having pumpkin spice flavoured coffee when i went to having to set an alarm to the wind ruining my hair that’s pretty rude to not knowing your own email to the line in la piazza, let a girl have her chicken strips
FIND US BESIDE TWELVEIGHT Y BAR & GRILL FOLLOW US @MSU_THEGRIND
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FEATURES
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
Where libraries, labour organizing and Twitter meet How a librarians’ union helped communicate municipal politics online Adrianna Michell Features Reporter
Over the summer of 2019, an unlikely McMaster-affiliated Twitter account garnered an online following at the height of municipal conflict. As tensions peaked around the police and the city’s response to attacks at the 2019 Pride celebration, an unexpected source pierced the flurry of commentary.
The McMaster University Academic Librarians’ Association, a certified bargaining agent for academic librarians, provided sharp analysis of the Pride events through its Twitter account.
The McMaster University Academic Librarians’ Association, a certified bargaining agent for academic librarians, provided sharp analysis of the Pride events through its Twitter account. Tweets ranged from public information to scathing critique, but all provided context to the collective confusion and anger around the city’s failure to protect Pride attendees and the subsequent inaction from city officials. The Association’s critical analysis provided an alternative to divisiveness, while city officials and people were listening. Retweets and likes reached hundreds as calls to action were echoed through the Twittersphere.
Retweets and likes reached hundreds as calls to action were echoed through the Twittersphere.
Not the disembodied voice of the library, but rather a collective call to action. According to Myron Groover and Abeer Siddiqui, the president and vice-president of MUALA, respectively, libraries have long been places for activism. MUALA was formed nearly ten years ago by just over two dozen librarians across McMaster’s campus. The union has since grown to around 30 members. Still, they remain a relatively tiny bargaining collective compared to the university’s giant administrative apparatus. One of the few unions in Canada with a membership solely of librarians, MUALA provides a unique space for librarianship and politics to meet. Its members come from different communities in Hamilton and all have individual stakes in political conversations. Not only are they union members or professional librarians, they are first and foremost members of the community with unique identities. Groover sees union members as having professional skills that lend themselves well to political
organizing, while still fundamentally being community members who have a stake in municipal politics.
“We also have members who are affected by the discourse around queer people and racialized people in Hamilton. It’s not just that we’re trying to do something benevolent from afar for the community, these are issues that touch our members’ lives as well.” Myron Groover President McMaster University Academic Librarians’ Association
“We also have members who are affected by the discourse around queer people and racialized people in Hamilton. It’s not just that we’re trying to do something benevolent from afar for the community, these are issues that touch our members lives as well.” Groover also sees similarities between the philosophy of public librarianship and the organizing work of the union. “I don’t see a tension between the work we do in the union to support the people that live in this community with us and the work we do professionally to support students on this campus and the broader public to whom we answer. Those are different functions but they complement one another,” said Groover. Public and academic libraries are central to the communities in which they reside. In Hamilton, public libraries offer social services and support. At McMaster, the academic librarians are dedicated to the well-being and scholarship of students and staff. But beyond that, libraries are one of the few open spaces. There is no entry
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
fee to a library, there is no time limit and there is no cost for its services. This is rare in our contemporary moment, where the drive towards privatization seems inescapable.
“I don’t see a tension between the work we do in the union to support the people that live in this community with us and the work we do professionally to support students on this campus and the broader public to whom we answer. Those are different functions but they complement one another.” Myron Groover President McMaster University Academic Librarians’ If libraries are truly to be public spaces, then the politics of communities in which they are situated are necessarily a part of
the work that they do. “If we think of ourselves as community spaces and as public spaces … politics doesn’t stop at the library doors. People’s lives don’t stop at the library doors,” said Groover. While librarianship is founded on the principle that information should be accessible to all, this is a complicated task. Libraries do not exist as apolitical places, and sometimes they themselves can create or perpetuate harm in the communities they serve. Just like any field, they are imperfect institutions, certainly not above criticism. Siddiqui explains this complexity. “A lot of times librarianship, especially in the context of archives, a lot of that history was kept by people with privilege for people with privilege,” said Siddiqui. It is the task of librarians today to recognize this history and work against it. Yet, some libraries take the opposite approach. The Toronto Public Library recently came under fire for renting out a space to a third party event feature a speaker who opposes transgender rights. Some support the premise but not the message, saying free speech should come first. Despite accusations of hate speech, Vickery Bowles, the city librarian for the Toronto Public Library, held firm in their decision to let the event organizers rent the space in an interview
The Silhouette with the CBC. Bowles said that the library is committed to its democratic values and offering a safe space for everyone, including trans community members, although actions say otherwise.
“A lot of times librarianship, especially in the context of archives, a lot of that history was kept by people with privilege for people with privilege,” Abeer Siddiqui Vice-president McMaster University Academic Librarians’ Association There is a tension in the field of librarianship over how to facilitate public, safe spaces. While our neighbours in Toronto have been criticized for being removed from the political realities of their community, McMaster might model an alternative. Of course MUALA represents academic, not public librarians, but the purpose of these institutions are still largely the same. The contrast between the
Toronto library and MUALA is stark.
There is a tension in the field of librarianship over how to facilitate public, safe spaces. In June when Cedar Hopperton, a transgender activist and anarchist, was arrested, MUALA weighed in and supported Hopperton on the grounds of free speech.
It is easy for libraries to forget their political roots, but the McMaster University Academic Libraries’ Association works to remember them.
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solidarity from our community members as well, and it would be foolish of us to expect that without ever providing some of our own,” says Siddiqui. Using Twitter as a tool for solidarity, the librarian’s union shows one way of thinking about collective action for the future. The union provided analysis of an important issue for their community, while also working to ensure equitable working conditions for themselves. Not just altruistism, MUALA shows that union work can rally entire communities for collective action. Librarians are knowledge preservers, working to inform the public in 140 characters. With topical tweets, memeing and more, MUALA is where cyberspace meets labour organizing. @TheSilhouette
It is easy for libraries to forget their political roots, but MUALA works to remember them. “Well I think for one its absolutely the right thing to do,” “...But I will also say that part of union work is that one day we will absolutely be seeking
Hands raised in protest, holding signs and books to symbolize the need for change ZOYA GOMES / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
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OPINION
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
Opinion The harsh reality of invisible disabilities Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there Jill Shah Contributor
Imagine yourself sitting on a fully packed Hamilton Street Transit bus. A middle-aged man with a walker boards onto the bus. Naturally, you get up to give him your seat. On the other hand, imagine a middle-aged man who looks “healthy” board onto the same packed bus. You take a quick glance and continue scrolling through your phone as you comfortably sit on that seat. It turns out that the man who looks healthy struggles with a neurological condition
called multiple sclerosis. This makes it excruciatingly difficult for him to stand for a period longer than a few minutes. However, he continues to endure the pain and distress as he hesitates to ask others for a seat on the bus due to a potential fear of being judged or questioned. Believe it or not, this is the harsh reality of individuals who have an invisible disability. A hidden disability is just as significant as a visible one. However, invisible disabilities are not as openly discussed or understood despite the increasing number of conversations
surrounding inclusivity. In simple terms, an invisible or hidden disability is a disability that is not immediately noticeable. More often than not, they are overlooked, misunderstood and disregarded simply because they are not easily perceivable. Inevitably, this leads to the exclusion and discrimination of those with invisible disabilities.
More often than not, they are overlooked, misunderstood and disregarded simply because they are not easily perceivable. Inevitably, this leads to the exclusion and discrimination of those with invisible disabilities. Not getting a seat is just one of the countless barriers that people with invisible disabilities may encounter. One of their biggest obstacles is the struggle to tell others, because they have no visual or evident sign of their disability. There is already a social stigma surrounding disabilities. The added pressure of having to tell someone that you have a disability that they may not be able to see is a daunting task. Scenarios like this take place every single day on our campus and in our community. Whether it is a person who “looks” fine, a student walking very slowly in front of
An invisible or hidden disability is not immediately noticeable. KATARINA BRKIC / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
There is already a social stigma surrounding disabilities. The added pressure of having to tell someone that you have a disability that they may not be able to see is a daunting task. you, or a woman requiring to use the bathroom continually at work, invisible disabilities do not get the attention that they require. The hidden quality of invisible disabilities makes it all the more important to create a change in attitudes by increasing awareness. This begins with education on hidden disabilities, which will help lessen the stigma surrounding disclosing an invisible disability. By doing so, these individuals will hopefully be much more comfortable telling us about their disability so that we may provide assistance to them.
The hidden quality of invisible disabilities makes it all the more important to create a change in attitudes by increasing awareness. For example, if we were all more open and accepting of hidden disabilities, that man on the HSR bus may not have hesitated in telling you that he needed a seat. As we make an
effort to transition into a more inclusive society, it is important to seriously consider invisible disabilities. Whether it’s in the classroom, the workplace or the community, people with invisible disabilities are already leading challenging lives. By being unaware of them, we are contributing to the issues they face in their everyday life. McMaster University’s Student Accessibility Services office continually works hard to support students with accessibility concerns, but at the end of the day, awareness is the first step in preventing the barriers faced by people with hidden disabilities. Remember that open communication and an open mind are key to bringing change; hidden or not, all disabilities are simply just differences.
@TheSilhouette
The Silhouette
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
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12s without technology
Is technology a requirement or luxury requirement or luxury in higher education?
One student taking handwritten notes beside another student taking notes on a computer. CINDY CUI / PHOTO EDITOR
Kayla Freeman Contributor
University is an environment that can foster personal and educational growth. Many students rely on technology in order to support their academic success. However, some students do not have access to necessary technology and this can pose barriers to them. With the influx of students using laptops, tablets and/ or other technology devices, many professors have kept up with this trend by using online services in class. Some examples of this are Kahoot, TopHat and AvenueToLearn. Moreover, many professors speak at a speed that is nearly impossible to keep up with through pen and paper note taking, instead posting their slides online so that students can follow along.
The problem with a reliance on technology is that those who cannot afford the newest technological devices may feel a sense of shame or isolation from those who can. The segregation between those have access to technology or even wifi creates a disadvantaged environment for those who cannot afford it. This is called the digital divide. The digital divide can help us understand the hardship that those without access to adequate technology, software or internet experience on a daily basis. The digital divide often targets marginalized and rural communities. It is important to shed light on these issues and speak for those that do not have a voice of their own. Additionally, the digital divide perpetuates the cycle of poverty by depriving many from achieving their full potential as they are
unable to access online websites to access information related to education, employment or other crucial topics.
The digital divide often targets marginalized and rural communities. In school, especially university, technology is often a hefty expense. Even though it can be academically disadvantageous not to possess a laptop, it is also not economically feasible for many students. Many students cannot afford to buy laptops in “less-developed� countries. Even in Canada, the technological divide negatively impacts the quality of educa-
tion. As the costs of university seems to be ever-growing, government aid such as Ontario Student Assistance Program is a necessity for many students. Since the Ford government made cuts to OSAP, many students are being left with much less financial assistance than previous years.
Even within Canada, the technological divide negatively impacts the quality of education. Arguably, the OSAP cuts are disproportionately affect lower-income students, many of whom may not be able to pur-
sue post-secondary education without aid. It seems as if we are moving towards an era that relies heavily on technology in educational institutions, without taking into consideration the financial strain this will pose on those in higher education. Rather than cutting government funding, there should be increased financial support for students to go paperless, thereby helping students use technology to aid their studies. @TheSilhouette
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OPINION
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
Snuffing out Indigenous self-care
The impacts of the smoking ban on Indigenous students, staff and faculty at McMaster
A no smoking sign displayed on McMaster campus CINDY CUI / PHOTO EDITOR Anonymous Contributor
In January 2018, McMaster became Ontario’s first 100 per cent tobacco and smoke-free campus with the implementation of the Tobacco and Smoke Free Campus policy. The policy, also known as the smoking ban, was created without proper consultation of Indigenous groups on campus, and has negatively impacted Indigenous students, staff and faculty.
In January 2018, McMaster became Ontario’s first 100 per cent tobacco and smoke-free campus. The ban includes all forms of smoking, including vaping and smoking medicinal marijuana. Many campus groups, including McMaster Students Union peer support services, have spoken against the implementation of this policy as it particularly harms marginalized students. There is an exception upon request in the policy for the burning of Indigenous Tradi-
tional Medicines, if 48 hours notice are given.
Many campus groups, including MSU peer support services, have spoken against the implementation of this policy as it particularly harms marginalized students. The way the exception is regulated by the university is problematic for a number of reasons. First of all, as other Indigenous students on campus have previously spoken to, we don’t necessarily plan on when we are going to smudge or burn tobacco — we do it as needed (unless it is planned as part of starting off a formal meeting). Secondly, this bureaucratic regulation of when we can use our medicines is an act of colonial violence, reminiscent of when our spiritual and cultural practices used to be illegal in Canada. It prevents Indigenous
students, staff and faculty from being able to engage in our own healing or self-care practices whenever we need to, in an effort to potentially heal from colonial trauma. Either we have to provide 48 hours notice or go to Indigenous Student Services, the only spot on campus where we can use medicines, which can be inaccessible if you’re not ever around that area of campus.
Secondly, this bureaucratic regulation of when we can use our medicines is an act of colonial violence, reminiscent of when our spiritual and cultural practices used to be illegal in Canada. For example, I’m in social work and our classes often speak on very difficult issues
that can be emotionally draining. For me, smudging helps me cope with that, but I am unable to smudge during a class break or after class because of the smoke ban. This prevents me from being able to engage in my own form of self-care which allows me to reconnect with my spirituality and cultural in a settler-colonial environment, such as this university, which is not designed for Indigenous folks. This again is an act of colonial violence upon Indigenous community members who are on any of McMaster’s campuses.
Indigenous groups on campus such as the Cooperative of Indigenous Studies Students and Alumni were not consulted in the planning of the policy, nor did they even know about it prior to McMaster’s press release.
In addition, Indigenous groups on campus such as the Cooperative of Indigenous Studies Students and Alumni were not consulted in the planning of the policy, nor did they even know about it prior to McMaster’s press release. While Indigenous cultures were considered in the creation of the policy, the fact that consultation did not occur is also an act of colonial violence. White settler higher-ups in the university, who worked on this policy, decided that they knew what was appropriate protocol for practices that they neither engaged with nor knew anything about. As for “reconciliation”, they checked off a requirement for good public relations. However, a lack of consultation with Indigenous communities on campus and the intense bureaucratic regulation of our sacred traditional medicines continues to harm Indigenous community members on campus. The one exception to the rule that allows Indigenous folks to smudge does little to repair relationships between Indigenous community members and the university. In effect, this actually continues to do more harm than good. @TheSilhouette
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OPINION
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
No name is “too hard” to pronounce Your culture is not a burden. Your name is not a joke.
The name Stephanie in English and Chinese, with the English translation crossed out MATTY FLADER / PHOTO REPORTER
Elisa Do Contributor
Hi. My name is Elisa. It’s nice to meet you. What’s your name? Everytime you and I introduce ourselves, our names are more than simply names; they are not just labels. Parents all around the world wouldn’t spend months coming up with a name for their child just for it to be anything less than meaningful. Unfortunately, many names have been chosen — or rather, changed — for simplicity. It’s like how Khanh can become Ken or Rein can become Ryan. There is a trend in anglicizing racialized names so that they can be easier to pronounce. Worse, many folks feel the need to live through another name altogether. Making your name easier to pronounce so that others feel more comfortable saying it takes away from the individuality of any name. My first name was chosen with anglicization in mind. In comparison to many other folks, I’ve had fewer difficulties navigating the pronunciation of my
name. But even so, my name has been butchered too many times. And so, the thought of changing my name to make life feel a tad bit easier has always been in the back of my mind. I have friends who choose to introduce themselves differently today than they had before. I have family who made legal changes to their names in hopes of putting an end to the hesitation people have about pronunciation and their questions about spelling. I used to think it was necessary to legally change your name. My cousin became Kevin because people made fun of him at school. My uncle became Alex because that was just a given when arriving in Canada. But changing your name shouldn’t be necessary. Learning to pronounce someone’s name correctly is a part of showing respect for their culture, history and identity. Just as it is important to call someone by their correct pronouns, calling someone by their preferred name should not be optional. Preferred names should not be confused with nicknames. Using nicknames for your friends and loved ones is
often, and should be, an act of intimacy. But mispronouncing someone’s name without regard for correction or adopting a different name for them without their permission is not the same thing. Attendance in school is dreadful. I remember when the whole class would giggle and smirk knowingly at our peers whose names the teacher would always butcher. Many of my peers gave in to this constant ridicule. Eventually, they offered an easier name, something the teacher could actually remember. Many of them smiled and laughed with the class. Many of them pretended it was okay. When someone would mispronounce my name, I used to let it slide. When I had to interrupt them and point out their mistake, it made me feel small. It felt confrontational. Most of the time there was no apology. Instead, there was laughter and repeating the wrong name again. Most of the time, either they would give up and decide it’d be much kinder to call me something else or I would shrug and say it didn’t matter anyway.
For folks with racialized names and names that hold extremely deep meanings in their family’s history or culture, the disregard for proper pronunciation is a racial microaggression. It can become an insult and have negative repercussions on the individual. In the study, “Teachers, Please Learn Our Names!: Racial Microaggressions and the K-12 Classroom” Rita Kohli, a professor at the University of California Riverside, researched the implications that certain subtle forms of racism in the education system can have on students. “It can result in children shifting their self-perceptions and worldviews, and believing that their culture or aspects of their identity are an inconvenience or are inferior. Based on multiple experiences of feeling invisible or different, people explained that as young children they internalized the racial microaggressions and often confused the racism with a burden of their culture,” the study reported. Culture is never supposed to feel like a burden. Why should folks alter their names
for the sake of others instead of others learning to appreciate and pronounce unfamiliar names? How is it fair for students of colour to feel alienated because the majority of people lack consideration for inclusivity? A name is more than just a name; it carries stories and an identity. Learning to pronounce someone’s name correctly should not be a choice you make on their behalf. And learning that your name is meaningful and should not be taken lightly is just as significant. So, I ask that the next time you introduce yourself, be proud of who you are and be considerate of all names introduced to you. Because reminding someone of the importance of their existence in this world is never really that hard.
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A&C
Arts & Culture Free pass to the past Get free museum admission with your Hamilton Public Library card
Hamilton Public Library card and Dundurn and Hamilton’s Urban Indigenous Strategy’s current exhibit LAUREN O’DONNELL / ARTS & CULTURE REPORTER
Lauren O’Donnell A&C Reporter
With a Hamilton Public Library card, you can access any of the Hamilton Civic museums for free. If you live, work or study within the city, you can drop by any library location to get yourself a card — there’s even one in Westdale (955 King St. West). There are nine museums included in this offer, with a full list available on the city website. The city website features a 360° virtual tour for each site, so you can still experience them even if you can’t make it in person. Below you’ll find a brief taste of two of the museums that are included in the offer. Dundurn Castle National Historic Site (610 York Blvd) At its height, Dundurn was a monument of money and power, owned by Sir Allan Napier Macnab. The piano resting in the parlour would have cost more than a house at its time. The house was so impressive that it became generally known as a castle. The tour charts the building from top to bottom, covering the lives of both the Macnab family and their servants. For an hour, you’ll
find yourself transported to the 1850s. There is information about the norms of this time period and most importantly, free food tastings. The shortbread is absolutely delicious. The building was restored in the late 1960s as part of the 100 years of Canadian Confederation celebration. Dundurn and Hamilton’s Urban Indigenous Strategy currently have an exhibit open to the public that seeks to highlight violence that resulted from the Confederation. The exhibit was created by local Indigenous youth to call attention to Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women.
The exhibit was created by local Indigenous youth to call attention to Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women. Money raised by the Indigenous exhibition will be donated to the Drag the Red campaign, a volunteer-led
organization searching the Red River in Winnipeg for evidence in unsolved cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women. The exhibit runs each week from Tuesday to Saturday until Nov. 5. Indigenous Elder and activist Wilamina McGrimmond is there on Wednesdays and Fridays to answer any questions about the exhibit and the issues it raises.
Money raised by the Indigenous exhibition will be donated to the Drag the Red campaign, a volunteer-led organization searching the Red River in Winnipeg for evidence in unsolved cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Battlefield House Museum and National Park Historic Site (77 King St. West) Battlefield commemorates the Battle of Stoney Creek during the War of 1812, a significant battle in Canadian history. The tour includes an inside look at Battlefield House, owned by the Gage family at the time — the namesake for Gage Park. There is also an optional opportunity to go inside the war memorial that sits at the top of the hill. It’s truly an impressive sight, visible even at a distance, and offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. Similar to Dundurn, Battlefield gives insight into the social climate of the 1800s, with a particular emphasis placed on familial bonds and expectations. If you’re interested in Canadian history, this is the place for you. It also includes information about how Battlefield became a museum, largely due to the contributions of Sara Calder and the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society. The grounds of Battlefield are currently dappled with autumn leaves. Beyond the historic significance, it’s a beautiful place to visit and explore. These are just a taste of the museums that you may visit with a library card. Since it’s
The grounds of Battlefield are currently dappled with autumn leaves. Beyond the historic significance, it’s a beautiful place to visit and explore. spooky season, you could also go visit Whitehern Historic House and Garden and hear about its ghost. Remotely, you may access an online tour of two different underwater shipwrecks. Make sure to take a trip to your local library to pick up a library card. The cards themselves are absolutely free and guarantee you admission to any civic museum, in addition to free books. Get out there and take a trip into Hamilton’s past. @TheSilhouette
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
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A guide to the best thrift spots in Hamilton Where to find cheap, close and creative clothing
Most bang for your buck
Katie van Kampen Contributor
Learning to become a more sustainable shopper is not always easy. Although there are lots of thrift shops in Hamilton, many pieces might not be the right match for you. To help you along your journey, we’ve compiled a list of thrifting spots — each unique in their own right. Using the categories below, you may just find your perfect match. Happy shopping!
Best aesthetics
Out of the Past (308 Ottawa St. North) Price: $$ As you walk into Out of the Past, there is a smiling cat in the window to welcome you. That same cat is stamped on the sale tags. Yet, underneath the grinning feline is the word “Woof ”. You see, Out of the Past is a paradox. The store has very specific alternative, punk and grunge vibe supported by a curated playlist of new wave, late 70s music. Somehow, there is something for everyone here. The walls are covered with different clothing articles, ranging from a Halloween section to a rack of black band shirts and a cabinet dedicated to steam-punk inspired goggles. The owner hand picks the store’s clothing from used clothing factories. All of the pieces contribute to a unique aesthetic within the store through both its décor and the items offered.
The Thrifty Designer
The Thrifty Designer (203 King St. East) Price: $$$ From the outside, this looks like a trendy boutique clothing store with a dark minimalistic exterior and impeccably dressed mannequins. However, inside there is something more unique waiting. Owner Leslie Smith-Aragon upcycles clothing, giving the clothes a new chance at life. She also picks out forgotten and previously loved items such as scarves, sweaters and other fabrics to create entirely new and individual pieces. There is a large selection of formal wear such as blazers, vests and dresses at reasonable prices considering their quality. For example, a blazer was priced at $60 and looked like new. If you are in the market for more formal attire, this is a perfect option as you will be purchasing something unique and sustainable from The Thrifty Designer.
Most variety Deja Vu New and Used
Cheapest prices and best cause
New Horizons Thrift Shop (520 James St. North) Price: $ While unassuming from the outside, New Horizons has a variety of clothing for men and women at very reasonable prices. I saw multiple Danier Leather jackets priced below $30, which can retail for well over that price.
New Horizons is a thrift shop that reinvests its revenue back into the program and services of Welcome Inn Community Centre, such as in their after school and senior programs. All donated clothing is sorted and unsuitable clothing is donated back to the Diabetes Canada Association. If you want to shop on a budget and support a charity while you’re at it, this is the thrift shop for you.
Hamilton Antique Mall (233 Ottawa St. North) Prices: $$ Walking past this building, you wouldn’t know that there are three floors of antique clothing, furniture, toys and other items waiting to find a new home. The Hamilton Antique Mall is a collection of booths — all rented to various collectives. You’ll have to search around to find the clothing booths, but that in itself is an adventure that could fill an otherwise uneventful day. Much of the clothing you will find here has a vintage style but are all previously worn pieces. Each booth is unique with a specific theme in mind. I found one booth with darker pieces reminiscent of the 90s grunge era, but also a more cheerful booth with pastels and clothing
reminiscent of the 50s. Hamilton Antique Mall is a perfect way to spend an afternoon trip on Ottawa Street, hitting up the many restaurants along the way and having a browse through the many booths you can encounter — you’ll be sure to find something!
Closest to campus
Deju Vu New and Used (262 King St. West) Prices: $ Deja Vu New and Used has been operating in the heart of downtown for the past 36 years. Walking in, you can immediately appreciate the diversity of the store — with an entire rack of sunglasses, leather jackets and jeans. The store is well-organized with every item having its own home. The walls are aligned with notable pieces from an astronaut Halloween costume to handbags and sweaters. Clothing is sourced from multiple places, mostly Toronto suppliers, but all are picked with diversity in mind. For a wide selection of used clothing via a fifteen-minute bus ride from campus, this is the best place to go if you want to get out of that Westdale bubble but have to make it back in time for your next midterm!
@TheSilhouette
Deja Vu New and Used Hamilton Antique Mall
CINDY CUI/PHOTO EDITOR
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
A&C
Reflecting on the Three artists raise questions on memory, perspective and family Nisha Gill Contributor
With the beautiful and bittersweet arrival of autumn comes apple picking adventures, corn maze capers and pumpkin carving contests. In preparation for the new year, the next few months are also a time for reflection and remembrance. Featuring the work of artists Alex Murphy, Derek Jenkins and Tyler Matheson, “Minding the Archive” (155 James St. North) captures and encourages these themes of reflection and remembrance. Through a diverse collection of art forms, including analogue film, photos created through cyanotype processes, layered drawings and installation pieces, “Minding the Archive” offers a more personal touch to traditional idea of an archive, which is often strictly a historical record keeping system. “Archive seems to be a hot topic right now, but this is a sort of personal take on the archive, an accumulation that’s not really organized but I think that everyone can relate to . . . we all have an intimate, personal take on archive. It’s not something bigger or really, a huge organized collection, an archive of things. It’s really personal,” Matheson explained. When viewers first enter the exhibition, they are able to view it as a whole, as the works of all three artists interact with each other. Viewers can then move deeper into the exhibition and examine each of the artist’s work more closely. Here, visitors can consider focused questions related to how each artist approached the core themes. The works themselves draw heavily on the artists’ own lives. Murphy’s art is created through drawing repetitive lines and then erasing them to reveal the full picture. His methodical process and its final product are meant to highlight ideas of loss and presence by raising questions about who is represented in our archives and who
is not. These drawings promote seeing things from different perspectives. “[R]econsideration is an important word for me - so just kind of reconsider their space, their perspective and how they look at art, but also how they look at people . . . There’s a lot of people that are represented in the show . . . It’s about showing the importance of people who are everyday people like you or me or families or — I guess just looking at people a little bit differently or revaluing people,” said Murphy. Jenkins’ pieces represent everyday people and brings their experiences to life. Centred around an abandoned wallet, his multimedia piece incorporates photography and film to highlight the importance of the past and its influence on the present and future. The use of film, in particular, gives life to the stories represented in his piece, while also raising questions about memory. “I’ve been carrying around this wallet, abandoned intact at some point by my grandfather, for over a decade. It’s a confusing object, packed with materials from the late fifties and early sixties. I didn’t know my grandfather well, so I don’t have much to say about him, but these objects carried a charge of memory that I wanted to explore,” said Jenkins. The artist’s work is reflective of how memories are formed and the way they weave into our perception of the world around us. This perception can be eroded by our memories, even though they can document experiences of not only our life, but those around us. Matheson has taken a collection of family photographs and transformed them using the same cyanotype processes once used to create photographs for encyclopedias. These photos have become a form of self-portraiture, investigating his own identity and history, but also raising more general questions about family and heteronormativity. The combination of photography and printmaking
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
e archive
showcases the multiple ways in which an image can be looked at. After taking a contemporary photography course, Matheson began to think about family and the various structures that it can take. “I really started to think about queer kinship as an alternative to [the] normative family idea. And then I started to think about my own experience, growing up in Northern Ontario, and sort of, dealing with memory, place, geography and my relationships politically and my identity in relationship to growing up in that place, and my relationship with my family as well. I started to think about what my family meant to me, considering queer kinship and how queer people create their own family,” said Matheson. Accompanying these works is a unique installation piece, consisting of an essay written on a large piece of cloth. The essay writing has been inverted so that it can only be read through the accompanying mirror. This piece complements the work of all the artists, furthering the themes of reflection and remembrance as well as the questions of memory, perspective, family and heteronormativity. This installation
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piece also speaks explicitly to the idea of otherness, that is covertly present in the rest of the gallery, and the struggle that accompanies it. “Minding the Archive” will be on display at Hamilton Artists Inc. until Friday, Nov. 2. Not only does the exhibit explore the overarching themes of reflection and remembrance, but it also raises important questions on memory, perspective, family, heteronormativity and otherness.
@TheSilhouette
Work included in the “Minding the Archive” exhibit. C/O GRANT HOLT
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
A&C
Wake up and smell the roses Forget about your school stress and live your fairytale at the Royal Botanical Gardens Belinda Tam Contributor
Wonderful aromas, flowers, trees and shows. Doesn’t that sound amazing? With the stress of tests, midterms and assignments, sometimes it’s hard to get away from it all. The Royal Botanical Gardens (680 Plains Rd. West) is one of those places that will make you feel like you’ve walked into a fairy tale. With midterms in full swing, the RBG can be a great way to take time for yourself and relax without having to leave the city. As the largest botanical gardens in Canada, a national historic site and a registered charitable organization for over 80 years, the RBG is an ecological gem. It was built and founded by Thomas Baker McQuesten, a Liberal member of provincial parliament for the area, who created what would become a regional botanical tourism site and environmental agency.
In 1941, McQuesten was granted a provincial mandate for four areas of development: conservation, education, horticulture and science. Nearly 80 years later, the RBG has established an international reputation as a living laboratory for science, a leader in sustainable gardening and a key player in connecting Hamiltonians to nature. Within its 60 documented collections and 40,000 plants displayed in four major areas, it is a shining attraction just outside the city. The RBG is comprised of four parks: Hendrie Park, Rock Garden, Laking Garden and the Arboretum. Hendrie Park: Hendrie Park is the largest garden, known for its various plants and trees arranged in a unique design. It holds 20 different areas including the Rose Garden, Medicinal Garden and a Scented Garden. Each area boasts has a peak season
that ranges depending on the time of year, allowing areas such as Hendrie Park to always give visitors a new experience. The Rose Garden has been newly renovated and is an extraordinary display of roses across two acres of land. Many of the roses are joined by companion plants that help to protect the roses within their vicinity. The Medicinal Garden is unique because each bed in this garden is focused on a particular part of the human body. The beds are organized by the diseases they treat, but also features plants from various cultures, allowing one to compare ancient traditional herbs to modern medicine. The Scented Garden features the traditional conception of a garden: stone walkways, a beautiful central fountain and the fragrance of flowers pollinating the air. You are encouraged to walk through the garden, smell the annuals
and consider why we have an emotional attachment to plants. Why do we place them in vases to adorn our tables? Why do we plant them outside of our houses? When you go into different areas of Hendrie Park, it feels like you’re walking from one section of a storybook to the next, making it a magical experience. Rock Garden: Then there’s the Rock Garden. It is RBG’s newest garden, built to celebrate the start of a new era with a modern twist. The founder of Royal Botanical Gardens, Thomas Baker McQuesten, took abandoned gravel and used it to form what is now known as the Rock Garden. Within the garden, there are ponds, a waterfall and a year-round perennial display. The new garden also showcases a multi-use visitor center that houses a restaurant, conference centre and a look out deck with
a view of the garden’s lower-bowl. Laking Garden: The next area of the grounds is the Laking Garden. This is the second-oldest garden at the RBG and is home to perennial collections. Features of the garden include its iris, peony, and clematis collections, typically in full bloom during the summer months. Arboretum: The last section of the garden is the Arboretum. It looks like something that came out of a landscape painting, with a vast arrangement of trees and plants. This area is especially beautiful in the spring when branches start to bud, but also in the fall when the foliage starts to assume beautiful reds, yellows and oranges. There are plants from all over the world here. As large as the RBG is, they hold many events during
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
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the year. The RBG has two ticketed events in the pipeline. “RBG After Dark: Boos, Brews & BBQ” is a Halloween costume party that will be held with creatures from the past. Enjoy the activities, music, locally crafted brews and delicious BBQ on Oct. 17 from 7-10 p.m. in the Rock Garden. Come out in your Halloween costume and take in the amazing autumn nightscape of the Boo-tanical Gardens! “The Great Pumpkin Trail” is taking over Hendrie Park’s South Bridle Trail lining each side of the path with hundreds of jack-o-lanterns. Enjoy the live entertainment, face painting and pumpkin-themed activities and games while taking in the autumn weather before All Hallow’s Eve. The event will take place on Oct. 24 and 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Both of these events are a fabulous way to meet up with friends, grab a bite, enjoy the scenery and get in the mood for Halloween! As students, we have a lot of stress on our shoulders. We need to be able to take care of ourselves throughout our journey. The RBG can offer an escape from the stresses of campus, while still keeping you within the city’s limits. Stepping into one of its many acres will transport you to your favourite fairy tale and hopefully allow you to feel rejuvenated as we enter the second half of the semester. @TheSilhouette
The Royal Botanical Gardens grounds
PHOTOS AND GRAPHICS BY ANDREW MROZOWSKI/A&C EDITOR
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SPORTS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
What you missed Key updates from McMaster sports over the past week
The women’s rugby team in 2018 C/O CATHERINE GOCE
Graham West Sports Editor
So much happened in McMaster sports over reading week, that catching up on school work might not be the only thing you missed over the break. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most important things that happened in sports over the break. Women’s Rugby: The women’s rugby team had an outstanding run. Combining the results of their final two games of the regular season and the quarterfinals of the OUA championship, they outscored their opponents 196-5. In the quarterfinals they beat the Trent University Excalibur women’s team 71-0 to advance to the semifinals, where they ultimately fell to the Guelph University Gryphons. They then won the bronze medal match scoring 41 points to the Brock University Badgers’ three. This year marks the third year in a row where the McMaster women’s rugby team has secured a bronze medal.
Of note, Alissa Zhang, a member of our women’s rugby team, was awarded the Shiels Division Community Service Award for providing great services to our community. The Shiels division is home to five teams in total, including Queen’s University, University of Guelph, Brock University and The University of Western Ontario. Zhang has volunteered with the McMaster Children’s Hospital and at the Rotman Research Institute. She also founded GirlsZone, a program that aims to get young girls into science.
This pushed their record to six wins and two losses, securing a first-round bye in the OUA playoffs Cross Country: The cross country team held onto their number two ranking in the nation, a ranking that they have held since the start of the month. This was after
their recent win at the Bayfront Open where, not only did the team place first but, Marauders Alex Drover and Sergio Raez-Villanueva took home individual gold and bronze medals respectively. The bayfront open provides a preview as to how the team may perform when they host the Ontario University Athletics championship on Oct. 26. Football: After a seventh place national ranking, the football team dropped to ninth a week later. This was in part due to the Marauders’ loss to the Carleton University Ravens, accounting for their second loss of the season. Their record currently stands at five wins and two losses. In the final game of the regular season, the Marauders beat the University of Waterloo Warriors 31-14. This pushed their record to six wins and two losses, securing a first-round bye in the OUA playoffs, which gives them an advantage as they get a week of extra rest and guaranteed spot in the semi-finals. Their next game is also the OUA semifinals, which will take place on Nov. 2.
Not only did he see great success at the university level, but Pottinger was also selected second overall at the 2006 Canadian National Football league draft. McMaster hall of fame: On Oct. 19, McMaster honoured six former student-athletes into our hall of fame. The honorees included Lindsey Sutherland, James Pottinger, Jeremy Sparrow, Nicole Pirko and Dan and Mike Pletch. Sutherland was a key piece of the women’s basketball team that won OUA titles in 2006 and 2008. Pottinger led the defence on McMaster’s back to back Yates cup title wins in 2002 and 2003. Not only did he see great success at the university level, but Pottinger was also selected second overall at the 2006 Canadian National Football league draft. Sparrow won a total of 20 medals at the OUA
championships, 10 of which were gold. He also collected 10 medals at the national level, three of which were gold, in the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union, which is now referred to as the U sports championships. Pirko is a key symbol of women’s squash at McMaster. She was the first-ever student in school history to win gold at the OUA championships in 1999. Pirko also took home bronze medals at the OUA championships in 1998 and 2001. Finally, identical twins Dan and Mike Pletch were inducted for their efforts on the men’s rugby team. They contributed to four OUA title-winning seasons. Dan was a finalist for the Ivor Wynne award, McMaster’s male athlete of the year award, in 2005 and 2006. Mike won the award in 2007. Their accomplishments didn’t stop there, with both of them playing for Team Canada in the 2007 rugby world cup.
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
Physical activity
The department of Athletics and Recreation is making strides towards accessible programming Steffi Arkilander Opinions Editor
McMaster’s Department of Athletics and Recreation oversees gym memberships, personal training, intramurals, programming (such as first aid, backpacking and dance classes) and court and facility bookings. They even offer backpacking and canoe trips. Students may seek these services with the hope of continuing to play sports after high school, or with the goal of investing in their physical health for the first time. Disabled students face obstacles in remaining physically active in university. They must verify that a facility is accessible; ideally, they would be able to use machines and be able to do so independently.
“Some of us are never able to access athletic facilities if there is no accessible or all-gender washrooms . . . Some people may need [instructions for gym equipment] explained verbally, in plain language, or in a different way,” Calvin Prowse Past Maccess Executive “Some of us may need to find out where the accessible entrance is in advance … Some of us are never able to access athletic facilities if there is no accessible or all-gender washrooms … Some people may need [instructions for gym equipment] explained verbally, in plain language, or in a different way, but there is not always staff around that can do this for
us,” Calvin Prowse, a past Maccess executive explained. Wayne Terryberry, the outdoor recreation coordinator for McMaster Athletics and Recreation, said that his team aimed to make services as accessible as possible. It may be difficult to understand how a building or a certain activity could be made more accessible without the lived experience of a disability. The athletics and recreation department has made positive strides in this regard, such as through the Alpine Tower. “We chose to purchase [the Alpine Tower] 15 years ago or so. It was purchased primarily for the reason that it’s accessible,” Terryberry said. “We’ve provided accessible climbing with different equipment and mechanism such as ropes and harnesses, plus the [climbing wall] is [accessible] as well.” In addition to the Alpine Tower, McMaster Athletics and Recreation also offers a Hippocampe all-terrain wheelchair for use on trails. This wheelchair allows users to independently navigate hiking trails off campus. In addition, the department is in the process of creating a wheelchair-accessible trail in McMaster Forest, located in Dundas Valley. The trail will be approximately 750 metres long and will be located around the front of the forest.
discussions being held on buying more adaptable equipment for outdoor recreation.
The Special Needs Assistance Program provides a one-on-one opportunity for individuals to work with a trained volunteer.
In terms of indoor recreation, the Special Needs Assistance Program provides a one-on-one opportunity for individuals to work with a trained volunteer to help accommodate their needs. Debbie Marinoff Shupe, the manager of recreation services, emphasized the value of such programs for members with both physical and mental disabilities. “So it could be somebody who feels really anxious in the facility due to a mental health
. . . the department is the process of creating a wheelchairaccessible trail in the McMaster forest, located in Dundas Valley. If anyone is interested in getting involved with outdoor recreation, but is hesitant about whether they have the ability to do a certain activity, Terryberry would be able to help. Activities such as accessible canoeing have been done before, and Terryberry claims that there are
GRAPHIC: ANDREW MROZOWSKI / A&C EDITOR
issue and we would connect them to a volunteer,” Shupe explains. “Could be somebody with hearing or seeing disabilities, and we’ll connect [them] to a volunteer so that they can participate in activities in the Pulse.” If working out in the Pulse isn’t your cup of tea, there are also intramural teams. Intramural programs are adaptable; in the past, ice hockey was adapted to a combination of ice hockey and sled hockey to
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y and (dis)ability accommodate the use of a sled. There are also wheelchair basketball and wheelchair European handball tournaments in the fall semester, and parasport as well as unified basketball tournaments in the winter semester. Of course, disabilities are not limited to physical ones. Mental disabilities are often overlooked when it comes to making athletics accessible, but Terryberry and Shupe assure that there are many programs for those with mental illnesses.
Intramural teams are adaptable; in the past, ice hockey was adapted to a combinaton of ice hockey and sled hockey to accommodate the use of a sled.
The Nature at McMaster program provides opportunities to go out on a walk, hike, or practice mindfulness — McMaster Athletics and Recreation worked very closely with Student Accessibility Services to help provide this program. The program hopes to encourage going out in nature to help promote good mental health. More information can be found on their website. Shupe also acknowledged that a lot of the David Braley Athletic Centre is currently inaccessible and that they have
plans to improve that in the near future. With the expansion of DBAC, the department hopes to purchase more equipment specific for wheelchair users and to remove other structural issues with the building.
With the expansion of DBAC, the department hopes to purchase more equipment specific for wheelchair users and to remove other structural issues with the building. “If you want to get to the second floor of the Pulse right now if you’re using a wheelchair, you’d have to leave the Pulse, take the elevator that’s on the other side and go up and then [back into the Pulse]. So you can get to it but it’s not very easy,” Shupe said. “[In the renovation] the actual elevator and bathrooms would be in the Pulse you wouldn’t have to actually leave the Pulse.” Signage is also something they’re working on. New signage packages were created for the expansion of DBAC and for the Student Activity Building to improve accessibility for those who need braille to read.
New signage packages were created for the expansion of DBAC and for the Student Activity Building to improve accessibility for those who need braille to read.
Anybody interested in offering feedback for any programs or starting an accessible program through the athletics and recreation department can contact Shupe at marinof@ mcmaster.ca. “We’re always open to new ideas for sure,” Shupe said. “If folks have any kind of sport interest in terms of making it more accessible or accommodating, it’s me that you contact and then depending on what the program is, we will work with the individual forwards.”
We’re always open to new ideas for sure . . . If folks have any kind of sport interest in terms of making it more accessible or accommodating, it’s me that you contact . . .” Debbie Marinoff Shupe Manager Recreation Services Anyone interested in checking out any athletics and recreation programs or activities or learning more about accessibility in the department can check out the app McMaster Recreation. Getting involved in athletics may seem like an impossible feat when you’re disabled, but there are a lot of opportunities to get active.
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GAMES
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019
Games
ACROSS
1- Distribute cards; 5- Devotees; 9- Clock pointer; 13- Prego rival; 14- Healing plants; 16- Peek follower; 17- City near Provo; 18- Knight’s weapon; 19- Diagonal; 20- Commoner; 21- ___-Magnon; 22- Equine sounds; 24- Split bit; 26- Gasp;
27- Boston airport; 29- Antiquated; 33- Cloud up; 34- Part of TLC; 35- Spicy cuisine; 36- Lummox; 37- Merchandise; 38- JFK posting; 39- Sketched; 41- Understood; 42- East Indian pepper plant; 44- Registered; 46- Pertaining to people; 47- Be dependent;
48- Brouhaha; 49- Many; 52- Constellation near Scorpius; 53- Soviet news service; 57- Moonfish; 58- Stomach woe; 60- Long Day’s Journey ___ Night; 61- California’s ___ Valley; 62- Rings of a chain; 63- Futile; 64- Flow slowly; 65- ___ majeste; 66- Raison d’ ___
26- Blender button; 27- Get to know; 28- Proposal; 29- Paddled; 30- Eighth Greek letter; 31- Consumed; 32- Clock face; 33- Predict; 34- Mudville slugger; 37- Intentional; 40- Render religious reverence; 42- Partially opened flower; 43- Affective; 45- Name of 13 popes; 46- Throaty;
48- Tough trips; 49- Election defeat; 50- Mayberry moppet; 51- Domesticated; 52- Skin disorder; 54- Med school subj.; 55- Recipe word; 56- Unit of loudness; 59- Like Abner
DOWN 1- Fall; 2- ____ Grey, tea type; 3- Pulitzer winner James; 4- Back pain; 5- Bird of prey; 6- What you put on snooze; 7- It’s frowned upon; 8- Triple ___; 9- Natural environment; 10- You’re making ___ mistake!; 11- Flood survivor; 12- Improvised bed; 15- Legislative bodies; 23- Pull the plug on; 25- Children’s game;
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Money Journals
A day at McMaster in Hamilton, ON with $21,606 in debt
TANYA TEMPEH Please buy me breakfast
Faculty: Soc Sci Major: PNB → Psych → ??? don’t tell my mom Age: 20 Location: Westdale Paycheque Amount (Monthly): :-(
Monthly expenses Rent: $550 for a converted closet that I share with my roommate, Steve. Student Loans: Over $20,000 and my first born child. TFSA: $200 Credit Card Debt: $350 Subscriptions: The Silhouette only
Daily breakdown 8:00 am – Recovering from a Snooty’s-Motown excursion. My feet hurt because I missed the last bus and had to walk home. I have no groceries so I head to campus with a half eaten Cliff bar and a Monster energy drink. 8:30 – I hope on the bus and tap
my Presto. I shout thank you as I get off despite the crowd of people between me and the bus driver. A futile thank you, but a free ride. 8:38 – Union Market for breakfast. Raisin bagel with 4 cream cheeses and the #2 flavoured coffee. The line is long so I sweat by the bagel toaster while hoping my professor won’t notice me strolling into class 10 minutes late. $2.50 8:45 – I decide to skip class anyway and go home to nap.
11:45 – 3 buses passed my stop because they were full. I walk to school groggy and hungry. 12:00 – La Piazza for lunch. Those giant slices of Pizza Pizza. Everything else is too expensive. Probably $2.50? I don’t know. I use the leftover balance from my first year meal plan. 12:15 – My mom etransfers me +$150. I cry in the MUSC basement (unrelated). 12:45 – During class, my friend and I decide to start a podcast. I
buy microphones from Amazon $156.99 12:47 – Immediately regret the decision and cancel my order. We’re not that funny anyway. +$156.99 1:20 – Class is over. I walk home and eat questionable leftovers. Free. 1:45 – I’m supposed to meet a professor for their office hour and they bail on me FIVE MINUTES BEFORE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO MEET. But being a
$30.49
ENTERTAINMENT $0
1:50 – I go to Thode so I can watch Stranger Things in peace. 5:30 – I don’t know where the time went. I didn’t even do any work. I don’t know who I am. 6:10 – Dinner at home. I Skip the Dishes a burrito to my house. $9.50 for the burrito. $15.99 for delivery. 7:13 – This time is for the boys.
The Breakdown FOOD + DRINK
good student, I’m here early and already printed my assignment at Underground. The worst part is this guy flaked on me yesterday too. He’s cancelled. 76 cents
HOUSING $550
9:10 – I fall asleep on my textbook and start this all over tomorrow. Priceless. Total: $28.75 + $21,606 - $150 = $21,484.75 PER ISSUE: a burrito INCL. HST, PST & guac
EDUCATION aaaahhhh ($20,000+ in debt)
TRANSPORT $0
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Hope you can read this tiny, tiny text.
OTHER $550.75