28 February 2018

sports

Overtime Thriller

Bisons punch ticket to nationals

news

Honour rally

arts

Hundreds march to support Fontaine family Page 3

Page 17

Black History Month in Winnipeg Events and programs that celebrate culture and identity Page 9 news

Recognizing hard work UMSU announces new award for Indigenous students Page 6 Vo l 1 0 4 · N o 2 4 · F e b r ua ry 2 8 , 2 0 1 8 · w w w.t h e m a n i to b a n .co m

Index

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VOL. 104 NO. 24 February 28, 2018

Editor-in-Chief Garett Williams

editor@themanitoban.com / 474.8293

Business manager Sohni Tappia

accounts@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

Advertising Coordinator Ryan Catte

ads@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

Editorial

Managing Editor Malak Abas

me@themanitoban.com

News Editor Imreet Kaur

news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Editorial

News Editor Shaden Abusaleh

Private lives, public spaces

shaden@themanitoban.com/ 474.6770

Comment Editor Shawn Huberdeau

comment@themanitoban.com

arts & Culture Editor Olivia Michalczuk

Photos illuminate the changing face of campus culture

arts@themanitoban.com

page 8

copy@themanitoban.com

Sports Editor Ryan Stelter

sports@themanitoban.com

Copy Editor Evan Tremblay

Design

Design Editor Bram Keast

design@themanitoban.com

Graphics Editor Kelly Campbell

graphics@themanitoban.com

Photo Editor Asha Nelson

photo@themanitoban.com

Social Editor Carolyne Kroeker

social@themanitoban.com

Design associate Kellie Huynh graphics associate Ernest Zarzuela pHOTO associate Chantal Zdan pHOTO associate Quincy Houdayer

Reporters

News

Looking Back, moving forward CMHR hosts mini-talk series highlighting Black history page 5

General Assignment Qudus Abusaleh

General Assignment Diana-Abasi Ubokudom Columnist Levi Garber Columnist Kenny Ingram arts & culture Jen Doerksen Sports Jason Pchajek Copy Associate Matthew Doering

Volunteer Contributors

Will Gibson Keegan Steele Erin Meagan Schwartz

arts

MANITOBAN

Festival review Festival du Voyageur

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

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News

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News Editors: Imreet Kaur & Shaden Abuselah Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Hundreds rally to honour Fontaine Teen’s death prompted renewed calls for MMIW inquiry Qudus Abusaleh, staff

H

undreds of Manitobans took part in a march Friday honouring the life of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine.

The march and following rally came a day after an 11-member jury acquitted Raymond Cormier of second degree murder charges relating to her death.

Fontaine’s body was pulled from the Red River in the summer of 2014. Her death renewed calls for an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

She was in Winnipeg from her home community of Sagkeeng First Nation and had been reported missing multiple times before her body was discovered in the river. Her death sparked criticism of the response of both the police and Child and Family Services (CFS).

The verdict comes only weeks after Gerald Stanley was acquitted of all charges relating to the death of 22-year-old Colten Boushie of the Hundreds marched from the law courts on York Avenue to Oodena Circle at the Forks in honor of 15-year old Tina Fontaine. photo by jen doerksen Red Pheasant First Nation.

The two verdicts have been met NDP justice critic whose home Derrick Henderson noted the impor- Union Indigenous students represen- away from their family and commuwith local and national uproar, high- community is Sagkeeng First Nation, tance of taking a new approach to tative and male co-president of the nity and supports that they need. In lighting what critics are calling the called Fontaine’s ordeal a “bloody justice moving forward.

University of Manitoba Aboriginal some cases, it is culture shock if they systemic discrimination inscribed nightmare.”

“If Manitoba has to be the one to Students Association (UMASA) have to leave their community to into the Canadian legal system.

“Sagkeeng First Nation actually move this issue forward in a different Noah Wilson said “reconciliation is come into the city.

Traditional song, sounds of drum- has one of the highest numbers of way, then let’s do it together - we have something that all Canadians have a “When you rip children away from ming and shouts of “justice” echoed missing and murdered Indigenous to do it together,” he said. duty to take part in.” family and community, nothing good through downtown Winnipeg as sup- women and girls - not only in “It’s so disheartening of all the “It was really powerful to see so can happen.” porters marched from the law courts Manitoba, but across Canada,” she Indigenous people that we’ve lost in many people coming together for a Fredlund said she hopes to see the to the Forks’ Oodena Circle. said.

Canada,” he added, while calling for cause like that,” he said. “inclusion of Indigenous voices in the Anishinaabe elder and member “And many of those cases of Indigenous voices to be involved in Wilson said the verdict’s injustice reformation of the CFS” and the legal of the Bear Clan Patrol Chickadee missing and murdered Indigenous reforming a system that is “not appro- to the life of 15-year-old Fontaine system’s “treatment of Indigenous Richard lamented Canadian society’s women and girls go unsolved.” priate for our people.” “won’t go without massive resistance peoples.” failure to provide for the Indigenous She said Fontaine is representaU of M masters in history gradu- from people who you know this all “Today we were able to stand in youth “that are not safe out there.” tive of the more than 1,000 missing ate Joel Trono-Doerksen attended too common for.” solidarity with Tina and Colten and “Every day you hear about a child and murdered Indigenous women the rally and pointed to the systemic “And the sad thing,” he continued, show that we will not be silenced by missing,” she said. and girls who never see justice. prejudices explicit in Fontaine’s fate. “is a lot of Indigenous people saw this an unjust system,” she said.

“It’s open season now for our chil“She was our hope,” she said.

“It was the system of CFS and the coming.”

“We will continue to speak out and dren, and when does it stop? When “She was families’ chance at justice, police department failure to act that “The fact that it was kind of seek change. We are fighting for our do we get justice? How do we find and at hope, and at faith in the com- lead to Tina Fontaine's death,” he expected, it just shows you the kind mothers, sisters, children, brothers, that justice? I believe that we are the munity and in the justice system. said. of expectations we have of the justice fathers, all our relations. people the change that and have our And we all failed her. And that is “To describe the system failing Tina system.”

“We are trying to survive.” own justice system. Too many times what is so significant about Tina.” would mean that these institutions put Amanda Fredlund, UMASA they’ve failed us. female co-president, echoed the Grand Chief of Manitoba her interests first,” he said.

“We have to watch out for each Keewatinowi Okimakanak Sheila “The system didn't fail. It functioned words of Richard. other, we have to watch out for our North said Fontaine must serve exactly as it was designed to. This is why “The systems that exist are failing babies out there. We have to talk to as a “reminder that a lot of more the system itself must be completely to protect our Indigenous youth,” she them, we have to open our arms to work” needs to be done for “ justice reshaped in accordance with the phi- said. them and ask them ‘are you OK?’” to be seen.” losophy of Indigenous people.”

“If anything, they are forcing youth Nahanni Fontaine, Manitoba’s Sagkeeng First Nation Chief University of Manitoba Students’ into situations where they are isolated,

Protesters camp at legislature following Cormier verdict Jen Doerksen, staff

D

arla Contois and a small group of protesters began camping on the Manitoba legislature grounds Feb. 22 after Raymond Cormier was acquitted of second degree murder charges relation to the death of Tina Fontaine.

Contois said she was inspired by the community focused protest camps near North Dakota’s Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Reservation that began in the summer of 2016.

“I think I was inspired by Standing Rock and how peaceful and beauti-

fully community-oriented that protest was and I was inspired to try and do the same thing here,” she said.

Contois is not the first to camp on legislature grounds in protest. In the summer of 2016, six tents were set up by protesters claiming the province was dragging its feet in the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The inquiry was bolstered by the community response to Fontaine’s 2014 death.

In October 2015, Brenda Osborne

camped outside the legislative build- tors today from all over Manitoba,” ing to demand answers about her Contois said. missing daughter. In September 2014, “We’ve had visitors come in who a group of protesters set up a camp have done this sort of thing before after Fontaine’s body was discovered. multiple times. So they’ve shared In May of 2013, Kim Edwards set their insights into things we can do as up a hunger protest after the death Indigenous peoples on our own lands.” of Phoenix Sinclair demanding an Contois said the experience has inquiry into the province’s welfare been difficult, but empowering. system.

“For the first time it feels like my Contois said many who partici- ancestry is important and it’s valupated in the previous actions have able,” she said. “I have this inherent visited her and shared stories. connection to my ancestors, which “We’ve had so many different visi- feels really nice, because all the things

I’m allowed to do my ancestors have done for thousands of years.”

Contois has been broadcasting updates via her personal Facebook profile.

The group has received food, water, blankets, and cash donations as of Saturday morning. Contois also mentioned that many visitors thanked them for setting up the camp.

“It’s opened a lot of peoples’ hearts,” she said, “and I think it’s given them some hope, which was my goal.”

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News

News Editors: Imreet Kaur & Shaden Abuselah Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

U of M student finds high level of plastic in Lake Winnipeg New study an example of exemplary undergraduate research being published at the U of M Malak Abas, staff

was a result of students coming and going quickly due to the nature of a fast-paced degree program at U of M. Since there were few artifacts remaining that outlined the PMUSER vision and process, new members of the team had nothing to work with and thus the momentum was lost.”

After Morris reached out in 2015 to Ben Li, the associate dean of undergraduate studies at the faculty of science, he was put in touch with fellow student Jonathan Challis, and the pair were the sole members of PMUSER until 2017, when Matthew Doering - who also works as a copy associate at the Manitoban - was brought on as associate editor and eventually made editor-in-chief.

Presently, the publication has 10 members on its editorial board - all of whom are students.

Chloé Schmidt, the current associate editor at PMUSER, noted that part of what makes the journal such a valuable resource is the hyper-accessible nature of the research it publishes.

“We publish peer-reviewed original research, reviews, etcetera, These tiny microbeads were used to compare them to the micro plastic beads found in the Red and Assiniboine rivers. photo provided by wendy buelow which is archived online and available open access for anyone - student, recent study by a University of writing. environment.” the past year in its 2017 edition, this faculty, at the University of Manitoba, Manitoba undergraduate student “PMUSER offers students an Just last month, toiletries that con- has not always been the case for the or anywhere in the world - to read,” suggests that Lake Winnipeg, and opportunity to learn how the peer tain microbeads were banned from once-troubled journal. she said. the fish that inhabit it, contain high review process works when writing a sale or import in Canada. While “It's an outlet for students to showlevels of microplastics. scientific paper,” Warrack said. the ban does not go into full effect case the work they did as an underIt is estimated Microplastics are tiny (approxi“It is a very good experience for until Canada Day this year, the effect graduate, especially if they weren't mately five millimetres in diameter) any student.” of microplastics on water here in previously considering getting it that five trillion bits of plastic that can be found in Manitoba is staggering today - while published.” a myriad of places. Many inexpenwatersheds surrounding the likes of PMUSER is an example of plastic particles are sive face scrubs, for example, use the Lakes Erie and Ontario are more the magnitude of the work done Just last month, currently floating plastic beads for exfoliating purposes. densely populated, Lake Winnipeg’s by undergraduate students at the Microplastics can be found in cloth- toiletries that contain surface concentration of microplastics University of Manitoba, and its in our world’s ing, toiletries, and can also be created was found to match theirs. now-rapid growth speaks to just microbeads were oceans, or about by small pieces breaking off of plastic It is estimated that five trillion how important accessible options to products. plastic particles are currently floatpublish that work is. banned from sale or 300,000 tonnes The study, which was published ing in our world’s oceans, or about “What I've found is that there are import in Canada in the Manitoban undergraduate 300,000 tonnes. The study comes at a good students everywhere, and U of journal, the Proceedings of Manitoba’s time when microplastics are a central Kyle Morris, a section editor M is no exception,” Morris said.

Undergraduate Science and Engineering focus of a new research grant from for PMUSER, was seminal in the “I feel [students] of the U of M, Research (PMUSER), involved stuWhile microplastics have yet to the federal government - just last revitalization of the journal, which Winnipeg, and Manitoba, in gendent Sarah Warrack, along with pro- be proven dangerous to humans or week, $2.7 million in funding to study took years to come to fruition. After eral, should be more vocal and proud fessors Mark Hanson and Michael animals - in the study, it is noted that several types of ocean contaminan it was founded in 2011 by students at of the diverse and valuable research Rennie, taking samples from bodies the number of microplastics ingested ts and their effect on water-dwelling the University of Manitoba and the that is being done here.” of water in Manitoba to search for did not appear to affect the fish that creatures was announced.

University of Winnipeg, the first volPMUSER is planning a relaunch microplastics. were examined - the sheer magniWarrack is continuing her master’s ume was not released until 2013, and event at the end of the semester, along PMUSER, which primarily tude of manmade pollution found in studies in the department of environ- the second volume was not released with promoting the journal on social functions as a peer-reviewed under- Winnipeg waters speaks to a wider ment and geography, and hopes to until 2016. media. graduate journal, is the first STEM- environmental problem. continue studying microplastics and “I hypothesize that the first gap “Of course, these are all in addition focused undergraduate journal in “Typically, if microplastics are their behaviour. was due to initial challenges of gath- to the goals we always have,” Schmidt western Canada. Warrack, who ingested, they pass through the ering resources needed to establish noted. received the Best Paper Award from digestive system as would any other The trials and tribulations the journal - library support, faculty “To promote awesome undergraduof PMUSER PMUSER for her research, noted solid material,” Warrack said. support, administrative support,” he ate research and familiarize students that the journal’s for-students-by“This isn’t an excuse to ignore While PMUSER presently finds said. with peer review.” students method provided an oppor- the problem, rather it speaks to our itself in the exciting position of hav“There was a dedicated journal tunity for students in STEM fields to general disregard at times for what ing published some of the most con- advisory board but not enough resourgain first-hand experience in science we are willing to release into the sequential undergraduate research of ces. I hypothesize the second hiatus

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VOL. 104 NO. 24 February 28, 2018

News

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CMHR sheds light on Canadian black history Diana Ubokudom, staff

A museum interpreter explains the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade using an interactive map as part of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights mini talks series during Black History Month.

T

he Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) organized several mini-talks covering a range of topics every Saturday through February to mark Black History Month.

The talks mainly focused on three areas: the Tra ns-Atlantic Slave Trade, the Underground Railroad, and the story of Viola Desmond - an entrepreneur and community leader who challenged segregation in a Nova Scotia theatre in 1946. In 2018 she will become the first Canadian woman to appear on a banknote.

Held on several levels of the gallery, the talks gave visitors the opportunity to choose from sessions of interest and become familiarized with BHM. Angela Cassie, CMHR vice-president of public affairs and programs, said the talks gave visitors the chance to “gain deeper understanding and

photos by asha nelson

deeper knowledge” of the human rights issues faced by Black people in Canada.

“I think that very often, in the Canadian context, we’re not aware of Canada’s own history as it relates to slavery and segregation,” she said.

“The museum has now been open

to the public for three years and a name like Viola Desmond is beginning to become more familiar to Canadians. But I would say that there’s still a very low level of knowledge and understanding.”

Cassie said Black history is significant for all Canadians, not just those

with African descent.

“These are human rights stories and they’re significant to people of African descent, but they’re also significant to all Canadians because it’s part of our shared history and it represents, at times, very dark chapters but we need to be aware of this

context,” she said.

She said that while the event last year was met with positive feedback, it became evident that not many in attendance were knowledgeable on Black history.

She said CMHR will be hosting an exhibition on Nelson Mandela this summer to keep the conversation going.

“With that we’ll have an additional opportunity to explore the legacy of Nelson Mandela, of apartheid," she said, “but also, it allows us to look at what are some of the contemporary issues that are continuing to be faced by people of African descent.”

Feds boost financial initiatives for students Additional support for part-time and mature students coming in the fall Malak Abas, staff

T

he federal government announced new financial initiatives for parttime and mature students Feb. 21.

Winnipeg South Liberal MP Terry Duguid unveiled Skills Boost, a plan initially launched Jan. 24 as a part of Budget 2017 by Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Patty Hajdu.

The program looks to introduce a three-year $287.2 million pilot project that will begin in the fall of 2018.

The program includes new options that will allow students to continue receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits while enrolled in classes, and an additional $200 per month in top-up funding provided to students

who have been out of high school for live and work today, bringing with 10 years or longer. it new challenges and new opporSkills Boost also looks to recog- tunities for working Canadians. nize changes in financial circum- Canadians’ skills need to match these stances of students by assessing grant changes.” eligibility based on the student’s curSkills Boost also introduced rent income, rather than the previous expanded eligibility for part-time year’s earnings. student loans and grants for the 2018Duguid spoke at the Manitoba 2019 academic year, which will allow Institute of Trades and Technology more students to benefit from student (MITT) to a group that included financial assistance. mature students and students with Duguid also announced that the young children.

Canadian government will provide “All Canadians should have the non-repayable grant support to an opportunity to access the kind of additional 13,000 students with chilquality post-secondary education dren each year. He said a full-time that you are getting here at MITT,” student with children will receive an Duguid said at the release. additional up to $200 per month per “Innovation is changing how we child, while part-time students with

children are eligible for up to $2,000 “Finding the money to get into per year in additional grants. university is incredibly challenging,” “This is a game changer, particu- MacCoy said. larly for students who are often try“We have to find ways to pay for ing to improve their career prospects school and continue to maintain our while continuing to balance their homes, pay for our cars, pay for dayfamily responsibilities,” Duguid said. care for our children, etcetera.”

These benefits are also “stackable,” MacCoy called Skills Boost a meaning that low-income students “great start.” returning to school with dependents “There is always room for improvecould be eligible for more than one ment,” she said, “but I’m excited and of the grants. happy that more people like me will Sharlene MacCoy, a mature have the chance to return to school.” student at the U of M who recently brought a motion before UMSU council to create a mature students representative position, noted the unique financial and personal struggles adult learners face.

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News

News Editors: Imreet Kaur & Shaden Abuselah Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

UMSU boosts Indigenous support Students’ union allocates $25,000 per year for new Indigenous student leader awards Diana Ubokudom, staff

U

MSU has committed to fund enriching their communities, as well up to 25 new scholarships for as provide an incentive for further Indigenous students. The UMSU community outreach.

Award for Indigenous Community “These are students that are already Leaders, which will be spread out volunteering their time outside of over 12 years beginning this aca- their classes to make the experience demic year, will be funded through for those around them better, so I UMSU’s $16.2 million contribution think it’s a great way to award them to the U of M’s Front and Centre for that, but also to encourage more students to do it,” she said. campaign.

The award is open to First Nations, “You know, if they see that their Métis, and Inuit students who are friends received a scholarship for “leaders in their communities,” and their volunteering and volunteerism recipients can be nominated by stu- on campus, it might incline [them] dents, faculty, and staff within the more to also give back.”

University of Manitoba, along with Amanda Fredlund, female members of the community. The sub- co-president of the University of mission date for nomination letters Manitoba Aboriginal Students closed on Feb. 16.

Association (UMASA), said she was UMSU president Tanjit Nagra “excited” about the announcement. said the scholarship was an opporFredlund said that the award tunity to reward students who are would provide students the oppor-

tunity to have the best possible experience while studying at the U of M.

“I think that it will help students stress less off-campus and be able to focus more on their studies” - Amanda Fredlund, UMASA female co-president “I think that it will help students stress less off-campus and be able to focus more on their studies,” she said.

of Empowerment or the Aboriginal Students Association, or all the different ways that they can inspire others, and kind of create this big web of bolstering success within the community on campus.”

Nagra noted that bursaries and scholarships are also an important aspect of increasing the Indigenous student population on campus. The University of Manitoba Indigenous Viewbook states that there are over 2,400 F irst Nations, Métis, and Inuit students - approximately eight per cent of the student population.

“Looking at the population of Indigenous people in Manitoba, and then looking at the population at the U of M, there is a huge disparity between the two numbers - we need more Indigenous enrollment,” she said.

Fredlund said that awards like this are important incentives for Indigenous students, who she noted face many societal hurdles even prior to coming to the university.

“There’s a lot of students who photo by quincy houdayer encounter really triggering things because of that history of inter-gen“It’ll help ease their financial erational trauma,” Fredlund said. burden a bit, so that they can focus “I think the university is still catchmore on their school, studies, and ing up on ways to be sensitive to a extra-curricular activities.” lot of those traumas that exist, and Fredlund added that some stu- it’s nice that we have the [National dents who live far away from their Centre for Truth and Reconciliation] communities can experience “culture here now - that helps a lot. But there’s shock,” and that student aid can be still incidences that happen where beneficial to their overall campus students are in classrooms and trigexperience, especially because of the gering effects or just encountering time extra funding can free up to pur- peers or professors or circumstances sue activities outside of the classroom. where they’re kind of set back.

“There’s a lot of opportunities “When you’re worrying about extra that students miss out on because things, then it takes away from the they’re worrying about their bills, or attention you could put towards your because they’re just stressed about academic life. So having help - finanhow they’re going to make ends meet cial aid - and the encouragement of every month,” Fredlund said. receiving an award for the work that “So having that extra $1,000, or you’re doing is very rewarding and possibly more, could mean the dif- encouraging.” ference between them becoming involved in the Indigenous Circle

Editorial Editor-In-Chief: Garett Williams Contact: Editor@themanitoban.com / 474.8293

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Private lives in public spaces The changing landscape of campus culture Asha Nelson, staff

Y

ou’re on your morning commute day? to class. You want nothing more For some, smartphones are a way than to drown out your thoughts on of opening the door to what is hapsocial media before the beginning of pening on campus and our commuanother long and dreadful day. Just nities. For many of us, however, our as you reach for your headphones, a mobile device has become a tool for complete stranger sits down beside further isolating ourselves, effectively you. There are plenty of other empty preventing us from engaging with seats on the bus. They ask for the time campus life. and then proceed to chatter away at As the photo editor at the you.

Manitoban, being observant is cenYou may even think to yourself: tral to the work I do. What I see is a "are you kidding me?" faltering sense of solidarity and comThis is fair. That time in transit munity on campus. Flipping through is sacred and our devices allow us to decades of the Manitoban archives, straddle two worlds - the real and the I get the impression that there was virtual. Daily news, familiar faces, once a sense of greater engagement memes - arguably we are more con- and energy within these walls. nected than ever before to both our Throughout my own university friends and to strangers. experience, myself and other event But what if that time we carefully organizers have struggled to bring a set aside for “tuning out” has actually crowd out to campus events and ralbecome the basis of what we do in a lies, even when they are focused on day, rather than a small slice of our issues that directly pertain to students. time? What if this pattern begins For example, this past November, to saturate our everyday real-world the advanced education administrainteractions, that are becoming ever tion act, which lifted a cap on tuition less frequent? What if it has contrib- hikes and removed restrictions on uted to an overall attitude of apathy course related fees, was passed withand disconnect as we go about our out much attention paid - in spite of

numerous student protests and rallies that were organized in opposition to the bill.

It’s no wonder the term “commuter campus” is used to describe the University of Manitoba, given that many students seem to ignore the multitude of extra-curriculars and other options for community engagement the university has to offer.

Of course, there are a number of factors contributing to this apparent lack of cohesive community on campus. For instance, the fact that many of us have to work longer hours to pay for tuition, housing, and the many costs of daily life might hinder our ability to productively throw ourselves into campus culture. Yet, as the advanced education administration act’s passing proves, that is also the very reason we need more on-campus activity.

With the UMSU elections around the corner, the time for rekindled engagement is now.

Look up, ask questions, share your ideas, engage in healthy debate. After all, is that not that what university is all about?

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Comment Comment Editor: Shawn Huberdeau Contact: comment@themanitoban.com

Cash flowing into think tanks undermines impartiality of the political process Impartiality of information begins with independence of large donations Kenny Ingram, staff

GRAPHIC BY Ernest Zarzuela

I

f you know anything about first priority, and all but disregarded country - if wealthy people have the American politics, you know the American public who relies on means, they should be able to estabAmerica is a country whose current health insurance. lish and sponsor organizations - even government is made of corporations, But the idea was exactly that - just if they are nothing more than propaby corporations, and for corporations. an idea. This was until the influence ganda machines. The real issue with After Donald Trump and Hillary foundation allowed the plan to be these think tanks is that their studies Clinton spent nearly $2 billion implemented in both Massachusetts are time and again taken at face value together in the presidential race, under Mitt Romney, and later feder- by those who seek to benefit from Trump proceeded to “drain the ally, known commonly as Obamacare. their findings. And the organizations' swamp” by filling his cabinet with In Canada, we have our own ver- ties to billionaires and corporations millionaires and billionaires - with sion of the Heritage Foundation: the are purposely kept under wraps. They a combined wealth of $4.3 billion. Fraser Institute. absolutely should not be.

Although the issue is not present The way these right-wing organiThe Fraser Institute has been to the same degree in Canada - influencing our governing system zations function is simple: concamaigns are publicly financed and since 1974. To get a couple of things sistently work to boost the most donations are capped at $1,575 - that out of the way: the Fraser Institute economically conservative candidate hasn’t prevented Big Money from has an extreme right-wing bias, and in the race - often the candidate for attempting to seep into our system. is far from independent. It has taken the Conservative party. Providing One of the legal ways this hap- at least $1 million from the American that boost is as simple as promoting pens is by establishing think tanks. A billionaire Koch brothers, over $2.6 their economic position as a functhink tank is an organization which million in dark money - undisclosed tioning gospel truth, while claiming provides advice on government and funds hidden from the public - from more progressive prime ministers’ economic policy. Think tanks come foreign right-wing organizations, as economic policy fails Canadians. from all political perspectives, with well as hundreds of thousands from The game they play relies on some independent and others very big oil companies. their ability to cherry-pick data. For much connected to, and reliant on, Should we then wonder why the instance, Justin Trudeau’s impressive their wealthy donors.

Fraser Institute supports large oil numbers on jobs and unemployment In America, a great example of companies, opposes raising the mini- - adding 422K jobs, and reducing the latter category is the Heritage mum wage, and supports privatizing unemployment to an all-time low of Foundation. In the late 1980s, when education and healthcare in Canada? 5.7 per cent - are not at all convenient the think tank suspected America The Fraser Institute is - much like the to their agenda. What they will then would transition to a universal American politicians who take legal do is take a long-term trend of data, healthcare system, it came out with bribes from billionaires - completely find an outlying month that fits their a plan that was ridiculously draconian corruptable. narrative - that the left wing kills to the average American, yet was an The issue with organizations like jobs - and create a press release that obvious giveaway to big business. The the Fraser Institute is not that they says something like “Justin Trudeau plan gave large insurance companies have a clear bias. Canada is a free is killing Canadian jobs.” They have

done this time and time again on issues surrounding healthcare, taxation, and employment.

After that, it is only a matter of hours before news reports and conservatives like Andrew Scheer begin to share these releases. Of course, they conveniently leave out the fact the studies are conducted with the aid of investors with an interest in the results.

The Fraser Institute is - much like the American politicians who take legal bribes from billionaires completely corrupt This gets to the heart of the issue: public perception. If they were forced to be visibly upfront with their perspective and billionaire donors, there would be far less of an issue. Even if these perspectives border on propaganda, they should still be able to produce it - Fox News should be able to do journalism focused on a certain political perspective, but not under the ridiculous slogan “Fair and Balanced.” However, the Fraser Institute refuses to be open about its clear political perspective.

On its website, the mission statements read, “The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization.” That is not being upfront about their bias.

The solution is simple: introduce legislation forcing these think tanks to disclose where every one of their larger donations - anything over our campaign contribution limit - come from, starting with the footnotes of every single one of their press releases.

Soon enough, the bottom of every new report will look like a NASCAR vehicle. It becomes much more difficult to take a report seriously when it was funded by donations from billionaires and corporations.

If Andrew Scheer and the Conservative Party of Canada want to base their economic policy on policy on the findings of the Fraser Institute, the public deserves to know who are pulling the strings.

If Canada would like its economic policy to be dictated by honest actors, it is imperative that we do not allow organizations like the Fraser Institute the freedom to continue without transparency standards.

Features

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Contact: features@themanitoban.com

UMSU presidential candidates discuss priorities Garett Williams, staff

Jakob Sanderson

Jehan Moorthy

Mathew Scammell

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rts Student Body Council president Jakob Sanderson said that as the cost of education begins to rise, students will need to get creative to keep university affordable.

Manitoba passed legislation in 2017 increasing the cap universities can increase tuition annually to five per cent plus inflation. The U of M has indicated it intends to take advantage of this, and tuition fees could climb by about 6.5 per cent in the fall of 2018. The legislation also lifts restrictions on course-related fees.

The fourth-year political studies major and theatre minor said if his Elevate UMSU slate is elected it will work with university administration to develop a downloadable app or database that would attach to students’ Aurora accounts and connect them directly with every scholarship and bursary available to them. This would also include assistance in the application process and a broad effort to reach students and outline available financing, he said.

“There is a lot of money there,” he said, “the problem is that students don’t always access that.”

“We really want to make it as easy as possible for students to be able to access this financial aid and awards because what we hear a lot from the provincial government - especially after the tuition hikes - is how much more money they put into the Manitoba Scholarships and Bursaries Initiative,” he said, referring to a Progressive Conservative campaign promise to increase the double the program’s funding to $20 million through private investment .

Sanderson said his executive would pressure the university to take advantage of Open Educational Resources, which fosters the use of public domain resources like textbooks, which he argued could help limit the pressure of increasing fees on students.

“I think that while we definitely need to have strong advocacy with the administration, we also need to be sort of looking at other creative ways to make education more affordable,” he said.

The slate also plans to establish a university-wide mental health working group to ensure adequate resources are available in every faculty and department, which Sanderson will only be more necessary as students’ stress levels increase alongside tuition fees.

He said his executive would also work to connect international students with immigration lawyers to assist them with filing for their social insurance number and a Manitoba health card so they may work while attending classes.

ith one term on the UMSU executive as VP of finance and operations behind him, fifth-year political studies major Jehan Moorthy called it a shame how few U of M students are aware of the organization’s potential.

“UMSU is an organization that students still have sort of this misapprehension about,” he said. “They still don’t really fully understand what it does for them, how it represents them, and what it can do for them.”

Running for president under the banner Future UMSU, Moorthy said he learned through a strategic planning process over the last year that the union is not connecting well enough with members. He said efforts must be increased to reach out beyond a limited group of politically engaged students to those who feel unsupported by the organization.

“I just want to sort of challenge that kind of thinking that UMSU is a very niche organization subservient to a sort of a minority on campus,” he said.

Moorthy has some broad projects in mind - including renovations to the union-run G.P.A.’s Convenience Store, looking at how the university’s repeated course GPA policy effects students, and UMSU centennial celebrations - but highlighted increased engagement and expanding the union’s profile as a priority to ensuring UMSU can effectively serve its members.

He said he would like to update the front of the UMSU office and establish an interactive digital “service window” to make it easier for students to get their opinions and ideas in to the executive in any language.

He added that he is interested in establishing a policy analyst position within the organization to allow it to be more proactive in organizing around administration and provincial policies that affect university students.

“Right now I find that we’re very reactive to things happening and I think we can be educating students on things that are about to take place,” he said, committing to work with other organizations who advocate for stronger education policy, including the university’s faculty association and Canadian Federation of Students.

With tuition hikes likely coming in the fall, Moorthy said it is even more crucial to establish a strong executive presence and relationship with students, who he said will guide the agenda through increased surveys polling their concerns.

“I think that’s going to be something that will really be important for how we act as an organization that represents the needs of all students,” he said.

Two Brothers:

Executive slates Elevate UMSU:

President: Jakob Sanderson (president, Arts Student Body Council) Vice-president external: Owen Black (director of public relations, St. Paul’s College Students’ Association) Vice-president student services: Carly Mastromonaco (senator, Science Students’ Association) Vice-president finance and operations: Mbuli Matshe (director of finance, Arts Students’ Body Council and Arthur Mauro Students’ Association) Vice-president advocacy: Sarah Bonner-Proulx (academic programmer, Science Students’ Association, co-president, Active Minds)

MSU Society of Earth Science and Environmental Studies councillor Mathew Scammell is the only presidential candidate running without the support of an entire slate - which he said is exactly the point of his campaign.

The sixth year environmental science student argued that the majority of UMSU executives are drawn from a limited social circle and his slate, branded Two Brothers - the only other name on the ticket is his brother Sean - is aiming to open UMSU’s leadership to broader student participation and input.

“We don’t want this whole mentality of groupthink to continue,” he said. “We want to kind of shake things up a bit, see if we can get people talking.”

Scammell, who is active with the U of M chapter of Engineers Without Borders and ran last year on the UMSU United ticket, said he wants to increase voter participation by rewarding students who vote with gift certificates to UMSUrun businesses and boost student democratic engagement beyond the election cycle.

“You ask people about UMSU and everything and either they don’t know very much about it - which is the majority - or they don’t know about it at all,” he said.

He said he intends to develop an online forum for students to deliver feedback, opinions, and ideas to the executive and engage with faculty councils and senior sticks to bring more voices into the fold of leadership.

“Just because you’re elected doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want,” he said.

Scammell said he was disappointed in the lack of visibility of previous executives during a faculty strike in the fall of 2016 and more recently while the provincial government passed legislation lifting the cap on university tuition fee increases.

“It kind of pisses me off,” he said. “You’re elected by the students to represent the students and clearly tuition increases affect all the students negatively.”

Fees are expected to climb by nearly 6.5 per cent at the U of M in the fall of 2018.

While acknowledging he must “be realistic,” he said he intends to lead a more active council that will push for students’ needs, which he said includes pressuring the university toward increasing its sustainability efforts.

“I see the university as a three legged stool with the faculty as one, students as the other, and then the administration as obviously the third leg,” he said. “In my mind that means we all have equal power but, at the same time, the amount of voices you have and everything like that plays a really big part.”

Future UMSU:

President: Jehan Moorthy (UMSU vice-president finance and operations) Vice-president external: Brooklynn Krul Vice-president student services: Brandon Barratt (Bison men’s football team) Vice-president finance and operations: Jonah Wasylak (Bison men’s hockey team rep, University of Manitoba Actuarial Club) Vice-president advocacy: Athena Skarban (Bison track and field)

President: Mathew Scammell (UMSU councillor, Society of Earth Science and Environment Studies) Vice-president student services: Sean Scammell (president, the University of Manitoba Efficient and Renewable Technology Hub)

Community representative nominees

Uncontested community representatives: LGBTTQ* students’ rep: Eun-Bi Kang (Jesuit Centre for Catholic Studies rep, St. Paul’s College Students’ Association) International students’ rep: Abubaker Ibrahim Indigenous students’ rep: Alannah Mckay (director of finance, University of Manitoba Aboriginal Students Association) There are no candidates running for students living with disabilities and women’s representatives.

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Diversions Graphics Editor: Kelly Campbell Contact: graphics@themanitoban.com

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Arts & Culture Arts & Culture Editor: Olivia Michalczuk Contact: arts@themanitoban.com

Festival du Voyageur highlights Olivia Michalczuk, staff

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rom Feb. 16 to 25, Winnipeg hosted Western Canada’s largest winter festival, Festival du Voyageur.

The weather aided in the success of Festival. Compared to last year, when the heat turned snow sculptures into indecipherable mushy heaps and the festival grounds into a wet and slippery danger zone, the cold week this year provided perfect conditions for the traditional snow sculptures carved into large, intricate works over the course of the festival.

Attendees could see the progress of the pieces each day and the f inished sculpt ures stood admirably, with lights of different colours illuminating their beauty.

Evening programming this year offered a more inclusive experience with Francophone bands, including À La Mode and Ponteix. Sweet Crude, sandwiched bet ween bilingual band Ponteix and local Begonia.

This year’s festival brought in some big names for the headlining musical artists, and the tent rosters were well scheduled.

photos by Jen Doerksen

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Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Olivia Michalczuk Contact: arts@themanitoban.com

Afro Prairie Film Festival anchors Black History Month Members of Winnipeg’s Black History Month Celebration Committee and Black Space Winnipeg plan to continue support, programs all year Jen Doerksen, staff

photos by Jen Doerksen

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lack History Month is an inter“We need to express ourselves, celnational celebration occurring ebrate ourselves, in order for other each February. Events in Winnipeg people to be able to celebrate us.” wrapped up on Feb. 24 with a comWhile BHMCC organized events munity gala and closing ceremony at to educate people about black histhe Norwood Hotel. The gala, hosted tory, Black Space Winnipeg made

by Winnipeg’s Black History Month history by putting on the first film Celebration Committee (BHMCC) festival on the prairies focused on was a chance for community mem- black filmmakers. bers to be acknowledged for their efforts in preserving black culture “The amount of in Canada.

The month’s events kicked off with people that are an opening ceremony and memorial aware of Black service for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at New Anointing Christian History Month Fellowship. Throughout February, now has grown BHMCC hosted a variety of events across the city, including Celebration significantly since of Music-Songs of Freedom, youth events including a basketball drop- we’ve started” in clinic, a history lesson, traditional Nadia Thompson, cooking workshop, and a research challenge on the people and places BHMCC chairperson that have influenced black history in Canada.

BHMCC chair Nadia Thompson The inaugural Afro Prairie has been on the organizing com- Film Festival ran from Feb. 23-25 mittee for the past 10 years. While at Cinematheque. Screenings she acknowledged that people may included Amandine Gay’s Ouvrir la differ in opinion on what Black Voix, Charles Officer documentary History Month represents to them, Unarmed Verses, and short films by Thompson said she sees it as a way emerging black Canadian filmmakers. to share knowledge and be proud of Black Space has partnered with her identity. the Winnipeg Film Group and “If we’re going to think negative of Cinematheque for film screenings in it, it’ll be a negative thing,” she said. the past, and the two groups together

decided to host the film festival.

“Last year we hosted the film [I Am Not Your Negro], so this year we figured we might as well go big with a film festival, not just to support black filmmakers across the country, but also to support and celebrate Black History Month,” said lead organizer Alexa Potashnik.

Each of the screenings was followed by a question-and-answer period with someone involved in the making of the film. Short films by black Canadian filmmakers were entered into consideration of the newly-created Winston Moxam Award, given this year to Shimby Zegeye-Gebrehiwot‘s film titled Yaya/ayat. “[Moxam] was a black Canadian director from Winnipeg and he made a couple films that went big from Winnipeg, so we’re naming the award in his honour,” Potashnik said.

Filmmaker Bisong Taiwo entered his short film, Saving Grace into the film festival after being approached

by Black Space.

“When Black Space saw [Saving Grace] they approached me and said ‘Hey, we’d like to screen your film,'” Taiwo said.

“And part of what it was that they were celebrating dark people, and I happen to be a black dude.”

Saving Grace focuses on a young girl who has to save her friend from

a psychopath who abducts young girls. Taiwo said that the member screening and the Afro-Prairie Film Festival were the first times he has screened his work publicly.

“It’s scary. It’s nerve-wracking actually, when you have your stuff playing because you have no idea how people are going to react,” he said.

“You spend a lot of time writing, shooting, and editing just in your basement and it looks good to you, but you don’t know what others will think. Most of the comments that I got were that it’s literally very intense and scary, and I was happy with that because that means they care about the girl.”

Taiwo said he hopes to participate in the festival every year, if it continues.

While Black History Month has ended, Potashnik said Black Space will continue to host events throughout the year.

Local photographer Travis Ross has made a point of supporting Black Space Winnipeg. Ross, whose family arrived in Canada through the Underground Railroad, said that Black History Month is a conflicting time for him.

“I find the older I get, the more I feel responsibility to help or give power to a different generation, because the reality is I do stand on my grandfather’s shoulders,” Ross said.

“He worked and dealt with so much more than I could ever begin to imagine.”

Ross said he has been trying to assist Potashnik and others in any way he can to help build capacity and support for arts in Winnipeg's black community.

“One of the biggest things I’ve been talking with [Potashnik] about has been building up access and options within the black community, and the black Indigenous community as well, where it’s not so much we’re having these events but we’re hosting workshops,” Ross said.

“We’re giving access, tools for people to go out and create. Because the talent and inspiration is there.”

Potashnik said that Black Space is hoping to hold the Afro Prairie Film Festival again next year, and see more filmmakers participate in the program.

“This is happening at the end of the month, but we’re going to keep doing stuff the rest of the year,” Potashnik said.

“Because we don’t just exist for 28 days of the year.”

VOL. 104 NO. 24 February 28, 2018

Arts & Culture

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Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Olivia Michalczuk Contact: arts@themanitoban.com

Jake and Amir hoping for warm reception in cold Winnipeg Former CollegeHumor comedy duo bring live podcast to Burton Cummings Theatre Ryan Stelter, staff

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uo Jake Hurwitz and Amir CollegeHumor. The duo played office real us rather than our characters,” of the show in Hawaii.

Canada multiple times, though only Blumenfeld are bringing their coworkers: Jake, the disgruntled Blumenfeld said.

The coldest show they had was to Montreal and Vancouver.

“We wanted to do a podcast that in Minnesota, but Winnipeg has a unique brand of comedy to Burton employee, and Amir, the annoying Stops on their Canadian tour Cummings Theatre March 6 with a coworker. highlighted our area of expertise, but chance to top it. include Winnipeg, Calgary, and live version of their podcast If I Were “As long as we get a warm recep- Vancouver.

The podcast started in 2013, and we don’t have any so we figured ‘Hey, You. it has grown expotion,” Hurwitz “We go to Montreal so much, and quipped. we’ve never been anywhere else in “We’ve never been to Winnipeg, I nentially since. just found out where it is,” Hurwitz In 2015, the pair Touring has Canada except for Vancouver once, so “I never thought in my life I would go to decided to leave said. allowed the duo I wanted to hit some cities we’ve never Winnipeg, but now that we’re coming, “I never thought in my life I would CollegeHumor. to meet a lot of been to and Winnipeg and Calgary go to Winnipeg, but now that we’re They now own their fans, some- fit the ticket,” Blumenfeld said.

I’m very excited” – Jake Hurwitz coming, I’m very excited. I’ve heard their own podthing they had not The most interesting and obscure it’s really cold.” had a chance to do question the duo came across in their cast net work , If I Were You is a weekly show HeadGum. previously. time doing the podcast was when a where the pair offer life advice to The live show is a performance of this is what we would do’ in a funny “It’s been really awesome meeting listener asked if he should confess to listeners, often with the help of a the podcast, and Blumenfeld describe way.” our fans because we make our podcast murdering his mom’s cat.

Through the podcast, Jake and in a booth by ourselves,” Blumenfeld guest. The podcast has found suc- it as a “bit more of a party atmos“We gave him the sound advice to cess, and has charted on iTunes in phere.” The questions are all chosen Amir have been able to tour the said. lie to his mother for the rest of his several countries. beforehand, from some of the best world, hitting destinations including “We look online and see that peo- life,” Blumenfeld said.

Hurwitz and Blumenfeld gained questions the due have come across. Australia, New Zealand, England, ple are listening, but we really don’t mainstream success through “We wanted to make a pod- and Hawaii. get to know who those people are.”

“Warmest show yet,” Hurwitz said their web show, Jake and Amir, on cast where people got to know the Jake and Amir have been to

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Sports Sports Editor: Ryan Stelter Contact: sports@themanitoban.com

Bisons sink defending national champs Manitoba wins two straight in overtime to move to Canada West finals Jason Pchajek, staff

Bisons Jordyn Zacharias and Venla Hovi celebrate Zacharias' series-clinching goal against Alberta in game three of the Canada West semifinals Feb. 25 at the Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg. Photo by joe oczerklewicz

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he University of Manitoba women’s hockey team has guaranteed a spot at U SPORTS Nationals after they beat the reigning national champions, the University of Alberta Pandas, in three games in the Canada West semifinals.

The Bisons will host the University of Saskatchewan in the Canada West finals March 2-4.

The game remained tied until the 16:42 mark of the third, when Bison defender Erica Rieder took a roughing penalty. On the powerplay, a shot from the outside was blocked and then fired short side by Amy Boucher to give Alberta a late lead.

Boucher and Regan Wright added an empty net goal each to put the game out of reach.

Friday

Saturday

The Bisons and Pandas battled Manitoba and Alberta were in an even game Friday night until locked in a tight game Saturday, a controversial call late in the third needing overtime to pull the Bisons gave the Pandas an edge to eventually even in the series with a 2-1 overtime take the game 4 -1. win.

Bison forward Courtlyn Oswald Game two was the triumphant set up the opening goal when she return of Venla Hovi to the Bisons stepped out from behind the net at lineup, fresh off her bronze medal the 12:17 mark of the first and put win with Finland at the Olympic a backhand on the Pandas goalie Winter Games in South Korea. Hovi Kirsten Chamberlin. Mekaela Fisher had an assist and three shots in her snapped home the rebound for her return, which was in jeopardy until first of the playoffs. the day of the game.

The Pandas came back a few min“I came back [Friday night], was utes later on the powerplay, Taylor stuck in Vancouver first for about Kezama hammered a point shot six hours because of a snow storm,” through a crowd and low-glove on Hovi said.

Rachel Dyck.

“So I was supposed to get back ear-

lier [Friday] but I got in pretty late.

I was supposed to come skate this morning. I didn’t because I didn’t get my gear, so I was basically praying, hoping my hockey gear would get here before the game.”

With 20 seconds left in the first, Bison Sheridan Oswald picked up a pass from Lauryn Keen and went bar down on Chamberlin to open the scoring.

Manitoba’s lead was short lived after Pandas forward Alex Poznikoff came back to tie the game early in the second with a great individual effort. She broke into the Bisons zone, fought off defender Erica Rieder on her way to the net, and tucked a backhander under Lauren Taraschuk’s pad to make it 1-1.

The final frame solved nothing, and in the overtime, Bison defender Alexandra Anderson was in the right place at the right time. Anderson got the puck off the draw and picked the corner with a laser to force a decisive game three.

Sunday

Less than 24 hours after their

overtime thriller, the Bisons and “I’m just glad it’s done,” she said.

Pandas were back on the ice for the “We absolutely deserve that and series deciding game. we’ve worked so hard and we knew The two teams slogged through a what we wanted the outcome to be scoreless game and into a fourth over- and we just didn’t stop until that puck time before the Bisons were finally went into the net and we got what able to net the 1-0 game winner. we wanted.”

With six-and-a-half minutes to Rempel didn’t have much to say go in the fourth overtime, a Bison after the game. faceoff win in the Pandas zone went “I just said ‘Who wants to go to to Hovi and she slid back towards Western?’ as loud as I could,” he said the middle, drawing the defenders to with a laugh. block her shot. Instead, the Finn sent “I usually have a lot of words. I did a slap pass to Jordyn Zacharias, who not have a lot of words to say because tipped it in to end the second longest I don’t get too emotional usually, but game in Canada West History, send- I’m kind of overcome right now, just ing the fans at Wayne Fleming into so happy for the veterans in there. pandemonium.

"It’s been four years of slugging, “It was an incredible hockey game,” heartache, playing such good hockey Bison head coach Jon Rempel said. and finally it paid off. I’m so happy “I mean that’s in my top, prob- for them.” ably three that I’ve been a part of at this level for sure, maybe ever. I just thought two incredibly evenly matched teams that didn’t want to give an inch.”

Bison rookie goalie Taraschuk made 31 saves in the shutout win and had yet to process the experience postgame.

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Sports

Sports Editor: Ryan Stelter Contact: sports@themanitoban.com

Bisons enjoy individual success at Canada West championships Ryan Stelter, staff

Oyinko Akinola goes airborne during a mens long jump attempt on day 1 at the Canada West 2018 Track and Field Championship, placing second with a distance of 7.07m.

Tegan Turner takes the lead leg of the bison womens 4x200 m relay where the team places 2nd on day 2 at the Canada West 2018 Track and Field Championship. Earlier in the day, Tegan wins gold in the women’s 60m dash, 0.01 seconds shy of a Canada West record. photos by Joe Oczerklewicz

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he best track and field athletes of the West were at the University of Manitoba this weekend for the Canada West Championships.

The University of Saskatchewan took home the women’s championship with 97 points, 34 points better than third-placed Manitoba. On the men’s side, the University of Alberta Golden Bears were crowned champions with 96 points, edging out second-placed Manitoba with 81.

Manitoba teams did not win the competition, but there was plenty of hardware wrapped around the necks

of Bison athletes.

Tegan Turner was the big story of the weekend, winning the 60m dash with a time of 7.43 seconds, just 0.1 seconds off the Canada West record.

Her performance was named the women’s performance of the meet.

Oyinko Akinola, a year removed from being ineligible for academic reasons, took home three medals two silver and one bronze.

Day one

The Bison women’s 4x800 relay team won bronze after collectively

Gundrum grabbed a silver medal in the women’s indoor pentathlon with 3,205 points.

Shane Dillon finished second in the men’s 600m run with a time of 1:20.10. Akinola continued his torrid weekend by getting bronze in the men’s high jump, going for 2.06 metres. He wrapped up the second day with a 14.54 jump in the men’s triple jump, good for his second silver.

Adam Gundrum finished in second in the men’s heptathlon with 4,667 points.

running a time of 9:08.34. On the Day two The Bison women’s relay team men’s side, the Bisons finished second behind the record-breaking tasted success, winning silver in the University of Victoria team, who 4x200 race and bronze in the 4x400 clocked in at 7:35.72. race. Sasanie Wanigasekara won Individually, Brooke-Lynn Boyd bronze in the women’s triple jump won the 4kg shot put with a distance with a distance of 11.76 metres. The of 13.81 metres. In the men’s 300m men’s relay team won silver in both The U SPORTS Track and Field dash Luc Deleau won bronze with a the 4x200 and 4x400 races.

A pair of Bison sprinters made it National Championships are time of 34.56, and Tayo Babalola won silver in the women’s 300m dash with onto the podium in the men’s 60m next on the docket for the Bisons, dash with Marcel Dufault claiming and will take place Mar. 8-10 at a time of 39.83.

Akinola won his first medal of the silver with a time of 6.93 seconds, the University of Windsor. weekend, taking silver in men’s long and teammate Michael Davis takjump, leaping 7.07 metres. Jessica ing bronze with a time of 7.04 seconds.

Bison volleyball seasons end in British Columbia Ryan Stelter, staff

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s quickly as their playoff runs won the third and fourth sets 25-21.

The Bisons were down 2-0 Friday but Kearley Abbott led the herd with won the third set with their backs started, the University of Manitoba volleyball programs 18 kills and three blocks, while Cassie against the wall, only to fall 25-23 in had their playoff runs dashed this Bujan finished with a court best 22 the fourth and deciding set. weekend. digs.

Scott Vercaigne finished with The women’s team was playing a The Bisons fell in the first set 25-19 21 kills and four aces, while Adam rematch of their final weekend series Saturday but stormed back to level DeJonckheere came up with 10 digs against the third-ranked University the match winning 25-16 in the sec- and six kills. of British Columbia Okanagan ond. The experienced and talented The Bisons fell in three straight Heat in Kelowna, B.C. The Bisons UBC Okanagan team managed to sets Saturday, falling by 10 points in fell in two straight games losing 3-1 close out the match and the series the third set. Vercaigne had 10 kills, both nights. The men’s team was in taking the final two sets 25-16 and t wo aces, and three digs in the loss.

Vancouver playing the second-ranked 25-20, respectively.

UBC Thunderbirds and were disJocelyn Koswin finished with 12 patched in two straight games as well. kills and two aces, with Abbott finishing with 14 digs and 10 kills.

Women

photo provided by cary mellon

The Bisons took the first set 25-22 Friday but fell 26-24 in the second after starting to come back late. The Heat grabbed the momentum and

Men

It was a tough ask for this inexperienced Bison men’s team to come in and upset the second-ranked T-Birds.

VOL. 104 NO. 24 February 28, 2018

Sports

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Wog collects four medals at Nationals Ryan Stelter, staff

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photos provided by martin bazyl

he remarkable career of Bison swimmer Kelsey Wog continued this weekend at the U SPORTS National Championships in Toronto.

On day one of the competition Wog took gold in the 100m breaststroke for the second straight year with a time of 1:06.26, a whopping two seconds better than McMaster’s Olivvya Chow. The next day, Wog also took home gold in the 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:21.84.

Wog wrapped up the weekend with gold in the 50m breaststroke, with a time of 31.57 and a silver in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:10.38.

Bison swimmer Anthony Iliouchetchev missed out on the podium in the 100m backstroke, finishing in sixth with a time of 54.48.

The Bison women’s swimming team finished in 12th place out of

the 25 schools competing with 216 points. The men finished 13th with 102 points. The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds swept the competition, winning both the men’s and women’s championships for the second year in a row.

2016 Olympians Kylie Masse of the University of Toronto and Yuri Kisil of UBC were named the male and female swimmers of the year, the second straight year for each to receive the distinction.

Gee-ef Nkwonta wraping up Bison career Ryan Stelter, staff

T

his past weekend during the and long jump, managed to hit the Canada West championships same distance six weeks in a row. at the James Daly Fieldhouse was a “I was like, ‘OK what the heck? special one for fifth-year track ath- That’s like impossible to go the exact lete Gee-ef Nkwonta - it was his last same distance to the centimetre,’” he event at home in a Bison uniform. said.

A graduate of Fort Richmond It was when he hit his personal Collegiate, Nkwonta has been with best after his first season and being the Bisons for five seasons after get- able to hold his own at junior nationting into track almost by accident. als Nkwonta realized he could take “What got me into track is that this track thing far. basketball didn’t work out,” he said “When I started to see some of with a laugh. “I just knew some peo- that potential that’s when I started ple on the track team so I was just to really develop,” he said. using track to stay in shape.”

“I guess it helps hitting a growth Nkwonta got off to a slow start in spurt in your first year of university. his track career, but said that after he I was a five-foot-six, 130-pound guy realized his potential he went all-in when I came into university. So it was on training, and the results started pretty interesting.” coming. In his first year, Nkwonta, Jokingly, Nkwonta said he is now whose main events are triple jump six-foot-ten - though he now stands

at five-foot-ten and weighs in at 160 into the booths at Wayne Fleming pounds.

Arena and Investors Group Athletic Nkwonta is not only a track star, Centre calling the action of his fellow but also parlays his sports knowledge Bison athletes. into the sport broadcasting world.

Although he had to learn about Nkwonta has had experience on the hockey by playing the NHL video mic, calling Bison volleyball, bas- game, he has gotten the hang of it. ketball, and even hockey games for “It’s been interesting f loating Canada West TV, the conference’s around all the other sports and getstreaming service. The opportunity ting a different perspective on them,” arose after Nkwonta was talking with Nkwonta said.

Bison sports information director, “It’s weird the first time, you Chris Zuk. almost get a bit shy then you realize “We were travelling every week- no one’s watching you so then you end so I didn’t have enough money can start and loosen up. Usually by to do anything at school basically,” halftime you start to hear us talk a Nkwonta said. “I was talking with bit more about the game and getting Zuk one day about my work and he really into it.” said if I need anything [I could] do There will be a chance to make webcasts.” some final memories at the U From there, Nkwonta was thrust SPORTS Track and Field National

Championships in Windsor March 8-10, but there are two so far that stick out to Nkwonta.

“In my second year when I hit travel standard to open up, it was one of the happiest moments I had because I struggled the whole first year to try and get something and hit it at the first meet,” he said.

“Last year at our first meet when I hit national standard after missing it a centimetre the year prior so it’s been very weird.

“You couldn’t write this. It’s storybook stuff so it’s kind of cool having both of those milestones being at a total different spectrum.”