January 27, 2006

http://www.newsatniagara.com
Jan. 27, 2006
Volume 36, Issue 8
Check out the different winter festivals in
the region pg. 16
The Best Way To Connect With Niagara
Review of art gallery in St. Catharines pg. 17
Canada leans to right
By PATRICIA RODRIGUEZ
and NATALIE VENTRESCA
Staff Writers
The results are in: Canadians
have a new federal government.
Conservative leader Stephen
Harper is Canada’s new prime
minister.
Liberal leader Paul Martin,
Canada’s 21st prime minister, lost
Monday’s election and announced
he was stepping down as
party leader.
The Conservatives won a
minority government by getting
124 seats out of the 308 seats in
the House of Commons.
The Liberals dropped to 103
seats, down from the 133 they
won in 2004, while the Bloc Quebecois got 51 seats and the New
Democrats elected 29 MPs, up
from 19. There was one dependent
MP elected.
In the Niagara Region, Liberal
MP John Maloney was re-elected
in the Welland riding. In St.
Catharines, first-time Conservative candidate Rick Dykstra
defeated longtime Liberal MP
Walt Lastewka.
In Niagara Falls, Conservative
MP Rob Nicholson won re-election, while Conservative MP Dean
Allison held his seat in Niagara
West-Glanbrook riding by defeating Heather Carter, manager of the
Business Development Centre at
Niagara College.
Family, friends and volunteers
gathered at The Venice Restaurant
in Welland to support Maloney
and celebrate his victory in the
federal election.
At about midnight, after official
polling results for the Welland riding were in, Maloney arrived with
his family to the restaurant’s Conference Room, where about 90
enthusiastic Liberal party supporters waited.
This victory is Maloney’s fifth
as a federal representative in
Ottawa.
Maloney began his speech by
thanking everyone, particularly
the party’s volunteers. He then
gave his commitment to fulfil his
promise to non-Liberal supporters.
“We definitely had an army of
volunteers. That kept me
pumped,” Maloney explained.
He addressed non-supporters by
promising to “do everything I can
to earn your vote. That is my
pledge to you.”
Maloney received 20,238 votes
counted by press time with a vote
share of 35.51 per cent followed
by the New Democratic Party’s
(NDP) Jody Di Bartolomeo and
the Conservative’s Mel Grunstein
with
17,484
and
16,665
respectively.
“It was a long and tough campaign,” Maloney added.
At the national level, the federal
Conservatives won a minority
government with 124 seats and
36.3 per cent of votes. The Liberals attained 103 seats and 30.2 per
cent of the votes, followed by the
Bloc Québécois with 51 seats and
10.5 per cent of the votes, the
NDP with 29 seats and 17.5 per
cent of votes and an independent
with one seat and 5.6 per cent of
votes.
Maloney acknowledged the
impact the Gomery Inquiry had on Liberal re-elected Welland MP John Maloney makes his victory speech at The Venice Restaurant on
Photo by Patricia Rodriguez
the community’s views of the Lib- Monday night.
work together.”
eral Party during the election to “let justice be done, to let the Maloney’s victory.
police and the judges do their job.
“I’m glad his government is
In the rest of the area, Conservcampaign.
“The community weighted that And for those who have done back in. He has represented atives swept the ridings. Rick
wrong, let them be punished.”
Welland for a long time,” Dykstra in St. Catharines with
against us.”
Jeff Bennett, owner and opera- explained Bennett.
21,688 votes beat incumbent LibHe then asserted that his party
tor of The Venice Restaurant, said
He continued by adding he was eral Walt Lastewka’s 21,424, and
was “down, but we are not out.”
Nevertheless, he advises people he is “quite happy” with “glad to see that people had the NDP Jeff Burch’s 11,849; Green
Party Jim Gannon’s 2,306; Christconfidence to vote him back in.”
“He deserves it,” he concluded. ian Heritage Bill Bylsma’s 499
Maloney is “very helpful” with and Marxist-Lennonist Elaine
anyone that comes into his office, Couto’s 100; Niagara Falls,
said Liberal volunteer Larry incumbent Rob Nicholson won
with 23,010 votes against Liberal
Whitty.
“His door is always open. He is Gary Burroughs’ 19,826 and
a hard-working man. He is a NDP’s Wayne Gates’ 12,214;
Green Party Kay Greens 2,402;
family man.”
Maloney is optimistic that this Niagara West-Glanbrook, Dean
new “Parliament will last longer” Allison with 27,221 beat out Liband hopes “everyone will co-oper- eral Heather Carter’s 17,712, NDP
ate with each other in Ottawa.” Dave Heatley’s 9,348, Green
The Liberals formed the last gov- Party Tom Ferguson’s 2,274 and
ernment for 25 months.
Christian Heritage David Byls“They [Canadians] want us to ma’s 1,132.
Page 2, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Job Connect helps students
By MELISSA MANGELSEN
Staff Writer
On Jan. 9, Niagara College gained a
new user-friendly research tool, Job Connect, to help students find employment.
Mike Bauer, manager Youth
Employment Services, says the main
client group is between the ages of 16
and 24, out of school, unemployed and
not eligible for employment insurance.
Previously, the organization had a
website but it not user friendly nor
interactive. Bauer and a team decided
to construct a new website that was
aesthetically appealing and easy to
work with.
He explains it will help identify and
set job goals, improve organization in
job searching, market the student to the
employer and prepare and review
resumés.
It also will help users succeed in an
interview and gain on-the-job training.
Job Connect receives more than 750
hits a day. The average person stays on
the website to view nine pages.
“It’s a great resource for unemployed people,” says Bauer.
The website also includes summer
job opportunities.
The summer jobs service is available
to people between 15 and 24 who are
returning to school in the fall and are
legally entitled to work in Canada.
All the services Job Connect features
are available to those with disabilities
until they reach the age of 29.
Bauer and several others got the idea
for the Job Connect website when they
discovered the deficiencies in the
existing one.
The new Job Connect website is user
friendly.
“The old site needed a total facelift,”
says Bauer.
The Job Connect website is funded
by the Ministry of Training, Colleges
and Universities.
It delivers services to St. Catharines
and surrounding areas.
Anyone can use the site as a
resource. This includes employers, students and teachers.
The site is expected to undergo some
changes while updating is completed.
Bauer says they have received a lot of
positive responses from people in the
community and from people using it.
“They are very happy with it.”
It took six people working hands-on
with the site and 14 others to create Job
Connect, over six to seven months.
Bauer is a Niagara College graduate.
He says four of the Job Connect staff
at Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist campus graduated from Niagara and four
from the Glendale campus in Niagaraon-the-Lake.
“It was a lot of work and took a lot
of thought.”
Young college graduates sometimes
have trouble getting jobs.
“It is harder for young people to get
a job because they don’t have the experience,” says Bauer.
The hospitality and tourism industry
in the Niagara region has high hiring
rates for year-round workers.
The industry’s job opportunities
have risen over the last several years.
Seven per cent of employable Niagara residents are unemployed and
among youth that number doubles to
14 per cent.
The site is a resource to jobs in the
area. It features links for career assessments, which will give the job seeker
an idea of their employment strengths.
It also shows the employment
growth trends throughout Canada.
Job Connect features a directory of
services and a contact listing of staff.
Currently, Job Connect is unable to
post your resumé and employers are
unable to see your resumé and hire
through the website but, over time, the
site designers would like to add that
feature.
According to the Key Performance
Indicator (KPI) in 2003-2004, Niagara College has a high success rate
of graduate employment. In 20032004, 90.1 per cent of students found
employment.
The college has one of the higher
placement rates in the province.
The KPI helps an organization
define and measure progress towards
organizational goals.
Bauer says “a lot” of students use the
college co-op programs to obtain work
at the school.
For more information on Job Connect visit job.niagarac.on.ca.
Hockey for homeless
It’ll be a full day of outdoor ball hockey fun on Saturday, Feb. 4, as a benefit tournament will help the
homeless in Niagara.
The event, sponsored by BHI St. Catharines and the
Region of Niagara, is part of the 2006 Toque campaign,
Raising the Roof, for Toque Tuesday.
Teams will compete in a five-on-five format on the
half court in 15-minute sessions. Prizes for the top
fundraising teams and individuals are guaranteed. A
minimum $30 pledge total nets the competitor a free
hat. The refreshments, a buffet dinner and award presentations will be held at Frado’s Italian Restaurant.
The last day to register a team is Jan. 28. Open to
males and females, teams must have a minimum of 11
players and maximum 14. A $100 deposit per team is
required at registration.
Charitable receipts for pledges totaling $20 or more
will be provided.
The event supports The Hope Centre of Welland, Project S.H.A.R.E. and Community Care St. Catharines.
For more information, call BHI St. Catharines at 905682-2835 or visit www.ballhockeyinternational.com.
The Employer in the Hall
Every Tuesday in February
from
10 am - 2 pm
Various employers
will recruit on
campus for parttime, summer, and
full-time positions.
Find them at the
tables outside
the cafeterias at
Welland
and
Glendale.
Anxiety avoidable while waiting for buses at college
By ROBIN HEALEY
Staff Writer
The low-hanging morning sun is bright enough to sting
the eyes but remote in its wintry solitude, leaving those in its
glare to shiver.
Students destined for Niagara College’s Welland campus
wait roadside at an unsheltered bus stop at Brock University, in St. Catharines. Several students without watches complain to each other that the bus has never been so late, while
a student with a watch realizes that seven minutes remain
before its scheduled arrival. He informs them of the actual
time, and their nervous jabbering subsides.
Train stations, airports, restaurants and many other businesses use “waiting information” to notify customers of the
expected length of delay before they will be served, writes
Dave McMahon, a professor of marketing at Pepperdine University, in Culver City, Calif. His article, Waiting Games People Play, which first appeared in the summer 2001 issue of the
Graziadio Business Report, details the strategies businesses
and health professionals use to soothe the anxieties of waiting
customers. Waiting information is often successful in alleviating stress, if the wait is short and not too uncomfortable.
Not two minutes pass before anxiety resurfaces among the
students. This time the male with the watch quietly walks
away from the others’ unhappy chatter.
A St. Catharines city bus empties at Brock’s main
entrance, and five students trudge to the bus stop. One of the
newly arrived students takes his place beside an older man
with gray hair. The man accuses the student of cutting in
line. They dispute whether they are waiting in an ordered
line or in an unstructured crowd.
With firm conviction, the man growls, “I’ve waited here
longer!”
The student meekly takes two steps behind the man,
whose once-scowling face now brims with satisfaction.
McMahon notes businesses expecting delays of 30 minutes or more give “queuing information,” which tells customers where they are in line, as an attempt to mollify them.
Similarly, doctor’s offices routinely move patients from the
waiting room of a doctor’s office into examination rooms to
alter their perception of time.
Continued on page 4
Student divides time between council, homework, placement
By MELISA TOPP
Staff Writer
Julia is busy.
Julia Forster, 19, of Dunnville, is enrolled in the Child
and Youth Worker program
here and is a student representative for the Niagara College
Student Administrative Council (SAC).
Putting up posters and helping with SAC Awareness Days
are some of the responsibilities Forster has as part of her
position. She says she also
assists students daily in the
SAC office by helping them
with forms, giving them information about SAC services
and selling them bus passes.
“We just give a lot of information about pretty much any-
thing we can about our services and who we are.”
Forster says she’s in the
Child and Youth Worker program because “I want make a
difference in children’s lives
and help them out in whichever way I can.” She says the
program will train her to do
that effectively.
Forster says she has two
days of classes and three days
of placement each week.
Forster says placement
enhances her program.
“Actually applying the work
is much different than reading
it out of a textbook.”
Forster says if there were no
placements, “[the students]
wouldn’t know what to expect
until [they] got out to the
workforce and that would be a
huge eye-opener.”
She says there is a lot to do
in placement and although it’s
“not very hard,” she says it
“just takes a lot of time sometimes.”
“I feel there is a lot more
work in placement than school
work.” Forster says the work is
“emotionally draining” as well.
She says she enjoys school
because of SAC and pub
nights. Forster says being a
member of SAC has made her
feel like “being a part of
something and helping other
people.”
Forster says the worst part
of college life is not being
able to spend enough time
with her friends.
Julia Forster completes some of her council duties on campus.
Photo by Melisa Topp
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 3
By LESLEY KERR
Staff Writer
It’ll be high fashion on the catwalk in April.
From April 12 to April 13, a fashion show will be held at the college’s
Glendale campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Auditions were held last week. Sixty-five models signed up for the
show, but additional volunteers are needed.
Joyce Dwomoh, choreographer of the fashion show, says volunteers
for behind the scenes are still needed.
Dwomoh, 22, is in her second year of the International Business
Management (Graduate Certificate) program. She says she hopes to
carry on to a third year of college in a post-graduate program and
organize the fashion show for the next year.
She says she has 11 fashion stores in mind as participants. The six
stores that are confirmed are Opus, Gap, Jean Machine, Ricky’s, Niagara College Bookstore and Manic Shoes.
Dwomoh says she’s aiming for 20 stores to be involved.
The fashion show will feature various types of attire and styles,
including casual to business attire and bikini to underwear attire.
To add some fun on the runway, she says she wants to have
costumes modeled.
The rehearsal’s dates have not been set, but they will not
interfere with the students’ classes, says Dwomoh.
“If people skip classes for rehearsals, I will just send
them back to class.”
If you want to be fashionably informed, don’t forget to
mark the dates on your calendar. Those interested in volunteering can contact Heather Minow at the Student
Administrative Council at Glendale campus by calling
905-641-2252 ext 4227 for information.
Events at Glendale
Like a true model, Joyce Dwomoh, co-ordinator of the fashion show, poses for the
camera.
Photo by Lesley Kerr
Books exchanged
for money
Asian New Year, poker, fun
By LESLEY KERR
Staff Writer
Work on your social skills, put down the
books and discover the fun part of college life.
Happy New Year from Asia kicks off a social
and cultural event at The Armoury today from
6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sean Coote, manager of
the International Department, and Niagara College students, organized the event.
This is the second year the college has celebrated the Asian New Year. The night will be
filled with food, dancing, door prizes and fashion. For $10 at the door, come celebrate a new
kind of New Year at the Glendale campus in
Niagara-on-the-Lake.
For the past couple of weeks the Glendale
campus has hosted a Niagara idol competition
and it is coming to an end, so come and see the
finale of Niagara Idol at the Welland campus at
8p.m. Free admission.
In other planned fun, the Student Administrative Council (SAC) at Glendale campus has
organized a poker night at The Armoury. The
dates have not yet been set but the league will
start Feb. 7 and Feb. 21.
No money will be involved, as a poker set
will be given to the winner of each table.
Heather Minow, SAC’s director of programming and student events, says, “It’s not gambling. It is just to come out and play cards. It’s
very relaxed.”
Ten tables will be available for the participants and will be organized on a first-come,
first-served basis. The winner of each table
will be asked to come back the following week
to play cards for a larger prize.
This is not the only competitive event in February. SAC organized a Niagara College version
of Fear Factor. There are no dates set, but the
SAC office will post them as soon as possible.
People can sign up and participate in the
competition on Monday. If needed, the competition will run through Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I’ve had to watch every episode of Fear
Factor,” Minow says.
The activities will take place inside and outside of the school complex, and there’ll be a
station for the gross food that the contestants
will have to stomach.
“It wouldn’t be Fear Factor without gross
stuff to eat.”
Niagara College’s formal event, Winter in the
Vineyard, is on Feb. 9, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The dress attire is formal and fine wines, martinis and cocktails will be served, as well as foods
from a Tapas Bar featuring foods of Niagara.
Accompanying the drinks and food is a
live jazz band and a DJ.
The evening is open to all students for $25
in advance and $35 at the door.
All proceeds go to the Niagara College
Culinary Institute.
During the week of love from Feb. 13 to
Feb. 17, the student health clinic will have a
health fair. There will be a variety of organizations setting up including Women’s Place, St.
John Ambulance, Canadian Mental Health
Association and Canadian Diabetes Society,
along with many more organizations.
SAC will team up with the health fair to
raise awareness through information about
sex, drugs, alcohol and gambling.
This listing brings us to only mid-February,
so keep up with the fun by checking out the next
edition of news@niagara for the future events
coming to Niagara College.
College Connection
College models bring high
fashion to catwalk
Your link to
the college
Fashion show
in
April
page 3
Students can exchange used books for money during the
Buy Back period.
Photo by Cherie Borho
By CHERIE BORHO
Staff Writer
Last semester’s Buy Back went “very well,” says Niagara College
Book Store Manager Agnes Hodgson, of St. Catharines.
“We could have used more books,” says Hodgson, “and we
extended Buy Back until Friday [Jan. 6.]”
Buy Back didn’t go as well last year, as there were a few textbooks, such as Essay Essentials, that went to a new edition. However, books worth $10,000 books were bought back.
“I’m happy with the service because there is the discount and
you know they don’t take back books with writing in it,” says
Anne Duguay, 24, of Welland. Duguay says she previously would
buy used textbooks when she was in the Business Administration
– Accounting program.
This year the Campus Store gave out Bonus Bucks. A Bonus Buck
is a coupon given to students when they brought back a textbook. A
student would receive $1 worth of Bonus Bucks for every $10 sold
back and could use one Bonus Buck per every $5 spent on their next
purchase. However, the Bonus Buck arrived during the second week
of Buy Back.
“For our next Buy Back, we will broaden our endeavours to
reach more students and promote Buy Back in a bigger way,” says
Hodgson.
The next Buy Back will occur at the end of March and last until
the end of August.
SAC events
for
February
page 3
Books for
exchange
page 3
Page 4, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Seminar warns about dangers of gambling
By JOHN MISITI
Staff Writer
All bets were off at the college’s Glendale campus during
the Know the Score campaign
held last week by the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC).
The RGC was formed in 1983
as a non-profit organization
focused firmly on the prevention
of gambling-related problems.
Know the Score is an interactive
awareness program that engages
post-secondary students in a fun and
informative way. Marc English, a
representative from the RGC, was
present at the Glendale campus in
Niagara-on-the-Lake for the fourday campaign.
“The program’s goal is to help
students understand the risks
associated with gambling and
how to avoid those risks,” says
English. “We also want them to
know that there are places they
can call for help.”
The program notes that
Ontario’s youth, ages 18 to 24,
are the most likely group to
engage in a variety of gambling
activities.
“There are many different reasons for this,” says English.
“Students are moving away for
the first time. They have access
to a lot of money for the first
time from things like OSAP
[Ontario Student Assistance Pro-
gram] and are more prone to
being engaged with risky behaviour, be it with alcohol, or reckless driving, which tends to carry
over into gambling as well.”
English’s
comments
are
backed by a study released by
the RGC. The report states that
young adults are among the
highest risk groups for developing gambling problems and that
seven per cent of young Ontario
adults experienced moderate to
severe gambling problems. This
is almost twice the rate of the
general public.
Know the Score dispels some
common myths about randomness and identifies some signs of
problem gambling.
“The most common myth I
hear is about slot machines and
people thinking if they keep
playing the slot machine then
they are getting themselves closer to a win. The reality is slot
machines are never programmed
to pay out eventually. They work
on a random basis that provides
the exact same amount [of
opportunity to win] every time.”
Know the Score provided ballots
to students at the Glendale campus
on which they could fill out answers
relating to what they know about
gambling. From these ballots two
winners will be chosen and awarded
$1,500 each to use towards their edu-
Students at the Glendale campus enter their ballot for a chance to win $1,500.
Photo by John Misiti
cation. The ballots contained questions concerning such issues as lottery sequencing and ways to limit
your risks.
Reducing your risks is the
main focus of the RGC. Some
recommended tactics are to set a
limit of how much you’re going
to spend, to never borrow money
to gamble and to balance gambling with other activities.
Many casinos offer help with
gambling problems and carry the
option of your banning yourself so,
if you step on the premises with the
intent to gamble, security will
escort you off-site. Those with
problems can call the Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline, at 1-888230-3505. You can also reach the
RGC online at http://www.responsiblegambling.org.
As the saying goes, “Know
your limit; play within it.”
Transitioning back to college basics not so easy
By SARAH HIRSCHMANN
Staff Writer.
It’s a hard thing for some students to do,
but for others it’s an easy transition.
The transition from sleeping in,
relaxing and spending time with
friends and family on the holidays to returning to school and schedules isn’t an easy
feat.
Most students do not work on school
subjects during their holidays to get ahead
for the coming term. School is
the last thing on their mind.
Rebecca Allen, 18, of Hamilton, an
Educational Assistant – Special Needs
Support student, says she doesn’t do
any studying over holidays, only assigned
work.
“It is hard to go from sleeping in to having to get up early,” she says of the new
term’s start.
Adam Geddes, 19, of Hamilton, agrees.
“It’s hard going from a situation
where you were relaxing after a long
term of school to a situation where knowledge is suddenly being stuffed down your
throat again and you have lots of work to
do again.”
Brett Jacques, 21, of St. Catharines, a
student in the Computer Engineering
Technology program, says he did
not have much difficulty with the
transition.
“There is a bit of a shock, but really not
that bad. It’s just getting into the swing of
things like doing homework and getting up
in the morning.”
Jacques adds that he forces himself.
“I move my alarm clock so I do not
smash it.”
Allen says she gets back into work by
“jumping in. If something needs to be done,
I just do it.”
Jacques recommends that you not let
yourself fall behind when you get back to
classes.
Agonizing wait for bus rides
Continued from page 2
“The trick is that the patient
tends to start the clock again once
he or she has been moved,”
explains McMahon. “In this way,
the doctor creates a higher level of
satisfaction without changing the
total wait time for the patient.”
Why is waiting judged so undesirable as to warrant these deceptions?
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychology professor at Claremont
Graduate University, in Claremont, Calif., coined the term
“flow” to describe the feelings of
joy and meaning that accompany
total involvement in tasks such as
sailing and dancing. In his book,
Flow, Csikszentmihalyi explains
that people engaged in activities
producing flow have a decreased
awareness of the passage of time.
He argues that situations devoid of
interesting challenges, such as
waiting for the bus, make flow
unattainable for most people, causing feelings of apathy and anxiety.
“I take two buses. Usually on the
first bus, I read; on the second bus,
I think about what I have to do for
the day,” explains Andrew Park,
28, a first-year Law Clerk (Co-op)
student at Niagara College. He
travels from St. Catharines to the
Welland campus and finds that
time proceeds at a normal pace
because he is thinking about the
day and his thoughts are “organized.”
Csikszentmihalyi suggests people find ways to engage themselves in ways similar to Park.
Individuals who are regularly
engaged have “autotelic personalities” and often avoid the misery of
waiting.
Most people do not have
autotelic personalities and suffer
like Kristin Rasile. She is a firstyear Journalism-Print student
who waits 30 to 45 minutes from
the time her bus from Thorold
drops her at Brock to the time
the bus arrives to take her to the
Welland campus. Her wait
always feels long, “especially in
the morning.”
Csikszentmihalyi says flow
experiences can be increased by
regularly practicing “self-contained activities” that require high
levels of concentration like reading. Nevertheless, Rasile’s attempt
to read a book is unsuccessful “in
the cold weather.”
Even Park feels the agony of
waiting when his classes end and
his mind wanders.
“That sucks. That’s what makes
the wait feel long.”
Be Prepared…Get Informed
ATTEND THESE FREE WORKSHOPS!
University Prep Workshop
• Mon. Jan. 30/06 • 1:30 - 2:30pm
• Glendale Campus • Room W212
Stress Management Workshop
• Mon. Jan. 30/06 • 12:30 - 1:30pm
• Welland Campus • Room ME104
Counselling Services
We’re Here To Help!
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 5
Student in coma makes Christmas layoffs anger
NCR employees
friend realize meningitis
can be deadly virus
By MATT SPENCER
Broadcasting – Radio, Television
and Film program
Special to news@niagara
“Hey, man, did you hear about Ashley?”
“No? What happened?”
“She’s in a coma, man. Been out for three
days.”
That’s how the conversation went when I
found out one of my best friends from home in
Keswick was in the hospital.
Ashley O’Neill, 21, from Keswick as well,
had gotten meningitis. She was taken to the
hospital after coming home feeling a little ill
from a normal day of school, then suddenly
vomiting and fainting. Soon afterwards she
had a seizure. As scary as I like to think it was
when I found out she was in the hospital, I
can’t begin to imagine how scary it must have
been for her and her family.
Meningitis doesn’t get the limelight that
other viruses do. There’s a lot of ignorance
about it. This is a shame because, like the
common flu, it can be as simple as you get
sick and stay in bed for a week, or you can end
up in the hospital with more worries on your
hands than getting your homework for the
week caught up, which was much the case
with O’Neill.
The most common form of the disease is
viral meningitis, and anyone, anywhere, at
anytime can get it. What’s different about viral
meningitis is that its symptoms are similar to
that of the common cold or flu: headache,
mild fever and just generally feeling poorly.
Most of the time you don’t need medication,
so people believe that you simply have a cold,
resulting in many unreported cases.
That, however, is meningitis in its most
simple forms; others can be scarier such as
the one Ashley contracted: tuberculosis
meningitis.
In this, tuberculosis bacteria invade the
fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
The symptoms are not the same. You just
generally feel ill and achy for a while, but
then left undetected, it results in seizures
and coma.
College students are at high risk because of
the high levels of interaction amongst them.
“The doctor says she could have gotten it
anywhere,” explains Ashley’s mom, Agnes.
“At school in the halls, someone could have
coughed, the bars, anywhere.” Ashley is a student at York University in Toronto, but don’t
think because it’s in Toronto that we here in
our bubble of the Niagara region are not susceptible.
Earlier in the school year, there was a meningitis inoculation clinic at Niagara College’s residence. I happened to be in the lobby at the time,
waiting for a friend, and got talked into getting
the shot myself. My reasoning was that I had
nothing better to do, so I might as well get
immune to something.
I didn’t once consider the true benefits of it
because my whole reasoning was that it would
never happen to me. I wouldn’t get it. When
you think about it, those are the exact thoughts
that go through every student’s mind about
anything bad – until it happens to you, or
someone you really care about.
With Ashley, it shook me like a leaf when I
found out. I had to sit down and I just thought,
“Whoa, how could this happen?”
Her brother updated me all throughout the
week and then finally the day came when the
news came: “She’s awake.”
As soon as I could, I took a trip home for a
visit. As I walked into the hospital room I was
greeted with a big smile. Just a big smile from
the hospital bed said more than any words
could have.
When she attempted to talk, she would
stumble over her words, so she just avoided
trying. She also had double vision, a small
price to pay to be conscious again and be one
step closer to getting back to any form of
normal. The fact of the matter was that it was
a huge improvement from three days earlier.
At least now she was conscious and moving,
unlike being in her previous comatose state,
which rendered her useless.
MRIs proved there would be no permanent
damage, which is always good news. Either
way, it’s something that no college student
needs to go through, but it could happen to
any one of us.
If you want information on meningitis, such
as symptoms, forms of it, and even where to
make donations for research funding, visit
http://www.meningitis.org for all the information you need. Better yet, get the shot. Needles
aren’t as bad as you think. If you’re lucky
enough to be in the right place at the right time
and get it for free, just get it. You might as well.
Quick facts about meningitis
Meningitis is spread through a transfer of secretions from the mouth and nose of an
infected person, such as through kissing, coughing and sneezing.
College students are more susceptible because they live in close proximity to each other,
and lifestyle choices such as going to bars, drinking alcohol, smoking, and high stress lower
resistance to germs.
SYMPTOMS
High fever
Severe headache
Sensitivity to light
Nausea/vomiting
Drowsiness/losing consciousness
REDUCING THE RISK
Eat a balanced diet
Get adequate sleep
Get regular exercise
Develop skills to deal with stress
For more information on meningitis, check out:
www.studentvaccines.ca
www.healthgov.ab.ca.informat/pubimm.html
www.cdc.gov/od/nvpo
http://vaccine.chop.edu
By AMANDA REYNOLDS
Staff Writer
On Dec. 23, 250 people were laid off at NCR in Waterloo, Ont.
Charlotte Vonprachan, 30, of Kitchener, Ont., is an employee there.
“NCR did the layoffs because they wanted to save money on benefits and not pay
too many people on jobs that the employees that are left can do.”
Vonprachan says the employees’ reaction was anger.
“When the night shift found out, the men were so mad they destroyed the bathroom, ripping off the soap dispensers and the toilet seats. The other shifts were just
sad. The people sat crying and worrying about Christmas. They were also upset
they were told two days before Christmas Day.”
Some employees were told a half an hour before their shifts and others as soon
as their shift began. They had the option of staying for their shift or leaving with
pay.
Vonprachan says most of the laid-off workers will probably receive employment insurance or seek jobs elsewhere. If some employees return to work for
NCR, they will have to do so through a temporary employment agency. They
are not guaranteed their past position or pay level. The people who were
employed with NCR for three months were given a severance payout of two
months.
For the employees who remain, there is a lot of overtime work and few people to
put in the hours.
Vonprachan says, “We have the same amount of work and less people. We all
have to work hard and we all have to work overtime.”
The workers of NCR have also been warned that more layoffs were occurring
Jan. 17.
“We can either volunteer and leave or be laid off, but they have told us that 20
more people must be laid off either way,” says Vonprachan.
Waterloo’s NCR is the only one of the firm’s plants in Canada. It produces bank
machines for various companies.
Although the workers want a union within the company to prevent such layoffs,
there is nothing yet to protect the workers.
“NCR managers don’t like unions, but some of the workers want to feel safe.
NCR has signed contracts with their workers that they can do layoffs whenever
they want,” says Vonprachan.
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Page 6, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Editorials
Publisher: Leo Tiberi
Managing Editor: Phyllis Barnatt
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news@niagara is a practical lab for Journalism-print 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 writer’s opinion.
Readers are welcome to respond to columnists by e-mail at [email protected]
Victory means death for many loyal soldiers
Despite an attack in Kandahar,
Afghanistan, which left five
Canadians seriously injured in the
last month, Canada is sending more
troops.
Canada has about 650 troops
stationed in the country, and military
leaders plan to increase that number
to about 2,200 by February.
I am sure news of the increasing
violence in Afghanistan has left the
families of those soldiers feeling
uneasy and stressed.
I know someone who is being sent
to Afghanistan. While he will be
recognized as a hero, it still makes
me uneasy to know he will be there.
I watched the news when the
soldiers were saying goodbye to
their loved ones. I saw a grown man
crying, clinging to his baby, the same
as another dad with his little boy.
The soldiers represent the first
wave of 1,000 soldiers from
Edmonton, Alta., and 250 from
Shilo, M.B., who will be joining
the US-led campaign against
terrorism.
It has been a week since a senior
Canadian diplomat was killed in a
suicide blast that wounded three
Canadian soldiers.
I know these soldiers are doing
their jobs and protecting North
America against further terrorism,
but you have to wonder where to
draw the line.
We have been at war in
Afghanistan for five years and
nothing has come of it. Al Qaeda
leader Osama Bin Laden is still
free and still sending threatening
taped messages to the U.S.
He sent one last week that stated
once the planning has been
completed, Americans will face their
worst terrorist attack in history.
Good U.S.-Canadian relations are
important to us, but where do we
draw the line that it’s no longer
Canada’s problem?
Many of you probably are tired of
hearing about the wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq. Even I am guilty of turning
the news channel when those stories
come on.
Most people are desensitized.
Bin Laden’s capture will not stop
the Taliban or slow them from their
mission.
There is always someone waiting
to take Bin Laden’s spot.
Suicide bombers lurk in the U.S. as
I write this, waiting for their cue to
attack.
To capture Bin Laden would be a
victory for Canadian and American
troops, but it will not end the
problem.
The real issue is more deeply
rooted.
Former Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein’s capture was a victory for
U.S. President George W. Bush and
his troops.
Plenty of time has passed since the
capture on Dec. 14, 2003, though,
and still hundreds of Americans are
losing their lives.
I find myself wondering, when do
they declare victory? When will
these thousands of men and women
get to return home?
When will the day come when we
can turn on the television news and
open our newspapers and not read
about soldiers being killed overseas?
MELISSA MANGELSEN
Conservatives might be right step for Canada
After 12 years of ruling the
country, the federal Liberal Party lost
Monday’s
election
to
the
Conservatives.
I admit that following the
election issues was not one of my
top priorities, although it should
have been.
After not voting Monday night,
lacking valid identification, I
watched the results on CTV. I kept
seeing the Conservatives’ blue
colour all over the TV screen.
The Conservatives are not my
party of choice, if I had to pick a
party at all, but majority rules and
leader Stephen Harper and his
Conservatives won.
Over the last two weeks, the TV
airwaves have been taken over by
political ads. What made me angry
was the way the two leading political
parties seemed to bypass their own
campaign priorities with ads that
showed what the other one has done
wrong or has yet to do.
I shouldn’t be surprised by these
ads because every four years the
same ads show up again. With each
election, the ads seem more direct
but in a sly, sarcastic way.
The newspapers announced that
hours after his win Harper’s mind
was on getting to work on his
campaign priorities.
Some of these included lowering
the GST rate, initially to six per cent
from seven, and putting a guarantee
Correction
Errors happen.
We work hard at avoiding them, but
mistakes do get published.
In the Jan. 20 edition of news@niagara
(Volume 36, Issue 7), our Election Quiz on
Page 11 contained not one, but two errors.
The answer to Question Four should
be (C) Rock the Vote, while the answer to
Question Eight should be (A) Sir John A.
MacDonald.
It is the policy of news@niagara to
correct errors of fact.
on patient wait times in medical
facilities.
Paul Martin’s Liberals, on the
other hand, focused on cutting
tuition costs and making childcare
funding a permanent factor.
Both parties were on the right
track. All there is left to do is wait to
see if Harper keeps up his end of the
bargain.
After
bashing
the
Liberals for not keeping theirs, I’m
hoping Harper won’t fall into
familiar territory, as politicians
often do.
Maybe the change from Liberal to
Conservative won’t be as bad as I
had thought.
Harper’s campaign was “Stand Up
For Canada.” Let’s hope he
will practice what he preaches. The
ball is in his court now.
JENNIFER GIBBONS
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Kobe drops historic 81 against Raptors
Mike McClymont
Columnist
By halftime of the now-infamous
Toronto Raptors/Los Angeles Lakers
game on Jan. 22, Los Angeles’ Kobe
Bryant had already scored 26 points. I
said to myself, “Oh, that’s just Kobe,”
meaning, that’s just the kind of season
the one-man Lake show has been
having.
As the third period began, I got off
my seat and went to talk to my
roommate in his room ... without
pushing the record button on my VCR.
I spent the next half-hour rummaging through the pictures on my roommate’s computer and talking about the
opposite sex. When I returned to my
room with the game still playing on my
television, there were five minutes left
in the third and Kobe was just hitting
the 60s. The final period of that game
is now a historic one.
First, the 2005-2006 Raptors were
the
first
National
Basketball
Association (NBA) team in 27
years to lose to an Israeli team when
Maccabi Tel-Aviv beat Toronto this
past summer. That loss was
embarrassing. Now, the Raptors made
history by giving up the second
most points by one individual in an
NBA game. The loss to Maccabi
was demoralizing but recoverable.
Maccabi is not an NBA team, so the
Raptors may never suffer through
the embarrassment of having to play
the team again and most fans
may have already erased that
summer loss from their memory.
This recent embarrassment may be
devastating, to the Raptors and anyone
connected to the team.
The Raptors will now be known as
“the team Kobe dropped 81 on.”
Whenever opponents see Toronto up
next on their schedule, they’ll
first think of how it may be possible
that they too can score 81 on the
Raptors.
These aren’t your older brother’s
Raptors, folks. There are no Damon
Stoudamires or Vince Carters to
shine brightly for the Americans to see.
Raptors
Forward
Chris
Bosh
may be a future star, but if his
all-star votes this season are any
indication, he has not yet and may
never attract attention from the fans
below the border.
Kobe’s one night of perfection may
signal the end for some of this year’s
Raptors. General Manager Rob
Babcock has suffered through plenty of
growing pains since his tenure, but this
latest negative side-note may finally
spell the end for him.
What about Sam Mitchell, the
exasperated head coach? Though he
has done a lot with very little
and may finally have gained
the respect and ears of his players,
how does he overcome this latest
loss of losses?
And his players, what should the
members of the Raptors’ lineup do
next? How do you forget this last loss?
Do you throw it out like so many
other Raptor defeats or is this the end
of a career for some? What
might the Raptor veterans do
next,
those
that
play
with
pride and traded to play across the
border?
You may see a completely different
Raptor franchise by the end of the
season, but by then, will you
still see a franchise called the Toronto
Raptors? We’re 1-for-2 in existing
Canadian basketball franchises.
Might Kobe’s one-night surgery mark
the end of another?
19 DVDs satisfy
Damage caused by
ultimate hardcore fans
seven little letters
Divorce.
stepbrothers and stepsisters
It’s funny how that
and half-brothers and half-sisseven-letter word is talked
ters
to
the
mix.
about casually and freA
child’s
life
can
quently but can cause so
get hectic in a short period of
much damage.
time, going from home to
You hear it all the time.
home and trying to get a share
Brad and Jen call it quits.
of the attention after the
Cherie Borho
Britney cuts Kevin’s credit
half-siblings and stepsiblings
Columnist
cards up. It’s in the media
come into the picture.
and
in
our
homes.
Most
For example, my half-brother and
people know someone who has been half-sister have to share the attention
affected by divorce, if not themselves. with their other half-sister, who is
What kind of message is it almost two, and their two stepsisters as
sending to children? Are we well as their stepdad’s stepson.
sending the message that wedding
Hard to follow? A little confusing?
vows mean nothing? Maybe we are My point exactly.
teaching them that true love
If it’s like this now, what will it be
doesn’t exist and a marriage can like for our children or our
never last.
children’s children? It’s scary to
It wasn’t very long ago that the average think
about.
Will
hardly
family had a mother, father, two or anyone be married anymore? Will
three children and a dog. Now it’s just as same-sex parents be just as
common for a child to live in a single- common?
parent family and see the other parents on
I guess we have to go with the flow,
weekends and holidays, if at all.
keep up with the times and wait
Then you add in step-parents, to see what the future holds.
Is there such as thing as
anxiously waiting for has
too much sex?
finally arrived.
If it is being had,
Encased in a pink suede
discussed, analyzed or
binder is the ultimate Sex
debated by the women
and the City collection.
from HBO’s hit series Sex
This DVD collection
and the City, then the
consists of the series’
answer is a resounding no. Natalie Ventresca entire six seasons. Break it
Columnist
Carrie,
Samantha,
down: that’s 94 episodes,
Charlotte and Miranda
19 disks, and photos,
have long since left us, but hardcore along with the addition of numerous
and dedicated fans still long for more. bonus materials including an interacThey long for more of Carrie’s tive guide to all the New York hot
Manolo Blahniks, Samantha’s sexual spots the ladies frequented, advice on
escapades, Miranda’s sarcasm and relationships and fashion, a Finish
Charlotte’s romanticism, not to That Phrase game that challenges
mention Mr. Big.
fans to complete quotes from the
Numerous channels such as Bravo, show and a quiz that tells you what
TBS and City air episodes, but it’s Sex and the City man best suits you.
simply not the same.
Now fans will never have to say
Editing
for
censors
and goodbye again. The episodes are
commercial breaks puts a damper on uninterrupted and unedited, the way
an otherwise delightful experience of Sex and the City should be.
watching Sex and the City.
Relationships come and go, as we
A show about sex loses its core have all learned from these
when half of it is edited out. The extraordinary New Yorkers, but with
show loses its essence.
this ultimate Sex and the City
Nevertheless, the moment every collection,
you’ll
never
be
Sex and the City addict has been alone again.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
SAC has an
ambitious agenda
Dear Editor:
The recent decision taken by the
Student Administrative Council
(SAC) Board of Directors to
replace Jon Allan, president of the
Glendale SAC, was a difficult,
but necessary decision. It was made
in the best interests of students and in
the interest of ensuring a productive
and unified SAC committed to enhancing the experience at Niagara College
for all students.
SAC has an ambitious agenda of
goals and projects and accomplishing them will require a total team
effort, characterized by co-operation
and a willingness to work hard on
behalf of all students. Accomplishing these objectives will also require
strong and effective leadership.
The Glendale SAC extends its
thanks to Mr. Allan for his
contribution to student government
at Niagara College. We wish
him the very best of success in
all his future endeavours.
Student Administrative Council
Glendale Campus
Board of Directors
Saying goodbye...
Alan Davis, vice-president academic, left, smiles with Dan Patterson,
Niagara College president. Davis is leaving for Vancouver Community
College in British Columbia. Faculty and administration gathered in the
Welland campus boardroom on Jan. 25 to say goodbye. See next week’s
news@niagara for complete story on Davis.
Photo by Kaesha Forand
Columns .
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 7
What we
think
Kobe at his
best
Sex and the
City ultimate
collection
Divorce hits
close to
many homes
SAC has
new agenda
Page 8, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Safety Village adds In Memoriam plaque
By SARAH HIRSCHMANN
Staff Writer
The names of seven individuals
and one family will be shown
forever on an In Memoriam plaque
at the Niagara Children’s Safety
Village for donations made on
their behalf.
A reception and official
unveiling were held on Nov. 29 for
their families and friends.
The plaque is to recognize those
loved ones who have died and
whose family and friends
have donated money to the
Safety Village.
This is the only plaque of its
kind in any of the safety villages
across Canada, says Frank
Adamson, 56, the executive director of the Safety Village.
He says the village’s “budget
depends on charitable donations,”
adding, the “entire budget is based
on donations from individuals,
service
clubs
charitable
foundations [Trillium Foundation]
and sponsorships.”
He says the organization also
receives money from families and
corporate membership programs,
In Memoriam donations and
special events, such as golf and
ball hockey tournaments.
Maureen and James Pedlar
Funeral Home in Fonthill donated
$15,000 for the plaque and has
agreed to donate another plaque
when this one is filled.
Adamson started with this
funeral home because he lives in
Fonthill and “drives past their
funeral home on my way to work
every day.”
He says he would have gone to a
Welland funeral home but the Pedlar Funeral Home was “delighted
to get on board after I
did a PowerPoint presentation
for them.”
One of the names featured on
the plaque is Alice Redman
Gooch, who died on July 22, 2004,
and had $100,000 donated on her
behalf.
Another name is that of
Inspector George McGloin, who
helped form the village’s board of
directors.
“George McGloin and retired
Sgt. Harry Artinian, our first
chairman, were asked by Chief
[Grant] Waddell to contact people
that could assist to develop a
Safety Village. Both of them contacted friends and colleagues to
volunteer. They were instrumental
in convincing [Niagara College]
President Dan Patterson and the
college’s Board of Governors to
provide the land for the village.”
The village also has In
Memoriam cards available in
funeral homes for people who
didn’t specify a charity of choice
for donations on their behalf.
Donors can fill out the card to give
the village a donation.
“In Memoriam cards put us front
and centre at the funeral homes.
Sometimes families ask people to
give to a charity of their choice
or a children’s charity. Our cards
make this user friendly while
educating the funeral home
staff about the Village,” says
Adamson.
The Safety Village’s “mission is
to provide safety education to
elementary school children from
the Niagara Region.”
All money raised for the Safety
Village helps pay the mortgage or
cover operating costs, says
Adamson.
The Safety Village is located on
Niagara College’s Welland campus
off Woodlawn Road. The plaque is
displayed in the foyer.
Frank Adamson, executive director of the Niagara Children’s
Safety Village, stands beside the In Memoriam plaque.
Photo by Sarah Hirschmann
Letter from the president
To all faculty and staff:
The attached letter is being sent by College Presidents to employees of the Ontario
Colleges. We are sending this letter to provide you with up-to-date information on the
academic negotiations.
We believe that it is essential that everyone has this information. I would also invite
you to visit the College Compensation and Appointments Council website at
www.TheCouncil.on.ca and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union website at
www.opseu.org/caat/colleges.htm.
It is important to achieve a negotiated settlement that ensures our students receive a
quality educational experience, that our faculty are compensated fairly, and that
enables our colleges to continue to deliver strong programs.
Regards,
Dan Patterson
President
Office of the President
Jan. 18, 2006
Dear College Faculty, Support Staff,
and Administrative Staff:
As we begin 2006, I and other college
presidents are providing this communication to all employees due to the ongoing
challenges of our fiscal situation and the
importance of the academic collective
agreement negotiations.
All members of the college community
share a commitment to our students and
support the need to invest in quality
across the system. All of us want to
ensure that open communications contribute to the ongoing delivery of quality
programs and services. Despite concerted
efforts at the bargaining table in December, no settlement has yet been reached.
Monetary Offer
Management’s offer is 12.6 per cent
over four years. Those individuals who
move up the grid during the course of this
agreement will receive even larger
percentage increases. The new maximum
salary
will
be
$94,277.
In
addition, two-step co-ordinators will
have their maximum salary moved to
$99,303.
This offer clearly demonstrates that one
of our top priorities is to compensate our
faculty fairly so that we can recruit and
retain the best people to teach and support
our students. This percentage increase is
consistent with the settlement reached
with our Support Staff and with other
public sector settlements.
Despite the fact that Ontario has one of
the most poorly funded college systems in
the country (see below: Colleges’ fiscal
pressures), this offer would ensure that
Ontario’s college faculty remains the best
paid among all 10 provinces. In addition,
as a result of this offer the differential
between the salaries of high school teachers and college faculty continues to positively increase for our faculty.
Workload
I understand that when the negotiating
parties met in December, management’s
bargaining team advised the union bargaining team that it is not requesting any
increase to workload. However, the union
bargaining team’s position would result in
the reduction of teaching contact time of
full-time faculty from an average of 14
hours per week to an average of 12 hours
per week.
The College Compensation and
Appointments Council has estimated that
the union bargaining team’s workload
proposal would cost an additional $135
million in the first year alone. The college
system simply doesn’t have the financial
resources to fund this proposal. Furthermore, these proposals would take
resources away from other essential
investments in quality.
For further details, see the
Dec. 19, 2005, issue of Contract
Update at http://www.TheCouncil.on.ca,
the website of the Ontario College
Compensation and Appointments
Council.
Colleges’ fiscal pressures
Many people believe that the financial
problems of the colleges have been
solved by the Government of Ontario’s
reported investment in postsecondary
education. While new investment is welcome and begins to address the impact of
15 years of underfunding, we continue to
face significant fiscal pressures.
In fact, the government has only committed to increase colleges’ operating
budgets for 2005-2006 by approximately
$100 million on an operating budget of
$2.2 billion, an increase of approximately
4.5 per cent. Furthermore, the government has signalled that it is not committed
to similar increases in subsequent years.
As stated earlier, we have offered faculty a salary increase of 12.6% over four
years, which will consume a large proportion of any additional funding. Given
other much needed investments in teaching resources and student support services, escalating hydro costs, as well as
rising heating and fuel prices, this additional government funding is very modest
and will barely cover inflation.
Indeed, while Ontario’s college funding
per student remains one of the lowest in
Canada, we are committed to making
additional investments in faculty. Already
this year, colleges across Ontario have
begun to hire new full-time faculty and
more hiring will occur.
Maintaining and enhancing the quality
of our programs also requires that we
continue to make investments in
student support services, up-to-date
curriculum and teaching resources, new
library resources, new instructional
equipment, and building upgrades.
Will there be a strike?
The faculty union bargaining team is
now preparing for a strike vote in early
February. This February vote is critical,
because if more than 50 per cent of the
turnout votes in favour of a
strike, the union bargaining team has the
authority it needs to call a strike at any
time. It is worth noting that the strike vote
is based on the number of faculty who
actually vote; it is not based on
the total number of faculty eligible
to vote.
The union bargaining team has currently set a strike deadline of March 7.
We continue to be committed to negotiating a settlement, which ensures that:
• our students receive the highest
quality of education possible,
• our faculty members are compensated fairly, and
• our colleges continue to deliver
strong programs.
A strike would be harmful not only to
our students, but to the entire college
community. We look forward to the parties returning to the bargaining table in an
effort to resolve all outstanding issues. I
will keep you informed of developments
as they arise.
Sincerely,
Dan Patterson
President, Niagara College
INVESTING
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 9
In The
Future
Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and
Universities Chris Bentley watches Peter Blakeman, program co-ordinator for the Culinary
Management (Co-op) program, cook in the
Food Lab, at the Glendale campus on Jan. 17.
Below
Bentley, left, talks with Jordan Harris, an
assistant winemaker, in the Niagara College
Teaching Winery, at the Glendale campus.
By ROBIN HEALEY
Staff Writer
The provincial government is giving Niagara
College $440,000 to fund 37 pre-apprenticeship
positions this year.
Ontario Minister of Colleges, Training and
Universities
Chris
Bentley
made
the
announcement at Niagara’s Glendale campus in
Niagara-on-the-Lake on Jan. 17. The funding is part
of a province-wide effort to increase
participation in the trades and will create 700
pre-apprenticeship spaces at a cost of $7 million.
“There is a looming skilled-trades shortage,”
warns Bentley.
“Our commitment to apprenticeship training
includes increasing the number of new
apprenticeship registrations by 7,000 to a total of
26,000 annually in 2007-08.”
He says the government is investing in
post-secondary education and skills training because
there is “a direct relationship between the education
and the wealth of a region.” He adds, “The smart
provinces invest in the future.”
Pre-apprenticeship programs “bridge the gap”
between high school and apprenticeships, says
Kathleen Lowes. She is the co-ordinator of the
special apprenticeship programs, program
delivery unit for the Ministry of Training,
Colleges
and
Universities
workplace
training branch.
She acknowledges the government funding of $7
million for 700 positions across the province is
“costly.” She attributes that cost to the “job readiness
and employability” components of the programs.
Niagara will receive $215,000 for 20
spaces in its Automotive Service Technician
Pre-Apprenticeship program and $225,000 for 17
spaces
in
its
Cook
Pre-Apprenticeship
for Newcomers program, says Bea Clark,
director of the Workforce and Business
Development division at Niagara College. The
programs are tuition-free.
“There is a component of language
upgrading,” notes Clark. She says the college offers
English as a Second Language courses as part of the
cook program to facilitate “newcomers to Canada”
in learning “trade-related English.”
The cook program requires a “Canadian
Language Benchmark of at least level 6,” says Cindy
Andrews,
project
manager
for
the
program. “We don’t want to set them
[newcomers] up for failure; we want to set them
up for success.”
The program will begin in September at the Maid
of the Mist campus, in Niagara Falls. Andrews says
people who want to know more should contact Janet
Forfar at 905-641-2252 ext. 7787.
The technician program has a “success rate in
excess of 85 per cent” in placing participants in
apprenticeships, says Kevin Hewitt, the
college’s chair of the Technology Skills Centre.
Photos by Robin Healey
The program
lasts 39 weeks.
“This will be
our fifth time in
this pre-apprenticeship project.”
“We had 23 [people] in the most
recent session,” says
Al Vaughan, registrar
for the college.
Sam DiMartino says
the province funds 20
spaces
through
graduation, but not all
students
finish
the
program. He is the program
co-ordinator
and
development officer for the
Technology Skills Centre at the
college and is looking to fill 23
spots for the session that begins
on May 15 at the Welland
campus.
The program focuses on “the
unemployed,
women,
aboriginals and newcomers.”
He says the college will hold
information
sessions
in
February, March and April and
that people who are interested
should call 905-735-2211
ext. 7456.
Anyone can apply, but the
program is meant to “target a
group of people who may not
have had the opportunity to
participate in an apprenticeship
training program” and don’t
already have post-secondary
education.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for somebody who never had
a chance to consider a trade.”
“There is a competitive
bidding process for these
[pre-apprenticeship] spots,”
says Bentley. He notes Niagara
College has more
pre-apprenticeship spots
than
is
usual
for
a
college of its size. The college
has a full-time student
enrolment of 6,000 in all
programs
“Niagara College is one ofthe
most recognized colleges in all
of Ontario,” says Niagara-onthe-Lake Liberal MPP Kim
Craitor. “It’s so innovative.”
“The government has two
major priorities: health care and
education.” Craitor joined
Bentley in the Jan. 17
pre-apprenticeship
program
announcement.
“The government will get a
very strong return” on its
investment, says Niagara
College President Dan Patterson. “This is the place to study.
This is the place to be.”
“Our goal is to be the best
hospitality and tourism centre
in Canada,” adds Patterson.
“We have the best faculty, the
best technology, the best
facilities and the best students.”
On the topic of pegging the
proposed fall 2006 tuition
increase to the rate of
inflation, Bentley says, “I think
we got some really good advice
from the CSA.” The CSA
[College Student Association]
circulated a petition among the
student bodies of Ontario’s
colleges last fall, requesting the
government hold the tuition
increase to the rate of inflation
as measured by the Consumer
Price Index.
Bentley says he is looking to
keep
tuition
regulated.
However, he adds, “We haven’t
designed the final framework.”
After
Bentley’s
announcement,
Patterson
guided him on a tour of the
Glendale campus Food Lab,
Niagara College Teaching
Winery and the Centre for
Advanced Visualization.
Page 10, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Student’s passion
for photography
began early in life
By ARIEL ELLIOTT
Staff Writer
The Niagara region is home to many different people with many different skills. If
you look hard enough, you can find a few
amazing gems.
Josh Moody, 17, of Port Colborne, says
being recognized as a photographer is “like
waking up in the morning and having a
fresh-sprinkled doughnut beside your bed
with some milk next to it.”
Although Moody is still in high school,
his photography and website are popular in
St. Catharines and surrounding area.
He says, “The best thing would be getting perks with everything. I get into
shows for free, [I] get a lot of recognition
for it all and I make some money here and
there.”
Moody says he got into photography
when he entered high school.
“A guy named Travis Nicholson was in
Grade 12 and into taking photos for his
website and making witty, funny comments to everyday photos he took. I wanted to do this, and I did.”
He says he thinks his first camera was a
Canon Powershot A200. He says his favourite
thing to photograph is “perhaps
whatever is a challenge? Yes,
that sounds quite good.”
“I obviously like to take photos of bands playing live and Josh Moody enjoys photographic challenges.
Photo by Ariel Elliott
scenery and people in general.
“I want to make this into a
“I miss out on some things ... friends
job. It would be very nice to be able to do
this all day, but school is needed, so I will and family-wise when I have to do this.
“As well, sometimes my marks in
most likely go to school for about two
school take a hit for this, but it all balyears, and then start this full time.”
Although he enjoys photography, he ances out in the end.”
You can view Moody’s photography
says the worst thing is having to choose
at: www.openlate.org.
photography over other things.
McEwen enjoys working with disabled
By NATALIE CLEWLEY
Staff Writer
James McEwen is an assistive technologist for Niagara
College’s Centre for Students with Disabilities.
McEwen is a graduate of Niagara College and has been
employed here for three years.
He says what he enjoys most about working with students
who have disabilities is providing them with the technology
they need to succeed.
“It’s extremely rewarding, gives them independence,”
says McEwen.
He became interested in this field of work through his
background as members of his family have disabilities. Seeing what he and his family have gone through, he wanted to
help other people with disabilities.
Some of the technology he recommends using are scanning and reading software and a program called Kurzweil
3000, a dictation software, through which students can
speak into a microphone and the words appear on the screen.
There is also a visual learning software program available
called Read Please. It is a good software for proofreading
stories. This is available to all students.
To find more information about or to download this software, visit readplease.com.
McEwen says what’s most difficult about his job is “students who have a disability and don’t want to receive help
and I have to watch them suffer.”
There are assistive technology computer labs that students
with disabilities can access during school hours located at
both campuses.
They are in room SE102 at the Welland campus and at the
left side of the Learning Resource Centre at the Glendale
campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
McEwen recommends that technology is not enough and
that the real value of devices and programs is seen only
when the appropriate strategies are used.
McEwen wants students with disabilities to succeed to
their full potential in the academic areas of the college and
feel as an equal individual in the college community.
His motto is “the right technology used correctly can
change everything.”
For more information on how to contact him or to make
Work ‘very rewarding’
By JENNIFER GIBBONS
Staff Writer
She is with patients through life and
death.
Lisa Charney, 21, from Barrie, Ont.,
works at the Royal Victoria Hospital
(RVH) as a Patient Watch.
She is responsible for patients who
can harm themselves or pose a threat
to the RVH staff.
Charney said every case is different,
but she normally sits with patients
who are confused or who suffer from
dementia or Alzheimer’s disease,
patients who have brain damage, teens
with behavioural problems or patients
who try to climb out of bed and rip out
their intravenous drip or catheters.
“I am there to ensure the patient’s
safety and, depending on the patient, I
usually just talk with them, play cards,
take them for walks and keep them
company.”
Charney must report any problems
to the Security Department, as the
Patient Watchers work directly with
that department.
If a patient causes trouble, all that is
needed is a radio call to security to
take care of the issue to ensure no one
is in danger, Charney said.
The hours she works depends upon
how many patients in the hospital
require a Patient Watch, she said,
adding, there are times when there are
no patients and no hours for her to
work. Charney said on a regular basis
she works full time, which is about 40
hours a week and she is always on
call.
“I enjoy working the 7 a.m. to 3
p.m. the most because I’m done in the
early afternoon and I can make plans
and spend time with my boyfriend,”
said Charney. “I don’t like working 3
p.m. to 11 p.m. It takes up my entire
afternoon and evening. I usually get
myself into a horrible sleeping pattern.”
Charney said she “loves” her job. It
gives her the opportunity to meet new
people. She is able to build new relationships with “wonderful” patients
and learn about their lives. It gives a
whole “new outlook on life” and an
“appreciation for what you have.”
The downside to her job is that for
many of the patients she sits with there
is not much hope, they are there long
term and they are not going to get better, said Charney.
“To know and see people you bond
with deteriorate and pass away is very
devastating and emotionally draining,” said Charney. “Knowing you are
making a difference in their lives and
bringing them happiness while they
are still here is very rewarding. At
times I still end up breaking down and
crying if one of my patients dies.”
Charney has worked at the RVH for
almost two years and says there is no
possibility for her to move up in
seniority.
She rarely sees her boss except for
the brief encounter in the hallways and
she said that her boss seems “very professional and friendly.”
Some of the patients she sits with
don’t have family members who visit
them on a regular basis or at all. It’s
worthwhile watching patients go
through the healing process and seeing
how happy the patients are just for the
company, she said.
“Listening to their stories gives you
an appreciation and understanding on
life and that we are all the same,” said
Charney.
“You realize how precious life is
and that this could happen to any of
us. We should be grateful for what we
have, no matter what.”
an appointment, call 905-735-2211 ext. 7557 or at the Glendale campus 905-641-2255 ext. 4185. To find more specific
information, visit http://niagarac.on.ca/studying/cswd/assistive
technologies.htm.
SAC clarification
In the report “Glendale Gets New Student President,”
which ran on the front page of the Jan. 20, 2006, edition
of news@niagara, Mike Eybel, Niagara College Student Administrative Council (SAC) director of communications and media for the Glendale campus, is
requesting the following clarifications:
Secret in-camera session: In-cameras are not secret;
they are mandatory when dealing with human resource
issues. They are a way to protect the privacy of the
members of the corporation; the in-cameras are always
stated in the minutes of the meeting. However, their
contents are held in confidence. Any major decision of
the in-camera is stated in brief out of camera.
Branches: The Student Administrative Council does
not have branches. It has executive councils that are
made up of students from the respective campuses that
work closely together with the best interests of the
corporation as a whole in mind.
Originally designated: Part of the duties of the Executive Vice-President is to act on behalf of the president
when the president is unavailable.
Other members of Glendale disagreed: The other
members of Glendale Council did disagree; however,
the disagreement was a logistical issue. There would
have been two elections at the same time. It would have
left the Glendale council without a president for a more
than two months. Because the president has signing
authorities for bills and purchase orders, where the
executive vice-president is the co-signer, the council felt
that the time requirements to run an election (three
weeks to appoint the Chief Returning Officer at the
board of directors meeting, two weeks’ notice to all students to pick up election kits and 21 calendar days to
campaign) would be far too long to have a vacancy of
one of the signing officers. The time required to hold an
election would bring us to our elections for the
2006/2007 council.
Third president in five days: Eric Muller was only active
president, temporarily filling the roles and responsibilities while there was a vacancy in office.
Concerning the resignations of two student representatives: The two student reps left due to completely separate issues. I’m not at liberty to discuss this issue due
to the privacy legislation, but they did not concern the
removal of Jon Allan.
It is the policy of news@niagara to correct errors of fact.
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 11
Midwives help expectant mothers
By MELISSA TOPP
Staff Writer
A new midwife clinic is in high demand.
Rose Ann Perconti says it has “[come] to
an area [Haldimand and Norfolk counties]
without midwives before.”
The Midwives of East Erie is in Dunnville,
Ont. Perconti says the clinic started with one
client and now has guided 51 deliveries.
She says assisting with 40 to 50 births per
year is expected of a midwife. She and coworker Jennifer McTaggart are counting the
clients equally toward their respective totals.
Perconti says she thinks the clinic will be
busier next year when she expects between
80 and 100 deliveries.
“It shocked us the number of women
having to leave the region. We want to
stop the exodus.”
The facility offers continuity of care by
having the same care provider before labour
and during delivery, says Perconti, adding
they take care of the mother and the baby. As
part of the service, the clinic personnel have
solid backgrounds in breast-feeding.
The midwives are on call 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
Informed choices are offered as the various
tests are discussed with clients. She says they
can recommend certain tests and tell clients
the pros and cons of their test choices.
“We have the luxury of time to inform
them of what is out there.”
Perconti says the decision-making of
the women is final. “We put the care back
in their hands.”
The clinic offers clients longer appointment times of 30 to 40 minute after approximately a five-minute wait. She says the
“opposite [is] true in physician care.”
This gives a longer time to explain the
options, says Perconti.
Midwives are the only primary caregivers
who can offer choice of birthplace, whether
in a home or hospital setting. Perconti says
they inform them about studies, medications
and natural childbirth.
Midwives can prescribe a certain number
of medications. She says the drugs they
can’t order can be obtained on the order of a
physician, however. For example, midwives
can’t order antibiotics but can order lab and
blood work, just as physicians do.
Perconti suggests contacting a midwife as
soon as a woman is pregnant. She says other
practices have waiting lists as there are
fewer than 300 midwives in Ontario and
there is a huge demand for services.
Repeat clients are given priority, says Perconti. The clinic often puts aside one or two
spots for clients who move into the area and
have no doctor yet.
Perconti says she advises mothers-to-be
that it’s the sooner the better to come in as
the “demand is so much greater than the
supply.”
To keep costs down, the clinic’s personnel
are working out of Perconti’s home until a
planned move to 340 Lock St. Perconti says
a physician’s office will be on the first floor
Woman cares for horses
By CHERIE BORHO
Staff Writer
If a horse breaks a leg, you shoot it.
You don’t, though, if Lesly Woods, of
Port Colborne, gets involved.
Woods, 27, has two horses, Disel
and Pride.
“I love them. They’re my life,” says
Woods. “It’s my little escape from the
world.”
Woods says she started to take riding
lessons when she was eight years old
and has owned six horses in total.
“You learn a lot from other people.
Every horse is different and you work
around the horse’s personality,”
says Woods.
Pride is a one-year-old quarterhorse
and Disel is a 16-year-old Percheron
draft horse, whom Woods says she
“saved.”
Woods says she bought Disel from a
horse trader a year and a half ago at a
farm in Port Colborne.
“[I] took one look at him and almost
puked,” says Woods. If she hadn’t
taken him with her, he could have
ended up as meat or wouldn’t be getting the proper care he needed.
Disel suffers from heaves, a type of
asthma in horses, and Cushing’s disease, an abnormality in the pituitary
gland at the base of the brain. This
causes the horse’s body to produce
large amounts of cortisol.
“Other people tell me to get rid of
him, but to me, that’s not an option. I’ll
have him for the rest of his life,” says
Woods. “Once you own something you
can’t just sell it because it’s not
working out.”
Woods says she keeps her horses at
Haist Fruit Farm in Fenwick and drives
out to the farm every day in order to
monitor Disel’s medication and breathing. She also feeds him and cleans the
stalls.
“[I] can’t miss a day,” says Woods.
“He had a hard life. I think he should
have a nice place to end it.”
Lesly Woods, with her horse Disel.
Photo by Cherie Borho
and the clinic will be on the second. The
phone number will remain unchanged.
Appointments can be made by calling 905701-7428 on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
Midwives only take clients believed to be
having low-risk births, says Perconti. She
explains that a low-risk birth includes the
mother having no pre-existing medical conditions such as heart problems, being diagnosed with diabetes, problems with a thyroid that are not in check, epilepsy, high
blood pressure or kidney disease.
Other complications include repeated
miscarriages and a women developing preterm gestational diabetes, adding obesity
can also be a factor.
She outlines situations in which a high
risk develops during the pregnancy, such as
if the mother develops heart or kidney problems, is giving birth to more than twins or
has vaginal bleeding, if the placenta is covering the cervix, if the mother is in labour
before 37 completed gestation weeks, if the
baby goes breach, if the baby is malpositioned, if there is excessive bleeding, if the
placenta detaches or if the baby’s heart rate
is too high or too low.
Women who may have a high-risk pregnancy aren’t taken on and are instead
referred to an obstetrician, Perconti says.
She says women don’t need a physician
and midwife to share care because midwives
practice as a group and consult with other
midwives or a physician if there is an
increased risk.
She says if the clinic screens the women
and nothing comes up, chances of the
women having a good labour are excellent.
Perconti says she wants to “demystify”
the way midwives are paid, stating it’s a flat
rate. The women are seen 15 times before
the birth and three to five times afterwards.
The pay rate isn’t affected whether the
labour is five hours or 15.
Perconti says it is a “misconception [midwives are paid] just for birth.”
The Ontario Ministry of Health pays for
midwife services.
She says postpartum care for a woman
who has had a miscarriage is also offered.
Perconti says often the miscarriage happens in the middle of the night and the
woman has to sit in the emergency room
in a hospital. She says the women are
basically sent home and told they can have
another baby.
“Women have said [their] pregnancy
[was] not acknowledged as a baby.”
Perconti says contacting a midwife during
this period can make the process easier. She
says the midwife can call ahead to the hospital and their clients can page them when
there are any problems or issues.
The midwives are there to comfort and
console, says Perconti. It’s a “more personal
way of doing things.”
Perconti says if a woman miscarries, a
midwife is not paid. She says midwives still
care for those women because “if women
are taken care of, they will come back.”
Woodhouse returns
to police board service
By AMBER BEARDWOOD
Staff Writer
Mal Woodhouse has been appointed again to
the Regional Municipality of Niagara Police
Services Board for a two-year term.
Woodhouse is employed with Niagara College as its director of Facilities Management
Services.
On the Police Board, he is filling the position
previously held by board member Bill Brunton,
of Fort Erie, whose term expired in February.
“Niagara College has been very supportive
towards me,” says Woodhouse.
An active member of the community, he has
participated on and served with a number of
boards, agencies and commissions. He is a former member and chair of the Thorold
Hydro-Electric Commission, former board
member of the St. Catharines General Hospital,
former board member of the executive with the
Niagara Regional Development Corp.
and board member for the Niagara Region
Commission on Government Reform.
Since 1972 he has spent his business career
in the Niagara region. He began his political
career as a councillor for the City of Thorold in
1978 and served as mayor of the city from
1994 to 1997.
Woodhouse says he does see this as a “ privilege and an honour.”
Woodhouse has an extensive record of community service, which includes being selected
as Outstanding Young Canadian to represent
Thorold, Welland and St. Catharines at the
Constitutional Dinner with Queen Elizabeth II
in 1981. He has volunteered for the Thorold
Community Activities Group, Canadian Heart
and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, Thorold
Ambulance Association, Thorold Volunteer
Firefighters, United Way, Thorold Amateur
Athletic Association and the Thorold Girls
Softball Association. He was a member of the
Thorold Museum and the Business
Improvement Area and the Thorold Court of
Revisions. In addition, Woodhouse has been a
regular columnist for Niagara Now, the
former Thorold News and was the producer and
host for a community cable show,
Thorold Talks.
“This is a very responsible position in the
community and it gets pretty involved.”
Woodhouse serves as a member of the
Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, Council of Educational Faculty Planners International, the Ontario College Administrative Staff
Association and Canadians for responsible and
safe highways and an executive member of the
Ontario College Directors of Facilities
Management Services.
He was born in 1947 and has lived in
Thorold since 1968. He and his wife Judith
have three children, Terri-Lynn, Krista and
Nathan.
The Police Board is the civilian governance
body for the Niagara Regional Police Service.
It is composed of seven members: three
members of Regional Council, three provincial
appointees and a citizen representative
appointed by council.
The current membership comprises Larry
Iggulden, chair, Vance Badawey, Regional
Councillor Bob Bently, Regional Councillor
Doug Martin and Vice-Chair, Regional
Councillor Bill Smeaton and Larry Tufford.
It is responsible for the provision of adequate
and effective police services for 12
municipalities, 420,000 residents and an
estimated 15,000 visitors annually.
“I have been blessed in a way. If it wasn’t for
the support of the community, I wouldn’t be
able to do what I do.”
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 13
Page 12, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Photo gallery
In April, the Journalism-Print
program’s first-year students assume
publication for news@niagara. The
students began writing their stories
this month and are busy taking
photographs for publication. These
photos are examples of their work.
Photo by Michael Dach
Photo by Shawn Taylor
Photo by Anthony Smiliovitis
Photo by Riley Turpin
Page 14, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Niagara brings in the gold for bicycle safety tips
through programs and events for
students, staff, employees or customers also took place. A student
Mountain Bike Racing Club was
established in October 2004 with
financial support from the Student
Administrative Council and faculty advisers as support staff also
helped the college win the gold.
Glendale Student Residence
holds “open ride days” where
students gather on weekends to
ride through the Bruce Trail on
the escarpment and along the
Welland Canal.
The college also has support
for cycling events and functions, a cyclist-friendly dress
code and incentives or discounts for cyclists. There were
bicycle giveaways to students
during the annual First-year
Student Orientation event.
Brigitte Chiki, director, student services enterprise and student services, accepted the
Gold Bicycle Friendly Award
on behalf of the college on Jan.
19 at Regional Niagara Headquarters in Thorold, Ont.
Chiki says the bicycle friendly
award “reflects on the college and
our commitment to wellness and
fitness. Biking to school or work is
a lifestyle.”
Award recipients will have
demonstrated leadership in encouraging cycling by students, employers, employees or customers.
Awards will be presented according
to the number of criteria met.
Along with being bicycle
hope of impartial decisions.
After their one-on-one presentations, the
students made their plea to the class why
they should be chosen.
The first winner was Fontaine with his
script entitled The Man Who’s Heart
Broke, an emotional drama. Next was
George with a musical film, Janitor: From
Rags to Rhythm. The number 3 position
went to Hicks with Dorm Room 101, a
comedy. Last was Wood with his psychological thriller, Twenty-Four Seven.
Brenner, since her film was not one of the
top four, will be producing George’s. Good
will be camera operator and doing some of
the editing for Wood’s.
Now the process of the actual production
will begin.
Auditions will be held in the Niagara
region in two weeks. This, however, is not
the only place that the directors will be
looking for talent. They will be taking a
crew to Toronto to look for actors as well.
By the end of the semester this year the students will have a rough cut of their projects.
This process will take them into next year.
Several of the students have experience
of this sort already.
“I wrote a sitcom pilot last year called
That’s Neto,” said Fontaine.
Wood also wrote and directed a pilot, called
the Pirate Family, which won a GRAFITI
Award, a Niagara College broadcasting award.
If anyone is interested in auditioning for
any of the movies, contact Glen Hogarth at
905-931-6431.
BRIGITTE CHIKI
Bicycle safety tips
Lucky film students make movie magic
By KATHERINE GRIGGS
Staff Writer
For many aspiring film students, it is
simply a dream to have a script made into a
movie. For four Niagara College students,
this dream is a reality.
On Jan. 16, six film students sat nervously waiting to make their presentations and
convince a panel of judges why their scripts
should be made into 20-minute films.
The panel consisted of one director, one
writer and one actor. The students also had to
make their presentation in front of their peers,
which for some was a tougher audience.
Trammell Good, Daniel George, Dave
Fontane, Carly Brenner, Jeff Hicks and
Travis Wood were the six finalists. With all
of their films being very diverse in material, the judges were given lots from which to
choose.
“Getting chosen for this will determine
the next year of our lives,” said Brenner.
Most of the students have been working
on their scripts all year, some for longer
than that.
Adding to their anticipation, the presentations started 20 minutes late as a result of
some latecomers.
In determining the outcome, the judging
used to be done by other students. This,
however, did not seem to be the fair way to
do it, organizers decided.
“Apparently it was just turning into a popularity contest, like Survivor,” said Wood.
This is the third year in a row that they
have asked industry people to judge, in the
friendly, Chiki says, “We are part
of the Eat Smart program. This is
part of an overall approach the college is taking to improve on fitness
and wellness.”
Eat Smart offers recognition
to Ontario restaurants that meet
exceptional standards in nutrition food safety and non-smoking seating.
Past bicycling plaques that the
college has won are displayed in
the athletics area in the Mackenzie
building at the Welland campus.
However, the gold award will be
displayed at the Glendale campus
in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
For more bicycle friendly information, see the bulletin board
located at the First Avenue
entrance of the Welland campus.
Photo by Amanda Reynolds
By AMANDA REYNOLDS
Staff Writer
Niagara College has won the
gold.
The Bicycle Friendly Award
recognizes the efforts of schools,
businesses and industry to encourage fitness and wellness among
staff, students and clients. Since
the award was introduced in 2001,
Niagara College has received a
bronze and two silver awards.
There are many things that
the college did to receive the
gold this year, such as having
secured/monitored
bicycle
parking, on-site shower and
change facilities, training in
bike safety and participation in
Bike Week Events.
Encouragement of cycling
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Always ride on the “right” side of the road.
Wear a helmet that fits snugly on your head and
under your chin.
Stay where cars can clearly see you.
Stay alert. Know your surroundings.
When riding at dusk or in the dark,
be sure to use reflectors, a
headlight and a tailight.
Wear brightly coloured clothing.
Make eye contact with motorists to
make certain they have seen you.
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WELLAND TRANSIT
Second-year film student Travis Wood puts together a camera. He, along with the
four other winners, will start casting for their 20-minute films within the next few
weeks.
Photo by Kaesha Forand
905-732-6844
Try Transit…it just makes cents.
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 15
College’s recruiters globetrot for students
By KAESHA FORAND
Staff Writer
Recruiters travel the world to bring international students to Niagara College.
The recruitment department is composed
of Sean Coote, the international recruitment
and services manager, and Bhanu Vashishth,
the international recruitment officer.
Vashishth, who also speaks Hindi, was
once an international student here. He came
from India to study in the Tourism Development program and then enrolled in the
Human Resources Management (Graduate
Certificate) program.
Coote said there are various recruiting
processes for every country and city. Niagara College is promoted through schools
and recruitment fairs. Advertisements are
also placed in newspapers and other media.
Shirley DeBeau, now assistant to Martha
Casson, vice-president International,
described the time spent in another country
as being “a full load.” When she was in St.
Lucia, DeBeau attended recruitment fairs
during the day where she promoted Niagara
College at a booth and provided potential
students with information.
After the fair, DeBeau had appointments
with students interested in attending Niagara
College. These appointments help students
feel more comfortable when they come to
Canada.
Coote describes the second method of
recruitment as being similar to that of a travel agency.
Recruitment agencies around the world
carry the college’s information and refer
applicants to Niagara. He said there are
about 150 active agencies that advertise for
Niagara College.
There is also a lot of word-of-mouth
advertising and promotion. International
students often have friends and family
members who have previously attended the
college.
There are two types of marketing in
recruiting. Passive marketing involves
advertising on the Internet. Active marketing involves visiting the country and planning a yearly activity in the country. Niagara College actively markets in about 20
countries.
Once the number of students from a passive market begins to increase, the college
will start to look at it as an active market and
establish a specific marketing plan to
increase the numbers. Market research is
done to determine the likeliness of success
in the country before marketing begins.
“Marketing is getting very challenging
and very interesting,” Vashishth said.
Some students choose to come to Canada
because there is limited or no higher education in some small countries. Foreign education and English are also valued for job
prospects and opportunities.
“In Canada we have an amazing education
system that has no problem with access.
Everyone who wants a higher education can
get one,” Coote said.
Foreign students must apply for a student
visa to study in Canada. Canadian immigration offices around the world determine their
eligibility.
Larissa Strong, international student
adviser, recently spent 10 days in Brazil to
attend education fairs in three cities. She
said she likes to recruit because “you get to
experience the culture shock that our students experience every day.”
Coote has done active marketing in Japan,
Russia, United Arab Emirates, South Korea,
Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Colombia and
Venezuela. He markets three to four times
Bhanu Vashishth, left, international recruitment officer, and Sean Coote, international recruitment and services manager, are recruiters in the International department
at the college’s Welland campus.
Photo by Kaesha Forand
per year. On Oct. 8 he left to recruit in Japan rant Management (Co-op) with 48 internafor six days and Korea for three days.
tional students and Tourism Marketing and
Vashishth has done active marketing in Operations (Co-op) with 24 international
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Korea, students are the most popular programs.
Germany, United Arab Emirates and Syria.
Students come from 47 countries. Coun“What makes for a good college program, tries with the highest student population at
of course, is the linkage between education, the college are China, India, Japan and
practical education and work experience. South Korea.
There is no better place to be able to gain
There are 426 international students in the
practical work experience for international college.
students in the hospitality and tourism field
Coote adds, “Every country is different,
than in Niagara,” said Coote.
and therefore every country needs a strategy.
English as a Second Language with 102 There are no two countries in the world that
international students – Hotel and Restau- we treat the same.”
Statistics on the
International department
•
•
Kayako Kobayashi, left and
Chihiro Gomi
Photo by Takahide Eguchi
There are 86 English as a
Second Language (ESL)
students.
There are 402 full-time
students, 15 part-time students: 243 males and 174
females.
•
Students come from 47
countries to study in 49
programs.
•
In 1995, 42 students were in
post-secondary and graduate
certificate programs; 316
students are now in postsecondary and graduate
certificate programs.
•
In 1995, there were 52 ESL
students; now there are 86
ESL students.
•
The 29 international
department staff at the
Welland campus speak
English, Hindi, French,
Croatian, Portuguese,
Dutch, Japanese, German
and Swiss-German.
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By KAESHA FORAND
Staff Writer
There are 316 full-time
•
international students in
post-secondary and graduate
certificate programs.
3/1/06 11:33:53 AM
Entertainment .
Page 16, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Niagara College hosts
first student film festival
By NATALIE VENTRESCA
Staff Writer
Roll out the red carpet and pop the popcorn.
There’s a film festival coming to town.
Niagara College’s Welland campus will be
host to the first Student Raw Stock on April 13
in the Hamilton Room. For that evening, the
room will take on the name of the “Hamilton
Theatre,” as Sean Marjoram, 20, Niagara Film
Society president, explains.
Marjoram says that the festival name is a
“play on words” because raw stands for “raw
film,” meaning films that have not yet been
exposed.
The objective of this non-profit festival is to
give Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film
students the opportunity to “showcase” their
films, Marjoram explains.
With doors opening at 7 p.m. that evening,
this four-hour festival will screen short films,
which are films under 30 minutes, of various
genres from students not only from the college’s program, but any other broadcasting students in Ontario.
Marjoram says he has contacted “every film
faculty in Ontario” via e-mail to inform them
about the festival.
A panel of faculty members, which is still to be
announced, will be selecting the films screened at
the festival, explains Marjoram.
Although there will be draws and certificates
for student filmmakers for their submissions,
their films will not be judged. Rather, as Marjoram explains, “Everyone has a chance. As
opposed to having one ‘best,’ it’s more about
showcasing student work.”
“It’s more of an opportunity to showcase talent
and projects through a media outlet that was not
accessible to them before.”
Marjoram says the festival will bring “more
awareness,” as Student Raw Stock is “the first
attempt at bringing student work together for the
Niagara region.”
Audience members will not only be treated to
hours of “raw” student films, but have an opportunity to win prizes.
Students who wish to participate in the festival
must request a submission form by e-mail at
[email protected]. Once the completed
forms are submitted, faculty chooses which films
and how many will be screened.
Marjoram says he has “big aspirations” for
Student Raw Stock and hopes it becomes an
annual event that will continue to present
student films.
Tickets are available at the door for $3 or
two for $5.
If you have any questions or concerns or if you
are interested in volunteering at the event, contact
Marjoram at [email protected]
Welland awaits winter carnival
College hosts
first Student
Raw Stock
film festival
Page 16
Awaiting
Welland’s
43rd winter
carnival
Page 16
Preview
Annapolis
Page 16
Teenage
angst doesn’t
pay off well
for Meesh
Page 17
St.
Catharines
art show
stimulates
the senses
Page 17
By NATALE CLEWLEY
Staff Writer
Food, games, skating and competitions will
highlight Welland’s 43rd annual winter carnival,
starting Feb. 4.
Rose Smith, chairperson of the Welland Recreation Projects Association, says that this is “a
great event for the community of Welland during
the winter season.”
From Feb. 4 to Feb. 26, lots of events are
occurring throughout the city.
A Winter Fun for Youth Day starts on Feb. 4
at Chippawa Park, including outdoor hockey,
snowman-building contests, public skating and
tobogganing all day, with hot chocolate and
food available.
On Feb. 5 a Snow Poker rally is being at the
Welland Snowmobile Club on Memorial Park
Drive. First prize is $100.
There will also be snowmobile rides, hayrides
and family free skates on Feb. 11 from 1 p.m. to
2:30 p.m. at the Welland Arena.
Local high school jazz bands will be playing at
the Seaway Mall from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
A French Canadian carnival day will be held at
Club Richelieu on Feb. 12, including a pancake
breakfast. Admission is $3, and children under 12
are admitted free.
On Feb. 19 a benefit hockey game for children with cancer will be held at the Welland
Arena on King Street starting at 1 p.m. Team
Welland versus the Toronto Maple Leaf Alumni will be playing and then signing autographs
after the game.
Tickets are $5 and can be obtained at the Canadian Tire on Niagara Street and at Lewis and
Krall Pharmacy on Thorold Road. All proceeds
will go to Help a Child Smile.
On Feb. 25 and Feb. 26 at the Niagara College
Welland campus, there will be a ball hockey tournament all weekend.
Smith says this festival is such a special
event for the community because “it’s something to do during the winter season and takes
place for the entire month.” The events have a
low cost and are a good way for everyone to go
outside and enjoy some fun.
She emphasizes this festival is the success it
turns out to be every year because of “everybody
that is involved in it, as the community of
Welland comes together.”
The last day of the festival is Family Day at the
Welland Arena. A snowmobile parade at noon
will be followed by snowmobile rides from 1
p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and pony rides from noon to
1:30 p.m.
Smith says her favourite part of being involved
in this event every year is that “I enjoy watching
them having a good time, skating and enjoying
the winter weather.”
She says she is looking forward to this year’s
carnival.
For more information call 905-735-9500 and
ask for the Recreation Department, call Smith at
the Welland Recreation Projects Association 905732-1515 or visit the City of Welland events
homepage at http://www.city.welland.on.ca/Co
munityInterest/Events.html.
Annapolis dispels
stereotypes of
military movies
By NATALIE VENTRESCA
Staff Writer
Movie Preview
“Only the best survive.”
Known as one of the most challenging and difficult
institutions in America, the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis is home to the strongest,
brightest and most driven individuals dedicated to
serving their country.
From Touchstone Pictures, Annapolis is a story of
determination, strength, courage and triumph.
For Jake Huard (played by James Franco of SpiderMan and James Dean), his lifelong dream is to attend
this prestigious institution to become the man he always
wanted to be.
Faced with a high-pressure atmosphere, Huard refuses to give up, motivated by the fact that he does not
want to become simply a blue-collar shipyard labourer
like the rest of the men in his family.
To prove he has what it takes to be an officer, in this
160-year-old institution with a history of focused discipline and determined excellence, Huard decides to enter
the legendary Brigade Championship. There he must
face his toughest competitor, the relentless company
commander, Midshipman Lt. Cole (played by Tyrese
Gibson of Baby Boy, 2 Fast 2 Furious).
More than just a boxing or military movie, Annapolis,
by combining an underdog story with the classic coming-of-age story, explores such themes as passion, heart
and the idea of self-definition. It manages to tell a story
anyone can relate to, no matter who you are.
In a press release, director Justin Lin explains,
“There’s something really universal about that search
for who you are and how you live your life in the best
possible way, and I think it’s something that has become
increasingly challenging in today’s world, so it’s a great
subject for a movie.”
Lin continues, “But of course Annapolis isn’t really
about the Naval Academy – it’s about Jake’s journey.
It’s about a young man figuring out who he is and what
he is really about.”
Discovering your true potential and the drive to never
give up are ideas that resonate, regardless of age.
Annapolis works to explore these issues and show that
some things are truly worth fighting for. As producer
Mark Vahradian notes, “I think it’s important to tell
honest, compelling stories about how difficult some
choices really are in life – and this story does that.”
Annapolis opens in theatres Jan. 27.
Movies coming soon
In theatres today
Annapolis
Big Momma’s House 2
Cache
Eve & the Fire Horse
Nanny McPhee
Roving Mars
On DVD Tuesday
Brothers
In Her Shoes
The Legend of Zorro
Supercross
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride
The Weather Man
“Where heroes are born and legends are made.” In
Annapolis, James Franco and Tyrese Gibson star in
this truly inspiring underdog story.
Submitted image
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 17
Art exhibit explores unconventional spaces
By JENNIFER GIBBONS
Staff Writer
Art Show Review
The Persona Volare Canadian Club exhibit left me feeling
inspired and inventive.
The exhibit ran from Nov.
27, 2005, until Jan. 14 at the
Brock University Rodman
Hall Arts Centre.
The exhibit showed work
from 12 Toronto artists who
are committed to exploring
non-museum sites.
Rodman Hall hosts a yearround exhibition program featuring work from not only
local and regional artists but
also national and international
artists.
It is located in a quiet area
of St. Catharines that backs on
to Twelve Mile Creek. The
grounds of the gallery have
sculptures and an abundance
of mature landscaping, making the outside of Rodman
Hall just as inviting as the
inside.
The Persona Volare exhibit
was captivating as it used all
types of mediums, such as
photography, sculpture, video,
painting and new media.
The idea of the exhibit was
not only to explore non-museum areas but also to invade
and transform unlikely spaces,
as stated in the pamphlet.
The artworks did this in a
bizarre and ingenious way by
mixing everyday objects like
cardboard to create something
extraordinary. John Dickson
did this by using cardboard,
wood and a fog machine to
create a miniature city titled
City.
Persona Volare also showcased a piece done by Brian
Hobbs called Sandbox. It
allows people to interact with
the artwork itself by climbing
into the sandbox and moving
around large geometric shapes
and raking the sand. My
friend tried out the interactivity by stepping into the artwork and making her own
design of a Zen-like garden.
The exhibit evoked a sense
of wonder when I tried to
understand the reasoning
behind each piece.
Works were also featured by
Lisa Neighbour, Lorna Mills,
Carlo Cesta and Johannes
Zits, to name a few. For more
information about Persona
Volare and the artists, visit
http://personavolare.com.
“The turnout has been about
average. We had a little trouble with the publicity for our
opening, but otherwise it was
a good event,” said Gordon
Hatt, director/curator of Rodman Hall Arts Centre.
Hatt has been the director
for a year and a half and said
he looks at artist portfolios,
visits galleries and arranges
for studio visits when he is
looking for exhibits for Rodman Hall.
“In the case of the Persona
Volare exhibit, I saw that the
group has installed the exhibition in the Canadian Cultural
Centre in Paris, which is an
old mansion similar to Rodman Hall. I felt the similarities made it a good fit.”
The overall exhibit was a
stimulation of the senses.
Your eyes were always entertained, you could touch a variety of artworks making it
more hands-on and you could
hear sounds of music, birds
and the artist creating some of
the works. The uses of many
mediums kept viewers entertained while maintaining the
sense of an art gallery.
The next exhibition in line
for Rodman Hall is the paintings of Richard Perkins. This
exhibit runs from Jan. 22 to
March 4.
On Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. Sandra
Firmin, curator of the University at Buffalo Art Gallery,
will be giving a lecture on
contemporary art from a curator’s perspective. There is no
charge to attend.
For more information, contact Rodman Hall Arts Centre
at 905-684-2925.
At the Persona Volare exhibit, there’s an interactive work by Brian Hobbs
titled Sandbox. The exhibit was held at the Rodman Hall Arts Centre in St.
Catharines.
Photo by Jennifer Gibbons
Album lacks maturity
John Dickson displays his work titled City at the Persona Volare exhibit. The medium of this
piece is cardboard and a smoke machine.
Photo by Jennifer Gibbons
Film hilarious, but don’t take Grandma
By JAYLENE POIRIER
Staff Writer
Movie Review
If you and your friends are
looking to kick back, relax and
watch the moronic doings of
Alex (Allen Covert), you need
to see Grandma’s Boy. This
sidesplitting comedy will leave
you and your friends reciting
lines from the movie for days.
Alex is almost every guy’s
dream come true. He’s a 35year-old video game tester who
gets to play video games all
day and gets paid for it, while
co-workers challenge him to
duels. Although Alex always
comes out on top, did I mention that his competitors are all
under the age of 19?
Alex’s personal life takes a
turn for the more interesting.
He is evicted from his house
and, after one mishap at a
friend’s house, he has resorted
to staying with his grandmother (Shirley Jones) and her two
very interesting roommates.
While staying with Grandma, Alex and his friends happen to always run into some
trouble. For example, Grandma
finds a bag of green herbal
“tea,” which can never lead to
anything good, except a party
with the local bikers and strippers, and, of course, every
party has to have an underage
kid.
After all the drugs, the
explicit sexual content, the
monkey, and the doctor from
Africa, this movie is by far the
funniest that you and your
friends will ever see. I would
strongly urge you to take the
night off and experience it.
By BAILLIE ADCOCK
band is said to “translate the cinematoStaff Writer
graphic universes of Edward ScisCD Review
sorhands and American Beauty.” The
Meesh’s new album, Touch, should album cover does have rose petals
remain hands-off.
falling around lead singer Michelle
When I listen to this newly released like those that fall around Mena
album, I feel an urge to skip through Suvari in American Beauty. She is
every song. Meesh delivers the same standing in a lake in a Tim Burtontheme in every
esque
wooded
song: woe is adoscene but that’s as
lescent life.
far as the connecProduced
by
tion between these
Graeme Humfrey,
films goes for
this Montreal quarMeesh. That statetet mirrors the
ment seems to have
sound and premise
been thrown into
of Fefe Dobson,
the press release
Bif Naked and
just to grab the
Avril Lavigne. In
attention of the
songs such as Jerk
films’ fans.
and Wasted Time,
The press release
singer Michelle’s
also claims that the
lyrics reach out to The album Touch by Meesh is
band has “infectious
struggling 14-year- not for the post-pubescent.
melodies that come
olds who haven’t
at us without warnyet matured enough to deal with real ing” and that “all resistance seems to
relationships.
fade with the first notes.” If by “infecIt’s like hearing Josie and the Pussy- tious” they mean like an unwanted,
cats get angry. Josie and the Pussycats gaping wound, then sure they do.
should never be angry.
These songs were predictable and the
Instrumentally, guitarist Marc and only resistance was fighting the
bassist Phil explore the same few impulse to turn the CD off to never be
chords, and drummer Ben repeats the heard again.
same beats. Each song seems to blend
For those of you into generic bands
seamlessly into the next – not that the that display the same mainstream
instrumental part matters much any- sound and gush teen-angst, Meesh is
way, because singer Michelle’s voice perfect for you. Otherwise, it’s best to
takes over each song.
skip this CD in stores until the band
In a press release written on behalf learns to add variety and get through
of its record label, Diffusion YFB, the their irritating teenage stage.
Page 18, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
21-year-old Hamiltonian lives through his music
By PATRICK HALL
Staff Writer
For some people, music is an
essential part of life. For Jackson
Hudecki, it is life.
Hudecki, 21, of Hamilton, has
fast become a major player in
Hamilton’s local music scene and
shows no signs of slowing down.
Born into a family rich in the
rock ‘n’ roll tradition, he
says these customs are the
direct-influence for his musical
passion.
“Music keeps the blood flowing for me. My dad and his six
brothers were all musicians on
the local circuit. Some still are.
I’ve been drumming for about 10
years, playing in a number of
bands in and around the city.”
Hudecki recently toured Canada’s east coast with his band,
Alive and Living, who will be
heading out west early next
month. The group’s melodic, soft
rock sounds have earned them
much praise and respect among
fans and musicians within the
industry.
“We’ve gained a lot of local
success, which has been awesome, but just being able to do
our thing, meet other groups and
tour the land is something I used
to dream about. The fact that that
I am actually doing it has made
life just amazing.”
Jan. 25, a day to
celebrate Scottish
born Robbie Burns
By KAYLA RICHARDS
Staff Writer
Happy belated birthday,
Robbie!
Robert Burns is Scotland’s most-loved poet and
suppers in his name have
been held in his honour for
more than 200 years.
Robbie Burns Day is celebrated annually on Jan. 25,
which was the poet’s
birthday.
Close friends of Burns
started the dinner ritual a
few years after his death in
1796 as a tribute to him.
The dinner’s basic format
has remained pretty much
the same since that time.
‘Some people just
do not like haggis,
and a roast of some
sort was just a
better option.’
— Sheila Howard
It begins when the chairman invites the company to
receive haggis, a traditional
Scottish dish consisting of a
sheep’s heart, liver and
lungs boiled in the sheep’s
stomach.
The chairperson of the
supper starts the evening
with a few words of welcome and the meal begins
with the Selkirk Grace.
The company is then
asked to stand to receive the
haggis. A piper leads the
chef, who is carrying the
haggis to the table, while
the guests accompany them
with a slow handclap. The
chairman then recites
Burns’ poem To a Haggis.
When he reaches the line
“an cut you up wi’ ready
slight’, he slices open the
haggis with a sharp knife.
It is then tradition for the
guests to applaud the speaker, then stand and toast the
haggis with a glass of
whiskey.
Sheila Howard, of Stoney
Creek, Ont., says she
remembers her parents
going to the suppers.
“They used to go every
year and it would be this
huge deal,” she says.
She recalls her parents
saying that for those who
didn’t like haggis, a pork
roast was made.
“Some people just do not
like haggis, and a roast of
some sort was just a better
option,” she says.
An invited guest is asked
to give a short speech on
Burns. The aim is to attest
the greatness and relevance
of the poet today.
The main speech is
followed by a more
light-hearted address to the
women in the audience.
Originally this was a
thank-you to the ladies for
preparing the food and a
time to toast the “lasses” in
Burns’s life.
Once the speeches are
complete the evening continues with songs and
poems.
Among
the
favourites are Tam O’
Shanter, Address to the
Unco Guid, To A Mouse,
and Holy Willie’s Prayer.
The evening ends with
guests standing, holding
hands and singing Auld
Lang Syne.
David Forrester, 19, of
Aberdeen, Scotland, says
Robbie Burns Day isn’t as
big a deal as it used to be.
“I don’t really celebrate
it,” he says. “My parents
used to when they were
younger. I guess it’s just different for my generation.”
Working at two of Hamilton’s
most vibrant rock clubs, The
Underground and The Casbah,
ensures that the music never
stops for this devoted drummer.
On top of that, he hosts his own
radio show every Thursday on
Hamilton’s Mohawk College
radio, C101.5FM.
“I get to spin tunes and interview local talent for a few hours
at school, but it’s about all that
makes the education part
bearable.”
Hudecki recently dropped out
of the Small Business Management program at Mohawk College’s Fennell campus after
enrolling last September.
Robbie Burns Facts
• He wrote over 550 songs
and poems, including Auld
Lang Syne.
“I couldn’t stand being around
people who were training to be
working-class
stiffs,”
says
Hudecki. “I’ve decided to take
American Sign Language at
Mohawk because I really enjoy
helping others who are disadvantaged. As long as I’m doing
something I love, it will help me
through my own tough times.”
Besides school and music,
Hudecki tries spending as much
time with his family as possible.
He says these are the people
constantly encouraging and
inspiring him to be a better
person.
“My folks didn’t have a lot of
money raising five kids, but that
was never a factor growing up
because we were always loved. I
think it’s why I’m the kind, lighthearted person I am. I don’t
know what I would do
without them.”
With aspirations to continually
grow as a player in the music
business, Hudecki says the relationships with family and friends
keep him optimistic about the
future.
“Down the road, I will have
travelled the world twice over
and made a name for myself in
the industry. No matter where I
end up, as long as I’m surrounded
by loved ones ... that’s all that
matters.”
)S¬YOUR¬PROFESSOR¬READY
FOR¬THE¬SPOTLIGHT
46/S¬SEARCH¬FOR¬/NTARIOS¬"EST¬,ECTURER¬BEGINS¬
AND¬¬IS¬UP¬FOR¬GRABS¬
• He was born in 1759 in his
mother’s kitchen.
3TUDENTS¬AND¬ALUMNI¬7HO¬INSPIRES¬YOU¬4HIS¬IS¬YOUR¬
CHANCE¬TO¬SHINE¬THE¬SPOTLIGHT¬ON¬A¬PROFESSOR¬YOU¬BELIEVE¬
RISES¬ABOVE¬THE¬REST¬
• He considered writing
songs to be service for his
country and refused payment.
!¬PANEL¬OF¬JUDGES¬WILL¬CHOOSE¬¬lNALISTS¬TO¬DELIVER¬
COMPLETE¬LECTURES¬ON¬46/S¬"IG¬)DEAS¬EARLY¬IN¬¬
9OUR¬SCHOOL¬COULD¬WIN¬A¬¬SCHOLARSHIP¬"UT¬HURRY¬
NOMINATIONS¬MUST¬BE¬RECEIVED¬BY¬&EBRUARY¬¬
• He had four children. The
fourth child was born on
the day he was buried.
&OR¬COMPLETE¬ENTRY¬DETAILS¬VISIT
WWWTVOORGBIGIDEAS
• He died in July 1796 of
rheumatic fever.
TUNE in... and TURN it up!
Listen to us live 24/7
broadcasting.niagarac.on.ca
Check the next edition of news@niagara
for a full listings of this semester’s shows
“Niagara’s hottest Mix”
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 19
‘I love living here’
By TAKAHIDE EGUCHI
Staff Writer
Love where you live.
Thirty-year-old Zerg Tareen says Toronto is “a
little bit dangerous.”
He says the police need to be “more aggressive” and some of the laws have to be changed;
however, “other than that, I love living here.”
Especially in downtown Toronto, Tareen, a
record shop manager, says he can find everything
he needs. He can go from one place to another
having fun because he says he gets bored “very
easily.”
Trevor Vanek, of North Sydney, N.S., living in
Toronto for four years, says there are “lots of
things to do” in the city.
Compared with his home city, Toronto has more
job opportunities and events such as hockey and
baseball, explains Vanek, a third-year Pharmacy
program student at the University of Toronto.
Cathy Simon has been spending the “majority
of my life” living in Welland.
Simon, a public service assistant at the Welland
Public Library, points out there are “more advantages than disadvantages” to living in Welland.
She says one of the advantages is that she can get
to work in 10 minutes and go home at lunchtime.
“My roots are here. It’s what kept me here.”
Alexandra Giordano is an 18-year-old high
school student in Toronto. Coming from Peterborough, Ont., which she describes as having
“nothing to do,” Giordano says she finds a “lot
more to keep you entertained,” adding she meets
different types of people and experiences various
activities.
Don Fiske, 65, moved to St. Catharines, where,
he says, it seems “nice and peaceful.” Four years
ago he decided to “get out of Toronto.” Fiske, a
businessman in sales and marketing, says economic reasons and “too much traffic” figured in
the decision to move.
Mou Rama, of Montreal, a fourth-year Engineering program student at Concordia University,
says he likes living in a metropolitan city because
it offers “good” facilities and education. He says
he also enjoys the summer festival.
Compared with living in Montreal, Rama, 22,
says there is “no variety of different things to do”
in smaller cities.
Melody Lapointe, 23, an assistant manager of
retail, says she prefers a small town like Fonthill,
her hometown, because of its quietness although
there are not “a lot of amenities.”
Carol Hodges, 57, has been living in Toronto
for 30 years. She emphasizes she needs to be in a
big city to do her job as a supervisor in horticultural interior landscaping.
After retiring, Hodges says she is thinking of
moving to Paris, Ont. Praising it as a “great” city,
she says she will miss Toronto.
Ian (who did not give his last name), 48, works
for the same company as Hodges. Coming from
Winnipeg where there were “limited jobs,” he
says everything in Ontario’s capital is convenient,
pointing out he can get everything and different
things “from all over the world” in Toronto.
Amy Swick, a bookkeeper, manager and salesperson, 40, says it is “more relaxing” living in
Welland where she was born and raised. It’s “too
busy” and there’s “too much going on” in a big
city like Toronto. She says she is “comfortable”
with her surroundings and is “used to it.”
Richard Newman, 23, graduated from Dalhousie University in Halifax, N.S., and started
working at a bookstore in Toronto six months ago.
Born in Toronto, Newman says it is “very” different from Halifax, pointing out “when you get
out of the house, you don’t recognize people” in
Toronto.
However, he loves living there and feels happier because “it’s home” and “that’s where I
belong,” Newman says.
Ray Safar, originally from Iran, says he does not
like Canada but the “only thing” he likes about it
is that there are “no nationality problems.”
Safar, 45, a shopkeeper, says he came to Canada because of political problems in his native
country.
For him, small cities offer “friendly people”
but “no jobs” while larger ones have more jobs
but residents live stressful lives “just paying
the bills.”
Ray Safar, a shopkeeper in Toronto, says he does not believe in any
religion, the governments or military organizations, but only in human
beings.
Cathy Simon works five days a week as a public service assistant at the
Welland Public Library.
All photos by Takahide Eguchi
wHy try wHaggle?
It’s an online market where you can make great deals
that fit a student’s budget!
This is the BEST place to buy and sell just about anything
with people across campus, across town or across Ontario!
Zerg Tareen, a record shop manager, poses with his girl friend at a Tim Hortons in
Toronto on Jan. 6.
CDs for sale
Jayson (who didn’t give
his last name), 21, of Toronto, has been working for
Campus Discs for two years.
Jayson says he enjoys his
job “a lot” because he can
travel to different places
and see other people.
He comes to Niagara
College once a month from
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. selling
CDs and DVDs.
905-788-9474
Sports
Page 20, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
What’s
going on in
the world of
sports
Men’s
basketball
loss
Women’s
basketball
win
Women’s
volleyball
team leading
division
Mohawk defeats Niagara 82-73 Team tops
division
By MICHAEL McCLYMONT
Staff Writer
In what may have been the most
exciting home game to date, the Niagara Knights men’s basketball team
fought hard, but fell 82-73 to Mohawk
College, of Hamilton, on Jan. 17 at the
college’s Welland campus.
With a revamped and relatively
healthy lineup, Niagara hoped to open
the second half of the season on the
right foot, but the team was left with a
costly loss.
The Knights entered the game in a
three-way tie for first in the West Division. Their 6-2 league record had them
tied with Sault College, of Sault Ste.
Marie, and St. Clair College, of Windsor, a team they beat on the road 64-61
four nights before.
“It’s up to us to keep winning. We
can finish with a 12-2 conference
record and still not win conference. It’s
crazy, but it can happen,” says Knights
Head Coach Ralph Nero.
Their chances for the division title
took a hit against their arch-rival
Mohawk Mountaineers.
With veteran point guard Steven
Chan now leading the Niagara offence,
the Knights found themselves with an
11-point lead just 5 1/2 minutes into
the ball game. That lead didn’t last
long as Mohawk quickly shaved their
deficit from 10 to four halfway into the
first half.
Knights guard Chris Bauslaugh
added to the offensive shootout by hitting back-to-back three-pointers and
gave Niagara a 34-26 lead. However,
Mohawk replied with two threes of
their own and cut Niagara’s lead to just
two points with seven minutes left in
the half.
As the Niagara offence began to
stall, Mohawk’s took fire. The
Mountaineers built a four-point
lead, but with 1.5 seconds left in
the half, Niagara forward Mike
Muir hit a three and the Knights
went into the half down 51-49.
Chan established himself as the
Knights’ floor general, playing the
entire first half. They would need him
for the entire second half as well.
Mohawk began the second half
killing Niagara with offensive boards and secondchance possessions. Baskets
were harder to come by, but
Niagara managed to take a
56-55 lead with 12 minutes
left to play.
Mohawk’s team of athletic
shooters came to play as the
lead
continued
to
change hands.
Knights Forward Anderson St. Valle scored six consecutive points and gave
Niagara a momentary twopoint advantage with nine
minutes on the game clock.
Crucial blocks from both
teams highlighted the following two minutes of play,
Muir had the latter of the two
and game intensity continued to grow.
With Mohawk up 72-68 Niagara Knights point guard Steven Chan
with 4 1/2 minutes left in the battles for position with a Mohawk College
game, every Niagara posses- defender during their Jan. 18 contest.
sion grew in importance.
Photo by Michael McClymont
Long-range specialist Josh
Patus drilled a three and forpoints, and St. Valle added 14 in a losward Brandon Gracie scored on a put ing cause. The loss momentarily
back to answer Mohawk scores and keep dropped the Knights back into the
the Knights within four with three min- muddled middle of the West Division
utes left.
standings and may have cost Niagara
The roof seemed ready to blow off any hopes of a conference title.
the gym.
“It wasn’t a matter of us underesti“I’m having a lot of fun,” says Krista mating them. It’s just they shot the ball
Vanderhout, 19, a Motive Power Tech- really well. At the start of the second
nician student here at the college and half, we went three minutes without
Knights fan. “The Knights rule. Last scoring and that obviously hurt us,”
time I was at a game was last year and says Muir.
it was so quiet. We’re trying to bring it
The Ontario Colleges Athletic Assoup a notch. We need more fans out ciation’s (OCAA) All-Star games were
here. We need some love for the team.” played last weekend at Durham ColThe final dagger came with 1:57 left lege in Oshawa. Coach Nero says he
in the game when a Mohawk dunk put planned on sending three veteran playthe visitors up by six. Mohawk would ers to represent Niagara. Instead, thirdthen take a nine-point lead in the final year vets Mike Muir and Anderson St.
minute, the final difference.
Valle represented the team and the
“That game was intense. That was West Division.
the game of the year,” says Hashim
Niagara’s next league game fell on
Shire, 19, a first-year Electrical Engi- Jan. 20 when they defeated Redeemer
neering Technician who had to leave a College 87-76 to up their league record
few minutes early to catch the final bus to 7-3. Their next home game is Feb. 3
home to St. Catharines. “It’s a shame I at 8 p.m. when Fanshawe College of
left ‘cause of the stupid bus.”
London, Ont., and their 6-2 record
Muir lead the Knights with 19 pays a visit.
Women Knights outplay Mountaineers
By LIAM MCPHERSON
Staff Writer
The Niagara Knights women’s basketball team came out flat in the first
quarter and were trailing 18-10
against Mohawk College on Jan. 17
at Niagara College.
Lyndsay Cloughley tied the game
20-20 when she netted a shot with
four minutes in the first half. That
basket sparked the Knights. The
crowd favourite, point guard Jamie
Fong, scored two baskets straight to
take the lead. The Knights led 26-23
at the half. Leading scorer for the
Knights at the half was Kaitlyn
McKenna with eight, and Fong
chipped in for six.
Mohawks’ leading scorer was
Susan Shaw-Davis with seven points,
and Alexis Rakovac helped with four
points.
At halftime Niagara Head Coach
Knights run in V-formation down
the court on their way to a 57-41
victory.
Photo by Liam McPherson
Phil Mosley said, “We have to take
care of the ball and cut down on
turnovers.”
The Knights came out after halftime and never gave the lead back as
they cruised to a 57-41 victory over
Mohawk College.
McKenna led the way with 17
game-high points and also led the
Knights with four rebounds.
Fong filled some stat columns with
her 13 points, four assists and five
steals, proving once again she is the
engine that runs this team. Fong left
the game with what appeared to be an
injured foot, with 49.5 seconds
remaining.
The Knights will need her healthy
for this weekend in the London invitational as they start against Fanshawe College.
Manager Lindsey Norris, following the game, said, “It was a hardfought game and in the end we got
more defensive rebounds and more
steals than Mohawk. They are a good
shooting team, and it was crucial to
get more rebounds and steals.”
By PATRICK HALL
Staff Writer
Niagara College’s women’s volleyball team hosted an invitational
tournament Jan. 20 to Jan. 21 with
eight teams competing for bragging
rights in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA).
With many regulars resting during
the weekend tournament, the
Knights dropped all three of their
matches, losing to the Sheridan Bruins, of Oakville, Humber Hawks, of
Etobicoke, and the Seneca Sting,
from North York. However, the team
sits atop the OCAA Central East
division.
In the final, it was defending
OCAA Champion Humber Hawks
defeating the Seneca Sting 3-0 to
take home the tournament title.
“We have the hardest part of our
schedule coming up, so we wanted to
heal some aches and pains, as well as
give some of the younger players
more game experience heading into
the home stretch,” says head coach
Kerby Bentley. “It’s always nice to
win a tournament, but it’s league
play that gets you into the playoffs.”
Despite losing at the tournament,
the coach is “very pleased to see”
team rookies further developing their
skills as players.
“It’s good to see younger players
able to compete for starting spots.
The overall strength of the team continues to improve and the skill levels
are starting to even out.”
The Niagara Knights lead the Central East division with an 8-2 record,
but Bentley says his team will continue to work on the “little things”
during practice.
“There is still room for improvement in
our blocking and passing game. We mostly want to work on our defence and preparation for attack.”
From a team standpoint, the women are
a confident bunch with the OCAA playoffs around the corner. Second-year player Kim Roach, 19, of Stratford, Ont., says
team interaction is at “an all-time high”
and it shows on the court.
“Our potential gets better every
day, and we have always had great
chemistry. We know qualifying from
the provincials will be the biggest
challenge, but if we don’t medal it
will be a big disappointment.”
Right side Heidi Bench, 19, of St.
Catharines, says everyone on the volleyball squad has improved “a hell of a
lot” since the season started.
“The girls have stepped up tremendously and with training, our intensity has
definitely picked up,” says the team’s
leading scorer. “We have seen all the competition, and I think we have the talent to
make some upsets.”
Team composure and health are
always a main concern heading into
competition, but coach Bentley says he
would like to see more fans come out to
support the Knights.
The Niagara Knights’ final home
game happens on Feb. 10 when the team
takes on its rivals, the Humber Hawks.
news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 21
Aiming for provincial title
By PAUL FROSINA
Staff Writer
Anthony Ventresca, coach of
the Niagara College men’s indoor
soccer team, is looking forward
to a memorable season this year.
Although the Knights lost in
the finals to Conestoga’s
Alumni team in last year’s
tournament at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ont., Ventresca says his team played
well, considering the players
they were facing.
“They [Conestoga] had a lot of
skilled players. Some of them
were members of the Toronto
Lynx soccer club,” says Ventresca.
The Lynx are a Division One
team in the United Soccer
Leagues (USL), North America’s top soccer association.
The Knights held a lead in the
game but were unable to hold off
the attack from their opponents.
“We had a one goal lead for a
while, but Conestoga was a
very skilled team and they just
capitalized on their chances,”
says Ventresca.
Although the loss to Conestoga was tough to swallow, the
Knights were able to bring back
a championship from another
tournament at George Brown
College in Toronto, after they
defeated Seneca College.
“Seneca had won that tournament for the past couple years,
so it was a great win for us,”
says Ventresca.
Coach Ventresca is looking
forward to having back Most
Valuable Players (MVP) striker
Anthony Stranges and defender
Nathan Bission.
Along with his MVPs, Ventresca plans on welcoming back
three other players from last
year’s squad.
Bission has not yet committed
to returning to the team, but Coach
Ventresca says that he will be talking to him in the near future.
Along with his five
returnees, Ventresca will be
adding 10 to 13 more players
to fill out his roster out of a
possible 35 players, who are
currently in tryouts.
Coach Ventresca says that his
goal this year is for the team to
make it to the regional finals and
finish in the top two, a situation
that will give the Knights a spot
in the provincial championship.
The Knights’ region consists
of Conestoga, Fanshawe, in
London, Redeemer, in Ancaster,
and possibly Mohawk College,
in Hamilton, if they can put
together a team.
The Knights’ first tournament
will be Feb. 4 at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ont.
Tiger-Cat
players will
attend charity
hockey game
Helping youth in distress is the aim of the Ryan’s Game III, a
charity hockey game, on Jan. 28 in Grimsby.
The event is held in memory of Ryan Wharton, who died
in 2003 by suicide. Teams are made up of Wharton’s
friends, family, Grimsby Peach King Jr. B hockey players
and alumni and Canadian Football League Hamilton Tiger
Cat players and alumni.
The game is slated for the Grimsby Community Centre, 162 Livingston Ave., from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Proceeds
will benefit Foundation of Resources for Teens (FORT)
in Grimsby. It is dedicated to supplying free, confidential
and supportive services for youth in distress and in need
of conciliation.
Tickets cost $5 each and can be bought at the door.
Raffle tickets for an autographed Dave Andreychuk hockey
jersey will be sold, along with 50/50 draw tickets and various
door prizes. Food service will be available.
For information call 905-643-3784.
UPCOMING GAMES
Men’s Volleyball Games
Men’s Volleyball
Team
GP
W
Durham
Georgian
Seneca
Boreal
Cambrian
L
GW
Men’s Basketball
GL
+/-
Pts
Team
GP
Central East
Loyalist
Algonquin
Trent
La Cite
Fleming P
East Division
West Division
Fanshawe
Niagara
St/ Clair
Redeemer
G/ Brown
Humber
Sheridan
George Brown
Georgian
Centennial
Seneca
Gp
W
L
GW
GL
+/-
Pts
Central East Division
Seneca
Durham
Georgian
Cambrian
Boreal
Central West Division
Humber
Nipissing
Mohawk
Sheridan
Canadore
Algonquin
Trent
Loyalist
La Cite
Fleming P
Fanshawe
Niagara
Redeemer
St/ Clair
Sault
Lambton
East Division
West Division
PF
PA
+/-
Pts
East Division
St/ Lawrence K
Algonquin
Durham
Fleming P
Loyalist
La Cite
Cambrian
Sault
Niagara
St/ Clair
Fanshawe
Mohawk
Lambton
Redeemer
Algoma
West Division
Women’s Volleyball
Team
L
Boreal at Algonquin, 9 p.m.
Nipissing at Mohawk, 8 p.m.
St. Clair at Redeemer, 8 p.m.
Jan. 28
Cambrian at Algonquin, 6 p.m.
Boreal at La Cite, 5 p.m.
Nipissing at George Brown, 1 p.m.
St. Clair at Niagara, 3 p.m.
Jan. 29
Cambrian at La Cite, 3 p.m.
Feb. 1
Fleming P at Trent, 8 p.m.
Durham at Loyalist, 8 p.m.
Fanshawe at George Brown, 7:30 p.m.
Redeemer at Niagara, 8 p.m.
Central Division
Central West Division
Mohawk
Nipissing
Humber
Canadore
Sheridan
W
Jan. 27
Team
Gp
W
L
Pf
Pa
+/-
Pts
St/ Clair
Niagara
Fanshawe
Mohawk
Sheridan
Redeemer
Algoma
Algonquin at Cambrian, 7 p.m.
La Cite at Durham, 2 p.m.
St. Lawrence K at Fleming P, 3 p.m.
St. Clair at Mohawk, 4 p.m.
Jan. 31
St. Lawrence K at Algonquin, 7 p.m.
Fleming P at Durham, 8 p.m.
Lambton at Mohawk, 8 p.m.
Fanshawe at Niagara, 8 p.m.
Women’s Basketball Games
Jan. 27
St. Lawrence K at Durham, 6 p.m.
St. Clair at Sheridan, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28
St. Lawrence K at Fleming P, 1 p.m.
St. Clair at Mohawk, 2 p.m.
Algoma at Sheridan, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1
Sheridan at Fanshawe, 6 p.m.
Humber at Fleming P, 7 p.m.
Feb. 3
Fleming P at St. Lawrence K, 5:30 p.m.
Redeemer at Algoma, 6 p.m.
George Brown at Durham, 6 p.m.
Fanshawe at Niagara, 6 p.m.
Algonquin at Seneca, 6 p.m.
Georgian at Loyalist, 7 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball Games
Jan. 27
Fanshawe at Lambton, 6 p.m.
Nipissing at Mohawk, 6 p.m.
St. Clair at Redeemer, 6 p.m.
Boreal at Algonquin, 7 p.m.
Sault at Humber, 8 p.m.
Jan. 28
St. Clair at Niagara, 1 p.m.
Sault at Sheridan, 1 p.m.
Boreal at La Cite, 3 p.m.
Cambrian at Algonquin, 4 p.m.
Jan. 29
Cambrian at La Cite, 1 p.m.
Jan. 31
Lambton at Mohawk, 6 p.m.
Feb. 1
Durham at Loyalist, 6 p.m.
Redeemer at Niagara, 6 p.m.
Fleming P at Trent, 6 p.m.
West Division
news@niagara publishes
next on Feb. 3, 2006
Georgian at Centennial, 8 p.m.
Seneca at George Brown, 8 p.m.
St. Lawrence K at Durham, 8 p.m.
La Cite at Loyalist, 8 p.m.
Jan. 28
East Division
Humber
Seneca
Algonquin
Durham
Georgian
G/ Brown
St/ Lawrence K
Loyalist
Fleming P
What’s
Going on in
the World
of Sports
Indoor Soccer
Men’s Basketball Games
Jan. 27
Feb. 3
Women’s Basketball
Sports .
Men’s indoor soccer team
Grimsby
Charity Hockey
OCAA
Standings
Upcoming
Games
Page 22, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Blinkhorn nets hat trick in Falcons win
By JEFF FORAN
Staff Writer
It took only one minute and 42 seconds
for the St. Catharines Falcons to take the
lead in a 7-1 victory against the Welland Jr.
Canadians on Sunday in Welland.
Falcons captain Kelsey Blinkhorn
scored the first of the evening and his first
of a hat trick on the night. Left alone in
front of the net, Blinkhorn slid the puck
through Jr. Canadians goaltender Mike
Pribanich.
Blinkhorn would double the lead and his
goal tally for the Falcons at the halfway
mark of the first, banging the puck in on a
rebound from an ensuing wrap-around
attempt.
The closest the Jr. Canadians would
come to scoring in the first period came
courtesy of a tipped point shot by David
Burkholder at the eight-minute mark that
went wide right.
With just under four minutes remaining
in the opening period, Mike Chmielewski
picked up a loose puck in the neutral
zone, used a Jr. Canadian as a screen and
put a weak shot on goal. The puck found
its way through Pribanich’s leg and into
the back netting.
Welland coach Neil Blanchard had seen
enough by this point, pulled Pribanich and
installed back-up tender Frank Agostino
between the pipes.
Blanchard says, “We didn’t pull the goalie
for nothing,” but added, in Pribanich’s
defence, “There were games when he
Welland Jr. Canadian defenceman David Burkholder jumps over a sliding
St. Catharines Falcon while trying to reach a loose puck. Welland goaltender Frank
Agostino tries to get out of the way. St. Catharines won the game 7-1 in Welland
Sunday night.
Photo by Takahide Eguchi
stopped 50 shots.”
Jordan Nolan scored via the five hole to
In the second period, Welland and St. take St. Catharines to a 4-0 lead.
Catharines were denied on breakaways
Welland responded less than a minute
respectively with Kevin Floris being later when Jason Sardella scored his third of
denied by Agostino and Jordy McMillan the season, beating Falcons’ goalie Sean
of the Jr. Canadians shooting wide on a Hall on the short side.
short-handed break.
It was too little too late for Welland, howIn the third period, St. Catharines ever, as St. Catharines would reply with
exploded with a glut of goals.
three more goals.
Nick Petriello would score with a rugby
scrum happening in front of the Welland goal.
Chris Stevenson would add a power-play
marker nearly three minutes later on a laser
beam of a snap shot and Blinkhorn would
score his third of the night on a breakaway,
putting the puck between Agostino’s legs to
make it look oh-so-easy.
The only cause for concern for the Falcons on the night occurred five minutes into
the final period when Danny Williams went
down to block a shot and got the followthrough of a stick in his face resulting in a
bad cut, which left pools of blood on the ice.
The man of the match, Blinkhorn, says the
Falcons have been “working hard lately.”
“We worked pretty hard. We did well
killing penalties. We pressured their
power play.”
On his own hat trick he says, “It’s nice to
help chip in,” and on his breakaway, he says
he was thinking, “Don’t miss the net.”
The Jr. Canadians would go 0 for 11 on
the power play, with two, two man advantages of over a minute.
Blanchard says they “got behind the
eight ball. We had a big hill to climb,”
noting that the St. Catharines team is “on
a roll right now.”
“We had a couple of chances,” he says,
but there are “certainly things we need to
work on: tighten up defencemen” and get
“re-focused on offence.”
“[St. Catharines] buried the puck on their
chances.”
Stoney Creek visits Welland Sunday.
Nero has Knights tied at top of division
By MICHAEL McCLYMONT
Staff Writer
From his days as a youth to his present position as Niagara
Knights men’s basketball coach, Ralph Nero has seen the
best and worst that this sport has offered the Niagara region.
He has been involved with some of the region’s biggest
games and he has been on the court with some of the National
Basketball Association’s (NBA) biggest names. Nero admits
that if it weren’t for basketball, he doesn’t know what he might
be doing.
“Not very much. I’ve been doing it [coaching] for so long,
we ask ourselves what would we do in the winter.”
Can you really blame him? Nero is in his seventh year
of coaching the college’s men’s team, but his experience
goes back much further. Nero says he’s been coaching
for 15 years and has stood on the sidelines at Brock
University, McMaster University in Hamilton and Notre
Dame High School in Welland. He’s also played ball at
the high school level, locally and south of the Canadian
border. His playing experience in the United States was
with a Western New York community league that he
says was “very good.”
“We beat the University of Toronto. That was a big thing
back then.”
Being from an Italian family, Coach Nero says it was
unusual that he chose to play basketball. The choice was
not a family tradition. It was also unusual how long he
decided to play for. “I was probably the only guy that
played after high school.”
As a youth, basketball was very important to Nero: “In
many respects, it was everything.” It helped that he has lived
in Welland his whole life.
“We got spoiled. We would go to watch Niagara University [in New York State] games and Canisius versus St.
Bonaventure. I had some friends from Niagara University. I
would tag along with them to the games.”
Playing the game introduced Nero to the sport, but coaching is his claim to fame.
Although he says he has 85 to 90 pieces of hardware in his
attic that he has acquired over the years, the Knights coach
says the trophies and achievements are “not what it’s about.
“To me, it’s surviving year to year.”
Nero has coached against former Duke University legend
Christian Laettner and Cliff Robinson of the NBA’s New
Jersey Nets before they became famous. He also coached game. They had 1,800 to 1,900 people in the arena. You
against Canadian Jamaal Magloire of the NBA’s Milwaukee couldn’t move,” says Nero. “We’ve had some great games
Bucks when he was in high school and used to watch former here in Niagara.”
NBA coach Hubie Brown when he played at Niagara UniThis year, Coach Nero’s Niagara Knights men’s team is
versity in the 1950s. Brown is now a basketball analyst for tied atop the West Division standings with a 6-3 league
the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and Turner record. The season’s second half promises more great games
Network Television (TNT).
and vivid memories.
Before Nero took the Niagara College head coaching
Trust Your
job, he was an assistant in Hamilton. He commuted from
Christmas Packages
Welland for every practice, meeting and game, but the
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grind got to him. “I thought it was time to call it a day until
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someone told me they were hiring here.”
Nero says what he enjoys most about coaching is the
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camaraderie and friendships he has established, such as the
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coaches.
Dec. 23, to addresses within Canada.
“I’ve been working with Tony [Ferrussi, strength
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coach] since 1980 and this is my 17th year together
Tel: 788-9993
with Mike [Baccaria, assistant coach].”
Fax: 788-1947
In a sense, coaching is what keeps Coach Nero young.
Email: [email protected]
He admits that he tends to tire towards the end of the year,
but then he gets antsy in the
summertime, eagerly awaiting
the new season.
“I love the game. I have a
passion for the game. It’s like
a drug,” says Assistant Coach
Claude Laliberte. Coach Ferrussi shares the sentiment.
“It’s the most exciting game.
There’s no other game like it.”
Nero has had plenty of big
games in his illustrious basket✓ Your Picture on Billboards
ball career, but one of his most
vivid memories took place
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here in the Niagara region: a
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news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006, Page 23
Fair Trade helps
educate students
By KAESHA FORAND
Staff Writer
Fair Trade is a simple way of
helping many people throughout
the world.
It is an international system of
business that offers favourable
trading conditions for producers in
developing countries. It allows
consumers to address poverty and
inequality.
The crafters get a higher price
for the product and 20 per cent
extra for social premium, which
goes towards the community.
Fair Trade Niagara (FTN) was
created by the Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) chapter at Niagara College, the Niagara
Business Development Centre and
the International Education and
Development Department (IEDD).
“Fair Trade Niagara teaches
members of ACE everything to do
with operating a company, importing and learning how the concept
of fair trade works. From our
knowledge, we gain by learning.
We gain even more by practicing
this and teaching fellow students,
professors and the community
about Fair Trade products,” said
Rob Nagy, a third-year student in
the Business Administration —
Operations Management (Co-op)
program.
Nagy, who is also the vicepresident of ACE Niagara,
described ACE as being “a completely student-run organization
on campus, probably not only
the best club but definitely the
best entrepreneurship organization available,” adding that ACE
teaches students about entrepreneurship, networking skills,
business skills and life skills.
International
Development
Week, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, will
have photo exhibits of international work opportunities. There will
be three kiosks selling fair trade
products at both campuses.
One kiosk will sell unique crafts
made by King Kei crafters, a group
of about 12 women from South
Africa, and La Comunidad Yryapu, a group of about 20 people
from Argentina.
The crafts will be for sale on
Jan. 31 at the Glendale campus in
Niagara-on-the-Lake and on Feb. 2
at the Welland campus.
They range in price from $6 to
$20 and include necklaces, key
chains, bookmarks and wine bottle decorations.
A second kiosk will sell candles from Great Escapes Candles, which uses 100 per cent
natural products purchased
through fair trade.
International Development Week activities Jan. 30 to Feb. 3
Glendale campus events
• Tuesday, Jan. 31, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., near the International office, W206. Fair Trade vendors:
Ten Thousand Villages, Fair Trade Niagara and Great Escapes Candles.
• International Development work opportunities: International display highlighting paid internship
opportunities in Peru, South Africa, Ecuador, Trinidad and Argentina.
• Friday, Feb. 3, 10:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in HT001. Seminar: Challenges in managing a multi-ethnic
workforce.
A third kiosk, by Ten Thousand
Villages, a chain of stores throughout North America, will sell fair
trade handicrafts.
Kyla Pennie, international project specialist at Niagara College, said FTN is a “perfectly
timed adventure” because the
partnership with King Kei and
Yryapu was the result of international project works in South
Africa and Argentina.
She described fair trade as “an
alternative model of business
that I like ... It internationalizes
the college and benefits Niagara
students and organizations that
we work with.”
Jos Nolle, director of IEDD, said
fair trade mostly benefits the people who make the goods and
makes the people buying the goods
think about what they buy and
where it comes from.
“It makes the chain of maker
and buyer shorter,” he adds.
Pennie adds future fair trade
products could come from
Rwanda and Peru.
Anyone who wants more information about fair trade can visit
the website at www.transfair.ca.
Set a course for adventure
Train now for a rewarding and high-paying career as a
Marine Engineer or Navigation Officer
Welland campus events
• Wednesday, Feb. 1, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Hamilton Room. A discussion with South AfricanCanadian educator and author Goodie Tshabalala Mogadime focusing on leadership during the fall of
apartheid in South Africa.
• Thursday, Feb. 2, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the cafeteria foyer. Fair Trade vendors: Ten Thousand Villages, Fair Trade Niagara and Great Escapes Candles.
• International Development work opportunities: International display highlighting paid internship
opportunities in Peru, South Africa, Ecuador, Trinidad and Argentina.
Diverse programs attract students’ interest
By JEREMY LAFORTY
Staff Writer
Niagara College is rated number 1 in Ontario for
student satisfaction, according to the Key Performance Indicators survey conducted for student satisfaction for the 2004-2005 school year.
That may be in part because the college offers
aspiring post-secondary students over 60 full-time
programs to choose from, leading to a multitude of
job fields.
Milan Macesic, 29, of Niagara Falls, is taking the
Electrical Engineering Technician program. Macesic
says he took the program because the field offers
“good job opportunities.”
“There’s lots to do in the field. You can make good
money, and it’s really interesting.”
Macesic says that he chose Niagara College
because “it offers one of the best programs in the engineering field.”
Phong Ho, 23, of Niagara Falls, is taking the Pharmacy Technician program.
“I wanted to study medicine. I’ve always been
fascinated with pharmaceuticals, so taking this
program, I thought, would be the best way for me
to get into the field.
“I chose Niagara because it’s closer than the rest
and built for the best and I’ve heard a lot of good
things about it on the streets.
“My plan is to work on getting my licence to sell
drugs, and I’d like to go national in the industry by
advertising patented products through popular forms
Items that can be purchased through Fair Trade Niagara include
necklaces, bracelets, key chains and bookmarks. They will be
available at one of three kiosks at the Welland and Glendale campuses during International Development Week Jan. 30 to Feb. 3.
Photo by Kaesha Forand
At Georgian College in Owen Sound, Ontario, our three-year Marine
co-op programs boast a progressive mix of skills training, shipboard
training and academic studies. Canadian shipping companies support
these programs by providing a variety of inland and coastal placements
for cadet work terms, which can lead to employment upon graduation.
With a worldwide shortage of ships’ officers, your future job prospects
are unlimited.
For more information:
Call today: (519) 376-0840, ext. 2062
or e-mail: [email protected]
Web:
www.marinetraining.ca
of media, maybe television,” says Ho.
Erin Shearer, 20, of Welland, says that she chose to
take the Law Clerk (Co-op) program here “because
I’m interested in the law, and I didn’t know what else
to take.” Being a Welland resident, Shearer chose Niagara College “because it’s close to home.”
Shearer says, “The program is really interesting
and challenging.
“Once I graduate, I’m probably
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Page 24, news@niagara, Jan. 27, 2006
Brazilian student enjoyed
successful stay in Canada
By KAESHA FORAND
Staff Writer
“Thais is one of our best international success stories,” says Larissa
Strong, international student adviser at
Niagara College.
Thais Aun, 23, came to Canada from
Sao Paulo, Brazil, when she was 18
years old to learn how to speak English
properly so she would have better
career opportunities.
She initially enrolled in the Business
Administration – Marketing (Co-op)
program at the Glendale campus in
Niagara-on-the-Lake for four months
to improve her English skills.
“I loved Niagara College so much I
decided I wanted to complete the entire
three-year Business Administration program. I knew the diploma would help me
with my career goals when I returned to
Brazil.”
After graduating, Aun said she wasn’t
ready to start her professional life, so she
took the Public Relations (Graduate Certificate) program to develop her speaking skills, graduating in April 2004.
She worked here in various departments until March 2005.
Before coming to Canada in Septem-
ber 2000, Aun took a seven-month
English as a Second Language program at Merrimack College in Massachusetts.
“Most of the public relations faculty
didn’t know that English wasn’t her
first language,” said Nancy Geddie,
co-ordinator of the public relations
program.
Aun played on Niagara’s varsity volleyball team for four years and soccer
one year. During that time, she was
named the Ontario College Athletic
Association (OCAA) athlete of the
week, she received the OCAA AllAcademic award, the Niagara College
Award of Excellence and the Niagara
College Athlete of Distinction award.
She also worked in the Athletics
Department, Information Centre, Student Services, Information and Media
Studies Department and in Continuing Education.
When she returned to Brazil in
March 2005, she sent her résumé to
Canadian companies with branch operations there.
The Canadian Education Centre
(CEC) in Sao Paulo contacted her and
she got a job as an educational coun-
sellor assistant. She was promoted and
is an educational counsellor.
She promotes Canadian schools in
the CEC network of clients for the government of Canada to Brazilian students who want to pursue an education.
She communicates with Canadian
and Brazilian clients and agencies,
duties that require her to speak fluent
English and Portuguese.
She also assists the development
and promotion of CEC’s annual education fair, which attracts about 8,000
people. In September 2005, Strong
was recruiting at that same fair.
“My mind quickly switched from
thinking of Thais as one of my students
to seeing her as a genuine colleague,”
said Strong.
Being in an area with a high unemployment rate, Aun credits the programs
she took at Niagara for providing her
with “academic know-how and professional experiences necessary to do my
job and to succeed in the Brazilian professional industry.”
Aun will go to school in February to
obtain her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree to “get further in the work
industry.”
Peggy’s Cove in
the summer time
Peggy’s Cove is one of the most photographed
locations in Canada. It is about 40 minutes outside of downtown Halifax, N.S., in a small fishing
village with a population of 120 people.
Photo by Stephanie Verri
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