Page 147 – Algonquin Times

Wolves thrash Lancers in women’s soccer home opener

The Algonquin College women’s soccer team overwhelmed the Loyalist Lancers 8 – 1 on Saturday afternoon. The Wolves scored their 14th unanswered goal since their first match in the 11th […]

Kolbe Devaux

Photos: Kolbe Devaux

September 19, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Kolbe Devaux

Captain Jolene Wong scored a penalty in the Wolves dominant victory.

The Algonquin College women’s soccer team overwhelmed the Loyalist Lancers 8 – 1 on Saturday afternoon.

The Wolves scored their 14th unanswered goal since their first match in the 11th minute when Avery Cameron converted a corner, but they went into halftime at 1 – 1 after the Lancers found an equalizer.

Head coach Basil Phillips wasn’t pleased with his team’s execution early but praised their overall performance.

“We didn’t play a great first half,” he said. “We were much better in the second half. We came out and scored seven goals, which is more indicative of how we can play. I’m just happy we finished much better.”

The Wolves started the second half rejuvenated and retook the lead within 30 seconds thanks to Makayla Pearl. The goal was her first of three on the day and opened the floodgates for the Wolves.

Pearl then scored from a direct free kick two minutes later, before Kayla DaSilva made it 4 –1 in the 56th minute. Captain Jolene Wong scored a penalty in the 59th minute and Pearl completed her hat trick in the 67th minute, scoring the Wolves’ sixth.

The central midfielder – who has now scored hat tricks in consecutive games – was very pleased to finally play in front of a home crowd after three games on the road.

“It was great to have our fans out and supporting,” said Pearl. “Luckily we’ve had fans supporting us away but there’s no place like home.”

Cameron, who opened the scoring, got her second in the 77th minute and 10 minutes later Jordan Blades-McHenry capped off the 8 – 1 thrashing. The goal kept her scoring streak alive with the striker now scoring in all four of the Wolves’ games this season. It also took her to seven goals, keeping her at the top of the scoring charts, with one more than Pearl.

“That feels great. It’s always nice,” said Pearl, referring to her three goals. “I love assisting and scoring goals. I just love helping the team win.”

After a busy start to the campaign, the Wolves now have a week off to work on improving for their upcoming matches.

“We’ve just got to mentally and physically prepare for the next challenge,” said Phillips. “We’ve had a tough stretch because we’ve played four games in seven days. So we’ve got to recover, get the kinks out and be ready to come back.”

The Wolves currently sit on top of the standings in the Ontario College Athletics Association’s East Division with 10 points from four matches.

They play the Centennial Colts on Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. and the Fleming Knights on Sept. 24, at 2 p.m. Both games are scheduled to be played at the Algonquin College Students’ Association sports field.

Featured Story | Sports & Recreation

Loyalist Lancers | Soccer | Wolves | Women's soccer

Kolbe Devaux

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Algonquin College returns to Ottawa Comiccon to advertise animation program

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Algonquin College returned to Ottawa Comiccon last weekend at the EY Centre. Comiccon provided the college with a convention booth to promote […]

David Rotel

Photos: David Rotel

September 18, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: David Rotel

Student success specialist, Ahmed Elbadri, promises graduates of the animation program are guaranteed to find a job.

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Algonquin College returned to Ottawa Comiccon last weekend at the EY Centre. Comiccon provided the college with a convention booth to promote its animation program.

“The objective was to raise awareness to many young comic book fans,” said Ahmed Elbadri, a student success specialist at Algonquin College.

“Some are entering 11th or 12th grade and looking at future endeavours. Most people we end up talking to are interested in animation and illustration,” he said.

Staff considered this year’s booth a success.

“It’s always a success when you get one student interested. I could confidently say we had more than a dozen students stop by, some fully committed with their portfolios ready,” said Elbadri.

According to Elbadri, 90 to 96 per cent of animation students find employment upon graduation. Some graduates worked on big films such as Frozen 2 and Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. Elbadri said the program is waitlisted almost every September, due to it becoming more popular.

“Once you’re out of the program, you’re almost guaranteed a job,” Elbadri said.

Some graduates of the program stopped by the booth to tell prospective students about their work experience.

“We’ve been going since the first or second event, this is the seventh or eighth time. We’re looking to have a presence every year, at least from the animation side of things,” said Jonathan Holmes, a student recruitment officer of Algonquin College.

Although the animation program was the main focus, it wasn’t the only program promoted at the booth. Some of the other programs featured were film and media production and illustration.

“My hope for the future is to get other programs to participate. Programs like game development to build awareness for those areas,” Holmes said.

With Ottawa Comiccon being a yearly event, Algonquin College staff are hoping to return to future conventions.

Featured Story | News

Animation | Animation program

David Rotel

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Algonquin College community mourns tragic death of first-year student

When Savanna Pikuyak first arrived in Ottawa, moving away from her home in the small Inuit hamlet of Sanirajak, Nunavut at age 22, she was looking forward to beginning her […]

Liam Fox

Photos: Liam Fox

September 16, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Liam Fox

Hundreds of people gathered at a candlelight vigil to grieve the death of a new Algonquin College student.

When Savanna Pikuyak first arrived in Ottawa, moving away from her home in the small Inuit hamlet of Sanirajak, Nunavut at age 22, she was looking forward to beginning her education at Algonquin College in the pre-health sciences pathway program and working to fulfill her aspiration of being a nurse.

She moved into her rental room in 34 Woodvale Green on Thursday, Sept. 8. The following Sunday, she was pronounced dead at the same building.

Pikuyak’s death is being investigated as a homicide. Ottawa police charged 33-year-old Nikolas Ibey with second-degree murder. The same man listed the room she found on Facebook.

Ibey was on probation after being convicted and sentenced to 45 days in jail for assaulting his former girlfriend, breaking and entering, uttering threats and failing to comply with his release order for crimes committed on October 31, 2021, according to reporting by the Ottawa Citizen.

Pikuyak’s friend, Joan Deibs, organized a candlelight vigil in memory of Savanna on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the building where she was found dead. Deibs posted the event on Facebook with the tag: #JusticeForSavanna. Hundreds of people attended the vigil.

Pikuyak’s family and friends travelled from all over the country to mourn her tragic loss. While shedding tears and sharing hugs, they prayed in Inuktitut in front of a bed of flowers and candles.

Savanna Pikuyak's family and friends came from across the country to grieve together in Ottawa. Photo credit: Liam Fox

After thanking people for coming to the vigil to show support, Deibs concluded by saying, “I love you Savanna, and I miss you,” while holding back cries.

Many people from the Algonquin College community attended the vigil.

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to sit down in a classroom and not think about how Savanna should also be in one of those classrooms,” said Atlas Ruth, a second-year social service work diploma student at Algonquin College, a mental health peer supporter and an Indigenous advocate.

Ruth feels the college should arrange a tribute in honour of Pikuyak and wants more people at the college to know who Pikuyak was.

“I think everybody should know her name. Everyone should know her face,” Ruth said. “I think she at the very least deserves that.”

Algonquin College president Claude Brulé attended the vigil to support Pikuyak’s loved ones.

“The college is in shock, frankly, and we’re all mourning the loss of the beautiful young woman, full of life, full of hope, that was beginning a program where she was intending to help others through healing,” Brulé said.

Brulé wasn’t surprised to see many people from the college community at the vigil.

“We are a very tight-knit community and to see so many people from the college here in support of the family is heartwarming, and I know it means a lot to the family,” he said.

Pikuyak’s death raises questions about providing Indigenous and foreign students with safe and affordable housing options.

“I will certainly be looking at this as an opportunity to review our processes related to how we support our students with their accommodation and housing choices,” Brulé said.

“I think we do need to fight for safer and affordable housing in Ottawa. That is its own issue. I think there is a lack of affordable safe housing for women,” said Ruth. “That is something that’s a responsibility of the City of Ottawa, the municipal government and the provincial government, who are both dramatically failing on the housing fronts and the Indigenous rights fronts.”

Algonquin College is offering mental health resources to students and staff affected by the tragedy.

“As we grieve this senseless and tragic loss, the college is making resources available, including counselling services, to any employee or learner in need of assistance. Program chairs and faculty are also coordinating any support required for classmates, teachers and friends of Savanna at this difficult time,” the college wrote in a statement following Pikuyak’s death.

A community gathering will take place on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at the Algonquin College Ottawa campus Ishkodewan Courtyard to honour, mourn and pay respects to Pikuyak.

Featured Story | News

Algonquin college | Savanna Pikuyak

Liam Fox

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New riders gear up for popular motorcycle course on Ottawa campus

Olivia Cardinal’s eyes are full of steely determination as she bites her lower lip in concentration. She sets off on a Kawasaki KLX140L motorcycle, headed towards a pair of bright […]

Aadil Naik

Photos: Aadil Naik

September 14, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Aadil Naik

“This is a motorcycle operator skills safety course, so they can expect to know how to use a bike,” said Tiffany O’Leary, a RSAO instructor, about what candidates can hope to learn from the M2 course offered by RSAO at the college’s Ottawa campus.

Olivia Cardinal’s eyes are full of steely determination as she bites her lower lip in concentration. She sets off on a Kawasaki KLX140L motorcycle, headed towards a pair of bright red cones set up as a makeshift course in a parking lot. Two instructors watch keenly as she practises a drill she just learned. Her face lights up with joy as she slowly brings the beginner motorcycle to a smooth halt on the other side.

This is only the second day she has ever ridden a motorcycle.

The Road Safety Association of Ontario conducts motorcycle training courses at the Algonquin College Ottawa campus every year from April to October, and they continue to be highly sought after by people like Cardinal.

The RSAO currently offers three Canada Safety Council‘s Gearing Up national motorcycle training programs that take place on weekends in parking lot No. 9.

Introduction to Motorcycling is a three-hour program that introduces candidates to the basics of riding a motorcycle. It is designed to give people the opportunity to decide whether motorcycles are for them or not. It does not require applicants to have any previous experience and no licence is provided at the end of the program. It costs $125.

The M2 course is a three-day program. It commences with a three-hour lecture on Thursday evening and two days of riding training on the following Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When this course has been successfully completed, the candidate will attain an M2 licence. Motorcycles are provided for this course, but applicants must hold an M1 licence to apply. It costs $500.

While an M1 licence only permits riding during daylight hours (30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset) and on roads with a speed limit of under 80 km/h (with a few exceptions), an M2 licence removes these. Holders of M1 and M2 licences must still maintain a zero blood alcohol level while riding.

“What this course does not teach is the rules of the road,” said instructor Tiffany O’Leary, who has been teaching for five years. “But if somebody shows up on a Saturday morning and they’ve never even touched a motorcycle, by Sunday afternoon they will feel comfortable to get on to any motorcycle and safely ride and operate that bike.”

“It’s all about safety and not so much speed,” said student Paul Hemsing about what he’s gleaned over the weekend. “The slower you go, the harder it is, and that’s what they work on here so you get more confidence in handling the bike.”

The third program is the M2 Exit course, conducted over two days. It begins with a three-hour lecture and parking lot skills assessment on Thursday evening, followed by a day of riding on either Saturday or Sunday on public roads. Candidates will be assessed by Ontario Ministry of Transportation certified instructors for their final M2 Exit road test. They are awarded permanent M licences on successful completion. Motorcycles are not provided for this course and candidates must have a valid M2 licence for a minimum of 22 months (or 18 months if successfully completed at a recognized motorcycle training program) to be eligible. The course costs $475.

The courses are popular and sell out months in advance. Most candidates at last weekend’s course signed up six months ago.

“I’m really excited to go for an actual ride on the road,” said Cardinal, a candidate in the M2 course. She feels far more confident after the training and now looks forward to riding her boyfriend’s old motorcycle.

Obtaining your motorcycle licence through an approved safety course can also provide riders discounts on vehicle insurance.

Further details about the courses can be found at motorcyclecourse.com.

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Aadil Naik

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C*4 Wrestling crowns second-ever T.A.G. Tournament winners in Algonquin Commons Theatre

For the first time in two years, Capital City Championship Combat (C*4) hosted the T.A.G. Memorial Tournament. C*4 Wrestling: Double Impact happened last Thursday in the Algonquin Commons Theatre. It […]

David Rotel

Photos: David Rotel

September 12, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: David Rotel

Aiden Aggro (left) and Dangerkid (right) celebrating their win of the T.A.G. Memorial Tournament.

For the first time in two years, Capital City Championship Combat (C*4) hosted the T.A.G. Memorial Tournament. C*4 Wrestling: Double Impact happened last Thursday in the Algonquin Commons Theatre.

It was the first time the college has held a C*4 Wrestling event since Dec. 10, 2021. Their last event was C*4 Wrestling: Better Watch Out. Double Impact featured the second-ever T.A.G. Memorial Tournament. The founder of C*4, Mark Pollesel, explained the tournament’s origins.

“Terry Anne Gibson was the wife of my business partner, Stephen. She passed away in 2016. Stephen wanted a way to memorialize Terry, as she had been a big supporter of him and I working together,” said Pollesel.

“We decided to do a show in her memory of sorts. Given her initials, T. A.G, it was a natural fit that we did a tag team tournament show,” he added.

The first tournament happened in October 2019, hoping to become an annual event. Due to the pandemic, there was no tournament in the last two years.

Eight tag teams competed in the first tournament. This year, the tournament was contested by 12 tag teams, who competed in seven elimination bracket matches.

Double Impact wasn’t just dedicated to the tournament. The event featured three singles matches, one of them featuring All Elite Wrestling (AEW) superstar Evil Uno.

In the end, it was the tag team of DangerKid and Aiden Aggro (MSP) who were victorious when they defeated the team of Junior Benito and Hotstepper (Fresh Air) in the tournament finals.

One of the finalists, Junior Benito, described the crowd as “not a wrestling crowd.”

“It didn’t feel like a wrestling crowd, which I like because you can introduce them to what we do. It’s also a good opportunity to get new eyes on the product,” Benito said.

Pollesel is a graduate of Algonquin College’s scriptwriting program. He explained how his time in the program gave him the tools he needed to create C*4 Wrestling.

“What I took away from the program was the importance of structure for storytelling. Rewarding an audience with a well-told story,” he said.

“There are obviously great differences between scripting a feature film and how a wrestling show is put together. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to rewarding an audience that invests in what you’re doing.”

Last month, C*4 held its 11th Fighting Back: Wrestling With Cancer event to help raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. The event raised over $42,000 and had 550 fans in attendance.

After being on the independent wrestling scene for 15 years, Pollesel hopes he can continue to bring the best international wrestlers to Ottawa so C*4 can provide Ottawa with the best independent wrestling.

Arts & Entertainment | Featured Story | Sports & Recreation

C4 | Commons theatre | Sports | Tournament | Wrestling

David Rotel

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Vandalism of Pembroke campus diversity mural proves ‘our work isn’t done,’ Brulé says

Algonquin College president Claude Brulé said he felt “shock, dismay, anger, and disappointment” in response to the vandalism of the Pembroke portion of the college-wide Stronger Together diversity mural collection. […]

Madi Ivan-Feldcamp

Photos:

September 9, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Images of the white substance on the Stronger Together mural in Pembroke. Images provided by the Ontario Provincial Police in their press release. (credit to OPP)

OPP were looking for two people as police investigated the vandalized mural segment in August. An unknown white substance was splattered over the image of an Indigenous woman and a Black person.

Algonquin College staff said they have no information suggesting that the vandalism was intended to be hateful. OPP media officer Mike Mahon said there is no new information, and that there is no information indicating if the damage was a hate crime.

Brulé said he “would not put a judgement on the motivation” to the damage the Pembroke mural. Finding the reason why the vandalism occurred is the responsibility of the police, he said.

A three-storey mural at the Woodroffe campus in January 2020 was also vandalized, but it was concluded that it was not hatefully motivated, according to Brulé. The yellow substance in that instance was thrown onto the bird portion of that mural.

“We resolved a determination to continue to use education, which is what we’re all about, to promote a sense of belonging, inclusion and diversity. Our work isn’t done, clearly, and we need to re-double our efforts,” explained Brulé.

The Stronger Together cross-campus mural collection was finished in May. The vibrant murals demonstrate the diversity of the college community. They connect the Algonquin College campuses together, and a digital version of the mural is displayed on the online campus.

The vandalism occurred mere days before the official unveiling of the mural. The inauguration of the murals was scheduled for Aug. 25 and the Pembroke mural was repaired in time. According to Sarah Hall, dean of the Pembroke campus, some repairs were made right away and some were performed later, but other repairs still needed to be finished as of Friday.

Images of the restored mural as of Friday.
The Stronger Together mural was designed in a collaborative effort by Jimmy Baptiste, Allan Andre and Kalkidan Assefa. Algonquin College staff members and students partook in painting the collage. Photo credit: Madi Ivan-Feldcamp

Most of the damage is unnoticeable. Pembroke staff are responsible for scheduling the artists of the mural to make any outstanding repairs.

“We’re proud of this mural that represents welcoming culture,” Hall said, “and we will always continue to communicate this message. It also represents the connection with the other campuses, too, including the online campus.”

The mural was designed in a collaborative effort by Jimmy Baptiste, Allan Andre and Kalkidan Assefa. Stronger Together has a street art style. According to an Algonquin College press release on May 16, it was designed to not be restricted by colonial perceptions of art.

“I was surprised that was the reaction to that mural that represents the college community and the local community,” said Sara Lehnen, a library technician at the Pembroke campus who was working the day the vandalism was discovered. “[The mural] is so visible and it’s there. It’s there for the community. Who would see something like that and say, ‘I’m going to wreck it’?”

Lehnen participated in the painting of the mural, along with several other employees and students. The mural was designed as a paint-by-number so the college community could participate in its creation under the direction of the artists.

Brulé painted some of the white-tailed deer on the Woodroffe campus mural.

“The name of our mural, Stronger Together, is what I really want people to leave with,” Brulé said. “Our campuses are connected in so many ways and these murals offer a story and a narrative that we, from one campus to another, have such a compelling vision for inclusion, diversity, and sense of belonging. We couldn’t be prouder of how it connects us together.”

Featured Story | Focus | News | People

Community | Diversity | Mural | Pembroke campus | Vandalism

Madi Ivan-Feldcamp

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Algonquin College kicks off fall 2022 semester with AC Day 1 festivities

For the first time since 2019, AC Day 1 orientation returned to campus on Tuesday with different events running from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Along with program introductions for […]

Liam Fox

Photos: Cameron Ryan

September 9, 2022
Revised: September 9, 2022 1:44pm

Photo: Cameron Ryan

AC Day 1 had over 8,000 attendees registered.

For the first time since 2019, AC Day 1 orientation returned to campus on Tuesday with different events running from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Along with program introductions for new Algonquin College students, AC Day 1 featured many social activities and workshops including a carnival, live music, gaming lounges, food and beverage stations and Indigenous performances.

Over 8,000 students registered to attend AC Day 1. Of the over 10,000 new Algonquin College students, 60 per cent registered for AC Day 1 related activities and events.

Algonquin College spent over $100,000 on services and items for AC Day 1, according to Lauren Laroque, the events officer at Algonquin College.

For many students, the campus experience is new and exciting. It is either their first post-secondary experience or their first time learning at the college in person because of virtual delivery of classes and events due to the pandemic.

Second-year architecture technician students Bhargav Timbadiya and Kuri Purohit had their first in-person day on campus on Tuesday.

“It feels alive,” said Timbadiya at a crowded area of the carnival outside of student commons.

AC Day 1 had over 8,000 attendees registered. Photo credit: Cameron Ryan

Alex Lara, a first-year fitness and health promotion student, said he is happy events are back in person and people are meeting. “It’s nice to finally socialize,” he said.

Lots of college staff enjoyed seeing students return to campus.

“To see all the excitement and joy on-campus is amazing,” said academic advising coordinator Melissa Staddon, who has been working at Algonquin College since 2018.

As all three Algonquin College campuses and programs reopen over the fall semester, more events will return to in-person delivery.

News

FALL 2022 | Orientation | Woodroffe campus

Liam Fox

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Queen Elizabeth II dies; Algonquin College community reacts

When Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 on Sept. 8, it made shockwaves and headlines around the world. For many, the Queen has been the head of […]

Tyler Beauchesne

Photos: Liam Fox

September 8, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Liam Fox

Flags at half-mast at the Algonquin College Ottawa campus.

When Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 on Sept. 8, it made shockwaves and headlines around the world.

For many, the Queen has been the head of the British monarchy their whole lives, marking a major change. The Queen was on the throne since February 1952 and was the longest reigning monarch in Britain. The former Prince Charles is now King.

When the news broke Algonquin Times reporters rushed to get the initial reactions of staff and students on campus.

“I think it was a long time coming,” said Ryan Oram, a music and industry arts student. “But I am glad that she went peacefully if she was to go. I am not too opinionated on the monarchy, however, I do not think this will have a big impact on Canadians other than our currency. They have power here but they do not really use it.”

Others were shocked by the news.

“It’s sad actually because she’s been the Queen for as long as I can remember, and she did a lot of things to foster community relationships and relationships within the Commonwealth,” said Elizabeth Delavan, a professor of nursing studies.

“I’m sure it’s gonna be a really, really tough time for the monarchy and for everybody over in England,” said Amber Schuler-Toll, an academic access advisor at the college.

“It’s impressive that she kept it up for so long, and she didn’t take a step back,” said Amanda Lenz, a first-year early learning community development student.

Some at the college view the Queen’s passing as a major historic moment.

“I think it’s a remarkable moment in history because this hasn’t happened in 70 years,” said Bradley Moseley-Williams, a professor in the public relations program.

“For my students in the public relations program, it was a teachable moment actually to see how this would be communicated so everything changes from language to whose face is on the money, a new setup for the royal family I think we might even be looking at perhaps a slimmed down monarchy but more than anything else I think it’s a moment in time for the world to stop and really realize this is a marker in history that will change things going forward,” he continued.

Algonquin College released a statement following the news.

“Queen Elizabeth II presided over the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth for over seven decades. Our condolences go out to the Royal Family, citizens of the United Kingdom, all Commonwealth nations and people across the globe who are mourning this significant loss,” the college said in a statement on Twitter.

Flags will be lowered to half-mast on the Perth, Pembroke and Ottawa campuses in recognition of the Queen’s death, the college said.

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#news | Algonquin college | Campus

Tyler Beauchesne

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Algonquin College students clean up Ottawa campus

Four community-minded students from the Ottawa campus residence withstood summer heat on July 22 to participate in the first organized clean-up since COVID-19 hit, in an effort to keep their […]

Sophia Adams

Photos: Sophia Adams

August 21, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Sophia Adams

Ifeoluwa Olubode, culinary management student and residence occupant, volunteering with Campus Clean-up in July

Four community-minded students from the Ottawa campus residence withstood summer heat on July 22 to participate in the first organized clean-up since COVID-19 hit, in an effort to keep their living and working spaces free of garbage and mess.

In the main lobby of the Residence building, participants were greeted with a warm welcome from Algonquin College Residence staff. Volunteers got set up with gloves and garbage bags, and made their way through the residence green spaces to pick up and dispose of any litter.

Snacks and beverages were provided for participating in the clean-up, as students picked up garbage, talked with one another and worked to create a stronger and cleaner community.

Sadia Ahmed, far left; Raiyvn Halcro, second from left; Dana Deline, second from the right; and Pauline Phelan, far right. Photo credit: Sophia Adams

Raiyvn Halcro, Community Advisor at Algonquin College Residence and Conference Centre and Campus Clean-up coordinator said, “It is important to keep your community clean. The whole point of residence life is to build community, that is why we do this.”

Students living in the residence building started in the main courtyard and made their way to the Rosser Courtyard and along the outside perimeter of the residence.

“We all live here and so, seeing vape pods, coke cans, or smokes just thrown on the ground, you lose some pride in your community,” Halcro said.

In the warmer weather, students are outdoors more, which increases the chances that waste will be left behind. Algonquin is a “clean air” campus, and so there are no cigarette disposal stations, which means some smokers leave their butts on the ground.

Pauline Phelan, Residence Life Coordinator at Algonquin College. Photo credit: Sophia Adams

Ifeoluwa Olubode, a culinary management student and residence occupant who heard about the clean-up through Algonquin College Residence’s Instagram, said that she cares about her environment, especially in the summer.

“I see garbage items that are not supposed to be on the ground distracting from the beauty and I want to help,” Olubode remarked on the beauty of the campus during the summer.

Pauline Phelan, Residence Life Coordinator, said that she is very passionate about climate action and residence involvement in it. By disposing of garbage, the clean-up aims to encourage an attitude of caring about the environment, and minimizing damage to the planet.

For many students, living in residence and away from their parents is the first step into a more independent lifestyle that Phelan described as the “taking your training wheels off” step. She is eager to ensure that this step is a pleasant one, and doing so begins with a clean and cared-for place of living.

Phelan also said that the event should occur more regularly and “more strategically.”

“When events are happening, or fall break is approaching, is when a clean-up should take place because more garbage will be collected at once,” Phelan said

After being unable to hold the Campus Clean-up during COVID-19, Phelan said that this was a good test run for future events and planning.

“Environmental education is really important and something that we need to do better. So, I figured good role modeling means I show up to these kinds of things. I am hopeful that others will too during the next one.”

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Campus | Residence

Sophia Adams

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Light show returns to Parliament Hill after two years

This summer, Parliament Hill is holding its annual Northern Lights Sound and Light Show again after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. It is a free 30-minute light show displayed […]

Tyler Beauchesne

Photos: Tyler Beauchesne

August 21, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Tyler Beauchesne

The show highlighting Canadian history is displayed on the walls of Parliament in downtown Ottawa.

This summer, Parliament Hill is holding its annual Northern Lights Sound and Light Show again after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. It is a free 30-minute light show displayed on the Parliament buildings that explores the history of Canada.

The show is split up into six parts, with vivid illustrations recreating historical events in a tableau-style, with motion. These pictures are so well designed and placed, so that you forget they are just projections on a building. The story acknowledges Canada’s greatest successes when it came to Confederation, the First World War, and the Cold War, as well as highlighting the many inventors and innovators born in this country. It also addresses how Canada has failed in its treatment of Indigenous people throughout history, and broken promises over land treaties.

The show also honours the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The show attracts large crowds of people from all over the world. “I’m from Miami, and this is my first time in Canada,” visitor Nicolas Royo said. “This was an amazing show, such an extraordinary event to witness. The storytelling was well done and felt new. I did not know a lot about Canada before coming here, but this show takes you through history and makes you feel like you are witnessing it personally. Putting that all into a story was a great way to learn the history for sure.”

Royo highly recommended the show to anyone visiting Ottawa in the summer: “If you are not from Canada and want to learn about the country, this will do it in a way that entertains you.”

The show plays from Thursday to Monday evenings every week until September 5. For more information, check out Ottawa Tourism.

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