Volume 113 issue 06 Sept 16 2026

PHOTO BY ZULKIFL RAFAH / STAFF

Campus protest against hate S

tudents led a protest on Sept. 9 to speak up against recent anti-immigrant sentiments and show support for international, immigrant and BIPOC students. They also demanded the university ban the Dominion Society from campus.

A group of U of M students decided to take action when a member of the Dominion Society, a movement “promot-

News

ing Canadian nationalism and immigration reform to preserve Canada’s cultural continuity,” put up stickers that promoted the group’s ideologies around the U of M campus. Students showed up to the protest with posters with wording like, “No one is illegal on stolen land” and “No tolerance for intolerance.”

Students from different clubs such as U of M Students for Cuba and the Black Stu-

3 Editorial

dents’ Union as well as attendees delivered speeches.

The president of U of M Students for Cuba spoke at the event, saying, “We students must stand together against the spread of far-right ideas.

We must defend the diverse and multinational nature of Canada and stand with immigrant and Indigenous peoples who are being targeted by an internationally emboldened far right.”

9 Comment

“The DSC’s activities do not exist in a vacuum. They are part of a global rise in white supremacist activities that seek to uphold and defend hateful and unjust structures.”

One of the speeches emphasized the consequences of discrimination such as students fearing to participate in campus events, wear cultural clothing or speak their languages.

Students are asking the uni-

Arts & 12 Culture

versity to take action to ensure the safety of migrant students and students of colour by taking action to stop the Dominion Society from continuing to spread “far-right genocidal rhetoric.”

Victoria Romero, another speaker, said, “What these stickers represent [...] the messaging that is being pushed that there is a white Cont’d p. 4 / genocide

Sports & 13 Recreation

<

Arifah Gheesah, staff

15

Tread for the Red

Face the strange

Join the club!

A reel-y queer week

Dust those WASD keys

CHRR hosting Miskwaagamiiwi-ziibi Water Walk to pray for the Red River

Students should fear limiting themselves more than they fear change

Say hi to clubs who are tabling, take a chance on trying something new

The 41st Reel Pride Film Festival is kicking off, get your tickets now!

The U of M Esports Club is opening tryouts this month for five new games

September 16, 2026

SINCE 1914

VOL. 113, NO. 06

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News

September 16, 2026 news@themanitoban.com

Water Walk calls for Red River healing Walk brings communities together to honour water and ceremony Roy Albright Obah, staff

T

he Just Waters team at the Centre for Human Rights Research (CHRR) will organize the Miskwaagamiiwi-ziibi Water Walk on Sept.

23, bringing “Indigenous, settler and immigrant communities” together to pray for the healing of the Red River.

The walk will be led by Grandmother Lucy Ducharme of the Three Fires Midewiwin and Minweyweywiigaan Lodge, whose teachings from Bawdwaywidun-ibun of Three Fires Midewiwin will guide the way.

Ramona Milliea, a Just Waters knowledge carrier, described the walk’s purpose as an act of care for the water.

“We walk for the water to help her heal,” Milliea said.

“As we feed her spirit, we make food offerings to her, we pray for her healing and sing to lift her spirit.”

The event follows a year of teachings the Just Waters team received about relationships with water.

“The Just Waters team [has] heard teachings about how to build a respectful, responsible, reciprocal relationship with water,” Milliea said.

Those teachings included understanding water as something that gives life and recognizing responsibilities toward it. Milliea said the team discussed being mindful of handling water in a sacred way and teaching children not to throw garbage into the water or waste it. The teachings also emphasized reciprocity.

“We talked about our responsibilities to ensure we have clean drinking water not only for our own use but all of creation so that all of life

PHOTO BY EBUNOLUWA AKINBO / STAFF

will continue to grow,” Milliea Deckert, Just Waters project ship with its waterways. said. and knowledge mobilization Adele Perry, a U of M proThe Water Walk will bring coordinator, said the walk’s fessor of history and women’s those teachings to the Red intentions will extend beyond and gender studies, said River, which flows through the Red River.

Indigenous knowledge offers Treaty One Territory and Win“We walk not only for the another way of understanding nipeg. healing of the Red River, Misk- that relationship.

Milliea said the river faces waagamiiwi-ziibi, but for all “The Water Walk draws pollution conattention to cerns, includthe water that “I hope that participants will develop a deeper ing sewage all of us in love for and relationship with the Red River” and agriculWinnipeg live tural runoff with,” Perry — Sarah Deckert, Just Waters project and entering the said. water. She said Perry said knowledge mobilization coordinator the walk will be A n i s h i n an opportunity aabe women’s to remember what the team waters, including the Eng- knowledge shows water as “a has learned and “pray and ask lish-Wabigoon River, which a living thing that people need for healing of Red River.” pulp and paper mill contam- to be in good relationship The event will also coincide inated by dumping mercury [with].” with Grassy Narrows’ River into the water,” Deckert said.

She also pointed to Run Rally 2026 — Walk The Water Walk will also untreated sewage entering rivfor Mercury Justice. Sarah highlight Winnipeg’s relation- ers and affecting Indigenous

communities farther north, as well as Winnipeg’s reliance on Shoal Lake in Treaty Three for drinking water.

“These are histories and the ongoing [presence] of colonialism and environmental racism,” Perry said.

Organizers hope participants will leave the walk with a different relationship to water.

Deckert said the event is an opportunity for communities to come together while following the leadership of Anishinaabe women and learning from their knowledge of the waters and lands.

“I hope that participants will develop a deeper love for and relationship with the Red River,” Deckert said.

The event has received interest from educators and community members.

Deckert said teachers have expressed excitement about bringing students to participate in Anishinaabe ceremony.

Majestic Moerland, a Just Waters student research assistant and U of M environmental studies student, said the response has been “enthusiastic and supportive.”

“Anytime I bring up Miskwaagamiiwi-ziibi in conversation, people are wanting to learn more on what Water Walks are and how to become engaged with ceremony,” Moerland said.

The organizers hope that the relationship will continue after the event.

Moerland said she would like the Water Walk to lead to more gatherings involving “Nibi” (water) and encourage people to recognize their personal relationship with it.

3

News

Vol. 113, No. 06 news@themanitoban.com

Students call for action from university following anti-immigrant sentiments <

Cont’d from front page

members from coming to [...]

In response to an email sent genocide or an ethnic cleans- campus.” In her speech, she by a student organizer to the ing of white people [...] is a highlighted the quick escal- vice-provost admin regarding ridiculous claim, an absolute ation of fascism across the the safety of immigrant and farce.” globe and the importance of BIPOC students, administra“It is disgusting how people historical and current issues tion said, “Expression at UM is are being manipulated to such as mass deportation and guided by the UM Statement think that their economic the violation of constitutional on Freedom of Expression for troubles or their circum- rights in the U.S. University of Manitoba Comstances are somehow the fault Roheemat Ajayi-Raheem, munity Members, developed of another person that came an executive of the Black Stu- through broad consultation to this country seeking a bet- dents’ Union and protest and endorsed by UM Senate ter life.” attendee, said this issue is on March 4, 2026. Should you A different speaker at the important to her personally wish to further discuss anti protest, Clara Toth, added, because she is a second-gen- racism at UM, please [...] set “We are all equal as people. We eration immigrant who has up a meeting with me.” all deserve the right to exist.” faced a lot of racism that This response led to another Hunter Reynolds, an atten- affected her growing up in protest organized on Sept. 14, dee of the proas organizers test, hopes deemed the “We are all equal as people. that the uniu n ive r s i t y ’s We all deserve the right to exist” versity realizes response a “how united “failure on the — Clara Toth, protest speaker [students] are part of the uniagainst hate versity to live speech.” He also hopes those Canada. “It is important for up to its own promises.” targeted by the society’s rhet- us to protect the safety and Despite rain, students oric feel solidarity from stu- the wellbeing of all students showed up in front of the dents at the protest. whether [they have a] racial- administration building to When it comes to a response ized, minority, sexual orien- make their voices heard. A from the university, Romero tation or gender diverse back- petition has also been made expects the university to ground,” she said. and student signatures are “act in accordance with their Students attended the pro- being collected to ban the respectful work and learn- test to see everyone come Dominion Society from caming environment policy and together and support their pus. their commitment with their classmates. Melanie, another anti-racism strategy to ban participant at the protest, the Dominion Society and its highlighted, “Love is the way.”

PHOTOS BY ZULKIFL RAFAH / STAFF

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September 16, 2026 news@themanitoban.com

News

‘Toban news briefs Arifah Gheesah, staff ASBC Grocery Support Program Applications for the ASBC Grocery Support Program are open until Sept. 25 at 11:59 p.m. The program will be able to provide 10 faculty of arts students with grocery store gift cards to support students going through financial hardship. Interested parties can check out the ASBC Instagram page @um.asbc or reach out to asbc@umanitoba.ca for questions.

Free transit for youth in Winnipeg update Over 21,000 Manitoban students have claimed their free transit passes through a pilot program launched this fall by Premier Wab Kinew, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt and Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard. Winnipeg Police services, Winnipeg Transit Inspectors and Community Safety Officers will be more present on routes serving schools.

Scott Gillingham, Mayor of Winnipeg, described the initiative as “a practical way to make life easier and more affordable for families while helping more young people become regular transit users.”

He added, “as the pilot rolls out, we’ll track ridership and service impacts closely and work with the province to make sure the program works well for riders and is sustainable over the long term.”

Medical First Responder Program — fall 2026 info session The U of M’s Medical First Responder team is hosting an info session for people interested in the program on Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. in 206 Tier. Attendees will be able to hear from senior medical first aid responders, take part in a basic first aid activity and enjoy free pizza. Students can register through the program’s Instagram page @sja_div281.

UMMSA back to school BBQ The U of M Muslim Students’ Association is hosting their annual back to school barbecue event on Sept. 26 at King’s Park at 4 p.m. The paid event will include food, drinks, snacks and the opportunity to make friends. Students can register on the club’s Instagram page @um.msa.

Free new U of M program for student innovators Micro-certificate combines interdisciplinary learning with practical innovation skills Roy Albright Obah, staff This fall, the U of M’s extended education, in partnership with IDEA START, will offer students a new free micro-certificate in Applied Innovation: From Ideas to Impact.

The first course will run from Oct. 26 to Dec. 15. It is available to U of M students across disciplines and levels of study at no cost.

The micro-certificate is designed to help students develop skills in innovation, problem-solving, communication, collaboration and project execution while working with ideas that can be applied to real-world challenges.

Ute Kothe, dean of extended education, said the program is intended to broaden how students approach their university education.

“It’s about how to do something new, to bring new ideas to reality,” Kothe said. “The Applied Innovation program provides the opportunity for students to get more out of their university education, transcending their own discipline to think broader and bigger.”

The program was developed with support from Gerry Price, Price Industries CEO and author of Anatomy of a Startup: Playbook for Growing a Business.

Price shared the program’s potential contribution to the province’s economic development.

“I support the Applied Innovation education program at the U of M because it will help create a culture of commercialization in our province,” Price said. “If businesses grow and thrive, a stronger economic foundation will develop, which is good for the people of Manitoba.”

Rajeev Koyal, IDEA START program manager, said the partnership responds to a need in existing programming.

“There are many programs on entrepreneurship, but to create a program around applied innovation fills a huge gap,” Koyal said.

Students will complete three 24-hour courses. The first, Foundations in Applied Innovation, requires no previous experience and introduces students to “innovation attitudes on Turtle Island [...] tools, design thinking and case studies.”

The second course, Methods and Practices in Innovation, will have “students solve real-world problems on an interdisciplinary team.” The final course, Applied Project in Innovation, will allow students to apply the skills they

PHOTO PROVIDED BY EXTENDED EDUCATION

have developed to a project of their choice and present their ideas to their classmates.

Heaven Kaur, UMSU president, encouraged students to take advantage of the program alongside their existing studies.

“They will get a lot of reallife experience that will help them in the long run. They will get practical skills and confidence,” Kaur said.

Students will receive a digital badge after completing

each of the first two courses and a micro-certificate after completing all three.

The program is intended to prepare students to use innovation skills in employment, entrepreneurship and other initiatives.

The program’s design is flexible and permits students to enrol alongside their primary courses.

Kothe said the credential could have a lasting role in students’ professional

development.

Participants will also benefit from the “valuable networking component,” as they meet other students interested in innovation.

Applications are open until Sept. 28. Visit the U of M extended education website for more details about the program at umanitoba.ca/extended-education/.

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Research & Technology

Vol. 113, No. 06 research@themanitoban.com

When the kids leave home The empty nest can bring both loss and opportunity Mansura Akter Meghla, staff

Research supor students, leaving ports this mixed home for college or uni- picture. A 2024 versity can mean independ- Communications ence, new routines and a Psychology artimajor change in everyday life. cle reviewing But on the other side of that research on the move are parents and care- empty nest pergivers adjusting to a home iod found that that suddenly looks and feels some pardifferent. ents experiCorey Mackenzie, a U of ence reduced M department of psychology w e l l - b e i n g professor, adjunct professor of because of psychiatry and research affili- role loss, while ate with the Centre on Aging, others benesaid the “empty nest” is not fit from reduced limited to children leaving parenting for post-secondary education. s t r a i n It can describe the transi- a n d tion whenever children leave o p p o r home for the first time. t u n “[Empty nest] is a meta- ities for phor of the mother bird whose g r e a t e r chicks are old enough to fly out s o c i a l of the nest and fend for them- engagement. selves,” Mackenzie said. “It’s The term a useful metaphor because it “empty nest frames this as a natural transi- syndrome,” tion for parents, rather than a t h e r e f o r e , problem,” he highlighted. does not After roughly two decades necessarily of being closely involved in mean sometheir children’s daily lives, thing has parents may find themselves gone wrong. taking a less direct role, MackParents may enzie explained. Research on also worry about “empty nests” suggests that how their children parents experience this tran- will manage independsition in different ways. Mack- ently. They have spent years enzie pointed out two ways preparing their children to around family roles, researchers understand the live on their own, but mov- independence and social relatransition — role loss and role ing out means parents can no tionships can influence lonestrain relief. longer immediately step in liness and well-being during Role loss happens when the when difficulties arise. the empty-nest period. parental role is “a central part How families experience For families preparing for of their identity,” but becomes the transition can also depend the transition, Mackenzie recless prominent as chil- on culture and the par- ommended discussing what dren leaves home, Macken- ent-child relationship. Mack- the relationship should look zie explained. Having a child enzie noted that expectations like after the child moves out. leave can then bring “sadness, of continued family involve“My suggestion for famworry [or] loneliness.” “On the ment in collectivist cultures ilies who are going through other hand, this or anticirole strain pating it, is to “[Empty nest] is a metaphor of the mother relief refers to have open and the fact that honest converbird whose chicks are old enough to fly out parenting is sations about of the nest and fend for themselves” a very diffiexp ec tations cult, stressful on both sides — Corey Mackenzie, U of M department of and demand— parental ing task,” he exp ec tations psychology professor added.

So, for how the children leavrelationship ing home may give parents may make the transition dif- will ideally look, as well as more time for relationships, ferent from families with expectations on the part of interests and activities that more individualistic expecta- kids,” he said. He noted that received less attention while tions. Scholarly research also such expectations may differ raising children. found that cultural norms and change over time, mak-

F

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GRAPHIC BY EMMA GILLICH / STAFF

ing communication an ongoing process rather than a single conversation.

Parents can also use the transition to consider what they want from the next stage of their own lives. Mackenzie highlighted social connection as one area to consider because parenting responsibilities can leave less time for other relationships.

But there is no single routine that will work for everyone.

Instead, he encouraged parents to consider activities and relationships that align with their own values.

Feeling sad when a child leaves does not automatically mean a parent needs professional help. “We hurt in the places that matter,” Mackenzie said, explaining that sadness can reflect how meaningful parenting has been in someone’s life.

He said parents should have

room to experience that grief without automatically treating it as a mental health problem. However, professional support may be appropriate when distress begins interfering with daily functioning, like difficulty in to getting out of bed, working or complete everyday responsibilities.

Ultimately, there is no standard emotional response to watching a child leave home.

Mackenzie said factors including family relationships, culture, gender roles and where the child is moving can all influence the experience. For parents facing an unusually quiet home this back-toschool season, adjustment may simply take time.

“Most of us don’t like change and need some time to adjust to changes that do take place,” Mackenzie said.

Editorial

September 16, 2026 editor@themanitoban.com

Am I on track?

A gentle message to that first-year student Roy Albright Obah, staff

F

rom our infancy, some of us may have confidently answered when asked what we wanted to become.

A doctor. A lawyer. A teacher. An engineer. A pilot.

Those answers, sometimes given before we fully understood what those professions meant, gradually became part of the picture we created for our future. As we moved through school, our academic choices, friendships and even the expectations placed upon us began to shape the path we imagined for ourselves. Then came university.

For many first-year students, arriving on campus can appear to be the beginning of a carefully planned journey — a program has been selected, a career has been imagined.

Perhaps family members have celebrated the decision, friends have been told about it and years of preparation have finally led to this moment.

But what happens when the path no longer feels right?

That is a question that more students should be allowed to ask without feeling that they have failed. The beginning of a school year is often filled with messages about new beginnings, exciting opportunities and achieving goals. Those messages are important, but they can sometimes create an impression that students are expected to know exactly where they are going from the moment they step onto campus. They do not. Nobody is guaranteed to know what the future holds.

A student may enter a program convinced it is exactly what they want, only to discover that the reality is different from what they imagined.

The courses may be more difficult than expected. The workload may become overwhelming. The subject that once seemed fascinating may no longer hold the same interest. A student may discover another discipline that speaks more strongly to their interests.

Sometimes, life itself changes the equation. Financial circumstances can change.

Family responsibilities can emerge. A student’s priorities can shift. New experiences can change how they understand themselves and the world around them. None of this means the original decision was necessarily a mistake. Sometimes, we simply learn more about ourselves after making a decision.

There is an unfortunate tendency to view changing

GRAPHIC BY EMMA GILLICH / STAFF

programs, changing careers, or changing plans as evidence of failure. We praise people who remain on the same path for years but can be quick to question those who decide to turn around. But changing direction can require courage.

It takes honesty to admit that something is no longer working. It takes humility to reconsider a decision that may have once seemed certain. And it takes courage to begin again when people around us may already have expectations about where we should be going.

In the case of new students, this is particularly important to remember. The first difficult course does not necessarily mean you chose the wrong program. A disappointing first semester does not mean you are incapable. And discov-

ering that you do not enjoy something you once thought you would does not mean your future has been ruined.

At the same time, students should not feel pressured to remain somewhere simply because they have already invested time, money or energy into it. There is a difference between perseverance and refusing to change when it is necessary. University is not only a place where students acquire degrees. It is also a place of discovery. We discover subjects we enjoy, people who influence us, causes we care about and, perhaps most importantly, parts of ourselves that we did not know existed.

That discovery may sometimes lead us away from the path we originally imagined.

And that is okay.

The goal should not be to make every decision perfectly the first time. The goal should be to remain willing to learn from our experiences and make better decisions as we gain a clearer understanding of ourselves.

For those beginning a new academic year, perhaps the question should not always be, “Am I on the right path?”

Perhaps it should be, “Is this path still right for me?” There is a difference.

The first question can make uncertainty appear as failure. The second recognizes that our understanding of ourselves can change. If the answer is no, turning around does not mean you are going backward.

It may mean you have finally realized where you need to go. The future was

never guaranteed to any of us. We can plan for it, prepare for it and work toward it, but none of us knows exactly what waits around the corner.

What matters is what we do when the road changes. So, to the student beginning university this year, give yourself permission to discover. Give yourself permission to struggle. Give yourself permission to reconsider. And if you eventually realize that the program you chose is not where you belong, do not mistake changing direction for giving up.

Sometimes, finding your way forward begins with turning around.

Bonne chance!!

9

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Do you have a comic you’d like to submit to the Manitoban?

Email your submissions to graphics@themanitoban.com

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Clues in black to see how “straights” are formed. © 2026 Syndicated Puzzles

No. 819

Very Hard

© 2026 Syndicated Puzzles

No. 819

SUDOKU

Puzzle by Signdicated Puzzles

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STR8TS

Straights

Puzzle by Signdicated Puzzles

ext issue.

SUDOKU

Sudoku

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Vol. 113, No. 06 graphics@themanitoban.com

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Diversions

2026 Alance AB

Comment

September 16, 2026 comment@themanitoban.com

The Manitoban horoscope for the week of Sept. 14 Zodiac sign mania, flip a coin and see your fate this week Quinn Mayhew, staff AQUARIUS January 20 – February 18

— listen to it to save you from future problems

Aquarius, my goal for you this week is to stay neutral in conflict. Something tells me that if you try to involve yourself in unnecessary strife, this action may haunt you in the months to come.

–

PISCES February 19 – March 20 Pisces, I’m really proud of you this week. A little birdie mentioned you may be branching out of your comfort zone instead of always staying in that comfortable bubble. It’s okay to be uncomfortable — that’s how we grow.

ARIES March 21 April 19

–

Dear Aries, I am telling you now to save yourself future heartache. You need to trust your gut. If you’re getting a weird feeling, don’t ignore it

TAURUS April 20 May 20

Taurus, I’m not going to say you’re my least favourite zodiac sign child, but you’re definitely not on my good list.

You’ve been gossiping, and it has hurt people’s feelings. You need to make amends now.

GEMINI May 21 June 20

–

Gemini, I can’t tell you what to do, but if I were you, I’d run away from that situation that doesn’t sit well with you. You don’t have to waste your time on people who don’t appreciate you. It’s okay to stop being friends with someone if you feel like they don’t fill your cup anymore. Friendships should be mutually beneficial, not forced.

U

CANCER June 21 July 22

–

Cancers, you need to listen to others when they tell you they don’t want to do something.

You need to learn how to read between the lines and try to understand them instead of being upset when they don’t do exactly what you want. It’s okay for people to go off script.

LEO July 23 August 22

–

Leos, I shouldn’t be the one telling you this, but you need to clean up your mess. Your room is littered with empty plastic bottles, and your clothes are everywhere. Clean up before your roommate or family gets mad at you.

VIRGO August 23 – September 22 Virgos, I wasn’t the one who told you this, but it’s okay to be petty this week — some-

times you can’t always be the bigger person. It’s okay to stoop to their level occasionally to get your point across.

LIBRA September 23 – October 22 Libras, you know that $20 bill you’ve been saving for a rainy day? Well, now’s the time to use it. Splurge, splurge on yourself. You know that item that’s been sitting in your cart online for weeks? It’s about to be sold out. Buy yourself something nice with your walking around money or you’re going to regret it.

SCORPIO October 23 – November 21 Scorpios, I wouldn’t be too smug this week. You need to show up for people in your life more. Birthdays are not optional, stop ditching the people who are important to spend time with people who might not even be around in your life a few years from now.

SAGITTARIUS November 22 – December 21 Sagittarius, I know it’s hard for you to not always be the best at everything, but it’s okay.

It’s okay to not know what direction you’re headed in.

You don’t need to try to plan everything to control the narrative. Relinquish control and be in the moment.

CAPRICORN December 22 – January 19 Capricorns, you don’t need to carry the weight of your family problems and pretend everything’s okay when it’s not. You’re allowed to be upset about something. Stop hiding your emotions and let people in. You’ll be surprised how much it helps.

S T P e G am M

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Vol. 113, No. 06 comment@themanitoban.com

Comment

Stop to smell the roses Do not let the tables pass you by Quinn Mayhew, staff

Y

ou know those tables you see around campus?

You know the ones I’m talking about, the ones where students sit behind a desk, probably with a sign or two propped up in University Centre or in Tier Building. The signs reflect a club they’re promoting or an election campaign they want you to support.

At one time, I remember thinking tabling was frivolous when I first started in-person classes in 2022. Tabling seemed almost intrusive — people trying to convince you to join something — and it felt like pressure to join rather than genuine interest, which I now realize after many years

of attending the U of M was a very skewed notion.

Tabling, for many reasons, remains a way for students to access information about clubs available to them or to learn what kinds of activities go on around campus, instead of being in the dark as I often find most first-year students are.

Like every year, the first day of school opens in the fall, students flood the hall, there are too many people everywhere and everything vaguely smells of cheese. Despite my longhaul shifts at the university, I can’t help noticing that someone is always tabling and that first-years often don’t know what’s accessible to them.

They rarely stop to chat with

people campaigning and often miss opportunities to get involved in school. I was also one of the people ignoring chances to make friends and step out of my comfort zone.

I started joining clubs in my third year of university after realizing how isolated I had become and how I kept myself from my fellow students because I feared discomfort of social interaction.

Students often question where they can find the time for extracurriculars while being weighed down by schoolwork and part-time jobs. Despite these challenges, many students find that extracurriculars are a way to de-stress from everyday life.

They support mental health as they involve choosing to do something you enjoy rather than only doing things you have to do. Extracurriculars encourage community building, networking and self-exploration — you might even pick up a hobby you didn’t even know you enjoyed.

Clubs at the U of M like the Chlorophyll Club, Weather Club, Book Society and Parks Club exist so students can get involved. Although extracurriculars aren’t a cure-all for students, it’s a way to share similar experiences and make a few friends.

University can feel lonely, and although you may find tabling annoying when you’re trying to navigate corridors,

give it a chance, listen to what they’re trying to tell you, and you might just become more interested than you thought you would be.

I joined the Manitoban through someone tabling.

I was bored that day and decided to stop and actually listen instead of ignoring the people doing the tabling, and to my surprise I remained in the paper for four years. My suggestion to you would be to stop to smell the roses, or in this case, stop to talk to the people campaigning, you’ll never know what you might just get out of it.

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH DESJARLAIS / VOLUNTEER

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Arts & Culture

September 16, 2026 arts@themanitoban.com

Reel Pride Film Festival kicks off on Sept. 16 Show your true colours at Canada’s oldest 2SLGBTQIA+ film festival Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff

T

he 41st edition of the Reel Pride Film Festival is returning to the Gas Station Arts Centre on Sept. 16, screening nine 2SLGBTQIA+ films from around the world until Sept. 20.

Reel Pride, created in 1985 by the Winnipeg Gay and Lesbian Film Society, is the oldest 2SLGBTQIA+ film festival in Canada.

“It’s a celebration of queer culture,” said Greg Klassen, the director of marketing and sponsorships at the festival.

“Representation and queer culture [are] more important than ever. I think we got into a slightly apathetic phase and thought that we could be assimilated into the world and everything would be great.

That doesn’t seem to have happened.”

According to Klassen, this year’s theme is “Reveal Your True Colours,” inspired by the 1986 song “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper. The team watched approximately 50 films before narrowing it down to the final nine.

“It just felt like one of the themes that was coming up was just being authentic,

being true to yourself, and what the price is of that, and also what the joy is in that,” he said.

The selected films, hailing from Japan, Spain, Canada and more, are outside mainstream cinema and difficult to get hold of, he also noted.

Klassen hopes the diversity in film settings will bring new perspectives.

“You’re looking at a slice of life in lots of different places, and I hope that [people] see themselves reflected, but also see maybe a different side of queer life that they hadn’t considered before,” Klassen said.

One of the films Klassen highlighted is The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, a film about an eleven-year-old girl living with a community of trans women in a mining town in northern Chile when a mysterious disease spreads among the townspeople.

Another film is Plainclothes, starring English actors Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey.

It tells the story of a policeman who starts an affair with a man while on a sting operation to arrest queer men.

“I liked it because I feel that

whole part of our history is not really widely discussed, where policemen surveyed washrooms and other public spaces to arrest men,” he said.

“It’s an interesting way to tell that story because I think a lot of younger people will be surprised at the persistence and the kind of nastiness of the police in that scenario.”

In addition, there is a short film competition at the Canadian Human Rights Museum on Sept. 19, screening 15 shorts by queer Canadian filmmakers. The shorts are awarded based on categories such as best short and top emerging filmmaker.

“It really is a cross section of queer community,” Klassen said. “[We] have artists like Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, who are obviously very seasoned queer artists, their work has been seen all over the world, versus somebody making their very, very first film.”

The Gas Station Arts Centre is also displaying works by local artists during and after the festival, which festivalgoers can purchase.

Klassen noted that growing up, the only place to meet

PHOTO PROVIDED BY REEL PRIDE

other queer people was in bars, but the world has now changed. Echoing the theme, his favourite part of the festival is creating a community where everyone can show their true colours.

“I love creating a space where queer people can come together of all sizes, shapes, ethnicities, ages, and just talk to each other and be a com-

munity,” he stated.

“I want queer people to be visible everywhere and to feel safe in public spaces, and to let our culture be something that we celebrate and not feel shameful about or hide.”

Festival passes are $65 and tickets are $10 per screening.

For more information, visit reelpride.ca.

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Vol. 113, No. 06 arts@themanitoban.com

Arts & Culture

Quintin Bart’s jazz-infused hurdy-gurdy journey U of M alum reflects on career and building community with music Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff

I

first saw Quintin Bart perform at a tribute show for the late John Prentice, a pillar in Winnipeg’s folk music scene, at the West End Cultural Centre.

I watched in amazement as he played guitar and double bass with what must have been four different bands, effortlessly switching from mellow indie songs to lively Irish jigs. Set after set, he walked on stage with his signature moustache and tied-back hair, and I thought, “Wow, that guy can play.”

His versatility is apparent, bowing soulful lines on his double bass with his folk trio Casati and drawing out rustic melodies from the hurdygurdy. At the same time, his virtuosic jazz solos never fail to elicit applause and hoots from the audience.

There is an understated, intimate expressiveness in Bart’s playing, one that can only be cultivated from a lifetime of playing. He is not exactly the kind of flashy, ebullient performer who will tear the stage up, but it is his thoughtfulness that shines.

Bart’s journey in music is a winding tale, spanning across continents and multiple genres before he coalesced into the musician he is today.

Having grown up in a musical home with four older brothers, it seemed almost impossible for him not to pursue music.

“My mom plays accordion, dad plays guitar, and then eldest brother Lindsey plays guitar [...] Next brother Nigel plays everything, banjo, saxophone, bass as well, electric bass. And then I have twin brothers who both play violin, and then myself, I was mostly playing bass as a kid,” said Bart.

“Ever since I was a little kid, live music together with the family was something that was there and so special.”

The family performed at events such as Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin and in senior homes.

Bart is of Ukrainian, Polish and Doukhobor descent, and the family is steeped in both traditional Ukrainian music and Manitoban fiddle music.

His grandparents were mostly farmers, but music was always there, especially in the evenings to unwind, connect and celebrate.

Bart went on to study at the U of M school of music and earned a degree in double bass jazz performance in 2009.

He studied under the late Richard Burleson, a professor in ethnomusicology and

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early music who encouraged him to pursue his interests in Romani music.

In the following year, Bart moved to Budapest, Hungary, playing traditional Romani music with a local family band and working with the antiRoma discrimination NGO Phiren Amenca. He noted that the music and human rights issues were closely intertwined.

“It was [about] inviting Roma and non-Roma people to get together and converse and discuss and learn ways to challenge the systemic racism,” he described the organization.

According to the European Parliament, the Roma face significant discrimination in the EU, with many experiencing poverty, harassment and poor living standards.

“I’m not Roma myself but inspired by Roma music. I also feel very much like it’s my duty to shed light on the human rights issues and try to create some positive social change,” the musician added.

He continues to connect with Romani communities in Canada and volunteers with advocacy groups such as the Canadian Romani Alliance.

Bart plays jazz manouche, a style of jazz pioneered

by Romani guitarist Jean “Django” Reinhardt (19101953). Reinhardt blended jazz with his folk traditions and bals musette (French dance music), said Bart.

“I’ve always found him so inspiring,” he said. “There’s thousands of recordings of him, and he rarely repeats himself. Always the improvisations are fresh and spontaneous and very honest. You can tell that he really means what he’s playing.”

Hungary has not only given the musician new experiences, but a new instrument too.

He found a hurdy-gurdy in a music shop and brought it back to Canada, teaching himself how to play it using the internet.

To play the hurdy-gurdy, the musician turns a wheel using a crank with their right hand, which rubs against the instrument’s strings. The left hand frets the strings using wooden keys to create different pitches.

“When you’re playing it and you have the drones going, it’s creating this constant kind of resonance. The wheel spins.

This is like the never-ending bow,” Bart explained, describing the instrument as a mechanical violin.

One special feature of the hurdy-gurdy is the trompette string, which passes through

PHOTO BY EBUNOLUWA AKINBO / STAFF

a bridge (the chien) that hammers against the soundboard causing a distincive buzzing sound when the wheel is turned quickly. “The mechanics of it take a lot to figure out because it’s like a wooden machine. If the humidity changes [or] temperature changes, it doesn’t want to play, so [there was] a lot of a learning curve on that,” Bart commented.

According to Bart, the instrument dates back a thousand years to medieval Europe, and it was originally used in churches before spreading to commoners and royalty alike by the 18th century. It is still used today in genres such as avant-garde, metal, jazz and rock music.

“We don’t see [the hurdygurdy] that often, and yet there’s something oddly familiar about it, I think. It can sound like bagpipes, or like accordion, or violin or things we know, but a little bit different and ancient sounding.”

The hurdy-gurdy brought Bart across the Atlantic once again to study with renowned teachers in Austria, Switzerland and the U.K., this time with funding from the Manitoba Arts Council. Bart also teaches students hurdy-gurdy.

He later composed a series of chamber music with the hurdy-gurdy at the centre, called The Oroboro Vignettes.

Its title draws parallel between the symbol of the tail-eating snake representing continuity

and the uninterrupted droning of the medieval instrument. Bart received a grant from the Manitoba Arts Council supporting the project in 2018, and it is set to premier at the St. Norbert Arts Centre on Sept. 20. “[The vignettes] are often very short little snippets, more akin to Erik Satie’s Gymnopédies or these short little sweet things that just, for a moment, take you somewhere,” Bart described.

“It’s a long process, but I’m so happy. It’s a dream come true, really, to be able to share this music.”

He added that The Oroboro Vignettes blends his Slavic roots with the traditions and heritage of the six other performers, who come from backgrounds such as jazz, Afro-Cuban and Moroccan percussion. “[We are] creating something new, which is sort of what Manitoba is about. It’s all different people together, and we can really create something beautiful together,” he stated.

Community and connection are at the heart of Bart’s music. He recounted how during his time in Hungary, he felt a connection with the family band through performing together, even if he could not speak Hungarian or Romani well.

For Bart, performing is about creating a reciprocal relationship, and it has

become a vital part of his life.

“Music performance is like a sharing of the state of the performer with the listener,” he said. “We put this energy out as a performer, and the listener somehow feeds this energy back to us, and you create this loop of energy that really creates a sense of community and healing.”

“During the pandemic, it was very difficult as a performer. I really realized that I need performing in my life to feel good and to feel like that’s my way to contribute to a better world in a subtle way.”

In the face of fearmongering, war and an increasingly divided society, Bart has found connection through music to be the antidote, especially in an outdoor concert like The Oroboro Vignettes.

“I’m hoping that my notes and my compositions will frame the silence or the natural sounds, in a way that brings people into the present moment and feeling really grounded in the natural space, feeling respect and honouring the natural space that we live in, and connecting with one another with compassion,” he said.

“That’s my main goal of why I do music.”

Visit quintinbart.com for tickets to The Oroboro Vignettes and future performances.

Sports & Recreation

September 16, 2026 sports@themanitoban.com

U of M Esports Club spreads their wings UME looks forward to tryouts for five games new to the club Faiyaz Chowdhury, staff

W

ith the fall semester starting, the U of M Esports Club has put their pedal to the metal. From previously mostly hosting Super Smash Bros. once a week, the club has decided to add five new games, which are League of Legends, VALORANT, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Overwatch and Marvel Rivals.

Anthony Campbell, club president, and Jared Vergara, club director of community affairs, shared that the club is currently accepting signups for tryouts, which will take place in late September. The VALORANT tryouts will take place from Sept. 12 to 13, while the dates for the other games are yet to be announced.

The information for the tryouts will be shared over the club’s discord server. The club will message everyone who signs up via the form regarding the tryouts, which will be held online. Only full-time U of M students can take part in the tryouts.

Campbell referred to the summer as the development period for the club, which allowed them to get a lot of game managers on board.

Without downplaying Super Smash Bros. or any games that the club played last school year, he shared that his goal is to get new teams for different games after the tryouts.

Campbell shared his vision for the club, saying, “We hope one day to be able to expand to the point where we have our lounge space, we’re able to have our own tryouts in there, hopefully with our equipment.” He also added that he would like the game managers and players to become friends outside of club activities.

Campbell went on to say that he wishes to collaborate with other student clubs with hopes of improving the student experience, as it is the “pinnacle of being a student club.” He also shared that they are actively reaching out to groups on campus to host collaborative events.

Campbell said he is happy with the steady pace the club is expanding at, as it feels sustainable and they do not want to stretch the program.

For this semester, Vergara wishes to host an exposition of all the different games they will be playing, and where people can communicate with the game managers during reading week.

The club will still be hosting Super Smash Bros. on Fridays, but are looking into new venues.

PHOTO BY ZULFIKL RAFAH & FAIYAZ CHOWDHURY / STAFF

Vergara shared that the club will have a table in University Centre on Sept. 22.

Campbell said his message

to new students is, “Try it, you don’t know if you’re going to like something or dislike something until you give it a

try.”

To learn more and keep up with U of M Esports Club

events, follow them on Instagram @esportsum.

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Sports & Recreation

Vol. 113, No. 06 sports@themanitoban.com

Hooping never stops Wheelchair basketball event at The Weekender festival Faiyaz Chowdhury, staff

T

he phenomenon of pickup basketball in the U.S. cannot be explained by words. Despite this, it does not stop the basketball culture from cascading its way into a city like Winnipeg. Last weekend, at The Weekender festival on Graham Avenue, there was a 3x3 basketball event with a wheelchair division.

Wheelchair basketball is a paralympic sport which follows similar traditional rules of basketball, but of course is played using sport wheelchairs.

Four teams took part in this wheelchair open event: Hell on Wheels, SOS, Rim Rattlers and Rolling Thunder.

Sean Close, the director of Peg City Ball, also took part in the wheelchair basketball event as an able-bodied player.

In the finals, SOS (Graham Bodnar, Bryce McDonald and Close) played against Rolling Thunder (Nathan Solomon, Danny Urbina and Myles Taylor). The game ended 10-3, with SOS taking the gold.

SOS also did not lose a single game in the event, showing pure domination and grit. They had their largest win with 12-1, against Hell on Wheels.

Close shared that the wheelchair basketball event was a partnership with Wheelchair Manitoba, a program of Basketball Manitoba. According to him, the events have been running for multiple years, foregrounding awareness through school programs

and events like the 3x3 wheelchair basketball event.

Close shared that wheelchair basketball is becoming quite popular, despite struggling to attract younger players in its nascent stage.

McDonald said that wheelchair basketball is fun to play and that the game being played in this format at such a level is great for the wheelchair basketball community and for others to see. He felt the turnout at the event was decent.

McDonald shared his experience participating in the event, saying that playing in the wheelchair basketball finals was harder than playing traditional basketball. He also emphasized that he had heard the crowd cheering as they played.

Close also disclosed that two of the athletes, Myles Taylor who participated in the wheelchair basketball event, and Ian Taylor, are training for the Invictus Games. Invictus Games is governed by a charity called the Invictus Games Foundation, which focuses on supporting the recovery and rehabilitation of internationally “wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans” through sport.

Anyone interested in wheelchair basketball can reach out to Joey Johnson, Manitoba Wheelchair Basketball Association program director and former Paralympic gold medalist.

PHOTOS BY FAIYAZ CHOWDHURY / STAFF

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