2 March 2016

MANITOBAN the

THE OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA STUDENTS’ NEWSPAPER

FEATURE

2016 UMSU General Election Meet your candidates for the union’s executive positions Page 12-17

EDITORIAL

Vote yes for UMFM 101.5 Why you should support campus radio Page 8

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Index

VOL. 102 NO. 24 March 2, 2016

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Craig Adolphe

editor@themanitoban.com / 474.8293

BUSINESS MANAGER Adam Owczar

accounts@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Michelle Arentsen

ads@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

ONLINE COORDINATOR Anu Lotay

online@themanitoban.com

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR Lauren Siddall

NEWS

Celebrating 90 years St. Paul’s College releases book to celebrate Jesuit traditions page 6

me@themanitoban.com

NEWS EDITOR Ethan Cabel

news@themanitoban.com

NEWS EDITOR Garett Williams

garett@themanitoban.com

COMMENT EDITOR Evan Tremblay

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Chantelle Dubois

science@themanitoban.com

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Seamus Hamilton-Pattison

arts@themanitoban.com

SPORTS EDITOR Mike Still

sports@themanitoban.com

COPY EDITOR Tom Ingram

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JUNIOR COPY EDITOR Sarah Doran

DESIGN

DESIGN EDITOR Bradly Wohlgemuth

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GRAPHICS EDITOR Bram Keast

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PHOTO EDITOR Carolyne Kroeker

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GRAPHICS ASSOCIATE Kelly Campbell GRAPHICS ASSOCIATE Jondell Coombs PHOTO ASSOCIATE Chantal Zdan PHOTO ASSOCIATE Megan Colwell

REPORTERS

COMMENT

NEWS Osho Samuel Adetunji NEWS Shawn Garbutt NEWS Shreya Ghimire NEWS Diana-Abasi Ubokudom COLUMNIST Jill Patterson SCIENCE Malak Abas SCIENCE Jeremiah Yarmie ARTS & CULTURE Olivia Michalczuk ARTS & CULTURE Tobi Nifesi SPORTS Andy Che SPORTS Ryan Stelter

Burning money for those with money to burn

Matt Sanscartier Dan Gwozdz Bill Wsiaki Will Gibson

VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS

Waverley overpass panders to the rich

Anthony Labonte Sari Habiluk Dylan Hewlett Jeff Miller

MANITOBAN

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

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

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

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

All contents are ©2015 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Editor-in-Chief.

News

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News Editor: Ethan Cabel Contact: news@themanitoban.com News Editor:Garett Williams Contact: garett@themanitoban.com

UMSU executive candidate under fire over Facebook comments Ashley Richard, UMSU For You candidate, regrets 2012 statements about Holocaust, Canadian Museum for Human Rights GARETT WILLIAMS, STAFF

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candidate on the UMSU For You she was a student at the U of M. University of Manitoba Students’ “I’m obviously not someone who Union (UMSU) executive slate has promotes anti-Semitism or an unsafe come under fire for comments posted environment at the university,” she on Facebook in 2012. said. “I’m extremely regretful for my Ashley Richard, current president poor choice of wording back in 2012. of the Association of Aboriginal That is not something I would ever Commerce Students and candidate say today.” for UMSU vice-president student “I would never, ever, intentionally services, published a post to her say anything that would make any Facebook account in September 2012 student feel unsafe at the university that has been called anti-Semitic or anywhere and if those comments in its reference to the Canadian were taken that way, I’m extremely Museum for Human Rights. apologetic,” she added.

“There’s so much damn traffic everywhere. But let’s not build a highway, let’s spend millions on the con- “I would never, struction of a Jew History Museum. ever, intentionally Good job,” reads the post.

The museum, which was the say anything that brainchild of late media mogul Israel would make any “Izzy” Asper and more than a decade in the making, was still under con- student feel unsafe struction when Richard’s statements at the university were published online.

Responding to comments below or anywhere and the initial post, Richard continues: “you can bet it [millions of dol- if those comments lars] won’t be spent on the measly were taken that Aboriginal ‘display’ they’re building.” “[Because] you know, Aboriginals way, I’m extremely only get one exhibit, even though apologetic” – Ashley they are the hugest part of human rights history in Manitoba. Not even Richard, vicejust Canada, but right here in our president student own city. But hey, spend the millions on Holocaust exhibits, as they clearly services candidate feel that the 6 million Jewish people who were killed in the Holocaust on the other side of the world is of much Richard emphasized her commore historical importance than the ments cannot be justified but said 10 million Aboriginals that were they were borne of frustration at a killed right on this very land.” time when she believed there would The posts came to light last week not be a permanent display recognizthrough the anonymous This Is Our ing the struggles of Canada’s indigUMSU Twitter page accompanied enous population at the museum. by a statement calling for an apol“I was angry, of course. I was angry ogy from Richard and the UMSU for my people,” she said.

For You slate, saying the comments “Why would they not have a permade Jewish students at the U of M manent display in that museum, in feel unsafe. the Canadian Museum for Human Richard, a fourth-year student in Rights, and that was where that post the Asper school of business, said came from. It was passionate, it was she is “extremely regretful” about her angry, it was unfortunately worded.” comments, which were made before Richard said she has attended and

supports the museum, which now has an exhibit dedicated to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into the Indian residential school system, which operated in Canada for more than a century.

“The comment was not to by any means downplay the severity of the Holocaust,” she said.

“But I just thought, if we’re going to have an exhibit on the Holocaust, we should also have an exhibit on the genocide that took place in Canada.”

Josh Morry, a third-year law student at the U of M’s Robson Hall law school and graduate of the Asper school of business, brought up the comments on Thursday on Ratio, a weekly radio show he co-hosts on UMFM. He said the comments are concerning not only because they were offensive but also because there was anger behind them.

“What made them so troubling was not the fact she was criticizing the museum, it was the fact that she was attributing what she saw as problems with the museum to the Jews,” he told the Manitoban.

“When you attribute it to the Jews in a way that meets the exact stereotype of the Jews – which is that we’re controlling, we only care about ourselves, we’re wealthy, we’re manipulative – that’s what made it upsetting,” he said.

As a member of the students’ union council himself in 2013, Morry, a Jewish student, was instrumental in decertifying the Students Against Israeli Apartheid student group.

He said Richard has reached out to him since the comments came to light and offered a sincere apology, saying, “We’re in a better place [now] than if she never made the comments.”

“Not that I forgive what she said, but I’m happy now that she understands why what she said was wrong,” he said. “That is one less person with those beliefs in the world.”

When the museum opened its doors with a ceremony in 2014, protestors demonstrated outside and folk

PHOTO BY DAN GWOZDZ

singer Buffy Sainte-Marie, who performed the opening night, called on the museum to use the term “genocide” in describing Canada’s legacy of Indian residential schools.

“What made them so troubling was not the fact she was criticizing the museum, it was the fact that she was attributing what she saw as problems with the museum to the Jews” – Josh Morry, U of M law student The museum was criticized in 2015 when a former curator wrote in a book that she was ordered to remove the word from indigenous exhibits.

“She can still be pissed off at the museum, I don’t really care,” Morry said.

“I think the museum wants people to be either angry or happy with it

and to stir up those emotions. It’s just [concerning] when people get angry, when they take out their anger on the Jews.”

Tanjit Nagra, current president of the Arts Student Body Council and presidential candidate on the UMSU For You slate, called the comments inappropriate but said Richard still has her support.

“The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a symbol of reconciliation on several fronts, I believe,” she said. “I’m not going to justify what she said. It was inappropriate of her to say that and she recognizes that, as well, and she has apologized.”

“I know Ashley for who she is today,” she added. “I didn’t know her in 2012. The comments do not reflect her views today.”

A similar controversy derailed then-vice-presidential candidate Christopher Bélanger’s campaign in 2015, when derogatory comments he made three years earlier surfaced in the last week of the campaign. These comments were also released by the anonymous This Is Our UMSU blog.

The result was the election of a mixed-slate executive after Bélanger was the only member of the Your UMSU slate to lose his race.

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News

News Editor: Ethan Cabel Contact: news@themanitoban.com News Editor:Garett Williams Contact: garett@themanitoban.com

Lecture sheds light on environmental impacts of oil pipelines in Canada York University professor discusses the history and consequences of pipeline development DIANA-ABASI UBOKUDOM, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

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Canada, both the Interprovincial and with negative impacts to fish and as the National Energy Board of should consider with new pipelines. he University of Manitoba Trans Mountain pipelines have had other wildlife. He also noted that Canada considers two new major They will probably be very efficient, Cr it ica l Env i ron ments relatively long histories of oil pipeline spills often occur outside of urban pipeline proposals – a twinning of they will use new technologies and Research Group dug into an envi- spills that date right back to the open- areas. the Trans Mountain line and the they will be highly successful in the ronmental history of pipelines in ing of these pipelines in reversal and conver- delivery of oil but it’s very likely that Canada with a guest lecture from the mid-20th century,” sion of a TransCanada they will have failure rates, although “What is the biggest environmental York University professor Sean Kheraj said during the east-west pipeline that small, that could result in large failure lecture.

Kheraj Feb. 23. would carry Alberta environmental problems.” impact of these pipelines? It’s Kheraj – who studies Canadian Causes of the spills crude toward the east Kheraj’s lecture did note that the consumption of the oil that and environmental history – gave range from operator coast. the two pipelines shaped Canadian an in-depth address looking at the error to hardware failThe proposals have history in an overall positive way by they deliver” – Sean Kheraj, social, economic, and environmental ure and corrosion of sparked debate among making oil affordable and accessible.

Canadian and environmental impacts of two Canadian pipeline the lines themselves, Canadians and as an “After these pipelines were built, projects – the Interprovincial and he said, emphasizing environmental histo- Canadians had an unprecedented history professor, York University Trans Mountain pipelines, both there are no patterns rian, Kheraj said his access to crude oil and this, to some constructed in the early 1950s. to the leaks. Spills are interest is to understand extent, unlocked the ability to conThe Interprovincial pipeline, now random and result from the environmental con- sume that oil in a very high quantity operated by Enbridge Pipelines Inc., accidents, material failures, or other “There are also safety issues but the sequences of the expansions and why that fuels essentially the economy carries crude oil from Edmonton unforeseen circumstances, he said. biggest environmental impact that Canadians are so concerned. that develops in Canada in the second south into Wisconsin, and the Trans Kheraj said the scope of a spill we can look back at now from the “The nice thing about being a his- half of the 20th century,” he said.

Mountain line, now operated by from either of the two pipelines is present with our understanding of torian is I get to look at what already However, he told the Manitoban Kinder Morgan Canada, ships crude influenced by three factors: the vol- global warming, climate change, is happened, rather than what might the current proposals don’t carry the from Edmonton west to Vancouver ume of oil spilled, location of the inci- the effect of actually burning this oil,” happen in the future,” he said, not- same kind of promise. tidewater. dent, and the cause of the rupture. he said. “So if we’re trying to look in ing the Interprovincial and Trans “The proposals for pipelines in the Kheraj began his lecture with a The most environmentally disastrous the broader picture, what is the big- Mountain lines offer a useful case present are for pipelines that will brief history of the two pipelines, spills tend to result from faulty welds, gest environmental impact of these study. deliver oil for export,” he said, “and so noting that both were constructed construction defects, human error, pipelines? It’s the consumption of the “These pipelines have run very effi- I think Canadians do not necessarily within a few years of the discovery and unpredictable forces of nature, oil that they deliver that results in the ciently in most of their history [and see the benefit to the development of of new crude in oil fields in Leduc he said. biggest environmental impacts.” at] very high success rates, but even these pipelines as they did in the past.” and Redwater, near Edmonton, Alta.

Kheraj told the Manitoban the Kheraj told the Manitoban that a very small failure rate can result in “As with the operation of nearly environmental consequences of a spill looking into the experiences of the a huge oil spill,” he said. all long-distance oil pipelines in include damage to natural habitats, past can help inform the future “That’s something I think we

VOL. 102 NO. 24 March 2, 2016

News

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Body-shaming incident at Active Living Centre raises ire of student body-builder Catherine Peeler says gym needs to improve customer service after being told her body is too ‘intimidating’ for gym patrons SHREYA GHIMIRE, STAFF, WITH FILES FROM ETHAN CABEL

PHOTO BY MEGAN COLWELL

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atherine Peeler, a University of Manitoba business student and competitive body-builder, spends nearly three hours a day in the Active Living Centre (ALC) campus gym working on her physique – but she said she has been feeling more unwelcome after a body-shaming run-in with staff earlier this month.

In an email sent to the Manitoban, Peeler spoke out about an incident of alleged body-shaming she said she experienced from an ALC staff member.

In the email, which was sent at the beginning of February, Peeler states that she was practising posing for an upcoming body-building competition in one of the ALC studios on the second floor when a male staff member approached her.

The staff member told her that she could not pose in that studio anymore because it was inappropriate and she was wearing too little.

According to Peeler, she was wearing shorts and a sports bra at the time – an outfit she said she has worn to the gym on multiple occasions. Peeler told this to the staff member and also pointed out that this was an outfit other women often wear at the gym.

The staff member then allegedly told her it was not so much her outfit, but her body that was “intimidat-

ing,” and that she could not practice posing because it may make others feel uncomfortable and unwelcome in the space.

“Everybody should be welcome at the Active Living Centre, regardless of your shape,” Peeler said.

“Everybody should be welcome at the Active Living Centre, regardless of your shape” – Catherine Peeler, U of M student and body-builder “The gym should be a judge-free zone. But apparently my body makes others feel uncomfortable. I work extremely hard on my physique and it is a source of pride for me but the staff at the Active Living Centre make me feel unwelcome and it is becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy a sport that I love.”

As a bodybuilder, Peeler spends roughly three hours at the ALC daily.

“The gym is a place where I spend a large part of my day and it’s really

important to me. If I’m not able to feel comfortable there, then that really affects my life,” she said.

When Peeler spoke to the facility’s manager, she said she was told she could not pose in that studio due to the footwear she was wearing, because the space is primarily to be used for stretching.

Peeler told the Manitoban that she understood this concern, but was confused as to why the staff member had not told her that and instead told her the issue was her body.

“The gym is a place I’m used to feeling at home but on multiple occasions I have been treated poorly by staff,” Peeler said.

As a business student at the U of M, Peeler said that she came forward with this incident because she is worried that staff members at the ALC are not receiving proper training in dealing with those using the gym.

She contends that because all students are required to have an ALC membership, there are too few standards when it comes to customer service.

Peeler pointed to the fact that she, like most students, would not be able to afford to go out and purchase a membership to another gym. This reduces competition and ensures that the ALC does not need to aspire to customer service excellence, she said.

“I know that they’re all kinesiology students with the knowledge needed to know how to work in a gym, but they’re just lacking the business side of it – how to deal with people and how to be appropriate in the workplace,” Peeler said.

“The gym is a place where I spend a large part of my day and it’s really important to me. If I’m not able to feel comfortable there, then that really affects my life” – Catherine Peeler “I want additional training for them and I want a manager who is setting direction that is fair for everybody who is going to be there.”

Janice Dodd, professor and coordinator of the department of women and gender studies at the U of M, told the Manitoban that such incidents are indicative of a tendency to police women’s bodies in Canadian society.

“There are situations in which women’s bodies are highly policed

in our society and gymnasiums certainly fall under that category,” Dodd said, adding that traditional gender roles are also a factor in how women’s bodies are perceived and restricted by others.

“We don’t typically think of women being involved in that kind of body-building activity, but of course they should be able to do that if that’s their choice.”

Tanya Angus, the director of recreation programs at the U of M, oversees the staff for the Active Living Centre and other facilities. She told the Manitoban that the incident can be chalked up to a miscommunication between the staff member and Peeler.

According to Angus, the studio room Peeler was in is a new facility, and her shoes were inappropriate for the space itself because the space was created for the purposes of stretching as opposed to posing.

Angus said the ALC fitness attendant was most likely referring to Peeler’s footwear, and not her outfit itself, and that they did apologize.

Angus said that the incident was not meant to be a case body shaming.

“We definitely support an inclusive space for everybody at the ALC,” she said.

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News

News Editor: Ethan Cabel Contact: news@themanitoban.com News Editor:Garett Williams Contact: garett@themanitoban.com

The people’s college St. Paul’s College celebrates 90th anniversary with new book ETHAN CABEL, STAFF

PHOTO BY BILL WSIAKI

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effectively given their own archdihe St. Paul’s College bell tower ocese in Winnipeg in 1915 with an has long been a fixture of the English-speaking bishop – Alfred University of Manitoba’s skyline, but Arthur Sinnott. It was also in beneath the cross that hovers above response to demands from the Irish the Catholic college is an institution to open an English Catholic college that has experienced remarkable that Sinnott established St. Paul’s change over its 90-year existence.

College in a 15-year-old building on That change, which has seen the Selkirk Ave., with classes beginning college transition from an inde- on Sept. 15, 1926. pendent Jesuit-run institution to Originally run by an oblate relia closely affiliated college run by gious order, the college began as a Catholic lay people, is the subject of high school teaching Grades 9, 10, a new book of essays commemorat- and 11 with 137 students enrolled. ing the 90th anniversary of St. Paul’s Management of the college was later titled St. Paul’s College: Facing a New transferred to clergy of the Winnipeg Millennium. archdiocese in 1931 – the same year The book explores the liturgical, the college moved to a site at the coracademic, and communitarian value ner of Ellice Ave. and Vaughan St. in of a Catholic college on campus, with downtown Winnipeg and became contributions by many of the staff affiliated with the U of M. that keep the institution running on a daily basis – from the manager of the cafeteria, Katy Louridas, to “It’s the people here library supervisor Bill Wsiaki. It that matter. They’re also features contributions by several alumni, including former Manitoba all Paulinians, they’re Lieutenant Governor Philip Lee. Christine Butterill, a medieval all connected to St. historian who teaches Catholic hisPaul’s” – Christine tory out of St. Paul’s College, edited the book, which is a sequel to the 1999 Butterill, editor, St. volume St. Paul’s College: Memories Paul’s College: Facing and Histories.

“It’s the people here that matter,” the New Millennium Butterill said, emphasizing the long tradition of close alumni relations at the college.

In 1931, more than 200 students “They’re all Paulinians, they’re all were registered in the high school and connected to St. Paul’s.”

12 for university. However, management by clergy eventually resulted The history in significant financial losses for the St. Paul’s College first emerged college and Sinnott responded by out of the tension between French- seeking another religious order to and English-speaking Catholics in run the institution.

Manitoba, with Anglophone Irish In the midst of the Great Catholics appealing to Rome for an Depression in 1933, the Jesuits took English-speaking Archbishop in the over the college and Father John S. archdiocese of St. Boniface.

Holland was appointed its rector.

Instead, Irish Catholics were “The Jesuit philosophy of education

is that you are educating the whole person,” Butterill said.

“If God is in all things [...] then God is in all these students, faculty, and people.”

After the Second World War, this Jesuit philosophy thrived as the college grew.

In the postwar years, many returning veterans received financial support from the government to pursue university studies, which saw enrolment at St. Paul’s increase from 33 in 1944 to 145 in 1947.

It was also during this period that St. Paul’s, a strictly male-only institution, began to relax its rules on gender exclusivity. Women generally attended the female-only St. Mary’s Academy, which was affiliated with the U of M as a department of St. Paul’s. But in the 1950s, women were increasingly permitted to attend courses only offered at St. Paul’s.

The college changed in short order once again, when the U of M president made an offer to the Jesuits to relocate the college to its Fort Garry campus in 1954. The offer was accepted in 1956 and a 99-year lease on the land was signed in 1957.

“By the fall of 1958 the basic buildings, containing classrooms, library, cafeteria, faculty offices, and chapel, were ready for the first students,” writes Adam Giesinger, a former professor at the College, in the 1999 volume on its history.

“The high school was left behind in the old buildings, and soon came under separate Jesuit administration. It too, in 1964, moved into a new building, this one at 2200 Grant Ave. in Tuxedo. The old site on Ellice Ave. was sold.”

The future

Over the next five decades, the college experienced plenty of change in its governance structure, which

is the focus of an essay by the current rector of St. Paul’s College, Christopher Adams, in the new book.

“We have multiple layers of governance,” Adams said.

“There is always a creative tug and pull between the university and college when we’re making decisions around here.”

ure devolved on faculty committees of the departments.”

The second major development came in 1999, when ownership of the college was transferred from the Jesuits to the college itself. But while this change may have been a difficult transition for many of the Jesuits who had lived on campus, Adams views the change as positive.

“Our management and commu“Our management nity have worked hard to maintain the tradition set out by the Jesuits,” and community Adams said. have worked hard Among the ways that St. Paul’s maintains that connection is through to maintain the its Catholic studies program, which allows students from various discitradition set out plines to minor in Catholic studies. by the Jesuits” – Adams told the Manitoban that enrolment in Catholic studies is up to 350 Christopher students, and the college plans to Adams, rector, St. turn it into a major, rather than just a minor, discipline in the coming years.

Paul’s College Moreover, the college maintains two centres for teaching and research Two major developments ani- related to the Jesuit mission – the mate the governance structure of Jesuit Centre for Catholic Studies the college. and the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for First, a 1970 agreement between Peace and Justice. Adams expects the university and St. Paul’s and St. these to expand and grow over time, John’s Colleges “established that all along with the college’s campus faculty and students of these colleges ministry. would be members of the U of M “We’ve had to work hard to precommunity, while at the same time serve the work that the Jesuits had the university would be responsible done so in a way, maybe it was a good for much of the college’s maintenance thing that we had to be creative,” and operations, as well as administra- Adams said. tion and faculty.”

Butterill agrees. “This is typically According to Adams, this agree- Jesuit, they can start something, carry ment originally granted St. Paul’s it for a while, and then give it back to a high degree of control over “the the community.” hiring of faculty replacements when vacancies arose among their faculty members.”

However, this power virtually disappeared with the formation of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association union, which ensured that “control of hiring, rank, and ten-

VOL. 102 NO. 24 March 2, 2016

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Talking transportation South Winnipeg-St. Norbert Coun. Janice Lukes launches transportation conversation series OSHO SAMUEL ADETUNJI, STAFF

PHOTO BY CHANTAL ZDAN

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n the face of persistent transpor- sidewalk, the sidewalk people don’t tation challenges in Winnipeg, care about the transit. In all, it helps South Winnipeg-St. Norbert Coun. me to do my job better and that is Janice Lukes is listening as the city’s really important.” residents sound off through a series of public consultations this winter and into the spring.

The series of so-called “transpor- “You can talk to tation conversations” began with its organizations, you first meeting at the Forks Market in January. The meeting focused on can talk to levels of the issues of snow removal and active government but you transportation in Winnipeg. The second meeting, held on Feb. 18, focused need the people, the on transit and rapid transit in the city. users: they walk on Coun. Lukes, who serves as the chair of the standing policy comthe sidewalks, they mittee on infrastructure renewal and public works, said she was prompted bike in the bikeways, to engage with the public on transthey take the buses” portation because it is imperative to get the opinion of transit riders, – Janice Lukes, city cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians councillor, South on planned projects.

“It is always important to talk to Winnipeg-St. Norbert the people,” Lukes said. “It is really important to hear the grassroots – you can talk to organizations, you can talk to levels of government but you need the people, the users: they Transportation challenges walk on the sidewalks, they bike in at the U of M the bikeways, they take the buses.

Orly Linovski, an assistant profes“That is important to me, to hear sor in the department of city planning the unfiltered truth – that is one of at the U of M, received funding from the things that prompted the series.” the Social Sciences and Humanities Lukes told the Manitoban that Research Council last September for she has made significant progress a research project on bus rapid tranon planning issues as a result of the sit in medium-sized cities, including responses from the transportation Winnipeg. conversation series with respect to Linovski told the Manitoban there the challenges faced by city residents. are several transportation challenges “Every topic has its champions,” peculiar to students at the University she said. of Manitoba, such as the low fre“Transit people don’t care about the quency of buses outside of the usual

rush hour periods.

“One of the challenges is providing reliable service beyond the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work hours, so students can be on campus throughout the day,” Linovski said.

“And it is probably an issue for many students in terms of the frequency of transportation after the rush hour and also for students that live outside central Winnipeg, connections are often very difficult.”

According to Linovski, the university has a key role to play in ensuring that subsidies for faculty members who own cars do not become disproportionate incentives for car ownership.

“The university always has a role.

I mean, one of the current issues is that the two faculty parking passes are cheaper than two bus passes and so we subsidize parking but we don’t subsidize transit in the same way for faculty and staff,” she said.

“Extending the transit program to include people that don’t want to drive [...] as well as people that are using other means of transportation will be a strong step in the right direction.”

According to active transportation proponents, there are also barriers for students, faculty, and staff who wish to commute using active options like biking.

“Three main challenges are distance, risk of theft, and adverse conditions,” said Anders Annell, co-ordinator of U of M Recycling and Environment Group, in an email.

“Most of the routes that commuter cyclists choose have worse surface conditions in winter than the spaces

used by cars and buses; think of the outside edge of the curb lane compared to any other lane, or how difficult the sidewalks can become for pedestrians and cyclists.”

“The university always has a role. I mean, one of the current issues is that the two faculty parking passes are cheaper than two bus passes and so we subsidize parking but we don’t subsidize transit in the same way for faculty and staff” – Orly Linovski, assistant professor, U of M department of city planning Taking it a step further, Ian Hall, director of the office of sustainability, said that the transportation challenges at the U of M are similar to those being encountered at other big locations in the city.

“As a major institution that draws tens of thousands of students, staff and visitors every day, our campuses have many of the same transportation

challenges that other destinations do: large peak-time demands, coping with weather, offering transportation choices that keep pace with what our community wants, and maintaining and updating the infrastructure that enables access to our facilities,” Hall said in an email.

Hall stated that the office of sustainability organizes events like Commuter Challenge, Bike to Work Day and the Jack Frost Challenge at different months of the year to encourage environmentally friendly transportation options at the U of M. He added that the results of a recent campus commuter survey carried out in January will be used for planning the university’s sustainable transportation strategy.

“Later in 2016, the office of sustainability will be using the results of the survey as a key input for a sustainable transportation strategy. Community input into this strategy will be invited next fall, but input is welcomed at any time,” Hall said.

Annell, who is also a fourth-year environmental science student at the U of M, added that the city can help make biking more realistic for students.

“The city could solve a few key gaps in the cycling route network. Most cyclists will tell you that the most dangerous part of their commute, or the part they avoid, is a bridge or underpass,” he said.

“While we have been fortunate to see many premium cycling routes spring up around the Fort Garry campus [...] the gaps leave cyclists to choose safety or speed.”

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

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UMFM needs your support After you vote ‘yes,’ visit the station, get involved CRAIG ADOLPHE, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY KELLY CAMPBELL

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s this paper hits newsstands, – there aren’t many places where you with noise for a while, quality sound our show, a small, rotating team of me a fast-track to get involved with UMFM is in the midst of a ref- can show up as a volunteer and learn stands out. editors talks about different campus UMFM, but what’s special about the erendum campaign to have their fees how to use professional radio equipStudent media also puts the power and student news stories that are fea- station is that anyone can get involved. increased from $2.50 to $4 a semester. ment or see how a newspaper is made. to direct the conversation into your tured in the paper that week.

You can just reach out and get started The increase is long overdue; hands. It’s as easy as showing up and learning how to edit audio, work a UMFM hasn’t had an increase in getting involved. switchboard, host a show, or even just funding since 1998 and the station contribute to sorting CDs. Student media puts Working at the currently has the lowest per-student My time with UMFM the power to direct Toban gave me a subsidy of any campus station in My first time getting involved One last call for support the province. With costs going up with UMFM was years before uniWith all student union fees the conversation into fast-track to get every year as a result of inflation, the versity. Before high school, too, in now tied to inflation, a fee increase your hands. It’s as involved with UMFM, for UMFM would put it, like the squeeze on UMFM – to produce the fact. same content with less money – has When I was little, I had the Manitoban, in a position where easy as showing up but what’s special intensified over time. it would not have to ask for a fee opportunity to come visit the station Your “yes” vote means giving the and try recording things for the air as increase ever again. and getting involved about the station station what it’s lost to inflation over part of a Mini-U summer camp. As a So think about what the radio stais that anyone can the years and making sure they have shy little kid, I was too embarrassed tion provides – what it provides to the resources to provide new services It’s those common threads in both to tell anyone I was ever on the radio, you, to the campus, to the city – and get involved to students – like a newly announced organizations that make them both or even listen to it myself. vote “yes” for UMFM. But don’t stop mobile app service to listen on the go, so special to the U of M. But something from that experithere. After you vote (or even before), more public spots to listen on camAs a reader of the Manitoban, the ence seems to have stuck with me.

University news, local arts shows be sure to stop by the station to see pus, and extended live streaming of value of campus media should already Last year, as I started my master’s and events, and Bisons sports: they’re what your fees help support. campus events. (hopefully) be apparent to you. Aside degree, I decided I wanted to try all covered on a regular basis on the Then make sure you get the full Being the two campus media from the direct, tangible benefits to getting involved with campus radio. show. This year alone, we’ve hosted value out of that extra $1.50. Get outlets on campus, UMFM and the those who get involved – learning Even before I started (or returned to it, a number of guests to talk about involved.

Manitoban share a lot of similarities. skills or enjoying the content pro- if you count my Mini-U experience) student issues: UMSU president Both are produced for students and duced – campus media elevates the I was a big fan of the range of music Jeremiah Kopp, CFS-MB chairthe campus community; both are level of discourse and overall quality they played and had a lot of respect person Michael Barkman, UMSU student-funded (with UMFM raising of local media; it gives us options. for campus media in general. students living with disabilities repadditional funds through their annual UMFM acts as an outcrop of When I fell into a position at resentative Andy Fenwick, and the Pledge-O-Rama); and both serve as quality in a landscape of corporate, the Manitoban I got the chance to U of M’s writer-in-residence for fall a training ground where students carbon-copy, playlist-repeating noise. contribute to Toban News Desk, the 2015 Kitty Fitzgerald. can learn skill sets related to media And when you’ve been inundated Manitoban’s weekly radio show. On Working at the Manitoban gave

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

Academic integrity needs a more nuanced approach Education, not punishment, the cure for ‘dishonesty’ MATTHEW SANSCARTIER

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cademic dishonesty has been a recent point of focus for the Manitoban. In particular, the articles “Academic dishonesty on the rise” (Feb 10) and “The declining value of our degrees” (Feb 24) provide some commentary on the jump in reported incidents – up to 785 in 2014-15 from 559 in 2013-14. Certainly, this is an important issue worthy of discussion.

However, I am not happy with the way those articles present the issue.

Allow me to explain why.

I am not debating the problem’s existence. Having sunk a good amount of time into analyzing University Discipline Committee (UDC) reports as part of my tenure with the academic integrity working group (AIWG), I have several hours’ worth of frustrating proof of just how difficult it is to make any methodological sense of why some offenses are classified as inappropriate collaboration, or as plagiarism.

Sometimes you find the same offense in both categories.

But let’s bracket all of those troubles for now, and agree that there is an issue with what Jordyn Lerner calls “ridiculous” amounts of dishonesty.

What I take issue with is the way that the problem of “academic dishonesty” is represented, both in this publication and beyond. There are two primary concerns I have with respect to discourse surrounding academic dishonesty.

The first is the implicit assumption that academic dishonesty happens because of lazy, morally bankrupt students. Lerner laments that the scholarly reputation, and so it needs numbers in the UDC report “[make] to jealously guard both. But at the us all look bad”. This isn’t wrong, but same time, are patchwriting stuafter reading it one gets the sense that dents dishonest or morally bankrupt? there are a bunch of filthy cheaters Certainly not the countless ones that and thieves among us. I would argue I’ve helped at the ALC, regardless that this isn’t a productive way of dis- of whether or not they were meeting cussing the problem. with me because they were “caught” Rather, I would argue that the plagiarizing. term academic dishonesty is problematic itself. What this term does I would argue that is group together several disparate behaviours – everything from buying the term academic a paper on the internet to accidentally dishonesty is forgetting an in-text citation – under the banner of immorality. problematic itself As a tutor with the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) for three years, I have witnessed several writThe point here is that we learn by ing blunders by bright, hard-working doing in academia, for all the time we students. By far the most common spend with our noses in books. This blunder is called “patchwriting.” means that you have patchwritten, Patchwriting occurs when a student too. Yes, you. This is because it is a struggles to understand complicated natural step on the way to becoming texts, and tries to paraphrase them an effective writer, not the mark of – but because they have difficulty moral bankruptcy. Hell, I’m a PhD understanding the text, retain most student, and I still patchwrite in my of the original sentence structure, own notes if I’m skimming a text or in changing a few words here and there. a rush. I’ve seen professors do it, too.

The difference is that they’ve been Even if they cite the original source, our institutional setup will writing long enough to know when formally identify this as plagiarism. their voice differs enough from the This is because plagiarism considers original author’s. First-year students, not only an author’s original ideas as often fresh out of high school, have their intellectual property, but also not. Many international students, their expression of those ideas; their often facing imposing and intimidating language barriers, have not. “voice” as an author.

This brings me to my second, Fair enough. A university is only as good as the production and circu- related issue – how to best address lation of its intellectual capital and the problem.

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

The aforementioned articles don’t panic, looks at someone else’s answer with a tutor for four or five writing do much by way of suggesting spe- sheet in the middle of an exam. modules, each lasting about an hour. cific student-tailored strategies, with Second-year criminological Paraphrasing, developing a voice, and the exception of Lerner’s suggestion theory tells us that ramping up pun- reading and writing strategies are all of “[getting] tough on cheaters” and ishments doesn’t deter crime. What addressed. an UMSU executive’s sunny (albeit helps transition someone from the This is a multifaceted approach naive) optimism of a “fun and interac- temptations of crime to a law-abid- coordinated by the ALC, Student tive” tutorial to teach academic integ- ing lifestyle is long-term support in Advocacy Office, the U of M libraries, rity policy to undergraduate students. developing social and technical skills. and other departments on campus.

The issue, of course, is that teach- Developing meaningful relationships Each office has an important role to ing students about policy and crank- with others and finding steady, ful- play precisely because the problem ing up punishments do not make filling employment gives someone a does not, and cannot, only require students better writers, or better stake in the system. It gives them a one kind of perspective or approach. learners. Further, the majority of reason to care.

This is the kind of good work students don’t see themselves as disbeing done on campus to address a honest cheaters, so why should they complex problem. It is the kind of Certainly, academic care about something so boring as work that needs financial, adminispolicy and punishments? trative, and student support. If disdishonesty needs Let me say at this point that I’m honesty is increasingly as rapidly as our attention, but not trying to sugarcoat anything. Are the UDC report suggests, band-aid some students who cheat unaware solutions just won’t do. it doesn’t need of the rules, or want to bypass the All of this is to say that we should system? Of course. Punishment and be a bit skeptical the next time our animosity. It awareness are parts of a wider soluthe rhetorical alarms are sounded. needs our care, not tion. But the lion’s share of those Certainly, academic dishonesty needs 785 breaches (just over 60 per cent) our attention, but it doesn’t need our our resentment are inappropriate collaboration or animosity. It needs our care, not our plagiarism. resentment.

All of the UDC’s offence categoSo, instead of making students Many students, requiring both ries, but especially these, require a better policy analysts, let’s make them attention and care, meet with tutors potpourri of responses. Both devel- better students. A recently piloted that are able to give them both. I’m opmental and punitive approaches are program on campus, “Cite Right,” of the opinion that every student at needed. Punishment and awareness is linking more novice writers with some point will need – and should are not going to help the patchwrit- tutors who can help them find their be met with – both. As an instituing student. Nor will they help the voice instead of hushing it with the tion, I hope that the U of M, with student too unfamiliar with their discourse of dishonesty. student affairs, can continue taking own psychology to study efficiently “Cite Right” is an alternative or positive, co-operative steps to make and smartly for an exam. They also supplement “punishment” for stu- that happen. won’t help the same student who, in dents who are found “guilty” of a moment of frustration, despair, and “dishonesty.” Such students meet

10 Comment

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

Waverley underpass panders to wealthy suburbanites Unnecessary costs involved, compared to similar projects EVAN TREMBLAY, STAFF

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ity council has officially approved the Waverley St. railway underpass, the price tag of which is a staggering $155 million. All but one member of council voted in support of the project, which as recently as 2013 was ranked only as the 20th most important transportation project for the city. The meteoric ascendency in importance of the underpass is

linked to – you guessed it – population growth in the southwestern suburbs.

Apparently that special brand of suburbanites, who insist on building houses on exceedingly productive agricultural land at the edge of the city, are also the kind of people who don’t like to have to wait at train crossings – even at train crossings they knew they would have to navi-

sprawl, it would not need to keep materials wasted and fossil fuels building interchanges and under- burned) so that the use of the interpasses to deal with increased traf- section need not be interrupted. And fic. There would be no new traffic, let me just stress once more that the since the areas in question would users of this intersection are not the retain their current uses – and the poor or disadvantaged. Those people city would not have to squander its tend not to live in new suburbs; they money trying to fix a problem of its tend not to drive cars. own creation.

Once the actual underpass is Still, $155 million seems like opened, it will contain a new bike a hefty price – the original cost of path. The temporary paths and roads the Plessis Rd. underpass (which will be demolished. Heaven forbid has since ballooned, as such things that the people use Waverley should always do) was a meagre $77 million. have to do the same thing that the Scope and structural differences aside, people who use Plessis had to do for a part of the difference in cost stems the duration of the construction – from the manner in which the city find an alternative route. not only accommodates, but actively This is not an issue of the City of avoids even disrupting the blissful Winnipeg having a fetish for keeping suburban idyll of the wealthy. bike paths eternally open and availThat $155 million does more than able for use, either. The bike path pay for a new underpass; it pays for along Assiniboine Ave. has been temporary roads and even temporary blocked for the past few years by bike trails, both to be demolished construction of a condo tower. That once the actual project is finished. tower will soon be done, but another There is already a bike trail along farther down the road is just gearing GRAPHIC BY KELLY CAMPBELL Waverley where it crosses the rail up, and will probably obstruct the lines. It will be demolished as that path for several years in the future. gate multiple times a day when they area is turned into a construction The downtown bike path is not purchased their little suburban slice. spillover zone once the project begins. only used by people of a variety of And our city council, apparently, A new, temporary, bike trail will be income levels, but perhaps more thinks the year is 1950, and that built on the other side of Waverley importantly by people who actually automobiles are the transportation to serve in its stead, along with a bike as their main mode of transpormethod of the future. Aren’t we sup- temporary diversion of the road itself. tation. Letting this bike path lanposed to be working hard to complete Both of these are completely guish while spending extra money so unrelated to the construction of that the impatient wealthy never lose a rapid transit system by 2030?

If the city stopped allowing an the underpass itself – they are costs the chance to go for a leisure bike ride ever-expanding ring of suburban incurred (to say nothing of physical is nothing short of disgusting.

A vote for Clinton isn’t a vote for equality for women Examining generational gaps between feminists JILL PATTERSON, STAFF

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he U.S. presidential hopefuls women’s equality.

The opinion of the first camp have begun their countryVoting in a female U.S. president is seen in statements made by two wide campaign to determine who would have significant symbolic prominent figures involved in the will represent the Republican and importance for women’s rights, not fight for women’s rights in previDemocratic parties in the upcom- all women strive for equality, just like ous decades: Gloria Steinem and ing election. The two remaining not all racialized individuals believe Madeleine Albright. Steinem came Democratic candidates are Bernie that racism remains an issue. The sen- under fire when she made the comSanders and Hillary Clinton. timent is that a vote for Clinton is a ment that “when you’re young, you’re Both candidates have alluring vote for women’s equality. But one thinking: where are the boys? The qualities that attract progressive- can support equality for women and boys are with Bernie” in response to minded voters: Sanders attracts still vote for Sanders. the question of why so many young many with his stance on combating The debate between whether or women support Sanders over Clinton. economic inequality, and Clinton not being a feminist, and thus believ- As well, Albright drew criticism for is a tempting choice because she is ing in equality for women, morally saying that there is a “special place in a woman. Just as electing Barack obligates one to vote for Clinton is hell for women who don’t help each Obama as president was, to many, a challenging one. Either way, we other” in reference to women choice a small victory in combating racism, can acknowledge that we need more to vote for Sanders. so too would the election of Clinton women in politics to make women’s To many younger feminists, signal to many a new victory in the voices heard, but one woman’s politi- however, being an independent, fight for women’s equality. cal views and platform may not neces- informed woman means thinking However, there seems to be an sarily align with increased equality for critically about gender issues and not omnipresent pressure, especially women. The two sides of the debate just simply following female leadamong women, to support Clinton seem to be predicated on the differ- ers blindly based on their gender. In based on the assumption that by sup- ence in opinion between the “old” and Clinton’s case, her lack of support porting Clinton you are supporting “new” feminist ideology. On one hand, among younger females reflects the women. Simply voting for a woman, feminists from older generations are fact that Clinton may not be the voice however, will not necessarily fur- of the mentality that “women need to for women that many were hoping for. ther the fight for women’s equality. stick together,” but feminists of this What many voters identify with is a In this instance, people should vote generation believe that equality for politician that speaks to the issues not based on gender, but on which women goes deeper than just band- that matter most to them, and the candidate will fight the hardest for ing together. support for Sanders shows that he

has in fact better addressed the issues that matter most to young women in the U.S, issues of class and socioeconomic equality. On this front, Sanders has openly touted his socialist ideals and goals, whereas Clinton’s campaign promises to keep the capitalist status quo.

In Clinton’s case, her lack of support among younger females reflects the fact that Clinton may not be the voice for women that many were hoping for In thinking back to the federal election in Canada this past fall, there was plenty of hype and debate surrounding who, out of the three main opposition parties, should replace Stephen Harper. Although Elizabeth May, the candidate representing the

Green Party, was excluded from certain political debates, she was nonetheless still considered one of the viable options. However, unlike the Clinton in the US, media attention did not focus primarily on May’s gender and how a win for May would be a win for women. This lack of attention may be due to the fact that most people did not expect May to win the presidential election, but I think there's more to it than that.

Canadian youth have recognized that simply having a female Prime Minister does not necessary mean a step forward in equality for women.

In fact, Canada has had a female Prime Minister, albeit for an embarrassingly short term, but during that time the fight for women’s equality did not make huge leaps forward, and there was not an overwhelming sense of hope and inspiration for the progress of women’s status in the political arena. We’ll see what happens in the Democratic run-in as Clinton and Sanders face off for the party nomination.

Features Features Editor: Lauren Siddall Contact: Me@themanitoban.com

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Meet your candidates The Manitoban sits down with the UMSU executive hopefuls LAUREN SIDDALL, STAFF

President

Astitwa Thapa (Strong UMSU)

I’m an environmental science student, and I’m the vice-president external of UMSU this year. I’m also the president of Divest Manitoba, a student group that is leading the fossil fuel divestment campaign at the university. Way back, I was the international student rep, I was a part of the university senate for two years, including several subcommittees. I’ve sat on UMSU on numerous committees, and I’ve sat on the sustainability committee, which I now chair.

I’m running for president because I want to provide for the students, and I want the students to be proud of the students’ union. I want to provide them with a union that cares about them, a union that students are proud of, a union where you have strong leadership to speak out, a student union that will be at the forefront of environmental sustainability, and be pioneers of social justice here.

Tanjit Nagra (UMSU For You)

This is my third year at the U of M. My first year, I was in U1 and was planning on going into pharmacy. My electives were more about political studies and I started to enjoy those more than the prerequisites for pharmacy. I would also like to get into law one day. I was really involved with everything in high school – I was president and valedictorian – and coming here, I thought I would just focus on academics and maybe start a political career or something related to that later on. I had a friend who was really involved with the U1 student council and told me I should run for a position. Since then, it’s just been a snowball effect. It’s opened so many doors and I’ve learned so much through being involved on campus.

I love seeing young people involved in politics and getting involved in the community. I worked with UMSU for about six months earlier this year, and I got to see two sides of UMSU – some of the governance and also some of the administrative – things I like but also things I would like to change in the upcoming year. I think through my experience being the president of the Arts Student Body Council (ASBC), I’m best for the job to take the next step for the campus as a whole. Everything in our policy is about students and what students want.

Niall Harney (UMSU Forward)

I’m graduating next year with a degree in global political economy. I started my university career in the sciences, moving towards a biomedical degree, but then found a lot of success in my arts courses, and really enjoyed them, so I decided to switch over. My involvement on campus has mostly centred on advocacy campaigns.

I worked a lot on the Stop the Cuts campaign last year – organizing events, creating communications, understanding what the issues were, and speaking to administration. I have also been working with international students on the fee hike that they had implemented last year on them, helping them mobilize against that. Additionally, last April, I was elected to the Canadian Federation of Students as provincial treasurer.

I think I have always been really politically active, and I’ve always had ideas about how the campus can be a better place. I’ve worked on campus a lot and I’ve spent a lot of time here, I know the campus really well – I worked in the AV department, so I know where everything is. What really drove me into putting myself out there was seeing the ways that the students’ union was not advocating for us and feeling like we really needed student leaders who were ready to stand up for what they believe in and for students on campus.

Andrew Fenwick (Take Back)

I double-major in politics and economics, I’m in my third year. I’ve been on UMSU council for two years as disability rep, where I’ve accomplished various things – such as the opt-out to the gym pass for quadriplegic students, I’m currently working on an opt out from the U-Pass for students living with disabilities, I got the accessibility centre started, I work on all sorts of projects with physical plant. I’ve also been the ex officio on ASBC, and I’m the vice-president finance for the Big Horns.

I’m also a member of the student group Beyond Abilities, which is a really great group that focuses on advocacy around accessibility. I have also been really involved with the Stop the Cuts movement, and I’m quite close with CFS. I’m very close with lots of people on campus.

For the past few years that I’ve been involved on campus, I’ve seen a very different outlook on student consultation. With the $64 increase, I was one of the only people who called for a referendum. That is a huge thing for me. I think that student consultation should come first in our union and on our campus. That is why I want to run. I want to make our union more of a bottom-up union, instead of the top-down culture that we currently have, where five executives impose their ideas on the student population.

Zachary LeClerc (Independent)

When I came to the university, and even before that, I really wanted to go for medicine. Somewhere in the last year of high school, that flipped and I wanted to go for engineering, which didn’t really work for me. As a first-time university attendee in my family, it was unique and different experience, but I had academic troubles my first year.

I started shopping around for what else I wanted to do and eventually found the faculty of kinesiology and recreation management, which I really liked. I still had a passion for heath sciences, and I look at that faculty as preventative measures for medicine – it changes the way you think about medicine. I just graduated this past May and for the past eight months I’ve been thinking about what I want to do. Something that kept coming back to me was something I wanted to do my whole life – go into medicine. I’ve started MCAT prep and will hopefully apply next year.

I want to change the way the students are involved and the way executives are involved in the organization.

It really isn’t the executives in charge of UMSU, the students are, and they just chose a vision or idea for the year.

If I’m elected next year, it will be a mixed slate, which is my goal. My ideas can’t be the only ideas – we have to work as a team. I’m going to be paying attention to the opposition’s points and I’m going to put them on my list if I think they make sense – and obviously I’ll acknowledge where the idea came from.

VOL. 102 NO. 24 March 2, 2016

Features

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Vice-president student services

Jessica Smith (Strong UMSU)

I started off as a nobody at the U of M. I had very few friends – a lot of my high school friends went to the U of W or weren’t going to university. Then I started getting to know some of the arts council, and they encouraged me to run for U1 student council. I started getting involved, I never thought I’d have time for student council but I made time for it and I sacrificed other things so that I could put on these socials, and put up posters, and advertise to try and get friends out there.

And then I was asked to run for ASBC, and I did successfully this past year. I had a good experience on how to plan events on campus and some off campus as well. Now I realize how much work has to be put in to run an event and how much help is required. I’ve also gotten involved with Justice For Women and Active Minds.

I decided to run for vice-president student services with the team Strong UMSU because I value the student experience. I compare the experience of being an uninvolved student to being director of social programming for U1 student council and ASBC, and it allows me to know how much more exciting my experience can be as a student here at the U of M. I think it is important for all students to get involved in some capacity, whether that is attending a student event or running for UMSU. Being involved has also made me realize the room for change that is so readily available within the U of M community.

Ashley Richard (UMSU For You)

I decided to major in Aboriginal business studies because I got really interested in economic development and especially in the area of indigenous economic development. I’ve been the president of the Association of Aboriginal Commerce Students for two years now. There aren’t a lot of indigenous students in Asper right now, but I love working with the ones that are in the faculty. We’ve really built a sense of family and community.

We’re trying to just penetrate Asper to have a larger indigenous presence in a faculty that has not traditionally had one. I’ve tried to encourage indigenous students to come study business, because I think it is an area that’s lacking, not only in the university but also in the general Manitoba population.

Since the day I set foot on the campus, I was really excited to get involved. I respect students who come to class and go home, but I could never do that. I love to be involved – I love to know what’s going on. I’ve been involved heavily with Asper for the past two years and last year I really got involved with indigenous achievement in the greater university. I thought it would be such a great thing to bring to an UMSU executive slate – and that’s what I’m hoping to encourage and grow next year.

Michaela Bohunicky (UMSU Forward)

I am a fourth-year human and nutritional sciences major, in the dietetic stream. I think my first few years of university were pretty isolating – I stayed mostly with my high school crowd and went to some events, but never really found a place for myself. Then I got involved with the International Centre for Students, so I took place in their ambassadors program, which promoted international opportunities and issues to the general student body.

Through there, I applied to go on exchange to Melbourne, Australia for a semester. When I came back here, I ended up getting involved in a co-ordinating position with the Campus Food Strategy Group. Through that, I’ve gotten to see a lot of the inner workings of the university, especially as related to food.

Through that, I also got involved with the Student Action Network.

From my own experience, seeing how hard it was to find a place for myself at university, and then finding that it was a shared feeling among a lot of students, which I think is definitely something we need to work to fix. I also saw a need for change right now, with students who really do care about making this campus more of a home for people. I don’t think I would have gone through this experience with anyone else – this team has been really wonderful. The opportunity to work with people like this, and the possibility of getting to work another full year with these people, is really special for me.

Shahab Valipourkolti (Take Back)

For three years, I have been involved with the Big Horns – a spirit group at U of M. Last year, I was the drum commander for the Big Horns and this year, I am the president. This year, we made some changes. We tripled our budget and became independent because we don’t want to use UMSU’s money. UMSU’s money should be spent on cultural groups – cultural groups aren’t getting enough support for their events.

That’s why I’m running for vice-president student services, to help the cultural groups fundraise money. I did it with the Big Horns and we tripled our budget. We have the opportunity to help other student groups raise money for themselves. UMSU’s budget is small – it can’t support over 150 student groups. But student groups are the heart of the school. Students should join student groups to get the experience, to learn, and to make friends. I found that the recent UMSU executives have been getting really separated from the students, it’s becoming a hierarchy. We’re all still students – if we get in, we’re all still students and we’re going to work for students as hard as we can.

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Features

Features Editor: Lauren Siddall Contact: features@themanitoban.com

Vice-president advocacy

Dara Hallock (Strong UMSU)

I’m in the faculty of science, I’m actually a genetics major with an anthropology minor. In my first year, I had two jobs and a full course load, so I was not very involved at all with student groups – I really didn’t know what was out there.

One day, I was just scrolling through the U of M app and saw the ‘get involved’ button and thought that I should do something.

So I joined the University of Manitoba volunteer program and I literally tried to sign up for every single thing that you could volunteer for to meet new people and see what the university was about. Through those experiences, I met lots of new people who opened more doors for me, and eventually I found myself running for the Science Students’ Association.

Initially, I thought it was kind of crazy for me to run for UMSU this year. I am really passionate about helping students that come to this university, and honestly I think there are a lot of ways that UMSU can improve the university but I don’t think everything is being done that could be done. On a more personal note, I thought it would be a great experience for my own personal growth as well. It’s definitely been a personal challenge to run, but it’s been one for the better.

Ashley Penner (UMSU Forward)

Allison Kilgour (UMSU For You)

Hannah James (UMSU Forward)

Wilfred Sam-King (UMSU For You)

I’m a fourth-year student in the faculty of science. I’ve been involved on campus with the Student Action Network. That was a place where I felt I could learn a lot about the university and deal with issues that we’re all facing. I’ve also been involved with fighting fee hikes that international students suffered from last year, as well as being the student representative with the alternative budget project.

I’ve seen the relevance that student unions play – they have real relevance provincially, and of course on our campus. My first year, I received a postcard from the Education For All campaign and saw how that really changed things – students that have loans now don’t have to pay interest, which changes a lot of people’s lives.

I truly believe in the power of student unions and I’ve seen how leadership recently has not taken stances on what I feel are the core beliefs of what a student union should be. I hope to provide strong leadership, which I think can have real power and help promote real change.

Vice-president external

Bénédicte LeMaître (Strong UMSU)

I’m in my fourth year of university, studying world religion.

I’m super passionate about learning about different cultures and different religions around the world, and learning about how different cultures and religions can be at peace with each other. I’m also interested in how different interactions can cause injustices, how they cause peace, and how there can be a greater dialogue between different cultures and religions.

This year, I’m an UMSU representative on the St. Paul’s College Students’ Association. I’m also the director of public relations of the Polish Students’ Association. Last year, I was the assistant editor for the Arts Tribune. I also run a youth outreach program in my community in an inner city church – it’s a lot of fun, I’m really excited about it.

I think something that really made me impassioned to run this year was the anger that I was fuelled with when I learned about the fee hikes that the international students were facing.

It’s an injustice that I really wanted to fight against. This year, I really want to make sure that international students have their voices heard on campus. I’m running because I believe that all students at the university deserve to be taken care of and deserve to feel safe. I love the U of M and really want to make sure that every student has their voice heard and represented.

I’m a community health sciences student and my department is family and social sciences. My focus is on child abuse prevention and social development. I also have a minor in economics.

In university, I first started out in the Global Political Economy Student Association, which I’m still currently involved in.

From there, I got involved in the Education For All campaign with the Canadian Federation of Students, where we collected, as a group on campus, over 4,000 postcards that we gave to Premier Selinger asking him to eliminate interest rates on student loans – it was a very successful campaign. I also worked with the Student Action Network against the budget cuts, and have been involved with the Justice for Women student group.

Working on campus, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of areas where I feel that students can be better represented. I’ve worked with my slate members in the past and recognized how dedicated they are to improving the student experience. I think that we know first-hand the issues on campus, but we also have a really good sense of how we can be leaders in the broader community in issues such as environmental sustainability and community building. When I found out that it was this group of people running, I knew we would be creating really awesome policies and I feel like it was really important to get our ideas out there.

I’m currently in the faculty of arts – I started in U1 and transitioned my second year. I’m pursuing a political studies major and a sociology minor. I’ve always been really interested in all things politics – it’s one of my things. I really like mixing it with sociology because it helps you understand people, understand how to work with people, and focus on what policies would be beneficial.

I joined ASBC and I am currently one of the senators, which I really enjoy because it gives you the opportunity to work with the council in arts and put on different events, but I also get to the governance and policy side of things as well. This past year, I was able to advocate for students on a whole bunch of different policy issues, such as the voluntary withdrawal policy. I think it’s a really good stepping stone for me.

I chose to get involved with UMSU this year for a combination of reasons. I’ve always loved being politically engaged and politically involved. I think I could do very well in the position that I’m running for. I’ve had the experience this past year with the senate, which is a large part of the role. I really want to help create a better atmosphere on campus. I’ve been super passionate about mental health, sexual assault prevention, and also just the policy stuff – trying to make things more accessible for students.

I really want to be able to give back to the campus in that way.

I’m a Fort Richmond native but grew up in the North End. I got an athletic scholarship from Fort Richmond Collegiate for the Bisons track and field team. I came into University 1 wanting to do business, but loving psychology and economics all at once.

I got into the faculty of agriculture my second year and enjoyed it, but felt more in love with just with business side so I decided to mesh everything together and pursue economic psychology, with a management minor.

I was actually student body president of my high school and I learned that you can empower people to do great things. I love being a part of growing a group and helping people gain momentum and create initiatives of their own. I’m currently the captain of the Bisons track and field team and have used the media attention I have gotten to help other immigrants that are on campus to show that there are channels and lanes of opportunities all around campus.

I’ve had multiple charity campaigns that highlight that, trying to bring students together for different causes. I joined the political sphere to start initiatives like the two not-for-profit organizations I currently run.

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Vice-president internal

Adam Pawlak (Strong UMSU)

I’m in my fifth year in the economics program at the university. At the very beginning, I was the kind of student that wasn’t involved at all – I would come to campus, go to class, and go home. After a little while, I started getting more involved here.

My dad is a professor here in the faculty of engineering and he encouraged me to get involved on council and involved in other ways too. So I joined the Polish Students’ Association and every year got more involved in it – this year I’m the president. I then decided to get involved in student politics and governance so I joined the ASBC. I also got involved with UMSU council. I’ve been involved in a large capacity on campus, and now I think I can bring that leadership and experience to the table for UMSU. I’ve been here for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of executives come and go, and I think that I can provide good input and good experience.

I have lived the student experience – I graduate at the end of the semester. I’ve had a good student experience and I think I’ve lived it to the fullest, and I want to reflect that to others. Every student experience is different, so we want to enhance that as much as possible.

We want every student to live up to their full potential.

Harrison Katz (UMSU For You)

In my first year, I went right into the faculty of science, which I absolutely adore. That being said, I felt really out of place – I didn’t know how to get involved, I just felt like one of those students who came to school to study and then went home. In my second year, I did get involved with the Science Students’ Association as director of programming. After that, I joined the St. Paul’s College council. I got very involved and ended up running for UMSU rep, which is the position I have now.

I put my name forward for finance committee during the first couple UMSU council meetings, and the executives came back to me asking me to be on the policy and bylaws committee, which I know nothing about. But I joined, and I’ve learned so much and love it, I think it’s so interesting learning about how UMSU actually operates on a fundamental level.

While UMSU is its own entity, and while small groups are their own entities, working together to make sure everyone can benefit is huge in my mind.

I’ve always had a passion for helping people, which is why I want to become a doctor – that’s my end game here. I love working with people one-on-one, and even in a small group. I think that communication and being able to connect with an individual and being able to learn more about their illnesses – whether it is mental, physical, can you see it, can you not see it, how much it hurts – I find that so interesting. And I think that’s really transitioned into me working with people not necessarily about the human body, but more so about policy and bylaws, and internal organization.

It’s been quite a shift, but I really enjoy it.

It all comes down to me helping people and getting involved.

Anatol Rennie (UMSU Forward)

Nick Kuznetsov (Take Back)

I’m in the faculty of music, just finishing up I usually stay away from politics. What my fifth year. I’ve also been doing a lot of phys- made me change my mind this year was that ics and computer sciences courses so next year, I have had many friends tell me that they I’m going into that program. This year, I’m on cannot afford university right now and that the Faculty of Music Student’s Association as they have to move into a worse apartment or jazz studies representative. I’ve been advocat- a basement, or they have to leave school all ing for students’ issues to be reflected in both together. I’ve talked to people usually behind curriculum and how the administration deals the scenes, I’ve talked to people who want to create change. The reason I joined Shahab and with students.

I truly believe that a student union is essen- Andy is because I felt like there was someone tial to make sure that students’ issues are heard, saying something that I usually say – if you both to the administration and also at the pro- want to make change, you have to make it vincial level. Unfortunately, I think in the last yourself. You cannot just keep advocating for it.

This time, I found people who are procouple of years, it’s come to a point where students don’t really know what their union is or change and these people are taking a stance what their union can do for them. I really want on what they want and what they want the to bring back a more collective spirit to this university to be like. I loved what they were university, increase engagement, make sure saying and I was totally on board.

I’m fighting for the stable tuition program, students know that they have someone to turn to, and make sure they know they have a team that is my idea of how things should be for the students. For a student, the contract with the fighting on their side.

One [of my slate's policy proposals] that I’m university is at least three years long but on really proud of is participatory budgeting. That’s the university’s side, the contract is only four something UMSU should be adopting. What it months long – it’s only a semester and then they is is that students have the opportunity to vote can change terms. I want to eliminate that. I on their priorities and then the students’ union want to make a contract that says how much in spends the money accordingly. Especially with tuition you have to pay today, and throughout the student fees going up next year, it’s really your studies you will pay, within one per cent important for students to be able to access that accuracy every year. That’s the major point I wanted to bring forward this year. funding.

PHOTO BY CAROLYNE KROEKER

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Features

Features Editor: Lauren Siddall Contact: features@themanitoban.com

UMSU fee hike divides candidates Current UMSU president says Front and Centre donation will be put to a vote at UMSU council ETHAN CABEL, STAFF

PHOTO BY CAROLYNE KROEKER

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ault lines are being drawn in the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) general election over whether due process was followed in the approval of a $64 fee increase on all U of M undergraduate students late last year.

The fee hike has sparked considerable controversy since its near unanimous approval by UMSU council on Nov. 19.

The hike did not go to a referendum, and councillors were not given much time to review the motion before being expected to vote. The primary consultation mechanism used by UMSU to gauge student support was an online survey that garnered about 2,500 student responses.

Funds raised from the fee hike are slated to be managed by the UMSU endowment fund, with $15.9 million allocated to several big-ticket items over a 10-year period.

These projects include $2.4 million for a new childcare facility on campus, $3.5 million worth of renovations to the first floor of University Centre, $5 million for scholarships and bursaries for indigenous students, and $5 million for undergraduate research grants.

While UMSU councillors were fully briefed on these projects, they were not informed that the money could be counted as a donation to the university’s $500-million Front and Centre fundraising campaign.

A motion to approve the fee hike at the U of M board of governors on Jan. 26 said that the money would be included as part of the university’s capital campaign.

This is “something that was never acknowledged by the UMSU president, and never disclosed to UMSU councillors or students at large,” reads

a petition on change.org seeking to repeal the fee increase.

The petition has 636 signatures toward a 1,000-signature goal.

Jeremiah Kopp, current UMSU president, told the Manitoban that the board of governors’ motion simply opens the door to the possibility of the money being counted toward the Front and Centre donation total.

“The UMSU funds are not necessarily considered at the moment to be a Front and Centre contribution,” Kopp said.

“The board of governors motion was written in such a way that the door would be left open for such a possibility, but if it is to be a joint marketing effort and an effort to reflect collaboration and a culture of philanthropy, that will ultimately come before UMSU council.”

Kopp added that he expects to present a motion regarding this matter to UMSU council before the end of his term on May 1.

paigning one way or another on the matter.

“Any proposition of a fee change should go to the students, it shouldn’t be 42 people voting on 27,000 students’ behalf and that’s exactly what I said at the Nov. 19 council meeting when they passed this,” Fenwick said.

Take Back UMSU

Fenwick is a signatory of the online change.org petition condemning the fee hike.

“I don’t want the executive to be able to influence the opinion of students based on their role in UMSU,” he said, adding that their role as executives gives them disproportionate influence over such issues.

Fenwick is also strongly opposed to the money being counted as a donation to the Front and Centre fundraising campaign.

Only one slate of UMSU executive candidates has vowed to repeal the fee and bring the question to a referendum in the fall.

Andrew Fenwick, the current UMSU students living with disabilities representative, is a candidate for president under the Take Back UMSU slate. At the Nov. 19 UMSU council meeting, he abstained from the vote against the fee hike, calling for a referendum on the issue.

If elected, Fenwick told the Manitoban that he will solicit 1,000 signatures for a petition to repeal the fee and call a referendum on the issue.

Moreover, he said that he will seek to amend UMSU policies in order to prohibit the executive from cam-

“Any proposition of a fee change should go to the students, it shouldn’t be 42 people voting on 27,000 students’ behalf” – Andrew Fenwick, presidential candidate, Take Back UMSU slate

Opposing the process, not the substance

The other UMSU executive slates all support the fee increase and would not seek a referendum on the matter.

However, they all said that they are

against the process by which it was Forward slate, told the Manitoban passed in November. that he will ultimately respect the Tanjit Nagra, the current president wishes of students on the issue. of the Arts Student Body Council “I definitely agree with the initia(ASBC), is running for UMSU presi- tives that the fee increase was put dent as part of the UMSU For You towards,” Harney said, adding that slate. he is bound by the motion to increase Given that the ASBC passed two fees and spend the money on desigmotions condemning the process by nated projects. which the fee increase was approved, When it comes to whether his Nagra maintains that she has shown slate would seek to repeal the motion leadership on the issue. Moreover, she or go to a referendum on it, Harney vowed not to increase fees without a said that he “would let students bring referendum going forward. that forward and have council talk “The way in which the motion was about it.” passed I don’t agree with, and I think Astitwa Thapa, current UMSU there should have been more con- vice-president external and a candisultation, however our whole team date for president under the Strong believes in the initiatives that the UMSU slate, defends the fee hike motion supports,” Nagra said. as a necessary initiative, adding that “We’re not planning on any fee he would not increase fees without a raises at all in the upcoming term if referendum going forward. elected, but if there are going to be “Voting in favour of this motion any we’re going to make sure it goes was undoubtedly one of the most difto referendum so that students are ficult decisions I’ve had to make as a aware and can vote on it.” student leader,” he said.

Two candidates running on the “But we desperately need child care, UMSU For You slate, Harrison Katz we desperately need undergraduand Wilfred Sam-King, are in favour ate research, and my colleagues for of the fee hike. Although Katz cur- UMSU For You, Harrison Katz and rently agrees with the position of his Wilfred Sam-King, wholeheartedly slate on the need for a referendum voted in favour of this particular on future fee hikes, he previously motion.” defended the process by which the Zach LeClerc, current vice-presifee was passed. dent internal and independent candi“I believe that we, as UMSU coun- date for president, told the Manitoban cillors, were voted in to do a specific that he favoured the fee hike largely job, and that is to vote on motions because of the child care component. that are brought to UMSU council,” He added that he will seek to do more Katz said in November. “I think that with the money, including laying the gives UMSU councillors, not nec- groundwork for the union to eventuessarily the right, but definitely the ally acquire its own building separate courage to represent their students.” from University Centre.

Niall Harney, the treasurer for the Canadian Federation of Students’ Manitoba branch and candidate for president as part of the UMSU

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UMSU hopefuls talk mandatory indigenous studies requirement Slates offer their stances on U of W course, discuss options for U of M SHAWN GARBUTT, STAFF

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ith the University of Winnipeg introducing a mandatory indigenous studies course this fall, all eyes are on the University of Manitoba. The topic has been raised informally in many on-campus discussions and events in the past year. It was the focus of this year’s Indigenous Awareness Week, with some speakers favouring a mandatory course and others preferring a softer approach to integrating indigenous topics into the curriculum.

The existence of a formal relationship between the U of M and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, alongside emphasis placed on indigenous education in the university’s 2015-2020 strategic plan, has bolstered public discourse surrounding the matter.

The Manitoban met with representatives from each executive slate running in the upcoming University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) election in order to explore their stances on the issue.

Take Back

Presidential candidate and current UMSU students living with disabilities representative Andrew Fenwick endorses the implementation of a mandatory indigenous

studies course at the University of Manitoba. However, Fenwick also stressed the need to host qualitative student consultations before the university can move forward with any policy action.

Fenwick announced plans to lobby the provincial government to ensure the newly levied fees associated with administering and maintaining a new compulsory course would be subsidized for both domestic and international students.

“Education is the path that we have to take to get rid of discrimination and oppression,” said Fenwick.

UMSU Forward

Presidential candidate and treasurer for the Canadian Federation of Students-Manitoba Niall Harney commended the university’s exploration of implementing a mandatory indigenous studies course or credit.

However, Harney is reluctant to endorse any particular course of action this early in the deliberations.

He sees UMSU’s role as working with the administration in implementing their final decision while voicing the needs and concerns of the student body during such a process.

“As a university, we should be respecting indigenous ways of know-

ing,” said Harney. Harney added that it’s important to recognize the U of M as a public institution that ought to reflect the needs and goals of the public, and consequently the indigenous population as the fastest growing demographic in Manitoba.

Harney said he would also facilitate increased student consultations in regards to this particular issue.

Rather, Richard believes the inte- LeClerc in dealing with this matter gration of indigenous knowledge is are grassroots involvement, student best achieved by letting individual consultation, and collaboration faculties make the decision autono- between divided groups. mously. This way, she said, they can individually assess the best way in Strong UMSU which to ensure their students leave Presidential candidate and curuniversity with an appropriate degree rent UMSU vice-president external of insight on indigenous affairs.

Astitwa Thapa first and foremost called for the decolonization of Zachary LeClerc post-secondary education. However, (independent candidate) UMSU For You Thapa does not believe classrooms are Ashley Richard, candidate for “It’s a step forward, but I don’t the best avenues to choose in pursuit vice-president student services and agree with it,” said Zachary LeClerc, of that goal. current president of the Association presidential candidate and current Thapa stated Strong UMSU is of Aboriginal Commerce Students, UMSU vice-president internal on the not in favour of implementing a clarified that the implementation topic of implementing a mandatory mandatory indigenous course or of a mandatory indigenous stud- indigenous studies course or credit. credit, further saying the University ies requirement does not necessary Having consulted with active of Winnipeg did a “horrible job” of entail the creation of a new course. members from the student commu- consulting indigenous communities Rather, existing courses could fulfill nity regarding the UMSU initiative when they mandated the compulsory an indigenous credit requirement on indigenous achievement, LeClerc course at the U of W. should their curriculum reach a des- argued that mandating a compulThapa claimed the correct ignated threshold as indicated by the sory course is not “the way to build approach for the U of M is to identify amount of indigenous education pres- bridges.” LeClerc stated a move in currently existing courses that feature ent within the course content. the right direction would be for the indigenous knowledge and to work “Generally, in life, everyone should university administration to more on raising awareness and community have a basic understanding of indig- clearly detail existing classes that building at the grassroots level. enous education,” said Richard. include indigenous subject matter.

However, she opposes the creation of Through this course of action, a compulsory course, saying it would LeClerc advocates for a staggered be unfair for students in programs approach that gradually raises awarewith a small number of elective hours ness of indigenous issues and knowlavailable. edge. The most important steps for

UMSU executive candidates talk differential admission Slates offer their stances, solutions on GPA requirements for international students SHAWN GARBUTT, STAFF

I

nternational students took to the admission requirements for interstreets in summer 2014 and 2015, national students discriminatory. A denouncing differential admission participant in the original protest that requirements and increased tuition took place on campus, Thapa says that fees. it’s unacceptable that an international There is a limited amount of space student with a 4.0 GPA is likely to set aside for international students in face rejection from the faculty of various faculties – most notably in engineering. Thapa went on to say the department of civil engineering. Strong UMSU would work closely Limited space for international stu- with international students to presdents, makes admission more com- sure the university into changing the petitive, resulting in a higher grade current policy while also beginning point average necessary to be viable the process of lobbying to increase for entrance. The protesters targeted the spaces available for international their criticism at what they call sud- students within faculties. den, opaque, and arbitrary decisions made by the U of M administration Zachary LeClerc that have failed to keep international (independent candidate) students in the loop on matters conPresidential candidate and curcerning them. rent UMSU vice-president internal Representatives of the executive Zachary LeClerc said the issue at slates running for the upcoming hand is class sizes and the univerelection met with the Manitoban to sity’s capacity to house international outline their respective stances on students, not GPA requirements. the issue, as well as to define the role LeClerc claimed the university is they believe UMSU ought to take in failing to use space effectively and resolving the situation at hand. is thus not operating at full capacity, resulting in many of the woes interStrong UMSU national students currently face at Astitwa Thapa, presidential candi- the U of M. date and current vice-president exterLeClerc said he would use his posnal for UMSU, deemed the rigorous ition on UMSU to reconcile efforts

with the international student body and lobby the university to increase enrolment, capitalize on the professor-student ratio, and fill empty classrooms. By increasing the efficiency of space usage at the university, LeClerc argued availability would increase for international students and consequently solve the issue at hand.

UMSU For You

Presidential candidate and current arts student body president Tanjit Nagra claimed the larger issue at play is that the faculty of engineering, specifically, is over-crowded with students. Nagra said UMSU For You would like to work with the university administration in expending recent donation sums towards the renovation of existing buildings that would be allocated to the faculty of engineering, increasing its capacity to accommodate the current student body as well as higher levels of student enrolment.

“I think it’s a snowball effect. We need to start here, and then keep moving on,” Nagra said in reference to such plans. She added that a solution to the current dilemma will follow once the problem of overpopu-

lation in faculties lacking adequate resources is properly dealt with.

Nagra also believes UMSU needs to work on expanding the number of services and resources that are available for international students to access.

UMSU Forward

Niall Harney, presidential candidate and treasurer for the Manitoban branch of the Canadian Federation of Students, criticized past actions of the administration, saying many international students are brought to Manitoba and supported throughout their first year but lose that framework of services as they progress in their studies. This, alongside differential admission requirements, is symptomatic of what Harney says is very poor treatment of international students at the U of M. “International students are currently being treated very disrespectfully; they’ve coined the term themselves that they’re being treated like cash-cows on this campus.”

Harney advocates for more consultation to take place with the international student body, so as to not leave them in the dark when it

comes to policy decisions that greatly impact the trajectory of their academic careers.

Take Back

Andrew Fenwick, presidential candidate and current students living with disabilities representative for UMSU, said the current situation for international students at the U of M fosters a dangerous “us versus them” mentality on campus.

Fenwick argued that education is a universal right and called for an end to what he described as discriminatory practices deployed by the U of M in its treatment of international students. Fenwick further advocated for the creation of a special consideration category in the enrolment process for international students.

Science & technology 18 Science & Technology Editor: Chantelle Dubois Contact: science@themanitoban.com

The University of Manitoba professor that helped launch a rocket Researcher profile: Samar Safi-Harb MALAK ABAS, STAFF

PHOTO BY MALAK ABAS

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amar Safi-Harb is the Canada Research Chair in Supernova Remnants and Astrophysics in the physics and astronomy department at the University of Manitoba. SafiHarb is a highly-regarded professor of physics and astronomy, former NASA employee, and recipient of the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg’s 2015 women of distinction award in the category of science, technology and research.

But her resume doesn’t stop there.

On Feb. 17, Safi-Harb watched the Japanese rocket Hitomi launch, carrying the Canadian Astro-H Metrology System (CAMS), which is laser technology that she helped create. The Manitoban had an opportunity to speak with Safi-Harb about what brought her to Winnipeg and

her contributions to the Hitomi satellite.

From Beirut to NASA

country to pursue her passion, moving to the United States to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After receiving her master’s and PhD in physics in Wisconsin, SafiHarb completed a fellowship at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

“I was at the lab for high-energy astrophysics, which is, [...]to do high-energy astrophysics [...] one of the best places in the States, and in the world. So I got to continue the research I like to do,” Safi-Harb says.

After her time at NASA, it was a new and exciting opportunity that brought her to Winnipeg.

“What brought me to this place was the job. There was an opportunity to actually start a graduate program in astronomy […] and teach courses at the upper level in astronomy,” says Safi-Harb.

“So that’s what really excited me about this position.”

Safi-Harb grew up in Lebanon in the midst of the civil war. She had always had a passion for science, and in particular a passion for physics.

While she ultimately ended up studying physics at the American University of Beirut, she had a wide variety of interests and considered several academic paths.

“I applied to the faculty of archi- The Hitomi satellite launch tecture, I applied to the faculty of Safi-Harb, along with two other engineering, and I got admitted to Canadian scientists, worked on them all. I was always really keen on CAMS, a system designed for the a lot of things,” says Safi-Harb.

Hitomi (formerly named Astro-H) Universities in Lebanon do not satellite. The satellite’s purpose is to offer physics past the master’s level, collect data using x-rays that could and Safi-Harb eventually left the not otherwise be found, and CAMS

helps keep them focused.

Hitomi (which actually means “the “CAMS is an instrument that pupil of the eye” in Japanese) and use helps focus high-energy x-rays,” says the data collected to further study Safi-Harb. high-energy phenomena.

“I am a big enthusiast about high“What CAMS does is it helps focus the light from [the] high-energy energy astrophysics, especially for the x-ray telescope, because it’s equipped objects I study, because I’m interested with a set of lasers and detectors that in extreme phenomena – things that help focus the light.” you could never achieve on earth,” Keeping the images collected by says Safi-Harb.

Hitomi focused is a crucial part of “We’re talking about magnetic the mission, as it affects the quality fields that are billions of times greater of the data collected. than that of the sun’s, temperatures “When the satellite is launched billions of times greater than the sun’s in space [...] there’s temperature [...] the only way to study this is, actuvariations, there’s stuff happening ally, to do it with x-rays.” that makes it vibrate. The vibration will cause the image to not be well- We are all star-stuff focused,” said Safi-Harb.

Safi-Harb has done extensive “What CAMS does, with the laser research on supernovae and their technology, is to actually re-focus remnants, and she hopes that the the light and see the images much Hitomi satellite will help bring new sharper.” light to the explosion of stars.

This is not the first time scientists She also believes that the data have attempted this mission. The collected from this experiment has mission has failed twice in the past, significance to all people, even if they the second time having occurred are not involved in scientific study. about a month after the launch.

“What I tell [people] is all these “It was a very depressing time, elements that we are made of, the because people have worked so hard oxygen we breathe, this is all made on this mission,” says Safi-Harb. in supernovae.”

“People dedicate their time and life, She sums it up perfectly by smiling basically their career, to this.” and quoting the iconic Carl Sagan: Scientists will now keep an eye on “We are star-stuff.”

Space briefs NASA closes astronaut applications, Scott Kelly comes home from the ISS, and SpaceX secures resupply contracts and most recent launch CHANTELLE DUBOIS, STAFF

NASA will now fessional experience, respectively). move on to review appli- Additionally, applicants must be a cations and create a pool US citizen. of highly qualified appliTo date, only 338 individuals have cants who will then be been selected as astronauts since 1959. contacted, asked to go Unlike the first group of astronauts, through a medical exam, who were all pilots, today’s astronaut and have their qualifica- corps is comprised of a variety of tions verified. This pro- expertise and backgrounds includcess ends in September. ing engineers, teachers, scientists, Initial interviews are and doctors. planned to begin in Feb. The next generation of astronauts 2017, with final candi- will eventually have an opportunity dates selected May 2017 to work with the Orion spaceflight and official announce- vehicle, which has been designed ments made in June 2017. for missions beyond Earth’s orbits.

A ppl ic a nt s a re Potential missions could take astrorequired to hold at least nauts to Mars or nearby asteroids. a bachelor’s degree in a Astronauts in the astronaut canGRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST STEM field, have 20/20 didate program eventually train as vision (laser corrected either a commander/pilot astronaut, Made of the right stuff vision is accepted as long as it has a mission specialist, or payload NASA closed its call for applica- been a year since surgery with no specialist. tions for astronaut candidates on Feb. adverse effects), and have three years 18, receiving an unprecedented 18,300 of professional experience (advanced Return to Earth applications. The agency opened the degrees like a masters or PhD are NASA astronaut and current vacancy on Dec. 14, 2015. counted as one and two years of pro- commander of the International

Space Station (ISS) Scott Kelly is set to return to Earth on March 1 after spending 340 days in space.

The mission is part of a unique twin study which will compare the differences between Kelly and his twin Mark, who have been living separately in space and on Earth respectively.

The study will focus particularly on physiological changes happening at the molecular level in their DNA. Since the twins are genetically identical, a wide range of useful information is expected.

Additionally, the study will observe changes in behavior such as decision making and perception, organ changes, and the effects of diet.

Kelly currently holds the record for the longest time an American astronaut has spent in space, with previous experience on missions like STS-103 Discovery, STS-118 Endeavour, Soyuz TMA-01M, and ISS Expeditions 25 and 26. Over all these missions and up until his return

from the current mission, Kelly will log 522 days.

The current overall record for most time in space is held by Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who has logged 802 days in space.

SpaceX secures five more ISS resupply missions

SpaceX has managed to secure five more resupply missions to the ISS. The contract is reported to be worth US$700 billion.

NASA is SpaceX’s biggest customer, and the first contract signed by the two companies in 2008 helped save the commercial space company from bankruptcy after several failed launches.

To date, SpaceX has been assigned 20 resupply missions to the International Space Station.

Currently, NASA has contracts with SpaceX, Orbital ATK, and Sierra Nevada Corporation for resupply missions to the ISS.

VOL. 102 NO. 24 March 2, 2016

Science & Technology 19

The fascinating compounds of plants Researcher profile: Jake Stout JEREMIAH YARMIE, STAFF

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embers of the plant kingdom make hundreds of thousands of molecules called secondary metabolites. These compounds aren’t crucial for life, but are instead used for things like communication and defense – think of the poisons found in hemlock, which was used to kill Socrates, or capsaicin, which is found in chili peppers to deter herbivorous mammals.

Jake Stout, an assistant professor in the department of biological sciences, is interested in plant metabolites, especially those with medicinal potential.

“Collectively, you could say that plants are better chemists than us,” Stout told the Manitoban.

These medicinal compounds are often produced within specialized plant cells through a conveyer belt of enzymes called a biosynthetic pathway. A gene in the plant’s DNA encodes each of these enzymes.

Stout uses a genomic technique called transcriptome sequencing, which takes snapshots of the genes that are being used in plant tissue at particular moments in time.

Genes only work through intermediate messenger molecules.

Transcriptome sequencing allows Stout to see what messages are being used where, and what those messages say.

From the information gathered using this technique, specific genes of interest can be singled out to answer questions like “what step along the pathway is this?” and “what goes in and comes out?”

“In doing that with a whole bunch of genes, we can reconstitute the entire biosynthetic pathway that a particular plant uses to make those compounds,” said Stout.

By understanding these pathways, biochemists stand a better chance of synthesizing these compounds in the lab.

A main subject of research in the Stout lab is the African shrub Tabernanthe iboga, which produces the psychedelic drug ibogaine.

Ibogaine isn’t commonly used recreationally – it has unpleasant effects and induces a rapid heartbeat – but it does show medical potential in the treatment of addictions.

“There is anecdotal evidence that ibogaine is able to partially reset the neurochemical pathways associated with addiction in the brains of people with dire opiate addictions,” said Stout. “They say that they don’t have withdrawal symptoms for weeks.”

Stout is also interested in the evolutionary history that resulted in the formation of medicinal compounds.

Information about ibogaine synthesis would lend itself to understanding the synthesis of other compounds as well.

“Ibogaine belongs to this whole class of compounds called monoterpene indole alkaloids,” said Stout.

“They tend to be really complicated molecules, so we’re not very good at making them.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAKE STOUT

Amongst this class of compounds are the chemotherapy drugs vinblastine and vincristine, which are isolated from the Madagascar periwinkle.

“In India and Madagascar, companies grow thousands of acres of these periwinkles to extract vinblastine and vincristine,” said Stout. “The Madagascar periwinkle only makes these compounds in at around 0.01 per cent by weight, which is just a whiff.”

In contrast to the periwinkle, iboga produces ibogaine in its roots at about four per cent by weight.

“The production of ibogaine is similar to the production of half of vinblastine,” said Stout. “One of those halves is catharanthine, and I think that the biosynthesis of ibogaine goes through catharanthine.”

If Stout were able to stop the biosynthetic pathway of ibogaine right after catharanthine, he would be able to produce the vinblastine precursor

in iboga at yields much higher than the finished product in periwinkles.

“I’m coming up with devious ways to make the other half of vinblastine,” said Stout.

“Collectively, you could say that plants are better chemists than us” – Jake Stout, assistant professor of biology, U of M Perfecting this would lower the price of the anti-cancer drug, increase its accessibility, and open up land for agricultural use.

Using this information, Stout hopes to sample other plants in the iboga family for genes involved in the production of different monoterpene indole alkaloids.

“We could potentially produce a they’ve been used for thousands of whole bunch of these molecules in years by different cultures for medicithe iboga system,” said Stout. nal and ritualistic purposes. Knowing For his PhD, Stout studied the how these compounds are produced production of lignin, a polymer adds to that indigenous knowledge, responsible for the rigidity of plants and will allow us to produce other like trees. medicinal compounds such as vin“In looking at the way that bio- blastine at reduced cost,” Stout told synthesis works, I started looking the Manitoban when asked about at structurally related compounds,” what it’s like working with drugs said Stout. “Mescaline has almost commonly known for their hallucithe exact same structural pattern as nogenic effects. some of the lignin monomers.”

“Besides, it’s kind of awesome to Mescaline is a psychedelic drug work on plants that are illegal in a found in the peyote cactus – it’s what lot of the world because it cuts down Owen Wilson’s character was high on on competition.” in The Royal Tenenbaums.

“I think that mescaline biosynthe- More information about Jake Stout sis might be the entire lignin biosyn- and his research can be found at http:// thetic pathway just moved over a step,” umanitoba.ca/Biology/people/stoutjm/ said Stout. “From an evolutionary standpoint, it would be like an entire pathway being co-opted, rather than just bits and pieces.”

“Plant-produced psychedelic compounds are really interesting because

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Science & Technology

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

The science of LSD Psychiatric interest in acid resurfaces after decades of silence JEREMIAH YARMIE, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY JONDELL COOMBS

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n 1943, a Swiss chemist named rupted stream of fantastic pictures, fell into obscurity as it was criminalAlbert Hofmann experienced the extraordinary shapes with intense, ized as a hedonistic hippie drug. world’s first acid trip. kaleidoscopic play of colours,” wrote While the rest of Europe was Hofmann in his 1980 book LSD: My Before LSD’s gearing up for the Second World Problem Child.

War, Hofmann found himself workLike the true scientist that he was, prohibition in ing for Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Hofmann decided to self-experiment Switzerland. Here, Hofmann was by deliberately taking a 250-micro- the 1960s , more tasked with isolating chemical com- gram dose of acid three days later. than a thousand pounds from fungal ergot, a parasite As Hofmann began to hallucinate, research articles of rye. he and his assistant cycled home – While Hofmann had successfully bicycle was the vehicle of choice due were published synthesized lysergic acid diethylam- to the war. looking at the drug’s ide (LSD) in 1938, the project was “On the way home, my condition set aside for five years while he was began to assume threatening forms. potential in a variety tasked with other ventures. In 1943, Everything in my field of vision Hofmann decided to resynthesize wavered and was distorted as if seen of applications LSD. in a curved mirror,” wrote Hofmann Somehow, Hofmann ingested the about the bike trip. potent psychedelic drug while workHofmann believed that LSD had LSD was regulated in Canada in ing with it. LSD has an active dose immense potential for use in psycho- the 1960s in a campaign spearheaded of 100 micrograms, so small amounts therapy. But by the 1960s the world by senator Hartland Molson, a memcan produce noticeable effects. had changed. ber of the brewery family. At the time, Perhaps Hofmann rubbed his eye LSD became associated with the LSD was being used extensively in or put his hand to his mouth – regard- counter-culture revolution of the time, the treatment of alcoholism. less, he accidentally gave himself a hit. led by people like Timothy Leary.

Although physicians resisted the “In a dreamlike state, with eyes The scientific community stopped regulations at first, they later buckled. closed [...] I perceived an uninter- taking the drug seriously, and LSD The brewing industry benefited from

this policy choice, which made treating alcoholism more difficult.

A recent analysis of several studies from the 1960s and 70s showed that even a single dose of LSD could help alcoholics resist drinking for up to a year.

Researchers on one study found the reason that the drug was effective at combating alcoholism is that it was common for subjects to develop insight into their problems, a new sense of openness and optimism, and the ability to make strong choices towards quitting drinking.

Unlike with drugs like cannabis and alcohol, LSD does not impair the mind – it simply changes perception. Individuals on LSD experience enhanced memory processes.

If a person makes a revelation about their drinking while on acid, they are bound to remember it for a long time hence.

“For the entire duration of the experiment, I had even been aware of participating in an experiment, but despite this recognition of my condi-

tion, I could not, with every exertion of my will, shake off the LSD world,” wrote Hofmann about the first ever intentional LSD trip.

Before LSD’s prohibition in the 1960s, more than a thousand research articles were published looking at the drug’s potential in a variety of applications.

Clinical research into acid has reappeared within the last couple of years, fuelled by the hope that the promise LSD had shown in the 1950s and 60s can be built upon.

This resurgence is due to a seminal 2014 study that looked at LSD’s ability to decrease the anxiety of mortality in 12 individuals with lifethreatening diseases.

For the first time in 60 years, LSD was studied in a controlled manner for its use in psychotherapy. This study was inspired by a 1963 study that found LSD was able to reduce anxiety and depression in individuals with late-stage cancer.

Two months after their LSD experiences, the patients showed positive trends in the reduction of anxiety. This reduction in anxiety was seen even a year after the session in a follow-up appointment.

The U.S. government secretly experimented with LSD during the 1950s and 60s to determine its efficacy as a mind-control drug. The project, called MKUltra, did not seem to be fruitful for the U.S., but a recent study has shown that the drug does increase user suggestibility, the susceptibility and responsiveness to suggestion.

The suggestibility of participants was measured using the creative imagination scale, which measures imaginative suggestibility by prompting individuals to imagine different scenarios such as their arm becoming heavier.

While this suggestibility may not help with mind control, it shows promise for use in certain forms of psychotherapy, in which suggestibility is often used to direct sessions.

Another recent study showed that LSD enhances an individual’s emotional response to music. Music is an important element in psychotherapy, especially sessions aided by psychedelics.

In psychedelic-assisted therapy sessions, music is used to allow subjects to relinquish control through a structured experience, which often use musical progression to direct participants to a spiritual peak.

The study found that LSD particularly enhanced the feelings of wonder, transcendence, power and tenderness experienced from listening to music.

The story of LSD is a good example of the need for policy decisions to be made based on scientific and medical evidence. Who knows where LSD research would be today if we didn’t lose those 60 years.

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

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

COMIC BY KELLY CAMPBELL

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VOL. 102 NO. 24 March 2, 2016

Diversions

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GRAPHIC BY JONDELL COOMBS

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

Arts & Culture

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

24

Raising money for Manitoba Metalfest Metalfest founder Cory Thomas talks upcoming benefit show, local metal history SEAMUS HAMILTON-PATTISON, STAFF

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CORY THOMAS

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n Friday, March 4, local heavy working hard in Winnipeg’s metal can bring in today. metal booking company scene to play the benefit.

“That’s where we’re at now: we’re Ninjacat Productions is hosting “I heard about [local death/thrash flying in bands for the show,” Thomas a benefit show for the 13th annual metal act] Perilous from a bunch of said excitedly.

Manitoba Metalfest at the Park friends going ‘hey, this band’s aweOf course, Winnipeg’s own metal Theatre. some, they’re an up-and-coming local acts aren’t only a reliable part of the The benefit show counts a few band, got a good buzz going,’ so I put festival – they’re clearly fans at heart. well-established local metallers on them on the bill,” said Thomas.

“First Metalfest I went to was its bill, including the death/thrash “Infecter is my band [...] Since in 2008. I think Into Eternity was metal hybrid Endless Chaos and the we’ve got a good buzz going because playing one night, and Razor was the D.R.I.-inspired crossover thrash act we’re a new band on the scene, I think second night,” said Menza.

Solanum alongside newer death and we’ll help the benefit a lot. Endless “It was cool, because that show got black metal bands Perilous and Cell. Chaos, like you said, those guys are me into a ton of local bands that they The gig will also mark the live debut awesome and killing it with that had at the time when I was 19.” of Ninjacat Productions founder and Wacken battle – they almost made it It’s not just Metalfest that’s grown sole member Cory Thomas’s new to Wacken [Open Air].” and evolved. Thomas says Winnipeg’s thrash metal band, Infecter.

Thomas was referring to last year’s metal scene as a whole has grown “From Endless Chaos, you can just Wacken Metal Battle Canada, a exponentially since the festival’s expect a ton of energy, lots of head- national competition in which up- debut. banging. We always try to bring the and-coming metal bands across the best out in our crowd,” guitarist Mike country compete for the chance to “It’s just gonna be Menza told the Manitoban. represent Canada on the interna“It’s just gonna be a fast, fun, heavy tional stage at Germany’s massive a fast, fun, heavy night.”

Wacken Open Air Festival. night” – Mike Thomas told the Manitoban that “They made it all the way to the though he has attempted to fund- finals in Toronto. If they would’ve Menza, guitarist, raise in the past, benefit shows are won Toronto, they would’ve made it Endless Chaos still relatively new to Metalfest. to Wacken,” added Thomas.

“The way I do the festival, I’m a In addition to booking metal one-man show, and if you wanna get shows in venues across Winnipeg grants or anything like that from the year-round under Ninjacat “The scene was really struggling government, you have to be a not- Productions, Thomas has been run- back then. There were like maybe for-profit organization. Not that we ning Metalfest as a one-man show for six or seven metal bands in the scene, make any profit putting the fest on,” the past 12 years. so it was the same bands at every said Thomas.

“The first one was with me and show, the crowds were really small, “They want a board of directors, another guy, and he stepped down so Metalfest was the only chance to and meetings, and minutes, and all after the first year,” said Thomas. really play for something big,” said that stuff [...] Even the grants that I According to Thomas, the festi- Thomas. can look into getting because I’m not val’s evolution was slow but steady, “It’s been awesome. I feel in the last an organization, they give all that as Manitoba Metalfest moved from two years or so, it’s struggling a little money to jazz and classical musicians.” booking only local bands, to small right now – not like the 2000s – but Thomas added that, like the fes- Montreal-based acts, to the legendary I’d say around 2005-2012, it was pretty tival, he aimed to pick local bands international metal bands the festival damn awesome. Really strong, local

shows packed all the time. Bands like Dreadnaut, Tyrant’s Demise, Electro Quarterstaff, Seventh Sin, all those bands were packing bars.”

However, even if Thomas doesn’t think Winnipeg’s metal scene is at its best right now, he’s expecting things to pick up again soon – a testament to his faith in the longevity and diversity of metal.

“I think the scene’s in a bit of a transitional stage. The Zoo’s gone, it’s definitely changing now. There’s always new bands that come in and take over the scene again, so I think we’re waiting for the next big local metal band to come out.”

Thomas is unabashed in his love for hosting Metalfest and for heavy metal in general. However, he cited one horrifically memorable incident from a Metalfest past – something anyone with a tendency to take moshing too far should heed as a cautionary tale.

“We did have one guy at the festival with Brutal Truth and Malefaction back in 2010. Some guy was moshing so hard that he snapped his foot right, clean-break off. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” said Thomas.

“His foot snapped. Not just broke, it was hanging by the skin and I almost puked right at the bar. It was crazy.”

With regard to this year’s Metalfest, which takes place at the Park Theatre from April 15 to 16, Thomas pointed out a few acts he’s particularly excited to have along. “[Local death metal veterans] Immortal Possession. It’s gonna be

their first show with the original lineup since, I think they played in 2001 at the Zoo and then before that, they haven’t been around since 1994,” Thomas told the Manitoban.

“So it’s pretty big that we’ve got Immortal Possession reuniting to play the festival. They’re classic death metal from the early 90’s in Winnipeg [...] it’s going to be amazing, I’m gonna be 14 all over again.”

Thomas went on to make mention of the first day’s headlining act Terrorizer as another band he can’t wait to see live.

“They’re the pioneers of grindcore, and they got Pete Sandoval of Morbid Angel – and he’s one of my favourite drummers of all time.”

Looking to the future, Thomas mentioned that in addition to approaching Morbid Angel themselves about playing next year’s Metalfest, he also wants to integrate some hardcore punk bands – citing Dayglo Abortions as an ideal example – into the festival’s all-metal lineup.

As for this year, Thomas is just hoping that everyone will enjoy the show.

“I just want it to be a great show where everyone has a good time. I don’t even care if we make money.”

All proceeds from the Manitoba Metalfest benefit go directly to support the festival. Tickets are $10 in advance and are available for online purchase via www.ticketfly.com

VOL. 102 NO. 24 March 2, 2016

Arts & Culture

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Chimerica launches at MTC Manitoba Theatre Centre presents thrilling geopolitical play TOBI NIFESI, STAFF

Chimerica, by British playwright – Joe Schofield – receives information nature and fondness for witty, offLucy Kirkwood, opened on the that the photo’s subject is alive. This hand expressions. Buliung added that John Hirsch Mainstage of the Royal launches his thrilling hunt to find the many people will be able to relate to Manitoba Theatre Centre (MTC) unknown tank man. the play’s characters and themes.

“It is a political play but it also has Feb. 26 and will run to Mar. 19.

Evan Buliung plays the role The 2013 play was brought to of Schofield, and he believes the a great storyline of friendship, love, Winnipeg by the production com- piece’s political subject matter is still and loss. We all relate to that. There pany Canadian Stage, and is sure to relevant to what’s going in the world are a lot of universal themes in it,” provide a gripping, edgy experience today, specifically within China and said Buliung. for its audience.

America themselves.

Chris Abraham, artistic direcChimerica – the title of which is a tor for Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre, is portmanteau of China and America – directing the play. For him, the geois a tense and scrupulous look into the “It is a political play political overtones in Chimerica are complexities of the changing fortunes familiar waters. but it also has a between the two countries, and their In the past, Abraham has directed subsequently “tied fates.” The play productions such as For the Pleasure of great storyline of highlights these political themes in Seeing Her Again and The Little Years, friendship, love, a dramatic and occasionally funny which had similarly complex themes manner. to Chimerica. and loss” – Chris The play is centred on a fictional “I tend to gravitate towards work story about the famous “tank man” Abraham, director that deals with complex subjects images that were captured a day – be it scientific or political,” said after hundreds of protesters were Abraham. massacred during demonstrations “[Chimerica] is about two coun“I like plays that are not afraid to in China’s Tiananmen Square in 1989. tries that work through the culture challenge their audience and make The man depicted in the photos of fear and repression,” Buliung told them think.” stood in the path of an advancing the Manitoban.

Given the complex nature of column of tanks, moving from side “There are more ways for govern- the production, it was important to side to prevent them from skirt- ment to control their people through for Abraham to carefully pick his ing around him. Eventually a small keeping them ambivalent or ignorant cast. He believes it’s important for crowd of people grabbed him and of what is actually happening. Most Canadian stages to be creatively pulled him away. The identity and young people in China do not even inclusive. fate of the “tank man” is unknown. know Tiananmen actually happened.”

“I know that across the country, all Chimerica is set two decades after Playing Joe Schofield comes eas- leaders in cultural fields are looking this event. In the play, a fictional pho- ily for Buliung, as he is able to relate for ways to recreate a more creatively tojournalist who snapped the photo to the character’s work-oriented inclusive expression of our country

PHOTO BY DYLAN HEWLETT

on our stages,” Abraham explained.

“A good example of a photograph “The opportunity to have very, that caused a big change in Canada kind of juicy roles for Asian actors was the photograph of the refugee on large stages is an opportunity that child [...] on the beach. I think that is very welcome.” had massive consequences in terms of The tank man photos highlight Canadians’ response [to] the refugee the powerful effect an art piece can crisis [...] So yeah, I do believe images have on our world. With the advent of remain very powerful.” social media, a photograph can now All in all, Abraham just wants go viral in a very short time, and pow- audiences to go in prepared to have erful messages can be passed along their minds blown by Chimerica’s that can in turn spark drastic change. compelling story.

“The viral phenomenon of pho“It’ll feel like one of their favorite tographs circulated through social political thrillers.” media and how those photographs can change behaviours as opposed For specific showtimes and ticketto lame mainstream press has really ing information for Chimerica, changed,” said Abraham. visit www.royalmtc.ca

Women’s suffrage showcase Manitoba Museum exhibit marks 100 years of women voting TOBI NIFESI, STAFF

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n Jan. 28, 1916, Manitoba became the first Canadian province to extend voting rights to some women. This marked a significant advancement in the ongoing struggles for women’s rights.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the event, the Manitoba Museum is hosting an exhibit called Nice Women Don’t Want the Vote from now until April 10. After time on display in Winnipeg, the exhibit will tour around the province, then go into the Canadian Museum of History.

In 1914, popular Manitoban writer, politician, and social activist Nellie McClung led a delegation of male and female suffragists to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly to make one simple thing clear: Women have every right to vote.

McClung had been involved in several social reform movements in the early parts of the 1900s and on that day, she spoke her piece against the provincial government.

“Have we not the brains to think?

Hands to work? Hearts to feel, and lives to live? Do we not bear our part in citizenship? Do we not help build the Empire? Give us our due,”

McClung asked of those assembled. Canadian Bill of Rights in 1960 that Sir Rodmond Roblin, the First Nations women were allowed Manitoba premier, quickly dismissed to vote. her argument. His counter-argument The Manitoba Museum’s Nice expressed the common view and Women Don’t Want the Vote exhibit attitude that settlers at the time had – titled after the crux of Roblin’s about women and politics – women counterargument – is a thoroughly were perceived as being gentle, guile- detailed showcase of the events of the less, naive, and altogether too sensi- early suffragist movement. It hightive to be voters or politicians. lights the “who, how, when, and why” “Most women don’t want the vote,” of the successes and failures of the Roblin said in retort. movement.

“The mother that is worthy of the This exhibit presents the inequaliname and of the good affection of a ties early suffragists sought to address, good man has a hundredfold more provides an objective perspective of influence in shaping public opin- the causes and opposition of the ion around her dinner table than movement, and celebrates pioneershe would have in the market place, ing women’s suffragists such as hurling her eloquent phrases to the Nellie McClung, Winona Margaret multitude.”

Flett Dixon, Ella Cora Hind, and For Canadian suffragists, the Margaret Benedictsson. battle (but not the war) was won two The display includes official letters years later when non-First Nations written by these women, as well as women were given the rights to vote possessions and items they had used in provincial elections in Manitoba. during their demonstrations and Other provinces soon followed suit. delegations.

It should be noted that many sufThe most exciting and interesting fragists remained silent in regards component of the exhibit is an interto the voting rights of indigenous active audio section, which includes women at the time. It was not until oral recordings of early suffragists. the passage of John Diefenbaker’s There is also a detailed timeline of

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE MANITOBA MUSEUM

salient events in the Canadian suf- to be done, it’s a cause to celebrate fragist movements to date. nonetheless. Revel in some Canadian Last November, Prime Minister history and visit this exhibit.

Justin Trudeau introduced a completely gender-balanced cabinet as For ticketing information and hours part of one of his campaign prom- of operation, visit www.manitobaises. This is the sort of progress the museum.ca or call 204-956-2830. suffragists would likely have sought after, and although there is still much

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Arts & Culture

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

Alumni profiles Grads get into bikes and branding OLIVIA MICHALCZUK, STAFF

mobile user experience design, brand development, and advertising in print, on the web, and outdoors.

Stephensen’s designs are the faces of businesses across Winnipeg, from fine-dining restaurants to architecture firms.

His projects include producing branding for The Mitchell Block, Unit 7 Architecture, Maw’s Eatery and Beer Hall, and Gimli’s Flatland Coffee Co. – just to name a few.

Stephensen’s education has benePHOTO PROVIDED BY JORDAN STEPHENSEN fited his work from theory to handson designing.

Jordan Stephensen – Bachelor of fine “U of M for sure gave me a very arts (honours) conceptual approach to graphic Jordan Stephensen is a graphic design,” Stephensen told the designer with a background in trad- Manitoban. itional illustration with a focus on “Colour theory, art history, as well typography, branding, and digital as experiencing other fine arts pracillustration and iconography. tices gave me a well-rounded underSince graduating, Stephensen standing of design as art, and how the has worked for about a year in print two go hand-in-hand, which I feel is production, in addition to designing a perspective I don’t think I would clothing. have appreciated as much studying After a stint of freelance design- design in a context outside of a school ing, Stephensen was hired by Relish of fine art.”

Branding as a graphic designer.

His focus with Relish is primarily front-end web design, desktop and

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ROBIN ELLIS

Robin Ellis – Bachelor of environmental design, 2012

While pursuing her degree, Robin Ellis began to critically observe the world around her.

“I began to recognize the influence of my actions in the space around me, and I gained trust in the capability of my own hands,” said Ellis.

“It gave me a new sense of perspective and scale and, most importantly,

ignited a kind of fearlessness that I have carried with me through each new creative pursuit.”

After graduating, Ellis took on a position at a project-managing company called Creative Spaces Inc. She became intimately familiar with the building construction process, and had the opportunity to prepare schematic design proposals for several home renovation projects.

Over the past eight years, Ellis has been involved in Winnipeg community bike shops that started at the bike dump, a place that offers the opportunity for bike repair and education among other things.

After a fulfilling term at Creative Spaces Inc., Ellis took on a position at the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub (WRENCH) to work in a more community-focused environment.

The WRENCH is an organization that promotes education, mobility, skill-sharing, and recycling through the teaching of bicycle mechanics, and “learning through doing.”

With the WRENCH, Ellis was able to organize community-based programming. Over the past year her

focus has been primarily on programs for women and girls.

By enhancing the health, safety, and well-being of inner-city women, empowering marginalized women through skill-building programming, and increasing the number of female mechanics in volunteer bike shops, Ellis has taken a more communityfocused career path that still satisfies her passion to create.

“I am drawn to organizations such as WRENCH, Bike Again!, and Dal Bike Centre because of their grassroots approach to fostering community, inclusivity, and independence, all while offering mobility, employable skills, and a shared experience of city and space.”

Ellis – now pursuing a master’s degree in architecture at Dalhousie University – has been greatly influenced by her participation in bike culture and community services.

“My primary area of interest for my thesis is community-centred design. I intend to pursue research in the realm of bicycle-related public projects to explore how architectural designs can be used as a means to bring about social change.”

’Toban turntable Brand-new releases reviewed OLIVIA MICHALCZUK, STAFF

Matt Andersen Honest Man 4/5 With every song on Honest Man, the listener is guaranteed some powerful vocals. The album is quite diverse but makes for a relaxing listen.

This is helped in part by the album’s amazing production.

Andersen’s feel-good lyrics are set perfectly to tracks full of soul with

horn sections, groovy percussion, Andersen’s voice with piano accomorgan, and sublime guitar. paniment. This track in particular The title track is an upbeat, soul- gives listeners the opportunity to influenced number featuring saxo- truly appreciate Andersen’s pure, yet phone leads backed by a roaring horn raspy vocals. section, and a choir singing, “who’s For a change of pace, “Quiet got time for an honest man?”

Company” sports country feel with “Honest Man” the song makes you crickets opening the track and a want to dance, and due to the full haunting lap steel from beginning instrumentation and pristine quality, to end. it feels like you are at a live show.

Further demonstrating Andersen’s “Giving In” features just diverse influences, “Last Surrender”

is a love song that sounds like a classic Motown hit, once again prominently showcasing strong vocals and the perfect groove, with lyrics made to be sung along to.

Overall, Honest Man is the perfect easy-listening album with consistently strong vocals and a variety of song styles and paces rooted firmly in R&B and soul.

www.stubbyfingers.ca

PHOTO BY JOHN FEARNALL AND GOOD NOISE PHOTOGRAPHY

SEAMUS HAMILTON-PATTISON, STAFF

Rococode Don’t Worry It Will Be Dark Soon 2.5/5

Duelling vocalists/multi-instru- by similar problems, sounding a tad Contrasted with the rest of the mentalists Andrew Braun and Laura lifeless. album, these standout tracks are a Smith have talent and proficiency to However, this album wouldn’t great example of how a song can be spare; the number of perfect pop have gotten the rating it did if every memorable without necessarily being songs the two have crafted on this single track was like this. Don’t Worry catchy. On the other hand, songs like Musically, Rococode is exactly album are evidence enough of that. It Will Be Dark Soon’s strong numbers “Panic Attack” and several others are what you’d anticipate from their Unfortunately, it’s also the main rea- are exceptionally so, and they often plenty catchy, but don’t leave a lasting indie-pop moniker. son why Don’t Worry It Will Be Dark come about from the group choosing impression.

Genre staples like propulsive Soon just can’t quite stand out from to add a little variety.

If you’re a fan of literally anything drumbeats, an instrumentation the crowd – most of these pop songs “Baddest Sun” is a dark, twangy, and everything labelled indie-pop mostly dependent on synths and are just that, and not much else. and mid-paced number that lyric- then sure, give Don’t Worry It Will keyboards, and intertwining, harTake “Panic Attack,” for instance ally reads like a melancholic country Be Dark Soon a listen. But a lack of monized male/female vocals are – it’s rhythmic, driving, and catchy song, but retains the group’s con- experimentation and dull (albeit all present in spades on the group’s to be sure, but it’s also about as for- stantly driving, danceable backbeat. clear and pristine) production qualsecond full-length release, Don’t mulaic as it gets, with a chorus that “Dead and Gone,” on the other hand, ity, means this album will not be one Worry It Will Be Dark Soon. The album doesn’t have the urgency to warrant seamlessly blends dream-pop guitar that ages well. is slickly produced, and ready-made that much repetition. “A Diamond” arpeggios with spacey vocals reminfor alternative radio. and “Until You’re Mine” are plagued iscent of Porcupine Tree. www.rococode.com

ALBUM ART BY FIVE THOUSAND FINGERS

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Sports

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

Bisons sweep Mount Royal in men’s volleyball Manitoba moves on to Canada West Final Four RYAN STELTER, STAFF

“Vercaigne did a good job coming in,” Pischke said post-game. “He had a huge impact, he really is capable of being that impact player.”

The Bisons turned the corner in the decisive fourth set, thanks to some great blocking from Devren Dear and Josh Crellin. Crellin finished the game with a team-high five blocks, while Dear chipped in with four of his own. Adam DeJonckheere had a great game on the left side, finishing with 16 kills.

PHOTO BY CHANTAL ZDAN

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his weekend, the third-ranked Thursday University of Manitoba Bisons Game one started out shaky for men’s volleyball team hosted the the Bisons, as the Cougars took the 10th-ranked Mount Royal Cougars in home team by surprise in the first Canada West quarterfinal action. In set to win 25-23. They were able to the best–of–three series, the Bisons take advantage of some Bison errors swept the Cougars 2-0. Manitoba and expose the holes in Manitoba’s won 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-18) in defense. The herd had four attack game one and took game two 3-0 (26- errors in the first set compared to 24, 25-20, 25-20. the Cougars’ three.

The second set was a back-andforth affair, as a combination of free

balls and service errors from the Cougars allowed Manitoba to keep it close. The Bisons managed to grab a 25-23 set victory.

With the set score knotted at one apiece, the Cougars’ errors continued to cost them, as they made 10 attack errors in the third set alone.

Bisons head coach Garth Pischke also decided to insert third-year player Scott Vercaigne into the contest, to impressive effect.

himself a spot in the starting lineup and finished with six kills.

Manitoba was down as much as 19-14 in the first set, but Dear was back at it again with his punishing kills, ripping holes through the Mount Royal defence. He collected a team-best 11 on the night as the home side managed a 26-24 opening set victory.

A back-and-forth second set saw the home side pull ahead and grab a 25-20 win. Manitoba was able to take advantage of a lot of free balls the Cougars were giving them, and Kenny Rooney finished off the set “I liked our attitude, with a nice kill after some miscomI like our nevermunication by Mount Royal defence.

After gaining an 18-13 lead in the say-die mentality” third set, the Bisons never let the Cougars come close and won 25-20.

– Garth Pischke, They will now head off to Edmonton head coach, Bison for the Canada West final four, where they will be aiming to win a seat men’s volleyball at the national championships in Hamilton.

Pischke talked post-game about Pischke talked post-game about what changed in their game to help the Bisons’ performance. them win.

“I liked our attitude, I like our “I thought we settled down pass- never-say-die mentality,” he said. ing-wise,” he said. “Our blocking “We were down in a couple of those took over, we adjusted to their attack.” sets and we were able to come back.”

Friday

With a 1-0 series lead in the the best-of-three, the Bisons were looking to close out the Cougars with a sweep. Vercaigne, who had a marvellous performance on Thursday, found

Bisons progress to Canada West conference finals in women’s hockey Alexandra Anderson scores series-winning goal in overtime of game three against 10th-ranked Alberta ANDY CHE, STAFF

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or the second consecutive sea- who made four saves on two penalty son, the University of Manitoba kills. Lindsey Post in the Alberta goal Bisons women’s hockey team also kept the Bisons quiet. advanced to the Canada West conferSeven minutes into the third ence championship, this time upset- period, the Bisons broke through. ting the 10th-ranked Alberta Pandas Erin Kucheravy set up Alexandra in three games this past weekend.

Anderson, who fired a rocket past Post’s shoulder from the point.

Friday Having suffered three shutout The opening game went perfectly losses to the Pandas this season, the for Bisons goalie Amanda Schubert. Bisons were eager to make the best Fresh off a 66-save quintuple over- of the third period after finally beattime win in game three of the ing Post. At 13:20, Venla Hovi was CanWest quarterfinals, the fourth- stopped by Post on the rush, but year goalie earned a 25-save shutout in Lauryn Keen scored on the doorstep game one of the semis in Alberta – a to double the Bisons’ lead. The goal 3-0 triumph for the away team. marked Keen’s seventh point in four The opening frame ended 0-0 playoff games. Unassisted, Cassandra with a limited number of pucks sent Taylor scored an empty-net goal to to either crease. Alberta led the shot finish the game off. clock 4-2 after 20 minutes.

Schubert’s shutout marks her third In the second period, the shots of the entire season, improving her picked up for both teams. Alberta’s stats to 1.74 goals against average and powerplay unit saw action twice in 0.943 save percentage. the frame, but couldn’t beat Schubert

Saturday

A decisive third period saw the Pandas clinch victory in game two on Saturday. Alberta scored the eventual winner one minute after the Bisons had levelled the game in the third frame to win 2-1.

Three minutes into the first period, Cayle Dillon picked out Hannah Olenyk, who beat Amanda Schubert blocker side to open the scoring.

Alanna Sharman broke in alone against Post in the second period, but couldn’t apply the finishing touch as the puck went wide of the target. The winger later made amends at the start of the third period when she walked in on another breakaway and beat Post’s glove for the equalizer.

Manitoba only stayed level for just over a minute. The Pandas’ response was prompt when Ashley Morin fired from her knees in the slot to regain the lead for the hosts.

Morin’s goal would decide the

game as Alberta hung on to win 2-1.

Post played a pivotal role for the Pandas, making 25 saves while Schubert stopped 17 of 19 shots.

utes remaining in the first period, as Karissa Kirkup scored unassisted to earn her first point of the playoffs.

Six minutes into the second period, Alberta got themselves level. Dillon Sunday beat goalie Amanda Schubert for her In yet another game-three second point in as many games. overtime performance, the Bisons Manitoba was determined to were triumphant over the Pandas. retake the lead, though, and did so Defenceman Alexandra Anderson when Hovi scored her league-leading clinched a 4-3 win in the first over- fourth goal of the playoffs midway time for the herd, who now move through the second. onto the Canada West conference As the clock ticked down, Sasha finals.

Lutz made herself an instant hero Manitoba took a 2-1 lead into the for Alberta. She scored the equalizer first intermission after the Pandas with 14 seconds remaining and briefly drew first blood. Megan Eady scored saved the Pandas’ season as the game her first of the post-season to give went into overtime.

Alberta a 1-0 lead six minutes into However, in the extra frame it was the game.

Anderson who rose as the hero. Her The visitors tied the game at second goal of the series clinched a one through Kayleigh Wiens with 4-3 overtime victory for the Bisons, Courtlyn Oswald and Charity Price sending Manitoba into the Canada drawing the assists. The Bisons then West finals. took the lead with less than five min-

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Stamkos saga extends into the offseason Assessing which NHL teams may be helped or hindered by acquiring the Lightning captain ANDY CHE, STAFF

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ampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will have to wait until the summer to decide his future. While his current contract with Tampa is set to expire at the end of the 2015-16 season, Stamkos’s potential departure was delayed after general manager Steve Yzerman confirmed his captain would not be traded at the deadline.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the current favorites to land Stamkos, arguably the most desirable pending unrestricted free agent. The temptation is high for the Ontario native, since there is a strong possibility he could assume team captaincy with Dion Phaneuf ’s departure to Ottawa.

Currently, there is still hope for Tampa Bay to lock up their captain long-term. Tampa was a legitimate Stanley Cup contender last season and with the imminent trade of Jonathan Drouin, there is more importance in attempts to retain their franchise player.

It’s no secret that the Lightning will have to splash the big bucks to keep Stamkos in Tampa. There is also no doubt that Stamkos has earned himself a contract of US$10 million per season for the next little while. In terms of contract length, he could be looking at between six and 10 years – possibly even a lifetime deal.

Countless examples have seen NHL superstars sign contracts that keep them in a franchise until their 40s. Stamkos’s pedigree surely places him within this group of players.

However, Yzerman shouldn’t be duped into taking the severe risk that has become a curse with many of the star players in recent years who are locked up long-term. Truth be told, any contract length that surpasses the 10-year mark has proven to be poisonous to NHL teams working against the salary cap.

Long-term disasters

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

sion in the five-year region.

With such a contract, the Bolts will be able to experience the best years of their captain’s career.

Should Stamkos then request a trade – likely to Toronto – the Leafs would then have less of a problem fitting in a shorter-term contract against their salary cap.

The Bolts don’t have to look far for an example of a long-term contract failing. Lightning management locked up former captain Vincent Lecavalier in 2008 to an 11-year, US$85-million contract. Despite his superstar status, Lecavalier’s strug- The next big thing gles with injuries shortly thereafter in Toronto? forced the Lightning to buy out the If Stamkos is unwilling to listen to remaining seven years of his contract. offers from the Lightning, Yzerman To this day, his buyout is considered will be expected to take advantage the most expensive in NHL history. of the 2016 NHL Draft before letOther examples of recent life- ting his captain go to free agency on time contracts for franchise skaters July 1. From that point on, the former include Ilya Kovalchuk and Roberto Ontario Hockey League standout is Luongo. Kovalchuk retired from the most likely destined for Toronto.

The hockey market in Ontario’s NHL favouring a return to Russia in 2013, three years after signing a capital is much more demanding 17-year contract with New Jersey. than that of Tampa, and adding a Meanwhile, the Canucks traded bona fide scorer like Stamkos will Luongo five years into his 12-year make Toronto certain contenders in contract after he could not replicate the NHL. In such a case, Stamkos would be the form that brought Vancouver to the best franchise player in Toronto the 2011 Stanley Cup final.

At the age of 25, Stamkos still has since Mats Sundin. The comparison plenty of firepower left in his game. to the Leafs legend is fair, however With the average NHLer reaching it pressures Stamkos into a situation the pinnacle of their career in their where he would need to lead Toronto late 20s, the most sensible option for into the playoffs on a consistent basis Yzerman is to offer Stamkos an exten- – something the franchise has not

accomplished since 2004.

Regardless of the competitiveness of a specific hockey market, Stamkos is expected to live up to his pedigree game after game. Yet, having spent his entire career in a relatively tame market in Tampa Bay, the 25-year-old will need to adjust to the challenge of representing a franchise that has not tasted from Lord Stanley’s mug in nearly 50 years.

high draft picks. After all, the Leafs fit of any team – Stamkos would have an impressive teenage trio in add legitimate primary scoring to a their system that consists of Kasperi team with very distributive scoring Kapanen, William Nylander, and amongst all four lines. Since losing Mitch Marner. franchise player Joe Thornton in 2005, If the destination isn’t Tampa Bay Boston hasn’t had a defined pointor Toronto, there are plenty of mar- producer. Despite winning the 2010kets that suit what Stamkos puts to 11 Stanley Cup, their trade of power the table. These clubs include Boston, forward Milan Lucic to Los Angeles St. Louis, Anaheim, and both New last summer didn’t help in the goalYork teams. scoring department.

While these clubs may not be Centres David Krejci and Patrice Possibilities able to support a salary of Stamkos’s Bergeron play versatile forward roles The question, if the Stamkos saga figures, allocating the cap space to and would move to the wing in escalates to a point of certain depar- fit the 2008 first overall pick would order to fit Stamkos into the lineup. ture, is how the Maple Leafs would benefit them greatly. The Bruins, Bergeron specifically would greatly land Stamkos negotiation rights in Blues, Ducks, Islanders, and Rangers benefit from playing a line with case GM Lou Lamoriello wants to already have stable defensive corps Stamkos, having played alongside talk business before July 1. Yzerman and consistent goaltending allowing Sidney Crosby at various stages of is not afraid to pull the trigger on a them to prioritize any chances in their his junior career. The two were paired superstar trade. If it involves a deal offensive units. at the World Juniors and the last two including Stamkos to Toronto, expect Stamkos would certainly add Olympics – all gold medal triumphs. a few top skaters and prospects to some scoring depth to take the presLastly, with the final chapter of head to Tampa. sure off John Tavares, Rick Nash, and Zdeno Chara’s NHL career coming A youthful return would surely Vladimir Tarasenko in New York and to a close, the potential to wear the compensate for the loss of a 60-goal St. Louis. Not to mention combin- “C” for a historic franchise would scorer in 2011-12. With the delayed ing with pure playmakers in a deadly get any NHL elite such as Stamkos upcoming of defenseman Slater powerplay unit. excited to step into the spotlight.

Koekkoek, the Lightning will be In the cases of St. Louis and keen in including the 2012 10th over- Anaheim, Stamkos would be a timely all pick along with Stamkos’s rights inheritance for aging leaders in both for defensive stalwarts Jake Gardiner franchises such as Ryan Getzlaf or or Morgan Rielly, along with two David Backes. of Toronto’s top-rank prospects and For the Bruins – possibly the best

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Sports

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

Questions and Anders Evaluating the regular season and looking ahead to the playoffs MIKE STILL, STAFF

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he 2015-16 regular season was a memorable one for the Bisons men’s basketball team as they posted a 15-win regular season, their highest total since going 16-0 in 1978. Primed and ready to host their first series in over a decade, the Manitoban caught up with Wyatt Anders to get his thoughts on what the post-season may have in store for the herd, starting on March 3.

MANITOBAN: This gym hasn’t seen post-season basketball action in quite a while. What does hosting a playoff series mean to both the team and the school?

ANDERS: Historically it means a lot.

We know that it’s been a while since we’ve hosted. Personally, we love that we have the ability to stay at home and sleep in our own beds instead of travelling and missing school again, but the biggest difference maker will be how many fans come out. If we can keep this momentum and people keep realizing, “hey, Manitoba basketball is back,” not only for us but also for Winnipeg, then maybe we’ll get a cast of followers.

PHOTO BY JEFF MILLER FOR BISON SPORTS

There’s a corny Michael Jordan quote but it’s true. I play all of them the same – just hard and high intensity – and maybe this game will be a little bit different in the sense that I’ll be even more insane and Dennis Rodman-like just because it’s nearing the end and I have high energy from not playing in three weekends.

M: How much do you know about the Fraser Valley Cascades – your quarterfinal opponent?

A: They play six guys that are very talented and are senior men in the sense that they know how to play basketball. They’re not going to be a joke. They’re going to come in and what we’re going to exploit is pushing the ball and tiring them out a little bit.

M: How would you rate your team as a whole this season from a maturation standpoint?

A: We have improved mentally, as you can see we didn’t allow any close games to leave us. I’m happy that the team was able to close out Trinity even though it was scary watching from a live stream. If that was the M: Is this post-season more impor- start of the year, then I don’t think tant for both you and Bisons guard we would’ve closed it out. That Amir Ali, as it’s your last run with doesn’t mean that we weren’t good, the team? it just means that we’ve come from Saskatchewan losing that game that A: I think Amir knows this is his last we shouldn’t have, to closing out one run for competitive basketball period with a couple injuries. because he’s going to be a doctor and Mentality-wise we’ve been better. he’s working as hard as he can. For It’s another challenge in the playoffs. me, I know there’s other opportuni- When people say, “oh, it’ll be fine,“ no, ties elsewhere, and that as much as it’s a different beast. [Fraser Valley is] these may be my last games with the going to be different, I just hope that Bisons, I pretty much play every game we can adjust our mindset. as best as I can and like it’s my last.

Recover like a pro with Recovery Spot Former Bisons athlete Isaac Ansah is bringing a new level of compression therapy to the herd MIKE STILL, STAFF

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s a former member of the Bisons men’s basketball team, Isaac Ansah understands the importance of proper recovery after a game. Years after the end of his CIS career, he’s now giving back to the campus as director of Recovery Spot, a brand developed by AccuCare Canada Inc. that specializes in compression therapy.

“I went through it as well. It’s the same principles of weight training, diet, and of course now with the recovery solutions,” Ansah said. “[The athletes] need to start understanding the benefits of it and that’s where I come in, and I’m confident that they’re going to see the benefits of the recovery pumps and the recovery socks.”

On top of the pumps and socks, Recovery Spot also offers other fitted medical-grade compression apparel,

hot and cold wraps, and 3D scanning teams. of it.” common man like you and me? So knee braces.

“We want to take Bisons athletics One of the more intriguing that’s what we’re here to do.”

Ansah first got in contact with the to the next level, and I’m hoping I can products that Recovery Spot offers “It’s so important that we take care Bisons thanks to his prior relationship play a small part in that,” Ansah said. is the recovery pump, designed by of our body, obviously with nutrition with men’s basketball head NormaTec. Used primar- but also with proper vascular return coach Kirby Schepp. The ily on the lower body, the and it’s the ones who take care of their “It’s so important that we take brand was able to become pumps are designed like a bodies are the ones who are going to an official sponsor of Bisons full-length boot to mobilize see the long-term benefits and the care of our body, obviously Sports, and Ansah began fluid out of the extremities. ones who are going to perform better with nutrition but also with working with the men’s basThe product is hard to on the court,” Ansah said. ketball team in late October. come by, and is used by proper vascular return” – Isaac Each member of the roster numerous professional footFor more information about Ansah, compression therapist has access to the equipment ball and basketball athletes Recovery Spot and what they offer, you and Ansah works with the such as Amare Stoudemire can visit their website at www.recoveryand former Bisons athlete athletes every Friday night and Larry Fitzgerald. By spot.com or phone 204-975-4978. after his or her game has offering the recovery pumps, finished.

“The word is starting to get out, Ansah is emphasizing the importance While Ansah currently works pri- and people have seen these things, of providing quality recovery services marily with the men’s basketball team, but they have questions. I’m hoping to all, and not simply elite-level athhis goal is to provide the products to I can answer a lot of their questions letes in the pros. all Bisons sporting teams down the and allow them the opportunity to “I just don’t think it’s fair that only line, and he has already met with the touch and feel the materials and see millionaires get access to this equipmen’s volleyball and women’s soccer the product and to see the benefits ment,” Ansah said. “What about the

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Hot takes with Steltsy and Still Hitting in women’s hockey and better coverage of CIS sports MIKE STILL AND RYAN STELTER, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST

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in my opinion, and something should CIS athletes deserve West conference scoring race. popularity in terms of national covbetter coverage (Mike) be done about it.

I’m not saying these players don’t erage over the past few years (Jim You could say that because there At the end of 2015, the Winnipeg deserve the publicity they’ve gotten Mullin and Krown Countdown U is no hitting in the women’s game, it Free Press published an in-depth fea- (I went to high school with Keith and being the best example), and due to emphasizes skill rather than beating ture on swingman Keith Omoerah have covered Jordan’s journey before), this boost, I believe it’s important that the hell out of each other. In my opin- from the Bisons men’s basketball it’s simply frustrating that in order local newspapers follow the trend.

Allow hitting in women’s ion that is false. for our Bison athWinnipeg only has four pro hockey (Ryan) The purpose of a letes to gain cov- teams (the Jets, Moose, Bombers, Winnipeg only has four pro teams (the Jets, erage, it appears and Goldeyes), and there’s only so Recently, I was doing some com- body check in the mentary for the Bisons women’s game of hockey Moose, Bombers, and Goldeyes), and there’s that they have to much you can report about said teams hockey team and I was witnessing a is to separate the be performing at before articles start getting repetitive. lot of body checking penalties being player from the only so much you can report about said teams a noticeable level Why not increase CIS coverage and called by the referee. I thought to puck, nothing else. or otherwise get provide stories about our university before articles start getting repetitive myself, why isn’t hitting allowed in Taking hitting ignored. athletes that are new, unique, and women’s hockey? out of the game of This past sum- interesting?

According to Carlyn Schellenberg hockey is like playing baseball with team. Just under a month later, a piece mer, I co-wrote an in-depth Bisons in an editorial written for the an orange – not effective. was written about co-captain Jordan sports magazine with Scott Taylor You can hear more sports opinManitoban last year, the men making Women’s hockey has come a long DePape from the men’s hockey team. and had the opportunity to learn the ion from Ryan Stelter and Mike the rules for women’s hockey thought way, and female hockey leagues What do these two stories have in stories of a number of players on dif- Still on Steltsy & Still, Tuesdays that women were too dainty to be should make an effort to allow hitting common? Both of the players fea- ferent teams for the herd. There’s a at 10 a.m. on 101.5 UMFM. hitting each other and that it was into the women’s game. I would stand tured were doing big things for their lot to be known about our university unladylike to be hitting. by it and back it to the hilt. There is respective teams at the time – as the athletes, who come from a variety That is completely ridiculous. no reason as to why women shouldn’t basketball team had posted a 6-2 start of different backgrounds, and just Women box, do MMA against each be allowed to hit each other. The to the regular season with Omoerah because their particular team may other, and wrestle each other. Why third most common penalty called averaging roughly 35 minutes per not have fared very well doesn’t mean in God’s name are they not allowed in women’s hockey is body checking, game, while DePape was leading they should be ignored. to hit in hockey? It is extremely sexist so just let them do it already. (and ended up winning) the Canada University sport has increased in his past week, Mike and Ryan chatted about the possibility of hitting in women’s hockey and the lack of coverage of amateur athletes at the CIS level.