arts // FEAR AND LOATHING at the HALIFAX pop explosion >> PAgE 7
Volume 142 · Issue 9 · Oct. 29, 2008
thebruns.ca
the brunswickan canada’s oldest official student publication.
Buzz Hargrove speaks at UNB Former head of auto workers’ union discusses economy, government
NEWS / PAGE 3
Inquiry launched
Video Game Piracy Does some copy protection go too far?
OPINION / PAGE 4
Fine Tunings Reds work out kinks in exhibition tournament SPORTS / PAGE 10
Pushing through the night
Sarah Ratchford The Brunswickan
A UNB law student is claiming that a fellow classmate has posted hateful material on the internet. Shane Martinez discovered hateful material last February on the web and has since launched a series of complaints, leading to the launch of an inquiry about the structure of UNB’s learning environment. Martinez says he discovered inappropriate material written by the student while working on a group project. “Things went okay for about two months, but then (the student) stopped showing up for meetings. (The student) had an unusual email, so we typed (the student’s) email address into Google, and all of these racist comments came up,” says Martinez. “I took it to the Dean after that.” Martinez says he is concerned mainly with pictures of guns posted by the student. He says there are pictures of semi-automatic air rifles and handguns, and descriptions of how the student conceals guns in his or her clothing. Coupled with statements inciting hatred against women, those of color, the disabled, and those of various religious faiths, Martinez finds additional cause for concern. “When people read this material it’s extremely offensive. What shocks me is that… they’ve been doing it for four years,” Martinez says. He says that the individual has posted over 9000 messages on the website prank.org, and that it’s “really horrific stuff.” Martinez says the Dean of Law contacted the police after he brought the issue to light. Meanwhile, Martinez has filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Association. He says the complaint is still in the investigation stage. The alleged comment-poster has left UNB for the time being, according to Martinez. The individual “withdrew a couple of days ago and supposedly left town,” says Martinez. UNB has responded by striking a panel of inquiry that is dealing with the question of how the learning environment at UNB has been affected. Communications Manager Dan Tanaka says the panel has the authority to make recommendations to the President’s office. Recommendations will be made in November. The major issue at hand now is how the issue will be dealt with. “I have zero tolerance for promotion of hatred,” says Martinez. “We need to show students who are members of attacked groups that we support them.” Tanaka agrees. “It comes down to the learning environment at UNB,” he says. “The bottom line is that everyone working or studying at UNB has to feel safe, whether a teacher, student or staff member. That’s why we’ve taken this step to determine impact.” Tanaka says the university is happy that students feel comfortable coming forward with allegations of this kind, and that any member of the university community should be able to come forward to security about similar issues. “We do take these allegations very seriously,” he says. The Brunswickan has declined to print the name of the alleged poster of hate comments.
Sandy Chase / The Brunswickan
The men of Neville/Jones spent 10 hours pushing a bed last Friday from Saint John to Fredericton to raise funds for Fredericton’s Women in Transition House, a shelter for abused women and children. The event raised $16,000.
Cameron Mitchell The Brunswickan
There was a brisk breeze Saturday morning as the men of Neville/Jones rounded the corner of George Street and pushed their bed towards the Farmers’ Market. It had been a long Friday night for the UNB students, and the toll of the journey was visible. Some students were limping. Some were panting and chugging water. Some were draped in big jackets and trying to keep warm. Nevertheless, they were all smiling. For the 16th year in a row, the men of Neville/Jones had succeeded in pushing a bed all the way from Saint John to Fredericton – this year, in ten hours despite blowing a tire in the middle of the push. And once again, they did it to raise money
for the Women in Transition House Inc (WITH), a local shelter for women leaving abusive situations. “The Neville/Jones Bed Push is a fundraiser, it’s a marathon, and it’s become the cornerstone of the traditions of Neville/ Jones House,” belted Nick Ouellette, the house don and Bed Push coordinator, through a megaphone. His words were met with a round of applause, and several hoots and hollers from the Lady Dunn girls and other spectators. “But the Bed Push is more than that,” the don continued, “it’s the idea that we can one day live in a society where transition houses aren’t needed.” Since 1993, the annual Bed Push has raised more than $200,000 for WITH, including $30,500 in 2007. The Neville/ Jones men, who personally canvass the city in search of sponsors before the event, raise the money. The day of the event is actually a culmination of months of organization
and hard work, but it pays off. “It’s easy to get caught up in fundraising records – we know because we hold almost all of them on the Fredericton campus,” Ouellette bellowed to a round of laughter. “But the message underlying all of that has not been lost. In Neville/Jones, we have a very strong belief and that’s an unwavering commitment to the idea that domestic violence in all its forms, against women and against children, is wrong and must end,” said Ouellette. The amount of money raised for WITH by Neville/Jones, and the amount of awareness created, has certainly aided the issue of domestic violence. This year, the Bed Push raised $16,000, but it wasn’t easy. The trek through the night was long and cold. The men bundled up in sweatshirts and sweatpants, and gulped down a ton of water along the way. Still, they kept going and managed to get the bed all the way
from Saint John to Fredericton. Perhaps there was a little something extra pushing the men along this year. This was the last Bed Push for their committed leader Nick Ouellette, who has lived in the house for eight years, and has gone from freshman to house don. Under Ouellette’s coordination over the last few years, the Bed Push has raised well over $100,000. However, it is practically a given that someone will pick up where Ouellette left off. Bed Push has a strong legacy of support, and WITH is something that is important to the house as a whole. The push left the men of Neville/Jones tired and hungry, and after Ouellette presented the $16,000 cheque to WITH, many started to head home to bed. However, at least one student decided to take advantage of the small line-ups at the early morning market. “I’m going to get a donair,” he said and walked towards the kiosk. If anything, he earned it.
Powering the local music scene Doug Estey
The Brunswickan
The Canadian arts industry has certainly endured its part of trials and tribulations this year. After serving as the target of Stephen Harper’s 2008 campaign for government funding cutbacks, new hope has arisen in the form of provincial grants for four prominent Fredericton acts through the newly-revised provincial Music Industry Development Program.
Halloween Friday: Oct 31
The program allows for an allocation of up to $20,000 per year for a maximum of 3 years and is designed to give promising local artists a hand in producing, marketing, and promoting accessible music to the public. As such, it can also be applied towards the costs of touring in support of a new album and attending important musicrelated events. The Olympic Symphonium ($60,000), Grand Theft Bus ($40,000), The Slate Pacific ($8,500), and Ross Neilsen’s Boot Soup Entertainment ($10,200) are among several other New Brunswick artists and bands that will receive a helping hand through the provincial funded grants. Kyle Cunjak, bass player for The Olym-
pic Symphonium and a recent addition to Grand Theft Bus, notes that the recently acquired funding is pivotal to his bands’ progress on the Atlantic coast. “With the East Coast Music Awards in Newfoundland this year, we didn’t think we’d be able to attend. Thanks to these grants, it’s now a reality.” He also points out the amount of time and paperwork that was required in order to apply for the program. “Our business plan was about 30-40 pages. On top of that we had to include lyric sheets, press sheets, radio charts, reviews, examples of album art, band members, past accomplishments, producer notes, and a budget. It was more than 50 pages in total and it took us the
majority of the summer.” The Olympic Symphonium also has plans to expand Canada’s musical reach into Europe in an upcoming tour. James Boyle is the founder of Forward Music Group, a record label in Fredericton that deals with both of Cunjak’s bands. Boyle and Forward were anticipating the Music Industry Development Program before it was even officially announced. “The scene here in the province had evolved quite a bit since the introduction of the New Brunswick Sound Initiative, so it had become pretty outdated. We were sitting around waiting to see
SEE GRANTS PAGE 7
Ballroom Event