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The Breezeway Hosts Midterm Election Viewing Event in Partnership With the Political Science Society

Noah Laybolt
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Reporters: Noah and Jacob Laybolt

On November 6th, as the American 2018 midterm elections divided many across the country, here in St. John’s the Political Science Society came to together to hold a free viewing party at the Breezeway MUNSU Bar. The event marked the resurgence of the society following recent elections for various leadership positions in the group.

Notably,the society has launched a Facebook page and an Instagram account to further community engagement on campus. Prior to this, the dominant mode of public engagement was an inactive Twitter account which last posted in 2013.

This revived digital exposure campaign appears to have been quite successful considering the number of attendees who spent the night eager and wide-eyed as the bar projected CNN’s live coverage of the election. Looking into the future,the Political Science society has mentioned plans for an upcoming mixer in collaboration with the department of Humanities and Social Sciences and a bake sale to raise funds and boost presence.

As the CNN broadcast being played on multiple screens in the bar announced projected election results, there was either abrupt cheering or booing. The democratic party was the clear favourite of the Breezeway’s young,progressive crowd. Ted Cruz’s clutch victory over Beto O’Rourke was met with a dull, buzzed chagrin from the patrons. People started to disperse around midnight as the mixed voting results crawled in at a gradually slower pace.

As was reported by major news outlets across the globe, the democrats won a majority house but failed to replicate that success in the realm of senate seats. This reporter sure cannot wait to see the events of the next federal election, both American and Canadian, unfold among another friendly and well-acquainted crowd at Memorial’s cozy campus bar.

St. John’s First Place in Canada to Have Legalized Marijuana: Pot Shop Lines Swell at Midnight

Noah Laybolt
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St. John’s First Place in Canada to Have Legalized Marijuana: Pot Shop Lines Swell at Midnight

Reporter: Noah Laybolt

The mob outside of The Natural Vibe snaked its way down the street and through a nearby alley as the midnight countdown to legalization began for October 17, 2018. The crowd was civil,yet anxious; the air was filled with the talk of bright national futures and plant-based miracle cures. The inside of the store was filled to capacity, two attendants behind the desk waiting patiently for the clock to strike and for their industry to become permanently legitimized. When the clock finally struck 12, fireworks began dotting the sky, haphazardly exploding, thanks to a few committed citizens in their backyards nearby. Cars honked. The first man to buy marijuana from the store emerged a hero, brandishing his legally acquired super-drug high and drowning in the applause of hundreds.

There was that image of the iconic green leaf hidden behind brown paper taped to the store’s front window, and the crowd ripped it off of the glass to reveal the symbol concealed beneath it – cheering and whooping as they clawed the last bits of tape from the surface. After a few minutes though, things died down. The line was slow and long.The gravitas faded. People just wanted their weed.

Marijuana is now legal across Canada. For more information on the limitations and guidelines of legal use, you can visit this website: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/cannabis/.

Marijuana is also now available for online purchase and delivery within Newfoundland. You can look into that via this address: https://www.shopcannabisnl.com/.

Royal Canadian Navy Steers Towards Youth Recruitment

Jacob Laybolt
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Royal Canadian Navy Steers Towards Youth Recruitment

Reporter: Jacob A. Laybolt

While many students in both high school and university may resort to service industry jobs at minimum wage to support themselves, another avenue for youth was featured this October. On Wednesday, October 17th, HMCS Cabot held its annual open house event. Located amongst the shipyards which maintain various coast guard and commercial fishing vessels, Cabot has housed an impressive naval base since 1949. With 5,100 reservists serving across 24 divisions in Canada youth comprise a large portion of those positions. As such, it was no surprise that the majority of attendees at this event were high school students.

Various posters and banners had been hung in the main entrance to advertise the vast career opportunities available at the Naval Reserves. Some of these possibilities included the often publicized Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG) and the recently developed Naval Security Team (NST).

During the event an emphasis was placed on the training and skills development provided which can asset future careers outside the military. This makes it a viable option for youth with minimal occupation experience seeking entry level jobs. Additionally, the presenters were able to describe various deployments which they had taken apart in, resulting in paid diving operations in Hawaii or even participation in exercise drills in the South Atlantic with the United States Navy.

After a brief tutorial on the fitness evaluation, the party broke for a complimentary trip to the cafeteria where the kitchen served their traditional 8:30 soup. Directly afterwards,there was a weapons exhibit of various firearms and a discussion on dive training where participants were able to try on a scuba rig for themselves. Eventually the group was able to visit the naval command simulator, before the evening was concluded with a power point on the working environment and pay and benefits of becoming a reservist.

The event was well-received,appearing to be part of a larger recruitment campaign as the Army reserves held their open house and job fair only a month prior on September 29th. These are no doubt related to the Liberal government’s current plan to increase regular force numbers by 2,500, while boosting the reserves strength by 1,500.

New Signal Hill Campus Peaks Industry Interest

Jacob Laybolt
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New Signal Hill Campus Peaks Industry Interest

Reporter: Jacob A. Laybolt

Atop the scenic Signal Hill, a sightseer can view many of the grand features which St. John’s has to offer. For several decades this perch was once considered a home away from home to tourists lodged at The Battery Hotel. Now however, the spot offers its accommodations to a new sort of crowd. As of September 29th,2018, the complex has been officially reopened as Memorial University’s Signa lHill Campus following a full completion of renovations after the property sale in 2013.

The campus seeks to maintain many of the previous hosting elements with regards to conventions, conferences, and socials while also providing lodging to guests and graduate students of the University itself. The campus intends to operate year-round with the intent of accommodating graduate students from September to April and providing openings to visitors from May to August.

Memorial University has also made it clear that they intend to respect the property’s provincial history, going so far as to consult with the public of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2014. According to the university, this helped create an acceptable establishment with a genuine interest in the community and a contribution to local industry. Specifically,the campus houses four units with heavy public engagement. These include the Genesis Group, which specializes in new firm start-ups, the Gardiner Centre,offering a variety of training programs relating to business, the Harris Centre, fulfilling an ambassadorial role to meeting the province’s needs, and the Office of Public Engagement, which ensures all these aspects by coordinating activities.

Additionally, many of these tasks were made possible by a contribution from Halifax energy company, Emera Inc. The $7 million worth of funding has designated the new Innovation Centre to be named after the group. As a result, the Signal Hill Campus is set to become a large component of professional opportunity and business generation in the St. John’s area, and possibly even the entire province. Entering its first year the campus has boldly presented itself at a high peak of the city. However, only time will tell if it may match the expectations held, and the height of its environment.

Fahrenheit 11/9: Michael Moore’s Presidential Pot-Shots, Trumped at Box Office

Jacob Laybolt
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Fahrenheit 11/9: Michael Moore’s Presidential Pot-Shots, Trumped at Box Office

Reporter: Jacob A. Laybolt

Author Rating: 7/10

“Fahrenheit 11/9” is a political documentary directed by Michael Moore, released on September 21st,2018. Originally produced by The Weinstein Company (prior to the allegations in October of 2017), the film intended to be a sit-rep on the current political climate in America. Released as a spiritual successor to his other film, “Fahrenheit 9/11”, Moore presents a similar approach by showcasing issues relevant to the topic of the film. However, in this respect, 11/9, is not as coherent in its dissection.

The film opens with a montage of false predictions about the 2016 election, stating the extremely high chances of Hillary Clinton’s election; this immediately cuts to live CNN coverage wherein Donald Trump wins grand swaths of electoral districts, and has his face projected onto the Empire State building. Cue the date of the winner’s announcement, and the title of the movie, “Fahrenheit 11/9”. The sequence is the best component of the film, for accurately showing the low level of credence that was given to Trump’s campaign during the cycle and incriminating the media for helping the election’s turnout.

Throughout the movie, Moore provides firsthand interviews with many political agents and figures such as John Podesta and Bernie Sanders. Moore also digs out archival footage of a joint interview between Trump and himself on The Roseanne Show in 1998. These are just a few names who are given a critical lens. Even Hillary Clinton is subjected to some moderate criticism on her track record and cultural dissonance. One figure in particular, who was surprising to see in the cross-hairs of the film, was President Barack Obama, specifically with his visit to Flint, “tasting” the water to prove its non-toxicity.

The segments surrounding the water crisis however, could have been their own film, and are difficult to segue between with other topics investigated. An example where this is prevalent is the overarching transitions between the water crisis in Flint Michigan, to the nation-wide Teachers Strike, which is then followed by the Parkland Shooting, and then the False Nuclear Strike Alarm in Hawaii. After having watched this film twice I can say that the film is strangely arranged to jump back and forth between important, but unconnected issues. If there is a connection to be made, Moore fails to make it made directly noticeable. The composition of the issues would have seen better fit for a Netflix mini-docuseries à la “Making a Murderer” or “Dirty Money”, an investigative series on modern day affluence and corruption. The end product Moore has released is a well probed but slightly incongruent series of important clips, as if there were a handful of movies Moore wanted to make, but eventually settled on a compilation of sorts.

If you are looking for a semi-journalistic, semi-comedic, accurate,report on the state of the presidency, and Michael Moore’s personal interpretation of the events, then look no further. However, if you are expecting a high-grade masterpiece documentary, then this may not be for you.Regardless, as far as theatrical releases go, it is certainly refreshing to see a documentary at the cinema (despite the box office performance), as well as the comfort of knowing that Michael Moore is still actively honing his craft. I would encourage anyone interested in politics to check it out.

World University Services of Canada(WUSC) Lunch and Learn Series

Modeline Longjohn
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World University Services of Canada(WUSC) Lunch and Learn Series

Reporter: Modeline Nicholas Longjohn

The World University Services of Canada (WUSC) is a Canadian based non-profit organization dedicated to improving education, employment, and empowerment opportunities for youth across the globe. Founded in 1929 by a group of students in Toronto, WUSC has advanced over time to become a global network of International student services with projects embarked upon in over two dozen countries.  One of the key arms of organisation is the student refugee program (SRP) which was formally launched in 1978. The aim of the SRP has been to support young refugees (mainly from Jordan, Malawi and Tanzania and more) by providing them education as well as an opportunity to resettle in Canada thereafter. Funded by donations from individuals, foundations, student groups and government grants, WUSC partners with universities to facilitate the national program.

Under the supervision of the Internalization office of MUN and in partnership with the headquarters of WUSC in Ottawa, a St. John’s chapter has been constituted with a committee chaired by final year Kinesiology student and Miss Canada Global 2018 Miss Shauna Griffiths. The local committee is dedicated to raising awareness about the current global refugee problem as well as raise funds to bring the refugee program to St. John’s.

In line with the goals of the local committee, they held an information session at the Landing, UC on Wednesday 31st October 2018 with panelist discussing the current global refugee crisis. The panel consisted of Shauna Griffiths, Farzana Yeasmin, Italia Skye Esmond, Husam Basemah and Nabila Qureshi, a diverse and multicultural group which brought different sides to the conversation. 

On how the programme will impact the province, the chair of the committee, Miss Griffiths believes that it will push multiculturalism, social inclusion, acculturation and diversity, which will inadvertently play a role in driving the growth of Newfoundland.

For more information on WUSC-MUN, they can be connected with them viaFacebook @ WUSC Memorial University Chapter.

The Muse wishes WUSC all the best, as they embark on this laudable project.

Nigerian Independence Day

Modeline Longjohn
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Nigerian Independence Day

Reporter: Modeline Nicholas Longjohn

MUN is an incredibly diverse space, featuring people from several countries in the world. One of the countries with a large population at MUN is Nigeria, a country in the West of Africa. Known as the most populous black nation on Earth, Nigeria has made its fair share of contributions to the world scene. Notable Nigerians include the multi-award winning writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka and Dr. Bernet Omalu the Physician who first published about traumatic brain injury linked to American football (depicted in the biopic Concussion). Other Notable people of Nigerian descent include actors David Oyelowo, John Boyega, Hakeem Kae-Kaseem and Chinwetel Ejiofor and former beauty queens/models Agbani Darego and Oluchi Onweagba-Orlandis.

As an oil and gas rich nation which is touted to be one of the emerging economies in Africa, Nigeria has had its share of political instability. Surviving a brutal civil war (1967-1970) which nearly divided the country, this highly industrious yet politically unstable nation continues to grapple with problems including poverty, large scale corruption and in recent times militant insurgency from Jihadist organization Boko Haram.

As a former British protectorate, Nigeria gained its independence from colonial rule on October 1st, 1960. A day which according to Sodiq Dada and Nnamdi Chinweze of the Nigerian Students Association, MUN Campus can be likened to Christmas in Nigeria.

“Today is a very big day back home, because this is the 58th year since Nigeria gained independence from Colonial rule. The mood is festive,the sky is green and everyone is ecstatic and hopeful about the future,” said Sodiq Dada.

In the spirit of patriotism, MUN students of Nigerian descent gathered at the University Centre for a commemorative event. Speaking on the reason for the celebration, Sodiq Dada said it was an opportunity to showcaset he Nigerian culture, especially Nigerian music which has global acclaim. Onthe outstanding thing about Nigeria, Nnamdi Chimeze says it’s the population(over 250 million), ethnic diversity (over 250 ethnic groups), and the attendant rich culture of a people united in diversity.

The MUSE wishes Nigeria and the NSA MUN happy independence celebrations.

Malaysian Game Night at MUN: Learning About a New Culture in an Unconventional Way

Venera Nikolaeva
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Malaysian Game Night at MUN: Learning About a New Culture in an Unconventional Way

Reporter: Venera Nikolaeva

Laughter, cheers and positive vibes filled the university center building on Friday evening (November 2, 2018) during a game night hosted by the Malaysian Student Society at MUN. The idea for holding such an event was born in 2015, the brainchild of the then-president of the Society, who wanted to get her peers acquainted with Malaysian culture and traditions in a fun and interactive way, take a break from the study routine and recharge their batteries.

The outcome of brainstorming and thoughtful discussions was a festive, “carnival-like” type of event that aimed at showcasing the variety and uniqueness inherent in the Malaysian way of life. Even though Malaysian society is composed of people from different backgrounds (Malay, Chinese, Indian), the population as a whole places superior value on society. Being raised in extended families, children are often surrounded by lots of siblings – making playing games an amazing and cherished experience. Games also help bridge cultural differences and bring different ethnic groups into contact with each other.

The game night featured seven favorite for Malaysians games with relatively simple rules and absolutely addictive to play. Adding a new game to their skills arsenal was just part of the deal, players were also able to collect points and redeem them for prices at the specially designed gift exchange station. One thing that became clear during the event was the “rock-paper-scissors” hand game is loved by people around the globe – it was a major element in all the games played on Friday.

The games that were selected by the organizers tested different abilities – from physical resilience to agility, memory, coordination and strategic thinking. The SPS Extreme game involved a lot of stretching as players had to extend their front feet to match the position of the opposite standing person (following rounds of rock-paper-scissors). A game,called Bombom Cha also seemed to attract significant amount of interest on the part of the attending students.Players had to remember a set of repeating movements and perform them in an accelerating rhythm- a fascinating thing to watch, yet also very challenging to execute.

The Stick Game and the Batu Seremban both involved a certain level of coordination and strategizing. The former required participants to pick up sticks randomly placed on the table in such a way as to not displace other sticks (with different colors earning them different number of points) -a true test of one’s spatial thinking ability and control over movements. Batu Seremban, on the other hand added an agility component to the fun – players were asked to throw mini bean bags in the air and catching the ones remaining on the table at the same time.

To make it even more interactive and educational, the members of the Malaysian Student Society used one of the breaks to showcase some traditional rituals, clothing and food and to share interesting facts about Malaysia. Another highlight of the game night was the bamboo dance, a combination of skill, precision and agility that was certainly worth-watching. It involved hopping in and out of three sets of clapping bamboo poles and got everyone enthused and eager to take part in the dance.

With over 120 people attending the event, organizers hope to continue the tradition of annually hosting an event of that magnitude, offering their fellow students an opportunity to make new friends, relax in a friendly environment and foster cross-cultural connections.

Halloween: The Irish Way

Venera Nikolaeva
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Halloween: The Irish Way

Reporter: Venera Nikolaeva

Fancy and spooky costumes, intricately carved pumpkins and lots of treats and tricks were the highlights of the past week, which marked one of the oldest holidays celebrated around the globe. While Halloween is nowadays a primarily commercial celebration used to fuel the economy, its roots can be traced back to the Celtic pagan traditions. Looking beyond the sparkling side of the holiday was the main objective of the Halloween workshop organized by Rebecca Hayes, an Irish Studies teacher at Memorial University. The event took place on October 29 in the recently renovated Signal Hills Campus, a stylish and modern addition to the university’s learning, living and working spaces.

The workshop started with some background information about the origins of Oiche Shamhna(Halloween in Irish, also called Samhain) provided by the presenter. It is a Gaelic festival celebrating the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter (usually taking place on October 31 and November 1). Celts believed that this was the time when dead spirits could walk the earth. It was the last day of the year and the souls of those departed the world could visit their former homes, sometimes accompanied by malevolent supernatural beings visible to people. Communities used to gather and light big fires to keep them at bay and to prevent bad fortune for the upcoming year.

The presenter also focused on the importance attached to superstitions in the ancient Irish culture. Celtic tales tend to abound in heroic warriors and mystical gods,their magical powers leaving a lasting impression in the imagination of people.The audience, composed of both people with Irish roots as well as people interested in learning more about the Irish culture and traditions, got to know more about the two types of fairy creatures: the so-called trooping fairies(generally friendly and possessing healing powers) and the lonely fairies,which performed mischievous acts and were easy to anger. Rebecca shared stories that she used to hear while growing up about the Puca, an evil spirit, which could take any shape and cause harm to people. Banshee, another malevolent fairy, was associated with impending death and the legend goes that it produced a horrifying eerie wail that would make even the bravest jump out of their skin.

A figure that also belongs to the group of frightening out-of-this world creatures is the leprechaun. While most people generally associate it with the funny little Simpson’s green man, it is believed to be one of the most dangerous and mischievous mystic fairies. The Jack-o-Lantern side of Halloween received its due attention by the presenter as well. The funny tradition of carving elaborate shapes on pumpkins has actually a dark history behind it. The story goes that an Irish blacksmith named Jack played tricks with the Devil and was denied entry into both heaven and hell. His punishment was to forever walk on earth but on farewell he asked for some light. The Devil gave him a burning coal placed in a hollow turnip. Placing a lantern in front of the window is thus believed to keep his wandering soul away from one’s home.

The fairy evening ended with reminiscences from both the presenter and members of the audience of childhood games associated with the holiday, such as ducking or bobbing for apples, which basically tests one’s ability to retrieve an apple from a bowl or hanging on a string without using one’s hands. It provided some people with the opportunity to revisit dear memories and sparked interest about Irish culture,legends and traditions in the rest. Everyone left the room a little less frightened and a little more enlightened about Halloween.

Public Engagement: Connecting Places and People and Building Communities in a Sustainable Way

Venera Nikolaeva
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Public Engagement: Connecting Places and People and Building Communities in a Sustainable Way

Reporter: Venera Nikolaeva

Providing a forum for people to get involved in a productive dialogue on issues of common importance is a key for crafting solutions that meet the needs of those affected. As a hub of knowledge and ideas that serve a higher purpose, Memorial University prides itself on facilitating and encouraging activities that serve the public good locally, nationally and internationally.

One such activity that brought academics, policy makers, and professionals from the public sector and different industries together to share their experiences and discuss different ways of collaborating was the People,Place and Public Engagement conference, which took place October 25 – 27 at MUN’s recently completed and picturesque Signal Hill Campus. First of its kind,the event attracted more than 200 participants (with additional 100 attending the free open sessions) representing universities as well as not-for-profit organizations in the health, natural resources, arts and economic development fields among others. Representatives from municipal, provincial and the federal government also took part in the discussion, thus ensuring a two-way communication and collection of valuable feedback on how government policies,programs and services can be adapted to better serve the interests of the underrepresented, stigmatized and marginalized communities and guarantee an actual impact and improvement of the status quo.

The conference offered a large variety of sessions focusing on different aspects of collaboration, the challenges faced in the process of changing mindsets and successful practices that can be utilized on a wider scale. The first day included several plenary sessions addressing the current state of public engagement in the country, initiating conversations on how to reach out to people in rural regions and making better use of the research findings to devise more adequate strategies and shape the way forward. Inclusiveness,accessibility and clear communication emerged as key prerequisites of meaningfully connecting to the different stakeholders. Getting on the field and moving beyond the traditional audiences in order to gather different perspectives (as well as insights) will help overcome the barriers imposed by traditional approaches to public engagement and result in more active participation on behalf of the general public in shaping the future of their communities.

The attendees also delved deeper into the role of the institutions of higher education as facilitators of the link between people and places. They need to go beyond pursuing narrowly defined notions of excellence and embed public engagement into every aspect of their work as well as the way they approach their work.Fostering social responsibility, stimulating two-way flow of knowledge and insight between universities and the society and developing teaching activities which positively impact communities and thus increase students’ engagement ares some of the steps institutions can take to ensure commitment at all levels.

The conference also featured several open to the general public sessions, which aimed at showcasing successful practices and projects and the importance of starting with small steps and gradually building trust and learning from failures. Among the projects discussed was the local Farmer’s Market. Panelists walked the audience through the development of the project and the challenges they faced,emphasizing the extensive collaboration that took place along the way (from the identification of the objectives, potential barriers and ensuring the mutual benefit to all the parties involved).


President Natan Obed of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami at his keynote speech

The event culminated with a keynote address by President Natan Obed of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a non-profit organization that works to improve the health and well-being of Inuit in Canada through research, advocacy, public outreach and education. His passionate and informative speech served as both acknowledgement of the shifting paradigms and expansion of the frontiers of public engagement,as well as raising awareness of the still long way to go when it comes to respecting the rights and achieving inclusiveness of the indigenous people. He spoke of the challenges they face on a daily basis in almost every aspect of their lives (academics included) and the need to deconstruct current realities and move away from templated frameworks and towards more open-minded and flexible approaches.

Viewing the public engagement process as a journey rather than as a destination, strengthening the connections between the different communities that we all are part of and breaking the practice of working in silos were the key takeaways shared by the panelists of the wrap-up session. Their words, reiterated by the rest of the attendees as well, contained a powerful message for everyone and guiding principles for future work – that public engagement is a continuous process which requires long-term commitment, adaptive and transparent decision-making and culture of mutual respect and inclusiveness of diverse populations.

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