vol 107, iss 07, September 30, 2020

NEWS

‘Completely untenable’

Stella’s Sherbrook closes indefinitely following negotiation, strike

PAGE 3

COMMENT

EDITORIAL

Food for thought

Kitchens in a crunch

Supporting small businesses more important now than ever PAGE 8

VO L 1 0 7 · N O 0 7 · S e p t e m b e r 3 0, 2 0 2 0 · W W W.T H EM A N I TO B A N .CO M

Restaurant staff are deserving of more PAGE 10

2

Index

VOL. 107 NO. 07 September 30, 2020

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matthew Doering

editor@themanitoban.com

BUSINESS MANAGER Alice Teufack

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

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ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Diego Castro

Written in the stars

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The push for more diverse science education PAGE 7

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR Ty Brass

me@themanitoban.com

NEWS EDITOR Amira Tekle

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NEWS EDITOR Gillian Brown

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COMMENT EDITOR Lucas Edmond

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ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Shaylyn Maharaj-Poliah

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SPORTS EDITOR Isaiah Wagner

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RESEARCH & TECH EDITOR Sarah Doran

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COPY EDITOR Ursula Chojko-Bolec

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DESIGN

DESIGN EDITOR Joshua Wesey

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GRAPHICS EDITOR Jenelle McCann

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ARTS AND CULTURE

AUDIO AND VIDEO

Rich Aucoin’s ‘United States’

PHOTO EDITOR Alex Decebal-Cuza

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A Canadian perspective of U.S politics through music

AUDIO EDITOR Tino Hove

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PAGE 14

VIDEO EDITOR Nish Joshi

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SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Kathy Dinh

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VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS

Basel Abdelaziz Kaelen Bell Anthony Nardella

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News

News Editors: Gillian Brown and Amira Tekle Contact: gillian@themanitoban.com amira @themanitoban.com

Stella’s Sherbrook closes dining room following strike Restaurant claims union demands were ‘impossible to implement and operate under’ GILLIAN BROWN, STAFF

PHOTO BY ANTHONY NARDELLA

I

n recent years, Stella’s has been no stranger to controversy, but this Monday, the company closed down its Sherbrook Street location’s dining room after employees went on strike to fight for improved working conditions.

This decision was made after the restaurant group and the union met with a conciliator to renegotiate a contract following the Sept. 20 expiration of the contract imposed by the Manitoba Labour Board, leaving the workers with no condition agreements, said United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) local 832 president Jeff Traeger.

The workers started a strike after the union had been negotiating with the company for months, and was “unable to get them to move on any of the issues that were important to our members,” he said.

Stella’s asserted that the union’s demands would have been “completely untenable, especially during a pandemic, with countless restaurants struggling,” in a press release Sept.

24 claiming to clarify “misinformation shared about the current labour dispute this week.”

Though the dining room is closed, the location remains open for DoorDash orders and customer pick-up. The 38 workers at the location organized with UFCW local 832 following the Not My Stella’s campaign in 2018, when former and current employees came forward with allegations of abuse and harassment at work.

The union said that wages, though

one of the demands, were not the beginning of September. He said stuMichelle Dallmann, another from employees’ shifts. main issue of the strike. The key dents had to “literally choose between server who worked at the restaurant, The UFCW has also demanded demands had to do with scheduling work and school, and we don’t think said this policy was “heavily enforced,” that a 30-hour minimum be granted issues. that’s right.” and if not done, workers would be to the eight senior employees out of Traeger said the strike could have Dupuis said a shift as a server that punished for it. the 38 union members. continued on for up to three months, exceeds five hours entitles a worker to Dallmann said that, to her, “it just The final demand the union asks of until Stella’s was willing to negotigoes to show how much actual value Stella’s is a wage increase of 25 cents ate a deal. the employees have in terms of their applied to all workers’ current pay, On Sept. 24, Stella’s maintained hard-earned money.” which is currently between $11.65 and “We’re trying to bring their position and added that they The union aims to restrict this $13.25 per hour. have offered to extend the contract practice from occurring. In the stateTraeger said Stella’s demands “that the restaurant and imposed by the Manitoba Labour ment, it said that before unioniza- you’re available [for] four shifts a week hospitality industry Board for another year and “did not tion, table transfers weren’t a common and those shifts might be five hours ask for any concessions during this requirement. long, so [workers are] only getting 20 into the reality of difficult time.”

Stella’s former and current hours [per week], but you have to be the new world, and “Many of the issues that UFCW employees said the company would available all the time.” is proposing at the bargaining table often fire management and staff. This Because of strict availability we’re trying to say are in relation to scheduling, and to was done “to basically bring in more requirements, workers are unable to [that] people who remove the employer’s ability to use people who were complacent and pick up another job to make up for the schedule as a weapon against the wouldn’t raise a fuss,” said former the wages. are willing to work workers,” the union said in a stateStella’s Sherbrook employee Connor According to Traeger, in addition ment released online in response to Wielgosz. to the pay putting employees below and who are going Stella’s Sept. 24 statement.

“Stella’s has a history of doing that,” the poverty line, the employees also to work should be It continued, saying that employWielgosz said. did not get full-time hours. Only a ees submit their availability, “then the “They kind of get rid of any of few got any benefits and no employtreated with respect employer is intentionally scheduling the people who would just ask for ees got a pension plan. and dignity” — Jeff workers outside of tha t availability.” common decency, who ask not to be “We’re trying to bring the restauPart-time workers are required to abused in the workplace, whether rant and hospitality industry into the Traeger, UFCW local be available all day for four days in verbally or, as you saw through Not reality of the new world, and we’re 832 president total, two days during the week and My Stella’s, physically or sexually.” trying to say [that] people who are both days on weekends. One of the Dallmann agreed, saying “it’s just willing to work and who are going to union’s demands was to allow that an abuse of [employee] morale, and work should be treated with respect members no longer have to work they’re very ready to do it.” and dignity, they should be able to weekends after one year of service.

— and does not allow them to opt out She said that “one of the ways earn a living wage, they shouldn’t The availability requirements of — a 30-minute unpaid break and a that [Stella’s] itself kind of keeps that have to be the working poor.” meant workers would be “leaving 15-minute paid break. He explained morale and rapport down is by taking Traeger said he thinks the panclasses early to come to work, and that if a break was scheduled in managers who have built that respect demic has taught the public that “peopeople [are] not being able to pick the middle of a shift, servers were and move them other places so as to ple that work in service industries, their kids up from school,” said for- required to hand over their tables that bring in other people who are a lot people who work in retail, are a lot mer employee Alex Dupuis. haven’t paid to another server, which more detrimental to the best experi- more important than we thought they Traeger reported that there were meant that a server “basically [makes] ence of the workers who are here.” were before [COVID-19], and I think about 11 university students that had none of the money that [they] earned According to Dallmann, since the it’s time that employers step up and to quit their job at Stella’s at the with those tables.” union was formed, Stella’s cut hours recognize that.”

4

News

News Editors: Gillian Brown and Amira Tekle Contact: gillian@themanitoban.com amira@themanitoban.com

School of business commits to ‘education and change’ School of business to introduce task force, orientation session for incoming students AMIRA TEKLE, STAFF

T

he Asper school of business have received some helpful feedback released a statement affirming from students and from alumni its commitment to equity, diversity regarding discriminatory incidences and inclusion (EDI) on Sept. 15. experienced on and off campus,” the The statement was jointly signed statement read. by school of business dean Gady Jacoby said an article sent to him Jacoby, Asper Master of Finance by a colleague compelled him to Association of Students president investigate EDI issues within Asper.

Xinran Wang, Asper MSc and “I received an article that was pubPhD Student Association president lished in Vice which was talking about Zulfiquer Ali Haider, Commerce racism in Canadian schools,” he said.

Students’ Association president Jacoby noted that while the article Stephanie Kalo and Asper MBA did not mention the school of busiStudent Association (AMBASA) ness or the U of M, he still wanted to co-presidents Abhas Deodhiya and proactively get ahead of possible racTyler Phill. ism and EDI issues within the school.

The Rady faculty of health sci“I made a choice to be proacences approved the disruption of all tive and not just let things happen, forms of racism policy on Aug. 25. because [the problem] with letting That faculty’s policy was created by its things happen [is] some people will EDI anti-racism working group and suffer.” focuses on education and reporting.

He said that in his own experience The school of business is now the teaching courses, he noticed students second unit within the university to would place themselves in homogtake a similar step in recent weeks. enous groups for projects.

The statement said the school of “So, for years, we’ve been observbusiness is making a commitment ing that if you allow students to pick to “welcoming, involving and mutu- their own groups for group projects, ally learning from, as well as with, all international students and domesmembers of our community.” tic students self-select each other,” “The overwhelming degree to Jacoby said. which systemic racism pollutes instiHe said the school is considering tutions worldwide has made us, at taking steps to change that trend. the Asper school of business, stop “One thing I want to consider is and think about what we can do to to basically make it a rule that at improve.”

Asper, all groups must be mixed, “Students at many Canadian busi- randomized. If you randomize them, ness schools have expressed discom- they’re going to be mixed.” fort with the ongoing management Jacoby noted that some professors of, as well as the response to, issues already prioritize randomization of concerning equity, diversity and groups in their classrooms. inclusion. It would be naive to think “We do have professors that actuthat the Asper school of business is ally take great care of that — they immune to this issue; recently, we randomize and even after randomiz-

PHOTO BY ASHAR KHWAJA

ing they look at each group to ensure that there is gender and other forms of diversity.”

Jacoby said the school has decided to “introduce a new session at [our] orientation on equity, diversity and inclusion.” These EDI orientation sessions — beginning fall 2021 — will be moderated and 75 minutes long with five diverse panelists that will include alumni and current students. There will also be a talk from R. Y. Abdulrehman, a local clinical psychologist and EDI expert.

Jacoby said he wants students entering the school of business to be aware of the school’s commitment.

“The first thing that we need to do when students come into orientation is to set the stage for them, in terms of what the cultural expectations are,” he said.

“If we don’t tell them, how will they know?”

Jacoby said the school will now focus on education in working with students on the principles of EDI from the beginning of their degrees.

The school will also be establishing an EDI taskforce.

“There will be 22 people on this taskforce,” Jacoby said. “The size is not only to ensure diversity but also to make sure that we have subgroups that work on different things.”

He noted that the group will be tasked with several responsibilities in order to make informed changes.

“The EDI taskforce will be entrusted with conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and so on to collect reliable data.”

“We will act based on the data that we collect, and we will make

the data public,” Jacoby added. He noted that some institutions choose

“The overwhelming degree to which systemic racism pollutes institutions worldwide has made us, at the Asper school of business, stop and think about what we can do to improve” — Gady Jacoby, school of business dean not to release such information.

Jacoby said the only way he believes there will be improvement is if the school publicly accepts its flaws and makes changes.

“It’s not going to change anything if you hide the data, it’s not going to change who you are,” he said. “The only way is to accept the reality and then fix who you are and become better, improve […] institutionally.”

“Education is great, we should educate,” he said. “Education alone will not do the job […] to do the job you need education and change.”

He noted that faculty members at the school of business have been very supportive of the EDI initiative.

“I’m lucky to work with colleagues who are amazing, we have a lot of peo-

ple who are actually doing research on equity, diversity and inclusion in a business context,” Jacoby said. “For example, Suzanne Gagnon, she’s the co-chair of the EDI task force with Subbu Sivaramakrishnan.”

Jacoby noted that there is an education and training aspect for staff and faculty, saying “it was important that the school leadership does it first.”

“There will be five sessions at Asper,” he said. “The first one will be for the leadership, so myself, associate deans, department heads, directors […] [and] undergraduate [and graduate] program managers.”

“We will all take leadership training for equity, diversity and inclusion, and the faculty and staff will have […] two separate sessions on equity, diversity and inclusion.”

Student group leaders also support the initiative.

A M BA SA co-presidents Deodhiya and Phill said in a joint statement that they are “glad to see the Asper school of business implementing the equity, diversity and inclusion task force with the intent of addressing discrimination.”

“It is our duty, as students and as human beings, to address any behaviour which makes someone feel uncomfortable,” they continued.

“Everybody deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.”

“AMBASA supports the initiative and is committed to aligning with its purpose.”

Jacoby said that although there are many decisions ahead that will prove challenging, he remains optimistic.

“It will be a difficult year, but we’re ready.”

VOL. 107 NO. 07 September 30, 2020

News

5

UMSU board meeting update

Board discusses Respondus Monitor, new working group and the U-Pass at Sept. 24 meeting AMIRA TEKLE, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

U

MSU’s board of directors discussed Respondus Monitor, board restructuring and U-Pass concerns at its Sept. 24 meeting.

UMSU’s vice-president advocacy Kristin Smith reported on her efforts to gain more information about Respondus Monitor from university

administration.

In a press release, UMSU stated that “54 per cent of respondents said they had received no communication

from the U of M regarding its plan response to UMSU’s concerns. to allow professors to use webcam The board also approved a motion monitoring software during exams” to form a board structure working in the 2020 UMSU member survey. group in response to the Opportunities According to her report, multiple for UMSU Governance report by constudents have expressed their con- sultant Susan Rogers. The report was cerns to UMSU regarding the use of commissioned by last year’s UMSU the software in their courses. board to examine proxy votes, elecUMSU is now calling on the uni- tion requirements and ways of workversity to address and adjust what it ing more optimally. views as problem areas in the impleThe motion reads that “the purmentation of Respondus Monitor. pose of this working group will be to UMSU wants university admin- serve as a platform for members of the istration to implement rules and UMSU board of directors to discuss requirements such as requiring their feedback directly with repreinstructors to “issue a ‘practice exam’ sentatives from the UMSU 2020-21 that employs Respondus” to allow governance committee regarding students to become accustomed to the structure of the UMSU board of the software, requiring instructors directors including (but not limited to institute “environment checks” to) the following: size, representation prior to assessments taken using and composition.”

Respondus, mandating instructors UMSU president Jelynn Dela to take a Respondus training session Cruz discussed ongoing U-Pass before using the software, not allow- concerns in her report to the board. ing Respondus to use students’ videos “Our areas of concern include the to collect biometric data and explain- $5 post-secondary pass activation fee ing to the student body and student and the opt-out criteria for students groups such as UMSU how the data who reside far from a bus stop.” and videos could potentially be used.

Her report stated that UMSU has UMSU’s board of directors will reached out to city councillors regardbe holding a vote to decide if it ing these issues. will endorse the use of Respondus Monitor by the university in a future meeting.

According to Smith’s report, this will be based on the university’s

UMGSA passes motion to provide bus pass subsidies

The association plans to bring transit costs back to the U-Pass price GILLIAN BROWN, STAFF

the city’s post-secondary pass.

“The U-Pass is a very basic thing that the students need for their day-

“The U-Pass is a very basic thing that the students need for their day-today transportation” — Silvia Sekander, UMGSA president

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

A

t its last meeting, the U of M Graduate Students’ Association (UMGSA) passed a motion that will subsidize bus passes for up to 500 graduate students for the fall semester.

Since the pandemic, the fall

U-Pass has been cancelled and students have had the option to instead buy a post-secondary pass from Winnipeg Transit.

The association plans to use up to $39,000 from the conference grant

budget line to provide subsidies for students who have bought or plan to buy the transit pass in order to bridge the gap between $200, the price of what the negotiated rate of the U-Pass was, and the $278 cost of

to-day transportation,” said UMGSA president Silvia Sekander.

When looking at what could be the cheapest possible option for students this year, Sekander said giving students the $78 subsidy would relieve some of the burdens that graduate students are already facing with the pandemic.

Combined with the collaboration with the faculty of graduate studies, who plans to match the monetary amount that the UMGSA is giving, Sekander said the subsidy could help up to 1,000 graduate students, about

one-third of the grad student population at U of M. Sekander believes there will be a lower number of applicants than there would have been in a typical year because many graduate students, both domestic and international, are doing their research remotely.

The association is still in the process of drafting the forms, but the plan is to provide, over an application period, a form that students can complete. Priority will be given to students facing financial hardships and who use public transportation for in-person academic purposes like lab work.

In order to receive the subsidy, applicants must be able to prove they have purchased or are planning to purchase the Winnipeg Transit postsecondary pass, because the purpose is to bring the costs back down to what a student would have paid had the U-Pass been available.

This subsidy only applies to the fall semester.

Sekander said the association is unsure of what the solution could be in the winter term, but “definitely, we will try to help our students as [much] as we can.”

News

6

News Editors: Gillian Brown and Amira Tekle Contact: gillian@themanitoban.com amira@themanitoban.com

Pandemic lifts restrictions on biodiversity research

Citizen science plays big role in continent-wide bird monitoring project SARAH DORAN, STAFF

tines and a global data set made for a dramatic but welcome change.

“It made it way easier in a lot of ways to reach out to anyone who is

“I think anything that allows us to reach out and learn from more people is going to be good for science” — Nicola Koper, professor, Natural Resources Institute

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER DECEBAL-CUZA

W

hile the COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous global impact, humans aren’t the only ones who found their daily lives disrupted. Two University of Manitoba researchers from the faculty of environment, earth and resources’s Natural Resources Institute have been looking at bird activity during quarantines and how it differs from their usual habits.

Professor Nicola Koper and post-

doctoral fellow Michael Schrimpf are part of a core analysis team along with other academics across North America and scientists at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Using long-term monitoring data from the Cornell University lab of ornithology’s eBird program, they’re comparing baseline activity from 2017 to 2019 with behaviour from March to May of 2020. Bird populations near busy areas, such as

airports or cities, are of particular interest.

Established in 2002 by the Cornell lab and the National Audubon Society, eBird collects data from volunteers all over the world for scientific use.

It’s one of the world’s biggest biodiversity projects with over 100 million sightings added each year.

Koper and Schrimpf both said the combination of COVID-19 quaran-

the best expert in the world, because there was no tendency to focus on people who were geographically closer to you,” Koper said.

“Most of the time, I would go out and analyze data that [my students and I] collected, and so by definition we’re going to be restricted in terms of what area we look at. But now, because we were working with this data collected by volunteers from all over the world, all of a sudden it was like — well, why wouldn’t we look at […] a very large part of the continent in order to see what’s going on at really a much bigger scale than I normally would have?”

While their findings have not yet been published, the duo hopes the unexpected benefits of COVID-19 research will continue after the pandemic is less severe. Ever since the internet became widely accessible, the rising popularity of volunteer-based data sites — not just in science, but across many research fields — has become a powerful tool.

“I think anything that allows us to reach out and learn from more people is going to be good for science,” Koper said.

“That’s the sort of comprehensiveness that we just did not have prior to [COVID-19],” Schrimpf said.

“Having that community science, that citizen science involvement, is important to establishing this very large data set.”

For those interested in birdwatching, Koper and Schrimpf recommend the free Merlin bird identification app, also created by the Cornell lab, as a good place to start. eBird is also free and open to anyone who wants to help collect data.

“Moving forward, the pandemic is not over,” Schrimpf said.

“As the respiratory virus season continues and we might have more stringent shutdowns to look forward to — hopefully not, but if that were to happen, or even if people want to go about their lives and feel like they’re contributing a little bit to science, I really encourage them to look into programs like this.”

Aurora borealis through a photographer’s lens BASEL ABDELAZIZ

The northern lights, the subject of investigation by faculty of education associate professor Richard Hechter (page 7) and photographed here at Clear Lake, Man., are explained by both cultural narratives and scientific evidence.

VOL. 107 NO. 07 September 30, 2020

News

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Research and technology

Deeper knowledge requires diversity in education

Work in ethnoastronomy is more than just telling stories SARAH DORAN, STAFF

F

aculty of education associate enough, and it doesn’t reflect, really, professor Richard Hechter is the world. currently working on three interre“It reflects one version.” lated projects involving multicultural A Social Sciences and Humanities approaches to science education.

Research Council (SSHRC) grant The first, funded by an internal focuses on creating a framework for U of M grant, focuses on whether secondary science teachers to present cultural narratives exist around the ideas from different perspectives to world that explain how to predict the their students. appearance of aurora borealis, or the The combination of Indigenous northern lights, as a possible comple- and non-Indigenous educators from Manitoba with Arab and Israeli edument to scientific data.

While he was unable to find any cators from Israel allows for multipublished examples, Hechter sus- continental perspectives at the base pects the kind of stories he’s looking level of education. for exist in oral traditions rather than “What we are doing is generatin print, and knows he may never hear ing curriculum in a professional them. development setting that is of many “The Indigenous stories that are worldviews and multicultural and is told to me are shared with me with inclusive,” Hechter said. trust and with permission for me to “My contention in all of this is that tell again, acknowledging that I am if we can teach science this way, we not Indigenous, and I don’t claim to can help mitigate the hate and the othering and the xenophobia that we be Indigenous,” he said.

The wealth of knowledge Hechter are experiencing in real life every day.” encountered while researching narraA calendar, for example, can be tives of the northern lights inspired solar, lunar or lunisolar depending on him to broaden the scope of his one’s culture even though all three are work. With two other grants, he is based on observing the sky. Hechter currently working with Arab and argued that explaining how differIsraeli colleagues in Israel, as well ent calendars work from a scientific as continuing his research with point of view is not a major change Canadian Indigenous populations, but would allow for a much more to help develop more diverse forms multicultural discussion. of science education.

As a cross-appointed profes“We need to be teaching sci- sor in the U of M’s department of ence through multiple worldviews, physics and astronomy, Hechter is not simply the male-dominated, particularly passionate about those Caucasian, European version of sci- topics. The third grant he is currently ence,” Hechter said. working on is a collaboration with “It’s just too simplistic and not the Hebrew University of Jerusalem,

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

studying professional development in a way that is inclusive and a little in physics curriculums. more holistic to the diversity that we “Let’s work together to develop have, because we are a multicultural this curriculum and this professional population — why are we only teachdevelopment in astronomy, because ing one version of one idea?” the night sky belongs to everybody,” The most personal form of oppohe said. sition for Hechter, however, is “There are no borders in the sky, anti-Semitism. He spoke about an and the borders that we have on the incident last year where a man had land are societally placed and they’re to be removed by security after makartificial.” ing anti-Semitic comments during a Despite the availability of research lecture Hechter was giving. He also funding, the path toward inclusive faces considerable suspicion both at education is not easy. home and abroad simply for being “The volume of pushback that I get a Jewish-Canadian man with close is ridiculous,” Hechter said.

Arab friends.

All the resistance has only made Some believe that trying to promote non-objective data goes against the principles of science. Others, particularly scientists, claim that cultural “The night sky narratives are too simplistic to fit belongs to alongside discussions of physics. Still, others are skeptical whether a white everybody” — Canadian man educated in western Richard Hechter, science knows how to approach the project. associate professor “People think that I’m trying to replace the science content with cultural narratives and stories, and in fact that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said.

“We’ll still teach the science concepts and phenomena, but punctuate them, highlight them, illuminate them, contextualize them with these cultural narratives, these other worldviews that only enrich the content.

I’m not asking people not to teach Hechter more determined to conmoon phases and solar phases and tinue his work. seasons, I’m absolutely not.

“Science is not typically the place “I’m simply saying let’s teach them that people look for ideas of equity

or diversity or social justice, because that’s not the place,” he said.

“Those places are usually social studies or English or literature. But why not science? We have the opportunity in science — we just typically don’t go there, and I’m saying let’s go there.”

After all, there are beautiful moments among the struggle. One of Hechter’s favourite anecdotes from his research is from Churchill, Man. where he often works with the Indigenous community. Around 1 a.m. while taking photos of the sky, an Elder approached Hechter and asked why he was so interested in the northern lights.

“I gave the worst answer in history,” Hechter said, laughing.

“As I’m talking, I’m hearing my answer in my head and I’m [thinking] this is the worst answer ever, I’m smarter than this, why am I doing this?

“He puts his hand on my shoulder and says, kind of interrupts me, ‘Son, those are my ancestors. They’re guiding the way for when it’s time for me to go west.’”

When Hechter looked up after fumbling with his camera for a few seconds, the man had disappeared.

“It changed the way I see this. I feel like I have a place and a purpose with this work that I’m doing,” Hechter said.

“It’s personal and professional now, and that’s a huge deal. That’s a huge deal for me.”

Editorial Editor-In-Chief: Matthew Doering Contact: editor@themanitoban.com

8

Visiting small restaurants can make a big difference

Support for struggling local restaurants during COVID-19 needed for their survival URSULA CHOJKO-BOLEC, STAFF

S

even months have passed since open their patios in May, restaurants the World Health Organization with no patios were out of luck. Even declared the COVID-19 outbreak a when in-person dining resumed on pandemic worldwide. With the re- June 1, this excluded restaurants with opening of non-essential businesses small storefronts that do not allow for in the province, many Manitobans tables to be arranged six feet apart. As have been leaving their quarantine a result, these restaurants were forced bubble to experience the outside to continue offering only takeout at a world. time when Manitobans were itching This has brought a sharp rise in to sit down inside a restaurant. in-person restaurant business.

With these restrictions, restauWhile visiting a restaurant pre- rants that do not offer delivery service pandemic required very little plan- suffer even more. When customers ning, like impromptu visits to Earls pay for convenience, they are hamfor happy hour, restaurant visits dur- mering a nail in the coffin for small ing a pandemic must not be spur-of- restaurants. the-moment decisions.

In visiting larger restaurants, many With COVID-19 adding financial Manitobans may be paying for the hardship to an already competitive overall dining experience — such as and difficult industry, we must make the luxury of drinking beers around better consumer choices to help small a table of friends they haven’t seen in restaurants. months — rather than the quality of While it may take more time to the food. This is problematic because research which small restaurants are “paying for the experience” is exactly offering dine-in or takeout services, what we should not be doing during and we may not be as familiar with a pandemic.

Although it may cost more, we the menus, we are choosing to help a small business stay afloat when we should be supporting small busichoose to spend money at an inde- nesses and helping to ensure they pendently-owned restaurant. can stay afloat. This means driving It’s no secret that the restaurant the extra few kilometres to pick up a industry has suffered greatly dur- meal from a family-owned business ing COVID-19. When the province or spending a few extra dollars on a announced that restaurants could meal that can be made cheaper at a

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

our meals cooked in small restaurants hours as they take advantage of cheap chain restaurant.

In taking these actions, we find by members of our community. beers or appetizers — are surely the ourselves in a win-win situation — by If this argument is not compelling better option. not adding another body to an already — say, to someone who may justify By visiting smaller restaurants, we crowded area, we are helping small their reasoning by arguing they are can do our part to keep ourselves safe, restaurants that may have been an supporting the economy even by vis- keep our community safe and support afterthought and we get to potentially a business that has no doubt struggled discover our new favourite restaurant. throughout the last few months.

Many have already noted that With the city being placed in We shouldn’t be restaurant staff deserve more money orange level, restaurants will again consistently flocking during the pandemic and people face increased challenges. have responded by tipping servers As we merge back into our panto happy hours or and waitstaff more. demic routines, we need to be actively cheap wing nights Let’s not make their jobs harder thinking about how our choices impact hospitality establishments. with crowded and potentially hazard- for our dining After all, ignoring our artisanal ous behaviour. experiences Our servers are risking their lives establishments could lead to many to offer us a chance to visit at a restausmall restaurants closing their doors rant, so they should be compensated permanently. more than usual and we should be Next time you’re craving pizza, active agents in helping raise their iting high-traffic restaurants — the consider picking up from Wall Street compensations and keeping them risk of COVID-19 is naturally greater Slice instead of ordering delivery healthy. in popular or commercial restaurants. from Domino’s.

This must be emphasized in refer- The more people in a general area, the Next time you’re craving a burger ence to small businesses. higher the risk. and fries, consider ordering from A If we want to show restaurants our In fact, Manitoba has already and V Drive-In instead of visiting appreciation for risking their lives to seen a number of possible COVID- Smitty’s or Earls. make us a meal, we need to be willing 19 virus exposures at large restaurants.

Next time you’re craving tacos, to pay more upfront to help ensure Choosing these restaurants due to consider visiting Sargent Taco Shop the businesses survive. convenience or lower prices com- instead of Taco Bell.

And we shouldn’t be consistently pounds the problem.

In order to ensure these Winnipeg flocking to happy hours or cheap Small restaurants where custom- gems stay in business, we need to wing nights for our dining experi- ers are in and out within a short time actively do our part and make visitences — we should pay more to have frame — as opposed to lingering for ing them a priority.

WWW.UMSU.CA

@MyUMSU

Starts OCTOBER

3rd 2020!

Comment Comment Editor: Lucas Edmond Contact: comment@themanitoban.com

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Out of the frying pan, into a union

Restaurant staff need to rethink kitchen culture to improve working conditions LUCAS EDMOND, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

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t is refreshing to see employees from the Stella’s Sherbrook location picketing. While workers claim it is for respect during collective bargaining, they would do well to demand better pay and working standards.

And restaurant workers in kitchens from around the city should take note. Solidarity between kitchen staff is desperately needed.

Working in a kitchen is not an easy job — in many ways, it is the least reimbursed and most uncomfortable of the trades.

With long unconventional working hours, late nights, unreasonable paces, 60-hour work weeks and a hot, uncomfortable environment, workers deserve more.

And employers know it.

It is rare when restaurant employees unionize.

The industry itself has maintained a relative lack of unionization for some time.

Now more than ever, Canadians are eating out.

In the past two decades alone the restaurant industry in Canada has grown 120 per cent.

In 1998, restaurants raked in

almost $31 billion compared to 2017 Working in a state-of-the-art when restaurants produced nearly $68 kitchen for less than minimum wage billion in sales. and with overtime expected can be, Despite the sharp rise in consumer to some big-name chefs, considered demand, wages have hovered around a handout for the experience they the minimum for too long. provide.

Owners are making more but Apparently, some people are more the creative cooks are making pretty important than state-sanctioned much the same as before. human rights.

Considering the increase in ineSo, what is the most detrimental quality, it is important to pose a ques- factor to workers’ solidarity and their tion — why the lack of unionism? ability to collectively strike for better Perhaps it is because a large por- working conditions, you ask? tion of workers are using the industry Simply put, it is the industry’s as a means to an end — like paying work culture and a lack of political for school — or maybe it is simply leadership from passionate and creabecause of employment turnaround. tive culinary masters.

But this would assume the indusA hard-nosed, grit and grind, try is deskilled and that anybody can slash and burn, cut and rip, workdo it — what about high-end and for-little, suffer-to-win culture has highly skilled restaurants with some been embedded into the restaurant of the best cooks in the world work- industry and nearly universalized in ing together? the modern kitchen.

Sadly, in some Michelin-star resIf you are a truly passionate cook, taurants, workers are actually paid suffering goes hand in hand with under minimum wages in order to culinary distinction. gain experience with world-class It is part of the learning curve chefs. for many young go-getters in the You would think a high-end industry. kitchen would offer high paid jobs, But this trope — much like the right? “suffering artist” myth — is damagWrong. ing to restaurant workforces and the

creative potential of many cooks.

Many of our most talented culinary geniuses are fighting off poverty while working 14-hour days six days a week in a demanding and tremen-

If you are a truly passionate cook, suffering goes hand in hand with culinary distinction dously stressful environment with very little room for error.

It would be enough to drive any sane person crazy.

Conditions such as this would be hampering to any creative mind.

We’ve all been there — after a long week at work, the only thing you want to do is sleep and maybe watch an episode of your favourite Netflix series.

Now imagine the stresses workers in these desperate positions are put in on a consistent basis.

No time to hone your craft, no

money to buy new ingredients to experiment with flavour profiles and no motivation to exercise the art you fell in love with — even in the place where it all began for most of us — in the comfort of your home kitchen.

For many, dreams of becoming a distinguished chef are dashed and trampled by the unsupportive conditions of the restaurant industry.

While employers may have their own stresses — after all, restaurants are a high-risk investment and are usually not profitable for quite some time — workers not only need more from their bosses, they also deserve more.

Despite the possible argument for the current norm being a way to weed out the less determined — as many chefs do — it is truly a shame to think of the creative potential of so many young cooks that are lost because their dreams went awry due to a bad business model.

Workers will either prosper collectively or suffer collectively and the choice to unionize is ultimately theirs.

Workplace solidarity and a reformation of kitchen culture has the potential to take kitchen staff off of the knife’s edge.

Diversions Graphics Editor: Jenelle McCann Contact: graphics@themanitoban.com

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VOL. 107 NO. 07 September 30, 2020

Arts & Culture

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Orange Shirt Day reaffirms that every child matters

Honouring survivors of residential schools and remembering those who never made it home SHAYLYN MAHARAJ-POLIAH, STAFF

six-year-old Webstad received an orange shirt from her grandmother to wear to school. Upon arriving at the residential school, the shirt was

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

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very year, on Sept. 30, many Canadians wear orange in remembrance of the Indigenous children who were victims of the residential school system and to honour the survivors, families and communities that were affected.

At this time of year, thousands of Indigenous children were removed from their homes and forced to attend government-sanctioned residential schools. The purpose of these schools

was to assimilate Indigenous youth into the Eurocentric Canadian culture. Physical and sexual abuse were alarmingly common at these institutions and the student death rate was approximately one in 25, though records remain incomplete.

The first residential school opened in Canada in the 19th century but the last school didn’t close its doors until 1996.

That’s almost 200 years of ongoing

oppression.

The Orange Shirt Day movement officially began in Williams Lake, B.C. in 2013 to create meaningful discourse about the harmful, continuing effects of residential schools in the spirit of reconciliation. Further, it provides the opportunity for all schools to set a yearly precedent of anti-racism and anti-bullying.

Orange Shirt Day is inspired by the story of Phyllis Webstad. In 1973,

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), located at the University of Manitoba, has organized a free online event on Sept. 30, titled Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education.

At this time of The event provides the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from resiyear, thousands of dential school survivors and to learn from Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Indigenous children Though it is geared toward educawere removed from tors and developed for students in Grades 5 to 12, the NCTR invites their homes and people of all ages to participate in forced to attend the event. For those unable to attend the event on Orange Shirt Day itself, governmentthe stream will be available for viewing afterward through the NCTR sanctioned website. residential schools Finally, RisingYouth North is holding a free livestream event called Children are Sacred. The stream is viewable via Facebook Live and will also feature conversations with surtaken away from her and she never vivors and Elders. wore it again.

Other ways to get involved include Many schools in Manitoba organ- wearing orange on Sept. 30, sharize their own events to commemorate ing Phyllis Webstad’s story, either the day, such as assemblies, smudges through YouTube or reading her or visiting former residential school book, accessing Orange Shirt Day sites. However, due to the pandemic resources and raising awareness about situation, Orange Shirt Day initia- residential schools and their impacts. tives will look a lot different this year.

The National Film Board of For more information about Orange Canada (NFB) has put together a Shirt Day, visit orangeshirtday. list of films on residential schools org. To learn more about the Every to view on its blog. Short films, like Child Matters: Reconciliation Kent Monkman’s Sisters & Brothers, Through Education event and the are free to watch while the feature NCTR, visit nctr.ca. For details length film We Were Children is avail- about RisingYouth North’s event, able to download or rent for a fee and visit their Facebook page. To view is purchasable on DVD. the films mentioned, visit nfb.ca.

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Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Shaylyn Maharaj-Poliah Contact: arts@themanitoban.com

’Toban turntable

Rich Aucoin – ‘United States,’ 3.5/5 KAELEN BELL

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ike just about every record from Halifax, N.S., pop-maximalist Rich Aucoin’s latest multi-coloured dispatch arrives on the back of a concept.

Even so, the sparkling United

States — with no Disney film-sync or 500-strong list of collaborators — is the most straightforward record he’s ever released.

United States is about, you guessed it, the United States — each song

However, Aucoin is smart enough record’s high point, three sparkling to avoid the sort of clunky, hyper- dance songs that make the most of literal lyricism that can sink a politi- Aucoin’s knack for memorable hooks cal pop record — the driving “Walls” and clean, exploratory pop. is ostensibly about the border crisis Traces of old-school funk and in Texas, but it could just as easily soul, electronic dance music and work as a relationship metaphor. By disco, rock both heartland and surf — the record’s cross-country recording method is mirrored With United States, in its kaleidoscopic patchwork.

“How it Breaks” manages to recall Aucoin has tried to Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” the Beatles’ capture America as “Come Together” and Tom Petty’s “American Girl” simultaneously, it is — hopefully its stitching three different decades of joyous sound is a popular music into one joyous piece of bombast. glimpse of where Still, United States maintains a it could end up pleasing sense of cohesion — it’s a coming together of sounds that traces, perhaps shallowly, the broad reach keeping the messaging fluid, the of American culture and experience. song works as both pop release and United States is a valiant effort, sly political protest. even if its message about joining Others, like the stomping “Reset,” arms and rising up can sometimes are more obvious — its message about feel overly rosy, a political strategy gun control is unmissable and noble, from a naiver past, but Rich Aucoin IMAGE PROVIDED BY HAVEN SOUNDS but it’s sunk by a too-obvious mili- doesn’t make music to bring people tary stomp and a “woah-oh” chant down. that tips toward Imagine Dragons When things feel so dire, perhaps territory. a sense of hope and togetherness is inspired by a different state, the The record is best when Aucoin more meaningful than pessimism. record is another entry in the long leans into his disco and dance bona With United States, Aucoin has tried line of pop-as-politics protest records, fides, leaving the lumbering rock to capture America as it is — hopethe snappy arrangements meant to sounds behind. fully its joyous sound is a glimpse of belie the seriousness of the subject The one-two-three punch of where it could end up. matter.

“This Is It,” “Civil” and “Trip” is the

New Winnipeg ComicCon pushed to next year

The convention has been postponed amid COVID-19 concerns SHAYLYN MAHARAJ-POLIAH, STAFF

tion has since hosted events in many places across Canada, including Ottawa, Ont., Quebec City, Que.

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

M

uch to the dismay of pop remain our top priorities,” said Péron. culture fanatics, the inaugu- “As such, we support the measures ral Winnipeg ComicCon has been taken by the different levels of govpostponed due to the coronavirus ernments and health authorities to pandemic. deal with COVID-19.”

Despite this unfortunate news, “We were looking forward to the organization’s co-founder, Scott bringing our brand of the ComicCon Péron, said he is optimistic for the experience to Winnipeg for the first future. time this fall, so that makes the cur“The health and safety of our rent situation especially difficult. attendees, guests, volunteers, part- […] We hope everyone will remain ners, exhibitors and employees healthy this fall and winter and

[we] look forward to contributing to Winnipeg’s culture, tourism and economy next year.”

ComicCon, which was meant to be a successor to the ever-popular Central Canadian Comic Con, originally took place around smaller comic book exhibitions, but eventually grew to into a pop culture extravaganza that includes science fiction, anime, video games, comic books and everything in between. The organiza-

Doctor Who and Arrow, as well as Lou Ferrigno, who played the title character in the 1977 series The Incredible Hulk. Ruth Connell, best known for playing Rowena MacLeod on Supernatural, was also set to make “The health and an appearance. safety of our The event was scheduled in Winnipeg for the first time this year attendees, guests, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 and was to volunteers, partners, take place at the RBC Convention Centre.

The new dates are Oct. 29 exhibitors and to 31 of next year and the convention employees remain is set to be held at the same location.

Though the postponement of the our top priorities” event is a letdown for many, next year’s dates are just about the per— Scott Péron, fect time for Winnipeg cosplayers co-founder to truly strut their stuff, hopefully safely, around the spookiest holiday of the year.

The convention’s climax was even and Montreal, Que. meant to be a massive costume comWinnipeg ComicCon was meant petition — dubbed the Masquerade to host hundreds of activities such — on the second night of the event, as workshops, panels and a massive complete with awards for best cosplay. exhibition hall for fans to do some In the meantime, ticketholders serious shopping damage. may keep their tickets and have them One of the event’s most popular still be honoured at the 2021 convenattractions for fans is the possibil- tion, otherwise they may request a ity of meeting their favourite stars refund through the ticketing agent, from film and television to grab Tix123, until Oct. 15. an autograph or photo. This year’s guest lineup was set to include John For more information and updates, Barrowman, known for his roles in please visit comicconwinnipeg.com.

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Sports Sports Editor: Isaiah Wagner Contact: sports@themanitoban.com

Winnipeg Jet wins 2020 Vezina Trophy

Connor Hellebuyck beats out Vasilevskiy, Rask ISAIAH WAGNER, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY JENELLE MCCANN

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he 2019-20 Vezina Trophy win- Winnipeg Jets. ner is Connor Hellebuyck of the Each year, the Vezina Trophy is handed out to the top goalie in the

National Hockey League, voted on by the 31 general managers in the NHL

and awarded at the end of the season.

Hellebuyck beat out Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins for the award. This is the Jets player’s first Vezina Trophy win and his second nomination in the past three years.

Hellebuyck finished the season with a 31-21-5 record, a .922 save percentage and 2.57 goals against average.

He finished second in the league in wins and first in the league in shutouts, with six total.

It’s fair to say that at the start of the year the Jets were relying on a big season from Hellebuyck, and it’s safe to say that “a big year” would be an understated way of stating what he delivered.

Not only was Hellebuyck the best goalie in the league this year, he was arguably one of the best players overall.

Many people counted the Jets out this season due to the loss of a number of key players on their back end. Jacob Trouba , Tyler Myers, Ben Chiarot and Dustin Byfuglien were all counted as significant losses that could severely affect the team’s performance this season.

The loss of these players resulted in the Jets placing seventh in the

league in shots against per game and Hellebuyck taking 41 more shots against than the next goalie in the league. If not for him, the Jets would have probably been drafting even earlier.

With the Jets receiving the 10th overall selection in the 2020 NHL draft, the team could look to get Hellebuyck some help.

This assistance could come in the form of defenceman Jake Sanderson of defensive forward Anton Lundell or some other aspiring player, but in whatever form it comes, Hellebuyck would surely be grateful for a bit of relief on the ice for the coming season.

The draft begins on Oct. 6 and the Winnipeg Jets will continue to look for help when free agency opens on Oct. 9.

The team already has the goalie, now it needs the combination of players to go with it.

With the right moves, the team could look to get back into the top of the league come next year.

Kunnas and Bisons optimistic about upcoming season U Sports decision on 2020-21 season coming by Oct. 8 ISAIAH WAGNER, STAFF

They finished the season with a 10-18-0 record for a .357 win percentage.

The Thunder Bay, Ont. native only

IMAGE PROVIDED BY MOLLY KUNNAS

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ven with no official announcement yet on the 2020-21 U Sports hockey season, the Bisons hockey teams remain hopeful for the future.

Due to COVID-19, it was previously announced that ice hockey will not be able to commence until

January 2021.

An update on the situation from U Sports is set to happen no later than Oct. 8, 2020.

The women’s Bisons team and second-year player Molly Kunnas are preparing for a shorter season.

“We’re all trying to stay optimistic and hope for the best,” Kunnas said.

“Everyone is working hard on and off the ice in hopes that we will have a season this year.”

Kunnas was a rookie last year for the struggling Bisons team.

lot of rules we need to follow to keep a safe social distance,” Kunnas said.

“It feels good to be back in the gym and [back] on the ice with the team, though.”

Since school has started back up, “Everyone is working the team has been safely practicing and working out in hopes of performhard on and off the ing better than last season.

“A typical day for the team trainice in hopes that we ing-wise will either consist of a workwill have a season out or a practice on [the] ice,” she said.

“We have been practicing on-ice twice this year” — Molly a week at a rink off campus and offKunnas, Bison athlete ice three days a week.”

Hopefully, this training and consistency is just what the team needs to outperform the 2019-20 Bisons team. put up two points in her rookie year, Kunnas has a total of four years but saw it as a year of growing. left to play for the Bisons, but after “I really enjoyed my first year as a that she hopes to continue with her Bison,” she said. schooling.

“I grew a lot as a player and learned “After I finish my undergraduso much from my teammates and ate degree, I would like to pursue a coaches.” master’s degree in speech-language A rookie year is often tough, but pathology,” she said. a second year after a long time spent Kunnas and the Bisons are uncerquarantining could be much more tain about their season but should get difficult. a decision from U Sports sometime With ice rinks and less spaces in the next two weeks. available in gyms, it can be a chalDepending on where U Sports lenge to stay in game-ready shape. comes down, we’re in for either an “Training has been a bit different exciting or disappointing time for the during quarantine because there are a Bisons and all of their fans.

Sports Sports Editor: Isaiah Wagner Contact: sports@themanitoban.com

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