2010.12.06

Satiating our female editors since 1918

back in the game: Mike Liambas returns to hockey and school. page 5

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DECEMBER 06, 2010 • volume 92, number xxvi • room 24, student union building • published monday and thursday • feedback@ubyssey.ca

BACK IN THE RED ams VP Finance projects $141,000 deficit. page 3

2 / u b y s s e y. c a / e v e n t s / 2 0 1 0 . 1 2 . 0 6 december 06, 2010 volume xcii, no xxvi editorial coordinating editor

Justin McElroy : coordinating@ubyssey.ca

news editor

Arshy Mann : news@ubyssey.ca

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Sally Crampton : associate.news@ubyssey.ca

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associate culture editor

Anna Zoria : associate.culture@ubyssey.ca

sports editor Vacant

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events classified Press+1 (www.pressplus1. com), Canada’s leading online entertainment magazine is looking for writers for articles/ interviews/reviews.

Unpaid internship. Mentoring.

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ongoing events Ubyssey Production • Come help

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us create this baby! Learn about layout and editing. Expect to be fed. • Every Sunday and Wednesday, 2pm.

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contributors Ginny Monaco Blake Frederick Kasha Chang Andrew Hood

Colin Chia Marie Vondracek Austin Holm David Elop

legal The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Monday and Thursday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization, and all students are encouraged to participate.

Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society.

The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUP’s guiding principles.

Letters to the editor must be under 300 words.

Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey; otherwise verification will be done by phone. “Perspectives” are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space. “Freestyles” are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the latter is time sensitive. Opinion pieces will not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. The Ubyssey reserves the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. All letters must be received by 12 noon the day before intended publication. Letters received after this point will be published in the following issue unless there is an urgent time restriction or other matter deemed relevant by the Ubyssey staff.

It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad.

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printed on 100% recycled paper

ferent aspect of the Multiversity Galleries from a different curator every week. From the local to the global and the mundane to the arcane, let the experts introduce you to the objects that intrigue them most. Along the way, you’ll gain fresh perspectives related to collecting, consulting, researching, interpreting and exhibiting in the museum. • Tuesdays 1–2pm, Museum of Anthropology, $14/12 included with admission, free with UBC student ID.

Auditions for Brave New Play Rites Festival • Audition: call

for actors for Brave New Play Rites Short Play Festival. Actors needed for short play festival which runs March 30, 2011– April 3, 2011. Non-union, nonpaying but great acting experience with exciting new playwrights and directors. • Auditions take place Jan. 9–10, email bravenewplayrites@gmail. com for more information.

monday, dec. 6 vigil • Stop by and light a candle to remember the events of December 6, 1989, when an armed man walked into an Engineering class at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal and shot the women in the class after making the men leave. In response to such acts of violence and their relationship to everyday sexism, Canada established December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women. • 12:15pm, outside the Frank Forward building at 6350 Stores Road, reception to follow.

Online workshop: Exam Strategies • This one hour online

workshop will offer tips to overcome exam anxiety, resources to personalize your study plan, suggestions for exam

preparation and a variety of exam question strategies. The online workshop is in association with the Learning Commons & CTLT. It is specifically targeted towards undergrad students (distance & commuter students). • 8–9pm, register at elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/ dashboard/view/1672. vancouver opera presents: lucia di lammermoor • Ancient

clan hatred leads to madness and murder in Donizetti’s thrilling masterpiece of melodic beauty and psychological depth.

Set in the brooding lowlands of Scotland, Lucia loves Edgardo, her family’s enemy. With cruel deception, Lucia’s brother forces her to marry another man to save the family from financial ruin. The consequences are devastating: three innocent people die and the bitter feud lives on. Passion, romance, filial love, loyalty and betrayal are all expressed in Donizetti’s exquisite bel canto score. The climactic “mad scene” is one of the most famous in opera.

• Runs until Dec. 11, 7:30pm, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 649 Cambie St, in Italian with English subtitles, buy tickets at tickets.vancouveropera.ca.

The VSO Presents PLAY! A Video Game Symphony • PLAY! A Vid-

eo Game Symphony enjoys wide recognition as the leading artistic presentation of symphonic game music. This exciting musical experience features awardwinning music from a catalogue of blockbuster video game titles, including Halo, Sim City 4, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Harry Potter: the Chamber of Secrets, Sonic the Hedgehog, World of Warcraft and more. Under the supervision of video director Anthony Pagano and producer Jeron Moore, stunning graphics on large screens above the orchestra accompany the exciting scores, highlighting memorable moments from the video games themselves. • 8pm, Orpheum Theatre, 884 Granville St, buy tickets at tickets.vancouversymphony.ca.

tuesday, dec. 7 music hol idays w ith andré rieu • André Rieu, a popular

classical musician known for his energetic and festive live concerts, is bringing the musical holidays leg of his “Celebration of Music” 2010 North American Tour to Vancouver.

Rieu will be accompanied by his 55-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra and six powerful soloists. Fans will hear favourites and selections from his

latest release Forever Vienna, as well as holiday classics. • 7:30pm, Rogers Arena 800 Griffiths Way, tickets available at ticketmaster.ca or by phone at (604) 280-4444.

wednesday, dec. 8 A n Ev e n i n g o f T w o D u e t s : vancouver vs vancouver and james and natalie • MACHiNE-

NOiSY Dance Society and the plastic orchid factory will present duets commissioned from two groundbreaking choreographers, Fabrice Ramalingom and Lee Su-Feh. Aesthetically simple, profoundly funny and equally disturbing, Vancouver vs Vancouver explores the complex machinations of theatre and the employment of sound and narrative in dance.

In the next performance, dancers James Gnam and Natalie Lefebvre-Gnam dance in and around the demands of their classical training and their personal lives. • Dec. 8–11, 8pm, Firehall Arts Centre, 28 East Cordova St, $25, $22 Dance Centre members, 2 for 1 preview Dec. 8.

thursday, dec. 9 Lance Ryan in Concert: Liederabend • UBC alumnus Lance

Ryan (heldentenor), in concer t with V iviana di C arlo (mezzo -soprano) and David Boothroyd, piano, presents an evening of German romantic song. Proceeds of this concer t go to the UBC David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund. Performances include Gustav Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde and Richard Strauss’ selections of lieder.

• 8pm, UBC Old Auditorium, 6344 Memorial Rd, $40 adult, $30 senior, $20 student, tickets available at ubcopera.com, at the Old Auditorium box office Tue-Fri, 11am–1pm or call (604) 822- 6725.

go global application workshop • This hands-on applica-

tion workshop will be facilitated by a Go Global staff member and will cover the key information needed to fill out the online Go Global exchange application. Students are encouraged to bring their laptops and work through their applications during the workshop. • 3–4pm, Upper Lounge, International House, go to students.ubc.ca/ global or call (604) 822-0942 for more information.

A Wachu Concert Series featuring DAVID WARD & CHRISTINE BEST • The first of a new monthly

music series in Vancouver that will be sure to blow your mind!

The Wachu concert series will showcase the amazing musical talent of Vancouver, offer great prizes from local companies and be the most entertaining thing you’ll participate in all month. The first showcases are the soulful sounds of David Ward & Christine Best.

• 10pm, doors open at 8pm, Backstage Lounge, 1585 Johnston St (Granville Island), $8 tickets at the door. one of a kind show and sale • The One of a Kind Show and

Sale is Canada’s finest craft show, bringing innovative artists, craftspeople, and designers together to share their unique creations with the rest of the world. With a proud focus on homegrown talent, our shows bring together the best of Canada, for a personal shopping experience like no other. Our vast selection, on-site perks and endless show features make us ‘destination shopping’ at its best. • Dec. 9–12, 10am– 9pm, Sundays 10am–5pm, The New Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place, $10, $6.50 seniors and students, go to oneofakindvancouver.com for more information.

friday, dec. 10 CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF QIAN ZHONGSHU AND YANG JIANG •

Come celebrate the centennial anniversary of two of modern China’s most outstanding cultural figures. As scholars and writers, husband and wife Qian Zhongshu (1910-1998) and Yang Jiang (b. 1911) radically transformed what it meant to be a modern Chinese intellectual. Features a reading from a new literary translation, a student performance and an invited lecture by a distinguished scholar of modern Chinese literature. A catered reception will follow. • 4–8pm, UBC Asian Centre Auditorium, 1871 West Mall, please RSVP for this free event via e-mail at ubcasianstudies@ gmail.com. squamish christmas market • Squamish Christmas Market

is a Christmas gift shopping experience, showcasing artists, crafters and businesses at a festive community event.

Shop for unique gifts and special decorations at the market and have them wrapped at our gift wrapping station, take in the smells of Christmas as you grab a bite to from the wonderful food vendors and have photos taken with Santa at the Winter Wonderland in Gelato Carina. • 2–10pm, Downtown Squamish, Winnipeg St; go to squamishchristmas.com for more information.

We’re hiring four part-time staff for the following positions: Assistant News Editor Senior News Writer Senior Culture Writer Culture Illustrator Pay is $300 per month, and applications are due by 5pm, Wednesday December 8. To apply or inquire for more details, email coordinating@ubyssey.ca

U theubyssey.ca justin mcelroy | coordinating@ubyssey.ca

2 010 .1 2 . 0 6 / u b y s s e y. c a / n e w s / 3

News

editor ARSHY MANN » news@ubyssey.ca associate SALLY CRAMPTON » associate.news@ubyssey.ca

AMS back in budget deficit Projected $141,000 loss due to downturn in liquor, catering sales Jonny Wakefield culture@ubyssey.ca Despite cutting close to $200,000 in services last year, the AMS is in the hole again.

In a presentation delivered to AMS Council last Wednesday, VP Finance Elin Tayyar addressed the society’s budget woes. He said the current AMS deficit is currently projected to be $141,000.

Tayyar said AMS businesses, a major source of the Society’s revenue, have not performed as expected. “Our projection for this year was that we’d make $900,000 in profit from our businesses. We’re projecting $696,000 instead.”

He gave a number of reasons for this shortfall, including HST, general economic conditions and the inability of many students to find work last summer.

“Students just don’t have as much money as they used to.”

Arts Councillor Michael Haack said relying on AMS businesses for funding was dangerous.

“Each year we expect the businesses that the AMS has to contribute $900,000 a year without making any business projections,” he said.

“We’re already spending money before we get it.”

The AMS ran a deficit of $372,000 last year, which forced the Society to make drastic cuts.

“We’ve cut quite a bit,” said Tayyar, adding that the AMS saved some $200,000 by cutting the Equity program, merging Safewalk and the Safety Office and reducing the staff of the executive. He said AMS spending has been under scrutiny this year.

After such drastic cuts, Tayyar warns that any additional reductions will cut close to the bone. “[The AMS will have to] significantly cut or reduce [its] mandate,” said Tayyar in last Wednesday’s presentation. “That means whole departments being decimated.”

Tayyar said the final decision on what to cut lies with AMS

Council. AMS Block Party was one of the most obvious areas where the society lost money, he said.

“Last year was a disaster,” said Erik Mackinnon, a member of the budget committee, in an AMS meeting in the summer.

“You should get the head of the person who booked the Barenaked Ladies for a bunch of 18 and 19-year-olds.”

Last year’s block party lost $103,000. As such, the budget for the annual concert has been cut significantly. The talent budget for last year’s event was $115,000.

This year it is $18,500. The total cost of the event is planned to be

Catering

The Pit ($46,100)

($73,500)

Other Businesses ($50,800)

The($33,600) Gallery President’s fundraising shortfall ($26,300)

investments ($3,000)

Top: The AMS is blaming declining alcohol sales for part of their problems. Bottom: A chart of which AMS revenue sources fell short of their projected goals. Geoff Lister photo and graphic/The Ubyssey

$92,767. Even with this drastic cut to funding, the event is still expected to lose close to $20,000.

Tayyar said he does not expect the event to go forward unless it’s clear that it will not lose money.

“We’re not in a position to subsidize this event even though it is important for students,” he said.

The Student Life Committee, the body in charge of coordinating inter-constituency events, is expected to deliver a presentation in January on how to make Block Party revenueneutral. Crystal Hon, who chairs that committee, said they will focus on better marketing for the event, and that the SLC will take charge of marketing the event from AMS Events. “[AMS] Events doesn’t have the staff or resources to market an event on this scale,” she said.

“We don’t want to be losing students’ money irresponsibly on an event that we’re not marketing properly.”

Tayyar said that passing a referendum to increase AMS fees and tie them to inflation is vital if the AMS is to continue to provide its current level of service.

“This fee referendum is not optional,” he said. “It’s not that we want to expand the AMS, it’s realistically to keep us alive.”

Ahmadian says the Referendum Committee, which he chairs, will conduct market research in January to assess the feasibility of going forward with the referendum.

“Around January we’ll have a better sense of whether we can call the referendum this year and if we do whether it would be with the U-Pass referendum,” he said.

Council initially planned to hold the fee increase referendum this October, but backed down due to a lack of enthusiasm among Council and negative feedback from student focus groups. Haack, who sits on the referendum committee, asserts that the AMS is still not prepared for the referendum. “[We’ve] only met once,” said Haack, adding that as chair, Ahmadian is responsible for coordinating meetings. “They’re not preparing for January.” U

NEWS BRIEFS BoG member Virginia Greene passes away Virginia Greene, BC businesswoman, philanthropist and member of the UBC Board of Governors, passed away on Thursday, following a year-and-a-half battle with ovarian cancer. Greene, who began serving on the Board earlier this year, was 66.

Born in Prince Rupert, Greene earned a Bachelor’s degree in anthropology from UBC. She is the founder of GoDirect Marketing and has also worked a number of jobs in the public sector, including as deputy minister for tourism, sport and arts, and as deputy minister for inter-governmental relations. She was also the president and CEO of the Business Council of BC from 2007-2010. She carried the Olympic torch in February 2010.

After she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she became a strong advocate for ovarian-cancer research. She is survived by her husband, daughter, son-in law and two grandchildren.

Dean of Arts nominated for Grammy UBC’s new Arts dean, Gage Averill, has been nominated for a Grammy Award. Averill, an ethnomusicologist with a specialty in Haitian music and American barbershop, wrote the book of interpretive notes that accompanies Alan Lomax in Haiti: Recordings for the Library of Congress, 1936-1937, which has been nominated for a Best Album Notes award.

The recordings, which include 10 CDs of music, a DVD and a book, details a collection of recordings of Haitian musicians documented by Alan Lomax in the 1930s.

Averill was brought on as dean of Arts this September.

The award will be given out at the 53rd Grammy Awards which will be held this February.

UBC student wins Rhodes scholarship Aneil Jaswal, a fourth-year Land and Food Systems global resource systems student, is UBC’s newest Rhodes Scholar.

The scholarship will provide Jaswal with almost $150,000 as he pursues a dual Masters degree at Oxford University this upcoming fall term.

Jaswal’s undergraduate focus has been global health, specifically issues in low-income countries. He has worked along side UBC researcher Richard Lester, and with the World Health Organization in Geneva. Jaswal works to promote a peaceful resolution for the conflict in Dafur and holds the position as the national director of Stand for the Dead.

The Rhodes Scholarship, established in 1902, is designed to bring young scholars from across the globe to study at Oxford. It is awarded to students with high academic achievement, strong leadership qualities, a record of public service and success in sports. Jaswal is the 68th UBC student to receive the honour. U

4 / u b y s s e y. c a / n e w s / 2 010 .1 2 . 0 6

AMS investigating CBG for terror ties Canadian Boat to Gaza accuses AMS of defamation Arshy Mann news@ubyssey.ca

The Executive Council motion, which says that Tay yar must report his findings to AMS Council at the next meeting, was passed without dissent, with four executives voting in favour and Tayyar abstaining.

SPHR President Omar Shaban said that he was unaware that Wednesday’s motion was not the end of the matter.

“None of the councillors that I’ve talked to were aware of that. Everybody was under the impression that it was over,” Shaban said.

AMS Councillor Michael Haack said he did not believe the motion passed Wednesday required intervention from the Executive Committee.

“I’ve spoken with a couple ot her counci l lors a nd t hey weren’t aware that [the motion] implied an investigation…or a decision by [the Executive Committee],” he said.

“Everybody was cheering when it passed and if they knew that Bijan and the executive had the final say I don’t think they would’ve been happy.”

In a National Post article published on Friday, Ahmadian stated that, for the investigation, Tayyar might “call CSIS [Canadian Security Intelligence Service] or someone, and see what their impression is.”

However, Isabelle Scott, a spokesperson for CSIS told The Ubyssey that they would not be able to provide any information to the AMS. “The service does not publicly discuss specific operational activities, including investigative methodology,” she said.

Ahmadian said that Tayyar has spoken to CSIS and they referred him to the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), which will be getting back to him this week.

What was passed?

Wednesday, December 1 Council’s motion “The decision to approve the transfer be deferred pending receipt by the VP Finance of confirmation that…the Council is satisfied, acting reasonably, following prudent due diligence by the Social Justice Centre, the Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights club, the Council itself and/or any other body chosen by the Council as a reliable resource in this respect, that the transfer of funds will not constitute funding an organization linked to terrorism.”

The AMS has now come under fire from the CBG, which accused the society of defaming them.

On Friday, the CBG sent a letter to the AMS alleging the motion passed by the Executive Committee and the statements Ahmadian made to the National Post were “highly defamatory of the individuals and organizations supporting the CBG, a volunteer-organized humanitarian aid mission with wide support in Canadian civil society.”

The group demanded that the AMS write a letter of apology, issue a public statement “retracting the accusations and implications that the CBG is or may be linked to…terrorism,” that both of these be circulated in the media—including the National Post—and the AMS immediately cease their investigation.

“It’s not part of our competency to investigate who’s a terrorist and who’s not a terrorist.”

Bijan Ahmadian AMS President

Ahmadian sent a response letter the same day. In an email sent to AMS Council obtained

by The Ubyssey, Ahmadian said that, “Legal advice was sought today because the letter we received seemed like possible basis for taking legal action against the AMS.” The response said that, “I am confident that the wording of the motion does not make any connection between terrorism

“I think what Bijan is doing is dangerous. He’s essentially questioning or making the accusation that SPHR or SJC and their allies could be linked to terrorism. He doesn’t t hink they are, but he thinks they could be. From a lega l perspective t hat’s a dangerous accusation.”

Both Shaban and Haack also criticized Ahmadian for how he has portrayed this situation to the media.

“If anybody thinks that what happened with the UN last year was bad, this is in my opinion by far 100 times worse,” said Haack. “He shou ld n’t have gone to the National Post and said that Elin would contact CSIS or somebody to look into whether or not these organizations fund terrorists.”

Cou nci l lors successf u l ly petitioned for an emergency Council meeting to be held to settle the donation issue, as well as address the budget. It will take place this Wednesday at the AMS council chambers.

Shaban is confident that Council will rule in the SPHR’s favour.

“We welcome any kind of examination or scrutiny because we have absolutely nothing to hide,” he said. U

Timeline: a tale of $700

y nc tge se .

8 er o ue r m g t iss be d e tin n m le ee tio c e du l m na De he ci do Sc oun he c et tl

itm to 2 m n r co otio nec in n be e r. m iv s m co ism fe d c e cut se te ror n s a n le De xe pas iga ter t r a se rtic E e a a st o te ve s t B G e l e st . in n C r Po d tio h e s s al ishe t r e ion b l P t u a N re p a

“Therefore be it resolved that the VP Finance investigate any links to terrorism connected to the transfer, inviting submissions from the SJC, the SPHR, and the Israeli Awareness Club and also pursuing an independent investigation.”

Defamation Accusations

Haack said that he understands why the CBG would send such a letter.

“I think they were well within their rights to send that letter, and their demands aren’t unreasonable,” he said. “If I were an organization in the same situation, I probably would have had my lawyers send out that letter earlier.”

00 $7 . ’s en tre roz en f 18 C is r ce G be ti CB m us to v e al J n No oci atio S on d

Thursday, December 2 Exec’s motion

Ahmadian, however, is uncertain whether Tayyar will be able to definitively conclude whether or not any of these organizations are linked to terror.

“How do you investigate such a thing? For God’s sake, we don’t have a terrorism department here,” he said. “It’s not part of our competency to investigate who’s a terrorist and who’s not a terrorist.”

Michael Haack AMS Councillor

D A ec fro MS e m d m r b re e f a C ece e r sp m B iv 3 on a G es ds t i o all let . n eg te a n in g r d

Omar Shaban SPHR President

AMS President Bijan Ahmadian at Wednesday’s Council meeting. Geoff Lister photo/the ubyssey

D A ec m MS e m c o C b do l e tion ou e r na a r co nc 1 tio i n nd il p n. g itio ass C nall es B y G

“Everybody was under the impression that it was over.”

“Everybody was cheering when it passed and if they knew that Bijan and the executive had the final say I don’t think they would’ve been happy.”

N C ov o b n em te y- e tro b of nd lec ve e r th ed tio rs 15 e by n ia IA m s l S C. e are J m a C be trs

The AMS has begun an investigation into whether the Canadian Boat to Gaza (CBG) or any of its partner organizations have ties to terrorism.

According to an AMS press release issued Thursday, the Executive Committee passed a motion instructing VP Finance Elin Tayyar to “investigate any links to terrorism connected to the transfer, inviting submissions from the SJC, the SPHR and the Israeli Awareness Club and also pursuing an independent investigation.”

This move comes after AMS Council passed a motion on Wednesday that cleared the way for a $700 donation from the Social Justice Centre (SJC) to Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) intended for the CBG. According to A MS President Bijan Ahmadian however, Wednesday’s motion was unclear about how Council would be satisfied that the transaction did not support terrorism.

“The wording of the motion says that the VP Finance can go ahead and sign this as long as Council [is] satisfied that there’s no link to terrorism,” he said.

“And we never talked about how Council would be satisfied.

“The executives are just following Council’s wishes.”

and the members of the Working Group.”

The letter was sent to the CBG attached to an email in which Ahmadian stated, “In case any of your [sic] are concerned, I should add that the lawyers advised that the Canadian Boat to Gaza would not likely succeed in a defamation lawsuit against the AMS.” Shaban said that he believes that the AMS is presently taking the wrong course of action.

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sports

editor VACANT

Finding a new balance

After national controversy, Liambas settles into a new world at UBC Colin Chia Contributor Going from training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs to skating with the UBC Thunderbirds over one weekend makes for quite a step down. Even if UBC is “a pretty sweet school,” according to Mike Liambas, “it was just weird, the whole transition. In about 24 hours I went from the top of the hockey world to­—I don’t want to demean it, but the CIS isn’t the top.”

Liambas has been through quite a lot. His journey to a professional hockey career was derailed two years ago when he was suspended for a season by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for a hit which seriously injured an opponent. Many in the hockey world have stood up for the Woodbridge, Ontario native, saying that it was a clean, legal hit and that the suspension was an injustice. Others have vilified him as a symbol of what is wrong with the game.

It’s ground that Liambas, who said he suffered a great deal of guilt and remorse over the incident, understandably doesn’t want to retreat.

“It is what it is, whatever happens, happens, and that’s done right now,” he said.

Neither was the controversy a problem for UBC. “He persevered and worked through it, he had a ton of support from his family.

It was not an issue for us at all,” said Thunderbirds head coach Milan Dragicevic, who said he was looking for “high academic, attitude, character and work ethic” qualities when he was working to bring Liambas to UBC over the summer. “He has fit in very well, works hard on and off the ice, he’s been a team player, truly loves the game and wants to get better.”

“When I first got here I had a bit of a negative attitude,” Liambas admitted. “I was a bit upset about the way things had worked out with Toronto.” Concerns over scholarship funds played a part in him taking up UBC’s offer rather than heading to the minor leagues. But the former left wing for the OHL’s Erie Otters is welcoming the opportunity to focus

Mike Liambas starting fresh at UBC. David Elop/The Ubyssey

on developing his game and rebuilding his hockey career.

“After everything I’ve been through, the best route for my life right now is for some mental stability and just settling it down for a bit. I’m getting my school done and paid for and I’m still playing hockey. I’ll be able to work on the offensive side of my game, instead of worrying about fighting. “ Academics were also an adjustment he had to make when he added a full course load in Human Kinetics to playing hockey. “It’s been four years since I’ve been in high school. Time management was the hardest part but I’ve got it down pretty good right now.”

Liambas is still looking towards a professional hockey career. “I still have that as my end goal, that’s what I’m working towards every day. My outlook is, this is where I need to be right now to learn some things before I

can move onto the next step. I’m good at school, just because whatever anyone does, you try to do the best you can, but I’ve never really thought of doing anything else other than playing hockey.

That’s still my goal. This might be a little setback but it’s happening for a reason.”

And while he doesn’t enjoy being a symbol of the debate occurring in the sport right now, as someone whose life has been profoundly affected by it, he’s concerned about the direction hockey is going and thinks all players have to take more responsibility for protecting each other and protecting themselves as well.

“Nowadays, the guy that’s making the hit has to protect the guy he’s hitting. There’s hardworking guys who have to straddle that line, obviously sometimes you’re going to slip up. The main thing is to make sure you learn from it and you don’t let it happen again.

“It is the best sport in the world, you’ve got to be agile, you gotta have great endurance, power and strength, and it is a violent sport but you’re the one who’s signed up for it. With any contact sport sometimes guys are going to cross the line, but in the big scheme of things, when you’re skating that fast on the ice...it’s hockey, it’s a sport, injuries are going to happen.”

Did the 21-year-old, who had started as a defenceman and was only moved into forward while at Erie, find himself typecast as an enforcer or a goon in the junior and minor leagues?

“I don’t know if I fit myself into it or my coaches did, but I’m the type of guy where your hockey team are your brothers, your family, and you’re going make sure you protect them.” By the time he’d ended up with Bloomington in the OHL after his suspension, that was the kind of player he was known as.

“The decision to come here was, I got the opportunity, not to re-create myself­­—I still have all those traits; that toughness, I think, is something built into you—but being here I won’t need to worry about that as much and can focus more on the offensive side of the game. I’ve seen a big difference in myself confidence-wise, being able to do more things with the puck.”

Liambas also feels he’s fulfilling the coaching staff’s desire to bring more leadership into the team. “I was kind of in a leadership role in junior. I don’t know what it is, I don’t have to think about it, it just comes, just speaking up on the bench, and it’s just leadership through working hard in practice.”

And as Liambas is making progress, so is the team.

“I can’t come out and guarantee we’re going to win the nationals or anything,” he said, when asked about the team’s prospects for the season, “but really the main goal right now is to make the playoffs and I think that’s attainable and very realistic.”

“We’ve got a good group of guys in the team,” he added.

“Every week we’re getting better and it’s showing in the games.” U

bird droppings UBC Men’s Basketball heading all over the usa

The No. 2 CIS-ranked UBC Thunderbirds traveled to Fairbanks, Alaska to compete in the 2010 Glacier Classic and acclimatize to being on the road for the second half of the season.

“It will be tough with the travel, playing new rules and against teams we’ve never seen before, but we’re excited for the opportunity to get some competition in over the break,” explained UBC head coach Kevin Hanson. “This trip will definitely help us prepare for the second half of the season when we’re on the road so much.

It’s going to be a real challenge for us mentally, as our guys have started to get into exam mode and wind down now that our league games are done until January.”

The ‘Birds beat the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks (NCAA Division II) 98-85. Nathan Yu heated up the gym by scoring UBC’s last eight points for the ‘Birds over the final 85 seconds to push UBC’s lead to 48-35 at the halftime break.

UBC lost 71-53 in their second and final game to the AlaskaAnchorage Seawolves on Saturday night.

Up next for the T-Birds is another trip to the USA, this time to Santa Barbara, CA for the Tom Byron Classic hosted by Westmont College on December 29 and 30.

The ‘Birds will play eight of their remaining 12 league games on the road. U

6/ u bys se y.c a /c u lt u r e /2 010 .12 . 0 6

culture

editorS BRYCE WARNES & JONNY WAKEFIELD » culture@ubyssey.ca ASSOCIATE ANNA ZORIA » associate.culture@ubyssey.ca

Shindig to end with a three-band stand off Ginny Monaco gmonaco@ubyssey.ca Tuesday marks the end of another year of Shindig. The winner of the CiTR-sponsored battle of the bands will be given a host of phenomenal prizes, including 20 hours of studio time and a spot performing at the Canadian Music Week Festival in Toronto next year. For the three finalists, Shindig has been an opportunity to play for a larger-than-usual audience at one of the best venues in the city.

It’s more about exposure and experience than awards. Even if they don’t win, Shindig has provided an unprecedented introduction to the fickle Vancouver music scene.

WIZERDZ “The dragon’s preparing itself,” Bryce Dundon says when describing his band’s feelings for Tuesday night’s finale.

Dundon—also known by his stage name, Grandmar Bogins— is one fourth of Wizerdz, an electronic outfit inspired by medieval imagery.

“We wanted to combine the two polar opposites because we thought it’d be amusing for ourselves mostly. Three of us used to play in a prog rock band.

So add some d ra gon s a nd some techno and it becomes Wizerdz.”

THE OH WELLS High school friends Sarah Jickling and Molly Griffin were writing about them. Jickling and Griffin formed The Oh Wells when they were 16 and for the last four years they’ve been playing their brand of hooky folk pop.

The addition of bassist Dan Roberts and drummer Nathan Rice last year helped the band evolve to a new level, but it’s still a learning process for the young musicians.

“We don’t really know how to handle ourselves, about how to act as a band. Without Ginger [Griffin’s sister and the band’s manager] we barely ever got gigs,” said Griffin.

“We show up, we play music and we say thank you. That’s what we know how to do.”

The Oh Wells love doing rails. Photo courtesy of the Oh wells

CRYSTAL SWELLS Crystal Swells characterize themselves with a quote from the Simpsons: “Too crazy for Boys’ Town, too much of a boy for Crazy Town.”

The Maple Ridge-based surf punk band is, as singer Joel McDonald describes, “too weird for

Maple Ridge but in Vancouver it seems like we’re too tame.”

The band likes to “mix melody and feedback and noise”, so much so that they’ve inspired a drinking game. After one of their shows, the ever-clever BeatRoute magazine called Crystal Swells’ brand of punk one that “would go well with some

beers” and suggested the audience take a drink “each time you hear a melodic guitar line over [the] top of another guitar’s feedback.”

You’re going to need a lot of beer. U Shindig 2010 concludes Tuesday, December 7 at the Railway Club.

2 010.12 .0 6/ u bys sey.c a /opi n ions/7

opinions

do you care? WRITE US A LETTER » feedback@ubyssey.ca

editorial the ams: spending your money to investigate terrorism Accordingly, this is our last regular issue of the paper for 2010, and with exams nipping at our heels we’ll be seeing you in IKB soon enough. Before we capped off the year we were planning, in the spirit of hokey and hackneyed editorials, to suggest Christmas gifts for various figures on campus. Then we’d finish it off with something appropriately mawkish.

And then Bijan Ahmadian decided the AMS should investigate if student groups were supporting terrorism. Which has sort of turned our Christmasy mood into a Festivus mood—specifically, the mood one has during the Airing of Grievances.

Implying that a person or group might be supporting terrorism, however indirectly, is pretty much the most offensive, Cheneyesque political tactic one can make. So if you’re going to do it, as Ahmadian did several times last week, you better have some solid evidence.

There’s absolutely no proof of any ties. None of the groups organizing or affiliated with the Canadian Boat to Gaza are suspected in any way of being linked to terrorism. Yes, a flotilla meant to break a blockade to a territory run by Hamas has a certain amount of red flags around it.

The prudent thing to do is double-check that the donation is going to responsible people, and cross your fingers that the worst-case scenario doesn’t happen. It is not to talk to the National Post about the dilemma you’re in, all the while implying that the SPHR, SJC, and 70 per cent of your council are the equivalent of Yemen. Unless you want to make a political point.

At this point, we don’t think Ahmadian meant to purposely allege that his fellow students may be inadvertently supporting terrorism. We also don’t think that Ahmadian seriously believes the AMS will uncover terrorist links that the RCMP/ CIA/FBI/CSIS have been unable to crack. We also don’t think that Ahmadian realized that implying the organization he runs might have almost mistakenly aided terrorism would make himself look incompetent as well.

Instead, we really, really hope that he’s simply grossly overstated a legitimate worry in a foolhardy way (several times) and he’ll apologize at the earliest public opportunity. Which happens to be this Wednesday, at an emergency AMS Council meeting to discuss a projected $200,000 deficit for this year. Which reminds us.... really? a $200,000 deficit?

Remember the summer? When the AMS claimed they were going bankrupt, unless drastic changes were made to the budget? So how’s that going?

Not good. Not good at all. On Wednesday, after hundreds of people departed the Norm Theatre, VP Finance Elin Tayyar stood up to talk about money, which past experience has shown always ends badly. And he announced that the projected deficit for the year was $200,000. Now, that was revised to $141,000 after depleting one of their final slush funds. But still, a six-figure deficit is a six-figure deficit.

Four quick points to make here. First, this underscores the point that tying AMS fees to inflation is crucial. Which makes the fact that the AMS has had a total of one meeting since September to plan for a second-term referendum all the more egregious.

Second, since much of this is due to not getting as much revenue from food outlets, maybe the AMS’s awesome idea to raise prices on food during a down economy and a HST implementation wasn’t so awesome.

Third, Ahmadian’s claim that spending $5000 on renovations to his office was needed to impress potential sponsors? Didn’t happen. When you’re a student union, it doesn’t matter how nice your office looks or how confident your president is— you’re still a student union.

Finally, a note to the (at last informal count) three current executives planning on running again for an executive position next year. We know you love your jobs. But at this point, considering you’ve overseen a gross mismanagement of the budget while generally failing to keep your President on message or get a referendum on track, when it’s time to vote students may love you a lot less. U

bryce warnes graphic/the ubyssey

opinions

It takes one to know one: Advice for Ahmadian Blake Frederick Columnist As Bijan Ahmadian’s reign as AMS president becomes ever more controversial, comparisons of his term in office to mine are inevitable. His severe mishandling of the $700 donation controversy is leading him down the same political path I took last year. Now that I have the benefit of hindsight, I have some advice to offer him.

Last year as president of the AMS, I filed a complaint against the Canadian government for breaching the open access to post-secondary education clause in the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Many students were upset that I would “waste the UN’s time” on tuition, a trivial matter when compared to war and poverty. This was not at all the reaction that I had predicted.

The “UN complaint,” as it is most often referred to, was actually nothing more than a standard submission to a committee specifically tasked with the duty of evaluating access to postsecondary education in Canada.

Though the UN submission was mentioned several times at Executive

Committee, it was never explicitly approved by that body, nor AMS Council.

The submission advocated for lower tuition fees at UBC, a policy that ran contrary to the AMS’s official policy.

I knew that the AMS grossly misrepresented students’ stance on tuition and I had chosen to deliberately provoke AMS Council by publicly advocating for lower tuition. I knew that it would probably be my final stand, but I still shouldn’t have underestimated my political opponents. I had handed them the perfect opportunity to unite against me.

I still stand by the principle that education is a right and that the AMS should be lobbying for lower tuition.

What I did, however, was politically naïve and discredited the efforts of many progressive students on campus, which is something that I deeply regret. The AMS elections the following year, as any political science student could have predicted, swung largely in favour of the rightist candidates.

I write this as a message to AMS President Bijan Ahmadian, who is now in a similar position as I was. He feels very strongly that the Resource Groups and SPHR should not be able to donate $700

to fund the Canadian Boat to Gaza. Students have spoken out against his position and Council has passed a motion essentially ordering him to approve the donation. Instead of approving the donation, however, he and his executives have decided to investigate “any links to terrorism connected to the transfer.” Yes, your student representatives have seriously given themselves a mandate to search for terrorists. Because of their inflammatory insinuations, they’re putting you at serious risk of being on the receiving end of a pricey defamation lawsuit.

Bijan has already made a mockery of himself from which there is no recovery. He may still have time, however, to save some semblance of respect for the political right on campus in the lead up to this year’s AMS elections. If he cares to do that, he must issue a public apology and direct his signing officers to approve the donation. The progressives are already becoming organized for next year’s elections as a result of the controversy he has caused. We’ll see if Bijan decides to concede defeat and put this issue to rest or continue his absurd terrorist witch hunt. U

on personal issues. We’ve urged communication at every opportunity and snuck the word cunt into print. It’s been a lot of fun (mostly) and these writers wish it could go on longer.

Isn’t that always the way? For each pair of writers feeling their time has come prematurely, there is an editorial staff (and possibly reading public) starting to feel chafed by the steady (formerly bi-)/weekly thrusting of Too Sexy truth. We didn’t start this column knowing where it would end. All we knew is we wanted to talk about sex (and make dick jokes).

In that sense, Too Sexy does not end here, today. In the nonsensical way writers like to think when they’re being told to give someone else a turn to talk, we believe Too Sexy lives on in the hearts and minds of its readership. Wherever people sit down to chat about the appropriateness of public bondage, we’ll be there. Whenever

a person talks to their friends about their relationship, we hope they feel us in their heart. Whenever someone tells you it’s not appropriate to discuss sexy things, we’ll have your back as you loudly declare, “There’s no such thing as Too Sexy!”

For, dear reader, by that point in time, there will not be. We hope and dream only for a world in which sexual expression isn’t marginalized and closeted. A world in which frank dialogue on sex exists in all spheres. A world in which ‘sex’, in and of itself, is not a dirty word (unless you want it to be).

We’re counting on you to help bring us that world. Because you, ever-loved readership, are Too Sexy. You’re the ones that made this column work.

And for that, we thank you always and bid you...

too sexy by kasha chang & austin holm Beloved Readership, The time has come for us to say goodbye. Not to you all, you understand: we hope we will continue to hear from you. But here ends our sojourn at the great Ubyssey newspaper, a publication replete with spunk, grit and attractive humans. We wish we could stay longer, but the tides of time (and our busy lives) pull us elsewhere. There’s not much left to say at this point; it’s been a long, strange road writing this column. We thank you for your letters, your support, your cheers of gratitude and your constant admissions to foodbased fetishes.

Ah, it’s been so many columns, so many letters. We’ve been shaken down by the admin to reveal our sources (we didn’t) and we’ve made bold stands

Adieu. U

8/ubyssey.ca/our campus/2010.12.06

our campus Bryce Warnes culture@ubyssey.ca Every year, on the last day of classes, Engineering students turn their cold, analytic minds to the spirit of the holidays. On Friday morning at 7am, starting at the Cheeze, a crew of redclad students made the rounds, invading the most densely populated classes on campus. Carols were sung, funny hats were worn and spiked eggnog fumes wafted in the group’s wake. They were accompanied by a volunteer team of ex-high school brass and woodwind players called the Godiva Band. Bravely enduring the cold weather and the onset of 3pm hangovers, they managed to bring something like Christmas cheer to UBC. U andrew hood photo/the ubyssey

We’re hiring four new part-time editors in News and Culture. Email for more information. justin mcelroy| coordinating@ubyssey.ca

U theubyssey.ca