2

Frank Appleyard

LettersSearching for equality wanton subjectivity of emotions. People

Re “In support of women’s rights“
(Letters, Oct. 2)
LIKE THE WOMEN’S Studies Stu-
dents Association (WSSA), I too am
in favour of women’s rights. I believe
all women—and everyone—have the
right to safety and security here on
campus. However, instituting wom-
en-only gym time at Montpetit is
counterproductive to the struggle for
women’s rights.
This policy promotes segregation
and isolation. If there is a conflict of
perspectives between two groups (or
a small fraction of members therein),
it is not intelligible to quarantine the
groups. This will not solve the ongoing
dilemma of “feeling uncomfortable”
faced by women in the gym. Men and
women need to spend more, not less,
time together to better understand each
others’ beliefs and behaviors. By isolat-
ing the two groups, we are just exacer-
bating the problem.
This policy is a reactive one of dis-
crimination. The WSSA belief that
women-only gym time is not discrimi-
natory against men is baseless. Their
message is clear: some men make some
women feel uncomfortable, therefore
all men are forbidden from entering
gym facilities at certain times. I propose
that those men who make remarks or
are inappropriate in their gym behavior
be suspended from the premises. It is
important to punish bad behavior to set
an example for what is expected of both
men and women on campus.
Policy cannot be based on the often-
“feel” things every day and simply be-
cause someone has a “feeling of be-
ing watched and appraised that leaves
[them] feeling uncomfortable” does not
necessarily mean they are being watched
and appraised. There are nights walking
home when I don’t feel safe, but am I
any less safe than I was the night before?
Likely not. It is the responsibility of the
university to provide an environment
where people are not uncomfortable, but
no institution can ensure that everyone
feels a certain way.
Finally, equality is about treating
people the same in the long term. The
WSSA believes we need to “recognize
differences … in society and account
for it.” I agree, but the idea is to come
together as one cohesive, comfortable
society that does not feel the need to
fragment itself to solve problems. It will
only work to reinforce the divide be-
tween men and women and will likely
lead to a rise in more male-induced
“uncomfortableness” elsewhere.
Individuals who find themselves the
objects of discrimination in the gym
should be able to speak to the Mont-
petit staff. Moreover, staff should have
the authority to suspend or ban indi-
viduals for inappropriate behavior. But
if this is about “feelings”, as the WSSA
has argued it is, let us talk about these
feelings openly instead of coddling
those who merely do not like the idea
that someone might be judging them.
That is the only way to build a truly
equal society.
Tyler Turek,
Master’s history student
Oct. 9–15, 2008
On the right road
Re: “Choosing the best road”
(Editorial, Oct. 2)
LAST WEEK’S EDITORIAL denigrat-
ing campus activism was uninformed
and reckless. It failed to truly under-
stand the work and motivations re-
quired of activist and successful mobi-
lization campaigns.
As a participant in the Ontario Cam-
pus Activist Assembly and a director on
the Student Federation of the Univer-
sity of Ottawa’s (SFUO) Board of Ad-
ministration, I can say that the Activist
Assembly was a truly enriching experi-
ence for new and experienced student
activists alike. With sessions address-
ing issues as well as skills, students re-
ceived a holistic understanding of the
ins-and-outs of campaigns, mobilizing,
and organizing for student causes. This
weekend also brought together many
new students eager to further their
causes and, perhaps more importantly,
the conference offered an opportunity
for regional dialogues, which saw the
SFUO and Carleton University creat-
ing several working groups to address
issues faced at both schools.
Through this experience we can bet-
ter our union’s effectiveness at mass
student mobilization, something that
we have arguably been fairly effective
at in recent years. To say that the Feb. 7
Day of Action for Lower Tuition or the
No to the Code rally were isolated inci-
dents is to entirely ignore their results,
the months (or tireless weeks) of orga-
nization, and continued momentum.
Moreover, none of these or any cam-
Editor-in-Chief
editor@thefulcrum.ca
movement. Perhaps we do have a presi-
dent at the U of O willing to take our
concerns to heart and act them through
diplomatic channels, however this is
absolutely not the same as what is hap-
pening on the provincial level.
Thus far, the Drop Fees province-
wide campaign has garnered 70,000 stu-
dent signatures in petition for dropped
fees, the SFUO’s share of which is ap-
proaching 9,000. We are a part of some-
thing great. We are a part of the Student
Movement.
Amy Kishek
Third-year political science student
Welch replies
Re: “A second opinion for Palestine”
(Letters, Oct. 2)
FIRST OF ALL, I do not deny the ex-
istence of the Palestinian people, nor
do I deny their right to self-determi-
nation. That said, I concede that my
previous letter did make light of a se-
rious subject, and for that I apologize.
I appreciate the efforts of my fellow
students to “educate me”. However, to
say that my facts were not straight, and
to imply that newspapers should not
publish my opinions because they are
lies is ridiculous. And as a matter of
public record, I’d like to declare that I
am not a racist.
Ms. Mourad, you are absolutely
right in saying that Palestinians are
fighting against oppression. However,
you are wrong in saying that Palestine
is recognized as a state by international
law. That Israel is in violation of inter-
Palestine on a map (thank you for the
suggestion, Ms. Carpinone), it would
be found under Roman, Ottoman, and
British rule before 1948. The Romans
coined the name, Ms. Carpinone, be-
cause they needed something to call
their newly acquired vassal, not be-
cause they needed a name to describe
an independent state. After 1948, the
Gaza strip was ruled by Egypt, and the
West Bank and East Jerusalem were al-
lotted to Jordan. Thus my conviction
that Palestine has never existed as an
independent state is merely a fact of
historical record. But don’t take my
word for it, Ms. Carpinone, put down
your maps and try a history book.
The opinion that my letter (“The
Palestinian question”, Sept. 18) sought
to convey is that the U of O has no
business taking sides on political is-
sues. Perhaps the flags should repre-
sent identities, but they are supplied by
the International House, so I’d imag-
ine them to be more country-oriented
than identity-oriented. To mount the
Palestinian flag amongst flags of the
world is to advocate a political convic-
tion. It is a shame that the U of O as
an institution refuses to be politically
neutral. In the end, my argument has
little to do with the Palestinian ques-
tion (I have no issue with Palestine),
but has much to do with the audacity
of the U of O.
Matthew Welch
Fourth-year political science student
A “no” vote for SFUO ad
I OBJECT TO the full-page, student-

Contents
paigns have been conducted without national law does not make Palestine funded, colour advertisement the
continual lobbying efforts by the SFUO, a state; Palestine does not fulfill the Student Federation of the University
an integral part of the executives’ duties. qualifications set out by the Monte- of Ottawa (SFUO) placed in the Ful-

News Election extravaganza To allege otherwise is truly irresponsi-

The Fulcrum presents all seven Ottawa-Vanier
candidates running in the Oct. 14 election. p. 6–7
What are the federal political parties doing for
students? p. 8
p. 4
ble, although this is not as irresponsible
as giving blanket credibility to the stu-
dents sitting around the table with the
administration. It is undeniably neces-
sary to have student representation on
bodies such as the Board of Governors,
but when that single undergraduate rep-
resentative fails to support or recognize
video Convention in 1933. It fails the
litmus test of statehood. There is a
reason the Palestinian Authority only
merits observer status at the General
Assembly; only independent states can
be members. My previous letter com-
pared Palestine to various separatist
movements because they also are not
recognized as states by international
crum’s Oct. 2 issue, promoting the all-
candidates debate.
In this criticism, I will set aside
the inclusion of the “free food” bul-
let, which suggests that at least some
students will only attend to fill their
bellies in lieu of their brains.
The way the advertisement ran, the
SFUO distorted the truth by suggest-

Intense in tents
actions of the SFUO and various other
Arts student causes, and when that repre-
sentative does not believe in additional
Jaclyn Lytle takes you inside The Encamp-
student representation of the Board of
ment. p. 9
Governors, it is fair to say that this in-
Hisham Kelati goes Gonzo. p. 12 dividual is not a true representative of
student interest and student voices.
p. 9 Tessa Wallace snitches on Quidditch. p. 13 It is a shame that the Fulcrum is
choosing to undermine the student
law, even though their peoples may
constitute nations. To have Palestine
as the only flag representing a people
with a de facto state is for the Univer-
sity of Ottawa itself to don the mantle
of a specific political cause.
Likewise, it is not a falsehood to say
that Palestine has never existed as a
state. Even though I may be able to find
ing that all the items on the picture of
the ballot—tuition fees, health care,
the environment, Afghanistan, more
doctors, transit, and education—are
federally regulated and managed mat-
ters. Indeed, not even half of these
portfolios are federal ones.
LETTERS continued on p. 3

Sports Troubled times Business Department Advertising Department

Football team loses second straight game. p. 17
Inari Vaissy Nagy discovers the U of O’s ulti-
mate competitive club. p. 18
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p. 14 www.cup.ca
authority on everything printed herein.
LETTERS continued from p. 2
The member of the SFUO in charge of setting
the ad should be ashamed of himself or herself for
misleading students.
Although, in all likelihood, he or she probably
won’t feel too bad about himself or herself. After
all, this is the same SFUO whose members felt
no shame as they led the way to strip decision-
making powers from the Fulcrum’s advertisement
department.
With its gratuitous left-wing bias, the SFUO’s
advertisement left out a topical and crucial mat-
ter that students (as voters) should consider in this
election: the economy. Without a strong economy,
how are students supposed to find jobs after grad-
uation? Few post-secondary degrees or diplomas
will insulate job-seekers from the potentially dev-
astating Canadian economic downturn caused by
the current American financial industry crisis.
I urge voters to decide who they feel will be the
best prime minister to strengthen the economy.
Furthermore, I urge the SFUO to not only better
research facts for future runs of political adver-
tisements, but to be more balanced in its political
views. This ultimate point, should it be imple-
mented, would make me feel my SFUO levy was
being spent in a disinterested manner.
Nicolas Fleet
Third-year mathematics and economics student
Why no one said a word
Re: “This campus’s silence is deafening”
(Opinion, Sept. 18)
AS AN ALUMNUS of the U of O, I can tell you
that if my experiences while a student were an
indicator, I couldn’t be bothered to join in the
same-sex athletic hours kerfuffle. We had this
same pseudo-issue while I was a grad student at
the University of Toronto at least 10 years ago. The
reasons students won’t write to you are as valid
then as they are now. Here are some:
First, people are afraid of joining any discussion
that would make them look like single-issue jerks,
parroting the ideological lines that people on both
sides of the gender debate hammer to death. Their
battle cries tend to follow fossilized versions of the
inherent weakness or vulnerability of one gender
as opposed to addressing the systemic causes of
gender bias in academic settings. Usually, the
same types who scream and rant in favour of
same-sex athletic hours are totally mute when it
comes to faculty representation, differential treat-
ment for academic tenure, and standards of hiring
and evaluations for university administrative posi-
tions. They are also generally incapable of holding
a conversation on course-content guidelines and
how they should reflect a more diverse view of
knowledge and learning standpoints.
Second, the reality of student life is that univer-
sity newspapers like yours are incapable of foster-
ing debate because of the infantile way in which
the issues tend to be presented. Simplistic dichoto-
mies of “for or against” permeate your coverage.
Instead of taking the time to do some in-depth
research, to inform people about what has been
the experiences elsewhere, to document and ex-
plain the background to perceived or real gender
biases, a few self-appointed editorialists use the
pages of their papers to poke people into putting
on the same ideological make-up and validate the
papers’ raison d’être. People don’t join artificial
debates while the paper is unable to tap into any
real community trends and it ends up proclaiming
that nobody wants to talk about important issues.
Your readers are young, not stupid. They can see
clearly through the one-liners and punching-bag
editorials.
Lastly, in the new-media era, I suspect that
there are far more influential voices on the Web
than the usual collections of gender ideologues
on campus. I suggest your paper tap into this vast
ocean of opinions and thinking regarding these
issues. You’d be surprised to find an enormous
Oct. 9, 2008
reservoir of views, analysis, and even provocative
ideas regarding gender equality at U of O.
Carlos Ruano
U of O alumnus
Allan Rock and OCP
Re: “Ottawa Cinema Politica banned
from campus“ (News, Sept. 4)
IN SEPTEMBER, ALLAN Rock and his admin-
istration banned Ottawa Cinema Politica (OCP)
from campus. The Fulcrum’s Emma Godmere re-
ported on the conflict. OCP is an open forum that
uses campus space to promote free expression.
More importantly, OCP helps reveal the U of O
as the corporate machine it really is, and educates
members of the institution to recognize and fight
against systems of illegitimate power present in
their immediate environment that threaten fun-
damental human rights. And so Rock and his ad-
ministration banned OCP from campus.
Why? Rock explained it all to Godmere:
“In view of the fact that [Macdonald Hall] was
used in such a way that gave rise to a human-rights
complaint, the university said that the hall can no
longer be used by Cinema Politica.”
The university said that the hall can no longer
be used? Either the university is an independent
entity that coerces and controls its population, or
Rock is a mindless drone under the influence of
his administration.
Or both.
By banning OCP, the Rock administration has
attacked free speech on campus spaces. By ban-
ning OCP, the Rock administration has hijacked
education. By banning OCP, the Rock administra-
tion has replaced democracy with domination.
But OCP fought back. OCP resisted the Rock
administration’s attempt at bureaucratic control.
And OCP won. Ottawa Cinema Politica is now
uOttawa Cinema Academica. The Rock adminis-
tration did not retract the ban, and the event goes
on with greater force.
So why was OCP banned? The absurdity of
Rock’s logic requires reiteration:
“In view of the fact that [Macdonald Hall] was
used in such a way that gave rise to a human-rights
complaint, the university said that the hall can no
longer be used by Cinema Politica.”
The hall was used in such a way that gave rise
to a human rights complaint? Yes. And now Rock
and his administration are under tribunal inves-
tigation for violating the Ontario Human Rights
Code. Rock and his administration are instigators
of injustice. Rock and his administration are per-
petrators in power.
By banning OCP from campus, Rock and his
administration have engaged in the institution-
alized control of expression that will lead to the
destruction of true education. Rock is the enemy
of academic freedom. Allan Rock is the enemy of
our university.
Joe Kelly
Fourth-year science student
thefulcrum.ca poll
Last week’s results:
How do you plan to vote in the Oct.
14 Federal election?
Conservative: 30%
Green: 9%
Liberal: 30%
NDP: 26%
Other: 4%
This week’s question:
Have you followed the federal election?
Yes:
No:
Moderately:
Go to www.thefulcrum.ca to vote.
LETTERS 3
 4
Emma Godmere

News Oct. 9–15, 2008

News Editor
news@thefulcrum.ca

What the U.S.

Sisters in Spirit raises awareness for financial crisis
missing Aboriginal women means for
Canadian
students
by Kelwryn Ord
Fulcrum Contributor

BILLIONAIRE INVESTOR WARREN Buffet

Supporters gathered at Parliament Hill on Oct. 4 in memory and to raise awareness of missing Aboriginal women.
by Megan O’Meara
Fulcrum Staff
ON THE MORNING of Oct. 4,
hundreds of aboriginal commu-
nity members and supporters
gathered at the third annual Sis-
ters in Spirit vigil on Parliament
Hill. The event was hosted by
the Native Women’s Association
of Canada (NWAC) and was or-
ganized to raise awareness of the
ever-relevant issue of missing
and murdered Aboriginal women
across the country.
According to Jordan Leichnitz,
coordinator of the Women’s Re-
source Centre, the event was not
just a memorial, but also a rally.
“[The NWAC] will memorial-
ize the women who are missing
and murdered, and also call for
change,” Leichnitz said.
In memory of these women
has called the current financial crisis gripping
the global economy a “financial Pearl Harbor”,
and former Federal Reserve chairman Alan
Greenspan has described it as a “once-in-a-
century event”. What exactly has happened and
how does it affect students at the University of
Ottawa? The answer to these questions, like the
problem itself, is multi-faceted and complex.
In order to evaluate how the credit crisis
will impact students, it is imperative to under-
stand how it impacts the Canadian economy
and how the crisis came to a head. On Sept. 29,
the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 777
points—the largest single-point drop, albeit not
the largest percentage drop, in history—when
the U.S. House of Representatives rejected the
original US$700-billion bailout plan that aimed
to purchase primarily mortgage-backed securi-
ties from American banks. This lack of credit is
the central problem behind the financial crisis.
Banks and companies have stopped lending to
photo by Matt Johnny one another, or will only do so at extremely high
rates, which slows financial business and trans-
actions. U of O economics professor Mario Sac-
and in an effort to put faces to the The rally portion involved other women to die as a result of careccia suggested that, despite the fact that the
issue, attendees held signs with speakers detailing how this issue violence.” origins of the crisis lie outside of the Canadian
pictures and names of the miss- of missing women has affected “In terms of ratio, many more system, we should still expect to suffer from its
ing, along with the years they dis- them. Among the speakers were women are missing from Aborig- consequences.
appeared to emphasize the length several Aboriginal individuals inal communities than from the “While the practice of sub-prime mortgage
of time the issue has persisted. who had lost loved ones, includ- general population,” explained lending, which is at the heart of the crisis, was
Some dates went ing Beverly Jacobs Leichnitz. “One of the big issues almost entirely centered in the United States,”
as far back as the
1970s, and several
“There has been herself, and other
supporters, such
with the missing and murdered
women is that there has been no
he said, “the deep integration of the American
and Canadian financial sectors leaves us quite
women are still no sustained as Paul Dewar, sustained government action on vulnerable to the fallout from the crisis.”
missing. government action Ottawa Centre it.” Any student can relate to financial crunch
Hundreds of NDP candidate The Sisters in Spirit event is times, especially at the end of each semester,
balloons were on [these cases].” and incumbent growing each year and was hosted when December rolls around, the money starts
distributed to all Jordan Leichnitz member of Parlia- in 40 locations across Canada on to dry up, and the unpaid bills start to collect. In
U of O Women’s
in attendance. ment. Oct. 4. The NWAC emphasized these times of financial hardship, students tend
Resource Centre
NWAC President This issue is the lack of government attention to seek an injection of liquidity—which is essen-
Beverly Jacobs ex- more prevalent this issue has received, but ex- tially the capability to readily convert assets into
plained that each balloon symbol- among Aboriginal women than pressed hope that this growth will cash—in the form of loans from their parents or
ized one aboriginal woman who the rest of Canada’s female pop- encourage the incoming govern- banks, and some resort to the dreaded part-time
has disappeared. At the end of the ulation. According to Amnesty ment to attend to the issue more job. Picture this same financial crunch on a glob-
vigil, the balloons were released, International Canada’s website, diligently so that the unsolved al economic scale but with no parents, banks, or
which, as Jacobs explained, sym- “young Indigenous women with cases can be concluded and the part-time jobs to provide the required infusion of
bolized “[the] letting go of their status under the Indian Act are disappearances can be prevented cash. This lack of liquidity is at the heart of the
spirits”. five times more likely than all from occurring in the future. problem, as banks have become almost com-
pletely reluctant to provide loans to other banks,
let alone businesses and consumers.

SFUO to bring only one amendment to CFS
THE STUDENT FEDERATION of the Uni-
versity of Ottawa’s (SFUO) Board of Adminis-
tration (BOA) rejected two motions aiming to
amend by-laws of the Canadian Federation of
Students (CFS) at the board’s Oct. 5 meeting.
BOA member for the Faculty of Arts Ryan
Kennery initially presented three motions to
the board at the Sept. 14 meeting. Two of the
motions, dealing with bilingualism and referen-
dum timing with the CFS, failed to pass, while
the third, dealing with the timing of referendum
processes, passed with an amendment.
“I was obviously disappointed. I thought
they were three fair resolutions,” Kennery said.
“They were three things that I feel our students
would want to see changed within the CFS, but
the board disagreed … I’m pleased that the one
will go in and I don’t see any reason why the
other prospective members and member locals
shouldn’t support that.”
Several other motions, including policies
dealing with conflict of interest for board mem-
Saccareccia identified that the credit crisis arose
because sub-prime mortgages—which no one
knows the actual value of—were packaged into
bers, dietary accessibility for students, and em-
securities and sold to other financial institutions
ployment equity, were tabled and will return to
around the world as safe assets.
the agenda for the Nov. 2 meeting.
“These securities are essentially anonymous
The SFUO executive also presented their lat-
and banks simply do not know or trust that oth-
est plans for increasing student space on cam-
er banks are clean of the potentially toxic assets
pus, including their goal to eventually build and
and thus are very apprehensive about risking
be the exclusive owners of a student-services
lending them money,” explained Saccareccia.
building on campus. More information about
“Thus, it has become imperative that the gov-
their student space objectives and plans will be
ernment intervene in the markets to ensure that
covered in the next issue of the Fulcrum.
capital flows continue.”
—Emma Godmere
CRISIS continued on p. 5
CRISIS continued from p. 4
Saccareccia, however, remained
skeptical about the capabilities of the
Canadian political leadership in this
crisis due to the parties’ collective
failure to accept that deficit spend-
ing may be necessary during such a
volatile economic time. A Canadian
deficit is more likely to result from
the slowing of U.S. demand stem-
ming from the credit crunch rather
thanas a direct result of the credit
crunch.
“Someone has to pick up the hot
potato, and without the private sec-
tor taking on debt, the government
has to,” he said. “Even former free-
market fundamentalists accept the
need for greater government inter-
vention and deficit spending in order
to retain jobs and stave off potential
large-scale unemployment.”
U of O law professor Errol Men-
des suggested that the U.S. might be
so overloaded by these toxic assets
that any government bailout package
could come up short.
“The amount of bad debt currently
in the financial system could be into
the tens of trillions of dollars and the
existing bailout packages are likely
insufficient,” he said. “The much her-
Students pay tuition in small change
VICTORIA (CUP) – TWO STU-
DENTS FROM the University of Victo-
ria attempted to pay their tuition with
wheelbarrows full of change on Sept.
25, five days before the fee cut-off date.
In an effort to make a statement
about the inconvenience of not being
allowed to pay tuition with a credit
card, the two students demonstrated
that paying with hundreds of rolls of
coins is another option.
www.thefulcrum.ca
alded recent US$700-billion bailout
package will do little to stem the tide
of [personal mortgage] foreclosures
in the United States, and thus the fi-
nancial crisis itself, as it doesn’t actu-
ally do anything for homeowners.”
Ultimately, both Saccareccia and
Mendes agree that the global eco-
nomic crisis is the worst since the
Great Depression and that recovery
may be a long and difficult affair.
In fact, according to a CNN opin-
ion poll released on Oct. 6, 6 in 10
Americans believe that an economic
depression is likely. Consumer con-
fidence south of the border is low
and this does not bode well for a
global economy still somewhat de-
pendent on U.S. consumer spending
for growth.
As far as Canada’s economy goes,
Canadians are caught in the middle
of this financial storm like everyone
else and will likely be in a rather
unpleasant economic environment
for some years to come. Mendes
contended that, if this crisis is not
managed correctly, the global econ-
omy is “potentially on the precipice
of a major collapse”. The Canadian
economy, he explained, “has thus
far been relatively insulated by high
UVic’s accounting services currently
accept only debit transactions, cheques,
money orders, bank drafts, and cash.
The university stopped accepting credit
payments last June due to credit-card
companies’ transaction fees. By elimi-
nating credit-card transactions, UVic
estimated that it will save $2.5 million
in fees.
Students are consequently faced with
the difficulty of coming up with enough
money upfront to pay for tuition fees.
For those who cannot make the pay-
commodity prices; however, with a
global economic recession appear-
ing imminent, commodity prices
have declined substantially over the
past few weeks, as evidenced by the
massive drops in the Toronto Stock
Exchange.” The Canadian economy
will likely be hit hard, or at least
Canadians are caught
in the middle of this
financial storm like
everyone else.
strongly affected in certain regions,
by the crisis in the coming months.
Saccareccia believes the Canadian
economy is already in recession due
to significant drops in exports to
the U.S., which account for approxi-
mately one-third of Canada’s Gross
Domestic Product.
“Due to the deep integration in the
financial sectors, Canadian access to
credit is likely to reflect the growing
trend in the United States,” he said.
“Therefore, whatever freezes up in
the United States will also freeze up
News
in
Brief
photo by Ahmed Mumeni (CUP)
ment before the deadline, UVic charges
1.5 per cent interest on the amount
owed each month.
Currently, the University of North-
ern British Columbia is the only uni-
versity in B.C. that accepts credit card
transactions.
—Kat Eschner, The Martlet
Researchers uncover oldest ice ever
found in North America
EDMONTON (CUP) – THE CUR-
in Canada.”
However, he doesn’t believe that
Canadian banks, which are well-
leveraged, will experience the same
level of crisis as the banks in the U.S.,
but the potential for some volatility
still exists.
Like all Canadians, students can
expect to find it more difficult to
obtain loans from banks and find
employment both now and possibly
even after graduation. With parents
potentially losing more money, stu-
dents may also experience greater
difficulty in wrestling away that
much-needed cash come December.
Furthermore, despite the best ef-
forts of the Drop Fees campaign,
students are highly unlikely to re-
ceive much reprieve from high
tuition fees. The prospect of a re-
cession means that government
revenues from taxation should fall
while expenditures—due to higher
unemployment and welfare service
costs—should rise.
Mendes suggested that we are cur-
rently “six months to one year away
from recording a budget deficit”.
This is particularly true for Ontario
where, he explained, “exports to the
United States have dropped substan-
RENT GLOBAL-warming model is be-
ing called into question by the discovery
of 740,000-year-old permafrost—the
oldest ice ever found in North Amer-
ica—south of Dakota City, Yukon.
Because atmospheric carbon levels
and global warming are positively cor-
related, permafrost is important to the
global-warming model since it stores
carbon that will be released into the at-
mosphere if it melts.
In the current model, it is thought
that all ice melted in the interglacial
period that occurred between 120,000
and 400,000 years ago. The Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at
the University of Alberta, however, says
this model over-predicts the instability
of permafrost.
Since this new discovery pre-dates
the interglacial period in question, it
demonstrates that rapid thawing of the
permafrost may not have occurred.
While not directly stating current glob-
al warming models are incorrect, the
discovery points out they are missing
pertinent information from the perma-
frost period.
—Matthew Schoettle, The Gateway
Students take action as Brandon
strike heats up
BRANDON (CUP) – ON THE THIRD
day of the Brandon University Faculty
Association (BUFA) strike, over 200
students gathered to discuss the protest
and how the fall semester will recover
from the time lost.
BUFA is composed of 230 full- and
part-time staff including professors and
librarians. The strike has led to classes
being cancelled for many students.
Students at the meeting had con-
cerns relating to their areas of study,
including prep classes for education
students, lack of coaches for athletics,
and housing options for students if the
Oct. 9, 2008
tially and recent layoffs in the manu-
facturing sector reflect the difficulty
ahead.”
The need for increased govern-
ment intervention in the western
financial markets in order to ensure
continued capital flows is also likely
to carry a hefty price tag. Economists
today have a far greater understand-
ing of the economic and financial
systems than they did in 1929, even
though many regulators did not
foresee just how dangerous credit
default swaps could become. Sacca-
reccia explained that the failure of
government to intervene decisively
in the economy following the 1929
collapse, when they chose instead to
limit spending, exacerbated of the
crisis as capital flows dried up.
As far as this country is con-
cerned, both Saccareccia and Mend-
es agreed that if the crisis is managed
correctly, Canadians will escape the
worst of the recession. It is now up
to the national party leaders in this
federal election campaign, where
the financial crisis has become a key
issue. Canadians will have to count
on the successful candidate to lead
Canada through financially chal-
lenging times.
year is extended. Following students’
support for BUFA at the meeting, the
Students’ Union met to address the is-
sue and changed its stance from one of
neutrality to support for BUFA and its
strike action.
—Maryann Buri, The Quill
Camouflage sparks debate over
police image
MONTREAL (CUP) – MONTREAL
POLICE CHIEF Yvan Delorme is wor-
ried that camouflage pants some mem-
bers of his force are wearing will worsen
interactions between police and minor-
ity groups.
The pants are the newest phase of si-
lent protest tactics used by officers in an
ongoing labour dispute. For nearly two
years, the officers have been working
without a contract, but have been un-
able to strike because they provide an
essential service. The city issued a for-
mal complaint to the Essential Services
Council (ESC) stating the camouflage
pants put the police in danger and de-
prive the public of their right to an es-
sential service.
Bernard Larin, a press representa-
tive for the mayor, explained the public
could be confused, since the camou-
flage clothes the officers are wearing are
not police uniform.
Worries have also been voiced about
the possible undermining of police au-
thority due to the camouflage pants,
particularly in the area of Montreal
North where tensions between resi-
dents and police have been high since
riots broke out in August.
For now, the city has ruled in favour
of keeping police officers outfitted in
camouflage pants, adding that the ESC
will observe the pants’ influence on the
public’s ability to access the police ser-
vice.
—Shannon Kiely, The McGill Daily
NEWS 5

Four candidates from the major national political parties gathered for the all-candidates debate at Desmarais Hall on Oct. 3.
Meet the
Federal election 2008
Ottawa-Vanier candidates
Mauril Bélanger
Liberal Party of Canada
“GET OUT AND vote” was the key advice given by
Liberal party candidate and incumbent Mauril Bé-
langer in an attempt to get students politically ac-
tive. As Ottawa-Vanier’s member of Parliament since
1995, Bélanger brings experience with him into this
federal election. Raised in Mattawa, Bélanger came
to the University of Ottawa in 1973 to study English,
and has been closely connected to the university ever
since. He was the president of the Student Federation
of the University of Ottawa from 1975–1977, has
spent time on the U of O’s Board of Governors, and
remains a member of the Alumni Association.
As far as post-secondary education is concerned,
Bélanger and the Liberals’ platform highlights in-
clude a 20-year education endowment fund worth
$25 billion, which would include 300,000 needs-
based bursaries each year; guaranteed access to
loans for all students, regardless of their financial
situation; a $1,000 annual grant to all students,
paid in three installments through the year; guar-
anteed student loans of $5,000 for all students; and
a lower federal student loan interest rate coupled
with an extension of the grace periodto begin re-
payment from six months to two years.
“We want to make education accessible to ev-
erybody,” he said.
Bélanger expressed his optimism in students’
participation in the upcoming election.
“Vote, even if it’s not Liberal,” he said. “[It’s im-
portant to] get involved from an early age.”
For more information about Bélanger and the
Liberal Party, visit mauril.ca.
—Greg Jackson
Patrick Glémaud
Conservative Party of Canada
PATRICK GLÉMAUD, CONSERVATIVE candi-
6 NEWS Oct. 9, 2008
date in Ottawa-Vanier, takes pride in his strong ties
to the University of Ottawa community. During
his seven-year stay at the university (1988–1995),
Glémaud was immersed in much of the student
life on campus—he wrote articles for La Rotonde,
hosted a radio show on CHUO 89.1 FM, held the
position of vp communications for the former So-
cial Sciences student union, and represented stu-
dents at the Social Sciences Faculty Council.
The bilingual businessman, lawyer, and active
community member currently lives in Sandy Hill
and noted that the Conservative Party holds its
student appeal in its own youth involvement.
“What I like about the Conservative Party is
that we, as a political party, have the youngest
members of Parliament,” he said.
Glémaud highlighted the amount of youth par-
ticipating in this campaign and volunteering for
the Conservatives, especially in Ottawa-Vanier.
“What we’ve done in our campaign is make sure
that approximately 30 per cent of our volunteer
calls is [to] students,” he said. “This is the first time
in this riding where we’ve taken [U of O] students
… and [brought] them in to be volunteers.”
Glémaud also believes that he can be the change
Ottawa-Vanier students may be looking for.
“[Students] live in a society where change is the
most constant factor,” he said. “We need to have
new candidates, we need mobility [and] change.”
For more information about Glémaud and the
Conservative party, head to patrickglemaud.ca.
—Emma Godmere
Trevor Haché
New Democratic Party
TREVOR HACHÉ HAS lived in Ottawa for five
years, having spent four of those in the Sandy Hill
area. A current member of Action Sandy Hill and a
supporter of the Vanier chapter of the Association
of Community Organizations for Reform Now
photo by Ian Flett
(ACORN), Haché also once held a position on the
board of directors of the Ontario Public Interest
Research Group on campus, and has been active
with the Student Coalition Against War.
“Fundamentally, I’m someone [who has] always
been a politically aware person, who has been
watching what’s been going on in Ottawa, and
not going on in Ottawa, for a long, long time,” he
said.
Haché’s party, the NDP, recognizes the need to
lower student tuition fees and, he explained, “be-
lieves education should be as close to free as pos-
sible.”
He also noted that the Canadian Federation of
Students “recently recognized the NDP’s plans as
being the best plan with regards to helping stu-
dents.”
In addition to the NDP’s plan, Haché has a clear
idea about how he will personally represent stu-
dents in the House of Commons.
“I would meet with the different student fed-
erations—the [Student Federation of the Univer-
sity of Ottawa] as well as the [Graduate Students
Association]—regularly, and I would fight for a
national education act which would mandate the
federal government to provide dedicated funding
to all the provinces across the country specifically
designated for lower tuition fees,” he said.
For more information about Haché and the
NDP, visit trevorhache.ca.
—Amanda Shendruk
Christian Legeais
Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada
CHRISTIAN LEGEAIS, A veteran of the Marxist-
Leninist Party (MLPC) since the 1970s, is the par-
ty’s Ottawa-Vanier candidate. A 15-year resident
of the area, Legeais is running on a platform of
increasing social programs,
CANDIDATES continued on p. 7
www.thefulcrum.ca
 Candidates
across Ottawa
OTTAWA CENTRE
OTTAWA-VANIER
John Akpata
(Marijuana Party)
Penny Collenette
(Liberal)
Paul Dewar (I)
(NDP)
Jen Hunter (Green)
Brian McGarry
(Conservative)
Pierre Soublière
(Marxist-Leninist)

OTTAWA–
ORLÉANS
Royal Galipeau (I)
(Conservative)
Marc Godbout
(Liberal)
Paul Maillet
(Green)
Amy O’Dell
(NDP)

CANDIDATES continued from p. 6
empowering the Canadian working class through
directly involving them in the political process,
and electing an anti-war government.
Connected to the University of Ottawa through
a party chapter on campus, Legeais and the MLPC
plan to guarantee all students the right to post-
secondary education and allow them to attend
school without having to depend on their personal
finances or on loans from banks.
“Education is a right which belongs to all stu-
dents,” he said. “This right must be provided with
a guarantee.”
In addition to guaranteeing post-secondary
schooling, Legeais is also looking to promote soci-
ety’s responsibility to all its members and, as part
of that initiative, focus on education—particularly
higher education—as “a centrepiece of modern
society” deserving of attention.
To find out more about the MLPC, visit mlpc.
ca.
—Kenny Dodd
Akbar Manoussi
Green Party of Canada
GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE Akbar Manoussi
has made it his objective to bring his message of
environmentalism and social justice to students in
Ottawa-Vanier.
“My goal is a fair and just society in balance
with nature, which values the health and vitality of
our families, local communities, and economies,”
Manoussi said.
Manoussi, who was at the University of Ottawa
for the Oct. 3 all-candidates debate, argued that he
has the edge over his opponents on students issues
due to one principal reason—he works with students
every day. For over 25 years, he has taught business
OTTAWA SOUTH
Jean-Serge Brisson
maps courtesy Elections Canada
(Libertarian Party of
Canada)
management at both the U of O and Carleton Uni-
versity. Manoussi has dedicated his life to academia
“We believe [that] we could provide a brighter
future to young people by working towards imple-
Hijal De Sarkar
and believes in the importance of post-secondary menting a Universal Postsecondary Education (NDP)
education and making it affordable for all. Plan, much like elementary and secondary schools Qais Ghanem
“It is important to me that we have a system [have] now,” he explained. (Green)
of government that can protect the rights of stu- St. Onge expressed his intent to make himself
dents,” he said. available and approachable to University of Ot- Al Gullon
When Manoussi—who ran to represent the On- tawa students, and hopes to work towards pre- (Progressive
tario provincial Greens in 2007—isn’t teaching or venting infringement on their free speech, citing Canadian Party)
on the campaign trail, he dedicates himself to sev- the recent on-campus banning of film-screening
eral community and academic organizations, such group Ottawa Cinema Politica as an example of
David McGuinty (I)
as the Ottawa Muslim Association, where he has what he would work to avoid. (Liberal)
twice been elected vice-president, and the Iranian For more information about the CAP, visit ca- Elie Salibi
Scholar Association of Canada, where he holds the nadianactionparty.ca.
(Conservative)
position of director general. —Kenny Dodd
Manoussi detailed his optimism that voters will
look at the Green Party as a viable choice come Robert Taylor Larter OTTAWA WEST–
election day.
“We are all in this together,” he said. “It’s a time
Independent NEPEAN
for change—not change of power, but a change of THE INDEPENDENT ON the ticket is Robert
culture and values.” Taylor Larter, a candidate in the 2006 Ottawa mu- John Baird (I)
For more information about Manoussi and the nicipal election and a resident of Ottawa-Vanier (Conservative)
Green Party, check out manoussi.ca.
—Laura Clementson
since 2002.
The concerns of university students do not play
Frances Coates
a key part in his campaign, though he hopes that (Green)
Mike St. Onge raising awareness on campus about his platform Alex McDonald
Canadian Action Party will encourage students to become a part of it. (Communist Party of
“[Hopefully they will] get involved if they read
CANADIAN ACTION PARTY (CAP) Vice-Presi- this,” he said. Canada)
dent Mike St. Onge is the party’s candidate in Ot- Taylor Larter’s campaign is primarily concerned David Page
tawa-Vanier. A former resident of Ottawa-Vanier with homeland security, particularly on giving (Independent)
who now lives in Hull, St. Onge decided to run in law enforcement the ability to uphold their “twin
this riding because he feels that he relates best to pillars”—service and protection—and on manag- David Pratt
its citizens. He plans to move back to the region if ing immigration more tightly. (Liberal)
he is elected. His additional platform concerns include pro- Marlene Rivier
In regards to students, St. Onge and the CAP
would institute a program that would give all Ca-
moting unity among Canadians, placing restric-
tions on the use of tasers, and revisiting the War
(NDP)
nadians access to post-secondary education re- Measures Act.
gardless of their financial situation. —Kenny Dodd (I) denotes incumbent

www.thefulcrum.ca Oct. 9, 2008 NEWS 7

The four major political party platforms on post-secondary education

Ottawatch

Conservative Green Liberal NDP

THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED release of the
Conservative Party’s platform revealed modest ex-
penditures over the next four years, with a signifi-
cant portion of the $8.7-billion plan targeting the
struggling Canadian manufacturing sector.
The cautious platform, unveiled amid increasing
global economic turmoil, presented initiatives to
address the needs of post-secondary students in the
country. The primary objective of the Tories’ strat-
egy to support university education in Canada will
be to offset the costs of attending school. In this re-
spect, the Conservatives intend to provide students
from low-income households with a $250-per-
month grant, while students from medium-income
households will receive $100 monthly. This educa-
tion policy intention follows the Conservative gov-
ernment’s introduction of a textbook tax credit that
was implemented in January 2006.
The platform also communicates a plan to ex-
pand the existing Registered Education Savings
Plan, which aims to increase the ability for chari-
ties and not-for-profit organizations to work with
children from low-income households to establish
savings for university.
Lastly, the Conservative Party’s plan includes
objectives to modernize institutions that affect
post-secondary students, including the student-
loan process and granting councils.
For more information on the Conservative Par-
ty and their platform, check out conservative.ca.
—Andrew Bouffard
EVERYONE KNOWS THE Green Party is ex-
tremely environmentally oriented—it’s spelled
out in their party name. They intend to imple-
ment things like a “green tax” on CO2 emissions,
reduce greenhouse gases to 30 per cent below
1990 levels by 2020, and generally promote
sustainability—propositions that are important
to the entire Canadian population, but espe-
cially students who will be the next generation
responsible for the world we live in.
As far as more short-term student interests
are concerned, the party outlines on its website
that it would create an “access-to-education
plan” to replace the now-defunct Millennium
Scholarship Foundation that would increase
Canadian National Student Loan funding and
lower interest rates. Once a student finishes his
or her degree, the Greens also plan to erase half
of that student’s loan. The party also believes
more money should be invested in universities
to create more teaching positions in all disci-
plines.
Additionally, the party platform mentions
student jobs. The Greens would like to fund
industry-based job training to address the cur-
rent shortage of trained workers. They also plan
to expand the government’s student summer job
program.
More information about the Green Party and
their platform can be found at greenparty.ca.
—Aaron Kozak
THE LIBERAL PARTY has explained in
great detail the steps they plan to take to
improve post-secondary education in their
comprehensive, student-focused platform.
One of Liberal Party’s goals is to make
post-secondary education accessible to
more Canadians. According to the party’s
website, they plan to provide “100,000 ac-
cess grants of up to $4,000 per year … for
those who are under-represented in post-
secondary education”. They also plan to
ensure that “every student is eligible for a
$5,000 student loan regardless of parental
income”, in an effort to spread funding out
to more students across a range of income
brackets.
The Liberals not only plan to help stu-
dents financially, but they also have plans
regarding post-graduation interest rates.
They plan to not only guarantee lower rates,
but also extend the repayment grace period
from six months to two years. They have
also included several goals related to aca-
demic research, such as “increasing support
for the indirect costs of university-based
research by more than 60 per cent to $500
million a year”.
For more information about the Liberal
party platform, check out liberal.ca.
—Megan O’Meara
photos by Meaghan Walton, Oker Chen, Chad Yong, and Jennifer Zhou (CUP)
THE NEW DEMOCRATIC Party has consis-
tently attempted to appeal to student voters by
making tuition fees a primary platform issue,
and they are continuing with several propos-
als for post-secondary education offered in
the current campaign.
On the official NDP website, the party lays
out their post-secondary education promises.
The goal, according to the site, is to “ensure
that students don’t have crippling debts when
they graduate”. The NDP would provide a
$1,000 grant for students who qualify for stu-
dent loans, which would be paid at the begin-
ning of the school year. Layton also plans to
relieve students by promising to reconstruct
the Canada Student Loans program, which
would involve an interest break geared to-
wards students who are in work placements
or internships.
The Canadian Federation of Students has
come up with a report card to assess the fed-
eral parties and their commitment to low-
ering tuition fees, as well as look at broader
education issues. The report, found at vote-
education.ca, gave the NDP a B+ on the issue
of tuition fees, making them the only party to
garner a passing grade on that issue.
To find out more about the NDP platform,
visit ndp.ca.
—Laura Clementson

Vote of confidence
The press will always be present
the Fulcrum, are independent from to identify themselves. media mentioned in conjunction need. Even while some may consider
both the university administration When I, along with a journalist with the BOA. There is also no evi- the members new to their job, the
and the Student Federation of the from La Rotonde, proceeded to raise dence of anything in Robert’s Rules BOA has been meeting and working
University of Ottawa (SFUO). It our hands, the chair subsequently of Order—a comprehensive docu- together in a public forum since May.
has been worked into the mandate asked if any BOA members had any ment of guidelines the SFUO uses Why is the BOA suddenly so con-
of these media outlets to essentially objection to our presence at the meet- at all BOA meetings—that explicitly cerned with media coverage? Ex-
keep an eye on the business of the ing. states members of the media, or even cluding in-camera sessions that are
SFUO, balancing fair coverage of While nobody at the board table the general public, must identify private to deal with sensitive or con-
Emma Godmere their successes with fair commentary presented any objections, I was still themselves while observing a meet- fidential information, what difference
News Editor on their failures. One of the ways the astonished by this action. Meetings ing, notwithstanding in-camera ses- does it make if the student press is
Fulcrum often observes the inner of the BOA are open to the public, sions, where non-board members present to let the public know what
FREEDOM OF THE press is unques-
workings of the SFUO is through and anybody is invited to witness are asked to leave the room. the SFUO and its governing body is
tionably one of the strongest pillars
attending regular Board of Adminis- the discussions and debates of its This type of “procedural” ques- working on?
in the solid foundation of a free and
tration (BOA) meetings. Just as it is elected members. The idea that stu- tion hasn’t been raised at any BOA September’s BOG meeting witnessed
democratic society. I’m sure an over-
important to observe the university dent media needed to be identified or BOG meeting in recent memory, rows and rows of empty chairs begging
whelming majority of students on
administration through their Board at such an obviously public forum is although it has been raised at GSAÉD for observers to fill them, whether by
this campus would also agree with
of Governors (BOG) meetings, it is unsettling. council meetings. students or media or both. This week,
this statement.
crucial to keep up with SFUO affairs When I spoke with Carvajal—who “If someone’s in there as a student the BOA appeared unnecessarily con-
I’m sure they would also consider
by attending the meetings of their is also the external commissioner for observer and another one’s in there as cerned with the presence of the press.
free and independent student media
governing body. the Graduate Students’ Association a student, but not a student observer, Everyone at the board table should
an integral part of U of O campus life,
At the BOA meeting that took place (GSAÉD)—at a break in the meet- they’re representing the media—I realize, by now, that their actions in
not only for social reasons, but also
at the Roger Guindon campus on Oct. ing, he stated the question was part of think it’s good for board members to that time and place are going to be
for providing transparency for any
5, a peculiar question from the board “procedure”. be aware of that,” said Carvajal. observed. It’s the responsibility of stu-
level of administration and holding
chair worked its way into the regular After searching through the If the requirement for the media to dent media to be there, and that’s not
accountable those who make deci-
opening proceedings. Somewhere be- SFUO’s constitution, nothing was identify themselves at the beginning going to change any time soon.
sions on our behalf.
tween roll call and the adoption of the found on handling relations with of the meeting really was solely to
The two student print media fo-
agenda, BOA Chair Federico Carvajal independent student media on cam- remind board members of the public news@thefulcrum.ca
rums on campus, La Rotonde and
asked all student media in the room pus, nor is anything regarding the nature of their meetings, there is no 613-562-5260

8 NEWS Oct. 9, 2008 www.thefulcrum.ca

 9
Peter Henderson

Arts & Culture Oct. 9–15, 2008

Arts & Culture Editor
arts@thefulcrum.ca

Art in the shadow

of Parliament

photo by Amanda Misko

The Encampment is an innovative exhibit that shatters expectations for outdoor art
by Jaclyn Lytle
Fulcrum Staff
A HANDFUL OF volunteers were busy in the
heart of Major’s Hill Park on the afternoon of
Oct. 2 setting up 70 canvas tents. At 7 p.m.
the park lit up with the glow from 70 lanterns
placed inside those tents, marking the open-
ing of the travelling participatory art installa-
tion The Encampment in Ottawa.
The piece was created by Canadian artist
Thom Sokoloski, with help from fellow artist
Jenny McCowan. The two artists worked in
partnership with the National Capital Com-
mission and the Canadian Association for
Community Living (CACL) to bring an illu-
mination of Canadian history to the capital.
The aim of the large-scale outdoor exhibit
was to create a metaphorical exploration of
the history of those with intellectual disabili-
ties. No details were spared in the planning of
the Ottawa exhibit, which features exactly 70
tents in order to represent the cut-off IQ point
for persons with intellectual disabilities.
The Encampment made its first appear-
ance at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche in 2006. It
originated as a large-scale expression of the
hidden stories of those who were treated for
addiction and for problems related to men-
tal health in the Toronto area. There were 68
tents in the original showing. The piece then
moved to New York’s Roosevelt Island, where
it grew to 100 tents. There the piece became
a representation of the persons that suffered
in the various institutions that formerly stood
on the island. Now, in Ottawa, The Encamp-
ment has become an illustration of the diverse
history of intellectual disability in Canada.
From 7 p.m. to midnight on October 2–4,
the cluster of tents created a massive, brilliant
visual experience. The Alexandria Bridge of-
fered an idyllic view of the installation as a
whole. Up close, the purpose of the piece is
revealed to participants as they make their
way into each tent and are shown its individu-
al story on a small slip of paper.
The installation, which was free to visit,
allowed observers to physically enter the
tents, each of which contained an account
of an individual or a group of people dealing
with intellectual disabilities. The stories were
strung up on the outside of the tent in both
French and English, with an attached flash-
light, for visitors to read. The interior of each
tent housed an artist’s expression in response
to the story. The participatory concept of The
Encampment allows the audience to experi-
ence and consider what each tent reveals in a
personal way.
The exhibit features the work of over 50
artists from across the country, each of whom
contributed to the contents of at least one tent.
The inclusion of such a large variety of artists
creates a sense of diversity within the piece.
This particular production of The Encamp-
ment was intended to be the central event of
the CACL’s Diversity Includes campaign in
celebration of the organization’s 50th anniver-
sary. It now heads back to its city of origin,
Toronto, where it will be placed on display by
Community Living Toronto in the summer of
2009.
 Watch out Hogwarts,
here comes McGill University
Competitors get dirty during demonstration Quidditch matches in Middlebury, Vermont.
Quidditch team unites sports
fans and literature lovers
by Tessa Wallace
The McGill Daily
MONTREAL (CUP) – YOU CAN FIND them
on the playing field, practising hard. They warm
up, choose sides, and start a scrimmage. They
could be any sports team, except that the game
they’re playing comes straight out of the magical
world. With broomsticks between their legs and
Quidditch bats (called Bludgers) clutched in their
hands, this group of sports stars is bringing Quid-
ditch to McGill University in Montreal.
Quidditch, a fictional sport once confined to
the Harry Potter series, is difficult to explain. It is
a mix of rugby, basketball, and dodgeball, played
entirely on broomsticks. Although there are basic
scoring rules involving several balls, the main goal
is to seek out a small golden ball called the Snitch,
which wins the game for the team that finds it.
Muggle Quidditch is the non-fictional variant
of the game, named so because “Muggle” is the
word in the Harry Potter universe for those with-
out magical powers. Now that the rules have been
adapted for non-magical, non-flying participants,
McGill students are joining in on the action. If
you think this is some elaborate joke, you’re not
the only one.
“Usually—when we tell them what we’re do-
ing—people’s first reaction is: ‘Are you kidding
me?’ and the next reaction is: ‘This must be a
joke’,” says Karen Kumaki, a founding member of
the club at McGill.
The novelty, and of course, the absurdity, of the
game is enough to gather a group of spectators
at each practice. They stop by to catch a glimpse,
and a laugh, as the team plays.
“It looked a little ridiculous,” says Tony Kwan, a
McGill student who sat down to watch the game.
“We wanted a photo.”
Other spectators wanted to get in on the ac-
tion.
“It looks challenging to [play with] a broom.
I like it. I’m jealous,” said Jake Hoffman, another
McGill student and avid Harry Potter fan.
The club was started by six first-year students
and has yet to get official club status. Still, 30
people attended the last practice, more than 100
people are in the club’s Facebook group, and the
local dollar store is sold out of broomsticks.
10 ARTS Oct. 9, 2008
photo courtesy stevemease.com
One member, Clara Thaisson, had a decorated
broom and a lightning-bolt scar drawn on her
forehead.
“I think it’s going to be a magical time,” she
says. “I love Harry Potter, and I love sports, so
why not combine the two?”
The sport’s sudden increase in popularity
means novice players are joining at every prac-
tice. As a result, this new and highly complex
game has to be constantly re-explained. There
are five balls, six upright Hula Hoops, and four
different positions. Players score by throwing one
ball through an opponent’s Hula Hoop, while
avoiding the Bludgers—balls thrown by opposing
players that knock whoever they hit out of play,
dodgeball-style. To keep the game true to its Har-
ry Potter roots, there is a player clad in gold from
head-to-toe serving as a stand-in for the golden
Snitch. Two players, called Seekers, attempt to
catch the Golden Snitch, whose movements are
not limited to the playing field but to a wider area
agreed upon before the game, sometimes even
the entire campus.
It may seem confusing, but according to an-
other founding member of the team, and its “Vice
Warlock” Wren Laing, “knowledge of the books
definitely helps everyone play since it’s pretty
similar [to the story].”
Despite the influx of beginners, the craze sur-
rounding the Harry Potter books means it’s not
hard to find those familiar with the particulars of
Quidditch. In fact, most players have gotten so
into the game that it’s already getting serious—
dive tackle, injured knee, broken broomstick se-
rious.
“It’s really intense because the only official rules
are to be creative. When it comes to violence and
physical contact, it’s whatever you think is appro-
priate in the game,” said Laing.
Sure enough, the ground was littered with bro-
ken dollar-store brooms by the end of practice.
Away from the field, the club executives—or
warlocks, sorceresses, and goblins as they prefer
to be called—are planning big for the new team.
“Hopefully we’ll go to the Quidditch World
Cup in Vermont at Middlebury [College] and
then we’ll go from there,” said Laing.
The tournament is scheduled at the end of
October and the club already has more players
signed up than they can afford to take. Clear-
ly, this Muggle Quidditch team is well on their
way to fulfilling their mission: “Bring[ing]
together sports enthusiasts and Harry Potter
fans alike.”
 The Neins Circa
C.S. Rippen C+
IT’S WEIRD TO hear a band maing a concept album about a
person you’ve never met. Cameron Dilworth, the lead singer and

Album reviews
songwriter of The Neins Circa, decided, after writing a song about
his friend Chris Rippen, to dedicate a whole EP to him. However,
the band’s apparent devotion to Rippen doesn’t make up for the
lack of passion actually put into each song. There are upbeat and
energizing melodies on songs like “It’s Cold” and “C.S. Rippen”,
but the songs are superficial and the lyrics lack depth. C.S. Rip-
pen doesn’t represent the best this band has to offer—go buy their
full-length Sleeves and Wigs and take pleasure in the much better
execution of their upbeat and whimsical tunes.
—Alessandro Nahon

The Buttless Chaps

Cartography C+
THE BUTTLESS CHAPS’ latest album, Cartography, sounds like a
touchy-feely acoustic CD, the one a band makes to show that they
suffer from deep emotional pain and heartbreak. Acoustic tracks
such as “Water By the Wayside” and “Coal Grey Sky” anchor the al-
bum with lyrics about lost love and fleeting romance. The track list
boasts a few promising ballads like “For The Night It Buries You”
and “Are We Forgiven Now?”, but the songs are mostly choppy,
tame, and filled with cliché-ridden lyrics. The track “Broken Transit
Broken Soil” seems out of place, with its heavy emphasis on drums
and electric guitar. This track harkens back to their past albums,
while the rest of Cartography sounds like the Buttless Chaps are
making a light romance album just because they’re looking for pop
success.
—Hisham Kelati

B-
Young and Sexy
The Arc
DON’T LET THEIR name fool you. Vancouver indie rock group
Young and Sexy aren’t exactly youngsters and their music isn’t
necessarily sexy. Rather, on their fourth record, the band comes
across as melancholic, spiritual, deeply lyrical, and refreshingly odd
on many of the cuts, particularly “Demon Dreaming” and “Peer
Through The Lock”. Lucy Brain and Paul Pitman share vocal duties
and conjure up beautiful, lingering melodies together. The standout
track “The Poisoned Cup” is sung and arranged with heartbreak-
ing delicateness. Unfortunately, many songs on the latter half of the
album melt into one another, not wielding any truly memorable
melodies to bob your head to. What The Arc lacks in ear-catching
ditties, it makes up for in setting a sobering mood—one to ponder
love’s many travails.
—Nigel Smith

B-
The Starting Line
Direction
THE LATEST RELEASE from Philadelphia pop-punk band The
Starting Line, whose teen-angst albums have earned them noto-
riety amongst heavily pierced and prematurely tattooed crowds is,
at best, mediocre. Direction offers listeners no variety, and is by far
their tamest work yet. Though the boys of The Starting Line have
never produced anything remotely interesting, this album marks
an unwanted return to the melodramatic lyrics and simple instru-
mentals of their earlier releases—particularly 2003’s Say It Like You
Mean It. “Island” and the title track are the best that Direction has
to offer, but this album doesn’t have anything fresh to win over new
fans. There is nothing exceptionally terrible about Direction—it’s
just middling, average, and kind of boring.
—Jaclyn Lytle

www.thefulcrum.ca Oct. 9, 2008 ARTS 11

 Film reviews

Flash of Genius A- Blindness B Religulous B+

TO MOST, FLASH of Genius’ plot does not have much appeal in
comparison to the overblown fictional storylines spotting the box
office, but this true story of the invention of the intermittent wind-
shield wiper is both engaging and intelligent. Greg Kinnear gives a
commendable performance as Bob Kearns, a father of six who expe-
riences the so-called flash of genius when driving home from church
on a rainy Sunday. He develops a prototype and shows it to several
companies, but he has no takers. His idea is stolen by Ford Motor
Company two years later, and the rest of the film tells the story of
Kearns’s ten-year battle to receive compensation and, more impor-
tantly, credit for his idea. Lauren Graham plays Kearns’s wife, whose
character provides a soft contrast to her husband’s drive. The film
covers a large period of time in only two hours, and the passing time
is emphasized by how quickly Kearns’s six children seem to age in
comparison to how slowly his lawsuit progresses. Overall, the film
is excellent, with a top-notch script and well-selected cast that make
this true story from the 1960s resonate in today’s world. At a time
when big business is once again screwing over the common man, it’s
inspiring to see someone who fought back, regardless of the odds.
—Megan O’Meara
IN BLINDNESS, DIRECTOR Fernando Meirelles films Por-
tuguese Nobel laureate José Saramago’s riveting apocalyptic
novel in which an epidemic of milky-white sightlessness sud-
denly plagues the population of an unnamed city. The blind-
ness in the film is an allegory for the selfishness, violence,
and desperation that emerges when humans are left to their
own devices. The increasing loss of each individual’s dignity
as the society resorts to thievery, rape, betrayal, and murder
gives insight into the dark side of human nature. Mark Ruf-
falo, Julianne Moore, and Gael García Bernal give admirable
performances, but the only real artist in the film is Meirelles.
He shoots scenes in his inimitable murky, gritty, yet visually
intense style, and the way he uses soft colours, contrasting
lighting, and editing techniques is ingenious. The only prob-
lem with Blindness is that it fails to surprise. After challenging
the audience in its first half, the film forgoes metaphorical
musings and becomes simplistic, consequently shedding the
weight of a colossal philosophical concept—the only one to
blame for that is Saramago.
—Michael Olender
RELIGULOUS TEAMS POLITICALLY incorrect comedian Bill
Maher with director Larry Charles, famed for producing and
directing Borat, to produce a comedy about the irrationality of
religion. Actually, Religulous is a mostly non-fiction comedy in
the style of a documen-
tary. The charismatic
It’s a must-watch for and witty Maher targets
anyone wanting another religion from all sides—
perspective on religion he interviews Catholic
priests, an anti-Zionist
or simply a hearty laugh. Jew, and even the found-
er of a cannabis church in
Amsterdam. Many of the interviews are obviously abridged and
edited to emphasize the absurdity of religion and to set up quick
punch lines. The comedy doesn’t just emerge from Maher’s in-
genuity, but also from Charles’s directing. You know it’s a Larry
Charles picture when absurd clips interrupt the interviews, just
like a Family Guy flashback. It’s a must-watch for anyone want-
ing another perspective on religion or simply a hearty laugh.
—Alessandro Nahon

images courtesy Universal Pictures, Alliance Films, Lions Gate, Columbia Pictures

SPROTT The
knowledge
to compete

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Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist A-
DON’T BE FOOLED into thinking that Nick and and Juno, Cera mixes sincerity and despera-
– International Business
Norah’s Infinite Playlist is some director’s attempt tion with such ease that the viewer can’t help
– Management & Change at making a cooler, more hipster-oriented Juno. but have their heart ache every time he comes
– Technology Management It isn’t. Instead, it’s a great hipster love story. on screen. That—coupled with his brilliant
Starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings as deadpan delivery and his Andy Kaufman-like
t
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mFMET band Fluffy. The film is a great update of the character doesn’t give Dennings very much to
classic boy-meets-girl love-story, with an in- work with.
Take your career to the next level with sane night and crazy supporting cast of charac- The scene-stealer in Nick and Norah’s Infinite
the knowledge to compete. ters providing great comic fodder. Playlist has to be Ari Graynor, who plays No-
Coming through on the promise of the rah’s ever-elusive friend Caroline. After having
sprott.carleton.ca/mba title, the film hosts an excellent and eclectic one too many cocktails, she proceeds to run
soundtrack. And because it’s a hipster movie, amok in late-night New York City, leaving a
the soundtrack is filled with alternative rock trail of destruction in her path.
bands rather than the rap and hip-hop playing In addition to Nick and Norah’s entertain-
in most teen–oriented movies. Except for the ing journey across New York City, there’s a very
unfortunately cliché use of “You Sexy Thing” by touching, albeit incredibly awkward almost-sex
Hot Chocolate, the soundtrack was perfect. scene; hilarious cameos; and side-splitting dia-
Next Information Sessions: Cera, the Canadian who finally gets a much- logue that makes the film a worthwhile roman-
October 16, 12-1 pm October 21, 12-1 pm October 22, 5:30-7 pm deserved role as a leading man, plays the bass tic comedy. Forget the inevitable Juno com-
Carleton University Sheraton Ottawa Brookstreet Hotel player of a queer-core (sexual identity-based parisons. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is a
906 Dunton Tower punk) band, who is heartbroken and trying to movie of its own, and is one of the best teenage
get over his shallow bitch of an ex-girlfriend. romantic comedies to date.
Reserve your place today! mba_info@sprott.carleton.ca 613-520-2807 Like his previous roles in Arrested Development —Hisham Kelati

12 ARTS Oct. 9, 2008 www.thefulcrum.ca

Going gonzo
“I wouldn’t recommend sex,
drugs or insanity for
everyone, but they’ve always
worked for me.”
New book tells the
twisted tale of Hunter
S. Thompson through
images and interviews
by Hisham Kelati
Fulcrum Staff
GONZO: THE LIFE and Times of Hunter S.
Thompson is the biography of a man who author
Tom Wolfe called the greatest American writer
of the 20th century. Hunter S. Thompson was
an American journalist who created gonzo jour-
nalism, a style of writing wherein the reporters
involve themselves in the story which they’re
writing about. He is also famous for his con-
tempt for authority, his legendary consumption
of psychedelics, and his book-turned-movie,
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Gonzo was commissioned by friend and one-
time editor Jann Wenner, founder and current
editor of Rolling Stone magazine. The biography
is an oral history, consisting of stories and tales
told by his friends, acquaintances, enemies, and
passers-by. They try, to the best of their abili-
ties, to explain the man and the legend that was
Thompson.
The biography gives a very detailed history
of Thompson, from his birth and adolescence
in Louisville, Kentucky to his suicide in Febru-
ary 2005. The biography starts with childhood
friends recounting how Thompson managed to
get himself thrown into juvenile detention as an
accessory to robbery the night before his high
school graduation, and how he subsequently
chose enlistment in the military as a substitute
for jail time.
Gonzo is one of the better Thompson biog-
raphies because the story is told by people who
were part of the action. The reader is placed
directly into the story, through the eyes of the
participants who partook in Thompson’s frivol-
ity. This is a better way to approach Thompson’s
work than other, more objective biographies, as
the reader is treated to the stories and memories
of the people who were actually there—a subjec-
tive approach that would have made Thompson
himself proud.
The book moves through his fledging writing
career as a military reporter, until his rebellious
streak ended up getting him a recommendation
for an early honourable discharge. Thompson
eventually moved on to a string of freelanc-
ing jobs in the Caribbean and South America,
which would end up catalogued in his second
www.thefulcrum.ca
novel, The Rum Diary, which wasn’t published
until 1998.
The stories in the book are very detailed and
explanatory, giving insight into Thompson’s
writings and the method behind his madness.
Thompson’s ex-editor at Rolling Stone and the
editor of Gonzo, Wenner, talks about the essays
that ended up becoming Thompson’s legendary
exploration of the American zeitgeist, Fear and
Loathing in Las Vegas. There are a half-dozen an-
ecdotes from fellow residents and supporters of
Thompson in his bizarre bid to become sheriff of
Aspen City on the Freak Power ticket, and even
former senator George McGovern’s account of
Thompson’s political report of the senator’s run
for President, which became the book Fear and
Loathing: On The Campaign Trail ’72.
Gonzo is essentially a testament to how
Thompson’s larger-than-life personality man-
aged to affect everyone and anyone who was
near him. Ralph Steadman, an artist and
Thompson’s long-time best friend, tells the tale
of their first job with one another, a story that
Thompson chronicled in the now-infamous
Scanlan’s Monthly article “The Kentucky Derby
Is Decadent and Depraved”. Steadman recalls
how Thompson managed to turn him, an oth-
I want you.
erwise straight-laced Englishman, into a raving
lunatic thanks to the influence of booze and
psychedelics.
There are also stories from Jack Nicholson,
upon whom Thompson played a horrific prac-
tical joke involving several shotguns and an
elk heart; from Johnny Depp, who lived for
a few months in Thompson’s basement while
researching his role in the film version of Fear
and Loathing in Las Vegas; and from Ed Bastian,
one of Thompson’s oldest friends. It’s amazing
to hear that the insane stories Thompson told
about his life were not always embellished, and
I want you so bad.
that his lifestyle really did live up to the extreme
standards set out in his writing.
There are even stories of Thompson’s unseen
tender side told by those very close to Thomp-
son—his ex-wife, Sandy Thompson, his son, Juan
volunteer@thefulcrum.ca
Thompson, and his best friend, the aforemen-
tioned Steadman. He may have lived his life on the
edge, but Thompson was still very much human.
Gonzo is a fitting tribute to an author and
journalist who defies definition. The stories
aren’t always reliable, but they’re always enter-
taining—just the way Thompson would have
liked it. In seeing Thompson through the eyes
of the people around him, we get a fuller picture
of a man who fundamentally changed journal-
ism and the way stories are told. Be warned,
Gonzo is one hell of a trip. Once you pick up this
book, you won’t be able to stop—as Thompson
would say, buy the ticket, take the ride.
Oct. 9, 2008 ARTS 13
 by Hilary Caton
Fulcrum Staff

W
ITH THE CANADIAN
CANA federal election
Oct. 14, many people are in an indecis
frenzy. Election season can become ov
times, as party volunteers sp
bearing at time
political brochures pile up in t
signs into lawns and polit
election buzz and shameless pa
mail. But with this electio
promoting encompassing the country, why is it t
young Canadians aren’t ta taking notice? Whether you
are swamped at school, overwhelmed
ov with work, si
ply uninformed, or just don’t
do care, one thing is cle
the majority of Canadian youth are not voting.

Exercising your
democratic right
As Canadians, voting is a part of our civic respon
bility and our exclusive right
r as citizens of a dem
cratic nation, but according
accord to a recent survey, t
sense of duty and responsibility
respon is drastically fad
with today’s youth.
“Less than 44% of votevoters under 24 actually cas
ballot in the last federal election
e and that number w
probably go down, rather than up, on Oct. 14. This
extremely troubling,” said Marc Chalifoux, execut
director of the Dominion Institute, an institute d
voted to promoting know knowledge of Canadian histo
Results of the Dominion Institute poll, published
the Ottawa Sun n on Oct. 11, indicated that the num
of 18 to 24-year olds whowh said they would definit
vote on Oct. 14 may drop by up to seven per cent.
why the drop?
“I think it shows the lack
la of civic education in t
high schools. Not all students
s have taken tho
courses and therefore are more focused on their sp
Beh
cialties,” said Michael Behiels, the university resea

Cast
your
vote
Why many youth don’t
participate in elections

14 FEATURE Oct. 9, 2008 www.thefulcrum.ca

 chair in Canadian federalism and constitutional stud-
ies at the University of Ottawa (U of O). “They don’t
develop a better understanding of their civic respon-
on sibilities, Canadian history and the Constitution. I
sive think that problem has been there for far too long,
er- and the provincial governments simply have not rem-
pike edied that situation. As a result, everybody complains
the about the youth participation rate.”
arty
hat
uth
m-
Politics pushed aside
ear:
“Young people are engaged in political activity,
ti it but
b t
not in the traditional sense,” said Catherine Côte, a
political science professor at the U of O. “They buy
coffee that is fair trade, they recycle and buy environ-
mentally friendly products. Their politics is more day–
to–day and is now a different kind of political activism
than the older generations.”
nsi- More young Canadians are finding their own inno-
mo- vative ways to be politically active through podcasts
hat or blogs, and are moving away from more traditional
ing involvement like reading or watching the news. Youth
are more interested in doing their part, whether
st a through petitions or interest groups, by coming to-
will gether with others who share their concerns. Ilona
s is Dougherty, executive director of Apathy is Boring,
tive a website designed to inform young voters, believes
de- that the use of technology by youth is a great way to
ory. stay on top of election news.
d in “[It’s] important to keep [the information] diverse
ber and to use art and technology to get young people
tely involved,” she said.
But Patrick Fafard, a U of O social science professor,
believes that the political parties don’t do enough to
the cater to this new wave of political awareness.
ose “We know youth are not likely to get their news
pe- from the newspaper or television anymore,” he said.
rch “To raise the level of understanding in civic literacy or
even change the way youth see politics, you have to
reach out to [young people] where they are, which is
increasingly online.”
Youth today do what they want in their own unique
way. This includes politics. They want to transform it
into something appealing and fun while continuing to
voice their concerns.
“[Students] are less interested in traditional ways
of being politically active, it doesn’t attract them in
the ways that this new form of political activism does.
This is a big shift,” states Côte. “The system itself will
have to change and adapt to the way young people
are seeing politics and their values; the new genera-
tion will help with that.”
Even a single vote in an election counts, contrary to
what many believe. Martine Robitaille, the Elections
Canada youth coordinator for the U of O, has talked
to many students about the elections and the impor-
tance of voting.
“People don’t think it matters to vote and they don’t
think that by voting they will make a difference,” she
said. “That’s basically what I’ve been getting when I
talk to students. ‘It doesn’t matter if I vote because
it’s not going to make a difference.’ If everybody that
says that votes, all the votes put together are going
to make a huge difference.”
What many youth seemingly fail to real-
ize is that as adults, they are no longer sitting
on the sidelines but play a dynamic role in the
everyday lives of Canadians.
What can be changed
Even Canadian celebrities seem to have lacklustre
enthusiasm when it comes to promoting the idea of
voting. Compared to other countries like the United
States, Canada’s celebrities are silent. Getting these
celebrities or popular Canadian shows to endorse
and emphasize the importance of Canadian elections
could be a potential springboard for engaging youth
voters in the upcoming election. Spencer Buchanan, a
second-year linguistics student, believes this point is
incredibly important.
“Celebrities are extremely influential for young
people especially; many aspire to be like them so they
would probably listen to them if they talked about it,”
he said.
This influence is clearly visible in the United States
where movie star Leonardo DiCaprio put together a
public service announcement concerning registration
for the upcoming U.S. election. The ad is made up of
celebrities who volunteered their time because they
have a strong interest in getting people to vote.
Communication from peer to peer, or, in this case,
youth to youth, is another effective way to get the
politicians’ election messages across said Caitlin
Crowley, a second–year communications student.
“The government should bring back the student
assembly, where students were voted into an assem-
bly and were then used as teachers, to inform other
youths about the political system in Canada. I think
hearing this information from your peers helps.
“The election isn’t really geared towards students. I
don’t feel that they are doing enough,” Crowley con-
tinued.
Fafard had a similar notion.
“All political parties don’t do a good enough job of
explaining how the policy preferences that they ad-
vocate are relevant or linked to the real lives of young
people,” he said.
Appealing to youth
Media are putting in an effort to reach out to young
voters. News sources such as the CBC are using vari-
ous interactive media forms to get youth excited
about voting and the election process. From offer-
ing youth-friendly news shows like The Hour with
George Stromboupoulos to luring young adults on-
line to read news briefs and download podcasts, the
CBC is making an attempt to reach out to the 18–25
demographic.
Local universities are also putting on student-run
events. The Student Federation of the University of
Ottawa (SFUO) hosted Wake Up and Vote on Sept. 26,
combining wakeboarding with political awareness. In-
formation tables for four federal political parties were
set up so that students could get a general sense of
what each party represented.
“Not everyone wants to go to a debate,” said SFUO
VP University Affairs Seamus Wolfe. “We’re trying to
make the election more fun, trying to add fun to what
some people may see as boring.”
Fafard agreed with Wolfe.
“All political parties need to experiment with new
and different channels of communication and par-
ticipation to increase civic literacy, knowledge, and
understanding of the political process in youths,” he
said.
Why it is important to vote
With the election now only days away, politicians
are in a frenzy to garner as many votes as pos-
sible. Those citizens who wait until the last day to
decide who they’ll vote for can make a significant dif-
ference.
“If young people don’t vote, then the issues that are
relevant to them are being decided by people who are
a lot older than they are. Basically, our grandparents
are making decisions for us about education, about
arts and social policies, about the environment, etc.,”
said Dougherty. “It’s not our generation that has a say
in that because we don’t decide who gets elected. The
cool thing is that if young people did vote, we could
sway the election. [There are] enough young people
in Canada that we could decide who is prime minis-
ter, and that’s pretty amazing.”
“If all of the students at [the] U of O voted, that
could really change who in that riding gets elected,”
said Dougherty. “It’s amazing to see the change that
could happen if we did something rather than just
assuming what we do have the power to do doesn’t
make a difference. ”

Things you need to know to vote

Where: Visit elections.ca and enter your postal code to determine your polling station.

When: Oct. 14 - 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

How: Option 1 - Provide one original piece of identification issued by a government or

government agency containing your photo, name and address (e.g. driver’s licence). Option
2 - Provide two original pieces of identification authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer of
Canada. Both pieces must contain your name, and one must also contain your address (e.g.
health card and hydro bill). Option 3 - Swear an oath and be vouched for by an elector who is
on the list of electors in the same polling division and who has an acceptable piece or pieces
of identification (e.g. a neighbour, your roommate).

www.thefulcrum.ca Oct. 9, 2008 FEATURE 15

You’ll never eat brunch in this town again
Arts funding, galas, and Stephen Harper’s television habits
Peter Henderson
Arts & Culture Editor
STEPHEN HARPER DOESN’T know what he’s
talking about, at least when it comes to the Ca-
nadian arts scene. The man who would be a ma-
jority prime minister has a uninformed view of
Canadian culture, one he expounded upon at a
campaign stop in Saskatchewan on Sept. 23 after
he was asked about his government’s cuts to arts
funding.
“You know, I think when ordinary, working
people come home, turn on the TV and see …
a bunch of people at a rich gala all subsidized
by the taxpayers, claiming their subsidies aren’t
high enough when they know the subsidies have
actually gone up, I’m not sure that’s something
that resonates with ordinary people,” he said.
Now, I’m not exactly sure how a career politi-
Debate night in Ottawa
16 ARTS Oct. 9, 2008
cian like Harper knows what ordinary people Canada in years. In fact, it may well be both. and culture make us Canadian, not our sports.
think, or what television channel he’s watching, During a sadly deleted interview I conducted America has most of the NHL, but Trailer Park
but I can say with certainty that he’s dead wrong last week, I asked Canadian actor Paul Gross Boys couldn’t happen anywhere but here.
about arts funding. Recently, $45 million was cut what he thought about Harper’s comments. The funny thing is that most artists are regular
from the Department of Canadian Heritage, af- He said the he hoped for the best—that Harper people. They do what they do because they love
fecting all manner of artistic performances. Harp- didn’t really believe what he said, that it was an it, not because of the money or the galas. In fact,
er is a trained economist, off-the-cuff remark that the large majority of artists have day jobs and
so there’s no excuse for his didn’t correctly reflect the mortgages. These artists have more in common
thinking that $45 million in nuances of his position with ordinary people than Harper, the Master’s-
cuts is an increase. America has most of on the issue. I hope he’s educated oilman, does. These people enrich our
Of course, there’s also right, because it’s scary to cultural experience, sacrificing time and untold
the gala issue. Just what the NHL, but Trailer think that the leader of our amounts of money to make Canada a more artis-
the hell is Harper watch-
ing? I haven’t seen a gala
Park Boys couldn’t country has a dim view of
that which defines us.
tically vibrant place. Not only that, but their art
creates jobs, whether it be in the film industry,
on television in, well, happen anywhere but Canada is nothing with- through demand for materials, or even just hir-
ever. Maybe he flipped out its unique culture. Our ing people to work at local galleries and theatres.
on the privately funded here. system of government, lan- These people are developing and expanding both
Junos one night and got guage, and even our food our cultural experience and our economy—it’s
confused—I’ve heard Ben are inherited from our amazing that Harper doesn’t believe we should
Mulroney’s chin acts like colonial forebears, Britain give them the support they need.
a hypnotist’s watch for some right-wingers. I’ve and France, and we have only a small amount So, Steve, I’ll talk straight. You keep funding
been involved in the arts for many years, and of our own history from which to draw. Though the very essence of what makes us Canadian,
after seeing the absolutely pitiful funding for some claim hockey is our most important na- and I’ll quit devoting column inches to your
things that are hugely deserving and valuable tional attribute, that couldn’t be further from screw-ups. Canadians need the arts, and we’re
to the community—including local music ven- the truth. It is our movies, music, and literature prepared to fight for them.
ues and art galleries—I’m mystified by Harper’s that make us who we are, and it’s hard to imag-
comments. He’s either completely out of touch, ine a Canada without Fubar, the Tragically Hip, arts@thefulcrum.ca
or he hasn’t seen anything remotely artistic in Cirque du Soleil, or Margaret Atwood. Our arts 613-562-5931
Supporters of all political stripes rallied outside the
National Arts Centre on Oct. 2 before the federal
leaders’ debates in Ottawa.
photos by Carl Meyer
www.thefulcrum.ca

Sports
Gee-Gees anything but golden
Gee-Gees running back Felix Desjardins-Potvin breaks away from the Laurier defence.
Win eludes men’s
football team against
Laurier Golden Hawks
by Daniel Harris
Fulcrum Contributor
A YEAR AGO at this point in the sea-
son, the Gee-Gees men’s football team
was riding high. The squad had just
squeaked out a sixth straight victory
and was looking to clinch home-field
advantage throughout the playoffs.
This year, after a 22-21 loss to the Lau-
rier Golden Hawks on Oct. 4, the Gees
find themselves with a 3-3 record with
only two games remaining.
The game against the Golden Hawks
was a defensive battle through and
through. Though Ottawa conceded
a safety in the first quarter, few points
were registered until the second quarter
of the game rolled around. After four
straight punts and a string of poorly
executed plays, running back Felix
Desjardins-Potvin made a 52-yard run
to set up the Gee-Gees on Laurier’s
21-yard line early in the second quarter.
Two plays later, quarterback Josh Saco-
bie connected with receiver Gharone
Mclean on a 15-yard touchdown pass,
making the score 7-2.
On the following drive, Gee-Gees
linebacker Joe Barnes picked off a
pass from Hawks quarterback Luke
Thompson. Barnes was able to return
the ball 46 yards. The play was capped
off by a facemask penalty that placed
the ball three yards from the end zone.
It didn’t take much for Sacobie to hit
Justin Wood-Roy for a touchdown on
the following play.
Just when it looked like the quarter
would end without any Laurier scor-
ing, the Hawks mounted a late attack
capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass
to receiver Josh Bishop. The touchdown
shifted the momentum in Laurier’s fa-
vour, despite the 14-9 score in favour of
Ottawa at the half.
Even so, the Gees came out strong
after halftime, and kicker Luigi de Lel-
lis scored a quick field goal, extending
the Ottawa lead to 17-9. With their
Quarterback Josh Sacobie looks on as running back Davie Mason (34) tries to punch through the Laurier defence.
Oct. 9–15, 2008
next possession, Laurier looked as
though they were pinned deep in their
own end. However, on a broken play,
Thompson scrambled towards the
sideline and moments before being hit
threw to a wide open Troy Leach, who
sprinted to the end zone for a 75-yard
touchdown. Laurier then tied the game
17-17 after Ottawa conceded a single
point on the subsequent kick-off.
From there Sacobie struggled, and
David McClelland
Sports Editor
sports@thefulcrum.ca
ended the game with just 16 comple-
tions on 33 attempts.
Sacobie’s struggles almost certainly
came from the fact that the team is
heavily injured. The Gee-Gees have 12
players out, including fifth-year All-
Canadian receiver Ivan Birungi and
five other receivers.
“They adjusted to what we were do-
ing well,” said Sacobie. “They didn’t
have to apply pressure because their
photo by Alex Smyth
17
photo illustration by Jack Wang
secondary was covering so well.”
The Laurier defence then forced the
Gee-Gees to concede a second safety,
giving the Golden Hawks a 19-17 lead,
and an advantage they would not relin-
quish.
The Hawks scored a field goal but
gave up two safeties in the final quar-
ter. However, the Gee-Gees were never
really within reasonable striking dis-
tance. Despite a last-minute field-goal
attempt from 45-yards out that could
have won the game for Ottawa, the
Hawks controlled the action, as their
defence refused to let the Gees get
close to the end zone.
“I wouldn’t feel any better if we
had made that field goal and won
the game,” said Gee-Gees head coach
Denis Piché. “At the end of the day,
we’ve lost three games by a total of
seven points. This has been a day-to-
day soap opera.”
Piché knew exactly what happened
to his team.
“[Laurier] blew all the gaps to stop
us from [scoring] and said ‘you’re go-
ing to have to beat us with your high
school receivers.’ ”
“We’re so close to being [a] champi-
onship team, but when you’ve got a lot
of your superstars watching the game
hurt, it’s tough to succeed,” added
wide receiver Justin Wood-Roy. “We
y
have to refocus and try to get our guys
healthy.”
The Gee-Gees have only two regular
season games remaining, including
their next against the Queen’s Golden
Gaels on Oct. 11. The loss leaves the
Gee-Gees even at 3-3 and in a four-way
tie for fourth in the Ontario University
Athletics conference.
 Autumn’s natural fireworks
The fall weather is
perfect for exploring
all the outdoors
Ottawa has to offer
by Anna Rocoski
Fulcrum Staff
LEAVES ARE CHANGING colours
and the summer weather is quickly
vanishing—it is officially fall. It won’t
be long until going outdoors may seem
nearly impossible thanks to snow-
banks encroaching on the sidewalks,
so take advantage of the fine weather
while you still can.
Making the most of the fall weather
can be as simple as taking one step
outside your house, seeing that the
brightly coloured leaves are falling to
the ground, and raking up a mountain
of leaves just for the sake of jumping
in them.
Running may not be for everyone,
but it can be great in the fall just to see
all the multicoloured trees (plus the
cool weather makes it seem like less of
a chore). There’s nothing like running
along a path with large oak trees pep-
photo by Martha Pearce pered with radiant leaves. The reds,
Going for a run on the Rideau Canal is just one of the many fall activities oranges, and yellows of the trees will
in Ottawa.
often inspire you to embark on an
adventure much longer than initially
planned.
There are scores of trails located
around downtown Ottawa on which
anyone can hike, run, and cycle, such
as those along the Rideau River, or
along the Ottawa and Gatineau Rivers
in Quebec. Additionally, a number of
great parks in the area can accomodate
a range of activities such as football,
soccer, and Frisbee.
Mooney’s Bay, located near River-
side Drive and Brookfield Road, is a
fall gem known for trails used for hik-
ing, running, and biking (eventually
cross-country skiing in the winter),
and there’s no shortage of parkland.
Nearby Hog’s Back Falls, found just
to the north, where water cascades
down the Rideau River, is one of Ot-
tawa’s most spectacular natural sights.
The area can be reached by taking OC
Transpo bus 87 South Keys from Cam-
pus station.
For the average student, there are
parks closer to campus begging to be
used. Tabaret Lawn is great if you don’t
want to leave campus, but Strathcona
Park along Range Road in Sandy Hill
is fantastic if you want to enjoy a larger,
quieter green space.
Playing sports on Parliament Hill is
another experience that no one should
miss while studying in Ottawa. Many
countries won’t even let you get that
close to their national parliament with-
out passing through security, so don’t
miss your chance to play a uniquely
Canadian game of touch football.
Don’t forget that the Rideau Canal
is not just a place to strap on a pair of
skates and practice your triple axels—
along its length is a spectacular place
to enjoy the outdoor fall weather. The
Canal is right next to campus and
well-maintained paths stretch up and
around Parliament and down to Car-
leton University.
If getting away from those textbooks
is near impossible, bring your work
with you. There are benches everywhere
in Ottawa, which gives you a change of
setting and allows you to get your work
done while enjoying fall first hand. Even
reading a book for pleasure is an excel-
lent way to enjoy the outdoors.
Fall is a great time to explore Ot-
tawa, especially if you are new to the
city. The trees turn gorgeous, vibrant
shades of red and gold, so don’t hesi-
tate to grab some friends and go out
and enjoy all that fall in Ottawa has to
offer.

The ultimate athletic experience

by Inari Vaissi Nagy
Fulcrum Staff
OF THE MANY competitive club
sports that exist at the fringes of
the University of Ottawa’s sports
programming, the ultimate Frisbee
club, consisting of both men’s and
women’s squads, may be one of the
most humble.
But be careful not to confuse hu-
mility with lack of intensity.
Having attained club status at the
university only four years ago, the
hybrid of soccer, football, and Fris-
bee is still in its infancy at the U of O.
Since its inception, the women’s side
has achieved considerable success,
even bringing home the Canadian
University Ultimate Championships
(CUUC) gold in 2006.
But if “ultimate Frisbee” conjures
up images of granola-munching hip-
pies tossing a Frisbee around in the
sunshine, think again. According to
Philippe Boisvert, a third-year cut-
ter (a player who runs downfield to
catch passes from the disc handlers)
for the men’s side, ultimate is “a com-
plete sport—you have to jump, you
have to run, you have to dive, and
you have to throw”.
The hippie reputation may come
into play as a result of the sport’s
grassroots organization as well as the
“Spirit of the Game” policy that gov-
erns international ultimate competi-
tion. This principle aims to reinforce
mutual respect and preserve ultimate
as a game without referees, with
players calling fouls on the opposing
team and “observers” who help settle
disputes if a call is contested.
This policy is unique in the sport-
ing world and, although teams oc-
casionally run into problems with
opponents attempting to abuse the
self-refereeing rule, it creates a dis-
tinct atmosphere without diminish-
ing the sport’s competitiveness.
“[It’s] a complete
sport—you have to
jump, you have to
run, you have to
dive, and you have
to throw”
Philippe Boisvert,
Cutter
“It’s a highlight-reel sport [with]
big blocks,” said Boisvert. “Like in
basketball when there’s a big block,
this happens routinely in ultimate.”
The CUUC, held annually in
October, is one of two major fall
tournaments for the brief ultimate
season at the university level. Along
with September’s Canadian Eastern
University Ultimate Championships
(CEUUC), the Gee-Gees have at-
tended the CUUC most years since
their inception, although funding
issues held them back from the na-
tional championship in Edmonton
this past weekend. As a competi-
tive club, the ultimate teams receive
support from Sports Services, in-
cluding a cash sum and time (three
practices a week) on the Sports
Complex field.
Hunkering down for a winter of
gym practices, the men’s and wom-
en’s teams reconvene in the spring
for up to three tournaments state-
side, including the Ultimate Players
Association (UPA) College Champi-
onships.
The U of O’s women’s squad
opened another strong season with
their first-place finish in the 2008
CEUUC event in Montreal Sept.
27–28, upsetting the McGill Mart-
lets—a team with varsity status—in
the finals. Unfortunately, since com-
petition is almost exclusively limited
to out-of-town tournaments, there
are few home games for Gee-Gees
fans to attend.
For now, ultimate continues to
grow at the U of O, a grassroots sport
with sky-high ambitions.
Students interested in ultimate Fris-
bee at U of O can contact
ggultimate@gmail.com or photo by Martha Pearce
ladyggultimate@gmail.com for more Ultimate is an intensely physical sport, even though many people are to-
information. tally unaware of what is involved.

18 SPORTS Oct. 9, 2008 www.thefulcrum.ca

 Gees fly past Ravens to begin season teruniversity Sport (CIS) level. “The
Women’s hockey
easily handles
Carleton in season
opener
by Megan O’Meara
Fulcrum Staff
ON OCT. 4, the University of Ot-
tawa’s women’s hockey team hosted
their season opener against the Car-
leton Ravens. As with any varsity
team, fans and players were likely cu-
rious how the team would perform
in the upcoming season. The Gees
put any serious doubts to rest with a
resounding 3-1 win over the Ravens.
Ashley Burrill knocked home the
first goal of the game at the 17:08
mark in the first period, and was aid-
ed by rookie forward Alicia Blom-
burg. Blomburg netted a goal of her
own 42 seconds later. In the second
period, Kristen MacDonald found
the net for the Ravens but Blomburg
notched another mark in the third
period, adding to the Gee-Gees’ lead
and sealing the team’s 3-1 victory.
“I’ve never felt more welcome and
more comfortable on a team than
this team right here,” said Blomburg,
a native of Timmins, Ont., after the
game, her first at the Canadian In-
Defender Winston Sharrif (right), who scored a goal for Ottawa, chases
down a loose puck.
www.thefulcrum.ca
veterans … came with open arms
and were really good to the rookies.”
The 2008 edition of the team
consists of eight rookies and 16 re-
turning players, creating a diverse
group—especially in terms of age.
“We’ve got a nice mixture of youth
and veterans,” said Gee-Gees head
coach Shelley Coolidge, who used
veteran goalie Jessika Audet as an ex-
ample. “The girls refer to [Audet] as
‘grandma’—she’s 32 and our young-
est player is 17.”
Audet contributed greatly to the
victory, making several incred-
ible saves, and stopping 21 shots
throughout the first game of her fifth
and final season with the Gee-Gees.
Joyce Spruyt also had an impres-
sive game, forcing a number of turn-
overs for the Gee-Gees. Fannie Des-
forges was also notable for her her
solid defensive play.
Although she thought her team
played well overall, Coolidge men-
tioned that there were still things to
improve on as the season goes on.
“[It’s the] beginning of the season,
we’ve got lots of room to grow,” she
said. “They have to pass pucks harder
and quicker, which will come with
commitment to practice.”
Coolidge was optimistic about the
upcoming season, as she had much
more positive feedback than than
photo by Hilary Caton
The Ravens found themselves under attack for much of the game, with three Ottawa shots finding the back of the net.
negative feedback for her players.
“This team is a way better puck
flipping team than we’ve had in the
past, so we’re pretty excited about
where this is going to go,” said
Coolidge.
Though the Ottawa women’s
Ravens spoil men’s opener
by Maria Habanikova
Fulcrum Contributor
ON OCT. 4, the University of Ottawa
men’s hockey team faced off against
their cross-town rivals, the Carle-
ton Ravens, in an energetic season
opener in a packed Sports Complex
arena. Carleton scored a decisive 5-2
victory.
The first period opened with swift
action, as play swung between both
ends of the ice. Despite several great
chances for both teams within the
first 20 minutes of the game, it was
not until the beginning of the sec-
ond period that either team found
their way onto the scoreboard. The
Gee-Gees were able to capitalize on
a power-play four minutes into the
period, when left-winger Sean Smyth
pushed the puck past Ravens net-
minder Alexander Archibald. After
that, both teams caught their second
wind and scoring picked up.
However, the Gee-Gees were un-
able to score another goal during a
five-on-three power play later in the
second, which included a four-min-
ute double minor to Ravens defender
Period 1 2
Ottawa 10
Carleton 12
hockey team is successful more of-
ten than not in beating their Raven
rivals sporting a 19-4 regular season
record over the past five seasons,
the win was still a promising sign
for the Gee-Gees. Ottawa was also
ranked 10th in the CIS pre-season
Kyle Stanley. The Ravens took advan-
tage of the Gee-Gees’ disorganization
after the power play, and back at full
strength with 8:41 left in the second,
Ravens forward Andrew Gibbons
slipped the puck into the Ottawa net,
tying the game 1-1.
The second Ravens goal came
just under two minutes later, when
forward Francis Walker scored on a
penalty shot that came as something
of a surprise to both the Gee-Gees
and the audience, awarded after Ma-
thieu Desjardins gloved the puck in-
side the the Ottawa crease.
“The first goal they scored was an
offside and there [should have been]
no penalty shot in my opinion,” said
Gee-Gees head coach Dave Léger fol-
lowing the game.
The Gee-Gees recovered from the
penalty shot and defender Winston
Sharrif knocked a goal into the Ra-
vens net with 5:32 left in the second.
The third period was not as suc-
cesful for the Gee-Gees, as Michael
Testa scored early to return the lead
to Carleton. None of the eight Ottawa
shots in the period got by Archibald,
and the Ravens capped off the game
Shots on goal
11
16
Oct. 9, 2008
photo by Martha Pearce
national rankings.
The Gee-Gees will enjoy a two-week
break, resuming play when they host
the Concordia Stingers on Oct. 18 at
2 p.m. at the Sports Complex. Tickets
are $4 for students.
with two empty-net markers in the
dying minutes of the period.
“[The game had] great play not
reflective of its outcome,” said Léger
after the game. “I was pleased with
how the guys played. This was the
first game [with] a completely differ-
ent team in terms of discipline and
they managed it well.”
Léger added that his team had
good chemistry on the power play,
an encouraging sign for the team’s
future.
“Overall, it was a very good and
balanced game in which we fought
[until] the very end and could have
easily won had we a little bit more
luck around the Ravens’ net,” said
Gee-Gees left-winger Jakub Bundil,
who appreciated the fan support. “I
wish the benches were always as full
and the audience as cheerful as to-
night. Playing in such a supportive
environment was great and I hope to
see it more often.”
The Gee-Gees will next play on Oct.
11, when they will host the McGill
Redmen at the Sports Complex. Tick-
ets are $4 for students.
3 Total
8 29
14 42
SPORTS 19
 Around the horn

Only two tries needed
to down Gees
THE UNIVERSITY OF Ottawa’s
women’s rugby team is now in a must-
win situation if they want to qualify
for the Quebec Student Sports Fed-
eration (QSSF) playoffs.
The team visited the McGill Mart-
lets on Oct. 5, and lost 10-0. The loss
marked the Gees’ eighth straight de-
feat at the hands of the Martlets since
2004.
The Gee-Gees did not go down
without a fight, holding McGill to
just one try in each half, scored by
Ciara Briscoe and Amanda Mongeon.
McGill was unable to make the con-
version on either try.
Ottawa head coach Suzanne Chaulk
was happy with her team’s play.
“Our defence kept us in the game—
the girls were well organized and fired
up,” said Chaulk. “They spent the en-
tire game in the faces of the McGill
players, causing a ton of errors and
creating plenty of turnovers.”
The loss leaves the Gee-Gees in fifth
place in the QSSF, with a 1-4-0 record.
Ottawa will need to win their next
game on Oct. 13, when they visit the
fourth-place Sherbrooke Vert et Or
for their final regular season game of
2008, if they hope to make the play-
offs, which will begin on Oct. 18.
—David McClelland
and Andrew Hawley
Women’s softball on a roll
THE GEE-GEES WOMEN’S softball
team is having another strong season,
capturing three wins and a loss during
their trip to southwestern Ontario on
Oct. 4–5.
On Oct. 4, the team played a
doubleheader against the last-place
Waterloo Warriors. Waterloo put up
little effort against the Gee-Gees, and
was easily shut out in both games by
scores of 7-0 and 14-0.
The next day, the Gee-Gees headed
across town to face off against the
first-place Laurier Golden Hawks.
The Hawks didn’t roll over quite as
easily as the Warriors, but the Gees
were able to split the series, losing the
first game 11-5, and winning the sec-
ond 5-4.
The weekend leaves Ottawa with a
12-4 record on the season, good for
third place in the Ontario Intercolle-
giate Women’s Fastpitch Association,
behind Laurier and the Western Mus-
tangs.
—David McClelland
Rowing team crashes
along Trent River
THE UNIVERSITY OF Ottawa’s row-
ing team captured a silver medal at
www.thefulcrum.ca
the Head of the Trent regatta in Pe-
terborough on Oct. 4, but was also
involved in more than their fair share
of collisions.
The silver medal was awarded to
the heavyweight women’s double boat,
which finished the course in 15:19.23,
less than two seconds behind the first-
place boat from the University of To-
ronto’s Mississauga campus.
Meanwhile, three Ottawa boats
were involved in crashes during the
race. The heavyweight women’s eight,
heavyweight men’s eight, and one of
the two novice women’s eight boats
all had collisions during their races,
which cost them in the final results.
While the U of O team escaped with
no injuries and no damaged boats,
the McGill team was not so lucky, as
their heavyweight women’s eight boat
developed a hole in the bow after col-
liding with the U of O boat.
—David McClelland

A federal general election is taking place on October 14, 2008.

You will find the voting hours for your New identification rules to vote
polling station on your voter information
card or at www.elections.ca by clicking on When you vote, you must prove your
“Voter Information Service”. identity and address.

If you haven’t received this card, you are For the list of acceptable pieces of
probably not on the voters list. To register, identification authorized by the Chief
all you need to do is go to your polling Electoral Officer of Canada, please see
For information on where and when to
station on election day, where you must the pamphlet you received by mail from
vote, check your voter information card.
prove your identity and address. Elections Canada or visit www.elections.ca
It tells you where and when to vote. You’ll
and click on “Voter Identification at
get through the voting process more quickly
the Polls”.
if you have it with you.
To vote, you must:
• be a Canadian citizen
• be at least 18 years old on election day
• prove your identity and address

Vote. Shape your world.

www.elections.ca 1-800-INFO-VOTE TTY 1-800-361-8935

1-800-463-6868
toll-free in Canada and the United States,
or 001-800-514-6868 toll-free in Mexico
for people who are deaf or hard of hearing,
toll-free in Canada and the United States, or
613-991-2082 from anywhere in the world

20 SPORTS Oct. 9, 2008 www.thefulcrum.ca

 Gees leap into first place
The Gee-Gees celebrate after Courtney Luscombe (centre on left) scored a breakaway goal against Queen’s.
STUDENT SPECIAL
Pair of wins against
Kingston teams
extends women’s soccer
winning streak to five
games
Join Today! by David McClelland
Fulcrum Staff
THE UNIVERSITY OF Ottawa’s
ONLY women’s soccer team attempted to
$
319
takeover first place over the week-
end of Oct. 4–5 as they downed the
Queen’s Golden Gaels 1-0 and the
Royal Military College (RMC) Pala-
dins 6-0.
Ottawa hosted Queen’s on the af-
ternoon of Oct. 4. The two sides en-
+GST gaged in a pitched defensive battle
with the teams’ midfields control-
and receive ling much of the play. The Gee-Gees
attempted to use long balls to cut
a FREE
through the Queen’s midfield, and
although they were able to generate a
few shots, there were few truly dan-
FIT KIT* gerous strikes. Meanwhile, the Gee-
Gees defence was able to contain the
Gaels’ attacks, as the ball rarely came
Dear reader,
Would you like to be a part of this wonderful
Then come to our staff meetings, Thursdays at 1 p.m.
*Must be 18 years of age or older with a valid student ID. Platinum and platinum plus clubs excluded.
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www.thefulcrum.ca
near the Ottawa net.
It looked as though the game
might remain scoreless up until the
62nd minute, when veteran Ottawa
striker Courtney Luscombe inter-
cepted the ball off a Queen’s corner
kick, raced away from several Gaels
defenders and overtook another be-
fore slamming the ball past Queen’s
goalkeeper Kate McKenna.
“I just need to learn not to think
about it,” said Luscombe following
the game. “I [play to] my strengths,
keep it on my right foot, and I shot
at the far post and it went where I
wanted it to.”
Despite the victory, Gee-Gees
head coach Steve Johnson was disap-
pointed with his team’s play.
“Our team still has tons of work to
do. We faced a team of higher calibre
today, and we looked bad in the first
half,” Johnson said. “I think at no time
in the game did we put together enough
passes to show that we were confident.”
“I think we started off the first half
a little rough,” agreed Luscombe.
“We kind of made the other team
look better than they were. We kept
passing them the ball, and giving
them our mistakes.”
thing called a newspaper?
Oct. 9, 2008
photo by Matt Johnny
The next day, the Gee-Gees were
able to correct some of their mis-
takes against Queen’s as they domi-
nated the RMC Paladins in a 6-0
romp during a visit to Kingston.
The Gee-Gees wasted little time
getting on the scoreboard, as mid-
fielder Catherine Scott scored the
opening goal in the 20th minute.
Scott added a second goal near the
end of the half, while Luscombe and
midfielder Renee Jacques also added
to the tally in the first half.
RMC, who played part of the game
shorthanded after midfielder Sa-
mantha Laplante received a red card,
were unable to stem the tide in the
second half as Ottawa kept on scor-
ing. Midfielder Élise Dejardins and
defender Nikki Moreau both scored
in the second half to round off the
victory for the Gee-Gees.
The pair of wins puts Ottawa in sole
possession of first place in the Ontario
University Athletics East division, al-
though the second-place Toronto Var-
sity Blues have two games in hand.
The Gee-Gees play next on Oct. 10
when they visit the Ryerson Rams in
Toronto.
See you soon,
The Fulcrum
SPORTS 21
 Scoreboard
Team Record Standing Last game Next game
Football 3-3 4th in OUA (tie) 22-21 loss vs. Oct. 11 at Queen’s
Laurier
Women’s 1-0-0 1st in QSSF 3-1 win vs. Oct. 18 vs. Concor-
hockey (two teams not Carleton dia. 2 p.m. at the
yet ranked) Sports Complex

Men’s hockey 0-2-0 3rd in OUA 6-2 loss vs. Oct. 11 vs. McGill.
Far East (two UQTR 7 p.m. at the Sports
teams not yet Complex
ranked)
Women’s rugby 1-4-0 5th in QSSF 10-0 loss vs. Oct. 13 at Sher-
McGill brooke
Women’s 8-2-1 2nd in OUA 6-0 win vs. Oct. 11 at Ryerson
The basketball
soccer East RMC season is almost here.

Want to write about it?

E-mail
dalmba.ca sports@thefulcrum.ca
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22 SPORTS Oct. 9, 2008 www.thefulcrum.ca

 23
Sarah Leavitt

Comics
Blah
Oct. 9–15, 2008
by S2L2
Features Editor
features@thefulcrum.ca

Itch by Daniel Kaell

by Alex Martin

Lego World by Ian Binikaj

Your comic here.

E-mail features@thefulcrum.ca with your multi-

panel critiques of society and relationships.

Think Things by Jocelyn Robitaille

Last-Ditch Effort by John Kroes

sudoku answers from p. 26

The Fulcrum wants your comic creations.

E-mail features@thefulcrum.ca to get the ball rolling.
 24
Michael Olender

Opinion Oct. 9–15, 2008

Executive Editor
executive@thefulcrum.ca

Death of a patriot
The Tom Brady
story
by Hisham Kelati
Fulcrum Staff

LONG HAVE I watched Tom Brady

walk onto the field, and hoped that
some gigantic dead bird would fall
from the sky and knock him out,
since no defenceman in the league
seems capable of accomplishing such
a feat. You can imagine how I felt on
Sept. 7—the New England Patriots’
first game of the 2008–09 National
Football League (NFL) season—when
Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pol-
lard took Brady down with a hit that
caused Brady to leave the game with a
busted left knee. The next day, it came
to light that the quarterback had torn
his anterior cruciate ligament and me-
dial collateral ligament. Brady was put
on the injured reserve list and is classi-
fied as out for the rest of the season!
It’s not that I dislike Tom Brady—it’s
just that I hate everything about him.
There’s something about the way that
he carries himself that angers me more
than watching Criss Angel Mindfreak.
And now, finally, Brady will be noth-
ing more than a vague memory.
The first blow to Brady’s credibility
was the removal of his masculinity. The
moment he managed to pick up model
Gisele Bündchen, the most famous
live-action Barbie doll on the market
today, must have been a good day for
Brady. Until she began to suck away
his manly essence. By early 2007 he
had left Boston and moved into Bünd-
chen’s place in New York City. What
kind of patriot does that? True patriots
live in the heart of Boston, where their
illustration by Devin A. Beauregard
team is. Brady has been continually
caught on camera, a thick glaze over Favourite Son. Brady got sacked five and strong enough to carry the now- thing to have seen! The king is dead, so it was “Tom Brady and the Pats”. When
his eyes, four steps behind Bündchen, times and the Giants took the game in dashed and tattered hopes of the New long live the new king! the NFL realized that they could make
carrying her shopping bags. Those a fourth-quarter upset, winning 17-14. England football institution. This per- The wonderful thing about Cas- more money by exploiting certain as-
photos showed that he wasn’t a man This was the lowest point in Brady’s son would need to fill some mighty big sel is the lack of career highlights and pects of football (read: young and at-
but a butler zombie on a leash. career. shoes, and there was only one man for awards he has to his name. He was tractive players), the shift went from
The next strike was the New Eng- Or so he thought. the job—Matt Cassel. signed as the third-string quarterback team to money-makers. But with Bra-
land Patriots’ 2007–08 NFL season. It was that fateful Sept. 7 game, for the Patriots during the 2005 NFL dy gone and Cassel at the helm of one
Brady, in all his wildest dreams, never when Brady was taken off the field and
onto the injury reserve list, that he fi-
It’s not that I dislike Draft. Usually, the only times Cassel
plays are in the final quarter with the
of the more spectacular teams playing
today, hopefully another shift will oc-
thought he’d be able to recreate the
1972 Miami Dolphins’ glorious perfect nally fell off of his pedestal and hit the Tom Brady—it’s just Patriots holding a substantial lead; cur, with the focus moving back onto
season and Super Bowl win so early in ground hard. that I hate everything Belichick substitutes him in just to the actual team and how they play,
his career. As Brady was taken off the field, the give him some experience. Cassel rather than the actions of one single
But Brady came incredibly close entire New England Patriots’ fanbase about him. hadn’t started a football game at QB man. There is no ‘I’ in team, but there
when he took the Patriots to a 16-0 hung their heads in communal sorrow. since high school. The Patriots are lit- is a ‘team’ in team.
streak and straight to a possible upset Their favourite son had been taken out Cassel took the field, and the stadi- erally playing with an untested, albeit So, while Brady’s sitting dazed and
in the epic Super Bowl XLII show- in a savage, terrorizing attack, and a um erupted into applause and cheers, as talented, novice. And this is a wonder- confused on the sidelines for the rest
down. Brady was up against the wild- patriot amongst men had fallen. Patri- their new QB picked the football from ful thing because, with any luck, Cas- of the season watching his team go
card New York Giants, led by the lesser ots head coach Bill Belichick was go- where Brady had dropped it, and took sel’s appointment is going to drive the on without him, Cassel will hopefully
Manning brother Eli, whose sloped ing to need to bring in another leader the team to a 17-10 win against the glitzy NFL in another direction. lead a new shift for the Patriots and the
brow and hunched gait turned out to to save their team. Patriots fans are a Chiefs. Brady wasn’t even halfway to the The NFL has been giving more care game, revolutionizing the U.S. pastime
be nothing more than camouflage. fickle bunch and they would not settle locker room before the fans were chant- and concern to its more popular and from flashiness and decadence back to
What followed was the most savage for anything other than the best to lead ing “Ca-ssel! Ca-ssel!” at the top of their bankable star-athletes, and less to the its roots of teamwork, discipline, and
and fantastical thrashing that Brady their team. Belichick needed an Atlas lungs! The look of defeat on Brady’s face actual team and franchises themselves. good old-fashioned American aggres-
had ever taken during his time as the of a man, whose shoulders were broad was magnificent! What a spectacular It wasn’t “The New England Patriots”; sion.
HECKLES
by Katie DeClerq
Fulcrum Contributor
HAVE YOU HEARD? Angelina Jolie
has adopted another child, Jennifer
Aniston has broken up with yet an-
other boyfriend, and more scandal-
ous photographs of Miley Cyrus have
been discovered on the Internet.
Well... what’s the big deal?
Every day, millions of people pur-
chase weekly copies of Star and People
to see pictures of celebrities’ newborn
babies, search the web on the ever-
popular perezhilton.com for slip-ups,
or flip their televisions to TMZ to
watch with shock as the next ‘in’ ce-
lebrity confesses their childhood dif-
ficulties. Now you can even get news
transferred directly to your cell phone
so you don’t have to go through the
suspense of waiting until next week’s
issue to discover that Clay Aiken is
gay. It has become the norm for soci-
ety to follow tabloids religiously, anx-
iously awaiting the answers to worldly
www.thefulcrum.ca
Cancelling subscriptions to our
favourite bedtime story
questions such as: what is Brad Pitt’s The tabloids cover celebrity ‘news’
favourite colour? My question is fairly but do people actually consider
simple: who actually cares? what these people do to deserve all
My aunt just had a baby, yet it isn’t this stardom? They basically pre-
in the morning papers. Last year, tend to be other people for a living,
my high school headed a fundraiser and are filmed on camera! Don’t get
that raised nearly $900 for children me wrong, I have nothing against
with malaria, but no actors—I enjoy a
one from the press There is a difference good movie like
showed up for an between dignified the rest of us—but
interview. Yet when
people like Oprah
acting and flaunting there is a difference
between dignified
Winfrey or Angelina yourself for the acting and flaunting
Jolie donate money paparazzi. yourself for the pa-
to charity or adopt a parazzi. People like
child, they are suddenly classified as Paris Hilton or Brooke Hogan, who
saints and appear on the front page I would like to point out don’t ac-
of the tabloids. Well, I hate to break it tually do anything, besides walking
to you, but they have so much money around in shopping malls wearing
they can afford to give it away! That short-shorts and revealing tops, giv-
$900 my school worked so hard to ing strangers a big kiss on the cheek
make was probably the equivalent to while waving to the many cameras
$100,000 of a celebrity fortune. Plus, through the windows. These are
have you ever noticed that a donation the people who get all the atten-
usually comes after a bad publicity tion while humanitarians, clinical
day? doctors, teachers, and even journal-
In debt… ed
to these simple tips
What to know
before stepping
into a casino
by Mark Naser
Fulcrum Contributor
YOU’VE JUST LOST the money
that you were planning on putting
towards Christmas gifts for your
family and friends, and it all came
as a result of your decision to head
to the casino on an otherwise quiet
Sunday afternoon. The worst part
is, you can’t blame the labyrinthine
interior, the lack of clocks, or the
symphony of sounds and lights. You
can only blame yourself.
This is precisely why gambling is
so dangerous—it’s fun and addic-
tive. It’s a simple notion: Casinos
make money, and it takes a very
responsible gambler to walk away
unscathed. So how can you take a
giant step towards the realm of re-
sponsibility?
Losing at a casino means you’re
likely to play more to try to get that
money back. At all costs, avoid the
temptation. Walk in with a set limit
of how much you can afford to lose,
and if you reach this threshold, walk
away. Repeat the number in your
head until the point where you feel
extreme shame if you spend a penny
more. Part of the reason why gam-
bling is so dangerous is because of
photo by Lihang Nong
that desire to win. There’s the feeling
ists get squat. How is it that regu-
lar people get shafted while girls in
short dresses and high heels, with
drug addictions and alcohol prob-
lems (sorry Lindsay), not to men-
tion shirtless guys parading on the
beach, get it all?! Yes Justin Timber-
lake and Matthew McConaughey,
we all know you look good!
Let me explain the tabloid circle
of life. Tabloids pay celebrities for in-
terviews. Each time you purchase a
tabloid you supply the tabloids with
money to pay the celebrity. The ce-
lebrity’s fortune therefore continues
to grow while our pockets become
lighter and lighter. According to the
magazine Advertising Age, as of 2006
(the last year figures were available),
People had a circulation of approxi-
mately 3.75 million copies in the
United States. This extremely large
number doesn’t even include the
number of copies sold individually,
or those sold here in Canada. Many
students are on a tight budget, yet we
that the night will have been point-
less if you walk away with $50 less.
“So why not play a few more rounds
of roulette?” you might think. No
one wants to tell their friends that
they lost money at the casino! Take
the time to conduct a simple calcu-
lation in your head. Between feeling
a bit of embarrassment and not be-
ing able to pay your rent, the former
is by far the lesser evil.
Pacing, too, is critical. Sitting
down at blackjack tables, especially
at peak times when the $5 mini-
mum bet tables jump to $10, can
often mean the money you brought
Like a date with a
supermodel,
don’t walk in with
expectations
of success.
Expect to lose.
will disappear in minutes. Try start-
ing with the more time-consuming
games, like keno or roulette. Fig-
ure out when the bus heads back to
your house to avoid the temptation
of playing a few more rounds while
you’re waiting for your friends to
finish up.
Like a date with a supermodel,
don’t walk in with expectations of
success. Expect to lose. If you lose
the amount you were prepared to
spend in the first place, then there’s
no real loss or shame. I remember
Oct. 9, 2008
are continually attracted to spend-
ing money on the rich and famous.
The life of a university student is
filled with enough drama to satisfy
any curiosity and voyeurism with
politics, classes, relationships, and
friendships. Seriously people, you
are better off saving your money and
writing in a journal or on your blog
every night about things that actu-
ally matter in your own life. You may
even find it a lot more interesting
than you believed. If anything, you’ll
find you have enough money to go g
grocery shopping for once.
countless times when I’d be cursing
the good fortune the blackjack deal-
er would consistently display. My
17 would be met with the dealer’s
18, and my mood would be damp-
ened until the cards came back in
my favour. As inane as it is to allow
something so trivial and arbitrary
to affect you, though, it happens be-
cause we feel lucky. We expect real-
ity to reflect these feelings, yet they
hardly ever do.
Furthermore, avoid subscribing
to the notion of good luck, even if
you are doing well. Expressions like
“I’m getting the cards tonight!” only
perpetuate the common belief that
good luck will continue from its
own momentum. $100 can vanish
just as easily as it appears, so draw
yourself a limit. If you’ve won $100,
that’s a decent haul, and there’s no
need to succumb to greed and gam-
ble away your winnings.
Of course, casinos are only one
of many options to try to get some-
thing for nothing. These are days
when online gambling—poker be-
ing the most popular—is soaring,
and making an easy buck from the
comfort of your dorm room saves
both time and effort. Still, be sure
to set yourself a spending limit. It’s
easy to forget that your online losses
will hit you at the end of the month,
but they will, and for many this is a
hard-learned lesson.
Finally, inform your friends and
family about your gambling habits.
They’ll notice if it’s getting out of
hand—especially if they’re not get-
ting any Christmas presents.
OPINION 25

Distractions
Dear Di
If you have a question for Di,
e-mail deardi@thefulcrum.ca.
Dear Di,
I’ve been trying this online dat-
ing thing recently. But when I start
talking with other guys, they’re
very upfront, and after a short
period of time they’re sending me
photographs of their penises that
I’m not asking for. How do I do
this online thing without attract-
ing all the pervs? I don’t want to
be fucked, I just want to be loved.
—Cock Shots Six,
Quiet Dates Zero
Dear CSSQDZ,
I could make a case for the wide-
spread horniness of the online com-
munity, but something tells me that
the problem might be you. Online
dating can be a rewarding experi-
ence if you’re upfront about what
you’re looking for. If you’re actively
proposing drilling for oil on your
moon, of course all the horny guys
will want to role-play a certain drill-
anywhere maverick. Even acting like
you’re mildly interested in a lay will
inspire some men to think that the
next step is to send a cock shot to
reel you in. People online don’t have
much to go on other than poor spell-
ing and subtle hints, and they really
don’t want to scare you off. A cock
shot might be merited if your profile
is overly arousing and you constantly
talk dirty. However, if your profile
makes you out to be a wholesome
every-boy looking for love and you
speak casually, taking the time to
get to know people, then those just
looking for a lay will be weeded out.
Make it very clear in your profile that
your hand is just fine for the time
being. Express exactly what you’re
looking for—friendship, a relation-
ship, whatever—and make sure you
don’t come across casually enough to
be considered a floozy. This should
keep the perverts at bay, and if your
profile is genuine, you’ll likely get
some sincere smiles sent your way.
Good luck!
Love,
Di
26
Sarah Leavitt
Oct. 9–15, 2008
Features Editor
features@thefulcrum.ca
www.thefulcrum.ca
Dear Di,
More and more, my boyfriend
keeps demanding things in bed.
He’s been asking me to deep-throat,
do anal, and once he even asked if
we could bring another girl into our
bed. He’s such a harmless, charming
person in real life, but he’s insistent
even after I’ve refused. What’s going
on with him?
—Wet and Worried
Dear WW,
Your boyfriend could be bored in
bed and looking for excitement, or he
could be an emerging kinkster. But it
sounds like your boyfriend has just been
watching too much porn. Pornography sudoku answers on p. 23
is changing what men expect in bed.
Porn often portrays women in a sub-
servient fashion, showing them willing
to, among other things, deep-throat,
have anal sex, and do lesbian scenes.
This is even happening in gay porn—
Thryllabus
not all men are looking for muscles and Thursday, Oct. 9 Monday, Oct. 13
rough barebacking and not all women
are looking for big tits and strap-ons. Master’s recital: Nick Rodgerson on piano. 8 p.m. Pérez Thanksgiving: Gobble like a turkey, or just eat one.
But these things have become the norm Hall. Freiman Auditorium. Free.
and aren’t likely to change anytime SFUO Green Weeks free store. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Unicentre agora. Free.
soon. I don’t want you to invade your
boyfriend’s privacy and snoop on his
Friday, Oct. 10
computer, nor should you accuse him
of watching too much porn. I just want
Digable Planets. 8 p.m. Barrymore’s Music Hall. Tuesday, Oct. 14
323 Bank St. $25 advance.
you to stop him and his raging hard-on,
Film: A Centennial Review of the Development
and tell him that you’re not a porn star.
Latin American cinema: Manuela Sáenz. 7 p.m. of China’s Film Industry. 7 p.m. Free.
Tell him you’re not interested in which-
Arts Hall. Room 257. Free. Desmarais Hall, room 1110.
ever activities he brings up that you
don’t like, and be firm. This should set
something off in his head. He should Saturday, Oct. 11 Wednesday, Oct. 15
respect what you will and will not do
in the bedroom. And this goes out to Men’s hockey: Ottawa vs. McGill. Academic Writing Help Centre (AWHC) presents:
everyone reading this: as much as you 7 p.m. Sports Complex. $4 for students. “Building a strong paper”. 1 p.m. 110 University. Free.
want them to be, your significant other
is not some loose porn star! If your
boyfriend disrespectfully persists, he’s
not worth your time. Dump his imma- Sunday, Oct. 12 The Thryllabus needs lots of events to
ture, undeserving little ass and tell him remain so thrilling.
to head over to Sexaholics Anonymous Religulous. 6:50 p.m. ByTowne Cinema.
to find the girl of his dreams. 325 Rideau St. $9, $6 for members.
E-mail features@thefulcrum.ca with
Love,
suggestions.
Di
 27
Frank Appleyard

Editorial Oct. 9–15, 2008

Editor-in-Chief
editor@thefulcrum.ca

f
A rock-opera in three acts
since 1942.
Volume 69 - Issue 8
Oct. 9–15, 2008
phone: (613) 562-5261
fax: (613) 562-5259
631 King Edward Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K1N6N5
editor@thefulcrum.ca
www.thefulcrum.ca
Recycle this paper or
no lamb tacos this Snowflake Day.
Staff
Frank ‘Abe Lincoln’ Appleyard
Editor-in-Chief
editor@thefulcrum.ca
Ben ‘JFK’ Myers
Production Manager
production@thefulcrum.ca
Michael ‘Gandhi’ Olender
Executive Editor
executive@thefulcrum.ca
Martha ‘Joan of Arc’ Pearce
Art Director
design@thefulcrum.ca
Emma ‘Cleo’ Godmere
News Editor
news@thefulcrum.ca
Peter ‘Captain Lavender’ Henderson
Arts & Culture Editor
arts@thefulcrum.ca
David ‘Mr. Sheepman’ McClelland
Sports Editor
sports@thefulcrum.ca
Sarah ‘Marie Curie’ Leavitt
Features Editor
features@thefulcrum.ca
Danielle ‘Helen of Troy’ Blab
Laurel ‘Catherine the Great’ Hogan
Copy Editors
Amanda ‘Tom Green’ Shendruk
Associate News Editor
associatenews@thefulcrum.ca
James ‘Ponce’ Edwards
Webmaster
webmaster@thefulcrum.ca
Jessica ‘promposal’ Sukstorf
Volunteer & Visibility
Coordinator
volunteer@thefulcrum.ca
Megan ‘Babe Ruth’ O’Meara
Staff Writer
Alex ‘Karl Marx’ Martin
Staff Illustrator
Inari ‘raisins’ Vaissi Nagy
Jiselle ‘non-alcoholic beer’ Bakker
Ombudsgirls
ombudsgirl@thefulcrum.ca
Scratching that democratic itch
WITH THE FEDERAL election now
less than a week away, the political
handshaking, baby-kissing, and des-
perate campaigning in the country
is reaching epic proportions. In fact,
while you were reading that line,
dozens of colourful promotional
buttons were stealthily attached to
every square inch of your body by
overeager campaign volunteers.
Yep, it’s starting to look like elec-
tion season.
Unfortunately, the election, which
has caused multiple orgasms among
national media, has seemingly held
all the excitement of a trip to Winni-
peg in many students’ eyes. Accord-
ing to a recent survey, the number of
youth ages 18–24 expected to head
to the polls in the Oct. 14 election is
falling as fast as the stock market.
The poll, conducted by Innova-
tive Research Group, found that
the number of young voters who
said they would definitely vote in
the upcoming election is seven per
cent lower than in the 2006 federal
election, in which only 44 per cent
of eligible 18–24-year-olds actually
cast a ballot. Basically, if you throw
a stone across the University of Ot- illustration by Devin A. Beauregard
tawa campus, you’re about as likely
to hit a candidate as you are to hit
in laser tag arenas. Wayne Gretzky Party) choice.
a voter.
Clearly the grab bag of attack ads, • For every vote received, in- • Cast ballot, receive free six- • Vote via text message. “For
moustaches, and sweater vests that stead of the party receiving pack. Harper, text “HARP” to
currently constitutes Canadian poli- $1.75 in funding, voters do- • Institute a Facebook voting 55555!”
tics isn’t enticing to students. Elec- nate any two items from your application. Given that these measures are un-
tions Canada and the national par- local Dollarama to the party. • All election speeches must be likely to be in place by Oct. 14, youth
ties alike need to dramatically spice You’re damn right you get made in haiku. are going to have to find other rea-
up the country’s current democratic change. • Instead of televised debates, sons to cast their vote. How about
fare. In an effort to offer new ways of • Vote and receive a free calen- televised flip cup competi- just being responsible citizens? Do
getting youth engaged in politics— dar of Peter MacKay in vari- tions. what you can to get informed, be
and more importantly, out to vote— ous sultry poses. • Use some crazy extreme sport aware of the issues, and know what’s
the Fulcrum has come up with a list • Every vote cast doubles as an to help promote the election. at stake.
of ideas to put the ‘party’ back in entry for a golden ticket to Let’s say, wakeboarding. In this vein, the Fulcrum has de-
‘party politics’, the ‘ball’ in ‘ballot’, visit Willy Wonka’s factory. • All party leaders must bare at veloped a simple three-step program
and the ‘racy’ in ‘democracy’. • Massive Oprah-style give- least a passing resemblance for young voters:
• Replace month-long cam- aways at polling stations. to Mr. T. 1. Decide what is important to
paigns with a single American “Everybody gets a car!” • “The 2008 Federal Elections: you in this election.
Idol-style TV show. Phone • Election day telethon. “Cast Brought to you by Chuck 2. Research how you can be best
lines will open at the end of your vote now! Operators are Norris” represented.
the show! standing by!” • Voters are entitled to give one 3. Vote accordingly.
• Instead of churches and • Offer candidates that pander swift kick in the ass to the
schools, hold polling stations to student fantasies. (ie: The government official of their editor@thefulcrum.ca

Travis ‘X-Stream Blu’ Boisvenue

Ombudsboy
ombudsboy@thefulcrum.ca
Nicole ‘Marilyn Monroe’ Gall
Staff Proofreader
Robert ‘Scangrade’ Olender
On-campus Distributor
Deidre ‘Geldhemoor’ Butters
Advertising Representative
ads@thefulcrum.ca
Ross ‘Skunky-Poo’ Prusakowski
Business Manager
business.manager@thefulcrum.ca
Devin A. ‘Dave Coulier’ Beauregard
Ian ‘flip the pool’ Binikaw
Andrew ‘party platter’ Bouffard
Hilary ‘sayyy what?!’ Caton
Laura ‘Cloney Island’ Clementson
Kenny ‘Teen Wolf’ Dodd
Ian ‘eats babies’ Flett
Phil ‘bring the beards’ Flickinger
Maria ‘Black and Tan’ Habanikova
Jacob ‘G-spot’ Hall
Jolene ‘rocks’ Hansell
Daniel ‘the G-spot’ Harris
Andrew ‘Ashley Angel’ Hawley
Contributors
Ted ‘Ur a G-old flag’ Horton
Matt ‘gigantic boy’ Johnny
Sarah ‘Grassy Knoll’ Jones
Hisham ‘Green party’ Kelati
Daniel ‘Doug Prepcourse’ Kaell
Danyal ‘Geshy’ Khoral
Aaron ‘catalogue only’ Kozak
John ‘President Dog’ Kroes
Steven ‘Larry Hardcore’ Lewis
Jaclyn ‘The Pusher’ Lytle
Steve ‘Sir slice-n-spear’ Mease
Carl ‘John Stamos’ Meyer
Amanda ‘Mr. Butlertron’ Misko
Allesandro ‘high fives’ Nahon
Lihang ‘finger snaps’ Nong
Dave ‘Giraffe’ Piccini cover
Jocelyn ‘Blushi’ Robitaille illustration
Anna ‘snow sharks’ Rocoski by
Steven ‘It takes a hero’ Ryan Alex Martin
Nigel ‘makeover!’ Smith
Alex ‘pie fight’ Smyth
Nick ‘knork’ Taylor-Vaisey
Jack ‘watertower’ Wang
Kristy ‘free pumas’ Welbourn
University of Ottawa

Graduate Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences

Open House
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
University of Ottawa, Tabaret Hall, Room 112, 550 Cumberland Street

Graduate programs offered:

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For more information:

scsgrad@uOttawa.ca | Telephone: 613-562-5800 ext. 2444
Please RSVP at www.socialsciences.uOttawa.ca/rsvp

Requirements:
Looking for sReliable
s0ROFESSIONAL!TTITUDE
interesting sPersonable
s0LEASANTPHONEMANNER
part time work? s%NGLISHBILINGUAl

0LEASEFORWARDRESUMESTO
/PINION3EARCHISHIRING
Recruitment Coordinator
INDIVIDUALSWHOAREBILINGUAL /PINION3EARCH)NC
ORFLUENTIN%NGLISHTO %LGIN3T3UITE
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CONDUCTTELEPHONESURVEYS % MAILOTTJOBS OPINIONSEARCHCOM
No sales are involved. TeL  
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All new hires between

Sept. 26th - Nov. 28th will
be entered into a draw
for one 16GB iPod Nano! www.opinionsearch.com/en/employment