13 March 2019

NEWS

Your UMSU clean sweep Sanderson to return as president

PAGE 3

SPORTS

Defending the fieldhouse

Host Bisons take six medals at nationals PAGE 22

COMMENT

UMSU autopsy The student union is as good as dead PAGE 10

NEWS

Meanwhile, at the U of W UWSA elects historic executive PAGE 3 VO L 1 0 5 · N O 2 7 · M A R C H 1 3 , 2 0 1 9 · W W W.T H E M A N I TO B A N .CO M

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Index

VOL. 105 NO. 27 March 13, 2019

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Garett Williams

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ARTS AND CULTURE

Between reality and fantasy

DESIGN

DESIGN EDITOR Kellie Huynh

Professor helps create Games Workshop

design@themanitoban.com

PAGE 19

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Scandalous misdirection

Jobs do not equate with good governance PAGE 8

NEWS

Five days

Students brave the cold for charity

PAGE 6

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News Editor: Malak Abas Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Your UMSU sweeps 2019 elections Jakob Sanderson to return as president MALAK ABAS, STAFF

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER DECEBAL-CUZA

Y

our UMSU — led by incumbent candidate Jakob Sanderson — swept the 2019 UMSU general elections.

Sanderson took 3,098 ballots, or 51.3 per cent of the vote, beating out Exist slate presidential candidate Annie Beach and New UMSU’s Jake Letwin, who took 1,666 and 1,278 votes, respectively.

There were 361 abstentions.

Sanderson’s executive will be made up of vice-president student life Jelynn Dela Cruz, vice-president community engagement Kyra Fanning, vice-president advocacy Sarah Bonner-Proulx and vicepresident finance and operations Mbuli Matshe.

Sanderson, Bonner-Proulx and Matshe are each returning for a second term.

Your UMSU pulled in about 50 per cent of the votes cast for every executive position. New UMSU trailed in second for every position except vice-president finance and operations.

Sanderson said he is “incredibly excited to start off another year with a full team.”

“It was extremely exciting,” he said.

“I think, honestly, as incredible as the feeling was the first year, I think this year was even more exciting, even more empowering. I think that it shows that the students have faith that we’re on the right track.

To not only be privileged enough to win this election, but to win with a majority of voters [...] I think is extremely exciting and I think it provides this union with a really strong direction.”

He added that the next order of business was to “get some sleep.”

Only two community representative positions were contested, international and accessibility students’ representative, which were won by Victoria Nwabuisi and Eliza Hydesmith, respectively.

Several community representative positions were won unopposed.

Sharlene MacCoy will return as the mature students’ representative, Alicia Kubrakovich is the new Indigenous students’ representative, Trevor Smith is the LGBTTQ* students’ representative and Sia Yamba is the women’s representative.

This year saw a higher than average voter turnout, with 6,403 total votes counted, representing nearly 29 per cent participation. Last year saw 5,616 ballots cast.

UWSA votes in slate of women of colour Historic executive includes UWSA’s first Anishinaabkwe president MALAK ABAS, STAFF

Malcolm, who will be the UWSA's first Anishinaabkwe president, said the slate was built to give voices to U of W students who may not have necessarily felt heard in the past.

“At first it didn’t feel real, and I didn’t realize how big it is — just getting elected as president is a big responsibility — but when people tell you ‘Oh, you’re the first this’ it adds a lot more pressure,” she said.

“We wanted to make these students feel supported” ­— Meagan Malcolm

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MEAGAN MALCOLM

T

he University of Winnipeg St udents’ A s soc iat ion (UWSA) has made history after voting in an executive slate comprised entirely of women of colour.

The UWSA Empower slate is led by Meagan Malcolm as presi-

dent and Mahlet Cuff, Noelle Sagher and Natasha Reimer as vice-president external affairs, vice-president student affairs and vice-president internal affairs, respectively.

The slate ran unopposed.

“I think because we are all women of colour that it is really important in order to change the system, because we weren’t originally supposed to succeed and thrive in these institutions. I think it allows for us to represent the student body, we can empower other students, we can represent them in ways that if we weren’t in these spaces, we couldn’t.”

With that responsibility,

Malcolm said, comes pressure.

“There are going to be even more people that are critical of us, right, because this is the first, the university has never seen this before,” she said.

Malcolm said her personal goal as UWSA president is to create more resources, including a bursary program for the U of W’s health insurance plan for low-income students.

“I’d really like to continue advocating for Indigenous languages through the ReconciliAction [program], so for that I’d like to create either an Indigenous languages diploma or degree,” she said.

“And I’d like to have more resources for mental health, because I understand that being in university can be rewarding and challenging, so I’d want to have more awareness on campus.”

UWSA Empower focused its platform on creating connections and a support system, particularly for black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) students on campus.

“We wanted to make these students feel supported at university, and then we also want to work closely with all student groups,” she said.

Candidate accused of abuse MALAK ABAS AND GARETT WILLIAMS, STAFF

A

n UMSU executive candidate running with the New UMSU slate has been accused of psychological abuse by several women who said they feared he would be elected into a position of power on campus.

The women said Fardad Hakem — who was running for vice-president of finance and operations, and received around 20 per cent of the vote — was emotionally abusive in romantic relationships and verbally abusive to women who held positions of authority over him, including residence advisors (RA) in university-run student housing.

One reported being left with a bloody nose after a car door was slammed in her face.

“I can imagine that if he’s elected, or if he runs again, it wouldn’t be representative, it wouldn’t be good for anyone” — Emma Ausen Hakem said in an email that he categorically denies ever acting in an abusive manner and suggested a political motive behind the women coming forward.

“This year they have chosen my name to be on the line and harmed,” he said. “These accusations paint me as irresponsible and belligerent to women in positions of power as well as with those I have been in consensual relationships with.”

“Anyone who knows me or has worked with me understands that the person I am is not reflective of the character painted by those who have come forward,” he said.

Hakem is a business partner at local nightclub 441 Main, where he works security. He recently made headlines after turning a person away from the nightclub after hearing them make homophobic remarks. He also served as manager of security for the Summer of Sound music festival.

“My legal representative will confirm that I have I never been arrested for or charged with any crime,” he said.

Candidate: page 4

4

News

News Editor: Malak Abas Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Candidate denies allegations of abuse, acknowledges “problems with anger” “I recognize that there were times in consenting relationships, and the times that followed the break up and parting of ways, where there were times a few years ago where I may have made some women uncomfortable in moments of heightened emotion,” he said.

“I also may have made these women uncomfortable by seeking advice from my peers and support circles after a break up.”

Emma Ausen, a student at the U of M since 2014, said she dated Hakem for nearly a year during her first year of university after the two met in a campus residence.

“I didn’t figure it out until afterwards, but he was fairly emotionally abusive and he did a lot of manipulative things to me,” she said. “He destroyed my confidence. He kind of treated me like a possession and I felt like a possession a lot during that time — and I know that he’s gone on since then to treat women in the same way.”

According to a 2008 paper published by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the terms psychological and emotional abuse are interchangeable and actions that qualify include “threats of harm or abandonment, humiliation, deprivation of contact, isolation and other psychologically abusive tactics and behaviours.”

Ausen said she came forward after learning Hakem was running for an UMSU executive position.

“I can imagine that if he’s elected, or if he runs again, it wouldn’t be representative, it wouldn’t be good for anyone.”

She said the abuse did not start at the beginning of the relationship but gradually escalated as time went on.

“He yelled at me for things that weren’t my fault and I started to feel guilty about things that I shouldn’t have felt guilty about,” she said. “But, being in the relationship, I couldn’t really see what was going on.”

Ausen, who is an international student from the U.S., said the gradual erosion of the relationship was “very isolating” and she found herself separated from her friends.

“In the first parts of the relationship, I was like ‘Oh, this is the best thing,’” she said. “I told all my

friends how good it was, how good constantly strived to address through spoken with Hakem since the car and past work as security at night clubs to over reach and over extend he was treating me, and then when support from positive role models, a door incident. he started to treat me differently, I new supportive girlfriend and woman Being close friends with Ausen, power illegally,” he said. “My priority almost felt embarrassed and like I in my life and pursuit of professional she said Hakem’s manipulative in my duties at venues worked at were had to fix something. avenues to address my problems with behaviour alienated Ausen from her to keep all patrons safe regardless of “I felt like I couldn’t talk to any anger, such as therapy and counsel- personal relationships. background, ethnicity, sexual orienof my friends about the problems ling,” he said. “Emotionally acting “We just didn’t have contact while tation, creed, religion and political that were going on within the out in certain instances were mis- they were dating,” she said. belief.” relationship.”

“And then after they broke up, she takes for which I regret and these are Like Ausen, she said she was unaAusen said the relationship actions I hope to address by profes- called me right away and we went ble to see his behaviour as abusive at revolved around emotional manipula- sional means.” for coffee.” the time because he would buy her tion and gaslighting — when a victim The RA said she came forward gifts and take her out constantly.

While Ausen said she does not is made to constantly question them- recall any physical abuse, a woman because she believes his behaviour “I was blinded [by] the charm, I selves — much of which she would — who has also spoken with the makes him ineligible for an executive guess,” she said. later find herself apologizing for.

Manitoban and requested to remain position in the student union.

She said Hakem would become “He would get irrationally mad at anonymous — reported witnessing “I think it’s highly inappropriate for “obsessed” with her male friends to me, and oftentimes I would end up Hakem try to grab Ausen’s neck and him to be in any power position when the point where one was concerned apologizing to him for things like pull her away from a conversation. he is this disrespectful to women,” for his safety and broke off contact. living in the same residence building The woman, who was a RA on a she said.

“By the end of the relationship, my as a boy that I had slept with before. different floor of the same building as Another woman who came for- friends were like ‘We can’t deal with “He got incredibly, irrationally Hakem, said it was not the only time ward and requested anonymity said this anymore, you’re not listening, mad at me for it and I had to feel she witnessed him use physical force. she dated Hakem for several months he’s a bad guy,” she said. “And then I guilty,” she said.

While the RA said she and after he pursued her aggressively. finally started to see it.”

“And I apolo“I wasn’t really She said she and Hakem have not gized, and there looking for a spoken since they broke up and he “The person I am is not reflective of the was just many boyfriend, but has never apologized for his actions. times during the he wouldn’t take Hakem said he regretted “emocharacter painted by those who have relationship that no, and basically tionally acting out in certain come forward” — Fardad Hakem I remember him broke me down instances.” being so mad, and until I said yes to “I apologize to anyone who felt me feeling like I date him,” she said. that I made them uncomfortable or was worthless and that I had to do Hakem were initially on friendly She said he would show up at her [caused them] harm — that was never everything to be good enough to be terms and would occasionally go to home and in her classes on a daily my intent,” he said. with him.” the gym together, the relationship basis. She said she noticed an immeShe said Hakem’s treatment of While Ausen said she did speak devolved into a cycle of harassment diate change in his attitude after she her changed the way she approaches with counselling services on campus, after she exercised her authority as a agreed to begin a relationship. relationships — certain words she she never filed an official complaint. residence advisor.

“The day we started dating, it was said he frequently used can be trigShe said she received the worst The RA said the relationship the day the abuse started,” she said. gering to her, and she is more prone to grades of her university career in the never fully recovered and months “Like it was instant, when he knew he arguments because “with him, there period they were together, attributing later while the two were sharing a had me locked down.” was no talking about things, we went it to both the relationship and it being car with mutual friends, “he slammed At one point, she said he called her straight into yelling at each other.” the second semester of her first year the car door in my face, giving me a a “slut” and “disgusting” after learn“My mentality now is ‘Okay, away from home. She said her grades bloody nose.” ing she had been in previous romantic they’re going to yell at you, prepare improved after they broke up.

She said she believes it was done relationships. yourself,’ when that’s not the case,” She said he implied her being in she said.

Ausen said the relationship frac- purposely. tured her sense of self-worth.

“He’s just very manipulative and previous romantic relationships had “That’s not a normal human reac“I think the way he treated me — very kind of scary to be around tainted her, and that he would “fix her” tion when you say, ‘Can you pass the what he told me about who I was and for women,” she said. “There was and resolved to “make [her] clean.” salt,’ you know.” who he was — he thought he was instances that I was around when he She said he would attempt to Like the other women who came the greatest person in the world and referred to all women [as] dogs, [that] monitor her actions when he was forward, she said she fears that I didn’t deserve to be with him,” she all women are beneath him,” she said. not around, including asking mutual Hakem will end up in a position of said.

She said his negative behaviour friends who worked at other bars and power.

Hakem acknowledged he may specifically targeted women. nightclubs to watch her and update “I’ve seen him interact with other have acted in a manner that could “Basically, if the female [residence him on her actions. people, and it’s scary — he is very be perceived as harmful but added advisors] asked him to do something, “There was a time where I went aggressive, and I don’t want that perthat he has sought support through he would get huffy, or ignore it, or to a bar and he checked the security son to have power,” she said. cameras, because he thought I was therapy and counselling for what he whatever,” she said.

“If someone tells him ‘No,’ that person’s going to get hurt, either called his “problems with anger.”

She said she included accounts of lying to him,” she said.

“I also accept that anger manage- his behaviour in her weekly reports Hakem denies ever doing this. physically, emotionally or verbally. ment has been something I have to Residence Life staff and has not “I have never misused my position “I’m scared for that person.”

JAN. 18

MAR. 15

APR. 5

DR. KRISTI MILLER-SAUNDERS FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA HEAD, MOLECULAR GENETICS

DR. JULIETTE LEGLER UTRECHT UNIVERSITY HEAD OF TOXICOLOGY

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Robert B. Schultz Lecture Theatre 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

University of Manitoba, Fort Garry Campus 91 Ralph Campbell Road

All welcome to attend www.sci.umanitoba.ca

VOL. 105 NO. 27 March 13, 2019

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LGBTTQ* rep campaign posters vandalized Finding tampered posters two years in a row leaves student feeling “unsafe” MALAK ABAS, STAFF

POSTER PROVIDED BY TREVOR J SMITH

U

MSU ’s recent ly-elected LGBTTQ* community representative has said two consecutive years of campaign-poster tampering

has left him feeling unsafe on campus.

Trevor Smith said he noticed his posters had been removed in four different spots on campus during

the UMSU campaign period — out, and a slit across my throat on hearing his concerns about accessible something he believes was done on the poster.” gender-neutral bathrooms. purpose.

Smith said he “didn’t really know “This person who wasn’t a club “In a lot of cases, my posters have how to feel at first,” but eventually member, but was a friend of club been torn down,” he said. “I know it’s found the vandalized poster, which members, came in and heard what I not the tape, because [accessibility featured Smith wearing a rainbow- was talking about and started kind of students’ representative candidate] coloured hat, concerning. investigating me and my credibility Brandon Wozniak and I sort of put “It sort of started sinking in a little with my experiences,” he said. up our posters together in the same bit more that I didn’t really feel safe “They started asking about, like, spot with the same tape, and then my on campus,” he said.

‘Well, what were you born as?’ As poster is missing.”

“And what [did] this mean? Is it soon as you hear that, that’s already “What the motivation is, I can’t a personal attack on me, who I am? like, this is a conversation that’s really say for sure, but it’s places where all Or is this an attack on my flamboy- going to go downhill.” the other candidates’ posters are still ant poster, my rainbow hat, the fact Davis said the experience was up, except mine is missing,” he said. that I’m running for the LGBTTQ* worrying in that it insinuated there “I don’t have competition, so it’s position? were others on campus who felt the not just like a really heated election, “So I felt unsafe, and this sinking same way. where my competition is tearing feeling in my stomach.”

“To know people like that are on down my posters.”

He said while he has not expe- campus, it makes me uncomfortable Smith said while he has not rienced any incidents other than and a little bit scared,” he said. received any personal attacks, he felt his posters being removed this year, As UMSU’s new LGBTTQ* repthe fact that he has had issues with the feeling of uncertainty and fear resentative, Smith said he plans to his posters for two years in a row is remains today. consult the LGBTTQ* community not an accident.

Smith referred to incidents on on campus to see if other students are “It’s moreso just the symbolism of campus, namely white supremacist facing similar experiences, and poshaving my posters taken down when postering in October, as causing addi- sibly allotting community funding other peoples’ are not, or my poster tional feelings of unease. toward safety initiatives. was the only one that was vandalized “It’s just sort of that lingering feel“Get the community together, see in the previous election as well,” he ing of like ‘I don’t know if I should if [the vandalism is] sort of an isolated said. feel safe or not,’” he said. thing, am I the only one who feels While running as the LGBTTQ* Damien Davis, a first-year student this way,” he said. representative for the arts student and member of the LGBTTQ* camSmith added another feeling that body council (ASBC) last year, he pus community, said while overall came to him in both instances was found one of his posters had been he has found his experience as an empowerment. violently vandalized.

LGBTTQ* person on campus to be “I really feel like it makes me want “Basically what ended up hap- “OK,” he has experienced microag- to represent the community even pening was I didn’t notice anything gressions during his time on campus. stronger, if that is what happened during the course of the election, but In one case, he referred to a stu- as far as it being more against the then at the end, when we all had to dent who entered the Rainbow Pride community than against me as an take our posters down, one of the Mosaic (RPM) room as an ally and individual.” posters I noticed had my eyes gouged began an interrogation of Davis after

Fighting for a $15 minimum wage in University Centre Group demands living wage for all workers, better benefits TY BRASS, STAFF

W

orking students who feel 2016-17, or the wage a family with unfairly treated by their work- two parents working full-time must places were met with an empowering make to meet their basic needs, to be message in UMSU University Centre $14.54 an hour. this week: they are not alone.

The group is part of a larger movement across the U.S. and Canada.

Along with pushing for increasing the “It's just so difficult minimum wage, advocates also call for improved employment standards to juggle that and and stronger benefits for low-wage having to pay workers.

Freelance journalist and Fight rising tuition costs” for $15 and Fairness U of M chapter — James Wilt organizer James Wilt was on campus collecting signatures and speaking with students.

The Fight for $15 and Fairness “We’re trying to engage with stuManitoba U of M chapter tabled on dents because this is something that campus March 5 and 8 to collect sig- impacts lots of students,” he said. natures on a petition calling for the “And I think a lot of people have province to increase the minimum experienced working minimum-wage wage to $15 an hour. or low-wage jobs, and so we’re just The current minimum wage in trying to get the word out there and Manitoba is $11.35 an hour, increased increase support for it.” in October from $11.15. The Canadian Wilt said the goal of the campaign Centre for Policy Alternatives calcu- is not to necessarily appeal to the govlated the living wage in Winnipeg for ernment, but to demand changes to

labour laws in a more direct way.

“There’s the upcoming provincial election, and the Manitoba PCs are obviously in power, and not very sympathetic to the idea of a higher minimum wage,” he said.

“But that’s why we see the sort of grassroots nature of this campaign being formed by students and lowwage workers [as being] really powerful, because the objective is not to appeal to a benevolent government that will gift us this, it’s really to fight for it.”

Wilt called the response from U of M students “amazing.”

“It’s been great, it’s been really good. We’ve had people who will come and sign, and then they will call their friends over, or tell their friends and then they’ll come.”

Wilt, who said he joined the group because of his own experiences with minimum wage jobs, called it “near impossible” to work full-time in a minimum wage position and maintain a fair quality of life — and said

PHOTO BY ASHA NELSON

the Fight for $15 campaign has heard testimonies from working students who say the same.

“We’ve had people tell us stories about working low wage jobs, and how it’s just so difficult to juggle that and having to pay rising tuition costs and all that kind of thing, and rising housing costs,” he said.

“I think it’s been really good. We have conversations with people who might be skeptical or have questions about it, which is good, so it's an opportunity to answer some of those questions about alleged impacts on jobs or inflation or that kind of thing and to help dispel myths and everything.”

6

News

News Editor: Malak Abas Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

Conservatives cut post-secondary funding — again Similar budget in 2018 preceeded tuition hike MALAK ABAS, STAFF

W

hile those looking to produce films in Manitoba can look forward to a fruitful 2019, the budget tabled by the provincial government Thursday sets a far bleaker scene for those interested in studying them.

The Progressive Conservative gov-

“We know that an investment in a research-intensive university is ...

ernment’s 2019-20 budget includes a one per cent decrease in the provincial sales tax (PST), fulfilling a 2016 election promise, a cut to ambulance fees and an increase in the film and video production tax credit, nearly doubling film funding to $31.5 million from $16 million.

Post-secondary institutions, however, stand to lose again this year due to a 0.9 per cent decrease to operating grants and strategic initiatives, the budget line that outlines funding to all post-secondary institutions in the province.

This is the second consecutive year funding for post-secondary has been reduced, with last year’s cuts followed by a 6.6 per cent increase in tuition.

In the same year, the province also

repealed universal healthcare for international students.

University administration has not said whether tuition will climb again this fall. A statement released by the university Thursday said administration “still awaits confirmation from [the] government regarding its specific budget information.”

The statement included a comment from U of M president David Barnard, who called on the province to “secure the future competitiveness of this province.”

“The University of Manitoba understands the financial constraints this government faces and has already demonstrated its commitment to prudent budgeting,” Barnard said.

“At the same time we encourage this government to see the value in investing in results for Manitobans by investing in this province’s only research-intensive university.”

Barnard said the university would continue to thrive through “strategic investment.”

“We know that an investment in a research-intensive university is an investment in Manitoba’s future.”

In a press release, UMSU vicepresident external Owen Black said the cuts confirmed the Conservative government would “continue another year of attacks on post-secondary education.”

“The province of Manitoba needs to stop balancing the budget at the cost of Manitoba’s post-secondary

PHOTO BY CAROLYNE KROEKER

education and start investing in the future of Manitobans,” he said.

“I want to personally assure all University of Manitoba students that our UMSU executive will be working hard to stand against future tuition increases for both domestic and international students.”

UMSU called on U of M administration and the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) to work toward affordable

education for all students, and said the union would continue its efforts to bring more open educational resources — which fosters the use of public domain resources instead of expensive textbooks — to classrooms.

Dele Ojewole, the chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students’ Manitoba branch, called the budget a “total disaster for post-secondary students in Manitoba” in a statement.

“At a time when other provinces

are finding innovative ways to invest in [post-secondary education] and healthcare, the Pallister government is doing the opposite, effectively making higher education out of reach for those who need it most,” he said.

“It’s truly disappointing to see this government’s continued lack of awareness about the value that investing in post-secondary education has in our communities and the economy in Manitoba.”

Students weather the elements for charity 5 Days for the Homeless campaign raising money for youth TY BRASS, STAFF

S

even U of M students have chosen to brave the cold for nearly a week as part of the 5 Days for the Homeless charity campaign.

Groups of university students nationwide will spend five days liv-

Youth (RaY), a non-profit organization that provides programs and services that support homeless youth in Winnipeg.

The students are staying in a temporary shelter outside of UMSU University Centre from March 10 to 15. The sleepers are not allowed to bring food, water or money, just the clothes on their backs, a pillow and sleeping bag. They rely entirely on donated goods to eat and drink.

The sleepers are expected to attend all of their classes during the week.

Liam McNeill, a fifth-year Asper student, said it has not been too difficult yet, and with the forecast calling for a sunny week, he’s hoping the weather will help in getting people out to donate.

“It’s been a good time.

“Some good people doing it with PHOTO BY ASHA NELSON us, had some friends drop by and help us out with some hot chocolate and ing outdoors to raise money, both stuff, but yeah, it’s been alright so through online donations and sev- far,” he said. eral events including a social, for a “It’s supposed to be a lot warmer local charity. this week than in past years, so hopeThe U of M chapter donates its fully we can raise a lot of money. proceeds to Resource Assistance for People are outside.”

McNeill said he chose to get involved after seeing the event take place in previous years.

He said he hopes to learn something from spending the week outdoors.

“I’ve seen it in the past, it seemed like an interesting experience, to gain something, a different perspective on how people live here in our city,” he said.

McNeill hopes other students will also learn something from the event.

“Everyone kind of has a perception about homelessness.

“I mean, it’s a pretty common thing here in Winnipeg, and having gone and visited RaY, it’s interesting to see people our own age who are struggling with this kind of thing, and you don’t really think about that,” he said.

“We have so many privileges, and then you see this, and all of a sudden it puts everything in perspective.

Just to take a minute and think about what you have, and you might not think you might be able to give a lot but, doing something like this, I’m a broke student just like most people here and I managed to find a way to

give back.”

Stephanie Kalo, public relations co-ordinator for 5 Days UManitoba, is taking part in the campaign for the second year in a row, though this year in a more involved position.

“I was involved briefly with the 5 Days campaign last year as one of the volunteers who walked around campus collecting donations,” she said.

“During that experience I was pleasantly surprised by the support and generosity displayed by students from all over campus.

“That experience left me eager to contribute in a greater capacity this year.”

Kalo also said students are welcome to stop by the shelter.

“We’re really hoping to encourage students to visit the sleepers during the week to talk to them about their experiences, see firsthand what it’s like and keep them company.”

Students can donate online at 5daysum.ca/donate.

VOL. 105 NO. 27 March 13, 2019

News

7

Complaints of rule-breaking disparage campaign CRO calls candidates’ use of complaint system “strategic” MALAK ABAS, STAFF

R

ule breaking, Instagram poachHe added that the complaint sys- less than a day before campaigning New UMSU appealed the ruling whether or not Pembina Hall was ing and even collusion — two tem eventually reflected growing fric- began. to the UMSU judicial board on the technically a private or public space, Further evidence included pho- basis that deactivating the account at but past precedent considered it weeks of UMSU election campaign- tion between the candidates. ing saw 10 submitted complaints.

“We were [...] at the point where tos from March 2018 that had been the time of the ruling, Feb. 28, would public and Your UMSU received no put the slate at an unfair disadvantage. demerits.

Violations of election rules are people are utilizing the rules in a sort “liked” by wearenewumsu. expressed in a demerit system. of subtle sense to sort of jab at people,” Photos liked by the Future UMSU The board upheld the demerits.

Hunter suggested re-working the Demerit points are decided on the he said.

At the time UMSU election postering policy as “I think as ruling of the union’s chief returning of publishing, a way to reduce the number of comofficer (CRO) after a complaint is tensions grew, the re-created plaints in the future.

“What I will say for sure is that the wearenewumsu “I really hope next year that filed. If any one candidate receives so did the comcomplaints felt more strategic on Instagram UMSU works collaboratively with 50 demerits, they are automatically plaints and so account had 291 the faculties to create designated posdisqualified from running. did the level of everyone's end” — Darius Hunter, CRO followers. tering areas. So working with, say, Out of the seven complaints pub- complaint and Other lished online so far, the New UMSU utilizing the the faculty of arts, say you can only demerits put posters on this wall in Fletcher slate received 65 demerits and the system in such Exist slate received 10. Your UMSU, a way that is meant to hinder, rather account a year ago would appear to included an additional 10 demerits Argue. Or you talk to Asper, and they which went on to sweep the executive than to create a fair, equitable elec- be liked by wearenewumsu after the for New UMSU vice-president stu- say only on this one or two bulletins,” tion. So I think that that needs to be account changed names. dent life candidate Sydney Pankratz he said. election, received no demerits.

CRO Darius Hunter said that reworked.”

While claims of collusion between for campaigning in a prohibited area.

“This isn’t a perfect solution to The Exist slate was handed five issues with putting posters up and while he felt that while the election The single complaint resulting in Future UMSU and New UMSU was overall “pretty clean,” the com- the most demerits involved collusion members were dropped, Hunter demerits each for for breaching poster around, but it definitely would plaint system was being deployed as and pre-campaigning between the determined sharing the account — rules and having a community repre- remove a lot of the concerns.”

Hunter said based on his experiwhat he called a “petty” campaign 2018 Future UMSU slate and New and all its followers — broke elec- sentative show support for the slate on strategy.

UMSU, after it was determined New tronic campaign guidelines. social media during campaign period. ence as a moderator for the campaign Along with hitting presidential Several complaints resulted in no process, the overall environment cre“What I will say for sure is that UMSU was using the Instagram the complaints felt more strategic on account Future UMSU campaigned candidate Jake Letwin with 15 and demerits being assigned, including ated by student elections could be all other New UMSU candidates 10 a complaint that Your UMSU hung improved. everyone’s end,” he said. “I felt that with a year ago.

Screen recordings of New demerits, the ruling called for the campaign materials in Pembina Hall “I think that the nature of student perhaps the system was being utilized so as to hinder people, not for the UMSU’s Instagram account, weare- Instagram account be deleted. residence, which the complainant politics and the nature of these elecLetwin did not respond to several said constituted a private space. tions creates a hostile environment, basis of just pointing out rules being newumsu, showed the account had broken.” amassed a following of 2,049 people requests for comment.

It could not be determined which it really shouldn’t be.”

National spotlight

The U Sports track and field national championships unfolded at the James Daly Fieldhouse at the U of M last week. Turn to page 22-23 for full coverage.

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

8

It’s the jobs, stupid Moral decay begets physical corruption EVAN TREMBLAY, STAFF

H

e did it for the jobs.

Since Jody Wi lsonRaybould’s testimony regarding the SNC-Lavalin affair, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not wavered in his justification for his actions and those of his staff: “We are always going to stand up for good jobs.”

“Jobs” is shorthand for old-fashioned labour Jobs have become the be-all and end-all of public policy in Canada and the rest of the developed world.

Their ubiquitous delivery, promised by politicians of all levels and all parties, has assumed the rote familiarity of the Roman panem et circenses.

A morally upright and just policy is not worthwhile, lest it produce jobs. A policy venal and abhorrent to human dignity becomes palatable — when it promises jobs. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine goes down, and the kowtowing to job-creation is the saccharine opiate of a society whose rot has passed from the aesthetic to the structural.

Like the Roman mob with its bread and circuses, the Canadian electorate has become addicted to promises of jobs from politicians, coming to see this as their primary role — despite the mandate of our government in Canada being the maintenance of “peace, order and good government.”

The reduction of the role of government to this one item-line (and somehow, the jobs promised are never to be provided by the government itself) has become jingoistic. “Jobs” is shorthand for old-fashioned labour that could be understood, and performed, by your grandfather — not

the type of delicate work that is the How is the choice before us proper preserve of a highly advanced either no jobs or jobs that threaten and wealthy society. to destroy our ability to sustain a high The promise of jobs is really the quality of life?

The scandal of the SNC-Lavalin promise of jobs in resource-extraction, ephemeral in the benefits they affair is not the attempt of Trudeau provide and long-lasting in the scars and his team to exert improper they leave upon the land, or in the pressure on the attorney general of STEM fields, where our culture’s Canada — one would have to be hard-won mastery of the physical naive to imagine that such a thing world is made thrall to corporate is less than common in the nation’s profit while segments of our popula- capitol. tion languish without running water.

In having promises of jobs shoved down our throats, we have been made The promise of to accept a very particular reading of jobs is really the what a job is, namely wage slavery.

We hear nothing of jobs that not promise of jobs in only put food on tables, but leave resource-extraction, ecosystems stronger than we find them, increase the span of cultural ephemeral in the memory or fortify our polity for the long and difficult centuries of climac- benefits they provide tic disruption ahead. The labour of artists is devalued, because its fruit is delicate; the labour of the philosopher, because its fruit is subtle.

The true scandal is that Trudeau For the sake of jobs, we are sup- — and our whole political class, posed to accept inaction on those alongside, undoubtedly, much of the things of pressing concern to us, and electorate — thinks that “jobs” even to mutely observe egregious manifes- approaches justification — for this, tations of political and corporate graft. or for any matter. The true scandal After 10,000 years of civilization is that we have replaced a system of on this planet, how is it not possible morals with only one justification, to have both full employment and an and treat that justification as if it was absence of ecological disasters? handed down to us from the heavens With a population of about 37 mil- on a stone tablet. lion, how is it not possible that the On Feb. 16, a train carrying crude government of Canada can weather oil derailed near St. Lazare in the the (potential) loss of 9,000 jobs, if sleeping, idyllic western part of the that is the price of mildly punishing province. Drone footage taken of the crash showed long black tentacles those who bribe public officials?

How, with lifetimes worth of work of oil radiating from the crash site to be done in retrofitting, upgrad- over the snow, poisoning what they ing and rebuilding our culture and touched. Neither the premier nor the its infrastructure to withstand cli- prime minister saw fit to comment, mate change, are there no options but they didn’t need to — we already for the creation of jobs other than know the reason it is permissible for buying up pipelines and poisoning poison to seep in to our province’s the Athabasca River? rich farmland: jobs.

Comment Comment Editor: Jacob Singleton Contact: comment@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

10

UMSU election post-mortem

A shallow grave for a shallow platform JACOB SINGLETON, STAFF

GRAPHIC BY EVAN TREMBLAY

T

here are normally six pallbearers tasked with carrying the coffin at a funeral, but the winning Your UMSU slate can only offer five — how disappointing.

UMSU president Jakob Sanderson and his slate won the UMSU election, leaving some unsurprised. Sanderson is one in a long line of UMSU presidents who have been able to secure two years at the helm of the union.

It was a coronation.

This election demonstrated that student apathy toward UMSU is as high as ever However, Sanderson’s victory also marks the beginning of the end for UMSU as an organ of the Manitoba student movement.

This election demonstrated that student apathy toward UMSU is as high as ever. Despite students having three days to grab the phone in their pocket and vote online, only 28.5 per cent of union members decided to do so.

In fact, over 350 students logged in to vote and just quickly scrolled to the bottom of the electronic ballot page to submit a blank ballot. Maybe they thought the election email was something actually important.

This year’s election saw a slight Indigenous initiatives, it would be level. uptick, 787 more ballots cast, in the hard to imagine how it could do a CASA does not advocate for unilevel of “voter turnout” — hard to better job than Exist UMSU — who versal tuition or organizing student call it that seeing as how you could offered its own Indigenous initiatives mobilization. Rather, CASA prides have turned out to your bathroom — at actualizing effective policy. itself on developing connections with to vote — compared to last year. All Candidates from the Exist UMSU established political figures and getelections since the implementation of slate are prominent members of U of ting its leadership on television — a online voting in 2017 have achieved M Indigenous Students’ Association major component of CASA’s Feb. 14 voter turnout of over 25 per cent.

(UMISA). UMISA in conjunc- presentation to the UMSU board of Jakob Sanderson’s Your UMSU tion with Canadian Federation of directors. slate offered a whole host of rehashed Students were the central organiSanderson’s slate has really campaign promises. From last year’s zations responsible for creating taken the wet-napkin approach to marquee promise to pressure the the now nationally-implemented student politics to heart. Beyond university to utilize free open edu- ReconciliAction campaign. It has simply adopting CASA’s approach cation resources to promoting its been a huge success. to student advocacy at the provinboondoggle tutoring project, it was The people responsible for that cial level in the event of a successful like UMSU-election Groundhog Day. campaign would be the best to entrust decertification from the Canadian Meanwhile, the other Jake slate, with handling UMSU’s Indigenous Federation of Students, Sanderson’s New UMSU — led by Jake Lewin initiatives. slate is going to fund workshops for — delivered its ambiguous campaign Nevertheless, Exist UMSU lost “student leaders.” promises in a series of short Facebook with many of its candidates coming and Instagram posts. in third behind New UMSU. That A union run by New UMSU or is not the fault of union membership. While UMSU has Your UMSU would only be super- Rather, it is a failure of Exist UMSU the capacity to do ficially different. New UMSU func- supporters to convince the 72 per cent good, it has lost the tioned more like a microtransaction of union members who did not vote reskin of your favourite Call of Duty that Exist UMSU was worth pulling faith and confidence gun than a real alternative to Your out their phone and voting for.

UMSU. The victory of Sanderson’s slate of its members The Exist UMSU slate was more makes it clear that UMSU is leavambitious and more concrete in its ing behind grassroots organization, platform. ambitious political action and sysLead by Annie Beach, Exist temic change.

The union-funded circle of offered the only serious alternaA key campaign promise of self-pleasure that the promise tive to the UMSU norm. The Exist Sanderson’s slate was to leave the of “Professional Development UMSU slate was comprised of five Canadian Federation of Students and Workshops for Student Leaders” community advocates who had all replace its advocacy with UMSU- represents is nothing but the last been deeply committed to represent- based advocacy at the provincial level nail sinking into the UMSU coffin. ing and improving student life. and a federal advocacy organization These promised workshops are going While Sanderson’s Your UMSU like Canadian Alliance of Student to teach “student leaders” new selfslate featured promises for new Associations (CASA) at the federal marketing strategies, among other

useless things.

How any UMSU slate could seriously make such a promise a plank in its platform is beyond reason.

Sanderson has said he is worried about a Doug Ford-esque student union defunding program that already exists in Ontario coming to Manitoba. He should be.

If Sanderson is going to save UMSU for future “student leaders” for years to come, he had better hope he can make the union revenue self-sufficient.

Sanderson’s aspiration to develop revenue self-sufficiency is not going to save the union for students. More than 70 per cent of students already do not care who runs the student union. Those people see absolutely no value in UMSU or understand what a student union can accomplish.

I cannot blame them. While UMSU has the capacity to do good, it has lost the faith and confidence of its members.

A student union should have the ability to mobilize its members and force governments to bend at the knee to the will of thousands of marching students.

UMSU probably could not assemble more than 50 students on its best day.

This most recent slate is not solely responsible for the union’s demise, but they are carrying it to its grave.

So, come gather around to watch UMSU be carried to its deathbed.

Hopefully, it is a shallow grave for a shallow platform.

VOL. 105 NO. 27 March 13, 2019

Comment 11

How to leave your job like a grown-up

And how to quit like a kid REBECCA BALAKRISHNAN, THE WORK LIFE

T

hrowing up deuces as you walk out the front door with no notice is just one of the tantalizing ways one can exit a job like you’ve just won the lottery.

But there is really only one way to quit like an adult. And there are certainly a lot of ways to quit with the tenacity of a toddler — or a big lottery winner.

Before getting into the proper way to resign, let's explore a few immature exits which are best avoided.

are the sorts of conversations we usually is not the best way to move would rather avoid. Sometimes it just forward in your career. seems easier to stop going to work and hope they get the hint.

The rage quit Resignations are uncomfortable, It has been a bad day. So, you just but they are required. leave. Right in the middle of your Of course, sometimes physical or work day.

Perhaps you tell your manager mental health issues are a factor in a exactly what you think of the organiprofessional disappearing act.

Whenever possible, it is best zation in a hatred-fueled, expletivepractice to communicate with your laden stream of truth you have been workplace about what is going on. holding in for way too long.

If you are unable to return to work, phone or email your manager about Resignations are your situation.

By being open and honest, you uncomfortable, but maintain the possibility of an ongothey are required ing professional relationship.

professional relationship with your former colleagues.

Any potential future employer is going to expect references from your previous supervisors. If you leave on bad terms, you lose your reference.

Even if you have other people for your reference list, if you include a job you quit unprofessionally on your resumé, a hiring manager might ask you to provide a reference for it.

While you may feel comfortable simply deleting this terrible job from your resumé to avoid awkward questions, the world is smaller than you think. Future opportunities can be thwarted if a connection tips off the hiring manager of your bad behaviour.

The dramatic exit

How to quit without burning bridges

Every worker has probably fantasized about quitting their job in a gigantic spectacle. You hire a marching band to escort you out. A barbershop quartet serenades your co-workers about their idiocy. A gaggle of cheerleaders chants your exit speech for the entire office.

It's dramatic. It's a little mean.

The ghost It is tempting to just disap- And it's oh so satisfying.

It's also dumb. Don't do it. pear when you are done with a job.

You may become a legend, but that Dumping anyone is awkward. These

Or maybe you burst into tears, mumble your quitting words and run out in a panic.

Either way, you have caused a bit of a scene and let down your colleagues by bouncing when there is likely no one else to cover for you.

Consequences of an unprofessional exit

A dignified, well-timed resignation is the key to maintaining a

Do the adult thing and give appropriate notice when leaving a job. It is hard, it is awkward and it is a lot less fun than the alternatives. But you will preserve your career in the process.

Giving two weeks’ notice in writing is the typical professional courtesy when leaving a position. Manitoba labour law states that one week’s notice suffices for employees who have worked in a position for 30 days

to one year, while two weeks’ notice is expected for employees resigning from a position they have held for over a year.

A resignation letter should be in a standard business letter format. Keep it brief and factual. Explain you are providing two weeks’ notice of your resignation.

Thanking the organization for the opportunity is a nice touch, but not required. It is also considerate but not compulsory to offer to train your successor or remain available by phone for any questions that come up in the transition.

Depending on your relationship with your supervisor, it might be appropriate to request a meeting in person to share your decision and deliver your letter. This is especially important if you are leaving a position you value.

Dumping someone in person is just so much more respectful than doing it by email. But if your workplace makes this courtesy impossible, an email will do the trick.

Save the dramatic resignations for your daydreams.

Quit correctly and your career will thank you.

Care about it?

Write about it.

Help us tell the stories that matter to U of M students. email me@themanitoban.com to find out about volunteering opportunities.

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VOL. 105 NO. 27 March 13, 2019

Comment 13

Why Canada needs to make child care a right

Deep-rooted problems leave parents with few choices KENNY INGRAM, STAFF

T

he state of child care in Canada is a complete and utter dumpster

fire.

Problems within the child care industry have grown more and more evident in recent years. Six years ago, a CBC Marketplace investigation revealed an uncomfortable reality.

This reality was that the entire industry is almost completely unregulated. This means literally anyone can call themselves a “daycare” and accept children with absolutely zero qualifications to care for kids.

Effectively, this is taxpayer dollars invested wisely The consequence of this is that most people caring for children will never be certified in CPR, first aid or have any real experience caring for children. The result of this horrific system is astonishing: the death of several toddlers.

Many young children, like twoyear-old Eva Ravikovich who died under the care of an unlicensed daycare caring for 29 children and average of about $933. Coupling this 14 dogs simultaneously, are sim- with the rising cost of living — with ply not safe under current daycare the national average rent for a oneregulations. bedroom apartment costing over The only reason parents must $1,000 — and stagnant provincial turn to unlicensed daycare centres minimum wages, the hundreds of is because, according to 2013 data, just dollars per month puts daycare out 20 per cent of parents who wish to put of reach for many Canadians. their children in a daycare can get a In Ontario, child care costs properly licensed space. account for nearly a third of the net There is simply not enough space income of a family — one of the highest proportions in the developed for kids in these licensed facilities.

But the statistics representing the world. lack of access to licensed daycare are There are plenty of people who misleading because it only represents wish to put their children in quality day care, but simply cannot because the parents who can afford daycare.

In Canada, there is huge dispar- of the price tag.

Canada has severely lagged on the ity in the monthly price of child care.

It can range from $175 in Montreal issue of maternity and paternity leave. to $1,675 in Toronto, with a national While Canada only requires employ-

GRAPHIC BY DANIEL OLAPADE

ers to offer 17 weeks of paid leave at around half of the new parent’s salary, countries like Croatia, Denmark, Serbia and Sweden all offer at least a year of paid leave, with pay ranging from 80 to 100 per cent of the employee’s salary.

If we are going to force new mothers back into the workforce with little to no time with their new child, the least we, as a society, can do is provide quality child care as a right to all working parents.

This is not only the moral option, but it is the financially sound investment. Child care has an incredibly high return on investment. The U.S.-based National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs found that high-quality child care

INDIGENOUS AWARENESS MONTH MARCH 2019

Join us to learn and celebrate all month long: • Cultural workshops and events • Featured speakers and discussions • And much more Everyone is welcome!

umanitoba.ca/indigenous

#UMINDIGENOUS

can return between US$4 and US$9 for every dollar spent. Higher estimates, like a 2009 study of Perry Preschool, a Michigan preschool for three- to five-year-olds, estimated the return to be between US$7 and US$12 for every dollar invested.

Effectively, this is taxpayer dollars invested wisely. Publicly funded child care incentives would have positive results for parents and generate additional long-term economic growth. A true win-win.

An infusion of government cash into child care to guarantee access for families is only one part of the solution. The systemic issues with child care providers must also be addressed. And who better than our current, self-proclaimed male femi-

nist Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take up the cause?

While Trudeau’s Liberals have generally resorted to incrementalism, in the form of moderate increases to the Canadian Child Benefit, the current state of child care deserves specific legislative addressment.

What this entails is first fixing the current unconscionable state of unregulated daycares, by phasing out unregulated private child care entirely. Simultaneously, the federal government must begin investing in fully-licensed daycare seriously, until the supply meets the social requirement of the country.

Above all else, Canada must provide quality, licensed child care as a right to all working parents.

Diversions Graphics Editor: Evan Tremblay Contact: graphics@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

16 PREVIOUSLY...

Huff Huff

I didn’t have time to even summon the sword, Phlox.

It was over so fast.

Huff

Oh...

I--

No.23

I see you lost your claws... ...and found my bell.

--Hold onto it. I think you’ll need it before I do.

The beast destroyed that whole village.

It was towering.

How much bigger can they get? How monstrous can they become?...

FLASHBACK / originally appeared in the 17 / 3 / 1983 issue of The Manitoban.

PALLISTER-BABY has opened the portal

Or am I just going to end up like the trapper?

Only you know how you ended up so deep in these woods.

If you really want to reach your own village, you’ll need to discover that on your own too.

...How many times am I going to die trying to fight them?

If I really want to?

seven percent PST

I am going to find them.

This time I will be ready.

My home is just past these trees.

I will defeat the beast.

This time I will be stronger.

SCOTT A. FORD

I always do.

If I can’t kill you from the outside...

#BOREALCOMIC CATCH UP ON BOREAL AT THEMANITOBAN.COM

...I’ll kill you from the inside!

17

Arts & Culture Arts & Culture Editor: Emelia Fournier Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

“Tour de Force” concert features Canadian soloists, premieres concertos Manitoba Chamber Orchestra brings the old and the new together in latest concert AMIN MONTAZERI POUR AGHA, STAFF

T

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE MANITOBA CHAMBER OF MUSIC

he premiere of Vivian Fung’s Concerto for Two Violins and Kevin Lau’s Writ in Water by the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (MCO) has caught the attention of Winnipeg’s classical music admirers.

Under the leadership of Anne Manson, the MCO’s music director, the Tour de Force concert will be coming to Westminster United Church March 19. The concert will showcase revered orchestral pieces from the classical period by Haydn and Mozart in addition to Fung's and Lau’s new compositions.

Master soloist and MCO concertmaster Karl Stobbe and second principal violin Rachel Kristenson will be featured as violin soloists.

Kristenson’s professional musical career began with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra followed by a multitude of other ensembles across Canada, including Symphony New Brunswick and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, where she is currently the concertmaster.

Kristenson described playing new music for a crowd as “art being created in front of our eyes.”

“I hope that they will enjoy being the very first ears, the first audience to hear this music and to know that

they’re part of history being made,” said Kristenson.

“I think that’s just fascinating, and it’s really a really well-written piece.

I really enjoyed learning it and it just really showcases a lot of the many things that a violin and two violins together can do and then backed up by the orchestra.”

“Hearing new pieces is always interesting and I think composers try to convey a sense of what their world is, what they see as the world around them” — Karl Stobbe, MCO soloist Stobbe, who has been with the MCO for the past two decades, is also looking forward to presenting new concertos.

“Hearing new pieces is always

interesting and I think composers try to convey a sense of what their world is, what they see as the world around them,” said Stobbe.

“Hopefully people get a sense of that, get a character from that and hear the kind of thoughts on what the composers are trying to convey, on what they’re reflecting on in their world.”

The older pieces being showcased also have their own unique appeal.

Haydn’s famous 45th symphony, known as “the Farewell Symphony,” was written after the orchestra he was conducting for a Hungarian prince was made to play a very long season, preventing them from taking their winter holidays. Haydn’s piece calls for the musicians leaving the stage one by one in the hopes the audience will allow the musicians to wrap up their show.

“Even by Haydn’s standards it’s pretty theatrical,” said Stobbe.

Tickets for MCO’s Tour de Force are available at McNally Robinson, the West End Cultural Centre, Organic Planet or by contacting MCO’s Ticketline at 204-783-7377.

Arabic art and history showcased at U of M Arab Students’ Association presents fourth annual exhibition AMIN MONTAZERI POUR AGHA, STAFF

I

n celebration of Arabic culture, the U of M’s Arab Students’ Association (ASA) will be having their fourth Annual Arab Exhibition March 13 in UMSU University Centre.

ASA president Zara Kadhim said the association hopes to expand people’s minds on Arab culture.

“The Arab Students’ Association is a social club meant for students at the University of Manitoba that belong to regions of the Middle East and speak the Arabic language, but we’re not exclusive to that of course, anybody that wants to learn more about our culture is of course welcome,” she said.

The Annual Arab Exhibition first began under the leadership of sessional instructor Rawia Azzahrawi, who teaches Arabic at the Judaic Studies department at the U of M. Azzahrawi wanted to create an opportunity for both her Arab and non-Arab students to experience the customs and culture of the Arab world firsthand.

“She wanted [her students] to learn about the different countries and she thought the greatest way would be by everybody setting up booths and providing different sweets from each country, music, like a little taste from each country,” said Kadhim.

This year’s exhibition will feature a

music performance with two Arabic singers and a fashion show, showcasing the traditional Arab garb of each showcased country. There will also be a booth where students can have their names written in Arabic calligraphy, as well as a henna tattoo station. The author is a featured musical act.

“It’s the Arab community coming together to show Arab culture to the outside world” — Zara Kadhim, ASA president “As much as it does bring together the Arab community, [the exhibition] isn’t really for us,” she said.

“It’s the Arab community coming together to show Arab culture to the outside world.”

Kadhim explained how there was an Arab Student Association a few years back but it was dismantled due to political disagreements and protesting. When Kadhim reopened the club in 2017, she decided the ASA

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ARAB STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION

would function as a social club and not get involved with politics.

“It’s just really a place for Arab students to get together listen to good music, eat great food and meet other people,” said Kadhim.

According to Kadhim, western media focuses on the political turmoil of Arabic countries without mentioning their rich history and culture. The Annual Arab Exhibition will have

booths that showcase the richness of of want to show the other side of that, each country. right.

“Some of the booths will be bring“Because there’s art and there’s ing artifacts, ancient artifacts, even music and there’s beautiful sculptures like posters and they’re going to be and that’s what we’re aiming to do.” showing poetry, the artistic side because that’s not really portrayed,” The Annual Arab Exhibition will said Kadhim. take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“If you think of the Arab world, at the University Centre MPR you think of war, you think of crime, hall on March 13. The exhibiyou think of dictatorship and we kind tion is free and open to all.

18

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Emelia Fournier Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Marjorie Ward lecture features local author Katherena Vermette explores history through photographs AMIN MONTAZERI POUR AGHA, STAFF

S

t. John’s College hosted the 35th annual Marjorie Ward Lecture featuring award-winning Winnipeg Métis writer Katherena Vermette March 6.

This year’s lecture was entitled gene rations: Métis experiences in Winnipeg history. The talk centred around recent Métis history in Winnipeg.

“I was recently shown a treasure trove of old family photos and have started writing poetry about them, and the experience of diving into family lineage and stories,” said Vermette.

This exploration of her own past inspired her lecture and current projects.

“I do think I’m a poet first, I do think poetry is very much my home” — Katherena Vermette

In 2013 Vermette won the Governor General Literary Award for Poetry for her first poetry book, North End Love Songs. Her second poetry book river woman, published last autumn, follows a rich list of other books all revered for her style of writing, such as her novel The Break which won several awards including the Amazon Canada First Novel award 2017.

Vermette has also written children’s book series The Seven Teachings Stories and the young adult book series called A Girl Called Echo.

Vermette’s river woman can be viewed as a celebration of the Indigenous identity. Her work evokes a sense of pride for her identity in conjunction with a sense of sorrow for the past.

Some of Vermette’s work explores

the symbolism that the Red River holds in Indigenous culture. Many of her stories are centred around women.

Melanie Dennis Unrau, also a Winnipeg-based poet, introduced Vermette at the Marjorie Ward lecture.

“Katherena is known in Winnipeg

closeness with her listeners as she presented her family history through a series of pictures taken throughout the past century, dating back to the late 19th century. Very soon the lecture resembled a gathering of enthusiasts in meeting their favorite writer.

Vermette decided to treat the lecture as an extended poetry reading while presenting these photographs.

The first poem recited at the lecture was from river woman entitled “when Louis Riel went crazy,” a poetic rendition of the history of Vermette’s ancestry and Riel’s role in the 1869 Métis uprising.

The second poem Vermette recited was called “our ancestors there,” going hand in hand with pictures of her family home when forced to resettle at what is now Bishop Grandin Boulevard. Each poem was accompanied with a family photograph, helping the audience visualize the faces of characters that have so deeply shaped Vermette’s identity.

“It’s interesting to write poems to photos because you’re really limited to what that photo says and what that photo is,” said Vermette during her lecture.

“You’re really relying on the people that came before you and documented.”

The lecture ended with the recitation of “Mémère,” a poem written as an homage to her deceased PHOTO BY ASHA NELSON grandmother, who is characterized as a woman of immense strength and beyond for her beautiful writ- and perseverance captured from the ing, which is brimming with famil- perspective of 12-year-old Vermette. iar places, with Indigenous girls and “I do think I’m a poet first, I do women, with birds and with the Red think poetry is very much my home.”

River herself,” said Unrau.

When Vermette began her talk, For more information about her genial disposition quickly filled Katherena Vermette’s work, visit the room with laughter, creating a katherenavermette.com.

Laughter is Medicine returns for third showcase Indigenous comedy night in Winnipeg ZACHARY SIGURDSON, STAFF

O

n March 15, the West End Cultural Centre will host Red Rising Magazine’s third Laughter is Medicine comedy night.

Laughter is Medicine showcases Canadian Indigenous comics, both new to and veterans of the industry.

“If the show flops, it’s my fault,” joked Ashley Richard, producer of the show.

Richard handles everything from ticket sales, booking the venue, the lineup and allocating the minutes of the set. Richard is also a co-founder of Red Rising Magazine, which is launching its ninth issue in Saskatoon this month.

Richard and her friends came up with the title for the event in her apartment.

“We kind of said ‘laughter is medicine’ as a joke, but then we realized it was really so applicable to what we

were doing,” said Richard. we select, comedy and sharing their edy. The previous two Laughter is experience for audience members.

“I think in our community there is jokes and what they write is their Medicine shows sold out.

“Laughing for two hours is a lot of pain, there’s a history of a lot gift to the community, and we just “Indigenous comedians are now exhausting. People are tired after the of suffering, and you see a lot of that wanted to create a place for them to creating a path,” said Richard. show, you just feel so good because pain and suffering “ T he more you just know that you’re surrounded today, but I think exposure that by a community of supporters. it’s healthy to be “It’s a beautiful environment and I think that Indigenous come- “We do have a lot of non-Indigeable to make peodians get, the nous people who come to the show as gives people hope in knowing that you can ple laugh and find more other young well,” said Richard. humour in our Indigenous people “It’s a beautiful environment and I find a way to laugh even in the stories, because see that as a reality think that gives people hope in knowdarkest of situations” — Ashley Richard, Indigenous peofor them, and the ing that you can find a way to laugh ple are funny,” she Indigenous com- even in the darkest of situations.” producer, Laughter is Medicine said. edy scene will just Comedy can grow,” she added.

Laughter is Medicine will be held help heal from trauma, according to share that gift with as many people According to Richard, Indigenous March 15 at the West End Cultural Richard. as possible.” comics bring a fresh perspective to Centre from 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tickets “Being able to bring laughter from This year’s lineup is headlined by the stage. are $20 at the venue, by e-transfer to a situation of pain is really a gift, and Florence Spence. New talent includes “Mainstream comedy, they don’t Ashley Richard at adrichard90@gmail.

I think that everybody has a gift that Shawn Cuthand, Dawn Lavand and have the stories that we have,” she com or online at eventbrite.ca/e/redthey’re meant to share with the world,” Zachary Coffin. said. rising-magazine-presents-laughtershe said.

Winnipeggers have shown their Richard said the Laughter is is-medicine-tickets-55985999632.

“The talent and the comedians that interest in Indigenous-led com- Medicine event provides a cathartic

VOL. 105 NO. 27 March 13, 2019

Arts & Culture

19

U of M prof creates for popular “Warhammer 40,000” series Lovecraftian horror melds with fantasy in Annandale’s work ZACHARY SIGURDSON, STAFF

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER DECEBAL-CUZA

M

“I came to Warhammer via the ficany of you know David Games Workshop is a tabletop less fantasy, but they’re also kind of a Annandale as a film studies gaming company which began in the genre collision, so you have military tion — that kind of dark military, professor with a passion for genre 1970s and developed in conjunction fiction and horror and everything, Lovecraftian horror mixture really fiction and video games, but did you with the popularity of Dungeons & and just about all the genres I love in spoke to me,” said Annandale. also know he is a regular contributor Dragons in the United Kingdom. one place,” said Annandale.

“Around the time I was really to Black Library’s Warhammer 40,000 Warhammer 40,000 is one of Games Annadale has written short sto- getting into the fiction was also novels?

Workshop’s many when an open Annandale has written four novels, popular series. call happened for “at least one novella” and various short The popularI came to Warhammer via the fiction — that submissions.” stories of his own. He has written so ity of tabletop He became kind of dark military, Lovecraftian horror extensively for Games Workshop, the gaming has only a regular concompany that owns Black Library, he i nc rea sed i n tributor to Black mixture really spoke to me” — David Library. has lost count of how many stories he recent years with Annandale, author and professor The process for has written. over 460 stores writing in an envi“I think we’re upwards of 25 now, around the world. ronment where but I’d have to sit down and do a Over the past count,” said Annandale. two years alone, dozens of authors, Warhammer 40,000, also known Games Workshop’s shares have risen ries and published horror novels game developers and miniature as 40k, is an epic gothic science fic- by 660 per cent, according to a 2018 throughout his life. His own works sculptors create interwoven stories tion universe with decades of novels, article from the Economist. include several horror stories such as can be complicated.

“The editor who bought [my gamebooks and expansions to flesh “One of the things that I love about Gethsemane Hall and the Jen Blaylock out an ever-expanding story. The the universes of Games Workshop, thrillers. first] story said ‘We’d be interested book series is published by Black both the Warhammer 40,000 and the He was not initially a big fan of in seeing more of your stuff,’ so I Library, the publication arm of Age of Sigmar [...] one is more or less tabletop games until he began writing put together a novel pitch,” said Games Workshop. science fiction, the other is more or for Black Library.

Annandale.

This pitch would eventually become Annandale’s Death of Antigonis. Since his first pitch, Annandale has been given assignments for his Black Library works.

Annandale contributes works to specific series, as well as writing stories around particular characters within Games Workshop’s fictional universes, all the while staying true to what other creators have already contributed to these worlds.

Annandale has written works from the Horus Heresy series and The Beast Arises series among many others.

He will soon find out his latest assignment with Black Library.

His body of work can be found on his website davidannandale.com as well as on Amazon. All his contributions to Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar are available at blacklibrary. com/authors/david-annandale.-

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Sports Sports Editor: Jason Pchajek Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Giving back and growing the game Senior Spotlight: Byron Spriggs KELLEN TANIGUCHI, STAFF

A

fter getting the chance to play for the U of M Bisons, goaltender Byron Spriggs is giving back the best way he can.

The Winnipeg-born netminder began the Byron Spriggs Goaltender Development Camp in 2017, and has dedicated much of his time to training a new crop of local tendies.

The 25-year-old also sometimes uses his story to help the kids at camp.

“You work with some all-stars, but you also work with a lot of kids that just really love the game and want to get better every day,” said Spriggs.

“I’m never afraid to use my story with them and say, ‘Hey, I wasn’t always the greatest growing up, but I stuck with it, worked really hard […] and ended up getting in a pretty awesome spot by the time [it] was over.”

“I honestly wasn’t really overly good growing up,” said Spriggs. “I generally played kind of the level below the highest level you could.”

The netminder played for the Vincent Massey Trojans until 2011, when he tried out for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Winnipeg Blues and made the team.

He played three seasons with the Blues and won the league championship in his final year.

Spriggs said he was not always the best goaltender, but his time with the Blues set him up for success.

“My years with the Blues were probably during the years I was growing as a goalie the most and improving,” said Spriggs.

“They were essential to me getting a shot with the Bisons for sure.”

It was this journey, and the long struggle to become the dependable starter he became for the Bisons, that

pushed Spriggs into coaching.

During the school year Spriggs works with individual teams like his former high school hockey team, the Winnipeg Monarchs and some other AA teams. He will go to one practice a week to work with each team’s goalie.

“I work with the same goalies throughout the year, stick with them for the course of seven or eight months and help them improve during their seasons,” said Spriggs.

“And then in the summer I actually run my camps.”

“I pride myself of being one of the goalie coaches in Winnipeg that still plays the game” — Byron Spriggs, Bisons men’s hockey goaltender The development camp is run in three groups: ages 8-10 for early training, 10-13 for junior development and more personalized camps for older goalies looking to improve specific aspects of their game.

In a hockey hotbed like Manitoba, it can be hard to establish a foothold and build success, but Spriggs believes his development camps offer more than some others in the city.

“I pride myself on being one of the goalie coaches in Winnipeg that still

PHOTO BY KELLEN TANIGUCHI

plays the game,” said Spriggs. whole journey with the team and “It’s easy for me to relate to younger what he has learned. goalies that are kind of going through Spriggs took what he learned things that I went through when I and planned the Play4Sven threewas younger […] It is truly my pas- on-three tournament this February. sion and it does come from me being The tournament was to honour his a part of the U of M.” former Blues teammate Ben Sveinson, Spriggs said he plans to con- who took his own life after struggling tinue running his camps following with mental health and concussion graduation. issues.

“It’s kind of something I learned “That was a really difficult time for to love a lot,” said Spriggs. me,” said Spriggs.

“I’ll have to scale it back a little bit, “But it made me see that there but it’s something I’d like to keep [are] a lot of things that I didn’t doing at least every summer.” know about when it comes to menSpriggs said he cannot think of tal health.” one moment of his Bisons career that The tournament raised over stands out to him — he said it’s his $12,000 for mental health organiza-

tions, such as the Manitoba Mental Health Association and Project 11.

“We’re starting to see a connection between [concussions and mental health],” he said.

“I kind of saw it firsthand, the effects it can have on a person, so I wanted to create an event in my friend’s memory.”

“I think that’s one thing being a Bison has taught me,” said Spriggs.

“Just how big of a difference each one of us can make on a community level.

“Whether it’s just giving up an hour of your time once a week, or you plan a big event, it’s just something that being at the U of M taught me.”

Banny Bowl scores big in sixth instalment

Over $4,000 raised for the Dream Factory KELLEN TANIGUCHI, STAFF

PHOTO BY KELLEN TANIGUCHI

T

he Manitoba Meds came from behind to beat the Banny Boys in a thrilling 5-4 overtime game Saturday, but the best result came off the ice.

The game was part of the sixth annual Banny Bowl, and organizers

raised $4,000 for charity.

The Banny Bowl is an annual charity hockey game run by U of M students in medical fields, to raise money for the Dream Factory, an organization that tries to make wishes come true for Manitoba kids

battling life-threatening illnesses. gets a trophy.

“Coming in and planning this year, “A few years back, a few guys in I just wanted to continue that tradi- dentistry and their friends in med tion of donating to them,” said Derek started it,” said Oryniak.

Oryniak, one of this year’s Banny It was during last year’s game Bowl organizers and players.

Oryniak knew he wanted to have a All funds raised came from ticket bigger role this year. sales and sponsorships. The gold “I saw how it worked and it kind sponsor for the event was Dentalcorp, of was trending downwards last year while Maxillo Winnipeg and TD a little bit, it got planned a little late,” Canada Trust also contributed as said Oryniak. silver sponsors.

“So myself and Eric Piché — who’s The Manitoba Meds team was also in dentistry — we wanted to made up of medicine students from build it back up to how it used to be the University of Manitoba, while the when it was first started.”

Banny Boys were comprised of U of Oryniak and Piché took initiative M students studying dentistry, phar- and reached out to some medicine macy, occupational therapy, physical students in the Manitoba Medical therapy and physician assistance.

Students’ Association.

The event has two games, the first “[We] talked to them and said, non-competitive and the second is ‘Hey, do you guys want to work more competitive. Oryniak said the together and try to make it as big as competitive teams have tryouts to possible,’ and they were game,” said fill their rosters and the winning side Oryniak.

“So, we split up the tasks and did everything we could.”

Oryniak said the students like giving back to the community through this event, but it also gives them a chance to socialize with students from the other faculties.

“Obviously we love giving back, getting the students involved to give back to the community,” said Oryniak.

“On top of that it’s just a really good interprofessional building event.

We do a lot of interprofessional work at school now — it’s part of all our curriculums — so that’s great for kind of the academic aspect.

“But it’s really events like this where we get to meet other students from different faculties outside of school, develop those relationships and get together in a pretty positive way.”

22

Sports

Sports Editor: Jason Pchajek Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

All that glitters is

Herd defends turf with strong showing at track nationals

JASON PCHAJEK, STAFF

T

he best runners, jumpers and throwers in the country descended on James Daly Fieldhouse at the U of M last week for the U Sports track and field national championships.

Manitoba fought hard through the three-day event and came away with a slew of medals — two gold medals, three silver and a bronze.

The program finished third in the men’s team rankings and ninth in the women’s team rankings.

Thursday

The starting gun fired and the Bisons got out to a slow start on day one of the U Sports national track and field championships Thursday.

Manitoba took home no hardware in a brief day one of the event, but had good showings otherwise.

Tegan Turner looked destined for a podium finish in the women’s 60-metre. The senior blazed to a firstplace finish in her heat at 7.55 seconds but dropped off the podium in the final.

Her time of 7.52 was a hair behind bronze-medalist Maya Reynolds of the Dalhousie University Tigers.

Sandra Latrace of the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns took gold in the event with a 7.42 finish in the final.

Another Bison came up big in the preliminaries, as Miguel Morrison qualified for the men’s 600-metre final with an event-best 1:19.27 time.

Coming around the second-to-last corner, Morrison was comfortably tucked into third, with little room to gain. He stepped on the gas and edged out the leaders at the finish line to take the top spot.

The finals for his event were Saturday.

“I’m really happy.

All the hard work I put in paid off” — Miguel Morrison, Bisons track runner Manitoba also qualified for the men’s 4x200-metre finals with a strong team effort.

Running in the first heat, captain Syed Aoun took the baton as the third runner and took off.

The Pakistan-born runner gained valuable ground for the Bisons, and the team finished second in the heat at 1:28.47 — the fifth best time overall in the preliminaries.

Madisson Lawrence competed for Manitoba in the women’s pentathlon, coming up short of a medal.

Lawrence began the event with a strong fifth-place finish in the 60-metre hurdles, finishing in 8.86 seconds — 0.17 off of the lead. She put on a dominant performance in the high jump portion, topping out

PHOTOS BY QUINCY HOUDAYER

at 1.64 metres to finish in a five-way tie for second.

From there, the wheels fell of Lawrence’s wagon.

A 9.82 metre result in the shot put, 5.23 metre result in the long jump and 2:31.83 finish in the 800-metre dropped her to all the way to eighth in the pentathlon.

Niki Oudenaarden of the University of Calgary Dinos took first in the event.

Friday

to win gold, while Oyinkansola Manitoba righted the ship on day Akinola took home a silver medal. two, catching up to keep pace with Akinola topped out at 2.12 metres the pack through Friday’s events. in the event after clearing on his first The herd took home two gold attempt. Three straight misses at 2.15 medals and two silver medals, push- metres ended his run at the event, ing the men’s side into third place in but Mansaray did clear 2.15 to take the overall standings. The women’s the gold. team sat in 10th after day two.

“That was the most fun I’ve ever In men’s high jump Manitoba had, to be honest,” Akinola told took home a pair of medals, as Alhaji Bison Sports.

Mansaray blew his competition away “Coming in I had a rough, bumpy

season — but like I always say, ‘Trust the process.’ We knew things would come together when they’re supposed to and obviously they did.”

Manitoba had more success on the field, as Emily Blackner earned a silver medal in women’s pole vault.

She topped out at 3.95 metres and set a program record in the process.

Back on the track, the herd saved the best for last with a gold-medal stealing performance in the men’s

VOL. 105 NO. 27 March 13, 2019

Sports

23

brown and gold

PHOTOS BY QUINCY HOUDAYER

4x800-metre — the final event of the day.

Heading into the final handoff the herd was in third as Simon Berube took the baton.

On the final lap, Berube made a move, driving up to take second and in the second-to-last corner edged into first.

Berube kept pace the rest of the way to take gold and was mobbed

by his Bisons teammates at the finish line.

“Whenever you’re training you have those questions of ‘Is it working? Am I doing what I’m supposed to do?’” 4x800 team member Connor Boyd told Bison Sports.

“And then moments like this you could float on cloud nine and say ‘I did everything I could and it finally paid off.’”

Saturday

On the final day of the competition, with the finish line in sight, the Bisons stumbled and fell.

The herd took home a silver medal and a bronze medal on the final day of the competition, while also suffering heartbreaking losses in men’s relay events.

Manitoba’s first medal of the day came from a strong outing by

Morrison in the men’s 600-metre final.

After posting the best time in the preliminaries, Morrison looked like a man on a mission in the finals.

The Jamaican runner led the pack for most of the race, jockeying for the lead with Sherbrooke’s Yassine Aber, but it was Stephen Evans of Ottawa who was the big threat.

In the final lap, Evans burst out to

first place. Then coming around the final turn, he and Morrison battled for the win, with Evans ultimately coming out the victor.

With a final time of 1:19.64 Morrison claimed a silver medal.

“Honestly, it’s the biggest stage I’ve competed [on],” Morrison said.

“I got a medal — a silver medal — I wanted the gold, I won’t lie about that, but at the end of the day I’m happy.

I’m really happy. All the hard work I put in paid off.”

Manitoba then grabbed a bronze in the women’s 4x200, finishing at 1:38.89, almost a full second behind the second-place University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

The Bisons almost snagged another medal, this time in the men’s 4x200, but a controversial finish pushed them to fourth.

Coming around for the final lap, Alec Dickson grabbed the baton from Aoun and took off.

Dickson was able to keep ahead of the competition for a 1:27.59 finish.

York University appeared to take the heat by a wide margin, but was hit with a disqualification, putting the Bisons in gold-medal contention.

Guelph finished at 1:26.14 to push Manitoba into the silver medal spot, but then the deliberation began.

Two programs challenged the result and, after a review, York’s time was reinstated and Alberta had its time reduced, pushing Manitoba to fourth.

“We almost broke our Bison record so that was our goal, to run as fast as we can and leave the rest to times,” Aoun said.

“So we ran one of the fastest times we’ve ever ran, so we’re happy with the time. But the results, it is what it is.”

The bad times for Manitoba’s relay clubs did not stop there. A mistake cost the herd a finish in the men’s 4x400-metre event.

On the second lap, the baton fell out of the Bison runner’s hand, earning the club a DNF. The Bisons also finished just off the podium in the men’s triple jump.

Markus Rurangirwa finished fourth with a 14.34 metre result, while Akinola placed fifth with a 14.22 result.

Despite a sour finish for Manitoba in a few events, team captain Aoun was proud of his group’s effort.

“To be honest this weekend was great,” he said.

“There [were] a lot of good performances — a couple of upsets — but like, overall and team-wise it was just great.

“The crowd showed up, like everyone showed up, all athletes showed up, it was awesome.”

“The crew coming in — all these first, second year guys — they’re so talented,” he added.

“I’m pretty sure, if not this year, they’re going to bring it home next year for sure.”

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