The Runner Vol 11, Issue 14

APRIL 2, 2019 VOLUME 11, ISSUE 14 KPU’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Musicians Struggle for Space in the City Despite rising rent and cuts to programming, artists are fighting to stay in Vancouver

NEWS

KFN Hereditary Chief Responds to Petition Calling for New System of Government

› 04

CULTURE

Former Convict Discusses Justice Reform at KPU Club-Led Event

OPINIONS › 10

What Canadian Identity Means to Me as a Brazilian Immigrant

› 15

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

STAFF Editor in Chief

Aly Laube editor@runnermag.ca

Managing Editor

Connor Doyle managing@runnermag.ca

Staff Writer

Braden Klassen staff@runnermag.ca

Staff Writer

Cristian Hobson-Dimas writer@runnermag.ca

Production Manager

Sarah Kraft production@runnermag.ca

04 08 10 15

NEWS

Kwantlen First Nation Hereditary Chief Responds to Petition Calling for New System of Government Entitled “a Declaration of the Kwantlen People”, the petition calls for a new system of government “that reflects the life experiences, desires, and the talents of the Nation as a whole.”

FEATURES

Musicians Struggle for Space in the City Recent casualties include The Cobalt which, within the last year, hosted international acts such as Cherry Glazerr, Phoebe Bridgers, and Joyce Manor. Stylus Records, which was a popular venue for local bands hosting DIY gigs, also quietly shuttered.

CULTURE

Former Convict Discusses Justice Reform at KPU Club-Led Event By discussing his experience as a victim of relentless abuse both in and outside of the Canadian prison system, Jim Mandelin advocates publicly for the necessity of justice reform.

OPINIONS

What Canadian Identity Means to Me as a Brazilian Immigrant We all have our little rituals to help us cope with being far from home, and for me, it is essential to constantly remind myself of where I come from and who I am.

Graphics Editor

Kristen Frier graphics@runnermag.ca

HASHTAG KPU

Post on Twitter or Instagram about or around KPU and you could be featured!

Web Manager

Alex Rodriguez web@runnermag.ca

Operations Manager Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca 778-565-3801

CONTRIBUTORS Netanya Castillo Katherine Charlton Fernando Cilento Lisa Hedmark Kristine Hui Marcus Jones Amei-lee Laboucan Nic Laube Samantha Mayes @RESLUS Jayne Wright

COVER BY Kristen Frier

Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C, V3W 2M8 778-565-3801 www.runnermag.ca Vol. 11, Issue no. 14 April 2 // 2019 ISSN# 1916 8241

All submissions to The Runner are subject to editing for style, quality, length, and legality. The Runner will not publish material which the editors deem to be harmful or discriminatory. The views expressed within the publication are not necessarily those of The Runner staff or of the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society.

The Runner is student-owned and operated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University students, published under the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society. The Runner recognizes that our work, both in and out of the office, takes place on unceded Coast and Strait Salish territories, specifically the shared traditional territories of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Sto:lo and Tsawwassen First Nations. Our name is inspired by the hun’qumi’num meaning of Kwantlen, which is tireless hunters or tireless runners. Just as KPU is adaptable and changing, so is The Runner.

NEWS

KPIRG Unable to Meet Quorum at 2019 AGM Despite a lack of funding, the research group will continue to operate through the year Cristian Hobson-Dimas | Staff Writer The Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group opened the nomination period for its board of directors at the beginning of March and closed it on March 19. Two returning directors, Simon Massey and Jagdeep Mangat, ran unopposed.

On March 29, KPIRG held its annual general meeting in order to elect the new board and to approve the society’s operating budget for 2019. The 15-student quorum necessary to do this was not met, however, and the meeting was adjourned before any of the motions could be voted on or discussed.

According to a report from the group’s board of directors that was intended to be delivered at the AGM, 2018 was “a turbulent year for KPIRG.” In March, KPIRG filed a notice of civil claim against its founder for alleged fraud.

In May, the Kwantlen Student Association voted to revoke the funding that it collects on behalf of the research group, as they believe the alleged fraud constitutes a violation of the KSA-KPIRG autonomy agreement. In July, KPIRG failed to change its bylaws at a special general meeting.

Regardless of these setbacks, KPIRG has continued to operate and to hold social justice-centric events for KPU students in fulfillment of its mandate. The society’s returning directors say they are hopeful that in 2019 they can improve KPIRG’s standing with the student association.

“We’re hoping that the KSA can look at the work KPIRG has done to address some of the issues for which funding was cut,” says Mangat.

The Kwantlen Student Association presented its yearly report at the society’s annual general meeting on Tuesday, March 19.

Executive Director Ben Newsom’s report covered a variety of yearly updates on topics such as campaigning and advocacy efforts, student services, progress toward building a student union building, and the KSA’s audited financial statements from 2018.

The Scholarships and Bursaries fund grew after fees that were originally collected on behalf of the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group were transferred into it. This is a result of the KSA’s decision to stop collecting fees for the organization after it was discovered that KPIRG had allegedly been defrauded out of more than $100,000 by former founder and director, Richard Hossein.

The KSA’s legal defence fund was also reduced after a court case between them and the BC Federation of Students concluded last spring.

At the meeting, which took place on the Surrey campus, the KSA passed a motion to approve the renewal of a debenture on the loan that the society will use to support the construction of a student union building.

“This is a long-term process, so we won’t see it complete for a number of years. However, this year the project really started, and the process has [begun],” said KSA President

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS MONTH

APRIL 3 TALK: COMPELLING CONVERSATIONS

The Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group's office is located in 7380 King George Blvd. in Surrey. (Kristen Frier) “We’ve taken some very serious measures.”

The measures that Mangat refers to include an ongoing litigation to recover funds lost as a result of the alleged fraud. In addition, he believes that, as a lawyer, his position on KPIRG’s board of directors “adds a certain level of oversight and accountability that helps to ensure that all the business that KPIRG carries out is all above board.”

According to Mangat, KPIRG deals with important issues that often get overlooked in the Surrey area, especially when it comes to those concerning marginalized demographics.

“All these issues are extremely important, and I think KPIRG fulfills a meaningful role within Surrey dealing to help identify and also act upon them,” he says.

In order to cut costs, KPIRG reduced its staff last year from three employees to just one.

The report from the board of directors further details that the research group is “approaching the end of [its] reserves” and that, unless

they receive more funding, 2019 will be “the last year KPIRG is able to operate at its current capacity with respect to staffing, resources, and office space.”

Furthermore, because KPIRG was unable to meet quorum at the AGM, the election for new board directors will have to be scheduled for a later date. Until it can host an election, KPIRG exists “in a state of limbo,” Massey says.

The current directors still plan to continue holding events for as long as they can. Massey says that, though the events hosted by KPIRG will be smaller than what KPU students have experienced in the past, they will be just as important.

“We’re looking to do work in areas such as social and environmental justice,” says Massey. “We want to target things that directors are passionate about.”

He adds that KPIRG has office space leased in Newton Village throughout the rest of 2019.

KSA Presents Annual Report at AGM, Passes SUB Debenture Approval Braden Klassen | Staff Writer

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Joseph Thorpe. “You guys will have a huge voice in saying what happens with this building and how it looks, so make sure you guys voice that. This is your chance to really get involved in its creation process.”

Thorpe also reported on his experience with hiring a number of new staff members for the organization. Some include Multipass Coordinator Michelle Lam, Sustainability Coordinator Erin Pedersen, ActiveKSA Coordinator Piper Greekas, Events Coordinator Shannen Johnson-Barker, Policy and Political Affairs Coordinator Jewelles Smith, and Clubs and Outreach Coordinator Naveen Shums.

Thorpe says that there will also be a new student services manager in the near future.

The VP University Affairs report prepared by Murdoch de Mooy included references to KPU’s “current financial situation,” which has led the university to suspend intake for a number of programs. De Mooy said that the way KPU dealt with the problems was “marred by very little communication,” which led to confusion and pushback from students and faculty.

VP External Affairs David Piraquive’s report included a summary of outreach and lobbying efforts and made a reference to the passing of the U-Pass referendum.

VP Student Life Sarah Strachan’s report summarized some of her work in the past few months, such as holding the Chinese New Year event in Richmond, organizing the KSA’s

Columnist Douglas Todd, who writes for the Vancouver Sun, will be discussing how people from different cultures interact in Canadian society. Don’t miss this annual event from Third Age Learning at Kwantlen.

7:00 pm,

KPU Richmond room 2550, free.

APRIL 5

SPECTRUM: 6 EMERGING ARTISTS Discover the work of six KPU fine arts students at the upcoming graduation exhibition that will also serve as an end-of-year awards ceremony.

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm,

KPU Surrey Spruce building, free.

APRIL 6

COMPOSERS' CONCERT Come out and support KPU music student composers by attending this free concert. The music program has been very active lately, so show them how much KPU values their work.

7:30 pm,

KPU Langley Auditorium, free.

APRIL 9-17 FINAL EXAMS

Now that the semester’s overall that stands between you and summer is the scourge of final exams. Show them who’s boss!

Annoyingly irregular dates and times, every campus, free.

APRIL 17

SLAMAPALOOZA FT. LIAM CODY

KPU’s monthly poetry slam welcomes “all you word lovers with open minds and open hearts.” The competition consists of two three-minute rounds and is preceded by an open mic.

Gary Wozny delivers a report on the KSA's audited financial statements before they are approved by the membership. (Braden Klassen) Karaoke Nights, and helping with the creation of the Indigenous Student Council by KPU student Samantha Jack, who is a member of the Nuu chah nulth Nation. Strachan is a member of the Tet’lit Gwich’in Nation and also sits on the council alongside Jack, Thorpe—who is a member of the Métis & Cree Nations—and several other students.

“This council is really important in [bringing] discussions and understanding to Indigenous students at KPU, and we need to do what we can to provide support for the council,” she said in her report.

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm,

KPU Surrey Birch 250, free.

APRIL 24 FILIPINX POETRY NIGHT

The Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild invites you to “bring your friends [and] bring your fam” to this spoken word event featuring six Filipinx poets.

7:00 pm,

KPU Surrey Fir 128, free.

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NEWS

Kwantlen First Nation Hereditary Chief Responds to Petition Calling for New System of Government The petition, signed by 31 members of the Nation, opposes Kwantlen’s hereditary governance model Amei-lee Laboucan | Contributor Thirty-one members of the Kwantlen First Nation, which allegedly totals more than 50 per cent of the voting-age adult population living on the reserve, submitted a petition to the Kwantlen hereditary chief and band council on March 8.

Entitled “a Declaration of the Kwantlen People”, the petition calls for a new system of government “that reflects the life experiences, desires, and the talents of the nation as a whole.”

To move toward this new system, the signatories of the petition make three specific requests of the Kwantlen First Nation—hiring a third-party mediator within 30 days, staging an election for a Citizens Assembly within 90 days, and holding a referendum for a new community election system within 365 days—to be acknowledged publicly by the chief and band council.

The petition also calls for the band council and hereditary chief to enact seven provisions, mostly financial, to ensure the “smooth functions of the Kwantlen government during the transitional period.”

Signatures for the petition were gathered during a two-week, door-to-door campaign held in secret to avoid any potential reprisal from the KFN hereditary government.

Veldon Coburn—a professor of Indigenous and Canadian Studies at Carleton University—served as an independent third party to verify the authenticity of the signatures and to keep the identities of the signatories anonymous.

Comment from Kwantlen First Nation Band Members Robert Jago, a journalist and member of the Kwantlen First Nation, first reported about issues on the Kwantlen reserve in The Walrus.

He says he was tired of his fellow community members feeling like they had to keep their opinions of the KFN govern-

The Kwantlen First Nation's reserve is in Langley. (Braden Klassen) ment a secret, adding that its deficiencies became more apparent to him as he visited other reserves throughout Canada. Now, he feels that “it’s only on Kwantlen that people consider it an act of bravery” to speak out against the on-reserve government.

Brandon Gabriel, KPU alumni and Kwantlen First Nation member, has decided to publicly support the petition in hopes that it will help community members speak out without being shamed.

“People are concerned that we have not had an election in our community for a council in 26 years. The term that they use is that Kwantlen has a hereditary council. However, there is no form of governance across Canada where that is such a thing,” says Gabriel. “Even other Sto:lo communities that use [the hereditary] system question where that came from. The only thing that we can say to that is, ‘Because they say so.’”

According to Jago’s article in The Walrus, the Kwantlen First Nation band council passed a resolution on April 1, 1989 to fol-

low a heredity governance model, wherein the position of the chief is passed down from parent to child. A lawsuit from band members in 1991 alleged that this was an “illegitimate leadership.”

“I don’t want people thinking hereditary chiefs are corrupt, because they aren’t,” says Gabriel. “This is just one version of a hereditary system that is being forced on … the community.”

Jago identifies a policy gap in Indigenous Northern Affairs Canada as the source of this problem.

“It’s good that reserves can run their own government and it’s good the way that INAC has set up the system for that to happen … but for reserves like Kwantlen, which have been grandfathered into the system, those charter protections and safeguards aren’t there,” he says. “[It’s] imperative for Ottawa to fill that policy gap so communities don’t have to live like this.”

Gabriel adds that the agency responsible for overseeing the Kwantlen First Nation’s affairs “are not stepping in and allowing an electoral process to take place in the community.”

Both Jago and Gabriel say they care about their community and all of its members, including those in the government, but emphasize that they want to see a government that is accountable to the people.

Input from the Canadian Government

Micheal Gabriel, Marilyn Gabriel, and councillor Tumia Knott. (submitted)

In a message sent to The Runner on March 22, a spokesperson from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada wrote that the government of Canada is in the process of “charting a new relationship with Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, cooperation, and partnership.”

According to the message, the government’s focus since the last election has been to move away from functioning under the Indian Act and toward self-determination

for Indigenous peoples.

“Kwantlen First Nation is recognized as having a custom electoral system, and therefore elections are held under the community’s own election rules,” the statement reads.

“Our government respects the electoral independence of Kwantlen First Nation, and therefore any election related complaints should be submitted and addressed in accordance with the community’s election rules.”

Response from Kwantlen First Nation Hereditary Chief and Band Council In a response to the petition issued on March 14, Chief Marilyn Gabriel and Councillors Tumia Knott and Les Antone acknowledged a need for change in the Kwantlen First Nation’s system of government, though they dispute that the 31 signatories of the petition represent a majority of the Nation’s voting age members.

“We propose a community-driven process be established to develop as an end goal a new governance code for Kwantlen First Nation that provides better clarity on Kwantlen governance for membership, leadership, other levels of government and the general public,” reads the response.

The authors of the response further propose the creation of “a facilitated orientation meeting in April to develop a committee of representative Kwantlen members to confirm next steps and a proposed schedule.” While this process unfolds, they note that the “Chief and Council will continue to take responsibility for managing Kwantlen affairs and government in collaboration with our Elders Table and Lands Advisory Committee.”

While they are “troubled by how this matter was brought forward in the community,” they add that they are also looking forward “to this important community work beginning in the spirit of a better future for the upcoming and next generations of Kwantlen.”

NEWS

5

Students Campaign in Advance of Board of Governors Election

Meet two of the candidates running for a seat on one of KPU’s most important governing bodies

Braden Klassen | Staff Writer This April, KPU students will elect representatives to the two seats available on the university’s Board of Governors.

The campaign period began on March 11 and the election will run from April 8 at 8:00 a.m. to April 11 at 4:00 p.m. Students can cast their votes online by visiting the election website at engage.kpu.ca, and the results are expected to be announced on April 18, one week after the polls close. The newly elected students will be expected to serve a one-year term which will commence on Sept. 1.

There are three candidates running for the two open seats: Samantha Jack, Taylor Lanthier, and Tanish Bhatt.

Samantha Jack Jack is a third-year political science major who says that, while her studies have focused on international and Canadian politics, she is looking forward to learning more about university politics as well.

“I’m Indigenous, from Stó:lō and Nuuchah-nulth descent, so these are my traditional and ancestral territories that our campuses are on,” she says.

“When I was going through the mandates for the election, I was particularly intrigued by their commitment to implementing the

United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and making life affordable for students,” she continues. “All of these are obviously things that I’m very interested in and I’m very passionate about, and that was kind of what led me to throw my hat in the ring.”

Jack recently founded the Indigenous Student Council at KPU and has worked with the United Nations Association of Canada to facilitate lectures in high schools across the Lower Mainland and educate students about truth and reconciliation. She also worked with Amnesty International in collaboration with other activists and advocates in her community.

“Through all of this interaction with the greater Kwantlen community, I’ve come to understand that we all enjoy working together and it’s something that is really empowering,” says Jack. “I think that we need to move forward in joining all of these separate communities into one, understanding each other and embracing each others’ interests.”

Taylor Lanthier Lanthier is a fourth-year criminology student who is hoping to enter a career in law after graduation.

“I have a passion for law and politics and

Taylor Lanthier and Samantha Jack are running for KPU's Board of Governors. (submitted [left] and Aly Laube [right]) justice, so therefore I felt like I could use my passion to positively impact KPU,” she says.

Along with volunteering off campus as a fast pitch coach for youth, Lanthier has been a member of the orientation team for two years, working as a Senior Orientation Leader to integrate new students into the university.

She also mentors newer students by corresponding with them throughout the semester to make sure they are doing well.

She believes that more initiatives for improving mental health would help students adjust to life as a post-secondary student.

“I find that, through things like talking to

different students, even though they might not explicitly say, ‘My mental health is going downhill,’ you can tell by the tone of their voice and how they mention how stressed out they are by certain things … that they could use a bit of extra help in those areas,” she says. “I believe that advocating for that is really important.”

Lanthier says she also wants to work to spread awareness about KPU student services like the learning centres and the gym.

The Runner reached out to Bhatt, but did not receive a response by press time.

Music Students Continue to Make Noise for the Future of Their Program On March 24, Langley’s Spirit Square was filled with just that: spirit Jayne Wright | Contributor In protest of the suspension of intake into Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s music program, students took to Spirit Square to express their outrage and fight for a reversal of the administration’s decision. They were joined by friends, parents, alumni, community members, and applicants who had been hoping to enroll in the program before the suspension was announced.

As might be expected from a rally organized by music students, there was a cacophony of sounds filling the air throughout the day. With trumpets sounding and cymbals being setting up in a boisterous commotion behind her, Emma Dotto, President of the Music Students Association, stood amongst her peers.

“I hope that this rally is going to showcase the talent and the skill that musicians from Kwantlen have and that we are developing through the program. We have a community behind us,” she says.

She hopes that “by having such a physical show of support, it’ll send a message to the administration … that KPU music is here and we’re ready to make noise.”

Dotto, who is in her third year of studying voice, explains that instructors as well

as students are all feeling the impacts of the recent news.

“There’s raw emotion in the department,” she says. “This is the arts we’re talking about, and you see arts get cut all the time, but you never think it’s going to happen to your program.”

In an email statement to The Runner, KPU Dean of Arts Diane Purvey wrote that the music program is “unsustainable” in its current format, with costs exceeding revenues “at a ratio greater than 2:1.”

“The university runs [the program] at a loss and any growth in the program only adds to that loss,” she wrote. “We understand and support the passion for a music program, but that passion cannot override our need to run the program within a fiscally sustainable model.”

According to Nicole Murker, one of the applicants to the music program who is now unable to enroll in the first year, the decision to suspend the program’s intake shows “a lack of understanding from administration of what music means to our community.”

In the middle of the rally, Emma Messner explains how upsetting the news has been to her as a foundations student. The foundations program is designed to assist students who got involved in music later in life to

Victoria Parker-Poitras, Lucas Mckinnon, Nathan Brocus, and Emma Dotto at the rally to save the music program. (Jayne Wright) learn the basics before officially entering the program with a full course load.

With KPU not intending to run first year courses in the coming semester, Messner is uncertain if her hard work on catching up will be for nothing.

“We haven’t gotten any of our questions

answered. They told us right when most universities cut off their application,” she says.

As music rang through the park and onto Langley streets, a sense of united optimism was in the air. Supporters sat on lawn chairs tapping their feet as the musicians played into the afternoon.

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NEWS

Predatory Journals Can Wreak Havoc on a Student’s Wallet and Tarnish their Professional Reputation Publications that appear to be genuine academic journals may be swindling students

Braden Klassen | Staff Writer For many students, getting a paper published in an academic journal can be a crucial step in furthering their education, particularly if they are planning on continuing into a competitive post-graduation program.

This tends to put a lot of pressure on students to submit their work to peer-reviewed publications, which can unfortunately lead to some costly mistakes.

On Jan. 25, Associate Dean of Arts Gregory Millard made a post to the Facebook page of the Political Science Club of Kwantlen warning students about “predatory journals” which take advantage of students looking to publish their work. These journals make students pay exorbitant fees and often subject their work to sub-par or incomplete peer-review processes, which can damage the student’s reputation in the long term.

“Traditionally, scholars don’t pay to publish in academic journals,” explains Millard.

“The default position has historically been that they subject your submission to stringent peer-review, and then it gets published.”

Some legitimate journals that publish open-access articles online may charge processing fees in order to cover publishing costs. The fees are called article processing charges, or APCs, though this practice has led to some controversy due to the prohibitive costs of the fees—some which can exceed $3,000. Critics say that this can limit open access publishing to academics or institutions with higher funding.

“It’s something that some legitimate journals do, but that creates an opening for frauds who just look to make money by publishing work without any serious peer-re-

view or rigorous process at all,” says Millard.

“They’re just scam artists looking to collect the publishing fees.”

In addition to requiring payment for publication, there are some other signs that students can look for to determine if a journal is illegitimate. For example, if the submission takes a very short time to be accepted, that could mean it was not reviewed properly. Millard suggests that aspiring journal applicants look online, where several lists of known or suspected predatory journals have been created.

Jeffrey Beall, a librarian from the United States, was one of the first people to expose these kinds of practices after he started receiving an increasing number of requests to join editorial boards of suspicious journals. In 2008, he created “Beall’s List”, a popular resource for keeping track of predatory journals. Other sites like predatoryjournals. com have regularly updated lists that can also be referenced.

The creators of these lists tend to remain anonymous because of the backlash and threats that some have received in the past, which likely came from the profiteers of fraudulent journals.

Millard says that publishing in a predatory journal can be “disastrous” for students looking to build a reputation in academia.

“Because the credibility of the journal is non-existent, your publishing in the journal means your work has not been submitted to peer-review and therefore cannot be taken seriously,” he says. “Worst-case scenario, you’ve paid a significant amount of money, you’ve thrown away an article that you’ve worked on into a journal that nobody is going to pay attention to or respect, and

(@RESLUS) you’ve damaged your credibility because you’re publishing in ‘junk journals’ that have no peer-review.”

Students looking to get into graduate school are often left with no recourse afterwards, which could even ruin their chances at getting into the programs they apply for.

“Because they’re con-artists, basically, they’re not likely to return your article to

you or refund your money,” says Millard.

“In fact, one of the characteristics of these journals is to have make-believe academics on their make-believe editorial board, but sometimes they’ll put actual academics on their editorial board without their consent or knowledge.”

“It’s just pure malfeasance,” he adds.

After Four Years, KPU’s Beekeeping Program is Still Buzzing Along According to instructor John Gibeau, it’s the only program in Canada that teaches students how to run their own bee farming business Kristine Hui | Contributor After 52 years as a beekeeper, John Gibeau saw an opportunity to create a commercial beekeeping program that would help meet British Columbia’s need for honey bee pollinators. He began working with Kwantlen Polytechnic University to develop it after founding Surrey’s Honey Bee Centre in 2000.

The program not only teaches students how to keep bees, but also how to start and run their own bee farming business. While there may be other basic beekeeping courses out there, Gibeau says that the KPU Commercial Beekeeping program is the only one in the world that comprehensively teaches students how to operate a business as well.

This spring marks the fourth year of the beekeeping program. Approximately 35 students have graduated so far, and alumni can be found working locally as well as in New Zealand, Scotland, and even Hawaii.

Gibeau says that if beekeepers “are strong and healthy, employment is virtually guaranteed [after graduation],” and that “there is a high demand for beekeepers in the world.”

Genevieve Olive, a graduate of the first cohort of the program in 2016, now works as

the KPU assistant beekeeper. She entered the program in her early forties, after working as a horticulturist for 23 years. Her passion for beekeeping stems from a desire to be more in touch with the earth.

“You’ve really seen a generation of a lot of tech, a lot of large corporate jobs, and so I love to see these students coming in who are now focusing on something different [and] learning what our environment is all about,” says Olive. “It’s amazing when I am with a student and they realize that so many [bees]—not just honey bees, but our indigenous bees—are landing on flowers, and without pollination those fruits would not exist.”

According to the CBC, warm weather has lead to an increasing amount of hive and colony destruction across the province. Gibeau, however, remains positive about the future of bees and beekeepers.

“If climate change causes warmer temperatures in the Northern hemisphere—which it looks like is happening—then a warmer earth will be very good for honey bees because they are not indigenous to North America,” he explains. “They have a hard time with the cold, so if it gets warmer each year, then our bees will do better each year.”

Various honey products can be purchased at the Honeybee Centre. (Kristine Hui) Gibeau says that for the past 15 years or so, bee losses across the world have remained mostly consistent, with an approximate 30 per cent loss in bee hives occurring each winter.

“If you go into winter with three hives, you should plan on one dying in the winter … and then in the spring you have two bee hives that are alive and you can make four beehives out of each one if you have to, so you can go from two beehives to 10 in the spring without a problem.”

People who would like to do their part for

bees can help by using natural pest controls such as soap and water rather than chemical sprays in their home gardens. They can also plant varieties of flowers that bees like, or take up amateur beekeeping in their spare time.

“To say, ‘I got this beeswax for this cream from the bees that I look after,’ I think that’s a really wonderful way to live,” says Olive, adding that the KPU beekeeping program “gives you an edge on something that most people don’t ever have an opportunity to see.”

CULTURE

7

Kootenay MP Calls for the Elimination of Federal Student Loan Interest

B.C. eliminated interest on provincial loans last month, but Wayne Stetski says it’s time to think nationwide Braden Klassen | Staff Writer

The B.C. government’s recent budget revealed that interest on provincial student loans is being eliminated, which will save students an average of $2,300 over the course of earning their degree.

B.C. joins Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and P.E.I. as the only provinces that offer interest-free loans, and while the decision is being celebrated by local students, those in other provinces are still faced with the prospect of paying interest on both their provincial and federal loans.

Wayne Stetski, the Liberal MP for the riding of Kootenay, says that it’s time for the Canadian government to follow in B.C.’s footsteps and put an end to interest on all federal student loans.

“I look at it as an action in terms of what we need to be doing for millennials,” he says.

“From my perspective, we have to find a way to make housing more affordable for them, we need to have affordable childcare, we need to have universal public pharmacare, and we need to deal with student debt. Trying to make education more affordable for students and for millennials absolutely needs to be part of that discussion.”

Stetski says that, since last year, he has spent time meeting and consulting with student advocacy groups such as the Canadian Federation of Students, the Canadian Alli-

ance of Student Associations, and the Canadian Federation of Medical Students.

A newsletter from the Canadian Alliance of Student Association sent on March 19 described the organization’s support for the 2019 federal budget, which will lower the floating interest rates on federal loans by reducing it by 2.5 per cent to prime rate, and will reduce the fixed interest rate from prime plus 5 per cent, to prime plus 2 per cent.

“CASA has also consistently advocated for reduced interest rates on student loans, as well as a 6-month interest-free period after studies to allow recent graduates adequate time to find employment,” said CASA Board Chair Adam Brown in the statement.

“Students are ecstatic to see that both these measures have been adopted by government, since they will serve to ease the debt burden on graduates across Canada.”

According to Statistics Canada, for students, “government loans were the most common source of debt. Across all levels of education, the proportion of graduates who had debt owing to government only ranged from 18 per cent among doctorate graduates to 25 per cent of bachelor graduates.”

Statistics Canada also found that the largest proportion of students who pay off their debts in three years or less graduate with master’s degrees, and that students with co-op experience have a lower debt level than other students.

MP Wayne Stetski speaks with Justin Trudeau in Cranbrook. (Fllickr/Justin Trudeau) “A lot of jobs are not full time, or they don’t necessarily come with benefits, so when you get out of school you are looking for a way to even be able to pay [loans] back,” says Stetski.

Through the recently announced federal budget, the Liberal government also plans to implement a six-month grace period after

graduation before student loan interest begins to accumulate.

KPU students who are using student loans to pay for tuition can check the Student Awards and Financial Assistance page on the university’s website to see if they are eligible to receive any awards or bursaries.

The Manager of Indigenous Services for Students Vacated His Position on March 29 In his time with the university, Pierre “revitalized” the Indigenous Student Services office

Amei-lee Laboucan | Contributor Len Pierre, Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s former manager of Indigenous Services for Students and member of the Katzie Nation, has left his position to become the cultural safety coordinator for the Fraser Health Authority. His last day at KPU was March 29.

Pierre, who had only been with the university for five months, says that he wasn’t expecting to leave KPU so soon. In his time as the manager of Indigenous services for students, he was able to help define the role of that office and how it can best serve Indigenous students on campus. He was also notably involved in a revitalization of the Aboriginal Gathering Place.

“I was so excited when he got hired because we had been without someone for a year,” says Sarah Strachan, Vice President Student Life and Indigenous Representative for the Kwantlen Student Association.

“He has done such an amazing job bringing together the community and just being there listening and teaching.”

Pierre says he appreciates the keen interest that KPU students have in Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation.

“There is such motivation and desire to

want to change the system,” he says. “The progressive approach of our students and the progressive drive of our students is very inspiring and has taught me a lot.”

He adds that Indigenous students are leading a lot of these conversations, and that he is looking forward to seeing how Indigenous culture at KPU will continue to flourish after he leaves.

In his position with the Fraser Health Authority, Pierre will be handling professional dialogue about cultural safety and designing curriculum for doctors, nurses, and executives. The health-care system can be harmful for Indigenous people who rely on these services. Occasionally health staff can have racist and stereotypical assessments of them. Pierre’s new position is designed to prevent that from happening and to create cultural humility.

According to Pierre, cultural humility is “about education and dismantling the colonial policies.” It provides a critical look at legislation that could harm Indigenous people within the healthcare system and other colonial institutions.

Pierre doesn’t think his involvement at KPU is entirely finished. He may not be continuing in his position as Manager of Indigenous Services for Students, but he is still

Len Pierre, former manager of Indigenous Services for Students, has accepted a position with the Fraser Health Authority. (Kristen Frier) a part of the Indigenous community both in and outside of the university. He hopes to return to campus for talking circles and community sessions at the Gathering Place, and also plans on furthering his education by pursuing a master’s degree in teaching and facilitating.

“Huych:ca,” says Pierre, in the Salishan language of Halkomelem. He expresses his gratitude for people on the Indigenous Student Council, for Ethan Semple, and for all “our friends and allies at KPU.”

“Len has revitalized Indigenous Student Services, and that is imperative for not only the Indigenous community at Kwantlen but for everyone interested in truth and reconciliation,” says Samantha Jack, who recently founded KPU’s Indigenous Students Council. “It is because of his work that so many of us are inspired today to work for a better tomorrow.”

“We wish him the best with his new career track and we will always keep him close,” she adds.

8

FEATURES

Musicians Struggle for Space in the City Despite rising rent and cuts to programming, artists are fighting to keep spaces like Tapestry Music active Cristian Hobson-Dimas | Staff Writer

The rapidly increasing cost of real estate in Vancouver has caused an unusually high number of music spaces to either downsize or shut their doors. Whether it’s live music venues being forced to close, instructors scrambling to find steady work, or student musicians being shuffled around to different schools, exorbitant rent costs affect Vancouver’s music culture in a significant way.

Recent casualties include The Cobalt which, within the last year, hosted international acts such as Cherry Glazerr, Phoebe Bridgers, and Joyce Manor. Stylus Records, which was a popular venue for local bands hosting DIY gigs, also quietly shuttered.

“For a while it seemed like music venues were dropping like flies,” writes Elliot Langford, who says he has been fortunate enough to make a living in Vancouver as a professional musician, in an email to The Runner.

Langford was briefly employed at the Vancouver location of Tapestry Music before new building owners decided to use the space for something else entirely. David Sabourin, owner of Tapestry Music and a former music instructor at KPU, says he was given just two months’ notice to vacate the property for the new owners, who wanted to repurpose the building as quickly as possible.

“The timeframe was a little bit tight, but we told the landlords we were prepared to go if we needed to,” says Sabourin, who had only opened the Vancouver location three years earlier.

His primary concern quickly became finding a way to relocate the 400 students Tapestry had accumulated, as well as the instructors that he employed. Langford was one of those instructors.

“That was our big thing,” says Sabourin. “We found three nearby music schools willing to take on our students and some of the teachers, while some of our instructors are going to teach from home.”

The music retail company has found another location about a third of the size in the Point Grey area, and while Sabourin states that downsizing was a business strategy, it’s clear that rent prices affect business viability.

Another factor affecting music businesses in Vancouver is whether or not music is

taught in schools. When Sabourin opened his location in Vancouver, Tapestry made a lot of income off of elementary and high school band instrument rentals and sales.

“Four months later, the Vancouver school board district decided to cut the [elementary school] band and strings program,” he explains.

Despite meetings with elected officials and protests at City Hall, the program was terminated.

KPU student Ryan Robinson feels that “the elimination of music programs in schools is shocking, even disgraceful.” As a former music student and the drummer of White Rockbased band Late Night Takeaway, he feels that these threats to the burgeoning music scene have the power to significantly impact young musicians.

Noting that he played trumpet and euphonium horribly in elementary school, Robinson nonetheless attests to the value of music in education.

“I learned a way to challenge myself and the way I think through music,” he says. “It incorporates a combination of structure and play.

Students who play an instrument do better in school, as it facilitates learning in their other areas of study.”

Through the elimination of school music programs, Robinson feels that parents and students are being told that music is not an important form of learning and has no place in the education system.

“I think the kids suffer,” he adds, explaining that people are less inclined to try a new instrument later in life and might be left to play catch-up when they enroll in middle or high school music programs. He also worries that those who want to try to learn an instrument won’t be able to afford to do so outside of school programs.

“Places like Tapestry provide significant student deals and let students purchase the instrument at a discount, so financially it is achievable,” he writes.

Despite the recent downsizing, it does not appear that Tapestry Music will be giving up anytime soon. After the elementary music programs got the axe, Sabourin made the decision to focus on improving the programs

Ryan Robinson, member of Late Night Takeaway, expresses his disappointment in the recent Tapestry location closure. (Cristian Hobson-Dimas) that still exist. taking chances in trying new things.” He also “That way, administrators and politicians encourages those who want to support the can’t cut them,” he says. “We look at ourselves local music scene to take matters into their as a support for the school music programs own hands. that are out there.”

“Bring it up with your Member of Parliament, Four representatives from Tapestry work as policy has to change from those who [we] in schools where music still exists in the elect. Make yourself heard,” Robinson says. curriculum, assisting with teaching classes, “Start a petition. Better yet, learn an instruputting on performances, and building a busi- ment. Watch YouTube lessons online and ness relationship between Tapestry and the write a song about how trashy the municipal schools. educational system is.”

Music’s place in Vancouver culture extends Overall, as Sabourin states, “the music beyond the education system. Langford industry itself is, like a lot of industries, expresses how, as a fan of live music, a lot of changing rapidly.” The downsizing of music neighbourhoods in the city have very few live retailers, the closing of venues, the unaffordmusic venues, whether that’s because they’re able cost of rehearsal spaces, and a nearly being shut down or bars are eliminating live complete lack of vinyl presses are all part of music due to bylaw restrictions and noise that change. What remains consistent is the complaints. spirit that drives the community.

However, Langford does have some opti“People will always make music and art and mism for the future of the scene, expressing find a way, and we've been seeing that in Vanthat despite economic hurdles, good music couver for the past while in all the DIY spaces,” continues to be made within it. says Langford.

Similarly, Robinson hopes to see Vancou“I hope they get the opportunity to at least ver teeming with musicians who operate give it a shot,” Robinson continues. “Because outside of an educational setting by “playing getting that chance to make a lot of noise is shows that are run by other musicians and all it takes.”

STUDENT SNAPSHOT

The Kwantlen Gaming Guild hosted Multiplayer Madness VI on Tuesday, March 26, in the Cedar Conference Center. The event featured a Super Smash Bros tournament, Just Dance, Jenga, Rock Band, and many other games. Pizza and pop were also available for students who attended. (Kristen Frier)

Career day took place on Thursday, March 21, in the Spruce Atrium on KPU’s Surrey campus.

Booth operators ranged from H&M, to the RCMP, to Shambala Music Festival.

(Kristen Frier)

On Wednesday, March 27, therapy dogs blessed KPU’s Surrey Campus. In Birch 250, Cooper and Flower helped students de-stress by being their irresistible selves.

(Aly Laube)

10 CULTURE

Professors and Former Prisoners Talk Justice Reform at KPU Club-Led Discussion

The KPU Prison Justice Club hosted an event on convict stigma and the colonially oppressive history of the justice system

Cristian Hobson-Dimas | Staff Writer By discussing his experience as a victim of relentless abuse both in and outside of the Canadian prison system, Jim Mandelin advocates publicly for the necessity of justice reform.

The KPU Prison Justice Club recently hosted an event called “Prison Justice: The Walls That Close In”, which Mandelin attended as a guest speaker. The event organizers asked him to offer his experience as a fully-pardoned ex-convict, as well as to discuss how he has worked for the better part of his life to separate himself from that label.

Mandelin began by explaining how his mother, who gave birth to him at 15 years old, was one of many young, displaced Indigenous girls experiencing sexual abuse from within the foster care system.

In his youth, Mandelin experienced daily abuse from those around him. He grew up within a community which later came to be known as the most prominent collectivization of Canadian KKK members.

“I didn’t understand this until later, but my family was in that organization because we were afraid of anyone finding out we were Indigenous,” he said. “‘Don’t ever speak of being Sámi again,’ I remember hearing. The threat of being displaced again was so real. We were afraid.”

By the time he was 10, Mandelin was regularly stealing whiskey from his father to cope with

abuse at the hands of his family, classmates, and teachers. By 15, he had been recruited by Satan’s Angels as an amphetamine dealer, for which he was incarcerated as an adult.

Despite receiving his first hug in prison from a fellow inmate, he says he was continuesly abused by the prison guards.

“I still don’t know whether I felt more dignity inside of prison or where I grew up,” said Mandelin.

Also in attendance at the event was the non-profit R.A.W. Society (Reconnect, Authenticity, and Wholeheartedness) which was founded and maintained by KPU criminology students and alumni. It aims to “offer personalized support for incarcerated people reintegrating back into society … while bridging the gap between education and social justice.”

Rhoda Fong, co-founder and executive director of the society, says that in order for the average person to contribute to prison justice reform, everyone needs to have empathy.

“Instead of adding to the cycle of stigma … understand that we’re all human, and we all deserve opportunities to grow and change,” she says.

Satnam Gill, director of strategic planning at R.A.W., explains the idea of an “extended sentence,” or the stigma and ostracization ex-convicts are subjected to well after the completion of their sentence. They emphasize the importance of ending such stigmas

The KPU Prison Justice Club hosted an event which included testimonies from individuals who have been incarcerated as well as KPU Criminology instructors.

(Flickr/ Tiago Pinheiro) “so they feel like, when they’re released, they’ve done their time.”

“We shouldn’t have to punish them any more. They should be allowed to fully reintegrate, because who knows how they will impact the world?” says Gill.

Mandelin—also the author of a chapter called “A Life Worth Dying For” in an esteemed criminology textbook and advocate for substance use rehabilitation and housing and prison justice—has words for those

trapped in cycles of abuse.

“Start asking for help,” he says. “If you run into dead ends, just keep asking. Someone, somewhere, somehow, you will find it.”

Mandelin mentions that, when he needed it, a source of help for him was the John Howard Society, a non-profit organization committed to developing an understanding and effective response to crime and prison reform.

“Seek out restorative justice,” Mandelin says. “That will lead to healing.”

KPU Teams with SANSAD to Host Event Challenging Toxic Masculinity

“We need to deal with it, understand it, and move away from it,” says SANSAD Board Director Chinmoy Banerjee Netanya Castillo | Contributor In collaboration with the South Asian Network of Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD), KPU hosted an event on March 15 called “Challenging Toxic Masculinities: A dialogue to discuss socio-cultural representations of gender.”

“It was raised in one of our [SANSAD] meetings that this is an issue that concerns young people, so last year we had organized a meeting in Langara College on this issue and we thought we should take it to Kwantlen Polytechnic University,” says Chinmoy Banerjee, a director of the SANSAD Board.

Staff, students, and members of the community came out to better understand how gender roles play a part in intersectionality—a term which, in this sense, is being used to describe how oppressive ideologies such as homophobia, racism, sexism, ableism, and so on are interconnected.

“There are a lot of small and large aspects of life that need to be tackled by everybody to fix the problem,” says Avery Doll, a student in attendance. “It sort of needs a paradigm shift to fix the whole problem as opposed to just one person changing the entire thing.”

Dr. Anis Rahman and Dr. Asma Sayed of SANSAD felt the need to host this event in response to increasing accounts of violence related to hegemonic masculinity and gen-

der objectification. The panelists included Tasha Nijjar, Dr. Rajdeep Gill, and Dr. Wade Deisman.

Tasha Nijjar discussed how her four-yearold nephew told her that she was not allowed to play with him because she was a girl. She felt compelled to investigate the origins of the idea that boys and girls must play separately, especially since her nephew had only been surrounded by strong women throughout his life. She also discussed the role that clothing plays in women’s empowerment and objectification.

“Who’s making those [clothing] decisions and what’s it saying about women in those roles? As women, we all get to connect that in certain ways,” she says. “For some women that’s going to make them feel really empowered and for others it’s not, and that’s okay because we all relate to it differently.”

Dr. Gill touched on the idea of intersectionality by first presenting the audience with Tracy Chapman’s song “The Rape of the World.” The song addresses how the earth has been exploited in similar ways that men and women have been exploited in their gender role expectations. For instance, while patriarchal society expects women to cook, clean, and have babies, men are taught to be tough and never cry.

Dr. Wade Deisman brought the discussion full circle by presenting 48 things men hear in

Dr. Asma Sayed, Samia Khan, Tasha Nijjar, Dr. Rajdeep Gill, Dr. Anis Rahman, Dr. Wade Deisman, and Director Chinmoy Banerjee. (Netanya Castillo) a lifetime and how common sayings like “pink is a girl colour” and “all men cheat, they’re programmed that way” are unhealthy for society.

Deisman went on to explain the close correlation between toxic masculinity and imprisonment, which disproportionately affects men. When they can not conform to the expectations that society has of them, they often turn to misbehaviour which leads

to committing crime, he theorizes.

During the question and answer period, Rahman also explained how “social media and popular culture have a certain role to make toxic masculinity even more powerful.”

However, he adds, “we also learned how platforms like social media can be used against it such as the #MeToo movement which was spread all around the world.”

CULTURE

Documentary The Shadow of Gold Exposes How the New Wave of “Gold Fever” Affects Us All Vancouver International Film Center screens a documentary on the social impacts of gold mining Jayne Wright | Contributor With glasses of wine and bags of popcorn in hand, the audience in the Vancouver International Film Centre on March 11 were prepared to watch The Shadow of Gold, a documentary by Denis Delestrac, Robert Lang, and Sally Blake.

The Shadow of Gold takes an intimate look into the impact of gold mining across the world. With over 37 people behind the production of the film and three and a half years put into research and development, producer Robert Lang hopes that it will encourage people to “come away a little more informed.”

The documentary explores the tragic stories of people whose lives have been affected by the gold mining industry. It also examines the industry’s environmental impacts.

Through industrial mining, enormous expanses of land are upturned and destroyed with the promise of gold lying beneath the surface. Small scale artisan miners use toxic mercury to concentrate the gold they find, but both scales and processes involve huge amounts of waste and destruction.

The industry is not a new one, but the price of gold has risen 3,000 per cent since the 1970s, causing a flash “gold rush” that has swept the world off its feet.

The gold frenzy spans from here in B.C. all the way to China, and the promise of gold leads companies, businesses, and government to overlook the huge impacts that mining has on the environment.

In the early hours of August 4, 2014, one of the biggest environmental disasters in Canadian history took place. The dam to the tailings pond for Mount Polley’s open pit copper and gold mine broke, releasing years’ worth of mining waste into Polley Lake. The waste made its way through Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake through to the Cariboo river, which eventually joins the Fraser.

The film’s post-showing panel featured personnel Jacinda Mack, who was and still is deeply affected by the Polley disaster. Mack is from Bella Coola, a member of the Secwepemc and Nuxalk Nations, and a leader for Indigenous women advocating for responsible mining. She says that the disaster was “a defining moment” for her, her Nation, “and all those who depend on the Fraser watershed,” which runs from Vancouver through the Fraser Valley and past Harrison Hot Springs.

“We live in a waste culture where things are just thrown away. Well, it doesn’t just go away, it goes somewhere,” Mack told listeners at the event.

The effects of the Polley disaster are still seen in the watershed today. Many communities, including the Kwantlen Nation, depend on the waters for fishing and making medicine. The negative impacts of the dam disaster have caused irreversible damage to local waters, yet the Polley Dam is back in operation as it had been before.

With emotion heavy in her voice, Mack says that “it’s not a matter of if [but] a question of

The Shadow Of Gold, a film which explores Canada's role in the mining industry, screened at Vancity Theatre on March 11. (submitted) when” the next disaster strikes.

By seeking to recycle gold or work with jewellers that ethically source it, we can take the first steps as individuals to help change the harmful elements of the industry.

Before the event came to a close, Robert Lang encouraged attendees to “debate the value, the practice, and the impact of gold on our planet, and on human rights and our people.”

For more information or to donate to the cause visit theshadowofgold.com. The film is also available for streaming at https://www. tvo.org/programs/the-shadow-of-gold.

Dr. Asma Sayed spoke at "I am a tandoori chicken, swallow me with a glass of alcohol"

Trigger warning: This article mentions physical and sexual violence against women.

Bollywood is a massive industry. With over 300 films produced every year, there is little wonder that the industry is hugely successful in cinema. However, for all its glitz and glamour, there lies a dark underbelly to Bollywood’s history and success; one that comes at the cost of women’s dignity and respect.

Dr. Asma Sayed studies the glorification of female objectification in Bollywood film.

In the KPU Boardroom, located in the Surrey campus’s Spruce Building, she presented on the complex history behind Bollywood’s more controversial elements.

During the event, which took place on March 19, Sayed discussed various issues such as the image of the “ideal woman” as a sexual object and sexist lyrics in popular songs.

One example is in the song “Fevicol Se”, with the infamous lyrics: “I am a tandoori chicken, swallow me with a glass of alcohol.”

The presentation wasn’t exclusive to just cinema. Other issues in India were addressed and examined. Violence against women,

social standards, and family politics were also key factors of the presentation.

For instance, she spoke about the notorious 2012 Delhi Rape Case in which a 23-yearold woman was raped and beaten. As a result, various protests were held in regards to women’s rights in India, as well as the sexist image that Bollywood projects.

One more film-centric issue that Sayed covered was the image of an “item girl.” In Bollywood films, the “item girl” is a woman who is paraded around as an object of desire to a man, all to the sound of catchy music described as an “item number.” The “item girl” is partially responsible for the acceptance of sexism in mainstream entertainment, Asma explains.

As the presentation went on, scenes from various movies were played. One of the clips presented was from the film Hum (1991). In a bar, a song called “Jumma Chumma De De” is sung by a young man who is surrounded by other young men holding cups of alcohol.

Soon a single woman enters the scene, and the young man and his friends start crowding around her, enticing her to give the young man a kiss. Even though she initially refuses, he still pressures her to kiss him.

To this day, Sayed says, this sort of female

Kwantlen Art Collective Re-Launches After a Brief Hiatus Marcus Jones

KPU Professor Addresses Bollywood’s Objectification of Women Marcus Jones

11

Dr. Asma Sayed spoke about how sexism shapes Bollywood film at the KPU Surrey campus. (Aly Laube) objectification in Bollywood media is very prevalent. However, the industry is slowly making positive changes.

“There are also films that are now approaching these topics in a more progressive way,” she says.

After several months of inactivity, the Kwantlen Art Collective has begun holding meetings again. The collective’s new president, Kia Eriksson, says she is proud to offer new and experienced art students at KPU a chance to meet up and hone their craft.

In the past, the collective has held a number of high-profile events such as movie screenings, drawing nights, and city-wide pop-up art shows. They also regularly hold exhibits that showcase the work of their members on KPU campuses.

The first meeting of the revitalized Kwantlen Art Collective took place on March 13 in the Spruce building on KPU’s Surrey campus.

The goal of the meeting was to begin establishing the club’s priorities and to choose a vice president and treasurer.

Afterward, the attendees of the meeting discussed future projects and field trips, as well as how to promote art pieces and art creation.

Eriksson hopes that the members of the art collective will feel safe and secure while attending classes and furthering their passion for art at KPU. “It is important to have a support system,” she says. “When you’re initially starting out, you don’t know what to do, so it’s good to have some peers to help out.”

Currently, the Kwantlen Art Collective only has a small tableful of members. As the school year progresses, Eriksson is hoping to expand the collective, especially with new students arriving throughout the year. She also hopes to attract “anybody who is enthusiastic about art and wants to practise their craft” to join the collective.

“I’m also happy with people who just arrive once and awhile, but a core group of people would be preferred,” she adds.

Maintaining a dialogue between art students is an important aspect of the group. Through dialogue, different issues surrounding art and freedom of expression can be discussed at club meetings.

The history of art, the metaphoric and symbolic meanings behind different paintings, what can be classified as an art film, and what motivates artists to go beyond the ordinary are all highlights of the Kwantlen Art Collective’s discussions.

While conversations will be a main part of their activities, embarking on art exhibitions, as well as exploring the rich history of some of the greatest artists around the world, will also be on their agendas.

KPU students with artistic inclinations who wish to express themselves through their work can join the Kwantlen Art Collective by attending Wednesday meetings in Spruce 152 or by visiting the Facebook page.

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CULTURE

Study Finds that People Attracted to DILFs Seek Emotional Stability in Partners A study by the ORGASM Research Lab explores how the idea of DILFs came into being Ivy Edad | Contributor The archetypal “Dad I’d Like to Fuck” might show up in searches on websites like PornHub and xHamster, but real, academic research into why DILFS have become a contemporary phenomenon is hard to find. The ORGASM Research Lab in the department of Psychology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University set out to fix this by creating a study of their own.

“DILF is becoming more and more popular, especially among women. We know it is a phenomenon of interest and its actually coming up on mainstream social media as well, like Instagram,” says Flora Oswald, the first author of the study. “We were aware that there wasn’t any actual empirical research on DILFs despite the fact that it’s becoming a greater social phenomenon.”

The DILFs have now saturated more than just porn sites. Instagram accounts like @dilfs_of_disneyland have normalized the fetishization of fathers, and there’s even a hashtag, #strollermeat, used to collect photos of attractive dads pushing baby carriages.

According to Oswald, DILFs are the contemporary version of “Mom I’d Like to Fuck.” A DILF is a man who has a child. To many, they are attractive because of the emotional capability they are showing by being a father, but this is a relatively new development in history.

“The parenthood aspect of being a father was more about making money and supporting the household rather than fathering the children, so that’s contributed to why this trend is new and just emerging now,” Oswald explains.

The ORGASM Research Lab, which stands for Observations and Research in Gender and Sexuality Matters, found the answers to why people, especially women, are attracted to DILFs. Participants of the study were given an image of an attractive older male and told that he is an employed 45-year-old named Jason Some were told that he had two children, and others were told that he had no children.

Women were more attracted to the man with children, but the study found that it cannot be assumed that the attraction to DILFs is dependent on age.

“The men in both conditions were the same age, and the women who preferred the man with children showed that it’s not about him being an older man. It’s more about him specifically having children,” says Oswald.

“What is attractive about the men with children is that people view him as having positive emotional qualities. He’s viewed as more empathetic, more warm, and more kind than the man without children.”

“That’s specifically what women like about men that have children,” she explains.

The study also recognized the possibility of women having “daddy issues” and how they might affect their attraction to DILFs. The influence of this factor, however, was found to be minimal.

“We looked at those and we ran the statistics on them. We found that neither of those have an impact,” says Oswald. “It’s not about whether he looks like your dad, whether you have a good relationship with your dad—it’s just about his emotional qualities.”

(Samantha Mayes)

“Namaslay” Combines Yoga and Heavy Metal with Surprising Ease Led by instructor and KPU student Chelsea Franz, the unconventional event received positive feedback from participants Cristian Hobson-Dimas | Staff Writer Beginning and ending in the corpse pose, a session of yoga accompanied by heavy metal music may be a more of a natural combination than one might expect.

“Namaslay” debuted at the Sweet Serenity Yoga and Wellness Centre on March 15, and was led by Kwantlen Polytechnic University creative writing student Chelsea Franz.

Janine Lehfeldt, owner of the yoga centre, had heard about a similar event in San Francisco and was compelled to facilitate the practice in her own space.

“I honestly didn’t know what to expect,” says Lehfeldt. “I knew that there were enough people out there who had an appreciation of metal and rock that would wanna just check it out.”

One of the participants, Karnjit Bains, says he was intrigued by the idea before deciding to attend, and quickly found that metal and yoga “went unexpectedly well together.”

“You might think it would be distracting, or too harsh given the gentle nature of yoga, but it seemed to flow really well,” says Bains.

“When you watch people do yoga and you haven’t done it before, it seems like a completely soft and gentle experience, but when you’re trying to hold a challenging pose, it doesn’t feel super gentle. Your legs and arms—they’re burning. The genre of metal seems to highlight that aspect of yoga more.”

Lehfeldt says that Franz was the first person she thought of to lead the class.

“Immediately, I was like, ‘Chelsea, do you want to lead metal yoga?’ and she responded, ‘I don’t even know what you’re talking about, but yes,’” she says.

Franz, who has led yoga classes for years now, expressed her joy at seeing so many people turn out for Namaslay, which nearly put the studio at capacity.

“I didn’t expect that many people, to be honest. I think at least half of the class was brand new, or had only tried yoga a few times,” she says. “I’m just happy this encouraged people who don’t normally do yoga to try it.”

“I really like how the metal music got you into more of a meditative state with repetitive riffs,” says Mariah Negrillo-Soor, who had only been in a yoga studio once before attending the event. “The heaviness kind of matches your heartbeat and your breath. It felt like floating. It was awesome.”

Rather than the relaxing, ambient music normally played in yoga classes, the hourlong playlist that filled the room at Namaslay included a variety of metal bands like Slayer, Deafheaven, and Amon Amarth.

“I didn’t find the music to be intrusive. The volume was good too,” says Bains. “The way Chelsea adjusted it between her instructions versus having the music louder during the longer pose holds—I would definitely do it again.

Janine Lehfeldt will be leading heavy-metal themed barre classes and Chelsea Franz will be leading heavy-metal themed yoga nights at Sweet Serenity Yoga (@RESLUS) and Wellness in North Delta. (Kristen Frier) It was a good time all around.”

For anyone who hasn’t tried yoga before but is curious about the experience, Lehfeldt invites you into her studio.

“Come in. We’ll welcome you with open

arms. You do not have to have ever done it before. You don’t have to be young, you don’t have to be in shape,” she says. “You can be any shape and any age and still benefit from any of our classes.”

OPINION

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Drawing Inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons Can Improve Your Creativity Basing tabletop games off of short stories can improve your adventures, and vice versa

Nic Laube | Contributor As an aspiring artist and writer, I love Dungeons & Dragons. It’s a game that many know but few truly appreciate as a creative outlet.

Gaming is a medium built on the unification of other media, combining music, writing, artwork, and more to bring beloved classics such as Pokemon or The Legend of Zelda into being. It makes sense that tabletop gaming, cut largely from the same cloth as classic RPG adventures, follows the same trend of marrying different art forms.

Unlike with video games, tabletop gamers have to build their world through written words and physical representations like figurines. One can do so much more if they wish, though, adding background music, character portraits, painted or sculpted environments, and other elements to help build the world.

Any and all creative expressions are welcome within the realm of tabletop. One just has to figure out how to apply them.

This is where the Kwantlen Tabletop Club comes into play. This club not only holds regular game sessions where players of all skill levels are welcome, they also advocate for tabletop gaming as an outlet for creativity.

“We’re trying to build a network of creative people to play D&D, because it’s so much

more fun that way,” says Club President and Game Master Ky Liu-Johnston.

As a sculptor, actor, writer, and overall creative person, Liu-Johnston enjoys his tabletop sessions to the fullest. Whether as a player or a dungeon master, he’s always excited to craft a world for others to experience.

“I’m a professional actor, so having people—especially people who aren’t experienced at acting—dropped into a character is very much more natural, and more interesting,” he says. “That’s half the fun.”

Liu-Johnston plans to host more events in the future for the purpose of educating people on how Dungeons & Dragons works and how to make the most of it. Players and game masters of all levels of experience are welcome, as these events set out to show not only how to build your tabletop experience, but also how the tabletop experience can improve your creative abilities.

The most recent of these events was a workshop meant to demonstrate how short stories can act as great starting points for one-shot tabletop adventures. Tabletop writing, though fun, can be a long and difficult experience when you’re searching for somewhere to start.

But if you have something like a short story to base your adventure off of, you and the other players can jump into the game much faster.

“We [are] trying to muster resources for

(Nic Laube) people to get involved or to continue playing with D&D, which is why we are trying to run these workshops, because it gives people the skills to start their own games,” he says.

Though the workshop was cancelled due to a lack of interest, Liu-Johnston is optimistic about future events. In the meantime, he advis-

THE 2019 OPEN CALL FOR INNOVATION I CUSTOMER SERVICES & AMENITIES

If you have an idea, we want to hear it.

The 2019 Open Call for Innovation is now open, and TransLink is asking for your ideas on how to improve its Customer Services & Amenities. For more information on this year’s theme and how to submit, please visit translink.ca/opencallkpu What happens if you win?

For successful submissions, TransLink offers funding and collaboration to incubate, develop, pilot and implement your idea. We’ll work with you to make your good idea even better, and help turn it into reality.

Deadline for submissions: 11:59 PM PST, Tuesday, April 30, 2019.

The Open Call for Innovation is a public collaboration initiative from TransLink, focused on creating better mobility solutions through better partnerships – so together, we can help make this a better place to live, for everyone.

es writers “to look for inspiration anywhere.”

Whether you’re an artist, writer, musician, actor, or even an experienced game master, inspiration can strike at any time. Leave yourself open to it, because it just might become the foundation for a wonderful new adventure.

14 OPINIONS

When Remembering Marielle Franco, We Must Reflect on What Caused Her Death

The aftermath of Marielle's assassination exposes Brazilian society’s selective indignation Fernando Cilento | Contributor More than a year has gone by since the violent execution of Rio de Janeiro’s councilwoman and human rights activist Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes in the central region of Rio. Still, many questions remain unanswered.

Marielle was one of the few politicians to speak out against the militias who took control of several areas of Rio de Janeiro by openly denouncing its members and pointing to the failings of the Brazilian justice system to take effective action on the matter. We know today that her death came as retaliation for that.

She also performed an important role as an activist for the LGBTQ+ community in a country with the highest murder rate for trans people in the world. She openly declared herself a feminist, standing up for marginalized women in a country with the fifth highest rate of femicide in the world, according to a study published in 2015. Her death was a harsh blow to democracy, and it left an important gap in Brazilian politics.

On March 12, a spark of light was shed on the mystery of who killed Marielle after two suspects in her murder, Ronnie Lessa and Elcio Queiroz, were apprehended. Both of them were former cops linked to Rio’s “militias,” a popular term for paramilitary organizations involved in criminal activities.

The most important question that remains is who gave the order for the execution of Marielle and Anderson.

According to the prosecutor's office in Rio de Janeiro, Lessa may have been warned that he would be arrested, so the police had to act to avoid his escape. The prosecution also speculates that the fact that both suspects were former police officers may explain why the investigation took so long to provide any updates about the crime to the public, indicating protection from within the police department. They also noted that Rio de Janeiro’s police already has a reputation for corruption and inefficiency—according to Lupa agency statistics, only 6.5 per cent of homicides that occurred in the state were resolved between 2016 and July 2018.

More questions were raised last week when a photograph surfaced of Lessa and the newly elected president of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, looking friendly together. It was further discovered that Lessa resided in the same condominium as Bolsonaro and, as part of a current money laundering investigation into his oldest son, Brazil’s federal police have already pointed out Bolsonaro’s familial connections with criminal organizations.

Bolsonaro still avoids press conferences and hasn’t made any official pronouncements on the subject. He only uses his Twitter account to vaguely deny any involvement with the crime while discrediting journalists who report on it, which he refers to as a "witch hunt" by a “leftist” Brazilian press.

This strategy of trying to discredit any and all media that criticize the government has

"Stop Killing Us" sign at a Marielle Franco vigil. (Flickr/Romerito Pontes) also been used by Donald Trump by popularizing the term “fake news” in his narrative war against the American press. It is not a technique used by the ethically responsible.

More troubling than Bolsonaro’s attitude towards Marielle Franco’s case are the reactions of his supporters. Marielle, being a well known left-wing activist, was viciously attacked by the most fanatical wing of far-right digital influencers in Brazil throughout the first few months after her death. Groups such as the Movimento Brasil Livre (“Free Brazil Movement” in Portuguese) went as far as saying that Marielle had involvement with criminal factions, implying that “she got what she deserved” when she was murdered.

Ironically, all of the groups who helped fuel misinformation about the death of Marielle now refrain from using their media chan-

nels to demand answers from the president and his family about their involvement with suspects of the crime. As the investigation progresses, however, their hypocrisy becomes more and more apparent.

It doesn't matter whether or not one agrees with Marielle’s ideals. We should all be on the same side to call for the resolution of her death and to condemn cowardly attacks against her integrity.

The best way to democratically confront the far-right groups that continue to try to tarnish the name of Marielle is to keep openly discussing the case and demand closure, whether it is on social networks or in the streets. We will not look the other way. We will not forget. We will not stop questioning.

We are all Marielle.

Escalator Tax on Liquor Is the Government’s Way of Keeping the Lower Class Poor Raising taxes on things like alcohol affects low-income Canadians more than anyone else Lisa Hedmark | Contributor For the third consecutive year, an “escalator tax” will make wines, spirits, and beers a little pricier for the average Canadian starting on April 1.

Up to 80 per cent of the cost of alcohol in Canada is due to taxes that are typically paid by the producer and then added on top of the price for consumers, making us one of the most expensive countries in the world to drink in.

In an article by the Daily Hive, alcohol producers explain that the escalator tax, which is increasing the cost of alcohol by a further 1.5 per cent this year, “drives consumer prices higher and make domestic producers less competitive.”

The tax increase hurts consumers as well, but some are more affected than others. Taxes on restricted goods such as alcohol mainly harm people with lower incomes, as 1.5 per cent ultimately won’t make a huge dent in the middle and upper class’s wallets.

Despite Prime Minister Trudeau’s recent comments about low-income Canadians not benefiting from tax breaks because “they don’t pay taxes,” as a low-income Canadian, I can safely say that, yes, we do pay taxes, and we would definitely benefit from a tax break.

In an article for VICE titled “Most Money Advice Is Worthless When You’re Poor”, Talia Jane writes about “Poor Person Brain, ” which I’m sure many students have experience with.

Poor person brain is the need to spend money on oneself or to indulge in some form of a coping mechanism, which will usually be fast food or alcohol.

Fortunately for the Prime Minister, he has never experienced the difficulties of living in poverty. Growing up with a father who was also Prime Minister, his family was fairly well off.

I grew up being taken care of by my single mother, who raised four of us on her own and supported us by cleaning people’s homes.

My mom would come home every night and spend the evenings on the balcony with a glass of wine and a few cigarettes—to her, it was the only escape from her hectic and somewhat overwhelming life. These are the kinds of people being affected by escalator taxes, not Trudeau and his Cabinet friends.

A website set up by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation makes it easy to send an email protesting the tax to the Financial Minister Bill Morneau. Senders just need to fill out a few boxes and the pre-written email gets sent to the cabinet member, as well as to the sender’s local MP. It reads: “Dear Minister Morneau,

BC Liquor stores will see increase in tax on all alcohol as of April 1. (Lisa Hedmark) Please remove your escalator tax that automatically increases the taxes on alcohol for Canadians each year. And don’t put any other taxes I pay on your automatic escalator.”

If an ever-increasing tax on restricted goods

sounds like something you’d be opposed to, take a minute and consider visiting the “no escalator tax” website. Even if 1.5 per cent doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, for some Canadians, it’s a tax they simply can’t afford.

OPINIONS

15

What Canadian Identity Means to Me as a Brazilian Immigrant

Finding little connections to home helps me cope with life as an immigrant without suppressing my cultural identity

Fernando Cilento | Contributor It's strange to admit how homesick I feel whenever I hear an old Bossa Nova song depicting the beautiful landscapes of Bahia.

Bossa was a style of Brazilian popular music very widespread in the 60s which exhibited a tremendous romanticism for the land and culture of Brazil.

I never was much of a beach goer myself, but growing up to the sound of dissonant chords coming from my father’s acoustic nylon string guitar makes me carry those melodies from my childhood wherever I go.

I think of him and the songs he would play whenever I pick up a guitar of my own. He is an authentic “Carioca” from Rio de Janeiro, with a lust for the coast and jazzy sounds.

Much of the connection I have with my Brazilian identity today, I owe to him.

And I must admit, in the relatively short time that I have lived in Canada, practically all of the artists I have listened to are Brazilian. But then again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

To indulge in these little doses of nostalgia for my country of origin reaffirms my sense of cultural identity. It is me. It is where I am from. We all have our little rituals to help us cope with being far from home, and for me, it is essential to constantly remind myself of where I come from and who I am.

Of course, this doesn’t keep me from standing in the Tim Horton’s line to get my daily coffee. Nor does it stop me from satisfying my craving for a poutine with extra gravy every once in a while. Although I am aware that there isn’t much to Canadian cuisine, I must say that poutine itself is a masterpiece.

Immigrating to Canada can be shocking at first because it is one of the most culturally varied places in the world. That’s the beauty of it. There is much to be learned from the way that all of these people from different backgrounds adapt to a different way of life without giving up their values and traditions.

Despite what anti-immigration fundamentalist may say, it is very much possible for multiple cultures to coexist in the same environment. At least on a personal level, I feel that my short experience living in Canada confirms this.

One of the parts of Canadian life I found difficult to adjust to is how individualistic it can be, but I can't tell whether it’s related to the cold weather or it's just that the capitalist way of life inspires an “everyone for themselves" mentality.

Perhaps this becomes more apparent when emigrating from a country with a strong sense of community like Brazil. If you know where to walk in Sao Paulo, you can start a conversation with just about anyone and may still get away with having a sip of their beer, whereas

Fernando Cilento is reminded of his home in Brazil by a psych-rock album, (Nic Laube) Tudo Feito Pelo Sol. (Kristen Frier) I feel like people in Vancouver tend to have a little invisible forcefield around them that inhibits any spontaneous interaction while they’re out in public. It can be overwhelming at first, but you get used to it after some time.

You just have to be patient enough to figure out when, where, and how to interact.

On days when I’m still having difficulty adjusting, establishing a daily connection with family and friends from home helps a whole lot.

Whether it’s replying to a text in a WhatsApp group or simply taking five minutes to FaceTime my mother, at the end of the day, maintaining these connections contributes significantly to my well being and takes the edge off of

how hard it can be to live so far away.

Canada has its problems, but relatively speaking is a place where multiculturalism is cherished and can flourish. Of course, like every country with a history of colonialism, exercising cultural identity may not come so easily to Indigenous people here. It’s important not to generalize. As a Brazilian immigrant, though, I feel incredibly privileged to be able to live in a place where I can feel safe, have better prospects for the future, and still be comfortable enough to express my identity rather than inhibiting part of it in order to fit in.

All that said—it ain't home folks, but at least it has poutine.

Don’t Automatically Use “Victim/Survivor” to Describe People Who Have Been Assaulted

The phrasing can affect how those who have undergone traumatic events perceive themselves and how they heal Kristen Frier | Graphics Editor Disclaimer: for the purpose of this opinion I refer to those who have been sexually assaulted as mainly women, and assaulters as mainly men. This is heteronormative and is not the case 100 per cent of the time, but it is most common occurrence.

Today, referring to a person as a “victim” comes with boatloads of unwanted connotations. The term has transformed from meaning simply a recipient of unwanted action to meaning weak, helpless, and oftentimes, at fault.

Too regularly, society paints victims of sexual assault—90 per cent of whom are women, according to Statistics Canada—as helpless sacrifices to the men who have harmed them.

Under the influence of this mindset, men are strong, women are weak, and women who have experienced trauma are fragile and small.

The label “survivor” is not much better.

Referring to someone with these experiences as a survivor implies to me that they wake up every morning listening to the smash hit by Destiny’s Child, feeling like Beyoncé as they don their “I’m a powerful woman” cape and face the day. Nothing bothers them anymore.

When the world ends, they will outlast all those who have wronged them like a badass cockroach. They’re over it.

Like “victim”, “survivor” describes a per-

son, not an event. It’s as if all they are now is a survivor, not a woman, not an individual— just the product of a man’s act.

There is of course a hint of truth behind both terms. Some may identify with the term victim, and many women are reclaiming the word, which is important to acknowledge.

Others may find “survivor” to be empowering, which is also important. The problem with terms like these being used broadly, however, is that they imply women have to feel like they’re either one or the other.

The website Good Therapy describes the process of overcoming sexual assault as similar to the five stages of grief. It says that after an assault, the recipient will go through three stages: victim, survivor, and finally thriver.

In the victim stage, one will be “vulnerable” and “self-destructive”, and might “want to hide or be rescued.” The survivor phase is “not necessarily a happy phase of life,” but happiness now takes place from time to time, while the thriver stage ultimately “crystalizes” that progress.

Those three stages cannot encapsulate how everybody heals. Not everyone heals the same way, and terms and step-by-step guides like this put a lot of pressure on people who have had horrible experiences—who are possibly feeling like outsiders or feeling guilty for things that are out of their control—to heal how society tells them to.

(Kristen Frier) “Complainant” seems like a potential alternative term, but it may be a bit too desensitizing and judicial. Saying the full phrase, “person who has been on the receiving end of unwanted sexual acts,” also feels too diplomatic, and doesn’t make for very snappy headlines. I’m now kind of in favour of “badass cockroach” because it sounds pretty cool, but is obviously problematic.

An appropriate term, whatever it may be,

would show respect to women who have been disrespected enough already. It would be something that doesn’t suggest any sort of healing process or tells them how to feel. It should be empowering to them without giving power to the assault or implying that one event could soil someone’s whole being.

There is no perfect word for this that I have found yet. Someone needs to get Shakespeare on the phone to invent a new one.

PROCRASTINATION HOROSCOPES

Sagittarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Whenever you go on vacation, leave the TV tuned to a Steven Seagal movie marathon so your cats can learn how to defend your apartment.

You’ll be eating 99 per cent milk with a spoon before the end of the week.

Insist that your eulogy be delivered in the form of a freestyle rap to play a sick, post-mortem prank on your friends and loved ones.

Pisces

Aries

Taurus

There is a subtle, though very distinct line between paying tribute to a lost loved one and committing an act of necromancy.

The chia pets you neglected in childhood have been breeding in the sewers and will one day return to enslave us all as they were once enslaved.

You failed the public once, don’t fail them again. Find ogopogo and teach that son of a bitch how to perform for crowds.

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Every time you drop a cigarette butt on the ground a little tiny worm comes out from the concrete and smokes it and later gets addicted to heroin and his little tiny worm son grows up without a father. So quit it.

Do ten push ups and down a whole bottle of Flinstone vitamins to briefly become a living god.

Don’t even leave your house this week. Just sit on the couch and wait for the illuminati to come round and beat the shit out of you.

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio

Mercury is in retrograde. Jupiter refuses to get out of bed. Venus and Neptune aren't talking right now, and we reached out to Pluto for comment but he did not respond by press time.

“Shut up, shut up!” you tell the magic eight ball, tears stream down your face. But it keeps telling you your hideous future. It keeps telling you the drugs won’t work.

Horoscopes are fake and the planets and stars don’t determine anything about our lives. Having said that, Aries people are insufferable babies who just need to chill.

Nov. 23 - Dec 21

Dec. 22 - Jan 20

Feb 20 - Mar 20

Jan 21 - Feb 19

Mar 21 - Apr 19

Apr 20 - May 20

Jun 21 - Jul 23

May 21 - Jun 20

Jul 24 - Aug 23

Sept 24 - Oct 23

Aug 24 - Sept 23

SUDOKU

Look for the answers in the next issue of The Runner.

Oct 24 - Nov 22

CROSSWORD