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www.niagara-news.comVolume 34, Issue 9 Friday, Feb. 6, 2004

Niagara NewsHot Fun in the Winter Edition

By BEAU CALLAGHANStaff Writer

The pen continues to be mightier thanthe sword as a “task force” is formed atNiagara College.

A nine-member committee, consisting ofvarious department heads, has been devel-oped to deal with the academic misconductof college students.

One main concern is plagiarism bysome members of the student population,an issue that college professor MarlinQuinn says is robbing students of their

“opportunity to grow” as writers.“The more you write, the better you

become at it,” says Quinn, who, withother college professors, has taken an ini-tiative to educate students on the nega-tives of plagiarism.

“The more you have people reviewingwhat you write, the better you become at it.So, if you’re not doing your own (essay),you’re not getting a critique,” says Quinn,who can see the idea of students committingplagiarism as “tempting.”

Barry Sharpe, the college’s dean of foun-

dation studies, heads the committee.It is looking at the various issues con-

tributing to plagiarism by students.“In my experience, plagiarized essays are

not even a problem at Niagara College,never mind the major problem,” saysSharpe, adding the major problem is that“students are still struggling with easilyavailable information” on the Internet.

Sharpe says that professors have to beaware of the types of assignments they arehanding out to students.

“If there are college teachers still using the

assignment model of, ‘Write me a two-thou-sand word essay on the role of the BritishEmpire in the development of western civi-lization,’ they should probably stop and askthemselves why they are doing that.”

Vice-President Academic Dr. Alan Davissays he is “establishing a task force” that willhelp students and include a representativefrom the Student Administrative Council(SAC). He agrees with what Sharpe has tosay about students and the use of the Internetfiles for research.

By SARAH WEGELINStaff Writer

Niagara College wins the United Way of SouthNiagara’s (UWSN) Most Fun Event Award for itsHalloween challenge held on Oct. 31, 2003.

The event was one that helped the college commit-tee for the United Way campaign raise $24,254.48.

“There were a half a dozen nominations in theregion and about 15 in the peninsula,” says BillAuchterlonie, contest judge. He is the former headof marketing for the UWSN and is now its execu-tive director.

“It was by far and away the most fun event proba-bly in the whole Niagara Peninsula. I’ve never seenso much talent, creativity (and) energy put into any-thing. It was a knock-out.”

The Halloween Challenge is a United Way eventin which faculty members compete to win prizesby dressing up and decorating their offices. Theywere asked to pay $1 for dressing up and $2 fornot dressing up.

Betty Ann Chandler, a teacher in the InternationalEducation Department at Niagara College, and co-chair of the college campaign with Heather Carter of

the Business Development Centre (BDC), receivedthe award from Jill Cappa and Auchterlonie, at a din-ner held at the Croatian Hall at 6 Broadway Ave. inWelland on Dec. 3, 2003. Cappa was executive direc-tor for the UWSN at the time.

“It was very exciting,” says Carter, “a real hon-our.”

The award sits in Carter’s office at the Glendalecampus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, for the time being.

Carter says the spirit at the college was “justincredible.”

“It’s so rewarding. There was a lot of participation.My assistant, Erica, was amazing about the event.She went the extra mile.”

Erica Juris, of the BDC, encouraged faculty tobe not just scary, but creative and fun as well inthe event.

The results ended with departments such as theVentures at the Glendale campus decorating itsoffices with a theme from That 70’s Show. TheInternational Education Department at Welland cam-pus included the students in decorating their areawith a pumpkin theme with about 100 carved pump-kins and many eerily glowing candles.

Committee to address academic misconduct

College wins Most Fun Award

The one and only King of Rock, Elvis Presley, alias Al Gilday(left), a Public Relations (Post-graduate) program student,invites one and all to Niagara College’s Charity Ball on March20. Presley, along with Jenn Murphy, a student in the sameprogram, give the Niagara News a quick pose as they let peo-ple know of the event coming to the Americana Resort inNiagara Falls. The theme for this year’s ball is none other thana tribute to the King himself, with gambling, food, prizes andone of Canada’s top Elvis impersonators. Tickets are availableat the Niagara College Student Administrative Council office atthe Welland campus and Glendale campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Ticket prices are $30 a person or $55 a couple.

Photo by Don Armstrong

The King has returned!

IndexEditorials Pg. 4

Columns Pg. 5

Special Feature Pg. 8 & 9

Entertainment Pg. 14

Sports Pg. 17

SideShow Pg. 20

Continued on page 2

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February 19–22

Page 2, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

Continued from page 1“There is a different kind of mindset with students

today about the availability and the use of sharing filesthat people my age didn’t have. We couldn’t do it, so itwas never an issue,” says Davis.

“We believe students have an issue with this, so we’regoing to approach SAC.”

Another issue to be dealt with by the task force is the pop-ular United States-based website Turnitin.com, a serviceused in over 51 countries worldwide. It has been recentlyspotlighted in the refusal of Jesse Rosenfeld, 19, a second-year international development student at McGillUniversity in Montreal, Que., to hand over his work to thewebsite, which receives about 20,000 papers a day.

“It (Turnitin.com) is a very efficient way to determinewhether or not someone has plagiarized. And I’ve seen thatused, and it’s actually quite efficient,” says Davis, of a sys-tem that could cost the college between $2,000 and $3,000.

“I think you have to warn students that you have this ser-vice and will use that system,” says Davis.

Sharpe says he disagrees with the effectiveness ofTurnitin.com.

“I was part of a small group two years ago that lookedat Turnitin as a tool to determine whether or not written

work was plagiarized,” says Sharpe.“Those of us who looked at it decided it was not a partic-

ularly useful tool.”In an interview with The Globe and Mail last month,

Rosenfeld says, he found McGill’s actions to be “incrediblyoffensive.”

Quinn says she agrees with Rosenfeld.“I can understand his feeling because Turnitin.com is a

commercial venture.”“It’s (the essay) going into a database and can be used by

this commercial company. That isn’t right. You have copy-written material,” says Quinn.

Sharpe says another efficient tool for instructors to use isthe Google website.

“The advice I got from my English teachers was, if youhave an essay and you suspect it has been plagiarized, do aGoogle search,” says Sharpe, adding that new courses areunder development to assist students.

“We’re now going to develop a new course in the GeneralArts and Science program, with more of a research aspect, andthen follow it with a rules course from a writing aspect of pro-ducing academic essays,” says Sharpe.

Davis is expecting the task force to report to him by June30 with ideas on the issues.

“That gives them (the task force) some time in late Juneto have some special events planned, maybe get some guestspeakers in and have an opportunity to look at some on-linesystems,” says Davis.

An issue that has already been discussed at academic andco-ordinator forums and will be discussed again by thepending task force is the clarity of Niagara College’s prac-tice on academic misconduct and its need to be clearer forfaculty and students.

Also to be discussed is the need to mount a campaignnot unlike the one that took place this past fall regardingcampus pride, the importance of academic integrity andthe steps high schools are taking to ensure good academ-ic habits.

“I think the bottom line is that many times in highschool, due to large classes, no one checks for it (plagia-rized essays) because it takes a couple of hours for eachessay,” says Quinn.

Davis says the bottom line is college students have toknow that the technology they are using to cheat can also beused to catch them.

“If you’re going to use the web as a tool, remember thatwe can use the web to check.”

‘Those of us who looked

at it decided it was not

a particularly useful

tool.’

— Barry Sharpe

‘We believe students

have an issue with this,

so we’re going to

approach SAC.’

— Dr. Alan Davis

College task force created to catch plagiarism

‘If you’re going to use

the web as a tool,

remember that we can

use the web to check.’

— Dr. Alan Davis

By SHANNON ARNOLDStaff Writer

It is the goal of colleges and uni-versities to see each studentthrough to graduation.

With factors such as escalatingeducation costs and a lack ofcommitment to studies, retentionis a never-ending challenge withconstantly changing variables.

Niagara College’s Director ofStudent Services Brigitte Chikisays the key to student success ismaking sure students are in theright program, committed to theirprogram and aware of theiroptions upon graduation.

She cites the top reason studentsleave as being financial, followedclosely by a sense that they do notfit into their program. Retentionstatistics show that students whostart late are more likely to with-draw because they have a hardtime integrating.

According to Chiki, the criticaltimeline for retention is the firstsix weeks of each term. Fifty percent of students who withdraw doso within this time period.

Research indicates that studentsuccess is closely linked to a car-ing and responsive faculty, suffi-cient financial aid and programinformation sessions. It is the fac-

ulty who has the greatest opportu-nity to impact students, providingencouragement, constructive criti-cism and guidance down any num-ber of career paths.

Chiki says that involvement insports or student government con-tributes to student success. Theadditional 20- to 30-hour weeklytime commitment forces studentsto become efficient and organized,and, therefore, better students.

“Thirty per cent of athletesmake the honour roll, and those instudent government tend to have aself-imposed higher academicstandard,” she says.

The approach taken by NiagaraCollege begins before the studentapplies, with a close relationshipwith local high school guidancecounsellors to paint an accurate pic-ture of what the college has to offer.

Program information sessionsare held at the college in Marchand April, to prevent students fromenrolling in the wrong program,and the 6,000-page college web-site is designed to help studentsmake better decisions.

Chiki says the Start Right is avoluntary program held at the startof each semester, teaching studyskills, note taking and essay writ-ing. It is attended by 500 students

annually.Orientation also plays an inte-

gral role, laying out what isexpected of the students and whatthey can expect to learn.

Three thousand students utilizethe counselling services availableon campus each year, many to fur-ther explore where to go if they arechanging programs, leaving theschool or seeking employment.

All students who withdraw arerequired to meet with a counsellorto answer basic questions regard-ing their reasons for leaving. Inturn, they receive informationabout job resources and other edu-cational opportunities that maybetter fit them.

To ensure program relevance, anadvisory committee comprisingemployers, industry experts, pro-fessors and graduate studentsdetermine what courses should beoffered and the timing of each.

The Student CurriculumCommittee provides faculty withimmediate feedback from students.

While retention will alwayspresent a challenge, Chiki is anoptimist.

She says, “I believe that if yougive students all of their options,they will grab what they need.”

Niagara News, Feb, 6, 2004 Page 3

THE JOB CENTRE at NIAGARA COLLEGE

“Careers and Jobs –

Opportunities for Students”

Coming Soon! Career Networking Events.

Glendale Campus, 905-641-2252, ext. 4165

Welland Campus, 905-735-2211, ext. 7777

or email jobcentre@niagarac.on.ca

Drop in to the Job Centre

Career Fair 2004 — February 12For Niagara and Brock Students and Alumni

Glendale Campus*, 10 -3

Careers in Hospitality — February 19Glendale Campus*, 10 - 6

*Free bus shuttle from Welland Campus — schedule available in The Job Centre

Exhibitor lists at www.niagarac.on.ca/careerfair

By BEAU CALLAGHANStaff Writer

The thaw after the freeze could mean a tuitionincrease.

Students at Niagara College could be facing a futuretuition increase for some programs because of theprovincial government’s current cap on tuition fees.

“There has been a freeze regarding tuition,” saysMartha Casson, the college’s vice-president, enter-prise and student services. She made the statement onFeb. 2 in an e-mail interview.

“We are not sure whether or not that will apply to thegeneral college tuition fee or also to the fees that theMinistry (of Training, Colleges and Universities) has

allowed colleges to increase for certain programsdepending on the demand for the program and the jobmarket.”

Casson says the Dental Hygiene program is oneexample of a program that could be affected.

When the restrictions on fees are lifted, there maybe a difference in the cost of program fees, “meaningmodestly higher increases for programs that are real-ly, really popular,” she says.

“If a program is a ‘best of its kind’ in Ontario, thenstudents who want to come to Niagara for that pro-gram may be willing to pay a little more than the nor-mal fee if that money is plowed into the program tomake it even better.”

BRIGITTE CHIKI

Pho

to b

y S

hann

on A

rnol

d

Niagara looking for student enrolment increases

Faculty helps see students through graduation

By BEAU CALLAGHANStaff Writer

Niagara College is looking torecruit “top students” to help stemfalling enrolment.

The college’s fall enrolmentapplications are down seven percent, as indicated during the Jan.22 board of governors meetingheld at the Glendale campus inNiagara-on-the-Lake.

“Applications were down in the

province by 14 per cent overallwith some very big metro collegesdown over 20 per cent,” saysMartha Casson, the college’s vice-president, enterprise and studentservices.

“Niagara College was downseven per cent, which was relative-ly positive.”

The college has already reachedits 2006 enrolment goal of 5,600students and now has a total enrol-

ment of 5,887 students.“Two years in a row we have the

second highest applications andenrolment, next to George Brown(College, in Toronto).”

Casson says the college has“done and is doing” many differentthings to bring those numbers up.

“We are conducting almost dou-ble the visits to secondary schoolsas we did last year, which willmean that our staff will have visit-

ed over 440 schools by the end ofthe recruitment season.”

Other efforts by recruitersinclude bringing high school stu-dents on campus to tour theadvanced technology programs atthe college, and providing parentswith campus sessions such as theone this past fall aimed at provid-ing parents of potential studentswith information on the collegeapplication process and the cost of

education.The college is also looking at

some alternative incentives out-side of scholarships and bursaries,such as priority in residenceacceptance for what Casson calls“top students.”

Casson says one reason thecollege has considered this is“top students (students with highacademic marks) are easier tomanage.”

College tuition increase may be ahead

By CASANDRABELLEFEUILLE

Staff WriterOver $16.1 million is needed to

assist the victims of the Dec. 26earthquake that devastated Bam,an Iranian town, the InternationalFederation of the Red Cross andRed Crescent say.

The earthquake, which regis-tered 6.3 on the Richter scale,injured 30,000 people and dis-placed another 80,000. About 85per cent of the town’s mud-brickbuildings were instantlydestroyed.

To date, the Niagara Branch ofthe Canadian Red Cross inThorold has raised $4,090.

Donated funds to the CanadianRed Cross’ Iran Earthquake ReliefFund are distributed to the

International Federation of theRed Cross and Red Crescent forimmediate relief.

Denise Stone, district branchmanager for the Canadian RedCross, says only money donationsare accepted.

“It is easier to transfer moneyand it will get there faster. Thisallows people in the field (in Iran),to identify the most urgent needs,”says Stone.

Darrell Neufeld, manager of cor-porate communications at NiagaraCollege, says there is a “realopportunity” for people to help.

“The amount of devastationcaused by the earthquake is reallyquite unimaginable,” saysNeufeld.

“The needs of people there,obviously, are many and great —

food, clothing, medical suppliesand shelter.”

There is immediate need forwinter items such as blankets,tents, kerosene stoves, hygienekits and kitchen sets.

Health services and cleanwater assistance is already underway. Field hospitals have beenset up by national societies forpeople who need medical atten-tion because the three hospitalsthat were in Bam were destroyedby the earthquake.

Donations by MasterCard orVisa can be made by phone at 1-800-481-1111.

Donations can also be mailedto the Canadian Red Cross,Niagara Branches, at 3280Schmon Pkwy., Thorold, Ont.L7R 3K7.

Donations needed for Iran earthquake relief

Great Rooms Near CampusGreat Rooms Near CampusIn fully renovated homes

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Page 4, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

“My future is coming on, is coming on, is coming on, is coming on, my future ...”You may not know it, but that is a lyric from the Gorillaz song Clint

Eastwood and seems to accurately depict the feelings of the Journalism-Printprogram students.

Our future really is coming on, and fast.It’s only been a month and already our minds are plagued with the prospect of

being thrust into the real world of journalism, as we all go on placement in April.For the past 18 months, we have been taught the ins and outs of journalism. We

have known since Day 1 this day was coming, and would come swiftly.Some of us have heeded the warnings our teachers gave us about how our time

here would slip through our fingers like grains of sand. Some of us were alwaysmindful of it, but never gave it serious thought, until now.

There are the questions and wondering, “Am I ready? Do I know as much as Ithink I do? Can I really do this?”

The questions and feelings seem to be on the minds of all of us these days.

Some of us are more secure than others as they may have already secured aplacement, and some have already join the workforce. We wish them all the bestof luck.

However, there are still those of us whose future prospects in the field are ques-tionable. Not only are we plagued by the unanswered questions, but also we won-der, is this really what I want to do?

In the beginning, some of us came knowing full well we wanted to be journalists.Others had other options in mind related to journalism, and some just thought jour-nalism would be a “good idea.” Now, after our time here, we are faced with havingto make our decision.

While it doesn’t faze some, it’s exciting to others. I know we are ready. We havebeen taught well. We are stronger than we realize and know more than we think.

The future may be coming on fast and furious, but we made it this far. It’s timeto go further.

DON ARMSTRONG

Last week’s return of the National Hockey League’s super star Dany Heatley wasthe subject of conversations across North America, among hockey fans, and amongthe general public.

Unfortunately, the conversation did not focus on the amazing rehabilitation theyoung star went through. Rather, it was the argument about whether Heatley shouldbe criminally charged with the death of his friend and former teammate, DanSnyder.

The facts have been repeated many times. It is not because he is a famous hock-ey player that he is not being given the punishment some people think he deserves.

The two most important factors are that he did not have over the legal limit ofalcohol in his blood while driving the car and that the Snyder family has publiclyforgiven him.

There are additional things people don’t even mention anymore. Nobody talksabout how there may have been an animal that jumped in the way of the movingvehicle or how another car may have been coming head-on in the lane in whichHeatley was driving. These situations would cause Heatley, as it would most peo-ple, to not respond properly, causing the collision.

Nobody will know for sure because Heatley can barely remember anything fromthe incident at all.

That makes sense, considering he suffered a concussion.In the accident, Heatley also suffered a broken jaw, a lung contusion, a bruised

kidney, and injuries to his right knee and left shoulder.After the incident, hockey experts had written Heatley off for the entire season.

When he started skating lightly in December, they said he might play at the end ofFebruary. When he took part in full practices, they said, “After the all-star break.”Nobody thought he would show up in January, with over 30 games left in the reg-ular season.

Maybe he heals well. Maybe he’s determined. Maybe he has something to prove.Maybe he wanted to show everybody how sorry he was the only way he could, byplaying the game of hockey as well as he possibly can.

Time will tell if the latter is true, but that’s what hockey fans really want to see.The Atlanta Thrashers won’t be the same without Dan Snyder in their lineup, but

they’d be even more different without his friend Dany Heatley.BRENT WATSON

Editorials

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There shall be no liability for non-insertions of any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such advertisement.All advertisers are asked to check their advertisements after first insertion. We accept responsibility for only one incorrect insertion unless notified immediately after publication. Errors,

which do not lessen the value of the advertisement, are not eligible for corrections by a make-good advertisement. There shall be no liability for non-insertion of any advertisement beyondthe amount paid for such advertisement. We reserve the right to edit, revise, classify or reject any advertisement.

Your voice or opinion is welcome in our Letters to the Editor section. Our policy regarding letter submissions is this: All letters must be received on the Friday one weekprior to publication. Each letter must include the writer’s name, college identification number and program of study.

All letters must be signed and include a day and evening telephone number for verification use only.All letters can be mailed or brought to the Niagara News newsroom, Room V10, Voyageur Wing, Welland Campus.

The Niagara News is a practical lab for the Journalism-Print program, covering the college community and other areas of interest.Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the management of the Niagara News or the administration of

Niagara College, Room V10, 300 Woodlawn Rd., Welland, Ont. L3C 7L3Phone (905) 735-2211 / 641-2252 / 374-7454 / FAX (905) 736-6003

Editor: Don Armstrong; Associate Editor: Brent Watson; Assistant Editor: Mike O’Drowsky;Publisher: Leo Tiberi, dean, Information and Media Studies;

Managing Editor: Phyllis Barnatt, co-ordinator, Journalism-Print program;Associate Managing Editor: Gary Erb, professor, Journalism-Print program;Editorial Consultant: Nancy Geddie, professor, Journalism-Print program;

Advertising Manager: Linda Camus; Technology Support: Kevin Romyn;

Photography Consultant: Andrew Klapatiuk, photography instructor; Photography Editor: Shannon Arnold.

www.niagara-news.com

Check out the Niagara News on the web at www.technology.niagarac.on.ca/niagaranews

‘We made it this far. It’s time to go further.’

Miss Dan Snyder, leave Dany Heatley out of it

Hearts, flowers, love. Is that all there is to Valentine’s Day? See next week’s Niagara News for students’ views.

Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 5

It’s that time again. Time to graduate. It’s been five yearssince I last graduated and I’m feeling pretty excited.

It’s another accomplishment to add to my resumé. It’sanother goal that I have achieved. What do I do now?

For my last month of classes, I will be involved in myfield placement, but I don’t know where to begin. I can goto a company where I would like to be employed or I could

go to a company where I would be able to add what theyrecommended to my experiences. I don’t know what to do,so I asked some other people.

Susanne Piva, a soon-to-be graduate of the Recreation andLeisure program at Niagara College’s Welland campus, saysher program provides placement at different places each term,so she has already found the areas in which she wants to starther career. She says that she is “excited” to start a new career,although the 40-plus-year-old woman from Niagara Falls saysthat she has a “fear of finding a job.”

I have a lot of areas where I want to work. I want to be aphotographer. I want to paginate. I want to write scripts forradio and television. I want to write for a magazine. Wheredo I begin?

I guess I shouldn’t stress about it so much. I should prob-

ably just go with the flow, right?I guess I’ll apply to a few different avenues in the jour-

nalism field and see where it takes me.Rossi Perry, 19, of Thorold, will be graduating from the

Computer Technician program.“I just hope I pass my classes this year,” he says. That

made me think.What if I don’t make it? Some of my friends have

dropped out of the program because of low marks. It’s a lit-tle scary.

I am quite confident that I will pass all my classes, butyou just never know what’s going to happen.

I guess the only thing to do, not trying to sound clichéd,is just go with the flow. I will work hard, try my best andwhatever happens, happens.

Many of us are starting to find the reality of this blister-ing cold weather to be just a little cumbersome.

It’s the frostbitten walks to and from school. It’s theinconvenience of waking up 15 minutes early to heat up thecar’s interior. It’s fighting whiteout conditions in order toget to work on time, arriving only to find that your usualparking spot, today, resembles something along the lines ofMount Everest. The regular snowplow guy is on holiday thisweek, and the fill-in didn’t really give a damn about keep-ing your space clean and user-ready.

Ah, the inconsiderate nuisance we have come to knowand hate, Winter.

Rather than dealing with the inconvenience of winter,we seek refuge and warmth in our respective homes.

We try our best to get through our daily routine as quick-ly as possible. Upon arriving home, we quickly curl up bythe fireplace, sip some hot chocolate and maybe read a bookor watch some television before heading up to the one placewhere we can find some solace: our beds.

There’s nothing quite like a nice comforter, along withsome extra blankets and fluffy pillows, to take advan-tage of after a gruelling day of winter.

During these colder months, we can, almost daily, be foundwhining and complaining about how miserable it is outside.

We need to stop and think for a minuteabout how good most of us have it.

While we are busy divulging our struggles toeach other, the homeless are seeking shelter andwarmth on the streets.

While we are enjoying all of the amenitiesgranted to us through mortgages and landlords,the homeless seek out a heat grate to keep fromfreezing to death.

While we are eating nice homecookedmeals, the homeless are rummaging throughtrash cans, looking for scraps of food thatsomeone might have thrown away.

The issue of homelessness is not a new one,nor will it be solved any time soon. With over$180 million of federal government moneybeing poured into the Toronto homeless issuethis year alone, it’s obvious that some peopleare trying to fight this epidemic. That’s not thepoint.

If only certain groups in society (such as theUnited Way) are trying to solve this problem,it will never be solved.

If we plan to fix the global problem ofhomelessness anytime soon, we need a start-ing point. All of us need to recognize just howgood we have it. When we are all able to rec-ognize this, it’s then that we can decide,together as one universal union, how to fix theproblem.

Until then, I guess we’ll continue to complainabout the cold and buy nice pillows to sleep on.

With the Super Bowl now long gone, all that remains of astellar match between two of the National Football League’sbest teams is expensive commercials and performer JanetJackson’s bodacious boob.

During the Super Bowl half-time show, produced by MusicTelevision (MTV) and aired by CBS, viewers worldwide

caught a peak of Jackson’s breast as singer Justin Timberlake,(probably acting on a fantasy he had with former girlfriendsinger Britney Spears,) ripped off a portion of Jackson’s shirt,tying up the phones at CBS Television for hours.

Complaint after complaint by irate viewers was dealt withby CBS personnel.

Seriously unhappy American (and I bet some Canadian)viewers with nothing better to do but complain about abreast dialed in.

Now the American Federal CommunicationsCommission’s officials ponder whether or not to fine thestations for airing the “offensive” moment.

I wonder how many people called the White House whenit was proven that no weapons of mass destruction were

found in Iraq, contrary to initial belief.You can threaten them with wars, guns and bombs, and

they won’t blink.But flash the Americans some skin, and watch out!If I were a terrorist I’d know what to do to infuriate the

keepers of America’s culture.It wouldn’t involve suicide bombings, chemical war-

fare or flying an airplane into a building.It would involve me shaking it down 1600

Pennsylvania Ave. naked as could be, sending nude pic-tures of myself to the president hoping that my nakedbody forces him into retirement.

Listen up, America; if you’re going to complain abouta boob, you’re going to look like a boob.

Columns

Graduate-to-be stressed about future

Give me shelter from winter cold

Super Bowl finished, why isn’t Jackson?

Journalists, including those in the Journalism-Print program at Niagara College, are taught that their reporting must bebalanced, fair and as objective as possible. That rule must also exist for columns written by reporters. In columns, the

feelings and opinions of reporters are welcome, but balance, fairness and objectivity must never be disregarded or treatedlightly. Our columns, which are clearly identified as such, do not reflect the opinions or feelings of the Niagara College

administration or the management of the Niagara News. Columns reflect the opinion of only one person: the writer.

By IAN SHANTZStaff Writer

Column

By SARAH ALLINGHAMStaff Writer

Column

By BEAU CALLAGHANStaff Writer

Column

Pho

to il

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ratio

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Ian

Sha

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Page 6, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

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❑ Schnitzel Tavern

Best Subs❑ Columbo’s Subs

❑ Ed’s Subs

❑ Mr. Submarine

❑ Quizno’s

❑ Rosalie’s Deli

❑ Subway

❑ Subs Plus

Best Chinese Food❑ Canton House

❑ Ho-Lee-Chow

❑ Kimono’s

❑ Kim Court

❑ Lung Yu

❑ Red Rice Buffet

Student’sWe want to know what you think. We’re asking readers to cast their votes and choose the best in Niagara. Fill out the formbelow and drop it into the box at your SAC office or any office mail bin. You could win one of our prizes.

Awards

Best Sports Bar

❑ All Stars Tap & Grill

❑ Benchwarmers

❑ Flats

❑ Moose & Goose

❑ Players

❑ Somebuddy’s

❑ Wrigley’s Field

Best Fast Food❑ A&W

❑ Burger King

❑ Harveys

❑ KFC

❑ McDonalds

❑ Taco Bell

❑ Wendys

Best Pizza❑ Boston Pizza

❑ Gino’s Pizza

❑ HD Pizza

❑ Mossimo’s Pizza

❑ Pete’s Pizza

❑ Pizza Hut

❑ Pizza Pizza

Best Grocery Store❑ A&P

❑ Commisso’s

❑ Food Basics

❑ No Frills

❑ Pupos

❑ Sobeys

❑ Zehrs

Favourite DollarStore❑ A Buck or Two

❑ Dollarama

❑ Dollar Mart

❑ Dollar Wizard

❑ Loony Lizard

❑ Silver Dollar

Best Tattoos

❑ Artistic Impressions

❑ Heads Extreme

❑ Renegade Tattoo

❑ Sacred Flash

Best Hairstylists❑ Chrome

❑ Cut Plus

❑ First Choice

❑ Hair Hunters

❑ Hair Xtreme

❑ Magic Cuts

❑ Super Cuts

Best Pool Hall❑ Behind the Cue Ball

❑ Boomtown

❑ Brock Billiards

❑ Kam’s Billiards

❑ Madison’s

❑ Pendale Billiards

❑ Rack ‘N Roll

Top Tanning Spot❑ Arizona’s

❑ Bermuda Tan

❑ Electric Beach

❑ Fabutan

❑ Island Heat

❑ LA Tan

❑ Suntastic

Best Clothing Store

❑ American Eagle

❑ Campus Crew

❑ Old Navy

❑ Smart Set

❑ The Gap

❑ Value Village

❑ Winners

Best Place ForShoes❑ Aldo

❑ Footlocker

❑ Niagara Shoe Factory

Outlet

❑ Nike Factory Outlet

❑ Payless

❑ Transit

❑ Wal-Mart

Best Electronics ❑ Base Electronis

❑ ESM

❑ Future Shop

❑ Gibby’s

❑ Thomas Electronics

❑ Wal-Mart

❑ XS Cargo

Best Place For Jeans

❑ DynoMite

❑ Garage

❑ Jean Machine

❑ Old Navy

❑ Rikki’s

❑ Thrifty’s

❑ Warehouse One

Best Sports Store❑ Arlies

❑ Buckners

❑ Footlocker

❑ Front Row sports

❑ Gatters

❑ Sport Check

❑ Sports Obsession

Best Book Supplies❑ Campus Book Store

❑ Chapters

❑ Coles

❑ Office Depot

❑ Shoppers Drug Mart

❑ Staples

❑ Zellers

Best Music Store❑ Downtown Fine Music

❑ Central Music

❑ HMV

❑ Star Records

❑ That’s Entertainment

❑ Weirdorama

❑ Your Music Now

HELP US OUT AND FILL THIS OUTOnce you’re done, simply drop it in any inter-office mailbox or look for the ballotboxes in your SAC Office.To win a prize please complete the following;

Name: _________________________________________________________

Campus: ________________________________________________________

Phone Number: __________________________________________________

Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 7

By CASANDRABELLEFEUILLE

Staff WriterWith cigarette prices rising and

the Ontario government pushingfor a smoke-free province, Leavethe Pack Behind may see anincrease in the number of peopletrying to quit smoking.

Leave the Pack Behind is anorganization run at NiagaraCollege’s Welland campus andGlendale campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Brock University inSt. Catharines.

Information about the programcan be received through Carolyn

Gould, health nurse in L20 at thecollege’s Welland campus, andChristine Philbrick, health nurse inW105 at the Glendale campus.

“Leave the Pack Behind is soimportant for our students becauseit gives them an on-campus sup-port group,” says Gould.

She says it takes an average ofsix attempts before someone iscompletely successful at quitting.

“Not to discourage anyone,there are some people who canquit on the first try.”

Bobbi Petherick, campus co-ordinator for Leave the PackBehind, says, “I think you’ll see a

decrease in smokers. More peopleare becoming conscious with theirhealth.”

Petherick, a second-year studentin the Business Administration –Marketing Co-op program, saysdisplay booths can often be foundset up around the college.

“I definitely agree with the gov-ernment pushing for a smoke-freeprovince. I hear complaints ofnon-smokers having to walkthrough entrances filled withsmoke.”

According to Health Canada’swebsite, http://www.hc-s c . g c . c a / h e c s -

sesc/tobacco/facts/risk.html, theaverage smoker will die abouteight years earlier than a similarnon-smoker. The life expectancyimproves after a smoker quits.

Only 18 per cent of youthbelieve the proven statistic thatabout 45,000 Canadians die eachyear as a result of tobacco use.

For more information on smok-ing or on quitting smoking, contactthe Welland campus Health Centreat extension 7635, the Glendalecampus Health Centre at extension4449, or visit the organization’swebsite at http://www.leavethep-ackbehind.org.

Leave the Pack Behind helps smokers quit

CAROLYN GOULD

By SARAH WEGELINStaff Writer

Calling 211!A notice from the 211

Implementation Task Group mem-bers asks that all InformationOntario members and OntarioUnited Ways contact their localMPP to get 211 put on the nextprovincial budget’s agenda.

The telephone number 211 pro-vides free, confidential, multilin-gual access to the full range ofcommunity, social, health andgovernment services.

Calls to 211 are answered by

trained 211 counsellors who assesseach caller’s needs and link themto the best available informationand services 24 hours a day, sevendays a week.

This 211 service began in theUnited States in 1997 in Atlanta,Ga. It expanded throughout theStates and, a nationwide statusreport states, serves 70 millionAmericans, 25 per cent of the pop-ulation. There are 86 active 211systems in 24 states.

By providing information aboutand referrals to the human serviceagencies, 211 helps people obtain

assistance from food banks, cloth-ing closets, shelters, health insur-ance programs, Medicaid (in theU.S.) and maternity help, drug andalcohol rehabilitation, financialassistance, job training, transporta-tion assistance, adult day care,Meals on Wheels, home healthcare, child care, after-school pro-grams, head start family resourcecentres, summer camps and recre-ation programs.

The service has been availableto people who live in Toronto inthe 416 and 674 area codes since2002. InformOntario, United

Way of Ontario, CommunityInformation Toronto and UnitedWay of Greater Toronto com-pleted a comprehensive, year-long research project examininghow to deliver 211 to all Ontarioresidents.

The plan will result in the estab-lishment of eight RegionalInformation Centres to answerOntario calls.

A single provincewide databaseand integrated telephone systemwould ensure consistent data man-agement, efficient system-widestaffing, and seamless client ser-vice, regardless of the caller’slocation, allowing, for example,someone in Windsor to find outabout services for an aging parentin Thunder Bay.

In Toronto, the 211 service,operated by Community

Information Ontario, hasanswered more than 500,000calls, records show. In a follow-up survey, 95 per cent of respon-dents said that they received thehelp they needed. The Internetsite at http://www.211Toronto.cahas more than 50,000 user visitsevery month.

Toronto officials had no provin-cial financial assistance when itintroduced the 211 service.

The United Way of GreaterToronto and CommunityInformation Toronto were able tosecure contributions from largefoundations, private donors andcorporate sponsors.

Because similar donor opportu-nities are extremely rare in otherOntario communities, InformationOntario is looking for provincialgovernment involvement.

211 new number for help in Niagara region

See our next edition

Friday, Feb. 13.

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By LINDSAY ALLBRIGHTStaff Writer

A Niagara College graduate istaking her education to a newlevel, not to mention a newcountry.

Camille Chaumont, of St.Catharines, is a graduate of theBusiness Administration —Marketing program, and a gradu-ate of the Tourism Development(Post-graduate) program, both atthe Glendale campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Working in the InternationalEducation department as an inter-national project assistant,Chaumont says her job is merely“a stepping stone.”

Chaumont returned to the col-lege after being the first studenthere to go to Lithuania on a six-month internship. She is now theco-ordinator for the Lithuania pro-ject scheduled for early February.

Chaumont has hired two stu-dents from the college to accom-pany her overseas. Melissa Harley,of St. Catharines, a graduate of theHotel and Restaurant Managementprogram, and Erin Bogues, ofFenwick, Ont., a graduate of theSpecial Event Management (Post-graduate) program, are in theTourism Development (Post-grad-uate) program.

Bogues says the women areleaving for Lithuania with the“goal of helping to bridge the gapbetween education and industry.We will be spending three weekswith the students, giving themreal-life examples and preparingcase study projects.”

The three will travel toLithuania for three weeks wherethey are each assigned a task.

Harley will work with the HotelTakijos Neris, which has plans toimprove tourism numbers in timefor the country to join theEuropean Union. Its goal is to

develop tourism to ensure successafter the unification.

“Right now, I am very excited tobe working on a project fromNiagara College that will allow meto use my skills practically,” saysHarley.

She says it’s disconcerting to seegraduates leave college and haveto work their way up from the bot-tom. “Through this experience, Iam hoping to improve and provemy capabilities.”

Bogues will be working withthird-year students at Kaunus

College in the city of Kaunus,Lithuania, to develop a brand forKaunus to sell itself as a tourismdestination.

“This is a very exciting time inmy life right now, and I am sograteful to the InternationalDepartment at the college and theTourism Development (Post-grad-uate) program for allowing me totake part in this project,” saysBogues.

She adds she hopes to increaseawareness of the Kaunas Collegetourism programs in the communi-ty and add value to NiagaraCollege’s tourism programs by

returning with a project that can beused as a case study.

Chaumont says her job is tooversee the women and their pro-jects and help them adjust to theirnew and different surroundings.“I’m here to help reduce the cul-ture shock.”

“Erin and I are very eager tobe immersed in a different cul-ture and share our knowledgewith the students of KaunasCollege in Lithuania,” saysHarley. “We will be workingtogether with them on a projectwithin the tourism industry.

“Most importantly, we are veryhappy that the InternationalDepartment at Niagara Collegehas given us this great opportunitythat will give us more experienceand learning than we had everhoped to achieve from ourTourism Development program.”

“The college is very pleased andproud to be able to work with itsfunding partners to provide thesekinds of extraordinary internshipopportunities for our students andgraduates,” said Darrell Neufeld,the college’s manager of corporatecommunications.

Neufeld says the internshipsprovide students with great learn-ing and work experiences and achance for highly rewarding cross-cultural exchanges.

The internship is fundedthrough the Partnership forTomorrow Program that runsthrough the Association ofUniversities and Colleges ofCanada.

When she returns fromLithuania, Chaumont says shehopes to find a job that requiresmore hands-on work rather thanadministrative work.

She says her job here is “ greatas a first real job experience.”

“This is preparing me for thenext job I take on.”

CAMILLE CHAUMONT

College graduate takes education on road

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Great Rooms Near CampusGreat Rooms Near CampusIn fully renovated homes

Groups of up to 8

www.CastlesFor Students.com905-32-4-RENT

Want to Know The Real Truth?THINK LIGHT CIGARETTESARE HEALTHIER FOR YOU?

Tar(Stuff that kills you)

Regular Light

32.9 mg 32.1 mg

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Ant poison, insecticide, nail pol-ish remover, carbon monoxide...

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THINK AGAINLEAVE THE PACK BEHIND

Glendale CampusNurse - Christine PhilbrickHealth Services W105905-641-2252 ext 4449

Welland CampusNurse - Carolyn GouldHealth Services Lundy 20905-735-2211 ext. 7635

By RYAN FARKASand MIKE O’DROWSKY

Staff WritersMany controversial issues have

been debated for millennia. Civilrights, capital punishment and awoman’s right to bear a fetus or abortit are some examples. Just like these,there is one that cannot seem to beresolved: the medicinal, recreationaland industrial use of marijuana.

The issue covers many aspects.The purely scientific analysis of theactive ingredients that are the drug’sallure, the medical impact on thehuman body and its chemistry, itshistorical roots as an elixir of warand a tool of propaganda, the politi-cal debate whether to criminalize useand possession or bow to a growingpublic demand to legalize it. Theissue reaches into all political, judi-cial and governmental levels. It is acomplex and evolving target.

CHARACTERISTICSCannabis is the generic term for all

derivatives of the cannabis plantincluding marijuana, hashish andhash oil. The psychoactive ingredi-ent in the cannabis plant is Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonlyknown as THC.

Marijuana’s most sought afterTHC-produced effects include aserene feeling of euphoria, relax-ation, enhanced sensory perception(especially aural) and a general senseof well being.

After reaching the full “high,” theuser will have an increased appetite(a.k.a. the munchies), become highlytalkative and encounter psychomotorimpairment and time distortion (30minutes may feel like three hours).

Medical studies have shown thatheavy pot use over an extended peri-od of time increases the risk of lungcancer and chronic bronchitis while

decreasing interest and motivation inongoing activities such as school orwork.

According to Arthur Gibson, pro-fessor of the University of Californiaat Los Angeles Organismic Biology,Ecology and Evolution division,being a hallucinogen, THC’s poten-tial therapeutic purposes includemanaging chronic pain, relievingnausea and vomiting stemming fromchemotherapy, stimulating appetiteto relieve the AIDS wasting syn-drome, alleviating glaucoma, calm-ing epileptic muscle spasms anddecreasing spasticity arising frommultiple sclerosis.

Marijuana and hemp have beenused recreationally and industriallyfor close to 10,000 years. Hemp is astrain of the cannabis plant with asignificantly lower THC contentthan marijuana.

Hemp is the world’s strongest nat-ural fibre. It is an extremely versatileresource that can be used in a widevariety of practical applications.Hemp can be used as an alternativeto most cotton, timber and petroleumproducts. It can also be used to makebuilding materials, personal hygieneproducts and food for humans andanimals.

HISTORY’S VIEWThe Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung

wrote the earliest known documenta-tion of marijuana use in 2737 BC. Itwas listed in a pharmacopoeia as aprescription to cure the symptoms ofsuch ailments as beriberi, constipa-tion, “female weakness,” gout,malaria, rheumatism and absent-mindedness.

The use of marijuana as an intoxi-cant was first documented in Indiaaround 1000 BC. It was ingestedeither in the form of a drink calledbhang or smoked in the form of

hashish, a block of pressed resin cul-tivated from the leaves of the plant. Itwas typically used at weddings andreligious ceremonies as a means ofintoxication.

One myth often cited as one of thereasons behind marijuana’s negativereputation is the “Myth of theAssassins.” Marco Polo, returningfrom his voyage to the Far East, toldthe tale of a Muslim leader namedHasan-I-Sabbah who would give hisfollowers doses of hashish beforethey would carry out murders. Theword “assassin” is said to be a deriv-ative of the word “hashish.”

Since Mohammed had forbiddenalcohol consumption in 800 AD,Muslims often ingested marijuana asa means of relaxation. In 1000 AD,Muslims began to produce hashishfor its medicinal properties.

When the cannabis plant wasintroduced to North America is amatter of conjecture. Some histori-ans say it was brought over bySpanish traders or British suppliersin the 1600s. Another common beliefhas it coming by way of trade routesfrom Asia.

Marijuana first gained US crimi-nal notoriety in the 1920s and 1930s.It quickly became associated withthe blossoming African-Americanjazz scene and Mexican workerswho smoked it after grueling days ofwork, mainly picking crops in fields.In 1930, the U.S. government found-ed the Federal Bureau of Narcotics(FBN), headed by CommissionerHarry Anslinger. The FBN’s firstorder of business was to launch ananti-marijuana campaign, enrollingthe services of Hollywood and sever-al tabloid newspapers as well as alegitimate, nationwide newspaperchain owned by William RandolphHearst.

Anews bulletin issued by the FBNin the mid-30s and published inHearst’s newspapers states that auser of marijuana “becomes a fiendwith savage or ‘cave man’ tenden-cies. His sex desires are aroused andsome of the most horrible crimesresult. He hears light and sees sound.To get away from it, he suddenlybecomes violent and may kill.”

The Marihuana Tax Act was insti-tuted in 1937. During this year,Anslinger lobbied frantically to vari-ous levels of the U.S. government tohave the act passed. During a hearingwith the Senate, Anslinger said,“There are 100,000 total marijuanasmokers in the U.S., and most areNegroes, Hispanics, Filipinos andentertainers. Their Satanic music,jazz and swing, result from marijua-na usage. This marijuana causeswhite women to seek sexual rela-tions with Negroes, entertainers andany others.” Anslinger further wenton to say, “Marijuana is an addictivedrug which produces in its usersinsanity, criminality, and death,” and,“Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history ofmankind.”

USE AND CONTROLEven with marijuana prohibition

being front-lined by the UnitedStates, use has grown exponentially.

A study released by the United

Nations (UN) in 1998 estimated thetotal number of people in the worldwho had smoked marijuana withinthe last year was close to 141.2 mil-lion people, or 2.45 per cent of theworld’s population. The next closestranking drugs used were ampheta-mines, being four times less preva-lent than marijuana. The only drugson the list with a higher user rate thanmarijuana were sedatives.

According to the report, between1990 and 1996, global seizures ofmarijuana had topped 17,734 tons,with police seizures of hashish top-ping 5,891 tons. Sixty-nine per centof the seizures occurred in theAmericas. The study concluded thatmarijuana’s prevalence over suchdrugs as cocaine and heroin is due tomarijuana’s ability to grow in vary-ing climates and conditions.

The most trying component of themarijuana trade is enforcement. Asof 2002, the RCMP has over 1,000people dedicated to drug lawenforcement countrywide. With over600,000 dedicated pot smokers inCanada, police catch less than oneper cent and more than half of thoseget off with a warning.

All marijuana seized by enforce-ment agencies cannot be used forresearch purposes due to possiblehealth risks. The source of the drug,and possible contaminants, are miti-gating factors in this decision.

According to the United States-Canada Border Drug ThreatAssessment (USCBDTA), Canada isbecoming an increasingly larger sup-plier of marijuana to the UnitedStates.

“The USCBDTA is a joint assess-ment of the common threat posed bythe cross-border drug trade.Numerous agencies and departmentsof both the United States and

Canadian governments participatedin its preparation,” according to theU.S. Department of Justice NationalDrug Intelligence Center (NDIC).

A U.S. Customs report stated thatin 1999, there were 1,228 seizures ofmarijuana from people coming intothe U.S., a total 0.35 metric tons ofmarijuana. In 2000, that numberjumped to 1,758 seizures, bringing in3.25 metric tons of marijuana.

The study, released in December2001, says, “Criminal groups basedin Canada have emerged as suppliersof high-grade marijuana to theUnited States.”

Outlaw motorcycle gangs like theHell’s Angels have held a monopolyon the illegal trafficking of marijua-na to our neighbours to the south. Inrecent years, Vietnamese and otherAsian criminal groups haveemerged, mostly in Western Canada,to rival that monopoly. Many “small-time, low-tech” suppliers have con-solidated their efforts to gain a pieceof the U.S. market.

As stated by the DrugEnforcement Agency (DEA), apound of marijuana emanating fromBritish Columbia, highly regardedfor its potency, sells for between$1,500 to $2,000 Cdn. in downtownVancouver. The same marijuanasmuggled into the United States,however, can sell for upwards of$5,000 of $8,000 US in major met-ropolitan areas.

Counting Canada, there are fourmajor suppliers of marijuana to theU.S. The other three are Jamaica,Mexico and Colombia. Mexican andColombian growers produce an esti-mated 10,000 metric tons of marijua-na per year. With an estimated 7,500metric tons of that yield going to theU.S., Canada supplies significantly

Page 8, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

Marijuana, a strange and terrible saga

An unidentified marijuana grower displays two garbage bags fullof pot.

Photo by Mike O’Drowsky

Special Feature

By RYAN FARKAS and MIKE O’DROWSKY

Staff WritersLike any culture, the marijuana culture is complete with its own lan-

guage and terms. The Office of National Drug Control Policy in theUnited States has compiled a list of terms outlining slang terms for mar-ijuana, marijuana use and related paraphernalia.

Marijuana slang

General slang terms:3750 - marijuana and crackrolled into a joint.420 - marijuana use.Airhead - a marijuana user.Black Gold - high quality marijuana.Blaxing - to smoke marijuana.Black ganga - marijuana resin.Bogart a joint - salivate on amarijuana cigarette; refuse toshare.Clicker - Crack mixed with PCP;marijuana dipped in formalde-hyde and smoked.Jim Jones - marijuana laced withcocaine and PCP.Macaroni and Cheese - $5 ofmarijuana and a dime bag ofcocaine.Mow the Grass - smoke marijuana.Tray - $3 bag of marijuana.Up Against the Stem - addicted

to smoking marijuana.

Slang marijuana names:Babysitter, bo-bo, canappa, cheeba,ditch, endo, firewood, gangster,griffo, hooch, Juan Valdez, jive,killer green bud (KGB), loco, maryjane, meg, mo, northern lights, pre-tendica, reefer, Righteous Bush,rose marie, schwagg, sinsemilla,texas tea, woo blunts.

Slang joint names:Ace, Aunt Mary, blanket, bomber,burnie, cripple, doobie, happy cig-arette, illy, jive stick, log, mightymezz, panatella, rocket, spliff.

All obtained from Office ofNational Drug Control Policy:http://www.whitehousedrugpoli-cy.gov/streetterms/ByType.asp?intTypeID=1. Continued on page 9

Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 9

Special Feature

less marijuana than others butremains in high demand because ofits consistently high potency.

The Canada Border ServicesAgency (CBSA) has several tools atits disposal for dealing with drugtrafficking. “The detector dogs areused for vehicles, individuals andcommercial vehicles,” said JeanD’Amelio Swyer, communicationsmanager for Canada Customs andRevenue Canada. “The detectordogs will sniff out where the drugsare, and if he finds them, he will sit.If there were 10 people and one per-son had drugs on them, he would sitbeside that person indicating that thatperson has drugs.”

The CBSA started its DetectorDog Service in 1978 and primarilyuses Labrador retrievers.

Other tools used by the CBSAinclude the Vehicle and CargoInspection System (VACIS). VACISwas acquired by Customs, NiagaraFalls — Fort Erie Division in 2003and is a “truck-mounted, gamma raymobile scanning system,” used onmarine containers, rail cars andtrucks. VACIS eliminates the need toconduct manual searches by provid-ing a scanned image of the contentsof a container. The scan revealsshades representing specified con-tents in the containers.Inconsistencies in the shades repre-sent anomalies, like drugs orweapons. Other tools used byCustoms include X-ray machinesand ion scanners.

These weapons against cross-bor-der traffic have proven to be effec-tive. Of the 7,614,842 passenger andcommercial vehicles to cross the bor-der in 2003, the Niagara Falls —Fort Erie Division Customs officialsmade 2,032 seizures. Six hundredand fifty-two of those seizures werefor drugs. The combined value of alldrug seizures at the Niagara Falls —Fort Erie Division border in 2003was an impressive $7,011,001.

GROW HOUSESMuch of the marijuana going to

the U.S. comes from illegal growhouses maintained in Canada.Marijuana grown indoors is of ahigher grade because the conditionsunder which it is grown can be easi-

ly manipulated to maximize yields.Most grow houses are found in resi-dential areas to deflect suspicions ofgovernment officials.

A grow house is a costly operationto maintain and is fraught with inher-ent dangers. To grow marijuanaindoors, a high-powered lightingsystem is required, along with prop-er water and air circulation. Largeamounts of electricity are needed tokeep a grow house in operation. Thiselectricity is usually illegally divert-ed from other homes in the commu-nity to keep the hydro companiesfrom noticing abnormal amounts ofhydro going to one building.

However, a surplus of electricitycombined with a steady flow ofwater can lead to electrocution andelectrical fires. The overuse of elec-tricity can also result in power surgesand blown transformers.

Another danger, usually morecommon in outdoor grow opera-tions, is the use of booby-traps.Growers will often rig trip wires toguns or other explosive devices todeter other people from “raidingtheir crop.”

In 2002, the Niagara RegionalPolice Service’s Morality Unit andStreet Crime Unit successfullyuncovered and dismantled 50indoor-marijuana grow operations.The Niagara region especially is ahotbed of marijuana-related activitybecause of its close proximity to theU.S. border.

On Jan. 13, 2004, the largestgrow operation in Canadian his-tory was discovered in Barrie,Ont., in an old Molson brewery.There were an estimated 30,000plants yielding upwards of $100million worth of yearly contra-band. The growing facility wasclose to 6,000 square metres, orabout half the brewery’s size.Twenty-five beer vats were con-verted into incubation chamberswhere temperature and humiditycould be controlled with preciseaccuracy.

CHANGING LEGISLATIONWith increasing costs in law

enforcement, cumbersome judicialchallenges and a changing publicperception of costs versus benefits,Canadian federal politicians areresponding.

Recently introduced was legisla-tion decriminalizing recreationalmarijuana use. The CanadianCannabis Reform Bill seeks to cre-ate alternative penalties against pos-session of small amounts of pot andnew, tougher penalties against largemarijuana grow operations.

Possession of 15 grams or lesswould result in a $150 ticket for anadult and $100 for a youth. Fifteen to30 grams brings either a $150 ticketor a summons to court. As a furtherdeterrent, greater penalties, $400 foran adult and $250 for a youth, areissued if mitigating factors are pre-sent including possession while dri-ving an automobile, while on schoolgrounds or while committing a moreserious offense. The police wouldnotify the parents of youths under theage of 18 who are arrested andcharged with a marijuana-relatedoffence.

Grow operations are being tar-geted with intensified scrutiny;the penalty for being caughtgrowing more than 50 plantswould double from seven to 14years of prison. Twenty-five to50 plants could result in 10 yearsof jail time, four to 25 plantsbrings a possible $25,000 fineand/or 18 months in jail and oneto three plants would yield a$5,000 fine and/or three monthsin jail. Increased punishmentwould be doled out if there werea risk of danger to children, useof traps or explosives, use ofland belonging to others or cre-ating a safety hazard in a resi-dential area.

On Dec. 20, 2002, the House ofCommons Special Committee on theNon-Medical Use of Drugs issued areport that helped to further theCannabis Reform Bill. The commit-tee said that while marijuana use is“unhealthy,” the current criminalpenalties for possession and use ofsmall amounts are “disproportionate-ly harsh.”

Health Canada has been veryclear in stating, “The Government ofCanada believes that in the interest ofhealth, cannabis use must remainillegal.” However, two reports, onegovernment funded and one inde-pendent, have shown that cannabisuse is much less toxic than previousstudies have shown.

The Senate Committee on IllegalDrugs released its controversialreport in early September 2002 rec-ommending that the federal govern-ment make smoking pot legal andwipe clean the record of anyone con-victed of possession.

Senator Pierre Claude Nolin said,“Scientific evidence overwhelming-ly indicates that cannabis is substan-tially less harmful than alcohol andshould be treated not as a criminalissue but as a social and public healthissue.”

In the same report, it was statedthat marijuana was found not to be agateway to harder drugs such ascocaine and heroin. Less than 10 percent of users become addicted tomarijuana and a lot of public moneyis spent on law enforcement eventhough public policies don’t seem todiscourage the use of the drug.

Bolstering support for changinglegislation is a Fraser Institute analy-sis of public views.

PUBLIC OPINIONVERSUS WORLD OPINION

The institute, one of Canada’smost enduring think tanks, has foundthat Canadians’ views on marijuanahave shifted towards decriminaliza-tion in the last 15 years.

In 1987, during U.S. PresidentRonald Reagan’s stay in the WhiteHouse, Canadians agreed withReagan’s tough stance on drugs with61 per cent of the public againstdecriminalized marijuana.

Throughout the 1990s societybecame more individualistic andopinionated with the advancementsin personal computers and Internetuse. This ushered in the informationage allowing for an infinite numberof forums worldwide. Society beganto show sensitivity to the decriminal-ization argument and by 1997 thenumber opposed had shriveled to 46per cent. Seventy-one per cent ofthose initially opposed to decriminal-ization said it should not be a crimi-nal offence if marijuana were usedfor health purposes. Canada becamethe first country to regulate medici-nal marijuana five years later.

Carolyn Gould, a registered nurseat Niagara College says, “I agreewith restrictions for the use of pot forwanton use, but for medicinal pur-poses, I think it’s a crying shame.”

The institute also found that thoseunder the age of 55 are much moreliberal towards decriminalizationthan those over 55. A theory toexplain this gap is the baby boomergeneration’s upbringing in 1960sculture where marijuana wasn’t sim-ply part of the hippie culture; it wasthe hippie culture.

The report closes with a hopefultone: “As attitudes grow more liber-al, there’s a clear need and opportu-nity to focus the debates and educatethe public, moving away from thehysteria of reefer madness andtowards some discussion of the prop-er measures to apply to the drugissue in Canada.”

If there’s one place where a gov-ernment succeeds, there’s anotherwhere it almost inevitably fails. In arecent Health Canada study, only 22per cent of teenagers between theages of 15 to 19 say they smoke cig-arettes on a regular basis while 54per cent have smoked marijuana atleast twice.

Recent price hikes and tougheridentification checks in stores haveturned teens off cigarettes at thesame time that obtaining marijuanain high school has become the mostaccessible it’s been in 10 years.

The UN General Assemblycalled for its 20th special session tobe held in June 1998.

The topic at hand was the “WorldDrug Problem.” According to UNSecretary General Kofi Annan’sforeword in the World Drug Report,the problem “demands a determinedand international response.” Annanfurther stated that the “basis for suchaction lies in the three internationaldrug control treaties and their imple-mentation by the United NationsInternational Drug ControlProgramme.”

The three international drug con-trol treaties Annan was referring toare The Single Convention ofNarcotic Drugs of 1961, TheConvention on PsychotropicSubstances of 1971 and TheConvention Against the Illicit Trafficin Narcotic Drugs and PsychotropicSubstances of 1988.

These treaties require membercountries to prohibit certain activitiesincluding the production, trafficking,importing and exporting of drugs.Countries must provide adequatepenalties including imprisonment forserious drug offences, but are free todetermine appropriate penalties forminor offences.

Currently, the American “war ondrugs” policy, according to theNDIC states: “The objectives of theU.S. drug control strategy are toreduce U.S. demand for illegal drugsand to reduce the supply of illegaldrugs to the United States. The fiveprimary goals developed to aid inachieving these objectives are to (1)educate and enable America’s youthto reject illegal drugs as well as alco-hol and tobacco; (2) increase thesafety of America’s citizens by sub-stantially reducing drug-relatedcrime and violence; (3) reduce healthand social costs to the public of ille-gal drug use; (4) shield America’s air,land, and sea frontiers from the drugthreat; and (5) break foreign anddomestic drug sources of supply.”

“The ingestion of chemicals toalter consciousness has been part ofevery culture and epoch in humanhistory, and this is likely to becomemore so as technologic change racesahead. Thus, the idea of a drug-freesociety is just as ridiculous as theidea of a crime-free society, or a soci-ety free of broken marriages. Thevery best one can do is mitigate theill effects of drugs, crime, or brokenmarriages for all concerned.”

— Peter Cohen, PhD, head of theCenter for Drug Research at theUniversity of Amsterdam, address-ing the United Nations in Geneva,1993.

Pot smoker’s surveyBy RYAN FARKAS

and MIKE O’DROWSKYA random, non-scientific sur-

vey of 25 Niagara College stu-dents at the Welland campus whosmoke marijuana was recentlyconducted.

The survey’s purpose was todetermine the percentage of maleversus female users, average age,length of use and frequency of use.

Sixty-eight per cent of peoplewho responded to the surveywere male.

The average age of the peoplesurveyed was 19 years old. Theaverage length of time of mari-juana use was seven years, with60 per cent of users smoking the

intoxicant on a daily basis.The survey also asked the

amount of money spent on pur-chasing marijuana and relatedparaphernalia. The averagetotal spent on buying marijuanaby the participants of the sur-vey is $100.80 per month. Thehighest total spent on marijua-na/paraphernalia per month was$400, while the lowest wastotal zero.

The survey also asked partici-pants to supply a reason for theirsmoking marijuana. Some of theresponses given included “It’sfun,” “To get high,” “It helps merelax” and “Why wouldn’t Ismoke weed?”

A bong named Tony Bongtana.Photo by Ryan Farkas

Continued from page 8

Canadian pot in high demand down South

Beach PubBeach Pub@@@@

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Page 10, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004 Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 11

Emily Sankey, 20, Art and Design Fundamentals – GraphicDesign Production program student, Rev Gollop, 24,

Fitness and Health Promotion program student, and VickySullivan, 21, Police Foundations program student, bust a

move at the After Hours Beach Pub on Thursday, Jan. 29..

Chris Mills, 25, MechanicalEngineering

Technology program student, and Damian Robertson, 25, keep the peaceand watch the door at After Hours

Beach Pub.

Allan Suigu, 19, and BrieMitchell, 19, Paramedic

program student, enjoy adip in one of the two hottubs at the After Hours

Beach Pub.

Greg Vallentin, 21, a Journalism-Print program student, and Jay Rumley,

23, a Journalism-Print program student, are kicking back and enjoying a brew.

Pag

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ion

by C

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rong

Page 12, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

Free, confidential healthadvice from people

who are actually qualifiedto give it.

Telehealth Ontario1-866-797-0000TTY: 1-866 -797-0007

Free access to registered nurses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.www.HealthyOntario.com

By SUSAN LAMEYStaff Writer

A field placement required byNiagara College can turn into afull-time job.

John Robbins, a 2000 graduateof Niagara College’s Journalism-Print program, turned a four-weekfield placement with The NiagaraFalls Review into a full-time job.

Immediately following his fieldplacement in April 2000, Robbinswas hired for the summer by the

daily newspaper.“They indicated that should a

permanent opening come up theywanted to keep me,” Robbins said.“However, at that time it didn’tlook very good.”

By the end of the summer, threereporters left the paper for posi-tions elsewhere.

Robbins attributes being hiredfull-time partly to luck.

“You have to be at the right spotat the right time,” he said, “butyou’re the one responsible toimprove on the luck.”

“The college prepared me verywell,” he said. “I came with thebasics plus a few accessories. Thatand showing some initiative iswhy they hired me.”

Now 36 years old, Robbins tookthe long and winding road tobecoming a photojournalist.

Robbins, at 21, married his wifeSusan, who was attending Niagara

College’s Early ChildhoodEducation program. Robbins wasattending university taking philos-ophy and classics. When the econ-omy took a slump in 1991, unableto afford to pay for two tuitionsand with Susan closer to gradua-tion, Robbins left university andwent to work for his in-laws ontheir dairy farm in Ridgeway.

After graduation, when Susangot a job in Fort Erie, they decidedto make the border town theirhome.

When the in-laws sold the farm,Robbins was out of work, and thefirst job he could find was in con-struction.

Still trying to decide what hewanted to do, Robbins developedan interest in local politics, whichput him in contact with newspa-pers where he met Gail Todd, theeditor of The Fort Erie Times-Review, now called The Times.Todd encouraged Robbins towrite. In 1994, Robbins startedwriting columns and branched intowriting freelance pieces for theweekly community newspaper.

Having expanded into reporting,Robbins was assigned to cover the100,000-person rally held inMontreal, in 1995, just before thereferendum vote. It was then heknew reporting was what he want-ed to do.

It took Robbins another threeyears before he entered NiagaraCollege in 1998.

Previous work experiences givehim insight into a story that anoth-er reporter may not have, but eachreporter offers a point of view thatcan be beneficial to the readers,Robbins said.

“So much of what we do asreporters comes from instinct, andthat instinct comes from experi-ences that we have as individuals,”he said. “Your experiences andplace in the world give you aunique perspective. You can look

for stories in areas where there-aren't already other reporters look-ing." There is always something tolearn and there’s always a chal-lenge in this profession.

Through the challenges ofreporting, journalists are exposedto very distressing circumstances,

but there are rewarding ones too,he said.

“Whether the circumstances arehappy or distressful, having confi-dence is the way to deal with emo-tionally stressful situations. Youhave to know you and you havethe right to report the things youare writing about.”

However, confidence waneswhen the story you have sweatedover is criticized, he says.

“The key to dealing with criti-cism is keeping your ego incheck,” Robbins said.

“You can change a lot of thingsthrough the media, and you canalso screw a lot of things up.”

People are not criticizing yourwriting skills, he says; they arecriticizing that you wrote some-thing. “It’s not personal,” Robbins

said.Sometimes when you are wrong

you have to be willing to admitthat, he said. “It’s not Clark Kentand Peter Parker all the time.”

Robbins advises that part offinding a balance in reporting is todo self-criticism by looking backover a story and finding weakness-es.

Keep things in perspective,because if it is a big story today, itmight not be tomorrow.

While in college, he and hisclassmates spent hours debatingwhat they would do if they werefirst on an accident scene, Robbinssaid.

It was theoretical then. “You aregoing to sort out ethics real darnquick when your tires hit thisroad.” He cites an example.

Responding to a fire call overthe office scanner about a multi-ple-car accident on the QEW withsix or seven casualties, Robbinsgrabbed his camera bag and wasoff to the scene of the accident.Not knowing the exact location,Robbins headed to where hethought the accident was, passinga fire rescue truck getting ready toattend the accident.

Seeing the rescue truckapproach his car, Robbins pulledover to let the vehicle go by. Hethought it was a perfect situation.The rescue truck would lead himright to the scene.

Taking a different turn, Robbinssaw the rescue truck go throughthe intersection about 100 feet infront of him and collide side-onwith a Greyhound bus with 70 pas-sengers on board. The rescuetruck’s impact lifted the bus intothe air before it finally came to ahalt on its side.

Unlike the ethical debates incollege when he could never makehis mind up about what to do beingthe first person on an accidentscene, Robbins said, it sorted itself

out “real quick when you see a buson its side and firefighters hangingout their window.”

Still on the job, the dilemma forRobbins was this: “What do I do?I have a camera in my hand. Do Ihelp people or do I take pictures?”

“It was an immediate humanreaction. Instinctively, I put thecamera down and started helpingpeople.”

Once other people arrived on thescene to help and take over,Robbins picked up his camera anddid what he was being paid to do— he became a reporter/photogra-pher.

As a witness to the accident,Robbins had to limit himself totaking pictures. Interviewing peo-ple about the accident could tainthis account of the accident.Robbins called the newspaper edi-tors and asked them to send downother reporters to do interviews.

“Our job is to get the story with-out becoming part of the story,” hesaid. “You have to try not tochange the circumstances by beingthere.”

Five years from now, Robbinssees himself still being in Fort Erieand writing for The Niagara FallsReview.

One of the reasons he was soadamant about doing his place-ment at The Niagara Falls Reviewis that he has lived in only twoplaces in his life, Niagara Falls andFort Erie.

“I was born in Greater NiagaraFalls Hospital. I went to schooland graduated high school inNiagara Falls. I got married in achurch in Niagara Falls, boughtour first house in Fort Erie, and weare bringing up our children here,”he said.

“In a way, the paper was part ofmy life.

“What a privilege to cover thenews and the heartbeat of the onlytwo communities I ever lived in.”

Turning placements into jobs: ‘you just haveto be in the right place at the right time.’

“In a

way, the

paper was

part of my

life.”

— John Robbins

JOHN ROBBINS

File

pho

to

Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 13

Overcoming paralysis after surfing accidentBy ANDREA ST. PIERRE

Staff WriterAs the sun shone and the surf

rolled on a warm day in Mexico,gray skies clouded the lives ofPaul Portinari’s family as hecrashed like the waves into thebottom of the ocean.

On April 2, at approximately 11a.m., while vacationing with hiswife and two children in PuertoMorelos, Portinari, 42, ofMississauga, was involved in alife-altering accident.

The accident occurred whilePortinari was body surfing in thewaves with his son, Kevin, 17, ofGlengarry.

“I got to the top of the thirdwave and was leaning forwardwhen the wave disappearedbeneath me,” said Portinari. “I waspropelled forward into the beachand hit the bottom chin first. Iknew immediately the impact hadparalyzed me.”

Portinari was thrown around inthe surf and eventually settled facedown in the water.

“I could not move or get my headabove water. There was no panic. Ijust accepted the fact I was about todrown,” said Portinari.

While Portinari was in the water,his wife, Shari Saracino, 39, ofMississauga, was on the beach read-ing.

“I had read about a page and a halfof my book when all of a sudden Igot a weird feeling and all the hairson the back of my neck stood up,”said Saracino. “I sat up and couldn’tsee Paul so I got scared.”

Saracino jumped up and saw twomen running with Kevin towardsPortinari, who was floating in thewater.

When the men dragged Portinariout of the water, he was in full respi-ratory arrest.

“He was blue, very blue and hiseyes were so vacant,” said Saracino.“The first thing that came into mymind was, ‘He’s dead,’ the secondwas, ‘the kids,’ and the third was,‘Stay calm, he needs air now!’”

Instantly Saracino began artificialrespiration.

“I taught CPR when I was 20years old. I had never done it on alive person before, but everythingcame back so quickly,” saidSaracino.

While Saracino worked onPortinari, Kevin ran to call 911 andnotify his sister, Amanda Portinari,19, of Glengarry, as to what hap-pened.

“I was very proud of Kevin,” saidSaracino. “He was very quick think-ing and was able to step aside anddo what had to be done. He separat-ed himself from what was happen-ing and tried to be strong forAmanda.”

“I was worried as hell,” saidKevin. “I didn’t know what washappening really. All I knew wasmy dad was blue. I didn’t think real-ly. I just acted as fast as I could.”

When Amanda learned of herfather’s condition she sprinteddown to the water.

“Once I got to the beach, I sawkids playing in the sand so I thoughteverything must be OK. Kids can’tjust be playing in the sand if some-thing so awful was happening,” saidAmanda. “Then I saw my dad lay-ing on the beach. His body wasblack, and I completely freakedout.”

When Portinari started breathing

again, his family was relieved butthey were only at the beginning oftheir journey together.

Portinari’s neck was stabilizedand the ambulance transportedhim to the hospital in Playa delCarmen where X-rays were taken.

The doctor said everything wasfine but when the neurologistcame in, he sent Portinari to thehospital in Cancun for MagneticResonance Imaging (MRI).

Portinari had no feeling on hisright side and couldn’t move the

left side of his body.The MRI confirmed he had shat-

tered two vertebrae and torn hisspinal chord.

“They brought in an English-speaking doctor and he told mePaul needed surgery within 48hours,” said Saracino.

At this point Portinari was air-

lifted to the Ryder Trauma Clinicat Jackson Memorial Hospital inMiami, Fla. There was no room inthe plane for the children so theystayed in Mexico for the nightwhile Saracino accompanied herhusband to Miami.

Prior to leaving Mexico,Saracino phoned her brother, DaveSaracino, 43, of Florida, to ask ifhe could pick up the children at the

airport the following morning.“I felt a sense of urgency,” said

Dave. “My sister was in troubleand her husband could be critical-ly wounded. When something likethis happens, you don’t think; youact.”

Dave left immediately for thehospital that night and arrivedeight hours later to find his sisterstill wearing her bathing suit.

“When I hugged her I could feelshe was relieved and exhausted,but she still held it together,” said

Dave. “When I saw Paul on thetable, I didn’t know what wasgoing on but I felt he would pullthrough.”

Dr. Steve Vanni, an orthopedic andneural surgeon, performedPortinari’s surgery on April 3, at 3:30p.m.

“Dr. Vanni was amazing,” saidSaracino. “He explained everythingto us.”

“The doctor told us Paul had seri-ous damage in a tricky place and thatit was possible he could be paralyzedduring the surgery,” said Dave, “but,if everything went really well, hewould have full movement again.”

Once they learned the extent ofPortinari’s injuries, Saracino phonedhome and notified the rest of thefamily of his condition.

“I was shocked and disappointed.They were so excited for their trip,”said Saracino’s sister Mari-jane St.Pierre, of Welland. “They told me togo to our mother’s right away andtell her what happened.”

“The uncertainty before thesurgery, until it was over, was killingus all,” said Dave. “At a time likethis, you prepare yourself for theworst so the best can happen.”

After the surgery, Dr. Vannicame out and told them the surgerywas a success and that only timewould tell how much movementPortinari would regain.

Portinari progressed very rapid-ly after his surgery.

“The morning after the surgery,there was a tremendous turn-around and Paul has got strongerand healthier every day sincethen,” said Dave.

“One day my dad was strappedin a bed unable to move, and thenext day he was walking.

Walking!” said Amanda.Portinari’s brother Mark

Portinari, of Etobicoke, was inMiami within 24 hours of learningabout his brother’s accident fromtheir sister, Anne Sloan, ofBurlington.

“When I first saw Paul he wassitting in a chair upright with abrace around his neck,” saidMark. “When he saw me he stoodup and did a little dance to showme he was all right. Right thenand there, I knew in my heart he

would be OK.”From the moment of his acci-

dent Portinari was determined torecover.

“My positive outlook remainedfor the duration of my recoveryand is with me today,” said

Portinari.“Paul is an optimist. He always

makes the best of a bad situation,”said Sloan. “That is what helpedhim through this. The best way toget Paul to do something is to tellhim he can’t.”

When Sloan arrived in Miamione week after the accident, shesaid it was a huge relief to seePaul.

“I immediately phoned our sis-ter Lisa and my mother to tell themPaul really was doing well andthey weren’t just telling us thatbecause we were so far away,”said Sloan.

“Paul is very determined,” saidhis mother, Sheila Portinari. “Heaccepts no obstacles.”

“I was given certain parametersand beyond that there was nothing Icouldn’t do,” said Portinari.

Today Portinari has full motion ofhis right and left side, his balance hasreturned and he is capable of any-thing that doesn’t take explosivemuscle power.

“Anything I can’t do is tempo-rary,” said Portinari. “They thoughtmy recovery would take 14 monthsand I was back to work in less thanseven.”

“It’s very positive to watch Paulprogress as fast as he has,” saidSaracino. “It’s been emotional. Thefirst night we got home I kissed himgood night and I lost it. I started cry-ing and thinking what if I wouldhave come home without him.”

The accident has brought the fam-ily closer together, and Portinari’sreturn home on Easter weekend wasa special moment for everyone.

“His recovery is certainlynothing less than a miracle,”said Dave.

Portinari’s latest challenge is toget on the ice and play a competi-tive game of hockey with his chil-dren. There’s still enough time leftin the season that he might be ableto do so.

Paul Portinari celebrates his 42nd birthday with his wife, Shari Saracino, nearly 10 months after hisaccident. Saracino resuscitated Portinari on a beach in Mexico after he broke his neck and nearlydrowned in the water.

Photo by Andrea St. Pierre

“I could not

move or get my

head above

water. There

was no panic. I

just accepted

the fact I was

about to

drown.”

— Paul Portinari

Page 14, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

New magazine promotes Niagara RegionBy IAN SHANTZ

Staff WriterThe region of Niagara is unique.

In fact, for one resident it’s so spe-cial, she devotes her career totelling others about it.

Anita Skinner is the founder andpublisher of Niagara Life, a maga-zine based in St. Catharines devot-ed to promoting all that the regionhas to offer.

The magazine marked its 20thanniversary recently with the com-pletion of its January-April 2004Toronto-Burlington edition.Twenty years is no easy feat in thisdemanding market and, rightfullyso, Skinner was excited about themilestone.

“We’re very proud. I’m enjoy-ing it a lot. I have a really good

group of people that I work with.It’s a lot of fun right now. It’s real-ly exciting to be a part of what’shappening in Niagara.”

To some readers, Niagara Lifemight be better known as whatused to be called TheDowntowner. The recent namechange was something, Skinnersays, “in the works for a fewyears.” The magazine, which dis-tributes 95,000 copies from northof Toronto and around the GoldenHorseshoe, was in need of a newname, according to Skinner. “Thename The Downtowner was verywell known. The name just didn’tmake sense any more. It was get-ting hard to explain (referring tothe fact that the magazine nolonger covers issues and events

pertaining to St. Catharines alone,but focuses on what’s happeningthroughout the entire region).”

The Downtowner was createdin 1984, when Skinner and herhusband spearheaded a groupcalled the Downtown ResidentsAssociation. The group, locatedin St. Catharines, would meetand discuss issues facing resi-dents of downtown, includingurban planning, the preservationof Montebello Park, and envi-ronmental issues. Upon theestablishment of the group, afour-page newsletter, TheDowntowner, was created.

Skinner explained why thenewsletter began: “The publica-tion has always had a reallystrong component of urbanissues. We wanted people to getoff their couches and assumesome responsibility.”

Since then, the publicationhas evolved into Niagara’slargest circulating publication,with 45,000 copies distributedaround the region, five times ayear. In addition, Niagara Lifenow publishes three Toronto-Burlington editions a year,reaching mostly upper-classhomes within the areas.

Skinner says the expansioninto the Toronto market wassomething that was possiblebecause of how well visitorsfrom that area received the

magazine whenever they camehere. She explained the decisionin detail.

“Advertisers, such as winer-ies, were saying, ‘We reallywant the Toronto market.’ Wedon’t need to re-invent thewheel in Niagara. Why not talkto Toronto? They’re effectivelisteners.

“Niagara Life really is thekind of publication that we wantvisitors to grab. It’s somethingthat can be used over and overagain. They (Toronto and area)want to know about Niagaraalready. It’s not like we’re twist-ing their arms. They’re hungryfor information, so, basically,duh, I think it’s a no-brainer.”

The Toronto-Burlington editionvaries slightly from the local edi-tion and targets the day-trip and

multi-day visitor.The magazine also co-publishes

Across the Border, a similar publi-cation that reaches subscribers ofthe Buffalo News, Sunday Edition,four times a year.

After 20 years in circulation,the magazine seems to be goingstronger than ever. It could beassumed that much of its suc-cess over the years can be

attributed to the passion of thepeople behind it.

Skinner echoed thosethoughts by saying, “We need tobe working as one Niagara. Ireally believe that the future ofthis community depends onthat. We really are in thistogether.”

February, funny month with comics at After HoursBy CHARLES PANE

Staff WriterComedy Nights at the After

Hours pub in Welland will involvemany talented comics booked thisFebruary.

Comedy Nights at the AfterHours pub are all-ages shows andfree to all who want to attend.

The first Comedy Night washeld on Feb. 4, with Roy Dayeopening and Mark Walker headlin-ing at the Niagara College Wellandcampus venue.

Daye has a great resumé underhis belt including performances on

The Comedy Network’s Comedyat Club 54 and The Buzz. Dayehas produced and headlinedBlurred Crystal Thoughts, as wellas performed with the NubianDisciples. Daye tours Canada fromcoast to coast with Yuk Yuk’s.

Impressionist Walker has per-formed at The Halifax ComedyFestival, Comedy at Club 54,Montreal’s Just for LaughsComedy Festival and The ComedyNetwork’s Comedy Now. Walkerhas also appeared on CTV’sHospital For Sick Children’sTelethon and Canada AM.

Week two of After Hour’sComedy Night on Feb. 11 willconsist of Mark Forward and IanSirota.

Sirota has opened for suchcelebrities as Gilbert Gottfried,Denis Leary, Jon Stewart, NormMacDonald and HarlandWilliams. Sirota has also per-formed at the 1997 MolsonCanadian Toronto ComedyFestival.

Feb. 18 holds the musicalcomedy of Terry Clement aswell as the headline act, MarcTrinidad.

Jim McNally and FrankSpadone will close off the monthon Feb. 25.

McNally, performing livethroughout North America, hasalso produced, written and host-ed two successful television pro-grams dedicated to automobilecollecting, restoring and mainte-nance, Karnutz and Car Care.

Spadone, whose comedicstyle reflects his belief thatcomedy imitates life, will head-line the show.

Spadone has appeared at the2002 Just for Laughs Festival in

Montreal, had his own episodeof Comedy Now on the ComedyNetwork and has his own come-dy album My Life’s A Joke.

Spadone has appeared inMandy Moore’s film How ToDeal and commercials for Tim

Hortons and Toyota. He wasnominated in the category ofBest New Comic at the 2000Canadian Comedy Awards. Inhis career, Spadone has alreadyshared the stage with stars likeAdam Sandler, Chris Rock, JoeAvati, Tommy Davidson andHowie Mandel.

Entertainment

Art-deco restaurant/bar opens in St. CatharinesBy DANE MCBURNIE

Staff WriterSt. Catharines welcomes a

promising new addition to itsdowntown bar scene.

Stella’s, which opened inearly December of 2003, is anupscale art-deco themed restau-rant and bar featuringMediterranean and Italian din-ing. It has a liquor licence, andis open for lunches and dinnersor for patrons to just enjoy afew drinks.

“It’s something the down-town doesn’t have,” says MikeDeDivitiis, owner. “If you gothere, you say, ‘Wow, we don’thave this downtown.’ It’s some-thing completely different.”

Stella’s is at the corner of

James and King streets in a ren-ovated building from the 1920s.

The club has a large, openatmosphere, with more thanenough room to move around.Its all-hardwood floors con-trast with the colourful tablesquite nicely. The bar is the hubof the establishment, located inthe centre of the room. Patronsare invited to sit around it or inthe many booths that stemfrom the walls.

Live bands will occasionallyplay in the back, where cus-tomers can sit and watch orenjoy the music while playingpool. It also is well lit by themany hanging halogen lights,but never too brightly.

“It has a nightlife and the

dining all rolled into one. It’ssimilar to New York andToronto,” says DeDivitiis.Stella’s is the DeDivitiis fami-ly’s third establishment, joiningArizona’s and the Moose andGoose, both in Thorold.

When asked what it’s likeowning so many businesses inthe area, DeDivitiis says, “It’sOK. I have a good relationshipwith my brothers, and we tendto juggle it pretty good.”

Stella’s has attracted a fairshare of attention over the holi-days. It’s gaining a reputationdowntown, and the advertisingcampaign was planned to startlast month, which will surelyattract more patrons to analready intriguing restaurant.

Stella’s finds its place as another hot addition to downtown St.Catharines.

Photo by Dane McBurnie

“The

publication

has always

had a really

strong

component of

urban

issues.”

“I have

a really good

group of

people that I

work with.

It’s a lot of

fun right

now.”

“We

need to be

working as

one Niagara

... We really

are in this

together.”

— Anita Skinner

“Niagara

Life really is

the kind of

publication

that we want

visitors to

grab.”

By SUSAN LAMEYStaff Writer

Peer Services at Niagara Collegeoffers more than peer tutoring to stu-dents. While peer tutoring is the mainservice, Peer Services includes proc-tors, note takers and scribes. Servicesare available at the Welland campusand Glendale campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Proctor, note taker and scribe ser-vices had been with the Centre forStudents with Disabilities and havebeen blended with peer tutoring ser-vices. All services are now with PeerServices, Michelle Pugh, facilitator,Prior Learning Assessment and PeerServices, said.

Students registered with the col-lege’s Centre for Student withDisabilities are able to make use of aproctor, note taker or scribe and theseservices are free.

“A proctor is someone who invigi-lates or watches someone taking atest,” Pugh said.

The teacher sets the class schedulefor the test. However, the student con-tacts the test centre to set an individualtest time. A proctor may oversee thetesting of more than one student at atime.

A proctor is requested when “thestudent requires extra time to write thetest,” Josie Tremonte, peer servicesassistant, Peer Services, said.

On occasion, the proctor may beasked to go to a classroom if the stu-dent needs more time to finish the testand the teacher is unable to stay after

the end of class because of anotherclass, Tremonte said.

Proctors must be mature, honest andreliable and have sufficient hours ofavailability in their schedules.

“Registration in a full-time programis mandatory,” Tremonte said.

Proctors are paid hourly and mayonly work up to a maximum of 12hours per week, she said.

Last term, three to four people wereused as proctors, Tremonte said.

Ideally, Tremonte would like to havesix to eight proctors, each from a dif-ferent program.

Note takers take notes for studentswho may have difficulty listening tothe teacher, watching the board andwriting down notes at the same time.

“The student may be more of a visu-al learner,” Pugh said.

“It may be more important for themto watch the teacher.”

The note takers must be classmatesof the student requiring the service.They must also have good handwritingand good note-taking skills. They donot have to be enrolled in a full-timeprogram.

The note takers are provided withcarbonless paper, either in duplicate ortriplicate, as the notes may be for oneor two students, including the notetaker.

“They are paid per term regardlessof the number of classes they takenotes for,” Tremonte said.

There were 16 note takers at theWelland campus and two at theGlendale campus last term.

Both the scribe and note taker writefor students who have difficulty writ-ing.

Anote taker only records class notesand “a scribe is only used for test pur-poses,” Pugh said.

The test centre lets Tremonte knowif a scribe is required.

“A scribe writes down the answersto a test the student dictates to them,”Tremonte said.

In addition, the scribe may berequired to read out the test question,or Fill-in circles on multiple-choicetests that will be scanned for grading.

A computer can be supplied to thescribe for essay tests if requested.

A scribe is required to have goodreading and writing skills and clearspoken English and be registered ina full-time program, Tremontesaid.

When students sign up to be atutor, Josie keeps tutors in mindwhen the need arises for a proctor,note taker or scribe, Pugh said.

When a request is made for oneof these services, Tremonte con-tacts a peer tutor and asks if he orshe is interested.

Peer Services does not specifi-cally seek proctors, scribes or notetakers, Pugh said.

Matching personalities is impor-

tant. “I am a matchmaker of acad-emics,” Tremonte said.

Last semester there were 160peer tutors registered with PeerServices for both campuses, Pughsaid.

Peer tutoring is free, and stu-dents make requests throughTremonte.

Peer Services is in SE102A atthe Welland campus. The hours areMonday to Thursday 9:30 a.m. to2:30 p.m. At the Glendale campus,Valerie Chambers works in PeerServices in the Learning ResourceCentre. The hours are Tuesday toFriday 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 15

$50,000, 100 volunteers needed for annual projectBy DAVID HURD

Staff WriterBringing college, community and

corporate elements together to bene-fit a chosen non-profit organizationis the job of the Many Hands Project.

Organized by the Special EventManagement (Post-graduate) pro-gram students at Niagara College’sGlendale campus, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the project collects $30,000 to$50,000 through fundraising andsponsorship, as well as utilizingabout 100 volunteers to carry out aone-day, labour-intensive renovationof a chosen facility within theNiagara region.

Each year the students select anorganization based on need. Thisis the seventh year for a ManyHands project.

“We look for that agency thatshows the greatest need and providessignificant community supportthrough its services,” says DavidVeres, co-ordinator of the program.

This year’s recipient of the projectwill be the St. John Ambulance,

Niagara Falls Branch.“We (St. John Ambulance) are

delighted to be the recipients of theMany Hands Project, 2004. This‘extreme makeover’ will provide uswith a safe, secure and comfortablesetting for our staff members and

public,” says Kai T Bucht, branchmanager, in a press release.

“It is only with support of organi-zations such as Niagara College,their students and funders ... that wecan continue to provide essential ser-vices to our community.”

A large portion of the moneyraised for the project, about $10,000,comes from three fundraising eventshosted by the program: Darius andDaphne’s Wedding Reception, amurder mystery theatre;Destination Canada ... ACulinary Journey from Coast toCoast, a Canadian cultural din-ing experience; and Eveningwith the Stars, a dinner, danceand auction.

The project also receives con-tributions from ongoing corpo-rate partners like Canadian TireFinancial Services, the St.Catharines Standard, Sherwin-Williams Paints, WoodingtonSystems Inc. and Niagara Tentsand Events, says Veres.

The renovations to the facility willinclude painting inside and out, land-scaping, repairs to the parking lot

and driveway, fixing washrooms,installing ramps for accessibility,renovating office areas, new carpet-ing and new lighting in trainingrooms.

“We like low-skill, labour-intense renovations,” says Veres.

Also involved is NiagaraCollege’s ConstructionEngineering program, which hasincorporated the project into itscurriculum.

“One of the unique elements of(the project) is that there’s 100 vol-unteers from the community andthere’s a job for everyone,” saysVeres.

“Dan Patterson volunteers as well... gets his work clothes on and getsdirty.”

About half of the volunteers arestudents, while many others are fromwithin the community, and they vol-unteer year after year, says Veres.

“It’s very rewarding for people.”Work at the St. John Ambulance

facility is scheduled to beginApril 17.

KAI T BUCHTP

hoto

by

Dav

id H

urd

“This

extreme

makeover will

provide us

with a safe,

secure and

comfortable

setting for

our staff

members and

public.”

— Kai T Bucht

Peer Services offers students more than just peer tutoring

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Page 16, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

Glendale campus to play host to Career FairBy IAN SHANTZ

Staff WriterAs the academic year nears an

end, many graduates are facedwith the daunting task of findinga job.

Fear not, for help is on the way.Niagara College’s Glendale

campus in Niagara-on-the-Lakewill be hosting a career fair onFeb. 12, enabling students, gradu-ates, and alumni to meet employ-ers from Niagara region andbeyond.

The career fair, held atGlendale’s cafeteria/gymnasium,is organized through a partnershipof Niagara College and BrockUniversity in St. Catharines.

“It’s main objective is to allowstudents a chance to meet prospec-tive employers,” says Bea Clark,director of the college’s Venturesdivision.

“It’s designed for all students atNiagara College who are graduat-ing this year, and it’s designed togive them an opportunity to takeadvantage of meeting employers,which is an important part of thejob search.”

Clark acknowledged theimportance of students having achance to network themselves.“We try to provide as manyopportunities as possible for stu-dents to meet employers or (to)

get to know what an employer’sexpectations are.”

The career fair, in its fifth year,

is an opportunity for job seekersand employers to meet face-to-face, and the college and universi-ty partnership seems to work well,says Clark.

“Very often, they (employers)have needs across a broad spec-trum of jobs. Some jobs are bestsuited to college grads, and somepeople are looking for universitygrads. For an employer, it’s idealbecause they can come and meetgraduating students from both col-lege and university.”

Hire a New Grad Inc. is one of34 exhibitors at the event hopingto recruit students. The organiza-tion is dedicated to assisting newand recent graduates with findingemployment suited to their educa-tion. Sandra Lallman is the opera-tions manager for the Toronto-based company.

“Our goal is to create awarenessof our company. It will be our firstexperience (at Niagara). We’vegone to many universities acrossOntario and we’ve liked it. Wedon’t really know what to expect,but it should be good,” she says, inregard to the event.

Looking to land that “perfectjob” can be an exciting time fornew job seekers, but Clark warnedstudents not to be overconfident.

“What we don’t want our stu-dents to think is that they’ll just

walk up to an employer and they’llbe offered a job. It simply doesn’thappen that way.”

Clark emphasizes the impor-tance of preparation before pre-senting yourself to employers. Shesays it’s important to “dress appro-priately.”

“You only have one chance tomake a first impression. They havea great opportunity to make a goodimpression so that, when they fol-low up with, potentially, theirresumés and applications, they’llbe top of line when the employerlooks through that stack ofresumés.”

Anyone who has ever been to ajob interview knows that employ-ers look for certain skills andtraits.

Clark offered insight on whatemployers are looking for.

“One of the things we hope ourstudents will keep in mind whenthey present themselves to anemployer is their attitude.Credentials, as well as customerservice skills, are importantregardless of the profession. Thedifference, very often, is the per-son’s attitude and their ability toprovide good customer service.That’s one of the things we hopeour students will keep in mindwhen they present themselves toan employer.”

A free shuttle service will beoffered for students needing trans-portation to the event, which beginsat 10 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.

Departure times are as follows:Niagara College Welland cam-

pus: 9 a.m.11:35 a.m. and 1:30p.m.

Brock University: 9 a.m., 11:05a.m. 11:55 a.m., 12:55 p.m. and 2p.m.

For more information on theCareer Fair, visit the Job Centre atthe Welland campus in SE101 or atthe Glendale campus in W115.

New casino seeks students to fill jobsBy SHANNON ARNOLD

Staff WriterThe Niagara region’s premier

employer is actively pursuing col-lege and university students forfull- or part-time work.

The Niagara Fallsview CasinoResort, which opens this spring, ishiring externally to fill 2,000 jobs.

General Manager Jay Meilstrupencourages students to “enter intoa casual employment relationship,because the times college studentsare available are the busiest timesof the year.”

Departments such as cateringand banquets will be hiring part-time staff based on the number ofbanquets booked each week,allowing students to pick up someextra spending money on nightsand weekends.

Representatives from the casinowill be at the college’s NiagaraFalls Maid of the Mist campus thisweek. Casino General ManagerJudy Trout says, “We encourageeveryone at Niagara College toparticipate and look at the jobopportunities available.”

There are jobs openings forhotel employees and dealers, aswell as in every department,including accounting, tablegames, and food and beverage.Applicants must be 19 years ofage and will not be permitted to

gamble in the casino.Meilstrup says they are “rolling

up to” the first day of employmentand will be continually reviewingthe need for staff over the summermonths.

Wages are competitive with thesurrounding hotels, based on expe-rience and the conditions ofemployment.

Meilstrup says, “We’re a greatplace to work and have experi-enced a history of success. Ourattitude is to maintain our positionas premier employer in theregion.”

He says they are looking foremployees with a “hospitality atti-tude, level of professionalism andseriousness toward the industry, ahigh degree of self-respect andself-esteem. A person’s attitudeabout themselves reflects what ourcustomers will experience.”

The Vegas-style entertainmentcomplex is the single largestprovincial investment ever madein the Niagara region. It is current-ly the largest commercial develop-ment in Canada, spread over 2.5million square feet.

There is no official start or enddate for hiring. Interested applicantscan check out the main website athttp://www.discoverniagara.com orcall 1-888-FALLSVUE to obtainmore information.

Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort will open this Spring.Photo by Shannon Arnold

“What

we don’t

want our

students to

think is that

they’ll just

walk up to an

employer and

they’ll be

offered a job.

It simply

doesn’t work

that way.”

— Bea Clark

Casino FactsBy SHANNON ARNOLD

Staff Writer

Niagara Fallsview CasinoResort

• 2.5 million-square-foot complex.

• Eight-hectare property.•Largest development inCanada.

•Single largest commercial development in the Niagara region.

Casino• Open 24 hours.• 3,000 slot machines.• 150 table games.Hyatt Hotel• Five-star.• 368 rooms.• Meeting space.• Restaurants and lounges.Hyatt Health Spa• Fitness Centre.

o Whirlpoolo Saunao Steam roomso Exercise facilityo Swimming pool

Special Event/Meeting Space• 50,000 square feet.• Corporate meetings.• Conferences.• Fund-raising events.• Receptions.Performing Arts Centre• 1,500-seat theatre.Retail Facility

Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 17

Despite sporting the third-best record of 10 teams,the Niagara Knights men's soccer team ended theirstay at the Conestoga College Tournament inKitchener after the round robin competition.

A 3-1 record wasn't enough to overcome GeorgeBrown College, of Toronto, who advanced to thefinals via a 5-0 victory over the Knights. SenecaCollege, of North York, took the tournament title witha 2-1 victory.

The Knights opened the tournament with an 8-0victory over St. Lawrence College, of Kingston,and 3-0 over Fanshawe College, of London, theOntario College Athletic Association West Divisionchampions.

They recovered their loss to George Brown witha 3-2 victory over Conestoga College to close outtheir day.

"We had a really hard time dealing with fallingbehind for the first time as a team," coach FrankDeChellis said. "We talked about it after the game andthey showed their true grit after falling behind 1-0 toContestoga, coming back to win 3-2. That's always anice point in your team's bonding process.”

Karl Wright had a solid day in net. Goal scorers forthe Knights were Anthony Stranges with five goals,Mike Elia with three, Arnaldo Miranda with two andRobert Lecaro, Mike Lomedico, Graeme McIntoshand Gabe Colonna with singles.

Mark Hatch, Kirill Gromyko and Tom DeAngeliswere tough on defence, while Kevin Melo was solidin midfield the whole tournament.

Next action for the Knights is this weekend at theGeorge Brown Invitational in Scarborough.

— Submitted article

By BRENT WATSONStaff Writer

In the final match of Highway58, the Port Colborne Sailors gavethe Welland Cougars a run fortheir money, but lost by a score of7-5 on Sunday, Feb. 1.

The Sailors scored the first two inthe second period, but Welland cameback to score the next three beforePort Colborne would tie it again.

Joel Bristo gave Welland thelead with an empty netter, and theCougars did not look back.

Also in the game, forward BlairEgerter scored his second hattrick, and a total of 15 goals on the

season. The other scorers for theCougars were Steve Chappell,Erik Hudak and Trevor Willis,each adding a goal.

The Cougars nearly swept theseason series with Port Colborne,winning seven of the eight gamesplayed and tying one.

The depleted lineup of PortColborne was without JohnnyHind, Mike Armstrong, Don Ellis,and captain Steven White.

The next Cougars home gamewill be on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 7:15p.m., when they will take on theStoney Creek Warriors at theWelland area.

Sports

Cougars sink Sailors 7-5 Knights exit early in round robin soccer

The Golden Horseshoe League all-stars who competed against the Empire League Junior B all stars team Jan. 7 at the Fort Erie Leisureplex, were front, left: MarcusJohnson, Matt Thomey, coach Joe Fazziol, T.J. Sakuluk, coach Wayne Groulx, Ryan Bellows, Tony Passero, Darryl Dallman, Rob Barnhardt. Middle: the team's stickboy, Nick Petriello, Andrew Marshall, Stephen Ludzik, John Rorison, Nick Elligsen, Nick Rombough, Drew Minor, Ryan Lahie, Cody Cole. Back: two members of theteam's staff, Blake Dolce, Brandon Roshko, Jason Hill, John Patrito, Chris Risi, therapist Stephanie Troscinski and trainer Ray Ravazzolo. The Canadians beat theAmericans 14-2. Photo by Brent Watson

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By GREG VALLENTINStaff Writer

The mood is unsettling in theTrewartha home. A family mem-ber has just passed away.

Smudge, a 14-year-old catnamed for the black spot on herhead, was brought into theTrewartha family through a friendwhen she was a kitten.

After taking in Smudge, theTrewartha family experiencedyears of prosperity.

Braden Trewartha, a 20-year-old student in BrockUniversity’s BusinessAdministrative program in St.Catharines, put his musical skillsto the test by joining the bandOverruled Melville (later to berenamed Behind the Name),while Lean and Alan Trewartha’sdaughter announced she was get-ting married.

The mood quickly changedfrom bliss to sorrow when theTrewartha family realized theirbeloved cat, Smudge, was ill,and had to be put down.

“It was a pretty sad day. Weknew she wasn’t feeling good, buta friend of ours had told us it mightbe some other curable sicknessthat her cat had,” says Braden.

“So I went to school thinkingit was nothing, came back and

found out. The family didn’t talktoo much about it, and when Ifound out I just went out and didsome skateboarding to take mymind off things. Yeah, she wasmy best friend, so it was rough.”

Braden says Smudge was theclosest to him and that she loved

him the “most in the family.”It had only been a few days

since Smudge’s passing, and thehouse was still quiet.

Pins could be heard droppingfrom the kitchen table, and theoverwhelming sound of the tele-vision’s static could be mistakenfor the family’s grief.

“It was pretty quiet in thehouse, and nobody would cometo the door when I got homefrom school (another thing she’dalways do), so I missed her quitea bit,” says Braden.

“It didn’t help that school wasgoing pretty rough already, andit was tough dealing with that atthe same time.”

Mourning aside, the familysays Smudge wasn’t “that bad ofa cat,” only bringing home theoccasional mouse and spendinga few nights away on the prowl.

The Trewartha family saysthey will never forget some ofthe memories they shared withSmudge.

“There’s the time when shejumped into the bath tub notrealizing we were pouring waterinto it. Other than that, it’s moreor less all the time,” saysBraden.

“It was always nice cominghome at 2 a.m., 3 a.m., 4 a.m. inthe morning and seeing her atthe top of the stairs waiting forme. So yeah, every moment wasa favourite.”

It didn’t take long afterSmudge passed away for thefamily to decide.

“There was no way we weregoing to live without another

pet,” says Braden.The family went to the Society

for Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals (SPCA) and immedi-ately noticed a rambunctious,white, female cat, with an unlim-

ited supply of energy. Taking ithome, they christened itGangsta.

“It could never replaceSmudge, but that’s what I likeabout this cat,” says Braden.

“It’s got a totally different per-

sonality than Smudge did, so it’snot like you’re always relating itto her or being reminded abouther.”

Braden says he’ll never forgetall the things he loved about

Smudge.“She always came when I

called her (like a dog), slept onmy bed every night, was alwaysaround when I felt shitty. Shewas, all in all, the best pet youcould ask for.”

By ASHLEIGH TAYLORStaff Writer

Finding time to balanceschool, work and parenthood canbe a trying feat, but Lisa Kelchis managing.

Kelch, 23, of St. Thomas, Ont.,a second-year Niagara CollegeDental Hygiene program student,is married with two children.

“I find it difficult juggling time,keeping organized and findingenough time for my kids, husband,school and housework.”

Kelch’s 14-month-old son,Isaiah, is taken care of at the col-lege’s Child Care Centre while sheis in school and her eight-year-oldattends school.

“I think the Child Care Centre isgreat. The teachers are good withthe kids. They’re personal and theylet you know what’s going on.”

Employed at Smart Set, at theSeaway Mall in Welland, Kelch says

she decided to go to college to“establish a career, financially sup-port myself and have stability.”

Although times can be stressful,Kelch still experiences the joys ofparenthood.

Kelch says the best part of par-enthood is “watching your kidsgrow and develop their own per-sonalities, getting to love them andhaving them love you.”

For other parents attending col-lege, Kelch says, she would advisethem to “prepare your child careahead of time. Make sure you have alot of support — you’ll need it —and be prepared to be stressed out.”

As for the future, Kelch says shewill be graduating in June andwould like to gain experience indental hygiene and someday returnto studies to get a bachelor’sdegree.

Page 18, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

ISAIAH KELCH

Mother appreciates ChildCare Centre employees

Losing loved one never easy to handle

“ . . . she

was my best

fr iend , so i t

was rough .”

— Braden

Trewartha

“I think the

Chi ld Care

Centre is

great . The

teachers are

good with

the kids .”

— Lisa Kelch

“It could never

replace Smudge, but that ’s

what I l ike about th is cat .”

— Braden Trewartha

Pho

to b

y A

shle

y Ta

ylor

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By LENNON CALDWELLStaff Writer

While juggling many tasks, themayor of Welland still finds timeto wear many hats.

Damian Goulbourne, marriedand the father of two, took officeDec. 1 after beating out formermayor Cindy Forster with 7,854votes to her 5,312 votes in theNovember municipal election.

Goulbourne, 34, former presi-dent of the Welland-PelhamChamber of Commerce fromJanuary 2002 to June 2003, sayshe resigned that post because itwas a conflict of interest whenrunning for mayor of Welland.

The day after his resignation, helaunched his canvassing tobecome mayor.

Although last year he was a full-time program co-ordinator in theNiagara College Hospitality andTourism division, he still findstime to teach the tourism market-ing and operations course at theGlendale campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He has been teachingsince 1993 but became a full-timeprofessor at the college in 1999.

Goulbourne says outside ofwork his main interests “would bespending time with my wife andchildren. My kids are at the agewhere they like to go to the parkand go hiking.”

He says he also likes to playbasketball with a few of hisfriends, on occasion.

A graduate of Brock Universityin St. Catharines with a bachelorof arts degree in business andcommunications, Goulbourne isalso involved in an online post-graduate course at GeorgeWashington University inWashington, D.C.

“I had to put that on hold once Ibecame co-ordinator of thetourism program, but I hope tosome day continue and finish it.”

Goulbourne, a St. Catharinesnative, says he “caught the bug ofpolitics during high school in themid-80s.”

“I always wanted to be involved in campaigns. The big free-tradeissue was what helped spark myinterest.”

During the recent mayoral cam-paign, he stressed economic devel-opment throughout Welland.

Goulbourne says there are twoparts to economic development:quality of life and access to skilledlabour.

“We really have to focus onimproving the quality of life in thecommunity, whether it be thecanal, seasonal recreation, medicalrecruitment, transportation ortaxes,” says Goulbourne.

He explains that the other side,access to skilled labour, is whereNiagara College comes into play.

“Because of my relationshipwith the college, I want tostrengthen it and make it formalbetween the City of Welland andNiagara College.”

He explains that when a busi-ness comes to Welland, he wouldrefer them to the college foremployment assistance “so whenwe’re out there selling the City ofWelland, we’re also sellingNiagara College.”

Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004, Page 19

Mayor wears many hats

By LINDSAY ALLBRIGHTStaff Writer

Phase one of construction inthe International Educationdepartment is complete.

In October 2003, staff withinthe department enthusiasticallymoved into their new officespace.

More than 30 Niagara Collegestaff members work within thedepartment and were pleasedwhen the construction finished.

Director of InternationalEducation and Development JosNolle says the space is “workablenow.”

“It was time they got somebreathing space,” says Nolle.

He says the department nowhouses “an easier, proper workenvironment and it’s nice that thestaff have more room. We’re bet-ter equipped now.”

Nolle says he hopes the stu-dents at Niagara College, eitherinternational or Canadian, willbenefit from the new, welcomingdepartment, as it is a “betterspace that looks professional.”

He says the area was not wellused before, and the offices werecramped.

What is now the projects sideof the International departmentused to be a common lounge areafor the First Nations students,

complete with computers andcouches. That area has sincemoved to S201 in the Simcoebuilding at the Welland campus,and the International departmenthas had no problems filling thevacated space.

Nolle says the mural that wasonce in the First Nations loungewill remain, stretching across oneentire wall in the new space. Hesays the mural will be kept out ofrespect for the staff and studentswho have recently moved to theirnew location.

Phase two of the $25,000 pro-ject will begin in May or June ofthis year.

Prefabricated partitions willallow for each office to hold twoEnglish as a Second Languageprogram (ESL) teachers, ratherthan the average five that arecramped into the existing officesnow.

Nolle says the area offers bet-ter service now, as students cometo the college for a learning expe-rience.

“It’s good for students to feelwelcome.”

Nolle says the expansion is“good for Canadian students whoare interested in internationalissues at the college.”

“We aim to be an integral partof the college,” says Nolle.

Damian Goulbourne, the newmayor of Welland, works in hisoffice at Niagara Colllege’sGlendale Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Photo by Keira Cuthbert

Constructionfinally finished

“Wereally haveto focus on

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Page 20, Niagara News, Feb. 6, 2004

The Modern Canvas

By ROBERT WALKERStaff Writer

im “Sideshow” Saunders isone of those unique artistswhose medium is as

eccentric as it is practical: a canvasof living flesh.

Armed with a sterilized needleand an ink of your choosing, thistattoo artist can permanentlyimprint on skin any design, from amother’s name to an elaborateappendage-length rendering ofBotticelli’s The Birth of Venus.

Unlike a painter or fashiondesigner, Saunder’s works remainin the public eye (not to mentionthe client’s) for a lifetime.

And forget the idea that tattoosare only for lovelorn sailors asdepicted by Norman Rockwell.“Ink” is for everyone.”

“Twenty years ago, there wasprobably only 300 real tattooartists in all of Canada,” saysSaunders, 37. “Today, there’s over300 great ones in the Toronto areaalone.”

The increase in the number oflicenced tattoo parlours is a resultof the mainstream status that ink-ing has achieved, says Saunders,who has a clientele that includeseveryone from doctors to officesecretaries.

Working out of Alien Fine Artsin Niagara Falls, Saunders begantattooing professionally in 2000,after completing an eight-monthapprenticeship under the watchfuleye of Jim Swales, who is theshop’s owner.

“At least that’s what they tellme,” says Swales with a laugh.

Openings for budding tattooartists are few in Canada, so apotential apprentice “has to bewilling to give himself up, bodyand soul, to the shop that’s inter-ested in you,” says Saunders.

Having owned and operated par-lours for over 12 years, Swalessays that the best bet in beingtaken on by a parlour “is to bringin an impressive portfolio.”

Saunders obviously impressedhis employers; his largest work todate occupies the better half of hisboss’s right leg.

“It’s this bio-mechanical muralthing that runs from about the topof his thigh to the bottom of hiscalf. It took 14 hours, with aboutfour sittings.”

Saunders says his interest in bodyart has been a constant since birth.

“The imprinting on me was pret-ty young. One of the earliest pic-tures of me as a baby is with mygrandfather, who’s holding mewith an arm covered in a huge tat-too from the war.”

Saunders’ first tattoo was home-made, an interpretation of SidVicious, done by himself with asewing needle and India ink whenhe was 14 years old. (It has beenlong since covered up by laterwork.) Choosing to go to a profes-sional for his next tattoo, a grimreaper, at 16 years old, Saundersspent the next 20 years adorninghis skin with ink.

The layout at Alien Fine Artsboasts a sterile environment equalto that of a doctor’s or dentist’soffice, says Saunders. Even thecity classifies tattoo parlours asmedical in its zoning laws.

“With diseases today, it’s somuch easier to have everythingdisposable. Our needles are steril-ized in an autoclave then usedonce, and any leftover ink istossed.”

Saunders’ workstation is spot-less, cleaned constantly with a dis-infectant spray.

“When people come in here,they want that doctor’s office

hygienic atmosphere, not incenseor aerosal deodorizers. They wantto trust that the place they’re get-ting ink done is clean.”

Saunders says the biggest healthconcern in the industry today, interms of transmittable diseases, ishepatitis.

“The best way to ensure thesafety of everyone involved is totake as many precautions as possi-ble. Even something as small as asanitized plastic bag over the han-dle of the spray bottle I use canensure it from getting funkifiedwith bacteria.”

To protect himself as well as his

clients, Saunders says he has hismedical shots to prevent hepatitisA and B, as well as being testedregularly for hepatitis C. He alsorecently attended a disease trans-mission prevention course provid-ed by the federal government.

(To ensure that your tattoo par-lour is taking all necessary precau-tions, please review Sideshow’sChecklist accompanying this arti-cle.)

Before any session, Saundersgoes over with the clients the pro-cedure involved, as well as settingup his workstation with them pre-sent to assure them that everything

is being done hygienically. This isespecially helpful with the morehesitant first-timers.

“You want to take everythingslow and make sure they’rerelaxed and confident that every-thing is clean. Some are nervousenough to begin with. Then youtake them downstairs, sit them inthe chair and show them the nee-dles being used. You want to helpkeep them from freaking out.”

A relaxed customer is less likelyto experience discomfort as muchas one who is panicking.

“When the needle touches theskin, the nerves send a message tothe brain that something iswrong,” activating the brain’s fightor flight response, says Saunders.“But if the customer is able torelax, take some deep breaths, thenthe brain starts to release endor-phins, which helps to lessen thepain.”

When not tattooing, Saunderssays, with a laugh, he is “a localhistorian, by my own terms,”learning about the history of theNiagara area.

“I’m really into the battles thatwent on here. And I just think it’sso cool to look at a picture in abook of a building that was here200 years ago, and then to godown the street and still see itthere.”

“My family’s been here sincethe 1700s. Somewhere along theline I’m related to WilliamHamilton Merritt. My uncle Budowned the first electric gas pumpsin Canada, where the HotelNiagara now stands.”

Saunders says he also enjoys histime off from work, spending timewith his girlfriend (also employedat Alien Fine Arts) and playingwith his Rottwieler, a 140-poundpup affectionately named “Lugar.”

“He’s harmless. He’s even moreof a suck than the cat.”

To contact Alien Fine ArtsTattoos and body piercings, call905-371-1118, or visit them onlineat http://www.alienfinearts.com.

More to ink than you think

Tim Saunders, of Alien Fine Arts tattoo parlour in Niagara Fall, Ont., explains the safety proceduresinvolved to ensure the client’s wellbeing.

Photo by David Hurd

T

Sideshow’s ChecklistConsiderations before

deciding on which tattoo par-lour is right for you:

1. Is the staff helpful, will-ing and able to answer anyquestions and concerns youmight have?

2. Does the artist have aportfolio of previous workthat you are able to view?

3. Does the parlour have a“clean” smell, like in a doc-tor’s office, or is it stuffy withany odours covered byincense?

4. Are the needles sterilizedin an autoclave before use andthen used ONLY once beforebeing discarded?

5. Has the prospective par-lour had any trouble withhealth and safety inspectors?

6. Most important: Do youtrust the artist who will bedoing the tattoo/piercing?