New education program to train teachers in northern MB
$1 Million donation to support education program
Jesse Brogan, staff
The U of M’s faculty of education is taking a major step toward addressing the shortage of teachers in northern Indigenous communities. Backed by $1 million in funding from the Rideau Hall Foundation, the initiative will deliver a community-based bachelor of education program in partnership with Frontier School Division.
Marti Ford, associate dean of Indigenous education, explained that the project was designed to meet the needs of northern students and their families.
“We thought that if we can do a program that takes place in the community during the year, when they have jobs, they could be working as educational assistants, they could be on limited teaching permits, or they could be students who have graduated and have not yet decided what it is that they’d like to do,” said Ford.
A key feature of the program is that instruction will be delivered virtually and directly in the communities, reducing the need for students to relocate. During the summer term, students will gather in Cranberry Portage, where Frontier School Division operates a residence and facilities that can accommodate families.
“We can hire summer students or […]people to work with the kids, to do programming with the kids, almost like a summer camp, but also include elder teachings and a language component,” said Ford.
Training local students to become teachers has longterm benefits for these communities.
“They’re teaching their own children. They’re teaching their brothers, their sisters, their cousins, and then people will stay long term,” said Ford. “By keeping people in their communities […]
we’re going to be able to educate locally […] provide jobs to people who are in the community and we’re also building that sustainability within the community.”
Similar northern teacher education programs have existed such as Brandon University’s BUNTEP in the late 1970s and the still-operating PENT program. Ford noted
and knowledge directly into coursework. Elders and local community knowledge will be included in lessons so future teachers are equipped to serve their own communities.
“There will be more focus on Indigenous culture, Indigenous values, working with elders regularly,” said Ford. “As for the rigour of an education program, it won’t
that students in those models often had to leave their families behind while studying in Brandon. The new approach aims to remove that barrier.
“If there is an issue within the community, often they have to leave and go back home, and it takes a long time to get there,” said Ford. “This program lets them stay connected to their families and their communities.”
The program will also incorporate Indigenous culture
Fourth floor reopened Has James Gunn’s directing saved the future of DC films?
be any different. The students still have to learn about curriculum […] teaching practices [and] how to create lesson a plan.”
Interest in the program is already building. According to Ford, First Nations have been reaching out for details, and the faculty of education has begun receiving calls from prospective students. This new program is expected to begin in September of next year.
Stylus Magazine hangs in the balance
Mikaela Warkentin, staff
Stylus Magazine has been a fixture of the Winnipeg music scene and beyond for 35 years, but a complex relationship with the University of Winnipeg Student Association (UWSA) that funds its parent radio station, CKUW, may be spelling the end for the publication.
Rob Schmidt, CKUW station manager, shared that Stylus began as “a reflection of the radio station, but separate and funded by the student association.” From a burgeoning indie publishing scene, Stylus was published out of the UWSA until “about ten years ago, the student association […] didn’t want to have a magazine,” shared Schmidt. This led CKUW to its closer involvement with the magazine. “We appealed to the community, and we knew there was a lot of love for the magazine.” Schmidt continued, “The station said, ‘okay, well, maybe we can take this over and use it as more of a vehicle for the station.’”
Stylus has stood the tests of time against other publications of its kind across Canada. “It used to be that just about every campus station […] had a magazine like Stylus, and over time, through the 90s, a lot of them wound up shutting down just because of the expense,” Schmidt shared. It is the expense of it all that is spelling out hard times for Stylus now, with unclear financial information from the UWSA preventing the station from being able to budget for Stylus. “Last year we saw […] a huge drop in our student levy because enrolment dropped.” Schmidt added, “We just don’t
have a surplus to absorb that, and with the lack of transparency […] we just didn’t know if we could continue Stylus anymore.”
At a CKUW board meeting earlier this year, 50 per cent of Stylus’s regular budget was approved, cutting the magazine down to three final issues as of this publication. Schmidt shared that this was not an easy decision to make. “It’s a cultural product that’s done for the love of sharing and promoting what we’ve got here in Winnipeg. But, you know, the love and passion sometimes isn’t enough to pay the bill.”
Stylus’s assistant editor, Maggie A. Clark, shared that the news first reached them three months ago that the future could be bleak for Stylus. “We’re only funded through this issue and the next,” Clark shared. “There’s a board meeting of CKUW tonight [where] Keeley, the editor, is going to make a presentation to argue for retaining the magazine […] There’s no certainty around that yet.”
In a comment provided to the Manitoban on Friday, Sept. 5, UWSA president Alan Saji Koshy shared that the association was “only starting to learn about the status of Stylus and have no knowledge about funding cuts.” He also mentioned that UWSA is looking to offer support for the longstanding music magazine, citing a “long and rich tradition on our campus.”
Following a CKUW board meeting Monday night, Schmidt shared that talks would be opening up with UWSA regarding the future of Stylus.
PHOTO BY JESSE BROGAN / STAFF
MARTI FORD, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION
PHOTO BY MIKAELA WARKENTIN / STAFF
109 HELEN GLASS BUILDING UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA WINNIPEG, MB THEMANITOBAN.COM | 204. 474. 6535
GENERAL INQUIRIES: ME@THEMANITOBAN.COM
CIRCULATION INQUIRIES: MISSING OR INCOMPLETE PAPER?
EMAIL: DISTRIBUTION@THEMANITOBAN.COM
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mikaela Warkentin editor@themanitoban.com
BUSINESS MANAGER Alice Teufack accounts@themanitoban.com
BUSINESS SUPPORT MANAGER Joshua Herold ads@themanitoban.com
EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR Peace Ifeanyi me@themanitoban.com
COPY EDITOR Eden Quiring copy@themanitoban.com
NEWS EDITOR Jesse Brogan news@themanitoban.com
NEWS EDITOR Roy Albright Obah news@themanitoban.com
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Mansura Meghla research@themanitoban.com
COMMENT EDITOR Quinn Mayhew comment@themanitoban.com
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Boris Tsun Hang Leung arts@themanitoban.com
SPORTS EDITOR Abdul-Jalilu Ahmed sports@themanitoban.com
DESIGN
DESIGN EDITOR Deveney Jarrow design@themanitoban.com
GRAPHICS EDITOR Emma Gillich graphics@themanitoban.com
AUDIO AND VIDEO
AUDIO EDITOR Max Reid audio@themanitoban.com
PHOTO EDITOR Mike Thiessen photo@themanitoban.com
VIDEO EDITOR Zulkifl Rafah video@themanitoban.com
DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Faisal Rahman social@themanitoban.com
VOLUNTEER STAFF
VOLUNTEERS
interested in volunteering? email me@themanitoban.com today!
The Manitoban is the official student newspaper of the University of Manitoba. It is published monthly during the summer and each week of regular classes during the academic year by the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation.
The Manitoban is an independent and democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens.
The Manitoban is a member of the Canadian University Press, and our journalistic standards can be found on the Manitoban’s website.
The newspaper’s primary mandate is to report fairly and objectively on issues and events of importance and interest to the students of the University of Manitoba, to provide an open forum for the free expression and exchange of opinions and ideas and to stimulate meaningful debate on issues that affect or would otherwise be of interest to the student body and/ or society in general. The Manitoban serves as a training ground for students interested in any aspect of journalism.
Students and other interested parties are invited to contribute to any section of the newspaper. Please contact the appropriate editor for submission guidelines.
The Manitoban reserves the right to edit all submissions and will not publish any material deemed by its Editorial Board to be discriminatory, racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic, ableist or libellous.
Opinions expressed in letters and articles are solely those of the authors. Editorials in the Manitoban are signed and represent the opinions of the writer(s), not necessarily those of the Manitoban staff, Editorial Board or the publisher.
A “volunteer staff” member is defined as a person who has had three volunteer articles, photographs or pieces of art of reasonable length and/ or substance published in the current publishing year of the Manitoban
Any individual who qualifies as a volunteer staff member must be voted in by a majority vote at a Manitoban editorial board meeting. Elected representatives and non-students may be excluded from holding votes as volunteer staff members in accordance with the Manitoban Constitution.
All contents are ©2025 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Editor-in-Chief.
CASA goes on the road
Canadian Alliance of Student Associations on advocating for U of M students
Mikaela Warkentin, staff
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) has embarked on their CASA on the Road tour, travelling across Canada to visit the student associations that make up their membership. This included stopping at the U of M last Thursday to spend the day with UMSU and the U of M student body during welcome week. CASA’s communications and public relations officer, Mariam Trifess, chatted with the Manitoban about what CASA has been doing for U of M students.
“The point of this campaign is to talk directly to students here,” shared Trifess. “[To find out] what are the issues that are affecting them, but also familiarize them with CASA and the work that we do.”
Part of Trifess’ visit included tabling at the Bison Bash Market and participating in a poster and sign-making party
hosted by UMSU. The latter provided students the opportunity to make signs for the various student advocacy events UMSU intends to host.
As for student advocacy, CASA sets sights on the federal government. “There is a voice for them on [Parliament Hill] in Ottawa,” added Trifess. Priorities ranging from student unemployment to maintaining the Canada Student Grant Program were in a pre-budget submission to the Department of Finance, part of the larger legislation-based advocacies the association has helped carry out in the past.
“We
we’re always aware where and when things come about,” shared Trifess. “Things often evolve, so we can get a win, but then we have to continue to advocate to keep the win.”
The federal focus on student advocacy carries into how the association works
keep a tight watch on the developments that are going on in Parliament, and we’re always aware where and when things come about”
ers to share notes and discuss their respective priorities in advocating for their students. Trifess said, “[The conference] is the time to come to a consensus and make a choice on […]the priorities that will be put forward.” She added, “That doesn’t mean that we won’t advocate for other priorities. […] but it just means that our resources will be focused.”
— Mariam Trifess, CASA communications and public relations officer
“We keep a tight watch on the developments that are going on in Parliament, and
with its members, with several conferences for groups like UMSU to attend throughout the year. One such conference was the Policy and Strategy Conference, held on Calgary’s Mount Royal University campus in July. It is an opportunity for various student lead-
As for this year’s priorities for CASA, five were core: Youth unemployment, skilled labour shortages, a Canada Student Housing strategy, ensuring grad scholarships and grants match inflation and the maintenance of the Canada Student Grant Program. The first two, Trifess shared, can help solve each
other. “Our colleges have a lot of apprentices who struggle to find the experiential learning that they need […] A way to solve two problems in one go [is] by basically having the apprentices be a solution to the labour shortage.” Specifically, CASA is advocating for a minimum of 10 per cent of worksite hours being allocated for apprentices. While CASA might be based in Ottawa, that does not mean that they are inaccessible to U of M students. “We’re very open to hearing directly from students, and I feel like CASA on the Road is just one way that we’ve done it this time […] I’m sure there will be multiple ways in the future,” shared Trifess. “I think advocating for students has to be on all levels. We as CASA take on the federal side […] that’s what we know how to do best.”
Library reopens fourth floor with safety barriers
After tragedy, the Millennium Library considers redesign
Jesse Brogan, staff
The Winnipeg Millennium Library has reopened its fourth floor with metal fencing after being closed for two weeks, following a tragic incident in early August.
On Aug. 6, a 40-year-old man jumped from the fourthfloor railing and lost his life. Soon after, another visitor threatened suicide but was stopped by security. The library has since installed barriers, stationed security on the floor and is considering longer-term safety redesigns.
Pam McKenzie, communications officer for the City of Winnipeg, said, “The recently installed temporary measure will remain in place while we continue to develop permanent, long-term solutions.” McKenzie added, “counselling services are offered to affected staff whenever a critical incident occurs in the workplace.”
The Millennium Library is a popular place to study downtown, but it is also a space of ongoing safety concerns. The decision to reopen with fencing is part of an effort to balance accessibility with security. The last time an incident like this occurred was in 2017, but the August tragedy has renewed a focus on the library’s fourth floor redesign.
Kimberly Nicolasora, who works in marketing and communications, studies for her LSAT (law school admission test) at the library on weekends. She said the Millennium Library is not her first choice.
“I mostly come here for convenience,” said Nicolasora.
“But it’s not my first choice because of the safety. You do hear about some stabbings, and even coming in you need to go through security and get them to check [your] bags.”
For U of M student Maryam Bakhtiary, however, the tragedy has not changed their perception. Bakhtiary comes to the Millennium Library because it offers a quiet place to study.
“I heard that news, it was so bad,” said Bakhtiary. “I think it’s not a huge problem [with the library] […] When you come in here, you’re just focusing, not focusing on […] what happened.”
Bakhtiary, who studies political science and hopes to become a lawyer, added that the library’s resources help her with her coursework. She acknowledged the sadness of the incident, but her focus remains on school.
Muhammad Hassan, a product designer and software engineer, uses the library daily for its design resources, including 3D printers. He said he noticed when the fourth floor was suddenly closed off after the incident.
He learned later of the tragedy and said it made him reflect on safety at the Millenium Library. “I felt it’s unsafe,” Hassan said, adding that security checks and bag searches reshaped his experience at the library.
Among the Millennium Library’s regular visitors is Hannes Klinger, who is in Canada from Germany. He arrived in January to travel across the country, and
recently headed west toward the Rockies before his car broke down. Now staying with a friend in downtown Winnipeg, he comes to the Millennium Library nearly every day to plan his next steps.
Klinger said he has had nice encounters with the staff, further noting that the library’s internet and quiet spaces are essential for his travel planning. He added that the Millennium Library is one of the few comfortable public places downtown to focus. Klinger said all he needs is a comfortable space and the internet.
Despite different levels of concern among visitors, Nicolasora understands why changes were made but hopes the library can evolve further.
“I don’t think the fencing
is really impactful in terms of studying, but I do understand,” said Nicolasora.
What she would like, however, is more flexibility in hours. “As much as I wouldn’t want to stay too late downtown […] I actually wouldn’t mind if it was open later, or if there was some type of security coming around later in the night,” said Nicolasora.
For Hassan, the fencing raises questions about whether structural changes are enough to address deeper safety issues.
“I’ve been looking at it and I’ve been trying to figure out, ‘Oh, why do we have this? Is it going to help people [stay safe]? Is it going to protect people?’” said Hassan.
The Millennium Library is
CATL opens fall term with open house
both a practical resource and a contentious public space. For students like Bhaktiary, its quiet study areas outweigh its risks. For regulars like Hassan, safety is an ongoing concern. And for international visitors like Klinger, it is simply a necessary and welcoming stop along a Canadian journey.
The Millennium Library’s appeal remains tied to its central location and shared spaces, even if safety worries never fully disappear.
“I do like coming here just because it is nice,” said Nicolasora before adding with honesty, “but I wouldn’t come to the fourth floor to study if this [metal fencing] is my view.”
Workshops, labs and consultations highlight 25 years of support at U of M
Roy Albright Obah, staff
The U of M’s Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) opened the fall term with an open house, welcoming faculty and graduate students to discover its programs and resources. The event showcased the Centre’s role in supporting teaching excellence at U of M. Erica Jung, director of the Centre, explained the purpose of the event. “We’ve been here […] over 25 years,” she started. “We wanted to continue to create visibility on campus, and so we decided to have an open house […] for people to come and see what kinds of services and supports [are available]
for teaching through our Centre.”
Visitors toured rooms featuring interactive demonstrations. They attended short presentations on teaching strategies, explored the VR lab, visited the podcast studio and joined discussions on digital pedagogy and clinical teaching. Part of the Centre’s mission is to strengthen teaching and learning at U of M. “We really serve the faculty members who are teaching, and instructors as well,” Jung
explained. She added that graduate students are also a priority. “We have a graduate student teaching program [for] master’s and PhD students.”
The Centre offers struc-
“We have a graduate student teaching programs for master’s and PHD students”
new faculty, so five years and under. We [also] have [...] the Graduate Teaching Program […] for graduate students,” Jung said. These are supplemented by workshops, consultations, classroom observations and more. All of these services are free.
— Erica Jung, director of U of M’s centre for the advancement of teaching and learning
tured programs alongside tailored support. “We have programs like the Teaching and Learning Certificate Program, and that’s geared for
Jung encouraged students and faculty alike to take advantage of the resources. “If you haven’t tried out anything at the Centre in terms of a workshop or a drop-in session or a lunch
hour session, come and check it out, because it can really spark ideas […] about how to enhance your teaching.”
The Centre’s schedule of workshops and events for the fall term is posted online. With the open house as a starting point, the Centre reaffirmed its position as a cornerstone of teaching, innovation and support at the U of M.
Learn more about the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning by visiting its website at umanitoba.ca/centre-advancement-teaching-learning/.
PHOTO BY JESSE BROGAN/ STAFF
U of M’s PhD student launches Beyond the Books
Mary Ifeakandu launches guide to help graduates succeed beyond academia
Roy Albright Obah, staff
T
he recent launch of the book Beyond the Books: Your Guide to Transition From Academia to Industry on the U of M’s Bannatyne campus marked a significant milestone for Mary Chinyere Obiechina Ifeakandu, a current PhD student in physiology and pathophysiology.
The event celebrated the publication of her practical guide, a project undertaken alongside her graduate studies, which aims to ease the path for others navigating a similar journey from academic life to a corporate career.
Ifeakandu’s inspiration for writing the book was drawn directly from her personal journey of adaptation and observation.
The common struggles she witnessed became a powerful motivator. “Along the way, I saw how many students and professionals struggled with the same challenges […] These experiences led me to create Beyond the Books, a practical guide to simplify this journey and empower others to transition with clarity, courage and purpose.”
The content of the book is designed to be a comprehensive toolkit, structured to provide a broader guide that prepares readers for the corporate world. “It covers everything from personal branding, networking and mentorship to overcoming fear, job search strategies [...] evaluating job offers and thriving in your first 90 days on the job,” Ifeakandu explained.
The path to publication, however, was not without significant obstacles. “The biggest challenges were time constraints, funding and the publishing process itself,” she noted.
Her strategy for overcoming these hurdles was methodical and self-reliant. “I overcame them by breaking the work into manageable tasks, self-funding and embracing self-publishing platforms that gave me creative control.”
“Start
advice to others is to begin without hesitation. She urged aspiring authors, “Start where you are, with what you know.
where you are, with what you know. Don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ time. Break the process into steps, seek mentorship and believe your voice matters”
Throughout this demanding process, she noted that she was “blessed with strong support,” acknowledging the community that helped her succeed.
— Mary Chinyere Obiechina Ifeakandu, author
Don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ time. Break the process into steps, seek mentorship and believe your voice matters.”
After this experience, her
Her hope for the book extends beyond its pages
into fostering a larger, muchneeded conversation between two worlds. “I hope it becomes part of a broader dialogue […] By bridging academia and industry, I want to help reduce the gap […] that leaves many graduates feeling unprepared, isolated and unemployed.”
The immediate reaction from the launch suggests the book is well-positioned to achieve this goal. Jenny, an attendee, described the work
as “quite impressive,” noting that “it does not just provide information and a practical guide to readers […] I see the book as a guidance note.” She added, “I would like to recommend Beyond the Books to everyone.”
With the launch complete, the book is now available to a global audience. Beyond the Books and its mini-series can be purchased on Amazon, Selar, Gumroad, Apple Books, Kobo and IngramSpark, and directly through the author’s website at maryempowers.com.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARY IFEAKANDU
MARY IFEAKANDU (CENTRE) WITH HER FAMILY AT THE LAUNCH OF HER BOOK, BEYOND THE BOOKS: YOUR GUIDE TO TRANSITION FROM ACADEMIA TO INDUSTRY, ON AUGUST 29 AT THE
U OF M BANNATYNE CAMPUS.
Letter to the Editor
Is U of M’s top student AI?
Artificial intelligence (AI) no longer resides in the world of fantasy. It has made its debut at the U of M campus and might just be the top student. It meets deadlines with ease, creates polished essays in record time and has access to more information than any human possibly could. While students are forced to juggle full course loads, lengthy bus rides and mountains of readings, dedicating hours trying to succeed, AI completes work in the blink of an eye, making it seem like the perfect student.
A question people seem to be asking is, if AI is the ‘top student,’ where does that leave the rest of us? AI can summarize huge amounts of content and generate a concise study guide while explaining complex concepts when other routes aren’t available, such as office hours. Those who are juggling a social life, work, commuting and academics are desperate for a lifeline that is this convenient.
While AI can offer a lifeline to drowning students, it comes with risks. If all our thinking and writing originates from AI, where does that
leave our educational system? People’s dependency on technology can weaken their ability to think critically. These weakening skills are the very ones that universities are built to strengthen. However, it is not the best solution for academic institutions to ban AI. Instead, they should be teaching students how to use AI productively and responsibly. Institutions should teach the aspects and functions of AI, define clear policies and have open discussions. This would change the idea that using AI is a dirty little secret, and instead, it
would become an academic tool that can further one’s potential.
The ‘top student’ on campus may be AI, but it should never replace the living ones. Real academic success does not come from assignment
completion speed, but from fully comprehending the material we have learned.
By Grace Aprile Second-Year Student, Criminology & Political Science
GRAPHIC
Research & Technology
When home becomes a workplace
Exploring how home care efficiency reshapes private life and medicalizes home
Mansura Akter Meghla, staff
K aitlyn Kuryk is a recent PhD graduate in sociology at the U of M. Her doctoral research explored how “informal or live-in caregivers” in Manitoba experience home care services.
Drawing on 13 interviews and home tours, her work examined how medicalization — the process of framing ordinary life through medical terms and practices — alters the meaning of home.
Home care is designed to allow people with health or cognitive challenges to remain in their houses longer with professional assistance. But Kuryk found that, for families, these services often come with trade-offs. Spaces once defined by intimacy and routine become regulated by task lists, medical technologies and rotating staff.
“Sometimes that comes with the bureaucratic understanding of efficiency,” she said. “Things need to be objective and they need to be done with checkboxes. It shouldn’t matter which worker comes as long as the work gets done […] In that, we lose the parts of home that make it feel homey.”
“Right now, there is a standardization in healthcare and we are moving toward efficiency. We want our services fast,” said Kuryk.
Her own experience shaped the project. Kuryk grew up with a mother who received (and continues to receive) home care. She described how their house became both a family space and a workplace for healthcare providers.
“It kind of […] blurs that boundary a little bit between my space and then your space,” she explained. This overlap raised questions about power, identity and privacy as she became part of the care team.
“I noticed that I was part of the care team, which I had never thought of before. But I was interacting regularly with home care workers,” she noted. “They’re not there for me, but […] my schedule was based around their availability.”
In her research, caregivers reported feeling both included and sidelined. While families were often listed in official care plans, their authority was limited compared to paid staff. Kuryk said it “was distressing, losing that ability to feel like you have
“The caregiving never ends”
— Kaitlyn Kuryk, an alumna and sessional instructor in the U of M’s department of sociology and criminology
This realization left her questioning how they perceived her role in the household and whether other caregivers shared the same experience.
agency in your own home.” She added, “it is your home and you would think that you have the ultimate say, but with the introduction of home care services, sometimes that does not happen.”
The shift toward efficiency also changes the emotional environment. One participant of Kuryk’s study, a husband caring for his wife of 63 years, described home not as walls or rooms but as the bond of their relationship. He posted instructions in the bathroom to make sure workers followed his wife’s wishes, but it also served as a daily reminder that his home was no longer fully his own.
Kuryk noted how medical devices reshape living spaces. Some families resisted visible technologies, such as wheelchair lifts, because of the cost, stigma or the sense that their
house no longer looked like a home. Others reconfigured bedrooms into full hospital rooms.
Noting the strain on families, she said long-term caregivers often felt that “the caregiving never ends.” Even after a loved one passed, several caregivers said the feeling of a medicalized home lingered.
These findings matter in a broader policy context. Canada’s aging population and limited long-term care spaces mean more emphasis on “aging in place.” Policymakers often promote it as cost-effective and family-centered, but Kuryk argued the human side is overlooked.
Kuryk noted “there’s kind of [an] expectation that people are going to provide care without a real understanding of
what that looks like, particularly when the care is being provided in your home.” In that sense, “We don’t do a really good job of training workers into the idea that every home is unique and every person that you’re providing care to is unique.”
Caregiver consent is often overlooked in home care planning, she added. “We don’t ask the caregivers […] ‘Do you want to do this?’” she said. “It should be okay if the answer is ‘no.’”
Her work shows how efficiency goals, while necessary for stretched healthcare systems, can quietly erode the personal meaning of home. The question, she raised, is how to support families without turning private spaces into standardized workplaces.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY KAITLYN KURYK
Cracking the code of stressed cells
Research explores the potential of unfolded protein response in cancer treatment
Mansura Akter Meghla, staff
Cells are often compared to miniature cities, each with its own infrastructure. The nucleus functions like city hall, mitochondria act as power plants and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) serves as the industrial hub where proteins are produced and folded. When that system falters, the results can threaten cell survival.
Susan Logue, associate professor in the department of human anatomy and cell science at the U of M and Canada research chair in cell stress and inflammation, studies what happens when the ER comes under strain.
Her lab focuses on a cellular emergency system called the unfolded protein response (UPR).
“The job of the unfolded protein response is to try and help reduce the level of unfolded proteins and to allow the endoplasmic reticulum to go back to normal,” Logue said. In healthy cells, this response switches on briefly to support ER function. However, in diseased cells, particularly cancer cells, the same process can be hijacked to promote the survival and growth of the cancer cells.
One area where this is especially relevant is triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that lacks targeted therapies. “Unlike many forms of breast cancer, there are few targeted therapies for triple negative breast cancer,” Logue explained. “So, it’s very important that we come up with new ways to help treat this disease.”
Her lab is investigating whether elements of the UPR could provide such a pathway. By studying the ER’s stress response in cancer cells, researchers hope to identify
vulnerabilities that could be targeted with new drugs.
Much of the team’s work focuses on “three central receptors or ‘controllers’ called IRE1, PERK and ATF6.” These proteins act as control points, managing how cells respond when protein folding goes awry. “There’s been a lot of time and money spent on trying to come up with drugs to switch off IRE1, PERK and ATF6,” Logue said. One drug that inhibits IRE1 has already shown promise in preclinical models, especially when combined with chemotherapy. Her lab recently asked what happens when one of these pathways is shut down.
Their findings, published in Cell Death and Disease, revealed that inhibiting IRE1 also reduced PERK expression. This suggested that the pathways communicate more closely than previously thought, and that blocking one could weaken another. The group is now expanding this work. Early experiments suggest ATF6 also interacts with IRE1, deepening the picture of how these signalling systems cooperate under stress. Logue’s team is developing breast cancer cell lines that can switch parts of the UPR on or off, allowing them to study how these changes affect cancer cell growth, cell
mobility and drug resistance.
While her lab does not design therapies directly, the goal is to provide the knowledge that others can build on.
She emphasized the importance of research as a team effort. Advances in medicine are often the result of many labs contributing different pieces of the puzzle over years of work.
“Aside from scientific findings, I also want my lab to be a productive and supportive training ground offering students the opportunity to gain research skills that they can take forward in their own careers,” she said.
For students considering
research, Logue’s advice is straightforward — “The only real way to know if research is something for you is to get into a lab and try it out.”
Logue also highlighted the intricacy of cell biology. “What I really loved about cell signalling was [that] it’s like a game of chess. You make one move, the cell makes another move,” she said. The challenge, she noted, is part of what makes the work rewarding. By decoding how cells respond to stress, Logue and her team are helping lay the groundwork for treatments that could one day improve outcomes for breast cancer patients.
GRAPHIC BY EMMA GILLICH / STAFF
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column, and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. In Straights, like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row or column. But rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. Each compartment must form a “straight.” A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. 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 see how “straights” are formed.
Is James Gunn the saviour of DC?
From a Marvel Cinematic Universe fanatic, 100 per cent
Faisal Rahman, staff
Books were never my thing; I couldn’t stare at a page where ‘KAPOW’ wasn’t written in big bold yellow text with flames coming out of the back. However, I wouldn’t call myself a comic book ‘connoisseur’ either. In 2013, I dove into the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with my first ever Marvel movie, The Avengers. I instantly fell in love, from Iron Man’s incredible tech to The Hulk’s ability to keep his pants on while becoming a giant rage-monster. Curiosity took over me.
Before my fascination began with the MCU, I had only seen Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, so then I began to wonder, ‘Who are these new superheroes?’
After The Avengers, I set my mind on watching every Marvel movie — and I mean everything. I downloaded and watched Fox’s cinematic timeline, X-Men, Deadpool, Logan, Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man, Netflix’s Daredevil and also, of course, the MCU movies along the way.
Then came along my first ever DC television series, CW’s The Flash. I initially wanted to check out the competition because as a loyal Marvel fan I was, by default, obligated to be a DC hater.
One of my favorite guilty pleasures includes rewatching superhero movies and series while trying to find Easter eggs and connect them along the timeline of every movie.
That’s one of many reasons I love the MCU. The Infinity Saga was so beautifully placed, with the introduction of the Infinity Stones spread throughout the movies until Avengers: Infinity War and End Game really tied everything together. This is something I did not get from the DC movies.
7.8, which I completely agree with. In 2021, ever since Gunn was called to direct
its own way, but my problem was comparing it with MCU.
DC’s movies and series have always felt cumbersome compared to the quality of Marvel. Arguably, DC’s animated series were far more story dense than the movies. CW’s universe was interconnected in
James Gunn, co-writer and director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy introduced a different and fun version of space in the MCU. I got to see a different team since Avengers, with creatures, dancing aliens and an emphasis on each character’s unique abilities. IMDB gave the trilogy an average rating of
GRAPHICBYFAISALRAHMAN
The Suicide Squad, DC has never been the same. I could feel the spice he put into Marvel in the movies he directed for DC. Peacemaker, a character created by Joe Gill and Pat Boyette in 1966, remained very unpopular and relatively obscure in DC Comics. However, after John Cena, directed by Gunn, appeared as Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad and the HBO hit series Peacemaker, the character has become a fan favourite. Now, DC cannot be imagined without him.
Gunn also directed this year’s Superman. The movie was comic accurate, featuring the most relatable Superman ever. Gunn’s vision and David Corenswet’s passion for the character are truly shown in the movie. The shots of Superman getting hit and flying over just to save a squirrel were magnificent. The film also showcased the first ever live action Krypto. Gunn also saved us from having a disappointing representation of the character Green Lantern (like Ryan Renold’s Hal Jordan, sorry Ryan), now giving us Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner. Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific also shone with an insane oneman Yondu-esque fight scene. All of these characters I have gotten to know much better in this film, and I instantly fell head over heels for them.
Nowadays, Marvel movies turn out to be more of a hit or miss. Despite some movies in the MCU falling short, I can not wait for Tom Holland’s Spiderman: Brand New Day I will always remain loyal to my first superhero cinematic universe, the MCU. However, I think Gunn is the saviour of DC. People might argue that he is still ‘getting there’ because they are stuck in the dark version of DC, but I know he’s already there.
Gunn took the best of Marvel’s pages and formulas and used them to create greatness with DC. Gunn’s ‘closed casting’ of groups of people who get along has done wonders for his films.
I am really optimistic about Gunn’s continuing journey with DC.
/STAFF
AI is not always the answer
The risk of artificial intelligence
Quinn Mayhew, staff
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a form of technology that enables computers and other systems to mimic human learning, problem-solving, decision-making and creativity. In my opinion, this is detrimental to human creativity.
As a person who has spent her whole life surrounded by parents and family members who value and study the humanities, I have always appreciated creative spaces that allow you to express yourself in ways that math and science may not always be able to. When AI was first introduced to the general public, I felt wary. My first thought was that this would lead to massive job losses for writers and imaginers, as well as counsellors, and to be honest, I was right.
Many may think that AI is
a way to streamline and produce work more efficiently at a lower cost, and they’re right. It is cheaper to task a computer with a job rather than have a human being do the work.
AI is designed to make you experience serotonin when prompting it with a response and then almost instantaneously receiving an answer. This serotonin boost keeps you in a cycle of continuing to use AI.
Despite AI making everything easy, I have always shunned the idea that easy is always better. As I struggled through my degree, I have come to realize that some things in life are meant to be hard.
I recently heard a professor, while talking about the use of AI in the classroom, recite a quote from the movie
A League of Their Own. “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would
do it. The hard is what makes it great.” This quote really resonated with me.
AI makes tasks easier, but not everything is always meant to be this easy. I find that AI takes away the humanity from daily tasks and creative projects, parts that make the human experience so unique. Such are now replaced with a machine that could only ever regurgitate a thought that someone has already had.
AI is not a replacement for creatives, visionaries or healthcare professionals. AI can only ever tell you ideas that others have pioneered, or create a wealth of false information that provides incorrect answers more 60 percent of the time. People assume AI is a quick-fix solution to more complex issues like mental health problems or medical issues. Systems using artificial intelligence can only provide
watered-down responses or completely wrong answers to complex mental and physical conditions.
Mental health disorders, such as depression, OCD and anxiety, cannot be adequately treated with AI software such as ChatGPT, which provides watered-down answers and frequently incorrect responses.
I have often seen friends using ChatGPT as a replacement for professional and medical help. Seeing them asking AI about symptoms for potential medical injuries or illnesses, posing questions such as “Am I dying?” or “Is it normal to feel sad for more than 2 weeks?” These questions often reflect a need for more professional help than AI can provide.
It is not just the medical and mental health field that AI is slowly but surely seeping into. It’s journalism, edu-
cation, film, photography and more. AI reaches into almost every corner of the internet or work field, making it easy for professionals working in certain fields to be discredited or underappreciated.
AI makes things easy with brief and clear answers but is it worth trading accuracy, when ChatGPT is wrong half the time, for efficiency that often undermines creatives and healthcare professionals?
AI, in my opinion, is not worth using when the cost is falling into a repetitive cycle of dependence.
My advice for anyone who uses AI is to think — is it really worth stealing someone else’s work for quick answers that are more likely to be wrong than right? Choose to think creatively, seek help from a professional if need be and choose humanity before you choose a machine.
GRAPHIC BY EMMA GILLICH / STAFF
Dana Solomon debuts original film at TIFF A Manitoban artist on the international stage
Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff
Recently, Selkirk artist Dana Solomon appeared in two films premiering at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). In addition to starring in Blood Lines, a Métis romance, Solomon is presenting her short film Niimi at the festival.
“Niimi is my directorial debut […] I’m really thrilled, [there] has been a lot of hard work that went into this and I’m really glad it’s being celebrated on a big international platform,” said Solomon.
In Niimi, which means ‘she dances’ in Ojibwe, Solomon portrays Skye, an Indigenous ballet dancer who is sexually assaulted by her coach. Skye is initially put off by ballet after the traumatic incident, but she later meets a group of women who help her rediscover her love for dance.
Although the film depicts a fictional story, Solomon commented that it was inspired by her experience as a dancer and how the art form has been therapeutic for her.
“I wanted to create a film about how dance can be healing, and how movement is medicine and how trauma and healing from trauma is not linear,” she said. “It can
be quite messy, but you can find strength in community, and you can relearn and rediscover yourself in a new way.” Solomon is an Anishinaabe member of the Sagkeeng First Nation and Guyanese on her father’s side. Before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in dance at York University, she took classes at the famed Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Solomon said she sometimes felt isolated as an Indigenous ballet dancer, but her heritage now deeply influences her
work.
“I’m very proud of both cultures, and it has informed all the work that I do. It’s in every fabric of my being and every fabric of my work,” said Solomon.
“One of my biggest goals is to increase representation in film and TV [and promote] Indigenous stories told by us, and we are scratching the surface,” she said. “There’s so much more to come […] It’s so important for us to see ourselves [on] TV.”
Currently, Solomon hopes to expand Niimi into a feature film while continuing to act in different projects. Outside of film, Solomon also created First Fire, an Indigenous dance program that explores themes such as residential schools and resilience through movement.
When asked about advice for aspiring filmmakers, Solomon emphasized the importance of patience and perseverance.
“I used to think that when
Scott Nolan to tour southern Manitoba
Local musician shares life stories through house concerts
Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff
On Sept. 16, local musician and poet Scott Nolan and pianist Cory Wolchuk will perform in Winnipeg, kicking off a series of concerts across southern Manitoba.
Nolan, who was born in Toronto but grew up in Winnipeg, has been a musician and songwriter for 30 years. It all started when he visited the Blue Note Café, a live music venue that operated in downtown Winnipeg until the early 2000s.
“I was kind of a hard rock, heavy metal kid [who] had seen big concerts in the arenas and stuff, and around 14 or something I discovered the Blue Note, and I saw people playing music from a few feet away that was more in the folk ideology,” Nolan recounted.
“It impressed me because, unlike the really big rock shows, there were no tricks or production to it, and it really changed me as a kid […] It sounded like an old record playing when they performed.”
Nolan’s music is personal
and introspective — it is rooted in Canadiana with a deep commitment to exploring the human condition.
His latest album, Before Tonight, features songs such as “Cabbagetown,” a tribute to the changing face of the Toronto neighbourhood where his family is from. My favourite is “Old Friends (Eight-ball Over Old Vienna),” a soulful meditation on the comings and goings of old friends in Manitoba.
Appropriate to his musical style, Nolan’s tour is organized by Home Routes, a Winnipeg non-profit that specializes in hosting intimate house and small venue concerts across the country.
“My goal is to transform people’s living rooms [or] community halls, whatever the environment is, for the concert. I try to bring in some element of what that felt like for me as a 14-year-old, and I travel with my childhood friend who I started my first bands with when we were 14,” he said.
“I’d like to think [that by the
time my friend and I] leave, you got a pretty good sense of us, the who and why and what we are.”
Lastly, the stage is a place where Nolan can express his true self and tell his story unapologetically, from the very highs to the very lows.
“Music and art is not a shallow, small or frivolous thing to me. It saved my life as an adolescent, and it continues to save my life virtually every day. So, what I would hope an audience would take away is [that] I mean everything I say — the funny parts, the sad parts,” said Nolan.
“I want something real in front of me. I want to feel something, and that’s what I try to hold myself up to when I sit in front of other people […] I’m my most authentic self when I’m sitting in front of an audience, and I just try to maintain that, no matter what the cost.”
Visit homeroutes.ca for tour dates, locations and tickets.
you get into [film], things happen quickly, because that’s how it appears sometimes, but it’s a long-term game. It’s a marathon, not a race,” she reflected.
“It’s a lot of dedicated time honing your craft, investing in yourself and working toward your goals […] Just keep at it, because you never know what’s around the corner.”
Niimi premieres at TIFF on Sept. 10 and will be showing again on Sept. 13.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DANA SOLOMON
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SCOTT NOLAN
SELKIRK-BORN ARTIST DANA SOLOMON STILL FROM DANA SOLOMON’S SHORT FILM NIIMI
Challenging boundaries through a home art show
Maison Milieu’s first show reimagines what an art gallery can be
Mikaela Warkentin, staff
M adison Beale and Lauren McNaughton have brought the art gallery experience to their apartment. Last weekend, the pair hosted their first home art show, Maison Milieu, the name stemming from their muddling of the boundaries between studio, gallery and artist’s space.
The name lends itself to this “in-between,” Beale shared. “‘Maison,’ because it’s a house, ‘Milieu,’ because again, we’re kind of working in the middle of things.” Beginning without a curatorial theme, this idea was strengthened as the show came together. “We realized the work really is dealing with existing between two things,” Beale added.
Curated by Beale and McNaughton, the exhibit uses these existing themes of “middle” by seeing art from multiple perspectives. “There is not necessarily this division between art and life for a lot of artists,” Beale said. “But for people as viewers, we often think that art needs to exist within the institution […] Tonight is kind of a mix of both.”
“It’s not traditional gallery space,” shared McNaughton. The art show was spread out over the communal space of their apartment, sharing its walls with Beale and McNaughton’s personal art collection. “We were […] debating back and forth if we should take our collection
PHOTOS BY MIKAELA WARKENTIN / STAFF
LAUREN MCNAUGHTON AND MADISON BEALE
down or if we should keep it up.” McNaughton added, “I have a couple pieces I’ve created, but a lot of it is my personal collection, which I think also adds […] the homeliness and the personality of the house. It brings a connection to us.”
Working within the con-
fines of an apartment, Beale shared that there were unique challenges to organizing an art show in the space. “Working within those constraints has actually allowed us to be very creative and create a really fun environment.” One particularly eye-catching piece was Margot Morrish’s “Transit,”
created this year for the U of M’s master of fine arts honour showcase. Displayed in the living room of the apartment, the space was enveloped by the nail-dyed fabric that consisted of the largest part of the piece, while the nails sat on a tablecloth-clad coffee table. “I love that it’s been given a new
context being in this show,” Beale shared. Ultimately, Maison Milieu succeeded in its goal of crossing the middle ground. “I want this to be an example of what an art exhibition can be,” shared McNaughton. “I think art exhibitions can go beyond […] a cement floor and white
walls, and I think art deserves to be in different contexts and created in different ways.”
Stay tuned for future Maison Milieu endeavors by following them on Instagram @maisonmilieugallery.
PHOTOS BY MIKAELA WARKENTIN / STAFF
A look at the weekend action with the Bisons
Women’s soccer picks up a draw and loss, men’s football records a narrow defeat
Abdul-Jalilu Ahmed, staff
Women’s soccer
The Bisons women’s soccer team drew 1-1 against the Regina Cougars on Saturday, Sept. 6.
38 seconds into the first half [0:38], Peyton Enns delivered an early shot for the Cougars, but it went wide of the net.
In the third minute [3:05], Taylor Sousa came through with a shot for the Bisons, but it was saved by the Cougars’ goalie Peyton Magnuson. Later, in the seventh minute [7:59], Isabella Lone fired a shot for the Bisons that went wide.
In the 17th minute [17:11], Enns took another shot for the Cougars, which was high. Taryn Cabak had a shot for the Bisons in the 31st minute [31:19], but it went wide.
The Cougars answered quickly with Delaney Rhinehart firing a shot in the 32nd minute [32:23], only to be saved by the Bisons’ goalie Holly Dyker.
Enns had a shot again in the 37th minute [37:53], but Cabak made a defensive save for the Bisons to keep the score level.
In the 40th minute [40:13], Haylee Evans challenged Bisons goalkeeper Dyker with a shot for the Cougars, but
Dyker denied the attempt. Four minutes later [44:50], Dyker made another save, stopping shots from Lennox Lockhurst and Rhinehart.
The two teams made substitutions at the 45th minute [45:00], but neither side could find the net as the first half ended goalless.
27 seconds into the second half [45:27], Bisons’ Tabata Bravo came through with a shot, but Cougars goalkeeper Magnuson came up with a save.
In the 52nd minute [52:03], the Bisons broke the deadlock as Sarina Mann scored the opening goal, assisted by Bravo. Mann nearly doubled the lead in the 61st minute [61:31] with another shot, but goalie Magnuson denied her. Between the 79th and 80th minutes [79:00 to 80:51] the Bisons pressed for a second goal, creating multiple shots, but goalie Magnuson stood firm in the net.
The Cougars responded late in the game, with Kirsten Koellmel hitting the crossbar in the 84th minute [84:51].
In the 90th minute, the Cougars found the equalizer as Enns converted a penalty kick, securing a 1-1 draw.
In the second game of the series, the Bisons lost 0-1 to
the Regina Cougars on Sunday, Sept. 7.
In the fourth minute [4:53], the Bisons’ Breyana Johnston-Krulicki sent a shot wide right, while Cabak tested the Cougars’ goalie Magnuson in the sixth minute [6:24], but the effort was saved.
In the tenth minute [10:32], Evelyn Lekivetz added another attempt for the Bisons, but Magnuson made yet another stop. Six minutes later [16:27], Johnston-Krulicki had another shot on goal, which was also saved.
The Bisons had two more shots on target in the 32nd and 41st minutes [32:32 and 41:29], both of which were saved by goalie Magnuson.
The Cougars responded with a shot from Enns in the 42nd minute [42:04], but the Bisons displayed a team save to keep the game level.
Despite multiple opportunities for both teams, the first half ended scoreless.
In the second half, Bianca Cavalcanti fired a shot for the Bisons in the 58th minute [58:56], but the Cougars made a team save.
Between the 62nd and 68th minutes [62:05 to 68:14], the Bisons made a series of substitutions to freshen their lineup.
The Cougars scored a goal in the 85th minute [85:45], with Enns scoring the goal, assisted by Koellmel.
Three minutes later [88:55], the Bisons’ Mann attempted to equalize with a shot on goal, but it was stopped by the Cougars’ goalie Magnuson.
The game ended in a 1-0 victory for the Regina Cougars.
In the Prairie league standings, the Bisons have earned one point from four matches.
Men’s football
The Bisons men’s football team recorded a narrow 14-15 defeat to the Calgary Dinos on Friday, Sept. 5.
The Bisons opened the first quarter with a strong start, taking a 7-0 lead. At the 3:42 mark, Vaughan Lloyd connected to a six-yard pass from quarterback Jackson Tachinski.
Both teams were held scoreless in the second quarter, heading into halftime with the Bisons still leading 7-0.
The Dinos got on the score early in the third quarter, as Vince Triumbari recorded a rouge point at the 14:58 mark to cut the Bisons’ lead to 7-1. Triumbari followed up with a 32-yard field goal at 9:33, nar-
rowing the gap to 7-4. The Dinos then added a team safety at 5:30 to make it 7-6. With 1:36 remaining in the quarter, Jet Zakrzewski had a one-yard run, giving the Dinos their first lead of the game at 12-7.
The Bisons came back into the game in the fourth quarter as Robert Lasebnik scored a rouge point at 12:32. The Dinos responded with a 13-yard field goal from Triumbari at 5:54, extending their lead to 15-8. With 35 seconds remaining, Breydon Stubbs made a fiveyard run for the Bisons. However, the late push fell short, sealing a 15-14 victory for the Dinos.
After opening the season with back-to-back losses, the Bisons have yet to earn a point in the league standings.
The Bisons women’s soccer team will host the Mount Royal Cougars on Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 14 at the East Turf Field.
The Bisons men’s football team will host the Saskatchewan Huskies in their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Princess Auto Stadium.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DAVID MOLL