Page 71 – Algonquin Times

Chinese New Year gala unites students from across the city to celebrate

Students' associations from Algonquin College, Carleton and University of Ottawa hosted the event together

Zixuan Li

Photos: Zixuan Li

February 13, 2024
Revised: February 13, 2024 9:32am

Photo: Zixuan Li

The Chinese New Year Gala‘s final curtain call group photo.

On the first day of the lunar new year, Feb. 10, hundreds of Chinese students across Ottawa gathered at the Algonquin Commons Theatre to celebrate the lunar new year.

The Chinese New Year Gala is an annual celebration organized by the Chinese Students’ Association from Algonquin College, Carleton University, and the University of Ottawa.

“The three universities have already jointly hosted the gala for more than 10 years. This has become a tradition,” said Zhenghang Zhu, the minister of organization department of Carleton University Chinese Students’ Association.

The three students’ associations united more than 200 students from across the city, many of them are international students, with some domestic students coming alone with their Chinese friends.

Chinese ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, also joined the event and made a speech at the beginning of the performances in the gala.

The gala is always held at the ACT because Zhu feels it is more modern and professional compared to other schools.

This year, the gala showcased a variety of performances, from band performances, individual raps, Peking Opera performances, and group dances, to spectacular martial arts performances.

“Last year’s program was more student-oriented, with many student-led performances,” said Linsen Jing, someone who attended both this year’s and last year’s gala. “This year, the audience seems to be more diverse. The program this year feels stricter compared to last year, with many local art groups from Ottawa participating. Overall, I feel like everyone did a great job.”

Sunkis singing his popular song Top Tier at Algonquin Commons Theatre — Sunkis singing his popular song "Top Tier" at Algonquin Commons Theatre. Photo credit: Zixuan Li

Unlike previous years, in addition to performances by students or local art groups, emerging Taiwanese-American singer Sunkis, who has 147,000 followers on Instagram, was invited to attend.

His arrival lit up the entire theater. Students sang along with Sunkis to “Top Tier,” “Trust Me” and “Like I Do.”

The ticket prices for this year increased greatly compared to last year. The price for regular seats went up from $28 last year to $48 this year.

“The number of students attending the gala is lower than in previous years,” Zhu said. “Last year was truly packed, but this year, it’s only about 70 to 80 per cent of last year’s attendance.”

The event was sponsored by Gyubee, Moose Knuckles, IAUSS and three other Chinese companies.

The Village: Innovative Performance Combining Traditional Dance and Rap — The Village, a local art group, presented a performance combining traditional dance and rap at the Algonquin Commons Theatre. Photo credit: Zixuan Li

Throughout the event, attendees had the chance to take part in a lottery for the chance to receive red envelopes containing small sums of money. There were also four rounds of raffle draws, with prizes including five sets of Lego toys, three Marshall Acton 2 speakers, four Moose down jackets and an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

“I originally didn’t think I would win any prize at all. I didn’t even have any expectations,” said Shirley Wang, an uOttawa communication student who won the iPhone 15 Pro Max. “But when I heard my seat number called out, I was so surprised, I couldn’t believe it.”

Zhu said that due to the interruption caused by the pandemic, many students and staff are not very familiar with the gala. This year’s event was the second since the pandemic.

“This year’s gala was generally well organized, but there is still room for improvement,” Zhu said.

Arts & Entertainment | Featured Hero | Featured Story

Students compete for a seat at the table on the Board of Governors

Student candidates aim to bring light to issues concerning fellow students

Nathalia Lencioni

Photos: Nathalia Lencioni

February 12, 2024
Revised: February 12, 2024 4:19pm

Photo: Nathalia Lencioni

Aditya Mishra, Germain Arrighi, Linh Ngo, and Mouatez Aissaoui (left to right) are running to represent students.

Four students from varying programs have joined the race for the opportunity to represent fellow students within the Board of Governors, the election will happen on Feb. 21.

One of the candidates, Mouatez Aissaoui, a student in the automation and robotics program, expressed concern about high food costs on campus.

“My main goal is to get more affordable food options for people on campus,” said Aissaoui. “If at the end of this Algonquin students can walk into the cafeteria and see a $3 food option, that would be great.”

“Students are already financially constricted as it is, and to put food on top of that, really isn’t good for the students,” said Aissaoui. “I’m tired of leaving the campus to go somewhere else to eat.”

Germain Arrighi, a student in the social service worker program, said the program has given him the skills to be a student representative.

“A lot of the program is being an advocate for our clients, having empathy and building relationships with people,” said Arrighi. “I have talked to a number of the students about services, and some of the main issues are housing, permanent residency issues, and finding a part-time job, I’d like to see what the college can do in terms of arranging some kind of rent subsidy for students.”

“We need to work with students and faculty to find the best solutions for everyone. I’m also a strong advocate for progressive rights. For our liberties and freedoms, including the freedom of information, and I will advocate for students,” he said.

Aditya Mishra, a student in the mobile application design and development program, wants to open communication between students and college administration.

“I was a school captain back in India, so I have experience in leadership. I plan on speaking to management about a collaboration with landlords, so students have more housing options,” said Mishra. “There’s also transit system issues and international students who are struggling, I plan on advocating for them.”

“My goal is to be connected with the students, I’d like to be a bridge between administration and students; I’d like to launch a town hall meeting every month so students can tell me about problems they’ve been dealing with,” said Mishra.

The final student representative candidate, Linh Ngo, a student in the digital marketing and communication program, said she wants to be there for students in whatever way they need.

“I want to lower food waste and advocate for discounted tuition fees, I have ideas that I would like to put forward,” said Ngo. “My focus is on helping people adapt to the new college environment. When it comes to helping someone, I’m very responsible. I feel fine if they don’t want to vote for me, but I hope that they will give me a chance, even if they just want to have a friend, they can reach out to me.”

“I want to step out of my comfort zone, I’m already a class representative but I want something more challenging, so I’ll try this and even if I fail, I still tried,” said Ngo.

The board establishes the governance practices for the college, decides on institutional goals and directions, as well as supervise the performance of the college’s President and CEO Claude Brulé.

Elections for the Board of Governors are regularly reoccurring and all members of the college constituent group can participate in the election process. further instructions can be found on ACSIS, voting begins at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 21.

In addition to the student representative position, the academic staff and administrative staff representative positions were also open. Both received one nomination.

Julia Fortey (left) and Shawn Pentecost — Julia Fortey, (left) is the administrative staff representative candidate and Shawn Pentecost (right) is the academic staff representative candidate. Photo credit: Nathalia Lencioni

Julia Fortey, administrative staff representative candidate and associate chair at the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence said her experience teaching made her passionate about making an impact in the college.

“I just love being involved, I started as faculty in 2012 and saw firsthand the positive impact teaching can have on students,” said Fortey, who has applied for the administrative staff representative position. “Now I have the opportunity to see the college from a completely different perspective and make an impact on a larger scale, I believe it will reach students as well as faculty.”

“My approach is utilizing what I know currently working closely with students, faculty and administration to honour their voices,” said Fortey.

Shawn Pentecost, academic staff representative candidate and faculty member at Algonquin College, said his experience in the college and community makes him especially qualified for the role.

“I have board experience having been a member of the board of directors of a Renfrew County service agency for five years, I am also a faculty union steward and have represented faculty both locally and provincially,” said Pentecost. “I felt my experience gave me a strong foundation for the position. I am a problem-solver by nature and welcome the opportunity to work with others to find solutions.”

“This is a challenging time in the college system,” said Pentecost. “I wish to raise the profile of professors, instructors, counsellors, and librarians in the decision-making process at the board, and to ensure that the board understands the impact of board decisions on faculty members and students.”

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Music Monday’s

Emma Stronge

Photos:

February 12, 2024
Revised: February 12, 2024 3:53pm

At 24 years old, J Dunni, hailing from Nepean but raised in Ottawa, embodies a fusion of influences that have shaped his sound. With a childhood steeped in diverse music, courtesy of his parents’ collection of old school soul and folk records, J Dunni’s musical journey took a defining turn when he fell in love with rap music while watching “Happy Feet,” mesmerised by a penguin’s rendition of “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash. Primarily known as a rapper, J Dunni’s musical evolution began at the age of 20, inspired by the untimely passing of Mac Miller, leading him to explore music as a form of
self-expression.

His genre-defying approach dabbles in R&B with a subtle funk influence, reflecting his refusal to be confined to a singular style. Describing his music as a spectrum rather than a box, J Dunni crafts melodic rap with introspective lyrics, offering listeners a window into his innermost thoughts and emotions. With inspirations ranging from Mac Miller’s and the way he broke stereotypes of white rappers to Kendrick Lamar who’s Album “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City,” was the first J Dunni ever listened to front to back and Erykah Baduwho was his introduction to soul music, J Dunni aspires to challenge stereotypes and represent his hometown on the global stage. With six songs already making waves on streaming platforms, including his most recent release, “Just for You,” J Dunni’s upcoming EP, “French Vanilla,” promises a diverse showcase of his artistry, featuring various styles of rap that capture the essence of who he is. As he continues to carve his path in the music industry, J Dunni aims to become Ottawa’s biggest musical export, driven by a desire to put his city on the map and pave the way for future generations of artists. Despite accolades like being featured on New Hot 89.9’s local talent segment and performing for a crowd of 600 during an Algonquin volleyball game halftime show, J Dunni remains grounded in his mission to connect with audiences and inspire introspection through his music. For J Dunni, the journey is just beginning, with each verse serving as a testament to his unwavering commitment to authenticity and self-discovery.

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Fun Stuff | Times Series

Students learn about gambling and consequences at Gambling & Stigma

Event coordinator discusses dangers of excessive gambling

Mackenzie Cardinal

Photos:

February 12, 2024
Revised: February 12, 2024 3:13pm

Nick Renaud speaks during the Gambling & Stigma event at the AC hub.

Gambling may seem like a fun way to pass the time, but for many people it can lead to a serious gambling addiction that can affect their mental health and their wallet. Luckily, people suffering through this problem don’t have to go through it alone.

Gambling & Stigma, an event hosted by the YMCA, happened on Feb. 7 at the AC Hub on the second floor of Student Commons. Five students attended the event, however many people studying in the AC Hub were listening in.

The topics included how gambling starts, how stigma can affect people, and the best ways to help others going through a gambling addiction.

“The purpose of this event is to be aware of the consequences and the stigma of excessive gambling,” event coordinator Nick Renaud said. Renaud is also a part of the Youth Gambling Awareness Program at the YMCA.

Renaud made sure to explain to everyone that gambling is neither positive nor negative. There are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account when talking with individuals who suffer from a gambling addiction. He said that when discussing something as taboo as gambling, it’s important to take every situation into account.

Renaud explained how stigma is created. Stigma is created by labelling someone, then giving them a stereotype, then separating yourself from them and making their friends or family discriminate against them. This can lead to mental health issues for the individual who gambles, he said.

The event also had some exercises that students could do. There was an exercise about different real life cases of gambling victims. Participants reviewed the cases and discussed how the person’s gambling addiction began and how they felt.

There was also a discussion about common misconceptions people have about gamblers.

“One common misconception is the idea that they started gambling. Sometimes you can be exploited into gambling,” Hunter Brown, a professional writing student, said.

When talking about how to help someone going through a gambling addiction, students had a lot of different answers. However, the most common answer was to be a helping hand to the individual struggling with addiction.

“Let them know that you’re a safe person to come to when they talk about their problems,” Jerrica Black, a professional writing student, said.

More information about gambling and addictions can be found at connexontario.ca or by calling 1-866-531-2600.

Arts & Entertainment

Valentime’s Event

Join us in the Student Commons on February 14th from 12-2pm for a chance to fun win 3 Valentime’s day baskets!

Emma Stronge

Photos:

February 9, 2024
Revised: February 9, 2024 1:25pm

Come

Join us in the Student Commons on February 14th from 12-2pm for a chance to fun win 3 Valentime’s day baskets!

Contests | Fun Stuff

Supreme Court of Canada upholds federal government’s Indigenous child welfare law

Local CTV: The City of Belleville has declared a state of local emergency on Feb. 8 due to the, “growing addiction, mental health, and homelessness crisis.” On Wednesday, the Belleville Police Service told Newstalk 580 CFRA there were 17 overdose cases in 24 hours in the downtown area and 13 of them were in a […]

Ethan Macleod

Photos:

February 9, 2024
Revised: February 9, 2024 12:30pm

Local

CTV: The City of Belleville has declared a state of local emergency on Feb. 8 due to the, “growing addiction, mental health, and homelessness crisis.”

On Wednesday, the Belleville Police Service told Newstalk 580 CFRA there were 17 overdose cases in 24 hours in the downtown area and 13 of them were in a span of an hour and a half.

Police asked civilians to try to not travel downtown to allow response crews to save people with quick haste.

Mayor Neil Ellis said, “We need serious action and support from senior level government to deal with this crisis and until we begin to see meaningful discussions on how to address the matter, I fear nothing will change.”

“That is why we are calling on the province and federal government for support. I urge our local municipal partners facing the same issues to do the same,” he said.

All roads are now open.

National

CBC: The Supreme Court of Canada sided with the federal government on the Trudeau government’s Indigenous child welfare law being constitutional.

Quebec appealed claiming Indigenous Peoples’ jurisdiction over child and family services.

Bill C-92 became law in 2019, An Act Respecting First Nations, Metis, Inuit Children Youth and Families. This law declares Indigenous people have jurisdiction over their child and family services but also requires national minimum standards of care.

“The act as a whole is constitutionally valid,” the court concluded.

International

CBC: A volcano erupted for the third time since December on Thursday in southwestern Iceland.

It forced the people in the Blue Lagoon Spa, one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions, to evacuate.

The eruption began at 1 a.m. ET along a three-kilometre fissure northeast of Mount Skylingarfell, said Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Several communities on the Reykjanes Peninsula were cut off from heat and hot water after lava engulfed the supply pipeline.

The volcano calmed down by mid-afternoon, but lava continued to spew from parts of the fissure, said the Met Office.

Featured Story | News

Nepean Sportsplex hosts its first ever fitness and wellness expo

"The expo brings exposure for people who need a change in their life," said an exhibitor

Jude Osmond

Photos: Jude Osmond

February 9, 2024
Revised: February 9, 2024 10:27am

Photo: Jude Osmond

Coach Aaron Kruger of the Kanata Academy of Martial Arts demonstrates a jab on Feb. 3 at the Nepean Sportsplex.

Down the street from the Algonquin College Woodroffe Campus, the Nepean Sportsplex held its first-ever Fitness and Wellness Expo on Feb 3.

The event hosted various small companies, ranging from a vendor who can help with anxiety and to one that sells underwater fitness to patches that could turn you into a superhero.

“We are trying to find more avenues for smaller companies,” said Sherry Coulterman, managing director of the expo.

Most of the exhibitors knew each other from around the city, especially the two martial arts academies, Rockland and Kanata. The busiest booth at the expo was the Kanata Academy of Martial Arts. Aaron Kruger, a coach with the academy, offered visitors to the booth information about what they do. He also did demonstrations.

Kruger found out about Kanata Academy of Martial Arts when he was in a dark place in his life. He said it helped him find himself, and he hopes the expo can do the same for other people.

“The expo brings exposure for people who need a change in their life,” said Kruger.

The Kanata Academy of Martial Arts held a demonstration for people to try out the academy’s classes, giving them a chance to throw about a dozen punches and kicks, which had a lot of people participating.

Even some older adults wanted to get some kicks in.

A student at the academy, Ray Cote, who dreams about working for the UFC, is passionate about Muay Thai.

“There are only a few ways to bench press, only a few ways to squat,” said Cote. “But there are about a 1000 ways to kick and punch in fighting. That’s what got me into fighting.”

Another popular vendor was the underwater recovery booth with the company Scubapeutics, which is based in Ottawa.

Natalka MacKay, the founder and lead instructor, talked about her goals for the expo.

“My goal for the expo is for people to notice that scuba diving also belongs in swimming pools,” she said.

Other vendors had loftier goals.

“I can turn you into a superhero,” said Dina Elatawi, team associate for the Super Patch company. The company says the super patches can be used for anxiety, strength and speed. They come in all different shapes and sizes.

Elatawi and her team gave visitors a demonstration to see if a patch could prevent a volunteer from getting pushed over. They gave participants one free liberty patch to try for the demonstration and encouraged them to keep it on for 24 hours.

The fitness expo was more of a test to see its results and impact. The event plans to have its second opening this fall.

“The goal is to have multiple a year,” said Coulterman.

Featured Hero | Featured Story | Sports & Recreation

Valentime’s Crossword

Breaking news! Love is in the air, enjoy this Valentime’s crossword. Print it! Answers

Emma Stronge

Photos:

February 8, 2024
Revised: February 13, 2024 3:04pm

Breaking news! Love is in the air, enjoy this Valentime’s crossword.

Print it!

Answers

Activities | Fun Stuff

February Horoscopes

Emma Stronge

Photos:

February 8, 2024
Revised: February 8, 2024 4:16pm

Fun Stuff | Horoscopes

Taking lessons from the past and scripting his future, Randy Kakegamick inspires others and himself

Student turns his life around while collecting full arsenal of artistic tools from programs at Algonquin College

Kerry Slack

Photos: Kerry Slack

February 8, 2024
Revised: February 12, 2024 1:00pm

Photo: Kerry Slack

Script-writing student, Randy Kakegamick drums and sings with Spirit Wolf Singers at the Canadian Museum of History on Feb. 4 as a part of Winterlude festivities.

Once baffled by the mechanisms of his laptop, scriptwriting student Randy Kakemagick has transformed himself into an extraordinary force behind full-fledged productions.

Kakegamick’s remarkable journey epitomizes the incredible potential that lies within each one of us, no matter what obstacles we face.

“I was into my third month, and I was really struggling. I just could not grasp using a laptop because I never used a laptop in my life,” said Kakegamick reflecting on his first semester at Algonquin College.

“I didn’t even know how to shut it down properly. So, I went to see my friend at Odawa, Jamie Dube, and I was like, what am I doing with this thing?”

After showing Dube how he was shutting down his laptop, by closing the lid, Dube laughed.

“Bro, there’s a process,” said Dube.

Kakegamick overcame that hurdle, and he has overcome so many others.

A generational survivor of the residential schooling system, Kakegamick recalls at age nine feeling lost in school. He spent time starting fights with other students without reason.

He remembers picking fights with kids when he was having a bad day.

“I started really getting into trouble, doing all kinds of things that normal kids don’t really do,” said Kakegamick.

He also began getting into more serious trouble with the law. He constantly pushed the boundaries set before him; he would steal and do other illegal things with friends, including drinking and using drugs while underage.

In a series of missteps, Kakegamick found himself within the confines of the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre (OCDC).

Each arrest ended up with a longer sentence. Eventually, the time in jail snowballed and he spent a total of almost five years behind bars.

It was there he started to learn to walk again, the series of life’s missteps culminating in rebirth.

“When I was brought into the OCDC here in Ottawa they had to put me on meds to bring me off of alcohol,” said Kakegamick.

“Yeah, I mean I was literally in a state where I could die from my withdrawals from alcohol, that’s how bad it was. That was the last straw.”

Getting sober is a lot like learning to walk again. Both require persistence, balance, the willingness to stumble along the way and the determination to keep doing it.

A Gladue report was a chance to reshape Kakegamick’s path on his terms.

“It’s like taking a big breath. It’s like definitely getting my head above water,” said Kakegamick.

Working through his past is a continuous and trying process, but one he’s willing to take on daily.

His son is his motivation and inspiration to get sober and live a more positive life.

“I push through because I remember what it was like to be ignored too as a kid, and I want him to feel the love that I lost,” said Kakegamick.

Kakegamick and his now teenage son like to go on adventures together; they spend their time hanging out and talking and he always ensures his son feels heard.

Sometimes they talk about movies, other times he is checking in to see how he feels at school with his friends and more recently into girlfriend talks.

“I know at the end of the day Randy just wants to be a good dad, and to me, I think he’s acing it,” said good friend and second-year applied museum studies student Shayna Shawongonabe.

Drumming and signing with the Spirit Wolf Singers have given Kakegamick another outlet for his creativity and his continued healing.

If you haven’t met Kakegamick, you just may when you graduate. He performs at ceremonies, events, and graduations, including Algonquin College’s commencement ceremonies. The gorgeous ceremonial drumming is coming from Spirit Wolf Singers. He sings graduates into their ceremonies with great pride.

Algonquin convocation 2023 Photo credit: Supplied by Randy Kakegamick

Part of Kakegamick’s path to being the person he wants to be is gaining as much knowledge and experience as possible in school.

A student in the scriptwriting program this year, he has already graduated from the music industry arts, broadcasting television and digital music production programs, giving him a full arsenal of artistic tools to carry into the future.

“Randy’s got the right attitude, a fresh take, and the skills to achieve whatever goals he sets his sights on,” said scriptwriting professor Rick Kaulbars. “I always joke about how, someday, I hope one of my students is so successful that they end up hiring me. In Randy’s case, it might happen.”

Kakegamick is also a student navigator for Algonquin College and the Mamidosewin Centre. He gives back to the student community in any way he can.

“I remember after our first conversation I felt so understood and uplifted, a feeling I desperately needed at the time,” said Shawongonabe.

“He’s the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it and make a joke while doing it,” she said.

Singing, dancing, and beating the drum at powwows across Ottawa give Kakegamick another way to give back to his community while engaging in the music that he loves. More than that, it has given him a safe space where he can heal and grow.

When he dances, he fills every inch of the sacred circle. His eyes are filled with light, excitement, and hope.

He graces onlookers with a dance step so light; it’s as if he no longer carries the weight of his past.

He is a vibrant force of energy and inspiration to those around him.

“From sitting in a cell or sitting in solitary confinement to now being somebody a kid can look up to, I’m inspiring myself,” said Kakegamick.

Even after the moments of pain and doubt that his journey brought to him, Kakegamick sees his life now with a sense of satisfaction.

“The ultimate goal is to see my work on Netflix,” said Kakegamick. “A feature film or series, I have a few things I’m working on.”

A few is an understatement.

He works as a casual camera operator at APTN, and as of recently has been hired to do editing on a popular podcast.

Kakegamick’s evolution from a laptop illiterate to a production prodigy is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Today, his exceptional ability to craft compelling stories and seamlessly coordinate a production stands as a testament to the power of unwavering determination.

Kakegamick’s story teaches us that with persistence and an unyielding thirst for knowledge, we can each carve our own paths

The smallest steps can lead to the greatest strides.

“I do have those moments now where I can say I’m proud, finally,” said Kakegamick.

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Join us in the Student Commons on February 14th from 12-2pm for a chance to fun win 3 Valentime’s day baskets!

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