The University of Manitoba Muslim Students’ Association (UMMSA) is marking Ramadan by providing over 8,000 meals to students, assisting followers of the Islamic faith to observe the holy month.
Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide as it is believed that the Quran — the holy book — was revealed to the Islamic Prophet during this time, according to Faisal Shamim Zahed, UMMSA internal relations manager.
As obligated in the Quran, Zahed explained that Muslims fast during this period which spans the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, lasting either 29 or 30 days depending on the crescent sighting of the moon.
This year, Ramadan started on Friday, Feb. 28.
Bareera Kamran, UMMSA student life manager, stated that “one of the biggest reasons […] to fast is just to feel compassion for people who have these circumstances all year round, people who don’t get to eat or drink because of poverty or other reasons.”
Zahed added that the pur-
pose of Ramadan can be defined with two Arabic terms — taqwa, meaning “god conscious” and shukr, “being grateful” to God.
UMMSA president Ayesha Sultan said, “[Ramadan] is not only the fasting from food, but it is practicing your religion as well, more effectively, and showing the world how we can be more disciplined.”
“It is being more mindful, it is being more grounded, it is more about being aware of what our religion is teaching us throughout the month.”
Fasting lasts from sunrise to sunset and also includes refraining from drinking beverages, a practice that has lasted for centuries during the holy month.
Free iftar and suhoor provided
As part of UMMSA’s efforts to facilitate with Ramadan, as done in previous years, free iftar is being provided in the campus mosque for all days along with suhoor during the final 10 days — key meals during Ramadan.
Suhoor is the meal eaten before the fast starts, prior to sunrise, whereas iftar is the meal consumed at sunset during the Maghrib prayer — the fourth of the five daily prayers — to break the fast.
Adil Hayat, UMMSA external relations manager, said that free suhoor is not provided every day during Ramadan because of funding constraints.
“We’re one of the only universities in Canada that does iftar every single day,” he said.
Kamran explained that these meals can be “very different,” but specified that iftar is typically dates and water, followed by a larger meal.
“Muslims are so diverse and we come from so many backgrounds, so depending on your culture, your background, you would eat many different things,” she said.
Sultan stated that this initiative costs approximately $45,000, but mentioned that the UMMSA has received assistance through a GoFundMe donation
Bisons win gold in women’s volleyball championships
Faiyaz Chowdhury, staff
The Bisons women’s volleyball team defeated the Montreal Carabins 3-1 in the U-Sports national women’s volleyball gold medal game on Sunday, March 16 at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.
The first set was neck and neck for the first few minutes, but then the Bisons edged past the Carabins. The Bisons started strong in the first set, recording 14 kills with only one error on 32 total attempts for a 0.406 hitting percentage. This set was exceptional, and the herd beat the Carabins to win the set 25-20. The second set took a different turn as the Carabins dominated early on, but the herd soon caught up and took the lead. The Carabins’ positioning during defensive moments was brilliant, but the herd was effective with their tips. The second set ended with a set score of 25-19 for the Bisons. The herd recorded 15 kills with four errors on 37 total attempts for a 0.297 hitting percentage.
The third set started with a point for the Bisons, thanks to an error by the Carabins, but the final set score was 26-24 for the Carabins. The Bisons had 12 kills with only two errors of 29 total attempts for a 0.345 hitting percentage.
The fourth set began with higher intensity as the Bisons gave it all in their offence, with a total of 15 kills. The final set score was 25-16. The herd managed to seize the gold by a huge margin.
For the Bisons in the offence, three players stood out with the most kills. Raya Surinx led the way with 23 kills, making a significant impact at the net. Light Uchechukwu followed closely behind, delivering 11 kills. Andi Almonte also recording 10 kills. These three were instrumental in driving the Bisons’ attack and keeping the team competitive throughout the match.
For the Bisons on
Cont’d p. 20 / defence <
Both Indigenous women’s remains identified in Prairie Green landfill News 6
Remains identified Choose fun over smartypants books to fall in love with reading again
Cont’d p. 4 / campaign <
The Jumu’ah (Friday) prayer was held in the multipurpose room in UMSU University Centre on March 14, described as the largest prayer session on campus by UMMSA external relations manager Adil Hayat.
photo / Milan Lukes / staff
photo courtesy of / U Sports
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Milan Lukes editor@themanitoban.com
BUSINESS MANAGER Alice Teufack accounts@themanitoban.com
BUSINESS SUPPORT MANAGER Joshua Herold ads@themanitoban.com
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Devvrat Nathwani social@themanitoban.com
REPORTERS
NEWS Ngozi Okose
NEWS Taycie Adeoti
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY Divyata Gosai
COMMENT Quinn Mayhew
COMMENT Thandeka Katsika
ARTS & CULTURE Boris Tsun Hang Leung
ARTS & CULTURE Carrington Dong
SPORTS Faiyaz Chowdhury
SPORTS Israel Abejoye
VOLUNTEERS
VOLUNTEER STAFF
Emma Gillich, Adam Johnston, Anthony Nardella
VOLUNTEERS
Breana Wall
interested in volunteering?
email me@themanitoban.com today!
THEMANITOBAN.COM
109 HELEN GLASS BUILDING
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
WINNIPEG, MB 204. 474. 6535
The Manitoban is the official student newspaper of the University of Manitoba. It is published monthly during the summer and each week of regular classes during the academic year by the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation.
The Manitoban is an independent and democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens.
The Manitoban is a member of the Canadian University Press, and our journalistic standards can be found on the Manitoban’s website.
The newspaper’s primary mandate is to report fairly and objectively on issues and events of importance and interest to the students of the University of Manitoba, to provide an open forum for the free expression and exchange of opinions and ideas and to stimulate meaningful debate on issues that affect or would otherwise be of interest to the student body and/ or society in general. The Manitoban serves as a training ground for students interested in any aspect of journalism.
Students and other interested parties are invited to contribute to any section of the newspaper. Please contact the appropriate editor for submission guidelines.
The Manitoban reserves the right to edit all submissions and will not publish any material deemed by its Editorial Board to be discriminatory, racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic, ableist or libellous.
Opinions expressed in letters and articles are solely those of the authors. Editorials in the Manitoban are signed and represent the opinions of the writer(s), not necessarily those of the Manitoban staff, Editorial Board or the publisher.
A “volunteer staff” member is defined as a person who has had three volunteer articles, photographs or pieces of art of reasonable length and/ or substance published in the current publishing year of the Manitoban.
Any individual who qualifies as a volunteer staff member must be voted in by a majority vote at a Manitoban editorial board meeting. Elected representatives and non-students may be excluded from holding votes as volunteer staff members in accordance with the Manitoban Constitution.
UMSU Strategic Plan launched at President’s Dinner
Nine-page
Milan Lukes, staff
report outlines union’s objectives and action plans for next five years
The University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) hosted UMSU Forward: The 100th President’s Dinner on March 13 in the Marshall McLuhan Hall, featuring the unveiling of the union’s five-year strategic plan.
“Tonight, we gather not just to celebrate a milestone in the history of the University of Manitoba Students’ Union, but to honour the incredible work that has been done, and to look ahead at a future we are building together,” said Rachhvir Dhaliwal, UMSU vice-president university affairs.
The invite-only event, also advertised as a “special event celebrating UMSU’s 100th president,” was attended by outgoing and incoming UMSU board members, students-atlarge, university administrators, as well as city councillors and Members of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly.
The event also featured a networking reception, a dinner buffet and a panel discussion, per the invitation.
Strategic plan features ‘short- and long-term goals’
UMSU president Divya Sharma presented the union’s strategic plan for 2025-30, which consisted of six “shortand long-term goals.”
“One of the biggest benchmarks that we have is an increased physical presence,” said Sharma.
The strategic plan mentioned interest in having more space for students to utilize at the Fort Garry campus through a “building owned by students for students.”
Another possibility included having an “UMSU owned and operated business within the Southwood Circle lands,” the site of the former golf course near campus that is being transformed into a multi-use residential community.
The plan also listed a “significant interest” in increasing presence at the Bannatyne campus, such as with a convenience store similar to GPA’s on the Fort Garry campus.
“Many students [indicated] that they do not believe that there is any UMSU presence” at the Bannatyne campus, according to the plan.
“The short-term goal would be to invest in a feasibility study of the proposed options and then let the results of that study inform any longer term goals.”
Other goals included having a new UMSU staff position to “support UMSU officers, board members, volunteers and community representatives,” and conducting a marketing campaign to raise awareness to the student community on “what UMSU is and what it does.”
The strategic plan also called for a review of UMSU programs to assess impact and sustainability, and for the creation of an app to assist students locate amenities and classrooms on campus.
The last goal included ways for UMSU to generate new revenue.
“There is an interest in creating an UMSU lottery system,” said Sharma. “We want to create some sort of a monthly 50-50 draw that would support UMSU programming.”
“By creating benchmarks, that sets us up for success,” she said.
Planning started last summer
Dhaliwal, who also served as the co-chair of the UMSU strategic planning working group alongside vice-president finance and operations Carolyn Wang, said that the working group was formed in the summer of 2024.
UMSU Motion 0616, which called for the establishment of a working group until March 2025 that is “dedicated to strategic planning,” was passed at the Aug. 14 board of directors meeting.
The motion also noted that UMSU created a strategic plan in 2018.
Dhaliwal said that the working group began bi-weekly meetings in the fall of 2024 to “shape the road map that will guide UMSU forward.”
“A critical aspect of the strategic planning process was stakeholder engagement, ensuring that students and key stakeholders have their
voices heard,” she said.
Dhaliwal stated that input was gathered from a student survey, the UMSU board of directors, UMSU board of trustees and UMSU staff.
“Two action planning days” were also organized, she said.
UMSU Act took effect 50 years ago, says Perrin
The panel discussion was led by Sharma and featured 56th UMSU president John Perrin (1973-74) and 94th UMSU president Tanjit Nagra (2016-18), as well as UMSU general manager Thomas Blumer.
Perrin was responsible along with others for devising the University of Manitoba Students’ Union Act — provincial legislation that outlines the purpose and powers of the union, amongst other criteria.
“I wanted UMSU to become more disciplined and effective on behalf of the students. To be more of an adult organ-
ization, able to operate businesses that could benefit students, to take responsibility for its own affairs and to be taken seriously,” stated Perrin during the panel discussion.
“That’s really the genesis of the idea, we wanted UMSU to stand on its own two feet.”
He added that the Act received royal assent and was enacted “exactly 50 years ago this year.”
UMSU is the only student union in Canada operating under its own legislative act, according to Dhaliwal.
Sharma, who did not seek re-election in the recent UMSU general election, stated that the students’ union turned 106 years last this week.
To view the full UMSU Strategic Plan 2025-2030, visit themanitoban.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ UMSU_strategic_plan.pdf
photos / Milan Lukes / staff
UMSU president Divya Sharma, past UMSU presidents John Perrin and Tanjit Nagra, and UMSU general manager Thomas Blumer took part in a panel discussion.
Campus mosque to accommodate over 8,000 students during Islamic holy month
campaign (now closed), personal cheques and donated cooked meals.
“The best part that came from that [GoFundMe] is not the money, but the community that came together and even decided to cook foods for us,” said Sultan.
“So many organizations came in and decided to chip in.”
Kamran stated that the free meals have to be “[capped] at a certain number of students,” with around 900 students actively involved in the prayers but a facility capacity of approximately 260 students.
“Our facility at the university currently does not accommodate for the number and
volume of students that we have coming to partake in our prayer and activities,” she said.
“That is the biggest challenge that we are facing.”
Prepping
began ‘months prior,’ said Zahed
Zahed, who also serves as the UMMSA Ramadan manager, stated that prepping began approximately two months prior.
This included working on sponsorships, media promotions, deep cleaning and decorating the mosque.
“We have a lot of volunteers,” he said. “The backbone behind this operation is basic-
ally the volunteers.”
“My job is to work with the volunteers, and I am the witness that it is not possible without volunteers.”
Volunteer assistance is needed for set-up, cleanup and food distribution, said Zahed.
tabulated from the sign-up sheet, with top volunteers
“One of the biggest reasons […] to fast is just to feel compassion for people who have these circumstances all year round, people who don’t get to eat or drink because of poverty or other reasons”
“Wherever they stand with their religion, I want everybody to feel welcomed in this space and I want them to come back.”
— Bareera Kamran, UMMSA student life manager
He added that “sometimes there are delays” and “shortages while serving,” and noted the importance of management in this role.
Zahed said that as Ramadan ends, volunteer hours are
being invited to an appreciation dinner.
“We have a very diverse student body that partakes in our events,” said Kamran, who originally got involved with the UMMSA as a Ramadan volunteer.
To mark the end of Ramadan, a celebration — Eid al-Fitr — will occur in the multipurpose room of UMSU University Centre on March 30, according to Hayat.
The University of Manitoba Muslim Students’ Association facility is located at E3-160 EITC, 103 Dafoe Rd.
Dates and water are typically consumed to break the fast, according to UMMSA student life manager Bareera Kamran
< Cont’d from front page
photo / Zulkifl Rafah / staff
The UMMSA is providing free iftar for each day during Ramadan.
Left to right: UMMSA executives Nabiha Ameena, Bareera Kamran, Ayesha Sultan, Towhid Islam, Mahfuz Haque, Mahedi Hasan, Adil Hayat and Faisal Shamim Zahed.
Angus to serve as ceremonial head of the university starting on June 1
Milan Lukes, staff
D
ave Angus will serve as the 15th chancellor of the U of M, with his three-year term set to start on June 1.
The announcement was made by U of M president and vice-chancellor Michael Benarroch on Friday, March 14 at the State of the City luncheon hosted by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
After graduating from the Asper school of business in 1982, Angus was president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for 17 years before becoming president of employee benefits company Johnston Group, according to a press release.
“Through my involvement in the community, particu-
larly in the Chamber of Commerce, I saw how impactful the University of Manitoba is and developed a deep appreciation for its stature among universities across Canada, and internationally,” said Angus in a statement.
“There are so many layers to the impact of this university and if I can play a role in spreading that message and bringing people to the university through partnerships, then that’s a role I am honoured to play.”
In 2017, Angus was awarded the Order of Manitoba and was cited as being “instrumental in the creation of Winnipeg’s World Trade Centre” and having played a “key role in the work of the Winnipeg Poverty
Reduction Council,” according to the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba website.
The chancellor is a volunteer role that serves as the ceremonial head of the university, in charge of conferring all degrees and diplomas at convocation ceremonies.
The chancellor is also a member of the board of governors and the senate, serving as an ex-officio member of various committees.
Angus will succeed Anne Mahon who has served as chancellor since 2019 and was re-elected to a second term in 2022. Mahon previously announced that she would not be seeking another term.
Hindu Student Council celebrates Holi Party on campus
Students embrace the spirit of Holi with colours and festivities
Iyanda Ajuwon, staff
U of M’s Hindu Student Council (HSC) hosted Holi Party on March 14 in the Engineering Atrium, bringing students together to celebrate the colour festival on campus.
“It’s been 10 years since we have celebrated Holi on campus, and I think people somewhere are going away from their culture, from their festivals, from their religions,” said Muskan Muskan, the cultural ambassador of HSC.
Holi, also known as the festival of colours, is a Hindu celebration that marks the arrival of spring and an opportunity to start fresh.
This festival is traditionally celebrated with different vibrant activities, like the throwing of coloured powders and dancing, encouraging people to set aside social norms and embrace joy and togetherness.
Abhishek Kumar, president of HSC, stated that the reason for celebrating Holi is because Hindu students or anyone coming from South Asian communities are deeply connected to the festival and its spiritual significance in Hinduism.
“Back in India, whenever Holi comes, everyone gets excited because on that day, you forget anything,” Kumar said.
“If you’re mad with your friends, uncles or parents, you play Holi with your neighbours and everyone.”
He added, “it’s a theme of love and unity.”
The Holi Party featured
an open DJ who played traditional Holi music, an array of coloured powders that participants threw at one another, food and more.
There was also a pandit — a Hindu priest — at the event who performed a religious ritual called Abhishekam where a devotee poured a liquid offering to the lord Krishna — Hindu god of protection, compassion and love.
Arti was also performed at the event, which is a Hindu ritual devotees use to give
thanks to the deities.
A highlight of the event was the chanting of mantras — chants used to express devotion, establish communication or fulfill desires, serving the same purpose as prayers and supplications.
Some of the chanted mantras include Om Paraanandaaya Namaha, meaning “I am one with Divine Happiness, the Vishnu,” and O Krishnaya Namaha, meaning “Oh Shri Krishna, accept my salutations.”
There was also a talent show that included dance performances, poetry recitation and guitarists that had students engaged, embracing the tradition, with smiles on their faces and the sense of togetherness.
One activity that was not performed during the Holi Party was the Holika Dahan, a bonfire for people to sit around to burn negativity, according to Asish Charaya.
He said that “there are lots of red flags around that, so the
university did not let us to do that.”
Charaya added that they only did a little bit of colour throwing as the university did not support it either.
“We had to go through a lot of challenges to keep it limited because last time people did it with colours and they got banned for 10 years, so we’re trying to keep the event going without doing too much.”
—with files from Zulkifl Rafah
photo courtesy of / University of Manitoba
photo / Nischal Karki / staff
New education category introduced for Express Entry
Canada addresses labour-shortages by prioritizing education professionals
Sylvester Delali Agbado, staff
he Honourable Marc
TMiller, former minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship announced a new category under its Express Entry immigration system on Feb. 27, focusing on the education sector.
The move aims to address labour shortages in the education sector as a survey last year by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada revealed a “great need” for an education category.
The survey captured education occupations which could face long-term labour shortages.
The outcomes included early childhood educators and assistants at 75.1 per cent, elementary school and kindergarten teachers at 47.4 per cent, elementary and secondary school teachers with 41.2 per cent, instructors of persons with disabilities with 38.4 per cent, secondary school teachers with 31.7 per cent and educational counsellors with 22.6 per cent.
Canada’s Express Entry system, established in 2015, is the primary method for processing permanent residency applications for skilled workers. It operates as a point-based system, assessing candidates based on language proficiency, education level, work experience, age, arranged employment in Canada and adaptability.
In 2023, Canada introduced category-based selection for
Express Entry.
The government established these categories to match economic priorities and reviews them regularly to maintain relevance and address emerging gaps, according to the federal government.
There are now six reviewed categories which comprises French-language proficiency, health care, STEM, trades, agriculture and agri-food and education, which is the new category introduced.
The new education cat-
egory requires educational professionals who have accumulated, within the past three years, at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience or an equal amount of part-time experience in a single occupation listed under the education category and having gained this experience either in Canada or abroad.
Candidates enter a pool and receive an invitation to apply based on the highest Comprehensive Ranking System score for that period. The gov-
ernment holds regular draws, inviting individuals who meet specific economic needs.
Prospective applicants must create an Express Entry profile and provide documentation of their credentials. Those who receive invitations can apply for permanent residence within 60 days.
Immigrants play an essential role in Canada’s economy and workforce, according to the Government of Canada.
“Canada’s Express Entry system is evolving to meet the country’s changing needs,”
said Miller.
“By addressing labour shortages, strengthening our economy and increasing Francophone immigration, we are building a more dynamic workforce with workers and professionals from in-demand fields.
“Our approach ensures immigration remains a key driver of Canada’s growth, helping businesses thrive while supporting communities across the country.”
Manitoba RCMP confirms identities of human remains
Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran found in Prairie Green landfill
Ngozi Okose, staff
On Monday, March 17, the second set of human remains retrieved from the Prairie Green landfill was identified to be Marcedes Myran of Long Plain First Nation.
Earlier this month, Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that the first set of human remains retrieved from the landfill just north of Winnipeg belonged to Morgan Beatrice Harris of Long Plain First Nation.
Both the federal and provincial governments previously committed $20 million each to search for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. The search initially began on Dec. 2, 2024 followed by the province announcing that potential human remains had been discovered on Feb.
26, 2025.
Harris’s remains were found as part of a search and recovery mission initiated at the request of the families of Harris and Myran. The operation, conducted in partnership with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and with federal support, remains ongoing.
Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs praised the search team’s efforts and called for wider action.
“I firmly believe that if we were to look in the landfills, we would find other remains,” Wilson said to CBC. “This is a reality.”
“It only took a few months for us to find [Harris],” Wilson said. “If we were to come together to search all the landfills in our region, that we’d
probably find some answers to the questions of families that are missing their loved ones.”
Wilson cited the cases of Ashlee Shingoose who went missing in Winnipeg in 2022, and Tanya Nepinak, who went missing in 2011. A six-day search for Nepinak’s remains at the Brady Road landfill in 2012 was unsuccessful.
Harris and Myran were among four women murdered by Jeremy Skibicki in 2022. Skibicki was also found guilty of killing Rebecca Contois of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation and an unidentified woman given the name Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman.
While Winnipeg police and the Progressive Conservative government initially deemed a search for Harris and Myr-
an’s remains unfeasible, the Kinew government launched the search one year after winning the provincial election in October 2023.
“I don’t think any of us would ever want our loved ones to go through what Morgan Harris went through,” Kinew said to CBC. “However, through this journey we have seen some remarkable strength and resilience and power from the family of Morgan.”
According to Kinew, families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse individuals have been collaborating with undergraduate forensic anthropology students from Manitoba and across Canada in the search of the landfill.
“In some ways the search
effort itself is a microcosm of where we’re at as a country,” he said to CBC. “People from different walks of life coming together to try to do the right thing for these families.”
“This search has always been driven by love — honouring Morgan, Marcedes, Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe (Buffalo Woman), Rebecca Contois and all families still waiting for their loved ones to come home,” said the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in a statement.
“No family should have to search in this way, yet their loved ones stood firm in their truth and refused to be silenced. It is through their love and determination that Morgan has been found.”
Mark Carney wins Liberal Party leadership race
Carney deemed victor with 85.9 per cent of vote
Taycie Adeoti, staff
M ark Carney was sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister on March 14 following his victory in the Liberal Party of Canada leadership race on March 9.
Despite not having a seat in the House of Commons, Carney won the leadership with 85.9 per cent of the vote in his favour — defeating three other candidates vying for the position.
Justin Trudeau previously announced his intent to resign on Jan. 6, 2025, stepping down as prime minister after nearly a decade in office.
His resignation was influenced by his declining public backing with recent polls, leaving the Liberal party with 16 per cent of support. This was in addition to Liberal MPs
urging him to step down due to the worries that the party would face substantial electoral loss.
“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election,” he said after announcing his intent to resign.
As of January 2025, the Conservative Party of Canada, the Official Opposition in the House of Commons, sustained the lead over the Liberals in polls for months.
Carney, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England secured victory in the leadership race in the first round of voting — accumulating over 131,000 votes.
Former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland earned second place with over 11,000 votes, followed by former House leader Karina Gould with over 4,700 votes and former MP Frank Baylis with over 4,000 votes.
During his leadership victory speech, Carney stated, “I feel like everything in my life has helped prepare me for this moment.”
The new cabinet is composed of 23 ministers, down from 36 under former prime minister Trudeau. Carney assured Canadians that he is prepared to confront U.S. President Donald Trump and the Trump administration’s threats to impose tariffs, including on aluminium and steel.
In reference to Canada’s triumph at the 4 Nations FaceOff in February, Carney said, “the Americans should make no mistake — in trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”
“President Trump has put some very important issues at the top of his agenda. We understand his agenda,” Carney said.
“We’re both looking out for our countries. But he knows, and I know from long experience, that we can find mutual solutions that win for both.”
Canada has no plans of becoming the 51st state of the U.S. in response to President Trump’s threats of annexation, according to Carney.
“We will never, in any shape or form, be part of the U.S.,” he stated.
Promises by Carney include
the reversal of certain Trudeau policies such as the consumer carbon tax and the surge in capital gains tax — stating that his team believes that builders should be rewarded when they take risks and succeed.
“My government will immediately eliminate the consumer carbon tax on families, on farmers and small and medium-sized businesses,” he said.
Canada is scheduled to have a federal election by Oct. 20, 2025, but there is speculation that Carney will send Canadians to the polls sooner to secure approval and support from the Canadian public, according to CBC.
Shaping the future of child safety education
Building real-world skills, from firearm safety to online threats
Rhea Bhalla, staff
Every day, children face a variety of potential threats that may compromise their safety, ranging from traffic accidents, to burn mishaps, to accidental firearm discharge.
“The onus is not on the child to keep themselves safe,” said Rasha Baruni, assistant professor in the U of M’s department of psychology whose research examines child safety programs. “It’s the adult’s responsibility to ensure the safety of every child in all contexts.”
“That said, I believe that we still need to teach children the safety skills in the event that they do encounter a safety threat when the adult is not present. It’s sort of like an extra layer of protection.”
Prior to Baruni’s academic career, she provided individuals on the autism spectrum with educational and behavioural services in multiple countries. Several of her clients engaged in highly dangerous behaviours, such as attempting to burn down their houses after finding matches.
“This was really concerning to me, and I thought about how reactive our approach is to safety skills,” Baruni said. “It’s been demonstrated over and over again, and so in many behavioural programs for individuals with disabilities, [that] injury prevention and teaching safety skills isn’t always prioritized.”
Safety skills training is often overlooked in instructional settings, as it is not seen as an immediate concern, Baruni noted. This tendency to deprioritize safety education has created significant gaps in many training programs.
Baruni explained that traditional passive safety training for children, such as classroom discussions, videos and activity books, often fails to be effective in real-life situations.
While students may learn how to behave when faced with dangers like abduction or firearm safety, studies show they often do not apply these lessons when tested in natural settings.
Research in the U.S. has demonstrated that children who claim they would not touch a gun or talk to a stranger often do so when unaware they are being observed. The findings suggest a need for more hands-on, practical safety training methods.
“It’s more important that they actually perform the skills than tell us about it,” Baruni said.
Baruni’s research uses a
Behavioural Skills Training (BST) approach, which can improve children’s real-world responses to dangerous situations.
While firearm safety is less relevant in Canada, Baruni
poison prevention, abduction prevention, bullying and online safety.
“We have to take it beyond the discussions. That’s not where the learning is going to happen. The learning is going to happen when you get up and do it”
Unlike traditional safety education, which relies on classroom discussions and videos, BST emphasizes active learning — children receive instructions, watch demonstrations and physically practice safety skills.
— Rasha Baruni,
assistant professor in the U of M’s department of psychology
emphasized that BST can be applied to other critical areas, such as
To assess the effectiveness of BST, Baruni uses naturalistic, in situ assessments, where children are unaware they are being tested.
“We would model what you would do in that situation, and then we would get them to actually practice it,” Baruni said. “If they performed correctly, then we would give them praise or some kind of reinforcers that would then indicate to them that they they’re doing it correctly and to keep going. We would keep rehearsing repeatedly.”
With children spending hours online each day, online safety threats in particular have become a growing concern. Baruni explained that traditional methods — such as simply telling children not to engage with strangers online — are
ineffective. While children may verbally acknowledge safety rules, studies show their behaviour often changes when they believe no one is watching.
Baruni’s research applies BST online safety by focusing on real-world behavioural responses. For instance, if a child receives a friend request from a stranger on Instagram, the goal is not just to recognize it as a threat but to actively reject the request and report it to a trusted adult. To measure effectiveness, she once again employs naturalistic assessments, testing children’s reactions in real-world settings where they are unaware they are being observed.
By expanding her work beyond firearm safety, Baruni aims to develop evidence-based strategies to protect children from digital risks, reinforcing the importance of hands-on safety training in today’s online world.
“What children do is more important than what they say they will do,” Baruni reiterated. “Sure, we can have discussions with children about safety, but it can’t just stop there.”
Having spent years in the U.S., much of Baruni’s work focused on firearm safety training, a pressing issue in many American communities. Research demonstrates BST approaches to firearm safety are far more effective than passive learning methods like school presentations or videos. Baruni’s work also focused on teaching parents how to implement firearm safety practices at home and on training behaviour analysts to use BST with individuals with disabilities.
“We have to take it beyond the discussions. That’s not where the learning is going to happen. The learning is going to happen when you get up and do it.”
How ecotoxicology protects our water from pollutants
U of M professor studies toxic chemical effects on aquatic ecosystems
Divyata Gosai, staff
Ecotoxicologists investigate how toxic substances, such as pesticides and industrial chemicals, impact ecosystems. Their work integrates ecology, which studies the interactions between organisms and their environment, with toxicology, which focuses on the harmful effects of contaminants. Ecotoxicologists are essential in safeguarding the environment, human health and biodiversity.
Mark Hanson is a professor of environment and geography in the U of M’s Clayton H. Riddell faculty of environment, earth and resources.
“I’ve always been interested in nature and the complexity of it, and how it works, especially aquatic things [such as] ponds, marshes, swamps and lakes,” he said. “I wanted to work in the environment to be outside as much as possible, to know that I was making a contribution to ensuring the natural world was protected.”
Hanson researches the effects of human-made chemicals, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals and oil spills, on aquatic ecosystems. His role as an ecotoxicologist involves evaluating the impacts of these pollutants, assessing their severity and duration and determining the potential for ecosystem recovery.
Hanson examines how environmental changes affect ecosystems while estimating risks and generating data on safe chemical levels. His work involves estimating permissible chemical concentrations, developing bioassays and conducting field studies, especially in less-explored regions such as the Arctic.
His research monitors chloride levels in Manitoba’s surface waters, studies the impacts of oil and pharmaceuticals on boreal lakes and analyzes the effects of wastewater in the Arctic. This work helps assess the environmental impact on ecosystems,
fish and microbes. Hanson explained that ecotoxicology developed during a period when the environmental effects of chemicals were largely ignored. Previously, chemicals were produced and released under the assumption that nature would dilute or decompose them.
Persistent chemicals can accumulate to dangerous levels and high initial concentrations can cause immediate effects. In the past, pesticide applications primarily focused on their effectiveness against pests, often neglecting wider ecological consequences. Today, we recognize that these chemicals can also impact non-target organisms, which underscores the importance of thorough environmental risk assessments.
“We need to [ensure] that the surrounding ecosystem, and resources we derive from it [such as] water, leisure,
other economic activities, are also all protected,” Hanson explained. “Ecotoxicology helps us do that. Before a chemical, a pesticide gets approved for use in Canada, a whole bunch of ecotoxicology studies need to be conducted, including laboratory tests around different organisms, who’s sensitive at what levels, fate studies in soil, fate studies in water. All sorts of things need to be asked and answered before that chemical now ever gets approved.”
Ecotoxicology prevents environmental damage by ensuring regulatory oversight of chemical use, managed by agencies like the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency globally.
Ecotoxicologists aim to balance environmental protection with essential activities such as food production and wastewater treatment, ensuring these processes are sus-
tainable while minimizing ecological harm.
“In this field, you have the ability to […] identify problems and start to potentially solve them,” he said. “Which is rare in a lot of academic disciplines.”
The work of ecotoxicologists is vital for regulations, oversight and environmental protection. Their research directly informs conservation efforts and policy development.
Ecotoxicology stands out because it necessitates a wide-ranging network that extends beyond academia. Professionals in this field must understand government regulations, policies and governance, while also collaborating with industry stakeholders involved in the production and sale of chemicals.
Collaborative problem solving in ecotoxicology is highly effective because it unites producers, regulators and scien-
tists to address environmental impacts. This interdisciplinary approach facilitates realtime solutions and policy changes. Over time, researchdriven efforts result in tangible progress, such as the gradual phase-out of harmful chemicals, showcasing the dynamic impact of the field.
“We like the chemical story a lot of times because it’s very simple,” he said. “There’s a company and they’re bad. They produce something. So, if we stop them from doing that, the environment’s protected, while at the same time we’re out there and we’re building new cottages and we’re clear cutting to the lake so we can have a nice sunset view, all these things that ultimately do more damage than a lot of these chemicals would ever do.”
“We’ve got to recognize our individual role in all of these things.”
graphic / Teegan Gillich / staff
Relearning how to read after academic burnout
The enemies to lovers story between me and literacy
Teegan Gillich, staff
Before I started university I was almost constantly reading a book. Somewhere along my academic journey, after being inundated with reading requirements and fumbling through academic texts, I developed an aversion to reading altogether.
After years of dumping dense academic texts into my brain, I forgot that you could enjoy reading. It suddenly fell into the same category as a chore, so reading a book, even outside of the classroom, felt like work.
Over the last year, I began reflecting on my lack of reading outside of what was required from my courses. It began partially out of a desire to spend less time on my phone and partially because of the shameful amount of books on my shelf that had never been opened.
I used to love reading when I was younger, so what happened? Is it burnout from the university course load? A lack of free time? A blossoming phone addiction destroying my attention span that I refused to acknowledge? Probably all the above. No matter, I thought, I can read if I want to. I just have to open a book and do it.
As I tried to force myself to read again, I got stuck on the idea that I could only read a certain type of book. I had to read books that would teach me something, make me a better person somehow, or make me sound smart in conversations. The claws of academia were ingrained in my mind, telling me to base my self-worth on intellectual success. Needless to say, the reading journey did not last long.
Frustrated at the stack of “smarty-pants” books with bookmarks stuck in the first chapter and a skyrocketing daily screen time, I returned to the drawing board.
All the topics I had chosen interested me — I wanted to read them, and I wanted to learn from them — but every time I sat down to read, I was instantly bored. At that point, I hadn’t addressed any of the issues that led me to dislike reading in the first place, so how could I expect any change?
It’s good to read for personal development and education, but that was all I was doing all the time for school anyway. It’s no wonder reading felt like walking through mud — my brain was exhausted.
Next, let’s tackle the issue of screen time. What am I seeking by scrolling endlessly? As
many can probably relate, the phone offers an escape from the stress of the day with a quick and easy dopamine hit that rapidly spirals into doom scrolling. Wonderful. Non-fiction books aren’t holding my interest, and I barely have the attention span to eat dinner without a screen in my face. There must be a way out of this slump.
Upon digging a tiny bit deeper, the young version of myself, who would be horrified at my literary drought, speaks up, “pick a fun one,” she says. She was right. If I wanted to read again, maybe I should stop overthinking and
just pick up something entertaining.
After a browse through the #BookTok tag on TikTok and a visit to the bookstore, I returned with a popular fantasy series whose plot starts to fall apart at the first hint of scrutiny. I finished it in three days. It was the first time in years that I had finished a book I wasn’t forced to read. I returned to the store to get more.
Before I knew it, I had read over a dozen books and cut my screen time in half. As I continued, I found myself opening some of the abandoned “smarty-pants” books as well,
now with the attention span and the mental bandwidth to take in the information.
I felt excited about reading again, and I mourned the fact that it took me such a long time to remember that I enjoyed it.
Say what you will about BookTok, or whatever series is in the digital spotlight, but it helped me kickstart a beloved hobby I thought I had lost. The drain of interpreting academic jargon for class, typing up reading responses and scouring peer-reviewed media to support one line in an argument had convinced me I hated reading.
The truth is, I was burnt out from a heavy course load and overstimulated from social media. Suddenly, I rekindled the joy of getting lost in a story, and the quiet focus of reading felt like a respite for my mind in a world of instant digital gratification. It made me realize how many activities and hobbies I had been pushing aside in favour of my phone or due to exhaustion after school. I find myself now choosing to do things that make me happy, not for any grades or personal development, but just for me.
graphic / Teegan Gillich / staff
The degree dilemma
Students weigh passion against practicality in an economy that demands stability
Breana Wall, volunteer
M ost students’ ideal university experience is to find out what they are passionate about doing for the rest of their life. No big deal, right? But in today’s economy, passions must align with relativity, and to survive we must pick a stable career that will be able to sustain us. So many settle. Maybe your dream career seems out of reach, unrealistic, or maybe you can’t afford to stay in school for the years it will require, maybe it’s easier to get a quick degree, or to not go to post-secondary at all.
The “degree dilemma” is something I believe every adolescent will go through. But it’s important to ask ourselves “are we studying what we love or just what pays?” At the end of the day, what are you going to gain more from?
A survey from 2021 found that 83 per cent of university students think you should study a subject you love. Yet,
instead of following their passions, 68 per cent pursue fields that are realistic. With the cost of living constantly increasing, how can we not base our futures on how to best survive? Many students prefer to keep it safe, as so many careers are becoming harder and harder to make a living off of.
Journalism, for example, is one art form that is seen as dying when really, it’s just transforming from print to digital media. Even so, finding a career in journalism that will be able to sustain a person is becoming increasingly challenging. Many students have a passion to go into the medical field, but the draining hours, money for those years of schooling, and risk you might not make it are terrifying. While the logic behind giving up passions to take an
easier, safer or more realistic path makes sense, why are we as students letting capitalism indirectly encourage us to give up dreams and follow the pursuit of material wealth and stability?
Don’t get me wrong, some
We may as well survive while doing something we enjoy.
The “degree dilemma” is something I believe every adolescent will go through. But it’s important to ask ourselves “are we studying what we love or just what pays?
will be perfectly happy pursuing a nine to five career to keep this stability, and some will be happy not getting a fulltime career at all. Personally, to maintain a healthy state of mental health, I need to succeed in a career that is driven by my passions. I don’t know what I want to do for the rest of my life right now, but that is just what we are all trying to figure out. Everyone is just frantically trying to survive.
It just makes cents
Why
using
Amy Wrzesniewski and Barry Schwartz from the New York Times found that “students who follow their passion in school are much more likely to be successful in their chosen careers than those who begin their studies thinking only about a career.” You see this all the time in classes, students who are passionate about sociology will get much better grades in it than they do in their statistics class, just as those who are more passionate about statistics will do better in it then they do in a sociology class.
If we have the option to succeed in a career we love, isn’t the extra work and money worth it in the long run?
You should spend your life doing what you love. If you
have to study, study what you love. Not only will you enjoy yourself more, but you will also be more successful that way.
The years we spend studying and working can be filled with enjoyment, rather than a constant battle to maintain wealth and stability. The average person in Canada works about 1,800 hours a year, for approximately 40 years, this is around 72,000 hours of your lifetime. This isn’t merely a measure of time — it’s an endless range of potential.
What those hours transform into could be a routine that sucks your energy and enthusiasm as you regret dreams you never chased, or could be moments filled with passion, creativity and fulfilment. This choice rests entirely in your hands.
active and public transportation is a smart financial decision
Adam Johnston, volunteer staff
Utilizing active and public transportation makes sense on a personal financial level and can help reduce your financial costs in these tough times.
Transportation is one of the costs of living that eats up anyone’s budget. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians spent $45.8 billion on transportation costs by the fourth quarter of 2023. On average, Canadians spend 17.2 per cent of their household budget to move around and 16.5 per cent on housing expenses.
Smart Prosperity Institute’s PLACE Centre report acknowledged high transportation costs are a significant barrier to affordable housing, with most transportation costs coming from ownership and use of private vehicles. An Affordability Action Council report has shown these statistics were much worse for very low-income Canadians, taking up over one quarter of their before-tax income in the second quarter of 2023, far more than the 15 per cent threshold.
Ownership of a private automobile is not cheap. A Rate Hub article notes owning a car for an average Canadian costs $1,370 a month or $16,440 a year. On top of that, The Globe and Mail reported vehicle
prices have advanced by 33 per cent in the last decade, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as income increases have not kept pace during the same period. The Globe and Mail added that a worker who makes more than $76,000 would need to spend more than their entire aftertax income to buy an average new vehicle on Auto Trader. Factor in the rapid depreciation of automobiles, which lower in value between 15 per cent to 25 per cent a year, leading to over 60 per cent in their fifth year — owning a private car can often make no sense.
Despite small changes by Canadians toward using cycling and public transit, private automobile ownership reigns. Statistics Canada records that spending on new cars and new larger vehicles (sport utility vehicles, trucks) went up in the last quarter of 2023 as the industry bounced back from the pandemic. Public transit spending at the end of 2023 was down slightly compared to 2019.
This peculiar appetite for private automobile spending is personally, not sustainable financially. Canadian household debt reached $2.41 trillion, with 26 per cent of debt coming from unsecured debts, including credit cards, instalment loans and auto loans. As
basic needs go up, perhaps it’s time (where applicable) not to purchase a private automobile and take public transit, cycle or walk when possible. Despite the bus fares being too darn high in Winnipeg, public transportation gets someone to point A and B. Transit will take you to most key places you need to go. Meanwhile, the average cost of a bicycle is just over $700. Factor in yearly maintenance cost of bicycles ($300-$600), equipment purchases every few years for a couple of hundred (including helmet, racks and pannier bags) and the costs of combining active and public transportation would
be more financially beneficial to a person’s financial situation. Those savings can be the difference between renting and having savings to pay for a home. From my own personal experience, cycling and taking public transit have been key in my financial management. It helped control my transportation costs when I saved for a tiny home on a low to modest income a few years ago, while working two parttime jobs. When I moved into my new home, I cycled as my main mode of transportation, while taking public transit at the odd time helped me save time for taking continuing
education courses to upgrade my training in climate policy. These cost savings help me enjoy local pro sports teams (Valour FC and Winnipeg Sea Bears) and grow my book collection.
Small steps can go a long way toward improving your quality of life. Ditching the car, taking Transit Tom and cycling just makes cents.
Adam Johnston hosts Not Necessarily The Automobile on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. on UMFM 101.5. He can be reached at notnecessarilytheautomobile@gmail.com
graphic / Teegan Gillich / staff
Put value on learning the humanities
We need to place importance on understanding each other
Quinn Mayhew, staff
I have always heard, “Why are you getting a bachelor’s degree in the humanities? It’s a waste of time if it’s not a STEM degree.” I fear there is a lot of stigma around struggling to find work with a humanities degree after graduating from university or a form of looking down on the humanities as less valuable than a science degree.
I think the humanities are looked down upon because the 21st century puts more emphasis on technological advancement in this digital age. It almost seems like the pursuit of social sciences and the humanities is pushed aside for a more commercial pursuit within the sciences. My question is, why are you pushing aside a way of learning that studies the human condition or humanity?
During my time at the U of M, when people ask me what my degree is, and I reply with “English,” I always see their face crinkle up as though I can tell exactly what they are thinking, and that’s “what in the world is she going to do with an English degree after she graduates? She’s going to be dead broke.”
I think as a society, we emphasize trying to learn all the subjects in elementary, middle school and high school, but suddenly when you enter university the pursuit of the humanities and social sciences is frowned upon. If you are pursuing a creative passion and not focusing
on something that can make you money immediately you are seen as not conforming to society’s expectations — to contribute to a bigger scheme of capitalism.There is a notion that studying a humanities subject is a waste of time. But I argue that it is not and that it is only distinct from STEM. Where STEM is facts, formulas and mathematics, the humanities involve human experience and its connection to one another. It entails the study of complex human feelings and the understanding of one another through text, stories, music and art which is something that can’t be understood through a formula.
The humanities touch vulnerable pieces of human experience and explore it in depth. It’s difficult to describe how much we need the humanities to understand each other within society, which isn’t just in pursuit of a dollar sign.
memory you wanted to relive or viewed art? These are all products of the humanities. Every day in society, we consume a piece or production of the humanities. So why do we continue to look down on the humanities when it offers the most enjoyable part of life?
When did we forget how meaningful life gets because of human creativity and art, that we miss it to prioritize money by
Poets Society, truly explains why we need to continue to emphasize promoting and teaching the humanities, “we don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
Looking at a
computer screen and trying to understand humanity through equations look dull to me, or simply not trying to understand each other at all, is that truly a life worth living?
Have you ever read a book, seen a movie or TV show, listened to music, gone to an art show, taken a photo of a
elevating STEM above the humanities.
One of my favorite movies of all time, Dead
We need to promote the humanities. We need to put emphasis and funding on learning and teaching subjects for future generations, such as history, art, English, women and gender studies, music and film — for future generations to value what humanities teach us and what it means to live and understand one another through these pieces of our existence. Through not valuing and funding the humanities enough, there has been a disconnect in trying to understand one another, with the emphasis that should be placed on caring for one another, and the importance of making money.
When we forget the importance of understanding one another, we lose out on a vital part of what it means to live and respect one another, which comes from learning within the humanities. This is a warning — we need to put value and funding into the humanities as a way to understand one another.
graphic / Fumnaya Ifeadi / staff
The benefits of office hours
Why it’s worth your time to attend
Thandeka Katsika, staff
Office hours are blocks of time scheduled by professors and teaching assistants outside of classes to meet with students and discuss lecture material or any other related topics. Despite having office hours available to me since the beginning of my university career, I only started attending them in my second semester, and only this semester have I attempted to attend office hours as frequently as possible.
Researchers have found that there is a correlation between office hours and student achievement. Even though office hours may seem daunting, research shows that students who are present at lectures and office hours typically outperform students who are not.
For a long time, I was aware of the general idea of office hours, but only recently have I come to truly appreciate their usefulness. Going for office hours has helped me develop an understanding of what is expected of me in my courses.
I will use my English 1340 course as an example. For our midterm we wrote an in-class essay with a focus on the quality of our thesis statements. Before the midterm, I went for office hours and showed my professor a sample thesis. I used the lecture slides and my basic understanding of what a thesis was, to draft my work, and honestly, I thought I had done an outstanding job.
During the meeting, my professor pointed out a number of areas which needed to be revised.
In some places I was too vague and needed to be more specific, in other areas my sentence structure was off, and there were some parts that were just irrelevant and needed to be scrapped entirely. If I had to guess, I would say the quality of my writing went from a B to an A+ during the encounter. Even though I had a decent understanding of what my professor wanted to see in the essay, there were still areas that needed revision and the only way I could be aware of those areas was to meet with her.
I think this is the case with most courses.
As students we can only absorb so much in a lecture. And often it is hard to diagnose ourselves. We need someone who knows exactly what the professor is looking for to help us out, and who better to ask than, you guessed it, the professor.
As a new office hour attendee, I am amazed at the benefits of meeting one-on-one with my professors. In my first
graphic / Emma Gillich / volunteer staff
semester, there were a number of things that kept me from going to office hours, and I think these apply to most students. The first was scheduling conflicts.
Sometimes the allotted time given by teaching assistants or professors just doesn’t work with a student’s schedule. Luckily, in my experience at the U of M, many lecturers are open to setting up hours out-
side of their usual slot to work with students.
On multiple occasions I have emailed and agreed with my lecturers on alterna-
I am convinced that attending office hours is a secret weapon for A+ students
tive hours to meet with them. This ensures that students can keep their other commitments without limiting their academic success.
Another factor that keeps students from using the office hours resource is the fear of being perceived as less intelligent. Some students feel that attending office hours implies that they are not paying attention in lectures or that they are not smart enough to keep up in the course, but this is false. Attending office hours actually gives your professors
the impression that you care about the lecture material. So much so that even after classes you want to deepen your understanding. I have heard my professors say that most students who achieve high grades in their classes attend lectures and go to office hours. I am convinced that attending office hours is a secret weapon for A+ students — and now we’re in on the secret.
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column, and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. In Straights, like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row or column. But rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. Each compartment must form a “straight.” A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how “straights” are formed.
by: Teegan Gillich
The controversies of the 97th Academy Awards
Polarized responses over winners show the subjectivity of accolades in film
Carrington Dong, staff
It’s the biggest night in Hollywood — the night when new stars are born and established greats cement their legacies.
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are considered the highest honour in the film industry. Aspiring actors everywhere dream of hearing their name called for Best Actor or Best Actress, stepping onto the stage to hold the iconic statuette, and trying to thank everyone who helped them achieve their dream — all in the span of about a minute.
For Adrien Brody, however, even a minute wasn’t nearly enough. The American actor delivered a speech lasting five minutes and 36 seconds — making it the longest in Oscar history — after winning his second Academy Award. Despite the orchestra’s repeated attempts to play him off, he interrupted, saying, “please turn the music off. I’ve done this before. This is not my first rodeo.”
His speech received widespread criticism. Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post described it as “insufferable — and yet another eyeroll moment for the actor,” referencing Brody’s first Oscar win in 2003 for The Pianist, when he famously kissed presenter Halle Berry without consent. He then shushed the orchestra by saying, “cut it out, cut it out. I get one shot at this!”
While Brody’s speech was a major talking point of the night, it was one of the few moments that seemed to unite rather than divide audiences. Although there weren’t many major upsets, the results still sparked debate.
The night’s biggest winner was Anora, directed by Sean Baker, which took home five awards, including Best Pic-
ture. The film follows Anora, or “Ani,” (Mikey Madison) a Russian American escort living in New York who marries Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the spoiled son of a Russian oligarch, after a chance meeting — much to his family’s disapproval.
Anora’s win was not without controversy. The film was met with some backlash for its depiction of sex workers, with some real-life sex workers finding it to merely be a rehashing of the “sex worker needs saving” trope. Others praised it for portraying Ani and other escorts in a positive light, avoiding the usual “sleazy” stereotypes.
Further controversy surrounded the involvement of Russian actors, including Eydelshteyn and Best Supporting Actor nominee Yura Borisov.
Articles published in the New York Times and the Telegraph pointed out that Eydelshteyn and Borisov had not publicly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and NSS magazine published an article with the title, “Does Anora have to do with Russian politics?”
Madison’s Best Actress win was one of the night’s biggest surprises, as the 25-year-old triumphed over Hollywood veteran Demi Moore. Moore, 62, had been considered a frontrunner for her role in the horror film The Substance, in which she plays an aging actress who takes a mysterious substance to regain her youth in hopes of reviving her career.
According to the New York Times, Madison’s win, while not seen as undeserving, was declared by fans on social media platforms to prove the point that The Substance made — that
Hollywood is obsessed with young women and their perceived greater beauty, putting older actresses at an inherent disadvantage once they are seen as “past their prime.” One X user, Paolo Uggetti, posted, “Demi Moore losing to Mikey Madison is basically the plot of The Substance.”
Age and experience were also key talking points in the Best Actor category. Adrien Brody defeated Timothée Chalamet, denying the Dune: Part Two star the chance to become the youngest Best Actor winner in Oscar history. That record, coincidentally, still belongs to Brody, who won in 2003 at age 29.
Like with the Best Actress category, it was pointed out many times in the public discussion leading up to the awards that performers of a certain age have a disadvantage in
the category, but in this case, it is younger men that face an upward climb. Older actors are perceived as having “paid their dues,” while younger actors need to “wait their turn.”
During the Oscars campaign, Chalamet’s viral Screen Actors Guild awards speech, in which he declared, “I’m really in pursuit of greatness. I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats,” was met with mixed reception. Many accused him of being arrogant. One may wonder — would he have faced the same backlash had he been older?
Another notable moment of the night came when No Other Land won Best Documentary Feature. The documentary was produced by a joint Palestinian-Israeli activist collective consisting of Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, and focuses on life in the West Bank under Israeli military occupation.
While the documentary received critical acclaim, reactions were divided. Israeli officials called it “sabotage of the state of Israel,” while
the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) stated, “Palestinians do not need validation, legitimation or permission from Israelis to narrate our history, our present, our experiences, our dreams and our resistance.”
One of the biggest surprises of the night was the fate of Emilia Pérez. Despite leading with 13 nominations, the film won just two awards: Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña and Best Original Song for “El Mal.”
Despite a positive critical reception, Emilia Pérez was panned by the public for its portrayals of Mexican culture and transgender individuals. Its hopes of becoming an Oscars darling were all but dashed following controversies surrounding lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón, after numerous racist posts were discovered on her social media platforms.
Chances are these debates will never be resolved. Unlike sports such as running and swimming, there is no measurable objective to determine a winner in film. These continued debates demonstrate the subjectivity of all artworks — what performs well with one audience may not perform well with another. Such is the nature of the film industry, and at the end of the day — art is art.
graphic / Teegan Gillich / staff
Local group to perform Moonlight Express
A vaudeville on the once popular trains of Manitoba
Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff
T his Friday, local performers in Winnipeg will take the stage in Moonlight Express, a vaudeville-style show inspired by the now-defunct railway lines that once connected the city to the beaches of Lake Winnipeg. Filled with acting, comedy and original songs, Moonlight Express promises to be an entertaining night for both performers and viewers.
Terry Cooke and Dave Campbell, two performers in the show, explained that the production is based on Memories of the Moonlight Special and Grand Beach Train Era, a book by Barbara Lange. In her book, Lange recounts a bygone era when Manitobans could board an evening train — nicknamed the Moonlight Special — to spend a day at the beach or an evening dancing along the boardwalk.
“This musical is telling a story about the trains that used to run to Winnipeg Beach and Grand Beach and Victoria Beach […] That was [in the] 1920s, [and in] the very early 60s, they stopped running, and it was just a wonderful opportunity for people to leave the city on the weekend and go to beaches,” Cooke said.
“It’s basically a day in the life of the train ride to and from the beach. So, we start out in Winnipeg, we hop on the train, drive to the beach, get out, we go swimming, we go dancing, ride the rides, and then we come home,” said Campbell as he explained the show’s plot.
Unlike today, these locales were once bustling vacation spots, complete with resorts and a rollercoaster, receiving up to 40,000 visitors on long weekends in the 1920s. A quick online search reveals black-and-white photographs of packed beaches and long lineups outside dance pavilions.
Sadly, the Grand Beach dance pavilion burned down in 1950, and with the development of highways and automobiles, these train tracks
were eventually torn up in 1963. Penelope (Penny) Buhr, a music teacher and another performer, remarked that because most of the cast have never been on the trains, thinking about how to portray the scenes required a lot of imagination. However, the group quickly came together to write musical numbers for the show.
“I’ve done composing and I wondered, how is this leader going to work with 20 adults?” said Buhr. “But it’s like a miracle. Like in a couple of weeks, two hours a week, the time just flew. There’s a song, there’s another song, there’s another song. So I was just only impressed that, wow, I’m part of something very unique.”
According to Frank Cullen, the founder of the American Vaudeville Museum, vaudeville is a variety show that originated in France and includes acts such as comedy, singing, dancing and acrobatics. In the U.S., vaudeville peaked between the 1880s and 1910s but largely faded by the 1930s with the rise of talking films.
Winnipeg has a rich vaudeville history. Moonlight Express director Grant Simpson, a professional vaudevillian, “ran shows in Whitehorse for over 40 years,” mentioned Campbell. Simpson moved to Winnipeg in 2018. In a blog post for the Manitoba Historical Society, he noted that early Canadian celebrities like Marjorie Guthrie and Gisele MacKenzie had roots in Winnipeg’s vaudeville scene. Even Charlie Chaplin once performed at one of the 40 vaudeville theatres that operated in the city at the time.
Vaudeville entertainers once earned a good living performing multiple shows a day, but the decline of the genre led to fewer opportunities. Despite this, Simpson has worked on several projects to keep vaudeville alive, including radio shows on CJNU FM and podcasts that celebrate its history and culture. Cooke said Winnipeg’s legacy as a vaudeville hub lives on in productions like Moonlight Express.
“[Simpson has] taught us a lot, too, you know, in preparation for the vaudeville shows, about vaudeville, about the performers like Jack Benny, who are a part of vaudeville, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Charlie Chaplin. “Winnipeg was a very big vaudeville centre with our Pantages Theatre and the Starland Theatre, they were all vaudeville places. And Grant helped us to realize more about vaudeville, and now we’re a part of it,” Cooke said.
Vaudeville is an art form that should be kept alive for its historical value, and in the case of Moonlight Express, the stories they tell shed light on what life was like in a previous era. When asked about why these shows are important, the actors also emphasized that community and joy make vaudeville a meaningful project.
Wayne Drury, another performer, recalled that he first met one of his castmates in a high school drama class in 1963. Cooke noted that since the show is part of a 55 plus
program, it gives older performers a chance to continue pursuing their passions.
“I’d say that it has to be the community, and the spirit of the community is to be ready to laugh, be ready to smile and share the joy. It’s so joyful it makes me cry sometimes […] It’s like a vacation every week,” added Buhr.
Moonlight Express will be performed on March 21 at 7 p.m. at the Crescent Arts Centre on 525 Wardlaw Ave. Admission is by donation at the door.
photo courtesy of / crescentartscentre.ca
Brian Dobie leaves lasting legacy in sports community
Dobie reflects on memories and lessons at 41st Annual Marjorie Ward Lecture
Israel Adeogo Abejoye, staff
The former Bisons football head coach Brian Dobie has bid farewell to the sports community, marking the end of his coaching career. Dobie reflected on his journey, as the keynote speaker, sharing memories, lessons learned and words of wisdom with the audience at the 41st Annual Marjorie Ward Lecture on Tuesday, March 11.
This year’s lecture titled “Reflections on the Future of Football in Canada,” focused on Dobie’s experiences in the world of sports and his vision for the future of football in Canada.
“I love this university — I’m going to get emotional. I’m just emotional at the best of times,” said Dobie. “I love it for so many reasons. St. John’s [College] — my family moved away when I was in Grade 12, I lived with a friend and then away I went into residence, and I was a resident here at St. John’s [College] for two years.”
Dobie spoke about the challenges he faced when he first started coaching, including the issue of concussions.
“Concussions I think has sort of died down. It’s not going to go away,” he said. “In a sport like football, we’re human beings. We have some football players in the room, and I guarantee — I guess I can’t guarantee this — but I want to guarantee that probably everybody that’s ever played almost regardless of how things turned out for them, were glad they took the risk.”
Dobie also discussed the issue of performance-enhancing drugs, recalling a significant incident in 2010. “There were a little over 10,000 student-athletes in the nation, 202 drug tests were taken in total of which [about] 70 per cent of them were [conducted on] football players across the country,” said Dobie. “Things started to really increase. I remember the next year, 2011, the [Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport] testers were at our practice field about every second week,” he said.
Dobie expressed his frustration with the lack of deterrents for players who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, stressing that
the responsibility with implementing stricter measures lies with the CFL. “It has to come from where they want to get to. It’s got to come from the CFL,” he said.
Dobie took pride in his proposal to the CFL, which led to a rule change requiring that players who test positive in university sports be banned from the draft for that year. “It took a couple years of lobbying, and finally, they put in a rule in 2017,” he said. “Since then, there’s only been a couple of people that have tested positive. To me, that was the deterrent, and it turned out to be that.”
Dobie also touched on the issue of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s revenue citing the significant revenue generated by top schools in the U.S. “They’re making unbelievable amounts of money,” he said, “[but] athletes, of course, weren’t making any money.” Dobie added “you can look at it one way, that they’re abusing hard work, taking advantage of those athletes.”
“But things changed,” the
former head coach explained.
“You recruit a player, and you’re getting incredible student-athletes, but you’re not getting millions of dollars.”
He explained that thanks to certain changes, the system evolved. Now, when a player sees a better opportunity at another school, they jump into the transfer portal, leading to constant movement between programs.
Dobie expressed hope that the future of football in Canada will develop in a way that benefits student-athletes, ensuring they can reap the rewards of their talent, much like their counterparts in the U. S.
Dobie concluded his speech by reflecting on the inspiring journeys of some of his former student-athletes including Maya Turner and Nick Thomas. Speaking on Turner’s contribution to the team, “she is not [on the team] to make a statement,” he said. “She’s not here to be that person, that woman. She’s not here for that reason. She’s here because she wants to play, she wants to compete, and she wants to do
that in a sport that she really loves and enjoys.”
Dobie told a story about Thomas, a player who once doubted himself and almost gave up on his football and academic careers. He claimed Thomas said to him, “‘coach, I’m going to leave, I’m going to quit, I’m going back home […] I’m too dumb to go to university,’ were his exact words.”
“That kid, a couple years later, that dumb kid, that kid that couldn’t learn defence and couldn’t spell cat or whatever it was he thought he couldn’t do,” Dobie said, “that kid became first-team All-Canadian linebacker.”
By ending with these inspiring stories, Dobie’s words reinforced the limitless potential within Canadian sports, showing how perseverance and self-belief can transform lives.
As Dobie stepped down from the podium, the audience erupted in applause, a testament to the coach’s enduring legacy and impact on the sports community.
photo / Ebunoluwa Akinbo / staff
Raya Surinx emerges U-Sports Player of the Year
The Bisons women’s volleyball athlete wins award two years in a row
Abdul-Jalilu Ahmed, staff
The Bisons women’s volleyball left side Raya Surinx has been named the U-Sports Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Surinx’s honour marks the first time in over three decades that a student-athlete has won the U-Sports Player of the Year award in two successive seasons. She is also only the second Bisons women’s volleyball player to receive this distinction, following Michelle Sawatzky-Koop, the current assistant coach of the Bisons women’s volleyball team, who won the award in 1991 and 1992.
Surinx missed the first two games of the season against the Calgary Dinos on Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 19, but went on to have a remarkable season, recording 310 kills and averaging 4.84 kills per set.
Surinx expressed joy over the award, noting that it is a
result of the team’s collective effort.
“It means so much to me and it is such an insane honour to win this award. It not only validates my hard work but the work we have put in as a team and our coaches,”
Surinx said to the Winnipeg Sun. “This is not truly an individual award. I wouldn’t be where I am without my teammates as we lift each other up and guide each other.”
The Bisons women’s volleyball coach Ken Bentley shared the events leading up to the start of the season, expressing how proud he is of Surinx.
“I’m so proud of Raya for taking time early in the season for herself after a long summer of training with the NextGen National Team.
Once Raya came back to our team, she found a higher gear in 2024-25,” he said.
Bentley reflected on how Surinx started the season and the significant impact she had on the team.
“Despite missing the first two matches of the regular season, she climbed her way up the leader board to lead Canada West once more in kills per set, total kills, while finishing second in service aces per set. Raya is playing with a calm assurance that has been impressive to watch this season,” he said.
The two-time Team Canada NextGen selection was also ranked sixth in the country with 40 service aces, while her 449 total points and 5.6 points per set were the highest in U-Sports.
Surinx has recorded 1,248 career kills on the Bisons team, the second-most in the rally scoring era and 11th overall in program history. Additionally, her 127 regular-season aces are the second-most in the rally scoring era at the university.
Surinx’s 4.168 career kills per set is ranked third in Canada West history.
Team receives their 8th championship win after defeating the Montreal Carabins
< Cont’d from front page
defence, Uchechukwu and Julia Arnold were key contributors in digs. Arnold led the team with 15 digs, showing strong defensive awareness and positioning. Uchechukwu and Surinx had 10 digs each. Their efforts were crucial in the Bisons’ ability to extend rallies and maintain control throughout the match.
In a post-game press conference, the Bisons women’s volleyball coach Ken Bentley commented on the win and
praised his team.
“This team has blown me away for the last three or four years,” he said. “I’m just so proud of this group, they’ve been such a treat to coach, they just work so hard.”
nament was just playing how we play and not changing
“I’m just so proud of this group, they’ve been such a treat to coach, they just work so hard”
— Ken Bentley, head coach of the Bisons women’s volleyball team
“We’ve worked so hard for this, and it feels overdue,” Surinx said. “Our focus throughout this whole tour-
it. At the beginning of the year, we said, ‘play this game exactly how you would play the national championship in March’ and that’s exactly what
we did today.” Uchechukwu also weighed in. “I think everyone played so great, especially in the second half of this season,” she said. “Now is probably some of the best volleyball we played.”
Katreena Bentley gave her thoughts on the win. “It is a dream come true, and it just
feels right, and we cannot have asked for a more perfect moment,” she said. “We finally did it.”
On their way to the finals, the Bisons defeated the Saint Mary’s Huskies 3-0 on Friday, March 14, then went on to beat the UBC Thunderbirds 3-1 on Saturday, March 15.
The Bisons’ victory marks an eighth championship win for the women’s volleyball team.
