March 31, 2016

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March 31, 2016

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NEWS

Office of Sustainability provides opportunities for students JACK THOMPSON March 2016 will mark the second annual Energy Conservation Month at the University of Saskatchewan and the Office of Sustainability is working to get students more involved in the initiative through numerous energysaving programs.

One of the practices of Energy Conservation Month is to dedicate time to reflect on the past years' successes in order to critique and improve upon current programs and services surrounding energy conservation on campus. For the Office of Sustainability, this entails reaching out through social media and generally spreading awareness of how energy can be used more efficiently and how it affects the environment.

Matt Wolsfeld, community engagement co-ordinator for the Office of Sustainability, explains how the U of S is combating waste and promoting sustainability.

“The Office of Sustainability is in charge of the university's recycling programs, so we handle all sorts of recycling and waste reduction efforts on campus. It’s a single stream recycling program just like the city has, so everything goes into one bin and everything gets sorted on Loraas’ end once they pick it up,” Wolsfeld said.

Leaving the sorting to recycling and waste management company, Loraas, allows for

bins that do not confuse patrons with too many compartments.

According to Wolsfeld, there has been some miscommunication via mismatched recycling bins and posters around campus and the Office of Sustainability is looking to create a more unified recycling program to remedy this issue for U of S students and staff.

The office is also working toward installing a food dehydrator in Marquis Hall as well as a composting program.

However, due to the complexity of providing composting to a larger facility like the U of S, it will take some time to come into effect.

In 2015, the Office of Sustainability also initiated the Campus Sustainability Revolving Fund made possible through a one million dollar backing by the U of S. “It’s supposed to fund sustainability initiatives around campus that are set to see returns on their investment. For example switching out regular lighting to LED lighting in a specific area, which we’d see general energy reductions at the time which would save us money on that front and replacement costs which would save us money there,” Wolsfeld said.

The revolving aspect of this fund is that each successive investment will not only return money to the fund, but it will also stimulate growth of the fund, which is open to anyone on campus who is

willing to process an application and present a financially sound endeavour.

If students have a smaller scale idea in mind, that might not necessarily see returns on their investment, there is a stipulation in the fund allowing for smaller amounts to be attributed to those initiatives.

U of S students may also reap the benefits of the Office of Sustainability Living Lab, which includes a variety of supports for student research in energy conservation.

“Essentially if you are a part

Photo Editor: Caitlin Taylor, photo@thesheaf.com

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of a program that has a capstone project, say an honours research project … we help connect you with the right faculty members or the right people around campus to help you do your thing, grant you all the resources and support we have and, in some cases, even funding,” Wolsfeld said.

An example of a project from the Living Lab that will be making a return in fall of 2016 is the farmer's market that took place in the Agriculture Building during the 2016 winter term.

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

Board of Directors: Paul Hansen, Anna-Lilja Dawson, Katherine Fedoroff, Madison Taylor, Liam Richards Cover Graphic: Jeremy Britz, Graphics Editor Advertising 306.966.8688 Editorial 306.966.8689

The Sheaf is a non-profit, incorporated and student-body funded partially by way of a direct levy paid by all part and full-time undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). The remainder of the revenue is generated through advertising. The financial affairs are governed by a Board of Directors, most of whom are students. Membership in the Society is open to undergraduate students at the U of S who are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper. Opinions expressed in the Sheaf do not necessarily reflect those of the Sheaf Publishing Society Inc. The Sheaf reserves the right to refuse to accept or print any material deemed unfit for publication, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief has the right to veto any submission deemed unfit for the Society newspaper. In determining this, the Editor-in-Chief will decide if the article or artwork would be of interest to a significant portion of the Society and benefit the welfare of Sheaf readers. The Sheaf will not publish any racist, sexist, homophobic or libelous material. The Sheaf is published weekly during the academic year and monthly from May through August.

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Wolsfeld explains that there are many ways to get involved with sustainability and to ensure financial resources are being put to use in a way that will not negatively impact the future.

“People kinda get caught up in the environmental side of it; it's important, though, that sustainability involves environmental, social and economic sides. Social sustainability in terms of food security and rights to life. Economic sustainability in terms of long term investments.”

The mission of the Sheaf is to inform and entertain students by addressing those issues that are relevant to life on campus, in the city, or in the province. The newspaper serves as a forum for discussion on a wide range of issues that concern students. Written for students by students, the staff of editors, photographers, and artists collaborate with volunteers as studentjournalists to produce a product with relevance to the university community. With each composition, the Sheaf stays in touch with students on the U of S campus. It provides unique insight to university issues through a student perspective.

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If you would like to contribute to the Sheaf, email editor@thesheaf.com for more information.

corrections In our Mar. 24 issue, the USSU candidate overview titled “Introducing your 2016-17 USSU executive candidates” had no photo credit. The photos in this article were taken by Caitlin Taylor, the Photo Editor.

We apologize for this oversight.

march 31, 2016

NEWS

USSU springs forward 2016-17 budget report EMILY MIGCHELS With winter melting away outside the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union office windows, for Ata Merat, current vice-president operations and finance, it is the time of year to present the annual budget report.

On Mar. 15, the 2016-17 budget was formally put forward in a USSU general meeting. Changes to be seen in the upcoming year will include greater allocations to campus group funding and USSU centres being relocated and renovated. Merat looks back fondly on his time as VP operations and finance and is hopeful for future terms, explaining that a few things are already in the works for incoming executive Emmanauel Barker.

Campus group funding is one area Merat says he has especially focused his efforts on during his time in the USSU. In past years, $40,000 has been allocated to support campus groups that apply for ratification. For the 2015-16 year, more campus groups than ever emerged, with around 150 groups currently ratified.

The new budget includes a funding increase to $50,000,

but Merat believes it may be necessary to look for even more funding to allow a strong continued campus culture.

“There is still much to be done, and this might not be enough of a change; hopefully the next budget can raise this support even more,” Merat said.

Merat and the USSU operations and finance committee have also worked out a greater supply of funds for the incoming executive members.

An extra $2,000 has been allocated towards projects such as incoming president Kehan Fu’s proposed Welcome Week changes and vice-president Renata Huyghebaert’s push for a campus nap room.

“I’ve looked at the budget for the last three years and we seem to always come over budget here, when you have new executives coming in with new ideas, it’s very hard to find funding for new projects,” Merat said.

However, the 2015-16 year has not seen a continued balanced budget. No longer able to maintain a surplus, a number of factors have contributed to losses incurred by the USSU over the last year.

“We saw a huge loss in football games this past year be-

cause the weather was very bad and we did not go to finals.

We cannot predict those outcomes. Louis’ provides food and drinks at the stadium, which creates revenue, and we were less successful with that this year,” Merat said.

Still, there are more projects in the works for the USSU. Big changes will come for the various student centres on campus. XL Printing will be moving from the Memorial Union Building to Place Riel, with the Women’s Centre to be taking its current space. Furthermore, the Help Centre will relocate to the current Women’s Centre space and Safewalk will take up the current Help Centre area. All this moving around will of course cost some money, but Merat believes it can all be done for a reasonable sum.

“We’ve asked for some funding from council to do this as well, not much, approximately $30,000; that money will go to moving and painting and making necessary changes at these locations,” he said.

Other initiatives include an arrivals and departures display screen for the Place Riel transit terminal and an app for Safewalk services, which should make it a little easier for students to catch the bus

and get around safely.

“The plasma was another big thing on my portfolio, which has been approved and another thing has been the Safewalk app. We’re now in talks with the university and it sounds like they are very willing to get the Safewalk app off the ground,” Merat said.

Merat emphasizes a growing need and potential for external sponsorships to keep student fees from increasing in the future. While he believes

the USSU is sitting comfortably enough financially, he sees more improvements to be made.

“Absolutely I would strive for new sponsorships, especially for funding student groups. We do have some sponsorships now like SaskTel and Pepsi, but other funding comes from student fees,” Merat said. “Students are a big stakeholder in this city, advertising has to go through to students.”

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

Provincial election may have implications for students EMILY KLATT Staff Writer

With a Saskatchewan general election on the horizon, provincial politics has once again returned to the forefront of public consciousness. For many University of Saskatchewan students, much of this discussion may focus on how the outcome of this election will directly affect them and their university.

Premier Brad Wall officially called an election for Apr. 4, 2016. This will be the first time since 2011 that Saskatchewan residents will have a chance to influence their provincial government.

The Saskatchewan Party currently holds a majority of 47 seats in the provincial legislature, leaving the New Democratic Party, led by MLA Cam Broten, with nine. Both parties’ campaign platforms include policies targeted at universimarch 31, 2016

ty students and other citizens alike.

According to Daniel Béland, a professor with the JohnsonShoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the U of S, each party has something different to offer students in terms of policy.

“This election should affect students, in part because the two main parties emphasize different visions for the future of the province; more specifically, the measures targeting students in their respective platforms create a significant contrast, with the NDP focusing on lower tuition and the Saskatchewan Party on home buying and graduate retention,” Béland said.

Campaigning began with the call of an election on Mar. 8. Although Saskatchewan law states that an election must be held in November, four years the previous election — meaning the provincial election would

have taken place in November 2015 — it was postponed due to a federal election being held during the same time frame.

The Saskatchewan Party has been in government since 2007, and won a landslide 49 out of 58 seats in the 2011 election.

Due to the retirement of two MLAs, the party currently retains 47 of those seats.

Joe Garcea, political studies

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

professor at the U of S, speaks to changes that have occurred in the Saskatchewan political climate since 2011.

“The major differences between last election and this one stem from several interrelated factors: first, the government is being criticized much more on its record, partly because it has governed for an additional four years,” Garcea said. “Secondly, partly because a few problems have emerged both with the economic conditions in the province.”

Saskatchewan’s other major political party, the NDP, also faces a different political arena than in 2011. Garcea suggests that the party may not be fighting for its life yet, but it desires stability and sustainability for the short term.

“This time, the NDP has to work even harder than last election to ensure that the number of seats it has does not drop any more, because if it does, they will be in a cri-

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sis mode for at least the short term,” Garcea said.

In terms of the election outcome, Béland believes that both Wall and Broten have things to prove in order to be successful.

“Regarding the two main party leaders, Brad Wall must defend his policies and his decision to postpone the next provincial budget until after the election, while the lessexperienced and younger Cam Broten must demonstrate that he’s a real contender for the top political job in the province,” Béland said.

Both parties have active student groups at the U of S. However, regardless of partisan affiliation, Garcea emphasizes the importance of student involvement within provincial politics.

“It is in their personal interest to be aware of what is going on, it contributes to the legitimacy and vibrancy of our democratic system. If people do not participate, the legitimacy of the elections, governments and governance can be compromised.”

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NEWS

U of S researchers are seeing equine intestines in a new way LARISSA KURZ Copy Editor

University of Saskatchewan veterinary and engineering researchers are adapting endoscopic capsules for use in the veterinary field, providing a new perspective on equine health and diagnostics research — quite literally.

Julia Montgomery, assistant professor and veterinary researcher in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, took interest in the idea of developing imaging technology for use in equine medicine during a discussion with Khan Wahid, associate professor in the College of Engineering. With the help of Dr. Joe Bracamonte, equine surgeon and associate professor at WVCM, the idea of an equine camera pill came to fruition.

The pill is an endoscopic capsule, with a camera on one end.

It transmits a signal to a receiver as it travels through the intestinal tract, capturing images

and sending them to one of the eight sensors attached to the animal’s abdomen that track the capsule’s progress and record its data. It is a diagnostic tool that is already being used in humans, and Montgomery and her colleagues are now testing it in horses as well.

“The idea came from talking to Dr. Wahid a while back about this imaging technology he had been working on and he mentioned his interest to try it in other species, aside from humans. I immediately thought this might be an exciting technology to try in the horse, both from a diagnostic as well as a research perspective,” Montgomery said in an email to the Sheaf.

Montgomery and Bracamonte took the role of study design and execution, and Wahid provided his expertise on imaging technology. The pill was administered in a pilot study on Mar. 1 and travelled successfully through the horse’s gastrointestinal system over an eight hour period, transmitting a continuous picture of its journey.

Due to the initial study’s success, Montgomery hopes to expand the project and offer op-

Veterinary Medical Centre

portunities for students to get involved.

“This study was intended as a proof of concept study, to determine if we can easily administer the endoscopy capsule and obtain usable images from the small intestine of the horse,” Montgomery said.

The success of this research could change the methods used by veterinarians to diagnose equine intestinal problems, as well as the way veterinarian students learn about the bowel system. Current procedures used to examine an animal’s small intestine, including exploratory surgery or laparoscopy, are surgically invasive and limited in their diagnostic scope.

“At the moment, we cannot directly assess the small intestine of the horse without surgery. Wired endoscopy can reach the stomach, but not beyond. Due to its size, a horse does not fit into a CT or MRI, aside from the head and the limbs,” Montgomery said.

The camera pill provides a more thorough examination with less health risk to the animal, as it is entirely non-

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invasive. As many small intestinal problems are often diagnosed indirectly from other diagnostic testing during surgery, the pill would be useful in spotting diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and cancer, as well as for checking surgical sites or monitoring the effectiveness of administered drugs in the bowel.

In addition to being complementary to the existing imaging technology and other diagnostic tools, the equine endoscopic capsule would also be helpful in answering basic questions about how the standard function of an equine small intestine looks.

“This technology has great potential for use in equine

Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor This recent equine innovation sheds new light on the “horsepill.”

USSU executive Senecal resigns NAOMI ZUREVINSKI Editor-In-Chief

Program: 8:30 a.m. health sciences Building E-wing theatre 1150

Supper: 6:30 p.m. university Club

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health research. It will help us to study gastrointestinal physiology and pharmacology, for example,” Montgomery said.

While the technology is already in use in human medicine, Montgomery feels that there is a possibility of expansion into other areas of veterinary medicine, such as large breeds of dogs, but the size of the pill does offer some limitations.

As of right now, Montgomery and her colleagues are focusing solely on equine adaptation.

“The plan is to expand the pilot study to include a few more horses this summer and then apply for funding for a larger study in the fall. Ultimately, the goal is to design a system specifically for use in horses.”

Gabe Senecal has resigned from his position on the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union executive as vice-president academic affairs. When asked to provide an explanation

to the Sheaf, Senecal said he had resigned for “personal reasons,” but was unreachable for further comment. Senecal’s resignation comes before the end of his 2015–16 term, and only one week before the 2016–17 executive was chosen on Mar. 24.

Faculty and students across all disciplines who are involved or interested in One Health research

QuEstIons? ContaCt: Dr. Vikram Misra, Director, One Health Initiative vikram.misra@usask.ca

Doreen Stumborg, One Health Coordinator

doreen.stumborg@usask.ca 306-966-1417

What’s In It For You

One-day ReseaRch sympOsium | an explORatiOn Of One health ReseaRch On campus

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SPORTS

Grading the Huskies 2015–16 seasons AUSTIN ARVAY Sports Editor

As yet another academic year comes to a close, so too does the Huskies’ athletic season. With plenty of highlights, wins and some outstanding performances, 2015–16 was one of the most memorable years in recent history. As you prepare to see your final academic grades, the Sheaf did a little grading of our own — ranking the performances of each and every Huskie team on campus.

MEN’S SOCCER Coming into the season as the defending Canada West champions and losing three of their key players from last season, the Huskies knew it would be a tough season. Finishing with a 7–7–3 record and fourth in the conference, the Dogs drew a tough playoff match-up with the top ranked University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. Although they battled valiantly, their bid for a repeat fell short. The squad will lose four members for next season and will look for some new leadership and a bounce back year.

WOMEN’S SOCCER For the first time in program history, the women’s soccer team had 10 wins in a season and won the CanWest regular season title. On the back of one of the deepest teams in Huskie history, they earned the right to host the CanWest Select Six after beating Lethbridge 3–0 in the quarterfinals.

Finishing 7–0 on home turf, the Dogs extended their home winning streak to 21 matches. Second year head coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton also took home Coach of the Year honours.

CROSS-COUNTRY A Swedish rookie was the spark that the cross-country team needed, as they had their most successful season in quite some time. In his first year with the program, Erik Widing won the Sled Dog Open and took home a bronze medal from the Canadian Interuniversity Championships — the first medal at nationals won by a Huskie since 2002. Widing was also named to the All-Canadian first team, but he wasn’t the only runner who had strong showings. Taryn Heidecker, Reid Balezantis and Brooke Mentanko also had top-10 finishes for the year.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

TRACK AND FIELD

Looking to get back into the Canada West playoff picture, the Huskies fell just short of their goal, but made significant strides with a young team. A 10–14 record is their best in 14 years, and rookie head coach Mark Dodds has this team moving in the right direction. Freshman Taylor Annala was recognized for her significant contributions on the court and named to the CanWest All-Rookie team. Graduating just two players, the majority of the team will be back again next year and will look to compete hard and make the post-season.

Hosting the Canada West championships, the Huskies aimed for a strong showing at home all year long. When the time came, the Dogs delivered and captured the men’s championship banner, while the women wound up in second. There were many amazing individual performances, with a handful of athletes qualifying for nationals, where Huskie athletes took home six medals in total, including three golds.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL In a season where they weren’t expected to excel, the Huskies did just that. Winning six straight matches to get into the playoffs, they rode their wave of momentum all the way to nationals and wound up in fourth place in the country. C.J. Gavlas won CIS Rookie of the Year honours and fifth-year Robert Graham was named the top student-athlete in the country for his performance on and off the court. The boys made the school proud, as they won all of their post-season games on the road — no easy feat, especially in the toughest conference in the country.

WRESTLING It was one of the best seasons in Huskies history, as they earned their first CanWest championship in 30 years. Katie Dutchak and Josh Bodnarchuk both took home Wrestler of the Year honours in the CanWest and both took home hardware from the CIS Championships. At the national championship meet, five medals went to the green and white, with Bodnarchuk taking the lone gold in the 57-kilogram weight class.

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A strong season from the women’s hockey team had them seeded fourth heading into playoffs, where they showed true Huskie pride.

They didn’t quit and it took the longest game in CIS hockey history to eliminate them from the post-season. They got great performances from goaltender Cassidy Hendricks and defenceman Julia Flinton all year long. With a young core of players, this team will compete hard again next season and look to avenge their playoff loss.

MEN’S HOCKEY Although it ended in heartbreak, to call the 2015–16 season for the Dogs anything but a success would be sacrilege. After being ranked number one in the CIS for numerous weeks, the team earned the top seed in the CanWest and swept the two-time reigning national champions on home ice, giving them their first conference title in five years. They went on to finish fourth at nationals, playing in the two longest games in University Cup history.

MEN’S BASKETBALL After hosting the CanWest Final Four in 2015, it was a major step back for the usually strong men’s basketball team. Finishing 8–12 and missing the playoffs was disappointing for sure, but a bright spot for them was All-Canadian rookie guard Chan de Ciman. The return of injured forward Matt Forbes will be a huge addition to the front court next year. Graduating just one senior player, look for the Huskies to be back at the top of standings next year.

FOOTBALL It was a very disappointing year, in terms of the program’s history and expectation for excellence.

Finishing with a 3–5 record in the CanWest, the Huskies made some major changes towards the end of the year and will look to improve next year with a young lineup. Although they gave undefeated Calgary a run for their money in the playoffs, it wasn’t meant to be and the Huskies were handed their seventh straight playoff defeat. Veteran head coach Brian Towriss won’t accept another season below .500.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Lesia Karalash

First place in the Canada West regular season: check. CanWest banner on home court: check.

National champions for the first time in program history: check. It was a record setting year for the Dogs, as they lost just twice all season and claimed their first CIS banner. Defeating Ryerson by 14 in the championship game was the icing on the cake, as head coach Lisa Thomaidis finally earned her first national title in her 17th season.

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SPORTS

The Sheaf’s NHL playoff pool tips BRENDEN PALMER The Stanley Cup playoffs: the time of year when all the blood and sweat of the regular season finally pays off for a few of the NHL superstars making millions to slap pucks around, when Toronto Maple Leafs fans hang their hats in frustration and decry: “there’s always next year” and a time for watching games with friends instead of studying for finals, speculating on who will win the cup and betting in playoff pools.

Speaking of playoff pools, now would be a good time to start putting some thought into which team has the best chance of winning the cup and selecting players accordingly.

The regular season will not conclude until Apr. 11, with playoffs starting on Apr. 13, so there is still plenty of time to do some homework.

One of the most common playoff pool formats gives bidders a limited number of skaters and goaltenders to select from

all of the teams competing in the post-season. The rules between pools vary, with some pools using a draw to determine who gets first pick on players and others allowing bidders to share the same players. Regardless, the objective is to get the most points by selecting players that score the most goals and assists and the goalies that will win the most games. Whoever has the most points at the end of playoffs, wins.

One of the least successful strategies to use in a playoff pool is to evenly distribute player picks among the top scorers of all teams. The reasoning is simple: there are 16 teams competing in the first round of playoffs, half of which will be eliminated before the second round.

If a bidder employs this strategy, half of their players will be eliminated after the first round — which will be halved again in the second round and so on — meaning that the amount of points that a bidder could get would only shrink as playoffs progress.

This strategy also fails to take into account linemate dynamics. For example, if a bidder selects Evgeni Malkin on the Pittsburgh Penguins and none of his teammates, then they will miss out on the assists that his teammates get from the goals that he scores. It can add up quickly, considering that most goals are scored with at least one or two assists.

Therefore, bidders would be better off dividing their player selection among a smaller amount of teams and choosing more players per team. For instance, if a bidder divides their picks among four teams and they all happen to make it to the conference finals, then a bidder should have accumulated a fair amount of points prior to the Stanley Cup final, with half of their players competing in the last round.

With this strategy, the bidder has a higher chance of having more players in the latter stages of the playoffs, but the drawback is that they will have fewer players left compared to bidders

that concentrated their picks on one or two teams.

If bidders narrow their selection to include only two teams — usually one in each conference that they hope will make it to the final — they will have more remaining players as the playoffs progress, can take advantage of linemate dynamics and will continue to accumulate points if all of the other bidders have fewer players remaining or have been eliminated, but it’s risky.

The obvious drawback to this strategy is the possibility that one or both of the teams that the bidder selected may be eliminated early on in the play-

offs. For example, if a bidder places half of their bets on the Dallas Stars and they get eliminated by the Minnesota Wild in the first round, then the bidder is pretty much out of luck.

Despite the risks, the best strategy is for bidders to divide their selections between two to four teams. It is higher risk but has the potential to pay off handsomely as playoffs progress. The only tricky part is choosing the right teams. The playoffs can be unpredictable, and you never know if a wildcard team will eliminate the conference leader in the first round, but that’s hockey. Best of luck.

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor Ditch the team allegiances and bet with your head.

Huskie How-To: Shooting three-pointers AUSTIN ARVAY Sports Editor

For anyone who watches basketball, the three-point shot is one of the most important and exciting parts of the game. Any shot that is attempted from beyond the arching line on the court — approximately 20 feet, depending on the angle — is worth three points and is essential in any level of basketball, especially for smaller guards who play on the perimeter.

Third-year Huskie sharpshooter Alex Unruh of the men’s basketball team gave me a brief step-bystep tutorial on how to shoot the trey ball — for newbies like myself.

“You start with your legs and

Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor

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having a good, strong base is a key to any jumpshot. For me, when I’m off balance, or my legs aren’t under me, then it’s tough to get it to go in — or even if it does go in, it doesn’t feel good,” Unruh said. “If you look at a guy like Steph Curry, his feet are always underneath him. So everytime I shoot, I make sure my feet are set, that’s a big key for me.”

With that in mind, we practiced having a solid foundation before putting up a shot. Unruh also mentioned how it’s important to jump when you’re shooting, as opposed to barely getting off the ground and using your arms to shoot, like me.

“The second thing is to catch the ball clean, and then having as

little motion between the catch and when you’re releasing the ball.

If you’re doing lots of things before you shoot the ball, then there’s plenty of room for error,” he said.

“So having as fluent a motion as possible, and a simple motion as possible is key. Something I’m always trying to work on is simplifying my release.”

With these simple tips in mind, I watched Unruh’s demonstration — and boy, did he make it look easy. After missing his first attempt, he banged in five in a row, ultimately hitting seven of his 10 shots. That’s success Unruh is familiar with, as he shot 39.5 per cent from beyond the arc with the Huskies this season.

Looking to follow his impressive

performance, I proceeded to clank my first six shots off the rim, before finally swishing one home — much to my delight, as I paraded around the gym in celebration. It’s safe to say they won’t be saving a spot for me on the team. But according to Unruh, practice makes perfect, so maybe there’s hope for me yet.

“Once you’ve found something you’re comfortable with, it’s just about repetition. That’s why we’re always in the gym — putting up lots of shots and making sure you’re doing the same thing over and over,” Unruh said. “When I’m by myself in the gym, I put up anywhere between 250-350 shots in one session. Repetition is important, but once you get tired, your

Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor Huskies’ guard Alex Unruh shoots the three-pointer well and gave some good advice for all the rookies.

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form starts to go and that’s when it’s time to quit.”

Unruh’s best performance of the year came on Feb. 6 against the Brandon University Bobcats, where he tallied 25 points and went 5–8 shooting from downtown. He remembers that game well and said it’s one of his favourite memories as a Huskie so far.

Unruh says a big key to shooting well is getting in the zone — and he was feeling it that night.

“Last year, in a game against Brandon I think, I had 25 points or something, and my shot felt really good then,” Unruh said.“It’s better to get up and down the court a few times and get in the rhythm of the game. Once you do that, maybe you make a couple and then you really start to feel good — it’s all about finding a rhythm and I was feeling good that night.”

Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor

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CULTURE

Bring out your creative persona with do-it-yourself décor It’s safe to say that garbage cans aren’t the most glamorous of all household items. However, that doesn’t mean they have to look dull and dreary. In fact, they can be brightened up in a variety of ways. Cover up the sides with wallpaper of your choice, or combine several patterns for a collage. Another idea would be to grab a hot glue gun and yarn and cover up the garbage can in some colourful material to brighten up even the darkest of rooms.

Last but certainly not least on the list of do-it-yourself home decor is the soup can.

Any can has the possibility of being so much more than just a simple soup container, so start collecting your Campbell’s for the sake of creativity.

The first step is to remove all labels and clean your cans thoroughly before beginning any crafts. To get rid of that stubborn strip of adhesive left behind, try soaking the can in hot water for a while to let the glue soften before you scrub.

Need some stationery

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holders, or somewhere to store cutlery in the kitchen other than the drawer? Decorate soup cans with paint, paper, half-marbles or even fabric to your heart’s content. For a homemade candle holder, punch holes in the sides of your can and let the light shine through like a lantern. The ideas are endless, but be sure to have clean-cut cans to prevent scrapes and cuts.

For a do-it-yourself planter, punch a few holes in the bottom of a slightly crushed

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor Let your true colours show with personalized indoor decorations.

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paint can and you’ve got yourself the start of a lovely planter — bust out your brushes and paints and go wild. If you need some design inspiration to get started, Google the Family Chic blog and find the “Crushed Can Planter” article.

With finals just around the corner and the end of the school year in sight, take some breathing time and create some do-it-yourself décor. Relieve your stress and make your house a home.

• • • • • •

At one point in our elementary and high school careers, we were all faced with the task of creating art out of a very odd and random collection of materials. Today, it’s finally time to put those skills to the test and let your creativity run wild, by creating your own home décor.

Start off with something simple by hanging a flag.

Flags often have unique designs that can easily put some colour on plain walls.

Choose to show off your national pride, display your heritage or use this opportunity to remind yourself of all the places you’ve been or want to go. The flag doesn’t have to belong to a country either — perhaps you’d like to display a unique interest by hanging a naval flag, or show off the colors of your favorite sports team. The possibilities are endless.

Open the doors for brilliant design and use temporary Japanese washi tape to liven up your house. Avail-

able at Michaels, this tape comes in a variety of colours and styles, so you can mix and match.

Frame your posters or pictures with some washi tape, allowing them to pop out from the wall. Unlike other frames, using washi tape enables you to make the exact shape and style of frame you want, with very few restrictions. Washi tape can also be used to decorate regular old light switch covers. Stray away from the pure white and jazz it up! Remember, a little can go a long way.

In many apartments, shelving space is limited, and purchasing your own units can be pricey, especially on a student budget. Crates, although potentially tricky to get a hold of, can make great impromptu shelves.

Use adhesive spray and decorative paper to liven up the inside of a crate and hang it from the wall, if allowed. For more detailed instructions, visit the acclaimed decorating blog Design*Sponge and search for the article entitled “DIY Wednesdays: Wine Crate Display Cases.”

• • • • • •

KEZIA FOURIE

244 1st Avenue North

www.capitolclubyxe.ca

(306) 244-0772

capitolclubsaskatoon

march 31, 2016

CULTURE

Satisfy your wanderlust at home: Traveling in Canada BRIDGET MORRISON From the stunning and scenic Canadian Rockies to the animated nightlife in Toronto, Canada has plenty to offer student travelers. With its diverse culture and landscape, Canada entices travelers from all over the world, so why not explore some of its amazing attributes this summer?

First on the list is Kluane National Park in the Yukon. This reserve is a tourist favourite for seekers of untouched natural beauty. Kluane is home to Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak at 5,959 metres, and its largest ice field. It also is home to North America’s most genetically diverse population of grizzly bears.

There is no shortage of activities at Kluane National Park, no matter the season. Summer activities offered include hiking, rafting the Alsek River, mountain biking, boating, canoeing and fishing. Kluane National Park is a great place to spend a week, but even if you only have a day, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Second on the list is quite a contrast to the first. Montréal, Que. is a great place if you want to enjoy the vibrant nightlife of a young and culturally diverse city. Montréal’s population largely consists of students attending one of the many anglophone and francophone universities, offering the opportunity to meet and make many new friends. Here you can catch amazing concerts, enjoy art shows and eat a whole lot of delicious food.

While in Montréal, you may as well take the opportunity to make a trip to Québec City. It costs around $33 one way and takes about three hours via train through scenic countryside. Once you’re in Québec City, there are a couple of must-visit places, the first being Old Québec.

Old Québec is a designated United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization world heritage site that includes the famous hotel, the Château Frontenac, which overlooks the St. Lawrence River. The Château Frontenac was built in the late 1800s to promote luxury

train travel, and has since been host to many celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlie Chaplin and Queen Elizabeth II. While in Québec City, you can also check out the Fortification of Québec, the walls and ramparts which enclose much of Old Québec. Interestingly, Québec is the only

city in North America, north of Mexico, that is fortified. Built between 1608 and 1871, you can explore the walls and gates built as a defense system, and learn about the unique military history of Québec.

A Canadian travel log is not complete without some good old island hopping. The Gulf Islands Region in British Columbia will not disappoint. Sail through Active Pass from the B.C. mainland via one of the many ferry routes and spend a couple of days on each island, taking in the beauty of each. The Gulf Islands include Gabriola, Galiano, Mayne, Pender, Salt Spring and Saturna Island.

Each of these islands has their own attractions but as a whole, you can expect great art galleries — often featuring work by members of the many local Aboriginal tribes — farmers’ markets, scenic points where you can hike and Lesia Karalash cycle, ocean kayaking, sailing lessons, scuba diving and more. You will be in complete awe of the

nature and beauty, I promise.

My final recommendation is Halifax and the South Shore region, both found in Nova Scotia. Pay particular attention to the cute town of Lunenburg, and for a gorgeous drive, head north from Halifax through the Annapolis Valley to Antigonish and stop to visit the sprawling grounds of St. Xavier University. You will also find the best seafood chowders along this journey.

Set aside a couple of days and visit the Cabot Trail, which runs along the northern tip of Nova Scotia and passes through Cape Breton. Enjoy the scenic trail consisting of ocean, forests, glaciers and highlands. Along this route, you can enjoy numerous outdoor activities, and be sure to look up what towns are holding summer festivals ahead of time— there are plenty at this time of year.

Set those textbooks aside and put studying for finals on hold to have a little fun planning your summer getaway.

Summer is the perfect time to travel, and there’s plenty see in our own backyard.

High on life: How to stay sober and still have fun EMILY KLATT Staff Writer

For better or for worse, alcohol tends to play a central role in the social lives of university students. House parties, pub crawls and bottomless mimosas with brunch: all our favourite things tend to involve a drink or five, but where does our booze-obsessed culture leave those who abstain?

Luckily, it’s possible to have your fun and not drink it too.

There are plenty of reasons why someone might not drink alcohol. Some people abstain for religious reasons. Others avoid it because health concerns prevent them from drinking. Some just don’t like the taste of alcohol. Whatever the reason, choosing not to drink can often leave you in the awkward position of feeling like you have to decide between having fun and being true to yourself.

Contrary to popular belief, alcohol isn’t necessary to have a good time. In fact, staying sober once in awhile march 31, 2016

can even enhance your enjoyment of a situation. With this in mind, I’ve compiled some ideas for booze-free fun that will appeal to drinkers and teetotalers alike.

Instead of going out to the bar every Saturday night, try finding alternative ways to get together with friends. Active dates are a great way to have fun, stay sober and work on your fitness game all at the same time.

Saskatoon offers a host of unique options for active get-togethers. Try Grip It Indoor Rock Climbing, located in downtown Saskatoon, which offers group rates and has walls for every level of expertise. You could also check out clubmynx.com for information on pole dancing classes, or go fully hardcore by visiting saskatoonrollerderbyleague.ca for information on how you and your friends can become fans or try out for a team.

You know what’s even better than a great drink? Delicious food. Drunk munchies are not something that needs to be solely reserved for actual inebriation. Get your friends together and collaborate on

an epic meal. No one will even miss the booze when they’re stuffing their faces with bacon truffle macaroni and cheese.

Board games night, often accompanied with a beer or two, can actually be enhanced by sobriety. While the rest of your friends get drunk, you’ll maintain your quick wit and kick everyone’s asses at Scattergories.

Although the world considers us to be adults, all university students know that we’re actually just children with voting rights. With this in mind, why not recreate your favourite childhood activities? Sleepovers, arts and crafts, blanket forts — all of these things were awesome before we were old enough to drink, and they’re still fun now without the liquor.

Drinking can often bring out one’s inner dancing queen, but alcohol is definitely not necessary to get your groove on. Hit the club as your fierce, sober self and bust a move.

Chances are if you aren’t under the influence, your dance moves will actually resemble dance moves instead of drunken stumbling.

For those of you who are

actually drinking for the taste of a good highball or cocktail, there are a number of yummy drinks that happen to be non-alcoholic. Sure, you can just make virgin versions of your favourites, but this is your chance to get creative!

Leyda’s Cafe, located in downtown Saskatoon, is a great place to find fresh, original mocktails. Sip on a “West Coast Zing,” which is ginger, mint, orange juice and soda water, or try an alternative to a slushy bellini with the “Andi Score” smoothie — it includes avocado, coconut water, turmeric and orange juice,

among other ingredients. You can also challenge the bartender at your restaurant to create the best non-alcoholic beverage that they can.

Whether or not someone chooses to drink alcohol doesn’t need to be a moral issue. Not drinking doesn’t make you a superior person, just like drinking doesn’t make you more fun and social.

Both are valid options, and everyone can make the choices that feel best to them.

With this in mind, let’s raise a glass to everyone having a good time, regardless of what is, or isn’t, in their cup.

Scott David Find fun alternatives to a weekend at the club.

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FEATURE

U of S undergraduates have spoken: KEIGHLAGH DONOVAN News Editor

Photos by Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor

On Mar. 23-24, University of Saskatchewan undergraduates exercised their right to vote with ease for the 2016-17 USSU executive via the online voting channel on students’ PAWS accounts. However, despite the accessibility of the democratic process, which includes an option to abstain from voting for any particular candidate, voter turnout remained rather underwhelming.

A total of 3,944 ballots were cast in the election. Out of 16,449 eligible voters, that is a voter turnout of nearly 24 per cent, surpassing last year’s percentage by mere tenths of a decimal.

Nearly an hour after the polls closed on Mar. 24, Kehan Fu, Emmanauel Barker, Brooke Malinoski and Renata Huyghebaert were announced in Upper Place Riel as the incoming USSU executive.

From nine possible candidates, the four students were chosen to lead the USSU in the roles

Kehan Fu

incoming president

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of president, vice-president operations and finance, vicepresident academic affairs and vice-president student affairs, respectively.

Incoming president Fu, the sole returning executive, secured 2,092 votes opposed to Jamie Labrecque, who received 1,459 votes with 393 abstentions. Fu ran an inclusive campaign that involved numerous students, media platforms and interactive initiatives.

“I would never change or do anything differently, even the parts that perhaps were regrettable. I’m extremely proud of the election we ran. I am extremely happy for it. There are obviously mistakes and things that you wish you could have done. But it’s a dangerous mentality to give into, when you start doubting what you could have done after winning,” Fu said.

Barker secured the role of vice-president operations and finance with 1,447 votes, a 10 per cent lead on opponent Jordan Robertson who brought in 1,019 votes. The third candidate, Maha Jama trailed Barker and Robertson, securing only 592 votes with 886 abstentions.

Barker is looking forward to the year ahead and is making

on-the-job training his top priority.

“The most important thing for me is to make sure I know how to do my job right. I don’t want to have gone through this whole immense process and convince that many people at school that they should support me without actually taking the job seriously,” Barker said.

Malinoski, incoming vice-president academic affairs, managed to gain the majority of voter confidence, securing nearly 50 per cent of the votes at 1,936 ballots, compared to opponents Geneva Houlden with 892 votes and Ahmed Abueidda with 587 votes and 529 abstentions.

Malinoski ran a five-point campaign that includes plans to promote open education, transfer credit processes and pre-released syllabi.

“My first priority is to become familiarized with the position as quickly as possible so I know how to deal with academic grievances and student grievances as efficiently as possible. Other than that, I will be focused on getting my platform points through. I really do want to see the syllabus made available to students in advance, so that is something I am planning

One word to describe the U of S: “Alumni. I see that as more of what I want the U of S to be than what I think it already is, I think there is a deficiency there. For me, the idea of alumni is a lot more holistic than simply an individual who has graduated, or an individual who you call up 25 years down the road for a donation of a couple thousand dollars. The idea of alumni is that you have entered into a community at the U of S campus that creates a defining part of your identity. It’s the holistic student experience.”

Most memorable moment: “Being on stage for fall orientation this year and seeing all the students looking back at us and remembering when I was in that exact position a couple years ago.”

Message to students: “Next year is going to pass by before we even know it, so the entirety of what we want to do in the USSU is to make sure that everything, whether it’s the political end, whether it’s efficacy, whether it’s events, that it is centred around the student experience. Regardless what happens inside our office, with us and administration and other stakeholders, that we can always relate it back to students. It’s about creating a culture of engagement and involving students in all processes of the USSU.” Fun Fact: “My dad used to work with pandas. I’ve actually played with a panda.”

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on focusing on first,” Malinoski said.

While the vice-president student affairs position only had one candidate, Huyghebaert secured the majority vote with 2,224 ballots — over 56 per cent of voters — saying yes to her campaign and 570 voters saying no, with 1,150 abstentions.

Huyghebaert credits her success in the election to a group effort but recommends that future elections be held two weeks earlier to cut down on the stress many students are already facing at this time of year.

“I had amazing support from my team, so that really helped with the stress and the preparation. Of course it’s very busy and you’re balancing school and work at the same time, so no

matter what, it’s going to be a stressful situation,” she said.

As the 2015-16 academic year winds down, Fu looks forward to working with the new team of executives and acknowledges the challenge ahead in living up to the legacy that current president, Jack Saddleback, leaves behind.

“For me, my goal in coming into this position, is that we take that as a standard and a precedent that at the end of next year, we’ve made the USSU better. It’s not about outdoing the person behind you, but it’s important in an organization that it keeps striving to do better than it did before. So, extremely big shoes to fill but it would be remiss of me to say that I do not hold myself up to that standard.”

Emmanauel Barker and friends are all smiles while Kehan Fu awaits his own results.

One word to describe the U of S: “Potential. I think that the university is so different. Each experience that each student has with each department they go into can be so incredibly contrasted from one to the other. There is a huge potential for each student to make their mark, to have the university make a mark on them and going forward, have that influence who they are as people and likewise, their effect on the world.”

Most memorable moment: “I took the international students to the rodeo twice with a group I started a couple of years ago with some of my friends called The Association for Exchange and International Students, but the first time it was so amazing because everybody’s eyes looked like dinner plates and no one had ever experienced that before. There were like 30 people who came with us to the rodeo in Martensville [Sask.] and it was pretty fun.”

Message to students: “Take advantage of what the USSU has to offer. Do not be afraid to come to this year’s executive. Get involved with things — go out and join a team, do what you can to become involved with student groups, try and become an elected representative, because those are the things that change your life in a way that not every university degree can. If you become involved, it is quite an amazing experience.”

Fun Fact: “I have eight siblings.”

Emmanauel Barker incoming vice-president operations and finance

march 31, 2016

FEATURE

Presenting the 2016-17 USSU executive

Brooke Malinoski receives congratulations from friends.

Renata Huyghebaert and team members react with joy.

Kehan Fu welcomes celebratory hugs following his win.

Brooke Malinoski incoming vice-president academic affairs

march 31, 2016

One word to describe the U of S: “Home. It may sound cliché but being a student who is not from Saskatoon ­— I moved here from Melville [Sask.] — so nearly my entire sense of community and belonging here has really revolved around the university. This is where I have met a lot of my friends and figured out who I was.

It really is a huge part of my identity.”

Most memorable moment: “In my second year of political studies, I had a paper due the next morning and me and three of my friends stayed in one of the rooms on campus with a whole thing of Red Bull and copious amounts of snacks — just stuff that was so bad for us, and that was my first all nighter that I pulled on campus with a group friends. I think it just sums up the whole university experience in general: stressed with school work, pulling an all-nighter and making it work and having friends to support you through it all.”

Message to students: “Students should and can come talk to me. I worry that students feel detached from their USSU and their representatives.

I am here to represent students’ voices and their needs and I hope they know they can come by my office, swing by anytime, send me a message. If you have questions, we can go for coffee. I am your representative.”

Fun Fact: “I was a candidate for the Liberal party in the Yorkton-Melville riding for the recent federal election and after the election, I got to talk to Justin Trudeau on the phone, which was pretty cool.”

One word to describe the U of S: “Vibrant. It reflects the diversity and the energy that is on campus and the uniqueness of each student and the energy they bring.”

Most memorable moment: “The first time that the International Women’s Movement had their visible majority project displayed. That is a group I cofounded with Priscilla Silva and when it was received so successfully, I realize in hindsight it was a brand new project and it wasn’t the best that it could have been but it was received so well. It made it to the front page of the StarPhoenix and it was just such a beautiful coming together of so many amazing women. We took photographs and celebrated over 45 women from all over the world who were U of S students. Seeing that displayed in Upper Place Riel was one of the most rewarding moments because it showed where hard work can get you and what teamwork can get you. I am really proud of that moment.”

Message to students: “Get excited. I am really excited to work with everyone and I think this will be a very inclusive year and I believe that it will be a year where we will get as many voices as possible to speak and as many people to sit at the table and it will be a reflection of who we are as a community, not just the four executives who were elected.”

Fun Fact: “I have three passports. I am Belgian, Canadian and Brazilian. I have citizenship in all three countries and I need to switch my passports to travel to different places so I kind of feel like I am a bit of an international spy that way.”

Renata Huyghebaert incoming vice-president student affairs

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CULTURE

31 1 2 3 4 5 6 Thursday

friday

saturday

upcoming events • First day of Joanne Lyons/Shadow Dance Exhibition at The Gallery / art placement inc.

Best friends for now: Pick a practical student pet

• The Ashley Hundred with Black Vienna and Silent Sea at the Capitol Music Club • The Psychology Students’ Society’s Annual General Meeting in Arts 101

CHELSEA POWRIE

Culture Editor • First day of the Newman Sounds Glee Club British Invasion Show • Last day of the USSU’s Gender Diversity Awareness Week • Music of Many Cultures: A Tribute to Dr. David Kaplan at the Quance Theatre

• Last day of Les Belles-Soeurs in the John Mitchell Building • Maurice Drouin’s 80th Birthday Bash at The Bassment • Porticoast with Sad Buckets, Chunder Buffet and Cookin’ with Grandma at Vangelis

• Jim Lauderdale with Megan Nash at The Bassment

sunday

• Daniel Romano at Village Guitar & Amp Co. • Saskatchewan Provincial Election Day

monday

Many people dream of owning a puppy or kitten, and students are no exception. Unfortunately, the amount of money and time students can afford to spend on a pet is often insufficient. Satisfy your craving for a companion with a more manageable buddy instead.

First things first, though: before any student commits to owning an animal, they need to think thoroughly and honestly about what commitment they can offer. Attributes to consider are lifespan, mobility, food and health expenses, space needs and required equipment.

You should also be sure to check with your landlord to avoid the heartbreak of having to get rid of a pet you didn't realize was not allowed. If all of this information is kept in mind, there's no reason why a perfect pet can't be found for any lifestyle.

The simplest choice may seem obvious — fish — but be sure to do some research before you bring anything home.

The quintessential image of a goldfish in a round glass bowl is actually not realistic, since it turns out most fish do poorly in such a small environment.

If you want the lowest maintenance fish environment, you'll need to swallow a cost up front — tanks with filters don't

require their water changed every few days like bowls do.

Without a filter, a one gallon bowl is ideal, though if your space allows it, you can find one as large as three gallons.

Ghost shrimp work well in a still water environment, as do mystery snails, whose shells come in a delightful variety of shapes and colours. There is some disagreement over whether betta fish, or Siamese fighting fish, should be kept in bowls, but an equally pretty alternative is a paradise fish — though you may need to seek specialty stores to find one.

Look into food needs, water temperature, pH levels and ideal environments — some equipment may be required to care properly for your aquatic friends.

Rodents of all breeds are popular choices, but although they are small, they require work. Rodents need their cages cleaned, wood chippings replaced, soft material for bedding, fresh water and fresh food every few days, or things are going to get smelly very quickly.

Also, be warned — not all rodents are a short-term investment. If you’re looking for a companion during your undergrad, but not something that will restrict your movement after graduation, hamsters are a good bet, as their average lifespan is around two years.

Guinea pigs, on the other hand, can live up to eight years, house rabbits 12 and chinchillas 20. Animal shelters are frequently overwhelmed with these larger rodents when

owners tire of them after a few years, so check a pet’s lifespan before you commit.

If fluffy doesn’t do it for you, try a reptile instead. Tortoises are popular and appealing, but don’t go down that road unless you’re committed — they require minimum 40 gallon tanks, veterinary care, humidity and climate control, all of which are pricy. Plus, many breeds can live up to 50 years.

For something lower key, try an anole, a type of arboreal lizard. Anoles will still need a proper terrarium with heating and lighting control, but 10 gallons will do, as they grow to be about 20 centimetres in length. They live for around seven years, and you can also grow your lizard family if you choose, since anoles of the same sex can share a tank without squabbling.

A final pet option is a bird.

Finches are common and inexpensive and live around five years, though if you’re looking for a bird you can hold, go for a parakeet instead. They can be trained to climb onto your finger or shoulder and are talkative and responsive when spoken to — however, they can live to be 15 years old. Both these birds require large enclosures to stretch their wings and flutter around, which makes moving and travelling cumbersome.

Pets can be a fantastic addition to a student life, either as a placeholder for or alternative to a dog or cat. Just be sure that you’re ready to be a responsible friend to whatever companion you choose.

• House Party: Plaid Party at Louis’ Pub • Twenty One Pilots at O’Brians

tuesday

• Gorod with Bookakee and Necrophilic Cunilinguist at Vangelis • U of S student documentaries Being There and Not About Us at the Broadway Theatre

wednesday

12

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Flickr / patries71 Choose a pet to fit your lifestyle and avoid issues down the road.

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march 31, 2016

OPINIONS

Debate: Provincial election The New Democratic The Saskatchewan Party Party of Saskatchewan TRAVIS HEBERT Unlike Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party, who have no problem giving back to foreign consultants and spending taxpayer money on “gravy planes,” the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party are determined to put more money into the pockets of the people of Saskatchewan.

When it comes to standing up for the people of Saskatchewan, the NDP is the only party for the job. Party leader Cam Broten unveiled his plan for the future of post-secondary education during a meeting with students at the University of Saskatchewan on Mar. 16.

Many would agree that after hearing all that was introduced, it would be completely selfdefeating for any student to not vote for the NDP. Broten has promised that, if elected, the party will make the lives of those attending or planning to attend a Saskatchewan university easier by doubling the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship. This means raising the scholarship from $500 to $1000 — that provides enough financial relief to purchase a full course load’s worth of textbooks, or pay that daunting first month’s rent.

The scholarship increase is only the beginning. The party has also included a promise to convert provincial student loans to government grants — while eliminating existing student loan interest.

Since the Sask Party came into power, tuition has increased by a whopping 34 per cent. Saskatche-

wan already has the second highest average tuition rate in the country, and that price will only continue to climb if Wall succeeds with what Broten has described as a plan of “draconian cuts.”

Wall has stood up to the federal government in letters and at climate summits, defending the use of “clean coal.” But the larger question at hand is when will Wall stand up for the people of Saskatchewan? When will he stand up for the giant funding gap that our province’s First Nations schools are experiencing?

The NDP promise to hold the federal government accountable. The party will ensure that the federal government will continue to work to close the First Nations funding gap, as on-reserve education is a federal responsibility. This province doesn’t need a government to fight against clean energy. This province needs a government who will fight for the people.

Other initiatives promised by the NDP include putting healthcare workers back on the frontline, which includes hiring more doctors and nurses and reducing wait times in emergency rooms.

Saskatchewan’s crown corporations will also be protected, the economy will be diversified and a Green Innovation Technology Fund will be established.

Lastly, of course, the NDP plans to keep what is working, and stop what doesn’t. They will cut the Sask Party’s monetary waste, and invest it back into what is really important to the entire population. If you want a province that benefits all people, a vote for the NDP is the only way to go.

JEREMY BRITZ Graphics Editor

Disclaimer: I am currently an undecided voter. However, I do see merit in learning and understanding each party’s platform, so for the sake of bipartisanship these are the reasons why I, as a student, would vote for the Saskatchewan Party.

It’s time for sleepy Saskatchewan to head to the polls. Compared to our neighbours to the west, the political climate in Saskatchewan feels almost like a snooze fest. However, it’s not because voters are apathetic; for the most part, voters don’t have much to complain about in Saskatchewan.

Our unemployment rate is the lowest in Canada, the population is growing at a steady rate and since 2007, the Saskatchewan Party has increased the province’s education budget by over 100 per cent.

While oil production is declining — as is the case with the rest of the country — other Saskatchewan industries are predicted to expand greatly in the coming years.

The Conference Board of Canada predicts Saskatchewan’s gross domestic product to expand by two per cent in 2016. In addition to our growing economy, our growing population will also provide a larger tax base and increases in infrastructure.

The Saskatchewan Party has announced the Highways 2020 plan, which includes spending $2.7 billion over four years for highways transportation and capital. This will no doubt lead to more jobs and improved infrastructure for all of Saskatchewan.

Additionally, the Saskatchewan Party has invested in students who are currently in school and further enhanced policies to ensure they are suc-

cessful after graduation.

Many university students are interested in purchasing a home and starting a family after they graduate. The Saskatchewan Party has made changes to the Graduate Retention Program, allowing up to $10,000 of GRP credits to be used towards a down payment on a new home.

In addition to diversified returns for graduates, the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship, which is available for all high school graduates, is expected to increase from $500 to $750. This is applied every year for four years to post-secondary students and, with the increase, would save students approximately $3,000 in tuition costs.

Additionally, $360 million has been invested in education and skills development for Indigenous peoples — a 96 per cent increase since 2007. Furthermore, $10 million was provided in the year 2015 to improve access by addressing disability-related complications in relation to education and training.

Last but not least, Premier Brad Wall was the only provincial leader to stand up to Prime Minister Trudeau’s logistically incompetent claims to bring 25,000 refugees to Canada within a two month period.

He faced considerable backlash for this, although most people didn’t bother to take the complexities of the issue into consideration. While I fully support every effort to relocate war-torn refugees, I believe that we should do it in a safe and sensible manner to ensure the health and safety of both the refugees and the Canadian population.

Trudeau later backtracked and pushed the date to February of 2016, which was a much more sensible decision that was beneficial for all of the parties involved.

The Saskatchewan Party has a strong leader and their policies have held up through economic turbulence. So my question to you, if it isn’t broken then why try to fix it?

HOW DO STUDENTS PLAN TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING PROVINCIAL ELECTION?

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

*THE RESULTS FROM THIS SURVEY WERE CONDUCTED THROUGH AN ANONYMOUS POLL OF STUDENTS VIA THESHEAF.COM DURING MARCH.

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OPINIONS

Brussels attack a call for better education on world events STÉPHANE GÉRARD As citizens of a global community, with access to numerous resources unavailable to others, university students have a responsibility to be as prepared as possible to facilitate healthy dialogue in the aftermath of traumatic events.

On the morning of Mar. 22, I was shaken by the news of a terrorist attack on a busy subway in Brussels, Belgium, which killed around 30 civilians and wounded many others. It is reported that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.

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of Saskatchewan, in a country where acts of this nature are considered a distant phenomenon, I began to sort through my emotions. I was, of course, deeply saddened by the news and uncertain about the source of the cultural tensions which brought it about.

Seeking to understand how those with more immediate concerns were feeling about this tragedy, I looked at the comments arrayed beneath a social media post. As I looked for perspective on the Brussels attack, I came across a dialogue that seemed worthy of special consideration for our university community.

The original discussion was a

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

debate over how western media had labelled the attacks as the work of “Muslim terrorists.” As I followed the discussion for some distance, the definition of the term “Muslim terrorist” was called into question.

Were those behind the attacks being labelled as Muslims, or were these Muslims being labelled as terrorists?

Did it make a difference? I was especially keen to read the comments by those claiming to be Muslim themselves, and there I found a general consensus.

The difference between a “regular terrorist” and a “Muslim terrorist” was that the religiously-affiliated group was understood to be committing acts with the intention of promoting the agenda of a doctrine — as ISIS does, with one of its stated goals being the sphere of Sharia law.

While I found this distinction important, discussion soon turned to what role the Muslim faith had, exactly, in the development of this particular event. This question is one of particular importance for students and faculty in post-secondary institutions, as misconceptions thrive on in-

complete information.

Among the messages of understanding and support from Muslim voices was a near-universal denunciation of these acts as un-Islamic, an assertion that to be Muslim was to strive, fundamentally, for peace.

In light of these comments, I began to wonder: what message, in fact, was ISIS so moved to impress upon Europe and the western world?

How can we understand other human beings who feel that they have been pushed to the last resort of physical violence in order for their position to be taken in earnest? The answer is simple in principle: we must be prepared to appreciate the perspective of another worldview.

In practice, this amounts to building open-mindedness by learning about other cultures and beliefs. I know that my own knowledge of the delicate subjects involved is woefully inadequate, but I take some small measure of satisfaction in the fact that I could at least distinguish ISIS as one of a minority of more radical groups within Islam thanks to a modicum of exposure to the faith.

It may not be much, but it is

a step along the path to understanding. I fell short on comprehension, however, when this attack occurred, which is a reminder that we — the privileged few who benefit from the support of an institution of higher learning — must always strive to take the next step on that path.

Violence, in general, seems to occur when communication has been unsuccessful, and failed communication itself seems founded on insufficient information. So please, I urge you to take an introduction to world religions elective with one of our wonderful U of S professors, to take out a book from our well-supplied university or public libraries, to broach the subject with your classmates or even just to spend a few minutes online asking your own questions.

Every morsel of understanding is valuable in the quest to keep civil interaction possible in our increasingly global society.

As for myself, I plan to spend a little extra time this week scanning opinions on Al-Jazeera, to see what the Arabic media have to say on the subject.

Talking shit about Saskatoon’s proposed anti-bullying bylaw ASHLEY BRITZ If you want to complain about your awful professor, rant about your annoying ex-lover or share a juicy rumor about one of your classmates, make sure you’re in a private place before you do — Saskatoon may soon make your words illegal to be spoken in public.

The City of Saskatoon is proposing a new antibullying bylaw that would take effect in all public places, including campus, on the streets, in any public building and even in bars.

This bylaw — which at the time of print was in review — would illegalize namecalling, rumour-mongering, taunting and gossiping, among other offences. The cost? A $300 fine for the first offence and up to $2,500 for any additional offences.

Now, while I think it’s safe to say that it is not nice to spread rumours, call people names or shun others, I am left to wonder if these acts really should be crossing the line into criminal territory.

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Is being an asshole enough to warrant a legal charge?

While I believe the city councillors who proposed this bylaw have their hearts in the right place, I can’t help but see it as a form of censorship and a blockage to free speech.

I think we have to be honest with ourselves — can you even count the number of times you’ve gone into a bar and heard people shit-talking each other, calling each other names and so forth? It’s not like such a thing is a rare and shocking occurrence. Should it really be illegal?

While bullying is a rampant problem in the school system and should be dutifully recognized and dealt with — although children under 12 would be exempt from this bylaw — adults shouldn’t feel the need to go running to authority the moment we hear something we don’t like.

This bylaw could easily be manipulated and twisted into a “he-said, she-said” type of situation in court, which would likely create a lot of headaches for both law enforcement and the citizens of Saskatoon.

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It could also easily be taken advantage of — if somebody wants to make another person’s life a living hell, can’t they just turn to the police and claim that that person spread a rumor about them or called them a name?

I’m not entirely sure if it’s a good thing to send people running to the police if they get their feelings hurt by another individual. Furthermore, why would this only apply in public places? Is this an effort for Saskatoon to attempt to make a more “classy” public environment?

It is also important to consider how this law would affect students at the University of Saskatchewan. If put into effect, this law would make gossiping in the library potentially illegal — which we all know is not uncommon. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard people rumour-spreading and shittalking with their friends in the Murray Library.

Even bitching about a professor to your classmates or having an argument with your significant other in the Bowl could potentially hold

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dire consequences if the wrong person were to overhear. Seeing as how almost anywhere on campus could be considered a public place, you’d definitely have to be careful with your words while on the premises.

However, it is worth noting that there could also be positive aspects to this law. If put into place, this law could curb issues like catcalling or the potential for street harassment — familiar problems to some in Saskatoon.

However, the question still

remains as to exactly how the police are going to enforce this bylaw, and how lenient or strict law enforcers are going to be on potential offenders.

In any case, it seems to be a bylaw that borders on trying to police the words and thoughts of the citizens of Saskatoon — and for me, that’s a big no-no. Perhaps the city should take a step back and really consider if they want to use their police efforts on words, rather than actual crime.

Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor Bullying, while hurtful worldwide, could soon be illegal in Saskatoon.

march 31, 2016

The Politics of Austerity and Academic Freedom: An Inevitable Collision?

USFA Academic Freedom Event Neatby-Timlin Theatre (Arts 241) April 7, 4:00-5:45 pm Keynote Speaker

Dr. Root Gorelick, Carleton University Academic Freedom in University Governance: Blogging and Gagging Last December Biology professor Gorelick, a faculty representative on Carleton Univeristy’s board of governors, was ordered to sign a confidentiality agreement that forbids public commentary on board business. He refused. Gorelick said the order “flies in the face of academic freedom and is the antitheses of collegial and democratic governance (and) is meant to stifle dissent, openness, accountability and transparency, all of which should be fundamental at any public university. I refuse to allow such corporatization of Carleton to proceed unimpeded.”

More and more, universities model themselves on corporations: they seek to maximize profitability, productivity, and marketability. As a result, many of the ideals of academic freedom have been eroded, and in some circumstances extinguished, on campuses across Canada.

The austerity agenda means politicians and administrators alike are embracing the private sector’s financial participation in university research and governance and that has serious repercussions for academic freedom. march 31, 2016

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THROWBACK

The Huskiettes pose as basketball championships in 1917.

A bird’s eye view of the campus in 1945.

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections , Photograph Collection, A-534

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special C ollections , Photograph Collection, A-6382

Dedication of the Memorial Gates on campus for commemoration of the First World War in 1928.

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections , Photograph Collection, A-534

The Huskiettes basketball team in 1925.

Scrimmage hockey on the campus rink in 1921.

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections , Photograph Collection, A-929

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections, Photograph Collection, A-1034

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DISTRACTIONS

HOROSCOPES Aquarius

Jan. 21 – Feb. 18

Someone from your past will soon re-enter your life. Unfortunately, the gravitational pull of Venus suggests that it will be your parole officer.

Pisces

Feb. 19 – Mar. 20

Aries

Mar. 21 – Apr. 19

While it is better to give than to receive, the cosmos still urge you to use protection.

You should avoid interaction with all Capricorns and about 40 per cent of Leos. Don’t worry, you’ll know the ones.

Taurus

Apr. 20 – May 20

You’ve recently been hurt by someone you were once close with. We get it already.

Gemini

May 21–June 20

Your lucky numbers are 22, 69 and 420. Go ahead, get it out of your system.

Cancer

June 21–July 22

Your life is becoming too humdrum and mundane. Try being more spontaneous — just not while driving.

Leo

July 23 – Aug. 23

You will be feeling excessively moody this week as the moons of Neptune are no longer Feng Shui. Does that affect horoscopes?

Virgo

Aug. 24 – Sept. 22

Libra

Sep. 23 – Oct. 22

Stop worrying so much about what other people think of you. It really isn’t helping.

HARKAVAGRANT.COM

You will realize a previously unknown strength when you’re forced to save your parents from underneath a burning Hyundai.

Scorpio

Oct. 23 – Nov. 22

If you haven’t gotten the hang of Facebook basketball yet, take the time to consider that perhaps it just isn’t meant to be.

Sagittarius

Nov. 23 – Dec. 21

Capricorn

Dec. 22 – Jan. 20

Mars will be visible for about four hours on the evening of Apr. 6. You can probably just blame your shitty life on that.

You will meet a tall dark stranger — Slenderman.

POORLYDRAWNLINES.COM

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DISTRACTIONS campus chat

“

”

On a scale of 1-10, how much do you care about the provinical election?

Sugar & S pice advice

Q: I’m feeling so unprepared to be out of university. Where did the last six years go? What was I thinking getting an English degree? — Bridget XKCD.COM

Six. Erin Patterson

Sugar: Oh deary, it’s going to be okay! There are plenty of jobs for English majors. You can work in a bookstore, or write books, or be a librarian or an alcoholic. There’s plenty of opportunities — the world is your oyster!

Is Now Accepting Applications for its

SEPTEMBER Advanced Massage Therapy Program

Spice: I’m kind of insulted that you’d suggest you’re more screwed than any of the rest of us. At least a degree in English raises your base-level literacy. I mean come one, I majored kinesiology. I’m so sick of you arts students acting like you’re the only unemployable ones.

Five.

Kevin Le

Want advice from Sugar and Spice? Submit your questions online at thesheaf.com.

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photo of the week

Six. Rami Hajj Hussein

Eight.

Kirsten Spence

Two. Matthew Giesbrecht

SaSkatoon Symphony orcheStra muSic talk

Eric Paetkau and Mark Turner discuss Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

UPCOMING EVENTS

©

Tuesday, March 29, 7 pm

••• SaSkatchewan Book awardS ShortliSt reading featuring Lloyd Ratzlaff and Elisabeth Philips Friday, April 1, 7 pm hoSted By Vijay kachru

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3/14/2016 3:11:40 PM

photo of the week Naomi Zurevinski Kyra Kallies

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BACKPAGE

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