The Carillon Volume 63, Issue 15

the carillon the staff

editor-in-chief editor@carillonregina.com

taylor balfour

executive director business@carillonregina.com

jacob nelson

production manager production@carillonregina.com

morgan ortman

advertising manager advertising@carillonregina.com

ty cote

technical editor shae shackman carillontechnical@carillonregina.com multimedia/graphics editors

multimedia@carillonregina.com graphics@carillonregina.com

kate thiessen sarah carrier

copy editor copyeditor@carillonregina.com

hannah senicar

news editor news@carillonregina.com

sara birrell

a&c editor aandc@carillonregina.com

julia peterson

sports editor sports@carillonregina.com

ethan butterfield

op-ed editor op-ed@carillonregina.com

marty grande-sherbert

distribution manager distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer staff writer news writer

holly worby

reese estwick

a&c writer

kyle anderson

matt thompson joseph holoein

sports writer

sarah nakonechny

web writer

gillian massie contributors hammad ali, halyna mihalik, kaymann miki and hannah polk

vol. 63

board of directors taylor balfour, lindsay holitzki, maddie ouelette, dustin smith. marty grande-sherbert, 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 January 21 - January 27, 2021 | Volume 63, Issue 15 | carillonregina.com

news

Zero-cost materials

arts

p.3

Did someone say free textbooks? Over 50 classes are the U of R are making the switch to open access materials.

Welcome back!

On this week’s cover we have the artwork of Erickka Patmore. who is featured on page 9 of this issue.

I want to say a quick thank you to every contributor that has made this issue possible. We’re all so excited to showcase your work.

Bridgerton

arts

p.7

It was a merry Christmas for all the lovers of soapy television out there.

Bridgerton is sexy, secretive and a fun binge.

op-ed

sports

We hope you all enjoy the writings, ramblings, and art of your U of R community this week.

Stay safe and wear a mask!

Taylor Balfour

photos

cover................................erickka patmore news...........................wikipedia commons a&c...............................................pixabay a&c..............................................pixahive sports.........................wikipedia commons op-ed.........................wikipedia commons panel................................erickka patmore

Iceville

p.4

Move over football, Mosaic Stadium is for ice skating now!v The new Iceville is quickly becoming a socially distanced hotspot.

Indian farmers p.15 For years, Indian farmers have been our main source of grains, spices and cotton and now their livelihood is in jeopardy.

Sask thrifting

p.8

Gillian Massie talks to the expert thrifters behind Saskatchewan-based business Better Off Duds and Victory Vintage Co.

news

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editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | january 21 - january 27, 2021

Profs devote time to finding zero-cost materials Textbooks a massive expense

holly worby staff writer This semester more than 50 courses at the U of R are running as zero-cost material courses, meaning all of the required texts and materials are open access and free for use. Though a new concept for some, the use of open-access material in place of required textbooks for post-secondary courses has been quickly gaining ground in recent years.

There is much debate on which is truly better for students, along with whether or not the benefits of open-access materials are worth the effort for professors who have to change their current course structures. Using open-access materials it eases the financial stresses most students experience, but zero cost materials come with a time burden that makes some professors wary.

Kyley Ewing, an assistant professor in the University of Regina philosophy department, made the comment that, for professors, “In some ways it’s more work because you can’t just say ‘Here students, go buy this textbook and it’s all there for you’ and you’re done with it. You have to go out yourself and do the research, maybe contact the library, look online. Say for ancient philosophy you’re looking and there’s different sources that are open-access, then you have to look at the different kinds to see if one is better than another.”

While it can be time consum-

ing to search for quality open-access sources, Ewing remarked that at times there are not adequate sources available on the topics required. “For some courses that I’ve done, I have thought that I’d do open-access, and then given up on it because I wasn’t able to find things that I thought were well suited to it. For instance, I did a critical thinking course and while I try to do open-access as much as possible, that seemed to not be feasible at all for that course.”

“We’ve been getting a couple emails from the university, just kind of saying that this is something they’re thinking about more and focusing on more now. It’s nice that the university is making this something that’s out there and that’s known, and they’re trying their hardest as well to support instructors in their attempts to find this material. Sometimes if instructors just don’t know what kinds of resources are out there, it can be daunting or intimidat-

“Before we went this way I had set up a rule that no text I assigned would ever go over a hundred dollars – I simply won’t do that.

That’s too costly for students.

When they have a number of courses and some courses require four or five books it is ridiculous what they end up paying.”

Along with the financial benefits for students, Juschka reported finding personal benefits as a researcher through integrating electronic copies with her hard copy

“

We have to take a lot of things into account. That students have kids, they have financial commitments, that they’re also working sometimes or a lot of the time, and I think all of that has to be taken into account.

– Darlene Juschka

Amber Fletcher, an associate professor at the U of R in the area of sociology and social studies, noted that open-access material can be too advanced to be of use for introductory courses as students do not have the foundational knowledge to understand the content of academic journal articles so early in their degrees.

It’s much more difficult to find free materials for introductory courses.

On a more positive note, Ewing pointed out that the University has been making an effort to aid course instructors in locating quality open-access materials.

ing to wonder ‘How do I set up this complete course when I don’t really know where to look for this material and I don’t know what the best material is?’ So that there is this resource from the university and the library shows that they’re saying they’re interested in this too and want to help instructors accomplish this.”

Darlene Juschka, an associate professor in women and gender studies and religious studies at the U of R, said that before gravitating towards open-access material she had set a limit on the cost of textbooks she would require students to purchase for her courses.

resources, and she’s confident that students will benefit in much the same way. “They have an electronic copy which as a researcher is absolutely wonderful. One of the things I’ll do is I’ll read a ton of stuff, just a ton of stuff if I’m researching a topic, like we’re talking 30-40 articles and a bunch of books […] With e-copies, I can just search the term I want and I can find it right away, then I go to my hard copy and it’s hunky dory.

So this has been a real treat for me as a researcher to go e-copy, and I figure for students they get the best of both worlds.”

Fletcher said she switched

all of her courses from requiring textbooks to using open-access materials in the Winter 2018 semester after learning that a student in one of her courses was homeless, but had purchased their semester’s textbooks because that was a priority cost for them.

“That was my wake-up call that there are more effective ways of doing this.”

Fletcher is currently working on constructing an open-access textbook so she is no stranger to the time and effort put in to writing one. She said that while professors put much work into their contributions, the royalties from the corporate textbook publishing industry are quite small in comparison, and smaller still when you consider what students actually pay for those textbooks.

To further that point, Juschka diplomatically stated that, “I do think that there is a business that’s been built off the backs of students who are often not in a position to take the weight of that.

I understand that a long time ago universities were for elite folks so costs like this weren’t considered, but the democratization of the university in the 1960s, in postWWII, has changed the landscape and we have to take a lot of things into account. That students have kids, they have financial commitments, that they’re also working sometimes or a lot of the time, and I think all of that has to be taken into account. One of the ways I did was by switching to e-copies through the library so we could reduce expense.”

Wikipedia Commons manipulated by Kate Thiessen

Stack of books crossed out with a large black “x.”

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

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news

Winter bus pass improvement over last semester U-Pass still off the table

hummad ali contributor In the summer of 2020 the University of Regina Students’ Union (URSU) and Regina Transit announced that they would not be able to provide the discounted U-Pass for the Fall 2020 term.

Since most classes were being offered online, and students would not be commuting to campus as often, it was deemed infeasible to

Morgan Ortman

Cartoon squirrel waits for bus outside Riddell Centre

the rationale of encouraging students to take the bus more often and thus contribute to reducing traffic was also not being helped by this decision. Without the discounted U-Pass, the cheapest bus pass option would be the $78 monthly pass for post-secondary students. For those who would not be using the bus as often, there

to December, this still represented nearly four times the cost of the U-Pass program. Any savings expected from the reduction in Rec and Athletic fee were thus spent on the bus pass.

Thankfully, in late Fall 2020, URSU announced that a temporary Winter 2021 U-Pass is being made available, costing $100 from

course delivery styles, and student needs. Finally, around November 2020 we were able to agree on the current special pass for Winter 2021,” said Lehal.

Lehal added that while URSU was subsidizing the entire cost of the monthly passes in Fall 2020, “the special pass is being offered directly from Regina Tran-

chase this pass, it is currently only available from the URSU Member Services Desk on the second floor of Riddell Centre.

When asked whether there are any plans to provide something similar in the Spring/Summer 2021 semester, Lehal said “As classes are going to be online, we will not be able to operate the reg-

“

While all students, including those that currently have no classes on-campus, are able to purchase this pass, it is currently only available from the URSU Member Services Desk on the second floor of Riddell Centre.

– Hammad Ali

offer the discounted pass for students (though somehow it’s still feasible for the admin to charge remote students a recreation fee for a gym they can’t access).

The news was an unwelcome shock to many, particularly since many students work off-campus and would still need to be commuting to and from their places of employment. Furthermore,

were cheaper alternatives like 20 rides for $58 or 10 rides for $29.

However, any of these would cost substantially more the U-Pass.

By the beginning of the fall term, the student union announced that they will be providing the monthly bus pass, usually costing $78, for $50. While URSU subsidized $28 per student per month from September

the date of activation through the end of April 2021. We got in touch with URSU president Gurjinder Singh Lehal to learn more.

“We had been negotiating with the City of Regina since May 2020 to discuss viable transit pass options for U of R students, with the discussion ebbing and flowing based on new information about COVID, university

sit. It is a temporary option, with the only similarity with U-Pass being that it provides discounted bus passes to URSU members.”

It should be mentioned that all University of Regina full-time students are considered members of URSU. While all students, including those that currently have no classes on-campus, are able to pur-

ular U-Pass. However, discussions are ongoing with Regina Transit about ways to ensure that our students continue to have affordable access to public transit. We are grateful to Regina Transit, and would like to affirm that URSU has continued and will continue to help students during the pandemic and despite campus restrictions.”

Morgan Ortman

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 5

news

Trump impeached after inciting insurrection It’s his second impeachment matt thomspon news writer As I watched an American insurrection taking place live on my phone during the afternoon of January 6, I recalled a thought of mine from over four years prior.

On that day, November 8, 2016, I remember thinking, or rather knowing, that if Donald Trump lost the election, his mob of political cultists were destined to react violently no matter what.

Four years later, in the back of my subconscious, I could hear a tiny, smug, know-it-all voice saying, “I fucking called it.” Although the coup attempt, if you can call it that – the group had no clear demands or coherent plan – failed in the moment and the House voted to impeach Trump as a result, the Red-Hat Revolt, or The Caucasian Coup if you prefer, will continue to reverberate through American politics for a long time.

Just last year, Donald J. Trump and his legal team sat in front of a Republican held Senate and weathered the third impeachment trial in American history (Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were both impeached and then acquitted in the subsequent Senate trial. Richard Nixon resigned before articles of impeachment could be voted on and he could be tried). The charges were laid out by Justice Department prosecutors and testimonies from Trump’s staff, the evidence presented showed a clear picture of Trump’s criminality when he attempted to pressure Ukraine’s President to dig up dirt on Hunter Biden’s former business dealings.

The charges against him were clear and thorough, the defence was inept and incapable of objectively proving the President’s innocence, and the Senate ruled 51-49 not guilty, with only one

Republican, Senator Mitt Romney, breaking party lines on one of the two charges. The outcome was no surprise to anyone paying attention to recent American politics, and the trial only served to reiterate the steep chasm between the GOP and ethical standards.

Almost exactly a year later, however, the circumstances of Trump’s impeachment are entirely different. For one, the charges laid out by Congress, i.e. that the President (and his family) willfully and knowingly fomented an insurrection against the American government during a political rally, are about as transparent and damning as they can possibly be. Unlike a cascade of backdoor

crat Reps. and voted in favour of impeachment, setting a record high for bipartisanship regarding impeachment proceedings, a feat made even more impressive if one examines Presidents Nixon and Johnson’s respective impeachments. As well, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, who has unflinchingly supported Trump’s administration for the entirety of his term, remains statedly undecided on whether to encourage/order his fellow Republicans to vote either way, a fact which alone bodes well for the prosecution. Adding to this, a considerable number of staunch Republicans within the Senate, including Sen. Lindsey Graham,

begun to realize the full extent of their rapidly dwindling public support. Barring a second Trump presidential run, there is little practical gain left in remaining by the President’s side while a wealth of positive PR could be had in voting for Trump’s conviction.

Politicians, especially those closer to centre, will always follow where public support leads. Remember, the overwhelming majority of Republican leaders were outspoken critics of Trump prior to his ascension, after which nearly all changed their tune and became his strongest supporters.

Now, having said all of this, I, and many political analysts, cannot say with confidence that

“

Both the federal government and American public remain bitterly polarized along party lines, and recent polls of public opinion have shown only minor changes in Conservative attitudes following the revolt.

– Matt Thompson

dealings hinging on a few witness testimonies, the events were recorded live and televised internationally, they took place publicly in broad daylight, and nearly every person in government witnessed them firsthand. In legal terms, it’s equivalent to me robbing Taylor Swift at gun point onstage during Lollapalooza in front of 100,000 people while I repeat my name and address into the microphone (Editor’s note: these are not legal terms).

Adding to the enormous amount of evidence and lack of viable defense strategy thus far, Trump’s stranglehold on the GOP is much weaker than it has ever been. During the vote in Congress, 10 (predominantly moderate) Republican Representatives joined all 222 Demo-

have since abandoned supporting Trump since the revolt. While no Republican Senators have given explicit statements favouring impeachment, the mere existence of such silence seems to suggest that a 2/3‘s majority vote, the ratio required to criminally convict a sitting President, may be possible for the first time.

The most critical difference, however, is timing. Trump’s presidency is less than a week from ending, and when he is finally gone, there will certainly be far less political or public benefits to uncritically supporting his leadership. Some moderate Republicans have already abandoned Trump since losing the Presidential race, and after losing both Georgia Senatorial races a gradual number within the GOP have

a conviction is likely. There remains a considerable number of Red-Hat Rebels (alt-right Conservatives easily identified by their MAGA hats, pathological stubbornness, bigoted anger/ self-righteousness, and, chiefly, their absolute ineptitude) within both the party and general public, and it’s unlikely that a majority of Republicans will risk splitting their support base over a matter of ethics. As well, both the federal government and American public remain bitterly polarized along party lines, and recent polls of public opinion have shown only minor changes in Conservative attitudes following the revolt. One Washington Post ABC Poll even found that 78 per cent of Republicans believe that the President bore no responsibility for any

events on January 6.

While Trump’s impeachment, as justified as it is, is distressingly improbable, there does exist a strong silver lining. If Trump is not convicted on any charges laid out against him, the Senate can still vote whether to bar Trump from ever running for public office in the future.

Not only would this eliminate the threat of a 2016 repeat and strip him of most post-office benefits, including a substantial pension, the vote would only require a simple majority to pass, and with the Democrats poised to regain control of the Senate on January 20, this outcome is almost a certainty (this would not bar his family from running or overturn his Presidential pardons, however).

Trump’s second impeachment will be a test of American democracy, much like the Civil War, which started, almost down to the day, 160 years prior. For anyone still on the fence, whether politician, American, or simple observer, I ask you to consider this anecdote. One of the most-widespread and famous photos from the revolt shows a lone man flying the Confederate Army of Virginia’s battle-flag, a flag which unequivocally represents violent insurrection, the preservation of slavery and white supremacy, and, above-all, the principle of might makes right. To put this into historical perspective, the Confederacy spent 300,000 lives in the same attempt, while the United States lost 360,000 more preventing the Confederate flag from ever entering the most sacred monuments to its democracy. In the end, all these years later, all it took was one speech, a mob, five deaths, and an informally divided nation, to usher this disgraceful image into the realm of reality.

Stand

People protesting in front of White House

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

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news

Argentina legalizes abortion Comes after decades-long fight matt thompson news writer While Brexit and American politics have dominated the headlines of Western media, South America bore witness to an unprecedented triumph for reproductive justice almost 40 years in the making. Argentina, the second largest and second-most economically developed nation on the Latin continent, appropriately became

since the 1980s.

Since the fall of Argentina’s military junta in 1983, a host of women’s rights advocates have pushed for greater equality within their relatively new democracy, including expanded access to, and decriminalization of, abortion. As time passed, the nation’s various equal rights groups coalesced and formed the Campaign for Safe, Free, and Legal Abortion, adopting the wearing of a green

saw major calls for abortion reform from mostly grassroots organizations despite the split amongst Argentinians over the issue.

Argentina first voted to overturn a 1921 law which banned abortion, outside cases of rape or extreme threat to personal health, in 2018 and narrowly voted against reform. In response, thousands of Argentine women took to the streets in protest, and after a successful electoral campaign by

access to abortion for the first trimester of pregnancy, as well as much looser sanctions afterwards, and provides wider funding for medical facilities across the country.

Not all were happy, however.

A massive crowd of anti-choice supporters, identified by their signature blue handkerchiefs, gathered in Buenos Aires’ Plaza de Mayo Square, separated from the crowds of pro-choice supporters

is likely end in vain at least until the next election.

Argentina’s legalization of abortion may possibly herald a domino effect across Latin America. Chile’s government has already begun discussing possible decriminalization, and there are growing calls for abortion reform in Brazil, Costa Rica (which legalized gay marriage last year), and the Dominican Republic.

As well, the international orga-

“

The new law allows for total access to abortion for the first trimester of pregnancy, as well as much looser sanctions afterwards, and provides wider funding for medical facilities across the country.

– Matt Thompson

just the second country on the continent to legalize abortion.

In the waning days of 2020, Argentina’s Senate, which previously enforced some of the world’s strictest anti-abortion laws, voted to decriminalize the medical procedure, fulfilling one of President Alberto Fernandez’s campaign promises and reversing a 2018 decision not to decriminalize or expand the law, a law which has resulted in at least 3000 deaths due to amateur/illegal treatment

handkerchief, or Pañuelo Verde (a historic symbol which originated from protests against government sanctioned killings and kidnappings during the Videla dictatorship), as a popular representation of the campaign’s various women’s rights initiatives, a symbol now adopted across much of Latin America. Despite being an overwhelmingly majority Catholic country, even among young adults, the Verde movement exploded during the 2010s, which

Argentina’s liberal Fronte de Todos party in 2019, the issue was brought back to the legal table in early December, 2020. After a short yet incredibly heated debate, the proposed bill passed the first level of government and onto the Senate, where after two weeks of debate, 67 Senators, five of whom remained undecided (four of which voted against reform in 2018), deliberated and eventually ruled 38-29 in favour of the bill. The new law allows for total

by police barricades, and soon after the bill was passed dozens of counter-protests from other blue handkerchief groups sparked across the country. Catholic Church officials have also railed against reform, who, alongside the country’s substantial Evangelical community, have lobbied against the change for over a decade (Pope Francis, himself a native Argentine, remained mostly quiet on the issue). Any attempt to overturn abortion legalization

nization, Catholics For Choice, has seen its membership explode within the last year both within and outside Latin America, and a growing share of the international Catholic population (outside the priesthood) now identify as pro-choice. The wheels of change across South America have now gained tremendous speed, and as long as movements like the Pañuelo Verde keep fighting for equal rights, there is little chance of them slowing down.

Wikipedia Commons

Crowd of women waving green flags calling for legal abortion.

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editor: julia peterson aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | january 21 - january 27, 2021

TV review: Bridgerton Sex, secrets and the Queen of England

hannah polk contributor

Pixahive

The red Neftlix logo shines out from a TV screen in a darkened room.

This Christmas, Netflix gave us an extra special gift.

On December 25, entertainment streaming company Netflix released a new binge-worthy television series, Bridgerton. Filled with steamy on-screen sex scenes and a racially diverse cast, the internet – of course – had a lot to say about it.

Set in the early 1800s England, the romantic dramedy follows the established Bridgerton family as they navigate London’s high society courting season. At the centre of the conflict is a mysterious narrator (voiced by Julie

was created by the production company, Shondaland, who recently signed a $150 million contract with Netflix. Producer and founder of Shondaland, Shonda Rhimes, has gained a significant following in the world of television due to her success in creating such shows as Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. Her fans were expecting nothing less than another award-winning television show when Bridgerton was announced.

While I’m sure that Bridgerton will pick up a handful of awards for costume design and acting, this certainly wasn’t the award-bait show that we were

From the cinematography to the appearance of the actors, the entire production is very Hollywood. I imagine if Downton Abbey was produced through NBC instead of by Masterpiece on PBS, we might have gotten a Bridgerton sister series. Does that make sense to anyone else? Just me?

Cool.

The script is generally well-written with clever dialogue and all the muted humour that a TV drama is normally packed with.

Something not so common is the many, many sex scenes.

Seriously, do not watch this

over her identity as a person? I’m glad someone finally said it!

With all that said, I thought the way they addressed it could have been more subtle. There’s a saying in visual art: “show, don’t tell.” But in the case of Bridgerton there was so much showing, it took away from what they were trying to tell. In my opinion, it became more of a sexual showcase than an artistic inclusion.

If sex sells, Bridgerton is filthy rich. After all, I’m the one writing a review about this show because of how scandalous it was to watch, which is just more exposure for them.

(who is also a Black man) about how they are only allowed in high society because the King fell in love with a Black woman and they shouldn’t take their place of privilege for granted. This is essentially the only mention of the racial differences in the show. I found it left me even more confused than before.

Another viewer said that it felt like a mistake. As if they were planning to have race as a theme but then decided against it, accidentally leaving that one scene in.

Regardless of the intention of the Bridgerton creators, representation is important and I’m

“

If sex sells, Bridgerton is filthy rich. After all, I’m the one writing a review about this show because of how scandalous it was to watch, which is just more exposure for them.

– Hannah Polk

Andrews) and gossip columnist who hides under the pseudonym Lady Whistledown. Controversy and paranoia arise when the anonymous Lady Whistledown publishes frequent pamphlets detailing the most secret and insider scandals about the members within the ton (British high society). The series is based on a collection of romance novels written

by Julia Quinn. Each book tells the story of a different Bridgerton sibling, making eight books in total.

The initial hype of the show

expecting. And I’m not sure anything could have prepared us for what we got.

Before I sat down to watch, I heard Bridgerton described as if Downton Abbey and Gossip Girl had a love child. I didn’t realize that description was going to be so literal.

As soon as I heard the silky smooth voiceover telling me about the scandals that these ultra-rich characters are involved in, I had to check that it was for sure set in London and not the Upper East Side.

show with your parents. Time has never passed as slowly as it did when I was sitting next to my mom and dad while, on screen, the female lead explored masturbation for the first time for a full thirty seconds.

It’s not a taboo that sex is one of the main themes in Bridgerton, and I’m all for it! Girls discovering and owning their sexuality? Yay, go women! Gay men having to hide their lovers otherwise they’ll be killed or shunned?

It should be talked about more! A woman’s innocence being valued

Another aspect of the show that drew attention was the racially diverse casting. In Bridgerton, the Queen of England is Black and so are about one third of the other characters in this fictional high society.

One fan commented on it, explaining that at first she thought the casting was “colour-blind” and that this fantasy land of racial equality was just what we needed to see after everything we went through in 2020. Although, a few episodes in, a comment is made by the Queen to the male lead

glad to see more people of colour on screen.

Overall, Bridgerton is a mustwatch for soapy television lovers.

It’s not the epitome of artistic perfection and it’s certainly not for everyone. I’m not sure I would even consider it “good” TV with all its flaws included.

However, it is fun, easy to watch, and entertaining. And sometimes, that’s all you need in a Netflix show.

Bring on Season 2!

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

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Vintage shopping in Saskatchewan

Tips and tricks on finding diamond in the rough clothing from Saskatchewan based stores

gillian massie web writer Buying and selling vintage and used clothing is one of the more fabulous ways to express your fashion sense. Thrifting has made a comeback in recent years, with many people travelling to different thrift stores and online shops.

Nicola Tabb, the owner of Better Off Duds located in Saskatoon, has been slinging vintage for the last nine years. Her business sells high-end vintage clothing and unique pieces from the 60s to 90s era. Finding quirky, individual pieces keeps many customers coming back for more.

“Everywhere I go, I thrift now; it’s just a way of life,” said Tabb.

Better Off Duds truly embodies the fantastic previous fashion trends. You can find anything from bell-bottom jeans to authentic leather jackets.

“I love crazy stuff like paisley, jumpsuits, and hot pants,” said Tabb.

The emergence of online Etsy shops that flip vintage clothes have popped up all over the internet. Rachel Walliser, the owner of Victory Vintage Co., has mastered the art of selling vintage to local and international shoppers.

Victory Vintage Co. donates 15 per cent of each sale to Prairie Harm Reduction.

Walliser’s interest in flipping clothes began in high school, as she garnered business from local women. Her interest in vintage clothing came from the unique pieces she found in her hometown.

“Clothing back then was made to last, it wasn’t fast-fashion, or to be thrown away after two or three years, it was made to last for years,” explained Walliser.

Fast-fashion is one of the reasons pollution is so high within the fashion industry. According to Business Insider, 85 per cent of textiles end up back in the landfill each year. The fashion industry is currently responsible for 10 per cent of carbon emissions. While many items are worn beyond repair, there are still many items in mint condition.

“

to know your union tags, get to know your care tags, your country of manufacturing like Hong Kong Taiwan. Lots of older stuff is made in Canada, so that’s a good indication, as well as care instruction tags can easily date a piece.”

Conquering the thrift store can be intimidating. Racks of textiles are often poorly organized and may take extra effort to find what you want.

“If you are going to the thrift store, go with a plan. Go with a budget and have a few pieces that

bought something, I can clean it or mend it, and it looks incredible. Definitely have an open eye when looking at stuff,” explained Walliser.

Sometimes shaving the pilling off a sweater, putting on a fresh coat of shoe polish, or even a trip to the dry cleaners can be enough to revitalize a piece of clothing.

Tabb takes all of her thrifted items back to the shop, where it automatically hits the washing machines. She examines the clothing closely, looking for loose

Everywhere I go, I thrift now; it’s just a way of life.

– Nicola Tabb

“One of the things that you can do to help reduce your carbon footprint is buying, and thrifting used clothing,” said Walliser.

Finding the most unique, wacky, and weird pieces can be challenging. Keeping your eyes peeled for hidden gems takes a level of patience and time. After scouring entire racks, you may not find anything at all. Both Tabb and Walliser offer their advice on how to find unique clothes.

“I once read this tip that said, ‘If it says vintage, it’s not,’” explained Tabb. Her best indications for finding authentic vintage items come from labels.

“Get to know your tags, get

you are looking for,” said Walliser.

Walliser also expressed the amount of patience one needs to find wild items.

“I have found some of the best pieces in the oddest places. I am always scouring garage sales and estate sales, even if they don’t look the most interesting or clean.

I found a 1950s wedding dress at a garage sale.”

While it takes a sharp eye to find unique items, it is important to see beyond the repairable scuffs and damage to see each piece’s value.

“Even if something has a hole in it, or it looks kind of dirty, 99 per cent of the time I have

buttons or seams that need to be mended. The little extra effort can make the piece completely brand new.

The enjoyment of thrifting is rewarding. Coming across wacky oddities shows the art within textiles. The story that clothing tells is a form of one’s self-expression.

One of the most exciting items Tabb has come across was a 1920s green wedding dress. Many sellers tell the unique story from behind the clothing they sell. Perks of the job is seeing happy customers; one of Walliser’s favorite sales includes selling to people on special occasions.

“One of my first sales was

a striped robe. A woman had bought it to get ready for her wedding because it was Beetlejuice themed,” reflected Walliser, “It was one of my first sales, and she was so happy she was beaming in the photos.”

Tabb expresses her love of dressing people for special occasions: “”I love selling party clothes, but it’s hard because of the pandemic right now. The hardest thing for me right now is that there are no parties or music festivals, no disco dance fundraisers.”

Both Better Off Duds and Victory Vintage Co. have proven to thrive during the pandemic, but it did not come without its struggles. Tabb explains how, after a brief period of panic, she began adapting by expanding her online shop and selling items over Instagram.

“You had to learn what worked and what didn’t work.

The rules changed fairly quickly after opening back up, in terms of how change rooms work and how quarantining clothing would work.”

Balancing quarantining clothes with running her store and online sales gave Tabb on her toes while avid thrifters bought up many items. Despite the new challenges, Tabb still finds enjoyment in running the store.

“9 years later, I still love what I do. Weekly, I am giggling or enthralled by a piece. When I think of all the clothing, I’ve seen in the last nine years, I still get goosebumps over stuff,” said Tabb, “I like to give everything that deserves a second chance, a second chance.”

Pixabay

Rows of colourful shirts on white plastic hangers are displayed at a thrift store.

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

arts & culture

9

Flourishing after graduation

U of R graduate Erickka Patmore reflects on painting in a pandemic holly worby staff writer

Making your way as an artist after graduation has never been an easy task, and the pandemic has undoubtedly added layers of complexity to that period of change.

Erickka Patmore graduated from the University of Regina with a BFA in print media in April of 2020, and along with her graduating class constructed a virtual show of their grad projects in place of the standard grad show.

While she enjoyed the experience, it was disappointing after looking forward to the grad show throughout her entire degree, but realizing how adaptive she would have to be has sprung her into action.

Patmore said she contacted the CPR Historic Center Gallery in Virden, Manitoba, because “Virden was really close to where I went to school and I actually got an art scholarship from them. I emailed them and said ‘Hey, remember me?! I’m done art school now, do you need anyone for a show maybe?’

“By the time this email exchange happened I had a couple of paintings going so I put this little proposal together with a couple pieces I’d done already, some in the works, and a plan for how to build it around the theme of how covid has impacted me, and they liked it! I sold my first piece through that show.”

Gallery shows are difficult to facilitate in a regular fashion right now, but Patmore found another opportunity to display her art through The Junction’s group show “Every Nook and Cranny” this past December.

“We had a virtual reception over Facebook Live and people were buying art through the live show,” she said. “It was a really nice opportunity to be featured on their page and I wound up selling one of the two pieces I brought in.”

Another unique experience Patmore added to her CV last year was creating an instructional video for the Saskatchewan Library Association called “An experimental painting workshop with Erickka Patmore” for their Culture Days. “I pitched a workshop about intuitive, expressive painting with colour matching for your emotions that I based it on this thing I did through counselling in high school. I made the video, and they gave me money so now that exists on YouTube forever!”

While these achievements were a thrill to experience, they didn’t come easy, and Patmore pointed out the difficulty of prioritizing her mental health through the process. “My focus in 2020 was trying to build myself some good habits. Like, I wasn’t worried about getting as many gigs as possible, I was focused on getting myself a good foundation.”

One foundational aspect Patmore put considerable work into was the ability to promote her own work. She mentioned it’s helpful to think of being an artist “as you being your own business, so you have to get yourself out there. Go to the galleries and make yourself known as a person and, if you can, reach out to them directly.”

Another angle of self-promotion is through social media, which Patmore has done both through her newly constructed website and her use of social media platforms like Instagram. She spent 2020 build-

“

Erickka Patmore

Try not to treat the grad project as the defining point of your art career.

– Erickka Patmore

Wikipedia Commons

A paint splattered table covered with containers filled with brushes.

ing a following, writing blog posts for her website, and focusing on consistency and follow-through in her practice and habits.

One of Patmore’s 2021 goals is to get a posting schedule going for her Instagram page, @ erickkasart. For her, that looks like “Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I’d do a post, and then two or three days a week I’ll make an Instagram reel about what I’m working on. I’m really just posting what I happen to be doing – the key is that I don’t care if it’s ‘internet-worthy’, I’m just trying to show people the life of an artist and sometimes you don’t make shit that’s very good!” Through posting her work so frequently Patmore has seen an increase in commissioned pieces; at first from close friends, but now spreading to acquaintances of acquaintances as she works to establish herself.

Since Patmore graduated during a heavily locked-down period of this pandemic, I asked her for some advice for the BFA graduates of 2021 who will likely be in a similar position. To start, she emphasized making the most of the professors’ expertise, as she places great value on the skills they

taught her from the first course to the last. She also mentioned that while the students’ grad projects are likely a top priority right now, they should “try not to treat the grad project as the defining point of your art career.”

Another point Patmore touched on was that it’s normal to have a difficult time finding your style and working the techniques learned into your individual artistic process. She joked that she’s had pieces she’s restarted 80 times over, and she uses those trial runs to explore new techniques more casually. “Don’t make your art super super precious because you’re just trying to make it better. Don’t treat everything as your magnum opus – if it turns out shitty but you learn something, you’re still further ahead. The more art you do the better you know your art, and the better you know the directions you’re able to push in. You have to find the fine lines of what you like in your art somehow, so honestly bulldoze over them and then reign it in to find where your sweet spot is.”

Patmore credits her focus on building a strong foundation for a large part of her success following graduation. Self-discipline and consistency are never easy, especially at first, but just like with art they get easier with practice and the benefits are more than worth the cost. After receiving more than three times her regular commission requests last year, Patmore said through a smile that “It’s nice to be putting myself out there and trying this, taking that risk, and seeing that it’s going to pay off if I keep working at it. It’s a challenge, but I like the challenge.”

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

arts & culture

10

TV review: Valley of Tears

Israeli TV show brings a subtle, emotional perspective to the recent history of war

hammad ali contributer One of the most significant events to take place in the early history of the modern state of Israel was the war that took place in 1973.

Known as the Yom Kippur War, the October War or the Ramadan War, it was a tragic and defining moment for many of the people living in the countries affected.

Now, a new limited series is dramatizing the stories of this conflict, bringing 10 episodes to life with vivid characters and a refreshing emotional honesty.

Yom Kippur, arguably the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, is usually marked by fasting,

Wikipedia Commons

A rusted tank sits in a clearing of packed red dirt, surrounded by trees.

rael to volunteer for the army, concerned that the only Jewish state in the world was about to be wiped off the maps. In the end, after three weeks of fighting, thousands of soldiers captured and killed, and substantial losses to military resources, a ceasefire was reached once Israel Defence Forces began to advance on Cairo.

It is the first few days of those tumultuous times that are brought to life in the recent Israeli TV show Valley of Tears, also available on Amazon Prime.

However, Valley of Tears is not some action-packed, machis-

the interactions between characters throughout the show.

Valley of Tears is not a shallow tale of pure good versus pure evil.

It shows Israelis who are aware of the infighting and prejudice they have encouraged to go on for far too long, and how they make a commitment to do better if there is even an Israel after the war. It is shown that one Syrian soldier loves animals just as much as the Israeli spy who he helps save, along with his pet hamster. One of the most poignant moments of the show soon follows, with the two soldiers talking, promising

bravery in the face of all odds.

Yes, there are scenes where a tank driver decides that if he is dying in the face of insurmountable odds, he will take as many Arab tanks with him as he can. But there are also those soldiers captured by Syrian Army, pale and shivering in fear of the imminent torture, pleading that they do not even know the sort of secrets they are being questioned about. And we are shown how bravery comes from the least likely people, making their peace that they will never go home again if they do not cooperate with the enemy, with

said, “I am being sent to fight for a nation that does not think of me as its own.” He does go into the fight all the same, because, and many Israelis know this feeling, he thinks of the nation as his own.

The show ends with some hopeful notes about the way these attitudes may change in the future.

On the technical side, Valley of Tears holds the record of being the most expensive Israeli TV show. All the actors are Israeli, and will probably not be familiar names to most of us in North America. However, their performance is no less than world class.

“

Valley of Tears is not a shallow tale of pure good versus pure evil. It shows Israelis who are aware of the infighting and prejudice they have encouraged to go on for far too long, and how they make a commitment to do better if there is even an Israel after the war.

– Hammad Ali

prayer and introspection. Particularly in Israel, on Yom Kippur the streets are empty of vehicles and most businesses are closed. So on Yom Kippur 1973, when Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a surprise attack against Israel, the country’s military was caught on the back foot.

Thanks to the element of surprise, the Arab forces gained significant ground, and for a while it seemed that Israel might not survive as a nation. So much so, in fact, that Jewish youth from all over the world travelled to Is-

mo-oozing show with explosions and gunfights. It is a surprisingly subtle narrative about the early history of modern Israel, which was just over twenty years old at the time. Largely populated by Jewish immigrants from all over the world that wanted to return to their ancestral home, we see the tensions that emerge between Jews of different national origins, particularly new immigrants from Europe and longtime residents of the Middle East. We also see the broader strokes of ongoing Arab-Israeli conflicts played out in

that once this is over, once there is peace, they will visit each other and try out the best shawarmas in Damascus and Jerusalem. It is apt, if heartbreaking, that this beautiful scene is soon followed by a look at the cruelty that each side is also capable of. Isn’t that what war does? Rob us off our individual values and reduce us to casualty statistics? Soldiers to share a flask of water and talk about home are heart-warming, but war drives us all to violence eventually.

Nor does the show glorify

just the hint of a smile on their face.

Despite the setting and the context, Valley of Tears should not be defined as a show about war. It is a show about friends, families, and a nation, while a war wages all around them. It is a show about the existential threat many Israelis felt in 1973, and perhaps that is why it is apt that the show ends not with some glorious victory, not with bragging about how they have braved all odds, but with a moment of reflection. As one soldier on the show

The people who particularly stand out are the older journalist whose son goes to war, the Sephardi tank driver who goes into battle knowing he is in fact wanted by the Jerusalem police once this war ends, or the brilliant analyst who tried to warn everyone there might be an attack coming. There is currently only one season, and given how it ended it seems likely this will be the only season. For viewers in Canada, the show is available through Amazon Prime with an additional subscription to Hollywood Suites.

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editor: ethan butterfield sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | january 21 - january 27, 2021

Women in sports: Lauryn Schindel A multi-talented athletic star in the making. sarah nakonechny sports writer

Being an athlete is something that one should always be proud to call themselves. Whether you play one sport or multiple, it is something that shapes who you are and allows you to grow as an individual. Lauryn Schindel has learned this throughout her 15 years of playing a wide variety of sports. From co-ed soccer leagues to female volleyball, all the way to women’s touch football and co-ed flag football, sports have had a deeply important impact on her life. Currently, she is still participating in her soccer and women’s touch football leagues, which have allowed a much needed break from the regular activities of school and work.

Initially, Schindel started her athletic career in her soccer league. Growing up with a lot of energy, this was one of the easiest ways to channel that into a greater purpose. She was able to learn how to control her energy, overcome challenges and contribute to a goal that is greater than herself. Even though soccer was her first passion and taught her many things about herself and a team environment, eventually Schindel was looking for a new way to challenge and grow as an athlete. After trying out volleyball for a while she eventually found her other passion of touch and flag football. For seven years she has had the joy of participating in these different leagues and has loved every moment of it. It has been hard work balancing football and soccer with the rest of her life but she would not give them up for anything.

Training for all of her sports is something that Schindel has taken upon herself to do in her spare time. With her own training routine, she ensures that she can perform at her highest skill level at all times. Primarily she works on her endurance as having a strong cardiovascular system and ensuring that she can

Lauryn Schindel

Lauryn playing flag football.

However, Schindel knows that in order to improve on any of the weaknesses that she specifically has in order to become the best athlete she can, she must work on these on her own as well.

Participating in co-ed sports has not always been easy for Schindel. They have presented their own kind of unique ob-

bias may bring forth doubt in one’s abilities, Schindel has not let this bring her down and has used this as motivation to push herself even harder. The passion she has pushed her to train harder and perform better, not only to solidify to herself but also to her coaches and teammates that she deserves to be a part of the teams and they

ball team and was co-captain her last season with the same volleyball team.

Being an athlete has changed Schindel’s life in a way that she will never be able to fully express. It has allowed her to know the value of dedication and hard work and that following your passions is something that you should

on the other side.

Schindel believes that it is important that aspiring female athletes are not afraid to pursue the sports that they are passionate about. Even if you may be the only female on a team or not taking part in something that everyone else does should not hold you back from pursuing your pas-

“

Throughout her time as an athlete Schindel has been able to accomplish many outstanding things. All of this hard work has paid off in recognition from coaches, teammates and adoring fans.

– Sarah Nakonechny

move around the field with ease is extremely important for being a strong player on her teams. She also ensures that she runs drills to work on her technique to help solidify this vital aspect of gameplay. Pushing herself to complete these things continuously on her own can be tough and having the motivation of fellow teammates can make doing these a lot easier.

stacles that she has had to push through to overcome. Oftentimes these difficulties come from her male teammates as there is a misconception that the female players do not possess the same level of skill as the males. This can make it increasingly more difficult when you are not only trying to play against another team but also fighting your own players for time with the ball. Although this

are fortunate to have her.

Throughout her time as an athlete Schindel has been able to accomplish many outstanding things. All of this hard work has paid off in recognition from coaches, teammates and adoring fans. She can proudly say that she has won A-side championships with her co-ed soccer team, has been awarded Most Valuable Player with her women’s volley-

always do. They have provided her discipline that she can utilize in other aspects of her life and has taught her a lot about how to keep herself motivated to push through hard spots in order to be able to improve and grow as an individual in all areas. Participating in athletics has shown Schindel that if you are coming up to a challenge you can face it end on and come out so much stronger

sions. Continue to work hard and do the best that you can in whichever sport you choose to take part in. Whether that involves working on skill or connecting with your teammates, commit yourself. Use the motivation that this provides to drive you forward and no matter what you will always be successful.

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 12

sports

Regina Pats looking to the future Looking in the organization’s mindset moving forward ethan butterfield sports editor Earlier in the month, it was announced that the WHL was committed to the start of a 24-game season. In a press release from the WHL, Commissioner Ron Robison stated the following with regards to what the organization hopes to accomplish with the shortened schedule: “The Western Hockey

“ League is committed to providing a season for WHL players. This commitment ensures WHL players will receive the opportunity to compete at the highest level in the system and continue to pursue their hockey goals in the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players.”

This announcement, much like the return of the NHL recently, holds both positive and negative elements. The opportunity to play is certainly an exciting prospect for players, yet the COVID-19 related health risks could be a serious issue. This is,

of course, all hypothetical at the moment as the season won’t officially start until health authorities give the go ahead to the WHL. In the meantime, I was able to discuss the Regina Pats view of the announcement with Director of Brand Marketing & Communications Evan Daum, who offered his thoughts just below: “Obviously, everybody is anxious to try and get going. But right now, in a situation where there’s still a lot to be worked out

tion will move forward regarding such if the season were to begin.

“Yeah, I don’t think a whole lot changes in terms of that, you know, a lot of work has gone into making sure that when we do get back to playing hockey, that it’s done in a safe way. And the planning started really over the course of the summer as the pandemic progressed and carried into the fall. So, in terms of sort of the health and safety protocols, you know, those things have been rela-

for the group.”

Nearing the end of our conversation, Daum was able to give his thoughts on whether (with COVID-19 as it stands currently) the possible beginning of a 24game season is the right move.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously, the most important thing not only for hockey organizations, but society as a whole is the health and safety of the general public, and making sure that we all do our part. COVID-19 is not something

body who’s going to be involved is going to be in as safe an environment as they possibly can be. So we’re confident in the protocols that we’ve put in place, and looking forward to an opportunity to get back to the rink and give our players a chance to continue to develop.”

Lastly, I asked Daum what the focus for the Pats organization will be in the event that the 24game season does not go through.

“Yeah, I mean, the focus for

We’re excited about any opportunity we get to play some meaningful games for the group.

– Evan Duam in terms of what the season would look like, and clearly the approvals from the different health authorities as well, I think that’s the thing to emphasis with people is, as much as we want to get going and as much planning can go into it, we’re still waiting for the word go from health authorities as they work through our plans and have to balance the various things that they need to balance. So that’s the linchpin in all of this is getting approval from the health authorities to begin play.”

I also asked Daum about the Pats’ views on player safety during COVID and how the organiza-

tively settled since the fall.”

Daum also mentioned that, although those views on player safety have been ‘relatively settled,’ there is still room for things to grow as more developments emerge. Continuing our discussion, Daum commented on how a 24-game season could impact the Pats.

“There’s a lot of built up excitement from everybody involved in the game about getting the opportunity to play. So I think the 24 games is going to be an opportunity to develop. We’re excited about any opportunity we get to play some meaningful games

that should be taken lightly. And as it’s proven, it’s had significant ramifications on all of our lives.

You know, unfortunately there’s been a lot of loss of life due to COVID-19, so there’s no diminishing the significance of the pandemic in terms of making sure that we do everything we can to make sure as many people are safe as possible.”

I think that, you know, our group and the Western Hockey League and other teams around the league have done a lot of work in trying to make sure that everything that we do is going to be in a safe environment. Every-

the organization, as it has been throughout the pandemic, is to look forward to the next game, whenever that next game is. That could be in a short 24 game regular season, it could be in the fall, obviously we hope it’s not in the fall, and then it’s sooner. Really our focus is to make sure that the organization is prepared both on and off the ice to compete once we get the opportunity to do.”

Hopefully this provides a bit of a clearer look at the mindset of the Regina Pats organization.

Wikipedia Commons

Regina Pats goaltender

sports

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

The state of minor league hockey

13

Taking the time for safety and security

ethan butterfield sports editor With the pandemic going on, it’s no secret that sports (much like anything) have been affected to a substantial degree. The lack of sports, on top of affecting the development of youth that want to participate, also has affectedthe parents of those youth players. Parents want to be able to see their kids play in recreational sports, cheer them on and see their smiling faces as they play their hearts out.

ty, it’s probably two or four more games than I thought they would have got when I saw the season starting. But maybe that’s just my head, my pessimistic glasses on when we start the season.

I’m kind of surprised we got any games. So this announcement to me, I don’t know, I came into the season expecting very little as far as games go.”

Despite the disappointment that accompanies the change of plans, Dickie fully understands that sacrifices like these are necessary when it comes to the safety

complete waste of time a write off for last season. So maybe they would argue that we’ve had two.

But I just like I said, I understand why the decisions are being made, because safety is the number one priority. No one’s doing this out of vengefulness or, you know, to punish anyone, it is solely for safety reasons. And so I recognize that and can appreciate it.”

Despite Dickie’s feelings of safety and its standing as a number one priority, the frustrations of other parents regarding their kids lack of play may overshadow

these decisions. And you know, I would even extend that to the SHA (Saskatchewan Hockey Association). I think their hands have been tied through the last couple of announcements anyways, because it’s coming directly from the province. So, any anger directed towards SHA, in this instance, I would say is misdirected.

“But [for] one, I don’t know why there is that anger, because you’re just missing it completely. I feel. But second of all, it’s coming directly from the province when they announced on whatever day

ation of an outdoor rink that has seen some great socially distanced use.

“I am basically ‘the’ guy on it, cleaning it and had a big hand in designing it and helping put it up, but it was Lions Club members that also helped volunteer their time to put it together. At one point they did close it for about a week. Just with COVID restrictions, they weren’t sure if they had needed signage and stuff like that. Since then, we’ve reopened it. It hasn’t been used as much, it’s still quite busy but it was really

“

Well, Safety’s number one, right? Number one priority. And so it should be. And I guess that’s why I’m not as upset as many others maybe are, because games really don’t matter.

– Tyler Dickie

With regards to this, parent Tyler Dickie was available to discuss his feelings about how COVID-19 has affected his ability to see his kids play in minor hockey “It is what it is. We’re in the middle of a pandemic. Would I ever choose this? No. But do I get it? Absolutely. Yeah. I’m not surprised. Earlier this year, a couple of teams could have had a chance to play four games, just in that narrow window when games were available. And in all hones-

and security of teams.

“Well, Safety’s number one, right? Number one priority. And so it should be. And I guess that’s why I’m not as upset as many others maybe are, because games really don’t matter.

“And, at least, I hope it’s a temporary thing. One season kind of got lost to COVID, to the pandemic. I hope it doesn’t extend into a second season. A lot of teams and leagues and hockey was shut down. Playoffs were lost.

So maybe people found that as a

that standing. Dickie, who also works as a part of Fort Qu’Appelle minor hockey, spoke on this: “Absolutely. I think there’s always, you know, people like that out there that maybe don’t fully grasp the magnitude of the situation. We just do our best and, I mean, we have no choice. That’s the other thing. Our hands are tied. So, if someone does get mad or yells at us or whatever, as a board, I find it fairly easy to just kind of defer and say, “Hey, our hands are tied.” I didn’t make

it was there, saying that all recreation activities are limited to eight people. That was done at the provincial level, at the government level. So, if there’s any anger, which, again, I don’t know how there could be or why there would be, but if there is, it should be directed at the province, at the government.”

Given everything above, Tyler Dickie is making the most of his time as minor league hockey waits to begin anew. “How?” you may ask, well through the cre-

crazy before that so yeah, no, it’s good.”

With everything going on, it’s great to see the creative efforts of local individuals that are putting their best foot forward. Also, for parents who are waiting for sports like minor league hockey to kick off, the NHL has officially started, and the pros are hard at work.

That being said, until this pandemic passes, we’re all going to have to deal with the harsh reality of limited everything.

Pixabay

Goalie waiting.

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 14

sports

Looking into Mosaic stadium’s “Iceville” The new ice rink is getting rave reviews

gillian massie & ethan butterfield sports writer & sports editor Mosaic Stadium has transformed the beloved home of the Roughriders into Saskatchewan’s largest public ice-skating rink from football to figure skating.

Now avid skaters can enter “Iceville,” enjoying a safe place to enjoy ice skating.

“It was good. It was enjoyable for us and the kids. It was a good atmosphere, and we had fun, which was the main thing,” says happy skater Craig Luron.

Many cooped up citizens are getting bundled up to find safe outdoor activities for themselves and their families. A maximum of 30 skaters on the ice at a time allows for plenty of room safety precautions and skating.

“They were pretty good. You know, like a lot of people, they skated more than 2 metres away, which was really nice. I think there were only 30 people allowed in the rink at a time, and the rink was so big that you had enough space,” explained Luron.

To promote safe precautions from COVID-19, they are only allowing weekly bookings of the event to keep up to date with the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s guidelines. Masks are not essential for outdoor activities but are still highly recommended when

Wikipedia Commons

Mosaic Stadium.

on the ice. Each skating time is limited to 45 minutes, with a maximum of 30 skaters on the ice at a time. Bookings are completely free of charge but bring extra money if you would like food or drinks at the Chalet.

The creation of Iceville has cost $200K, where $170 is sponsored by different partners across Saskatchewan. The budget has allowed for 24 workers to continue to work at the stadium. Over 1.5 million litres of water was used to create the ice surface.

While winter ice sports favour many guests, hockey, figure skating, and ringette is strictly for-

bidden on the ice surface. Providing a non-contact ice area for all skaters to enjoy is the top priority for officials on the ice surface.

Sticks and pucks will be asked to be put away or removed if they are present in the stadium.

Registration has been made easy to find and book online.

“All in all, it was really easy to sign up. It took me like five minutes online to do it. As soon as I walked in, it was like hands-free.

[I] Went in there, spent 45 minutes skating; it was like actually really great too like the music was great,” explains Favel.

To register to go skating, go

to everazplace.com. Registration is completely free, and you may register up to six guests at a time.

If one of your guests wants to sit on the sidelines to watch, they need to register as one of the 30 guests for the ice area. If you cannot make your skate time, be sure to cancel your event time, so a lucky guest on the waitlist can get in their skating time.

Food and drink are served in the Harvard Lounge, before or after guest’s ice-skating times. Guests must be seated while eating or drinking to follow COVID-19 precautions.

While booking is filling up

with many rave reviews, make sure that you get your spot before they are gone.

“Well, in all honesty, I probably recommended it to about 20 people already,” remarked Favel, “I took a few pictures already, and everybody was commenting on my Facebook or my Facebook storyboard, wondering if they signed out skates. I told them I had to invest in a pair, but after people showing people that, everybody wanted to do it and was like, ‘Oh, I’m glad I influenced it a bit.’”

Instead of looking at some of the big pictures events that typically take place, we can look at utilizing the platform we are given as athletes to do some good within the community. Become excited about the impact that you and your teammates can have by looking at local charities and organizations. Decide on one or two that have a mission statement that aligns with what is important to you and your team. Then utilize the money you would have spent on out-of-town tournaments to donate to these organizations.

Everyone has struggled this past year and as athletes we are given a unique platform that we can use

to make a positive impact. This is something that can be as much or as little effort as you want that can bring forth feelings of pride.

Things are hard and we are all waiting for events and activities to go back to the way they used to be. This could take a while and we should not let that discourage us. Set goals that feel tangible, whether that is within your own life, your teams or your communities. Keep your head up and be prepared to get back in the game whenever we are able to. Things are hard now but they will not be hard forever.

The New Year for athletes A general look into what athletes can look forward to

sarah nakonechny sports writer As we enter into a new year, we should be excited for everything that is to come. However, that same excitement may not be meeting us in the same way this time. The idea of tryouts, tournaments, travelling for competitions, team bonding, and championships are ideas that we may need to be okay letting go of for the time being. This can be hard as these are some of the best parts of athletics and oftentimes are the things that keep us coming back to them no matter how challenging they may be. We want the experiences that our teammates provide, the connections that we make with our coaches and the pride that we feel by contributing to something that is bigger than just us. With restrictions still in place many of these desires will not be tangible for a while. Here are some ways that we can still hold onto that excitement and find things to anticipate within this new year that may not seem so hopelessly out of reach from where we are standing currently.

First, it is important that we change our mindsets regarding the goals and expectations that we have for this year. While normally we are going after the best outcomes, first place in competi-

tions, tournaments and recognition from other individuals within our divisions as being a top competitor, these are expectations that need to be scaled back. It is time for some goals that might seem as though they are not as significant in comparison but can be the start to us getting back to where we all hope to be.

Some things that we can look forward to doing once more this year is being able to get back to practicing with our individual teams, trainers and friends. Although our practices may look different, taking places with masks and potentially with more skill building than potential scrimmaging, we can still look forward to the idea of getting back into it at some point within the upcoming year. With fewer opportunities to travel with teammates and spend continuous weekends in tournaments, bonding with those who we compete with could prove to be challenging. This allows for a new and unique opportunity that we can all look forward to as well, which is focusing on building and strengthening the bond that we have with everyone who is a part of our team. Building these relationships with teammates, coaches and others involved can be considered more important than ever given the isolation we experienced in the last few months. Not

only can we focus on our inner circles, but we can also set new expectations and goals regarding our own skill development.

With restrictions in place, now is the time to learn basics or to go back to them. The fundamentals are often something that we ease up on and constantly need to be reminded to follow through and do them by coaches and trainers.

Now is the time to set those goals to complete different drills and exercises with the proper form, footwork, running pattern or whatever else you feel is important for you to work on in order to get back to those vital fundamentals.

istockphoto

A colour palette of players.

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editor: marty grande-sherbert op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | january 21 - january 27, 2021

Why you should care about India’s farmers protest

What does it mean in the long run for us all?

By now, it has been in the news for nearly two months. Farmers in India are protesting. Late last year, they marched towards New Delhi, the capital of India. Since then, many of us have probably seen our social media news feed heavily dominated by mention of the protests.

In cities across Canada, the Indian-Canadian community has organized demonstrations of solidarity with the farmers, often joined by Canadians in general.

But what exactly is happening in India?

Farming remains a very common occupation in India. Yet, according to statistics, the average Indian farmer makes around $140 in a month. This is not exactly stellar, even accounting for currency conversion rates.

For decades, these farmers have sold their crops to the Indian government, particularly to the Agricultural Produce Market Committees in their states. This is highly regulated, with the government ensuring strict restrictions on minimum prices for certain crops, who was allowed to buy how much, and price caps on essential crops.

Under a recently passed law, the incumbent Indian government wants to cut out the middleman, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee. Instead, farmers are expected to sell directly to private businesses.

The farmers are rightly concerned that this will lead to the big private corporations driving down prices, especially since the government is no longer regulating minimum prices. Furthermore, such elimination of price protection may eventually lead to loss of land assets for many farmers.

The resulting effect on Indian culture will be an irreparable loss. As history has often shown, such drastic changes in economic conditions never end well for the overall standard of living for the nation where it happens.

In the past, farmers protesting for fair prices or better working conditions have been silenced by a problematic track re-

cord of violent crackdowns and serious human rights abuse by the government. The world needs to be exceptionally vigilant that the current round of protests do not meet a similar end.

While just the moral burden of how people who grow food for a nation – in fact the whole world – are facing potential loss of livelihood should be enough of an argument for why Canada should care, today I propose to do something a little more utilitarian. Former US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger is often attributed as proclaiming that when asking another party – nation or individual – for help, one should not appeal to abstract principles of morality but rather real benefits they stand

India is the second largest exporter of rice, wheat, and other grains. Once you are done browsing the spice aisle, stop by the bread, rice and pasta sections. If the situation in India is not resolved, prepare to see either empty shelves, or higher price tags, or a combination of both. What is happening in a land thousands of kilometers away, suddenly seems to affect your dinner table and your wallet now, doesn’t it? Do you still think that what the Indian government does to Indian farmers is none of your concern?

But, farmers do not just grow grains and spices. India is the world’s leading producer of cotton. What will the clothing markets begin to look like if farmers lose

“

In this instance, we should care even if only for the cold, hard bottom line. The bell that tolls for farmers in India today, might soon toll for you and me otherwise – Hammad Ali

to gain by helping.

Again, while I believe that morality and empathy for one’s fellow man is supremely important, let me try to explain why even from a cold, hard realpolitik approach, we need to care what is happening to farmers in India.

India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of a variety of spices, such as pepper, cardamom, chilli, ginger, garlic, among others. In fact, 68 per cent of the world’s spice comes from India. The next time you are at Superstore or Walmart, take a look at the spice aisles. If the farmer’s bill is not amended to protect farmers, that aisle will start looking a lot more sparse.

their land and livelihood? Capitalism will drive down prices for a while, sure. But people who are dying from starvation are not going to be producing cotton for you much longer. If farmers in India are not guaranteed a minimum standard of living, your closet will feel the hit too.

I saved one argument for the very end.

An argument that affects us, as students of a Canadian University. Excuse the sheer cynicism and pettiness of what I am about to say next, and remember that I am merely trying to show how even the most amoral, apathetic person should care about Indian farmers, just because of the material implications.

For myself, the reason that hard-work-

ing farmers stand to be exploited by a private corporation is reason enough to feel outraged.

How many students do you know from India? How many of them have been wonderful friends to you, brought you coffee when meeting up at the library? How many have you called on Zoom in the past few months to help get through the stresses of life together?

All of these students, before being allowed to come study in Canada, had to demonstrate the ability to pay for all associated expenses. No small number of these students are able to do so because of the farming communities they come from, the families that are sacrificing a lot to have their children get a world class education.

Imagine an India where farmers no longer have any protection. Where many farmers end up losing their land and resorting to other professions, maybe moving to bigger cities to try and eke out a living. With the substantial drop in income, many will have to withdraw children from colleges, maybe even have them return to India.

To me, that could mean saying farewell to my friend who always offers me tea when I run into him at the line at Tim’s. To me, that means people who have stuck with me through some of the hardest times of my life, will no longer be around for a chat.

But let me return to the cold, hard facts.

What will that do to Canadian economy?

How will schools in Canada compensate for the loss of revenue?

I try to avoid doom and gloom whenever possible, and resorting to arguments of financial bottom line is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. But in this instance, we should care even if only for the cold, hard bottom line. The bell that tolls for farmers in India today might soon toll for you and me.

hammad ali contributor Wikipedia Commons

A large crowd of people waving flags in protest.

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

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carillonregina.com | the carillon |

Provincial leaders vacationing amid pandemic What kind of example are we being given?

halyna mihalik contributor Not only in Saskatchewan, but throughout the country and all around the world, the holiday sea-son looked a lot different this year. Perhaps a year ago the prospect of spending the holidays without loved ones would have been scoffed at, but this year it was something we were all dreading, yet expecting.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic having been ongoing for months now, the number of re-ported cases continues to spike each and every day in Canada. The number of cases in Sas-katchewan alone are continuing to climb alarmingly.

So when tighter restrictions and lockdowns were announced for numerous provinces, many were disappointed, but not surprised. It is upsetting that restrictions were not put in effect immediately after Thanksgiving to attempt to salvage the Christmas season now being spent alone by many.

Saskatchewan’s holiday restrictions were put into place on December 17. They were confusing and disappointing for many as they banned gatherings outside of your immediate household… unless gathered in public or outside. Also, all retail businesses are limited to 25-50 per cent capacity (depending on their size), but only starting after Christmas

Wikipedia Commons (manipulated by Kate Thiessen)

A man walking down the pier of a beach.

Day. Even though holiday shopping means stores will be as overcrowded as ever.

Many of the customers coming through my till while doing some holiday grocery shopping discussed their thoughts with me.

The majority of people expressed that they were “hurt” or “disappointed” by rules that had been put into place too late. It seems almost like a half attempt at solving the problem at hand. A band-aid

solution that will only temporarily help.

Yet as Canadians diligently stayed home among immediate family as per government request, limited shopping or events, and cancelled any travel plans, the very leaders giving us these orders were not following them as we were.

How are the people of Saskatchewan to take any COVID restrictions seriously when the

people in charge of our province cannot follow these rules themselves? In Saskatchewan we have Saskatchewan Party MLA Joe Hargave, who took a trip to California with his. He has since made a public apology for his mistake. Social media photos from government premiers as well as municipal leaders in our neighboring province Alberta have surfaced showing them vacationing in Mexico and Hawaii.

Our leaders must take accountability for their actions if they expect us to take accounta-bility for ours. If they strive to do better we will too. As a province and as a country, we can only hope that our leaders have since learned from their mistakes and will do a much better job in the new year of 2021 leading us through the ongoing COVID pandemic.

Trump’s social media ban is dangerously late Social media has failed us and it’s time for change

reese estwick staff writer

Even before Trump’s 2016 presidential victory he was spreading messages of hate in the forms of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny – the list goes on and on – across the United States and the globe. Social media, specifically Twitter, became an outlet for Trump to spread harmful messages.

In recent news, Trump was banned from Twitter, adding it to a long list of sites he has been permanently removed from alongside Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and (peculiarly) Spotify.

Twitter’s decision to ban Trump from the site was in response to the domestic terrorism he incited last week that prompted many of his supporters to storm Capitol Hill. There were also other events that have taken place over the years that have been problematic and eventually led to Trump’s overdue removal.

I would argue that Twitter’s response was long overdue and should have taken place a long time ago. Their delayed action left room for Trump and his followers to spread horrible messages and lies, thus creating an unsafe environment for those who are a part of marginalized communities.

Social media platforms have

a major role to play within politics because Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are many people’s primary news source (I would also argue that this is an issue in and of itself, but that is not what I am discussing today).

Although one may argue that social media would fit into the category of “free speech” – which Americans have the right to under the First Amendment while Canadians have “Freedoms of Expression” under Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms – it must also be acknowledged that freedoms of speech and freedom of expression do not permit hate speech, spreading fake facts, inciting violence and acts of domestic terrorism, etc.

Social media platforms and the internet have become a place for people to be anonymous and say things that they would not (or at least should not) say out loud to another human. Spaces like Twitter have given each person the opportunity to hide their identity while spreading ignorance and hatred. Social media has made this acceptable by continuing to allow people space to “share their opinion” or for FOX News to “spread the teal facts.”

Social media has failed us time and time again. With minimally added “fact checking” services on platforms like Facebook

– which Zuckerberg admitted in conversation with AOC are not even approved by Facebook – people, regardless of how popular and/or dangerous they are, have the ability to say nearly anything without being held accountable or recognized as false. I would argue that social media is the most influential thing in modern society and for that reason alone needs to be actively involved in politics.

Social media platforms are wonderful tools within politics for sharing facts, campaigning, getting support for petitions, etc.

Yet these platforms will lose their validity if they do not start holding those using it inappropriately accountable. Personally, I think there are many other people who do not deserve accounts on social media due to their hateful, horrible actions and words.

Social media has become viewed as something that each person has a right to. It is not. It is a privilege. Those in positions of power are given much more grace than average peope. This needs to stop. And in reality, those with more power should be held on a much shorter leash to ensure that they are not misleading the public.

To social media: do better.

Pixabay

The Twitter logo: a white outline of a bird in a blue box.

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

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Republicans avoided Trump’s violence until it attacked them

It is time for us to reflect on our government representatives

Wikipedia Commons

A group of protestors holding signs that read “Love not Hate,” “Impeach Now,” “We The People,” and “Not Repeal and Replace, Impeach and Convict”.

The Capitol Riots from Jan. 6 have been splashed across global news headlines for the past few weeks. Images and videos from that day have been seared into the minds of all those who witnessed it, from not only America, but around the world. In the midst of the riots’ chaos, one aspect about the night of Jan. 6 has stuck with me: how Republicans changed their vote regarding the 2020 Presidential Election results following the riots.

This may sound silly. Some may be thinking “well, didn’t we want them to confirm the election results?” And yes, many have wanted Republican leaders to denounce President Trump’s claims regarding election fraud. However, I find it interesting, more so disappointing, that it took violence at their doorstep for them to

The same year, members of the transgender community were banned from being able to join the military. To quote Trump, the ban was because “[the] military must be focused on [...] victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.” The American people expressed outrage, claiming that this ban, too, was discriminatory.

Over the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter protests began all over the country, then worldwide. The protests were ignited by the brutal murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery to name a few at the hands of American police. These protests demanded justice and systematic change.

Despite being this vocal, many Re-

several Republicans agree that his election fraud claims were created with the very intent to stir violence and rile his supporters.

For that reason, they voted in favour of the electoral college results which certified Joe Biden as the winner of their 2020 Presidential Election.

Note: prior to the riots, they were going to fight the results of this election. They were going to claim that election fraud had run rampant and had improperly elected Joe Biden as the next president. It wasn’t until the violence demonstrated by their party’s leader was fixated on them did they see the flaws in his manipulative plan.

These minds were influenced by the events at the Capitol that day.

Had those riots not occurred, those Republicans would have gone ahead, ar-

who do not adhere to their ideology. Unfortunately, that didn’t register to many government officials until they, too, became under attack. That became evident by their sudden change to vote in favour of the electoral college results, many citing the riots as their reason for changing.

Here in Canada, this is a chance for us to reflect on our elected representatives.

We need to ensure that our representatives are properly and accurately representing the will of the people, not blindly following the will of their party leader.

We need to ensure that our leaders are held to the same standards as those to the south of us. We need to make sure that our representatives are not only hearing us, but actually representing the will of their people and fighting for it. That has always

“

Trump’s followers attack individuals who do not adhere to their ideology. Unfortunately, that didn’t register to many government officials until they, too, became under attack.

– Taylor Balfour

realize the viciousness of the Trump Administration.

The violence perpetuated directly and indirectly by Trump’s presidency has been discussed for years. The people these representatives stand for have been announcing how dangerous many of Trump’s policies have been to marginalized communities with no response.

In 2017, Americans voiced frustrations in relation to Trump’s travel ban. More colloquially known as the “Muslim ban,” it specifically placed travelling restrictions on flying to America from various locations in the Middle East and Africa (Yemen, Iran, Iraq and Libya to name a few). The American public found the ban to be discriminatory and harmful.

publicans didn’t see the extent of Trump’s violence, or didn’t understand the violence he was instigating, until it arrived at The Capitol’s doors.

These so-called “representatives of the people” did not take the concerns of their people seriously. For years, Americans have been vocalizing their disdain and frustration with the violence perpetrated by the Trump administration. Not only were these expressed concerns ignored, belittled or misrepresented, it wasn’t until these representatives were under threat themselves did they realize the severity of Trump’s lies and the grip they have on the nation.

Only when these individuals were trapped, terrified for their own lives at the hands of the Administration’s violence, did

guing that the election had been stolen.

After their lives were threatened, that view changed.

I would like to note that the terror these officials felt is very real. I am not attempting to downplay the severity of their situation. Rather, I am trying to use it to frame a question: we had been warned this was going to happen, so why were we not listened to?

Viewing the images of the very officials that are to be representing their people cowering, teary eyed, clutching the arms and hands of their coworkers is terrifying, but it is old news to the hundreds of thousands who have already felt victim to the harm of Trump’s governance.

Trump’s followers attack individuals

been the very point of democracy, and it feels as though that ideology has fallen prey to greed and wealth.

America’s threat to democracy was terrifying to say the least, but it was not unexpected. Hundreds upon thousands of Americans that have dealt with the hatred and violence incited by Trump’s governance, and all of them could have told you that a day like Jan. 6 was inevitable.

It was not a matter of it, but when, and it happened.

Now, I hope we all can use this moment as a chance to hold our government officials accountable.

taylor balfour editor-in-chief

jan 21 - jan 27, 2021

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Making a case for movie theatres

carillonregina.com | the carillon |18

An end of an era

ethan butterfield sports editor As a big fan of films and someone who finds the movie theatre experience to be unlike any other, the pandemic has certainly put the industry into a corner. With the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crave and Apple TV Plus, TV makes for a much more convenient viewing experience than the big screen. With companies like Warner Bros moving major feature length films to the streaming world, it isn’t hard to believe that now even major studios have lost faith in the big screens ability to turn a profit. For it is, at the end of the day, about the profits.

That being said, I’m not going to change hearts and minds with my stance, but there is a case to be made for movie theatres. As I mentioned in the first sentence of this piece, the experience of the big screen is truly an experience all its own. I don’t care how good your home theatre is, films like Pacific Rim can only really be appreciated via a giant sound system and a giant screen. As well (on the subject of film appreciation) the same goes for up and coming mega releases like Godzilla vs. King Kong. Do you think that watching a 393 foot tall iguana battle a 104 foot tall ape is going to look as cool on your plas-

Blondinrikard Fröberg (Flickr)

ma as it is in the theatres? I think you already know the answer to that.

Moving along, this next point is a bit tricky to argue, but here it goes anyway. Cinema is an art to the creator. This isn’t to be confused with studios, to which cinema is simply a mechanism to make giant profits with (looking at you Marvel). No, the creator that I’m referring to, are the directors and the individuals that help to put those onto the big screen.

Some of these creators have been

People sitting in a movie theatre, watching an empty screen before a film begins to play.

against the ‘move to streaming’ conversation for a bit now, specifically with regards to Warner Bros moving features to Crave, as mentioned before. It all just goes to show that there’s at least some filmmakers out there (and even here in the Queen City) that have a true love of movies and want to see them thrive in their best environment, the theatre.

The social aspect of the movie theatre is really on another level compared to watching at home.

Sure, there may be times when an individual in the crowd won’t shut up or when someone won’t stop drinking from their empty cup. However, when all is right and the lights dim and you’re able to share a great film with a bunch of folks, that’s really something special. Plus, who doesn’t love the aftermath film discussion where you get to feel like a critic.

All in all, movie theatres aren’t perfect and may offer some less than desirable experiences,

but it’s a medium we shouldn’t throw out just because we found something more convenient. The theatre brings those larger than life characters into an exciting and dynamic reality for the viewers. To end off with a final point (and film reference), say all you want about Monster Hunter, but seeing a badass heroine fighting other worldly creatures in another dimension while the music is blasting, that’s only an experience that a cinema can deliver.

Parking enforcement during a pandemic is unreasonable An open letter to the City of Regina

taylor balfour editor-in-chief

To the City of Regina, On Jan. 13, a large chunk of Saskatchewan was hit by a storm that rattled the streets. The wind caused traffic lights to be ripped from the streets and shingles to be torn off roofs. The storm began with freezing rain, which gave way to cold winds with gusts of snow, and settled a few days later.

And when the storm settled, many in Regina – myself and my apartment residents included -- found half-buried, iced over, stuck-to-the-windshield parking tickets. The reason? “You have been parked on a residential street for more than 24 hours.”

Frankly, I’ve always found the rule silly, but I understand. It’s to regulate traffic flow and ensure one car isn’t claiming a spot that could be utilized by others. But, City of Regina, I raise you this: it is a literal global pandemic.

I find it interesting that in a time when city and government officials alike are encouraging residents to stay home, wash their hands, and wear masks, that city parking officials see the need to punish those that are obeying those orders and remaining at home?

However, the more I began to think about this, the more situations I could imagine that could cause even more turmoil due to these ticketing procedures.

Receiving a ticket after a storm when your vehicle cannot move isn’t new to Regina, and the city knows this.

This exact situation happened back in 2018 when parking officials began ticketing cars downtown that were buried in 35 centimetres of snow, many on streets that had not yet been ploughed or cleared given the high levels of snow in a matter of 24 hours. Yet, parking officials

continued to give out tickets until enough citizens complained.

Then, they retracted them.

Weather is not the only obvious concern. We are in a global pandemic, in which many have lost their jobs. What does one do if they’re unable to afford gas or maintenance? Not like it matters much since we need to remain inside. Except that isn’t allowed.

What about individuals who have been exposed to COVID

and need to isolate? What will they do? Are they expected to regularly move their cars? After 14 days of not paying a ticket, the price more than doubles. Is that fair? Getting punished for obeying public health orders?

Staring down my residential street at buried vehicles with frozen tickets stuck to their windshields, I felt my stomach turn.

Yet again, this feels like the city taking an opportunity to capital-

ize off of the vulnerable.

If you would like us to survive this pandemic and remain safe and secure, we should start by not punishing those for remaining at home, for obeying orders, and for trying to keep our curve lowered.

Admittedly, based on the upwards COVID curve of our province, I’m not sure if that is much of a concern anyways.

Valerie Hinojosa (Flickr)

A street full of cars completely buried in snow.

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editors: sarah carrier, kate thiessen graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | january 21 - january 27, 2021