Capilano Courier | Vol. 50, Issue 7.

VOLUME 50, ISSUE 7

NOVEMBER 6–12, 2017

COLUMNS

Reclaiming blackness in a white world

OPINIONS

#MeToo: the power behind two small words

EDITOR'S DESK

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Carlo Javier capcourier@gmail.com

NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC OPENS IN NORTH VANCOUVER

News

MANAGING EDITOR

Justin Scott manager.capcourier@gmail.com

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NEWS EDITOR

Christine Beyleveldt news.capcourier@gmail.com

Campus Life

Tia Kutschera Fox opinions.capcourier@gmail.com FEATURES EDITOR

Helen Aikenhead specialfeatures.capcourier@gmail.com ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

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THE RACE TO LEAD THE BC’S "PARTY OF NO"

Opinions

Rachel D'Sa arts.capcourier@gmail.com CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

Greta Kooy campuslife.capcourier@gmail.com

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YOU CAN KAYAK IN THE WINTER TOO

ONLINE EDITOR

Jessica Lio online.capcourier@gmail.com

Columns

COPY EDITOR

Leah Scheitel copy.capcourier@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR

Rachel Wada artdirector.capcourier@gmail.com PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Cristian Fowlie pm.capcourier@gmail.com COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER

John Tabbernor community.capcourier@gmail.com

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CANADIAN OLIGOPOLY

Special Feature

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GORD DOWNIE'S FINAL GOODBYE

Shorts

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Andy Rice andy.capcourier@gmail.com

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COVER ART

Janice Callangan CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Kevin McMullin, Freya Wastenays, Laura Melczer, Kevin Kapenda, Kevin Kapenda, Annalisse Crosswell, Jaslynne Gibeault, Dhia Istiqamah, Luka Vasic CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS

Ashley Zekveld, Laura Pummell, Wolfgang Thomo, Ryan McDiarmid, Daniel Pauhl, Taylor Lee, Janice Callangan

THE EVOLVING CULTURE OF ONLINE DATING

Arts & Culture

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BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

Sports

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territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

Carlo Javier EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

INDUSTRY DAY AT CAPILANO

OPINIONS EDITOR

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WHEN THE PEOPLE CHEER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

“Ball don’t lie,” – Rasheed Wallace In the waning days of this past summer, basketball icon LeBron James Tweeted arguably one of the most memorable social media quips of the year. After Donald Trump lambasted Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors for declining to go to the White House for the annual NBA Champions’ visit, James unforgettably and hilariously came into the defence of his rival and colleague, firing back at Trump with what is now simply known as the “U Bum” Tweet. A large group of netizens cheered James for his blatant and crude clapback at the president, echoing sentiments reserved for another modern sporting icon, Colin Kaepernick. A larger group dismissed James and attacked the NBA’s biggest name with vitriol and contempt you would only see in Charlottesville riots or the WWE ring. Like Kaepernick, James was subjected to a response that has become all too common to any athlete who dare speak out against inequality and institutionalized racism: “stick to sports.” While the statement seems like a harmless – even weak – rebuttal to outspoken athletes, the notion of sporting icons “sticking to sports” and ignoring issues that pervade in sociopolitical environments is a scary and dangerous thought. For some, sports are simply just games and forms of entertainment. But for others, sports are exactly what the 2008 James documentary was titled, More than a Game. My first significant memory about basketball came when I was six years old. My aunt was watching game three of the 2001 NBA Finals, an iconic matchup that featured one of the sports’ most apt David and Goliath analogies: the titanic, Shaquille O’Neal and his powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers versus the NBA’s foremost cult hero Allen Iverson and his ragtag Philadelphia 76ers. I didn’t think much of it then and none of the narratives that preceded the matchup registered with me. I had no knowledge that the Lakers were very nearly on the brink of having the greatest playoff run in sporting history, and that Iverson’s team very nearly fell in an earlier round to Vince Carter’s Toronto Raptors – an upset that would have changed the course of Canadian basketball history forever. The only thing I knew and cared about then was that Shaq was the biggest human I had ever seen, and that Iverson was the fastest. Basketball grew to become my favourite sport. It was the only sport I participated in competitively and the only sport I never let go of even after the days when my

capacities to play “competitively” came to a screeching halt. Every morning, I wake up and read damn near every blog post or analysis about the NBA that I can find. I listen to countless podcasts and watch too many games. I wreck kids in NBA 2K and knockdown jumpers in pick up games – until I run out of breath after a couple laps up and down the court. I organize and partake in several fantasy leagues and participate in healthy online conversations about the game. And yes, a big reason behind our much-improved coverage of the Capilano University Blues over the past few years is simply fandom for the school’s basketball teams. I was born in a country where people live, breath and bleed basketball, a country where rotting plywood and pieces of wires are used to create a makeshift basketball hoop. When Typhoon Haiyan ravaged parts of the Philippines in 2013, iconic images of survivors rebuilding basketball hoops melted the hearts of people around the world. When I moved to Canada in 2006, one of the first things that students asked me was when I would like to hit the courts. By pure coincidence, several stories in this issue of the Courier touch on the beauty and importance of sports. We have our annual basketball season previews, updates on the volleyball teams and online specials on the soccer teams’ finish to the season. We have stories on the socioeconomic impact of the Houston Astros’ World Series win and the reclamation of blackness and the problems with the general perception that surrounds black athletes. Sports, like music, is the great equalizer. Fans are bound by nothing but passion and love for the game and many racial boundaries were eradicated through shared love for sport. There are forces trying to reinforce those boundaries today, and if we were to learn from history, then looking towards our sporting heroes for the slightest bits of inspiration wouldn’t be a bad start.

NEWS

SENATE REP RESIGNS FROM THE CSU Erik Steel vacated his position before board of directors could vote on reducing his stipend Christine Beyleveldt

– ASHLEY ZEKVELD

NEWS EDITOR

CapU TO REVISE CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM POLICY Changes will allow students to reach informal resolutions with their instructors Christine Beyleveldt NEWS EDITOR

An accusation of cheating or plagiarism can destroy any student’s academic standing. But cheating and plagiarism aren’t defined in Capilano University’s current Cheating and Plagiarism Policy in a manner that is clear to students and faculty according to Nanci Lucas, a history instructor who is also serving as the policy development officer this year. Nor is the process of handling any incidents that arise. Under the current policy’s definitions, plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s work or ideas as one’s own without acknowledging their source, and cheating is deceit, fraud or using someone else’s work to gain an unfair advantage. “Sometimes it’s easier to just throw out everything and start again as opposed to trying to fix things,” said Lucas. She’s been researching the best practices at other Canadian universities and drafting the new Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure for the duration of at least the full calendar year. Currently, if a student is accused of cheating or plagiarism, they must book an appointment through counselling services in order to appeal, which she believes was a good idea when it was established in 1999, but individual roles have changed since

then. Under the new policy and procedure, any appeals will need to be taken up with the dean of the student’s faculty. Lucas disclosed that the new policy calls for collaborative sanctioning, which allows the investigator, the dean and the student accused of cheating or plagiarism to meet and mutually agree upon sanctions. However, a formal investigation now needs to take place before any sanctions are decided upon. “So that’s brand new. I think it’s a very positive step,” said Lucas, “If a student gets caught plagiarising, sometimes it’s intentional but other times [it comes down to] not really understanding certain things, and this gives students an opportunity to say ‘Okay, I get it.” This term was also included in the updated Student Code of Conduct, which outlines acceptable behaviour and was being revised at the same times as the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy was being drafted earlier this year. Both of these policies were submitted on Apr. 18. However, collaborative sanctioning is conditional. Instructors can reach informal resolutions with students, including assigning a grade of zero for the assignment in question or allowing the student to rewrite it. Students may also be asked to complete a workshop or assessment on cheating and plagiarism within an allotted time period. In any case, the remedy will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs, and if the student has made any other or multiple agreements with faculty members or if the infraction is considered a serious violation, it will be reported to the dean. Students will also be able to take up

any incidents with their dean if they don’t agree to the informal resolution their instructor proposes instead of having to go through the counselling department. Lucas noted that the new policy is very clear on the timeline and the dean’s role and responsibility. “This one has been up for revision for quite some time,” Lucas also noted. The Cheating and Plagiarism Policy was last updated in August 2010. “But it does mirror a lot of the language that you find in the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy and the Student Code of Conduct Policy.” However, the policy isn’t the only one that is due for revision. Recently, Audrey Chen was hired as a Policy and Privacy analyst and Jennifer Jamieson serves as the manager of Policy, Privacy and Governance. “We know that our academic policies and other governance policies need updating and revision, and so the University is putting resources into that for us to concentrate the research and finding out what best practices are and updating all our policies,” said Lucas Course Outlines and Course Approval also need to be revised to align with the change in CapU’s academic direction. This includes change in the role that is responsible for approving courses and curriculums, and the introduction of Cap Core, which are the 24 breadth electives required as part of any degree program. Cap Core was approved last year and is expected to come into effect at the start of the Fall 2018 semester.

Senate Representative Erik Steel submitted his resignation to the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) on Friday, Nov. 3, citing that he did not have time to fulfill his responsibilities, and he hoped someone would fill his position. His resignation followed a notice of motion that Noah Berson, vice president external, presented at the CSU’s previous board of directors meeting on Oct. 20. Berson had suggested to reduce Steel’s stipend to zero dollars for failing to fulfill his responsibilities as a board member, which include attending all general meetings of the membership and all board meetings as well. Steel reportedly failed to attend several CSU board of directors meetings, as well as three consecutive Senate meetings, which according to Senate bylaws, meant that his seat could be declared vacant at any time. If the University declared his seat vacant, he would also cease to be a member of the CSU’s board of directors, although the CSU couldn’t make that decision. Owen Sigurdsson, vice president equity and sustainability, stated on Oct. 20 that he thought the motion was justified because to sit on board for a non-profit requires a certain level of dedication. Sigurdsson further added that if a member isn’t willing to make that dedication, then there’s a chance that they can’t meet the requirements of their position on the board. Perry Safari, president and vice president finance and services, added that he has spoken with Steel on several occasions dating back to early August when his absence first became an issue and outlined his responsibilities as a board member to him. Furthermore, Berson asked the governance committee to report on recommending procedural changes that would strip board members of their stipends, and return their report by the second meeting in November. He added that if Steel’s stipend were reduced, it wouldn’t be for the month of October, it would begin the following month and they would vote on Nov. 3, which would give Steel a chance to attend the meeting and explain his absence. The governance committee recommended a motion on Oct. 30 that read that Steel’s stipend for the month of November would be reduced to zero dollars if he failed to fulfill his duties by the end of the month. However, Steel submitted his resignation at 1 p.m. before the board meeting started, and the motions put forward by the governance committee and Berson to reduce his stipend were both struck from the agenda.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

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NEWS

NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC OPENS IN NORTH VANCOUVER Foundry looks to change the lives of youth and how mental health is treated in the province Kevin McMullin Midterms and final exams, for many students, are the worst. The pressure of performing well can make students feel overwhelmed and panicked, and despite the varied programs available at Capilano University, each comes with its own set of exams, projects and stresses. Mental health issues are on the rise among youth and counselling services are more in demand than ever. Located at 211 West 1st Street on lower Lonsdale Avenue, Foundry is North Vancouver’s newest and one-of-a-kind youth mental health resource center. The clinic had its open house in September and staff invited the public to view the facility, where they provide the opportunity for youth to talk to a counsellor or a youth worker to help manage stress and create a healthy school-work-life balance. Yvana Avram, a 19-year-old peer youth navigator, has been involved in the mental health community for over three years. She helps youth navigate the system at Foundry and connect with any resources they may need. Avram is also there for emotional support for youth because all of the navigators have personal experience and are there to listen without judgement. She started volunteering in high school because she struggled with depression and

– KEVIN MCMULLIN

CONTRIBUTOR

general anxiety. She was selected by the STEPS program, which is supported and funded by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). She also volunteered with the CMHA and was an advocate for mental health awareness before she began working at Foundry in August. Foundry is a one-stop shop for youth wellness, seeing as there are not only therapists and counsellors at the facility, but doctors, nurses, youth workers and youth peer navigators. A client never has to redirect to another facility if they need both a counsellor and a doctor. In most private clinics, a 50-minute counselling session can cost anywhere between $60 and $150, but Foundry provides these services for free for youth between 12 and 24 years old. Their services include dropin counselling, peer support for youth and mental health counselling. They also have parent navigators, a medical clinic, substance use counselling, Intensive Youth Outreach Services (iYOS), which

CAMPAIGNS TO REDUCE TAR SAND EXPANSION ARE GROWING The City of Vancouver took Trans Mountain to court over Kinder Morgan Christine Beyleveldt NEWS EDITOR

BC residents have been fighting to keep pipelines from reaching the Pacific shore for years. Just weeks after the Energy East pipeline was killed in Ottawa, debate has intensified over the proposed $7.4 billion Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion, which would see diluted bitumen reach a terminal in Burnaby across the Burrard Inlet from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, where it would connect with heavy tanker traffic. Site preparation, pipeline and terminal construction was set to begin in September, but the City of Vancouver is fighting back. Activists working to combat Kinder Morgan could learn from those who worked against the Energy East pipeline, which would’ve seen the pipeline carrying natural gas between the prairies and Ontario and Quebec expanded to reach St. John, NB, and one of the lines converted to carry oil. Energy and Climate Justice Campaigner with the Council of Canadians, Andrea

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THE CAPILANO COURIER

Harden-Donahue, explained that Energy East and Kinder Morgan would’ve helped to expand the tar sands market, and in their opposition they aim to get Canada on a path to producing greener energy. That wouldn’t mean terminating the oil industry, but preventing it from expanding much further. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved Trans Mountain’s Kinder Morgan expansion in November 2016, the same day Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline proposal was halted due in part to improper consultation with First Nations communities in Kitimat where the pipeline would’ve reached the Pacific. On Nov. 6, the Squamish Nation contested Trans Mountain’s environmental assessment certificate issued by the province in court on the grounds that they were not sufficiently consulted, which Councillor Adriane Carr from the City of Vancouver supports wholeheartedly. The City of Vancouver also appeared before the Supreme Court

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

is urgent response or intensive case management, family counselling and even more programs to help students and nonstudents alike. Avram provides support for youth and directs them to appropriate specialists in the building or the program. “I really hope that we become more well known in our community and more well known in schools so that youth know that where ever they are at, they can always come in,” she said. “They don’t have to be in crisis, they don’t have to meet any qualifications to get in… they can just come in where ever they are at and we will meet them where ever they are at.” Foundry North Vancouver hopes to serve between 1,200-2,500 youth this year. “Trust yourself,” Avram recommended. “If you feel like you have some kind of mental health issue or are struggling with anything, it can be even something as simple as going through a breakup, or

if you are really distressed you can come in and talk to someone. You don’t need to have a formal diagnosis, there is no criteria, you don’t need a referral, and everything is confidential unless we feel you are going to harm yourself.” Mental health is a growing problem among students and youth. School can be stressful and leave students feeling tired, anxious and mentally or physically exhausted. According to the CMHA, one in seven youth in BC will experience some form of a mental health issue at some point, 50 to 70 per cent of them will experience it before the age of 18. If you or someone you know is struggling or seems to be struggling, Foundry’s doors are always open to those who need help. Foundry could change how mental health issues are treated and perceived, and it’s easily accessible. Foundry provides support and healing to those in need, and hopes to lift the stigma commonly associated with mental health issues.

of BC on Monday Oct. 23 seeking a judicial review of the same certificate. Carr noted that there is no science on how diluted bitumen would act if spilled in ocean waters. Furthermore, the City of Vancouver argued in court that the province didn’t conduct any additional studies or adequate public consultation, and instead considered work to have been done by the National Energy Board to suffice. “The court made it very clear the province has its own obligations in many ways to consult with First Nations, with the general public and it can’t write off its obligations and say what the NEB is doing is equivalent to that,” she said, referring to the Federal Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn approval of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline. “I put forward motions right from the beginning,” said Carr. Her latest motion put forward in January was what saw the City of Vancouver appear in court two weeks ago, challenging the validity of Trans Mountain’s environmental assessment certificate. The assessment was conducted independently of the National Energy Board, which issued its own certificate. “So this judicial review is to say that that issuance of this certificate was improperly done,” she added. They were told initially that the court’s ruling would be announced on Oct. 26, but

instead it was withheld and now Carr expects they will only hear the court’s decision in the coming weeks or months. If the court rules in Trans Mountain’s favour, Carr plans to protest the decision, and ultimately the City Council would have to decide whether or not to appeal. If the ruling comes back in the City of Vancouver’s favour, the province will have to issue a new certificate and Trans Mountain will have to undergo a new environmental assessment. “At the very minimum we’re talking a lot of delay,” said Carr. She added that Trans Mountain is attempting to override the Supreme Court of BC’s ruling through the National Energy Board and the Supreme Court of Canada. “I just find that so brazen and so flaunting of due legal process.” Harden-Donahue, who worked on the campaign against Energy East, noted that several chapter of the Council of Canadian at the BC Regional Office are actively working to combat the Kinder Morgan pipeline as well. “We’ve come to a point in time where we shouldn’t be looking at expanding the tar sands,” she said, “but looking at a plan to actually get us off the tars sands eventually towards 2050 when we need to have an economy and society not reliant on fossil fuels the way we are today.”

CAMPUS LIFE

INDUSTRY DAY AT CAPILANO Gaining the soft skills and tackling youth unemployment Freya Wasteneys CONTRIBUTOR

On Nov. 9, students at Capilano University will be given the opportunity to partake in Industry Day, an annual event organized by the Career Development Centre. The event will be held in two rounds in the Capilano Library beginning at 8:30 a.m., and provides students with the chance to talk to industry professionals. This is a great way for students to practice their networking, gain contacts, and receive valuable insight into the often-murky world of “careers”. Events such as this are especially necessary as many Canadian students admit that they feel unprepared to navigate the job market upon graduation. On the employer’s side, according to a recent survey by the Business Council of Canada, the main barrier for youth is not necessarily the lack of technical skills, but rather soft skills, such as communication and collaboration. While most students do not expect their dream jobs directly out of university, many are frustrated to discover that careers in their chosen fields are even harder to find than they thought. Events like Industry Day give students from all programs an opportunity to become more comfortable talking to professionals, while also receiving advice on the preparation required to reach their career goals. After last year’s event, the organizing team received many positive responses from participants, and all said they would either attend again, or recommend the event to other students. Building on feedback from last year, Industry Day has also been restructured to allow more

face time with representatives, and Nancy Ng, CapU’s Career Development Manager, says that she believes this year’s event will be even more beneficial to students. In an effort to make the experience more engaging, Ng says they have limited industry participation to five companies with two representatives from each. “We have also limited the capacity to 100 students, with 50 students in one of two rounds.” said Ng. “Since students will be placed in small and intimate groups, they are encouraged to fully participate in the discussion and ask questions to make the most of their time.” The organizations attending this event are from five different industries: banking, government, healthcare, tourism, and software manufacturing. Returning from last year are the Public Service Commission of Canada and Fairmont. New to the event are BlueShore Financial, Fraser Health, and SAP Software & Solutions. While the event is not a job fair, Ng recommends that students do some preparation to ensure that they get the most out of the occasion. She suggests that students briefly research the participants, think about questions they would like to ask, and what they would like to gain. Ng also advises students to check out the list of questions on CapU’s Career Development Centre web page. With spots filling up fast, the event is certainly proving to be popular, and Ng hopes students will make the most of the opportunity. “We want a noisy room with lots of discussions,” she said. “With every student leaving feeling inspired and motivated to take control of their careers.” Since space is limited, it is recommended that interested parties reserve a spot. For more information on sign up and the event, visit Capilanou.ca/careerdevelopment-centre/events/IndustryDay-2017.

STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT INVISIBLE DISABILITIES AT CSU PANEL DISCUSSION Accessibility Justice Collective strives to champion campus accessibility at CapU Jessica Lio ONLINE EDITOR

In recognition of Invisible Disabilities Week, the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) partnered with the North Shore Disability Resource Centre to host a panel discussion about invisible disabilities on Oct.19. The phrase “invisible disability” is often described as an umbrella term for a range of physical or mental conditions that can have debilitating symptoms for those who are living with them, but are not immediately apparent to people observing from the outside. “We wanted to have an event to bring awareness and to understand those who are struggling with invisible disabilities,” said Andrew Dillman, CSU accessibility justice coordinator, who organized the

event and spoke on the panel. Dillman was joined by two other speakers, Lisa Anderson-Kellett and Ryan Ollis, who shared insight on their personal experiences with deafness and deaf-blindness. The panel was also the first on-campus event of the year, which featured American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. Their conversation touched on the social and cultural barriers to interacting with other people, the types of accommodations used to counteract the limits of invisible disabilities and the communities that have grown around supporting people with disabilities. The panelists also reflected on how to maintain a positive outlook despite living with invisible disabilities. Among an extensive list of invisible disabilities are chronic pain or fatigue,

fibromyalgia, visual or auditory disabilities, mental illness, epilepsy, lupus, Crohn’s and Lyme disease, to name a few. While symptoms of these conditions could impair or limit a person’s day-today activities and cause debilitating pain or discomfort, the social implications can often be just as intrusive. Our society is much less attuned to accommodating those with invisible disabilities than we may be to people who are visibly disabled or use aids such as wheelchairs or walking canes. In classrooms, public spaces and particularly in the workplace, people with invisible disabilities still face discrimination or hostility because they don’t “look sick”, despite labour laws in place that are meant to make workplaces equitable for people with all types of disabilities. The eye-opening panel brought a new perspective to some students who will aim to have more empathy about the struggles of people living with invisible disabilities. “These are issues that affect everybody. It’s kind of a universal design - if you make something accessible for some people, it works out being better for everybody,” said Dillman, encouraging students to get

involved and engage with the accessibility justice collective. Currently, the collective is gearing up for Destress Week, a popular campuswide event featuring therapy dogs and activities aimed at helping students cope with stress during the last week of November. Dillman is also a proponent of bringing ASL courses to Capilano University, which would allow students to earn credits for learning to communicate in sign language. If adopted, this would put CapU on the map with a number of lower-mainland institutions offering credit courses in ASL training, including Douglas College, University of British Columbia and Vancouver Community College. “I think we do great [at CapU], but there’s definitely more we could do and I’d like us to keep moving forward and be leaders in campus accessibility,” said Dillman. To learn more about the accessibility justice collective and get involved, visit their Facebook page “CSU Accessibility Justice Collective” or contact access@csu. bc.ca.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

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OPINIONS

ATTACK OF THE DRONES Current regulations are being revised to save humanity from itself Laura Melczer

On Oct. 12, a drone collided with a plane above the Jean Lesage airport in Quebec City. Luckily, there was minimal damage to the plane and there were no injuries or fatalities. The drone is estimated to have been flying at approximately 450 metres, according to a CBC report on the incident. Even though there was minimal damage to the plane and its passengers, the drone, which was flying above the current safety regulations for drones, put the plane and passengers at risk. The Transport Ministry put the current regulations into place in June. There are guidelines on how high a drone can go. If a drone endangers the safety of an aircraft, the operator could be fined $25,000 or spend some time in prison. The proposed regulations set to be approved in 2018 will include: a minimum age in which someone can fly a drone and outlines the mandatory test people have to take before they can operate a drone, and a registry with any names and addresses associated with the drone. It’s like the drone-version of the driver’s license program and the regulations on car use. The current regulations, and proposed regulations that will come into place in 2018, are a good start to the conversation around drones. However, even these interim regulations aren’t enough to ensure public safety. If the current regulations on height, fines, or prison were enough, then there wouldn’t have been a collision. Period. And when the new regulations come into effect in 2018, there would need to be a large amount of enforcement to ensure that people are following through.

– LAURA PUMMELL

CONTRIBUTOR

It is important to remember that no one got hurt and the drone caused minimal damage. That doesn’t mean that drones should be flying high enough to hit a plane in the first place. Part of the problem is that drones are widely accessible. Now, if people want to have a drone, then they have every right to own one. Drones themselves aren’t necessarily bad. Like any tool or piece of technology, they can be used well or used poorly. They are a lot of fun to fly around, and can take beautiful aerial photographs.

THE RACE TO LEAD BC’S "PARTY OF NO" Seven BC Liberals Step Forward to Replace Christy Clark Kevin Kapenda

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 49.5 ISSUE NO. 12

COLUMNIST

The journey to replace Christy Clark and return the BC Liberals to government has begun. While most parties use leadership campaigns to refresh their platform or expand their base, the BC Liberals seem uninterested in doing either. Fresh off an election defeat fueled by their out-of-touch and stubborn ideology, each of the hopefuls are unconvinced major changes are needed. Luckily for them, BC’s population is not getting any younger, which is bound to favor them in the next election. So far, seven candidates have stepped forward to lead the party. Vancouver MLAs Andrew Wilkinson, Michael Lee and Sam Sullivan are fascinating candidates, given their relationship with a city that is increasingly dominated by the NDP and left-leaning Vision Vancouver. Each of the MLAs will surely face questions about their city’s growing

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THE CAPILANO COURIER

irrelevance to centre-right parties. After all, how can they lead the party if they can’t even deliver their city? This will disadvantage Sullivan the most as his stint of mayor ushered in the Vision Vancouver era. Other candidates include Peace River MLA Mike Bernier, Kamloops MLA Todd Stone and Abbotsford MLA Mike de Jong. All three of them served as ministers in the former Clark government, making them obvious choices for the top job. De Jong is the longest serving MLA in the race and probably has the most name-recognition. Stone is a photogenic, one term-MLA who is popular among Liberals, but did a poor job as Transportation Minister. Bernier is a highly polarizing figure, having dismissed Vision Vancouver’s democratically elected school trustees for resisting his government’s underfunding of the education system. The issue with Bernier, Stone and de Jong is the baggage they’ve accumulated

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But drones are also more serious and potentially dangerous than they are made out to be and people need to adjust their usage accordingly. When cars became more accessible, they created heavy regulations for public safety. With food production, before it ever gets to you, there are regulations to prevent food from spoiling or cause infection. So, when a new toy (that could fly 450 + meters upwards) is available to almost anyone for purchase, there needs to be strict and

thoughtful regulation and examination to ensure that people can enjoy them without causing major harm. Especially because they will get more and more popular as the technology becomes more affordable. Once that happens, it will increase the chances of drone-related accidents. Heavy regulations will help to ensure that drones are used safely and within the public interest. And preventing collisions (minor or fatal) is more important than easy access to a major technological toy.

as key faces in Clark’s cabinet. De Jong, having served under Clark and Campbell, does not represent change, while Stone and Bernier carried out much of Liberals’ dirty work over the last four years. Furthermore, all of them represent ridings East of Metro Vancouver, reinforcing the split that exists between the orange city and conservative interior. With that said, Stone’s youth significantly bolsters his chances in the age of retail politics. Patrick Brown, Jagmeet Singh, Justin Trudeau, Wab Kinew, Andrew Scheer and Brian Gallant all represent a trend of candidates aged 45 or younger that have been elected to lead federal or provincial parties. The seventh hopeful, former Surrey Mayor and ex-Conservative MP Dianne Watts, is probably best positioned to win the media and popularity war. Watts spent nine years as mayor of one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities. While her legacy should be one of irresponsible planning, exemplified by endless sprawl and relentless traffic, she is largely attributed with helping a “country” suburb of 200,000 blossom into a melting pot of 600,000 residents. Watts and Lee — who is of Chinese descent—

are already being tapped by the media as candidates that could help recapture ethnic votes the party lost in 2017. Sadly, this reeks of Trump-ism, and perceptions that visible minorities are misinformed in their support for progressive parties. However, if she does win, she could be instrumental in restoring the Liberals’ majority in Surrey and the rest of the South Fraser. If the election were held today, Andrew Wilkinson and Todd Stone would probably face-off on the final ballot. Both of them are well connected with the party’s backroom and were appointed to the BC Liberal team in 2013 as star candidates. Secondly, both are best positioned to make the case of either leaving Vancouver behind and embracing peripheral seats, or reclaiming BC’s largest city from the NDP, which Wilkinson helped do as President of the party in 2001. Stone is very much the Maxime Bernier of this “conservative” race, while Wilkinson, who worked for Campbell and served in Clark’s cabinet, is Andrew Scheer. Like Scheer’s surprise win in the federal Conservative race, Wilkinson is too connected not to emerge victorious. As of right now, it’s his to lose.

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HIGH-ER EDUCATION Unique marijuana degree can change the cannabis industry forever Annalisse Crosswell CONTRIBUTOR

Northern Michigan University (NMU) is offering a new four-year degree program that has caught people’s interest. This is the first semester that they are offering a degree “in marijuana”, otherwise known as the Medicinal Plant Chemistry Program. It may seem like the ultimate call for stoners, but it only takes one glance at the academic requirements to see that this program would be a heavy

undertaking. With a combination of courses including chemical equilibrium, atomic spectrometry and accounting and marketing – the program is no joking matter. According to Brandon Canfield, the NMU professor that created the degree, supply and demand was a major motivation behind the program. “We’ve had an overwhelming response from growing operations, dispensaries and other businesses who want to take on our students as interns.” Canfield told local news outlets in Northern Michigan. The study of marijuana for medicinal purposes is a good move forward, particularly for a nation that has such a huge issue with pharmaceutical overuse. Not everybody agrees however. As US Attorney General Jess Sessions said at the conservative Heritage Foundation, “I

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do think this whole country needs to stop being so lackadaisical about drugs. Much of the addiction starts with marijuana.” Even so, it is hard to see this as anything less than a positive move forward with more states legalizing the use of medicinal cannabis. However, one major complication for students in the program is that marijuana is still illegal at a federal level in America. Because of this, the University cannot actually grow the plant for the students to observe. Instead, they examine other plants with medicinal value, and that knowledge is then applied to marijuana. Between Justin Trudeau’s ever-elusive election promise of legalizing marijuana and the plethora of dispensary options in Vancouver, it seems there is at least a need here for qualified individuals who are knowledgeable about all aspects of

the marijuana plant and the businesses that would be involved. While smoking marijuana is slowly becoming much less stigmatized than it once was, its prospective legalization, the ensuing regulations and having an actual degree dedicated to the plant would decrease the stigma even faster, to the benefit of patients who use cannabis for chronic pain and other medical reasons. Once marijuana is fully legalized, there will be a need for people who know how to safely and effectively grow and market it. But, it’s still early days for the program, and so besides discussion, the next logical step would be to watch and wait. Will the laws be changed by the time these students finish their degrees? If not, they might be stuck with a degree that, like so many others, is simply a very expensive piece of paper on the wall.

#METOO: THE POWER BEHIND TWO SMALL WORDS Viral movement reflects changing tides in conversation around sexual violence Jessica Lio

In the wake of so many sexual assault allegations coming to the forefront of recent public conversation, waves of support for women and survivors of sexual violence flooded social media platforms, mostly centred around two simple, yet potent words: “Me Too”. Despite wellintentioned concerns about whether the viral movement was answering the right questions about sexual assault and harassment, we can’t deny the momentous, real-life impact it has already had on our society’s perceptions of rape culture and sexual violence. The words Me Too have been hailed by many as a “powerful rallying cry” for survivors of sexual assault and harassment. While the conversation millions of people have now engaged in was ignited by a celebrity tweet encouraging survivors to share their experiences using #MeToo on social media, their origin can be traced back more than a decade ago to activist Tarana Burke. Since the 1990s, Burke has fought to support young women of colour and heal survivors of sexual violence using “empowerment through empathy”. Just as with any movement pushing for social change, concerns and criticism were also brought to the table. Was it fair to put the burden on survivors to proclaim #MeToo in order to prove how prevalent rape culture and sexual violence is in our society? Why not demand accountability from those who actually commit assault and harassment? Was there space for men and non-binary survivors in a movement that was so centred around men inflicting sexual violence on women? And why do we only pay attention when wealthy white women speak, even though women of colour have been fighting these issues for centuries, only to be met with silence? These questions raised valuable points and gave depth and nuance to

–WOLFGANG THOMO

ONLINE EDITOR

our conversations, but they don’t by any means conclude that the “me too” conversation was somehow misguided or that the focus veered off course from the real issues at stake. Never has a spotlight been shone so brightly on sexual predators and those who use their positions of power to

perpetuate sexual violence, yet we have only witnessed the beginning of what Quartz’s Lianna Brinded called the “paradigm-shifting power” of the Me Too conversation. To echo Brinded, speaking out is only the first step, and I too have hope that we’ll soon move beyond the passive voice of Me Too towards a pointed

demand for accountability. No sooner had we collected our thoughts about the blast of sexual assault allegations against media mogul Harvey Weinstein when more allegations came to light, adding Ben Affleck, George H.W. Bush, Hollywood director James Toback, Vox editorial director Lockhart Steele, ABC News political director Mark Halperin and many others to the list of powerful men accused of sexual harassment. The Telegraph has since reported that Condé Nast International finally blacklisted Terry Richardson, the flagrant fashion photographer who has been accused of sexually assaulting multiple women over the past decade, due to renewed public scrutiny. Even more recently, Anthony Rapp’s allegation of Kevin Spacey’s unwanted sexual advances towards him when Rapp was 14 years old have broken news, resulting in Netflix announcing a halt on the production of House of Cards. Spacey’s hideous attempt at deflecting serious allegations by claiming no recollection of the incident, yet conveniently using his “apology” tweet to come out as a gay man, has drawn fire from all corners of the internet and the public’s response suggests that the era of tolerating sexual predators is truly no more. We are seeing a profound change in the public conscious and people are taking action in real time - whether it’s reporting assaults, speaking out about their experiences, acknowledging their complicity, or simply vowing to call out rape culture when they see it. The impact of Me Too doesn’t lie solely in its ability to illustrate the pervasive reality of sexual violence - at its heart, what has given this movement such momentum was the strength of women and survivors who believed their voices could hold power and demand real change. Survivors don’t owe anybody their stories. We can heal collectively, on our own time and on our own terms - but what we’ve witnessed from the Me Too movement is that when survivors choose to speak, we will be heard.

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THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BABEBALL Throwing Optimism

Leah Scheitel COPY EDITOR

– RYAN MCDIARMID

It was with extreme vigour that I jumped onto the Houston Astros’ bandwagon for this World Series, and cheered for them with enthusiasm normally reserved for meeting a Beatle. It’s not just because they have the hottest pitcher in the league, Mr. Kate Upton (if women have to be known for the accomplishments of their husbands, so should men with successful ladies, including all-star Justin Verlander). It was a little more nuanced than one hot pitcher. I watched game two at a sports bar close to my house, and made a slight spectacle of myself as I hid my eyes when the game got tense. The Los Angeles Dodgers kept managing to tie the score, causing extra innings and extra anxiety. Hey, I said I liked watching babeball, but I never said I was good at it. In reality, the outcome of that game or even this entire series had little impact on my day-to-day life. And yet, I cheered like a drunken cheerleader at her first cheer camp for a team of 30 men that I will never meet. The reason I was so intent on an Astros win comes from socioeconomic roots – after Houston was devastated from Hurricane Harvey, that city could use the morale boost more than LA could. Plus, it was the first time the Astros have ever won a World Series in their 45-year history and everyone loves an underdog. Sports teams have a huge impact on the economic and moral esteem of a city. When a local team is doing well, people are happier. They are spending more money at

THE CALL OF THE WILD Hey nature & mental wellbeing, sorry I missed your call

Layla Kadri COLUMNIST

As a university student, I can relate to stress pretty well. I pretty much add a spoonful of stress into my morning coffee every day. I understand the hectic world of balancing five courses, volunteer work, multiple meetings for multiple collectives and events every week, and of course a job. I have been in Capilano University’s Outdoor Recreation Management (OREC)

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program since September 2016. The program runs straight through four semesters and so my cohort and I will be finishing this December. Recently, one of our teachers asked how our last semester was going. The class flooded with groans, scoffs and dismay. Our cohort used to share funny memes of people stressing about school and university life. While there were times when some of them were applicable, over all, we had it easier than most programs. In OREC, we tend to have classes not just outside of classrooms, but also off campus. Whether we were on a fieldtrip to Deep Cove Kayak, the salmon hatchery, Squamish, or our teacher simply decided to have class in the forest – we were outdoors and away from the constraints and stress of an indoor classroom. In our final semester, our courses seem to be more traditionally academic. We don’t have any more field trips or hikes during class time, we have massive amounts of business concepts and research, and of course, that looming stress of what

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to do when we graduate. Suddenly, my calendar is overflowing and my morning stress coffee has turned into a morning, afternoon and late-night ritual. You would think that the writer of a nature therapy column would have no problems in getting sufficient and immersive time with the wild, but for the past two months I’ve been missing the call. I kept telling myself the workload wasn’t the problem and that it was my own productiveness. I kept putting so ,uch time into my work that I didn’t have any left to actually be outdoors. While I recognized that, I told myself it would just be until I graduated, and then I could have my life back. This past weekend, after a stressful assignment that I wasn’t getting anywhere with, my good friend Luke stole me away to Porteau Cove for a mini camping trip. Rather than be excited, I found myself anxious about the assignment deadline. My mind was wandering back to the city as we drove towards Squamish.

local bars and establishments to watch the games and are celebrating the wins with neighbours they might normally detest. It’s one of the wonders of sports and is so embedded into the tapestry of the games that it has become cliché, but sports bring people together. And right now, people in Houston needed to be brought together. Hurricane Harvey did some major damage to Houston, which is the fourth largest city in the US. While it is still too soon to know the full extent of the damage, at least 30,000 people were displaced from their homes and 88 fatalities were recorded. Insurance claims for damaged homes are in the billions. The Astros understand what a Pennant win would do for their city. In an interview with the LA Times, Astros’ manager A.J. Hinch addressed what a playoff run would mean to the area. “What does the World Series do to that city?” he said, “Obviously, it gives some hope. It gives appreciation. It gives a smile or two for people going through some hard times. And for that, we’re happy to be a part of it.” Of course, the champions weren’t without their assholes. Astros’ first baseman Yuli Gurriel will serve a five-game suspension at the beginning of 2018 for his racist gesture towards Dodgers’ pitcher Yu Darvish, who is of Japanese decent. His gesture of slanting his eyes caused quite a stir, with many calling for his immediate suspension, potentially hindering the Astros’ chances in the World Series. (Racism in baseball is alive and well. More on this next time). Other cities and sports teams have experienced what a championship run can do to a city in distress. The Detroit Red Wings were the only thing bringing the people of Detroit joy when their city experienced extreme economic turmoil due to the downturn in the automotive industry in the early 2000s. And even non-football fans loved it when the New Orleans Saints won the Superbowl in 2010. Sports give people who need to smile a reason to smile. And that’s exactly what the Astros did for Houston this year. And that, in turn, makes me giddy and love the game of babeball even more.

That night on the beach, while sitting in silence to the waves, the sweet smell of a campfire and the warmth of a fleece sweater, I felt my mind release from the tight wind of the last two months. I was reminded of what connecting to nature can bring. How nature therapy can humble you, connect you with the present moment and give you room to heal from pent up stress. I saw the shadows of eagles flying above crashing waves, the outline of Anvil Island on the night sky, and the stars peeking out above tree tops. Nature connections can bring about feelings that are inexplicably resonating within ourselves. And during such a chaotic time in our lives, when we’re aiming to gain an education, take opportunities and strive for our futures, it’s easy to forget our mental wellbeing. Despite it all, this is also the time to remind ourselves that connecting with nature can renew us, and heal our stress so that we can continue striving.

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GET THE &#$@ OUTDOORS You can kayak in the winter, too

Scott Barkemeyer NAUTICAL ENTHUSIAST

Winter and kayaking may not seem to be compatible, but do we really have winter here in Vancouver? The answer is no. Kayaking has long been a part of my life and I received my Flatwater Kayak Instructor Certification as a teenager in Northern Alberta. It was during the spring,

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when lakes were no longer predominantly frozen and ice was left to the far side of the water. We would rent local pools to simulate rescues, as doing them in the lakes would have only led to hypothermia. Paddling has been an activity I have enjoyed since the first time I got on the water. While some might question paddling in harsh weather, some of the most fun I have had in a kayak was in storm waters with my mother when I first moved to the Sunshine Coast. I have guided a voyager canoe to camp with three others during a downpour at dusk – an expedition that forced us to wait for lightning to subside – in order to safely escort campers back to our main camp. I have been used as a pack mule with an overloaded boat while I was on herding duties and ensured campers didn’t stray off from the group. For the most part, these were summer activities. Being from landlocked Alberta, you may be surprised that almost all our

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lakes are covered in ice for half the year. People sit in an ice fishing shack on a frozen lake on their weekends. Since relocating, I haven’t paddled as much as I would like as my boats are lake boats and are sequestered away in my parents’ garden shed. However, since our local water is largely connected to the ocean, it means that it does not freeze over during BC’s winters – meaning paddling can be done year-round. Although rentals are closed for the season, you can get your paddle on if you have private access to a boat. You can also book a Saturday tour with Deep Cove Kayak and enjoy a relaxing guided paddle that will allow you to explore the local waters of the Lower Indian Arm. The water may be a little chilly, but you probably won’t see any solid ice on your paddle. The crisp air and quiet waters will allow participants to enjoy the serenity of being in nature and learn local history

from the guide. To cut the chill, a wet-suit rental is included. A Winter Kayak Tour at Deep Cove Kayak goes for $89+tax per person. Reservations are required, as tours are organized in small groups. On the day of, pack an extra set of warm clothes for after your paddle, a towel, a wool toque (something everyone should own), snacks, water, sun glasses with a strap, and your camera or phone in a water proof case. If you are worried about the cold, remember the wet suit rental is included and your personal floatation device (PFD) is warmer than you think. Most importantly, if you do decide to go out, make sure you plan and have the correct safety gear and training, getting stranded in cold waters is no joke. So, what is stopping you? Try something new. You never know you may find a new hobby and build a future with kayaks in it.

of blackness are fluid and change over time, like virtually all other concepts and symbols. However, since much of our identity is often dictated by colonialism and racism, many assumptions about the capacities and limitations of black people continue to hinder our progress. When Barack Obama was running for president, all of the qualities that fueled his rise, such as his eloquence, were attributed to his American mother and grandmother by white observers. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that Obama was successful because his skin was “light” and he had “no negro dialect.” Much of my childhood in the late 90s and 2000s was spent watching basketball, football and soccer. By this time, it was not unusual for entire lineups and teams to be predominantly or entirely black. However, there were few black coaches, something that has not changed as we near the 2020s. This is primarily due to the persistent belief that black players are not

smart enough to coach professionally, nor play positions that emphasize intelligence over athleticism. Brazil’s national team has been dominated by players of colour for the last half century, yet none of their managers in the last 60 years have been “mulatto” or “negro”. Furthermore, it’s important to note the characterization of blacks as undisciplined, unintelligent and unable to lead transcends sports. We are least likely to attain leadership positions in a variety of fields – academia, business, entertainment, government, journalism and science – because we don’t fit the mold of what a good leader looks like. Reclaiming blackness is therefore one of the biggest challenges of our time. Race continues to be a superficial measure of one’s character, intelligence and worth. This problem won’t be solved quickly, but if societies can bring themselves to recognize it, we can begin to address implicit racism in our institutions, media, communities and households.

STATE OF THE DIASPORA Reclaiming Blackness in a White World

Kevin Kapenda

The first person who called me black did not look like me. As a child, my identity derived from my Central and Southern African heritage rather than skin color. In many ways, I was forced to identify as “black” in a society dominated by whiteness. However, as I grew older, I realized people had little interest in knowing where I was from or who I was. They only saw my skin. In western and postcolonial societies, there is a widely held belief that the use of black and white to distinguish races developed organically. While we glumly accept the abuses of colonialism and racism, we rarely acknowledge the role terms like black and Indian played in supporting those institutions. Exploring the origin of these terms, both in isolation and relation to whiteness, has been on my mind for some time. My impasse with the term black is that it’s embedded with connotations that aren’t influenced by the people it defines. By constructing whiteness as the most desirable human quality, blackness and indigeneity are thereby defined as least favorable traits. Implicit racism and stereotyping is more identifiable than ever, but we still resist discussing the power structures that persistently devalue non-white populations. As a black man, I must accept that I will be viewed as a threat, nuisance or outsider in a number of environments. I also know that my skin is viewed as inferior to both whites, as well as other visible minority groups. This construction of the black body as errant, undesirable and violent was coined in the works of 20th century Black

–DANIEL PAUHL

COLUMNIST

“In many ways, I was forced to identify as 'black' in a society dominated by whiteness. ” scholars James Baldwin, W.E.B. DuBois, Frantz Fanon, Camara Laye and Aime Cesaire, among many others. All five spoke different languages and lived in different parts of the world. However, during their lives in America and France, each of them arrived at the identical conclusion that the most important feature of their identity to whites was not their background or nationality, but color of their skin. Fanon described the construction of the black body as an epidermal schema of how white society viewed blackness, epitomized in his quote “Mama, see the Negro! I’m frightened!” It is important to note that constructions

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Your phone plan is too expensive, eh BY TIA KUTSCHERA FOX ILLUSTRATION BY TAYLOR LEE

o matter who your carrier is, you’re probably with one of the Big Three — Rogers, Bell and Telus. Koodo is owned by Telus. Fido and Chatr are both divisions of Rogers. Virgin Mobile runs through Bell. Freedom? Well, okay, Freedom isn’t with the Big Three, but its name change from Wind was a part of the company’s rebranding that coincided with being bought by Shaw last year so Freedom users still haven’t really escaped the big corporations. Welcome to a Canadian oligopoly, where the plans are expensive and limited, all with the illusion of variety. While there is no hard evidence of collusion, Bell, Telus and Rogers have an interesting history of matching price hikes, ensuring we all pay the piper whatever the hell he wants. Additionally, according to a 2015 OpenMedia article, Bell lobbied the Canadian Government to give them a “free pass” from a ruling by the the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that “sets out fair, open access rules that would allow smaller, more affordable Internet providers to access ultra-high speed fibre infrastructure.” This ruling is meant to protect customers from unfair price hikes for data. Thankfully, the appeal was rejected, but it goes to show how these companies operate when it comes to business. The opinion of Bailey McDonald*, a former sales employee at Shaw, is that “the government is also responsible. The CRTC - they dictate what we can and cannot do.” The CRTC created the Wireless Code in 2013, which mandates that cell service providers cannot charge more than $100 a month in international roaming charges nor $50 in data overage fees, unless the customer agrees to it. This is a decent start but is far from perfect, as the customer is defined as the cell phone user, not the account holder. A recent CBC article demonstrated the problem with this, noting that Rosemary Pick received a bill for more than $1,700 in data charges when her son agreed to go over the $50 cap without her knowledge. Often cell companies don’t warn users when they’re going over their data limit, and simply charge for it. The Wireless Code also doesn’t say anything about keeping phone plan costs down, which could be a deliberate oversight in telecommunication companies’ favor as it allows prices to skyrocket and increases the chances of smaller companies being bought out or disappearing altogether. In a 2016 analysis of data usage by

Tefficient, a Telecom research firm, it was found that out of 32 countries, customers in Canada pay the most per gigabyte (GB) of data. On average, Canadians pay $57 a month for just under one GB of data. According to the same chart, for an equal amount of data, customers in France pay about $20 CAD. On the extreme other end of the spectrum is Finland, where Finnish users have the highest average data usage at 9.9 GBs per month. In Finland, seven GBs of data only costs around $22 CAD per month. For anyone reading this in

“While there is no hard evidence of collusion, Bell, Telus and Rogers have an interesting history of matching price hikes” Canada, try not to cry too much. There is no simple answer as to why phone plans in Canada are so expensive, but Canadian phone companies continue to give the same explanations. The first explanation is simple geography. Adam Jones*, a sales employee at Telus, put it plainly: “We have the most area to cover and the least people. Here, the square kilometres of how much they need to cover is way bigger than how much they have to cover in the UK. [Providers] have to make sure people have coverage in the most remote areas.” McDonald agreed, “I think it’s just because of Canada; the way it is. All of our population is so concentrated on such a southern part that anything up north is hard for anybody [to work with].” This also aligns with the experience of second-year Capilano University General Arts student Kiley Kurahashi. Kurahashi moved from Japan to Vancouver last year to study and quickly learned that phone plans in Canada worked differently and were vastly more expensive. In Japan, Kurahashi used a pay-as-you-go plan with the company Freetel, which gave him three GBs of data, calling and texting. Freetel is similar to Freedom and Koodo as it’s a smaller company that uses a bigger company’s (Docomo) tower and offers cheaper prices. He paid ¥1040 a month, which is about $11 CAD. The data, Kurahashi explained, was tiered. “If you used one GB it was X amount, if you used three GB [it was another] X amount. There was no in-between, so if you used

more than one GB it made sense to just use three.” Here in Canada, Kurahashi is with Fido. He gets three GB of data, unlimited evening and weekends for calls and texts, and is otherwise charged per call and per text — he pays $60 a month. His father came to Vancouver ahead of him to research the best phone plans, even visiting the University of British Columbia campus to ask students what the best phone plans were. Even with this research, Kurahashi is currently paying almost six times the amount he paid in Japan for the same services. It makes sense that in such a small and densely populated country users can get good network connection at such low prices — the entire country is about the size of British Columbia which means less towers are needed, bringing down the cost. This brings us to the second explanation: overhead and profit margins. “[There are] so many people [phone companies] have to pay before it’s actually considered profit. There’s the call centre people, directors, VPs… then it goes down to district managers, operations, retail — they have to make sure all those people get paid… and then there’s people actually installing the towers, fixing the towers, making sure they run properly,” said Jones. McDonald added to this point, saying, “Koodoo uses Telus towers and it’s still miles cheaper. Because they’re smaller,

“Out of 32 countries, customers in Canada pay the most per gigabyte (GB) of data. On average, Canadians pay $57 a month for just under one GB of data.” they have less overhead, they have less consumers, because they’re targeting a specific type of consumer.” The same applies to Freedom; smaller competitors like Koodo and Freedom can offer lower prices largely because they don’t have as many employees to pay or as many other expenses. Although, their cheap plans do come at a price — network limitations. If a user doesn’t leave downtown Vancouver, they won’t notice a difference in network quality between Freedom and Telus. But the minute they go to Burnaby, or say, a parking garage, the network is gone with

the wind. McDonald also pointed out a huge cost these companies need to make up for. “The equipment. We need good routers in order to have the internet. Do you sit there on your phone waiting for an hour and 45 minutes for a page to load? No. Nobody wants to wait for it.” That speed and convenience costs. These explanations are hard to believe when compared to other countries. There are plenty of large telecommunications companies all over the world that manage to keep their phone plans at a reasonable rate while still providing fast internet. While Jones made a fair point that setting up a network in smaller regions is cheaper due to the size, he is ignoring one big, sunny elephant in the room — Australia. With small, highly dense populations spread across the continent, much like Canada, their phone plans still don’t come close to the expense of those in Canada. Avril Robinson lived in Canada for three years before moving back to Australia and in her opinion, the Canadian system only has one benefit. Robinson described breaking a contract in Australia as an expensive ordeal that would have cost her around $1,400 CAD as they require the customer to buy out the contract in its entirety, regardless of the remaining duration of their term. “Canada is so much better. I had to break contract when we were leaving and all I paid were administrative fees, which was about $250.” However, actually having a plan in Canada was a different story. “I basically couldn’t afford a phone when I got to Canada. In Australia our prepaid plans work a little differently. In Australia you can buy $40 of credit and that gets you $120 in calls and texts. In Canada, I would buy $30 of credit and most of it would be taken up by administrative fees and then I’d be left with $5 of credit.” Robinson explained that unlike Australia, Canadian prepaid plans also charge users to receive calls, which is a huge hindrance to service. “How do Australian plans compare?' Our cheapest ones here are about $45 and go up from there. All phone plans come with data. My $45 plan comes with seven GB of data,” Robinson said. With all of this information to consider, our telecom providers’ explanations seem a little weak. Unfortunately, while Canadian customers can hope that our great country will decide to follow in Australia’s (or literally anyone else’s) footsteps, for now, it’s likely we will continue playing a long and expensive game of Canadian Oligopoly. *Names have been changed

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Chasing the booty gains BY JESSICA LIO ILLUSTRATION BY JANICE CALLANGAN

t feels like just yesterday that glossy magazine ads featuring stick-thin models were the dominating standard for women’s beauty. Many young women grew up with unrealistic and unhealthy standards for what our bodies were to look like if we wanted to be taken seriously in the world. In 2014, Paper Magazine set out to #BreakTheInternet, featuring none other than Kim Kardashian’s famous derrière on the cover of its winter issue, creating what was deemed one of the ‘biggest cultural events of the decade.’ Then, of course, there was the problematic trend of Vanity Fair and Vogue crediting celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Instagram star Jen Selter and even Miley Cyrus with the phenomenon of making

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curves and “big booties” fashionable, which largely ignored the cultural context of women of colour who, as Carimah Townes wrote in Think Progress, have been critiqued for their bodies throughout history, precisely because they had curves. Now, fast forward to present day, and the shock of Kim Kardashian’s curves may not capture the same scandalizing attention because now, big butts are more prominent in mainstream culture than ever. More often than not, fitness and workout videos focused on booty gains are what really boost traffic for popular YouTube and Instagram pages. The internet and social media have, in some way, democratized these standards — some fashion brands celebrate ‘natural beauty’ by featuring models of different sizes and shapes in their ad campaigns.

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We’re still a far stretch away from truly diverse and fair representation in media and fashion, but at least the monopoly on who gets to create images deemed beautiful has been disrupted. At face value, the entire phenomenon might seem somewhat shallow. Some could even pose the question of whether we’ve moved forward at all in shifting from one beauty standard to another that women feel pressured to conform to. However, a closer look will show that through mediums such as YouTube and Instagram, young women have actually carved out a huge territory in the fitness world, and the aesthetics behind growing the glutes are only one piece of the puzzle. Capilano University business alumna Alicia Kingsland trains as a competitive powerlifter and she’ll testify that “big butts pull big deadlifts.” A year after she graduated from CapU in 2016, Kingsland and her husband, Peter Dyer, became proud owners of Genesis Athletic Club, a bustling gym on the North Shore, tucked behind Capilano Mall on West 3rd Street. When they took over the business, they recognized the demand for glute training and took the opportunity to add specialized equipment — including a hip thruster platform, glute-ham raise and reverse hyperextension — to the gym. One of Kingsland’s main goals at Genesis is to help women feel more comfortable in the gym. “My dream would be that all of the women who go to the gym feel comfortable working out on the main floor. Right now, we have a women’s only section, but I’ve always felt that the women’s only section is like a Band-Aid on a problem, not a solution,” she explained. At 25, Kingsland has racked up an impressive track record in deadlifting and holds an array of awards from the past four years of competing. From her first powerlifting meet in February 2013 until January 2016, she also held the BC provincial record for women’s 72-kilogram junior deadlift. Looking at her today, it would be difficult to know that she ever

struggled with her fitness. Although, reflecting back to her senior year of high school when her fitness journey began, Kingsland will tell you “I used to hide in the change room during PE because I was overweight in high school... My weight had really bothered me for a really long time, so I decided I wanted to do something about it.” After tackling her fitness through a diet approach in 2010 and losing 60 pounds that year, Kingsland began to find her footing in weight training. By late 2012, she had pulled off her first big deadlift of 225 pounds. The confidence brought about from that accomplishment in the gym propelled her into competitive powerlifting and she hasn’t looked back since. “I think that strength training and feeling strong is really empowering for women, so I like to focus on that,” she said. “There’s so much focus on body image that if you give them something more tangible to work towards, that’s really helpful.” Tara Berntzen, 26, grew up as a self-described all-around performer,

“My dream would be that all of the women who go to the gym feel comfortable working out on the main floor. Right now, we have a women’s only section, but I’ve always felt that the women’s only section is like a Band-Aid on a problem, not a solution,” dedicating hours and hours to competitive dancing and musical theatre, as well as recreational freestyle skiing on the weekends. By the time she was in Grade

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10, her struggle with body image and selfesteem had taken a turn for the worse. Despite positive encouragement from the friends around her, she couldn’t help but compare herself to other girls, including her sister, who looked leaner than she did. “When I was younger, I wanted to look like my model sister who was five-foot-10 with super long legs, and just naturally slim… There would be a time where after three hours of dance, I would go run on my parents’ cross-trainer. I just really wanted to get fit, I really wanted to look lean,” she recalled. It was in university that Berntzen started to get off track with fitness. Without competitive dancing as a focal point, she no longer had a strict training regimen and started to put on weight. It wasn’t until her very last year of university that she decided to do something about her health and take control of how she felt in her own body. Berntzen started going to the gym with a friend, and by 2014 she entered her first bikini competition. Though Berntzen enjoyed competing in both bikini competitions and powerlifting, she ultimately opted to lift. “From my experience, bikini competitions are won from primarily the glutes… the feedback [from judges] was always, ‘we like that hourglass shape, so train your glutes more, work on building more muscle there.’ So I would have to say that’s kind of where I first got that glute obsession,” she explained. “From a physiological point of view, there’s a lot of benefits to training your glutes. It helps improve your squat, it helps improve your deadlift and it’s very beneficial in a lot of things, even hiking.” Nigel Cordes, a personal trainer at Genesis, weighed in to support that the motivations behind clients’ desires to train their glutes aren’t entirely cosmetic. “The majority of female clients and male clients, respond extremely well to having a focal point on their glutes being trained…

It’s a very important stabilizing muscle and power muscle to finish a movement or even to control a movement,” Cordes explained. Even though conversations in mainstream media for the past couple decades have been focused on the number of women who were seeking cosmetic surgery —opting for implants or fat injections to attain their desired bottomheavy figures — there’s a different story now playing out in gyms across the world. Online communities around fitness and training are more inclusive than ever, with plenty of women leading the way. Athletes like Whitney Simmons, Nikki Blackketter, Paige VanZant, Qimmah Russo, Kayla Itsines and BreAnna Dore, are not only dominating Instagram and YouTube in terms of followers and sponsorships, but we’re seeing women really hone into their power as leaders. Through these mediums, the athletes are encouraging young girls to be confident in themselves and defy gender norms. Gone are the days where trainers and fitness leaders encouraged women to work out with the goal of looking more attractive to others — we now have athletes pushing for young women to do this for themselves, and that’s where we’ve seen the most empowering change. Kingsland and Berntzen are just two of the millions of young women who have found community and self-confidence through fitness and powerlifting. There are more than 18 million public posts on Instagram with the hashtag #girlswholift, many of which encourage other women to get started on own their fitness journey.

It’s given Kingsland a lot of satisfaction to see so many women join the powerlifting community, and to help them along the

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way. “When I started, I was the only girl in my weight class, and now there’s so many,” she said. “There was a powerlifting meet in July that we had seven people on our team go to, and five of them were women. That was really cool for us.” With the rise of popularity among social media fitness influencers, there is still a concern that women will feel pressured to chase an unrealistic body type through unhealthy measures, but Kingsland and

“I definitely think it’s more attainable [now] for women to set realistic goals. They can see how hard someone works through Instagram, the work that goes in... and the barriers are coming down” Cordes also see many positive aspects to how accessible the fitness world has become due to social media. Cordes advises to find role models who can inspire you to achieve your goals and learn from them, but not to aim to be them. “I definitely think it’s more attainable [now] for women to set realistic goals. They can see how hard someone works through Instagram, the work that goes in... and the barriers are coming down,” said Cordes. For new clients and people who are just getting started with fitness, Cordes likes to emphasize the importance of building a routine and setting realistic goals, whether it’s strength, weight-loss or just overall fitness that someone is working towards. “The biggest thing I can tell anyone that’s starting out is build a routine. Whether it’s one, two, three days a week,

you don’t need to make yourself burn out, but consistency is the key,” Cordes said. “There’s the big picture you’re working towards, but you have the little goals in between that get you there.” At the end of the day, it’s all about putting in the work and holding yourself accountable to your goals. There’s no magical overnight diet program that will give you the physique that you want. There isn’t even a two-week program, despite what some social media marketers might try to convince beginners. What’s important at the beginning is learning good form, being honest with your body’s limits and feeding yourself good food, rather than getting caught up in what type of supplement or pre-workout looks flashy at the moment. The staff at Genesis work hard everyday to make a space that’s welcoming towards everyone, and their goal at the end of the day is to just help people along their fitness journeys. “Being a personal trainer, you get to hear people’s goals, their struggles, hear what’s holding them back, what’s pushing them forward, and you’re there the whole way with them. It’s so rewarding just to see them tick off so many small [goals] and see the pride,” Cordes said. “There is a huge community feel here. People actually take notice of what everyone is doing around them, and everyone is usually around or available for help.” “Start small and remember to celebrate all your successes along the way,” Kingsland advised. “I like the saying ‘a rising tide floats all ships.’ The better we all do individually, the more it supports the community and everybody benefits from it.” And that’s really what’s at the core of this entire phenomenon — young women seeing something that resonates with them and feeling empowered to go after it. If chasing the booty gains is away for women to feel strong in their own bodies, then more power to it.

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

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SHORTS

SUPER SLIMEY Future + Young Thug

THE CON X: COVERS Tegan and Sara

INTRODUCE YERSELF Gord Downie

Trap's biggest stars get slimey together

Tenth anniversary release is a gift to long-time fans

Downie’s Beautiful Farwell

Helen Aikenhead

MANAGING EDITOR

Jaslynne Gibeault CONTRIBUTOR

Justin Scott

FEATURES EDITOR

IN THE BEGINNING: BEFORE THE HEAVENS Blu & Exile Underground rap duo returns with a much-needed soulful record Carlo Javier EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

P

roducer-rapper duos have a pretty good track record in hiphop. The Golden Age had legends like Eric B. & Rakim, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Modern and alternative rap produced the pairings of Blackalicious, Madvillain and Run the Jewels. Though Blu & Exile will eternally be linked to the much less talked about subgenre of underground rap, their latest release, In the Beginning: Before the Heavens should finally cement their status as among the best hip-hop duos of all time. Before the Heavens marks the third album in Blu & Exile’s 10-year history. They memorably burst into the scene in 2007 with arguably the most overlooked record of the past decade, Below the Heavens. Their 2012 follow up, Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them flew under the radar despite its terrific lo-fi tendencies.

“The aptly titled opening track, 'Soul Provider' immediately sets the tone with production that J. Cole and Statik Selektah would envy.” Though Before the Heavens doesn’t match the magnitude of their debut, the album still packs quite the punch and is a much-needed outlier from today’s trap-centric hip-hop scene. Exile’s signature chopped beats and laidback soul samples provides a lush backdrop for Blu’s dexterous bars. The aptly titled opening track, “Soul Provider” immediately sets the tone with production that J. Cole and Statik Selektah would envy. Album centrepiece, “On the Radio” is a touching callback to the organic and conscious hip-hop that has essentially vanished from modern airwaves. In the song, a seemingly dismayed Blu rhymes about the lack of appreciation for some of the game’s most skillful lyricists, namely Black Thought, Common and Mos Def. Blu & Exile will likely never top their magnum opus from 2007, but Before the Heavens and any ensuing record they may do still serves a great purpose. Hip-hop has a trap conundrum and any record that breaks away from the repetition is a success.

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Future and Young Thug have both established themselves as among the most in-demand names in today’s rap game. With Super Slimey, the two rap stars show that together, they’re just as potent. Relations weren’t always so sweet with the two Atlanta-based rappers. A much-publicized feud in 2015 had put the two at odds and since then, fans have always wondered how the two would sound together. Questions were initially answered earlier this year when the two reconciled and traded features in their respective albums, with Young Thug’s “Relationship” still topping the charts today. Ever since then, people have been longing for more and Super Slimey truly quenches that thirst. Both Future and Young Thug found common ground and pushed each other to make an album that has a sound for everyone. With 13 songs, Super Slimey us perfect for those drives home or for hanging out with your friends. It has many different tunes from super upbeat rhythms to tracks that are built for calmer days. As per usual, Future and Young Thug deliver some ready-made hits such as the Offset-assisted “Patek Water” and “No Cap”. Future and Young Thug have developed a great chemistry on this project and both created seamless transitions within each song. Their unique voices compliment one another to the point where they stretch their own limits doing so. All in all, Future and Young Thug show their best in their first official collaborative album, but as always, they leave us wondering what they might come up with next.

Ten years after the release of their beloved album The Con, Tegan and Sara have gifted their fans with The Con X: Covers. The project presents all 14 tracks from the original album, but with a twist – they’re all covers. Released in celebration of the milestone anniversary, the album raises funds for The Tegan and Sara Foundation (TSF) started by the band in 2016, which fights for health, economic justice and representation for LGBTQ+ girls and women. To ensure that all the proceeds go directly towards the TSF, artists recruited for the project – who are all self-identified members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community – donated their time to record their versions of their respective tracks. The collection is a truly beautiful way to honour a record as important to fans as The Con. Each cover manages to display the individual style and artistry of the contributing artist, yet stay true to the original versions, which is important with the original tracks already being so incredible. While there were a few minor lyrical changes in a couple of the covers, nothing becomes unrecognizable. Album standouts include MUNA's take on “Relief Next to Me”, Shura's version of the title track, Shamir's gentle “Like O, Like H”, Sara Bareilles' ballad-like “Floorplan”, Pvris' re-imagined “Are You Ten Years Ago” and Hayley Williams' emotionallycharged “Nineteen”. The online extended version offers three additional artists including Cyndi Lauper and an enchanting take on B-side “I Take All the Blame”, covered by Vivek Shraya. But perhaps most exciting is the final track — “Miami Still”. This previously unreleased demo from Tegan and Sara transports listeners right back to 2007 in the most wonderful and nostalgic possible way. The demo alone – like an urban legend to long-time fans – was well worth the decadelong wait.

Although Canadian singer/ songwriter and all-around legend, Gord Downie, spent much of his career singing about the stories of others as front man of The Tragically Hip, his final and posthumous album, Introduce Yerself is just the opposite. His last gift to his fans and the music world is a collection of tracks that chronicle some of Downie’s most cherished memories. “Bedtime” is a heartwarming track that sees a father reminiscing of rocking his child to sleep then putting them down in their crib. “You Me and the B’s” is an ode to Downie and his brother’s shared love of the Boston Bruins, on which he sings, “The Bruins keep us tight, we talked about them nearly every day, for over forty years now.” And while much of the album is composed of ballads featuring mainly piano, acoustic guitar and Downie’s unmistakable voice, there are some cuts that bring a bit more energy. “Love Over Money” opens with a reverbed electric guitar and upbeat drums, ensuring the album isn’t too down-tempo. Other notable tracks include “Spoon”, “Introducer Yerself”, “Faith Faith” and “My First Girlfriend”. Introduce Yerself’s closing track is fitting as Downie’s last song. “The North” addresses Canada’s colonial past and transgressions against its indigenous community – something Downie has been very vocal about over the years. Singing, “In a Canada we should’ve never called Canada.” It’s clear that Canada’s most iconic frontman wanted his last work to be a personal one, and it couldn’t have been done better. While it’s tragic to listen to in a way, it’s also perfect.

CALENDAR

MON

PINNACLE HOTEL VARIOUS TIMES / $65 - $155

This year, EAT! will be hosting 37 all-star chefs from a wide variety of backgrounds for people to enjoy. There are also classes and events being hosted throughout the week at various price ranges. For foodies, this is a dream come true.

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FAN EXPO

FRI

–BRANDON ARTIS PHOTOGRAPHY

6

EAT! VANCOUVER

VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS DETROIT RED WINGS ROGERS ARENA 7 P.M. / $20

7

TUES

I could not stop laughing when I heard that tickets to the game are only $20. We must really suck these days. Back when they were good, it would cost close to $100 to go see a game like this. If you love hockey and hate talent, then now is a good time to consider season tickets.

UNITED WAY BOOKSALE

CONVENTION CENTER 2 P.M. - 8 P.M. / $30

BIRCH BUILDING CAFETERIA ALL DAY / FREE

Fan Expo is like ComicCon on a budget - a really small budget. If you think the $30 entrance fee isn’t that bad, it’s because almost everything at the expo costs money. If you really want to support local artists and go to some keynotes, then you better bring some cash.

We all know that Twitter isn’t proper reading material and that we really should read more. Come to the book sale and pick up a few books that seem interesting, but will likely just sit on your shelf gathering dust.

LET IT BE

BASKETBALL: CAPILANO BLUES VS QUEST UNIVERSITY

ABBOTSFORD CENTRE 7:30 P.M. / $45

SPORTSPLEX 6 P.M. / $2

Some people just can’t let it be. Which is why this event, a celebration of The Beatles’ music, exists in the first place. I wonder how many people at Capilano University have listened to a full Beatles album?

8 WED

AN EVENING WITH RUPI KAUR ORPHEUM THEATRE 8 P.M. / $41

Rupi Kaur has done something that I didn’t think was possible. Not only has she gotten people to read, but she’s got people reading poetry of all things. Kaur will be doing a live reading of her latest book, The Sun and Her Flowers, so it’ll be like going to a live audiobook.

Basketball is without a doubt the sport I’m most ignorant about. I’ve never even pretended to follow it, never played it and never really wanted to. If you want to find out about this matchup and who the stars on the Blues are, ask our editor-in-chief, Carlo Javier, or our managing editor, Justin Scott.

11 SAT

THURS

NATIONWIDE ALL DAY

Don’t forget to get your poppy or everyone’s going to think you’re an asshole.

CHILDREN OF BODOM

HALSEY, PARTYNEXTDOOR & CHARLI XCX

This Finnish extreme metal band will be taking the Commodore by storm. Look, I don’t know anything about these people and I can’t stand metal music so I’m not even going to do my due diligence by listening to a song while I write this. However, I think you’ll know if the term 'Finnish extreme metal band' sounds like a good time or not, regardless of what I say.

Halsey is pretty great. I don’t know much about the others, but I’d go just to see Halsey. Given that this is an all-ages show, be prepared to be surrounded by 16-year-olds who just drank their first beer. If you enjoy the show and only get puked on once, I’d consider it a success

COMMODORE BALLROOM 7 P.M. / $58

9

REMEMBRANCE DAY

TACOFINO HASTINGS X 33 ACRES BREWING COLLABORATIVE DINNER TACOFINO HASTINGS 6 P.M. - 10 P.M. / $48

If the Capilano Courier could choose a brewery and a restaurant to collaborate, it would probably look a lot like this. The best tacos in town combined with some delicious beer. I mean, what more could you possibly ask for? The fact the lineup outside the restaurant isn’t as big as the Apple store lines is a travesty.

ROGERS ARENA 7:30 P.M. / $43

12 SUN

TEDXVANCOUVER VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. / $129

Do people still care about TEDTalks? Not to be rude, but with YouTube and whole courses and speeches being uploaded daily, why would you pay so much money for this? Maybe they can do a TEDTalk on why we should still care about them.

CANADA WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM VS. USA

MOSCOW BALLET’S GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER

Women’s soccer is the only bright spot North America has when it comes to the sport. They are also some of the best women’s players in the world, so this matchup should be a good one. Cheaper than seeing the Whitecaps, too.

Apparently, there’s a 60 ft, growing Christmas tree as a part of the show. That alone sounds interesting enough. The Nutcracker is a Christmas classic, and to see the Moscow Ballet preform would be a great way to kick off the holiday season. Even if it is only November.

BC PLACE 7 P.M. / $20

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE 6 P.M. / $38

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

15

ARTS & CULTURE

FERMENT FEST “BUBBLING” WITH GOOD FOOD Tia Kutschera Fox OPINIONS EDITOR

When someone says “festival,” thoughts of empty wallets probably come to mind. And when someone says “fermentation,” thoughts of kombucha or sauerkraut probably come to mind. However, on Oct. 22, Vancouver’s first ever Ferment Fest may have just redefined the way we perceive those words, with its $3 door fee and astonishing menu. While there were plenty of kombucha and sauerkraut options, the selections went way beyond them. Foods like grapefruit mostarda (a satisfying sweet italian-style mustard with a citrusy tang), coconut aminos (a soy-free substitute for soy sauce using fermented coconut sap), and drinking vinegars (fermented fruit mixed with vinegar, meant to help with digestion) were all colorfully stacked and displayed for visitors perusal. For a smaller event with 17 vendors, the variety was impressive, and included products like miso paste, koji, tempeh, tea, and even chocolate. Running from noon to 5 p.m. at the Creekside Community Recreation Centre, the event was in thanks to organizers and co-founders of Tempea Natural Foods, Ariela Badenas and Andrew Chang. Ferment Fest is the serendipitous result of a business idea and a contest. Badenas and Chang came together for a course project in their last semester at BCIT in 2015 where they had the idea to make traditional tempeh. Tempeh is originally from Indonesia, and Chang, who grew up there, wanted to bring that authentic taste to Vancouver. Their project won a regional contest, and friends suggested they turn it into a business. So they created Tempea Natural Foods, a company that makes tempeh locally and traditionally. From there they started

selling their product at farmer’s markets. “We kept meeting all these awesome local fermentation food producers and ... we’re doing all these different types of fermented foods and [we thought] it’s high time an event like this happened in the city,” said Badenas. They wanted to bring like-minded people together to educate the public about the wonders and benefits of fermentation. “There’s just a whole bunch of fermented foods that people haven’t even heard of — and there are also foods that are already existing out there but people don’t even know that they’re fermented — chocolate and tea are two of the bigger ones.” Cheese and alcohol are another two of the most popular fermented products, and Badenas hopes to have the license in time to have alcohol at the next Fest. In Vancouver, there is clearly a demand for this type of festival. While they were hoping for about 300 people, almost twice as many showed up. Badenas and Chang managed to plan the event in record time. “We only started planning six weeks ago so it was really really tight. I think about 70 per cent of the people here are in their first year of business and that’s kind of why it made it easier for us to pull people in.” Lauren Elbe and Sheldon Lawrie of Pure Earth Superfoods are part of that 70 per cent. They started their sauerkraut business in January, and they’ve since been “getting really geeky” about sauerkraut and fermentation. With many vendors, each product had a story. Like Elbe and Lawrie’s Mountain Apple Sauerkraut, they harvest the apples from a friend’s orchard in the Lillooet Mountains, from trees 120-years-old. When asked why they went into fermented foods, Elbe explained, “Fermenting veggies increases nutrients and preserves the harvest. We’re really into local food and natural food.” Tonami van den Driesen of Van Koji

CHRIS WONG’S BREAKOUT YEAR Inside the former music student’s latest tour and details on his upcoming shows and projects Luka Vasic CONTRIBUTOR

Chris Wong stepped over the suitcases and cables spread across the floor of his home studio. “I was in... I don’t know, let me check,” he said, trying to reorganize himself. He had just returned from a music video shoot in an Oregon desert with his band The Faceplants, and had already forgotten that a few days before he had been playing the Virgin Radio Summer Wrap Party in Halifax, NS, alongside Ria Mae. “This is what happens when you’re in too many projects,” he joked as he moved around musical equipment, preparing for Mae’s upcoming Canadian tour. Before playing with Mae, Wong had studied bass at Capilano University, where

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he received a diploma in Jazz Studies. His proficiency as a multi-instrumentalist, with a passion for performance led him to playing with a variety of local acts including The Faceplants and Gabriela Geneva. After noticing him play bass and synthesizers with Geneva, Mae asked him to join her band, which would mark a new chapter in Wong’s musical career. “You get a little bit star struck sometimes, but it’s also part of the job not to be. You have to play it cool, be professional,” he said about meeting some of the artists he’s been on the same bill as. In the last year, Mae has found breakout success through her hit singles “Ooh Love” and “Clothes Off”. They had just wrapped up a summer of playing major Canadian music festivals opening for the likes of Iggy Azalea and Hedley at

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

– TIA KUTSCHERA FOX

Vancouver’s first festival of fermentation a big hit

Sheldon Lawrie and Lauren Elbe of Pure Earth Superfoods show off some of their collection

“...there are also foods that are already existing out there but people don’t even know that they’re fermented — chocolate and tea are two of the bigger ones”

the iHeart Radio Festival in Calgary, Nelly Furtado at Montreal Pride 2017, and K.D. Lang in Sydney, NS. Only three years removed from being a full-time music student, the reality of living life among the stars hit Wong while touring Europe last February, opening for Tegan and Sara. “They came into our green room the first day of tour and said, ‘nice to meet you guys, we’re Tegan and Sara,’ and it’s like the first day of school and I hope my shirt is cool enough,” said Wong. The experience of being around major artists has humanized them for himself. “Tegan came up to me and we just had a normal conversation and I felt really weird about it, but then I realized they’re just people,” he said, “we actually talked about that briefly, that when you’re an artist, it’s like nobody is allowed to touch you, nobody is allowed to have real conversations with you.” While touring and opening for established artists have greatly expanded Wong’s and Mae’s fan base, he has taken a different approach with his band The Faceplants,

Foods has been selling traditional Japanese fermented foods a little longer. Since 2013 she has been making her own miso paste, after realizing the miso paste available in Vancouver "didn’t satisfy [her] palette". She now runs workshops to teach people how to make miso and other traditional Japanese foods. This process is personally significant to her. “I’m from Japan, but I’m away from Japan, and I want to keep some traditional things for my kids.” For more information about Ferment Fest and the vendors, you can visit the website at Vancouverferments.com.

who for the last year, have taken a break from live shows to focus on social media, songwriting and their upcoming EP. “Social media is such a huge part of being, not only an artist, but a business,” said Wong. “We’ve had to let a lot of people into our personal lives, which is just part of it.” He now finds himself getting recognized at the mall, and spotting fans with “I love Chris Wong” t-shirts in the crowd. “I thank Ria a lot for that, because she was really kind about promoting me on her Instagram, and that’s helped my following.” The Faceplants have been releasing singles throughout the last six months and have a new music video on the way. Wong and Mae are currently touring Canada alongside co-headliner Scott Helman, promoting Mae’s new EP My Love, out on Nov. 3. This is their first tour with a tour bus, which they will drive from Toronto to a hometown gig in Vancouver at Venue Nightclub on Nov. 9. “I’m going to get to pull up in [my family's] driveway in a giant tour bus and go, ‘Hey mom!’,” Chris laughed.

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THE EVOLVING CULTURE OF ONLINE DATING Muzmatch and Tinder: from a Muslim's perspective Dhia Istiqamah CONTRIBUTOR

As millennials living in an ever-evolving and fast-paced lifestyle, we don’t have many opportunities to socialize and meet new people. In these technology-heavy times, meeting people online – whether romantically or not – has become a norm and online dating is no longer frowned upon. If you have been single for at least the past six months, you may have signed up for Tinder even if it is just to check out what’s going on. But, how does online dating differ for those with a more conservative background? From a relatively conservative Muslim background, opposite gender interactions have their boundaries. Although the parameters vary from families to individuals, most of the time, the end goal is similar – no sex before marriage. When we hit an age where we tell our parents that we are ready to marry, the hunt to find the perfect Muslim spouse begins.

In real life Muslim matrimonial platforms, we usually fill out a “resume” about ourselves and what we are looking for in a spouse. Then, the trusted community leader or mosque admin will figure out the most compatible matches based on the resumes. Of course, introductions and usually a few meetings are conducted to see if they really are a match before tying the knot. Young entrepreneur Shahzad Younas digitized the traditional Muslim matrimonial system with an app called Muzmatch. I was amused at how similar the app works to real life platforms. I created my account purely out of curiosity, as opposed to finding a life partner. Unlike many other dating apps, Muzmatch has specific fields in the biography section about religious-related information such as whether or not you are highly practicing and how often you pray. Privacy options on this app are also a lot more advanced than expected. Muzmatch users are able to blur out their photos to only be visible to their

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matches. This allows individuals to look past appearances, and at more of what matters. Some profiles have even more restrictions and only serious “candidates” paying a fee can reach out to these restricted profiles. My favorite feature of this app is the ability to leave feedback for your matches so that ‘positive’ users will receive a “Recommended Badge”. These features are clear proofs that this platform is geared towards people who are looking to settle down. When I created my first Tinder account two years ago, I dived in with no expectations. Soon enough, I settled with someone that I met through the app, for a year and a half. Fast forward two years, I resorted back to Tinder with the same amount of expectations – or should I say lack there of. My matches still varied dramatically from those purely looking for hookups to more serious inquiries. The people I’ve met are also diverse – from a genius neurologist to a former male escort. However, other than being able to set your distance preference and age range, Tinder exploits your profile like hot cakes. Unless stated in their bios, users will only find out what they are looking

for after talking to them. Tinder also runs on very complicated algorithms that base each user on their score of “desirability.” At the end of the day, Tinder is all about “Hot or Not” and of course, the numbers game. Many try to argue that online dating has killed romance. Through these apps, you may meet pleasant people and perhaps some who you wish you had never met, just like in real life encounters. My Tinder-dates-gone-wrong have made many of my friends blame the app for those unpleasant experiences, while the great ones became forgotten and not taken into account. As someone who has experienced these platforms, it is fair to say that, at least for me, it has not taken away completely the romantic side of it. It is not as instant as it sounds – there are still elimination processes, emotional rollercoasters and mind games involved. After all it is up to you how you play it. I look at online dating as a more blatant way to speed up your process in finding a partner – whether it’s for one-night stands or a one-life stand.

yourself. Lennox explained that the basic concept of the company is the drive behind achieving success and pushing oneself to continuously get better, while channeling the courage to transform a dream into a reality. And according to Lennox, the two year research and development process wasn’t just for the copper tech fabric. Because the company believes in providing its customers with products that can shine outside of the gym, tailoring each article was also a large task, but left an incredible impression. “We went through about 10 different fittings, meticulously taking in 16th of an inch by 16th of an inch to make sure that the shirts fit well under the arms, over the shoulders. It’s a high aesthetic company, so if you leave the gym in the clothes afterwards it's not going to be your average Nike or Lulu top that all looks the same,” said Lennox. The company has been rapidly growing at a faster rate than ever imagined, and the trio of early 20-somethings have matched their pace to fit the overwhelming success of the business. Lennox noted that though FOR Apparel started out as an e-commerce company, it has since become much more than that, and the growing team of creators are working to increase local "touchpoints" to compensate for their lack of a physical store and keep up with heavy online traffic.

Sometime in the next three weeks FOR Apparel plans on launching their next collection, The Granville Collection, inspired by fall and winter. Pieces from this release will use neutrals such as greys and blacks, a side of the fashion spectrum that the company has yet to explore, and one that is typically popular. In the coming six months the company also plans on releasing men’s joggers and shorts, incorporating the copper weaving technology into various types of cotton to create extremely soft and well-fitting bottoms. This new line will also expand the variety of colours and styles of tops. Getting into the 2018-19 year, the apparel company will be getting into the more competitive women’s wear market, both a daunting and exciting task to tackle. Originally assuming digital platform duties along with Clokie, Lennox notes the abundant supply of extensive skill, leadership, and teamwork within the company, following its successful launch. “We’ve all had to take on larger roles, as we’ve realized that we truly have something on our hands here and we want to cultivate it as best we can.” For more information on FOR Apparel, and to shop their current and upcoming collections visit: Fforapparel.com

THERE’S METAL IN MY WHAT?! Capilano University students use precious metal to mend the gap in activewear market Rachel D’Sa ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

It’s clear to any resident of Vancouver, or even those visiting, that the city is crawling with athletic wear sporting individuals. Though there is a massive market for the comfy clothing, it’s heavily dominated by name brands. However, the fear of failure hasn’t stopped young developers from entering the field using inventive tactics, in an attempt to get a taste of sweet success. Capilano University business students Connor Lennox, and Lauren Clokie, alongside CEO Lucas Skriko, founded FOR Apparel, an innovative athletic wear company that’s on the rise. With the competitive fashion sales environment, the e-commerce company has not only managed to stay afloat, but thrive by introducing meticulous engineering implementing copper into the fabrics of their product. The idea started with Skriko’s own interest in athletics and the dream of starting an athleisure clothing company. Having grown up as the son of pro hockey player for the Vancouver Canucks in the 80s, Petri Skriko, he had been around comfortable and functional clothing his whole life. By incorporating copper nanoparticles, through a process of infusing them into cotton, the clothes become anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, resistant to wrinkles, wear and moisture, while also offering odor control, UV protection (UPF 40+), and many other benefits. Lennox noted that the company has an edge on many large athletic wear companies, but it didn’t come easy.The manufacturing process, which took two years to perfect, had to tackle the problem

that came with working with the infused material to retain colour. “Usually if you were to dye a copper garment it would come out discoloured and almost tie dye,” said Lennox. The lengthy and tough process, however, was vital to push through as Skriko knew that the market was extremely competitive and that if he was going to follow his dream, he was going to have to come out of the gates fast. “Lucas had a connection to a factory overseas that was working on developing the technology, and so he tethered with them and gave his input along the way, and decided to tether his new clothing line to this new technology to bring products to that market that other clothing companies cannot provide,” noted Lennox. Along with the distinctive technology, the apparel company also sets itself apart from the sea of athletic wear brands with their identifying ‘high aesthetic activewear’ design in the athleisure crossover market. Primarily focusing on males in the 18 to 35 age range, the brand draws from local inspiration to create outstanding product that doesn’t have the typical athletic wear look. The first collection, The Crosstown Collection, was released in mid-August and consists of five shirts featuring unique and wearable aesthetic elements. “I believe Lucas took some inspiration from the vibrant colours of Kitsilano, particularly the West 4th neighbourhood where his head office is located. He’s also Finnish so I think some of the designs, perhaps the polo, speak to his origins,” said Lennox. FOR, which stands for Find One Reason, reflects the company’s philosophy of doing one thing a day to improve

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THIS SHOULD BE THE YEAR

Best of the PACWEST, the Blues Women's Basketball team is gearing up to take the gold Helen Aikenhead FEATURES EDITOR

Last year, the Capilano University Blues Women's Basketball team saw another astounding season. Going nearly undefeated and finishing first in the regular season with a 16-2 record, the team was the best in the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST). The 2016-17 season saw both the team and its individual players achieve success both on and off the court. Ashley Dela Cruz Yip, the team's point guard and leader on the floor, was the recipient of multiple awards including the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All-Canadian and PACWEST Second Team All Star. Last year's team captain and lead scorer, Carmelle M'Bikata, made news when she was named to the CCAA All-Canadian team as well as the PACWEST Player of the Year. Despite their many triumphs, the Blues were left disappointed in the PACWEST finals. Although the team had a strong start, they fell behind the Douglas College Royals in the second quarter and ultimately came away with the silver medal and without a spot at

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nationals. According to Dela Cruz Yip, this was history repeating itself. In the previous gold medal game, the Blues were also shocked by a second-place finish, despite a strong run throughout the season. M'Bikata suggested that the change in pace in last season's final may have been due to fatigue, before agreeing with Dela Cruz Yip that there also may have been a lack of communication on the court in that fateful game. “I think it might have been too that nearing [the] end of third or fourth quarter, we kind of weren't playing as much as a team as we should have been,” said Dela Cruz Yip, “we were playing kind of individually and not really utilizing each others' best parts.” Both players agree that communication is going to play an important role in their upcoming campaign. Dela Cruz Yip explained that while this is important in both offensive and defensive plays, trust and communication between the players are key aspects of strong defence. “Defence was a big thing for us last year, and I'm sure it's going to be the same this year,” M'Bikata explained, “We've always been emphasizing that during practice — that we should focus on defence first and then our offence will come.” A test for the team will be keeping that defence consistent up until the buzzer, as past games have shown their defence to decrease only in the final quarters. The off-season has shown the team's new communication-focused approach

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to be off to a good start. The six newest additions to the Blues' roster have been settling in well, picking up plays and quickly earning the trust of their returning counterparts. Dela Cruz Yip and M'Bikata are both excited about the four rookies joining the team, describing them as very committed, eager to compete and open to communication. Dela Cruz Yip explained that there is a

“Although the team had a strong start, they fell behind the Douglas College Royals in the second quarter and ultimately came away with the silver medal and without a spot at nationals.” big learning curve for players who are entering the league, so it's important they learn the skill early. “We're trying to make sure that they're staying vocal with us. Like, let us know if there's something that [they] don't understand...and they're doing that. They're letting us know if they have an issue.” Experienced players Danya Lincoln and Emma Cunningham have also signed on to the Blues’ roster this year

and are both expected to bring a lot to the coming season. Although Lincoln was injured early in the pre-season, she is expected to be back on the court soon and is described by Dela Cruz Yip as a great presence for the team, especially on the boards. Cunningham is expected to bring a lot to the team too. Entering her fourth year, Cunningham has played as an opponent of the Blues many times and her new teammates are excited to now have her on their side. Although the team hasn’t played as many exhibition games as they have in past years, this off-season has served them well in terms of getting the new players more familiar with the core principles and in getting the new and returning players acquainted – but it hasn't been easy. Due to several injuries, there has been a bit of a lull in the team's drive, and only recently with more players returning to practices have they picked back up. The only player still recovering is forward Nancy Emma, who suffered a concussion at the start of the season. Making sure that Emma is fully recovered before she steps back on the court is a priority to the team, but they are hopeful that it won't be too long before she can play. Despite the setbacks, the team is ranked seventh in the nation going into the season. As Dela Cruz Yip explained, it's good that the team is getting the shift in momentum out of the way now so come the opening game on Nov. 10, they will be ready to give it their all.

–VANCOUVER SPORTS PHOTO

SPORTS

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JUSTIN YEE’S TEAM-FIRST ATTITUDE IS PROPELLING BLUES VOLLEYBALL TO NEW HEIGHTS

Justin Scott MANAGING EDITOR

A dominant start to the year has the Capilano University Blues Men’s Volleyball team ecstatic about this season’s prospects. While the team’s triumphs have been due to a mixture of veteran leadership and skillful youth, it’s been impossible to miss the impact of Justin Yee’s play – last year’s Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) Rookie of the Year. Yet, while Yee has been one of the team’s leaders, he almost wasn’t able to start the season. While training over the summer, Yee injured his ankle after stepping on a teammate’s foot. “During a pre-season practice, this guy here actually,” Yee said, motioning to Sameh Khodr, who was sitting beside Yee at one of the Sportsplex’s benches. “Just in a drill, I went up to block and it was kind of both of our faults, but I landed on his foot and I rolled it.” “I guess I didn’t really take it too seriously at first,” he continued. “I should have gone to physio right away, I was walking on it which made it worse.” However, while his ankle still bothers him at times, Yee was rehabbed and ready to go in time for the Oct.13 season opener against the Douglas College Royals. Since that game, the Blues have only dropped one set en route to their 6-0 record. Although Yee has been a presence for the Blues this season, the

injury wasn’t the only adjustment he’s had to make – he’s playing an almost entirely different position. One of the Blues’ new weapons is rookie Jacob Hopkins, who happens to be a right outside hitter – Yee’s old position. Rather than rotate through and share the side, the team thought it would be to their advantage to have both Yee and Hopkins on the court at the same time, meaning Yee switched to left outside hitter. “I’m going from right side to left side,” Yee explained. “I’m passing and I’m hitting from the left side now. I think I’m transitioning okay, there’s definitely some stuff to improve on and I’m still coming back from an ankle injury,” he continued. Yee’s move speaks to more than his play, it’s reflective of who he is as a teammate. While individual success is important for any athlete, Yee is clearly far more concerned about his team than stats and accolades. For example, while most would be elated – if not braggadocios – about receiving a Rookie of the Year award, once the initial excitement wore off, Yee wasn’t too concerned about the honour. “Last year when it happened it was kind of a big deal, like ‘Wow, this is actually real.’ It was kind of surreal,” he said. “But now when I look back on it, it’s just an award, it doesn’t really affect the team – I’d rather get something for the team than an individual award.”

RETOOLED BLUES READY TO CHASE GOLD After a productive offseason, the men's basketball team is ready to take the next step towards provincial success Luka Vasic CONTRIBUTOR

Though the Capilano Blues Men’s Basketball team is coming off a very bumpy season, they are confident that they will not be making the same mistakes this year. “Our record didn’t indicate how well we played,” said Head Coach Cassidy Kannemeyer. “We had a couple close losses, fourth quarter execution is a big thing we need to work on this year, being able to close games.” After finishing the regular season with a 10-8 record, the Blues managed to claw their way through the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) provincial tournament. First closing out the Camosun Chargers in the quarter-finals, and then outlasting the Langara Falcons in the semis, the third-seeded Blues found themselves in a finals matchup against the first seeded Vancouver Island University Mariners. However, while the Blues were energetic and aggressive in the first half, the Mariners eventually prevailed in the second, with the Blues falling 94-77. “Our energy dipped, our defensive intensity wasn’t there, and we weren’t talking,” said

team captain Niko Mottus, one of four returning players from last year. “That led to some defensive lapses.” The rocky season and finals loss left Mottus, Kannemeyer and the rest of the team with some insight on what to improve for this season, however the biggest change proved to be personnel. Having lost a great deal of their bigs, including Greet Gill and Jesse Mushiana, the Blues have retooled their roster with length and speed, looking to play a more modern style of basketball. “We replaced those guys with guys that are taller and faster,” said Coach Kannemeyer, “Nathan Bromige is very fast for 6’7, Larry [Stupar] is 6’9, Kiante Knight and CJ Campbell are both sprinters.” Bromige, Knight and Campbell, as well as Amir Hajisafar and Michael Kelly are all rookies this season, all straight out of high school, and Stupar is a former red shirt (practiced with the team but never played, meaning he didn’t lose a year of eligibility) now making his rookie debut. Regardless of their experience, they already have big expectations from their new coach. “All those guys already in game scenarios look totally fine, I expect they will be rotational players and contributors,”

–VANCOUVER SPORTS PHOTO

After winning Rookie of the Year, the hitter has his sights set on a championship

Although Yee’s award last year didn’t directly affect the entirety of the team, it did help him realize what he can do as an individual to better those around him and be the best teammate he can be. “I took charge in tight pressure situations – my energy was a positive energy on the court. I just felt like a mature presence on the team,” he said. With Yee’s outstanding rookie season playing a role in the team’s turnaround 2016-17 campaign, this year is looking like it could hold more than just individual accolades for the team. While the players set a goal at the beginning of the season to medal this year, their hot start has their original target looking like an undershoot. However, Yee is being careful to make sure that neither he nor his teammates get comfortable. “The season is going well, it’s off to a really good start,” he said. “But, at the same time we don’t want to get ahead

of ourselves because, as nice as it is being six and 0, we haven’t really played any challenging teams.” Keeping that in mind, Yee has been focusing on improving his game in anticipation of a long season. “I’m just trying to be a more consistent player mentally and physically,” he explained. “Just being there for players if they make a mistake, having a positive impact both offensively and defensively, having a consistent service, and just being able to put the ball away when my setter gives it to me.” With things rolling for the team, and individuals bettering themselves, the season is looking good so far for the Blues. If they can keep this up, Yee believes the team should be able to achieve their goal of medalling while on their way to the national tournament.

said Kannemeyer of his new core. Another new addition to the team is fourth-year transfer Denver Sparks-Guest, who is expected to immediately make an impact. “Denver is a playmaker, he is super versatile offensively,” said Kannemeyer. “He’s a very skilled player, look for him to put up points and be a leader,” added Motus. Sparks-Guest and the rookies complete the teams core that already features returning players like Brenden Bailey (who is returning from a season hiatus), Grady Huskisson and 2017 Rookie of the Year Wowie Untalan. Also returning to the team are Co-Captains Motus and Hassan Phills, both whom were key parts of their provincial run last season, with Phills being named a 2016-17 Pacwest Championship Tournament All-Star. The team’s vets and new recruits have already spent a great deal of time together in effort to build chemistry. “Niko and Hassan in the offseason were practicing with these guys, lots of one-on-one training with our assistant Mike Ironside,” said Kannemeyer, “I’m sure a lot of lessons were going on there because the rookies came in and it was a very seamless transition.” Sparks-Guest was also excited by the mentality of the team over the offseason. “We usually got together two to three times a week to play in the offseason, but everybody took it in their own hands to stay in shape and fine tune their skills,” he said.

The offseason work and new talent has the new look Blues very confident going into the season. “Our goal would be to win provincials and go to nationals, if we take care of everything we should be able to do that,” said Sparks-Guest. “With the revamped roster, I think we have a very good shot of taking home that gold and hopefully making some noise in nationals,” added Motus, “Our roster this year is so deep, if you put any of our guys on 1-12, even our red shirts, they can play in the game and do it all.” Kannemeyer realizes the team’s potential, but also knows how hard it is to succeed in this league, especially this year with their PACWEST opponents, the Douglas Royals, ranked fifth in the nation and two other PACWEST teams in the top fifteen. According to the coach, rebounding and defense will be heavily emphasized this year. “Grit and grind, I like that, part of it is because Niko and Hassan are our captains,” said Kannemeyer, “Nico is a total lunch pail player, he gets exponentially better just from working harder than anybody, so when your captain is like that, it’s infectious, and we’re getting close to having 12 guys that are like that, they will sacrifice their individual statistics for team toughness, and hitting the floor.” The Capilano Blues Men’s basketball team kick off their 2017-18 season at home Nov. 10 against the Quest University Kermodes.

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

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CABOOSE

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CAPILANO CONFESSIONS

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HOROSCOPES

THE VOICEBOX with Justin Scott

My teacher brought a guest speaker into class. He was stoned and we could smell it…

“I thought this guy was going for a hug and it turns out he was just reaching for the door behind me.”

I hope it wasn’t me.

Halloween is over. Take the mask off.

Hey Justin

TAURUS (APR. 20 – MAY 20)

Your new relationship isn’t going to last.

Hey Who do you think is gonna win All Stars 3?

–

GEMINI (MAY 21 – JUN. 20)

Fortune favours the bold. Sucks for you.

What’s that?

“I’m surprised with the little amount of people who know the steps to the Cotton Eye Joe.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race…

CANCER (JUN 21 – JULY 22)

If you can’t afford a raincoat, a garbage bag will do.

You’re no help.

– “I still have to sing the alphabet to figure out the order of letters.”

The Voicebox is back! If you have any questions, concerns or any other bitchin’ to do, text it over to our boy Justin at 778-873-7288. “Please text me,” he says. “No one else does.”

LEO (JUL. 23 – AUG. 22)

It’ll take years to fix the damage you’ll cause this week.

– “I have to sing 'Hollaback Girl' to spell banana. ”

123456

–

SUDOKU

VIRGO (AUG. 23 – SEPT. 21)

You know what you’ve done.

Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.52) Difficulty: Medium

5

–

2 9

6

3

4

LIBRA (SEPT. 22 – OCT. 23)

3

2

6

7 2

“My boyfriend didn’t know butter came from cows.”

1

6

8 6

8

8

5 2

4

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 – JAN. 19)

2 4

3

3 6

1

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sat Nov 4 00:02:58 2017 GMT. Enjoy!

Read more and submit your own confession at capilanocourier.com/confessions

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TO ADVERTISE in the Courier’s pages, please contact us by phone at 778-995-4388 or email John Tabbernor our at community.capcourier@gmail.com. We are proud to offer discounts to non-profit organizations and North Shore customers. A full media kit with sizes, rates and deadlines is available on our website, CapilanoCourier.com. Classified advertisements up to 50 words are free for students.

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 7

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 – DEC. 21)

Don’t worry, it will be all over soon.

4 5

SCORPIO (OCT. 24 – NOV. 21)

According to the stars, you’re fucked.

8

“I called my ex to drive my other ex home because my other ex was too drunk.”

Not getting hit by that car will be the highlight of your week.

5

6

–

–

Can I have some of your cake?

ARIES (MAR. 21 – APR. 19)

Me too.

“I hooked up with a guy, then I found out he was still with his girlfriend… then I hooked up with him again.”

“I tried a spoonful of margarine once. It wasn’t good.”

IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK:

I used to hit on my communications professor for fun.

–

“Someone on campus asked me if I wanted to be in a porno the other day.”

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Treat yourself to a whole pumpkin pie this week.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 – FEB.18)

Live your best life. No matter how mediocre it is. PISCES (FEB. 19 – MAR. 20)

When in doubt, nap.