26 November 2014

MANITOBAN the

THE OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA STUDENTS’ NEWSPAPER

Growing better with age The Great Late Salvador Dalí Page 15

Down to the wire Bisons' season ends in Montreal Page 19

Keep the doctor away Merging medicinal terminology and art Page 14

Vo l 1 0 1 · N o 4 4 · N ov e m b e r 2 6 , 2 0 1 4 · w w w.t h e m a n i to b a n .co m

Index

2

VOL. 101 NO. 44 November 26, 2014

Editor-in-Chief vacant

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 Craig Adolphe

news@themanitoban.com/ 474.6770

Comment Editor Tom Ingram

comment@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Managing Editor Fraser Nelund

me@themanitoban.com / 474.6520

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

copy@themanitoban.com/ 474.6520

News

Comment

Losing interest on loans

Marshall McLuhan

Manitoba student loan interest eliminated

An appreciation of the Manitoban's most distinguished alumnus

page 5

page 9

Design

Design Editor Bradly Wohlgemuth

design@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

Graphics Editor Bram Keast

graphics@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

Photo Editor Carolyne Kroeker

photo@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

design associate Scott Ford

scott@themanitoban.com

graphics associate Evan Tremblay

evan@themanitoban.com

Reporters

News Philma Scheepers News Ethan Cabel Science Jeremiah Yarmie arts & culture Ian T.D. Thomson arts & culture vacant Sports David Grad Assistant copy editor Kristy Hourd

Volunteer Contributors

Science

Arts & Culture

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

Mynarski memorialized

U of M students bring home silver and bronze at the 2014 HuroCup competition

Hometown hero receives monument

page 11

page 13

Sports

Rafael De Abreau Caroline Norman Josh Labossiere Will Gibson Charles Johnston Andy Che

Shawn Coates

MANITOBAN 105 UN IVERSITY CENTRE U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A N I TO B A WINNIPEG, MB R3T 2N2

General Inquiries & Advertising Phone: (204) 474.6535 Fax: (204) 474.7651 Email: manitoban@themanitoban.com Free Media Campus Plus Media Services Phone: 1.780.421.1000 Email: advertise@free-media.ca

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #589160

Getting a little action in Volleyball finishes strong against Thompson Rivers page 18

Design Design Editor: Bradly Wohlgemuth Contact: design@themanitoban.com / 474.6775 Graphics Editor: Bram Keast Contact: graphics@themanitoban.com / 474.6775 Photo Editor: Carolyne Kroeker Contact: photo@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

A “volunteer staff” member is defined as a person who has had three volunteer articles, photographs, or pieces of art of reasonable length and/or substance published in three different issues of the current publishing year of the Manitoban. Any individual who qualifies must be voted in by a majority vote at a Manitoban staff meeting. Elected representatives and non-students may be excluded from holding votes as volunteer staff members in accordance with the Manitoban Constitution.

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

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

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

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

All contents are ©2014 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Editor-in-Chief.

Yearly subscriptions to the Manitoban are available for $40.

3

News

Senior News Editor: Dana Hatherly News Editor: Craig Adolphe Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Politicians, faculty members respond to U of M budget cuts Faculty association says University of Manitoba has its priorities confused Ethan Cabel, staff

T

he recent announcement that challenges and we would hope that the University of Manitoba is the university would do the same.” preparing for budget cuts has generWayne Ewasko, education critic ated controversy including critical for the Progressive Conservative reaction from students and faculty Party of Manitoba, argued that steep at the U of M. budget cuts at the U of M are a prodAccording to U of M president uct of distrust between the NDP govDavid Barnard, both academic and ernment and Manitoba universities. non-academic units are being asked “You can promise the moon, but to prepare for average budget cuts of if you don’t have the funds to back four per cent this year and four per it up, then what ends up happening? cent next year.

You end up having broken promises,” The cuts were outlined to faculty Ewasko said, referring to the NDP and staff as part of the university’s government’s 2011 vow to increase strategic resource allocation process the annual operating grant by five which marks the beginning of annual per cent a year for three years, which budget consultation at the U of M. the government reneged on in 2013.

According to Barnard, the cuts may Ewasko cited the U of M Front be necessary given the difficult finan- and Centre campaign, which seeks cial situation the university faces. to raise $500 million in private “We don’t yet know what the pro- donations for the university, as an vincial grant will be, but whatever it example of how provincial costs can is we need to be ready to respond to be offloaded onto post-secondary institutions. it,” Barnard told the Manitoban.

The annual provincial operating “Whether it’s post-secondary grant for Manitoba universities has institutions; whether it’s municipal appeal for us all to get together and increased by 2.5 per cent each year for governments; whether it’s taxpay- decide how we are going to cut our the last two years. ers; they’re starting to figure out that own throats, or whose throats are Barnard argued that another 2.5 they’re being downloaded on and so going to be cut,” Kucera said, referper cent increase in the grant is insuf- in order to get certain things done ring to Barnard’s statement. ficient compensation for Manitoba they’re going to have to start doing “The campus is quite energized on having the third lowest tuition fees it themselves,” Ewasko said. this issue and I think Barnard stirred in the country. Provincial legislaup a hornet’s nest.” tion passed in 2011 capped tuition in Faculty tensions re-emerge The University of Manitoba Manitoba at the rate of inflation.

Just over a year after the University Faculty Association has conducted “If [tuition fees] moved up to be of Manitoba Faculty Association an analysis of the U of M operating comparable to fees at other univer- (UMFA) nearly went on strike over budget for several years. After last sities it would mean a substantial academic freedom issues, some fac- year’s round of collective bargaining, increase in revenues for the univer- ulty members have become concerned UMFA concluded that faculties and sity,” Barnard said. about deteriorating working condi- academic departments were seeing tions in lieu of the proposed budget limited growth compared to adminProvincial government, istration at the U of M. cuts. opposition respond According to UMFA’s 2014 According to UMFA president According to Peter Bjornson, Thomas Kucera, faculty members are summer newsletter, which tracked Manitoba’s new minister of education animated around the issue. budget growth between 2009 and and advanced learning, the provincial Some faculty members will be 2013, the budget for the office of the government is not going to change attending a public student-led “Stop vice-president academic at the U of its tuition policy as long as the New the Cuts” assembly on Nov. 26 orga- M increased from $18.5 million in Democratic Party (NDP) is in power. nized by U of M students. The event 2009 to $25.8 million in 2013 – a 39.5 “We want to make sure that we will be held in conjunction with the per cent increase. During the same have an affordable, accessible post- Canadian Federation of Students- period, the science faculty budget secondary system in the province,” Manitoba, to “stop significant budget went from $27.1 million in 2009 to Bjornson said. cuts at the University of Manitoba $29.9 million in 2013 – a 10.3 per cent “You can expect our policy [on that could result in class cancellations, increase. “The increase to all facultuition] to be consistent.” layoffs, program mergers or closures”; ties in the same period went from Although Bjornson would not and a “general deterioration of aca- $260.4 million to $311.0 million” – an disclose how much the provincial demic options and quality.” increase of 19.4 per cent. operating grant for universities may The highest increase went to the Much of the faculty opposition or may not increase next year, he comes in response to a statement office of the vice-president external, argued the NDP has provided gen- released about the cuts by Barnard which saw its budget go from $5.6 erous funding for universities in the on Nov. 14. million in 2009 to $11 million in midst of an economic downturn.

“We want to weigh carefully and 2013 – a 96.4 per cent increase. The “We were still in the throes of a understand the impact of reductions vice-president external is responsible global economic downturn when in different units in order to make for marketing and communications, we brought in a 2.5 per cent increase spending cuts,” stated Barnard. alumni, and donor relations. in funding,” Bjornson said, adding According to Kucera, this budget “These decisions will be made that he hopes the university can avoid through consideration of unit and disparity is the real culprit when it steep budget cuts just as the provin- faculty plans and priorities [ . . . ] comes to any funding crunch expecial government has avoided austerity It’s important for people in both rienced by the U of M. measures.

“They have been transferring academic and support units to get “As government, we have our own involved in the process and provide money from academics to adminischallenges in terms of how we deliver their best ideas from their knowledge trative things,” Kucera said. our services, and we’re working very and experience with different areas of “It’s really a problem of allocation hard to ensure we can provide the best the university.” of money and if more resources were possible services with our economic “I didn’t really appreciate the being allocated to academics, the cuts

graphic by Carolyne Kroeker, staff

might not be necessary or they might not necessarily be so severe.”

Cameron Morrill, an associate professor of accounting at the U of M, has conducted extensive research on the financial reporting practices of Canadian universities.

Morrill said.

“The university has always argued that the government does not give them enough capital money for their needs [ . . . ] so a certain amount of money has to come from the operating fund,” he said, adding that the university ends up using operating surpluses to cover cost overruns on expensive capital projects.

“As government, Morrill added that increases in we have our own the budget for marketing and communications at the U of M have also challenges in terms contributed to the university’s finanof how we deliver cial woes.

“I think we end up spending a fair our services, and bit of money on advertising for what is, really, a fixed number of students we’re working very and a fixed amount of donor dollars,” hard to ensure we he said.

“At the end of the day, I think what can provide the best happens is you end up with the same possible services number of students as there would have been before, you end up with with our economic maybe the same amount of donor dolchallenges and we lars as there would have been before, but you’ve thrown a whole bunch of would hope that the money away on big billboards and advertisements.” university would do In response, Barnard argued that the same” – Peter the U of M actively attempts to balance academic and administrative Bjornson, minister expenditures in line with what can of education and be seen at other universities.

“It’d be like saying we’re going to advanced learning buy clothes but we’re not going to buy food for a while, or we’re going to buy In a series of articles published in less food,” Barnard said.

“You might decide to squeeze part the UMFA newsletter in the winter of 2010, Morrill described how sur- of your budget at some point, but plus funds from the U of M operat- eventually you have to keep the size ing budget were consistently spent of the different components of your on capital assets or allocated to spe- budget in balance.” cific provisions, such as equipment replacement or unit-specific projects.

By transferring operating surpluses into other areas, the U of M created a funding problem that did not actually exist within the purview of normal operating expenditures,

4

News

Senior News Editor: Dana Hatherly News Editor: Craig Adolphe Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Outrage ignites over 43 missing students Corruption and endemic violence fuel the fire in Mexico Rafael de Abreu; Dana Hatherly, staff

S

tudents backed with strong popular support have been leading major mobilizations in recent years in Mexico. The most recent uprisings—fuelled by government corruption and endemic violence in Mexico—follow the disappearance of 43 students.

The students from the rural teachers’ vocational school of Ayotzinapa, about 100-km away from Iguala, were reportedly massacred during a visit to Iguala to protest education reforms and raise funds.

On Sept. 26, local police of Iguala, with the help of drug traffickers that controlled the region, took control of buses carrying the student teachers, known as normalistas.

The government crackdown has left six people dead, about 17 seriously injured, and 43 missing.

Last Thursday, on the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution, protesters took to the streets. Marching in solidarity with the missing Ayotzinapa students were students, indigenous community members, business people, workers, and others who have been demonstrating their concerns about the state of justice and rule of law in Mexico.

This past Saturday, sources from CNN reported that the head local police official was arrested in connection with the disappearance.

Authorities said that César Nava González, the former deputy director of the police department in the town of Cocula—near Iguala—was allegedly involved with the round-up and handover by local authorities in relation to the 43 missing students.

The Iguala mayor at the time of the incident, José Luis Abarca Velázquez, has been held as the “probable mastermind” in the disappearance, according to CNN reports.

Authorities reported that Abarca was charged with “six counts of aggravated homicide and one count of attempted homicide.”

In total, various sources stated at least 75 people have been arrested in connection with the 43 missing and 6 dead students.

Corruption, collusion

The mayor of Iguala, Abarca, and his wife, María de los Ángeles Pineda Villa, are accused of having links with the Guerreros Unidos group, who economically and politically control the region surrounding the city of about 130,000 inhabitants.

The group produces opium paste destined for the United States market.

Federal officials have announced that the takeover of the region has relieved the local police forces of their public security duties.

On Sept. 26—the day that the normalistas arrived in Iguala prior to their disappearance—there was an event organized by Pineda.

The normalistas had a long-term

dispute with former mayor Abarca In the past decade, more than and there were suspicions that the 100,000 people have been killed and students would interrupt. Once 27,000 have disappeared in Mexico.

Abarca and Pineda learned that the The violent Sept. 26 episode students were in the city, they com- occurred at a time when Mexico manded the police chief to deal with was already under the international them. spotlight following the murder of 22 The students attempted to leave civilians on June 30—allegedly drug Iguala by bus, commandeering three dealers—by soldiers in Tlatlaya, next to the state of Guerrero. from a local company.

The police tried to halt the buses with a blockade, which reportedly failed.

“These killings Local police, with reinforcements and forced from traffickers, brutally attacked the normalistas, according to multiple disappearances sources. Three students were left dead at the scene, one of them was recov- reflect a much ered with a skinned face and eyes broader pattern of gouged out – mutilations indicative of trafficker involvement. abuse and are largely

Incident not in isolation

Guerrero ranked first for the highest murder rates in 2012, tied with the bordering state of Chihuahua.

According to World Bank data from 2010, in rural areas of Mexico, 61 per cent of people lived below the national rural poverty line, over 15 million out of a rural population of about 25 million. Guerrero faces extreme poverty and violence, with systemic ties between politicians, the state, and organized crime groups.

This is not an isolated incident, according to Daniel Wilkinson, managing director at Human Rights Watch (HRW).

This case is not the first time that police have been accused of attacking normalistas. In December 2011, two students were killed and the case remains unresolved, although accusations pointed to the local police.

Furthermore, rural vocational schools—representing an autonomous power, apart from the government and organized drug groups—have suffered several attacks against them over the last few decades.

These schools typically follow the line of revolutionary Marxism and socialist ideology. Created during the Mexican Revolution of 1910, these establishments seek to form rural teachers who are public, free, and will work with select children and families surviving in the most destitute areas of Mexico. Students are trained to become teachers under these major schools of this framework throughout rural southern Mexico.

Many of the 43 disappeared Ayotzinapa teachers’ college students were from rural indigenous communities.

Wilkinson said that there were many other documented cases of disappearances in Mexico during an interview report. One HRW report issued that out of 250 disappearances, 149 were found to be forced disappearances in various regions of the country that involved agents of the state.

Prior to the major discovery of a in a fire built with wood and tires. mass grave site 10 miles away from The fire burned for hours, extending the last place the students were wit- until the next day. In the end, the nessed, the investigation uncovered bodies were broken down and placed 11 clandestine graves containing 38 in trash bags. sets of human remains in the area According to various media outlets, surrounding Iguala. However, the the prosecutor said that body bags evidence thus far suggests that the were found and the remains were bodies there are not those of the miss- being analyzed. Sources reported ing students. up to six bags found. Authorities Various sources reported that stated it had not been possible to permembers of the Guerreros Unidos form DNA testing on the remains, who remained in custody led the meaning that the case is not closed. investigators to another nearby site on Murillo said that due to the extent of Oct. 27 that they claimed contained incineration and the limited recovery the remains of the missing students. of physical remains, the charred eviThe missing students’ relatives dence would be difficult to identify. were told that authorities were led to A team of Argentine forensic six bags of human remains in the area experts were on the scene, reporting where students reportedly vanished. that none of the remains matched the The relatives remain skeptical of the 43 students’ identifications. evidence and have been critical about On Nov. 14, the United Nations the consequence the entire process.

Human Rights Office (OHCHR) The findings are under continued cautioned against jumping to concluof the longstanding investigation. sions about the “complex and ongofailure of Mexican One report from HRW states that ing” investigation into the 43 missing Mexico should ensure that the inves- students. authorities to tigation is “impartial and effective, The OHCHR spokesperson, address the problem” and properly considers evidence of Rupert Colville, said staff from wrongful state action.” the Mexico Human Rights Office – José Miguel deployed to visit the graves and landOutrage for evidence fill sites, emphasizing the importance Vivanco, director at On Nov. 7 at a news conference, of waiting for complete forensic analHuman Rights Watch the attorney general, Jesús Murillo ysis from independent experts as a Karam, who is responsible for lead- better means of determination. ing the investigation, said the stuThe United Nations commisEight were arrested in relation to dents were captured by the municipal sioner for human rights, Zeid Ra’ad that case after a UN report said that police of Iguala and delivered to the Al Hussein, and the deputy foreign it is necessary “to carry out a prompt Guerrero Unidos group. minister for multilateral affairs and and independent investigation into Murillo responded to questions human rights, Juan Manuel Gomez these deaths.” on the case for about an hour before Robeldo, had a serious discussion In the week following the attack in making the remark, “Ya me canse,” last week about the importance Tlatlaya, a demonstration took place or “Enough, I’m tired.” of discovering the truth. Colville in Mexico City in honour of another The prosecutor’s Spanish remarks noted that “there are deep concerns student massacre at Tlatelolco in 1968. became the rallying call at the origi- about the case both nationally and There remains no consensus about the nally peaceful marches in Mexico internationally.” number of students who died dur- City. The protests turned violent at Outrage has sparked over stateing the Tlatelolco episode. Various the National Palace on Nov. 8. backed violence, with the protesters sources report up to a few hundred In response to the statements of claiming that the acts have become dead. the prosecutor, students have set increasingly radicalized. The past According to militant sources in fire to police cars in various parts of couple of months of searching in Mexico, the buses taken by normalis- the country, broken the windows of Mexico have uncovered clandestine tas on Sept. 26 were intended to serve government building, and tried to graves in the context of nearly 22,000 to bring them to this demonstration. enter the National Palace in Mexico missing people.

One week after the 43 students City by breaking down the door.

“These are the worst atrocities disappeared, mass grave sites were Their attention turned to Mexico’s we’ve seen in Mexico in years, but discovered containing 28 bodies that President Enrique Peña Nieto. they are hardly isolated incidents,” were removed and identified. Based The walls of the palace were tagged said José Miguel Vivanco, director on DNA analysis done by forensic using graffiti with the phrase“nós os at HRW. scientists, the former governor of queremos vivos”—translated to“we “Instead, these killings and forced Guerrero, Ángel Aguirre, said that want to live”—in reference to the 43 disappearances reflect a much broader the bodies did match those of the students. pattern of abuse and are largely the missing students.

Based on recorded testimony, vari- consequence of the longstanding failSince Aguirre’s announcement, ous sources report that at least two ure of Mexican authorities to address mobilizations escalated. Aguirre has or more members of the Guerrero the problem.” since stepped down from his position. Unidos group admitted that the On Nov. 22 during a press conIn the first weeks following the police handed off the students to ference, CNN reported, Mexico’s disappearance of the 43 students, their group. The group reportedly president, speaking of the protests, the former governor had his house transported the missing students to “condemned the violence, but said the attacked by Molotov cocktails. a landfill in dump trucks, killed them, demands were legitimite.”

Later the government palace of and disposed of their remains near “Society rightly is tired of feeling Chilpancingo, capital of Guerrero, the town of Cocula. violated; is tired of imputiny and was torched by protesters who About 15 students died on the way crimes,” said Peña Nieto. demanded evidence about what hap- to the landfill site due to asphyxiation. pened to the students after the police Others were shot dead before all of clash near Iguala. the detained bodies were incinerated

VOL. 101 NO. 44 November 26, 2014

News

5

Manitoba government vows to eliminate interest on student loans Last week’s throne speech offered students relief Philma Scheepers, staff

ast Thursday the reigning pro- The process of elimination vincial New Democratic Party Earlier this year, students and sup(NDP) government announced that porters of the Education for All camthe government would move to elimi- paign, spearheaded by the Canadian nate interest rates on all provincial Federation of Students-Manitoba government-issued post-secondary (CFS-MB), lobbied the provincial student loans. government to eliminate interest rates The throne speech signalled the on student loans.

Students at the U of M, University opening of a new legislative session, assessing policies of the previous of Winnipeg, Brandon University, decade as a period of transition from and Université de Saint-Boniface “cuts and underfunding to invest- raised concerns about student debt, ment” for the future and defining calling on members of the provincial the provincial caucus’s obligations government to eliminate student loan interest rates. to students at every level.

Over 6,000 postcards were signed In particular, students across the province celebrated the government’s by students in support of the camannouncement of the elimination of paign, including thousands collected from U of M students. In April, interest on student loans.

Premier Greg Selinger, said in participating students and student an official announcement released leaders met with and delivered the on Monday, about the changes to postcards to the former minister of Manitoba financial student aid: “Our education and advanced learning, Peter Bjornson (middle) with student leaders from UWSA and CFS-MB government is continuing to ensure James Allum.

“Last winter we launched—on for me, and I’m working a couple of recent political move to eliminate that post-secondary education in Manitoba is accessible, affordable, the University of Winnipeg cam- jobs and going to school so to hear interest rates. and of a high quality by helping pus—the Education for All cam- [about the interest rates] is a bit of a Student movement students keep more money in their paign, where we were able to get relief off my shoulders.” over 1,000 of our students to sign Peter Bjornson, the new minister movers claim victory pocket.”

“This was the product of an initia“Any student with Manitoba stu- postcards calling on the government of education and advanced learning, dent loans that they are currently pay- to eliminate the provincial portion said that the government would not tive—42,000 students strong—many ing off, or any outstanding student of interest rates on student loans,” confirm the cost to them until it final- of whom played a part, large or small, in making this a reality,” said Veitch, loans, are going to have the interest said Peyton Veitch, UWSA vice- izes its budget in the spring.

The premier projected the cost at who said he believed this victory portion of that removed, so mov- president advocate.

Interest rates on Manitoba stu- about $1 million per year, according really underscores what is possible ing forward no student is going to when students in Manitoba come pay interest on their student loans,” dent loans are set at prime rate, which to Mcleod Arnould.

University of Winnipeg Students’ works out to about three per cent.

As for when the elimination of together.

Hannah James, one of the core Association (UWSA) president, Rorie Veitch told the Manitoban that this student loan interest rates will be Mcleod Arnould told the Manitoban. change is estimated to save students implemented, Bjornson told the organizers of the Education for Manitoban that this would also be All campaign last year and a third“It’s going to be putting money in total just over $1.3 million.

“Especially with being an inde- worked out later in the year. Bjornson year family social sciences student, back into the pockets of recent graduates, who are trying to start families, pendent and having to pay rent, pay is “looking forward to having those is thrilled about the government’s decision. trying to start businesses, and trying for car insurance, pay for your own details released to the public.”

“It’s a huge step in the right direc“Thank you so much to all the to form the backbone of our economy.” personal matters on top of school “I’m so excited,” said Alexandria and tuition, it ends up being so much students who put in such hard work tion for accessible and affordable postLevandoski, a first-year nursing stu- money and this is such a big deal for representing all of us because it has secondary education in Manitoba,” dent at the University of Manitoba. me,” Levandoski said. definitely made a difference and she said.

“I still have debt from the first cou- it will make a difference for stuJames told the Manitoban she is “It’s a step in the right direction, and it will be such a great relief for students ple of years [of university],” she con- dents in the years to come,” said surprised that the decision was not tinued. “Money is always a struggle Levandoski in response to the made sooner. across Manitoba.”

L

photo by Dana Hatherly, staff

“We also lobbied with the Liberals and they were already pledging to eliminate interest rates on student loans in order to try and gain the student vote.”

James said that this should have provided even more incentive for Selinger’s government to step up to the issue much sooner than it did.

“Based on the political environment right now I think it’s important for students to be supported by our government,” said James.

Christian Pierce, UMSU vicepresident external, said that UMSU is “pleased with the new initiatives announced in the throne speech which included eliminating interest rates on student loans.”

Canadian Federation of StudentsManitoba chairperson Zach Fleisher said that CFS-MB will be working with the department of education over the next year to finalize the elimination process.

6

News

Senior News Editor: Dana Hatherly News Editor: Craig Adolphe Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

UMSU hosts semi-annual general meeting Bannatyne event sees low turnout, U-parking pass motion Craig Adolphe, staff

T

he University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) hosted its semi-annual general meeting at the university’s Bannatyne campus last week.

The event took place Nov. 17 over lunch at the Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library.

The University of Manitoba Students’ Union is obligated to host two general meetings a year during the regular school session, one of which has to take place on the Bannatyne campus.

Items on the agenda included reports from the executive and standing UMSU committees, a question period, and presentation of motions submitted by UMSU members.

Rebecca Kunzman, UMSU vice-president advocacy, said the event went well but that only one student—Thomas Hall, UMSU councillor for the Manitoba Medical Students’ Association— was in attendance.

“Typically we don’t get a huge turnout for the Bannatyne AGM. It’s to do with a number of reasons.

Obviously, with very different schedules for each of the different programs that are operating at Bannatyne, it’s difficult to coordinate a time that works for all students’ schedules,” said Kunzman.

“Something we talked about after the meeting is really re-evaluating the way the Bannatyne AGM is done. Certainly, we want to connect with the Bannatyne campus and we feel that it’s really integral and important that we do so.

However, [we’re] just making sure the way we do so is actually effective and efficient.”

The one motion included on the

agenda, titled “U-Parking Pass,” was submitted by U of M student Matthew Granger.

It read: “Whereas students have complained of the high parking pass prices; be it resolved that UMSU support a U-parking pass, a parking pass for those that are able to purchase a parking pass, where parking pass payment is submitted by all University of Manitoba undergraduate students in the universe, starting with a minimum value of $260 per parking pass per year and to be increased as inflation dictates.”

When asked if the motion was intended to be a joke, Kunzman said that the executive was unsure.

Granger was not in attendance to speak on behalf of the motion.

“It wasn’t seconded so it wasn’t put up for debate or discussion,” said Kunzman.

Quorum, the minimum amount of people required for an organization to conduct official business, is set at 200 members for UMSU general meetings. Motions can still be passed if quorum is not met but they will only be considered as advice to council, who have no obligation to heed it.

If quorum is met, passage of a motion at a general meeting becomes UMSU policy the day after the next UMSU Council meeting. The council can rescind or amend any motion passed at a general meeting with a two-thirds majority vote.

Alternatively, if they meet quorum, members at a general meeting can rescind any motion of the council currently in office with a two-thirds majority vote.

Bjornson excited to work with students New education minister discusses his role and the future of post-secondary education in Manitoba Philma Scheepers, staff; with files from Ethan Cabel, staff and Dana Hatherly, staff

P

eter Bjornson, the newly ing academic and technical skills; NDP government will continue to appointed minister of educa- endorsing more distance education work with students to build a posttion and advanced learning, has and online courses; and launching a secondary system defined by “qualformally begun to take on the new Credit Transfer Portal to ease ity, affordability, and accessibility.” responsibilities of his new position. the credit transfer process across As for tuition levels, Bjornson Bjornson landed in his new posi- programs and institutions. stated that the province should tion following a difficult month for Manitoba’s government also expect the government’s policy to the Manitoba NDP, which saw the stated an intent to introduce more remain consistent in terms of freezresignation of five former cabinet industry representatives in the ing university tuition fees at the rate ministers who questioned Premier classroom and to collaborate with of inflation.

Greg Selinger’s leadership.

Aboriginal Peoples and promote Bjornson also told the “I am excited to have the oppor- indigenous educational opportuni- Manitoban that the government tunity to help implement our plan ties, such as a proposal to work with would continue to work alongside to improve the quality of education the U of M for a master of social universities in order to come up in Manitoba, help young people work in indigenous knowledge. with some possible solutions to get good jobs, and keep education The province’s emphasis on the problem of underfunding and affordable for parents and students,” training and education is aimed at the university-wide budget cuts at Bjornson told the Manitoban. helping young people build their the U of M. Although he has only held the lives here in Manitoba by ensuring “Our focus has been to continue position of minister of education good jobs through learning oppor- investing in our colleges and uniand advanced learning for a few tunities. The province’s outlook on versities and to bring in measures weeks, Bjornson faces a number of education for the new economy to ensure that university remains issues, including looming budget involves investment in education affordable and accessible,” said cuts at the University of Manitoba. as its cornerstone, with an empha- Bjornson.

The elimination of interest rates sis on accessible, affordable postChristian Pierce, UMSU viceon student loans was announced secondary education. president external, said that the during last Wednesday’s throne Bjornson told the Manitoban union had not yet had an opportuspeech. that the NDP’s approach to nity to meet with the new minister Along with the elimination of ensuring student success is far and promised to continue to lobby interest on student loans, the NDP different than that of the leader for increased funding for post-secvowed to create new educational of the opposition, the Progressive ondary education and greater access opportunities for the emerging Conservatives’ Brian Pallister. for everyone. workforce and economy by combinAccording to Bjornson, the

7

For the students

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

Make your mark by contributing to the Manitoban Carlyn Schellenberg, staff

T

he story’s not unique: you’ve been told by your teacher or professor that you’re a “good writer.” You want to hone your writing skills beyond the academic realm but don’t know where to start.

The Manitoban exists for that purpose.

When I was enrolled at the University of Manitoba as an English major, I was interested in journalism and fiction writing – and therefore the Manitoban. But out of shyness, and because I didn’t know much about getting involved, I didn’t bother. It wasn’t until heading into the last year of my degree that I felt confident enough, after seeing a job posting, to take the plunge and apply to join the team.

I’ve heard similar stories from other staff members about being interested in writing for the Manitoban but not feeling confident this and your story sounds like mine, enough to reach out. come and see us! Visit our office at I’m here to tell you that you don’t 105 University Centre, email editor@ need to wait until you’re further along themanitoban.com to express your in your degree to contribute. I recom- interest, or email a section editor mend getting involved with the paper to tell them your article idea. The in your early years of university so Manitoban team can help you figure you can develop and use your skills out a topic to write about, assist with as much as possible. structure and content, and work on One of the Manitoban’s main pur- revisions. poses is to help students gain jourEven if you’re not a student, nalism experience. If you’re reading the Manitoban welcomes anyone’s

graphic by Bram Keast, staff

submissions.

Whether you want to cover a Bison football game, complain about campus politics, or review your favourite local band’s latest album, there is something for you to write about.

There are many benefits to contributing to the Manitoban – whether through writing, or producing graphics or photos. Gain the important title of “volunteer staff” – someone who has had three volunteer contributions

published in three separate issues of a better writer and editor, expanded the Manitoban. Having published my vocabulary, written on a variety of work to your name looks great on a topics for different sections, and, most résumé, and helps you gain writing importantly, am part of a great team skills and journalism experience. made up of wonderful and ambitious If you’re interested in editing and people. My experience working and proofreading, the Manitoban also writing for the Manitoban has also welcomes volunteer copy editors. led me to gain publishing credits Email me at copy@themanitoban. for other magazines and helped me com to get involved! attain an internship and job in the In May, the Manitoban typically publishing industry. hires all editor positions, other than In the Manitoban office, I’ve the Editor-in-Chief—Managing, witnessed investigative documents Copy, Senior News, News, Arts being shredded and interviewees’ & Cu lt u re , obfuscation, Sports, Science, watched One of the Comment, excitedly as a Design, campus story Manitoban’s main Graphics, and developed purposes is to Photo. The assoon a late ciate positions— night, and help students gain Assistant Copy, spent countGraphics, less hours journalism experience.

Design; and working, So, if you’re reading News, Arts & conversing, Culture, Sports, and laughthis and the above and Science ing w it h account sounds fellow staff reporters—are usually filled in members. similar to yours, visit the fall. If these The are positions Manitoban our office at 105 you’re interjust turned University Centre, ested in or want 100 years old to learn more this month, email editor@ about, send us and many themanitoban.com to an email, visit, staff memor give us a call bers and conexpress your interest, (204-474-6535). tributors over or email a section Even though the years these applicahave gone editor to tell them tions are months on to excel away, inquire in journalyour article idea now, or start ism and in volunteering to life. National get your foot in the door.

Post columnist Andrew Coyne and Maybe you want to get involved Canadian philosopher Marshall in another way – you have an issue or McLuhan are just a few of the story you think the Manitoban should many successful Canadians who be covering, or are not satisfied with got their start by contributing to an aspect of the paper. Contact us! the Manitoban; even Mayor Brian The benefits of a student paper can- Bowman wrote for the Manitoban, not be stressed enough. Throughout back in the day. Come and join the my time at the Manitoban I have ranks. learned the ins and outs of publishing and student journalism, to think critically, how to interview people, and Canadian Press style. I have become

9

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

Morticians and cosmeticians Marshall McLuhan, staff

T

oday when we lift up our eyes burial because it has always been to the signboards whence the most optimistic of all burials. cometh our help we are apt to find But simplicity does not mean big “help” in the most unexpected forms. profits, and it has gradually given The middle-aged are reassured by way to pagan pomp. the Kruschen people and others After attending a modern that physical decline is a myth funeral one unconsciously begins and a superstition which has been to hum the song: “Look at the tombstone, bloomin’ uprooted by science. [Kruschen was a brand of saline miracle cure old knobs on— snake-oil – TI] As likely as not, a Oh, ain’t it grand to be bloomin’ real estate firm has an ad beside well dead?” this one displaying the exuberant And then one is reminded of grass, the redolent blooms and the the story of Pat, who operated the soughing trees of “Lullhaven.” But steamshovel in the crematorium. what is carefully made to look like But unfortunately it cannot be a summer resort for tired people repeated.

It is not necessary to point out is in reality a cemetery. It is rather strongly suggested that after a that just as people have lost faith in few weeks in this delightful spot the love of life, they have painted residents will again develop that death in their own image. The most Kruschen feeling so indispensable elaborate and cruel of all burito the beauty and dignity of aged als was devised by a people who believed that there was a future people.

In light of the fact that a mon- existence in all points like this one. strous and absurd advertisement It is not necessary to point out that has recently appeared in Winnipeg the age of the obstetrician, the street cars, I do not think that I dietitian, the electrician, the poliam making an uncertain proph- tician, and the mortician is an evil ecy when I say that we can shortly and materialistic time without joy, expect an orgy of competitive or love, or dignity. But there are advertising between the crematoria still some sardonic jokers who can and our city morticians. There has say, “Cremation? No. It robs us of long been a universal assumption our last laugh!”

I should like to quote, apropos that in life and sex we must submit to the standards and desires of of nothing, the last verse of “The industry and commerce. But now Good Rich Man,” by Chesterton: even “Death, that phantom of grisly “Mr. Mandragon the millionbone,” has been painted and glazed, upholstered and varnished beyond aire, I am happy to say is dead; He enjoyed a quiet funeral cognizance. “We hardly fear his terrible shape, it seems so like our in a crematorium shed, And he lies there fluffy own.”

It has been proven time and and soft and grey, and again that the foulest and most certainly quite refined When he might have rotstinking offences against human dignity and decency can be com- ted to flowers and fruit with mitted with impunity in the name Adam and all mankind, Or been eaten by of trade.

Every decent person who has wolves athirst for blood, Or burned on a big retained amidst the modern hurlyburly any moral or mental standards tall pyre of wood, In a towering flame whatever knows that the very word “mortician” is a foul offence. He as a heathen should, Or even sat with knows that it reeks and stinks; and he has often longed to tear us here at food, Merrily taking twopenny ale down the lurid neon lights which nightly shriek to the high heavens and cheese with a pocket-knife.

But these were luxuries their nameless crime and horror not meant for him who against humanity.

Perhaps it was a more subtle went to the simple life.” commercial instinct in the builders of our modern death shops that This article first appeared in taught them that anything quite as the March 2, 1934 edition of obvious and contrasted as black and the Manitoban. The adverwhite was sure to keep an unpleas- tisement which inspired it is, ant reality before their inevitable unfortunately, lost to history. customers. Simplicity and even harshness has always been the external characteristic of Christian

Appreciating Marshall McLuhan

Putting the spotlight on the influential media theorist and University of Manitoba alum Tom Ingram, staff

These interests and death which constitutes the were revealed mystery of the mechanical bride.” in his first pub- Advertisers take these images and lished book: use them to turn the ordinary sex The Mechanical drive into “a metaphysical enticeBride: Folklore of ment, a cerebral itch, an abstract Industrial Man. torment.”

In this book, McLuhan analyzed The miasma newspapers, of media and comic strips, and especially commercials advertisements. constitutes an His analyses display consideducation system erable erudition, but McLuhan in itself, he believed, did not develop and it has much his points along traditional lines. more money and Rather than power behind it mak ing any kind of linear than academia argument, he Marshall McLuhan 1934 w rote miniessays that can McLuhan thought that the n its hundred-year history, the be read in any order, each of which extent to which our basic attiManitoban has been the first gives a different perspective on the tudes and beliefs are constructed step on the way to a professional nature of media and social con- by advertisers rendered direct career for numerous writers. But struction in an age of technology resistance futile. The miasma of there is one who leaves them all and mass communication. media and commercials constibehind, whose association with the The result is a fascinating tutes an education system in itself, Manitoban gives us instant respect- read in its own right, somewhat he believed, and it has much more abilit y even reminiscent of money and power behind it than with those who Montaigne – if academia. Therefore, it is necessneer at the Montaigne sary to use pop culture’s weight Ads like these not used 1950s slang. against itself by presenting, studystudent press. I only express but speak, of course, More interesting ing, and reinterpreting the powerful of Marshall than the unusual images it creates. The best way to also encourage McLuhan. form is the way approach these things, according that strange McLuhan McLuhan cuts to McLuhan, is with amusement, did his underto the core of the not anger. dissociation of grad and collective psyche We live in a world of even master’s in of industrial more advanced technology than sex not only English at the capitalism.

McLuhan’s 50s, operating faster from the human University of The title essay and on a larger scale. Popular culManitoba in is an analysis of ture has fragmented into a million person, but even the late 1920s an ad for stock- pieces. Advertisers are sophistifrom the unity and early 30s. ings featuring cated and intrusive. Our political During this a woman’s legs media is louder and larger than of the body. time he was a standing on a ever but seems strangely arbitrary podium with and pointless. In such a world, the contributor at the Manitoban, writing articles the rest of her body out of frame. insights of McLuhan become even on literary and political issues and McLuhan argues that this ad more significant. editing the literary supplements. portrays the legs as interchangeWe have reprinted for your readMcLuhan grew up to be a new able parts – a cultural obsession ing pleasure an article McLuhan breed of academic. Though very in industrial society, he says. “Ads wrote for the Manitoban in 1934, traditionally trained in English lit- like these not only express but also entitled “Morticians and cosmetierature—he did his doctoral work encourage that strange dissocia- cians.” In addition to being a marat Cambridge, tracing the history of tion of sex not only from the human vellous early example of his allusive grammar, logic, and rhetoric up to person, but even from the unity of and elusive writing style, it deals Thomas Nashe—his main interests the body.” with issues related to the topics lay elsewhere. For McLuhan, the More generally, he says, a pat- addressed in The Mechanical Bride. most significant cultural artifacts tern in popular culture and adverwere the popular media, to which tisements is “the widely occurring the academy was mostly blind. cluster image of sex, technology,

I

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

10

graphic by Bram Keast

11

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

U of M goes to HuroCup Computer science and engineering students bring home silver and bronze at robotics competition Chantelle Dubois, staff

C

omputer science and computer intelligence research: Things that we Amirkabir University of Technology in some research engineering students from the think require a lot of intelligence [ . . . in Iran on the development of their exchanges, includUniversity of Manitoba have recently ] do require a lot of intelligence from robots. The U of M team primarily ing a long-standreturned from HuroCup, an interna- humans, but are comparatively easy focused on developing software and ing collaboration tional robotics competition held in to do on a computer,” said Baltes. intelligence for the robots, while the with the National Beijing, China.

However, part of the paradox is Amirkabir University of Technology K aohsiu ng F i rst The four-day event, which took that when it comes to simpler pro- team was more involved in develop- University of Science and Technology in place between Nov. 6 and 10, wel- cesses that humans take for granted ing the mechanics. comed 30 teams from around the every day, computing becomes more Particularly innovative features of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. the robots that the U of M entered Two members of the globe to compete using humanoid of a challenge. robots in an octathlon consisting of “Compare this to face detection into HuroCup include a fully decou- U of M robotics team sprinting, a marathon, weight lifting, or object recognition, navigation pled software architecture for behav- spent two months last basketball, an obstacle course, wall indoors and outdoors, grasping of ioural control, a new walking engine summer doing research climbing, penalty kicks, and a lift objects, natural language under- that enables omni-directional walk- at the university. standing. In those areas, computers ing, a vision algorithm to detect the “For many researchand carry event.

The U of M’s robots took home are [much] worse than five-year-olds, shape of objects, and an ego-motion ers in Asia, building a two awards; the small robots (47-cm yet no one calls little Timmy a genius estimation algorithm using optical fully capable humanoid robot is the equivalent tall) brought home silver in the wall- because he can look at a picture and flow.

The advantages of engaging stu- of the Apollo program climbing event, and the large robot say, ‘Oma and Opa in front of a (85-cm tall) received bronze in the Christmas tree with a red toy truck.’ dents in a competition like HuroCup – the biggest scientific sprint event.

Yet, this ability is so far beyond the include showing how their research challenge of the day.

Jacky Baltes, computer science state of the art of what we can do with functions in the real world where the For most, the main photo provided by Autonomous Agents Laboratory professor at the U of M and chair of computers,” said Baltes, highlighting environment is dynamic, providing focus is not competithe HuroCup organizing committee, the challenges of developing human- opportunities to network with lead- tion, but participants at these events To find out more about robotics ing robotics experts from around the see themselves as making their con- research at the U of M, visit the first started doing research on artifi- oid robots to compete in HuroCup. cial intelligence in 1996 and began The U of M team, working out of world and learning from them, and tribution to a blue sky dream goal for Autonomous Agents Laboratory researching humanoid robots in 2002. the Autonomous Agents Laboratory furthering global robotics research. humanity,” said Baltes. website at aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca Such networking has resulted “There is this paradox in artificial on campus, collaborated with the

Winnipeg’s tech startup scene Innovation and entrepreneurship are around every corner in this city Chantelle Dubois, staff

G

lobal Entrepreneurship Week ideas to businesses. and, of course, program accelerators, Accelerator. is a worldwide event created “We are Manitoba’s only federally is enabling an explosion of ideas, “We are formally engaged with to celebrate innovation around the funded incubator, taking people who products, and businesses. eight clients,” said Hobday. world. One hundred and twenty-five have ideas with J-curve potential and Tech startups are most commonly Included in these eight clients countries participated, hosting over helping them build a business,” said associated with Silicon Valley or is Arterial Stiffness Inc., which has 33,000 activities globally, focusing on Hobday.

San Francisco where popular and developed a product that can measure inspiring and recognizing the world’s In other words, Hobday is in the very successful tech startups like the amount of plaque in an individubusiness of tech startups. entrepreneurs and innovators.

DropBox, Instagram, and GitHub al’s vascular system in a non-invasive The University of Manitoba Tech startups have become a are headquartered. manner. The device can then comhosted its own activity in the Drake global phenomenon, described “The tech startup scene in pare the information to a database, Centre on Nov. 19. The event invited in an article in the Economist as a Winnipeg is vibrant, filled with hard- determining health risk factors based speakers from local industry to share “Cambrian moment,” a comparison working entrepreneurs and oppor- on age.

BL Photonics Inc. uses a spectroideas, participate in panel discussions, to the Cambrian explosion when tunities to impact both local and and engage students in five sessions life began to flourish under the right broader communities,” said Hobday. photometer in the ultraviolet-visiheld throughout the day. conditions 540 million years ago. “Winnipeg is bursting with innova- ble-near infrared range to measure Present at the U of M event was The Economist article explains that tion but those who are disconnected characteristics of wine while it is Lisa Hobday, commercial co-ordi- easy access to resources such as easy- from the startup community may not being produced, also known as the nator from Manitoba Technology to-learn programming frameworks, feel privy to all of the action.” wine “parameters.”

Accelerator, a federally funded, non- open source code for developers, Several startups in Winnipeg Cubresa Inc. designs and builds profit organization that provides sup- Internet access for quick communi- have benefited from accelerator pro- SPECT and PET cameras, which port to help startups transition from cations, social media for marketing, grams such as Manitoba Technology are retrofitted into MRI machines

and CT scanners.

Potential Winnipeg tech startup entrepreneurs and innovators have plenty of options in Winnipeg to help develop their ideas.

“We are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to organizations who collaborate on projects, events, and businesses,” said Hobday.

“So if you feel like you’re missing out or if anything you heard during Entrepreneurship Week piqued your interest, come and find out what the community has to offer you as an entrepreneur, mentor, or just a proud and well-informed Winnipegger.”

For more information on the accelerator program, contact Lisa Hobday by email at lhobday@mbtechaccelerator.com

12

Science & Technology

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

Fighting pathogens with liposomes How little bundles of fat can help us target toxin-producing bacteria Jeremiah Yarmie, staff

graphic by Evan Tremblay, Staff

R

esearchers from the University of Bern in Switzerland have developed new compounds to aid in the treatment of bacterial infections.

These compounds act to accumulate and neutralize specific toxin proteins formed by pathogenic bacteria.

Certain pathogenic bacteria, those that cause disease, create body-damaging toxins, which target our cell membranes.

Membranes define the boundary of a cell. A cell’s membrane separates the outside environment from its inside, and regulates in and out traffic. Membranes are composed of different fat molecules, known as lipids, which confer a dynamic and

fluid shape to the cell.

Some toxins have the ability to poke holes in these membranes. This results in the leaking of cellular components, disrupting the balance of charged particles, and potentially leading to cell death.

Two of the most common bacteria that produce pore-forming toxins are Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of Staph infections, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, a major cause of bacterial pneumonia.

Different toxins made by these pathogenic bacteria tend to target different lipids that are exclusively found in animal cell membranes. One example of these lipids is cholesterol.

The Switzerland team, led by Eduard Babiychuk and Annette Draeger, has created special liposomes composed of lipids that are similar to those that make up human cell membranes.

Liposomes are non-toxic in humans, and are typically used in medicine to deliver molecules, like drugs or nutrients, to specific cells in the body.

These engineered liposomes act as look-alike decoys for pore-forming bacterial toxins, attracting them away from their target cells. The liposomes effectively compete with the host cell membranes in the binding of these toxins.

The team has shown that the lipid composition of these liposomes can be tailored to make them more attractive to specific toxins.

The liposomes were shown to protect human cells that were treated with pore-forming toxins in test tubes. The team was able to demonstrate that the liposomes can be used to protect against active infections.

Mice were injected with lethal doses of either S. aureus or S. pneumoniae, and were either treated with specific liposomes or nothing. The mice that were left untreated died within a few days, while the liposome-treated mice survived if the

intervention occurred within 10 hours after the initial infection.

Liposome treatment also protected mice from developing pneumonia in mice nasally infected with S. pneumoniae.

The mice that were left untreated typically died within a few days, while the liposome-treated mice survived if the intervention occurred within 10 hours after the initial infection The distraction that the liposomes create allows the host’s immune system to do its job and clear the bacterial infection. The immune response would not be as effective in the absence of the liposomes, since immune cells are a common target of these pore-forming toxins.

The liposomes do not directly kill the pathogenic bacteria, which is very important. When conventional anti-

biotics are used, they can cause some complications. If a bacterium dies from antibiotic action, it releases all of its formed toxins at once, resulting in sudden host damage.

As well, antibiotic treatment has the possibility of naturally selecting for resistance. A simple way of picturing this is if you treated 100 bacterial cells with a particular antibiotic. Of those 100, 99 are susceptible to the antibiotic and die, but one is immune and lives on. That one particular bacterium can multiply and result in a new population of cells that are all resistant to that particular antibiotic.

Since this treatment does not target or kill particular bacterial cells, resistance is unlikely to develop.

These toxins are not essential for bacterial life; they just contribute to a more effective infection. The research team suggests that the combination of liposomes and antibiotics may be a sound treatment of infections by pore-forming toxin-producing bacteria.

Antibiotic resistant bacterial strains are becoming a major concern in the modern world. Alternative treatments for bacterial infections, such as these liposomes, may be our answer to combatting antibiotic resistance in the future.

Ure(k)a!

The story of Wöhler, organic chemistry, and vitalism, like you have never heard it Jeremiah Yarmie, staff

V

italism is the doctrine that processes of living organisms are governed by unique principles due to a “vital essence” that is separate and distinct from the laws of physics and chemistry. In the 19th century, many scientists accepted the idea of a vital essence as a fundamental principle.

In 1828, German chemist Friedrich Wöhler accidentally synthesized the organic molecule urea using inorganic chemicals.

Organic molecules are chemical structures constructed from carbon atoms. Urea, well, that is found your urine.

Urea was first isolated from urine in 1727 by Herman Boerhaave. Urea is the predominant molecule used by our bodies to excrete nitrogen and, as such, is naturally made by living organisms.

The synthesis of urea has gone down in many textbooks as the refutation of vitalism, but no single experiment refuted vitalism entirely.

Wöhler did not carry out this experiment with the purpose of

dispelling vitalism. He did not even discuss the implications that this experiment could have on vitalism in his 1828 paper. Most importantly, the vitalist community did not even take much notice of Wöhler’s experiments at the time.

The idea of vitalism carried on long after. In 1840, Wöhler’s own teacher, Jöns Jacob Berzelius, voiced his continued belief in vitalism.

In 1857, a dispute arose between chemists Louis Pasteur and Justus von Liebig regarding the nature of alcoholic fermentation. Pasteur believed the process was vitalistic in nature, while von Liebig believed the process had a chemical basis.

The von Liebig-Pasteur controversy was not settled until Eduard Buchner uncovered the cause of alcoholic fermentation in 1897.

Buchner managed to isolate an enzyme complex from yeast cells, which he named zymase, that had the ability to ferment alcohol.

Enzymes are proteins with the ability to facilitate chemical reactions. The

fermentation process was shown to occur in the absence of living yeast cells, disproving Pasteur’s stance.

test tubes. ties, additives, or by-products, which However, remnants of vitalism may or may not impact the safety of can still be seen in everyday life. the product.

One example lies in the distinction For example, some people use between “synthetic” and “natural,” or melatonin to address sleep disor“Molecules do not “organic” substances. The idea that ders and treat jet lag. Whether you something can be both synthetic and buy synthetic or naturally derived know or care how organic may be a source of dissonance melatonin, what you are purchasing they were made. for some, but chemists know that the is N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine. properties of substances depend on The natural molecule is identical Whether they are their structures, not where they come to the synthetic version. However, beneficial or harmful from or how they are made. melatonin extracted from animal Naturally-sourced substances pineal glands may be contaminated depends only on and synthetic chemicals both arise by viruses. their structure – and through sequences of chemical University of Manitoba chemistry reactions. These reactions work to professor Phil Hultin tells his stuon how people build up a final molecule. Synthetic dents, “Molecules do not know or chemists often use different reactions care how they were made. Whether use them” – Phil from those used in nature, much like they are beneficial or harmful Hultin, U of M Wöhler did in 1828. Like Wöhler’s depends only on their structure and urea and urine’s urea, synthetically- on how people use them.” prepared and naturally-occurring What is natural? In the scientific Vita l ism was u ltimately versions of the same substance are sense, everything is! Science concerns snuffed out in science by a steady identical. the exploration of our natural accumulation of experimental A naturally-sourced product is universe. Synthetic organic chemistry evidence demonstrating that key not inherently healthier or more is just as natural as landing probes on life processes follow the same rules effective than a synthetic one. Both far-off comets or the Pythagorean as chemical reactions carried out in types of products can contain impuri- theorem.

13

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

Phancy rhythms: Phantogram New York band tours Canada, plays Garrick Centre’s Jingle Bell Rock Ian T.D. Thomson, staff

C

rack out the eggnog and Magazine.

Edmonton, Ca lgar y, and “We were just talking about Saskatoon. While Phantogram is get out your dancing shoes.

On Dec. 9, electronic-rock duo things and said, ‘Why don’t we just from New York, the event series Phantogram will bring holiday joy make a record together?’ That’s it.” includes many popular Canadian to the Garrick Centre as part of the indie acts including Tokyo Police Union event series, Jingle Bell Rock.

Club, July Talk, and Wildlife.

Phantogram’s Phantogram is composed of Josh Along with Phantogram’s show, Carter and Sarah Barthel, two artthe series is bringing noise-rock latest album, ists from Saratoga Springs, New duo Death From Above 1979 to the York. Formed in 2007, the duo has Garrick Centre in late January of Voices, exemplifies released two studio albums and four next year. a continuation of extended plays. Their latest album, The event series, which spans Voices, released in February of this over December and January, the group’s take year, exemplifies a continuation of donates a portion of the ticket on indie rock music sales to a local charity within the group’s take on indie rock music with hip-hop production and beat each city. For the two events in with hip-hop influences.

Winnipeg, $1 from every ticket will production and The style and genre crossover go towards Winnipeg Harvest’s appeal has led the duo to colHunger for Hope. The initiative, beat influences laborate with Outkast member which focuses on providing food for Big Boi. Having already teamed babies and children in Winnipeg For the near future, the band and Manitoba, started in 2007 and up on tracks such as “Objectum Sexuality” for Big Boi’s solo album, will be busy touring in support has since raised over $1.2 million Phantogram and Big Boi have since of their sophomore album, Voices, for the cause. gone into the studio and recorded starting the Canadian portion of an EP worth of material. The col- their tour on Dec. 4 in Montreal. Jingle Bell Rock presents laboration, called Big Grams, may The band will make their way to Phantogram with special guest Dear Winnipeg from there, stopping in Rouge and Mounties on Dec. 9 at be released as soon as 2015.

“It just kind of happened from to perform as part of Jingle Bell the Garrick Centre (330 Garry Street). Tickets are $27.50 and are just hanging out a lot. It’s crazy to Rock. say, but we’re good friends with Jingle Bell Rock is an event available at Music Trader (97 Big Boi,” said singer/guitarist Josh series put on across five cities in Osborne Street) and Ticketfly.com Carter in an interview with XXL Canada – Toronto, Winnipeg,

Mynarski unveiled

New bronze monument commemorates WWII Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski VC Ian T.D. Thomson, staff

D

ur ing t he week of Remembrance Day, an exclusive preview of the Andrew Mynarski bronze monument was revealed at the Frame Arts Warehouse. The bronze sculpture was created by local artist Charles Johnston in commemoration of the valour of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski VC. Mynarski was born in 1916 to Polish immigrants and raised in the North End of Winnipeg. He enlisted in the army before volunteering for the RCAF. He rose to the rank of pilot officer during World War II. The story of Mynarski’s heroism begins on the evening of June 12, 1944. The RCAF 419 “Moose” Squadron of Lancaster bombers took off from England, bound for a bombing run in France to support the D-Day invasion on June 6.

Mynarski manned the mid-upper machine gun and his best friend, Pat Brophy, was the plane’s tail gunner.

Over Cambrai, France, the Lancaster came under enemy fire from the ground and then from night fighters. The Lancaster was set ablaze and the pilot ordered the crew to bail out, but Brophy was trapped in the rear gun turret.

Mynarski—without concern for his own life and safety—crawled through the flames to save his friend.

After several attempts with a fire ax to break through into the jammed rear turret, Mynarski was still unable to free Brophy. Brophy signalled that Mynarski should save himself. With his uniform and parachute on fire, Mynarski backed away, saluted his colleague, and bailed out from the doomed plane.

Mynarski died of his severe burns in the early morning of June 13, 1944. Miraculously, Brophy survived the impact of the aircraft and reported the tale of Mynarski’s selfless act of friendship.

For his bravery in the face of death, Andrew Mynarski received the Victoria Cross posthumously on Oct. 11, 1946 – the highest award for valour in the British Empire.

There are other memorials dedicated to the Winnipeg hero. At Valiants Memorial in Ottawa, there is a bust of Mynarski. A Lancaster bomber at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton is detailed with the Lancaster KB726 markings, just like the one in which he flew. There is also a monument at RAF Middleton St George in England, the air force base from

Photo provided by Charles Johnston

which Mynarski departed on the fateful flight.

In Manitoba, there is a junior high school, as well as a chain of three lakes, named in dedication of the pilot.

However, up until now there has not been a monument dedicated to Mynarski in his hometown.

Charles Johnston sought a unique perspective on Mynarski’s heroism.

“I’ve been thinking about this sculpture for many years now, all the while trying to find the pose that best describes his story, what it symbolizes,” sculptor Johnston told the Manitoban.

“I chose the moment when he decided to try and save his friend, Pat Brophy, at the risk of his own life.”

In the bronze monument, Mynarski is portrayed crouching down, fire ax in one hand, with his other hand reaching outwards.

As a sculptor, painter, and muralist in Winnipeg for over 25 years, Johnston felt honoured to sculpt the monument of the WWII pilot.

“It was a great experience; as a local artist capturing a local hero in our hometown, it doesn’t get much better than that,” Johnston explained to the Manitoban.

The sculpture memorializes the life and altruism of Mynarski, but perhaps it also celebrates a generation motivated to valiant action.

Johnston’s art depicts a man trying to save a friend and inspires all of us with this example of selfless sacrifice.

Charles Johnston’s bronze monument of Mynarski will be dedicated in Vimy Ridge Memorial Park on June 12, 2015 on the 71st anniversary of the flight.

14

Arts & Culture

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

So-called separation of church and state School of Art Gallery showcases photography exhibit, Following the Ten Commandments Lauren Siddall, staff

N

ew York photography duo Andrea Robbins and Max Becher began photographing and researching monuments of the Ten Commandments when living in the southern United States.

“We started photographing and researching the subject and were surprised by how differently the monuments are treated by the courts, how widespread they are, and how they seemed to be part of three historic waves,” Robbins told the Manitoban.

The first wave came in the 1930s,

followed by monuments provided by the Fraternal Order of Eagles in the 1950s, and the most recent inspired by Judge Roy Moore of Alabama in 2003.

Located outside courthouses, public schools, parks, and county seats, these religious monuments have been surrounded by controversy.

But more interesting than the controversy is the manner in which the designers have maneuvered around laws in places with strict stipulations on the public depiction of religion.

“Some groups have tried to design

“Like many people, we were raised “I received a grant from the to believe that the U.S. Constitution University Research Grants Program laid out a separation of church and to visit these artists in New York, and state, and this is not exactly the case. thought the money better spent if I The Establishment Clause of the First brought them here to give a lecture, Amendment does not call for a sepa- meet with students. The school of ration, but is a precaution against a art agreed to help pay for an exhibigovernment endorsement of one reli- tion, so that’s how things developed,” gion over another, or a preference for explained Steiner.

Following the Ten Commandments religion over the belief in no religion.”

The Establishment Clause of the will mark the first time Robbin and First Amendment states, “Congress Becher’s work has been brought to shall make no law respecting an Canada – and it is fitting that it is in establishment of religion or prohib- Winnipeg. iting the free exercise thereof.”

“Robbins and Becher’s project [ . . . ] has a local connection This clause has proved unclear.

The Supreme Court has allowed here in Winnipeg. The only Ten religious appeals to open legislative Commandment monument in assemblies, private religious school Canada is in the formal garden in textbook funding by the government, Assiniboine Park.” and schedule arrangements by school The photography within the districts to accommodate extra-cur- exhibit includes the landscapes in ricular religious education – and dis- which the monuments are placed, allowed certain outwardly religious to contextualize the controversy, a monuments on courthouse land. feature that is important to Robbins.

This lack of clarity has resulted in “We show them along with their photo by Lauren Siddall, staff differing levels of legal disputation unique surroundings – so sometimes and citizen resistance to acceptance of the monument is front and centre and Ten Commandment monuments that the monuments into the community. sometimes not. Finding the recurring incorporate different symbols or they “It takes about 10 minutes of pho- shape in the photo is like a game and place the display within a group of tographing—sometimes more or forms an initial level of engagement historic monuments in order to assert less—before someone shows up. In with the viewer in the gallery. We that its importance is as one of many small towns, we like to make our provide a text next to each image influences to American law and not visits short and we make return vis- that is just a few words or quite long a religious icon.” its in order to photograph again in depending on the specific history.”

These are the same groups that the best light which depends on the outwardly argue that the Christian direction the monument faces and its Following the Ten cross in public places is in fact not a surroundings.”

Commandments will be displayed religious symbol, but rather a lowRobbins and Becher’s work have at the School of Art Gallery until Feb. ercase t. captured the interest of Shep Steiner, 20, 2015. The gallery is open from 9 Ironically, these manipulations do U of M assistant professor in the a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, but school of art. will be closed from Dec. 23-Jan. 5. not necessarily need to be in place.

Merging medicine and art Helene Girard’s Tribology explores contrasting worlds Lauren Siddall, staff

C

re8ery’s latest exhibit, Tribology

by Helene Girard, amalgamates medical terminology and visual art to create a showing concentrated on

the effects of interactive movement through textures.

Girard associates the language of medicine in the titles of the pieces

photo by Lauren Siddall, staff

with complex shapes and textures on the canvas. What originally appears complicated is simplified through geometric shapes and pharmaceutical definitions.

In addition to creative medical titles, the pieces within the exhibit are drawn together by their representation of the artist.

“I wanted every part of me in my paintings and I think that they should represent me as an individual. Each and every one of us is unique and special and what I find striking for me as an individual is the circumstances of how I was born,” said Girard.

“I am very lucky to be here being born on the ambulance at three pounds and a few ounces with the help of a nurse without a doctor. This is why all my titles are based on medical terminology. I paint representing my version of medical terms.”

With titles ranging from relatively well-known terms, such as “claus-

trophobia,” to lesser-known medi- realistic side of the artistic spectrum. cal terminology, such as “bimalleolar “Although my representation fracture,” each piece becomes con- might have succumbed to a surretextualized in light of the medical alistic approach in some cases, I am terminology. quite inspired with it and really enjoy For those of us not as well-versed breaking it down into phonetics.” in the language of medicine, each Evolving from working with pen viewer is provided a brochure filled and ink, to portraiture, to creating with definition of the terminology to menus and programs, to her own accompany the exhibit. exhibits, art is in Girard’s blood.

Inspired by artists such as Jean“I have always been an artist as far Paul Riopelle, Jackson Pollock, and as I can remember. The first prize for Pablo Picasso, Girard aims to provide art was in Grade 3 where I coloured each viewer with a subjective percep- Little Bo Peep with her sheep [ . . . tion of her paintings. ] My art studies were in Montreal. I “Little pieces of my life are started with window display—which reflected in my paintings and I hope I did not really enjoy much—then to do the same for every individual graphic art, and finally general art looking at them.” touching absolutely everything. This By infusing the artwork with her is where I felt home.” identity and emotions, Girard gives room for viewers to attribute their own meanings to the works, resulting in a more interactive exhibit than pieces oriented towards the more

VOL. 101 NO. 44 November 26, 2014

Arts & Culture

15

The late, great Salvador Dalí

Winnipeg Art Gallery exhibits later work of 20th-century surrealist Ian T.D. Thomson, staff

O

n Nov. 15, the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) presented a lecture by Elliot King, an art historian and expert on surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. Part of the WAG’s ongoing exhibit, Dalí Up Close, King’s lecture focused on the last four decades of Dalí’s career, examining the time after Dalí removed himself from the surrealist movement in 1939.

Elliot King is an assistant professor of art history at the Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Having helped curate many Dalí exhibitions over the last 10 years, King’s work on Dalí emphasizes the artist’s work post-surrealism.

“Elliot King is a young guy, but is regarded as one of these people who’s really involved in the Dalí Renaissance – looking at Dalí in new ways, especially looking at his later works,” said Dalí Up Close cura- nations after declaring publicly that tor Andrew Kear to the Manitoban. his professors were incompetent comHis lecture on Nov. 15, entitled pared to him.

“The Great Late Salvador Dalí,” gave a In 1929, Dalí helped write a surchronology of the life of the eccentric realist film entitled Un Chien Andalou character, with a focus on his work (An Andalusian Dog), a film that was past 1940. based around one rule: that none of Dalí was more than just a painter; the scenes connect with one another. he was multi-talented in many forms With the film lacking a plot, Dalí of art. Over the span of his life, he was annoyed when it became a sucwrote several articles, three books, cess. This propelled his career into films, and an opera. Dalí also fabri- the surrealist art scene. cated numerous sculptures.

Dalí’s early surrealist work was Born in 1904 in Figueres, Spain, influenced heavily by psychologist Dalí’s life was full of twists and turns. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, Despite his father disapproving of in which the unconscious aspects of our his art, Dalí studied at the presti- minds are examined to explain behavgious San Fernando Academy of Fine iour. With this theme, many of Dalí’s Arts for four years. He was expelled paintings try to capture dreamscapes twice. On the second occasion, he comprised of the repressed thoughts to was kicked out before his final exami- which Freud alludes.

photo by Ian T.D. Thomson, staff

In 1939, after being a member of ist explored elements of religion and portrayed exhibit of the late, great a group of surrealists that produced what he called “Nuclear Mysticism.” Salvador Dalí. paintings based around dreamscapes, While the exhibit displays grandiose “I think when you have an exhibiDalí left the scene that he had helped paintings such as the “Santiago El tion of any size that can bring somedevelop.

Grande,” the show also features many thing new to the table and make us In his later work, Dalí explored rare pieces that have not received think a new way about an artist we aspects of religion and classic paint- much prior exposure. may think might know, I think that’s ings in such works as “Santiago El One such piece is Dalí’s “A very productive,” said King.

Grande.” Pieces such as these would Vision of Hell.” Painted in 1962, the define Dalí’s career after 1940. highly religious piece illustrates a The WAG will present another lecture For King, Dalí should be given surrealist vision seen by three chil- on Dalí's work, this time from a mathmore credit than being just a “crazy dren in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. ematical perspective by Canadian man with a moustache.”

Commissioned in 1960 by an anony- Mennonite University professor “His work is very entertaining, but mous patron in Texas, the painting Tim Rogalsky, on Nov. 26 at noon. there’s also a lot of thought that goes remained hidden under a nun’s bed behind his images,” explained King for decades; the piece has not been The exhibit Dalí Up Close runs to the Manitoban. viewed in a large public exhibition until Jan. 31, 2015. For more “If you take him seriously, it opens until now. King commented that this information visit wag.ca up just another world of Dalí.” was the first opportunity to behold Dalí Up Close features many pieces the painting in person. from Dalí’s later career, when the artKing spoke highly of the uniquely

The Reality of Storm Chasing Local chaser planning documentary of tornado chasing in the Prairies Carlyn Schellenberg, staff

T

he upcoming documentary, The Reality of Storm Chasing, set to be filmed by local storm chaser Francis Lavigne-Theriault, chronicles storm chasing experts in the United States and Canada.

Lavigne-Theriault, a University of Manitoba atmospheric sciences student, experienced his first storm chase in 2010 on a road trip in the Southwestern United States. On a whim, Lavigne-Theriault and his father took the hours-long drive from New Mexico to Oklahoma after a big tornado was forecast for the state.

“We were seeing massive mountainous thunderstorms on the horizon and so we started heading in their general direction when we met up with a [never-ending] line of chasers.

Literally hundreds of cars passed us!

We followed them until we saw a tank heading into the storm,” LavigneTheriault told the Manitoban.

“We then saw a large stovepipe tornado cross the road about 200 metres in front of us! After that, we realized how dangerous this was with the limited information we had and so we left. From that moment on, I was hooked.”

Four years later, storm chasing is still as exciting for Lavigne-Theriault as that first encounter.

Lavigne-Theriault is the founder of the group NZP Chasers – the acronym stands for “Near Zero Probability,” meaning they will chase even if there is a near zero probability of a tornado. The group chases in the United States and Canada.

Lavigne-Theriault plans to capture storm chasing in the Prairies on a documentary slated to film next spring and summer. The Reality of Storm Chasing will compare storm chasing on the Canadian Prairies and in the U.S.’s tornado alley.

“The main purpose of this docu- taking place this February in Denver. goal of $3,000. Funds will go to rental mentary is to tell the untold stories The Reality of Storm Chasing will vehicles costs and equipment such of Canadian storm chasers. There also focus on “humanitarian aspects” as several GoPro cameras, camera are so many chasers in Canada and of storm chasing: the emotions and mounts, and tripods. If more than Manitoba that nobody has heard of reactions of storm chasers. $3,000 is raised, a paramedic will join before (including me), and these chasLavigne-Theriault told the the team in May to help in disaster ers have amazing stories to tell,” said Manitoban, “We want to show you relief efforts in case NZP Chasers are Lavigne-Theriault. “We would also what happens behind the camera ever the first responders to a natural like to share the kind of severe weather instead of simply showing you a video disaster in the U.S. research being done in Canada and of some tornado.”

Lavigne-Theriault also hopes to what are the plans for the future.”

“We are also referring to the role share the love of storm chasing and Manitoba and U.S. storm chas- that storm chasers play in warning the connections formed between ers will be interviewed for the docu- the population of impending severe storm chasers. mentary, as well as Tim Marshall, a weather and how they help out when “This project is far beyond a simple structural engineer who examines a disaster strikes. When we fear that campaign donation,” said Lavignethe aftermath of tornadoes. a population might be impacted by Theriault. “It is greater than ourselves.” “[Marshall’s] data and experience is severe weather, we call our local critical in better structural engineer- authorities, who send out warnings The Reality of Storm Chasing’s ing of buildings and houses to with- to the population, and if a disaster Indiegogo campaign ends Dec. 4. For stand straight-line winds and tornado strikes, we go in rescue mode and we more information on the documentary winds,” explained Lavigne-Theriault. help out the best we can.” and how you can help with fundraising, The documentary will cover Lavigne-Theriault set up an visit indiegogo.com/projects/the-realityChaserCon, a conference for storm Indiegogo campaign last month to of-storm-chasing-a-documentary and chasers and severe weather researchers, raise money for this project, with a nzpchasers.webs.com

Sports

16

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

Bison Briefs

Basketball, men’s hockey, and swimming David Grad, staff

Basketball

The men and women’s basketball teams visited Calgary this weekend to take on the Dinos. The women’s team continued their struggles against a 2-4 Dino squad, losing Friday night 78-62, and Saturday night 65-39.

The women now sit at the bottom of the Canada West, still searching for their first win of the season.

The men’s team was in a battle for first place in the Canada West this weekend against the Dinos. Splitting the weekend with a loss Friday night 76-71 and win Saturday night 73-68, the Bisons now share first place in the conference with Calgary.

After missing the playoffs last year, the Bisons have turned things around dramatically – heading into the Christmas break at the top of the conference. If Manitoba can continue their strong play, they will have a

chance at hosting a playoff game.

The Bisons were led over the weekend by Jonathan Alexander, who went 17 for 30 shooting; A.J. Basi, who went 10 for 23; and Justus Alleyn, who went 10 for 25.

The Bisons struggled from beyond the arc, dropping just 4 of 26 attempts over the weekend. Defensively Manitoba was led by Wyatt Anders with 15 rebounds, and Alexander with 17 rebounds. In Saturday night’s win, all the Bison starters picked up at least six rebounds and one reserve player, Alfreeman Flowers, grabbed eight.

helped their chances with a sweep of UBC, winning Friday night 2-1 and Saturday night 3-1.

Men’s hockey

Goaltender Deven Dubyk was outstanding, making 33 saves in Friday night’s win and 27 saves on Saturday night.

Dubyk leads the conference in most games played for a goaltender.

The Bisons were in British Columbia looking to gain ground on third place in Canada West Standings against a struggling Thunderbirds squad. Manitoba

Goaltender Deven Dubyk was outstanding over the weekend, making 33 saves in Friday night’s win and 27 saves on Saturday night

He also currently boasts the second best save percentage, and is a major reason for the Bisons’ success this season.

Jordan DePape scored the two goals in Friday night’s win. On Saturday the Bisons were led by Darren Bestland, who netted two.

Joel Schreyer also scored—his first goal of the season—in Saturday’s victory.

while Kimberly Moors won gold for Manitoba in the 50-metre freestyle, and silver in the 50-metre butterfly.

The Bison women’s team finished sixth in the competition with 196 points, while the men’s team also ranked sixth, with 192 points. The UBC Thunderbirds captured first on both sides, with a combined total of over 2000 points.

Swimming

Both basketball teams return home to take on the Lethbridge Pronghorns this weekend. Games are Friday and Saturday at 6 and 5 p.m., respectively, for the women, while the men play at 8 and 7 p.m..

The men’s hockey team will stay on the road to battle the Alberta Golden Bears, with Friday and Saturday games at 8 and 7 p.m., respectively.

The Bison swim team was in Lethbridge this weekend for the Canada West Swimming Championships – a three-day, 24-event competition.

The Bisons’ Dillon Perron picked up three medals, with a silver in the 200-metre breaststroke, a bronze medal in 100-metre backstroke, and a silver in 50-metre butterfly,

Schedules

VOL. 101 NO. 44 November 26, 2014

Postma provides power play prowess

Sports

17

Herd-ling up the standings

Women’s hockey sweeps 4th-ranked UBC, moves into tie for 1st place Mike Still, staff

7th round pick has finally secured NHL status Andy Che, volunteer staff

N

ot much work was done on 18-year-old was an offensively-shy the Winnipeg Jet defence Swift Current Bronco, until a trade during the off-season, except for to Calgary saw him break out as a few bits and bops to strengthen one of junior hockey’s brightest the backline pairings for the 2014- defensive prospects.

15 season. Perhaps the biggest In his final WHL season, change was the role of 25-year old Postma tallied 84 points, nearly four Paul Postma, who is finally seeing times his output at the time of his NHL ice time on a regular basis trade to the Calgary Hitmen. That this season. performance earned the 20-yearIn the previous two seasons, old an NHL entry level contract Postma had seen action in only 54 in 2009. He continued to hone his NHL games, splitting time with offensive game with the AHL’s the Jets and the AHL’s St. John’s Chicago Wolves for two seasons.

IceCaps. Last season, he was due While the Atlanta Thrashers his first full season in an NHL relocation to Winnipeg marked a uniform, until a nagging pain in major alteration for all the players his calf put his NHL campaign affiliated with the franchise in 2011 under siege. there was little change in Postma’s The diagnosis was a blood clot efforts. He continued to concenin his leg, and the then-24-year- trate on working his way up the Jet old faced long-term recovery in pipeline with the new AHL club the months ahead. Postma even- in St. John’s. tually returned to the Jet lineup in A 13-goal, 44-point season in 56 February, but would only play 20 games during 2011/12 marked the games. best points-perFast forward game ratio in It might only one year and his AHL career.

Postma has not Following the be a matter of lo ok e d bac k , IceCaps’ daring solidifying his run in the Calder time before position with the Cup Playoffs this seventh Jets by fulfilling a that ended at the role on the team’s conference final, round selection third defensive the 2011/12 cambecomes an pairing. He has paign marked the even mounted an final full season absolute steal occasional offenPostma would of a pick sive surge, such ever play in the as scoring his first minors. goal of the seaGoing from son in a comeback effort in New the late rounds of the NHL Entry York, where the Jets defeated the Draft to becoming a full-time Islanders 4-3 on October 28.

NHLer isn’t a quick or easy journey.

Although he has yet to reach Postma’s rapid development prior 20 minutes in a game this season, to being drafted was highlighted Postma’s persistent appearance on by the discovery of his relatively the power play and penalty kill has untapped offensive upside, and greatly aided the Jets through the he’s worked that technical ability first two months. towards the NHL level.

Should he remain healthy, there A proven power play anchor, is little question that the Red Deer Postma has scored 26 of his 47 career native will carry out an 82-game AHL goals and half of his NHL regular season for the first time career goals on the man-advantage. in his career. Not too shabby for Having spent all of his professional a player who just one year ago suf- career with the same Thrashers-Jets fered a season-threatening injury, franchise, and with both affiliated and within recent years, has worked AHL teams, Postma finally has the his way up from the bottom of the opportunity to apply his trademark 2007 NHL Entry Draft. offensive-minded style at the top Evidence in the making that tier. This seventh round selection quality can be selected in the late may soon gain recognition as an rounds of the draft, Postma was absolute steal of a pick. the 205th overall selection by the Atlanta Thrashers. At the time, the

Photo by Shawn Coates

T

he University of Manitoba The Thunderbirds stepped up said. “You don’t get many playBison women’s hockey team the tempo after falling down by one. ers like her that have that kind of made a huge statement over After hitting the goal post just over hockey sense, offensive ability, and the weekend, grinding out two a minute after the Litchfield-Medd ability to make others around her impressive wins over the CIS goal, they finally cracked the score- better. She doesn’t play like a firstfourth-ranked UBC Thunderbirds. board at 6:48, when Kelly Murray year player.”

Manitoba never trailed in either deflected a Rebecca Unrau shot past Saturday’s rematch featured game, holding the dangerous UBC Dyck to tie things up. another impressive showing from scoring attack to just one goal in The Thunderbirds had a chance Dyck, who turned aside 28 of 29 both games. to steal the game from Manitoba shots in a 3-1 win.

Friday’s matchup went to over- with just under three minutes left, Manitoba got two goals from time, with the Bisons pulling out after Litchfield-Medd took a trip- another rookie, Courtlyn Oswald, the 2-1 win, thanks to back-to-back ping penalty – the only infraction as well as Jessica Rosenbaum, while penalties committed early in the committed by the Bisons. Boasting UBC’s lone goal came off of the extra session by UBC. the nation’s best power play unit, stick of Nicole Saxvik. Three of the Regulation hockey featured a UBC was unable to get much going, game’s four goals occurred in a wild fast-paced, back and forth battle, as Manitoba successfully kept them second period, where Manitoba with a total of just three penalties to the outside, pushing the game outshot UBC 15-10. called.

The Thunderbirds had a few to overtime.

Seventeen shots were fired quality chances to tie the game between the two squads in the first in the middle stages of the second Overall through period, with both Rachel Dyck and period, with Manitoba taking Samantha Langford standing their two separate trips to the sin bin; the two games, ground, keeping the game scoreless however, the Bison defence was Manitoba held the after 20. yet again able to keep UBC from Both teams kept the tempo gaining many quality chances in visitors’ prolific up in the second frame, but Dyck tight. Overall through the two power play off the and Langford stayed composed. games, Manitoba held the visitors’ Manitoba grabbed the momenprolific power play off the board, board, going 0 for 7 going tum in the final minute, as captain 0 for 7.

Maggie Litchfield-Medd burst into the Thunderbirds zone, and was The Thunderbirds took two Up next for Manitoba is a crucial tripped up on a partial breakaway, quick penalties in extra time, and series with Alberta, as they come leading to the first penalty of the the Herd capitalized, with Alanna to town this weekend, Nov. 28 game, which the Bisons carried into Sharman netting the game winner and 29, in the final games before the third. just 1:41 in. the Christmas break Game Manitoba made use of the power Sharman is now tied for second times are 6:30 p.m. on Friday, play, as Litchfield-Medd redirected in the CIS, with 10 goals on the year, and 1 p.m. on Saturday. an Erica Rieder shot into the back and head coach Jon Rempel was of the net, just a minute into the quick to praise the rookie sensation. period.

“She’s a special player,” Rempel

18

Sports

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

Saturday night’s alright for winning Men’s and women’s volleyball split weekend against Thompson Rivers David Grad, staff

Men

T

he University of Manitoba Bison men and women’s volleyball teams squared off against Thompson Rivers at home this weekend, sharing similar results with a loss on Friday night and 3-0 win on Saturday.

two sets, 20-25 and 21-25. has become the hallmark of the team, It looked like it was going to be the Bisons rebounded Saturday night an early night for the team, but the by wining in three straight sets (25-23, WolfPack benefited from several 31-29, 25-19). The Bisons were able to Bison errors , narrowly edging out make the big plays when it mattered, the Bisons in the next three sets, 25-23, and survived a shootout in the second 27-25, 17-15. set that seemed to deflate the WolfPack.

Women “We can’t ask for more opportuJordana Milne tied her season The Bison women’s team opened nities to win a match than we had high of 13 kills Friday night and their weekend Friday night against tonight,” lamented head coach Ken added another five kills on Saturday the WolfPack in front of a large- Bentley on his team’s tough loss. “We night. Rachel Cockrell picked up 44 house in the Investors Group Athletic kept fighting. I love that about our kills and 15 kills, Brittany Habing Centre. Manitoba fed off the energy team. We could have won the match, collected 73 assists and 14 digs, and of the crowd and shot out to a quick they were within our grasp.” libero Caleigh Dobie led the way lead on the WolfPack, taking the first Showcasing the will to battle that defensively with 29 digs.

Golden sun, golden medals

Photo by Shawn Coates

Former Bison Taylor Pischke wins gold for Canada David Grad, staff

F

ormer Bison Taylor Pischke FIVB rankings over the next year has added more gold to her and potentially earn a chance to impressive trophy case while rep- represent Canada at the upcoming resenting Canada in the North, summer Olympics.

Central American, and Caribbean Pischke is the daughter of North (NORCECA) beach volleyball America’s winningest coach, Garth championship.

Pischke, who also found success Pischke and her Team Canada as a player. Garth played for two beach volleyball partner from Canadian Junior Championship York University, Melissa Humana- teams from Manitoba, was part of Paredes, are currently ranked 34th the Canadian Olympic team, won in Fédération Internationale de three Canadian Interuniversity Volleyball (FIVB) World Tour rank- Athletic Union championships, and ings and are steadily rising. has coached at the Olympic level.

Look for the pair to climb the The apple doesn’t fall far from the

tree with the younger Pischke, who, at the age of 21, has already compiled an impressive resume full of medals and wins.

Pischke was an integral part of the Bison team that went a perfect 9-0 in Regina last year to capture a national championship. She picked up 327 kills and 297 digs in 27 games during her final year with the Bisons.

Pischke has two Under 23 World Championship bronze medals, two NORCECA circuit titles, the CIS gold medal with the Bisons, and now a NORCECA gold medal.

The win keeps the Bisons in a playThe weekend played out almost off spot, a fact that motivates the team identically for the men’s volleyball each weekend. team against Thompson Rivers.

“We’re a team that’s really hungry Friday night saw the Bisons lose a to make the playoffs. Last year we tight matchup in four sets (25-20, were so close, missing it by a couple 31-29, 23-25, 25-22). The second set of points here and there,” Strachan featured a marathon tie-break that said. “So this year we are really trying ended unfavourably for the home to come out strong.” team.

Captain Kenny Rooney had his Despite losing the shootout in season’s highest kill total with 13 on the second set, the Bisons stormed Friday night and added another 10 back to take the third and narrowly on Saturday. Devren Dear added 23 lost in a back-and-forth battle in the kills and 11 digs, Luke Herr picked up fourth set.

75 assists, and Adam DeJonckheere Libero Alex Strachan com- added 19 kills and 11 digs over the mented on his team’s no-quit attitude two games. post-game.

Jordan Dragojevic had the high“We really try to keep going after light of the night on Friday night every point,” Strachan said when he used his foot in a sprawling “We just try to find ways to put the save to stop what seemed to be a sure ball away. That’s basically our atti- point for the WolfPack. tude: keep the ball in play, be patient, Both squads will be on the road and wait for the opportunity to get this weekend, taking on the Mount a kill or make the big play, and just Royal Cougars. Game times are 7 and wear the other team down.”

6 p.m., respectively, for the women, Strachan and rest of Manitoba put and 8:30 and 7:30 p.m., respectively, together a more consistent game on for the men.

Saturday night, taking the WolfPack in three straight sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-22).

VOL. 101 NO. 44 November 26, 2014

Sports

19

Bisons fall just short against Montreal University of Manitoba football team suffers heartbreaking 29-26 loss in Uteck Bowl Mike Still, staff

12 yards stood between the Just Manitoba Bisons, and a trip to

their first Vanier Cup since 2007 on Saturday afternoon, however fate would not play into the visitors’ hands, as they fell 29-26 against a stingy Montreal Carabins defence.

Summary

Trailing by five points with 1:32 remaining, Bison quarterback Jordan Yantz led his team 82 yards, all the way into the Montreal red zone, before a sack, and forced fumble

by Anthony Coady would end any chance of a Manitoba comeback, as the Carabins recovered the ball with just 30 seconds left to play.

It was a gutsy performance from a Bison team that was forced to play comeback football all day long.

Montreal wasted very little time taking the lead, as Carabin QB Gabriel Cousineau found receiver Mik Davidson from 89 yards out, on just the second play from scrimmage, to pull ahead.

After a Felix Ménard-Brière rouge made the score 8-0, the Bisons answered back. Yantz drove the Manitoba offence 75 yards, and found long-time teammate Matt Sawyer from eight yards out, for the first of two touchdown connections on the day.

Cousineau would continue his hot start for Montreal immediately afterwards, to keep the momentum with the home team. Davidson hauled in his second TD on the ensuing drive for Montreal, followed by a field goal, and safety, to give the Carabins a commanding 20-7 lead after one quarter.

The Bisons answered quickly in second frame, scoring on their first drive. Yantz found Sawyer from 30 yards out to give the Herd some confidence, on a series that took just three plays.

Manitoba would carry the momentum for the majority of the second quarter, as both defences stiff-

ened up after a 27-point first frame.

The Carabins refused to let the Bisons get too comfortable, though, as Cousineau scampered in on a sixyard QB keeper with 2:48 remaining, replenishing the 13-point lead. The score was aided by a missed field goal

by Bison kicker Ryan Jones on the previous Manitoba drive.

Getting the ball back with 2:42 left in the first half, Manitoba stayed focused, with Yantz calling his own number, diving in from 10 yards out, to make the score 27-21 heading into the break. The Bison signal caller completed four of five passes on the drive, for 59 yards, before using his

year—punched the ball out of Kienan away.”

LaFrance’s hands, and Coady dove The two squads combined for six on it. sacks on defence, with four coming The Bison defence—which had from Manitoba, but the Carabins given up just 10 total points in the sec- were able to control the time of posond half during the playoffs heading session, holding the ball for 32:28, into the Uteck Bowl—answered with a compared to 27:32 for the Bisons. big play of their own immediately after Mitchell Harrison had his best the Carabin offence retook the field. game of the season for Manitoba, Linebacker Jonathan Jones dis- recording a team-high seven tackles, played his athletic abilities, stealing along with an interception and pass the ball out of the hands of Davidson, break-up, while Archambault and to give possession Coady both put back to Manitoba. up big numbers The third and The third and for the Carabins. final turnover of Archambault final turnover of the second half f inished with the second half seven and a half ended up sealing the win for tackles, two forced ended up sealing Montreal, with fumbles, and a the win for the duo of Coady fumble recovery, and Archambault while Coady had Montreal, with ending Manitoba’s four and a half season, right when tackles, a sack, a the duo of Coady it looked like the forced fumble, and and Archambault Bisons were about a fumble recovery. to finish off an Cousineau had ending impressive comean impressive 421 Manitoba’s legs to get the major. back in the final passing yards for Montreal, while A combined total of just seven minute. season points were scored in the entirety of Yantz finished the the second half. Montreal recorded Applauding day 22-of-35, for two safeties, while the Bisons got a the effort 320 yards and two scores against the Sawyer, who finished the day with nation’s best pass defence. When 40-yard field goal from Jones, but it wasn’t enough to topple the second- five receptions for 80 yards, and the it counted, however, the Carabins ranked Carabins. two majors, commended Montreal for stood their ground, advancing to the Both teams turned the ball over their coaching on the final Bison drive. National title in their own backyard on their first drives of the third quar“They chose a good play call, and next Saturday. ter, setting the stage for what turned sent more guys than we could block,” Montreal will now face the into a defensive slugfest.

Sawyer said. “Kudos to Montreal.”

McMaster Marauders of the OUA in Manitoba got the ball to start Despite the loss, Sawyer remained the Vanier Cup. The Mitchell Bowl the third, and was the first to positive about the way Manitoba per- champs defeated the Mount Allison Mounties in the other CIS semi-final. cough up the pigskin. Stud line- formed in the post-season. backer Byron Archambault—the “It was an awesome run. We played 2014 RSEQ defensive player of the a great team, and were just one play

Photos provided by the University of Montreal