27 November 2019

NEWS

Food insecurity skyrockets on campus U of M food bank need surpasses 2018 level by November

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Part of an ongoing series

NEWS

Presidential preparation Michael Benarroch talks future plans and provincial partnership PAGE 3

VO L 1 0 6 · N O 1 5 · N OV E M B E R 2 7, 2 0 1 9 · W W W.T H E M A N I TO B A N .CO M

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Index

VOL. 106 NO. 15 November 27, 2019

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Malak Abas

editor@themanitoban.com / 474.8293

BUSINESS MANAGER Alice Teufack

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ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Pauline Calinisan

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EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Doering

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NEWS EDITOR Garett Williams

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NEWS EDITOR Ty Brass

ARTS AND CULTURE

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COMMENT EDITOR Kenny Ingram

Big in Winnipeg

comment@themanitoban.com

ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Grace Paizen

The U of M’s anime club welcomes all students

arts@themanitoban.com

PAGE 15

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SPORTS EDITOR Jason Pchajek COPY EDITOR Matthew Doering

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ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR Megan Pietrus

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COPY ASSOCIATE Ursula Chojko-Bolec

DESIGN

DESIGN EDITOR Kellie Huynh

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GRAPHICS EDITOR Evan Tremblay

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DESIGN ASSOCIATE Josh Wesey GRAPHICS ASSOCIATE Ernest Zarzuela

COMMENT

Black Friday blues

AUDIO AND VIDEO

VISUAL CONTENT EDITOR Quincy Houdayer

Serial shopping a costly spend

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AUDIO EDITOR Joseph Gonzales

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PHOTO ASSOCIATE Alex Decebal-Cuza PHOTO ASSOCIATE Ally Gonzalo VIDEO ASSOCIATE Nish Joshi VIDEO ASSOCIATE Paul Stabell AUDIO ASSOCIATE Tino Hove

REPORTERS

NEWS Gillian Brown

NEWS Damien Davis NEWS Amira Tekle COLUMNIST Cam Cannon COLUMNIST Meagan Hughes ARTS & CULTURE Kaelen Bell ARTS & CULTURE Zachary Sigurdson SPORTS Isaiah Wagner

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News

News Editor: Garett Williams and Ty Brass Contact: garett@themanitoban.com ty @themanitoban.com / 474.6770

U of M names former Asper dean as next president

Michael Benarroch will assume the role after David Barnard's exit in June TY BRASS, STAFF

PHOTO PROVIDED BY UMTODAY AND TAKEN BY ALIA YOUSSEF

T

he U of M has announced Michael Benarroch — Ryerson University provost and vice-president academic and previous dean of the I.H. Asper School of Business — as its 12th president and vice-chancellor.

Outgoing president David Barnard will finish his term in June.

Benarroch, who moved to Winnipeg at the age of three and obtained his bachelor of arts at the University of Winnipeg, will take up the position on July 1, 2020.

Benarroch said he plans to focus on getting in touch with the community during his first few months on the job.

“I’m really thinking about the first three and six months, and developing a network of really listening to people, and really coming to an understanding of where the community wants to go, and where the province needs the university to go,” he said.

Benarroch said he believes his experience as Asper dean will serve him particularly well as president and vice-chancellor.

“As a dean of a business school, I had an opportunity to really connect with the broader community,” he said, “to connect with the government, to connect with the business community, to connect with non-profits, and I think those things have really helped me.

“I did a fair bit of fundraising in my last couple of years at the Asper school, and I think that will be a

big part of what I’m doing in this The provincial and postuniversities do that extremely well,” secondary “partnership” position.” he said.

Discussing the university’s ongoM a n it o b a’s Progressive “I think in part we have to do a ing goal of Indigenizing the campus, Conservative government is expected better job of educating the public that Benarroch noted that the U of M had to send mandate letters to provin- we’re doing that. And it doesn’t matmade it a priority even during the cially-funded universities “outlining ter what degree you get at a university, presidential hiring process, and said expected students’ outcomes and I believe that students leave univerhe plans on working in partnership financial accountability” in the next sity better prepared to contribute to with newly-appointed vice-president few weeks. Last month, the govern- society.”

Indigenous Catherine Cook to move ment transferred responsibility for Benarroch said that the ideal relaforward. post-secondary education from the tionship between a university and its “This is one of the reasons I want to education minister to the minister of province is a partnership. come to the University of Manitoba, economic development and training.

“The province is the largest funder is because [of] their commitment to Asked how the provincial gov- to the post-secondary institution, but Indigenize the university,” he said. ernment’s vision of post-secondary I think it should be a partnership,” Research plays he said, “and a large role at the that partnership “I did a fair bit of fundraising in my last U of M, with the should be one in institution being which both parcouple of years at the Asper school, and the province’s ties speak to each I think that will be a big part of what foremost research other, both parinstitute, and ties try to underI’m doing in this position” — Michael Benarroch emphastand each other, sized its imporand both parties Benarroch, incoming U of M president tance to students come to a mutual and faculty, and understanding of society at large. institutions aligns with his own, how we should move forward.”

“I believe that research is a core Benarroch said he believes that uniBenarroch said there is a need to fundamental of what all universi- versities are doing their part in eco- keep the university flexible and to be ties should do,” he said. “It’s a really nomically and socially improving the cognizant that in today’s world many important way that faculty are province. students will likely return to school engaged and it’s a big part of their “If you look at what governments for further education. job, and I think students have a huge are doing, at the heart of it they’re “The world is changing,” he said. role to play in that.” asking universities to be part of the “It used to be that you went to uni“If you look at the heart of a lot of equation of preparing students to versity, you went out and got a job inventions, of a lot of products, of a become successful when they leave and worked at that job for 25 years lot of social change, they found their the institution, and to help promote or 30 years, and maybe you moved seeds originally in universities,” he social and economic advancement once in your career, to another job. said. in the province. I actually believe It’s different now.”

“We don’t know what there will be in five years, and so what we have to do at universities is be nimble enough to be able to adapt our programs to those changing markets.”

Speaking about how humanities and arts programs fit into the university’s mandate to improve the province’s economy, Benarroch stressed that such programs are essential for a labour market.

“I actually believe that the humanities programs are critical to educating students who will be successful,” he said.

“When we talk about innovation, we talk about creativity, and if you look at the programs in the humanities, they require a lot of critical thinking, they require a lot of creativity in the work that people are doing.”

“If you’re just training for a job, we will train fewer people ready for the job market, because the job market is changing all the time,” he added.

“What we need to do is give people general skills and knowledge to be able to adapt to changes in the market also, and I believe that that’s also a responsibility, and I think the humanities, the social sciences, and those fields, have gotten a bad rap around this.”

See UMFA | Page 4

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News

News Editor: Garett Williams and Ty Brass Contact: garett@themanitoban.com /ty @themanitoban.com / 474.6770

UMFA criticizes closed search Continued from page 3.

Campus food bank demand surging With two months left in the year, visits have surpassed 2018 levels GILLIAN BROWN, STAFF

The U of M began the process of searching for Barnard’s successor in February. The presidential search committee included UMSU president Jakob Sanderson, UMGSA president Carl Neumann and a University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) member, but was closed to the larger university community.

At that time, UMFA voiced concerns over what it called a “closed, secretive” process. According to UMFA, the senate supported a motion to make the selection process open to the entire university community earlier this year, but the board of governors rejected the proposal.

UMFA president Janet Morrill talked about what the organization would have liked to have been different about the process.

“We would have really welcomed the opportunity to ask our own questions and to see who all the candidates are, and to be able to express our opinions, and hopefully have had our voices heard,” she said.

“We argued pretty strongly that we would like it to be an open search.”

Sanderson, who earlier this year voted in favour of a successful motion which partly opened the search process to the senate, said that after having experienced the process he has a better understanding of why it was closed.

“We were in support of the open search at the outset of this, but I do think that I am understanding of the reasons for it being more closed,” he said.

“In terms of the candidate pool that we were able to get, I think we got a lot of extremely strong candidates, and it would be difficult for me to say definitively if those would have come through as well in an open search process.”

After having sat on the selection committee, Sanderson said he was no longer strongly opposed to the closed search process.

“We need to continue to have consultation with the university and stakeholders in terms of what works best for the university, but I do think that this process led to a number of great candidates,” he said.

Morrill criticized the closed nature of the search.

“I think it’s clear that it shuts people out of the process,” she said. “It doesn’t allow the members of the university community to see who the shortlisted candidates are, to be sure that they understand the candidates, and to have their voices heard.”

“That being said,” she added, “we look forward to working with president Benarroch, I think that we are hopeful that he’ll be really good for the University of Manitoba community.”

U of M Food Bank Visits per Year

“Secretive” search

708 469

755

521 415

310

‘14

‘15

‘16

‘17

‘18

‘19

DATA PROVIDED BY U OF M FOOD BANK AND GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

A

constant issue among cities and universities across the country is food insecurity. At universities across the country, the crisis is only rising — especially at the U of M. When the University of Calgary’s food bank hit 83 users this September, it began running out of food on its shelves.

In 2018, Dalhousie University’s food bank saw a 30 per cent increase in demand and reached 200 users.

Last year, the U of M food bank had 298 users who made over 708 visits. It was the second consecutive year demand increased going back to 2016.

Demand in the first two months of this academic year has increased significantly. There have been 182 users and over 250 visits, not including November numbers.

Visits have also taken a sharp upturn in recent years — 2017 saw just over 500 visits to the U of M food bank, and just over 700 in 2018.

Between January and October of this year, visits to the food bank have already surpassed the entirety of 2018’s numbers.

Full-time enrolment at the U of M increased by 2.8 per cent this year, and overall enrolment surpassed 30,000 students for the first time. The University of Calgary has comparable enrolment. Dalhousie University’s enrolment is just over 19,000.

U of M food bank co-ordinator ments, so people are having to pay understanding of the stresses and Kelsey Bencharski said it is unclear a lot more of their income now on pressures of poverty. if demand is increasing because housing, which doesn’t leave a lot PACA program assistant and community volunteer Kae more students are facing hardship left for food.” or more are aware of the service.

“I think for students the big one Normandeau said the workshop Students can attend the food is just [that] a lot of them are not gives participants a “glimpse into bank once every three weeks to working full time — some are not the life of living on a low income choose from available items off of working at all, some are working for somebody in Winnipeg.” the shelves. Bencharski said she part time — and so trying to pay “Students and faculty are given knows food banks are not the entire those bills plus tuition is really chal- the opportunity to speak to somesolution to solving food insecurity lenging,” she added, noting there body from Winnipeg who has for students on lived experience campus, but the in poverty so “We know that people are having to service helps that they can see alleviate costs. what the truth of make hard choices every month” “Everyone poverty is versus comes in here — Grace Weigelt, director, Winnipeg Harvest what they hear knowing that’s outside of it,” she said. not enough food for anyone for three weeks,” she are many international students PACA hosts workshops said, “but it’s really just to help off- who visit Winnipeg Harvest. throughout the community, and set the cost of some other groceries Louis Gheorghica, a volun- Normandeau, who has experithey might want to buy.” teer with Poverty Awareness and enced food insecurity, said getting Food banks provide assistance Community Action (PACA), has more people involved is crucial to for low-income households, but experienced food inequality first addressing poverty. fall short of meeting the complete hand, and said there is an addi“The name of the group is Poverty needs — and food is not the only tional stigma faced by students.

Awareness and Community Action expense to worry about.

“You’re a student, so people auto- and the most important part of that Winnipeg Harvest director matically think you have the money is community action because povof client services Grace Weigelt for food, which is not necessarily erty impacts everybody,” she said. said while demand for food has the case,” she said. “There’s a lot of “It’s not just people who are in remained consistent this year, people on low-income able to go to the low-income bubble, it’s everynearly half of all regular users are school, but they are either paying body because it impacts every part single adults, including students. so much into their schooling they of our society.

“We know that people are hav- can’t pay for food.”

“Everybody needs to get involved. ing to make hard choices every The Nov. 22 PACA workshop Everybody needs to recognize that month,” she said. “There’s not a had student and faculty partici- we all need to work towards making lot of low-rent housing or apart- pants role-play to develop a deeper this change.”

VOL. 106 NO. 15 November 27, 2019

News

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Indigenous voices lead Transgender Day of Remembrance MMIWG report acknowledgment of LGBTTQ* violence only a start, organizers say DAMIEN DAVIS, STAFF

Transgender Day of Remembrance was Nov. 20 and, along with city-wide vigils and community gatherings, students at the U of M remembered those lost. Members of Rainbow Pride Mosaic set up an installation in UMSU University Centre featuring cards with names of murdered transgender people on strings to honour those lost to anti-transgender violence.

PHOTOS BY ALEX DECEBAL-CUZA

W

innipeg’s LGBTTQ* commu“I suggested that we put an with the inquiry’s investigators and she said. “So it's a small step in the nity came together inside the Indigenous focus on the healing por- said she consulted with researchers right direction, but I also feel like we WestEnd Commons Neighbourhood tion of it and that it include two-spirit when it was noticed there were no have a larger responsibility within our Resource Centre Nov. 20 for a stories and voices,” she said. statistics for missing and murdered trans community.”

Transgender Day of Remembrance “A lot of my trans kin around the two-spirit people.

While people were taking their that brought attention to two-spirit organizing table actually supported She said the report is a start, but seats at the vigil, volunteers handed voices. the decision to have two-spirit voices its recommendations need to be put attendees self-care packages.

The vigil was volunteer-run and at the forefront.”

Contents varied, organized by grassroots communities In June, the but common items “The youth absolutely give me so much within the city.

National Inquiry included honey While acknowledging and into M issing and notebooks. hope” — Brielle Beardy-Linklater, organizer mourning lives lost from transgender and Murdered The organizviolence around the world — includ- Indigenous ers put effort into ing deaths in the city this year — the Women and Girls (MMIWG) into action. creating a space where people could vigil focused on putting Indigenous released its final report, which “I did look at the report and the feel comfortable and safe to mourn voices at the forefront. acknowledges that “the rates of calls for justice, and the language is while also taking care of themselves Brielle Beardy-Linklater, whose violence are equally alarming for there, but I think it goes so much afterward. This was expressed durRainbow Warriors helped organize members of the 2SLGBTQQIA more than advocacy actually,” she ing the vigil as well with two-spirit the vigil alongside Trans Manitoba community, who are often erased or said. individuals providing songs and playand Mx. Media Projects, said all the left out of national statistics.”

“It has to transfer into action and ing drums. organizers supported highlighting Beardy-Linklater said she was the way that we do that is by centring Beardy-Linklater said that, Indigenous voices. brought to Toronto in 2018 to meet trans voices and their calls to action,” despite the violence and discrimina-

tion faced by the LGBTTQ* community, she remains “hopeful for the future, because we need to have hope.”

“We understand and acknowledge the reality of our trans brothers and sisters and non-binary kin being targeted by colonial and gender-based violence,” she said.

“We need to continue to fight for them to honour their memories, but also because there’s so many transgender and two-spirit youth who are still looking to come up and they deserve to be here with us today too.”

“They need to live a life free of violence, free of ridicule, and know that there are community supports that are there for them,” Beardy-Linklater added.

“The youth absolutely give me so much hope.”

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News

News Editor: Garett Williams and Ty Brass Contact: garett@themanitoban.com /ty @themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Architecture, engineering faculties search for next dean Jonathan Beddoes, dean of both faculties, set to finish his term this year GILLIAN BROWN, STAFF

PHOTO BY ALEX DECEBAL-CUZA

D

ean of the architecture and engineering faculties Jonathan Beddoes is set to complete his terms for both positions this year, and the search for someone to fill the roles is underway.

Of the candidates nominated for the faculty of architecture in 2017, Beddoes — who possesses an engineering degree — was selected for the position halfway through the five-year decanal term after the recommended leave of dean Ralph Stern by the Canadian Association of University Teachers in 2015 because of a “culture of fear and retribution.”

Fourth-year architecture student

and vice-stick external of the Student student and SAS vice-stick internal Architectural Society (SAS) Hanna Keland Newton, was impressed with Henriksson-Rebizant — one of two Beddoes’s willingness to involve stustudents sitting on the committee dents in decision making. who will select the next dean — said “I was honestly so surprised at how she is nervous to see Beddoes go. much he actually wanted to hear from “[Stern] stepped down, and they me, and cares about how we feel,” said got Beddoes, and he kind of saved Miller. everything,” she said. “He really While she appreciates the work brought us back up.”

Beddoes has done as dean of the “He’s actually done a pretty good faculty of architecture, Henrikssonjob I think so far, especially being Rebizant said it would be an asset for from engineering.” the next dean to have more familiarHenriksson-Rebizant, along ity with the design process. with fourth-year architecture stu“It’s a different schooling,” she said. dent and SAS president Samantha “All of our profs went through the Miller and third-year interior design same thing as us, really. And that

can be good and bad. At least with that, they understand our concerns and needs and our wants.”

The students noted a certain mentality among the professors within the faculty that doesn’t allow for spare time or smaller projects.

“This faculty really teaches you how to work hard and be your own person,” said Henriksson-Rebizant.

“It teaches you how to toughen up.”

The three students noted that they would like to see more integration between the disciplines offered through the faculty of architecture, with Miller calling the current system “frustrating.”

“I only know a third of the information that my degree sort of should know,” she said.

“Anything that should be improved, it should be collaboration.”

The students also said that compared to the faculty of engineering — which Beddoes is also the dean of — architecture students have to pay much more out of their own pockets for access to machines and materials.

Miller compared it to her experience in the faculty of arts.

“I remember we were printing a couple assignments per year,” she said, “and maybe used $5 total throughout the entire year. [Now] I use $50 every few months of printing.”

The additional costs come from the fact that students in the faculty use more materials than those in others for their projects, assignments and models.

FABLab manager Jason Hare noted in an email that costs for using equipment in the workshop — which

are based on consumables used for the equipment — are not covered by the faculty because the equipment is not used equally across the faculty’s four graduate departments.

Hare also said that engineering

“People don’t understand this faculty, they think it’s the easier version of engineering, and it’s completely different” — Hanna HenrikssonRebizant, SAS vicestick external students in certain courses may end up paying for fewer materials outof-pocket because the materials are covered by the lab fees they pay.

Henriksson-Rebizant, Miller and Newton said that funding for student projects and materials is lower than required.

“Our faculty is not just arts and crafts,” said Henriksson-Rebizant.

“People don’t understand this faculty, they think it’s the easier version of engineering, and it’s completely different.”

UMSU president urges city to scrap fee hike AMIRA TEKLE, STAFF

U

MSU president Jakob Sanderson went before the Winnipeg city council during its Nov. 21 meeting to urge councillors to scrap the expected upcoming $24.50 increase to the

mented at the U of M in the fall 2016 The primary reason given by the the U of M via dedicated rapid transit term, currently comes at a cost of city for the cost increase is the inclu- lines. According to Winnipeg Transit, $136.25 to students per term. sion of Red River College students the cost of the project is $467.3 million.

The fee increase would see that in the U-Pass program.

UMSU has previously attempted cost rise to $160.75.

Sanderson related to council fears to negotiate a summer U-Pass proAccording to Sanderson, the pro- that students would vote down the gram with the city and Winnipeg gram has single-handedly removed prospect of a more expensive U-Pass Transit.

5,000 vehicles from routes leading that would not bring any additional In October, the public works comto and from the U of M. benefit directly to U of M students. mittee was mandated to examine an He said that 62 per cent of stu“Increasing costs on our students UMSU plan that would justify an dents said they take transit more often by $24.50 per term with no additional increased U-Pass fee by stretching now than prior to fall 2016, and that benefits to U-Pass users is something its coverage period through the sumthe U-Pass increased ridership on that is, frankly, a tough sell,” he said. mer term. routes to the U of M by 25 per cent.

“Even Winnipeg Transit, in their The committee is set to report back “The U-Pass, though, I think is report, has expressed concern that within the next two months with a essential and [should] not be seen this recommendation could put the verdict on the plan. just as a subsidy for students,” said program at risk, which is something While Sanderson conceded Sanderson, “but actually as a program I believe strongly the city should not that he can not promise an UMSU that reduces traffic on major thor- want to do.” endorsement of the fee increase, he oughfares, frees up parking spaces, The current contract between the said he would be in favour of a conand makes a major impact on the city, Winnipeg Transit and UMSU tinuation of the program regardless city and sustainability,” he said at expires May, 31, 2020, though of the fee increases in a referendum. the council meeting.

Sanderson has previously mentioned “If this fee increase does go PHOTO BY ALLY GONZALO UMSU is required by law to take a clause that would allow for a one- through, at that point it’s up to the any fee increases above the rate of year continuation of the pass’s current students, what they want to do,” U-Pass, calling the impact the pass inflation to a referendum of the stu- terms while negotiations continue Sanderson told council. has made on students and sustainabil- dent body. and has voiced support for that option.

“I can tell you that I would vote ity in the city at large “unambiguously This leaves the fate of the program Construction recently con- ‘Yes’ because I’d like to see the U-Pass positive.” in the hands of city council, and if the cluded on Stage 2 of the Southwest program continue.”

The U-Pass program, imple- increase is passed, UMSU members. Transitway, which links downtown to

Editorial Editor-In-Chief: Malak Abas Contact: Editor@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

8

Government meddling in higher education irresponsible

Post-secondary education only suffers from higher provincial oversight MALAK ABAS, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

“C

razy Marxists” rejoice — Doug Ford’s “Student Choice Initiative” (SCI) has been shot down

by Ontario courts.

The initiative, announced by Ford’s Progressive Conservatives (PCs) in January, allows post-secondary students to opt out of any ancillary fees they do not consider essential. By May, the Canadian Federation of Students had taken the case to Ontario’s Divisional Court, which unanimously ruled the SCI unlawful last week.

The argument held by Ford and the PCs was simple: students shouldn’t pay for what students don’t use and, according to Ford, students don’t use student unions. In an email requesting donations sent by Ford in February, he said students are “forced” into student unions.

“I think we all know what kind of crazy Marxist nonsense student unions get up to,” Ford added in the email.

In reality, the verdict by the courts should come as a comforting appeal to common sense to students at any intersection of the political spectrum.

The reasoning was cut-and-dry to say the least. Universities require a certain modicum of independence from government intervention to be productive, and part of that freedom

includes the ability to make agree- letters from the province.

Association (UMFA) strike in 2016, mandates based on workforce trends ments with student government and The premier was quoted the very the U of M was ordered to apolo- is an ouroboros that creates a more the wider student body to collect next day saying he believed it was gize and pay fines to UMFA when dysfunctional society — a university and allocate fees to be budgeted and an attempt to keep post-secondary the Manitoba Labour Board ruled that doesn’t fund programs outside of accounted for democratically. institutions “relevant” to “the people the university had been directed to those creating the most jobs inevitaStudent union fees provide stu- of the province who pay their bills.” engage in unlawful labour practice bly results in communities without a dents with so much that it is almost Knowing this comes after by the government. diversity of knowledge or skills. impossible to attend university withTreating universities and the It is a difficult task for universities out benefiting from their services. people who work within them, be — who have to juggle accountabilHere at the U of M, some of the they faculty or student government ity to stakeholders and to the ecoThe slippery slope many supports UMSU fees are at members, as pawns to clumsily insert nomic status of the province with the of government least partially responsible for include their own biases into what should be responsibility they have to create an scholarships and bursaries, commua space kept at an arm’s length from environment of academic freedom intervention in postnity group funding, UMFM and political interference seems to be a without the looming constraints of secondary matters childcare services. Part of UMSU’s disturbing new trend for Canada’s government intervention. But it is agreement with the university and Conservative premiers. undeniable that the premier flaunting has historically wider student body echoes the reaA recent study published by that the provincial government is the soning of the Ontario courts that if the Canadian Journal of Higher “most significant funder” of universihurt the U of M students don’t want to pay for these Education found that universities ties in Manitoba and thus deserves supports, they can say so via referin the country have been facing a looming input is not the right answer. endum. There is something inher- Pallister’s latest cabinet shuffle that declining level of autonomy and an It is not the responsibility of the ently ironic about Conservatives removed post-secondary responsi- increasing level of supervision from government to decide how universicalling for intensified government bilities from the education minister the province. While this makes some ties form their mandates, just as it is intervention, but attempts like these and handed them to the minister of sense if you consider the direction the not the responsibility of the governto creep further control over post- economic development and training, country has been going in terms of ment to decide how students spend secondary operations is nothing new one might wonder if Pallister is fully job requirements — more jobs require their money within those institutions. to Conservatives across the country. aware of what universities do. a university degree, and universities For a provincial government to In Manitoba, it is becoming a more The slippery slope of government are accepting more students — the seek control beyond the governmentregular occurrence by the day. intervention in post-secondary mat- fact remains that the core goal of appointed boards that already exist is The same week the SCI was ters has historically hurt the U of M. post-secondary institutions should irresponsible. Students and potential deemed unlawful in Ontario, After communications between the not change. students should consider the failure Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister then-new Progressive Conservative The idea that being hireable or of the SCI in Ontario and watch for announced in his throne speech that government and university admin- “relevant” in the workforce is some- the impact these mandate letters will the province’s post-secondary insti- istration became apparent during how entirely parallel to higher educa- have on the future of higher educatutions would be receiving mandate the University of Manitoba Faculty tion as a pursuit is dangerous. Setting tion in Manitoba.

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Comment Comment Editor: Kenny Ingram Contact: comment@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

10

The housing dilemma of capitalism leaves many behind Fight for a system that goes beyond individualism and ensures we are all fairly valued CAM CANNON, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

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ver the last few years, news creates a situation where parents must their families? stories about lone parents and choose between accommodations The answer is two-fold. their children being left homeless by that are affordable and ones that are On a very basic level, capitalism a lacking social support network have suitable. structurally tends toward the impovbeen periodically popping up.

On top of that, even when fac- erishment of working-class families As austerity is ramping up in toring in the possible supports from that fall outside the norms of the Manitoba, we can only expect these Employment and Income Assistance, “nuclear family” — a family consiststories to become more common. total income remains well below the ing of two parents and their children, Last week, a mother with six poverty line. residing together. children was evicted from Manitoba This case is far from being the Housing in Winnipeg’s North End only one.

Capitalism when a fire was accidentally started It is part of a wider collection of by one of her children. crises in Manitoba encompassing structurally demands They are now being forced to everything from housing shortthat families, at the find housing on the private market ages and flaws in social assistance — something much easier said than to our particular political-economic very least, resemble done. arrangements.

The mother will need to find a According to a recent report from the nuclear family home with four or more bedrooms Campaign 2000 and the CCPA, to avoid intervention by Child and two federal ridings in Winnipeg — Family Services.

Winnipeg Centre and Winnipeg The challenge is that any apart- North — have some of the highest Welfare reform can ease this, but ment of that size is likely to be rates of childhood poverty in the not resolve it. unaffordable. country at 40.5 per cent and 31.5 per But further, the ideological comAccording to a 2018 report from cent respectively. The report also mitment to individualism that’s centhe Canadian Centre for Policy notes that the ridings with the high- tral to liberalism and conservatism Alternatives (CCPA), the vast major- est levels of childhood poverty also makes long-lasting effective solutions ity of units with three or more bed- have the highest proportion of lone unthinkable to politicians. rooms would be out of reach even if parent families.

Capitalism structurally demands the family was receiving the maxiThe obvious question is: Why that families, at the very least, resemmum shelter benefit with Rent Assist. doesn’t the government just provide ble the nuclear family.

It seems that the social assistance adequate support for lone parents and Such an “ideal” family has a clear

division of labour with one parent to support the family with wages, and another to take on the reproductive labour, including child-rearing, cooking and cleaning.

One parent to sell their labour directly, and another to do the work of ensuring there is labour to be sold in the future.

As of 2015, however, this is the case for only 27 per cent of Canadian families.

Regardless of how many families actually resemble the nuclear family in practice, the fact remains that a lone parent does the work of what our society considers to be two people. Removing one parent from the equation results in the loss of what can be provided in terms of material provision and reproductive labour.

Individualism —which is actually familism — is at the centre of each of the two dominant ideologies in Canada — liberal and conservative, essentially two sides of the same coin.

What this means is that the championing of a pure self-sufficiency, those loud proclamations that no one owes you a living when people ask for more of anything — lately, a common refrain to calls for higher wages

and improved social safety nets — is really claiming that only your family is responsible for you, not society.

If you or your family can’t lift you up by your bootstraps, you’re just not trying hard enough and are making poor decisions. Society assisting you will only encourage you to keep making those decisions.

If a person wants to have a family outside of the “traditional” nuclear family structure, they absolutely should have the right to do that without being punished for it.

In the short term, it is important to rally and fight for improvements to what supports do exist. We need to defend our communities against the austerity being handed down on us by the government.

In the long term, we need to come together and fight for a system that goes well beyond the constraints of capitalism and individualism.

We need to value each other as humans and make sure absolutely nobody can fall through the cracks again.

This is not just a fight for lone parents, this is a fight for all of us.

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Comment Editor: Kenny Ingram Contact: comment@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

ISP censorship is a recipe for internet corporatization Federal Court’s ruling must be overturned in order to avoid the end of independent media KENNY INGRAM, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

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anadian courts have revealed internet is a recipe for disaster, and their true priorities in the move contrary to what should have been to censor the internet. done to address piracy.

On Nov. 15, the Federal Court Concerns should have been officially ordered Canadian inter- addressed through the parliamennet service providers (ISPs) to block tary process. access to a website selling pirated Canada already has legislation content. which deals with this type of theft, In the rationale for making the including the Copyright Act, the decision, the court deemed that the Telecommunications Act and the ruling would not infringe on freedom Broadcasting Act. They just need of expression or net neutrality. modernization since each are over The case made its way up to the 25 years old.

Rather than going through these Federal Court when Canada’s largest telecommunications companies channels and making legislative recteamed up to file a complaint earlier ommendations, ISPs — because of this year. their power — were rushed into a The court’s rationale is short- court case and given a ruling which sighted. Ordering ISPs to censor the sets a dangerous precedent.

ISPs should not be dictating what is and isn’t viewable on the internet.

Giving them this power will obviously have adverse effects on the free and fair exchange of ideas.

This dynamic can be seen in the U.S. While the gigantic ISPs and the biggest corporations who own content always win, independent media and free and fair expression lose.

ISPs have an incredible amount of control over the internet in the U.S., and the control was only strengthened when the Federal Communications Commission eliminated net neutrality rules.

During a CNN Democratic presidential candidate debate in August,

many independent media networks gave commentary on the debate in real time.

Instead of being allowed to stream the content and comment — the personification of fair use — their streams were instead, almost immediately, shut down by streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

These streaming platforms are not held accountable to the U.S. government and its copyright laws, but rather how the ISPs’ interpretation of what is deemed to be fair use.

CNN’s parent company, Turner Broadcasting System, is owned by AT&T — one of the largest ISPs nationwide.

If websites are accountable to gigantic corporations that drive the traffic to their site, they will ultimately side with those same corporations.

In Canada, the Federal Court’s ruling is a ticking time bomb.

Canada’s largest ISPs also own much of the content Canadians consume online.

This includes the news media, with CTV owned by Bell Media and Global News owned by Shaw Communications. The same goes for sports networks, with Rogers Media owning Sportsnet and Bell Media owning TSN. This newfound authority of ISPs to censor content will have adverse effects, and the effects will come soon.

Any smaller, independent person or company that is not well-connected will be subject to the rules of ISPs, who now wield the authority to literally shut down entire platforms.

Big telecom — who provided internet services to nearly 90 per cent of Canadians in 2017 — is widely known

to work together with its oligopoly to raise prices.

Why would they then not use these new rules to similarly benefit themselves and their content by drowning out smaller voices?

In Canada, the Federal Court’s ruling is a ticking time bomb Any independent outlet is likely not to stand a chance.

In sports, independent podcasts rely on the large corporations’ coverage of games to provide commentary.

Similarly, with news, independent media largely relies on the coverage of the large companies who have the resources to do investigative journalism.

Who’s to adjudicate the interpretation of what can and cannot be used for the purposes of commentary? If it’s up to the corporations who own the content, it will not be a benevolent interpretation.

It’s clear that this Federal Court ruling must be appealed.

But more than just an end to ISPs’ control over internet content, ISPs’ stranglehold of the market and power as a whole must be broken up.

It is only due to the immense power of an oligopolistic industry that a case like this — arguing over the right to make a profit off of content — made its way to the Federal Court in the first place.

VOL. 106 NO. 15 November 27, 2019

Comment 13

Black Friday shopping a high-stress bargain

Retail during the peak season is tough on stressed-out workers and patrons alike MEAGAN HUGHES, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY ERNEST ZARZUELA

T

he holiday season can be a particularly stressful time for everyone.

This is for a myriad of reasons, including financial constraints and the pressure to find perfect gifts for family and friends.

These stresses can be greatly amplified by the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, usually beginning with Black Friday.

Black Friday is one of the biggest retail shopping days of the whole year. According to data from the Retail Council of Canada’s Holiday Shopping Survey 2019, 43 per cent of Canadians intend to shop Black Friday deals this year, and 32 per cent of Canadians plan to shop online for Cyber Monday.

But what is this surge in pressure to buy things and spend money doing to our mental health?

Holiday shopping itself has a definite effect on our brains. When we are surrounded by pressure to spend

and are manipulated by retail and online marketing to “hurry while quantities last” and take advantage

Perhaps if instead of feeling pressured to spend more during the holidays we embraced spending less, we could eliminate some of the headache of the holidays of the “last chance to save 60 per cent,” we are coerced into making an on-the-fly decision about our hardearned money.

When we give in and buy nonessential things that we desire in the moment, our brains anticipate this as a reward and we then experience a rush of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is associated with addiction. However, this leaves a chemical imbalance in our brains which can leave us feeling a need to bring back the rush and in turn leading to overspending and even shopping addiction in the most extreme cases.

According to PwC Canada, Canadian consumers plan to spend an average of $1,593 on expenses this holiday season, including gifts.

Shopping centres and retail stores are a common source of worry during the holiday season, not just for shoppers but for retail employees as well.

Retail employees report higher levels of emotional distress such as anxiety and irritability as compared to other professions.

This leaves employees feeling

meaningless, with the end result being workers who have to deal with deep depression and who are barely able to function.

There is a multitude of retail horror stories out there told by past and current workers, and the holiday season can certainly bring out some extreme emotions in people.

As someone who has worked in retail for years, I have seen a stark personality shift in a lot of my colleagues at this time of year, and in customers as well.

Tensions are high and retail employees must work hard to manage the higher volume of customers who also tend to be stressed out during this season from all the demands and expectations.

This can cause customers’ stresses to be directed toward retail workers as they may become inpatient if they are shopping at a busy store and can be especially snarky when discounted

prices are involved, or rather when the amount of the discount is not satisfactory.

Perhaps if instead of feeling pressured to spend more during the holidays we embraced spending less, we could eliminate some of the headache of the holidays. Opting for less expensive and more personal or handmade gifts may be good options for people wanting to bring more meaning to gift giving and wanting to contribute less to the commodification of the holidays.

If we focus more on spending time with our loved ones instead of spending our hard-earned cash, we may have an easier time keeping our cool.

Then perhaps we can really enjoy the season and make the best of this time.

It can be hard to find balance, but it is crucial that we make time for ourselves and take care of our needs amid the chaos.

Diversions Graphics Editor: Evan Tremblay Contact: graphics@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

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15

Arts & Culture Arts & Culture Editor: Grace Paizen Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Building student community through anime UMAnime members say the group is more than just another student club ZACHARY SIGURDSON, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY ERNEST ZARZUELA

From live-action remakes, to hang out and discuss their favourite — Winnipeg’s annual Japanese anime came to [the] U of M from my high have a conversation with.” streaming services like Crunchyroll shows, Guillermo said that the group and pop-culture convention — in school. The anime club helped me Part of Gomes’s objective as a and old-fashioned bootlegs, anime’s hosts game nights.

2001. The convention is an annual find a community of people and a member is to educate other students continually growing influence on pop “We’ll book a room for the entire delight for anime fans throughout group of friends.” about anime and help straighten out culture makes the case that Japanese club, have fun, play games, socialize, the city.

Behl said the diversity of the club unflattering stereotypes that are often animation is not quite the niche inter- eat food,” he said.

UMAnime continues to contrib- was a major draw for him. associated with his cartoon passion. est it once was.

UMAnime even hosts events ute to the convention by having a “There are so many different types “Anime is sophisticated,” Gomes The potential for animation to be — such as screening anime films — booth and providing volunteer hours of students in the club,” he said. said. “There’s often a whole lot of topa medium for adults has always been for the general student community. for its members.

“It’s not just stereotypical nerds. ics that are encountered or discussed constrained by the western cultural The club’s outreach to the student It’s not like everyone sits around and […] You can deal with death or you notion that reserves animation for community is so wide, students who watches anime all the time, it’s just a can deal with betrayal or deal with “It’s not just younger audiences. never had an interest in anime before normal group of people.” loss or depression [through anime].”

But the members of the U of M’s have found a home in the club.

Recent members of the club who In fact, Gomes thinks “people stereotypical nerds” anime club, UMAnime, make an Jappan Behl, a first-year mem- had a passion for anime, but lacked underestimate the reach and influ— Jappan Behl, argument for why anime shouldn’t ber of the club, said he “didn’t really a community to share their passion ence of anime.” be seen in this light. know anything about anime” before with, have found the community they “They underestimate the kind of UMAnime member Edison Guillermo, former presijoining the club. have always longed for in UMAnime. medium it is […] If they were to give dent and 2019-20 club advisor, said “And after I joined the club, people Victor Gomes, a recent member who it an honest and sincere look, they’d anime “is not just geared toward chilstarted really trying to bring me in describes himself as “a huge anime realize that there’s much more to it dren, it’s more toward young adults After the club screened Your Name and tell me about all the different freak,” is one of those students. than they could ever imagine.” and older audiences as well […] It by Makoto Shinkai — one of the anime — that’s when I started watch“I spend a whole lot of time watchcaters [to] pretty much audiences of highest-grossing anime films of all ing anime,” he said. ing anime, researching a whole bunch all ages.” time and critical darling — they had “I found a lot of different experi- of things about different characters in For more information and regular Guillermo said the club encour- a major influx of new members. ences throughout my first year of different animes,” Gomes said. updates, UMAnime can be found on ages members “to have a sense of As for the general community of university. Last year was my first “I just wanted someone or a group Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and community.” Not only does the group Winnipeg, the U of M Anime Club year, and I didn’t really have a lot of of people that had similar hobbies Discord. For further information visit have a clubroom where members can was central to the creation of Ai-Kon friends outside of a few people who and interests as me — that I could the student clubs page on umsu.ca.

16

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Grace Paizen Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

“Dancing from the inside out” ‘Actualize’ opens the Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers’ 55th season GRACE PAIZEN, STAFF

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anada’s oldest and longest running contemporary dance company, Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers (WCD), will debut their all-Winnipeg talent show Actualize on Nov. 29.

As part of its 55th season, WCD artistic director Jolene Bailie hopes to celebrate both contemporary dance as well as her love for Winnipeg with the show.

“Part of [the show] comes into my

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PRESS KIT

place in the community and what I have done for the last 20 years.

“Part of it comes from my absolute love of the Winnipeg dance community and the dancers that have devoted their lives [to contemporary dance],” Bailie said.

“It’s abstract, it’s contemporary dance, all of those things […] it really is dancing from the inside out, and often dancing about ideas and subjects that people have a hard time

dialoguing about or even finding the words to describe the sensation they’re feeling.”

Actualize is composed of 10 dancers, five completely new to WCD and five who have experience with the company. The three works featured in the show are all choreographed by local choreographers, one by Bailie herself.

Bailie said this is her first work in a WCD show. Called “The Space In-Between,” Bailie’s piece is “a reflection on how we really get to know people, how we relate to people and who we are in those moments in between.”

“We see things like a prism — [our perspective of the world] bounces off different edges and reflects back on us — but we also do that to other people, and I think the things we take in on that sort of subtle subconscious level about people, and that intangible sense of who somebody is, is also really reflective of who we are.”

The main purpose of Actualize is to capture a glimpse of what Winnipeg is, as a community, right now.

Contemporary dancers “are really

driven to expressing the very personal “We’re not telling the audience, side of humanity,” Bailie said.

‘This is what the show is about and “It’s kind of like, realistic fiction this is what we want you to see,’” she in a sense. said.

“It could really happen, or you “It’s like, ‘What is your actual really felt that way at some point experience?’” in your life and it has that sort of Actualize is a work designed to open deep connection in the gut as reflect “on humanity on a deep level” opposed to watching a very pretty and get an “inner glimpse of people show.” right now.” The show is “important The name of the show, as explained for our evolution, for us to realize our

by Bailie, is to create an opportunity potential and capacities of human for the dancers, the creators and the beings.” audience to really express and share “People who choreograph and work the present moment. in dance are very good at reading peo“The gift of present is something ple,” Bailie said. that is so unique to dance,” she said.

“It’s their job to decipher body lan“Dance is an artform that doesn’t guage, what’s going on in scenarios live in a manuscript, or on a wall, or and then to create work.”

“Contemporary dance is not just in a book.

“It really requires the absolute, the form of dance that is contemhundred per cent gift of presence in porary […] it’s a form of dance that that moment.” is created by a very contemporary Bailie hopes the show will bring mindset,” she said. the audience into the experience “That’s what drives the work.” and hopes the audience will reflect on how they actualize themselves in Actualize runs from Nov. 29 to Dec. the different pieces — if they can see 1 at the Rachel Browne Theatre. For themselves in the work and if they tickets or more information visit can relate to the work. winnipegscontemporarydancers.ca.

A musical history lesson of the Winnipeg General Strike Based on the popular musical, ‘Stand!’ is set to make its nation-wide film debut GRACE PAIZEN, STAFF

M

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DANNY SCHUR

arking the 100th anniversary main characters Mike and Stefan of the Winnipeg General Sokolowski’s search for accommoStrike, Winnipeg playwright and dations and jobs, juxtaposed against composer Danny Schur’s adaptation the richly coloured environments of of his popular musical Strike! will hit the wealthy’s houses later in the film. screens nationwide Nov. 29 as Stand!

The film’s themes read as importhe motion picture. tant in our present time of labour Shot entirely in Winnipeg in uncertainty — there’s even a duet the summer of 2018 — with two between Stefan and love interest Winnipeg actors billed in title roles Rebecca that addresses the gender — Stand! brings a Winnipeg event that wage gap. changed the course of labour rights But the song sequences are where forever to the big screen.

Strike! The Musical may have worked The beginning of the film fore- better than its movie twin. The freezeshadows the turmoil of that fateful frame moments — where actors six-week period in 1919 by using shots freeze in place while another actor of newspaper headlines warning of sings around them — is a method Bolshevik uprisings, emphasizing the best accomplished on the stage, letsmall pittance made by immigrant ting the audience in on the thoughts labourers and focusing on injured of the character singing. In the movie, this practice comes off as jarring more than artistic.

The best feature of Though, that is not to say all the songs in the movie are like this. the film is how it The title song “Stand” — sung by Winnipeg actor Lisa Bell — is a deals in signifiers powerful sequence, and her reprieve of the song to conclude the film nicely frames the movie. soldiers not only returning from the Another shortfall of the script First World War, but also acknowl- is the role of Helen Armstrong. edging how soldiers who fought Though an important and arguably were unable to find work when they still unknown figure of the strike, returned home from the war, with Armstrong’s character in the film their employers opting for immigrant comes off as a white saviour role. Her labourers they could pay at a reduced entrance explaining the foreigners’ rate. problems to the foreigners is uncomColour is extremely relevant to fortable, and her encouraging the the storyline starting from the first ethnic minorities that they are doing scene. Greyscale is used to document a fine job with the strike comes off as

condescending.

The eastern European accents in the film are also — at times — patchy.

It is understandable to want historical accuracy in a re-enactment of an event that was centred on race and ethnicity but, unless done well, accents can become disconcerting very quickly.

That said, the best feature of the film is how it deals in signifiers. The ability to sing “God Save the King” is the signifier of assimilation, whiteness and Canadian patriotism. The Métis veteran’s uniform gives soldier Gabriel a superpower of being treated the same as a white man for the first time in his life, and his refusal to take it off can be read as the struggle to embrace his own roots in the white world of Canada, where he would be easily stereotyped without his uniform.

And in a too-close-to-home feel, the Canadian soldiers out of work rail against immigrants coming to their country and disrespecting them in a very Don Cherry-esque rant.

Even if the Romeo and Juliet subplot of the movie isn’t your cup of tea, Stand! certainly educates its audience about the Winnipeg General Strike.

These are important lessons, reminding us that democracy and labour rights are fragile practices in need of constant gardening.

Stand! debuts at both the Scotiabank Theatre, at CF Polo Park, and the Cineplex Odeon McGillivray Cinemas Nov. 29.

VOL. 106 NO. 15 November 27, 2019

’Toban Turntable KAELEN BELL, STAFF

Arts & Culture

17

Manitoba mainstays form local supergroup New Wales debuts first single ‘Winnipeg’ KAELEN BELL, STAFF

PHOTO PROVIDED BY EAGLE & HAWK

Eagle & Hawk — ‘Liberty,’ 3.5/5

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interesting than they seem on first listen, and though there’s a certain naivety to the record — a clunky lyric here and there — there’s also a refreshing positivity, an uplifting sense that all is not lost.

Traditional drums, horns, blushing keys, electronic touches and lush backing vocals weave in and out of relatively standard rock structures and grant the record a playful liveliness that belies its heavy subject matter — environmental degradation, spiritual disconnect, the rights of women and immigrants and both literal and figurative borders.

hether or not we really are blindly hurtling toward the apocalypse, these can feel like dark and scary times.

The naively imagined bounty of politically-driven protest art that was supposed be born from fascism’s western rise hasn’t necessarily materialised.

Instead we’re left with an increasingly fractured world and the question of what protest music is meant to sound like in 2019.

Should it be angry, sly and humorous like Slowthai’s Nothing Great About Britain? Glittering and mournful à la Anohni’s Hopelessness?

There is something Dirty and indirect like U.S. Girls’s to be said for a In a Poem Unlimited?

The answer, of course, is all of sunnier kind of the above. However, there is something to be said for a sunnier kind of protest song protest song — a protest powerful not for its righteousness and rage, but for its refusal to be anything but light in the face of growing It’s the keys, courtesy of recently darkness. passed icon Gerry Atwell, that help Think the sunny psychedelia raise this record above standard of Kacey Musgraves’s blockbuster fare. A celestial counter to all the Golden Hour in service of the planet fist raising and bluster, Atwell’s rather than a new love. touch is the playful heart of Liberty, It’s in this realm that Eagle & floating through these songs like Hawk’s Liberty finds itself — an will-o’-the-wisp. album whose loudly political subIt’s in these guiding beams that ject matter is offset by a heartening, Eagle & Hawk make their best case decidedly summery soundscape. for Liberty’s sunny disposition. It’s The long-running, proudly not enough to simply be simply Indigenous band’s first collection angry and scared. of songs in nine years was released Instead, there must also be levity, Nov. 13, and acts as a sort of love a way forward, a belief in humansong to the earth and its people — a ity’s essential goodness. solidly constructed set of major-key Perhaps there is a light in all that contemporary rock songs pleasantly darkness. subverted by softly glowing synth figures and a refusal to wallow in despair.

Want us to review your band?

The songs on Liberty are more Email arts@themanitoban.com today!

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY PRESS KIT

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reating music, touring and but still had some depth to them.” inescapable weight to its searching exposing oneself to the world However, even the best-laid lyrics, a weight that comes naturally — these things are rarely easy. But plans go astray, and Pankratz said when creating in a city as complifor the members of New Wales, hints of darkness still wormed their cated as Winnipeg. forming a new band with a com- way into New Wales’s surging pop “For these songs, I was kind of bined century of music-industry rock. trying to draw on the city itself and experience between them, is cause our experiences here,” he said. for a new kind of stress.

“It obviously changes the way we “The anxieties are a little bit dif- “For these songs, I think about things.” ferent now,” said David Pankratz Pankratz describes the song as was kind of trying — a member of the newly formed embodying the democratic nature to draw on the Winnipeg super-group. of New Wales — the creative vet“We just have so many balls in erans coming together and sharing city itself and the air right now — I think there’s ideas freely, massaging songs into 10 or 11 kids between all of us. We’re the best versions of themselves. our experiences all working full-time jobs.” “‘Winnipeg’ I had written here” — David Pankratz, along with fellow pretty much in full, but then when Manitoba music-world mainstays I brought it in I really wanted all Pankratz, member Sandy Taronno, Matthew Harder, the guys to kind of put their touch of New Wales Rob Mitchell and Jamie Taronno, on it,” he said. created New Wales as an outlet “It was a fun group effort.” for a breezier facet of their musiThis synergy will soon coalesce cal expression — an offset to the Their debut single “Winnipeg,” into more singles with shows to worries that come with balancing said Pankratz, “has some of the follow. For now, the band carries family, work and artistic creation. darkest lyrical content I’ve ever put on with their tricky balancing act “There really wasn’t any pres- into a song.”

— taking life’s stresses, joys and sure to create anything specific,” “But the idea, initially, was just harsh realities and molding them Pankratz said. to try to keep things light and fun.” into something new.

“I think, if anything, writing for The single stays true to so long — we’ve been writing for Pankratz’s goal of crafting songs New Wales plays at the Good 20 years together — we kind of just that can be played from car speak- Will Social Club Dec. 4 and wanted to write songs that were fun, ers, top down — but there’s an at the Park Theatre Nov. 8.

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Brown leads Bisons in split against Golden Bears University of Alberta handed its second loss of the season ISAIAH WAGNER, STAFF

Sirant said.

PHOTO BY QUINCY HOUDAYER

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he University of Alberta Golden Bears had a seven-game winning streak grow to eight, only for it to be dashed over the weekend as the U of M Bisons men’s hockey team split the weekend series.

The Bisons were led by goaltender Tyler Brown in a game-one loss, and a three-goal second period propelled the herd to a victory over the Golden Bears in game two.

Friday

A roar from the bench erupted each time Brown made a save to keep his club alive Friday. Yet as the game got closer to the finish, that roar was silenced by an empty-netter and 2-0 loss to the Golden Bears.

The Winnipeg-born netminder was the hero of the game for the U of M, making save after save for the defensively troubled Bisons squad.

The rookie netminder stopped 45 of

the 46 U of A shots he faced in the game push with Brown out for the loss. extra attacker, but a Steven Owre Post-game, when asked about his empty-netter sealed the Bisons loss goaltender, Bisons head coach Mike 2-0.

Sirant was pleased with Brown’s play.

When asked about the red-hot “This, by far, was his best game,” Alberta team and the message in the he said. locker room before the game, Sirant “You can see he’s taking the steps was optimistic. to getting back to being up to his full “We had a certain game plan that capabilities.” we wanted to execute,” he said.

This was Brown’s third game of “Alberta plays so fast that although the season, coming after a year of we tried to prepare for it this week, rehab due to surgery. we just weren’t playing at their pace The U of M came out flat to start or their tempo […] but as the game the game. The Golden Bears domi- went on, we got better.” nated in puck possession all the way The pace was high and the chances were there Friday, but the U of M through the first period.

The U of A took advantage of an could not produce. Despite only exhausted U of M line trapped in its having 20 shots, many of them were own zone and struck first for a 1-0 high-opportunity scoring chances. lead. Luckily, after the first period, “We had enough chances to get a the U of M was only down one goal or two — we just have to take the thanks to save after save from Brown. next step of putting the puck in the The Bisons gave it all in a late- net when we do create those chances,”

The crowd erupted as Nathan Halvorsen rushed up the ice on a Saturday 3-on-1 with captain Adam Henry and After a tough loss the night before, rookie Tony Apetagon. Apetagon the U of M looked to strike back and finished off a stellar passing play to even the weekend series at one apiece. double the Bisons lead.

It did just that with a wild 5-3 win to Shortly after, the Bisons two-goal give the U of A its second regulation lead was erased when the Golden loss of the season.

Bears put a couple quick ones past The Bisons struck first on the man Brown to make it 2-2. advantage after Colton Veloso was This lit a fire on the Bisons bench, driven into the net without the puck as the herd answered back with two by a Golden Bears player. goals of its own. The first marker On the ensuing powerplay, Jonah came off the stick of Lucas Skrumeda, while the second was popped in by Ryan Carlson.

“They are one of the The Bisons headed into the third period hoping to hold on to a 4-2 lead. top teams in the Instead, they built on the lead.

Midway through the third, country every year Wasylak shoveled home a goal on […] and if that doesn’t the doorstep to give the Bisons a 5-2 lead that was quickly cut back down give us confidence, as Cole Sanford scored for the U of A. I don’t know what The Golden Bears poured on the pressure late but could not break will” — Adam through as the U of M skated away Henry, Bisons men’s with the 5-3 win.

First-placed Golden Bears was hockey defender handed its second regulation loss of the season by Henry and the Bisons, something the captain says will give Wasylak did all the work down low, his club a boost. drawing two defenders to him. He “I think it just lets us know that dished the puck to second-year for- we can do this,” Henry said. ward Jeremey Leipsic who made no “They are one of the top teams in mistake, snapping a shot past Matt the country every year […] and if that Berlin for the 1-0 Bisons lead. doesn’t give us confidence, I don’t As the pace got faster, bodies know what will.” started to fly from both teams. Big hits came from all over the ice as bad blood seemed to boil. Although the U of M was outshot 12-3 in the first period, it locked down and escaped The Bisons travel to Lethbridge to play the University of Lethbridge to intermission with a 1-0 lead.

The Bisons continued to apply Pronghorns Nov. 29 and 30. pressure to start the second and were Game one will be at 8 p.m. CST and game two at 2 p.m. CST. rewarded with another tally.

VOL. 106 NO. 15 November 27, 2019

Sports

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The Duckworth trophy stays downtown another year Early lead thanks to women’s soccer evaporates, Wesmen claim third straight Duckworth JASON PCHAJEK, STAFF

PHOTO BY ALLY GONZALO

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he Duckworth Challenge trophy will remain at the University of Winnipeg for one more year.

Despite entering the week’s action up 1-0 thanks to a win by women’s soccer on Oct. 10, the U of M Bisons let the U of W Wesmen come back

to win the challenge for the third straight year.

Thursday: Basketball

The U of W tied it, but the U of M took back the lead on Thursday night as the Wesmen won in women’s bas-

ketball while the Bisons won in men’s.

The evening’s action got started with the women, as the Wesmen thumped the herd 73-56 to tie the Duckworth Challenge 1-1.

Things started off tight in the first quarter, with the two sides going

bucket-for-bucket until a Robyn Friday, as the Wesmen swept both Boulanger layup gave the U of W Bisons volleyball clubs 3-0 to win the a lead it would not relinquish. The Duckworth Challenge.

Wesmen had a six-point lead at 17-11 The pain started with the women’s coming out of the first quarter and volleyball team which, despite early only built in the second, leading to a promise in the match, were out35-28 lead at halftime. matched by the Wesmen in a 3-0 loss.

The slow build continued in the In the first set, the U of M built third quarter, as every time the a quick 3-1 lead, ending with a Light Bisons sank a shot the U of W came Uchechukwu kill, before the U of down and took back the lead. The U W stormed back with a four-point of M brought the Wesmen lead down run to claim the lead. From there the to eight with a Keziah Brothers free advantage bounced back and forth throw, but Boulanger sank a three- like the ball itself until the U of W pointer to build chasm back up. used a five-point run to claim the The U of W had a 14-point lead opening set win 25-22. heading into the fourth quarter at The second set was not even close, 57-43, and the U of M could not close with the Wesmen coming out of the the gap as the Wesmen cruised to a gate swinging. The U of W jumped 73-56 win. out to an early 9-2 lead. The U of M With the challenge now tied, the responded, and the U of W fired back with a five-point run to make it 15-4, a lead the Bisons could not even up.

The Wesmen took the second set A pair of Keiran 25-14, and then closed out the match Zziwa free throws with a 25-16 third set win.

It all came down to the men, with built the Bisons lead the Duckworth tied 2-2, the Wesmen to 13 points before and Bisons men’s volleyball clubs took to the court.

Winnipeg began Despite a scrappy third set, the the comeback Wesmen swept the herd off the floor with a 3-0 win to take the Duckworth Challenge. ball was passed to the men’s team, The opening set started off with and they brought down the jam on some promise for the herd. It jumped the U of W with a 96-91 win to put out to 3-1 and 7-4 leads before the U the downtown rival on the ropes. of W came back with a five-point run The herd and Wesmen went back- to snag a 9-7 lead. The U of M never and-forth in the first half. The U of M led again, with the Wesmen taking had a slight edge at 42-38 at halftime, the set 25-20. and put the U of W in a deeper hole at Set two was much the same, with 65-54 heading into the fourth quarter. an early 4-0 lead by the U of M evapThe fourth, though, was not the orating under a four-point run by the last.

U of W. The U of M briefly took the A pair of Keiran Zziwa free throws lead back, but the U of W responded built the Bisons lead to 13 points with pairs of points to build a gap the before the U of W began the come- Bisons could not close. back. Narcisse Ambanza dropped 10 The U of W took the set 25-20 and points for the Wesmen and his team put the U of M on the edge.

It was in the third set where the cleaned up the rest, with a buzzerbeating layup by Spas Nikolov send- U of M locked down and gave the ing the game to overtime.

U of W all it could handle. The lead In extra time the Bisons meant bounced back and forth between the business, taking an early lead which, two clubs for most of the set, with despite the best efforts of the U of each volley matched or exceed by one W, it never was able to wrest away. from the other side.

Dwight “DJ” Dixon knocked down The U of M took a 25-24 lead and a three-pointer to make it 93-91 U of needed a single point to win the M and those were the U of W’s last set, but the U of W came back and points, as the U of M picked up five the two clubs battled until Daniel to close out the game 96-91.

Thiessen scored back-to-back kills to end it.

Friday: Volleyball The Wesmen took the set 29-27, All it needed was one win, but the match 3-0 and the Duckworth the U of M could not even win a set trophy.

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Sports

VOL. 106 NO. 15 November 27, 2019

More disappointment on the court for the Bisons Bisons stumble through a difficult weekend, even outside of Duckworth Challenge JASON PCHAJEK, STAFF

PHOTO BY QUINCY HOUDAYER

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ith the Duckworth Challenge settled, the U of M Bisons and University of Winnipeg Wesmen still had conference obligations to fulfill over the weekend.

Yet if you were a fan watching you would think it was more of the same, as four sweeps were completed between the programs.

Wesmen and using a triplet of threes to build up a gap.

Good shooting the rest of the way helped the U of M to a 69-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter, where it all fell apart for the Bisons.

Despite holding the lead through the early part of the quarter, the U of W was able to chip away at the deficit, eventually getting ahead thanks to Basketball Lena Wenke.

There was no vengeance for the The Wesmen held the lead and women, while the men walked used a five-point run to finish off the off the court happy Saturday. The Bisons 90-83. women were swept and the men did The loss drops the U of M to 2-4 the sweeping to finish off the rivalry on the season and a three-way tie for series.

12th in the conference.

Although it fared better in game While the women walked away two, the women’s basketball team empty-handed on the weekend, the could not withstand a fourth-quarter men continued a strong season by wave from the Wesmen in a 90-83 beating the Wesmen 77-71 Saturday loss. for the sweep.

All seemed well early on as the The game was fairly even through teams traded quarters, with the U two quarters, with the Bisons holding of W outscoring the U of M 27-19 in a slight edge 37-34 at halftime. the first and the Bisons returning the The U of W came back in the third favour 26-18 in the second. quarter — outscoring the U of M The two sides went into halftime 19-17 — to shorten the Bisons lead tied 45-45 and the herd looked to pull to just a point. away.

Like with the women’s game, the It did just that in the third quar- fourth quarter was where the game ter, erasing a five-point lead by the was won.

A Don Dayrit three-pointer wrested the lead away from the Bisons, and the Wesmen held the advantage until a James Wagner jumper tied things back up at 63-63.

From there, the Bisons built a healthy

The losses over the weekend drop the Bisons to 2-8 on the season, tied for 10th in the conference lead the Wesmen could not overcome, en route to a 77-71 win.

The U of M now sits 5-1 on the season, tied for fifth in the conference and two wins back of the first-place University of Alberta Golden Bears.

Volleyball

It is tough to be a Bisons volleyball player right now.

Despite some improvement Saturday, the men’s and women’s clubs could not overcome a strong Wesmen front and were swept at

home by identical 3-1 scores.

25-19 in the second to tie things up.

The men got things started, showThe third set — a 25-20 Wesmen ing some promise with an early-set win — was a bit closer, but it was the win in a match loss. fourth and final set where fans got The U of M dominated in the their money’s worth. opening set, using a split 7-2 run The U of W jumped out of the gate to build a 9-4 lead before a U of W strong, slamming down kills to an timeout. early 6-2 lead. After a timeout, the Coming out of the break, the Bisons rallied with a run to close the Bisons kept up the pressure leading gap to 6-5 and from there it became to a 25-16 first-set win. a slugfest.

The Wesmen responded with a The two sides traded scores, build25-21 second-set win to tie the match ing leads only for them to be brought and followed up with a tight 26-24 down. Then, after an Emma Parker third-set win, weathering a Bisons error got the U of M even at 17-17, storm to get the advantage. The the U of W was done playing games. fourth set turned out to be the last, A massive 7-0 run buried the herd, as the Bisons could not withstand the with the only relief coming off an Wesmen attack in a 25-18 loss.

Ashleigh Laube error. Parker made The U of W took the set, match up for her earlier mistake by powerand, with that, the weekend. ing down the final kill to give the The Bisons now sit ninth in the Wesmen the win and the sweep. conference at 3-5.

The losses over the weekend drop Like the men’s side, the Bisons the Bisons to 2-8 on the season, tied women’s volleyball team had trouble for 10th in the conference. coming back against the Wesmen in The U of M was thoroughly doma tough 3-1 loss. inated across the board in a tough The Wesmen came out strong in Duckworth weekend, losing six of the opening set with a 25-18 win to eight games against the Wesmen. take an early 1-0 lead in the match.

Only the men’s basketball team On its heels, the U of M struck back provided a bit of light in a dark stretch with a lopsided set win of its own, for the U of M’s court clubs.