8 January 2020

SPORTS

The grades are in for Bisons Football flirts with excellence, soccer turns a new corner

NEWS

EDITORIAL

“I’m afraid I can’t do that” Gendering tech is an out of date practice PAGE 5

U-Pass up in the air Program’s fate falls to February referendum PAGE 4

NEWS

Under construction Two fires strike student housing development over winter break PAGE 3

VO L 1 0 6 · N O 1 7 · J A N UA RY 8 , 2 0 2 0 · W W W.T H E M A N I TO B A N .CO M

PAGE 13

2

Index

VOL. 106 NO. 17 January 8, 2020

3

News

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

Housing concerns flare up following construction fire Dramatic fire at student housing development delays completion indefinitely GARETT WILLIAMS, STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Malak Abas

editor@themanitoban.com / 474.8293

BUSINESS MANAGER Alice Teufack

accounts@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

ARTS AND CULTURE

ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Pauline Calinisan

ads@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

“Tech’s original sin”

EDITORIAL

How a Playboy centrefold changed tech culture

MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Doering

me@themanitoban.com

PAGE 11

NEWS EDITOR Garett Williams

garett@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

NEWS EDITOR Ty Brass

ty@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

COMMENT EDITOR Kenny Ingram

comment@themanitoban.com

ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Grace Paizen

arts@themanitoban.com

SPORTS EDITOR Jason Pchajek

sports@themanitoban.com

COPY EDITOR Matthew Doering

copy@themanitoban.com

ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR Megan Pietrus

megan@themanitoban.com

COPY ASSOCIATE Ursula Chojko-Bolec

DESIGN

DESIGN EDITOR Joshua Wesey

design@themanitoban.com

GRAPHICS EDITOR Evan Tremblay

graphics@themanitoban.com

DESIGN ASSOCIATE Kellie Huynh GRAPHICS ASSOCIATE Ernest Zarzuela

AUDIO AND VIDEO

VISUAL CONTENT EDITOR Quincy Houdayer

visual@themanitoban.com

AUDIO EDITOR Joseph Gonzales

SPORTS

audio@themanitoban.com

PHOTO ASSOCIATE Alex Decebal-Cuza

A rough start

PHOTO ASSOCIATE Ally Gonzalo VIDEO ASSOCIATE Nish Joshi

Bisons open 2020 on hardwood

AUDIO ASSOCIATE Tino Hove

PAGE 15

REPORTERS

NEWS Gillian Brown

NEWS Damien Davis NEWS Amira Tekle NEWS (INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS) Kayla Lariviere COLUMNIST Cam Cannon COLUMNIST Meagan Hughes ARTS & CULTURE Kaelen Bell ARTS & CULTURE Zachary Sigurdson SPORTS Isaiah Wagner

VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS

A “volunteer staff” member is defined as a person who has had three volunteer articles, photographs, or pieces of art of reasonable length and/or substance published in three different issues of the current publishing year of the Manitoban. Any individual who qualifies must be voted in by a majority vote at a Manitoban staff meeting. Elected representatives and non-students may be excluded from holding votes as volunteer staff members in accordance with the Manitoban Constitution.

The Manitoban is the official student newspaper of the University of Manitoba. It is published monthly during the summer and each week of regular classes during the academic year by the Manitoban Newspaper Publica-

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JANICE LUKES

VIDEO ASSOCIATE Paul Stabell

tions Corporation.

The Manitoban is an independent and democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens.

The newspaper’s primary mandate is to report fairly and objectively on issues and events of importance and interest to the students of the University of Manitoba, to provide an open forum for the free expression and exchange of opinions and ideas, and to stimulate meaningful debate on issues that affect or would otherwise be of interest to the student body and/or society in general. The Manitoban serves as a training ground for students interested in any aspect of journalism.Students and other interested parties are in-

vited to contribute to any section of the newspaper. Please contact the appropriate editor for submission guidelines. The Manitoban reserves the right to edit all submissions and will not publish any material deemed by its editorial board to be discriminatory, racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic, ableist or libellous. Opinions expressed in letters and articles are solely those of the authors. Editorials in the Manitoban are signed and represent the opinions of the writer(s), not necessarily those of the Manitoban staff, Editorial Board, or the publisher.

All contents are ©2020 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Yearly subscriptions to the Manitoban are available for $40.

MANITOBAN 109 HELEN GLASS U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A N I TO B A WINNIPEG, MB R3T 2N2

GENERAL INQUIRIES & ADVERTISING Phone: (204) 474.6535 Fax: (204) 474.7651 Email: manitoban@themanitoban.com FREE MEDIA: CAMPUS PLUS MEDIA SERVICES Phone: 1.780.421.1000 Email: advertise@free-media.ca

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #589160

A

pair of fires at an under-construc- hoods, with community members hoods surrounding the Fort Garry response to community concerns of tion student housing develop- hopeful the additional beds will campus has been a contentious issue illegal and unsafe rooming houses. ment adjacent to the Fort Garry relieve the pressure of unsafe room- for several years.

The association’s goals include campus over the holiday break has ing houses.

Concern broke to the surface in upholding and celebrating the neighrenewed neighbourhood concerns “Everyone wants to see it happen the fall of 2015 when nearly 300 peo- bourhood’s quality of life; educating about accommodation for U of M because it’s going to put students in ple gathered in the Pinnacle Club homeowners, tenants and landlords students. safer living conditions,” said Waverley at IG Field for a community update about their rights and responsibilities; A dramatic fire ignited on the West Councillor Janice Lukes, who delivered by Lukes and university identifying and reporting dangerous upper levels of the 16-storey build- has been fighting illegal and unsafe administration. and illegal housing and working to ing in the early morning hours of rooming houses around the Fort Residents at the time raised con- prevent the exploitation of tenants Dec. 21 and burned for several hours Garry campus for almost five years. by unethical landlords. before fire crews were able to put it “It’s not going to solve all our The U of M has on-campus housout. Pembina Highway was closed in problems — we still need a lot more ing for more than 1,350 students in its “Everyone wants both directions between Bison Drive student housing,” she said, “but it’s four residences — Arthur V. Mauro, to see it happen and Dalhousie Drive, two nearby going to put 570 more kids in safe Mary Speechly Hall, Pembina Hall buildings were evacuated and more conditions because there’s a lot of and University College — and two because it’s going than 100 firefighters were dispatched kids that are living in basements and affiliated residences, St. Andrew’s to put students to battle the blaze. really dodgy houses and dodgy living College residence and St. John’s An electrical fire broke out the fol- accommodations and it’s depressing, College residence. in safer living lowing day after power was partially really.”

For the first time last fall, the U restored to the building.

Jeffrey Shiff, a spokesperson for conditions” — Janice of M enrolment surpassed 30,000 The cause of the initial fire, which project developer Campus Suites, students, with 25,453 full-time and Lukes, Waverley flared up after crews had shut down said the full extent of the damage 4,837 part-time students on the rolls work for the holidays, is still under is still being assessed but the “initial in November 2019, an increase of 2.3 West councillor investigation. estimate is that the fire has pushed per cent from the fall of 2018.

Branded “The Arc,” the building our schedule back at least three to The number of international stuis planned to hold more than 550 beds six months.” cerns of unkempt yards, too many dents enrolled — a particular concern and feature fully furnished suites, a He acknowledged that the cars filed into too little space and for Lukes, who said she is concerned gym and study spaces within walking chances of meeting the initial “heads noisy parties. they are more likely to be taken distance of the university. in beds” date of August or September In 2016, the Fort Richmond- advantage of — increased more than The development is highly antici- are “very slim.”

University Heights Neighbourhood seven per cent to 5,993. International pated in the surrounding neighbourStudent housing in the neighbour- Association was formed partially in students make up about 20 per cent

of all U of M students.

Lukes said landlords have withheld deposits from international students knowing they are not likely to press the issue.

“They don’t want to deal with authority,” she said. “They don’t want to ruffle anyone’s feathers.”

“When you’re an international student you’re not going to want to go to the landlord and tenancy branch and fight with [them] and get your deposit back.

“Unscrupulous landlords take advantage of international students.”

Lukes acknowledged that the situation has improved in the last five years in part from the efforts of the association, along with new by-laws and strengthened enforcement.

She noted increased fines for things like improperly installed or too few fire detectors, more by-law officers and the increased authority of the city to cut unkept lawns and fine owners as positive steps.

“People think twice about buying or renting a property in Fort Richmond because they know that we’re not tolerating this,” she said.

“We’ve put a lot of changes in place over the last five years.”

4

News

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

5

UMSU board to take a stance at Jan. 16 meeting

In 2020, we should resolve to leave archaic gender roles in the past and out of personal tech

AMIRA TEKLE, STAFF

GRACE PAIZEN, STAFF

don’t use transit who pay the U-Pass fee because of the universality of the program, and I don’t imagine that a $50 increase in their contribution each year will be welcomed,” read the statement.

“This could have very damaging

PHOTO BY ALLY GONZALO

he UMSU board of directors passed a motion at its Dec. 5 meeting scheduling a referendum of the student body to decide the fate of the U-Pass program.

While the U-Pass currently comes at a cost of $136.25 per term, Winnipeg city council recently approved an increase of $24.50 per term, a hike above the rate of inflation and enough to trigger a referendum.

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

Gendering of gadgetry emblematic of a sexist culture

U-Pass referendum set for February

T

Editorial

“The decision of whether or not to support the U-Pass in a referendum is ultimately a decision for the board to make on Jan. 16” — Jakob Sanderson, UMSU president

Following a 2018 amendment to The first U-Pass referendum in the UMSU Act, the board is required 2014 passed with just 53 per cent supeffects on those who do bus as well to take any fee increases above infla- port of the 4,548 votes cast.

In a statement, UMSU president if this causes a referendum to fail. tionary rates to a binding vote of the student body.

Jakob Sanderson acknowledged Even with this increase, students The referendum will ask students the possibly detrimental effect to will be paying upwards of $250 more to approve a fee increase for no sig- students who do not use Winnipeg each year for transit if the U-Pass is nificant changes to their own service, Transit, causing an overall “No” vote removed.”

According to the motion, the though the increase will help fund for the continuation of the U-Pass UMSU board of directors plans to the program’s expansion to Red River program.

Students’ Association members.

“There are a lot of students that “make a decision on any stance it may

take and approve the official wording of the referendum question” at the next board meeting, taking place Jan. 16. Sanderson noted that any decision the board makes as a collective as it pertains to endorsing or opposing the increase will be upheld by the UMSU executive.

“The decision of whether or not to support the U-Pass in a referendum is ultimately a decision for the board to make on Jan. 16,” Sanderson wrote.

“We’ve thus far committed ourselves to having a referendum on the U-Pass with the fee increase so [the U-Pass program] will not be dropped unless that’s the wish of the student body.”

“At the executive level, we’ve been preparing campaign materials to ensure the student body is well informed during the referendum, and we will put in our full effort to carry out the decision our board makes with regards to any endorsement if it makes one,” he said.

“We invite any and all students to attend that meeting and let us know where you stand.”

The board meeting will take place Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the UMSU council chambers. The referendum is scheduled to take place from Feb. 10 to 12.

Tim Hortons workers locked out over 10-cent dispute ALLY GONZALO, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

T

Following failed negotiations wherein staff sought a wage increase of 30 cents but faced a counter-offer of 20 cents, workers at the Lombard Avenue Tim Hortons location were locked out of work. They took to the corner of Portage and Main Monday to protest with their union, Workers United Canada.

he computer has no gender. A puter from Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 tech companies admit that the environment, are we not overdue in computer is not a biological film 2001: A Space Odyssey. female-gendered virtual assistant assessing our indoor and personal entity. A computer’s physical exisBut this HAL argument fails mis- plays into and reinforces archaic gen- environments as well? The answer tence lives outside of the human cul- erably. It is the fictional Discovery der roles pervading our day-to-day is “Yes.” tural construction of gender. Even One astronauts themselves — Dave world? Reinforcing female subjection We should be questioning why the first computer that was taught to Bowman and Frank Poole — who as a proper practice — even with your female-voiced computers are assissing “Daisy Bell” — the IBM 704 — anthropomorphize the H-A-L iPhone — is something dreamed up tants to humans while male-voiced doesn’t have a gender or a gendered computer into a masculinized HAL. by predominantly male computer sci- computers are often constructed as voice.

HAL — regardless of being voiced entists and software engineers. violent killing machines — cue HAL Yet, many virtual assistants in by late-Winnipeg voice actor Douglas The virtual assistant’s purpose is and the entire Terminator franchise.

North America were either originally Rain — has no gender. The computer to answer and respond to all your programmed with only a female voice is genderless until the astronauts demands, like a stereotypical midoption, or have the pre-programmed anthropomorphize the computer into 20th century female secretary: “Hey The virtual assistant’s setting of a female-gendered voice. In HAL, and HAL is easier to anthro- Alexa, order snow boots for me,” purpose is to answer fact, Alexa only got the programming pomorphize because the computer “Hey Siri, open Netflix.” option of a male voice in 2018 — four is “programmed” that way to make Daily demands and anger toward and respond to years after it was initially released. it easier to talk to. a female-gendered entity causes all your demands, How did we find ourselves living However, when the corporate psychological conditioning and the in a western world of female Alexas, argument is called out on this pre- potential for real-life violence toward like a stereotypical Siris and Cortanas? Not to mention posterous notion that a computer women. mid-20th century the deceptively maternal Google villain from a mid-20th century The male-dominated industry Home and Nest? film is the reason tech companies creating today’s virtual assistants is female secretary The corporate argument for anthropomorphize virtual assistants acting according to what critics of female-voiced virtual assistants is as female, the scientific community the exclusion of women in scientific almost amusing. Silicon Valley ana- defends the tech industry by citing and tech fields claim — that they are lyst Tim Bajarin has claimed, in an the many studies that show a prefer- perpetuating misogynistic views of We should be questioning why we interview with CNN, that “more ence of humans toward female voices. women being less than fully human. anthropomorphize technology at all. computerized voices would be mas- Yet, in practice, women remain rare In the year 2020, when we are The last decade saw the #MeToo culine if not for the associations with because of their “shrill” voices. culturally beginning to assess the and Times Up movements. We [HAL 9000],” the destructive comWhy can’t these North American physical climate change of our should be calling “times up” on tech

companies getting a pass to perpetuate and reinforce gender stereotypes.

We know what a “bro culture” atmosphere Silicon Valley is. This has been well-documented for years now, with tech companies overwhelmingly run by men and having more male employees than female employees.

Tech companies should be held accountable for their ludicrous argument that a film villain is forcing their hand into creating female-gendered tech. Letting go of gender stereotyping — even with the small step of ceasing to gender our computers — is a healthy step toward deconstructing the cultural mythos of gender roles.

We cannot have entire generations learning to perpetuate archaic gender roles simply because tech companies will not admit we have Alexa, Siri and Cortana because women have historically occupied secretarial and subservient positions.

To Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google, who expect me to believe such an argument, I simply say, in the words of HAL, “I’m afraid that’s something I cannot allow to happen.”

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

6

Private funding of public universities is unsustainable Tax the income and wealth of the plutocrats rather than rely on unpredictable charity KENNY INGRAM, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY ERNEST ZARZUELA

T

here’s a serious dilemma in the music faculty to greatly expand pro- them. Instead, the firms and pluto- members of the middle-class such tutions like the U of M — which is structure of many public post- gram options, including the expan- crats who make these donations have as teachers, fire fighters and nurses struggling for funding so hard it has secondary institutions — the reliance sion of the new jazz studies program. an overwhelming amount of control are paying the exact same tax rate as raised the cost of tuition twice in the on private investment.

But as investments like this begin over what is done with their money. investors and CEOs of large compa- past two years — governments must This issue has been on display to run dry, departments are either In December, the music faculty nies in the province. do everything in their power to elimirecently, front and centre, at the U forced to run back to the wealthy ben- received another $2.5 million priAt the federal level, Canada has nate the necessity of private funding. of M. Since 2014, the university has efactors who gave the initial donation vate investment from Michael F.B. absolutely no tax on wealth. This has This means establishing a new top been courting private investors with and beg for more money or greatly Nesbitt for the purpose of building led to a situation where the 87 richest marginal tax bracket provincially the goal of raising $500 million to put diminish the size of the faculty. a new concert hall. This effectively families in the country own as much that taxes income above $200,000 at toward its strategic goals in a camCurrently, the university’s music bypassed any degree of scrutiny and wealth as 12 million people combined a much higher rate than the current paign called Front and Centre. program seems to be in exactly this signed the university up for the hid- — or a third of Canada’s population. 17.4 per cent.

But this dynamic has roots much situation. den costs of a new facility — electricThis would serve the exact same deeper than a five-year campaign. function as the high-dollar private With over a decade of program ity, maintenance and repairs — in Though the U of M has been around and building expansions completed, perpetuity. funding but keep control of public Their investments since 1877, it seems that only in the and as the faculty’s benefactor and While it’s fantastic that plutocrats education in public hands. Basically, into Canadian past few decades — when privatiza- namesake is back in town for an like Desautels, Nesbitt and Israel students and universities would have tion and austerity have been pushed honorary recital and reception, it Asper believe public universities complete control over which classes universities only and income and wealth inequal- seems the faculty is in a financial like the U of M should be funded — and faculties are supported — includity has been exacerbated — public predicament.

Asper even believed that every indi- further underline ing music and art — and Desautels institutions have begun to rely on the Moreover, in September the vidual like himself who had gone to and Asper would not. the failings of endowments of benevolent plutocrats university administration made an university should support the school The federal government must also in order to keep running. announcement that it intended to financially — they should not be able provincial and federal play a far bigger role in the funding During this time, public fund- merge the school of art and the fac- to dictate what programs students are of post-secondary education. governments to ing of post-secondary education has ulty of muisc. But this scaling-back able to study, how those programs are At a time when the federal govdropped from 80 to 50 per cent of the of a thriving — albeit not lucrative run and how resources are allocated. ernment spends only approximately write fair tax codes institutions’ revenue.

— program, given the overall small Their investments — which effec$2,000 per student on post-secondary The problems with this system size of the faculty and field as a whole, tively turn public institutions into education — representing a drop of are apparent — these donations are and therefore, higher cost to the uni- privately-run organizations that 40 per cent from just a couple decades not a constant revenue stream in the versity, demonstrates just how volatile take orders from the wealthy and It is this kind of immoral wealth ago — it must make up the difference same way that government funding these investments are. elite — into Canadian universities inequality that allows someone like by introducing a minuscule one per is and, because of this, as soon as the An investment is exactly what only further underline the failings of Desautels to donate more than $100 cent tax on wealth above $10 million. donations are spent, they’re gone and these donations are. While “philan- provincial and federal governments million to post-secondary institutions The current situation in Canada, faculties are forced to adjust. thropy” should be entirely devoid to write fair tax codes. across Canada without even blinking. allowing multimillionaires and bilIn 2008, the U of M received a of reward, beneficiaries are given a Manitoba’s top tax rate in 2019 Given the fact that these benevo- lionaires to accrue an obscene amount $20-million donation from Marcel much greater reward than simply was a measly 17.4 per cent on income lent plutocrats are already so willing of wealth when education is barely Desautels. This donation allowed the having entire faculties named after above $70,610. This means that to contribute to post-secondary insti- funded, is entirely immoral.

8

Comment

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

2019-2020 EXECUTIVES

The political nature of genocide recognition

Political discourse must be won on the basis of fact, not legitimacy granted from the ruling class CAM CANNON, STAFF

D

ebate over the use of terminol- whether Canada committed genoThe calls for termination ogy to describe groups and inci- cide against Indigenous peoples do that came from members of the dents as “terrorists” or “genocidal” is not have objective answers — the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union a critical aspect of modern political answers depend on the core beliefs were sparked by a Nov. 19 post on discourse. of whomever is putting them forward. MacDonald’s private Facebook page More often than not, there are That is, where people stand on issues in which he claims the Holodomor important stakes underlying these like settler colonialism, imperialism — the term used when referring to debates — namely, the political and capitalism. the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33 as advantages afforded to those who To be clear, I am talking about a genocide — is a myth pushed by can successfully win the moral high the act of labelling incidents as geno- fascists and their sympathizers from ground over their opponents. cides or terrorism — not whether the the 1930s through to present day to Such debates are important tragedies in question occurred, which discredit the Soviet Union and, by because they very quickly and vividly is typical of Holocaust denial. The extension, socialism. reveal a person’s ideological commit- question of whether they happened In Canada, debate around genoments — allowing for actual politics at all absolutely cannot be tolerated, cide has been seen recently with to take place —that deal with ques- but how they occurred, in many cases, debates around the use of the term tions of power, who has it, how it is still up for debate. “genocide” to describe the treatment operates and how and for whom the Recently, there were a series of of Indigenous peoples under the economy works. protests and calls for the termina- settler-colonial regime imposed by This allows for people to rapidly tion of assistant lecturer Dougal first the British and then Canadian go beyond surface-level conversa- MacDonald from his post at the governments. tions that are little more than poking University of Alberta.

In the international arena, this and prodding to figure out the other Ultimately, the lecturer received has recently happened with the party’s actual positions. no disciplinary measures, and the high-profile back-and-forth between Questions such as whether the university maintained that while it U.S. President Donald Trump and Irish Republican Army should did not endorse his views, it is pro- Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip be considered a terrorist group, or tected speech.

Erdoğan that saw each threatening

to officially recognize the other country’s respective genocides.

Considering what is at stake in all of these discourses — legitimacy — it becomes clear that to shut them down is an attempt to remove any serious politics from political discourse Considering what is at stake in all of these discourses — legitimacy — it becomes clear that to shut them down is an attempt to remove any serious politics from political discourse. The

end result is that the ruling class, as well as its ideological state apparatuses, has final say over the legitimacy of countries, organizations and ideologies.

The ideas and institutions of the ruling class become the only ones afforded any legitimacy in public discourse — politics becomes limited to the realm of surface-level squabbles and talking points compatible with the status quo.

Already, radical politics are automatically discounted as illegitimate on these grounds.

When political discourse becomes even more restricted and legitimacy is dictated rather than won, the only people who benefit are those already in power.

At a time of an impending ecological disaster, increasing hostility between great powers and the rising threat of fascism domestically, this is something we cannot afford.

Job automation benefits workplace productivity

Mahder Teffera

Okechukwu Efobi

HSGSA President

VP Services & Support

Tanjit Nagra VP Academic

Cody Ross VP Finance & Administation

Carl Neumann President

Ehsan Tahmasebian Senator 2

Julia Minarik Senator 1

Artificial intelligence and technology helps workers add more value to jobs MEAGAN HUGHES, STAFF

W

ith the rise of new technology, physical labour — tasks that require the fear of human jobs becom- “hard skills” or specific knowledge ing automated has grown in recent or abilities — robots and AI are years. not advanced enough for emotional Workers are now worrying so intelligence — understanding human much about their jobs being taken feelings, empathizing or relating to by robots and artificial intelligence human emotions.

(AI) that studies have shown that These “soft skills” are not prothe fear of automation affects their grammable. We cannot make physical and mental health due to machines experience and understand the perception of their job security the nuances of the human condition being depleted.

— at least, not at this moment in time With a high risk of automation and likely not anytime in the tangible comes a high association with poorer future. health of employees due to the stress According to a 2018 report from associated with not being able to the World Economic Forum (WEF), make ends meet or provide for their it is estimated that 75 million jobs families. may be taken over by technology by But are the risks as grand as peo- the year 2022. This comes with a silple seem to think? This may not be ver lining: an estimated 133 million the case. jobs could be created as a result of Although it may be possible to this shift, which would represent a program technology to perform cer- net increase of 58 million total jobs tain tasks such as processing data or worldwide.

There would be a range of careers that would increase in demand, including tech jobs such as software developers and data analysts. We would also likely see an increase in demand for jobs that require emotional intelligence and are heavy in human interaction such as nurses and doctors, sales and marketing professionals and customer service professionals.

There is potential for technology to complement many jobs rather than hurt them.

Automation can prove most useful in completing specific work tasks rather than entire jobs. Around two-thirds of jobs today could have roughly 30 per cent of their current tasks automated, which would allow employees more time to focus on complex and valuable tasks rather than dedicating the bulk of their work day to repetitive work which

can slow down productivity.

Relying on automation for those repetitive tasks also would also eliminate the risk of human error which, in turn, would limit the burden of having to redo and check over the work to correct it.

It is clear that we can use technology and automation to help enhance a range of jobs rather than replace them entirely.

What employers need to focus on for the future is redefining employee roles and combining their responsibilities into new roles — roles which would exclude automated tasks and include tasks that allow their employees to contribute their full value and full potential rather than spending long periods of time on monotonous work.

It is important that, in a country where half of the workforce will see a change to their job due to automa-

tion, the change is beneficial to the workers.

Employers surveyed by the WEF advised that an estimated 46 per cent of employees will not need to be retrained for new skills in order to succeed at work leading up to 2022.

The number of jobs available for humans to fill is a constantly growing number.

As human beings, we are highly adaptable creatures and we possess the ability to find new and innovative ways to put our time and energy to use.

Change is a scary concept for a lot of people, especially with many unknowns in technology development.

However, it doesn’t have to spell doom and gloom and will likely help us in the future to make aspects of our jobs feel more meaningful and less dull.

Experience

RESEARCH Apply for an Undergraduate Research Award! > Apply to be mentored for 16 weeks > 172 awards available across all disciplines > Up to 15 awards available for Indigenous students > 2 awards for community-based projects APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 24

umanitoba.ca/experienceresearch

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

11

10

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

Presenting ‘‘Heritage Minutes’ from hell’ TIFF-winning film on former prime minister Mackenzie King comes to Cinematheque ZACHARY SIGURDSON, STAFF

W

atching the trailer for Matt make fun of Canada and sort of look Rankin’s The Twentieth at Canada critically as a nation-buildCentury requires more than a bit of ing project, a nation-inventing project. mental gymnastics to realize what Revaluate that through a critical and the film is actually about. satirical lens.”

It’s an absurdist film about former Both TIFF and the director Canadian prime minister William have described the film as “Heritage Lyon Mackenzie King, commonly Minutes from hell” — as if the true known as Mackenzie King, vaguely horror of Canada’s invented identity styled like a low-budget art-deco crawls the pit of white-washed textdystopia, shot in 16mm Technicolor. books and nostalgic commercials If you’re getting nervous, hold literally tinted with rose-coloured on — the film won the Toronto glasses. When comparing his work to International Film Festival (TIFF) other Canadian period pieces — such award for Best Canadian First as Murdoch Mysteries, Anne of Green Feature Film in 2019.

Gables and Passchendaele — Rankin Matt Rankin is a Winnipeg-born believes “they seem to be appealing and raised filmmaker now living in to some sense of nationhood where Montréal, Que. He describes The Canadians can feel, ‘This is a good Twentieth Century as “like the night- and perfect project and any problem mare of Mackenzie King’s youth.” that might have existed, we have corStarring Dan Beirne as Mackenzie rected it because we are that good’ King, he is joined by an assortment of […] my film is trying to challenge living cartoons, both political rivals that and take the viewer into a more and entrancing love interests. Louis uncomfortable place.”

Negin cackles in a frock and curls as “The sort of texts that we assoMackenzie King’s mother. ciate with Canadian identity and Now it’s making more sense.

Canadian nationhood might in fact be concealing more perverse and sinAbsurdist Canada ister meaning,” he said.

“First, I just felt a connection With the film’s low-budget sets, to Mackenzie King,” Rankin said. vintage 16mm, box framing and “There was a lot about him personally intentionally lunatic characters and that interested me. He’s a lifelong story turns, Rankin is making a point diarist […] I felt great connection about both the artificiality of historireading his diary. I read [his diary cal films and Canada’s history. entries] quite deeply [from] between “To the degree that it is factual, 1893 and 1905 and I was really struck it’s based on [Mackenzie King’s] at how maudlin, melodramatic, vain diary,” he said. “And I don’t really and hubristic it was. think of a diary as a factual, authori“Mackenzie King is also a great tative account of the past. I think of opportunity to sort of satirize Canada, it as a kind of parallel consciousness,

like a deeply subjective, almost surreal subconscious, processing of the facts of the past.”

The Winnipeg school

Rankin got his start and major influences from the Winnipeg Film Group and their studio work of the 1980s and ’90s.

“I went to the Winnipeg Film Group, took a basic filmmaking workshop and started making films — little animated films for Sesame Street for a while and then I went to university [in Montréal]. I studied history and got into the Québec filmmaking world. My practice has been largely based in Québec, but my approach to cinema I think of as one that is very much of the Winnipeg school.”

Rankin’s view is that Winnipeg’s filmmaking is one of Canada’s gems, with its own “obsessions and formal ticks, and sort of image systems that I really associate with Winnipeggers.”

To Rankin the spirit of this school is “weird humour.”

“Making an aesthetic virtue of very primitive filmmaking materials is something I think about with Winnipeg,” he said.

“Playing with the language of cinema and its artifices is also something I associate with Winnipeggers, and an interest in Winnipeg as a subject, as a cinematic object.”

The Twentieth Century will be playing at Cinematheque from Jan. 11 to 23. Opening night will include a Q-and-A session with director Matt Rankin.

The devastating consequences of ‘tech bro culture’

‘Losing Lena’ documentary reveals the unsavoury history of male-dominated tech industry GRACE PAIZEN, STAFF

T

he short documentary Losing processing algorithms. working in tech elaborating on their Lena is a dense but educational The documentary explains how experiences in the industry and being film that examines how women were a group of engineers working at the subjected to the image of Forsen for pushed out of the tech industry.

University of Southern California the first time — Forsen’s image is a The film thoroughly explains how in 1973 were testing the image pro- symbol that tech is not a welcome women — who were thoroughly cessing algorithms that would lead “space for both men and women.” involved in the tech industry during to the creation of the JPEG. One Maddie Zug, then a computer its beginnings — were excluded and of the magazines laying around the science student at Pomona College, kept out of the field through hiring lab — though the documentary never Calif., describes how she first became programs, tech software and also by elaborates why a Playboy magazine acquainted with the image of Forsen the ingraining of what the film calls was in a university computer lab to in a high school class — a classthe “anti-social, mostly white male begin with — was a 1972 issue of room predominantly comprised of nerd” as the signifier of an intelligent Playboy with Forsen’s centrefold in it. boys. She describes how the teacher tech whisperer and creator.

One of the computer scientists said, instructed them not to Google the Ironically streaming on Facebook “Why don’t we use the photo in the full image, but the boys did and Watch — a platform that struggles centrefold?” and the rest is history. began to make sexual jokes. with its own diversity inequality The use of Forsen’s image snowballed.

“Women were made to be this joke problems — the documentary sucThe photo was cropped and in the context of this class where I ceeds in describing how “the digital quickly became the standard for was supposed to be learning as an divide” in gender disparity happened computer scientists, revolutionizing equal,” Zug says in the film. in tech through the creation of the the digital world.

The documentary also addresses JPEG image file format.

Forsen’s image went on to appear why tech innovations are often stalled Labelled as “tech’s original sin,” in tens of thousands of educational because of gender disparity, citing Lena Forsen posed as Miss November resources and books. The image voice recognition software as an 1972 for the centrefold of Playboy remains the most used test image in example — voice recognition systems magazine. This image inadvertently the world. needed to be recalibrated because became the standard image for comThe documentary mainly fea- they couldn’t recognize female voices, puter scientists working on image tures university students and women simply because these systems were

PRESS KIT PHOTO

created, calibrated and designed with the voices of male tech engineers.

Though slightly overwhelming, as devastating facts about gender inequality in tech caused by “tech bro culture” are unleashed upon the viewer with only a handful of short pauses to absorb the information, the film is a wonderful crash course in why the tech field needs to become diversified, not just in gender. The

combined skills, voices and perspectives of all abilities and cultures are needed for continued technological democratization and innovation.

Losing Lena is currently streaming for free on Facebook Watch.

12

Arts & Culture

13

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

Sports Sports Editor: Jason Pchajek Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

’Toban turntable

Making the grade in 2019

Want us to review your band? Email arts@themanitoban.com today!

KAELEN BELL, STAFF

KAELEN BELL, STAFF

Football and soccer excel while men’s hockey surprises and women’s hockey stumbles JASON PCHAJEK, STAFF

D

igest that turkey, sharpen your skates and tighten your cleats. A new year is here and 2020 is looking great for the U of M Bisons.

First we need to take a look back and see how the herd fared across some of the major sports. Some teams won big while others turned around rough starts to 2019, but all had performances of note.

For this we will consider the full 2019 calendar year, so in some cases you get a full season, while in others you get two partial seasons. All performances will be given a letter grade.

Football

ALBUM ART PROVIDED BY CASATI

Casati — ‘This Is Just To Say,’ 3.5/5

I

n Casati’s wide-eyed vision of folk music, there’s a refreshing absence of whisky and murdered wives — rather, the trio crafts a gentler world, one that sidesteps the genre’s more obvious tropes in favour of something far sunnier.

The songs on This Is Just To Say, while tied to bluegrass and folk traditions, wouldn’t sound at home on a sweat-soaked bar stage. Instead, they occupy a space more akin to that on the record’s cover — a lightsoaked white room, all clean air and echoes.

There’s an element of deconstructed pop to what Grace Hrabi, Jesse Popeski and Quintin Bart do — whispers of twee ’90s indie abound with simple, timeless melodies rendered slightly alien by their multitudes of empty space.

The ghosts of bands like the Softies float on the periphery of This Is Just To Say, mingling with the more obvious bluegrass and folk influences to create a spacious, light-as-air kind of coffee shop folk-pop.

Completely percussionless, the record is grounded instead by downward strums, the dropping stone of double bass and the occasional tick of hurdy-gurdy.

The trio’s lyrical content is refreshing, if not particularly stirring.

There’s none of the cognitive dissonance that sometimes accompanies young traditionalist bands — the feeling that you’re listening to middle-class 20-somethings sing of hardships never experienced and intentionally presenting as well below their means.

Instead, Casati blends timeworn folk themes — traveling, heartbreak — with personal nar-

ratives and 21st century specificities.

The lilting title track speaks to a particular sort of domestic trouble — unexamined impatience and constant misunderstandings.

Modernity creeps in at various moments, most obviously on the sprightly techno-pessimist pep talk “H.D.T.V Ctrl U.” However, even as the band makes sometimes intriguing shapes with the rubble of country and folk, the record eventually succumbs to a slightly burdensome sweetness.

The lack of grit, whether earned or not, begins to wear as the album progresses.

While capable and appropriate for the songs they occupy, none of Casati’s three vocalists have particularly dynamic voices — all three croon with a sweet simplicity, with little depth or blood to their calming speak-singing.

It’s perhaps telling that the most compelling song here is the penultimate “Train,” a strange, wordless piece of anxiety that feels out of step with the record’s musically mellow atmosphere.

Incorporating eastern chord patterns and a strange, percussive hurdy-gurdy rhythm, it provides a jolt of haunted momentum at record’s end, as if the album’s hints of restlessness have all suddenly come to a head.

Once all that nervous energy has been dispersed, Casati closes things out on the gentle doo-wop of “You Really Don’t Know How To Care.”

It’s a softly bruising way to end such a contented-sounding record — an encapsulation of Casati’s strengths as they dress up a biting put-down in the softest of outfits.

And while the overtly agreeable rhythms of This Is Just To Say might prove too mild for some, those searching for simple pleasures sung sweetly will find much to love.

ALBUM ART PROVIDED BY FOX GLOVE

Fox Glove — ‘Dead of Winter,’ 3/5

W

hether you enjoy Fox Glove’s brief three-song holiday EP will be entirely predicated both on your pre-existing feelings about Christmas songs — if you’re not a fan, there’s little point in exploring further — and whether you prefer your Christmas tunes to lean jolly or tragic.

Those who find comfort in the camp value and girl-group frenzy of A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (Philles Records) are unlikely to find much holiday cheer in these sweepingly romantic and downtempo holiday tunes.

However, if you enjoy the holidays for their requisite emotional baggage and sense of unspecified melancholy, Dead of Winter will make for a sufficiently melodramatic soundtrack.

The EP is built entirely around piano, lush strings and rich vocal harmonies.

The swelling dirge of the title track and two traditional covers — Robert Allen and Al Stillman’s “Home for the Holidays” and the

traditional “Auld Lang Syne” — are beautifully sung if not necessarily imaginative, leaning heavily into the saccharine grandeur of a quiet Christmas night.

The title track — and the only original song on the EP — is hard to imagine playing at any sort of family get-together. Instead, the song seems made for those spending the holidays alone in a basement suite or perhaps caught in the airport on Christmas Eve. The two covers, “Home for the Holidays” in particular, would seem at odds with this sort of sweepingly romantic ballad. However, Fox Glove makes the ultimately smart decision to reduce each song to a smoulder, lending the EP a sense of cohesion.

Had Dead of Winter been even one song longer, this slow-andsteady approach would have likely dragged unpleasantly. However, as is, it manages to cast a frosty, contemplative spell.

It’s not much fun, but it’s cleanly arranged and appropriately brief — a satisfactory soundtrack for those who need a quiet walk through the snow before rejoining the festivities.

Grade: A Kicking things off is Bisons football, which had a strong showing in 2019.

The herd took a disappointing 2018 result — where it was bounced in the opening round of the Hardy Cup playoffs by the University of Calgary Dinos — and turned things around, losing in the first round to the Dinos.

The season result might have you wondering where the positivity is coming from, but the devil is in the details.

Instead of the difficult and at times frustrating performances of 2018, the 2019 football squad turned out supreme performances on a weekly basis.

A healthy Des Catellier and Nicole Davis turning a major corner With this, a compromise was unbelievable performances from the in her development and the addition struck. receiving core plus all-world defen- of Dalima Chhibber all combined for A disappointing finish at the 2019 sive play saw the Bisons flirting with a strong year. national championship is a major national champion potential. This It was more than anyone could knock on the women’s hockey team, was on full display in the playoffs, have expected, with the only sting and the herd struggled this season where the herd pushed the eventual coming in the playoffs where the when it seemed poised to become a champion Dinos to the limit, but Bisons made it to the second round, dynasty like the University of Alberta came up empty in a 47-46 loss. losing 1-0 to the University of Calgary Pandas.

This lost potential is the only thing Dinos to end a great season.

The return of Jon Rempel and keeping the Bisons football team Despite this loss, the herd vastly Amanda Schubert is definitely a plus from an A+ in 2019. If it could have exceeded expectations and will head for 2019, and the potential for future gotten past the Dinos and made a into 2020 a danger to dominate the dominance is there, but the deparrun to nationals, it ture of Lauren would have been Taraschuk leaves the perfect season. a bad taste in the Despite this loss, the herd vastly exceeded Alas, the herd mouth — and the expectations and will head into 2020 a only gets an A. Bisons without a bona fide number danger to dominate the conference one goalie.

Soccer Grade: A+ Ve r y h i gh Speaking of a peaks mixed with perfect season, the Bisons women’s conference. low, yet expected, valleys mean the soccer team had just that in 2019. herd gets a positive grade, albeit a Rounding out the two squads with Women’s hockey poor one relative to expectations. full seasons in the calendar year, the Grade: B The Bisons will be back, and by soccer club too seemed poised for It’s hard to grade a team poorly the end of 2020 this substandard greatness. when it was coming off a national grade will be a blip. For now, they The only difference is it was some- championship win, especially when can improve on this B. it made a return to the national tourwhat unexpected.

The herd has been growing every nament like the Bisons did in 2019. Men’s hockey season under the leadership of head It’s also hard to grade a young squad Grade: B+ coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas, poorly when it struggles to come To put it mildly, 2019 started in and 2019 was more of a leap than a together in a highly competitive con- the most awful way possible for the step forward. The emergence of rook- ference like Canada West — it’s just Bisons men’s hockey team. ies Stefanie Young and Jessica Tsai, expected there will be growing pains.

After snapping a 12-game losing

skid to close 2018, the calendar year did not look promising for the U of M. The team went 3-8-1 to close out the 2018-19 season, missed the playoffs and lost its leadership group — aside from Adam Henry and Sean Christensen. Then came the 2019-20 season.

Riley Lamb looks like a brick wall, a new defensive system crafted by Mike Sirant has cut down on highdanger scoring chances and the offence has started buzzing.

Aside from Henry there has been no Bisons player to truly claim scoring dominance, but Keaton Jameson seems close. With 16 points in 28 games during 2019, the second-year forward is trending toward a strong U Sports career.

While a middling season does not erase the pit of early 2019 — the Bisons sit just under .500 on the season in 2019-20 — like the women’s soccer team the club is outperforming expectations.

What seemed like another season outside the playoff picture has turned into one where the U of M is flirting with a home playoff series.

Only time will tell how far the team will go, but 2019 at least was better than expected for the herd.

Now let’s hope the 2020 report card will include a playoff win, or maybe even a series win.

A UNIQUE JOB AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER

Become a PARLIAMENTARY GUIDE Applications due January 12, 2020 This summer, be part of the action at the Parliament of Canada.

Find out more and apply online at

lop.parl.ca/guides

14

Sports

15

Sports Editor: Jason Pchajek Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Fast physical play gives strong start to 2020

Bison Briefs

Bisons earn weekend split with Cougars, continue playoff push

Women’s hockey struggles to score against Cougars

PHOTO BY ALEX DECEBAL-CUZA

A

fter a hard-fought 2019, the U of M Bisons men’s hockey team was in for a tough test against the Mount Royal University Cougars to start the 2020 stretch of its season.

With the U of M sitting in fifth place in Canada West and MRU sitting fourth, a couple of Bisons wins would help the club claw its way to a home playoff series.

Despite some hard play, the U of M only earned two out of a possible four points, and trails MRU by seven points in the standings.

“All the games are important, we just go one game at a time” — Mike Sirant, Bisons men’s hockey head coach Friday

Special teams play continued to be a factor in the second. A Brady Pouteau shot took a funny bounce off a Cougar defender and went past netminder Wyatt Hoflin to tie the game 1-1 on the power play.

Pouteau’s marker lit a spark within the herd.

After a flurry of Bisons chances, Mitchell Dyck used speed to burn a Cougars defender wide, and found Winnipeg-born Geordie Keane for his fourth of the season.

The U of M continued to pile on, as minutes later Pouteau picked up his second goal of the game and Manitoba’s third of the period.

Keane got the puck to the point, and Pouteau walked in and picked the corner with a picture-perfect shot to make it 3-1 Bisons.

MRU answered with a goal of its own to end the period down one, but a Colton Veloso goal restored the two-goal cushion.

Jeremey Leipsic took a hit to make a play at centre ice and Devon Skoleski fed Veloso in front of the net for the tip-in goal.

The U of M added one more from Ryan Carlson on the empty net and finished with a 5-2 win.

The Bisons were back on the ice Friday after a lengthy holiday break, and head coach Mike Sirant was pleased with how his team shook off the rust.

“I’m very impressed how we played tonight,” he said, “considering we haven’t played since December 1, against a very good opponent.”

“It was a real solid team win, with the emphasis on team.”

The first of the back-to-back series between the two squads went in favour of the U of M, as it used three second-period goals to build a mountain the Cougars could not get past.

The U of M took the game 5-2, inching closer to MRU in the standings.

It was a spirited tilt between the Bisons and the visiting Cougars.

The pace was fast and the play was aggressive.

This aggressive play got the U of M in trouble early, as seconds after a U of M penalty expired, Manitoba- Saturday born Ryley Lindgren snapped one In the second game of the backhome for the Cougars to take an to-back series, MRU responded early 1-0 lead. with a well-earned 3-2 win.

This score held for the rest of the The push to catch the Cougars penalty-filled period and the U of and claim fourth in the conference M was in a 1-0 hole.

— thus ensuring the Bisons would

open the playoffs at home — did not seem to phase Sirant, who thought of it as just another game.

“All the games are important, we just go one game at a time,” he said.

“That’s our approach, is just one game at a time and focus on what we need to do […] and let the results happen.”

Unlike Friday, the U of M jumped out to the early lead, courtesy of a pin-point shot from first-year forward Tony Apetagon.

Nathan Halvorsen found Apetagon wide open in the slot, and Apetagon made no mistake, wiring it top corner on Riley Morris for the 1-0 Bisons lead.

The U of M’s lead vanished late in the frame as Keegan Iverson tucked one in under the crossbar to make it 1-1.

That score remained until the end of the first period.

Things went bad for the U of M in the second as MRU took the lead off a Brandan Arnold goal, followed by a Lindgren power play marker to make it 3-1 at the end of the frame.

MRU could have had more, as a parade of Bisons was led to the penalty box.

The U of M took 26 minutes in penalties in the second alone and took a total of 34 minutes in penalties in the game.

MRU’s conference-leading power play went just 1-for-6 on the evening, and it was Manitoba that struck next.

With 13 seconds left to play, Keaton Jameson fed Veloso in front and he deflected the puck past Morris to make it 3-2. This was as close as the herd got, losing the game to split the weekend series.

The Bisons will be back in action Jan. 10 and 11 in Calgary to take on the University of Calgary Dinos. Game one is 8 p.m. CST and game two is 4 p.m. CST.

Scoring woes continued for the U of M Bisons women’s hockey team, as it bent twine just once during a weekend sweep at the hands of the Mount Royal University Cougars.

MRU got the weekend started off right with a 2-0 win over the herd. Andrea Sanderson scored early in the third to open the scoring, while Kate Hufnagel scored in the final minute to ice the game.

Amanda Schubert stopped 20 of the 21 shots she faced in the loss.

The U of M finally found the back of the net in game two, but in a 2-1 loss to MRU. Mekaela Fisher’s fourth of the year was the lone Bisons marker, while Anna Purschke and Emma Bergesen scored for the Cougars.

The U of M now sits last in the conference with 15 points and a 5-12-1-1 record.

VOL. 106 NO. 17 January 8, 2020

These must be carnivores

Dinos munch on Bisons, U of M drops three of four to University of Calgary JASON PCHAJEK, STAFF

JASON PCHAJEK, STAFF

ISAIAH WAGNER, STAFF

Sports

not go down without a fight, storming back to give the Bisons a scare in game two.

The herd weathered the storm and held on for an 88-84 win to sweep the weekend.

Browne again led the Bisons in scoring — this time with 24 points — while Keiran Zziwa started the game and rarely left the hardwood in a 21-point outing.

With the wins over the weekend, the U of M moves into a tie with the University of Alberta Golden Bears for second in the conference at 9-1.

The U of M trails only the 10-0 University of Calgary Dinos.

Women’s basketball shoots the lights out in Edmonton

It was a tough weekend to be a MacEwan University Griffin, as the Bisons women’s team took a pair of wins on the road, leaving the Griffins 0-for-4 on the weekend.

The U of M began the weekend by wearing out the netting in the Griffin’s barn Men’s basketball with a 94-76 drubbing. Keziah mops floor with Brothers had a game-high 19 MacEwan University points, while all Bisons startConsistency was key for ers save Dana Inglis cracked the Bisons men’s basketball double digits. team over the weekend, as it The Bisons shot at 56.5 per swept the MacEwan University cent from the field, going Griffins to keep pace in the 35-for-62, and 52.9 per cent conference standings. from range.

The herd opened the weekGame two of the weekend end with a dominant 89-66 was a lower scoring affair, but win. Rashawn Browne led the the Bisons still came away Bisons in scoring with 22 points with the win at 77-61 to sweep on the night, and was lights- the Griffins. It was the Taylor out from the free-throw line, Randall show Saturday as the going 10-for-11. fourth-year guard dropped Coming out of halftime the 31 points in the game, going U of M held a 39-32 advantage, 13-for-21 from the field and but nearly doubled up on the 5-for-9 from beyond the arc.

Griffins with a 32-point third The U of M improved to 5-5 quarter en route to the win. on the season and now sits 10th MacEwan University did in the conference.

T

he U of M Bisons volleyball gave the U of C a 3-2 lead, the herd teams might want to check for rattled off a massive eight-point run signs of rust. to take a convincing 10-3 lead. From With the holidays over, the Bisons there it matched each U of C point to volleyball clubs were back on the claim the 15-7 set win and the match hardwood over the weekend, play- 3-2. ing host to the University of Calgary Dinos. While the men were able to This success was come away from the weekend with a tally in the win column, the women undercut, as the were no so lucky.

the set 25-23.

In the final set the U of C took the match with a 25-21 win, sweeping the Bisons off the floor. Both clubs now sit with identical 6-6 records, tied for sixth in the conference.

Women’s volleyball

While the men enjoyed victory to open the new decade, the women tasted only defeat at the hands of the U of C took back Dinos. The trouble got started Friday, Men’s volleyball when the herd was starched 3-1 to the lead and won The Bisons men’s volleyball team open the weekend. got 2020 started off right Friday, fin- the set 25-23 The opening set was a bad omen, as the U of C used three-point and ishing a back-and-forth contest with the U of C in impressive fashion for eight-point runs to open a 13-4 gap a 3-2 win. early in Friday’s action. The U of M In the opening set the two clubs Whatever momentum the U of responded with a pair of four-point traded blows before the U of C gained M thought it built Friday evaporated runs to close the gap to 15-12, but a slight edge to claim the win 25-23. under a 3-0 thrashing by the Dinos barely got closer en route to a lopsided The U of M responded in kind in the Saturday to split the weekend series. 25-16 set one loss. second set with a 25-23 win of its own After a rough 25-22 opening set The U of M’s lone set win of the to tie the match at 1-1. loss, the Bisons had perhaps the best match came in the second set, as it In the third set the Dinos showed performance of the game in the sec- used a five-point run to close out a some bite. After a Darian Koskie ace ond set.

25-21 win, but it could not capitalize gave the U of M a 9-5 lead, the U of C An Owen Schwartz attacking on the momentum. used a four-point run to close the gap. error gave the U of C a 2-0 lead early, The U of C took the next two sets Kevin Negus snagged back the lead but the U of M responded with a 26-24 and 27-25 to cap off a 3-1 match for the Bisons, but a five-point run four-point run and a three-point run win. by the Dinos opened the gap wide. to wrestle away the lead at 7-3.

Game two of the weekend was The U of C took the third set 25-21 The Dinos responded with a three- little better, as the herd battled back to put the U of M on the ropes. In point run to cut the deficit to one, and after a rough first set and forced a response, the herd again turned the were then able to take back the lead. fourth, yet fell by double digits U of C score against the Dinos, with With the U of C up 22-18, the U of in another 3-1 loss to the U of C a 25-21 fourth set win to force a decid- M rattled off four straight to tie the Saturday. ing fifth set, where the U of M took set 22-22.

Despite early promise, set one was control.

This success was undercut, as the better left forgotten for Manitoba.

After a kill by Hamish Hazelden U of C took back the lead and won The Dinos struck first and used a

PHOTO BY QUINCY HOUDAYER

four-point run to claim an early 5-1 lead before the Bisons responded.

An Autumn Davidson service error kicked off a five-point run for the U of M, getting the club ahead 6-5.

This was the last time the U of M led in the first set, with the Dinos using six multi-point sequences to take the set, capped off by a five-point run to win 25-15.

The U of C took set two by a 25-22 score, then the U of M was able to strike back in set three.

Kearley Abbott brought down the ball to open the set, and after a service error had the set tied, the U of M went on a six-point run for a 7-1 lead.

The U of C closed the gap to three at 10-7, but the herd strung together five straight points to widen the lead again to 15-7.

The Dinos stayed in the game,

drawing close at 19-16 and 21-17 before the home side could put its opponent away 25-19.

Yet, like Friday, there was no comeback. The U of C took the final set 25-15 to claim the match and weekend.

With the losses over the weekend, the U of M drops to 2-12 on the season and sits tied for last in the conference, joined by the Brandon University Bobcats and University of Regina Cougars.

The herd now heads out on the road, as the men and women take a trip to Kamloops, B.C., to take on the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack Jan. 10 and 11.

Features Contact: features@themanitoban.com / 474.6520

16

Fried chicken, waffles and queens QUINCY HOUDAYER, STAFF

Synonym Art Consultation brought in a fierce new year with a saxophone solo by Lady Quinzar at the year’s first monthly drag brunch at The Tallest Poppy. Drag brunch events regularly sell out and have quickly become an institution in the West Broadway neighbourhood. The next drag brunches will fall on Feb. 8, and March 7, also at the Tallest Poppy.