"It's a serious issue," said student Sarah Packham. "It's not just the menstrual products...there's a lot wrong with the school functionally."
Itel Sapozhnikov
Photos: Itel Sapozhnikov
October 11, 2024 Revised: October 11, 2024 3:26pm
Photo: Itel Sapozhnikov
Free menstrual product dispenser with no pads and a broken hand dryer on the second-floor bathroom in J-building
Some women on campus are outraged over the lack of care for the free menstrual product dispensers in the bathrooms of Algonquin College.
“It’s really cool that it’s free in some bathrooms but every time I go to the one (bathroom) in building-A, there’s never any pads and a bunch of tampons, which makes me rage as a non-tampon girl,” said Alexis Goulais, a first-year tourism travel service student.
Some people may choose to wear a pad instead of a tampon due to cultural and/or religious beliefs, or even because of a recent study done by the University of California, Berkeley, which showed tampons may contain toxic metals, such as arsenic and lead.
“I have noticed some products spilled on the floor because of broken dispensers,” said Aleksandra Terajewicz, a first-year electrical engineering technician student.
Terajewicz said they saw this happen in the second floor J-building bathroom and that it has occurred more than once.
“Even though the dispensers can be broken, it is really nice to have essentials accessible to people in need,” said Terajewicz.
Patricia Thome, supervisor of Custodial and Grounds Operations, said Algonquin College students play an essential role in supporting this project, and supporting each other.
“The main goal of this project is to ensure the college community can access free menstrual products if needed,” said Thome.
“It can be achieved by operating the dispensers respectfully and taking only the necessary tampon or pad when needed, that way we can ensure many students will be able to access free menstrual products since the resources are limited,” said Thome.
Sarah Packham, a first-year hairstyling student, is concerned about the dispensers and also the cleanliness of women’s washrooms.
“The school doesn’t actually care to refill them (menstrual product dispensers). They barely care to refill the toilet paper,” said Packham. “Half of the time I’m there, there’s no toilet paper.”
Packham said sinks and toilets are sometimes clogged, there’s garbage on the floor and she has even seen roaches and worms in one of the B-building women’s washrooms.
“It’s a serious issue,” said Packham. “It’s not just the menstrual products…there’s a lot wrong with the school functionally.”
Packham said she reached out to the school about her concerns but never heard back.
According to Thome, the product dispensers are checked and restocked on a schedule. If a member of the college community notices that the product dispensers require to be serviced, they can contact the Facilities Service Desk via email or submit a request.
I never thought I would be able to get a handle on my emotions. Then I started hitting things as Mighty Mouse might
Claire Donnan
Photos: Zhiqi Zhou
October 11, 2024 Revised: October 11, 2024 2:16pm
Photo: Zhiqi Zhou
The author flexes for the camera. Don't let her sleeper build fool you - she can do one whole pull-up.
A bead of sweat trickles down my neck. My bangs, once braided and neat, now stick to my forehead and hang in my eyes. My knees are bent and sturdy, and my arms scream with effort. My hands, wrapped and gloved, are balled into fists in front of my face. Today’s opponent is the same as always: Cloth, wrapped in black vinyl and orange duct tape.
SNAP! The bag reverberates with the force of my hit.
SNAP! The shock radiates up my arm, into my shoulder and through my teeth.
SNAP! I begin to float away, my impending assignments, struggles to schedule interviews and upcoming auditions forgotten. Compared to the adrenaline of throwing a punch, those irritants and stresses just feel so small. Was I really that angry and upset?
The bell rings out from the corner of the walkway above the Champagne Fitness Centre pool, signaling the end of a round. I catch my breath, gulping water from my Nalgene as I move to my next station. I grab a stool and hop up, so I can reach the speed bag. While I don’t hit other people – unless they’re wearing hand pads – my inanimate opponents are enough for me.
When it comes to stress and anger management in post secondary, healthy coping mechanisms are key. Without an outlet, it can be easy to become burnt out or stressed. Some people journal, some meditate, some bake.
Me? I love to box.
In my 21 years of life, I’ve never found anything that helps me quite as much as beating the tar out of a bag once a week. I love the ritual, the repetition, the connection to my body, the concrete feeling of exhaustion and satisfaction. And, I love the way it dampens my anger.
“It definitely helps kind of channel my negative emotions into something constructive instead of feeling down or upset with myself,” said Katelyn Lennox, a second-year criminology student and fellow boxer.
Growing up I was a dramatic kid with a short temper. My emotions, good or bad, come hard and fast even today. I experience blinding joy and all-encompassing anger, and it radiates out of my body and into those around me.
My feelings are physical, and they are extreme. I discovered boxing at the start of my second year of university, and it changed everything. I’m not alone in that experience.
The author, moving up another level in boxing. Behind her is her favourite opponent, the heavy bag, covered with duct tape so the hits snap louder. (Photo: Chris Weissbach)
“Through boxing I had to sort of reflect and look at myself…there’s no ego, it’s very humble,” says Chris Weissbach, owner, founder and head coach of Phoenix Boxing Academy in Sandy Hill. “I grew a lot through it, I evolved as a person.”
Boxing is an incredible hobby and stress management tool, and can be done right here at Algonquin College. The Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre offers a cardio kickboxing class on Friday afternoons, and Studio A has heavy bags too. Nearby, there’s a handful of gyms close to the airport which offer martial arts training.
This is my third year of training at Phoenix, and my ability to manage my anger has only improved, along with a strength, a confidence, and physical changes that crept up on me.
When I was travelling home to Newfoundland for the summer this year, my suitcase was a whole ten pounds overweight. I didn’t even notice until the desk agent turned the scale around to show me. Amused (and annoyed that I had to pay the overweight fee) I sent a text to my mom. With no hesitation, she responded.
“That’s because you’re Mighty Mouse from boxing now.”
Once I was through security I took a look at myself in a bathroom mirror. She was right. My shoulders are wider, and I hold them square. I can lift and carry my things for myself. Nobody scares me.
I’m the same as I always was, but sturdier, calmer, stronger too. I don’t have to prove myself. My emotions can just be emotions, not actions, not expressions of violence. I don’t have to break things.
“We are just privileged to be able to compete for the school and give it everything on the field,” said Wolves centre Bardhi Rrahmani
Steven Dalloo
Photos: Steven Dalloo
October 11, 2024 Revised: October 11, 2024 9:42am
Photo: Steven Dalloo
Bardhi Rrahmani and Alessandro Vivolo, Algonquin Wolves soccer players, sitting on the bleachers before practice.
On Sept. 24, the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association welcomed a new team to the top of the rankings as the AlgonquinWolves landed at the No. 1 spot.
The achievement marks a high point for the team but also highlights the Wolves’ teamwork,dedication and strategic brilliance on the field.
“We obviously look forward to challenging games and the league is incredibly challenging, a lot of teams are getting results against each other, but we look forward to each game and each new challenge,” said Angus Wong, the team’s head coach.
Bardhi Rrahmani and Alessandro Vivolo, Algonquin Wolves soccer players, sitting on the bleachers before practice. Photo credit: Steven Dalloo
With Wong at the helm, the Wolves have shown off their mettle with dominating performances, securing the top spot at the pinnacle of Canadian collegiate soccer. Team continuity has led to more on field success.
“Lot of returning players,” said Wong. “These guys know each other and spend a lot of time together andthat helps on the field”
The view from the top of the CCAA standing rankings was not unexpected but a testament tohard work and commitment. The Wolves started the fall season with an undefeated streak, demonstratingdomination against some great teams in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association.
Angus Wong (left) and Jacob Toste-Gyurik In between play. Photo credit: James Gray
The teams that play in September can be characterized by a strong defence, cohesive midfield play and a balanced attack that left opponents struggling to keep up.
The Wolves not only secured victory, but they also managed to shut out some opponents completely. The team showed off their offensive and defensive strengths striking a critical balance to success.
“Any and whoever. We do not really fear or look forward to any match-up we just want to compete at a high level,” said Bardhi Rrahmani, the Wolves’ centre midfielder.
The Wolves have started off hot, but the team knows the season is far from over as they battle it out at the top of the East division standings.
The Wolves have put other teams on notice letting them know they are a force to be reckoned with. The No. 1 ranking in September is nice, but the team is focused on a bigger prize: taking home the CCAA national championship.
The Wolves believe the work and family-like bonds they have put into their craft will help them triumph.
“We prepared for a while to be ready just staying together, we are a family everyone puts 100 per cent out there on the field,” said Alessandro Vivolo, the Wolves’ centre back.
Wolves show strong defence but fall 1-0 to Seneca Sting
Korbin Amaya
Photos: Korbin Amaya
October 10, 2024 Revised: October 10, 2024 11:58am
Photo: Korbin Amaya
Assistant Coach Cristina Leonardelli and the Algonquin Wolves women's soccer team jog in formation, heading to the locker room for a challenging match at Z Building Field.
The Seneca Sting defeated the Algonquin Wolves 1-0 on Oct. 4 at the Z-building sports field.
When the match kicked off, both teams displayed their strength.
The Algonquin Wolves were unleashed, playing strongly, making multiple strategic passes and engaging in productive communication.
Players from the Algonquin Wolves and Seneca Sting stand side by side during the match. Photo credit: Korbin Amaya The Wolves fought hard during the game. On defence, Olivia Bradley stood out for vocal encouragement towards her teammates on the field.
“I think the passion we all have motivates me. It’s great to be part of a team that believes in each other,”Bradley said after the game.
Seneca Sting defenders held firm, with their goalkeeper, Christina Diaco, playing a crucial role in securing the win.
Seneca’s defence, supported by their goalkeeper’s constant communication, was critical to their success.
“Our keeper is the backbone of our team. She communicates well, especially to us on the back line,”said Seneca’s Martina Pannia.
Wolves assistant coach Steve Ball and head coach Basil Phillips shared insights on the team’s preparation before the game.
Owning years of experience as a player and coach, Ball has been pivotal in shaping Algonquin’s defensive game.
As a former standout goalkeeper from Carleton University, Ball prefers possession and controlling the midfield.
“We like to play a possession game,”Ball said.
“We don’t go for long balls but prefer quick, 10-to-15-yard passes to keep the ball moving.”
Ball remains confident in the team’s depth and resilience.
“We’ve got eight or nine impact rookies this year, so we have a lot of depth,” Ball said. “The midfield does most of the work, so rotations are key to keeping the team fresh.”
Before the game against Seneca, Ball anticipated a close contest, hoping for a 2-1 win.
Players from both teams hold their breath as they await a potential goal. Photo credit: Korbin Amaya
Phillips, in his seventh year with the Wolves, said the team is focused on executing their game rather than dwelling on Seneca’s status as reigning champions.
“We’ve trained the same way, prepared the same way. Every team is different year to year, so we’re not focused on them being last year’s champions. Our focus is on executing our game,” said Phillips.
“We’re not worried about records. It’s just another opponent we have to beat to achieve our goals.”
Coffee lovers, rejoice. The perk cards will be relaunched in October, but with one notable change
Claire Donnan
Photos: Claire Donnan
October 10, 2024 Revised: October 10, 2024 11:49am
Photo: Claire Donnan
Marketplace Food Court is just one of the locations where coffee cards will be redeemable. They will also be more reusable, joining some of Algonquin College's other sustainability measures.
Coffee enthusiasts at Algonquin College’s food courts may have noticed the loss of their coffee perk cards this fall. They’re coming back soon, but people will have to buy more coffees to redeem their freebie.
“Our timeframe, really, is to relaunch all the coffee pieces (including the card) within October before the study break week,” said Mary Baxter, the general manager for Food and Conference services on Woodroffe campus.
Coffee cards at Algonquin College are paper cards that you can stamp at any of the food courts. In the past, after seven stamps you would get a free coffee. However, the card is changing to a “buy nine, get one free” model.
The temporary loss of the coffee cards was due to a change in supplier. Food courts like the Fix and Marketplace Food Court will now be supplying Van Houtte branded coffee and the cards were changed to reflect that. The supplier change is also why the coffee card was altered, making it the standard version of their loyalty card, according to Baxter.
Baxter is particularly excited to work with Van Houtte because she likes several of their policies.
“It is a fair trade coffee option…which was an important aspect to increase our sustainability activities,” said Baxter. “And then, our flavoured (coffee) is also Rainforest Alliance Certified so, a lot of the options we’re offering now have that sustainability message behind it.”
The change also included a replacement of all the coffee machines in August.
Coffee lovers on campus are anticipating the return of the card.
“I think I’ve gone through about five cards anyway since January,” said Darren Taubman, who teaches heritage carpentry and joinery at Perth campus. “The whole idea of getting something for free after getting a number of them, I like that. Brand loyalty, I like that.”
The new card won’t be exactly the same. While previously the card could only be used once or twice, the bubbles will be smaller on this iteration of the card.
“There will be two or three options to stamp on the back whereas before the cards had one side or two sides, depending on which card,” said Baxter.
While some students believe the coffee card is convenient, not everybody uses it.
Morgan Eastop, a radio broadcasting-podcasting student, has used perk cards previously but said she struggles to keep track of them.
“The issue is, if they keep doing these little paper cards, people are going to lose them,” said Eastop. “And that’s often the case is people will lose them before they even get to that seventh coffee.”
The design of the new card is in for review and the relaunch should be happening soon.
“It really is just about offering more variety on campus,” said Baxter. “Hopefully it encourages people to get out and try all the food service locations.”
For two Algonquin College students, making you scream is an art and a craft. When your job revolves around the thrill of the jump scare, the perfect haunt requires a lot of thinking
Siobhan Rollo
Photos: Siobhan Rollo
October 10, 2024 Revised: October 10, 2024 10:10am
Photo: Siobhan Rollo
Quinn O'Malley as his Frightfest character, The Elevator Operator
It’s a dark October night. You find yourself being ushered into a small illuminated elevator, unfamiliar but deceivingly cozy. A haggard elevator operator taps his cane firmly against the floor as he slowly introduces himself: “My name is Henry,” he says, shrinking into himself. “I’m excited to introduce you to the family.”
As the elevator operator clicks a button and the door slides shut, the lights flicker off. The operator begins to move around in the dark. The cane he carries thumps against the elevator floor with every step. Outside the elevator’s small room, the moon hangs high in the sky. The wind whistles a tune you can’t recognize.
Is that a bite of cold air creeping up your neck?
Then, whoosh, as the lights flick on, the operator is gone. You hear a blood-curdling scream as the door opens to reveal zombified millworkers, who screech and lurch toward you, happy to find their next meal.
“I’m the elevator operator, so I click a button, the door shuts, lights go on and off, and I’m moving around in the dark,” said Quinn O’Malley, an Algonquin College radio broadcasting student by day – and a professional scare actor by night. He plays the role of elevator operator.
“My whole shtick is a disappearing act,” said O’Malley. “This year I have the cane so I’m able to play into it where I’m walking around and you hear it. And then the second the lights go off, you don’t hear it, and then the second they come back on, you hear it.”
This elevator ride is an attraction at Frightfest at Saunders Farms. O’Malley and fellow radio-broadcasting student Fiona Smith study by day and fuel nightmares by night, when they assume their roles for Frightfest.
Quinn O'Malley and Fiona Smith out of costume, going about their day jobs as radio broadcasting students. Photo credit: Siobhan Rollo
O’Malley plays a front-of-the-house character in the Sawmill attraction at Frightfest. There, it is his responsibility to be a ghost-host with the most. The Sawmill is an attraction that has guests descend into a hidden underground society. The society is full of lost, zombified millworkers.
This is one of the new attractions at Saunders Farms this fall.
“I will say a lot has changed, especially with the Coven. Sawmill was never a part of Saunders. Originally, it was a Lansdowne installment that they had for people that couldn’t necessarily make it out to the farm,” said Smith.
Smith is part of a different haunt than O’Malley, playing a possessed maid in the Coven. The Coven’s story was revamped for 2024 and now tells the tale of a vengeful Goddess who walks the farm grounds.
“Coven has had their story revamped because a lot of people weren’t finding it as scary,” she said.
Other new changes on the farm include changes to the hayride, which has a new accessibility platform so people with disabilities have an easier time accessing the ride.
In terms of scaring, Smith and O’Malley said that a lot of thinking is required to perform the perfect haunt. The thinking process is developed in their training period. The actors are encouraged to develop their roles as soon as they are assigned.
“Well, for your characters, some characters are very specific, like Quinn’s elevator operator,” said Smith. “They get lines. They get a premise to go off of. And some are a little more liberal, like mine. Mine’s just housekeeper, and my prompt was, ‘I’m being possessed by the part of the goddess of the haunt that I’m doing.”
You internalize the prompts that you’re given, explains Smith.
“You try to give that character a personality,” she said. “As you’re getting into character, you kind of go over in your head what things you can do to really put that character into fruition.”
Part of the process is naming the character you play, according to Smith and O’Malley. The reason is that naming your ghoul does two things: it makes it less scary, and it makes it easier for you to assume your role.
“Well, they call me Henry,” O’Malley said, his body folding in on itself, leaning in as he answered. “It’s my job to make sure my family gets what they need.”
“I also gave my character a name. Her name’s Penelope,” said Smith, sharpening her fingers and clutching herself tightly, twitching as she changed positions. “I can feel the goddess, she’s in my skin… and there’s no way out.”
But what happens when scare actors actually manage to get the reaction they seek?It’s interesting to see how people actually react to you, Smith explains.
“They know you’re a person, but you can bend reality to make them believe that, oh, that’s not a person,” she said. “I don’t look that intimidating as me, per se. But if I’m sitting in the corner, twitching and convulsing, or I turn around and I let out this huge shriek, you can even scare adults that are even, 30 plus.”
One of the clowns from one of Saunders Farm's latest haunt, Circus Macabre Photo credit: Siobhan Rollo
Guests often find themselves excited to get scared. What they don’t know is how exciting it is for the actors to give a guest a successful scare.
“Boo! That is the easy premise of it,” said O’Malley. “It is an utter adrenaline rush. I don’t mean that in like a mean way, because obviously someone’s terrified of you. Hearing those screams and knowing that you’re putting on a successful performance as someone whose passion is acting, it’s like no other joy.”
As it turns out, scare actors are not immune to their own tactics. O’Malley for instance, has a big fear of clowns. He also happens to share a breakroom with actors from Frightfest’s new Circus Macabre attraction. He credits the suspension of disbelief and the Saunders Farms actor’s toolkit for helping him with his fear.
For Sara St.Clair, a first-time Saunders Farms visitor, getting scared is simply an autumn activity. Her evening included going through haunt attractions such as the Coven and the Haunted Hayride.
“Honestly, I wanted to be scared,” she said. “Everyone here is so nice. The show was ten out of ten. The scare is everything.”
Arts & Entertainment | Featured Story | Home Feature
While it's one of the biggest things students deal with, mental health is also one of the least talked about subjects too, says an event participant
Sophie Daly
Photos: Sophie Daly
October 10, 2024 Revised: October 10, 2024 8:18am
Photo: Sophie Daly
Mackenzie Visneskie, a worker at the Wellness Fair, stands at the reception desk to bring students into the event on Oct. 9.
As the world recognizes World Mental Health Day, Algonquin College is playing its part in offering resources to help students.
“There is a lot going on and it’s different with everyone’s coping system,” said Heri Wimana, a first-year tourism travel service student about mental health. “So having events like these may pull people together, maybe someone can find some comfort here.”
During the week of Oct. 8 to Oct. 11, Algonquin College is hosting several free events to help normalize mental health and help create a safe space for students to feel comfortable.
“Student mental health and wellness is everyone’s responsibility,” said Deirdre MacDonald, manager of Student Counselling and Wellness Supports. “There are some areas that specifically focus on providing mental health and wellness-related resources and support.”
Here are two of them you should check out, and three to make note of for next time.
Visit furry friends on World Mental Health Day: Thursday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day is prioritizing mental health in the workplace, spotlighting the importance of mental health. Join the Student Health & Wellness Zone and Paws 4 Stress in The AC Hub on the second floor of Student Commons to relieve stress with furry friends. Stick around to gain knowledge from the Student Health & Wellness Zone, Counselling Services, Health Services and Good2Talk.
Dance and move with Moov Ottawa for the Fall into Wellness Series: Friday Oct. 11, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Impact Zone in A-building, room A117, is hosting the Fall into Wellness Series: Dance and Movement Workshop with Moov Ottawa an Ottawa-owned street dance company. Students are welcome to come move and destress.
Next time! Pick up a paint brush with the Fall into Wellness Series: Painting Night: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
This event was a painting night with local artist Mitra Salamzada. She used art to express emotion and relieve stress. The college invited students to join Salamzada to express themselves through art.
Next time! Tour the Wellness Fair: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
This event, which was hosted in the Student Commons, was to show students the Six Pillars of Health that the Student Health & Wellness Zone promotes through fun activities. Students could go booth to booth learning about general health, mental health, substance use and harm reduction, sexual health, nutrition and fitness and sleep.
“It’s one of the biggest things students deal with, but it’s one of the least talked about subjects as well,” said Mackenzie Visneskie, a worker at the reception booth at the Wellness Fair. “So, I think to just normalize it and incorporate a lot of fun to it as well to make it a lot more normalized for students and make them feel safe.”
Next time! Visit the Health Planning Info Session with WeSpeakStudents: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
This event, held in the multi-purpose room in E-building, E206, helped students learn about the domestic health plan they get from being a student with WeSpeakStudents. This allows students to ask questions and learn about their coverage.
The AC Hub organized book wrapping and key chain beading on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Angel Belair-Poirier
Photos: Angel Belair-Poirier
October 9, 2024 Revised: October 9, 2024 4:38pm
Photo: Angel Belair-Poirier
Samantha Therrien, an events officer, proudly holds the Every Child Matters flag on Truth and Reconciliation Day.
The AC Hub on the Ottawa campus set up a book wrapping and key chain beading station to honour Indigenous people on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.
“I am a Sixties Scoop kid, that’s how they call us. I am part of the children that were taken away from their parent and put into white families. They told us we were not Indian anymore and were not allowed to do anything that was related to our native culture,” said Barbara Kelly, a pathways to Indigenous empowerment program student. “I left a brother and a sister, I had no siblings in my white family, it’s a very emotional day.”
She quickly grabbed a button and put it on her orange T-shirt. She started beading an orange key chain and mentioned that on the day of truth and reconciliation she feels recognized.
The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission said the establishment of residential schools could be described as “cultural genocide.”
The acknowledgement of survivors of residential schools and the trauma they have suffered was being heard through ceremonies across the country on Sept. 30.
At the AC Hub event, a book wrapping station was set up a few steps away. The book wrapping is a symbolic approach to all of the humans who did not get the chance to tell their stories, the event coordinator said.
“My partner has an Indigenous background and I am here to honour all Indigenous communities,” said Justine Dupuis, a social service worker student. “That’s the past and this is now.”
Laurent Laroque, special events coordinator, poses in front of the wrapped books for Truth and Reconciliation Day. Photo credit: Angel Belair-Poirier
Samantha Therrien, an AC event officer, is of Indigenous descent and grew up in Winnipeg. Winnipeg has five identified territories on the Native Land digital map.
A jury found Ayoub guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder in crimes near Algonquin College
Nathalia Lencioni
Photos: Nathalia Lencioni
October 8, 2024 Revised: October 9, 2024 10:19am
Photo: Nathalia Lencioni
The Ottawa courthouse building on 161 Elgin St. on Oct. 8, the day of the conviction of Hamid Ayoub.
Hamid Ayoub on Oct. 8 was given concurrent life sentences for the first-degree murder of his estranged wife and attempted murder of his daughter. The shocking crimes took place just around the corner from Algonquin College in June 2021.
The sentences mean Ayoub won’t have a chance for parole for 25 years.
It only took the jury one day to consider all the evidence and decide that beyond a reasonable doubt, Ayoub had criminally harassed his estranged wife Hanadi Mohamed and surviving daughter before the attack on June 15, 2021.
Both the Crown and the defence agreed that Ayoub had murdered his estranged wife and violently attacked his daughter. But the jury had to decide whether the crimes had been premeditated as part of ongoing persistent abuse or a frenzied impulsive attack, brought upon by anger at Mohamed for leaving him nine months prior.
“The murder was the execution of a plan,” said Superior Court Justice Kevin Phillips, reading from the Crown’s statement while instructing the jury on Oct. 7.
During the trial, the jury heard Ayoub stabbed Mohamed 39 times near the apartment building where Mohamed had moved to in order to escape the abuse she had been suffering since 2007. He then turned to his daughter and stabbed her 12 times until she pretended to be dead.
The attacks were carried out in broad daylight, witnessed by numerous passersby and the only warning Ayoub’s daughter had before being attacked was a scream from her mother.
Ayoub was arrested later that day at The Ottawa General Hospital where he went in search of treatment for an injury sustained during the attacks.
Ayoub’s daughter testified that the abuse suffered by her late mother was so bad, Ayoub had once “held a knife to her (Mohamed) and said ‘I am going to kill you.'”
The Crown told the jury Ayoub had placed a tracking device on Mohamed’s car, which she shared with her two children, in November 2020. The Crown argued Ayoub used it to monitor their location which suggested criminal harassment and that he had planned the attack.
“Since 2007, Ayoub dominated and demeaned a person who should’ve held his highest regard,” said Crown attorney Louise Tansey.
Ayoub’s defence argued that Ayoub’s bag containing, among other items, an expired passport and $8,000 was not a “getaway bag” but a bag for daily use. The fact that Ayoub had time to plan and consider the murder, along with a 20-centimetre knife in his possession, didn’t actually prove planning or deliberation, the defence argued.
The jury ultimately rejected those arguments.
Ayoub’s defence asked for a concurrent sentence of 14 years for the attack on his daughter but was denied by the judge, who ordered the maximum 25-year sentence served concurrently. A person convicted of first-degree murder is automatically given a life prison sentence with no chance for parole for 25 years.
Algonquin is now the top-ranked team in the OCAA Men's Soccer East Division
James Gray
Photos: James Gray
October 8, 2024 Revised: October 8, 2024 8:52pm
Photo: James Gray
Algonquin's Oscar Forward races Seneca's Franco Infante for the ball during the second half.
It took 91 minutes for Algonquin College to score the winning goal when the Wolves faced the Seneca Sting in men’s soccer at the Woodroffe Sports Field on Oct. 4. The home crowd’s roar at the final whistle was all the louder because of it.
The Wolves edged out Seneca 2-1, continuing their dominant season.
The game got off to a rough start with a goal from each team in the first 15 minutes, but both were disqualified as offside.
The Seneca Sting’s Cristiano DeFreitas sunk one that counted at 23 minutes. He snuck past his defender near the net to get a long cross from Dylan Campbell and jump-kick for the goal. Seneca then held the Algonquin Wolves on a grinding defence for the rest of the half.
“We came in (to the locker room) after the half, kind of unmotivated. It was tough to get the boys going,” said Oscar Forward, one of the vice-captains of the Wolves. “We started off really well, we started to decrease, started to rush the game. Coming into the locker game we had to regroup, get the boys back in place.”
The second half was initially more of the same, with few shots seriously testing the goalies.
There was also controversy with referees.
At 59 minutes, an unknown Wolves player or coach was shown a yellow card for shouting “Absolutely f—–g killing us!” to referee Austin Fromhold-Treu after Seneca was awarded a goal kick that they seemed to believe should have been an Algonquin corner kick.
This person could not be identified as they were on the sideline and a number was not visible on their clothing.
The turnaround finally came when Algonquin’s Alessandro Vivolo outran two opponents, then sniped the ball past two more and the goalie to score. The Wolves found new life and played more aggressively, but Seneca defended well for the rest of regular time.
Then, with three minutes of extra time added, Algonquin struck again. A free kick from central midfielder Alaa Mahfouz was headed away by Seneca goalie Amar Dhindsa. Wolves Centre-back Kerim Tosun charged in and sent it sizzling back, past multiple feet and into the net. Algonquin sailed through two final minutes to win the game.
This game came just after Algonquin’s women’s team lost 1-0 to the Sting. Seneca women were still in attendance and often chanted loudly, though they were drowned out by Algonquin fans at the final whistle.
Angus Wong, the head coach of the men’s soccer Wolves, was pleased with the result.
“We always had faith that if we were able to execute what we’re working on, we would be able to get a result,” he said in an interview after the game.
About 80 people came to watch on the misty evening, and some ran onto the field to celebrate afterwards.
Algonquin is now the top-ranked men’s soccer team in the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association’s eastern division. On Oct. 5, the Wolves kept that spot with a 2-2 tie against the Centennial Colts. With only two games left in the regular season, they could very well head to the playoffs in style. Their next game is against St. Lawrence in Kingston on Oct. 9. They then come back home to face Cambrian on Oct. 12.
Wong said the team wants to stay at the top of the league.
“That’s obviously the goal,” he said. “We know that tomorrow’s a tough game at Centennial, and then we have two more tough games. The schedule gets very compressed in these last weeks. We’re playing against the opposition, but we’re also trying to manage the workload of our players, and it becomes kind of tricky at the end.”
Forward was more optimistic.
“We’re looking forward to the game tomorrow and re-establishing our dominance in the division, and our dominance as a program in general,” he said. “When teams have to play us, we don’t want them to have to play us … being the number one team, (there’s a) target on your back, and the boys like it.”
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