NOVEMBER 15 TO NOVEMBER 22, 2017
VOLUME 25 ISSUE 30
People move on, with or without you since 1993
pg. 9-12
Carey Newman Q&A with the creator of the Witness Blanket
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Timber! Abbotsford city council is cool with chopping down a rediculously old Douglasfir.
WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA
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Weirrrd That’s what Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film is.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Editorial // STAFF Editor-in-Chief Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Business Manager Quintin Stamler quintin@ufvcascade.ca Production Manager Caleb Campbell caleb@ufvcascade.ca Production Assistant Satinder Dhillon satinder@ufvcascade.ca Copy Editor Cat Friesen cat@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Amara Gelaude amara@ufvcascade.ca Online Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca Staff Writer Aleister Gwynne aleister@ufvcascade.ca Distributor Liam Ritchie distributor@ufvcascade.ca
Managing Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca News Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Junior News Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca
Are student newspapers fit to print?
What is the value of having a student newspaper, and more to the point, what is the purpose of printing it?
Opinion Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca Feature Editor Laurel Logan laurel@ufvcascade.ca Culture & Events Editor Cassie de Jong cassie@ufvcascade.ca Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca Varsity Writer Rachelle Strelezki rachelle@ufvcascade.ca Staff Writer Panku Sharma panku@ufvcascade.ca
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Ekanki Chawla
Cover: Caleb Campbell Back Cover: Anonymous
WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA
JEFF MIJO OPINION EDITOR
@UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/THE.CASCADE Volume 25 · Issue 30 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529
The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,250 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities. The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held every second Monday at 12:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus. In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 400 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.
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CBC News recently reported that The Muse, the student newspaper at Memorial University (MUN) in St. John’s, Newfoundland, has had to suspend their print circulation for the duration of the fall semester. Although they’re located on the far side of the country, and have a longer history (and Wikipedia article) than The Cascade, they serve an only slightly larger student body, with a similarly sized team to what we have here in the Fraser Valley. Now, don’t worry, The Cascade isn’t planning on going down the same route anytime soon. For one thing, while our $6.12 semester fee certainly doesn’t leave us with enough to be snacking on caviar during our meetings, it’s more than the $2.00 per semester MUN charges, which is also shared with their campus radio station. On top of that, The Muse’s distribution was 10,000 copies per issue, 10 times our 1,000 weekly copies. Still, printing those papers is not an insignificant cost, and although we’ve managed to make it work, it is worth examining if The Muse’s strategy is worthwhile. The team here at The Cascade are all students too, and we pay these fees, and want to make sure they’re put to the best use possible. So, is it worth printing 1,000 paper copies every week? I can see the argument against it. According to UFV’s 2016-2017 factbook, the average age for non-master’s degree graduates is mid-20s, and certainly, us millennials are fond of our online news. The Cascade could switch to online only, and hope to maintain the same sort of readership that we hold now, but I strongly think such an action would be a mistake. For one thing, I’ve seen our numbers for online engage-
ment, and the view count for our articles posted on ufvcascade.ca are all publicly visible, and are frequently only in the double or low triple digits. We know more people than that engage with what we’re writing, but, up to this point, the interest in our print content strongly outweighs that of our online presence, and it’s no secret that making the transition from one medium to another is rough — we can’t expect every person who picks up one of our papers from a newsstand while they wait for their bus to, upon seeing it absent, decide to go give us a like on Facebook, or a follow on Twitter. (Though if you want to, we’d be happy to have you!) There’s no shortage of online content, and being seen on social media is infinitely more difficult than being seen sitting on a table or in a rack on campus. There are also benefits to a print medium that are less tangible than readership numbers. Universities are a place of learning, and our campus media is an extension of that. Classes are vital, yes, but hands-on experience within easy reach of students in invaluable. Finding opportunities like The Cascade or CIVL outside of campus is difficult and competitive, and may not be compatible with a class schedule. These organizations offer a chance for students like myself to practice our skills in an environment of collaborative learning — there are no UFV staff guiding or overseeing The Cascade — where we develop skills by doing real tasks for a real publication. And while shifting to an online format wouldn’t eliminate the role of our writers and editors, what about our production staff, who toil for hours every week to make this paper look as great as it does, or our business people who gain experience working with advertisers, printers, and a distribution system far more involved than simply hitting “publish” on a website? There’s also something to be said for the legitimacy of a physical newspaper. Even with all of the same requirements and standards, our team experience may not be taken as seriously if their experience was solely online — there’s absolutely a lingering perception that anyone can put their writing on the internet, so it has less value, less prestige, than something printed in ink. Print media on the whole may be dying. That’s no longer news, as more and more newspapers across the country go out of business, or are consolidated into mega-corporations. But campus print media doesn’t have to take the same route. Because we aren’t wholly dependent on advertisers, and don’t have to resort to sponsored content, with continued smart business management we can continue to offer experience to the students who create this paper, report news, share insights, and (hopefully) some laughs too, with UFV and the surrounding community. It’s also part of our mandate to provide an alternative news source for the Fraser Valley, and the ability to provide our perspective in a format that isn’t beholden to the demands of advertisers is a critical part of the journalistic ecosystem. Print may be dying, but printing of The Cascade doesn’t have to. Our position as a student newspaper means that, as long as our fellow students choose to keep supporting us, we can maintain the same model we’ve had since 1993.
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Q&A //
NEWS BRIEFS
A witness knows the truth
Q&A Kwagiulth and Salish artist and master carver, Carey Newman (Ha-yalth-kingeme)
weight is, then you take it on as responsibility, and you don’t feel it as hurt or blame, you feel it as responsibility. That’s not to say you can just flick a switch and take the weight away, because there were lots of really difficult times when I had to look after the spiritual side of myself a lot more through this project than any other project I’ve done. It’s because you hear things, and you know things that you didn’t know before that sort of unsettle your world. That’s how I would sort of deal with that weight, and try to pay each piece that same kind of respect as I would pay to a human who was in front of me talking.
Abbotsford considers borrowing to construct new police building According to an online draft budget, Abbotsford is considering borrowing $40 million to build what has been described as a new police building. The proposal will be presented to the Abbotsford council this week. No other details are given on the budget draft, which is available to view online. “Council has not publicly weighed in on the proposal; because the project is proposed to be funded through borrowing, a referendum would likely be needed. Next fall’s municipal election would be ideally timed for such a vote,” reports Abbotsford News.
-Abbotsford News
UFV president Jackie Hogan visits Chandigarh for annual awards ceremony UFV president Jackie Hogan recently visited the Chandigarh campus in India, along with former UFV president Mark Evered, vice-provost and associate VP academic Peter Geller, and Alumni Association chair Nav Bains, to attend various student engagement events. The group attended a seminar with over 100 prospective UFV India students, and an alumni student engagement event, where alumni shared a letter they wish they could send to their 18-year-old selves. The trip ended in the 12th annual awards ceremony, attended by 600 guests, including students, alumni parents, and faculty. Over $11,200 in student scholarships were presented to UFV India students, celebrating student success and achievement -UFV Today
Would you consider your work and the witness blanket a political piece?
Photo: UFV Flickr
JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Witness Blanket is a 12-metre-wide art installation made from hundreds of artifacts reclaimed from residential schools, churches, government buildings, and traditional and cultural structures across Canada. Clothing, photographs, blooks, and structural material are among more than 800 artifacts that make up the Witness Blanket. Artist Carey Newman created this monument to explore truth and represent the strength of Indigenous peoples, who survived the Indian residential school system era. Here, Newman talks about truth, strength, loss, and inspiration. Why weave this part of our history into a blanket? Specifically a blanket because of a lot of the things you heard tonight, about when you wrap somebody in a blanket and what that means. Here it was honouring with a blanket, but if someone needs to be uplifted, if they’re in grief or if they’re in loss, we have different reasons for them. My thought was, a blanket is something we wrap our babies in when they’re born, and we wrap our loved ones in when they go on to the next world, and it means a lot of different things in a lot of different cultures, and most of them have to do with protection. So, I thought that the symbolism of a blanket would be a good way to acknowledge the truth about residential schools, partly to try and symbolically blanket survivors, but also because it’s a different language; it’s a good way to relate to people who might not understand something like a totem. When you were putting this together, how did you get through all the
negativity and weight that you probably experienced? There was a boot there, it’s got medicine cloth binding it, and when that piece came in it was really early on in the process, and it came to me with a story from the person who collected it. She had picked it up in the forest at the side of a burned down residential school in Carcross. When she had it back at the bed and breakfast, that night, she woke up having a nightmare. She got home the next day, and she put her bags down, and went to spend some time with her husband. That night, he woke up in the middle of the night with a nightmare. So she showed up at my house first thing Friday morning, eight o’clock in the morning, and she knocked on the door and was like, “I have to bring this to you now, but I want to tell you why I’m bringing it to you at eight o’clock in the morning, and I want to give you a little bit of a heads up.” So she told me this story of how she woke up, he woke up. She said, “If you’re going to bring it into your house, I want you to know that.” So I brought it in, and I brought it downstairs, and every night before I went to bed for about a week, I would take it out of its box and talk to it. You could really sense that sort of anger or fear. I would tell this shoe the story of what I was trying to do, and it helped articulate it for me. But I could feel the mood around it change from anger to sort of slowly shifting to sadness. The whole piece or the shoe itself? Just the shoe. It taught me how I was going to have to approach it. I was going to have to look at every piece like a being, and then I was going to have to pay respect to them in a way that was deeper than I think I would have initially thought. And I guess my point is, when you shift it into personal stories, and you recognize that’s what the
I don’t think so. I think that it may become that for some people, but the message isn’t meant to be political. The message is meant to be collective truth, and not to try to set policy or direction, but just to acknowledge that these things happen, and that a lot of the ongoing impacts that we see in Indigenous communities across this country have direct ties back to what happened there. When you think about the loss of the family nucleus, that’s a huge thing for people to lose, and you see it ongoing today in the social welfare system where children are still having their families disrupted, and it’s in part because of the loss we incurred from residential schools. We haven’t relearned how to hold onto that, how to be that family again. I think there are political threads to it, but the message is truth. The message is to try and make those truths personal to people. I always said throughout the process, when we were starting it, that I didn’t have a message, that the message was going to be the pieces that people gave me. I think that when you take it that way, I kind of saw it more like trying to be a journalist, trying to remove my own opinion, and I did. I didn’t tell anybody what I thought reconciliation was, what I think people should do, or what I thought the solutions were. I saved that for now, where I feel like I’ve learned enough that I’ve started to form my own sense of what that means. So I have political messages today, but the piece didn’t come with those intentions. What were some of the emotions you experienced during the process of creating it? All kinds. Because there were so many things going on, when it came to family, there was joy, and there was pain or anguish. When it comes to the telling of other people’s stories or taking on those pieces, there’s that responsibility. The weight of that responsibility, I don’t know if that’s really an emotion, but it certainly steadies your hand, so to speak. It means that when I’m representing the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Witness Blanket, I’m representing everybody who put their trust into me. Therefore I have to be careful to be true to the message that I’ve learned. I’m not saying I’m guarded, I’m just saying that I asked for people to put their trust in me, and if I turned it against their interest, I think that would be pretty disrespectful. Who inspires you right now? My daughter. Where did you learn to carve? From my dad. Would he have learned carving from his father? No. He got to learn a little bit from his aunt, Ellen Neel, who was the first female carver, she carved some of the totems in Stanley Park. She learned from Mungo Martin and Charlie James, who are part of our family also. So I think that we can trace back five generations of carvers in my family, but my father ended up learning his carving ability up in Kasan, in 1975, the year I was born. In your speech, you talked about how there’s equal importance in protesting in front of buildings as much as there is in policy making and firekeeping. Do you think all different realms of activism are important? Yeah. I get involved in these debates about what’s right, who’s doing it the right way, and there’ll be some academics saying “people who celebrate too much or bring a soft message are doing it wrong,” and people who are trying to create inspiration will say about people who are really hard with their words that they’re doing it wrong. But I’ve seen both ways work, which
means in my mind that we need all of them. Some people need to hear those hard words. Some people need to be inspired to action. Some people need to be pushed to action. Some people just need the example. That’s why I say we need the warriors, we need the firekeepers, we need the inspirational figures, and we need the artists, and we need the academics. At the end of the day, we need people who are going to think through all the potential problems. It doesn’t mean we can’t have those conversations about which ways are right or what’s working, what isn’t working, but if we change the nature of the conversation from trying to figure out who’s right, then we start figuring out what’s working. I truly believe that it’s going to take all of us. It’s going to take the people who scare me when they stand up and speak hard truth. It’s going to take people like me, who have a softer approach, it’s going to take the people who are just out there maintaining the day to day sustenance of getting by, of keeping our communities running. All of that is part of it. What will it take? I hear some people say we’ve got to stop accepting this incremental progress, and that we have to have instantaneous change, and sure, I’d love to have instantaneous change, but I’m not going to thumb my nose at the progress that’s been made by the people whose shoulders I stand on because the life my father was born into was far different from the life I was born into. I hope that my daughter is born into a different life than I was born into, and that means that incremental progress works. It might not be fast enough. There might be ways to get there quicker, but we certainly can’t reject it because it still represents a positive change.
SUS //
SUS revises fund request policy
Clubs and associations, new rules to follow JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Student Union Society’s revised fund request policy for clubs and associations is now effective. In the previous fund request policy, 70 per cent of funding was given upfront, at the fund request stage; 30 per cent was given after an explain claim was submitted. The new policy divides fund and expense stages 50/50. “We give out 50 per cent of the funding in advance and then 50 per cent after we get receipts,” Said MacKay. “If you don’t meet that agreement, for example, and you can’t submit receipts, we can’t verify your use of funds, we can’t take back the initial 50, we can only make sure we don’t give out additional funds. That’s kind of to protect us, as well as in some cases protect groups.” Jaleen explained that there was a problem with the previous fund request policy’s vetting process. “Seven or eight out of 10 [groups] just wouldn’t submit receipts,” Mackay said. “That poses a problem because we can’t demand money back, we have no way of acting on that, we can only withhold money that we haven’t given out.” The new fund request policy requires
fund requests be submitted at least 21 days in advance. Student groups must leave one-eigth space on all posters, banners, online advertisements, and social media posts, for the SUS logo. Expense claims must be submitted within 14 days after the event; event metrics, including attendance of the event, must be submitted within eight days. Fund request forms are required for the first part of the fund request process. This includes the fund request form, event budget, and preemptive release of liability. Student groups may not spend funds until two conditions are met: the group receives confirmation that funding is approved, and the group collects the first portion of their funding. Additionally, student groups may not advertise events before the group receives confirmation that their funding is approved, and if using SUS space, the group signs a space booking contract with SUS. The full fund request policy can be found at ufvsus.ca/policies.html
This interview edited for length and clarity
Stories worth paying attention to
#HitHardAgain
#JustWar
Thousands of homeless out in the cold after Iran quake More than 70,000 people have been displaced after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit Iraq and the western region of Iran, leaving 530 dead and 7,000 injured. It is estimated that 11,000 rural homes and 4,500 city homes were destroyed in the quake. Areas hit hardest by the quake may see temperatures dropping to 4 °C, with mountainous regions dropping below 0 °C overnight, as survivors camp away from damaged or destroyed buildings. Iran’s Red Crescent has said that emergency food, water, and shelter is being provided, but blocked roads and lack of electricity are slowing down their efforts. -Al Jazeera
#Suspicious?
Saudi alliance bombs Sanaa airport, blocking aid access Yemen's main international airport was bombed by what Yemen’s Houthi rebels are saying was a Saudi-led coalition. Two airstrikes damaged the civilian airport, making it unusable for humanitarian aid shipments, which supplies millions of Yemen citizens with food and medical supplies. Before the blockade imposed by the Saudiled coalition, Yemen imported nearly 70 per cent of its daily needs. There is concern that the damage to the airport could pose a significant risk to Yemen’s supply lines, and the millions that depend on them. "The authority emphasises that attack is an explicit violation of international covenants and treaties, which stipulate that civilian airports are not targeted," said the Houthi-run General Authority for Civil Aviation. Rasha Muhrez, director of operations at the charity Save the Children, said, "There are about 27 million people in need, over seven million of whom are facing famine-like conditions. They need immediate assistance." -Al Jazeera
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Saudi-Iran proxy wars: In pursuit of regional hegemony The sudden resignation of Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri looks to escalate the longstanding conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran for regional control. The prime minister was suspected of being held against his will in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after his sudden resignation while in Riyadh on Future TV, a station affiliated with his political party, on November 4. He has since denied being detained, and claims he will return to Lebanon “very soon.” “Hariri's abrupt resignation has led many to question whether Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is opening a new front against Iranian influence in Lebanon,” reported Al Jazeera. -Al Jazeera
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
School System //
Federal Politics //
Governor General Julie The role of LGBT Payette speaks of science curriculum in schools at science convention, shocking media
MARTIN CASTRO
ARTS IN REVIEW EDITOR
Weeks ago, the Langley School District issued a letter to students and parents detailing its intention to educate students about the rights of LGBT students. Specifically, the letter acknowledged that a considerable number of students and community members recognize that their sexual orientation and/or gender identity falls outside of traditional colonial standards. SOGI 123, the educational model being used by the Langley School District, aims to make the experience of students safer and more accommodating at school in various ways, one of which is already being used pervasively in classrooms across the country: saying “guardian” instead of “mom and dad.” Why is this done? Because it’s understood that nuclear families aren’t the only family. A student might be under the care of only their mother or father. They might be in foster care, or being looked after by a guardian or extended family member. This principle applies to other more incensory areas, like pronouns. For example, saying “their” instead of “his” or “her.” This doesn’t mean that under SOGI guidelines, teachers or administrators are barred from using “his” or “her” to refer to students who identify as such, it simply means that they now have the means to educate students on more inclusive ways to refer to others in situations when it is applicable. Backlash against the proposed educational changes have come, for the most part, out of two places. One is a place of tradition. Several community members cited not being comfortable
with their children learning something that they did not learn. Most failed to realize that, as time goes forward, every child surpasses their parent in learning, either academic or social. The second starting point of rejection from community members comes from a fear of, or reaction to, what they see as an effort to subvert either Christian or conservative values. At this juncture, anyone opposing religiously nonpartisan legislation aimed at making the lives of one of our most vulnerable populations marginally better on the basis of religious beliefs ought to refer to the fight against teaching evolution as scientific fact in schools, and the fight against teaching students about various contraceptive methods. These were opposed by socially and religiously conservative populations and, what’s baffling, is that the argument is still the same. We don’t want our children to learn about this or that for moral reasons. Granted, SOGI proposes an education that merely introduces students to a viewpoint other than that held by its religiously conservative opponents. It doesn’t belittle or attack the conservative view, but simply says, “Hey, here’s another, frankly nicer way of interacting with people.” Look, even if I was opposed to the changing nature of social relationships, I wouldn’t be opposed to teaching kids a level of compassion that includes realizing that there are others out there who don’t fall within the cut and dried conception of the world we might have, and that despite that, they still deserve our respect.
JESSICA BARCLAY JR. NEWS EDITOR
Julie Payette is an engineer, a business women, and an astronaut; she holds 27 honorary doctorates, speaks six languages, is an accomplished musician, and is woefully overqualified for her new position as Canada’s 29th Governor General. Her appointment received praise from across the political spectrum as an inspiring and accomplished choice to represent the people of Canada. Some are singing a different tune, however, after it became clear from her speech at the annual Canadian Science Policy Conference in Ottawa on November 1 that she had no intention of letting her appointment silence her strong opinions. Her speech took on climate change deniers, evolution disbelievers, placebo medicine enthusiasts, and even the complex and — according to astrologer Georgia Nicols, very mathematical — study of astrology, in a five-minute period, overwhelming the media and launching a debate on her qualifications for the position as Governor General, as well as her tone of voice. “We are still debating and still questioning whether life was a divine intervention, or whether it was coming out of a natural process let alone, oh my goodness, a random process,” said Payette incredulously, raising her eyebrows and wagging her finger at her audience. “And so many people — I’m sure you know many of them — still believe, want to believe, that maybe taking a sugar pill will cure cancer, if you will it, and that your future and every single one of the people here’s personalities can be determined by looking at planets coming in front of invented constellations.”
Her words have been taken by some as a personal insult against their faith. They claim speech was contemptuous, offensive, and unfitting for her ceremonial position as Governor General, a claim that may not be completely unfounded. Her non-partisan role dictates she stay above these petty political matters, and it is hard to deny the political controversy surrounding astrology these days. But, as a scientist speaking at a science convention, her words don’t really seem out of place. In her speech, she encouraged placing high value on science and on critical thinking, and encouraged her peers to remain wary of misinformation and bogus science. These days, this is invaluable. We are bombarded with facts and conclusions every day, from social media, from the news, from friends and family. Payette encourages us to take it upon ourselves to fact check, to reveal misinformation spread either out of ignorance or to promote an agenda, and for us to be accountable for what we in turn say as facts. Her examples may have hurt the feelings of some who hold these views, but at a science convention, astrology and cancer curing sugar pills aren’t held in high regard. “Democracy and society have always gained from learned debate, but we have to remain vigilant, we cannot let ourselves fall into complacency, so we can deconstruct misinformation, and don’t end up in an echo chamber just listening to what we want to hear,” Payette said. Her words have since fallen straight into the media echo chamber. The negative press may serve to soften her tone and quiet her opinions for her next speech, but I certainly hope not. If Canada wanted a complacent Governor General, she was the wrong choice, indeed.
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Tight-knit //
What makes a community? Why some places have community and others do not ALEISTER GWYNNE STAFF WRITER
People from outside of Vancouver seem to have the impression that the city is a crimeridden hellhole. Having lived there for most of my life, I never got that impression. As a matter of fact, I have often felt less safe in the two small towns I’ve also lived in: Port Hardy, on northern Vancouver Island, and Chilliwack. In Port Hardy, my fear was equitable: getting mauled by a bear or a cougar while on my way to or from work. Having your morning commute interrupted by a bear rummaging through a dumpster (this actually happened) will create that impression. At times, Port Hardy felt a bit off, like there was a vast conspiracy going on, and everybody except me and my family was in on it. Yet even though Port Hardy never truly felt like home to me, I didn’t feel any more threatened or unwelcome than I did in my native Vancouver. I lived there for a total of three years, and in that time, I gained a fair number of friends and positive experiences. Chilliwack, on the other hand, is something else entirely. I’ve lived here for about a year and a half now, but so far, the only locals I can claim to know with any familiarity are the cashiers at the corner store down
the block. The reason for this is that getting around Chilliwack without a car is a nightmare. Between a lack of pedestrian walkways and a shoddy public transportation system, even walking a few blocks down the street is exhausting, more emotionally than physically. This is in stark contrast to my experiences in both Vancouver and Port Hardy. In Port Hardy, I used to walk all the way from one end of town to the other, up a hill one way, but I didn’t mind it most of the time. In Vancouver, I used to walk eight blocks down, then eight back up, one way through dense city, the other through suburbs, and likewise, this didn’t bother me much. In Chilliwack, I wouldn’t dare walk even half the distance I would in Vancouver or Port Hardy, unless I had no other choice. The difference is more than just the nuts and bolts of the place. Port Hardy also lacks sidewalks in many areas, and public transit is all but non-existent, but I never felt excluded by city planners, or in constant danger of being run over the way I do in Chilliwack. Both the Carnegie Branch library in Vancouver’s notorious Downtown Eastside and the FVRL branch in downtown Chilliwack have the same number of security guards. The reason for this is that in the Downtown Eastside there is a high potential for people to make a scene, or attack someone, but based on my experiences
in Chilliwack, there is more chance of it actually happening here. The difference between Chilliwack and the other places I’ve lived appears to be what I call community spirit. All of those places have their social ills, but the people of Vancouver and Port Hardy take these things in stride, and do not obsess over them. There is also an implicit sense of trust between citizens, a sense that they would come to your aid if you really needed it, and this was actually stated to me once by a co-worker in Port Hardy. In Chilliwack, by contrast, it feels as if worry over the community’s problems has consumed its citizenry. Instead of safety, trust, and calm, in Chilliwack I get a sense of fear, paranoia, and selfishness. To be fair, this may not be entirely Chilliwack’s fault. The city has to cope with both urban and rural social maladies, with fewer resources at its disposal, and with fewer redeeming features like amenities or beautiful scenery. There is only so much stress and bad experience that a community can endure before social cohesion begins to break down. Now, what does this mean for UFV, which serves this community, among others? Does UFV have community spirit? Some people here worry that UFV’s sense of community is lacking, but there is good news on that front. UFV may not be a close-knit society,
but what it does have is positive community spirit. When I walk the halls and pathways of UFV’s campuses, I get that same sense of tranquility I got when I walked the streets of my old hometowns. This is a solid foundation to build on. Even so, we are right to be concerned at times, because I have seen the consequences of what happens when community spirit is missing, and it isn’t pretty. Based on my observations, there are some things that we can do to bolster UFV’s sense of community. For starters, events and amenities are important. Community members can bond through shared experiences and entertainment. Give them something to do instead of going straight to business, and straight home again afterwards. Second, do not underestimate the importance of aesthetically-pleasing surroundings. We have lovely-looking campus grounds and interiors; let’s keep them that way, and perhaps some more public art, as others have suggested, wouldn’t go amiss. Finally, always be polite, be welcoming, and most importantly, always be willing to help a fellow community member in need. These may sound simple and obvious, but they are things that anyone can help out with, and it is important that we all do our part to help build a community based on trust, safety, and well-being.
Extraordinary General Meeting Cascade Journalism Society November 22, 2017 2:30pm Student Union Building, S2111
1. Call to Order – Chairperson 2:30pm 2. Establish Quorum 3. Comments and Introductions - Chairperson 2:40pm 4. Approval of Agenda 2:50pm (Review agenda, make corrections, add items and then approve) 5. Review of Previous Annual Meeting Minutes 3:00pm ● Read, amend, approve and file 6. Reports: 6a. President 3:10pm 6b. Business Manager 3:20pm iii. 2017/18 Budget Update 7. Editor-in-Chief’s Report 3:30pm 8. Review Special Resolutions 3:35pm ● Amend bylaws 9. Election of Office 3:50pm 10. Adjournment 4:10pm ’
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***Times are estimated***
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Abbotsford //
Ripping out our roots
Why removing a city-dwelling Douglas-fir is a bad idea
JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I was in in Bruges, contemplating architecture, as one does. Beautiful, old architecture. Canada’s a young country, we don’t have any of that, save for a few churches in Quebec. We do have markers of the epochs of time: we just haven’t figured out that we don’t have to build them all ourselves. This isn’t the specific problem here in Abbotsford, but it is a systemic issue. One that permeates city council, and influences the way old trees gets treated. Abbotsford News recently reported that a developer applied to build a four-storey, 72-unit apartment on MacLure road, just east of Gladwin. To do this, they’ll need to chop up an old Douglas-fir — all 130-feet of it. Even though the tree’s located at the property’s southern edge, it’ll have to go because its massive root system would interfere with the planned underground parcade. It’s difficult to appreciate this region’s ancient beauty when it’s regularly built upon and rebuilt upon. It’s important to keep roots. At the November 3 city council meeting, Councilor Patricia Ross asked for the project’s first reading to be deferred until the city’s new tree protection bylaw comes out, expected around the end of November. While her motion to wait was backed by Mayor Henry Braun and Councillor Dave Loewen, it was defeated. Counselor Ross Siemens cited the unfairness of “changing the goal posts,” by waiting for the new bylaw after the developer had already moved through the proper processes. According to Abbotsford News, an arbor-
ist working for the developer called the tree “an exceptionally large tree for an urban environment,” and “of possible specimen quality.” No doubt it is. The Douglas-fir, is a symbol of the coast; its thick, furrowed bark, representative of resilience. There’s a story, about a mouse trying to escape a forest fire. He asks all the trees to save him as he tries to outrun the flames. None can — except the Douglas — whose skin is like brick. It’s unfortunate to see an image of dignity axed. Council held a public hearing on the following Monday. John Vissers, president of Fraser Valley Conservancy, commented “We have managed in the last 150 years to cut down almost every mature tree in the Fraser Valley,” Abbotsford Times reported. He added that the tree has “natural capital,” and is irreplaceable. Vissers also noted that the tree was probably older than Abbotsford itself. So what’s one big tree? Well, it’s worth more than its weight in small trees, apparently. “Once you’ve cut it down, you’ve lost it forever, and you can’t go back and fix that,” Counselor Patricia Ross said. “There’s probably more in carbon absorption value in one of its branches than in any one of the trees that would be replanted [for] it.” Ross is right. Research published in Nature shows that 97 per cent of the over 400 different tree species surveyed increase in mass growth rate continuously with their size. Meaning, older trees absorb far more carbon dioxide than their young counterparts. As the tree increases in age, so too does its amount of leaves per square foot. More leaves, more filtering. A University of Hamburg study found the same thing. Almost 70 per cent of all the
carbon stored in trees will be accumulated in the last half of a tree’s life. Planting little trees to replace big trees (especially Abbotsford’s sad 3:1 required replacement ratio for trees larger than 30 cm in diameter) won’t make up for the loss. That’s one big tree: more efficient and better suited to clean the air than it’s little friends. And even so, a single tree may not clean all the smog Vancouver sends up, but it represents the need to get serious about pollution. According to Scientific America, trees improve air quality by “capturing six common air pollutants and toxic gases: groundlevel ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and lead.” A study by U.S.-based The Nature Conservancy showed that the average reduction of particulate matter (microscopic particles, they get trapped in your lungs) near a tree was between seven and 24 per cent. Particulate matter pollution could cause the deaths of an estimated 6.2 million people each year by 2050, the study says. It’ll be good to reduce it. What about a single big tree? One that inspires awe, gets pointed out and admired by passing people. I wonder how much it affects the psychology of its neighbours. A study in Scientific Reports showed that “people who live in areas with higher street tree density report better health perception, and fewer cardio-metabolic conditions compared with their peers living in areas with lower street tree density.” Their study, which was conducted in Toronto, shows that an additional 10 trees on a given block corresponded to a one per cent increase in how healthy nearby residents felt.
“Improving health perception and decreasing cardio-metabolic conditions by planting 10 more trees per city block is equivalent to increasing the income of every household in that city block by more than $10,000, which is more costly than planting the additional 10 trees.” Interestingly, 11 more trees in a city block was found to, on average, decrease cardiometabolic conditions in ways comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $20,000. The thing about a 50-plus-year-old Douglas-fir — as impressive as it is — it’s not a 150 year old, or a 200 year old tree. May as well just cut it down then, right? But 50 years is a better start than 20. If our pre-centennials are chopped up, we’ll end up without bi- or tri-centennials. In 50 years, I’d much rather walk down Gladwin, quiz my grandkids on the tree species, and point out the seemingly miraculous tenacity of our 100-year-old Douglas-fir, than play in the shadow of a third or fourth reincarnation of a four (by then, 40?) storey apartment complex. Certainly, we want as great a number of trees as possible. Today, the tree represents so much more than just any Douglas-fir. Since the first conversation about removing it, it has been given the qualities of an image of community versus development. Will the city acknowledge the significance; or will they plough through with redevelopment? This Douglas-fir can no longer be just a tree. It’s a symbol of psychological well being, health, community; and contrary to developers’ beliefs, true progress.
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Merry registration!
A world both big and small
Is it weird to look forward to the new course schedule getting posted like it’s Christmas morning? I spent the weeks leading up to the end of October eagerly anticipating the timetable’s release, even going so far as to look at the archives of the past few years to get an idea of what might be on offer. Then, in the weeks since it was announced, studied in-depth the courses on offer that interest me, like I used to delve into a Toys-R-Us catalogue to make a list of all the things I’d like for Christmas. I research the different professor options, and figure out how they fit into my overall plan for the remainder of my program. If nothing else, I did manage to fight off the urge to update my Google calendar with a schedule for the winter semester before I’ve even registered. But, I know that when my registration day arrives, I’m setting my alarm so that I can be awake and alert the minute I’m able to register. Maybe I should leave out some milk and cookies overnight, just to make sure Registration Santa is good to me, and saves a spot in the classes I want.
I’ve always enjoyed maps. Sometimes I’ve spent hours poring over an atlas, developing extensive geographic knowledge. Name a country, city, or geographical feature, and I can most likely point to it on a map. I’ve read about many of these places, but I’ve only ever been to a precious few of them. Apart from a couple of day trips down to Washington, and a week-long tour of England and Wales (which was far too compressed for my liking), I’ve spent my entire life in B.C. I wonder how that affects the way I see the world. I know a great deal about the world, yet I’ve never experienced most of it, and I probably never will. There are many things that books, documentaries, and travellers’ tales can’t tell you. Despite all of my book learning, do people who can’t name every country in the world, but have been to many, know more than I do? Even if the sum total of their knowledge is less, they still have unique experiences that can’t be replicated. I’m envious. They travel the world, and experience its wonders, while I must content myself with retellings, and a bird’s eye view.
Brief bits of bite sized brevity
Jeff Mijo
SNAPSHOTS
Sailing aimless-ishly
Choices, choices, choices.
I seem to have not planned out this whole education thing. Don’t get me wrong, the boat is going in the desired direction, but the path isn’t as direct as it probably should be. After three and a half years, I still don’t have a firm understanding of what I want to do. I wasn’t very worried before, but as I get older, people ask more and more “What are your plans?” and shit. The answer never changes: “Not too sure there, bud.” Should students be worried about planning ahead? Is your future career a thing to worry about? Yes. Probably. After people ask you, and you spout the same old “I don’t know” line, they seem to always lend some half-assed comfort words: “take your time,” or “do what makes you happy.” Sure, “do what makes you happy” sounds pretty easy when you put it like that, I’ll apply for that beer drinking position at the local bar — oh wait, they don’t pay people for that, unfortunately. Shit, maybe I’d like being Old St. Nick. Work once a year, have a bunch of dogs with horns tow you around, what a gig. Ah, I’ll figure something out.
Do you ever wonder if you’re making the right decision? Do you ever have those moments where you weren’t going to do something, and then it turns out to be the best experience you’ve ever had? You think about it afterwards, how you were just going to let it pass you by. As I am coming to the completion of my degree, I am constantly wondering what the right choices are, what’s worth sacrificing, and what’s worth indulging in while I can. One thing I have definitely learned this last year is that the world moves on, with or without you, and whether you’re prepared or not. People move on with or without you as well, so you really have to make your time count. I guess at the end of the day, if you are happy with your choices, that’s all that really matters. But it doesn’t make it any easier to choose.
Illustrations: Amara Gelaude
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Quintin Stamler
Aleister Gwynne
Curtailed commentary on current conditions
Jennifer Trithard-Tufts
Good Academic Standing
St
u m bl i
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Written by: Laurel Logan Layout by: Caleb Campbell
When I got halfway through the fall semester of 2016, I never thought I would be failing two-thirds of my classes — but that’s exactly what happened. And, spoiler alert, it wasn’t actually the end of the world; though at the time, it sure felt like it. I was, and still am, an English major, where I have received generally high grades. But, after completing first-year biology as a lab credit, I’d discovered that I actually really enjoyed the material, and I was excited to take even more second-year courses, where I could learn even more about the plants, animals, and cells that had initially captured my curiosity. But, knowing I would have to take them eventually, I decided to take calculus and chemistry first. Now, to be fair, I was
warned numerous times that both courses I was about to immerse myself in were deemed “high fail rate courses,” but it wasn’t like I had a choice to opt out of them; both are required courses for the biology major, which I was hoping to switch into. Plus, I’m not one to shy away from a challenge. Pretty early on in calculus, I realized I was going to have to spend an immense amount of time studying, because my brain felt like a sieve that equations poured through, instead of into.
So, I metaphorically cracked my knuckles, and cracked open the ‘ol textbook. (Okay, it was an e-text, so I guess I metaphorically cracked that open, too.) I gave everything I had on the weekly assignments, watched countless Khan Academy videos, and practiced questions until the light in my calculator dimmed out. Still, I felt like I had only absorbed a fraction of what I needed to understand. When the first midterm came around, my countless hours of studying
scored me 47 per cent. Sure, technically that’s defined as a failing grade, but in that moment I felt a strange and surprising amount of pride in myself. This meant that I understood nearly half of the material that had been complete gibberish just a month before, which felt like a bit of an accomplishment. However, it was hard to maintain that feeling when the grade on the paper proved that, even though I knew a lot more than before, I still certainly did not know enough.
As for chemistry, I scored a disheartening 17 per cent, but I definitely deserved it. I was far too focused on trying to understand limits and derivatives to even begin to attempt to understand quantum numbers, or the strange shapes of the atomic orbitals that made my eyes dizzy just from looking at them. As the semester went on, the topics expanded on the key elements I had yet to grasp. Thus, I progressively became more confused, and my grades reflected that even further. I know what you’re thinking: how could it possibly get worse from 17 per cent? I promise you, that grade looked like a gosh-darn hero in comparison to my second midterm grade. By this point I felt hopeless, worn down, and overall, just plain stupid. The feeling of selfdoubt made a home in my consciousness, which then lingered into finals season, where my capacity to persevere was reaching its limit (pun not intended). During that time, I stopped sleeping, I stopped talking to friends, and worst of all, I stopped studying. This was supposed to be crunch time, I was supposed to be pushing myself into overdrive, but I couldn’t even look at my notes without feeling utterly defeated. Still, I managed to attend both exams, but I’d lost all faith
in my ability to succeed. I realize that I’m not the only one who struggles with self-doubt; many students set high expectations for themselves in academics, but it can be difficult to achieve those goals when you don’t believe in yourself. A recent study published by the Journal of College Student Development measured the relationship between university outcome expectations and student adjustment against a student’s belief in their ability to succeed. Their results stated that “the combination of high expectations for attending university and low selfefficacy to achieve these outcomes appears to be detrimental for student adjustment.” During that time, I doubted myself more than I ever had. It now occurs to me that this negative thought process was holding me back even further. On the afternoon of my calculus exam, my class was seated in the gymnasium, where the heavy white lights illuminated our clinical-looking exam booklets, which made me feel like I was in a trance of sorts. Upon receiving my exam booklet, I began to flip through the pages, looking for basically anything that seemed doable — but nothing really did. Any semblance of hope was washed away in that moment, and I began to
zone-out. At one point, my eyes became fixated on the clock, which I stared at for a resounding 30 minutes without even feeling time move. When the three hour time period was nearing its end, my exam booklet still looked as crisp and spotless as a fresh coating of snow over a lawn. At this point, a strange feeling of guilt washed over me, and I suddenly felt compelled to pick up my cold, untouched pencil to form the words “I’m sorry” on the bottom of the last page. I felt as though I was not only failing myself, but that I was failing the professor as well. Evidently, when I finally worked up the courage to check my final grades, I’d failed both calculus and chemistry in the very same semester. I kept this to myself during the Christmas break that followed, as I couldn’t bear to bring it up. I felt like an idiot, and I had convinced myself that everyone else would think the same. But eventually, when enough time had passed, I did begin to talk about it. Although that semester made me feel like I was walking on unstable ground that would never settle, I’ve made it through another year, have since successfully retaken math, and am currently slaying chemistry. The main difference is, I now feel much safer
in making mistakes, because I’ve learned that it’s an integral part of the process. As well, I found that my struggles in those courses made me want to confront the material even further. Most of all, I discovered the relentless, persistent side of myself that I wouldn’t have know, had it not been for failing. Now, when I’m faced with new challenges, I feel much more prepared to handle it. A 2005 study from the University of Texas, titled “Self-compassion, Achievement Goals, and Coping with Academic Failure,” found that practicing self-kindness in the midst of failure helps to free yourself to become a better learner. The results of the study go on to say that “because self-compassionate individuals are kinder to themselves when they fail, are more aware that failure is part of the common human experience, and are more mindful of their negative emotions, they are more able to see failure experiences as a chance to learn and grow, rather than becoming consumed with fear about what a negative performance says about their self-worth.” These days, I still struggle with self-doubt, and I still find myself feeling a bit uncomfortable when I talk about that dreaded semester. But I continue to tell people about it, just to prove that something like that doesn’t
have to ruin you; in fact, it can end up fuelling you, if you allow it to. And, a neat thing happened when I started being more open about my past failures — other people began opening up to me about theirs as well. It felt really good to know I wasn’t the only one, and it made me wish that the word “failure” didn’t have to be one that we whisper. Rachel, a biology student, offered her opinion on
failing courses at university by saying that “you’re not gonna be good at everything, and there are gonna be things you don’t get right away. I think you should put your best effort into everything you do, but if you happen to fail a class, it’s not the end of the world.” It’s important to be reminded that failure and laziness are not always synonymous. Difficulty in academics can be a sign of learning, questioning, and
grappling with new material. Sometimes, this process can take longer than the few months offered in the semester. Rather than being so fearful of failure that we don’t even try, we should be able to feel safe enough to learn from our mistakes. Things that may come easy to some, might be extremely difficult for others. Man, wouldn’t it be a boring world if everyone understood everything at the exact same rate?
“Bad grades can always be improved, but the most important thing is your mental health,” says Shyanne, a geography student. “Nobody is perfect, so your grades are not perfect either. Remember to always ask for help.” Although the thought of dropping out never once crossed my mind, I wondered about the retention rates at UFV. The Ministry of Advanced Education
defines retention rate as “the percent of students who returned to public post-secondary studies or were awarded a credential.” Between the academic year of 2014/2015 to 2015/2016, they reported a 75 per cent retention rate in post-secondary schools in British Columbia. In 2016/2017, UFV had a 77 per cent retention rate between first- to second-year students.
Although these numbers aren’t bad, there is still a significant percentage of students who are leaving post-secondary. This could be due to a number of factors, including financial difficulty, mental health, physical health, family commitments, poor grades, or other life circumstances. Fortunately, UFV has many resources aimed at helping students. UFV offers counselling services, financial aid, disability
resources, academic help through the Academic Success Centre, and many other activities around campus aimed at strengthening the UFV community. According to UFV’s strategic enrolment management plan, “students are more likely to drop out of post-secondary education during the first year than any other time.” Fortunately, my rough semester oc-
curred during my third year, which I’m quite grateful for. I’m not sure how I would have reacted if I had flunked my first semester here, rather than my seventh. I can only hope I would have bounced back in a similar way. By third year, I had pretty well established UFV as my second home, and I think that played an important role in keeping me here after things got tough.
So, having said all that, I’ve compiled the top three things that have helped put me and my grades back on track:
If they’re available, attend Supported Learning Group (SLG) sessions. The SLG program began as a pilot project in 2008, and received permanent status two years after. And, in 2009, the SLG project received the UFV Outstanding Initiatives award. This semester, SLG supports 14 courses, with a total of 41 sections. This is the first semester where I have actively attended SLG sessions since my first year, even though they’ve been offered in a few other classes I’ve had. So far, I haven’t missed a single one, and I gotta admit, they’re worth going to. Not only do you receive neatly organized worksheets that can help you navigate which components of the course are most important to focus on, but it’s a great opportunity to meet fellow students who are working through the same material. Early on in the course, I met a couple of people who attend the sessions as regularly as I do, which makes it a lot more comfortable to go to. Though I generally tend to prefer studying alone rather than in groups, I’ve found that SLG gives me a better understanding of the material, so that I can be more successful in solo-studying afterwards.
Find a good space to study. For me, I’ve learned that the places I’m able to do the most highly focused work are basically limited to the computer lab in G building, and at home, in the comfort of my own bed. Now, I know this might not be for everyone, but this is just what seems to work for me. I have friends who swear by studying at Starbucks, but I honestly can’t stand the noise and the crowds. And I have other friends who tell me that my bed is a bad place to study, because it should be associated with relaxation and sleeping. Basically, all I’m trying to say is to find somewhere that works for you, which can take some experimenting and some time to figure out; which leads me into my next point:
Time. I know I touched on this a bit earlier, but this is probably the most important one. Our lives are a delicate balance of school, social life, work, exercise, and whatever else life throws our way. I know it can be hard to find time when you feel worn out from working weekends, or evenings, or whatever else, but it’s important to spend time digesting concepts early on, so that they can broil in your brain over a longer period of time. And hey, if that amount of time happens to be longer than a semester, don’t sweat it; everyone learns at different paces. I mean, I took chemistry a year ago, and I was pretty amazed at how much of it I had retained over that time period — especially considering I barely understood anything about that course the first time around. Having around a month left in the semester, I hope anyone who is having a rough time can be a little bit more gentle with themselves, and can continue to persist onwards in the face of difficulty. As long as you learn from your mistakes in some way, and accept that failure is a completely normal experience, you shouldn’t let bad grades define you. And I think that famous Thomas Edison quote still holds an important message:
“I have not failed. I’ve just found ten-thousand ways that won’t work.”
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
UFV Event //
Closing ceremony of The Witness Blanket: Weaving pieces of history EKANKI CHAWLA CONTRIBUTOR
Hands-on Learning with the Three Fastest-Growing Hi-tech Fields, plus Eight Lightning Talks!
1PM to 6PM Saturday, Nov. 18th Open to high school students (grades 11 & 12), university students, and anyone else interested in the industry
Hands-on Learning: Cryptocurrencies Arti�cial Intelligence & Machine Learning Internet of Things & Hardware
Lightning Talks: The Custom Software Industry and Moxie.Build Dev Ops and Related Tools Making the World's Best Fuel Cell, and the Company that Built it Lessons Learned in the Game Industry Bootstrapping a Startup A Successful Exit and Life-After-Exit Lessons Learned as a Serial Entrepreneur Startup Community and Brie�ng on the 2018 Startup Hackathon
Price: $10 Free Snacks and Drinks! Great Networking Opportunities! Downtown Business Centre, 9240 Young Road Register now at the website Chilliwack.Tech/Next
8420983
The Witness Blanket, a 12-metre-long art structure, displays hundreds of pieces from Indigenous residential school sites, from survivors, and other important sites in Canada. Woven by Vancouver Island artist Carey Newman (Ha-yalth-kingeme), the exhibit has been travelling the country since 2015. After eight weeks of exhibition in the Student Union Society Building’s Evered Hall, the national monument’s time at UFV has come to an end. The exhibit drew to a close on Wednesday, November 8 with a ceremony that began shortly after 6 p.m. The night was filled with traditional dances, sharing of culture, and heavy symbolism. The seating arrangement was a circular plan, which we learned was a representation of the endless repetition of birth, growth, death, and renewal — essentially, the circle of life. It showed that everyone was equal and connected. An important part of the night was to thank the artist for creating the Witness Blanket, and allowing the university to share the piece with the community. A blanket was wrapped around Newman by an elder. In Coast Salish culture, placing a blanket on an individual is a blessing that is meant to wrap the admiration from the community around the person, both physically and spiritually. This gift demonstrated the great honour and high respect held for Newman’s accomplishments. Infused with great prosperity, the blan-
ket was also meant to evoke the same positive emotions from the night for Newman in the future, as well. A core theme of the ceremony, reconciliation through the creation of the Witness Blanket, was a valuable experience for Newman. Present in the audience were a few who had survived the residential schools, and some who had relatives that had experienced the brutal system. Many stepped forward in the question and answer period to discuss the impact of the blanket in their own reconciliation journeys. While it was visible that reconciliation is a different process for every individual, the Witness Blanket is a visual and tangible piece of art for all, that captures feelings of grief, anger, and injustice. The ceremony ended off with a traditional dance meant to clear the air of heavy emotions and distress. No one left empty handed, as there were pins and brochures distributed to all exiting guests. The closing of the Witness Blanket was certainly an eye-opening, thought-provoking, and unifying experience for guests in attendance. As part of the next stop along tour, the blanket will be travelling to the First Nations University in Regina, Saskatchewan.
What could UFV do to enhance your learning? Submit your idea and you could WIN an iPad Mini
www.ufv.ca/tlc/feedback 13
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Writers’ Event //
Modern voices of publishing event draws crowd, questions from students.
MARTIN CASTRO
ARTS IN REVIEW EDITOR
On Tuesday, November 7, the UFV College of Arts hosted Modern Voices of Publishing, a panel discussion which aimed to demystify the world of writing and publishing for a living. The panel discussion and presentation was held in the Evered Hall of the Student Union Building at UFV’s Abbotsford campus. Panelists included author and editor Carleigh Baker, writer at EVENT Magazine; Shashi Bhat, novelist, English professor, and editor of EVENT; and local editor and co-founder of arts publication Raspberry Magazine, Katie Stobbart. Some 20 to 30 students and a sprinkling
of faculty members attended the discussion, which primarily focused on highlighting the real, actionable steps that students can take to get ahead in the publishing world. Advice ranged from the practical (“Publishers aren’t going to look at your manuscript or story if it isn’t formatted correctly,” shared Baker), to the encouraging. Bhat stressed the importance of persistence when it came to submitting work to publications. “You’ll get rejection letters,” she said. “Keep submitting.” The bulk of advice and examples to students on the practical side had to do with one of two attributes: preparedness, and persistence.
“Know who you’re submitting to,” Bhat said. The event also served to highlight to students the opportunities available in the world of writing. Writing novels is possible, yes, but more often writers are employed at magazines which deal with less literary content. UFV alum Katie Stobbart also encouraged students to take advantage of the resources available to them now. “Submit to Louden, or write for The Cascade.” Before graduating, Stobbart served on the editorial board of the Louden Singletree, and as editor-in-chief of The Cascade. The skills she picked up while engaging with work oncampus, she said, were invaluable.
Cascade Events Calendar
“I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for [my experience at UFV],” said Stobbart. After a short introduction by UFV English professor Andrea MacPherson, who emceed the event, the panelists engaged in open conversation with each other about the challenges and rewards of the publishing world, and took questions from the audience, as well as the faculty members who were present. As the event drew to a close, students and audience members took notes, and nodded their heads appreciatively. If that’s any indication, the event was a success in inspiring students to consider publishing their work, and to take advantage of the resources available to them.
Note: Some of these events require tickets, most are on Facebook. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details.
Nov 15
Nov 18
Nov 25
Dec 2
Palestine Film Series “Stone Cold Justice” @ Room B121 (Abbotsford Campus), 3:30 p.m. Self-Publishing Workshop @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. UFV Town & Gown Fundraising Dinner @ SUB (Abbotsford Campus), 6:00 9:30 p.m. UFV Blood Donation Clinic @ Envision Athletic Centre North Gym (Abbotsford Campus), 12:00 - 7:00 p.m. Teen Daze DJ Set @ Oldhand Coffee (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.
A Formal Affair: Masquerade Ball @ Townhall Public House (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. Practical Photography: Understanding Exposure @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. West Coast Christmas Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m Chilliwack Independent Film Festival @ Cottonwood Cinema (Chilliwack), Showtimes vary Quidditch Canada Western Regional Championship @ W J Mouat Secondary Fields (Abbotsford), 8:00 a.m. Chilliwack Christmas Craft Market @ Chilliwack Heritage Park, 10:00 a.m. Nov 19
Maan Farms 3rd Annual Christmas Market @ Maan Farms (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. 3rd Annual Movember Dodgeball Tournament @ Heritage Park Middle School (Mission), 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. Movember Pub Night/Dodgeball After Party @ The Stage in Mission, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Abbyfest Ft. Glass Tiger, With Special Guests Chilliwack & Sass Jordan @ Abbotsford Centre, 7:00 p.m. Brewing Workshop @ Royals Kombucha Brew House (Chilliwack), 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Opening Reception: Reworked and Reassembled @ Kariton Art Gallery (Abbotsford), 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Winter Jubilee Marketplace @ Essendene Ave and Gladys Ave (Abbotsford Downtown), 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Nov 16 Play: A Flea in Her Ear by George Feydeau @ Chilliwack Players Guild, 7:30 p.m. Free Sass Class @ Army of Sass (Chilliwack), 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. Opening Reception: Art on Demand 3.4 @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 2017 Fraser Valley Biennale: Artist Meet & Greet @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Nov 17 West Coast Christmas Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 2:00 - 9:00 p.m. Lonesome Town Painters @ The Stage in Mission, 7:30 - 11:59 p.m. Chilliwack Christmas Craft Market @ Chilliwack Heritage Park, 12:00 p.m. Peter James Band @ The Well (Chilliwack), 9:30 p.m. - Midnight 4th Annual Mission Rock and Gem Show @ Clarke Theatre (Mission), 4:00 p.m.
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West Coast Christmas Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m Chilliwack Independent Film Festival @ Cottonwood Cinema (Chilliwack), Showtimes vary Chilliwack Christmas Craft Market @ Chilliwack Heritage Park, 10:00 a.m. Nov 21 Presentation by B.C. Support Unit Fraser Centre @ Room A225 (Abbotsford Campus), 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Nov 22 Upcycle Your Dusty Gems @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Folio Thinking @ Room G113 (Abbotsford Campus), 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Abbotsford Education & Career Fair @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Dec 6 National Day of Remembrance, and Action on Violence Against Women - All Day wack Community Arts Council, 7:00 9:00 p.m.
Nov 26
Dec 7
Play: The Nutcracker @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Maan Farms 3rd Annual Christmas Market @ Maan Farms (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m.
December Corks & Canvas @ Chilliwack Community Arts Council, 7:00 9:00 p.m.
Nov 29
O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, doors 7:00 p.m. Rockabilly Jay & the Cadillac Bones @ Captain’s Cabin (Mission), 8:30 p.m. 1:00 a.m.
Film Production Info Session @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Writing for Film + Television Info Session @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Nov 30
A Lecture by Gwynne Dyer @ Evered Hall (Abbotsford Campus), 3:30 p.m.
Colour Mixology: Acrylic Paints @ Chilliwack Community Arts Council, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Ref lections of Art: A Staged Hair Show @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 6:15 p.m.
Nov 24
Dec 1
Random Dander, China Syndrome, and Pete’s Arcade @ Captains Cabin Pub (Mission), 8:00 p.m. - Midnight Tree Lighting Ceremony @ Salish Park (Chilliwack), 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Exit 123 @ The Well (Chilliwack), 9:00 11:00 p.m. Fraser Valley Music Awards (FVMA) Battle of the Bands Final @ The Stage in Mission, 7:00 p.m.
Body, Wine, Jewels! Workshop @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Candlelight Parade @ Lougheed Highway (Mission), 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Jerry Seinfeld @ Abbotsford Centre, 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Malk, The Eleven Twelves, Super Distorter, Nice @ Captain’s Cabin (Mission), 8:00 p.m.
Nov 23
Dec 5
Dec 8
Dec 9 People Photography @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, Doors 7:00 p.m. Dec 13 Hillary Clinton Live @ Vancouver Convention Centre 11:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Exhibit //
New exhibition debuts in UFV’s Global Lounge
Political science students reflect on multiculturalism and diversity in our community.
CASSIE DE JONG CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR
UFV’s Global Lounge is a place where students of all orientations and backgrounds can visit to study, or catch up with friends. The room features work spaces, cozy spots, and their most recent addition, the “Reflections on Multiculturalism” exhibition by this semester’s Political Science 322: Introduction to American Politics class (POS 322). The exhibit is a series of photo-essay combinations curated by Dr. Fiona MacDonald. Students within the class were asked to select an image associated with a topic or issue they identify with, and present it with a written portion about their idea of how the specific themes of culture and diversity manifest in their everyday lives. An opening reception took place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 7. The projects will be on display for at least two weeks from that date, which overlaps with International Education Week. International Education Week celebrates international education and its effects on social, economic, and cultural well-being on a global scale. Canada and an estimated one hundred other countries have come together to celebrate International Education Week under the theme “Learn and Love Diversity.” There is no specific end date for the exhibition at this time. Student speakers Cameron Schmitke and Michelle Murray-Schlitt from Amnesty International opened the show by speaking about promoting student engagement in issues regarding human rights and multiculturalism. The overall message was that multiculturalism and diversity strengthen a community, and how important it is to take concerns from around the world, and make them ours. The main themes of the exhibition describe how multiculturalism and diversity impact our daily lives. Many of the pieces were inspired by examples of diversity here on the UFV campuses. However, the list of topics was not limited to UFV specific issues. Projects took inspiration from community events, family affairs, political figures and turmoil, or cultural traditions and symbols for particular cultures
or religions. The final products varied greatly, speaking about gender, refugees, immigration, and more. The work connects micro politics to the broader themes being discussed in Dr. Fiona MacDonald’s POS 322 class. MacDonald stated in an interview that “[The exhibition] is very open for the students to be creative, and discuss their personal experiences with these themes.” Most of the images are original works by the students, but some have elected to source images that speak to them. MacDonald explained, “Some students have a hard time coming up with an image that reflects what they want to say.” MacDonald first assigned this project to her class a few years ago. At that time, the end goal was not to show the work in an exhibit, as the projects were simply submitted for marks. This did not sit well with MacDonald, which led her to create the event. “I started planning on moving the assignment to be a more collective experience for the students, and other members of the UFV community, because I thought they were too good for me to just keep all to myself.” “There’s a lot of questions that we all have, especially young people about the future,” said MacDonald. “Abbotsford is a very multicultural city, a growing city. But it’s also unclear what our future is.” This exhibit is a successful attempt in encouraging students to ask questions about our future, and to learn about our community in a positive atmosphere. Speakers at the opening wished to make students aware of the resources available to them at UFV International. The centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They are currently encouraging classes and student groups to utilize the space. Students are able to book the room during this time, but if you wish to have exclusive use, you are able to book between 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. While the pieces shown in “Reflections on Multiculturalism” are part of an assignment for the POS 322 class, they are no less meaningful, and have the capability of inspiring the desire to take action on issues of multiculturalism and diversity.
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STUDY BREAK Crossword //
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Made by Cassie de Jong ACROSS
DOWN
2: A community of living organisms existing together in an environment.
1: Academy Award for a movie.
5: Canadian coin with a caribou side. 6: A type of music that is both traditional, and a genre that evolved into being during the mid-twentieth century 7: To sit in a restaurant at a particular time, you make a _ _ _. 8: If you yell your name into a canyon, you hear it back as an _ _ _. 9: A breakfast food or dessert composed of berries, yogurt, and granola. 10: To secretly listen in on a private conversation.
2: A form of coffee brewed by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee beans. 3: A period of time equal to 1000 years. 4: A tropical cyclone with winds over 119 kilometres per hour, that typically occurs over the Atlantic Ocean 6: A type of sandal consisting of a flat sole, held loosely on the foot by a Y-shaped strap. 9: A black and white, bamboo-eating bear native to South Central China.
LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS: Across:
Down:
1: Tuxedo 2: Sesame 4: Imaginary 11: Scholarly 12: Riddle 13: Umpire
1: Tongue 3: Eagles 4: Ice skates 5: Angelfish 6: Identical 7: Announcer 8: Yesterday 9: Caesar 10: Garage
Illustration by: Amara Gelaude
Horoscope //
Astrological mysteries rudely interpreted by Lady May
Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 Your mind is a strange place. It is hard to keep track of the random bits of information floating around in there. You can remember what you were wearing on October 7, 2005, but you forget important personal details like your address, phone number, and class schedule. Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 Taurus aren’t known to say one thing and do another, because they usually end up doing the wrong thing, and never discussing it. This is their spin on the phrase “Actions speak louder than words.” Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Because of your strong connections to nature, you are known to your friends “earthy.” This may mean to reference your long strolls through fields and forests, or it may mean that you don’t shower as often as you should.
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Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 There is strength and talent in your hands. Most Cancers are ambidextrous, which is a glorified way of saying you can pick both sides of your nose simultaneously.
Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Good fortune is on the way for everyone but you. You wouldn’t know this, as you tend to not have a clue what’s on your schedule. If you’re lucky, maybe your peers will keep you informed. Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 You seek out attention in any and all instances. Virgos tend to open doors by singing at them, and then expect the inhabitants of the room they have just barged into to applaud their entrance. Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Libras do not see the world in shades of black and white. Rather, they inspect it for levels of either cleanliness or filth. You can’t help but clean every square inch of everything you set eyes on. Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Attention and perfection are your heart’s true desires. This is why you single-handedly popularized lattes, simply to complain about how your barista never gets your “extralarge, iced, sugar-free, non-fat, vanilla latte with soy milk and chocolate sprinkles” right.
Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Your hidden talent for computer science will take you far in life. Most hackers are Sagittarius, and most of them seem to believe they will find fame on a chat board. Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 Capricorns are born daredevils. You participate in daring tasks such as squashing spiders with your bare hands, or taking trips to the washroom at midnight with all the lights out, even when you know full well that the hallway is littered with Lego. Keep it up thrill-seeker, I believe in you! Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 You take cell phone addiction to a whole new level, and can always be seen chatting away into your device. However, rarely is your phone actually turned on, because Aquarians don’t have any friends to call. Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 You have a list of true and sincere friends. Keep them close, as you don’t seem to be very good at making new ones. Pisceans are often unable to function in most social settings, because their complex nerd knowledge of equations or algorithms doesn’t get them anywhere.
ARTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Album Review //
CHARTS
SHUFFLE
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METZ Strange Peace
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Viewmaster Alternative Classics
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Weaves Wide Open
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Holy Hum All Of My Bodies
CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy has been enjoying the lead up to the Fraser Valley Music Awards, and here are some songs that are either awesome, or have to do with people involved with the FVMAs!
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Blessed EP 2
The Odds - Someone Who Is Cool
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Godspeed You! Black Emperor Luciferian Towers
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Chad VanGaalen Light Information
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Bird City Winnowing
The Odds are a band whose singles one might be tempted to describe to an uninitiated pupil of the ‘90s as Canada’s Fastball, with singles that burrow deep within that good ol’ factory’s sense, and what’s more, I say the lyrics wax salient observational humour to polish it all off.
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Faith Healer Try ;-)
Brad Meldhau - Moon River
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Andre Bisson Break
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XCephasx The Space Between the Walls
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Soccer Mommy Collection
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Ought These 3 Things
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Davide Pannozzo Unconditional Love
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Esmerine Mechanics of Dominion
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Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars One Night Only
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Versing Nirvana
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Jim Byrnes Long Hot Summer Days
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Warcall Invaders
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St. Vincent MASSEDUCTION
AARON LEVY
HUMOROUS BYLINE
Brad Meldhau’s brilliant reworking of classic pop, rock, and standard hits and deep cuts constantly serves to help one define their own sense of personal calm. If it weren’t for his abstract jazz interpretations of a good few of Radiohead’s best songwriting, he even tackles “Moon River” with excitement.
Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still I first heard this song when thenWestern Jaguar drummer AJ Buckley wasn’t playing at the Carport with DJ Smoke Weed Guy (actually) whom I thought Buckley’s band mates were, but were not. Go figure. Anyway, I thought it was actually “Mr. Postman.” Imagine my shame walking in the SUB.
Big Sugar - Better Get Used To It The band that made Canadian rock reggae a thing that happened with a guy that kinda even maybe looked a little bit like Otto from The Simpsons, and also totally played two guitars in one. This is what I sing to myself when I see the success of local bands.
On Lotta Sea Lice, Barnett and Vile play next to, but not with, each other
MARTIN CASTRO ARTS EDITOR
Australian indie darling Courtney Barnett’s 2015 release Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit brought her a shower of well-deserved critical and commercial success upon release. The record’s bittersweet rock played second-fiddle to Barnett’s uncompromisingly self-conscious lyricism, and penchant for weaving compelling narratives out of the most mundane aspects of her life. By structuring songs like “Depreston” around streamof-consciousness observation, as opposed to overt storytelling, Barnett charmed listeners with spotty narratives that more closely mirror the way we remember things — a muddy background spotted with sharply-defined (if mundane) detail. Kurt Vile’s b’lieve i’m going down..., also released in 2015, mirrored Barnett’s lackadaisical, experience-first songwriting and delivery, perhaps focusing more on folk elements than Barnett. In a genre which sees so little collaboration compared to the pop and hip-hop arenas, it’s refreshing to see the result of a joint-effort between Barnett and Vile. Lotta Sea Lice is, if forgettable at times, a cohesive body of work that fits snugly within what overlaps between Barnett’s and Vile’s individual aesthetics. “Over Everything,” the first single released for the record, blends Vile’s folk with the twangy acoustic numbers Barnett often includes between more energetic numbers. Over a catchy — if not amorphous — guitar line, the duo trade verses which, despite their sometimes-vague imagery, constitute a philosophy of the don’t sweat it variety. Like much of the record, “Over Everything” is lyrically ambiguous, despite its clear imagery, which begs the question: why are two lyrically-gifted singer-songwriters finding it so hard to tell a compelling narrative?
The same criticism applies to “Continental Breakfast,” which comes off more as the result of the pair riffing on a topic, and pulling the resulting imagery together through the overarching trope of sitting down to eat a continental breakfast (which itself implies a location: a hotel or hotel-like establishment, and a state of transience, since continental breakfasts are served almost exclusively in airplanes and hotels, both indicative of travel, a transitory condition). Vile tacitly acknowledges the motif through his lyricism, admitting that, “after all, it’s just a rental.” Lotta Sea Lice misses the mark with its instrumentalism. The assumption is that Barnett and Vile chose to collaborate based on the lyrical and stylistic similarities evident in their work — both employ bittersweet melodic lines that often work against the melody in an attempt to communicate melancholy, all while retaining a distinct pop brightness that comes through in the high energy of Barnett’s work, and Vile’s tongue-in-cheek cheerfulness (evident in tracks like 2015’s “Lost my Head there.”). The result is a collection of tracks that, taking precautions not to let either artist overshadow the other, end up stifling both. Some tracks manage to shine, despite the self-imposed blandness that mars most of the record. “Fear is Like a Forest” finds a more aggressive rock groove that both artists take advantage of in equal measures, singing in harmonies, and working together on the track. Regrettably, the bulk of Lotta Sea Lice is an exercise in not stepping on anyone’s toes, where it should have been an opportunity for both Vile and Barnett to achieve a common goal by taking coordinated steps together.
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ARTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Album Review //
Weezer’s Pacific Daydream misses its mark
CASSIE DE JONG CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR
On October 27, 2017, alternative / indie sweethearts Weezer released their eleventh studio album, Pacific Daydream. The album is breezy, carefree, and lacks the loveable elements of their previous work. Weezer has been pretty consistent in releasing a new album every few years. This has given them plenty opportunity to produce popular hits such as “Pork and Beans” off their 2008 Red Album, or “Beverly Hills” off their 2005 album Make Believe. Both these songs were nominated for Grammys (“Pork and Beans” won best music video). However, Weezer has since been unable to produce a song as popular as either single. The Los Angeles rock band released their fourth self-titled album, otherwise known as the White Album, in 2016. The record felt similar enough to Weezer’s previous work, and was a big hit with long-time fans. The catchy guitar riffs and lyrics we all know and love were present, but there were differences in the little things. The subtle style changes within the album made it clear that the band was ready to graduate from their old sound into something new. The White Album unfortunately did not produce any huge hit singles, but it led fans to believe that Weezer was building up to something exciting and different. This is not the change fans were expecting. Pacific Daydream is an echo of Weezer’s past alternative rock style, and a drastic departure from what has made them excel in previous years. They seem to have played it safe, and generated a more mainstream pop sound, perhaps in hopes of producing a more popular record. Weezer is no stranger to the pop genre, as has been demon-
strated in their early albums, but this album is an entirely different story. A major issue is that the lyrics speak more about parties and beaches than relatable tales about underdogs and outcasts. Such relatable themes have been the basis of their identity as a group, and was what drew in such a dedicated fan-base. Also, the album is certainly overproduced, which results in an artificial, polished sound. This quells any promise any of the tracks may have had. Abandoning the style that made them successful, and not producing work of any substance to take its place, is a move that may cost Weezer. It is, of course, the right and freedom of every artist to expand on sound ideas, and re-invent themselves depending on their current persona and interests. But Weezer has strayed too far from what made them great, and have become something different entirely. There are some elements that work well within the album. For instance, despite the overall theme of partying and summer fever, there was still some room for Weezer to insert some of their lovable geeky charm into the lyric writing. References to algebra and the Star Wars planet ‘Hoth’ can be found on the track “QB Blitz.” Also, despite the fact that the tracks flow together nicely, there is undoubtedly a correlation between the smooth transitions and forgettable tracks. Pacific Daydream is, overall, not a terrible album — it’s just a terrible Weezer album. Fans know Weezer is capable of producing much better work. There is definitely something in this record for everyone. Fans of Weezer’s pop roots will no doubt find something to like. However, very few songs on the album are worth listening to more than once. If Weezer’s goal with this album was to secure another spot on the top of the charts, they have definitely missed their mark.
Movie Review //
Understanding the uncanny
Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film is mouthful of weird MITCH HUTTEMA CONTRIBUTOR
In the second English-language film, and fifth feature-length film of his career, director Yorgos Lanthimos continues to create weird cinema that analyzes the human condition. The Killing of a Sacred Deer follows the trials of a surgeon confronted with inhumane consequences at the hands of a teenage boy after accidentally killing the boy’s father on the operating table. Lanthimos has a penchant for analyzing humans by observing them in inhuman situations. 2015’s, The Lobster, which also stars Colin Farrell in the lead role, weaves together an analysis of romance. It tells a story wherein single adults check into a hotel, tasked with finding a romantic partner within 45 days, or face being turned into an animal of their choosing. Prior to his investigation of romance, Dogtooth studied parenthood and childrearing by examining a family in which the children are raised completely segregated from society. Lanthimos painstakingly lays out what happens to the children when left to the whim of the twisted morality which the parents set out for them. Lanthimos consistently delivers top shelf narratives that unfold in complete mystique, yet grip the viewer’s attention in the midst of confusion. He plays with the audience by revealing his story as if it were a novel. His films reveal only information that is crucial to the plot, and
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never wastes a minute explaining anything else. Audiences have to calculate dates and times by historical references, or passing remarks in a conversation. As a consistent tactic in his films, and most particularly in The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Lanthimos creates space between everything. He does so both visually and sequentially through editing and cinematography, as well as character development. Visually, the film is easily digestible; walls tend to be painted in vapid, solid colours or repetitive patterns in order to remove them from consideration. A washed-out colour palette pulls the focus of viewers to the characters. In his characters, he removes any characteristics or emotions that do not follow or highlight the narrative intentions of the film. The characters all retain significant and even relatable human characteristics, but they are revealed through stripped-down, emotionless dialogue, and matter-of-fact delivery of even the most vulnerable lines. Lanthimos also creates space by limiting the amount of characters featured in the film. There are three primary characters, two supporting characters, and two others on the fringe. Aside from these seven, there are only a handful of other humans that cross the screen, and no others that speak. By creating all this space in this film (as he does in others), Lanthimos frees up the viewer’s line of sight, allowing them to focus only on the visual elements of his choosing.
Lanthimos’ upcoming 2018 film, The Favourite, indicates a departure from his norm. Rumours state that the film will be a tale of intrigue in the court of Queen Anne in early 18th-century England. Notably, Stanley Kubrick also departed from a string of thrillers with the Victorian era drama, Barry Lyndon, in 1975. It could be that Lanthimos was inspired by Kubrick in his decision to pursue an historical drama — or it could be that he made a name for himself making weird films so that he could convince studios to fund his secret dream of making a lavish historical drama. Either way, any speculation is unfounded, but the parallel could prove to be interesting in the future. Especially if he continues on the path he is on, which seems to be leading him to a spot in history as one of the great filmmakers of our time.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer rolls up the darkest analysis of human nature with a most charming choral score and off-kilter humour you often can’t help but snort at. It’s this atypical marriage that leads the film to true success. Lanthimos makes a film that somehow, through its absurdity, digs into the real stuff of being human. The Killing of a Sacred Deer doesn’t seem like the kind of film that would be accessible to all, but I dragged a friend along who’s had a steady diet of Marvel heroes for years and even he could see the beauty in it. Drink it in folks, to be human is to be weird, and Lanthimos has a lot of weird to show you.
ARTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Movie Review //
Thor: Ragnarok redeems the MCU, and breaks formulas
PANKU SHARMA CONTRIBUTOR
The only reason I went to see Thor: Ragnarok, knowing I disliked the character, and was completely burnt out on super heroes, was because Taika Waititi was attached to the project as director. I’d seen What we do in the Shadows, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople in the past few years, and was incredibly interested to see how he would tackle a big-budget comic book romp. Turns out, the answer to that was “masterfully.” Thor: Ragnarok isn’t laden by the “gravitas,” and need to be taken seriously, that other films have. It can have serious moments, that build relationships, and move the plot, without Iron Man’s tired melancholy, or Batman screaming “MARTHA!” Neither is it cluttered with Joss Whedon’s or James Gunn’s (directors of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy series, respectively) incessant need to make you
laugh, or feel nostalgic about a callback. Barring a few scenes, **Ragnarok handles comedy more organically, without smarm of overt genre awareness. I think if executed poorly, the slapstick humor and improv-style dialogue could make a film seem weightless, but in Ragnarok, it fits the brightly coloured palate (the visuals in this film are leagues — pun intended — ahead of most other superhero flicks), and feels natural. These are comic book stories, and there is a rule of cool. Ragnarok isn’t trying to tell you that these stories have to be grim to be worthwhile. However, just as much as the director’s choices, such as “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka playing during a tunnel indoctrination scene, the improvisation of new fan favourite character Korg (Taikia Waititi himself), and the cast (Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster is weird and awesome), there is an overt political aspect of the film that I also found very satisfying. A Play by
Rick Elice
Some of it trickled in as jokes; The Grandmaster (who runs a gladiatorial arena) being uncomfortable with the word slave, and instead preferring his lackeys use “prisoners with jobs.” However, it mostly comes as an overt plot element, that is the founding and success of Asgard. The film introduces the character of Hela (Cate Blanchett), the Goddess of Death, and Odin’s firstborn, who with him ravaged worlds to build up their empire before she got out of control, and Odin decided to play “the benevolent king.” They talk about the violence, the conquest, and domination over other worlds, and machinations of the throne that have been apparent since early on in the series. Whenever we see Asgard, we see its grandeur and wealth, not the blood and bones it was built upon. I’d call that a pretty blatant reference to our world now. You dive in closer, and there is little to redeem the Asgardians — to show that
Based on the novel by
they have done anything worth the price paid. They are are weak-minded, and show little care for the world outside their borders. They fall in line behind the power on a throne blindly, regardless of how careless or imaginary their leaders are. They rely on others to make sacrifices and fight for them, so they can maintain the status quo. Aside from soldiers, we don’t see any industry in that city, just people milling around, as if at a cocktail party. “Asgard isn’t a place, it’s a people” is the refrain throughout the film. Those people seem weak and feckless, and authoritarian enough that they would probably fit right in to many places on earth now — and without anyone being compelled to misinterpret and invent fake crime statistics upon their arrival.
Music by
Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson Wayne Barker
The Exciting (and Entertaining!) Prequel to Peter Pan Abbotsford Arts Centre
NOVEMBER 10 – 18
“An absurdly funny fantastical journey!” ~Entertainment Weekly For play information and schedule, visit:
WWW.GALLERY7THEATRE.COM
Production Presenting Sponsor: PETER AND THE STARCATCHER is produced through special arrangements with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www. MTIShows.com. Originally produced on Broadway by Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Greg Schaffert, Eva Price, Tom Smedes, and Disney Theatrical Productions.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
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