VOLUME 50, ISSUE 16
FEB. 26–MAR. 4, 2018
NEWS
CapU announces 2018 Teaching Excellence awards recipients
FEATURES
Inside the Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Centre
Understanding the marijuana industry with the upcoming legalization PG. 10
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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EDITOR'S DESK
VOL. 50 ISSUE 16 FEBRUARY 26–MARCH 4 CLEANERS REACH TENTATIVE DEAL WITH EMPLOYER
News
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Campus Life
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WALKING THE LONG DARK ROAD
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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: WIND-UP BIRDS
Adulting: be prepared
CAPILANO’S YOGA CLUB CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Opinions
Arts
10 KÉXWUSM-ÁYAKN STUDENT CENTRE
Special Feature
12 MARIJUANA’S NEW MARKETPLACE
Cover Feature
14 THE BLACK PANTHER EXIT SURVEY
Art Shorts
18 BLUES VOLLEYBALL ALL-STARS Sports
STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ART DIRECTOR
Carlo Javier capcourier@gmail.com
Rachel Wada artdirector.capcourier@gmail.com
MANAGING EDITOR
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Justin Scott manager.capcourier@gmail.com
Cristian Fowlie pm.capcourier@gmail.com
NEWS EDITOR
COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER
Christine Beyleveldt news.capcourier@gmail.com
John Tabbernor community.capcourier@gmail.com
OPINIONS EDITOR
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Tia Kutschera Fox opinions.capcourier@gmail.com
Andy Rice andy.capcourier@gmail.com
FEATURES EDITOR
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Helen Aikenhead specialfeatures.capcourier@gmail.com
Freya Wasteneys, Natasha Jones, Laura Melczer, Kevin Kapenda
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
COVER ARTIST
Rachel D'Sa arts.capcourier@gmail.com
Pamella Pinard CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS
Greta Kooy campuslife.capcourier@gmail.com
Ryan McDiarmid, Laura Pummel, Rachel Sanvido, Fiona Dunnet, Rachel Wada
ONLINE EDITOR
EDITOR + COLUMNIST PORTRAITS
Jessica Lio online.capcourier@gmail.com
Rachel Wada
CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR
COPY EDITOR
Leah Scheitel copy.capcourier@gmail.com
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of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 16
“Too much change is not a good thing. Ask the climate.” – Michael Scott
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e almost didn’t make it this week. After several days of sporadic snowfall, the Greater Vancouver area was finally struck by an absurd amount of snow on the morning of Friday, Feb. 23. By “absurd”, I mean in a relative sense to what we’re used to seeing around these parts. Like the rest of Greater Vancouver – we were wholly unprepared. Every time a considerable amount of snow falls from the sky for an extended stretch of time, it seems like the entire Lower Mainland just stops working. Roads quickly become unsafe to access, buses start to fail and sometimes, the SkyTrain just straight up fails. Around noon, the 239 Bus from Phibbs Exchange to Capilano University just gave up, forcing students who were still on route to the campus to take a long, treacherous trek to the University. Prior to that, commuters from Burnaby who take the 28 Bus from Gilmore to Phibbs were left to fend for themselves as some buses refused to drive up the small hill towards Hastings. While there are ample amounts of drivers who drive with extra caution when braving the snow-laden roads, there are also an equal number of drivers who become the worst version of themselves. One peek at a busy intersection on a snowy day can show enough bad decision-making to last you a week. We may be able to defend Vancouver’s gross unpreparedness regarding snowstorms with the general lack of heavy snowfall in the region, but is that really a valid defence for unpreparedness? We talk a lot about earthquakes and preparedness for when “the big one” comes, but if we can’t have a semblance of composure and strategy when it comes to a bit of snow, how the fuck are we supposed to survive a dramatic shift in the tectonic plates? Emergency preparedness is a fascinating topic, especially because for the most part, we can be wholly unprepared even for non-emergency issues. Take for example – graduates. The general message is that life in university is a way to prepare ourselves for reality, for life outside the protective boundaries of academia. When I graduated from the School of Communication last spring, I certainly knew how to do things like press releases, a SWOT analysis and also damn near everything that revolved around reporting, writing and editing. What I didn’t learn from school was that extended healthcare coverage from your parents ends when you hit 23 and when you leave school. Having been diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2010, I’ve become accustomed to having my daily medication covered by extended health plan, never really considering the importance it would play in my life. For many years, I used a drug called Azathioprine to suppress my Crohn’s. This past summer, my doctor suggested switching over to Humira, a newer and safer medication that did not come with the potentially debilitating side-effects that Azathioprine did. Unlike the Azathioprine, Humira comes via pen that a patient would have to self-inject. It also costs about $20,000 a year. So you could imagine my fear when I realized that my extended health coverage had expired and the possibility of having to pay a little over $700 for two pens was looming. While I have since learned how to fix my health coverage issue, the lesson I learned about preparedness is just as valuable as having the government cover my medical fees. We can never really be truly prepared for anything. Whether it’s about something as unpredictable as the weather, or even something we had years to think about like postgraduation plans. I guess the least we can do is try and figure things out along the way.
NEWS
CAPUMA hosts clothing drive for Covenant House Donations will be sent to the organization to clothe homeless youth CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR
- CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT
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he Capilano University Marketing Association (CAPUMA) hosted their annual clothing drive last week, an initiative spearheaded four years ago to collect clothing for a Vancouver charity. This year, Director of Events Sarah Friesen chose the local charity. “I chose Covenant House because I partnered with them when I was in high school actually, we did a sleep-out for my social justice class,” said Friesen. The experience, she added, showed her what sort of chalengeses homeless youth faced every day. Covenant House is an agency that provides food, shelter and services for homeless and runaway youth. By partnering with them, Friesen hopes it will show the CAPUMA as an organization that cares about community. For the last two years, the CAPUMA has collected donations for the Dress for Success Vancouver Society, which provides support and business attire to women who can’t afford it. “I do know that they [CAPUMA] did have a struggle finding – because it was just business
Director of Events Sarah Friesen and Director of Sponsorship Raymond Lam strike a pose at CAPUMA's library table clothes that they were looking for, and a lot of students here, they’re just getting started in the business industry so they maybe don’t have a lot of extra business clothes lying around,” said Friesen. “But Covenant House, they kind of collect everything which is why it was kind of
perfect for us.” She remarked midway through the week that she would’ve liked to see more men on campus bringing clothing donations. Men make up 70 per cent of Vancouver’s homeless population, but at that point the vast majority of donations
the CAPUMA had received were women’s clothing and shoes. “I’d like to make a difference somehow in some of these people’s lives,” Friesen said.
Centre for Teaching Excellence recognizes Capilano University educators with new award Five instructors were selected from a pool of 144 nominees across all five faculties CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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ike their top students, Capilano University teachers are also getting good grades. This February, the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) announced the first recipients of its inaugural Teaching Excellence Award – an initiative designed to honour the educational innovation and impact of CapU professors and instructors. The winners include Karen Okun from the School of Business, Eugene Chu from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Barb Mathieson from Education and Childhood Studies, Stephen Atkins from Performing Arts and Greig Gjerdalen from Tourism Management. “We looked for ones that talked about innovation and pedagogy or doing something really impactful in the class,” said Laura MacKay, manager of the CTE. In total, 144 different professors and
instructors were nominated by students, which, according to MacKay, represent well over 20 per cent of the entire CapU faculty. When accounting for multiple nominations, the submission ballot amassed a total of 327 entries. Submission ballots were made available to students during the last week of the Fall semester final exam period. The selection process, which MacKay emphasized as being “very difficult,” involved her input, as representative of the CTE, and a committee of faculty development put together by the Capilano Faculty Association (CFA). While several members of faculty were nominated multiple times, the judges placed more weight on “impact factor” over the volume of nominations. Mackay, who admitted to having been brought to tears by several student testimonials, said numerous submissions cited an educator’s contributions that go beyond teaching. “Students talked about physical health challenges, mental health challenges, family and emotional situations, and that, that faculty member was there for them and that sort of impact.” Ultimately, the judges wound up picking one recipient for each of CapU’s
five faculties (Arts and Sciences, Business and Professional Studies, Education, Health and Human Development, Fine and Applied Arts and Global and Community Studies). “In the end, we decided that there was no bad option and we would do it again next year,” said MacKay. “We know that there was so many more people that we could have and should have recognized.” Launched in August last year, the CTE has already made significant contributions in providing more resources for members of the CapU faculty. In the previous semester, the Centre facilitated short instructional workshops that addressed certain caveats those professors and instructors might consider in the classroom such as starting classes and alternative ways to assess learning. The Centre also helped CapU create an open educational strategy – one that went beyond an open textbook concept by also looking into practices such as nondisposable assignments. “We’re well ahead of many other institutions in the integration of portfolios into our program,” said MacKay. Though innovation is often
exciting, MacKay understands that there are limitations to some of the projects that CapU educators can pursue. “Innovation is what we should be aiming for and it sometimes gets stifled in the procedures that we have to follow,” she said. “How do we really innovate something that’s ahead of where other institutions are and ahead of where they’re thinking, within the system that we have?” Nonetheless, she admits that procedures “are there for a reason.” MacKay’s hope is to cast a bigger spotlight in the work of CapU’s faculty members. “I 100 per cent believe we have phenomenal faculty here and I think it’s a secret, we have to get the word out there,” she said. Long recognized as a teachingintensive institution that values the role of small classrooms and peer-to-peer communication, CapU’s next step could be capitalizing on that small school characteristic. “Within Canada, there are centres for teaching and learning that work on the scholarship of teaching and learning – research about what’s best practice for teaching in the sciences, or the arts, etc. – I think we can be leaders in that,” said MacKay.
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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 16
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NEWS
Energy and Emissions Plan under development District of North Vancouver takes community feedback CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR
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he District of North Vancouver (DNV) is creating a Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) in an effort to define energy use and reduce overall emission rates. Last spring, BC Hydro and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) provided funding to support the creation of the plan, for which Municipal Hall hosted a forum on Feb. 15 to generate ideas and gather feedback from the community. The DNV hopes to have reduced emissions by 33 per cent by 2030 from levels measured in 2007and by 80 per cent by 2050. Principal and Director of Strategy at Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates, Jeffrey Tumlin, reviewed the DNV’s current sources of emissions, which come from land use, buildings, transportation, energy and waste. Transportation accounts for over half of all emissions, and 31 per cent is from personal vehicles, which is more than all commercial, industrial and residential buildings combined. Tumlin added that the DNV needs to get to a state where buildings are consuming 70 to 80 per cent less energy than they are now in order to meet 2050 targets. One resident inquired about the future of solar energy, to which Capilano University Sustainability and Facilities Manager Bill Demopoulos said the University hired Stantec Consulting about a year ago, who estimated that in the prime location on CapU’s largest building, solar panels would pay themselves off in 100 years. This is approximately four times the lifespan of the average solar panel, making it a costly investment. “It’s definitely one of the most challenging solar markets right
The Community Energy and Emissions Plan outlining the DNV's need and source of emissions here in North America, in Vancouver because of our extremely cheap and clean electricity,” said Demopoulos, which he added was a benefit, as 95 per cent of electricity produced in BC was coming from hydroelectric dams as of 2014. However, residents were most interested in incentives to purchase electric cars, which would make a considerable difference in lowering the DNV’s overall emissions. “We’re a little puzzled that it is not catching on as fast as it maybe caught on with us,” said one resident, who asked what the Municipality could do, since most buildings won’t provide the charging infrastructure unless residents already have an electric vehicle at the time
they move in. Special Events Assistant from Metro Vancouver, Brendon James, announced that the province plans to release several programs including incentive funding in April and electric vehicle charging rebate to encourage more people to consider electric vehicles as their mode of transport. Charles Montgomery, Director of Happy City, estimated in order to reach the CEEP’s targets by 2050, the DNV needs to retrofit 18,500 homes. That, on average, means 600 homes per year, beginning with 100 homes and gradually increasing over the next few years need to be retrofitted. He later acknowledged that housing is the number one problem in the Lower Mainland, and that sustainability needs to be brought into
the conversation. Montgomery added that actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions improve overall health and social wellbeing by allowing residents to live longer, healthier lives, and also enjoy better connectivity with each other and the natural environment. “What’s remarkable, and this is data from large American cities, is people who are living in co-op places – walk-able, connected places as opposed to living on the fringe of metropolitan areas – they’re reporting better relationships with their neighbours,” he said. This is something the DNV can already claim to have, but still improve.
Campus shutdown averted Cleaners reach tentative deal with employer Best Service Pros CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR
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leaners at Capilano University had set the stage to walk off the job on Feb. 19 after months of negotiating a new contract with their employer, Best Service Pros. The strike, however, was averted after they reached a tentative agreement the previous Tuesday. No details on the agreement are available until after the bargaining committee votes to accept or reject it, which they were scheduled to do on Feb. 24. The cleaners have been bargaining with Best Service Pros since September after joining Service Employees
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International Union (SEIU) Local 2 and its campaign Justice for Janitors in June. “Bargaining did not result in anything close to what the workers were hoping to receive with their third contract, then mediation also created minimal impact,” said SEIU 2 Organizer Zoe Luba. “[The cleaners] were not willing to accept a deal that would have them making similar wages with no benefits.” Best Service Pros won the tendering process and the right to hire cleaners for CapU in 2015. The 29 cleaners employed by Best Service Pros at CapU are paid between $11.50 and $12 per hour, well below the living wage, which is slightly over $20 per hour in Vancouver. “There were definitely times when we felt tired and frustrated, but this all goes to show when workers come together and refuse to give up, we can make real gains for ourselves
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and our families,” cleaner Delia Tanza, who is also a member of the bargaining committee, included in a press release. Many of the cleaners, including Tanza, have families to provide for and have taken on second jobs to be able to cover the cost of living. The deal came just two days after cleaners voted unanimously in favour of striking. If the strike had gone ahead before the cleaners reached a tentative deal, it would’ve resulted in a campus wide shutdown. Luba explained that the BC Federation of Labour, Capilano Faculty Association and B1004, which represent CapU staff, faculty and the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU)’s staff respectively, are allowed to respect picket lines without facing any disciplinary action. This means that if the cleaners had gone on strike, potentially hundreds of staff and faculty would’ve stood behind them. “[It’s]
pretty hard for the campus to run under those circumstances and all three of those unions were willing to stand with the janitors and respect those picket lines,” said Luba. Finally an end is in sight to negotiations. It has taken the CapU cleaners nearly a year to reach this tentative deal, which Luba says all of the janitors appear to be happy with. “What the Best Service Pros janitors at CapU have done is very significant,” she added. “It takes a lot of courage to lead that kind of a fight and to not give up.” She believes that the janitorial industry as a whole will be effected after cleaners see what CapU’s cleaners have been able to accomplish.
CAMPUS LIFE
Getting ahead in the industry
Leaders of Tomorrow look to help soon-to-be grads transition to the work force CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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mit Sharma is paying it forward. The second-year student of Capilano Universitys North American Business Management Post Baccalaureate program is just mere months away from completing his diploma. Before he crosses the stage, he wants to make sure that other CapU students get the chance to experience some of the perks he’s seen since walking into CapU grounds.“I just want to share my experiences and the types of opportunities I got,” he said. As a mentee in the Centre for International Experience mentorship program, Sharma caught wind of the opportunities that the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBT) provided to post-secondary students by way of its Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) program. The GVBT is the leading force in the region’s professional development, organizing events and programs for the smaller business associations in western Canada. One of their notable recent events is bringing in Michelle Obama for a keynote speech this past Feb. 15. Within the GVBT are “signature programs”, initiatives that are focused on the growth and development of young business leaders in the west. One of these programs is LOT, which Sharma was referred to by his former mentor in the CIE, as well as by business instructor, Mitra Kiamanesh. Built on four pillars (mentorship, leadership, networking and volunteerism), the LOT puts applicants through an intense selection process and once accepted, students are paired with a professional from the industry of their choice – who then mentors them for the entirety of their final year in post-secondary or graduate school. This mentorship program includes regular meetings throughout the school year, as well as an official membership to the GVBT, priority access to job postings and complimentary tickets to GVBT industry events. Though the LOT seems intensely focused on business, Sharma attests that the program is also beneficial to students from other fields of study – citing one of his peers who came from a computer science background. “There’s a couple of programs that are focused on [other fields], too,” he said. “They also have the same opportunity that we have.” Sharma’s passions are rooted in business, particularly with its global growth. “International business is always dynamic, always changing, always contributing to trade,” he said. “After the changing political scenarios of the world, there’s a lot of things going on, that’s why I’m always passionate about international business.” With the Apr. 30 application deadline looming, Sharma is hopeful that more CapU students look into getting involved with the GVBT and the LOT. “I would say, ‘why not’?” he said. “I know a couple of students who already got jobs due to the networking of the program.” For near-grads looking to get a step ahead in the competition, a 15-minute application just might be the way to go.
- LAURA PUMMELL
Stretch your mind
Capilano’s Yoga Club helps students sweat out the semester GRETA KOOY CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR
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ancouver’s yoga community is thriving, and if you’re not involved in yoga yourself, you know at least five people who are – and for good
reason. For Capilano University students, it can be hard to find the time to fit in the much needed, and deserved, exercise our bodies require. The practice of yoga offers not only a good workout for your body, but also for your mind, something that unfortunately is often overlooked. CapU Sciences student Duncan Davidson recognized a need for the tranquil activity on campus, and last semester, began preparing to introduce CapU Yoga to the campus community. “There are so many reasons to introduce yoga to a campus like this,” he said. “There are so many benefits mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually for some. I think everyone can benefit from it, even if you’re already in great shape.” Through networking, Davidson was able to connect other CapU students already involved in the yoga community and eventually met three students excited to start a yoga program with him at the University. After discussing their individual schedules, Davidson and his colleagues approached the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) with his proposal for the CapU Yoga Club. From there, Davidson sought the assistance of Milton Williams, the manager for the Department of Athletics and Recreation on campus, who provided the necessary space for yoga sessions. Sessions run by the CapU Yoga Club take place every Wednesday in the Sportsplex fitness centre from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and are free for CapU students. Class sizes still run small for each session, which for something as serene and calming as a yoga class isn’t necessarily a problem. “My dream is for there to be multiple sessions per week, with each instructor hosting at least one on a
recurring basis. But, you have to walk before you can run, so I’m happy with just the one recurring session for now,” said Davidson. Davidson is the founder and president of the CapU Yoga Club. Although a serious yoga enthusiast, he is not one of the instructors, rather fellow CapU student Paloma Lafavor is. The CapU Yoga team consists completely of CapU students, whose goal is to provide other students the opportunity to practice yoga and build a community on campus. The club’s Wednesday timeslot is ideal for many students. “It’s the middle of the day, the middle of the week,” said Davidson, “I think it provides a nice breath of fresh air to busy schedules.” A typical yoga session will take participants through a series of movements and breathing exercises for the duration of the class. Starting out slow and controlled, the instructor will guide students progressively to more challenging exercises and then taper off near the end to cool down, stretch and relax. “It’s that build up and break down that provides the exercise and stress relief that people always talk about with yoga,” said Davidson. Going forward this semester, Davidson and the CapU Yoga Club will participate in the CSU-organized DeStress Week for the second time and hope to end the year with a special event. “I’m hoping to get a big event going, I think it would be cool to do an outdoor yoga session on the field,” he said. Davidson also mentioned being contacted by coordinators at the CapU Residences, saying that bringing yoga sessions to students living on Dollarton Highway was something to look forward to. “Yoga is a good way to incorporate a little bit of movement into the day,” said Davidson, “especially if you’re sitting at the computer typing or writing at a desk all day. Having balance in your life with a bit of yoga, I think it really helps.” Students looking to get involved in the CapU Yoga Club are encouraged to reach out to Davidson and the clubs other members via email at capuyogaclub@gmail.com.
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OPINIONS
I walk this lonely road... Despite safe campus initiatives, there is a lot to be desired for feeling safe at night LAURA MELCZER CONTRIBUTOR
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alking at night, especially for women, can be a dangerous game. The feeling of insecurity is next to none. Sometimes it’s enough for someone to put their keys between two fingers and run to an area that is well lit and secure. Being alone, walking at night has threats around every corner. And that feeling comes no matter where a person is. Universities are made to be safe spaces for exploring new ideas while gaining the skills and tools to conquer the workforc. Unfortunately reality isn’t that pretty. Many universities
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have had reports of assaults on campus grounds and Capilano University can be intimidating when it’s dark after a night class. What also needs to be considered is more than the intellectual safety of students and faculty. There needs to be the discussion and action of how to keep the people on campus safe and secure as physical threats still persist. The feeling of physical safety is just as important as the feeling of intellectual safety as students explore theory and practice at CapU. The discussions and policies in place around keeping people at CapU safe needs to increase, especially when it comes to students staying late on campus. There are programs in place to help those walking at night feel secure on campus. The SafeWalk program provides a campus security guard to walk with anyone who requests it to their destination within the limits of the North Van campus. On the Capilano Security
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website, there is also a brief description about having a buddy system for studying outside of regular class hours. Those initiatives are necessary and useful to have in place. However, there needs to be something more tangible to counteract the feeling of being unsafe at night. For people walking to their car after burning the midnight oil, there is a responsibility to keep them safe. And that includes protocols that people will actually use. Practically, the SafeWalk program isn’t well known or publicized. People also don’t want to be seen as “that person”, meaning that often the discomfort or fear of walking alone at night is disregarded because the potential threat isn’t always perceived as important. Even if the SafeWalk program becomes more popular, there will be issues with the small number of security personnel available to walk people to their cars compared to the potentially large numbers of people who would want to
- RACHEL SANVIDO
utilize the service. The SafeWalk program is a start, but there needs to be more. Increasing the number of lights on pathways to parking lots could go a long way in making students feel safer on that long dark walk to their car. Having more security telephones along pathways could make people feel more secure walking alone. Recreation activities, such as self-defense classes, are fun, active, and provide information about how to protect yourself. Making the campus safer for everyone doesn’t need to include large-scale changes. There are practical, cost-efficient solutions to make people feel comfortable walking around campus at night – because skipping night classes or not enrolling in them because it doesn’t feel safe shouldn’t be an option.
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Are you not entertained? Directors cross boundaries in the name of art FREYA WASTENEYS CONTRIBUTOR
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ernardo Bertolucci, the director of Last Tango in Paris, wanted actress Maria Schneider to “feel a little raped.” Quentin Tarantino took it upon himself to choke Diane Krueger in her death scene in Inglorious Basterds to ensure that the scene was up to his standards. In The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock went to great lengths to elicit real emotions from actress Tippi Hedren, causing her genuine terror while he subjected her to bird attacks. And, more recently, Uma Thurman released footage of herself in a car crash on the set of Kill Bill. Thurman said she had misgivings at the time, fearing the car was unsafe to drive, but had been assured by Tarantino that it was perfectly safe. She suffered a concussion and serious injuries to her knees and neck, and to add insult to injury, the incident was covered up for years by the infamous Harvey Weinstein. When is enough, enough? As more stories come to light, we have to wonder how pervasive these “artistic” tactics in Hollywood are and question the lengths some directors will go in the name of art. Many actors are known to bend over backwards to achieve realistic scenes, which are their own prerogative, but it is also common for directors to manipulate actors without their knowledge or permission in order to execute their creative vision. The recent outpouring of criticism against many Hollywood moguls has called into question the power relationships between actors and directors, and these interactions are under more
scrutiny than ever before. We are full of praise for movie scenes and characters that feel believable, yet at a certain point, boundaries become blurred as directors dance the line between art and abuse. In no other industry would withholding crucial information and exposing workers to real danger be seen as acceptable. For some reason we turn a blind eye when the result is a cinematic masterpiece. Since not all instances of director manipulation result in disastrous consequences, we have normalized the betrayal of trust between directors and their cast. Not all boundaries are quite as clear cut as bird attacks or sexual abuse and choking, and the haziness of actordirector relations are often accepted as part of the job. Actors put their faith in directors, but there are many who abuse their position, forgetting their medium. When an artist works with oil paint or clay, they can create with little consequence, but many directors take for granted that they work with humans. There is a tendency to treat actors as a means to an end, reducinging actors to objects of manipulation. When it comes down to it, the point of acting is not to recreate real life, but to, well, act. Directors should not have to rely on external manipulation. When directors cannot trust their actors to do their jobs, it becomes an issue of control, furthering the lack of trust between both parties. Richard Brody wrote in The New Yorker, “in theater, an actor gives; in movies, the actor is taken from.” We are learning just how much is taken, whether it be physical or emotional safety, or just a sense of control. Abuse should never be “just part of the job,” and directors should not be celebrated for the mistreatment of their muses.
Exclusive Lounging A proposed student lounge in Bosa won’t create the community we’re craving LAURA MELCZER CONTRIBUTOR
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s a whole, Capilano University is a great school to go to. There is a beautiful North Vancouver campus, interesting courses and exciting events to attend. But there is a community problem – the University is extremely transitory. More often than not, students come to campus, go to their classes, then leave. Furthermore, there is a lack of connection between students in programs across the institution, especially between Bosa students and the rest of the campus. There is limited space for students to mix and mingle, or feel included across the campus and
throughout all the programs that are offered. To offer a solution for the students in the Bosa building, the Capilano Students' Union (CSU) has recently partnered with the programs to create a designated student lounge in the building. According to a story by the Capilano Courier published a few weeks ago, there have been attempts at creating a student space in Bosa before, but without success. The CSU has just recently offered its support for the Motion Picture Arts (MOPA) initiative to help provide a student lounge. But the solution to their feeling of exclusion from the University community isn’t to separate them further. By creating a lounge in the Bosa building, it will continue to divide students by not giving them a reason to come to the rest of the shared student spaces across the school. Moreover, the Bosa space will become a lounge
- RYAN MCDIARMID
that, arguably, only Bosa students will use. A better way to create a feeling of belonging for everyone is to find ways to bring as many students together as possible. This means creating spaces and events within areas of the campus where all students, regardless of program, feel comfortable to be in. For example, speed dating style events (sans the romance and with activities to meet new people) or a lounge in a central location that has a noise restriction where people can just quietly talk with one another. This is not to diminish the extreme demands that are on MOPA students. With intensive courses and workloads, there are very real challenges to feeling like these students have the ability to integrate within the wider school community. Creating a social space for Bosa specific students would help those specific students (and only them) build relationships with each other. It would provide a social area to congregate and meet people to talk about their lives. But that wouldn’t get Bosa students interacting with the rest of the campus. To say this new space would build
campus-wide inclusion and to combat isolation, when realistically only one group of students would actually use the space, isn’t authentic. It could continue to further set apart MOPA students. Addressing the concerns that students have about not feeling included within the wider school community is key. Bosa students need to be included in the discussions about their needs and wants to increase their feeling of engagement. But combating the feelings of isolation should not and cannot be solved by solely looking inward. If students want to feel more included within the wider campus community, the way to fix that shouldn’t be to give only those students a separate space just to themselves.
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- PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW OKUDA
ARTS & CULTURE
(Left to right) Matt Okuda, Santiago Ureña, Atley King and Sam Willet of Wind-Up Birds look on for a casual band photo
Artist Spotlight: Wind-Up Birds NATASHA JONES CONTRIBUTOR
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ocal Vancouver band and winners of this year’s Best of Capilano Awards for Best Musician/Group, Wind-Up Birds, are anticipating their upcoming album release this June. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Matt Okuda and Sam Willett, as well as bass player and vocalist Santiago Ureña and drummer Atley King. While Okuda and King are Capilano University students (Okuda is a film student and King is a student of the Jazz Studies program), Willett studies English Literature at Simon Fraser University, and Ureña studies Creative Writing at Douglas College. While the band members are all in different programs, their shared passion for music is what unites them. All of the members have extensive and diverse musical experience with playing in high school bands, with the addition of King specializing in jazz and Ureno in orchestra. The band formed in September 2015 after Willett met Okuda at a house party. The two had grown up in the same town and had a history of playing music together. Willett also played in a band with Ureña in high school which was later joined by then-drummer Gavin Boyd, and upon his departure from
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the group, King stepped in. Boyd then came up with the name Wind-Up Birds, which derived from Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, a work of Japanese literature that encompasses themes of surrealism and modernism. The band’s first album, Casual Music Album, was recorded in August and released in October. The group worked with their friend and producer Liam Carlin, who is also bass player for local band Kai Bravewood. Together, they recorded all of the tracks in Willett’s basement, a cozy log cabin situated near Burke Mountain in Coquitlam. The album features playful guitar riffs, laid-back vocals, fun beats and memorable hooks. The members find themselves to be heavily inspired by retro sounds and old movies. “We’re basically functioning on borrowed nostalgia,” said Okuda. When the members were each in their own bands in high school, creating an aesthetic was never on their minds, but upon the formation of Wind-Up Birds, the musicians have become excited to work on their overall packaging, one that would capture the band’s fascination with the past. “We felt nostalgic about things that we were never around for,” Okuda added. The first track of the album, titled “Peach”, welcomes the listener with its upbeat and cheerful demeanour. It is also one of the first tracks ever written and a favourite of Okuda. “Fantastic” is
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Ureña's favourite song, while King is a fan of “Walter”, an energetic track that emphasizes faster-paced drums. Wind-Up Birds are influenced by a variety of musicians and styles. Aside from their varying backgrounds in music, the band has collectively listened to a lot of 70s hits along with jazz. Willett is a fan of latin jazz groups such as Bossa Nova, the rock band Steely
The Wind-Up Birds’ Casual Music Album makes the ideal summer soundtrack, and its do-it-yourself quality, chill grooves and cool guitar riffs evoke a Mac DeMarco-esque kind of sound.
Dan, as well as the cheesier genres such as “Dad Rock.” King is fond of jazz, the band Pavement, and Billy Joel. Ureno, with his background in orchestra, enjoys classical music and rock, and Okuda is inspired by electronic musician and producer Brian Eno. The Wind-Up Birds’ Casual Music Album makes the ideal summer soundtrack, and its do-it-yourself
quality, chill grooves and cool guitar riffs evoke a Mac DeMarco-esque kind of sound, though unintentionally. “We weren’t really going for that,” they said, adding that indie bands are often compared to the popular multiinstrumentalist. When asked what the band’s plans are five years from now, given their upcoming album, they reflected on how far they came already. “We came a lot further than we thought, met a lot of lovely people, met some great friends,” said Willett, noting that one of the group’s favourite moments was when their audience sang back lyrics at a show. And though performing stands out as their favorite aspects of their musical careers, the band appreciates the entire recording process and highly anticipates their upcoming release. In their spare time, Wind-Up Birds will continue to hang out and make music, and they are expecting their upcoming album to be ready by early summer. Following the debut Casual Music Album, Business Casual was a possible suggestion for the second album’s title, although the name has yet to be officially decided and announced.
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Sk8er Boi
On Matthew Noseworthy's boarding journeys RACHEL D’SA ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
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esmerizing skateboarding videos have been plastering Facebook newsfeeds and hitting viral video levels over the last few years, which should come as no surprise. Skateboarding, a sport viewed as the ultimate cool-kid after school activity has increasingly reached new heights each year with new developments in competitions, styles of riding and the introduction of the sport to new communities. Committed skateboarder and longboarder, Matthew Noseworthy, knows the scene like the back of his hand. In addition to having attended Capilano University for a year as a part of the Business Administration program, Noseworthy credits the sport as what primarily made him move to British Columbia from his hometown in Toronto. “All my friends and people I’ve met in Vancouver have been through skateboarding,” said Noseworthy. “People are always on the hill,” he added, noting that he’s noticed the downhill boarding scene is alive and well and speculates
that street skating is also thriving. However, Noseworthy explained that the skateboarding community can be misunderstood and underestimated at times in regard to their actions. “Most people, as well as cops, think we don’t have breaks and are not able to stop. We fully do,” said Noseworthy. “We don’t go down hills and just hope. If we didn’t feel confident in our abilities we would not skate the roads we do.” When asked about his many nicknames, including Chang Malto and Lil B Noseworthy, in a September 2015 interview with Jonathan Nuss for skateboarding and longboarding magazine Skate Slate, Noseworthy stated that, “When it comes to names and hiding from the law, they can’t give you a ticket if you don’t have a real name... Pretty sure there is a decent amount of people in Vancouver that don’t know my real name.” The community aspect of the sport comes naturally to many. Noseworthy explained that with the diverse range of boarding styles and activities, under the general skating umbrella, comes preference and potentially bad blood due to misconceptions. “Thrasher or most street skaters dislike longboarding. So, Thrasher most definitely hasn’t helped popularize the sport,” he said. What started out as simply a way of
"The experience of racing is pretty competitive..." - Matthew Noseworthy transporting himself to and from school quickly turned into a passion once he discovered sliding and high-speed boarding down hills. Full-forcedly picking up the sport during his summer break entering Grade 11, Noseworthy soon found himself captivated, purchasing slide gloves – he hasn’t stopped since. Given the current season, Noseworthy hopes he can ride twice a week filling up his schedule with as much time on the board as he can get, he constantly works towards fine tuning his skill set to get to
where he wants to go. While Noseworthy has been skateboarding since around the age of 10, and finds himself on his seventh year of downhill, his diverse experience hasn’t stunted his possibilities. He noted that over the years he has entered in competitions, and has looked into the World Cup race circuit that connects Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Australia, exhibiting the global reach of the sport and its community. “The experience of racing is pretty competitive as to be expected,” he said. Races have heats of four proceed down the courses, with only the first two to finish moving on to the next round. “As for training, for me, I try and put as much time on board. Others cross train in the gym.” Noseworthy advises those looking to join the community by trying their hand at the sport to wear the proper safety gear and to not be afraid to fall as it is just a part of the experience. He also urged that those interested stick with it because it is a great thing to experience. While Noseworthy understands that the risk associated with the sport may deter some, nothing can get between him, his board and his community. “Going to skate ‘till I can’t anymore.”
From a small town to the big world of design IDEA grad David Fenton talks about art's healing aspects and focusing more on photography JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR
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espite his university degree, visual artist David Fenton didn’t grow up in an exceedingly artistic community. “I grew up in rural Manitoba in a little town called Russel. It’s like 1800 people,” the IDEA Program graduate said. “My school system, although it was a great place to grow up to instill good values and good character traits in you, it definitely lacked in the arts. Our school didn’t have a drama program or a band, Grade 6 was the last year we had art class.” Undeterred by the lack of outlets, Fenton pursued various creative outlets while growing up. Fenton has always had a passion for design. “I would spend hours drawing home layouts and thought I wanted to do architecture for sure, but then I realized I was terrible at math,” he said. Even after high school Fenton continued to express himself through the arts, even presenting himself as a member of a Ukrainian dance group. Eventually, the Manitoban applied to art school at the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD). While he had first enrolled in the school’s design program,
Fenton ended up taking a fateful class. “I took a photography film class just as an elective and I fell in love with it,” he said. Eventually Fenton transferred into the photography program and graduated in 2009. “It was not the best time to graduate,” he admitted. “There was a recession. I felt like a lot of young photographers weren’t being given opportunities because there were budgets that were being cut by advertising firms or whoever was hiring photographers.” Nonetheless, Fenton persevered. For the years he freelanced, Fenton continued to work on his craft of photography, but had a growing itch to return to school. “I had always teased with the idea of going back to school for design. I loved it,” he said. “So, I just decided one year, ‘you know what, I’m going to do it’.” Fenton thought of returning to ACAD, but was reading an applied arts magazine one day and noticed many award winners from a school he had never heard of – Capilano University and its IDEA program. After doing a bit more research on the school, Fenton decided to apply. Right after applying however, Fenton’s life would change forever. He found out his father had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “He went peacefully,” Fenton recalled. After a whirlwind couple of months, he wasn’t sure if he would be emotionally equipped to head back to school. “I didn’t know if I was going to do it at first,” he said. “I didn’t
know if I was going to be emotionally prepared.” However, Fenton found solace in his passion. “For me, doing something creative or throwing myself into something I’m passionate about is actually very healing for me,” he said. So, while he was still getting through one of the most trying periods of his life, Fenton headed to North Van and began his tenure at CapU. He had been offered a spot in both the three-year and four-year programs, but opted for the three-year one, which he only had to do two years of due to his degree from ACAD. “I loved it,” he said. “I threw myself into it, it was an amazing experience. It was tough, the teachers, they push you.” And although he had already graduated from art school in the past, Fenton found himself learning new and crucial skills while on the Arbutus building’s second floor. For starters, while he had made many friends at ACAD, Fenton had never done many collaborative projects – something the IDEA program emphasizes. Additionally, Fenton learned the importance of briefs when taking on design work. “I usually write down who my client is, who they’re selling to, what kind of makes them unique, what’s their product. I want to do a lot of research on who they are and what they do,” he said, crediting the IDEA program for teaching him the process. Fenton graduated from CapU in 2014 and was hired by a design studio
in Calgary. After a short but beneficial stint there, Fenton accepted his next position at the Vancouver based design firm Kaldor. The firm mostly works with post-secondary institutions doing design work for them, and additionally produces photo and video works for them. Fenton has since parted with Kaldor and is back in the freelance market, focusing more on his passion of photography. “I love photographing people, that’s my passion. What I enjoy most is just getting to know their story,” he said. However, design still holds a place in Fenton’s heart. He recalled a project he did at Kaldor where the firm made special Christmas gifts for their clients. “We decided to get a coffee roasted,” he said. “So, we actually did a collaboration with Salt Spring (Coffee) and they made us our own roast which was really cool. We got to choose the different notes of what sort of taste we wanted. They made it and then we packaged it and did all the screenprinting for the packaging.” Fenton is an all-around creative. And his future embraces it. “I want to work at a studio again, I want to continue freelancing, I want to focus on my photography,” he said. He currently has many projects in his mind, including music videos and album artwork for local artists. Either way, one thing is for sure, the IDEA alumni’s future is bright.
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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 16
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FEATURES
welcome to the
Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Centre BY HELEN AIKENHEAD PHOTOS BY TAEHOON KIM
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ehind the beautifully carved wooden door of Room 196 in the Library Building lies a real gem of the Capilano University North Vancouver campus, the Kéxwusmáyakn Student Centre. At just five years young, the Centre has seen phenomenal growth both physically and in the hearts of the students who frequent its quarters. Offering a welcoming and comfortable site to learn and socialize, the centre truly exemplifies the close community spirit of CapU. Here, First Nations Adviser David Kirk describes all that the Centre has to offer, making it obvious why the space is beloved by so many students and faculty members. In your own words, what is the significance of the Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Centre? The significance of the Kéxwusm-áyakn student centre is it had created a place for our Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to gather, to share food, to share knowledge, to share teachings. And it has created a space for studying, a space to socialize, a space to get support and a place that our Indigenous students feel comfortable and welcomed. What does the Centre provide for students? So the Centre provides a place to come and study. We have computers and we have printing for our students. It's a place to come and socialize, hangout, support each other. We run student success workshops in here, we run peer mentoring, we run our in-residence Elders program, we try to have food three days a week for a hot lunch. So, it's really, it's a social place, but it's also a place to come and study and support each other. What can students who have never been to the Centre before expect from their visit? That we welcome whoever comes in the door with open arms. And that's one of the things we've heard in the last five years since we've been open is people say – whether it's employees, students, admin – [they] all say this is probably one of the most warm and welcoming spaces on campus. What do you hope students take away from each visit to the Centre? We hope that they take away, whether it's learning about each other or sharing
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food, is that they know that they're supported here in the centre and it's a very non-judgmental space and we just support all students in their educational journey, whatever that looks like. As you mentioned, there are inresidence Elders at the Centre for students to speak with which is of course very special – how would you describe this opportunity for students? So about seven years ago we started creating our in-resident Elders program. It serves multiple purposes, the first purpose is to provide that cultural Indigenous teaching from the elders, to not only our Indigenous students but our non-Indigenous students. And for many of our Indigenous students, they come from remote communities and they don't have an Elder that is close to them here, so it provides that Elder. When you're an Indigenous person and you're removed from your community, it can be lonely. So, this provides that warm, welcoming, Elder support. And the Elders love it, you know, we love our Elders and they love coming here. So, it's been seven years. We have Elders here three days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and then this fall we're looking at expanding that from Mondays to Thursdays. And our Elders are from, to be respectful of the two territories, the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh. So, two Elders at the moment, and at the moment we have two male Elders but we're looking at finding a female Elder to start in the fall too. How have you seen this opportunity of meeting with the Elders impact the students – what does it mean for them to get to have these conversations? For our non-Indigenous students – I'll start with that – it's a way for them to learn some of the teachings. And I think over the last seven years the number of students that have come by and met – we hate to say interviewed – but met with the Elders, visited with them, asked questions for research papers. We've had documentary students do a documentary on one of the Elders, they've also done a documentary on the Kéxwusm-áyakn. So those are the things that have helped with our non-Inidgenous students. And again, with our Indigenous students, it's creating that presence of [family]. We've created a home away from home for our
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students... Family to us in Indigenous communities is really important. So that's also what this space has created, a sense of family. We tease each other, we support each other, we laugh, we cry. All those range of emotions are supported here. What was the hope for the Centre in terms of community building on campus, and how has it succeeded? The hope was to create a space – and we got direction from the Elders, from community, from students – is that we did not want this space to be an exclusive Indigenous only space, we wanted a space where we could break those barriers down, learn from each other, share culture, share teaching, share food. Because in order to move forward in the process of reconciliation we all need to do this together. This September will be our sixth year that we're dedicating a full week to truth and reconciliation, and on average we have 800 to 1,000 students coming through our events that week. That's really key; many of those events are held here in the centre, and then some of the events are too large for the space here so we use the Bosa Theatre and stuff. But it's bringing that awareness to the campus community. Like you said, you also host cultural workshops at the Centre. What do those entail? So we've done numerous workshops for both students and employees. We've done cedar hat weaving workshops, we've done drum making workshops, we've done moccasin making, cedar wristbands, we've done reconciliation through art by a really well known Cree artist, George Littlechild. It's really about ensuring that our culture and our art and all those things are kept alive, because for 100 years our culture and our language and connection to the land was taken away and we were being assimilated by the government through residential schools. So, it's ensuring we have a space to share those teachings and to learn and to make sure that those teachings such as cedar weaving, which Coast Salish people have done for thousands of years, is kept alive. Or drum making, you know, because for us the drum is key to the work we do. It's making sure that those cultural teachings are kept alive... We also [have] children from the Children's centre visit, and learn songs and visit with the Elders. Is there anything you would like to see coming out of the centre in the future? Well in this past year we have expanded to create a quiet study area, and also some offices as our department has grown. I see the bigger future as, in the five years since we built the Kéxwusmáyakn Student Centre we actually outgrew it and that was one of the reasons we expanded. So, I kind of go, 'where are we going to be in 10 years? Are we going to need to take over even more space?' We just hope that we will continue to be a focal point for the whole campus community, which is what we have created in these five years.
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What this space means to us Business administration students, Rose Williams and Vanessa Lewis, took some time out of their studies in the newly opened quiet study section of the Kéxwusm-áyakn Centre to speak to what the space means to them. williams:
The centre is sort of like a home away from home for me. It's a place where I can meet fellow First Nations students – hear their experiences, share my experiences. And we kind of help each other out with classes, or any sort of issues that we may experience here on the campus or [share] what's really great about the campus. It's also pretty great too because we have an Elder in residence who comes in, so we can sit and talk to them, maybe get some advice on life's little issues that may come into your life. So that's a really great opportunity. Plus, the addition of this new study space is really nice, it's not like you're having to fight for a spot in the library or anywhere else. lewis:
I probably would repeat what Rose said, really. That's what it is for me here. It's a comfortable space where you can come and meet new people, or meet friends that you've known for a long time. We help each other with homework. We help each other with instructors, which ones kind of teach which way and if it helps, we share those things with each other. I really like the support from the staff here, David and Joel, and Clay when he was here. They are all very helpful. It's just a quiet space to come and set up all your stuff and just work for hours. williams:
And if you want they have the other area where you can kind of just kick back and relax and socialize with everyone. It's always nice to look out a window into the forest and the sun and all that. And then we have an English tutor, a math tutor – we have other services that come in here to the room which is really helpful. I'm a more mature student, so I think if there were younger students just coming fresh out of high school, maybe moving from a really remote area to come here for school, they really wouldn't know how to reach out and access those services – because everyone wants to succeed in post secondary, we want to do better not only for ourselves, but for our communities.
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FEATURES
How Canada’s impending legalization of marijuana will impact an industry already operating under the table BY JUSTIN SCOTT ILLUSTRATION BY PAMELLA PINARD
lthough marijuana has been illegal in Canada since 1923, the law hasn’t stopped an entire industry from developing around the substance. For much of the 20th Century and the beginning of the 21st, the industry was an underground black market. However, over the past decade, British Columbia, with cities like Vancouver and Nelson, as well as other Canadian cities like Toronto, have seen the emergence of what many call a “grey market”. While marijuana is still illegal as a recreational drug, it was its medicinal usage that allowed dispensaries to open and become mainstays in Vancouver. Because of this, there has been an ongoing nationwide debate as to what should be done about the substance and the dispensaries selling it. Then, in 2015, Canada elected Justin Trudeau as its leader. In his campaign, Trudeau promised to legalize the drug, and while it’s taken longer than most had hoped, this process is finally coming to fruition in July of this year. But, with many businesses already operating in the marijuana market, more and more people are starting to wonder how legalization will affect those already involved in the industry.
from law enforcement. However, that’s not to say that the current businesses go unbothered. “We have seen certain municipalities, like the city of Vancouver send repeated fines to dispensaries, and then threaten them with injunctions,” said the CEO of Cannabis Culture, Jeremiah Vandermeer, who is also the editor of the company’s magazine. Cannabis Culture, which operates multiple dispensaries in Vancouver, as well as locations in Ontario and Québec, have themselves received injunctions and numerous fines from the city of Vancouver. However, Vancouver hasn’t seen anything like the city-wide crackdown that the Toronto Police Department conducted on their city’s dispensaries in the past.
The current grey market
Over the past few years, Vancouver has truly lived up to the nickname “Vansterdam.” Currently there are around 95 dispensaries in the city of Vancouver. Although, that number is only an estimate as new ones continue to open, while others are forced to close their doors. To put that number in perspective, there are 52 Tim Hortons’ in the same span of the city. Many of Vancouver’s dispensaries deal solely with customers with prescriptions for the plant. Its no secret, that others either make it exceptionally easy to walk in and obtain a “green card” or are willing to sell to customers without a prescription all together. The dispensaries sell anything from the marijuana plant to edibles, extracts and other THC infused goodies. As shocking as it may be to see stores openly selling an illegal drug, the dispensaries are mostly allowed to operate without too much interference
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look the other way.” Looking the other way has been the general attitude towards many of the city’s dispensaries, but it hasn’t always been that easy... Matt, who asked for his last name to remain private, owns one of the world’s largest seed banks, BC Bud Depot (BCBD). “I’ve been growing weed since I was 18, and breeding,” he explained. “We started off sort of as a provincial growing collective, sharing clones and breeding.” Matt, who’s been a part of the marijuana industry for nearly 20 years, has seen it transition from an underground market to what it is today. While BCBD started as a local seed bank, a fateful competition shot them into the big leagues. In 2004 the company’s strain, God Bud, won the Cannabis Cup. “Everyone in the world wanted our seeds from that point on,” Matt said. Since then, BCBD has become a worldwide operation. According to Matt, BCBD is “the top seed bank in Canada for sure, top three in North America, top five worldwide.” In the past, BCBD opened offices in both Amsterdam and Spain, both for business purpose and legal ones due to the laws in Canada. For Matt though, he knew it was just a matter of time until the prohibition ended. “We were under no illusion that the ice wouldn’t break at some point. We were just doing what we do best, we weren’t trying to strategically position our self, we were just waiting for it to happen,” he said.
Legalization
Many believe the reason for Vancouver’s leniency is the knowledge that legalization is imminently impending. That being said, the city’s police did shutdown and arrest a large group of vendors in Robson Square in January, but those arrested were brazenly selling marijuana products in public. “The police department, including the RCMP, they’re stretched,” said the Capilano School of Business’ Department Chair Charlene Hill. “I think that most people, most Canadians, want them [law enforcement] to pay attention to the person that’s shot down in front of them, or assaults, or fraud or things that are actually impacting people. And that’s the trouble when something is illegal and isn’t actually causing any harm, we tend to
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According to the Trudeau government, all of this will be in the past come July. But with such a strong market already in place, what will the new laws mean for those already active in the industry? Each province will enact their own laws. BC has opted to pursue a system very similar to that in which liquor is sold and will go through the province’s Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB). The current plan will see three points of sale for marijuana including government operated stores, privately operated stores and online sales. There has been talk of selling marijuana through the current BC Liquor Stores, but the province opted to open separate retail locations, at least in large cities. “We are in the early stages of determining what our cannabis retail operations will look like,” said Kate Bilney, the LDB’s Communications
Coordinator. “Opening a network of government-run cannabis stores across the province won’t happen overnight,” she added. The good news for the current businesses is that the province will be issuing private business licenses to retailers, so active dispensaries can apply for one in hopes of continuing their operation. Many current operators were worried about this, as past examples of this process had not been so kind to those in their shoes. For example, when Washington state legalized recreational marijuana in 2014, of the more than 1,500 medical marijuana dispensaries that had been open before, only 222 received retail licenses – the rest were forced to close. The new system will also impact how the marijuana is produced, distributed and what will be available. Currently, most dispensaries have relationships with certain growers and producers of edibles, concentrates and other consumables who they buy their products from, but the new laws will put an end to this. “As the wholesale distributor of non-medical cannabis, LDB will purchase non-medical cannabis from federally licensed producers and distribute this product to both the public and private retail stores across the province,” Bilney explained via email. Additionally, stores will only be allowed to sell marijuana, seeds and “cannabis oils that comply with federal requirements,” Bilney said. This means no more edibles or other alternative forms of consumption will be available.
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As much as the province and nation are taking a step forward in terms of the sale of marijuana, they also seem to be taking a step back in terms of what will be offered. What then will this mean for the market?
The Future
As of now, the reception to the new system from those involved in the market is mixed. Matt of BCBD said his reaction was “only super positive.” In fact, while he can’t yet say which company, BCBD is getting acquired by what Matt called one of the industry’s “major players.” “My friends too,” he said, “DNA Genetics, they signed a deal with Canopy [Growth Corporation], my buddy Scott at Rare Dankness, they signed a deal with Maricann,” he added. Both Canopy and Maricann are government licensed producers [LP’s]. Although such acquisitions are a positive sign for the marijuana economy, they are pointing to the industry going in a direction that many are concerned about. “I’m definitely worried about the big corporations,” Vandermeer said. A sentiment shared by Hill. “BC better have enough opportunity for everyone,” she said. “What people don’t understand about small business, is that except for the government, small business employs more than anybody else. So, it’s not just affecting the person that goes and buys something, it’s affecting the person that’s making a living from selling that. And I’m really on board with there being opportunities for small business.”
One thing Matt, Vandermeer and Hill all agree on is that the market shouldn’t be monopolized. They all realize that large corporations will be involved in the market, but they hope that there will still be room for the smaller retailers. “We in Canada are coming from a different place, a more inclusive place. And now that the provincial governments are going to
have a hand in it, it’s our responsibility to make sure that everybody gets a shot at being a part of this,” Hill said. Matt however, is confident that in BC at least, monopolization of the industry will be avoided. “I think British Columbia is kind of like the Kitsilano of Canada,” he said. “We’re really fortunate that way. I could see [monopolization] happening in Ontario and Manitoba and all these, you know, the bible belt provinces so to speak, but in BC we’re lucky.” Vandermeer however, is weary of the
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government’s involvement. “I’m not sure why the government wants to be in the drug dealing business,” he said. “Why is it that these politicians and officials who have been so against cannabis for so many years telling us how dangerous it is, lying to us, propagandizing against cannabis, telling us it’s dangerous, telling us about this reefer madness that comes from the politicians for so many years, and they criminalized our community, put harmless people in prison and in fact, some people have died because of the drug war, and now these politicians, the same ones that have been criminalizing us, want to turn around and be the only ones to sell it to us and make a profit from it, that’s wrong. It’s completely hypocritical and it doesn’t make sense,” he continued. The Cannabis Culture CEO also takes issue with the manner in which the government has monopolized the distribution process. “We need to have our mom and pop growers and experts who have been growing marijuana and producing our medicine and products for so long to be allowed to continue to do that, and we need them to be licensed,” he said. The way most dispensaries operate now allows them to bring in fresh marijuana from their growers, display it openly and allow their customers to interact with it by observing and smelling it before deciding what strain to purchase. The new system however, will limit the available strains to those produced by licensed growers and distributed solely by the government,
which Vandermeer believes will sacrifice quality. “I’m definitely worried about the big corporations being the only ones allowed to provide cannabis,” he said. “These licensed producers, at least so far, do not have respect for the plants that they need to have and do not produce a quality product. Most of the LP stuff, in fact all of the LP stuff that I’ve tried has been terrible and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.” Additionally, Vandermeer is worried about the freshness of the product. “We need dispensaries that you can walk into and you can look at the marijuana, and smell the marijuana and take it out of the package. Not prepackaged strains of marijuana that come from some factory and are sitting in a warehouse for months before they get to the public, that is not suitable, that is not adequate,” he said. Vandermeer sees marijuana more like produce than substances like alcohol or tobacco, meaning it’s freshness and quality is of the utmost importance. Another topic of contention is what will happen to prices. BC already has relatively low prices compared to other major marijuana markets, but many are unsure of what will happen to the prices once legalization takes place – including the government. “Pricing has not yet been determined. These discussions are underway, as the Province considers what the taxation and mark-up structure will look like,” Bilney explained. According to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, when the state first legalized recreational Marijuana in July of 2014, the average retail gram cost around $22.50 USD, which has since dropped to $9.32 USD as of March 2016. Although there are no official numbers on the average price per gram in BC, dispensaries often charge around $10. The fear many have, including Vandermeer, is that government's taxation will drive prices up. In Washington for example, while the average price of a gram was $9.32 USD two years ago, the average price of a wholesale gram, in other words what the dispensaries pay, was $2.99 USD. The price difference, while undoubtedly there to make a profit and cover operating costs, is also due to the high taxation on the product. So, as much as prohibition is ending and progress is being made, it appears there will still be a long way to go. The government’s extreme involvement, while to be expected, is causing skepticism. “I don’t think they know what they’re doing,” Hill whispered in the halls of the Business Department’s offices in the Cedar building. Hill’s main concern is that the retail market is a fair playing field, allowing the “mom and pop shops” a fair opportunity. Vandermeer shares this concern, along with many others. Generally, he hopes to eventually see a free market, with less government involvement, that would largely mirror the current industry minus the persecution. “Unless they legalize what’s already there and the black market that’s existed for so long, then there’s going to continue to be a black market, because nobody wants to buy crappy pot from the government,” he said, adding, “a free cannabis market, that’s the only way to make things fair.”
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 16
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SHORTS
the
Black Panther Exit Survey
King T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) squares off in a ritual challenge with Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) in one of Black Panther's finest sequences CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
the film, who shined the most?
KEVIN KAPENDA COLUMNIST
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arvel's Black Panther is dominating the cinema discourse. Not only is it garnering universal acclaim, it's also breaking records left and right. Most impressively, Black Panther is breaking long-established barriers that has kept the world of cinema both restrictive and inhibited. Just how big of a deal is the film really? Here's our take:
Review Black Panther in 100 words: Kevin Kapenda: Inspiring and introspective. Black Panther is a roadmap to Afrofuturism and what we can become, but also a casual and inviting conversation of issues our people must address as we move forward. The schism between slave-descending Blacks and Africans subtly raised in the film, as well as the responsibility, or lack thereof, of African populations, on the continent or in the diaspora, have in supporting the prosperity of other Blacks. Carlo Javier: Is it too soon to say that Black Panther is the most important film of our generation? Because that sums it up pretty well. More so than last year’s Get Out, Black Panther is big box office blockbuster that will be seen by billions of people around the world. It’s existing proof that yes, movies about marginalized peoples can and will make money. We could one day look back at it and define this movie as a milestone moment in terms of the types of stories we see on the big screen.
Of the many breakout stars in 14
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Kapenda: Definitely Letitia Wright as Shuri. A brilliant portrayal of a character who is confident in her abilities and self-aware of who she is. While a lot of her work happens from a far, she is just as brave as any fighter in the movie. As many reviews are already saying – Tony Stark ain’t got nothin’ on her. I’m not sure too many female superheroes do either. Javier: As much as I’d like to say Letitia Wright for her exuberant performance as Shuri, or Winston Duke as the scenestealing M’Baku, I’m gonna have to go with the already well-established Michael B. Jordan. Arguably one of the best young actors in Hollywood, MBJ only cemented his already stellar credentials with an absolutely magnetic performance.
The internet already has many thinkpieces about why Black Panther is important to all people of colour – especially kids of colour – what makes it such a powerful tool that resonates with all cultures? Kapenda: I think Black Panther is inspiring to people of colour because its message is that prosperity is not something that is given to you by “white people”, but buried inside all of us, yearning to be unearthed. Also, Wakanda is not necessarily a place, but a set of ideals and values embedded in social relations. We can have Wakanda in Canada if we demand the liberation of racialized and vulnerable people. Javier: I think it’s the way Black Panther depicted cultural traditions that you almost never see in a Hollywood film – much less a blockbuster of this magnitude. Also, the clothing. Not everything
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fashionable has to be suits and gowns. After seeing Black Panther, I looked up traditional Filipino formal wear, and I almost put it in an order.
Is Erik Killmonger the villain we didn't know we needed? Kapenda: Maybe, but many of the things that fuel his aggression drive Nakia’s passion to addressing suffering outside Wakanda. Killmonger’s conviction may have driven T’Challa to shift gears faster, but Nakia would have convinced him to make a difference sooner or later. Javier: More so than what we needed – Killmonger is the villain that Marvel has long lacked. Outside of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Michael Keaton’s Vulture, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has sorely lacked in charismatic, relatable and memorable villains. Do you even remember the villains in Iron Man 2, Thor: The Dark World and the first Guardians of the Galaxy? Probably not, because they all sucked. Killmonger is entirely different. Every scene was loaded with gravitas and most importantly, some people will come out of the theatre siding with Killmonger.
What was your favourite scene? Kapenda: My favorite scenes – because I never follow rules, are all of the ones in the ancestral state, both of T’Challa’s, as well as Killmonger’s. As a child, you’re never ready to lose your parents, and even one opportunity to talk to them again would truly be priceless. Javier: Every scene that Sterling K. Brown is in.
How has the afrofuturism featured in Black Panther changed your perception of what Africa can become? Kapenda: Wakanda has their shit together unlike contemporary Africa. However, as I alluded to earlier, the only people stopping Africa from evolving are ourselves. Africa is the richest continent in the world, and the future of global agriculture. We’ve just got to stop the skimming of the budget, and start putting people first. Javier: Certainly optimistic. We’ve always been led to believe and assume that many of the landlocked countries in Africa are impoverished, but as Kevin noted, global agriculture will play a pivotal role in our global resources moving forward. The state of Wakanda may be far too futuristic (and all too fictional) to be used as a barometer, but perfectly as an inspiration.
What did you think of the film's contribution to discourse around the international refugee crisis and foreign aid? Kapenda: No continent is immune to Trumpism. Unfortunately, colonialism has oriented us towards self-interest, rather than communitarianism that is embedded into nearly all our traditions. In almost every African country, there is talk about how one group must be “kept out.” I don’t think this movie highlighted this issue as well as it could have, but its inclusion only bolsters this film’s cultural significance. Javier: My biggest takeaway is that leadership matters and our world leaders are a far cry from T’Challa. We don’t deserve T’Challa.
CALENDAR
FEBRUARY-MARCH 2 26 FRI
VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS NASHVILLE PREDATORS
A WINTER ROMANCE IN NO FUN CITY PRINCETON PUB 8:30 P.M. / FREE
MON
Given the recent snowfall, this event couldn’t come at a more perfect time. The event description was not very clear on what this thing is all about, but it said there would be no Michael Bublé, so that’s a plus.
LOVING VINCENT MASSEY THEATRE 7:30 P.M. / $9
No, this is not some weird spin-off from the first event. Loving Vincent is the world's first fully painted feature film and it’s about Vincent van Gogh. The trailer on their website is beautiful. Everyone should go to this.
27 TUES
THE COASTAL FIRST NATIONS DANCE FESTIVAL
ROGERS ARENA 7 P.M. / $52
UBC MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY 7:30 P.M. / $25
Grown men chase a rubber disk on a sheet of frozen water. People pay too much money to watch this and yes, I’m upset the NHL ruined men’s Olympic hockey, no I don’t want to talk about it. I’ve seen the scores of recent Canucks games and it isn’t looking good for the home team.
I have it on good authority that there will be a hoop dancer and someone telling stories about life in the Yukon. Okay, maybe those are not the most exciting events, but it’s a good opportunity to experience Indigenous art.
MONSTER JAM
TOONIE TUESDAYS
PNE 7 P.M. / $15
THE METROPOLE 8 P.M. / $2
Ever since the Vancouver Giants moved out, the Coliseum doesn’t get used as much anymore. Back in the day, an arena like that would never be seen hosting an event like this, but times are tough for decrepit old buildings that smell like stale Whitespot, so they’re hosting the Monster Jam.
Half-priced food, $2 beer, 3$ highballs and $0.75 tacos. Perfect for every broke student in the city. There is also a higher than normal chance somebody will lick your face.
28 WED
STEADY RAIN
PENTHOUSE THEATRE 7 P.M. / $25
The theatre this play is in is right above what they call “the historic penthouse nightclub”. What they really mean is that it’s above a strip club. I bet the people on the stage below them put on a better show.
3 SAT
THURS
QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE 10 A.M. - 5:30 P.M. / $77
With all the long form content available on the internet now, I don’t know if there’s much value in attending a TED talk anymore. For that price, you could buy 48 beers and get hammered watching old Alan Watts lectures.
ROBSON ICE SKATING
BOMBHEAD
I cannot understate how much it depresses me that there can be outdoor ice skating still. I’ve contemplated going to California for a few days at least once a week since the middle of January. If you are sadistic enough to still enjoy this weather, then go ice skating.
I chose to put this event in the calendar over the “giving great head” workshop being put on by a sex store. Bombhead is about artistic expression of nuclear war. “Giving good head” is exactly what it sounds like. You choose how you want to spend your evening, I won’t judge.
ROBSON SQUARE ALL DAY / FREE
1
TEDXSTANLEYPARK
BIG WRECK
COMMODORE BALLROOM 8 P.M. / $40
Stoner-rock at its finest. This band has been at the exact same level of mediocrity for a decade. It’s a bit surprising that they’re still on tour, but their commitment is at least admirable.
VANCOUVER ART GALLERY 10 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. / $6.50
4 SUN
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS VS MONTREAL IMPACT BC PLACE 3 P.M. / $19
The MLS is slowly transforming from a retirement league for old European stars to a half-decent prospect league for South Americans. Just give it a couple more decades and soon it will be Canada vs. US in the World Cup finals.
NORTH WEST COMEDY FEST 2018
THUNDERPUSSY
This is not one of those calendar events where I make fun of how bad most comedians are. There are some big names at this festival. Essentially half of Netflix’s comedy catalogue will be here, with Bill Burr and Trevor Noah as the two headliners.
The third search result when you Google the band’s name is “Seattle band Thunderpussy awaits Supreme Court ruling on controversial names.” Considering their name is still Thunderpussy, I’d say the ruling went in their favour. They're a rock band from Seattle with an edgy name, that’s a decent start towards becoming a band worth listening to.
VARIOUS LOCATIONS 7:30 P.M. / $5
COBALT 8 P.M. / $14
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 16
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COLUMNS
STAFF EDITORIAL
- RACHEL WADA
Life on the defensive: Being a conservative on a liberal campus CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR
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man who was once very meaningful to me violated me. And months afterward, as I left my teen years behind, I began to rebel against feminism because it tried to tell me men were all bad, that I didn’t need self-defense, men should just be taught not to harm women. It doesn’t work that way. He knew what he did was wrong and admitted it, but he didn’t care. Feminism wanted to victimize me. I wanted to get on with my life. I’m a conservative. It may sound odd that an event like the one aforementioned could steer me in that direction, but I began to notice that conservatism had room for everyone to be heard. It wasn’t just for those who are considered oppressed, which I couldn’t be as a privileged white woman with a supportive family. That’s not the case on a university campus unfortunately, because most of my peers think differently. I enjoy
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hearing other people’s thoughts although I get shy when challenged, which is why I rarely say anything. Often I feel I’m in a cocoon, keeping my feelings from the outside world until I get a chance to speak to someone who gets it. It started as contempt for being told I was a victim but also not victim enough to be allowed to put my thoughts into words. That feeling blossomed, and as I read more and got an idea of what conservatism means, it began to make sense. I also have parents who, although I always took for liberal, have approached life with a degree of caution, which I’ve taken upon myself as I now approach relationships. We’re not trying to take away people’s fundamental rights. I don’t know why conservatives have that rep. To me, conservatism means believing that hard work will, or at least should, equate with success. It means that I should not be stifled by a government that dictates what I can or can not do or say or one day even think. And perhaps most importantly, it means that I don’t
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see my womanhood as a disadvantage. I wanted to get on with my life, and indulging in self-pity wasn’t going to help me do that. I took this last point to heart, maybe a bit excessively, and embraced my femininity, because it’s what makes me who I am. Yes, I have more traditional values, I like to be a little modest and I want to have and raise a family one day. Getting in touch with my own femininity meant growing my hair out again and getting comfortable wearing long skirts and floral patterns – something I abhorred as a teenager. I bought a floral dress when I was 13 years old but couldn't bring myself to wear it to school because I thought it would look like I was trying too hard if I did, and then I was bitterly disappointed when I outgrew it. At that age, fitting in was all that mattered to me, and I never did anyway. Now, hardly a day of summer goes by when I'm not in a flouncy dress that lets me feel comfortable in my own skin, and some days I can imagine I look like
I walked off the set of Grease. I also tried to curb swearing because it’s not particularly ladylike. It’s obviously still a work in progress as anyone who knows me may be able to tell from time to time. I only wish that diversity of thought mattered as much as diversity of faces, backgrounds and life experiences. I don’t agree with the far right and I don’t have to in order to be lumped in with them along with everyone else who disagrees with the dominant discourse. In politics, no one is correct 100 per cent of the time, but we’ve lost the ability to listen to each other. My femininity isn't a burden, and the first detail I told you about my life isn’t its defining moment. Not when I believe only I can be responsible for my own success and happiness.
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HIP TO THE GAME
Black Panther: The Album could mark the return of “Black” Cinema
KEVIN KAPENDA COLUMNIST
W
hen Black cinema and television was at its height between the mid 1980s and early 2000s, many of its titles had soundtracks. These soundtracks helped promote Black hip-hop and post-Motown R&B, which was also taking off during that time. Unlike the afterthought they’ve become this decade, soundtracks in 90s Black titles were more than just a pointless header on a film’s Wikipedia page. Some of the best music of that decade and the early 2000s was made for movies, rather than an artist's own album. With shows like Empire on Fox, Atlanta, Insecure and Power on premium-pay networks, Netflix’s Black
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Lightning, and now Black Panther, it’s safe to say Black cinema and television is back. However, with those musicheavy shows, and Black Panther: The Album, I believe collaboration in Black pop culture is not only returning for a slice of the pie, but the entire bakery. Black Panther: The Album was arranged by Top Dawg Entertainment CEO Anthony Tiffith and Kendrick Lamar, who both served as executive producers, and has 14 tracks. The project mainly features current TDE artists with appearances from Future, Travis Scott and The Weeknd, as well as African acts Babes Wodumo and Sjava, among others. Soundtrack music of yesteryear was great because it helped both artists and filmmakers to promote the other’s craft through their respective mediums. At times, singles from soundtracks drop a few weeks in advance of a film’s premiere, to build anticipation and hype. Wiz Khalifa’s and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” for Fast 7, and Lamar and SZA’s “All the Stars” were each released about three weeks before their respective films. “See You Again” went on to become the top-selling song of 2015, moving over 20.9 million units in digital downloads and track-equivalent streams. Other times, soundtracks will be released simultaneously with films, with singles being released a few weeks
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after a premiere to prolong the movie’s box office run. Once films are released, they often make singles from its soundtrack immortal, even though those songs may have only been used towards the end of a film, or during the credits. Many people only know Seal’s “Fly Like an Eagle”, and R. Kelly's “I Believe I Can Fly” because of Space Jam. If films weren’t exposing me to great hip-hop and R&B, sometimes it was great music that introduced me to movies. In the 1990s, no song was probably more iconic than Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”— though I can’t bring myself to watch The Bodyguard. One song that introduced me to a great movie that I would have otherwise never known about was Warren G’s and the late Nate Dogg’s “Regulate”. The song, one of Death Row Records' greatest hits, was made for the 1994 flick Above the Rim, which starred Tupac Shakur, a young Marlon Wayans and introduced the hood to Duane Martin. Another great song that introduced me to a solid 90s Black movie was En Vogue’s 1996 single “Don’t Let Go (Love)”. The song was made for the film Set it Off, which catapulted the acting careers of Jada Pinkett Smith and Kimberly Elise, while also starring Queen Latifah and Vivica A. Fox. “Don’t Let Go (Love)” remains En Vogue’s most successful single in terms of chart
performance, reaching number two on Billboard’s Hot 100, and 83 on their decade chart released in 1999. With music much more accessible than movies from decades past, partly due to the lack of films (especially Black ones) on Canadian streaming services, soundtrack diamonds allow movies to live forever, like Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” does for the Titanic to this day. While Black Panther: The Album’s “All the Stars” is not one of Kendrick’s most introspective or politically-charged songs, it is one of his best bangers, in the mold of a “Hol’ Up”, “Money Trees” or “Swimming Pools”. Other great songs from the album include “Bloody Waters”, “Redemption” and “Seasons”. The latter two songs feature South African artists, the country whose indigenous languages was used in the film. Because Black Panther is another installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film franchise and overall, one of the greatest movies ever made, it is unlikely the soundtrack will be needed to attract viewers. Still, it’s clear that when Black Panther Director Ryan Coogler approached Lamar to make the soundtrack in the summer of 2017, it was to tell the film’s story through music. Something Black movies of decades past used soundtracks to do. Fingers crossed it becomes a trend rather than an exception.
POSTCARDS FROM THE UK
Life abroad
AMANDA MITCHELL COLUMNIST
M
y first month at the University of Hertfordshire has come and gone. It’s surreal to think that I have been living in the UK for an entire month. Living on campus at UHerts has been the time of my life and I’m not looking forward to going home yet. During this first month, my flat mates and I have grown inseparable. We cook meals, go on group dinners and even travel to other countries together. This has been a blessing, as other students tell horror stories of how their flat mates will avoid contact at all cost. As a flat, we have separately broken off into smaller groups and travelled to Copenhagen, Milan, Paris, Vienna and Barcelona. Although kitchen utensils tend to go missing from time to time, and condiments often get used faster than their owner’s intention, my life on campus has been exceptionally uncomplicated. Schooling in the UK is very different than in Canada. Classes take place once a week, and final grades are only determined by two assignments. If classes have a final exam, then there will only be one assignment. It’s strange
- FIONA DUNNETT
to write essays worth 70 per cent of my mark for a class, which tend to only be 1,500 to 2,500 words long. I’m not sure I like this way of schooling more than at home, as it can become very stressful to have an entire grade determined by just two assignments. The atmosphere is vastly different from Capilano University. Like other universities of its kind, UHerts possess all the charm of a large school. There is constant partying, shouting in the hallways and bedtimes being pushed until 2 a.m. My memories of serene bedtimes in a quiet house in Vancouver are slowly fading from my mind and
earplugs are a must. On a brighter note, UHerts has been excellent for organizing day trips to local tour sites for international students. So far, I’ve been to Cambridge, Bath, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle. My weekends are also consistently spent in London, which is only 20-minutes away from the University. The perks of living close to London are ceaseless. In my first month I’ve already been to three West End musicals: Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, and Les Misérables. I’ve also discovered cheap, local places to eat on the weekends, as well as every possible site related to Harry Potter.
One of the reasons I chose to study in the UK was because of its central location. London is situated closely to many different countries, which are very easy to travel to. Paris is only two hours away, as is Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Aberdeen and even Copenhagen. Flights in between European countries can be as cheap as $25 CAD, which allows travel to be quite reasonable. Contrary to my so-far incredible experience abroad, it’s difficult to be away from family and my significant other. Maintaining long distance relationships is more difficult than I originally expected. Especially when you are used to seeing certain people every day – it’s a disturbance to ordinary life when those people aren’t by your side anymore. For me, I live at home and spend every moment with my family. Further, my long-term boyfriend lives in the basement suite of my house and is essentially part of my family as well. The eight-hour time difference from Vancouver to the UK also doesn’t help with arranging FaceTime calls. Talking face-to-face routinely happens on Saturday and Sunday nights UK time, as mid-day Vancouver time on weekends is usually the only time when everyone is home. It’s strange to think of my life back home. In the UK I have so much free time to do as I please, whereas at home I go to school, work and volunteer. I enjoy having time to myself, as this is out of the ordinary for me. Although it’s only been a month, I consider the UK to be my second home and I am growing to love it just as much as Vancouver. Cheerio!
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 16
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SPORTS
- TAYLOR LEE
Blues men’s basketball team look to avenge last year’s finals loss CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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ith the playoffs right around the corner, the Capilano University Blues men’s basketball team find themselves in familiar territory. Last season, the Blues entered the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) basketball championships on an uneven note. The team memorably started the 2016-17 season with a bang, winning eight of their first nine games – including an ultra rare, back-to-back pair of wins on the home courts of the Camosun College Chargers and the Vancouver Island University Mariners. Their fortunes shifted for the worse in the second-half of the season, winning just two of their final seven games as they finished with the third seed. Despite the less than stellar finish, the Blues defeated the Chargers in the first round, squeaked past the Langara Falcons in the second round and fought the Mariners to a first-half tie in the gold medal game, before finally falling short. If the 2017-18 season has to be described by a single word, the best one to use might be inconsistent. Beyond a fourgame winning streak that sandwiched the start and end of the winter break (three wins coming against the lowly Columbia Bible College Bearcats), the Blues seem
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like they have traded a win for a loss every weekend. Finishing the year as the fourth seed with a 9-9 record, the Blues once again enter the playoffs without the most ideal of momentums. Similar to last season, they’re set to face the Chargers in the quarterfinals. Known for their physical and gritty brand of basketball, the Chargers look to take advantage of one of the Blues’ preconceived weaknesses: rebounding. “They got some big, athletic guys and some good guard play,” said rookie forward Nathan Bromige. This year, the Blues have been outrebounded by an average of 7.7 boards per game, and in their three regular season games against the Chargers, the Blues have lost the rebounding battle by a whopping 68 boards (118-115). The numbers however, as head coach Cassidy Kannemeyer emphasized, do not represent the entire story. Throughout the season, the Blues have kept the Charger’s offence to just a 40.6 field goal percentage, and a paltry 29.6 per cent shooting from beyond the arc. The sheer volume of missed shots forced by the Blues' stifling defence inevitably lead to more rebounds – securing more of them is the issue. “The coaches are going to work on rebounding drills in practice a lot, help us work on our physicality and our toughness, as well as positioning on both the defensive and offensive glass,” Bromige said. Though the rebounding problem cannot be overlooked, the Blues’ ability to force turnovers could be the key in repeating their early round success from last playoffs. The Blues average an impressive
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- VANCOUVER SPORTS PHOTO
Men’s basketball provincial preview
The Blues bench cheers on the rest of the team after a big play
11.4 steals per game, with defensive stalwart Hassan Phills leading the way with two per contest, and 37 for the entire season. The team’s active hands and excellent work with passing lanes is particularly beneficial to their run and gun offence. Kannemeyer knows that the Chargers will try to slow the tempo down and force the Blues to play in the half court, but if the Blues can use their ability to generate steals and create transition possessions effectively, then the pressure will be on the Chargers to keep up. The transition game has been one of the Blues’ best weapons this year. They have a terrific mix of slashing guards like Wowie Untalan and Brenden Bailey, while the sharpshooting rookie, Michael Kelly has helped increase spacing with his impressive 42 per cent shooting from downtown. Up front, forwards Denver Sparks-Guest and Nikko Motus have not
only been able to man the interior, but also stretch the floor with their ability to shoot from range. Also impressive is the play of Bromige. The 6’7 rookie has forward stood out with his offensive efficiency, shooting a healthy 48 per cent from the field and 37 per cent from beyond the arc. “There’s some pretty incredible players on this team that make it easy for me to get good looks,” he said. “I’ll take shots when I’m open and play off my other teammates, that way its been nice to play with some guys who can do quite a bit and that makes it a lot easier for someone like me.” The PACWEST basketball championships are set for Mar. 1 to 3 at Vancouver Island University – arguably the toughest home court in the conference. Kannemeyer isn’t sweating it though, “We’ve won in that building before,” he said.
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- VANCOUVER SPORTS PHOTO
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(Left to right) forward Carmelle M'Bikata, guard Ashley dela Cruz Yip and guard Sherrie Errico react to the score in a recent Capilano Blues home game
Women’s basketball provincials preview After two straight silver medals, the Blues are hoping that the third time is the charm JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR Having taken home silver medals at the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST)’s provincial tournament the past two years, the Capilano University Blues women’s basketball team is ready for gold. Over the past five seasons, the women’s basketball team has become an elite force in the PACWEST. But they have yet to secure a provincial title and advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)’s national tournament with their current squad. “We’ve been knocking at the door for a few years,” said Assistant Coach Chris Weimer. After losing last year’s provincial finals to the Douglas College Royals, the Blues came into this year with a rejuvenated focus and some additions to their roster, most notably fourthyear forward, Emma Cunningham, who transferred from Camosun College. Along with the new season came a slightly altered Blues team. They’ve been known for their defensive prowess in the past, but the women added a deadly attack to this year’s repertoire. By the end of the regular PACWEST season, the women were ranked first in the league in total points scored, points per game, shots made per gam and field goal percentage. Additionally, they were second in three pointers made and threepoint percentage.
However, statistics don’t matter if you lose. While the team’s numbers portray an unforgettable season, it all comes down to this weekend. Due to their second-place finish, the Blues secured a first round bye, meaning they won’t play until Friday, Mar. 2. Their semi-final matchup will be against the winner between the Vancouver Island University Mariners and Quest University Kermodes game. And while the women are preparing for either team, they expect their playoffs to open with a game against the VIU Mariners, who would have the home-court advantage. “We’ve got to take care of our boards against VIU and then we’ve got to shoot the ball very well against them because they’re heavy inside,” Cunningham said. As much as the team is preparing for their opponents, they’re focusing just as much, if not more, on preparing themselves. “A struggle this season has been communicating and just really gritty work ethic,” said fifthyear team captain, Ashley dela Cruz Yip. “I think this year in the playoffs it’s really about elevating our level of communication, elevating our work ethic, making sure that we’re working hard every possession and focusing on our strengths.” Weimer explained that the team hasn’t changed their practices much, other than shortening them to allow players some rest at the end of an exhausting season, and is focusing on the same things they have all year. “I don’t think we need to do too much, we just need to play our own game,” he said. “The girls are prepared, they know what to do, it’s just a matter of putting it all together at the right time. Play within
yourself, trust the stuff that we’ve worked on all year, a lot of these girls have worked on that stuff for three of four years.” Carmelle M’Bikata will be another key to the team’s success. As last year’s PACWEST Player of the Year, she has followed up to the unforgettable season with another monster year. She’s first in the league in points per game, averaging 13.8, and is second in total rebounds and field goal percentage, making her an all-around threat. No matter which team they face, M’Bikata will undoubtedly be a key player, but if things go the way the team predicts them to, she’ll become even more important. If all goes as expected, the Blues will face the Mariners in the semi-final game, then the Royals in the finals – both teams bolster sizable lineups, making M’Bikata’s presence inside that much more important. With the gold medal match taking place on Saturday, Mar. 2, the Blues expect to be playing in the 8 p.m. final. Although the provincials are notoriously unpredictable, the women believe they’re most likely to meet the Royals once again. “We don’t want to look too far ahead, but if I did have to pick a team that was likely to get there on the other side it would be Douglas,” Weimer said. The Royals have been a bit of a kryptonite for the Blues over the past few years, something the players and coaches attribute to a mental block more than anything else. “It’s definitely a mental game with Douglas. It’s not like we can’t shoot or play defence or what not, it’s literally some mental block that we need to just clear,” M’Bikata said. But, the team isn’t shying away from this block. “If
we see them we see them. I’ve talked to our team about kind of changing our mentality when we play them,” dela Cruz Yip said. “It’s weird, I honestly don’t think they’re a better team than us, but I think that we break down when we play them, we’re not a cohesive unit.” This year’s provincials have an extra meaning for the Blues as well. These will be the last PACWEST games ever played by dela Cruz Yip, M’Bikata and guard Francis Penafiel, all of whom are in their final year of eligibility. “As much as I want to win it, I’m hoping, for those guys, to get it done, it would be awesome,” said Weimer. The players themselves aren’t immune to the emotional ending to their careers either. “I see us in the final and this whole semester, this whole season, I’ve had this vision of us winning and then me crying of how happy I am,” said dela Cruz Yip. “I haven’t had that kind of emotion in a win in a really long time.” No matter who they end up playing, the team is more confident than ever. “This team is really good. I haven’t been on a team where I’ve felt all of us present and it’s the championship team – this is the team. We just all have to believe in it and buy in,” said dela Cruz Yip. “I’ve envisioned it a lot and I see us holding a banner at the end of the week,” Cunningham added. The Blues are just two wins away from achieving their goal of a gold medal and a berth into the national tournament. “I’m expecting gold,” said M’Bikata. The PACWEST women’s basketball provincials will be taking place between Mar. 1 and 3 at N VIU.
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