I Think I Underestimated University...

And other things that went through my mind during early years at X

Everyone gets told pretty cliché advice when starting out as a university student. Don’t procrastinate, don’t get behind on your readings, all that stuff; it’s all good advice, but it’s a little obvious. Obviously, we shouldn’t procrastinate, but you will at least once. It’s evident that the assigned readings are important, but you’ll be lying if you say you’ve never at least thought of skipping one. I’m not here to give people tips that they’ve heard a million times. Instead, I want to share some of the things I learned about adapting to university social life and adapting to living on my own.

I found my frosh year pretty difficult to get used to at first. It took until after Thanksgiving to really feel comfortable on campus. Frosh week felt like one-half partying and one-half summer camp, especially with O Crew banging on our doors at early hours and memorizing all those house chants (I was a Chillis Chick, so the chants were a pretty focal part). Being in a new town, with no one familiar around, I decided to try and be as approachable as possible. I was majorly worried that I’d end September with no real friendships. I decided to be fearless by introducing myself to random people I met at meal hall, it was not something I would normally do. But honestly, a couple of those people I approached in frosh week meal hall turned into real friends that I’ve had through my entire eXperience. So my first piece of advice is this – don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Even if you’re shy, get out of your comfort zone just a bit and talk to people. Sure, many people I hung out with in frosh week never became friends of mine, but had I not made those attempts, I would have never made those connections.

In second year, I moved from MacKinnon Hall and into an apartment in Somers and I’ve been there ever since. Though it’s not exactly the same as living off campus – no rent every month, no landlords etc, I think some of my experiences getting settled into an apartment ring true for everyone. By far the most difficult thing to get used to was the garbage. Getting on top of our garbage, recyclables and especially compost was annoying, mostly because of fruit flies. The super hot September weather, paired with leaving our garbage in the apartment for too long, is what drew the flies out. The only way we were able to get rid of them was putting glasses of cider vinegar covered with plastic wrap around the apartment. I doubt we were the only ones who were too naive about garbage while making the transition from a residence to an apartment! 

Today I feel foolish for having been so unequipped to deal with garbage; something I used to think was pretty basic. Underestimating everyday chores was definitely the biggest mistake I made when transitioning to a new living environment. And I won’t lie – it’s just more unnecessary stress on top of why we’re all here: to get that degree.  In the end, we learned from our mistakes and never had a problem of that magnitude in our apartment, but I really feel bad for anyone going through a similar experience right now. Getting on top of your own housework makes your living space less stressful, and I think it contributes to how well you study, too. 

I don’t think university is as much about preparing you for the “real world” as it is forcing you to face real day-to-day problems. University is an important stage of your life, it is a transitional step from youth to adulthood. Getting out of my comfort zone and taking my living arrangements seriously really did help me adapt to this stage in my life. Hopefully my experiences help anyone else having a rough time settling into their once-in-a lifetime experience as a StFX undergrad.

Coady Confidence High Amid Controversy

A walk through the Institute with Dr. Webber

You would be forgiven for not knowing, or much at all, about the Coady Institute, a part of St. Francis Xavier for more than 60 years. Although a quiet and reflective part of the university, recent events have thrust the Institute into the spotlight regarding alleged financial fraud and an article in the Chronicle Herald detailing the “droves” of staff reported to have left the Institute over the change of direction since the hiring of Dr. June Webber as director three years ago.

Dr. Webber was kind enough to talk to the Xaverian about some of the controversy surrounding the Institute not long after her arrival. Dr. Webber was unable to provide any details regarding the dismissal of Mr. Marlow, as that case is currently before the courts. However, Dr. Webber did provide some time to show me around the Coady Institute, a world-renowned organization interested in providing important educational opportunities to community leaders from around the world committed to fighting for economic and social justice.

I had intended to directly ask Dr. Webber about the staff who had supposedly left Coady due to the reportedly “toxic environment” that a number of other staff members had written about in an internal letter to the Executive of the Institute, but first Dr. Webber introduced me to some of the people who work and attend the Coady Institute’s impressive programs. I was introduced to some inspiring people who come from incredible backgrounds and their attendance at Coady is certainly a testament to their strength of character and will.

I wanted to know how Dr. Webber felt about the level of turnover reported in the Chronicle Herald last month. According to their source, 19 people had left the Coady in the time that Dr. Webber had taken helm of the Institute; however, Dr. Webber disagrees and counters that only 16 people had left, and a 44% turnover is a natural rate of turnover for the Institute. Dr. Webber defends the number of leaves as a mixture of retirements, staff leaving for other opportunities, as well as natural changes in staff. The Chronicle Herald had reported that Dr. Webber planned that the reduction of the staff also came from the plan to end the use of associate staff, but when I asked Dr. Webber about this she replied that the Coady Institute will continue to use associate staff and that the reporting by Chronicle Herald was “inaccurate,” in fact Dr. Webber is hoping to add greater staff representation from the global north and south.

Part of the controversy regarding Coady and the staff resignations, is that under Dr. Webber, there has been a change of direction for the Institute, some claiming this change is deleterious for the Institute and disrespectful of staff. I asked Dr. Webber about this and while she did acknowledge there was a new direction for Coady, she disagreed that it was substantially different from the founding principles of Moses Coady. 

The direction was made, she told me, after feeling that there was good foundation for the work of the Coady, but that at the time of her arrival it lacked strategy. When Coady was founded, there were very few developmental organizations in the world and the Institute’s mission was wide-ranging. Since that time, however, developmental organizations are much more commonplace, and Dr. Webber believes now, more than ever, Coady must have a stronger strategy and direction in order to compete among the myriad of organizations struggling to be a part of the solution in the world. She told me that Coady is changing perspectives, from a deficit model of support, to an asset model.

This is one part of the three major differences Dr. Webber sees as having usher in since her helming of the Coady Institute. Summarized briefly; first, the Coady Institute seeks now to work with an overarching strategy to understand the contexts of where they are and consolidation the collective thinking of people with Coady. 

Secondly, it is important to look at and assess the programs that Coady is using, how can they most effectively direct their energies. 

Finally, Dr. Webber sees Coady has having a place not just in the developing world, where, historically, the focus of Coady programs have centered, but now, seeking a truly global approach that includes the inequities experienced by communities in Canada and America and other developed nations, indeed during my tour of the building Dr. Webber highlighted the recent initiative to bring Indigenous Canadian women to Coady to become leaders in their communities. It is no secret that communities and people across Canada and America face severe resource, infrastructure, and support shortages and inequities (infamously, a considerable number of indigenous communities have gone decades without clean water in Canada), while populated by ambitious and talented people, just waiting for opportunity, an opportunity that Dr. Webber hopes that Coady can provide to people from Canada to Zambia to India and all and any nation in between.

Before I leave, I ask Dr. Webber how she feels about the reputation of the Coady Institute considering the controversy that’s made its way into national news. She answers firmly, that the Institute does remarkable work internationally and that their capable and talented staff are needed more than ever to counter the rise of inequality globally and in Canada.

Class of 2022 First Impressions

First-year students comment on their experience during O-Week

On September 1, StFX welcomed the class of 2022. For most of these students, coming from across Canada and the world, this was the first time they’d set foot on the StFX campus. First impressions are pretty important, so this week, I decided to see what kind of impression our campus is making on this year’s newcomers! Here’s what they have to say: 

“My impression of StFX so far is amazing. Everybody here is so friendly and welcoming, especially the upper years, and it has been a ton of fun doing all the X-Fest activities with my house.”

- Jacob Koep, Engineering

“It’s only been a day and a half but I already know I made the right choice coming to X. I’ve already met some amazing people, had some bomb food, done so many fun things and I know there’s way more to come! Everyone has been super welcoming and kind, and really helpful with showing me around! I look forward to making a difference in the X community, finding myself and being a part of such a great experience!”

- Olivia Conrad, Nursing

“Antigonish seems to have A LOT of spirit!  A little rough at the beginning trying to make friends, but I hope it will pick up soon. Small campus so it’s easier to travel to classes. Shout-out to O-Crew for being so helpful.”

- Mark Carroll, Music 

“My first impression of StFX has been a memorable one. The orientation week activities were so fun, I got to meet so many new people and my first few classes were amazing! I look forward to the rest of the year as well as the years to come!”

- Olivier Charles, Human Kinetics

“My first impression of StFX is that it is an extremely inviting and friendly community. Everyone is very approachable and easy to talk to!”

- Mackenzie LeVernois, Chemistry and Business

“People here have been so amazing, I’ve known people here for what? Four days? And they are so compassionate and wonderful, kind. I had a panic attack on my second day here and my roommate who I barely know talked me through it the whole time. People in classes I barely know will always talk to me and invite me to sit with them and talk to them. This place is a wonderful community full of empathetic people who truly truly care about you!”

- Anonymous

“X already feels like I’m at home. Everyone here already feels like family and the environment makes me eager to learn!”

- Adrianka Forrest

“The school is awesome, felt like home instantly. The students and professors are welcoming. One or two professors were strict, but for the most part they were good.”

- David W., Business & Emily D., Business

“Campus is nice and super clean. Everyone is kind too. Classes are fun and the professors aren’t scary which is good.”

- Eryn Reader

“I’m impressed by how welcoming the community is on campus. From the upper year students to the professors, everyone has each other’s backs.”

- Jem McDonald

“I feel like all first year students are blessed to be on this friendly campus.” 

- Isaac Tait

Mac Miller: Rest in Peace

The youthful rapper created musical artistry that’s well beyond his years

I was 13 years old when I first heard Mac Miller rap. The song was a clever, catchy hymn called “Knock Knock.” In it, he spoke of youthful recklessness and unprovoked abandon, “I feel like a million bucks” And “Smoke joints in the whip, no cops can bust me”. For a kid who was just beginning his junior high life, it was a risky, provocative ballad that I couldn’t get enough of. As I grew up, so too did his music which underwent a progression more akin to a grizzled veteran. His frat rap style was what shot him into popularity with the song “Donald Trump”, and his commercially successful album Blue Slide Park.

He then touched into his introspective side with Watching Movies with the Sound Off in 2013. It produced the trippy opener “The Star Room”, and a funky collaboration with Schoolboy Q on “Gees.” 

In 2016, his album Divine Feminine focused on the lessons he had learned from the women in his life. This included his ex-girlfriend Ariana Grande, and his mother. It represented another cog in his ever spinning wheel of art. 

Photo: NPR

Miller also produced unique aliases for music, with mixtapes from his alter ego Delusional Thomas and songs from Larry Fisherman. It was another way of him to further venture into his creative soul and continually develop as an artist. 

Mac Miller died on Friday September 7, at the tender age of 26. He was born Malcolm James McCormick in Pittsburgh, a city seldom known for rappers, save for Wiz Khalifa.  Yet, at 18 years old he rose to prominence with his hit mixtape K.I.D.S (Kickin’ Incredibly Dope Shit).

His death was one that sent shockwaves rippling throughout the rap community, with tributes aplenty pouring in. He was universally beloved, from the likes of John Mayer, Elton John and Drake. Heartbreakingly, one of his last tweets was, “I just wanna go on tour”. 

His most recent album labelled Swimming was released on August 3, the same day Astroworld gobbled up the headlines. Yet, when one means to appreciate music, the 13 track album dwarfs Travis Scott’s in pure creative ingenuity. 

His death was from a suspected drug overdose, and his lyrics have waxed poetically gut-wrenching with the opening song from Swimming, “Come Back to Earth”: “They don’t want me to OD and have to talk to my mother, telling her they could have done more to help me and she’ll be crying saying that she’ll do anything to have me back”

As I solemnly listened to his music on repeat this past weekend, one song hauntingly stood out; “Brand Name”, from his GO:OD AM album. The lyrics start off with him disregarding the notion of working a “9 to 5” day job as “I’d rather end up either dead or in jail.” Near the end of the song, he seems to foreshadow his demise:

“To everyone who sell me drugs / don’t mix it with that bullshit I hopin’ not to join the twenty-seven club.”

Despite his success in the music scene, he recently broke up with pop singer Ariana Grande, in May of this year after two years of dating. Weeks after the breakup, he was cited for a DUI for smashing into a utility pole with his Mercedes G-Wagon. He was very open and honest about his drug addiction that has haunted him since his high school days, and it was a tumultuous 2018 that had many worried for his health. 

Let’s remember him for all the unique music he provided for all of us, and this quote from “Dunno”, 

“I think we might just be alright / Thank God”

A Review of X-Fest 2018

Headphone Disco, Jell-O Slide among many successful events on campus

It’s the most wonderful time  of the year here at StFX as we welcome the incoming class of 2022 and all of our returning upper year students. This year’s theme for Welcome Week is X-Fest 2018, a jam packed week of incredible events. Orchestrated by the StFX Student’s Union, X-Fest featured highlight events such as Headphone Disco, Playfair, Not Your Grandma’s Bingo, X Factor, the X-Fest concert, and last but certainly not least, Shinerama!

Day 1 – Welcome Day. The day many of our first year students have been anticipating, as it is both their first step of the university experience and possibly their first time living away from home. Welcomed as soon as they drove onto campus by the hype committee of O-Crew, new students began to line up for their registration into residence, unless of course they ran through the Welcome Tunnel first.  From there, students and their parents began to unpack at their respective residences with the help of some of our  X-Men football players and  O-Crew members at each residence. At 2pm the President’s  Welcome began, featuring speakers from our Board of  Governors, and closing off as usual with StFX’s president, Dr. Kent MacDonald. After returning to residence for some introductions with their Community Advisors and peers to discuss important residence information, first year students then met at the auxiliary ice surface in the Keating Millennium Center (KMC) for the Welcome BBQ. With full stomachs and a brief break, O-Crew members then gathered many first year students to attend the first main event, the Carnival! Returning for its second appearance, the Carnival is a favorite amongst students new and old. There is something to suit everyone’s interests at this diverse event. Students could enjoy various carnival style games, snack on popcorn and sweets, dance to the beat of the DJ, relax in several lounging  areas, and even be taken back to their childhood days in a huge ball pit. With such an inclusive and well-rounded event, day one of life at StFX came to a close. 

Day 2 – Pancake Breakfast! To those students who forget to set their alarms, O-Crew had them covered. The infamous Pan-cake Break-fast cheers flooded the halls of each residence bright and early to start off day two; who doesn’t like a delicious pancake breakfast? With the first year students filling the stands of the KMC, StFX was pleased to have Roz Kelsey of the Man Up initiative give her talk about sexual assault and safety. Following the eye-opening presentation, a panel of community members who specialize in sexual violence        prevention and rehabilitation took the stand to answer questions asked by students anonymously over text message. The panel provided students with answers to very important questions concerning sexual  violence that are invaluable tools to know should a case of sexual violence affect themselves or someone they know.  To lighten the mood from such a deep discussion, students were guided to the rugby field  in front of Bishops Hall to begin  X Games. Organized by the  Run N’ Gun committee of O-  Crew, X  Games  kicked  off  with a mass game of freeze tag before featuring an array of activities from egg/water balloon  toss, dodgeball, and many other creative field games. Following X Games, students joined together with their residence groups to run over to the main field for the class-wide X photo.  Entering the field through a tunnel of O-Crew members, first year students were organized into a large X in the center of the field for the annual photo. What followed was the residence cheer off, where students cheered loud and proud for their new residences in  hopes to be dubbed the winner of the competition. Ultimately,  Fraser house took the title of champion, and meanwhile O- Crew ran back to the rugby field to set up our most unique Welcome Week activity, the Jell-O Slide. The premise is simple: hold a tarp on a small hill, fill it with water and soap to make it slippery, and add  Jell-O, because what other  university has a Jell-O Slide? Soon after, students formed a line that would rival any line at Disney World just to slide down our Jell-O Slide. One by one, students had their chance to experience the unique slide for themselves until physics conquered, and tarps broke. Both tarps ripped open a handful of time until O-Crew could no  longer use them, but after a short wait new tarps were brought in and the Jell-O slid  on. Following the Jell-O Slide, there were a couple events held in residence, which were followed by yet another unique take on a classic event, Headphone Disco. Gone were the  ear-numbing beats of a traditional DJ, and in were... headphones. Students walked in the Mackay room confused at the relative silence of such a large dance party until they put on the headphones themselves. The headphones featured  three channels: blue, red, and green. Blue mostly had EDM music, red featured hip-hop, and last but not least, green  played smooth jazz. As more and more students arrived, it became a battle between blue and red, with the DJ duo on stage each controlling one of the colours to curate the best set of music. Students danced to whichever channel suited their tastes, singing along with the music and personalizing their experience at such a  unique event. The best part of the event was when the headphone came off, students could hold a conversation to get to know others, and likely discuss the pure comedy of witnessing so many people dance to silence.

Day 3 – Academic Day. By this point, first year students may be forgetting the  fact that they are indeed, students. Enter academic day. Beginning with two different sessions, incoming students were acquainted with important information concerning their degrees as well as getting the chance to meet many other students that were in the same program. After a short break for lunch, students were encouraged to attend the faculty social, where over 80 faculty members as well as plenty of experienced upper years students were in attendance to share their knowledge of the classes in their respective programs and tips on student life.  For those students who attended both events, their names were filled out on a ballot to win one of two Apple iWatches! Students walked away from the event with important knowledge to remember in  their studies, and two lucky students had some new wrist wear as well. At 6pm, students made their way to the University Chapel to take part in the Xaverian Welcome. This event is the first of many traditional ceremonies that are held at StFX each year, which include  such events as house banquets, sports banquets, graduation and the Xaverian Farewell, and this little thing called X-Ring.  While the Xaverian Welcome may seem bizarre at first, it all comes full circle at the Xaverian Farewell, the culmination of  a student’s time at StFX. To  get students back on their feet after sitting in the chapel for so long, Playfair takes the stage as  the final event of day 3. First  year students enter the KMC through a long tunnel of O-Crew members and join in to  form an even longer tunnel of O-Crew and first years. Shortly after, students dispersed into  smaller groups to partake in the many ice breaker games that are the staple of Playfair. Just as Playfair came to a close, the first year students and O-Crew members were asked to sit alongside the wall furthest from the stage. It’s Flash Mob time! Prior to, and throughout Welcome Week, O-Crew hid themselves away on campus to practice a flash mob for the first year students. The dance began with the O- Crew executives leading their part, and shortly after all of O-Crew came running onto the floor to take part in the dance. Once the surprise was finished, day 3 drew to an end.

Day 4 – First Day of Classes. The day we’ve all been waiting for! Incoming and returning students roam the campus, searching for classrooms new and old to begin their year of studies. For first year off-campus students, there was an event at the Golden X Inn specifically for them to discuss services available to off-campus students as well as to meet their peers. Following various events held in residence, the evening capped off with Not Your Grandma’s Bingo, an educational sex toy bingo where students learned safe-sex trivia and what proper consent looks like. This event was a resounding success. The attendance was incredible and the energy of the room was certainly greater than that of your grandma’s bingo.

Day 5 – X Factor. The second day of classes for students was a relatively quiet day for Welcome Week. There were free money and budgeting sessions held in Morrison Hall and the Wellspring centre throughout the day, an outdoor movie night held in the MSB courtyard, and finally the talent show, X Factor, held in the KMC. The event featured many group performances, interspersed with  some amazing solo and duo acts which showcased the talent of our incoming class of 2022.

Day 6 – Society Night. Yet another busy day of activities that were held in residence, the third day of classes included sessions on stress management, consent, positive space training, as well as Reslife karaoke. The Tastes of the World dinner which was slated to be held outside the KMC was moved to the Mackay room due to the rain, although things got on without a hitch. Students were able to sample a diverse range of foods unlike what they may typically eat here in Nova Scotia while a group of incredibly talented dancers showcased their talents and taught students the dances as well.  Finally, Society Night was held at the KMC for all students to attend. With such a vast selection of societies, there is sure  to be something to suit everyone’s taste.

Day 7 – X-Fest Concert. It’s Friday, and that means it’s time for our headline show, the X-Fest Concert! The event featured some of our very own talent from students Matt McGlashan (FDM) and Thomas Shelby (DJ Babz) along with our headliners, DJ Goliath, Waves, and Felix Cartal. The dance took place in the evening with students of all years joining the fun all the way until the doors closed at 12:30am. Before the concert began, students had the opportunity to attend the LGBTQIA2S+ BBQ to hear from the president of the X-Pride committee, Robert  Chatterton, and our Gender and Sexual Diversity Advisor, Bre O’Handley. Featuring some beautiful student performances, the event served to foster the positive and inclusive environment that is promoted on  campus.

Day 8 – SHINERAMA . If first year students thought waking up for the pancake breakfast was rough, O-Crew proved them wrong. Just before 8am O-Crew flooded the halls of each residence armed with whatever loud noise they could muster. From yelling and cheering, to a lifeguard whistle, and even a saxophone, students were woken up to attend Canada’s largest post-secondary fundraiser, Shinerama. Beginning with a quick breakfast, students heard talks from the Shinerama executives of O-Crew, as well as Rachael Turner, a fourth year student who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, and the mother of an incoming student who also has CF. Shinerama is a fundraising campaign to find a cure for, and provide aid to those affected by  cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that effects the ability of the lungs to remove mucous build up. This results in difficulty breathing, as well as several digestive issues, and lastly a multitude of medicaments and physiotherapy techniques must be undergone to treat the disease. These talks serve to give purpose and perspective to the first year students in their fundraising efforts, as CF is a cause that is close to home at StFX. Following the speeches, students were assigned to one of many fundraising sites all across town, and some even had the opportunity to get on a bus to fundraise in New Glasgow. Students fundraised and spread awareness for cystic fibrosis from 9-1pm, raising approximately $25 000 for Shinerama 2018! And with that,  Welcome Week came to a close.  To  all  first  year  and  returning students, there are no better words than this: Welcome Home.  

The Rise of Food Trucks in Antigonish

The Frankenstand: A spookily delicious hot dog stand

At the back of the Shoppers Drug Mart Parking lot, on the edge of the river, lies a peculiar looking food truck emblazoned with green, black and orange colors. Its aptly named The Frankenstand, and it’s the home to foot long hot dogs… with a twist. A Caesar salad on top of a hot dog? Yep. Chili, bacon, sauerkraut? That too. For owner Kirk Jones, the name is based after his favorite childhood character. 

Photo: Bowen Assman

“I love Frankenstein, everything about it. That is why everything is based off of it. All of our menu items have some relation to Frankenstein, such as The Bride, and the Thing.”

For Kirk, his stand opened at the beginning of May and is most certainly a family affair. His wife Tracy and children work the truck, preparing food and collecting the money. It is a great educational tool to teach his son. 

“We do not keep a calculator, so when he takes orders, he has to calculate the pricing and give back the correct amount. Because of this, it has improved his math skills”

He wanted to appease to the younger crowd, mainly the students. The idea of having a hot dog stand is unique to Antigonish, a town densely populated by pizza joints. As of now, the menu consists of hot dogs, burgers and onion rings. As young as the truck is, the plans for the future are wide ranging.

“My plan is to buy a six-wheeler, so I can have a bigger shop, and move our current truck to a permanent spot on the beach. We have been in talks with the city to have this whole parking lot become a sort of food court, with an array of choices from different food trucks dotting the lot.” 

In terms of new menu ideas, the idea of a foot-long French fry is in the works. Yes, a singular foot long French fry, something that would blow up the traditional fry culture, if done correctly. 

While he has a lot of future ideas, he is more than content with where he is right now. At any point during the days, and the numerous times I was present at the truck, there was no shortage of children, students, and locals all coalescing with Kirk near the truck. The friendly atmosphere really belies their slogan of “Monster-sized food, friendly service”. The real powerhouse is Tracy, who tirelessly works behind the BBQ in the heat to provide the food to everyone. 

What Kirk touched on repeatedly was his insistence on giving back to the customers who visit his truck, and helping those who are in need. 

“If someone is hungry, just come by the shop and you will be fed. I do not want to see students go hungry, they pay enough for tuition and textbooks.”

Photo: Bowen Assman

Across the parking lot is an elder statesman of the food truck industry, Little Asia. The truck opened way back in 2016, and has enjoyed relative success, albeit spotty in it’s customer base. Little Asia’s owner, Melvin is happy that they have an outlet to serve their native food to anyone who is interested. Having the ease of a food truck makes life easier, with cheaper rent, and less maintenance costs then a brick and mortar storefront. 

What is clear is that the rise of food trucks greatly decreases barrier-to-entry costs, forging the opportunity for more trucks to pop up around town, and maybe, just maybe, take a slice out of the Kenny and Wheel student stranglehold for late night eats.

Saudi Students Seek Asylum

Ongoing diplomatic feud sparks unrest

The ongoing political conflict between Saudi Arabia and Canada has taken another victim outside the financial sector – university students. Several from Saudi Arabia have requested asylum in order to remain in Canada for the duration of their studies; according to the CBC, there are at least 20 Saudi students attempting to obtain asylum. Many fear they will be arrested upon their return, given their critique of the Saudi government on social media during their tenure abroad. The requests come after tension between the Canadian-Saudi governments escalated in the beginning of August, due to a twitter spat initiated by the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland. In a tweet, Freeland condemned the Saudi government for jailing sibling activists Samar and Raif Badawi; Raif was arrested in 2012 on charges of “insulting Islam through electronic channels” and jailed in 2013. Samar was initially jailed for six months in 2010 due to a missed court date relating to a feud with her father over marriage rights. According to Amnesty International, she was arrested and briefly detained in 2016, although the Saudi Government denies her arrest. Most recently, Samar was arrested on July 30th, eliciting the aforementioned response from Minister Freeland.  

“Very alarmed to learn that Samar Badawi, Raif Badawi’s sister, has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. Canada stands together with the Badawi family in this difficult time, and we continue to strongly call for the release of both Raif and Samar Badawi.”

  This initial call to action was followed by a second tweet by Freeland one day later:

“Canada is gravely concerned about additional arrests of civil society and women’s rights activists in #SaudiArabia, including Samar Badawi. We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful #humanrights activists.”

In response, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release condemning Canada for meddling in internal affairs and publishing comments that were “not based in any accurate or true information”. In the same press release, the Saudis recalled their ambassador, and declared the Canadian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dennis Horak, a Persona-Non-Grata, giving him 24 hours to leave the country. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced a hold on all new business and investment transactions with Canada. 

This initial cessation of diplomacy was followed by a sell-off of all Canadian assets by the Saudi central bank, regardless of whether this resulted in a net loss to the Saudis. Oil trade between the two countries is one of the only sectors which has retained status quo. The widespread halt of trade has been taken by many as a sign from Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the international community should abstain from meddling in Saudi Arabia’s internal affairs; the nation is clearly comfortable brandishing its’ political and financial capital in order to deter others from towing the Canadian line. 

While diplomatic relations between the two countries remain in limbo, the Saudi students who remain in Canada are left with few options. The Saudi Arabian government has granted an exception to 1 000 medical trainees who have been authorized to stay in Canada until “alternative assignments can be arranged”; all other students have been ordered to return home or continue their schooling in other countries. Although the students are allowed to stay in Canada until their visas expire, many are studying under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. The Saudi government announced in early August that it would be revoking scholarship funding for students who remain in Canada, making it financially unfeasible to remain. 

Former Coady Director Going to Court

James (Jim) Marlow is alleged to have stolen $264 000

Following an investigation by the RCMP and an external audit by Deloitte, former Coady International Institute Finance Director, James (Jim) Marlow is being accused of defrauding the Coady Institute of more than $200 000 dollars over a period of several years. 

Marlow had been with the Coady Institute since 2007, until his dismissal following a review and audit of the institute’s finances and invoices from vendors. It is alleged in court documents obtained by the Xaverian, that Mr. Marlow had been creating fake invoices from three well-known third party vendors used by the Coady Institute in the past. Each invoice faked by Mr. Marlow would then have a cheque made and ‘held for pickup,” at which time Mr. Marlow would pick up the cheque or have it delivered to him under the trust that it would delivered by hand to the vendor, but instead was deposited into Mr. Marlow’s personal account. The amounts of each cheque are unknown at this time, but sources speaking with the Xaverian acknowledged that these were small amounts relative to the alleged total of the fraud committed by Mr. Marlow.

The alleged fraud was only uncovered when one of the cheques marked “hold for pickup,” by Mr. Marlow was inadvertently mailed to the vendor who then notified the institute that an error had been made and they were not due any payment. An audit of the institute’s finances was made where a number of fraudulent invoices, totalling $264 098 made out by Mr. Marlow, were discovered. Mr. Marlow was relieved of his duties and dismissed by the Institute and the University on July 19, when it was announced to staff and faculty that a breach of trust had occurred and the RCMP would be involved. 

Court documents show that the auditing firm, Deloitte, discovered 32 fictitious invoices, of which only two were not cashed, valued at $20 125, and a separate amount of $14 950 is, as of yet, unaccounted for and will be the subject of further investigation.

Given the nature of the fraud and the common practice of holding cheques for later pickup instead of mailing them directly, it is possible that had the Institute not been informed by their vendor, that the alleged fraud of Mr. Marlow could have continued unnoticed. 

After speaking with Andrew Beckett, the Vice-President of Finance & Administration, the administration is now working closely with Deloitte fraud investigators to create a list of recommended changes to prevent this kind of fraud from happening in the future. Mr. Beckett says that the administration is now in the process of finding a replacement for Mr. Marlow. The administration having received the resumes of potential candidates and in the coming months a position will be offered to a capable candidate, until such time however, the duties of the former Finance Director are being assumed across several capable positions. 

StFX has begun legal proceedings against Mr. Marlow, seeking damages, repayment, in excess of $243 000 and has asked the courts to prevent Mr. Marlow from liquidating any assets, including a property purchased, that may be under his name, should the courts determine the guilt of Mr. Marlow. 

All charges and accusations made against Mr. Marlow are alleged and have not been proven in court, neither has Mr. Marlow commenced with a defence against the allegations, although he has 15 days from the August 28 filing of the charges to do so.

Your Fall Guide to Sports at StFX

Athletic events occurring in September for students to attend

As the new school year comes into focus, so too does university sport, and StFX is not short on great athletic teams. 

Men’s soccer gets their regular season started with a three-game homestead starting September 8. Moncton, UNB and Cape Breton come to town for these matches. StFX looks to avenge their semi-final loss to Cape Breton from a year ago. That Caper team ended up winning the national championship, besting the Montreal Carabins. Expect a tight battle, as both vie for first place in the conference.

On the women’s side, the squad looks to better their fifth place showing in the AUS a year ago. Their games are played preceding the men’s. One interesting note is that the coach of the soccer program: Graham Kennedy, coaches both the men and women.  

The inevitable beast that is X-Women rugby, begins their assault on the AUS competition at home against Saint Mary’s on September 7. Last year the team finished with a perfect 6-0 record, however they were bested in the semi-finals of the national event by Laval. The Rugby program is the most storied in StFX athletics, having claimed a mesmerizing 19 of the last 20 AUS titles, and four national championships since 2010.

StFX football has already begun, and it began with an unfortunate loss against St Mary’s. Luckily, our home opener is August 31 in a game against our vaunted rival, the Acadia Axemen. The team looks to improve upon it’s .500 record last year, and the hope is that they can get some key contributions from their rookies, as well as improvement from all returnees. The biggest game of the season is Homecoming, on September 29 vs. Saint Mary’s. This is the day all students, past and present cram into the bleachers to see the fired-up X-Men compete. 

StFX cross country had a surprisingly efficient 2017 campaign, buoyed by Angus Rawlings, who won the 10km event last season. The teams will be under new leadership, with Olympian Eric Gillis taking over the head coaching duties. The season begins September 15 in UPEI, followed by StFX’s own invitational on the 22 of September. 

On the ice, both teams get their regular season going in the beginning of October. However, there will be some preseason events taking place. September 18, the men’s team play Moncton in the Auxiliary Arena, followed by a matchup against Saint Mary’s on the 29, taking place in the local Antigonish Arena. On the women’s side, expect back to back nights of games on the 21 and 22 of September in the Auxiliary Arena, as they face off against Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s. 

On the hardwood, both basketball teams have their regular season begin the first week of November. StFX hosts their own invitational tournament in the preseason, on October 5 and 6, with the women’s event on October 12 and 13. 

Track and Field does not begin until late November, with a meet in Gagetown, NB on the 24. 

StFX has more than just varsity athletic events, as they have a slew of recreational athletic teams. Curling, baseball, cheerleading, dance, field hockey, lacrosse, men’s rugby, rowing, swimming, equestrian, badminton and ultimate frisbee. The mens rugby team has had a very successful run, and the curling team has also held it’s own against other AUS programs. Cheerleading is a staple at football matches, while the rowing club has consistently produced solid outings, that is if you are ok with waking up at 4am! Keep an eye out at society night for the sign ups for these sports, and if you are feeling extra ambitious, create your own sport society. 

For more information regarding StFX athletics, please visit goxgo.ca 

Welcome to StFX’s Orientation Week

Advices and more regarding the secrets to living a healthy O-Week

Welcome all to orientation week at StFX. Have a safe week ahead and let’s party hearty together.

As a New-Brunswick scholar in university since 2013, I witnessed 6 orientation weeks, including this upcoming week. From parties with the University of Windsor to StFX, here are some practical orientation-week advices:

1. Join a society on campus. Societies always welcome new recruits early in the semester.

2. Log into Moodle and read the syllabus for each class this semester. In my opinion, a head start on the year’s readings and assignments facilitates the transition from Summer to Fall.

3. A nap is suggested in the medical science of my mind to revitalize the senses.

4. Go to activities organized by the university. Should the activity lead to getting frisky, practice our strong consent culture and get permission from the other participant.

5. Attend off-campus events hosted by fellow students and friends. Contributing burgers or sausages usually gives you access to a local party-house barbeque.

The best advice I can give to our reader is to retain the information that speaks to them from these advices and experience their own version of orientation week.

As I enter my final year at StFX, one thing remains abundantly clear: This school is way too friendly. 

I met so many friends I can not recount a time when I have walked across campus and did not come across someone I knew. The tight-knit community is just one reason why you will enjoy being here. With that being said, here are some tips I have learned on how to make your O-Week amazing:

1. You will be meeting a ton of people, and that can be quite nerve-racking; however, everyone is in the same boat as you, and simply talking with someone can help ease their nerves. 

2. StFX Book Buy and Sell on Facebook. Join that group and you can get your textbooks for considerably cheap. It is way better then getting gouged by the StFX bookstore.

3. Water is your friend. Seriously. I was never a huge water fan until I discovered the magic of sparkling water with brands like Perrier, Montellier, and if you are feeling really lavish, Voss Sparkling. This amazing drink is most important on those mornings when you wake up parched like a Sahara desert in the midst of a drought. 

4. Attend a football game. These games tend to bring out alumni, faculty and student-alike. Even if you don’t know what a first down or interception is, simply coalescing with others will make your time there worthwhile. 

5. Be active! StFX has a host of fields and trails to satisfy your athletic body. There are tennis courts located on Main Street and Columbus Field and several trails for running around the outskirts of Antigonish. 

Lawrence Hill speaks at StFX on October 19

Get your shorts to Schwartz Auditorium for an evening with a great Canadian novelist

Photo: Lisa Sakulensky

Lawrence Hill will speak at Schwartz Auditorium Friday October 19th, 2018. Thanks to the StFX event sponsors Committee for Aboriginal and Black Student Success, African Descent Affairs and the Department of English, the Canadian novelist and professor of creative writing at Guelph University is scheduled for a first public speaking event in Antigonish this Fall.

Lawrence is the grandson and son of African-American soldiers who served with the American Army during WW I and WW II, respectively, and is working on a new novel about the African-American soldiers who helped build the Alaska Highway in northern BC and Yukon in 1942-43. He is a Member of the Order of Canada, and lives with his family in Hamilton, Ontario and in Woody Point, Newfoundland. 

Earlier this year, Lawrence was interviewed by Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional High School senior students who had completed a novel study of The Book of Negroes. Lawrence’s critically-acclaimed novel won various awards including The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and two-time winner of CBC Radio’s Canada Reads. The Book of Negroes was made into a TV mini-series in 2015. 

Photo: Jenn Priddle

The questions crafted by senior students deconstruct some key elements of Lawrence’s literary devices like imagery. Senior student Timothy Matthews asked, “How did you come up with imagery for all the different settings?” 

Lawrence replied, “It’s really hard to write about a place, isn’t it? Let’s think about the ways you might write about a place and the kind of images you might use. It might be the image of a tree or nature. It might be the image of sound. What is Aminata hearing? What kind of language is being used around her? It might be the image of history, the social or historical setting of the place.” 

The evening with Lawrence at Schwartz is some four hundred kilometers away from where the novelist did his research in Shelburne, Nova Scotia when writing The Book of Negroes. Shelburne is an important place in Lawrence’s novel, especially since the book fictionalizes the 1784 riots that depicts a fragment of the Black Loyalist experience and resiliency. 

Senior Lauren Breen asked, “How much did you fictionalize the narrative when representing historical events like the Shelburne riots?”

Lawrence responded, “I gave myself every liberty to play with or exaggerate or contort minor details for the purposes of dramatic effect. I didn’t make what I would consider to be any major deviations from my understanding of the grand lines of the transatlantic slave trade.”

The full interview with Lawrence, published on May 31st, is available on The Xaverian Weekly’s website under the Arts and Community section.

Lawrence is author of novels Any Known Blood, Black berry: sweet juice and The Illegal and essays “Dear Sir, I Intend to Burn Your Book”, “Is Africa’s Pain Black America’s Burden?” and “Act of love: The life and death of Donna Mae Hill”. 

The later essay, published this year, is a heartfelt personal story that calls for Canada to reform its assisted suicide policies. 

Kalista Desmond and a drum group led by Morgan Gero will perform as opening acts for Lawrence on October 19th. Kalista has performed powerful spoken word poetry as an opening act at last year’s Youth Activism Conference headlining event with Desmond Cole. Morgan’s drum group also performed wonderfully as opening act for special guest Cole during his visit to campus last year. 

The title of Lawrence’s speaking event “Faction: Merging history and fiction in The Book of Negroes and The Illegal” hints that the author will dissect the intersection where fact meets fiction in his literature. Arrive at the October 19th event early to get the best seats in the Auditorium for an evening with special guest Lawrence Hill.

Summer Stabbing Devastates Antigonish

Unsettling domestic violence leaves woman and three-year-old with injuries

Antigonish’s reputation as a quiet, quaint town was put into question this summer when a stabbing occurred on the morning of July 25, 2018. 

A woman and a three-year-old girl were injured when stabbed by a 41-year-old man inside a home on Brookland Street. According to Chronicle Herald, the man is reported to be the husband of the woman. 

The woman was the first to escape from her house and alerted her neighbour Karen Boyle. Karen heroically ran into the house and brought the 3-year-old to safety.

Thanks to Karen, the woman and child were able to escape and call the RCMP around 8:30 am. 

The victims were sent to hospital via ambulance but are expected to recover. 

Shortly after the police were called, the man (who police have now identified as Shajev Thomas) was arrested outside the Brookland Street home where the incident occurred. 

He is now facing two counts of attempted murder for his attack on the woman and young child. Thomas appeared in the Port Hawkesbury courthouse on Thursday, July 26 and was subsequently sent for a 30-day psychiatric assessment. 

The accused’s next court appearance set for August 24, 2018 got rescheduled until which time he will remain in custody.

“We do everything we can to keep students safe. We patrol on campus and StFX residences off campus.” said John Gormley from Safety and Security Services. 

Shajev’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 18 at the Antigonish Justice Centre.

Is Protesting an Effective Means of Change?

The Trans Mountain pipeline moves forward despite protest efforts in a national debate

In 2004, I paid $5 to board a bus to join a protest in Toronto. It was the first anniversary of the illegal invasion of, and war of aggression against, Iraq by the United States. There was a thick throng of people that stretched farther than I could see, and at least as wide as University Avenue. I remember the conviction of so many people gathered in common cause in such a space, raising their voice to the monstrous injustice of the war. 

The previous year there had been the largest coordinated protest in recorded history, all in opposition to the contrived American plan to invade Iraq. Millions of people flooded the streets, in cities across the globe, to oppose the plans of the George Bush and Tony Blair, among others. 

In face of this unprecedented opposition, the war went on. Iraq was invaded, millions of Iraqis murdered, millions more displaced. There were tens of thousands of soldiers traumatized by the realities of war, and a seemingly unending battle between varying rebellious forces of complicated origins, alliances, hostility, and goals. 

This was my cultural and political environment growing up; as if the power of the people was mocked, ignored, and discarded. Even as I write this now, 15 years later, I feel the sense of disillusionment that visited many of us who opposed the occupation of Iraq.

What the protests of the Iraq War accomplished, if anything at all, is intangible. By contrast, the worldwide phenomenon, the 2011 protests in New York known as Occupy Wall Street (OWS), spawned a political, an economic, and a spiritual awakening from people across the political map. 

At the urging of Canadian-based, anti-consumerist magazine, Adbusters, hundreds of thousands of protestors turned out in major cities around the world to protest the rising inequality of the modern globalized economy. Ridiculed then, and for some time after, for producing no tangible accomplishments, OWS sparked a growing consciousness among people that the global systems of economy were not just weighted unfavourably against them but had been engineered to ignore the needs of the majority. 

It was among the loosely organized collection of like-minded individuals that anthropologist and anarchist, David Graeber coined the phrase, “We are the 99%.” Seven years after the events of OWS there is a greater awareness of the unfair economic conditions that affect all of us. There is a great deal of work being done to try and turn the tide of this unfairness and all of this sprung from a protest that was faulted and ignored for not producing any immediate or direct, political effects. 

I didn’t join the OWS protests. At the time I didn’t understand what is was about, or what exactly they were protesting. It sounded like malcontents hanging out rent-free in parks around the world. I can now see the same hopeful spark of struggle that propelled other struggles, like the Paris Commune of 1871; a participatory, anti-authoritarian, grassroots democracy out for fairness from the forces that control their lives. 

The message may not always be easily heard, but the cause is just, and the hearts are in the right place. There are so many in Canada who believe in a better country, we just need to listen to each other and work together in the cause of each other. The breadth of history provides those looking for inspiration and education, great lessons about how to effect great change.

On July 17th, Justin Trudeau visited StFX campus to talk about twinning the 401 and to announce an increase to the Canada Child Benefit. His visit was covered by both the Halifax Star and the Casket. While the Star reproduced a Liberal Party memo, The Casket did report on the “number of people organized… expressing their concern for the environment, referring to the federal government’s purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline… for $4.5 billion.” They provided no further context to the protest. 

I spoke with the organizer of the protest, St. FX history professor, Dr. Chris Frazer about it. He heard about the arrival of the Prime Minister only a few days before, giving him a short window to protest the Trans Mountain pipeline currently cutting its way through British Columbia. Fortunately, Dr. Frazer and the other protestors were able to visibly confront the Prime Minister, despite repeated and shameful attempts of intimidation by campus security and the Prime Minister’s security detail. 

Dr. Frazer was spoken to by Mr. Trudeau, who repeated the false idea that protestors are against job creation and the economy. 

Mr. Trudeau has lied to voters about his promise to provide indigenous people with the right to veto resource projects on their land and territories, lied about his intention to enact electoral reform, lied about his commitment to human rights, and lied about his intention to take seriously the causes of climate change. 

I asked Dr. Frazer if his protest was worth it, and he replied enthusiastically, “Absolutely… What do you do? Wait for years until we get a chance to vote and… I look at that and think what’s the point of voting? 

Considering a Prime Minister who has completely abandoned his promises to reform the electoral system…most people in this country have a useless vote… what’s the alternative?”

I don’t know if Dr. Frazer’s protest alone will change the shameful course of the Trudeau Government and I don’t know if protests themselves are always an effective means of affecting direct change, but I do know that sustained, firm pressure on the Prime Minister and any one of his cabinet, whether in official or personal appearances, will draw attention from the people. 

Anyone interested in gathering or protesting in support of good causes, can contact Dr. Chris Frazer at cfrazer@stfx.ca

 

Megan Strong Works with Elephants and Marine Life

Senior at StFX majoring in Biology travels to Thailand

This summer, Megan Strong, 21, of Toronto, Canada, spent three weeks in Thailand helping animals, studying conservation, and learning hands-on what it’s like to be a veterinarian. Traveling with study-abroad organization Loop Abroad, Megan was selected as part of a small team that volunteered giving care at a dog shelter, worked directly with rescued elephants at an elephant sanctuary, and volunteered in marine conservation on the island of Koh Tao.

The Veterinary Service program brings students to Thailand to volunteer alongside veterinarians from the US and Thailand. For one week, Megan and her team volunteered at an elephant sanctuary outside Chiang Mai, Thailand to work with the giant animals and learn about animal rescue and conservation on a larger scale.

The sanctuary is home to elephants who have been rescued from trekking, logging, or forced breeding programs. Many of them had been abused and suffer from chronic injuries or blindness. At the elephant sanctuary, they are cared for by volunteers from all over the world. Megan helped to feed and care for elephants, as well as learn about their diagnoses alongside an elephant vet. The sanctuary is also home to over 1,000 animals, including cats, dogs, water buffalo, horses, and cows, and is sustained in huge part by the work of weekly volunteers like Megan.

Photo: © 2018 Loop Abroad

Megan also spent a week volunteering at a dog rescue in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The shelter is home to dogs who have been rescued after being abandoned, beaten, or abused. While the dogs can be adopted, any who aren’t will be cared for by one of the local shelters for their whole lives.

While she studied under the veterinarians leading her group, Megan and her team made a difference in the lives of these dogs. By providing check-ups and cleanings, diagnosing and treating ear and eye problems, taking and testing blood, administering vaccines, cleaning and treating wounds, and helping with sterilization surgeries, the students were able to help support the health and well-being of these dogs.

Megan then spent a week on the island of Koh Tao in the South of Thailand, working through Loop Abroad with the New Heaven Marine Conservation project. She helped to do marine surveys via SCUBA diving, worked on creating artificial reefs to help rebuild the coral reefs of Thailand, and studied marine conservation.

With plastic consumption and marine pollution in the news daily, projects like New Heaven and Loop Abroad’s marine conservation projects aim to help educate students like Megan while allowing them to be part of making a tangible difference in protecting biodiversity in the world’s oceans. From cleaning beach trash to tracking ocean animal populations, this work focuses on empowering local organizations to make a daily impact and help increase education about the importance of marine biodiversity and the health of our oceans and sea life.

Loop Abroad has animal science and veterinary programs for students and young adults age 14 to 30, and offers financial aid and fundraising help. Interested participants can inquire or apply at www.LoopAbroad.com. Admission to veterinary and marine programs is selective and Megan was selected based on her transcript, admissions essay, and professional references.

By following a study abroad model instead of a voluntourism model, Loop focuses on educating its students so that they can contribute and serve in meaningful ways. It also works with locally run animal welfare and conservation organizations so that students contribute to long-term improvement on the ground in the countries they visit. With programs in Thailand, South Africa, Australia, and the Amazon and Galapagos, Loop Abroad is able to support animal welfare and conservation around the world because of its students and their dedication to helping animals in need.

Photo: © 2018 Loop Abroad

The program’s Managing Director Jane Stine says, “Our students are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. They are kind, compassionate, dedicated, hard-working individuals who have big goals and want to make a big impact. It’s amazing to see how eager they are to learn and challenge themselves. Over the last nine years, we’ve seen them go on to do some wonderful things.”

Of her trip, Megan says, “This trip has been an extremely rewarding and fun experience. I was able to work with animals I probably would not have otherwise had the opportunity to work with, as well as learn a lot of things I can use in the future.”

In Search of Time to Lose on the North Shore

Spot some of the amazing fauna of Nova Scotia

This year is the first year that my fiancée and I are going to be in Antigonish. Last year, we lived in, and commuted from, New Glasgow. Although we lived in New Glasgow, we’re not from there either. Together we’re both from the southern Ontario/Greater Toronto area, but we’re not really city people. We lived in Northern Québec for a year teaching high school and elementary students in the Cree Nation of Wemindji, on the James Bay. We were frequent outdoorsy people, happy to go blueberry picking in the fall, fishing and canoeing in the spring and summer, and excited to have real snowfall to go on long snowshoe hikes through thick subarctic evergreen forests up and down rocky hills.

Ever since we’ve arrived in Nova Scotia about a year ago, we’ve been doing our best to root out some of the great spots to enjoy the great outdoors and in between digging in gardens and flowerbeds for our summer jobs, we discovered (or were directed to, rather).

Melmerby Beach in Pictou County, where the beach is a long sandy strip and the water is cool and clear, bordered on one end by tall cliffs. It’s a 40-minute drive out of Antigonish, but well worth the trip if you’re looking for cool reprieve from the hot, humid weather.

Sugar Moon Farm, west of New Glasgow and north of Truro in Earltown, where they can show you the passage of the season in the colour and flavour of maple syrup, as well as a really great crash course in the history and science of maple syrup and production. As well, all around the farm are publicly accessible trails ranging from quick one-hour hikes to longer, multi-hour treks.

Mahoney’s Beach, just a quick drive north of Antigonish is this rocky and windy beach. The shape of this beach is that you can be on either side of the natural dune; in the warmer, calmer waters behind the sandbank, perfect for laying in the warm sun, or on the rocky shore facing St. George’s Bay. A quick and easy getaway along the picturesque Sunrise Trail.

Arisaig Provincial Park, on the western edge of Cape George, lets you take a short hike through some very mossy forest, and stop for a picnic, if need be. If the park isn’t big enough for your trek, you can always continue along the Cape for some stunning vistas of old farms, fishing spots, and lighthouses that let you feel like you’re on the edge of the world.

Nova Scotia even has what’s called a “Passport” that gives the location of one of more than 60 distilleries, breweries, and vineyards in the province. Travelling to any one of these is half the fun, collecting the stamps upon arrival and imbibing in the potables, is the other. Many of the best of what Nova Scotia has to offer in terms of tipple is packed away and hidden from the main roads and finding these curiosities after travelling through some of the most beautiful hidden gems of towns in the province is well worth the price of a pint. Pick up a passport at the Townhouse and earn your first stamp.

Keppoch Mountain is an all too brief 20-minute car ride south of Antigonish. You’ve probably seen it looking south while driving the highway out of town. Don’t pay too close attention to Siri or Alexa for directions, they’ll send you past the entrance. When my fiancée and I went we ran into someone exceptionally friendly and helpful, who guided us onto a short, winding hike that took about an hour and a half to go all the way to the top of the mount, from which we could see the taller buildings of Antigonish, especially the greened copper steeples of the cathedral. If you go in the fall, you’ll have one considerable benefit that we lacked; the berries all along the trail will be ripe and ready for picking.

Photo: Yanik Gallie

Remember that any time you’re out and about in the wilderness to keep your eyes open and try to spot some of the amazing fauna of Nova Scotia. Just digging in gardens we ran into a number of salamanders (from eggs to juveniles to adults spotted, and bright orange), snakes (red ones barely longer than my pinky finger and big ones coiled up under decks, baby porcupines napping in an apple tree, washed up jellyfish, the awkward scuttling of hermit crabs, on the beach, any number of clams, oysters, and mussels, all manner of fish, and the wide variety of birds. Remember to leave only footprints and take only pictures. Don’t disturb the wildlife but enjoy the view and have fun.

Women of Antigonish: Meet Your Resources

How the Antigonish Women's Resource Centre is here to help StFX women

For such a small town, Antigonish is jammed packed with some awesome amenities. From waffle grilled cheeses and the farmer’s market and the Christmas parade, there is never a shortage of places to go in the Nish. And let’s not forget that we’re only a quick drive to the ocean! As far as a university town goes, Antigonish may be small, but she is mighty when it comes to everything the town has to offer.

One of the lesser known amenities of Antigonish is the Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre. This organization is designed to specifically cater the needs of any and all women in the Antigonish community, including StFX students. Not only do they offer crisis support, advocacy, and counselling, but the often initiate and stand up for local issues affecting women. The goal of the AWRC is to promote self-awareness, independence, and individual decision making for women in the community.

Photo: Yanik Gallie

The Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre offers support for women in a variety of ways. The AWRC runs programs throughout the year that vary from weekly craft circles to emotional eating and anxiety seminars. There is also one on one support in the form of counselling available through the AWRC with highly trained professionals. Specifically, there are counsellors for issues such as: sexual assault, domestic violence, childhood trauma, anxiety, depression, poverty, stress management, and addictions. There is also assistance in finding employment, academic upgrading and training, as well as parenting courses. The Centre can also provide women in difficult situations with advocates to help them navigate the legal, medical or other confusing fields following trauma.

A large part of what the Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre does is provide sexual assault resources for survivors. The AWRC offers three forms of sexual assault services in addition to counselling. The first is the Antigonish Sexual Assault Response Team, which works to help survivors who choose to press charges proceed through the criminal justice system. ASART works in partnership with the Antigonish Crown Attorney’s Office, Nova Scotia Department of Justice Provincial Victim Services Program, RCMP – Antigonish Detachment, St. Francis Xavier University Health and Counseling Centre, and St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Emergency Department by outlining each specific member’s role to ensure that the utmost care is given to the survivor. AWRC also offers a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to conduct a forensic examination of a victim of sexual assault. Finally, there are also support groups for adult survivors of sexual trauma that come in two phases: those just beginning the healing process and those further along in their recovery.

The Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre is located at 219 Main Street, and is open between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. The first AWRC event this school year is the Take Back the Night March, a walk through Antigonish in protest of sexualized violence and advocating for safer streets. The walk begins at 7 pm outside of the Angus L. MacDonald Library, on Thursday, September 27th, 2018.

IGN Dead Cells Plagiarism Controversy: How to Avoid Plagiarism at University

How to avoid plagiarism at university

Have you ever had that one friend that steals your joke that was really good? Not funny, right? Well here at StFX, as Drake would say, we “can’t take a joke ‘cause it’s not one.” 

On a serious note, on every course syllabus you will find a brief description of the “Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures,” which outlines the university’s “Code of Academic Conduct.” Read this carefully as it outlines the “offenses against academic integrity,” such as plagiarism, cheating, falsification, and tampering, as well as the potential penalties for violating the Code of Academic Conduct. The Code operates on “five fundamental values,” which go as follows:
- “advances the quest for truth and knowledge by acknowledging intellectual and personal honesty in learning, teaching, research, and service;
-  fosters a climate of mutual trust, encourages the free exchange of ideas, and enables all to reach their highest potential;
- establishes clear standards, practices, and procedures and expects fairness in interactions amongst students, faculty, staff, and administrators; 
- recognizes the participatory nature of the learning process and honours and respects a wide range of opinions and ideas; and,
- upholds personal responsibility and accountability and depends upon action in the face of wrong-doing.”

Photo: www2.mystfx.ca

Here at The Xaverian Weekly, we describe plagiarism as “The presentation of the work of another author in such a way as to give one’s reader reason to think it to be one’s own.” This does not mean that using another person’s work is not permitted; quite the opposite in fact, having multiple sources is imperative to the production of accurate argumentative writing. Citing and quoting relevant work is the necessary if one is to include the ideas, thoughts, and research of others into their own work in order to improve their arguments and accuracy.  

Just recently, there was an unfortunate, yet fantastic example of plagiarism within the mainstream gaming journalism sphere. A now former employee of IGN Entertainment, Filip Miucin, recently posted his review of a game from French developer Motion Twin, called Dead Cells. The game, described by the developer as “a rogue-lite, Castlevania-inspired action-platformer” released on August 7th, 2018 to raving reviews, netting itself an astonishing 90/100 on Metacritic, the benchmark for a video game’s success. However, a controversy began on August 6th, 2018 when a relatively small YouTuber Boomstick Gaming posted a video tilted “IGN Copied my Dead Cells Review: What do I do?” which has amassed over 1 million views. The video shows a side-by-side comparison of Boomstick’s review and Miucin’s review on IGN, which was posted two weeks after Boomstick Gaming’s review. The similarities are abundantly clear: not only does Miucin only slightly alter the word choices of the original review, but the sequencing is identical, with the talking points of each video flowing simultaneously. 

Jason Schreier, a well-known and well-respected games journalist from Kotaku has been chronicling the events of the situation as they have unfolded. In his article, “IGN Pulls Review After Plagiarism Accusations,” Schreier transcribed each video, placing each talking point side-by-side, only serving to make the similarities all the more apparent. Throughout the course of events, Schreier updated his articles to include IGN’s formal apology and public announcement of their letting go of Miucin, as well as two “tipsters” who made Schreier aware of two other examples of substantial similarities between past reviews of Miucin’s to a competitor’s review. The reviews in question were of Nintendo Life’s Fifa 18 and Engadget’s Metroid: Samus Returns. Through transcribing each review, the side-by-side comparison is just as bad as the Dead Cells review which put these events in motion. 

Filip Miucin posted a video to his personal YouTube channel on August 11, 2018, in which one would expect a public apology. This was not the case. Miucin dodged around the fact that he indeed plagiarised the review of Boomstick Gaming stating that “the bottom line is that what happened with the Dead Cells review was not at all intentional.” Remember the fifth fundamental value of our Code of Academic Conduct, responsibility. Despite his wrongdoing of what seems to be multiple accounts of plagiarism, an appropriate apology is the first step in regaining his integrity; unfortunately, what he has done is far worse. Not taking responsibility for his actions, claiming their supposed unintentionality, is a true show of character. Unfortunately the original video is not available as Miucin promptly took it down, however Jason Schreier continued to follow the course of events in his article “Former IGN Reviewer Responds to Plagiarism Allegations: ‘Not at all Intentional’,” in which Schreier notes that Miucin said “You can keep looking, Kotaku, and please let me know if you find anything,” a direct jab at Schreier for doing his job as a reporter.

I hope that with such a clear example of what-not-to-do, you understand the severity of plagiarism, especially in a university environment. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to ensure you avoid plagiarism and properly include sources into your work. Professors are always willing to help out or point you in the right direction. The Student Success Centre, located in the library, is designed to help students out with all things academic. OWL Purdue is a fantastic internet resource full of examples to ensure you are citing properly, for both APA and MLA styles; and finally, ask a friend for help. Upper year students in your classes or residence may be able to help edit your work with the experience they have gained at StFX. The bottom line is this: if you don’t know, just ask – there are plenty of people willing to help out around campus. 

Sources:
“Code of Ethics.” Xaverian Weekly. 2018.
“Dead Cells.” Metacritic. Accessed 11 August 2018. http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/dead-cells
Dead Cells, Motion Twin. 2018. https://dead-cells.com/ 
“IGN Copied my Dead Cells Review: What do I do? [I'm handling it].” YouTube, uploaded by Boomstick Gaming, 6 August, 2018.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKF6xnvaCsE&t=2s
Schreier, Jason. “IGN Pulls Review After Plagiarism Accusations [UPDATE: Writer Fired].” Kotaku, 11 August 2018. https://kotaku.com/ign-pulls-review-after-plagiarism-accusations-1828157939
Schreier, Jason. “Former IGN Reviewer Responds To Plagiarism Allegations: ‘Not At All Intentional’ [UPDATES: Third Review Questioned, Video Removed].” Kotaku, 11 August 11, 2018. https://kotaku.com/former-ign-reviewer-responds-to-plagiarism-allegations-1828273219
St. Francis Xavier University. (2006). Academic integrity policies and procedures [PDF file]. Antigonish, NS: St. Francis Xavier University.     Retrieved from http://www.sites.stfx.ca/registrars_office/sites/sites.stfx.ca.registrars_office/files/acade mic-integrity-document.pdf
The Student Success Centre. Saint Francis Xavier University. 2018.  https://sites.stfx.ca/ssc/
 

Deciphering the Town Bylaws

The dos and dont's of living in Antigonish

Whether you’re starting your first year at StFX or a returning student this fall, there are some things that you should know about your new home such as the town bylaws. While some town bylaws may seem like common sense, it’s best to keep yourself informed to avoid getting in trouble while living in town.
First and foremost, if you’re looking to have some fun with your friends during the evening, it’s best to remember that Antigonish has a noise control bylaw. After 10 pm, if you’re making noise that exceeds 55 dBA, you can be issued a summary offence ticket by a bylaw or police officer, with or without a noise complaint. Receiving a ticket means you can be liable for a penalty of $387.50 per occurrence. While blasting music after 10 pm may seem like fun, it might not be worth the price tag compared to going out to the pub.
Of course, if you’re living in residence, quiet hours define when you are permitted to be loud inside the buildings. Most residences will have different quiet hours for weekdays and weekends as well as different schedules during exam time. If you want to avoid having a chat with a Community Advisor, it’s best to know when the quiet hours in your residence are, and avoid making excessive noise. 

Photo: Sean Smith

For those of legal drinking age heading off or on campus carrying alcohol, make sure that you’re only transporting it to another location. Having open alcohol, or illegal possession, carries a fine of $467 in Antigonish, meaning it’s best to wait to open or drink any alcohol until you’ve arrived at your destination. Alcohol in travel mugs, water bottles, or that has been opened previously can also be counted as open alcohol under the Liquor Control Act.
Another thing to keep in mind while living in Antigonish is how to sort your garbage, recycling, and compost properly. Whether you’re on or off campus, the system for sorting is the same, including what colour bags to use and what items fall under each of the three categories. Sorting guides are available on the Town of Antigonish website under Residential Waste Management and may be distributed on and off campus residences at the beginning of the academic year.

For those off campus, keep in mind that garbage, recycling, and compost bins are picked up specific days, and each bin may not be collected every week. The schedule for when each bin is collected is posted on the Residential Waste Management section of the town website, based on your address. It’s a good idea to post a copy of the schedule around your house, so you don’t forget to wheel the bins out to be collected.

Last but not least, Antigonish is not only a temporary home for StFX students. It’s important to remember that we live next to families and long-term residents, and that they should be treated with respect as well. You wouldn’t want to have noisy neighbours, see litter everywhere, or generally have a bad experience in your hometown. Try to have a positive impact on Antigonish while living here, by following the bylaws and being a good citizen.

To find any further information on Antigonish town bylaws, visit the bylaw section on the town website. Otherwise, welcome back to StFX for another great year; hopefully one without any trouble with the town bylaw officer!
 

SAFE launches new $60 000 fundraiser

Refugee resettlement thrives in Antigonish

Syrian-Antigonish Families Embrace (SAFE) has set a new fundraising goal of $60 000 to be raised by September 31st. The new initiative will be driven by their "100 for 100" campaign, which encourages members of the StFX and Antigonish community to donate $100 to SAFE, while challenging their friends to do the same. SAFE hopes that the fresh injection of cash will enable them to resettle two more Syrian families in Antigonish. In an email to SAFE volunteers, founding member Lucille Harper issued a rallying cry to members of the community:
  
"With the support of people in our community and our province, we have helped 5 families start new lives in Antigonish. We can do more. The war in Syria is entering its 8th year with over 465 000 Syrians killed in the conflict, over a million injured, and over 12 million - half the country’s pre-war population - displaced from their homes. Please help us bring 2 more families to safety."

SAFE was founded by a small group of community members in May 2015, in direct response to the ongoing conflict plaguing Syria. Their mission was simple: gather funds and community support with the hopes of eventually resettling a Syrian refugee family in Antigonish. The group set an initial fundraising target of $30 000, and began raising funds by setting up jars in local stores, and organizing town halls & community events. Word of mouth and coverage in the local paper then prompted members of the StFX community to join the movement. At a special meeting in November 2015, StFX faculty members, representatives of the StFX Students’ Union, three Employee Unions, the Association of University Teachers, and Senior administration voted on a motion to create StFX for SAFE. The goal of this newly founded fundraising body was to raise $10 000 in sponsorship money for SAFE to aid in their resettlement efforts.

Throughout the following year, StFX for SAFE and the associated student society organized various fundraising events such as the Peace for Syria Walk, two Pause for the Cause campaigns, Hair Today/Gone Tomorrow, and the special presentation of a play co-authored by StFX alumnus Brendan Ahern and Majd Al Zhouri, a 22 year old StFX student from Syria. Within 18 months, StFX for SAFE raised tenfold their initial goal, collecting a total of $100 000 in donations.

Word of SAFE and StFX for SAFE's efforts spread throughout the community, prompting Class of 2018 co-presidents Alex Corrigan and Rachel LeBlanc to establish a bursary aimed at providing financial support for individuals who have claimed refugee status at some in their life. Fundraising for the bursary is ongoing, however, the Class of 2018 was able to raise nearly $40 000 over the course of the past academic year.

“At StFX, graduating classes have a rich history of giving back to the community and by the spring of 2017, it became apparent that the Class of 2018 also wanted to leave its mark. Rachel LeBlanc and I heard many wonderful ideas, but were most inspired by StFX for SAFE who had in the previous two years, raised more than $100 000 to support refugees in Antigonish. We were floored by their dedication and knew that if the community was so incredibly supportive of their cause, then our class would be too.” says Corrigan.

As of today, there are five SAFE-sponsored families from Syria living in Antigonish, with a sixth having recently relocated from Newfoundland; if the "100 for 100" campaign proves successful, that number could increase to eight.

Photo: Syria-Antigonish Families Embrace

X-Project Calls for Volunteers

Lend a helping hand to one of StFX's finest organizations

Are you interested in deepening your understanding of issues that impact local Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian communities? Are you seeking ways to combat inequity and injustice of systemic racism in real and significant ways? Would you like to build friendships with neighbouring community members, youth leaders and peers? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, X-Project is the place for you to volunteer.

So, what exactly is X-Project? Well, it all began in 1965 when Joe Webb, a recent StFX graduate, was given the position of teaching principal in the Lincolnville school. At the time, Lincolnville, a historic Black loyalist community, faced many inequities along with considerable racism in the surrounding areas that meant that job opportunities, education, and support systems were limited. During his time as principal, Joe noticed that his students were having difficulty completing their homework. He was determined to find some way to help them out. He called his friend Rollie Chiasson to discuss the issue, and realized that many of his friends who were still in university might be able to come out and help some of his students. He also spoke with community members to discuss how to best go forward with this idea. The students he contacted posted a sign just outside of meal hall calling for volunteers willing to drive to the Lincolnville school and help out. Their hopes were that at least a couple of people would show up at the designated date and time. It was a pleasant surprise when 13 people showed up, enthusiastic and willing to help out. 

Around the same time, Margie Boyle, Kay Cameron, and Joan Dillon were travelling to Lincolnville three times a week to teach a pottery class. They had been inspired to do this after the tragic passing of Giles Gaudry, an itinerant artist who had begun teaching pottery in the area as a way to give back to the community that welcomed him in. These women continued his legacy of teaching pottery with the help of Mother St. Phillip, Father Anthony, and men from the Third Order of St. Augustine’s. They not only taught pottery class, but as relationships with the community grew stronger, they helped to create Father Anthony’s ABC Band as well as the cubs and scouts programs. They eventually needed to recruit more volunteers and soon a group of about 30 people were coming down, along with members of the Sisters of St. Martha.

Though initially the group offering homework help and the group doing pottery stayed separate, eventually the two groups decided to merge so that transportation could be shared. Joan Dillon negotiated a bus deal with Dr. Remi Chiasson, Superintendent of schools who granted them the weekly use of a very large bus at a reasonable price and soon the whole group began traveling together. At the time there were approximately 98 children and about 30 families in Lincolnville. Though the two groups joined forces primarily to share transportation, they quickly began to share programming ideas and worked with students and adults to promote literacy, offer cubs and beavers, provided recreational programs, and more. In March of 1966, the group of volunteers sat down and wrote a constitution that formed the society now known as X-Project. The “X” in X-Project was actually chosen to represent the importance of operating as an “unknown factor”- that is, not asking for recognition or going into communities with a personal agenda, but rolling up your sleeves, listening and understanding community needs, and working alongside them with determination in a quiet manor. So, the core intentions of this group were quite simple; only go to the community if invited and welcomed, respect the wishes of the community and respond directly to the community’s requests.

Over the years X-Project quickly grew to include more communities and more members. The group began to organize many community building events including well-attended teach-ins that focused on Indigenous issues in 1968 and the impact of racism on African Nova Scotians in 1969. X-Project has held numerous Saturday programs, bowling days, swimming days, skating parties, youth leadership weekends, and literally thousands of nights in communities. In more recent years, X-Project has helped to bring some important keynote speakers to campus including Wab kinew in 2015, Senator Sinclair in 2016, Buffy Sainte-marie in 2017, and Desmond Cole in 2018, in keeping with their long tradition of discussing important ideas relating to equity and justice. Thousands of St.F.X. students have volunteered over the past 50+ years and hundreds of community members have been consistently involved since the beginning. What began as a small group of students committed to working alongside one local community to support children’s learning has grown into a phenomenal, strong family of students, alumni, youth, and community members all working together toward common goals. 

Photo: Lisa Lunney Borden

Today, X-Project works with five African-Canadian and Mi’kmaw communities in the surrounding area; Paqtnkek, Pictou Landing, Antigonish, Sunnyville and Lincolnville. We continue to offer small group educational assistance, recreational and leadership programs for the youth in these communities. Each week a number of student volunteers board vans and buses and head out to the communities to work with the children in their homes or in community centers, helping with homework, playing educational games, doing activities and being a mentor. Also, approximately four times each term, youth from the communities are brought to the St.F.X. campus for recreational programs such as Sports days, Halloween and Christmas Parties, swimming, bowling, and skating. Each year we also work with the teens in the communities to provide youth leadership programs. This often involves several Saturday trips in to the university to meet as a group and participate in activities and workshops that help to develop leadership skills. The youth leaders also help to plan workshops and activities for their own communities and act as leaders for recreational programs and weekly educational assistance. Each March, the youth leaders come to St.F.X. to participate in the youth leadership weekend where they engage in activities and workshops that they have helped to plan throughout the year.

X-Project continues to be almost entirely run by volunteers and the success of X-Project rests solely on the interest, initiative, and commitment of students on this campus. Over the years it has become inexplicably clear that both the student volunteers and the community youth gain so much from being involved with X-Project. Volunteering with X-Project gives you the opportunity to learn about yourself and others, take breaks from the overwhelming university life, foster beautiful relationships, connect with communities in a meaningful way and work towards common goals of greater equity and justice.

We’re always looking for more volunteers to join the family! If this sounds like something you’d love to do then why not become part of the crew of students that heads out to communities weekly or helps out during the various planned events on campus? Perhaps you know all about X-Project already and are keen to take on a leadership role. You can still apply to be part of our Student Branch executive using this form https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=x6tGjAuWJEGJUBYosrGS-VaWTnL0S8xOvtUiLOfuj2BUMFlDR0M2N1JCODdDUlZRV0JaSlVHMVNOSS4u. Available volunteer positions include community coordinators, youth leadership coordinators, saturday program coordinators, transportation coordinator and office manager.  

If you’d like to get involved or want some more information, just e-mail us at xproject@stfx.ca or lborden@stfx.ca! We will also be society night on September 6th and you can join us for our volunteer orientation on September 20th! You can also find us on Facebook (fb.me/stfxproject), Instagram (@stfxproject), and Twitter (@stfxproject) to stay in the loop!