Full steam ahead The LRT debate is tired, so why was it the only prominent issue this election?
This past municipal election came with special significance. It served as a pivotal moment for Hamilton, a moment that would decide whether the city would be moving forward with the $1 billion light rail transit system or not. While I’m grateful for those who fought tirelessly to bring something so obviously important to a city like Hamilton, I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that so few councillor candidates discussed the issue of...
What a drag How McMaster’s smoking ban prioritizes health and wellness concerns over safety and accessibility for smokers
In September 2017, McMaster released a statement saying it will attempt to ban smoking on campus that following January, establishing itself as “Ontario’s first 100 per cent tobacco and smoke-free campus.” The ban was to take effect in January 2018. In its initial months, anyone smoking on campus was to be given a verbal warning and a reminder of McMaster’s smoking cessation policies. Eventually, enforcement was set to include...
Popping the Bubble Hamilton is much more than what you'll experience in Westdale
For most of McMaster’s undergraduate population, Hamilton serves as a second home from anywhere between three to six years. While these three to six years are about expanding personal boundaries, it only makes sense to expand physical boundaries as well. So, why are so many McMaster students so afraid of Hamilton’s downtown core? While there are plenty of reasons to stay on campus, from the McMaster Museum of Art to Cootes Paradise,...
Media and PR ethics in Hamilton A look at examples from other organizations and recent efforts by the Silhouette
Prior to the announcement on March 26 of a $100,000, two-year project in collaboration with researchers at McMaster, the HSR posted a photo on their Twitter featuring their management team. This photo had the group of seven people, not including the photographer, at the back of a bus stating they were headed to the university. The question remains how they managed to find a significant amount of space at the back of a bus heading to...
We need you to grill us Your feedback is essential for becoming even better
Back in 2016, the Silhouette had a campaign called “Silvision”. It was cheesy in its execution and salty in its referencing of negative subtweets and pseudo-insults. The paper’s approach to arts and opinions completely changed as a result of this feedback. The successes of this were discussed in the editorial on June 1, 2017, which also highlighted what we would be taking the initiative on in the future. In particular, these...
Letter to the Editor: McMaster’s protest guidelines
By: Zachary Strong Given the discussion surrounding McMaster’s protest guidelines, I’d like to offer some perspectives for today’s student activists to consider. First, some biographical details for context. In 2011, I was the first person to publicly denounce offensive and crude cheers used by the engineering “Redsuits” group during Welcome Week. In 2012, I ran for the position of McMaster Engineering Society President on a...
