October 5, 2011

The Ωmega www.theomega.ca

Thompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper Oct. 5, 2011

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The CBC and Canada: a celebration of identity

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October 5, 2011

Opinion

Not our cup of Tea

Demanding lower tuition: not the same as demanding lower taxes Laura Beeston

The Cord (Wilfrid Laurier) MONTREAL (CUP) — Hey students, have you read? Quebec has its own Tea Party: student activists.

At least, that’s what seasoned editorialist Henry Aubin opined in The Gazette when he wrote “A taste of the Tea Party in Quebec” on Sept. 6.

“Militant members of these student organizations will recoil at being compared with the Tea Party, that far-right crusade south of the border,” he wrote.

“The students will see Tea Partiers as stodgy, old and doctrinaire — the reverse of their own cool, youthful, broad-minded selves. Yet the two movements have much in common.”

While it’s true that I recoil at the notion of grassroots education activism being compared to the Tea Party — and will admit to having a cool, youthful, broad mind — I take issue with the tenuous links Aubin makes between us and them.

Tea Partiers demand lower taxes, while students are demanding lower tuition. His argument ceases to make sense beyond the surface financial similarities.

Yet the difference between our prospective governments, he writes, is “a nuance.”

But one group is adamant that they are “taxed enough already” — putting their own short-term financial interests ahead of the long-term needs of the many — while the other is saying

that affordable education is vital to the economic future of the whole province.

Aubin also comments that the Tea Party is similar to students because both groups are “electorally minded” and have “played the political system astutely.”

But have they really? “Astute” is not a word I would choose when describing Tea Party talking heads like Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann or Glenn Beck.

These people also incorporate homophobic and Islamophobic elements into their campaigns, and their dislike for Obama often comes off as little more than thinly veiled racism.

So give us some credit, please; there is clearly more than one glaring difference between both groups and their goals for society.

Aubin seems impressed that student groups are going to “try something extra” and flaunt our “new political sophistication” this year by pressuring elected officials in target areas to start thinking seriously about public education that is funded through a more progressive taxation system.

But he goes on to write that this agenda will eventually weaken society.

Students, he argues, could even be responsible for bringing the university and provincial governments to fiscal crisis if we continue our political aggression of “ragtag demonstrations” and “war path tactics.”

As Obama told his Tea Partying

critics when the American economy was on the brink of default, “We need to tighten our belts in an intelligent way.”

So do we.

We’re talking about access to education here; can our government make spending cuts in other areas?

Access to education is a human right; what’s more, everyone benefits from an informed and well-educated labour force.

And though $13,000 in student debt might seem like some paltry sum to a man who has a salary, he should take a hard look at the job market, rising inflation, austerity measures and many other realities facing university students as they exit — or fight to afford an entrance into — higher education systems.

Mr. Aubin, education is our only real chance in the real world, or the real job market, which is why we’ve become vocal and more politically savvy to stay in school.

Investing in universities, in education, is an investment in growth.

These ideals do not make us the Tea Party!

Aubin’s piece has shown a lot of students another side of the tuition debate, but comparing our movement to the Tea Party is unfair and verges on willful ignorance.

If we are going to have any real dialogue, we have to keep our hyperbole in check.

“There’s a word for wanting to hang onto acquired privilege,” said Aubin at

Some comparisons have been made between student activists looking to lower tuition rates and the Tea Party movement in the US, which some think is ludicrous.

(Image by Paku Daoust-Cloutier/The Link)

the end of his piece.

The word was “reactionary.” It’s an interesting word, and one you could also use to describe the most basic premise of his piece, which seems to stem from a fear on the part of older, middle-class citizens that if students don’t foot the bill, they will.

But if university attendance drops significantly, or if future generations of young people are all graduating with unmanageable debt loads, everyone loses.

Deepening the divide between the generations and making inflammatory comparisons will not solve the problem of tuition funding.

Perhaps Aubin should show up to the planned province-wide Nov. 10 protest against tuition and speak to a few students on the ground floor of life.

Maybe then he’d see that we’re most certainly not like our “Get the government away from my Medicare” friends to the south.

Why are we even talking about the Tea Party here?

Mike Davies Editor-in-Chief

While it is reasonable to be offended by the insinuation that the studentdriven movement towards lowering tuition at post-secondary institutions in this country is comparable to the Tea Party movement happening south of our border, I think the main question we need to examine is why do we draw these comparisons in the first place, and why should we even pay attention when they are drawn?

And while it is true that these are two completely separate issues – Ms. Beeston has hit the nail on the head in her assertion that “if university attendance drops significantly, or if future generations of young people are all graduating with unmanageable debt loads, everyone loses,” and that there is a significant difference between Tea Partiers demanding lower taxes

and students demanding lower tuition – I think the assertion that they are similar isn’t really worth the time it takes to argue about it.

I also can’t help but wonder why we as Canadians are so focused on these American movements when they clearly are not applicable to our circumstances up here — especially in regards to the focus we should have on our access to education or the expense of that endeavour.

These movements come about because of a need — real or perceived — which causes people to rise up to take matters into their own hands, so to speak.

The Tea Party movement down south — as far as I can discern — is mainly about taxation. Specifically, the people want less of that — but are not willing to give up any of the things that are provided to them because of that taxation.

Let me say before anyone starts in

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on me that I am in no way an expert on any of this, nor do I clam to even have gone so far as to do any research into the matter.

That’s kind of my point, though.

American political movements don’t even hold enough interest for me that I would even bother to look into them in order to properly incorporate them into an article to be published in a reputable news source (if I might be so bold).

So reacting to the comparison made by Mr. Aubin just seems silly to me.

Let him keep his ill-conceived notions of what the students of this country are trying to achieve, and let us focus on what they’re actually trying to do.

They are trying to better their own futures by gaining an education.

In doing so they hope that society as a whole will benefit by having a more well-educated workforce.

They are trying to make it so that more people have access to better educational opportunities.

All of these concepts make sense to me.

So while I disagree with the idea that education is somehow a basic human right, I certainly don’t disagree with the notion that more availability and accessibility to education is something we should strive for.

What we shouldn’t be striving for are comparisons to the US governmental systems, policies and movements — or arguing with people that are obsessed with making those comparisons where they really don’t have any merit.

In giving those people more coverage, we really give them more than our rebuttals take away from them— and yes, I am completely aware of the irony of that statement as I type this.

So let’s focus on ourselves and the movements we believe in up here,

and leave those who don’t to their own devices and interests, shall we?

And after all — I could make all kinds of comparisons that don’t make any sense.

Watch.

The Canadian education system is like a Ferrari — it looks pretty and it works really well, but it’s damn expensive and it tends to bottom-out when it encounters any bumps in the road.

Oops, I made a good one. Let me try again.

The Canadian education system is like a poorly built house — it’s a shitty place to live and it smells like mould.

There.

Is anyone going to argue that comparison with me, or will you just look at it and realize it doesn’t make any sense?

I kind of thought so.

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October 5, 2011

THE

MEGA

www.theomega.ca

October 5, 2011

Volume 21, Issue 5

Published since November 27, 1991

editorialstaff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Davies

editorofomega@gmail.com/250-372-1272 BUSINESS MANAGER Natasha Slack

managerofomega@gmail.com 250-372-1272 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Cory Hope

SPORTS EDITOR

Nathan Crosby Copy Editor

Larkin Schmiedl Photo Editor

Cory Hope News Editor

Brendan Kergin

omegacontributors Laura Beeson, Trevor Chalifour, Christine Adam, Carol-Lynne Michaels, Pku Daoust, Ali Hackett

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF * Mike Davies BUSINESS MGR * Natasha Slack INDUSTRY REP * Mike Youds FACULTY REP * Charles Hays STUDENT REP* Sadie Cox

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Literary and visual submissions are welcomed.

All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Omega will attempt to publish each letter received, barring time and space constraints. The editor will take care not to change the intention or tone of submissions, but will not publish material deemed to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. Letters for publication must include the writer’s name (for publication) and contact details (not for publication). The Omega reserves the right not to publish any letter or submitted material. Opinions expressed in the Letters & Opinion section do not represent those of The Omega, the Cariboo Student Newspaper Society, its Board of Directors or its staff.

Opinions belong only to those who have signed them.

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All material in this publication is copyright The Omega and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of the publisher. All unsolicited submissions become copyright Omega 2010.

Cariboo Student Newspaper Society (Publisher of The Omega) TRU Campus House #2 Box 3010, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5N3 Phone: (250)372-1272 E-mail: editorofomega@gmail.com Ad Enquiries: managerofomega@gmail. com (Correspondence not intended for publication should be labelled as such.)

Want to get involved in covering campus news?

Apply to contribute to the Omega.

Feature Under one flag: how the CBC and cultural identity intersect Carol-Lynne Michaels Nexus (Camosun College)

VICTORIA, B.C. (CUP) — The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is approaching its 75th birthday. What does it mean to us three-quarters of a decade later?

The CBC was born out of the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission on November 2, 1936. A whole campaign with a refreshing colour palette has been launched to celebrate and highlight some of the content that has reinforced and connected us as a nation. Even the Royal Canadian Mint is hyping the party: limited-edition commemorative quarters are on the market.

The celebrations have started, and a new logo and slogan remind us that the CBC is “yours to celebrate.” And so it is.

The crown corporation CBC/RadioCanada is the chief provider of Canadian news, music, and storytelling. It’s gone from black and white to colour, colour to high-definition, and is currently transitioning from analog to digital. Our media climate is shifting and our beloved CBC is up against a weak economy, changing demographics, and emerging technologies.

Birthday or not, life slows down for no one.

In March, Canadian finance minister Jim Flaherty announced that the CBC must submit two proposals to meet reductions in operating appropriations.

The proposals will outline how to meet a five-per cent and 10-per cent cut over three years and will inform the 2012 federal budget. It’s part of a governmentwide strategic and operating review of 67 organizations. Sounds like the government is asking the CBC to buckle down and not only prepare, but plan, for cuts.

During the weak economic period of 2009, the CBC had losses of $171 million for which to make up. The public broadcaster shifted its game plan, sold assets, and cut close to 800 jobs. Now, two-and-a-half years later, the federal government is asking the CBC to prepare for another round of wallet wringing.

What did you get the CBC for its birthday?

Every year, Canadian taxpayers contribute what works out to be $34 per capita to the public broadcasting service. Collectively, Canadians contributed nearly $1.1 billion last year.

The CBC is by far the largest public broadcaster in the country, but it’s not exclusively publicly funded. The CBC has four sources of funding. During the first quarter of 2011–12, tax dollars made up 61 per cent of CBC’s funding, while advertising covered 24 per cent.

Specialty services and other revenues wrapped up the remaining 15 per cent in the form of subscription and ad sales from specialty programs, real-estate sales, and rentals.

Compared to other industrialized countries, 34 bucks is a bargain. A 2011 Nordicity analysis shows Canadians are ahead of only New Zealand and the United States. Americans pay $4 per year. On average, other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries pay $87 annually in support of their publicbroadcasting corporations.

And yet we still hear complaints about left-leaning content about our Canadian content provider. CBC Radio freelancer John Threlfall doesn’t necessarily agree with that take on the broadcaster.

“Is it left-of-centre?” says the Victoria resident. “Who defines the centre? If the centre is currently defined by Stephen Harper and the federal Conservatives

then, yes, it’s left-ofcentre. If the centre was defined by the mythical alternative universe where Jack Layton and the NDP got into power then, no, it would be more centre.”

Threlfall, also the former editor of Victoria alt-weekly Monday Magazine, doesn’t let his journalism background escape him while analyzing the CBC. “Is it left-of-centre in that it challenges the government?” he asks. “It challenges things that are being put out there and it doesn’t accept them at face value. But why is that left? And why is that just not inquiry?”

Angus McKinnon, spokesperson for CBC/RadioCanada, says complaints that the CBC is politically left-of-centre don’t bear themselves out in fact.

“Quite rightly, as Canada’s public broadcaster, our news and current affairs operations are held to a higher standard,” he says. “CBC/Radio-Canada strives every day to provide fairness and balance in its news coverage and platforms where Canadians can find, and add to, a wide diversity of viewpoints and voices from all across the political spectrum.”

Steven Larsen, a 29-year-old history student at Camosun College, says he’s a fan of the CBC in a lot of ways, but adds that there are drawbacks to being publicly funded.

PHOTO BY ALI HACKETT/NEXUS CBC “reflect the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canada.”

CBC continues to play a key role in reinforcing to Canadians what it means to be Canadian. CBC helped to tell the stories behind maple syrup, beavers, and mounted police. A public broadcasting company has the opportunity, if not the obligation, to tell the stories of the people whom it serves.

Elizabeth Grove-White, an associate professor in the department of English at the University of Victoria, says that the CBC “enlarges our imagination and our understanding to know what’s happening in other parts of our country.”

She moved from Ireland to Toronto in 1973. With no Canadian connections, Grove-White says that the CBC was a great introduction to this country.

“The CBC has served a very important function in welcoming new Canadians,” she says. “For people like me, who come from other parts of the world, the CBC has been a window into Canadian culture and arts and life and politics. I came to know and love Canada through national broadcasting.”

Grove-White eventually came to work for the CBC. She wrote, interviewed, researched and produced several radio programs including Ideas, State of the Arts, and Anthology. She earned a Peabody Award in 1980 for a program she wrote for the Open Circuit series, “The Longest Journey.” The documentary shared the experiences of her second pregnancy, exploring the realities of childbirth.

“I remember when I worked for Ideas,” says Grove-White. “We’d get letters from all parts of Canada from people who would say, ‘You know, I live 500 miles from the nearest library. I’m the only person around with a university education. I listen to the CBC for the ideas, the intellectual stimulation.’”

It’s often said that the CBC reaches out to Canadian communities, but in the experience of Grove-White, it also reaches out to individual community members.

“My experience was that it really meant a lot to individual people,” she says. “It was not just their way of keeping in touch with Canada, but keeping in touch with people who have similar interests.”

Those individual community members, of course, have their own varying

“...the CBC

binds us, it showc a s e s us,” “The whole idea raises a lot of issues for me, in terms of the validity of what they’re telling me,” says Larsen.

“I mean, they’re paid for by the government by tax dollars.”

This quickness to criticize the public broadcaster reveals a certain passion that most Canadians have for the CBC. What’s a Canadian anyway?

CBC/Radio-Canada connects Canadians across a nation that boasts the world’s second largest land mass. Since 1936, the CBC has been broadcasting Canadian content from coast to coast and beyond.

The 1991 Broadcasting Act states that “the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, as the national public broadcaster, should provide radio and television services incorporating a wide range of programming that informs, enlightens, and entertains.” It also mandates that the

opinions on what CBC means to them.

“I think CBC is a little left wing sometimes,” says Victoria resident Evelyn Mason. “You can tell it’s propped up by government; nobody seems to put any effort into it.”

Her husband David says that when it comes to program selection, there is a bad side to publicly funded media entities like the CBC. “They’re not at the mercy of who’s going to buy advertising as much as the private networks, so they’re willing to carry stuff just because they like the people who are doing it, or whatever.”

Mason loves Coronation Street, but is tired of seeing the same personalities and programming year after year. But David gives credit to CBC personality George Stromboulopoulos, saying that “he’s smart, a little irreverent.”

What has the CBC done for you lately?

Canadians are a collection of diverse fragments held together by publiclyfunded mortar. Not only does the CBC bind us, it showcases us: bright, shapely pieces making up our complex, collaborative mosaic nation.

Even younger Canadians value the CBC as a platform for exposing themselves to Canadian content. You don’t have to remember The Friendly Giant to know the CBC is a good thing to have around.

“If there was no CBC, Canadian stories and news would still exist on the internet, but there’s the problem of not really knowing what to look for,” says Josh Driver, a criminal justice student at Camosun. “We’d probably end up disconnected from the events going on in our local area. We’d end up with just the U.S. media. We’d end up knowing more about them than ourselves.”

A Harris/Decima study released in the spring of 2010 declared that 81 percent of Canadians agree it’s important that the Canadian government work to maintain and build a culture and identity distinct from the United States.

In 1970, Pierre Juneau, the first chairman of the Canada Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, famously said “Canadian broadcasting should be Canadian.” Canadian content regulations were drafted and have stimulated the artistic landscape of Canada ever since.

SEE

CBC PAGE 7

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October 5, 2011

Life & Community

The Omega sits down with TRUSU VP Brendan Kergin News Editor

Editor’s note: This week our own Brendan Kergin wanted to find out about what your student union has been up to, so he sat down with TRUSU vice president external, Jordan Harris.

Omega: “What is the VP external?”

Harris: “There’s different mandates for different positions.

The VP internal looks over internal things like putting on events, the clubs day, or the back to school barbecue we just had.

It’s on campus things.

“The VP external, we look at campaigns and government relations.”

O: “So if it has something to do with the community at large?”

H: “Yeah, like our Drop Fees campaign, I look over it. I design the stuff for it.”

O: “That’s why you went to the Canadian Federation of Students event?”

H: “Exactly, then also with the VP external you’re part of the Provincial Executive and meet up once every three months to give updates and have discussions about how campaigns are going, your government issues and how things are going around your campus.”

O: “With the Campaigns Committee, what campaigns is the

board looking at right now?”

H: “Over the summer, that’s when our whole big planning process takes place.

“We passed a committee plan that our campaigns that we’re doing this year are Drop Fees, which also has to do with the Day of Action that’s happening on Feb. 1 which is going to be a big rally for all students and supports affordable education and lobbies the governments to make a better system of affordable education.

“So, we’re going to filter all of our Drop Fees campaign and materials to lead into that Day of Action.

“We also have the Sustainability Campus. Our main goal of that is to make TRU a bottledwater-free campus, the first one in B.C. We’re going to start doing that in November.

“We’ll be giving out free water bottles and getting people to sign these pledges saying they want a more sustainable, green, bottled-water-free campus.”

O: “So those are the two main campaigns?”

H: “Yeah, Drop Fees and the Day of Action are a CFS campaign. All schools across Canada have a big rally on Feb. 1.”

O: “You met recently with Christy Clark and Naomi Yamamoto, the Minister of Advanced Education. How’d that go?”

H: “It went very well. After her announcement of increasing international student seats in B.C. we met with her.

“It was very brief; it was only for about 10 minutes. We just explained to her about how we are still looking to make education affordable for students in B.C. and Kamloops.

“She took it very well, but it was very brief and then she had to leave.”

O: “How about the discussion with Yamamoto?”

H: “It was a lot of giving our ideas and we want to give the perception that we are willing to sit down with the government and discuss options of affordability. Affordable education is beneficial to students and the province.

“We wanted to give her the idea that, ‘We will work with you. We want to create some options that will make education more affordable.’ We just gave her ideas on that.

“There’s a sense that affordable education is a plan that can be worked, but right now it seems like because of the economic time we’re in sometimes they don’t want to go out and make big plans.

“But that’s where, respectively, we talked to Michelle Mungall (NDP MLA and Advanced Education critic) and her NDP platform included a grant program.”

O: “Thanks for your time, we’ll keep watching those campaigns. Good luck.”

H: “Yeah, keep an eye out for those. Talk to you later.”

Community Calendar Wednesday, Sept 28 -Heroes Live Concert Series.

Show starts 8 p.m. $5 Dollars cover.

Friday, Oct. 7 -Fall convocation. 2-2:30 p.m. TRU gym.

Unable to attend?

Watch the ceremony over the internet at www.livestream.com/ livetru Saturday, Oct. 8 -Women’s Basketball Exhibition 6 p.m.

Tournament Capital Center vs Mount Royal Cougars Sunday, Oct. 9 -Women’s Soccer Noon Hillside Stadium vs UNBC -Men’s Soccer 2 p.m.

Hillside Stadium vs UNBC

See all this empty space in the events calendar?

There’s no way that there’s nothing happening this week, but you didn’t tell us about it, so we can’t tell everyone else.

Hopefully you learn from this and get your events to us so we can share them with the people who might attend. editorofomega@ gmail.com

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The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 5

Editorial

Just a few quick announcements

This week I’m just going to make a few you some amazing locations in and around announcements in regards to the Omega — Kamloops.

I sincerely hope the level of participation all of which are positive.

First I’d like to thank everyone for the in- continues to grow.

The best-case scenario for participants is terest expressed in being a part of what it is that you win a prize for playing. we’re doing here.

The worst-case sceThere’s been an outnario is you get to see standing response to our some of the beauty that call for submissions and surrounds you here in contributions, prompting the middle of British a gathering this coming Columbia while getting Friday, Oct. 7, at 5:30 p.m. out and getting a bit of in the TRUSU Boardroom exercise as well. for those that would like The last announceto engage their fellow stument is that the position dents and faculty through of promotions coordinathe student newspaper. tor has been filled.

If any of you don’t know We are happy to welwhere that is, go to the come Amrita Pannu to Students’ Union Buildthe Omega team, and are ing (attached to the north looking forward to havside of the Campus Activing her out there spreadity Center) and find the ing the good word.

TRUSU help desk by the We’ll update you on coffee shop.

Editor’s Note her efforts periodically We’ll be in the big room throughout the year, that’s hiding behind that Mike Davies but hopefully you’ll see desk.

Editor-in-Chief them for yourself before This meeting will outwe even have to mention line how to go about submitting content, what kind of content is them here.

Look for her at various events around appropriate and the issues associated with campus and help us make her feel welcome. conflict of interest and personal gain.

She comes to us from the University of If you want to know how you, too, can get your words or photos into the paper, I wel- British Columbia, so let’s show her how a come you to attend the open meeting on Fri- smaller university community feels.

I look forward to meeting you at our oriday.

If you can’t attend — I know it’s the start entation session this Friday, and I once again of Thanksgiving weekend so many of you encourage anyone to contact me with any are taking off out of town — but you still questions you might have about what we’re want to know how to contribute, send me an doing here — even if those questions are litemail, and I’ll forward you the gist of what erally, “what the hell are you doing here?”

We welcome and encourage reader feedwe discussed at that gathering.

The second announcement is that the re- back — both positive and otherwise, so let’s sponse to our weekly geocache contest has have it. been improving, so you can thank those pareditorofomega@gmail.com ticipants for allowing us to continue to show

I’ve always been of the opinion that across the stage!

The graduating students walked and it’s important to celebrate things both spoke with a confidence that they didn’t big and small every chance one gets.

This includes convocation ceremo- even realize was within them during their first tentative nies. days on campus.

In fact, convocaConvocation tion is one of my now marked an imfavourite times of portant waypoint the academic year. on their journeys I should explain into careers and my particular active lives in fondness for contheir communities. vocation events.

Last month TRU Before comwelcomed our new ing to TRU, I was students with New fortunate to work Student Convocawith students at tion —designed the beginning of to be a mirror of their post-secondthe graduation ary journeys. convocation that Teaching firststudents will paryear students was Christine Adam ticipate in at the important work Dean of Students completion of their for me as much of studies. The purmy time was spent helping students learn to navigate the pose of the event was to inspire stupractices and policies of the university. dents to work hard and make their way Much like a tour guide I spent my across the stage.

TRU’s next convocation will be held time in the classroom showing students at 2 p.m. this Friday, October 7, in the the lay of the land.

I explained the important features of TRU gymnasium.

I encourage you to take time out of the landscape and helped them acquire the language of academia — and then your day and take in the celebration. they left my classroom and headed out Christine Adam, TRU’s dean of stuon their own.

My next formal opportunity to meet dents, writes a weekly column on topics up with these students again would be of interest to TRU students.

You can find her in person in 1631 convocation — and what a stark contrast between the students I’d met four Old Main and follow her on Twitter @ years before and the students walking trudeanstudents.

From the dean’s desk

SUMMIT MONTESSORI The Virtue for September is: Peacefulness: Peacefulness is being calm inside. Take time for daily reflection and gratitude. Solve conflicts so everyone wins. Be a peacemaker. Peace is giving up the love of power for the power of love. Peace in the world begins with peace in your heart.

Our Trained Montessori Teachers provide a Montessori Pre-school, and full day Childcare program. Studies include world geography, culture, math, language, art, music and much more! We provide care for Toddlers, 3-5’s and Afterschool.

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October 5, 2011

Life & Community

Kamloops transit: the next 20 years “Green” issues and accessibility explored at local event Cory Hope

Arts and Entertainment Editor A block-long display promoting alternative transportation modes within the city and beyond wrapped up the Great Green Transportation Challenge event on Saturday, Oct.1.

2nd Avenue was lined with booths from St. Paul to Seymour Streets presenting transportation options for people of all financial positions.

A decommissioned city bus had been renovated and turned into what Coleen Lepik, transportation co-ordinator with the City of Kamloops, referred to as a “traveling roadshow.”

The bus was decorated with information about the city’s plans for the next 25 years of public transportation, and there was an opportunity for people to take sticky notes and write down their own ideas about what they believe would improve the city’s transportation system.

Another board invited people to comment on what they thought of the plans that have already been made.

Lepik pointed out the importance of finding out what changes needed to be made to encourage more people to con-

sider public transportation, or at least other options besides “always jump[ing] in the vehicle and head[ing] off.”

Gene Kozowy, a transit operator and trainer in Kamloops, greeted me with a smile as I boarded the renovated bus.

He spoke about how the most frequent requests transit receives are for increased service, especially at night.

“Folks that want to go to the movies can get there okay,” he said, “but they can’t get home.”

They also hear requests for increased service during the day, because, “Even some of the runs we make during the day, we have to leave some people behind, because we can only take so many.”

Kozowy talked about how extending the service by at least an hour on routes could make the difference between people being able to consider using the transit system to get to places like the wildlife park, for example, where the last bus leaves just after 5 p.m.

Public transportation wasn’t the only option being presented at the event.

A series of hybrid vehicles, electric scooters and the Segway — an upright scooter that you stand to use — were also on

The “travelling roadshow” bus had almost 200 people walk through it within the first three hours of being on display on Saturday. The week-long event was meant to bring attention to “green” and sustainable future for transportation in Kamloops.

—Cory Hope

display.

A group of students from UBC were showing off a solar-powered car they have under development as well.

Many of these alternative modes of transportation have

No wheels? No problem Omega’s weekly geocache heads back downtown Cory Hope

you pass underneath the train bridge.

Even if you decide not to walk through the labyrinth on the designated path I encourage you to do two A recent bout with being unable to things: afford the brake repair required to get First, walk into the centre of the cirmy car safely on the road left me uscle and clap your hands while standing my feet as transportation for a few ing still. days, but I’m not one to let that get in You can move your the way of getting myself arms for the necesoutside. sary clapping moveI’m also prone to ments — that doesn’t attempting to do car count against the repairs on my own but standing still busiI feel there is a differness. ence between being Second, email me a rank amateur doing with an explanation things to make my car for that noise! go, and being a rank Seriously. amateur doing things I don’t have a clue that might prevent my why that happens car from being able to and it really weirds stop without the asme out. sistance of the nearest I hope you have brick wall, or perhaps a good time while another car. Maybe you’re out there. toss a pedestrian in the Pioneer Park is a mix to slow down so I nice place to go at don’t get too hurt. any time of year, alThat’s the long way Find this view at Pioneer Park downtown and win the though there are cerof saying that if you Omega’s weekly prize.

—Cory Hope tainly aesthetic benhappen to be walkefits to going there in ing around downtown the summer for people of any preferwishing that you could just get away prize.

I guess this might be a good time to ence, if you catch my meaning. from the shoe stores without having to summon a mighty Kraken to smite tell you where to look.

Editor’s note: The tape is located at N 50˚ 40’ them all out of existence to clear you Congratulations to Dan & Erika a path to the nearest place that doesn’t 47.4”, W 120˚ 19’ 30.0” give or take Byrne who headed out to Cooney Bay ten metres. sell shoes, you still have options.

If you don’t own a GPS just type last week and found the marker. They There’s a place called Pioneer Park just off the main drag of downtown that into Google Earth and it will won a $20 gift certificate to Fresh is Best Salsa located at 1420 Hugh Allen Kamloops where you can go to re- show you where to look.

If you decide to go for the longer Drive (across the highway from Ablax on a beach, enjoy a cup of coffee (bring your own as they don’t serve) walk to get there, the one that goes erdeen Mall). Check them out when and even watch as the occasional fool through from Riverside Park, make shopping for your next fiesta! Fresh runs across the Red Bridge and rap- sure you stop by the labyrinth on the locally-produced chips and dips, as right-hand side as you’re walking past. well as a selection of imported Mexipels down to the ground.

It’s the large cobblestone circle after can fare. www.freshisbest.ca It’s rare, but trust me it happens.

Arts and Entertainment Editor

If you just happen to be hanging out there and find a piece of flagging tape with something written on it, write it down for later.

When you get home email me at cory.hope@gmail.com with the message on the tape and if you’re the first one to get back to me, you’ll win a

their issues. Some of the hybrid vehicles came with a $30,000 price tag.

The Segway is not legal to operate on the sidewalk, and the scooters have questionable uphill capabilities.

The point of the event was not to sell products, though.

It was to get people to think about more sustainable methods of transportation, in the hopes of reducing traffic and promoting a cleaner Kamloops for the future.

Want to get involved in covering campus news or events?

Join us in the TRUSU Boardroom on Friday, Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m. for an orientation session and find out how you can!

7

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 5

Life & Community

Ever wanted to go to Belize?

Field school provides full-credit educational experience Brendan Kergin News Editor

The 2010 field school participants pose for a quick photo at the University of Belize.

The tiny nation is tucked in on the western side of Mexico and Guatemala.

With a population of about 300,000, it’s a small, vibrant nation with about a half dozen notable cultures going through some major transitions.

Larsen believes the microcosm in a small area going through major changes is an excellent space to study multiple

The CBC: we love it, we hate it, and we pay for it (some of us involuntarily)

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Petitions exist online about it: save it or suffocate it. The discussion is there. The fact that everyone has an opinion demonstrates the invisible ties that tangle Canadians with the CBC. “It’s providing Canadian identity — multiculturalism, regionalism, all of us together individually and collectively,” says Victoria mayor Dean Fortin. “The CBC is a very important institution.

It’s the one that is dedicated to Canadian culture: bringing forward and developing Canadian identity.”

CBC’s McKinnon says that the organization aims to express culture and enrich democratic life.

He says that’s been at the heart of their mission for 75 years, and continues to be, with their new fiveyear strategic plan committing to deepening the CBC’s relationship with Canadians. “[In the plan] we commit to providing a publicly owned, publicly minded space where Canadians can meet and exchange with each other and with the country,” he says.

The CBC: we can name its influence when we see it around us, but hesitate when defining it, especially younger Canadians. Our foggy awareness of the CBC’s presence is like the ground we walk on every day: we know it’s there and probably enjoy that it is, but not many of us question it — or really think about what it means to our country.

Maybe it’s time we do.

“consistently hot”

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The CBC’s programming is expansive; it’s touched the lives of practically every Canadian, in some ways more directly than others.

“Honestly, I would be hard-pressed to imagine Canada as we know it today without the CBC,” says Threlfall, who now works at UVic as communications and special projects officer for the Faculty of Fine Arts. “So many peoples’ cultural memories and cultural backbone have been fashioned by or supported by the CBC over the years.”

Having freelanced for CBC and seen firsthand how much work goes into their programs, Threlfall marvels over everything he hears and sees on CBC. “What we see on TV or hear on the radio is really just the tip of the iceberg. It’s the final product,” he says. “It’s incredible how many people have contributed to or worked for CBC over the years.”

Threlfall notes that Canada is now 144 years old, and that “the CBC has been around for half of that time. That’s pretty strong, right there.”

He says people perceive the CBC to be a great force in Canada. “It’s like the weather; it’s the CBC. If you want to know the opinion of what’s going on in the country, you listen to the CBC, you know; there’s your national opinion.”

McGill Roa d

What’s a world without the CBC?

with a Mayan family, hunting for jaguars!”

There are some essential things to know about the trip.

It will cost about $3000 all included. Applications are being taken now until Oct. 21 for the course – which takes place in the spring 2012.

The course takes two weeks and counts for full course credits.

Biology at TRU, said the trip opened up her eyes to how conservation works in another country with a different culture.

“Some of the highlights of the trip for me were the exposure to new wildlife and all the Mayan culture in the area,” she said.

“It really is quite different from home and the trip is unforgettable, catching crocodiles in a dark lagoon, spending a night

La va lC

Canadian musicians such as Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan have full-fledged careers and international acclaim. You can still hear Rush and The Tragically Hip on the air. The Arcade Fire, Kid Koala, K’naan, Mother Mother, Tegan and Sara, Dan Mangan and so many more Canadian artists are right up there in Canada’s musical mountain range.

Canadian content regulations have created a weird and wonderful filtration system that pulls diverse artists from above the 49th parallel and launches them out on national airwaves.

The CBC benefits Canadian writers and poets, too. Camosun College librarian Sybil Harrison says that CBC radio is “very good at helping define the Canadian character.” Harrison emphasizes its importance to the promotion of Canadian literature, storytelling, and poetry. “Our Canadian publishing industry would really have huge challenges if it wasn’t for the CBC,” she says.

—Submitted

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academic areas.

This exchange of culture and ideas is expanded on in many ways.

There is always an event with the University of Belize and when the Canadians come home again, they bring a student from the U of B back with them for a two-week trip of their own.

Past participant Melany Rosberg, who’s studying Animal

N

Belize is, odds are, not a country the students at TRU know a lot about.

That can be changed.

The small Central American country is the regular destination of a field course run by Dr. Karl Larsen.

The unique feature of this course is that, while designated as part of the department of natural resource sciences, it is open to essentially all students at TRU. “It’s a multi-discipline course, so students from any discipline can take it,” said Larsen.

“As long as they can say why this is important to [them].”

While it’s common for biology majors to go, past participants have included a math student, economists and tourism majors.

“I’ve got students from different disciplines and they actually teach other. During the courses they are all looking at things from different directions,” said Larsen.

He actually learns a lot as well, even though he’s been doing this for five years.

At the end of the trip the students create presentations to share with the class, and with some of the Belizeans they meet.

The cross-cultural exchange is aided by the fact that while almost all of the nations bordering Belize speak Spanish, Belize is part of the British Commonwealth and officially speaks English.

It shares a bit of history with Canada, and even more with its Caribbean neighbours.

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October 5, 2011

9

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 5

Arts & Entertainment

Unentitled

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club worth checking out Cory Hope

Arts & Entertainment Editor Slim Cessna’s Auto Club released their new LP called Unentitled on Alternative Tentacles earlier this year.

Like every release before it since their self-titled debut album in 1995, it was well worth the wait.

Starting with the driving banjo on “Three Bloodhounds,” “Two Shepherds,” and “One Fila Brasilla,” Slim Cessna continues in the vein that has been referred to as Country Music’s Evil Twin, Alt-Gospel and Gothabilly — to name a few.

The band has their own brand of country that sells out punk rock venues and keeps the dance floor jumping from beginning to end.

Based in Denver, Colorado, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club formed in 1992 and is hailed as one of the finest examples of Americana working today.

They’ve been described by The Dead Kennedy’s Jello Biafra as “...the country band that plays the bar at the end of the world.”

They have played at Austin, Texas SXSW music festival in 1997, 2001 and 2007, and headlined the Americana stage in 2000 at the annual Blues Festival held in Ottawa.

They have toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe and have played many shows in Canada over the years as well.

They’re currently on tour in support of the new album in North America, and their Vancouver show was last month.

If I was in possession of a time-traveling Delorian I would happily take you there, but tragically this is not the case.

I had the chance to speak to Jay Munly, one of the two frontmen for the band when they played Dante’s in Portland, Oregon in 2009.

The band had suffered a breakdown of the vehicular kind, and rather than miss the show that night, they traded in their old RV and purchased a new one.

When I told Munly that I had come from Kamloops to see the show, he smiled and told me that he remembered playing a hockey tournament in Kamloops and had fond memories of the town.

The band’s two frontmen Munly and Slim have a unique onstage presence and charisma, playing off of each other as well as the crowd.

Just as frequently as either of them will pick up an instrument they will burst into theatrics of blessings and camaraderie with each other reminiscent of the most flamboyant televangelist.

I spoke to Karl Alvarez, bass player for the Descendents and ALL last year while he was standing-in playing bass for Vancouver’s The Real McKenzies, and he described Slim Cessna’s Auto Club as one of the best stage acts he had ever seen.

Coming from a man with a resume that spans over 30 years of playing with enough bands to warrant his own feature article, this would have been praise enough for me to check them out had I not known of Slim Cessna already.

Slim Cessna and Jay Munly rile up the crowd at Dante’s in Portland Oregon.

—Cory Hope

Puzzle of the Week #4 – More Kittens Ooooh, kitties! They are so sweet. There are eight of them. Their fur comes in five colours. Five of them have black, four have white, two have orange, two have brown, and one has purple. (Paint or not, consider it a fur colour.) Each kitten has at least one fur colour.

Every kitten is special. That means that no two kittens have exactly the same fur colours.

How many of these mewing lovelies have exactly one fur colour?

This contest is sponsored by the Mathematics and Statistics department. The full-time student with the best score at the end of the year will win a prize. Submit your solution (not just the answer but also why) by noon next Wednesday to Gene Wirchenko <genew@ocis.net>. Submissions by others are also welcome. The solution will be posted the Wednesday after that in the Math Centre (HL210A). Come visit: we are friendly.

10

October 5, 2011

Coffee Break

SUDOWEB.COM

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MYLES MELLOR

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1. Driven transport 5. Jewish teacher 10. Kind of instrument 14. “By yesterday!”

15. Betelgeuse’s constellation 16. “Cogito, ___ sum” 17. Rarely 20. Back 21. Outdo 22. Annexes 25. Dates 26. Chop (off) 29. Piques 31. Can’t stand 35. “The ___ Daba Honeymoon” 23. Attracted 24. Taste, e.g.

26. Cake part 27. Ancient editorial marks 28. Buddy-buddy 30. Pole position?

32. “South Pacific” hero 33. Trig functions 34. Foot the bill 37. Dislike intensely 40. Flyers 41. Like old recordings 42. Obliquely 47. Slay 48. Most healthy 52. Compassion 54. Licks

55. Cultivate 56. Long, long time (var.)

57. Sonata, e.g.

59. Daunting exam 60. “Buona ___” (Italian greeting) 61. Glimpse 62. Fed. construction overseer 63. Blood group system 64. Gabriel, for one Down 1. Golden Triangle country 2. “___ She Lovely?”

3. Disabling spray 4. “La Bohème,” e.g.

5. Howard of “Happy Days” 6. Victorian, for one 7. Food collectors?

8. Dense mass 9. Accustomed 10. Learn again 11. “Aeneid” figure 12. These may be inflated 13. Family head 18. Deep blue 19. Old weapon 36. Andrea Doria’s domain 38. Arabic for “commander” 39. Fab Four film 43. Otherwise 44. Character 45. Poetic meadow

46. Mideast capital 49. Goose speech 50. Time zone 51. Froth 53. Big laugh 55. Astronomer 58. Choker 62. Destination of the disgruntled?

65. Dirty coat 66. Sea gear 67. Ball field covering 68. Barley beards 69. 1980’s-90’s ring champ 70. Cut down

last week’s answers A F R O

L O O N

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O C A B A S I N S S A T I T H U S

H U G O

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G O P S N T H G A M O W I T T V O I E E D S S E

A M I E O N N U S E I S T A N S S U A V S K I H E A V E I R E D A Y E L E P I D O S S C L H E

S T E W

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S O D S

Random thought: Dictionary.com has five definitions of the word “keen.” 1. finely sharpened, as an edge; so shaped as to cut or pierce substances readily: a keen razor. 2. sharp, piercing, or biting: a keen wind; keen satire. 3. characterized by strength and distinctness of perception; extremely sensitive or responsive: keen eyes; keen ears. 4. having or showing great mental penetration or acumen: keen reasoning; a keen mind. 5. animated by or showing strong feeling or desire: keen competition.

—Mike Davies

XKCD.com, creative commons

As far as I can tell, none of these could possibly describe a peach. So where could the term “peachy keen” have come from?

11

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 5

Sports

Offence explodes in crucial win for women’s soccer Nathan Crosby Sports Editor

Goals were hard to come by for the women’s soccer team in September; but October came and a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Island University Mariners showed the team is starting to click.

The players and crowd sat through a chilly and damp game on Oct. 1 at Hillside Stadium. Weather didn’t play a factor though, as positivity rang through the Wolf Pack’s leadership as they battled to improve to two wins, three draws and a loss — two points behind first-place UBCO. The first goal came early in the game at the ninth minute. Thirdyear Alanna Bekkering’s corner kick was perfectly executed to give Ashley Piggot her first of two goals in the game when she bumped the ball off her head into the back of the net.

Piggot was named the game’s “Leader of the ‘Pack” for her strong offensive performance.

“For the first goal, everyone was rushing in and left me all alone. I saw it coming across perfectly and the goalie went for it and I was all alone to put it in the back of the net,” she said.

Her second goal came at the 57th minute, again from the foot of Alanna Bekkering on a corner kick.

“For the second one, it was just one of those garbage goals, but you got to finish those and I did.”

Piggot’s two goals gave the ‘Pack a comfortable lead, but VIU didn’t concede. Keeper Emily Edmundson made a great save on Mariners forward Mariah Robinson, and Robinson then collected her own rebound and

Ashley Piggot (4) heads the ball to score one of her two goals in a 3-1 victory over the VIU Mariners at Hillside Stadium on Oct. 1. Both goals were scored on corner kicks from Alanna Bekkering.

—Trevor Chalifour

went top shelf on the Wolf Pack keeper to shorten the lead to 2-1 at the 67th minute.

Three minutes later, TRU responded when they got a lucky bounce off a Mariners defender after a shot by Wolf Pack rookie Emily Oliver was initially blocked.

Head coach Tom McManus said his team is constantly improving on their shooting, and thus, keep-

ing him happy with the performance and growth of the team.

“We scored three goals this game, which is something we’ve been struggling with all season.

We’ve been gelling together and hopefully we can finish,” he said.

“I thought our mid-field did very well, and to be honest, I think it was a great team performance today. I think we closed everything down that we prac-

ticed all week, and we picked our game up and the girls did what we asked them to do.”

As cold as it was on the field with the rain lasting half of the game, the Wolf Pack were able to let their aggressive play control the game. With only five games left in the season, the team seemed to play with alertness that every win will be important at this stage.

“We want to keep the goals

down,” McManus said about his defence.

“We’ve allowed five in the first four games and that’s just not good enough. But as long as we’re scoring, I’m happy.”

It seems the offence is figuring it out at the right time for the Wolf Pack, and with the post-season approaching, it couldn’t have happened any later if they hope to be involved.

left side.

“We collapsed on the one opportunity and they capitalized on it,” Froehlich said.

“After they got their goal we played 100 per cent and possession went TRU’s way. It’s unlucky but we are going to forget about it and come back hard the next game.”

Froehlich wasn’t tested often, but had to make two hard saves in the late part of the first half, stoning Kambere by challenging the striker away from his net.

The keeper said his confidence in situations similar to that is growing.

“Today was probably my best day of the last three (games),” he said.

“I’m going to keep building my

confidence as a first-year and we are going to get ready for playoffs in the next couple weeks and continue to work hard. We got to work on communication and battling the whole 90 minutes. Today was a good effort.”

The Wolf Pack had a number of opportunities but came up short each time. Second-year mid-fielder Jacob Kaay came the closest to tying the game on an opportunity at the 32-minute mark in the second half. He was well-positioned in front of the opposing net but launched the ball too high.

It became a reoccurring theme throughout the game, and it was one of those days when the ball didn’t want to go in the net. The Wolf Pack exploded at the begin-

ning of the game with an aggressive attack, and may have expelled too much energy. By the time game wrapped up, the ‘Pack looked out of gas.

Wolf Pack co-head coach John Antulov still felt his team gave a good effort despite the loss.

“I think our whole-team game was pretty awesome today,” he said, and once again, held high praise for his goal keeper.

“Travis played really solid and the players battled. We are playing against the defending national champions.

“The guys played solid defensively, and I think if we keep doing that we’ll be fine, we just got to finish on our opportunities.”

Corey Wallis, a rookie defender,

was named leader of the ‘Pack for his play in the backfield and his ability to chip on the offensive attack. Another notable event was when veteran mid-fielder Adam Dodgson was pulled from the game near half-time. Coach Antulov told the media Dodgson was having trouble with his abductor muscles and will need rest.

After the weekend the WolfPack sit tied for second place in the Group B division of the PAC WEST league with a record of two wins, three draws and a loss. Now that the playoff push has begun, the Wolf Pack’s season post-season hopes will hinge on finishing their chances.

Not doing so cost them an important win this week.

Men’s soccer suffers first loss to VIU Mariners Nathan Crosby Sports Editor

Despite possessing the ball for much of the 90-minute match, the TRU men’s soccer team suffered their first loss this past week, losing 1-0 to the Vancouver Island University Mariners. The Oct.1 game at Hillside Stadium was played in cool temperatures for the first half, warming up by the second when the sun finally appeared.

Though the field eventually warmed up, the team’s ability to score did not.

Speedy Mariners mid-fielder AJ Kambere scored the game’s only goal at the 46th minute, scoring on rookie keeper Travis Froehlich’s

12

October 5, 2011

TRUSU Membership Advisory Pick up your

FREE ISIC 8am - 10pm Mon to Fri

at the Members’ Services Desk in the Indepdent Centre

A service for members of the Canadian Federation of Students

Movie Night

Post-Secondary Education Fact:

BC students recieve 70% less student grants than the national average This Week:

TRUSU ABORIGINAL

The Grown Ups 7:00 pm, October 5, Clock Tower Theatre

Sign up for the registry and find out more at www.trusu.ca

Get involved in your community

• TRUSU Aboriginal Collective Movie Night • Lunch with the President • Council Meeting Check out the Events Calendar at trusu.ca for details!

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