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Over The Edge
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UNBC’s Independent Student Newspaper est. 1994
Vote Oct. 19!
Volume 22, Issue 3
Free overtheedgenewspaper.ca
October 13, 2015 ote-newspaper@unbc.ca
E
ven though the NHL season has just gotten going, another sport is dominant in the minds of Canadians. For the first time since they won the World Series in 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays are in the playoffs. By the time this issue is published, it is quite possible that the series between the Jays and the Texas Rangers is already over in favour of either side, but allow me to digress. All over Canadian media, there are mentions of “Canada’s Team” and how as proud Canadians we should be in full support of Canada’s only baseball
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Instead, watch the Jays, Raptors, or any other Canadian-based sports team because you truly enjoy them, not out of a sense of duty. There are many enjoyable things to do in life without being forced to partake in the things you do not enjoy.
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Next deadline: October 5
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Support is always needed and no experience is required; help make Over The Edge better. We want to hear from you! Call us at 250960-5633, tweet us @overtheedgeunbc, email us at ote-newspaper@unbc.ca and be sure to like us on Facebook. For more information, please visit our website www.overtheedgenewspaper.ca.
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are fond of the city they are from, you like their diverse, talented lineup, or something else, go right ahead! Do not feel ashamed for not cheering for them or forced to cheer for them because of their geographical location. They are not playing for your country, they are playing in a professional league for large paycheques.
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Every year, we provide employment as editors, designers, and managers to students with a passion for journalism and are always looking for motivated individuals to work and volunteer in our collaborative environment. Over The Edge offers competitive advertising rates for space in our print publication as well as online.
The Blue Jays are Canada’s only Major League Baseball team, just like the Toronto Raptors are Canada’s only NBA team. We are told that we must cheer for them, as they represent our country. However on the Blue Jays’ roster there are but 6 Canadians and on the Raptors there are only 2. These teams are situated within our borders, but they are not particularily Canadian in makeup. If you like watching the Jays because you enjoy their league-leading offense,
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Over The Edge is the University of Northern British Columbia’s independent student newspaper. Our office is located on the 2nd floor of the NUSC building in room 6-350. We are an equal opportunity publication which represents students in the UNBC and Prince George community. Our publication supports student writing by welcoming news, arts, sports, culture and opinion articles, as well as photography, comics, and creative writing submissions.
team. To that, I say phooey, balderdash, and other dismissive things.
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Letter from the
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Letter from NUGSS: VP Finance Alex Pinette
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ello, I’m Alex Pinette, and I’m your NUGSS VP finance. I would like to take this opportunity to explain my main roles around the school. Like all of the NUGSS board, I sit on several committees, so that I can let students know if something is happening that I think they should be privy to. My main duty though is the fair distribution of funds to the many NUGSS clubs. Clubs are eligible for different amounts of money based on how long they have been at the university, how many students attend their meetings and functions, and how well the club is run. Depending primarily on these
UNBC Life
factors clubs can be classified as being in probationary, good, or advanced standing. Until a club has been around for a full calendar year, it is considered to be in probationary standing, and is eligible for only $100 per semester. After that year is over the club can become a club in good standing. Clubs in good standing are eligible for $500 per semester.
current VP internal of NUGSS, and up to four undergraduate students. When all of their questions have been asked and answered, the club representatives will be asked to leave, so that we may discuss the matter. Upon reaching a decision, the representatives will be called back in, and informed of the decision, and the reasons behind it.
In order to become a club in advanced standing, the club must have at least 15 people in regular attendance, have at least 2 years of recognition under NUGSS, and apply for advanced standing at a club hearing with the NUGSS VP internal in September of January. Clubs in advanced standing are eligible for $750 per semester. These funds do not carry over from semester to semester. In order to access this money clubs must apply to the Monetary Affairs Committee (MAC). This process starts when a club member fills out and submits a MAC application form, found in the NUGSS office or on our website.
Our decisions are informed by a number of policies and bylaws, some of which are obvious, others less so. On the obvious side, the MAC does not fund alcohol or prizes for club events. The MAC also only funds up to 75% of any given event. The MAC does not grant retroactive funding. If you would like money for an event, apply before the event. If clubs wish to use their entire allotment for a single event then they must provide a petition showing support for the event from the club.
MAC meetings shall be held each Tuesday at 12:00. As such, only applications submitted before 4:00 PM on the preceding Friday will be included in the agenda for any given meeting. At least one member of the club (ideally one with a good knowledge of the club’s finances and the event in question) will be required to attend the meeting to respond to any questions that the commission may have. The MAC has 7 available voting positions; the current VP finance of NUGSS, the current president of NUGSS, the
This is of course a simple overview of the Monetary Affairs Commission, and of the portfolio of the NUGSS VP finance. If you are planning on applying for funding, or for more detailed information, please contact me at nugssfinance@unbc.ca or by stopping by the NUGSS office, as I am often there. You can also find our policy and bylaws on the NUGSS website. Either way, I look forward to seeing many of you in MAC meetings, and helping to keep clubs alive at UNBC!
Letter from the Outdoors Club Julia MacDonald Public Relations Officer, Outdoors Club
T
he Outdoors Club is a student run club right here at UNBC! Our club is focused on getting students active and involved in outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, rock climbing, crosscountry, downhill and backcountry skiing. Every semester we organize trips giving students the opportunity to get out and explore all that northern British Columbia has to offer while meeting fellow UNBC students! We offer trips for all ‘outdoor’ levels and are keen to help develop students’ skills in any outdoors activity that are of interest to students. In addition, every semester the Outdoors Club organizes special film screenings and brings in different guest speakers for students to enjoy! Examples of guest speakers
include local students, Prince George Search and Rescue, local knowledge sources from the Alpine Club and professional guides. The Outdoors Club hopes to collaborate with other clubs this year to make connections with student groups across the UNBC campus. As a member of the UNBC Outdoors Club you get access to organized club trips, free gear rentals (with deposit), a membership to the Alpine Club of Canada-Prince George Section, a bi-weekly newsletter informing you of upcoming events/trips and heaps of fun friends and rad adventures! Our recent trips include: Berg Lake in Mt. Robson Provincial Park and Camping/Rock Climbing at Francois Lake.
We would like to thank everyone who came out to those trips and made them a success! We hope to continue the tradition of both these trips for years to come. Upcoming trips in October and November include: Bowron Lake Chain Paddle, Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 and Introduction to Backcountry Skiing. We also organize a weekly trip to OVERHang Rock Climbing gym, open to all levels! If you are interested in getting involved with the Outdoors Club, or would like more information check us out on Facebook at UNBC Outdoors Club, at our website: unbcoutdoorsclub.com, or come out to our weekly meetings held on Mondays at 3:30pm!
Julia MacDonald
UNBC Life
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What is PG PIRG? Laura Sapergia Coordinator, PG PIRG
What is PG PIRG? Laura Sapergia
E
ver wonder what that acronym in your fees stands for? It’s short for the Prince George Public Interest Research Group or PG-PIRG. Around campus we just say PIRG, like iceBERG. An iceberg is also a good image for PIRG, we do so much on campus that you might not know about. PIRG is a nonprofit student-funded organization dedicated to research, advocacy, and other actions in the public interest. PIRG does this by providing a resource space, access to staff, and our library. PIRG also supports Action Groups that work to build skills, share knowledge, and bring about environmental and social justice in our community. Stuff we do on campus right now includes: Composting, Learning Garden, monthly Food Box, Awareness Raising Campaigns, Election Action and a few more groups. We use consensus-based decision making to support and do our work. PIRG is student-funded and holds an office in the NUSC but is operated independently from the Student Union and UNBC. Next question: How do we decide what to take on next? Or, what is in the public interest? The United Nations has recently identified the following 17 Goals for Sustainable Development which is a pretty good place for us to start: No poverty, zero hunger, good health and well being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and
communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace justice and strong institutions, partnerships for the goals. Our current priorities for action are: food, waste, federal election #42, decolonization, student engagement, and environmental protection. We also maintain an alternative resource library that has a large collection of books, magazines, and films that cover a range of social, political, and environmental justice issues. Wondering what you can do? Lots. Did you know that student actions brought recycling to UNBC? Yes. Recycling was a student-led initiative. The food composting that happens on campus is result of student action, as is BAM (Borrow-A-Mug). How do you like that metal cutlery in the cafeteria? Student action. Student Action also brought about the NUSC building including yep, the Thirsty Moose Pub. Students are to thank for a ton of good stuff on campus, and there’s more work to do all the time! Plus, there are loads of student groups on campus that do work to support student action on campus, and you know? New groups are starting all the time! Pretty exciting stuff. If you want to get involved with PIRG you can... Come by and introduce yourself to staff and volunteers! Our office hours are Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm.
Join us! Volunteer for an existing Action Group or Coalition, committee or event. If you’ve got something else in mind, ask how to start your own Action Group. Got something to say? PIRG supports students and community member actions that fulfill our objectives for change. Ask us how we can help! Spend time in our Resource Centre/Office and borrow books, journals, and films. Join the Library Committee Share and develop activist skills and tools at workshops and events. Skills sharing and mentoring also available! Visit us online, sign up for our newsletter, follow us @pgpirg #studentaction #PGPIRG Apply for a job with PIRG! We hire coordinators for some Action Groups during the school year and over the summer. Our year-long Coordinator position comes up every year in August/September. What’s next for PIRG? Our AGM is coming up, plus an epic fundraising event you don’t want to miss. No matter what new actions we’re taking on, it’s the same old consensus-based decision making/ environmental and social justice work/riotous fun.
Winston Churchill wearing a jacket and spotted bow tie (b/w photo) / © Mirrorpix / Bridgeman Images
UNBC Life
World Religions Conference n Ann Duong Guest Contributor
T
he two worst conversation starters as anyone notoriously knows, is to quip about either religion or politics, both of which have almost become synonymous with each other since 911 occurred. All truth be told, don’t expect to make friends. That is, unless you were at the World Religions Conference, which was held last week September 27th. An annual event held in Prince George since 2004 the whole purpose of the conversation here seemed to be about synergizing our ideas of religion, specifically, whether the 6 religions represented, Buddhism, Bahaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism, conceived of God as Myth or Reality - the theme of this year’s conference. Here, not only was it acceptable to speak about religion without being scrutinized, but at the end there seemed to be a harmonious answer to the centuries’ old debate. The conversation did not involve a lot of people, only around 70 people showed up, even with the extra incentive of a 500 dollar bursary for students who attended. Despite the low turnout though, the engagement of people with the subject matter was to the contrary with the amount of questions at the end exceeding the allotted time as audience members were eager to quench their curiosities about each religion’s precepts and laws.
You don’t have to sit in school to stand among greatness. › Winston Churchill: Independent learner. Legendary leader.
open. online. everywhere. go.athabascau.ca/online-degrees
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The diversity among the participants added to the event an unexpected authenticity to the occasion. Among the panellists, was a UNBC Statistics professor, a priest with a queer identified child, a geoscientist and professional engineer, and a woman with four kids, illustrating the fact that anyone can be religious and that it is just one of many facets of a person’s identity. But what each presenter was successful at was highlighting not the divisive idiosyncrasies of each religion but how they were all similar. Not at any moment was one presenter fixated on proselytizing. “One focuses too much on what divides us. We all ascribe to a certain religion primarily on where we were born and raised,” says Venerable Peter Zimmer but “Inherently each religion has its commonalities.” In a world where there is increasing animosity towards certain faith groups, both externally and internally as demonstrated by the introduction of bill C-51 by the Canadian government for instance, all show that there needs to be a drastic overhaul of conceptions surrounding religion and social issues. As Mr. Mohammed Aslam Shad the regional president of the mosque committee in Delta, BC remarked, “There will
be no peace between nations, no peace without peace between religions and those who are non-religious”. While it is good to acknowledge critical of aspects of religion that target human rights, we should conceive of these differences with an understanding of the time and place within which the religion is practiced, whether it is an individual act or a group act, and try to comprehend the causes of such behaviour. So what was the resolution? Well, simply that there is no answer, but several answers depending on what you believe in. And while there might not be one God that everyone believes in, or a God at all (Buddhism contrary to popular belief is a non-theistic religion), there is one definition of God that is helpful to have. As all presenters have said in some shape or form, “God lives within us. God is love, peace, and charity. Make of that what you will.” So next time you’re at a table with a couple of friends, why not bring up the topic of religion, because even if you don’t believe in it, you might be surprised to find a lot in common and perhaps something to learn from your friend. And rather than posit the question of “Do I believe?” you should instead ask, “Does Love and Compassion exist? Myth or Reality? And I think, overwhelmingly, we all believe what the answer to that will be.
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Student Voice
Letting Go Tierney Watkinson Team Member
You open your eyes And wish you hadn’t Because morning is nothing new And now you are paralyzed With the light creeping through the blinds Into your eyes With the same thoughts That kept you from sleeping Now keeping you down You can’t Wake up Get up Because there is no guarantee That things will get better
Today
But take so long
Show me,
Nothing has been changing
To heal
Let me see
Not for you
And hold you down
Because
A bright moment
Keep you unable
I won’t leave
Followed by darkness
Keep you immobile
If you trust me.
Over
You stay silent
The things you think,
And over
Nobody hears you
I have thought before.
You are silent
But I do.
I know.
And nobody hears you
I do.
I will sit with you
Words
I know
Here in this crowded room
Spinning in your brain
What numb
And share the silence
Sharp edges that tear
Feels like
That weighs on you.
And take so long
And I can’t
Because
To dull
Turn the grey to rainbows
I understand.
And even then
But I have learned
I do.
Beating
That tired grey
I do.
And repeating
Is just as beautiful
And I will never
Wounds
As bold red.
Give up
That no one can see
Invite me in,
On you.
Drop Dead Gorgeous Sarah Green Guest Contributor
Her perfect, midnight ringlets defy gravity As she falls. Matchless skull hits the floor, With a thud. A pool of crimson blossoms around the bullet Lodged in her abdomen. Her once wondrously vibrant green eyes, Turn moss grey as the life Leaves her. Flawless, olive skin turns ashen, As her beautiful soul Fades Away.
DON’T LET YOUR GOOD GRADES GO TO WASTE – APPLY NOW 2016-2017 UNBC AWARDS COMPETITION Did you know that last year 731 Merit-based awards (based on good grades) and 279 Needs-based awards (based on financial need) were given out to UNBC students? Applying using the online award applications via your Student Online Services / Financial Aid / Award Application portal via http://www.unbc.ca/current-students provides you with an opportunity to receive both merit-based and needs-based awards. Don’t be fooled… although many awards are geared toward residents of northern BC, certain groups and particular programs don’t miss out on applying for the ones that aren’t like the UNBC In-Course Bursary valued at $1,200 and the UNBC In-Course Scholarship valued at $1,500. Award Categories & Deadlines Are: Early Entrance Awards (students coming from High School for Sept 2016 Entry): Dec 15th *Graduate Entrance Scholarships: Dec 15th (Sep/May entry) / May 1st (Jan entry) *Graduate Entrance Research Awards: Dec 15th (Sep/May entry) / May 1st (Jan entry) Entrance Awards: March 1st, 2016. In-Course Awards: March 1st, 2016 General Awards: March 1st, 2016 Graduate Awards: March 1st, 2016 * For these ones go to www.unbc.ca/financial-aid “Graduate Awards” for application instructions. Remember to apply with an online awards application … SO WE CAN SHOW YOU SOME MONEY!!
Student Voice 7
Opinion: Separating “Party” from “Politician”
eurekablog.ca
James Mangan Team Member
O
ver this election, I have heard one question repeated by everyone from students to older volunteers: why should I vote? When they ask this question, they aren’t asking “What’s the point in voting,” but rather “Why do Canadians vote?” Is it to support the party that presents a national agenda that best aligns with their personal values, or is it to elect a local representative who can best represent the interests of the constituency? I have heard many people bring up the scenario, “What if I like the party, but don’t like the candidate.” or vice versa. Many claim this to be a problem with Canadian democracy. I’ve always disagreed that this is a problem. I would argue that this decision between party and representative is healthy for a strong democracy, since it requires the voter to comprehend the exact role of the representative, and the place said representative will play at the national level. However, Canadians must address that there exists a general lack of understanding regarding the exact role of a federal MP. The economy ranks as the number one issue for this election, but it’s the local economy that Canadian voters prioritize. This distinction was visible during the All-Candidates Debate hosted by CBC’s Daybreak on September 30th. Candidates were asked a question that represents a general lack of understanding regarding Canadian federalism: forestry. The candidates were asked to comment on how each of their parties would address the lasting impacts of the Pine Beetle Epidemic that ravaged British Columbia’s wilderness, the impacts of which are still being felt today. The candidates took this opportunity to discuss their national priorities to protect British Columbia’s Forestry and Timber industry. NDP candidate Trent Derrick discussed the need for
innovation in forestry and mill technology, while Independent candidate Sheldon Clare discussed the need to promote research and education of the industry in order to “integrate our economy.” Only the Liberal candidate, Tracy Calogheros, pointed out that primary extraction in the forestry industry falls under provincial jurisdiction, not federal. In CBC Daybreak’s defense, the question focusing on the Pine Beetle Epidemic referenced the Conservative’s failure to deliver on a 2006 campaign promise to fund $1 billion to the region to counter the economic devastation of the epidemic. The Conservatives promised to contribute $100 million annually over the following decade, but only followed through on two payments. However, it seems inappropriate that a local resource issue which falls under provincial jurisdiction would be presented rather than an issue of federal significance, CBC funding being the obvious example considering they hosted the forum. The Cariboo-Prince George riding wants to vote for candidates who can have more control over the local economy. In this sense, the riding seems to want elections similar to those found in the United States, less the outrageous, controversial, and bizarre candidates. The United States has a very weak practice of enforcing party whips in their government, which allows representatives in the Congress and Senate to vote in accordance with their constituencies rather than their party. This means that federal representatives can prioritize the economic interests of their ridings. It may sound ideal, but this practice has the ability to impede upon popular legislation. In the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, President Obama advocated for a gun control initiative that would primarily expand the background checks
conducted on purchasers of firearms. American polls found that 90% of Americans supported the expansion of background checks. However, Democratic senators who feared electoral repercussions in their constituencies voted against the bill, and contributed to its defeat. The lack of a party whip resulted in the failure of legislation supported by 9/10 Americans. Having a strong Party Whip requires Canadian Members of Parliament to balance the interests of their constituencies with the party they represent. Canadians need to examine which party best reflects their personal values, and then balance this consideration with said party’s local representative. This is a lot to ask for in a voter, and can often lead to a crisis of faith in a party supporter. The very fact that a voter is considering this balance shows a practice of critical analysis, and often requires further exploration on behalf of the voter regarding the different parties’ electoral promises. The Canadian voter has a lot more work than the American voter, but the end result is a much more engaged voter, and therefore a stronger democracy with more confident representatives. Alternatively, electoral reform is a major issue for this approaching election. One of the options that Canadians may have on the table after October 19th includes preferential balloting, which would allow Canadians to rank the local representatives in order from most to least preferred. Canadians would be able to vote for their preferred representative, and reserve their favorite party for a second preferred option or vice versa. Under this system, the voter’s choice between the representative and the party would be a little easier to make knowing that a secondary option is available.
8
Election 2015
Election Coverage: CBC Debate
Grant Bachand Contributor
Almost all the candidates were in attendance at the CBC hosted all-candiates debate for the riding of Cariboo-Prince George. Sheldon Clare (Independent), Trent Derrick (NDP), Richard Jaques (Green) and Adam de Kroon (Christian Heritage Party) were in attendance as Todd Doherty (Conservative) and Gordon Campbell (Independant) could not attend the debate. Doherty has taken a lot of heat from the other candidates about the amount of debates he has missed. Jaques has said, “if you running for office the least you could do is show up for a debate.” The sentiment was echoed by the crowd who has become frustrated by the Conservative Party and their lack of appearances at debates around the riding. Clare began the night speaking about his platform, and about the main pillar of his platform which is that he is not affiliated with any party, and he is not subject to a party line. Derrick followed it up with a scripted response, staring at an NDP script and making little eye contact with the crowd; Derrick talked about how he would represent the people. He drove home the idea about this election being an opportunity for change from the Conservative Party. Calogheros went on to speak about her experience in running the Exploration Place, and how she has taken that institution from a deficit to a surplus. She said that the experience she gained from the museum makes her qualified to take the needs of the riding to Ottawa. Jaques followed up with his past experiences with the RCMP, and how his wife brought him to the Cariboo and he has never left. He talked about how veterans and C-51 are things he is passionate about talking on an wanting to see change. Next, de Kroon talked about his life in Quesnel,
and that he wanted to see a shift from exporting goods to other countries to increase manufacturing in Canada. The first issue of the night was the Mount Polley Mine tailings pond disaster near Likely, BC where tonnes of contaminated water spilled into the local water supply. The question posed to the candidate was, what role do you believe the federal government has, to prevent disasters like this from not happening again? Clare started the discussion off with by saying that a polluter needs to pay and tax breaks should be given to companies with good environmental records. Derrick spoke about how the disaster did not get a lot of attention from the Harper government and investments in research, and environmental protection that has been cut under the Harper government would be restored by the NDP. Calogheros talked about Canada is a resource economy, and we need the resource sector, but we need to have a shift towards a triple bottom line. Also refunding science, and allowing scientists to go out and make public domain their research will help prevent problems like this in the future. Jaques had travelled out to the Likely Community and spoke with the first nations groups and spoke about how those groups are still dealing with the impacts of this disaster. Dealing with this disaster is a provincial matter, and certain heavy metals are not included in their jurisdiction and this creates problem when dealing with these spills. If we want to have better success in the future that will need to change. Kroon also spoke about a polluter pay system similar to Clare. The next question was about the federal roles in dealing with the impacts of the mountain pine beetle. Derrick started off the debate by talking about the failures of the
Harper government. Then he went on to talk about the problem with the exports of raw logs and how he wanted to see that come to end. Calogheros spoke about the need of diversification the forestry sector and that a move towards different energy products. She said that the federal government could support innovation to help the bring about a shift in the resource sector towards new products. Clare spoke about restoring funding to the national archives and also being a voice for the region in Ottawa in order to get the best result for the region but did not provide a lot of info on exactly what his plan is. Jaques talked about the need to dangerousness of the dead beetle kill wood, and the need to continue to process this wood but with high levels of safety standards because the wood still needs to be processed or it will cause a problem later on. The next subject was the relationship between federal government and First Nations groups. The question was around how would the federal government deal with the recent Tshilqot’in decision and the Truth and Reconciliation report in terms of the moving forward with the relationship with first nations. Calogheros spoke about the Liberal Party’s platform of building trust with First Nations groups across the country and the Liberal party wants to implement many of the recommendations out of the truth and reconciliation report in order to start the process with First Nations. Clare sees the need to build a bridge between First Nations groups, and non First Nations groups in order to deal with the Tshilqot’in decision, or else there will be problems. He sees consultation and accommodation is key to the future success between First Nations groups and federal government. Jaques talked about how the Supreme Court’s decision was that First Nations groups need to give their consent on projects,
Election 2015 9 not accommodation or consultation but consent. He also hammered home the need to work on dealing with the problems around the missing and murdered woman on the Highway of Tears. De Kroon talked about a canyon between the Conservative government and First Nations and said that needs to be fixed; he is also in favor for an enquiry on the missing and murdered aboriginal woman across Canada. Derrick had the last word talking about the 9 times First Nations had to go to court with the government of Canada during the Conservative government’s tenure and that it needs to change. Derrick said that NDP leader Thomas Mulcair would chair a committee of First Nations chiefs to deal with the problems facing First Nation groups if elected. Garth Frizzell, a local city councilor, then took the microphone and asked the federal candidates their plan was to help municipalities get infrastructure projects under way. Jacques started off to talk about how the Green party would take 2 points off the GST and send it to municipalities to help with their projects, which will come to 6.4 billion dollars. Derrick said that the NDP would take $.01 on the already existing gas tax dollar, and have it sent to the municipalities to help with infrastructure. Clare talked about how he would work with anyone who would help fix the roads in also rural areas not just municipalities. He also talked about how he is an independent and how it will allow him to make decisions independent of the parties. De Kroon said that communication is key and that the local people know better their needs than people and Ottawa. He wants to see more funding toward infrastructure.
Calogheros finished it off by saying how she communicated with different leaders before she decided to run to find what was on their “wish list”. She said the current federal government has been a barrier to municipal development and that the Liberal government will not be and she will work with civic leaders to help develop their projects. The next topic was on housing and homelessness. Why has nobody created a national plan to help address homelessness? De Kroon started it off by saying he would raise the poverty line on GST to help people who are poor to save money. Calogheros talked about how the government has downloaded lots of the responsibility for dealing with poverty on charities. The revenue for these groups has been cut year after year and this has come to a cost. She said that funding these groups’ needs should be where the federal government comes in to address this problem. Jaques talked about First Nations housing and how it was under par and that in 2015 it is unacceptable. Jaques also talked about defining the homeless and that homelessness for seniors is also an issue and is sometimes missed, proposing to roll CPP and OAS back to help seniors get more income. Derrick was next, spoke about looking at the whole picture. The NDP have a plan to build 10,000 homes for seniors if elected. They also want to reinvest $36 billion in health care in order to help people who have needs related to health care and mental health. The immediate problems and long term needs are what the NDP want to address. Clare was last and talked about that education and how giving people opportunities in education will help fight poverty and homelessness. He also talked
about seniors needing respect and they should not go to “warehouses to die” he said to describe senior care homes. They also talked about the long form census where all the candidates agreed on this issue. The conservatives took the long form census away and everyone at the debate agreed this was wrong and that it needs to come back. This will help research and government organization do their job better by having more data to go on. The canditates also went on to talk about housing for MP’s and all candidates agreed also that living in the riding, instead of how the former MP for their riding Dick Harris strategy who lived in another area of the province and commuted a lot, is the best way to represent the riding. There was some criticism at this part and certainly people did get emotional when discussing their families, but all in all they wanted to be in their riding so that they could best represent their constituents. By the end of the debate it was clear that all the people who came up had different points of view, some toted the party line while others came out swinging off script. One thing is for sure after this debate, the opposition clearly wants to debate the Conservatives in a meaningful way and wants to see them stand up for what they have done for their term in government.
Grant Bachand
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Culture
Coldsnap Contest How would you like to win two tickets to the Warm Up To Coldsnap concert on Saturday, October 24? Send Over The Edge an email at ote-newspaper@unbc.ca and describe your favourite way to spend a cold winter night and our favourite entry will win two tickets (value $60) to the concert! Must be 19 years or older to enter. Winner will be chosen on October 21 and must be able to pick up tickets from the Over The Edge office.
Culture 11
The Rise of the Vlogbrothers
Tierney Watkinson Team Member
E
ight years ago, two brothers decided they were not getting enough face time with each other, so they ditched the texting and started making weekly YouTube videos. Their names: John and Hank Green. In those eight years, the number of subscribers to their channel has risen to over 2.5 million and their videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views. They have become so popular that their loyal viewers are now known as “Nerdfighters” (collectively, “Nerfighteria”) and you can buy t-shirts and wristbands and other paraphernalia with quotes or their catchphrase, “Don’t forget to be awesome” (DFTBA) on them. You know you’ve made it when people start wearing t-shirts in your honour. Both brothers are successful beyond their vlogging, not that their vlogs are anything to laugh at (then again, some of their videos are absolutely hilarious). Aside from his involvement in other YouTube Channels, John Green is an acclaimed young adult novelist; his works include The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska. Hank Green has gone on to create or become involved in various YouTube channels, some also involving John, including Crash Course and SciShow. Hank is also the lead singer of “Hank Green and The Perfect Strangers”; as a side note, the brothers are huge Harry Potter fans (especially Hank) and legend has it that the video of
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Hank’s song, “Accio Deathly Hallows”, was the video that sparked the brothers’ success in the world of YouTube. The Vlogbrothers do not follow any specific content pattern with their videos, unless it is for a special reason, although they do reference each other’s videos and side projects quite often. Anything, whether it be introspective moments, behind-the-scenes footage of VidCon or movie sets, haircuts, information about various current events and issues, or completely random rants can be the subject of one of the Vlogbrothers’ weekly four-minute videos. One of the highlights of the Green YouTube projects is Crash Course, as it is a great way to review for midterms or just learn for fun (an odd concept but no less a fact). Biology, Chemistry, English Literature, World History, and Anatomy and Physiology are just a few of the available courses. The writing teams are phenomenal, Hank and John are amazing hosts and these videos are a great asset for any student on the verge of panic. The Vlogbrothers do not just make videos; they are very invested in community. In 2007 they began Project for Awesome (P4A) through the Decrease World Suck Foundation (of which they are key members). They challenged fellow
YouTubers to upload videos promoting charities of their choice in order to raise awareness as well as collect donations from the viewer audience. The challenge takes two days, the second Friday and Saturday of December. Last year alone, P4A raised well over a million dollars, all of which went to various non-profit charities. VidCon is another one of their larger projects, which serves to bring people together to celebrate the phenomenon that is YouTube. Creators of online videos and hosts of YouTube Channels are invited to meet with viewers as well as participate in panels and discussions. It occurs annually in Southern California; unfortunately, as is the case with many cool things, it has yet to travel as far north as Canada. John and Hank Green are playfully competitive and yet hugely supportive of one another. Their videos are enjoyable, even when they are purposefully educational. Vlogbrothers appeal mainly to young adults, but their video content can be enjoyed by nearly any age group. They have a knack for making people feel included and feeling like they are a part of something big. Their projects and
side channels and the people involved are too numerous and interesting to simply mention here. If you take the time to seek them out, you will not be disappointed.
12
Culture
The Politics of Powwow-Step
huffingtonpost.ca
Dara Campbell Guest Contributor
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he phrase “Aboriginal leadership” typically brings to mind names such as Louis Riel, Elijah Harper and whoever else has been featured on Heritage Minutes. While politicians and activists such as these certainly played crucial roles in Canadian history, it’s important to note that powerful leadership manifests in other forms - such as music. A Tribe Called Red is an Aboriginal trio of DJs from Ottawa who have managed to fuse the worlds of popular culture and their traditional culture by means of turntables and synthesizers. ATCR’s unique sound is reflective of the DJs’ experiences as urban Aboriginals. As a result, they are providing young Aboriginals with something of incredible importance: A sense of identity. A Tribe Called Red did not burst onto the music scene with the intention of being political, but the fact is that the existence of their genrebending, cross-cultural, powwow-EDM is political by nature. A Tribe Called Red was founded in 2007 by Ian “DeeJay NDN” Campeau and DJ “Bear Witness,” who were soon joined by Tim “2oolman” Hill. In 2010, the trio began hosting Aboriginal nightclub parties, mixing traditional powwow vocals and drumming with contemporary electronic beats. The result: powwow-step. The genre has been described as a combination of instrumental hip-hop, reggae, and dubstep-influenced dance music with elements of First Nations chanting and drumming. ATCR’s aim has always been to make something that Aboriginal youth in particular can hear and think “I own this. This reflects me.”
for a name change in Ottawa’s minor football team, the Nepean Redskins. After being told by a city councillor that he would not be receiving municipal support for the cause, Campeau took to Twitter and found overwhelming support. Today, the team is known as the Nepean Eagles. On twitter, the trio has spoken out against fans showing up in ‘Redface’ - meaning to be clad in inauthentic headdresses and dollar store warpaint. The group cleverly uses their shows as a platform for combatting the wildly offensive and rampant fads of cultural appropriation and pan-Indianism. In their shows, ATCR will sometimes feature traditional Aboriginal performers dancing on-stage in full regalia. They’ve also been known to incorporate repurposed samples of discriminatory film portrayals with the visual aspect of their psychedelic sets. Moved by ATCR’s efforts, Tall Tree Music Festival on Vancouver Island placed an official ban on headdresses and similarly offensive apparel. Festivals across North America have since followed. 2012 was something of a banner year for both A Tribe Called Red and Theresa Spence. Spence is famous for inspiring Canada’s largest Indigenous mass movement, Idle No More. When fans requested that the beloved DJs create something in response to the movement, A Tribe Called Red had already come up with “The Road,” which later made it onto their second album Nation II Nation. Along with several of their other tracks, “The Road” was quick to become the musical soul to Idle No More.
Since 2012, the group has been on the receiving end of many awards and much praise from music institutions such as the Polaris Music Prize, the Juno Awards and the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards. ATCR has been quick to capitalize on their fame for the sake of speaking unapologetically about contemporary Aboriginal issues, both on and off the dance floor.
In an interview, ATCR made a really strong point: they reasoned that the occurrence of Idle No More, changes in derogatory team names, efforts to de-popularize pan-Indianism, and other similar movements for social change are not coincidental. Capeau said that these social movements are “all happening to the first generation that [was not] forced into residential schools … That’s really important to acknowledge.” For the first time, First Nations Peoples are “able to think in a way that [they] haven’t been for the last two centuries.”
Since their conception, A Tribe Called Red has been rocking the political boat. Ian Campeau successfully campaigned
Of all their political involvements, the creation of an identity for urban Aboriginals is quite possibly the most
iconic. A Tribe Called Red started something that was needed: A space that is comfortable for Aboriginal people within the club environment. Their sound is relatable for youth who feel that they fit in the mezzanine-like space between urbanity and traditionalism. Many Aboriginal youth today are proud of their history and heritage, and simultaneously enjoy the mainstream Canadian fashion, music, and party scenes. This dichotomy is something ATCR strives to create representation for. Unlike older generations who were told to rid themselves of “Indian” during the devastating era of residential schools, young people listening to ATCR are being told to celebrate their roots. When A Tribe Called Red won the 2014 Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year, many considered this a pivotal moment in what is being called the Indigenous Music Renaissance. It was sparked by Buffy Sainte-Marie in the 1960s and as of today, there are countless artists and musicians leading the pack. In fact, the last two Polaris Prizes have been awarded to Aboriginal women; Tanya Tagaq, Inuit throat-singer, and Buffy Sainte-Marie herself. The proliferation of Indigenous music and its acceptance by the mainstream is transforming what it means to be Aboriginal in Canada and challenging Canadians to reevaluate their relationship with it. This musical revolution is one of many forces for broader cultural change towards improving Canada’s relationship with its Aboriginal peoples. In 2015, A Tribe Called Red is leading on two very relevant fronts: music and politics. The fusion of the two is what makes their music so important. As the group has acknowledged, their existence is political in itself. But this hasn’t forced them to take refuge in the niche of being an Aboriginal group exclusively for Aboriginal listeners. ATCR’s worldwide fanbase is proof that their sound can appeal to listeners in Greece and Ediburgh, while still being ‘message music.’ The group has created a conversation around the historicallyrooted Aboriginal issues that are still kicking around today. Their people’s struggle for true equality and long overdue rights is nothing new, but its revitalized appearance on the musical front has reached out to this generation in a way that Social Studies 11 was never capable of.
Pop Culture 13
Game Review: Life is Strange gamespot.ca
Emily Striker Guest Contributor
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ooking for an escape from the real world, but do not want to read a book? I definitely recommend you give this game a try. Now, before you glance past this because you don’t like video games or aren’t skilled with a controller, you don’t have to be. I myself would much rather stick my nose in a book or put on a movie. This game isn’t like the standard video-game. There is no mashing of buttons, levels to work through or final bosses to defeat. You must determine what the main character will do. Your decisions influence what happens to the world of the game. The game revolves around photography student Maxine Caufield. Like your average boarding school student, she has classes to maintain, social clicks to work around and a career to work towards. Except Max isn’t your average student, and there’s more going on at school than mundane classes and bullies. Upon witnessing a girl getting shot in the girl’s bathroom, Max discovers that she can rewind time! . At
Blackwell Academy, tensions are high amongst the students and school staff. The Vortex Club has been participating in questionable after-school activities, serious conflicts exist between students and staff and the mysterious disappearance of Rachel Amber looms in the background of everything.The number one issue that the game keeps referring back to is a storm wiping out Arcadia Bay. With these new powers, the reunion with her childhood-friend Chloe Price and illegal behaviour of the Vortex Club, it’s up to Max to put the pieces together and put an end to the strangeness in her life. As mentioned before, the game isn’t hard for non-gamers to play. I especially enjoyed the depth of the game. As time progresses, you can read Max’s journals, her texts and go through her dorm room. Instead of giving you the necessary information you need to act as Max, you can get to know her quite well—if you’re willing to put the time into going through her things. I especially enjoyed being able to manipulate the storyline according to my choices. Instead of
giving a “Game Over” option and making you redo the entire level, you have the option of rewinding so you could change your answer. It can be extremely frustrating when you’re stuck trying to beat the same level over and over again. Of course, this game isn’t all easy. Some desired actions can be quite tricky, and the order you do them in can influence the game. If you’re thinking that this game is brain-rotting, be assured that you NEED TO PAY ATTENTION. Information that was given to you hours ago may resurface. You cannot afford to rush through the game if you want to complete it well. The only aspect of the game I didn’t enjoy was the lack of roaming. This means that sometimes, you can’t go back out of a building or you can’t go past a certain borderline. For some, this may feel uncomfortable and constricting to your game use. However, it does make figuring out what you have to do much easier—both for gamers and non-gamers. Look for Life is Strange online for consoles and PC.
Sports Cougars Off to Slow Start Jesse Gabrielle: One of Few Bright Spots
Brady Stark Team Member
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he Prince George Cougars have high hopes for this season as they look to build off of their playoff berth from last season. Now that the first handful of games have come and gone with the team on the losing side of the .500 mark, it stands to reason that some fans might be wondering what is happening. Many would argue that it is too early to press any panic button or worry too much about the first batch of results in the season, but there are those that are of the mind that every game matters and the Cougars must right the ship early before having to play the rest of the season behind the eight-ball. Over the first few games we see an alarming pattern of veterans not playing up to their potential. Starting with the star of the team, Jansen Harkins, as his play thus far has been a little worrying. Despite this lack of production early, Cougars fans are very optimistic that the two-way forward can shake off the first few games and lead the team the way management, fans, and the Winnipeg Jets know that he can. Harkins just needs to find his groove and not try to do everything himself. Even though he is the star of the team, the Jets drafted him in the second round this year because of his ability to make the players around him better. Joseph Carvalho on the other hand is one that needs to step up his game in a hurry. Being an overaged player, there is an added pressure to perform because of the limited spots that overage players can take in the roster. Carvalho has consistently been one of the better defensemen for
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the Cougars over the past four seasons, but that is still no guarantee that Coach Mark Hollick won’t try and find someone younger to fill his spot. Carvalho needs to use is great positioning to keep the forwards to the outside and swipe away any rebounds that might come from his goalie. Brad Morrison is, in many people’s minds, the most skilled player on the team. With lightning speed and hands that reminds one of Ziggy Palffy, Morrison has the potential to climb to the top of the scoring leaderboard by the end of the season. Unfortunately for Morrison, he has no points in his first few games and is a minus player, even both goalies are higher on the stats sheet than him at the moment. Even in the preseason, fans could see that Morrison was trying to be way too fancy with the puck and making cranial numbing mistakes that you learn not to do when you are 7 years old. Morrison has to work on utilizing his teammates to create better chances, as well as, work on his overall vision of the ice. The invisible man he cannot afford to be if the Cougars want to put the puck in the back of the net with regularity. Ty Edmonds could be one of the best goalies in the WHL if he only had consistency. Having a stellar outing in his first game against the Silvertips only to let in 4 goals the next start. It must be said that the 4 goals against Seattle were off of 37 shots, but when you are in a tight competition with teams that you should be able to beat, your goalie needs to
be able to make the key saves to give you a chance to win. Cougars fans are used to this kind of play by the 18 year old net minder as he battled with consistency all season all last year, but when the team really needed the wins to get into the playoffs, he was lights out amazing. Edmonds needs to go back to the fundamentals of cutting of the angle, covering or clearing any rebounds out of harm’s way, and not focusing on any goals that he might have let in earlier in the game. When Edmonds is on his game, the Cougars will win the vast majority of the time, but if he is not then it is a long night for fans and teammates alike. Even though the Cougars are looking to respond from a few sub-par games, there has been a bright spot for the Cougars. Jesse Gabrielle has been a point per game player thus far in the season. Coming over from the Regina Pats, Gabrielle has proven why the big bad Bruins took him in the fourth round of last year’s entry draft. With size that can match most players in the WHL, Gabrielle has shown that he can create room for his teammates in the offensive zone. In addition to size, the native of Moosomin, Saskatchewan has shown a proficiency for scoring and creating plays with his great vision of the ice. Look for Gabrielle to be a catalyst for the Cougars to go on a winning streak soon.
Sports 15
Timberwolves End Home Games with Decent Results Brady Stark Team Member
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oth the men’s and the women’s soccer teams ended their home schedule with results that they should be fairly happy with. Obviously every team wants to go for the win every time, but the competition they both faced dictated that wins were not going to be easy to come by. The men’s team undoubtedly had their two hardest games of the year, facing off against the number two ranked club in the nation. Previously, the Timberwolves had only managed a 3-0 loss as their best result against the Thunderbirds of UBC since their inaugural season in the CIS; this two-game series would prove to be just as hard a task as previous encounters. The first game was played on a pretty chilly Saturday afternoon at the rotary fields as the two teams made their presence felt early. The Thunderbirds got on the board fairly early, as they had the majority of the possession throughout the game. Despite the lopsided possession, the Timberwolves actually had more solid chances on goal. Attempts by Wallace, Jubinville, and others either went wide or was stopped by first year keeper Chad Bush. Overall the first half was not indicative of what was on the scoreboard. Most of the fans in the stands thought that the home squad should have at least tied the game up, if not have a lead. In the second have, the team from UBC showed why they were the second best university club in the nation as they controlled the ball and got a plethora of solid chances on the UNBC keeper Ty Venhola. Ty had a very good bounce-back game against the Thunderbirds, as he was sort of a hopeless
wanderer for most of their game against the University of Fraser Valley a week prior. Venhola stood tall in his net and turned aside numerous solid chances by UBC. At one point, the UNBC keeper even made an absolutely spectacular save against one of UBC’s best strikers in Lahken as he dove and stretched out his arm to make the save on a penalty shot. Unfortunately, for Venhola and the Timberwolves, the game ended up being 2-0 for the visiting squad. Despite the loss, the Timberwolves knew that they could compete with the Thunderbirds going into the next games match. In the next game, the Timberwolves ended up losing by the exact same score, but this time, UBC could thank the referee for helping them with both goals as the Timberwolves luck was not anywhere near the pitch. First, the referee misses an offside call (the linesman’s flag was even up), and then the referee calls a penalty shot against the Timberwolves for a weak tackle by star defender Dan Goodey. Even though it was another hard loss for the squad that has only won one game this season, the boys should be proud of what they accomplished in their last game at home for the season. Not only was it the last home game of the season for the women’s soccer squad, it was also the very last game for 4 players of the Timberwolves as both Hall sisters, Tanya Grob, and Jo Ribero were playing their last home games ever for the university. It was a frustrating set of games with mixed results from Friday to Sunday. In the first game, the Timberwolves women were absolutely dominant for the first half, the
squad was passing well, everyone was sticking to their target assignment, and everything was looking great. The women eventually sniped home a goal in the first half off the boot of star striker Sydney Hall. The game continued 1-0 till the last few minutes of the came when the Pronghorns stormed across the mid-field area and caught a lucky bounce over the head of Jordan Hall to tie the game and leave the field with a draw. The one thing that must frustrate coach Andy Cameron the most is the fact that the team had their first win in the bag before the last couple of minutes in the game. Not only is the timing frustrating, the fact that the exact same situation happened in the first game of the season reared its ugly head. The Timberwolves were up 1-0 against the UBCO team with a mere 3 minutes left before they coughed up the lead to end in a draw. If I were Andy Cameron, I look at the first game and feel proud of the women for 87 minutes out of the 90. The second game of the last home stand was one that the team can really build off of. Despite playing a very good Calgary Dinos team, the UNBC squad looked very competitive throughout the contest. Timely saves from Jordan Hall made sure that her team was not going to lose their last home game. The women have about half of their games left in the schedule with a majority of them being games that they could win. Look for some fantastic results from this squad being led by the fifth year players wanting to taste post-season action before they hang up their cleats.
Smoke’s Rant: BCHL Pumping out More Talent Brady Stark Team Member
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he BCHL has long been the silent developer of some really good talent that goes on to have either a really good career in the NCAA or in the NHL like Kyle Turris of the Ottawa Senators. Every couple of years the league gets a player drafted by a NHL team, usually in the later round. This year however, it seems that the BCHL, in particular the Penticton Vees have somehow developed 2 potential first round picks in the upcoming draft. One could make the argument that the draft is going to be a little weaker than the one that saw Connor McDavid go to a team whose recent claim to fame is destroying 1st round pick, but I digress. Tyson Jost and Dante Fabbro have both been lighting up the BCHL this year with Jost having 16 points in 8 games while defenseman Fabbro has 12 points in 8 games and is a big reason the Vees have only 1 loss this season. One would imagine that players of this caliber would want to go to the
WHL in order to go against harder competition and to get more noticed by NHL scouts. There are two reasons that these player have elected to go the BCHL route. First, the BCHL has a world class scholarship program wherein they have a connection with universities in the United States for their players to go down and play in the NCAA with a full ride. The second reason that Jost and Fabbro have chosen to be with the Penticton Vees is because of their outstanding reputation for developing their players with state of the art facilities and superb coaching. The Vees have been the class of the BCHL since the Stone Age and it does not seem to be stopping any time soon. The fact that these two players are being touted as first found picks does not surprise anyone that follows the BCHL. It is almost a certainty that Jost and Fabbro will follow in the footsteps of Columbus Blue Jackets Ryan Johanssen and Beau Bennet as first round selections.
Coffee Break Filbert Cartoons
By Anthony LabontĂŠ
We need your help Are you interested in taking a leadership role and helping make decisions about how your student newspaper is managed? Over The Edge is governed by a board of directors comprised of students like you. Directors share responsibility for the organization and help determine the priorities which affect the way students receive news about UNBC. Interested students should forward a current resume and cover letter (one page maximum) to ChairpersonOTE@gmail.com by Tuesday, October 20th. Please include your contact information, program and year of study, and a brief explanation of why you are interested and what you can contribute to the team.
Timberwolves read OTE! By Monique Gendron