BCIT & BEYOND
April 2018
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Hunter Bergen INDIGENOUS BUSINESS Heat Laliberte PHOTO FEATURE Ashley Moliere THE SILVER PEN AWARDS WOMEN IN S.T.T.E.M. MARIJUANA LAW GOOD NEWS + more
LINK magazine | April 2018
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BBY / DTC / 3700 Willingdon Ave. SE2 Building, 3rd Floor ATC / BMC / AIC Burnaby, BC V5G 3H2 CONTRIBUTORS
Max Huang Sheldon Lynn Graham Cox Sean Murphy Laura Johnston Ashley Moliere
Twila Amato Alexander Neff Pablo Carvalho Monika Szucs Flavia Chan
illustration: flavia chan
editor@linkbcit.ca 3 Introduction 4 Good News 28 Art Feature 30 Final Thought
6 Silver Pen Awards Join us in celebrating the writers, photographers, and artists that made LINK so special this past year.
8 Student Spotlight Venture out into the woods alongside Hunter Bergen as she plants positivity in perfect places. by Laura Johnston and Graham Cox.
www.linkbcit.ca
Selenna Ho
#BCITandBEYOND
Madeline Adams Lili Motaghedi
annual sponsors:
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Publisher
Promotions
Featured Contributors Flavia Chan Marketing Management, Communications option
@catscanpuke
Flavia’s been drawing ever since she could hold a pen. She’s currently in the Marketing Management program and feels so fortunate to be a part of LINK magazine. Her favourite things to draw are the cute and sad little things in life.
Max Huang
24 What We Talk About When We Talk About Bud We’re on the cusp of a major moment for marijuana. Sean Murphy looks at the past, present and future of cannabis in Canada.
Assistant Publisher
Dan Post
LINK is a proud member of the Magazine Association of BC. www.magsbc.com
18 Heat Rising
Max Huang explores the meat market with Indigenous Business leader Heat Laliberte. Can you smell the sausage sizzling?
Managing Editor
LINK is published 8 times annually and proudly printed on campus by Campus Print & Copy. Copies are distributed to all 5 BCIT campuses
12 Women in S.T.T.E.M. It helps to see your heroes. We focus our eye on women in the workforce, to inspire a cultural shift towards gender diversity in insular industries. Photos by Sheldon Lynn.
604.451.7191
Marketing Management, Entrepreneurship option
@itsmaxhuang
Max enjoys travelling, cooking, baking, and trying new restaurants, and you better believe he always brings his camera along to capture every moment of it. Part marketer/ entrepreneur, part photographer, part writer, part graphic designer... Max has too many parts to him. But it all kind of works. www.linkbcit.ca
Intro February April 2018 2018
The Millennial Voice On the cover: Hunter Bergen gets ready to plant her first tree at Allouette Lake as part of Project: Plant Your Future. (p8) Above: Last words of a dear friend inspire the first message to go in the ground.
photos by: graham cox
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e’re told that we are too loud, too entitled, too young. But as we’re entering into the career force statistically more diverse, more aware, and more educated, what are we really? A force to be reckoned with. Think about it. Every generation gains the skills and tools they need to help them succeed in the current cultural and economic time. For us, it’s largely technological (ahem, social media). Although the current job market may be a bit daunting, and the economic climate a bit too high (housing!) we really do have what it takes to succeed and make a change together in our communities. Who else is going to organize a Facebook rally when we see a social phenomenon that needs to transform? Who else is going to leverage the power of technology to enhance the lives around us? Who else is going to put their foot down when enough is enough? Us. When I say ‘millennial voice,’ I don’t mean to exclude the voices of generations past and future. After all, we only have this shade to enjoy because of the trees planted by our parents and guardians. Moreover, the next generation will only prove to be smarter and better skilled for their own present. The reason I highlight the millennial voice today is to emphasize that your voice matters and will make a difference. With the criticism from authoritative figures and constriction/ transformation of certain careers, it can be far too easy to succumb to fears. But the great thing about fear is: it gives you a chance to be brave. I mean, what’s worth the effort without a good fight?
illustration flavia chan
This year, the LINK magazine team made tremendous efforts to highlight diverse, relevant and significant stories. From Indigenous issues and social media movements, to environmental causes and political identity, our goal was to educate readers on how each individual voice can make major impacts. And this, our final issue of the school year, is no different. Our latest Student Spotlight started her own tree planting initiative to honour a friend and make a case for the environment. We turn our eye toward some amazing women working hard to break through traditionally male-dominated careers and transform the workplace. And another student introduces us to their favourite Indigenous entrepreneur/chef who’s out there breaking down barriers of his own. We are also so proud to honour and thank all of the amazing BCIT student contributors who took time outside of their hectic school lives to research, write, and design articles just for you. Throughout the year, they did the dirty work for us, helping to unpack the bigger issues of our time, and create conversation with lasting impact. So from all of us at LINK, we’d like to thank every person who picked up a copy of the magazine, clicked through our website, liked our posts, attended our workshops, or just listened to your fellow students speak from the heart. Without all of you, we wouldn’t be where we are now: a voice that deserves to be heard.
— Selenna Ho Managing Editor
LINK magazine | April 2018
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Dawn Ross Gunn / Facebook
Stand Up & Vote
#HumboldtStrong
Good news: Here at BCIT, you get a chance to vote on student leadership. As we speak, 2018/2019 Student Council candidates are out on campus looking for your vote to become BCIT’s next student President, Vice-Presidents and Chairs. Some people choose not to pay attention to student elections, because they don’t understand how important it is to their BCIT experience. But they should, because these student executives are responsible for shaping the programs, services, and student life on campus, and they rely on your support and feedback to get it right. Stay tuned to your my.bcit account for more information around voting.
It’s hard to find something good in a tragedy like that which claimed the lives of 16 members of the Sasketchewan community hockey team, but all across the country, people united around #HumboldtStrong and showed support by wearing hockey jerseys on April 12 and placing sticks outside their doors. Our Canadian spirit was so strong, it soared halfway across the world to China, where students there also wore jerseys in support of their Canadian teachers. Photos of unity posted on social media have since sparked important conversations around collective mourning, which will only continue to grow. If anything, this just shows that in times of grief, Canadians look out for one another.
Awards Season Every year, the BCIT Student Association partners with BCIT on a bursary to support important student development. The Student Initiative Fund (SIF) is available for initiatives that focus on professional development in areas like: public speaking, industry conferences, leadership training, industry best practices, communication skills, time management, effective team work, and First Aid. If you’re looking to supplement your BCIT education with professional development, you may be eligible for up to $500 in funding. The SA also offers an annual prize – the Laurie Jack Award – named in the honour of a past Student Council President, and awarded to (2) students in their graduating year who have contributed to life at BCIT. Laurie Jack was President of the BCITSA from 1971 – 1972. Tragically, he died in an airplane crash in 1975. Together, his parents and the BCITSA have sponsored this $500 award in his honour ever since. To be eligble, you need to have been nominated by a student, faculty or staff in the BCIT community. Application deadline for both awards is April 27, 2018. Full details, and download application packages online:
www.bcitsa.ca/student-services/programssevices/awards/
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Good News
good news
Free Bacon It writes itself, no? Flip to page 18 and read all about our new favourite meat man Heat Laliberte. Then, get your phones out and follow @thelinkmag and @onearrowyvr on Instagram. That’s the only way you’re going to find out how you can enter to win a smokin’ gift pack courtesy of One Arrow Meats, and the best way to stay in touch with Heat so you know where he’ll be set up next, in case you don’t win the contest, but you still want some ridiculously good local, artisinal bacon and sausages.
@thelinkmag @onearrowyvr
Out of Site Our website has never looked so good thanks to New Media design student Judy Lee, who recently spent her graduating practicum project giving the site a muchneeded spit shine. Judy made it easier than ever to: catch up on your fellow students’ ideas and opinions, find out what films or festivals are worth checking out, and learn about the influential faculty and alumni that help make this community great. April is our last printed issue of the year, but be sure to stay connected with us over the summer by checking in on the site where we will continue posting new content from BCIT students.
www.linkbcit.ca
LINK magazine | April 2018
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Silver Pen Award illustration by flavia chan
E D A A K TA S & E M I LY V A N C E
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SILVER PEN AWARD
About this year’s recipients:
Every year, LINK magazine and the BCIT Student Association award a $500 bursary to the student contributor(s) whose work has made the most impact in the student community. Through thoughtful expression of opinion, well-researched essays, and/or highimpact imagery, these contributors build meaningful connections with our readers, and help to shape the way we view and understand the world around us. This is our little way of saying: thank you for your important work.
From Day 1, Emily and Eda showed interest in unpacking the important cultural topics around campus, beginning with a shared piece on Indigenous history, and then individually on topics like Site C, cybersecurity and #MeToo. They showed boldness in tackling such significant subjects, but more importantly, they showed responsiblity in collaborating closely wth BCIT’s community to produce the most informed pieces for our audience. Through their writing and visual storytelling, Emily and Eda taught us so much, never shying away from challenging topics. LINK magazine thanks them for their courage in tackling these important issues.
Emily and Eda are honoured by BCIT Indigenous Services during a blanketing Ceremony in December.
www.linkbcit.ca
Silver Pen Award Best of 2017-18
BEST OF THE REST 2017/18
Thank you to all of our contributors! STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Michael Lim
PHOTO FEATURE Sheldon Lynn
(february 2018) words & photos max huang
(december 2017) photos sheldon lynn
FACULTY FOCUS Mauricio Lozano
ALUMNI Kaya Dorey
(september 2017) words kellan tochkin photos maddy adams
(september 2017) words nazanin joorabchian photos dayna weststeyn
FEATURE #MeToo
FEATURE Northern Spotted Owl
(february 2018) words selenna ho illustrations eda aktas
(october 2017) words david g. piper illustrations andrelle jingco
FEATURE The Granville Strip
FEATURE Truth & Reconciliation
(october 2017) words isabella zavarise photos ryan judd
LINK magazine | April 2018
(november 2018) words emily vance illustrations eda aktas
Aaron Guillen Andrelle Jingco Austin Czerwinski Brianne Bruneau Braeden Frew Carol Xu Catherine Garrett Daniel Mountain David G. Piper Dayna Weststeyn Dianne Baccay Eda Aktas Emily Vance Flavia Chan Gabriel Laubach George Eliopoulos Graham Cox Hamish Singh Isabella Zavarise Jake Agudera Janael McConkey Jesse Day
Kellan Tochkin Lara Fuzetti Laura Johnston Lucas Molina Matt Macaraeg Max Huang Michael White Monika Szucs Natalie Fox Nazanin Joorabchian Pablo Carvalho Ryan Bevelander Ryan Judd Sarah McCabe Sean Murphy Sheldon Lynn Sorina Chirhei Srushti Gangdev Stephanie Bohn Tanusharee Pillai Twila Amato
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student spotlight:
HUNTER BERGEN words laura johnston
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plants your future
photos graham cox
www.linkbcit.ca
Student Spotlight Hunter Bergen
Meet Hunter Bergen, a second-year BCIT Architecture student, and the founder and visionary behind Project Plant Your Future. Her environmental initiative aims to educate people around protecting and preserving forests, through a website and blog where she also allows people to send in personal notes she then writes onto handmade biodegradable paper, and plants with her trees. For Hunter, it was something she felt she just had to do.
How did you come up with this project? Back in November, a friend of mine from high school passed away. Nature, and looking after the environment, was something that was super, super important to him. He told me that he wanted to do something that made a difference, so the first quote I planted was a quote from him during one of the last times we saw each other. I think just what he stood for, and what he wanted to do with his future inspired me, and I think that’s what really ignited the idea for this project. At his funeral, his mom had said they’ve got a bunch of little saplings out at the front, and when you leave to please take one. There were over 500 people there, so when I walked out and all the saplings had been taken, something inside me went: I have to plant a tree. So, on the way home my mom and I drove by a nursery and picked up a tree, and then of course I couldn’t plant it right away because of the weather, but I went home and I started writing up some stuff about how I felt after the whole day. It was just one of those things where I felt so strongly I had to do this, and I was like ‘why shouldn’t everyone want to plant a tree?’ In that moment, it really sunk in how much it meant to me to do something like that. By the end of November I kept thinking about all these ideas I was writing about, and by the end of Winter Break, I was working on a website. Eventually I was like, ‘let’s just do it.’ I wasn’t sure what other people would think of it, or if people would actually respond to it, or if it was just going to be me going to plant trees by myself. But I wanted to know if people could be interested, so I just put it out there and sure enough, since then I’ve been getting more positive feedback and responses than expected! Can you describe how you felt when the pieces of this project came together, and you finalized your vision for it? It was really, really nerve-wracking at first. But of course, I was super excited once I finally had it all together. I realized that everything could connect and be put into action. To actually be taking action - and it’s something I’m thinking about all the time - it just makes it all that more exciting. I’m always reaching out to people and talking about it now. Has your experience in the BCIT Architecture program helped you at all with the project? In my program (I ended up taking the elective Building Science) we have a term project that we’re working on. It’s a research project where you and your team pick a topic that you want to research, and at the end of the year, you present it to the industry. Our topic ended up being windows in passive houses. A passive house is basically trying to get a house down to net 0 energy, so all energy that is used within your house doesn’t get released out into the atmosphere; it’s just basically recycling it which is really cool. We’ve been studying that, and reaching out to companies who are helping us and sponsoring us with a lot of our research. Just last week I ended up getting an email from this company located in Virginia, and they’re starting up a new program where with every window that they install, they’re going to be planting a tree in the area wherever the
LINK magazine | April 2018
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I want to not only educate myself, but along the way, I want to be sharing with other people.
building is. I thought to myself, ‘this is perfect, my research project is on windows and they do passive house windows, and they’re doing basically what I’m doing with my project planting trees.’ I ended up reaching out to them and they’re super excited about my project and now they’re going to be sending me some stuff for us to use for our school project too. It was totally what I’m doing with my personal life, and my school life, which is really cool and exciting. How did your first plant at Alouette Lake go? It went way better than I expected. We had to keep pushing back the day because of the weather and snow and it just wasn’t happening. But the day (March 17) was so perfect. It was super sunny out and it wasn’t too hot. I met up with [Graham] and we walked down the trail, found the perfect spot, then we both did a little photo shoot with the trees, because I love taking pictures as well. And then we just went and found the perfect spot and planted the tree. I actually almost had an emotional moment after planting it. It was funny because, I was sitting on the ground after the tree had been planted and let out a heavy sigh. Graham asked: “oh, do you feel defeated?” And I went, “No this is... It just happened!” He had no idea it was my first plant. Honestly, when this whole thing became an idea, I just didn’t know that I was going to carry on with it, 10
but now the first plant has happened and it’s actually rolling. It’s real. Is the educational aspect of the project important to you? I want to not only educate myself, but along the way, I want to be sharing with other people what it is that I’m learning, because I got into this project not knowing anything. The environment has always been something that I’m super passionate about, and always wanted to learn more about, but I realized I never actually invested any time into learning about it. With studying architecture, something that has such a huge impact on the environment and our climate, being able to learn more about that and apply that to my career in the future kind of goes hand-in-hand. The blogging is also almost like an accountability partner for me too. Because I’m putting the blog posts out there, people are now expecting it, so it’s making sure that I’m always active and writing and always thinking about it, and expanding and growing within it. Can you speak to the artistic side of the project, with the handmade paper-making process and the notes? Is the creative side important to you as well? Writing has always been personal to me, and being creative has always been something that is super important to me, so that’s kind of how this whole thing started. I wanted to
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do something different, something creative, something unique. I want to be able to show that in what I’m doing, and it’s a way to get away from school too, and not just think about numbers all day. I love making sure that being creative in whatever it is that I’m doing, careerwise, personal-life, everything, is still part of my everyday life. What advice would you give to people who want to get involved with environmental projects but don’t know where to begin? Honestly, what I’ve had to do, is just make sure I’m looking things up along the way – and it does take time. It has to be something you really care about. If you care about it, you’re going to invest the time into it, so by just making the first step of going and looking up whatever it is you want to know about the environment, is great. And there’s so much out there to provide you with the information that you need. Google is your best friend. Do you have your next plant planned already? The plan is to do another one in April. I’m going to talk to more people at the tree nursery (there’s a ‘tree guy;’ they call him that!) and making sure that the trees are available to me. I buy them myself, because as much as I want people to be involved in this project, I don’t want them to feel like I’m just someone else asking for money. It’s really what is personal to www.linkbcit.ca
you for the note, and I’ll just take care of the rest. Where do you envision this project going looking toward the future? What’s funny is, when I first started it, it was only going to be a yearlong project, but now I don’t see that happening at all. Especially after talking to the tree guy that I met at the nursery. He said to me, ‘this is LINK magazine | April 2018
a lifetime project you’ve created.’ And I thought, ‘Wow, yes I guess it is!’ If it could just be something that has at least influenced people, or inspires people to do something for themselves over its course, whether they’ve reached out to me or not, that would be a huge, huge thing. For me it’s just going to be a matter of keeping on top of it and reaching out to more people, and telling more
companies about my project and asking questions. It’s just going to be a matter of getting the word out to more people, and seeing where it goes from there.
Submit your special note, favourite quote, or daily reminder to Hunter’s project at: ProjectPlantYourFuture.wordpress.com 11
WOMEN in SCIENCE
words twila amato & selenna ho portraits sheldon lynn
Technology Trades engineering math
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omen in STTEM are intelligent, strong, and worth it. Women bring new and diverse perspectives into THESE traditionally maledominated workPLACES, which in tIME, will transform industries and ultimately, our world. But before we can flourish WITH the skill sets that women have to offer, we must first recognize the barriers that women face in STTEM fields. shedding light on past lessons will only strengthen the exciting future women in STTEM REPrESENT.
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Feature
S.T.T.E.M
Women in STTEM
Stephanie Cosacescu
Computer Systems Technology
www.linkbcit.ca LINK magazine |
April 2018
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Jyoti Parhar Civil Engineering
About this portrait series: An important part of encouraging more women in STTEM is to actually see them at work, and give them a forwardfacing presence in these fields. So we went out onto the BCIT campus, to meet young women currently studying in these programs, and show you what the future of stronger industries looks like.
Jobs and careers that fall under STTEM can include: agriculture, construction, medicine, research, and other vocational jobs such as plumbing, electrician, and more. Despite Canada’s efforts towards gender equality in the workplace, the underlying discrimination that women continuously face in STTEM jobs is still prevalent today, from stereotypes we hear as children, to lack of role models in the field, to discriminatory workspaces. Stop me if you’ve heard this riddle as a kid. A father and son are in a car crash and the father dies. The son is rushed to the hospital. Just as the doctor comes in to perform the surgery, the doctor exclaims, “I can’t operate on this boy!” “Why not?” the nurse asks. “Because he’s my son,” the doctor responds. How is this possible? Because the doctor is his mother! [gasp]. Stereotypes enforced upon us as children influence the way we see the world today. Just think about it: when we talk about doctors, engineers, plumbers... we don’t usually think of women right away. This likely has to do with the implication that STTEM is only for guys.
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Carlee Murray
Trades Discovery
Even to this day, a lot of the well-known scientists, mathematicians, and technology experts in our society tend to be men. For instance, more than 80% of members of the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame are men, and only 28% of people who hold prestigious Canada Research Chairs are women. As it stands right now, more and more women are entering STTEMrelated education fields, but not enough of them stay. We are starting to do better to encourage women to go into these jobs and careers, but we fail to encourage and empower these women to stay once they enter the field. According to a survey taken by Statista in 2016, many women don’t stay in STTEM because there is a lack of opportunity for promotion or higher salaries, and there’s major gender discrimination at the workplace. Only 11.9% of respondants said they chose not to pursue STTEM jobs because they didn’t have the skills necessary to advance in the field. Even though schools, companies, and other institutions can do more in terms of recruiting women, most of the work lies in making
LINK magazine | April 2018
women feel like they’re part of the team. It’s about equipping women to succeed; helping women to stay in STTEM fields by cultivating a healthy work culture where women aren’t judged harshly for exhibiting “male” qualities, like assertiveness or strong leadership. The real test is if schools and companies can retain these women and bolster them into fulfilling careers. Here’s some good news: changes are coming. The BC government recently announced funding and support for initiatives that aim to remove barriers for women who want to enter STTEM jobs. The provincial government promises $1.8 million in funding for outreach, mentorship, and training to address bullying and harassment in the workplace, among other barriers. More and more companies are starting to recognize the talent and hard work that women put into their career fields. We need women in these fields, and only once companies foster a work culture that empowers and inspires women, will our social and technological advancements increase.
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Photo Feature Ashley Moliere
Ashley Moliere 1st-Year Broadcast & Online Journalism www.ashleymoliere.com @ashmo__photos
magazine | April LINKLINK magazine | April 20182018
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HEAT RISING 18 18
words & photos max huang
Community Indigenous BusinessBusinesss Leaders
Heat Laliberte, owner of One
Arrow Meats, an artisanal Vancouver bacon shop, makes himself known right from the start. On a semicloudy mid-March day in a busy café just outside of Granville Island, Heat managed to grab the last free table for our interview, beating out a couple who were also eyeing the seats. I chuckled at Heat as I placed our latte and mocha down, not surprised at Heat’s small, yet significant, victory. LINK magazine | April 2018
You have to work for the things you want; something Heat knows all too well. Born into foster care in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Heat has faced his share of adversity. Heat was adopted into a family in Saskatoon, where he faced financial and racial challenges: “I grew up extremely poor and a lot of my First Nations friends were also really poor. I think being a person of colour and low income, you have way more hurdles to jump over.”
pictured here: Heat stops to chat with a man living underneath the Granville bridge.
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“it was always in the back of my head that maybe this is something I could do in the future.”
When Canada commemorated 150 years of history, we also marked 150 years of continued colonization of the first peoples – a history of social injustice that has left Indigenous communities across the country with longterm health and social issues, lower health outcomes, plus higher rates of poverty and incarceration. Like many others, Heat faced bullying and discrimination due to his First Nations heritage. Pile on family members that struggled with substance abuse, and you have a whole race’s worth of hurdles to jump over. Heat was willing to enter that race.
Certification. Heat then went on to work at several highly respected hotels and restaurants, including: The Westin Hotel, where he met his mentor Chef JP Fillion, Frank Pabst’s Blue Water Café, and The Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, where Heat was named Employee of the Year in 2016, beating out over 500 other employees for the honour.
I could do in the future.” But what really brought his dream to reality was the Aboriginal BEST Program (Business & Entrepreneurship Skills Training). This free program aims to help Indigenous people gain skills and knowledge to become self-employed. With the guidance of instructor Kristin Kozuback, Heat went on to win “Best Business” and “Best Presentation” awards from the program.
It was there that Heat’s passion for charcuterie blossomed and a business was born. “Fairmont had “I’m so lucky that I get to do this kind this charcuterie program. They made of work,” Kristin said with a smile. all their bacon, sausages and cured “Through the province, with the CCE, meats in house,” Heat gushed. Even I get to go to 10 to 12 communities After moving to Vancouver at age before The Fairmont, it seemed like each year and do a program like 20 with no prior cooking experience, he was pre-destined for a career in the one that Heat took. We also get Heat landed a line cook job at charcuterie: “I had people approach funded to go and do a small business Moxie’s Grill & Bar. “It was just me [asking] to make sausages for start-up program. It’s just a matter the first job that I could find in them personally, and I had friends of giving them the tools and the Vancouver.” The job lasted two years come over wanting to learn how to business advice.” The passion she and sparked in Heat a passion for make sausages,” Laliberte recalled. exudes when speaking about the cooking. After Moxie’s, he enrolled “They would tell me that I should issues that First Nations people face in Vancouver Community College’s do classes, or sell the sausages and was evident in her emotional words: Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Program bacon, so it was always in the back of “It’s frustrating for me being white; and graduated with a Red Seal my head that maybe this is something I always self-identify as a settler. In
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every presentation I ever do, doesn’t matter if I’m at this council meeting or Indigenous business group, I always start by saying I’m blessed to be living and working here on unceded Salish territories.” Kristin used her resources to ensure Indigenous groups got the help they needed and deserved; an act Heat appreciates to this day. The transition from chef to business owner is a daunting one, but one Heat chose to face when attending the Aboriginal BEST Program. Heat recalled the program’s challenges: “How much are you going to charge a person? What’s the price for your product? How did you get to that? What’s your labor? What’s your overhead? ...These [were] things that I [had] never heard of.” Despite the challenges, Heat felt at home: the program was specifically tailored for First Nations people and was held at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society, a society aiding First Nations people in their transition to the urban Vancouver Community since 1963. “I felt like I belonged there; I felt safe, I felt secured… I was around people that were First Nations as well. I didn’t feel intimidated.” Heat’s sense of security eventually transformed into confidence in himself, his skill sets, and his values: “You need to believe in yourself and believe in your product and you know that if you’re sharing it with people, they appreciate that you’re sharing something that you made with love and with passion and care.”
“You need to believe in yourself and believe in your product and you know that if you’re sharing it with people, they appreciate that you’re sharing something that you made with love and with passion and care.”
With his new-found confidence and business knowledge, Heat started his own artisanal bacon business, One Arrow. The name is an homage to his First Nations heritage and his personal strength to overcome obstacles. One Arrow proudly advertises its 100% Aboriginal-owned status. “I think it’s important because people should be supporting First Nations people. Most First Nations people don’t come from money; they’re from low-income families.” BC actually has the highest number of First Nation Communities in all of Canada – 198 communities to be exact – with 11 First Nations communities in and around the Vancouver Lower mainland alone.1 The barriers Indigenous peoples face extend beyond economic class; racism is a very common experience for First Nations people. “I remember I was 4 or 5 and I played with a neighbour’s toy. [When I] was walking away the
Province Of British Columbia. (n.d.). B.C. first nations & indifenous people. Retrieved from Welcome BC: https://www.welcomebc.ca/Choose-B-C/Explore-British-Columbia/B-C-First-Nations-Indigenous-People 1
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neighbours called me a ‘little squaw’ and I went home upset and told my mom what he said. [My mom] literally went over to his place and I remember her jabbing her finger in his chest; [she was] so angry.” Studies also show First Nations men are two-to-three times more likely than non-First Nations men to experience some sort of violence from authorities or individuals. First Nations women face threeto-four times more interpersonal violence and are at higher risk of harassment from authorities than non-First Nations women.2 Funny how someone like Heat – who grew up with so many barriers, from poverty to racism and discrimination – ended up cooking for the Canadian Olympics Team not once, but twice; once in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and another a few months ago in Pyeongchang, Korea. Heat acknowledges the support he needed, from his family to his mentor JP Fillion who brought him on as a chef for both Olympics: “Just imagine 500 rowdy Canadians drinking beer and watching hockey! It was just such a great energy in the house. I just felt very proud to be a part of it… I wish my mom was alive to see that, because I know she would have been super proud of me.” Heat highlights the importance of having social support like mentors in business in general, not just for First Nations entrepreneurs: “[Young entrepreneurs] need to find mentors in the industry that have a business like the one they want to build. I really reached out to chefs that had twice as much as experience as me, or chefs
that had their own businesses, and just asked them as many questions as I could. Even if you think the question isn’t important, it definitely is, because there will always be somebody that will have better pricing, or business cards, or packaging. You could always get a better deal somewhere else, and it’s all through word-of-mouth. Everybody’s interconnected, especially in the food industry, so they’ll be able to guide you in the right direction.” And for First Nations entrepreneurs, Heat urges them search out places like the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre. “There [are] some fine people in the community that are also First Nations that could be your mentor, but also there are places that will help you apply for grants and loans… The Vancouver [Aboriginal] Friendship Centre has a lot of resources there for everyone.” What does Heat wish people take away from his experiences? “I think that you can overcome anything you want; you can go through hell and back and you could still become a successful person. It doesn’t matter how you grew up or where you grew up, it’s all the things that you overcome that make you who you are and it will make you stronger.” What’s on the horizon for this budding entrepreneur? “Right now, I’m working on my retail permit. I would love to be able to sell my bacon at small boutique grocery stores or even supply restaurants.” Heat’s dream is personal, yet powerful. Just imagine: One Arrow meats across the country, representing the resilience and strength of Indigenous peoples.
“you can overcome anything you want; you can go through hell and back and you could still become a successful person. It doesn’t matter how you grew up or where you grew up, it’s all the things that you overcome that make you who you are and it will make you stronger.”
Contact Heat, order products, or learn more about the One Arrow story online at: www.onearrowmeats.com
2
Loppie, S., Reading, C., & de Leeu, S. (2014). Aboriginal experiences with racism and its impacts. Public
22 Health Agency of Canada. National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.
www.linkbcit.ca
RESOURCES FOR INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURS Aboriginal Business & Entrepreneurship Skills Training Program (BEST) Free training for Indigenous people that helps to nurture their entrepreneurial spirit, communities, and organizations, and helps them take steps to start or grow their own businesses. Provides: Business coaching & ongoing mentoring. aboriginalbest.com Tale’awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation (TACC) Support the success of Aboriginal-owned businesses. Provides: Funding & capital. tacc.ca Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society (VAFCS) Aid for First Nations people in their transition to the urban Vancouver community. Provides: Programs in health, welfare, social services, human rights, culture, education, recreation and equality. vafcs.org/
UPCOMING FARMERS MARKET DATES FOR ONE ARROW Saturday April 28th Riley Park Farmers Market 4601 Ontario Street 10am-2pm Sunday, April 29th Hastings Park Market 2901 East Hastings 10am-2pm
LINK magazine | April 2018
Sunday, May 20th Kitsilano Farmers Market 2690 Larch Street 10am-2pm
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WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUD. words & photos sean murphy
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www.linkbcit.ca
Feature Marijuana Industry
I
n 1922, Emily Murphy, the first female magistrate in Canada, wrote a book entitled The Black Candle that depicted the terror of a relatively unknown drug in Vancouver: “When coming from under the influence of this narcotic, these victims present the most horrible condition imaginable. They are dispossessed of their natural and normal will power, and their mentality is that of idiots. If this drug is indulged into any great extent, it ends in the untimely death of its addict.” She was writing about marijuana, which soon after was added to Canada’s Act to Prohibit the Improper Use of Opium and other Drugs. Fast-forward nearly 100 years and we’re on the horizon of legalization. So what does this mean for Canada?
LINK magazine | April 2018
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Let’s start by looking at the recent history of cannabis in our city, then any complications and opportunities legalization will ultimately provide. We’ll try to steer clear of speculations and blame, and just blow through the facts, data and reality. In 2016, there were 54,940 marijuana related-charges including: possession, trafficking, production and distribution. Just this year, Vancouver saw police raids on controversial open-air cannabis markets on Robson Street five separate times, until they eventually shut it down. Marijuana dispensaries are popping up on every other block in Downtown Vancouver and thriving in what is essentially a grey-market, skirting laws by issuing their own medical cards instead of strictly acknowledging medical marijuana cards issued by Health Canada. These businesses are flourishing while the government struggles to place a proper framework into place. Related fines issued by bylaw officers in 2017 exceeded $1 million and it was reported that only 14% of those fines had been paid. The average fine issued daily in Canada is $1000. Now the whole country is trying to make sense of Bill C-45, the proposed piece of leglislation with the power to transform the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code, and other related Acts. This puts Canada in an awkward position, both domestically, where provincial governments are scrambling to understand their role in this revolution, and internationally, where we could end up violating international drug control conventions of the International Narcotics Control Board. These are not new questions. Just south of the border, the United States have laid a good portion of groundwork. Cannabis has changed from being a Schedule 1 Drug on 1970’s Controlled Substances Act to being legalized in 2012 in Washington and Colorado. Since then, they’ve been joined by Alaska, Oregon, Washington DC, Maine, California, Massachusetts and Nevada. It’s important to note these decisions came through ballots; these are changes voters wanted. This January, Vermont was the first state to legalize through legislature. To understand it all, we should start with the existing legal framework. Decriminalization is a term that’s been tossed around, and is often a government’s first gentle step towards complete reform. There’s a fine difference between “legalization” and “decriminalization” though, and we will have to work through the differences before discussing their ramifications. To decriminalize would mean abolishing penalties for carrying drugs but, in a reflective way, also indicates the acceptance that marijuana does not hurt society in any significant way. Legalization would introduce regulations and government control for what are perceived as victimless crimes. The next step forward for either would be removing stigmatization. The stats don’t quite reflect this just yet. A whopping 3% of people polled by Mackie 26
“I think the myth of cannabis as a gateway drug has been debunked. I view it as an exit drug.”
Research will consider recreational cannabis use once it’s legalized. But right now, Veterans in Canada can be reimbursed for three grams of marijuana a day. Health Canada reports the number of medical marijuana clients has gone up every quarter since 2015. There are more considerations than just signing a bill at play though. Currently, getting caught with a joint could lead to charges that would destroy your future job prospects and lump you in with convicted felons. Right now, one of the big critiques of C-45, is that it does not pardon those with convictions against them for something that will be legalized. We don’t have much information on this, aside from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s non-commital promise to, “take steps to look at what we can do for those folks who have criminal records for something that would no longer be criminal,” during his visit to Vice’s Toronto offices this time last year. We’ve also got to consider drug-impairment while operating a vehicle. The current legal limit is five nanograms of THC. The Drug Recognition Expert Evaluations, a 12-step drug test officers conduct to test impairment, has been reported by The Fifth Estate as being as effective as, “flipping a coin.” This is a test the government is currently spending $80 million to teach 750 police officers. Dispensaries are raided regularly, employees are arrested, and some have been charged with trafficking. This creates an uncomfortable scenario for working at licensed dispensaries in the future, as the most experienced potential employees would be unveiling their complictness in illegal activities by sharing their experience. The B.C. Cannabis Private Retail Licensing Guide mentions that: “having operated an illegal dispensary will not, on its own, exclude anyone from
being considered for a license,” and adds that neither will having a record of criminal activity. Employees and licensees will have to go through background checks. Hasneil Lal, Assistant Manager of WestCanna Medicinal Dispensary – a licensed dispensary on Broadway and Heather – doesn’t see these as issues. He spent a yearand-a-half working at an unlicensed dispensary that catered to medical needs, and has now spent the same amount of time working at WestCanna. “Because of the stigma of working in a dispensary, I wouldn’t put it on my resume for other work. When I started here, I was open about my previous employment.” At the dispensary, Lal shows me a small alternative newspaper filled with articles related to marijuana. “Because we’re federally licensed, we’re not allowed to have ads in magazines or papers – like cigarettes. But unlicensed dispensaries, or other products, are free to advertise wherever they want. We did just advertise on The Peak, but that’s the extent we can essentially advertise.” This is one of the limits imposed by Canada’s Cannabis Act. The advertising regulations of tobacco will essentially apply to cannabis products – for the sake of protecting youth. These rules seem hazy at first, especially when we consider internet marketing and the roles that Facebook and Instagram play, not just in promotion and advertising, but also general social outreach. These are rules Lal doesn’t see as an issue, citing a lack of education for youth on cannabis use. But, he adds, “I’ve been here since the beginning. We’ve gone from 0 to 17,500 customers in about a year-and-ahalf. I think the myth of cannabis as a gateway drug has www.linkbcit.ca
been debunked – I view it as an exit drug. I’ve seen a lot of people’s lives improve because of cannabis, even as an aid to quit drinking.” The market size of medical marijuana in 2015 was $49 million, and it’s projected to reach 2.5 billion with full legalization, or $1.14 billion without full legalization by 2020, according to a survey conducted by Mackie Research in April 2016. That only gets larger when we introduce recreational sales. Statistics Canada reported that Canadians spent an estimated $5.7 billion on cannabis just last year. There are infrastructures being set up — BC will be home to the largest grow-op facility in
“We’re training the next generation of compliant, qualified and competent cannabis retailers for the real world, and setting the standard of safety and customer service.” North America, a joint project between Canopy Growth and BC Tweed. As of last November, BC has the second highest number of licenses issued for cultivating and selling medical marijuana. The first is Ontario, which has more than double. These are huge companies that will define the market, and the positions for employment this can create are LINK magazine | April 2018
plentiful. A ‘Budtender’ is essentially a retail associate who can recommend different strains for different uses, and helps make an educated purchasing decision. These are positions we’ll see starting at $12/hour. When we move into growing and cultivating plants, a fair wage would be $18/hour. Like any line of work, these positions require training and some education. The biggest demographic of recreational cannabis consumers polled by the Government of Canada come in overwhelmingly as Students at 37.2%. What are schools doing to prepare for this huge developing market? Kwantlen Polytechnic University currently offer their Cannabis Professional Series with online courses ranging from Plant Production & Facility Management to Financing a Cannabis Enterprise in Canada. KPU were one of the first post-secondary institutions to implement this kind of education, starting in 2015 with an Introduction to Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes course. The program was so successful they created the series in partnership with The National Institute for Cannabis Health and Education. The newest program they offer includes retail training for the cannabis industry. “We’re training the next generation of compliant, qualified and competent cannabis retailers for the real world, and setting the standard of safety and customer service,” says David Purcell, KPU Director of Emerging Business for Continuing and Professional Studies. Other Canadian schools venturing into the field include Niagara College, who are running a Commercial of Cannabis Production certificate program to prepare students to work as growers, managers or quality control experts. In Ontario, Western Law School is adding Medical Marijuana: Law & Practice to their curriculum.
BCIT doesn’t seem as eager to prepare students for this developing market even though there are applicable courses here to enter this field, like marketing, health sciences, and applied research, that definitely will benefit from The Cannabis Act. In a drafted proposal, Policy No 7200, it’s outlined that “…BCIT strictly prohibits the manufacture, offering for sale, sale, distribution or use of Cannabis by any person on BCIT Premises.” This will be the case except for, what they call, “Special Circumstances” which accommodates Canada’s Human Rights Code (ie. if someone medically requires it). Faculty and students don’t have to disclose why they need it, but they would be expected to have a federally licensed medical card or certificate. WorkSafe BC won’t alter their Occupational Health and Safety Regulations which state: “A person must not enter or remain at any workplace while the person’s ability to work is affected by alcohol, a drug or other substance so as to endanger the person or anyone else.” Clearly there is still much to figure out, and many have criticized Trudeau’s government for rushing too quickly to fulfill his campaign promise of legalization. But, if models like those in the US are any indication of how things will go, nobody gets this right the first try and those kinks will just be ironed out as we find them. The most notable change we can expect from the bill is the reaction we could get from our parents for confiding our interest in growing marijuana for a living – or the price of the cars we drive on our way to our part-time jobs selling weed.
Share your thoughts on the green wave that is quickly approaching.
@linkbcit 27
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Art Feature Drawing Thanks
ALEXANDER NEFF “Every day for a year, I’m drawing a portrait of someone who has influenced me or inspired me in some way. Through the project, I am trying to express my gratitude to the people I sketch. I have been posting these sketches to social media to try and bring an uplifting tone to my content, and it has been such a rewarding experience. I have rekindled old friendships and connected with people who have inspired me from a distance. I want to encourage others to adopt new ways of showing thanks to the people in their lives, and hopefully inspire other students to take a bit of time out of their busy schedules to live in the moment and appreciate what they have.” Learn more about Alexander’s project and show him a little gratitude of your own.
LINK magazine | April 2018
alexanderneffdesigns
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Final Thought Now what...
We asked BCIT students on the brink of graduation, 3 important questions:
interviews by monika szucs
How do you feel now that you’re about to graduate?
What do you wish you told yourself when you started the program?
“I honestly did not like going to school previously, but when it was time to graduate, I wanted to stay in school more. Recently, I tried to close my eyes and just feel the atmosphere of being in class, taking class, talking with my classmates and so on.”
“Be brave, you have nothing to gain from hiding your questions and concerns. The worst that could happen is that your question doesn’t get answered. Making mistakes and failing is also part of learning; make as many mistakes as you can while you’re learning.”
“Put yourself into uncomfortable situations. You may not like talking in front of people, leading a group, or writing business emails, but these soft skills are equally as important as the hard skills that you learn in school.” - Raymond Chiu
“Graduating is both exciting and frightening! Opportunities are everywhere, with so many awesome paths to consider. Planning the next phase of your life is one of the most freeing feelings there is, especially after working so hard to reach this point.” - Carson Roscoe
“Enjoy the long days and late nights. As much as they may feel like a drain, these memories and the comraderies they build will shape your experience here. Be excited for life, willing to take on the challenges it may bring, and acknowledge that it will be hard work, but the work will be worth it in the end.” - Carson Roscoe
“Always remember that after school, you never stop learning. And remember that success is a journey not a destination.”
- Judy Cho Digital Design & Development
Computer Systems Technology
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- Raymond Chiu Digital Design & Development
What should current students know?
- Dennis Pierre Digital Design & Development
www.linkbcit.ca
+BCIT
CREATIVE GRAPHIC
COCKTAIL:
DESIGN
SHAKEN &
GRAD
STIRRED
SHOW
We are shaking up Vancouver Design Week 2018 with not one, but two deliciously addictive creative events. Featuring a line-up of multi-disciplinary designers, each showcasing their career path and presenting design beyond the drawing board.
ANGELA BAINS Strategic Design BCIT, TransformExp
WAFÉ GARA Graphic Design
BCIT, Student Association
ZACH SHORE Motion Graphics Shore Digital Media
JONATHAN WANG UX Design
Electronic Arts
$30
Early Bird Price regular $35
Info and tickets available in The Student Association Centre (SE2) or online at bcitsa.ca
BCIT DT Campus 555 Seymour St. Vancouver, BC V6B 3H6 Atrium, 8th Floor
ANITA MIETTUNEN
Creative Writing & Book Design Red Deer Press
JENNIFER WINTER
Events & Lighting Design Rebelux Creative
This event will also give you access to the BCIT Graphic Design Grad Show 2018. We welcome you to celebrate with the graduates and view their work.
RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/y9hyol9z
Saturday, May 26th 5:30PM - 9:00PM Boat departs at 6:00 PM and docks at 9:00 PM
FRIDAY, MAY 11 5:30 -7:30pm
— BCIT STUDENT INNOVATION CHALLENGE. WHAT’S YOUR BRIGHT IDEA? Tell us about your product, prototype, or innovative concept and win up to $5,000. Enter by May 6, 2018. Learn more at bcit.ca/innovate
Bexar Ventures
EST. 1900