T he University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) has reached a tentative agreement with the university’s administration over a new collective agreement, avoiding a labour disrup -
tion to the term. UMFA president Erik Thomson indicated that the tentative agreement was reached early on Saturday, March 8, “ensuring students will be able to
Cont’d p. 3 / continue <
photos / Zulkifl Rafah / staff
Prabhnoor Singh Heaven Kaur
Hannah Le photo provided
Jared Ramos Murphy photo provided
Carolyn Wang photo provided
Arianna Gamblin
photo provided
Leata Goulet photo provided Mahfuz Haque
Patricia Martinez Temiloluwa Oyewole Ayush Singh
Gurminder Singh Gurnoor Singh Arora
photo provided photo
photo
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Agreement reached ‘after the longest round of bargaining in recent UMFA history’
continue their term uninterrupted.”
“I am delighted that we were able to arrive at a tentative agreement that improves our members’ working conditions without disrupting our students’ education,” said Thomson in a press release.
Members of the union, which represents over 1,300 professors, instructors and librarians, will vote to approve the deal on Thursday, March 13. A memo sent to members states that UMFA’s executive council “unanimously recommends voting to accept this revised collective agreement.”
Active negotiations between UMFA and the university’s administration over a new collective agreement started in October 2024, though the union set a bargaining deadline for March 6 at 11:59 p.m. with potential strike action to follow on March 10.
The bargaining deadline was subsequently pushed back 24 hours before the tentative agreement was reached, “after the longest round of bargaining in recent UMFA history,” according to the union.
agreement pertains to a fouryear deal, retroactive to the day after the previous collective agreement expired, which includes general salary increases totaling 11.25 per cent.
Effective April 1, 2024, there would be a $3,500 lump-sum increase to the base salary of every member, an increase to the salary maximum of 2.5 per cent, plus salary maximum increases that are rank-dependent.
This includes a $12,000 increase to the salary maximum for full professors, $4,250 for associate professors and senior instructors and $2,750 for assistant professors, lecturers, instructor I and II, general librarians, assistant librarians, associate librarians and librarians.
The tentative agreement states that the salary maximum for all ranks would increase by 2.75 per cent, effective April 1, 2025, fol-
per cent.
“I am delighted that we were able to arrive at a tentative agreement that improves our members’ working conditions without disrupting our students’ education”
— Erik Thomson, UMFA president
The memo to UMFA members states that the tentative
lowed by 3 per cent the following year. Effective April 1, 2027, the salary maximum for all ranks would increase by 3 per cent, then by a further 10
“This change in year 4 — raising the salary maxima by 3 per cent and then a further 10 per cent for all ranks — in combination with the increases to salary maxima in year one, are vital to ensuring that UM academic salaries make real progress in relation to the U15,” read the memo.
Other elements of the tentative agreement include a
$1 million fund that will be used to “negotiate designated childcare spaces” at the Fort Garry campus for children of UMFA members, job security for term appointments and hiring improvements in equity and diversity, amongst other benefits.
In an email sent on March 8, Laurie Schnarr, vice-provost (students), informed students that a tentative agreement was reached, “meaning there will be no labour disruption.”
“This is great news for our community, as it ensures that all classes, labs and academic
activities will continue without interruption,” she stated.
“We know that the uncertainty of the past few weeks has been difficult for many of you, and we appreciate your patience.”
University of Manitoba Students’ Union president Divya Sharma said that she is “pleased” that the two parties reached a tentative agreement.
“Our priority remains supporting students, and we will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that any potential impacts on students are addressed,” she added.
U.S.-Canada trade war deepens with tariff imposition
Trade tensions grow amid changing tariff policies from Trump
Sylvester Delali Agbado, staff
The Government of Manitoba responded to the U.S. administration’s implemention of 25 per cent tariffs on March 4 by applying retaliatory tariffs on March 6 to protect Manitoban jobs and businesses.
Tariffs on some Canadian goods were put on pause on March 6 by U.S. President Donald Trump until April 2.
The province is working with business and industry groups to assess necessary short and long term supports, according to the Government of Manitoba.
The procinvial government has also extended tax payment deadlines for Manitoba businesses until June 20, 2025 and halted the sale and import of U.S. wine, beer and liquor.
The Government of Manitoba is diversifying trade nationally and internationally, as well as meeting regularly with its U.S. Trade Coun-
cil consisting of industry representatives to provide advice.
There is a dedicated hotline implemented by the government that is available for businesses and individuals seeking tariff-related assistance.
Local businesses are being advocated for through the Support Manitoba, Buy Local initiative. There will be amendments to the Government Purchases Act to prioritize Canadian suppliers under the Buy Canadian Act.
Border security has increased by deploying more armed conservation officers.
The Government of Manitoba is also working with federal, provincial and territorial governments to reduce internal trade barriers.
To further strengthen the economy, the government is investing $36.4 million over two years to revitalize the Port of Churchill. The upgraded Hudson Bay Railway and port will expand trade with Nuna-
vut and Europe while supporting exports of minerals, agricultural products and energy resources.
“We cannot live as Manitobans with a persistent threat of Donald Trump tariff tax,” Premier Wab Kinew said to CBC.
“While these Trump tariffs are being dangled over us, we have to use every single tool in the tool box.”
In addition, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced counter-tariffs against the U.S. on Feb. 1.
He stated that Canada would impose a 25 per cent tariff on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods by Feb. 4 and would sanction additional tariffs to $125 billion of U.S. imports in three weeks.
American goods to be affected first include beer, wine and spirits, vegetables, clothing, shoes and perfume. Additional goods affected include consumer products
such as household appliances, furniture and sports equipment.
The U.S. administration delayed the tariffs on Feb. 3 for 30 days after talks with Trudeau. The administration announced this tariff to reduce drug trafficking and strengthen border control, and stop undocumented immigrants from entering the U.S.
On March 6, the federal government halted the second phase of the retaliatory tariffs after Trump signed an executive order to postpone tariffs on goods that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico (CUSMA) agreement’s rules-of-origin requirements and lowered potash levies to 10 per cent until April 2.
Trudeau said that Canada will not succumb to an attack from the U.S. which is supposed to be an ally.
“We don’t want to be here, we didn’t ask for this, but we
will not back down in standing up for Canadians,” he said. Trudeau urged Canadians to buy Canadian products and double check product labels at grocery stores before shopping.
“Find your own way to stand up for Canada. In this moment, we must pull together because we love this country.”
As part of measures to strengthen its economy amidst the trade war, the federal government has allocated $6.5 billion to support Canadian businesses.
Ottawa’s new Trade Impact Program will provide $5 billion over two years to help businesses manage reduced U.S. sales and expand into global markets.
It will also offer $500 million in business loans ranging from $200,000 to $2 million at preferred interest rates and set aside $1 billion for agricultural sector loans.
photo / Ebunoluwa Akinbo / staff
< Cont’d from front page
UMFA members rallied in front of the Administration Building on Jan. 23.
2025-26 UMSU general election results
Prabhnoor Singh elected with 38.1 per cent of the vote to serve as union president
Milan Lukes, staff 2025-26 UMSU general election results
R
esults for the 2025-26 University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) annual general election have been certified and posted to UMSU Simply Voting — the union’s web-based voting platform.
Voting occurred from March 6 to 7 with 33 names on the ballot, described as an “unprecedented number of candidates” by the chief returning officer Jodie Smith.
Turnout was marked at 20.4 per cent, an increase from 16.8 per cent last year, with 4,939 students voting out of 24,248 electors.
Executive candidate results
Prabhnoor Singh was elected as president with 38.1 per cent of the vote, 17.6 percentage points lower than Divya Sharma’s presidential victory last year. Singh won with 1,373 votes against Fatima Shabir with 1,116 votes and Robert Johannson with 1,115 votes.
Heaven Kaur was elected as vice-president university affairs in a two-way race, following the disqualification of Ishraqul Alam. Kaur won with 1,909 votes, defeating incumbent Rachhvir Dhaliwal who received 1,092 votes.
In the race for vice-president external affairs, Jared Ramos Murphy won with 1,558 votes, followed by Manvir Kaur with 843 votes and Sahir Harike with 548 votes.
For vice-president student life, which was the most contested race of all positions, Hannah Le was elected with 1,316 votes. Le was followed by Rachael Ajibike with 792 votes, Mayah Duque with 684 votes, Abhishek Kumar with 333 votes, Mudra Prajapati with 197 votes and Manroopjit Kaur with 189 votes.
Carolyn Wang was the only incumbent re-elected, receiving 1,338 votes over Cameron Provost and Kai Jassal to serve as vice-president finance and operations. Provost secured 1,045 votes followed by Jassal with 979 votes. Abstain votes amounted
to 1,335 for president, 1,938 for vice-president university affairs, 1,428 for vice-president student life and 1,577 for vice-president finance and operations. Vice-president external affairs received the most abstain votes of the executive positions, with 1,990 abstentions.
Community representative candidate results
Arianna Gamblin was elected as Indigenous students’ representative with 746 votes, ahead of Jonah Harper with 552 votes.
Mahfuz Haque will be serving as the next international students’ representative, earning 485 votes. Haque was trailed by Saumitra Saran with 388 votes, Andrii Kotochihov with 384 votes and Fiih Patel with 277 votes.
Three candidates ran uncontested — each being elected following a “yes” or “no” ballot vote.
Ayush Singh was elected as 2SLGBTQIA+ students’ representative with 809 votes in favour and 364 against. Gurminder Singh will serve as the next accessibility community representative, obtaining 657 votes in favour and 281 votes against, while Gurnoor Singh Arora garnered 628 vote favour and 280 in opposition for mature and part-time students’ representative.
Students elected Temiloluwa Oyewole to serve as the next Black students’ representative, defeating incumbent Damilola Ojo with 777 votes relative to Ojo’s 475 votes.
Patricia Martinez will serve as the next racialized students’ representative with 1,050 votes, followed by Simreen Shahi with 501 votes and Devkarn Singh Gehlot with 215 votes.
Leata Goulet was elected as women-identified students’ representative with 1,494 votes, receiving 75.9 per cent of the vote — the largest percentage of the vote of any candidate. Shutkrati Tyagi finished second with 474 votes.
Singh
Shabir
Kaur
Rachhvir Dhaliwal
Jared Ramos Murphy
Manvir Kaur
Sahir Harike
Le
Rachael Ajibike
Mayah Duque
Abhishek Kumar
Mudra Prajapati
Manroopjit Kaur
Gamblin Jonah Harper
Mahfuz Haque
Saumitra Saran
Andrii Kotochihov
Fiih Patel
Oyewole
Martinez Simreen Shahi
Singh Gehlot
graph
/ Milan Lukes & Mikaela Warkentin / staff
UMISA hosts 8th annual Miskofest
Drop-in event held to celebrate Indigenous cultures on campus
Milan Lukes, staff
The University of Mani-
toba Indigenous Students’ Association (UMISA) along with a working group hosted the eighth annual Miskofest on Friday, March 7 to celebrate Indigenous cultures on campus.
The drop-in event, held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in UMSU University Centre, featured opening remarks from Knowledge Keeper Brenda Longclaws with the college of nursing and showcased multiple performances throughout the day.
“Miskofest is a chance for students who are Indigenous and non-Indigenous to come together and really celebrate the beauty of Indigenous culture,” said Michaela de Hoop, University of Manitoba Students’ Union Indigenous students’ representative.
Chloe Touzin, a Saulteaux and French Canadian beader and one of the vendors at the event, stated that “just being with other Indigenous people for the day, all day, is really special. I love it.”
“I also think it’s a really good opportunity for non-Indigenous students and staff to come in and experience and learn, and also appreciate Indigenous culture.”
Performances included powwow dancing from the Flett-Roulette family and drumming from the Grandfather Stone Drum Group.
Roger Greene, a drum group member with approximately 30 years of experience in powwow singing, explained that there are always two songs in category dancing. “There’s a straight song and then there’s a second song, we call that a specialty song.”
Greene mentioned that there are “many different types of dancing,” noting that different dancers — such as grass dancers, traditional dancers and jingle dress dancers — all have certain categories of songs that belong to them with different beats.
The event also showcased traditional Inuit throat singing by Aleatra Sammurtok and Caramello Swan.
Sammurtok, who works at Tunngasugit Inuit Resource Centre in Winnipeg, explained that her mother comes from Chesterfield Inlet in Nunavut and that she has been throat singing for 18 years. “It takes a lot of practice,” she said.
“The hardest part of throat singing I would say is breathing, learning when and how to breath,” said Swan, who started learning the musical performance when she was one year old.
Lunch included bannock which was provided by Shelly’s Indigenous Bistro with ice cream donated from Dairy Farmers of Canada.
The Red River Jig was performed by Sarah Shuttleworth, a Red River Métis stu-
dent in the faculty of law.
“I’ve been dancing since I could walk,” she said. “My grandma was a jigger and she taught me how to dance. I love to share my culture and my dancing as much as possible, whenever I can.”
Miskofest sponsors included the UMSU Indigenous Community, the office of the vice-president (Indigenous), Keewatin Tribal Council, the Science Students’ Association and the Interdisciplinary Health Program Students’ Association. Other sponsors consisted of Norway House Cree Nation, Dairy Farmers of Canada, UMSU Women’s Centre and the women and gender studies program.
“I think the biggest takeaway would be to see the thriving Indigenous community on campus and in Winnipeg and around,” said de Hoop, who noted that a lot of youth were in attendance.
“Especially Indigenous events, it’s really about bringing together older generations and younger generations and just creating that beautiful space where everyone can celebrate the culture,” she said.
Attendees were encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and hygiene products for a chance to win prizes. Donations are to be provided to the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre.
photos / Milan
Lukes / staff
School of art exhibit features locally sourced clay Student exhibit transforms campus clay to diverse array of ceramic works
Iyanda Ajuwon, staff
The U of M school of art
is showcasing Low Fired Forms, an exhibition running from March 5 to 12 in the School of Art Student Gallery.
This exhibit showcases the innovative use of locally sourced clay in contemporary ceramics.
The Low Fired Forms exhibit stems from a ceramics class led by professor Grace Nickel in the fall 2024 term. The class focused on low-fire ceramics and local materials.
For this class, Nickel helped students harvest raw clay directly from the university’s grounds at an ongoing construction site to create their pieces. Students then manually processed the harvested material, breaking it down with tools like a hammer, mortar and pestle and wood.
One of the participating students, Emma Gillich, expressed the difficulties of
working with natural materials.
“Harvesting and making sure the local materials were actually usable as a clay form was really difficult,” she said.
“It was a really arduous process, so really physical. There’s a lot of safety concerns that we had to think about.”
The exhibition features the work of 11 different students that came together thanks to one of Gillich’s classmates.
Low Fired Forms shows off a diverse array of ceramic works, from vases that blend ancient Greek designs with modern themes, to dishware that comments on traditional place settings.
Gillich also noted that the exhibit is a way for her and her classmates to showcase their creations from the previous semester.
“We feel it’s a very unrepresented part of ceramics,” she said, referencing the use of
natural materials and low-fire methods.
Students used techniques like hand-building, wheel throwing and mold-making to transform the local clay into unique art pieces.
Gillich said that she crafted a series of three nesting bowls using the pinch pot method. She said her approach was a good way to make sure that the clay did not crack during the firing process.
This exhibition is organized by students in collaboration with the Student Art Curatorial Selection Committee, which provides a platform for emerging artists to present their work.
During the winter 2025 term, various student exhibitions will rotate through the gallery from March 5 to June 4.
The Low Fired Form exhibition is on now at the School
of Art Student Gallery, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, at 158 Taché Arts Complex. A reception for the event
is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 3 p.m. For more information, visit umanitoba.ca/art/student-gallery.
Security Services report on December campus incidents
Incidents include ‘indecent act,’ vehicle theft and ‘hate propaganda’
Ngozi Okose, staff
The U of M security statistics for the Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses for December 2024 are now accessible.
The figures have been published in the latest edition of Security Services Monthly, the university’s newsletter that offers insight into its Security Services’s daily operations.
In December 2024, Security Services responded to a total of 55 suspicious calls, completed 46 safe walks and 57 safe rides to ensure the safety of individuals moving across campus.
Security Services also responded to nine medical emergencies, three calls to parking services and attended to 198 unscheduled access requests from students and staff needing building or room access outside regular hours.
The report included responses to 133 alarms, including fire, elevator, code blue, emergency phones and panic alarms.
At the Fort Garry campus, 25 incidents were reported across various categories.
These included seven incidents of theft, ranging from
stolen personal items to cash and a vehicle.
There were five mischief-related incidents, including vandalized vehicles, graffiti and a discharged fire extinguisher.
Security Services also responded to one case of threatening behaviour and one instance of “hate propaganda” involving “vandalized decorations,” per the report. Additionally, six vehicle collisions and one case of careless driving were reported at the Fort Garry campus.
There were four City of
Winnipeg by-law violations, including a safety hazard, a noise disturbance and “reports of cannabis use” andsmoking in unauthorized areas.
At the Bannatyne campus, Security Services responded to five incidents of theft and mischief. These included an attempted equipment theft, a vehicle break-in and vandalized washrooms and walls. Security Services also addressed one sexual offences case involving an “indecent act” at the Brodie Centre.
A vaping violation was also
recorded against a City of Winnipeg by-law.
Alongside these security updates, the university reminds the community to stay vigilant against scams. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will never request payments via e-transfer, cryptocurrency, prepaid credit cards or gift cards. They will not use aggressive language, threaten arrest or deportation. Stay alert and report any suspicious communications.
Registration opens for campus safety education sessions
U of M to hold crime information sessions for Bannatyne and Fort Garry campuses
Taycie Adeoti, staff
The U of M is implementing strategies to strengthen its campus security system.
On March 3, students, faculty and staff received an email from the university president and vice-chancellor Michael Benarroch about the new campus safety initiative.
The president’s office is introducing campus safety education sessions for the university community, including faculty, students and staff.
The university hopes to provide strategies to approach active threats on campus by partnering with the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS).
Information regarding the
campus’s emergency response plan and the UM Safe app will be covered. Representatives from the WPS will respond to any inquiries and will provide instructions on what to do if there are active threats present on campus.
Sessions for the Bannatyne campus will be held on Monday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Theatre B-BMSB, while sessions for the Fort Garry campus will be held on Wednesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 108 St. John’s College.
These sessions beginning this March at both campuses
are intended to be held annually, according to Benarroch. Benarroch previously communicated that the university was taking steps to reinforce its emergency intervention and response. This followed a review of the campus’s emergency response plan to account for reports of an armed individual on the Fort Garry campus.
Communication pertaining to the UM Safe app, infrastructure upgrades and education such as training opportunities and annual sessions on safety procedures were all key components that the university had stated needed improvement.
Security Services currently offers different modes of reporting and recording crime activity in an effort to keep the community safe.
Security Services offers emergency and non-emergency contacts for those in need. Incident and silent observer forms are also available online and can be used to report non-emergency incidents.
The UM Safe app is intended to improve community safety by sending alerts and offering access to campus safety tools and information.
Code blue emergency poles and emergency red phones are located across campus. When
activated, security guards will be deployed to the location of activation.
Approximately 1,000 closed-circuit security cameras are located on campus that can be used to record any potential crime activity, according to Security Services.
To register for the campus safety education sessions, refer to the email in your university inbox sent from the president’s office. Questions can be directed to Michelle Ulrich at michelle.ulrich@ umanitoba.ca.
photo / Ebunoluwa
Akinbo / staff
UMSU adopts motion in ‘public support’ of UMFA
Motion calls on administration to accept UMFA demands amid collective bargaining
Milan Lukes, staff
The University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) has adopted a motion in support of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) and their collective bargaining demands.
Motion 0645, which was brought forward by studentat-large Victoria Romero, called for UMSU to “publicly express solidarity with UMFA and public support of their collective bargaining demands.”
The motion also called for the students’ union to “officially call on the University of Manitoba administration to accept the UMFA demands […] and express official UMSU support for UMFA to the UM administration.”
After an online meeting on March 6 that lasted over two hours — with approximately one hour that was in closed session — the UMSU board of directors voted 12-2 in support of the motion.
Voting was previously scheduled for the March 20 board of directors meeting, but the motion was called for consideration after Romero petitioned for a special meeting, as UMFA had previously set a bargaining deadline for 11:59 p.m. that day.
Romero motivated the motion, stating that its actions would also “support students.”
“If we don’t have the university supporting our faculty, then those high-quality professors and staff will leave and our quality of education will suffer.”
“By having our student union, the voice of 27,000 undergraduate students on campus, say that ‘we support UMFA,’ that puts pressure on the university and that can prevent a strike,” said Romero.
Division on motion during debate
Brett Williams, representative for the Manitoba Law Students’ Association, was the first to speak against the motion.
“I don’t think we should be supporting a union that is actively seeking to harm the student body through a strike action,” said Williams. “I think
it would actually be kind of irresponsible as board members elected by students.”
He stated that it would “actively harm” international students, who may need to extend their visas if the term is prolonged from a strike, and that graduation dates might be deferred.
UMSU president Divya Sharma also spoke against the motion, stating that “I do not feel comfortable moving forward with a motion like this that explicitly supports UMFA without consulting, without having the data from students to support a side.”
“I believe if we don’t move forward with this motion, it actually allows UMSU more leverage to pressure both parties,” said Sharma. “If we take a neutral stance today, that allows us to pressure both parties, both UMFA and the university to come to a swift resolution.”
“I will note that a 16.7 per cent increase in wages is a historic number,” added Sharma, in reference to an offer from the university administration.
The offer consisted of general salary increases of 11.25 per cent over four years with
“structural adjustments and special adjustments” which would achieve 16.71 salary growth over four years, according to the university.
Despite the opposition, several students spoke in favour of the motion.
“We should support our faculty because, honestly, I have felt the most supported by faculty,” said Charli Feener, representative of the Students of Fine Arts Student Association. “I have not felt support by the university.”
“And I think it’s important that if they have our backs, we have theirs.”
Jonathan Lowo, representative of the Society of Earth Sciences and Environmental Students, also voiced his support, stating that supporting UMFA would be a “very, very great idea.”
“If we decide to support them now, there’s a high chance that [UMFA] can get what they want,” said Lowo. “And if we don’t support them this time around, they will keep going on strike over and over again until they get what they want.”
“Let’s consider the quality of education, the standard of
education we want to keep in the university.”
Brooke Hilland, a member of the governance committee, stated that “supporting UMFA could put the onus on the administration to not be harming the students by highlighting them as the real party whose actions are behind the harm a strike might cause.”
She added that UMSU supporting the faculty association might place enough pressure on the administration to prevent, or at least shorten, a strike if it were to occur.
“That pressure we can exert on the administration will tell them that we will not be divided and conquered,” stated student-at-large Robert Johannson.
The motion was voted on by secret ballot at the request of Science Students’ Association UMSU director Sarah Pittman, seconded by Arts Student Body Council UMSU director Gurpahul Kaur.
UMFA president ‘pleased’ with support
UMFA president Erik Thomson, who attended part of the meeting, said that he
was “pleased” with the outcome in an interview afterwards.
“I’m pleased on behalf of UMFA’s members that [UMSU] has voted to express solidary and support for our members’ bargaining proposals,” stated Thomson.
“I know that students are concerned about a strike and a potential interruption of classes, and would like to assure students that we are making every effort to negotiate in order to avoid a strike and an interruption of the term.”
Thomson stated that even though a bargaining deadline has been set, UMFA is “happy” to continue bargaining past that deadline.
“I recognize, too, that they see that UMFA’s conditions are their learning conditions in the long run, and so that there’s this trade-off between progress in the long term and possible pain in the short term.”
UMSU previously passed a motion in 2016 and 2021 to stand in solidarity with UMFA amid negotiations over a new collective agreement.
photo / Ebunoluwa Akinbo
staff
Alam disqualified from UMSU election for antisemitism
A student running in the 2025 University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) general election has been disqualified for antisemitic remarks made on social media, according to a ruling by the chief returning officer (CRO) Jodie Smith.
Ishraqul Alam, whose name was fully redacted from the ruling “due to the highly sensitive nature of the allegations,” was deemed to have “most likely” made the public posts to an X account (formerly Twitter) that is now deleted.
Alam confirmed to the Manitoban in an email statement that this ruling resulted in his disqualification, but denied making the social media posts and operating the account.
The posts from January 2024 accused Ashkenazi Jews of being Nazis and “[acting] like they are the Aryan race,” according to the ruling. One post accused the Israeli army of committing “heinous crimes boldly under the cover of Holocaust sympathy.”
The complainant, whose name was also redacted, stated that the remarks were discovered on Feb. 27, 2025, but that the “repeated pattern of behaviour” started in October 2023.
Smith ruled that the posts “undermine the dignity of an identifiable group of members,” were “antisemitic” and violated UMSU’s equitable campus position statement. The position indicates that UMSU opposes forms of oppression — including antisemitism.
The CRO’s decision also referenced the Safe Environment Policy from the UMSU Governance and Operations Manual, which defines a safe environment as a “space which does not condone behaviour, language or action that is likely to undermine the dignity, safety, self-esteem or productivity of any of its members of employees.”
Alam cites ‘fraudulent impersonation’
After the CRO brought the X account to the candidate’s attention on March 1, which was “in his name with his picture,” the candidate responded that it “is a fraudulent impersonation of me, using my name, likeliness and professional affiliations without my consent,” according to the ruling.
The ruling also stated that the candidate submitted a
complaint to X on March 2, but that the account was then deleted less than 24 hours later.
“It is highly unlikely that X/ Twitter would be able to investigate and remove the account in less that 24 hours,” wrote the CRO. “He did receive a response from X/Twitter indicating that they tried to start an investigation, but that the account was deleted.”
The ruling stated that only the candidate and complainant knew about the investigation.
The CRO’s decision also stated that “it is not reasonable to believe that the candidate was unaware” of the account until it was brought to his attention, as he had other social media accounts with the same name — including another active X account.
The account “posted very frequently” with thousands of posts, according to the decision.
Candidate disqualified for breaching ‘student in good standing’ clause
“I find that it is most likely that this X/Twitter account did belong to this candidate
and that the posts in question were written by him,” ruled the CRO.
Alam was deemed to have breached the student in good standing clause, which was revised at the Jan. 16 UMSU board of directors meeting.
The UMSU Election Manual states that a student must be in good standing with the union to stand as a candidate for election. The term is defined as a student who actively adheres to UMSU governing documents and demonstrates integrity and professional conduct.
board of directors meeting to appeal the decision.
‘Decision was based on speculative reasoning,’ says Alam
“I firmly believe I deserved a fair chance to contest the elections,” Alam told the Manitoban in an email statement.
“Unfortunately, the CRO’s
When questioned about the message in the CRO’s ruling stating that X to tried to start an investigation, but that the account was already deleted, Alam responded, “X must have temporarily removed the account when it was initially reported and then proceeded to permanently remove it after verification.
“Unfortunately, the CRO’s decision was based on speculative reasoning rather than concrete evidence”
The CRO also “has the jurisdiction to determine a student’s eligibility, even if specific circumstances may not strictly align” with the student in good standing definition.
An appeals committee upheld the CRO’s ruling on March 6, the first day of voting.
Another student was previously denied candidacy in the election under the same clause, bringing an emergency motion to the Feb. 13 UMSU
decision was based on speculative reasoning rather than concrete evidence.”
Alam claims that an email he received from X Support on March 6 “[proves] that the complaint was not valid” and that he “was not the one operating the account.”
The email from X Support, which was reviewed by the Manitoban, states in-part, “we have removed the reported account for violating our authenticity policy.”
“While the permanent removal occurred after the CRO made their ruling, that timing is entirely out of my control and shouldn’t be held against me,” he stated. Alam said that following this message from X Support, he did not raise the new evidence with the CRO, stating “by the time I received it, there was no recourse available to have my name reinstated on the ballot. The damage had already been done.”
Alam was contesting the position of vice-president university affairs.
photo / Milan Lukes / staff
Singh Gehlot receives demerits amid campaigning
Demerits issued for 3rd party campaigning and not receiving content approval
Milan Lukes, staff
U niversity of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) election candidate Devkarn Singh Gehlot has breached election rules, according to a ruling from the chief returning officer (CRO) Jodie Smith.
Singh Gehlot, who contested the position of racialized students’ representative, was ruled to have engaged in third party campaigning and was found to have posted campaign material without CRO approval.
In a complaint to the CRO by Manpreet Kaur on March 4, Kaur alleged that Singh Gehlot breached third party advertising rules and provided images of a “person doing tabling who is not from university, not even a student,” the complainant wrote.
The 2025 UMSU election nomination package defines third party advertising as “any material, endorsement,
monetary or other support of a candidate or side coming from a group or individual who is not a member of the union,” which is “not allowed in any form.”
The CRO’s ruling acknowledged that Singh Gehlot had a paid-content creator who was taking photographs for his campaign, but wrote that “this person was situated behind the table and gave the appearance of volunteering/ tabling for the candidate.”
“Having someone there to take his picture was not an issue but the appearance that this person was tabling for him was a problem,” wrote the CRO.
The decision further stated that “pictures were found on [social media] stories of the third party with the candidate” who “was not aware he could not have this person with him.” Singh Gehlot did not receive approval for the
posts, according to the ruling.
The UMSU Election Manual states that “all campaign materials must be approved by the CRO before they may be used in a campaign” and that the CRO will provide written approval or refusal within 24 hours of receiving a complete request.
Singh Gehlot accuses CRO of bias, inefficient system
Singh Gehlot stated that the CRO advised him in an email statement to be “discreet” with the photographer and “not on your table looking like he’s helping.”
“The main problem I have with that is how is a photographer supposed to be discreet especially in a place like UMSU [University Centre]?” stated Singh Gehlot.
“We are trying to get quality photos and not zoomed-in
pictures,” he said.
He criticized the CRO of being “very biased toward a set few candidates,” alleging that she “does not take complaints against them seriously.” He claimed that the CRO “refused to investigate one of the complaints” from another candidate.
Singh Gehlot acknowledged the demerits received for not getting approval for the social media posts as “valid,” but added that “it is extremely inefficient for one CRO to approve every single [social media] story/post” of all 34 candidates during the campaign period.
“There should be a team and not just a single individual.”
Singh Gehlot also alleged that “the CRO did not actively monitor” candidates’ social media campaigns, claiming that “she only took action when complaints were filed.”
UMSU to host free student tax clinic
On-campus tax assistance offered from March 24 to April 11
Milan Lukes, staff
The University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) is hosting a free tax clinic in the GSA Lounge in UMSU University Centre to assist students with filing 2024 tax returns.
The “Super Clinic” is in partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada, and will start on Monday, March 24 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The clinic will continue from Tuesday, March 25
to Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — only occurring on weekdays during this time span.
Students are reminded to bring necessary documents for tax-filing, including their social insurance number, photo ID, T2202 and other tax slips, rent amounts, receipts for donations, medical expenses and childcare expenses.
Both the T2202 and T4A slip will be available to students in
Aurora, the university’s online student information system.
Individuals that are self-employed or run a small business are not eligible to have their taxes completed at the clinic.
Residents have up until April 30 to file and pay income taxes, or up to June 15 as the filing deadline if you or your spouse or common-law partner are self-employed.
CRO responds to the criticism
Smith responded, “in spite of the unprecedented number of candidates this year, I responded to all emails within a few hours or less.
“I was also available to support candidates in my office for much longer than posted office hours,” she said.
“Any candidate who felt they were unfairly assessed had the appeal process available to them throughout the campaign period.”
Singh Gehlot was issued 10 demerits for third party campaigning and another 10 demerits for not receiving approval before posting campaign material.
The UMSU Election Manual states that the CRO will assign demerits to candidates that violate election rules, with candidates being disqualified after obtaining 50 demerits.
Winnipeg’s annual winter route parking ban lifted
Over 8,700 tickets and tow orders issued during the ban
Milan Lukes, staff
The City of Winnipeg has ended its annual winter route parking ban.
The parking ban, which was in effect from Dec. 6 to March 5, prohibited parking on certain streets between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m., irrespective of weather conditions.
Individuals that violated the ban were at risk of receiving a $100 ticket, or $75 if they paid earlier, according to the city. Violators were also at risk of have their vehicles towed.
According to a communications officer with the city,
8,707 tickets and tow orders were issued to vehicles that were parked in violation of the ban. Of those, 5,876 were towed from the street.
This marks an increase of 1,335 tickets issued and 830 tows relative to during the 2023-24 annual winter route parking ban, per data from the city.
More information on winter parking bans can be found by calling 311 and searching on the city’s snow operations map at winnipeg.ca/snow. photo / Milan Lukes / staff
photo / Milan Lukes / staff
Senate approves motions in response to potential strike
Motions impact student academic conditions amid possible term disruption
Milan Lukes, staff
The U of M senate has adopted motions put forward by the Academic and Research Team committee in response to a potential strike by the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA).
The motions, which were approved at the March 5 senate meeting, were submitted as an “urgent addendum” to the senate agenda “in response to a potential UMFA labour action.”
The approved motions allow students to request deferred examinations and incomplete or continuing grade/course status that will not be denied “up to the point of undue hardship.”
Section 2.6 of the Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) Policy, which sets the deadline for students to withdraw from a course without academic penalty, has been suspended. The provost has been authorized to amend the VW date for the term “if required” — which is currently March 19 as of publication — and report the change to senate.
Verification of enrolment level for senate-approved scholarships and bursaries for the academic year has also been suspended, “in response to a possible increase in the number of voluntary withdrawals.”
“This means that we would not revoke any awards should a student drop below the minimum enrolment levels for awards resulting from a decision to voluntarily withdraw from courses due to a potential labour action,” stated Jeff Adams, university regis-
trar and executive director of enrolment services in a memo to senate.
All senate-approved scholarships and bursaries normally require that students are enrolled in a minimum number of credit hours, according to Adams.
Another motion was approved which “[ensures] that students who choose not to cross the picket line, real or virtual, are accommodated up to the point of undue hardship with respect to any missed materials, assignments or tests.”
The motion also states that “all students, whether they choose to attend classes or to not cross the picket line, be treated fairly” by academic staff.
U of M launches Truth and Reconciliation Framework
The university has launched Truth and Reconciliation Framework: Time for Action, which “provides the high-level vision and guidance to champion a university-wide Reconciliation Implementation Plan in 2025,” according to the 25-page report. The framework was launched at an event in the Multipurpose Room in UMSU University Centre on March 3. For more information on the framework, visit umanitoba.ca/about-um/um-truth-and-reconciliation-framework
photo / Milan Lukes / staff
photo / Zulkifl Rafah / staff
photo / Milan Lukes / staff
Powering the future with renewable energy
U of M researcher advances renewable energy and electric vehicles
Divyata Gosai, staff
Renewable energy ori-
ginates from natural processes that replenish themselves at a rate equal to or faster than their consumption. It encompasses various sources powered directly or indirectly by the sun or by heat from within the Earth.
Carl Ho is a professor and Canada research chair in the department of electrical and computer engineering in the U of M’s Price faculty of engineering.
“When I was a kid, I liked to disassemble any electrical device to see what’s inside,” he said. “I chose electrical engineering because I wanted to [understand] the theory behind that and why it is operating. I wanted to know the principle of operation for electrical devices.”
Ho is currently conducting research in renewable energy and electric vehicles, focusing primarily on power electronics.
In June 2021, the Government of Canada enacted the Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, which legally commits the country to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. This legislation ensures both transparency and accountability as the government pursues its climate goals. It also requires public participation and independent advice to effectively guide Canada’s efforts to reduce emissions.
Ho emphasized the importance of achieving zero emissions in Canada and globally. He stated that strict regulations are in place to achieve the goal of netzero emissions by 2050.
setting them through methods such as planting trees or using carbon capture technology. This approach is essential for ensuring a safe and livable future.
With about 25 years remaining, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power are crucial. Ho explained that we can establish a sustainable energy system by converting solar and wind energy into electricity and supplying it to the grid.
One way to reduce the carbon footprint is by using cleaner fuels. He mentioned electric vehicles as a significant solution in cutting carbon emissions.
“We are working on how to design electric vehicles, especially for chargers,” Ho said. “[We want to] make charging quicker so people don’t need to wait for a long time [and then] we can make electric vehicles more efficient.”
Ho’s research focuses on making technology more affordable, efficient and convenient. For example, his team is exploring ways to recharge mobile batteries without any contact or wireless chargers.
He added that their longterm objective is to “make everything [powered by] electric power.” Ho said that extending electrification beyond vehicles to include aeroplane and marine transportation, would be very promising. “[This way] we can make everything sustainable,” he expressed.
Ho noted that, someday, we can generate power from
graphic / Teegan Gillich / staff
“I think everyone has [the] responsibility to help our world and to improve our living environments”
Net-zero emissions refer to balancing greenhouse gases by either reducing them or off-
— Carl Ho, professor in the U of M’s Price faculty of engineering
the sun or the wind to make
life more convenient and support electricity needs. This energy is accessible everywhere, including remote areas, isolated islands and highways. In the future, such energy sources will play
a crucial role in electrical systems, making them more sustainable and efficient.
Ho emphasized that research can be challenging and often involves complex mathematics. However, he focuses on people-oriented research on advanced technology to improve people’s daily life.
“I think everyone has [the] responsibility to help our
world and to improve our living environments,” he said. “That’s why I hope everyone will start to think about how we can reduce carbon emissions from energy generation to energy unionization, [focusing] more about renewable energy and electric vehicles.”
Reimagining aging Inside the U of M’s aging and mental health lab
“In our culture, we’re taught to see older adults and aging as this problem that needs to be fixed,” said Corey Mackenzie, director of the U of M’s aging and mental health lab.
The lab focuses on understanding how mental health changes while aging.
“We live in this youth-oriented culture,” Mackenzie said. “There’s massive marketing campaigns, anti-aging creams, and lotions and potions that people should take to kind of fight this [supposedly] terrible aging process.”
That in mind, Mackenzie’s lab places emphasis on the positive emotional health changes that tend to come with age. On average, he noted, older adults are mentally healthier than younger and middle-aged adults.
This “positive aging” message is key to the lab.
Mackenzie’s longstanding research interest lies in the question of why older adults are the age group least likely to seek professional help for those mental health challenges.
The intuitive answer proposed may be that, older adults, having grown up in a time where accessing mental health services was uncommon and largely frowned upon, experienced stigma around seeking such help. Yet, Mackenzie’s research disproves that idea.
“Older adults actually have more positive attitudes toward seeking mental health services than younger adults,” he said. “They have lower levels of stigma related to seeking help than younger adults.”
While attitudes and stigma around mental health are indeed still a problem, Mackenzie noted that it is not behind older adults’ lower use of mental health services.
“There’s greater need in later life when people are really struggling in terms of getting them access to mental health services,” Mackenzie said.
“So that’s one of the things we’re interested in — improving access to mental health services for older adults when they need them.”
ences and humanities.
“All of that work is really meant to position aging as this important process,” Mackenzie said. “We all do it. It’s happening to every one of us and
older adults generally navigate those challenges more effectively than younger individuals.
“Aging is complex and interesting, challenging and beautiful”
— Corey Mackenzie, director of the U of M’s aging and mental health lab
[we need] to embrace it.”
Mackenzie is affiliated with the U of M’s Centre on Aging, the first and oldest centre on aging in Canada. At the centre, researchers including Mackenzie approach aging from diverse angles, including biology, neurology, social sci-
Mackenzie highlighted the overwhelmingly negative narratives surrounding aging, conceptualizing it as depressing and conjuring up images of wrinkles, sicknesses, memory loss and diseases. While aging may, indeed, come with increased health challenges,
He emphasized the value in “recognizing the wisdom, the experience, the mental health advantages that come with living 60, 70, 80 years on the planet.”
Mackenzie touched on two main theories surrounding aging.
The first is socioemotional selectivity theory, which focuses on how our goals change as we move through life. While younger adults tend to hold knowledge acquisition goals — like learning a new language, going to school
or hiking across Europe — older adults tend to focus more on emotionally meaningful aspirations. An interest in having 600 Facebook friends, Mackenzie suggested, may shift to six close, real, long-term friends.
“There’s this sense that life is precious as you get older and time is running out that sort of orients people toward doing what matters,” Mackenzie said, “doing these kind of meaningful, purposeful things — spending time with the people we love, fostering community, all those good things.”
The second idea, strength and vulnerability integration theory, acknowledges the social and emotional strengths associated with aging, as well as vulnerabil-
ities such as chronic illness and loss. Both, the theory emphasizes, can coexist.
Mackenzie is currently awaiting the review of a grant proposal titled Reimagine Aging.
“In [Reimagine Aging], and in general, it’s really important for us to think about aging not as this thing to be feared or as this terrible thing that’s happening to us, but as this sort of natural process that comes with a lot of cool things,” he said. “More wisdom, more experience, more ability to handle challenging situations.”
“Aging is complex and interesting, challenging and beautiful,” Mackenzie stated.
graphic / Emma Gillich / staff
Rhea Bhalla, staff
Are algorithms deciding our tastes for us?
Does one “like” determine what the apps show us onward?
Deveney Jarrow, staff
As a student in the interior design field, I often find my social feeds showing me design-related posts, whether that be on Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest. I, like many others, have various saved posts as inspiration for my future designs or future home. However, with trends such as, “cottage core,” “minimalism” or “boho chic” coming and going so quickly, do we have a say in developing our own individual tastes? Or is the algorithm in our apps deciding our preferences for us after we “like” one or two posts?
When Instagram first began, posts in the main feed were shown in chronological order, before switching to an algorithmically ranked feed. Due to users complaining that they were missing posts from people they followed, Instagram recently returned to the chronological order. However, there are still some posts integrated within the main feed that are shown from the algorithm.
The more you “like” one type of post, the more the algorithm pushes those kinds of posts to your feed, whether it be cat photos, memes or fashion trends. With the original version of chronological posts, users would have to deliberately search for designers to follow or seek out specific design inspiration or solutions to whatever they were looking for.
Now, the algorithm is showing us content related to what we most recently “liked” in order to gain our attention and keep us within the app for longer. It is even to the point now that posts from users that we don’t even follow are showing up in our main feeds, just because the algorithm thinks we would like to see it. So one could argue, if I am not actively seeking out design inspiration, is the algorithm pushing posts to me and deciding my tastes for me? Or have the algorithm-ranked posts developed far enough that I am getting a curated selection of inspiration that I
happen to like?
Unfortunately, I am of the belief that it is the former. If a design post does not fit nicely within a current trend, then the post is not being seen as valuable by the algorithm and is not being pushed toward any main feeds, thus taking away our ability to explore other tastes or trends and limiting what is being shown. Not only is the algorithm potentially hiding posts that do not fit into whatever is trending, it also isn’t showing posts from smaller creators or lesser known designers, limiting our exposure to the posts that are popular.
In a podcast episode titled, “Instant Gramification,” from 99% Invisible, design critic, Alexandra Lange, mentioned how hotel and restaurant interiors are being affected by Instagram due to their “Instagrammability.” If an interior
interior designed space that is required to focus on its ability to be turned into content instead of its overall experience and function, could lead to a badly designed, unusable space that also lacks originality.
If a design post does not fit nicely within a current trend, then the post is not being seen as valuable by the algorithm and not being pushed toward any main feeds
space is designed in a way that makes for a nice Instagram post, reel or TikTok, then it has the potential to attract more visitors and encourages users to share their visit on social media, which in turn drives more business. Having an
As a result of being fed these Instagrammable, trendy posts, I think we are also putting pressure on ourselves to conform to these design trends that the algorithm is pushing. These polished or colour coordinated designs in social media are creating this idea of the “perfect” life and how a home “should” look. Implying that if your home does not
look like the posts on Pinterest, that you don’t have your life together or don’t have good taste. So how do we combat the algorithm and develop our own tastes? I think it is important for us, especially within the design community, to be critical of our sources for inspiration. Although social media is readily available at our fingertips, it may be wiser to seek out creative inspiration from books or magazines or out in nature. We can even use what is being pushed by the algorithm as a potential inspiration of what not to do, since it’s been done and replicated before. All in all, we should be more specific in our searches or just get offline and look for inspiration in the real world.
graphic / Teegan
Gillich / staff
Comment
To skip or not to skip
The domino effect of missing
Thandeka Katsika staff
I have always considered myself a responsible student. I attend my lectures, participate in class discussions and submit assignments on time.
At the beginning of this semester, on a random Wednesday, I decided I was feeling a bit tired, and rather than forcing myself to attend my lectures I stayed home and got some rest. At the time this seemed like a harmless decision, it was one day’s worth of lectures and it would not be that hard to catch up on. But skipping that one day of classes snowballed into a semester of missed lectures.
I think most students are familiar with the domino effect of skipping, once you miss one class, the rest feel optional. But the more lectures you skip, the easier it is to justify skipping more. I find myself making excuses
class
for every lecture I miss. If I am feeling even slightly tired in the morning, I see it as a license to skip. If the lecture is being recorded, I don’t see the point in attending. If any of my friends will not be there, I see an opportunity to stay home. Any minor inconvenience is enough to convince me to skip my lectures. And the dangerous part is that there are no immediate consequences for absence from lectures. If you missed an exam, the repercussions would be clear. However, with lectures there is no obvious penalty.
I believe that this is why it feels acceptable to skip so much, because there is no sense of urgency associated with classes. No evident difference between going or not going. The real effects of con-
Acts of resistance
Adam Johnston, volunteer staff
Walking, cycling and taking the bus are acts of resistance to challenging car culture while honouring the values of social change for labour, women’s rights and economic and environmental justice.
Cities were bustling in the early 20th century with pedestrians, cyclists, street cars, horses and buggies. However, as the 20th century moved along, the automobile industry, thanks to Edward Bernays, who learned the dark arts of propaganda in his time under former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson and crafted it into a new form of business communications. This business communication called public relations, is defined by the Public Relations Society of America as “a strategic communications process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” Bernays used public relations to turn around the automobile industry, convincing people to buy cars as “symbols of male vitality,” by selling bigger and faster vehicles yearly. Urbanism analyst Andy Boenau articulates this well, suggesting that Bernays’ “artful manipulation positioned automobile ownership as a conduit for self-expression and societal advancement.
tinuous absence from classes will only be seen when tests and quizzes come up. But until then, it is no big deal. I convince myself that I can catch up, I will read the textbook and watch the recordings and go to office hours even though deep down I know I will do none of these things. I think it is just hard to take lecture attendance seriously when there are no recognizable consequences.
sor difficult to understand? Is the lecture material boring? I believe getting to the bottom of what keeps you away from your classes and fixing those root issues could be useful in building motivation.
I think most students are familiar with the domino effect of skipping, once you miss one class, the rest feel optional
How can students get out of this slippery slope? I think the most important step is honesty. Firstly, being honest with yourself about why you do not want to attend the lectures. Do they start too early or end too late? Is the profes-
Sometimes those small tweaks, like scheduling lectures at an optimum time for you or having a better professor, can really improve lecture attendance. I also believe that being truthful with yourself about the consequences of skipping can be helpful in fixing attendance. I find that I am enabled by the lies I tell myself about the seriousness of missing so many lectures. I think being straightforward about how detrimental constant skipping can be on your grades will make you more serious about lecture attend-
ance.
If you feel that your temptation to bunk classes stems from something deeper like feelings of pressure or overload, it is important not to diminish these feelings. It is normal to be overwhelmed by the workload and just shut down as a result. Acknowledge that these feelings are valid and perhaps speak with a university counsellor for more assistance.
While skipping classes can be a very slippery slope, it is crucial not to fear missing out on a day of lectures for valid reasons. I think everyone needs a day off every now and then to rest and recuperate. It is just important to be cautious about letting one day turn into an entire semester.
Why public and active transportation are forms of protest against car culture
Anyone who’s anyone would have their own car.” This is public relations at its finest — twisting words to sell unnecessary products into goods people want.
The automotive public relations machine began influencing traffic rules. Pedestrians would get severely hurt or killed as automobiles would flood the streets in the 1910s and 1920s, causing the industry high levels of frustration across the U. S. The automotive industry counteracted and controlled the narrative by offering free stories to journals covering stories about “accidents,” to creating the derogatory term “jaywalker,” referring to pedestrians crossing the street in an unsafe manner.
After the Second World War, the car culture dominated urban planning. North American city planners fell intoxicated by the ways of automobile-centric planning, selling a bill of false goods that bigger was better. More significant highways and more lanes created headaches on many levels as investments in alternative transportation were ignored. Many cities became segregated, ranging from Atlanta, Houston and New Orleans in the U.S. to even here in Winnipeg, with the Rooster Town Métis com-
munity displaced in favour of suburban development.
Expansive cities are expensive cities. We see it here in Winnipeg as we debate the merits of investing in things we really should (waste treatment plants) versus what we ought not (Chief Peguis and Kenaston Boulevard expansion). The quality of our city declines through the impacts of climate change (higher risks of flash floods as the sprawled out land, developed with more concrete, cannot absorb water fast enough).
Nearly half of Winnipeg’s emissions come from transportation, with a majority from private automobiles. Sprawling urban centers create further challenges for our democracies as when cities spread out, citizens create their norms and ideas in isolated pockets, which Yale University suggests, “fail to be properly integrated into broader society, and fail to be properly recognized by our elected officials.” When ideas get pigeonholed, engagement declines, as seen in voter apathy in our civic elections, including in our inner city communities.
Despite the influence of the automobile industry’s PR machine, we can choose to be defiant. We can choose how to get around by cycling, walking
and public transit. By using active transportation, we are more likely to support local small businesses by repairing our bicycles and spending more money. By supporting public transit, we are showing support for labour unions, such as with public transit unions having a proud history within the labour movement. By using all three forms of alternative transportation, we are taking climate action, improving our health and creating a more democratic and
equitable society. Ultimately, by biking, walking and taking the bus, as we’ve historically been encouraged to do by the local ad campaign Transit Tom, we are rising against car culture that has done irreparable harm toward our cities.
Adam Johnston hosts Not Necessarily The Automobile on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. on UMFM 101.5. He can be reached at notnecessarilytheautomobile@gmail.com
graphic / Fumnaya Ifeadi / staff
Live life for you
De-normalize hustle culture
Quinn Mayhew, staff
H
ave you ever felt so compelled to miss a class at school or ditch responsibilities such as work or social obligations that you force yourself to go and end up miserable in the end? I say put a stop to going to things you simply don’t want to do, ultimately de-normalizing the grind.
There’s a social aspect and culture to forcing us to go to things that seem exhausting, working a job you hate or doing a degree that just doesn’t seem right for you.
Society puts pressure on you to study hard, work hard, go to as many social obligations as you can — I say no more of that. Sometimes, you just need to live. I think studying and working hard are good for you, but in my opinion, it gets to a point where you’re simply just moving through life without actually living it.
I’m a huge advocate for taking breaks, ditching class
when it’s not the vibe or just doing whatever the heck you want. Now I know this mindset doesn’t work for everyone and I’m not condoning just ditching all responsibilities and throwing caution to the wind, I’m saying try to do what you think your body needs.
Everyone I find in this society focuses on living in this sphere of hustle culture, a prime example of this is when Kim Kardashian blatantly told the world “get […] up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days.”
tle at the cost of having sleepless nights, missing out on things you want to do or, overall, never doing what you want to do.
Forcing people to be within the go hard or go home mindset is a detrimental mentality that will eventually lead to inevitable burnout. The stress that is associated with
involved in hustle culture.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? I’m probably guessing you’re thinking, “check my phone.” Now, while you’re reading this, you’re probably thinking, “is this girl a mind reader?” And you know what? I’m not, I just know that there’s an astronomical pressure to be plugged in and alert all the time that comes with living in the 21st century.
There’s a social aspect and culture to forcing us to go to things that seem exhausting, working a job you hate or doing a degree that just doesn’t seem right for you
I think the assumption in our present day is that nobody feels fulfilled in their lives, and we always need to strive for more or want more in our lives. I think you could strive or want for more in life, but I don’t think you should hus-
hustle culture is enormous, and the assumption is that if you aren’t hustling, you’re lazy, which is a toxic connotation that leaves people in the repetitive cycle of feeling like they must be part of the grind. I think especially with the advancement of technology, constantly feeling like you must be plugged in is a trait of this ever-growing need to be
The first thing I do every morning, unfortunately, is check my phone. I’m very accustomed to the perpetual doom cycle of feeling like you either have to be locked in within academics or social life, and the stress that is associated with constantly engaging in content on social media even though you don’t always want to.
What I usually do when
I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed within my personal life or school is to disappear. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I have this bad habit of simply not answering anyone who tries to call me or text me, skipping all my classes at the U of M and not going to work.
Now I’m not advising you to do these things, like ghost all your friends for a day because you’re having a daily mental breakdown. What I’m trying to get across is take the rest you think your body needs and live life instead of going through the motions of living without doing the things you enjoy doing.
My advice for anyone reading this is get off your phone for a little bit, skip that class you want to skip, go frolic in the fields instead of going to work on a sunny day. Do what you need to do for yourself instead of doing the things everyone or society expects you to do, live life for you.
graphic / Fumnaya Ifeadi / 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.
Provided by: Teegan Gillich
Sarah Crawley unveils latest art show as the wind blew Winnipeg artist explores vulnerability and grief in nature with
Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff
On March 7, local artist Sarah Crawley unveiled her latest exhibition, as the wind blew: the ground beneath me / at the water’s edge / in its path, in downtown Winnipeg. The opening ceremony was followed by an artist talk and demonstration the next day. Until April 17, Martha Street Studio will house photographic and video art that Crawley created in response to her mother’s passing in 2017.
Crawley graduated from U of M’s school of art in 1994. She first experimented with photography in the 80s and continued using analog photographic techniques even after digital cameras became widespread. Her art is deeply personal, often reflecting her lived experience and ritualistic behaviour.
For her exhibition, Crawley said she was inspired by her mother’s increasing vulnerability as she aged and sought to reflect that in her work by putting herself in a similarly vulnerable position.
“I lay in the woods with pinhole cameras up in the trees — pinhole cameras that I’d built — up in the trees pointing down at me. And I lay there for 45 minutes at a time, each time I did this, and it was very
uncomfortable, and I did feel very vulnerable doing it,” said Crawley. “There’s lots of room for accidental things to happen, but it was a very powerful experience, and I continued to do that kind of ritual for about a year.”
Unfortunately, her mother passed away that year. Over the course of two years, Crawley returned to the same spot at Clear Lake to photograph the lakeshore with her pinhole camera, sometimes plunging into the freezing water. She also visited the south basin of Lake Winnipeg eight times in 2020 to create over 200 lumen prints.
“[Lake Winnipeg] was very important because that’s where I spent time as a child with my family at that shoreline, and so that was really again rituals around healing and mourning and honouring my mom. She was an artist as well,” Crawley said. “My mom and I were very close, and we shared a lot of things, like a love of nature and a love of water and a love of art.”
Crawley’s love for nature has deepened while working on this exhibition. She is currently working on sustainable photographic techniques, such as using plant-based materials to develop film and
photo courtesy of / Sarah Crawley
photography
reducing the use of chemicals and water in her creative process.
“One of the things I’m really interested in right now, moving forward, is reducing the amount of chemical or commercial chemistry that I’m using with my photography practice. It’s one of the ways that I’m trying to honour
water,” she said.
“In the body of work that is being shown at Martha Street, so much of it is about water, and my relationship not only with water, but with nature, but very much so how water has helped me heal. And so, there’s like a reciprocal relationship that I feel with water, where I want to try to keep it
healthy as well.”
Visit printmakers.mb.ca/ as-the-wind-blew-theground-beneath-me-at-thewaters-edge-in-its-pathsarah-crawley for more information on the exhibition.
“untitled” from the series the ground beneath me, analog pinhole photograph, Sarah Crawley.
A breakup letter with the West
Omar El Akkad’s latest book delivers a scathing critique
Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff
O
n March 9, author and journalist Omar El Akkad hosted his Winnipeg book launch at McNally Robinson Booksellers. His latest book, One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, is both a reflection of his disappointment with the West’s response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a scathing critique of how the U.S. has failed its minority communities.
El Akkad was born in Egypt and lived in Qatar before moving to Canada at age 16. From a young age, his life was shaped by Western institutions, including American and British schools in the Middle East. He later attended Queen’s University in Ontario, where he began his journalism career with the student newspaper. He is now an American citizen and resides in Portland, Oregon.
In an interview, El Akkad said he began working on the book in late 2023 in response to the armed conflict in Gaza, which shattered his long-held beliefs and left him feeling unmoored.
“To me, the defining trait of the book is a kind of deep uncertainty, because for the vast majority of my life, I’ve oriented myself toward a particular ideology that’s very much rooted in the West,” he said. “And now I feel unrooted from that, and I don’t know who I am on the other side of that. So that’s essentially how the book came about.”
In his book, El Akkad recalls how, during his time in the Middle East, he imagined the West as a place where freedom and justice were upheld by law and order. However, after moving to North America, he saw the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as evidence that the West — particularly the U.S. — is, at best, apathetic toward bloodshed and, at worst, a driving force behind it.
He points out that the Biden administration, despite its litany of slogans and task forces, failed to produce concrete action and even accused their party members who wanted a ceasefire to be affiliated with Russia. Politicians from all sides continue to ignore, disassociate and even fund the conflict, leading El Akkad to question who Muslim Americans can possibly turn to.
One Day is both enlightening and compelling. El Akkad’s writing is narrative and reflexive, blending personal stories — from reporting in Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan about encounters with border agents — to
illustrating his growing disillusionment with the West.
El Akkad acknowledges the book’s controversial nature but stands by his arguments.“I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the last book I ever publish, if that’s the effect it has on my career. But I think at a certain point in your life, you have to decide what it is you actually have to say, and whether you’re going to say it [...] and so once I made that decision, there was a kind of clarity that settled over everything else.”
In an era of political upheaval, university students may find it difficult to navigate historical events. However, El Akkad believes stu-
of Western institutions
dents’ strength lies in their willingness to confront the world’s challenges.
“I will say that when I talk to people, not just about the issues in this book, but about all of the issues facing us in terms of defining our future, the most inspiring conversations I have are with those university students […] They show a level of courage and determination and intelligence and strategy that so many people in my generation and older generations can absolutely not muster. I tell you without hyperbole that I draw so much of my own courage from those conversations with those students,” said El
“I know how pathetic it is for somebody like me to show up and be like, ‘hey, you fix it,’ because I was once a university student who had someone show up and tell me the exact same thing. And it feels so pathetic to be doing that again. But when I look at what’s happening at university campuses, not just on this continent, but across the world, it is a source of immense inspiration for me, because those students are choosing not to look away, and they’re choosing not to put their own temporary well-being ahead of problems that could have an existential effect on our species.”
Akkad.
photos courtesy of / Omar El Akkad
Shawn Desman released new single “BODY” March 9
Veteran Canadian singer reflects on his career and comeback
Carrington Dong, staff
S
hawn Desman has been a fixture in Canada’s music scene for more than two decades, becoming a staple of Canadian R&B throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Some of his earliest childhood memories are of watching Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” — yet his career may not have happened if not for an elementary school talent show.
“In Grade 2, for some reason, my Grade 2 teacher decided that I should be in the talent show […] I’d never sang in school, never danced, nothing,” said Desman. “I was like ‘cool, I’m going to sing a New Kids On The Block song.’ So, I did that, and I remember going out for recess that day, and the whole school being there […] going crazy […] so that really kind of started this whole thing for me.”
Desman began his career singing in his family’s native Portuguese. After recording five Portuguese-language albums, he transitioned to English music at age 16.
His self-titled debut album, released in 2002, was certified gold and featured the hit singles “Get Ready” and “Shook.” From 2005 to 2013, he released three more studio albums, producing notable songs such as “Let’s Go,” “Shiver,” “Electric” and “Night Like This.”
However, following the release of his fourth studio album, Alive, Desman faced career setbacks and was dropped from his former record label. Shortly after, his wife, Chantelle Leonardo-Fernandes, was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis. In 2015, Desman took a lengthy hiatus from music to focus on his family.
During that time, he struggled with mental health challenges and was unsure if he would ever return to music. A shift in mindset and encouragement from those around him helped his recovery and continues to guide his music career today.
family, friends and fellow artists, Desman made a comeback in 2022, releasing the single “Maniac” after a successful performance at Toronto’s OVO Fest. Since then, he has shown no signs of slowing down, embarking on a cross-country tour in 2024, including a stop at Winnipeg’s Burton Cummings Theatre — one of his tour highlights. Desman said that live shows and performing for fans remains his favourite part of his job.
“I feel so happy on stage, and it’s not like 20-yearold Shawn, who’s trying to impress the sexy girls that are in the audience. It’s 43-yearold Shawn, in a room that’s filled with love and respect and admiration, and I have that same feeling toward the fans as they do for me,” he said.
While returning to music, Desman remains focused on his family with Leonardo-Fernandes and their three children. He schedules as much as possible around their activities, from soccer games to dance competitions.
He credited an organized schedule and a strong support system for helping him balance life and career.
“As long as you’re just thorough and you have a good schedule, you can make anything work,” he said. “And a good support system too. We have an amazing family that helps us and friends that help us too, so it’s great.”
Leonardo-Fernandes continues to share her experience with ulcerative colitis on social media. She underwent her final surgery this January, and Desman said she is doing well. Her journey inspired his recent single, “Love Me With The Lights On,” which features a music video in collaboration with Canadian intimate apparel brand, Knix.
“There are so many people that you wouldn’t even know live with Crohn’s or colitis and also actually have an ostomy bag. Because it’s hidden, you just don’t see it so you would never know,” he said. “And it was actually all [Leonardo-Fernandes], she was like, ‘I want to bring this to light, that even with [ulcerative col-
it’s her journey, not mine. I’m just here to help her share her journey.”
Shawn Desman and Jamie Fine have an upcoming single “BODY.” sounded singing it in the studio with me, and I was like, ‘man, she should be on the song with me,’” Desman recalled. He reached out to Fine, who immediately agreed.
“I feel like last year was probably one of the best years of my life. And really, it’s because of the fans […] I’m just so grateful for that”
—
“I was kind of like my own worst enemy in a sense,” he reflected. “I was like, ‘do I really want to come back and do this, and put myself out there again?’ […] And then finally somebody was like, ‘well Shawn, honestly, what do you have to prove? […] You should just do this because you love it.’ And I was like, ‘damn, you know what? You’re right. I should just do this because I love it.’”
With encouragement from
Shawn Desman, Canadian singer
itis], we could still live a normal life and be sexy and all that stuff.’ So really, hats off to her for doing that because
Desman’s next single, “BODY,” featuring Ottawabased artist Jamie Fine, will be released March 21. The two artists met at one of Desman’s concerts and later collaborated in Toronto, writing “BODY” on the second day of their session. Desman recorded the song alone, but felt something was missing, and decided he wanted Fine to feature on the track.
“I remembered how Jamie
“[Fine] was like, ‘Shawn, I kid you not, I left the studio today wishing that “BODY” was a record for me,’” he said, with a laugh.
Aside from new music, Desman plans to perform throughout the year. He will headline the Shake the Lake concert in Kenora on Aug. 2, and will then embark on a 20-city Canadian tour at the end of the year, including a stop in Winnipeg in November or December.
Desman finished the inter-
view by expressing his gratitude to the fans that continue to support him.
“To have so many people come out of the woodwork and support me, support my music, support me at these shows […] I feel like last year was probably one of the best years of my life,” he said. “And really, it’s because of the fans […] I’m just so grateful for that.”
Shawn Desman’s new single, “BODY,” featuring Jamie Fine, will be available on streaming and digital download March 21. To pre-save the single and learn more about future releases and events, visit shawndesman.com.
photo courtesy of / Alyssa Reid
The Bisons lose to the Vikes 97-85
The men’s basketball team beaten in Canada West championship bronze medal game
Abdul-Jalilu Ahmed, staff
T
he Bisons men’s basketball team lost 97-85 to the Victoria Vikes in the Canada West championship bronze medal game on Friday, March 7 in British Columbia.
The Bisons opened the scoring with a three-point jump shot by Mason Kraus, assisted by Tito Obasoto, at 9:32 in the first quarter. Renoldo Robinson made a layup for the Vikes at 9:17, bringing the score to 3-2.
At the 7:13 mark, Brandt Lenz made a three-point jump shot, assisted by Kraus, to give the Bisons a 10-5 lead. Daren Watts then made a layup at 4:59, assisted by Cieran
O’Hara, pushing the Bisons ahead 16-10.
Lenz made a layup at 4:11, extending the Bisons advantage to 21-12. Manyang Tong made two free throws at 2:12, giving the Bisons a 26-19 lead. Tong followed up with a layup at 1:40, increasing the Bisons lead to 28-22.
At the 0:03 mark, Kraus sealed the quarter with two free throws, giving the Bisons a 30-25 advantage.
At 9:36 in the second quarter, Lenz made a layup to extend the Bisons lead to 32-25. Kraus made two free throws at 8:25, pushing the Bisons ahead 37-30.
O’Hara added a free throw
at 6:26, giving the Bisons a 40-38 advantage. Aaron Tesfagiorgis made a threepoint jump shot at 5:31, giving the Vikes a 41-40 lead. At 4:51, Watts made a layup to give the Bisons a 44-42 advantage.
The Vikes reclaimed a 48-46 lead at 3:47, but Watts tied the game 48-48 with a jump shot at 3:36.
Also, at 2:57, Watts made a layup to give the Bisons a 50-48 lead, but Sam Maillet made a jump shot at 2:36 to level the game at 50-50.
Ryan Gallager gave the Vikes a 54-52 lead with a layup at 1:31, but Obasoto made two free throws at 1:04 to tie the game 54-54. Tong made
a layup at 0:21, putting the Bisons ahead 56-54.
In the third quarter, Lenz made a three-point jump shot at 7:33, assisted by Kraus, giving the Bisons a 61-59 lead. At 6:24, the Vikes tied the game 61-61 and took a 63-61 lead at 5:33.
Obasoto then made a layup at 5:22 to tie the game 63-63. At 3:21, Obasoto made a threepoint jump shot, assisted by Watts, bringing the score to 69-66 for the Vikes.
Again, Obasoto made a layup at 1:41, making the score 75-68 for the Vikes.
The Vikes closed the quarter with a 77-68 lead after Maillet made a layup at 1:18.
In the fourth quarter, Lenz made a layup at 9:45, bringing the score to 77-70 for the Vikes. Obasoto made a layup at 9:14, assisted by Kraus, cutting the lead to 77-72. At 5:03, O’Hara made a layup, assisted by Lenz, narrowing the gap to 78-77.
The Vikes extended their lead to 90-81 at 1:36 when Maillet made a layup. With 0:32 remaining, the Vikes led 95-84, but Kraus made a free throw at 0:27, bringing the score to 95-85. Shadynn Smid sealed the game with a dunk at 0:18, giving the Vikes a 97-85 victory.
photos courtesy of/ Alexis Chevalier
The Bisons excel at U-Sports track and field
The Bisons dominance on the national stage wins 3 gold medals
Faiyaz Chowdhury, staff
The Bisons put on an impressive display at the 2025 U-Sports Track and Field Championships from Thursday, March 6 to Saturday, March 8 at the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse in Windsor, Ont. The herd saw strong results in sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races, jumps and throws, with several athletes securing podium finishes and contributing valuable points to the Bisons’ overall standings.
One of the highlights of the championships was Jordan Soufi’s performance in the men’s 60 metre sprint. After placing second in the preliminaries with a time of 6.70 seconds, Soufi improved in the final, finishing second overall with a time of 6.64 seconds, earning eight points for the Bisons. Tyrell Davis also impressed in the 60 metre event, placing fourth with a time of 6.67 seconds, adding five points to the team’s total.
In the men’s 60 metre hurdles, Adam Andres delivered a strong showing, clocking in at
8.06 seconds in the preliminaries before securing a thirdplace finish in the final with a time of 8.00 seconds. Andres’s performance contributed six points to the team’s tally.
Dawson Mann proved to be a dominant force in the men’s 600 metre event. After winning the preliminary heat with a time of 1:18.53, Mann delivered an outstanding performance in the final, setting a facility record with a time of 1:17.55 to claim the gold medal and 10 points for the team. Mann also competed in the 300 metre, finishing fourth in 34.36 seconds and earning five points for the Bisons.
The field events saw the Bisons secure several top finishes as well. In the men’s high jump, Daxx Turner placed fifth with a clearance of 2.06 metres, while in the men’s triple jump, Turner secured a silver medal with a mark of 15.69 metres, adding eight points to the Bisons’ total. Graham Hutchison-Campbell also participated in the men’s long jump and finished fifth with a leap of 7.26 metres.
The Bisons’ dominance in the throwing events was evident in the men’s weight throw, where Graham Wright claimed the gold medal with 19.61 metres, securing 10 points. Joshua Suelzle added to the team’s success in the same event, finishing third with a throw of 17.91 metres and earning six points. Suelzle also competed in the shot put, where he placed ninth with a throw of 15.07 metres.
On the women’s side, Madisson Lawrence had a remarkable championship, competing in multiple events and earning significant points for the Bisons. Lawrence placed third in the women’s indoor pentathlon 60 metre hurdles with a time of 8.65 seconds and secured a secondplace finish in the pentathlon long jump with a mark of 5.83 metres. Lawrence also placed second in the pentathlon 800 metre with a time of 2:15.91 and finished third in the women’s triple jump with a leap of 12.25 metres. Lawrence’s efforts in the women’s high jump were particularly
notable, as she tied for first place with a clearance of 1.75 metres, sharing the top spot with teammate Lara Denbow, and then claimed gold medal for the women’s indoor pentathlon high jump.
The Bisons’ relay teams also delivered solid performances. The men’s 4x400 metre relay team, consisting of Keenan Allen, Noah Neves, Tyler Cox-Yestrau and Mann, secured a third-place finish with a time of 3:18.66, earning six points. The men’s 4x200 metre relay team placed sixth with a time of 1:30.13, while the men’s 4x800 metre relay squad finished sixth with a
time of 7:38.39, earning three points. On the women’s side, the 4x800 metres relay team finished 13th with a time of 9:16.96, while the 4x400 metre relay team placed 11th with a time of 3:57.48. Overall, at the U-Sport Championships, the Bisons’ efforts were commendable across the board, with standout performances from Mann in the men’s 600 metre, Denbow and Lawrence in the women’s high jump and Wright in the men’s weight throw, each earning gold medals for their exceptional achievements.
photo courtesy of / Connor Sykes
The Bisons fall to the Pandas in semifinals
The women’s volleyball team won no sets against the Alberta Pandas in semifinals
Israel Adeogo Abejoye, staff
The Bisons women’s volleyball team faced off against the Alberta Pandas in the Canada West semifinal in Edmonton on Friday, March 7. Despite a valiant effort, the Bisons lost all three sets 25-19, 26-24 and 25-14 to the Pandas.
The first set started with the Bisons winning the first point after Ronnie Dickson made a service error.
The Pandas quickly tallied the point with a kill by Laila Johnston, assisted by Justine Kolody. The teams then began swapping points, with neither
able to gain a clear advantage.
However, the Pandas scored five consecutive points to take a 23-17 lead. The Bisons were only able to score two more points before Laila Johnston and Allie Moore gave the Pandas the winning points with two kills.
At the end of the first set, the Bisons had eight kills, eight errors and 27 total attempts, while the Pandas had 11 kills, four errors and 25 total attempts.
The second set started with the Pandas scoring the first two points. However, Light
Uchechukwu gave the Bisons their first point with a kill. Both teams then engaged in a back-and-forth scoring duel, with neither able to gain a clear advantage.
The Bisons scored three consecutive points to take a 15-12 lead, but the Pandas responded with three straight points to tie the score 18-18. The Pandas then scored three straight points again to take a 21-19 lead. The Bisons fought back, but the Pandas ultimately won the set 26-24.
In the second set, the Bisons had 17 kills, three errors and
49 total attempts, while the Pandas had 21 kills, two errors and 44 total attempts.
The third set started like the first two, with the Bisons winning the first point. However, the Pandas quickly took control, scoring five consecutive points to take a 18-9 lead. The Bisons were unable to recover, and the Pandas ultimately won the set 25-14.
At the end of the third set, the Bisons had nine kills, six errors and 35 total attempts, while the Pandas had 13 kills, four errors and 36 total attempts.
In total, the Bisons had 34 kills, 17 errors and 111 total attempts, while the Pandas had 45 kills, 10 errors and 105 total attempts.
Despite the loss, the Bisons moved on to face the Saskatchewan Huskies in the third-place match on Saturday, March 8.
The Bisons’ loss to the Pandas marked the end of their bid for a national championship title.
The Bisons end season on a high note
The women’s volleyball team beats the Saskatchewan Huskies to finish 3rd place
Israel Adeogo Abejoye, staff
The Bisons women’s volleyball team secured a thirdplace finish in the Canada West championship after defeating the Saskatchewan Huskies in three of four sets 25-18, 25-16 and 25-18 on Saturday, March 8 in Edmonton.
The first set began with the Huskies winning the first point with a kill from Abbey Klein. However, the Bisons quickly responded with a kill by Eve Catojo, followed by a series of six consecutive
points to take a 7-2 lead. The Huskies struggled to close the gap, and the Bisons ultimately won the set 25-18.
In the second set, the Bisons started strong, opening with a point from Klein’s attack error. However, the Huskies quickly tied the score with a service error by Catojo. The teams then engaged in a backand-forth battle, with neither able to gain a clear advantage. Despite the Bisons’ efforts, the Huskies built a lead, scoring four straight points to make
it 15-10. Although the Bisons later managed to tie the score 22-22, the Huskies won three consecutive points to take the set 25-22.
Determined to secure a third-place finish, the Bisons dominated the third set, scoring the first four points and establishing a significant lead from the outset. The Bisons continued to extend their lead, scoring three consecutive points to make it 16-7, prompting the Huskies to call a timeout. Despite the Huskies’
attempts to rally, the Bisons proved too strong, scoring another three points to take a 24-15 lead. Catojo sealed the set with a kill, securing a 25-16 victory for the Bisons. In the fourth set, the Huskies gained an early advantage with Light Uchechukwu’s attack error, but the Bisons quickly responded with a kill by Raya Surinx. The teams then began swapping points, with the Bisons eventually taking a clear lead, scoring four points to make it 12-7.
Although the Huskies managed to tie the score 17-17, the Bisons scored another four consecutive points to take a 21-17 lead. The Huskies were only able to score one more point, while the Bisons scored four straight points to win the set 25-18.
Throughout the match, the Bisons demonstrated skill and teamwork, with 57 kills, 14 errors and 126 total attempts. In contrast, the Huskies had 46 kills, 26 errors and 136 total attempts.
