VOLUME 152, ISSUE 3, NOVEMBER 2018
Editorial Board
About Us
Editorial Policy
Letters to the Editor
Business & Creative Manager Maria Nazareth Araújo
The Brunswickan, in its 152nd year of publication, is Canada’s Oldest Official Student Publication.
While we endeavour to provide an open forum for a variety of viewpoints and ideas, we may refuse any submission considered by the Editorial Board to be racist, sexist, libellous or in any way discriminatory.
Letters must be submitted by e-mail to editor@thebruns.ca. Include your name, since letters with pseudonyms will not be printed or posted online. Letters must be 500 words at maximum. Deadline for letters is Friday at 5 p.m.
News Editor Alexandre Silberman Arts & Lifestyle Editor Isabelle Leger Magazine Editor Brad Ackerson
Staff Multimedia Editor Cameron Lane Marketing & Sales Coordinator Samantha McCready Copy Editor Natasha Williamson Reporters Disha Bisto Patrick Donovan Photographers Cameron Lane Maria Nazareth Araújo
We are an autonomous student publication owned and operated by Brunswickan Publishing Inc., a nonprofit, independent body. We are also a founding member of the Canadian University Press. Now a magazine, we publish monthly during the academic year with a circulation of 4,000. We publish weekly online at Thebruns.ca.
The opinions and views expressed in this publication are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Brunswickan, its Editorial Board or its Board of Directors. All editorial content appearing in The Brunswickan is the property of Brunswickan Publishing Inc. Stories, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the express, written permission of the Editor-in-Chief.
@Brunswickan Front Page: After two years and over 2,000 hours of work, Memorial Hall’s restored stained glass windows were revealed at a ceremony last month. | Photo by Cameron Lane
Corrections The Brunswickan strives to be fair and accurate. To notify us of an error that warrants correction, email editor@thebruns.ca. The headline in the October issue about a Fredericton consignment business misspelled the company’s name. The store is called Bellwether. A photo accompanying an article about the UNB women’s hockey team was miscredited. The image, of the team’s goalie, was taken by UNB Athletics.
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News briefs
Navigating ‘the good life’: Coming to terms with being white and Native
by Disha Bisto and Alexandre Silberman
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by Jonathan Duffy
Things to do in Fredericton this month
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Honouring our sisters: A Red Shawl Campaign
by Brad Ackerson
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New transgender athletic policy strives for inclusivity by Samantha McCready
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The stigma around virginity
by Disha Bisto
Ghosts of Violence ballet ‘heart-breakingly relevant by Marlowe Evans
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by Isabelle Leger
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The magnificent reveal: Memorial Hall stained glass windows
New Brunswickers in the “Great War”
by Isabelle Leger
by Patrick Donovan
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100 years later: Remembering UNB alumni killed in World War I
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by Brad Ackerson
Introducing Sidebar podcast
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A journey through nineteenth century New Brunswick by Maria Nazareth Araujo
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UNB engineering dean Dr. Chris Diduch, right, presents Denise LaForge with the UNB Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award. Photo by Cameron Fitch/UNB
News Briefs Words by Disha Bisto and Alexandre Silberman
First Female Engineer on the Wall of Fame in Head Hall Denise LaForge, chairman and CEO of Denco Financial Holdings, was inducted into the Engineering Wall of Fame on Oct. 1. LaForge is the first female graduate to share this honour with 13 other distinguished engineering alumni. The wall of fame is located in the lobby of the engineering building on the Fredericton campus.
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summer, she was overwhelmed and did not share the news with her family until a month later. This recognition is a symbolic achievement for LaForge, as her focus on her work and philanthropy has often prevented her from contemplating her own success. “Women who are going to enter Head Hall will see that it is possible to be successful in this career,” said LaForge.
LaForge is originally from Edmundston, New Brunswick and graduated from mechanical engineering in 1988. LaForge chose mechanical engineering as she always enjoyed studying math and physics over any other subject; Edmunston’s pulp and paper mill also depicted engineering as a promising career path to her younger self.
Online portal created to share Wabanaki Nations culture
When LaForge found out about the award in the
The Wabanaki Collection website provides edu-
The Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre at the University of New Brunswick has launched a website to provide teachers with resources about Wabanaki Nations.
cators and the public with information about the Indigenous peoples of Eastern Canada and Northeastern United States. The online portal includes video, music, documents and other resources. The goal of the website is to provide more people with Wabanaki history, culture, language and worldviews. The project is named for the first peoples of this region – Wabanaki, or People of the Dawn – which include the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, Abenaki, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy. “We invite you to walk in our moccasins of Wabanakiyik, as we follow the tracks of our ancestors to the sacred circle of understanding; for this generation and generations yet to be born,” said Opolahsomuwehs (Imelda Perley), UNB’s elder-in-residence.
First Sustainability week at UNB The Sustainability Department at UNB collaborated with the UNB Student Union to host the first sustainability week from Oct. 15-19. Early in 2018, UNB submitted a detailed application to the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) which analyzed the performance of the Fredericton campus in terms of efficiency and sustainability. Through AASHE, the campus was certified with a STARS (Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Rating System) silver medal. The sustainability week was a recommendation based on the STARS results which indicated that sustainability education can be im-
proved on the campus. This week involved creative partnerships with clubs, societies and businesses on and off-campus. One of the most popular events was the ‘Paint and Plant’ which allowed students to paint a pot with ArtZone and plant with the assistance from the Biology Society. ArtZone and UNB Sustainability participated by providing painting materials and pots; the Biology Society provided soil and easyto-grow and nutritious herbs like thyme, basil, cilantro and parsley seeds. The ‘Lights Out Coffee House’ held at Renaissance College was equally well attended. The event promoted fair trade and offered students a space to destress and take a break from academic work. Conversely, the campus sustainability tour, which included a tour of sustainable areas of UNB such as wildlife-friendly gardens, the free food planters, the tree trails, the community garden and the Kinesiology Building, had to be cancelled due to low attendance. “We learned a lot throughout this pilot year,” said Jill Pelkey, climate change officer at UNB. “We plan on altering some of these events and also brainstorm on new ideas for next year.” Moving forward, the organizing team is looking to get feedback from the UNB community to understand diverse interests and possibly integrate suggestions for next year.
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Words by Brad Ackerson Note: Here you will find our recommendations for things you can do over the upcoming month to experience the best Fredericton has to offer. While this is far from a complete list, we try to provide a well-rounded mix of everything from shows to attend, places to go and things to try. Something you’d like to see included in an upcoming edition of Things to Do? Send your suggestions to editor@thebruns.ca!
Nov. 8-11: Silver Wave Film Festival Each November since 2000, the New Brunswick Filmmakers Co-operative plays host to Silver Wave, a multi-day competitive international film festival. In addition to showcasing films from all over the world, Silver Wave is intended to serve as a celebration of New Brunswick’s burgeoning filmmaking scene and always features a wide range of films of all genres made in the province or by local talent. In addition to access to daily film screenings, Silver Wave passes also include access to all festival parties, galas, workshops and panels. Screenings for the festival will be held in several different locations around Fredericton, including UNB campus. Full weekend passes are $40 each for the general public and $20 for students with the presentation of a valid student ID. Various locations. Nov. 09: UNB Men’s Hockey vs St.FX The UNB vs St.FX rivalry has always been extremely intense, but it has never been more intense than it was last March during UNB’s controversial overtime loss to the X-Men in the national semi-finals. Now, the team that ended the Reds dreams of winning three straight national titles is returning to Aitken Centre ice for the first time since that dramatic game. Stakes for the matchup remain high as both teams are once again contenders for this year’s national championship and will likely spend most of the season in a neck-and-neck race with each other for control of the AUS conference. Tickets are available through the Aitken Centre box office. Entry is free for UNB students upon the presentation of a valid student ID. Aitken Centre at 7:00 p.m.
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Nov. 10: Maritime Oyster Festival Seafood lovers rejoice! The Maritime Oyster Festival is bringing some of Atlantic Canada’s best oyster producers, breweries and distilleries for an evening full of shucking and drinking. In addition to gaining access to the all-you-can-eat mussel tasting sessions, festival attendees can enjoy a great selection of local craft beer, cider, wine or moonshine from producers like Grimross, Picaroons, York County Cider and Blue Roof Distilleries. There will also be live music from Atlantic Canadian party band Merimac. There are three different ticket options available for the festival with prices ranging from $15 each to $90 each. You can purchase your pass or find out more information by going to maritimeoysterfestival.ca. Boyce Farmers’ Market at 7:00 p.m. Nov. 18: Oi Polloi at The Capital Based in Edinburgh, Oi Polloi are a renowned anti-fascist anarcho-punk quartet who have spent the past 37 years earning their reputation as one of the more influential groups to emerge from Scotland’s Gaelic punk scene. Over their near four-decade history, the band has made a name for itself with their highly political and aggressive albums and live performances as they rail against fascism, homophobia and sexism while promoting things like direct action environmental defence and hunt sabotage. They will be joined at The Capital by two staples of the local hardcore punk scene in Hard Charger and the recently-reunited Neighbourhood Watch. Doors open 30 minutes before the start of the show and you must be 19 years or older to attend. The Capital Complex, 362 Queen St. at 9:30 p.m.
Nov. 24: Soul Time: Yoga & Self-Care Retreat It’s late November, exams are fast approaching, you have too many assignments left to hand in and you were already too tired and stressed to begin with. Sounds like you could use a little Soul Time, reader! Soul Time is a single-day yoga retreat being put on by GROW where attendees will take part in a range of exercises or activities intended to restore and rejuvenate both the mind and the body. Perfect to relax and reset your mind before you head into the fall term’s final stretch. Tickets are available now and cost $80 per person. The price of admission includes a nutritious and vegan catered lunch provided by Cinnamon Cafe.
GROW Yoga Movement & Massage, 441 King St. from 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
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U Sports, the governing body of university sport in Canada, has introduced a new transgender-inclusive policy. On Sept. 26, U Sports released a statement stating that, effective immediately, student-athletes in Canada will now be able to compete on the team that either corresponds with their sex assigned at birth or their gender identity. Since 2016, U Sports has been working on an all-inclusive policy that “reflects a sincere commitment to building an inclusive sport system,” said Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, chief executive officer of The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity. The aim of the new policy is to ensure equal opportunities for all student-athletes regardless of their gender or assigned sex. Faculty and coaches from the University of New Brunswick are expressing their opinions regarding this new transgender-inclusive policy. Miles Pinsent, head coach of the Reds men’s soccer team, believes this change in policy reflects the direction in which society is heading. “Twenty years ago, this situation would have been the storyline of a bad comedic movie. Now, our society has a much greater awareness and I believe that the U Sports new policy is trying to be proactive in recognizing this shift,” said Pinsent. John Richard, director of athletics at UNB, also explains his enthusiasm for the new transgender-inclusive policy as a “positive step for the organization.”
“This is an extremely progressive step. It goes above and beyond some other policies that are currently out there,” he said. Before this policy was implemented, there was no policy in place for transgender student-athletes. This meant that student-athletes in transition were forced to quit sports. Jacob Roy, a transgender student-athlete, explained his experience with university sports. “After beginning my social transition at UNBSJ I had experienced rejection from being able to participate in university sports,” said Roy. UNBSJ told Roy he could not play in sports due to injecting hormones, and his teammates at St. Thomas University presented an unwelcoming atmosphere. These two factors caused Roy to give up the sports he loves. “The coaches at UNBSJ were highly unsupportive of my transition when it came to still being able to play sports. On numerous occasions, I was told that I could not play due to injecting testosterone or because my small body stature would pose a safety concern,” said Roy. “I believe that the way UNBSJ handled my transition and longing to play university sports was not only unprofessional but blatantly discriminatory and transphobic,” said Roy. Pinsent said he anticipates problems to arise due to this change in policy. “I think I would be naïve to say that this policy will not lead to situations where issues occur. Some of these issues we can probably anticipate and others we cannot. What will be most important is how these issues are dealt with as a team, as a university, and as a society,” said Pinsent. Roy said although this is a step in the right direction, this is something that will “have to be reworked and looked at.” “We need to also make sure that coaches and athletic faculty are being educated on these issues so that a higher standard of expectations can be set for the team and their code of conduct,” said Roy. “The more inclusive our organization can be the better... and hopefully they now understand that [transgender student-athletes] are welcome to become student-athletes,” said UNB director of athletes John Richard. “This policy is important and it is the perfect starting point for trans and queer inclusion in sports, but we need to be careful to recognize that we are not yet at the finish line,” said Roy. 9
Virginity. That thing you’re supposed to lose at an early age to prove your maturity. That thing that, if you lose too soon, makes you impure in the eyes of potential lovers. That thing that you’re supposed to save for that special someone. That thing that will be one of the best experiences of your life. As a young girl, I dreamt of the day I would find a boy worthy of my “flower.” A boy who would walk me off into the sunset before entering me into womanhood. This would most likely be the man that I marry and have several children with, if he would still have me of course. Looking back on those thoughts, I cringe. This isn’t my reality, nor do I want it to be. I entered womanhood a long time ago and that didn’t require the assistance of a man. The boy I lost my virginity to wasn’t my “soulmate,” and that’s okay. Men are faced with a different stigma. Have sex as early as you can and as much of it as you can. And, god forbid you be romantic about it. In pop culture, these ideas have been portrayed for as long as I can remember. Let’s look at The Forty-YearOld Virgin, for example. A comedy about a man who
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has a difficult time dating and is socially awkward because he has never had sex. In the movie Easy A, the character Brandon is tormented at school because he had yet to lose his virginity. Emma Stone came to the rescue and pretended to have sex with him. He gained the respect of his peers while Olive, in the movie, was shunned by classmates and her teachers for being so “filthy.” In She’s the Man Amanda Bynes pretends to be her brother and exaggerates his sexual experience to gain the respect of the male soccer team. Men are rewarded with cheers when they add to their “kill” count and are looked down upon when they don’t, while women are slut-shamed for having the slightest horny thought. The idea that your first time having sex will be an amazing experience, is pretty bullshit. It’s not lit candles and rose petals. It is often uncomfortable, awkward and might even hurt. This isn’t the case for everyone, but it was arguably one of the most painful experiences of my life. Because expectations are set so high for woman especially, some wait in fear of their first experience not
being perfect. Waiting is okay, but having a weird first sexual experience is okay too.
lack purity based on the amount of sex they have had or plan to have.
Having a lot of sex is okay. Having sex for the first time at an early age is okay. But feeling pressured to do so is not.
Men, whether cisgender or transgender, are not worthy or unworthy based on the amount of “kills” on their score board.
Where does this leave the LGBTQ community? This stigma suggests that everyone is heterosexual and cisgender. When people speak of “virginity,” they are referring to the first time an individual has had penetrative sex.
Your body is not an object and how you identify yourself is not up for discussion. You don’t owe anyone anything and this includes an explanation for your sex life.
Does this mean, for example, a cis lesbian who has only had same-sex intercouse is still a virgin? Certainly not. With this stigma in play, the legitimacy of non-heterosexual sex isn’t considered. Our society is hell-bent on categorization. “So, is she a lesbian or not?” “Is he really gay if he’s never had sex with a man?” “Please clarify your sexual identity [here] and your gender identity [here].” For someone who is navigating their own sexual and gender identities, I can only imagine the impact these stereotypes and categories must have. Gender is one layer, sexuality is another, and the fact that society assigns gender to genitalia complicates things even more. Human to human, the concept of virginity is bullshit. Sex is supposed to be fun, and/or an act of love. Instead, it’s judged upon and shamed. It’s used to identify others without their consent. Women, whether cisgender or transgender, do not
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Jonathan Duffy holds his Indian status card. Photo by Maria Nazareth Araujo
Words by Jonathan Duffy
The cashier of St. Mary’s gas bar stares at me. “Seriously?” he asks, looking at my Indian status card. “Okay, that brings your total down to $55 from $68.” I grew up in Hillsborough, Albert County, New Brunswick. To translate, this can be considered the whitest town in the whitest region of the whitest county. I became a status Indian at the age of 15. This redneck just became a redskin, I remember thinking. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a unique perspective on everything from white resentment to residential schools. My name is Jonathan Duffy, and I’m a “mutt.” Becoming a status Indian wasn’t a great epiphany for 12
me. No bar mitzvah-like powwow. No sweating, burning or drumming. Just a status card in the mail three months after applying. I got one because my mother wanted me to. She had become eligible because the laws had changed allowing children of status mothers and non-status fathers to gain status. In high school, once my friends found out about my newfound ethnicity, I became known as “Big Chief Duffy.” I wasn’t offended by this, but it was certainly a change. I was also nominated as navigator for all our road trips due to my “Native instincts.” We still got lost; go figure.
But now that I’m attending a university with a sizeable First Nations presence, I’m in this weird middle ground where I don’t fit in on either side. My card gets questioned and I get stared at on the reserve. White people rant to me about “Native privileges” before they know my status. But even after I tell them, they just continue frothing. Both sides expect me to root for the whites because I look white. I’m actually thankful that at least one of my First Nations classmates is inclusive enough to call me “brother.”
that I am today?”
The social justice warriors tell me that I need to let Indigenous people advocate for themselves—that I’m not allowed to speak out on Indigenous issues because I’m too white, which stinks because, as far as I can see, the social justice warrior’s agenda is more concerned with things like Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Tonto in The Lone Ranger from 2013. “Let me go tell my alcoholic cousin about Johnny Depp’s Tonto in between his acid trips,” was my reply to someone complaining about this. I know that alcoholism, gambling and drugs are all real problems in the First Nations community and that they have roots in deep-seated pain.
I have a lot of heritage from a lot of different backgrounds. My grandfather was Jewish; I’m part Indigenous and part white. So, if stereotypes were true—I’m Native, so I own a casino; I’m Jewish, so I’m good with the money and I’m white, so I’m not allowed to talk about it.
I’m not a social justice warrior and I’m not an expert on Indigenous issues, but I am aware of them. Just because I grew up white doesn’t mean that I don’t recognize the pain that many First Nations feel. I may not look like it, but I’m a third-generation residential school victim. My mother grew up with a PTSD-ridden mother whose love came out in the form of a weaponized wooden spoon. My mother’s family struggles with anxiety, depression and self-image issues, all of which were passed down to my siblings and me. My great-grandmother placed my grandmother in a residential school because she was obsessed with white culture. She had some white friends who accepted her as she was, and was relatively assimilated into white culture as a result. “She got a taste of the ‘good life’,” my grandmother would say. My great-grandmother’s actions are a topic of debate in my family. My great-grandmother even stopped going by her Native name, Ka Kita Wa Pa No Kwe (meaning wise-day woman), and went by her white name, Madeline. I often wonder, “If she didn’t get accepted by the whites, would I still be the mess of emotions
As a result, my grandmother has no Native name. To ensure her kids experienced “the good life,” my great-grandmother placed them in residential schools. They did not live a good life. My grandmother would spend her days with her head down hoping not to be beaten by the nuns who supervised her. Because of the schools, my family has no Indigenous culture or language.
That’s a joke I tell about myself. However, I am starting to notice and talk about my experiences. It wasn’t until I interviewed someone about Indigenous rights (I’m a journalism student) and they told me I probably experience racism every day, that it started to sink in. It was true; I realized that I don’t fit in. I didn’t go on a quest of self-discovery, but I do have to come to terms with this. I don’t live in exile, but I don’t feel like I belong. I can blend in with white people, but then I have to listen to them complain about “the Natives.” “Sit down, shut up and smile,” is a common phrase I say to myself, which really doesn’t reflect who I am. I think this is all less about me discovering myself, and more about me getting used to always being a little different than everyone else. I shouldn’t have to hide my heritage, but I do. I shouldn’t have to endure racism, but I do. I shouldn’t have to listen to people telling me to go buy a Grand Cherokee, but I do. It’s funny how racism, even in its most benign forms, can shape you. Even when you embrace “the good life.” Everyone knows what’s best for me, except for me. And I guess they’re right. What do I know? I’m just a white “redskin.”
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Words and photos by Disha Bisto Held from Oct. 16-19, the Red Shawl Campaign at UNB aims to create awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women in New Brunswick and across Canada.
walk, which was renamed as ‘walk a mile in her moccasins’ this year.
In Indigenous communities, red shawls are presented to girls as a recognition of their growth into women; they are also a symbol of protection. Red represents the heart, the non-discriminating part of people that enables them to love everyone.
The candlelight vigil was held on Oct. 16 behind Marshall d’Avray hall, which is home to the Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre. Elder-in-residence and instructor, Imelda Perley, performed the ceremony in the tipi on campus. While preparing for the ritual, Perley explained to attendees the importance of each component involved. The ritual honours the spiritual male and female parts of all participants and recalls attention to the importance of a balanced way of living.
During the month of October, red shawls are hung around campus as a reminder of the missing women. Two important and recurring events of the campaign are the candlelight vigil and the healing 14
Candlelight Vigil
Healing Walk On Oct. 19, more than 50 advocates of the Red Shawl Campaign gathered at City Hall to participate in ceremony, prayer and speeches. The importance of community support was a constant theme through the speeches made by various leaders of Fredericton.
in Canada are disproportionately affected by all forms of violence. Although Indigenous women make up 4 per cent of Canada’s female population, 16 per cent of all women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2012 were Indigenous.” Angela Acquin, a First Nations employee at Devon Middle School, accompanied about 15 students to the healing walk.
In 2015, the government of Canada set up a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. As part of the background on the inquiry, the government stated that “Indigenous women and girls 15
Words by Marlowe Evans In early October, Fredericton’s Playhouse was once again host to one of Atlantic Ballet Canada’s finest pieces: Ghosts of Violence. The ballet is passionately and heart-breakingly relevant as it tells stories of violence against women and girls. In a society that is becoming increasingly aware of the effects of gender-based and domestic violence against women, the ballet could not come at a more poignant time. The ballet tells four separate stories, each one about a broken relationship that devolves into violence. The main character watches three times as relationships around her change and warp, each time thinking it will be different for her– but it isn’t. All of this is told through the art form of classical ballet. The story is all the more haunting for the way it is told through a vocabulary of movement. Originally conceptualized around domestic vio-
lence against women in New Brunswick, Ghosts of Violence has recently teamed up with the Red Shawl Campaign and the Mi’kmaq-Wolastoquey Centre to deepen the narrative. For the past two years, the ballet has been re-envisioned, adding Indigenous art, music, and stories to pay a special tribute to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The ballet’s choreographer Igor Dobrovolskiy, co-founder of the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada and laureate of the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for High Achievement in the Arts, was the mind behind the original ballet, which premiered for the first time in 2011. “We’re raising awareness. This is the key message, especially for the younger generation,” Dobrovolskiy explained, speaking of domestic violence. “We don’t talk. [The ballet] is not any lecture, it’s not any explanation verbally. It’s the power of the music and the power of the movement.”
Ghosts of Violence cast members pose with choreographer Igor Dobrovolskiy (far right). Photo submitted by Atlantic Ballet Canada 16
The re-imagined ballet began with the Wolastoq Song and transitioned to piano music as the ballet dancers moved in and began to tell the stories of the four women whose relationships fell apart. The classical movements of the ballet’s choreography blended seamlessly with performances by traditional Indigenous jingle dress dancers, who moved through the ballet dancers in the eerie quiet after acts of violence. The audience was entirely silent. The only sound was the soft jingle of the dancers as they moved across the stage, the bright colours of their dresses standing defiantly against the sadness of what had just occurred. The Red Shawl Song signalled the end of the first act, and there was a sobering dance processional as the curtain fell. The pace picked up as the second act began and the ballet’s main character, referred to only as “She,” began to experience violence in her own relationship. The jingle dancers returned, their steps slightly faster. As the ballet finished and She realized all doors had closed to her and that she was trapped, performers sang the Strong Woman’s Song. There could not have been a more powerful ending to the story. The Red Shawl Campaign works to highlight the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada. Its collaboration with Atlantic Ballet Canada in Ghosts of Violence has never been more relevant than it is now, raising awareness about domestic and partner-based violence against women and members of the transgender and two-spirit communities. The second year of collaboration on the ballet brought back not only a beautiful blend of ballet and Indigenous dance, but also a sense of beauty in vocabulary. Samaqani Cocahq painted the dancers’ pointe shoes with images and words meaning mother, sister, grandmother, daughter, aunt. These words, as the dancers portraying abused women were literally dragged across the stage, shone out at the audience, reminding all that missing and murdered Indigenous women matter. They have families and loved ones who are still waiting and still trying to heal. Projects like and the Red Shawl Campaign are trying to raise awareness so there will be no more stolen sisters, mothers, or daughters. The Government of New Brunswick has a help number listed for anyone experiencing domestic or partner-based violence. The Fredericton number is 506 458-9774, and the Women’s Equality Branch Violence Prevention Unit can be contacted toll-free at (877) 253-0266.
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During the First World War, roughly 300 male UNB graduates and undergraduates enlisted for military service. Among these enlisted men, 32 were killed during their service and are listed on the honour roll in Memorial Hall. These UNB alumni would have joined the 26th Battalion of New Brunswick. This battalion was formed in November 1914 and were known as the “Fighting 26th” for their fierce combat performance in the September battles of the Ypres salient. These famous engagements include the Second Battle of Ypres, at Courcelette, the Somme (1916), Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, and Passchendaele in 1917. The battalion also fought at Amiens and the Hundred Days campaign of 1918, serving continuously on the Western Front from 1915 until the Armistice in 1918. Over 5 700 soldiers entered the ranks of the Fighting 26th during this three-year period, with 900 killed and almost 3 000 wounded. J. Brent Wilson is a history professor at UNB and is currently instructing the 3rd year course “The Generation of the Great War”. Wilson has also written a book about the Fighting 26th entitled A Family of Brothers: Soldiers of the 26th New Brunswick Battalion in the Great War. Dr. Wilson is quite the authority on this subject and said that the enlisted UNB students probably would have represented a broad cross-section of students. “There were a large number of students who ended up going into technical services,” said Wilson. “They may have been from engineering, the sciences, math and that sort of thing. Many of them ended up in the artillery, which was becoming much more scientific. As well, a number of them joined the British air services and ended up as pilots and Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service and so forth.” While a scientific background was more prominent among UNB recruits, Wilson said men who joined the army came from all kinds of disciplines. “Many of them ended up in the infantry as well, so they probably had a broader edu18
cational background.” UNB students would have had many motivations to enlist. “Many of them had a strong sense of patriotism,” said Wilson. “Britain was at war therefore Canada was at war, and they were joining up to help the mother country during the war. I think a lot of the young men who were students at the time believed in what you might describe as the ‘martial virtue’ of the day; it was still prevalent in people’s thinking.” Some men might have had different, less idealist motivations: “Others could have been much more basic. They were looking for adventure, or maybe they were looking to get away from home.” While many of the soldiers entered with romantic notions of war, Dr. Wilson noted these were quickly shattered by the harsh realities of warfare. The experiences of deployed UNB troops of course depended “to a certain extent of what branch of the armed forces that they joined.” However, the most brutal experiences happened to the infantrymen on the frontlines. “If they were infantry, like a number of them whose names appear on the honor roll and who were killed in action, it would be high intensity combat,” said Dr. Wilson. “As well, they would have fought in a fair amount of what I would describe as routine trench warfare, just a sort of holding the line on a day to day basis, engaging in low level fighting against the Germans on the Western Front.” The conditions in these trenches are infamous for their frequency to torment the soldiers nearly as much as the combat itself. The soldiers were “essentially living in the open and under some pretty difficult conditions. They not only had the enemy shooting at them, but the living conditions as well were difficult. They went for long periods of time without a bath or, or change of clothes. Many of them became infested with lice, they developed all different kinds of illnesses, and diseases as a result of polluted water. That sort of thing as well as the effects of the fighting can cause shell shock [PTSD], which was a problem for some of the soldiers,” said Dr. Wilson. “I think for many of them to join up, and then go overseas and end up fighting in France and Belgium on the Western Front, for some of these young men, this was really their first time away from home and to define themselves,” said Dr. Wilson. Being exposed to the violence of the First World War at such a young age certainly shaped these men significantly. We tend to believe that going to university is a big step and transition in a young person’s life, but it’s hard to imagine the drastic effect of brutal combat on one’s mind and personal development.
Dr. Wilson’s book is not only a comprehensive historical account of the Fighting 26th as a battalion, but UNB alumni who died during the war feature prominently in the book, including Ernest McKenzie, who became the colonel and commanding officer of the 26th Battalion. Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Ernest Graham McKenzie, enlisted as a major in 1914 and was the commanding officer of the battalion by 1916. Born in Campbellton in 1878, he graduated from UNB with a Bachelor of Arts in 1902 and his Master of Arts in 1904. “In August 1918, he was the last New Brunswicker to die at the front,” said Wilson. McKenzie had survived all of the deadliest battles from 1915 and onwards with the rest of the battalion, but was killed in the Hundred Days campaign at Cherisy. He posthumously received a Distinguished Service Order medal for his bravery in combat. “It’s believed that Colonel McKenzie was nominated for Victoria Cross after he was killed in action,” Wilson said. While three New Brunswickers received the Victoria Cross in the First World War, none of them were UNB graduates. However, McKenzie did receive a Distinguished Service Order medal for his bravery as an officer in combat. If you choose to remember our veterans on Nov. 11, you don’t have to be remembering them for their glory or courage. You can celebrate 2018 as the centennial year of the end of WWI, and an end to the mass sacrifice of lives. Remember the sacrifice of others in your personal way this Remembrance Day, and lest we forget.
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November 11, 2018 will mark the 100th anniversary of the ending of the First World War. For this occasion, we took a look back on the lives and experiences of some of the 32 University of New Brunswick alumni who were killed in the war.
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Lt. George Paget Owen Fenwick, 1882 1917
ney-General of Alberta where he would serve as solicitor to the Attorney-General.
Born in Apohaqui, New Brunswick, George Fenwick began his studies at the University of New Brunswick in the fall of 1898 after having been awarded the Kings County Scholarship. He graduated in 1902 with honours in Natural Science and Chemistry before moving to Queen’s University for his post-graduate studies. He would eventually move onto Dalhousie Law School before settling into a position with the Department of the Attor-
On Aug. 28, 1916, Fenwick enlisted and was assigned to the 115th Battalion but was soon transferred to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps after his battalion was disbanded. His regiment was sent to France in May 1917, and he continued to serve over the next several months as a member of the 7th Machine Gun Company. On Oct. 30 1917, Lt. Fenwick was killed in action at the age of 35 when he and his battalion came under heavy artillery fire
while taking part in a machine gun barrage during the infamous Battle of Passchendaele. While his body was never recovered he was memorialized at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres, Belgium. In a 1926 issue of The Brunswickan, Fenwick’s former commanding officer spoke about the character of his late soldier, saying, “We were all very much affected by the death of Mr. Fenwick, for he was so keen, so full of enthusiasm, and a most likeable man. As he was in civic life, prominent in his profession, so he was out here a most efficient and courageous officer. He was always thorough, and everything that was given him to do was done well and in a most cheerful spirit. The army lost one of a kind we can ill-afford to lose.”
Major John Hales Sweet, 1878 - 1917
field on the Somme in January 1917. He was killed mere months later on April 9 while leading an attack during the battle of Vimy Ridge. According to the accounts of the soldiers serving alongside him, Sweet had been wounded in the arm early in the assault but refused to leave the battlefield to receive treatment, telling those advising him to leave, “No, I am going on with my men.” He managed to lead his battalion up to the first German trench line before he was killed instantly by a piece of shrapnel as he waved his troops on. Famed Canadian general Arthur Currie referred to Sweet as an “old and dear friend… regarded by all as an officer of outstanding promise.” This sentiment was supported by a member of Sweet’s battalion who said after the battle, “We were all very sorry to lose such a brave man and so fine an officer. His bright and cheerful manner and his bravery won the admiration of every man and officer.”
The son of an archdeacon, John Sweet was born in the town of Dalhousie, N.B. in Oct. 1878, and grew up in Miramichi where he attended Harkin’s Academy. He was considered a natural leader whose friendly demeanor, resilient optimism and unflinching courage earned the respect and confidence of those around him in all facets of his life. Sweet completed his Bachelor of Arts at UNB in 1899, serving as the valedictorian of his class while also working as an editor for The University Monthly. After graduating, he moved with his family to Victoria, B.C. where he began studying law and ultimately formed his own law firm. When he wasn’t studying or working, Sweet lived an active life and participated in several different outdoor sports including canoeing. Sweet enrolled in the military in 1915 and was assigned to the 72nd Battalion where he quickly ascended through the leadership ranks from lieutenant to captain to major. He and his battalion spent months fighting on the front lines in France before his exemplary leadership qualities once again earned him the possibility of a promotion as he was chosen along with 12 other officers to begin training for higher positions within the army. Major Sweet rejoined his troops on the battle-
Graph shows that majority of soldiers enlisted were university age. Note: Ages 50-59 and 60+ totalled less than 1%.
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Major Rainsford Hannay Winslow, 1887 1918 Rainsford Winslow was a Fredericton local who enrolled at UNB in the fall of 1904 before transferring to McGill University in 1906 to finish his Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering. After graduating in 1909, Winslow moved to British Columbia where he began his career working as a land surveyor. Shortly after the breakout of the war in 1914 Winslow expressed a desire to return to New Brunswick and enlist in the military but was temporarily convinced to stay by his employers who did not want to lose the skilled, young worker. However, this would be short lived - by the end of the year he had joined the 48th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces and was sent to Britain to begin his service. In 1916, shortly after receiving a promotion to captain, Winslow was wounded twice in the same day by pieces of shrapnel but continued to fight. It was this type of leadership that earned him a promotion to the rank of major in 1918, placing him in command of approximately 800 soldiers. Major Winslow died on Sept. 9, 1918, four days after being wounded by a shell during combat in Northern France. He was the second member of his family to be lose their life in the war after his older brother J.A. Winslow was killed in France the year prior.
Frank Harvey Tingley, 1890 - 1918 Frank Tingley was born in the small New Brunswick community of Point de Bute and grew up in Moncton before enrolling at UNB in 1906 to complete his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Tingley was a well-liked student who was known for his reserved and modest demeanor. Outside of the classroom, his friends knew him as a talented pianist and an enthusiastic participant in a range of student activities on campus, such as the university glee club of which he was a member throughout his time at UNB. After graduating in 1910, Tingley found work as a civil engineer until the outbreak of war led him to volunteering as a lieutenant with the 3rd Field Battery of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. The young soldier’s service began in England in 1914 before being moved to France the following year. In May of 1915, Tingley was struck in the knee during combat on the battlefields of Ypres - a wound which would force him to temporarily return to his hometown of Moncton to recover. The military recognized the bravery Tingley showed during the battle by awarding him the Military Cross. He briefly returned to the frontlines in Jan. 1916 but was wounded again months later and once again returned home to recover. This time the injured lieutenant was offered the opportunity of a staff position that would allow him to remain in Canada. However, he refused this offer and instead requested to be allowed to return to combat. On Sept. 5, 1918, Tingley was gravely injured by a bomb. Despite the severity of his injuries he managed to survive for over a month and even showed signs of potentially being able to recover before he finally succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 14, passing away at the age of 28.
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Photo displays newspaper announcing Major Rainsford Hannay Winslow’s death in 1918.
Photo by Veteran Affairs Canada
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Robert Kilgour Shives, 1891 - 1916 Hailing from Campbellton, N.B., Robert Shives began attending UNB in 1909 to study forestry. By pursuing a career in the forestry industry, he followed in the footsteps of his late father who was a successful lumber merchant before being killed by a misfiring rifle while hunting in 1905. The younger Shives began his forestry career shortly after his graduation in 1913 but the beginning of the war made him want to set his burgeoning career aside in order to join the fight. Shives originally volunteered to join the military in 1914 but was rejected due to physical limitations caused by an ankle injury he received doing forestry work. Still determined to do what he believed was his duty, Shives travelled to Toronto and
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began taking an aviation course which he paid for entirely out of his own pocket. His newfound abilities as a pilot allowed him to finally get accepted into the military as a member of the Royal Flying Corps and before long he had joined the fighting in Ypres where his seemingly natural talent for flying allowed him to quickly rise through the ranks to the position of captain. In the spring of 1916, Shrives was severely injured in a dogfight against a German plane but still managed to fly his plane over 25 miles back to safety. He was sent back home to Canada for several months to recover but returned to active duty in August of that year. The young Captain was killed in a tragic accident less than a month later when a machine gun that he was examining inadvertently discharged.
Ned Bowes, the “Maître de Vitreux,” unveils the stained glass at Memorial Hall following 2,000 hours of restoration. Photo by Cameron Lane
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Words by Isabelle Leger | Photos by Cameron Lane Ned Bowes, the “Maître de Vitreux,” stood in the auditorium of Memorial Hall. “Let me welcome you to the light,” he said as seven curtains unveiled the restored stained glass windows. After two years and over 2,000 hours of labour, members of the community filled the hall’s auditorium to witness the restored windows for the first time. Memorial Hall was built in 1923, dedicated to the 300 graduate and undergraduate UNB students who fought in the First World War. “32 of them did not return and whose names are inscribed above this entrance,” said Bowes as he pointed to the front of the auditorium. The building has housed the departments of physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical engineering and physical education, until 1961 when it became the permanent Arts Centre at UNB. “It was suggested that this building would, all the more effectively, serve to honour the memory of the students in the past and that it would also serve to prepare students of the future,” said Bowes. The seven windows were placed in the building’s auditorium between 1926 and 1943. Each one represents important figures in history, poetry, science and the UNB community. 26
George MacLean, vice-president academic at UNB Fredericton, spoke at the event on behalf of the University. “These windows have made MEM hall so much more than a classroom,” MacLean said. Over the years, the windows became tarnished by cement, dirt and excessive exposure to sunlight. The glass itself began to crack due to its weight. Bowes explained that it took 200 hours to remove the cement off of one window alone. Bowes spent between 8 to 10 hours a day on his feet restoring the stained glass windows, and he faced several difficulties throughout the process. Each window consists of nearly 500 pieces of glass. After being taken apart and restored, each piece had to be put back perfectly in place or the window wouldn’t fit in the frame. Although it was a daunting task, Bowes says it was worth it. “It is something that I love. If you love something, you’ll never work a day in your life,” he said. Bowes thanked the audience for joining him for the grand reveal and the crowd stood up one by one, giving him a standing ovation.
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Sidebar is a new podcast produced in partnership by The Brunswickan and CHSR. Focusing on issues in Fredericton, New Brunswick, hosts Alexandre Silberman and Isabelle Leger take you beyond the headlines once a month. This news and current affairs show includes conversations with experts and community leaders as we unpack the issues our listeners want to hear about. Find the latest episode of Sidebar in Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn Radio and Soundcloud. This month’s episode is on cannabis legalization and the various impacts this major change could have on the province. Below is an edited transcript of an interview from the show with Danielle Connell, the research services officer at St. Thomas University. Alexandre Silberman 0:00 What research is currently being done regarding cannabis and the potential economic benefits it could have here in New Brunswick? Danielle Connell 0:07 Big question. There’s a lot of research going on in New Brunswick, if that’s what we want to focus on. Cannabis research is so incredibly interdisciplinary; there are areas that faculty can research in any department in any discipline. So currently, St. Thomas University has some faculty in our criminology and criminal justice department who are researching the history of criminal law regarding cannabis and projecting what needs to happen in the future. We’ve got another faculty member who’s researching educating high school youth and enabling them to create their own educational programming specific to the high schools. She’s received funding from Health Canada for that project at UNB. Now, we have been awarded these cannabis research chairs to study health. So the St. Thomas University cannabis health research chair is going to focus on the social impacts of legalization and impacts on our health. And the chair at UNB is going to focus on chemistry, chemical engineering, understanding the chemical components 28
of cannabis and how that can be used in health at other institutions. Université de Moncton, big shout out to UdeM, they’ve got more going on, really cannabis handson research, than arguably all of the other universities and colleges in New Brunswick. And then in addition to that NBCC has a training program to be an employee at a licensed producer (a cannabis-growing technician). And that’s the only program of its kind in the Atlantic provinces that I know of. So lots of little pockets of things going on. And right now we’re at the point where everybody’s getting to the same table and sharing, oh, you’re doing this and you’re doing that, oh, wow, we’ve got to connect these people. And there’s so many lines that we can draw to connect all of these researchers. So it’s a really exciting time. Alexandre Silberman 2:45 What collaboration is going on between research in different fields? And what are some of the challenges of bridging those gaps? Danielle Connell 2:51 A lot of the legwork right now is being done by administrators; we’re trying to lay groundwork in the province. And by we, I mean, we’ve put together a pretty large team. Just to backtrack a bit: back in April, myself and representatives from St. Thomas University, UNB, NBCC, Université de Moncton, the Department of Agriculture, and Opportunities New Brunswick went to Germany and Holland and [met with experts on cannabis legalization]. We met with their government, we met with industry, we met with licensed producers, researchers, we visited six
Hosts Isabelle Leger and Alexandre Silberman record the first episode of Sidebar inside the studio of CHSR 97.9 FM. Photo by Cameron Lane
universities, and we came back from those 11 days just bursting with ideas. So that core team has since quadrupled in size and has become regional in scope. And what we’re doing through our various networks is encouraging our whole region to think collectively, think collaboratively because cannabis is such an interdisciplinary opportunity. The door’s open for everyone, no one’s excluded. There’s such a big pie to take a slice from and UNB and St. Thomas are working night and day to lay a really unique framework for our cannabis health research chairs to come into. When they start, they can hit the ground running. We’ve already got research assistance and research internships lined up for them. We’ve got funding lined up partnerships within the region, international partners that want to work with them, and industries that wants to fund their research. Safety is the number one reason why these things are going to go really slowly. It’s new uncharted territory, and the whole world is watching. Alexandre Silberman 5:08 Are there ethical considerations with legalizing cannabis and having retail sales? On one hand, you’d like to properly inform the public of some of the health implications of cannabis, but on the other hand, the province will also benefit from sales.
chael Boudreau. He’s written a really interesting article about how [the government] is going to achieve that balance: making money selling a drug that used to be illegal, educating people on safe usage, yet not promoting its use. It’s not like alcohol. It’s not like gambling. It’s not like tobacco. It’s not like anything we’ve done before. Finding that balance is where research data is going to come in and hopefully answer people’s problems, because right now the research data is so sparse. So we’re going to see research really explode. Perhaps we can position the atlantic provinces as the home base for say, cannabis clinical trials for veterans or PTSD sufferers or cannabis long term use. If we can set up a 30-year trial to study long term use, then we’ll have facts about what that balance has to look like. But right now, we don’t know. There’s so many unknowns. That’s why it’s so interesting. Alexandre Silberman 6:39 Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Really appreciate it. Danielle Connell 6:42 You’re welcome. Thank you. Listen to this interview and other conversations about cannabis legalization in the October episode of Sidebar.
Danielle Connell 5:23 Exactly! I will refer your listeners to a STU professor, Mi29
Gardeners at Kings Landing Historical Settlement pick fresh rhubarb. All the villagers who greet visitors play characters from 19th century New Brunswick. Kings Landing boasts a wide variety of animals, ranging from horses and livestock to squirrels and chipmunks. The Kings Head Inn offers traditional fare with fresh ingredients from the village gardens. The village is a quaint and peaceful setting which visitors can take in by foot or catch a wagon ride to take in an authentic transportation experience. A horse greets visitors inside the village barn.
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ings Landing Historical Settlement is more than just a living history museum; it is a journey through life in 19th century New Brunswick. With over 70 000 artifacts, Kings Landing has one of the largest collections in Atlantic Canada. The collection contains stories spanning over 150 years, from the exodus of Loyalists during the American Revolution to the Victorians and the confederation of Canada and on to the age of progress in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The museum itself is divided in two areas: the Exhibit Experience and the Village. The exhibit area of Kings Landing features daily performances, exhibits, children’s activities and workshops. There are over 40 exhibits when you first enter the museum that provide insight into the history you’ll experience in the Village, which is is filled with animals, historic homes, and characters that interpret real stories from New Brunswick’s past.
The main road running through Kings Landing is 1.1 km each way, but there are plenty of rest stops along the way. Free hop-on, hop-off wagon rides are also available. Every day at Kings Landing is a new experience because programs and activities change daily. Kings Landing is located along New Brunswick’s history-rich Saint John River, just 20 minutes west of Fredericton. Although the museum has closed its doors until June 2019, the Kings Head Inn Restaurant will be serving Christmas dinners the last two weekends of November and from Dec. 1 - 23. The museum is a must-see for any residents or visitors of New Brunswick. Whether you’re a student, faculty member or worker, Kings Landing is a spectacular place to visit during the summer and fall season.
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