After last year's curling invitational was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, McMaster took the opportunity to host the yearly event at Dundas and preformed phenomenally
Although curling is a sport that can mostly be played in the winter months, it’s back in full swing this January. Just last week, McMaster University hosted their first curling invitational in years after last year's event got cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
This year, both the men’s and women’s teams got to experience the type of competition they’d come against in the upcoming OUA’s, each playing five games against other universities.
“Last year we were meant to play the invitational at Dundas in January, but it unfortunately got cancelled due to lockdowns at that time. This time, we hosted the event to multiple universities, with Mohawk included, and got a lot of playing time where we clashed against five teams,” said Ben Winchester, a second-year men’s curling player.
Over the two-day period for which the invitational took place, the five games for the men’s team were against Western University, Trent University, York University, Ontario Tech University and University of Toronto. By the end of the weekend, only three games had been accounted for, with the team picking up a win, a draw and a loss.
However, the women’s team had a much more impressive performance, grabbing an impressive four wins and one draw from five games.
“I would say that the way we played during the invitational provided a lot of competition to other universities that took part. It certainly was a good weekend for us, and it gave us confidence ahead of the Brock invitational that is happening in a few weeks,” said Winchester.
Although it is his second year with the curling team, Winchester debuted for the OUA curling team this season. His performances from last season certainly proved to be worthy enough to take part in the highest calibre men’s squad for the upcoming games.
“I am currently in my second year of studies at McMaster, and it’s my second year as a curling team member. However, last year I was a part of the JV squad whereas this year I got the opportunity to partake in the strongest OUA squad that we have,” said Winchester.
As with almost every other athlete, progress is a very important thing to Winchester. The expectations and improvement for the second-year athlete are an important aspect in his varsity experience.
“Personally, I expect myself to further improve this season. I think that it should be every athlete's goal to push themselves to the max and achieve the most that they possibly can. As for the rest of the team, I think that we have a lot of potential to do well this season, especially in the upcoming OUA championships,” said Winchester
Although currently the curling season is at full swing, after the OUA championships the team is expected to go on their off season. Since curling requires very icy conditions in a rink, this is not widely offered during seasons other than winter.
“During the off season, we tend to go our separate ways. Everyone goes home and tries to get as much practice as possible, although it can be hard. It can be hard to find a place to do curling during hotter seasons,” said Winchester.
After a successful invitational at home, McMaster men's and women's team are looking to garner more experience at the Brock Invitational, which takes place on Jan 21. and Jan 22. This will be their final preparation before the main event at the OUA championships which are happening on the weekend of Feb 10.
By Nisha Gill, Staff Writer
As technology continues to evolve and play an increasingly large role in our everyday lives, taking time away from it has never been more important. However, the temptations of technology are difficult to resist and, as a result, there are very few places where one is able to truly disconnect.
The Printed Word (69 King St. W.), is one of those few places where it is truly possible to disconnect. For owner James McDonald, opening the store was, in part, a reaction against the digital—this was also the inspiration for its name. The store is well-lit and open, perfect for exploring the line-up of floor to ceiling bookshelves, all of which house a carefully curated collection of both fiction and nonfiction works.
“I’ve had a lot of people come, in early days, and first of all, not even recognize that it’s a bookstore, it’s so idiosyncratic. Which is weird, because go back thirty years and this is what just bookstores looked like. They have books in and different subjects and here we are. But because it doesn’t look like Chapters . . . or the traditional chains that we have, it’s ‘What is this place? What do you do here?’” explained McDonald.
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For McDonald, reading and exploration go hand in hand; reading is an opportunity for a special kind of exploration. But this kind of exploration is becoming increasingly difficult to follow through on in our technology-driven world. Thanks to our devices and social media, we have almost all the information we could ever want at our fingertips. However, the kind of exploration we engage with on our devices, or while scrolling through social media, is often different from what we find in books. What we find in books is a slower, more experimental form of exploration that simply cannot be found in technology.
“Books are slower and imaginative. You enter them in a completely different way . . . What are books really are places of exploration and imagination and quiet wondering and all those great things,” said McDonald.
In particular though, McDonald recognizes the importance of this kind of exploration—and the conversation that it can provoke—for students, who are often the most tied to their technology.
“A lot of people come in and see that you have philosophy or you have university press titles and stuff, [they think we] must get a lot of students, [that] the McMaster community must be a huge supporter of [our] establishment and the fact is, not at all . . . It’s just people, just interested people who like books, reading, thinking, talking . . . The reason to have a bookstore is to explore, find the thing you didn’t know you were looking for, the thing you didn’t know existed and students should really be tapping into some of this. And there are conversations that happen here that are interesting, conversations that students can bring.”
The Printed Word is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Canada’s governor general to dissolve parliament for a 40-day federal election campaign. The election will be held on Oct. 21.
“In every election, as Canadians, we get to make an important choice for the future of our country. We get to decide what kind of future we build together,” said the prime minister in a press conference last Sept. 11.
The 2019 campaign, leading up to election day on Oct. 21, is taking place only months after Trudeau violated Canada’s Conflict of Interest Act. He accepted full responsibility for attempting to influence the attorney general during the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, a Quebec-based construction company that was bribery and fraud charges at the time. In the aftermath of these events, the upcoming federal election will determine whether the Liberal Party will retain a majority government.
Residents of the Hamilton West - Ancaster- Dundas riding will soon be electing their Member of Parliament.
The Silhouette spoke to Liberal, Conservative, NDP and Green party candidates about how they believe their parties will benefit the students of McMaster.
Students interested in learning more about the candidates or their platforms should attend MacVotes’ Federal Candidates Debate in MUSC Atrium on Oct. 8, 2019.
Filomena Tassi, Liberal Party
The Honorable Filomena Tassi, the incumbent for the Hamilton West - Ancaster - Dundas (HWAD) riding, remains optimistic about the upcoming election.
“The Liberal Party has a plan, has values that we want to make sure Canadians embrace as we move forward,” she said.
For her, these values will lead to a diverse, open and inclusive government who believes in Canadians, who wants to give everyone a chance and who wants to level the playing field so that everyone has a just and fair chance at succeeding.
Born and raised in Hamilton, Tassi has been a high school chaplain for the past twenty years and believes that government policies greatly benefit from student engagement. Her re-election campaign is already underway and touches upon several issues she believes students are passionate about, including affordable housing and education, job creation and the environment.
“We have an advisory group that consists of representation from McMaster, Mohawk and Redeemer,” said Tassi.
According to Tassi, the advisory group meets on a regular basis and is continuously provided with input from leaders of these three post-secondary institutions. This is to ensure that the group is responding to the needs of youth and keeping their voices in mind when creating policy. Tassi stated that, if elected, she would continue consulting with student groups.
“I want to make sure moving forward that we continue on that same front, an open communication where the student leadership is able to share with me what the student body wants and is looking for from the Federal Government,” she said.
Much of the Liberal platform for the upcoming election is yet to be announced.
Bert Laranjo, Conservative Party
Bert Laranjo immigrated to Canada from Portugal at the age of nine and is a registered nurse by trade. Having managed Cambridge Memorial Hospital’s multi-million dollar emergency department, he believes he has the qualifications to serve as MP.
With regard to his role in the Conservative Party, Laranjo says that he wants to ensure, as Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has said, that the healthcare system remains intact and that funding continue to be transferred towards the provinces.
“Most families are feeling … they are short at the end of the month and just getting by. We don’t want you to just be getting by. We want to help Canadians to get ahead. To have money set aside for education, have money to pay bills,” said Laranjo.
According to Laranjo, the Conservative government will serve students by prioritizing job creation.
“That’s something that the Conservative government has always been focused on — to make sure when you come out of school that the opportunities are there so there’s a return on your investment,” he stated.
In addition to job creation, the Conservative platform includes reducing taxation on income bracket, repealing Bill C-69, which provides a process for assessing the environmental, health and socioeconomic effects for energy and resource projects, eliminating the Trudeau’s government carbon tax and attempting to end illegal border crossings into Canada.
Yousaf Malik, NDP
Yousaf Malik is a graduate from McMaster and holds an M.A. in economic policy. He has lived in the Hamilton West - Ancaster - Dundas riding for the last 10 years. In that time, he has been a public advocate for the voices of everyday Canadians, running for School Board Trustee in 2018.
“One of the main drivers for why I’m doing this is [that] we have four generations in the household, from my grandma who is 85 years young, to my son who is now almost nine months. And from what I see is, our government has consistently not followed through [on] their promises and commitments to all four generations,” said Malik.
He brings forward the issue of some students being unable to afford education. He refers to education as ‘the great equalizer’ and declares that education should not be limited to those who are able to afford a large loan or who have other resources to pay for school.
“I am so happy to be representing the New Democratic Party which is committed to increasing support for students and the increased federal bursary for students, working with provincial government and universities and colleges to reduce tuition with the ultimate goal of making university and college education post-secondary education tuition-free in Canada,” he stated.
He is also interested in Canadian healthcare system reform. He says the NDP is committed to creating head-to-toe coverage—including prescription medication, vision, dental and mental health.
“It’s not right that we have a system in Canada where you are able to see a doctor, but then at the end of the day, you’re not able to, in many cases, afford the medication you need to actually get better,” he said.
The NDP hope to lower Canada’s debt-to-GDP ratio over the next decade; both the Conservatives and Liberals intend to balance the budget in the next five years.
Their platform emphasizes the creation of 500,000 affordable housing units and support first-time buyers, incentivized zero-emission automobiles and established a federal minimum wage of 15 dollars per hour.
Victoria Galea, Green Party
Victoria Galea is a McMaster alumnus, having graduated with an Honours B.A. degree and will soon complete an M.A. in International Relations.
She has served as the CEO for the Green Party Riding Association for the last two years and believes that the Green Party is the only legitimate option for voters interested in changes in climate action policy.
“This federal election is crucially important to make climate action policy happen. The Green Party is the only option if you care about [the] climate emergency,” said Galea.
On top of pushing towards free post-secondary education in Canada, Galea stresses the importance of mental healthcare on-campus. Having seen firsthand the lineup outside the McMaster health clinic, she mentions that the significance of mental healthcare providers is something the Green Party wants to put forward to effect — and one that people should support if they want ‘preventative’ and not simply ‘reactive’ mental healthcare services.
The Green Party platform this election may captivate the student audience with plans to forgive the portion of existing federal student debt, make college and university tuition free and provide 1 billion dollars annually to municipalities to hire youth.
“We can pay for all of Canadian students’ free post-secondary education by removing the current subsidies in place that the government provides to fossil fuel corporations,” she said.
“By no longer enabling the fossil fuel industry to develop, we are able to get better for every individual in Canada and not just the one per cent.”
The MP candidates stress the importance of youth participation in the upcoming election and emphasize the particular importance of this federal election for students and young adults.
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By: Andrew Mrozowski
For many artists, creating their work is a very emotional experience, forcing them to go through various stages. At one point they could feel wonderful and happy before immediately turning to disappointment. This creates a fragile state for artists and makes them feel vulnerable with their unfinished piece.
On Nov. 30, 13 various artists from Mississauga to Niagara Falls will come together to share pieces that they are working on, amongst other pieces they have done in the past. As they get ready to showcase what they have in store for viewers, three sisters meticulously plan out the second annual Work In Progress art exhibit, taking place in Hamilton’s industrial district.
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Michelle Teitsma, lead artist and curator, came up with the idea after she considered the financial investment that is typically required to participate in other shows, costing artists upwards of a few hundred dollars to display their work. To make ends meet, they need to be confident that the work will sell.
“When you go to a show, you want to see real artists. People who have spent years working on their craft. You also want diversity. Not everybody is into the same type of art, but you still want a nice taste of everything. So, when I put it out to the art world about doing [Work In Progress], my sisters wanted to help out with it,” explained Teitsma.
With the event being sponsored by Marie Phillips and planned by Helen Campbell, the trio of sisters are only charging artists a small fee with all profits from the event going back into the artists’ pockets.
“It’s our hope that the artists leave with more than they put down to be a part of this,” said Teitsma.
For Teitsma, this is the culmination of almost 30 years worth of work in the art world. Graduating from Sheridan College for traditional-style animation in 1983, Teitsma was fascinated with learning different mediums before eventually settling on oils as her medium of choice.
Setting up shop in Dundas, Teitsma has found herself captivated by the world around her. Just stepping outside of her door and experiencing the community of Dundas has its own particular vibe that inspires her.
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“I’ve been doing a lot of street scenes from Dundas. Although, I’m very taken by the feel of Hamilton... Hamilton has a lot to offer with its history, the people, it’s a very working, hands on, soul to the earth mentality, and I think that is really expressed in the paintings,” explained Teitsma.
Teitsma is just one of the thirteen artists who will have their work displayed at the art exhibit. Various artists across many disciplines working with paint, ink, photography and materials including leather, pottery and real flowers will showcase their work. Not one artist is the same as the other and all the works will be in progress.
“With artists showing their fragile side, it opens up conversation between them and the viewer with the hopes of getting them to understand what the artist is trying to do... I want them to leave with their minds opened a little more than they arrived. To see things that they might not have expected to see," explained Teitsma.
Work In Progress will take place on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Cotton Factory on Sherman Avenue North.
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By Andrew Mrozowski
A brand-new bagel shop opened in Dundas’s University Plaza just shy of two weeks before the fall academic semester began. The Old Bagel House patiently waited for the influx of students that they would receive in the weeks to come.
Although it might look like every other storefront from the outside, Old Bagel House greets you with a mural dating back to the shop’s roots. The store was originally the Great Canadian Bagel, which was open for almost 25 years before it was replaced by the Old Bagel House.
Proceeding further into the store, your eyes first come across a counter that spans the entire length of the store, guiding your gaze to the back corner where a massive wood-burning oven resides for all to see.
[spacer height="20px"]Standing behind the counter you are likely to see the co-owner, Jeet Gandhi, working away. He busies himself with serving bagels or working behind the scenes to make them. Gandhi himself has a long past with bagels, working in Montreal for many years before coming to Ontario.
“I didn’t come right away but eventually Toronto was calling me… They don’t have good bagels here. They say it’s a Montreal bagel but it’s not,” explained Gandhi.
Originally opening in Toronto, Gandhi and his partner Jerry Rai moved to Mississauga, a city that they found was not saturated with the legendary Montreal bagel. Eventually, they looked to broaden their horizons.
“We were passing by [Hamilton] at one point to go up for a couple meetings we had. We got lost in the traffic and ended up taking the wrong road. Seeing the scenery and everything… We fell in love with the city… It just felt right, and we went for it,” explained Gandhi.
Taking a first glance at the Old Bagel House menu can be a daunting task as there are an abundance of options to choose from. A bagel with Nutella can be a simple and sweet breakfast before class or if you’re looking for a heartier meal, the famous West Coast bagel contains lettuce, tomato and two eggs.
[spacer height="20px"]What’s the secret to these bagels? Each one is individually made and rolled by hand, one at a time. Using hard winter flour which is a more protein intensive base, eggs and a little bit of yeast, these bagels are then boiled in honey water and put to bake in a roaring maple-wood fire oven until they shine a golden-brown colour. This process is repeated at least three to four times daily.
“When something is cooked with nature, the wood gives energy to it. It’s a sense of belonging. There is love and belonging in each and every bagel,” explains Gandhi.
With a wide-variety of bagels ranging from plain to everything, paired with an assortment of coffees, fresh cream cheeses, vegetables, delis and smoked meats imported directly from Montreal, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy.
[spacer height="20px"]The response from the Hamilton and McMaster community has been positive. Gandhi recalled a time when about thirty kids came into the shop. It was a memorable moment for him to see the students gathering together and having a good time.
It reminds him of why they opened up the restaurant in Dundas’s University Plaza in the first place. Gandhi hopes more students visit the shop and try their bagels, especially the sesame seed bagel with cream cheese and lox, which is Yiddish for smoked salmon.
[spacer height="20px"]“Bagels are our bread and butter… We can’t do what mom does, but we can get close. That’s the only idea we have,” explained Gandhi.
With beautifully hand-crafted wood topped tables made from the same maple used in the oven and a long wooden bench extending the length of the bagel shop with plugs underneath, the Old Bagel House makes a warm and inviting environment perfect for grabbing a bite to eat or a study session over bagels with friends.
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