the carillon The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper since 1962
Nov. 29 - Dec. 5 2012 | Volume 55, Issue 14 | carillonregina.com
cover the staff editor-in-chief
dietrich neu carilloneic@gmail.com business manager shaadie musleh business@carillonregina.com production manager julia dima production@carillonregina.com copy editor michelle jones copyeditor@carillonregina.com news editor taouba khelifa carillonnewseditor@gmail.com a&c editor paul bogdan aandc@carillonregina.com sports editor autumn mcdowell sports@carillonregina.com op-ed editor edward dodd op-ed@carillonregina.com visual editor arthur ward graphics@carillonregina.com ad manager neil adams advertising@carillonregina.com technical coordinator jonathan hamelin technical@carillonregina.com news writer a&c writer sports writer photographers olivia mason tenielle bogdan
news
arts & culture
Our Prairies. 6 A move by the government to privatize the Canadian prairies has many Indigenous people and community members angry. Author Candace Savage addressed Regina last week about the beauty of the grasslands, and the consequences of the privatization.
Lights, camera, action. 12 The destruction of the SFETC last spring was stupid and a lot of filmmakers left the province, but not all of them. Some have stuck around, and the first film to be produced since the SFETC's elimination is set to be wrapped up shortly.
sports
op-ed
Girlby 10 If boys are allowed to chase after each other, tackling each other with no equipment, risking broken limbs and chipped teeth, then girls should be allowed to as well. And so, the female rugby club is born.
Hoo needz grammer. 19 wee dee sye dead 2 rite abowt y its ok 2 cut anglish frum teh carickewlum. wee dont need it neway, wee can spend taht tyme makeing Money bcuz that is wut matters in teh reel wurld nawt shakes peer or essais.
kristen mcewen sophie long kyle leitch braden dupuis
marc messett emily wright
contributors this week jake stinson jon neher regan meloche rikkeal bohmann jordan palmer dustin christianson britton gray paige kreutzwieser kris klein
the paper THE CARILLON BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dietrich Neu, Kent Peterson, Edward Dodd, Ed Kapp, Tim Jones, Madeline Kotzer, Anna Weber 227 Riddell Centre University of Regina - 3737 Wascana Parkway Regina, SK, Canada, S4S 0A2 www.carillonregina.com Ph: (306) 586-8867 Fax: (306) 586-7422 Printed by Transcontinental Publishing Inc., Saskatoon
The Carillon welcomes contributions to its pages. Correspondence can be mailed, e-mailed, 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. Letters should be no more then 350 words and may be edited for space, clarity, accuracy and vulgarity. The Carillon is a wholly autonomous organization with no affiliation with the University of Regina Students’ Union. 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 corporation.
the manifesto
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 buildings was a bell tower 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 bell tower. The University never got a bell tower, 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. Illegitimi non carborundum.
Aside from this being maybe the creepiest picture ever, we’re not trying to scare you. We take a look at the state of academic freedom at the U of R, and concerns that academics are slowly losing their voices, without realizing it, as the university is corporatized and turned into a money making degree machine. On second thought, maybe you should be scared?
photos news Kyle Leitch a&c Concordian sports Arthur Ward
op-ed Edward Dodd cover Arthur Ward
Duh Doy: last week in our masthead, we can “In 2009, Israel attacked Gaza”. The correct year is actually 2008. Technically, this is the keyboard’s fault for putting the 8 and 9 so close to each other! But no, really. We regret the mistake and we’re sorry,
news Giving at the holidays isn’t enough
News Editor: Taouba Khelifa carillonnewseditor@gmail.com the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
Christmas brings out the good in people, but donations halt after holidays sophie long news writer Over the holidays, the spirit of giving is present everywhere you go. At the mall, there are collection bins for the Salvation Army. Classrooms and workplaces across the city create hampers for the food bank to give to the lessprivileged on Christmas day, and charity balls and suppers occur every night of the week in December. However, once the happiest time of the year is over, many people forget about donations and charity until next Christmas. Bonnie Morton, an anti-poverty advocate at the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry, considers this to be a failure of our society. “What happens at Christmas is we get this warm fuzzy feeling inside of us, and it makes us feel really good to be able to give, whether it’s to the food bank, to the church, or it’s to Santas Anonymous, giving out gifts to children and that,” Morton said. “Those families have those same needs day in and day out, short of the gift side of it. It makes us feel good to do that, but the reality is the day after people then fall back into [the sterotype of] ‘If they just did more for themselves.’ We get a buzz from giving at Christmas time, but that buzz doesn’t last much past New Years.”
stutteringmessiah.wordpress.com
With the demands on food banks and other charities increasing during the colder times of the year, and Morton said that demand simply doesn’t go away after the holiday season. “At Christmas time, we’re all into the giving. Very quickly that Christmas cheer wears off. You see that after New Years. The reality is, after Christmas, the people living in poverty are one more time targeted ... They have the same needs 365 days a year. [But, our society sees it as] ‘as soon as it’s given, it’s gone.’ People’s needs don’t begin and end on Christmas.”
Although the extra donations during Christmas time are welcome, Morton believes that it is time the public starts understanding the year-round demand for chairitable items. “We need to be helping all of our brothers and sisters. We, as a community, have a responsibility not just to give to charity,” she said. “We need to be moving in the area of justice and be asking our government, our communities, and ourselves to do the right thing for people living in poverty.” Morton outlined several ways this can be done.
“Number one, you need to educate yourselves of the reality of living in poverty. Nobody woke up one day and said ‘God, isn’t poverty great. I just aspire to be poor’ That’s not a personal choice of anybody.” Morton insisted charity must be coupled with action toward justice in order to be completely effective. “We need to call on our government to bring in rent control so that people can have a roof over their heads. We need to ask for an actual living wage,” she said. “Anyone that looks like they’re really poor is removed by the po-
lice or by security. Out of sight, out of mind, right?” Morton believes that the problem is exacerbated by the physical appearance of people who are asking for money. “Treat people the way you’d like others to treat you. If you’re downtown and you’re well dressed and need a quarter, anyone will give one to you. If you’re poorly dressed, you won’t get that quarter.” Her advice for those who want their charity to extend past giving and into justice is to “make that charity 365 days a year. If you don’t know the details, call our ministry and we will explain it to you. Part of this poverty is systemic, and we’re a part of that because we support whatever the government does. If we want something to change, we have not only the right, but the responsibility to call on the government and say this is something we would like to see. As an individual student, you can call for things like a living wage, because eventually that will be you working out there. You can also ask for things like reasonable tuition rates ... The provincial government needs to be called on to create reasonable tuition. Housing is an issue too. We need rent controls.”
Consumerism craze Apparently, when prices drop people go bat-shit crazy rikkeal bohmann contributor Americans went crazy for savings as Black Friday hit The United States on Nov. 23. According to a survey from the American National Retailer Federation, and estimated 147 million people went shopping to find the best deals of the year throughout the Black Friday weekend. The mayhem gets so out of control that police supervision is often required at some of North America’s larger shopping centres. The Los Angeles Police department used helicopters over some malls, while police on the ground were on bikes and horses to keep the crowds in check. The hordes of people are continuously growing over the years, as stores try to open earlier to accommodate the increase in shoppers. This year, some stores chose to open late on Thursday night, which was Thanksgiving Day in America, to start the shopping experience earlier. Outside of Macy’s in New York, and estimated 11,000 people lined up, waiting for the store to open its doors. Given the crowed shopping malls and long lines, online shopping saw a predictable increase in activity. Chris Street, an associate pro-
cloudfront.inthecapital.com
WAFFLE MAKERS TWO DOLLARS TODAY ONLY, EEEEEEEEEEE! fessor of business administration at the University of Regina, sees no reason why online shopping would decrease in the future, but is always surprised at how small the numbers actually still are
when compared with shopping at a physical store. Forrester Research Inc. released a projection in early February last year that online shopping in the U.S. will spend
$327 billion in 2016, this is up 465% from the $226 billion to be spent this year, and up 62% from the $202 billion spent for online shopping in 2011. In Canada, where every eight
out of 10 people have access to the internet, online shopping is rising as well, according to Statistics Canada. In 2009 online shopping was valued at $15.1 billion, up from $12.8 billion in 2007. Street believes there are two main differences between online shopping and going to an actual store. “A person by themselves, or in a group, goes shopping for two reasons: to buy something and for the event.” Online shopping only has the consumerism aspect, while lacking the outing experience that shopping at a physical store brings. “This is a huge benefit for retailers to get the sale, but they don’t have to fight the crowds,” he said. According to CTV news, a recent poll found 82 per cent of American consumers plan on not going Black Friday shopping this year, while 30 per cent plan to take part in Cyber Monday – the online equivalent of Black Friday. Canadians may be even crazier on savings this year, with 44 per cent of Canadians planning to shop on Cyber Monday, stated a BMO poll.
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
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Canary in the coal mine Academic freedom could fade away without you knowing it
Kyle Leitch
taouba khelifa news editor Academic freedom as we know it might be in jeopardy at the University of Regina – and almost no one is aware of it. There are serious concerns among academics at the U of R about possible changes to their fundamental right to freely express themselves and criticize their institutions. In 2011, a number of university presidents across Canada endorsed a statement that would change the understanding and application of academic freedom in Canadian universities. The changes were presented in the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) “Statement on Academic Freedom.” Academic freedom is a right enjoyed by academics to pursue their work, wherever it may take them, to freely teach theories and ideas, especially those that may
be new or controversial, to express their opinions and criticize the institutions in which they work and their governments, and to express extramural speech and action - that is, to engage in service outside of the walls of the university and their fields of expertise, while still being protected by the institution. However, under the changes proposed in the AUCC Statement, academic freedom would no longer protect academics’ extramural speech and action, nor would it protect the right of academics to criticize the university and its governance. At the University of Regina, these proposed changes by the AUCC have raised concerns, especially since academics were made aware that U of R President, Vianne Timmons, endorsed the AUCC statement, and is pushing for changes to be implemented in the current round of collective bargaining. As the U of R’s Faculty Association (URFA) continues it’s collective bargaining, academic freedom has been a
“ In every case I can think of, whenever steps have been taken to limit [academic freedom] in universities, or to reduce the ability of academics to speak their minds on matters that they deem important, usually it’s been suggestive of an anti-democratic swing in society, of a move towards oppression, towards absolutism, and the broader social consequences have been very negative.” Philip Charrier
hotly debated issue. But perhaps more troubling, say some professors, is the fact that the university administration is meddling with academic freedom at all, especially given that it is a right that belongs solely to academics. The U of R’s Peter Campbell, professor of Philosophy, Michael Trussler, professor of English, and Philip Charrier, professor of History, spoke to the Carillon about some of their concerns regarding the proposed changes to academic freedom, and the fundamental implications that such changes would mean for education as a whole, but more importantly, for academia in a university. “Academic freedom isn’t just incidental to the ways of the university; it’s integral. That is, it’s not separable from the ways of the university, and therefore isn’t something that could be diminished or denied, and a university remain. It’s therefore something that a university [administration] should not be tinkering with at all, especially since the university’s viability as an institution of higher learning depends on it,” argued Campbell. Essentially, Campbell pointed out, “academic freedom is the oxygen of the intellectual engine.” To remove academic freedom from the picture, or to change its meaning and guidelines, as the AUCC statement has proposed, would be to change the very function of a university. According to Campbell, the AUCC’s stance on academic freedom is, in reality, a way for university administrators to take away the voices of faculty and students, making it easier to govern and change the university as they like.
“The AUCC statement presents academic freedom as an antagonism ... a fight between the administrators and the faculty. It’s no such thing,” Campbell stated, further explaining that academic freedom has historically been understood to protect the work of the academy from external interference, from governments, administrators or from any other authority. It has never been understood as a protection of administrative “integrity and autonomy.” To present the debate over academic freedom as a contest between competing interest groups - faculty and administrators - is to fundamentally misunderstand the purpose of academic freedom. “Universities could exist without management. They wouldn't work nearly so well – and I'm biting my tongue as I say that – if they weren’t well managed, but they would survive as institutions of higher learning,” Campbell said. “Universities would not survive without the academics: without the students, and the faculty, and their work together.” “Reading between the lines, what [administrators] want is autonomy from not just cranky students and faculty; they want autonomy from the academic mission. They want to be able to decide what the university's academic mission is. One of the things that puzzles me is that [university] presidents think they have a right to have a vision of a university, and then change the university to match the vision,” he continued. “The AUCC [Statement] portrays such a profound misunderstanding of the nature of our work, that you wonder whether there are any academics on the fifth floor of this
university at all.” However, the professors argued, a university has a nature that is determined by its fundamental goal: intellectual excellence. It’s nature is not something that anyone, administrator or faculty member, is free to change. As such, the vision of a university cannot be created by its administrators and managers; the vision and mission of a university is created by its academics and students. Yet, at a time where government funding to universities continues to decrease, more and more universities are starting to look elsewhere for financial support: namely from corporations and private donors. In an effort to secure funding and attain that financial sustainability, university administrators across the country are changing the visions, missions, and foundations of their educational institutions to align with the beliefs and values of these private donors and corporations. Academics across Canada find this move to be extremely problematic. According to Charrier, history has provided a foreshadowing of such consequences. “In every case I can think of, whenever steps have been taken to limit [academic freedom] in universities, or to reduce the ability of academics to speak their minds on matters that they deem important, usually it’s been suggestive of an anti-democratic swing in society, of a move towards oppression, towards absolutism, and the broader social consequences have been very negative.” Trussler agrees with this point, noting that in North American society, universities are one of the few places that pride themselves
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
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“ It is completely wrong to think of a faculty member as being a specialist in only one narrow thing that he or she then writes about and teaches class on...While it is true that I may have an interest in American literature, for instance, it is crucial for me as a writer, as a scholar, to get out of the narrowness of my particular field, and see how things exist in a larger way.” Michael Trussler
“ Academic freedom isn’t just incidental to the ways of the university; it’s integral.” Peter Campbell Arthur Ward
on allowing freedom to exist. “[Full freedom] does not exist in the government right now. It does not exist in business. It does not exist in most religious organizations. The university is a place where everyone can meet and discuss ideas in a rational way, and everything is on the table, and it is absolutely essential to our democracy that this is kept free,” he said. In theory, Trussler argued, “the university is not interested in the student as a consumer. The university is interested in the student because of his or her particular history and capability of thinking on their own.” Charrier joked that this situation can be seen as a type of “canary in the coal mine syndrome.” Legend has it early coal miners would take caged canaries into the mineshaft to help them detect any dangerous gases in the air. Canaries, being especially sensitive to methane and carbon monoxide, could detect the toxic chemicals before the human body. As long as the canary kept singing, miners knew the air was safe. If the canary got sick, miners knew they needed to get out as quickly as possible. As administration begins meddling with academic freedom, the canary in the coal mine can be best understood as a warning that other freedoms and rights of citizens are in jeopardy. “If a successful limitation of academic freedom is achieved within the Canadian university system, what does that open the door for, in terms of freedom of the press, free speech, freedom of organization?” Charrier said. “I think academic freedom is something that belongs to society as a whole. University is a place where people can come and feel free to express themselves, to challenge, to question, to argue. The negative impact [of limiting academic freedom] as a whole could be quite significant.”
Not only could limiting academic freedom be devastating to the university and society as a whole, but such limitations could also lead to the underdevelopment of student minds. Creating Citizens
“We need a place in our society that does not have to be tied to economic or financial results,” Trussler said. “It is important to study physics even if there will not be any economic application to physics for a very, very long time. It is important to study Aristotle, even if that is not going to be turned into something that is sold or bought.” The professors noted one important goal of a university is to create citizens who are able to think for themselves, understand ideas, justify their decisions, and analyze their surroundings. If universities turn into businesses, then they should be in the business of creating intelligent, well-informed citizens. At their core, Campbell added, universities house the “guardians of our intellectual traditions,” the professors, their students, and the work between them. Through the work of the professors, universities are able to nurture the minds of the next generation, working to make them autonomous and strong. “That all sounds kind of grand, but that’s in fact what the institution of the university is for,” he emphasized. Trussler and Charrier agreed with Campbell’s analysis of the university. The job of universities and academics, they reiterated, is not to create employees, but informed, critical citizens who question their surroundings, and think outside of the box. However, Charrier questioned this idea of creating citizens without the presence of full academic freedom, saying, “if students are
going through a system in which professors are circumscribed in terms of what they can say” because their academic freedom is limited, how then can universities mold intellectually critical students? Limiting academic freedom, and the extramural action and speech of academics, say the professors, is problematic in allowing the university to fulfill its most basic responsibility. The Extramural Sense
In order to create citizens that are well-rounded, academic freedom, needs to also include a protection of extramural speech. AUCC’s revised statement does not include this protection, and further fails to acknowledge that extramural ideas are important. A subtle but grave implication of the AUCC model of academic freedom is that academics are expected to limit their expressions of critical thinking to their narrowly defined areas of expertise. This leaves the university administration as the sole authority on all other matters. This is deeply concerning for Campbell because this sort of ideology shifts the power in academic freedom from a right that protects thought and speech, to a right that protects administrations from criticism. Such a shift, says Campbell, would put the right of academic freedom in the hands of the administration, and would “muzzle” faculty and students from providing telling criticism of the way their universities are run. While some may argue that academics and students should not speak about matters that go beyond their research-based expertise, Charrier stated that this way of thinking undermines the valuable critical role of universities in society. “On the surface it may seem like a logical thing,” he said. “But
“ The AUCC [Statement] portrays such a profound misunderstanding of the nature of our work, that you wonder whether there are any academics on the fifth floor of this university at all.” Peter Campbell Tenielle Bogdan
if you think of it in a different way, what this restriction does is reduces the university to the sum of its parts, and there’s no way that any university is going to have expertise on every subject and issue of relevance to society. If you eliminate [extramural sense, the university will become a place with] no ambition and no imagination beyond a very limited sphere. Think about it: a professor with no training on guns or crime who dared speak about the gun registry to question this or that policy, could be deemed not to be speaking within her field of expertise; under the AUCC statement on academic freedom, [the professor] would not be protected from discipline or censorship from within the university.” Beyond this, a major flaw in removing or restricting the protection of extramural speech is that academics would lose their right to criticize the administration and engage in the university’s collegial governance. “It is completely wrong to think of a faculty member as being a specialist in only one narrow thing that he or she then writes about and teaches class on,” Trussler said. While it is true that I may have an interest in American literature, for instance, it is crucial for me as a writer, as a scholar, to get out of the narrowness of my particular field, and see how things exist in a larger way. “Should I be able to offer critique regarding budgets, even though I am not an economist or an accountant? Absolutely. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to deal with the basic components of what it means to be a citizen,” Trussler continued. “To suggest that we are only capable of speaking about our limited areas of expertise is, in fact, remarkably arrogant.” Campbell and Charrier agree, stating that in their own fields of
Philosophy and History, the responsibility of their expertise is to think of and explore the whole human experience, which means exploring various fields and looking at various subjects. It would be impossible, said the professors, to do their jobs by only narrowly focusing on their fields. A wider exploration of the social and historical arena is an essential part of their daily work. To limit this exploration, by removing the extramural aspect of academic freedom, would be to strip professors of their duties as academics and teachers. Accountability
The AUCC’s statement has caused much concern among academics here at the U of R. Professors and other academic staff say that the administration should have consulted with professors, students, and staff before deciding to throw their support behind the AUCC Statement. While President Timmons has endorsed the AUCC’s changes to academic freedom, the professors say it’s not too late to bring the conversation to the table, and allow professors and students to give feedback. “A debate should be held where [the administration] should be able to articulate their rationale for their changes ...One of the things that disturbs me about the AUCC is that it’s sort of coming in the back door,” Trussler said. “It’s the sort of thing that should be debated all across the university. Those who want to make these changes should be able to convince the rest of the University community, through reason, that this is actually a better thing.”
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the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
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From dustbowl to riches Best-selling author talks to Regina community about the move to privatizing the grasslands
Kristen McEwen
kristen mcewen news writer Best-selling author, Candace Savage, spoke at the Univeristy of Regina last week, not to promote her books, but to raise awareness about the fate of the grasslands, where so many of her stories are set. In April, the Canadian government announced that the Community Pasture Program under the former Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) would be discontinued. The Community Pasture Program was initiated in the 1930s to restore land that was eroded due to the drought during the Great Depression. There are 85 pastures in the Prairie provinces. Sixty-two of these pastures are located in Saskatchewan – approximately 1.8 million acres in total. The management of these lands were transferred to provincial governments. The Saskatchewan government will manage 1.6 million acres. On Aug. 17, the provincial government released a statement that “pasture patron groups will have the opportunity to own and operate each pasture” meaning the grasslands will be sold and owned privately. In October, the federal government announced that ten community pastures in Saskatchewan, for the purpose of grazing cattle, would be under the care of the Saskatchewan government by the end of 2013. Savage started off the public lecture Thursday evening explaining why prairie grasslands are im-
portant on a personal level, sharing the stories Savage had heard from her mother about how so many people survived the “dustbowl” the prairies once were in the Dirty Thirties. “When we talk about people on the prairies, we are talking about the land,” Savage said. “That isn’t as obvious to us now as it used to be, when everyone lived on the land and ate what the prairies provided. But it remains true, nonetheless. Today, as always, the land feeds us. It supports plants that not only nourish our bodies, but also snatches carbon out of the atmosphere and produce oxygen for us to breathe. The land filters impurities out of the water. Even today we can’t get by on an iFood, or iAir or iWater. It’s just not the same.” Not only do many people hold personal connections with the prairie pastures, Savage pointed out that privatizing the grasslands threaten the safety of at-risk species including the burrowing owl, swift fox and sage grouse. Naomi Beingessner, executive director of Regina Public Interest Research Group (RPIRG) said they invited Savage to speak at the U of R because as a “successful writer, [she] would be able to communicate the importance of the prairies, and her interest in them, in a very compelling way.” Beingessner added that selling the pasture lands affects the public in a number of ways. “If you’re concerned about endangered species or species at risk, there’s a lot of habitat in these pastures,” she said. “If you’re concerned about carbon sequestration keeping pastures and grassland is
a really effective way of sequestering carbon. If you are concerned about the viability of small towns and small ranchers or interested in grass-fed beef as a local foodie, I mean, these are all things the pastures are important for.” Beingessner said another major problem with the Saskatchewan government selling the grasslands was that many stakeholders in the land were not consulted in the decision making. “So, First Nations were not consulted, pasture patrons to a larger extent were not consulted … and, of course, the general public was not consulted,” she said. “We’re not only educating people...but we’re bringing together these people who haven’t been consulted and giving them some space to address their concerns.” A forum was held on Friday at the Orr Centre to provide the opportunity for the public to learn about the history of the pastures and to allow stakeholders to speak up, including First Nations people, pasture employees who will lose their jobs due to privatization, and other patrons. The afternoon was dedicated to finding resolutions as to what is in the public interest. One campaign was suggested during the open mic session on Thursday evening, which gives people the chance to express their concerns to Premier Brad Wall through a message at www.ProtectthePrairie.ca. “As soon as you get one thing figured out, some new challenge is soon to pop up,” Savage said. “It might be oil and gas development, which we know is in the grasslands, which is sure to bring with it service roads, fragmenta-
tion, invasive plants; there are problems posed by a rapidly changing climate. And yet our federal Minister of Agriculture,
Julia Dima
Gerry Ritz, in his wisdom, has decided that the job is done.”
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Battlefield access denied Military robots could be the new soilders on the field regan meloche contributor Robots are gradually replacing humans in many areas, but should we let them replace human soldiers on the battlefield? This is a question many scientists and researchers are asking themselves. Last week, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams teamed up with Human Rights Watch (HRW) to advocate a ban on “killer robots,” releasing a 50-page report entitled Losing Humanity: The case against killer robots. The report notes that humans are being replaced on the battlefield by robots, or autonomous weapons, more and more. These weapons come in all shapes and sizes, and include drones, mortars, and sentries. The weapons can fall into three categories: human in-theloop, which are robots able to select targets, but can only deliver force or attack with human command; human on-the-loop, which are robots that select targets and attack on their own, with a human supervisor who can override the robot’s actions; and human out-of-the-loop, robots select targets and attack without any human interaction. A majority of military robots today are in-the-loop. The report by HRW warns that if left unchecked, out-of-the-loop robots may be developed within the next 20 to 30 years. The advantages of using robotic technology on the battlefield are clear. By using robots, militaries require less human power on the ground. Currently having no emotions, robots would also be ‘fearless’ on the battlefield and be able to make sacrifices that humans might not. But, the advantage of having
technicalhut.blogspot.ca
This robot looks like a prototype of J-Lo no emotions is also seen as the main problem of autonomous weapons by the HRW. The robots may be programmed to recognize a human, but it has no way of distinguishing between a combatant and an innocent civilian. For example, the robot may mistake a child with a toy for a soldier with a gun. The only way to distinguish is to know the “intent” of the target. Does the target want to attack or is the target trying to escape? HRW argues that small nuances like this can only be recognized by humans, and this is one of their main arguments why autonomous weapons must be banned. One of the most relevant examples of this problem is the South Korean sentry robots that have been guarding their demilitarized zone for the past couple years. These robots are able to distinguish humans from animals using sensors and pattern
recognition from a distance of 500 meters. While the actual firing mechanism is done by a human, the robots come with an automatic mode. Myung Ho Yoo, one of the lead engineers on the project, believes that for this case, the robot doesn’t need to distinguish whether the human target is a civilian or combatant. If you are in the zone, you are automatically an enemy. The fully automatic mode is the type of thing that the HRW has a problem with. The question left to be asked, then, is does this technology need to be regulated globally before it gets out of hand? It raises a bigger question about the somewhat oxymoronic concept of rules of war. For example, international humanitarian law currently prohibits disproportionate attacks where civilian harm outweighs military benefits. The Martens clause, also states that weapons
are unlawful if they contravene principles of humanity. Since ‘military benefits’ and ‘principles of humanity’ mean very different things to different cultures, this causes a complicated issues. In addition to their military dangers, some have also likened the concept of autonomous weapons to landmines, another weapon that kills indiscriminately. Jody Williams’ 1997 Nobel Peace Prize was a result of her international campaign to ban antipersonnel landmines, which led to the Ottawa Treaty. Many countries signed the treaty, promising not to use mines, but a number of countries did not sign on, including the United States, China, Russia, India, Israel, and Iraq. As a result, when it comes to war, some countries may not follow these international ‘rules’. Some have questioned whether countries should ban things like mines or autonomous
weapons, in hopes of setting a peaceful example. Or, they say, is this a naive hope, since doing something like this would deprive the world of useful weapons? The main argument for banning autonomous weapons is that robots cannot connect with other humans, risking killing innocent civilians mercilessly. This concept also raises some important questions. While it may be true that robots don’t have emotions now, does that mean that it will be true in the future? Is it possible to program a robot to be ‘ethical,’ and is there anything stopping the creation of robots that mimic certain human emotions? These are questions with answers that not all agree on, but need to be addressed when considering ideas like using robots on the battlefield. An arugment that has been brought up is that human emotions work both ways. Sometimes, they could stop someone from killing an innocent human being, but they may also turn irrational, which can cause some soldiers to abuse their power in terrible ways. To end on a more positive note, it is worth mentioning that just because a robot is a military robot, it does not necessarily mean it is being used as an attack weapon. There are military robots that detect landmines and sniff out bombs. Researchers are even working on a robot that can rescue wounded soldiers from the battlefield. So, with such a double edged sword, the debate on robot creation continues on.
Gizmos & gadgets Your weekly look at science and technology Wii U: Nintendo recently released the Wii U in North America, hoping to make it one of the top-selling Christmas gifts this year. One of the most praised features about the new console is the improved online experience. The Miiverse is a message board devoted to Nintendo that allows players to interact with each other through typed messages and hand-drawn notes.
regan meloche contributor Curiosity raises curiosity: The Mars Curiosity Rover has apparently made a major discovery using its sample analysis instrument. Scientists are saying that it will be one for the history books, and results will be revealed on Dec. 3, which has given the internet world plenty of time to spread rumors and speculate as to what the discovery might be: water? Organic life? Pyramids? Crop-circle making machines?
Sauron’s revenge: New Zealand’s Mount Tongariro erupted last week, making this its second eruption of the year. Tongariro is in the Taupo Volcanic zone, which was one of the shooting locations for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The eruption consisted mainly of ash shooting into the air. No one was hurt.
Twitter war: Both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict have been making use of social media, especially Twitter, to keep the world posted on their operations. While some see the constant updates as a way to keep the world informed on the details of the conflict, others see it as an easy way to agwar spread gressively propaganda. mirror.co.uk
Mount Tongariro erupted last week, it’s ashes filling New Zealand’s skies
sports ROUNDTABLE
Sports Editor: Autumn McDowell sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
Argonauts.ca
I had dinner riding on Toronto. Ballin
braden dupuis, britton gray, paige kreutzwieser, kris klein contributor This time last year, the women’s hockey team was second last in Canada West, now they are in second place with a 10-4 record. What do you think has led to the team’s success this season?
Dupuis: Considering how I don’t really know anyone on the team personally, I can only guess at what brought about this change in fortune. My guesses, in no particular order, are: repeated viewings of the Mighty Ducks trilogy, stirring inspirational speeches at key moments, performance-enhancing drugs and blackmail. Yes, any one of those will do. Gray: A new season can be all a team needs to do well – just ask the Argos. This team came into this season with a new outlook and a fresh start, and they have taken full advantage of it. Congratulations to the team and coaches for being able to improve since last year.
Kreutzwieser: After quickly skimming through some articles, I’m going to go with Wheeler. I could be so wrong with this choice, but I’m going with it because her name popped up in practically every article. Plus, I’m being biased in choosing her because she has a wicked first name.
Klein: I have no idea. It could be they’re a more experienced group than last year. I’ve been meaning to get to a game this season but
the factuality of education has prohibited me to attend based on the copious amount of homework. Thanks education, you make the world go round.
The Toronto Argonauts won the 100th Grey Cup; do you think the victory will be enough to finally grow Toronto’s fan base?
Dupuis: It’s possible, but I’m willing to bet that any goodwill gained from Grey Cup 2012 has already been negated ten times over by Rob Ford’s fat ass cartwheeling out of control at one of the pre-game media events. That shit is almost enough to kill sports entirely. Gray: I think it will, because the championship-starved city finally has a champion. After years of mediocrity from the Leafs and Blue Jays, Toronto finally has a team they can be excited about. Also, Ricky Ray’s moustache is something the city can get behind.
Kreutzwieser: Doubtful. Most Torontonians probably don’t know who the Argos are, let alone Ricky Ray. The Grey Cup was in their town, but when TSN would scan the crowd, it was full of fans for other teams. Maybe it’s because all the Bieber fans snatched the tickets before Argo fans could get a hold of them?
Klein: I think so. They have a solid quarterback in Ricky Ray, a pretty solid running back in Chad Kackert and an insane kick returner/receiver in Chad Owens. The fans in T.O. would be stupid not to go see those guys light it up week after week, but no. They
would rather go see the Raptors and Leafs lose a total of 95 games at home. Smart Toronto, real smart.
What was your favourite part of the Grey Cup halftime show?
Dupuis: OMG, don’t make me choose. Was it Mariana’s Trench with their sublime melodies, profound lyrical insight and super stylish hair glitter? The lip-syncing perfection of C-Ray Jeps and JBiebs? Brian Williams and his lazy eye? I think my vote has to go to the part where Gordon Lightfoot’s skeleton sang that song about trains. Gray: Three words. Carly Rae Jepsen. She was the highlight of the half-time show because she performed the most played song from this last year: Call me Maybe. Justin Bieber was wearing way too much leather and Josh Ramsay was way too Edward Cullen. Sparkles!
Kreutzwieser: Trying to figure out if Gordon Lightfoot was alive, because he truly looked dead; and, if he was singing in English, because it really sounded like he had his own language going on. Also, the two dudes behind Brian Williams pretending to toke up was pretty awesome.
Klein: Not watching it. Seriously, I got better things to do like bash my head against a wall than listen to “attempted” singing. I think the 100th Grey Cup will always be remembered for the lip-syncing of that douche bag, Justin Bieber, and Carly Rae Jepson. And a note to Selina Gomez, who obliviously
has a thing for Canadian guys...How you doing?
A lot of NHL players have gone overseas during the lockout, while others have stayed home to run their businesses. If you were a player, what would you choose to do during the lockout? Dupuis: Gee I dunno. Maybe I would take a trip. Somewhere warm, away from the hustle and bustle of the work-a-day lifestyle. Or perhaps I would treat myself to a new sports car, and drive it to the ocean with my supermodel wife. Or maybe I’d take my millions out of the bank and just fucking roll around in it. The world is my oyster.
Gray: I would stay home and find work. It’s not as glorious, but it’s an opportunity to spend time with family and friends. It’s a long season, often being far from home for most players and this gives them the perfect opportunity to be with their family. Kreutzwieser: If I was Sidney Crosby, I’d be wiping my tears with all the dollar bills still coming out of my ass. But, if I was a nobody, I’d probably be back mooching off my billets, partying it up like the good ol’ Triple A glory days. YOLO right? Klein: Probably go overseas. If my job was to play hockey I would be looking for somewhere to play hockey. That or plot an operation to finally do away with Gary Bettman. Seriously, I hate that guy.
Finally, the most pressing question: What is your favourite drinking game and why?
Dupuis: This is one I’ve been playing for years. First, pick up a bottle of hard liquor – preferably tequila. Line up six shot glasses and fill them. Starting from the left, drink all the shots as fast as you can. Quickly re-fill the glasses and repeat until your bottle is empty. Now, call up your ex-girlfriends, one-by-one and let them know how much better off you are now and cry yourself to sleep wearing nothing but socks. Good times. Gray: Nothing is better than the great sport of beer pong -- the ultimate game of wit and hand-eye coordination where two gladiators do battle in a sport of champions. After about ten games, only the strong are left standing. Kreutzwieser: Oh tough one. Flip cup, or beer pong? Or, sitting at home drinking a bottle of wine to myself studying for school? No, Beer Pong wins.
Klein: Oh shit this is a tough one. My go-to since high school has, and probably will always be, beer pong. But, at a party, there is nothing to fire up the people more than a game of flip cup. It is where friends become enemies, people that you have no clue who they are become your best friend, and you lose your voice screaming. As the old saying goes: flip cup, your chain is only as strong as your weakest link.
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
sports
9
Wrasslin’ They may be young, but they’re talented
Arthur Ward
What will we do without the Malloys? braden dupuis sports writer While the 2012-13 Cougars wrestling season is still young, Leo McGee, head coach of both the women’s and men’s teams at the University of Regina, has no shortage of confidence in either team’s ability to compete. “I don’t think that we have the experience that other people in the country do, but we’ve got good athletes,” McGee said. “We’ve got kids that work hard, kids that are a lot of fun to coach, and I guarantee that we’re going to be really competitive before this year is over.” But it is not going to be easy to match last year’s success. In 2011-12, the men’s team captured four individual Canada West gold medals on its way to its second straight Canada West team championship, while the women’s side also took home a pair of Canada West gold medals. At the end of the season, the men were ranked second in the country, while the women were fifth. This year, the men have their work cut out for them, as this year’s squad is missing three of last year’s standouts in Gilbert Musonza and brothers Connor and Gaelan Malloy. “All three of those guys were conference champions,” McGee said. “I think when you lose a group like that you should be going ‘Oh my god,’ but I think that, like the women’s team, this is a young group, but I like this group.” On the women’s side of things, McGee said he sees no reason why the team can’t improve on last year. “The women were fifth in the country last year, and this is a much better team. I think that
we’ve added a lot of young kids and good kids and it’s early in the season for a lot of them,” he said. “We’ll have a better idea of where we stand as the year goes on, but I think this group here is real good. I think they’re strong, and I think that we’re going to be a contender for a conference title.” But if the Cougars women want to be contending for a Canada West championship in February, they will have to prove they can grapple with the best of them. “I know right now Alberta’s got to be considered one of the top teams in the nation. They were ranked No. 1 all of last year,” McGee said. “They’re a powerhouse, but we’re going to be strong, and I think what’s going to make us strong is we’re going to be more consistent across a lot of weights. We don’t just have one or two good kids, we’ve got a number of good kids.” While both teams’ lineups have their share of younger wrestlers, McGee doesn’t necessarily see that as a weakness. “Experience is big, but if you’ve got an athlete and they’re not afraid of hard work, you can make up for a lot of experience,” he said. “You have to be a whole lot more directional as a coach in situations like that, but I like what we have. I like this group.” Although he expects a certain degree of commitment on the mat and in the gym, McGee stresses that his wrestlers are students first and athletes second. “When they come here to play a role in the program and to be a factor, their number one priority has got to be academics,” he said. “As long as they walk out of here at the end of the day with a degree ... that’s the number one priority. That’s a full time job, and anybody that doesn’t think it’s a full time job is mistaken. The second
thing to that is wrestling. “Number three is the goods of college life, but don’t ever dare let that interfere with one or two, OK?” McGee warned, flashing a slightly menacing smile. For some of the veterans on McGee’s squads, the balance between school and sport has become almost second nature. “It’s my fifth year, so I’m used to the balance,” said Jasmine Slinn, one of the Cougars 2012 Canada West champions. “It takes time, like late night hours studying, early morning workouts, but I don’t find it difficult right now.” In a sport as physical as CIS wrestling, there’s no room for laziness, Slinn said. “If you really want to succeed, you have to commit every day,” she said. “There’s no skipping practice, because if you skip one day, then you’re two days behind.” Fourth-year, Danielle Anderson, offered a similar answer, saying it takes a lot more work than people might think to stay competitive. “We’re in here all the time. It’s kind of like a lifestyle,” she said. “You have to live and breathe wrestling, you can’t just do it ... You have to be committed all year round. We don’t get an off-season. When you’re in the off-season, you’re still training.” It also helps to have a coach like McGee, who Anderson describes as “the best.” “I’m obviously saying that for brownie points, but no, he’s a good coach,” she said with a laugh. “He knows his stuff. He can pick apart any wrestler and make you good. He can take people who have never wrestled in their life and make them champions.” But according to McGee, individual championships aren’t necessary for his teams to come out
on top. “The University of Minnesota won a national championship in division one wrestling without winning one weight class, so it’s teamwork,” he said. “Our conference is really tough in both men’s and women’s. The name of the game for us is we would have to qualify as many people as we can to get them through to the national tournament.” To McGee, the path ahead
couldn’t be any clearer. “The road to the national championship goes through Edmonton, Alberta,” he said. “They have the top program, I would say, in the conference in both men’s and women’s right now, so that’s where it starts. “Our expectation is we want to compete. We want to compete for a conference championship, and it starts right there, and with both teams. Not just one.”
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
10 sports
Try rugby The women’s rugby club wants to make an impression autumn mcdowell sports editor The University of Regina has a new club on campus. With the addition of a men’s rugby club last year, the women’s club isn’t far behind. Tatenda Chikukwa, a second year pre-journalism student at the U of R, is one of the members of the women’s rugby team who is hoping to make the club’s rookie season a success. “The boys’ team started up last year, so one of our coaches, Julie Foster, talked to the men’s coach and he decided that they should come up with a female team,” Chikukwa explained. “[The Boys] paved the way. They did their own fundraising and their own trip, and they basically proved that a rugby team is stable at the U of R, so that gave them the confidence to start the girls’ team.” Like the men’s team, as of right now, because they are a club, the women will not receive funding from the University. However, they are already busy planning for a competitive tour in British Columbia in March, something that the men’s team will also take part in. While the women’s rugby team waited a full year after the men’s team to begin practicing,
rfc.wayne.edu
Now that’s a rugby face.
Chikukwa says that she is grateful to have the men’s team lead the way for campus rugby. “Unfortunately, it’s always like that. You have to have a male team first before you have a female team, but [the men’s team] were really nice and they helped us and paved the way,” she said. The women’s team – whose
roster currently boasts 13 team members – is always looking for girls who are interested in the sport, even if they have never played the game before. However, recruiting new members for the team has proven to be quite difficult when there are often misconceptions about the amount of heavy contact involved
with the sport. “First I would like to say that rugby is not a dangerous sport. Everyone thinks that it is, but there is always a method on how to do things and how to properly tackle and run,” Chikukwa said. “I would also like to say that it’s a sport where if you don’t think you’re athletic, or you don’t think
that you are physically fit, there is a position for you. If you are tiny and petite and you think that you can’t play, you can play; there is a position for that. It’s an all-encompassing sport.” The women’s team – who is still in the beginning phases of becoming a club – has only held two practices so far this season, which leaves plenty of time for new members to join. For Chikukwa, since starting her playing career in high school, she believes that she has grown both physically and mentally after deciding to join rugby, stressing that her self-confidence has greatly improved, something that she would like others to experience as well. “It’s such a cliché to say that because I’m not really a sporty person – I have asthma – but joining the team, I always feel like I have been put in a position where I am key for that place, so there is no one else that can do that as good as me,” she said. “So, it has made me feel confident and every time you are in practice, you always feel like you learn something new.” To become involved with the women’s rugby club, or for more contact the information, Coordinator of Recreation Services at John.Papandreos@uregina.ca.
Women welcome? UFC opens the octagon to female fighters paige kreutzwieser contributor I experienced my first entire Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view event not that long ago. It was the highly anticipated (I think) Georges St-Pierre Vs. Carlos Condit event. Now, it’s not that I don’t know what mixed martial arts is – I don’t live under a rock – but, I’ve never actually had the desire to pay money to watch two people smash each other’s faces in. Because truthfully, that’s what it is. I understand there is technique, intense training, and a ridiculously extreme level of pain tolerance involved. Yet what they are doing is beating each other up, and getting paid more money than I would know what to do with. I know a handful of people who did, and are, training for this stuff – it’s intense. But, even when GSP struts into the octagon, he whips out these karate-kid style cartwheels, all I can think is “A cartwheel? Really?” But, once you watch him fight, you completely forget his pre-fight antics. I’ve gained a lot of respect for St-Pierre because of his skill. I mean, compared to the other fights on the card, and even his component, you can under-
cp.org
GSP is a stud stand why his career record is 232. And as gruesome as it was, with blood flying everywhere, I was really getting into this athletic guy-on-guy action. Then with GSP calling out middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, after he was announced victorious, I started to think: would I want to pay over $50 to see that fight? And truthfully, I might. But would I want to
pay over $50 to see some girl-ongirl? Not likely. And that’s the hot topic now. From my viewpoint, UFC President Dana White is an extremely smart businessman. Even though he previously said women would never fight in the UFC, he’s now calling out women and telling them to bring it to the octagon. Some peoples’ opinions are that the women should just stay in
their bikinis, carry their numbers around the ring, and then sit and wave at the camera. This is an unfortunate stance to take, because they often put on better bouts than the men. However, if you look up Ronda Rousey or Miesha Tate, two of the top women’s names being thrown around to battle in the octagon, you might be shocked to see they aren’t as hideous as one might think.
The question remains, are people going to fork over money We l l , to watch these girls? if you have four minutes to spare, look online for Rousey Vs. Tate. Like I said, you only need four minutes to see Rousey absolutely dominate and destroy Tate. And just like after watching GSP, I’ve gained a lot of respect for Rousey. I know I sure wouldn’t want to run into her in a back alley somewhere. But is watching female fighters worth pay-per-view prices? It will be hard to say, because if you love MMA fighting then I’m sure you’ll pay the money regardless. But, will those people bring in enough revenue that White is looking for? If it comes down to skill, these women have what it takes. But if it comes down to profit, I don’t know if it’s going to be the greatest outcome. Female athletes certainly have the ability, but I have doubts about the public’s willingness to fork over the cash So, I think if I ever do watch another pay-per-view UFC, I’m definitely going to stick with men. But, then again, if there was half naked men strutting around carrying the round numbers before a female fight that might sway my decision. Just a little bit.
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
sports 11
Rodeo takes over Brandt Centre This isn’t even about hockey what the puck? autumn mcdowell sports editor Whoever said Christmas is the best time of the year obviously hasn’t been to the Rodeo. By far, more fans than a Pats game has ever seen gathered at the Brandt Centre from Nov. 2024. But, they weren’t there to watch the Blue and White skate to another victory, not with the Rodeo in town. With no news to report on the hockey front, I thought, ‘why not tell about the thrills and spills that took place during Agribition week?’ The Brandt Centre smelled worse than usual last week. The notorious stench of hockey gear had been replaced with the unforgettable smell of horse manure, which hit you like a ton of bricks as soon as you walked into the building, confirming that you were in the right place. After you got used to the Godawful smell, if you suddenly realized you didn’t remember to wear your cowboy boots, hat, plaid shirt, and chaps – preferably assless – you instantly felt out of place. Upon scurrying to your seat to avoid any more awkward, outof-place stares from every western fan that lives within eight
Julia Dima
Wait, that’s not Sidney Crosby.... thanks, Bettman. You’ve made a cowboy-less horse more relevant hours of Regina, the real action began. As the bucking broncos came dashing out of the gates, appearing as if they were attempting to paralyze every rider, fans in attendance were suddenly questioning what they just paid $20 to come see. After being traumatized by the broncos, the crowd received a pleasant surprise when small chil-
dren came out in pairs to try and capture and then ride a donkey. Those little jackasses were easily the best part of the rodeo, and the donkeys weren’t half bad either. After the donkeys, it was finally time for the reason that everyone came to the rodeo: watching little kids hold onto sheep for their dear lives. What? Did you think I meant bull riding?
Once parents were able to put their small children through sheer terror simply for their own amusement, the bulls entered the rink. On a side note, it truly amazes me how they transform the Brandt Centre from a rink to a stable and back so quickly. Watching bull riding on TV is much different than watching it in real life. On TV, you don’t get to feel the panic for the bull riders as
this 3,000-pound beast with horns attempts to trample them. You may get to see their head get smashed in from various angles on TV, but rarely do they show the riders after, receiving medical attention because their leg surely just got crushed to pieces. At the risk of sounding like a pansy, although I did love the rodeo experience, I found it quite mean how they treat the contestants. Not the riders, I could care less about them, but those animals. First of all, I don’t know if it’s entirely necessary for the women to whip the horses as hard as they possibly can over and over during the barrel races. It’s not your horses fault that they have to carry your fat ass around all day. Also, when the kids were attempting to ride the sheep, there was one sheep that was clearly hurt; holding its leg all gimpy and no one would help it. At one point during the steer wrestling, my mom was quite confident that one of the steer had “turned mental” after it couldn’t seem to get back on its feet. With all of that said, I would definitely attend a rodeo again. Just like watching a hockey game, the adrenaline you feel when you see people risking their own lives for your own entertainment is truly wonderful.
Out of town highlights The rodeo booted Cougars athletes out of Regina autumn mcdowell sports editor Men’s hockey
The men’s hockey team didn’t fare well against the Manitoba Bisons last weekend. The Cougars fell to Manitoba by rather significant margins on both nights, ending up on the wrong side of a 6-0 battle on Friday night, and 7-2 score the next night. The lone goal scorers for the Cougars were third-year forward, Carter Selinger, and second-year defenceman, Mark Schneider. Second-year goaltenders, Lucas Gore and Andrew Hayes, stopped 37 and 32 shots respectively, but it wasn’t enough to keep either game within reach. The Cougars (6-6-2) have a death grip on the final playoff spot and will hit the road again this weekend against the UBC Thunderbirds (8-5-1) for their final games before 2013. I wonder how many players will be suspended after this year’s Vancouver trip. Women’s hockey
The women’s hockey team pushed their win-streak to four last weekend against the Manitoba Bisons, as they continue to tear through Canada West. It was a nail biter on Friday night; with both teams dead-
crawl their way back into the game, the Cougars cruised to a 7468 victory. The Cougars (2-6) will host Trinity Western (2-6) and Fraser Valley (5-3) next Friday and Saturday at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport. Game times are slated for 8 p.m.
Women’s basketball
Emily Wright
locked at three goals a piece after three periods of play, the game was headed to overtime. But, with just a minute left in extra time, second-year Cougars defenceman, Carleen Meszaros, put a trickler past the Bisons net minder, securing the 4-3 victory for Regina. Saturday night’s game was not nearly as thrilling as Friday night’s. Regina scored three unanswered goals before Manitoba was able to get the goose egg off the board, but they would never be able to catch the Cougars, who
held on to a 4-2 win. The Cougars (10-4) will host UBC (7-4-3) in their final game before Christmas break this Friday and Saturday at The Cooperators. Puck drops at 7 p.m. both nights.
Men’s basketball
The Cougars picked up their second win of the season on Nov. 17, after splitting their weekend series against a couple of west coast opponents. On Friday night, the Cougars battled the Thompson Rivers WolfPack, but came up just short.
The WolfPack were able to gain a lead on the Cougars from the start, and despite a valiant fourthquarter push from Regina, it wasn’t enough. The WolfPack sent the Cougars packing with a 78-64 loss. Thankfully, the weekend wasn’t a total loss for Regina, who had another chance to pick up two points the next night against the UBC Okanagan. Regina went on a 16-2 run out of the opening gates and never looked back. Despite a few scares from the Okanagan to attempt to
After losing their first game of the season, the Cougars haven’t looked back as they are currently riding a seven-game win streak. The two most recent wins came on Nov. 16-17 against Thomspson Rivers WolfPack and UBC Okanagan. Michelle Clarke led all players with 23 points on night number one, propelling the Cougars to an 84-64 victory. Night number two was more of the same, although the Cougars and Okanagan were all tied up at the half. But, thanks to a push from fifth-year post, Brittany Read, the Cougars went on to score another victory, this time by a score of 74-64. The Cougars (1-7) return home next weekend to host Trinity Western (1-7) on Friday night and number two-ranked Fraser Valley (8-0) on Saturday. After that, the Cougars will play three exhibition games in Las Vegas at the end of December – must be nice.
a&c
A&C Editor: Paul Bogdan aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
Gotta eat to live / gotta steal to eat Bread Thieves looks to make it in Sask’s downsized film industry
B.E. ZEE Productions
kyle leitch arts writer On March 23, 2012, the provincial budget was tabled by Finance Minister Ken Krawetz. Amongst the items announced in the budget last year was the removal of the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit (SFETC). The subsidy provided a tax credit of up to 55 per cent of the labour costs involved with film and video production. It was because of the SFETC that local productions like Corner Gas and Prairie Giant: the Tommy Douglas Story were possible. The film credit also made it possible for foreign filmmakers to shoot in Saskatchewan. Since 1998, Saskatchewan has played host to the likes of Terry Gilliam, Jeff Bridges, Christian Slater, and many other names directors, casts, and crew. The reason for the removal of the tax credit was laid out in very simplistic mathematical terms. Since the SFETC’s operation, the government reported that they had spent $100 million in credits from a program that cost taxpayers $8 million per annual operation, and they simply decided that enough was enough. Upon this
announcement, there was a massive outpouring of support on social media sites. Rallies were organized by Ron Goetz, Executive Vice-President of the formerly Saskatchewan-based production company Partners in Motion. Crowds often packed the Legislative Building during question period. Kim Coates, star of the FX show Sons of Anarchy even came back to his home province of Saskatchewan to give a speech in front of the Legislative Building. All of these efforts, valiant as they were, were ultimately in vain. Premier Brad Wall has said many times over that the film credit will not be returning. A mass exodus of filmmakers and artists alike ensued. Many bemoaned the death of the Saskatchewan film industry. Less than one calendar year after the “death” of the film industry, the folks at B. E. ZEE Productions have recently wrapped production on the Bread Thieves, a feature-length crime drama. Already, the film has garnered itself a lot of attention for being the first feature-length film shot in Saskatchewan that has not had any incarnation of a film tax credit to fall back on. Recently, the cast and crew of the Bread Thieves
freed up some time to speak to the Carillon about their experience on-set, and their feelings about being involved with such a ground-breaking project. “At first I was confused. Then I was pissed,” explained writer and executive producer Rick Anthony when asked about the removal of the SFETC. “But that was only a short term setback for me, personally.” Being a writer by trade, Anthony could sell his projects anywhere and to anyone. Others were not so optimistic. " I felt thoroughly disappointed in Saskatchewan," said Jerran Fraser, who plays the lead role of Simon in the film. " I just feel frustrated as if the arts are not supported here and that is not good for the creative people of this province." Producer Dawn Bird was the most optimistic of those that were interviewed. "Honestly, I wasn't really worried," Bird said. "I felt they just hadn't really done their homework, and that they had clearly made a mistake, and that when our people in the film industry came to them very kindly how wonderful it's been having the film industry here, and how much money we've brought into our province, they would rescind
“ I knew we had a great crew, and was confident in our actors’ abilities, but I knew putting all of it together on such a tight budget and timeline would be a challenge. In the end, I think the footage we captured actually surpassed my expectations. It’s beautifully shot and the performances are stellar.” Rick Anthony
what they had said, and everything would be fine." The days quickly turned into months, and the deadline for applications for the SFETC drew nearer and nearer. The government, it seemed, meant business. Despite the rallies, talks, petitions, and projects, the Saskatchewan film industry was left the only jurisdiction in North America without a film tax incentive. A recent announcement by the Chamber of Commerce regarding the true cost of the tax credit to taxpayers came as a cold comfort to those that remained in the province following the tax credit's removal. "It didn’t surprise me," Anthony admitted. "It also won’t surprise me if the government recognizes this as a mistake and reinstates some (useful) form of a tax credit again some day." "We that worked in the film industry already knew those figures," Bird acknowledges. The figures to which she refers are that the tax credit cost taxpayers roughly $1.3 million per year of operations, instead of the $8 million annually that the government was purportedly going to save upon the tax credit's removal. The tax credit also brought the province no less than $44 million per year it was operating. “When [those figures] finally came out, thanks to the Chamber of Commerce, I was tickled pink,” Bird laughs. “Now the public will see that we're not hurting their pockets like originally claimed!” Although the true figures have been made public knowledge, the filmmakers in Saskatchewan have still had to make due without any tax incentive in the province. In many ways, the Bread Thieves is a
result of having to make due. "The cancellation of the tax credit was directly responsible for tanking a movie I wrote called WHITE, which was supposed to be produced in Saskatchewan with a six figure budget," Anthony recalled. "I wanted to write a script that could be produced with very little investment, which meant keeping cast, crew and locations very lean. The crimedrama genre works very well for these types of movies and it’s one I really enjoy." "Rick Anthony is a writer, so he's probably got a hundred stories on the back-burner," Bird laughed. "But a few of them stand out more than others, and he just felt very strongly about this film. He thought based on the type of setting that the film requires, it would be very easy to shoot on a budget of $10,000." Although Bread Thieves was to be a genre-film, Anthony was adamant that it stood out from its peers. "I didn’t want to write the typical, generic, crime-drama where the squeaky clean school kid is thrust into the underbelly of society and has to claw his way back out, so I tried to create a cast of characters that were quite the opposite – they’re poor and start out in the underbelly of society, living in a world that requires a certain moral flexibility just to survive." With a shoestring budget, and a Saskatchewanian cast and crew assembled, the project was underway. "We had our first table read in September and then the project carried into October right when it was getting cold, which sucked," Fraser laughed. The film was shot beginning
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
B.E. ZEE Productions
on Sept. 29, and finished shooting on Oct. 10. This ultra-quick turnaround for shooting meant many long days on set for the cast and crew. "Originally, our weekends were going to be scheduled for twelve hours," Bird explained. "During the week, because everybody had day jobs, we were going to film from 5:30 p.m. until 12 a.m. We gave people Thursdays and Fridays off. We were on schedule, but as the weather began to change, we had to make new arrangements for shooting to accommodate the weather." Industry standards dictate that a shooting day should not be any longer than twelve hours; however, this being a non-union film, the Bread Thieves had to take advantage of any nice shooting day that they could, and did not have to suffer from the costs of meal penalties or paying overtime. "Some of our days ended up going from twelve hours to seventeen hours," the ordinarily cheery Bird got quite grim at this explanation. "And twice, we were actually there for twenty-one hours, which is just crazy. But we fed everyone well, and they all said that they'd work for us again, which was the important thing." Even though it has not received a wide release yet, the film is already garnering international attention. The film's website currently has over 4,000 unique hits, many of which are coming from the United States. The film's success pre-release has been a pleasant surprise for the cast and crew. "I knew we had a great crew, and was confident in our actors’ abilities, but I knew putting all of it together on such a tight budget and timeline would be a challenge. In the end, I think the footage we captured actually sur-
passed my expectations. It’s beautifully shot and the performances are stellar," Anthony acknowledged. "I kind of like to use the same reference that Rick Anthony uses," Bird agrees. "We were all expecting the film to be good, but it turned out great." Ultimately, Jerran Fraser perhaps sums up the feeling amongst the cast and crew best. "Nothing but good can come out of this project." Being a relatively low-budget independent film, the cast and crew found that money tends to disappear rather quickly on a film set. "We thought that, based on our budget of $10,000, we substantiated a budget beforehand that showed how much money we were going to put into marketing and post-production. We even had a contingency, so we felt pretty safe. But as with all films, we ran into some glitches, and before we knew it, all our money was used up. We were like, 'Uhoh, we have no money left for post-production.’” Undeterred, the crew turned to the website Indiegogo to ask the online community for supplementary postproduction funds. “The way I would describe Indiegogo is it’s a hub for independent filmmakers to come together with new ideas and concepts, but that they don't have the money to make come into fruition, so they go out there and ask for people to contribute funds in order to make their project become a reality," Bird explained. The Indiegogo campaign has raised $470 of its $10,000 goal. The money raised from Indiegogo will be used for sound mastering, scoring and editing the film, digital distribution, and marketing.
a&c 13
Now that filming has wrapped, and with post-production on the near horizon, the cast and crew have releases to look forward to. "Our plan is to release the movie on the film festival circuit first. When successful, this approach allows movies to build recognition, receive some critical acclaim, and potentially even score a distribution deal with a larger producer or distributor," Anthony said. "We definitely will be focusing on the major film festivals for next year," says Bird. "It's going to take so long for a wide release because the criteria that these major festivals expect is that you can't have a public viewing of the show prior to submitting to them; they have to see it first. If they don't like it, then you can do whatever you want with it." The film will be sent to the Toronto International Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, Tribeca, and Sundance. The film will also be sent to smaller film festivals in Yorkton, Saskatoon, and Prince Edward Island. When there is wide distribution, the film will be available on most major platforms. "We plan to release the Bread Thieves at the Regina Public Library theatre, on Netflix, iTunes, and I am pretty sure on DVD," Fraser lists. When asked about fond memories of the set, everyone had nothing but good to say. "At one point I accidentally locked the keys in a Corvette we used for filming and blamed it on our social media guy," Anthony admits. "His reaction turned a bad day into a good one. Everyone on set was so easy to get along with and really committed to the project, so really I think I have a fond
memory of the entire experience." But, the question needed to be asked: following the initial success of the Bread Thieves, how feasible did the cast and crew find it that a film student from the University of Regina could find work following the completion of their degrees. The reactions from each interview were mixed, at best. "In my opinion it is feasible, but difficult. There is a much smaller, limited market here than there used to be. That being said, if there is a new instantiation of the tax credit it may actually open up new opportunities for those just starting out in the province as many of the major players are now gone and someone will need to fill those voids, so I think there is still hope," Anthony admits. "Before the tax credit got cut, there was no room for students, because the same people got all the big jobs. However, I'm not trying to be the devil's advocate, but since the tax credit got cut, and the big dogs have packed up and left, that opens a lot of doors for all of the students graduating from the U of R."
"As a film student, I am starting to feel the frustration that other students feel, school doesn’t feel passionate, you know? Our government doesn’t even support what I am studying and paying copious amounts of dollars for,” Fraser said. “Why would I stay/pay to be somewhere that doesn’t give a rat’s ass about my future desires and goals? Let’s say I do get my degree and move to Vancouver and my resume says degree at the U of R; if I was the employer I would be like “You mean the only province in Canada that doesn’t support the film industry?" It's so frustrating, I am changing my degree because of it." When asked for any final thoughts on the film, Rick Anthony was quick to point out how significant the film already is. Being the first feature-length film shot without the aid of a tax credit is no small feat. “There is certainly a sense of pride and accomplishment. I really think we may have pulled off the impossible with this one.”
“ In my opinion it is feasible, but difficult. There is a much smaller, limited market here than there used to be. That being said, if there is a new instantiation of the tax credit it may actually open up new opportunities for those just starting out in the province as many of the major players are now gone and someone will need to fill those voids, so I think there is still hope.” Rick Anthony
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
14 a&c
STACHE TRACKER: FINALITY 1. It's the end of the hairy journey through November. How pleased are you with your mustache? Ed Dodd: I'm surprised that I did so well. It might not be the most glorious mustache ever, but it's a personal best. I'll take it! Neil Adams: Quite pleased. Its like an old bicycle and a monster truck rally had a baby on my face. Dietrich Neu: Considering that Edward Dodd has rigged the voting by getting his mom to vote for him repeatedly, I can sleep easy know every vote for Dietrich Neu was a legitimate vote. I can feel proud about my honest effort in this competition. [Ed-Dietrich’s mom actually voted for him too. In fact, his only votes came from his mom] Julia Dima: Extremely displeased. It stopped growing. My eastern-European roots have failed me. Paul Bogdan: Well some dude handed me a razor as I walked into Riddell today, so I guess that means it was a success?
2. Do you plan to keep your facial hair, or is it coming off as soon as this month is done? ED: As soon as December 1 rolls around, I am getting rid of it. My partner loathes it. Even though he said it's growing on him, I don't think he'd let me keep it. NA: Well, the girlfriend isn’t giving me too much flak about it, so it just might stick around until Christmas. DN: I would rather shove my dick in a lawnmower than go back to shaving on a regular basis. JD: I have a feeling I should shave because I’m seriously losing my boyfriend’s attraction. PB: I’ve accepted defeat and have already begun to assimilate it back into the beard, which I’m fine with. My face was way too
damn cold this November.
3. Who had the best mustache and explain your reasoning? ED: I would say that my mustache is the best. It's modest, unimposing, and humble compared to Niel's handlebar brag and Paul's stupid mustache. And Dietrich's stupid mustache. And Julia's stupid leg. They're all stupid. I'm not jealous. NA: Paul’s moustache can't decide whether to throw me into the back of a van full of men in berets and turtle necks or give me an atomic leg drop. He’s a dangerous revolutionary, and Hulkamania is running wild. DN: Neil had the most bad-ass stache by far JD: Neil because that thing has more testosterone in it than any of the other guys in the competition. PB: Mine because I didn’t know it was even possible to grow a mustache repulsively powerful enough to destroy my narcissism and gross me out from my own reflection.
Neil “door knocker” Adams
Julia “she’s european?” Dima
Edward “these men smile? Weird!” Dodd
Dietrich “smooth operator” Neu
Paul “from soviet to american dentist” Bogdan
One more week to vote on these disgusting people! Email carilloneic@gmail.com or come down to the office to cast your vote and support prostate cancer research and treatment!
Don’t tickle me, Elmo Your childhood may be ruined cial parasites, you’re so desperate for some attention that you drag a children’s entertainer’s reputation through the muck? You couldn't even leave us Elmo – the last bastion of childhood innocence? Is nothing sacred anymore? Even though Clash is innocent, he'll not find work with children, anymore. I hope you’re all happy with yourselves.
i’m not angry kyle leitch arts writer In my never-ending quest to destroy the tenets of student journalism as we know it, I've decided that this article is going to have a special twist to it. It does, however, require that you keep this specific issue of the Carillon around for a long time to come. Recently, Kevin Clash, AKA the most famous actor you've never heard of, was accused by multiple men of having sexual relations with them while they were still minors. This is a pretty big deal in and of itself. It’s been made all the bigger because, since 1982, Clash has been voicing and controlling Elmo and various other puppets on Sesame Street. Following these allegations, Clash resigned as the voice and puppeteer of Elmo, stating that he didn't want any of this controversy to taint Sesame Street. And now, for the fun part! It's time for something I call “choose your own aggression adventure!” 1) If Kevin Clash is found guilty of these allegations, read Paragraph A. 2) If Kevin Clash is found innocent, read Paragraph B. 3) You’re going to read them both anyway, making this format moot.
C) Have you no decorum for the Choose Your Own Adventure format? What's the matter with you?
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Check out Paragraph C!
A) Needless to say, homosexuality is not the issue here; what I take issue with is having sexual relations with minors. It doesn’t matter how “mature” or “consenting”
these minors are, laws exist for a reason. Disregarding those laws and exploiting the minors involved, is frankly just sick. If you’re into the "young and innocent" sort of thing, then get a consenting adult to play dress-up, or
find a new fucking fetish. It’s unfortunate that Clash was involved with such a prolific kid’s show, because these allegations have tainted it one way or the other. B) How dare you? You fucking so-
So, there you have it. Three distinct offerings for the ending of a saga of paedophiliac allegations and abandoned puppets. As of writing, there’s still no word on a court date, or how the investigation is even proceeding. For the sanity of my inner child, I hope that Kevin Clash is found innocent. If not, then my child will grow up on a stream of wholesome quality family entertainment, like Slayer's concert DVDs. At least there's no under-aged sex taking place at a Slayer concert. And I'm not angry. Honest.
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
a&c 15
Try to keep up, kid The times are a changin’, and by times we mean hip-hop Marie-Josée Kelley The Concordian University)
(Concordia
MONTREAL (CUP) — The year 2012 has been somewhat of a renaissance for rap music. A variety of game changers have been streaming out of Los Angeles recently, notably Odd Future and Kendrick Lamar, who are active participants in the revival of the genre. They have established their own styles and are some of the first to have gained significant attention strictly through the Internet. It’s been a busy year; Lamar just released his major label debut, good kid m.a.a.d city. On Oct. 23, Odd Future dropped The OF Tape Vol.2, Frank Ocean released his own side project, Channel ORANGE and even old timer Nas came out with Life is Good. The industry continues to change, which makes it an exciting time to explore new territory. “Music labels are falling by the wayside; they’re losing money fast,” said Marc Peters, who teaches the course Hip-Hop: Past, Present, Future at Concordia University. Peters attributes the changes within the industry to the failure of major labels to take the Internet seriously early on. “[Music labels] have been floundering trying to keep up with technology, but people are already ahead of the game,” he said. Peters likens collective groups like Odd Future to the L.A.-based punk rock and ska groups of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. “They’re very similar,” he said. “Some people would denounce them because of their posturing. They’re bowing to the lowest common denominator.
The Concordian
They really lay it on thick, they’re really offensive and that’s also part and parcel of the punk rock culture. So, those guys might actually be founding something which is going to flourish not just into a phenomena, but into a style,” he continued. “If you look at the origins of hip-hop in the Bronx and if you compare it to what we see as hiphop contemporarily, which is like a quagmire of stereotypical images that are usually not challenged in their own field of representation within corporate popular media, that’s where things are changing.” said Peters. Along the same lines, popmusic critic Sasha Frere-Jones recently wrote about Lamar in the
music reviews
Myriad3 Tell Alma/Universal
Myriad3 recently played at the University of Regina on Nov. 9 to a rather tepid audience, likely due to the snowstorm that seemed to follow the trio on their album re-
lease tour. Now that their debut record, Tell, is available for purchase online, you have a chance to hear what you were missing out on: an inventive, creative, and dynamic trio that has one foot firmly planted in the tradition of jazz piano trios and one foot stepping into the future.
New Yorker: “He’s the rapper of the moment who, perhaps, will not simply reenact clichés of rap’s past, but change them, take them apart and turn them into something else.” Montreal rapper Ceas Rock is in the midst of completing his latest project, Zero Gravity, which he says has been influenced by recent developments in the rap and hip-hop scene. “It’s 90 per cent done, and a lot of it is influenced by this so-called change,” he said. “It’s not even to say I’ve changed my approach, but there has been a shift.” When asked what he thought about the Lamar phenomena, Ceas Rock said: “He’s created his own style; he’s good, he’s hon-
These men are not fedorasporting roaring, 1940s jazz revivalists, listing on their driving playlist such artists as the drone metal Sunn 0))), post-dubstep James Blake and their contemporaries in the piano trio genre, The Bad Plus. Influence from these artists can be easily heard in the shimmering soundscape of "For The Dreamers" as it envelops the listener in its odd metered structure. Perhaps, most impressive is their reworking of "C Jam Blues", which copies fellow Canadian Oscar Peterson’s seminal recording note for note, except played as if suddenly slowed down or sped up showcasing the group’s incredible technicality and ability to mesh as a group. The fine gentlemen of Myriad3 currently sit on the iTunes chart just below Kenny G's Christmas album. Do yourself a favour and instead of reaching for the smooth jazz wankery of Kenny G, lose yourself in the musical planes created by Myriad3.
jon neher contributor
est.” rapper, Montreal-based Markings, admits that Lamar’s latest release was one that he’d been looking forward to. “Lamar’s album was the last hip hop related project that really got me excited about the music, the one before that was Action Bronson, and that was almost a year ago,” said Markings. He is also bit skeptical, though, about what he calls “the rap-savior complex.” “Lamar is not going to save rap music, Lamar is not the heralding of a new age. He’s one dude that made it on his own terms,” said Markings. Markings put out his debut album, Odd Man Out, late last year
and since has been keeping busy with several different projects. “I would argue that, despite the fact that my output is rap music, monotonous, rhythmic speech over instrumental beds, I don’t limit myself at that,” said Markings. “I don’t think that any self-respecting artist should limit themselves to the genre that they create.”
feeling. While the 12 minutes of music in this EP stand wonderfully in their collection together or mixed in a playlist with your favourite indie songstresses, I hope this EP is more of a musical promise from Julia of a career that will continue to showcase her incredible, elegant arrangements and impassioned vocals
Julia McDougall I Don’t Really Care EP Independent
Previously, under the name of Julia And Her Piano, Julia McDougall has dropped the moniker for her latest release, the I Don't Really Care EP, and it's very fitting that piano no longer shares equal billing with Julia; the piano is only prominent on the final track “Someday”. Instead, Julia’s sweeping string arrangements and clear, delicate voice singing about finding purpose and direction in life take centre stage. Particularly beautiful is the title track with its simple mantra that encapsulates what many young adults find themselves
jon neher contributor
graphics
Visual Editor: Arthur Ward graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
That was what academic freedom meant to University students in 1963. Today, we ask you:
op-ed
Op-Ed Editor: Edward Dodd op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
opinion
The divisive King Brad
buckdogpolitics.blogspot.com
The debate regarding the Academic Review Process (APR) reminds me of the Dark Ages. Unfortunately, we lack the romance of righteous wars and noble Knights. Rather, I am referring to the basic forms of management and power centralization. During the Dark Ages, the King’s ability to rule greatly depended upon his physical power and his ability to manipulate the Feudal lords into conflicts with each other. After all, if the lords are busy fighting with each other, they are not conspiring to over throw the kingdom to increase their power. King Brad and his government have managed to cut education spending, forcing the university to engage sourcing out possible scenarios in order to meet the new financial restraints. The task is to map out the possible immediate future and direction of the school without the needed support of the King. This is not easy to do. Many lives will be directly affected from loss of jobs, opportunity, and potential earning power for our students. However, we the students, and society as a whole, have chosen to engage this debate as if the university administration is the driving force of these decisions. This enables our king to sit back and take credit for being accidently successful, by taking credit for an economy that has nothing to do with his policies, rather than being held accountable for the current illfated direction we are currently on. He claims that propping up an industry such as film through a tax credit is bad, but tax credits and below market value royalties to prop up the potash industry is good? This is not just bad ideology and faulty logic, but rather massive failure in vision, responsible social policy, and just tragic comedy. Throughout this process, a couple of themes littered with faulty logic continue to ensure that the provincial government is not held accountable as we bicker amongst
each other. The first issue is that the university apparently needs to do an economic impact study, like it did 20 years ago, to justify its existence and funding to the government and the business community. If you are unable to understand the link between education and a knowledge-based society, we have a lot bigger issues to deal with as you are clearly not qualified to have your position. Our grads produce $2 billion in extra wages and contribute an additional $260 million to the provincial coffers over a static 40-year period. This can be further expanded on, as we have a skilled labour shortage that will not be simply met through immigration of skilled workers. Consider this; in Saskatchewan, we have one job available for every two applicants. That is a phenomenally good ratio, considering in Toronto the ration is one job for every eight applicants. However, our youth unemployment rate is 9.5 per cent for individuals between 18-24 years of age. Factor in First Nations in the same age range at 21.3 per cent and Metis people at 9.4 per cent and we have an unmitigated disaster on our hands. And through some convoluted and ludicrous logic, the government’s solution to meeting educational needs of these individuals to meet the demands of the labour market is to cut university funding? Furthermore, the increased emphasis to attract skilled workers from abroad is problematic. Employers cannot hold positions open for the 18-month period it takes to immigrate here. Secondly, the federal government insists that to immigrate to Canada, you must have a job offer first. That is only problematic if the federal government will let you immigrate here under their new “rules”. Lastly, there is the ethical concern of sending foreign aid to coun
tries to help the education of the local population to meet the local economic, social, and political demands. The issue is we recruit this skilled labour to Canada to fill our void, resulting in an increase to foreign aid and limited growth potential of the countries receiving this aid to replace the resources we took. The issue of poor communication to the student body has also surfaced during these consultations. Let’s be clear; the communication was poor because we are not supposed to know. Mission accomplished. Three years after the fact, the students are left holding the bag. There are bigger concerns at play. Why did our student leadership, who have a seat on the Board of Governors, not bring this to the attention of the electorate? If it was, why was nothing organized around it? What was discussed over the last few years to engage the government? What support, if any, came from CFS-SK and CFS National or was that money stolen too? Do not fool yourself, the federal government has a huge role to play in post-secondary education. Refer to the Social Credit and Transfer Act of 1995 to see for yourself the impact it continues to have. One thing is for sure, the university needs to be more accountable and our student leaders need to be more responsive. The “university has a huge payroll” argument is a red herring. The average wages have increased no debate about it. However, so have wages in every university. This is market forces at work, as we attract the best people to our organizations. It is the same as every other market force. Sorry, you cannot have your cake and eat it too. Furthermore, the current rate of inflation is 2 per cent, which is the second highest in Canada. Meanwhile purchasing power is decreasing. You cannot buy as much goods and services as you could 20, 25, or 30 years ago. This is driven slow
growth wage increases and by increase in the cost of living. In a straight comparison to the rest of Canada, it appears we have the lowest cost of living. However, if you factor in housing costs, rising tuition, and our rate of inflation, we quickly realize that this is not the case. The U of R is one of the most expensive institutions in Canada to attend. University and other post-secondary opportunities are unaffordable and it is a primary concern as we cannot meet out skilled workers demand. The collective bargaining agreements are not the problem, the lack of funding to meet the demand of educated skilled people in the economy is. The university administration must engage in this debate with its professional staff and the Students’ Union to formulate an action plan to meet these needs in the economy. If there must be a justification made for funding post-secondary education, then this is it: Post-secondary education is the driving force in innovation and the training of skilled people who have the ability to critically think, problem solve, and communicate (written and verbal). These are the three biggest needs I hear every time I engage an employer. These are the skills that are recognized as lacking from our young people across the country. This should be more than enough of a reason to fund disciplines like English. The basis of which, meets all the previously listed skills employers are seeking. If we are not able to make this case together and stop blaming each other, then understand that all the king’s horses and all the king’s men will not be able to put our economy back together again.
shaadie musleh business manager
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
op-ed 19
Choosing for ourselves
Edward Dodd
According to what are some officially presidential-level claims, in order for our university to succeed, then our university “must be selective in the programs that it offers.” A bit further down the Academic Program Review page on the president’s official website, we are judiciously informed that even more surprisingly, in order “to achieve excellence, choices need to be made.” So far, this proverbial shit-flower of an academic program review has effectively taken course as any political-bureaucratic shenanigans predictably might. That is to say, it is increasingly consuming precious institutional resources and otherwise-productive time. It has also finally started
blooming wonderfully into a steaming pile of crap that a majority of people don’t seem to care about. Worse, those who do seem to care often outwardly suggest that they only do so by, in fact, explicitly “not caring for the process.” While some may care about the APR process, they still don’t care about the APR itself. Simultaneously, it seems like the APR is something a large number of students might remain perpetually unaware of. Now, just three short years into the process, the majority of practically useful information is finally being unloaded and publicized to the student and faculty bodies. Big changes in the theatre department. In fact, a couple of these wintery weeks ago, there
was even an informative Q&A seminar held in the Education Auditorium – which just so happened to take place somewhere around 9:30 a.m. on Monday morning when, big surprise, most students are presumably either sleeping or already in their probably costly and time-consuming classes. So, effectively, any student with potential fucks left to give is forced into a practical dilemma. If you want to go learn about what programs are being cut, how the faculties and organizational structure is being potentially compromised, or otherwise if you’d like to see the latest production of student-funded administrative drama unfold, then we’ll make sure to hold the quasi-informational Q&A session at a time which is practically unreasonable. Of course, the APR has only been weighing up and down on the string-bean merits of the status quo for three years – give it some time. Then, boiling down the shit-mix, it’s only been about three years of fast-paced bureaucratic shenanigans and we’ve got a Q&A session along with a few pages of a toilet-paper-website full of some magically produced fun-facts. Take it easy, though, we’ve brought in the global HESA team; you’ve got your brain-examinations and term-papers and a daily schedule already jam-packed with rigorously methodological procrastination. Who cares how many dollars have been spent so far, at least we can trust that HESA, with no real connection to this university aside from money, will do what’s best for the institution. Is your program being affected? If you’ve missed the easily accessible Q&A session, all hope is not yet lost, because there is a surprising amount of information on the internet if you’re youthful enough that you can manage to navigate
the mind-numbing labyrinth of the university webpage before succumbing to death by dysentery. Also available to the insatiable desire of curiosity is the HESA's webpage, where they’ve wrapped it all up in fancy colourful packaging to sell to you. Hell, some say you can get a potentially decent university degree online for free. That way you wouldn’t have to put up with the bureaucratic shenanigans. Gathering up the whole bloody onion in one single, unfortunate breath: it seems practically unnecessary and it’s arguably not best practice nor does it seem to be in the best interests of our organization to hand-over and effectively pay directly outthe-ass for outside political management to re-schematize and re-strategize our entire academic program structure. What’s the end goal, anyway? Saving costs, increasing profitability? Increasing productivity and efficiency? Surely we can “choose” that for ourselves. Cut some of this flowery bureaucratic orgying. Why hire-out someone else to do these things for us, rather than work together and creatively develop and plan our own interorganizational goals for the future? Are we that dependent on someone else’s generic Lego-block business model? Shouldn’t we all, as students and faculty, have a much larger actual presence and a more democratically relevant voice in speaking and deciding toward the development of our own organization than some third-party, for profit, outside agency?
dustin christianson contributor
In English, please. Be happy, dammit Students of this universe-city: Eye no that every won has herd, oar should halve herd bye now, about the Universe-city of Regina’s academic program revue (APR.) Ideally the APR is supposed two help the universe-city as a hole. However, some pupils at the universe-city, especially those enrolled as English majors dew knot sea the benefit of the revue. According two the proposed changes, the English department will bee facing cuts of they’re coarse lode of up two 50 per cent, reducing the number of English classes that halve bean offered in resent years. Bye doing sow, the multiple miner-sized English 100 classes will seize to exist and several professors and sessionals mite loose they’re jobs. The small English 100 classes make professors Abel too bee “hands on” with students and teach them inn a moor affective manor. With this coarse knot maid available, some pupils are saying that there grades will drastically drop. Eye think Somme of these people are lyres as eye dew understand watt the university administration is thinking. Eye think bee-caws English is the language that every won must yews two reed and right in Canada, wee no longer knead two study it as much as wee halve bean. Besides, wood it knot bee easier two skip an English class that has 200 students instead of 20? Yore professor wood knot know if yew whir missing there class. Yew wood bee working on other homework or dewing something productive instead of dewing something that was a waist of time. Therefore, I agree with and defend the currant proposal given by Dr. Chase. Personally, eye think this will knot rune the universe-city’s reputation ore the grades of students. Sew to the people who are soughing cedes of lyes, yew really knead two grow up bee-caws yew are being mien and just plane crewel. I dew knot
understand why pupils hear at the Universe-city of Regina are so callus to the administration. Any weigh, eye believe eye got my point across. This is my opinion and eye dew knot think eye mist anything. Eye maid sure that every won wood bee Abel two reed my article. Sew eye maid yews of Microsoft Word’s spell chequer. Their were know spelling errors. Eye am pretty positive that eye am knot the only Juan hoo feels this whey, and maybe Somme pupils can cosine with my opinion. Eye appreciate all of yew taking the time to reed this. Thank yew.
Arthur Ward
Wee through out are grammar books beecaws they our obsolete.
jordan palmer contributor
Positivity is one of the most powerful narcotics available for public consumption. In regular doses, positivity is extremely beneficial and necessary to keep everyone from falling into a black pit of nihilistic despair. But too much positivity, like too much of anything, is extremely harmful. In Saskatchewan, most of the current people in power layer on weapons-grade positivity with a liberal brushstroke. You can’t drive on a highway in this province without seeing the garish “Saskatchewan Advantage” signs everywhere. You can’t even hold a press conference at the legislature to suggest that the government might have acted a little too quickly to axe the film tax credit without the government determining that you are a security threat and thus need to be supervised when you visit. There is also a prevailing attitude that anyone who suggests the “Saskaboom” is not all it’s cracked up to be are whiny, entitled, and ungrateful people that should leave the province if they don’t like it. Because the logic of “if you don’t like America, then why don’t you get out” is the most wellthought-out and intelligent attitude to take towards anyone who disagrees with you. At the city level, the reign of Pat Fiacco demonstrated the same sycophantic adulation. Any criticism of the mayor was seen as whiny and ungrateful, because the last six years that Pat Fiacco phoned it in were obviously a positive event for Regina. Fiacco had it so easy that in his last speech to city council, he felt it necessary to thank the media for being so nice and single out the Prairie Dog for its less-than-positive coverage of his reign as mayor. Because the mayor that presided over the destruction of affordable downtown apartments and the disaster that was the City Centre Plaza couldn’t have anything to be criticized about. It was all magically washed away by the “I Heart Regina” slogan and his brave threat to punch any journalist that had the audacity to suggest North Central was any-
thing less than a glowing beacon of sunshine. Then again, I might just be bitter that he didn’t mention the Carillon. Finally, we come to the university. Nothing sums up the administration’s desire to ensure the positive image of our institution more than the dangerous proposed changes to academic freedom protection at the university. It speaks to a deeper desire to “control the message” to make sure that our “positive” image attracts students from far and wide to Regina. In this pursuit, it doesn’t matter if students and faculty will ultimately be muzzled, so long as our image of a university where debate and controversy do not exist is maintained. Because an inane, non-critical “university” will guarantee continued funding. One wonders what price was high enough for us to sell out our principles. I am not suggesting that I don’t love Saskatchewan, nor am I suggesting that I don’t love Regina or the university. I am suggesting that my love of these places does not have to manifest as mindless jubilation no matter what the people running these places do. The person that cares enough to be pessimistic will do a great deal more good than the sycophant that seeks only to spin everything in a positive light. In reality, a sycophant is more damaging to society than a pessimist. Sycophants are the people who applaud when the chocolate ration is “increased” from 40 grams to 30 grams per week. We need to embrace criticism and negativity as necessary parts of society rather than demonizing them as whiny or entitled. Positivity is great, but when it is applied wholesale to anything and used as a means to silence dissent, it is a powerful weapon.
edward dodd op-ed editor
the carillon | Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2012
20 #generalclusterfuck
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9:04 PM November 26 from print media
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