URSU president...p.3
Jumanji review...p.8
Volleyball post-season...p.11
College depression...p.16
the staff
the carillon
60
The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper Since 1962 February 15 - February 28, 2018 | Volume 60, Issue 19 | carillonregina.com
editor-in-chief john loeppky editor@carillonregina.com executive director jae won hur business@carillonregina.com
cover
production manager ella mikkola production@carillonregina.com
The death of Colten Boushie has Saskatchewan people reeling, dominating conversation and highlighting the racial challenges of our province’s people as Gerald Stanley walks free. The graphic is adapted from a circulating design by our own Jaecy Bells. This week’s issue has stories about a social media spat that features URSU’s Jermain McKenzie and number of University of Regina students, a review of the new Jumanji movie, and a pre-playoffs sports wrap-up
advertising manager brendan hill advertising@carillonregina.com technical editor frank nordstrom carillontechnical@carillonregina.com multimedia editor jael bartnik mutimedia@carillonregina.com copy editor michelle jones copyeditor@carillonregina.com news editor kristian ferguson news@carillonregina.com a&c editor mason sliva aandc@carillonregina.com sports editor konstantin kharitonov sports@carillonregina.com op-ed editor annie trussler op-ed@carillonregina.com
photos
cover...................................jaecy bells page 2...............colonialism no more news.....................courtesy of WAG a&c......................................jaecy bells sports...........................arthur images op-ed...............colonialism no more
distro manager john kapp distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer
ethan butterfield
staff writer
ethan williams
a&c writer sports writer
taylor balfour shelbi glover
None.
nathan mccarville
Angela Davis at U of R
contributors Jeremy Davis and Kaitlynn Nordal. The rest of the material contributed by the staff.
the paper
227 Riddell Center University of Regina - 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2 www.carillonregina.com Ph: (306) 586 8867 Printed by Star Press Inc, Wainwright, AB
The Carillon welcomes contributions. Correspondence can be mailed, emailed, or dropped off in person. Please include your name, address, and telephone number on all letters to the editor. Only the author’s name, title/position (if applicable) and city will be published. Names may be withheld upon request at the discretion of the Carillon.
Good old Leopold’s
Page 7
The women’s action group is bringing renowned activist Angela Davis to campus in March. Read about what went into it, the needed collaborations, and the information about the event itself.
sport
Letters should be no more than 350 words, and may be edited for space, clarity, accuracy, and vulgarity. The Carillon is a wholly autonomous organization with no afilliation with the University of Regina Students’ Union.
The women’s action group is bringing renowned activist Angela Davis to campus in March. Read about what went into it, the needed collaborations, and the information about the event itself.
a&c
THE CARILLON BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ahmad Aljendi, Shafeeka Sayyid, Jonny Davies and Jason Chestney.
Page 4
s
news writer
news
graphics editor jaecy bells graphics@carillonregina.com
Opinions expressed in the pages of the Carillon are expressly those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. Opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in the Carillon are those of the advertisers, and not necessarily of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. or its staff.
The Carillon is published no less than 11 times each semester during the fall and winter semesters and periodically throughout the summer. The Carillon is published by the Carillon Newspaper Inc., a non-profit organization.
the manifesto
Post-season possibilities
Page 13
I’m going to indulge our sports editor and paraphrase Jim Mora.... PLAYOFFS! Well, the green and gold are going to be widely represented in the various Canada West postseasons.
op-ed
In keeping with our reckless, devil-may-care image, our office has absolutely no concrete information on the Carillon’s formative years readily available. What follows is the story that’s been passed down from editor to editor for over forty years. In the late 1950s, the University of Regina planned the construction of several new buildings on the campus grounds. One of these proposed buildlings was a beltower on the academic green. If you look out on the academic green today, the first thing you’ll notice is that it has absolutely nothing resembling a belltower. The University never got a belltower, but what it did get was the Carillon, a newspaper that serves as a symbolic bell tower on campus, a loud and clear voice belonging to each and every student.
The People’s Friend, the Tyrant’s Foe
Colten Boushie
Page 18
Colten Boushie’s death has left the province in crisis, it seems. This week, two community organizers share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in relation to the trial of the man who shot him.
errata in other news
We trust you, readers, you can find other news to read
news
3 Editor: kristian ferguson news@carillonregina.com the carillon | February 15 - February 28, 2018
McKenzie faces backlash for comments Facebook spat lands URSU president in hot water
ethan williams staff writer A war of words on social media involving the University of Regina Students’ Union [URSU] president Jermain McKenzie caused a bit of a stir this past week, with many people jumping in on the conversation. On his personal Facebook page on Feb. 5, McKenzie shared an article from the Manitoban, the University of Manitoba student-run newspaper, announcing that the University of Manitoba Students’ Union had voted to continue their membership with the Canadian Federation of Students [CFS]. The CFS is a federation that lobbies for students’ rights across Canada. McKenzie commended the U of M Students’ Union for their decision, saying that he was “Glad to see students winning over petty politics.” McKenzie’s comment, however, was challenged by Carillon Editor-in-Chief, John Loeppky, who claimed that there has been dysfunction within the CFS, and that they have ignored his needs. “As a disabled person student I can confidently say they do nothing for me except ignore me as a human being during conversations in the owl [sic],” Loeppky was quoted as saying in the comments section of the post. McKenzie and Loeppky then engaged in discussion about the matter, with McKenzie stating, “I am not interested in the personality politics and who felt slighted by who on a personal level.” He then went on to say that URSU had worked to challenge the CFS in the past, namely by not paying fees to the federation. But other students were not
Jaecy Bells Jermain McKenzie faced criticism after comments he made to students on social media on February 5
satisfied with McKenzie’s response. Some took to the comments section to blame McKenzie for not listening to Loeppky and his concerns. Shawn Doll said that Loeppky was “expressing his views as he sees them and you [Jermain] seemed to have openly attacked those views and questioned his integrity.” He then stated he believed it was a “personal attack” and seemed “out of line.” At one point, McKenzie seemed annoyed that he was being challenged on the issue, and sent this reply to student Mark Matthies who accused him of attacking both Loeppky and another student: “I take it from your comment that you are just here for kicks and giggles. Go and make a funny video and post to YouTube or whatever you do for attention.” Matthies then replied to McKenzie, questioning his pointed response. “I mean aren’t you supposed to represent us? Not belittle us for calling you on your mistakes as OUR (yours) student union?” Another issue rising out of the conflict was the point regarding McKenzie’s direct affiliation with the CFS in terms of payment. McKenzie is paid by the CFS, as URSU is an affiliated institution with the federation. Loeppky claimed that at URSU’s Annual General Meeting [AGM] last year, McKenzie was asked the question of whether the organization paid him for his involvement, at which point McKenzie reportedly told the crowd gathered that he was not paid. McKenzie clarified on the Facebook thread that he was un-
aware at the time of any compensation from CFS but later understood that he would be receiving an honorarium. Benjamin Berger was the student who asked that question at the AGM, and says that he felt he was lied to. “As the AGM was a few months ago, I do not remember exactly what he stated. From my recollection, he reported that he does not get paid and receives zero dollars from the CFS. I do not believe he could have been referring to anything else. I think everyone was lied to. I asked Jermain if he was paid by the Canadian Federation of Students when Jermain seemed to be strongly supporting the CFS without reason. It seemed he had a conflict of interest in the matter. After learning that he does earn an honorarium from the CFS, I lost a lot of respect that I had for Jermain.” He says that he has trouble believing that McKenzie was not aware that he was paid. “I trusted him at the AGM and find it difficult to believe that he was not aware he would receive this payment. If he disclosed his honorarium and included valid facts as to why we should stay with CFS, I would not have had an issue with his position. Once URSU found out that Jermain receives payment from CFS, they should have come forward to clear the air. Not telling us made it look as though they were hiding something,” stated Berger. Berger also mentioned that he felt McKenzie did not handle the discussion with Loeppky very well. “I further lost the respect that I had for Jermain after seeing his demeaning and bullying com-
ments toward students on Facebook. A ‘leader’ of our student body needs to be aware of how to properly engage with students on a public forum. He asked [Loeppky] to sit down with him and insulted [him] rather than addressing [his] claims.” When asked if he felt if the CFS was doing its job advocating for students, Berger said he did not believe so. “I do not hold a wealth of knowledge about the CFS and what they have done. In my opinion, that is part of the issue. In the four years that I have been a student at the U of R, the first time I heard about the CFS was at this year’s AGM. With that in mind, I do not believe the CFS is doing an adequate job for the students of the University of Regina.” Jermain McKenzie was contacted for an interview regarding his comments; however, he did not return our request. VP Student Affairs Shawn Wiskar posted that he, too, felt the CFS was not doing its job. Commenting on the post, responding to both McKenzie and another student who had defended him, Wiskar voiced his frustration with the organization. “Nothing against you or jermain [sic], but this argument makes no sense […] the CFS refuses to recognize online voting and plebiscites.” McKenzie said he didn’t appreciate “when someone plays politics with the truth.” He added that the issue regarding post-secondary education institutions leaving the CFS was not just because of plebiscites, but because of other issues, including remittance of fees. Upon asking Wiskar for his
views on the matter, he declined to comment. “Personally, I will just say that I have no comment at this time,” he replied. VP Operations and Finance Derek Gagnon also declined to comment on the matter. “The events that have recently taken place are under review. I don’t think it would be appropriate to comment at this time.” URSU Arts Director Colton MacDonald met with Saskatoon West MP Sheri Benson as well as two other representatives from CFS on Feb. 7 to discuss post-secondary education. “We discussed some important initiatives that would make education more accessible for all”, Benson said on her Facebook page. McKenzie praised the meeting when he shared the post. “The education system is in need of a great deal of reforms, but most of these reforms can’t take place without better funding for universities,” he wrote. The CFS was formed in 1981. On its website, the organization states, “Students who are being pushed out of the current model of colleges and universities today are disproportionately Indigenous, racialized, queer and trans, people with disabilities, people raised in single-parent homes and people from low-income families. Our public education system must not further marginalize these communities. Education is a pathway to liberation.” Stay tuned as the Carillon continues to monitor and provide updates to this story.
February 15 - February 28, 2018
carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 4
news
Apathy Into Action has its 11th year of success RPIRG’s annual event continues to support activism in the community
taylor balfour news writer Every year, the Regina Public Interest Research Group (RPIRG) puts on Apathy Into Action: a conference which promotes thoughtful conversation and activism in Saskatchewan communities. “Apathy Into Action is one of our annual events that we hold in order to just increase participation and connection between students and justice work going on in our community,” Julian Wotherspoon, the Outreach and Events Coordinator at RPIRG, explains. “There was two days of just really great programming that featured a lot of people working to make Regina and Canada and the globe a generally better place.” The 2018’s Apathy Into Action event is the 11th time the event has taken place at the U of R. While the first day of the event was drop-in, Saturday events required registration. Despite the difference, both days had successful turnouts. “I think it was very successful,” Wotherspoon explains. “We just carried a really great lineup of people talking about a diverse set of ideas and I think at our peak we had standing room only in the RIC atrium. It went really well.” “Our Friday’s events are always just drop-in; we don’t push a registration,” she continued. “Saturday is more registered programming. We had a good turnout for that, as well. We offered three different workshops that were very well attended.” RPIRG, according to their website, “is a student funded re-
Courtesy of RPIRG Makin’ moves in the student activist scene
source centre at the University of Regina committed to social and environmental justice.” The group aims to educate students on how to be active in their communities, and give them the skills needed to further change their surroundings. “I think RPIRG is in a really great support position as far as harnessing the passion and the power and the expertise that students on campus have to affect change in their community, and just playing a supporting role or a connecting role as much as possible,” Wotherspoon continues. “I think it’s really easy for students and for young people to feel disconnected from systems of
that is less tolerant of sexual assault, racial violence, and student debt and, therefore, are more vocal about their disapproval of it and the stories surrounding them. RPIRG’s hope is to give students the skills and abilities to continue their activism, and to challenge the organizations in power if they believe it’s time for change. “We really want to make a civic engagement or an engagement in community as accessible as possible for as many students as possible, and I think that’s really important,” Wotherspoon says. Closer to home, an example of such a change is the election of the provinces new pre-
monolithic or to be dismissed by people within those structures as ‘you’re just young, you’re just a student.’ We know that that’s not true and we want to inspire other students to know that that’s not true.” RPIRG holds other events other than Apathy for Action, however, like their annual summer camp. “Another event we host on an annual basis is the Generating Momentum Activist Leadership Training Camp and it’s more of a retreat-style camp,” Wotherspoon explains. “A lot of our goals and some of the material are similar to what we saw at Apathy Into Action, but it’s a retreat-style
“We want to make sure that people know that they can get out there and do those things.”
- Julian Wotherspoon
power or that idea that we can make change, and that’s not true. We want to make sure that people know that they can get out there and do those things.” Some journalistic organizations like USA Today and the Atlantic, argue that student activism is once again making a comeback and that we may potentially be in the “golden age of college student activism.” Alia Wong, a journalist for USA Today, argues that it may be because we are living in an era
mier, Scott Moe. Many in the province are expressing grievances with aspects of Scott Moe’s campaign, including his connections with the Regina Pro-Life movement and the warning of another tough budget to be announced later this year. “We got rid of one big name but, I mean, it’s still the same system that’s in power,” Wotherspoon explains. “As young people, it’s really easy for us to feel defeated or feel like those systems are so big and
camp.” “There’s a beach, there’s fires at night sometimes, we roast marshmallows, all those things, but we partner on that event with another organization in the province called SCIC or the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation and we really see that as a great opportunity again to connect youth in Saskatchewan with the skills and the connections that they need to be leaders and to be confident in their role as leaders.”
If students want to get more involved with RPIRG, Wotherspoon says there are a few ways students can get involved. “Attending events is always great, but we are always jazzed when people come in and say that they want things to do,” Wotherspoon says. “At any given time, we either are spearheading projects or supporting student groups who are doing projects, and we’re always willing to make connections between students who really have the energy and want work that they can do, whether that’s here with one of our projects or again with one of our working groups.” “Board elections are coming up,” she says. Another great way to get involved. “You don’t have to have experience sitting on a board in the nonprofit sector but it’s a great way to gain that experience.” RPIRG’s goal has always been to help students, and these events have been placing activist students into the right hands. Krystal Lewis, the Executive Director of RPIRG, says that through everything, she just wants the organization to continue to help students. “We want students to be excited about volunteering, doing things, whether we connect them with people or we help train them to do something, we want people to not feel intimidated by getting involved in things,” she explains. “However we can make that happen, we’ll do our best.”
February 15 - February 28, 2018
news
Angela Davis visits U of R
carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 5
prominent civil rights activist holding free talk taylor balfour news writer The Women’s Action Group (WAG) is a student run group on campus that has spent the better part of a year working to bring big-name speaker, Angela Davis, to the university. The Carillon was able to interview two founding members of the group, Rita Panapasa and Hannah Grover, about how trying to get one of the biggest names from the civil rights movement has transpired. Both Panapasa and Grover were excited that the event was coming up soon and that it had been quite a lot of work to get it organized. “I am very relieved. This has been quite a journey for me and the entire team,” said Panapasa. “I’m feeling very excited, but nervous,” said Grover. “I know everyone at WAG has put their heart and soul into the project, and I just hope everyone’s hard work shines on the night of the event.” What was clear and apparent was that there is a general consensus as to how important bringing Davis is to the members of WAG. “We felt that Dr. Davis represented intersectional feminism very well. Also, because of our political and social climate, it was important to have a speaker who could relate to all, regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity or religion,” said Panapasa. “She’s accomplished and changed so much as a leftist woman of colour. I hope her talk inspires many others at the University of Regina to be more active in their communities, especially given some of the choices the Sask. Party has made as of late,” said Grover. “I’m very excited to hear what she has prepared for the event.” Both of the WAG members held strong personal connections to the event as well. “As I am a woman of color, Dr. Davis is everything I wanted to be growing up. She is outspoken, intelligent, and is very proud of her heritage and roots,” said Panapasa. “Davis, represents the black intellect and how using your education is a tool for freedom. She taught us that being a person of color already gives you leverage in terms of life experience. Yet, being a person of color and educated makes you a force to be reckoned with.” “I’m a leftist myself and I feel very strongly about getting involved in protests, rallies, and activism,” said Grover. However, hosting a figure such as Davis was no easy feat for WAG. “It was really tricky! Of course, we’re all students, so we’re juggling a lot in terms of our academic, professional, and personal lives,” said Grover. “I think the hardest part, for me at least, was finding a balance between all of
Courtesy of WAG Student group is working to bring Angela Davis to the university.
the commitments I’ve made this year and ensuring that I help out as much as I can without getting too much anxiety.” “Honestly, it was very difficult,” said Panapasa. “We got rejected multiple times for funding, and we always had to re-group and figure out a new way to solve it. However, with the help from the U of R Women’s Center, specifically Jill Arnott and Kobie Spriggs, then it became a lot easier. I am just happy I have my team and the Women’s Centre, because it definitely helped with the stress.” WAG has seen exponential growth since its inception, though, and both Grover and Panapasa are proud of what has been put in place.
“It has grown, in terms of popularity. We have a lot of positive feedback and a lot of women asking to join, which is great for next year’s team,” said Panapasa. “I feel I’ve gotten a lot closer to the members of WAG. We’re all great friends now and I hope the group continues to expand for future generations of women at the University of Regina,” stated Grover. In order to sell WAG to those who may be interested in this kind of organizing, both of the members had glowing recommendations of their time involved with the group. “My favourite part is that I get to meet other women and hear their stories. I got to build friendships and connections with
other women who have the same goals and vision,” said Panapasa. “Also having an all-female army around you makes you feel part of something, and that’s always a great feeling, being part of something.” “I’m so honoured to be part of a group of women who are passionate about intersectional representation on campus,” said Grover. “It can be so tricky, especially in Saskatchewan, to find space for yourself in activist communities. I think WAG is a fantastic opportunity for students at the U of R to get involved in activism and develop professional skills along the way.” Panapasa had a final send off for anyone who was involved with WAG in its time to organize the
Angela Davis talk. “Thank you to all our supporters,” said Panapasa. “I want to give a special thanks to my business partner in all this; Samira Wagner. She deserves a lot of the credit, and I am in awe of her hard work. Also, to Khansa Irfan and Hannah Grover, for supporting and just being amazing women to work with. Also, Allie Somers and Natasha Labar, for always being ready to help and for all the positivity they emit to the team. I have a great team.” Angela Davis will be visiting the university on March 8 from 7-9 p.m. in the Riddell Theatre. Admission is free.
February 15 - February 28, 2018
carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 6
news
Award honours U of R alumni Alumni at the top of their fields are recognized taylor balfour news writer It’s no secret to University of Regina alumni that the school’s community is filled with brilliant, insightful people. It is thanks to these individuals that the annual Alumni Crowning Achievement Awards have been created, in order to reward the outstanding members of the U of R community. “The goal of the Alumni Crowning Achievement Awards is to honour alumni who have made extraordinary contributions to their professions and their communities,” Diane Mullan, the manager of the event, explains. “The event honouring the five recipients will be held in October 2018. The cost for guests is $75 per person. Registration for the event will open in August 2018.” The U of R website claims that annually “the University of Regina celebrates the achievements of our most accomplished graduates with the Alumni Crowning Achievement Awards, one of the highest honours that can be given to distinguished University of Regina alumni.” “University of Regina alumni are making significant contributions to communities around the globe. They devote their time and energy to achieving excellence in professional and personal pursuits,” states the website. In 2017, the event took place in early October where “more
than 200 alumni and friends came together to honour the five outstanding award recipients,” and Mullan says that the event was, once again, a success. “The Alumni Crowning Achievement Awards dinner was held at Hotel Saskatchewan on October 5,” she explained. Mullan also said that “Bruce and Dani Anderson, a father/ daughter alumni team emceed the event,” and that the “nationally renowned author Guy Vanderhaeghe was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.” “Anyone can nominate an alumnus or alumna of the University of Regina whom they believe to be an extraordinary member of the alumni and university community,” Mullan says. “Self-nominations are not usual, but will be considered.” The event is organized by the University of Regina Alumni Association, a group created to “promote the accomplishments and support the future development of the University of Regina, its students, and alumni.” In order to qualify for an award, the University of Regina’s guidelines are that nominees must “be graduates of the University of Regina in a recognized degree, diploma or certificate program,” and that while people are able to receive more than one award each year they “may be honoured in only one category.” Group nominations are also permitted. However, all members of said group must be alumni, and have been “represented
Courtesy of University of Regina Awards for exceptional alumni.
equally within the nomination information regarding individual roles and the relevance to the service being provided.” Nominations for the 2018 awards close on April 10, so there
is still plenty of time to nominate U of R alumni students and staff who are worthy of recognition. The recognition of hard work not only promotes continued efforts, but thanks those who have been
so dedicated to their work. All is shaping up to be yet another year of success to the 2018 Alumni Crowning Achievement Awards this fall.
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7 Editor: mason sliva aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon |the carillon | February 15 - February 28, 2018
Leopold’s Tavern You merely adopted chicken and waffles, I was born into it shelbi glover a&c writer If I had to describe Leopold’s Tavern in one word, I think I would choose loud. Not that there’s anything wrong with being loud. Take me, for example. I’m really, really loud. Doctors have attributed this fact to my ADHD, and I simply cannot help it. I laugh loudly, I talk loudly, I scream loudly when startled. Which is okay. It’s just the way I am. If you can’t accept me this way, I get it, but don’t expect me to give you the best brunch in town. Which is exactly what Leo’s gave me. Another thing you need to know about me is that I’m never awake in time to eat breakfast. A regular wake up time for me is, let’s say, 1 p.m. What is there to eat for breakfast at 1 p.m.? Short answer: nothing. Long answer: since Canadian McDonald’s only sells McMuffins all day like it’s the stone ages, I am denied my God-given right to breakfast everywhere -- until now, anyway. Upon walking into Leo’s, I noticed one thing right off the bat: my girlfriend and I were the only women present. At 1:30 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, the tavern was occupied solely by white men watching the Winter Olympics, which I imagine is probably fairly standard. I can’t speak for other times of the day, but hopefully the crowd becomes more diverse in the evenings. The second thing I noticed were the various objects (jerseys, guitars, and more) glued to the ceiling in some kind of sporty mosaic. However, I couldn’t stare for long, since my girlfriend very quickly interrupted me with, “Can you imagine if everything fell from the ceiling at once?” And, thus, my meal was tainted from then on with a shadow of anxiety. Not tainted enough to be bad, mind you. Despite the roaring crowd and ever-looming threat of being knocked out by a stray guitar, my server was very nice. Even more than that, she was fast. I didn’t get her name, but I’ll call her Monica. Monica zoomed between those little tables and chairs like she was born to do it. She navigated the labyrinth between our table and the kitchen without so much as tripping which, considering how tightly packed the venue is, is incredibly impressive.
Jaecy Bells Leo’s is one of Regina’s best restaurants .
Monica also changed my life forever, unknowingly giving me the key to all of my breakfast dreams: “brunch goes until 2 p.m.” Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell me that, every weekend, Leo’s Tavern sells breakfast until 2 p.m.? That’s, like, a whole hour after I usually wake up. That’s plenty of time to wake up, shower, and get there in time to devour as many eggs as I can possibly manage. This newfound knowledge refreshed me. Baptized me, even. I am not the same woman I was when I walked into Leo’s Tavern on a Sunday morning. Anyway, it is with this new knowledge that I ordered the chicken and waffles, but requested the “drizzle of ranch” on the side, since I hate ranch dressing but was too nervous to ask for
none of it at all. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m from the deep American south; and, with that said, chicken and waffles is a southern delicacy, so I was intrigued to see how this version might hold up to the original. All in all? Pretty well. Monica returned with my food in about 15 minutes – again, she was so fast – and I immediately dug in. The waffles were perfectly soft, and the syrup was unique; I can’t put my finger on what exactly made it different, but I loved it. But we all know what really makes or breaks the entire dish: the chicken. Again, I’m from the deep south. I grew up in Kentucky, for crying out loud. We invented chicken. Colonel Sanders is buried five miles from my home uni-
versity. It’s a very serious business, chicken. There is no margin for error. Luckily, Leopold’s passed with a hard A-. Although it was just a little too crunchy for my tastes, it was a perfect complement to the waffles and syrup. Every bite was an absolute delight, and I ended up unable to finish it all, since the portions were huge. My girlfriend also insisted I include her review of her own brunch, in which she said the following: “I know I should enjoy their sausage, but the truth is, I don’t like it as much as the overly-processed shit I get at Denny’s. Which is unfortunate. I know that this is so much better for me, and I feel bad, but, damn, I love Denny’s.” So, there you have it. If
you’re looking for a huge serving of chicken and waffles that holds up to true southern standards, Leopold’s is your place – at least, until 2 p.m. on weekends. If you’re looking for food you know in your heart is gross but will cure your soul, perhaps consider Denny’s; although I’m certain that, with just one glance at the menu at Leo’s, you could probably find something else to your liking. In any case, I will absolutely be going back, even despite the noise, the men, and my girlfriend’s apparent distaste for fresh sausage. Those chicken and waffles are all I’ve thought about for the past 24 hours, and I’ll be damned if I let this new breakfast opportunity slip through my fingers.
“Those chicken and waffles are all I’ve thought about for the past 24 hours, and I’ll be damned if I let this new breakfast opportunity slip through my fingers.”
- Shelbi Glover
February 15 - February 28, 2018
carillonregina.com | The Carillon |
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8
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Can this film hold its own against one of the best kid’s movies ever?
ethan butterfield staff writer I’ll admit, I was a bit hesitant with the release of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Having been someone who enjoyed the original Jumanji a lot, I was skeptical toward the idea of a sequel from the beginning. That is, until I actually went and saw the movie. Now, this may sound like blasphemy, but I am willing to admit right here that Welcome to the Jungle is better than the original. I know, I know, it’s crazy for me to even consider the thought that something such as this could ever compare to the legacy of Robin Williams, whose portrayal of Alan Parrish is still fondly remembered today. Hear me out though. Welcome to the Jungle is no joke; it’s a sequel that, although still respectful to the original, manages to come into its own as a film and then some. One of my favourite aspects of the new Jumanji flick are the loveable, well-rounded characters that take centre stage. We have the always charismatic Dwayne Johnson as Dr. Bravestone, the jokester Kevin Hart as Mouse, the wonderfully talented Karen Gillan as Ruby Roundhouse, and lastly, the instantly loveable Jack Black as Dr. Shelly Oberon. The
Vesh Iles via Flickr Another film review: this time with more jungle.
way these actors work together throughout the film makes me feel like everyone on set was genuinely having fun instead of just being involved in another project, which really translated well into a story that’s theme was based around growth, or rather, ‘coming of age’ much like the original movie. Where this differs, though, is that, with the exception of Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst, the original film didn’t have a very memorable cast of characters, so it had to rely on performance instead of chemistry. Speaking of chemistry, the music in this movie mixes really well with the element of humour that it’s going for. For better reference, I’m not proud to say that I was incredibly giddy when the Big Mountains tune, “Baby, I Love Your Way,” came on during a scene where Karen Gillan had to start kicking people’s derrieres. I don’t know what it is, but older music in newer movies is something that I absolutely love as a filmgoer. There’s just a weird bonus to watching a movie and going “Oh, wow, this song is in this?” which, in all honesty, is actually the opposite thought I had about Jumanji in regard to some of its music. Long story short, I was going to be very disappoint-
ed if Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” didn’t play at any point during the movie. I wasn’t disappointed. So, characters and musical atmosphere aside, how does the story hold up? Fairly well. It’s the classic case of people getting trapped in a world they don’t know anything about and having to find a way to escape. Now, while the story may be cut and paste, the thing that helps bring it all together is, as mentioned before, the humour and the emotional sections that flush out the characters, making them more dynamic and, overall, interesting. The only criticism I really have about the plot is that there were a couple of opportunities where there could have been a nice little twist added for some punch, but the story didn’t need one so I won’t hold it against the film. In regard to comparisons with the original, I would say that Welcome to the Jungle has a better structure than that of the 1995 classic. Don’t get me wrong, Jumanji was a great film, but the tone of it was all over the place, whereas Welcome to the Jungle is firmly set in one area. With that taken into account, all I can say is that if you get the chance, check out Welcome to the
Jungle. Even if you’re a die-hard fan of Robin Williams and the original film, so you wouldn’t dare see this new one because Hollywood, am I right? Let down your guard and take in this well-crafted
sequel to a cult classic. I promise you won’t regret it. In fact, as Welcome to the Jungle itself says, “This is Alan Parrish’s house, I’m just living in it.”
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Hey there demons, it’s me Reviewing a very unique YouTube series shelbi glover a&c writer Flashback to summer 2017. Winter has not yet come to Regina. It’s too hot to be outside if you can avoid it, classes are out of session (unless you’re a nerd), and finally, there’s time to relax. All is well. My girlfriend and I spent this time by watching true crime documentaries and literally nothing else. For days and nights on end, the two of us would do nothing but binge YouTube series upon YouTube series about unsolved murders and disappearances, all the while ignoring the recommended Buzzfeed Unsolved thumbnail in the corner. “No way,” I thought. “Buzzfeed sucks. Everything they do is so annoying. I can’t let them ruin this for me.” Until, one day, YouTube’s automatic play feature played an episode without my consent. I’d left to use the bathroom and, when I came back, it was already about 30 seconds in. “Whatever,” I grumbled, and my girlfriend and I grudgingly accepted our fate; we would turn it off after one episode, we silently agreed, and that would be that. Except it didn’t stop. We watched one episode, and then the next, and then the next, and then by morning, we had watched every single episode of Buzzfeed Unsolved up to that point in time. Now, Buzzfeed Unsolved
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Check Buzzfeed Unsolved out on YouTube.
has made quite the splash; it’s given us quality memes such as “hey there, demons, it’s me, ya boi,” and has even inspired fanfiction (and I mean a lot of fanfiction). But why? What makes it so great? The truth is, the show’s success can only be attributed to the chemistry of the hosts, Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej. Take the term “chemistry” as romantically or platonically as you feel, since a good majority of the fanbase ships the two of them (or, for those of you unfamiliar with fandom terminology, wants
them to fuck). Either way, there’s no denying the fact that the two of them together are outright hilarious. The dynamic is built like a real-life version of The X-Files; Ryan (the optimistic believer) is constantly trying to convince Shane (the unyielding skeptic) of his theories, which range from ghosts, to aliens, to demons. Spoiler alert: it never works. Shane remains consistently unphased by the potential for anything supernatural, even when they film on location at some of the most haunted places in the
world. “Hey, you demon fuck! This is my bridge now!” he’s yelled, hands on a Ouija board, as Ryan watched, visibly horrified. “Maybe this demon just loves to blaze it,” he’s offered as an explanation of Satanic graffiti, as Ryan stared in total shock. (These encounters have actually caused a piece of the internet to develop their own theory, often regarded as “demon Shane.” It’s exactly what it sounds like.) Through every season – be it “True Crime” or “Supernatural” – Ryan and Shane make me
laugh while all the while keeping me intrigued. I come out of every episode feeling as if I learned something or, at least, that I know a little more than I did before. Buzzfeed Unsolved is the perfect amount of laughs, spooks, and history; now, I can binge a series and feel like it’s not all for nothing. Like I’m at least being a little productive by learning something. If I’m actually being productive…well, that may always remain unsolved.
Preparing for Sask Fashion Week Speaking with the mind behind Kazz Clothing kaitlynn nordal contributor Alongside fall, this is always a busy time of year for those in the fashion world as they get ready to unveil their spring collections. Ashley Kasdorf of Kazz Clothing was gracious enough to take some time out of her busy schedule as she prepares for Saskatchewan Fashion Week along with her other shows to talk with me. KN: What sparked your interest in fashion? AK: For the most part it was always there, but it started when I was a child. My father studied to be an architect and was a really good artist. I fell in love with blueprints and fascinated by doors, which inspired me to do something with design. In my aesthetic of work/design, you see a lot of linear lines and inspiration from an architect’s world. To this day, doors fascinate me and
I draw lots of inspiration from [them].
was inspiring. Its surroundings had a vibe of coolness.
KN: Do you have any style influences within your work?
KN: Without giving too much away, what can we expect on the catwalk from you in May?
AK: Influences can come from many things. For me, it comes from my travels around Europe as well as my moods in my life in that timeframe. Feelings play a big part in what you are creating. As well as you always have to listen to your clientele and forecast what you want them to wear. KN: What inspired this year’s SFW designs? AK: I wanted to go back to my roots, and what I love. I want to provide those kind of elevated basics you didn’t know you need. This collection, I want to make it mod, but not overdone and coolly down to earth. I really wanted to bring that urban vibe. I recently went to New York, and staying in the garment district
AK: There is a little bit of tailoring, a little bit of sportswear and athleisure wear, heavy focus on outerwear and focus on the masculine and feminine elements in many of the pieces. Focusing more on textures and a simplified color palette. This collection is different from the last, in that you’ll see more softly structured silhouettes and body-slimming knits. To look at any of her previous work, you can visit her website at kazzclothing.com. Kasdorf will be showing her collection at Saskatchewan Fashion Week on the night of Saturday, May 12. Courtesy of Kazz Clothing A little taste of Kazz Clothing.
February 15 - February 28, 2018
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Said Sadly These four sad boys are here to stay mason sliva a&c editor After rocking the Mercury last week alongside Grovner, Blue Youth, and Oiseaux, Said Sadly has a lot to say. The group has taken Regina by storm and their unique style is beginning to turn heads. I had a chance to ask them a bit about their music and what it means to them. MS: Can you tell me about your band, Said Sadly? We play shoegaze-y punk stuff. On vocals is Liam Caul, drums is Mitchell Kolybaba, bass is Nolan Vansteelandt, and on guitar is Brayden Dreger. MS: How did the band members meet? BD: I met Nolan through a failed project in 2015 and then we reconnected summer of 2017 and we were both like “let’s start a band again.” Then he set up a jam with Mitchell and we’ve been jamming ever since. Then we brought Liam in to do vocals. NV: I met up with Brayden through a friend at school about three years ago now. Musically, I really enjoyed his style and it really allowed me to open up my bass playing more and try some different stuff that just didn’t fit with the genres of music my other projects were playing. So, when I found him at a show in Regina in 2017, I knew I wanted to get back into making music with the guy. He seemed just as receptive to the idea so I set up some jam time with a couple of my buddies I knew from around the area. Mitchell and Liam stuck and we’ve been writing music and playing shows since. MK: I met Nolan and Liam in high school. We sometimes got together and jammed, but didn’t know what we were doing until Brayden joined us. What are the main influences for your group? Bands such as Joyce Manor, Nothing, Wavves, Smashing Pumpkins, Turnover, Remo Drive, Nick Reinhart, and anything written by Rivers Cuomo. How does your song-writing process work? MK: It just takes one idea; a chord, a riff, a baseline or a beat, and then whatever happens next when we jam it out together for a bit. Typically, a song is written and nearly finished after we jam out an idea for the first time. What are some of the main themes behind the music? BD: I would say our music is fairly sad (especially on my guitar end), but that’s because I love sad music. I don’t know what it is about minor scales, but they’re amazing. Like, don’t get me wrong, happy music is needed, but sad/weird-sounding music is my jam. Said Sadly’s sound uniquely blends elements of a variety of genres. How did you first come up the group’s sound? BD: I listened to a lot of City
Courtesy of Troy Shields Sad boys rad tunes.
and Colour in high school, so I was obsessed with capo placements. With that, I slowly started adding distortion, reverb, and delays to incorporate more shoegaze aspects. MK: I don’t think we’ve ever given any thought to the way we sound. While playing, we just let the music take us whichever way
NV: Our sound is never something we tried to concrete, but there is definitely a bit of a mold there for what we do. We are a mix of styles from all across the spectrum, and that’s really what I like about the band. Brayden loves to use weird, dreamy chords and shapes, which I like to put an ambient background on through
We make the chorus bits and pieces a little bit dirtier than the rest of the track, which really gives us a chance to let loose. Mitchell can get some pretty crazy grooves and fills, and I can get out some solid punchy bass lines, while Liam is given some space to sort of bring out a little bit of the growl in his voice that we all know so well.
“It’s cold and depressing and when it’s -40 out it’s really easy just to stay inside, make tea and mess around on a guitar.”
-Brayden Dreger
it wants, and each song is a reflection of what we were feeling at the time. Each of us all have very different styles of playing, as well. Brayden gravitates toward shoegaze, Nolan enjoys pop-punk, and I very much enjoy funk, so there are many different styles we tend to mix together.
use of bass chords or even just a few big notes with a solid tone. Liam comes from Regina’s hardcore scene and everyone knows it. Due to the amount we feed off of each other in the song-writing process, we’ve taken a bit of a turn to probably the heaviest Brayden has ever played a guitar in his life.
What are your group’s plans for the future? BD: Open for Weezer. NV: Write as much as possible and hope to get some more shows and maybe get a bit more studio time somewhere. How has the local music scene helped you get your name
out there? BD: Knowing people in the music scene has helped a lot because of how close the community is. Everybody has an idea of everyone and supports each other. How has Regina, and Saskatchewan in general, influenced you? BD: It’s cold and depressing, and when it’s -40 out, it’s really easy just to stay inside, make tea, and mess around on a guitar. MK: The weather gives me an excuse to stay in the basement and play drums all day. NV: I agree with the other guys, there’s nothing to do here. If I didn’t live in a small town outside of Regina with nothing to do, I probably never would have gotten my first guitar.
sports
carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 11 Editor: konstantin kharitonov sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | February 15 - February 28, 2018
Volleyball team overcomes the tough start Group could head to post-season for the first time in four years
ethan williams staff writer The University of Regina Cougars women’s volleyball team have certainly had quite a year. The team wrapped up their regular season at 12-12 the weekend of Feb. 10 and 11, after a rough start. Before the big games went down, the Carillon caught up with head coach Melanie Sanford and Libero Taylor Ungar to discuss the season as a whole, and what they need to do in order to make it to the playoffs. Sanford discussed the first half of the season. “I think the first half gave us indicators that we could achieve the things we have in the second half. I would also say the determination and grit of the team to improve everyday and not lose sight of their goals has been very important.” She went on to say that the team has committed to excelling in all aspects of school, including sports and academics. “We keep our focus on our preparation and also not getting ahead of ourselves.” For Ungar, she says the team has learned to tackle tough times, like the ones faced earlier in the season. “We are learning how to win and deal with adversity as a team
Arthur Images Despite a difficult start to the season, the Cougar women’s volleyball team is hoping their playoff dreams come true this week.
on the court. We are understanding every day how important it is to work as a team and that no one player on our team will be enough to meet our goals this year.” In terms of how the team can keep up their good work in the playoffs, Ungar echoes Sanford and says it’s best not to get ahead of themselves.
time. “We do not start being calm in the playoffs but practice being calm during all of our previous matches. This is important as it would be too late to make a big change like this. We keep our focus on our daily preparation and routines that we have developed through the season.”
good year. “The work done by our coaching staff this year has been incredible. The coaches are available throughout the day for any help we need technically, as well as constantly giving feedback at practice which is very useful.” Sanford, meanwhile, says the team has been a powerful tool in
“We keep our focus on our preparation and also not getting ahead of ourselves.”
- Libero Taylor Ungar
“Today we are focused on Manitoba, and what we need to do in order to be successful this weekend. When focusing on playoffs, it is important to take it one point at a time and not get too ahead of ourselves by focusing on things we can control on the court.” It’s no surprise that nerves and anxiety can overcome players when games come down to the wire, or can depend on playoff spots. Sanford says that being calm doesn’t just start at playoff
Ungar feels good about what she sees on the court, as well as the dedication of everyone involved, stating how key it is to their game. “The thing that makes me the most excited about this time in the season is seeing how all of our hard work and the dedication of our coaching staff had paid off and understanding the process that allowed us to be in the position we are in today.” Speaking of her coaches, Ungar credits them for making this a
combating difficulties. “The team naturally comes together when they overcome adversity and find success as a team in meeting challenges on the court. Volleyball by nature requires a huge team effort and it is important all team members are on board, and this comes through coping with adversity and becoming stronger as a unit.” As for the results of their all-important games against the University of Manitoba Bisons, the Cougars were not quite able
to pull off a victory in either of their matches. Losing both matches 0-3, the team is now awaiting the results of a few other Canada West games in order to see if they will make it to the post-season. The Cougars are the first team in the Canada West conference to finish their regular season, and will head off to the playoffs if any of the following events occur in next weekend’s games elsewhere: UBC Okanagan and Manitoba The Cougars need the BC team to beat the Bisons twice in order to clinch a post-season position. U of Alberta and Brandon Alberta must win twice over the Manitoba team. Battle of Calgary The U of C must beat Mount Royal University at least once. If any of these circumstances come true, the Cougars have a chance to go to the Canada West post-season for the first time since 2014.
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Bring on the Thunder A look back at the season that was, and why it’s a good bet on these Cougars nathan mccarville sports writer The Canada West quarterfinals are set to start next week here at the University of Regina in the Center for Kinesiology and Sport building. With the commencement playoff season, the Cougars are already set to play against the UBC Thunderbirds who finished their season in the ninth place position in Canada West’s league. In contrast, the Cougars are entering the Canada West quarterfinals at the top of the league with a regular season record of 18 wins and 2 losses, with an RPI of .6472. In contrast, the Thunderbirds have a record of 10 wins and 10 losses and an RPI of .5212, meagre in comparison to the Cougars’ 2017-18 season record. The Cougars will play the Thunderbirds twice – once today, and again the next tomorrow, Feb. 16. If each team has already won one by the time that these games are over, another game is set to be played on the 17th as a contingency in the case of breaking a tie between the teams. It does seem unlikely that the quarterfinal games will have to go to a third game. Looking back on the previous games that the Cougars have played against the Thunderbirds, the Cougars have played extremely well. Playing the British Columbian team on their home turf in Vancouver on Dec. 1 and 2, the Cougars defeated the Thunderbirds both times with little trouble, ending the first game with a score of 81-54 for the Cougars. The team provided the same sort of performance the next day on December 2 where the Cougars ended the game with a score of 72-56. The regular season for the Cougars has been rich with the excitement of old records being broken, individuals excelling on the court, and an onslaught by the Cougars that almost seemed unstoppable at one point. As a fan, seeing each game as nearly a sure thing as the games progressed and the divide between the scores slowly widened. The first win streak run the Cougars had started at the beginning of the season against the Manitoba Bisons on November 3, ending on November 18 against UNBC, though having previously beaten UNBC the day previous. Their next winning streak, commencing after the Cougars’ first loss of the regular season, be-
Arthur Images Game 1 is set for today, timing to be decided.
gan on November 24 against the Lethbridge Pronghorns, finally ending on Feb. 3 against the Saskatchewan Huskies after nearly 7 weeks of straight wins. The Cougars couldn’t uphold the continuation of their streak in the face of their second game against the second place team in Canada West. Within the time period of the Cougars’ second winning streak of the season, Charlott Kot broke 1000 points in her career record in the Cougars’ game against the Mount Royal Cougars on Jan. 5, becoming only the 12th Cougar to do so in the basketball program’s history.
In the same game against Mount Royal, the Cougars broke a school record in the game, scoring 101 points against Mount Royal’s 31 points. The 70-point divide between the teams marked the moment where the Cougars beat the record for the largest margin that the Cougars women’s basketball team has ever won by in the program’s history. When talking to head coach Dave Taylor about the performance this season, he was very keen to point out the best parts. “We did a good job of keeping teams off the offensive glass, which allowed us to get out and run – and that’s our strength.”
A few weeks later, still within the golden age of the Cougars’ winning streak, the Cougars beat a school record for the points scored. Against the Brandon Bobcats, the Cougars scored a previously unprecedented 118 points, the game ending with an impressive 118-51 for the Cougars. Even after 13 games when a loss finally game at the hands of the Saskatchewan Huskies, the Cougars losing by only 5 points in the exchange, the morale of the Cougars never ceased. The bench exploded with cheers as the closeness of the game ebbed and flowed throughout the duration of the game, introducing risk
and worry with the excitement of play. With the end of a successful regular season behind us, the Canada West quarterfinal looms in the near future. As the Cougars begin their preparations for their games against their previous regular season rivals, the Cougars gear up in hopes of claiming their stake in a national title as the buzz among fans grows in hopes that their home team can deliver.
“we did a good job of keeping them off the offensive glass, which allowed us to get out and run – and that’s our strength.”
- Dave Taylor
February 15 - February 28, 2018
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Season ends on a high note for Cougars Men’s hockey has strong finish despite tough season nathan mccarville sports writer This past weekend the Cougars men’s hockey team have played the last weekend of their regular season, facing off against the Lethbridge Pronghorns twice over the course of the weekend on Feb. 9 and 10. The first game played against the Pronghorns brought a 5-2 loss, the Pronghorns ending the game with a solid effort against the Cougars. The Pronghorns’ lead came about early in the first period where the Lethbridge Pronghorns scored three goals against the Cougars. However, late in the game the Cougars found their mark, scoring two goals by Cougars Cody Fowlie, a fifth-year in the Cougars’ hockey program, and Tristan Frei, playing his second year on the ice for the Cougars. The Pronghorns put the Cougars out of contention for a win when the Pronghorns’ Brooks Maxwell and Blake Orban found their mark on the Cougars’ goal, putting a win out of the Cougars reach late in the game, pushing the game from a hopeful score of 3-2 for the Pronghorns, to a night-ending score of 5-2. The weekend was anything
Arthur Images Light at the end of the tunnel.
but a loss for the Cougars, however. In the second game that the Cougars played against the Pronghorns, they delivered their best game in the past month and a half since their loss against the Saskatchewan Huskies where the Cougars scored 5 goals against 6 goals scored by the Huskies. The second game ended with a score of 6-4 for the visiting Cougars. Cody Fowlie, the team cap-
tain for the Cougars, scored 3 goals throughout the game, one of which being scored within the first 13 seconds of the game. Soon after Fowlie’s first, Colton Sparrow found his mark on the Lethbridge net at 2:42, followed by another goal from Fowlie at the 8:51 mark of the first period. Lethbridge was only able to score a single goal in the first period, making it 3-1 for the Cougars
by the start of the second. In the second period, Tyson Predinchuk and Jordan Burns each scored a goal for the Cougars, pushing the score to 5-1. The wide lead was short lived when Lethbridge’s Maxwell and Gore were able to get through the Cougars’ defenses and each score a goal for the Pronghorns. In the last period of play, the Pronghorns’ Fisher scored the
final goal that the Pronghorns would get that game, pushing the Pronghorns closer to the Cougars, though Fowlie scored once again near the end of the game, pushing the Cougars from 5 goals to 6 as he took a shot on an empty net and pushing the Pronghorns out of the competition. In their fourth win of the season, the Cougars have ended the 2017-2018 season on a high note, this being among the best games they have played this season. Colton Sparrow,was able to talk about the feeling that the team got from the end of the season. “It felt great to get that win on Saturday. I think it was a great way to end things off, there was 6 of us on the ice that were playing in our last college hockey game, and we left it all out on the ice. That being said, it was nice that the younger guys and the rest of the team had our backs, and everyone came together so that we could finish off the season on a high note. There were plenty of challenges we faced in the last couple weeks, extremely short on players due to injury. We only were able to take 17 guys on the road trip with us, so it was a great feeling coming together and getting that win.”
Playoff wrap-up Lets check in with the rest of the playoff hopefuls konstantin kharitonov sports editor As you can tell, glorious reader, it is playoff season for almost every single Cougars team! This season has been especially kind to the U of R, as the dominant stay dominant, and a few surprises mixed in along the way. As we covered the most obvious contenders, the women’s basketball team, and a truly surprise team still waiting on their clinch, the women’s volleyball team, lets look at how the others in a playoff position are doing in their playoff hunts. Men’s Basketball This season has been one filled with revelation, as the team finished with a strong 11-9 record, their best of the decade. To secure their spot, the Cougars barely knocked of the University of Winnipeg Wesmen by a score of 80-78, where it took a final play from Shaquille Harris in the dying minutes to secure the win for the Cougars. Picking up another win against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies secured the team a play-in game with the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack. Much like a certain wolfpack in Las Vegas, TRU was left to the curb. The hometown Cougars thoroughly dominated
the Wolfpack during the play-in game, winning by a score of 9368. The first half had been particularly dominant, as the Cougars amassed a 16-point lead after the first quarter, only to build upon it in the second, finishing off the half with a 24-point lead. With dominant performance, Regina heads off the quarter finals for a best-of-three series with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, game 1 today in Lethbridge. This is the most exciting men’s basketball team in years. Women’s Hockey It may have taken a 2-0 comeback and two overtime periods to do it, but the Cougars have secured their playoff spot, beating the U of L Pronghorns by a score of 4-3. The team also added in a 3-2 win against U of L the next day for good measure and have fully locked in a match up with the University of Alberta Pandas. The Cougars head to Edmonton as game 1 of the best-of-three series starts on Feb. 13. When asked about the mentality the team has going forward, forward Lilla Carpenter-Boesch mentions how the team needs to keep things simple. “We have to continue to be confident and try not to overthink things. We’ll keep buying in and working hard as we head into the playoffs.”
Arthur Images Playoffs. Baby!
Wrestling While technically not actually being playoffs in the traditional sense, the men’s side of the wrestling team participated in the Canada West championships. The Cougars left with some im-
pressive results. The team left the championship with three gold medals, as Lucas Hoffert, Nathen Schmidt and Waylon Decoteau all come home victorious. Each winner was perfect, as all three
gold medalists won every single match they have faced. The team finished in second place overall for the meet.
February 15 - February 28, 2018
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A love letter to figure skating Why figure skaters are the best ever jaecy bells graphics editor The Winter Olympics have begun again, this time in Pyeongchang, South Korea. To those that know me personally, a humble graphics editor, they know that I’m not a fan of sports in any way. The only event I’ll watch at the Winter Olympics is figure skating. Part power, part dance, and part speed, figure skaters are incredible in that they are not only athletes, they are performers. Like any Olympic sport, the skaters train hard. They’re on the ice for five hours a day, one-on-one with their coaches. Most skaters also take ballet classes for flexibility, and weight training for strength. Unlike most other Olympic sports, the scoring in figure skating is up to the judge’s interpretations. The reason that I learned to figure skate (badly) as a kid was because of my mother, a former competitive skater, who lived and breathed figure skating most of her life. We watched the national championships and the Winter Olympics whenever they were on, and Mom would provide commentary that was usually more detailed than the people broadcasting it. I didn’t know enough about it to catch all of the shaky landings or wobbling footwork, but she always did. We talked about Gabrielle
Ronja Soponen via Flickr Better than Blades of Glory
Daleman’s free-skate performance, and my mother remarked on the skater’s athleticism and her resulting scores. Figure skating, I learned, has gone through a lot of changes in the past couple of decades. There’s been a huge revolution in the marking system, and it’s almost entirely changed from what it used to be. With any performance, the scoring is going to
be somewhat dependent on the judge watching – it’s not like a race where it matters who crosses the finish line first. In some ways, it’s like the difference between grading a math test and an essay – a math problem can be 100 per cent correct, while an essay always has some wiggle room and is up for interpretation. The judging system used to be
much more biased. Politics was a huge part of figure skating – they haven’t vanished entirely, but they’re not as much of a problem. A skater competing in the ‘80s, for example, could struggle to place first because the judges thought she had the wrong body type and wouldn’t be able to be a professional, no matter how she skated. They might refuse to give a skater first
place, because he hadn’t placed first all season, so it wouldn’t make sense to do so now. In short, the judging had less to do with your skating performance that day on the ice, it was all caught up in their opinion of you as a skater overall. Today, they’ve reworked the scoring system so the skaters are awarded X amount of points for certain skills. A triple toe executed correctly will get you a certain number of points, while a two-footed landing will get you certain marks off (like your driving test!). The system has tried to set it up so the skaters can be judged more accurately, and the overall score weighs less on the personal opinion of the judge, and more on the technical skills. Obviously, with any judged competition, there is some leeway, but it’s a huge improvement. The system will never be perfect, but the focus on technical skills and performance execution gives all skaters a better chance. Gabrielle Daleman’s raw energy and athletic performance may not have gone over well with the old scoring system and biased judges, but luckily, the skating world has progressed from the tiny traditional box that figure skating used to be judged in.
2018 Olympic underway Olympics have been a banger so far konstantin kharitonov sports editor With the Olympics officially starting, it has a sigh of relief that the events are going along smoothly, for better or for worse. Well, except for the women’s snowboard final, where athletes were left confused as to how the event was not cancelled due to high winds, when other events were (its not hard to figure out why). But, other than that, it has been pretty good! Winter Olympics tend to be hosted slightly bet-
ter than their summer counterparts (mainly because, for some reason, countries forget that the IOC is just as corrupt in the winter as they are in the summer), and there haven’t been any Zika outbreaks, so at least Pyeongchang has that going for itself. The actual events have been pretty exciting. Mixed doubles curling have been a hit (well, at least in Saskatchewan), with Canada going on an unbelievable run to the finals, beating noted heavyweights Norway and China. The Cinderella team will face its toughest challenge yet, as the ever-imposing goliath that is Switzerland
stands in their way. It would be a shocking story if the good ol’ Canadians can somehow pull out the underdog win. Over in speed skating, the Dutch are at it again, hoarding almost every single medal in the sport, already sweeping the ladies’ 3000 meters. Truly a shocking development from the nation that essentially only sends speed skaters and no one else to these events. Shoot your shot, I guess. In hockey, we saw our greatest upset yet in the women’s, where one of the North American teams actually was losing at one point in their games. Team USA actu-
ally was down a goal to Finland, which became the first time that has ever happened at the Olympic level. Maybe in a couple of years, one of the teams could eventually win a game against team Canada or team USA, but lets not get too excited. The men’s hockey tournament hasn’t started yet, and I don’t think many have noticed, in all honesty. There have been some local hockey reporters declaring that they will avoid all NHL hockey while the Olympics are on. Man, I wish I could refuse to do my job because something that doesn’t affect me makes me mad.
And, finally, the non-Russians are having a surprisingly disappointing time at these Olympics, with only three medals and no gold to their not-names. With 169 athletes in the events, gold should be coming in soon, but so far it has been a pretty shameful performance for the not-motherland. All in all, the Olympics so far have been a breeze. No one has been complaining about how bad the Olympic village is, and there has only been one fight break out.
Andy Miah via Flickr Windy, but still very good.
op-ed
15 Editor: annie trussler op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | February 15 - February 28, 2018
Dear devil’s advocate The other day, I went to visit my friend at work. She had asked me earlier if I could bring her some coffee, and dutifully, I did just that. We stopped to talk, like we usually do, and we got to talking about the deplorable cast of men plaguing Hollywood as we speak. There was, unfortunately, a man in the room – and like clockwork, a chorus of “well, we can’t believe every victim” began. I saw it coming, and it still made me sick. I tried to argue, like I often do (I am more or less the personification of Scrappy Doo), but soon my hands were shaking, and my chest was aching, and my heart was racing too quickly for me to formulate any sort of reasonable argument. Eventually, I crafted a masterful string of BS to escape, and I left to do some deep breaths in the bathroom. It has not been until these last few years that I have felt unsafe around all men I am not familiar with, and even with some of those that I am. You never know when your suggestion of “rapists are evil” will be countered with a straight, non-victim male’s bullshit attempt at insight. So, allow me to take this time to make a direct address: Dear Devil’s Advocate, dear “if I might just offer my opinion,” dear “you have no evidence,” dear “she could be doing this for attention:” fuck you. I can speak earnestly, and hopefully on behalf of all victims who suffer in silence through this nonsense, without shame, and with anger I have never been able to name. Any victim who comes forward – be it with allegations against Johnny Depp or Joe Nobody – are goddamn heroes. I find it difficult to name a braver act than taking an act of violence against you, and bringing it forth to the law, to friends, to family, or anyone that happens to listen. There will be men reading this article. Many men know how to act like decent human beings and agree the above behaviour is disgusting, but there will also be men that proudly wear the badge of “that guy.” So, that guy, I am going to try to put some things in perspective for you: 1 in 5 women are raped or sexually assaulted in college. Those women are around you. They are your friends, your family, your classmates, but most importantly, they are living, breathing, and existing people who cope with this horrific trauma every day of their lives. Victims who hear men like you defend their attackers learn quickly and severely that they can no longer trust you. The list of men I no longer trust with my secrets or safety is longer than I could possibly begin to detail. There isn’t enough paper in the world to catalogue the names of every man who has scared me into silence time, after time, after time. I can tell you, genuinely, that there are few things more frightening than admitting to being a victim. For life, from that point onward, you are ashamed, frightened, and suddenly on your guard in every space that is not your own, and sometimes, even then. I don’t care about your opinion. I don’t care how badly you want to defend your disgusting male faves – they were probably mediocre anyway, and even if they weren’t, they sure as hell are now. So are you. Earlier last year, I decided to come forward to different people about what I had endured. I found that the more women I told, the more seemed to have a frighteningly similar story. Once, at an improv show, I sat with a group of thirteen women and we all shared our experiences.
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This branch of sisterhood is not one I ever wanted to participate in. I should not be able to walk into a crowded room and know that nearly every woman there can relate to each other. While I have your attention, I would also like to dispel a few bullshit counterarguments: 1. Why didn’t she report it? Because of people like you! Victims that come forward are often mocked, belittled, and driven away from their places of comfort or suc-
cess for daring to speak out. People privilege men in almost all cases of accusation, so why would a victim bother? 2. Don’t you know men get raped? I do, in fact; however, it is because of people like you that male victims don’t come forward. If women were afraid to speak out for fear of disbelief, why would your bro try? 3. You have no evidence! If a woman came forward, trembling, crying, and breathless as she recounted how her husband
just murdered someone against their will, would you question it? Would you dare look this clearly traumatized human being in the face and tell her she’s lying? Dear Devil’s Advocate: no one fucking asked.
annie trussler op-ed writer
February 15 - February 28, 2018
carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 16
op-ed
Depressed in college? Me too
Ryan Melaugh via Flickr
It’s hard to have a mental illness. There. I may have written the truest sentence to ever grace the human language – living with mental illness is hard. Every day I wake up for my classes, I question if I’ll want to walk out the door, or simply crawl back into my dark depression den, never to be seen again. Some days, I pick the latter, and I never make it to school (not often, because my perfectionism would kill me, otherwise). We are about five weeks into the new semester, and I’ve cried, on average, once a day – again, this is an average, not an exact tally – usually over nothing, sometimes over minor inconveniences, but most of the time, I’m crying because I’m sad. The intense demand for schoolwork combined with my, unfortunately, Type A personality makes every semester somewhat of a trial. In our last issue, I wrote an article about Bell Let’s Talk, but recent events have driven me to expand on what college is like with severe depression. I cannot speak on behalf of others suffering from different mental illnesses (and I implore you to send personal accounts here if you’re comfortable doing so), but I can try to give those not suffering a more or less realistic look into what daily life looks like for me. Now, I have what I would call mostly high-functioning depression. My intense
anxiety and perfectionism force me to strive beyond my reasonable ability, and thus I frequently burn out. At the beginning of every semester, I am Captain Organization. I have everything color coded, notes separated, every concept is highlighted, and I feel remotely capable. By the time the second or third week rolls around, my sink is full of dishes, and my life is in utter disarray once more. Thanks to my extremely perfectionistic attitude toward projects in my life, this sense of confusion and indirection is more than overwhelming – it’s crushing. I will stay up quite literally all night long if it means putting together the perfect paper. If I don’t, I risk being the lazy, untalented, miserable failure my brain paints me to be. Any mark below a 90 per cent is a horrifying blow. My esteem sometimes takes weeks to recover. I am still shaken over a crappy mark from the beginning of last semester. Last semester. Like, pre-Christmas. Now, I’m writing this article specifically to follow up the overwhelming support offered by allies during Bell Let’s Talk week. Our mental illnesses were suddenly valid and worth discussing. We all thought, “Hey, maybe my behavior will be understood now!” News flash: that never happens.
Our peers are suddenly annoyed by our lethargy and disinterest; our families revert to ignoring our requests and demeaning us (while this, fortunately, does not apply to my own); our workloads are daunting, our daily lives are frightening, and we don’t have the energy to do almost anything. Being depressed in college is like endlessly walking uphill with toddlers hanging off your ankles – so, very hard. Every time I so much as make it to class, it is a silent victory. While my perfectionism doesn’t allow for this, I know many other sufferers who hand in their assignments dramatically late because they simply didn’t have the energy to start them. Friends, I beg you to ask for those extensions. Most professors are more understanding than you might think. While this sounds preachy, I fully recommend self-care therapy. If you need a few days away from people, schedule yourself in such a way – people might be annoyed that you cancel plans, but the state of your mental wellbeing infinitely trumps another person’s comfort. Recently, I suffered a panic attack due to past trauma and had to miss a birthday party. That particular friend has refused to speak to me for over a week, and I learned quickly where my real supporters stand.
Your mental illness will hurt you. It will prevent you from eating, sleeping, socializing, working, and thriving. It will cause you to lose certain friends that don’t understand and gain some more that do. I ask from the bottom of my heart that you learn to forgive yourself. What you feel and think is beyond your control, and ultimately, we are all pawns of the angry little goblin in our brains pulling strings. Oh, and friends without mental illness? Stop giving us recommendations. I have tried yoga, we have all tried sleeping more (we sleep way too much or way too little), we have tried eating vegetables, and we are still depressed. You cannot know how to cure what you have never experienced – at least unless you’re a doctor. Be tough, soldiers. I’m on your team. And ask for those extensions!
annie trussler op-ed editor
February 15 - February 28, 2018
carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 17
op-ed
Elon Musk is super cool (help me)
I just want to say that Elon Musk is a hell of a cool dude. I’m not just saying this because he’s a man that launched a sports car into space, or sold flamethrowers over the Internet, and is now probably working on his death laser that will he eventually put on the moon. It is not because of these reasons that I’m trying to be friends with an individual that is one bad day away from becoming a supervillain. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t know what’s going on with the CEO of SpaceX, PayPal, and Tesla, but if you need to talk, man, we’re all here to listen. Going back and looking at Mr. Musk’s career, one can obviously see that the man is quite dedicated toward the pursuit of scientific breakthroughs. That being said, I also fear this man, because I’m pretty sure he’s going to colonize Mars and turn it into his private empire. Lord knows if that’s the case, for sure, but I’m just analyzing the hand I’m dealt, and Elon Musk has dealt quite the hand. Frankly, I have no idea what this man’s plans are for the future, and that scares the shit out of me. For example, Elon’s opinions on the recent advancement in Artificial Intelligence are as follows, “I’m increasingly inclined to think that there should be some regulatory oversight, maybe at the national and international level, just to make sure that we don’t do something very foolish.” This is a fair statement to make; I mean there does need to be some protocol in place to make sure we don’t make Terminator a reality. However, what follows these statements are experts in the A.I. community saying that Elon Musk is simply fear mongering and that his comments shouldn’t be taken to heart. Excuse me? How about we don’t piss off the man that has the funds necessary to launch a car into space. Because if you think he won’t make his own personal A.I. to prove a point, think again. That aside, I very much agree with Musk’s statements as they hold real-world con-
OnInnovation via Flickr
cerns. Staying on the topic of funds and super-villain levels of creation, a year ago, Musk had decided that he was going to build a boring machine and just start going from there. Move on to a month later from that decision and into February of last year, and we find that Elon had started making plans for a network of tunnels rather than just the initial one that he was going to bore. Let me just make sure I’m being
heard correctly for those reading. Elon Musk just decided to make his network of tunnels… he just decided. Honestly, who is this man? To quote Queen, “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” Now, just to clarify, do I think that Elon Musk is this inventor who’s just on the edge of becoming someone who’ll put laser beam headbands on sharks? No, not really. Do I think that he’s going to colonize Mars and build a new species of genetical-
ly altered superhumans? Not at all. What I do think is that Elon Musk is a super swell dude who just wants the best out of humanity. So, Mr. Musk, if you’re reading this, and I don’t know why you would be, just remember that I’ve never had a problem with you. So, we’re cool, right? Right?
ethan butterfield staff writer
Why is millenial humour so dark? As a millennial myself, I’ve come to notice a phenomenon around my peers when we all get together. Some comments are to be expected, indicative of the time we live in. Calls of “same”, “me” in response to things that one might find relates to them, and the like. However, I’ve come to find that I’ve found myself nodding along or relating to the feeling of general fatalism or jokes about it. “What do you mean?” you might ask, and what I mean is that when someone jokes by saying “I was almost hit by a car on my way to school today, but I wish it would have. At least I wouldn’t have to do my essay, you know?” And I do know. I get it. In reality, obviously, this imaginary person would not have actually wanted to be hit by a car, but the idea of just having some time to spare, some time without the stress of commitments or deadlines, is outrageously attractive. Similarly, jokes about wanting to be dead fall into this exact same category. Not to undercut anyone’s struggles with mental health, but the idea of being free from the stresses of day-to-day life, free from the inevitability of the having to pay back the largest amount of average student debt, free from war, pain, and all those other not-so-nice things is something to consider, at times. When I talk of “wanting to be dead,” I really can’t stress enough that this doesn’t often mean that someone is actively working to harm themselves. Talking about being “dead” is an easier or more cohesive
way to address the desire to just cease existing. This still doesn’t address the question of “why,” however. I theorize that it’s this kind of nihilist escapism that allows millennials to decompress and express their feelings of frustration and anger with the way the world seems to work in the modern era. To put this into perspective, the vast majority of my time alive, my country has also been at war to some tenuous, always changing, loosely defined “enemy.” I live in an era in which I will be represented at work less so than any of my predecessors. I am almost definitely bound to be paying off student debt longer than anyone who graduated in generations past. In a way, I think, the fatalism and dark outlook on the future is a way for millennials to connect with one another. It is a way to acknowledge that you aren’t the only one who feels this way without having to say it. To translate it into the common millennial tongue, same.
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kristian ferguson news editor
February 15 - February 28, 2018
op-ed
carillonregina.com | The Carillon |18
Justice for Colten
Colonialism No More
In 2016, in North Battleford, 22-year-old, Indigenous Colten Boushie lost his life. A white farmer named Gerald Stanley killed him via gunshot. Boushie was allegedly attempting to steal the farmer’s truck, and Stanley took action, claiming the gun fired by accident. This past week, Stanley has been acquitted, inspiring outrage across the country. In the wake of this verdict, I managed to reach out to Michelle Stewart, a professor and attendee of the trial, and Robyn Pitawanakwat, community member and organizer, for their opinions and thoughts. Below are their interviews. Robyn Pitawanakwat Pitawanakwat is an Anishnaabe person and a member of Whitefish River First Nation. Robyn grew up in a family focused on social justice and labour organizing with her mother Mary Pitawanakwat and her mom’s partner Bob Hughes. In the past few years, Robyn has emerged as a key organizer in Regina including working with Voices for Justice and Police Accountability, Colonialism No More, Saskatchewan Coalition Against Racism, and the Mary Pitawanakwat Fund for Children as well as independent mutual aid efforts and general rabble rousing. As a mother of three Indigenous children, Colten’s treatment in Saskatchewan and in the Saskatchewan justice system is a foreshadowing of what I can expect for my own children. Through Colonialism No More (CNM) and Saskatchewan Coalition Against Racism (SCAR) we have been holding vigils and raising funds for the Boushie/Baptiste family. I attended the jury selection and some of the proceedings and the closing arguments.
I was in Regina having just driven back from Battleford, standing with friends and strangers as the verdict came in. For those of us that were following the case it was truly devastating and to be surrounded by strangers laughing and joking was surreal; it has continued to feel this way as I realize that many (seemingly progressive) people are unaffected by this outcome and are completely comfortable in that. At the same time we now have others openly commenting about how Colten “deserved it.” There are many people in our communities who are emboldened now to openly express the racist sentiments that they have always held. Those same people are happy to let you know that they think most Indigenous folks deserve the same fate as Colten. Anti-Indigenous racism is what created this country. You can only create a state on top of someone else’s government if you intend to exclude them and remove them from their land and resources. It isn’t just the racist policies like the Indian Act that reflect this. It is also in the implementation of policies in different ways for Indigenous people. Indigenous people will often get the strictest implementations of a policy while non-Indigenous citizens do not. Canada is seen to be a “safe-haven” by those who benefit from an unbalanced system. Michelle Stewart Stewart is a settler who works on variety of social justice issues including migrant right and racialized access to justice. Michelle works with a number of groups including: Colonialism No More, Saskatchewan Coalition Against Racism, Voices for Justice and Police Accountability, Regina Public Interest Research Group and No One is
Illegal. She lives on Treaty 4 territory and teaches about social justice and advocacy at the University of Regina. Her research focuses on how disabilities are taken up in the justice system in a settler state How do you know Colten/ connection to case? I am a settler in Treaty Four Territory. I didn’t know Colten and have only met some of his family members because of the trial. My connection to the case is through solidarity efforts with groups like Colonialism No More. We have done a number of rallies and/or vigils surrounding his case and when the case went to trial we joined others that visited from Regina to show the family support (visible and less visible) inside and outside the courthouse. How did you feel when verdict was read? What did you feel? I was there the night the verdict was read. What was most striking was that many people thought for a moment that perhaps justice might be served. The jury had asked to review testimony. It seemed that they were putting second degree murder or manslaughter on the table. We knew for at least 22 minutes that there was a verdict and then we waited for the announcement at 7:30. From the moment the judge offered opening comments, I could feel concern wash over me. It was only because they asked to hear testimony again that I thought another verdict was possible – I was not alone in that. When the verdict was read the room filled with cries of despair and horror and Gerald Stanley leapt out of the jury box. He was whisked away into police protection. The verdict as read by a white foreman was the culmination of every factor in the case. It was the result of a case that allowed for an all-white jury
selection, for non-experts to be called as witnesses (delivering anecdotes that were 40 years old), for the victim to be treated as a criminal, for other Indigenous witnesses to be torn apart on the stand, all the while Gerald Stanley’s lawyer had a casual and nearly joking relationship with Stanley on the stand. This was a murder trial. The verdict has only emboldened racists to get louder. It is time for those folks that are not politically active (by choice) to get political. I am speaking directly to settlers. It is always challenging being Indigenous in this country; it is now terrifying. Colten Boushie was shot in the back of the head at close range and Gerald Stanley was acquitted. That should give everyone pause and instigate a response. How prominent is anti-Indigenous racism in Canada? What policies reflect this? Why do people deem Canada to be a “safe haven” away from bigotry? It is very prominent. You can look at every single sector from health and justice to social services and education to see disparities. Policies like the Indian Act perpetuate systemic racism; every day micro-aggressions are delivered with impunity. People that believe Canada is a “safe haven” are white and privileged people.
annie trussler op-ed editor
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carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 19 Editor: jaecy bells graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | February 15 - February 28, 2018
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