2 February 2022

THE M A N I T O B A N graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff

since 1914

UMSU significantly reduces number of voting board seats

Food, glorious food

Migrant trail paved north

Research finds allergies exacerbate food, financial insecurity

Provinces must rethink migration policy

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p. 7

Unprecedented times past

Everyone can play

UM Theatre’s first show hits close to home

Diversity and inclusion in U of M sports

Vol. 108

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Feb. 2, 2022

UMSU passes motion reducing voting board seats

properly […] we only heard from a select few.”

21-person board [which gives] every student representation on the board, as every single undergraduate student at the University of Manitoba would have a rep,” he said.

However, Arts Student Body Council representative Jaron Rykiss, who opposed the motion, thinks “a larger board doesn’t necessarily mean that people can’t be represented.”

The board will be restructured to allow a representative from each of the university’s 21 faculties, along with seven community representatives, for a total of 28 voting members.

“To me, the way that we had it was more representative in some ways,” Rykiss said. “I think that if a faculty is exponentially larger than a different faculty [...] having a certain amount of votes that reflects that […] makes sense.

“The beauty of this motion is that the other councils don’t have to change their bylaws at all,” said Scott.

NEWS

Colton McKillop, staff UMSU’s board of directors passed a motion at its Jan. 20 meeting reducing the number of voting members on the board from over 50 down to 28.

The motion — motion 0525 — included amendments to ensure community representatives retain voting privileges. The motion passed with 20 votes in favour and five opposed.

UMSU president Brendan Scott said this smaller board will be “easier to coordinate.”

“With a smaller board, students are actually represented now, because everyone has a chance to speak,” he said.

Scott said debate at meetings often “did not reflect how the board voted in the end because […] people were simply not speaking up” due to the length of meetings and number of others attempting to be heard. “[We] give about five minutes of speaking time every time you get speaking rights,” he explained. “With [that many] people, simply put, you can’t have everyone share their opinions.

“The board meeting would go on for hours and, personally, [I think] our board wasn’t being represented

“The board saw it slightly differently.

They wanted to have fewer members to solve other concerns like attendance issues or making sure that everyone can be seen in the meetings.”

The motion is intended to make the board more efficient, based on recommendations in the Susan Rogers Leadership report completed in 2020.

Scott said a second round of review following the Susan Rogers report “emphasized [equity, diversity and inclusion] and the need for representation,” leading the board to conclude the eight to 12 representatives recommended by Susan Rogers was insufficient.

“That’s why we then [decided on] the

graphic / Marina Djurdjevic / staff

Amendments preserve voting rights for community representatives

“So, for example, science can still elect four UMSU [representatives] but […] they have one vote and they can choose who holds that vote.”

Initially scheduled for Jan. 6, a vote on the motion was delayed following concerns raised about representation of marginalized communities.

The draft of the motion presented at that meeting would have required community representatives like the Black students’ representative to attend board of directors’ meetings but only grant them speaking rights.

Community representatives raised concerns that marginalized communities would not be adequately represented if their representatives were not permitted to vote and requested the amendment to reinstate their voting rights.

Rykiss thinks there is “a chance [the motion] could be successful” in increasing advocacy for students, but also said the board must also be willing to change course if it fails to do so.

“The amendments giving community reps back their votes and ensuring that we still do have a board that represents at least all the facets of the university that should be represented within the union [are] solid. At least we’re there.”

news@themanitoban.com

Tina Chen appointed first executive lead of EDI Chen tasked with implementing seven recommendations from EDI report NEWS

Colton McKillop, staff University of Manitoba history professor Tina Chen has been appointed to the newly established position of executive lead of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Chen will be tasked with implementing the seven recommendations in the final report of the president’s task force on EDI and providing leadership on EDI initiatives.

In an email to the Manitoban, Chen said implementing the recommendations “will include both short-term actions and education” as well as more long-term initiatives.

“The quantitative and qualitative findings in the EDI Task Force Report identified that members of all subgroups (students, staff, faculty) perceived a need for greater diversity to counter lack of representation in various realms, including in classrooms, in staff positions across the university, on committees [and] in leadership roles in their units,” she

said.

Chen said the university must work to identify and learn from EDI practices already in place that can be expanded, identify obstacles to these initiatives and be cautious that “solutions to one issue or problem do not exacerbate existing inequities” or cause new problems.

She also highlighted the importance of “robust personal identification data” collection to inform new EDI initiatives.

Chen began working at the U of M as an assistant professor of history in 1999, focusing her research on colonialism and militarism in Asia as well as cultural politics and women’s issues in China.

“As a highly regarded historian and champion of human rights and inclusion, Dr. Chen will fulfill her duties with great insight, integrity and passion,” said university president Michael Benarroch in an

email to students announcing the appointment.

Chen has also served as honours chair and associate head in the history department and was the first racialized person to become head of the department.

During her time in these positions, the history department began to utilize EDI practices, with Chen providing leadership to faculty on numerous initiatives.

She said her experience as a historian will be helpful in her role as executive lead of EDI, as “studying how power and privilege is maintained and challenged” gives her insight on the “political potential” to change these systems.

“Through my work as a historian, I see how actions of differently situated people — in collaboration, dialogue, opposition and sometimes isolation — can make institutional and systemic change happen and that is the hope that I bring to this new position,” she said.

photo / University of Manitoba / provided

“Systems of oppression are part of the structure of our lives in and beyond the university. These systems are reinforced in our [everyday] practices, particularly in the normalization or acceptance of ‘just how things are’ […] Intentional actions through initiatives for equity, access, social justice, diversity and inclusion are at the basis of dismantling systems of oppression.”

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Feb. 2, 2022

Keeping older adults socially connected in the pandemic RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY Emma Rempel, staff

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of social interaction and has been especially hard for older adults. Organizations catering to older adults have had to meet the challenge. A new report prepared by Verena Menec — a U of M professor in community health sciences — and co-authors Nancy Newall and Alexandra Rose assessed community organizations’ responses to the pandemic. They found that while organizations were quick to adapt, there remain challenges to overcome to provide services for all older adults.

The report was prepared in collaboration with several community organizations that facilitate social engagement among Manitobans over 55. The participating organizations provide a wide variety of services, including exercise classes, senior centres, education and counselling.

Through interviews with program coordinators, the researchers investigated how well organizations were able to continue providing services throughout the pandemic.

Menec’s primary research interests are healthy aging and social inclusion for older adults. Her research finds ways to socially engage older adults.

Social inclusion is a vital component of overall health at every age. With age, isolation and loneliness can be linked to an increased risk of both

mental and physical health problems, including risk of heart disease and dementia.

The project received funding prior to the pandemic, demonstrating the need for this research regardless of the pandemic. Menec said the pandemic represented a “convergence of issues” and providing these services is as important as ever. Now, after nearly two years of experiencing limits on social gatherings, many people can be more easily convinced of the importance of social connection.

graphic / Marina Djurdjevic / staff

Community organizations help older adults stay in touch remotely

“We all found out […] personally what it means to be socially isolated,” said Menec.

A patchwork of community organizations have taken the lead on this issue, rather than a government-led response. Menec believes the provincial government should take more responsibility.

In November 2020, provincial health guidelines permitted visits from a close contact for individuals who lived alone. Menec saw an acknowledgment of the importance of social connection. However, she feels the provincial government’s plans have lacked an emphasis on facilitating social connections through communication technology and that it is not providing enough funds for community organizations.

“There are a lot of organizations right here in Winnipeg […] that are doing really, really good work to fill those gaps [and are trying] their best to do as much as possible for those most vulnerable” — Verena Menec, professor of community health

“There are a lot of organizations right here in Winnipeg […] that are doing really, really good work to fill those gaps [and are trying] their best to do as much as possible for those most vulnerable,” said Menec.

One example of the vital services provided by the participating organizations is a food hamper delivery service, established in spring 2020.

The service was provided through a collaboration between A & O Support Services for Older Adults, United Way Winnipeg and the City of Winnipeg’s 311 call centre.

Through this program, people with food security issues could call 311 and phone operators would transfer the call to A & O. The centre would then connect them with resources, including providing “food, hot meals, personal care items or social support.”

At the onset of the province’s state of emergency, some of the organizations quickly switched to providing services remotely, either online or by phone where compatible. A common refrain from program coordinators was that online services were more accessible to more people than when they only offered in-person service.

One of the initial hurdles for the switch to online services was teaching people how to use technology. In addition to regular services, organizations began to offer training in communication technology. Programs also had fewer volunteers and had to adapt to the province’s changing mandates and health guidelines.

After nearly two years of pandemic closures and reopenings, a hybrid approach to operation with online and in-person options is likely here to stay. This approach is accessible to largest group of people and has added

appeal in winter when many people have trouble with mobility.

However, additional research is needed to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. For instance, hearing loss is common among adults over 50 and can be an isolating experience, yet methods of communication have not adapted to be more inclusive.

In-person contact is more difficult with masks that prevent the person from reading lips and online automatic caption settings are imperfect, frequently causing errors that may be confusing.

Another major remaining challenge is to provide online access and technology for the most vulnerable people, both in remote northern communities and in cities. Internet access is costly and some public housing complexes do not provide public wireless access.

This leaves many people without access to essential services or unable to connect with others.

In the future, Menec hopes to research the impact of providing low-income older adults with access to technology, setting up wireless connections or giving them tablets. The unequal access to internet and communication technology broadens the digital divide between low-income and middle- to upper-income people. This leaves many of the most vulnerable people extremely isolated.

“It’s exactly the people who need [these services] the most who are disconnected,” said Menec.

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Researcher connects food allergies to food insecurity Connection between the two is expected to have increased during the pandemic RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY Michael Campbell, staff

Families in Manitoba with certain food allergies experience food insecurity at a rate almost twice that of families without food allergies, according to a recent finding from research at the University of Manitoba. The study was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic and the disparity is believed to have increased during the pandemic.

Jennifer Protudjer, endowed research chair in allergy, asthma and the environment and assistant professor in the department of pediatrics and child health, is recruiting participants for a study examining the intersection of food allergies and food insecurity.

Protudjer was previously involved in a project at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden as a post-doctoral research fellow which looked at the costs of allergies for the families experiencing them. This research included outpatients from an allergy clinic in Stockholm, Sweden. Protudjer found families were bearing a cost burden between $6,000 to

$7,500 in Canadian dollars per year, representing a significant burden to families with allergies.

When Protudjer joined the University of Manitoba in 2018, she wanted to know if this phenomenon was happening in Manitoba and what could be done to reduce the financial burden.

Prior to the pandemic, Protudjer found that families with allergies in Manitoba face an excess cost of $2,400 per year — about $200 per month.

“If that was happening at a time prior to the pandemic, when food prices were a bit more stable [and] unemployment was lower, what’s happening during the pandemic?”

Protudjer said.

According to Protudjer, these issues, along with food shortages, have likely been exacerbated by the pandemic.

“Since the start of the pandemic, food prices have probably gone up close to 10 per cent,” Protudjer said.

“That’s 10 per cent on top of an additional excess burden that these families with food allergies were facing prior to the pandemic.”

One of Protudjer’s current projects is looking for low-income parents caring for a young child with a milk allergy to participate in the study. The project will deliver dairy-free food products on a biweekly basis representing a value of approximately $200 per month. The Protudjer lab will then attempt to determine whether this intervention improves the food security and mental health of the participants.

Protudjer’s research has made alarming findings regarding the extent of the financial impacts of living with allergies. At the beginning of the pandemic, families with an allergy to staple foods — including milk, egg or wheat — had nearly twice the difficulties finding foods that met their needs than families with allergies to non-staple food products.

Among families that were having difficulties finding e n o u g h suitable

food, families spent an average of $113 more per month than families with allergies that were still able to find enough food. All these difficulties during the pandemic were above and beyond the increased baseline costs for people living with allergies.

Protudjer’s research also looks at the psychological impact of living with allergies. Protudjer has participated in research projects exploring this topic in Manitoba, nationally and internationally. She has found the psychological burden exists both for the person living with the allergy, their family and, by extension, their community.

“What we see is that families, particularly moms, have much lower health-related quality of life than moms of children who don’t have [a] food allergy,” Protudjer said.

“And that’s probably because it’s the parents who are taking on the burden for themselves.”

Protudjer’s connection with her research goes all the way back to the beginning. At two months old, she was diagnosed with an allergy to fish and shellfish.

“Growing up in Manitoba, as a largely landlocked province, it wasn’t difficult to manage,” Protudjer said.

“But certainly, it was uncommon when I was small to have any allergies. And as I got older, allergies were something that we discussed more.”

In fact, many people that have allergies are diagnosed early in life. According to Protudjer, allergies to milk and egg products typically appear first in childhood, often because they are the first foods to be introduced to infants’ diets. Other common allergies include peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish.

The prevalence of allergies is currently on the rise, but researchers are uncertain of the exact reason for this.

“Increasingly we see allergies to different seeds, such as sunflower seeds or chia seeds as well,” said Protudjer.

For this reason, more allergy research needs to be conducted. Protudjer suggests this research should be done in Manitoba.

“For me, the patient has to be at the heart of what we do — the family has to be at the heart of what we do,” said Protudjer.

graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff

“And so, if resources were unlimited, what I would love to do is have a centre for excellence, if you will, here in Manitoba.”

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Feb. 2, 2022

Deaths on border necessitate immigration reform Manitoba’s hostility toward migrants causing unnecessary harm COMMENT

graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff

Lucas Edmond, staff

ir ea

We can only hope that these solaces will be afforded to us. In an ideal world, we’d be able to avoid the unnecessary pain of abrupt or violent deaths. However, many victims find themselves beholden to social and political powers beyond their control.

On Jan. 19, the bodies of Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, his wife Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel and their son and daughter Dharmik and Vihangi were found and recovered in southern Manitoba following a failed attempt

to cross the U.S.-Canada border.

Autopsies of the bodies found the family died from prolonged exposure to the cold.

It would be hard to think of a more difficult death. The whistling wind blowing blinding snow into the air, frigid temperatures biting exposed skin, an eerie stillness that can be deceptively peaceful, yet far from safe.

Manitobans may know the danger of these conditions, but few have been exposed to them to the point of death.

Just the thought of jumping into a cold car in the morning on the way to work is enough to make most Manitobans’ skin crawl.

These deaths were far from the family’s choice. Economic instability or political persecution in home countries, mixed with the U.S. and Canada’s unsupportive and often oppressive immigration systems, force the hands of migrants seeking asylum. When people are refused entry or refused humane conditions upon entry, gambling on death becomes a risk that migrants are willing to take in the pursuit of safer lives.

Although this family was on their way to the U.S., Canada’s immigration system is just as guilty of promoting

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Temporary F o r e i g n d u ol ef to c Worker Program. c n i a e th pe This program makes ow e y n l k s i g l migrants’ temporary l g n in ivi ee status dependent on their f e w t c o ability to hold a job. As a result, bl de ha t d e s n b employers exploit this power to e n wi ur a t offer migrants lower wages and abuse g c t ra lin a e t basic labour rights.

Further, the lack h p s danhi st em of status creates significant barriers s w t e e gerous ln id l to accessing the health-care system, i g Th st t r e k s fri education or emergency services. across the Fear of reprisal tends to loom heavily border and the over migrants’ heads and Manitoba is exploitative conguilty of reinforcing this precarious ditions migrants face environment. via their segregation from so-called official status.

Various cities across Canada, like

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Most people have confronted death in one way or another.

Whether it be surviving the loss of a loved one or consoling those experiencing the deep-cutting pain of grief, everybody will eventually have to endure its universal grip on our existence. Those who have felt the mourning that losses evoke tend to question how they can honour the lives of those who have passed on, what kind of death they wish to have, how they want to be remembered and who they want by their side when the time comes. These are uncomfortable thoughts — largely because dying will never be a comfortable process.

Nevertheless, most people can agree that the ideal death would be painless, with loved ones around you.

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Authorities have arrested a man — believed to have connections to a human trafficking network — who was caught transporting other Indian nationals across the border in his van.

Investigators believe the Patel family was separated from this group and attempted to walk across the border, eventually leading to their deaths.

These traffickers would be out of business if our immigration system weren’t so rigid. By restricting the right to move freely across these arbitrary lines, Canada and the U.S. create opportunities for violent and exploitative organizations that prey on people’s desperation.

While it is uncommon for migrants to make it across the Canadian border without being stopped and having their documents checked and recorded, the conditions created by this process harm migrants’ livelihoods. Migrants tend to resort to seeking temporary residence through Canada’s

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Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, have introduced Access Without Fear legislation to avoid the systemic violence associated migrant status.

These policies encourage access to bank accounts, health care and various other services by making it illegal for municipal staff to ask for documentation of people’s status. For years, various migration advocacy groups have called attention to Winnipeg’s need for such a policy, and the recent events that unfolded on Manitoba’s border reinforce this argument.

People are dying, and the sad irony is that they are dying to access safer conditions.

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Students still facing pandemic alone Finances and career paths derailed by COVID-19

EDITORIAL In 2019 students thought, just like everyone else, that their lives would go on as they had initially imagined. Most students thought the time and financial resources they set aside to finish university or college would remain in place. But unfortunately, the pandemic has created uncertainty, leaving students to make tough decisions about the future.

or career advisors due to remote communication likely led to lower grades and a more stressful academic journey for a large number

repetitive lockdowns emptied their bank accounts. A 2020 study done in the U.S. shows that students lost 31 per cent of their wages and 37 per cent of their weekly hours worked on average. Moreover, around 40 per cent of students lost a job, intern-

unreasonable demands the pandemic has placed on nurses and doctors.

These changes in the labour market have caused students to rethink the choices they are making during their education journey and many are choosing to change their degrees.

The pandemic has disproportionately affected students and they are still feeling the residual damages caused by changes to the education system and the labour market.

Although their situation is getting

O n e major

change for students was the shift from in-person to online classes. In 2020, most universities in Canada and around the world required students to attend all classes online through Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other remote communication methods.

In the early months of the pandemic, Statistics Canada collected data from over 100,000 post-secondary students. The final report indicated that 57 per cent of Canadian students’ “academic work placements or courses were either delayed, postponed or cancelled.” Not being able to reach professors, academic advisors

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of students. Missing the human communication also made education more challenging for many students, not to mention the stress of dealing with technical difficulties during lectures and exams.

The impact of COVID-19 on the economy has been devastating, causing people to lose wages, hours or, in many cases, their jobs. As a result, students’ financial situations have suffered, especially for those who depend on part-time work to support their education. Considering many of these students work in restaurants, retail stores and bars,

ship or job offer. Students whose parents helped them pay for tuition were not safe either. According to the 2020 study, 61 per cent of students claim to have a family member that suffered a loss of income due to the pandemic.

It is unrealistic to assume that the labour market from before COVID-19 would be the same afterward. As a result, students are facing uncertainty after graduation. The pandemic has been good for some professions, while others have struggled. For instance, many students have started to turn away from health-care jobs due to the

somewhat better, students’ lives have been changed permanently by COVID-19 and they still lack proper support.

graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff words / Basel Abdelaziz/ staff

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Bell, I want action Bell Let’s Talk is a glorified advertising campaign Canadians pay for COMMENT

Ivan Nuñez Gamez, staff Where I come from, mental health is often underappreciated. I grew up being taught that you had to move forward even if you were mentally overwhelmed, and if you didn’t, you were seen as weak. As a result, most of my childhood consisted of holding back countless tears, unhealthy coping mechanisms and a constant fear of expressing my emotions — all to avoid that so-called weakness. It wasn’t until the pandemic started that I realized mental health is not an optional type of care, but a necessity we should all be entitled to. Battling my own demons made me realize mental health is a human right.

Though private initiatives such as Bell Let’s Talk have served to break the stigma about mental illness and help address the issue, mental health care continues to be severely underfunded in Manitoba.

Though the mission and vision of Bell Let’s Talk certainly materialize positive dialogue about mental illness, the Canadian public must also be aware of the the deep systemic issues the organization fails to tackle.

Despite raising over $8 million in donations for this year’s fundraiser, the campaign itself fails to provide further education on mental illness and naively relies on a social media campaign that occurs once a year and then fades from the public eye until the next fundraiser. This creates an image of philanthropic charity that Bell maintains in order to reap tax cuts laid out by the Canadian government for corporations that contribute to social causes. Canadian legislation states that once companies donate cash to a charitable organization or cause, the company is eligible to deduct that amount from its income.

In the long run, Bell donates a few million a year, but makes that cash back on the taxpayer’s dime while reaping the benefits of the initiative’s publicity.

This begs the question: should public duties, such as that of mental health, be delegated to the private sector in exchange for government relief?

The short answer is, o b v i o u s l y, no.

Reports such as VIRGO Planning and Evaluation C o n s u l t a n t s ’ Improving Access and Coordination of Mental Health and Addictions Services and the Manitoba Mental Health and Addictions Strategy state mental health care is limited in its capacity to care for patients due to inadequate funding.

For 20 years, Manitoban mental health care has been severely overlooked, and this has left Manitoba’s mental-health-care system to work with resources that are critically below Canada’s national average.

Despite the unsustainable conditions Manitobans are forced to deal with, VIRGO’s report — carried out with the help of the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba — offered viable solutions for this mental health crisis. The report emphasized the importance of peer support, the use of a compassionate and empathetic approach when dealing with mental illness and called for improved coordination of services and supports.

While the Manitoban government invested more than $25 million in mental health and addiction, the mental-health-care system is still radically underfunded compared to Canada’s national average.

Are corporate initiatives that exploit social causes the best Manitobans can get when it comes to mental health support? These performative tokens of change undermine the importance of mental health while the private sector is subsidized for its supposed charity. Manitobans do not deserve an underfunded and inaccessible mental-health-care system or a glorified corporate advertising campaign — they deserve actual support that lives up to the national standard.

graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff

Bell Let’s Talk started as a mental health awareness campaign in 2010.

At the time, although mental illness was not a matter the media or society paid much attention to, the world was facing a mental health crisis.

Throughout the 2010s, suicide rates steadily increased in Canada. Further, anxiety and stress were affecting 23.5 per cent of Canadians 15 and older.

Bell Let’s Talk presented itself as an innovative initiative to respond to urgent calls for mental health action.

Through joint action, Bell and supporters raise money to fund organizations for access to mental health resources and research. Bell Let’s Talk has extended its program until at least 2025, with the mission of raising $155 million. The initiative has become a yearly staple of s o c i a l m e d i a u s e r s w h o want to spread the word about mental health

and their experiences.

It is no secret that corporate marketing can make the sourest lie become the sweetest truth, but the reality is, the stigma around mental health needs a tougher response that goes beyond the annual “it’s okay not to be okay” tweet. Mental health requires diligent government action. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 20 per cent of Canadians will face mental health problems in a given year, but taking mental health off the waitlist does not seem to be a priority in Ottawa or Manitoba. In 2019-20, average wait times to access public mental health resources were over a month — time that many patients do not have.

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Presenting a pandemic from the past

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Feb. 2, 2022

What does it mean to be ‘One of Ours’?

UM Theatre’s first digital production an Canadian documentary examines the politics of identity opportunity to connect and to reflect

The production is directed by Bill Kerr, an associate professor in the department of English, theatre, film and media, who believes that the relatable subject matter will strike a chord with audience members more than ever before.

“The play has a particular resonance right now as the people of the town try to deal with what is beyond anyone’s control,” he said.

“There is masking and distancing and isolation and compassion and humour and a longing to connect.

There are conspiracy theories and public health rules and a community struggling for life and connection.”

Much like last year’s online production of Zoom Lens by Debbie Patterson, all aspects of Unity (1918)’s production took place virtually, including rehearsals and auditions.

“Rehearsals have been conducted over Zoom, which has been complicated,” said Kerr.

“On the one hand, the technical difficulties of bad connections, cameras and [microphones] have been an issue. On the other hand, it has also been a constant adaptation of methods between mediums […] One of the main differences has been the difficulty of forming an ensemble, all the bonding that happens in a space that is beyond the text and beyond the details of rehearsal.”

Grace Paizen, staff

In an age of reckoning filled with “pretendians,” sometimes there is an uncomfortable account from the opposite end of the spectrum.

image / Alison Holliday / provided

The University of Manitoba’s theatre program is preparing for its first mainstage show of the season, Unity (1918). Written by Canadian playwright Kevin Kerr, the play takes place in the titular town in rural Saskatchewan just as World War I is drawing to a close. Things take a turn for the worse when a mysterious and deadly plague sweeps through town. Part gothic romance and part pandemic horror story, Unity (1918) “will offer an opportunity to reflect and to connect.” The show will be livestreamed at 7:30 p.m. nightly over Zoom. Admission is free.

ARTS & CULTURE

Haitian-Canadian director Yasmine Mathurin’s latest documentary, One of Ours, tackles internalized colonialism within Indigenous communities, particularly when it is wielded against one of their own.

Beyond these challenges, the process has also faced obstacles such as shipping materials to a number of different spaces and attempting to replicate in-person stage directions when the actors are not physically present in the same place. However, there was no hurdle more difficult to overcome than the recent faculty strike.

As a result of the labour action, Unity (1918) had to be postponed from December to February, which meant extra work on the part of the cast and crew to make up for lost rehearsal time and space. Kerr, thankfully, was granted special permission to still connect with the cast in order to wrap up the staging of certain scenes and the production successfully pivoted in a number of ways.

“We were planning to stage the whole play streaming from individual rooms in the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall,” he said, “including a big, masked dance scene in the Conklin Theatre, which would have been much easier to support technically, but we have now moved to each actor streaming from their own homes.”

These changes go to show the resilience of the arts community and the lengths they are willing to go to keep up the craft during these trying times.

When asked about UM Theatre’s future programming, Kerr said, “We are planning one more large production, a mainstage of Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia directed by Margaret Groome near the end of term, and two more [Lunch B.H.A.G.G. productions] directed by students.”

The U of M theatre program’s production of Kevin Kerr’s Unity 1918 is free to view and will run digitally from Feb. 2 to 5. For more information, visit the program’s social media channels.

arts@themanitoban.com

One of Ours follows basketball player Josiah Wilson — a Haitian-born, Indian Status card-carrying member of the Heiltsuk Nation — who is denied entry into the All Native Basketball Tournament despite having participated in the previous two, simply because he does not have literal Indigenous blood.

The tournament organizers demand all those who play in the tournament must have an eighth Indigenous blood. However, this theory of blood quantum is colonial. There is much more than just having Indigenous DNA to being a member of an Indigenous community.

Wilson’s dad, Don Wilson, contests that even though “[Josiah] came into our family by adoption and not by birth, [it] doesn’t make him any less Heiltsuk.”

“The blood quantum rule, if you carry it to its logical conclusion, it will eliminate and erase Indigenous people down the road. That’s a colonial concept that has been imposed on Indigenous people.”

Moreover, Wilson shouldn’t even have to prove he’s registered as an Indigenous person if the Heiltsuk community says he’s Heiltsuk.

A heart-wrenching documentary, One of Ours parallels the loss and fight for community when Wilson is denied entry into the basketball tournament with that in his own family — from the divorce of his parents, to the acceptance of his father’s LGBTTQ* status, to his parents getting along to keep the family together.

The documentary quietly reveals the physical impact of betrayal as Wilson numbs himself with cannabis, growing distant and withdrawn from a community that he had been so much a part of.

While the ending of the film brings a sense of peace as Wilson is given a washing ceremony and allowed entry back into the tournament, the silent moments in between speak loudly of identity — the status of Haitian-born, the status of Heiltsuk-raised, the

image / Sienna Films / provided

ARTS & CULTURE

Shaylyn Maharaj-Poliah, staff

status of being an outsider on colonial terms despite years of community building.

Sometimes roughly cut, the film bounces between Wilson’s tournament status and own story, his parents’ relationship and his thoughts on being an adopted child. Through these moments, the documentary expands beyond its focus to questions that cannot be easily answered but are important to ask in the complicated process of determining what defines you.

For the Heiltsuk Nation, adoption is a process of expanding and strengthening the community. A loving moment that captures this value is when Wilson’s father speaks of the first time his own father held Wilson as an infant.

Over the film, we learn Wilson had a strong relationship with his grandfather. In turn, though Wilson hadn’t been officially adopted at the time, his grandfather told Wilson’s father, “I just knew that was my grandson that I was holding,” emphasizing that family is not necessarily dealt with in colonial terms of DNA and blood quantum.

In our highly divided world, this award-winning documentary shines an important light on microcosms of division within communities themselves. It also questions the process of belonging to a community and which principles are used to decide who belongs.

A highly recommended film that will have you questioning how you identify yourself and the colonial speedbumps embedded in your own concept of identity, One of Ours treads deeply into the chasms of identity politics.

One of Ours is currently streaming on CBC Gem.

arts@themanitoban.com

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One for the bookworms Roll into ‘I Love to Read Month’ with these recs from the Manitoban staff February is I Love to Read Month and the Manitoban staff is celebrating reading, writing and literacy with a list of books we picked up during the pandemic and just couldn’t put down. Diversify and expand your reading lists, tackle that “to be read” pile, support your local booksellers and share the joy of the written word all month long.

graphic / Marina Djurdjevic / staff

ARTS & CULTURE

Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama Shaylyn Maharaj-Poliah, arts and culture editor Hajime Isayama’s manga series Attack on Titan almost needs no introduction. Its unique premise, complex characters, chilling suspense and impressive action sequences have intrigued and horrified readers since its debut in 2009.

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is threatened by giant man-eating monsters called Titans. The protagonist, Eren Yeager, is a flawed young man who channels his anger and grief into the single-minded goal of eliminating the creatures that stole everything from him.

The series is not for the faint of heart.

It is violent, gory and the Titans’ designs and behaviours range from hokey to downright nightmarish.

Some chapters hit like a freight train while others tend to focus too much on shock value, but the narrative itself is gripping. It’s full of twists and turns and hosts a colourful cast of characters within a highly sophisticated and developed setting.

In short, the popularity is well deserved. The series goes to great lengths to show a world that is cruel and merciless but also very beautiful, just like our own.

Cats of the Louvre by Taiyō Matsumoto Zoë LeBrun, reporter

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Cats of the Louvre follows a vast array of human and animal characters whose stories are embedded in the Louvre’s history. Every chapter includes a secret from these personalities and the museum itself to provide vital pieces of the story’s puzzle.

The main characters are Cécile, a tour guide, and the night guards Patrick and Marcel, in addition to a clowder of cats that live in the Louvre’s attic — one of which is a tiny white cat called Snowbébé, who is infatuated with the Louvre’s paintings and never seems to age.

Throughout the book, many mysteries

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are revealed — what happened to Marcel’s sister, and what does a certain painting have to do with her disappearance? What sudden illness of the heart and mind has befallen Snowbébé? And, ultimately, how are these and other mysteries connected?

With each page filled with beautiful drawings that provide a vivid stage for its whimsical and poignant story, Cats of the Louvre is delicately woven and perfectly executed. The story is fantastical yet still relatable and accessible — you don’t need to be an art connoisseur, a manga fan or even a cat lover to appreciate Matsumoto’s storytelling, which is evidence of its narrative strength.

beauty as any full-length book.

Clarice Lispector writes with a wonderfully unique narrative voice. Here it takes the form of Rodrigo S.M., a sort of omnipresent but insecure phantom who is ostensibly telling us a story about class — but really about Macabéa, a young typist in Rio. But a plot summary cannot come close to the full experience of the writing.

Lispector’s narrator spends just as much time contemplating philosophical nothings as he does teasing at the blurry edges of a story that he can’t seem to fully understand himself.

Every single page here contains something mind-blowing, whether it’s a well-constructed one-liner, a thrown-

Diversify and expand your reading lists, tackle that “to be read” pile, support local booksellers and share the joy of the written word all month long

The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector

Alex Braun, arts & culture reporter The Hour of the Star is barely a novel.

In fact, at only around 80 pages, it is barely a novella, but it contains as much wisdom and humour and

off aphorism that comes at life from an angle you’ve never thought of or just a beautiful, emotive description.

The Hour of the Star has the rambling philosophical ecstasy of Virginia Woolf, plus a smirking curtness, psychedelic humour and gorgeously romantic heart all its own, all in under 100 pages.

The Woulda Coulda Shoulda Guide to Canadian Inventions

by Red Green Grace Paizen, arts & culture reporter As a Canadian kid growing up in the ’90s, you could always rely on The Red Green Show for peak Canadiana entertainment. Though Red Green has written a few fun previous titles, The Woulda Coulda Shoulda Guide to Canadian Inventions remains a personal favourite. Filled with inventions that were invented by Canadians, those that “should” have been invented by Canadians and the inventions of the ridiculous imagination of Red Green himself, the book is as educational as it is hilarious. The fun anecdotes between chapters are also a blast, full of Red Green punchlines that you can hear in your head — “if you can’t make it pretty, make it shiny.”

For a funny, light read in these ridiculous times, an afternoon spent with Green is sure to keep the blues away.

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The history of a digital trailblazer ARTS & CULTURE Zoë LeBrun, staff

For those who want to get a taste of Winnipeg’s art scene this month without having to physically go to a gallery, look no further than Buffy SainteMarie: Pathfinder, a virtual exhibition on now through Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery.

work that lends an almost documentary-like feeling to the show. While this incredible amount of biographical information felt almost excessive at times, for visitors who may have a limited knowledge of Sainte-Marie, this ephemera helps to paint a picture of who she is as a person and what she has done with her talents thus far.

Curated by Natasha Desrochers Lowenthal, the exhibition is a retrospective on Sainte-Marie’s artistic career, spanning multiple decades and predominantly featuring her digital artwork and how it reflects and intertwines with her personal and professional life. The exhibit is also available to view in person by booking an appointment to visit the gallery.

This documentary feeling is also aided by the layout of the gallery space itself, which is quite museological in its arrangement, with items grouped cleanly around the perimeter of the gallery in a straightforward manner.

The gallery’s dark blue walls contrast beautifully against the bright neons and jewel tones of Sainte-Marie’s artworks, drawing viewers toward the walls as they slowly navigate the room, whether it be in person or digitally.

Pathfinder is as much an art exhibition as homage to Sainte-Marie’s lifelong career in music and activism.

Alongside Sainte-Marie’s digital art, the exhibition includes various ephemera ranging from handwritten notes and preparatory sketches by Sainte-Marie to handcrafted and beaded objects and newspaper clippings about the artist’s various endeavours. Accompanying all these items is a soundtrack consisting of snippets of Sainte-Marie’s music, which plays on a loop while viewing the virtual gallery.

Due to the vast amount of material, parallels can easily be drawn between all the facets of Sainte-Marie’s creative practice and personal life throughout the exhibition, providing a rich and thorough view of the artist and her

Some standout pieces in the exhibition are those that highlight Sainte-Marie’s ability to bridge physical and digital worlds with an element of psychedelic spirituality mixed in. Although many of Sainte-Marie’s works reflect these ideas, some personal favourites were “Ayahuasca Jaguar 1 and 2.” Arranged side by side, the pair act like a diptych in which the same scene is depicted with a sense of passing time through the various colour and texture changes across the two.

The repetition of certain images throughout the gallery was particularly striking as well, which demonstrates how Sainte-Marie pulled from her past work and the world around her to continually remix

image / Urban Shaman Gallery / provided

A virtual exhibition celebrating the creative talent, innovation of Buffy Sainte-Marie

imagery into something brand new and meaningful. One of these works was “Fallen Angels (Twins),” a reinterpretation of a portrait of Sainte-Marie by photographer Simon Fowler, which was used as the cover of her album Coincidence and Likely Stories.

One critique of Pathfinder is that since it is quite extensive and contains much to read, the looped soundtrack that accompanies the exhibition can become a distraction — luckily, this has an easy fix, as one can just turn down the volume on their computer or mute it entirely to fully concentrate on the works at hand.

Overall, the experience of viewing this work within the virtual gallery was fantastic — it allows one to get a sense of how the space feels and more accurately understand the relationships between each of the works throughout the gallery space, all from

the safety and comfort of your own home, which is important in these wintry pandemic times.

Pathfinder harnesses a positive, excited energy and truly feels like a celebration of all that SainteMarie has contributed to the world throughout the course of her career.

Sainte-Marie’s work is powerful, and her blending of the physical and digital worlds and how they relate to her culture, personal narratives and world history makes this exhibit a must-see this winter.

You can catch Buffy Sainte-Marie: Pathfinder until March 5.

arts@themanitoban.com

’Toban turntable ARTS & CULTURE Alex Braun, staff

3.5/5 Stars Sam Weber, a Canadian-born, newly minted Angeleno, follows in a long line of SoCal folkrockers. Echoes from Laurel Canyon resonate in his music: the sound of transplants from across the continent, like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, or the consummately pro singer-songwriters of the ’70s, like Warren Zevon and Randy Newman.

But as Weber says in “Survival,” he’s “not looking for some ’70s revival.”

His bio proudly lists his inclusion on a compilation that features like-minded L.A. residents such as Tim Heidecker, Blake Mills and Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes. The more modern L.A. folkrock sound is all over Weber’s album Get Free with clear influence from

Mills and an appearance from Dawes’s Griffin Goldsmith. Inspiration was taken from his move to the Golden State, too, which possibly inspired the title of the record: living in the land of the free.

Despite this clear sense of musical community, the record was largely recorded at home with his partner, Mallory Hauser. You can hear that shagginess and comfort — the songs come out loose and dusty, with deeply comfortable grooves and some inventive guitar and production work, obviously the result of long hours spent tinkering.

Ballads, like the opener “Truth Or Lie,” have that deep, rubber-bridge guitar sound that is so popular now, and some compelling synth work.

“Truth Or Lie” shudders with these building pads, the piano-led “Here’s

To The Future” features a very tasteful saxophone solo and “Nowhere Bound” sparkles with twinkly little bits of keys.

“Get Out Of The Game,” a standout track about touring, is appropriately shambling, with Weber tossing off one-liners and wryly summing up his surroundings. He maintains the classic, early Bob Dylan snark in his lyrics throughout the record, and it’s refreshing to get a bit of humour.

The spacy bridge is also a welcome, unexpected turn, as the track essentially falls apart before returning with a renewed bite and vigour.

Most of the tracks follow a similar formula of a shuffling mid-tempo groove with aggressively tasteful and subtle touches of guitar, synth and percussion. The whole Dessner brothers meets Phoebe Bridgers plucky guitar, twinkly synth, third-wave coffee shop soundtrack thing is a little played out, but this employs it quite well. The

image/ Killbeat Music / provided

Sam Weber — ‘Get Free’

songwriting is tight and clever, the instrumentals — though occasionally drab — are well-executed and Weber has a certain charm to his lyrics and guitar playing.

Sam Weber’s latest album, Get Free, will be available Feb. 4.

arts@themanitoban.com

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Bisons blank Trinity Western in back-to-back games SPORTS

Isaiah Wagner, staff The University of Manitoba Bisons women’s hockey team jumped into second place overall in the Canada West standings after a big weekend for the herd.

The squad dominated in both games, defeating the Trinity Western Spartans 7-0 in the first game and 3-0 in the second. The first game in the back-to-back series was led by Halle Edwards and goaltender Kimberley Davidson.

Edwards came to play on Friday night — she put up a solid stat line of two goals and one assist to help her team earn the win. Currently she is tied with Sarah Dennehy for most points on the team this season.

“I don’t think I have done anything different this season,” Edwards said.

“I think the team is just clicking,

which is helping me get points. I’m very happy with how the season is going and am excited to chase a championship with the team.”

Although quality goaltending performances can often go unnoticed, Davidson’s game Friday night was impressive.

She went out and put up a 28-save shutout to seal the victory for the Bisons.

Following up one stellar performance with another, the herd pulled off another sweep on Saturday.

The team stormed out of the gate, putting up three goals in the first period and eventually came away with the 3-0 victory in the end.

Erin Fargey started in net for the Bisons and handed another shutout to the herd in back-to-back games.

With these wins, the team now sits only two points behind Mount Royal University for the top spot in the overall standings.

The Bisons definitely came to play this past weekend, which left Edwards impressed with the squad.

“We are very happy with how we have played all year round, especially this weekend,” Edwards said.

photo / Matthew Merkel / staff

Edwards, goaltenders impress

“Our confidence is extremely high, which is a great thing when playoffs come around. I think it is high because of our strong goaltending also. Both girls had a great weekend.”

The Bisons will look to continue its winning ways when it travels to Regina, Sask. on Feb. 4 and 5 to face the University of Regina Cougars, where two wins against the struggling Cougars would be huge in the standings for the Bisons to help keep pace for second or even push the herd into first place as they battle for a spot in the Canada West playoffs.

sports@themanitoban.com

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Diversity and inclusion in sport a priority for EDI head Hill, Asagwara preach accessibility for sport, safe spaces for all athletes SPORTS

The U of M co-sponsored two presentations held Jan. 28 that included notable Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) guest speakers who broke down the challenges young Canadians face in sport, their own personal experiences with oppressive systems and the different tactics they employ to make sport a safe place for all Canadians.

graphic / Marina Djurdjevic / staff

Matthew Merkel, staff

Speaking in the first event was former Canadian national ice dancing team member and current Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance (FSDIA) advocacy chair Asher Hill.

As part of the FSDIA, Hill champions representation in the sport of figure skating and advocates for increased access to sport for new Canadians.

“Our goals are just to create a solid sense of community for skaters of colour […] different gender identities as well as as sexual orientations and religious minorities,” said Hill.

“We’re really focused right now on BIPOC representation in the sports.

We want to obviously make the space safer, more inclusive and create equity as well as creating more of a sense of community with our skaters.”

The last two years have been nothing short of a whirlwind for the 30-yearold. After Skate Canada released a statement in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in June 2020, Hill was publicly critical of the sport’s national governing body for harbouring a culture that was racist, misogynistic and homophobic. Hill cited his own personal experiences with racism in the sport and Skate Canada’s poor response to his complaints.

Hill continues to be an advocate for representation in skating. Hill has been vocal on CBC programs like Battle of the Blades and That Figure Skating Show, a program he co-hosts.

With more and more people of different backgrounds entering the sport, Hill knows for racialized athletes, voices that can understand their experiences are crucial in cultivating safe spaces. He believes more BIPOC skating, coaching and representation in the media is a positive for the sport.

“When we see someone who looks like us achieving at something, it just makes it a little bit more tangible and possible,” said Hill.

“There is a feeling of maybe safety and camaraderie […] if we look at any sport like basketball or football or track or anything like that, of course there’s accessibility to these sports, which makes it easier […] But it’s the representation that, ‘Oh, we have amazing Black athletes now’ […] ‘Oh, I can now do that, too.’”

The first event — “Being a Voice for Change in the Skating Community: A Virtual Conversation with Asher Hill” — saw Hill share his personal stories and traumas over Zoom. Hill explained the anti-racism programs the FSDIA is implementing, strategies for dealing with covert racism and how to identify microaggressions specific to figure skating. Hill also called for better regulations and inclusionary policies for transgender skaters, something he feels the International Skating Union has fallen short of.

Later that night on Zoom, Hill hosted the second event “FSDIA Conversations In Colour,” where panellists discussed the ways they make sport a holistically positive experience for Winnipeg youths. On the panel was former Canadian national basketball team member and current New Democratic Party MLA Uzoma Asagwara, Bisons women’s soccer team sports psychology consultant Craig Brown, Rising Stars Foundation president and former Bison athlete Wilfred Sam-King Jr. and long-time development advisor at Sport for Life Society Richard Sylvester.

The issues BIPOC minors in Winnipeg face, how to increase accessibility to sport in the city and how to properly

address racism in real time dominated the discourse. Inclusivity was also a main theme, with the importance of Black LGBTTQ* representation highlighted by Asagwara, Manitoba’s first queer Black person and gender non-conforming MLA.

Tina Chen named inaugural lead of EDI at the U of M These meetings served as an example of what may be to come for the U of M with Tina Chen as the new executive lead of equity, diversity and inclusion.

An already accomplished researcher, Chen has been entrusted by the U of M administration to tackle the systemic inequities within the university.

After reviewing the final report from the president’s task force on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), Chen acknowledged the intersectionality that exists within the U of M. She said the work she will be doing will consider the needs and concerns of a variety of demographics.

“The EDI task force really […] provided the evidence of what we already knew, there is […] systematic oppressions along all lines, they’re interlocked,” said Chen.

“For me, it’s about understanding, supporting and legitimating the actions that are already being done, where people feel like they haven’t quite had the institutional support […] So opening those spaces, but also thinking about how […] we ensure that what different groups [or] individuals are doing, advocating and need

“For me, it’s about understanding, supporting and legitimating the actions that are already being done, where people feel like they haven’t quite had the institutional support” — Tina Chen, U of M executive lead of equity, diversity and inclusion

around lines of anti-racism, equity, diversity, inclusion [and] access, that they’re not only done from the perspective of one slice of the world and so that they’re not actually creating new inequities in other places.”

On top of working in the U of M’s department of history, Chen is also a figure skating coach and has worked with Skate Canada and the FSDIA. Her experience in both sport and academics has influenced her research — she is currently exploring the history of racism and different oppressive systems that exist within athletics.

Chen’s work in both skating and with the rest of the community leaders bodes well for the foundation of knowledge she may be able to access when assisting Bison Athletics. In working with the athletic department, Chen expressed hope to continue to support initiatives already established and listen to athletes and their concerns. She stated she does not intend to overhaul the system, but rather to support the actions already undertaken and improve in areas as needed.

“Sara Ahmed, who’s a feminist scholar and does a lot of work on diversity work, she refers to people who do diversity working in institutions as ‘institutional plumbers,’” said Chen.

“What you really have to do is figure [out] where the blockages are, and then you need to remove those blockages so people can do the work.”

“My hope is […] that this is going to also empower people to tell me and reach out to [tell] me where those blockages are […] saying […] this is where we’re having difficulties, because I think it’s really knowing the blockages as well that’s going to help create more sustainable and better programs.”

sports@themanitoban.com

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From our archives 100 years ago

Diversions

G. De Sanctis. 183?. Esemplare di alfabeti diversi fregiati di fiori, di animali e di altri ornati. Naples.

Got graphics? Create ccartoons? email graphics@themanitoban.com for info!

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Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to The solutions will be published here in the next issue. see how ‘straights’ are formed.

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9

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1

Easy

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