The Ontarion - 195.2

3. CSA byelection underway on campus

4. Understanding the rise of artificial intelligence and how we can use it

5. Behind the Bob’s Dogs merch

6. Bullring reopens on campus

7. Central Student Association Food Bank operating at full capacity

ARTS & CULTURE

8. Guelph Jazz Festival paints the town with sax, snares and strings

9. Ontarion Book Review: The Damages by Genevieve Scott

10. Optikz returns to the University of Guelph campus

11. Jason Wilson’s Ashara mixes Scottish storytelling and reggae groove

12. Eden Mills welcomes authors for annual Writers Festival

13. U of G podcast offers food for thought

SPORTS & HEALTH

14. The Gryphon Racing Team gears up for another season of racing competitions

15. Former U of G Men’s hockey player be comes assistant coach

16 & 17. A Q&A with Mike Schreiner about the Greenbelt

18. An ode to overnight oats

20. From the archives

21. Something needs to be done to address food inflation 23. 5 costumes you’ll see everywhere

For 23 years, Bob has made it his mission to serve up good food and good times to U of G students. Whether you're in need of a quick meal or a just friendly face, come say hi to Bob at his hot dog stand just east of Branion Plaza.

CSA byelection underway on campus

Voting will take place from Oct. 16 to Oct. 20

TAYLOR PIPE

The Central Student Association, (CSA), is holding a byelection this fall as it looks to fill vacant positions on the elected executive team.

Two executive positions will be up for grabs, VP Student Experience and VP Academic. These roles will be vacant and looking for someone else to fill them for the remainder of the term.

“I think byelections have happened more or less every year… Usually because there's a position that goes vacant for us,” said Shaima Alam, president of the CSA.

The VP Student Experience has various duties like, supervising the SafeWalk program, planning events, running social media, working with CSA clubs and advocating for marginalized students. This position was va-

cant for the last year.

Alam said she was unsure why nobody has been running for the VP Student Experience position because “it’s the most fun one.”

The VP Academic has their own set of responsibilities like advocating for accessibility, and knowing about financial supports available and being aware of the Residential Tenancies Act and City of Guelph bylaws to help students.

The nomination period for the byelection began on Sept. 18 and will conclude on Sept. 27. Following the nomination period, nominees will be able to prepare their campaign materials.

“Then we have an all candidates meeting,” Alam said. “We used to do this every year and then last year, it wasn't done and I realized it was because it wasn’t

in the policy. It was just assumed people would do it year after year.”

Following the all-candidates meeting, and the promotional preparation period, the campaign period will begin on Oct. 5 and kick off with an all candidates forum on the same day.

Alam said she wants to ensure that this candidates forum is an opportunity to hear from every candidate, in person and unbiased.

“I think this is kind of like learning from last year, I think,” she said. “There wasn't really one place for everyone to know about the people running… we have to hear them talk, we have to know who these people are.”

Alam said that she looked at the policy from last year in regards to anonymous social media accounts promoting candidates,

but said there’s not much the CSA can do to combat it.

“We brainstormed a lot, but there was really no way to go about it,” she said. “It's been updated so that the wording makes more sense. It's clear. But an actual change that’s going to solve it all? There just isn't one.”

She added that that is the reason she is passionate about the all candidates forum.

“That's why the all candidates forum exists, so that there is that one place for communication to happen,” Alam said. “I think that the biggest reason that it became a problem is the misinformation that was spread and then there was nothing said against it.”

The byelections campaign period will end on Oct. 13 and students will get the chance to vote from Oct. 16 to Oct. 20. However, there is a voting extension peri-

od that may occur from Oct. 21 to Oct. 25.

Alam said students will have the opportunity to vote in person, or online. The voting will be done on Microsoft Teams.

“Microsoft forms is something that's already connected to all accounts and everyone knows how to use it,” she said.

She also said the voting in person will look like a traditional election polling station.

“But there's none of the ballots - like the physical ones. Just a laptop,” she said. “Then you just vote on the computer. So it's like a voting link but there's still that in person engagement everyday.”

Election results will be ratified on Nov. 1.You can learn more about the candidates by visiting the CSA webpage, or their instagram, @csaguelph and @csa_elections.

Understanding the rise of artificial intelligence and how we can use it

Speaking with Dr. Graham Taylor about the future of AI in the workplace

JUDE

SLATER

If you’ve been paying any attention to the news or online culture at all, you’re likely aware of the rapid rise of ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence, (AI), specifically those using it questionably in academic and some employment contexts.

Dr. Graham Taylor, the academic co-director of the Guelph Centre for Advancing Responsible and Ethical Artificial Intelligence (CARE-AI) which studies the ethics and applicability of AI is knowledgeable about Artificial Intelligence.

When asked about the sudden rise of ChatGPT and similar AI, Dr. Taylor cited accessibility as the main reason for its mainstream boom as opposed to the technology itself, “putting it on the internet, and then putting on that sleek interface, and giving people access,

that was the biggest change.”

This open access led AI away from being a niche idea for those in the field to a major element of the mainstream to be used by anyone for a multitude of purposes. The primary concern for many in the academic field is students using it to evade most of their schoolwork.

However, Dr. Taylor believes that it will only emphasize existing extremities, stating that those who want to succeed will make great use of AI as a learning tool, e.g., “generating quizzes for them using a GPT model”.

However, those simply using AI to have their work done for them won’t help them use AI in the way that future jobs may require.

Dr. Taylor theorized that many future jobs would make AI a supplementary tool. He predict-

ed that those who outright ignore it will be left in the dust by AI in the workplace, and those who have their work done for them with it, will not know how to properly integrate AI into their workload. Considering this mainstream rise, Dr. Taylor noted which steps in ethics should be taken, and he emphasized the importance of ethical considerations at each step of an AI’s model making/training.

Going from first modelling the AI, collecting data, and researching, and training and testing the model, each of these steps should have an ethical analysis alongside it. Examples include climate concerns when running the model, and unethical uses of AI when it's made public. When asked about the long-term consequences of AI in the mainstream, he predicted a one to two

year period of general uncertainty surrounding the use of AI.

However, he said that eventually it will become a regular part of our lives in the same way the internet has.

“People using it and not really thinking about it so much, that’s my prediction,” Taylor said.

Given how new AI is in the mainstream, many professors have been able to identify AI written content in students as there are some consistent characteristics like misinformation, bland writing, or writing being too perfect.

However, Dr. Taylor referenced a paper by Tom B. Brown in 2020 entitled ‘Language Models are Few-Shot Learners’ which shows

that the increasing parameters in GPT3 are making it more difficult to identify elements of AI written content.

The responsibility of ethics in AI is something that the makers and trainers of AI should be dealing with step-by-step before they're made widely public. Dr. Taylor discussed AI engineers who interact with the AI, analyzing its answers to specific prompts, overall working to “use them for alternative purposes” and “build applications around them”.

He expanded on this idea by saying people from a wide variety of disciplines will make use of elements of AI engineering to apply AI capabilities to their work.

Behind the Bob’s Dogs merch

From unique stickers to cozy crewnecks, Winnie Chen is bringing Unistyl to the U of G

TAYLOR PIPE

It’s not your typical University of Guelph sweater. It doesn’t have the U of G logo, a gryphon, or Johnston Hall. No, it has something much more iconic on it. Bob from Bob’s Dogs.

Winnie Chen is in her fifth year of study at the University of Guelph. She originally studied bioscience, but has since moved on to pursue art science. She began her business, Unistyl, as a way to create more unique university merchandise at a more affordable price point.

“I realized I was graduating soon,” she said. “I also had never bought U of G merch because they were actually never my style.. honestly a little bit out of my budget. So, I didn't want to buy something and just throw it out later.”

Her most popular item is her Bob’s Dogs shirts, which are diner inspired. She started creating the items after she made an instagram post about the branding behind the iconic hotdog vendor.

“My initial post was just like, ‘Oh, what if Bob had a unique branding kind of thing?’ and everyone was like, DMing me like, oh my god, you should totally make that.,” she said.

This turned into a partnership between Unistyl and Bob’s Dogs.

spired theme.

“I think [Bob] was a little shocked. He was a little confused about why people would want merch with an image of himself on it,” Chen said. Although Bob’s Dogs doesn’t always receive a portion of the profit, the two support each other in their own unique way.

“The people who buy my designs also go back to him to support him. So it's like a win-win situation,” Chen said.

In addition to her creating the merch for one of U of G’s biggest icons, Chen also created designs for each Interhall school. She said this was a lengthy process with lots of steps including: creating a mood board, coming up with four to six sketches for each school, tweaking the designs based on feedback and creating different colour schemes.

“I think in total I created over 200 drafts. But it's because I give them several color schemes,” she said. “At the end, each logo comes with their own branding like PDF with like, white logos, vertical, horizontal, any position that they could think of.”

Chen also creates stickers for the different majors. She said this started as a passion project for her friend and it grew into something larger.

“I try to make the stickers personal to like the people who are studying it, which is why I ask for specific design recommendations because I try not to be too cliche,” she said.

For now, Unistyl merch is available during Chen’s pop-ups. She posts the dates in advance of the sales on her instagram, @unistylmerch.

ICON BY FREEPIK

“When I first started it, it was actually a pilot project. I didn't know how many people were going to buy it and how much I was going to sell,” Chen said.

However, when Chen revealed the design, people loved the Bob’s Dogs retro diner-in-

She also mentioned that she is participating in her first Fair November this year.

“I've been planning it since like August because it's my first professional booth,” Chen said.

She also said she has something special planned for the anniversary of her first pop-up event on Oct. 13, and fans of the brand should keep their eyes peeled for details leading up to that date.

Bullring reopens on campus

The one ring to feed them all reopened on campus on Sept. 14

TAYLOR PIPE

Since the early 1900s, The Bullring has been the watering hole for generations of students on campus.

From originally being a judging pavilion, to being a bar, and now a cozy coffee shop, The Bullring has seen many transformations. This past year is no exception.

“The whole idea is that this is gonna be a long term solution to this really cool building that's been here for 100 years,” said Katrina Lindsay, general manager of The Bullring.

On Sept. 14, the coffee shop reopened. Their once iconic red roof has now been replaced with dark steel, but the ambience inside remains.

“We have a brand new steel roof, but the whole idea is that we won't be doing this again. So it's like a long term fix,” Lindsay said.

The Bullring will continue to be one of the more affordable options on campus, thanks to the Central Student Association, (CSA).

“It is owned and operated by the CSA and the whole idea is that we are trying to be a place where it's student centered,” she said. “We try really hard to keep our prices as fair as we can to try and so we're not generating a huge amount of profit. We're all about giving back to the students.”

Lindsay added that the majority of the staff at The Bullring are students, which is another way they give back with students in mind.

The Bullring will continue to be a hot spot for students, with entertainment nights dedicated to them.

“[Open mic] will run every Wednesday for the whole semester,” she said. “Art in The Ring happens in November.”

She also added that The Bullring has a couple of live music events planned for this fall semester, but people hoping to go will have to follow them on instagram @bullringuofg to learn more about the exact dates and times.

Central Student Association FoodBank operating at full capacity

Samar Tariq, VP External for the CSA, explains how the CSA is coming up with long term solutions to combat food insecurity

The Central Student Association, (CSA), has a FoodBank that’s available for students. However, the FoodBank is running at full capacity and there is a waitlist for those who wish to access these services.

“Functioning at capacity at all times provides that we always have a waitlist because we do not prevent students from applying to the food bank,” said Samar Tariq, VP External for the CSA.

Tariq said when the FoodBank operates at capacity, the list of recipients rotates regularly.

“We're in constant communication with users who have not attended a couple of their appointments, or who may have forgotten to notify us of their changed student status,” she said. “So, when those users get off the list simultaneously the waitlist users will get on.”

The CSA FoodBank was founded when the CSA noticed an increasing need for food security support.

“It's evolved through the years sort of …reshaping itself depending on user feedback, and how the needs of students have changed over the last decade,” Tariq said.

Tariq explained that the CSA FoodBank provides 30 items to users each month.

“Typically, the appointments are divided on a bi-weekly basis,” she said. “Although the users may choose as many items per visit, essentially, it will balance out to 30 per month.”

While the CSA FoodBank operates at capacity, prospective users are given information about other food security supports on campus and throughout the city of Guelph.

“We have the community fridge provided by the sustainabil-

ity office, we've got the fresh produce market and then we've got the CSA food bank that is supported and facilitated by CSA. So, there are a few resources to tackle food insecurity on campus,” Tariq said.

Tariq also said in the wake of running at capacity and having a long waitlist, there have been discussions about additional support for the CSA FoodBank and students facing food insecurity on campus.

She mentioned Irene Thompson and the sustainability office are part of the committee working on this.

“We do not want students to be the ones supporting students,” she said. “We want to offload the burden of fighting food insecurity from students and sort of see if the committee can assist the faculty and U of G an institution to bring something that's a little bit

more centralized, accessible, and not a band aid solution.”

Tariq said the partnership between the U of G and CSA is an opportunity for her to advocate for students facing food insecurity.

“I have high hopes to work in partnership with the U of G and bringing CSAs perspective and processes we've applied in our FoodBank to sort of advise the community and all other members who come from different expertise and backgrounds, to see if we can implement something that's a little bit more sustainable for the for the coming years and the economic state that we're in right now,’ she said.

Although this collaboration seems to be good news for students, Tariq said this may be a sign of what’s to come.

“Students at U of G have collectively experienced the down-

turns. of our circumstances, shifting because of everything that the world went through during the pandemic and the shortage of government support,” she said. “Essentially, our future is extremely volatile [and it’s] something that hasn't really been seen by previous generations for a little bit.”

She added that this is the reason why it’s so important to work with others on long-term solutions.

“Barriers can only be tackled when all campus support groups sort of come together and bring to the table everything that we offer individually to see if there is any room for combining and centralizing our, our supports to support students in a whole way rather than in singular ways,” she said.

To learn more about the CSA FoodBank and other food supports available, visit csaonline.ca/ foodbank.

Guelph Jazz Festival paints the town with sax, snares and strings

This multi-day music festival gathers people worldwide with all that jazz

ANDREEA BURLACU

Once September rolls around in Guelph, you can expect changing leaves and new fall flavours at local cafés. One more thing to look out for is the Guelph Jazz Festival, which has taken place mid-September for over 30 years. This is the place to be if you enjoy sax and the (Royal) City.

This year, the Festival took place from Sept. 14-18. On the Friday, Market Square came alive with a street music party that went until midnight. The main stage featured the groovy Samba Squad, the high-energy Big Smoke Brass, the West African

percussion group Alpha Rhythm Roots, and the Eastern-European group Lemon Trubaci.

“That was a big hit this year”, said Scott Thomson, Artistic and General Director of the Festival. “Once again, it’s a perennial crowd favourite.”

The beat went on till Saturday, where beer, food vendors, and family activities accompanied astounding shows on the main stage. This was a full day of music leading up to the 11 p.m. headliner, which was neo-soul “trip-hop” vocalist Witch Prophet.

Apart from Market Square, the Guelph Jazz Festival part-

nered with local venues to offer additional concerts across town. Performers included jazz band Lina Allemano Four at Art Bar and pianist Cory Smythe at River Run Centre.

A fan-favourite from the ticketed concert series was Josh Zubot Strings, a quintet from British Columbia who “knocked it out of the ballpark."

These series brought together jazz aficionados from across the world.

“They often travelled very far, very long distances to be here,” Thomson said. “There were people from Europe, from the United States, from around Canada, who made a pilgrimage to hear the artists that they admired.”

Even before the main weekend, performances were held in local parks. From Sept. 9-10, you could enjoy birds singing alongside magnificent musicians. On Saturday and Sunday, Libation Street Band, Alpha Rhythm Roots, and Lemon Trubaci performed in Norm Jary Park and York Road Park.

So many emerging and established artists from across Canada come to perform at Guelph Jazz Festival. This year, there were musicians from Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. As Artistic Director, Thomson selected a wide

variety of acts that spanned many musical genres. This ensured that everyone could resonate with something different.

“I think about different kinds of representation so that the programming reflects the world that we live in,” Thomson said.

Planning an event of this scale takes years.

“For some of the artists that presented this year, I started discussions in 2019,” he said.

This was Thomson’s last year with the Guelph Jazz Festival, as he will become Artistic Director of a Quebec festival next year. He enjoys the experience of listening

to music and the way it brings people together.

“It makes my life better and I believe it makes the lives of other attendees better,” he said. Thomson is already anticipating the 2024 Festival.

“I’m looking forward to next year’s Guelph Jazz Festival as a patron or possibly even as a musician,” he said.

Next autumn, as the sun starts setting earlier and colours begin changing, you might find yourself looking for a change in your music taste. Perhaps you’ll find the soundtrack to your September at Guelph Jazz Festival.

Ontarion Book Review: The Damages by Genevieve Scott

Author

writes a raw, real and thought-provoking book that forces readers to think about consent culture in University

Excited for a new start in University at Regis, Rosalind will do anything for a chance to be accepted, popular, and maybe even desirable. When Ros meets her sweet but geeky roommate, Megan, her hopes for social acceptance are threatened.

Throughout the book, the main character Rosalind must navigate friendships and relationships, walking a thin line between lies and the truth, making some poor decisions along the way. When an ice storm hits the community, the campus becomes party central. On one cold and stormy night of partying, Megan goes missing, and everyone believes it's Ros’s fault.

Fast forwarding 23 years later to Ros’s adult life in California, she is still haunted by her past and the choices she has made. When her family becomes affected by that fateful night in 1997, Ros must decide how she will confront her past, and what person she wants to become in the future.

The Damages explores the uncertainty of memory, dealing with trauma, navigating relationships, and finding one’s identity. The book spotlights the language

around consent in University and society in general.

“I think it's very important to get consent as close to right as we can. There will always be some awkwardness and rockiness involved in sexual negotiations,” said Genevieve Scott, author of The Damages. “I want to emphasize what can happen when that consent culture isn't in place. There's so much grey area, it leaves a lot of opportunity for people to misunderstand and use those misunderstandings as an excuse for bad behaviour. ”

Reflective of real life, the case of sexual assault in this novel comes with uncertainty. Uncertainty in memory, the true character of the people around us, and in how to reconcile and come to terms with our past experiences.

“Things don’t often get tied up in a neat bow and uncertainty is always around us. It's just a question of how we manage it and the degree to which we’re willing to accept what we don’t know but nevertheless take the reins and do the best thing for ourselves and the people we care about,” said Scott.

“I think so often these kinds of crimes of assault and harass-

ment can come from people we don’t necessarily expect especially when these incidents were common and not clear-cut in terms of the harm that they presented.”

When Scott started writing this book, the #metoo movement was very prominent in the media. This prompted her to think back to her own time at University in the 90s and the lack of consent culture that existed.

“A lot of what was playing out in the media and being widely recognized as problematic in 2018, in some cases, were things that we accepted in the 90s as being just the way things are,” said Scott. “I noticed in talking to friends and other women who came of age at the same time I did that sometimes it wasn’t always clear to us how we were supposed to be reacting to some of what was emerging

because there can be this attitude of, ‘Didn’t that happen all the time?’,” said Scott.

She added that now there is a better development of consent culture on campuses.

“We can do so much better in making people feel safe as well as improve the support available and awareness of what boundaries are, how to make them, and how to understand and respect them,” she said. “We didn’t really have much of that in the 90s. We knew that no means no and that left a lot of grey areas. I wanted to capture the incidents that could arise out of that grey area and that’s what we see with the details of the case in this book.”

Scott completed her MFA at UBC and now teaches creative writing part-time at King's College in Dalhousie and also

ifornia where she now lives. The Damages is her second book after Catch My Drift which came out in 2018.

Don’t miss out on this riveting and engaging story. Be sure to get your copy of The Damages if you’re looking to experience this thought provoking story and question the grey area yourself.

Optikz returns to the University of Guelph campus

The “Message in a Bottle” maestro re-releases his hip-hop hits 17 years later

The name Optikz may ring a bell to many alumni on campus, and soon students alike will recognize the name. Optikz, a.k.a. Darren Piper, is a Canadian rap singer/songwriter who is gearing up to re-release some of his singles.

Optikz was born in Queensland, Australia and moved to Guelph at the age of seven. As a young adult, he spent a lot of time on the University of Guelph’s campus skateboarding with his friends and performing hip hop shows with students. This was during a time when the Guelph Gryphons had a turnaround in their football career and things were looking up for them. This improvement inspired Optikz to write a song for the football team. “Go Gryphons Go,” became the theme song for all the Gryphon’s Athletics, playing at the beginning of sports games.

In addition to the theme song, Optikz has a very long history of successful music accomplishments, including placing third in a NewYork songwriting competition. He has been featured on many radio stations in the area, including Magic 106.1FM and

91.5FM The Beat. He’s travelled throughout Canada, writing jingles and commercial songs for major companies.

Currently, Optikz is gearing up for the re-release of two of his 2006 singles, which were some of his biggest hits. “Message in a Bottle” was re-released on Sept. 23, and “Rise Up” is set to re-release on Oct. 12. Optikz decided to bring them back, releasing them to a new audience with an official release for the songs. Optikz describes they were two of the best songs in his catalogue at the time as they won local talent competitions in the area.

Optikz has never shied away from being vulnerable. With the re-release of his singles, he is ready to share this vulnerability with a new generation of listeners. He spoke about the writing process of his songs, and how they are created.

“I find a beat that speaks to me,” Optikz said.

He gets his inspiration from his personal experiences, and he writes about the things he wants off his chest.

“I’ve gone through many evolutions throughout my career,

but I always write with the most authentic version of myself,” he said.

“My three newest singles are all from a very authentic place which is what I write from nowadays,” Optikz said, referring to the waves of his music career. Optikz loved to dabble into different genres throughout his career, including Party House Rap, and Christian hip hop.

His re-released singles, specifically fan-favourite “Rise Up”, was a monster to produce. With the assistance of JUNO Award winner, Marcus Kane, a Canadian rap artist and producer, he managed to bring the song together.

“We were in the studio for like 10-12 hours, and I was so tired,” Optikz said.

Optikz has experienced a lot in his life, music career and otherwise. He discovered he suffered from a spine disorder that has affected his everyday life.

“I’ve tried to make it, but I’ve had so many challenges. My entire career, from the time I started until now, I’ve lived with chronic back pain,” said Optikz, referring to the reason he has been out of

CFRU's Monthly Top 10 albums

performing. Fortunately, Optikz said he was starting to feel ready to perform again and hopes to get back on the stage in 2024.

Optikz discussed his hopes and plans for the new year. He aims to release his studio debut EP, as well as many other exciting things.

“I’m not ready to perform just yet, but I’ve been scouting out

rehearsal spaces in town so stay tuned for the things that are coming out,” he said. He wanted to remind fans to keep an eye out for new developments that are coming from Optikz in the coming months. You can find him on all streaming platforms and learn more about him on his website: www.optikzofficial.com.

Jason Wilson’s Ashara mixes Scottish storytelling and reggae

groove

This new release bends genres and explores Wilson’s family tree

Jason Wilson, a University of Guelph history professor and best-selling author, knows the value of a great story. After digitising his father’s film collection, Wilson was finally inspired to tell his own.

Wilson’s tenth album Ashara, to be released Sept. 29, blends reggae and Scottish music genres to create a sound that is uniquely his.

From a young age, Wilson was surrounded by reggae. He was raised at Keele and Finch in Toronto’s North End, a community with many Jamaican immigrants. He began playing reggae music at the age of 10 alongside his best friend, whose brother Carl Harvey is now in his band. Then, legendary reggae pioneer Jackie Mittoo took Wilson under his wing when he was around 17 years old.

“I had no choice,” Wilson said. “Reggae chose me.”

Wilson also grew up watching his father’s films, which dated back to the 1960s. His parents had immigrated from Ayrshire, Scotland, and Wilson was the first to be born in Canada. Their family would gather to see their past, illuminated on a projector in the basement.

“It was usually smoky, because several of my relatives would be smoking, and you’d have to say it was really cool,” Wilson remembered. “Like a little theatre.”

Throughout his career, Wilson expressed his admiration for reggae music through his past discography

and his academic work. Yet, Ashara will be the first time he explores his Scottish ancestry.

“I wanted to go back and delve into that,” he said.

Ashara colourizes the black and white film reels of Wilson’s family’s past. Its nine songs flip through memories all the way back to Wilson’s great-great-great-greatgreat-great uncle John Davidson, a shoemaker who was written about in Robert Burns’ 1790 poem “Tam O’Shanter”.

The name Ashara represents “beautiful peace” and “ash tree”. It’s a fitting title for an album that explores Wilson’s family tree and finds beauty in its memories.

“‘Ashara’ is ten in Arabic and this image of the tree of life,” he said. “I try to get a chapter of each person’s life from beginning to end.”

“I’ve got youth to first love, to adult, to work and middle age, and then near the end. The tree is symbolic of that. Trees can live much longer than us.”

One memory that lives on in Ashara is “An Evening in Paris in Cumnock Tonight”. This song describes a promising 1950s evening in Cumnock, with dancing shoes and spirits high amidst smokey clouds. Every young woman, including Wilson’s mother, only wanted one thing: a bottle of the violet and bergamot perfume “Evening in Paris”. Accompanied by a

string quartet, Wilson tells the story of a guy crushing on a girl, hoping that a bottle of “Evening in Paris” will win her over.

Another glimpse into the past is the album’s closer, which incorporates Alexander Montgomery’s 16th century poem “The Night is Near Gone." Wilson found beauty and inspiration in this Scottish piece, which “pitches nature and war together."

“In earlier centuries, war would start in the morning,” he said. “So all the wildlife would wake up as wars kicked off at the same time. It’s this oscillation between that.”

Wilson’s background in history has helped him showcase these stories of the past.

“You’re looking for the gold, the most simple, direct way to tell that story,” he said. “I learned that through history writing, for sure.”

His thoughtful, poetic lyrics are accompanied by saxophones and pianos alongside bagpipes and fiddles. This blend between reggae and Scottish music makes the perfect soundtrack to Wilson’s story.

“The sound is really me, fully matured I suppose, where Scotland meets Jamaica in Canada,” he said.

His band includes “some of the best Toronto musicians”, including woodwind specialist Marcus Ali, drummer Vince Reel, bassist Michael Shapinko, vocalist Laurel Tubman, and “legendary Jamaican-Canadian guitarist and bandleader” Carl Harvey. The al-

bum also features award-winning Scottish trad musicians Ross Ainslie, Ali Hutton, Jack Smedley, and John Somerville.

Ashara will be available digitally, as a CD, and on record as of Sept. 29, 2023. To celebrate the album, Jason Wilson will perform at Toronto’s Redwood Theatre on Sept. 30. Then, he’ll embark on a tour across the world.

“We will have a ton of dates, which we're delighted about,” Wilson said. “Ontario, of course, but other cool places like the Cayman Islands and Fiji. Back to Ireland and Scotland and England.”

You can also hear Wilson perform at Onyx in Guelph. Keep your eyes peeled for a performance announcement soon.

Eden Mills welcomes authors for annual Writers Festival

Authors and readers came out to the village to celebrate literature

On Sept. 10, the picturesque village of Eden Mills hosted its Writer’s Festival, where authors, publishers and book enthusiasts got to discuss literature and learn about new and exciting books.

Throughout the day, there were various events taking place in beautiful locations around the village. The mill, the meadow and the cottage are all charming clearings surrounded by nature where authors and readers could sit and discuss their books.

While some events focused on methods of writing, storytelling and publication, others spotlighted the importance of telling the stories of science. Events such as “Navigating Environmental Futures Through Science and Storytelling” explored the difference between fiction and non-fiction when discussing scientific issues.

Authors Holly Hogan and

Thomas Wharton discussed and compared their books Message in a Bottle and The Book of Rain, both of which relate to the climate crisis. Their insightful discussion highlighted how creative writing can allow us to make human connections to scientific problems.

Another notable event called “Larger Than Life” highlighted authors Michael Hingston, Ken McGoogan and Brett Popplewell in their books about unbelievable but true stories with real people and events. Their books Try Not To Be Strange, Searching for Franklin and Outsider follow the story of how Redonda became a kingdom of writers, an Arctic Exploration that could be described as disastrous, and the life of a man who lives in the mountains and spends his days running through blizzards and pushing the limits of humanity.

Guelph students were also

highlighted at the festival. “Emerge!”, was an event that focused on emerging writers from the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA program. Students were given the opportunity to share their new stories and writings.

On the Publisher's Way, there are booths set up on each side with vendors, authors and publishers. A Guelph favourite, the bookshelf, was there selling the books of the authors at the event. Attendees got the opportunity to get their books signed by the authors and ask questions about their work.

Another author present was S.V. Filice, selling her fantasy series The Summoning about angels and demons, exploring the forces of good and evil. Her other book Caged by Steel and Gems follows twin heirs to the royal title who have different opinions about how to

save the world around them. This Author not only writes fantasy but also romance under the name Tori Samuels. These lighthearted romances The Boyfriend Countdown and The Holiday Match follow hallmark-esque tales told from the male perspective.

Also stationed on Publishers Way, was the iconic blue bookshop on wheels; the Bookmobile. They are a secondhand bookshop on a bus where you can buy, sell and trade books. To find out where they are located and when, be sure to check out their Instagram @ bookmobile519.

Their food court offered a variety of options including some of U of G’s favourites such as Fo’Cheesy and Lady Glaze. Between events, attendees could grab some Thai food, ice cream, hotdogs, hamburgers, fries and more from Riceberry Thai, Mapleton’s Organic and the Rockwood and

District Lions Club.

Their accessibility and accommodations were also notable. The festival offers travel assistance, ASL interpretation and reserved accessible seating for wheelchair users.

If you love literature and missed out on this festival, you might enjoy the upcoming Wild Writers Literary Festival. The New Quarterly was at Eden Mills promoting their annual festival in Waterloo. This year, they’ve introduced a Student Pass to give a reduced rate of entry to university and college students.

The pass includes a ticket to their Friday Night Opening Showcase and Sangria Speakeasy, two Saturday events, and a subscription to The New Quarterly. Be sure to check them out on Oct. 27 to 29 to participate in workshops, events and to meet Canadian authors from all over the county.

U of G podcast offers food for thought

Future Food Visions tells the story of food from farm to table

The ongoing epidemic of food insecurity has left many people feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place. Maybe you yourself are wondering, “Where will my next meal come from?”

In light of this issue, Dr. Kim McLeod. and her students set out to raise awareness and reflectivity regarding the local food markets. Their aim, communicated through the means of an immersive audio experience launched in August, is catered for those living within the Guelph-Wellington area, including local community members, as well as those studying at U of G.

Known as Future Food Visions, the audio experience engages us all with the many stories of food eaters, food growers, and even our food itself. By lending an ear to the audio experience, the listener is served a full course meal of key spaces tied to our food.

Starting in downtown Guelph, from the pubs and restaurants on Macdonnell and Wyndham and the SEED warehouse, all the way out to the University Centre –where you might have picked up this paper.

The past and present impacts of our food systems are explored in an easily digestible and immersive way. Whether you like to listen alone or with friends, on a stroll or at home, so much is ripe for the picking through engaging with Future Food Visions. If you have a taste for our local food history, gentle satire, daily ethics, or the impacts of Indigenous culture we can still find and help preserve in our communities today, the audio experience is great food for thought.

The podcast educates its listeners with the support of circular systems of farming and consuming food in mind. It brings attention to the sometimes overlooked efforts and initiatives centered in the Guelph-Wellington area, such as Shelldale Farm, Friendlier, Land-Back Camp, and so much more. The audio walk is not only a must-listen for anyone wondering how they’ll afford their next meal, but a great starting point for anyone wondering how to support existing projects for food justice and security.

If you want to learn more about your local food resources, you can access Future Food Visions’ website, where the audio experience will be free and available until July, 2024. You can listen to the podcast for free

The Gryphon Racing Team gears up for another season of racing competitions

A look at the University of Guelph’s very own auto racing team

There are many interesting things about the University of Guelph, but perhaps the coolest is the school’s Gryphon Racing Formula SAE Team. The team is one of many university racing teams across North America that participates in student engineering and design competitions, which are run by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International.

Since 2002, when the Gryphon Racing Team was conceived, they have competed nearly every year in racing competitions like the FSAE Michigan, one of the biggest student auto racing competitions in North America. The road to building a competition-worthy car is a long one, and preparations begin as early as summer of the previous year. From mid-summer to the end of

the Fall semester, the focus is on design, until Winter when the focus shifts to manufacturing of required parts. By early June, the team does performance testing, and then they compete at FSAE Michigan in mid June.

Returning for his second year on the team is Software Lead Dallas Hart, and he described what the racing team does as an ‘engineering challenge.’ The cars get completely redesigned, so every year they compete with a better version of the car from the previous year.

The FSAE Michigan competition itself hosts 120 racing teams from different universities across North America. Teams are graded based on two categories: static events and dynamic events. Static events award points based on presentation, design, costs, and

the engineering principles used to design the car. For the dynamic events, teams are judged on the actual racing of the car, including acceleration and endurance.

The team’s current car can go from zero to 100 km in 3.5 seconds, and it boasts a maximum speed of up to 200 km. But to be able to design and make a successful car, hardwork and lots of effort is needed and Hart encourages interested students to ‘show up and do the work.’

“You get out what you put in,” Hart said.

Gryphon’s Racing Team has taken home some major wins in the past, like in 2005 when in just their second year of competing, they placed second from Canada at FSAE Michigan. That same year they competed with the competition’s first all-wheel drive

system. In 2018, they went on to place 5th in the acceleration component in North America out of 120 teams. However, they have also faced significant issues in the past, like in 2016 when they were still building their car in the parking lot of a Best Buy on the day before the FSAE Michigan competition. In 2019 yet another mishap happened when the car’s intake blew up from a backfire.

At the end of September, the team will be competing in Toronto at the Toronto Shootout against 15 other teams across Canada and the United States, but this is just the first competition of this racing season. Other upcoming competitions include the Formula Hybrid + Electric in New Hampshire next April, and the team will compete there with a new Electric Vehicle. Finally, June next year will see

the team race at FSAE Michigan against other university teams.

Hart mentioned that being on the team is an amazing learning opportunity, and because of the hands-on nature of the process, students are able to learn far ahead of what’s being taught in class as they’ll be exposed to several engineering design principles while on the team.

The club is open to everyone at the University of Guelph and although many students on the team are in engineering (mechanical, computer, systems), many are in other majors like computer science, business or finance. Interested students can find more information about the Gryphon Racing Team at their website gryphonracing.org, or on their Instagram page @gryphonracing.

Former U of G Men’s hockey player becomes assistant coach

Speaking with coach Scott Simmonds on his journey

OWEN TSIPTSIS

The Gryphons Men’s Hockey team has undergone some coaching changes this season. One of the new coaches is former Gryphons captain Scott Simmonds, who is joining as assistant coach. Simmonds grew up in Uxbridge and played junior hockey for the Belleville Bulls in the OHL before joining the University of Guelph team in 2014. One of the main reasons he decided to attend Guelph was because he could be a dual sport athlete competing in both hockey and rugby.

While attending Guelph, Simmonds was a part of two OUA winning teams, once with hockey and once with rugby. As well as winning the championship, one of his highlights was playing rugby on the same team as his younger brother Jason

“Being able to get on the field with him and play in the same rugby game for the same university was a pretty neat opportunity,” he said.

Simmonds is full of praise for the Guelph coaching staff.

“I'm fortunate right now to have Josh Dixion as the head coach and Dave Leger as the associate coach helping me and mentoring me,” he said.

Simmonds also said he hopes to be a source of support for the players both on and off the ice.

“[I want to] be someone that they can go to if they need to work on some skills or know things about campus or about life,” he said. “I think I can be a good support there.”

Speaking

of Head Coach

Josh Dixon and how he can fit

in at Guelph, Simmonds believes that he is what Guelph hockey needs at this time.

“Josh Dixon, he’s new this year, he's going to have a long time here and he's got exactly what they need for this program,” Simmonds said. “He’s a great coach.”

Simmonds said he has always envisioned coaching after his playing career was over.

“I've always been really interested in this side of the game and I told myself I needed to give myself a chance to try it,” he said.

Simmonds had the plan to play a few seasons pro after leaving Guelph and was able to accomplish that goal by playing in Manchester England for the Manchester Storm.

Simmonds explained how the opportunity came up to join the Gryphons again saying “There’s always going to be coaching positions but not necessarily ones that are right-aligned,” he said. “I think it's a really nice natural transition to coaching, it allows me to continue to give to this program one that's given so much to me.”

Speaking ahead of the current season, Simmonds and the Gryphons have a key goal for this year.

“It’s imperative that we make the playoffs again… Obviously, we have larger goals than just making the playoffs but that's where we're going start,” he said, Gryphons will be able to see the team play its home opener against Brock University on Oct. 12 and can visit @gryphonmshockey on instagram to learn more about the team.

A Q&A with Mike Schreiner about the Greenbelt

The Ontarion spoke with the Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario leader the day after Premier Doug Ford’s reversal announcement

Q: So first, and probably the most obvious, how does the Green Party feel about Ford’s reversal decision?

A: Oh, this is really a victory for the people of Ontario and I was really proud. You know, standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands and thousands of people across the province who are pushing back against the premiers decision to open the Greenbelt for development… we're just proud to be able to work with those folks, amplify their voices and [we’re] really proud of the leadership of citizens here in Guelph. And so it's a real victory for people power and a real victory for democracy. We're able to collectively push back and force the premier to actually reverse his broken promise to open the Greenbelt for development.

Q: So Doug Ford said he “made a mistake.” Do you think Ontarians deserve more in terms of accountability from their premier?

A: Yeah, absolutely. This was much bigger than a little mistake. This is a full-blown $8.3 billion scandal. And it raises significant public policy questions that the people of Ontario deserve honest answers to. And that's exactly why I continue to call for independent public inquiry to get those honest answers for the people of Ontario and ensure that something like this never happens again.

Q: Multiple ministers have stepped down due to the scandal. Do you think this is a sign that the Ontario conservatives might be in trouble?

A: Clearly we have a government that is in chaos mode and, you know, when you have a scandal that really emerges from a corrupt process leading to a corrupt decision and you have the premier dig in and resist doing the right thing for so long… That's only going to create more outrage.

Right now the people of Ontario don't trust the Ford government and rightfully so. And the first step towards having any hope of possibly rebuilding that trust

was for the premier to admit that he broke his promise and to say that he is going to keep his promise now to not open the Greenbelt for development. But the next step is for the premier to say yes to my call for an independent public inquiry because people deserve honest answers to how this corrupt process could lead to a corrupt decision that enabled a handful of wealthy elites… to cash in on $8.3 billion. And we need answers to ensure that something like this scandal never happens again.

Then the next step is this fight is not over. As far as I can see, the possibility of opening up other Greenbelt lands for development is still ongoing. The Premier is still imposing expensive sprawl on the farmland in places like Waterloo Region and Halton. The premier is still plowing ahead with the Greenbelt highway projects like Highway 413 and the Bradford bypass that will destroy hundreds of acres of Greenbelt land. And so I'm going to continue working with people here in Guelph and across the province to push back to truly protect the greenbelt and to ensure that we protect prime farmland across the province.

Q: You just brought up the highway that they're going to build

and the other Greenbelt lands that will be taken away. How would that affect local agriculture and food stability in Ontario?

A: I mean, this is exactly the time to be doing everything we can to protect and enhance local food supply chains. And we have people who cannot afford groceries right now. Partly due to the conflict in Ukraine, but also due to climate-fueled weather events around the world. And so we need to be protecting our supply chain right now, to ensure our own food security.

We also know the farming sector contributes $50 billion and over 800,000 jobs to Ontario's economy. That's especially important for a community like Guelph, where you've got the leading food agriculture university in the country here. You've got the headquarters of most of the major farm organizations here in Guelph. So, people here in Guelph recognize how vital it is to protect farmland across the province, our own security for vibrancy, and the vitality of our economy.

Q: Would building up be a more sustainable option for the government? And if so, why does there seem to be such a focus on single family detached homes over dens-

er, more affordable rental housing?

A: I think this government is pushing a false choice between tall and sprawl. We need more gentle density and missing middle housing in Ontario. That's exactly why I have two bills on the order paper. One that would increase gentle density by allowing multiplexes and four story walk up apartments in existing neighborhoods across the province. That's how we can quickly create housing supply homes that people can afford in the communities they want to live on land that's already approved for development and has the servicing infrastructure in place.

I'm also pushing forward a bill that would increase missing middle housing by making it legal to build six to 11 storey apartment buildings along major transportation corridors, again so that we can rapidly, in this case, ramp up affordable rental supply in places where we already have infrastructure built out. This way we can increase affordable homeownership and affordable rental homes for people within our existing urban boundaries and in a way they get past this false choice between tall and sprawl.

I'm also pushing hard for

stronger protections for renters. Also, the government has to get involved with non market housing solutions. Once again supporting co-op and nonprofit housing. Most of the deeply affordable homes built in Ontario were built prior to 1995. That was the year both the federal and provincial governments stopped supporting nonprofit and co-op and social housing.

heard?

A: I think reversal proves that people power works. The premier first said he was going to open the Greenbelt for development in 2018 to pushback. The premier said, ‘Okay I promise not to open the Greenbelt for development.’...

In December 2018, The premier put forward a bill that had a section that would have allowed for the Greenbelt to be open for development.

This is a fullblown $8.3 billion scandal

So, I'm arguing that both the province and the federal government should get back involved in that and finally I'm going to continue to advocate for increased funding for permanent supportive housing to help us address chronic homelessness. And I'm really proud of the work that was successfully done here in Guelph in building permanent supportive housing in Guelph and across the province.

Q: What would you say to young Ontarians, who it seems are watching their dreams of homeownership slip away and they're worried that housing isn't going to be built in time for them to be homeowners?

A: That's exactly why I have bills on the order paper that would make it legal to rapidly increase housing supply in communities that young Ontarians want to live in… Building homes that they can afford. So they don't have to drive until they qualify for a mortgage. They don't have to commute long distances to even afford an apartment let alone attainable and affordable homeownership and that's why we need a premier focused on building homes that ordinary people can afford to communities they want to live in, on land that's already approved for development. Instead of the premier wasting so much time, money and resources, breaking all the rules, rolling out the red carpet so a handful of wealthy elite Ford-connected developers can cash in on $8.3 billion.

Q: Switching back to more of the Greenbelt saga… Do you feel that Ontarians have become more passive in their acceptance of government dishonesty or has this reversal proven that their voices can be

We mobilized pushback against that, and the premier backtracked. He frequently said on multiple occasions, “I promise not to touch the Greenbelt. I won’t open the Greenbelt for development.” Of course, he broke that promise again last November and I remember exactly where I was. I was at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair at a reception hosted by the University of Guelph. My phone started blowing up and I had to excuse myself from the reception to do media interviews about how awful it was that the premier was going to open the Greenbelt for development. But once again, people power pushed back on the Premier and he's had to keep his promise.

So, what I want to say to folks here in Guelph and across the province that we have to keep pushing back against the Ford government's expensive sprawl agenda as farmland in green space inside and outside the greenbelt and will make life more expensive because it is far more expensive to build and service homes through

sprawl and building homes that people kind of born in the communities they want to live in.

Q: Do you think that this means future environmental initiatives might be taken more seriously moving forward?

A: I don't have a lot of confidence in the current government's environmental policies. I mean, they've been dramatically dismantling climate action plans and threatening environmental protection since day one in office… Dealing with this housing crisis is an urgent issue and a top priority for me, but we're also facing a climate crisis. You know, we spent the summer breathing in toxic air from wildfires. We saw communities and cities wiped out by extreme floods. Many communities here in Ontario, but especially in the Northwest Territories were being evacuated due to wildfires. So the increasing frequency and severity of these climate fueled extreme weather events makes it

urgent and increases that urgency. Making investments in adapting to the chaos… that we're currently experiencing… but it makes it just as important to invest in reducing climate pollution and ways that address people's affordability concerns, because every GHG emission we reduce helps reduce the harms that we're going to experience and the expensive, high cost of this climate crisis.

Q: So speaking of environmental initiatives, can you maybe just touch on the Green Party's $2 billion climate adaptation fund?

A: Yeah, so as I've said we're already experiencing the climate crisis. A financial accountability officer did a study at my request, showing and documenting that just this decade alone between now and 2030 public infrastructure in Ontario, there’s going to be $26.2 billion of additional damage and that we were going to need to invest that $26.2 billion in order to prevent damage. And so the $2

billion a year adaptation fund that we're advocating for, I would even argue, isn't fully sufficient to address the scale of the challenge. But right now, zero dollars are being put into adaptation for municipalities and quite frankly, I'm the only person at Queen's Park calling for a major climate adaptation fund, because we cannot download these costs on the municipalities. They simply can't afford it. And it will only make the housing crisis worse because the only way they can deal with it is to raise property taxes, which will increase rents and make it less affordable to own homes. The province has more fiscal tools to be able to support municipalities in making sure the investments are made and ensuring that our infrastructure is better able to withstand the increasing frequency and severity and climate field weather.

Q: Well, thank you again, so much for talking to me today, Mr. Schreiner. I just have one question for you. Is there anything else you would like to say in the wake of this Greenbelt reversal?

A: Just a big thank you to people all across the province. Thousands of people put up signs and attended rallies… demanding that the premier keep his promise not to touch the greenbelt and I want everyone to take a moment to enjoy the celebration of a hard-earned victory but also to recognize that this fight is not over.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity.

An ode to overnight oats

Try our recipe for a quick, delicious breakfast

ILLYRIA VOLCANSEK

For years, overnight oats have been unfairly stereotyped as a meal exclusively for Instagram food influencers, your health conscious aunt and people who generally have their life together. But no longer! Procrastinators, the time has come for you to try this delectable breakfast option too.

Overnight oats are for those late nights when you're tired of staring blankly at your half finished discussion post replies. For those times when the sudden urge to meal prep yourself a wholesome breakfast overcomes you, because who wants to freeze to death crossing Johnson Green on an empty stomach? Hypothermia is far more fun with some oats filling your belly, I've discovered. With all that fibre in your system, you might even get to use the War Memorial bathroom.

Keeping this pretty image in mind, let's dive into the exciting possibilities offered by overnight oats: a healthy, easy and delicious alternative to that thing you were supposed to do.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of oats

• 1 cup of milk or milk alternative

• sweetener of your choice, to taste (eg. honey, maple syrup etc)

Add ins: 1-4 tbsp yogurt

• 1/2 of a mashed banana (fresh or frozen)

• 2 tbsp peanut butter

• handful of dark chocolate chips or 2 tsp cocoa powder

• 1 tsp chia seeds

Instructions: Mix oats and milk in your preferred container. Add sweetener, any add-ins you would like and stir well.

• Cover with a lid and store in the fridge overnight. Enjoy the next morning

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What about contributing to a non-profit behind the scenes?

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JOIN OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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You can add anything you want to your oats, like nuts,

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Article originally published Nov 11, 2004.

The Ontarion has been around since 1951 and we’ve witnessed some pretty historic moments. This is a new feature that will focus on noteworthy articles pulled from our archives that are of interest to our readership today.

We’re currently in the process of fully digitizing our archives and creating a searchable directory. If you’d like updates on when this project is complete, sign up for our newsletter by emailing info@theontarion.com

Something needs to be done to address food inflation

Why it’s happening, how it affects us, and what we can do

Canadian governing policies need to address the food inflation crisis on fresh produce in order for the average citizen to afford the foods recommended on the Canadian food guidelines. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, an agriculture and food analyst stated, “To say that it’s been a challenging year for Canadians at the grocery store would be an understatement”.

Statistics Canada reports that Canada’s food inflation has hit a new 31 year high with a 6.7% increase in the past year.

Specifically, healthy foods have become the most unaffordable items. Dalhousie University reported that people should expect vegetables to increase by 6 to 8 percent leading the food inflation rates, followed by dairy and bakery items with a 5 to 7 percent increase. Processed foods are expected to remain relatively stable throughout this food inflation crisis due to the actual small por-

tion of raw ingredients in these unhealthier items.

In order to keep up with these price increases of fresh products, customers have had to resort to other unhealthier products in order to afford standard living costs. Reports from studies conducted by the government of Canada have stated that 47 per cent of Canadians have altered their purchases for cheaper alternatives during this inflation crisis.

In particular, lower income individuals are the most affected. A report published by Cambridge University in 2012 shows an inverse association in higher income countries between the consumption of highly processed foods and socioeconomic position. Measures must be taken in Canada in order for healthy unprocessed foods to be affordable for all socioeconomic levels.

This increase of costs is happening for a number of reasons.

As stated by Mike Von Massow, a food economist at the University of Guelph, the price of wheat, fertilizer, and vegetable oils have skyrocketed due to the Ukrainian war contributing to the rise of bread and production costs. Extreme weather is also a large contributing factor to inflation.

The United States who are a major food exporter to Canada have experienced major drought impacting the food harvest. Furthermore, import into Canada is made challenging and costly due to its icy winters. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has also led to an increase of expenses due to cleaning and other external factors, according to a study published by the government of Canada. .

According to a study from the Angus Reid Institute 40 per cent % of Canadians state that they would find it difficult to afford the foods recommended in the Canadian food guidelines (Korz-

inski, 2019). How can the Canadian government address healthy food inflation so that people can afford to abide by its food guidelines? Measures and policies must be taken to tackle these issues and enforce cheaper healthy foods.

Tangible measures need to be implemented in order for healthy food inflation to be reduced. Not only does the purchasing of unhealthy foods worsen the health of the individual, it worsens the economy through the burden it puts on the healthcare system.

Rosie Mensah, a dietitian stated that these inflation rates could overload Canada’s already fumbling health-care system through an increase of illnesses due to diets that lack nutrients. Researcher from the University of Alberta, Olivia Leowen, reported that $26 billion dollars annually can be attributed to failing to eat according to Canada's food guidelines.

One of the leading grocery

stores, Loblaw’s, reported a profit of $529 million in the fourth quarter, according to their own financial reports. Tax on large grocery store corporations could be utilised to help subsidise the inflating costs of healthy foods.

Furthermore, in order to make these large organisations accountable for inflating their prices of healthy foods, mandatory requirements for grocery stores to report the sales of highly processed foods in proportion to all sales could be introduced to encourage a reduction in costs of unprocessed foods in comparison to processed foods, according to an Australian study in 2019. .

Overall, something needs to be done to stop food inflation from affecting the health of Canadians. Doing so can help us in achieving better quality of life, stronger healthcare and cost of living affordability, which is at the top of the minds of Canadians in 2023.

Community.

It's just one word but it represents so much. For over 70 years The Ontarion has acted as a platform for community members to report the news, share their storie s, and connect with each other We hav e also been a space where anyone can contribute and make their voice heard.

Come join us as we embark on the next 70 years and continue to connect one another through journalism and storytelling. All are welcome.

SPOOKY STUFF

5 costumes you’ll see everywhere

Here’s how to stand out in a crowd full of generic Barbies and Kens

If you head out to a Halloween party, you’re bound to see the usual characters: the ghost, the witch, the skeleton and the vampire. But every year, certain costumes show up everywhere. They’re usually some type of nod to pop-culture or the hottest movie of the year.

This year will be no exception. However, if you’re looking to be an iconic character with your own twist - you’re in luck! Here are five Halloween costumes you’ll see everywhere, and how to make yourself stick out.

Barbie

We all saw it coming with the release of the Barbie movie, but get ready to see Barbie absolutely everywhere this Halloween. So, were you planning on being Barbie this Halloween? Well, you can choose to dress up as Margot Robbie's Barbie or you could stand out and be one of the many unique Barbies that have been released in the past.

Barbie can be whatever she puts her mind to and that includes being Lieutenant Barbie from Star Trek. This costume is a perfect combination for sci-fi and Barbie lovers which seems very niche. All you’ll need is a red matching top and bottom with the star trek symbol, some black boots, black tights and a blonde wig. You can even make this a group costume and find yourself a Commander Ken. Because we can’t forget about Ken.

Wednesday

Arguably the biggest show of the year has been Netflix's Wednesday. We saw Wednesday come to life on our screens again after a long break. The show became a hit sensation overnight and reminded everyone how much we love the

Addams family and how relatable Wednesday actually is.

Although we’ve seen Wednesday in multiple different adaptations we have never seen her past her early childhood/teenage years. Why not put a spin on Wednesday and make her elderly! Seeing as she was created in 1938 then she'd be 85 right now, so someones gotta do old Wednesday justice. You’ll just have to wear Wednesday’s typical black dress, a gray wig put into pigtails and a cane. Don’t forget her iconic gloomy personality.

The Last of Us (Joel & Ellie)

This video game to TV series adaptation definitely left us spooked. The topic of a global pandemic that destroys humanity was sure to freak some of us out given recent events but nonetheless it provided great entertainment. The show received nothing but praise all around and earned 24 Emmy nominations! We couldn't help but fall in love with Joel and Ellie's wholesome relationship and will surely be seeing the duo all around this halloween season.

Something I bet you won’t be seeing too much of though is an infected version of Joel and Ellie. This will definitely set you apart from all the other Joel and Ellies out there and will turn heads. Sport Joel and Ellie’s usual attire but just add some crazy spores coming out of their necks and heads and walk around making funny noises.

Justin & Hailey Bieber

Dressing up like a celebrity has always been a thing. It's a classic costume that provides a lot of variety. Certain celebrities make for great costumes because of their show stopping looks. A popular pair of celebrities that mostly all of Gen Z have heard of are none other than Justin and Hailey Bieber. Hailey is constantly praised for her impeccable fashion sense, and Justin on the other hand is known for his unique street style.

Recently, the pair made headlines because of their contrasting styles when they headed out to an

event for Hailey Bieber's brand. The internet was in a debate as to whether it was hilarious or just disrespectful that Justin showed up to the launch in sweats and Crocs while Hailey was spotted in a glamorous red dress and matching heels. Either way this makes for a great group costume and is sure to make people laugh. Plus if you're Justin, you get to be comfy all night!

Spider Ham

A Spider Man costume is al-

ways going to be timeless. He’s become a character that is near and dear to our hearts. But when we think of Spider Man, we think of Peter Parker and recently Miles Morales thanks to the Spider Verse series. These alternate universes have introduced us to a multitude of different versions of Spiderman. Last year, Miles Morales and Spider Gwen costumes were all the rave.

If you're looking to be distinct amongst a crowd of Spider

Man costumes, well, I have the perfect suggestion for you. You may have spotted him in the films or seen him in comics, but Spider Ham is a beloved character from the Marvel Universe. In other words, he is a pig version of Spider Man. Spider Ham is adorable and allows you to embrace your playful and creative side. I can assure you that you will not be seeing too many duplicates of your costume this year!

CREEPY CAMPUS

Brisson, Leis & Associates

OPTOMETRISTS

Judith A. Brisson, O.D. P. Lynne Leis, O.D. Reita Thomas-Parel, O.D. Violet Zawada, O.D. Jianchang (Iris) Shen, Optometrist

Serving the U of G community for 40 years, we provide personalized eye care including comprehensive examinations, contact lenses and eyewear.

Exams available in English, French, Polish, Mandarin and Cantonese.

21 College Avenue West, Guelph (across from OVC)

TEL (519) 822-2710 · FAX (519) 822-7877

www.eyesoncollege.ca · brisson.leis@rogers.com

GRYPHFEST 2023

THE ONTARION'S CLUB OF THE MONTH

Club Name: Guelph Poets Society

Club Since: January 2021

Club Mission: Guelph Poets Society’s mission is to cultivate an open and inclusive poetry community at the University of Guelph. We provide a safe and welcoming space for members to share their work and build connections. We aim to support poets in reaching a wider audience and allow everyone to experience different kinds of poetry through our meetings, activities, and events, regardless of your background in poetry!

Fun Fact: At GPS, we’re all about fun, not so much fact - bring all your creativity to the table for our many prompts, games and activities!

How can others get involved: If you're interested in getting involved, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at poets@uoguelph.ca or on Instagram @uog_poets. Being involved with our club opens you to attending our general meetings, sharing your work and volunteering or performing for our events. Some of our upcoming events are Poetry in the Arboretum, our poetry night: Read it & Weep, and our World Poetry Day celebrations! You can also be featured in Tuesday's Talent (our Instagram series featuring UoG poets) and take advantage of the publication opportunities we present!

If you want to be the next club of the month, email tpipe@theontarion.com

BECAUSE WE ASKED...

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

"Four of us are doing a group costume and we’re going as Gru, Vector and two minions."

Biological Science

"I'm going to be a classic black kitten."

Kanksha Shah 4th year, Biological Science

"I don’t think I am going to dress up but if I did I would be Pyramid Head."

Quentin Wider 5th year, Engineering

"I’m gonna go as Lord Farquaad cause I just cut my hair and I think I could pull it off."

Izzy Cormie 3rd year, Biomedical Science

"I'm going to be Flying Jatt from the A Flying Jatt movie."

Hareej 4th year, Economics and Finance

"I'm going to be She-Ra because I love everything she represents and she's powerful."

Laura Legzdins 3rd year, Environmental Science

OCTOBER TO-DO LIST

MON OCT 2

Games Night with TGM

• 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

• UC Room 225 & 222

• Open to all U of G students

TUES OCT 3

Learn to Fold with the Origami Club

• 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

• ECLA 3708

• Open to all U of G students

THURS OCT 5

Paint the Cannon

• 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

• The Cannon

• Open to all U of G students

WED OCT 11

Aggie Pub

• 10:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

• Peter Clark Hall

• Cost to participate is $5

TUES OCT 17

Take a Paws Therapy Dogs

• 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

• Athletics Centre, Old Gryphons Lounge 131

• Open to all U of G students just make sure to book a time slot

Better Sleep Program

• On-demand (you can begin today)

• 5 session ON-LINE program, one Lesson e-mailed to you each week and lifetime access

• Strategies to fall asleep (or back to sleep) more easily & get more energy from sleep

• Cost to participate: $20 for U of G students

FRI OCT 20

Take the Stress out of IBS

• Fridays from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

• Online

• Tips to decrease IBS symptoms and regulate digestion using diet and stress management

• Cost to participate: $20

WED OCT 25

STOP Worrying

• 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

• Online

• Techniques to curb worrying, and how to address pitfalls that get in the way

• Cost to participate: $5 for U of G students

FRI OCT 27

Witches Night In

• 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

• University of Guelph

• Open to everyone and free entry

Guelph Storm vs Kingston Frontenacs

• 7:00 p.m.

• Sleeman Centre

• Cost to participate: prices vary see Guelph Storm website for details

SAT OCT 28

Wicked Witches Halloween Market

• 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

• Victoria Park East Golf Club

• Open to everyone and free entry

PETS OF THE MONTH

MEET HOMER!

Breed: Australian Labradoodle

Photo: Owen & Daniella Kidston

Age: 5

Fun Fact: He knows how to dribble a soccer ball with his paws

MEET NEMO & SAMI!

Breed: Abyssinian

Photo: Rachel Fioret

Age: 17

Fun Fact: They've been best friends their whole life and love to play with my bunny, Velveteen!

MEET STELLA!

Breed: Tabby

Photo: Taylor Pipe

Age: 6

Fun Fact: Stella's favourite treat is a tiny taste of cream cheese

WANT TO SUBMIT YOUR PET TO BE FEATURED?

Email tpipe@theontarion.com

CORRECTIONS FROM 195.1

Ontarion Resource Page Updated

OUTline

Website: uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/ outline [Shortlink: uoguel.ph/outline] Email: outline@uoguelph.ca

OUTline provides confidential and anonymous peer support and information on services relating to sexual orientation and gender diversity to all individuals and families in the University of Guelph and surrounding community. They have lots of different resources, including events, articles, and of course, the OUTline Online Chat. The OUTline Online Chat is the place to connect with trained volunteers in a discreet, confidential and private online environment.

Student Experience

Website: uoguelph.ca/studentexperience

Email: student@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519824-4120 Ext. 52214 Social: @uofgstudentexp and @uofgstudent

Student Experience supports the transition to campus and orientation needs of all students, including students identifying as First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Black, racialized, members of the LGBTQ2IA+ community, and members of various cultural, international, religious, and spiritual communities – from the time they are admitted until they

graduate. They are committed to the development of the whole student and, as such, help students explore their capacity for leadership, overcome barriers to learning, and assume the responsibilities of a global citizen. During Orientation Week, Student Experience collaborates with more than 100 campus partners to deliver a range of events and activities designed to expose new students to the rich network of opportunities that exist on campus. Student Experience provides programs where you can build community, explore lived experiences, and support your personal development.

Indigenous Student Centre, Student Experience

Website: uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/ isc Email: indigenous.student@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 58074 Social: @ uofgstudentexp and @uofgstudent

The Indigenous Student Centre (ISC) strives to foster a community of support for First Nations, Inuit and Métis students based on Indigenous kinship. The Centre engages people from a variety of Indigenous cultures and worldviews to create a diverse, inclusive and holistic community. They hold various community events based on Indigenous kinship models such as learning circles, workshops, visiting Elders and Knowledge Hold-

ers, and more.

Multi-Faith Resource Team, Student Experience

Website: uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/ mfrt Email: faith@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519824-4120 Ext. 52214 Social: @uofgstudentexp and @uofgstudent

The Multi-Faith Resource Team is composed of communities from a number of different faiths, all working together to meet the religious and spiritual needs of the University community. No matter your faith background, even if you don't identify with any particular faith tradition, you are more than welcome to stop in and chat with a member of the MFRT. The MFRT is committed to promoting friendliness, religious understanding, harmony in diversity, and spiritual growth on campus.

Off-Campus Living, Student Experience

Website: uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/ off-campus-living Email: ocl@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 53357 Social: @ uofgstudentexp and @uofgstudent

OCL works closely with students, residents, City staff, landlords, and city councilors to help facilitate communication and to ease the way for students who live in Guelph. They also provide a range of programs and

Breed: Brussels Griffon

Photo: Mariana Erazo

Age: 11

Fun Fact: Lily came all the way from Alberta to Ontario to meet her family!

services to support students in making the transition to off-campus living, in navigating new relationships with landlords, housemates and neighbours, and finding their way on campus and in the local community.

Cultural Diversity, Student Experience

Website: uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/ cultural-diversity Email: cultural.diversity@ uoguelph.ca Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 52214

Social: @uofgstudentexp and @uofgstudent

The Cultural Diversity team in Student Experience plays a critical role in providing support to Black and racialized students at the University of Guelph. They aim to foster a supportive, affirming and inclusive campus for students through programming where students can learn about themselves and others, creating spaces for cultural celebration, advocacy and exploring social justice through a diversity and inclusion lens.

Sexual and Gender Diversity, Student Experience

Website: uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/ lgbtq2ia Email: sgd@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 52214 Social: @uofgstudentexp and @uofgstudent

The Sexual and Gender Diversity Advisor provides resources, programs and advising support for LGBTQ2IA+ students.

CROSSWORD EASY SUDOKU

Across 1–Capital of Yemen

6–Statistics, collection of facts

10–RR stops

14–Snares

15–Coup d'___

16–Golf pegs, northern English river

17–Affirmatives

18–Asian river

19–Acquire through work 20–Words on a Wonderland

1–Eye problem

2–Extent of space

3–Political cartoonist Thomas

4–Tarzan, e.g.

5–Donkeys

6–Precious

7–Look ___, I'm Sandra Dee

8–Instructed

9–Skylit lobbies

10–Keep it, to an editor

11–Shred

12–Ethereal

13–Nine-digit ID

22–Everett of "Citizen Kane"

24–Emcees

26–Transmits

27–Freshwater fish

28–Cave

30–Sigh of satisfaction

31–Japanese dish

33–Free

34–"The dog ate my homework," e.g.

35–Fabric woven from flax yarns

36–Started

38–Disney honcho

39–Moisten while cooking

41–Very early

42–Also

47–Break

48–Catlike

surgery opens the chest

Root

50–Relaxes

52–French military caps

53–Mosaic piece

54–Salon sweepings

55–Singer Redding

56–Alpo alternative

57–Billiard implements

59–"Splendor in the Grass"

screenwriter

60–Gripped

61–Functions

62–Scale notes

ANSWERS FROM ISSUE 195.1

Fill in the empty squares so that each of the digits 1 through 9 appear once in each row, column, and 3-by-3 block.

HARD SUDOKU

BOB'S DOGS CROSSWORD CONTEST

For your chance to win two Bobs dog’s and two pops, just complete the crossword, snap a picture, and send it to puzzles@theontarion.com by Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. Winners and anyone else who fills in the crossword correctly are announced in each issue. Winners can arrange pickup of their voucher by emailing the same address.

Sun is shinin' in the sky, There ain't a cloud in sight, It's stopped rainin', everybody's in the play, And don't you know, It's a beautiful new day? Hey

by Electric Light Orchestra