What It Is:
Uncle Ray’s Food & Liquor (10 James St. North) brings a taste of Toronto’s Union Chicken to Hamilton. While on the Toronto menu, Uncle Ray’s is a section dedicated to fried chicken, the new Hamilton restaurant focuses on and expands this concept, becoming the fourth location to house “Ray’s Famous Fried Chicken”.
Over the last few months on James Street North, you may have noticed the decal of a bunny wearing an eye patch adorning the shopfront asking, “Who the hell is Uncle Ray?”. After our visit, it is safe to say we know exactly who Uncle Ray is.
The name is a metaphor for the passion that you find from all the staff. This not only comes across in service, but also through the quality of food that Uncle Ray’s dishes out to its customers.
How to Get There from
Campus:
Grab the 51 from campus towards Main Street West and James Street North. Head north-east past King Street East and you’ll find the restaurant on the east side of the street.
Alternatively, you can take the 5C or 1A from campus and jump off at Main Street West and MacNab Street South. Walk north-east towards King Street West, then east towards the intersection.
For a quicker trip, you can take the 10 from Main Street West and Emerson Street to Main Street West and MacNab Street South.
The Cost:
Entrees are broken into two categories, plates and fried chicken. Plates range from $17 to $29.50. Fried chicken will cost you $18 or $19 depending if you get the O.G. Plate or Lightning Chicken, respectively. I am warning you now, a to-go box will probably be a good idea as the meals are big, providing you with two great portions. Sides dishes range from $5 to $9. The restaurant also has a large list of snacks and appetizers that run from $6 to $19. If you are looking to share a meal with two to three friends, Ray’s Southern Platter costs $69. Uncle Ray’s is able to split cheques.
As the name boasts, Uncle Ray’s has a wide assortment of beer from domestic to craft, as well as a few draught lines. A variety of wines can also be found on the menu as well as a handful of mixed drinks. If you’re gonna grab a drink, expect to be paying anywhere from $6 to $29.
Craving something sweet? Uncle Ray’s has a small, yet delightful dessert menu ranging from $5 to $8.
What to Get:
The moment of truth —
what should you try? When I went to the restaurant with my housemates, we were immediately greeted by the warm, industrial atmosphere of the space. It is slightly reminiscent of HAMBRGR before their renovations.
To drink, I enjoyed a Piña Colada that looked like it was straight out of a Caribbean resort. If alcohol isn’t your thing, they also feature pop and three types of water — sparkling, bottled and filtered tap.
Looking at the food menu, all of our eyes immediately went to the fried chicken section. Not only is it on the cheaper side of the menu, we figured it would be a mistake not to try their in-house specialty. I ordered the O.G. Plate (which includes gravy, pieces of fried buttermilk, boneless chicken thighs, hot honey and green onions) with a side of triple cooked fries accompanied by a malt vinegar aioli. My housemates ordered the Lightning Chicken (which includes habanero hot sauce, Nashville style fried chicken, hot honey and pickles stacked on a piece of white bread) with a side of fries.
We all exchanged pieces of each other’s chicken, and took a bite at the same time. We were blown away by how the kitchen staff was able to achieve a moist, tender thigh on the inside while being crispy and flavourful on the outside. The O.G. had a savoury, sweet flavour from the gravy and honey mixing on the plate. The Lightning Chicken didn’t taste spicy at first; however, two thighs in and your nose will be running and your eyes will be watering. DO NOT make the mistake of rubbing your eyes like I did!
The magic doesn’t stop there as Uncle Ray’s dessert menu features a few delectable desserts. As I was celebrating an early birthday dinner, I was able to get the carrot cake on the house, while my other housemates had the buttermilk soft serve and pot of chocolate. Uncle Ray’s triple-layered carrot cake with cream cheese icing was by far the winner at our table.
Why It’s Great:
Uncle Ray’s Food & Liquor is quickly establishing itself as a go-to Hamilton spot in the downtown core. I know the price really doesn’t conform to the student-budget; however, if you are with a group of friends for a night out on the town and if you’re willing to splurge a little outside of this week’s food budget, Uncle Ray’s provides a great atmosphere to catch up and enjoy some tasty food.
A “life-hack” that my housemate and I learned with Uncle Ray’s leftovers: if you bring home your chicken and fries, pop them in the oven at 400°F for 25-35 minutes depending on the strength of your oven. If you can resist for about 5 minutes, your meal will be almost as crispy as when you first bought it.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Sandy Shaw, the Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, has returned home from a stint at Queen’s Park. Before the winter break, the Conservatives drove Bill 124 through the House on Nov. 8, a move that has been widely criticized.
“It’s been a long week of fighting for hardworking people in the province of Ontario,” said Shaw.
As a member of the New Democratic Party and the representative for the riding in which McMaster sits, Shaw knows student issues are important for her constituents. According to Shaw, Bill 124 was just the latest in a series of Conservative attacks on students’ funding, freedom and future.
Bill 124, also known as the “Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act,” limits wage increases for public sector employees to one per cent per year, among other things. This does not keep up with inflation in the province, which fluctuates between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent yearly.
In a press release, Ontario Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy explained the rationale behind the Bill.
“The legislation would allow for reasonable wage increases, while protecting the province’s front-line services, restoring the province’s financial position and respecting taxpayer dollars,” he said.
However, the Bill has also been criticized for its effects on workers.
“Bill 124 . . . caps the wages of a million workers of families in the province of Ontario. At the same time, this government is giving themselves promotions and raises,” said Shaw.
“Bill 124 . . . caps the wages of a million workers of families in the province of Ontario. At the same time, this government is giving themselves promotions and raises,” said Shaw.
Despite the pushback from Shaw and the NDP, the Conservative government sought to pass the Bill.
Although Bill 124 was announced in early June, soon after, the provincial government entered an extended summer recess ending in late October. As a result, despite the intense controversy surrounding the Bill, the debate period lasted for less than two weeks. Shaw was concerned the Bill had been passed too quickly.
“I personally did not support this exceptionally long break. I mean, there’s a lot of work that we need to get done in the province. And this is a government that doesn’t take the time to study legislation, to get legislation right,” said Shaw.
Unions across Ontario have launched complaints against the Bill, including the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Ontario Nurses Association.
According to Shaw, the Act will impact the most vulnerable workers in the province, many of whom are women and marginalized community members. The Act also has specific impacts for McMaster; it caps the wage increases of McMaster teaching and research assistants at one per cent, despite efforts by the Canadian Union of Public Employees 3906, the union representing McMaster teaching and research assistants, to increase wages.
“Students need to be recognized for what they are, which is contributors to the province, contributors to their communities, and that they are struggling under all kinds of burdens imposed by this government … it’s just cruel and heartless,” said Shaw.
“Students need to be recognized for what they are, which is contributors to the province, contributors to their communities, and that they are struggling under all kinds of burdens imposed by this government … it’s just cruel and heartless,” said Shaw.
The provincial government is defending the one per cent wage cap by citing the province’s need to balance its budget. Shaw disagrees.
“Essentially what they’re saying is [that] the deficit is the fault of frontline workers in the province of Ontario, [that] it’s their responsibility to fix the deficit ... And so the reason I think the break was so … wrong [is] because when we came back after five months, the government ran this legislation through the house in two weeks,” said Shaw.
Shaw views the province’s actions as an all-out attack on students. Bill 124 was preceded by budget cuts for schools at both the elementary and post-secondary levels, which include the now unlawful Student Choice Initiative and reduced funding for the Ontario Student Assistance Program.
“In what world does this make sense? In what world does it make sense that students that struggle just to pay this increasing tuition burden, that students [that] struggle with part time, precarious, low-wage, minimum wage jobs, if they can find them at all, now are losing jobs [where] they can earn money on campus,” said Shaw, referring to the SCI and other Conservative education policies that impact education.
Announced on Jan. 17, 2019, the SCI gave post-secondary students the opportunity to opt out of “non-essential” student fees, which included and thereby endangered on-campus organizations and student media. In response, the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario and the York Federation of Students took the directive to court, labeling the SCI as unlawful and criticizing the unjust procedure that led to its passing.
The Divisional Court of Ontario ruled in favour of CFS-O and YFS on Nov. 21, 2019, stating that the bargaining process between autonomous universities and student unions did not fall within the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
But where do we go from here? Shaw says that we all have to play our part. While Shaw is on the house floor holding the government accountable, students can lend their voices too.
“Students have shown, historically, time and time again, that when they mobilize, that when they speak up, that’s powerful. And this is a government that does not want to hear powerful voices. They want to shut down debate. They want to shut down dialogue,” said Shaw.
While mobilization may be possible, McMaster students have diverse political views, as does the rest of the province. Despite differences, there is one thing that all students may have in common.
“Every student I’ve ever met is concerned also about the world in which they’re going to graduate into,” said Shaw.
For Shaw and the NDP, slashing student services isn’t a solution for balancing provincial budgets. As she returns to the legislature, Shaw pledges to fight for student interests, aiming to ensure that the world we graduate into is one where the needs of vulnerable workers are prioritized.
On Nov. 26, 89 per cent of the Canadian Union of Public Employes 3906’s Unit 1 members voted in favour of ratifying a tentative agreement with the university, thus avoiding a strike. CUPE 3906 Unit 1 represents research and teaching assistants in both graduate and undergraduate programs at McMaster.
Voting began on Nov. 25, immediately following CUPE 3906’s Special General Membership Meeting. At this meeting, the new agreement between TAs and the university was presented to Unit 1 members.
According to CUPE 3906 president Nathan Todd, the union was able to secure a deal that met their main bargaining priorities, which included paid TA training, increased benefits and expanded paid pregnancy and parental leave.
“It's not accurate to say that TAs had most of their demands met, but we were able to secure a significant gain that members had identified as a big priority,” stated Todd in an email.
The full agreement between TAs and the university has not been released. However, CUPE 3906 released an overview of the agreement on Nov. 27.
The tentative agreement includes five additional hours of paid pedagogical and anti-oppression training for all TAs. In previous years, the collective agreement has allocated TAs three paid hours a semester to participate in health and safety and orientation training. According to CUPE 3906, this was not enough.
“Additional hours of paid pedagogical and anti-oppression training were the biggest gain insofar as it was one of the largest priorities identified by the membership. This gain speaks not only to improving our pay but also to improving our working conditions,” wrote Todd in an email.
“Additional hours of paid pedagogical and anti-oppression training were the biggest gain insofar as it was one of the largest priorities identified by the membership."
The tentative agreement also proposes a one per cent increase in wages for the next three years. Collective agreements usually mandate annual wage increases so that wages keep up with the rate of inflation. As of this month, yearly inflation in Ontario sits at 1.7 per cent.
During the bargaining process for the collective agreement, CUPE 3906 advocated against the one per cent wage cap. CUPE 3906 stated that the wage limit would cause harm to workers’ livelihoods because their wages would not keep up with the rate of inflation.
Todd cites Bill 124 — the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act — as the reason TAs were limited to a one per cent increase in wages. Under Bill 124, which received Royal Assent on Nov. 7, salary increases to public employees are limited to one per cent for every twelve month period.
Currently, graduate and undergraduate TAs are paid $43.63 and $25.30 per hour, respectively. Under the tentative agreement, graduate and undergraduate TAs will receive $44.07 and $25.55 per hour beginning Sept. 1, 2020. Beginning Sept. 2021 they will receive $44.95 and $26.07 per hour.
Todd emphasized that while Bill 124 made negotiations difficult, he believes that CUPE 3906 got the best deal given the circumstances.
In addition to paid training and wages, the tentative agreement also expands paid pregnancy and family medical leave, and dedicates a fund towards supporting members seeking gender affirmation.
Todd emphasized that while Bill 124 made negotiations difficult, he believes that CUPE 3906 got the best deal given the circumstances.
“I hope our members and the broader McMaster community recognize that government and university policies which contribute to rising costs of living (including tuition) and precarious employment makes labour relations more difficult, and that such policies can be resisted and defeated by union and community members,” wrote Todd in an email.
The tentative agreement must now be ratified by McMaster’s Board of Governors, set to take place on Dec. 12. If ratified, the agreement will take immediate effect.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
cw: use of profanity
McMaster LIVELab houses an endless array of technology on our campus, from active acoustic control to motion capture and electroencephalography. This technology is a necessity, for LIVELab needs it to combine research-based studies with theatrical and musical shows.
Synaptic Rodeo, a project presented by McMaster LIVELab, seamlessly blends neuroscience, technology and art into a nonlinear show about human consciousness. Synaptic Rodeo is based on the premise that humans often rely on past experiences to inform future predictions. This subconscious activity is constant, we are always trying to hypothesize what will happen next.
After a two year residency, six diverse interdisciplinary artists have joined forces to put Synaptic Rodeo together and take advantage of all the technology LIVELab has to offer. Julia Aplin (choreographer), Anna Chatterton (playwright/performer), Christopher Stanton (director), John Gzowski (composer), Jim Ruxton (new media) and Lauren Trainor (neuroscientist and professor) have lended their knowledge with the hopes of creating an experience for everyone to enjoy.
We caught up with Stanton, Ruxton and Gzowski for an exclusive Sil Sit Down interview all about Synaptic Rodeo, the interdisciplinary artists involved, and what audiences can expect from this show premiering this Friday Nov. 29 and Saturday Nov. 30.
How did you get involved with the project?
Stanton: I was welcomed onto this train while it was already chugging along, and it did not slow down for them to let me on . . . they’ve been going for about two years and I’ve been with them for just under one year.
Ruxton: [LIVELab] put out a call for submissions and I have all these interests in the brain, ideas of consciousness and how the brain works, so I spearheaded that proposal to study those things at LIVELab using their technologies. It was a great opportunity I think.
Gzowski: I was involved from the beginning . . . [Ruxton, Aplin, Chatterton and I] did one show before this called “Yellow Wallpaper” based on an existing short story and it was really a lot of fun. It was really a nice collaboration and outside of the straight theatre, dance and music world. After that when we were talking about what to do next, Jim said he would love to work at the LIVELab, it has been sort of a dream of his. So we looked into it and it was an amazing place. We applied to do a residency there and they happily accepted us.
How would you describe “Synaptic Rodeo”?
Stanton: We play with ideas of identity, we play with ideas of just how slippery our hold on reality is and just notions of reality all together. As [Trainor] mentions in one of her lecture segments, we’re taught to believe our eyes. Seeing is believing and really our experience of the world is shaped by subconscious biases. [With] the way our brain is taught to perceive the world, there’s no way of knowing what reality really is. There’s no core ontological experience, so we’re really playing with the notions of what’s real and what’s not real.
Ruxton: I think it’s a way of taking advantage of a lab and bringing together all the technology that they have available to pull it all together into what may not seem like a cohesive narrative at times, but it’s all tied together by the fact that Trainor, the neuroscientist, does little snippets of talks in between to pull the threads together of what we’re doing and showing. It’s really a blending of all the technologies available at LIVELab and making use of all those to create an interesting, visual, audio synaptic rodeo.
Gzowski: “Synaptic Rodeo” is a journey down the predictive mind. About how the predictive mind works, what happens when you lose it and how our sense of reality is based on predicting where things are gonna go, what’s going to happen next and what we’re gonna see. When those interactions don’t work or when our mind messes with what we expect is going to happen.
Can you walk me through the process it takes to create your parts of the show?
Ruxton: I’m using a lot of video processing and we’re also using the motion capture system [at LIVELab]. It’s kind of unique to have access to a motion capture system of that size and quality, because artists would never have [access to] that. For example, one piece [of Synaptic Rodeo] uses motion capture to control the lights in the space. [The lights] emanate from [Chatterton’s] head to look like neurons of her brain. [When Aplin] moves around the space, [she is able] to control different lights based on where she is in the space. That’s something that would only be possible with something like the amazing motion capture system in LIVELab.
[Aplin] has [also] become a master at taking video [during the performance] and converting it into a kaleidoscopic video and changing it in real time. Depending on the objects she brings into the image, it’ll change the image. It’s kind of mesmerizing, it’s a real trip. It appeals to a certain side of your brain to see those things transform. We’re kind of akin to provide people with a psychedelic trip without having to do the acid.
Gzowski: Most of the music isn’t really written, it’s been improvised to stick with the show which has been a lot of fun because it sort of changes with what we do as the technology changes. We’d just play around and improvise . . . and it’s really just trying to find that balance of meditative, hypnotic, sound and video that really brings you to that sense of your mind where you can lose your predictive mind.
How do you think this is different than any other project in Hamilton?
Stanton: The particular blend of music, dance, text and scientific lecture . . . it’s so funny because the only way I can describe it is all my nerdiest loves all in one place. I’ve never been able to indulge the science nerd in me as equally in one project . . . it’s been incredible to be able to roll them up into one ball and have the generosity of all these folks into one room. They all bring something so different into the process and [Trainor] has been so generous with her knowledge and her time, there’s some surprises that will blow some people’s predictive minds. It’s like the most fucked up jazz band that I’ve ever worked with. It’s great and it’s nothing like I’ve ever worked on before.
Ruxton: I think one of the things that makes it really unique is our different skills and bringing those together. Often you’ll go see a concert, a video artist, a dancer or play but because we bring all those elements together, it makes it pretty unique. John works all over the country in theatres creating sound design for amazing shows. Julia has been a choreographer for many years and has done dance work in Toronto, Anna has been nominated for the Governor General’s award for playwriting and has done a lot of really amazing work all over the world. I think we all at a certain level of our career, we’re all pretty professional. Bringing together these professionals in this way is pretty unique.
Gzowski: It’s different in that it has so much more involvement in tech . . . I haven’t worked on a show that has all this sort of stuff going on at the same time . . . To develop it slowly over such a collaborative workshop has been really a pleasure.
What message do you hope somebody will walk away with after viewing the show?
Stanton: Two things: One is I hope they enjoy the non-linear, non-narrative expressionistic journey. A lot of this is just great to sit back and come on the trip with us. The truth is that I would love for people to be taking some of [Trainor]’s fascinating points and be curious about that. I hope they learn a thing or two about the human experience.
Ruxton: Well a very rich experience coming out of it. I hope it’s a bit of an altered state feeling coming out of the show. Also, leaving with this idea of the potential of what happens when you bring people together. The LIVELab has typically been used for concerts and things like that but to show other artists in the city, the potential of what that space has and perhaps they can make use of that. It’s world class and it’s right in our city and the potential of that is pretty amazing I think.
It’s an experiential thing that I want them to have and also academically, [Trainor] does talk throughout the show in different areas and I want people to learn about these ideas of the extended mind and extended cognition — the idea that our mind is no longer stuck inside our head but is in our phones, our computers, in the internet and we’ve really extended ourselves through technology and I want people to leave with those concepts that she talks about why music is important to us, she talks about rhythm, there’s a lot of things that she talks about in just a short period and I really want that to sync into people too and maybe go away and think about the mind in new ways.
Gzowski: I think it’s not really a message show but it’s an idea of how you really see the world, how your brain interprets it and how much of what you think of the world is based on how your mind works.
Synaptic Rodeo will be showing on Nov. 29 at 8 p.m., Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. and at 8 p.m. in the McMaster LIVELab (Psychology Complex 202A)
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
How do you spend the holiday season?
Rachel Lieske: My friends refer to me as the Grinch. The older I get, the more I realize how important Christmas is to others, and how insignificant it is to me. My sister and I set up a Christmas tree every year, even though my family never exchanges presents. I would wake up early like my friends, but instead of rushing to open presents, I would watch TV. The first year of university was the first year my parents didn’t put up a tree, and the second year we only had four family members over for Christmas, this year is undecided.
Razan Samara: One of the perks of growing up as a Muslim in North America is having opportunities to partake in the seasonal festivities without necessarily feeling the pressure of the holidays or any affiliated expectations and obligations. I typically take advantage of the time off to reconnect with long-distance friends or spend quality time with family. Coincidently, my siblings’ birthdays are on Dec. 25 and 28, so there’s always a reason to gather the family and celebrate. For me, the holiday season is all about community. Last year, I spent a day with a couple friends cooking at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. I have fond memories of chef Grant from Best on Bread teaching us how to make a delicious stack of bruschetta for a friend’s holiday party.
Steffi Arkilander: Usually, I spend the holidays with my family. Because I’m biracial, holiday gatherings are usually a mix of both sides of my family. I get to see family members I haven’t seen in a long time, and we learn about what everyone has been up to in the past year. New Year’s is special too because my Chinese side of my family values a fresh start [and] going into the new year with good intentions.
Jessica Gelbard: Most of my holiday season is spent spinning wooden toys, spending time with family and stuffing my face with jelly-filled deep fried doughnuts. In order to celebrate the miracle of a tiny drop of oil lasting eight nights, I get pretty lit. And by getting lit, I mean I light a candle for each night of [Hanukkah] amassing a fully lit menorah by the last night!
Trisha Gregorio: I don’t have any particular holiday season staples or routines. My family consists of my mother, my younger brother and myself, and we spend Christmas quietly without exchanging gifts or holding Christmas parties at home. I find that in the lack of any concrete traditions Christmas feels lacklustre relative to the whirlwind of the days preceding it. Instead, I enjoy the lead-up to the week of Christmas — the hustle and bustle at stores, the neverending Christmas carols, the holiday drinks — more than I do Christmas Day itself, so a lot of the holiday season is spent basking in that Christmas atmosphere.
What parts of your identity or culture influence your holiday traditions?
Rachel Lieske: Neither of my parents has strong familial ties with their immediate family, and neither do I. Inherently, I don’t have that strong nostalgia that lets the holiday tradition live on for kids my age, despite our impending adolescence.
Razan Samara: One of my religious holidays includes Ramadan — a month of fasting from sunrise to sunset, reflection and prayer. Sometimes I miss a few days of fasting during Ramadan and I like to make them up during the winter holiday season. I typically have more time to focus on my spirituality and wellbeing, which is important when it comes to facing the winter blues. The days are also much shorter and fasting becomes easier. I especially enjoy it when I get to break my fast alongside friends celebrating their own holidays and traditions over dinners — there’s a collision of diversity that’s incredibly empowering. Since Islamic holidays are observed on a lunar calendar, then every 30 years or so Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (festival of breaking fast) end up coinciding with other winter holidays. I can’t wait to shop for Eid gifts during Boxing Day in 2033.
Steffi Arkilander: I often get together with the two sides of my family — my white side and my Chinese side. We usually have two dinners for each side of my family, whether it’s for Christmas or New Year’s. One dinner is definitely considered more “traditional” to Western culture, where we all eat together, but my Chinese side often holds a hotpot or some form of Chinese food. We usually have a prayer in both English and Chinese. As gifts, red pockets with lucky money are often given from the elders of our family to the younger ones to celebrate Christmas or going into a new year. My family also usually cleans on New Year’s Day as it represents a “fresh start”.
Jessica Gelbard: Most of what influences my holiday traditions comes from my Jewish identity and European culture. For example, the holiday of Hanukkah itself, emanates from the story of the Maccabean revolt, in which the Jews defeated their Syrian-Greek oppressors in 160 BCE. So that comes from my Jewish identity. On the food side of things however, potato latkes, generally associated with Hanukkah, come from my European culture!
Trisha Gregorio: I grew up in the Philippines, where the Christmas season lasts from September to early January. While very little of the customs I had then remain with me [now], habits from childhood still inform my expectations for the holidays (that instinctive anticipation is probably why I like the pre-Christmas season so much). Christmas in the Philippines was also heavily religious, marked by week-long dawn vigils and multiple masses per day, and while my relationship with religion has only gotten more complicated the more I’ve come to terms with my identity, Christmas Mass is the one holiday tradition that my culture will always anchor me to.
How do ideas around a “traditional holiday experience” influence your traditions?
Rachel Lieske: Not being absorbed in the “traditional holiday experience” has given me a lot of anxiety about going home for the holidays. Motivated by FOMO [i.e. fear of missing out] and worry surrounding how I will spend such a long time in a town that doesn’t feel like home is daunting.
Razan Samara: My ideas around a “traditional holiday experience” come from watching the Home Alone franchise and feel-good Hallmark films. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how representation of the holidays in the media are almost always monopolized by Christmas and White American culture, so it’s no surprise that my own traditions tend to fit into this “picture-perfect” representation of Christmas. I walked by the Santa Claus parade in Hamilton and Toronto last week, listened to Christmas carols while cooking dinner with a friend a couple nights ago, and I have plans to check out the Toronto Christmas Market for the first time. While I do enjoy my cup of eggnog, I’m hoping to learn more about other holiday traditions this year.
Steffi Arkilander: I think that traditional holiday experiences can come in forms we may not necessarily consider traditional. Although my experience with the holidays may seem unique and different, it’s always been my normal to celebrate the holidays twice and to embrace both sides of my identity as not separate, but whole. Maybe my celebration of the holidays isn’t Western, but it doesn’t mean it’s not traditional. This is a tradition in my family and a tradition within many Chinese and even biracial communities. Although my celebrations may not be the majority, it doesn’t mean they aren’t any less meaningful.
Jessica Gelbard: I’ve notice in recent years, that in order to partake in “mainstream holiday seasons,” many Jewish people have taken to the idea of a “Hanukkah Bush” to replace a “Christmas Tree.” While the idea is cute, I think it adds to the unfortunate reality of assimilation. I too however, partake in events such as Christmas markets, and listening to Christmas music (obsessively I may add!) to feel apart of what society has deemed a “traditional holiday experience.”
Trisha Gregorio: The “traditional holiday experience” presents this ideal where all is cheerful and light-hearted during the holidays. As heartwarming as that can be, I also think it places a particular burden on those of us who don’t have access to the picture-perfect scene that Christmas ads present. For some, the holiday season may have its complications, whether it might be seasonal depression, or someone having to be around homophobic relatives, or simply having to spend Christmas alone. Not everyone has what counts for a warm, “complete” family, either, nor has the financial means to afford a big dinner. It isn’t so much that traditions are affected by this ideal; more than anything, it’s that this expectation of existing traditions isolates those who don’t have any.
What’s one takeaway you want readers to walk away with?
Rachel Lieske: Not having strong holiday traditions can be isolating at times. Just know that many people are on the same page as you, those who may have distant family relationships that don’t call for celebrating. This holiday I’m taking advantage of my free time and expending my energy on what’s important to me, and that’s okay.
Razan Samara: The holidays can be overwhelming. Whether you’re facing challenges, or your life seems to have been taken over by festive stress, it’s important to recognize when you need to take a break and focus on your own wellbeing. In the past, I’ve definitely been caught up in all the great expectations of the holiday season while also feeling quite lonely when I don’t see my own cultures and identities well represented. Whether you want to celebrate or not, I encourage you to seek out meaningful connections with your communities — it’s made a world of difference for me.
Steffi Arkilander: Biracial communities often have mixed celebrations and traditions that have shaped how we’ve grown up. I am not just 50 per cent Chinese and 50 per cent white. I am 100 per cent mixed and that is a different experience altogether. My culture can be seen through my meals, holidays and languages (or lack thereof) and they help shape my identity and who I’ve come to be today.
Jessica Gelbard: While the holiday season is often portrayed with a heavy focus on Christmas and the mainstream idea of Christmas, it’s important for us to have pride and joy in our own cultural and religious holidays at this time of year! We should be sharing our holiday joy and knowledge with others as well, so they too can join in the recognition and celebration of our respective holidays. Celebrate your holiday with pride, and reflect on your family’s history as these holidays have been celebrated over the generations before you.
Trisha Gregorio: Don’t get me wrong: Christmas is my favourite part of the year! I think that even at its most simple, the holidays can be a quiet, lovely period to take a break from life. However, while it’s important to channel the Christmas spirit, it’s also worth keeping in mind those who might not be spending Christmas like you are. This doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to be happy — you are, and despite everything, I encourage liveliness during the holidays whenever possible. It’s simply that one aspect of Christmas means extending that helping hand, so if you know someone who might be spending Christmas alone, or someone who will be going through a tough time attending family parties, it won’t hurt to send a message or two.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Photo C/O Canadian Pacific Railway
For the past 20 years, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train has traveled across Canada and the United States, spreading holiday cheer and making donations to food banks at each of its stops. This year, it will be making its annual Hamilton stop on the evening of Nov. 28, in Gage Park.
The Holiday Train is always decked in festive lights and decorations. At each of its stops one of the train cars opens up to reveal a stage for a live concert performance. Both the concert and the event itself are free. The featured musicians will include Alan Doyle — formerly of Great Big Sea — and Beautiful Band. While guests are encouraged to donate non-perishable items to Hamilton Food Share, it’s not mandatory.
“Nothing there costs anything, so even families who might not have a lot of extra can come out and enjoy [the event] as a kickoff to the holiday season to get into the festive spirit,” said Celeste Taylor, the Resource Development Manager for Hamilton Food Share.
Every month, over 13,000 people in the city, including almost 5,000 children, need a food bank every month. As rent in the city continues to increase, food is becoming more difficult to access for many. According to the Hamilton Hunger Report 2019, households who access a food bank spend, on average, more than 50 per cent of their income on housing, increasing the risk of displacement or homelessness. Food is an important part of most holiday traditions, and it can be difficult to celebrate when there’s nothing to put on the table.
Food is an important part of most holiday traditions, and it can be difficult to celebrate when there’s nothing to put on the table.
“Everybody wants to celebrate, whether they’re celebrating Christmas or another holiday, they want to be able to be with their family or to be with the people they care about and food is often central to that. It’s a method of social inclusion when people are able to have the food they need to make a meal. The other part is, here in Hamilton we have such a high percentage of people who are struggling so much with paying the rent that sometimes there just isn’t anything left to buy food with . . . It’s not just holiday food, it’s also being able to put a meal on the table,” said Taylor.
Taylor says that there are many other ways that the community can get involved. “The other thing that people can do is to be looking towards social policy change that would be helping people to cover the expenses of daily life and life’s basics . . . The important message is not that it’s Food Banks or policy change, it’s both.”
Since 1999, the Holiday Train has been contributing donations to local food bank organizations. While the concert in Gage Park is only one night, it’s important to keep that same level of donation energy throughout the year as giving shouldn’t end after the holidays.
The CP Holiday Train will be rolling through Gage Park (1000 Main St. E) on Nov. 28 at 7:45 p.m.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Photo C/O Unsplash
By: Katie van Kampen, Contributor
Finding the perfect gift while holiday shopping is hard and will likely be time consuming, nerve wracking and frankly, stressful. Clothing, in particular, is nearly impossible to get right. What size is the person you’re shopping for? What styles do they like? Do they prefer fitted or oversized? With so many variables to consider, you’re overwhelmed. To help you find gifts that everyone would appreciate, here are fashion items that you could buy for anyone this holiday season.
Let’s Sock n’ Roll
Price: $
There has been a recent resurgence in sock subscription services and an increasing demand for trendy sock designs. A well-picked pair of socks can complement your outfit while adding a splash of personality. A great place to find a variety of socks within the city is floorplaysocks (194 Locke St. S). They have walls filled with socks, neatly organized and displayed for easy browsing. One reliable brand that the store carries is Stance—. my favorite brand for fun and durable socks.. They have many different designs to choose from that’ll be sure to appeal to anyone on your holiday list.
Green (T-Shirt) Sleeves
Price: $$
T-shirts are one of the best gifts you can give someone. Just like socks, they come in a variety of shapes, colours and designs. As trends in 90s fashion re-emerge, it’s becoming cooler to wear oversized t-shirts or to tuck them in. So, go out there and get your Secret Santa their favourite band t-shirt or a comic graphic t-shirt, and don’t worry if it’s a size too large. There’s lots of ways you can style a t-shirt — perhaps through a french tuck, layering the shirt with shorter items or by rolling the sleeves. Omnes (191 King St. E) has a selection of second hand vintage shirts from brands like Adidas to Guess. Or, you can take a walk down James Street and browse through boutiques like The Pale Blue Dot (240 James St. N) to find the perfect t-shirt for whoever’s on your list.
The Holiday Sweater
Price: $$
‘Tis the season! What’s better than an aggressively adorned holiday sweater for those office parties, unbearable family events, or themed parties. Holiday sweaters vary in their design from “My Grandpa made this in the 1970s” to “Minimalistic snowflake” and can be found at a variety of stores. Depending on what you think they’ll like or how much you actually want them to wear this sweater, there’s a variety to choose from. The McMaster Campus Store carries their own McMaster Christmas sweater so you can get some Mac swag while also purchasing a festive gift. If your friend won’t buy one for themselves, and always complains about not owning a holiday sweater, you can easily fix this situation. They’ll soon be sporting their new sweater to every holiday event.
Backpack, Backpack, Yeah!
Price: $$$
A backpack is a necessity for students, so why not take the opportunity to turn it into a fashion item? Even if they already have a backpack, having different styles and different sizes to choose from can be useful if they ever want to downsize their daily carry-all. Pair it with the right colours and it can be easily integrated into any outfit. Check out the Campus Store for a variety of backpacks featuring designs by Hershel and Fjallraven.
Jean-eology
Price: $$
While it is a bit chilly for denim jackets, they can prove useful and fashionable during the warmer months. As I said, oversized clothing is in style. Buying someone an oversized jacket can help elevate their style as they can experiment with layering other fashion pieces. Jean jackets come in a variety of linings and colours. Some non-conventional colors to check out are grey, white, black and olive. Denim jackets are a great item to find at a thrift store, especially since they’re quite durable and timeless. One close option to Mac is Deja Vu Used and New (262 King St. W). Here you’re sure to find different styles, colours and sizes of jackets. If you want a vintage, retro aesthetic you can take the trek to Ottawa Street and visit Out of the Past (308 Ottawa St. N). Whoever you’re buying for will surely appreciate this item as it can be styled in many different ways, creating a great addition to their wardrobe.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Photo by Matty Flader / Photo Reporter
By: Kyle West, Contributor
The Marauders were looking to spark some momentum after a tough loss to York on Nov. 15, who stopped their chances at a four-game winning streak. With a return home on Nov. 16, they faced University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues, one of the nation’s leading forces on the court. The match lasted five sets: after a strong fourth set resurgence by the Blues, Mac’s return home was ultimately spoiled.
Burridge gym was on the edge of their seats as they saw Mac take a strong 2-1 lead in the first three sets. But the force of the number four ranked offence, the Varsity Blues, was ultimately too strong to curtail. The Marauders defended admirably to lead to a close final tiebreaker where the Blues were able to capture the win.
There were many familiar faces putting up points for McMaster, spreading the offence through Hailey Kranics, Jessie Nairn and Marina Vesovic. Kranics lead the Marauders fight with 16 points and added two aces and five solo blocks to her already impressive record. Along with the familiar names in the box score against U of T, this match saw rookie setter Nikolina Malic at the helm for her first full game, who reached 34 assists.
Kranics lead the Marauders fight with 16 points and added two aces and five solo blocks to her already impressive record.
With the way the teams were delivering spikes, the match closely resembled blows exchanged in a boxing match. A series of runs for each side led to a gripping back and forth, giving those in attendance an exciting game from start to finish.
The Varsity Blues are one of the toughest opponents in all of U Sports. They are currently ranked second in the Ontario University Athletics East standings, with a blazing seven-game win streak. With that being said, McMaster made them work hard for the win. Taking the match to five sets proved that the Marauders can play at a high level of competition. They will be looking to continue this style of play as they approach the new year, as they are tied for third place in OUA West standings with the University of Waterloo Warriors, who they just beat on Nov. 23.
The women’s volleyball team, who was just shy of the playoffs last year, is looking forward to ending the fall portion of their season on a high note. It is important for them to regain some momentum as they approach a well-deserved month long break. The team heads out west in late December where they will be playing at the University of Winnipeg for a three-day tournament, where they should be able to secure a few more wins.
It can be tough playing out west, especially due to how cruel the winters can be. But hopefully, a hot streak will make the cold more bearable. Securing wins at the tournament would be a good way to close out 2019 and propel the women’s volleyball team for a strong playoff push during the second half of the 2019-2020 season.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Photo C/O David Moll
On Nov. 16, the University of Calgary Dinos crushed the Marauders’ Vanier Cup aspirations in a crushing 30-17 loss. However, all hope is not lost. This was quarterback Andreas Dueck’s first full year as a starter and the fact that he was able to lead the team this far is a promising sign for the future.
While the Marauders will lose some key pieces to their team next year, they may be able to tap into the skills of younger players to repeat their success of this season. For example, long-time starting running back Jordan Lyons will be graduating next year. However, the men’s team also has third-year running back Justice Allin, who averaged an astounding 7.2 yards per carry over the season on 48 attempts. Allin’s stats jump off the sheet, indicating that he may be more than capable if tasked with taking over Lyons’ lead-back duties.
“I feel like I’m ready for it, I just have to get back in the gym and build up the body for it. He’s [Lyons] taught me a lot since he’s been here. I’ve been here for three years, and he’s more of the inside runner kind of guy and I was less of that my first two years, but with him being the leader that he is he’s kind of showed me the ropes of it. He’s helped me create a better inside run game for myself, so I see myself definitely taking over that role hopefully,” said Allin.
Allin is a do-it-all type back. In the three games that Allin played in for the 2018-2019 season, he averaged four receptions per game. In the 2019-2020 season, Allin was also the kick returner on 17 out of the 22 kickoffs returned by the Marauders.
While these stats are important, they do not match the valuable relationships he has with his teammates, including the Marauders’ leading receiver Tommy Nield and quarterback Dueck, who Allin immediately suggested come along when we reached out to get an interview from Allin. Along with Allin, Dueck and Nield are, individually and collectively, key strengths of the Marauders’ team.
Along with Allin, Dueck and Nield are, individually and collectively, key strengths of the Marauders’ team.
“We all came in as strangers. We knew of each other coming in through social media and football out of school. Coming into first year we hit it off and since, we’ve been good buds and we spend a lot of time together outside of football which has definitely contributed to our success on the field, and I can see that continuing to grow throughout the years,” Allin said.
Dueck competed with another quarterback Jackson White for the starting position last year, but this year Dueck won the starting job. After he earned the starting role Dueck greatly improved, throwing for 15 touchdowns and 2431 yards compared to five touchdowns and 1458 yards last year.
“It’s definitely been really good for me, just having that trust from the coaches, knowing that they have your back and that they’re going to fight for you is big,” Dueck said.
Dueck has greatly improved this season, with the help of the Marauder’s coaching staff. Still, he acknowledges that there will always be ways that he can challenge himself to be better.
“I want to make better decisions every game, that’s something I want to improve. Eliminating those interceptions, with better decision-making that will come. I attribute a lot of success this year to the coaching staff. They got me prepared really well and we had a great team around us,” Dueck said.
Nield, the aforementioned top receiver and second-team Ontario University Athletics all-star, will be returning next year. This bodes well for the team’s future success. Nield has been Dueck’s favourite target on the field for the past two seasons. The connection that this duo has on the field will continue to threaten defences around the province.
“I mean [Nield] is a beast, he needs to get the ball straight up. When you’re that good you kind of attract the ball, he’s a great guy and I love hanging out with him,” said Dueck.
Even though the season didn’t end in the way the team hoped, getting to the Mitchell Bowl is still quite impressive and has left the team hungry for more. Going into next year, the team will have the confidence they need to be able to take the OUA by storm.
“There’s definitely going to be a lot of hype for it next year coming off a Yates and going to a Mitchell bowl but I feel like our team lives up to the hype and we are the hype. I’m excited for next year,” said Allin.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
By Eric Sinnige, Contributor
Note: This article is from the perspective of an individual Student Representative Assembly member, and not representative of the whole SRA, or the McMaster Students Union.
The Sept. 22 deratification of the McMaster Chinese Students and Scholars Association has been a frequent topic in the Student Representative Assembly and the Silhouette for the past few weeks, and an issue that the SRA has been aware of since the inciting incident occurred back in February 2019. Since then, there have been many miscommunications about the de-ratification process and what was going on as a whole with the club to the student body, which I would like to clarify.
The current SRA members for the 2019-2020 year took office in April. I was unaware of the actions of the previous SRA with respect to the Mac CSSA incident because, at the time, I had not been very involved. In July, when it came time to ratify clubs for the 2019-2020 school year in July, I was given the impression that Mac CSSA was to be under probation for a calendar year due to the February incident upon ratification for the 2019-2020 year. Evidently, this had not been true. As there is no transition process between outgoing SRA members and incoming SRA members, and along with internal miscommunication, this caused previous meeting events to be misunderstood.
In the weeks leading up to the Sept. 22 meeting, where Mac CSSA was de-ratified, I met with McMaster students, who had contacted me to ask about what was going on with Mac CSSA and if the MSU or SRA would be taking action. Other SRA members were also contacted by their constituents, leading to an investigation and eventually de-ratification. You can find evidence from these personal investigations in SRA documents from meeting 19H, which include the meeting minutes and documents labelled CSSA. Many students I met with said that they felt unsafe as a result of Mac CSSA’s actions and concerned that they could not express their political or academic freedoms, especially in criticizing the Chinese government, without repercussions for the students I spoke to or their families.
Some people have subsequently spoken out against the de-ratification as the result of procedural unfairness or bias. I understand these concerns, as this process has been anything but clear. Please continue to hold the SRA and MSU accountable for our actions.
To clarify the procedural unfairness issues: the SRA did not disband Mac CSSA, but rather removed its status as an MSU club. Disbandment is a sanction, handed out to the club by the Clubs Executive Council so they may not operate as an MSU Club for a calendar year. The SRA then makes the decision official. Instead of disbandment, the SRA de-ratified Mac CSSA in July, rescinding its recognition as an MSU club. This meant that while Mac CSSA could still operate, the MSU would not allow them access to clubs resources such as funding and room booking. This difference between disbandment and de-ratification is important, as the latter process removes MSU club status through SRA motions, and does not go through the CEC. As such, the SRA is not required to grant an appeal period, as no appeal process exists for the SRA. However, one was granted anyways. In good faith, Mac CSSA should have received a notice that their de-ratification motion was on the upcoming agenda, despite not technically being required. In my opinion, the fact that Mac CSSA was not notified seemed to be due to a lack of communication. This needs to be changed, and the SRA’s clubs policy review, which will encompass the CEC, will include these concerns.
As for the bias concerns, these I can only address as myself. My reason for voting in favour of de-ratification was due to Mac CSSA’s support of the decision to report Rukiye Turdush’s Feb. 11 talk, which was about the Uyghur concentration camps in China, to the Chinese consulate. Disagreeing with the event is Mac CSSA’s right, but the endangerment of students, and Rukiye Turdush, is unacceptable. The SRA had also previously acted with the safety of students in mind during meeting 19F, when the Dominion Society (formerly the MacDonald Society) was de-ratified for the potential to endanger students after the SRA received evidence that linked the club to white supremacists.
While Mac CSSA claimed that the previous president had acted alone in reporting the event to the consulate, they did not rescind their statement. In addition, in the Mac CSSA ratification status memo posted by the MSU, it is mentioned that McMaster Chinese News Network, McMaster Chinese Professional Association/Society and MELD Student Association “have stated in their June responses to SRA questions that a [former] Mac CSSA executive officer invited them to be signatories of the statement”. During the appeal process, when Mac CSSA’s legal counsel was asked to provide evidence to support their statement that the previous president acted alone and did not contact the consulate, the counsel did not provide a clear answer to the the question in the SRA Meeting 19K livestream at the 1:40:30 mark.
The risk of endangering others for exercising their right to expression, especially those of marginalized groups, should not exist on this campus. Students who wish to engage in academic or political thought opposing the Chinese government, especially Chinese international students, should not be at risk. The evidence brought forward during SRA meetings highlighted how the Chinese government has monitored and interfered with students and citizens abroad, as seen in both U.S. government reports and international headlines, and as such I felt it was in the best interest of student and staff safety to remove the recognition of Mac CSSA as an official MSU club for a full calendar year.
Chinese international students should feel welcome and safe on our campus. Other groups that offer support for Chinese students are the Chinese Students Association, McMaster Chinese News Network and MELD Student Association. The SRA is doing an ongoing review of how international students are supported by the MSU and on campus as a whole. Please contact either myself or another SRA representative if you would like to be involved.
Documents regarding the meetings in question can be found at www.msumcmaster.ca/governance/sra/sra-documents.
If you wish to contact me with questions or for any clarification, you can write to sraeng@msu.mcmaster.ca or my personal email at sinnigee@mcmaster.ca.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
