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NEWS BRAIN FOOD How one campus collab is tackling food insecurity at McMaster Page 3
The Silhouette Friday, March 17, 2017
THIS IS OUR GAME
McMaster women’s and men’s volleyball won the OUA championship and look to carry their momentum into nationals. Pages 24-25
FEATURE POOCH CAFÉ Locke Street coffee shop is a dog-friendly spot to stop by on a walk Page 6
ARTS & CULTURE ROY WOODS Brampton native chats about the come-up and signing with OVO Page 18
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The Silhouette
Volume 87, Issue 24 Friday, March 17, 2017 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
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In March 1974, seven French students organized a sit-in at the president’s office. According to Silhouette files, French undergrads were concerned with the quality of education, poor course instruction and the university’s decision to let three professors go. Despite large discussions hosted in the Burridge Gym, the issues were not resolved by the end of the school year.
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News More than what’s for dinner
Campus collaboration teaches valuable cooking skills and shows that food is a connector Rachel Katz Managing Editor
Food insecurity is a buzzword issue on campus, popping up in multiple campaign platforms and campus events. But it takes more than discussing an issue to create tangible change, and that is what Food for Thought has done. A collaboration between the Student Wellness Centre, Mac Bread Bin, the Indigenous Studies program and Mac Farmstand, Food for Thought is an initiative that aims toto equip students with basic cooking skills they can use on a slim student budget. The group operates largely as a series of cooking workshops, currently held at the Fortinos community kitchen in Ainslie Wood. While they have only run a few events this year, this is not the first time Food for Thought has popped up on campus. “A few years ago when I was finishing up my degree, I was volunteering with Farmstand and… I started a little salad bar and… served salads to students,” explained Jordan Weisz, the original founder of Food for Thought. “And I found there was overwhelming interest in what I was doing and how. So I started doing [free workshops] through the Ontario Public Interest Research Group.” Following his graduation, Weisz opened a business in Hamilton and put cooking on the back burner until last summer, when the groups now involved with Food for Thought came together. Taryn Aarssen, a wellness educator at the SWC, began looking into Food for Thought’s previous efforts. Following a donation from the Mac10 Young Alumni Bursary, she connected with Weisz and Adam Chiaravalle, Mac Farmstand’s education and advocacy coordinator. Chiaravalle met Weisz at a lecture over the summer and was inspired by his stories of the original Food for Thought
Jordan Weisz leads Food for Thought’s workshops. PHIL KIM / VIDEO EDITOR
program. “The funding was to expand our nutrition-related programming at the Student Wellness Centre in general,” Aarssen explained. “We offer Free Fruit Fridays, and that’s removing one barrier but there’s a lot more impact from offering food and cooking skills.” Shortly afterwards, they connected with Taylor Mertens, who heads Mac Bread Bin’s community kitchen initiative. “We’re all trying to put this together in our own separate areas based on the specific needs of those areas… Mac Bread Bin, Mac Farmstand and the Student Wellness Centre might have different goals but this kind of program meets all those goals and feeds the needs of all students,” Aarssen said. Despite each member’s different goals, each wants to see students gain essential cooking and nutrition skills from Food for Thought’s programming. “It’s really about technique and it’s about breaking down certain barriers that are preventing students from cooking for themselves, shopping for themselves,” said Weisz, who
now leads the cooking workshops. “Giving students [cooking] skills is really a life skill,” Chiaravalle added. To ensure the workshops are built around teaching students how to make nutritious meals, the program consults with the registered dietician on campus. Weisz, Aarssen, Mertens and Chiaravalle are all passionate about food, but their inspirations take different forms. For Weisz, the nutritional element of home-cooking was one of his reasons for starting Food for Thought during his undergraduate. “In first year I gained about 15 pounds eating on campus,” he explained. “And then you learn to cook and it really opens doors to relationships, community, the local agriculture.” Aarssen, on the other hand, was inspired when she learned how to make her own soup. “I look at my childhood and the reliance on Campbell’s soup and how that can be created very deliciously and with a few simple ingredients,” she said.
“It’s really about technique and it’s about breaking down certain barriers that are preventing students from cooking for themselves, shopping for themselves.” Jordan Weisz, Founder Food for Thought Mertens explained that he loved learning how to experiment with spices while making chicken fajitas for the first time, while Chiaravalle’s experience with food began with his first vegetable garden in Grade 8. Enthusiasm only takes an initiative so far though. Like many other campus groups, Food for Thought has run into the common problem of space, or lack thereof. “You’d be surprised how
challenging it is to find a kitchen [because] technically it has to be a professional or commercial kitchen that will allow you to come in,” Weisz said. While most workshops take place at Fortinos, Mertens cited the chili demonstration pop-up in the SWELL as a great example of how the group works with what they are given. “It was intimate… everyone [still] had a turn... we make do with what we can and that’s all we can do, really,” he said. “I think that’s an over-arching theme of what we’re trying to do,” said Weisz. “The point of this is to teach students to cook, but we also take into consideration the time and budget constraints that students are on… [and also] teaching people to make do with what’s around them.” Food for Thought announces their workshops through their Facebook page, and will continue to connect people through food. @RachAlbertaKatz
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NEWS
Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Mac’s latest major investment
McMaster University secures $1.37 million in research funding to support innovative projects Steven Chen News Reporter
As yet another convincing testament for the institution’s prowess in research, seven McMaster investigators have been awarded a total of $1.37 million in funding from the Canada Foundation For Innovation. The $1.37 million was supplied from the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund, a fund designed as a critical strategic investment tool to help institutions elevate promising researchers. The awards were announced in late February by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science. The seven projects arise from different streams of research ranging from digital economy to breast cancer diagnostics. The merit-based support from JELF for these projects may be attributed to the university’s long-term stance on proliferating many diverse research areas. “Expanding our infrastructure capacity on such a broad range of initiatives will allow our researchers, from across the disciplines, to contribute to the health, economic and social well-being of Canadians,” said Rob Baker, McMaster’s vice president (Research) in a press release. Baker has recently furthered his plans to enhance McMaster’s status as a research leader last week in a meeting with the Board of Governors. In particular, he presented a novel strategic plan to be developed in collaboration with faculties. The aim is to identify and provide equitable support for the aspects of research that require it the most. Moreover, he assured the university of his intentions to improve logistical support for major funding programs by working with the deans, the provost and the president to prepare detailed institutional packages for the application process. The demand for financial support in research is complemented by the tangible example of how the JELF is benefiting Prof. Yu Lu at the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute. As one of the seven recipients of the $1.37 million in total funding, Lu received $400,000 towards his project “Investigating Alternative
Seven McMaster investigators have been awarded a total of $1.37 million in funding from the Canada Foundation For Innovation. Splicing Regulation in Stem Cell Differentiation”. Lu is exploring stem cells and the great potential they hold for cell therapies. Once triggered with the right conditions, stem cells can quickly change their identities into downstream cell types. Protein mechanisms serve as one possible way for this change, and the use of technology to discover these underlining mechanisms is the basis for Prof. Yu Lu’s research. While $400,000 seems at first glance to be hefty sum, the rationale behind it is not difficult to understand. “For my work, [advanced equipment] including an ultra-performance liquid chromatography system, a high-resolution high-accuracy high-speed tandem mass spectrometer, and proteomic software are needed,” said Lu. The equipment listed above are principle components for identifying, characterizing and quantifying proteins from cells. This would lend support for Prof. Lu’s research in uncovering key proteins that play a role in stem cell differentiation. “At McMaster, there is no instrumentation that suits our need. While there are facilities in Toronto and further away in Ontario and throughout the country, the cost to use facility services will be prohibitive for this research program over the long run. And before the funding of this CFI-JELF grant, there was no funding available to purchase the proteomics platform.” Following the generous funding from CFI-JELF, the possibilities for Lu’s research have dramatically increased. By overcoming the financial costs in purchasing and setting up the high-end equipment for his lab, he has been given the chance to take the next step in leading research in his field. @steven6chen
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www.thesil.ca | Friday, March 17, 2017
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Women supporting women
Student groups held programming throughout the week to discuss women’s lived experiences Emily O’Rourke News Reporter
McMaster Students Union’s Women and Gender Equity Network made waves on campus last week as part of their annual March campaign. WGEN is an MSU service that caters to women, transfolk, people who identify outside of the gender binary and survivors of sexual assault by providing a safe space on campus. In addition, they program campaigns and events throughout the year that centre around education, community building and advocacy. From March 6-10, WGEN held a campaign of intersectional feminist programming and events. The campaign, titled Making Waves, served as an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the feminist community and to challenge social norms through programming that reflected upon the dimensions of intersectional feminism. Making Waves took form in several events throughout the week, from interactive, discussion and art-based workshops, hosting Jay Pitter, an author, placemaker and senior stakeholder engagement professional as a keynote speaker, to a club night at Mills Hardware. “All of our events centred around creating a safe space for folks to come and either talk about their own experiences or learn from others,” said Jaime Cook, WGEN’s promotions and social media executive. “We believe that creating spaces for these types of discussions to take place is one of the best ways to educate and empower folks. We do our best to make each event as intersectional as possible… so our workshops and discussions went beyond gender and
Jay Pitter, pictured here, gave a talk where she discussed strategies for engaging more women in city-building processes. C/O MSU WOMEN AND GENDER EQUITY NETWORK
sexuality which, in my eyes, is the only way to go about having these discussions,” she said. The middle of the week, March 8, marked International Women’s Day, a day that often leaves out women of colour, trans women, gender non-binary folk and women with disabilities. The events that took place throughout Making Waves were programmed to be inclusive, supportive and accessible to as many individuals as possible. “Articulating discrimination or trying to organize to fight for better treatment is very emotional and personal,” said Alexii Hernandez, one of two social and political advocacy executives at WGEN. “I think holding these events gathers more people who are personally
affected by sexism and racism, for example, and facilitates the promotion of solidarity.” Intersectional feminism recognizes that all women experience oppression in varied ways and to different degrees of intensity. In programming events that recognized this, WGEN enabled thoughtful discussion, built community and promoted the visibility of intersectional feminism on campus. “There is a lot of ignorance around feminism and issues pertaining to oppression because there are people who are not personally affected in their day to day and don’t really want to get involved, because it’s difficult. Events like this make people consider these
issues because they are [public], they have a presence so you can engage with them directly. The more we talk about these, the harder it is to ignore,” said Hernandez. With larger campaigns, WGEN hopes to engage individuals who may not know about their service, create safe spaces on campus and ultimately contribute to the larger discussion surrounding inequality. These campaigns, which are hosted throughout the year, also aim to demonstrate visibility and offer support for anyone who needs to use the services that WGEN offers. @emily_oro
“I think holding these events gathers more people who are personally affected by sexism and racism, for example, and facilitates the promotion of solidarity.” Alexii Hernandez Social and political advocacy executive WGEN
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FEATURE
Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Canines and coffee Last month, My Dog’s Café and Bar opened its doors down on Locke Street. The shop welcomes both two-legged humans and their four-legged friends in to socialize and enjoy coffee and treats.Owner Wendy Perron talks about a chihuahua named Pecan and future plans for the shop.
Alexandra Florescu Features Reporter
The recent opening of My Dog’s Café and Bar on Locke Street South gets tails wagging. It is the only coffee shop within one bus ride from campus that allows dogs inside. Unlike the other coffee shops on the street, you won’t see any dogs tied up outside. Instead, they will be inside enjoying Pupcakes and pets. With the rise in popularity of animal cafes in Toronto, it is not surprising that they are popping up in Hamilton as well. The only other restaurant that allows animals inside is Munchies Café and BARKery, but it is located on the mountain near Lime Ridge Mall and can be quite a trek from campus. Students and pet owners have
welcomed the animal interaction a little closer to home.
Locked in
Most people would meet the opening of a new café on Locke Street South with eyerolls. The street already has a number of coffee shops, including Democracy, Brown Dog Café and Starbucks. Instead, owner Wendy Perron sees an opportunity to bring something different to the business area. Locke is a popular area for dog walkers, and allowing animals in the store makes for a unique experience for both dog owners and lovers. Originally from the Toronto area, Perron came to Hamilton to open the shop. Perron’s mother, who has helped her get the business up and running, was familiar with the area.
They wanted to capitalize on the growing momentum and success of Locke Street. For Perron, who was a formerly a print broker, the idea to open up a place for dogs was exciting but just a dream. “Just because I thought it was a good idea didn’t mean that I was going to go ahead with it,” said Perron. It wasn’t until one of her old friends starting talking about opening her own business that she got the push to go ahead with the idea. After losing her dog of 16 years, Perron got a longhaired chihuahua named Pecan that is now the resident dog of My Dog’s Café and Bar. Usually sitting by the front window, he welcomes everyone that walks through the door with barks. Perron encourages people to interact with Pecan, who loves
getting pets and cuddles. Visitors can count on Pecan to be there and ready to play.
Different walks of the world
My Dog’s Café and Bar has been open for less than a month, but the floors are already scratched from all the dogs that have passed through. Perron was surprised how far some people travelled to get to her coffee shop. People from Waterloo, Mississauga, Brantford and Toronto have brought their dogs on their way through Hamilton. One couple from Ottawa stopped on their way west, bringing a board game with them and lounged for a few hours. “Everybody is so happy coming into this place… If you were to come in on the weekend
“I had a girl who was studying here for a couple of hours. Pecan barks and barks and barks. At one point she asked if she could hold Pecan. When I looked over, she was studying away and Pecan was sleeping on her lap.” Wendy Perron Owner
FEATURE
www.thesil.ca | Friday, March 17, 2017
you would see people talking across the tables and asking about each others dogs and having a conversation. I have never seen anything like that before,” said Perron of the friendly atmosphere.
Therapy dogs
Animal companionship has been said to be a calming and comforting experience. Research shows that being around dogs can improve mood and decrease stress-related parameters. McMaster’s own therapy dogs provide companionship and relaxation for students studying at libraries during and in KTH. 23 Ontario universities pro-
vide Animal Assisted Activities during exam time. While there is a lack of studies looking at the effect of AAA at Canadian universities, a pilot study by St. John Ambulance found that it to be a de-stressing and positive experience. My Dog’s Café and Bar offers a therapeutic environment in which students can study, as long as they are okay with occasional barking. “I had a girl who was studying here for a couple of hours. Pecan barks and barks and barks. At one point she asked if she could hold Pecan. When I looked over, she was studying away and Pecan was sleeping
on her lap,” said Perron. Other students have come and spent hours rolling around with Pecan on the floor. Weekends are the busiest, but on off hours the café is quiet and relaxing. “Sometimes it gets into dog park mode a little bit,” Perron admitted. “The hyper dogs just take time to settle in. Everybody seems to know it takes a few minutes for their dog to calm down.” You do not need to have a dog to visit the café. For students whose landlords don’t allow them to have pets or for those in residence, My Dog’s Café and Bar provides the fix animal lovers need.
Cooking for two
Just as the name suggests, My Dog’s Café and Bar is a coffee shop not only for humans, but for dogs as well. Momma Bear’s Barkery supplies the treats for the dogs while Vintage Coffee on King Street provides the coffee for their owners. Perron is in the process of acquiring a liquor license and expanding the food options to include cheese and meat boards alongside the current decadent treats. She hopes to have the liquor license by the time the weather warms up, planning to make good use of the patio. She also hopes to buy more food from local providers, such as bagels and scones
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from Locke Street Bakery.
Bark On
Various rescue organizations have reached out to Perron, and she is excited about partnering up with them to educate the public about the issue. She has currently partnered up with a greyhound rescue to bring dogs by the café on March 26. As for resident dogs, Perron says that she hopes one day she can get a little girlfriend for Pecan. Until then, Pecan will have to greet visitors to My Dog’s Café and Bar on his own. @alexxflorescu
Pecan making a new friend MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
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The overall premise of General Assembly is that any motion passed with quorum is binding on the organization. But there are a lot of other reasons to attend, including the opportunity to hear updates from the executives on what’s been going on in the organization, and ask questions.
BLAKE OLIVER
Vice President (Education) vped@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x24017
The MSU is always ready to represent students and enhance student life, and in order to do that, we need to hear your voice. There are many opportunities during the school year for students to ask questions, propose ideas, and take important steps towards change, including participating in the Policy Conference, engaging with the State of the Union, or submitting ideas for the Student Life Enhancement Fund. Perhaps one of the most important opportunities is a meeting of our highest governing body: the annual General Assembly. Section IV, part A of the MSU Constitution guarantees that one meeting of the General Assembly shall be held each academic year for all full-time undergraduate students. This year, the date is Wednesday, March 22, from 4 – 7pm in Burridge Gym.
a simple procedural primer will be done at the beginning of the assembly to ensure that everyone in attendance understands the procedures.
If you’re interested in attending, registration will open at 3:15pm on Wednesday. All you need is yourself and your student card. Hope to see you there!
General Assembly is a great way to give your input on any issues that may impact the organization. At each General Assembly, the Board of Directors gives a presentation outlining the changes made within the MSU. In addition, it’s a great way to give your input on any issues that may impact the organization. Unlike other meetings held within the organization, like meetings of the Student Representative Assembly or the Executive Board, General Assembly gives speaking rights to all MSU members and is specifically designed to give students the opportunity to raise concerns and issues within the union, have them addressed, and direct the actions of the MSU. All motions for this year’s General Assembly, as well as the agenda, can be found online at msumcmaster.ca/ga. This site also provides documentation from past meetings of the General Assembly, for your reference. All students are welcome to attend this accessible event:
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TEXT ‘MSU’ TO 71441
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.
www.thesil.ca | Friday, March 17, 2017
EDITORIAL
Editorial Bridging the generational gap Millennials face a harsh economic climate, and older generations need to admit it
Scott Hastie Editor-in-Chief
The so-called gig economy is the new reality for millennials and it will take its toll. An ad for Fiverr, a website that connects freelancers to paid opportunities, made the rounds on Twitter recently because it promoted the ridiculous lifestyle that many fresh graduates face. The text read: “You eat a coffee for lunch. You follow through on your follow through. Sleep deprivation is your drug of choice. You might be a doer.” This ad reeks of the prevailing wisdom found in both the comment sections in every article about millennial employment rates and in many boardrooms across the country. The belief that all you need is “hard work and a positive attitude” to get a job is equal parts wrong and insulting. A CBC article from March 12 headlined “The millennial side hustle” outlines a common experience for university graduates: precarious work, multiple
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jobs, no benefits, and underemployment. Someone who is both bartending and walking dogs is probably not fulfilling the baby boomer’s definition of “hard work” because there isn’t the same amount of physical labour involved. Their work is taxing though; the uncertainty that weighs on a debt-ridden graduate is hard to quantify, but the rising number of mental health issues with 20-somethings is a good place to start. Keeping a positive attitude is a rich suggestion and probably comes from someone who hasn’t had to look for a job in years. The modern job search system is set up to beat the optimism out of you. When you click through jobs in LinkedIn or on McMaster’s job posting portal, you can see how many people have viewed or applied for the job. I’ve been looking for entry-level communications jobs and the number of applicants for just one of the job boards is usually in the hundreds. Start to do the math and your optimism fades fast.
How many straight OUA championships has the men’s volleyball team won?
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It is time that the older generation starts to embrace the facts: compared to 1976, education levels have risen, yet unemployment rates for people aged 17 to 24 have stayed the same and full-time employment rates have dropped. If this demographic achieves full-time employment, it is more likely to be temporary work. These numbers come from Stats Canada. Lamenting the state of today’s youth isn’t going to solve the impending problems that come with a workforce that is underemployed, struggling to pay off debts and unable to afford a home. Millennials have proven to be an innovative group that will solve problems when they can. (Seriously, just go to a party where the keg tap breaks and there’s a quarter of the beer left. Somehow, we will find a way to get it open.) The harsh economy is not something we can solve on our own. We need older generations to step up and create change. If they don’t, everyone will lose out. @Scott1Hastie
What street is Cháo on?
to egg drama in the office. to drunk dabbing and pulling a muscle. to whippets in sweaters. to argan oil. to returned apple baskets. to getting hired five minutes after the reference call. to clean ultraboosts. to Tobi’s slam night. to the thumb wrestling federation. to old-man slippers. to Canadian Club. to Ken Hall, but not Kenneth Taylor Hall.
to (Your Name) the Hedgehog. to the future of the airline industry. to CatNab. the post snow day happiness. I needed more thumbs down. to vulva cloning. to Sleeping Beauty. to jade green. to the McGill hazing issues. Figure it out. to loofahs. to La Senza Girl. to changing paints. to your tweets.
to 2k Twitter followers (humblebrag.)
to that one door in DBAC that is hard to open. It’s been over a year.
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HUMANS
What would be the one thing you want to do before you die? L: I would probably want to say everything that I need to say. I haven’t said anything that I need to say. I would want the most honest version of myself to be public, which is scary and intimidating, which is why that hasn’t happened yet. Be the most honest version of myself. J: I like helping people and seeing progress in their life. I want to help someone or a bunch of people in some way, so that I know that I have had an impact on someone’s life in some way. What would you like to change about the world? L: One thing I would like to change about this world would be the presence of social media in our lives. It’s getting hard to be ourselves. With so many influences, it can get hard, but the world doesn’t need you
Growing up, I was a straight A student. I was like hyper and I was in a gifted class. I was always on top of my game. But, when Grade 8 hit, I Amna Azhar Communications II
Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
to try and imitate somebody else. A lot of people aren’t even portraying the real version of themselves, and even being a genuine version of something. The world doesn’t need another person, but they need you. I think people don’t even take the time to get to know who they are, and I know that it is not an easy thing to do but its about spending time by yourself and understanding what your heartbeat is for and what your passions are and convey and do it. Social media can be a good thing but it can be a problem when it stops you from being your genuine self.
Lauren Arnold (right) & Jaime Gardner (left) Level I Social Sciences; Level I Kinesiology
J: I have seen so many people being consumed by social media so much that they are not even aware of what’s going on around them. Lack of an Instagram photo will ruin the day or why isn’t anyone liking your photos will somehow mean something bad. Also, I think people don’t care about the environment. If there was a public service announcement that I could make or issue a policy that could help the environment, that would be great. Being a vegetarian would be the right step in the right direction too.
got diagnosed with cancer. The chemotherapy took a really heavy toll on my mental state and my body. I got really, really weak. But, I kept fighting because I knew I had to do things in my life. I kept fighting and fighting; I got better. But when I got back to school, I was not able to pick up concepts. Everything used
GAGANGEET KAUR & SIMRAN GILL/ PHOTO CONTRIBUTOR
to come so easy to me in my life, but now it is not coming so easy to me. I got extra help from my high school and I got my grades up as the years went by. When I came here, I went into commerce thinking that I should do it because my dad did business, even though that’s not where my strengths were. So, when I came to commerce, I had so much anxiety and was so stressed out.
If cancer has taught me anything, it’s that you have to keep fighting no matter what happens in your life because that’s the meaning of life. Life is tough and these things make you stronger as a person. Like you know how in Mulan, it’s like “I’ll make a man out of you.” Cancer and bipolar disorder made a man out of me.
expected of you. But then, you end up screwing yourself over. It’s like a puzzle. You just need to keep putting the pieces until they fit together. But, it’s good to speak out. I’m glad that there is a discussion about it because the more you discuss it, the more other people will realize, “okay, I think I am also going through this.”
You just think you should do something because it is
For me, it was always like, “I am taking a year off and all the people in my grade are doing this now.” Comparing yourself is the most toxic thing and you have to realize there is no timeline. I wished I did not have to go through this mental stress. But then, I wouldn’t be me. There is only one of you and we have different things we are good at. There is a better plan in motion. You don’t realize it, but when you end up in the right place, like I am in communications now. Now, I say, “Thank god for everything.” “Thank god for cancer.” It all works out. It gets better and you just need to be patient. Yung Lee Photo Reporter
www.thesil.ca | Friday, March 17, 2017
The Silhouette | 11
Opinion The new referendum does not change enough Changes to the Pulse & Recreation Expansion do not take enough concerns into consideration
C/O MCMASTER STUDENTS UNION David Philpott Contributor
It has been over a month and a half since the first Pulse & Recreation Expansion Referendum failed and we are already voting on it again. Though to be fair, there are two changes between January’s referendum and this one. First, the university has increased its financial contribution by $10 million, which would reduce the proposed increase in student fees from $3.95 to $2.99 per unit. Second, instead of the three options in the first referendum, students will now have two: to build both a Pulse expansion and a Student Activity Building, or to reject all fee increases. My main issue is that despite the failure of the January
referendum, student concerns have still not been addressed. A fee reduction is obviously good for students. But we care not only about how much we will be paying, but how it will be spent. Throughout the referendum campaign students brought up a variety of issues they had with the proposed deal. Despite this, the McMaster Students Union Board of Directors has not changed enough about the deal this next referendum offers. These issues include: • A compulsory 12 month Pulse membership for all students, instead of the four, eight and 12 month options offered currently • No opt-out option for the Pulse membership • A minimalistic plan about what the space in the Student
Activity Building will be used for • An unclear transition plan for the Pulse and concerns of overcrowding • A long-term payment plan that would have students paying for this expansion until 2060 None of these issues have been addressed in this referendum. However, what stands out the most about the first referendum is that over 60 per cent of voters chose options that did not contain the Student Activity Building. With a clear mandate like that, one would think the plan for this building needs to be reconsidered after more consultation with students. But that has not happened and the same flawed plan is now being proposed again. Some say it is necessary
A fee reduction is obviously good for students. But we care not only about how much we will be paying, but how it will be spent. we rush ahead with this plan. I understand there are some economic constraints on funding commitments and many groups are eager to move into new spaces. But, considering students will be paying for this new building for the next 43 years, we should not rush ahead with a faulty plan. We need to make sure student interests and issues are being addressed. How can we believe this been done
when it has only been six weeks since the last referendum? On Feb. 24, Ryan MacDonald, the MSU vice-president (Finance), said in a Facebook post that, “This (failure of the first referendum) sent a clear message that students wanted the university to contribute more to this project.” It is true that the university contributing more is a positive, but the referendum needs more adjustments than that. So let’s send that message again. Next week, vote no and let the university and the MSU inner circle know we students matter. Our concerns need to be addressed, and that you can’t keep proposing the same referendum until you get the answer you are looking for.
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OPINION
Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
An exciting and suspicious summer job Companies targeting McMaster students are often too good to be true
Nick Bommarito Production Editor Owen Angus-Yamada Contributor
The time is coming for students to put down their books, close their laptops and stop biting their nails. Summer is a time for the beach, bike rides and of course, getting a job. For some students, a summer job is a stepping stone in gaining valuable work experience. For others, it’s about maximizing your earnings in the four-month window to pay for everything the school year entails. A lengthy and gruelling interviewing process is an unfortunate necessity for many in the job search, and one I am not personally looking forward to. However, as I have experienced, far too many companies take advantage of students’ desire for an easy-to-get job that’s also high paying. The truth is that it’s hard getting a good summer job, and it’s easy to be tricked by these companies targeting students with big claims. You’ve probably seen Property Stars in the Student Centre or have had a College Pro advocate come to one of your lectures telling you about an exciting opportunity for you to make more than $100 a day by working your own hours and being an entrepreneur. If you aren’t immediately suspicious of their claims, then just remember that if it’s too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true. I personally worked for a company like Property Stars a few summers ago, and I can say that while some of their claims can be achieved, the road leading to achievement is far from
The truth is that it’s hard getting a good summer job, and it’s easy to be tricked by these companies targeting students with big claims. transparent. It’s easy to end up overwhelmed and at a loss. What these companies don’t say upfront is that the position is full commission and you aren’t guaranteed to earn a penny. They tantalize you with thoughts that you will be earning $100 to $400 a day. In the hiring stage, hiring managers embellish the positives and leave out all the negatives regarding the position. They want you on board because they get you to sign a contract, which means money in their own pockets. Other lines in the contract can force you to agree to being charged nonnegotiable amounts of money. The companies do a good job of making you feel like you will be earning so much that it won’t even matter. It’ll leave you wondering what you were thinking when you agreed. These companies are also good at framing the difficult and stressful aspects of the job as something that is easy for anyone to solve. All you need to do is work harder. Unfortunately, not everyone can successfully go door-to-door looking for sales, and if you find
out that you can’t, then working harder isn’t going do much. I’ve seen many students work long hours during the summer with companies like these and lose money. These types of companies go after students because we are still naive and believe that a
high-paying, experience-building summer job can land right in our laps. If you are applying to any sort of summer job, you must ask plenty of questions. A job where an employer gets you excited to start working and gives you the position without an interview deserves plenty of
skepticism. Unless you have that one friend or family member who “has connections” and can “pull some strings for you,” then you better put your nice suit on and prepare your best questions for the interviewer because no one eats for free.
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EVENTS CALENDAR McMaster Pangea When: March 19, 2017 from 11:00AM until 05:00PM Where: MUSC (2nd and 3rd floor) Registration on first floor MUSC prior to start of event. Tickets: $12 Full Day Ticket
MSU Teaching Award Ceremony 2017 When: March 20, 2017 from 06:00PM until 08:00PM Where: Gilmour Hall 111 Make sure you checkout MSU Macademics’ final event of the year! Remember the professors and TAs you nominated for an award? You can come out to support them during the award ceremony on March 20th! Keep an eye out for the final list of nominees that we will publish. Hope to see you there!
Battle of the Bands Finale (new date!) When: March 21, 2017 from 08:00PM until 11:00PM Where: Casbah McMaster, Introducing your Final Four! Congratulations to Back in the Daze, Detour, Sam Holladay, and Waking Willow! The votes are in, the bands are set, and we are ready for an unforgettable night filled with Mac talent at The Casbah! RSVP now and help us pick the winner live on March 14th! Doors open at 8PM and a reminder that the event is FREE and ALL AGES!
Referendum: Campaigning Dates When: March 16 to 23 Pulse & Recreation Expansion and Student Activity Building Referendum. The campaign
period will commence on March 16 and run through March 23. Voting will take place March 22 and March 23 online via a student’s McMaster email address.
Spring Valedictorian nominations open until March 24 Every year, the McMaster Students Union (MSU) recognizes outstanding graduating students in each faculty with the Valedictorian Awards. Each valedictorian gives an address at their respective convocation. The nomination period opens February 27 and closes March 24 at 4:30pm. All relevant information, including the nomination package, is available via msumcmaster.ca/valedictorian.
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Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
OPINION
Sophie Trudeau’s work on eating disorders McMaster students should take lessons from national conversations Whitney Klahom WGEN Contributor
The prevalence of eating disorders is growing, says Melissa Kimber, a Postdoctoral Fellow working in McMaster’s Offord Centre for Child Studies. The elevated frequency of conditions like disordered eating and body dysphoria stems from many factors including, but not limited to, social pressures to conform to unattainable beauty ideals. Despite the popular stereotype of eating disorders as an affliction for adolescent girls, young adults, particularly students, can and do suffer from them as well. The Freshman 15 and the fear of it can provoke anxiety among university students that adds to general societal pressures regarding body image. The Queen’s University student newspaper has previously reported that 51 per cent of students at Canadian universities engage in binge eating, and bulimia incidence among female students at postsecondary institutions is around two per cent. That’s comparable to the national average, which Statistics Canada puts at one to three per cent. At McMaster, the resources are there to seek support, like counselling services and support groups through the Wellness Centre. Off campus, Hamilton’s Body Brave offers workshops and clinical support around combatting eating disorders and body image issues, and St. Joseph’s Healthcare has an inpatient eating disorder clinic for more prolonged support. Despite the community resources available, the stigma
Let’s all try to be fearless about our discussions of eating disorders like her while accessing and spreading knowledge about the resources available in Hamilton and McMaster. surrounding eating disorders can be a significant barrier to accessing these supports. That’s where Sophie Grégoire Trudeau comes in. She is seemingly tireless, continually advocating for and volunteering with charities across Canada that are related to the broad, multivalent issue of women’s rights. Both her charitable advocacy for eating disorder awareness and her uncompromising honesty regarding her past struggles with bulimia make her someone university students can and should hold in high esteem. She’s talked about suffering from bulimia as a teenager since 2006 when she was still the Quebec correspondent for eTalk, and she’s been consistently open about that part of her past ever since. In 2013, she spoke on the matter at a fundraiser for Toronto-based eating disorder support centre, Sheena’s Place. Just recently, she gave a similar speech on Parliament Hill during Eating Disorders Awareness Week. She’s worked with the Baca Clinic and the
Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association to raise further awareness of eating disorders. She has helped advocate for healthy living with organizations like FitSpirit and Fillactive. A notable amount of her charity work, particularly for Plan Canada and Fillactive, is on a volunteer basis. She, for her part, has consistently put her money where her mouth is for over a decade, and her honesty regarding this crucial issue holds some valuable lessons for university students. We may not have as much free time as Ms. Trudeau has to dedicate to charities, though we can and should certainly try, but we can always be honest with ourselves and others about body image issues and eating disorders. We can always be the ones to break the silence, to have those awkward conversations and to say enough is enough. Her efforts in nationally reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders should be a source of inspiration for McMaster students. Let’s all try to be fearless about our discussions of eating disorders like her while accessing and spreading knowledge about the resources available in Hamilton and McMaster. We should continue to support and normalize conversations around these experiences, so others may feel safe getting the help they need.
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www.thesil.ca | Friday, March 17, 2017
| 17
Arts & Culture Say “cháo” to your new go-to New banh mi and ramen shop on Barton Street is just as friendly as their name suggests
C/O PHIL KIM
Saigonese Banh Mi, with house made sausage. C/O PHIL KIM Rachel Katz Managing Editor
If you asked Vy Phan and Hung Doan what they studied in school, you would never expect them to say they now run a restaurant. But they are the proud owners of Cháo, a new banh mi and ramen restaurant on Barton Street East, just around the corner from James Street North. After moving to Hamilton from Vietnam, both Phan and Doan attended Mohawk College for graphic design and chemical engineering, respectively. “I finished the program and didn’t like it so I switched to culinary school [at George Brown College] in Toronto,” Doan explained. After finishing culinary school, Doan worked in several high-profile Toronto kitchens,
but he and Phan had plans to own their own restaurant. “[Hung] wanted to make his own banh mi,” Phan said with a laugh. Originally, the pair had plans with friends to open a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant, but a difference of opinions led to them following separate paths. “We actually wanted to open a banh mi stall in the farmers’ market,” Phan explained. “But they already had one… So then it was just looking for another location. And then we found this space… And during the renovations the neighbourhood came by and they said hi. They said this is a good place [to open].” Cháo, which means ‘hello’ in Vietnamese, welcomes patrons with its homey feel and simple banh mi bread logo,
designed by Phan, along with their website. The walls are lined with three-dimensional images of trees, handmade by Doan’s father. A chalk menu lists the restaurant’s two pork ramen options (shoyu and miso) and three banh mi sandwiches (Saigonese, meatball and pulled chicken). For those looking for the classic option, Doan recommends the Saigonese banh mi, made with house-made cold cut sausage. “At first we wanted to do all Vietnamese food and do pho, but there are so many pho restaurants around here. And then ramen is still a new thing to Hamilton,” Doan said. Both dishes were a challenging but fun puzzle for Doan, who spent almost a year perfecting his banh mi bread
C/O INSTAGRAM @CHAORESTO
recipe. It’s similar to a French baguette, but lighter and crispier. “We went to Costco and I bought 40 kg of flour and I was testing all the recipes,” he said. “When I went to school, there was a pastry class. And [after] I went to that class I went home and I practiced making dough for baguettes.” “We tried to ask some Vietnamese people and they just said no,” added Phan. “Vietnamese [restaurants] keep recipes secret.” He slowly tweaked his recipe until it matched his expectations: fluffy and light, but with the right hit of crispiness. Doan also spent a considerable amount of time on developing the ideal ramen formula. “I like thick and gelatinous broth and I like the noodles to be chewy, so I make my noodles
a little bit chewy,” he said. While their menu list may be short, making a choice at Cháo is tough; both the ramen and banh mi are filling and delicious. Everything served at the restaurant, from the bread, to the sausage, to the ramen broth and noodles, is made in-house by Phan and Doan. It takes hours to prep for each business day. “We come [here] early in the morning, around six a.m. to make the bread,” explained Phan. At this time of year, it can be tempting to stay inside as much as possible and wait for spring. But it is worth the walk to Cháo for a hearty, cozy meal. @RachAlbertaKatz
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A&C
Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
ROY WOOD$ Brampton native talks music, the come-up and creative challenges being a part of OVO sound.
C/O MSU CAMPUS EVENTS
A&C
www.thesil.ca | Friday, March 17, 2017
Michelle Yeung A&C Reporter
When Drake dropped “Marvin’s Room” — the lead single off the rapper’s sophomore album, Take Care — in 2011, a then 15-yearold Roy Woods had it on repeat for weeks on end. Years later, it would remain his most-played song on iTunes and become a major influence on his songwriting. Little did Woods know, he would go on to sign under Drake’s label, OVO Sound, collaborate with the “Marvin’s Room” crooner himself, and become a member of the renowned OVO family within a few short years. Roy Woods is somewhat of a hip-hop wunderkind. Not long ago, he was an aspiring rapper from Brampton, Ontario, playing football and attending classes at Turner Fenton Secondary School. Today, he is working with the likes of Drake, The Weeknd, PartyNextDoor and Future. Music has always played an important role in Woods’ life; the first time he picked up a microphone, he performed “Miami” by Will Smith. The music his parents would play around the house, most prominently Michael Jackson, shaped who he would become as an artist and continues to influence the music he creates today. In the often distracting world of hip-hop, where music videos and songs boast blinding opulence and unattainable lifestyles, Woods stands out by stripping things back down to the basics. He excels at writing songs that are rooted in his personal narrative, focusing on feelings and past relationships. He strikes a delicate balance that only a few succeed in doing; he is sweet but not saccharine, relatable but not corny. Though he is a rapper, Woods has an indisputably exquisite voice. He considers himself a singer above all else; his songs predominantly feature haunting vocals atop a track of intricate beats. There are moments of silence, echoes and orchestral swells, giving his work a signature dreamy quality that so many people have come to love. Prior to Roy Woods, the Guyanese-Canadian originally operated under the moniker “Pression”. When that name no longer fit his aesthetic, Woods conducted an informal survey in the hallways of Turner Fenton in search for a new name. “Roy Woods” was the winner.
| 19
“
I love experiencing what those two worlds [have to offer] because there are [people who are so different but also so similar. Roy Woods Rapper OVO Sound
Since then, Woods has gone from regular talent nights at a local YMCA to posting his tracks onto his Soundcloud account to getting a call from Oliver El-Khatib, founder of OVO and Drake’s long-time manager. “Man, it was actually mind-blowing, you know, even to this day. I was in Grade 7 when I started listening to Drake, I was 12 years old… so from listening to Drake [to Oliver] hitting me up and becoming a part of the family… I’m speechless a lot of the time… because it’s not something I try to spend time thinking about… I just thank God for this opportunity and I continue doing what I have to do,” said Woods. The allure and mystique surrounding OVO is a global phenomenon. OVO has evolved into more than just “Drake’s brand,” and OVO Sound has become much more than just “Drake’s record label”. Legions of fans have made OVO a part of their identity. While Drake has become the global ambassador for Toronto, everyone in the OVO family has become Toronto hip-hop royalty. Since signing with OVO, Woods has catapulted from being a Soundcloud favourite cloaked in relative anonymity to global stardom. He released his debut EP, Exis, in 2015, followed by 2016’s Waking At Dawn project and the Nocturnal EP, all to immense support and acclaim from fans and industry folk alike. “It was a weird transition… [I was just a] high school kid from a small town… and now I’m out here [in Toronto] living this lifestyle… [with] lots of parties, lots of girls, lots of cool and creative people doing their
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own things. Music was my life, music was what I loved to do, but it was a hobby. Turning your hobby into… your career, you know, that’s [pretty dope].” said Woods. Last summer, Woods landed one of the biggest gigs of his career thus far — opening for Drake and Future on the Summer Sixteen tour. The show featured guest appearances from a slew of hip-hop heavy weights and surpassed Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne tour in 2011 as the highest-grossing hip-hop tour of all time. “[The Summer Sixteen tour] was lit… man, it was lit. That was a blessing… even when I think back to it now [I’m in disbelief]. Being on the tour I was constantly going: ‘This is sick, let’s do this, it’s game time,’ and then coming off of it I was like: ‘Wow, I just did that!’… the flashbacks that I have are crazy and beautiful all at once,” said Woods. Still, the Brampton native doesn’t think he has made it big just yet. Although his world has changed drastically, he is more focused on what lies ahead in his life and career. “The music, hip-hop lifestyle is a dream, you know. I feel like I step into two different worlds… when I’m strictly
making music I’m on the grind and focused on creating music, but when I’m experiencing the lifestyle I’m out there [having a good time]. I love experiencing what those two worlds [have to offer] because there are [people who are so different but also so similar]… I’ve been learning a lot and taking in all of my surroundings,” said Woods. Perhaps it is this humility and perspective that has garnered him such a dedicated base of supporters. Music aside, Woods is an extremely personable and cool guy. He is oddly relatable. He is an avid supporter of Supreme and Stone Island, just like many of his fans. “Mask Off ” from Future’s recent release, HNDRXX, is his song of the moment. He has stayed in touch with people from high school, but only “the real ones.” Currently, he is working on his debut album, Say Less. Fans will have to hang tight to see what exciting collaborations will be featured on his latest project — and whether “Marvin’s Room” still plays an influential role in the Brampton native’s creative process today.
@mich_yeung
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A&C
Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Nevermore The beloved Baltimore House will be closing at the end of March Emily O'Rourke News Reporter
The Baltimore House is a bar, nightclub and music venue located in Hamilton’s emerging entertainment district on King William Street. With well-rounded programming often seven nights a week, concert listings of all genres and a cafe and tea room loaded with vintage video game consoles, The Baltimore House has been a staple of entertainment in Hamilton. The past few months have come with whispers of the Baltimore House closing, but on March 3, the rumours were confirmed. Edgar Baltimore, an ominous Facebook profile run by owners Grant Winestock and Jimmy Skembaris announced that March 31 will be the Baltimore House’s final day in business. The two owners agreed to close the business after their lives and priorities have changed. The Baltimore House began as an idea in 2011, while Winestock and Skembaris were completing their undergraduate degrees. The duo were searching for a direction to take after graduation when they found the listing for 43 King William Street. After securing loans and a couple of formal meetings, Winestock and Skembaris’ vision came to life. “I loved being behind the scenes of things. In a weird way, I only felt comfortable at a party if I was throwing it; I loved the idea of being the Great Gatsby in that way. Jimmy was more outgoing and social. Together I knew we'd make a great team if we ever found something to combine forces on,” said Winestock. Since then, the venue has been an integral aspect of Hamilton’s music community. Their programming, ranging from open mic nights, to specially curated concert listings, to eclectic dance parties, has never been anything short of fascinating. Several artists, promoters, and music enthusiasts feel that the Baltimore House is unlike other venues throughout Hamilton, functioning more so as a community hub than a music venue.
“We knew it could not last forever and we decided to walk away while we were still on top.” Grant Winestock Co-owner The Baltimore House MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
“The Baltimore House is very a special place. I think everyone who has ever been there senses that,” said Kristin Archer, the blogger behind I Heart Hamilton and long-time supporter of the Baltimore House. “There [is] something different about it. I've never been this attached to a space or had a bar/venue that felt like home to me. I'll miss the space itself and the energy I get from it.” Since the announcement of the closure, fans, artists and promoters have taken to social media to post about their favourite memories and to thank the Baltimore House for an exciting five and a half years in business. Given this outpouring of support, it is clear that the Baltimore House will go down as a landmark within Hamilton’s music scene. “I don't know what we meant to the Hamilton music scene. To be honest, that's up to everyone else to decide, but I can see now that we meant a lot to a lot of people in a very personal way, and that I think means the most to us,” said Winestock. “In the end, it was a choice we decided upon together. No one forced our hand. We knew it could not last forever and we decided to walk away while we were still on top.” The Baltimore House has exciting programming lined up for the rest of the month. It will have its final concert headline by U.S. Girls on March 24. Weekly programming will resume as planned, culminating into a final goodbye dance party on March 31, giving Hamilton one last chance to personally bid the venue farewell. @emily_oro
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Call For Nominations McMaster University invites nominations for the President's Award of Excellence (Student Leadership) This annual award recognizes deserving undergraduate students who have made a significant contribution in improving and developing the intellectual, social, cultural and/or athletic fabric of the McMaster community. Nominations are open to undergraduate students who are in their graduating year. Nominations may be made by faculty, staff and students. For more information on the award, or to obtain a Nomination Form, visit http://studentaffairs.mcmaster.ca/president_award_student.html
THE DEADLINE FOR RETURN OF NOMINATION FORMS IS FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017
W E L C O M E T O O N TA R I O ’ S V O L L E Y B A L L C A P I TA L C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S MARAUDERS & T H A N K YO U FA N S
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GAMES
Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
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The Silhouette | 23
Sports Fixing the Final 8 problem
Could an expansion of the national championship tournament make basketball relevant again? Scott Hastie Editor-in-Chief
As Canadian university sports undergo a continued facelift, there is one area that fans who follow the league have questions about: the basketball Final 8 tournament. The format of the men’s basketball tournament has largely stayed the same since 1987. The men’s Final 8 was hosted in Halifax, N.S. for 24 years while the women’s has moved around. The tournament field is made up of two teams from Ontario University Athletics, two from Canada West, one from the Quebec conference, one from Atlantic University Sport, the host and a wildcard team. There was a three-year period where the men’s tournament expanded to 10 teams, but the league balked on that in 2008. National interest in the tournaments has waned in recent years. The 2016 men’s national championship drew 9,000 viewers on Sportsnet 360. McMaster’s men’s basketball coach Amos Connolly has an idea for driving up interest: expanding the field to a 16-team tournament. “I don’t think the Final 8 has the same bounce it used to have. When I look at this year, I think ‘what generated interest, what generated talk?’ It was the selection of the wildcard,” said Connolly. “If you broaden to 16 teams, now you have a conversation that is bigger than just one wildcard.” This year’s controversy was about Brock’s exclusion from the Final 8 tournament despite finishing third in the OUA playoffs and finishing fourth in the final U Sports top ten of the year. It’s a bold idea for a league that tends to play it close to the vest. The expansion could engage more fans, create narratives around programs and athletes, and eventually bring in
more revenue for a league that desperately needs it, though it comes with a cost. The tournament’s current format gifts berths to teams that rarely compete for the championship at the expense of true contenders. Carleton University has won 13 of the past 15 national championships and Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec won their first quarterfinal since 2005 this past season. The end result is a tournament lacking in intrigue because the league has valued countrywide representation over putting the best teams in the tournament. There are a number of immediate questions that skeptics would have, including who is in the tournament, how much school would student-athletes miss and if it makes any sense to expand a tournament that is struggling to get traction. For starters, Connolly envisions the tournament being made up of the two Canada West finalists, two OUA finalists, the RSEQ champion, AUS champion and the host. The remaining eight positions would be filled by wildcards. Increasing the number of wildcards would create more drama for every game, both in conference and the preseason and holiday tournaments. All games would count towards the overall team score at the end of the season used to qualify for the national tournament. Doubling the overall number of teams in the tournament is an extreme step because it means 16 of 47 teams would qualify. Some could argue it dilutes the accomplishment of making it to nationals. Considering the minimal visibility and flawed tournament set up, the real accomplishment of making the Final 8 is hard to define. Part of the reason for 16 teams is simplicity. Connolly argues that the U Sports tournament should follow the National Collegiate Athletic Association bracket format because that is
Carleton won its seventh national championship in a row this season. C/O U SPORTS
what basketball fans are used to. Any kind of play-in games would go unnoticed, and until the tournament gets to eight teams, people would not pay attention. A move to 16 teams would mean the tournament would have to run longer than the current set up. To accommodate the increased number of games, teams could play four games in six days and students would miss a week of school. Conference tournaments would have to adjust their schedules. The national tournament could start on a Monday and run through to Sunday. One bracket would play Monday and Wednesday, and the other would play Tuesday and Thursday. All teams would have Friday off. Put the semi-finals on Saturday and final on Sunday, you’ve got yourself a tournament. Connolly pictures the national tournament taking place in one city.
“I don’t think we’re at the regional tournament stage yet, where you have four teams [in one location], four teams in another. I don’t think an [eventual] Final Four would generate enough interest. And I think you run it in Halifax or you run it at Ryerson,” said Connolly. Halifax has hosted the tournament for the majority of its existence, while Ryerson has a new venue in a city obsessed with the game. Missing a week of school is significant but there are more points to consider. Teams that have to fly across the country leave on a Tuesday for national tournaments anyways. Professors are increasingly making lectures via podcast and the rise of Facebook groups and chats for classes has made it easier to get notes. Another lofty goal would be putting the tournament over reading week. This would allow students to travel to the tournament and elimi-
nate any academic concerns. One of the biggest obstacles would be the increased financial investment it would require. More games means more flights and hotels for already-strained athletic departments with only the promise of one meaningful game. Plus, there would be the additional costs of referees, floor time, live streams and a variety of other costs. Some would argue that the decrease in interest would justify a decrease in tournament size. In U Sports, every cent matters. Right now, there aren’t any cents coming in. For Connolly, the goal is not to create some multimillion-dollar property like the NCAA has, but to create a national tournament that actually means something to Canadians and those paying for teams to compete in it. Sure, it is a lofty goal, but ambition is U Sports desperately needs. @Scott1Hastie
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Sweeping away the competition The McMaster men’s volleyball team made quick work of their OUA rivals and travels to Alberta to compete for a national championship Camila Stupecka Contributor
If the rest of the men’s volleyball final four teams played ice during the Ontario University Athletics final games, then McMaster played fire. They swiftly melted the flame of the Ryerson Rams on March 10 and the Waterloo Warriors on March 11, sweeping both squads and securing their fifth consecutive OUA championship to cap an undefeated regular season. The conference title win matches the longest streak in OUA history. Although a close second set against Ryerson could have planted a seed of doubt amongst fans and players, the Marauders succeeded in qualifying for the championship match against Waterloo the next night. Mac dominated Waterloo, though head coach Dave Preston was not surprised by the result. “Our preparation for that match was top notch, one of the best we’ve ever had,” said Preston. “Watching them [practice], I even said, ‘Wow. They’re ready.’ ” The championship tilt had a bit of intrigue as Waterloo took the Marauders to five sets during the regular season. “They’re the only team in the OUA to do so,” said fifthyear middle Danny Demyanenko. “They’re a really good team. Definitely the most challenging team to deal with in the [conference].” Waterloo showed that the five-set loss from earlier was no accident, jumping out to a four-point lead heading into the first technical. After the early stumble, the Maroon and Grey steadied and completed the sweep, 25-21, 25-11, 25-21. “I think we started off a little slowly,” said fifth-year outside hitter Jayson McCar-
“Big things are about to come. We’re hoping for nothing but first.” Andrew Kocur Fifth-year setter Men’s volleyball thy. “But once we got into the groove of the game, I think everyone really stepped it up and once we started executing everything we wanted to do it all came together.” The faces of the team as the final point was added to the score board that night were indescribable. Pride and joy came cheering from the stands as the whole team rushed onto the court, celebrating that final point that won them the gold medal match of the OUA championship game. While conference championships are something to be proud of, the team hopes this isn’t the last banner they’ll claim this year. Mac flew out to Alberta to compete in the U Sports national championship taking place March 17-19 at the University of Alberta. “We have to put this one [against Waterloo] behind us pretty quick because we have a pretty big task in front of us,” said Preston. “You’re in a national championship now. Everyone in this tournament has good a chance to win it. All the teams are there for a reason. So are we.” Mac is seeded fifth at the tournament and face an uphill battle to claim the program’s first-ever national championship. “Big things are about to come. We’re hoping for nothing but first,” said fifth-year setter Andrew Kocur. “Nothing but first.”
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The fun is just beginning After a thrilling five-set win in the OUA final, the McMaster women’s volleyball team advances to the U Sports national championships Cullum Brownbridge Sports Editor
To say it was a nail-biter would be the understatement of the century. In a weekend packed with jaw-dropping action, incredible athleticism and phenomenal matches, it was the McMaster Marauders who stood tall at the end, defeating the Western Mustangs 3-2 in the Ontario University Athletics championship game. “There are a lot of emotions right now,” head coach Tim Louks said after the win. “Relief for sure. I think we treated everyone to something special tonight.” In a five set thriller that had everyone in the Goldring Centre at the University of Toronto on the edge of their seats, Mac was able to close out the fifth set in dramatic fashion. Having won the first two sets and then dropping the last two, it took all of their grit and trust in each other to close out the match, winning the last three points to seal the victory. “It feels surreal,” said fifthyear outside hitter Rebecca Steckle. “When you’re up two sets, you know that it just gets harder. Going into the fifth [set], we knew we had to play our best. It feels like the best thing, finishing off fifth year coming back and wanting it so bad and then getting it after a crazy match.” After winning their semi-final match in straight sets against the Ryerson Rams on March 10, the Marauders headed into the OUA final to face the rival Mustangs, who shocked the OUA volleyball scene in a 3-2 upset win over the number one Toronto Varsity Blues, who had not suffered an OUA defeat in 49 games. The intensity both teams brought into the game was on display from the beginning. For every kill the Marauders scored, the Mustangs came back with a block. For every run Mac went on, Western was able to claw back. Every set was competitive, with all but the second being decided by two points. After winning the first two sets and leading the third set by six points at the technical
After winning a close OUA final, the Marauders will enter the U Sports national championship as the number two seed. C/O MARTIN BAZYL
timeout, Mac was cruising to a championship win. But the Mustangs, led by OUA West Player of the Year Kelsey Veltman, showed off their tenacity, coming back to win the third and fourth set by extending points and capitalizing on rare errors made by the Marauders. “When we have a lead, we have to get better at keeping that lead,” fourth-year middle Maicee Sorensen said. “Throughout this whole game, it felt like in every set where were up, right at the time of the technical timeout, Western had either caught up or caught up right after the technical [timeout]. We have a really strong start, but we need to figure out how to finish that off.” The fifth set summarized the match perfectly, with backand-action, followed by Mac getting out to a lead, only for Western to come back. With the score at 15-14 in favor of the Mustangs, a missed serve by Veltman evened the score. Thanks to fantastic defense and great communication, the Marauders were able to score the last two points and seal the victory.
“After those two sets at the beginning that we won, we were feeling confident,” said fourthyear outside hitter Joanna Jedrzejewska, who took home the Player of the Game award in the OUA final. “They managed to come back in that fifth set, I’m proud that we stuck through it to the end. We were pushed to the brink, but we kept our character.” The Marauders will now head to the U Sports national championship from March 1719, hosted by the University of
Ryerson. As the winners of the OUA conference, Mac will enter the tournament as the number two seed, and will take on the Trinity Western Spartans from the Canada West conference. Sorensen is looking forward to facing the top teams from across the country. “I have really high expectations for this team right now,” Sorensen said. “We want to get everything we can out of this season. We have been playing all year not to just get to nationals, but to actually do something
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with our national berth. We’re back now, we’re older and much more experienced, I really think we can do something with this talent.” There’s plenty that can be said about the individuals on the women’s volleyball team, from the core veteran starters to everyone who contributed from the bench all year. But the performance from everyone on the floor showed that, for the McMaster Marauders, the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
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Friday, March 17, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Gilmore shines in third season The forward was an OUA first-team All-Star and he has bigger goals for next year Justin Parker Contributor
It is amazing how much one year of hard work can pay off. Third-year forward Connor Gilmore was named as an Ontario University Athletics FirstTeam All-Star this year, his first major individual award since joining the Marauders. Gilmore has solidified himself as a strong leader on and off the court. “It’s a big honour for me. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Gilmore said. “I’ve been put in a good position at this school to be successful. A lot of it had to do with the type of guys we had on the team, the way our team played… Just wanting to play hard for my teammates made it easy to be in a position to earn the award… My parents… I couldn’t do anything without them.” After major roster changes, including the departure of seniors Leon Alexander and Aar-
on Redpath, Gilmore was thrust into a larger role. An off-season of hard work and another year of maturity allowed Gilmore to step into this vacancy and capitalize on his increased minutes, where he saw his points and rebounds averages double to 19.5 and 9 per game respectively. “I think I was ready to step in and be a bigger contributor this year,” Gilmore said. “We had a lot of good players in the years past, so it was harder to be that guy. I just took advantage of an opportunity… I just wanted to do everything I could to play.” Next year, Gilmore will look to build on his leadership abilities from this season along with starting guard Dave McCulloch. The two third-year players made a good mix in leading the team to the OUA quarterfinals despite the team’s struggles during the regular season. “I’m more of the aggressive, get on guys in practice
[person], Dave’s really good at calming guys down, teaching them what needs to be taught,” Gilmore said. “I think they look at me like the meaner guy, but you need a guy like that on the team. I want everyone to succeed so sometimes you need to push them… just wanting to make them better as players, and as people sometimes too. Me and Dave are a good mix like that – kind of a good cop, bad cop kind of deal.” Coming off his first year as the team’s top player, Gilmore knows he needs to hold himself up to the same standards he holds his teammates to. Even in having a career year, there’s always more work to do in preparation for next season. “Now that I can drive, I can shoot… I need to work on dribble counter moves, different ways to score around the basket,” Gilmore said. “I’m also working on my defence for the summer, as that’s kind of been… one of the weaker
parts of my game. I’m sticking around here all summer… so I’ll have lots of individual time to spend with the coaches, the strength and conditioning staff, to achieve those goals.” The Marauders once again have high hopes for next year
and are acting now to achieve their goals. The team will have a busy off-season recruiting and practicing for next year, and will follow Gilmore’s lead as the squad will rely on him if they are going to make it far into the post-season.
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GLAD SCHOOL Aren’t you glad you are getting a Master ’s degree instead of facing real life? S5
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MacNab comes out of retirement The crime-solving wiener dog is here to clean up the mean streets of Hamilton
Snow day was hella fun
BUGS VINDALOO II Bragging about his bracket
McMaster gave students and staff a snow day on March 14 and reports show that it was awesome. “I built a snowman out of recycling bins,” said Sandra Wiznewski, a third-year biology student. The fun didn’t stop there. “I’m a proud member of Tinder Plus and I used my boost around 1 p.m. on the snow day. Didn’t get any matches but I’m sure I was close to a couple,” said Drew MacIntosh. Even sessional professors, who are overworked and underpaid, were able to take advantage of the day off. “I... played? With my kid? Honestly, I haven’t played with my daughter in so long, I don’t know what constitutes play anymore, so I’m not totally confident in my assessment of this situation,” said Barry Coogan.
SHIT HASTINGS GO BILLS!
MacNab is back-nab! The detective dog, whose age is unknown, announced his un-retirement this week. MacNab can solve crimes, but he can’t speak English (yet), so his owner explained the decision. “MacNab is getting sick of the crimes taking place in Hamilton,” said Finn Blandino at the press conference, sponsored by Purina. “The list of crimes that are giving him fleas, figuratively, include: jaywalking, drinking beer in public, (mixed alcoholic beverages are fine) and murder.” Hamilton’s reputation as a city ridden with crime has been dramatically improved largely due to the efforts of MacNab. In 2013, he sniffed out the
Cootes Paradise Strangler. In 2009, MacNab put the Ancaster Arsonist behind bars too. Not all heroes wear capes, or in MacNab’s case, clothes. The dog’s looming presence over the city has lowered its crime rate, but it is clear that MacNab still has the itch. Jaywalking and drinking beer in public are relatively low-stake crimes, especially compared to murder. Blandino says that the dog will divide his time equally among the three types of crime. “He’s still a dog. He needs the constant satisfication of solving crimes. Damn, have you guys never had a dog? You can’t expect them to only work towards long-term goals.” MacNab will take his post on April 1. You’re on notice, criminals.
Fans of this extremely good dog could have a hard time spotting MacNab in action, as Hamilton police are putting a new plainclothes police officer with the pup each week.
“It’s great, because this dog does all the work, but I get all the credit.” We know his name but we’re not printing it!
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Unless you’re into that sort of thing. Then do what you want. I’m not your dad.
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