18 October 2023

‘No one really understands unless you’ve lived through it’ Colton McKillop, staff ast weekend, Hamas — a militant group and political party that governs the Gaza Strip — launched surprise attacks on Israel, bulldozing sections of fence separating them and targeting Israeli towns and military bases. Hamas fighters took close to 200 hostages and killed hundreds of civilians.

Israel responded by turning off power in Gaza, blockading food, water and fuel from entering the region and bombing the 363 square kilometre strip of land that houses over 2 million Palestinians.

As of Oct. 16, it is estimated that over 2800 Palestinians in Gaza and at least 1400 Israelis have been killed.

Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a student group dedicated to spreading awareness about Palestinian issues, held a memorial on Friday for Palestinians killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Fairuz Dlishi, a student who lived in occupied Palestinian territory as a child, helps SJP plan events and assists with the group’s Instagram account. She said the past week of events in Israel and Gaza has been “pretty emotional,” and that she fears for her family’s safety.

A former chief of Hamas called for a day of protests in solidarity with Palestinians on Friday, Oct. 13 —the day of the SJP memorial — and for neighboring countries to join the fight against Israel.

Some news outlets reported this as a call for a “day of jihad,” prompting police in some cities to increase security.

Dlishi clarified that the timing of SJP’s memorial with this call to action was a coincidence.

Cont’d p. 5 / Student

News

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photo / Matthew Merkel / staff

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3 Editorial

8 Comment

Arts & 14 Culture

17 Sports

18

A new NDA

Imaging Indigeneity

Grades are garbage

Campus coffee crawl

Wading to win

Multiple breaches prompt UMSU NDA revamp

Community spaces at U of M offer accessible art

Capitalist competition corrupts curiosity

Bristow’s battle for the best brew

Bisons swimmers suit up for the season

October 18, 2023

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Correction, “Ndp wins majority government”: The article originally stated that “long-time Liberal MP Jon Gerrard lost his seat,” in the recent provincial election. We incorrectly referred to Gerrard as a long-time Liberal MP. He served as a Liberal MP from 1993 to 1997, and was a long-time Liberal MLA, serving as the MLA for River Heights from 1999 to 2023.

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News

October 18, 2023 news@themanitoban.com

UMSU tightens non-disclosure agreements Following last year’s breaches, lawyers re-work contracts Sarah Cohen, staff

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everal breaches of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) from last year’s UMSU board of directors have led the organization to re-vamp its NDA. During the Sept. 28 UMSU board of directors (BoD) meeting, vice president finance & operations Vaibhav Varma introduced Richard Buchwald, part of the union’s legal counsel, to speak to the board members about the NDAs they are required to sign.

An NDA is a legal contract that creates a relationship between parties where sensitive information may be disclosed confidentially. NDAs ensure that the signing individual does not share the information with anyone outside the established parties.

As Varma, and later Buchwald, explained, the NDAs that the UMSU board had signed previously had been “lacking in several areas.”

Buchwald drew attention to the section that referred to the privileged information disclosed during closed sessions.

The Manitoban obtained

three judicial complaints from the 2022-23 academic year that were circulated among the UMSU board. One of the complaints concerned the then-judicial chair’s alleged breaching of their NDA. Buchwald said that breaching confidential information causes an “air of distrust” and “undermines the integrity” of the organization. One example he put forward was that last year, BoD members were texting others who were outside a closed session, “providing, basically, a play-by-play of what was going on.”

UMSU president Tracy Karuhogo confirmed that last year’s breaches were the cause for the renewed NDA. Karuhogo explained that every board member must sign the updated NDA, and members that are on various committees, like judicial or financial, must sign additional committee-specific NDAs. According to Karuhogo, BoD members are expected to maintain confidentiality even after their time at UMSU. The renewed NDA is four pages in comparison to last year’s one-page document.

photo / Ebunoluwa Akinbo / staff

Unlike the previous NDA, the new agreement outlines what information is confidential including finances, marketing and potential legal matters.

The revamped NDA clearly defines what BoD members are not allowed to do with the information they receive. This includes not disclosing confidential information to anyone outside of closed sessions and refraining from making unauthorized copies of any documents that contain confidential information.

Section seven of the NDA addresses consequences for

any individual who breaches the contract. While both the the previous NDA and the current agreement address breaches, the last year’s had more generalized consequences such as removal from the board, or legal action if deemed necessary. The new NDA is more specific, explaining that UMSU is entitled to seek injunctive or other reliefs for breaches. An injunctive relief is a court order to engage or stop engaging in a certain act while litigation proceedes. Should a BoD member breach their NDA, UMSU has

the right to seek legal action against the person, as “monetary damages might not be a sufficient remedy.”

Karuhogo said that legal action will be taken depending on the “gravity of the situation.”

“We’ve just tried to stress the importance of the NDAs to all the board members, and [are] just hoping for a different year this year,” she said.

news@themanitoban.com

Two trash bins on campus catch fire in two weeks No investigation ongoing into burnt trash bins on campus actually looked outside, we took shows the fire burning In the past two weeks, stu- could see that there was fire inside the trash can near residents have discovered fires coming out from the bottom dence, while the student with in two separate trash bins, of the trash can.” the fire extinguisher is seen including one that was still Shankar said the trash bin attempting to stop the blaze. burning when it was found. was “lit up” and the lid had Shankar said campus security One of the trash bins was come off, leaving the flames showed up shortly after and located near Pembina Hall exposed. permanently extinguished the and Mary Speechly Hall while “I didn’t know what to do fire. the other was found near the at this point because I was not The week before, Mikaela bus station directly in front the RA on duty that day, I was Warkentin, a resident advisor of the Tier Building. The bin just there as a bystander,” she with the Arthur V. Mauro resinear residence was discov- said. dence, found a trash bin that ered by returning resident It was a windy day and that had partially melted after advisor (RA) at Mary Speechly there were nearby trees she being set on fire.

Hall Priyanka Shankar and was worried could catch fire.

“It kind of stayed like that her friends last for a while, I Monday, Oct. no idea “Me and my friends, we were just witnessing have 9. how long it the fire coming on and off and it was not “Me and had been since my friends, it had melted stopping” we were comopen,” she ing out of the said.

— Priyanka Shankar, cafeteria and WarkenResident advisor for Mary Speechly Hall we were going tin said she to head to our was “very surresidence building to study Shankar said she eventu- prised” when she heard that a and then we see a couple of ally contacted the RA on duty, second trash can had caught our friends coming inside who called campus secur- fire within the span of two Pembina Hall, and they said ity, but not before a resident weeks. that, ‘oh, there’s a trash can attempted unsuccessfully to Security services could not that’s on fire,’” she explained. smother the flames with a fire be reached for comment, but “We thought that they were extinguisher. director of media relations joking, but then when we One of the videos Shankar and issues management at the

photo /provided

Colton McKillop, staff

University of Manitoba Eleanor Coopsammy stated that according to the office of risk and compliance, the cause of the fires is unknown.

Coopsammy stated that although burning trash bins are “not a common occur-

rence,” the university is not currently pursuing an investigation.

news@themanitoban.com

3

Vol. 110, No. 10 news@themanitoban.com

News

Team-based care a priority for incoming NDP government U of M professor appointed to premier-designates advisory team Kyra Campbell, staff mier-designate Kinew is the knows the importance of ealth care is a prior- person to begin to change the “team based caring.” In order ity for premier-designate culture of the health care sys- for team-based health care to be successful in the province, Wab Kinew and the new Mani- tem.

“I personally believe that Jacobson and Kinew recogtoba New Democratic Party (NDP) government, all with a year from now we can see a nize the role of a significant the assistance from one U of very different health care sys- increase in the number of tem,” said Jacobsohn. training positions for students M professor.

“I would not be doing this, and the importance of the stuKinew announced the trandents themsition advisory getting team on Oct. 6.

“I personally believe that a year from now we selves the training The team will can see a very different healthcare system” they need. provide guid“I think ance during — Eric Jacobsohn, we are at the the initial tranof sitionary days Professor of anesthesiology, pain and perioperative dawning what is going of the new govmedicine to be a new era ernment. One as a student in member of his advisory team is doctor and U if I didn’t passionately believe health care,” said Jacobsohn.

Outside of training, Jacobof M professor, Dr. Eric Jacob- that it was possible.”

Currently, as part of Kinew’s sohn noted that Kinew has prisohn.

Jacobsohn is a professor transition team, Jacobsohn is oritized “excellence in health of anesthesiology, pain and examining the short, medium care” through the “creation perioperative medicine at the and long-term health-care of new knowledge,” which he Max Rady college of medi- decisions. His goal is for Mani- said will be possible with furcine and is a cardiac anesthe- tobans to begin to see positive ther funding of health care research. siologist and intensive care results within the system.

“I honestly believe with the Jacobsohn believes that unit physician. In his 37 years of frontline medical service, vision that he has, the willing- Manitoba “can and will be Jacobsohn has been an “out- ness to listen and the buy-in the envy of most provinces,” spoken critic” of Manitoba’s that he has across the prov- through the creation of a health-care operations for the ince, I think he can make a funding model for health care dramatic difference and I scientists. medical community.

To a large extent, Manitoba Through his advocacy, hope I can help him,” he said.

Jacobsohn said Kinew “has become a ‘fly over’ place” Jacobsohn believes that pre-

4

photo / Faith Peters / provided

H

when it comes to health and sciences research, said Jacobsohn. For students interested in those fields, however, under the working plan “it’s going to be a ‘fly to’ place.”

Kinew expressed his gratitude for each member of the transition team providing input from multiple different fields in an email statement to the Manitoban.

“It is with this broad range of experience, from different parts of the province, that our new government will begin to move forward on implementing our platform and making good on the promises we made to Manitobans.” news@themanitoban.com

Features

photos / Ebunoluwa Akinbo & Matthew Merkel / staff

October 18, 2023 news@themanitoban.com

Student group holds memorial for Palestinians killed in conflict <

Cont’d from front page

At the memorial, one student named Saleh Saaydeh was asked by a police officer not to display the Palestinian flag. Saaydeh said he was told SJP had agreed not to display flags at the event and he stored the flags in the officer’s patrol car.

Later, an officer told several students there had been a misunderstanding and that they could have their flags back, but said that due to “political sensitivities,” he would appreciate it if they kept their Palestinian flags “understated.”

Saaydeh said the experience was upsetting and frustrating. He felt like he couldn’t “carry [his] own flag,” he said.

“That’s just very disappointing,” he said. “Imagine you can’t carry your own flag.

That represents me, represents everything I stand for.”

Winnipeg Police Service could not be reached for comment in time for publication, but U of M spokesperson Eleanor Coopsammy said in an email that groups “have the right to freedom of expression and to gather peacefully.”

“UM can’t speak to that incident, but we know security services have been very engaged with organizers from a variety of student groups across the campus and will continue to work with them to address security and safety concerns.”

Jana Alfar, a Palestinian

student, said the reporting about a “day of jihad” made her “genuinely terrified to even walk to the bus stop.”

Dozens gathered for the SJP memorial, many wearing the keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf that has become a symbol of resistance.

Opening remarks were followed by a Qur’an reading, speeches from Palestinian students and a moment of silence for those lost.

One of these students, Haneen, referred to herself as a “1948 Palestinian.” Her family’s home was demolished in 1948. That year, approximately 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced during the Arab-Israeli War.

Haneen said her grandmother’s family “had to run for their lives with only the clothes on their back.”

Although the United Nations calls for a two-state solution that would ensure the sovereignty of both Israel and the State of Palestine, Israel has continued to construct illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, forcing more out of their homes.

Haneen went on to describe conditions for the over 2 million people — nearly half of whom are under 18 years old — in “the open air prison of Gaza,” echoing a phrase that human rights organizations and political leaders — including former United Kingdom prime minister David Cam-

eron — have used to describe Gaza.

Roleen, another student speaker, described living in occupied Palestinian territory for seven years as “the most difficult experience” she has ever had.

“It was traumatizing and I have PTSD just from listening to the airplanes going in the sky,” Roleen said, referring to the surveillance and attacks from drones that Palestinians in Gaza face.

“No one really understands unless you’ve lived through it.”

news@themanitoban.com

Students gathering to speak with a Winnipeg Police Services officer and retrieve their Palestinian flags.

5

Research & Technology

Vol. 110, No. 10 research@themanitoban.com

Understanding the mind’s internal clock Associate professor digs into time perception and autism Elah Ajene, staff

T

photo / Ebunoluwa Akinbo / staff

ime perception is a critical aspect of human and animal cognition, influencing decision-making, memory, communication and motor control.

U of M associate professor in the department of biological sciences Fuat Balci delves deep into the intricate workings of the human and animal mind, focusing on the sense of time and how it operates and investigating its commonalities and differences across species.

“I’m obsessed with our sense of time as humans, and why and how the sense of time also takes place in other animals like mice, rats, pigeons, you name it,” he said.

Balci focuses on the concept of scalar timing, a fundamental feature of time perception shared by various species.

As time intervals grow longer, the precision of internal timing decreases, similar to pixelation on a television screen.

This implies that the part of the human brain acting as a stopwatch “must be an evolutionary well-preserved function,” said Balci, “suggesting that maybe, whatever internal clock runs our sense of time [is] very comparable between different species.”

Balci’s research has practical implications — offering insight into the human mind’s evolutionary underpinnings and providing a basis for using reality to investigate inter- movements in a virtual set- and-effect relationships animal models to understand nal clock in autism,” explores ting. between brain activity and the workings of the human the role of time perception in Balci explained that this behaviour. brain. autism spectrum disorders approach provides a more This combined approach It also allows researchers through autistic animal mod- realistic testing environment goes beyond simplistic like Balci to explore the dis- els. and allows the observation of screening of animal modruptions in time perception “If you look at how animals individual neuron activity at a els for human diseases and associated with neurological are tested in the lab, we typi- cellular level. drugs. Balci emphasized that disorders like autism and cally put them in small boxes, Additionally, Balci com- it helps him generate and anadevelop therapeutic interven- test boxes that don’t have [a] bines virtual reality with cut- lyze neural activity patterns, tions. naturalistic scale for time and ting-edge technology such as making it possible to potenStudies have tially correct sug ge sted disrupted that individubrain activity als with autism as observed in may experience autism.

— Fuat Balci, a heightened “Instead of sense of uncerhaving this U of M associate professor in the department tainty due to disvery quick and ruptions to their dirty screening of biological science internal clock. of animal modThis heightels of human ened uncertainty might lead space,” he said. calcium imaging and opto- diseases and drugs for it, I’m to repetitive behaviours and Balci explained that observ- genetics. Calcium imaging is doing an in-depth phenotypother characteristic features ing a mouse in such settings used to monitor the activity ing” he said. In-depth pheof autism. fails to capture the full spec- of individual neurons through notyping involves analyzing By investigating how time trum of its natural behaviours. calcium transients — short observable traits and characperception operates in autisBalci is determined to over- and quick changes in calcium teristics. tic individuals, Balci aims come the limitations of these concentration — while optoBalci’s research has the to uncover the relationship conventional animal test- genetics combines optics (the potential to provide a deeper between time perception defi- ing environments by creating study of light) and genetics in understanding of cognitive cits and the broader symp- ecologically valid testing con- controlling the activity of neu- mechanisms and their role in toms of autism. ditions using virtual reality rons. disorders like autism. Autism His project, titled “NeVRo: technology. In his experimenBalci employs these to spectrum disorder encomCombining calcium imag- tal setup, mice run on a sus- manipulate specific neurons passes a wide range of symping, optogenetics and virtual pended ball, controlling their and gain insights into cause- toms, including challenges in

“I’m obsessed with our sense of time as humans”

6

cognitive ability and difficulties in understanding the perspectives of others.

“As a scientist, what you can do is you can target any of these specific symptom domains and go after it,” he said. “I’m more after the core symptoms that are latent.”

Through the NeVRo project, Balci digs into these core, latent symptoms of autism.

He seeks to uncover if there might be a common underlying cause.

This exploration has the potential to unlock “a deeper understanding of the cognitive disruptions at the heart of autism,” he said.

By addressing these fundamental aspects, Balci’s project aims to not only advance our comprehension of autism but also to potentially open doors to more effective therapeutic interventions, ultimately improving the lives of autistic individuals.

research@themanitoban.com

October 18, 2023 research@themanitoban.com

Research & Technology

Leading the way to better breast cancer therapies U of M professor takes an innovative approach to treating breast cancer

n Gi

llich

/ sta

ff

surgery and chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy may have lasting side effects, such as long-

Teeg a

are with their neighbours.”

He explained this behaviour can be observed in cancer tumours, as “the tumour is an ecosystem.”

This ecosystem contains several types of cells, including cancerous cells, blood vessels, immune cells and nerve cells.

Raouf’s research reconstructs this environment in a petri dish. He uses samples from patients to emulate the tumour microenvironment to examine the behaviour of breast cancer cells.

In the case of hormone-responsive breast cancer tumours — breast cancer tumours that have estrogen or progesterone receptors — Raouf said it is possible to predict which patients might not respond to conventional therapies by examining how breast cancer cells behave in this type of environment.

Conventional therapies gene r a l l y treat hormone-responsive tumours using a variety of prescription drugs,

ic /

O

ne in eight cisgender Canadian women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, and one in 34 will die from it. Not only is breast cancer the most common cancer among cis Canadian women, but it is also responsible for the deaths of over half a million women globally each year. Breast cancer presents one of the most pressing health challenges of our time.

U of M associate professor in the department of immunology Afshin Raouf’s research focuses on addressing these challenges. As a professor and as a senior scientist at CancerCare Manitoba, Raouf’s work involves developing more effective therapies for breast cancer tumours.

“We all want to improve patients’ quality of life,” Raouf said, referring to researchers in his field. “We want to improve survivorship and we want to be able to predict who will benefit from conventional therapies, and ultimately what we can do for those who are not a good candidate for conventional therapies.”

While past breast cancer research traditionally studied cancer cells in isolation, Raouf noted the flaws in this method. His approach examines how these cells function within the body.

“Cancer cells, just like any other cells in the body, just like us, are sociable beings,” Raouf said. “They like to be around other cells. They will behave differently when they

grap h

Rhea Bhalla, staff

term effects to the lungs, heart, kidneys and reproductive organs. Surgical methods such as mastectomy, the removal of breast tissue, are invasive and may result in the patient experiencing a lower quality of life.

Raouf explained that a patient may undergo several years of conventional breast cancer therapies only to find them ineffective. By the time they are advised to switch to an alternative form of therapy, their diagnosis may have progressed and their tumour could have grown larger.

By modelling a patient’s cancer in the context of the tumour microenvironment, patients are better able to receive the best form of therapy right after their diagnosis.

“One shoe does not fit all,” said Raouf. “We need to get a little more clever and be more predictive in the way of personalized medicine.”

While the study of breast cancer remains complicated, Raouf emphasized that the improved techniques and devices used in current re s e a rc h are helping to shed light on the complex inter-

actions of different components within the breast cancer tumour ecosystem.

Curiosity is an integral part of Raouf’s work in breast cancer research.

For Raouf, the role of researchers and the many medical students he interacts with at the Max Rady college of medicine is to learn how to ask questions and find answers.

“We should always educate ourselves, always read, so that our information comes from a well-informed place,” Raouf said.

He also emphasized that for scientific researchers, curiosity comes with responsibility.

“What you say carries a bit of weight,” he said. “Ask questions [and] find out answers so that when you give someone advice, it comes from a place of confidence.”

research@themanitoban.com

7

Editorial

Vol. 110, No. 10 editor@themanitoban.com

Exploring the Indigenous art of the University of Manitoba How to understand the U of M through art Ebunoluwa Akinbo, staff

The University of Manitoba has art installations in some buildings on campus. It is interesting to know that these artworks make a statement of territorial acknowledgement and reconciliation on the land on which the university is on.

As a fine arts student, I notice these art pieces whenever I navigate campus. I see the mural at UMCycle and immediately identify the medicine wheel.

I see the bison head installed at the Natural Resources Institute on the Fort Garry campus. I immediately resonate with how the bison is one of the seven grandfather teachings in Indigenous storytelling, representing respect because every part of it is used for human sustainability. It’s no wonder why the University of Manitoba takes on the spirit

8

of the bison as part of its identity.

I had a better appreciation of these artworks, murals and installations after I took the course “Art of the North American Aboriginal Peoples.” This was an Indigenous studies art history class where I learned the history of Indigenous peoples and their ways of being.

With Indigenous murals stretched across the walls in the tunnels and some art pieces housed in St. Paul’s College, I get to enjoy myself, learn and reflect on the land acknowledgment when I navigate these spaces on campus.

On the topic of spaces, Migizii Agamik, the Indigenous space on the Fort Garry campus, is not just a gathering place for Indigenous students.

There is also Gaamaamawabing, the Indige-

nous community space in the education building, Mamawipawin in the Isbister building, Mashkiki Gitigaan — Medicine Garden — on the Bannatyne campus and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation on the Fort Garry campus.

I still wonder how many other students are conscious of and appreciate these art pieces and spaces beyond their aesthetics. I also wish that the University of Manitoba could go beyond adorning spaces on campus to naming faculties, departments or classrooms with Indigenous names.

editor@themanitoban.com

photos / Ebunoluwa Akinbo / staff

“The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Red River Métis Nation. We respect the Treaties that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.”

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Comment

Vol. 110, No. 10 comment@themanitoban.com

Making a day worthwhile How do we judge time spent when others can’t?

Braden Bristow, staff

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graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff

f you are anything like me, then you probably attach personal value to your efforts or performance at school or work.

School comes with a built-in form of judgement: grades. When you receive a grade, you immediately know whether you have failed everyone in your life or are still worthy of love.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point. Jobs are typically more straightforward. If you show up and do not get fired, you get paid, and of course there are always supervisors to keep happy. Unfortunately, school ends and jobs usually do too.

From the point we enter grade school up until we graduate high school or university, our days are on a grading scale. Our performances are consistently judged and structured around classes, tests and examinations.

Then suddenly, when you graduate or drop out, you are left without that structure and told to do something with your life. When you are out of school or unemployed, or both — like I have been over the past while — you have to find your own way to decide what makes or breaks your day.

First, I should say outright that we should not attach so much value to grades or work that a good day relies on a good performance.

I am sure numerous students connect their self-worth to their academic success, just as I did. But studies have shown that this is harmful.

A 2002

10

study found that students who connected self-esteem to academic success did not on average have higher grades but did on average have higher levels of stress.

A 2023 survey in Ontario found that a majority of surveyed college students reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, even though only around a third had formal diagnoses of mental health disorders.

I think fixating on grades, performance and perceived value can serve to worsen the mental health that many already struggle with.

With that being said, let’s explore how to find value in your day, or at least how I try to find value. I approach this topic as a recent graduate who has spent a fair amount of time unemployed.

Without grades or classes, or even work, one has to evaluate their own time.

While I might have ended a summer evening with unanswered job applications and a dry email inbox, I would reflect on the time spent in the garden with my mom or watching a documentary with positivity.

Society puts much value on creating value in the workplace or being successful in school.

But the reality is that most of the really worthwhile personal time is outside of work or school.

For me this worthwhile time was spent with friends and family, watching movies I have never seen before like High School Musical and Die Hard, or learning something new. I am once again employed and see the fruits of my labour from the dozens of applications I sent out, but first I disconnected from something I deeply tied my sense of value to.

School provides you with a strict structure that begins with a high degree of control in the early years, and relaxes a little as you gain control over structuring university life. However, in both stages of life you have a good majority of your time dedicated to a highly goal-oriented system that grades and rates you.

Once this system leaves your life, you are left stranded. But this is also a blessing, as it lets you realize what is truly important or valuable outside of your grade point average.

In terms of work, the more time you spend working, the more money you have, but on

the flip side, you also lose out on critical human pursuits. We need money to survive. I understand that perfectly, do not get me wrong. But do not view periods of unemployment or free time as periods of failure or wasted time.

Karl Marx likely said it best: “The less you eat, drink, buy books, go to the theatre or to balls, or to the pub, and the less you think, love, theorize, sing, paint” — or in other words, have fun — “the less you are, the less you express your life, the more you have.”

I am incredibly lucky that I am paid at the Manitoban to create pieces of writing, some of which are even good pieces of writing.

But the fact of the matter is that this is the only job I have ever had in which I actually created works of artistic or personal value.

A job is typically just a job. Jobs don’t exist to challenge you artistically or creatively, they exist to make someone else money, with a piece of that money on the side for you.

We have to learn to find value in our day to day lives outside of school or work. While I cannot tell you what that value is, I know that your day’s value, and as an extension your personal value, is greater than your grade or paycheque.

Vol. 110, No. 10 comment@themanitoban.com

Comment

Destruction of Gaza forecasted in film Stories teach us freeing Palestine ends violence Jessie Krahn, staff

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graphic / Teegan Gillich / staff

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eality is worse than fiction.

There’s a scene in Palestinian director Elia Suleiman’s 2002 film Divine Intervention where an unarmed woman wearing a pink cocktail dress and matching heels walks towards a fictional checkpoint. The Israeli soldiers manning it raise their rifles to fire at her, but as she struts past, a guard tower collapses and the soldiers flee.

Divine Intervention struck me for its satirical potency, using absurdism to show Palestinians’ mere existence is treated as a threat even when there is no prospect of violence. Little did I know on first watch this scene was forecasting absurd real-world events with eerie fidelity.

In occupied Palestine, Palestinians’ movement is restricted by the Israeli government and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). People are held up at checkpoints that the United Nations (UN) calls a “system of control.”

Blackfoot activist Mike Krebs has compared Israel’s regulation of Palestinians’ movement to the reservation pass system that Canada enforced on Indigenous people.

In the Gaza Strip, an area of occupied Palestine that human rights groups consider the world’s largest open-air prison, just under 50 per cent of the population is children.

Most Gazans have not been allowed through the crossing Israel controls since Israel instituted a blockade in 2007.

In 2018, Gazans protested these conditions along the fence of the compound.

Although the vast majority of the protesters were peaceful, the Israeli military opened fire on them. In one year, 214 people were killed and over 36,000 were injured. This seemed like Suleiman’s satire made morbidly manifest.

In the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government swinging Israel’s political landscape to the far right, 2023 has been particularly deadly in the Palestine-Israel conflict. By August 2023, over 200 Palestinians and close to 30 Israelis had been killed. Fatalities between 2008 and the summer of 2023 amounted to over 6,400 Palestinians and over 300 Israelis.

This culminated in the militant group that controls the Gaza strip, Hamas, breaking down sections of border fence on Oct. 7 and launching an attack that killed at least 1,400 people in Israel as of Oct. 16.

Nobody paying attention was surprised by this tragedy.

The attack was in response for apartheid state structures apartheid regime has made to decades of what academic alone could have taught Israel safety impossible.

Ilan Pappé outlines as Israeli how to prevent Hamas’s retaliLeadership and the media’s settler colonialism. Israel has ation. In the twilight of South collective refusal to acknowcontinually annexed land, Africa’s apartheid regime, the ledge that settler colonialism displaced Palestinians and government implemented and apartheid created the condestroyed their ways of life. draconian, violent measures ditions that led to the deaths An Israeli film called Lemon that just made existing violent of so many is only going to Tree hammered home for me resistance worse. lead to more loss of life.

Israeli settler colonialism’s But instead of addressIsrael has responded to sweeping destruction of Pal- Hamas killing civilians by ing the root of the problem, estinians’ lives. It follows a killing civilians, cutting off everyone spins their wheels Palestinian woman defending water and electricity to all on Hamas’s violence on Oct. her lemon grove from demoli- of Gaza, incessantly bomb- 7. The focus on that one act — tion at the hands of the Israeli ing the strip and bombing the rather than on the seven decdefence minister. The lemon only way out. On Oct. 13, Israel ades of settler colonial viotrees parallence that prelel real-world cipitated it and The only way to stop the violence is Palestinians’ the genocidal to condemn apartheid, to free Palestine olive trees, project Israel which Palesis preparing to tinians have long cultivated airdropped flyers instruct- carry out as reprisal — sugand which Israelis illegally ing over one million Gazans gests to me that many people destroy. to vacate to the southern half expected Gazans to just accept Israeli journalist Gideon of the strip within 24 hours in the escalating violence of the Levy stated in an article for preparation for a land siege. apartheid regime. It seems Haaretz that Israeli’s policies Many were bombed en route obvious that someone was and its tendency to destroy to the south. going to do something evil in whatever Palestinians manage Meanwhile, the United response to evil. to rebuild and cultivate had States, the United Kingdom The Palestinian film Paracome home to roost. Settler and Canada have all offered dise Now! and the Dutch-Iscolonialism, the uprooting of support to what the organiz- raeli film Arna’s Children both an existing population, made ation Jewish Voice for Peace tell stories — the former ficHamas’s violence inevitable. calls “the imminent genocide tional and the latter real — Analysts and Israeli oppos- of Palestinians.” about young Palestinians ition politicians warned that In the same way my grand- joining militant resistance the government’s increasingly father justified Canadian movements. The films do not fascistic treatment of civilians settler colonialism on the co-sign violence, but they do in Palestine was “reaching a grounds that Canada offered point out the reality that milbreaking point” in Palestinian him safety from war-torn Eur- itant resistance only exists political analyst Nour Odeh’s ope, many people are con- when there is an oppreswords. vinced that Israel’s continued sive system to resist in the A U.S. committee chairman settler colonialism is pre- first place. Limiting an entire and an intelligence official requisite to the safety of not people’s horizon to violent from Egypt claim that Egypt just Israelis, but Jewish people subjugation calibrates many had warned Israel’s govern- around the world. toward violence. ment days in advance of an The Israeli government is The opposite is true. Comimpending Hamas attack, mentator Ash Sarkar argues using Hamas’s responsive viobut the historical precedent the government of Israel’s lence on the weekend of Oct.

7 to justify what the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network calls the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza. The idea is that if we can all agree Hamas is utterly and unequivocally condemnable, then whatever scale reprisal Israel unleashes on all Palestinians is excusable in the interest of exterminating evil.

Many people, like philosopher Noam Chomsky and Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot, have pointed out there is no symmetry of power between Israel and Palestine. What’s absurd is so many media outlets insist on approaching recent events as if there are two equal sides in a conflict that is so obviously lopsided.

Not only does Palestine not have a formal military, no Palestinian entity — civilian or militant — controls Israel’s water and power supply. Thankfully, civilians have been evacuating from Israel.

Civilians cannot evacuate from Gaza.

Now, a human rights group is alleging that Israel has used highly incendiary white phosphorus munitions on Gaza, which if used on civilians could be considered a war crime. As of Oct. 16, over 2,800 Palestinians are dead, over 10,850 are wounded, more than 1 million people have been displaced and all of these numbers are climbing.

Israel’s control of the Gaza Strip is so total that Gazans are effectively sitting ducks, forced to wait in a cage and starve while Israel rains bombs down on them. This will be a bloodbath.

Film offers alternative avenues into thinking about the world. Stories can massage us into certain political dispositions when we limit the perspectives we expose ourselves to.

This is why, like the Jewish Faculty Network, I see value in ideas that support the advancement of “Palestinian human and political rights.”

The only way to stop the violence is to condemn apartheid, to free Palestine.

I cannot sleep. I don’t know what is going to happen now and I do not trust leadership in any place to even beg Israel to show restraint. I can only hope this is one case where reality and fiction do not align.

comment@themanitoban.com

October 18, 2023 comment@themanitoban.com

Comment

The casting of moral stones Israel’s oppressive system plagues any chance for peace Kyra Campbell, staff

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ber 2021, 97 per cent of the witnessed was infuriating. removed from their homes, region’s water was polluted. 63 We saw just a glimpse of denied basic needs or killed. per cent of people in the area what Palestinians deal with Israel is not questioned. Nor are food insecure. These sta- every day. This included hav- is it ever taken to task by the tistics are not a culmination ing to go through constant international community of unfortunate events, but checkpoints to get from the when these acts happen, so instead deliberate action by West Bank into Israel, seeing it can continue to do these apartheid Israel to destroy the the growing amount of illegal things without having to lives of over two million Pales- Israeli settlements scattered change its actions. tinians. across the West Bank and the By far, the most disheartIn Gaza, Palestinians’ blatant apartheid that plagues ening part of my time in Israel movement is restricted and the nation. and Palestine was visiting they cannot easily leave the When our class spoke to a the Aida refugee camp in the region. There are only two young Israeli soldier, he was West Bank. Aida is the most points of exit: the Rafah cross- excited to be doing his com- tear-gassed community in the ing, guarded by Egypt, and pulsory military service. How- world. Getting to spend time the Erez crossing, guarded ever, when our professor in the camp, where there is by the Israeli military. This is asked him how he would feel inadequate access to health why Gaza is often referred to if he was deployed to the West care and a high unemployas an “open air prison.”

Bank, he immediately became ment rate, revealed a stark The UN considers the quiet and would not answer contrast. Not even 10 kiloIsraeli blockade to be in vio- the question. This encounter metres away in Jerusalem, lation of the Geneva Conven- in particular angered me. people enjoy the full potential tion article on of life. collective punThese conIsrael has been playing the long game in ishment. Due ditions are creits oppression of Palestinians to the blockated by delibade denying erate acts that goods, health care and moveIt frustrated me how he provoke people under the ment, the UN considers Gaza so nonchalantly avoided thumb of an oppressive state. to be under Israeli military the question. To serve your Israel has been playing the occupation. county against a perceived long game in its oppression I had the honour of spend- threat and not feel confident of Palestinians, not just muring some time in Israel and enough to voice your feelings dering swaths of Palestinians Palestine this past April while about it seemed incredibly outright. It is strategically taking a university course on privileged. chipping away at all aspects the complexities of the conI think this encoun- of Palestinians’ lives. This flict. In Canada, many of us ter played out exactly like strategy includes designating sit in our ivory towers, cast- Israel’s narrative succeeds a hierarchy of “areas” where ing out what is right and on the international stage. Palestinians are prevented wrong in international human Israel’s allies, like the United from building or accessing rights without ever having States, tout the importance communities within the West the smallest experience of of “self-defence” which takes Bank, the prevention of Palwhat life is like for the people the form of military aggres- estinians from living or travwe talk about. The stark con- sion against Palestinians. elling freely throughout Israel trast of human rights held by Allied nations don’t bat an eye and Palestine, the forcible Israelis and Palestinians that I when Palestinians are forcibly removal of Palestinians from

their homes and the restriction of basic needs in Gaza, to name just a few examples.

At the time of writing, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has called for a “complete siege” of Gaza, cutting off food, electricity, fuel and water to the territory. He went further, continuing the narrative of dehumanizing Palestinians to say that Israel was at war with “human animals.”

A “complete siege” will kill many Palestinian civilians and destroy the little infrastructure that Gaza has. But many nations like the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have stated it is morally okay to commit such human rights violations if it is in the name of “self-defence.”

To say that one side of this conflict is moral while the other is immoral is to cast a blind eye to the years of occupation, dehumanization and apartheid against Palestinians

by Israel. Neither side has the ideal of morality at the top of their to-do lists. But continuing to pretend that one side is morally just while the other isn’t only continues the harms of apartheid and oppression that have led to the current state of Israel-Palestine relations.

comment@themanitoban.com

graphic / Teegan Gillich / staff

here has been much debate in recent days over why Hamas chose to launch an “unprovoked” ground, air and sea attack against Israel, and its moral implications.

We may never know exactly why the attack occurred when it did, but the idea that these are unprovoked acts is wrong and frankly ignorant.

Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched this attack, not the wider Palestinian population. Hamas has ruled in Gaza since 2007, taking control after winning the last parliamentary elections in 2006 and engaging in violent political conflict with the Palestinian Authority. Hamas claims the recent attacks were a response to the wider oppression of Palestinian people, particularly citing escalations of Israeli aggression in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Hamas seeks to completely uproot Israel, while other groups like the Palestinian Liberation Organization have recognized Israel’s right to exist and collaborated with the United Nations (UN) in efforts toward a peace process.

In 2015, the UN declared that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020. While people still live there, I do not think the UN was wrong. As of last fall, 65 per cent of Palestinians in Gaza lived below the poverty line and 60 per cent were unemployed. As of Octo-

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Vol. 110, No. 10 comment@themanitoban.com

Comment

The issues with grades and grading curves Capitalism, grades and rejection as possible happiness

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ith the chilly October breeze finding home in our bones, of course the time has come when our first grades are coming back.

In many cases, these grades are not the cozy blankets that keep us warm. They are the cold, unrelenting force that keeps us up at night. All fall, students have been working in hopes of receiving a big shiny “A” that fills us with the academic validation we all crave.

But that 92 per cent you got on that first treacherous linear algebra test was converted to a “B.” How could this happen?

This is the fault of the bell curve.

Professors who grade on a bell curve adjust students’ grades depending on the average grade of the rest of the class. The average looks like the round top of a bell when mapped onto a graph, with outliers on the edges looking like the bell’s lip.

While you worked hard to get that 92 per cent, let’s say five people got 93 per cent or higher and the professor only

allows five students to get an “A” on that test. The professor would adjust your grade to reflect a bell curve.

In this case, your grade does not reflect the amount of time and effort you invested.

Unfortunately, it will be the only indicator towards your final grade, and in turn your GPA. Why do we define success as a competition within an institution that is meant to promote critical thinking and further education? Why do we punish students unfairly for successes and create arbitrary failure?

The answer is capitalism.

University and capitalism have become intertwined at such a fundamental level it is disturbing. At the end of the day, with the university functioning more as a business rather than an institution for education, everything boils down to profits and value.

As Alfie Kohn wrote in his article “Why Can’t Everyone Get A’s,” the goal of achieving good grades “isn’t to do well but to defeat other people who

are also trying to do well.” The desires for further education and developing critical thinking skills are not encouraged by this system because students are expected to regurgitate knowledge imprinted onto their brains without critical perspectives of that knowledge.

Rather than enjoying our education, we are put in direct competition with each other over arbitrary values that dictate all our lives and overall happiness.

According to Kohn, research has shown that “competition tends to hold us back from doing our best.” Competition creates “an adversarial mentality” that discourages “productive collaboration, encourages gaming of the system” and leads students to fixate on outdoing their peers rather than improving meaningfully.

This speaks directly to the Marxist perspective of competition which is a tool of oppression through fragmenting the working class. In this case, there is a fragmentation of

graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff

Hanako Teranishi, staff

student bodies which prevents the formation of meaningful connections, alienating us from others and ourselves.

One question remains that always follows discussions of capitalism: how do we get out?

Ungraded classes are being adopted and implemented in classes, even at the University of Manitoba. These courses do not use grades throughout the course. Rather, they function on a complete or revise and resubmit model.

Ungrading encourages the

student to develop their writing and thinking skills rather than focusing on submitting a paper, receiving a grade and soon forgetting about it.

This model promotes productive education that prioritizes critical thinking. It values students’ own creative and critical engagement with material rather than seeking out a pre-determined image.

Perhaps making things better could be the first step.

If grades cause overwhelming anxiety and depression, maybe we should do away with them entirely. We should not be sacrificing ourselves for an arbitrary letter that does not equate to our effort and value.

Maybe valuing ourselves by our own standards rather than an arbitrary letter can lead to different types of production that are rooted in curiosity, connection and imagination.

comment@themanitoban.com

Opportunity knocks for NDP on public and active transportation Good transit options facilitate the making of a better city Wab Kinew and the Manitoba New Democratic Party (NDP) defeated the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives (PCs) in the provincial election earlier this October. The centre-left NDP ran a relatively moderate campaign with limited attention on climate change, public and active transportation. Now, with the keys to the Manitoba Legislative Building, the party has an opportunity to move equitable transportation forward in Manitoba, During the campaign, the NDP attempted to draw in the suburban Winnipeg vote by throwing some financial goodies for purchasing electric vehicles as a central environmental policy.

However, another nugget they dropped that went away from anticipated NDP laurels was a temporary tax gas cut, costing $165 million over six months. Many within environmental circles and grassroots activists on social media channels questioned the idea, as analysts have said we need to shift our modes away from automobile use towards public and active transportation

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as an incredibly effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

I understood why the NDP did it, as it was looking to get voters who rarely consider voting for the NDP. I understood the idea of holding their nose and flanking their opponent. It clearly worked. The party won a majority with 34 seats against the PCs’ 22 and the Manitoba Liberals’ one.

However, this plan does have some risks once implemented. Those risks include making voters angry when the gas tax cut expires. That anger will only boil over with volatile oil prices from current geopolitical conflicts — like Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Hamas war.

Despite the challenges, the NDP has an opportunity to push through equitable, sustainable transportation.

UMFM’s “Not Necessarily The Automobile” — which I host — discussed key election issues all parties should have focused on prior to Oct. 3, ranging from public transit safety, restoring 50/50 public transit support for municipalities, road safety, making public transit affordable, and financing active transporta-

tion. Some policies got attention. Others rarely did.

The election is done and dusted. The NDP can get to work. Most Winnipeggers consider public transit and active transportation as crucial ingredients.

Imagine moving forward an agenda that focuses on clear measures for financing municipalities for public transit while working to lowcost fares, pushes for harsh rules for distracted driving and lowers the speed limits in residential streets to 30 km/h. Imagine if that agenda offers everything from community engagement with underserved ethnic groups to supports to financing active transportation networks in core areas of municipalities.

These are bread-and-butter issues for cyclists, environmentalists and the Indigenous community. All are key party supporters. They reflect progressive politics, which the NDP tries to strive for. These policy prescriptions can help improve health care, fight climate change, work towards Truth and Reconciliation, work toward social justice and lower transportation costs.

graphic / Bahareh Rashidi / volunteer staff

Adam Johnston, volunteer

Kinew and his team have an excellent opportunity to get the ball rolling on ensuring a bright future for public transit and active transportation in Manitoba. Now, it’s up to community activists to hold the NDP accountable and ensure that providing sustainable transport for all gets on the government’s mandate.

Adam Johnston hosts “Not Necessarily The Automobile” Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. on UMFM 101.5. He can be reached at notnecessarilytheautomobile@gmail.com.

comment@themanitoban.com

Diversions

October 18, 2023 graphics@themanitoban.com

Diversions Sudoku

Puzzle by Syndicated Puzzles

Vol. 110, No.10 graphics@themanitoban.com

Straights

Puzzle by Syndicated Puzzles

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.

Sudoku Solution

Straights Solution

20 by 20 orthogon

20 by 20 orthogonal maze

Provided by: Christina Tran

xkcd.com

Copyright © 2023 Alance AB, https://ww

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Arts & Culture

Vol. 110, No. 10 arts@themanitoban.com

Classics Students Collective brings students together UMCSC puts on their first annual social event of the year, plans for the future

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n Friday, Oct. 6, the U of M Classics Students Collective (UMCSC) held their first social event of the year – a movie night.

It is a tradition that president of UMCSC Thomas McIntosh said has been continuing for years, “and we figured we’d just keep that tradition going,” he said.

“They’re always great for getting students to come out and chat and just get to know each other,” UMCSC had a slow start to the year in regards to hosting their first social event, but McIntosh was happy with how the night turned out.

McIntosh said that attendees seemed to be enjoying themselves and getting to know each other that night, and that “lots of smiles were had.”

Despite UMCSC’s late social start to the year– the club does not appear to be los-

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ing any forward momentum.

McIntosh said that through UMCSC events he wants to have students engaging with one another within the classics department. To support that goal, they plan to do a movie night once a month until the end of the winter term alongside one other social event which they have yet to decide on.

McIntosh said the group is contemplating ideas like costume parties, or even putting on a play like a comedy or tragedy from ancient Greece or Rome.

Despite all the events in the making, McIntosh is most excited about a student conference that UMCSC is building towards. The conference would allow students to present papers to fellow students in both the faculty and the department, and provide them with exposure in the realm of public speaking and presentations.

“So, it’s as much we want to do events to get students talking to each other, interacting in movie nights, as we want to help them build up their academic performance, as well,” he said.

“I see them as deeply interlinked things. If you’re excited to go to school and have fun at school, you’re excited to do your homework because then you can brag about it to your friends.”

Ultimately, McIntosh wishes to bring in more students to UMCSC , even if students come to these events just to watch a movie and eat free food. He hopes it sparks an interest in classics and inspires students to take more classes and come out to future events.

arts@themanitoban.com

photo / provided

Kelsey Chin, staff

“It’s as much we want to do events to get students talking to each other, interacting in movie nights, as we want to help them build up their academic performance” — Thomas McIntosh, president of U of M Classics Students Collective

October 18, 2023 arts@themanitoban.com

Arts & Culture

The Campus Coffee Crawl The quest for commendable coffee on campus Braden Bristow, staff

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offee: the potentially addictive treat that is the friend of students and labourers everywhere.

While I wouldn’t consider myself a coffee expert, I do drink it and I do like it. As a coffee enjoyer, I feel I have the necessary credentials to review coffee on campus and to inform you if it is strong, flavourful, smooth or otherwise foul. In short, I’m going to tell you if the coffee is worth drinking.

I take my coffee in a light to medium roast with a small amount of cream and sugar. Naturally, the cream will reduce bitterness and the sugar will sweeten the mixture. For all the coffees reviewed they will be taken with cream, sugar and in a lighter roast.

I will be reviewing coffee served on campus from five locations: Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Degrees, G.P.A.’s and the Daily Bread Café.

As for the categories, I will consider flavour, price and the ethics of the companies, then give each coffee a rating out of five.

Tim Hortons – Original Blend

Starbucks – Pike Place Roast Now we approach a cup of coffee I actually enjoy. Despite Starbucks’ union busting, the company’s coffee game is up to snuff. While a bit more expensive than Tim Hortons’ coffee at the price point of $2.63, the price is earned.

The Pike Place Roast is smooth and flavourful, making for a nice sipping experience that does not leave you

rinsing out your mouth. After a watery and acidic cup from Tim’s the rich flavour a Pike Place Roast combined with surprising smoothness is welcome.

The price and ethics of the company will turn many away and that is understandable, but one cannot deny its superior quality roast.

3.5/5 – A daily drinker if the cost was a bit lower.

Degrees – Instrumental This is one of my favourite cups on campus and is what got me into hot coffee proper.

The diner provides an excellent cup of joe with a sweet flavour reminiscent of cocoa.

Instrumental is a light roast that provides a great smoothness without sacrificing flavour like other blends. This coffee is routinely served fresh and at a fair price point of $2.00 in-house.

While having slight bitter notes after the first sip, it fades into a rich flavour that will leave you satisfied. Coming in at a lower cost than Starbucks but with a greater or equal flavour that is closer to artisanal java than fast food dirt.

Instrumental itself is provided by Little Sister Coffee Maker a local business that states its committed to creating an inclusive and safe environment. As for the diner itself, if you bring your own

cup, they’ll give you a discount.

4.5/5 – Cheaper than Starbucks and better than the rest.

Spirit Bear Coffee is also an Indigenous owned and operated business.

3/5 – An ethical and quick cup of java.

G.P.A.’s Campus Convenience – Eagle Medium Roast

Daily Bread Café – Oso Negro Coffee

Eagle Medium Roast is quite possibly the perfect baseline coffee. Served piping hot, perhaps even too hot, having burnt my mouth more than once, it is an inoffensive and palatable coffee that is sure to please any daily coffee drinker.

As a slight bonus, it comes in at a fair price point of $1.99 for a medium. Its taste and smoothness will not blow you away, but it also will not upset or offend you.

The coffee is pre-brewed which while reducing freshness makes for a faster pick-up and purchase. This is a perfect coffee if you are running late for class and don’t have time to wait in line at Degrees or Tim Hortons.

While it doesn’t break boundaries, this is a premium daily drinker. G.P.A.’s is also owned and operated by students, and the Eagle Medium Roast, sourced from Spirit Bear Coffee, is fair trade and smudge certified.

If you are looking for a smooth cup of coffee, you have come to the right place.

Daily Bread Café quite possibly has the smoothest cup of coffee on campus. Lacking bitterness or the burnt texture that darker roasts have, this cup is a great pick.

If I can offer any critique, it would be that there is not a great degree of flavour. Striving to create a smooth cup sometimes overrides the flavours and notes of the coffee. If you outright despise the taste of coffee but want caffeine then this is likely the cup for you.

The Oso Negro comes out to $2.00 for a medium cup.

Finding itself in the somewhat claustrophobic tnnels of St John’s College, this is a real diamond in the rough.

As for the coffee company, Oso Negro themselves claim to be a company that strives to engage in ethical practice along with paying living wage to employees.

4/5 – Perfectly smooth though lacking in flavour.

graphics / Dallin Chicoine / staff

Tim Hortons is decidedly my least favourite coffee on campus and probably in Winnipeg.

The coffee is serviceable, fresh and relatively cheap to order, coming in at $1.83 for a medium. I cannot say much in the way of flavour as to me, it tastes like hot water with a hint of actual coffee. There is also an unappealing acidity that makes any measure of smoothness redundant.

The fact that Tim Hortons occupies a spot as a Canadian icon is a bit absurd considering the poor quality of its coffee. They also have not treated their workers very well, with at least one local union experiencing a lockout during negotiations.

The next time you pass by Tim Hortons, do yourself a favour and walk a few feet further to a better coffee shop.

2/5 – Wouldn’t bother ordering.

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Sports

Vol. 110, No. 10 sports@themanitoban.com

Bison briefs Joshua Brandt, Quinn Mayhew and Grace Anne Paizen, staff

The Bisons football team is another step closer to a playoff berth with Saturday’s 41-34 win against the University of Regina Rams at Mosaic Stadium.

The game started off with the Rams dominating the first quarter, winning the first frame 6-0.

However, the Bisons carried in momentum from their last drive of the opening quarter. Running back Breydon Stubbs grinded his way down field, while receiver AK Gassama made a spectacular 33-yard catch with two defenders on him. With a pass interference call on the Rams, the Bisons would score from the Rams’ one-yard line with a shovel pass from quarterback Jackson Tachinski to receiver De Shawn Le Jour.

The Bisons’ major set off a punch-counterpunch contest with the Rams that would go all the way down to the final minute of play.

The herd made 13 points off turnovers, with linebacker Markos Bockru intercepting a Rams pass that resulted in a Maya Turner field goal and a scoop and score from the linebacker in back-toback drives in the third quarter. Defensive back Sebastien Reid also picked off the Rams quarterback late in the third quarter resulting in a 48-yard field goal from Turner — her longest field goal of the day and the season.

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Tachinski had a careerhigh afternoon with 332 passing yards, also calling his own number to punch the ball in for a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. The Bisons quarterback also found receiver Braeden Smith, who evaded multiple tackles in a thrilling run to the endzone in the fourth.

The herd hosts the University of Alberta Golden Bears in the last home game of the regular season Friday night at IG Field.

Bisons hockey The Bisons women’s and men’s hockey teams faced off against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds this past weekend, both going 0-2 against the CanWest conference leading UBC. The women’s team was back at the rink this weekend at the Max Bell Centre’s Wayne Fleming Arena. The highlights from this weekend for the herd were on the Friday night. The shots were closely matched, 27-25 for B.C., despite Manitoba’s loss.

Forwards Brenna Nicol and Dana Goertzen found the back of the T-birds net in the third, but the herd was unable to mount a comeback, losing Friday’s game 8-2 .

The relentless advance of the Thunderbirds carried over into Saturday’s game, where the Bisons were shutout 5-0 by B.C. The two

teams went scoreless into the first intermission on Saturday before the T-birds, aided by Bison penalties, opened the scoring in the second frame.

All three Bison goaltenders had a commendable weekend.

Goalies Kimberley Davidson and Emily Shippam combined to make 19 saves on Friday, while Meagan Relf stopped 22 of 27 shots faced in Saturday’s match.

The men’s team also played a pair of hard-fought games in Vancouver this past weekend.

In Friday’s game, the Thunderbirds jumped out to an early lead courtesy of their captain, but forward Cameron Trimble knotted it up again for the herd minutes later.

After another UBC goal, defenceman Chase Hartje scored the Bisons’ second.

Riding the momentum of Hartje’s goal, Bison forward Josh Paulhus also sniped one past the UBC netminder roughly a minute later to give the Bisons their first lead of the game.

UBC tied it up again and a scoreless third necessitated overtime.

In the OT period, T-bird Scott Atkinson scored the winner.

Even though the herd lost, Bison goalie Kolby Thornton was spectacular, stopping 50 shots. In Saturday’s game, despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first courtesy of captain Jonny Hooker and defenceman Parker Malchuk, the herd surrendered five unanswered goals to lose the game 5-2.

After stopping 50 shots the previous night, Thornton was thrust behind the pipes again, this time amassing 35 saves for a laborious weekend total of 85.

The herd will look for its first wins this weekend as the men’s team is hosted by the MacEwan University Griffins and the women’s team plays host to the Griffins at Wayne Fleming Arena.

Bisons women’s soccer The Bisons women’s soccer team headed into the weekend fighting for a post-season berth.

In their first game of the weekend against the University of Regina Cougars on Saturday at West Turf Field, the action took place in the first and last minutes of each half. In the first half, Bison forward Janelle Chomini opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a pass from fellow forward Nicole Davis.

Minutes later, the Cougars punched back with a goal of their own. The Bisons counterpunched with goal number two in the 14th minute off a penalty kick taken by captain Jessica Tsai after Davis was fouled by Regina.

Taking the 2-1 lead into the half, it wasn’t until the 80th minute that the Cougars scored the equalizer. The herd was quick to respond, scoring two goals in the 83rd and 84th minutes — a second by Chomini assisted by midfielder Chloe Morin, and the fourth goal for the herd by forward Paris Sidhu assisted by Davis.

The Cougars answered once more with two goals of their own in the 85th and 90th minutes, with the game ending in a 4-4 tie.

The tie set up Sunday’s game against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies with major playoff implications

on the line. Again, the herd started off strong, with a goal in the 20th minute by rookie midfielder Taryn Cabak off a corner by defender Breyanna Johnston-Krulicki. The Huskies would score the equalizer in the 36th minute, with the teams tied going into halftime.

The Huskies would score again in the 70th minute, ending the Bisons playoff hopes with a 2-1 win at IG Field.

Though the playoffs were a large storyline this game, Bisons veteran goalkeeper Karina Bagi made program history in her last game with the herd.

Bagi now holds the program record for saves in women’s soccer.

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graphics / Teegan Gillich & Dallin Chicoine / staffs

Bisons football

October 18, 2023 sports@themanitoban.com

Sports

Swimming season preview Bisons to watch for in the 2023-24 season Quinn Mayhew, staff ing been in their second and ith the University of rookie years with the herd, Manitoba Bisons swim respectively. team heading into the 2023-24 Captain changes on the season this weekend, expecta- men’s side of the team will see tions are continuing to mount veteran Carson Beggs return for the first swim meet of the in the role with the addition year. of third-year Andriy Usan as Roster turnover will make co-captain for the 2023-24 seafor some leadership changes son. Beggs also swam for the from the veterans of the team, herd at last season’s U Sports and the skill set of the new Championships, while Usan roster will see its first test Oct. claimed four personal best 21 to 22 at the St. James Seals times during last season’s Invitational at Pan Am pool.

CanWest Championships in Whether they are returning butterfly and freestyle. swimmers or fresh faces, here The team has also are some Bisons to watch for announced the addition of during the long swimming rookies Eric Dupre and Ty season.

Unrau to the men’s side of the With Bisons swimming roster and Avery Weiland to stalwarts Dora Modrcin and the women’s side this season.

Megan Mozill having both With long-time head coach completed their last year Vlastimil Cerny entering his of eligibility last season, 31st season with the Bisons, there is an opportunity for the rookies will be in capable Bisons old and new to step hands. up. Third and second year Other swimmers on the swimmers Kelsey Fillion and women’s side of the team to Ella Howe have been named look for in the pool this year CanWest Championships. the new co-captains of the and at the upcoming meet are On the men’s side, Brayden team — Howe Stacey and replacing Gavin Reimer The herd also performed well at last year’s are Bisons to Mozill in the role. nationals and will look for podium finishes watch for, both Both Filhaving had a again this season lion and Howe fantastic swim swam for at last season’s the Bisons at last season’s U Hannah Schanel and Georgia Man-Sask Championships.

Sports Championships with Pengilly, each with standout Last season, the women’s commendable finishes hav- performances at last season’s team finished fourth and the photo / Faith Peters / provided

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men finished seventh overall in the CanWest Championships, with the goal this season of moving up in the rankings. The herd also performed well at last year’s nationals and will look for podium finishes again this season.

This season’s first meet will allow the herd to test the waters and gauge their training for the long season toward

nationals in March of next year.

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Sports teams’ schedules U of M Bisons — Women’s Hockey UBC Thunderbirds @ Bisons UBC Thunderbirds @ Bisons MacEwan Griffins @ Bisons MacEwan Griffins @ Bisons

U of M Bisons — Football

Oct. 13 — Final: 8 – 2 Oct. 14 — Final: 5 – 0 Oct. 20 — 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 — 2 p.m.

Oct. 14 — Final: 4 – 4 Oct. 15 — Final: 2 – 1

U of M Bisons — Men’s Hockey Bisons @ UBC Thunderbirds Bisons @ UBC Thunderbirds Bisons @ MacEwan Griffins Bisons @ MacEwan Griffins

Oct. 13 — Final: 3 – 4 / OT Oct. 14 — Final: 2 – 5 Oct. 20 — 8 p.m.

Oct. 21 — 5 p.m.

Manitoba Championships

Oct. 21–22

Winnipeg Jets Jets @ Calgary Flames Florida Panthers @ Jets Los Angeles Kings @ Jets Vegas Golden Knights @ Jets Jets @ Edmonton Oilers St. Louis Blues @ Jets

Oct. 21

Oct. 11 — Final: 3 – 5 Oct. 14 — Final: 4 – 6 Oct. 17 — 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 — 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 — 9 p.m.

Oct. 24 — 7:45 p.m.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers Edmonton Elks @ Bombers Bombers @ Calgary Stampeders

U of M Bisons — Cross Country

Oct. 14 — Final: 41 – 34 Oct. 20 — 7 p.m.

U of M Bisons — Swimming St. James Seals Invitational

U of M Bisons — Women’s Soccer Regina Cougars @ Bisons Saskatchewan Huskies @ Bisons *2023 season — finished 6th in Prairie Conference

Bisons @ Regina Rams Alberta Golden Bears @ Bisons

Oct. 21 — 6 p.m.

Oct. 27 — 8 p.m. *All times CDT

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Vol. 110, No. 10 sports@themanitoban.com

Sports

Volleyball season preview Storylines to watch for in the 2023-24 season Joshua Brandt, staff

A

s the 2023-24 CanWest conference volleyball season dawns this weekend, both the women’s and men’s teams will look to show they are forces to be reckoned with.

A new year means new opportunity, and it is certainly there for the taking.

The women’s team opens its season with a two-game series against the University of Regina Cougars at Investors Group Athletic Centre on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m., while the men’s season begins a week later in Abbotsford, B.C. against the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades on Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.

With the season openers set, here are some storylines to watch for.

Women’s team Coming off a fourth-place finish at the U Sports Championships last season, expectations for the 2023-24 rendition of the University of Manitoba women’s volleyball team are very high. And rightly so, as the team returns its entire starting lineup from the bronze-medal match against the Dalhousie University

Tigers last March.

For the 38th season in a row, the Bisons will be guided by sturdy head coach Ken Bentley. The six-time national champion and 1,000-plus game winner will be looking to add a seventh national championship to his already illustrious resume. This may be the team to do it.

In the 2022-23 season, the Bisons finished sixth in CanWest with a 14-10 record, which saw the team finish one spot below rival University of Winnipeg Wesmen, despite beating them in last year’s CanWest bronze-medal match.

Setter Katreena Bentley is coming off a season in which she dished out 1,115 assists and made 210 digs. She has a soft touch and runs an effective offence, though her height does affect her net play at times. Nonetheless, her volleyball mind is deft and Bisons fans can rest assured knowing she will be orchestrating the team.

Surrey, B.C. native Ella Gray is another key player that the Bisons will lean on this season. Along with Raya Surinx, Gray represented Team Canada this summer in the

2023 U23 (under 23) Women’s North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation Pan American Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico. In two seasons with the Bisons thus far, Gray has amassed 434 kills.

The centrepiece of this Bisons team, however, is none other than reigning U Sports rookie of the year Surinx. In her rookie season, Surinx accumulated a whopping 417 kills. The six-foot Surinx is blessed with an elastic arm and thunderously heavy swing, amounting to a lethal spin-serve. She will be set whenever the Bisons need a side-out or when Bentley wants to get a sure point.

Men’s team The men’s team will look to improve from last year’s disappointing eighth-place finish in CanWest, which saw it dispatched in two games by the University of Alberta Golden Bears in the first round of the playoffs.

The team will be coached

by Arnd (Lupo) Ludwig, who is entering his fourth season as head coach. Thus far, coach Ludwig has led the herd to a

photo / provided

record of 16-26 in CanWest play.

On the court, the team will be led by Spencer Grahame who was recently named team captain.

Grahame enters his third year with the Bisons fresh off an appearance for Team Canada at the 2023 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championships that took place from July 7 to 16 in Manama, Bahrain.

Fellow representative of the Canadian team this summer, libero Josh Jehle will look to cement himself as a starter.

The St. Andrews, Man. native averaged 1.46 digs per set last season.

After the departure of Jack Mandryk — Mandryk having

completed his last year of eligibility with the team last season — who finished in the top 20 for career assists in CanWest history, setter Sammy Ludwig will have some big shoes to fill. Nonetheless, the young Ludwig seems poised to take the reins of this Bison team after winning bronze with Team Canada and fellow Bison Jonah Dueck at the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation U-21 Pan American Cup.

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