FREE the March 9, 2017 reflector www.TheReflector.ca Japan and back again: Tips for j-pop beginners (PG. 6) MRU pioneers stanD-alone sexual assault policy (Pg. 2) M-103: TacklinG Islamophobia in Canada gets mixed reactions (Pg. 2) Learn about MRU greenhouse technician Barry Moench (Pg. 5) It’s bracket season! Check our 2017 March Madness preview going green (Pg. 13) News Editor Jennifer Dorozio news [email protected] Survivors come first MRU’s new sexual assault policy focuses on those affected by the crime Amber McLinden with a responsive institutional are becoming more prevalent, Staff Writer framework so that if they are and not because they are impacted by sexual violence, necessarily happening more, their concerns will be responded but because people are feeling At the beginning of this month, to effectively.” more supported than ever before MRU’s Board of Governors The ‘support for survivors’ to share their experiences and approved a new sexual approach is one that universities access the help they need.” MRU’s new stand-alone sexual assault policy includes a re- assault policy that focuses on have been increasingly pressured Says Shif Gadamsetti, SAMRU sponse team focused on supporting those who come forward, encouraging survivors to come to adapt in the past few years. In President. “With prevalent rape education and awareness, making information available to forward. April of 2016, The Globe and Mail culture dominating the discourse students, and reporting and complaints. The response and awareness reported on research revealing for so long, one can understand program has four main that over 90 per cent of sexual not only how daunting, but community of consent, care and people at Mount Royal,” Ionson components, all prominently assault cases are not resolved potentially shameful and respect.” says. Education and awareness outlined on Mount Royal’s through a formal process. increasingly traumatic, it could Not only does the new policy is important to have in the policy website. This includes a response Stand-alone policies are have been to come forward and define a support system for because we cannot be only team focused on supporting those important because they help to try to access help.” survivors of sexual assault, it responding to instances of sexual who come forward, education make those who have dealt with Ionson, via Mount Royal’s new also outlines the importance of violence, but we have to make and awareness, making sexual assault feel supported Sexual Violence Response & creating an informed campus sure that as a community we are information available to students, when coming forward.In Awareness page on their website, community. The education and doing our very best understand reporting and complaints. January, the University of writes, “Dating, domestic and awareness component of the the issue.” “The new sexual violence Calgary also began taking steps sexual violence can have many policy focuses on workshops Mount Royal is also hosting response policy sets a tone to implementing a stand-alone far reaching impacts on a person about dating and sexual violence, a Sexual Violence Response that at Mount Royal University sexual assault policy focused on and a community. It is a pervasive recognizing prevention as an Policy information session on we support survivors,” says supporting students, but haven’t concern that the Diversity and important piece of the puzzle. March 22nd. Here, students are Cari Ionson, MRU’s Sexual finalized a new policy yet. Human Rights Office takes “Ultimately policy is only a invited to come and participate Violence Response and “I think the timing is right. seriously by working to support piece of paper and will only in an informal talk about the new Awareness Coordinator. “This The conversations about sexual survivors in finding healing go so far if it is not taken into policy to help students further policy will provide survivors violence and sexual assault and justice, and promoting a attitudes and beliefs of the understand how it has changed. Canada’s new anti-Islamophobia bill receives mixed reactions M-103 motion sparks protests across the country Bigoa Machar Layout Editor country, with some people saying on the issue. Earlier this month, the Liberal it puts a hinderance on free In Calgary, dozens of people government motioned to debate speech and favours one group of gathered outside city hall to voice new guidelines to help combat people over another. their concern with motion M-103. Islamophobia across the country. During an early February Stephen Garvey, leader of the The motion, labelled M-103, is set parliament hearing, Khalid said National Advancement Party of up to “condemn Islamophobia that, “When I moved to Canada Canada says the motion impacts and all forms of systemic racism [as] a young girl trying to make Canadian’s rights to freedom of and religious discrimination.” this nation my home, some kids in speech. In addition, the motion school would yell as the pushed “A growing number of states its other goals include me. ‘Go home you Muslim!’ But I Canadians feel we’re under threat recognizing the need to quell was home. I am one of thousands from this anti-Islamophobia the increasing public climate of Muslims that are victims of motion. We feel it’s going to of hate and fear, collect data to hate and fear,” says Khalid. “I far,” Garvey said to the Calgary contextualize hate crime reports am a proud Canadian, and one crowd on Saturday. “This and to conduct needs assessments of hundreds of thousands that whole thing of Islamophobia is for impacted communities. will not tolerate hate based on complete nonsense as far as we’re The motion promises to religion or skin colour. I rise with concerned. No religion, ideology present findings within 240 my fellow Canadians to reject and or way of life should ever come calendar days and request the condemn Islamophobia.” before our freedom of speech.” heritage committee study how Over the first weekend of While no arrests have been the government could develop March, protests have broken made in Calgary, reports out of a government-wide approach out in almost every major city in Toronto and Montreal say police to reducing or eliminating Canada. have made arrests at the protests systemic racism and religious Reports of heavy police in their respective cities. discrimination including presence at town halls and With the motion back up for Islamophobia. squares in Toronto, Montreal, debate in April, expect more Tabled by Ontario Liberal Edmonton and Calgary were Canadians to voice either their Canadians have had mixed reactions to the M-103 Islamo- MP Iqra Khalid, the motion called to deal with both support or discontent with phobia Motion put forward in early March, in response many has drawn criticism across the protesters and counter-protesters motion M-103. Canadians in major cities broke out in protest. March 9, 2017 • the reflector 3 ‘Madelaine McCracken has been voted in as this year’s VP Student Life for SAMRU. She campaigned on ideas such as self-esteem and mental health workshops, increased campus event awareness, cross campus collaboration, safety and increased charity initiatives. Photo Courtesy of McCrack- en’s campaign Facebook page.) Cordelia Snowdon has been voted in as this year’s VP Academic for SAMRU. She campaigned on ideas such Shifrah Gadamsetti has been re-elected for the second year in a row as SAMRU’s REC Presi- as affordable resources for dent. She campaigned on ideas such as improving MRU’s WiFi, free resources for students, students, supporting smaller preventing tuition fee increases, more scholarships, supporting mental health and support- class sizes and promoting ing an inclusive campus. Photo courtesy of Shifrah Gadamsetti. mental health and student well-being. Photo courtesy of Meet your new all-female Cordelia Snowdon. Representative Executive Council SAMRU Election 2017’s new reps for VP Academic, VP Student Life and President Anna Junker in the Mount Royal University is to simply learn more about explicitly acknowledge mental to start using them! Staff Writer community. I have worked hard yourself and in what you can health, it is also about taking R: Cordelia, how has having to establish relationships and achieve and to ultimately make mental health into consideration small class sizes benefited you in This year’s election for SAMRU connections within the MRU mistakes. These mistakes will when creating other policies, your learning? Representative Executive Council community and abroad. Being turn into victories. Not only programs, and practices. CS: Small classes have saw 1502 students,15.9 per cent a Resident Advisor, a part of the is it important to run for the Changes can have unintended benefited my learning because of the MRU student body, come Iniskim Center, having affiliations aspect of self progression, but consequences for student mental I have been able to build close out to vote. Shifrah Gadamsetti with Free the Children, and it is important to run as you health, and I will continue to relationships with my classmates, was re-elected as President, involved with on-campus clubs, I will be able to get involved and remind policymakers to consider to participate actively in class, Madelaine McCracken was want students to continuously be manifest lasting relationships and mental health impacts when and to build connections with voted in as VP Student Life aware of the opportunities that connections that will be with you working on policies. my professors. These experiences and Cordelia Snowdon as VP are available to them on campus for the rest of your life. R: Shifrah, how will you have helped me learn better Academic. These women ran on and off campus and find ways to CS: It is important to run encourage professors to use free and also to feel like a part of a ideas such as increased mental be engaged and involved in their because it shows students that resources? What types of free supportive community.