The Carillon Volume 62, Issue 22

the carillon the staff

editor-in-chief editor@carillonregina.com

john loeppky

executive director business@carillonregina.com

jacob nelson

production manager production@carillonregina.com

jeremy davis

advertising manager advertising@carillonregina.com

ty cote

technical editor frank nordstrom carillontechnical@carillonregina.com multimedia/Graphics editors

multimedia@carillonregina.com graphics@carillonregina.com copy editor copyeditor@carillonregina.com

hannah senicar

news editor news@carillonregina.com

sara birrell

a&c editor aandc@carillonregina.com

ethan butterfield

sports editor sports@carillonregina.com

tyler meadows

op-ed editor op-ed@carillonregina.com

taylor balfour

distribution manager distribution@carillonregina.com

kyle anderson

staff writer

elisabeth sahlmueller

staff writer

marty grande - sherbert

news writer

issac adelouwa atayero

a&c writer

Janna wood

sports writer

brian palaschuk

web writer

contributors wynonna allen and shae sackman

Vol. 62

kate thiessen sarah carrier morgan ortman

julia peterson

board of directors Erickka Patmore, Lindsay Holitzki, Maddie Ouelette, Dustin Smith. John Loeppky, and Jacob Nelson

the paper

227 Riddell Center University of Regina - 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2 www.carillonregina.com Ph: (306) 586 8867 Printed by Star Press Inc, Wainwright, AB The Carillon welcomes contributions.

Opinions expressed in the pages of the Carillon are expressly those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. Opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in the Carillon are those of the advertisers, and not necessarily of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. or its staff.

The Carillon is published no less than 11 times each semester during the fall and winter semesters and periodically throughout the summer. The Carillon is published by the Carillon Newspaper Inc., a non-profit organization. land acknowledgement The carillon is written on treaty four territory. As such, the staff recognize that we are living, working, and telling stories on and of Indigenous lands. We recognize that we are on the traditional homelands of the Nakota, Lakota, and Dakota peoples, along with the homeland of the Métis nation. The carillon understands that it is pointless to acknowledge the land on which we work without speaking to our commitment to telling stories and prioritizing voices that further the return of the land to its place sacred place in the cultures of those that live here. 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 buildlings was a beltower on the academic green. If you look out on the academic green today, the first thing you’ll notice is that it has absolutely nothing resembling a belltower.

The University never got a belltower, but what it did get was the Carillon, a newspaper that serves as a symbolic bell tower on campus, a loud and clear voice belonging to each and every student.

The People’s Friend; the Tyrant’s Foe

The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper Since 1962 March 19th - March 25th, 2020 | Volume 62, Issue 22 | carillonregina.com

news

URSU elections

cover

The university has shut down campus, events, classes and research for the week as classes transition to online.

There was some confusion before hand as the carillon broke the news before the administration officially anounced the news.

news

arts

P.1

Sexual health co-ordinator P.5

Cancellations

We have the winners, the losers, and the acclaimed.

URSU has hired a sexual health co-ordinator. Robin Hilton discusses what her new role entails for the student body.

As we take increasing percautions against Covid-19 many cultural events have had to be cancelled. A&c breaks down some of the big ones in Regina.

op-ed

sports

P.7

graphics

photos

cover... art by jack clark & manipulated by cover................................ morgan ortman news...................................... jeremy davis news................................ courtesy of ursu a&c................................. the glorious suns sports........... university of regina athletics op-ed............................................ pixabay

Scott Joseph

P.12

the Cougars track and field team had some serious sucesses. Scott Joeeph earned U Sports Rookie of the Year honours for breaking the long jump record.

Some Positivity

P.17

With the deadly serious nature of our current predicament, Taylor Balfour lends us some much needed levity by enthralling us with some positive stories.

Rally for a Better Education

P.19

On Mar. 13 a rally was held on behalf of teachers. Jeremy Davis attended and captured the event. He reflects on the experience and why it’s important to stand with teachers.

News

3

Editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | MONTH ## - MONTH ##, 2020

It’s election time U of R students go to the (virtual) polls john loeppky editor-in-chief

Below is our preview article of the election, because we have the benefit of not publishing until Thursday (online only life) we can announce that the winners were Gurjinder Singh Lehal (President), Ziyang Li (VP Student Affairs), Gurkirat Singh (VP Operations & Finance), Nifemi Adekoya (VP External Affairs).

Voting began Mar. 16, for the 2020 URSU General Elections.

The process is new, a ranked ballot system replaces the older traditional version. After clicking the usual link in UR Self Service, students will be directed to https:// ursu.simplyvoting.com/.

From there, voters are redirected to log in with their uregina username and password to allow them access to their various constituencies over today and tomorrow. As with any election with URSU’s name on it, a number of positions have one person running unopposed. The full list of those is below, along with the respective candidates.

Faculty of Arts - Alfred Ad enuga Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research - Isaac Atayero Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies - Destinni Bentz Faculty of Nursing - Josée Pelletier Faculty of Social Work - Selma Babini First Nations’ University of Canada - Michael Shorting Luther College - Kiegan Lloyd Equity and Campaigns Oghenerukevwe Jegede-Ikpen

Jeremy Davis

Indigenous Students - Karlene Pruden International Students - MD Abul Hossain Students with Disabilities Katlyn Richardson Women Students - Uniniafore Jegede Next comes the bit that’s a tad bit more exciting, the plebiscite to leave the Canadian Federation of Students. URSU has not been paying CFS fees for the last number of years as they haggle over how much is owed in order to leave. The hope, from URSU’s perspective, is to give the organization movement towards leaving. Note that a plebiscite is an expression of interest in leaving as opposed to the referendum required by the CFS bylaws. URSU has offered a tuition giveaway of $5,000 to one lucky person who votes in the plebiscite. We’ll leave the decisions as to whether voters think that’s ethical to the aftermath. The plebiscite, in full, is printed below as presented on the electoral ballot.

“Whereas University of Regina students collectively pay the Canadian Federation of Students over $157,000 per year in membership dues, and; Whereas since 2016 the CFS has failed to provide any meaningful campaigns that would benefit students in Saskatchewan, and; Whereas since 2014 the CFS Services failed to be functional or useful for members of URSU, and; Whereas since 2012, CFS closed the CFS-Saskatchewan bank account and moved all the funds to the National Office, and; Whereas since 2012, there

URSU canidates answer students question at forum

has been no functional CFS-Saskatchewan component and; Whereas the University of Regina Students’ Union has duplicated all services and campaigns work to make up for the failure of the CFS, and; Whereas the CFS has been involved in a number of allegations of corruption including but not limited to financial mismanagement, budget deficits, interference in student union elections, and electoral fraud; and; Whereas the CFS refused to give members any information that would disprove these allegations, and; Whereas history has proven that there is no significant benefit to URSU being a member of CFS, and; Whereas it is URSU that is a member of CFS and that as an individual member of URSU I am not a member of CFS as per its own bylaws, therefore;” The voter can then choose to say whether they think we should leave or not.

Now to the positions where folks actually had to fight for their role. In an average year, one without a pandemic, one would normally see more campaigning than was held this year. Also different from previous years as part of the electoral reform is that candidates’ bios and headshots are available to read during voting. It is interesting to note that of the 12 candidates spread across the executive positions, eight had the same photographer and background. The electoral bylaws ban similar messaging (in order to prevent slate behaviour), but there is no other evidence to be had that those candidates are running as

a slate – after all, why would you run against each other if you’re running a slate? Kudos to whoever their photographer was for convincing the majority of politicians to decide on their services. It might be the only thing these folks agree on all year.

For the presidential candidates, we have incumbent Victor Adeolu Oriola. His messaging, remarkably unsurprisingly focused on his record in the last year.

Selected highlights of what he believe he brought you are: The spring/summer U-Pass, the myWellness program and increased supports for mental health, the creation of a new staff position for sexual health, and increased funding for students. His promises for the next year include a strategy for emergency homelessness in the student population, increasing options for open access educational resources, and creating a “Co-Curricular Records Program.”

His opponent, Gurjinder Singh Lehal, the first of what I’m calling the black curtain candidates (owing to their headshot choices), is a theatre student whose bio highlights the fact that he has “hosted non-profit dj nights in the Owl namely Dhamak Base, Frost Night as part of Welcome Week.”

Lehal’s biography also highlights his experience as a comedy writer in India and his commitment to the Guru Nanak Free Kitchen – a common refrain in this election.

His biography shows “alarm” for the most recent rise in tuition, but mentions no specific campaign pledges.

Now for the most hotly contested position: vice president – external relations. This race also

features the only woman running for any of the positions. Nifemi Adekoya highlights her experience with on-campus clubs and as the current URSU International Student Director.

“I have served as a charity director in the Regina Engineering Student Society for a year, I was the president of PRISM Club for two years and I currently serve on the URSU Board as the International Student Director.”

There are no specific campaign pledges in her biography, other than a commitment to “… bridge the gap between students and URSU, by ensuring better communications and campaign strategies to make sure more students in the university are aware of the services the SU offers and how they can benefit from it individually or collectively as a club or society.”

Next up is Deep Patel, another one of the black curtain candidates – still a better name than last year’s Royal Front, by the way. Patel’s promises include “… initiatives to encourage the student body to get involved on campus,” “… sponsors and donors to aid in business development and diversify revenue stream” and to “Foster new relationships with the business community here in Regina and by extension Canada.”

“My promise to the student body and the University of Regina Student’s Union, is to always be punctual, diligent, honest and hardworking to make the University an environment of fun while studying” Continue...

March 19th - March 25th, 2020 Continue...

Having staff in the office has been an ongoing concern with this student union, having had two executives leave before the end of their term this time around, amid multiple hours violations. The only executive member to meet his hours requirements during every pay period this year was Oriola, though data is only currently available to the end of December.

The next candidate in the race to fill a position that hasn’t been full to the end of the academic year in either of the last two cycles is Krupal Patel, another black curtain candidate (seeing a theme?). His campaign leans heavily on his role with a current campus group. “…I currently stand as the President of the UofR [sic] club ‘BAPS Campus Fellowship’ and this has provided me with ample leadership experience, which will help me take important decisions with a better perspective, in an efficient way. Planning and executing events for BAPS Campus Fellowship has also rendered me with substantial experience at handling and managing vast crowds.”

Moving right along to Rajbir Singh, a graduate student who filled the same directorial role on

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 4

news

the URSU board over the past academic year. He also mentions his volunteering at the Guru Nanak Free Kitchen and focused his bio on socialization on behalf of students.

“I would like to cast light on the various aspects of the students for the betterment of their studies and life in campus by serving the position of VP External Relations in URSU. Consequently, I love to socialize with the people of different countries, therefore, I would be grateful to be a part of the various events on campus and provide awareness-activities to improve students’ health in the university.”

The fight for the role of vice president operations & finance is a three-headed race between Gurkirat Singh, Saurav Munjapara, and Talha Babar. Singh and Munjapara are part of the contingent without a creative headshot choice – I wonder where they got the fabric from.

Signh’s bio is minimal, and leans heavily on the fact that he is in economics. He also pledges to be collaborative.

“I would respectfully work alongside the other members toward a plan for better management of operations and finance.

We can harness our collective

knowledge and create the best most elegant, attractive, cost effective and sound solution to all problems.”

Munjapara, on the other hand, is in chemistry, and wrote about both his high school experience and the skills he believes he possesses to get the job done.

“My accumulated knowledge and previous work experience have led me to gain skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking. I believe that these skills would be catalytic for a candidate for the mentioned position.”

Talha Babar’s headshot has a refreshing splash of colour and has nice depth of field. Oh right, his platform. Thankfully, he was one of the candidates with some clarity.

“I am also an international student, which allows me to relate with and understand the struggles of all kinds of students of all different backgrounds (finances, specifically). I am studying accounting and economics at the UofR because I plan to devote my life to understanding the complications behind making planned financial decisions that result in the greatest output. Such a mindset qualifies me to be able to manage the annual budget. I feel that it is absolutely crucial

to address student mental health issues, the cost of education, the added costs associated with receiving that education through this institution and the push for more sustainable methods of day to day operations.”

Hilariously, to me, all three folks running for the vice president of student affairs position are of the black curtain variety.

Keyur Patel focused on student programs.

“I have two main goals for my work in the university board.

Enough space for all student activities and support for social activities. Since, I am an international student; I needed to believe in internationalization.”

Ziyang (Zeo) Li wrote about a four-pronged plan that involves “support for student societies”, “advancing student engagement, mental health advocacy”, and “lobbying the university” to extend the grace period for students in relation to paying their tuition.

Li’s platform also includes a commitment to increase URSU board funding to students and “Host workshops and create easy to read fliers and posters that clearly explain the university’s policies for students, especially those having to do with exam deferrals and remarking.”

The last candidate for the

executive is Abhishek Suri, whose platform includes no specific pledges, but does mention that he is “physically fit,” has experience as an elite athlete, and that he “want[s] to put my best efforts to help them with my skills because students are the upcoming future of the country.”

There are two options for executive of council in order to represent the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research: Isaac Atayero and Rajbir Singh.

There are also nine candidates for the senate, of which six will be elected. The candidates are: Adeowuwa Adebanji, Alfred Adenuga, Imtiyaz Ahmed, MD Abul Hossain, Kiegan Lloyd, Priyanshu Modi, Victor Adeolu Oriola, Katlyn Richardson, Abhishek Suri The RPIRG Board of Directors has eleven people vying for a spot, with seven seats available.

Those candidates are: Prince Anim, Noora Ashrafi, Cara Focht, Rachel Krywulak-Burton, Nicole Lerminiaux, Asif Ali Rahman, Mehrdad Safaei, Veerasekar, Palaniappan Sambasivam, Ben Schneider, Parvin Yazdanparast, Sundus Zia Of course, if this is all too much, a person can just abstain.

Jeremy Davis

New year, same problems, lots of the same curtain

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 5

news

Sexual health co-ordinator shares new strategy Making a space for sexuality inquiry adeoluwa atayero news writer Anyone who has been on the U of R campus recently has probably noticed URSU’s unrelenting (in a good way) campaign for its new sexual health coordinator. The playful visuals informing students of the new services available to them are a perfect introduction to the lady in the middle of all this fanfare: Robin Hilton. Hilton is a cheerful native of Alberta with the kind of quirky, ready-to-go energy that is more reminiscent of a leading Disney channel character than a sex, love, and relationship coach.

In many ways, she is the real-life version of the hit Netflix show, Sex Education’s Dr Jean F. Milburn (but less British). Before sitting through more than 500 hours with Layla Martin at the Tantric Institute of Integrated Sexuality for specialized training and becoming an official sex coach, Hilton had garnered a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies from the University of Calgary.

While she has spent most of her time working with women, Hilton is excited to share knowledge from her extensive sexual health background with trans and cisgender women, men, and non-binary people. Commenting on the photoshoot seen around the campus, Hilton credits it to URSU’s in-house marketing team.

“They did a very great job with not a whole lot of direction other than some words I had written around what I thought my role to be. They took that and created this magical promotional campaign that feels fun and en-

gaging,” she said.

For Hilton, it’s important for students to be able to talk and learn about sexuality in a way that is playful. Hilton is the first person to occupy the role of sexual health outreach coordinator at URSU as the position did not exist prior to now. So, what brought about the need for this new role and why now? URSU president, Victor Adeolu Oriola, says that it was a matter of finding new ways to improve the lives of the students.

“Expanding service offerings was one of my priorities as URSU President and providing culturally competent sexual health programming – making URSU the first student union in the country, as far as we know, to do so – that supplements the already available resources on campus is an accomplishment that everybody involved is very proud of,” he said.

As well as this all reads on paper, it is still unclear to many what exactly a sexual health outreach coordinator does or does not do.

It is one of those broad titles that is encompassing all things but seemingly specific to none.

According to URSU’s website, “The mission of the Sexual Health Outreach Coordinator (SHOC) is to lead, support, and promote the optimal health and well-being of all University of Regina students and the campus community.” Hilton, however, has a more direct understanding and vision for what her new job description entails.

“My focus right now is listening to what students need and what they want to learn and developing programming. I am not sure how that programming is going to look but I imagine it will

be fun events involving the community and then engaging workshops,” she said.

How exactly does she plan on taking such an arduous task efficiently? One word: partnerships.

“Whether that’s with the Women’s Centre or UR Pride or with the International Student’s Centre. I could even have conversations with the students in residences as long as it means I am creating those relationships and through them learning about what the needs of students are.”

Hilton also intends on using new ways to reach out to students that do not involve emails or dropping by her office. “I have an Instagram profile so we will be sharing on social media as well.

There will be a social media education campaign because it is really important to me to meet students where they are,” she added.

She foresees the toughest part of her new role to be making a space where students are comfortable enough to approach her about certain issues. “For me, it is about reducing stigma and making sure that we all can celebrate our sexuality. One thing I do really well is create a safe space to have conversations about sexuality. I can create a comfort level with the topic that makes it easier to have a conversation about it ... communication is so important when it comes to sexuality and having a healthy sex life,” she said.

Although it is too early to say what impact Hilton’s presence has in the students’ sphere, the promotional campaign has definitely piqued the interest of many students on the campus. For thirdyear Business Administration student, Talha Babar, it makes him

Courtesy of URSU

One of the positives to come from this year’s

happy to know that the university has a program like this which proves that the union really cares about the holistic health of its membership.

“It truly shows that not only does the union care for students’ financial, academic and medical well-being, but also their mental and sexual health,” he said.

Fourth-year Industrial Engineering Student, Iveren Tersoo-Gwaza, is also pleased about the new program but would like to see an anonymous system for questions facilitated by the outreach coordinator.

“It’s been a long time coming.

I believe it’s really important that students have someone to talk to about their sexual health, I think however the issue now is encour-

aging students that they have a safe space to talk about and ask questions concerning their sexual health. I believe a start will be creating a system where students can ask these questions anonymously and get their questions answered,” she said. “Not only does a system need to be created but also, they need to ensure that students are aware of it. This way we can reach a point where students feel more comfortable and confident about drop-ins.”

As suggestions like Gwaza’s continue to roll in, Hilton will definitely have a handful of feedback to work with as she begins this new adventure, not just for herself, but for the entire student body.

Jana Pruden delivers a riveting speech about the future of journalism Pruden calls on journalists to rethink their approach adeoluwa atayero news writer Globe and Mail crime and feature writer, Jana Pruden delivered a talk to a roomful of journalism enthusiasts on Tuesday, Mar. 3, at the University Theatre in the Riddell Centre. Pruden joins a long list of iconic journalists who have presented thought-provoking lectures at the annual Minifie lecture series. Titled, “Give Me a Rewrite: Drafting a New Future for Journalism,” Pruden’s lecture evaluated the genesis of journalism, where it is headed, and where she thinks it should head. Pruden began by showing that the problems journalists are encountering today are not new.

She referenced the Minifie lecture delivered by Pamela Wallin in 1992, where Wallin decried a president (George H. W. Bush) as “intentionally using the media to manipulate the public” and discussed the problems that will arise because people are “spending too much time looking at an illuminated screen” and its effects on the brain (she mentioned cable tv, pay per view, and the remote

control).

“All of the big fundamental concerns and existential threats I have just mentioned were discussed in lectures in the 1980s and 1990s, in the years I’ve always been told were the great old days of journalism,” Pruden said on the university theatre stage.

Pruden also discussed other issues facing journalists today such as public trust, job insecurity, as well as the “internet giants profiting from our content while keeping the revenue for themselves and hedge funds who do not care at all about journalism sucking out the remaining life … from newsrooms.” These statements brought Pruden brought to begin to rethink whether the structure of journalism as we have always known it is to blame.

“If we believe we are a pillar of democracy, that we are the eyes and the voice of the people, and that we deserve the public trust, we will have to earn it over and over again.... We can no longer rely on people giving us their money – whether for subscriptions or advertising, or car ads, or death notices,” Pruden said.

“We cannot assume people understand what we do or why or that people know or feel like we represent them.”

She called on journalists to be more intentional and creative with their approach to tackling the issues riddling the profession.

It is Pruden’s belief that humility will go far in rescuing the reputation of journalism and journalists in the public’s eyes.

“There was for a long time a belief that we knew best and a resistance to news outlets even acknowledging our mistakes and correcting our errors. It was believed that admitting we could get anything wrong would undermine our credibility,” she noted.

“Instead it was that arrogance that hurt us and hurts us still. We carry with us those failures.... We need to admit and own our mistakes. We need to really listen to the people that we report on and the communities we serve.”

Pruden’s riveting submission was received with a standing ovation as she left attendees rethinking the future of journalism.

Kate Thiessen

Pruden, a sessional at MacEwan, delivered the latest Minifie Lecture

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 6

news

First trans PULSE survey reveals sites of struggle

Mental healthcare, lack of access problematic

“I think trans and nonbinary people across the country just don’t have equitable access [to mental healthcare]” – Jacq Brasseur

marty grande-sherbert staff writer This week, conversations about those who our healthcare systems fail or do not properly support are of the essence. This means elders, infants, and those who are immunocompromised, the latter group being partially composed of people living with HIV/AIDS, of whom many are LGBTQ+ elders all-too familiar with government negligence during an outbreak.

Healthcare for LGBTQ+ people is still certainly affected by HIV stigma, but additionally has always included barriers to healthcare for 2-Spirit, transgender and nonbinary people.

Transphobia and violent transmisogyny continue to have some of the most immediate effects on physical, material safety for LGBTQ+ people in 2020. In Canadian healthcare in particular, as a new set of research data has revealed, it seems that trans and nonbinary people are particularly living with poor mental health and lack of access to public spaces, including doctor’s offices and hospitals.

In the summer of 2019, a survey called Trans PULSE, a “national community-based survey of the health and well-being of trans and non-binary people in Canada,” was released, according to the Trans PULSE Canada website. This research effort was funded by the Canadian Institute of Health. Trans and/or nonbinary people (some nonbinary people identify as transgender, some do not), often face unique challenges when accessing medical care; many of these issues go back to healthcare providers’ lack of knowledge about trans people

Archive

Trans health is the key aspect of the survey

and gender identity or LGBTQ+ people in general. Some trans patients even find themselves stopped from accessing certain health needs due to a heightened risk of violence if they were outed as trans. In response to this, Trans PULSE, originating in Ontario in 2005 as a province-specific project, later evolved into a national survey when researchers realized that there were “whole provinces and territories without any source of all-ages data on trans and non-binary people.”

The first report on the results of the trans PULSE survey were recently released—one of several to come—on Mar. 10. The Carillon held a phone interview with executive director of UR Pride Jacq Brasseur, who was involved with the early development of the survey. In order to accurately reflect the populations it surveyed, the Trans PULSE team assembled what it called “priority population consultation teams,” groups of people who were members of the surveyed populations and could provide unique input on the wording and questions in Trans PULSE. Brasseur, being a nonbinary person who has prior experience working with LGBTQ+ community organizations in the north, was a member of both the nonbinary and rural/remote consultation team(s) which began recruitment in January of 2019. They praised Trans PULSE’s approach for being “really ethical and community-driven,” as those on the teams all belonged to the communities they consulted about. Consultants were “able to provide insight into the actual survey questions…. are

they worded appropriately, are there things missing?” The existence of the survey itself was also significant: “it’s the first national transgender health survey ever, and that’s just really really amazing.”

Unfortunately, said Brasseur, under one hundred people in Saskatchewan responded to the survey because Trans PULSE has a comparatively small presence here as opposed to Ontario, where the Ontario PULSE survey made it already established. But they say they hope Saskatchewan will have a chance to run other surveys that are province-specific to reach more people, especially those in rural areas. When asked about their first impressions of the result report, which can be read in full here, Brasseur’s first, lighthearted impression was that in Saskatchewan, only three per cent of trans people who took the survey identified as straight or heterosexual. “That tells us a lot about trans communities,” they laughed. They also noted that “Canada-wide, 48 per cent of people who responded ... are nonbinary identified or similar … [so] almost half of trans and nonbinary people are nonbinary.

Often, when we talk about nonbinary or gender issues and nonbinary people are left out, there’s [the response of] like, there’s not that many [of them] ... so it’s awesome to see that.”

The serious concerns and needs coming out of the results, however, centered on two areas: mental health and access to public spaces. “59 per cent of trans or nonbinary [responders] rated their mental health as fair

or poor,” Brasseur summarized. “[Which is] something we need to be cognizant of; mental healthcare is one of the biggest healthcare needs [for trans people] across the country.”

There were also relatively high numbers of trans people in Saskatchewan who identified as people with mental illness, as well as autistic or neurodivergent.

“Looking at the percentage of autistic folks who are trans and nonbinary, that speaks to [a need for] reaching out to autism-related service providers ... a lot of [mental health professionals] tend to forget about LGBT people or tend to assume LGBT people don’t have any unique needs.”

Notably, the survey revealed that one in three trans and nonbinary people had considered suicide in the past year, and one and twenty had attempted suicide.

UR Pride has already launched Monarch Mental Health, an 2SLGBTQIA+ focused mental health initiative, with this need in mind, as well as a weekly social support group. “I think trans and nonbinary people across the country just don’t have equitable access [to mental healthcare].... our Resilience support group that meets on Wednesdays has been getting larger every week, in direct response to meeting social supports.” Brasseur encourages those who are able to make a donation to Monarch Mental Health, as it is only partially supported by the community initiatives fund.

As for public space access, “over 70 per cent of people who answered the survey ... avoid three or more different types of

public spaces for fear of harassment or outing,” said Brasseur.

“Trans and nonbinary people in Saskatchewan, and in the country, often don’t feel safe leaving their house – this speaks to trans people not [being] able to access public spaces.” While they joked that right now many people weren’t leaving their houses, this statistic is disturbing because it implies a high level of social isolation and avoidance. UR Pride attempts to tackle this by educating public spaces about trans inclusion, and Brasseur encourages the general public to do the same, especially in mental healthcare. “All of us can ask the mental health practitioners that we know, how much do you know [about trans and nonbinary people?] The biggest number of the requests we [at UR Pride] get from the public are from health providers not knowing the answers to questions their clients ask.” Brasseur said this indicated room for professional development opportunities, both for healthcare providers and those who can advise them.

Additional desired surveys or assessments specific to Saskatchewan, Brasseur said, would include a closer look at Indigenous versus settler experiences of healthcare, as 20 per cent of people who answered the survey in Saskatchewan were Indigenous –which is “really great,” they say. This was the highest percentage of Indigenous responders in the provinces.

As 90 per cent of responders were from urban areas, they also said hopefully more people in remote locations can be reached.

Arts & Culture

7

Editor: ethan butterfield aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | March 19th - March 25th, 2020

Coronavirus closures What’s being postponed?

ethan butterfield a&c editor Regina has been affected by the COVID-19 virus which has led to a laundry list of closings across the Queen City. One of the many things that has been affected is the Regina music scene. Bands, both local and visiting, are either finding new ways to perform or take the necessary time to build something greater (EPs, albums, or touring) in the long run. Here’s a list of some of the bigger names that won’t be able to make it out, you can find that just below: Glass Tiger - Casino Regina, March 19th, 2020: Cancelled Official Statement from Glass Tiger Facebook page: It’s with a heavy heart that we must postpone Glass Tiger’s March 19th21st concert dates. New dates will be announced shortly. While it saddens us to do so, the health and safety of Glass Tiger’s fans and road team are our top priority.

Tickets will be honoured for all rescheduled concerts.

The Glorious Sons - Conexus Arts Centre, March 20th, 2020: Postponed Official Statement from The Glorious Sons Facebook page: The remainder of The Glorious Sons’ A War On Everything Tour has been postponed, including tonight’s show in Calgary, Alberta.

All dates will be rescheduled. Hang on to your tickets, new dates to be announced in the coming weeks.

Dates to be rescheduled: March 12 - Calgary at MacEwan Hall March 13 - Saskatoon at TCU Place March 17 - Lethbridge at ENMAX Centre March 19 - Edmonton at Edmonton Convention Centre March 20 - Regina at Conexus Arts Centre March 21 - Winnipeg at Bell MTS Place March 23 - Thunder Bay at Community Auditorium March 26 - St. Catharines at Meridian Centre March 27 - Peterborough at Memorial Centre March 28 - Ottawa at TD Place April 10 - Quebec City at Imperial Theatre April 11 - Montreal at Corona Theatre The Celtic Toners - Casino Regina, March 21st: Cancelled Official Statement from Celtic Tenors Facebook page: It’s with very heavy hearts that we announce the cancellation of the remainder of our tour of USA and Canada due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

Sincere thanks to all of you who came out to support us in the early part of the tour, and regrets and sympathy extended to those of you who had plans to travel to see & hear us in these now-cancelled shows.

We wish you all well and that you stay healthy, until we meet again. We head back to Ireland today.

Slán go fóil!

Matthew Good - Casino Regina, March 31st, 2020: Cancelled Official Statement from Matthew Good’s Facebook page: There’s nothing more important than human life. Given the latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been decided that it is best for all to postpone my Moving Walls tour. New dates will be announced as soon as possible.

I’m being told that you should hold onto your tickets, as they will be honoured at the rescheduled shows. Your ticket seller will be in contact with further details.

Sincerely, Matt.

The Creative City Centre has postponed all upcoming events and Globe Theatre has cancelled what is left of their season. We will be updating this article online as cancellations develop. Many artists are urging those who would otherwise receive a refund to donate that money back to the arts organizations, many of whom are non-profits.

Hopefully this list helps those who were wondering if any of the shows mentioned above would be continuing. All the best and stay safe out there.

Wikimedia Commons

Matthew Good

Courtsey of Glorious Suns

The Glorious Sons

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

arts & culture

8

13th anniversary of Finger Eleven album

Still making waves

ethan butterfield a&c editor As a distraction, while we continue to wait and see how things unfold in the world, I thought it would be a good time for another band interview.

This time, Canadian rockers, Finger Eleven. Originally coming out of Burlington, Ontario, this Juno-winning, platinum-selling group has had numerous singles, been featured in several different media outlets, and have become a staple in the Canadian rock scene.

Rick Jackett, the guitarist for the band was able to talk about the 13th anniversary of the band’s 2008 album Them vs. You vs. Me. The album itself was a massive success for the band, producing three major singles including the ever-popular “Paralyzer.” Other singles including the rock anthem “Falling On” and the acoustic-based “I’ll Keep the Memory of You Vague”. for Rick Jackett’s comments

Wikimedia Commons

Keep on strumming

on the album, you can find those just below: So, the album Them vs.

You vs. Me recently had it’s 13th anniversary, what’s it like looking back on everything that went into that album and what came out of it?

Yeah, it’s crazy that it’s been 13 years. That record was amazing. We wrote so many songs for that record, like we always take our time to write songs, we don’t just record the first ten or eleven that come to our mind, but for that record in particular I think we had written a hundred or so different songs and really all over the map with that record, as far as the song-writing. In some ways it was probably the most experimental time for our band. We were open to anything on that record, and I think when you hear it there are different musical styles on the record and we’re really

proud of that, you know?

As far as what came out of it. That record changed our lives.

Like “Paralyzer,” obviously. In hindsight, we just had really big success with “One Thing” and that changed our lives. We got two albums where we had a hit song and we never imagined having hit songs, we just always wanted to make records we were proud of.

And, all of the sudden we have this hit song and for the first time in our entire career people were sort of paying attention to what’s coming next with it. And when we wrote “Paralyzer” at home, we felt like we had written something special. Just because we had written so many songs and we love them all. There’s just certain feelings you get about certain songs and “Paralyzer” was one of those songs. So, when that record hit and that song came out like it did, I mean that was a game changer for all of us. On a personal lev-

el, on a professional level, just on a band level. The level of experience that that song brought us too was amazing. That’s part of the fun of being in a band is being in the place that your music takes you. You know, you find yourself on a TV show or something, or some place you never thought you’d be in, and “Paralyzer” definitely took us to places we never thought we’d be.

were making that record. I think my favourite track off that record is probably “I’ll Keep Your Memory Vague.” Like that song to me was a total departure, it was like closer to country in that way, and that’s just a side of me that kind of really enjoys it. So that song was a cool departure from the band. That record, man, it was a really fun creative time to make music and I think it shows.

And that’s the thing, “Paralyzer” is fantastic, and it will always be fantastic, but songs like “Falling On,” I must’ve listened to that song over a hundred times, I’m not ashamed to admit it.

With the band’s last major album Five Crooked Lines approaching it’s five year anniversary, it’ll be interesting to see where the group is headed next.

And you know what, that song, that record just had a real positive sort of – well not positive but like an upbeat groove to the music-making on that. The band was firing on all cylinders, we were very confident when we

“...it was probably the most experimental time for our band” – Rick Jackett

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

arts & culture

9

Step away from the Sephora Sorting through the myths & miracles of skincare culture

janna wood a&c writer “I don’t wear foundation.”

Throughout high school, those four words had the power to send friends into shock, to buy my face credibility among members of that ever-cringy “make-up is a lie” crowd. I credited my early use of eye cream (age fifteen), my relatively youthful foray into clay masks, homemade sugar scrubs, and that one Neutrogena face wash which felt like cleansing with pure Vicks Vapo-rub for my generally smooth and clear teen face. I didn’t fear fringe bangs, nor going out with merely a pat of under-eye concealer and a few swipes of brown mascara.

Fast forward to my face on the brink of 25, and the pustule – I mean, plot – thickens. Those cute fine lines above each eyebrow have joined in the middle, and they seem very happy together. A smattering of blemishes have recently re-appeared on one cheek, then the other. Once more I feel as if my skin and I aren’t playing for the same team. However, I still manage to tuck that dreaded bottle of foundation away and give thanks – at least this acne isn’t as bad as last year’s.

For those who’ve had the distinct misfortune of acquiring acne and other natural, aesthetically uncool skin conditions during the rise of the multi-step skincare routine, the beauty industry has become an impossible puzzle of quizzes, contradictory “expert advice,” and prohibitively expensive potions. Each label reads like either the catalogue of an exotic herb garden, or the inventory of a chemistry cupboard. “Miraculous” new ingredients are discovered and marketed each day, the virtues of one and all ceaselessly touted by various dermatologists.

The levels of pseudo-scientific cacophony present on a single drugstore shelf are enough to make anyone’s head spin. As a seasoned student of YouTube University (with honourary degrees from Google and DuckDuckGo), I tried to dig deeper. Where was the objective science? Where were the studies? Had the entire field of dermatology simply devolved into a marketing scam?

Enter Beauty Within, a channel upon which two bubbly Australians and a plethora of digital graphics break down the science behind the skin cycle and common epidermal complaints. Finally, I knew which ingredients could help me, and why! Finally, I had enough knowledge to see through buzzwords and hype when seeking solutions to my laments!

Unfortunately, I soon realized that Beauty Within, too, could not totally break free of the bullshit. While the science is solid, affiliate links and piles of costly product suggestions still confound the integrity of the information offered there. What’s more, most of the brands they championed were not available for purchase

Pikrepo

Is your routine a glow up?

in Canada, let alone Regina.

Scouring peer-reviewed studies, likewise, rarely yielded concrete information in exchange for the time it took to find, read, and verify the authority of each torturous paper’s results.

Stress, I’m told, can contribute heavily to congested skin, and my reflection seemed to agree.

What had once been an annoying assortment of overlapping “problem areas” soon exploded into a resilient, whole-face invasion of clogged, infected, angry-looking acne, and I was in despair. Simultaneously kicking myself for being self-conscious and for not being able to stop the attack led to feelings of isolation, which soon slipped back into depression. With dull eyes one night, I clicked on a video with an intriguing clickbait-y title: “You And Everyone You Know Are Moisturizing WRONG”.

Soon after, I was down the anti-consumerist skincare rabbit hole with a blunt, no-nonsense Canadian ex-pat named Olena Beley.

“This might piss a lot of people off,” I recall Beley intoning with regret during one Instagram Live, “but get rid of all the trendy products you wasted your hardearned money on. They don’t work. They will make your acne worse.”

I was definitely pissed off.

But after all the time, money, and tears I’d lost in the fight for a healthy epidermis, I truly had nothing left to lose. I packed away every product from Dr. Jaart, Peter Thomas Roth, Cerave, Dr. Dennis Gross, and Olay.

I got the blessing to ditch my third round of dermatologist-prescribed antibiotics (which had

done nothing but give me severe nausea), and even tucked the tubes of doctor-prescribed benzyl peroxide-adapalene solution into a drawer. Clearly, all of the exfoliating, treating, poking, and applying of potent products had irritated my skin (and gut) until both metaphorically cried uncle.

According to Beley, it was time to stop aggressing and start healing my acid mantle.

The acid mantle is a thin, acidic film which coats the entire surface of one’s skin. When healthy, it acts as a barrier against bacteria, viruses, and other potential contaminants. With an average pH between 4.5 and 6, it would seem that we human beings are wrapped in a layer of slightly acidic flesh which must maintain a healthy pH in order to function.

As it turns out, soap is precisely what one shouldn’t use to keep their face clean, for soap’s alkalinity can easily damage the delicate pH of humankind’s acid-coated flesh-suits. What’s worse, most facial cleansers don’t have an acidic pH at all – unless, of course, they contain potentially irritating exfoliating agents such as salicylic acid. How on earth have skin care brands shifted modern beauty culture so far away from real solutions without anyone noticing?

How can my romantic partner possess his breathtaking, youthful complexion when he merely cleanses with water, and when I bought him his first moisturizer only last week? The answer, I surmised, was that he (like so many other non-make up wearers and/ or skin care apathetics), had never launched chemical warfare on his naturally robust acid mantle.

Were irony made of sebum in that moment, no pore would have been spared it’s greasy shame.

If I were to embrace a label now, it would be closer to “skinamilist” than self-proclaimed “skin care junkie.” I own one soap-free, acidic cleanser from Bioderma. I don’t dry my face after washing, but instead apply a low-ingredient humectant (to reduce moisture loss by drawing in moisture from the environment) like hyaluronic acid, squalane, or glycerin. Yes, skin care manufacturers got that one right. Then comes a moisturizer free of potentially irritating plant ingredients and alcohols – right onto my still-damp skin. No facial “mists” – expensive bottles of water with unnecessary, impressive-sounding ingredients, because without a humectant and an emollient lotion on top, water applied to the skin and allowed to dry actually increases dryness from trans-epidermal water loss (or TEWL). Thanks to this pareddown, more scientific approach, my acne and dryness has healed so dramatically that I don’t feel so embarrassed about teaching hordes of clear-skinned highschool students anymore.

And travellers, rejoice! This means we can save space in our liquid carry-ons, for in-flight masks, mists, and tools are not only more likely to cause skin dehydration in that dry cabin air, but can potentially increase skin’s susceptibility to all the stranger-bacteria blasting through the vents.

So, should we have skin care routines at all? Generally, yes. A soap-free cleanser, a humectant, a lotion, and a sunscreen are all one really needs for ideal hydration and cleanliness. We don’t need 12- step Korean kits, or three $90 serums – in fact, our skin doesn’t want most of the ones available today. We can swap scrubs for

gentle exfoliation with damp cloths and mild acids. We can still occasionally throw on a good face mask for fun when we want to feel pampered, or find a good vitamin C to help prevent skin aging. But mostly, we can take ten steps back from the glowing backlit shelves of Sephora’s skincare aisles, and instead treat our largest organ with baby-gentleness as it protects us from infection and environmental harm.

I think, perhaps, the most dramatic factor in restoring my skin’s health was the ability to relax, and to trust in my small-butmighty skin care crew to give me all the help I need. Rather than frantically seeking a product to fix what the last one had done, or freaking out when new spots appeared for no apparent reason, I can remind myself that skin is resilient to our unwitting attacks.

Sometimes, it take months or years to see the effects of the damage we’ve caused. In my case, I’d sensitized my skin so thoroughly by prancing through meadows of masks, oils, and DIY scrubs that my once-strong skin gave in only after years into adulthood.

Good luck on your skin care journey, Beauty Insiders! As trends shift from K-pop inspired “glass skin”, to matte, and back again, take heart: our faces know how to take care of themselves.

Saving the stress (and cash) which modern skin care trends demand is as simple as this: get out of your own way.

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

arts & culture

10

WWJD: What Would Jupiter Do? Religion, astrology, and the millennial search for meaning

janna wood a&c writer I must admit, since coming out as bi two summers ago, my longform astrological birth chart remains in my phone, ready to be shared and studied upon request. Before then, I’d never paid astrology much notice. Horoscopes were fun to read aloud and no more meaningful than the vague platitudes of a fortune cookie. In fact, I distinctly remember reading Seventeen Magazine’s monthly predictions as a teen and snorting.

Despite not owning a cell phone, I was apparently in for a “flirty text” from my crush. Right.

To my surprise, something about the way my new friends in the LGBTQ+ community spoke and laughed as they described their charts felt so inclusive, so open to interpretation, so…empowering? Not only are astrology memes absolutely hysterical for those learned in the ascribed traits of the signs, but they also sort each sign’s behaviour into two distinct categories: evolved and unevolved. It seemed that astro fans and die-hards alike were actually using their birth chart results less as a gospel, and more as a framework for self-examination and improvement. Since birth charts assign planets, stars,

Pikrepo

Is mercury rising or is our eic just confused

and the positional relationships among them to every aspect of life, from work and worries to love and sex, the possibilities for self-reflection are endless.

As a non-religious lover of psychology, religious studies, and exhaustive self-analysis, I wanted to know if there was any value in self-exploration via the stars. Like the perpetually hip Meyers-Briggs personality quiz, Millenials and Gen Z-ers alike seem to be using horoscopes not to plan our lives or make decisions, but as a tool to explore our flaws, strengths, and aspirations in the perpetual human quest for self-actualization. All at once, astrology began to loom large in the zeitgeist for the first time since the 60’s and 70’s. New Age shops – the likes of which sell crystals, chakra charts, and Tibetan singing bowls – report that business has been booming. So-called “pagan” spiritual practices, it seems, are on the rise in earnest, but with a twist.

Julie Beck of The Atlantic wanted to get to the bottom of what was driving this resurgence back in 2018, writing, “in some ways, astrology is perfectly suited for the internet age. There’s a low barrier to entry, and nearly endless depths to plumb if you

feel like falling down a Google research hole. The availability of more in-depth information online has given this cultural wave of astrology a certain erudition—more jokes about Saturn returns, fewer ‘Hey baby, what’s your sign?’ pickup lines.”

In casually superstitious circles like mine, Beck’s observations ring true. Astrology is unthreatening, widely known, and satisfies late-night internet rabbithole-cravings every bit as effectively as serial killers and ex-lovers.

Do I believe that astrology is “real”? No, not exactly. What I believe about astrology, tarot, and spirituality in general carries a bit more nuance than words like “real” or “fake” imply. We know, now, that constellations don’t exist in two-dimensional skies (thus existing solely from the vantage point of upward-facing earthlings), yet humans find fulfillment in these pseudo-scientific spaces nonetheless. Specifically, members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities and straight women seem more likely than the general population to buy into the authority of the stars. But why?

While many astro-hobbyists maintain traditional religious

beliefs, many more identify as atheistic, spiritual, “witchy,” or agnostic – In fact, churches have been fretting over declining youth membership since our free-loving, rock-and-roll-ing parents came of age. The shift from religious culture to secular society, it would seem, hasn’t done much to dampen the human hunger for spiritual purpose, divine guidance, and answers to humanity’s unanswerable questions. In an era when existential anxieties are skyrocketing, a bit of metaphysical comfort seems more attractive to us Millennials than ever before.

With smug skepticism ubiquitous among so many free-thinkers, acknowledgement that much still lies beyond our current understanding rarely leaves room for the concept of unknowable forces. But is labelling the sincerely held views (or spirituality-adjacent hobbies) as malarkey likely to enhance one’s humility or empathy? Interest in spiritual development seems to hold space for fostering personal growth in a way that dismissive skepticism, perhaps, cannot.

Because Christianity – the religion of 55 per cent of Canadians as of 2018 – first emerged in patriarchal societies, religious

leaders often sought to alienate, force the submission of, or kill unbelievers, “rebellious” women, and 2SLGBTQ+ people (with a number of Christians still believing in the shunning and silencing of those groups to this day). Inevitably, youths among traditionally excluded minorities are opting to seek enlightenment in less oppressive spaces, thanks to the modern secular age. Freedom from shame – inducing religious principles can create fresh opportunities for the shunned to explore beliefs which support diverse identities, encouraging the kind of growth and self-acceptance traditional faiths may fail to spark. Doesn’t it seem natural, then, that even lukewarm astro-lovers regard these pieces of their spiritual life as sacred in the face of an eye-rolling public? Isn’t it possible that seemingly frivolous pursuits like astrology can be wonderfully useful and a bit ridiculous, all at once?

“Isn’t it possible that seemingly frivolous pursuits like astrology can be wonderfully useful and a bit ridiculous, all at once?” – Janna Wood

Sports

11

Editor: tyler meadows sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | March 19th - March 25, 2020

Sports COVID-19 update Day X without sports…

brian palaschuk sports writer & tyler meadows sports editor COVID-19 has been affecting sports around the world and Saskatchewan is no exception. Despite only having two presumptive confirmed cases in the province as of Mar. 13, compared to 142 in Ontario and numbers stretching into thousands south of the border, Saskatchewan sporting organizations are following the guidelines of provincial health authorities and are following a wise strategy, “proactivity is better than reactivity” with unprecedented cancellations across the province.

All professional and semi-professional sporting teams in the province have suspended their seasons, including all WHL teams and the Saskatchewan Rush of the NLL. Both leagues are suspended indefinitely, with potential resumptions in play coming as the overall pandemic situation evolves in Canada. It is worth noting that these pauses came following the precedent set by the NBA on Mar. 12, so the resumption of play will likely also follow the major leagues at the discretion of health authorities.

Despite not yet receiving an official notice from the provincial health authority, many develop-

Pixabay

Cancelled is the word of the day

mental organizations have also made cancellations and training restrictions. Swim Sask., Rugby Sask., Gymnastics Sask., Hockey Sask., and Football Sask. have made cancellations of official meetings and competitions. Many of these organizations have also made the recommendation for practice cancellations. However, in most cases, until specified by the provincial health authority, practice cancellations are at the discretion of individual teams.

The early participation of sporting organizations at all levels is encouraging the push to control the spread of COVID-19.

Sporting activities have also been suspended at the university level. This began with U Sports, the governing body for Canadian inter-university sport cancelling the volleyball and hockey national championships on Mar. 12. They did allow curling to play out their national championship. Following these decisions, the University of Regina responded in kind. On Mar. 13, athletic director Lisa Robertson communicated that U of R Athletics will be cancelling the end-of-season awards, and hall of fame night. Furthermore, all team practices, travel, conferences, and recruiting activities are suspended until April 30.

On Mar.15, the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies also ceased all programming. This

includes the Dr. Paul Schwann Centre, all gymnasiums, the fitness centre and the swimming pool. These closures will be in effect Mar. 16 and are until further notice.

As of March 16, the City of Regina is also closing all public facilities. This includes the Lawson Aquatic Centre as well as public gymnasiums. This is a further step to limit congregation of large groups related to athletic participation in the province.

What has afflicted us at the local level has both been informed by \ the national and International level. As of now (Monday afternoon), all major sporting leagues have suspended play and most operations. The NFL continues on with free agency and trades (Deandre Hopkins to Arizona, no clue what Houston was thinking!).

The US’ Center for Disease Control has advised that gatherings of 50 or more people should cease for the next eight weeks.

Delays to the MLB season have been announced, while it is likely there will be a delay the NFL season as well. The MLB season will be delayed for at least eight weeks as teams will also need to have a second spring training to gear up for what will likely be a shortened MLB season as well. Meanwhile, the NHL and NBA have suspended their seasons for at least the next two months. NHL Commis-

sioner Gary Bettman said in an interview with Sirius XM Radio that the NHL does not want to be hasty in cancelling the season.

“It depends on when you think you need to finish [the season] by, when it is you think you can start [the season] with certainty. I’ve had some people say you should just cancel, I don’t see any reason to do that because we may find out in 60 days we can play”.

There are multiple scenarios that could play out which include the playing out the rest of the season and playoffs just at a delayed time, jumping right into postseason play with teams who were in playoff position prior to the stoppage being included, or there could be an abbreviated regular season full playoffs or modified playoffs.

Typically, patience and gathering information is valuable when making major assessments like shutting down a season unexpectedly. Unless of course you are the grand pappy of them all, the NFL. The NFL keeps chugging along as if business is usual, which is both awesome and horrible. It gives us fodder to gripe about, but ruthless NFL officials refuse to have their bottom line drop any more than it already has or will.

Free agency has opened and the draft will continue as scheduled,

but it will be closed to the public.

The closure to the public will help Roger Goodell as he won’t have to talk over all the booing, but it seems that the draft will still be televised. If you are a sports fan you will be hard pressed to either play or watch sports for the next few weeks and who knows how much longer.

During this time of unprecedented health crisis in Canada it is important to pay close attention to all advisories published by the provincial health authority.

In order to flatten the curve, the cooperation of all society is important. There are times when public health supersedes athletics, and this is one of them; stay safe, stay healthy and if possible, stay at home.

“During this time of unprecedented health crisis in Canada it is important to pay close attention to all advisories published by the provincial health authority. In order to flatten the curve, the cooperation of all society is important. There are times when public health supersedes athletics, and this is one of them; stay safe, stay healthy and if possible, stay at home.” – Brian Palaschuk

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 12

sports

Scott Joseph leaps into the Canadian record books The rookie set a U-20 Canadian record in the long jump with mark of 7.73m brian palaschuk sports writer

While news in the sporting world has been dominated by cancellations and interruptions from the coronavirus pandemic, some fantastic performances by the U of R track and field Team have been overshadowed. On Mar. 5-7, the Cougars were in Edmonton, Alberta competing against the best varsity athletes from across the country.

At the competition they picked up four medals, two of them Gold. Second year multievent phenom Joely Welburn won the women’s heptathlon and added a bronze medal in the long jump where fellow Cougar Erika Stockhorst came fourth. On the men’s side, the 4×800m team of Alexander McBride, Brayden Mytopher, Ret Brailsford, and Ron MacLean picked up a photo finish bronze. Rookie Scott Joseph added a gold medal in the long jump, which earned him U Sports Rookie of the Year honours.

Joseph’s jump held extra significance; it broke a 45-year-old U-20 Canadian record. The record was set by Olympian James McAndrew’s in 1975. Scott now sits 14 cm short of the Canadian U-23 record of 7.87 and 27 cm short of the senior Canadian record of 8.02, marks he has four years left of eligibility to chase.

Despite the hefty company, Joseph is still hungry and humble.

“It’s a great feeling to be honest. I just don’t want to take it as a big thing to make my head bigger.

I just take it in try to humble myself down and see what the next competition is and how far I can jump, honestly.”

Coming into the competition, Joseph had the top jump in U Sports with his mark of 7.67m from Can West. As a rookie, coming into a first national meet can be intimidating, especially with expectations for gold. Was Joseph feeling the pressure?

“I felt I did have an expectation and everybody else had an expectation. It was kind of scary, kind of nervous for me because everybody else’s expectation was pretty high.”

Is this motivating or stressful?

“I would say both, it was kind of stressful and motivation because everybody believed in me so I kind of used that going into the competition.”

It looked more like motivation than stress for the poised rookie, who continued his dominance, winning the competition by 30 cm.

“It’s the best long jump competition I’ve ever been in. The

University of Regina Athletics

Record breaker

people I went against were really incredible, the best jumpers I’ve been against, really nice people.

The atmosphere was so different there. It was just amazing honestly; everybody was focused in everybody was ready to compete against each other to jump far.

The energy at the track was just different.”

This energy helped Joseph to reach his best mark on his sixth jump, a jump that allowed him to surpass his competitors to take the lead. Joesph is beginning to get a reputation for coming in clutch, he won his Canada West gold on his final jump of the competition and put it together at the end again at nationals.

“I think that’s what its been looking like lately. I think ‘it’s my last jump’ and I just go all out and give it everything I have.”

In a competition like long jump, these kind of clutch performances at the back of a competition are difficult; when the line between disqualification and a

new personal best is so slim, how does Joseph get that extra edge?

“I trust in my runway: how consistent I am on the runway and how consistent I can hit the board – I believe in myself and how I’ve done all season.”

On top of his cool and process-oriented approach, Joseph has another X-factor: his team.

“Even before my last attempt all I saw was my whole team.

They all stood up and started yelling my name, you got this, and this energy came out of nowhere and I feel like they boost me up that’s my source of energy.”

As soon as the jump came up on the board, Joseph’s teammates mobbed him in celebration, and it’s a moment he likely won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

“When I found out the results, they all came to me I was so happy, basically my second family.

I’m so happy to have them as my friends and teammates.”

Now that the university track season is over, Joseph and his

teammates get a much-needed recovery period of two weeks, but after that it’s back to the grind.

The national champion now has his sights set on World Junior Championships in Kenya. While he is still looking forward to the criteria from Athletics Canada, Scott and his coaches anticipate that if they post an outdoor mark it will be around 7.6m. Generally, athletes jump further outside so that jump is well within Joseph’s 7.73m indoor mark. Rather than resting on his laurels, he is preparing for that; however, with the Tokyo Olympics looming, is the senior team starting to become a goal?

“I’m already thinking about it as a goal, I am not thinking about it soon, but in the future maybe.”

One of the biggest factors in Joseph’s early success is his coach Wade Huber. Huber is a former long jumper himself and actually held the Saskatchewan and U of R records before Joseph surpassed them.

“Wade Huber really is one of the best coaches I’ve had. He went from just asking me what I can do and what I can’t do to figuring out how I can get there. He takes things slow, doesn’t want to rush anything, but everything he has done for me has been good.

I can see the progress from six months ago to now.”

“Breaking his record is pretty cool and having him as a long jump specialist is amazing because he has been there, he knows what’s wrong, he knows what’s right.”

While varsity competition is ceased due to the coronavirus, athletes will continue to train as best they can. A contingent of the U of R’s best have an upcoming competition in Louisiana which like most other competitions in the sporting world, currently hangs in the balance. However, no matter what happens going forward one thing seems certain: Joseph will keep jumping further.

“I felt I did have an expectation and everybody else had an expectation. It was kind of scary, kind of nervous for me because everybody else’s expectation was pretty high.” – Scott Joseph

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

sports

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

13

U of R curling keeps it cool at U Sports championships

Slinging rocks the rest of the sporting world on ice indefinitely,

brian palaschuk sports writer In a world becoming increasingly empty of sports, the University of Regina’s men’s and women’s curling teams competed at U Sports nationals in Portage La Prairie, March 11-14. While all other U Sports winter championships were cancelled, curling was allowed to conclude their competition; this decision was made because the athletes had already been competing and thus the risk of exposure had already been taken. For women’s team athlete Sarah Hoag, it was a different experience to compete amidst a pandemic.

“We joked and said we were the last sporting event in North America.”

The competitors and organizers both did their utmost to prevent infection, teams did not shake hands, awards were all sanitized and were not passed by hand, and all staff wore gloves

Brian Palashuk

Last U of R sporting event of 2020?

to prevent infection. The venues were also sanitized to prevent infection. While these modifications altered play, for Hoag it was all about staying focused.

“We were just happy to be competing. We knew at that point we had been in contact with all the teams that flew in so it wouldn’t change the outcome as to whether we could be infected.

We were just saying at that point, there’s nothing we can do, we can’t control a virus, it’s just our time to curl and focus on that instead.”

Curl they did. The women’s team of Taylor Stremick, Sarah Hoag, Krystal Englot and Stasia Wisniewski closed out their competition 2-5. They missed qualifying for playoffs, but for Hoag the record didn’t necessarily reflect their level of play.

“We had a lot of really close games and we went into extra ends in three of our games, which meant that it came down to the

very last rock as to whether or not the other team would make or miss.”

“All three games we were playing people who have been world champs, have been to the Scotties. or have been to the Youth Olympics. or other major world events.”

Some of those world champions they played against include Scotties team member for Nova Scotia Kristin Clark of Dalhousie as well as World Championship competitors Mary Fay of Queens and Lindsey Burgess of Dalhousie. Competing against elite company is challenging, but Hoag’s young team held their own against some of Canada’s best.

“We couldn’t really be upset with ourselves this week because we played extremely well. The other teams just ended up making one or two more shots, or luckier shots; we ended up on the wrong side of the stick a lot of times. We

are really happy with the way the week went.”

The men’s team also had a successful weekend. The roster of Giovanni Wright, Trey Chernoff, Jaedon Miller, and Ryan Grabarczyk won their first three games but ended up falling just short of playoff competition with a 3-4 record. Hoag credits part of the Cougars success to the tremendous support which came despite the travel difficulties.

“All of our parents came, and we had grandparents and lots of Cougars fans. That was really really nice – the Cougars’ parents are always the loudest in the stands, which I think helps a lot.”

The Regina curling teams have safely made it back home; however, other teams and families were affected with flight cancellations and rescheduling as well as potential quarantines.

Teams from eastern Canada also received news of school cancellations and dorm closures through-

out the competition.

After coming home Regina’s curlers, including Hoag, are in the same situation as the rest of the world’s athletes with limited training opportunities due to facility closures.

“With the weather being nicer we can do other training to prepare for next season. We are really looking forward to next season because of how close we were this season just to go out there again.”

“We joked and said we were the last sporting event in North America.” – Sarah Hoag

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 14

sports

Enriching lives through physical activity U of R’s Enrich neurological rehabilitation program

elisabeth sahlmueller staff writer This past September, the University of Regina launched Enrich, a neurological rehabilitation program for individuals who are dealing with some type of neurological condition, such as Parkinson’s disease, a recent stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, or some type of traumatic brain injury. Although Enrich launched six months ago, it has already had a significant impact on its participants, providing them with greater confidence, independence, comradery, an increased quality of life, as well as a major reduction in the challenges and frustrations previously experienced with everyday activities.

According to U of R Kinesiology and Health professor and founder of Enrich, Dr. Cameron Mang, motivation for this type of program not only came from his previous volunteer experience, but was also something that he had wanted to establish for quite some time.

As an undergraduate volunteer at the Steadward Center, an exercise centre for people with disabilities at the University of Alberta, Dr. Mang became aware of the unfortunate reality concerning the lack of available health care for people with a neurological condition. Frequently, he says, “when people are diagnosed with a neurological condition … they [only] receive a few months of re-

Courtesy of Discourse Magazine

Enrich supports people with neurological conditions on campus

hab and rehabilitation before going back home to live in the community. At this point, people still have a lot of potential to continue to make improvements in the long-term, but often don’t have access to specialized programs to help them.”

Through his time at the Steadward Center, Dr. Mang says he was “really struck by how much people appreciated having a place to exercise that could [both] accommodate … and allow them to continue their rehabilitation journey.” As a result of this realization, Dr. Mang became motivated to establish a similar type of neurological exercise program after coming to Regina In order to establish Enrich, Dr. Mang received a lot of help and support from both the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health studies, as well as the staff of the Dr. Paul Schwann Health Centre.

As Dr. Mang says, he “had a vision, and the Dr. Paul Schwann Health Centre staff helped … shape it into something that could be done, [by determining] how the program would be offered and what all the logistics [would] be.”

Enrich takes place twice a week on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at the Dr. Paul Schwann Health Centre, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., though the centre is currently closed because of the COVID-19 Pandemic Individ-

uals focus on respiratory fitness, strength training, flexibility, balance, coordination and task-oriented and movement activities.

As Dr. Mang explained, ‘task orientated’ refers to tasks done in daily activities, such as walking or handwriting, which become difficult because of an individual’s neurological condition. Participants are asked about “any everyday activities that they struggle with, and then [they are able] to develop strategies to practise and improve.”

Even though it may seem tedious and redundant to repeatedly practice these types of task-oriented movements, it does lead to improvement. This improvement demonstrates Dr. Mang’s goal for the program, which is “to improve the quality of life of our participants. Challenges with everyday life or everyday activities that were previously easy, “but have now become difficult because of a neurological condition can be very frustrating. We hope that these activities make things a little easier and elevate some … frustrations.” Additionally, it is this improvement which makes “every day of the program … rewarding. Seeing clients make improvements in their exercise and support each other is a lot of fun.”

Although Enrich is set up as a group program, it still effectively meets the need of all its partici-

pants, because of programming being specific. Before starting, individuals are assessed by an instructor in order to develop their own personalized routine. Dr, Mang explained that this program is written up and placed in a duotang. At the start of each session, clients come in, find their duotang and their volunteer buddy and get started [on the activities ]outlined in their specific program. “Instructors oversee and check in to change, progress and refine client exercises.”

At the same time, there is a significant social aspect embodied into this program, according to Mang.

“We focus on the physical improvements that people make. Everyone is rooting for each other.”

Currently, there are thirty-nine individuals involved with Enrich, including sixteen participants, two instructors, one fieldwork student, and a team of approximately twenty volunteers.

According to Dr. Mang, students are strongly encouraged to volunteer with Enrich because they are essential for this type of program to be successful. “[Enrich] would not be what it is without student volunteers.”

As volunteers, students “are paired off [with a] client” and have the opportunity “to work one-on-one with [that individual] assist[ing] them in performing exercise prescribed by the instruc-

tors.” While there are no specific requirements to volunteer with Enrich, Dr. Mang does suggest that “a background in exercise and physiology [would] certainly [be] useful.”

Initially word about Enrich was spread by dispersing flyers, but community interest in the program continues to increase.

As a result of this growing interest towards Enrich, Dr. Mang would definitely like to expand the program for its second year and has some ideas regarding what he would like to implement.

These ideas include, “a second offering, … adding a recreational component … developing targeted programs for specific neurological conditions, such as an MS program, [or] an acquired brain injury program and continuing to integrate the program with more research in Kinesiology and across the university.

“If you have a neurological condition, chances are this program is for you! We are always happy to have more people involved.”

Anyone who is interested in participating in Enrich should get a referral from their doctor and then contact the U of R’s Dr. Paul Schwann Health Centre at 306-585-4004. Students who are interested in volunteer opportunities, please contact Dr. Mang at cameron.mang@uregina.ca .

Op-ed

15

Editor: taylor balfour op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | March 19th - March 25th, 2020

University support is lacking for those with dissociative identity disorders

Pixabay

Mar. 5 was International Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day, focused on raising awareness for a disorder and its symptoms that are becoming increasingly more common as more is learned about how trauma affects the brain. Complex traumatic experience can manifest with many symptoms, which can be incredibly difficult to manage while at work or school.

A dissociative disorder is typically characterized by a lack of connection between things that should be connected.

This can involve a connection between you and your physical body, a person and a cohesive identity, a profound alienation between you and your surroundings, and can result in discontinuity in consciousness, memory or perception. A common and perfectly normal experience of a kind of dissociation that is often referred to is when a person arrives home without fully being aware of the drive there.

Development of a dissociative disorder is a combination of environmental and biological factors and when under extreme and repeated forms of inescapable stress, various forms of dissociation can help a person protect themself. It allows them to detach or create a kind of ‘mental distance’ from what is happening to them. When this happens multiple times, the coping mechanism can become a reaction to perceived threat, and it begins to interfere in everyday life.

Unfortunately, adequate support for these issues is incredibly difficult to obtain.

Trauma-informed services are generally hard to find in Saskatchewan, let alone therapists who specialize in treating things like dissociation, dissociative amnesia, derealization, depersonalization and complex

trauma. Obtaining a medical diagnosis for a dissociative disorder is incredibly arduous, as many professionals lack current information of these kinds of experiences and may diagnose them as something else.

Clients themselves often have no idea that anything out of the ordinary is happening until things are quite drastic, may be deeply ashamed of ‘losing control’, or may lack the language to describe their experience since it is incredibly abstract.

Many people working with providers spend years misdiagnosed, potentially causing further issues as treatment for dissociative disorders is highly specific and the wrong approach can be detrimental. Medications do little to treat the core of these issues because they are experiential and environmental in nature, though they can help control some associated symptoms to help a person interact in their daily life more effectively.

These issues make finding support within a university setting incredibly difficult. Without the proper providers, an accurate diagnosis is not likely, and without an accurate diagnosis you cannot engage with the medical model of the disability the University of Regina currently follows for accessibility. Without thoughtful and creative accommodation, the chances of someone experiencing the disruptive symptoms of a dissociative disorder succeeding in a University setting are very slim.

Even with the correct kinds of documentation and the right types of providers willing to help, unless you are ruthless in chasing accommodations that are perhaps more inventive – which, when you experience some kind of limitation that needs consideration, is a level of engagement that

is often out of reach for many – someone experiencing dissociation still has to maintain those accommodations, while also managing and coordinating their support team (if they have managed to find one), their mental illness, and lastly, their university workload.

There are many things that can be done to support those experiencing a dissociative or trauma-based disorder. There are two sides. What individuals at the University of Regina can do to support their fellow students, and what the university itself could do. For students, first and foremost, realizing that there is research that indicates that dissociative disorders are about as common as a mood disorder, such as depression, is important.

Many, many people have dissociative experiences in a wide range of intensities and combinations for a number of different reasons. Someone you know is likely dealing with some aspect of this. Your understanding and compassion are free to give, and could be the difference for a person in not just this, but any situation.

Not touching a person without consent is another guideline that may not seem like much, but is absolutely crucial to the continued safety and well being of a person with a dissociative disorder.

And perhaps, most crucially, not demanding, expecting, or feeling entitled to the details of a person’s history with a trauma-based disorder (or any other kind of lived experience) and consequently re-traumatizing them is the bare minimum of courtesy.

The University of Regina has a unique opportunity as a smaller school that purportedly says that “U Belong Here”. While

individual interactions I have had at the university as a person with a dissociative disorder have been patient and thoughtful, the overall institutional experience has not managed to convince me that they think I belong here.

The sheer amount of effort and self-advocacy needed to engage with the medical model of accommodation is a massive barrier to not just someone with a dissociative disorder who cannot obtain a proper diagnosis due to lack of resources, but many individuals living with disabilities that are somehow ‘not disabled enough’ or are not experiencing problems in the ‘right way’ to qualify them for consideration.

If the university truly wanted people to feel as if they belonged, they could adopt a needs-based assessment of accommodation rather than a medical model, and see how that changes the landscape of this campus and perhaps the way that support in general works within an educational institution.

This would have amazing impacts not just in terms of actually practicing what they preach, but by also allowing those students who could use a progressive, proactive plan of support get what they need to succeed and interact in a way that would lead to a fulfilling university life.

shae sackman contributor

“Not demanding, expecting, or feeling entitled to the details of a person’s history with a trauma-based disorder and consequently re-traumatizing them is the bare minimum of courtesy.”

– Shae Sackman

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

op-ed

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

16

Conservative leadership? Not even close

After less than two years as leader of the Conservative Party, Andrew Scheer formally stepped down on Dec. 12. Following his resignation, a few interested Conservative MPs have put their names forward in the hopes of becoming the party’s next leader.

Although this leadership shift provides an opportunity for the Conservative Party to produce a strong leader, unfortunately, this opportunity has been lost. By their recent statements, postings and actions, most of the potential candidates have already demonstrated that they lack essential leadership skills and this is extremely disappointing and frustrating to see, especially from individuals who hope to become Canadian Prime Minister.

In order to be a candidate, interested MPs had to pass certain qualifications, such as paying $25,000 and obtaining 1,000 signatures from people across thirty different ridings throughout the seven provinces and territories. By the last deadline on Mar/ 27, candidates will have had to pay $200,000.

While I agree that support from multiple constituencies should be required to verify candidates, in my opinion, this large payment is ridiculous since wealth never guarantees good and strong leadership.

As of Feb.29, eight candidates have been approved: Marilyn Gladu, Leslyn Lewis, Jim Karaholois, Derek Sloan, Erin O’Toole, Rick Peterson, Rudy Husny, and Peter MacKay. Despite the numerous candidates to choose from, none seem like a great choice to be the next leader of the conservative party because of their non-descriptive and unclear platforms, very rigid traditional conservative beliefs – especially regarding sexuality – and inability to think before speaking, posting, or tweeting.

For example, Gladu wants to cre-

ate a “Canadian policy rooted in a better balance of fiscal common sense and social compassion.” Sloan wants “to stand against radical progressivism” as both said to CTV. These views may sound strong, but I have no idea what they mean, or what they involve. For individuals who want to become a leader of a political party with the goal of becoming prime minister, a job where clear communication is essential, it is unfortunate that Gladu and Sloan have already demonstrated their inability to clearly communicate their ideas.

Additionally, Karaholois is running with the goal of fighting against top-down coronations for the well-connected and established corporations, according to CTV. Does he not realize that his statement is contradictory? Isn’t this exactly the situation unfolding: individuals with both wealth and connections vying for the leadership of the Conservative party?

Although there have been some suggestions that the conservative party wants to modernize and change their views towards social issues, this is not demonstrated by any of these candidates, except for MacKay, who suggested that conservative MPs should march in pride parades. Although marching in pride parades demonstrates strong support towards all sexualities, these actions are meaningless when an individual’s personal beliefs don’t correspond. This situation may be problematic for both Lewis, who is against same-sex marriage and abortion and Sloan, who believes that the cause of an individual’s sexual orientation is “scientifically unclear” (CTV). [EIC’s note: they can all fuck off] It also bothers me that some of these candidates, including Gladu, O’Toole and McKay, have promised to push for an election in October to take down the Liberal

government, if elected as party leader.

In a Feb. 24 Facebook post, Gladu stated that her first action if elected, will be “to call on other opposition parties (for their support in bringing) down the Liberal government” (as reported by CBC).

However, calling an election will require the support of both the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois. As Jagmeet Signh emphasized, support from the NDP isn’t inevitable. As he said to CBC, “The NDP knows that (the Conservatives) make hurtful cuts to the public services and help the wealthiest and well connected corporations” and because these types of values and actions go against those of the NDP, they will not willingly join with, or support the Conservatives.”

Singh also emphasized that the NDP is dedicated to working with parties willing to work for the best interests of Canadians.

“If the Liberals want to get things done for people, they can work with us to deliver. If not, they can’t count on our support.”

A similar desire for an election was also expressed by MacKay on March 2. McKay wants to “bring a notion of non-confidence to the House of Commons … to defeat the Liberal government as soon as possible”(CBC).

According to McKay, Trudeau should be removed from power as Canadian Prime Minister because of the problems caused by the recent rail protests. Although Trudeau may not have taken, or devised a solution to this problematic and controversial situation, at least he hasn’t made comments, like McKay, O’Toole or Gladu have, which have only worsened the situation.

After counter-protesters attempted to take down the barriers and remove protesters, McKay sent out a tweet: “Glad to see

a couple of Albertans with a pickup truck can do more for our economy in an afternoon than Justin Trudeau can do in four years” (CBC). McKay’s attempt to criticize Trudeau backfired making it seem like McKay supported the counter-protesters and was against the Wet’suwet’en activists and their supporters.

While Trudeau may not always be quick on his feet and often has difficulty vocalizing his thoughts clearly and strongly, I would rather have a prime minister who thinks before he speaks or tweets, rather than simply saying something that worsens the situation and is difficult to retract.

Gladu and O’Toole’s comments have also not helped the situation. O’Toole suggested that the action of blocking critical infrastructure be criminalized, and Gladu even suggested that the military be called in to enforce an injunction if the RCMP “can’t handle it,” according to CBC. In my opinion, based on these types of statements and behaviours, none of these candidates deserve this leadership position.

Despite this disappointing reality, one of these individuals will be chosen as the next leader of the conservative party on June 27. I only hope that whatever decision is made doesn’t result in further problems or political division for our country.

elisabeth sahlmueller staff writer

“In my opinion, based on these types of statements and behaviors, none of these candidates deserve this leadership position.” – Elisabeth Sahlmueller

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

op-ed

17

Some positivity despite the panic

pixabay

If you’re anything like me, seeing everything going around about the coronavirus is stressful. Even if you’re not stressed for your own safety, you’re worried about the safety of others, or – and I cannot stress this enough – you get secondhand stressed seeing the state of affairs in the rest of the world.

Eventually, the toilet paper-less grocery stores and gloomy, empty university halls just get to you. The panic that everyone else has been feeling slowly begins to set in. This is real. This is happening.

Everywhere you look are news stories, radio interviews, new information, further cancellations, everything. It all, eventually, begins to dog-pile on the fellow easily-anxious like me.

Because of this, I want a break. I want to see something happy on social media, on my timeline, somewhere. So, for the time being, I’d like to talk about some positive things going on in the world to, for the next few minutes, offset a bit of the worldwide panic.

There are a few news sources I use to solely look up positive, heart-warming news stories during times of woe. And, seeing as the entire planet is in a state of woe, let’s share some stories that’ll make you go “wow, maybe the world isn’t crumbling as

we know it after all.”

Let’s start off soft with cute animal facts. Did you know that shaved guinea pigs look like baby hippos? And that mice and rats are ticklish? That’s shit’s precious.

If a cat headbutts you, it doesn’t mean they’re gearing up for brawl, but it means that they trust you. Same with if a dog rolls over when you arrive back home.

Also, a cluster of cats is called a kindle.

That was a fact I didn’t know prior today but is very, very important. I wonder if Amazon is aware of this thrilling new marketing tactic.

A group of pugs is called a grumble, a group of hedgehogs is called a prickle, ominously a group of lemurs is called a conspiracy (I don’t want to know what they’re plotting) and, best of all, a flock of flamingos is called a flamboyance.

Tropes in life that always make me smile: when dad doesn’t want a pet but falls in love with it once the family adopts one, the corny “enemies to lovers” cliché (bonus points if the two of them are trapped in some sort of location together and forced to bond), the “polar opposites falling in love” cliché. Can you tell I’m a fan of clichés? My English profs would be so disappointed in me.

Speaking of favourite clichés, here’s a

list of corny (and, arguably, bad) original Disney Channel movies available on Disney+ while everyone is quarantined. These open up a nostalgic pit in my soul every time I even see them being recommended to me: Read It And Weep, Gotta Kick It Up, Cadet Kelly (clarification needed: this ain’t a bad one, it’s just a classic) and Minutemen.

Did you know that an American teacher has been trying to teach her third grade class how to email so that they can work from home for all their classes? Let’s just say her students seem to think of it as “glorified texting” and have been using it to their full advantage, sending her clusters of emojis and “hi I miss you” messages a few times a day.

There was also a woman in England who created a postcard campaign to help her at-risk neighbours get groceries during the quarantine period. She has created a postcard template that users may print off, fill out with their contact information, and distribute to their neighbours, listing everything they are able to help with while others are self-isolating.

Also, I highly suggest Googling the parrot that leads a yoga session. I’m constantly amazed and astounded by the current state of the world.

Now that I’m nearing the end here, I feel as though writing this has been genuinely therapeutic for me. Focusing on the positives of the world in a time of chaos feels centring a meditative, almost. I think when the world is drowned in panic and worry (all justified, might I add) it’s nice to take a breather and have a moment of peace; a moment to realize the world isn’t a complete and total mess, at least not yet.

Because the world deserves a little more love and laughter right now, celebrate the things that make you happy and share them with the people you love. They might need it more than you know.

taylor balfour op-ed editor

“I think when the world is drowned in panic and worry (all justified, might I add) it’s nice to take a breather and have a moment of peace.” – Taylor Balfour

Humor

19

Editor: Taylor Balfour humor@carillonregina.com the carillon | March 19th - March 25th, 2020

graphics

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, it slipped my mind that I had even taken the pictures depicted here. So much has happened, is happening, and will happen that it boggles the mind.

My perception of time is in a state of fluidity, some moments last seemingly forever while others fly by as though a bullet train were passing a cheetah full tilt.

Nonetheless, I felt a sense of obligation to acknowledge the efforts put forth by those who showed up to the Rally for a Better Education at the legislature on Mar. 13 and the teachers that they were there to support.

The rally had a solid showing of a couple hundred, consisting of students, teachers, and supporters from across the city and rural communities. It was another cold day, about -13c. I stood atop a packed pile of snow, carefully observing the crowd, paying attention to the enthusiasm, the concern, the general

sense of optimism exhibited by the students. I chuckled at myself as I observed several teenagers wearing nothing but plaid button up shirts, with their hands buried deep in their pockets, bounding back and forth between their cluster of friends and vehicles.

My own gloves proved inadequate at keeping away the cold, my sweater, leather jacket combo likewise. I too still haven’t learned the lesson so often and harshly taught by Saskatchewan winters.

The event began with a speech

by Carla Beck, MLA for Regina Lakeview (NDP). She thanked the sizable crowd for attending, criticized the Sask Party government education policies, and extolled and praised the work labored by our province’s teachers.

Beck is right, our teachers do work hard. This is why I felt compelled to cover the event. Given the current crisis, with schools across the country shutting down, no one could be

19

Editors: sarah carrier, morgan ortman, kate thiessen graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | March 19th - March 25th, 2020

blamed for taking time away from work, to have a moment to oneself, to ensure that their own needs, and their family’s needs are well taken care of.

Yet, across my Facebook wall I see numerous teachers from my high school days and friends I’ve come to know over the years going above and beyond to reach out to parents now tasked with homeschooling their children.

Questions are being fired back and forth; parents are realizing just how difficult being an educator can be. As they meet the never-ending stream of difficult questions mixed with ridged the schedules that need to be maintained. Despite the difficult situation and challenges posed by distance education, the teachers I speak of are still willing to assist in any and every way they can.

They’re creating or gathering online resources for parents to utilize, working with students to finish whatever assignments

they can before schools close for the rest of the academic year, answering questions and making recommendations.

This is not an easy situation, yet in the midst of it all we can still learn a lesson or two from our teachers. The most important being dedication, leadership, and community by putting in that extra effort to assist those who may be struggling through this crisis.

So, to those who showed

up to the rally I say thank you for showing solidarity with our teachers. They have proven that they have our backs, and we should have theirs.

jeremy davis production manager

March 19th - March 25th, 2020

graphics

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |20