25 March 2015

MANITOBAN the

THE OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA STUDENTS’ NEWSPAPER

News

Summer sobriety?

Hub to shut down over summer Page 4

Arts & Culture

Manitoban Art Competition winners Page 20-21

Arts & Culture

Past, present, future Current WAG exhibit closes the gap between the North and the South Page 17

Vo l 1 0 1 · N o 5 6 · M a r c h 2 5 , 2 0 1 5 · w w w.t h e m a n i to b a n .co m

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Index

VOL. 101 NO. 56 march 25, 2015

News

City council to drive U-Pass home

Civic budget approval includes cost projections for transit pass page 5

Editor-in-Chief Fraser Nelund

editor@themanitoban.com / 474.8293

Business manager Angela England

accounts@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

Advertising Coordinator Sara Bulloch

ads@themanitoban.com / 474.6535

Editorial

Senior News Editor Dana Hatherly

news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

News Editor Ethan Cabel

news@themanitoban.com/ 474.6770

Comment Editor Tom Ingram

Comment

comment@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Being homeless

Managing Editor Craig Adolphe

me@themanitoban.com / 474.6520

Leave the shelter of your preconceptions

science & technology Editor Chantelle Dubois

science@themanitoban.com/ 474.6529

arts & Culture Editor Lauren Siddall

arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Sports Editor Mike Still

sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Copy Editor Carlyn Schellenberg

page 7

copy@themanitoban.com/ 474.6520

Design

Editorial

Design Editor Bradly Wohlgemuth

Talking YouTube

design@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

Graphics Editor Bram Keast

graphics@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

Photo Editor Carolyne Kroeker

A brief discussion on accessibility in digital media

photo@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

design associate Scott Ford

scott@themanitoban.com

graphics associate Evan Tremblay

evan@themanitoban.com

page 9 Science

Time to talk

Starting a conversation about science

Reporters

News Seamus Hamilton-Pattison News vacant Science Jeremiah Yarmie arts & culture Ian T.D. Thomson arts & culture Alana Trachenko Sports Andy Che Assistant copy editor Kristy Hourd

Volunteer Contributors

page 10 SCience

Looking Ahead

The science of short-sightedness

page 11 Sports

K. R. Morgan Caroline Norman Kailey-Trevithick Dany Reede Will Gibson Matt Duboff

Ryan Stelter Justin Ladia

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NHL? Check AHL? Check WHL? You can never have too much hockey page 23

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News

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

Economics professors speak out against CAUT report Women faculty left due in part to workplace disputes, professors say Ethan Cabel, staff

photos by Carolyne Kroeker

W

eeks after the Canadian required at the graduate level.

Association of University The so-called orthodox majority Teachers renewed its call for the maintains that all these processes effective dismissal of the head of were fairly conducted and consistent the department of economics, many with internal procedures for hiring faculty members are standing firmly and curriculum development across the U of M. behind him.

Two weeks ago, the Manitoban reported that David Robinson, Department lost executive director of the Canadian women faculty Association of University Teachers The report further outlined the (CAUT), was still pressing the results of an internal committee University of Manitoba to imple- investigation established by the dean ment the recommendations of their of arts in 2011. report on the department of economIn 2012, a document was circulated ics, released in January. by the dean that outlined “an unforAmong their recommendations tunate departmental culture [ . . . ] was the immediate appointment of of division, suspicion, animosity, and a new acting head for the depart- polarization in which it is difficult ment to replace current head Pinaki for the work of the department to Bose, an economist brought to the be conducted in a collegial fashion.”

U of M in 2010 from the University A working group was established of Memphis. in 2013, which made several recomThe economics department is cur- mendations to address these problems. rently looking to appoint a departRobert Chernomas, a heteroment head, with Bose seeking dox professor in the economics another term in the position. Fletcher department, provided a letter to Baragar, associate professor in the the Manitoban signed by six heterodepartment of economics and a so- dox professors and titled “Minority called “heterodox” professor, is also Report.” The letter claims that those seeking appointment. recommendations have not been The CAUT report on the econom- satisfied. ics department alleges that hetero“The head of economics was dox economists, who favour critical appointed on a promise to deal with approaches to the discipline, have the problems, openly acknowledged been systematically undermined in at that time, and bring the departthe department in favour of “ortho- ment together. In fact, he has made dox” or mainstream faculty, who pri- them so much worse,” the letter states. marily study the aggregate behaviour However, over the last two weeks, of individual buyers and sellers in the several faculty members have told market economy. the Manitoban that they take issue The CAUT report takes issue with with the ideological distinctions the hiring of what they characterize being attributed to the department. as an orthodox economist as a pro- They also question the integrity of fessor of Canadian economic policy, the CAUT investigators. as well as the process by which the Laura Brown, associate professor department appointed Bose, a pro- in the department for nearly 20 years, fessor from outside of the university took a six-month stress leave in 2013 who they also identify as being from due in part to the emotional toll of the orthodox camp. continuous workplace disputes.

Furthermore, they question the She characterized an email from process by which the department CAUT in 2013, announcing that reviewed its undergraduate and they were launching an investigation graduate course curricula, boosting into the department after repeated the quantitative requirements for stu- attempts by administration to keep dents at the undergraduate level and them at bay, as the “last straw.” limiting the total number of courses “I actually wrote to the president

and said, ‘can you please make it Troutt cited the fact that the stop?’” Brown said, adding that the report into the faculty of architecrelease of the report shortly after ture, released in February, came 11 her return from stress leave further months after the CAUT investigaaggravated the work environment in tion. Meanwhile, the economics the department. report took 21 months to compile.

“I don’t have the time or the mental “It leads me to have concerns about space for this stuff [ . . . ] I would like CAUT and the judgment abilities of to be concentrating on my research, their leadership and governing bodI would like to be concentrating on ies,” she wrote.

“Because of these concerns, I have my teaching, and I have marking to catch up on, but instead I am dealing no faith in CAUT as a body to reprewith many facets of this.” sent me, and I have become skeptical Brown told the Manitoban that of CAUT’s integrity as a representaCAUT misrepresented the ideologi- tive body for Canadian academics cal distinctions in the department, in general.”

Both Troutt and Brown told the adding that the economics department is filled with a plethora of Manitoban that the current departdiverse approaches and viewpoints. ment head has fostered a collegial “I was attracted to this department environment that is particularly because I’m left-wing,” she said. friendly to women, after five women left the department before his arrival.

“We have had a parade of women faculty leave the department early in “We have had a their careers,” Troutt said. parade of women “Dr. Bose does not tolerate incivility. During professor Bose’s headship, faculty leave the we have retained our female faculty.

I do not think these two things are department early coincidental.” in their careers” – The six professors who signed the “Minority Report” letter provided to Elizabeth Troutt, the Manitoban are all men.

associate professor of economics

Bose responds

For his part, Bose told the Manitoban that his headship has Brown added that, because of this resulted in some important changes misrepresentation and the assump- to the department, including new tion that majoritarian processes had undergraduate and graduate curviolated the academic freedom of ricula. Bose said the new curricula certain professors, most members of will help the department meet stuthe department refused to participate dent demands for greater quantitain the CAUT investigation. tive skills training and is in line with When the report eventually came other universities. out in January, nearly two years after “Our students need to be coached the investigation, many concluded and our students need to be very that it was a direct attempt to inter- up-to-date in the core skills that the fere with the selection of a new discipline and employers expect ecodepartment head. nomic graduates to have,” Bose said.

“The CAUT report is a direct “We should provide them with a attack on the head,” Brown said. curriculum that teaches them to be Elizabeth Troutt, associate profes- critical but at the same time a curricusor of economics at the U of M, told lum that teaches them to open doors the Manitoban in an email that she of opportunity, and our curriculum found “the timing of CAUT’s report revision has done exactly that.” interesting.”

If given another term as depart-

ment head, Bose said he would seek to establish an interdisciplinary centre for policy research that utilizes the skills and knowledge of multiple departments related to economics, such as political studies.

Given that he views the changes in the department as overwhelmingly positive and in line with the wishes of the department council, Bose was perturbed by the CAUT report’s allegation that departmental changes violated academic freedom.

“An overwhelming large number of department faculty members have voted for our important changes across the various specializations, including heterodox [faculty],” Bose said, adding that votes at the department council cannot be legitimately interpreted as violations of academic freedom.

“A number of times, what I have suggested at department council has been clearly out-voted and that’s fine, that’s what the process should be. It cannot be that every time a person doesn’t get what he or she wants that there will be a complaint that has legitimacy.”

Bose told the Manitoban that he expressed concerns to the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) about the interference of the CAUT investigators but was told

by UMFA that they do not protect faculty from third parties. He further said that he was disappointed by UMFA’s stance regarding the CAUT report given the union’s obligation to represent all of its members.

“UMFA does not provide support to members with respect to the actions of outside parties,” said Thomas Kucera, UMFA president, in an email, adding that there are serious problems in the economics department.

“Support for different areas of thought is expressed in course offerings and in hirings. A ‘majority’ vote should never override the academic freedom of a ‘minority.’”

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News

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

Campus bar cannot make ends meet The Hub closing during the summer months after losing money this year Seamus Hamilton-Pattison, staff

Brandon Whyte, Hub manager

T

he Hub, the campus bar run by the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU), will be closed over the summer months this year after failing to break even.

The fiscal woes of the campus pub come despite claims by current executive members that they had helped rescue the bar from financial ruin.

During the 2014 UMSU General Election, the winning Refresh slate had stated it “took the Hub out of a $450,000 hole.” The factual accuracy of this statement was disputed during the campaign, resulting in an official complaint filed against the Refresh slate with the UMSU chief returning officer, Jacqueline Keena.

Keena ruled the statement was not incorrect and—with confirmation from UMSU general manager Clark Cunningham—was made in reference to UMSU’s efforts to “reach a break-even point by the end of the fiscal year.”

The University of Manitoba Students’ Union Council meeting minutes for Dec. 9, 2013 document former vice-president internal Amanda McMullin stating that the Hub was “projected to make $12,000 but that just hasn’t happened yet,” adding that it was “in the hole, but significantly less than last year.”

McMullin further told council in 2013 that net losses for the entire union amounted to $294,000, with UMSU businesses losing $24,000 in the month of November alone.

Jeremiah Kopp, president-elect for UMSU and the current vicepresident internal, confirmed the context of last year’s statement with the Manitoban.

“The context of the comment made

photo by Carolyne Kroeker

in the last election was that the Hub was seeing drastic improvements in its financial situation, which remains the case. The Hub has been performing better now than it has since its creation. However, due to the nature of the Hub and due to the seasonal nature of university, it is a difficult business to make a profit on,” he said.

“When I’m president of the union, starting May 1, the Hub will not be open over the summer months” – Jeremiah Kopp, UMSU vicepresident internal Kopp told the Manitoban that, while the Hub may not be turning a profit, UMSU’s other retail and food service businesses have been making money.

“The only place the union is not profitable is with the Hub. Everywhere else is performing better than what we budgeted for, and we’re very pleased with the financial situation of the union overall. The union this year is in excellent financial health and we’re very happy about that; the one cause for concern is the Hub’s continued losses,” Kopp said.

Brandon Whyte, manager at the Hub, told the Manitoban that he has faced significant challenges in running a bar that is seasonally volatile.

“I do think there is a serious chal-

lenge to running a bar on any campus.

For his part, Whyte told the I’ve run [a campus bar] previously at Manitoban he has a history of working the University of Alberta, and one at, and helping to turn around, bars of the main challenges is simply that that he described as “failing miserit’s a seasonal business,” Whyte said. ably” prior to managing the Hub. He “You tend to bleed a little money said now, he is continuously working when there are no students on cam- to improve the business at the Hub. “One of the biggest things I’m pus. The U of M is the third largest city in Manitoba when it’s filled with doing besides increasing training, students in the winter. Then we go the whole ‘work smarter, not harder’ from almost 32,000 people to 1,500 in the summer.”

Kopp also cited the bar’s seasonal downturn as a cause for concern, adding that he believes the cost of labour and the kitchen’s size could also be contributing factors.

“About two-thirds of revenue is tied up in labour costs. When that’s the case, that’s just not a situation you can be profitable in and there’s a whole host of reasons for that,” he said, listing off some of the primary issues with the Hub. Kopp said that the Hub has a large kitchen with an overly diverse menu that is similar to Degrees’, which is just down the hall. He further identified the high cost of food items as an issue, but added that the biggest source of financial instability revolves around the four summer months, where the Hub has typically remained open despite the campus being significantly less populated.

“When I’m president of the union, starting May 1, the Hub will not be open over the summer months,” Kopp said.

“That will be saving costs of approximately $75,000 right off the bat. That’s a move I’m going to make right away to make sure that we’re not losing money while the campus is less populated.”

thing, is increasing awareness and just better control. One of the things I always notice when I take over a bar is how it’s set up, how the room is set up.”

Whyte pointed out one issue is that the space is not laid out in a conducive manner for a functioning bar, suggesting that “an interior designer designed the Hub, not someone who had worked in the business.

“It’s a matter of changing some small things, like making a service station for the servers, so they can get their drinks out to the floor quicker.

Something like changing where the food line pick-up is and how we can deliver the food a little more efficiently,” he said.

Whyte elaborated on another fiscal challenge facing the facility.

“One of the challenges I’ve had is just getting every single faculty, group, association, team, club, everybody, to buy into knowing that they’ve got a campus bar. We don’t charge anything for the room. That’s where, since I’ve taken over, there’s been a substantial and noticeable difference in the numbers coming in. January, February, and March, I had every single weekend day booked with group fundraisers, socials, and events. I love offering up the Hub to do that, it’s a win-win for that association and the Hub.” Kopp said that, despite the Hub’s problems, he still believes offering commercial services through UMSU is beneficial for students, stating that private companies on campus do not provide the same high quality of food, nor do they provide the most affordable options.

VOL. 101 NO. 56 March 25, 2015

News

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Graduate Students’ Association election results U of M graduate students elect some familiar faces to UMGSA executive Seamus Hamilton-Pattison, staff

A

fter nearly two weeks of cam- academic over fellow nominee Aida paigning, the 2015 University Adlimoghaddam. of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association General Election “I hope [the high resulted in the re-election of several former executives as well as the elecvoter turnout] tion of some new faces. reflects a rise in The University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association student engagement (UMGSA) is the association that and knowledge of represents all U of M graduate students. the issues, especially Between March 16 at 9 a.m. and when considering March 18 at 8 p.m., graduate students voted online to elect the new the difficult road UMGSA executive.

Candidates from the two regwe have ahead of istered slates, Choice Matters and us in terms of the Graduate Student Action, faced off for the positions of president and proposed budget vice-president academic at the gradcuts for next uate students’ table. The remaining positions for vice-presidency went year” – Kristjan unopposed.

The preliminary outcome of the Mann, UMGSA UMGSA vote resulted in the election president-elect of Graduate Student Action candidates for six out of the seven positions, with the exception of one senator seat.

Enoch A-iyeh, another candidate Former vice-president academic Kristjan Mann was elected president pursuing a degree in electrical and of the UMGSA in favour of candi- computer engineering, was elected date Junhui Gong. vice-president external. The position David Terrazas, an electrical was uncontested.

Vice-president internal Valery and computer engineering PhD student, was elected vice-president Agbor was successfully re-elected to

the same position with no opposition.

Beibei Lu was also re-elected to her position as vice-president marketing and events, with no opposing candidates.

Graduate students at the U of M are represented by three graduate students on the Senate, with two senator positions open to Fort Garry candidates, also elected by the UMGSA during this election period. Senators are required to attend UMGSA executive meetings, in addition to representing graduate students at the level of the university’s governing body.

Four graduate students competed for the two senator positions. Senator positions were filled by independent candidate Kathryn Marcynuk and Graduate Student Action’s Gagan Sidhu, who won out over Gustavo Mejicanos and incumbent Richard From.

President-elect Kristjan Mann said graduate students could look forward to high-quality services from the association in the coming year.

“They will see a UMGSA that is driven to advocate for graduate student issues first and foremost in every matter, and to ensure that we maintain and improve the quality of students’ academic and social lives on campus at every opportunity,” said Mann.

Joseph Dipple and Karalyn Dokurno, UMGSA’s chief return-

Kristjan Mann, UMGSA president-elect

photo by Carolyne Kroeker

ing officers, reported a voter turnout road we have ahead of us in terms of 17.6 per cent to the Manitoban, of the proposed budget cuts for next the second highest voter turnout in year.”

UMGSA history.

Mann said he was particularly The 2015 UMGSA General Election excited by the number of graduate results shown here are based on students who took part in the election. preliminary results provided “I hope [the high voter turnout] by the UMGSA’s chief returnreflects a rise in student engagement ing officers. The results must be and knowledge of the issues, espe- ratified by UMGSA Council cially when considering the difficult before they are considered official.

City council in the U-Pass driver’s seat Student transit pass up for adoption following full approval from participating universities Dana Hatherly, staff

T

he U-Pass is back in the hands of transit stakeholders. The result was Winnipeg city council after the that the city’s standing committee University of Manitoba’s Board of recommended the U-Pass to the Governors (BoG) voted unanimously Winnipeg’s executive policy committo endorse the U-Pass implementa- tee for approval in a unanimous vote. tion, following its recommendation The Manitoban reported early last by the infrastructure renewal and week that the U of M BoG had to public works committee to council. approve their finance committee’s Jenny Gerbasi, city councillor recommendation, as part of the U of for Fort Rouge East Fort Garry, M’s final step towards sealing the deal, told the Manitoban that the motion to ensure that U of M students are to was approved by the city’s public receive the U-Pass following the city’s works committee. It then went to formal implementation. The unaniWinnipeg’s executive policy com- mous vote by the BoG signalled the mittee, and on Wednesday, she said intent of the University of Manitoba the report will be voted on by city Students’ Union (UMSU) and the council, affirming that the program University of Manitoba Graduate will be set for implementation in Students’ Association, along with the September 2016.

U of M’s full approval for city council “The report is confirming that to move forward on further recom- University of Manitoba Students’ council agrees that they will proceed mendations regarding the U-Pass.

Union Act. On the other hand, with everything, and that is passed on The situation at the University of although the UWSA is mentioned Wednesday,” Gerbasi said.

Winnipeg is different. in the U of W Act, the UWSA does The 2015-2016 operating and capiRorie Mcleod Arnould, presi- not have its own incorporating act. tal budgets were both approved by dent of the University of Winnipeg Mcleod Arnould told the council today, including cost projec- Students’ Association (UWSA) told Manitoban about what he believed tions for the U-Pass. the Manitoban that the UWSA’s rela- to be the implications of the different Winnipeg’s standing policy com- tionship with their governing bodies, students’ associations’ relations with mittee on infrastructure renewal and the board of regents and Senate, is governing bodies. The UMSU Act “is public works met for a full day last different from UMSU’s relationship a rather paternalistic document, that I Monday, including a cost analysis with the U of M’s governing bodies. think places students’ unions as hubs of the U-Pass implementation and The relations between UMSU of student organizing subordinate to delegate speeches by councillors and and the BoG are established in the the university’s board of governors,”

photo by Carolyne Kroeker

said Mcleod Arnould. ing that the UWSA is autonomous “That these have to be approved by in setting their fees. The procedures the board of governors before they’re for student fee increase proposals are implemented is a fundamental indi- laid out in the bylaws, and direct the cation of a lack of sovereignty [at the students’ association to contend either U of M]. At UWSA, we implement by referendum or an annual general the fees and notify the administration, meeting, Mcleod Arnould said. whereas [UMSU’s fee proposals] The University of Winnipeg have to satisfy some form of litmus Students’ Association’s official test.” endorsement of the U-Pass, in conMcleod Arnould pointed out junction with the majority support that at the U of M, UMSU was of students in October’s referendum required to have their referendum vote, confirmed to city hall that U of vote approved by the BoG, emphasiz- W students were in favour of the pass.

6

News

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

Respect campaign garners disrespectful responses Initiative results in racist and sexist comments Dana Hatherly, with files from Bram Keast, staff

photo by Carolyne Kroeker

Aside from some inappropriate “If there were inappropriate composts, including racist and sexist ments, they took a photo and emailed remarks directed at Nigerian women, [the comments] to me directly, and the university’s “Scrawl on the Wall” then we would go to the location and initiative garnered mostly positive cover up the comments.” attention last week. The initiative was Various negative comments were meant to garner responses from the covered up by administrators, using University of Manitoba community masking tape and paper to block the on how to live, study, and work in a comments from view. respectful environment.

“I feel disappointed that some of Students, faculty, and staff were our community members felt it was invited to publicly post their ideas okay to write such comments, but it and comments about respect and is not entirely unexpected. It would integrity as part of the poster cam- not be honest for us to suggest that paign. Located at 20 locations across problems ranging from disrespectful the university’s three campuses from behaviour to outright racism do not March 16-20, the posters posed four exist on our campus,” Gruber said. questions to passersby: “what does As she pointed out, censoring respect mean to you?”; “when have comments by hiding them out of sight you felt respected on campus?”; did not mean they would be ignored “when have you felt disrespected on by administration. campus?”; and “this campus would “In a sense, even those inapprobe more respectful if,” followed by priate comments have their use as space to fill in the blank. evidence to inform our decisions on One of those anonymous com- what we need to work on with the ments scrawled on the wall, filling community,” she added. in the blank, read, “When Nigerian girls start wearing decent clothes” fol- Targeted task force lowed by “#forGodssake.”

Posters are being collected This was not an isolated incident. from across campus, and responses A similar post directed at Nigerian reviewed by the committee over the women was reported on at least one upcoming week. However, the call other poster in University Centre. for scrawl was not the university’s University of Manitoba Nigerian only plan for community consultation.

Students’ Association president In her email, Gruber told the Oyindamola O. Alaka was unaware Manitoban that the university will of the comment up until the matter be conducting focus groups with was brought to her attention by the students to obtain more information Manitoban. about how to bolster their respect“This is a very disrespectful and ful work and learning environment racist comment; it is part of a bigger policy and procedures. problem in [the] world, an issue of The Respectful Work and feminism, racism and double stan- Learning Environment policy guide dards,” said Alaka in a statement to is in place to ensure that individuals the Manitoban. have the “right to participate, learn, “We need to have more discussion and work in an environment that proabout respect in society.” motes equal opportunity and prohibAlthough some of the comments its discriminatory practices.” found on posters were disrespectful, The University of Manitoba presiadministrators had braced for unwel- dent’s advisory committee on respect comed remarks, ensuring security is the taskforce behind the commuresponse procedures were in place. nity consultation initiative, as stated “We anticipated that this would in their press release. occur to some extent,” Jackie Gruber, Created by U of M president the university’s human rights and David Barnard and co-chaired conflict management officer, told by vice-provost (students) Susan the Manitoban in an email.

Gottheil and associate vice-president “Security Services [has] been (human resources) Greg Juliano, the extremely helpful in this project,” committee is tasked with co-ordiGruber said. nating initiatives and organizing

consultative processes surrounding respect and integrity, in the context of the university’s strategic plan titled “Taking Our Place: University of Manitoba Strategic Plan 2015-2020.”

The committee is helping to consult with the campus community, using such initiatives as “Scrawl on the Wall,” and construct a plan to bolster “inclusion, diversity, accommodation, human rights, civility and collegiality” in new and existing initiatives.

Last year Barnard emphasized the university’s role in fostering a respectful campus in a statement to the university community.

“At the University of Manitoba, education has no borders or barriers,” Barnard said in his statement to mark the beginning of the academic year.

“We support a climate of respect where all people are valued, and where individuals from all communities, ages, and cultures are welcome.”

Most of the comments garnered from the campus community as part of their latest consultation were positive. As Gruber pointed out, those messages included a positive affirmation of what a respectful workplace looks like: “Respect means recognition of unique values, opinions, and the right to express them in a polite and well-reasoned manner,” wrote one anonymous commenter.

“Respect means acknowledgement of experience and exposure to ideas, concepts, and challenges external to those normally experienced in this work environment.”

Gruber noted that moving forward, there will be more focus groups in place for faculty and staff, with input coming from the university community helping to shape plans for additional consultation.

Since posters have been taken down, members of the university community are invited by the office of human rights and conflict management to leave comments online at umanitoba.ca/admin/ president/respect/index.html

7

Being alone

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

Reflections on homelessness Evan Tremblay, staff

T

his was originally going to be a very negative article about the students camping outside of University Centre for 5 Days for the Homeless. I appreciate that they’re raising money for a good cause, but I don’t think dressing up does much for awareness or understanding. But complaining about people dressing up doesn’t do much for awareness or understanding, either.

To help towards the sleepers’ goal—raising awareness of the hardships of homeless youth—I’d like to share what being a young homeless person was to me, based on the time that I’ve spent in that situation: not the experience of someone who’s known a life of suffering, but the experience of a person who’s slept without a home, and done so without encouragement, food brought to him, or, most importantly, the knowledge that he couldn’t be kicked out of the place he was sleeping for the night, for many nights in a row.

This isn’t the experience of mothers, elderly, or disabled who are homeless. I’m young, educated, and healthy – just like the people hanging out on the steps of University Centre. But unlike them, the meaning of being homeless isn’t something I have to concede I couldn’t manage or imagine. What does being homeless mean to me?

urine, and now you do too, and there’s a police officer telling you to move out.

It means not having a place of retreat. No private place to go when sad, alone, scared; nowhere to be angry, or less than couth, without being judged. What was your assumption the last time you saw a homeless person crying, screaming, muttering to themselves – things we all do at some point?

Maybe you were right: maybe they were drunk, or high, or fucked in the head. Either way, they weren’t blind, and in the midst of tears, rage, darkness, they saw you: they knew your assumption, and they had nowhere

the parks are patrolled. to shelter from it.

Being homeless means having no Being homeless means being money to burn. And realizing how hailed as “brother” by people who’ve few places you’re allowed to be, to never met you, but who know you. It loiter, in our society without spend- means being generous with your food, ing money, or at least intending to. your smokes, your alcohol. With Our cities are vast, glittering hives anything and everything you have. of places to spend money, or to enjoy When you have little, you give a lot. the things that we’ve spent money Being homeless means being on. Coffee, food, movies, parking, generous with your love. It means driving, sitting in your house or yard. wanting to be loved. Wanting the Conducting business. By the time chance to express that love. To yearn you take away all the places you can’t to create art, but to have no medium. be without spending money, what To try to speak, but have no voice that are you left with? Public parks, and people will listen to. To have your benches. The benches are designed smiles cast to the ground by angry so that you can’t sleep on them, and glances, eyes that flash “how dare he.”

It means being alone.

Being alone leads a person to think – about who they are, what they’ve done. About who they’d liked to think they were. Being alone, you’re forced to come to terms with the things you already know: “the person I’ve been isn’t the person I want to be.” With a home, that knowledge leads to growth and, through it, peace. Without a home, it’s a Sisyphean burden that teaches you the priceless value of what you don’t have.

Being homeless means having no money to burn. And realizing how few places you’re allowed to be, to loiter, in our society without spending money, or at least intending to Being homeless means not going for walks in the rain, because you don’t have another set of clothes.

It means having few or no clean changes of clothes, because you have to carry the anything and everything you have yourself; and vanities are heavy when you carry them on your back. It means not having a place to shower – and even if you don’t care, the people who shower, shampoo, condition, moisturize, blow dry, and towel down every single morning do care, and aren’t very prone to pretending they don’t.

Being homeless means learning to fall asleep observant, wake up on guard, and sleep lightly. If you have something that matters, you fall asleep with your arms around it.

You wear your shoes to bed. You also wake up, every single morning, to the rebirth of the sun, to dew, to mist.

Or maybe to the realization that the concrete corner that seemed at least a warm shelter last night when all you wanted was somewhere soft reeks of

Graphic by Evan Tremblay

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Comment

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

An epistle to the arts

Advocating for students Balancing priorities is not a student union’s job Tom Ingram, staff

A polite protest against the budget cuts K. R. Morgan

I must begin with an apology For my utmost and true sincerity.

My mind is at the mercy of my pen, (A weakness for the strongest of [wo]men.)

It speaks the truth, and to it I must yield, Indeed, la vérité will be my shield.

Given this, and without further ado, My mind’s burdens I shall present to you.

I am writing thee an advisory ’Gainst a disguis’d friend (a true enemy).

He has been depleting your sustenance And blaming you for lowered finances.

He claims that changes are necessary, Though his motives are simply mercenary.

Indeed, your friend (who goes by Dr. B——) Cries for pity, then dances to the bank.

In fact, he has gone so far as to fabricate a deficit. He tells you sweet nothings to cushion the hit.

When all is said and done, he cares only for himself – putting your needs on the highest shelf (out of sight, out of mind; to your desires, he is blind). And yet his loves only he defends, for on certain faculties his job depends. To cut THEIR funding would be considered offensive. As such, when he weaves tales with his silver tongue, we must be...apprehensive.

What would the world be sans humanities?

Empty of culture, inevitably.

Not to mention the social sciences, Who must join our budding alliances.

Without us (for my allegiance lies with you), Academia would have been brought to A halt. Around you, the world is structured; This significance must be recaptured.

To start, dear Arts, you have Philosophy Who has refined the way the world we see.

Further, Economics lies in your midst: By others his efforts have been eclipsed.

Everything is at stake: from Linguistics To Criminology; même the Classics.

Arts, all of your children must see that they Are doomed, unless they act without delay.

English, Film, and Theatre are up next.

Without them, we would not have this text.

Without them, entertainments would Be scarce indeed. No movies to deem good Or bad, no books to carry you away; No meanings to find, nor players to play. ’Tis the same with French, German, and Spanish: B——’s plan to hurt you seems quite outlandish.

You know, for someone who claims to love poetry, Dr. B——’s soul seems to be empty. How can one have respect for the creation, but pay its maker no attention? If our funding is axed and our classes cancelled, more than Academia will be shaken and rattled.

These struggles will your students inherit, Just because he does not know your merit.

Speak to your students, O Psychology – Bid them to join us and change History.

Those who remain unmentioned are no less Vital. All are needed to escape this mess.

Together, we can defend our virtue; United we stand, to see the fight through.

History, you must examine the past: Show us how to end the reign of an a—.

graphic by Evan Tremblay

photo by Carolyne Kroeker

E

arlier this academic year there these student-related issues. rather lukewarm stance, stating was a fleeting debate in the It is impossible to take a stance that UMSU is opposed to budget Manitoban on the role of student that will please everyone. But as the cuts but was not going to press the unions in connection with political elected representatives of a student administration on the issue.

“UMSU recognizes the uniadvocacy. Since that time a great advocacy group, it is the responsideal has happened. The University bility of the UMSU executive to versity’s complex budget outlook, of Manitoba Students’ Union take stances on these issues anyway. limited revenue sources, and the (UMSU) initially announced At some point you have to disagree need to balance competing priorities,” the letter said. that they would not condemn the with somebody.

But it is not UMSU’s job to impending U of M budget cuts, citTo construe the role of the stuing their position of neutrality on dent union as passively supporting “[recognize] the university’s compolitical issues. whatever students choose to advo- plex budget outlook.” That’s the In a subsequent letter they back- cate—as Kopp seems to—is simply job of the university administratracked somewhat, saying they are to ignore the duties that were given tion. It is UMSU’s job to advocate for students’ needs regardless of the opposed to budget cuts but are tak- to him as a result of the election. university’s budget outlook. The ing a stance “not [ . . . ] of neutrality, administration can do with that but of rationality.” Jeremiah Kopp Advocacy regarding advocacy what they will. ran for and won the position of The union has no responsibilUMSU president. On the matter tuition, the status ity to balance competing priorities of political advocacy, he said, “We within the university; they can are there to support any student of international negotiate, but their first and only who has a cause or issue that they students, budget responsibility is to look out for their want to be passionate about.”

It seems that there is a concerted cuts, and conditions members. Faculty, staff, and the administration all have their own effort being made to redefine the on campus are still representatives to look after their role of the student union vis a vis own interests. advocacy. very much within It is possible, fun even, to critiBack in November, in an article our union’s purview cize certain other student unions entitled “UMSU gets it right with for overstepping their mandate by political neutrality,” Ethan Cabel advocating for issues that are not argued that the current situation at big universities makes it inapproMembers of the UMSU execu- relevant to students. But it’s also priate to treat UMSU members like tive sit in on meetings at all levels possible for a union to go too far in a single political bloc. Therefore, he of university governance. They have the other direction and advocate argues, it is not appropriate for an power to effect change in ways that for considerations that are outside organization like UMSU to engage no other students possibly can – and their mandate because they are the in special interest political advocacy a mandate to use this power on proper domain of government and on issues that do not bear specifi- behalf of students. Refusing to use university administration.

Given the choice, I’d rather have cally on students. this power is not the wise restraint To some extent this makes sense of a Cincinnatus; it is an explicit a union that stands up for workers’ – one of Cabel’s examples is campus decision to endorse the status quo. rights and the environment than bottled water bans, an issue that is Which is fine—it may actually be one that tries to act as impromptu not really the business of a student the case that the status quo is an emissaries from the administration.

As the incoming president of union. But somewhere along the acceptable state of affairs—but let’s UMSU, Kopp is in a position where line we’ve elided the distinction at least be honest about it. between special interest issues It is not UMSU’s role to be neu- he has to make a number of hard that are irrelevant to students and tral or equivocal on issues that bear decisions. I would like to remind special interest issues per se. on students. It is their role to take him that he was elected as a student Advocacy regarding tuition, the a position and fight for it. If the leader, not as an administration status of international students, student body doesn’t like it, the stu- mouthpiece or the representative budget cuts, and conditions on dent body has ways of getting new of our aggregated id.

I challenge him to make these campus are still very much within executive officers who will adopt hard decisions explicitly and transour union’s purview. And another different positions. consequence of the heterogeneous Kopp was among three mem- parently, and to fight openly for the makeup of the student body that bers of the outgoing executive who decisions he has made, rather than Cabel mentions is that many stu- signed a letter in the Manitoban continuing with the wishy-washy dents will disagree with whatever outlining UMSU’s position on equivocation of neutrality and stance UMSU chooses to take on budget cuts. This letter took a balance.

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Editorial Editor-In-Chief: Fraser Nelund Contact: Editor@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Science & technology 10 Science & Technology Editor: Chantelle Dubois Contact: science@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Data mining I heard you like data, so we put information in your information

I Love Science Week

Jeremiah Yarmie, staff

Let’s Talk Science celebrates Chantelle Dubois, staff

W

e are making data all the time.

Unbeknownst to most individuals, data is stored every time we use our credit cards, post on social media, or make a web search. Sure, we could be interested in the specific details of your search history or Amazon purchases, but the patterns within this data also hold a lot of information. This brings us to the field of data mining.

Data mining, also known as “Knowledge Discovery in Data,” is the purposeful identification of implicit patterns that are found within large databases.

“Data mining can be considered as a task of performing advanced analysis on data,” said Carson Leung, computer science professor at the University of Manitoba.

Leung’s Database and Data Mining Laboratory at the U of M focuses on developing ways to detect frequently occurring patterns and abnormal items within large databases. Leung’s research attempts to incorporate more human control over the data mining algorithms, letting the humans do the hard thinking and letting the computers do the hard work.

Data mining is a multidisciplinary field, incorporating elements from fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data visualization, and statistics.

Data mining tasks include detecting relationships between different variables, clustering similar data into groups and clusters, and summarizing the data in a concise way. Often these tasks are much more laborious than something a normal human can handle.

Computers can do this no sweat.

These tasks allow data miners to also predict likely outcomes.

Governments and corporations can learn a great deal more about you as an individual or as a member of a larger group through data mining.

Data mining is what makes it possible for Walmart to analyze its millions of daily transactions.

When you shop for groceries at a supermarket, the stores will often record what kinds of items are frequently purchased by customers.

That sort of information is easy to find and retrieve, but data mining allows the store to determine the relationships between individual purchases.

L

graphic by Caroline Norman

“For example, store managers may find that customers often purchase bread and butter, which you may expect,” said Leung. “However, there are some other less obvious patterns too.”

These stores can utilize customer behavioural patterns to increase their sales.

Data mining allows us to find patterns in large amounts of data “On the one hand, if many customers purchase items A and B frequently together, the store may place them together for the customer’s convenience,” said Leung. “On the other hand, the store may put these items apart so that customers would likely walk between the two items and potentially purchase more items along the way.”

To a further extent, customer behaviours can also be monitored on the individual basis with the use of loyalty cards, which allow the store to use data mining for analyz-

ing behavioural sequences and do personalized promotion to targeted customers.

This example focuses on the frequency of a behaviour, but data mining can be used to analyze behavioural sequences as well.

The amount of data being stored about us is equal parts beneficial and concerning. You may worry why every single purchase you make with a credit card has to be monitored, but data mining allows for the detection of anomalies. Credit card companies can use data mining to become aware of fraud by detecting uncharacteristic purchases.

Facebook uses data mining to find people you may know.

“If you put on your profile that you are an undergraduate student here at the U of M who started in a particular year, then Facebook can mine their databases and find people with similar backgrounds,” said Leung.

Data mining can be used in other scientific fields as well. By analyzing the patterns of variation within our DNA sequences, we can figure out how they relate to things like disease.

et’s Talk Science at the University of Manitoba is holding the first I Love Science Week from March 23 to 31. Space Days, being held at the Manitoba Museum’s Science Gallery on March 21 and 22, will precede it.

I Love Science Week will see over 23 in-classroom activities, and two mall outreaches.

The first mall outreach will be held at Kildonan Place Mall on March 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, and the second mall outreach will be at St. Vital Centre on March 30 from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

“I thought of the idea when I was thinking about ‘I Love to Read Month,’” said Richard Jung, coordinator for the U of M’s Let’s Talk Science branch.

Chrissy Troy of 103.1 Virgin radio will be present at one of the events during the week.

The idea of I Love Science Week was brought up during the Let’s Talk Science Western Regional Conference, which was held in February and hosted by the University of Manitoba.

Representatives from Simon Fraser University, as well as the universities of Victoria, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg were all present.

This conference brings together Let’s Talk Science coordinators from Western Canada to discuss future activities, brainstorm, and troubleshoot any problems the branches are facing.

This will be the first year that Let’s Talk Science hosts I Love Science Week. Jung hopes that next year the event will expand nationally and that the event brings the

same kind of attention to science as other awareness campaigns bring to their various causes.

“No money is being collected; we just want to get people’s attention and raise science awareness,” said Jung.

The repertoire of activities being hosted over the week include: Crazy Cryptography, Molecular Biology, Bright Lights Big Science, Feast for the Senses, Bone Zone, Exploration Mars, and various other activities ranging from astronomy to zoology.

Let’s Talk Science is an awardwinning national science outreach program, which has locally managed sites across the country. The mandate of Let’s Talk Science is to promote science literacy to children through engaging, hands-on science-themed activities.

The program has had ties in the past with Chris Hadfield, the retired International Space Station commander, who has previously recorded videos for the Let’s Talk Science Challenge in 2013.

Hadfield was also involved with the RaDI-N2 & You project, a collaboration between Let’s Talk Science, CurioCity, and the Canadian Space Agency.

RaDI-N2 & You involves high school students in measuring the varying neutron radiation levels across the country and in the International Space Station. Their data is then shared through the Let’s Talk Science website.

For information about Space Days or I Love Science week contact Richard Jung at lts.uofm@gmail.com

photo provided by Let's talk science

VOL. 101 NO. 56 March 25, 2015

Science & Technology 11

Bringing it back Tortoises reclaim the Galápagos from rats Jeremiah Yarmie, staff

T

he Galápagos tortoise, an endangered animal, has begun to reproduce naturally in the wild after being unable to for 100 years.

The threat of black rats to tortoise eggs has made this nearly impossible until recently.

The Galápagos Islands inspired Charles Darwin as he pondered evolution and speciation. The islands, which lay to the west of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, have not resembled what Darwin saw in the 1830s in a very long time.

The tortoise population of the Galápagos Islands has decreased significantly due to human activity.

Through over-hunting by whalers, competition from non-native species like goats, and habitat destruction through agricultural practices, the number of tortoises has decreased to a couple thousand from an estimated

250,000 in the 16th century.

Hell, even Darwin himself didn’t shy away from eating Galápagos tortoise meat.

However, the most damaging contribution humans made to the Galápagos Islands were black rats.

These rats eat tortoise eggs and hatchlings.

We humans try to do good just as often as we inevitably mess up.

To atone for our mistakes, several initiatives have been undertaken to re-establish the Galápagos tortoise populations.

For the past 50 years, individuals have been raising tortoise hatchlings in captivity until they were mature enough to be released into the wild and hold their own against the infestation of rats. These rearing efforts have so far seen more than 6,000 tortoises reintroduced into

the wild.

The conservational efforts also involve eradication attempts. In 2012, the Galápagos island of Pinzón was declared rat-free after comprehensive poisoning of the rat population.

Poisoned rat bait was dropped around the island via helicopter.

It seems like the work has paid off.

Newborn baby tortoises were found on Pinzón this past December. This marks the first time Galápagos tortoises have successfully reproduced in the wild in over 100 years.

The group that discovered the young tortoises also searched for signs of rats, but to no avail.

It is estimated that the tortoise population of Pinzón has nearly tripled since the 1960s. The next step is to ensure that the rat populations do not come back to the island.

graphic by Kailey-Trevithick

How Galápagos tortoises are faring outside of the wild

of “likes” on Facebook. Despite getting the “likes” he wanted, he may be Someone has found themselves in going away for his actions under the a bit of trouble after doing something Wildlife Protection Act. incredibly stupid to a Galápagos torSpeaking of zoos, a 25-year-old toise in captivity. A 24-year-old man Galápagos tortoise recently died at is facing six months in jail for stand- Akron Zoo in Ohio. The tortoise, ing upon a 120-year-old Galápagos who had a large amount of fluid tortoise in Nehru Zoological Park surrounding her heart and multiple in Hyderabad, India. diseased organs, died much sooner This blatant disrespect towards than the average Galápagos tortoise. a creature five times his age was Tortoises, especially those in captivity, done because the man wanted a lot have lived up to 170 years.

No longer short-sighted The reason for the increase in myopia Chantelle Dubois, staff

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esearchers may be closer to understanding why there appears to be an increase of myopia around the world, and it is not entirely related to genetics.

Myopia is nearsightedness due to the elongation of the eyeball.

In recent studies, it was found that the level of education and the occurrence of myopia were strongly

associated. For children in East Asia, more pressure may be placed on them to perform better academically, leading to more time being spent studying.

This increased time spent studying may result in more close range reading, influencing eye development.

This theory is supported by statistical data of the occurrence of myopia over a few generations. Sixty years

ago only 10 to 20 per cent of the Chinese population suffered from myopia, compared to today where up to 90 per cent of young adults are nearsighted. In the United States, 25 per cent of the population had myopia in 1971, compared to up to 41 per cent in 2004.

Additionally, more and more children and young people are using smartphones, computers, and tablets, creating similar conditions for the development of myopia.

The concept of nearsightedness being related to prolonged studying first emerged over 400 years ago when Johannes Kepler, a historically famous German astronomer and mathematician, blamed his excessive studying for his myopia.

Myopia severity is measured using diopters. Diopters are the units used in measuring the optical power of corrective eyewear.

Mild myopia is classified from being -0.25 to -3.00 diopters.

Moderate myopia is -3.25 to -6.00 diopters and high myopia is anything below -6.00 diopters. Those with moderate to high myopia are at greater risk of other vision problems, such as cataracts, retinal detachment, and glaucoma.

Researchers have also found that time spent outdoors may help protect children from developing myopia.

The studies are still being developed to thoroughly prove this hypothesis, but preliminary data suggests that, even if the time spent outdoors is spent reading, it has a protective effect.

It is not certain if this is related to lighting, or due to greater viewing

graphic by Bram Keast

distances.

The leading hypothesis is that light induces dopamine release in the retina, blocking the elongation of the eye. The eye produces retinal dopamine in a diurnal cycle, which may be disrupted by indoor lighting and causing irregular growth of the eye.

In China, experiments were conducted that had several randomly selected groups of Chinese students aged six to seven spend 40 minutes outdoors at the end of the day over a period of three years. Control groups were also randomly selected. The experiment involved over 900 children in Guangzhou.

The result of the experiment showed that 30 per cent of children in the group that spent time outdoors developed myopia by the end of the study, compared to 40 per cent of the

children in the control group.

Further studies to investigate this relationship are currently being planned; future experiments may involve teaching children in glass classrooms to study the effect it has on myopia development.

Other methods to slow down the development of myopia include eye drop medication or artificial light therapy. However, some of the researchers involved in this study believe that encouraging children to spend more time outdoors may have other benefits beyond protecting their eyesight, including lowering the risk of obesity since they would also most likely be more active.

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

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Carolyne's fur-children inquire about veggies

Illustration by Bram Keast

VOL. 101 NO. 56 March 25, 2015

Illustration by Evan Tremblay

Illustration by Bram Keast

Diversions

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Arts & Culture Arts & Culture Editor: Lauren Siddall Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

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Handmade with love Tara Davis Studio Boutique brings you the best from across Canada Lauren Siddall, staff

F

inding work in the creative field gallery is the focus, because there’s is hard; working freelance jobs in a really big artist or group of artists between shifts at various establish- that people really want to see. And ments in order to scrape together a sometimes it’s shopping season.”

The shop had humble beginnings livable wage is all too common. But for Tara Davis, the solution was in Nelson, B.C., in a tiny—300square-foot—space rented by Davis. simple.

“I had actually shopped in there a “I knew I wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to make things tucked year earlier and when I left the shop, away in a studio. But I would work I thought that’s exactly what I wanted my job and then go to my studio, and to have as a shop one day, that space. they were two totally different things. And then it was for lease, and I took Often, I was at the studio at not my the plunge. I rented it and moved in ideal times because I was working four days later to set up my shop. And it wasn’t scary because it was so little.” during those times,” said Davis.

Equipped with enough studio “What I really wanted was to have a studio where I got to work with space to set up her loom in the back of the public and actually make a living the shop, Davis opened for business wage. The best part is that I get to by recruiting fellow creatives from Winnipeg to provide merchandise work within my work.”

The result is an eponymous amal- to sell. Soon, Davis found herself the gamation of shop, studio, and gallery carrier of over 30 different makers within the walls of the tiny shop.

– Tara Davis Studio Boutique.

“The focus became much more on “It’s a hybrid boutique, gallery, and studio. It varies what the focus supporting other local makers. I knew is at different times. Sometimes the I liked working retail but I thought focus is on my studio, because it’s initially that the focus would be on January and February and no one is my making. But I actually really like really coming in. And sometimes the working in the shop and supporting

other makers. That part has really grown,” said Davis.

Pulled back home by her heartstrings, Davis returned to Winnipeg and opened another location in the Exchange District.

off again, but then I realize I want to “You don’t plan on some encounbe in Winnipeg.” ters. Michael Turner walked in off The new location came with more the street in November and wanted to square footage and the opportunity show me his art, and I wasn’t going to to feature more makers from across look at it because things were starting Canada in her shop. Endowed with to pick up for the holidays. But he her experience at the Nelson shop, told me that he was actually homeless Davis was apt to expand her expertise. and was hoping to show it now, rather “In the beginning, I used to pick than next year. So just upon meeting “What I really wanted things I thought my mom would like him, I decided that I really wanted to was to have a studio or my little sister would like. And I work with him,” said Davis. liked them, but I was picking them Through the gallery in her shop, where I got to work thinking who the customer would be Davis is also able to make art more with the public and that would get it. Whereas now, it’s accessible to individuals who would really just what I’m drawn to; I have not visit a traditional art gallery, actually make a to love it.” which she believes is important.

“I really try and have it be more Davis searches across Canada for living wage. The handmade merchandise to feature salon style, where artists are willing best part is that I get in the boutique, but for the gallery to let us group things in and layer located within the shop, she stays local. them up the wall. I find that’s how to work within my “Throughout the shop, it’s across people find the art more accessible. work” – Tara Davis Canada and not just because it can be, Here, it literally is someone buying a because I really want it to be to have pair of earrings or buying a card that that variety that you don’t necessarily sees the piece and loves it. I think it’s “It was really perfect for me get when it’s from such a small region. so exciting to be able to make the art because I would have not necessar- With the artwork, I think there is just more accessible. I love that.” ily had the courage to open up a shop so much talent in Winnipeg that it in Winnipeg,” said Davis. doesn’t make sense to look elsewhere.” Tara Davis Studio Boutique “Winnipeg is actually home. I While the majority of artwork is located at 246 McDermot was born and raised here, and have showcased in the gallery goes Avenue, and is open Mondayleft three times but I keep coming through a vigorous selection process, Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. back because it’s my favourite place. Davis said she has to bypass the proSometimes I forget that and I take cess for certain artists.

Photos by Lauren Siddall

VOL. 101 NO. 56 March 25, 2015

Arts & Culture

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Adapting and captivating WAG’s current exhibit combines artistic vision as well as solutions Alana Trachenko, staff

W

innipeg Art Gallery’s new The exhibit is monochrome. exhibit, Arctic Adaptations, is Fitting for describing a land that is receiving well-earned attention. The made up of white snow and black gallery’s director, Stephen Borys, water, the exhibit is comprised of continues to outdo himself in his black, white, and cool tones. The choice of exhibits, having recently WAG curators have succeeded in setbrought the Salvador Dalí exhibit ting a mood that is sparse and minito Winnipeg to great response, and mal, yet somehow inviting. The light the Greco-Roman exhibit currently that is present is strategically placed; being constructed is stopping in backlighting adds to the coolness. only two cities in North America – Light in general is a large component Winnipeg and Montreal. of the exhibit, presented in different Arctic Adaptations feels less like ways throughout. the work of a lone artist and more One side of the exhibit displays like a panoramic view of what the a variety of buildings found in the Arctic does, and will, look like. The Arctic. Soapstone carvings done majority of Canadians have not had to scale accompany photographs, the opportunity to travel as far north depicting the wide variety of strucas the Arctic, making it feel com- tures located in the North. Soapstone pletely removed from our attention not only represents the structures, it or concern. Arctic Adaptations is one physically connects the exhibit to the of the many efforts being made to land it represents. close the gap between the northern Past, present, and future are three and southern regions of the country. distinct spaces within the exhibit. The

past is illustrated on one wall, showing the beginnings of community all the way up to present day. There is also a diagram outlining when the North made contact with Europe, as well as when hospitals and schools were built and when specific communities began to take shape.

Past, present, and future are three distinct spaces The time needed to take in the information is well worth it; life in the Arctic has a deep and intricate history that cannot be dismissed while tackling the current issues.

Rich in information as it is, the design of the exhibit keeps it from feeling like an encyclopedia.

The present is illustrated around the contour of the room. Separate villages and communities are repre-

sented under moon-like pieces. To picturing the lives and activities that conceptualize what the village feels could happen there. Possibly the most like, visitors can look into a slot and satisfying model is the housing one, get, quite literally, a snapshot of the which includes a home cross-secarea. The photographs invite interac- tioned to show the rooms and stairs. tion, especially among younger visi- In another section, a string of the tors. The number of communities to same buildings is displayed along a see is another surprise. The Arctic is river, illustrating what a neighboursometimes thought of as a place of hood might look like. little variation, or of little action, but The exhibit is an excellent way to the opposite is true – a feeling that educate the city about what happens, resonates after visiting the exhibit. and can happen, in the Arctic. It is an Lastly, and most intriguing, is the introduction for students of all ages to future. Three dimensional models the complexity and dynamic nature illustrating what the future holds of the Arctic; a vastly important lesfor the Arctic in terms of education, son to teach to a generation that we recreation, housing, and arts populate hope will work towards resolutions. the middle of the exhibit. The mod- In addition, the beautiful minimalels are fascinating; they are entirely ism is worth a look for art and design white, providing a background for the lovers. video projections above them. The cameras shine tiny snowmobilers and Arctic Adaptations is on diswhales onto the models, bringing the play at the WAG until May vision to life.

3. Admission for students is $8.

The intricate details of houses, roads, and lakes have a way of inviting imagination to fill in the spaces, Photos by Alana Trachenko

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Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Lauren Siddall Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Cannes of commercial creativity

Misc. circles Local songwriter circle presents workshop at the WECC Ian T.D. Thomson, staff

WAG screens encore of world’s best commercials Ian T.D. Thomson, staff

photo by Matt Duboff

Photo provided by the Winnipeg Art Gallery

T

hirty-second commercials fracturing your favourite sitcom may not spark your imagination.

However, this does not mean aesthetically-driven commercials are completely absent from television.

In hopes to provide Winnipeggers with a taste of more pleasing and artistically astute advertisements, the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is presenting an encore screening of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on April 1, 2, and 4.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is the world’s leading advertisement awards event. Held in Cannes, France the festival is a global happening for those involved in creative communications. The festival winners are selected from over 35,000 advertisement entries across 94 countries.

The awards are presented in 16 different categories, ranging from radio advertisement to health and awareness advertisements (such as promotion of medical applications and devices). This provides a broad spectrum of innovative commercials, each with different messages presented from different cultures.

The WAG presented the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity commercials in December. Previously, the gallery has only screened the festival in the spring but due to an earlier availability, the WAG was able to screen the popular event twice.

Selections from the show include both obscure and recognizable advertisements. Advertisements such as “The Old Spice Guy” by American brand Old Spice and the “‘Sorry I Spent it on Myself ’ Gift Collection” by English department

store Harvey Nichols are screened at the event. Many of the commercials also deal with serious themes in the span of seconds, including Colgate’s “Close the Tap” commercial, presenting the importance of water conservation.

“Whether funny or serious, all the Cannes commercials start with an idea and work to creatively share that idea through visuals, words, and technology – and the WAG is the perfect venue to showcase these innovative works” – Tammy Sawatzky, WAG public relations co-ordinator

Winnipeggers with recognizable, yet innovative approaches to familiar concepts and creators. In September of last year, the gallery staged an exhibit, Dalí Up Close, on the Spanish surrealist. While most may be familiar to Dalí’s popular work such as “The Persistence of Memory,” the exhibit featured the artist’s later work, including many unearthed sketches and paintings.

The relationship between aesthetically-pleasing paintings like “Santiago El Grande” and straightto-the-punch marketing ploys may be seen as more of a stretch insofar as what constitutes “art.”

However, Sawatzky explained to the Manitoban the connection between screening the commercials and the WAG’s mandate to engage learning and inspiration through art.

“The festival believes creativity drives all things and the Winnipeg Art Gallery shares that belief,” said Sawatzky.

“Whether funny or serious, all the Cannes commercials start with an idea and work to creatively share that idea through visuals, words, and technology – and the WAG is the perfect venue to showcase these innovative works.”

The WAG presents the 2014 Cannes Lions International Festival “Many are very poignant and deal of Creativity on April 1, 2, and with serious subject matters such as 4. Tickets are $12 for WAG memwater conservation, drug abuse, and bers, seniors, and students and the ramifications of drunk driv- $14 for non-members. They are ing,” WAG public relations co- available at wag.ca and the WAG ordinator Tammy Sawatzky told (located at 300 Memorial Blvd). the Manitoban.

“You will definitely laugh but you might also be close to tears, too.”

The WAG continues to provide

S

ongwriting is not an easy process. Obtaining the necessary levels of musicality, rhythm, and sincerity in a song requires patience.

This often leads to tedious and frustrating trial and error. In hopes of alleviating part of the struggle of the musical process, the Manitoba Independent Songwriters Circle (MISC) will be putting on a songwriting workshop at the West End Cultural Centre (WECC) on May 5.

The Songwriters Circle was founded in 2001 and consists of budding songwriters who wish to improve their craft through interaction with like-minded peers.

Founding member and workshop facilitator Chris Freeman credits the circle with assisting his own writing.

“Before I started working with the circle, I wasn't writing that strongly. It's an indication of how the circle has helped me,” Freeman explained to the Manitoban.

Meeting the first Wednesday of every month, the circle is open to anyone who writes songs and is looking for constructive criticism.

Comments vary based on what is brought to the table by each songwriter.

“The meetings consist of everyone bringing a song and some lyrics, performing the song, and then getting feedback from the group about how to make it stronger, better,” said Freeman.

“Sometimes people give general comments and sometimes a person might ask for specific feedback on a certain area like melody, or lyrics, or structure.”

The songwriting circle partnered up with the WECC for the May 5 workshop. This is not the first time MISC has held sponsored workshops. Freeman cited workshops

where established songwriters such as James Keelaghan, Vance Gilbert, and Manitoba Hal have assisted in the learning process.

Freeman sees this songwriting workshop as another opportunity to gain greater insight for writers from their peers.

“The workshop we will be doing at the WECC this time is an idea I’ve had for a while. As a songwriter, I often find myself studying songs even when I am listening at parties, on the road, etc. and I learn a lot from paying attention to what others are doing in that way,” said Freeman.

“Also, as writers, sometimes we encounter writer’s block and we are trying to finish something but the ideas aren’t flowing.”

The workshop will be split into three parts. Writers will first have a chance to share one of their favourite songs with the group. After listening to the songs, the writers will have a chance to sit and work on a song idea or partially completed song. Finally, the songs created through the influence and ideas generated will be shared with the group.

“People can expect to learn some of the various approaches and techniques to writing a song from other songwriters, and as a group we will study the techniques used by various famous songwriters,” MISC board member Ian Chadsey told the Manitoban.

The songwriting workshop will take place on May 5 at the West End Cultural Centre from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Registration for the workshop is $20.00. To register, email Manitoba Independent Songwriters Circle at manitobasongcircle@gmail.com

VOL. 101 NO. 56 March 25, 2015

Arts & Culture

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Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Lauren Siddall Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Manitoban Art Competition

1st place Graphic Kelly Campbell

VOL. 101 NO. 56 March 25, 2015

1st place Photo

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Sponsored by:

Graham Wiebe

Honourable mentions

Mike Villeseche

Trevor Smith

Jon Denby

Arts & Culture

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

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Battling on

Manitoba product Travis Hamonic’s hockey success inspired by late father Andy Che, staff

N

ew York Islander Travis 2008. The Canadians returned home Hamonic is one of the fin- with a gold medal. est hockey players produced by Although Hamonic’s numbers Manitoba in recent years. Like many heading into his draft year seemed other NHLers, the St. Malo native less than spectacular (22 points in 61 took the junior route to professional games), his attraction for the puck hockey with a few conditioning stints combined with a raw physical edge along the way. highlighted his energetic two-way play.

However, not all is what it seems. On Draft Day 2008, the boy who had The 24-year-old may be a pillar on the fought for his father every time he hit blue line for the Islanders; however, the ice became NHL property. behind the dream of wearing an NHL A projected third round selection, uniform lies a 10-year old boy who the New York Islanders drafted the overcame an unforgettable nightmare. 75th-ranked prospect at the 54th Sept. 15, 2000 in the Hamonic position. household. Ten-year old Travis was By 2010, Hamonic had transawakened by his sister in the middle formed himself from a slightly underof the night, unaware of the commo- sized, offensive-shy defenceman into tion. Paramedics weare taking his one of the most dominant blue-liners father out of the house in a stretcher. in the WHL. Speaking to E60, Hamonic recalled Having been omitted from the the painful memory.

2009 Canadian World Junior squad, “I remember Hamonic’s second rushing out of my bid at a position on the team for room and at that 2010 proved sucpoint, my dad was Some NHLers getting stretched cessful. He was out. He couldn’t amongst a group play for the logo talk at that point, of Canada’s finest on their sweater; he just held out under the age of his hand and I 20, and fighting others play with remembered just a for a tournatheir heart on ment record-sixth grabbing it and they wheeled him consecutive gold their sleeve. For away. That was medal win. it, that’s the last Playing a shutTravis Hamonic, memory I have.” down role on that every night is a At only 44 years 2010 World Junior of age, Gerald team, Hamonic battle dedicated Hamonic died and the Canadians to his father of cardiac arrest, reached the semileaving behind final stage for the 12th consecutive a family of four year. In closing children. Still in elementary school at the time, Travis stages of their semifinal clash hostcould not comprehend the situation ing the Swiss, Hamonic was crushed and took refuge in the only way he into the boards, suffering a separated knew how: playing hockey. Hitting shoulder. the ice for two hours each day after He missed the thrilling gold school became his form of therapy. medal game, which the U.S. clinched By his mid-teens, Hamonic’s in overtime, ending Canada’s bid for excellence on the ice had caught the a sixth consecutive first-place finish. attention of junior scouts. In 2006, Hamonic returned to Moose Jaw he debuted in the Western Hockey with a silver medal. Despite the fact League for the Moose Jaw Warriors that the 19-year-old had his World at the age of 16. By his second season, Junior dreams shattered while wearHamonic had blossomed into one of ing the maple leaf on his jersey, there the CHL’s finest defensive packages. was a silver lining in the making, just His on-ice ability spoke volumes days after the 2010 gold medal game. beyond his years, so much so that On Jan. 10, 2010, the Moose Jaw Team Canada rewarded his excep- Warriors traded their point-per-game tional league play with a trip to the defenceman to the Brandon Wheat U18 IIHF World Championships in Kings in exchange for a prospect and

Graphic by Bram Keast

three draft picks. Hamonic was on on this team, and the team is really his way home. good. It’s great to have the chance to Speaking to contend, and obvithe Wheat Kings ously with us hostUnderneath media after the ing the Memorial trade, he was very Cup it’s a great the dream of enthusiastic about opportunity,” playing just hours Hamonic said. wearing an NHL away from the If Hamonic uniform lies a community where had any intenhe had developed tions of staying 10-year old boy from a boy into a in Manitoba for who overcame man. the long haul, his “ I t hou ght parent team New an unforgettable something would York Islanders nightmare happen, but you had other ideas. never know how it The very next seawill work out. But son he turned pro this is just one-and-a-half hours away with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in from my home—really, it’s as close the AHL. By November 2011, Travis to home as I could possibly play—so Hamonic had become a full-time that’s exciting. There are great guys NHLer.

From St. Malo, to Winnipeg, to Moose Jaw, and now wearing the colours of the New York Islanders, Hamonic has endured countless transitions over the course of his hockey career. But one thing has never changed. Every time the Canadian national anthem is played, Hamonic whispers a prayer for his fallen father.

Five years into the NHL, Hamonic is well on his way to assembling a successful professional career.

Night in and night out, the fans dressed in blue and orange appear to salute their beloved Islanders.

Some NHLers play for the logo on their sweater; others play with their heart on their sleeve. For Travis Hamonic, every night is a battle dedicated to his father.

VOL. 101 NO. 56 March 25, 2015

Sports

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The WHL and Winnipeg Could the ’Peg support a junior team?

Ryan Stelter, volunteer staff

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e all know that Winnipeg is Winnipeg Warriors were added as an a hockey-mad market. The expansion team but ultimately moved return of the Jets had the city in to Moose Jaw for the 1985-86 season. euphoria. The question is whether The Warriors were moved because Winnipeg could support two hockey of attendance issues. They had to teams. compete with the Jets. This is slightly There is no doubt in my mind that troublesome because it may very well it could be done. Every single city in happen again.

Canada that has an NHL team also The population of Winnipeg was has a junior team. hovering around 560,000 people at Edmonton, Calgar y, and that time and the city was clearly not ready to support Vancouver all have teams in the two teams.

“If there was to Western Hockey I think the League (WHL), mentality of the be relocation while Ottawa has Winnipeg market the 67s, who play has changed. The certainly from in the Ontario overwhelming an Eastern response when Hockey League.

Montreal also has the Jets held their Conference a team playing in a season ticket drive standpoint, our nearby suburb, in was incredible. the Quebec Major This city loves its first priority Junior Hockey hockey.

League.

Ta k e the would be Wit h the Regina Pats or Winnipeg” – move of the St. the Saskatoon John’s IceCaps to Blades as another Ron Robison, Winnipeg conexample. These commissioner, are two WHL firmed, the WHL teams in the d rea m might Western Hockey have to be put on larger cities of of the WHL, knows of Winnipeg’s League the back burner.

Saskatchewan, potential. He said during last year’s However, with an and as of last sea- WHL playoffs that, “If there was AHL team comson they were both to be relocation certainly from an ing back to Winnipeg, it could pro- getting 4,000-5,000 people at their Eastern Conference standpoint, our vide a good test to Mark Chipman games. first priority would be Winnipeg.” and True North on the response of Saskatoon only has a populaWinnipeg clearly has the backthe move. tion of around 250,000 people, and ing of the commissioner, so it really If Winnipeg can support both posting that kind of attendance is is a matter of time before we see a an AHL team and an NHL team, impressive. The SaskTel Centre in WHL team in Winnipeg. There were it would be a no-brainer to move a Saskatoon has a capacity of around rumours that True North Sports & WHL team to the ’Peg. 15,000 people, similar to the MTS Entertainment were in talks with The last time Winnipeg had a Centre in Winnipeg. purchasing the Kootenay Ice, but WHL team was in 1984, when the Ron Robison, the commissioner that deal fell through.

Graphic By Justin Ladia

The Lethbridge Hurricanes have of around 1,500 people—has reported made it clear that they are having financial losses in recent years. But financial worries. They have lost a the Broncos aren’t going anywhere; considerable amount of money in they reportedly still have some finanrecent years, and all attempts to cial stability, despite the losses. revamp that have been unsuccessful.

I believe we will see a junior team There is also Prince George, who come to Winnipeg in the near future. finished dead last in attendance last The return of the AHL will only help year, posting an average of around Winnipeg’s case if the city shows its 1,700 people. The Cougars have been ability to support two professional in the bottom five of the league in teams. that category since 2004-05.

Swift Current—the smallest market in the WHL, with a population

Bison Briefs

Football and women’s hockey Mike Still, staff

Football recruits

Ravens, demonstrating tremendous man Braiden Watson and defensive Pre-season football at IGF Sharman named CIS The University of Manitoba athleticism. back Brenden Cowan were added March 18 was a monumental day Rookie of the Year Bisons’ football program has been Offensively in 2014, West had to the mix. for Bison football. Along with the Alanna Sharman’s stellar rookie busy during the off-season, as usual. 350 yards rushing on 47 carries, to Watson, a Miles Macdonell commitments of Watson and Cowan, season continues to garner her recAfter announcing the commitment go with seven rushing touchdowns. grad, played the last three seasons Manitoba also announced the first ognition. On March 11, the Canada of six promising recruits in early He also hauled in 18 catches for 549 with the Winnipeg Rifles and was ever CIS pre-season football game West’s leading scorer was named CIS February, Manitoba was back at it yards, which equates to a whop- named both a PFC All-Star and at Investors Group Field. women’s hockey Rookie of the Year. again, signing three more talented ping 30.5 yard average per reception. CJFL All-Canadian this past year.

On Saturday, Aug. 22, Manitoba Sharman became just the second athletes over the past month.

Defensively, he added 27 tackles at The six-foot-three, 275 pound line- will welcome the Guelph Gryphons Bison in the program’s history to win First off was Mike West, a ver- the end position. man also attended the Winnipeg Blue of the OUA to town. Guelph had a the award, with Caitlin MacDonald satile defensive end out of New For his efforts, West was named Bombers rookie camp in 2014. strong 2014 campaign, finishing as being the only other in 2009-10.

Westminster, B.C., who committed 2014 B.C. High School Triple A Cowan, a Plumas, Manitoba OUA finalists, before falling 20-14 Sharman’s 40 points in 28 conferto the herd on Feb. 22.

Player of the Year. He was also a native, played for Neepawa in the to the McMaster Marauders in the ence regular season games placed her West attended Terry Fox High member of the Ravens’ championship Rural Manitoba High School Yates Cup. at the top of the conference and gave School, a Triple A program in squad in Grade 10, and received the Football League. The six-foot-three, The Bisons haven’t played a non- her the honour of being just the third Port Coquitlam, B.C., ranked one MVP award when Terry Fox High 197 pounder was all over the field, Canada West opponent in the pre- rookie in the Canada West’s 18-year of the top 50 high school football reached the finals yet again the next spending time at the quarterback, season since the 1990s. Prior to the history to win the scoring title. programs in the nation by Canada year. receiver, and defensive back positions. upcoming matchup, Manitoba had Football Chat. The six-foot-four, On March 18, two more local This past year, Cowan had over faced Guelph twice in the pre-season 215-pound senior played all six skill standouts announced their commit- 1,700 all-purpose yards, and totalled – in 1991 and 1973. positions during his time with the ment to the Bisons. Offensive line- 18 touchdowns.