9 Sept 2015

MANITOBAN the

THE OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA STUDENTS’ NEWSPAPER

NEWS

Barnard breaks it down Interview with the University of Manitoba president Page 4-5

ARTS & CULTURE

Moon over music Local folk group brings ‘Sorrow and Glory’ to the WECC Page 18

SPORTS

Bisons surpass Saskatchewan A hard-earned win starts the season out right for Manitoba Page 24-25

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

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Index

VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Craig Adolphe

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EDITORIAL

NEWS EDITOR Ethan Cabel

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ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Seamus Hamilton-Pattison

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SPORTS EDITOR Mike Still

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COPY EDITOR Tom Ingram

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NEWS

DESIGN

Transit talk

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U of M prof gets green light for public transit research project

DESIGN EDITOR Bradly Wohlgemuth GRAPHICS EDITOR Bram Keast

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VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS

Raylene Paci Yanisa Wu Emma Partridge Olivia Law Koby Michaels Aiken Lao

Richard Joseph Andy Che Ryan Stelter Jeremy Hecht Cazzy Lewchuk Emily Christie

Chantal Zdan Jeff Miller

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SCIENCE

SPORTS

Be the next Bill Nye

Air Canada

page 13

page 27

The importance of effective science communication

A reflection on Carter's career in Canada

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News

News Editor: Ethan Cabel Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

University of Manitoba indigenous leaders look to rock the vote Voter turnout of indigenous Canadians could be decisive factor in federal election, say experts DANA HATHERLY, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

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xperts at the University of department head of native studies remote areas) and voters not having Manitoba predict that indige- at the University of Manitoba, is acceptable pieces of identification. nous voter turnout is likely to increase advocating for increased voter turnSinclair argues that indigenous from previous years in the upcoming out among indigenous Canadians in people should not vote for a candifederal election as indigenous leaders the face of what he describes as their date just because they are indigenous, seek to bolster voter turnout across persistent marginalization from the rather, they should “vote for a candithe country. political process. date that seeks to truly change [the In an election campaign where the “Every step of the way the system].” three major political parties are in a Canadian government is working dead heat in public opinion polls, and to disenfranchise indigenous people “Every step of the where small margins in a handful of from their national claims and land ridings could determine the outcome, and resource claims,” Sinclair said. way the Canadian indigenous leaders and citizens across Sinclair was among those who government the country have tossed around com- reacted to Bellegarde’s controversial peting opinions about their increased remarks. is working to participation in the federal political Sinclair wrote an op-ed in the disenfranchise process.

Winnipeg Metro newspaper on Aug. However, they all agree that the 24 outlining various factors impacting indigenous people indigenous vote could be an impor- historically low voter turnout among from their national tant factor in the outcome. indigenous people across the nation.

Some indigenous people may be Perry Bellegarde, national chief claims and land and with the Assembly of First Nations, reluctant to participate in the federal urged indigenous people to mark political process, Sinclair wrote, nam- resource claims” – their ballots this October, admitting ing what he called legitimate reasons Niigaanwewidam that he did not vote in the 2011 federal for their perceived apathy – namely, election and was unsure whether he being skeptical of funding promises James Sinclair, would participate this time around. proposed by parties, maintaining acting department Bellegarde’s paradoxical stance the position that First Nations are prompted reaction from some indig- autonomous nations, and believing head of native enous voters in Winnipeg, including that Canada continues to institute Derek Nepinak, grand chief with the an ongoing cycle of violence against studies, U of M Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, among indigenous people. others.

“For indigenous people to particiNepinak said he was surprised pate in a system that refuses to change Namely he said the Indian Act, a that Bellegarde would admit to this, is to be complicit in their own abuse,” Canadian statute outlining the relaadding that he would never ask peo- he said. tionship between the federal governple to vote if he was not prepared to Other reasons cited by additional ment, indigenous Canadians, and do it himself. sources include barriers faced in First Nation communities, should Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, transportation (getting to the polls be their primary focus, adding that it an associate professor and acting and accessing voting stations in “needs to go, needs to change, needs

to recognize indigenous peoples’ care were the three main items on relationships.”

Sinclair’s policy radar.

“Anyone that would vote for someSinclair said both federal frontone that would keep the Indian Act, runners and voters need to grasp the for example, would have to be com- special relationships that people share pletely ignorant of the history of across the country and confront the indigenous people,” Sinclair said. legacy of colonialism.

Indigenous people comprise a siz“Indigenous people don’t live in a able share of the electorate in about 51 bubble. They have relationships with ridings, Sinclair told the Manitoban. everyday Canadians and live in ter“But at the same time, indigenous ritories where Canadians live as well,” peoples’ issues have historically Sinclair said. been almost completely absent from They may have “historically national debate, especially involving been marginalized, tokenized, and leadership during election time,” he belittled when engaging in the fedsaid, attributing blame to a vestige eral political process,” Will Landon, of federal “policies fraught with rac- aboriginal students’ representative at ism and patriarchy, and control of the the University of Manitoba Students’ Indian Act.” Union, wrote in an email to the One significant change in this Manitoban, “but every vote counts.”

“With a first past the post system election, Sinclair continued, is that for the first time ever national lead- like ours, an interest group can decide ers across the political spectrum are who’s in power and whether it’s a appearing to care or be engaged with majority or minority government. indigenous issues.

This can dictate a continued confron“No leader has truly made indig- tational relationship on the federal enous issues part of their party plat- level or a more workable relationship.” form, it’s often been part of a fringe Two Manitoba ridings to watch claim,” Sinclair said about how the include Churchill-Keewatinook Aski, system is changing. where indigenous Liberal candidate “All leaders [in the 2015 election Rebecca Chartrand is attemptcampaign] have made major state- ing to unseat long-time NDP MP ments about indigenous engagement Niki Ashton, and Winnipeg Centre, on some level.” where indigenous Liberal candidate Implementing the Truth and Robert-Falcon Ouellette is attemptReconciliation Commission’s rec- ing to depose veteran NDP MP Pat ommendations, calling a national Martin. Twenty per cent of Winnipeg inquiry into missing and murdered Centre voters are indigenous. indigenous women, and addressing issues of indigenous children in

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News

News Editor: Ethan Cabel Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

David Barnard opens up U of M president talks about current controversies and his legacy ETHAN CABEL, STAFF

PHOTO BY CRAIG ADOLPHE

D

avid Barnard, the president be remembered as a great university and vice-chancellor of the president.

University of Manitoba, has faced In an interview with the his share of controversy.

Manitoban, Barnard made clear that This year alone, Barnard has had his mission is to lay the groundto deal with the fallout from $14.4 work for the future success of the million worth of cuts in this year’s University of Manitoba – to be the operating budget, a 10-to-18 per cent president who was “part of the team hike in international student fees, that built the platform from which and two Canadian Association of the next team launches the rocket.”

University Teachers (CAUT) investigations into alleged misconduct at the U of M. “It wouldn’t bother Most recently, the Manitoban reported that the department of eco- me not to be nomics is preparing to split into two remembered, but I academic units due to personal and ideological disputes among faculty want to be part of members. CAUT is even preparing the team that built to censure the university if it does not resolve the matter. the platform from Since becoming president of the which the next team U of M in 2008, Barnard has dealt with the threat of a faculty strike launches the rocket” over academic freedom issues and has been embroiled in debates over post-secondary education funding.

As part of this mission, Barnard He has signalled that the uni- has been busy implementing the versity will make another round key tenets of the University of of budget cuts this academic year Manitoba’s 2015-2020 strategic plan and has argued consistently that – namely, strengthening its teaching, Manitoba’s tuition fees are too low improving its research output, bolto meet the financial requirements stering achievement for indigenous of the university. students, and building community But the former computer sci- through new campus planning and ence professor and president of the development.

University of Regina is not interested As part of the implementain popularity or even whether he will tion of this plan, the university has

been engaged in its Visionary (re) Generation planning process, which will eventually result in the build up of the Southwood lands into new campus housing, retail, and other development.

This fall, the U of M will also officially launch its $500 million Front and Centre campaign to attract private donations to the university.

Moreover, the campus remains committed to attracting more indigenous students and will house the permanent records of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which recently completed its nation-wide investigation into the Indian residential school system.

The Manitoban conducted an extensive interview with Barnard last week. The following are the highlights of our wide-ranging conversation with the president and vicechancellor on current controversies and his vision for the University of Manitoba. The interview has been edited for length.

Economics department split

MANITOBAN: Ultimately, as the president of the university, what is your preferred outcome when it comes to the proposal to split the department of economics and the negotiations being led by the dean of arts?

BARNARD: My preferred outcome is

that the faculty collectively can find a way forward that is going to be good for students and for the department and for the delivery of its programs and services.

M: But what would that look like to you? Do you view the department staying together as a priority at this point? How important is it for the department to stay together?

B: I think that is a question, frankly, for the department to decide. We have a group of colleagues, they have working relationships, they have programs they have defined over the years. There is some stress there, and they are trying to find a way forward, and frankly I think in our collegial governance model the onus is there for them to find a way forward. University presidents don’t typically interfere in the governance of departments or faculties. It is not our role.

M: Are you concerned at all about CAUT’s motion to censure the U of M? What is your response to that?

B: Well, certainly we would prefer not to be censured by CAUT, but that’s a decision that they will make.

We will make a decision to do the best things that we think we can do within the responsibilities that we have [...] I don’t think the report that

was written justifies the action they are threatening to take.

Budget cuts

M: Over the past year, in terms of dealing with the budgetary challenges of the university, what were the issues that were top of mind for you when determining where to cut resources and what things to prioritize?

B: The next strategic plan, which will guide us for the next five years, was passed unanimously in Senate and by the Board [of Governors] last year, and that has a number of priorities that are identified. So when I and my colleagues in the president’s executive team start thinking about the budget and as we’re working through the process, we keep in mind the priorities that are in that plan.

Those involve, in our language, inspiring minds – the focus on teaching; driving discovery and insight – the focus on the research mission of the university; creating pathways to indigenous achievement, which is particularly significant here on the Prairies and particularly significant to this university and this province; building community, which is building the campus environment, which allows us to have a really outstanding place for people to learn and work.

And the fifth one is forging connections to the community.

VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

So at a very high level, those are the sort of filters we use to look at the budget and say “how do we best allocate [resources] to drive these priorities?” Then we work down, right?

We work down from there.

M: In terms of this past budget, the university signalled that there were going to be four per cent cuts across the board, but not every faculty faced the full four percent. The education and environment faculties faced 3.5 per cent cuts, and business and science faced 2.5 per cent in cuts, while music was cut by 3 per cent and engineering by 2.2 per cent. What was the justification for that?

B: In some cases, there has been enrolment growth, in some cases there has been the need to respond to specific local circumstances in some of the units, whatever they might be – facilities, more people assisting in teaching or whatever. In each of those cases, we looked and determined that everyone needs to share in the difficulty, but there are some specific things that are happening in some of these areas that we need to respond to, so we responded differentially.

M: What can the university community expect from next year’s budget?

You signalled in the fall that the university will cut its operating budget by another four per cent. Is that still in the cards?

B: Yes, it is still in the cards. That will be the way we move forward.

But we don’t know exactly where it will end up until the budget is sent by the province in the spring, but to do our planning we need to move ahead with some reasonable expectation and that expectation we will use in our planning.

Now, that [four per cent] is a complicated number, right? Because while we talk about cuts in the units at the end of the process, the units will end up with more money, they just won’t have enough money to cover the costs that they currently have extrapolated forward.

ments to our buildings, we enhance the technology available in our classrooms, and there are are a whole number of things that we do in this area that are capital expenditures [...]

Generally accepted accounting procedures require that we make that differentiation, but in terms of the work of the university, those capital expenditures, whether they are pieces of equipment or enhancement of facilities and so on, those are things we need to do our work. What happens at the end of year, really, is not a transfer into a fund that is designated for something unspecified, but a recognition at the end of the year that a lot of money has been spent on those things because that is part of the way that we do our work. It is just natural and normal and there is nothing unusual or wrong about it.

Most of the transfer from operating to capital is of that sort, and we can expect that it will continue to be that way because that is just the way we operate and the way we report what we do.

“Certainly we would prefer not to be censured by CAUT, but that’s a decision that they will make. We will make a decision to do the best things that we think we can do within the responsibilities that we have [...] I don’t think the report that was written justifies the action they are threatening to take” International student fees

M: One of the issues that has been M: Also on the budgetary side, there brought up by those that are opposed was quite the controversy over raising to cuts at the university has been tuition fees for international students. transfers from the operating budget What was the thought process behind to capital. Can you elaborate on why that and what ultimately led to the typically, in a given year, there will be decision to increase fees for internaa fairly large transfer from the oper- tional students? ating to the capital budget? Is there some kind of government funding B: We’re under considerable finanthat is lacking in terms of funding cial pressure as we’ve already been the capital side? discussing. The tuition fees that we charge to international students were B: I’m a computer scientist, not an low relative to other universities like accountant, so an accountant might us in the country, and we moved them explain it in technical terms. But basi- up. We have not moved them up as cally what the capital budget does much as most of the other universities is recognize our expenditures on in the research intensive group across items that have a continuing value; the country, but we have moved them things that are dealt with within the up a little bit, and that was a flexibility year are operating expenditures. So that we had and we thought it was paying someone for work they are appropriate. doing now is an operating expense, It certainly is an advantage for buying paper to print handouts for the University of Manitoba and its a class is an operating expense, but students and for Manitoba to have buying a computer that might be used international students here, but it is over several years is a capital expense an interesting and a hard question to because it is not just consumed in the ask how much should international short-term, it has some lasting value. students pay relative to national stuAnd so we buy a lot of equipment dents who are part of the economy of that sort, we buy computers for that is also paying the taxes to pay people that work here, we buy other for the cost of the university. sorts of equipment, we make adjust-

News

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PHOTO BY CAROLYNE KROEKER

M: How do you strike that balance between an acceptable tuition rate for international versus domestic students? Is it simply looking at a comparison to other universities across the country, specifically U15 universities?

B: Well, certainly one thing that many organizations do is to compare themselves to their peers and see what their peers are doing. That is what we have been trying to do in this area and several other areas. When we look at what is happening at our peer institutions with respect to domestic tuition fees, we are very low. We were very low with respect to international fees and we had some room to manoeuvre so we manoeuvred.

M: How do you respond to the criticism, and this criticism has been made about universities across the country, that universities are recruiting international students to offset low domestic tuition and to shore up their operations that way? Do you think that is an unfair criticism? Is the concern justified?

B: I think that internationalization is driven by wholly other considerations than cost. Canada is a country made up mostly of people who have come here from other places, right? And it is important that we continue to be connected to the rest of the world as a society and one important place to do that is through the universities.

We think that it is important as a university to send our students other places and we think it is important to bring students from other places here. This, I think, helps build better awareness of the world. It has very pragmatic implications for connections people form when students from other places come here and return home, they often are some of the best advocates for Canada [...] and similarly when we send young people from here abroad, they learn more about the world and come back thinking differently about it. I think the drive to internationalization is not a financially motivated one, it’s actually motivated by a much deeper set of considerations.

Barnard’s vision

M: The $500 million Front and Centre campaign officially starts this fall. Over the past year, the university has received $37 million in private

donations, with over $26 million of that coming from alumni donors. Do those numbers give you hope that you can reach the goal in the Front and Centre campaign? What is the deadline for the $500 million?

B: The campaign is going to be spread over several years. A lot of things will become much more clear within a month or so because we are going to have an official launch of the campaign so I think a number of the questions you are asking will be clarified then. I will ask you to wait until we publicly announce it.

But with respect to the general question about how realistic it is for us to reach for that number, I think it is quite realistic. We have got some really wonderful support in the community, and commitment to helping us raise that money [...] The priorities in the campaign align very well with those in our strategic plan and we’ve gotten a lot of interest so far.

M: In terms of the Visionary (re) Generation development plan, what do you hope to achieve with that plan in terms of what the campus looks like and how students interact with the campus? And how much of the plan is contingent on rapid transit development around the U of M? B: What the Visionary (re) Generation project has done is step back and look at the entire area that the university now occupies, including the Southwood golf course. The acquisition of the Southwood lands presented us with really an unavoidable opportunity to think about how we want to use that land and how does that get integrated into a larger picture of the existing campus and its various components.

What we really want, and what the long term planning will do, is give us a framework to think about individual decisions around where buildings should be located, how things should be grouped together, how can people move around the property and get to the property and get away from it [...]

What the plan is doing is looking at an integrated view of all of these things, taking into account the needs the university has at present and can predict for expansion of different sorts. We certainly need more space for students. We have a lower percentage of our students liv-

ing on campus than is true of most universities our size, and certainly for other research universities. We want to have a plan that will survive over a long period of time; a decadeslong plan.

Public transit is certainly an important part of our thinking about the university because we would like to see increasingly people using public transit to get here. We’re really pleased with the collaboration we’ve had with the city. The announcement of the plan for transit is good for us, and we’re going to start seeing development on campus of a transit hub that will connect up with the rapid transit further north of the city. The ideas that have been identified and the way they have been put together in a plan has been done very, very creatively. I’m really quite excited about that project [...] The ideas that are in the plan are ideas that can survive for a long time.

M: You sound very passionate about this project. Ultimately, what do you want to be remembered for as the president of the University of Manitoba? Is this one of those things? And what else is on that list?

B: I would parse that question into two parts, actually. There is the contribution I would like to make and then there is what I would like to be remembered for. I have said sometimes in the past, I think in some ways the best contribution would be to make things happen in such a way that at some time in the future, maybe several decades from now, someone looks back and says “the decade of the 2020s at the University of Manitoba was a really productive decade, a lot of things happened there, I wonder what the circumstances were.”

Some historian starts digging into it and looks back and says “you know, there was something really pretty amazing that happened in that decade, from 2020 on, and as I dig into it what I find is that the team that was leading the university before that period built the platform from which those folks in the 2020’s launched a rocket.” It wouldn’t bother me not to be remembered, but I want to be part of the team that built the platform from which the next team launches the rocket.

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News

News Editor: Ethan Cabel Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

U of M professor launches transit research project Project seeks to determine how cities balance accessibility with development goals ETHAN CABEL, STAFF

research, Linovski applied for a summer intern through the Mitacs Globalink program, which connects universities with international interns.

Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to build partnerships between industry and university researchers.

PHOTO BY CAROLYNE KROEKER

W

ith the City of Winnipeg slated ments and media coverage, a spa- corridors has the potential to increase to complete phase two of the tial analysis of the mapping of the choice ridership while expandSouthwest rapid transit corridor BRT routes, and interviews with ing the tax base for cash-strapped by 2020 after years of delays, one key decision-makers in the transit municipalities.

University of Manitoba professor is authorities and bureaucracies of each As such, the project ultimately preparing to examine how munici- municipality. seeks to determine how the goals According to Linovski and of equity in transit development – palities across Canada make decisions about bus rapid transit (BRT).

Manaugh, public transportation has namely, improved accessibility for Orly Linovski, an assistant profes- two primary goals. the marginalized groups that disprosor in the department of city planning First, to provide mobility for portionately use public transit – are at the U of M, recently received fund- transit-dependent riders – namely, weighted against the development ing for her joint BRT research project those who rely on public transporta- goals of municipalities. with Kevin Manaugh, an assistant tion in their daily lives. These riders “I’m interested in how decisions professor in the department of geog- are disproportionately low-income are made over the routing of transpeople and people with disabilities. portation investments when there raphy at McGill University.

The project, titled “Selecting the Second, public transportation seeks are benefits, or possible benefits, for Route: Development and Equity to encourage those who are able to equity and access as well as possible Goals in Transit Decision-making,” drive a vehicle to opt for public transit benefits for the city in terms of develwill examine the development of instead. These riders are from higher opment potential,” Linovski told the BRT systems in four Canadian income groups and are more likely to Manitoban. jurisdictions — Winnipeg, Calgary, live in suburban areas.

“I’m specifically interested in bus Ottawa and the city of Markham, Bolstering the number of so-called rapid transit because often times it’s Ont. in the regional municipality of “choice riders” carries many potential sold as a lower-cost option for municYork, near Toronto. benefits for cities, including reduced ipalities with the same development Each case study will include a traffic congestion. Moreover, residen- potential.” discourse analysis of planning docu- tial development along rapid transit As part of the first phase of this

of the current BRT stations to have an idea of the pace of development.”

The research project is slated to take place over two years. In the first year, the discourse and spatial analysis will be compiled. This analysis will be used to identify the key decisionmakers who will be interviewed over the course of the second year.

Before partnering with Linovski, “I’m interested Kevin Manaugh studied transit development in Toronto. His recent in how decisions article, titled “Towards equitable are made over transit: Examining transit accessibility and social need in Toronto, the routing of Canada, 1996-2006” revealed that transportation Toronto has a generally equitable transit system. investments when The article concluded that “the there are benefits, most socially disadvantaged census tracts have statistically significantly or possible benefits, better accessibility and lower transit travel times relative to the rest of for equity and the region in both 1996 and in 2006.” access as well as However, the Toronto case study relied on mapping and other data possible benefits rather than direct interviews with for the city in terms key decision-makers.

As such, Manaugh hopes to learn of development more about how city officials balance the competing priorities of accessibilpotential” - Orly ity and development in BRT projects.

Linovski, assistant “It is very difficult in terms of the methods we used to uncover any real professor, University intention on the part of policy makof Manitoba city ers or any real experience of actual planning department users of the system [in Toronto],” he said, adding that he looks forward to the discourse analysis and deciShuheng Zhu, an urban planning sion-maker interviews that will be student from Wuhan University in key components of his project with China, spent the summer gath- Linovski. ering information and mapping “Uncovering some of the nuance of Winnipeg’s Southwest transit cor- what is actually behind some of the ridor. Development for the second goals and objectives of the plans is phase of the corridor went to a request going to be very interesting.” for proposals in July and will be developed as public-private partnership.

“She did a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of gathering the existing data and pulling it together,” Linovski said, adding that the data still needs to be analyzed for the purposes of the project.

“She also did a photo survey of all

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Ideas matter

Editorial Editor-In-Chief: Craig Adolphe Contact: Editor@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

The decline of the liberal arts and the rise of anti-intellectualism LAUREN SIDDALL, STAFF

T

he term “liberal education” was coined in classical Greco-Roman times, selected to emphasize its role in analyzing their rulers critically. It was thought to make one wise through studying over time, with the goal of producing a more educated electorate.

An Association of American Colleges and Universities report states that “the case for liberal arts goes beyond purely vocational or economic reasons, they are indispensible to the vitality of democracy and the future of global understanding and community.” A liberal arts education teaches critical thinking skills; it’s effectively learning how to learn.

Why, then, is an education that was once so coveted, so essential, now becoming increasingly obsolete?

Economic conditions may be partly to blame. As the cost of postsecondary education rises, liberal arts have been forced into the backseat – and are instead replaced with more vocationally oriented studies.

Even within the liberal arts, there has been a shift from the more traditional humanities, such as English and history, toward more marketable subjects, such as economics.

The humanities are increasingly seen as a luxury for those who can afford to spend time studying. In fact, a sociologist at Cornell University found that students from more wealthy families tend to enroll in English, history, and performing arts, while students from lower-income families flock to computer science, physics, and mathematics.

But that is only part of the problem.

As we move into a more technologically reliant world, there has been a push by the government, as well as educational institutions, towards “training” over education. Rather than attending post-secondary educational facilities to gain a deeper understanding of the world, students are now more inclined to seek specialized courses in specific technical skills.

Education is now viewed as a commodity to be traded for a prosperous career, which it most certainly is not. It is an opportunity to cultivate the intellectual values necessary for a functioning democracy. In fact, eliminating the humanities from education creates a darkly utilitarian portrait of humankind and what our purpose is.

University of Chicago professor Rosanna Warren maintains that “most people need and want arts in their lives. Our civilization may now be so coarsened that we will eliminate the humanities from our schools, and we will train our citizens only for technical skills which give them no sense of what they are living for, or why.”

We are designed to be creative, analytical beings. Our cerebra – the folded surface layer of our brains associated with higher cognitive processes – are significantly more complex than that of animals. We are made with a capacity to contemplate ideologies

GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

and interpret the meaning of events, Training everyone to think the same Hunger Games, have replaced the littexts, and works of art. leads to groupthink and polarization, erary classics, like Shakespeare and Yet, there is still a push by gov- which eventually leads a culture of Milton. ernment bodies and educational anti-intellectualism – a culture in institutions to focus wholly on tech- which uninformed opinions based Confronting arduous nical education with “real-world on emotion, a few facts, and even less applicability.” study rule. literature whose The interesting – and somewhat counterintuitive – thing is: anti-intel- meaning is initially The interesting lectualism has nothing to do with obscure to us and level of intelligence, or lack thereof.

– and somewhat Rather, it is the lack of ability to rea- being compelled to counterintuitive son. Therefore, the emphasis on a push forward, to strictly STEM education in Canada – thing is: antiand the United States, no matter how grapple and think intellectualism has rigorous or intellectually stimulating, will not mitigate the anti-intellec- and work, gives us nothing to do with tualist culture we have created, as it the perseverance level of intelligence, does not teach the same broad-scale needed for true critical thinking or lack thereof.

Training people to be able to perenlightenment form only one task at an elite level Rather, it is the lack limits their capacity to understand of ability to reason and analyze anything outside of Sure, Shakespeare is difficult to their particular paradigm; they are read, but that’s the point. We need to essentially programmed into passive struggle through novels like War and When we stop teaching the abil- acceptance.

Peace or Infinite Jest because a deep ity to think critically, we lose what Perhaps the issue is that few of us understanding of the world shouldn’t makes us distinctly human. We truly think anymore. We don’t read be easy. You cannot grow intellectuneed to teach people to question complicated enough literature, and ally, morally by standing where you the sweeping majority to ensure we we don’t read well. Books focusing are comfortable; you need to propel as a society are on the right track. purely on entertainment, such as The yourself beyond what you believe you

are capable of.

Confronting arduous literature whose meaning is initially obscure to us and being compelled to push forward, to grapple and think and work, gives us the perseverance needed for true enlightenment.

An informed, intelligent public needs to be able to read something longer than 140 characters in order to be engaged in reasoned dialogue and debate. We need to be able to form well-informed opinions in order to sustain a functioning democratic society.

Over one third of Canadians between 16 and 65 fails to meet the functioning standard of literacy. This is a red flag. These are the people who hold the future in their hands.

A liberal education challenges and empowers individuals, preparing them for diversity, change, and complexity. It helps students develop a sense of social responsibility and the ability to analyze, communicate, and solve problems.

Liberal arts are not elitist, nor optional. If we want an educated citizenry, we must educate them.

Comment Comment Editor: Evan Tremblay Contact: comment@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

10

Who does UMSU really work for?

The answer should be the students YANISA WU

W

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

elcome to the University of against the budget, presumably under An overly close relationship Manitoba: a campus that the assumption that it parallelled stu- between the administration and the “thrives” and “grows” by disengaging dent interests. However, the execu- university’s student union directly from the student population via the tive never provided the student body harms the relationship between brick walls of bureaucracy and oppres- with an opportunity to voice their the executives of that union and its sive ideology. Please do not be fooled opinions on this matter. There were members: the students. If the adminby our school’s glittery and distracting no surveys, no discussions, no infor- istration’s decisions and actions are advertisements that announce “I am mation sessions. working in direct opposition to the a trailblazer” or “I am a rebel.” In fact, interests of students, it is UMSU’s you are not a trailblazer or rebel, as a duty to represent its members and It is UMSU’s duty student of this university. make the relationship with students Instead, you are expected to pay a priority. At this point, it is not. to represent its your dues and enter into a submissive The mandate of a student union members and make relationship with both the university becomes lost and muddled when administration and student union. the relationship students see the administration and This was shown during the 2014-15 UMSU cooperating on multiple levels. school year when several student, with the students If undergraduate students are paying faculty, and staff groups protested hundreds of dollars for the services a priority the austerity budget that would see of the union, shouldn’t the union do four per cent cuts to most faculties everything in its power to support and some non-academic units. Here The current UMSU executive is them? Instead of focusing on supplyare some – certainly not all – things unable to represent the student popu- ing the students with expensive music to consider should you decide to con- lation on important issues, such as the festivals, budget cuts should be the tinue your academic journey through budget cuts, if they are unable to con- focus of an official UMSU campaign, sistently educate, inform, and engage alongside other important campaigns this treacherous campus.

Every undergraduate student at with the students on these issues. such as Divest Manitoba. Why not? the U of M pays a minimum annual Only two emails were sent since The above is not meant to provoke University of Manitoba Students’ the budget cuts were announced in or create further conflicts among Union (UMSU) fee in addition to November 2014; one each in January students groups and the student the UMSU Health and Dental Plan. and May of the following year. union. However, it acknowledges the We pay hundreds of dollars over the These emails sought only to edu- absence of UMSU’s much-needed course of our degrees to an organiza- cate the students on why these cuts support and leadership during a time tion that supposedly aims to fight for were necessary, rather than explain- where the administration is using our rights and interests as students of ing the position of many students the students’ perceived inactivity the university. Yet our current execu- that these cuts were unnecessary as a means and excuse to continue tive continually fails to do so. and oppressive choices on the part of their unrepresentative and neoliberal In 2014-15, UMSU made little to the administration. The only avenue actions. no effort in leading a campaign that available for students to learn more directly affected current students about the unnecessary budget cuts Yanisa Wu is a member of and will be affecting future students. and to actively engage with this issue the University of Manitoba In May, UMSU executives voted on campus is through the Student Student Action Network. in favour or abstained from voting Action Network.

‘That’s not fair!’

Meditations on the clarion call of self-interest EVAN TREMBLAY, STAFF

I

t seems to be something of a trend with people my age to confuse their own interests with the common good.

The idea that it is somehow unfair for us to not have all our desires (and a lot of what we call needs are really just desires) met is not a healthy mindset, though it is increasingly widespread.

Seeing unfairness as a state of discontent is a big part of why we live in such an unjust society: we are willing to put up with a lot, so long as things seem “fair” for number one.

It’s not just young people, of course – though I think that as digital technology permeates more and more of our lives, we are more likely to be susceptible to it. The social media we use is designed to show us the things we like to see; algorithms track what we click on and deliver more of the same. We get a false idea of how much the world agrees with us and of how important we are in the grand scheme of things.

Combine this with a culture of the super-rich (hint: if you’re readconsumption that makes money ing this, you’re not), then to varying by making us feel special, and an degrees all our lives are unfair. The inflated sense of self-importance gears of government and the economy becomes understandable, if not do not turn for your benefit. But one forgivable. thing that young people forget when We learn by example. World they invoke unfairness as a condileaders refuse to take actions to tion they suffer from is everyone else reduce the emission of greenhouse besides them. gasses, appealing to a rough-andA small example I’m sure many tumble sense of fairness, where fair of you can relate to: classmates is what benefits them (and their complaining that it was unfair that economies). Canada stands out as a they did not know in advance know prime example of nations that have what parts of a book would be covnot put forward workable solutions ered by a test. The whole book was to reduce their greenhouse gas emis- assigned; to them, “unfair” means sions to acceptable levels, and have “more effort than they want to put in.” used their economies (or rather, the They wanted a free lunch, and screw inconceivability of tinkering with people that were willing to put in the them) as justification for continuing required work. to destroy the heritage of the whole Or consider that crotchety relacommunity of nations. tive we all have: it’s “unfair” that they Don’t get me wrong: we do live have to pay taxes for [insert thing in a very unfair, inequitable, and they dislike]. I’ve never met anyone unequal culture. If you’re not amongst who was willing to just not use any

government services, so presumably these people don’t disapprove of government services; they just want these to consist of what they like, and forget anyone else with different needs who is represented by the same government.

It’s not fair when exceptionalism is used to justify military action; it’s no more so when used to frame our expectations of how the world treats us Thinking of things like this as unfair blinds us to true unfairness.

If a situation not turning out to your liking is unfair, what is the situation of the First Nations here, or the Palestinians in Israel? When we split our world into a dichotomy of fair and unfair based on ourselves and no one else, the words lose meaning, become hollow.

The idea of unfairness that a lot of people seem to have is a lot like American exceptionalism. We all know what that looks like: America can attack anyone it wants, but it is a horrific unfairness if they themselves are attacked. It’s a willing blindness to subtlety, context, and broader community. It’s not fair when exceptionalism is used to justify military action; it’s no more so when used to frame our expectations of how the world treats us.

VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

Comment 11

Point/counterpoint: eSports

eSports are real sports, and we should treat them as such

eSports, while they require skill and dedication, are not real sports

KOBY MICHAELS AND AIKEN LAO, THE UBYSSEY

EMMA PARTRIDGE AND OLIVIA LAW, THE UBYSSEY

VANCOUVER – Auto racing. Bowling. Chess. Tug of War. Curling. eSports. What do they have in common? All are recognized by the International Olympic Committee as sports. Just because some athletes don’t have to run, jump or throw a ball to play their sport doesn’t mean they aren’t athletes. This is true for eSports, and it’s time the university recognized University of British Columbia (UBC) eSports as a team.

Sports today are about so much more than athletics. Bloomberg Business estimates North American sports industry revenue will reach almost US$70 billion by 2017. Today, sports are as much about business as they are competition, and eSports has the business. Every year, tournaments hand out hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money.

Individual athletes can take home millions in a year.

But more important than what the competitors can make is how much fans spend to see teams compete. eSports is on track to generate $500 million in revenue by 2017, according to Newzoo, a marketing research company. The same report estimated that the sport will have 145 million enthusiasts and 190 million additional casual spectators by 2017. That makes eSports as popular or more popular than the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLS, and the MLB.

In the industry (which, for better or worse, is what professional sports are today), eSports unequivocally makes the cut.

Now you might think, “if there’s so much money involved, then why don’t I become a professional gamer? All I need to do is play the video game well, right?”

Think again. Much like a professional hockey player, a professional gamer practises their sport for many

Just because some athletes don’t have to run, jump or throw a ball playing to play their sport doesn’t mean they aren’t athletes

opt to spend their time practising instead.

Due to the accessibility of games, even one day away from the computer can lead to a huge decrease in player performance as players must compete against, not only other teams, but anyone who plays their game. Now factor in the practice hours, sponsorship work and additional physical training and you’ll find yourself seeing a schedule comparable to that of an Olympic athlete who plays a “real sport.”

UBC eSports won a North American tournament earlier this year, making them the best eSports team on the continent. That is more than any official UBC team can claim. Yet UBC eSports has been barred from using the university’s name and the Thunderbird logo in the past because they are not recognized as a team at UBC. Officially, UBC eSports is a club, like any other.

They train as long and as hard as any athlete at UBC, they are at the same level of competition as other UBC teams, and they play a game recognized as a sport by international organizations. Why doesn’t UBC treat it like one?

hours per week. League of Legends, one of the most popular multiplayer video games in the world, adds new content every few months, resulting in constant overhauls in strategies and formations. On top of that, many teams rely heavily on sponsors and spend a great deal of time – National University Wire doing sponsorship work. In spite of this rigorous schedule, many players, even when they have days off,

VANCOUVER – Are play- So also running for president. ers of eSports successful? Some of Neither are sports. them, yes, very. Are they talented?

It’s difficult to argue that your Absolutely. Have they spent hours training for a gaming competition and hours practising? Yup. is the same as training for, say, a But they’re not athletes. marathon or a basketball tournaCalling eSports sports doesn’t ment. The way you train for a sport make any sense. The only reasons makes you healthy, fit, and gives we’re even drawing comparisons you an endorphin rush. In 2014, is because eSports have mass audi- Novak Djokovic spent around 20 ences and players can receive a lot of hours on court when winning the money in competition. That doesn’t men’s singles title at Wimbledon. make them sports.

Spending that amount of time in You might think that it’s an arbi- front of a computer sounds like trary distinction to define sports as a typical hangover day for many an activity that involves physical people. exertion, but it isn’t. It’s exactly Just because the top players earn what differentiates sports from any big money doesn’t mean gaming is other activity. Both athletes and a sport – and packing out stadiums gamers have talent and the poten- also doesn’t make it a sport. It costs tial to make bank; it’s not about millions to hire Jay Z for a concert, who’s better, it’s about semantics. and the stadium is packed out to Where does it stop if we say eSports bursting. But is Jay Z an athlete? are sports?

No, of course not. He is putting Let’s look at the arguments: on a show, a performance. This is 1. eSports involves training. the same entertainment an eSports So does writing an essay. So tournament gives. does waiting tables. Doesn’t mean Not a sport, but definitely a they’re sports. competition. Jamming the games 2. eSports involves training and into the label and showing them it can make you a lot of money. on traditional sporting platforms So can getting an engineering such as ESPN are simply inviting degree. Does cramming for that comparisons. final make you an athlete? Nope.

3. eSports involves training and – National University Wire it can make you a lot of money and it’s competitive.

So is America’s Next Top Model.

GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

13

Science & technology Science & Technology Editor: Chantelle Dubois Contact: science@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

On science communication Why science communication and critical thinking are important CHANTELLE DUBOIS, STAFF

S

cience communication is the process of communicating scientific ideas to those who are not scientists.

For those who are in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, it may be easy to forget how often science fiction is dressed up as science fact. Many commercials, websites, magazines, and other publications advance their cause by relying on the ignorance of non-scientific readers, throwing around vague or meaningless words that sound important.

The Internet has made it possible for misinformation to go viral. With a click of a button, an article can be shared with thousands of people within a short time period. In this era, it has become more important than ever to educate the general population and increase scientific literacy so that people are able to evaluate information themselves with the basic understanding of scientific concepts.

One of the most significant cases of scientific misinformation is the supposed link between autism and vaccines. In 1998 Andrew Wakefield, a doctor from the United Kingdom, published the result of a study which suggested that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was linked to the occurrence of autism in children.

One of the most important aspects of a scientific claim is the possibility of reproducing the results, a part of a process called the scientific method.

Fellow scientists and researchers were not able to reproduce Wakefield’s results, and the legitimacy of the study came into question, among many other issues surrounding the study. Shortly after, Wakefield’s paper was retracted by the Lancet, the scientific journal in which it was inititally published.

In 2007, Jenny McCarthy, a model, appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s TV show to claim that her son had developed autism caused by the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. As a celebrity, her claims reached the ears of many parents who chose to believe through anecdotal evidence that there was a link between vaccines and autism, despite no scientific study to date supporting this claim.

Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children are not the enemies of science. They are just wellmeaning individuals wanting what is best for their children. However, misinformation reached them first.

Vaccinations are now a hotly debated topic, and an issue where good science communication is more important than ever.

Good science communication can be incredibly beneficial and even entertaining. The point of science communication is to gain the interest and attention of non-scientists, a task that can be difficult at times.

For children growing up in the 90s, television programs such as The Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy taught many scientific concepts while

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

being fun and interesting. Some of the most popular YouTube channels or videos are ones teaching scientific topics in entertaining ways, such as Vsauce, who has over nine million channel subscribers, over 860 million views, and 315 videos on various science topics.

Bill Nye continues to be one of the most prolific science communicators of our time. After his time hosting Bill Nye the Science Guy, he went on to become Bill Nye the Planetary Guy, the CEO of the Planetary Society. The Planetary Society is a non-profit organization aiming to bring together citizens and scientists to advance the human exploration of space. The organization engages in various forms of outreach. One of their biggest and most successful campaigns has been the LightSail KickStarter project.

Through this project, individuals were able to financially contribute to the LightSail mission, giving them the sense of ownership of the mission and the opportunity to participate in citizen science. The success of the LightSail project is evidence that this mission gained the attention of the public, proving their interest in space.

The mission itself is innovative and teaches the public about novel technologies that may eventually enable humankind to travel between planets.

Todd Pernerowski, a U of M alumnus and high school physics, math, and computer science teacher, described a discussion with a school administrator, in which the adminis-

trator said that they did not consider science to be a core subject.

After the discussion, using science communication to positively influence his students became a greater priority to him.

“Science is the reason why you were able to ride an iron horse to work.

It’s the reason why your kids haven’t died of typhoid. The fact that a grown, educated adult couldn’t understand this is a huge driving force behind getting my students to understand how science connects everyone and everything in this universe.” said Pernerowski.

Not everyone wants to be a scientist or an engineer. Nor should everyone want to be. Diversity in expertise and interests is what makes the world a good and more interesting place. However, everyone should have the basic skills needed in order to assess information critically. This is not only important with regards to scientific topics, but to all information. Especially since information is now so easily spread, whether or not it is true.

If you are interested in becoming a science communicator, volunteer for the Manitoban! Contact the Science & Technology Editor, Chantelle Dubois, by email at science@themanitoban.com.

14

Science & Technology

The search for extraterrestrial life Are we alone in the universe?

CAZZY LEWCHUK, THE OTHER PRESS

NEW WESTMINISTER, B.C. tives have been started in an attempt – For hundreds of years, humans have to find whoever else is out there. asked “Are we alone in the universe?” These are mostly centred on manipuThis question has been particularly lating and monitoring radio waves prominent in the last century as we in an attempt to find energy sources, begin to learn much more about space and therefore signs of life, in the uniand the origins of the human race. verse. Recently, the Breakthrough We are coming to realize the sheer Initiatives, a $100 million deal sealed size of the universe and the possibility by prominent physicist Stephen of other Earth-like planets, leading Hawking, Russian billionaire Yuri to speculation that it’s only a matter Milner, and others was announced. of time before extraterrestrial life is This program is a 10-year plan fundfound. ing major radio telescopes to detect The Fermi Paradox asks the signals from potential civilizations. question, “given that we have good According to Hawking, “in an reasons to estimate highly the prob- infinite universe, there must be other ability of extraterrestrial life, why life. There is no bigger question. It is haven’t we found any evidence of time to commit to finding the answer.” it?” There are billions of stars just The program also includes plans in the Milky Way galaxy, and bil- to design and approve messages sent lions of stars older than our own sun. by Earth into the far reaches of space The probabilities suggest that at least where others may one day read them. some of them – even a very small This brings up its own dilemmas. fraction would still be thousands of What should we say in a communicasuns – have planets revolving around tion beamed to the far reaches of space them that are hospitable to life, and and potentially read by an extraterresare therefore Earth-like in nature. trial civilization? Are the benefits of Some of those planets may develop doing so greater than the risks? life forms, and if evolution takes its The possibilities about intellicourse, intelligent life capable of gent extraterrestrial life’s nature are forming civilizations may exist. The almost as manifold as the potential amount of time these civilizations are places that may exist. The universe thought to have had on a cosmic scale is billions of years old. It’s entirely (i.e., up to millions of years longer possible that vast interstellar civilizathan Earth has) suggests that the tions existed and disappeared in that aliens would be capable of interstel- time frame. lar travel. If these space-faring beings The size of the universe also sugexist, where are they? There has been gests intelligent life may simply no solid evidence of other beings in be too far away from us to detect the universe, no visits to Earth, no through current technology. It may galactic phone calls initiating first surpass our lifetimes, or even a milcontact. lennium, before we discover anything.

The lack of any detection so far of There’s even a possibility, albeit slim, other intelligent life does not mean that there is nothing out there, and it doesn’t exist. The Milky Way is humans are truly the most intelligent only one of an estimated hundred bil- beings in the universe. As science lion galaxies in the known universe. fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke is Each one contains a range of several said to have put it, “Two possibilities thousands to several trillion stars exist: either we are alone in the uniwithin, many with orbiting planetary verse or we are not. Both are equally systems. With such a diverse field to terrifying.” choose from, many believe intelligent The existential and ethical debates life exists somewhere out there. The on the existence and meaning of question is not so much if we’ll make intelligent life forms elsewhere will contact with another civilization, but continue until we have a definitive when. answer. We may not know in the First contact – a theme explored next 100 years. We may never know. in many science fiction works – Certainly, our search for the truth brings up a wide range of questions will inspire philosophy, emotion, and and issues. What’s the other civil- science fiction for years to come. We ization like? How advanced are they can only hope that humans like the compared to humanity? Are their answer when it does come. It may be intentions toward humanity good- uniting or dividing. natured, or hostile and dangerous?

Popular astrophysicist Neil The sheer diplomatic crisis and confu- deGrasse Tyson suggests, “our image sion caused on Earth by contact with of evil space aliens surely derives aliens alone would change the world from a fear that they will treat us in major ways. They will most likely just as we treat one another.” True be more advanced in intelligence and intelligent life could be anywhere technology than humans, which cre- in the universe – but perhaps it isn’t ates many issues in itself. That’s not anywhere on our own planet. even getting into the religious and For now, all we can do is to specuphilosophical implications caused by late, research, fund SETI initiatives, knowledge of their existence. and keep watching the skies.

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) no longer exists – National University Wire only in science fiction. In the last 100 years, many scientific SETI initia-

VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

Diversions Graphics Editor: Bram Keast Contact: graphics@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

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VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

Diversions

17

THE

IVORY BUFFALO Area youth has misleading amount of fun at MiniU Child plans to attend university based on unrealistic campus experience MURV BERKLEY, STAFF

Local eight-year-old Judy Reiter has announced plans to one day attend the University of Manitoba after experiencing an unrealistic amount of fun at the university’s MiniU summer camp for children.

The little girl, who didn’t pull any overnighters studying for midterms or working on final papers in her 10-day summer camp, says she likes university and wants to be a doctor when she grows up, but has yet to select a major for her undergraduate degree.

Elaine Buchon, camp counsellor, oversaw Reiter’s Leadership Discovery camp and praised Reiter

as “a fast learner” and “an excellent camper” despite reports that she had done no homework during her two weeks on campus.

Reiter’s two weeks in camp included outdoor activities, swimming, socializing, and lunch with peers – activities which Buchon, an actual university student, admitted to not having time for in the school year.

Ray Buford, a fourth year student at the U of M, spent the same two weeks on campus completing an elective course requirement for his honours degree in biology, and reports having a much worse time

than Reiter.

“I think we had very different experiences on campus this summer.

She got to play tag and finger paint, meanwhile I was trying to memorize how to conduct a t-test and ANOVA for my stats class,” Buford said.

“My worry is that based on this she’s going to have an idealistic notion of what this place is like and what she’s getting herself into. She might want to come back one day.

I mean she actually made friends here. I haven’t seen any of my friends in two years. I really just hope she reconsiders.”

PHOTO BY CAROLYNE KROEKER

ILLUSTRATION BY BRAM KEAST

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Seamus Hamilton-Pattison Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

18

Red Moon Rising Local folk/roots trio set to release their latest at the WECC Sept. 11

UWSA launches Roll Call 2015 Back to school festival to celebrate community and diversity

SEAMUS HAMILTON-PATTISON, STAFF

RAYLENE PACI

PROVIDED BY UWSA

PHOTO BY EMILY CHRISTIE

L

ocal folk/roots music trio Red Moon Road is set to release their second full-length album, Sorrows and Glories, at the West End Cultural Centre on Friday, Sept. 11, prior to embarking on a three-month cross-country tour of North America.

Red Moon Road consists of vocalist/occasional percussionist and keyboardist Sheena Rattai, guitarist/occasional vocalist and percussionist Daniel Jordan, and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Daniel Péloquin-Hopfner. Sorrows and Glories is an album exemplary of the band’s consistent work ethic, as it arrives approximately two years after the band’s prior release, the Tales from the Whiteshell EP, which was also released just two years after the band unveiled their self-titled debut in 2011.

“We’re always excited to play new songs and write more music, so I think it’s been an accidental pattern of work for us, based on our creative output and returning to the same fans and thinking they deserve new music,” Rattai told the Manitoban when asked about the band’s apparent pattern of releases.

Though the band’s pattern of touring and releasing material so regularly might seem routine to some, Red Moon Road’s music has lost no spontaneity. Between the addition of new instruments and the gradual increase of production value on each release, the band has always managed to find something new to differentiate their current sound from that of their back catalogue.

Tales From the Whiteshell added some sparse electric guitar on songs such as “Wash Over Me” to fill out the earthy, bare-bones acoustic tones capably presented on Red Moon Road’s self-titled debut.

Sorrows and Glories increases the

density of the group’s sound once again, adding piano flourishes, lap steel lines that swell and fall with Rattai’s voice, and a still-minimalistic electric guitar, albeit one that now occupies nearly as much sonic space as its acoustic counterpart.

duplicating the album’s arrangements in a live setting, while still retaining their original dynamic as a three-piece.

“That’s what we’re doing right now to prepare for the release,” said Rattai.

“I’m like, ‘okay, how can I play the snare drum on this song while “We’re always Daniel [Jordan] plays the bass drum there?’ while Daniel Péloquinexcited to play Hopfner is jumping from the mannew songs and dolin to the organ [...] It’s been an adventure,” Rattai said. write more music, To promote the upcoming so I think it’s been release, Red Moon Road has released a live-in-studio video of an accidental the album’s first single, “Beauty in These Broken Bones.” The video pattern of work features a massive choir comprised for us, based on of friends and fellow musicians singing along to the powerful, our creative output gospel-influenced track. and returning to “We just sent out a big message to all of our favourite singers, and they the same fans were all super gung-ho and really and thinking they excited. We just pulled them into the studio, taught them the song deserve new right then – they’d never heard it before – and we banged it out in music” – Sheena two takes,” Rattai said of the song, Rattai, vocalist/ which was inspired by a severe broken leg she suffered nearly two percussionist/ years ago. keyboardist, Red On Sept. 11, Red Moon Road will be joined at the West End Moon Road Cultural Centre by two handpicked opening acts: local folk duo “I think a lot of it has to do with The Small Glories and Albertan [producer/engineer David Travers- songwriter Matt Patershuk, both Smith’s] touches. He brought a lot of whom Rattai wholeheartedly of subtle nuances to the album and described to the Manitoban as “so brought out a lot of richness from super great” and “impeccable.” each song,” Rattai said.

“It’s just going to be a really great Rattai went on to state that party, and we hope everyone comes although Sorrows and Glories may out. We can’t wait to share this new have evolved into an elaborate material with everyone.” work with varied instrumentation on each track, the group had initially set out to keep things simple, with the intention of perfectly

W

ith the beginning of classes quickly approaching, the University of Winnipeg is gearing up to host the newly revamped Roll Call 2015 – a fresh take on the student orientation event formerly known as “O-Week.”

The name change is reflective of the difference between this back-to-school festival and others around the world that also use the “O-Week” branding.

“Roll Call is a celebration of community, and a reflection of our values as a students’ association.

Promoting consent culture through specialized volunteer training and activities, acknowledging our presence on Treaty One territory by opening with a drum ceremony, and featuring local artisans at an outdoor marketplace highlights our commitment to equity and inclusion,” explained Peyton Veitch, president of the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA).

The three-day celebration starts Sept. 9 on the U of W’s front lawn and will include a number of diverse local acts. Attendees can expect performances from headliners Royal Canoe and TR/ST, as well as other local talents like Micah Visser and the Catamounts.

“Our headliners, Royal Canoe and TR/ST, are fantastic local and Canadian bands, respectively, and will put on a great show. I’m also looking forward to hearing isKwé perform. She’s a young indigenous artist who writes songs about socially relevant themes including missing and murdered women,” said Veitch.

In addition to the music, the event will feature a bike sale hosted by the WRENCH, selling excellent reconditioned bikes, and a marketplace showcasing local businesses and local makers’ work.

The UWSA has also provided a Blue Tent for the duration of Roll Call: a visual representation of their Positive Space Policy where students who need a break or a

resource can visit and take some time. The tent will be run by volunteers with crisis management training.

“This year we focused on incorporating our advocacy work into the event. We want to welcome new and returning students back to campus, but we also want to let students know about the campaigns and supports we are working on to improve campus life,” said UWSA events coordinator Denae Penner.

“On Wednesday, we are hosting a Consent Tea Tent to talk about consent culture and the University of Winnipeg Sexual Misconduct policy. We focused on curating a schedule of musicians that reflected diversity.”

The student union’s executive and the board of directors will be available throughout the event, volunteering and speaking with students. A “food passport” will be an incentive for students to engage with their union, offering free lunch from the campus service, Diversity Foods, in return. The passport, available from UWSA members in limited quantity, grants students a free meal from a food truck present on campus each day of Roll Call, in exchange for the student performing one activity listed on the passport itself.

“Roll Call is a celebration of community, and a reflection of our values as a students’ association” – Peyton Veitch, UWSA president The Student Group Fair will allow attendees to explore different groups on campus as well.

“I hope Roll Call is an opportunity for students to have fun and make new friends and sets a positive tone for a year filled with progressive change,” said Veitch.

Roll Call 2015 takes place from Sept. 9-11 on U of W’s front lawn (515 Portage Avenue). Events are free for U of W students and community member tickets are available at Music Trader, The Urban Bakery, or the UWSA Info Booth for $20. For more information, visit theuwsa.ca/rollcall/

VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

Arts & Culture

’Toban Turntable

Tips for off-campus living

The Manitoban’s brand-new music review column

One editor’s anecdotal advice on how to handle living away from your new school and friends

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RICHARD JOSEPH, THE GAZETTE

LONDON, Ont. – The variThe major issue, however, is the ous misadventures of students social one. Whether you’re living in residence, much like a reality with a few roommates, on your television show, are best appreci- own or with your parents, you’re ated from the comfort of your own disconnected from campus and stuhome. When you have hundreds dent life the moment you go home. of teenagers living in close quar- Unlike the res rats, you can’t just ters, the result could be an absolute count on a party or event of some disaster, a wonder to behold, or a bit sort every week. Understandably, of both. Western University is regu- off-campus students are concerned larly touted as topping the charts in they will miss out on the social terms of student experience and liv- aspect of Canada’s most renowned ing in residence is a big part of that. “party university.”

It’s by far the easiest way to make friends. Just by virtue of proximity, Yes, it is going to you form lifelong connections and become part of a community of be harder to make students. In fact, it would be hard friends when you’re not to make friends, given that you share lodgings, experiences, and off-campus. But bathrooms for a year of your life. it’s more complex The parties, the carefully rehearsed chants, the solidarity – living on than that – it’s campus is the pinnacle of Western’s up to you to put whole oo-rah school spirit schtick.

And that’s fine, but it’s definitely yourself out there, not for everyone. Personally, I took an easy pass on the res lifestyle in make connections favour of privacy, space, and freeand get involved dom. There’s definitely something to be said for living off-campus. I luxuriate in a steaming bathtub Yes, it is going to be harder comfortable in the knowledge that there are no hordes of drunken to make friends when you’re offteenagers about to burst in. I can campus. But it’s more complex than nurse a hangover in my own queen- that – it’s up to you to put yourself sized foam-topped bed in blissful out there, make connections and silence. I could repaint my entire get involved. No future soulmates room fuchsia, if such an impulse are going to casually stroll through seized me. Nobody 10 feet to my your front door and strike up conleft is blasting EDM as I’m study- versation, but there’s nothing stoping for finals. And my food is not ping you from talking to the person only delicious, it’s reasonably priced. beside you in class.

Western has a vast selection of I realize of course that not all residences are made equal – clubs, societies, cults, and extracurthe dorms range from slightly riculars that all offer opportunities upscale prison cells to miniatur- to meet new people. You could take ized luxury hotels. At the end of up knitting, calligraphy, rowing, or the day, though, you’re still giving jazzercise with like-minded indiup a degree of privacy and indi- viduals. In fact, if you want to work vidual agency for that “Western with a particularly charming, beautiful, and brilliant group of people, experience.”

On the other hand, there are why not do as I did in first year and certain problems with living off- volunteer for the Gazette? campus. The first issue is transportation. As you might have guessed, – National University Wire there’s no scenic 10-minute morning stroll to class for us. If you’re not driving, I’m sorry to say you’ll have to deal with London’s so-called public transit system. Always take the earlier bus, because the LTC seems to have a cultivated contempt for punctuality. Make sure you live reasonably near a bus route, figure out the most convenient way to get to campus and stick to it.

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SEAMUS HAMILTON-PATTISON, STAFF

Juan Barbosa Soulbot 6000 3.5/5 title like Soulbot 6000 immediately makes singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Juan Barbosa’s latest solo offering stand out as a potentially intriguing and enigmatic listen. Soulbot 6000 is something of a concept album, loosely based around the titular character, a robot sent back in time to the 1970s to “absorb the soul into his funk matrix,” thus improving the music of the future.

Wacky concept aside, Barbosa’s new album is actually pretty straightforward. If you like hardhitting, bluesy rock and roll along the lines of George Thorogood, ZZ Top, or The Black Crowes with some Rage Against the Machineesque guitar theatrics thrown on top for good measure, then Soulbot is the album for you.

Vocally, Barbosa sticks to a tough-as-nails blues growl, which suits the music and his dark and raspy voice just fine. However, he could have showcased his upper register a bit more because, as “Got To Get it Back” proves, it’s

PHOTO BY VENDTU NORD

just as powerful and a little less monotonous.

Aside from a passing reference to the album’s theme (which I wish Barbosa had stuck with a little more), the lyrical content mostly concerns itself with the funk, the soul, and just how much Barbosa enjoys both. The lyrics overflow with positivity and bravado, and

suit the bombastic music perfectly.

At 18 tracks, Soulbot 6000 feels a little over-long, but remains a fun, rockin’ listen. Crack a cold one, fire up the grill, and turn this one up real loud. www.juanbarbosa.com/

Le Vent du Nord Têtu 4/5

L

e Vent du Nord are a traditional folk group if you’ve ever heard one. Têtu, the group’s eighth release, is a collection of songs both celebratory and melancholy. The foot-stomping revelry of songs like “Confédération” bring to mind the excessive and exuberant dancing that is wont to take place at such celebrations of French-Canadian culture as Festival du Voyageur.

On the other hand, more reserved numbers such as the instrumental “Petit rêve IX” bring to mind more sombre imagery, like a lost explorer wandering forever and never knowing if he or she will return home.

The album’s lyrics are sung entirely in French, so a listener completely unfamiliar with the language will inevitably turn to this kind of mental imagery in order to accurately convey the tone and emotion presented within each song. Thankfully, Le Vent du Nord have made this an easy thing to do.

It’s as though the band was actively keeping non-Francophone listeners in mind, composing each song with a very deliberate emotion or feeling in mind.

Le Vent du Nord employs a varied instrumentation throughout the

PHOTO BY VENDTU NORD

release that ranges from folk staples like the fiddle, guitar, and piano to more niche instruments such as the hurdy gurdy, bouzouki, and “feet” (there’s a lot of stomping on this record). The arrangements themselves run the gamut from full instrumentation to completely a capella.

Ultimately, this type of traditional/world music isn’t for everyone, but Le Vent du Nord performs

it with enough finesse and compositional complexity for even the most passing fan to appreciate. leventdunord.com/en/

Do you or your band have a new record out? Send all digital submissions/review requests to arts@themanitoban.com.

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Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Seamus Hamilton-Pattison Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

Arts & Culture

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Sports Sports Editor: Mike Still Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Bisons open premiere weekend in style Manitoba routs Thompson Rivers in Friday’s opener, draws UBC Okanagan on Saturday ANDY CHE, VOLUNTEER STAFF

S

peaking last Tuesday about the area. With her first touch, Speranza Manitoba Bisons’ soccer season rounded Shantz and tapped home opener against Thompson Rivers, for the Bisons’ first goal of the season. coach Vanessa Martinez-Lagunas Scoring the first goal boosted had already set an opening day objec- morale for the team and held partive for her squad. ticular significance for Manitoba “We cannot underestimate any goalkeeper Chloe Werle. The captain opponent, we want to start with a was making her return to action after win,” she said ahead of opening up being sidelined for the entirety of last her third season as the Bisons bench season due to a back fracture.

“I was told I would never play socboss.

On Friday, Manitoba did just cer again. When we scored our first that. The Bisons defeated the goal, I almost started crying because Thompson Rivers Wolfpack 4-0 at this is what a year [of rehab] has the University of Manitoba indoor amounted to,” said Werle. soccerplex. Thunderstorm condiNearing the end of the first half, tions prevented the match from being Manitoba’s relentless pressure paid played outdoors. off again. Off a Wolfpack turnover, After an anxious first ten minutes, Alyssa Robinson and Alanna Shaw momentum shifted in Manitoba’s combined for a gorgeous one-two British Columbia-Okanagan, was direction. Off a Bisons corner kick, pass onto the wing. Robinson picked a different matter. The teams played Elyce Molyneaux’s in-swinger rang out Mavignier inside the area to score to a draw, which saw Manitoba come warning bells for Wolfpack goal- her first goal of the season. back from a 1-0 deficit for a 1-1 final. keeper Taylor Shantz, who fisted Moments later, a short corner was Heat st r i k er C ou r t ne y away the danger. The Bisons did not played to Amanda Wong, who then Hemmerling placed her finish to let up, and drew first blood soon after. whipped in a dangerous cross that the top left corner to put the Heat “I think we struggled in the first Mavignier instinctively headed in for up 1-0 just before halftime. Minutes 10 minutes. We were nervous and a 3-0 lead. after the break, Speranza delivered Thompson Rivers did a great job Late in the second half, Speranza a cross from the right flank which pressuring us and didn’t give us a lot danced through two Wolfpack play- Shaw equalized on a clinical finish of space,” said Martinez-Lagunas ers and played a ball across the face to the far post. of goal to Sara Schur, who exquisitely The match, which was between following the match.

Eighteen minutes in, Bruna scored her first goal as a Bison. two sides who appeared equal in caliMavignier produced a lovely final ball The Bisons’ second match on bre, could have easily gone either way. to Selina Speranza inside the penalty Saturday, hosting the University of Werle was kept busy for the entire 90

PHOTO BY CHANTAL ZDAN

minutes. Her standout moment came in the first half when she tipped a looping header over the bar then held onto a decently struck shot moments later. The Bisons could have easily clinched a late win with Mavignier’s clever header, but it was saved by Joella Koblischke.

Martinez-Lagunas was confident of her team’s ability to put up a fight after giving up the first goal in a sensitive time of the match.

“It was an error from our part, but I love the way we came back. Then, we were all over them, we showed we wanted to get the three points,” she

said after the draw.

Even though the Bisons have had a satisfactory start to the season, there is still a long way to go. Secondary captain Amanda Wong, who was injured in the opener, realized the importance of thinking long term.

“Obviously it’s a great start but that doesn’t mean anything. We still have a lot of work to do and a lot of improvements to make.”

The Bisons are on the road on Sept.

12 and 13, facing Saskatchewan and Regina, respectively.

Northern uprising The rise of basketball in Canada JEREMY HECHT, WITH FILES FROM MIKE STILL, STAFF

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’ve always loved basketball. For as long as I can remember it’s been a huge part of my life. However, the problem with growing up as a fan of the game in Canada is that none of my idols were from up north, so I had to cheer for the American heroes.

Last week, I turned on the TV and watched the highlights from a FIBA men’s game between Canada and Argentina. If this were five years ago I wouldn’t even expect a game within 30 points, let alone a Canada win, but this time around something was different.

When I used to watch the Olympics or FIBA tournaments on TV as a kid, it was always the same story: “the U.S. wins another game by 20.” And as great as it was getting to watch the best players in the world all compete together on one team, it was boring, predictable, and most importantly disappointing.

I remember cheering for Carlos Arroyo and the Puerto Rican men’s team just so I wouldn’t have to watch the US win another championship.

Fast forward to 2015, and it is a whole different story.

Coming off of a best-ever silver medal finish at the 2015 Pan Am

Games in Toronto, the Canadian men are on the rise. Their roster boasts a ton of big name talent all across the board, which has been a rarity in years past.

The squad features two former first-overall picks: Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins – who is also the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year.

The aforementioned players were the first two Canadians ever taken with the top spot in the draft.

Top that off with hard-working Cory Joseph, big-man Kelly Olynyk, and sharpshooter Nik Stauskas, and the future is bright for the Canucks.

Joseph is an all-around loveable player. The guy is a hustler who will always lay his body out and get on the floor for the team. He runs the fast break well and is a great defender who you can count on for steals, and a spark when Canada is in need of one.

Bennett is the post presence down low that Canada needs to compete on an international stage. It’s a presence that they’ve only come close to with Samuel Dalembert. In that regard, Bennett is a huge step up.

Olynyk is a great player to have for the pick-and-roll game, and you can count on him to put some points

on the board using both his abilities inside the paint and his smooth midrange game.

The squad features two former firstoverall picks, in Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins – who is also the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Stauskas is also a player to keep an eye on for Canada. He’s a lightsout shooter from beyond the arc, but also has a surprisingly smooth touch around the rim when finishing in traffic.

Of course, the man holding it all together for the boys in red and white is Wiggins. His athletic ability is almost unmatched in a league where the bar is set very high.

He understands the role he plays in reviving Canadian basketball, and

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

he plays it well. The new Captain Canada is here to stay, and you can catch him in the air soaring over defenders, or on your local highlight reel.

This team is going to be extremely fun to watch, and as their chemistry grows, they will quickly become a force to be reckoned with.

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Sports

Sports Editor: Mike Still Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Prairie rainstorm Bisons battle back for hard-earned win against Huskies RYAN STELTER, VOLUNTEER STAFF

trenches with three tackles and was a real force up front. The defensive line struggled early on to get into Burko’s kitchen, but really stepped up when it mattered, stopping the Huskies countless times in the red zone, including a goal line stand.

Freshman sensations

PHOTOS BY JOSH SCHAEFER

O

n a rainy Friday night, the Manitoba Bisons headed into battle against the Saskatchewan Huskies and walked away 34-28 winners.

The Bisons were resilient this game, fighting back from as much as 13 points down. The Huskies jumped out to the lead on their first possession and seemed to be in control, but

the Bisons managed to keep the game close in the first half and were eventually leading at the break, 24-22.

Dobie’s boys really showed their colours in the second half where they stormed out in the fourth quarter and took the game from the Huskies, outscoring them 10-3. Some excellent late defensive play also helped seal

the win for Manitoba.

Defence

The Bison secondary was superb, especially late in this game. Four of the five starting defensive backs had an interception for Manitoba, including key picks from Zack Sandulescu and Cam Teschuk late in the final frame, effectively stopping the

Huskies’ attempt to come back.

The Bisons’ front seven were in tough against an experienced Huskies offensive line. They managed to get good penetration in the second half, rushing Drew Burko multiple times. Mitchell Harrison led the defence with eight tackles.

Highly touted defensive lineman David Onyemata led the men in the

The rookies stole the show on Friday night for the herd. Tailback Jamel Lyles was on fire, running for 155 yards on 11 carries. Lyles also found the endzone in the second quarter after a blistering 58-yard run.

Lyles took advantage of the excellent blocking of the Bison offensive line and hit his holes with speed. He was also dangerous on special teams as a punt returner. The kid from Surrey is someone to watch this season, as we’ll most likely see stat lines like this again in the near future.

Another offensive rookie who had an impressive showing was Lerenzo Ihanza. The freshman wide receiver out of Brampton, Ont. took advantage of a tipped ball in the fourth quarter and ran it in for the touch down. His first catch in the CIS was a unique and important one, as it was the winning touchdown for the Bisons.

Jesse Walker proved to be a very versatile player on Friday. The athletic slotback racked up 62 yards of total offence, including 45 yards receiving on four catches.

Offence

The Bison receiving core played

VOL. 102 NO. 5 September 9, 2015

well in a game where dropped balls and mishandles were extremely common. Slotback Bryden Bone had an exceptional game, recording five catches for 103 yards, one being a ridiculous triple grab made while on his back.

Alex Vitt stepped up when necessary and made a great grab on the goal line in between two Husky defensive backs, falling into the endzone to help keep the game in reach for Manitoba.

The Bison defence really stepped up when it mattered, stopping the Huskies countless times in the red zone, including a goal line stand Quarterback Theo Deezar was hot and cold in this one, going 17 of 28 for 268 yards and two touchdowns, but also throwing two interceptions. In these rainy conditions, the sophomore coming in to fill Jordan Yantz’s role performed well, and aside from some ill-advised throws, it was a great game from the six-foot-five St. Paul’s alum.

We also got to see the depth of the Bisons backfield; the run game will be something to be feared this season.

Jamel Lyles, Cameron Fox, and Alex Christie combined for a total of 220 yards, accounting for a good measure of the Bison offence.

Special teams

Special teams also played a big factor in this game, as both teams’ kick returners performed well. This helped the Huskies out many times, putting them in great field position.

In eight kickoffs, Saskatchewan had a combined 186 yards, and also managed to block a punt.

Discipline came into play for the herd, as they amassed 15 penalties for 100 yards. The game could easily have

been put out of reach by the Huskies early on, but they never really capitalized on the mistakes the Bisons made.

Some errored punts and great kick returns consistently put Saskatchewan in great field position, however they never seemed to take advantage, keeping the Bisons in the game. Manitoba stayed patient and capitalized on the Huskies mental gaffes in the back half of the fourth quarter, showing impressive resolve.

The stat lines for both teams were very even, without too much difference in terms of numbers. On the field, however, you could tell that the Bisons were in control, and they did well silencing the crowd at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon.

What’s next?

It was a wildly entertaining game to open up the 2015-16 Canada West campaign, in which the Bisons will

Sports

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be looking to defend their Hardy Cup title from 2014. Manitoba will play their home opener next week against the Calgary Dinos, who are coming off an impressive 49-16 win over the University of British Columbia on Friday.

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Sports

Sports Editor: Mike Still Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Discussions with DJ A new monthly Q & A with Bisons linebacker DJ Lalama MIKE STILL, STAFF

D

J Lalama’s football resume is a MANITOBAN: What was your experi- and that scouts will be watching fairly long and impressive one. His ence like, getting a chance to partici- intently? accolades include being named AAA pate in the East-West Bowl during defensive player of the year in his the off-season?

L: The fact that scouts are there, not senior year of high school, as well so much. There were scouts here last as a provincial team captain and all- LALAMA: First of all, it was an hon- year, there were scouts the year before. star – all with St. Paul’s High School. our to be selected by our coaching We’ve had a number of bona fide playIn 2013, he was a Football staff to represent Canada West and ers go to the CFL each and every year Reporters of Canada Conference All- the Bisons. I think it puts things in a that I’ve been here. Ultimately, we Star at the specialist position with the whole new perspective. A lot of peo- want to hoist a championship at the Bisons, and last year he was third in ple look at Laval being an untouch- end of the year, and be able to say that the conference with 40 tackles. This able, and then you get out there and we did that – to have something to season, he was named a team captain start playing – two practices a day tie this team together forever, because for the first time. It’s not hard to tell against these guys, and you start won- ultimately, this is our brotherhood. he’s a leader on this team, and will be dering. They’re no different than you. We’ve worked extremely hard, and critical if the Bisons want to make it They’ve got the same shoulder pads, we’re at the point where we think back to the Vanier Cup for the first same helmet, and the same schemes. we’re ready. time since 2007.

You start getting into these one-onThe Manitoban caught up with DJ one drills, and you realize, you’re up M: With that being said, does it hit right before the herd headed out for there. home, knowing that teammates of Saskatchewan for their first game of yours are now playing in the CFL, the regular season.

M: Does your mindset change at all, and that could be you next season? knowing that this is your draft year,

PHOTO BY JEFF MILLER

L: Absolutely, it’s something to look forward to, but to be honest with you, we’ve got to take care of business on the field first. Right now, it’s just one of those things where we’re taking it week by week. We want to finish what we started last year, and have the opportunity for scouts to look at this team and say, “holy smokes, there’s something special here.” The better we do, the rest of that stuff will take care of itself.

M: After week one, you have quite a few home games in a row. How critical do you think that home field advantage will be?

L: I think Investors Group Field is probably one of the hardest places for an opponent to play. For whatever reason, we play well here and teams tend to have a tougher time. To be able to play two top 10 teams in week two, and three at home is huge.

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‘Half man, half amazing’ The legacy of Vince Carter in Toronto JEREMY HECHT

In 2004, when Vince Carter left Fox Sports. “He was the number one the Toronto Raptors to join the then hero in Canada. Every kid’s hero.”

New Jersey Nets, a little bit of hope Although Wiggins is not currently died in Canada. A piece of every playing for the Raps (wishful thinkCanadian basketball fan was lost as ing about the future), it gives kids they watched their golden boy, “Air who were once in his shoes so much Canada,” leave his throne to move hope. To see a kid from Canada play onto the States. That moment was at a top school in the states for college more than just a trade, it was the loss ball, get drafted first overall, and then of one of the hopes that Canada had succeed in a league where so many fall for basketball to be a mainstream suc- off is the ultimate form of inspiration for young players looking to make cess in this country.

The words Canada and basketball their dreams turn into reality.

Carter’s impact is not limited haven’t traditionally had a strong correlation for many people. For decades, to Wiggins; he also inspired other whenever people would mention young, talented players in Ontario. sports in Canada, hockey was the Kelly Olynyk grew up watching beginning and the end of that discus- Carter’s dunk competition at home sion. As a kid who has loved basket- from his couch. He attended the ball my whole life, growing up in this basketball camps that Carter put on hockey-saturated world was lonely. in Toronto during his residence as a Most of my friends were big into Raptor, and Olynyk saw firsthand hockey too, so as a kid I joined along the passion that Carter had for the with the crowd, but I always knew at game of basketball and for helping it heart that I was a true die-hard fan grow in Canada. of the game of basketball. It seemed like most people couldn’t understand why I was so upset that Vince Carter “He was the number left Toronto, why I taped “Quitter” one hero in Canada. over “Carter” on the back of my youth jersey, or why that moment mattered Every kid's hero” – so much for Canadian basketball.

People who didn’t follow basket- Andrew Wiggins ball closely in the early 2000s may not understand just how big of an impact Vince Carter had on basket“He just kind of brought that ball culture in Canada. He was the excitement and that passion and that idol of every kid trying to make it out love for the game,” Olynyk told the of an unlikely situation; he was their Toronto Star. role model.

“You could taste the excitement The most ironic part about his in the air and the atmosphere was status was that Carter wasn’t even just unbelievable. I think when he Canadian. He was born and raised got there, and after the first couple in Daytona Beach, Florida, yet he years, he really excited the commuembodied everything that kids in nity and brought the community into Canada dreamed of being on the everything.”

Now Olynyk is a budding NBA basketball court. He was exciting, flashy, scoring-minded, and he was player for the Boston Celtics and is all we had on our nation’s home team, currently on the Canadian National the Toronto Raptors. team.

Although it seemed like Toronto’s When Anthony Bennett – a chances of succeeding were slim to former number one overall pick of none after Carter left, his presence the Cleveland Cavaliers and curin the city did spark the young minds rent member of the Minnesota that could potentially change basket- Timberwolves, was asked by ESPN ball in Canada forever. what his first memories of basketball were, he said “Vince Carter.” Bennett Carter’s impact on was raised in Brampton, Ont. and Canadians in the NBA was also inspired by the impact that Around the same time that Carter Carter left on the city. left Toronto, there was a young kid perfecting his shot and dunks every day in the same city; his name is His presence in the Andrew. city sparked the Andrew Wiggins is known by many as the saviour of Canadian bas- young minds that ketball. He was drafted first overall could potentially by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014 and is already taking the league change basketball by storm with his enormous potential in Canada forever and unmatched athletic ability.

Wiggins is the heir to the throne that Carter left open in Toronto years ago, and has publicly stated that The stories of these young stars Vince Carter was like his Michael are just a few examples of how Vince Jordan and heavily influenced his Carter has changed the culture of game.

Canadian basketball forever. “[The Toronto Raptors] were a big inf luence, especially Carter,” Wiggins said, in an interview with

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

Impact on the city of Toronto

and fans watching on TV, including myself, were eager to see how a new For as long as I can remember, Toronto crowd would react. every time that Carter touched back Carter was shown on the jumbodown in Toronto, he was instantly tron after a tribute video was played booed when the ball touched his showcasing his greatest Raptor hand. As a long time Carter fan (and dunks and moments. At first, he was part-time Carter hater after he left), greeted with an array of boos. But that made me feel extremely uncom- then something incredible happened. fortable. I didn’t know how to react Fans started standing up. One by one, or who to cheer for. the crowd changed their tones from I felt a little bit happy when he hit boos to loud claps, and before anyone two game winners against the Raps, knew what had happened the entirety and when he beat them in the playoffs, of the Air Canada Centre was particibut I couldn’t admit it. It’s probably pating in a standing ovation. similar to how my dad feels when Vince Carter was in tears. I think the Leafs play the Jets in Winnipeg. I may have shed a couple also. That Yet last season when Carter is the type of impact this man had on returned to Toronto (playing for the the city of Toronto and the country Grizzlies), things were different. It of Canada. That is how fans truly feel was a night paying tribute to the leg- about Carter, even if it took them 10 acy that he had left behind in Toronto years to admit it, and that is the only

way that I can describe his impact on Canadian basketball without showing you his highlight tapes (which you should look up for yourself if you have a couple of minutes).

Perhaps Vince Carter leaving Toronto was just one small chapter in a book that has so much of its story yet to be written. Perhaps, the best is yet to come.