February 2, 2007

http://www.newsatniagara.com
Feb. 2, 2007
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Page 24
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The Best Way To Connect With Niagara
St. Catharines Council
to honour ‘Polka King’
By STEPHEN DOHNBEG
Staff Writer
One of the first items on the
fresh St. Catharines City council’s
agenda in the new year seems
to have come by a fun, random
accident:
honouring
20-time
Grammy-nominated polka king
Walter Ostanek.
Jan. 26 saw Ostanek’s 50th
anniversary as a bandleader, and
on Feb. 22 Ostanek celebrates his
50th wedding anniversary.
If those weren’t already
milestones, now the city, aided by
Mayor Brian McMullen, agrees
that Ostanek should be honoured
in some way.
According to McMullen, the
recognition initially was an idea
of St. Catharines resident Jenny
Hendrin. “She simply wrote in
expressing that someone explore
a way to do this, and I decided to
take it upon myself to just initiate
that.”
McMullen has requested the
city’s input. He has asked that
suggestions be called into City
Hall at the mayor’s office at
905-688-5600, or e-mail him at
bmcmullen@stcatharines.ca.
“Walter’s all about fun, and
polka’s fun, so I thought we could
have some fun with it.”
Ideas coming in range from
the traditional statues, or park or
street designations, to the more
unconventional, like a yearly music
festival, or the naming of a wing of
Volume 37, Issue 7
the city’s new hospital.
“Suggestions have already
started to pour in,” McMullen
confirmed.
The ever-humble polka king
responded with his typical
humility.
“At this stage of the game, I’m not
asking for anything.” To Ostanek, it
sounds like such recognition would
be icing on the cake.
“I’ve accomplished everything
that I’ve really wanted to do. I’m
just a happy camper.”
He referenced his joy of living
in St. Catharines and his hope of
engaging in more charitable causes
as he takes more time away from
the recording and touring circuit.
“Dreams don’t always come
true, and sometimes the dreams do
come true, and in my case I love
what I do. I love the accordion.
I love polka music, and I love
entertaining for the people, and
little by little things have happened
for me.
“I am very happy that someone
is taking an interest. If it happens,
fine, and if it doesn’t, you won’t
hear me complain because I am
already very happy.”
McMullen expects that the
selected idea will be announced by
late spring.
When asked about budgetary
limits or cost concerns, McMullen
noted, “Walter is very loved. We
could certainly expect support
from the private sector.”
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Page 15
15
Exploring
exploring Israel
In Israel’s newest and most secular city, Tel Aviv, funky apartment buildings, monstrous hotels and
trendy bars line the shore of the Mediterranean sea. For more photos and the full story on Israel,
see page 8
Photo by Robyn Hopper
Niagara College students prepare for icewine harvest
By ALEX EDDIE
Staff Writer
What you pay for in price,
you get right back with an
elegant taste.
During the week of Jan. 15,
students at Niagara
College’s
Niagara-onthe-Lake
campus were
outside in the
below-freezing
weather, minus 8
degrees Celsius to
be exact, picking
grapes off the
vine for this year’s
icewine harvest.
Icewine grapes are left on
the vine and picked off at a
temperature no warmer than
minus 8 degrees Celsius,
when the grapes are frozen
solid. When wine grapes are
pressed, they burst, releasing
all the juices and water from
the grape. While they are
being pressed, only the purest
nectar is squeezed out since
80 per cent of the water inside
the grape is still frozen.
This year, the college used
a cabernet franc grape for
its harvest. The expected
production is over 50 cases.
Jon Ogryzlo, dean of the
Environment, Horticulture
and Agri-Business division,
has seen many harvests since
the division started 10 years
ago. The winery program,
first launched in 2000, takes
in 35 students a year. They
are taught how to harvest
icewine grapes in the only
college in Canada to offer the
lesson.
“It’s a very elegant and
very expensive product,”
says Ogryzlo, adding that
an average bottle of icewine
costs around $60. An average
bottle of wine costs $12.
Ogryzlo says that Niagara
icewine has been hailed as
the “nectar of the gods” and
“liquid gold.”
Steve Gill, manager of
winery and vineyards at the
college since 2000, says that
Canada wins the top awards
for icewine each year and
that it has “put Canada on the
map since we are able to do it
consistently every year.”
Because Niagara is the
only college in Canada to
teach how to harvest regular
wine grapes and icewine
grapes, one might expect the
teachers to feel the pressure
of being market leaders, but,
according to Gill, they feel no
pressure.
“We like it. Students get
hands-on experience with it,
and it’s a very positive thing
for the students and for the
industry.”
You can visit these and
other wineries in the Niagara
region: Château des Charmes
Wines, Henry of Pelham
Winery, Coyote’s Run Estate
Winery, and Jackson-Triggs
Niagara Estate Winery.
INDEX
Editorials
pg. 6
Columns
pg. 7
Health
pg. 14
Noise
pg. 16
Politics
pg. 19
Super Bowl
pg. 20
For OCAA standings
check
newsatniagara.com
Page 2, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
Canada lacking preparation for next epidemic
By KRISTEN COUGHLAR
Staff Writer
Experts say it’s not a question of if; it’s a question of when.
The Jan. 9 final report by Justice Archie Campbell on the
2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak
has people wondering if Canada will be prepared for a similar
epidemic.
In a phone interview, Dr. Robin Williams, medical officer
of health at the Regional Niagara Public Health Department,
says, “Many steps have been taken by the government.”
Since the 2003 outbreak that killed 44 people in Toronto,
the government has made the following improvements to the
public health response system:
Williams explained that experts say that the emergence of
a pandemic is imminent with “significant morbidity.”
“What we don’t know is what that will mean in terms of
a profile.”
Williams went on to say that SARS was a hospital-spread
disease, and a pandemic is expected to be community
spread.
When asked what kind of effect an event like SARS would
have on the Niagara region, Williams says, “It would be
unlikely we would be the first place it would present itself,”
because, unlike Toronto, we do not have a large amount of
international travel.
“We would be a participant, not a leader,” Williams
explains.
While significant strides have been made to improve the
health care system’s ability to handle future epidemics,
“We are not yet as safe as we should be,” Campbell says in
the report.
PR pro shares helpful hints with students
• Passing legislation to make the Chief Medical
Officer of Health more independent
• Increasing funding to local public health units by
over 65 per cent
• Establishing the Provincial Infectious Disease
Advisory Committee
• Creating an Emergency Management Unit to
improve communication
• Passing the Emergency Management and Civil
Protection Act
• Making Ontario a leader in pandemic
preparedness
• Working to supply N95 respiratory masks to the
front line
• Changes to Health System Improvements Bill.
On the local level, Williams says there has been “non-stop
planning since 2003.”
This can be seen through enhancements in public health
services including infection control and pandemic planning.
There is also the new $15-million Jeff Morgan Emergency
Department at The Greater Niagara General Hospital
equipped with isolation rooms connected to air-handling
and filtration systems to hold people suspected of having
contagious illnesses.
Students from the Public Relations (Graduate Certificate) program heard first-hand experiences from a public
relations consultant’s presentation on Jan. 16. From left are students Nik Duncan, Katharine Griggs, Rachel
Gencarelli, speaker Michael Shipticki, vice-president of Strategic Objectives, student Melinda Bruhlman and
Colleen Lowe, professor.
Photo by Laura Narducci
Hibernation . . .
Warmer temperatures
affecting animals
By SHAWN DIXON
Staff Writer
There are hundreds of hibernating
animals and insects in Ontario, and t h e
current high temperatures
are thinning their
numbers.
“Animals hibernate
because they can’t
migrate,” said Ken
Storey, professor of
biochemistry at Carleton
University in Ottawa.
“Any animals that
don’t have enough
food [for winter]
hibernate.”For
the populations
of most of the
hibernating
animals
and
insects,
this
means very little.
For the population
of those animals and
insects living through
a winter with abovezero degrees Celsius
temperatures, the number
may decrease.
Frogs and squirrels that
are usually hibernating are
awake, confused and using their muchneeded energy.
“Animals [that should hibernate] run
out of fuel and outright die, or they don’t
have energy for mating,” said Storey.
The current temperatures do not
affect the hibernating patterns of
larger animals such as bears and
groundhogs.
It is still cool enough for these
animals to rest and go into a
form of “suspended animation”
through hibernation.
Their body temperatures
drop to close to zero degrees
Celsius, their breathing slows
and their bodies need very
little sustenance to survive.
If these animals were
awake, they would need
to find food that is
unavailable in the winter
months.
“These animals have
no ability to survive
through winter,” said
Storey. “What the
population should look
at is that it’s not just
ski hill operators that
suffer from the warm
winters.”
Out of the Cold helps homeless
By STEPHEN DOHNBERG
Staff Writer
The week of Jan. 24 brought an Arctic air mass, pushing temperatures as low as minus
19 Celsius in the Toronto and Niagara region.
While temperate conditions have prompted other concerns over the loss of tourism
dollars to global warming trends, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the normally cold
temperatures and alerts bring a demand for extra services for homeless and street people.
The Niagara Chapter of the Out of the Cold program provides safe haven for those who
find themselves trying to survive the sub-freezing temperatures.
As Susan Venditti, chair of the Niagara Chapter, explains, Out of the Cold “is a churchbased program that provides food and shelter to the hungry and homeless every night
from Nov. 1 to March 31.”
As Venditti explained, many locations provide respite. “A different church opens its
doors to anyone who comes, welcomes them and provides them with a meal, with or
without an overnight stay.”
For those who do seek shelter, the churches participate in a set rotation.
They apply the same the rotation, except for Sunday nights, and have done so
since 1996.
On night of Jan. 25, she explained that the evening’s sponsor was offering shelter at the
First United Church, 95 Church St., St. Catharines, with the doors opening at 6 p.m., early
enough for those to escape the drastic drop in temperature with sundown.
Venditti stresses, “Guests are welcome. Anyone can stay. No questions are asked.”
Although St. Catharines-Niagara has the appearance of a small community, some might
be surprised to know that those seeking meals generally number around 150, with highs
that “get up to around 180.” Those who decide to seek overnight stays average “just over
the 30 mark.”
Venditti makes a plea that people utilize this service, even if temperatures don’t fall
below the freezing mark.
“We’re encouraging anyone who needs a place to stay to come in because temperatures
like we see tonight are dangerous.” People are asked to pass along this information to the
homeless or to those they see that might be in distress.
The City of St Catharines can be contacted for the Out of the Cold rotation program.
Participating churches, such as the First United Church, can provide locations and
information. Call 905-641-1249.
CORRECTION
Incorrect information appeared in a cutline on page 15 of the news@niagara edition
Jan. 26, 2007. In the report headlined “$30,000 wine sale creates industry buzz” that
was accompanied by a photograph, the man pictured should have been identified as
Shawn Wilson.
We apologize for any confusion or embarrassment this may have caused.
It is the policy of news@niagara to correct errors of fact.
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 3
E-BUTT petitions University of Toronto
By ROBYN HOPPER
Staff Writer
The University of Toronto is facing a moral dilemma.
Education — Bringing Youth Tobacco
Truths (E-BUTT), a student group from the
University of Toronto, is petitioning university administration to divest completely from
the tobacco industry.
In its report, released Jan. 16, to University of Toronto President Dr. David Naylor,
E-BUTT is also requesting a policy change
prohibiting future investments in tobacco
and tobacco-related companies.
The university’s investments policy accepts Yale University’s position on social
injury for determining where to invest. It
states that one should not invest in a company whose activities have a damaging impact
on consumers, employees or others.
“The University of Toronto is a dynamic
institution which must be morally expected
to follow its own policies,” said Tyler Ward,
20, University of Toronto student and president of E-BUTT.
He adds, “Moreover, as one of the oldest
and most prestigious universities in Canada,
U of T is looked to as a moral and ethical
leader. Investing in the tobacco industry,
whose products kill 50 per cent of long-term
users and harm the health of countless others, does not uphold these high standards.”
“E-BUTT was formed by a group of concerned students who were shocked to dis-
cover our university supported and invested
in an industry whose products kill more than
47,000 Canadians annually,” affirmed Ward.
The group is composed of 20 members
and six executives.
E-BUTT began its divestment initiative
last March when it presented the university’s
president with a petition encouraging his
administration to divest from the tobacco
industry. In response, Naylor appointed a
committee chaired by Cathy Riggall, vicepresident of business affairs.
As of December 2005, the University of
Toronto held about $10.5 million in tobacco
industry stock. It held $4.6 million in Japan
Tobacco, $4.5 million in the Altria Group
Inc., and $1.4 million in Rothmans Inc.
Twenty-three higher-education institutions
across North America, including prominent
American universities Brown, Harvard and
Stanford, have already divested from the tobacco industry.
If approved, the request being made by EBUTT would add the University of Toronto
to the list of moral and ethical universities,
as well as set an example for others to follow.
The Ontario Campaign for Action on
Tobacco (OCAT) Director Michael Perley
states, “The tobacco industry operates outside the norms of any definition of ethical
and responsible business practices.”
In addition, he says, “For decades, the
tobacco industry and its management have
lied to and misled the public about the health
concerns surrounding its products. The time
for complete and absolute severance of ties
between the University of Toronto and other
institutions of higher education[and the tobacco industry] is long overdue.”
E-BUTT is suggesting that the University
of Toronto reinvest its tobacco stocks in morally and ethically responsible companies.
“In our proposal, we are directing university administration to reinvest the $10.5 million in companies that are morally and ethically sound,” asserted Ward who is studying
political science, adding, “This means not
investing the money in alcohol-, tobacco- or
weapons-related companies.”
The report states cigarettes are the No.
1 cause of preventable death in North
America. Second-hand smoke is
the third highest cause of preventable death in Canada,
killing more than 8,800
Canadians a year. It also
states that tobacco is
responsible for more
than 20 types of terminal illnesses.
E-BUTT’s report
outlines that deaths
and illnesses from
cigarette use cost the
Canadian health care
system and economy
more than $17 billion
a year: more than $4 billion in direct health
care costs, more than $4.6 billion in work
lost because of sick employees and more
than $6.8 billion in work lost because of premature deaths.
Twenty-eight other North American universities have divested from the tobacco industry.
E-BUTT’s proposal is under review by
Naylor’s Tobacco Divestment committee.
Naylor is expected to make a decision based
on the committee’s recommendations by
May.
A Niagara official states that Niagara College does not invest in any tobacco or tobacco-related companies, nor does the college
allow the sale of tobacco
at any of its campuses.
The effects of smoking
1. Smoking can cause a number of different cancers.
2. It strains your heart and blood vessels, leading to strokes
or heart attacks.
3. Tar coats your lungs and can cause cancer.
4. Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body
tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially
your heart work harder. Over time, your airways swell up
and let less air into your lungs.
5. Smoking causes illnesses such as emphysema, which is
an illness that slowly rots your lungs.
6. Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart
disease.
Letter to the editor
Tobacco industry
held accountable
For more information: www.quit-smoking-stop.com
Casinos exempt from smoking laws
By KATELYN MUIR
Columnist
Smokers are forced to huddle
in packs for warmth outside most
public places during these chilly
winter months. Since May 31,
2006, the Smoke Free Ontario Act
has been in effect, putting heavy
restrictions on smoking locations
and tobacco sales.
The act has enforced bans on
smoking in all enclosed public
and workplaces. There is no more
smoking in bars, restaurants, sports
arenas, public venues or private
clubs, among other places.
This act also toughens laws on
selling tobacco to minors. It also
restricts the display of tobacco
products in retail outlets.
Where can smokers find a spot to
feed their addiction? The off-limits
list is extensive, and there’s only a
short list of acceptable areas.
Smoking is allowed in private
vehicles, private homes not
licensed for day-care, designated
smoking guest rooms in hotels, and
approved controlled smoking areas
in designated residential care,
psychiatric and veterans’ facilities.
These rules may seem pretty
extreme to some, but there are
good intentions behind them for
the health of Ontarians.
The government is hoping that
the Smoke Free Ontario Act will
prevent children and youth from
starting down the smoking path.
It is also meant to help alreadyaddicted people who want to quit
smoking.
For all non-smokers it gives
a breath of fresh air, so those not
desiring the effects of second-hand
smoke can ease up on worrying
about it.
With these rules, it makes sense
and seems fair if all public places,
such as bars and restaurants, must
adhere to them, but for some reason
casinos are exempt.
The act, bans smoking on any
outdoor patios covered by a roof
made of any type of material, at
Casino Niagara, there is a smoking
shelter outside the gaming floors
with roofs covering two-thirds
of it. At the Niagara Fallsview
Casino, there are tents on outdoor
balconies, one without walls and
one without a roof, for smokers.
Both casinos are in Niagara Falls,
Ont.
Erie-Lincoln MPP Tim Hudak
is quoted in The St. Catharines
Standard as saying, “This is
the ultimate hypocrisy. The
government has created a windfall
for government-owned casinos, but
changed the rules for every other
private business.”
The reason given for casinos
being allowed to do this is that
their primary business is gambling
and not serving food and drinks.
I ask you this, have you been to
a casino that isn’t full of beverages
and food?
How is it different from any
other such venue?
Dear Editor,
Recent poll results released by
IPSOS Reid reveal that Ontarians
agree the tobacco industry
should be held accountable for
its deceptive behaviour and
predatory marketing tactics.
Seven in 10 Ontarians believe
cigarette manufacturers have
deceived the public about the
health impacts of tobacco use.
The same number would support
government action to sue the
tobacco industry to recover the
health care costs associated with
tobacco related illness.
British
Columbia,
New
Brunswick,
Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, Newfoundland and
Nova Scotia have all enacted
legislation to facilitate a lawsuit
to recover health care costs from
the tobacco industry. British
Columbia has filed a lawsuit
against the industry, and last
month New Brunswick made the
decision to retain legal counsel to
proceed with a lawsuit.
Why is Ontario — a recognized
leader in tobacco control — lagging on this issue? Why isn’t our
government holding the tobacco
industry accountable before the
law for fraudulent behaviour?
Any other industry that contributed to the deaths of 16,000 Ontarians every year would certainly
have to face consequences. Why
not the tobacco industry?
The potential financial compensation the province could obtain
through litigation is huge. The
U.S. government’s lawsuit against
the tobacco companies was successful in recovering $256 billion
in health care costs over the next
25 years, and our former premier,
Mike Harris, estimated the potential health care cost recovery for
Ontario at $40 billion U.S.
We know without a doubt the
tobacco industry has been fraudulent and negligent. We know what
needs to be done, we know how
to do it, and we know the benefits
associated with it. Now we know
the public supports it. What’s Ontario waiting for?
The Government of Ontario
should enact enabling legislation
and proceed with a cost-recovery
lawsuit against the tobacco industry to recover tobacco-related
health care costs.
Sincerely,
Charmaine Grace
Niagara Council on Smoking
and Health
Page 4, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
Disagreement among workers
Arab Events on the rise Second language ‘definite plus’
By MIRA NASSER
Staff Writer
Every year, an average of
80,000 students graduate from
Ontario colleges and universities
and enter the job market.
Many of these students may
find a job, others might not be so
lucky in the hunt for the perfect
job and some decide to start
their own business. That is the
initiative brothers Khaled and
Mohannad Maotassem undertook
at the beginning of the new year.
Concerned about what would
happen to him after graduation
from Brock University in St.
Catharines, Ont., 21-year-old
Mohannad Maotassem decided
to open an Arab event-planning
business with his brother Khaled,
23, a Niagara College graduate.
“The whole idea we have is
that we want to make it easier for
people to contact Arabic DJs and
bands when they have any event,
from small parties to weddings,”
says Mohannad. “And we also
want to advertise whenever any
Arabic singers or performers
come to Canada or Ontario.”
In the five years he has lived
here, Mohannad says, he has
found only one website that
informs Arabs living in Canada of
any events occurring in their area,
and the website is not updated
consistently.
“Both of us are very involved
with Arabic music and events,”
Khaled explains. “We have a band
that performs regularly at parties
and Arab events. Mohannad is a
DJ and has worked with the best
Arabic DJ in Ontario, and we
keep in touch with a number of
promoters who help bring Arabic
artists to tour in Ontario and
Quebec.”
With adequate knowledge of
the best bands and DJs and a
foot already in the Arab music
industry, the brothers decided the
next logical step would be to open
an online business so bands, DJs
and promoters could advertise
their services for a small price.
Plans to open the business
started in November 2006, and
slow steps have been implemented
to make their dream a reality.
“We’ve contacted a web
designer in Montreal who is
working on the website,” says
Mohannad. With the online part
of the business set up, Mohannad
says they will soon register the
company, named Arab Events,
online through Ontario Business
Connects.
“It’s a lot easier than going to
downtown St. Catharines and
registering it at the offices there,”
he says with a lazy laugh.
Ontario Business Connects
allows people to register their
companies online instead of going
to the Companies Branch of the
Land Registry Offices. The fee is
the same, $80, but the difference
is the time in which they will
receive their Master Business
License enabling them to start
building the business.
“Once we get everything set up,
we’re going to go around to all
the bands, DJs and promoters we
know and ask them to advertise
their services with us for a small
price,” says Khaled. They plan
to compose a list of artists in
Canada, and Arabs can go online
to contact them or ask the brothers
to plan the entertainment at an
event. They would also be dealing
with promoters and posting any
information about Arabic bands
and singers coming to Canada.
Opening the business, they say,
would also present their band with
the opportunity to be exposed to a
bigger audience. The five-person
band already has a measure of
success together and separately as
artists in the Greater Toronto Area
and Mississauga but, says Khaled,
they would like to expand.
“I’ve lived here for seven years
and I’ve been singing in a band for
about four years, and just recently,
I became a landed immigrant of
Canada,” says Khaled. “All me
and Mohannad want to do is grab
the opportunity that is presented
to us and start this business and
hopefully establish ourselves as
Arab artists and businessmen in
Canada.”
Adds Mohannad, “We want
people to think of Arab Events
whenever they have a party or
wedding to plan or when a big act
is coming to Canada. We want to
be the place to go in Canada, or at
least Ontario, for any information
about Arabic artists.”
BAD WEATHER?
During instances of inclement weather,
please make sure you listen to these local
radio stations for updates on campus
closings and highway/road conditions.
101.1
610
1220
105.7
97.7
91.7
900
FM
AM
AM
FM
FM
FM
AM
Niagara Falls
St. Catharines
St. Catharines
St. Catharines
St. Catharines
Welland
Hamilton
Closures usually announced between 6:30 and 7 a.m. for DAYTIME closures
Closures usually announced between 4 and 6 p.m. for EVENING closures
NOTIFICATION OF CLOSURES WILL ALSO
APPEAR ON THE NIAGARA COLLEGE WEBSITE
www.niagarac.on.ca
By AMY MINOR
hurt the applicant in
Staff Writer
any way, but it doesn’t
French is an official
apply on a regular
language in Canada,
basis,” says Freeman.
but is having a French
It may depend
background as helpful in
on what kind of an
life and the workforce as
industry an employer
it was years ago?
is hiring for and on the
Many have said for
job position available.
numerous years that
Linda Caldwell, a
being bilingual and
cage manager at the
having full knowledge of
Niagara
Fallsview
the English and French
Casino and Resort,
languages in Canada
was in charge of some
would be a plus on a
hiring before the
resumé.
casino opened.
Jessica Meehan, 21 of Canadian Customs and Immigrations Officer Bryce
Caldwell came to
Welland, disagrees.
the
Niagara Fallsview
Barna finishes a shift at the Peace Bridge late last
“I worked ridiculously week.
Casino and Resort
hard for years in the
Photo by Amy Minor from Casino Niagara,
French
Immersion
where she was also a
program, and I don’t
manager.
think it has helped me get have his job if it weren’t for his
“When I was doing the interview
anywhere. I didn’t come from a bilingualism.
process and trying to hire new people
French-speaking household. My
”The border has so many for the new casino, when I looked
parents didn’t know any French at applications from students every at their application, if they had a
all, and that made it way harder for year who want a job. It was a huge second language, it was a definite
me to understand and speak that help to me that I was able to speak plus for them. Niagara Falls and
language.”
more than one language,” says the casinos are places full of such
Meehan says she worked Barna, adding, “I mean, I even a large amount of multiculturalism,
extremely hard for many years get extra pay per hour sometimes any second language at all is going
to receive her official bilingual because of it. It’s great.”
to be helpful to them throughout
certificate, but it hasn’t helped her
Different
employers
look their interview process.”
find or get a job.
for different skills during their
When it comes to getting a
“Maybe if I was in Ottawa or application
and
interview government job in Canada, nothing
Quebec or something it might help processes.
will help more than having French
a lot,” says Meehan, “but around
For some, a second language is as a second language.
here it hasn’t been a help at all.”
the only way an applicant will be
Statistics Canada says that
Although Meehan doesn’t think considered, and for others, it means almost 85 per cent of all Canadian
her French speaking ability has nothing at all.
government
employees
are
or will help her, Bryce Barna, 22,
Sharon Freeman, owner of Salon bilingual; some are even trilingual
from Crystal Beach, Ont., has a Utopia in Fonthill, Ont., says that or have four languages under their
completely different view.
in a hair salon like hers, someone belts.
Barna, who is a Canadian being bilingual is not the first thing
Second language courses are
Customs and Immigrations Officer she is looking for in an applicant.
offered through Niagara College’s
at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie,
“It just doesn’t apply in my Continuing Education department
says he doesn’t think he would industry. I mean, it isn’t going to
all throughout the year.
Food
Celebrate the year of the pig
Music
Friday February 16, 2007
6 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
The Armoury Pub
Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus
Prizes
Tickets will be on sale at the international offices:
S-100 (Welland) • W-206 (NOTL)
Games
DJ
Live
Performances
$10 per ticket
For more information contact the
international office at
(905) 735-2211 Niagara College
ext. NOTL (4169) or Welland (7505)
&
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All photos and pagination by Laura Narducci
Sign, Highway 17, near Sudbury, Ontario.
Above: Sagebrush, Raft River
Valley, Southern Idaho.
Left: Western Landscape,
Pacific National Exhibition,
Vancouver, British Columbia.
Jane Corkin, Baxter&’s art dealer and Iain Baxter&.
Page 6, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
@NIAGARA
EDITORIALS
NEWS
news@niagara
V10, 300 Woodlawn Rd., Welland, Ont., L3C 7L3
Telephone: (905) 735-2211 Fax: (905) 736-6003
Editorial E-mail: pbarnatt@niagarac.on.ca
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Publisherʼs E-mail: ltiberi@niagarac.on.ca
Publisher: Leo Tiberi
Managing Editor: Phyllis Barnatt
Associate Managing Editor: Gary Erb
Photography Consultant: Andrew Klapatiuk
Editorial Consultant: Nancy Geddie
Technology Support: Kevin Romyn
Composing Consultant: Paul Dayboll
Editor
Cody McGraw
Associate Editor Assistant Editor Photo Crew Chief
Kristin Rasile Kristen Coughlar Jen Deschamps
Advertising rules: The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the
amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occured. This applies whether such error
is due to the negligence of its servants or otherwise. There shall be no liability for non-insertions of any advertisement beyond the amount
paid for such advertisement. All advertisers are asked to check their advertisements after first insertion. We accept responsibility for only one
incorrect insertion unless notified immediately after publication. Errors, which do not lessen the value of the advertisement, are not eligible
for corrections by a make-good advertisement. There shall be no liability for non-insertion of any advertisement beyond the amount paid for
such advertisement. We reserve the right to edit, revise, classify or reject any advertisement.
Your opinion is welcome
E-mail: news@niagarac.on.ca
Mail: V10, 300 Woodlawn Rd., Welland,Ont.
L3C 7L3
In Person: Room V10, Welland campus.
Policy: All letters must be signed and include a
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verification purposes.
news@niagara is a practical lab for Journalism-Print program students studying at Niagara College. Opinions expressed in editorials and columns are not
those of news@niagara management or the college administration. Columns, identified as such, reflect only the writerʼs opinion.
Readers are welcome to respond to columnists by e-mail at news@niagarac.on.ca
Ignore the groundhog
If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.
So says the Scottish couplet that inspired Groundhog Day on Feb. 2.
Whatever that means.
To most people, Groundhog Day is a movie starring Bill Murray and a furry rodent. Really,
aren’t we all a little afraid Groundhog Day will constantly repeat and we’ll have to hear that
some glorified wood chewer saw his shadow more than once a year?
That would mean I would be editor of this paper over and over and over again.
People seem to think the rodent emerging from his hole means spring is coming when really
it probably leaves its bed to get food or pee, just as we do.
Maybe if the groundhog spoke in proverbs or gave dating advice, people would think of
Groundhog Day as a valid holiday. We might even get the day off school or work. OK, maybe
not, but at least a half day.
It’s not as if the animal decides that winter is ending and he sits in his hole pondering when
he will change the climate.
A discussion in the newsroom led to a decision that it’s a tired tradition people are holding
onto. It’s kind of like Labour Day, but at least we get a full day off then.
It was agreed there’s nothing to look forward to on Groundhog Day, like presents on
Christmas or green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, unless you are really into woodchucks or are a
weatherperson.
There’s just no point.
Today when you hear whether the groundhog saw or didn’t see its shadow, disregard it
unless you hear it from Dr. Doolittle.
CODY MCGRAW
news@niagara
Publishing Dates
Friday, Feb. 9
Friday, Feb. 16
Friday, April 13
Friday, Feb. 23
Friday, March 16
For advertising, contact Laura Tait at The Tribune
Phone: 905-732-2414 ext. 281
E-mail: ltait@wellandtribune.ca
2006 WINNER
Journalism-Print
students busy
with deadlines
It’s that time of the year again.
The weather gets colder, the snow is thicker, wallets
are emptier and students become lazier.
It’s barely the first week of February and already we
find ourselves succumbing to sleep deprivation.
Journalism-Print students write for long hours in the
newsroom in Voyageur 10, frantically searching for the
perfect lighting for a photography assignment because
the due date is creeping up. We discuss countless
Canadian Press questions because we’re too lazy to look
up the answers for ourselves.
For us in the Journalism-print program, these kinds of
days are too common.
What began as a slow-paced turnaround from first year
has developed into a weekly routine of producing copy
and pictures to fill the newspaper that weighs heavily on
our minds.
Although we’ve been in production for only two
weeks since our return from the holiday break, it feels
as though we never left.
Familiar faces line the computer tables, and it’s back
to business as usual, for the most part.
It’s not a far stretch to say V10 at the Welland campus
has become a home for many over the past year, a home
preparing us for what’s outside its doors, a home we see
more of than our actual homes.
With Spring Break just around the corner, many of us
have already begun the countdown to a V10-free world.
A world of deadlines, telephoto lenses and pagination
slowly morphs into a world of sleeping in, lazing about
and, ironically, missing the fast-paced world of the V10
newsroom.
KRISTIN RASILE
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 7
@NIAGARA
NEWSCOLUMNS
‘Best lyrics are ones you are passionate about’
Lyric writing can be hard, but there is
help.
Although there are no rules for consistent
structure, available guidelines can help
greatly. The following may help produce a
polished piece of work.
When writing a song, know your audience.
If you choose to write a children’s song,
consider what children will understand and
how your topic relates to them. It should also
be something you fully comprehend.
Cale Costello, drummer and lyricist for
Bathed in Blood, a band from Niagara Falls,
Ont., says, “The best lyrics are ones you are
passionate about.”
There are infinite ways to write a lyric.
One option is to be straightforward. Another
is to use similes and metaphors or an indirect
description open to interpretation. Try not
to be too off base with your comparisons as
to avoid confusion and loss of appeal. For
clarification, when describing feelings, be
specific.
Important lyrics in a song are often repeated
to emphasize their strength and keep the idea
fresh in the listener’s mind. Using rhyme to
accentuate important lyrics can also work to
your advantage because it sounds appealing
to listeners by creating connections in their Then write the song using the key ideas.
minds. In order to rhyme, lyrics may need
Costello says, “Sometimes I want to cram
to be simplified. To avoid this, try repeating a lot of lyrics in a song, but it just doesn’t
specific sounds or modify
work. Keeping it simple
your pronunciation.
[should] get your point
“I find rhyming lyrics is
across”
very important because it
Sounds of the guitar,
can make a song catchy,”
drums, bass, violins
says Costello. “Rhyming
and
other
musical
isn’t everything, but if
instruments are added to
you can rhyme you can
create symmetry.
turn an otherwise boring
Usually, either the
[song] into an epic.”
lyrics will be complex
By ASHLY THOMPSON
“Rhyming limits your
while the music is
Columnist
ideas to only words that
simple, or vice versa.
sound the same, which often becomes difficult This is commonly why there are solos for a
to have [words] for your song to make sense,” technical guitar passage or drumline. Having
says Rob Peters, vocalist, rhythm guitarist music from which to create lyrics can be an
and lyricist for Abolished, another Niagara asset.
Falls band. “It is hard to include detail when
“At the beginning of writing a song [to
you don’t have the vocabulary. You should music], I figure out if the song calls for long
be able to write exactly what you want and and technical words and sentences, or short
be able to make it sound good while keeping and simple,” says Costello.
in mind the patterns of the song.”
If you experience a creativity block it may
Lyrics tell a story. You must give enough be best to take a break. Try returning in two
detail to be understood. Story lyrics are hours, days, weeks or as long as you need to
usually condensed for time. It is a good idea do your best.
to outline what you want the story to say.
Costello says, “Writer’s block can be
Driving, a danger for pedestrians
By KELLY ESSER
Columnist
extremely difficult. You can’t just force it
to stop. I think that you can find inspiration
in things such as movies, TV, art, personal
matters, news and other songs.”
“Great lyrics usually aren’t forced;
sometimes it takes a good break to put
what you are trying to write about into
perspective.”
Having another person critique your song
can be helpful to identify improvements
and develop different approaches. Having
a different perspective usually helps to get
past the block. Try to critique other people’s
work; this will help you to develop a sense
of your own style.
Writing a brief draft about the ideas you
want to express in your song can be helpful
for organization. A writer can also use
resources such as a rhyming dictionary and
a thesaurus.
“Something important to remember when
writing lyrics is to be unique, not repeat lines
or words more than necessary,” says Peters.
“Make the lyrics interesting and try
to write lyrics that people can relate to.
Consider topics of songs that are powerful
and make others think about what you have
written. Writing lyrics is a form of art.”
Having fun with wine
‘School zones become highways,
stop signs become yields and
yellow lights mean speed up’
Driving is a privilege, or so I’ve been told.
If that’s the case, why do so many drivers abuse that
privilege?
I’m not a perfect driver by any means, but I try to
stop at every stop sign, slow down in school zones
and not speed too much. Nevertheless, every day I
come in contact with people who live in a different
driving world.
School zones become highways, stop signs become
yields and yellow lights mean speed up.
Since when did stop signs become yields? Did I
miss the memo? Only sometimes will people make
the full stop at the stop signs.
When a driver does make that stop, the person
behind isn’t always expecting it. What is another five
seconds to make the full stop and avoid hurting or
even killing some pedestrian whom the one driving
behind may not have seen? It could prevent a simple
or horrible accident.
When it comes to school zones, I’ve seen drivers
speed through them, even when school is letting out.
What about those children and their safety? They are
our future. They are our future presidents, doctors
and prime ministers. Who knows what potential they
hold? I know the police do patrol these zones the
first week of school, but after that, why do drivers
speed up?
One problem with this mentality is the danger to
pedestrians.
Adam Bowslaugh, 21, of Fenwick, Ont., says in
an instant messaging interview, that one night while
biking home from school on a country road, a truck
hit his handlebars.
“I heard a vehicle coming up behind me, so I moved
over as much as possible,” he says about the incident.
“It turned out to be a pickup truck. I lost control and
balance. I fell into a ditch, as did my bike.” Although
he was fine, he says he was shaken up.
“The driver didn’t stop. And it wasn’t as though
he or she didn’t care. It seemed as though the driver
didn’t even know he’d hit me.”
“People drive the way they do, reckless and
speeding, because police never patrol that road, and
drivers know that.”
We need to make a change. Take the extra time and
drive safely. Leave five minutes early so you can slow
down or stop, when you have to. It could mean the
difference of saving someone’s life.
Column Criteria
Journalists, including those in the Journalism-Print program at the Niagara College, are taught that their
reporting must be balanced and fair and objective as possible. That rule must also exist for columns
written by reporters. In columns, the feelings and opinions of reporters are welcome, but balance,
fairness and objectivity must never be disregarded or treated lightly. Our columns, which are clearly
identified as such, Columns reflect the opinions or feelings of the administration of the news@niagara.
Columns reflect the opinions of only one person: the writer.
The 12th annual Niagara Icewine Festival ended Jan. 28.
The festival celebrated one of Canada’s more cherished
products: Ontario icewine.
Photo by Ryan McLean
Page 8, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
l
e
a
r
s
I
The Wonders of
By ROBYN HOPPER
Staff Writer
It hangs around my neck.
It reminds me every day of my memorable
visit. It’s a white gold necklace with a
pendant of my name written in Hebrew.
The half-hour bus ride to downtown Tel
Aviv, Israel’s newest city, is filled with carpacked highways and gigantic billboards.
The Mediterranean Sea is beautiful with
its magnificent turquoise water and golden
sand beach. Countless people are littered
along the beach sun tanning, playing soccer
and simply taking strolls.
The bustling downtown streets are lined
with small, trendy restaurants along with
modern clubs and bars. The shore is lined
with monstrous hotels and funky apartment
buildings.
The tour guide explains that Tel Aviv is a
very new city and a very secular
city, not typical of the nation.
The next destination is a
kibbutz hotel on the shore of the
Sea of Galilee. Traditionally,
a kibbutz implies communal
or socialist living. All the
people who live on a kibbutz
help to run it and maintain it.
They may run a farm, hotel
or factory, but kibbutzim are
mainly agricultural. Today
there are many variations on
the system. Israel boasts 268
kibbutzim that are home to
about 117,300 people.
The atmosphere of the
kibbutz is warm, inviting and
laid back. The modest food and
accommodations of the hotel
are overshadowed by the unique
experience the hotel offers. It
is fascinating to experience
and learn about the world of
communal living.
Upon arrival to the capital,
one is silenced by the presence
of the ancient city. One can
feel the great history, beauty
and holiness it possesses.
The tour guide describes it
as a city of many faces that has
tugged at the hearts and souls of
people everywhere for centuries. Jerusalem
is also known as the Eternal City, the Capital
City, the Center of the World and the Faithful
City. Jerusalem is a symbol, a spirit, an
inspiration, a pilgrimage site and a sacred
place for three religions. It has become
a centre for the dreams and prayers of
millions worldwide: Jews, Christians and
Muslims.
Today’s Jerusalem is the culmination of
the city’s great and long history. The old and
the new, the sacred and the secular coexist
in harmony.
It is effortless to fall deeply in love with
the old city and all it has to offer with its
winding alleyways and ethnic markets.
One of the unforgettable experiences is
the visit to the Western Wall. Also known
as the Wailing Wall or Kotel, it is the only
remaining wall of a destroyed temple built in
961 B.C.E. The temple has been a focal point
of Jewish worship since it was built.
When it was destroyed in 70 C.E., it is
said that the holy presence never left the
remaining Western Wall.
People approach the wall with great
reverence and respect. There are vast lineups to get close to it, either to say a prayer
or leave a prayer note in a crack of the wall.
The custom of inserting written prayers into
the Kotel’s cracks is so widespread that
some American-Jewish newspapers carry
advertisements for services that insert such
prayers on behalf of sick people.
The countless worshippers are dressed
modestly, and the men cover their heads.
As I wait in line to leave my humble prayer
in a crack, I am surrounded by dedicated
Jewish people, some who make the visit to
original artifacts, survivor testimonies and
personal possessions.
Walking through the immense buildings,
one can’t help but be silent and absorb
the experience like a sponge. At times the
stories, photographs, diaries and personal
belongings are too much to handle all at
once, and a break from it is all one can do to
keep from falling down in sheer sadness.
The presence of all the victims is brought
to life with the enormous murals and
photographs that plaster the colossal walls.
One is covered and surrounded by the
memories of the innocents’ taken lives.
The experience leaves an impression on the
heart and mind. A greater understanding of
the Jewish race occurs and the unforgettable
and heart-wrenching stories, photographs,
testimonies and artifacts will last forever.
The extraordinary visit to the Dead
Sea is a one-of-a-kind
experience. The Dead Sea,
the lowest point on earth at
1,373 feet below sea level,
is the world’s largest natural
spa, a true natural wonder
with its mineral-rich waters
and black mud.
When I arrive, the beaming
sun feels strong on my exposed
skin and the blistering heat
creates beads of sweat across
my forehead. However, there
is little to no humidity because
of the region’s dry and
unpolluted air. The Dead Sea
receives an average of 330 full
days of sunshine a year.
Once I am submerged in
the water, the strangest thing
occurs: I float. The water in
the sea is almost six times
saltier than any other ocean.
Because of this extremely high
concentration of dissolved
mineral salts, the water is
incredibly dense. The dense
water causes people to be very
buoyant and makes it hard
to swim, but pleasant to just
hang out and float.
Photos by Robyn Hopper
The Dead Sea gets its name
from the fact that nothing lives
the wall a daily ritual.
Another truly sacred place is the Har in it. There are no fish or any other kind of
Hazikaron or the Mount of Remembrance marine life. The shores lack living organisms,
in Jerusalem. The mount is home to the Yad but white salt crystals covers everything.
Squishy black mud oozes between my
Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’
Remembrance Authority. Yad Vashem is toes as I wade through the water. Many
a vast, sprawling complex of tree-studded visitors cover their entire body in it. The
walkways leading to museums, exhibits, mud has cosmetic and therapeutic benefits.
archives, monuments, sculptures and It is known to cleanse and stimulate the skin,
memorials. Yad Vashem is a memorial to the relieve muscle and emotional tensions and
six million murdered Jews of the Holocaust. improve blood circulation.
It is an exotic, new and different feeling
The experience at the Holocaust History
museum, which opened in March 2005, to float in water like this. The mud wrap
is almost indescribable. It stirs countless bestows a feeling of regeneration and utter
emotions that are difficult to feel and also relaxation, a pleasant way to end a long day
in the hot Israeli sun.
hard to handle.
As I wipe clean the black mud from my
The 4,200-square-foot museum, mainly
underground, is overwhelmingly vast and new necklace, the Jewish stranger beside me
holds almost never-ending accounts of asks, “Robyn, are you enjoying your time in
experiences of the individual victims through Israel?”
Can’t stop the script
By JENNIFER DESCHAMPS
Staff Writer
As they say in the biz, the show must go
on.
The storm wasn’t enough to keep these
promising second-year film students from an
opportunity to shine.
On the morning of Jan. 15, the entire
Niagara region awoke to a blanket of ice. The
power lines were down for over three hours
and slippery roadways created dangerous
driving conditions.
Despite the bout of icy weather causing
a power outage and class cancellations, the
Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film
(BRTF) program’s Fourth Annual Script
Competition went ahead as scheduled.
The Broadcasting Screening Theatre in
the Voyageur Wing at the college’s Welland
campus, the original venue for the event,
proved to be too dark for the students.
Instead, a room with emergency lighting on
the second floor of the Simcoe Wing was
used, and a lone fluorescent fixture gave off
just enough of a glow to carry on.
Among the industry professionals to be
impressed were three BRTF graduates:
Cal Coons, writer, director and executive
producer of the Canadian television
series Blue Murder; Melanie Orr, a script
supervisor; and Vivieno Caldinelli, director
of several award-winning short films.
The panel of volunteer judges also included
a professional actor, Martin Doyle, who has
to his credit several roles in feature films and
TV series, including The West Wing.
President of the Director’s Guild of Canada
Alan Goluboff, who has judged for a number
of years, was unable to make it because of
the weather conditions.
Over the years the event has attracted a
number of very famous Academy Award
winners and a high standard of industry
professionals.
Maggie Craig, second- and third-year
film professor, came up with the idea for the
competition four years ago. She says it was
“a lot of work and a lot of responsibility,” but
it has been a huge success.
Film professor Andrew Stevenson is
credited with running the event for the
program this year. He and Craig share the
responsibilities as film professors. “There’s
so much work, it’s nice to split it up a bit,”
says Craig.
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 9
Most commonly, the students write
the scripts in their screenwriting
class over the course of the term,
although they do not restrict the
submissions to class work. Craig
says BRTF students who do not take
script writing are also welcome to
participate in the competition.
They submit scripts in December
to be screened by film faculty. The
scripts deemed acceptable, about 10
or 12 of them, are sent to the judges,
who narrow the selection to six or
seven for competition. From these
finalists they pick four top scripts as
winners.
The events of the day begin with
an introduction of the judges as
respected esteemed members of the
film community. Craig says this is an
essential element to the competition
because it allows the students to see
what relevance these individuals’ The winning scriptwriters, Kyle Adams, Nathan Hoffman, Janel Hirdes and Ryan Jackson,
opinions have.
stand outside the BRTF theatre in the Voyageur Wing.
The judges talk in general about
Photo by Andrea Dyer
“pitching” and sympathize with the
students, saying they understand “it’s
“The fact that they sit for an hour shows
What does receiving this prestigious award
a hard thing to do.” The judges are prepared, that they are concerned,” says Craig.
mean? These four individuals will get the
talk to the students, have notes and know
The judges make some closing comments chance to bring their script ideas to life.
all the scripts ahead of time. At the end of regarding scripts and give general
The winners will be going into production
each student’s pitch, the judges may ask for recommendations about issues to consider on 20-minute films, beginning with preclarifications.
when pitching and what also to avoid. The production from now until March. The
“This is your opportunity for the judges to judges conclude with their thoughts and remainder of the class becomes the film
get to know you,” says Craig, of the students’ feelings of the day. Then comes the moment crew and assists in production throughout
pitches.
March and April. Casting for actors is done
everyone has been waiting for.
Once all of the pitches have been presented,
Doyle announced this year’s winners: in Toronto and the Niagara region.
the judges get their notes out and ask hard- Ryan Jackson for The Convenience Life,
Students raise much of the money for their
hitting questions about the scripts.
Janel Hirdes for Two Weeks, Kyle Adams for films with bake sales, 50-50 draws and other
Craig says, “It is a lot of pressure, and the Meeting Girls and Nathan Hoffman for When fundraising events at the college. Lab fees
way you respond is important.”
make up the other portion of funding.
I’m Gone From Lafayette, Mississippi.
In the next segment of the competition,
Next fall, the students will complete sound
Hoffman says, “I really don’t like pitching,
known as the round robin, each student sits and it was even scarier with industry editing and finishing touches on their films
for 10 minutes with each judge to discuss his professionals.” Hoffman says his way of and will have a final product by January or
or her script. The judges don’t tell students coping is to do the pitches on PowerPoint.
February. These films are then entered in
what’s wrong with the script; instead, they
“However, I arrived at school yesterday competitions all over the world.
offer constructive criticism and suggest and the power went out.”
From time to time, there are screenings, so
improvements. Craig says it is a process
The power outage was admittedly an Craig recommends that students interested in
meant to help students “rethink” their plots.
inconvenience but “the pitch went well,” viewing films should look for posters around
During the judges’ deliberation, over the says Hoffman.
the school.
period of about an hour, they consider the
The runners-up in the competition are
Although it was a long day, Hoffman
personality of each of the directors, their says the process was beneficial and he Peacock, pitched by Derek Burt Gerans,
vision, the level of originality the script and appreciated the feedback from professionals written by Garrett McNeil; Mr. Dunker,
characters have and the students’ willingness in the business. “It was nice when they had pitched by Brian Last, written by Brian Last
to accept suggested changes. It is a well- nice things to say. It was encouraging and and Nathan Hoffman; and Farewell Creek by
thought-out process.
Scott Baker.
inspiring.”
Part-time teachers seeking more political power in Ontario
By MICHAEL SPECK
Staff Writer
The Organization of Part-time and Sessional Employees
of Applied Arts and Technology (OPESCAAT) plans to be a
powerful lobbying group in 2007.
OPESCAAT President Roger Couvrette, a part-time teacher
at Algonquin College in Ottawa, is planning a political
campaign to change the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act
(CCBA), a law that prohibits part-time teachers in Ontario
colleges from bargaining collectively.
“We are very hopeful we can address some of the indignities
we are facing,” said Couvrette.
He describes the working conditions of Ontario’s college’s
part-time teachers as “Third World working conditions” and
goes on to say they are “sources of cheap labour with no job
security, abysmal working conditions and no benefits.”
Tami Jeanneret, a part-time Current Events teacher at
Niagara College, says she didn’t know about OPESCAAT.
“I would need more information before commenting on
whether I would join or not,” says Jeanneret.
She says the working conditions of part-time teachers are
fine. “Part-time teachers are just like full-time teachers who
want to provide a quality education for their students.”
Niagara College President Dan Patterson says, “Niagara
College’s student satisfaction rate is 86.4 per cent, the highest
in the province for the past two years, and our employer
satisfaction rate is 94.2 per cent, also among the highest in
the province.
“The employees of Ontario’s colleges are made up of
a balance of part-time and full-time members. The parttime faculty bring with them frontline experience from the
workforce, which is highly valued by today’s students.”
Jeanneret says part-time teachers should have the right to
unionize and bargain collectively if they decide to. “It should
be their democratic right.”
Patterson says it’s up to the government if part-time
teachers can unionize and the college is subject to existing
legislation.
“I can only say that we value our relationship with our
part-time employees and do everything we can to sustain
good relations,” says Patterson.
He says the key challenge for Ontario colleges is funding.
“It is the lowest among the provinces on a per student
basis.”
Jeanerette says OPESCAAT will not have the power to
get the government to repeal the CCBA. “It would set a
precedent that most employers, whether private or public,
would fight.”
Lauren Belcastro, 19, of Welland, is a General Arts and
Sciences student at Niagara College. She thinks part-time
staff should have the right to unionize.
“They went to school to get an education, just like fulltime staff did,” says Belcastro.
Last November, the Geneva-based International Labour
Organization ruled part-time workers have the right to
bargain collectively and urged Ontario’s Premier Dalton
McGuinty and his government to make legislative changes
so it can happen.
College work facts
• Part-time teachers: 7,911 in total; 6,113
teaching part-time credit courses
earning an average rate of $40.02 an
hour and 1,798 teaching part-time noncredit courses (i.e. Continuing Education)
earning an average rate of $35.40 an
hour
• Part-time Support: 3,851 working on
average 17.6 hours a week earning an
average rate of $16.40 an hour
• Students: 5,133 working on average
12.8 hours a week earning an average of
$9.14 an hour
• College students who work part time as
liquor servers make $6.95 an hour.
Page 10, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
First generation bursary available
Applications are being accepted for a special bursary at Niagara College.
The Ontario First Generation Student Bursary is available for the 2007-2008 school year.
A first generation student is an individual whose parents did not attend post-secondary school.
More information is available at the college’s website: http://www.niagarac.on.ca or http://www.niagarac.
on.ca/studying/financial_aid_scholorships/first_generation_bursary.pdf
In other college news, graduates of the college’s Library Technician program are invited to a reunion on
Saturday, Feb. 24.
The reunion, being organized by the Niagara College Alumni Council, will be held at After Hours at the
Welland campus from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
62300180
SPEAKUPORSHUTUP.ca
Brought to you by:
By ANDREA DYER
Staff Writer
Dream. Love. Cure.
In recognizing that cancer is the leading
cause of death by disease in North America,
a Toronto-based organization called Skate
4 Cancer (S4C) has used these three small
words as a motto to accomplish big goals.
Though its tactics of support may vary, the
organization’s primary plan is crystal clear:
through awareness, research and love, a cure
for cancer will eventually be found.
S4C founder Rob Dyer began formulating
his plan to fight cancer early. At 15,
when most teens are focusing their
lives on high school sweethearts
and social activities,
Dyer was considering
using his love of
skateboarding
as a medium to
raise funds for
cancer research.
Though
the
initial
dream
was vague, Dyer
says, “as I grew, the
ideas grew.”
Fast-forward
two
years, and that initial dream
had become something real.
As Dyer’s mother Wendy
was struggling against brain
cancer, and with a growing admiration for
Terry Fox, Dyer re-evaluated his original
idea to skate for cancer.
He says he began to network and surround
himself with supportive friends. Eventually
these activities led to the creation of S4C and
the first skate tour in 2004.
“I couldn’t be more lucky to have the
people I have in my life,” says Dyer. “This
was our way to fight cancer.”
The first skate tour, set to launch in March
2004, didn’t come easily. Four months prior
to the 8,000 kilometre skate, Dyer’s mom,
close friend and grandmothers all lost their
battles with cancer.
In spite of the substantial setbacks, Dyer
maintained his commitment to the tour and
began it on schedule.
“They gave of themselves so we can learn
and fight it harder so our kids don’t have to
go through it.”
Dyer says he and a team of volunteers
assembled in Los Angeles, Cal., to kick off
the skate in March as planned. With sponsors
like West 49 and Nike U.S.A. among others
providing support, their route took them
across the southern U.S. and along Canada’s
east coast before finishing in Toronto.
Dyer says the physical strain wasn’t nearly
as challenging as the mental struggle, the
possibility of “losing touch of why
you’re doing this.” He says the
skate made him realize what’s
important in life and that
his love for the ones
he lost lived on
through the skate.
“It’s a fight. It’s
the
same
thing with
cancer.”
Since
the
completion of the
tour in 2004, Dyer
and the S4C team have
kept busy with various
events and fundraisers.
Dyer says since S4C is
“art driven,” there is a lack
of specific detail in regard to fundraising,
though musical events have been consistently
positive for S4C.
On Feb. 16 at the El Mocambo in Toronto,
a fundraising event will feature Burlington’s
Silverstein, along with Sights and Sounds,
The Saint Alvia Cartel, The Artist Life,
Friday Morning’s Regret and The Little
Millionaires. Admission is free with the
purchase of a Skate 4 Cancer T-shirt, and a
19-plus after-party will follow.
Through events like these, support for S4C
and its cause has been overwhelming.
“Kids are so passionate, it makes my jaw
drop,” says Dyer. He says young people can
relate to something like this because cancer’s
effects are so widespread. “We have a bond
through this disease.”
Dyer says the most effective way to help
Skate 4 Cancer is to take something you enjoy
Submitted photo by: Jess Baumung
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 11
and are naturally talented at and utilize it for
a good cause. Spreading the word, adding a
link to S4C on your social networking sites
and volunteering at hospitals all contribute
to finding a cure for cancer.
S4C does not directly accept donations,
but instead encourages funds to be donated
to the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto,
where great efforts are being made to raise
funds for cancer research. As with S4C, the
hospital is set on conquering cancer.
Though the S4C organization is
unquestionably remarkable, its founder is
the blood and root of it all.
Matthew Parish, editor and founder of
Truth Explosion Magazine in Toronto,
has collaborated with Dyer to raise money
for and awareness of the S4C cause. As a
close friend with first-hand perception of
the effects of cancer, Parish says, “Rob is
the most humble, dedicated, selfless person
I know. He is brave and has strength and
determination that is not found in a lot of
people. If more people had even a fraction
of that, this world would be a much better
place.”
This year, S4C will aim high and pressure
the Canadian government to enforce
informative health programs in high schools
and also mandatory check-ups and blood
tests as preventative measures.
In May, S4C will complete a tour to
Canadian schools to inform and empower
youths to get involved. It will also embark
on a second skate tour from Vancouver to
Toronto.
“I do this out of love for my mum,” says
Dyer on the Skate 4 Cancer website. “I
remember her always thinking of others first;
friends and family were her only priority.
She lived each day with a smile, no matter
what difficulties she was faced with, no
matter how complicated her health became.
Our ultimate goal is a cure for cancer.”
Dyer says “I hope I can wake up tomorrow
and go away, but until there is a cure we
(S4C) won’t go away.”
For more information on Skate 4 Cancer,
affiliates, donations and ways to help, visit
www.skate4cancer.com.
A vision to Conquer Cancer
“Every meaningful organization
has a strong vision of its
purpose. Our vision is simple yet
powerful: To Conquer Cancer.
This is a very hopeful vision and
Princess Margaret Hospital is an
organization that inspires hope.
Our vision recognizes the long
journey, sometimes sad, many
times hopeful, that cancer patients
and their families travel day by
day.”
– Paul Alofs, President & CEO of The
Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
on the PMHF website
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Where do I send my
donation?
By Mail:
The Princess Margaret Hospital
Foundation
610 University Ave.
Toronto, Ont. M5G 2M9
In Person:
The Princess Margaret Hospital
Foundation
700 University Ave., 8th Floor
(Ontario Power Generation Building)
Toronto, Ont. M5G 1Z5
By Phone:
416-946-6560
(Toll Free) 1-866-224-6560
By e-mail:
info@pmhf.ca
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 13
Page 12, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
Top-left photo by
Katelyn Galer
Photo gallery
Katelyn Galer produced this soft, complimentary portrait using her
Panasonic DMC-FZ5 camera. Zooming her lens to six millimetres, she shot
her subject, Sarah Reeder, using manual exposure mode. She shot at 1/10
of a second and with an aperture of f/2.8. Using tungsten White Balance,
Katelyn was able to achieve this lighting effect.
Jason Petznick used the Canon EOS-1D Mark II N camera, with a shutter
speed of 1/50 of a second and an aperture of f/4.0 to shoot this playful,
carefree portrait. He used natural and artificial lighting to light his subject.
Natural light came from a window behind his right shoulder, while the
artificial light came from an off-camera flash with an ETTL II cable he was
holding above his head and to the left-hand side.
Top-right photo by
Jason Petznick
Bre Kibbler used a Canon EOS Digital Rebel camera to shoot this powerful
and confident portrait of Janine Klepeys. Zooming the lens to 44 mm and
using a shutter speed of 1/13 of a second and an aperture of f/10, Kibbler
enhanced her subject’s seductive eyes using a red gel.
Centre photo by
Bre Kibbler
Jen Deschamps used a Canon EOS Digital Rebel camera to achieve Felicia
Tisi’s dramatic, eye-grabbing look. It was shot in shutter priority mode at
1/3 of a second and an aperture of f/5.6. Deschamps used an ISO setting
of 100, a reflector and natural lighting to achieve this effect.
Bottom-right photo by
Jen Deschamps
Tara Brady shot this relaxed, intriguing portrait of Kristen Coughlar using
a Canon PowerShot Pro1 camera. In aperture priority mode she shot at
1/60 of a second at an aperture of f/4.0. With an ISO setting of 100, off
camera flash with an ETTL II cable, and a 42-inch white/silver Photoflex
LiteDisc, Brady was able to capture the perfect lighting conditions for her
subject.
Bottom-left photo by
Tara Brady
Page 14, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
@NIAGARA
HEALTH
NEWS
Fitness for a cause
By BRE KIBBLER
Staff Writer
Five of Niagara College’s staff
members will be participating in
the Corporate Fitness Challenge,
presented by the Niagara Centre
YMCA.
Five staff members from each of
13 companies compete to achieve
their individual and team fitness
goals to earn points.
The team with the most points
wins $2,500 to donate to the charity
of its choice.
Out of 28 entries here, five
college team winners were drawn
randomly: Bea Clark, director
of Workforce and Business
Development, Brian Beccario,
professor of Hospitality and
Tourism, Irene Sebastianelli, coordinator of Dental Hygiene, Linda
Andrusyk, divisional secretary for
Community Safety and Fitness,
and Alison Burgoyne, co-ordinator
for the Centre for Community
Leadership.
Team
leader
Andrusyk
says
the entire team is
“pumped, excited
and ready to go.”
He volunteered
for the position as
team leader and
has been e-mailing
her
teammates
motivational quotes
each day.
“I know that we will work well
together and if any one of us is
having problems they know that
any one of their team members is
just an e-mail or phone call away,”
says Andrusyk.
Each participant has a different
goal and a different fitness level.
Beccario, 29, says he got out of
his routine three or four years ago.
“The challenge presented an
awesome opportunity to get back
in shape and for a good cause.”
Beccario says his biggest concern
is his diet. Friday nights, when, he
says, he’d usually be eating pizza
and wings, are especially hard for
Beccario.
Now he’s eating Raisin Bran,
sushi and yogurt and drinking a lot
of water.
Clark, 54, says she would also
like to change her eating habits.
She says her busy lifestyle often
leads to her eating on the run,
so she would like to eat a wellbalanced diet and plan her meals
better. She also wants to improve
her fitness level.
“I want to be fit and 55.”
Clark has been attending the
nutrition seminars offered by
the challenge. Her attendance
gains more points for her team
and provides her with valuable
materials on healthful eating.
Burgoyne says she is in
“relatively good shape” and is
more concerned with strength and
stamina than diet.
Burgoyne
suffers
from
fibromyalgia, characterized by
chronic pain in the muscles and
soft tissues surrounding joints.
Exercise is one of the main factors
that contributes to reclaiming
health.
“I am motivated to overcome my
fibromyalgia and to become strong
and physically fit again.”
Burgoyne says she has avoided
activities for a number of years and
would like to be able to participate
in sports, such as cycling and
hiking.
“It is amazing how you can
find time to exercise,” says
Sebastianelli.
Sebastianelli says she wants to
regain a healthy lifestyle.
She has gained back 10 of 40
pounds she had lost and says the
challenge “motivated her to get
back on track.”
Her motivation goes beyond just
foregoing desserts. Sebastianelli is
becoming conscious of
her eating habits and
when and why she is
eating certain foods.
Sebastianelli
is
hoping the challenge
will also reduce her
stress and give her
more energy.
The challenge also
provides two personal
trainers who act as
motivators.
“Being accountable to someone
is the real motivator for some
people,” says Erin Sargent, one
of the personal trainers for the
Niagara College team. “The whole
collegeknows they’re doing this
challenge.”
Sargent, 31, says she created
individual programs for each team
member because doing something
they enjoy can be more motivating.
Sargent is the Fitness and Health
Promotions co-ordinator and
co-chair of the Wellness Watch
Committee.
“It’s important to just do
something.”
The
Fitness
and
Health
Promotion program offers free
personal training once a week, as
well as pre- and post-fitness tests.
Niagara College’s team has
chosen the Niagara Foundation,
which maintains funds for the
improvement and development
of the college, as their charity of
choice.
Second-place winners receive
$1,000 to donate to the charity of
their choice.
The third-place team will receive
$500 for its donation and each of
the remaining teams receives $100
for their effort.
As a final reward, the first-place
winners of each team will receive a
full-year YMCA membership.
The contest is in its second year,
but it will be Niagara College’s
first time participating.
HealthfulRECIPES
Food
Fruity Breakfast Parfait
* 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
* 1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
* 1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
* 1 firm, medium banana, peeled and sliced
* 1/3 cup chopped dates
* 1/4 sliced almonds, toasted
In glasses, layer pineapple, raspberries, yogurt, banana and dates.
Sprinkle top with almonds.
Winter Vegetable Salad
* 4 cups broccoli florets
* 2, large carrots, peeled and sliced thin
* 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
* 1 bunch radishes, cut in half
* 2 stalks celery, sliced thin
* 1 bottle (8 ounce) fat-free Italian salad dressing
* 1 bag (1 pound) Dole Salad Mix
1. Combine broccoli, carrots, red pepper, radishes and celery with salad dressing;
toss. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
2. Toss with salad mix before serving.
Vegetable Pizza
* 3/4 cup pizza sauce
* 1 large Italian pizza shell
* 1 cup chopped broccoli
* 1 cup shredded carrots
* 1/2 cup sliced green or red bell pepper
* 5 or 6 ounces shredded low fat mozzarella or cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Spoon pizza sauce on pizza shell.
3. Put pizza shell on cookie sheet.
4. Arrange vegetables over sauce.
5. Sprinkle on the cheese.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. When baked, cool pizza for 3 minutes before slicing. Cut into 8
wedges.
Tropical Fruit Salad
* 1 can (15 1/4 ounce) tropical fruit salad
* 1 package (4-serving size) lemon or peach gelatin
1. Place strainer inside mixing bowl. Pour tropical fruit salad into strainer.
Drain juice. Pour drained juice into a measuring cup. Add enough water to juice to
make it a total of 1 3/4 cups of liquid.
2. Heat liquid over medium high heat. When it boils, turn heat off and remove
from burner. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill gelatin in refrigerator
until it slightly thickens, about 45 minutes.
3. Stir in fruit salad and pour gelatin into either the mold or cups. Put into
refrigerator and chill until firm, about 2 1/4 hours.
Recipes from www.dole5aday.com
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 15
Trailer Park Boys
crash After Hours
By SHANE BUCKINGHAM
Staff Writer
Randy’s belly wasn’t the only belly
to make an appearance on Tuesday’s
Trailer Park Boys event. There were
plenty of other bellies involved.
Randy and Jim Lahey, from the hit
Showcase series Trailer Park Boys,
received another warm welcome from
200 plus people at the After Hours pub
Welland campus.
The event, on Jan. 23, was “a success,”
says Cindy Blanchard, general manager
of Student Administration Council
(SAC) for the Welland campus, with
100 tickets pre-sold and the rest sold at
the door.
Lahey, played by John Dunsworth,
60, and Randy, played by Patrick Roach,
38, live in the crazy world of Sunnyvale
trailer park on Trailer Park Boys. As they
enter their seventh season on Showcase
Television, not much has changed as
they find themselves in peculiar and
sometimes questionable situations
involving alcohol, drugs and guns.
The boys’ visit was a success last year
at the college, so SAC decided to have
Dunsworth and Roach return.
Both of Halifax, Roach and Dunsworth
took to the stage shortly after 9 p.m.,
and performed until 11 p.m. After their
comedic performance, they signed
autographs and met people from the
audience for roughly half an hour.
Blanchard says the event ran smoothly
with no problems. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic drink sales totalling $1,200
“were higher than [at] a usual event,”
she says.
Dunsworth and Roach included
games for the audience as part of their
performance, in which a T-shirt or hat
went to the winner. The largest belly
competition T-shirt prize went to Greg
Bosak, 23, of Welland, who offered a
50-inch belly. Bosak is in the General
Arts and Science program at the Welland
campus.
For the smallest belly, two winners
were from the Welland campus. Sophie
Burns, 24, of Grimsby, in the Graphic
Design Production — Art and Design
Fundamentals program, and Meaghan
Shutler, 19, of Niagara Falls, in the
Police Foundations program, won Tshirts for their 22-inch bellies.
Shutler says she was “happy” to be
able to rub Roach’s belly on stage.
“That was my sole purpose of coming
tonight,” she exclaimed.
The last winner of the competitions
was Mark Lucas, 23, of St. Catharines,
who received a hat. He’s in the
Computer Engineering program at the
Welland campus. He won the Trailer
Park Boys trivia challenge against eight
other contestants who had to answer
random questions given by Dunsworth
in a Jeopardy fashion.
If you missed the Trailer Park Boys,
organizers at this time are unsure if
there will be future visits.
By SHANE BUCKINGHAM
Staff Writer
Jim Lahey and Randy appear as
dysfunctional trailer park supervisors
on the hit Showcase TV show Trailer
Park Boys, but it may surprise you that
they’re actually very passionate about
important issues.
John Dunsworth, 60, plays Mr. Lahey
and Patrick Roach, 38, plays Randy.
Both are from Halifax. They say they
are “privileged” to work with Mike
Clattenburg, the director of Trailer Park
Boys.
“He is the absolute best director I have
worked with, and I have worked with
some good ones,” says Dunsworth, who
has been acting for nearly 40 years.
Lahey and Randy live in the crazy
world of Sunnyvale trailer park. As they
enter their seventh season, not much
has changed as they find themselves in
peculiar and sometimes questionable
situations involving drugs, guns and
alcohol.
Dunsworth and Roach provided
news@niagara with an exclusive 25minute interview before the show,
although most of it was spent with the
talkative Dunsworth. The interview
was a sobering experience to find that
they actually care about others making
contributions to society in their life.
Dunsworth says he enjoys playing a
dysfunctional character like Mr. Lahey.
“Out of all the characters I have
portrayed, Jim Lahey is probably the
one I’ve done the least work on. I’m
trying to inject John Dunsworth into
him because I am using Jim Lahey for
my own political agenda,” he says, with
a laugh.
Although Lahey is a drunk, Dunsworth,
a no-alcohol advocate, says he uses the
character to expose his own “Freudian
shortcomings.”
“I don’t drink particularly, and I think
people who drink and get drunk are pretty
disgusting. I’m not proud of espousing
liquor, especially to young people who
think it’s cool. But I rationalize it by
saying Trailer Park Boys is really a
cautionary tale, a parable, family values,
community and people doing the best
they can.”
He says his character and Roach’s on
the show are “just as bad as the people
in power in the world.”
“We are beautiful mirrors of the world
because the people running the world
are as [screwed] up on power as I am on
alcohol [on the show].”
Still, Dunsworth says there is hope
because ordinary people’s power is
through living a positive lifestyle.
“You can do anything you want, and
if you start to create an environment
around you to your liking, the
environment around you will change to
your liking.
“We are all who we were born to be,
but the road we take is studded with
wrong choices.” He says young people
need to watch out for drinking, drugs
and gambling.
Schools should be teaching more
about personal responsibility rather than
purely academics, he says.
“They should teach about gambling
and how bad it is to get into and how
it makes you a loser. They should talk
about how to find a life mate. Don’t go
with a drinker. Don’t go with someone
who’s going to abuse you. They should
start teaching this in Grade 1.”
Referring to his past as a drama
teacher, he recalls, he always told his
students to have standards.
“I taught my students if they had to say
something that offended them that they
could always suggest to the director that
they didn’t need to do that. If they don’t
want to expose their breasts or body,
then you should turn the role down. You
should always keep standards.”
By contrast, Roach’s first acting
role was on the Trailer Park Boys. He
joined the show because he had known
John Paul Tremblay, who plays Julian,
and Robb Wells, who plays Ricky,
since 1984. The first time Roach met
Tremblay and Wells was in high school.
They went to a party and, at first, both
Tremblay and Wells thought Roach was
“a nerd,” but after that night they all
became good friends.
“I was a nerd. Basically I wore golf
shirts and I was a nerd. I just wasn’t
cool. Then I met JP Tremblay and he
made me into a cool guy.”
Roach’s character’s trademark is his
shirtless belly, the idea for which, he
says, came from Clattenburg. “He likes
my gut,” he chuckles.
He says it took a lot of work to get that
signature anatomy [by] eating, drinking
and not much exercise, but he’s proud
of his belly, he states.
“I’m proud of my own body and
everyone has to be proud of their own
body. And if you’re not, you’re in the
gutter. And when you’re in the gutter, it
gets cold.”
Roach and Dunsworth say people
need “to be comfortable” with the way
they are.
Dunsworth says he asked his father,
who was a psychiatrist, “What do you
know for sure?”
“He said, ‘When you’re dead you’re
dead, but you’re not quite so dead if you
contribute something.’”
Trailer Park Boys speak seriously
Photos by Shane Buckingham
Page 16, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
@@ NIAGARA
NOISE
NIAGARA
NEWS
Old Toby members release debut EP
By CODY MCGRAW
Staff Writer
A week shy of their one-year
anniversary of their first show, Old
Toby members take a step back to
reflect on how they got here.
In a restricted area of Port Mansion
in Port Dalhousie, band members
Adam Fazekas (drums), Scott Walters
(guitar, vocals), Aaron Ambrose
(guitar, vocals) and Jon Bennett
(drums) sit in a circular booth before
their CD-release party.
Ranging from cities around Ontario,
the members say they met through a
“Brock [University] connection” and
through friends.
Old Toby members relax before their CD-release party
“Me and Aaron just played together
at Port Mansion on Jan. 20.
after high school and started writing
Photo by Cody McGraw songs until we had something we
liked,” states Walters, “but we started
from scratch [when all four got
together] and that’s what got us out
of the really amateur stage to a little
bit above ground stage.”
“Music is going back to the ‘90s,”
interjects Bennett. “Music in general
right now is more mellow and chilling
out after all the anger.”
“It’s a 20-year cycle,” adds
Fazekas. “We’re on the verge of that
20th anniversary resurgence of a
more mellow style of rock. It’s kind
of reactionary too, like none of us are
angry and none of us really want to
hear that.”
news@niagara’s online
Walters interrupts, “That’s why
music magazine
we like what we write. When you’re
articles, reviews and pictures
writing you’re not going to write
something you don’t like. We’re
Beatles fans. We like the mellower
stuff.”
After an in-depth discussion on
which is the best Beatles album, the
www.noiseatniagara.com
members agree their sound makes
them more universal.
“We played in Montreal and there
were women at the bar who could
have been my mother, on the floor
dancing to our stuff,” laughs Fazekas.
“It made me really happy.”
“One asked me to take my shirt
off,” jokes Bennett.
“The older audience seems to like
it,” asserts Ambrose. “I always find
they come into the show, even if
it’s parents and such. They expect
because we’re a band it’s going to be
noisy, but really they come and say,
‘Hmm, it wasn’t really that bad.’”
Agreeing, Fazekas adds, “There’s
a lot of kids here playing in bands
whose parents are here and they’ll
get a kick out of it more than the kids
will, and that’s cool. There’s a larger
market there, hopefully.
“I want people to have fun without
anyone getting beat down in a mosh
pit.”
Calling the five-song EP “just a
start” and “a really expensive learning
apparatus,” the band members call the
album more a learning experience.
Produced by Brandon Sloggett,
who also produces Niagara Falls band
The Anti-Q’s, the members stress he
was “really patient and comforting.”
“We’ve never played apart before
and he really helped us out. He helped
us see what was going on without
getting in the middle of the studio,”
reflects Walters before the members
had to leave to set up their gear.
To hear their ‘90s-influenced
rock and find out how to get the
EP, visit http://www.myspace.com/
oldtobymusic and have “an oldfashioned good time.”
Tenacious D’s new
album turns heads
By ASHLY THOMPSON
Staff Writer
CD Review
Tenacious D’s newly released album,
The Pick of Destiny, is a force to be
reckoned with.
The band, consisting of Kyle Gass and
Jack Black, has stayed true to its hardhitting style of music, vocals and lyrics.
The album coincides with its recently
released motion picture of the same name.
Although, I have not seen the movie, after
hearing the album there are no doubts I
must view it soon.
Telling a story through lyrics, Tenacious
D takes its listeners on an erratic journey
following the movie’s characters.
Each song exhibits strength despite
its simplicity or short length. The lyrics
are a masterfully crafted mix of comedy,
parody, vanity, protest and dirty words.
Short comedy skits are included such
as track four, The Divide, which poses a
choice for Kyle to make ... tits or destiny.
On the album exists the single best cover
I have heard since Cradle of Filth’s version
of Ozzy Osbourne’s Mr. Crowley. The
song Classico, which samples melodies
from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Bourree
in E Minor, Fur Elise by Ludwig van
Beethoven and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, clearly
displays the band’s artistic absurdity.
Black’s vocal styling is unique and
continues to rise in eccentricity. Songs
like Baby and Master Exploder showcase
Black’s amazing vocal range.
Black and Gass make an unstoppable
duo that defies generic music.
Singer/songwriter following dreams regardless of cost
By KEITH LAING
Staff Writer
The road to a record deal is a long and winding one.
Competing against thousands of other artists, selfproclaimed “people’s rocker” Brad McGoey is seemingly
up against the world. An avid performer at bars and pubs in
Stratford, Ont., and the surrounding area, McGoey dreams of
one day being able to live comfortably on an income fueled
by music.
He says he has been interested in a career in music for as
long as he can remember.
“When I was a little kid, I wanted to be a radio disc jockey.
It seemed like the coolest thing ever. I was always making
mixed tapes of the only two albums I owned at the time;
Classic Queen and The Fresh Prince with DJ Jazzy Jeff. I
used to dance around my room singing along with Freddie
Mercury as loud as I could.”
The completion of high school can be a frightening time for
many young people, but McGoey says he was well prepared
to ease himself into a music-related profession. After taking
two years off, during which he lived in Victoria, B.C., where
he first began playing live at several pubs open-mic nights,
McGoey decided he needed more education before he could
take his dream further.
Successfully completing the one-year Music Production
program at Seneca College in Toronto, McGoey immediately set out to acquire his busking licence, allowing him
to play the streets of Toronto while earning money for food
and beer.
Since returning to the Stratford area, McGoey has been a
frequenter of the bar scene, usually covering other artists’
songs, which for the most part are of the classic rock
persuasion.
Performing live comes naturally to McGoey, as it’s something he loves to do whether he’s making money or not.
“I love to play live. If there was going to be anything I’m
going to be remembered for, I’d want it to be my live shows.
I’m creating live art, on the spot. Since everything’s in the
moment there’s no chance to hide anything about you; it’s all
up there for the people to see.”
He says he often encourages group sing-alongs at his
performances, saying that it’s the one way to know if the
crowd is enjoying the music.
“I love sing-alongs. It’s the only time that the people all
get together. You could be with people you don’t even like,
but it’s all forgotten for the four minutes when everyone has
their arms around each other, singing at the top of their lungs.
It doesn’t even matter if they get the words right. I just like
the participation.”
McGoey’s goals for the near future include performing at
larger venues, and recording some of his own music, a feat
that is gruelling, but achievable.
Owner of Winnipeg-based Smallman Records, Rob
Krause, has been with the punk/alternative label for its entire
10-year history.
Krause says his label pays no attention to an artist’s image,
something that separates Smallman from a lot of larger labels
looking for a pretty act they can easily market.
“It’s all about the music for us. I want to find stuff that
evokes emotion. If we find something that we really like, then
we’ll just go for it. A band has to have their s**t together in
terms of attitude, and as far as touring and playing live goes,
before we sign them. They have to make touring their job.”
“We’re not looking for any sort of style. They just have to
play good music and have a concert that I want to go to. If
there’s a demo that I really like, but I can’t stand watching
them play live, I can’t put it out.”
While Krause receives between 10 and 20 each week, he
says the ever-growing myspace is becoming an increasingly
popular form of networking among musicians and record
labels, but quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality.
“Everyone can make an album now. People are coming
up with anything, which a lot of is s**t, and sending it to
us. It bothers me when people send us crap without even
researching the label. I mean, take 10 minutes and look at our
website. We are not a country/western label.”
Krause says Smallman started as a hobby, but has since
turned into a business, requiring the label to become his fulltime job.
“At the start it was all about helping out bands we knew
that weren’t getting their fair share. Now that it’s a business,
we have to ask ourselves things like Is this a band we’re
prepared to spend money on? and Is the band going to be
able to make that money back?”
“The best music for marketing is a two-minute, 30-second
song with a short intro, with a chorus that comes right
away.”
Smallman Records do not have a solo acoustic artist on
their roster, but, Krause says, the label is open to genres
other than punk/alternative, in the past having considered
broadening out with a solo/acoustic act.
“It just never worked out. For us it really comes down to
loving the music. I think we’re established enough as a label
now that we can put stuff out and not have to worry that
people only look at us as a punk label.”
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 17
@@ NIAGARA
NOISE
NIAGARA
NEWS
Straight Reads the Line bounces back
By TOM RISHAUR
Staff Writer
Stoney Creek indie band Straight Reads
the Line (SRTL) has been through its share of
troubles.
Last August, while playing shows throughout
Canada, the band’s tour came to an abrupt halt
when the tour van crashed in Saskatchewan.
The accident left some equipment completely
destroyed, and guitarist Don Levasseur suffered
a dislocated shoulder. The band was forced to
cut its tour short and head home while Levasseur
recuperated in Regina.
Now, five months later, SRTL is heading out
on the road again.
“We’re pretty stoked about it,” says Levasseur.
“After last time, we’ll definitely be wearing our
seatbelts times five.”
The tour, featuring bands The Holly Springs
Disaster and Dead and Divine, started Jan. 19 at
The Underground in Hamilton and went through
gigs in several cities in Ontario over the month,
including L3 in St. Catharines on Jan. 24.
The band now is much different from the one
formed in late 2004. Of the original members, Straight Reads The Line front man Blake Prince bellows into the crowd
only Levasseur and drummer Dan Marranca during a set on Jan. 26 at The Music Centre in Burlington.
remain.
Photo by Tom Rishaur
The most crushing loss came on July 14, 2006,
when founding guitar player Josh MacKenzie, 17, died
tragically from a massive asthma attack less than a month
before SRTL was scheduled to start touring. Newcomer
Andrew McDermott has been filling MacKenzie’s spot
ever since.
After the accident that brought that tour to an end, bass
player Jay Windecker left the band for personal reasons
and Vince Tompa replaced him.
Levasseur says the new members are working out
well.
“It’s going smoothly. It took them a while to get the
flow of our songs, but they’re both good musicians, so
it’s working.”
When the tour is finished, Levasseur says SRTL plans
to record a follow-up to its first EP, Let’s Get Nuts, an
album featuring Alexisonfire’s Dallas Green that the band
pressed and distributed on its own.
The band’s new label, Verona records, owned by Shane
Todd of Silverstein, will distribute the upcoming album.
For now, the band is focused on the tour.
“We want to make a huge impression,” says
Levasseur.
Charismatic front man Blake Prince says he is passionate
about the band’s live shows. “We are hard hitting, energetic
and mind blowing. If you come to one of our shows, you’ll
know what I’m talking about when you leave. Trust me.”
Ten Second Epic building on recent success
By JENNIFER DESCHAMPS
Staff Writer
Being part of a band is more than
just playing an instrument.
The secret to success for this group
of guys from Edmonton, Alta., is
“a backbone of friendship.”
Andrew Usenik, lead singer of
Ten Second Epic, says, “We’re
getting along great. We’ve gotten
to the point where we know each
other really well.”
Usenik and his band mates,
guitarists Craig Spelliscy and
Daniel
Carriere,
drummer
Patrick Birtles and bassist Sandy
MacKinnon, have been together
four years.
“When we’re on the road and
on an independent label, touring
can be a really rough thing. You’re
not eating well [and] you’re tired.”
Usenik says you learn to appreciate
how precious time can be.
“Anytime
you
have
the
opportunity to get a break, you take
it. It’s nice to seize the moments
you have to yourself.”
The band has accomplished a lot
this year, from the October release
of the full-length album Count
Yourself In to a cross-Canada tour
that was “amazing.”
Since the band’s recent push by
MuchMusic, people have started to
take notice.
The success has been somewhat
of a shock to the system for Usenik,
who says, “It’s unbelievable
and unreal. We never really had
aspirations to become a real touring
band.”
Usenik says one show in
particular stood out in his mind.
“We played in our hometown to
over 1,000 kids. It was a huge show
for us.” He says it was a “big deal”
because the band was playing to a
local crowd.
According to Usenik, it’s like
waking up in the morning to see
your face on every publication and
have everyone know who you are.
“Perhaps with all this extra
attention, things may change, but
you have to make sacrifices to be
successful.”
“We love doing what we do,
touring, playing shows,” says
Usenik. “It’s more of a sacrifice for
people around us.”
Ten Second Epic started with
the basics – practicing, writing
and playing shows as often as they
could – until eventually the right
ears heard its music.
Usenik says, “Nothing was really
handed to us. At times it was really
unrewarding, and frustrating.”
“Despite it being a hard thing,”
Usenik says he wouldn’t have done
it any other way.
“Some bands jump steps. It’s
very hard for them to appreciate
the good times when you’re never
gone through the shit. We’re gone
through that and lived to tell the
stories. We appreciate the good
things so much because of it.”
“This past month has been a
whirlwind. It’s hard to stop and
realize what’s going on.”
Usenik says of his fellow band
members, “Everyone’s really
excited and conscious of how
things are speeding up.”
The prairies provided an ideal
environment to kick-start a music
career, says Usenik. “When we
started as a band, a lot of kids were
hungry for music. The music scene
was absolutely perfect for us.”
“Kids only have so much time
and money. It’s difficult stand out
when they are oversaturated with
bands and tours.”
The boys from Ten Second
Epic have a variety of musical
backgrounds. For instance, Dan is
classically trained, while Craig is
into pop-rock bands like Story of
the Year.
A blend of everyone’s distinct
style is what creates a “sound that
is unique,” says Usenik.
The writing process is a joint
effort for the members of Ten
Second Epic who, unlike many
bands, write all their music and
lyrics together.
“On one hand it’s great because
everyone has input, but on the other
hand it can be frustrating because
everyone has ideas they want to
use.”
Usenik says the goal is to write
“catchy and really unique songs.”
“Old Habits Die Hard is probably
one of our favourites. It’s a dynamic
song, with a lot of highs and lows
and tempo changes.”
Ten Second Epic has had the
chance to play with the likes of
The Used, My Chemical Romance
and Thrice, “guys we respect both
musically and as people,” says
Usenik.
Internet popularity is a big aspect
of musical success now, and Usenik
Andrew Usenik’s voice fills the Burlington Music Centre as Ten
Second Epic put on an energetic show.
Photo by Jennifer Deschamps
says when the members have days
“I don’t think it’s so much the
off they try to respond to as many size of the crowd as it is the crowd
e-mails and MySpace messages as itself. I like when every kid is into
they can.
music.”
“We try to get back to everyone.
It’s energy and support that fuels
If they’re willing to take the time a “really entertaining and energetic
to write us, the least we can do is experience.”
write back.”
“We pride ourselves on our live
“One of my favourite things show. You’ll be blown away.”
about playing and touring is the
Ten Second Epic will be hitting
connection with people.”
the road with The Spill Canvas &
Usenik says the band likes seeing The Reason in February, so check
the same faces in small crowds as out the new tour dates at www.
in big ones.
tensecondepic.com.
Page 18, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
Katrina
‘What I saw was unbelievable’
— Mel Tardo
By KRISTIN RASILE
Staff Writer
It was the end of August and
Mallory Tardo had just moved into
her London, Ont., home for the
beginning of the school year.
Clothes were spilling out of the
overly packed suitcase lying on her
floor, while music blared as she
unpacked from a long summer at
home in Brampton, Ont.
“I moved back to London a week
earlier than I usually do. I don’t
watch the news, so I had no idea.”
Across the border, just minutes
away from the 17th Street Canal,
Mel Tardo was about to experience
Mother Nature at her worst.
“[I’ve] never left for a
hurricane. It was a lot more
dangerous and a lot scarier than
I thought it would be.”
What began as a calm breeze,
quickly developed into the storm
forever embedded in the hearts
of Americans: the category 5
hurricane, Katrina.
It was the afternoon of Aug. 29,
2005, when 22-year-old Mallory
heard the phone ring. Turning
down her music, she answered the
call she never expected to receive.
“When I heard my sister’s voice
on the other end, I knew something
was wrong.”
Through her sister’s muffled
sobs, Mallory picked out four
words: hurricane, dad, won’t leave.
A few short days later Mallory
received yet another urgent phone
call: her dad was unreachable.
“I thought he could be dead, so I
was pretty scared.”
As Mallory anxiously waited
to hear her father’s voice, Mel
was waiting out the storm in New
Orleans.
“You really don’t know what
wind sounds like until you hear
and watch it at 100 to 140 miles
per hour.”
For over an hour, Mel watched
debris hurtle down the street,
“perfectly healthy trees bending
at 60 degree angles” and felt the
overwhelming power of Katrina.
As his apartment swayed with the
horrific wind, the creaks and noises
coming from his room reminded
him of “being in a haunted house.”
“[Those are] sounds I will never
forget.”
Just a half-mile east of his
apartment building, a levee broke,
flooding the lakeview area.
“[It was] the scariest hurricane
I’ve ever been in my life. There
was an hour when it really was
hitting hard and I didn’t think the
building was going to stand.”
With the winds of Katrina ripping
violently through New Orleans,
destroying everything it touched,
Mallory, safely in Ontario, could
do nothing but worry.
“My sister phoned daily with
updates about the rest of my
family.” Aunts, uncles, cousins
and grandparents had all fled to
safety long before Katrina’s wrath
exploded from the Gulf of Mexico,
but her dad refused to leave.
“He stayed because of his stupid
cats,” grumbles Mallory.
As the strength of the hurricane
wound down, the devastation grew.
Although Mel’s apartment was
spared from damage, most others
were nearly destroyed.
“I was very, very lucky. I was
one of two of 80 apartments that
had no damage.” After surveying
the complex, he finally took a step
outside.
“What I saw was unbelievable.”
As he walked along the canal
pathway, a large 10-foot high wall
blocked his view of the city.
“I get to the end and see all kinds
of people standing on the bridge,
some shouting and screaming. I
walk to the top and that’s when
I see, for as far as you could see,
12 to 15 feet of water up to the
rooftops of most houses.
“About two to three blocks away
you could barely see the tops of
streetlights. I saw people sitting on
Young Mallory Tardo and her father, Mel, outside their old New
Orleans, La., home in happier times.
Submitted photo
their roofs; I helped some people
out of the water that didn’t have
time to get to their roofs and had to
swim for their lives.”
The days following the storm
provided Mel with the insight of
living in a Third World country.
“It was very primitive living with
fresh water being a very valuable
commodity.”
Twenty-four hours a day the
sounds of hovering helicopters
filled the air. As day fell to night,
Mel listened to the sounds of
gunshots and “little firefights
between looters and police and
people defending their property.”
Although
escaping
the
underwater city seemed far from
possible, Mel had an angel in the
form of an ex-girlfriend.
“Thank God for Emily,” Mallory
exclaims.
The Saturday following the
storm, Mel’s ex-girlfriend sent her
uncle, a cop, to Mel’s complex.
“Somehow Emily convinced
her uncle to drive to New Orleans,
– directly to his doorstep – bang
on his door and told him, ‘You’re
coming with us.’” Mallory says her
dad had no idea who the man was,
but he knew it was the only way he
could get safely out of town.
“He’s really lucky he did. If not,
he might be dead now.”
Taking refuge in Baton Rouge,
La., Mel dialed his daughter’s
phone number.
“I remember thinking, ‘He’s a
big idiot, but he’s OK.’” Mallory
laughs and shakes her head at her
father’s witless decision-making.
“I’ll never let him forget how
stupid staying was.”
Although Mel had never left his
home during a hurricane, he admits
he was naive about the seriousness
of Katrina, at least in the beginning.
“I slowly began to realize how
serious this thing really was, but by
that time it was too late to leave.”
Two weeks later, with the storm
far from being just a memory, Mel
returned to his apartment.
“It will never be the same city. Too
much was lost and destroyed.”
“My grandparents’ house was
completely destroyed,” Mallory
explains. “Nothing remained.
Absolutely nothing.”
Mallory
remembers
New
Orleans as a lively place, with
constant entertainment, but “now
it’s a ghost town.”
Tragically, the death toll from
Katrina builds daily. With thousands
still missing or displaced, and
millions of dollars in damage, life
is slowly being breathed back into
the city’s streets.
“A lot of people are gone and
are never coming back,” Mel says
regretfully. “Whole communities are
gone and may never come back.”
After Mallory’s parents divorced
when she was six, she moved to
Canada with her mother and always
dreamed of one day returning to
New Orleans. “I did want to live
there, but not anymore. I don’t want
to see it. My dad says he doesn’t
want me to see it like this either.”
Looking back on that fatal day in
August, Mel sums up his experience
with only a few sentences. “It was
scary as shit.”
“If I never hear or see
another helicopter, it would not
disappoint me.”
OLITICS
NEWSP@
NIAGARA
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 19
Niagara region citizens address electoral issues
By RYAN MCLEAN
Staff Writer
Six Niagara Region citizens presented their cases to three
members of the Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform Jan.
22 on whether Ontario should change its electoral system.
Various issues were addressed during the three-hour meeting,
including the myths behind proportional representation, ethical
questions and strengthening the role of the MPP.
People should give serious thought to adapting a mixed
member proportional system (MMP) or some kind of
variance, stressed Justin O’Donnell of Fonthill, to an
audience of about 30 at the MacBain Community Centre.
O’Donnell, a longtime supporter of the Progressive
Conservative Party of Ontario (PC), addressed what he calls
“a myth” people have that an “MMP will result in a fractious
legislature and no party would be able to gain a majority.”
“Critics usually refer to Italy and Israel, where there is high
government turnover. However, when you look specifically at
Germany, most German provinces who use MMP frequently
have majorities.”
The Citizens Assembly has been touring Ontario’s electoral
ridings since November 2006. It has been educating citizens
and collecting feedback to determine if the electoral system
needs to be changed.
It’s not the principle of democracy that is the problem.
“It’s our antiquated first-past-the-post system,” said Mel
Grunstein of Niagara Falls, who ran as a federal candidate
for the Reform Party of Canada in 1993.
Smaller parties could provide some freedom to Parliament
because they could tackle more controversial issues, said
Grunstein, adding, “They know they won’t form the next
government, so they can be beholden in their ideas.”
“However, these parties will never exist until proportional
representation can be implemented.”
On the other hand, not every speaker felt a major overhaul was
required. Many wanted to strengthen the current system.
“The current single plurality system provides stable
governments, certainty and finality of our election results,” said
John Cruickshank. The Grimsby alderman for Ward 4 added,
“Any other system is more complicated to administer. It would
drag the election results out for weeks and would lose the nature
of our legislature, and I’m not sure Ontarians want that.”
Although Cruickshank believes the current system is
working, he explained how it does need to be strengthened.
One way to do so would be to strengthen the role of the
MPP and the legislature.
Barry Koen-Butt, communications officer for the
Secretariat, opens the Ontario Citizens Assembly on
Electoral Reform meeting at the MacBain Community
Centre in Niagara Falls on Jan. 22.
Photo by Ryan McLean
“The legislature should be retuned to its original role of
holding the executive to account.”
Another possible change, Cruickshank said, would be to allow
Elections Ontario to take charge of running nomination elections.
“Take the nomination process out of the hands of the
party bosses.”
On the other hand, a combination of the two systems
could provide the best of both worlds, explained
Grunstein. A mixture of the current single plurality
system Ontario uses now and a form of proportional
representation could work.
“The single plurality system gives local representation, but
combine it with the versatility of the proportional representation
system. I’m convinced that a mixed system is the way to go.”
Some speakers explained how they feel the reasoning
behind the recent interest is not that the system is broken, but
people who are uneducated on the subject have the notion
this will hold politicians accountable.
“It doesn’t matter what system is chosen. This won’t
eliminate the persona of unethical politicians,” stressed
Bernie Villamil, who works in the Niagara Parks Commission
payroll department.
“Politics has been the same for over 1,000 years. If what we
have is functioning, then let’s keep it the same.”
Reinforcing this stance came from the surprise speaker
of the night. Grade 9 A.N. Myer Secondary School student
Steven Badger said, “If millions of dollars are spent to
change our electoral system, will it create a more accountable
and honest government? No.” The president of the local PC
youth group went on to add, “It’s a simple system that works.
This says this is the government I want and the direction I
want our politics to move in, which is a clear choice.”
The Assembly’s Niagara Falls representative, Salvacion
Villamil, was pleased people came out and participated.
“I’m so happy everyone came out. It’s very nice.”
The remaining Assembly members included St. Catharines
representative Ron Green and Niagara Centre’s Stephanie Jones.
The provincial government randomly selected 104 members
representing each of Ontario’s electoral ridings.
The Assembly will work in three phases, starting with the
learning phase. It spent fall of 2006 learning about Ontario’s
electoral system and other systems.
The second is the consultation phase. From October to Jan.
15, it accepted written comments from Ontario citizens and held
meetings from November 2006 to Jan. 25.
The final phase will see the members of the Assembly discuss over
a period of six weeks what they have learned and then decide what to
recommend to the government by May 15.
New $300 million energy plan revealed by federal government
By MIRA NASSER
Staff Writer
The
federal
Conservative
government unveiled a plan to
invest $300 million over four years
to promote smarter energy use by
Canadian homeowners, businesses
and industry.
The ecoENERGY Efficiency
Initiative was announced on Jan.
21 by Natural Resources Minister
Gary Lunn in Toronto. It features
three programs aimed at using
energy more wisely and reducing
the amount of harmful emissions
threatening Canadians’ health.
“It’s time to recognize that
the largest untapped source of
energy is the energy we waste,”
said Lunn. “This ecoENERGY
package includes direct financial
support to help Canadians, small
business and industry make wise
choices that save energy and
money, while helping to clean up
our environment.”
The three programs of the
ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative
are specifically designed to
provide incentives for retrofitting
existing houses, small-building and
industry stock, to raise the bar for
new construction and to continue
collaboration with industry on
efficiency improvements, said Lunn.
“There are more than 13 million
homes and 380,000 buildings in the
country. They use 30 per cent of
our energy and are responsible for
almost 30 per cent of greenhouse
gas emissions,” said Lunn.
“Canada’s industries account for
38 per cent of energy demand and
are responsible for 34 per cent of
greenhouse gases.”
The initiative is the third of
the ecoENERGY Initiatives to
help Canadians use energy more
efficiently. The other initiatives
are the $230 million ecoENERGY
Technology Initiative that funds
the research, development and
demonstration of clean energy
technologies and the $1.5 billion
ecoENERGY Renewable Initiative
investing in projects that generate
electricity by wind, solar and other
forms of renewable energy.
In an interview with the CBC,
Environment Minister John Baird
said the government is investing in
ways of “protecting the atmosphere
from waste gases, producing fuel
technology to provide emergency
back-up power instead of using
conventional diesel generators,
developing clean coal technology
to enable industry to reduce toxic
emissions and studying ways in
which to build solar heated homes
and communities.”
The initiatives introduced by the
federal government may focus on
a cleaner environment but they do
have their critics.
However, Lunn remains optimistic
about the initiatives.“Canada is an
emerging energy superpower, but
energy production and use are the
source of most of our air pollution
and greenhouse gas emissions,”
he said.“Our challenge is to be
a clean energy superpower and
our ecoENERGY Initiatives are
designed to meet this challenge.”
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Page 20, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
COLTS
BEARS
W 13 L 3
Pass defence
Run defence
TOTAL DEFENCE
Pass offence
Run offence
TOTAL OFFENCE
•
•
•
•
•
•
W 12 L 4
11th
6th
5th
14th
15th
15th
NFC North Division Champions No. 1 seed
Defeated Seattle and New Orleans in 2007 playoffs
Bears DE Tank Williams will play in the contest.
He faces charges after a Dec. 14 police raid found three rifles,
three handguns and ammunition in his home outside Chicago.
Rookie cornerback/kick returner Devin Hester returned three
punt/kickoffs for touchdowns in 2007.
Last Super Bowl appearance was in 1986 where they defeated
the Patriots.
2nd
30th
21st
2nd
18th
3rd
Sunday, Feb. 4
6:25 p.m.
Miami, Florida
Pro Player
Stadium
Who do you think will
win the Super Bowl?
Indianapolis 48.7 %
Chicago
51.3 %
A total of 150 Niagara College students/faculty
were involved in this survey.
•
•
•
•
•
Pass defence
Run defence
TOTAL DEFENCE
Pass offence
Run offence
TOTAL OFFENCE
AFC South Divisonal Champions No. 3 seed
Defeated Kansas City, Baltimore and New England in playoffs
Indianapolis is looking to become the first dome team to win a
Super Bowl
Colts President Bill Polian will be entering his fourth Super Bowl
in search of a ring. He was the general manager of the Buffalo Bills
when they lost three Super Bowls in a row.
Colts QB Peyton Manning has started all 156 career games
including the playoffs. Second all-time in NFL history for a quarterback
to Brett Favre.
Don’t underestimate Chicago 5 reasons Colts will be
By TOM RISHAUR
Columnist
The Super Bowl is about
destiny. It’s about fate.
It’s about which National
Football League (NFL)
players are destined to
stand victorious on the grandest of stages. It’s
about which players will have to suffer the fate
of coming oh-so-close, but not quite achieving
their ultimate goal.
Last year, Jerome Bettis of the Pittsburgh
Steelers seemed destined to win. During
an American Football Conference (AFC)
divisional playoff game with the Indianapolis
Colts, Bettis fumbled on the goal line in the
dying minutes. Nick Harper of the Colts
seemed poised to run the ball back for the
winning touchdown, but Steelers quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger made a miraculous tackle.
The Steelers won the game and went on to
capture the Super Bowl. Bettis realized his
destiny and retired a champion.
This year, it’s all about the man whose team
lost that AFC divisional playoff game to the
Steelers. This year, it’s all about the fate of
quarterback Peyton Manning.
Can Manning overcome the criticism that he
is not a playoff performer? Can he build upon
his performance in the AFC title game, where
he finally defeated his archrival Tom Brady
and the New England Patriots? Is it Manning’s
destiny to win Super Bowl XLI?
No.
There will be no storybook ending for
Manning as there was for Bettis. There will be
no top of the mountain after years of toil and
heartbreak, at least not this year.
Here’s why.
The Chicago Bears and quarterback Rex
Grossman.
That’s right. Rex Grossman.
Manning has a chip on his shoulder about
not being able to win the big one, granted, but
Grossman has a chip too, and it’s a far bigger
one. No one thinks this guy is any good at
all, and his statistics do nothing against that
argument. Stats aside, Grossman has made big
plays down the stretch when the Bears needed
him to. Watch for him to have a bigger impact
on this game than anyone expects.
It’s not just Grossman who is being counted
out. This whole Bears team has been overlooked
for the last few weeks, dismissed among the
heated Colts/Patriots rivalry and the flash of
Reggie Bush.
With the opening spread on the Super Bowl
favouring the Colts by seven points, the Bears
are perhaps the most underrated 15-3 team in
NFL history. However, underestimating them
would be a big mistake.
The Bears’ defence seems to have woken up
after slumping the second half of the season,
forcing four turnovers against the New Orleans
Saints in a 39-14 National Football Conference
championship win. Then there are their special
teams. Rookie Devin Hester is a threat to run
any kick right back into the kicking team’s end
zone.
If the Bears’ defence comes out firing, as
it can, not even “the great Peyton Manning”
can stop them from taking the ball away. A
few Colts turnovers, paired with a big play
from Hester, and all the pressure will be off
Grossman and the offence. Grossman will
make the plays when he needs to. He’s been
doing it all year. That’s why the Bears have
gotten this far.
When it’s all said and done, Manning will
still be respected. Nothing can take away the
fact that he is one of the most prolific passers
in history. Grossman will finally have respect
too, though.
He’ll also have a ring.
victorious in Miami
By MICHAEL SPECK
Columnist
On the evening of Feb. 4,
men of all demographics will be
absent from the streets.
They will sit in living rooms
and sports bars, huddled around
pitchers of cold beer and bowls
of spicy nachos, watching their
favourite players earn the glory of the
gridiron.
Super Bowl XLI will feature Peyton
Manning and the high-powered
Indianapolis Colts against Rex Grossman
and the Cinderella-story Chicago Bears.
With only one champion, everyone and
their brother will try to be the one to pick
the winner.
I still haven’t done a Top 5 list
this year. I was going to do my Top 5
favourite desserts, but I became full after
apple pie.
So, without further Addai, I mean,
adieu, here are the Top 5 reasons the
Indianapolis Colts will win Super Bowl
XLI.
1. Peyton Manning
This isn’t so much a reason as a
player, but it is still the most critical
component of the game. Manning is on
track to break every quarterback record
in football, but has been denied time and
again his chance to win a championship.
This year was different, as he defeated
his archrival New England Patriots in a
dramatic 38-34 comeback at home. No
other player has the composure, skill,
and work ethic of Manning, and in his
and all his teammate’s minds, a Colts’ is
destiny.
2. Rex Grossman
Again, this is not a reason,
but Grossman may be the most
ineffective quarterback to play in
a Super Bowl since Brad Johnson
of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He had several games this year
with a quarterback rating of
less than 50.0, including one
of zero in a dreadful loss to the Green
Bay Packers in week 17. Grossman has
shown to be ineffective under pressure,
scrambling and throwing errant passes.
Expect defensive end Dwight Freeney to
be a major problem for Grossman.
3. Injured Bears Defence
The Bears’ defence, which was the
backbone of this team, hasn’t been the
same since the loss of defensive tackle
Tommie Harris and safety Mike Brown.
Without the ability to create an effective
pass rush and have solid coverage up the
middle, Manning might have a big day.
4. Home Field Advantage
Probably not as big a factor as in other
games, expect more people to make the
trip from Indianapolis to South Florida
than Chicago. Also, Colts fans have been
waiting for this day since they drafted
Manning 10 years ago. Don’t expect
them to sit silently.
5. Special teams advantage
Although Chicago does have the
big play threat in kick-returner Devin
Hester, the Colts have the clutch kicker
Adam Viniterai, who was as big a part
of the Patriot’s dynasty as anyone. If the
game comes down to a last-second field
goal, Viniterai has proven he can come
through in the clutch.
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 21
Key ingredient to successful Super Bowl party: booze
By STEPHEN BOSCARIOL
Staff Writer
Sunday marks the 50th year of one of North America’s
largest televised sporting events.
The National Football League’s Super Bowl is a great
chance for friends to gather in large groups, drink beer
and stuff their faces with delicious food, all the while
never taking their eyes off the television. How does one
throw a great Super Bowl party?
“You need lots of booze [and] friends because you don’t
want to party with people you don’t really know,” says 20year-old Law and Security Administration student Kevin
Ramsbottom. “You need to have the opposite sex there.
That’s always nice. A lot of different foods are pretty
awesome. Decorations can get a little overboard, but little
things are cool. A big television’s pretty sweet too.”
Beer is most viewers’ choice for the drink of the night.
It has become associated with the game of football
and should be included as the preferred beverage, age
permitting.
“I like to get drunk and watch sports. That’s what
makes me happy,” says 20-year-old broadcasting student
Jory Lyons. Designated drivers [DD] should be sought
beforehand to ensure safe rides home. It’s a party, but that
fact doesn’t mean it has to be totally out of control. If no
DDs are available, then cabs run all night.
“I get a ton of calls on Super Bowl night. Most people
have had some kind of drink, so it’s always good to see
them using cab services,” says Justin Martin, a Speedy
Cab employee for the past seven years.
Having the right group of people to party with is a good
idea. Grouping people who don’t get along is just asking
for trouble.
“You definitely need people who know sports, football
really,” says Ramsbottom. “You don’t want people there
asking, ‘What’s football?’ or ‘Who’s playing?’ That’s just
brutal, especially around a bunch of guys who know the
game and have been drinking.”
Knowledge of football is an asset. For people
uninterested in the game but interested in the party, having
other activities will make for a good party.
“Beer pong is probably a good idea. It’ll give people
more to do,” says Lyons.
“I would think having a foosball table or table hockey
or something like that would be so much fun because then
you have something else interesting to watch and you
can have a really good time playing it,” says 20-year-old
Michelle Mackie.
Another ingredient to add some good times to a great
Super Bowl party is a wide variety of food.
“There needs to be a wide variety, from simple snack
foods, such as beer nuts and chips, to more involved foods,
including pizza and chili,” says 22-year-old University
of Guelph Environmental Studies student Erik Glemser.
“Keeping in mind there will be beer, so you need food that
works with beer, like wings or something salty like nuts.
It’s the Super Bowl, so you just want to stuff your face.”
“A mean gumbo is always killer. Of course, some
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce is key,” says 20-year-old Police
Foundations student Pat Kennedy. Kennedy’s recipe for
his “Whodi’s jumbo gumbo” follows.
Marinate two boneless/skinless chicken breasts, four hot
Italian sausages and two pounds of Atlantic tiger shrimp,
all mixed in Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.
Two garlic cloves, two sliced jalapeno peppers, three
tablespoons of crushed red peppers, three tablespoons of
cayenne pepper, two tablespoons of chili powder, one full
green pepper, one full red pepper (both sliced to desired
size), a half can of black beans and a half can of corn.
Put all ingredients in a pot with a half-cup of water and
a full can of tomato sauce, a quarter can of Alfredo sauce
and a half bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. The gumbo is
served on your choice of Cajun-seasoned rice or noodles.
Viewing the big game on a large television screen will
make for an enjoyable experience for all football fans.
“Big televisions or projection screens obviously make
the game more exciting to watch. What’s even better
is if you can get surround sound,” says 20-year-old
broadcasting student Kristen Jacobson.
“Super Bowl is a great time all around. I can’t wait for
the beer,” says Ramsbottom.
By ADAM GAMBLE
Staff Writer
The biggest day in sports is Sunday. On Feb. 4, millions
of people in homes nationwide will set aside their night
to throw parties, eat lots of food and drink lots of beer.
Advertisers will pay millions of dollars to air their 30second commercials, Prince will party as if it’s 1999 (or
2007, get with the times) and viewers will be glued to
their TV sets to witness the spectacular event known as
the Super Bowl.
Let’s not forget the game itself, though.
The American Football Conference (AFC) champion
Indianapolis Colts will do battle with the mighty National
Football Conference (NFC) champions, the Chicago
Bears, in what should be a hard-hitting encounter.
On Jan. 22, the Colts broke free from their threeyear playoff curse by defeating the rival New England
Patriots 38-34.
Peyton Manning, who has broken every quarterbacking
record imaginable, can now add a Super Bowl appearance
to his long list of accomplishments.
Manning threw for 349 yards and one touchdown and
had an amazing comeback after his team was down 21-6
at halftime.
A three-yard run by running back Joseph Addai with one
minute left gave Indianapolis its first lead in the game.
Three missed catches by the Patriots’ wide receiver
Reche Caldwell, as well as several penalties on the team’s
behalf, contributed to the Colts’ triumphant comeback in
the second half of the game.
Late in the fourth quarter, New England’s quarterback
Tom Brady threw an interception to the Colts’ defensive
back Marlin Jackson as the crowd in Indianapolis roared
approval. Their hometown heroes were, for the first time,
headed to the big dance.
With a nail-biter of a game behind them, they now have
to prepare for their next challenge.
Mere hours before the Colts’ impressive win, the Chicago
Bears steamrolled to victory over the New Orleans Saints
for the right to be called NFC champion.
The Bears have not seen a Super Bowl since 1985, but
after their 39-14 win over New Orleans, they proved they
are back and better than ever.
Big defensive plays and a strong running game catapulted
the Bears to the big game, and quarterback Rex Grossman,
who had been a target of criticism the whole season, was
right on the money with four completions.
The Bears looked to be in some trouble in the third quarter,
after the Saints’ rookie running back sensation Reggie Bush
received an 88-yard touchdown catch.
The Bears later went for 85 yards in five plays, and the
defence regained momentum.
The Saints seemed out of their element in the cold, snowy
Chicago weather, and the Bears capitalized.
With everything set in motion for Super Bowl XLI, what
can we, the fans, expect?
Bill Fizor, 29, of Niagara Falls, Ont., says, “I believe the
Colts have the advantage going into the game. They have
more playoff experience and veteran leadership, but the
Bears could come up with a surprising victory because they
were not supposed to be here and have nothing to lose.”
He says, “Personally I am not looking forward to the
game that much. The Super Bowl games are usually blown
way out of proportion with media hype and turn out to be
a disappointment the majority of the time. Most people
are more interested with the halftime show and the unique
commercials rather than the game itself.”
Fizor predicts the final score will be “28-17 Colts, but I
would prefer the Bears to win because they are more of a
working-man’s team and an underdog.”
John Gamble, 56, of Niagara Falls, Ont., says, “I am
looking forward to the Super Bowl, but I feel it has become
more of just a big party because nowadays many Super
Bowls prove not to be very good football games.”
Gamble picks the Colts to win because “they have a far
superior offence, and their passing game will wear down the
Bears’ defence. I don’t think the Bears will be able to throw
against the Colts, and I don’t think they will get anywhere
with their run.”
The Super Bowl will kick off at 6:25 p.m. on the CBS
network and on Global Television.
By JIM WHYTE
Staff Writer
Super Bowl XLI will be marked as an historic event
for the National Football League (NFL) even before the
opening kickoff on Sunday.
Long-time friends Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy will
go into the record books as the first two head coaches of
African-American heritage in Super Bowl history.
Smith, head coach of the Chicago Bears, and Dungy,
of the Indianapolis Colts, worked together as part of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ coaching staff a few years ago.
The contest itself will be a head-to-head clash between
two of the best offensive and defensive teams respectively.
The National Football Conference (NFC) champion
Chicago Bears will be led by the NFL’s fifth-best overall
defence, which hails six Pro-Bowlers on the roster,
including star linebacker Brian Urlacher.
The Bears, who defeated the New Orleans Saints 39-14 in
the NFC Divisional final, also have a special teams unit that
has been very successful all season. It has two Pro-Bowlers
representing the club from the special teams roster.
Representing the American Football Conference (AFC)
will be Indianapolis and its five offensive Pro-Bowlers.
The Colts will be led by arguably the best quarterback
in the league, Peyton Manning, and their high-powered
offence, which ranked third overall in the NFL. Manning
captained the Colts to a dramatic come-from-behind
38-34 victory in the AFC Divisional final game versus
the Patriots, to silence sceptics saying he could not win
a big game.
“Although Manning has never been here before, I think
that he may have a monkey off his back now that he
has finally gotten to the Super Bowl,” said Pete Martin,
AM 640 colour analyst for the Toronto Argonauts of the
Canadian Football League (CFL).
Martin says that it should be an interesting game
although he is leaning towards a Colts victory.
“They say defence wins championships, but I don’t
know if Chicago’s will be good enough in this particular
situation,” says Martin, who played eight years of
professional football in the CFL. “The jury is really out on
their offence and Rex Grossman (Chicago quarterback). It
seems Grossman is too inconsistent.”
Martin says the key to Chicago’s game will be running
the ball, as the Colts rushing defence ranked last in the
NFL during the regular season.
“Chicago will have to run the football efficiently in order
for them to have a chance.”
Fans of both clubs will be starving for a victory when the
game takes place Feb. 4 in Miami at Pro Player Stadium,
home to the Miami Dolphins.
This will be the first Super Bowl appearance for the Colts
playing in Indianapolis. Their last appearance in the big
game was when the franchise was based in Baltimore, where
they won Super Bowl V by defeating Dallas in 1971.
Chicago hasn’t played in a Super Bowl since 1986,
when they faced the New England Patriots and won
Super Bowl XX.
“I think what gets me excited about this game is that it’s
going to be a game of big plays,” says CBS broadcaster
Phil Simms in an NFL.com article. “There are so many
explosive players on both sides that it can go in many, many
directions.”
For more information on the game including statistics,
injuries and the latest news, go to superbowl.com, a division
of NFL.com.
National Football League’s big game overshadowed by media
Super Bowl marks historic event for National Football League
Page 22, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
SPORTS
NEWS@
NIAGARA
Notre Dame continues winning streak
By JASON PETZNICK
Staff Writer
The odds were in their favour.
In the 52 years that The Tribune
high school basketball tournament
has been running, the Notre
Dame Fighting Irish of Welland
have made 45 championship
game appearances. In those 45
appearances, they have won the
tournament championship 33
times. That means in any given
year the Irish have a 63 per
cent chance of taking home the
championship, and an 87 per cent
chance of at least making it to
the championship game. It was
no surprise, then, to see the Irish
facing off against the Denis Morris
Redmen of St. Catharines in this
year’s championship game.
On their way to the final, Notre
Dame defeated Laura Secord of St.
Catharines, Eden of St. Catharines
and A.N. Myer of Niagara Falls,
while the Redmen made their way
through Port Colborne, Thorold
and Westlane of Niagara Falls.
The Irish set the tempo of the
game from the tipoff. Notre Dame
used quick passes to open up gaps
in the Redmen’s defence, then
moved the ball inside to their
forwards. Notre Dame’s Dustin
Degazio, a six-foot, six-inch
forward, dominated underneath the
net for the Irish, and helped them
finish the first quarter ahead 15-7.
The Redmen came alive in the
second quarter, scoring seven
points before the Irish could
register a point. With the Redmen
leading 18-17, Notre Dame got
back to their game plan and opened
up men under the basket by setting
picks on the baseline, finishing the
half up 26-20.
The second half developed
much like the first. Notre Dame
controlled the court offensively
and defensively. The closest the
Redmen would get was when Grade
12 guard Nick Flynn was fouled as
he took a three-point shot. Flynn
went on to hit all three of his free
throws to bring the Redmen within
six points.
The Redmen could not muster
enough in the end as they lost by
a final score of 50-43. This was the
third consecutive year Notre Dame
had defeated Denis Morris in the
tournament final.
Degazio has been with the Irish
for all three championships over
the Redmen.
“It’s a pretty special feeling,”
said Degazio.
Degazio also led the Irish on the
scoreboard with 14 points and was
named the most valuable player of
the tournament.
He said the Irish played hard
throughout the weekend, no matter
what situation the team was
faced with.
Degazio will be back in an Irish
jersey next season, but said when
he finishes high school he just
wants to keep playing basketball.
Notre Dame Head Coach Mike
Rao said his team responded well
to the massive expectations placed
upon them.
“It’s quite an accomplishment,”
said Rao, when asked about
winning the tournament three years
straight.
Rao said the Notre Dame defence
was the key to their victory over
the Redmen.
“We controlled the tempo and
the shot selection,” said Rao.
Following Degazio on the
scoreboard for Notre Dame were
Cedric Kasongo, who scored nine
points, and Tyler Warren, who
chipped in six.
Connor Smith scored 15 and
Didi Mukendi added 14, to lead
the Redmen.
Mukendi also received the player
of the game award for the Redmen,
and guard Tyler Warren was Notre
Dame’s player of the game.
Niagara women win 3 games
in volleyball action this week
By CHRISTINE KENNEDY
Staff Writer
The Niagara Knights women’s
varsity volleyball team’s most
valuable player is unmistakable.
“We’ve got to work on both
our defence and offence,” says
Heidi Bench, third-year power,
of St. Catharines, Ont. “Our
inconsistency right now is because
we’ve been having one or two
players at a time having a great
game, while the rest play so-so.
We need to come out with all six
of us on the court at the peak level
of play for the remaining games in
the season.”
The women finished off the
weekend winning all three games
against North Bay’s Canadore
College, continuing to be led by
Bench with 13 points.
“We showed energy against
Canadore College that we didn’t
show the night before against
Nipissing University and swept
Canadore three straight, the first
set being a stomping of 25 to
eight. If we could have showed
that kind of heart the night before,
the tables would have been turned
and it would have been us taking
Nipissing three straight and not
the other way around,” says
Kayla Reiner, first-year setter, of
Kitchener, Ont.
The Knights put up a solid front
against Nipissing University on
Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. in the Mackenzie
Building here, but lost a shutout by
about four points per game. Bench
led with 13 points.
“I’d say that we have been doing
OK,” says Kim Roach, third-year
setter, of Stratford, Ont. “We have
been faced with a few problems
so far because we have been up
against some of the top teams in
Ontario, as opposed to before the
break when we didn’t have too
much competition. So it’s opened
our eyes a lot and showed us that
we have a lot more to work on than
we thought. We aren’t quite where
we need to be to compete with the
top teams.”
The third game into January the
women faced Mohawk College in
Hamilton, but lost in the match’s
deciding game 15-13.
Leading scorer for the Jan. 23
game was Bench with 23 points.
“We’ve
been
somewhat
inconsistent since the break.
We’ve only got four more games
left though, so we’re going to do
our best and hopefully get the bye
into Ontario Championships,” says
Bench.
On Jan. 17 the Niagara Knights
travelled to Lambton College in
Sarnia, Ont., to continue the streak,
winning all three games in the
match, again led Bench with 15
points.
The women started off the new
year strongly with a home game
shutout against St. Clair College,
of Windsor, at 1 p.m. on Jan. 13.
Leading scorer for the Knights was
Tracey Knowles with 18 points.
“After the break we have been off
to a slow start having our record go
from eight-to-one to nine-to-three.
We have lost two important games
against Mohawk and Nipissing,
two teams which we easily could
have beaten because they did
nothing special against us,” says
Reiner.
Come cheer on the varsity
women’s volleyball team at the
next home game on Feb. 14 at 6
p.m. in the Mackenzie Building at
the Welland campus.
Notre Dame’s Cedric Kasongo (No. 21) drives to the basket during
the second half of the championship game against the Denis Morris
Redmen.
Photo by Jason Petznick
Knights men’s V-ball
team making progress
By CHRISTINE
KENNEDY
Staff Writer
The Niagara Knights men’s
varsity volleyball team is
making progress.
The men buckled down by
playing and winning matches
two consecutive nights on Jan.
26 and Jan. 27.
On Saturday, the Knights
played Canadore College, of
North Bay, stealing three of
four games, and on Friday
played Nipissing University at
7 p.m. with the same record.
Leading scorers for the
matches were Cody Evers with
19 points and Kyle Atkins with
13 points. Asked what he thinks
of January’s results so far, Rick
Regier, a second-year power,
of Zurich, Ont., says. “Well,
we haven’t been playing that
well and we need to get back
on track by practicing hard
and more concentration on the
court.”
On Jan. 23 Niagara hosted
Hamilton’s Mohawk College at
8 p.m., but was shot down in a
shutout. Leading scorer of the
game for the Knights was Nick
Marcuz with six point.
The Knights’ first regular
season game after returning
from holidays was on Jan. 13
at 3 p.m. hosted by Niagara. It
resulted in a match loss of three
to two to St. Clair College, of
Windsor.
“Well, we got off to a pretty
slow start in our first games
after the break, one against
Mercyhurst [College] when we
went to Pennsylvania on the
ninth, and our first season game
back we lost a match against
St. Clair, who we should have
beaten,” says Troy Winch, a
second-year middle, of Sutton
West, Ont.
“We then played Mohawk
where we weren’t quite
prepared to play them as they
beat us quite badly, but our last
two matches we won against
Canadore and Nipissing this
past weekend, and we have
a game tomorrow night [Jan.
30] at Humber [in Etobicoke],
which will be big for us if we
come out of there with a win.”
Catch the men’s next home
game against Redeemer College
on Valentine’s Day at 8 p.m. in
the Mackenzie Building on the
Welland campus.
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 23
Team Canada coach has winning memories
By SARAH JOHNSON
Staff Writer
As the Canadian World Junior
hockey team returned from
Leksand, Sweden, with gold
medals, success was in the air for
players and coaches.
Jamie Pringle was one of the
coaches experiencing Canada’s
winning of its third consecutive
gold medal.
Pringle, 31, is manager of
National Team Video for Hockey
Canada. He is the video coach for
all of Canada’s national hockey
teams and had the opportunity to
join head coach Craig Hartsburg,
assistant coach Curtis Hunt,
assistant coach Clem Jodoin and
goalie coach Corey Hirsch in
Sweden.
He has been with Hockey Canada
since mid-September and lives in
Calgary, Alta.
Pringle, originally from Picton,
Ont., played for the Prince Edward
County Minor Hockey League until
he was 16. He said his inspiration
to become a coach came from
knowing he wasn’t going to be
playing in the junior or major
leagues.
“I figured if I couldn’t be a player,
I would be a coach. I wanted to stay
involved in the game and learn as
much as I could.”
After finishing college at
Canadore College in North Bay
for
television
broadcasting,
Pringle became a video coach for
the Belleville Bulls for five years
and for the past two, the Kingston
Frontenacs. Both teams are
members of the Ontario Hockey
League (OHL).
During the tournament in
Sweden, Pringle had many
responsibilities.
“I would do all the video analysis
and collect video on the other teams
that Canada would be playing, and
I would review it, to
prepare the players
for the games against
those teams.
“We also got
the players ready
and familiar with
Olympic-sized ice.
Unlike the OHL and
National
Hockey
League
(NHL)
players, these guys
didn’t know who
they were playing,”
he said.
The first game
for Team Canada in
Sweden was against
the
host
team,
Sweden, on Dec. Team Canada celebrates its victory over Russia in the gold medal game on Jan. 5
Submitted photo from hockeycanada.com
26. The Canadians
won 2-0. The second
Team Canada scored the winning
“A lot of people don’t realize the parents who were there.
game was against the U.S. on Dec. goal. Toews, 18, also scored two how much work goes into this.
Pringle said there were Internet
27, and Team Canada won 6-3. The other goals in the shootout.
Every day was scheduled for them. stations set up in the players’
third game was on Dec. 29 when
Pringle said in a phone interview, At the end of the day, it was very lounge, which allowed the players
Canada played Germany and won “[The shootout] was the highest gratifying to see them get rewarded to chat with family and friends
3-1. In the last game of the first pressure experience I have ever for the amount of hard work they online.
round, Canada played Slovakia experienced in hockey.
put in.”
“There was a lot of Canadian
and won 3-0 in a shutout.
“I have never been through such
With eight of the players playing feel in our hotel, and that helped to
The playoffs brought excitement an emotional roller coaster before. within the OHL and five playing eliminate homesickness as well.”
for Canadians as many tuned in to I was on the edge of my chair the in the Western Hockey League
For the 2008 World Junior
the semi-final game on Jan. 3, when whole time.”
(WHL), many of these players Championship,
Pringle
said,
Canada faced the U.S. once again.
The players’ reaction was regularly play against each other he hopes to travel to the Czech
This time it wasn’t so easy.
similar.
rather than with each other, but that Republic and continue to work
The Canadians were trailing 1“The best way to describe it is situation didn’t seem to cause any with Hockey Canada and the
0 when the U.S. captain Taylor when we got back to the room, it rivalry.
International Ice Hockey Federation
Chorney scored a power-play was absolute hysteria.”
“Surprisingly there wasn’t any. as a video coach.
goal at 5:04 of the second period.
Russia’s winning the second I kind of thought there might have
After the World Junior Men’s
Moncton Wildcats defenceman Luc semi-final game 4-2 against been. I think their main focus was Championship, Pringle said he
Bourdon, 19, scored a power-play Sweden meant that Canada would making the team, so there were no has been working with the World
goal at 12:19 in the third period to be facing the Russians in the gold past grudges,” Pringle said.
Junior Women’s team at a camp
tie the game for Canada and make medal game for the third time, and
Nine of the 22 players on the and exhibition games.
the score going into overtime 1-1.
most of all, trying to win the gold team were gold medalists in 2006
The championship for the
The Canadians killed off a high on European soil for the first time and veterans of the World Junior women will take place from April
sticking penalty in overtime with in decades. Canada won the gold Championship.
27 to May 13 in Moscow, Russia.
help from goaltender Carey Price, by a score of 4-2.
Pringle said that the returning
Pringle said when it came to his
19. He saved 12 shots alone in
Andrew Cogliano, Bryan Little, players worked well with the new experience overseas he enjoyed it
overtime.
Toews and Brad Marchand scored ones and that they were always greatly.
With no goals in overtime, the the Canadian goals to bring the encouraging on and off the ice.
“I have been watching this
game went into a shootout, and after gold home.“It was unbelievable,”
To eliminate being homesick, tournament since I was a kid and
seven rounds Jonathan Toews from Pringle said.
Pringle said, 85 per cent of the being a part of it and standing on
players’ parents travelled with the the blue line singing the national
anthem and just being a part of it all,
team to Sweden.
They were able to have I felt like I was part of something
Christmas dinner as well as New special.
“The
experience
was
Year’s dinner with their families.
Those who didn’t have parents unbelievable.When you win, you
Scott Holder, 20, of Niagara great,” Dowswell says.
along were able to socialize with do become family.”
Falls, said, “It’s such a shame that
Another young resident, who
council could reject a team that so wants to remain anonymous,
many people wanted.”
says he is starting a petition and
Niagara Falls resident Ken would like those who want the
Dowswell says that he is OHL back in Niagara Falls to
disappointed, and adds, “It could add their names to the petition at
have brought the city closer niagarafallswantstheicedogs@
together.
hotmail.com.
“There’s not too much this city
Another
proposal,
another
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By SEAN MANCUSO
Staff Writer
Niagara Falls has been shut
down again.
The proposed deal to bring the
Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
back to the city of Niagara Falls
has been rejected again by city
council members.
The decision was made on Jan. 22
during the City Council meeting.
Three weeks ago, Capital Sports
Management, which owns two
OHL franchises, presented its
proposal to city council.
Niagara Falls was to build an
arena that would cost $35 million
and that would house roughly
5,000 fans, but a statement read
by Councillor Dean Iorfida, and
reported in The [Niagara Falls]
Review, said the proposal was “just
not financially feasible for the city
of Niagara Falls at this time.”
Capital Sports Management now
faces dilemmas because the OHL
rules state that one owner cannot
own more than one team. Residents
of Niagara Falls who supported the
franchise proposal and the Thunder
of previous years, can only sit and
stew over the rejection.
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Fax: 905-356-8200
Page 24, news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007
BACK ON BOARD
Third-year Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film student Jamie Dunlop lays out a heel edge carve at Niagara College’s Welland campus. The lack of snow this winter
has caused snowboarders to look for something to ride anywhere they go.
Photo by Jason Petznick
Winter sports keep students active
‘a great alternative method to a regular cardio workout’
By BRE KIBBLER
Staff Writer
With the cold weather comes the winter
weight.
Niagara College offers many ways to beat
those winter blues and help maintain your
fitness level.
Canadians were taking advantage of the warm
weather by biking and rollerblading outside in
late December. It was beginning to look as if
there would be no trekking through the snow
this year. Then came the ice. Now that the snow
has finally fallen, people are spending more
time indoors and adding on the pounds.
Cole Dow, 23, says he has gained about 10
pounds.
“This is the least amount I’ve ever rode my
bike.”
Dow, a sponsored BMXer, says he’s lucky
if he gets to ride twice a week. Dow lives in
Waterdown, Ont., and has to drive an hour
and a half to Buffalo, N.Y., if he wants to ride
indoors.
“Once it gets back to spring/summer, then I
know I’ll be riding a lot [more] and I’ll be in
better physical condition.”
Dow says he doesn’t do anything other than
riding to stay fit during winter.
“Working out is boring and monotonous.”
Dow is just one example of many who choose
the indoors rather than find activities during
winter months.
“[Intramurals] are a great alternative method
to a regular cardio workout,” says Kerby
Bentley, athletic assistant for Niagara College.
Bentley is responsible for organizing various
sports for students and staff to participate in at
the college’s Welland campus gym.
“It’s about meeting people, having fun and
being active.”
Grant Laschowski, 19, joined the intramural
hockey team because, he says, he loves hockey.
“Any ice time is better than no ice time.”
Laschowski, of St. Catharines, says he is
usually active throughout the year. This year,
he says, he hasn’t been active lately because he
doesn’t have access to a vehicle. Laschowski
credits the college for getting him involved in
sports again.
“Having the activities at the school made it
100 per cent easier to participate. If it wasn’t for
the accessibility of these sports, I wouldn’t have
been able to do them at all.”
Intramurals are free to join for students and
staff of all fitness levels, and they’re invited to
join as many teams as they’d like. Badminton
intramurals are Tuesdays, while volleyball,
soccer and dodgeball intramurals are Fridays.
To sign up, pick up a pink form on the gym
bulletin board in the Mackenzie Building and
drop it off with your contact information to
Bentley in the recreational office. A timetable of
intramural times and open gym times is posted
on the board as well.
Michael Hart, professor in the Fitness and
Health promotions program, says he has “a
fantastic opportunity for those interested in
fitness.”
Students in the Personal Training course
are offering free personal training for students
and staff in order to give them hands-on
experience.
“It culminates their knowledge and applies it
to real-life clients,” says Hart, 30, of Thorold.
The trainers use the school’s weight and
cardio rooms to their advantage, making access
to equipment financially easier for clients. No
memberships are required, and those of every
fitness level are welcome. Students adapt to
different situations and develop the program
around what’s available to the client.
“They cater to that individual,” says Hart,
adding that they provide the client with guidance
and education, as well as motivation. Clients
must sign a contract committing themselves
to the program and their trainer. Trainers are
often booked up quickly, but some spots open
up because of changes in schedules. If you’re
interested, contact information can be sent to
niagaraclients2007@hotmail.com.
Local
ski
report
Glen Eden
Milton, Ont.
Runs Open: 12 of 12
Lifts Open: 5 of 6
Snow Depth: 28 cm
Holiday Valley
Ellicottville, N.Y.
Runs Open: 40 of 52
Lifts Open: 11 of 12
Snow Depth: 102 cm
Kissing Bridge
Glenwood, N.Y.
Runs Open: 21 of 37
Lifts Open: 5 of 10
Snow Depth: 46 cm
Blue Mountain
Collingwood, Ont.
Runs Open: 32 of 35
Lifts Open: 9 of 14
Snow Depth: 110 cm
news@niagara, Feb. 2, 2007, Page 25
SPORTS
NEWS@
NIAGARA
Athletes of the week
It was a mixed week for the Niagara College
women’s and men’s basketball teams and the
women’s and men’s volleyball teams.
Nicholas Marcuz, of Port Hope, a member of
the men’s volleyball team, and Kim Roach, of
Stratford, a member of the women’s volleyball
team, are the Boston Pizza Athletes of the Week
for Jan. 29.
Marcuz, a second-year Police Foundations
program student, was praised for his “heart,
intensity” and his “never-give-up attitude.”
He led Niagara to two consecutive victories
during the past week.
Marcuz contributed seven points against
Nipissing College and another 18 points against
Canadore College.
Roach was praised for her “great court
sense.”
Her ability as a setter on the court has
allowed Heidi Bench, Tracey Knowles and
Leah Duke to become three of the top scorers
on the women’s volleyball team.
NICHOLAS MARCUZ
KIM ROACH
Upcoming
Niagara Knights
Home Games
Women’s Volleyball
Men’s Basketball
Men’s Volleyball
Team
GP
MW ML GW
Durham
Seneca
Georgian
Cambrian
Boreal
10
8
7
9
10
7
8
4
4
1
3
2
4
7
11
25
27
13
17
8
Mohawk
Nipissing
Humber
Canadore
Sheridan
7
6
6
6
7
7
5
3
1
1
0
3
5
5
7
Algonquin
Loyalist
Trent
La Cite
Fleming P
8
7
10
8
9
7
6
7
3
0
Redeemer
Niagara
Fanshawe
St. Clair
7
7
5
9
6
7
5
3
GL
+/-
Pts
11
14
13
23
34
14
9
3
-8
-20
14
16
8
8
2
21
18
14
5
6
1
12
17
15
21
20
6
-1
-10
-19
14
10
6
2
2
1
1
5
7
11
21
18
26
12
4
7
7
22
23
33
21
11
4
-11
-23
14
12
14
6
0
3
3
2
7
19
23
15
15
14
16
9
23
7
2
0
-5
12
14
10
6
Central East Division
Central West Division
East Division
West Division
Team
GP
W
L
PF
PA
+/-
Pts
Humber
Sheridan
Centennial
Seneca
George Brown
Georgian
11
10
11
9
10
9
9
7
7
4
1
2
2
3
4
5
9
7
811
826
838
637
586
498
616
711
816
607
737
707
195
115
20
30
-151
-209
18
14
14
8
2
4
St. Lawrence K
Algonquin
Cambrian
Fleming P
Durham
La Cite
Loyalist
13
11
12
14
13
12
13
11
9
8
5
6
2
3
2
2
4
9
7
10
10
1074
908
895
961
984
778
865
877
742
896
1090
1037
875
948
197
166
-1
-129
-53
-97
-83
22
18
16
10
12
4
6
Fanshawe
Niagara
Algoma
St. Clair
Mohawk
Lambton
Redeemer
Sault
9
8
10
8
10
8
9
10
9
6
5
6
4
3
2
1
0
2
5
2
6
5
7
9
748
664
750
639
838
638
616
623
529
563
745
587
843
644
701
904
219
101
5
52
-5
-6
-85
-281
18
12
10
12
8
6
4
2
Central Divison
W
L
GW
GL
+/-
Pts
Durham
Cambrian
Georgian
Boreal
Seneca
George Brown
11
11
9
12
9
12
11
10
8
4
1
0
1
3
2
10
10
13
35
35
26
18
12
2
10
13
11
32
31
39
22
18
13
-15
-14
-34
22
20
16
8
2
0
Nipissing
Humber
Mohawk
Sheridan
Canadore
8
7
9
9
8
10
9
6
4
2
0
1
3
7
8
30
28
20
14
8
1
6
12
23
26
23
14
8
-9
-12
20
18
12
8
4
Algonquin
Loyalist
Fleming P
Trent
La Cite
9
8
10
10
9
10
7
7
4
2
1
2
5
8
9
30
22
23
13
11
6
10
17
29
29
19
14
6
-16
-13
20
14
14
8
4
Niagara
Redeemer
Fanshawe
Lambton
St. Clair
Sault
10
10
8
11
10
10
9
9
6
2
3
0
4
3
4
9
9
12
30
29
23
7
12
2
15
12
14
29
29
36
18
18
8
-22
-18
-28
18
18
12
4
6
0
Central West Division
East Division
West Division
Team
GP
W
L
PF
PA
+/-
Pts
Seneca
Algonquin
St. Lawrence K.
Humber
Durham
George Brown
Loyalist
Georgian
Fleming P
11
11
11
11
12
11
10
10
11
11
9
6
6
7
4
3
3
0
0
2
5
5
5
7
7
7
11
907
688
630
626
690
622
549
593
303
514
564
562
603
665
669
570
663
798
393
124
68
23
25
-47
-21
-70
-495
22
18
12
12
14
8
6
6
0
Algoma
Sheridan
St. Clair
Niagara
Fanshawe
Mohawk
Redeemer
10
9
7
7
8
8
7
8
7
3
4
4
2
0
2
2
4
3
4
6
7
614
519
371
407
419
370
258
454
440
369
372
398
415
510
160
79
2
35
21
-45
-252
16
14
6
8
8
4
0
West Division
OCAA Championships
To Be Announced
Men’s Volleyball
OCAA Championships
To Be Announced
Women’s Basketball
vs. Algoma Feb. 9
6 p.m.
vs. Redeemer Feb. 14
6 p.m.
vs. Mohawk Feb. 20
6 p.m.
OCAA Championships
To Be Announced
Men’s Basketball
East Division
Central East Division
GP
West Division
Women’s Basketball
Women’s Volleyball
Team
East Division
vs. Sault Feb. 10
Noon
news@niagara publishes
next on Feb. 9, 2007
vs. Algoma Feb. 9
8 p.m.
vs. Sault Feb. 10
2 p.m.
vs. Redeemer Feb. 14
8 p.m.
vs. Mohawk Feb. 20
8 p.m.
OCAA Championships
To Be Announced
Admission to all
league home games
is $4 for adults, $2
for students with ID,
and FREE for children
15 and under when
accompanied
by an adult.