The Cascade, Volume 33, Issue 03

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

Dreaming of sleep since 1993

10

7

A JOURNEY THROUGH JOURNALISM

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIBIDO

14

Q&A: GOOGLE SIDHU

19

UFV SPEAKS

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

12 Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

Business Manager

Creative Director

Kiara Okonkwo kiara@ufvcascade.ca

Marie-Ange Routier marie-ange@ufvcascade.ca

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Sherryl Agingu sherryl@ufvcascade.ca

Catherine Campbell cat@ufvcascade.ca

Gabriela Gonzalez gabriela@ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Eseniia Bondar eseniia@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor

News Editor

Culture Editor

Jr. News

Sports Editor

Copy Editor

Darien Johnsen darien@ufvcascade.ca Elyssa English elyssa@ufvcascade.ca

Jeffrey Kennett jeffrey@ufvcascade.ca

Arts Editor

Anna McCausland anna@ufvcascade.ca

Feature & Cover Illustrator

Eseniia Bondar eseniia@ufvcascade.ca

Rachel Tait rachel@ufvcascade.ca Sky Terrones sky@ufvcascade.ca Cassie Williams cassie@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor

Natalia Toscano Murua natalia@ufvcascade.ca

Digital Design Manager Mehak Narang mehak@ufvcascade.ca

Digital Media Assistant

Illustrator

Snapshot Illustrator

Illustrator

Dong Ho

Iryna Presley

May Beeney

Natasha Zilcosky

Photographer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Columnist

Staff Writer

Columnist

Staff Writer

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Josh Sulpico

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Veronica Powell

Caitlyn Carr Sean Horn

Faby Cruz Alderete Eddy Rubi

Distributor Kirat Dhami

CONTRIBUTORS Aaron Levy Linden Markham Kara Dunbar Akashbeer Sandhu Kimberly Perkins Caleb Davidson

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

Editorial //

Sylvia Plath, 1932 - 1963 KIARA OKONKWO Welcome to The Cascade, your source of news, culture, and student life at the University of the Fraser Valley.

The month turned to February as easily as I rolled over in bed. I didn’t get up for that entire weekend and since then the days have been languid. Maybe it’s the energy of the month, or the reality that I am deep into English 313, advanced poetry with Rob Taylor, but my bedriddenness was coloured by lots and lots of poetry. February’s musings drifted me toward Sylvia Plath, who died on yesterday’s date, Feb. 11, in 1963. Plath’s “Mad Girl’s Love Song,” (1953) is an apt description of the beginning of my February: “I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead; I lift my lids and all is born again.

(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red, And arbitrary blackness gallops in: I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.

(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell’s fires fade: Exit seraphim and Satan’s men: I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you’d return the way you said, But I grow old and I forget your name.

(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead; At least when spring comes they roar back again.

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

(I think I made you up inside my head.)”

Anyway, dive into this issue to find representatives from the Political Science Student Association speak on the Liberal Party election and general uncertainty following Trudeau’s resignation on page 4, followed by an interview with Associate Professor Dr. Martha Dow who offers her take on Trump’s recent (and oppressive) executive orders.

Beginning on page 7, we have a revival — sex is back at The Cascade, and our Opinion Editor gives you the low-down on libido. If you were wondering exactly if this paper even matters anymore (it does), our Features Editor, Darien Johnsen, is doing important work for journalism on page 10 — is journalism dead? To subsidize or not to subsidize? And what is the Pierre Poilievre of it all?

As we near the end of an athletics season, our sports section covers the recent men’s and women’s volleyball and basketball weekend on page 15. Bounce over to page 19 and find out what UFV students think about making friends on campus; are we more commuter or community? Last but not least, page 20 offers a Latinx take on Emilia Pérez (2024), and amidst our bustling Arts in Review pages, a rom-com countdown for the day of love can be found on page 22, with movies suitable for both the single and coupled.

We wish you the best during the shortest month of the year — if you find yourself needing a little extra rest this month, give yourself some grace; it’s the feeling of February.

INSTAGRAM.COM THECASCADEUFV TIKTOK CASCADE_FY Volume 33 · Issue 03 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 other Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 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. Pitch meetings will be digital for the remainder of the semester. Please email managing@ufvcascade.ca to be put on the assignment email list.

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 200 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.

The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.

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NEWS

SPORTS

3.............. News Briefs 3.............. SUS Public Board Meeting 4.............. Q&A with the PSSA 4-5.......... Dow on US executive orders 5.............. Student Union Society election

14.............Cascade Q&A: Google Sidhu 14............ The role of media in sports 15............ WBB & MBB 15............ WVB & MVB

OPINION

CULTURE

6 ������������� Medical misinformation 6,7,8,9 ����Snapshots 8��������������Tech Talk: DeepSeek AI 7��������������The Environmentalist: recycling, a hoax?

7-8 ��������� The importance of libido 9 ������������� Your phone is listening to you

16 ����������� Kariton Gallery: Sylvan Stories 17 ������������Campus Fashion: look chic for $5 17 ������������Inner Sanctuary gallery display 18 ������������Study Break 19 ������������Cascade Kitchen: hashbrown casserole 19 ����������� UFV Speaks: campus community

FEATURE

ARTS

10-13 ������ A journey through journalism

20............ Review: Emilia Pérez 20-21...... Review: 1000xRESIST 21............ Relive the Grammys 23.............Book Talk: Katherine May 23............ CIVL Shuffle & Charts

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03 news@ufvcascade.ca News Editor — Rachel Tait

N E W S

B R I E F S

INTERNATIONAL //

NATIONAL //

TALIBAN’S L ATEST ATTEMPT TO SILENCE AFGHAN WOMEN

25 PER CENT TARIFFS ON PAUSE!

On Feb. 4, Taliban enforcers raided Kabul’s sole women-led radio network, Radio Begum, in Afghanistan. Radio Begum was first established in Afghanistan’s capital in 2021 by the Begum Organization for Women (BOW) and sought to offer education to Afghan women by providing programs of health, psychology, and spirituality in an effort to become a catalyst for change and empowerment. The current regime only allows women’s education until sixth grade.

The shutdown was verified by the ministry on the grounds of violation of its permit and providing content to international outlets.

“This decision comes after several violations, including the unauthorised provision of content and programming to a foreign-based television channel.”

This statement came with no further comment on whether the station would resume its six-hour-a-day schooling.

Last year, women’s voices were also banned in public, a regulation that created further obstacles for Radio Begum.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called for an immediate reinstitution of the station, recalling that in 2024 the Taliban terminated at least 12 media networks. In the 2024 RSF press freedom index, Afghanistan ranked 178 out of 180 countries.

On Feb. 3, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to X to announce that the U.S. 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exported goods would be delayed as officials try to “work together.” This pause comes in the form of an agreement for stronger border controls. As Trudeau stated in his post: “Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.”

This border plan was introduced in December in an attempt to persuade President Donald Trump away from imposing tariffs before he took office.

According to Trudeau, there will be new protective measures to help tighten security at the border. This includes having a ‘Fentanyl Czar,’ listing cartels as terrorists, 24/7 watch on the border, a Canadian and U.S. Joint Strike Force, and an “intelligence directive” backed with $200 million to support the detection of organized crime and fentanyl will be implemented.

ANNA MCCAUSLAND

INTERNATIONAL // SKY S. TERRONES

LOCAL //

BC PARKS INCREASES ACCESSIBILIT Y WITH ASL VIDEO SERIES This year, BC Parks partnered with BC Parks Foundation, and the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre (IDHHC) to expand their project to make provincial parks more accessible to those who are hearing impaired.

The series began last year as a single video project that provided a self-guided nature walk of Goldstream Provincial Park in American Sign Language (ASL). It has since grown to cover five parks in total.

This year, they have added self-guided nature walks and tours of Rathtrevor Beach Park, Cultus Lake Park, Golden Ears Provincial Park, and a virtual sunset photography lesson at Porteau Cove Park.

Led by the IDHHC, the program is intended to increase accessibility of British Columbia’s provincial parks. It will enable hearing impaired children and adults to fully connect with, learn about, and enjoy the natural beauty of the provincial parks. The tours and programs are available via a QR code at each park, YouTube, and on the activities section of the BC Parks website. More information on this program can be found here.

AIRLINE BECOMES THE FIRST TO BAN PORTABLE POWER BANKS IN OVERHEAD BINS On Jan. 28, an on-board fire destroyed an Air Busan aircraft at Gimhae Airport in South Korea bound for Hong Kong. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and passengers were safely escorted off the plane.

The aircraft caught on fire shortly before take-off, South Korean authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

Airline officials have strong suspicions that the fire originated from a portable power bank, as lithium batteries have a reputation for igniting.

However, there has been no confirmation on what caused it to occur.

The airline has announced that it will place restrictions on how mobile power banks should be properly stowed. Beginning on Feb. 7, all passengers will be required to carry their portable power banks close to their person so any ignition incidents can be quickly identified and resolved.

Following the airline’s new regulation, aviation experts may call for a standardized approach to possibly apply this regulation to other airlines as well.

NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA LINDEN MARKHAM

NEWS

UFV //

Student Union Society’s January Public Board Meeting SUS board discusses Annual General Meeting (AGM) date, transit, affordability, and upcoming events LINDEN MARKHAM All are welcome to attend the Student Union Society’s (SUS) Public Board Meetings, held once a month. The decisions of the SUS affect the learning environment and campus culture of students and staff at UFV. UFV’s Student Union Society (SUS) held its monthly Public Board Meeting on Jan. 30. During the meeting, the board brought up the upcoming SUS AGM and provided monthly reports on their advocacy for key student concerns, including transit expansion and textbook affordability.

The SUS AGM will be held on Apr. 15, 2025, and is open to all UFV students.

The board encouraged students to participate in discussions about SUS initiatives.

As part of UFV’s ongoing presidential search, four SUS representatives will interview finalist candidates from Feb. 24 – 28. Their recommendations will contribute to the final selection process for a new UFV president.

SUS president Jayden Hovey provided his monthly report with updates on student advocacy efforts, focusing on BC Transit transportation and cost of living issues.

Hovey met with Dr. Joanne MacLean, UFV president and vice-chancellor, to discuss joint advocacy initiatives. Topics of discussion included full-time equivalency funding, international student concerns, and trades program funding for the Canada Education Park (CEP) campus.

In January, Hovey also met with Gordon Botha, director of transportation, to discuss expanding BC Transit services between Abbotsford and Chilliwack and securing better student rates for BC Transit Route 66. Discussions with Mayor Ross Siemens also led to connections with the Fraser Valley Regional District to explore possible transit solutions.

SUS Vice President External Roxy Granikovas outlined in her report how she met with Dr. James Mandigo, UFV’s Provost and Vice-President, Academic, to push for affordability initiatives.

According to her report on a Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) program, Mandigo indicated that the university was interested in adopting a ZTC, which could be implemented as early as summer 2025.

A proposal to provide prompt access to course syllabi during registration is currently under review. As part of her work with the Learning Environment Advisory Group (LEAG), Granikovas also advocated for increased study spaces on campus as UFV receives new funding for classroom technology.

SUS is organizing several events to support students. In March, they will host Open Educational Resources (OER) Week, focusing on mitigating students’ textbook costs. Additionally, RBC will hold two financial literacy workshops on campus in February, with SUS in discussions to bring another financial institution to host similar events in the future.

Further, SUS is planning Health & Wellness Week, with 17 events on the schedule. SUS’ Vice President Students, Bilal Faisal Faheem, is working to increase student engagement at UFV’s Mission campus and has met with students to discuss ways to improve access to SUS services. Faheem also announced his event “Chai with Bilal.” This event is designed to increase SUS transparency, allowing students to sit in the atrium with Faheem and discuss the SUS, UFV, or any doubts they may be having.

Additionally, SUS has expanded its student perks program, partnering with six new businesses to offer student discounts. These businesses include Chilliwack Thrifty Boutique, Boardwalk Burgers, DelivFree, Cowork Chilliwack, FlightHub, and Vancouver Football Club.

Moreover, The Supplement House in Abbotsford is offering UFV students a 15 per cent discount on regular priced items, and will have a promotional table on campus during Health & Wellness Week.

The next SUS Public Board Meeting will be held on Feb. 20 from 2 – 3 p.m. in room S3103.

Photo courtesy of UFV Student Union Society 3

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

NEWS Canada //

Q&A: Political Science Student Association What do UFV students think of this political moment?

KIARA OKONKWO The Cascade sat down with UFV students Zack Castiglia, Lauren Onderwater, and Zachary Fletcher, of the Political Science Student Association (PSSA), to chat about the race for a new Liberal Party Leader, Pierre Poilievre’s conservatism, and voter apathy. Want to stay involved?

Follow @ufv.pssa on Instagram.

Let’s situate what Trudeau’s resignation means. For the person who replaces him as Liberal Party leader, what does that look like for the next person coming in?

Castiglia: The House of Commons is supposed to fall on a confidence vote. The opposition parties are promising to defeat the government, which would mean an election right after Trudeau’s successor comes into office, so they could theoretically be the shortest serving Prime Minister we’ve ever had — like a few weeks. But there might be a chance that the government doesn’t get defeated, in which case the next election wouldn’t be until October.

What do you think of Mark Carney?

Castiglia: I think that Carney is ideal for this moment, because we’re dealing with intense economic threats right now, and he was Governor of the Bank of Canada, Governor of the Bank of England. He has a lot of private sector experience, so it seems like he’s well suited to handle the economic bombardment that’s coming our way.

Fletcher: Carney is the antithesis of the Liberal government right now. He’s

everything that the Conservatives have been pointing to on the issues of the Liberals. Carney comes in like, ‘Hey, I’m the economy guy.’

Onderwater: Any other MP that is tied to Trudeau leadership will automatically have that argument from Poilievre of ‘they’re just like Trudeau.’ Carney is the only front runner that you cannot make that argument against.

Someone who [Donald] Trump hates might not be good for us. I think most people see Chrystia Freeland as a better minister than she would be a leader.

Fletcher: The biggest obstacle in reality — she was quite literally the right hand man to Trudeau. When Trudeau wasn’t in Parliament, she’s the one who would step forward and be the speaker for the Liberal Party … out of courtesy, she resigned, but it was also a way for her to distance What about herself from the Trudeau government.

Chrystia Freeland?

Castiglia: She’s definitely positioning She was his Finance Minister and the herself like the wartime leader … I don’t main problem Canadians are having is know how voters will respond to that. with inflation and Canada [being] pretty unaffordable right now.

Who do you think is the best match for Poilievre?

Castiglia: It seems like he’s guaranteed to win regardless, but I think the person who gives him the most worry is probably Mark Carney.

What kind of benefits could we potentially see from having a Conservative government?

Castiglia: It does look like Poilievre is wanting to take a stance against tariffs.

Also, Poilievre is friends with the Trump party. One of the Conservative MPs [spoke] at J.D. Vance’s wedding. It could make Trump more willing to help us out if he has somebody in power that is more aligned with him.

Fletcher: If the Conservatives say everything they’ve been saying, then I think we might actually see some economic benefits. I mean, [Poilievre] said he would get rid of the carbon tax. That was a big one, but all the other liberals have said they’ll The Canadian Press / AP pic do the same … But good or bad is in the

eyes of the beholder.

Onderwater: The only two benefits I could see are regarding defence. Maybe we could hit our two per cent GDP. He might take defence more seriously. Also, the Liberals have brought in a lot of private firms to do civil service jobs and are overpaying those people. Maybe he would trim down the fat of the bureaucracy.

What do you make of Poilievre’s comment that he is “only aware of two” genders, but that the government should “just mind its own damn business,” considering the policies that were introduced in Alberta by Conservative leader Danielle Smith?

Onderwater: We saw something really similar with [Stephen] Harper. When Harper was running, abortion was more of a topical issue in Canada for lots of Conservatives, which is still true today.

Harper’s stance was, ‘I’m against abortion, but you’re not allowed to bring this up as an MP in my party,’ and I would say Poilievre’s comment is reflective of that.

He’s appealing to his conservative voter base that is more socially conservative, but he does not want to alienate the more socially liberal. It’s very Canadian, very Canadian Conservative.

Anything for those struggling with voter apathy?

Fletcher: I say, if you don’t want to vote, go to a voting booth and spoil your ballot.

Tell the government you don’t like your candidates. There’s literally an option saying, I hate everyone on this ballot.

Spoil your ballot.

Edited for length and readability.

//

Trump is targeting minorities, just as he promised A deeper look at President Donald Trump’s implementation of the “two sexes” policy SKY S. TERRONES Dr. Martha Dow is an associate professor in the School of Culture, Media, and Society at UFV On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump took office and began implementing strict measures, including pardons to his supporters, radical immigration control policies, and enforcing the “two sexes” executive order. Dr. Martha Dow, UFV Community Health and Social Innovation (CHASI) Hub director and associate professor of the School of 4

Culture, Media, and Society, shared her views on Trump’s “two sexes” executive order and what this means for both Canadians and U.S. citizens.

The “two sexes” executive order, titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” states that people will now be defined by their biological sex and be identified as men or women. This order will also no longer acknowledge other gender identities in an effort to protect women, according to Trump.

Dow shared how this executive order affects minority groups who identify differently than what is stipulated in the two sexes policy.

“Trump is on a different plane in the declaration of two sexes. [It’s] obviously dehumanizing to trans individuals and [it] didn’t even acknowledge intersex individuals, which are a significant part of live births across the globe.”

She also commented that what’s even more worrisome is the amount of support his ideas and policies have.

“He’s doing everything he said he’d

do. So, I think the bigger problem is not Trump; [it’s] that so much of what he’s doing, he promised he’d do … and yet look at the number of people who thought that [he] was a good alternative. That’s what scares me.”

Trump’s new “two sexes” executive order and his hit against the country’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs have historians pointing out the potential harm to marginalized CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 communities and the inaccuracies of this viewpoint as it disregards biological and historical truths that oppose his rhetoric.

When asked about the order, Dow commented on how necessary it is to acknowledge that the discourse happening is not only across borders, but here in Canada, too. Dow recalled the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) protest of Sept. 20, 2023.

“We shouldn’t pretend that it’s not here. A year and a half ago, we had the Sept. 20 protest … that was not a protest about curriculum; that was a protest about sexual identity and gender identity.”

On Jan. 22, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he was “only aware of two genders,” when asked about this policy.

Dow noted how this exclusion and historical use of language has been utilized in the process of segregation.

“This idea of building a dangerous class is about language, is about othering,

NEWS is about scapegoating. There is some solidarity that comes from that, right? To find that shared enemy. And I think that’s where we are.”

The “two sexes” order is only the first of many actions Trump has taken against the queer community. Information on what the government categorized as “gender ideology” has already been erased from federal websites. Trump has also attempted to move transgender women into men’s prisons, cut support of gender-affirming care for youth, ban transgender troops with his “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” executive order, stop the use of pronouns, halt education on gender-related and race matters, and block transgender athletes from women’s sports.

With all this in mind, Dow looked back on her experience fighting against queer discrimination during turbulent historical events such as Anita Bryant’s crusades against gay rights, the assassination of civil rights activist Harvey Milk, and the

AIDS crisis in the 80s. She also compared the current situation with struggles faced in the past.

“We’re back there — the same language, the same strategies of dehumanization are being used on both sides of the border.”

Dow argued that universities have a powerful role as they promote critical thought, and they should do better in creating spaces that foster conversations on the matter. She encourages people to challenge the idea of neutrality.

“The choice not to show solidarity with people if there’s something happening on

campus or in the community [is noticed].”

Dow made an admission of gratitude to the older generations who inspired her own continuous advocacy and to the people in her life who remind her of its significance.

“I have three amazing children, and my partner and I would not have had them if the people who came before us hadn’t made even the thought possible … I get to enjoy every day, the fact that I have them because people battled …, people did the fight.”

Ted Eytan / penntoday

UFV //

SUS 2025 Elections Students running for governance Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Evered Hall, located in S building (S1116) at the Every year, the Student Union Society Abbotsford campus.

(SUS) holds an election where students There will also be a Q&A session on can nominate themselves and run for Feb. 20 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., which will various positions on the SUS Board of also be held in Evered Hall.

Directors and the Executive Team, with Voting will take place from Feb. 24 this year’s elections running from Jan. 27, followed by an election ratification.

7 - Feb. 28. SUS President Jayden Hovey This final process will take place from 11 shared with The Cascade some key infora.m. to 12 p.m. on Feb. 28 in boardroom mation students need to know regarding S3103 on the Abbotsford campus. the SUS elections.

For the debates, Hovey explained Currently, there are six positions that that all candidates will be participating, students can run for, including President, including those running for the nine Vice President Internal, Vice President student representative At-Large positions.

External, Vice President Students, “The questions will be tailored around nine representatives At-Large and one the role’s job description and the candiIndigenous Representative. dates’ platforms. Candidates will only be Hovey explained that UFV student debating those [who] are running for the candidates, who are selected by the same position.” student body, need to create their own Hovey encouraged students to vote during the SUS elections, as the services and advocacy they provide are beneficial for students.

“Participation is vital as the SUS board and executives are elected to represent the interests of students in matters such as events and campus engagement, SUS governance, operations and budget, and student advocacy at the university, municipal, provincial, and federal governments.”

Hovey added that voting also gives UFV students an opportunity to make a difference.

“When students vote, they are making their voices heard and participating in Photo courtesy of UFV Student Union Society ensuring that SUS is representative of

RACHEL TAIT

political goals as part of the process.

“Candidates develop a platform of ideas and values with which they would like to bring to the organization on behalf of students.”

All students planning to run for candidacy must meet certain requirements.

This includes being enrolled as a student, maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher, not having a criminal record, and being in good standing with SUS and UFV. According to SUS, the election campaign for all positions will run from Feb. 10 - 24. During this time, Hovey highlighted some important dates that students should look out for.

On Feb. 11, there will be an all-candidates tabling event at the Chilliwack campus from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. This will take place at the Building A atrium.

Additionally, a debate is scheduled for

UFV student priorities and ensuring transparency of the organization.”

Hovey explained that during the elections ratification, a process is followed to ensure that the voting results are accurate and there is no interference.

“The election report and election results will be presented by the SUS electoral officer. The electoral officer will give their approval that the election was conducted free and fair and provide their recommendation to the SUS Board of Directors that the results of the election be ratified. The SUS Board of Directors will then motion to ratify the results of the election.”

Hovey informed The Cascade that students can expect an announcement of the winners after the election ratification.

The new SUS board and executive team will officially take over on May 1.

The candidates list was finalized and sent out to students on Feb. 9, via email.

For the executive positions, Bilal Faisal Faheem, Vice President Students, is running for the position of President, and Devyank Gosain and Taj Sharma are running for Vice President Internal. Liam Pyper and Gurpreet Singh are running for Vice President External, and Saumyaa Gelani and Eeman Kaur are running for Vice President Students.

The candidates for Student Representatives At-Large are: Gurarmaan Dhillon, Balkarn Singh Gill, Tanvir Hundal, Nichaela Jacob, Prabcharn Singh Mahal, Gagan Mann, Hozefa Millwala and Akshita Rabhadia.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

OPINION

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03 opinion@ufvcascade.ca Opinion Editor - Natalia Toscano Murua

Politics //

Feel sick? The doctor will see you in just six months!

New healthcare scares: distrust, medical misinformation, and overuse of resources AKASHBEER SANDHU Do you visit a doctor when you get sick, or do you Google the symptoms and then look for an “at-home cancer remedy?”

While people should be wary of searching their symptoms online — because the internet cannot accurately provide tailored medical advice — the Canadian healthcare shortage is pushing more Canadians to resort to online searches when they can’t make an appointment with a doctor.

In 2018, SecondStreet.org, a think tank that examines government policies, started a count of people who died waiting for surgery or diagnostics. That number has grown to over 74,000 names now, with a gut-wrenching tally of 15,474 Canadians dying in 2023-24. However, this number is incomplete, with missing data from Quebec, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba. With that in mind, the real number becomes a horrifying prospect.

The Canadian healthcare system is overwhelmed, evidenced by two things: the number of people who died waiting for surgeries or diagnostics, and the wait times for non-emergency surgeries, which reached an all-time high of 30 weeks from referral until treatment. Additionally, patients arriving at the emergency room may wait as much as 22 hours before being treated — nearly three times higher than the recommended time frame.

When I came to Canada in 2022, I experienced this first hand. I checked myself into the emergency room and endured a 10 hour-long wait. Even at 11 p.m., there were barely any seats left. Everyone there was so tortured from the pain that they were either checked out, staring into the distance, or taking their frustration out on the nurses.

Long waiting times aren’t just limited to the ER or surgeries. Finding an appointment with a specialist in a specific area can take months! So where do they go when they need to know what’s wrong with their health? According to a recent survey by the Canadian Medical Association, a third of Canadians resort to finding help online because, due to shortages, seeing a doctor is not viable.

Another factor affecting the performance of the public healthcare system is the overuse of medical resources. Research shows a negative correlation between patient satisfaction and the public’s trust in the healthcare system, leading to the overconsumption of medical resources.

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For example, when patients are dissatisfied with their treatment, they might be given more treatment than is necessary, or are subjected to unnecessary tests. By using those resources, they might become unavailable to other patients who truly need them.

It is the doctor’s responsibility to foster good communication with their patients, and poor communication often leads to misdiagnosis and ill treatment that ultimately affect the patient negatively. After a bad encounter, a person may take time to trust medical professionals again.

This ties into another possible cause of dissatisfaction with the health system, stemming from the spread of medical misinformation — ranging from people thinking that sunscreen causes cancer to the belief that vaccination causes autism — there is no end to what people may believe to be true when science differs.

Between March and November of 2021, COVID-19 misinformation around vaccines led to 13,000 hospitalizations, 3,500 ICU admissions, and 2,800 deaths, costing $300 million Canadian. This serves as a prime example of what misinformation regarding medical care can lead to.

The government has tried to fix the system by spending a grand sum of money ($344 billion in 2023), but that has clearly failed to yield results. Canadians

are losing hope, but the problem clearly isn’t just funding — the ER and surgery backlog since the pandemic and the shortstaffed rural hospitals are major reasons as well. Those aren’t in our control — but what we choose to believe is.

Other findings mentioned earlier in the Canadian Medical Association survey show that 43 per cent of Canadians are highly susceptible to medical misinformation online. Despite social media companies’ attempts to combat misinformation, there is always the possibility that some of it slips past. Another obstacle to combating misinformation is that Meta announced they will stop fact-checking posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Combined, these platforms have more than three billion users.

The healthcare problem is a complex one. There are too many factors affecting it, and unless all of them are tackled, more people will die. The responsibility for those problems ultimately falls on the ones in charge. However, that doesn’t make you helpless. Every time you look at a new claim on the internet, ask yourself: “Is this real?” Medical misinformation, public trust in healthcare, and healthcare functionality all tie into a cycle that crushes those caught in it. It is more important than ever to question what you see.

SNAPSHOT Post-chemo confidence

Illustrations by Iryna Presley This time last year, I had a half-shaved hairstyle with blue locks that stopped just below my shoulders. Even if waking up in the morning with bedhead was a guarantee, and dyeing it every couple of weeks was a hassle, I had a lot of confidence associated with my long hair.

Then came a summer’s worth of chemotherapy. Goodbye blue hair, hello Mr. Clean.

I’m now five months post-treatment and have traded my peach fuzz for a simple short ‘do. According to everybody except me, my hair is growing rapidly. As glad as I am to have at least some hair again, there are times when all I want is to be able to put it in a cute ponytail and tuck loose strands behind my ears. Sometimes I wonder how much longer I’ll have to wait until I feel just as pretty as I once did.

However, the other day, an interesting thing happened. I was wearing my favourite vest and a pair of Dr. Martens boots, and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My first thought? “Man, I look kind of cool right now.” Maybe I can learn to love my short hair after all.

BY CAITLYN CARR

Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

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OPINION Column //

The Environmentalist: The recycling myth SNAPSHOT Documentaries — your new homework procrastination tool

Illustrations by Iryna Presley I don’t endorse procrastination — but I know I am not the only one who has suddenly found the motivation for a deep clean of my room the night before an assignment is due. But what if I don’t want to clean or reorganize my bookshelf? What if I can’t find it in me to open that reading assignment but still don’t want to feel that bad about it?

A New Years resolution of mine was to use as much of the services that my tuition fees pay for as possible. This is how I discovered Kanopy — the streaming service that students get free access to through the library. Kanopy is a treasure trove of film and houses a ton of documentaries; some mainstream titles for sure, but also a lot of niche choices. Watching documentaries is one of the most guilt-free procrastination methods I’ve ever used, because I learn while also making use of my tuition money. Though be warned, you may end up crying over the extinction of passenger pigeons at one in the morning — proceed with caution.

BY KARA DUNBAR

How Big Oil sold us a false solution FABIOLA CRUZ ALDERETE Welcome to The Environmentalist, your column for understanding the natural world. Today we will be talking about recycling, its suspicious origins, and how we all bought one of the biggest lies of the century.

When I moved to Canada, I was struck with confusion the first time I saw so many different types of trash bins. Back home we only have one — maybe two, depending on location — one for organic and one for inorganic waste. The variety of trash bins in Canada has to do with recycling, but what exactly is that?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines recycling as “the process of collecting and processing material that otherwise would be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products.” Focus only on plastic for a moment: how much have you used and thrown away today? How much of it is near you? We cannot continue our lives pretending the more than two billion metric tonnes of waste generated worldwide every year disappears into thin air.

Here in Canada, only nine per cent of the three million tonnes of plastic waste that are thrown away get recycled. That doesn’t sound so bad, until you compare it to Germany — which has reached a total recycling rate of 71 per cent. We shouldn’t be asking ourselves how we can reach that recycling level, instead we should be asking: do we even want to recycle at all?

The effectiveness of recycling has been questioned by experts who argue that

Daylen, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons the benefits of recycling are overstated.

Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about three per cent, while reducing our consumption rate could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 per cent.

So why is recycling perceived as one of the main solutions to climate change? Recycling evolved and became more popular during the 90s when an increasing number of commercials and messages about recycling were released by the plastic industry. Even though they knew recycling hasn’t been economically viable since around 1974, they still spent millions telling people to do it.

There are multiple speculations on why they did this. According to CBC, recycling came as a result of the industry’s fear of a ban of plastics and as a strategy to better their image. ExxonMobil, Dow,

Shell, TotalEnergies, and Chevron even formed The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) and still made 1,000 times more plastic than what they were able to clean up.

Recycling is far from being a solution to our waste problem, and with microplastics everywhere, we are in desperate need of a solution. The EPA defines recycling as the last resort after a product cannot be reduced or reused any further. We need to focus on reducing and reusing and other promising solutions like extended producer responsibility without forgetting responsible consumption — because if we won’t, who will?

Let’s not forget what The Lorax once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.” So, let’s care.

Lifestyle //

The benefits of riding your libido Engaging in sexual practices may have more benefits than you are aware of NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA everyone should be in the know of what endorphins, which are a feel-good Everybody has a sex life, but not everyone knows what that means or how it works.

Having reproductive organs inherently means you have a sex life — which can be best described as the sector of a person’s life that involves the presence or absence of sexual activity. Granted, there is a lot of taboo in our society regarding anything sex related, but I truly believe that

having a sex life means and how to make the best of it. There are more benefits to allowing your body to experience sexual relief than you might be aware of, so let’s dive into the perks your sexual libido can bring you!

Understanding how the body reacts to sexual stimuli is just as important as knowing what happens to your body when you exercise. Exercise can release

hormone for the body. Guess what other activity releases endorphins? Orgasms.

The sudden release of sexual tension resulting in an orgasm can release endorphins and dopamine that can boost your mood, support heart health, and can even strengthen your immune system! A study by the University of Baghdad suggests CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 7

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OPINION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 that increased sexual activity can result in the immune system becoming better equipped to combat pathogens. Both exercise and sex related activities are healthy practices when done right, and yet there’s a lot more stigma around our sex lives in comparison to maintaining our physical fitness.Why aren’t more people talking about this?

In general, sexual practices are most commonly conducted in private, and this may be why it feels awkward to talk about it outside of said privacy. You may choose to share your intimacy with another person in order to achieve sexual release, but enjoying the benefits of an orgasm is not limited to sex — you can achieve the same results with masturbation. Another study suggests that having a healthy sex life can lead to a reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms, and when combating any of those two afflictions, any bit of extra help is welcomed. I believe anyone can find their own unique and comfortable way of engaging their sex

drive, and if done correctly, it can result in overall improved mental health. In my experience, becoming comfortable with my own sex life and allowing my body to experience pleasure by myself did indeed help me be in a better mood overall. It also helps me be more relaxed after, and often aids in keeping my anxiety at bay.

I am aware that not everyone is comfortable engaging with sexual practices.

Factors like celibacy and cultural context, among others, may impede some people from experiencing the benefits of engaging with one’s sexual libido. As mentioned earlier, the term sex life describes both the presence of sexual activity or the absence of it, so these people still possess a sex life even if it is not as active as other people’s sex lives might be. Whether you decide to engage in sexual practices or not, I think that being aware of the benefits that it can bring to your body is still important to know. In the end, the more you know about your body, the more tools you have to take good care of it!

SNAPSHOT Bonding through moving apartments

Illustration by May Beeney / The Cascade

Column //

Tech Talk: DeepSeek, the new AI on the block Some initial impressions of the brand new AI, DeepSeek, when compared to ChatGPT SEAN HORN Welcome to Tech Talk, where we explore all things technology in relation to student life. This week, we’ll take a look at two big names in AI and their battle for the number one spot.

This issue we have two AI’s fighting to claim market supremacy! The reigning champion of the AI research and development arena, OpenAI, took a shot to the jaw this past week with the release of a new competitor, DeepSeek. That’s right, this new AI is lean, mean, and coming to take OpenAI’s lunch money. But why did it rise in popularity so quickly? That’s a complex question with a complex answer.

In my opinion, it’s because DeepSeek is not only faster, more robust, and cheaper to create, but also has to do with the fact that it’s open source. This means you can download the source code of this Large Language Model (LLM) for free and modify it to your heart’s content. Unlike DeepSeek, OpenAI’s GPT models and a few others are closed source, meaning you can’t use or modify the source code without permission or a license.

I took some time to try it out for myself, and I was impressed. I’ve used ChatGPT and others before to help me with my own projects, and although these are great tools, you need to check the info they give you. However, one of my main 8

AFP pic frustrations with these tools has to do with the limitations imposed by the system, which limit the use of their service. The common workaround to these limitations is to pay for a subscription, but I am not paying to use these tools, especially if they can be used for free.

When trying out both AIs, I thought of asking DeepSeek and ChatGPT to compare two numbers: 9.11 and 9.9. I simply asked them both to tell me which number is greater. ChatGPT said that 9.11 is the greater number and then provided its logic as to why 9.11 is greater. DeepSeek answered that 9.9 is greater than 9.11, which is true. So why the discrepancy? I personally think that ChatGPT is counting the significant digits — perhaps it’s reasoning that there are three digits in

9.11 in comparison to the two digits present in 9.9. This is speculation on my part, but it was interesting to see one model get it wrong and the other one get it right.

I believe DeepSeek is going to stick around, and it may even push ChatGPT to the side, given that DeepSeek is free and open source for all. This is going to shake up an already volatile market, which it did upon release by causing NVIDIA stocks to take a hit. Many AI companies rely on the latest and greatest technology in order to train and run their AI products, but due to trade sanctions, DeepSeek was developed on less powerful hardware.

This trade limitation ended up pushing DeepSeek’s developers to create a much more efficient LLM.

Illustrations by Iryna Presley At last, I officially moved apartments.

I abhor moving. Why does it take so long, and why do I even own so many things? Moving places is already tricky, but for someone who drew the short stick in health and could hardly walk — let alone lift something heavier than a toaster — moving turned into a boss fight.

It was ultimately necessary. I lived three hours away from UFV and knew my mental health was slowly diminishing because of it. It took almost three days to move out and clean everything, and the only reason this was possible was thanks to my friends. With endless smiles, they braced through the rain and snow and lifted all I couldn’t — literally everything. They slept over and helped clean from dawn until dusk.

Once finished, they even said they had fun and would do it again in a heartbeat. True or not, I appreciated them saying it. There’s no way I could ever thank them enough.

This is for them.

Moving was a temporary pain, but the friendships strengthened are forever.

BY SKY S. TERRONES

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

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OPINION Technology //

We’re being spied on … are we to blame?

SNAPSHOT Enter the void

Illustrations by Iryna Presley I love to have staring contests with my cat. Cats don’t blink much, if you didn’t already know. I try to keep my eyes open long enough to beat her at her own staring games, but soon enough they start stinging and tearing up, and I have to blink or I swear I’ll go blind. Yet the second I open them again, I stare back at her. I am willing my cat’s psyche to open up and share all her secrets. I am channelling her energy. She’s confused.

Why is this long and large cat crouched low to the floor, unmoving? I am the alpha cat now. I’m achieving Nirvana, the boundaries between her and I have vanished. We are one. We are both alpha cats. She is feeding me wet food from a tiny dish in the corner of our kitchen.

Equal. As God intended.

Unravel the controversy behind the conspiracy of phones listening to you and learn what you can do about it VERONICA POWELL Have you ever had a conversation with someone with your phone by your side, only to find after that something you mentioned appeared in an ad on your Instagram page, YouTube, or random internet search? Yeah, me too. It’s been a conspiracy for years that our phones listen to us. But it isn’t a conspiracy anymore, smartphone devices are eavesdropping on our conversations, and applying that data to show ads that sell us what we talk about. It’s uncomfortable to think about, and creepy as well. Apple specifically has been feeling the heat on the matter more recently, but from what I’ve researched, a solution points to us as users.

Ever since Apple introduced Siri, our phones have become more adept at listening to our verbal suggestions and taking them as requests, even if we don’t want them to. Apple’s own website states: “When a user talks or types to Siri, their request is processed on device whenever possible.” It suggests one of their main focuses as a high-tech company is to

make their supporter’s lives easier. Apple has denied any wrongdoing within the making of their technology, but they have still faced similar accusations since 2019.

Recently, Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle a case involving their devices listening in. Lead Plaintiff Fumiko Lopez argued that Apple retained private user information, shared it with third parties without consent from Siri activation, then served him targeted ads after speaking about certain brands and services.

Apple could simply be swerving around the topic, or genuinely tired of proving their trustworthiness to audiences — we may never know. Nonetheless, it might be worth looking into our own habits too while we’re looking for reasons.

According to Forbes, we could be feeding the problem.

I think most of us have swiftly ignored or dismissed that message when opening an app asking us if we want to allow the use of our device’s microphone. I know I have. Turns out, we might be giving the app permission to listen to our conversations while using it because

the microphone is on. But having social media apps on our phone can allow algorithms to determine what we like and what our lifestyles are based on from the data we provide. By limiting the data we give out, there is less left for the device to learn about us. Basically, the violation of our privacy we feel might come from how much input we share across different platforms.

Upon review, the matter seems less of a conspiracy and more of an open-ended conversation. In terms of a solution, we do have some control over the situation, since most devices allow you to change your preferences in settings. If you don’t want Siri listening, then you can easily turn that feature off. Apple still has a lot of control, since they’re the ones advancing technology to make users’ lives efficient, accessible, and fast. Even if that means having a companion that may be more annoying than useful. Despite this, it all circles back to that important thing we all value: our privacy. All I can say is, the choice of whether we give in to it or not is still completely up to us.

BY DARIEN JOHNSEN

Illustration by May Beeney / The Cascade 9

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A JOURNEY THROUGH JOURNALISM From legacy media, independent journalism, to news influencers; what’s happening to the news?

DARIEN JOHNSEN

“Defund the CBC!” It sounds like a fringe battle cry, but what a few years ago could have been described as a minority sentiment has now become more mainstream. Justin Trudeau really has resigned, and threatening to replace him is none other than Pierre Poilievre, who’s using this very slogan as part of his campaign for prime minister: “defund the CBC.” This comes off the coat-tails of a trend of media criticisms from the far-right, the rise of the fake news phenomenon, and closures and mass lay-offs at both legacy and independent news outlets over the past few years. In 2024 alone, the CBC laid off 141 employees and terminated 205 vacant positions. The year before that, Meta banned Canadian news from being shared on their social media sites Facebook and Instagram in response to Bill C-18 — the Online News Act — which was intended to help Canadian journalists receive fair compensation from the digital intermediaries who deliver their news by making it mandatory for them to pay news publishers for the content shared on their platforms.

Many of us have already adapted to a new media landscape; we’ve become accustomed to receiving news updates from influencers on TikTok, X, and Instagram, or podcasts headed by outspoken commentators, activists, and journalists. We’re getting what we want to hear, when we want to hear it — but 10

what does that mean for us as citizens and as a democracy? And what does it mean for the future of journalism in Canada?

It’s all about the money, money, money Back when I was a kid in the early 2000s, my grandparents received our local newspaper, the Aldergrove Star, in their mailbox. On Sunday we would get the extra special paper, The Province, which I loved because it had a colourful, two-page spread of comics to feast my eyes upon. But while my grandparents and I enjoyed our Sunday papers, the news industry was undergoing seismic shifts.

Print newspapers are largely funded by advertisements and subscriptions, and were once a profitable business. For small-town newspapers, there was little competition from other papers and therefore an easy and open market to tap into.

Everything changed when websites began to share news. Web publishers realized they could deliver news to consumers almost immediately — papers didn’t need to be printed or delivered — stories could be posted and available instantly, cutting the added costs of printing massive quantities of newspapers.

It’s safe to say that the internet changed a lot of things for a lot of people, but for newspapers, the change was tragic. No longer were people or companies buying

advertisement space in print publications — they were taking out ad space online, and posting items for sale on sites like craigslist instead of the classifieds. Newspapers tried to keep up: they began to publish online and made their own Facebook and Instagram pages. But it wasn’t enough — they couldn’t compete with online advertisements and lost large portions of their income because of it.

But even before the internet broke the news economy, media conglomerates had been getting a headstart. Large companies like Black Press Media, which owns swathes of both Canadian and American newspapers, were consolidating multitudes of community news companies under their corporate wing. This strategy of media consolidation had, in the past, proven to be a profitable business model. But with the new economic challenges facing newspapers, this didn’t end up being the case over the long-term.

Black Press filed for creditor protection (meaning their liabilities outweighed their assets, leaving them unable to repay their debts) in January of 2024, emerging on what they said was solid financial footing shortly after in March of the same year. Black Press is just one microcosmic example of the larger trend of conglomeration in the news business. Newspapers all over Canada and the United States were experiencing much of the same troubles, leaving them saddled with

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

crushing debt and a need to scale back their operations.

When it comes to transitioning traditional newspapers to cyberspace, part of news companies’ inability to keep up economically was that they were providing their readers with free news by not requiring them to pay for a subscription.

Tyler Olsen, founder and managing editor

“While my grandparents and I enjoyed our Sunday papers, the news industry was undergoing seismic shifts.” of the Fraser Valley Current said that as long as news is available to people, they don’t realize they should be financially supporting it.

“You wonder if it requires all [of ] disappearing for people to actually understand that they need to pay for it. It’s only in the last 15 years that suddenly you can spend your entire day reading free news. And that’s clearly not sustainable.”

Even worse, newspapers are competing for people’s attention.

“People used to read newspapers as a forum of entertainment, and people still do, but there are more forms of entertainment.”

No longer were people subscribing to cable (thereby giving news broadcasters a cut of the bill): they were buying subscriptions to Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video — often inadvertently cutting news out of their lives.

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“citizen journalism.” We noted that access to reliable news and information was integral to a functioning democracy.”

The information collected from this study and from predecessor studies that examined the alarming downfall of local, regional, and community news, motivated the government to intervene. In an attempt to support news businesses, the Federal government implemented Bill C-18 in June 2023.

The reaction to this bill was swift and fierce. Meta quickly implemented a ban on Canadian news on their sites. The full impact of this bill on Canadian news is yet to be seen, but it hasn’t come without its criticisms.

Canadian Professor and journalist Sue Gardner speculated in an article for McGill’s Max Bell School of Public Policy that the bill was government intervention in the wrong way and would negatively affect journalism in Canada.

“Australia brought in the News Media Bargaining Code, upon which the Canadian legislation is modelled. Since then, it’s estimated that about 90% of revenues negotiated as a result of the new law have gone to Australia’s three largest media companies.”

But that doesn’t mean that this will be the case for Canada. Earlier this year, the Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC), a federally incorporated non-profit organization led by 12 independent publishers and broadcasters — including French language

“Access to reliable news and information [is] integral to a functioning democracy.” outlets, community and Indigenous news, and Black and minority publishers in Canada — made a deal with Google. As of October 2024, this deal will continue for five years, totalling $500 million.

“The Canadian Journalism CollectiveCollectif Canadien de Journalisme (CJC-CCJ) has signed an agreement to act as the collective responsible for receiving and distributing $100 million annually from Google in support of Canadian news businesses under the Online News Act.” Olsen says that the Fraser Valley Current is set to receive a cut of this money.

“We’ll be getting some money from that deal and that will help support and pay for our continued existence and the ability to do our jobs and pay salaries for journalists.”

There are a number of other benefits for news producers that come directly from the government itself. The catch? News organizations must obtain Qualified Canadian Journalism Organization (QCJO) status — a designation that our federal government distributes and decides who qualifies for it.

These benefits include salary subsidies, tax

Daddy Government to the rescue! …

Or not.

In a legislative summary published on Oct. 13, 2022, a study undertaken by The Department of Canadian Heritage (a federal organization intended to foster and promote Canadian identity, values, culture, and heritage) on media and local communities was presented. The introduction to the study states: “We heard that media consolidation did not always lead to better access to news by local communities. We heard that the advent of news aggregators like Google and Facebook “muddied the waters” conflating news sources so that a phenomenon known as fake news emerged. We also heard that journalistic integrity and the ethos of verifiable and accountable journalism is at risk when it becomes indistinguishable from 11

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“Another question is whether governmentfunded news interferes with one of the central functions of journalism: holding the powerful to account.” says there is a light on the horizon.

“In Canada, a lot of [news organizations] have continued to grow and succeed and slowly build larger and larger audiences to the point where they’re able to hire people and they’re able to grow and bring people on.”

Independent journalism is often funded by listener support, private funders, government tax credits and grants, advertising, and because of Bill C-18, “big tech” money.

Each news outlet differs in its financial ethics and guidelines; some publications like CANADALAND have committed to refuse government funding. Others, like The Breach, refuse corporate money, but many news publishers use some combination of both.

When it comes to the future of the Fraser Valley Current, Olsen is optimistic.

“We still haven’t got to the point where we’re really growing much, we still need to find more revenue. But it’s at least provided breaks for subscribers, and tax-exemptions.

In a 2019 report from an independent panel of experts on journalism and media, it was recommended that “publications used for the diffusion of hate content” should not be granted access to these benefits. Despite that, CANADALAND, an independent news and podcasting company, has raised a number of questions on how governments will navigate this designation, particularly when it comes to handling misinformation. Jonathan Goldsbie, a reporter for CANADALAND, summarized their podcast interview with Collette Brin, the chair of the Independent Advisory Board on Eligibility for Journalism Tax Measures: “In an interview on this week’s CANADALAND, the chair of the board that evaluates applicants confirms that the publication of hateful or inaccurate content would not, in itself, preclude an outlet from obtaining status as a Qualified Canadian Journalism Organization (QCJO). “[When] asked by [host Jesse] Brown if there’s an acceptable level of misinformation, Brin says, ‘You know, I would love to say no, 12

but it’s a difficult question to answer.’”

When it comes to QCJO status, another question is whether government-funded news interferes with one of the central functions of journalism: holding the powerful to account.

Olsen said that so far, this hasn’t been much of an issue.

“There are lots of organizations that do very critical reporting on government[s] that have that designation. You can look just at the National Post as being the obvious example … they’ll receive this money.

“I think there’s a long-term issue, in that the longer you run such a program, the more chance that somebody will come along that abuses it… I also think there’s a long-term problem just in having an industry dependent on permanent subsidies.”

With a changing political, social, and technological landscape, we are seeing new trends in journalism — innovation often comes during times of crisis — and those who are passionate about keeping journalism alive have found ways to fund their initiatives. Despite the alarming headlines, Olsen

“Those who are passionate about keeping journalism alive have found ways to fund their initiatives. some opportunity for a life raft from something that is kind of like a sinking ship.”

Legacy media (referring to long-standing and established news outlets, like the CBC, LaPresse, Quebecor, and the National Post have historically been well-funded and widely read, but still have a tumultuous social and economic field to navigate.

As of 2023, Statistics Canada has reported that citizens of all income levels have low levels of trust in the news and information they receive from media, but according to Forbes magazine it’s all about balance.

“Traditional outlets, while no longer

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unchallenged gatekeepers, still offer credibility and depth. Meanwhile, new media platforms excel at immediacy, relatability and engagement. Thriving in this landscape isn’t about choosing sides—it’s about bridging the strengths of both. Brands that embrace transparency, authenticity and the right balance of legacy and new media will lead the way.”

The news on my feed (I bought it) In a study from Pew Research Center, 37 per cent of Americans aged 18-29 get their news from a new set of players on the field: the “news influencers.” “‘[N]ews influencers…’ refer to individuals who regularly post about current events and civic issues on social media and have at least 100,000 followers on any of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) or YouTube. News influencers can be journalists who are or were affiliated with a news organization or independent content creators.”

An example from Canada is Pierre Poilievre’s interview with media commentator Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (cleverly titled “Canada’s Next Prime Minister”), which highlights the growing tendency for politicians to post on social media themselves, rather than speaking with the press. Olsen commented that government communications departments and strategies can sometimes take the role of the press.

“The governments are becoming less accessible to media outlets and journalists in the first place. So they’re trying to, and they’re succeeding at, monopolizing the avenue — the way that governments communicate and get information to people. And I don’t think that’s particularly healthy.”

This could create problems for delivering unbiased news to consumers. Anyone familiar with the algorithm (a social media sorting system that prioritizes and presents individualized content to users) could deduce this.

We see the news that we want to see, and this creates polarization problems. Olsen said there needs to be a bigger audience for neutral journalism.

“The problem is … finding a reader … for those non-perspective voice oriented stories.”

It has yet to be seen how these new funding and platform models will impact journalism.

“Anybody who thinks they know what’s going to happen, or think they know how things are gonna shake out is probably overestimating their predictive abilities.”

And as for news influencers, Olsen says that they will never replace the need for true journalism.

“People get their media from people who get their media from the media. They’re getting all their information from the news … But they’re filtering it through their own

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perspective. And that can be useful. But the thing is, you need that underlying journalism that’s digging up those underlying facts to begin with, or everything else fails.”

Where have all the good journalists gone?

While it can be tricky to accurately measure the number of journalists working across Canada for a number of reasons, the most recent data suggests that the number of journalists in British Columbia is currently sitting at the lowest it’s been in nearly 30 years.

Christopher Cheung analyzed the statistics surrounding journalism in Canada in an article for The Tyee.

“According to Unifor Local 2000, which represents employees at B.C. newspapers such as the Vancouver Sun and The Province, their count of reporters saw a height of about 155 members in 2001, which dropped to 40 in 2021. As for editors, there was a height of about 318 in 2001, which dropped to 69 in 2021.”

Moreover, the number of journalists in Canada as a whole has fallen from 13,470 in 1991 to 10,555 in 2021.

So, where have all the journalists gone?

According to Chueng, they could be using their journalism skills for communications departments. Data suggests that the number of individuals working in communications has risen dramatically, from 11,980 in 2016 to 21,765 in 2021.

“Communications professionals share some skillsets with journalists, but they handle information on behalf of their employers rather than purely for public interest like journalists do,” writes Cheung.

According to Olsen, many people who work in communications departments — including those that work for politicians — are former journalists. “[The] government has been hiring away people from journalism outlets for as long as there’s been journalism outlets. But in the last 20 or 30 years, it’s gotten to the point where — and didn’t used to be this way — the number of ex-journalists in these operations vastly outnumber the people doing actual journalism.

“These places are all producing work that’s often meant to replicate or duplicate or look like journalism, or deliver information to people. Some of that information is very useful and important, and some of it’s baked in such a way that is designed to just deliver political results for whoever is hiring the people to do it. You have a lot of need for journalists and not a lot of people wanting to do it.”

With great power comes great responsibility In light of all this, I sat down to talk with UFV’s Director of Communications Samantha Hannah and Associate Professor Dr. Paul Fontaine about the introduction of UFV’s new journalism minor.

Hannah says that the program is not necessarily intended to develop students into career journalists, but to compliment whatever the student’s major is.

“It really is meant to be that civic engagement piece. The idea that everyone could be a reporter in some sense, especially with social media and the prevalence of how people are disseminating news … you see major world events and the first thing that happens is everybody’s whipping out their phone and posting their version of events on social media.”

Hannah says that the program will explore media literacy for consumers, and educate students on ethical journalism so that they can engage and use their civic voices responsibly. Specifically, students pursuing a minor in journalism will learn to understand fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, examine how the field is changing and becoming more individualized, and cultivate curiosity.

Hannah says that non-communications students can use these skills to communicate their expertise. Alongside this is a desire to connect with the local journalism community and send a message that UFV does value journalism as a worthwhile field. This makes the creation of the journalism minor an important step for the UFV communications department.

Despite the precarity of the field of journalism, Fontaine, who spent five years working in local journalism, says that people still want to be journalists.

“It feels good to impact the world in a positive way and to hold powerful people to accountability. Those are functions of citizenship that I think a lot of people take seriously.”

The fact of the matter is journalism has been changing and adapting for years, and it won’t stop anytime soon. Whatever the future of media looks like, responsible reporting will always be necessary. The great thing about it all? We as consumers and producers have the power to influence where we go from here — let’s be responsible with that power.

“People still want to be journalists. ” 13

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

SPORTS

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03 sports@ufvcascade.ca Sports Editor - Jeffrey Kennett

Q&A //

Cascade Q&A: Google Sidhu JEFFREY KENNETT Google Sidhu is a fourth-year guard on the WBB team at UFV. Throughout her career Sidhu has amassed game averages of 2.7 Points (PTS), 1.2 Assists (A), 1.6 Rebounds (REB), and 1.3 Steals (STL) in 66 Games Played (GP). At the time of writing, the Cascades are second in Canada West’s Pacific Division with a record of 13-5.

What was the most challenging part of adapting to U Sports basketball?

I scored a lot when I played in high school … the ball was always in my hands. [At] the university level, you gotta find your role. It was important to figure out what I could bring to the team [and] the program itself. So I started with what I [could] control, and I can control how hard I work … so I worked hard on defence. I came to practice with the mentality that I’m going to annoy anyone that I guard … [and] I grew my game from there.

Who has helped you the most throughout your basketball journey?

My passion developed from my sisters that played basketball … I would watch them play, [and] play with them in the driveway … and Mike Claggett … he coached me in Grade 10 and 11, and was super important in my basketball career. It was my goal to play for the UFV women’s basketball team … and he knew that, so he knew what I needed to do, and would always encourage me to just go out and hoop.

What’s the story behind the MacEwan game where you scored 15 points?

Coach Al [Tuchscherer] wasn’t there … he was sick, so it was Coach Dan [Nayebzadeh] and Matt [Chapdelaine], our strength and conditioning coach on the coaching staff. It was important to get that win … not just for us, but for Al. I know he was at home … probably stressing

out … so individually and collectively it was [important] we’re guaranteed to be successful this year … and it took to get that win for him. a while to understand that we need to put just as much, if Do you judge your team’s success based off wins? not even more, work in this year to gain the results that We try not basing our achievements off the win or loss. we hope for.

It’s more [about] how we play. If we are doing what we Do you have any messages to UFV students or need to do offensively, working hard and being compet- young athletes? itive … I think those things are more important than the We have seniors night on Feb. 15. We play the Spartans, win or loss. We’re resilient … this past weekend, we so I would encourage UFV students to come out and played MacEwan, and we weren’t thinking of the win or show support. Come watch us play. To the younger the loss, we were thinking of what we can do to be better. children, I would say the same thing … Just be involved [and] see what the next level looks like.

What does your team do together following Q&A has been edited for length and readability. games?

It’s important to have each other’s back whether it’s a win or a loss. We reflect on the game together as a team v and individually, and from there, I think it’s important to support one another. If you feel like someone is frustrated with their game, you have their back. You give them encouragement. And even after the game … you text your teammates and let them know that you’re there for them, and that you saw what went well for them …

I’m always looking out for my teammates. [When] I see they’re frustrated, I’ll message them after the game, or pat them on the back, or show them support, because I know it’s hard if you feel like things aren’t going your way.

Who are the earliest and latest to arrive to practice?

Myself and Madison Storme are usually not late … but kind of late. Maddy Gobeil is always in there early getting shots up.

What’s been the most challenging part of this season?

We have had some success in the past few years, which is great to reflect on [but] it’s a tough challenge [as well].

Just because we had success in the past doesn’t mean that

Photo by Eduardo Rubi / The Cascade

Society //

Media and sports have a lovehate relationship The pros and cons of publicity in an athlete’s world VERONICA POWELL Darren Blakeborough is an associate professor in the School of Culture, Media, and Society at UFV Radio, television, and publications have influenced how we perceive the world of sports and understand the characters within them. Sports and media are often thought of as harmonious, but the true question is how much media coverage positively and negatively affects the sport, athletes, and even the viewers.

The Cascade sat down with Darren Blakeborough to better understand the true reality of social media’s presence in sports.

Blakeborough believes that traditional media enables audiences to enjoy watching their favourite athletes, while feeling as if they really know them.

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“We take athletes and build them up like [they’re] more than human. Just think about the biggest athletes in the world — they have this ‘superhuman quality’ … [but] it makes us feel inferior … like we could never be that … we could never look like that … we can never have that much money. Our culture has a penchant for putting people on a pedestal and trying to smash that pedestal out from underneath.”

Social media is an entirely different beast. Blakeborough theorizes that social media platforms are beneficial for maintaining the athlete’s brand, in addition to developing connections with fans and speaking on social injustices.

Negative reactions are a common by-product of social media, capable of diminishing mental health and athletic performance. Blakeborough believes

these responses are “soul-crushing.”

“In our culture where everybody’s got a camera in their pocket, anything that [anyone] does is going to be scrutinized.

Anything that they say is going to go on repeat and become the new story of the day … The idea was [social media] is going to be democratizing — it’s going to give everybody a voice. The worst thing that it ever did was give everybody a voice.

“We’re at a place where people say … if you’re the ‘greatest’ or the ‘best in the world,’ [then] ‘why are you so weak in the brain?’”

The voice of the media is stronger than ever when considering celebrity drama surrounding the sport. The Kansas City Chiefs are striving to win the Super Bowl for a third time — something no other team has done in National Football League

(NFL) history. However, the media is less focused on the idea of making history, and more on Taylor Swift’s relationship with Travis Kelce. Who is this serving?

“When Taylor Swift is there, viewership goes up by several million because if it’s good enough for Taylor, it’s good enough for us. We’ll watch it too and get to see our queen! What it’s actually doing [though] is creating backlash against the Chiefs…”

The media can boost an athlete’s career, but it can also project immense pressure and expectation. The media infringes on the personal lives of athletes, inviting audiences to voice their own opinions, positive or negative. All together, media can either make the sports world a luxurious place to be, or an arduous one.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

SPORTS Basketball //

Timberwolves can’t handle Gobeil, Lopez Everything you need to know from UFV’s basketball weekend at UNBC CAITLYN CARR With the regular season winding down, the UFV Cascades took care of business in Prince George, winning all four of their matchups on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 against the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) Timberwolves.

Cascades Women’s Basketball (WBB) flexed their muscles defensively, defeating the Timberwolves 77-56 and 77-51, while Cascades Men’s Basketball (MBB) flashed their offensive prowess, earning victories by scores of 90-67 and 94-65.

The weekend’s wins lock WBB into second place in Canada West’s Pacific Division with a record of 13-5, assuring them play-off dates at home this postseason. MBB also clinched a play-off berth and currently sit at 9-9 on the year, good for fifth in the Pacific, and setting up a massive final weekend against the Trinity Western Spartans to determine play-off seeding.

In typical fashion, Maddy Gobeil led the way for the Cascades with 23 Points

(PTS), seven Rebounds (REB) and three Steals (STL) on Friday night. Gobeil would be the game’s leading scorer, shooting 8-for-16 from the field and 4-for-8 from Three-Point (3PT) range. UFV also received notable contributions from fellow starters Esther Allison and Julia Tuchscherer, both playing more than 20+ minutes. Allison finished the night with 13 PTS and 5 REB, while Tuchscherer piled up 12 PTS, 13 REB, 4 Assists (A), and 2 Blocks (BLK).

Gobeil went on to record 20 PTS, 3 REB, and 4 STL on Saturday, while Bernie Leda stepped up big with a career high 22 PTS, along with 3 REB and 3 STL. Leda’s shot selection was incredibly effective, shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from downtown. Julia Tuchsherer had another solid game, racking up 14 PTS, 8 REB, and 3 STL, securing the team’s second victory in as many days.

Dario Lopez played a team high 28 Minutes (MIN) for the Cascades on Friday night, filling the stat sheet with 25

PTS, 12 REB, and 2 A, while shooting an efficient 10-for-16 from the field. Takeshi Croke provided his usual leadership scoring 5 PTS on 2-for-4 shooting from the field, dishing 5 A and collecting 4 REB. UFV followed up on Saturday with

a layered attack, as five players reached double figures in scoring. First-year guard Dilveer Randhawa scored a team high 20 PTS off the bench, while Lopez notched a monster 13 PTS - 13 REB performance.

Croke, Ismael Hernandez, and Matthias Klim also reached double digits in points.

The Timberwolves WBB and MBB teams dropped to sixth and seventh in Canada West, respectively.

The Cascades compete next against the TWU Spartans on Feb. 14 and 15 at the UFV Athletic Centre in Abbotsford. Both of TWU’s basketball teams rank fourth in their respective Pacific Divisions. UFV’s MBB would leapfrog TWU with a pair of victories, increasing the stakes all the more.

Feb. 15 is Cascades Senior Night, recognizing Gobeil, Nikki Cabuco, and Deanna Tuchsherer, as well as Croke and Jake Willemsen as the veterans play their final regular season home games of their careers. Don’t miss what is surely to be a thrilling night of basketball and a last Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades © chance to see some tremendous athletes.

Volleyball //

Cascades erupt over Spartans Volleyball teams recognize graduating players, win three out of four games against rival Trinity Western JEFFREY KENNETT After storming Spartan territory with a pair of marathon five-set victories on Thursday, Feb. 6 at the Langley Events Centre (LEC), the UFV Cascades men’s and women’s volleyball teams (MVB, WVB) returned home to the UFV Athletic Centre for a magnetic senior night on Feb. 7, in the highly anticipated rematch with Trinity Western University (TWU).

Thursday’s action in Langley began with a back and forth, 3-2 decision for WVB as teams traded sets until the Cascades stole a 15-13 final frame. Talia and Lauren Attieh led the way with 24 and 19 kills, 2 blocks each, as well as 6 and 11 digs, respectively. The Attieh sisters were clutch when it counted, particularly late in sets with the game on the line. Mandi Feist and Zoe Arca provided meaningful depth contributions as Feist collected 12 kills and 8 digs, and Arca 9 kills and a team high 7 blocks. UFV Setter Cailin Bitter produced a game-high 52 assists as well as 11 digs, while libero Emily Matsui led the team in digs with 16.

MVB would go down to the wire in the

following match Thursday night, as the Cascades gutted out an emotional 3-2 win after falling behind 2-1 and forcing a fifth set. Jonas Van Huizen surpassed 200 kills this season with 20 on the night, in addition to 6 digs, 3 blocks and 1 ace. Nimo Benne registered 14 kills, 5 digs, and 4 aces, giving UFV clutch serves when they needed it. Cascades middle Tyson Ardell picked up 11 kills, 6 digs, and 2 aces, while Ryan Hampe had 4 kills, 2 aces, and a team high 4 blocks. Setter Silas Van Huizen amassed 41 assists and libero Gabe Kozlow led the team in digs with 8.

The Cascades were greeted back at home on Friday by the most lively crowd of the season for senior night. MVB would start the evening off, ultimately falling 3-1 to the Spartans. The big three of J. Van Huizen, Benne, and Ardell delivered inspired performances, all reaching double digit kills, and Benne with a game-high 15 digs. S. Van Huizen went for a game high 38 assists in the defeat.

Ardell, an Abbotsford native and MEI graduate, played with the Cascades his entire five-year career and received a huge ovation from the crowd.

“It’s amazing … You don’t get that feeling very often in life, so you’ve got to soak it in when you get it … It’s cool that I’ve had this impact at the school [during] my five years here.”

At 10th overall in Canada West (CW)’s MVB standings, UFV will kindly take the split against fifth place TWU. The Cascades occupy the final play-off spot and will look for another split against the third place UBC Thunderbirds next week.

“They’re a good team … We tried to match their intensity and bring it ourselves,” said Ardell of the Spartans.

“We gave it our all last night and tonight — Such close games … oftentimes it’s a coin flip between two physical teams like that.”

Getting off to a late start at 8:47 p.m., WVB made up for lost time quickly, sending TWU back home in straight sets by scores of 26-24, 25-20, and 25-23. The Spartans had no answer for T. Attieh; the outside hitter racked up over 40 per cent of the Cascades’ total kills with 17, and called game late in the third set with a dagger down the line.

The team’s trio of graduating seniors

put in efforts that are hard to replace: Alicja Hardy-Francis with 5 kills and 2 blocks; Matsui a game-high 15 digs; and Mo Likness with 3 kills, 4 digs, and a game-high 7 blocks.

“I’ve said it since my rookie year, I’ve been fortunate to have the starting position and be able to stay healthy through five years [without] major injuries,” said Likness. “I feel so lucky … This team has my back through anything … Our coaches are amazing… It’s crazy that I’ve dedicated this much time [to volleyball], and it paid off tonight.”

At 16-2, the Cascades hold second place in CW’s WVB standings, and close their season at fourth place UBC on Feb. 14.

“It was probably the most fun ever,” said Likness of where this win ranks to her personally. “It’s been a long time coming to beat Trinity… It feels really nice to do it in three [sets], in front of our home crowd. Trinity definitely put up a fight — they’re an amazing team … So credits to them … It was a nice way to go out on senior night… Everyone was amazing, on and off the court.”

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

CULTURE

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03 culture@ufvcascade.ca Culture Editor - Elyssa English

Q&A //

Finding comfort in creation Meet creative mother-daughter duo, Paula Funk and Madeline Funk-Foster Paula: It’s reminiscent of when you’re a kid and you create a blanket fort, where it’s a space that is only in the service of your own comfort and delight … It has no commercial purpose. It has no real rules ascribed to it.

Madeline: Its only functionality is comfort. Which is something that people spend very little time on nowadays. I feel like we’re very much in a culture of immediacy and productivity and, you know, go go go … I think taking time for delight and joy is so necessary.

Paula: Pursuit of something, just for sheer enjoyment … it can be a challenge to find the time and space for that. I would love it if people would just hang out in Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade here.

KIMBERLEY PERKINS Venture under the blankets and experience a place of comfort and warmth. Inside the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery, there are rich textiles dangling from the ceilings and along the walls, as well as stations to listen, observe, create, and play.

Mother-daughter duo Paula Funk and Madeline Funk-Foster created this special place in the ‚Inner Sanctuary‘ exhibit — welcoming everyone to come visit during February to replenish, reset, and reflect.

The Cascade met with this creative duo to chat about the exhibit.

How long have you been an artist?

Paula: I finished my BFA here [at UFV] in the very first class of ‘08 … I was a creative before that, but I think my conception of myself as an artist became more professional after my education was finished. I think it gave me a sense of direction and weight; I have put a lot of time and energy and money into this thing.

Madeline: I feel the same way. I was very conscious of not feeling comfortable calling myself an artist until I graduated.

Paula: Madeline graduated from the BFA here [UFV] in 2023.

You like to work on wood, but this is a blanket fort…

Paula: Yes. This actually is the most interdisciplinary work that I think either of us have ever done … it really stretched us as artists … but it’s the first time that I’ve actually done installation art, audio art, sculpture … We do have a couple of pieces on wood that represent our more traditional painterly backgrounds.

Madeline, I saw on your website that you like to work mostly with canvas, and some sculpture…

Madeline: The majority of my focus during my degree was painting — very much 2D works — and it’s only since the very tail end of my degree that I’ve been really interested in 3D forms, and how I can incorporate as many different mediums as I can. I’ve just found the intersection of those to be really interesting and really gratifying.

What would you like to say to people that are attending UFV? Paula: I think what I would hope that this show says, and what I’d love to say to people, is to remember that making things with your hands is a tried and true way to calm your nervous system, quiet your brain, and become centred again in your humanity.

We have these stations where people can do things themselves — make a collage, make a scene, play a game. So the idea is that you’re here in an embodied environment, enjoying the security of the space, and then also doing something with your hands.

Madeline: I think creation is, to me, an inherently meditative process and I think there is enough to create something without the pressure of it being good.

I found that it’s so stifling to live under the pressure of, ‘you have to make good art’... And if you just let yourself make something without worrying about what it’s going to end up like … or ‘it’s got to fit in the rubric that my professor gave’ ... If you just let yourself create, it’ll be healthier for the soul than forcing yourself to make something for other people.

Anything else you would like to share about the blanket fort?

And do you work well together?

Paula and Madeline: (Laugh) I think we do. ‚Inner Sanctuary‘ will be showing in the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery, room B136, from Feb. 7 to 28. The gallery is open 12 - 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. An opening exhibition for the gallery will be held on Feb. 13, from 4 - 6 p.m. (popcorn and hot cocoa will be served).

Interviews have been edited for clarity and length.

Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade 16

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

Visual arts //

Get lost in the woods Kariton Art Gallery hosts forest themed art exhibit, Sylvan Stories:The Art of Trees KIMBERLEY PERKINS The Kariton Art Gallery, nestled among the trees of Mill Lake Park, hosted the opening reception of Sylvan Stories: The Art of Trees on Feb. 1, 2025. The event was well attended, despite the snow blanketing the park. Gathering artists from throughout the Fraser Valley, — including Jo Kaminsky, Abigail Doyle, and Charles Fawcett — The Art of Trees features pieces telling the story of beauty and nature.

Kaminsky, previously a self-proclaimed casual dabbler of the arts, spoke about how her life shifted when she was injured at work in 2017. To pass her time while at home, she began to create art in earnest. She feels art is good for mindfulness and keeping one in the moment.

Kaminsky’s piece, Change of Seasons, is a mixed-media piece, created by using spray paint, acrylic paint, ink, and leaves from her front yard. The top of her canvas starts in light blue and green tones, which shifts to darker moody colours of brown and red.

“It tells a story about time, from summer to fall and winter … It takes you on a journey, just like time takes

you on a journey and changes people.”

Kaminsky said.

One of the largest pieces on display, dominating the back wall of the gallery, is a dark, gothic style painting by Abigail Doyle. The Rest Cure is an oil painting — a medium Doyle taught herself last year.

While she also enjoys painting portraits of real people, namely herself and her twin sister, Doyle has expanded her practice to include painting swans, still life objects, and deer, like the one displayed in The Rest Cure.

“My favourite part is where the legs meet the body. I was able to use a lot of texture and detail.”

Doyle is drawn to Victorian and Edwardian time periods, finding inspiration for her art in the Victorian tradition of sending melancholy women to the seaside to isolate them. They became a passing thought, just as the deer in the painting, dying on the side of the road.

“I have a personal connection with the deer, because of my struggle with mental illness. The deer represents women,” said Doyle.

A carved face of red cedar stares toward the floor of the Gallery — this piece lovingly carved by experienced carver and artist, Charles Fawcett. While

a prolific carver, Fawcett is a multi-disciplinary artist, following inspiration wherever it takes him.

“Three dimensions are what I enjoy working with, but I work with whatever talks the loudest. I do oils and pastels also.

I write poetry and music.”

Over 45 years ago, Fawcett attended Emily Carr University of Art + Design, but he has always enjoyed art. A man of many talents, he also enjoys playing the guitar, flute, and handpan. In October 2025, Fawcett will showcase his work at the Mission Arts Council, on his 80th birthday.

“There will be paintings, sculptures, and poetry,” explained Fawcett.

The sculpture on display this month in the Kariton Gallery is called Arbour Sage the 2nd — his wife has claimed the first Arbour Sage to stay in their possession.

When speaking with Meghan Dahl, Kariton Gallery’s curator, about the gallery and their operations, she highlighted the gallery’s gift shop, emphasizing that when someone buys an art piece, the majority of the sale profits go to the artist. The Kariton is a small, local gallery with the goal of supporting artists. “[I]t’s a way for the artists to sell some

of their work without having a studio. I like helping people get started. This is a way we can help them.”

The Kariton Art Gallery runs monthly rotations of shows that are specifically selected to fit together in a theme. They also run two free community art shows yearly that are not curated, allowing any artist, of any age, to enter their pieces.

Dahl invites all artists of any skills and mediums to submit their artwork.

“We have a couple of shows like the The Big Tiny, and the Anonymous Art Show which anyone in the community can participate in … they’re really accessible for people who [are] new artists, but can have their work alongside professional artists.”

Interested in showing your own work? Join the email list at AbbotsfordArtsCouncil.com to be notified of upcoming calls for artists.

Submitting art pieces is a simple process: fill out the online form and submit it with a photo of your art piece. There is no fee required.

The Kariton Art Gallery is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Art of Trees will run the entire month of February.

Column //

Campus Fashion: how to thrift an outfit for $5 or less Thrifting deals too good to pass up RACHEL TAIT This is Campus Fashion, your source of inspiration for seasonal trends, cool finds, and wardrobe basics to keep you looking stylish throughout the year.

Being fashionable on a budget is hard, especially with the high cost of living.

For many, shopping second hand is the way to go. An internet trend popular with YouTube vloggers features the “Come Thrift With Me” style videos that show viewers what can be thrifted with a hundred dollar budget. While an interesting concept, not everyone has a hundred dollars in their clothing budget. Would it be possible to find an outfit for only five dollars?

For this investigation, limited by a five dollar budget, I chose what I consider to be the two best thrift stores in Abbotsford, where I would try and find one entire

outfit by looking only in the clearance sections.

One thing I have learned through my thrifting experience is that you can find items that are surprisingly cheap if you know where to look. My number one rule: always start in the clearance section. You never know what you may find.

I began my search at LIFE’s Second Chance thrift store, which has a dollar room with a great selection of clothing, coats, and accessories for a dollar a piece.

There I found a genuine black suede leather moto jacket from Forever 21. On average, leather jackets can be pricey. A similar style to what I found in the dollar room can go for about $397 brand new.

The next piece I found in the dollar room was a pair of dark wash jeans by Wax Jeans Collective that fit perfectly.

This was a piece I almost missed out on which is why it is important to take a careful look at everything that is on clearance.

For accessories, I found a chunky blush pink scarf that added a nice cozy touch to the outfit. Remember to always check out the accessories — you never know what you will find.

At three dollars total, I was able to find three items for the outfit at the first thrift store.

With only two dollars left to spend, I moved on to MCC Clothing Etc. This store is only a couple of blocks away from LIFE’s Second Chance and has one of the best selections of clothing for clearance prices, at 50 cents a piece. There, on the 50 cent rack, I found a Banana Republic charcoal grey shawl-collared sweater that looked brand new: the perfect piece to complete the outfit.

Here’s a pro tip: a good rule of thumb is to stay with a neutral pallet. It is much easier to thrift for clothing in versatile, neutral colours like black, grey, white, and nude pinks, especially when you have

a limited budget.

The total cost for the outfit ended up being only $3.50, taxes included. This shows that not only is it possible to find a cute outfit while thrifting, but it’s also fun knowing you aren’t breaking the bank while doing it.

Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade 17

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VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

STUDY BREAK Crossword //

Horoscopes // By: Madame LaCarte

Aries - Mar. 21 to Apr. 19

You’re being stubborn. The unbending break, and the unbreakable bend. Consider some flexibility over your brittle strengths.

Taurus - Apr. 20 to May 20

The world is a sandbox, and you have played in it wonderfully. Don’t lose yourself to the sand; after all, sand wears down even the sharpest of rocks. Go wash up, and try interacting with more than just empty shells, lest you become one yourself.

Gemini - May 21 to Jun. 20

Ah, budding love is such a beautiful thing. But be careful! If you harvest too soon, it’ll be volatile and short-lived, and harvesting too late will only be sedating at best.

Timing is everything. If you get this reference, they’re onto you.

Cancer - Jun. 21 to Jul. 22

You enjoy hibernation, but every now and again you find the drive to go hunting for honey. Be careful on how you go about it; you wouldn’t want to get stung, would you?

Leo - Jul. 23 to Aug. 22

You’re realizing now how worn down you are. You feel burnt, charred, and used.

But my friend, you are an iron skillet — a well seasoned skillet by now. Choose some time away from the flames and come back washed, oiled, and ready to cook.

Virgo - Aug. 23 to Sept. 22

You have broken free from your cocoon. Go out, fly off, experience the new. The moon will guide you, the earth will nurture you, and the world awaits you.

Libra - Sept. 23 to Oct. 22

You tried; you really did. Now it’s time to be honest with yourself. Time for a little restructuring: mood board and cut-outs, agendas and highlighters, calendars and stickers, whatever you desire.

Scorpio - Oct. 23 to Nov. 21

“Relax,” they say. “I can’t,” you reply. Nothing is working like it should, and you should be able to overcome these things. How about you don’t should on yourself and save some energy. Sometimes, living life on life’s terms means stepping in a little should, and just learning to wipe your feet.

Sagittarius - Nov. 22 to Dec. 21

I see the therapy hint last time didn’t land. It’s my bad really. I’m too subtle at times.

Let’s unpack it together then, shall we? Tell me about the winds of your free spirit, how well they cover up the screams of your insecurities. I’m listening.

Sudoku //

Capricorn - Dec. 22 to Jan. 19

One jump ahead of the slowpokes; one skip ahead of your doom; next time, gonna try to clean your room; one step ahead of the rest; one hit ahead of the flock; I think you should stroll around the block. During that stroll reflect on why you feel the need to be the smartest person in the room.

Aquarius - Jan. 20 to Feb. 18

Between a rock and a hard place is only a problem if you’re a solid. Be the sea! Slap both with your waves, tell them to go float themselves, rain down and wash away the stress, and go find stillness in a lake.

Pisces - Feb. 19 to Mar. 20

All mothers are witches. They brew comfort food, they charm away boo-boos with a kiss, they see the unforeseen and are always right. When the demons start to hunt me, I know the one place I can go for a remedy. Home.

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VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

CULTURE Column //

The Cascade Kitchen: hash brown casserole CAITLYN CARR The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back monthly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca.

Like so many other popular recipes, this one has been passed down through generations. My mother taught it to me over the summer and I haven’t been able to get enough of it. This simple and delectable dish is perfect for when it’s your turn to cook dinner for your family or roommates.

Ingredients: ⁤ 800 grams frozen diced hash brown potatoes ⁤ 1 large onion, diced ⁤ 2 cups cream of chicken soup ⁤ 1 ½ cup grated sharp or medium cheddar cheese ⁤ 2 cups sour cream ⁤ 2 cups grated cheddar cheese Additional equipment: 9x13 pan (or 8x8 if you’re halving the recipe) Method: 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Live alone? These delicious leftovers 2. Mix all your ingredients in a large bowl will save you from the chore of meal except for 2 cups of cheddar cheese planning for a few days while you focus on (Pro-tip: mix with gloved hands). getting some homework done. Otherwise, 3. Place the mixture in a 9x13 baking feel free to halve the recipe! dish.

Prep time: 15 Minutes 4. Cover the top with cheddar cheese.

Cook time: 1 Hour 5. Bake in your oven for one hour or until Serves: 6 hot throughout.

Photo by Caitlyn Carr

Column //

UFV Speaks: how would you describe the community at UFV? Students’ thoughts on socializing at school CAITLYN CARR

Amitoj Brar / Kinesiology

“I don’t spend a lot of time at UFV because I’m from Langley and I have a community out there, so I don’t have a lot of experience with it to be honest.”

Have you made any friends on campus yet?

“Just in class, but not meaningful friendships that I plan to spend the rest of my life with, but some friends that I’m happy to engage with in classes and stuff.”

In UFV Speaks, our intrepid reporters pick a topic currently relevant to UFV students or staff, and ask them for their heated opinions to get a real sense of how the UFV population feels about the facts.

Forming connections with others in adulthood can be challenging. Curious Photo submitted by Amitoj Brar to hear what people at UFV think, I went around campus and chatted with some “UFV is very tight-knit and I feel like Jayde Campbell / Integrated studstudents to get a sense of how they feel everybody is trying to help each other ies, math, and biology about the community on campus. grow. There’s no animosity. I think the healthiest part is everyone here is just Rachel Berbec / Communications friends with each other, we all understand our different goals and we’re all just trying to support one another and, I don’t know, it’s amazing.”

Have you made any friends on campus yet?

“Yes, I have.”

Jayden Chapman / General studies, history

Photo submitted by Rachel Berbec “[UFV is a] commuter school. I’ve become friends with a small group of people for sure, but it took me a few years to get there. I was definitely kind of in-and-out for the most part until I chose a major and got into upper-level courses.”

Photo of Jayden Chapman (Photo by Caitlyn Carr)

“I haven’t really tried to plug myself in because I have a pretty established community out in Langley.”

Have you made any friends on campus yet?

“I’ve made friends in classes that I would chat with but yeah, similar [to Jayden]; not super lifelong friendships.”

Arianna Oddy / Human resources, business

Photo of Arianna Oddy (Photo by Caitlyn Carr) “I don’t know, this is only my first semester here. It’s pretty good though. Pretty open.”

Have you made any friends on campus yet?

“Yeah, I’d say so.”

Responses have been edited for length Photo submitted by Jayde Campbell and clarity.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

ARTS

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03 arts@ufvcascade.ca Arts Editor - Anna McCausland

Movies //

A Latinx not-so-hot-take on Emilia Pérez The Oscar’s darling is Latin America’s most hated film this season. Here’s why.

SKY S. TERRONES With predictions in hand, this year’s pre-Oscar race has been filled with surprises. The biggest surprise (or perhaps not, considering how well it did at Cannes and the Golden Globes) was the 13 Oscar nominations for Emilia Pérez (2024).

A film about Mexico, in Español, with trans representation, and a musical?! This literally sounded like my dream movie, and yet, I had already heard the worst things about it, especially from my Latin and queer friends.

Right off the bat, the intro song worked effectively — it sparked curiosity. The lighting was exquisite, and the sound mix was experimental but pleasant in a weird blend of alt-pop and hip-hop. Certainly giving Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008) vibes — I instantly understood why European eyes and ears fell for it.

We follow Rita (Zoe Saldaña), a disillusioned defence attorney who is tired of the system’s corruption and wants to work for something she believes in. She finds that with Emilia Pérez (Karla Sofía Gascón), then known as Juan “Manitas” del Monte, a drug lord who seeks help gender transitioning and starting over.

The musical notes were hitting.

However, the lyrics were another thing entirely. Being from Peru, my brain was utterly confused. It sounded … good, kind of, but I understood none of it. This made no sense as the movie is in my mother tongue. As it went on, I realized I would have to turn on the subtitles and pretend this wasn’t set in Latin America. It wasn’t just the accent that was completely off, but the grammar and use of odd phrases that made it unintelligible for a native speaker.

The cultural portrayal was lacking in

Photo courtesy of Netflix - © 2024 Netflix, Inc. simple things like how the characters carry themselves in how they react and what they do.

Saldaña is arguably the silver lining of this movie, and should’ve been regarded as the film’s lead in the nominations.

Placing her in Supporting Actress almost feels like category fraud, as the focus of most shots is usually Rita, which tells viewers that she is, in fact, the protagonist. This movie fails to respect its true lead, resulting in a scattered film that doesn’t know which story to follow. It tackles several plot points superficially that are left unresolved in a bad way. It wanted to explore too much, and it ended up expressing nothing at all.

This is not a good musical either.

Musicals will often get a bad reputation because people will condemn singing as unnecessary; in truth, singing is anything but that. The musical narrative is another layer of storytelling, where sounds are used as a progression to the story. Emilia

Pérez does the opposite. It’s a redundancy fest of songs that made the movie stall and feel like it was three hours long. Unlike well-done musicals, where a song will move the plot forward, this could’ve had no songs and would’ve said the same thing — which defeats the purpose of a musical.

This movie managed to offend the two minorities it was allegedly representing, with good reason: a cisgender, white, French man — who speaks no Spanish and doesn’t know about gender-affirming surgeries — wanted to direct a film about a trans woman from Mexico and did little investigative work before exploring his fever dream.

Clearly, Jacques Audiard doesn’t even respect the language used in the film as shown on one of his latest statements in which he inaccurately looks down on its origins.

“Spanish is a language of modest countries, of developing countries, of the poor

and migrants.”

Aside from some exterior shots, filming was not done in Mexico and was filled with stereotypes. There is only one token Mexican actress in the film and the lead is from Spain, which is just the cherry on top when you consider the impacts of colonialism on Mexico.

Audiard claimed that Mexicans were bashing the movie without having seen it. Well, they’ve seen it now, and it hasn’t just monumentally flopped with LATAM viewers, but the Mexican people fired back with their protest parody: Johanne Sacreblu (2025). Set in France and filmed in Mexico, it tells the story of families Sacreblu and Ratatouille who fight over who has the best bread (the croissant or the baguette) in the country — and if this sounds ridiculous to you, then you understand why Emilia Pérez sucks for us.

Did the producers mean to do this?

Unlikely — they’re just ignorant. Alas, ignorance is being rewarded.

Video games //

Sometimes, you just don’t fit in the backpack How 1000xRESIST transcends its medium and interacts with its audience directly CALEB DAVIDSON If I asked you to pack a single backpack to leave home with, how would you fill it?

Perhaps you’d take your favorite shirt.

Maybe your earbuds or headphones and a phone charger. You could take an extra pair of socks, because cold feet suck.

A diary. Your laptop. A sketchbook. A plushie you’ve loved for a while. How do you prioritize what fits in the backpack? What truly matters to you? Form?

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Function? Nostalgia?

More importantly, what doesn’t fit in the backpack?

1000xRESIST is a game about the past, and how it influences, shapes, and twists the future. It asks you the question above very early on into its runtime, and keeps you thinking about the question all the way until the very end. It makes you wonder (and perhaps worry about) how much the past changes our futures, both personally and societally.

You play as Watcher, one of many Sisters who are raised in service to a singular, godlike ALLMOTHER. You live in the Orchard, hiding underground from an alien threat, the Occupants, who brought a terrible and deadly disease to Earth when they arrived a thousand years ago — only the ALLMOTHER survived.

Now, you train to be chosen, to join the fight against the Occupants and retake the surface. Your duty as a Watcher is to know the memories of the ALLMOTHER, and

to experience them. Through this, you begin to see more than you bargained for — enough to threaten the entire Orchard, and the ALLMOTHER herself.

1000xRESIST is the first game by Asian-Canadian and indie studio, Sunset Visitor, based out of Vancouver. It’s been nominated for multiple awards, including three GDC Award categories in 2025, four CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

ARTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 D.I.C.E. Awards, and the Golden Joystick Award for “Best Storytelling” in 2024.

(If you prefer the voice of the people, it’s “Overwhelmingly Positive” with 2,540 reviews on Steam.)

The game itself, if I may be so coy, is “a movie you play.” It plays mainly, though not entirely, through dialogue and exploration, for which the voice acting and striking art do wonders. While there are some stumbles, the voice actors knock the ball out of the park for the majority of the game. The writing is well-paced

and complex, leaving the player always wanting more. Though the graphics and gameplay are not the point of the game, the camera angles and framing are cinematically oriented and engaging nonetheless.

The game, in the end (and I won’t spoil anything, don’t worry), asks the player the question one last time: What doesn’t fit in the backpack? Do you get to choose what you inherit? Do you choose what gets passed on? If you are given that choice, can you truly make it? It brings into question the ethics of forgiving, forgetting, and moving on. It distills and concentrates

the real-life practice of processing and working through trauma, turning it into something as simple as switching the lights off — or leaving them on. It makes the player not only think about the consequences of their actions in-game (yes, there are multiple endings, tee-hee), but also examine what they keep with them in their day-to-day lives. It causes them to wonder why they’ve kept it and where keeping it has led them. The game bleeds into real life in the way only video games can, and that’s why it’s placed securely in my backpack.

Music //

2025 Grammys: wins, wows, and wtf just happened?

Recapturing the biggest night celebrating music PRATI KAPOOR The annual Grammy Awards dazzled Los Angeles on Feb. 2. While the Recording Academy handed out a whopping 85 Grammys, it wasn’t just an evening of glam; it was also a social cause, as they raised over nine million dollars for fire relief in the city. But as the night progressed, my disappointment crawled in as more awards were handed out.

The premiere ceremony started with music by Angélique Kidjo, Wayne Brady, Scott Hoying, Deborah Cox, Taj Mahal, Yolanda Adams, and Cheche Alara, as well as speeches by Harvey Mason Jr. (CEO of the Recording Academy) and Tammy Hurt (Chair of Board of Trustees) (which were lowkey boring). The night was hosted by Justin Tranter (American musician, songwriter, and designer ) who brought spice with his delivery and humour. Tranter had a mid show outfit change into shorts which gave dads trying TikTok vibes before handing things over to Trevor Noah who hosted for a fifth consecutive year.

The first award was presented to Sabrina Carpenter for Best Pop Solo Performance for her song “Espresso.” Fun fact: she wasn’t even there to pick it up.

Girl, where were you?

If there was a true queen of the night it wasn’t Beyoncé, but Sierra Ferrell, who swept all four of her nominations. Ferrell bagged Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song, Best Americana Performance, and Best American Roots Performance. After her third win, I half expected her to set up camp on stage.

Performances were a hit or a miss. Muni Long’s performance was so beautiful and she thankfully won Best R&B performance after. Meanwhile, the performance of “All Along” by Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming, Kelli O’Hara, and Kevin Puts

had my ears begging for mercy (or maybe I just hate opera). Then there was Shakira, who gave a stunning belly dance performance as she celebrated her win for Best Latin Pop Album. True queen behaviour.

Kendrick Lamar scooped both the trophies for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, as well as the Grammy for Best Music Video, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “Not Like Us” — he did this all in a Canadian tuxedo.

Lamar dedicated the win to the city and continued by thanking the people and the families in Palisades and Altadena. If someone remembers, Drake had foreseen it in the “Family Matters” rap: “Kendrick just opened his mouth, someone go hand him a Grammy right now.”

The 67th award night crowned Beyoncé for her first Album of the Year with COWBOY CARTER, after her incredible 99 nominations during the course of her career. Her daughter Blue Ivy joined her to accept the honour as she became the first Black woman to win album of the year in 26 years. Yet, part of me wanted Billie Eilish to take it home. (C’mon, she had over a billion spotify streams on

“Birds of a Feather”) Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars accepted Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their duet, “Die With a Smile.” In my eyes, they had one of the best acceptance speeches. Mars told Gaga, “I’m so honoured to have a small part in your giant musical legacy and I really truly believe that God gave us this song to sing together.” Reciprocating the energy, Gaga said, “Bruno, you are an incredible human being; you’re a musician for the ages.”

Chappell Roan won the Best New Artist Grammy for her song “Good Luck Babe” in a wizard’s cap that didn’t like being on stage.“My hat’s going to fall off, it’s going to be okay,” she laughed. She used her acceptance speech as an opportunity to demand liveable wages and healthcare from record labels to developing and established artists. As she finished off her speech, Roan questioned, “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”

Regardless, one of the best things about the night was that all the guest speeches brought back the night’s focus to donate for the social cause. Such a green flag, Grammys, good job!

AP Pic 21

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

ARTS Movies //

10 movies to keep you company on Valentine’s Day

A list curated by the most hopeless of all the romantics ANNA MCCAUSLAND Are you a single pringle like me? Nowhere to go on Valentine’s Day? Instead of turning to cynicism, I tend the path of a hopeless romantic — which is what makes me the perfect person to curate this list. So with Valentine’s Day’s swift arrival, instead of wallowing about your loneliness, grab some wine or a box of chocolates and join me on the couch for a romance movie marathon.

This list is in no particular order.

10. Boot Camp (2024) This one is for all my bigger bodied hopeless romantics. Although maybe a touch problematic as the main character goes to a camp that is all about getting fit, the main character makes up for it: Whitney (Rachel Boudwin) is a bookworm who finds confidence in herself, making her more open to love. It’s a little stereotypical, but aren’t all rom-coms?

9. Red, White & Royal Blue (2023) When the son of the president of the United States and the Spare to the throne of England can’t stand each other — then cause an international scandal and have to play nice to smooth things over — the only logical outcome is for them to fall in love. At least that’s what happens in the movie adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s novel Red, White & Royal Blue (2019).

8.The Hating Game (2021) Tension: it’s the only way to describe this next movie, a quintessential enemies to lovers rom-com. It takes place in a publishing house (bonus points in my books) where Lucy (Lucy Hale) and Josh (Austin Stowell) are fighting to take charge of the company after a merger brings the two opposites together. Who knew you could get great room decor inspiration from your rival’s eye colour?

7. Clueless (1995) & Emma. (2020) We are only at eight and I already know this is going to be a hard list to narrow down, hence the double titles. In my defense, both of these films are based off of Jane Austen’s novel Emma (1815) and have basically the same plot. If you’re looking for more of that good 90s nostalgia, watch Clueless. But if you’re looking for beautiful cinematography and civility, Emma. is your movie.

6. Call Me by Your Name (2017) We love a queer awakening set in Italy with incredible nuanced and complex characters. Plus, everyone needs to see baby Timothée Chalamet in one of the most pinnacle movies of his career.

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Photo by Masha_Weisberg - © Awesomeness Films 4.The Half of It (2020) A lesser-known romance movie that came 5. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before out right as the pandemic hit. It’s filled (2018) with queer pining and yearning. There’s To be transparent: this is technically three just something so romantic about writing movies and two television series based letters — even if they aren’t being written off of one book. I’ve been in love with by the person whose signature is at the Jenny Han’s books for forever; and To bottom.

All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (TABILB) 3. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) has been my comfort movie for years.

An adaptation of one of my favourite I’ve reread The Summer I Turned Pretty Shakespearian plays The Taming of the (2009) books every summer for the last Shrew (1592), 10 Things I Hate About You six years and binge the show every time stars a young Heath Ledger (may he rest a new season is released. I can’t recomin peace) and Julia Stiles. It’s their chemmend any of the adaptations enough istry and witty banter that makes this (except for maybe the last movie of movie iconic. the TABILB series and second season of XO, Kitty (2023-)).

© 1999 - Touchstone Pictures 2. All of Us Strangers (2023) What even is love and acceptance?

Watching Adam (Andrew Scott) find out is an absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking experience. It’s an emotional story about how little time we have with the people we love and how we have to find love and acceptance from within. (Here’s your warning: this move will make you cry.)

1. Pride & Prejudice (2005) The cinematography; the acting; the hand flex. Need I say more?

So there they are, my picks for your Valentine’s Day viewing! Hopefully by watching these you too will believe love is possible. Or you’ll end up more bitter than when you started.

© 2005 - Focus Features

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 03

ARTS Column //

Book Talk: walking through winter

Katherine May is the experienced aunt we all need CATHERINE CAMPBELL Welcome to Book Talk, where we help you find new fuel for your bookish obsession.

While you might not find these authors while scrolling short-form content online, you will find their work to be significant, impactful, and, hopefully, something you reach for time and again. Happy reading!

Katherine May, while understated and down to earth, is prolific in her craft.

At this point in her life, May has published five books of fiction, non-fiction, and essays. One of these books — Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times (2020) was adapted for BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week and shortlisted for the Barnes & Noble Book of the Year in 2020. She also writes a Substack newsletter, The Clearing, that’s all sorts of cozy, and hosts a podcast, How We Live Now — both are perfect for when you have a few minutes and need to feel some comfort. In her spare time (haha) she also makes room to attend numerous speaking and workshop engagements, while also offering her coaching services to aspiring non-fiction authors.

As you know by now, I have a love of writing that delves into the heart of the person writing it, that feels more like a conversation between friends (as always, bonus points if it’s like reading someone’s diary entries). So when I opened to the first page of Wintering in the library on a cool October morning, I knew it would

be my new obsession. May’s words are direct without seeming harsh, writing in a way that gets to the point while still being relatable and kind.

Beyond this, I felt a particular relatedness with Wintering, since I seem to experience more winters than I would like. Don’t get me wrong — I love winter.

It’s just that I don’t appreciate when it barrels through in the middle of August, or lingers for five months longer than it should, or leaves us leaning heavy on our ever-depleting resources. (I mean this in a metaphorical sense, but also in exaggerated terms of climate change. Nobody wants more winter than they can handle.)

Part of my love for May’s work is purely biased, in that I share a lot of commonalities with her (at least in the parts that she shares of herself in her books and online).

Her writing also scores points in that it’s some of the most comforting work I’ve come across. Even when talking about stressful life events or uncertainty, May has a way of wording her work to make it seem that everything will be okay in the end — and if it isn’t, then that’s okay, too.

I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from Wintering, in case this season has been particularly hard on you this year.

“We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again.”

Happy reading!

SHUFFLE

CHARTS

CIVL’s Aaron Levy is fully into February with the rest of the world now.

These songs all include their own little references to the coldest month of the year every year in B.C.

01. SAM LYNCH Outline 02. NIA NADURATA Still Living With My Parents 03. ARMANDO YOUNG Armando Young Vol. 1 04. TOVA & VBND Everything, In Its Time 05. TELEHORN The Gravity of See You Later 06. MAJO Things I Never Said EP 07. HILDEGARD Jour 1596 08. SHEBAD Music is the Answer 09. CHLOE DOUCET Sincerely, 10. JENNIFER CASTLE Camelot 11. SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS Red Future 12. AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS Cartoon Darkness 13. OMBIIGIZI SHAME 14. SKINNY DYCK Easygoing 15. VARIOUS Transa 16. MERGES Agnus EP 17. MADDIE JAY I Can Change Your Mind 18. FATHER JOHN MISTY Mahashmashana 19. KUZI CEE Heartless Romantic EP 20. MARLAENA MOORE Because You Love Everything

Foo Fighters “February Stars”

This is one of my least favourite songs on — what is almost indubitably my favourite of — the complete Foo Fighters discography. The release of The Colour and the Shape (1997) brought us timeless hits such as “Monkey Wrench,” “My Hero,” “Everlong,” and lesser-known gems like “Hey, Johnny Park!,” “Wind Up,” and “Up in Arms” (again).

Wyclef Jean “Gone Till November”

“January, February, March, April, May / I see you cryin’, but girl, I can’t stay / I’ll be gone ‘til November.” It may not be the Counting Crows’ “A Long December,” but this former Fugees standout sure knows how to write catchy songs with months namechecked throughout the effortless lyrical flow.

Wyclef, right?

Charli xcx - “February 2017” Had to do actual research to come up with this one. From the Charli (2019) album that dropped a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the world turned Charli into an “anthems” lover, throwing a “party 4 u” throughout the work from home era of the pandemic’s early days. So many albums have dropped since.

Van Morrison “March Winds in February”

Speaking of the pandemic, this “Moondance” auteur struck out with Eric Clapton and co. to deride the social distancing, vaccine mandates, and other perceived infractions on freedom and liberty that came along with the bureaucratic public health response to COVID-19. But this classic sounding Morrison track is from before those times.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May, Riverhead Books, 2020

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EVENTS CALENDAR

F E B RUA RY 12

09:00AM - 03:00PM

Color & De-Stress with SUS @UFV Student Union Society, King Road, Abbotsford

10:00AM - 12:00PM

Back Porch Music Series at Old Yale Brewing @UFV Abbotsford, Evered Hall S Building

11:30AM - 12:30PM

Mental Health in Queer Relationships Q&A @UFV Abbotsford, Evered Hall S Building

13

11:00AM - 03:00PM

Chilliwack Hiring and Post-Secondary Education Expo @Coast Chilliwack Hotel, 45920 First Avenue

14

08:00PM

Valentine’s Day @ the Highwayman Pub with Andrew Michael Band @Highwayman Pub, 32470 Simon Ave, Abbotsford

06:00PM - 08:00PM

WBB vs Trinity Western University @Building E Abbotsford Campus (1395 McKenzie Road)

08:00PM - 10:00PM

MBB vs Trinity Western University @Building E Abbotsford Campus (1395 McKenzie Road)

03:00PM - 05:00PM

WBB vs Trinity Western University @Building E Abbotsford Campus (1395 McKenzie Road)

05:00PM - 07:00PM

MBB vs Trinity Western University @Building E Abbotsford Campus (1395 McKenzie Road)

08:30PM - 11:59PM

Corky’s Anti-Valentines @Corky’s Irish Pub, 45884 Yale Rd W, Chilliwack

15

20 02:00PM - 03:00PM

Public Board Meeting @S3103 - Board Room, S Building, UFV Abbotsford

21

Global Game Jam @Room C1427 Abbotsford Campus

10:00AM

25 09:00AM - 04:00PM

Farmer-Miller-Baker Summit @UFV Chilliwack, 5579 Tyson Road Chilliwack

28 11:00AM - 12:00PM

Changemaker Café Online, Zoom

Note: Some of the events require tickets, and most are online. If something catches your eye, take to the Internet for more details, including those about any safety measures for in-person events.

VIEW OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE

D E TA I LS O N CURRENT EVENTS!