June 2018 Editorials

You would figure with all the anti-vaxxers and climate change deniers out there that we would have had enough with the fake science. But it is truly a sad day for “facts and logic” when the largest biotechnology and pharmaceutical company in the world continues to systematically deny the toxicity of its product. The jury is out: Johnson & Johnson is guilty, no matter what its fabricated studies may show. Ignorance may have been (short-lived) bliss, but no longer.

A series of devastating lawsuits, investigations and studies in the past decade have revealed how the company had suppressed concerns that its long beloved J&J baby powder contained carcinogens. Now the company is facing thousands of tragic cancer cases, plummeting stocks and a very angry public. In July 2018, a St. Louis jury awarded nearly $5 billion to 22 women who claimed that the asbestos in the Johnson and Johnson talcum powder contributed to the development of ovarian cancer. Then from 2018 to 2019, courts from New Jersey to California continued to rule against Johnson & Johnson in cases which showed that users of their talcum powder developed mesothelioma, a rare and fatal cancer. The most recent verdict by a Manhattan court in March was the most damaging as of yet, awarding terminally ill Donna Olsen $325 million.

While prospects are looking better now, the tide hasn’t always been favourable for the plaintiffs. Johnson & Johnson products have long been suspected to carry health hazards since women and children in the 90s began to develop deadly and rare cancers that only used to affect men who inhaled asbestos dust in mines and those who worked in industries such as shipbuilding. However, the first lawsuit against the company in 1999 failed because they were able to withhold talc test results and internal company records. Two decades later, the company has been forced to cough up the necessary documents as fourteen thousand plaintiffs seek justice. Internal documents, memos and affidavits show that from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, tests found traces of the carcinogen asbestos in the company’s finished powders. Everyone from company executives to internal doctors, lawyers and scientists were frantic about the problem but were told to hide it from the public and regulators. Johnson & Johnson continually reassured the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that there was no asbestos “detected in any sample” of talc, despite the fact that at least three independent tests from different labs had found the carcinogen in its powder and in one case, at “rather high levels.” The company then successfully lobbied U.S. regulators’ plans on asbestos limits in cosmetic talc products and suppressed scientific research on the side effects of talc, while also promoting faulty studies on the supposed safety of its products. To add insult to the injury, as Baby Powder sales began to decline and concerns about the health effects of talc emerged, they began more aggressively marketing its products to minorities and overweight women. They distributed samples through churches and beauty salons in African-American and Hispanic neighborhoods, ran digital and print advertisements with weight-loss and wellness company Weight Watchers, and launched a $300,000 US radio campaign intended to reach "curvy Southern women 18-49 skewing African American”.

As if this outpour of evidence wasn’t damning enough, the company continues to deny responsibility and plans to fight these suits tooth and nail. Following the latest Manhattan case, a Johnson & Johnson representative said in a statement that they will certainly appeal the decision. Why? The company believes that it has strong cases for appeals because “decades of tests by independent experts and academic institutions repeatedly confirm that Johnson’s Baby Powder does not contain asbestos or cause cancer.”

The company still tries to find any other actor to blame but itself. To them, it’s the jurors’ misunderstanding, junk science and greedy lawyers seeking big case wins which have mislead the public. Regardless of how many lawyers they hire or what studies they fund, this disaster will not be cleaned up through the same mistakes of the past. The right step for the company would be to retreat from attacks with its tail tucked firmly between legs.

Kindergarten once taught us to own up to our mistakes. The board of Johnson & Johnson must take note, for the sake of their own bottom line and for the millions of lives who have been touched by the toxins from their product.

Thailand is widely known as one of Southeast Asia’s success stories. Notable for moving from a low- to upper-income country in a single generation, Thailand’s work in eliminating poverty and boosting its economy are impressive to say the least.

The rapidly-growing Thai economy is a crucial part of the nation’s success. Thailand’s economic growth was 3.9% in 2017, and reached 4.1% in 2018 (World Bank, 2018). The economy is in large part constituted by the tertiary services sector, which in turn is primarily focused on tourism--Thailand has one of the largest tourism sectors in Asia. In 2016, 15.1% of jobs in Thailand were supported by the tourism industry (World Travel and Tourism Council, 2017). Not mentioned in this figure are prostitutes and various other sex workers who contribute to Thailand’s illicit yet highly internationally-visible sex trade.

When corruption meets a developing services and tourism sector of the economy, the result is Thailand’s alarming situation: the almost entirely unchecked trafficking of prostitutes and forced labourers. Thailand, which is almost as much the human trafficking hotspot of Southeast Asia as it is the tourism one, serves as a stop, destination, and starting point for victims, and the government does little to intervene. Thailand has been placed on the United States’ Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Tier 2 Watch List, indicating that Thailand “does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” (U.S. Department of State, 2017). That this occurs in one of Southeast Asia’s most developed nations is a serious cause for concern.

In the 1980s, an increasingly large Thai tourism sector led to a nascent sex trade, appealing primarily to foreigners from Western countries. In Thailand today, the sex trade is largely the same; however, increasingly, many Thai and Chinese customers frequent brothels and bars as well. Women, primarily from the rural northern regions of Thailand, are the main trafficking victims, but many children are involved as well. One UNAIDS report estimated that there are up to almost 150,000 prostitutes in Thailand, the majority of whom have been forced into the role (UNAIDS, 2014). Thailand represents half of child prostitution in the top ten sex tourism destinations worldwide, a number that is consistent with its high rates of human trafficking.

Thailand’s trafficking woes are not limited to prostitution. Forced manual labour is the second-largest category of human trafficking in Thailand, and primarily haunts the fishing industry. In 2012, a study found that nearly one-fifth of workers in the Thai fishing industry were maltreated and unable to leave for various reasons. Fishing is a critical industry in Thailand. From 1999 to 2001, Thailand ranked as the world’s leading exporter of edible fisheries products, although as of 2006 it fell to third in the world, after China and Norway. In 2008, fish exports were valued at 200, 940 million baht (UN FAO, 2012). The isolation of the workplace itself--in fishing boats at sea--leaves victims largely subjected to the will of their employers. Workers forced into the fishing industry are met with numerous difficulties: they have reportedly been forced to remain at sea for several years, paid very little at irregular intervals, and have worked as much as twenty hours per day. Some are threatened, physically assaulted, or drugged for disobeying orders or staging an escape attempt (Human Rights Watch, 2018).

Thailand is so attractive to traffickers as it is relatively wealthy in the region. Per capita income in Thailand is much higher than that of most of its neighbours. At Thailand’s borders with Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, the vicious cycle begins. Adults and children alike are smuggled illegally to and from Thailand. It has been estimated that one fourth of prostitutes in Thailand are from neighbouring Myanmar. Thailand is also a transit country for victims from other parts of Asia subjected to sex trafficking or forced labor. These people typically end up in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, and even the United States (US Department of State, 2017). Undocumented immigrants and stateless persons, such as Rohingyas fleeing persecution in Myanmar, are especially vulnerable. This issue’s scope is exacerbated by the presence and involvement of various mafia groups in Thailand. Various mafia including Russian, Chinese, and Japanese groups play a role in the smuggling of victims across borders.

While it has significantly more work to do, the Thai government, for its part, has taken steps to eliminate human trafficking. Weary of being on the United States’ Trafficking in Persons Watch List, Thailand’s government has conducted a number of raids on brothels in major cities, but has taken little action regarding the inhumane treatment experienced by many victims on fishing boats. In 2017, the largest trial of this sort in Thai history resulted in the sentencing of over 60 individuals, including a former army general and several local politicians (Bendix, 2017). It is hoped that this trial, especially with the conviction of high-ranking officials, will deter other Thai officials from becoming involved in human trafficking.

Another dimension of the problem is the critical difference between those who are prostitutes out of their own volition and those who are trafficked. Many women choose to be prostitutes in Thailand as it is a way to earn substantially more than the national minimum wage, which was 300 baht per day, or roughly 11 current Canadian dollars, in 2016 (Tanakasempipat, 2016). While prostitution of any form is illegal in Thailand, there is no denying that it is a lucrative business--for those who are not victims of trafficking.

As tourists serve as the largest customer base of prostitution in Thailand, the government should take greater steps to involve tourists as whistleblowers in the process of apprehending those running brothels in Thailand. A centralized system and office to combat this issue is something that Thailand sorely needs; a central, governmental database is key to unifying the scattered work done by regional police and NGOs. Even so, this is only treating the symptoms and not the issue itself. This issue cannot be combatted alone.

Thailand needs to collaborate with many other countries, especially its neighbors, to end human trafficking in its nation. Regional cooperation with other nations that are sources or destinations for forced laborers and prostitutes is critical to the solution. Human trafficking is a scourge of virtually every nation in the world, and multinational criminal organizations make this problem even more difficult to deal with. If crime can transcend nations, then fighting crime should as well. A plan to end trafficking in Asia should be enacted and executed. This requires governments who are already strong economic partners to collaborate on this highly important and pressing social issue.

Asia needs to recognize this issue and its scope before it affects more vulnerable families and destroys more lives. Human trafficking is an issue nearly as broad as Asia itself, and it would be wise to combat it together.

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Works Cited

Ontario has failed its children. We’ve robbed them of supportive learning environments, enriching educational opportunities, and the ability to cultivate a love of learning that previous generations have taken for granted. That’s what the provincial government’s education cuts mean for Ontarians. Not “fixing education” or “fixing a budget problem” as Doug Ford and his proponents claim. By scrapping millions of dollars in learning services the provincial government blatantly dismisses the needs of thousands of youth and invalidates the pivotal role that teachers play in fostering growth and shaping the lives of the kids they teach.

This past March Premier Ford’s Conservative Government announced plans to cut public school funding drastically, removing special education support, increasing class sizes in grades 4 to 12, and requiring all high school students to take four online courses. Digital learning replacements coupled with growing classroom sizes is expected to result in the loss of 3475 teaching jobs over the next four years. Educators who are able to keep their positions will be left feeling overwhelmed, now tasked with caring for even more children, and left in a lurch over whether or not their jobs will also be taken from them because of short-sighted, incompetent policy and the “age of technology.”

Ford’s plan also has unfavourable effects on students. Fewer teachers means less options for youth to take unique and engaging electives, forced instead to pursue a cookie cutter education plan. And with less staff, extra-curricular activities like debate, track and field, and math club will lack the volunteers needed to run them. This new education plan is turning school from a place where students want to be into a cold and unwelcoming environment.

Ontario Education Minister Lisa Thompson believes that youth will become more “resilient” by overcoming the adversity of an inadequate education system. In a recent interview with CBC Metro Morning Thompson said that “by increasing class sizes in high school, we’re preparing them for the reality of post-secondary as well as the world of work.” But is a “tough love” approach really worth sacrificing an engaging and effective learning environment?

Ontario’s youth don’t think so.

That’s why over 100 000 students across the province walked-out of their schools protesting the education cuts. Amina Vance, a grade 12 student at Toronto’s Western Technical-Commercial School, and one of the key organizers of the student protest spoke to the sentiments of students at one of the many rallies held on the day of the walkout.

“We are astounded that [the provincial government] would do this to us, especially to marginalized students who are already struggling in our school system,” she said. “We are showing them that students are informed, that students are angry, and that students are ready to make a difference.”

But many parents do not share the same fiery contempt. Instead they are worried about the future of their young children who will grow up not knowing any different from the educational proposal put forward by Ford’s government. Denise Balkissoon, a mother and columnist at the Globe and Mail vocalizes the concerns of parents across the province in her recent column on the ramifications of the education cuts.

“I want my son to grow up into a healthy, happy human being,” Balkisoon writes, “not a robot designed to get to work.” But Denise notes that her dream for her son -- shared by many other parents of young children in Ontario -- may be in jeopardy as the Ford government fails to realize that it is not just what we learn, but how we learn it. It’s when students are plopped in front of a screen without guidance that they become disengaged and desensitized, and it is instilled in them that an institution meant to promote a love of learning does not have their best interest at heart. They believe their concerns will always go unaddressed, feeling more and more disenfranchised. It’s when students are shoved into an already overcrowded classroom that it becomes even harder for their voices to be heard.

The provincial government’s education cuts send a clear message, and it’s not one that praises resilience and hard work. It’s that promoting opportunities for Ontario’s future generation, for the future of Ontario, is not, and will never be, on Doug Ford’s agenda.

Works Cited:

Perhaps the most cliché topic used by all Cuspidor editors for their last column is a reflection on their time at UTS, but to be honest, I can't think of a topic more appropriate for this occasion. When I first came to UTS four years ago as a new M3, I didn't warm up to the school as quickly as many of my peers did. Most of my friends from elementary school went to a different high school in Markham, and due to my crippling FOMO (fear of missing out), I spent my first month at UTS sulking and even crying. In fact, I remember telling my parents on multiple occasions that I wanted to transfer to the high school that my friends attended.

However, as the weeks and months passed, I found my place here in the UTS community. I opened myself up to the countless amazing people throughout our school, and I even became accustomed to waking up at 7AM every weekday morning. The four years that have followed since have become some of the most memorable years of my life. Thinking back, there are countless memories from UTS that I will forever treasure. The following are just a select few.

M3 History Debate Summative

This is not a 100% happy memory, and to be honest, I'm not sure why I remember this assignment so much. Yet, for some reason, it remains vividly imprinted in my mind. Before coming to UTS, staying up past 11 doing homework was something I had never done before. In true UTS fashion, I procrastinated working on this assignment until the day before it was due. As the clock ticked past 2AM, my brain became increasingly overwhelmed by my arguments against the statement that "the modern Canadian welfare state has failed to alleviate rampant capitalist exploitation of the less fortunate." But despite the significant stress that I felt at the time, this memory is also a heartwarming one. Throughout my frustration and exhaustion, my friend and debate partner stood by me the entire time over Skype. Both of us were fuelled by copious amounts of caffeine. Accompanied by genuine chats that only happen in the hours of darkness, we miraculously managed to finish on time.

And in case you're curious, yes, we did win the debate.

Studying sessions

While I objectively study better at home where there are fewer distractions around me, I still prefer studying at school with friends by my side. Part of the fun lies in the fact that I can never predict what these "study sessions" will become. I remember once spending an entire spare doing random Buzzfeed quizzes rather than preparing for my Calculus test next period, while on another occasion, I structured an entire 500-word scholarship application around obnoxious buzzwords that my friend threw at me off the top of his head (I did not end up getting that scholarship). This year, I even spent a few spares playing Grounders (a game that I haven't played since the sixth grade). While I can’t say I was quite productive during these “study sessions," not once do I regret these times.

Surprise birthday party

This is perhaps my favourite memory of all. When I first came to UTS, I was plagued by the fear that I would never make friends as good as the ones from elementary school. That all changed on my birthday. It was a Friday afternoon, and a couple of friends asked me to go to Koreatown with them after school. At first, everything seemed normal. We visited a few shops and walked around for a while. Then all of a sudden, we stopped in front of a sketchy stairway leading to a strange-looking door below. Without explaining anything, I was told to go in. I remember thinking to myself how something bad was going to happen. Instead, when I opened the door, I was greeted by a faceful of balloons and friends shouting "happy birthday!" I was shocked and moved beyond words, and my eyes brimmed with tears of joy.

* * *

There are so many more memories at UTS that I will always hold on to, and while there is not enough space to put all of them on paper, they are nonetheless testaments to how much this community means to me. There remains a very finite number of days till graduation, and a wave of sadness washes over me at the thought of not seeing many of the people at this school. Yet, at the same time, I am filled with gratitude towards everyone with whom I have had the privilege of spending my time with and getting to know better. Thank you, UTS, for making the past four years of my life so memorable and incredible.