Author: Tiffany Lafleur

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Opinions

Archaic and degrading medical tests have no place in Quebec

Photo by Flickr user Anusca76

One would think that in the 21st century, in one of the most developed countries in the world, society would be past such antiquated notions as “female purity.” This is apparently not the case.

After learning of four cases in which doctors were asked to perform “virginity tests” in the past 18 months, the Quebec college of physicians is warning doctors to stop the practice.

Photo by Flickr user Anusca76

College president Dr. Charles Bernard has expressed his strong opinion against the practice, calling it out as being repugnant, irrelevant and unacceptable.

“Imagine a doctor who does a gynecological examination with the sole purpose of … it goes beyond the imagination. And it’s degrading to women,” Bernard was quoted as saying in the National Post.

Some doctors have admitted to giving fake chastity tests without examination in order to preserve a girl’s honor. There have also been cases of doctors performing surgery in order to restore the hymen, again in the name of honor.

According to the College, the procedure breeches doctor patient confidentiality as well as the college’s code of ethics, which prevent interference in a patient’s private life. Doctors who issue “virginity certificates” will now face disciplinary charges.

The practice of issuing virginity certificates is most common in countries such as Egypt, India, and Indonesia, where traditions dictate that women are expected to remain pure until marriage.

Reducing a woman to her virginity is archaic, and the highest type of double standard there is. A woman’s body is hers and hers alone, and she can do what she wants with it. No one needs society breathing down their necks pressuring them to do something they don’t want. Not only that, but staking her honor on whether or not she’s had sex is almost juvenile. You’d think that in a free and democratic society such as ours the social stigma of a woman’s sexual activities would be in the past. This is especially true when virginity in itself is more of a cultural myth rather than an actual biological state of being.

With the concept of virginity being so vague, it’s hard to even define what it is as the definition is different from person to person, rendering the concept useless and only causing disagreement.

The hymen is perhaps the most misunderstood part of a woman’s body. Its bottom-line use isn’t as a token of purity. In fact, an article published on Discovery Health4 states that doctors aren’t too sure what the biological purpose is really.

Sex isn’t the only thing that will break a hymen, other causes are masturbation, the use of tampons, and exercise. There is widespread belief that horseback riding and cycling can also cause the hymen to break, however that remains to be proven.

All in all, these virginity tests and certificates need to stop. Just as men are free to choose what they do with their bodies, women have the same choice. Those choices should come without having the weight and stress of society looking down on them, especially in our so-called free and open society. The Quebec college of physicians should do everything they can to put an end to this ancient and unnecessary practice.

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Arts

To read, or not to read: that is the question

Graphic by Jenny Kwan

Cheers, to any and all students that have ever felt their textbooks could be better used as doorstops or timber for a fire.

Although the temptation to call it quits when faced with piles of essays on classical literature can sometimes be almost too much to bear, there are many proven benefits to hitting the books.

According to a review of literature by Sharon Murphy, “[reading] leads to self-understanding, to expanding our social world, and to developing our relationships.”

Commissioned by the National Reading Campaign, the review outlined the cognitive, cultural, personal and societal benefits of reading in its 67-page report, published last April.

Murphy, who has a PhD in educational psychology, goes on to write, “It isn’t surprising then that [reading] would also be associated with improved well-being, particularly with respect to psychological health.”

University is hectic, busy, and overwhelming at the best of times. However, a well read mind is better able to appreciate different and oftentimes challenging points of view. It can help broaden our perceptions and develop our critical thinking, which is what university is all about.

In an analysis published in Times Higher Education, researchers averaged out the study times from students attending various universities in the UK. Although many variations were observed for different programs and different institutions, the study found that on average, architecture, building and planning students studied nearly 40 hours a week. Those studying communication and documentation averaged around 23 hours of studying. With the amount of time the average university student spends reading textbooks and academic articles, can a case really be made for carving out additional time to read for pleasure?

In a document put together by the Department of Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota, researchers found that, “the amount of time devoted to reading has a positive impact on several aspects of reading achievement.” Among other things, the study noted that students who read a mere 15 extra minutes per day improved their vocabulary as well as overall reading speed.

If one to were to choose to ignore research and statistics, consider this: for a brief moment, we get to voyage through the mind of the author and relish in new perspectives and thought processes. Whether it be a work of fiction or a bibliography or even a bad teen novel, there’s always something to take away from curling up and reading. It’s the frustration when your favorite character dies (Game of Thrones, anyone?) or the exultation when the couple that were not so secretly in love finally end up together. For a fleeting moment, we are not only involved in the story, but active participants.

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Opinions

You are what you eat, right?

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan
Graphic by Jennifer Kwan

Packaged goods and frozen meals are disappearing from the shelves in Europe, however, it’s not the consumers who are responsible.

After the Food Safety Authority of Ireland released a press statement in January that some burgers had tested positive for horse and pig DNA, products from a number of different companies all over Europe have been recalled. It has left many with a sense of distrust towards the food industry, especially since many brands such as Burger King, Taco Bell and Nestlé have tested positive for tainted meat.

Although the culprits have not yet been identified, investigators suspect that slaughterhouses in Poland and Romania are involved in the scandal. There have also been arrests at the Peter Boddy abattoir in Yorkshire, England. So far there’s a lot of he-said-she-said, coupled with finger pointing in all sorts of directions, but no one is stepping up to take the blame.

The meat industry isn’t a straight line from slaughterhouse to the supermarket anymore. According to an article published in The Guardian, “there are around 450 points at which the integrity of the [supply] chain can break down.” So think maze, not straight line.

The irony with this scandal is that many consumers are aware that meat has become ambiguous. It has come to include a multitude of additives, some of which the pronunciation of is exhaustive and confusing. When you buy supermarket “meat,” chances are it contains maybe 80 per cent actual animal. And that’s being generous. In the UK, burgers that contain at least 50 per cent beef are considered legal. So, it isn’t so much that horse meat has been masquerading as beef, but that there is a feeling on behalf of the consumer of being duped. There is still a stigma attached to eating horse, although it is considered a delicacy in some countries.

The tenderly nursed image of a happy farm with healthy animals is fictional. In the real world, farms have become industries that work in a mechanical and oftentimes inhumane fashion. Consumers shouldn’t be surprised that they aren’t getting what’s advertised. According to National Geographic, some meats labeled as beef were actually entirely horse.

Although the presence of horse meat is disturbing, what’s more chilling is the overwhelming presence of pork. According to The Conversation: “when the discovery was made in November 2012 in Ireland, a third of beef samples contained horse DNA but over 85 per cent contained pig DNA.”

Since pigs are not given the same status as horses, the numbers may not be as disturbing. However, given that pig and cattle are usually processed in the same production line, this may lead to questions about the cleaning methods used by the plant, as well as cleanliness and sanitation.

Every time there is a new scandal involving meat, there is uproar, outrage and cries for change. Heartfelt apologies from companies usually follow, with a solemn promise to do better by their customers and learn from past mistakes. The thing is there’s always a new scandal, sometimes with deadly consequences. Take the recent XL Foods E. coli outbreak, which resulted in the largest beef recall in Canada, or the Maple Leaf Foods Listeriosis outbreak in August of 2008.

If we want to truly learn from this horse meat scandal, then consumers need to set higher standards for the food they buy. Proper labeling, proper production and proper distribution need to be implemented in order to prevent this from happening again. The only way that companies are going to stop getting away with cheating their consumers is if we demand the right to know exactly what we are eating.

Categories
Arts

From screen to stage

Press photo for the Thespian Theater Troupe's Moonrise Kingdom
Press photo for the Thespian Theater Troupe’s Moonrise Kingdom

As the credits for Moonrise Kingdom rolled, Cleo da Fonseca and Giuseppe Di Lonardo knew: this was going to be the next adaptation their theatre troupe would be doing.

Founded by Di Lonardo, the Thespian Theater Troupe has been adapting movies for the stage for the past five years. Spearheaded by Di Lonardo, da Fonseca and Frantz-Patrice Séïde Cameau, the school troupe from Collège Brébeuf have adapted such movie classics as American Beauty and Donnie Darko. Their latest production is an adaptation of Moonrise Kingdom, which was staged Feb. 27 and 28 at the Brébeuf auditorium.

The Thespian Theater Troupe is one of Brébeuf’s three theater troupes, and the only one that performs in English.

The other two theatre troupes at Brébeuf focus on classical and musical theatre. Since he couldn’t sing and wasn’t fond of classical plays, Di Lonardo took it upon himself to found his own troupe, with the goal of specializing in adapting movies and bringing a more modern approach to the school’s productions. The first time he pitched the idea of an English-speaking troupe to the school, he was turned down. Undeterred, he returned the year after with a more concrete and developed idea. Cameau joined soon after, along with da Fonseca.

“Movies are easier to adapt to as a kid. We grew up not so much with theatre, but with watching movies,” said da Fonseca. Studying communications at Concordia, she is the co-director and co-producer for the troupe, along with Cameau and Di Lonardo.

“It’s something that I wanted, and I figured others would too,” said Di Lonardo. After graduating from Brébeuf in sciences, Di Lonardo volunteered to continue running the troupe. Cameau and da Fonseca, also volunteered to stay on despite also having graduated.

Da Fonseca credits the teachers, actors and especially the coaches for the success of the troupe. Whereas she, Cameau and Di Lonardo focus on production, the coaches guide the students to their full acting potential. “The acting is made possible by the coaches. Without them, the magic wouldn’t have happened,” said da Fonseca. The coaches, Thomas Khullar, Boyao Zhang and Olivier Archambault Bouffard, are former Brébeuf students who are volunteering their time.

Pierre Drolet has been an English teacher at Brébeuf for the past 20 years. He is the staff liaison for the troupe and supports it wholeheartedly.

“Like anything, it took a few years to find its legs,” said Drolet, who thinks that from a creative standpoint, the troupe is very good for students and gives them a sense of accomplishment. “After the production, they’ll be tired and useless in class, but they’ll be beaming with pride.”

The troupe has become a close-knit, but not closed family, continually inviting additional members. Da Fonseca’s hope is that in the future, the Thespian can become an independent company while maintaining its original members.

From start to finish the production of Moonrise Kingdom took nine months. The storyline followed the movie closely; however actors were given a fair amount of leeway with their lines and were encouraged to add their own personal twist to the show. As most characters from the movie are either very young or very old, the troupe faced a substantial challenge in embodying their characters. Nonetheless, they did so effectively and put on a great performance, keeping the audience in stitches the whole time. The troupe also showcased an effective and impressive creativity in terms of props and space, turning the stage from dense forest to bright living room seamlessly and effortlessly. For a student play, the troupe did an excellent job of bringing everything together in order to put on an amazing show. The future is full of possibilities for the Thespian, said Cameau, “I don’t know where it’s headed, but it’s headed somewhere great.”

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Opinions

One step forward, two steps back

Image via Flickr.
Image via Flickr.

There are many things that we Canadians can be proud of: we are peaceful, we have maple syrup, we have hockey. However, perhaps one of the most fundamental things that makes us Canadian is our openness and our acceptance. As a nation, we stand on firm beliefs that every individual is created equal.

Trinity Western University, a private Christian school in British Columbia, is challenging that belief.

The school requires all students and faculty to sign a pledge that they’ll refrain from any homosexual conduct. This means that gay or lesbian students who are married wouldn’t be admitted. The pledge is footnoted with a quotation from the New Testament.

In my opinion, this is a disgusting, discriminatory act and shouldn’t be allowed. Not only does this go against the fundamental principles in the Charter of Canadian Rights and Freedoms, but it goes against what many Canadians are proud to stand for: integrity, objectivity, and equality for all.

On top of this affront to the Charter, the university is currently trying to open a law school.

As outlined in the Global Issues Series, published by West Academic Publishing, “the lawyer is the guardian of the rule of law, the ideal that all people stand equally before the law and neither expect nor receive special treatment from it.”

If lawyers are supposed to be the guardians of the law, then how can a law school get away with blatantly discriminating against homosexual people? If it’s ‘okay’ to reject someone based on their sexual orientation, is it also ‘okay’ not to hire people based on gender or race?

If the government just stands by and lets Trinity Western go on with their pledge, it will set a dangerous precedent.

As outlined in the Charter, every Canadian citizen has these fundamental rights: freedom of conscience and religion; freedom of opinion and expression; freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association. To deny even one of these fundamental rights to anyone on the basis of having a different opinion, or in this case a different sexual preference, is wrong.

Along with wanting to ban homosexual behaviour on their campus, Trinity Western also wants their students and faculty to refrain from drunkenness, use of profanity, dishonesty, abortion, involvement in the occult, premarital sex, adultery, pornography and, ironically, harassment. This is all clearly outlined in the General University Policies.

The presence of such a school in Canada is unacceptable. The Department of Justice has a clear explanation of why we need and have laws and what they are used for: “Laws are also aimed at ensuring fairness. By recognizing and protecting basic individual rights and freedoms, such as liberty and equality, our laws ensure that stronger groups and individuals do not use their powerful positions to take unfair advantage of weaker groups or people.”

If it is written in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as in the justice system, then there is no conceivable way Trinity Western can legitimize their ban on homosexuality. Not only does the sexual orientation of an individual in no way impact their work ethic or skill, but stripping a person down to their sexuality deprives them of who they are and what they can accomplish.

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Opinions

One, two, three drinks you’re out

Image via Flickr
Image via Flickr

Drunk driving has been a continuing problem in our province. But now, there might be a way to make Quebec roads a bit safer.

With a new ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada, it will now be possible for Quebec authorities to seize cars from drunk drivers after their third offence.

Considering just how dangerous drunk driving is, this new preventative step is one in the right direction. Driving is not a right, but a privilege. If someone is unable to refrain from drinking and taking the wheel, they shouldn’t have the privilege to drive in the first place.

You would think that with all the ads we’ve been subjected to that warn us of the dangers of drunk driving, people would think twice before taking the wheel. Apparently this isn’t so. According to Statistics Canada, police reported close to 90,300 incidents nationwide involving impaired driving in 2011. This was an increase of 3,000 compared to the year before.

Although the number of total incidents in Canada have increased, in Quebec the number of deaths related to drinking and driving has gone down from 800 to 200 between 1978 and 2008. However, even with the decrease, driving under the influence is still a problem. According to the SAAQ website, “from 2005 through 2009, 31 per cent of fatalities, 16 per cent of serious injuries and 5 per cent of minor injuries were related to alcohol.”

With drunk driving still presenting a serious problem on our roads, it’s comforting to know that the punishment will be equivalent to the crime. If someone is caught on three different occasions, being slapped with a fine and racking up a few demerit points will not be enough to prevent them from doing it again. Therefore having them off the road altogether is a relief.

In February of last year, a 67-year-old Quebec man was convicted for his 24th drunk driving offence. According to the Toronto Sun, this is believed to be a Canadian record for the most drunk driving offences—not exactly a record to be proud of. This is a prime example of a flawed system. Had the new Supreme Court ruling been in effect then, it could have prevented 21 additional offences.

The argument against this new law is that it takes away the freedom of transportation for some.

Another Quebec man, Alphide Manning, had his vehicle seized after he was apprehended for his fifth offense of driving while intoxicated. He contested the decision, as he apparently needed his truck to be able to go to the hospital where he and his wife were being treated for various health problems. However, that does not take away from the fact that he is a public danger. Taking his truck away is a preventive measure to ensure the security of himself and others on the road. The Supreme Court agreed and ruled against him 7-0 on Jan. 17.

The common misconception is that driving under the influence affects only the driver. The truth is that it affects everyone involved, whether it is someone in the passenger seat or someone else driving. As much as a car is a way of transportation, it is also a deadly hunk of metal racing on the highway. Thus the decision to limit the number of offences is a good way of limiting the dangers that repeat offenders pose. The government has its responsibility to make sure you or your loved ones don’t end up in a body bag over something so preventable and this legislation is a step in that direction.

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Music

Whirlwind success Peter Stawinski to record his first album

Photo from Facebook
The moment the crowd started cheering at Peter Stawinski’s first high school gig was the moment he knew he wanted to hear it again. Photo from Facebook

The moment the crowd started cheering at Peter Stawinski’s first high school gig was the moment he knew he wanted to hear it again.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be on stage and have people cheering just for you. That’s when I became interested in music as a career,” said Stawinski, who still craves the rush of adrenaline he gets from performing.

The 21-year-old Concordia student has a record deal signed with Studio One, a relatively new company still in its first year. Stawinski will be flying out to Toronto sometime next week to record four new songs that will be distributed to radio stations. He will also be changing his name to Chris Jake. The name not only sounds catchy, but also has personal meaning for Stawinski. Christopher is his middle name, and as for Jake: “It’s my brother’s name. I’ve always seen my brother as my role model, he’s always supported me.”

Stawinski began playing music after he moved from the West Island to Pincourt. At the time, he didn’t know how to sing or play the guitar. After jamming with some friends, however, he signed up for guitar lessons and began practicing daily, as well as making use of some singing tips he picked up along the way. From there, he fine-tuned his singing and performed at variety shows in high school and in CEGEP.

Although Stawinski’s parents were hesitant at first about their son trying his hand at music, their attitude changed when they saw him perform in a school musical at John Abbott College. After that, they wholeheartedly supported him and encouraged him to pursue his dream.

Stawinski was discovered almost by accident. After releasing his first album last May, he sent out a few copies here and there. While Stawinski was working on some new material, his producer-to-be Anthony Boccardi heard his song being mixed at Evermoor Audio, a local West Island studio. “His voice intrigued me,” said Boccardi. “I do a lot of mixing and recording at different studios and I heard his song being mixed. I inquired about his voice and got his contact information.”

From there lawyers were called, papers drawn up and contracts signed, and in the summer, Stawinski was officially a signed artist. “It’s awesome to work with a label,” he said. “I get to work with writers and producers.”

When Boccardi initially found Stawinski, he told him that if he were to sign, he’d have to break away from the ballads he was accustomed to and venture into pop. So far, it’s something that he’s excelled at. “He has a voice for pop. It just cuts through the music,” said Boccardi.

Even though things are moving at the speed of light for Stawinski, he’s still very much grounded. In the event that a career as a performer doesn’t pan out for him, he has a plan B. “I’m still going to school at Concordia,” he said. “I’m studying economics right now but I’m thinking of switching into communication studies. I want to study something related to media or music, I’d want to stay in the industry.”

But for now, Stawinski has an optimistic view of the future. Although he couldn’t divulge any details as of yet, there are big things coming his way, the first of which being his highly anticipated trip to the recording studio in Toronto. For now, his drive to make it big is what keeps him going.

“The thought of getting somewhere with the music, of knowing that eventually I’ll be on the radio and people will be listening to my voice… It’s everything that happened recently that’s driving me now. My ultimate goal is to be as big as I can be, and go as far as I can go.”

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Opinions

A new take on an old law

Graphic by Phil Waheed
Graphic by Phil Waheed

Quebec’s ‘language police’ have found a new target: Walmart, along with Guess, Costco, Old Navy and many other corporations who sport English names on their storefront.

As stated in Section 63 of Quebec’s French Language Charter, the name of a business must be in French. However, this is not applied to trademarked names. The Office québécois de la langue française is now threatening to fine the companies who don’t comply with their new demands. The fines range from $3,000 to $20,000, and will increase with repeat offenders.

According to the Montreal Gazette, “the Office quebecois de la langue francaise wants the retailers to change their signs to either give themselves a generic French name or add a slogan or explanation that reflects what it is they’re selling.” For example, by changing “Walmart” to “Le Magasin Walmart.” Because that clears up the mystery of what it is they sell.

Thing is, the law hasn’t changed. What has changed is the way that the Office interprets its meaning, and they expect the companies to calmly submit to their demands. I mean, it’s not as if changing your name is a big deal or anything, right?

In response to this new action, Walmart, Costco, The Gap, Guess and Old Navy have teamed up and are bringing the matter to the Quebec Superior Court to resolve the issue.

Guess has over 1000 stores in 87 different countries. They are known worldwide as “Guess”, even in countries that don’t speak either English or French. In France, they are not called Devine.

Walmart also has stores around the world and doesn’t need to hold a seminar to explain to the locals what it is they sell. Quebec is pushing the envelope on this subject and seriously needs to give it a rest.

Nathalie St-Pierre, vice-president for the Retail Council of Canada’s Quebec branch, is against this new interpretation of the law, and says that the effort is misdirected. In her opinion, consumers don’t really care about what the name of the brand is, as long as they can get service in French.

Yes, French is in decline and I agree that something needs to be done to protect it. But changing the names of major corporations, really? It borders on ridiculous. Quebec has enough problems as it is without adding this to the list of things to deal with.

All these corporations respect every minute detail of Bill 101 and yet the ‘language police’ are still unsatisfied, because they refuse to change their logo and name to add something in French. These companies have worked hard to build up their image, logo and reputation. They have achieved worldwide recognition for their emblem, and hardly need an explanation as to what they are selling. This whole thing is a small issue that has been totally blown out of proportion and should be dropped before it gets even more ridiculous.

If the OLF doesn’t want to lose their credibility, then they should stop trying to solve problems that don’t exist.

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Student Life

The truth about mean girls

Ladies, this has probably happened to you many, many times. Just when you start feeling happy with your hair, body or complexion, some other chick comes along and knocks you off the wobbly little pedestal.

Women are a strange species. We are a fickle and critical bunch, finding faults on every inch of our skin. We are easily threatened by other members of the same sex—sometimes going to great lengths to criticize them and uncover their faults.

In various scientific studies it has been found that while men are more likely to punch another male in the face in a moment of anger, women use the more subtle art of manipulation, preferring to attack one’s reputation through gossip rather than physical harm. This method of aggression is linked to evolution, and is not just a mean trait that women have picked up. Evolutionary psychologist Jesse Bering, columnist for Scientific American, wrote that this competitiveness is a natural psychological occurrence that usually flares up between the ages of 11 and 17.

Bering goes on to say that “in the ancestral past, it may very well be that teenage girls and young women who weren’t particularly catty were disadvantaged in evolutionary terms, similar to men who were physically weak.”

Another theory, dubbed as ‘parental investment theory’ and developed in the late ‘70s by Robert Trivers, argues that since mothers are the ones who invests the most in the survival of her child, women have evolved to be much more subtle about their mating strategies. Although males are very straightforward with their acts of sexual prowess through acts of strength or aggression, females compete for the attention of the male by cutting each other down and sizing up the competition through social means.

This causes women to be in intense competition with each other, all for their goals of getting the guy. Through this sex-fueled drive, women will size each other up and compete by attacking their rival’s reputation. To sabotage a rival’s image as a viable reproductive partner, females will comment on her looks, weight, height, or promiscuity, all in the goal of undermining the challenger’s reputation. Although this does not mean that women in general dislike each other, it does however indicate that women harbor negative feelings towards other women, especially if the other woman is successful.

By finding fault in rival women, females can boost their own self-image in tearing apart someone else’s. They do this to reduce the threat of their competition and increase their own attractiveness and appeal. Many women are motivated to pinpoint the differences between one another in hopes of feeling better about themselves.

As described in Competition Between Women, Rhawn Joseph explains that “in order to gain favor and attention, many women try to maintain an optimal level of attractiveness, and believe that they stand to lose their share of the stakes when a woman more attractive is present.”

So there you have it. It’s not that all women hate each other, it’s that we are all competitive and — to some extent — see all other women as rivals.

Some say it’s a part of our biology that we can’t control, and it ties into the society we grew up in. So ladies, next time another girl is glowering at you, you should be flattered. It means, to some degree, that you are being envied.

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Opinions

To prick or not to prick, that is the question

Image via Flickr.
Image via Flickr.

Employees must wash hands.

Workers must wear protective gear.

Health-care workers… well, if you don’t feel like getting your flu shot, don’t sweat it.

One of these things is not like the other. Any professional who works in any field has a set of social rules. These rules can be for the well-being of the workers themselves or, in some cases, for those benefiting from their services. If you found out that the guy who put your burger together hadn’t washed his hands before handling your food, I don’t think it would look nearly as appetizing as it did before.

If we demand these rules of professionalism from those who handle our food, then why shouldn’t we demand the same from those who we trust with our health? An estimated 55 to 65 per cent of health-care workers don’t get their seasonal flu vaccinations; so there’s a good chance that next time you go get your vaccine, the person administering it isn’t protected.

Since the fear of a widespread pandemic has been hanging over our heads for the past few years, doctors have been telling us to wash our hands, avoid touching our faces, cough or sneeze into our elbow… the list goes on and on. And on that list is the advice to go get our annual shots.

The influenza virus can be deadly. For young adults our immune systems are strong enough to fight it off without really taking the spring out of our step. Sure, it isn’t fun, but it usually isn’t a death sentence. It is for the elderly, the very young and the sick that the flu can be problematic. Coincidentally, these are usually the people who come into contact most frequently with health-care workers. So if the people who are supposed to help protect your health are unintentionally harming it, steps should be taken to prevent that.

Just because someone doesn’t display the symptoms of the flu doesn’t mean that they can’t pass it on if they’re infected. According to the Center for Disease Control, you can become contagious up to a day before showing symptoms. In normal circumstances, this wouldn’t be a big deal. However, to people who are already working in an environment where the patients have a low immune system or are recovering from some other illness or surgery, the flu is the last thing that they need.

If the flu shot is as effective as doctors are trying to make us believe, then it stands to reason that they should be the first to get it; and if it isn’t as effective as they want us to believe, then they should still get it to lower the chances of contaminating others.

According to the Canadian Lung Organization, up to 8,000 Canadians die of the flu every year. For a virus regarded as ‘seasonal’, that’s a pretty high death toll.

Influenza is dangerous. It can kill. If by taking cautionary measures we can lower the death toll, even by just 100, then it would be 100 less families grieving. If this means that health-care workers have to get vaccinated as well, then so be it. Although I do not endorse that doctors and nurses who refuse to be pricked be banned from hospitals or forcefully injected, at least get them to wear masks at all times. As much as health workers have the right to decide what they do with their bodies, patients deserve to be treated in a safe, flu-free environment.

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Opinions

That’s no way to treat your best friend

Photo via Flickr
Quebec came in second to last in a recent ranking of Canadian animal protection laws. Photo via Flickr

Roo’s body was covered in blood. She had been beaten with a lead pipe, stabbed five times with bits of broken ceramic cutting into her body.

She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Doctors didn’t know if she would survive the night. But she did. Her assailant had been caught, and would be prosecuted and sentenced to six months in jail.

After all, Roo is just a three-year-old pug.

This is the biggest sentence regarding animal cruelty in Quebec’s history. Geoffrey Laberge has been accused with five counts of animal cruelty. According to CTV, the crown and the defence are suggesting a sentence prohibiting Laberge from owning an animal for the next 25 years.

In a recent report published by the Animal Legal Defence Fund, Quebec came in second to last in the ranking of Canadian animal protection laws. According to the ALDF, Quebec is “one of the best provinces to be an animal abuser.” How heartwarming.

If this isn’t a wake-up call for the government to enforce stricter rules regarding animal abuse, then what is? Animal abuse is a cruel, violent and an absolutely unnecessary form of aggression.

A society can usually be judged by how well they take care of the weak. This includes the elderly and the young but should also include animals.

Animals don’t talk. They can’t go to the police and ask for protection. They can’t just pack their bags and disappear in the middle of the night. Animals are loyal and are our companions. If Quebec doesn’t adequately defend the weak in our society, then it stands to reason that they do not consider pets to be creatures of value.

Animal abuse is horrible enough on its own. However, it can also be a warning sign of deeper and darker forms of violence.

In an article published by the Humane Society, it states that the National School Safety Council, the U.S. Department of Education, the American Psychological Association, and the National Crime Prevention Council all agree that animal cruelty is a warning sign for at-risk youth.

The article also mentioned that Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Albert DeSalvo and many other confessed murderers and school shooters had committed acts of animal cruelty in the past. Montreal’s Luka Magnotta was also suspected to have been abusive towards animals. And we all know what that led to.

I believe cruelty to any innocent creature is morally wrong. If Roo had been a child, Laberge would have been in prison for a lot longer than six months. But since Roo is ‘just’ a dog, her attacker won’t be locked up for longer. If people can convince themselves that this form of violence and cruelty is acceptable in our society, there’s a problem. Part of the problem is that the government is allowing such violence by being so lax with the punishment.

Just because Roo stands on four legs instead of two does not take away from the fact that Laberge beat an innocent creature with a lead pipe before stabbing it five times.

Why? Maybe because she was barking too loud. Or maybe she gnawed on the wrong chair leg. But if Laberge was okay with administering such violence on a helpless creature, then what’s to say he, or others who have committed such crimes, wouldn’t inflict such pain on a person?

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