Amidst ransomware attack on municipal IT infrastructure, Hamilton residents experience disrupted services, including council and committee meetings, phone lines and inaccurate bus times

On Feb. 25, the City of Hamilton experienced the beginning of a ransomware attack. A ransomware attack is when malware is introduced to a person's digital belongings and causes data to be withheld. Furthermore, to retrieve this data usually entails some form of payment to those who have taken the data.

As of Mar. 14, the cause of the ransomware attack is still undisclosed. The City of Hamilton has hired CYPFER, a global cyber security company that helps ransomware victims, to help investigate the ongoing attack. As of Mar. 14, 2024, CYPFER has yet to determine when there will be a full restoration of services.

Several services have been disrupted by this attack, including council and committee meetings, which have been put on hold; Wi-Fi and public computers at Hamilton Public Libraries as well as the ability to place holds on material through their website have been disrupted, and all phone lines, aside from the operational customer contact centre, are currently not accessible.

Since the attack, the Hamilton Street Railway app has been completely offline and bus schedules are subject to variable timings. This dysfunction is further exacerbated as the city's geographic information system is currently completely unavailable as well.

The City of Hamilton has not currently disclosed any information about the cause of the ransomware attack. They have assured that they are continuing to work on the issue in a recent news release.

“The City is also conducting a thorough investigation to determine if any personal information was accessed or compromised. Updates will be provided as new information become available. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding during this time and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” stated the City of Hamilton on their webpage dedicated to the current cybersecurity incident.

As the City of Hamilton continues to investigate the source, they are providing updates through their website. The City of Hamilton encourage citizens to utilize the operational customer contact centre instead of main lines. The way to contact the city is 905-546-2489 (CITY). 

This is an ongoing story.

During the repairs for the initial break, water was turned off in many campus buildings and forced washrooms, food services and laboratories to close temporarily

On Feb. 27, a water main on campus ruptured, disrupting McMaster University campus life, food services and academic facilities.

Water services were shut off around 2 p.m. on the same day to the Life Sciences Building, McMaster Museum of Art, McMaster University Student Centre, Mills Memorial Library, Psychology Building and many other buildings so that repairs could be completed.

According to Alvin Baldovino, director of engineering operations at facility services, facility services was first informed of the break between MUSC and Mills Library near parking lots B and C around 10 a.m. on Feb. 27. A third-party contractor was then quickly brought in to fix the break.

“We had to hire a third-party contractor because we don’t have the equipment to address a water main break,” said Baldovino.

We had to hire a third-party contractor because we don’t have the equipment to address a water main break.

Alvin Baldovino, director of engineering operations, facility services

As a result of the break and the water being turned off, food services and washrooms were closed in the affected buildings. The university and food services provided an online list of the eateries on campus that were available in unaffected buildings.

The university also stated in an online post that laboratories requiring running water would be temporarily shut down until the repair of the break was complete.

When asked about the suspected cause of the break, Baldovino said it was difficult to say for sure what happened.

“The infrastructure is aging. . . It could have been a pressure fluctuation in the past, [but] you can’t really say exactly what the cause was. When we did uncover the pipe, it was corroded,” said Baldovino.

The infrastructure is aging. . .It could have been a pressure fluctuation in the past, [but] you can’t really say exactly what the cause was. When we did uncover the pipe, it was corroded.

Alvin Baldovino, director of engineering operations, facility services

Essential repairs to the water main were completed overnight and running water was restored in all affected buildings by the morning of Feb. 28. The university also stated that facility services would be cleaning and changing the filters of all water fountains in the affected buildings.

The area where the break occurred was still gated off as of the week of Mar. 4, though all affected services have since returned to normal operations.

When Baldovino was asked about the progress of the work at the site of the break and when it is expected to be fully completed, he stated that though the pipe has been fixed and the hole dug to conduct repairs had been filled in, the concrete pad at the area still needs to be replaced. He stated that it will take some time to complete this final step of replacing the surface concrete and could not provide an estimate as to when this will be done.

This is an ongoing story.

On Cuddling: Loved to Death in the Racial Embrace is a new collection of essays and poetry by professor, activist, and McMaster alumnus Phanuel Antwi

The On Cuddling: Loved to Death in the Racial Embrace book launch will be held at the Art Gallery of Hamilton on Mar. 14 from 7-9:30 p.m.. This event is co-presented by the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Big Brother House and Pluto Press, with the support of local bookstore Epic Books.

Author Phanuel Antwi uses the concept of cuddling in essays and poems to explore the suffering of Black people at the hands of state violence and racial capitalism, as well as to address how racial violence occurs through intimacy.

Antwi is the Canada Research Chair in Black Arts and Epistemologies. He is a McMaster University alumnus and a current curator, activist and associate professor at the University of British Columbia

He started writing this book during a peak of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2014 when there were massive protests against racial violence from police. In his book, Antwi recalled the killing of Eric Garner, an unarmed Black man who was choked to death by a police officer in 2014.

By connecting cuddling, an action that people typically enjoy, to racial violence and to the Black Lives Matter movement, he wanted to make people rethink what they may take for granted.

“A lot of folks would now pause to think about cuddling, not as an innocent practice, but also as a practice that can also be used as a weapon to actually end someone's life. And at the same time, it is also a practice that gives joy, ” said Antwi.

Antwi aims to portray cuddling as a philosophical idea that has different meanings depending on the situation while relating it back to issues that are important to him and wants to bring awareness to.

“It means a lot that I can use [cuddling] to have conversations with many people about Black lives, about something that really matters to me, which is, "How do we actually think about Black lives in a very robust way?"" explained Antwi.

It means a lot that I can use [cuddling] to have conversations with many people about Black lives, about something that really matters to me, which is, "How do we actually think about Black lives in a very robust way?"

Phanuel Antwi, On Cuddling, Author

Antwi hopes that his readers can feel like they are being cuddled after reading this book. Pre-registration is recommended for the event.

Various Asian cultural clubs came together to bring the Collab Formal back for its eighth year anniversary

The McMaster Collab Formal took place at the Grand Olympia on Mar. 8 from 6:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. The formal was a collaboration between McMaster Asian Federation of Charitable University Students , McMaster Chinese Students Association, Filipino McMaster Student Association and McMaster Vietnamese Students’ Association.

Their giveaway was sponsored by Sushi on Fennel, Swing Zone Golf, Allure Fitness, Hawk & Sparrow, Diced Ice, Shijia Fitness, Chung Chun, WingsUp! and Westdale Cupcakes. Their food sponsors for their snack bar were Diced Ice, Westdale Cupcakes and Tea Hut. The McMaster Alumni Association and Matamak were also sponsors of the formal

They were previously known as the Asian Formal, but they rebranded themselves as the Collab Formal to be more inclusive. They wanted to use the formal as an opportunity to showcase all the different cultures that their clubs represent in addition to everyone else's cultures at McMaster. Not only was the formal open to current McMaster students, but alumni and other non-McMaster students were welcome as well.

The theme of the formal this year was Moonlight Soirée. During the interview, Visali Manimaran, the Committee Head of the Collab Formal stated that the moon is an important symbol in most of the cultures represented by the formal, and the formal planners wanted the theme to something that unites them all. This year, the formal featured seven performances from students to showcase their cultures.

The formal committee hopes that the Collab Formal brought people together again, especially after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We're hoping to further community engagement by fostering an environment where people can eat together. . .We strive to keep increasing the amount of cultures that we have at our events and the diversity overall, on campus,” said Jordan So, the Finance Head of the Collab formal and VP Finance at AF.

We're hoping to further community engagement by fostering an environment where people can eat together. . .We strive to keep increasing the amount of cultures that we have at our events and the diversity overall, on campus.

Jordan So, the Finance Head of the Collab formal and VP Finance at AF

This year, the formal planners particularly wanted to emphasize the importance of community, letting students know that they can always be there for each other.

“Just because we're [on] separate teams doesn't mean that we're separate. We can always come together, collaborate, grow together and emphasize the community aspect. I think that's the biggest thing that we want to do, because we're just doing this for the community,” Visali Manimaran, the Committee Head of the Collab Formal and the Co-President of MVSA.

Just because we're [on] separate teams doesn't mean that we're separate. We can always come together, collaborate, grow together and emphasize the community aspect. I think that's the biggest thing that we want to do, because we're just doing this for the community.

Visali Manimaran, the Committee Head of the Collab Formal and the Co-President of MVSA

Once again, the Collab Formal continues to showcase the Asian community at McMaster while emphasizing the importance of diverse student communities supporting each other and celebrating diversity.

Take a break and check out these new and old exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Hamilton!

Midterm season can be draining and taking a break to view exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Hamilton can be a great way to destress!

Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch

This exhibition features more than 70 works created over four decades by Shelley Niro, a Mohawk artist based in Brantford, ON. The first major retrospective exhibition of her work, 500 Year Itch highlights the following themes: matriarchy, past is present, actors and family relations. Niro aims to represent Indigenous women and girls while advocating for self-representation and sovereignty using parody, feminism and spirituality. The exhibit will be available for viewing from Feb. 10-May 26, 2024.

Alex Jacobs-Blum: Living and Lost Connections

Hamilton-based artist Alex Jacobs-Blum presents her first museum solo exhibition using photos and videos to portray the themes of continuity and legacy. "As part of her artmaking process, Jacobs-Blum immerses herself in Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ (Cayuga) homelands, situated around one of the Finger Lakes in present-day upstate New York. There, she embodies Hodinöhsö:ni’ women across generations, connecting deeply with Creation. By documenting her presence in the landscape, she navigates historical narratives, displacement, responsibility, and the shaping of new futures," as mentioned on the AGH website. The exhibit will be available for viewing from Feb. 10-May 20, 2024.

RBC Artist In Residence: Melissa General

Melissa General is a Mohawk artist from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory and is the  2023-2024 RBC Artist in Residence at AGH. Her exhibition involves using photography, audio, video and installation to explore the concepts of memory, language and land of the Six Nations of the Grand River, as well as her identity as a Mohawk artist. The exhibit has been around for a year and is almost over, so don't miss it!

Kim Adams: Bruegel-Bosch Bus

Kim Adams is a Canadian artist who explores mobile and industrial societies through his work. "Blending humour, satire and seriousness, he builds “worlds” as a means of social critique," as mentioned on the AGH website. His exhibition portrays satirical dystopian pieces of work, as exemplified in Bruegel-Bosch Bus. His work has been showcased in both parks and museums. This exhibition will be around for a long time, but it won't be here forever. 

Have fun checking these exhibitions!

This local comedy club is all about local Canadian talent and making people laugh

Located in downtown Hamilton on King St. W, the Levity Comedy Club & Lounge features live standup shows from around the globe, with a special emphasis on Canadian comedians.

Beyond the standup shows, the club also offers a lounge area with a bar and kitchen, open for food and drink service before, throughout and after shows.

The Levity Comedy Club is dedicated to creating a fun and engaging environment. They offer Amateur Nights on Wednesdays for those who are trying to break into the standup scene. Friday and Saturday nights are booked for seasoned comedians who are sure to deliver exciting shows. The club even hosts workshops on Tuesdays for people to step into the world of standup by trying some writing or getting on stage for the first time.

The club opened in 2019 by Patrick Coppolino, a born and raised Hamiltonian who has been doing standup since 2009. Coppolino started by producing multiple shows around the city in bars and other venues. There, he gathered experience running venues and regularly putting on shows. Coppolino, who was familiar with the owners of the Anchor Bar, then started Levity Comedy Club above the bar.

Coppolino works as the manager, booker and promoter of the club. As a comedian himself, he also occasionally performs and hosts Amateur Nights.

As Hamilton's only comedy club, the Levity Comedy Club has a unique role in the city. It is the only place in Hamilton to see professional standup shows or to try it out yourself.

Now open for five years, the club continues to attract audiences and to create a welcoming and encouraging atmosphere for performers and attendees alike.

"A lot of people end up hanging out afterwards. We have a lot of regulars now that became friends from being there together. They showed up separately, [then] met each other at the bar after. Now they just regularly come to the show, which is really cool," said Coppolino.

A lot of people end up hanging out afterwards. We have a lot of regulars now that became friends from being there together. They showed up separately, [then] met each other at the bar after. Now they just regularly come to the show, which is really cool.

Patrick Coppolino, Manger/Booker/Promoter, Levity Comedy Club and Lounge

Students can come for free on Wednesdays, as long as they show their student ID. Coppolino explained that it's a small incentive to get more youth exposed to standup. With the rise of standup on the internet, including on Instagram, TikTok and Youtube, the club is a great chance to experience comedy in-person.

The Levity Comedy Club is a great way to spend a fun night with friends. Additionally, students who want to work on their standup skills––or even their public speaking skills––can look forward to Amateur Nights and workshops. No matter what day of the week it is, The Levity Comedy Club promises to have you laughing and feeling lighter!

After falling short to Brock University, the McMaster wrestling team picked up podium finishes at this year's nationals

After the McMaster University wrestling program’s 2022-2023 season, which saw the men and women's team win a national silver and bronze medal respectively, head coach Ahmed Shamiya and his wrestlers had high standards for what they could accomplish this year.

With standout wrestlers such as Serena Di Benedetto, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, and Karanveer Mahil, a first-year U Sports gold medalist, having a year of experience behind them, the team would look to grow and further develop the talent in their roster.

This year's regular season would go smoothly for the Marauders, who gained multiple podium finishes throughout their competitions.

Second-year Irman Kang and fourth-year Macy Malysiak were two athletes who contributed big for the teams. They were able to capture McMaster’s Athlete of the Week accolades during the season’s progression on Jan. 15 and Feb 12. respectively.

As the team approached their OUA Championships on Feb. 10, they would likely have had one major goal in mind. The Marauders were looking to take first place from back-to-back OUA champion Brock University University.

The Marauders were looking to take first place from back-to-back OUA champion Brock University.

This would prove too big of a challenge for the Marauders, as both the men and women’s teams could only capture a silver medal and fall yet again to the Brock Badgers.

After the OUA championships concluded, the Marauders would head to Guelph, Ont. on Mar. 2 to compete in the U Sports national championships.

With gold medal results by second-year wrestler Gregor McNeil and Di Benedetto, the Marauders would round out this year’s competition with a third place finish for the men’s team and a fifth place finish for the women’s team. Second-years Olivia Lichti and Mahil were both able to capture silver medals, adding points to the Marauders' overall scores.

With gold medal results by second-year wrestler Gregor McNeil and Di Benedetto, the Marauders would round out this year’s competition with a third place finish for the men’s team and a fifth place finish for the women’s team.

Despite lower placements in this season's U Sports meet, the Marauders have plenty to look back on and be proud of. For Shamiya, his aim throughout the offseason will likely be to excel even further and increase the team’s form come next season.

In last week's referendum, students approved an increase in MSU student fees for the implementation of the Hamilton Bike Share pass

The McMaster Students Union 2024 referdendum was open to voters from Mar. 5 to Mar. 7. This year, students voted on the implementation of the Hamilton Bike Share and the Food Accessibility Initiative.

On Mar. 8, 2024, the results of the vote were released and it was announced that the increase in fees for the Hamilton Bike Share pass was approved. However, the Food Accessibility Initiative votes were not able to be counted as the 10 per cent quorum was not met.

The Bike Share referendum had a 16 per cent voter turnout, with 94.5 per cent voting in favour of the pass. This means that for the 2024/2025 school year, students will have access to 90 minutes of bike share time per day and $22 plus tax will be added to MSU student fees.

Students will also have the option to opt out of the pass. 

McMaster Students for Bike Share, the Instagram page for the pass campaign, shared their thoughts for the successful vote.

“Thank you for voting, sharing our posts and spreading the word! This achievement is the result of a collective effort and the culmination of the work we’ve put into getting this pass since the beginning of last year,” said the Students for Bike Share team in the statement on their Instagram after the results were announced.

For more information, please refer to the MSU Elections website.

Following the 2020 report, the Black Student Athlete Council provides avenues to foster conversation and encourage McMaster to improve supports for Black athletes

In 2020, a report titled “A Systemic Review of the Black Student-Athlete Experience and the McMaster Athletics Climate” was released, highlighting the issues that Black student athletes, coaches and staff had experienced within the McMaster University Athletics and Recreation department. The report also made recommendations to the department to address these issues, based on numerous interviews with athletes, coaches and staff involved in McMaster Athletics and Recreation.

In October 2020, McMaster released a follow up report titled “Taking Action on the Recommendations In A Systemic Review of the Black Student-Athlete Experience and the McMaster Athletics Climate.” This second report highlighted the main priorities for the university's action plan to address the issues within the department. These priorities included increasing representation within the department, creating a culture of accountability, developing targeted supports, scholarships and advocacy roles as well as mechanisms for training and education.

One of the outlined mechanisms for creating a culture of accountability was the creation of a Black Student Athlete Council. The BSAC is a student-run organization that aims to support student athletes who identify as Black, Indigenous and persons of colour.

"Our main goal is to foster community within the McMaster community and BIPOC athletes. Secondly, and very close to our main goal, is to be the liaison between athletes and the athletics department,” said Osa Olaye, one of BSAC's co-presidents.

Our main goal is to foster community within the McMaster community and BIPOC athletes. Secondly, and very close to our main goal, is to be the liaison between athletes and the athletics department.

Osa Olaye, fourth-year rugby player and co-president of the Black Student-Athlete Council

The council intended to foster discussion between athletes and McMaster, allowing for the needs of BIPOC athletes to be communicated directly to the administration.

As part of this, climate surveys and progress review focus groups have been set up by the athletics department to provide open and updated communication between them and student athletes.

These events and surveys include racialized and non-racialized groups and help any groups that face collective barriers.

“The climate survey and progress review is not just race-focused. It's for any equity deserving group. It asks what are we [the department] doing wrong and what ideas do you [individuals in the focus group] have,” said Olaye.

These avenues for communication seem to allow the university more access to student’s thoughts and needs. They open a discourse for changes to occur before things become too extreme.

“I think that the climate surveys and quality control checks are so important to know where we stand, because at the end of the day, the institution won’t know where we stand until someone tells them there's a problem. Then we can hold them accountable after they know there is a problem,” said Olaye.

I think that the climate surveys and quality control checks are so important to know where we stand, because at the end of the day, the institution won’t know where we stand until someone tells them there's a problem. Then we can hold them accountable after they know there is a problem.

Osa Olaye, fourth-year rugby player and co-president of the Black Student-Athlete Council

As the BSAC continues to support opportunities for conversations with the department of athletics and recreation, more avenues for further change will hopefully follow suit.

Since 2020, the Black BHSc association has been a rapidly growing organization that breaks racial barriers and provides opportunities to promote black excellence

By Patricia Marcelo

The Black BHSc Association was created by a group of black BHSc students with the goal of fostering a supportive environment among current and prospective black BHSc students. In 2021, black students made up 2 per cent of the BHSc population. After almost 4 years, the number of black students in the BHsc program has nearly doubled.  

President of the BBA executive team Alador Bereketab explained how the BBA works to address challenges faced by black BHSc students and create meaningful change to make the program more inclusive. 

“With every BBA student, there is a reason why they are in the BHsc program. We’re planning these events because as BHsc students we have a platform to do something… we recognize this privilege of having funding and resources so we want to use what we have and bring opportunities to other groups,” said Bereketab. 

The BBA has conducted much outreach and hosted many events such as a high school information night, a BBA study night, and a Tote and Toast evening, all to break down barriers for black students and improve transparency for black students to realize different health care opportunities.  

To commemorate the end of Black History Month, the BBA hosted a Black Health Conference on Feb. 29. This is the second conference of its kind hosted by the BBA and allows current black students to network with black McMaster alumni and other black healthcare professionals.  

Bereketab showed great excitement prior to the event, anticipating 60 students to attend. 

“The BBA team is an incredible group of students that have created a community that is unique to a lot of different spaces. Bringing events like the Black Health Conference is giving students beyond the BBA exec team that experience and sense of community and connections with other students and alumni who went through similar experiences.” said Bereketab.  

The first keynote speaker was Begna Dugassa, an established public health nutritionist, researcher and author. Dugassa shared how his experiences in Ethiopia and education in the USSR have led to his current work in public health. 

Dugassa works to understand how the history of colonialism and inequities influence health in marginalized groups. He has made aware of this career opportunity that allows black BHsc students to take their experiences and integrate it into health care and social justice. 

Following Dugassa, the BBA introduced Ida-Maisie Famiyeh, a first year medical student at University of Toronto. Famiyeh spoke on the challenges she faces as a mother and how turning to faith during her struggles helped her develop the resilience to pursue medicine.  

Famiyeh shared how becoming a mom drove her to become a strong advocate for health care, especially for loved ones.  

Famiyeh encouraged students wishing to pursue medicine to turn all experiences including struggles into motivation to continue their undergraduate journey and to become better physicians. 

The final guest speaker was Dr Semir Bulle, a current psychiatry resident at the University of Toronto and the former co-president of the Black Medical Students’ Association.  

 Dr. Bulle specifically spoke about his advocacy for zero-gun violence in Toronto. He shared stories of black individuals who are victims of gun violence and did not receive justice. Dr. Bulle’s take home message to students was to seek outreach opportunities to promote better education and resource accessibility. 

The conference concluded with a networking event that allowed black students to connect with the speakers as well as nine black BHsc alumni. The alumni provided insight on how they dealt with challenges in their careers and how they overcame them. This period provided current black Bhsc students to connect with alumni and healthcare professionals that have similar experiences. 

Marie-Claire Kapesa, a student who attended the conference, shared how the conference impacted her.   

As an ex-member of the BBA, Kapesa also praised the current BBA team. 

“It makes me emotional seeing the black health science students and the community they were able to build. I didn’t have that in my first year and it’s heartwarming to see the friendships and support that they have been able to give each other throughout and the legacy they have created.” said Kapesa.  

More information about the BBA can be found on the BHSc Program’s website. Their instagram also posts information about any upcoming events.  

Subscribe to our Mailing List

© 2024 The Silhouette. All Rights Reserved. McMaster University's Student Newspaper.
magnifiercrossmenu