Fulcrum 031209

Letters Shifting the Fulcrum Re: “Pack it up and leave” (News, March 6) EMMA GODMERE’S MOST recent column regarding protests at University of Ottawa Senate meetings did a poor job representing the students who participated in the protests as well as Godmere’s capacity as an investigative journalist. Surely an experienced news editor would hold an opinion that reflects careful consideration of fact. However, the column did not present to students the true series of events, did not accurately reflect the opinion of those who participated in the protests, and took a bitter anti-student stance. The column stated that the U of O President Allan Rock collaborated with Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) VP University Affairs Seamus Wolfe to draft a recording policy and presented it to the public for feedback immediately following the cancelled meeting of Jan. 12. However, the discussion was only opened to the public on Feb. 3, and it was opened through a discussion board on Facebook. This is a glaring chronological mistake that unfortunately evaded the rigorous verification of facts exercised by the Fulcrum. The column also professed that the students desired that the Senate “establish a clear policy on allowing recording devices.” This was never the main objective of the group. Following the arrest of Marc Kelly on Dec. 1, students began to worry about the role of the Ottawa police on their campus.

Kelly was told by a police officer that he would be arrested before he shouted the statement of “Vision 2010”. More importantly, the police were called to negotiate with Kelly while the members of the Senate could have been presented with Kelly’s case and voted as to whether or not he would be allowed to film the public Senate meeting. At that point, there was no policy preventing Kelly from recording. The students who attended the Jan. 12 Senate meeting protested the unjustified arrest that occurred the previous month. On that day, Rock cancelled the meeting a few minutes into the session despite clear objections by three student senators. The Senate members were not allowed to vote to adjourn the meeting. This scenario repeated itself on Feb. 2 when U of O VP Academic Robert Major cancelled the Senate meeting before it began. He was not forced to cancel the meeting; the decision was deliberate. On March 2, seeing that the Senate meetings had been cancelled, the protestors attempted to ensure that it took place, initiating the Senate meeting on their own. This was rejected and Rock once again decided to unilaterally cancel the Senate meeting. The column took a disturbingly anti-student stance by assigning blame to the members of the U of O community concerned about the actions of the U of O administration. What have not been examined here are the actions taken by the administration: the calling of the police to eject a student asking for a discussion, the deliberate cancellation of important

Contents

Appalling appeal

News

March 6 Student Arbitration Committee hearing descends into chaos. p. 4

p. 4

Find out who’s running in the GSAÉD elections. p. 5–6

Who watches the Watchmen?

Arts

Zack Snyder directed it, and Jaclyn Lytle talks with him. p. 9

p. 9

Hisham Kelati and Kalin Smith, apparently. p. 14

On their way

Sports

Men’s basketball prepares to head to the CIS championships. p. 16

p. 16 Feature

How much are you paying for food? The Heart and Stroke Foundation has an idea. p. 18

Censored! Sarah Gibbons investigates the banning of books. p. 12–13 Di gets violent. p. 20

p. 12

Frank Appleyard Editor-in-Chief [email protected] March 12–18, 2009 Senate meetings without consulting the members of the Senate, and the hijacking of the democratic Senate by Rock and Major. Due to the misleading statements and blatant disregard for fact in the last news column, I believe it is time to shift the Fulcrum and transfer leverage to the students: www.fulcrumshift.blogspot.com Liam Kennedy-Slaney First-year biochemistry student Moving forward FRUSTRATION. DISAPPOINTMENT. MELANCHOLY. These are three words to display the emotions that I felt on March 6 as I was sitting in attendance at the SFUO Student Arbitration Committee (SAC) hearing. What I witnessed as our leader, as your president, and as a person were students fighting, disrespecting, and belligerently accosting students. “Students fighting students”, when our raison d’être is “students helping students.” What I witnessed was our student federation, which holds values of dignity, equity, human rights, and positive space become besmirched by the inappropriate and unacceptable actions of some of its members. As tensions escalated I made it clear to the persons leading the arbitration that this would not be able to continue. On behalf of the federation, it is regrettable that we could not ensure that positive space. The SFUO will take proactive steps for future proceedings of this level of contention, to avoid this from occurring again. What I witnessed were students exercising their right in our constitution to contest the elections. Similarly, other students exercised their right to challenge the judicial processes for which that contest was being examined and concluded upon. Unequivocally, these are valid disputes that must and will be concluded upon. In reconciliation of the events that took place on March 6, I call on all parties involved to lead and discourage any behaviours that dishonour our federation, that dishonour our cause. As we move forward, past the events we unfortunately experienced, I call on all students to use common sense before acting on emotion to ensure that respect and dignity are guaranteed under our SFUO. Today, I have come to the conclusion that amidst all that our student federation is facing and the years we have taken to build our federation, Business Department The Fulcrum, the University of Ottawa’s independent English-language student newpaper, is published by the Fulcrum Publishing Society (FPS) Inc., a not-for-profit corporation whose members consist of all University of Ottawa students. The Board of Directors (BOD) of the FPS governs all administrative and business actions of the Fulcrum and consists of the following individuals: Ross Prusakowski (President), Andrea Khanjin (Vice-President), Tyler Meredith (Chair), Peter Raaymakers, Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Toby Climie, Scott Bedard, Andrew Wing, and William Stephenson. To contact the Fulcrum’s BOD, contact Ross Prusakowski at (613) 562-5261.

nothing is accomplished by a continuous consumption of contempt. With this in mind, my sentiments have translated into hope. Hope that we can disagree without being disagreeable; hope that we can defend every person’s rights to a positive space and hope that we can come together as a student federation once more. “The face of the enemy frightens me only when I see how much it resembles me.” Dean Haldenby SFUO president An unfair process IT IS WITH great reluctance that we had to refuse to submit ourselves to the process of the Student Arbitration Committee on March 6. Following our victory in the SFUO elections, a group of unsuccessful candidates decided to contest the elections by claiming that we had worked as a team, which is not allowed as per the SFUO constitution. We wish to assure the student population that although we are friends, each one of us led her/his own campaign in proper fashion. We are outlining the fact that we are friends for the sake of transparency. Furthermore, three of us (Roxanne, Julie, and Seamus) were a part of the executive this year; therefore, it is perfectly natural that we share many of the same views. When we learned that the election was being contested, we immediately began preparing our defence. In doing so, we truly wanted to share our side of the story while accepting any decision that would be rendered by the SAC. However, many irregularities appeared over the course of the process. For example, the SFUO constitution outlines that once a case is to be presented to the SAC, each party has the right to select an arbitrator. After which, these arbitrators select the remaining members of the committee. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity of selecting one of these arbitrators. Moreover, it was only on the eve of the hearing that we learned that documents that had been rendered inadmissible would now be considered to be admissible. It was impossible to go over all of these documents in a single evening. What’s more, the SAC even recognized that it had committed serious procedural mistakes. For example, they had assured us that a confidential email that we had sent to the chief arbitrator in regards to intimidation from the other party would remain Advertising Department Deidre Butters, Advertising Representative phone: (613) 880-6494 fax: (613) 562-5259 e-mail: [email protected] Check out our rate card online. Go to www.thefulcrum.ca and follow the link for “Advertisers”. Multi-market advertisers: Campus Plus: (800)265-5372 Campus Plus offers one-stop shopping for over 90 Canadian student newspapers. The Fulcrum is a proud member of Canadian University Press: www.cup.ca

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confidential. However, this did not end up being the case. The list of irregularities goes on, but we simply wanted to outline a few of them. Because many of the by-laws contained in the SFUO constitution were not followed, we could not agree to appear in front of the SAC, and therefore could not agree to abide to its ruling. Although the SFUO constitution gives us the right not to appear in front of the SAC, this was by no means the choice that we wanted to make. We believe that being elected by over 8,000 students is legitimate; moreover, we also believe that being tried by three arbitrators that do not follow the SFUO constitution is not. Our goal is not to blame the arbitrators because we fully realize that they are students who are volunteering their time. Nevertheless, we had to outline the procedural errors that took place. We have nothing to hide and would clearly have preferred appearing in front of the SAC rather than refusing to do so. Although we are not appearing in front of the committee, we wish to assure you our defence to the allegations has been prepared and shared with the media as well as with the student population. For these reasons, we will defer the decision to the highest decision making body of the federation: the Board of Administration. Please know that we are committed to fulfill the mandate that you have entrusted us with. Seamus Wolfe, SFUO president-elect Roxanne Dubois, SFUO vp-elect, finance Jean Guillaume, SFUO vp-elect, social Julie Séguin, SFUO vp-elect, communications Due to space constraints we were unable to print all letters received. Visit thefulcrum.ca/letters for more.

thefulcrum.ca poll Last week’s results What do you think of the U of O’s decision to ban the Israeli Apartheid Week poster? Great move: Terrible decision: Unsure:

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Got something to say? Send your letters to

[email protected] Letters deadline: Sunday, 1 p.m. Letters must be under 400 words unless discussed with the editor-in-chief. Drop off letters at 631 King Edward Ave. or email [email protected]. Letters must include your name, telephone number, year, and program of study. Pseudonyms may be used after consultation with the editor-in-chief. We correct spelling and grammar to some extent. The Fulcrum will exercise discretion in printing letters that are deemed racist, homophobic, or sexist. We will not even consider hate literature or libellous material. The editor-in-chief reserves the authority on everything printed herein.

News

Emma Godmere News Editor [email protected] March 12–18, 2009

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SAC hearing descends into chaos “The intention behind these allegations is nothing more than to rob the students of their votes.”

Seamus Wolfe SFUO president-elect

Re-elected SFUO VP Finance Roxanne Dubois expresses her dissent with the SAC’s arbitration process.

“Rather than actually face the consequences of their actions, they’d rather cower away.”

Renaud-Philipe Garner appellant photos by Martha Pearce

Over 70 students packed the Fauteux Hall classroom on March 6.

by Emma Godmere Fulcrum Staff A TENSE AND tumultuous atmosphere enveloped a Fauteux Hall classroom as students erupted in shouts, chants, and chaotic behaviour at the Student Arbitration Committee (SAC) election appeal hearing on March 6. The SAC was to hear Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) 2009–10 election candidates Renaud-Philipe Garner and Maureen Hasinoff present their allegations and evidence that current SFUO VP University Affairs and President-elect Seamus Wolfe, VP Finance Roxanne Dubois, VP Communications Julie Séguin, and VP Social-elect Jean Guillaume formed a slate in the February elections—an action that violates the SFUO’s constitution. SAC chief arbitrator Caroline Poisson began the hearing with the routine explanation of the arbitrary procedure, seeking consent to continue with the arbitration from both sides. After the appellants agreed to proceed, each of the defendants rose and expressed their objection to the process—a right that any party can exercise at the beginning of a hearing. “Throughout the arbitration process, the appellants did not have to follow several of the rules that I, as a defendant, was held to,” Wolfe read from his official statement. “The students of this campus voted me as their next president. I will not disrespect them and the democratic process by abiding to follow a corrupt and unjust process. The intention behind these allegations is nothing more than to rob the students of their votes.” After claiming that the SAC accepted evidence

from the appellants after the prescribed deadline, did not allow an individual to retract his testimony that was reportedly obtained through blackmail, and prohibited the defendants from choosing an arbitrator to be involved in the appeal—a right given to all parties involved in an appeal—all four defendants stood up and exited the room amid loud cheers and shouting from the over 70 audience members present. Possion, along with fellow student arbitrators Brendan Clancy and Samantha Green, temporarily suspended the proceedings and left the room to decide on their course of action, returning several minutes later to announce that the hearing would continue, regardless of the absence of the defendants. “If there have been allegations of fraud ... there should be a hearing to determine whether or not there was, in fact, fraud,” Clancy said to the audience once the arbitrators returned to the room. “This is a decision of the Student Arbitration Committee, it is appealable by the Board of Administration, but [it] is our ruling that the arbitration will continue.” Shouts of opposition and support forced the atmosphere in the classroom to intensify: audience members supporting the appellants and defendants continued to wave posters saying, “Face it, you lost” and “Slates are cheating”; balls of paper were thrown between heckling students; people supporting the defendants broke into chants of “kangaroo court” and “shut it down”; and the defendants’ student representative, Board of Administraion (BOA) Civil Law director Jason Benovoy, who had remained in the room once the defendants left, had to be escorted out by Poisson

for disrupting the proceedings. Garner expressed his dissatisfaction with the defendants’ behaviour shortly after the SAC administered their decision and adjourned the proceedings. “Rather than actually face the consequences of their actions, they’d rather cower away,” he said. “This is nothing more than a tactic by the SFUO, and it’s illustrated just who they [have] become: corrupt, self-centered, negligent, and totally opposed to any sort of institutional fair process or judicial inquiry. It’s become nothing more than a rabble-rousing institution.” In an interview with the Fulcrum two days later, Séguin clarified that the defendants had every intention to continue with an appeals process—albeit not one by the SAC. “I’m not ready to put the election that we rightfully won and the results of 27.2 per cent of the students into the hands of three people and a process that has been very much irregular and unfair as I’ve seen so far,” she said. “It’s a human right to have a fair trial and this was absolutely unfair. Just the fact that they considered going on without us just confirmed everything that we had mentioned before. It was unacceptable.” On March 6, the SAC released a 13-page report detailing its official stance to continue the arbitration. Poisson, Clancy, and Green refuted each of the defendants’ claims that led them to believe the hearing was unfair, and came to the conclusion that, as the report stated, “an arbitration into disputed election results can occur when any member of the SFUO asserts that there was fraud or irregularities during the election campaign, regardless of whether the respondent

candidates consent to the arbitration.” “Obviously, we’re happy with [the SAC report],” said Hasinoff. “We want our witnesses to be able to say what they have to say and we have the right to bring forward our appeal. It’s unfortunate what happened, but of course the SAC’s ruling is the highest authority ... I respect the fact that they did assert their authority and said, ‘yes, we can still continue if they refuse to be here’.” When asked if the defendants will act upon the SAC’s decision, Wolfe was uncertain. “I’m not exactly sure, mostly because I’m not sure that they’ve made a decision,” he said. “I think they’ve made an argument—again I’m not sure if they’ve made a decision as per what a decision would be for the SAC, because I haven’t had time to comb through that document.” The SAC’s March 6 report was labelled a decision, and all SAC decisions are able to be appealed at the BOA. Two days after the report’s release, 11 BOA directors submitted a request to hold a special meeting as soon as possible to BOA chair Federico Carvajal. However, Wolfe maintained that he does not plan to bring an appeal to the BOA at the special meeting planned for March 13. “I don’t have any plans. What I’m hoping for is that the highest decision-making body of the SFUO, the Board of Administration, will come up with a process that will be fair and just for any students wishing to appeal the election,” he said. “The current process is unjust and unfair, so hopefully on [March 13], we’ll be able to come up with one that will be reasonable.” The special BOA meeting will be held at 5 p.m. in the Tabaret Hall Senate chambers.

Celebrating 90 years of women at the U of O Women’s Studies Student Association bring entertainment to 1848 by Katie DeClerq Fulcrum Staff MARCH 9 MARKED the kickoff of International Women’s Week on campus, as well as the 90th anniversary of women attending the University of Ottawa. When the U of O was founded in 1848, only males were permitted to attend the majority of North America’s post-secondary institutions. In 1918, Canadian women above the age of 21 were given the right to vote, and in 1919 women won the right to hold seats in the House of Commons. It was only in 1919 that women won the right to attend the U of O. Over the past few months, the SFUO has been working with the Women’s Studies Student Association (WSSA) to coordinate the 90th anniversary event to celebrate the steps the U of O has taken towards gender equality. Dani Alarie, vp social for the WSSA, emphasized the importance of the anniversary. “I think it is important to acknowledge how far women have come in education. To be able to go from not being able to attend the uni-

versity 100 years ago, to being the majority of the [undergraduate] population [is] a huge accomplishment and the entire U of O community should be proud of it.” The March 9 event, coordinated by WSSA Director of Social Affairs Bethany Schock and SFUO VP Social Joël Larose, was held at 1848 and featured series of activities and performances. The event began as a wine and cheese with U of O women’s studies professors and was followed by a series of performances by Canadian female musical acts Dala, Caracol, and Robyn Dell’Unto. The event was free, but attendees were invited to make a donation at the door. Funds collected will be given to the Miss G Project, an organization that promotes women’s studies in secondary schools. “Tonight we want to make a strong message,” Larose said at the event. “Even with the oppression [women] have faced, we can still have positive attitudes towards the future. We can celebrate the steps we have taken in order to balance the campus out in terms of gender and equality.” Alarie was pleased with the success of the March 9 event, noting the dozens of people who filled the bar. “Being in a really small faculty, it is sometimes a little hard getting a big turnout for your events,” she said. “So I am really happy that a lot of students who are in women studies and [community members] came out tonight to celebrate.”

photo by Martha Pearce

The Canadian pop/folk duo Dala performed at the March 9 celebrations at 1848.

www.thefulcrum.ca // 03.12.09 //

NEWS // 5

GSAÉD elections

Your 2009–10 candidates

by Amanda Shendruk Fulcrum Staff

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EARLY 5,000 UNIVERSITY of Ottawa graduate students will have the opportunity March 17–19 to elect their 2009–10 Graduate Students’ Association (GSAÉD) executive and their representatives on the U of O’s Board of Governors (BOG) and Senate. In order to encourage student participation in the elections, the elections committee has created an incentive: the graduate department with the largest voter turnout will win a free night of food at Café Nostalgica, worth up to $200. “We have really, really low voting attendance,” explained Désirée Lamoureux, the chief returning officer for the elections. “Our quorum is five per cent and we just reached it last year … so we’re really hoping that we do reach it, but that’s why there is an incentive.” For your voting convenience—and to help you win that Nostalgica bash—the Fulcrum has summarized the responsibilities of each GSAÉD position and the vision of each candidate below. External commissioner The external commissioner deals with the GSAÉD’s provincial and national representation, campaign promotion, and media relations. Gaétan-Philippe Beaulière, master’s student in French, wants to: • Work towards greater graduate representation on university committees where their presence is required; • Work with the U of O administration and the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) to develop a charter of students’ rights; • Continue the campaign to expand graduate-specific student space; • Work towards establishing policies that regulate private partnerships with the university. Quote: “I really believe in the work that the GSAÉD does ... Many graduate students know that the GSAÉD exists but they don’t necessarily know what it does for them, and that’s something that will change if I get elected.”

Finance commissioner The finance commissioner is responsible for organizing the association’s health plan and budget, and also oversees issues regarding Academic Project Fund (APF) applications, inter-library loans, and student compensation. Gerardo Barajas Garrido (incumbent), PhD student in Spanish, wants to: • Ensure continued effectiveness of the GSAÉD health plan; • Encourage student engagement in more GSAÉD committees, including the finance committee; • Lobby for more funding for graduate students. Continue the transparent management of the association’s budget.

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Quote: “I am re-running for my position because, first of all, I am writing my thesis and I’ll be here for another year. I also liked working in GSAÉD and being able to give something to the students of this university by supporting the other execs and the GSAÉD finances.”

University affairs commissioner The university affairs commissioner is responsible for issues that involve graduate students’ research material, academic and working conditions, scholarships, theses and theses defences, and student space. He/she also organizes the interdisciplinary conference, a yearly U of O conference in which graduate students can share their research with peers. Myriam Hebabi, master’s student in public and international affairs, wants to: • Work with the U of O administration and the SFUO to develop a charter of students’ rights; • Develop a communication forum dedicated to academic initiatives occurring in different departments; • Continue the creation of graduate student space; • Make sure that bilingualism remains a priority on campus. Quote: “I believe in the sharing of knowledge ... The interdisciplinary conference, which comes under my position, follows in the idea of sharing knowledge between different programs and departments. Knowledge and communication is the basis of working together. I believe in contributing to the greater community of grad students above and beyond my program.”

Internal commissioner The internal commissioner is primarily responsible for the internal functioning of GSAÉD, including the correct filing of records and managing the numerous departmental student associations.

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photo courtesy Gaétan-Philippe Beaulière

GSAÉD executive candidates, clockwise from top: Gaétan-Philippe Beaulière, Breanna Roycroft, Myriam Hebabi, Tansy Etro-Beko, and Gerardo Barajas Garrido. Breanna Roycroft, master’s student in public and international affairs, wants to: • Increase student participation in GSAÉD general meetings; • Encourage and support the formation of departmental associations; • Work with the U of O administration towards mutually beneficial initiatives; • Help establish a student charter of rights. “Since my arrival at [the U of O] in 2005, a great number of changes, structurally, administratively, and otherwise, have taken the university in a new and exciting direction. As I enter my last year with the school, I am looking forward to the opportunity to play a role in ensuring that this new path best represents the goals and values of the student body.”

departments, faculties, programs of study, and degree requirements. Every year two graduate student representatives are chosen to sit on the senate, one in sciences and one in humanities.

Sciences – 1 seat available Joseph Hickey, master’s student in physics, wants to: • Ensure transparency and democratic principles in Senate governance; • Ensure democratic control of police presence on campus and an investigation into guidelines for police presence at the Senate; • Work towards a democratically controlled syllabus; • Have Senate support for the reinstatement of suspended professor Denis Rancourt.

Student life commissioner The student life commissioner is in charge of GSAÉD property, non-academic student activities, and overseeing the graduate-owned Café Nostalgica. Tansy Etro-Beko (incumbent), master’s student in political science, wants to: • Work on building a team of graduate volunteers to help diversify and multiply nonacademic graduate activities; • Continue to work closely with the U of O administration and the SFUO; • Advocate for more graduate student space on campus; • Continue investing in and working on Café Nostalgica and its policies. Quote: unable to be reached for comment.

Graduate representatives on the Senate The Senate is responsible for academic governance on campus. It determines the U of O’s educational policies and creates or abolishes

Quote: “I know that the Senate is a very powerful committee and I think that [it has] the ability to uphold the principles of academic freedom and tenure that are at desperate risk this year with the firing of a tenured professor over the way that he graded ... I want to ensure that the Senate is acting to improve the reputation of the university rather than tarnish it.” Matthew Mount (incumbent), PhD student in neuroscience, wants to: • Raise awareness of science students’ issues on the GSAÉD Board and Council, including representing those not on the main campus (U of O Heart Institute, the Ottawa Hospital, and Roger-Guindon Hall); • Continue to be involved in the discussions and approval of academic decisions brought to Senate from students, committees, departments, and faculties. Quote: “I think a lot of students, and especially grad students, want a clear and a balanced voice coming out [of] the Senate. There’s a lot of great work that I see happening [in] the Senate and unfortunately not a lot of students really

GSAÉD elections know what the Senate’s role is at the university … A lot of things that [the other candidate] running against me [is] looking at are things that aren’t really within the jurisdiction of the Senate.”

Humanities – 1 seat available Marie Galophe, PhD student in philosophy and lettres françaises, wants to: • Ensure transparency and democratic principles in Senate governance; • Ensure democratic control of police presence on campus and an investigation into guidelines for police presence at the Senate; • Work towards a democratically controlled syllabus; • Have Senate support for the reinstatement of suspended professor Denis Rancourt. Quote: “I would [like] to run in order to defend the rights of the graduate students at the university, the main goal being the [acquisition] of justice in this academic system that seems to be willing to oppress the student voice. I am seeking to empower the graduate students, which means to defend [them] when they have conflicts with the administration [and] their supervisors.”

sions and implements policies and procedures for the entire campus. Every other year a graduate student is elected to take up one of two student seats. Marie Galophe, PhD student in philosophy and lettres françaises (see platform given for Senate) “I am running as [a] political student who wants to make other students realize that their political engagement in the affairs of the university are needed and valued ... I want them to take charge and power of their rights.” Julia Morris (incumbent), PhD student in French, wants to: • Work to ensure that the board respects the collective agreement and the intellectual freedoms of professors • Help increase transparency of the board; • Be a voice of concern about tuition increases; • Sit on various selection committees in order to better represent graduate student needs.

Graduate representative on the Board of Governors (BOG) – 1 available

“I feel that my approach is a little more open minded [than my competitor’s] in the sense that I’m out to work in collaboration with the members of the Board of Governors and not in opposition to the structures [and individuals] that currently exist there ... I’m hoping that I can represent all the students, in the sciences and in the humanities, all across campus.”

The U of O’s BOG is responsible for the management and governance of the university. It makes financial deci-

To see candidates’ platforms in their entirety, visit the GSAÉD elections website at elections.gsaed.ca.

Referendum question Alongside electing their executive, as well as Senate and BOG representatives on the ballot, graduate students will be presented with a referendum question that asks: “Would you agree to pay an additional fee of $9 for fulltime students or $4.50 for part-time students to support the following services: International House, Student Appeal Centre, Bon Appétit Food Bank, Centre of Equity and Human Rights, Bilingualism Centre, Foot Patrol, Women’s Resource Centre, Centre for Students with Disabilities, and the Pride Centre?” Currently, these services are controlled by the SFUO and are funded by undergraduate students. Lamoureux explained why the referendum question has been put forward. “Since the SFUO does permit the graduate students to use [their services], the Graduate Students’ Association thinks [graduate students] should start contributing to [them],” she said. “The SFUO doesn’t say no to graduate students even though right now we’re not contributing to the funds at all.” A “no” campaign has not been established.

Opening dialogue on discrimination SFUO assembles Task Force on Campus Racism by Len Smirnov Fulcrum Staff ON MARCH 4, nearly 50 students and several university staff attended the first town hall meeting in the Alumni Auditorium organized by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s (SFUO) Task Force on Campus Racism, a new initiative that will investigate incidents of discrimination on the U of O campus. The Canadian Federation of Students Ontario (CFS-O) originally launched a province-wide Task Force on Campus Racism in August 2008. As part of the campaign’s mandate, nine CFS-O representatives will be travelling across Ontario campuses to collect information on university students’ experience with racism. The CFS-O task force plans to issue a report with its findings and recommendations by this fall. Several student unions in Ontario, including the SFUO, have adopted the CFS-O initiative. The SFUO recruited its own task force of approximately 20 students, who have organized town hall meetings to identify problems of racism at the U of O. Following the meetings, the task force will compile its findings and recommendations into a report, which it will present to the university administration. “We are looking to [attack] discrimination on campus, whatever form it takes,” explained third-year psychology and biology student Hazel Gashoka, a member of the SFUO task force. “Something that you may not interpret as racist, somebody else may interpret as racist, and we have to acknowledge that and that there are people who are feeling this way.” The first town hall meeting was a venue for students to share their experiences and concerns about discrimination on the U of O campus. Various forms of discrimination were addressed during the meeting, including racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and sexism. Students also recounted experiences with verbal racial attacks. Gashoka indicated that she has witnessed racist verbal exchanges in classes where professors have not recognized the discriminatory nature of the remarks. “A lot of the time, the racism is not overt,” said SFUO VP University Affairs Seamus Wolfe, who is leading the new initiative. “The majority of it is much more systemic racism, such as racism in the classroom.” One of the major issues identified during the meeting was the discrimination students experience during academic appeal processes. Mireille Gervais, coordinator of the SFUO’s Student Appeal Centre (SAC), claimed

that 70 per cent of the students who file appeals regarding academic fraud are from visible minorities. The SAC presented its own report detailing systemic racism in the appeals process to the university administration in November, which the U of O countered with its own report weeks later. “We have denounced it as being systemic racism,” Gervais said. “We had students state that they felt it was for racist reasons that they have been accused of academic fraud.” The issues raised about racism on campus were surprising to some students who attended the town hall meeting. Michael Cheevers, SFUO campaigns organizer, expressed his astonishment at hearing student testimonies during the meeting. “I do have some knowledge about what’s going on in terms of racism on campus, but at the same time when I

was hearing everything at the town hall meeting there were so many things I didn’t think about or even consider,” he said. Cheevers hopes that the Task Force on Campus Racism will provide concrete recommendations for addressing the issues raised during the town hall meetings. According to him, this will allow the SFUO campaigns committee to incorporate the recommendations into plans for future campaigns. “Racism is a very big problem because one instance of discrimination is a huge issue,” said Gashoka. “Anything that affects one student affects the whole student body.” The SFUO’s Task Force on Campus Racism will hold its second town hall meeting on March 18 in the Unicentre Terminus at 6 p.m. For more information, visit notoracism.sfuo.ca.

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www.thefulcrum.ca // 03.12.09 //

NEWS // 7

OPIRG controversy sparks levy opt-out by Megan O’Meara Fulcrum Staff

A GROUP OF University of Ottawa students are encouraging colleagues to opt out of the semesterly fee collected to support the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) at the U of O months after the student levy-funded OPIRG-Ottawa denied funding to Jewish student group Hillel Ottawa because of its support of the state of Israel. Hillel Ottawa, a local chapter of a larger international Jewish student group, asked OPIRG and several other campus groups for help in promoting a lecture it hosted on Nov. 20. The event featured a community leader from Uganda who spoke on sustainable development and a multi-staged

Islamic, Jewish, and Christian school in the African country. Joel Tietolman, member of Hillel Ottawa and creator of the Facebook group titled “Student Against the Public Funding of OPIRG (University of Ottawa)”, explained that OPIRG’s refusal to promote the event came after the event had been held, and that Hillel felt the issue was generally not handled well. “It was done in a very distasteful way; [OPIRG] could have said nothing and that would have been it, but instead they wanted to make their point, and frankly it wasn’t the time or the place,” said Tietolman. “It wasn’t like Hillel invited them to a political event;

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the event had nothing to do with the state of Israel, period.” Tietolman explained that while Hillel does indeed work with an Israeli group on campus, Hillel itself has no unified political view. “[OPIRG is] basically generalizing the political ideology of members of a nonpolitical group,” said Tietolman. “Hillel is a Jewish group, not an Israel group.” In response to OPIRG’s refusal to promote the event, Tietolman is encouraging students to opt out of the OPIRG winter semester fee of $3.38. “I don’t think a group that receives public funding should be able to be that discriminatory,” said Tietolman. “A lot of their programming is very good … but when it comes to politics, they seem to only support a very small section of our campus.” Despite the reasons behind many students’ recent decisions to opt out— over 25 have so far—OPIRG’s campus relations coordinator Pierre Blais says the group is pleased that students are aware of this option. “It’s good that people know that they can opt out,” said Blais. “It exists so that people who don’t agree with the political positions we take are not forced to support anything that we do.” Blais further explained that while many of the students opting out are unsatisfied with the Hillel situation, OPIRG has the chance to change their minds. “A lot of the people who have been opting out are people who are opting out because they have affiliations with Hillel or are unhappy with the way we dealt with that situation,” said Blais. “Then once actually in the office talking to us about what OPIRG is, some end up choosing not to opt out, so it’s working out, and … it is giving us visibility, which is always a good thing.” While Blais encourages those who feel strongly to opt out, he encourages students to consider all of OPIRG’s contributions. “Dealing with Hillel is not the only thing we do,” he said. “We offer tons of other services, we play an important part in 101 Week, we do a lot of awesome programming in support of a lot different groups … That being said, the optout is not something we regret offering.” Students who wish to opt out can visit the OPIRG offices at 631 King Edward Ave. until March 16 at 5 p.m.

Peter Henderson Arts & Culture Editor [email protected]

Arts & Culture Filming the March 12–18, 2009

9

unfilmable Director Zack Snyder explains how Watchmen made it to the screen

by Jaclyn Lytle Fulcrum Staff ZACK SNYDER WASN’T excited when he first got the assignment to direct Watchmen. “I felt like there was no way that I could do [it], that I’d be unable to figure it out,” he says. “But [in the end,] I did.” Watchmen, the DC Comics sensation created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, first hit stands as a collected work in 1985. Since its release, the graphic novel has developed an enormous fan base and is the only graphic novel named on Time magazine’s 2005 “Top 100 Novels of All Time” list. While plans for a film adaptation were quick to follow the book’s release, none came to fruition until 2006 when Warner Bros. approached Snyder with the project as he was finishing up another comic adaptation, 300. Some people, including 12 Monkeys director Terry Gilliam, called the book unfilmable, but Snyder thought he would take a crack at it. “I was in post-[production] on 300 and I got a call from the studio,” explains 42-year old Snyder, who also directed the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. “They said they had a script for a comic book called Watchmen. I don’t think they knew much about it, but they thought ‘Oh, Zack loves comic books; he’ll love this!’ It was strange because I don’t think they realized how crazy it was.” The graphic novel, set in the United States in 1985, explores the diverging storylines of a group of former caped crusaders. Following the mysterious death of one of their own, the everyday vigilantes emerge from semi-retirement to fight both a killer gunning for masked avengers and nuclear holocaust. Watchmen is a philosophically complex narrative filled with dense symbolism, and turns the conventions of the comic-book genre on its head. Although a fan of the original graphic novel, Snyder was apprehensive about undertaking the project. Watchmen’s reputation as an unfilmable film and the immense pressure to adhere to fans’ interpretations only fed his anxieties, but Snyder explains that he considered his knowledge of and reverence for the source material to be important. “I was very aware [that as] a motion picture [Watchmen was a] considerable headache,” he says. “But, after reading the script that the studio had, I felt that if I didn’t do it they were going to do it without me, and the way they [wanted] to do it. Basically, the directive was a sequel-able, PG-13 movie; instead of 1985, set against the War on Terror, [Dr.] Manhattan … goes to Iraq instead of Vietnam, and the ending [unfolding] exactly how you would imagine in a superhero movie. That was just something that I felt I couldn’t let happen.” Unfortunately for Snyder, the process of adapting Watchmen for the big screen was not what he expected.

photo courtesy Warner Bros.

“When I came on to the project, the first thing I asked was when [I would be able] to go talk to Alan Moore,” he recalls. “I was met with the reply that [I wouldn’t]. Alan Moore has famously divorced himself from our motion-picture project, and I didn’t get to talk to him. That bummed me out a fair amount, because that seemed like the easy way to figure out exactly how to do the movie. I just tried to make the movie based on the experiences I had when I first read the graphic novel back in ’88. I’m a huge fan of [Moore’s, but] he’s asked that I not try to make any assumptions about what he thinks and that’s what I’ve tried to do.” Moore has publicly stated that he is unaffiliated with any films based on his work, after his bad experiences with From Hell in 2001 and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003. Being forced to interpret the original work solely from a fan’s perspective, Snyder explains that he had a significant impact on the way the film version was developed. His interpretation, he explained, involved changes in plot, particularly a grand divergence from the graphic novel’s catastrophic climax. Snyder’s creative modifi-

cations, whether in regards to character scripting, soundtrack choice, or plot alteration, have caused considerable controversy amongst fans of the original work. “There were big, thematic things that I wanted to get at, tried to get at,” he explains. “A lot of changes went to pulling up the story, to kind of lace the [themes] together, stitch them back together. I didn’t want to spend that time and end up confusing concepts with one as confusing as the one I already had.” Snyder also attributes some changes he made to a responsibility on his part to depict graphic material in an artistic yet realistic fashion. “The violence in Watchmen is very specific, and designed to provoke thought,” he says. “I wanted the idea of a superhero movie to be broken down at every level, not just psychologically. As an audience, we’re so [accustomed] to PG-13, homogenized violence that’s then put in a clean wrapper. [That], in my opinion, is irresponsible violence, especially in the sense that it’s targeted towards kids. The idea with Watchmen is to smash that concept as hard as I could, [the idea] that violence has no consequences and that [for]

superheroes, when they run in with bad guys, it’s easy and pain-free. I wanted to [eliminate] that concept.” A major consideration when dealing with a multi-layered work like Watchmen is the philosophy behind the plotline. The book deals with themes of revenge, nihilism, and humanity’s brutal nature, while at the same time deconstructing the traditional myths of the superhero. Conveying this underlying philosophical significance in a manner that would allow it to be taken seriously was a significant concern for Snyder, and—he feels—the deciding factor in the role of superhero films in popular culture. “It’s all about this culture accepting that [comic books are] our mythology,” he says. “To me, that’s the biggest turn that culture has to make. It’s difficult to accept [as a culture] that the way our stories are told [is] by comics. I don’t think that there’s anything non-intellectual about superheroes; it’s what you make it. What people perceive as a danger is that we’re dumbing ourselves down [by] making superheroes our [representation]. I think that superheroes have the ability to be intellectually stimulating.”

Comedy showdown The U of O’s English and French improv teams do battle by Andrew Champagne Fulcrum Contributor FANS OF PROFESSIONAL comedy have been well-served by Ottawa’s two comedy clubs, Yuk Yuk’s and Absolute Comedy, but students looking to get started in the funny business— or those just looking for a slightly less expensive laugh—will be interested to know that the University of Ottawa is nurturing its own amateur comedians on campus. There are two improv teams at the U of O; the English-language Room for Improvment and the Frenchlanguage La Ligue d’Improvisation Étudiante Universitaire (L.I.E.U.). Improv, short for improvisational comedy, is a form of comedy with no set script that relies on ad-libbing and spontaneous creativity on the part of the participants. There are games and frameworks, such as props and set situations, from which the participants work, but the end result is always different. Every Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m., Room for Improvment, meets in room 026 of the Unicentre. “We do an open practice every Tuesday so anyone can come out and everyone can participate,” says Room for Improvment president Drew McFadyen. “We work on basics and play improv games and do scenes.” Room for Improvment, which has been a U of O club since 2006, performed at the McGill Improv Summit on Feb. 14 in their first inter-provincial tournament. They also performed a charity show at Carleton University in Oct. 2008, squaring off against La L.I.E.U. and teams from the host school and McGill University. McFadyen thinks that improv is a great stress reliever for students, and he wants as many people as possible to share the benefits. “Of course, [improv] is not for everyone,” he says. “But it’s really good

photo courtesy Samantha Bayard

The U of O’s English-language improv comedy team, Room for Improvment, loves comedy, beer, and making funny faces in pictures. because it makes you quick on your feet, and sometimes in life you have to be quick on your feet. It’s a great outlet to help you get rid of some of the random ideas and thoughts that are buzzing around in your head, [by acting] them out in a group that’s easygoing.” On March 13, Room for Improvment will be facing off against La L.I.E.U. at the redesigned Café Alternatif in the basement of Simard Hall. The members of La L.I.E.U. played a key role in developing the English team by providing guidance during their creation and early development. “I’m looking forward to it,” says

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McFadyen. “We’re definitely going to get a run for our money because they are a well established troupe. I’ve seen them perform in English and they’re extremely funny in [both] languages, which is an accomplishment in itself.” The showdown will incorporate the Coliseum style of improv, in which both teams are given limitations that they have to work around for each scene and, much like hockey, penalties can be assessed for breaking preset rules or being unnecessarily mean to the other side. The competition will also incorporate elements of the challenge style of improv, in which

each team must come up with challenges and situations for the other to act out. “It might be something as simple as ‘this scene must use two members from the audience’ or something more complicated like ‘in this scene one of you must be on the shoulders of someone else at all times’,” explains McFadyen. “We just give them zany gimmicks to incorporate into their scene.” The contest will be unscientifically judged on audience laughter, and the only thing that may get wounded in this competition is the contestants’ pride.

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“There’s nothing really on the line here other than bragging rights, which are still very important in the world of comedy,” explains McFadyen. “All improvisers get along, with or without the language barrier.” Regardless of the friendly nature of the show, McFadyen expects his club to perform to its fullest. “We can’t just be a carpet for them,” laughs McFadyen. “We need to show them that [Room for Improvment] has some teeth.” Room for Improvment challenges La L.I.E.U. at Café Alternatif on March 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $2.

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Knowing

Alex by Peter Henderson Fulcrum Staff

THE END OF the world is nigh. At least it is in Knowing, the first feature film since 2004’s I, Robot from director Alex Proyas. Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) doesn’t call it a disaster movie, but the film depicts cataclysmic events and deals with a prophecy that foresees the final destruction of the human race. In these times of economic meltdowns and devastating climate changes, Proyas thinks that a film like Knowing is a reflection of the North American mood. “When people live in uncertain times, [Armageddon] is something that [they] dwell upon,” says Proyas. “Movies are a reflection of that, a way of analyzing the situation in a dramatic form and perhaps helping us find a solution, or, at worst, prepare ourselves. I really think it’s a sign of the times.” Knowing tells the story of John Koestler (Nicolas Cage), a father who decodes a cryptic message found in a time capsule opened at his son’s elementary school. Koestler believes that the message, written 50 years ago by a young girl, has correctly predicted every major disaster that occurred since the capsule was buried. It predicts not just more disasters, but the imminent end of the world. With the help of his son (Chandler Canterbury) and the descendants of the prophecy’s original author, Koestler attempts to keep the prophecy from coming true. The film is billed as a science-fiction action film, but it wasn’t the action set-pieces—a plane crash, a subway disaster—that drew Proyas to the project. “Though it is about these large-scale events, there’s an aspect of action, and suspense really drives the movie forward; it really is a very intimate story about a father and son,” he says. “That’s what appealed to me. “I was aware of the set-piece moments that were going to happen in the script, and I wanted to avoid glamorizing [them],” he continues. “I really wanted to make them as visceral, real, and unsettling as possible. It was a reaction against what I see in Hollywood movies that glamorize or beautify disaster.” Science fiction is a genre Proyas knows well, having explored the complicated relationship between humanity and technology in Dark City, I, Robot, and The Crow. He’s been an avid sci-fi fan since he was a child, with the works of American science fiction writer Philip K. Dick being one important influence on his development. “[Science fiction] is really my own personal comfort zone,” says Proyas. “I grew up on science fiction, and it really is a part of my psyche creatively. I just feel very comfortable working within the genre. Science fiction is often more grounded in the rules of the real world, and I like the confines of that world. It’s what I think I do best, and I stick with it.” As with Dark City, Proyas was involved in the writing of Knowing, and he has contributed uncredited work to the screenplays of his other

Director Alex Proyas talks sci-fi, disaster movies, and Nic Cage

films. As a filmmaker, he finds it important to have a say in the story, not just how it is told. “I like to be involved with the story we’re telling as much as possible,” he explains. “Partly why I take so long getting movies going is [because] I really tinker with the screenplay a great deal until I’m totally satisfied with it. I like going into a movie with [a script] that’s as well crafted as we can make it. That’s often a result of ripping it apart and putting it back together repeatedly, because it’s often easier to fix stuff at the script stage than in the cutting room.” Proyas believes the rewrites are essential to making his movies work, and he does most of the tweaking himself. “I want [every film I do] to have a unique voice,” he explains. “It’s got to come from someone, so it might as well be me.” The two lead actors in Knowing, Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne, who plays the daughter of the girl who wrote the original prophecy, are two people Proyas has wanted to work with for a long time. The project came together at a time when the two actors had room in their schedules, and Proyas felt they were perfectly suited for the story he wanted to tell. “[Cage] read the script and loved it, and he was very interested in working with me, so it was a great marriage in that respect,” says Proyas. “He came on board at a fairly early stage, and I was delighted with that—I thought he was a perfect match for that character. “Rosie is someone I’ve known for quite a long time, and we’re quite good friends,” he continues. “We both come from Sydney in Australia, so we’ve known each other for a while now. She’s, again, someone that I’ve wanted to work with, and the character seemed perfect for her.” The realistic visual aesthetic of Knowing couldn’t be further from the fantastical alternate worlds of Proyas’ earlier films. The film was shot on digital video, which gives the director immediate feedback on shots and allows more flexibility in shot length, camera position, and lighting. Knowing is Proyas’ first experience with digital filmmaking, and he used the technique in part because the film is meant to be as believable as possible. “I specifically made myself move away from the stylized world that I usually work with,” says Proyas. “I wanted to put people into a reality. It was very important to me that the performances and the way I tell the story visually was naturalistic and unstructured.” Although this is the first film Proyas has shot on digital, he has often experimented with the form before and he hopes to use it again in the future. “I’ve always tested all the latest digital cameras on every project,” he says. “I’ve always gone back to film. In this instance, I used a camera that I was really impressed with from an early stage. [We shot the whole film with it, and] we’re very pleased with the result.”

image courtesy Summit Entertainment

Alex Proyas (inset) often has a hand in writing the films he directs, including Knowing.

Knowing will be released in theatres March 20.

www.thefulcrum.ca // 03.12.09 //

ARTS // 11

page 12 | the fulcrum

Restricted Content The censorship of what we rea

by Sarah Gibbo Fulcrum Contribut

I

T WAS 1880 when poet Walt Whitman said, “The dirtiest book of all is the expurgated book.” The censorship of books, however, is still pervasive in 2009. With an almost limitless selection of reading material available from libraries, secondhand bookstores, and even Google Books, students’ reading choices seem plentiful. Compared to the 1950s, when books were banned for obscenity and due to content, students today are living in an era of relative accessibility. Yet in 2009 people in Canada and the United States continue to challenge the placement of certain books on library shelves and in classrooms. Books are being challenged for a great variety of reasons: depictions of same-sex parenthood, obscenity, profanity, and unconventional politics. From February 22 to 28, the Freedom of Expression Committee of the Book and Periodical Council (BPC)—a committee that scrutinizes issues of censorship in Canada—hosted its annual Freedom to Read Week. The annual event was a celebration of Canadian citizens’ right to freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Across the nation, libraries displayed books that were banned in the past and organized activities emphasizing liberal content. The week facilitated the understanding that a book deemed objectionable by some can for others be eye-opening in its exploration of new perspectives.

Our freedom to read In 20th century North America, there was a notable spike in the censorship of literature. The U.S. government took part by banning classic books such as James Joyce’s Ulysses and Voltaire’s Candide from entering the country in 1930, citing obscenity and unnecessary use of vulgar language. In 1948, the American Library Association (ALA) adopted the Library Bill of Rights, which formally outlined the organization’s commitment to protect an individual’s right to access materials within a library and to promote free expression. Deborah CaldwellStone, deputy-director of the ALA, explained that the idea for the bill originated in librarians’ fears of increased censorship. “[The Library Bill of Rights] began in the 1930s when members of the library profession began to note a great deal of censorship—both the U.S. government out and out forbidding books from entering the country, to the kind of censorship that involved suppressing books because of their political ideas or the social views they expressed.” The U.S. is not alone in defending books from censorship. Canada has numerous organizations that defend their right to read, such as the BPC’s Freedom of Expression Committee and the Canadian Library Association (CLA) Advisory Committee on Intellectual Freedom—a committee dedicated

photo by Alex Martin

ons tor

The challengers and their reasons Despite such strong words against censorship, there is always the opposing viewpoint. With challenges continuing to be made, it begs the question, who is challenging them and why? Most challenges in Canada come from parents and school administrators at the elementary and high school level or non-profit organizations. Accuracy in Academia (AIA), a nonprofit research group based in Washington, D.C., is one of many organizations in the U.S. that frequently challenge reading material. The organization focuses mostly on books taught at the university level. Eric Langborgh, conference director of AIA, addressed students of Georgia Tech in 2000 on the issue of educational bias and AIA’s reasoning behind challenging material used in the classroom. “People often use the academic freedom defence against censorship but there is a world of difference between academic freedom and academic anarchy,” he said. “Academic freedom cannot and should not mean that anything goes, but it does have everything to do with academic responsibility and the proper use of public funds.” AIA’s mission statement is to “focus on the use of classroom and/or university resources to indoctrinate students, discrimination against students, faculty or administrators based on political or academic beliefs, and campus violations of free speech.” Frequently, a book is challenged because of its particularly explicit content. The predominant belief by challengers is that children in school are impressionable and should be protected from literature that

William Tyndale’s English translation of the New Testament was smuggled into England—and then burned by the English church because it was not written in Latin.

1744

Sorrows of Young Werther— which ends with a graphic depiction of Werther’s suicide—is condemned by the Lutheran church after several copycat suicides. Italy, Denmark, and Germany also ban the book.

Challenged One of the most famously censored books is J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, published in 1951. The book wasn’t challenged for its obscenity; instead, its controversy stemmed from its use of angst, sexuality, and profanity in the depiction of a young adult’s brooding thoughts and actions. In the 1960s, U.S. educational boards fired teachers who taught the novel in their classrooms. Although the novel has been translated into the majority of the world’s major languages and its sales exceed $65 million, more than 50 years later the novel remains a source of contention between concerned parents and teachers following American and Canadian high school curriculums. Caldwell-Stone noted that it is rare for The Catcher in the Rye not to receive at least one or two challenges a year, and added that novels written for youth audiences often fill spots on the ALA’s list of top 10 most challenged books. The Catcher in the Rye has a place on the CLA February 2009 List of Challenged Books and Magazines, where it’s noted that the novel has been consistently challenged by parents and school administrators in Canada for the last 15 years due to its profane language. Gariepy acknowledged that it is possible that objections to the novel are based on more than its language alone. “This book, for reasons that we without further investigation may not be able to fully understand, has become almost become a flashpoint,” he said. “It has such a long history of banning that it’s almost become a tradition for someone, somewhere, to challenge it at least on an annual basis.” Censorship, however, is not limited to

1933

Bonfires in Nazi Germany burned thousands of books written by Jews, communists, and others. Included were the works of Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Ernest Hemingway, Helen Keller, Lenin, Jack London, Karl Marx, and Upton Sinclair.

the U.S. Margaret Atwood’s book, A Handmaid’s Tale, is currently at the centre of amuch-talked about challenge in Canada and has just been reviewed by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The novel is about a totalitarian society in which lower class women have few rights and are the child-bearers for the elite. Robert Edwards, the parent whose Grade 12 son studied the book in class, filed the complaint. “This book speaks of women performing fellatio, prostitution, female subjugation, adultery, pornography, brothels, rape, sexual domination and multiple sex partners, a woman’s (vagina) wearing out, and of course the de rigueur F-word, apparently a must-have word to win a literary award in this country,” he wrote in the complaint. “It is rife with brutality towards and mistreatment of women … I can’t really understand what it is my son is supposed to be learning from this fictional drivel.” The TDSB, in its review, decided that the book was suitable for the students to read. “We’re very supportive of maintaining The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood as a learning resource in the TDSB,” said Melanie Parrack, an executive superintendent with the board. The final decision—which has yet to be made—is left to the board’s director of education, Gerry Connelly.

Will we see change? Despite the efforts of the BPC’s Freedom of Expression Committee and the CLA’s Advisory Committee on Intellectual Freedom to defend the right to read, it seems that literary challenges will continue as long as parents and school administrators persist in questioning the merit required for a book to be placed on a library’s shelf and for a novel to be taught in a classroom. Caldwell-Stone noted that from year to year, the ALA sees little change in the quantity of challenges, the books being challenged, and the type of people who bring forward the challenges. Both the CLA and the ALA continue to receive challenges, and the data that the organizations have collected from surveys and reported challenges does not show that they are likely to stop receiving those challenges in the future. While Freedom to Read Week celebrated the right of Canadians to access controversial novels and other publications, part of its significance is to remind citizens that censorship attempts are still prevalent in 2009. Yet even if a book is banned from a school, a library, or a country, the ideas within it persist. As Franklin D. Roosevelt noted in his message to the booksellers of America in 1942, “We all know that books burn, yet we have the greater knowledge that books cannot be killed by fire. People die, but books never die. No man and no force can abolish memory.”

1970

White Niggers of America—a book about Quebec politics— was confiscated and banned. A U.S. edition was published in English in 1971 and smuggled into Canada.

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to encouraging freedom of expression. Gerald Lynch, a professor in the Department of English at the University of Ottawa, is a firm believer in the freedom to read. “No one likes the word ‘censorship’. It smacks of totalitarian tyranny over freedom of expression (of cold-war communism, of Orwell’s 1984, etc.). Or like something Freud dreamed up to keep us from having fun,” he said. “Being ‘pro-censorship’ sounds like being in favour of telling people to shut up. It’s just so rude, so unacceptable in a liberal democracy that thrives on a plurality of opinion, and on old-fashioned politeness.”

uses profanity or derogatory terms, or portrays a particular religious or ethnic group in a negative light. Every year, novels by authors such as Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou—who have both written about rape and incest—receive challenges when teachers try to use this material in upperlevel high school classes. “There is a constituency of people that believes that even though these are Pulitzer Prize-winning novels, they have no place in the high school classroom because they have profanity in them or they deal with difficult situations like incest or rape in the course of telling their stories,” Caldwell-Stone said. Kenneth D. Gariepy, the chair of the CLA Advisory committee on intellectual freedom, agreed with Caldwell-Stone. “I think with some parents there’s a concern that if their teenager or their young adult are exposed to even fictitious works that depict situations in which characters are opposing the mainstream, that these ideas can become embodied in their children’s actions, and I think that makes a lot of parents uneasy.”

Good Film

Watchmen

A

WATCHMEN IS EVERY bit the epic master- Snyder never loses the original feel and nihilism piece it has been hyped up to be. Adapted from of the graphic novel. The dialogue is simple and the 1987 graphic novel by Alan Moore and straightforward, not filled with the lame comicDavid Gibbons, the film tells the story of an book clichés that doom so many other film adalternate timeline in which a band of retired aptations. Much of it is lifted directly from the vigilante heroes reunite in the face of the Cold book, and it’s a testament to Moore’s strength as War. To add to the trouble, the group finds that an author that it flows naturally out of the actors’ someone is picking off their old members, one mouths. by one. The acting in Watchmen is superb and sets Watchmen is directed a new standard for by Zack Snyder (300, comic book adaptaDawn of the Dead), and The actors in the Snyder takes the beautifully tions. the visual aspects of the film are brilliantly cast, drawn panels of the comic film are mind-blowing. especially in the case of Snyder takes the beautiJackie Earle Hailey as book and turns them into a fully drawn panels of the uncompromising, savage, live-action experience. the comic book and turns fascist Rorschach, and them into a savage, liveJames Dean Morgan as action experience. The the swaggering, misogyfilm’s action sequences are stunning, using the nistic Comedian. Both look and act exactly like slow-motion concept Snyder developed in 300 their comic-book counterparts, fully inhabiting and Dawn of the Dead to show simple but brutal their characters and making each movement violence. Snyder never falls into the trap of oth- and action seem as natural as breathing. er action films that cut their scenes to shreds— Watchmen is not your average gumdrops and each confrontation is shown in medium or wide sunshine comic-book movie. It is dark, brutal, shots, giving the viewer a perfect perspective on and offensive, with heroes who are morally and all the dizzying action. emotionally flawed and prone to making bad The film sticks to the look and plot of the decisions. Anyone expecting a Spider-mangraphic novel as best as it can, though several key esque film for the whole family will be very aspects of the comic are changed or removed for surprised. practical reasons. Not to worry though, because —Hisham Kelati

The Fulcrum 2009–10 editorial board elections

Bad Watchmen

Film

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WATCHMEN AUTHOR ALAN Moore and il- to Saw-level gore. Those expecting to see a tralustrator Dave Gibbons had it right the first ditional comic-book movie will be shocked, as time. The graphic novel is a literary master- Watchmen features sex and violence in spades. piece that combines remarkable storytelling Time, clocks, and watches are meaningful symand metaphysical philosophical insight. Unfor- bols in the Watchmen story, and audiences will tunately director Zack Snyder worked within take note of the tedious two-hour-and-40-minthe confines of the graphic novel and created ute show time. For the viewers who didn’t read an adaptation that ultimately disappoints both the graphic novel, that’s a considerable amount of time to be baffled by an incongruous plotline. moviegoers and comic-book fans. Watchmen is an undeniably dark and violent Even with the extended length, Snyder still had tale about an alternate universe where vigilante to cut certain scenes out of the film, and there is little emotional attachment heroes fought crime until forced into retirement in the Simply put, Watchmen is between the audience and any of the main characters. 1970s; there is only one real an unfilmable piece Another problem with superhero, a super-powered of literature. Watchmen is the film’s scientist named Dr. Mansoundtrack. Songs by Bob hattan; and Richard Nixon won the Vietnam war and several presidential Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel are featured in the film, and “99 Luftballons” by Nena pops up terms. The graphic novel Watchmen is essentially at one point. The songs fit the era of the story, but used as a storyboard for the film adaptation. their popularity—it sounds like a hit parade—is Moviegoers who have yet to read the graphic distracting, and breaks the suspension of disbenovel will be highly confused by the story’s flash- lief because these famous songs are already so backs, subplots, and constant jumping between filled with meaning for the audience. Simply put, Watchmen is an unfilmable piece protagonists and characters. Unfortunately, devoted fans of the book will also be disappointed of literature. Zack Snyder aimed to please both by Snyder’s changes to the original, including a comic fans and newcomers, but in the end, he new ending and the trimming of many arguably pleased neither. Watchmen was in development hell—Hollywood purgatory—for almost 20 essential details. Snyder greatly emphasizes the viciousness years. It should have stayed there. —Kalin Smith found within the book, but pushes the violence image courtesy Warner Bros.

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News Editor

March 12

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The Fulcrum is holding elections for next year’s editorial board. If you have a passion for student journalism, we have the opportunity for you!

Sports Editor

March 12

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Arts & Culture Editor

March 12

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Candidates must prepare a platform outlining their vision for the role they would like to play next year. Platforms are due at 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to the election date of the position, and should be emailed to [email protected]. All elections will take place at the Fulcrum office at 631 King Edward Ave. during the weekly staff meeting Thursdays at 2:30 p.m.

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March 19

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For more information or to submit a platform, contact Frank Appleyard at [email protected]

Ottawa rockers invade Toronto APlotAgainstMe join 2009 CMW line-up by Megan O’Meara Fulcrum Staff OTTAWA-BASED HARD ROCKERS APlotAgainstMe are enjoying an explosive start to their year. Their second album, Deuce, was released Feb. 13, and the band will soon travel to Toronto to participate in the annual Canadian Music Week (CMW) which runs March 11–14. CMW is a weeklong music festival, conference, and exhibition that features 350 bands from across the world performing in 35 downtown Toronto clubs, and APlotAgainstMe are hoping to gain some major exposure from their show on March 12. Together since 2005, the band released Who do you work for? Why do you do it? in 2006, and have toured extensively across Canada. Lead singer Sylvain Lavigne explains that the band only recently found a sound that they felt suited them as a group, moving away from punk and metal to create their own blend of hard rock. “The sound we have now is more textured, more defined, and I guess a bit more us,” he explains. “We’re actually defining a bit more of what APlotAgainstMe is, instead of just being [another] big heavy rock band.” This sonic development could be a result of the lineup changes that the band underwent in mid-2008. Drum-

mer Martin Desjardins was replaced by Butch Gerard, and the band added bass player Dan Page to relieve Lavigne of double duty as the bassist and singer. The newcomers joined original guitarist Shawn Bradley and Lavigne to create the ambitious foursome that is the band today. Along with the changes in membership, APlotAgainstMe has shifted its influences since the band first got together. “The first record and the first stuff we were doing was more on the heavy side … Queens of the Stone Age influenced [it], that and Nirvana—[it was] really more rock driven,” says Lavigne. “With the new record, it’s more influenced by stuff from the 50s, [yet it’s] still some pretty heavy rock.” APlotAgainstMe remains unsigned by a record label, but despite their lack of label support they managed to recruit some big names to lend their expertise to Deuce. Guitarist Bradley fills the role of producer for their music, but the band had both Grammy-award-winning producer David Bottrill (Tool, Silverchair, Peter Gabriel) and Juno-winning producer Vic Florencia (Danko Jones, Nelly Furtado) do co-production work on the new album. “[Botrill] is a super cool dude; he did some great mixes on three of our songs off the record,” says Lavigne. “After we did the first songs with him, we called Florencia and gave him one song to mix. It came back super … so

photo courtesy Sean Sisk

we started working with him a little bit more and we decided that he should define the sound of the record.” The four also recorded a live single with Ian Thornley (Big Wreck/Thornley) called “Swearengen”, which was engineered by Eric Ratz (Billy Talent) and mixed by Florencia. The single was released at the same time as Deuce. Since they have been doing well on their own, Lavigne wants the band to stay independent until they can find

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Queen St. W.) on March 12 at the Last Gang Records/Ideal Friends CMW showcase. The band is represented by the Ideal Friends publicity firm. “All I want to do is make really good music and have it heard by a whole lot of people,” says Lavigne. “Whether a record label is involved or not, I don’t really mind. We’re just being ourselves, like we always are.” For more information and tour dates, visit www.aplotagainstme.com.

You’ll never eat brunch in this town again

The curse of the fanboy

Peter Henderson Arts & Culture Editor

check it out at

a recording deal that satisfies their needs without compromising their musical direction. “[We’d] like to sign to a label that actually gives us artistic freedom, [and] that’s there to back us and give us the right publicity,” explains Lavigne. “Really, I don’t mind being independent forever, so long as we get distribution deals so that our records actually hit stores.” APlotAgainstMe will be performing at CMW at the Wrong Bar (1279

THE RECENT RELEASE of the film adaptation of Alan Moore’s seminal comic book Watchmen brought them out of their parents’ basements in droves. They post extended rants on the Internet about their favourite films, movies, or video games, and they know more obscure trivia than anyone ever should about their chosen obsession. They’ll sit behind you at every big superhero film opening, complaining about how different the hero’s powers are when compared to issue number 167. They were immortalized by The Simpsons in the character of Comic Book Guy as slogan-Tshirt-wearing, greasy-hot-dog-eating, socially awkward jerks. I’m speaking, of course, of the scourge known as fanboys. The fanboy can strike anywhere, at any time. Normal people who spend more than a cursory amount of time on the Internet know about Rule One: whatever you’re into, someone is way more into it and has devoted his or her free time to writing a 4,000-word Wikipedia page about the topic. This is no

joke—the Wikipedia page for Knuckles, the sidekick from the Sonic The Hedgehog video-game series, clocks in at over 3,000 words. That’s 1,600 words more than the entry for ‘girlfriend’, which I think is no coincidence. Fanboys are devoted to their particular subject with fanatical fervour, and they will accept no criticism or dissent. Director George Lucas alienated many of his fanboys with the three Star Wars prequels, but ask the next person you see in a Stormtrooper costume why the dialogue in Episode IV: A New Hope is so stilted and awkward. With wild-eyed passion and equal amounts of arrogance and condescension, they’ll defend the original trilogy as though you were questioning their very existence. It’s not just films, either—tell the next person you see with a Tool T-shirt that the guitar playing on 10,000 Days, Tool’s latest album, is boring and unimaginative, and watch the creepy zeal with which that fan defends his rock gods. Fanboy dedication goes beyond simple adoration. It’s an all-out devotion that borders on religious mania, and it’s usually based on pop culture subjects that don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. Grown men should not have more than a vague knowledge of children’s cartoons, but there are 35-year-olds who know more about Dragonball Z than your average fifth grader. Of course, fanboys often exist in opposition to one another— Xbox 360 vs. Playstation 3, Star Wars vs. Star Trek, or Linux vs. Windows. Spotting fanboys is easy, and it’s their

new-found relevance that we should be worried about. The worst part about fanboys is their ability to have an influence. The army of Internet nerds were up in arms about Zack Snyder’s film version of Watchmen when they heard he was making changes to the plot and structure of the book, and he’s made it clear that he at least considered some of their demands in making the final product. Unfortunately, this incorporation of fanboy opinion takes away enjoyment from the rest of us, because Snyder’s faithful use of the comic’s dialogue—perfect for the page, but unwieldy and awkward on the big screen—ends up being the film’s Achilles heel. Emotions and plot development are lamely revealed by the characters, and the suspension of disbelief is ruined by conversations that are more awkward than Joaquin Phoenix’s recent appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. If Snyder had ignored the fanboys and made a movie, not a moving comic book, Watchmen would have been an epic film. The fanboy curse started with the rise of the Internet. Before that time, fanboys were isolated in their mom’s basements, ranting silently to the wall about Mork & Mindy or the original Transformers cartoon. Now, they build online communities dedicated to topics no one should care about, like whether the Millennium Falcon is faster that the starship Enterprise. Creative types, for the good of us all, I beg you: ignore the fanboys. [email protected] 613-562-5931

www.thefulcrum.ca // 03.12.09 //

ARTS // 15

Sports

David McClelland Sports Editor [email protected] March 12–18, 2009

Championship-bound Men’s basketball team captures OUA bronze medal

Questions surround national seedings

by Anna Rocoski Fulcrum Staff

by David McClelland Fulcrum Staff

IT WAS A sparse crowd in Montpetit Hall on March 7, but they still roared as the University of Ottawa men’s basketball team defeated the Windsor Lancers 73-59, winning the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) bronze medal and securing a berth at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) March 13–15 national championships. The victory required the Gee-Gees to come back from an 8261 defeat at the hands of the Carleton Ravens in a March 4 OUA semifinal game. “We were always able to bounce back the next game,” said Gee-Gees head coach David DeAveiro. “I thought that we could do that again today and we did. [We] just forget about [the loss against Carleton] and focused on what we had to do [tonight]. It’s kind of falling into our plan, our plan is to let [the Ravens] win the first game and not the last one.” While the Gee-Gees opened up an early 9-2 lead, they couldn’t maintain it during the first half. The Lancers slowly clawed away at the Ottawa lead, trimming it to 34-29 at halftime. However the Gee-Gees took off in the third quarter, led by strong performances from point guards Josh Gibson-Bascombe and Josh Wright, who combined to score 36 points in the game. The pair hit a trio of threepointers in the frame to catapult the Gees to a 55-41 lead going into the final quarter. A tight defensive game by the Gee-Gees kept the Lancers from mounting any serious threat in the fourth quarter, securing the win. The game also marked the last home game for fifth-year centre Dax Dessureault and fifth-year forward David

UNIVERSITY SPORTING CHAMPIONSHIPS bring together teams from all across the country, but the Gee-Gees men’s basketball team could very well end up playing two conference rivals in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) March 13–15 national championships. The Gees are seeded fifth in the eight-team tournament (see sidebar), meaning they will open the championship against the fourth-seeded Western Mustangs, a fellow Ontario University Athletics (OUA) team, whom the Gee-Gees have already faced once this season. The winner of the game will likely go on to play the Carleton Ravens, provided the Ravens beat the eighth-ranked St. Fracis Xavier X-men in their first game. “I can’t say I’m [very] pleased with [the rankings],” said Gee-Gees head coach Dave DeAveiro. “I can’t figure out why they would have the three Ontario teams on one side of the draw and the western teams on the other side of the draw. To me it doesn’t make sense, but you have to … take the draw for what it is and get ready to play.” DeAveiro is not the only person to express frustration. Both Carleton head coach Dave Smart and Western head coach Brad Campbell feel that the tournament seedings weren’t organized as well as they could have been. A committee of basketball coaches creates the seedings after all the regional playoffs have ended. “I don’t know how all the Ontario teams wind up on the same side of the draw,” said Campbell in an article published in the London Free Press. “I’m not sure why it would work that way. I can’t explain it. I know that

photo by Joël Côté-Cright

Gee-Gees guard Josh Gibson-Bascombe (3) heads skyward during Ottawa’s 73-59 victory over the Windsor Lancers “I think of all the tournaments I’ve Labentowicz, who both completed their final year of CIS eligibility. been to this is probably the tourna“When you’ve got two [veteran] ment with the most depth—you’ve got guys you expect leadership and per- eight great teams in this tournament,” formance because they don’t want he said. “We’re in tough against Westtheir season to end, they don’t want ern. They hammered us pretty good their careers to end,” said DeAveiro, the first time we played them … and “I knew I could count on those two they won the [OUA] West, so we’ve guys and they came through. I am got our hands full. So we’re just pracjust happy about the other guys who tising a little bit each day and workstepped in and contributed to make ing on things that we’re going to do sure that David and Dax could play a against them.” couple more games.” “It feels good. A little sad though,” The Gee-Gees kick off the CIS champisaid Labentowicz. “At least my last onships on March 13 against the Western Mustangs at Scotiabank Place. Tipmemory on the floor is a good one.” The Gee-Gees are now looking off is at 6 p.m., and tickets—starting ahead to the national championships, from $5 for a pair of games and $30 for hosted by Carleton at Scotiabank a tournament pass—are available from Place. DeAveiro is expecting a tough captialtickets.ca tournament, and is preparing his —With files from David McClelland team accordingly.

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we’re going to a national tournament and can get to the final without playing any team outside of Ontario.” “Everything was discussed. The fact that the field was very deep [and] we didn’t want to seed teams that fit a certain model so that the seeding would be skewed,” Mark Katz, head coach of the Toronto Varsity Blues and a member of the committee that decided the seedings, said in an interview with the Fulcrum. “In other words a team that is arguably third or fourth seeded to go to seventh [seed] for some matchup purposes was not considered.” Even so, DeAveiro would rather have seen the seedings organized in a way that wouldn’t have pitted them against conference rivals. “We might have been [seeded] third or sixth,” said DeAveiro. “I didn’t think they’d put Carleton and us on the same side [of the draw], or have two Ontario [teams] play each other in the first round. I didn’t think that was going to happen, but it did.”

Tournament seeds 1. Carleton Ravens (21-1) 2. Calgary Dinos (17-5) 3. British Columbia Thunderbirds (21-2) 4. Western Mustangs (19-3) 5. Ottawa Gee-Gees (19-3) 6. Dalhousie Tigers (13-7) 7. Concordia Stingers (12-4) 8. St. Francis Xavier X-Men (17-3)

Victory eludes Gees at nationals Women’s basketball team comes up short in Regina by David McClelland Fulcrum Staff A YEAR AGO, no one thought the Gee-Gees women’s basketball team would make the next national championship. After a 3-19 season in 2007–08, the Gees came up with a remarkable turnaround in 2008–09, advancing to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national championship for the first time since 2004. Disappointingly, the Gee-Gees lost both their games at the March 6–8 tournament at the University of Re-

gina in Saskatchewan. On March 6, the Simon Fraser Clan crushed the Garnet and Grey 89-42, and the Laval Rouge et Or beat the Gees 75-58 the following day. Ottawa was seeded eighth in the tournament, and had to open the tournament against the first-seeded—and eventual champion—Clan, who made short work of the Gees in the most lopsided victory at a CIS women’s basketball championship since 1982. “The level of competition was such that we haven’t seen all year,” said Gee-Gees head coach Andy Sparks, who felt that his team put in a solid effort against the strong Clan squad. “We probably could have only lost by 30 if we’d have played it as hard to finish, but it wasn’t meant

to be.” With the loss to the Clan, the GeeGees were relegated to the consolation semifinal, in which they faced the fifth-seeded Rouge et Or. The Gees trailed for most of the game, shooting only 32 per cent from the floor, en route to a 75-58 defeat. “[Laval] was an excellent team, I think we competed with them very well and were only down six late in the third quarter. The 17-point loss was more reflective of the fact they made 29 out of 34 foul shots and we only went to the line for 10 foul shots,” explained Sparks. “There were a lot of positives in that game and the girls worked hard to finish the ball game, and have something to build on for the future.” NATIONALS continued on p. 17

photo courtesy B2 Digital Imaging

Gee-Gees centre Hannah Sunley Paisley, who led the Gees with 33 points over the weekend, tips-off in the tournament opener.

Triple-double Three consecutive double overtimes in squeaker of a playoff series by Andrew Hawley and David McClelland Fulcrum Staff THE QUEBEC STUDENT Sports Federation (QSSF) best-of-three playoff series was a long, intense battle between the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton Ravens March 4–8. All three matches were 2-1 games decided in double overtime, the first won by Carleton and the last two by Ottawa. Game one of the series on March 4 at the Sports Complex set the tone for the two games that would follow, with the Gees and Ravens playing tough hockey with strong defence and airtight goaltending. Carleton was the first to break the stalemate as centre Claudia Bergeron sent the puck past Gee-Gees fifth-year goaltender Jessika Audet with three minutes left in the second period. The Gee-Gees responded in the third as second-year defender Michelle Snowden fired a shot home on the power play to even the score 1-1, setting up overtime. Neither team was able to find the net during the first overtime period, but Carleton forward Jennifer Gordon finally ended the match when she scored with three minutes remaining in the second overtime period. In game two on March 6 with Carleton on home ice, the Ravens launched an early barrage on the Gees—but Audet stood tall. Outshot 8-1 in the first five minutes, thanks to to three straight Carleton power plays, the Gee-Gees played tough defence to keep the game scoreless. The deadlock was broken in the second period when fourth-year Gees defender Christine Allen launched a pass to set up third-year forward Kayla Hottot on a breakaway. Hottot faked a shot on Carleton goaltender Valerie Charbonneau, and then slid the puck underneath her to even the score. “I wasn’t worried about getting a great pass,” said Hottot after the game. “I was just worried about finishing, and thankfully I did. Everyone just bought in tonight.” “[Hottot]’s an outstanding player,” praised

NATIONALS continued from p. 16 Although the Gees may not haver returned to Ottawa with a victory, they came home with something almost as valuable for future years: experience. “This group of girls wasn’t expected to do very much this year and for them to have accomplished what they accomplished is just a great sign of what they really wanted to do this year,” said Sparks. “They’re exceptionally keen to get going next year, and I know they’ll be driven to get back [to the nationals]. I think it just builds on itself.”

Doing

Gee-Gees head coach Shelley Coolidge after the game. “She trains hard, does extra work, and it was nice to see that goal go in for her.” In the third period, Ottawa broke down defensively and the Ravens capitalized. With a little over a minute to go, Carleton’s Alexandra Palm found herself wide open in the slot, and a well-placed slapshot travelled past three defenders and over Audet’s glove. While Ottawa sputtered offensively in the first overtime period, third-year forward Joelle Charlebois was able to find the net in the second overtime, potting the game-winning goal off a rebound. “I just saw the puck come towards me and I put it on net and luckily it went in,” noted a smiling Charlebois after the game. On March 8, with the series knotted at one game each, the Gees and Ravens faced off in another hotly contested match at the Sports Complex. After a scoreless first period, Ottawa got on the board in the second period when thirdyear forward Ashley Burill scored with under 10 seconds left in the frame. Burill later left the game in the third period with a possibly seasonending knee injury. The Gee-Gees suffered from defensive lapses in the third period, allowing Carleton forward Sara Seiler to get in front of the net and put the puck past Audet to even the score 1-1. Carleton looked to have the upper hand in the first overtime period, nearly scoring several times, but it was rookie Ottawa forward Brittany Jones who ended the series, lifting the puck over Charbonneau’s shoulder with four minutes of play left in the second overtime frame. “[We] had so many chances all game, I was like ‘one has to go in’,” laughed Jones afterwards. Having defeated Carleton the Gee-Gees advanced to face the first-seeded McGill Martlets in the QSSF finals, which began March 11 in Ottawa. The result was not available at press time. “We’ve faced McGill all year long … and we know what they bring,” said Coolidge. “For us, it’s about really preparing a real solid, disciplined forecheck against them, and we need to capitalize on opportunities … you make a mistake against that team and they make [you] pay the price.”

photo by Martha Pearce

Ottawa netminder Jessika Audet was kept busy during the Gees’ series against Carleton, in which all three games went to double overtime.

Game two of the QSSF finals will take place March 13 in Montreal, and game three (if necessary) will be on March 15, also in Montreal.

Over the next few months, Sparks will work on assembling his team for the next season, hoping to build a squad that is much tougher than the 2008–09 edition. “Our ability to compete at the highest level was related to a combination of strength factors,” said Sparks. “So we’re starting [the team] in a program right now to build up their strength and their quickness and hopefully that will help us make a little bit of a step. But the reality is players are required, and hopefully we can bring in three or four players to help us from an athletic perspective who can match up with the level of athlete from Canada West.”

is the new

learning

[email protected] www.thefulcrum.ca // 03.12.09 //

NEWS // 17

A failing grade for food costs Eating healthy becoming more expensive, shows report card by Pete Yee The Gateway EDMONTON (CUP) – ACCORDING TO THE Heart and Stroke Foundation’s 2009 Health Report Card, high food costs are proving that eating healthy is becoming a privilege. The first of its kind to span the country, the study revealed that the cost of healthy foods has risen to the point that affordability has become a pressing issue. Health researchers across Canada, including Kim Raine, director of the Centre of Health Promotion Studies at the University of Alberta, found the study interesting. “The results were not surprising, but perhaps even more dramatic than I would have expected. I’ve been doing research in the area of food prices for six years,” Raine said. “I was really surprised to see the magnitude of the [regional] differences,” she added. “This just goes to show the huge differences that really affect what people can afford.” The study was conducted in 66 cities across Canada. Last October, volunteer participants were given a list of essential items to purchase in baskets at major grocers, including lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy. “[The baskets] were inspired by the Canadian Health Food Guide. [They were] an expansion

18 \\ SPORTS

and updated version of what they have done in the past,” said Natalie St. Denis, external relations manager with the Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation office. The survey found Marco Di Buono, the that in Ottawa most director of research at prices were at or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, near the national also noted that Health average, though a Canada’s “nutritious few items, such as food basket” was used in addition to the food lean ground beef and guide to determine some whole wheat pasta, of the barriers to healthy were well above the eating. “[The basket] would average. look at the cost of the overall shopping bill and track inflation based on how the bill changed over time,” Di Buono said. The survey found that most prices in Ottawa were at or below the national average, though a few items, such as lean ground beef and whole wheat pasta, were well above the average—beef, for instance, costs an average of $13.21 per kiloFrugal consumers can also find alternatives, gram in Ottawa, compared to $7.18 nationally. such as frozen and canned items, and look for Even with the increased cost, there are still items with the Health Check symbol. ways to manage a healthy diet by being a smart “[The] Health Check program [includes] shopper. Raine suggests finding locations with a variety of foods in the store with the logo. If the best prices and alternatives, and to share the product in the store has that logo, it passes bulk items with other students. all the regular standards that are put out by the “Individuals can do their best to carpool to Government of Canada,” St. Denis said. a grocery store that offers cheaper prices, doing Di Buono says there are options available for their best to budget [and] do their best to share,” purchasing cheap and healthy food, but consumRaine said. ers also have to start questioning the increase in

\\ 03.12.09 \\ www.thefulcrum.ca

photo illustration by Ben Myers

prices and why such a large variation in price exists. Those interested in engaging in such a discussion may wish to talk to the manager of their local grocery store, or contact their MP. “The reality is that it’s important for people to engage in a discussion with the people who manage the food supply for their communities,” he said. The report card can be found on the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s website, at heartandstroke.ca.

Locking down the net photo by Joël Côté-Cright

Netminder Riley Whitlock has blossomed into a Gee-Gees standout by Anna Rocoski Fulcrum Staff IN A YEAR of ups and downs for the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team, one constant has been the presence of goaltender Riley Whitlock between the pipes, who has been an invaluable part of the team’s success all season. For now, Whitlock must go back to being just a student after his second season with the Gee-Gees ended on Feb. 22 with a first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the McGill Redmen. However, as with most athletes during the off-season, sports will still be a large part of Whitlock’s life. “I have to continue on with school, unfortunately, being a student-athlete,” said the 21-year-old Whitlock. “So I will do that for a little while and take a break from the hockey season and after … [I will] re-evaluate what I can try and do better. I think you can always become a more consistent goaltender. You always have to look at what you can do next year and try and talk to coaches to see what [you] can try to improve over the summer.” Born in Calgary, Alberta, Whitlock came to Ottawa in 2007 to study man-

agement and play hockey with the GeeGees. “The team itself [made me want to come to Ottawa],” said Whitlock. “[GeeGees] head coach Dave Leger was very honest in his recruiting of [me]. The second reason was getting into the proper faculty and just the reputation the school has itself. [The U of O] is noted as a strong school across Canada so that [makes] an impact on the student-athlete. I’d like to say [being a] student comes first.” This is Whitlock’s second year playing at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) level. In two years with the Gees Whitlock has amassed a 23-14 regular season record and has a .913 save percentage. Leger feels that Whitlock has become an extremely valuable part of the team. “[Whitlock has] spent two years with us and he’s done nothing but excel in both of those years,” said Leger. “I found this year he has taken on more of a leadership role and he certainly wasn’t afraid to speak up and challenge his teammates. Also, I felt he had a vested interest in the team’s performance and took a lot of responsibility.” Before joining the Gee-Gees, Whitlock spent two seasons as a backup netminder in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Gatineau Olympiques and St. John Sea Dogs, appearing in 28 regular season games from 2004 to 2007. “I think the level at CIS is of higher quality than the QMJHL. The players are more mature in the CIS and in general

understand the game better,” said Whitlock. “I enjoyed my time in the QMJHL and I am enjoying my time in CIS; I think both leagues have their positives and both have their negatives. But both, I think, act as developmental leagues and are opportunities for solid hockey players to showcase their skill.” Whitlock’s job is not an easy one. Being a goaltender also means being a leader, even if the game isn’t going well. Still, it’s a role he takes on willingly. “I think being the goaltender you have to show your team that you’re confident in yourself, especially after you’ve been scored on,” said Whitlock. “I think it’s just a focus that you show your team that you’re not going to be fazed by it and so you show them that you’re ready for the next play. Through a lot of experience and a lot of goals being scored on you, you try and put it away in the back of your mind because you know the next play is just as important as the one that has just passed.” One thing is clear: Leger and the team as a whole will be looking to Whitlock to anchor the team’s success in future seasons. “He is a battler; he is very much a competitive person, even in practice you can just see that he loves to compete,” said Leger. “He’s got a lot of confidence in himself and he [conveys that] in how he mentally prepares and approaches each game. He very much loves to be challenged and he very much rises to the competition whenever the game is on the line.”

Whitlock by the numbers 2008–09 GP GA GAA SO Record SV%

www.thefulcrum.ca // 03.12.09 //

24 69 2.92 2 12-9-0 .912

SPORTS // 19

Distractions

Sarah Leavitt Features Editor [email protected]

March 12–18, 2009

Thryllabus Thursday, March 12 Lecture: International Governance and the Management of Conduct in the Concert of Europe by Professor McMillan. 12 p.m. Desmarais Hall. Room 3102. Free.

Friday, March 13 Play: Doubt. The Gladstone Theatre. 910 Gladstone Ave. $28 for students.

Saturday, March 14 Concert: Hotshot Casino. 9 p.m. The New Bayou. 1077 Bank St. $10. 19+.

Sunday, March 15 Film: One Week. 6:30 p.m. ByTowne Cinema. 325 Rideau St. $9, $6 for members.

Monday, March 16 Roundtable: Canada’s Bilateral Aid Shift with Engineers Without Borders. 6 p.m. Café Alternatif. Free.

Tuesday, March 17 Play: Don’t Blame the Bedouins. 8 p.m. Academic Hall. Free.

Wednesday, March 18

Dear Di

Dear Di, I have been dating my boyfriend for about a year and three months. He showed much love towards me and appreciated being with me. Ever since my stepdad moved in with my mom and me, my boyfriend and I haven’t been able to spend much time alone in my room. A week ago my stepdad was supposed to pick me up from work while my mom was out of town. At the end of my shift, my stepdad wasn’t there to pick me up so I decided to walk home and when I got there I walked in on my stepdad cheating on my mom with my boyfriend. I don’t know if I should tell my mom about this or break it off with my boyfriend, what do you suggest? Help ASAP! —Caught Red-Handed Dear CRH, I don’t care what your views are on cheating but dump your boyfriend immediately. Then tell your mother exactly what you saw. If you are worried about talking to her, confide in someone you both trust and have that person help you break the news. What happens after that is up to your mother, but you shouldn’t have to keep secrets, and you both deserve better. I also suggest that you

and your mother see a doctor and get checked for STIs, as you don’t know who else the two cheaters in your lives have been sleeping with. Finally, since this is such a tangled affair, if you feel the situation is weighing on you, don’t hesitate to speak with a professional counsellor. The Student Academic Success Service main office is located on the fourth floor of 100 Marie-Curie and counselling appointments can be made by telephone at 613-562-5101. I hope everything turns out okay. Love, Di Dear Di, I have recently been increasingly interested in BDSM. I have checked out a number of websites and found BDSM to be exciting and a real turn on. However, I don’t know how to find a girl who shares my kinky interests. I have considered visiting a professional dominatrix but have hesitated because I’m not sure if it’s sketchy or not. How can I satisfy my newfound interest? —Wants To Be Spanked Dear WTBS, If you’re gunning for the lavish BDSM experience, a professional dominatrix is definitely an option,

20

If you have a question for Di, email [email protected].

albeit an expensive one. Rates vary, but an hour of flogging and nipple torture should cost you about $200. I wouldn’t call a dominatrix “sketchy”, as these women are serious, safe professionals that play by strict rules within defined boundaries. There are several easily Googleable dominatrixes in the Ottawa area, so like any potential client, you should do some research online. Before you phone up a professional dominatrix, I want you to know that there are dozens of stunning Ottawa women who would be eager to fulfill your fantasy and no money needs to change hands. So many people share similar kinky interests that finding someone to join you in your bed sports is easier than you think. I suggest you sign up for an online-dating website such as Lavalife (a personal favorite of mine). Though largely known for connecting singles seeking relationships, Lavalife also boasts an extensive “intimate” section. Members can post a profile with as much or as little information as they like, and browse the other profiles, which feature photos and specifications on each person’s interest. Judging from a quick search, I don’t

think you’ll have trouble finding someone willing to tie you up. Please remember that if you decide to meet with someone, plan a preliminary meeting in a public place to get to know each other; be yourself, make your expectations clear, and make sure to ask about STIs. This is for both your safety and hers, and though you may be eager to get spanked, it’s a necessity when meeting anyone through the Internet. Really, I think you should forget about the professional dominatrix and focus on finding another beginner like yourself interested in exploring the realm of BDSM. I think it’s adorable when two amateurs discover something kinky together, and I believe that there’s much more energy and magic in learning along the way, especially when you compare it to the expensive and likely rigid hour you would spend with a dominatrix. Whatever you choose, I’d love to hear how it goes. Good luck, bad boy. Love, Di

Concert: Billy Boulet on the saxophone with Tony Dunn on the piano. 12:15 p.m. First Baptist Church. 140 Laurier Ave. $5.

Doing

The Thryllabus needs lots of events to remain so thrilling.

is the new

learning

Email [email protected] with suggestions.

[email protected]

sudoku answers on p. 22

Opinion

Michael Olender Executive Editor [email protected] March 12–18, 2009

Eureka!

The U of O Motel

HECKLES:

Just… rebuild the school

by Len Smirnov Fulcrum Staff

illustration by Alex Martin

by Hisham Kelati Fulcrum Staff ALL I WANT is a desk to put my books on, a chair to sink into, and quiet atmosphere in which I can learn something. But no, life isn’t that simple. I was in Morisset Library on the sixth floor sometime around 2 p.m. on March 3. The entire floor is set aside for graduate students to do silent research work, so it’s typically deserted as you’re not allowed to talk, eat, or generally produce any audible sound. The perfect place to study. And apparently the perfect place to nap. I made my way around the entire floor, and to my surprise, every seat was taken; either a graduate student or someone seeking some study time was occupying a cubicle. Ready to give up, I turned a corner and came upon an entire section filled with sleeping students. Every single cubicle had someone sleeping in it. My frustration finally boiled over, and I bellowed in anger, “Excuse me, excuse me!” Some stirred, but others didn’t, so I yelled louder, “Excuse me!” They all turned to look at me, and I continued, “If you don’t mind, some of use would like to actually study, as it is a library. If you want to sleep, go home or ride a bus.” They stared at me through their crust-filled eyes with contempt and loathing, but after a few tense seconds passed, half began to drag their corpses from the chairs, while others took out books from their bags and began

idly flipping through them. I plopped myself down on a chair, filled with a mixture of joy and self-righteousness. Studiers: 1, Sleepers: 0. Even on a good day, Morisset Library looks like something out of Saving Private Ryan—there are bodies everywhere. Every time I’m on a quest for a cubicle, I find sleeping, snoring, snorting, burping, farting, slobbering, sneezing, shaking, shivering, coughing, moaning, groaning, twitching people laid everywhere I might be able study. Even if you do find a desk, you are likely to find yourself wedged between desks containing two heavily snoring behemoths you are unable to drown out. It’s maddening to try and do any work when your concentration is continually broken by the trumpet blast of the elephant man lying unconscious beside you. The worst thing about this all is that there seems to be this passive acceptance that it is okay to sleep in the library. When did a haven for scholastic studies become a refuge for hibernating bears? The University of Ottawa allows anyone to take over free seats and zonk out for an hour or so because there’s no other place to do it. And there is your fundamental problem. There’s no designated sleeping area anywhere on the entire campus. I pay $5,500 a year to the U of O, so I feel that I have a say in the direction this university should go. Listen: erect a building or clear out a floor in one already standing where students can rent a room for a nap! Put aside any

frivolous issues you may have about the idea for a moment. Essentially what I’m proposing is creating the U of O Motel. Off the top of my head, here are a few rules. You only allow access to those with valid U of O student cards. You charge per 30 minutes or an hour session, two hours max. You can phone ahead for an appointment or walk in for a chance at a free room. You make people sign in and out of the building, and put cameras everywhere. They leave their backpacks and jackets at the front, and there is no food allowed. You make them provide their own pillows, but provide sheets and blankets that are changed per appointment. You don’t let more than one person in per room, and you get Protection to constantly monitor the area. There you have it, my tuition money well spent: a functioning area where people can sleep in a safe and appropriate environment. After a year, the U of O will pay off construction costs and it’ll be rolling in dough afterwards. So U of O administration, please consider my idea. I know you’re looking for ways to put Morisset Library on par with the libraries at the University of Toronto and McGill University. By building the U of O Motel not only will you quell the symphony of snoring and restore the sanity of some of your more studious students, you will also cement your reputation as one of the most progressive and innovative universities in the country.

21

EVERY SEMESTER THE University of Ottawa assigns me classrooms that make learning a tad more stressful. My lectures always seem to be held in rooms whose design cannot be explained rationally. Sitting in these classrooms for four months is an experience in itself and frankly, one that makes me wonder if the university administration has any understanding of the space and comfort students require to learn properly. Two types of U of O classrooms are particularly cruel to students. First are the rooms with compressed seating arrangements, such as the Marion Hall and Lamoureux Hall auditoriums. These rooms forsake adequate desks for tiny wooden boards that are too small to accommodate a notebook. This wouldn’t be so terrible if classmates weren’t sitting so close to one another—the slightest arm movement shakes the wooden board next to you, and then your neighbour fidgets, which shakes the wooden board next to him or her. It’s like dominoes. The tight seating arrangements also offer students unparalleled physical challenges. You may need to apply advanced acrobatic skills just to negotiate your way out of your seat without tumbling over a classmate or two. This is a problem in any classroom with row seating, but with compressed seating arrangements crossing a row of seated students requires a survival instinct. Third- and fourth-year students have fewer classes in auditoriums and instead are crammed into poorly designed seminar rooms, such as LMX 339 and UCU 125. In addition

to their lack of technological equipment, these rooms have an excess of chairs and tables that are not welded to the floor but instead are constantly strewn so it looks like the room had been looted. Looking at these rooms makes it seem as though one of the expectations the U of O has of its students is building a classroom from scratch every week. As a fourth-year student, I’ve accumulated so much experience in putting together classrooms that the U of O should tack “with a minor in interior design” onto my degree. I accept that the university may not want to devote the resources to put recliner chairs in every classroom, but I refuse to believe that at any given time during the week, there is not a single available room that is more appropriate for my classes. As I walk through the campus, I always see classrooms that are spacious, better equipped, and always completely empty. Among them are the brand-new rooms in Desmarais Hall. Granted, the building is primarily for social science and business administration students, so according to university officials these rooms are a luxury other students do not deserve. I feel it’s pretty obvious that good classrooms are not only beneficial but essential to learning. I’m inclined to think that students learn more when they are sitting in a comfortable chair and can move their arms enough to take notes. When this semester’s course evaluation forms are distributed later this month, don’t burn through them like you always do. Carefully consider the question regarding your classroom’s impact on learning and maybe next fall, you won’t find yourself trapped in a room that leaves you questioning your value as a student.

What exactly is ‘it’ that ‘starts here’? by Kalin Smith Fulcrum Staff IF YOU CAN recall, it was probably a difficult choice determining which university was right for you. In many Canadian students’ lives, the issue of post-secondary education becomes more immediate as the twilight months of high school come to an end. Students begin to ask questions: Will I pursue a degree? Should I attend college or university? Should I live at home or move away? These queries, among others (predominantly, “Where are my friends going?”), require universities to provide a sense of attraction and appeal to graduating high school students. A university is a business, lest we forget, and marketing is a central concern. It is absolutely necessary to attract ‘potential buyers’, or the term you may be more familiar with: ‘prospective students’. It’s not uncommon for university recruiting officers to give short presentations at high schools in order to attract applicants. During a brief 15–30-minute talk, a recruiting officer will shed as much light as possible on what the university they represent has to offer students and how it stands apart from the others. Campus location, residence accommodations, classroom sizes, and food services are all issues at the forefront of the recruitment officer’s discussion. It’s alarming to note that the ‘university

life’ is characterized by almost everything but and overall respectability of the university are academia. The quality of academics is a footnote largely overlooked by recruiting officials, and in comparison to infrastructure and affluence. consequently by prospective students too. Official University of Ottawa material sent But aren’t academics the primary service a out to prospective undergraduates highlights university offers students? I’m not paying such our university’s prime location, rich architec- heart-attack-inducing sums to play intramurals, ture, prolific history, and honoured tradition, live in a prison-cell residence, or even write for leaving the calibre of academics as something this newspaper. I’m here in the hope of becomstudents have to look ing a more cultured, up themselves. Imwell-rounded, inmediately following formed citizen who Professors’ credentials, global is educated enough to the submission of an application through the work force. ranking in research, reputability, enter the Ontario UniversiAs I trust most stuand overall respectability of the dents realize at this ties’ Application Centre system, the U of O university are largely overlooked point in the academic sends out undergradyear, education is the uate studies newslet- by recruiting officials, and conse- raison d’être of this ters and prospective quently prospective students too. institution. Neverthestudent handbooks. less, it’s largely being The trouble, however, ignored in student is that it’s difficult recruitment. I feel to find any information regarding the school’s obliged to reveal what the university is withacademics. Rather, the university is determined holding from prospective students: since 2006 to “enrich your experience on campus”, by pro- the U of O has risen in the Times Higher Eduviding extensive information about student cation - Quacquarelli Symonds World University clubs and associations, varsity sports teams, ex- Rankings from 282th to 222nd (out of 500), and change programs, and, of course, being “located in 2008 was ranked 13th among Canadian uniin the heart of the nation’s capital”. Professors’ versities. Moreover, in 2008 Maclean’s magazine credentials, global ranking in research, repute, ranked the U of O tied for 10th (out of the top

15) in Canada in the Medical Doctoral University category. These mediocre rankings seem to make clear why recruitment media dodge the issue of academic quality and must attract students by other means. I’m not suggesting that university recruitment be completely refashioned. But considering that post-secondary school enrolment rates are higher than ever, a misleading image of the university produces an inherent expectation within the incoming student body as to what university years ought to be like, which in turn causes some to become overwhelmed when they realize what it truly takes to obtain a degree. Graduating, as all of us at the U of O have come to discover, requires colossal workloads and a considerable amount of devotion and conviction. The U of O has no reason to hide its academic credentials from prospective students. We are a massive bilingual university offering 300 varying undergraduate and graduate programs, with roughly 5,000 courses offered. We ought not to underestimate the allure of such numbers. The school can also boast being ranked fifth in the country for research intensity, which graduates and post-graduates should appreciate. Education is the sole pursuit of the university’s student body, so this above all else should be marketed to prospective students. This is what “starts here”.

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22 \\ OPINION

\\ 03.12.09 \\ www.thefulcrum.ca

IN THEATRES EVERYWHERE FRIDAY, MARCH 13!

23 Editorial f It’s about respect Frank Appleyard Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

March 12–18, 2009

Fighting evil while wearing spandex since 1942. Volume 69 - Issue 24 March 12–18, 2009 phone: (613) 562-5261 fax: (613) 562-5259 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 [email protected] www.thefulcrum.ca

Recycle this paper or Captain Planet will be very disappointed.

Staff Frank ‘captain america’ Appleyard Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Ben ‘daniel alfredsson’ Myers Production Manager [email protected] Michael ‘batman’ Olender Executive Editor [email protected] Martha ‘mystique’ Pearce Art Director [email protected] Emma ‘storm’ Godmere News Editor [email protected] Peter ‘gambit’ Henderson Arts & Culture Editor [email protected] David ‘green lantern’ McClelland Sports Editor [email protected]

Sarah ‘batgirl’ Leavitt Features Editor [email protected] Danielle ‘bart-man’ Blab Laurel ‘she-hulk’ Hogan Copy Editors Amanda ‘scarlet witch’ Shendruk Associate News Editor [email protected] James ‘iron man’ Edwards Webmaster [email protected] Jessica ‘bionic woman’ Sukstorf Volunteer & Visibility Coordinator [email protected] Megan ‘polaris’ O’Meara Staff Writer Alex ‘spawn’ Martin Staff Illustrator Inari ‘silk spectre I’ Vaissi Nagy Jiselle ‘silk spectre II’ Bakker Ombudsgirls [email protected] Travis ‘radioactive man’ Boisvenue Ombudsboy [email protected] Nicole ‘wonder woman’ Gall Staff Proofreader Robert ‘robin’ Olender On-campus Distributor Deidre ‘dazzler’ Butters Advertising Representative [email protected] Ross ‘captain canuck’ Prusakowski Business Manager [email protected]

T

HE MARCH 6 Student Arbitration Committee (SAC) hearing was the site of one of the most disgraceful displays of behaviour seen at the University of Ottawa in recent memory. The hearing, dealing with the appeal of the election of several 2009–10 Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) executive positions, descended into near-madness as the packed Fauteux Hall classroom erupted with fits of unveiled partisanship and anger. The end result was an atmosphere so uncomfortable and so threatening that students at the U of O should be embarrassed to be associated with such behaviour. The scene was fuelled by political agendas, allegiances, overpowering self-righteousness, and above all a complete disregard for decorum. In all of this, amid cries of “slate”, “losers”, “cheaters”, and “kangaroo court” one idea upon which the SFUO’s statement of principles is based was carelessly discarded: respect. Blame the events that transpired on ideology, emotion, or the sheer magnitude of the decision at hand, but at the core of the appalling SAC spectacle is a complete lack of respect. The SAC itself received one of the most significant slights from the respondents in the appeal and the students in attendance. The respondents, Seamus Wolfe, Roxanne Dubois, Julie Séguin, and Jean Guillaume, each made a surprise announcement at the beginning of the hearing that they would not participate in arbitration citing irregularities in the arbitration process, and proceeded to stride boldly from the room to the cheers of their supporters in attendance.

While the four respondents had the right to not participate in the voluntary arbitration process, the timing of their announcement and the bravado that accompanied it highlighted a brazen indifference to the SAC and its processes. Their approach ultimately turned what could have been a simple procedural decision into a spectacle that challenged the SAC’s authority. The further displays of insolence from members of the audience holding signs espousing opinions, interrupting chief arbitrator Caroline Poisson, and approaching the hearing without even a hint of respect was all the more galling. The SAC is anything but a papier-mâché tribunal. It is an impartial body holding the judicial authority of the SFUO to resolve disputes over the SFUO’s policies and constitution that affect every undergraduate student at the U of O. Its rulings are far from trivial—earlier this year the SAC was convened to rule on the constitutionality of electronic voting in the SFUO elections. For the power that it wields on campus, each student should afford it and its processes the highest respect. Nothing could be more distressing than an institution as vital to campus democracy as the SAC operating without the respect of those it is intended to serve. While disagreeing with the processes of an institution felt to be unjust is necessary to inspire change within it, disrespecting and belittling the SAC and its arbitrators because of this disagreement accomplishes nothing. Of course, the lack of respect displayed in the lecture hall was never clearer than in the discourse between students on both sides of the debate, with one side neglecting the appellants right to appeal an election and the other neglecting the respondents’ right

to defend themselves fairly. The disrespectful actions were in no way limited to one group, as members from both sides were at their vocal, aggressive best. The overzealous taunting, signs reading “face it… you lost” and “face it… you cheated” used to intimidate those involved in the appeal, verbal attacks on witnesses and other individuals in the room, and the judgements levied on individuals’ decisions to support or not support a side in the appeal were closedminded and shameful, flying in the face of the mantras of positive space and anti-oppression upheld by the SFUO. Ultimately, the deplorable actions taken by students at the SAC hearing have struck at the very heart of the SFUO’s statement of principles: “to regroup all undergraduate students of the University of Ottawa in a democratic and cooperative organization where we can advance our own interests and those of our community”. This value is more important than the ambitions of any student politicians and far more significant than this appeal—which will certainly not disappear despite these events. Henry Kissinger said while teaching at Harvard University, “University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small.” And if politics are indeed not at the height of our student experience, we must remember exactly where the stakes are highest: in respecting our community and each of its members, regardless of their views. We have witnessed the disconcerting vision of an SFUO without shared respect among its members. May we never see it again. [email protected]

Contributors Samantha ‘jubilee’ Bayard Jess ‘boom boom’ Cameron Andrew ‘wolverine’ Champagne Laura ‘moonstar’ Clementson Joel ‘ghost rider’ Coté-Cright Katie ‘cat woman’ DeClerq Amira ‘elastigirl’ Elmi Phil ‘thor’ Flickinger

Sarah ‘huntress’ Gibbons Andrew ‘cannonball’ Hawley Matt ‘superboy’ Johnny Hisham ‘mr. fantastic’ Kelati Jaclyn ‘invisible woman’ Lytle Anna ‘aquagirl’ Rocoski Len ‘thing’ Smirnov Kalin ‘vision’ Smith

Cover by Martha Pearce