Issue 22, Vol 145, The Brunswickan

Volume 145 · Issue 22 • February 22, 2012

www.thebruns.ca

the

bruns canada’s oldest official student publication.

DesRoches

The accidental athlete

pg. 19

see inside unbsu election coverage state of the arts cis swimming qualifiers

Tim Lingley / The Brunswickan

p g.

4 pg. 11 pg. 17

brunswickannews

2 • Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

Tibbits Hall says it all with a T

Residents from Tibbits, Aitken, Kidd, MacKenzie, Bridges, Neill, and Elizabeth Parr Johnston houses gather in the DKT lounge to show support for the house’s opposition to co-ed residency.

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

It Gets Better campaign hits home Bronté James The Brunswickan Mostafa Shaker is tackling a topic that’s close to his heart and trying to show students that “it gets better.”

The business student is launching an It Gets Better campaign at UNB. The Internet-based project was started by journalist Dan Savage in response to the number of suicides of gay teenagers who were bullied by their peers.

“The topic itself is very close to me,” Shaker said.

“I have a friend whose brother committed suicide because of him being gay and not being accepted in the community.”

Having seen the YouTube videos created

by Savage and the campaign, Shaker was inspired and made the decision to get St. Thomas University and the University of New Brunswick involved.

Talking to his proctor team in Joy Kidd House, they started writing scripts, casting and started brainstorming ideas for a real life narrative.

“I really just want to raise awareness in university, and show people that it’s important to show support,” Shaker said.

“People come here from the LGBT [Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender] community and really need their support.”

Shaker hopes not to help just those in the LGBT community, but parents who are helping their kids through rough times.

University is a lot more accepting of a person’s sexual preference, Shaker said, and he hopes to portray that in the video.

“It’s not like it all gets better in a minute, it’s a transition,” he said.

Mostafa Shaker is launching an It Gets Better campaign at UNB. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan “University is a huge part of that because a lot more people are a lot more accepting.

There is a huge support system.”

Shaker also wants to show youth that high school can be hard, but things get easier if they just hold on.

“I know when people think about it a year seems like a long time, but a year in high school is not even a quarter of your life,” Shaker said.

“If my friend’s brother had hung on one more year, he might be here.”

Moving from Egypt, Shaker comes from a culture that has no tolerance for any sexual orientation.

“You have to be straight, there’s no question. But coming here, everyone is so open,” Shaker said.

Being able to connect with people, realizing people want to help, and personal growth are only a few of the things Shaker has learned during his work on the campaign.

“I’ve realized so many people in university just want to help, they’re so nice,” he said.

“It’s overwhelming sometimes how much you learn. It’s great. It’s opened myself up and it’s just so great.”

He’s heard stories from faculty and students from both UNB and STU. Shaker said he never anticipated getting that much feedback.

“When you’re communicating such harsh experiences in your life it’s sometimes hesitant, but some people I’ve talked to really, really want to help this,” he said.

Shaker is hoping to have the video finished for March 19, and have it go for three days.

“I just thought it’s great. It’s a project that means a lot to a lot of people,” Shaker said.

Mostafa Shaker, along with all those involved in the campaign, is attempting to show students that it, in fact, does get better.

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brunswickannews

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 3

Student remembered for constant love of life

Christopher Cameron Editor-in-Chief She always had a smile on her face.

Sheila Bergeron remembers her daughter Amber Lynn always had the highest spirits in whatever she was doing.

Amber Lynn, 18, was an arts student in her second semester at UNB, with the aspiration of becoming an early childhood educator before her sudden passing in a road accident on Feb. 11.

“She just loved children and wanted to teach elementary school,” Bergeron says.

Bergeron says although Amber Lynn was a full-time student at UNB and worked part-time at Tim Hortons, she would take time to look after children.

“She loved kids so although she was working at Tim Hortons, anytime anybody called to have her babysit, she would babysit.”

Her passion for working with children was also clear in her biggest passion and love in life, spending time with her sister Yasmine. They would go shopping, just hang out at the mall or go to the dog park in Oromocto.

“She always made sure her sister was alright before she did anything or went anywhere,” Bergeron says. “Her and her sister were always really close even though there was a five-year

difference.”

“They’ve always been close because with the age difference she (Amber Lynn) always wanted to be her (Yasmine) little mother.”

Amber Lynn was five when Yasmine was born and although some siblings may become jealous of the attention a new baby receives, she never acted that way.

“She didn’t want to leave Yasmine’s side or go to school,” Bergeron says.

“She adored her. I thought of the jealousy thing and that it might happen, but there was never any jealousy.”

Her love for animals was like no other. The Fredericton SPCA was always close to her heart.

“She didn’t volunteer, but she wanted to. She went over as often as she could to look at the pets.”

Although her family had their own dog, her favourite dog breed was the huskie.

“She was waiting to move out this summer so she could get her huskie, something she had always wanted.”

Bergeron said her daughter’s personality was loving and kind and she displayed this to everyone she met.

“She had a giant heart,” Sheila says.

“She’d do anything for anybody, even if she was busy with other things.”

“She was just a loving person with a kind heart.”

Amber Lynn is survived by her mother, father Eric, sister Yasmine, and extended family members.

Alyson MacIsaac The Brunswickan

Amber Lynn Bergeron passed away on Feb. 11. Submitted

UNB revamps online policy to match downloading traffic

Terry Nikkel said students are often embarassed after getting a warning from ITS. Tim Lingley / The Brunswickan Hiary Paige Smith News Editor As technology changes rapidly, the university is changing its Internet policy to get with the times.

Integrated Technology Services recently unveiled its new Acceptable Use Policy,

which governs how community members use UNB’s network. The policy limits the downloading of copyrighted materials to the terms of license agreements and the Canadian Copyright Act. Terry Nikkel, associate vice-president of ITS, said the university cannot detect what people are downloading, only if there is a

Student Union election not attracting attention

high volume of traffic from a specific address. If enough illegal activity is detected, UNB issues a warning to the student.

“What we technically do is get in touch with the person who has been detected and remind them of the policy and, because we always give the benefit of the doubt, is someone doing this inadver-

tently? But the policy does make it really clear,” Nikkel said.

When asked if a student downloading music from FrostWire would receive a warning, as an example, Nikkel said “we would not generally be monitoring that kind of thing and we really don’t.”

Often third-party websites will notify the university if there is a high volume of downloading.

Microsoft recently blocked the university after a phishing scam circulated through the email system. Phishing is when people attempt to get sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and financial information, through emails.

In 2006, the UNB’s Information Technology Services (ITS) received 40 warnings from third-party sites about illegal downloading on campus. In 2011, ITS received 480.

There are no academic repercussions that come with receiving a warning. Nikkel said it’s also unlikely students will do the same activity again.

Nikkel said the university is meant to be an open environment, but if it is faced with illegal activities, it has to issue a warning.

The new Acceptable Use Policy took over a year to develop. It included input from faculty, staff members and students.

Nikkel said they plan to make minor reviews of the policy, with another full review expected in three years. They also plan on adding policy around smart phone and tablet usage.

The University of New Brunswick Student Union is holding its annual student elections in the next two weeks.

Not enough students were interested in positions and nominations were extended for a number of spots on council. The original nomination period, from Feb. 3 to 10, was extended to Feb. 17.

Cassie MacK in lay, t he Chief Returning Officer of the UNBSU, explained the importance of student votes for UNB. “Problems that can arise with students not voting is the possibility of poor representation, meaning a student government who cannot do the job that students want,” she said.

The Facebook page for the election had only 111 people click “attending” as of Monday.

MacKinlay said students may not be interested in voting because they don’t know what the Student Union does.

“I think the Student Union needs to be more public in terms of actually going out to the students and mingling, versus setting up somewhere and asking the students to come to them,” MacKinlay said.

In 2011, there were several efforts to get more students to vote, including a spread in the Brunswickan and an electronic polling station set up in the Student Union Building.

However, student voter turnout was only 7.9 per cent.

Some students admitted to not knowing much about elections, and think the Student Union does not have a big effect on the student population.

Will Kowalsky said he had not heard about the election and won’t be voting because he is unsure of what is happening with the UNBSU. “I didn’t k now there was an election going on, I haven’t heard anything about it,” Kowalsky said.

Brittany McGraw, a second-year student, said she will be voting in the election.

“I think it’s important to vote and put our say in because this is our university.”

“If students don’t speak up about what they want or expect from their Student Union then they cannot complain about the results,” MacKinlay said.

UNB elections will run from Feb. 27 until Mar. 2. Voting is done online through e-services.

brunswickanvotes

4 •Feb. 22, 2011 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

news@thebruns.ca

Dr. T. Wayne Lenehan Dr. M. Michele Leger

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One-on-one with Andrew Martel Alanah Duffy News Reporter Andrew Martel is typing away at his computer, dressed up in a pink collared shirt. Two days after Valentine’s Day, a half-eaten box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates and a card saying, “I’m so glad I found you” adorn his desk.

Martel, 20, grew up in Miscouche, PEI and is in his third year of studying computer science at the University of New Brunswick. He is the current vice-president finance and operations for the UNB Student Union and also devotes time to peer mentoring other students in the computer science department.

He could be your student union president next year.

Currently running for the presidential position unopposed, Martel says his experience on the executive council during the 2011-2012 school year is just one reason people should mark “yes” beside his name on their voting ballot.

“I know the workings of the student union, but overall, I feel like I want to represent the voice and the concerns of students,” he says. “I want to get students more involved; not only with events and services, but I want them to know what we’re lobbying about and what we’re aiming for.”

UNBSU VOTES 2012

hot off the press

Looking ahead to the next academic year, one of Martel’s primary concerns is the parental contribution factor to New Brunswick student loans.

In 2011, the New Brunswick government reinstated monetary contribution from parents as part of their assessment when dispensing student loans. The current UNB Student Union and the New Brunswick Student Alliance have lobbied against the provincial government on this issue, but parental contribution is still in effect.

“I know a lot of people who have been affected by this. Hearing their background stories and hearing how much they’ve suffered this year financially gives me perspective to focus on that and make it so that students aren’t just scraping by,” Martel says.

One of Martel’s ideas in relation to lobbying is to team up with provincial and national groups to gain more support and awareness.

Aside from lobbying the government, Martel says another main priority, if elected, is to increase student involvement and make the presence of the Student Union more prominent on campus.

Martel says he would like to develop something similar to Dr. Anthony Secco’s, UNB’s vice-president academic, Tuesdays with Tony. Secco

Garrett Proud

Engineering Rep. Third Year, Civil Eng.

sits in the Student Union Building to develop a dialogue with students.

“I want to do something along those lines; we need to be present in the SUB, since it’s a huge hub for students,” Martel says.

“With that, we can figure out what students want to do with events, what interests students, and what services they feel need to be improved or need to be created. We have opportunities that are right in front of us.”

Martel says these two responsibilities support his ultimate goal of providing a better student experience at UNB. His experience on the executive council this year has made him aware that the Student Union serves as a voice for students, he says. “ W hen I spoke w it h Jorda n [Thompson, current Student Union president] at the beginning of the year, I told him that presidents are often just known for one thing that they do. There have been a lot of presidents who’ve done the lobbying side of things, but for myself, I think I would like to be two-tiered,” Martel says.

“We really need to get our name out there, make sure that students know what we’re all about – our services, our resources and our lobbying efforts. That way, we’re all on the same page.”

The 2012 Student Union general election runs from Feb. 27 until Mar. 2.

Laura Carr

Nursing Rep. Second Year, Nursing

As a third year engineering student I’d like the opportunity to bring the voice of my peers to the Student Union and make sure that our opinions are heard. I’m looking to be involved in the university in more ways and representing the students I work with is just one step. I have been a house president for a year and know the importance of being accessible to the people I represent, so that everyone has the chance to share their ideas with the campus. I’ll be available to hear your ideas and opinions on a weekly basis and will bring them to council to be heard.

I truly enjoyed representing the Nursing student body in the 2011-2012 school year, and I hope to get the great opportunity to do so again. I welcome the challenge of the position but welcome the rewards of the future.

Tyler Pitre

Clint Gardiner

Arts Rep. Second Year, Philosophy My name is Tyler Pitre and I am a second year Arts students, pursuing my honors in philosophy and a minor in biology, and also taking additional science courses. I want to be your Arts representative because I believe I can bring reliable and trustworthy representation to the council. I have community involvement experience; I am focused, and have a wide background in arts. I have taken a great variety of courses from languages, philosophy, political science, all the way to physical science, and loved studying each subject as much as the other. Because of my background and wide interest, I believe I can relate to most arts students at UNB and want to give them the best possible representation possible. If you vote for me, I will do my best, as one of your three councilors, to represent the largest and best faculty at UNB.

Thank you

Laura Carr

VP Finance & Operations Second Year, Computer Sci.

In speaking with other students around campus, I have come to the conclusion that most students don’t know or don’t care about the annual Student Union fee and what the Student Union does with it. This needs to change as it is your money and you should have some say as to what happens with it. Individually the fee doesn’t do much, but collectively it allows the Student Union to provide services such as SafeWalk and SafeRide. This is where the VP Finance and Operations comes in, as they draft the student union budget. If I get elected, I will work closely with the students to get their opinion and with the executives to keep the money transparent. This will ensure that the fee is spent in the best way possible and that students are aware of where their money is going. I would also like to work very closely with the various clubs and societies at UNB to make sure that every group gets the funding that they need.

UNBSU VOTES 2012 Andrew Martel

President Third year, Computer Sci.

Adam Melanson

Jessica Jewell

VP External Third Year, Political Sci.

VP Internal Second Year, Engl./Fre.

I want to represent students, as I want to work for them and make the student experience a better one in every aspect. If elected President, I would work diligently towards getting students more involved and engaged when it comes to our event planning, updating/ changing services and lobbying the government. The Student Union is there to represent and be the voice of students and needs to act on the concerns that affect students.

I believe the student experience is essential in making the academic year fully enjoyable. I would like to make myself and the rest of the Executive publicly available to discuss and speak with students outside of our offices and get feedback and suggestions on what they would like to see.

Representing the students is taking their concerns and finding solutions; representing students is taking their dreams and suggestions and making them a reality.

If elected as President and to the Board of Governors, I will work with the students and with the necessary groups to make the student experience an amazing thing.

From lobbying to events, from services to clubs, the Student Union can and will be the hub of everything important to students.

I promise not to stop until that is reached and students are properly represented.

On February 27th, sign-on to your e-Services and Vote Martel for UNBSU President & Board of Governors.

I am driven to run for VP-External because of the economic hardship of New Brunswick students today. Students are forced to pay increased tuition cost year after year and are encumbered by student debt and a bad loan system. New Brunswick has the second highest tuition on average in Canada and I know, as students, you are wzell aware of the hardships associated with this.

There are currently talks between university presidents and the government; on the agenda is a tuition schedule with rising tuition over the next four years. I am opposed to any tuition increases and believe that the typical approach of VP-Externals meeting government officials is not enough to stop rising tuition. Historically in Canada, the two provinces with effective student movements are Quebec and Newfoundland which foster a diversification of tactics and are more inclusive in their movements. This is the model that New Brunswick needs to adopt, making connections with actual students, the faculty unions, parents and the greater community in defense of our public universities.

Ancillary fees are merely backdoor tuition increases and should be considered as such. Last year there was a $200 tuition fee cap in the province but UNB students had an effective $350 increase when counting the “Currie Fee”. I would like to see provincial legislation mandating the approval of ancillary fees by the student body by referendum before their implementation. In short, I would like to see a return to affordability and minimal stress university environment of our parents.

I want to represent the students because I believe I can make positive changes and improvements to our campus. As V.P. Internal, I would like to continue to improve great events such as the Book Buy and Sell and English Corner Café. These events are very important and essential for a lot of students and I want to do everything I can to build on their success. On top of these events, I would like to work with the faculty councils and students to introduce more help centers. The Writing Center and Math Center are a great help for many students and I would like to explore the idea of creating help centers within each department and faculty. If elected, I would also like to start a study and support system for students with children.

This would allow parents around campus to meet other parents and create a support network that would include academic help when needed. Along with the other future executive members, I want to make the 2012-2013 year the best it can be at UNB! As cheesy as it may be, UNB is my home and I would love nothing more than to be a part of the UNBSU team. I love our school, I love the diversity and atmosphere here and I would love to be elected as your new V.P. Internal!

Mostafa Shaker

Trevor Parsons

David Murray

VP Internal Third Year, Business I am passionate for the UNB community and would like to represent my peers as VP Internal. I have experience in many different aspects of student life which will help to inform me in this role. I am creative, enthusiastic, and approachable. Go with the Fro!

VP Internal Third Year, History Hello, my name is Trevor Parsons and I am running in the UNBSU election for the position of VP Internal. I am in my third year of post-secondary education, two years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, ON and the last year at UNB. There are several reasons why I would like to represent students on the UNBSU executive, the first of which is that I have several years of leadership roles including the running of a university/high school youth group, the Young Conservatives of Sudbury, a municipal wide organization where I organized and ran events such as a blood drive, pre-election campaign of a federal candidate, as well as a protest against anti-Semitism. I was also on the board of the Students’ General Association, Laurentian student union as Accessibility Services Commissioner where I became a liaison between the student union and the Accessibility Services Centre. During my tenure as Accessibility Services Commissioner I was able to give more students access to services which had not been previously available such as helping more students be approved for the Ontario Student Access Grant. Other than my past leadership experience, I have an established platform including ideas such as: an academic mentorship program, greater student participation on faculty councils, a note taking and tutoring services for all faculties and programs.

VP Fin. and Operations Third Year, Economics I want to represent the students because I feel that some great change has to happen on certain issues, and my experience makes me able to fulfil my promises. First off when dealing with student’s money in a 1.7 million dollar budget needs as much influence from the students as possible. I want the budget to be tailored to EXACTLY what the students want by hosting online polls, mass student forums and private student meetings addressing specific concerns of students. The other major part of my platform involves opening dialogue between the SUB board and the administration with regards to ownership of the Student Union Building. I also want to fund the math help centre and the writing centre if the administration decides to cut funding, so that students are not compromised. Lastly I want to get into discussion with the clubs and societies so that I can do what ever is necessary to improve their presence on campus. Whether it’s more promotion, or increased funding, I will get into discussion with them, and act promptly. As for my experience, I served as a business ambassador on behalf of both Fredericton and New Brunswick in 2009, was elected head of a jury, and owned/operated a local business for the past 3 years.

For details on my platform, check out my event on facebook (via the SU general election). Also feel free to email me at u208q@unb.ca.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, have a nice day.

6 •Feb. 22, 2011 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

Marc Gauvin

VP Student Services Fourth Year, Soc./L.A.S.

Tomi Gbeleyi

UNBSU VOTES 2012

VP Fin. and Operations Third Year, Business

Chantel Whitman

brunswickanvotes

VP Student Services Fourth Year, Arts

My first priority next year is to represent you, the student body, in everything that’s important to you. This is your university and it is important that you have a strong student voice. I have been very active on campus, as VP of my Residence, Proctor and Business Rep on Student Union. This has given me the opportunity to talk to students and to hear a lot of good ideas and also to understand student issues.

The VP Finance and Operations is responsible for managing funds that affect student life directly. I want to ensure that we develop a budget to make 2012-2013 a great year in terms of student services and activities! I am an accounting major with experience working in banking and feel I have the qualifications to manage your funds well.

As the Student Union we are also here to influence decisionmakers on your behalf. Whether it is government, University administration or private industry there are many organizations that can affect your life as a student. This is particularly important in areas that impact our budgets. I will be part of your team that actively lobbies for effective change that will benefit your life and student experience. Most important I am running for this job because I think a strong link between students and the government they elect is important, so please throw me an email, or stop me on campus if you have any concerns, ideas or just want to chat.

Hey UNB! So I am supposed to tell you why I want to represent you in a few words. Well, that is a bit hard for me, because I could write an entire book with reasons. To start, I have the experience with this portfolio as I am your current VP Student Services. I also have a passion for this university and have been involved in the SU since my first year. I told myself that if students didn’t like certain things - someone had to step up and change it. That is what I did. I worked hard to have many different events, and change some of the services that the SU offers, to better your UNB experience. Every single event that I did, I kept you in mind. You make UNB as great as it is, and I want to help you make it even greater by listening to what you want to see here at UNB. This year, I held two concerts per term, which was much more than past years. (Look out next year – I plan on way more!) I had comedy nights, hypnotists and mentalists, and I even brought in a Mechanical Bull with a free trip to NYC for Winter Carnival, just to name a few events. So why do I want to represent you, you ask? Simply put, I love UNB and I would be honoured to better your UNB student experience even more next year, because the SU is here for you!

The welcoming atmosphere at UNB I experienced in my first year is the motivation behind my past, present and planned contributions to improving the campus experience at UNB. I have accumulated a wealth of experience relevant to the position of VP Student Services as an employee of UNB Student Affairs & Services, a Faculty of Arts Peer Mentor, a Residence Proctor for two years, a Residence Proctor for two years, a coordinator of International Student events, a Congress 2011 volunteer, an African Student Union executive, a Brunswickan contributor and a CHSR. FM member.

I plan on using the experience I have accumulated to implement the following: Expand and improve the SafeRide service. I plan on including service to the North side, adding more vans and integrating the service with social networking sites better.

Increase overall student involvement through creative and innovative events. I have shown that I can garner student involvement with the success of the UNB Lipdub video.

Organize student concerts and events that represent diverse student preferences.

Establish a better working relationship between the Residence Community and the UNB Student Union. The Residence Community raises a significant amount of money for various charities each school year and it will be beneficial for the Student Union to be actively involved in these events.

Establish a significantly better connection between the Brunswickan and the UNBSU thus creating a more approachable and accessible Student Union.

Joey O’Kane

Derek Ness

Hansika Gunaratne

Board of Governors Fourth Year, Business Hi everyone! My name is Joey O’Kane and I am currently one of your Board of Governors representatives. This year I sat on the Investments Committee and the Advancement Committee, ensuring that student concerns were addressed appropriately, while advocating for further student representation on administrative level decisions.

I am currently the UNBSU VP External and the President of the New Brunswick Student Alliance. This experience has allowed me to foster a strong relationship with the administration and the faculties to ensure that problems are solved in the most efficient manners.

I have built a reputation with these individuals that is based off of mutual respect and will therefore be able to get student concerns at the forefront of our conversations in the most effective manner.

Re-elect Joey O’Kane for your Board of Governors representative!

BoG, Bruns Board, Accessibility Liasion

Fourth Year, Arts

Having a strong reputation for positive and engaging student representation throughout my time at UNB, I would love to continue that legacy next year. Having served the accessibility community for two years on the Student Council, I would like to have the opportunity to continue that trend and to strive towards achieving more accessibility related successes to help meet the needs of each and every student.

Accessibility is a passion of mine since I have a visual impairment and also because I have a number of friends who have various accessibility related issues. Regardless of the nature of your accessibility concerns, being academic, social, or service related, I will attempt to find a remedy to the problem through my various accessibility networks, both on and off campus.

I am extremely joyous to report that as your Accessibility Representative in 2012-2013, I would have an enhanced voice at Council, since liaison positions will now become representative positions, providing voting rights to all members of council!

With respect to representation at the Board of Governors, I think that this would be a very worthwhile opportunity for me to expand my ability to serve the needs of those around me in an attempt to enhance the educational experience through a new channel.

Finally, having written for the Brunswickan as a volunteer and having read the paper for the past three and a half years, I think that it would be awesome to experience a behind-the-scenes aspect of our weekly glory.

Senator, SUB Board Fourth Year, Bio. I am your current Senator on the Fredericton Senate and VP Internal of the Student Union. I will be graduating with a BSc in Biology this upcoming May, and pursuing a BA in Philosophy starting in September.

I have worked diligently as the liaison between the Fredericton Senate and the Student Union over the past year as your Senator, and advocated for your student rights. Here are some of my accomplishments: I represented students’ interests in academic appeals and concerns, took initiative to ensure fair student representation on each of the Faculty Councils, and advocated for an effective process for the transfer of course credits between Faculties. I wish to accomplish more during 2012-13, including continuing to appropriately represent students on developments within Senate, and advocating for the realization of the university’s Strategic Plan and aid in its benefit for all students. Vote for my re-appointment as your Senator, as my experience and dedication will contribute to the betterment of your UNB experience!

Vote also for my appointment to the SUB Board of Directors, as I carry with me the passion to serve you. As a presently involved and informed leader of the Student Union, I would like to protect students’ interests as a member of the governing body of an establishment such as the SUB, which provides a variety of resources to you. I wish to stay connected to the SUB BOD, to ensure that the initiatives of this year see their completion in the upcoming year.

Thank you!

brunswickanvotes Tia Beaudoin

Arts Rep. Third Year, Political Sci.

Feb. 22, 2011 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 7

Lara Shaw

Nursing Rep. Third Year, Nursing

Robert Cole

Residence Rep. First Year, History

Kendra McLaughlin

Women’s Rep Third Year, Psych.

I am now in my third year of university and am beginning to fully understand the concept of stress.

So, not unlike a lot of people, I enjoy going to the Cellar for supper or some time out with friends - a luxury that most of us take for granted. What you may not know is that the SUB’s Inc Director works directly with the management to help the Cellar be the success it is. I have had the pleasure of working with the Cellar to plan the “Below the Belt” Cancer Awareness Week which took place earlier this year, so I know what it takes to do this job. I want you all to know that I will work extremely hard to make sure that this amazing place continues to be part of UNB’s student life here on campus and improve it in any way I can!

I am also running for the UNB Nursing Representative. As part of the Grad Class committee, I feel it is extremely important to be involved and be able to represent the needs of the Nursing faculty as a whole.

By holding regular office hours and expressing any concerns that the students may voice, I will represent the faculty of Nursing as the student representative.

Why do you want to represent students?: I’m running so I can listen to the opinions and voices of those people on campus who have something to say about our residences, and to present them to the Student Union in an efficient, productive way.

I want to bring attention to all of the aspects of our campus’ residences that the student body feels need improvement, or change, and to maintain the aspects of residences that students enjoy. I would present ideas for potential renovation projects, like window and heater repair, or potentially fight for more comfortable sleeping arrangements.

Residence life is about the students and it should be as comfortable as possible. I promise to do my utmost to design and present solutions to the Student Union and do my best to work through your suggestions, with their help.

I aspire to represent UNB women, because I am very passionate about women’s social and political issues. I want to continue the great work of our current Women’s Representative in hosting and organizing gender equity related events on campus. I am deeply committed to the goal of promoting a campus environment in which all people can live and work in an atmosphere of mutual understanding, safety, and equality. I would like encourage more campus-wide events which increase UNB students’ awareness of women’s issues and activism. I look forward to helping move the Student Union forward in devoting more energy towards creating an environment which celebrates the diversity of women’s concerns and the importance of women’s learning and social justice everywhere.

Ashley Hyslop

Jennifer Connolly

Emma Matchett

Katie Flynn

UNBSU VOTES 2012

I want to be a voice for my fellow Arts students.

We are the largest faculty, and arguably we have some of the largest worries. The other faculties on the whole have specific jobs that they’re being prepared for at the end of their degrees, but Arts students need to give a great deal of thought to where they will fit in society once we graduate.

I want to help Arts students from all disciplines tread these waters and answer these questions about the future. My goal is to lobby for more programs for Arts students; involving co-ops, internships, and future employment workshops to help students realize their potential. I also want to start an open dialogue through social media so Arts students can easily inform me of any concerns they have or issues they want discussed. A vote for me would be a vote towards making UNB work for you.

Comp. Sci. Rep. First Year, Comp. Sci.

Business Rep. Second Year

Science Rep. Second Year, Bio.

I want to represent students because I think everyone should have an opinion and I would like to be the voice of the many. Computer Science has normally been stereotyped to be students who play video/ computer games all night, and spend the other half of their time fixing computers. I however, hardly touch video/computer games, and I couldn’t fix a computer to save my life. I know there are others in the faculty like that too. I would like to represent my faculty differently than it has been in the past, because the students entering the program have changed dramatically. I am also one of few females in the program which gives me a different perspective. I want to represent the average student in my faculty and not the stereotyped one. I want to represent students because I can relate to them and I think I would be good at it.

I want to represent the students of the Business Administration faculty because I want to work with the Student Union to create projects that with benefit you, the Business students. I will attend all Council meetings, making sure that your concerns and questions are voiced. I have acted in various leadership roles, including being heavily involved in life at my residence, Lady Beaverbrook. I believe these experiences will allow me to properly represent the faculty of Business Administration. I will make sure that my reports are open to the public, so you can see what your Business Councillors are up to. I will be available even outside my office hours to listen to your concerns. Vote for me as Business Councillor – a vote for me is a vote for your voice being heard!

-I have an analytical and logical thought process -Science is my passion -I am approachable and considerate -I can articulate my thoughts clearly and consistently -I can appropriately represent the Faculty of Science -I am enthusiastic to be involved

Ben Whitney

Kevin Beets

Caleb Nunn

VP External Third Year, Business

Senate, LGTBQ rep., SUB board.

Computer Science

Arts Rep. Polical Sci.

Ren. College Rep. Second Year, RC I have always had an interest in getting involved with the Student Union. I am passionate about creating change, making a difference, expressing important viewpoints and representing my fellow Renaissance College (RC) students. Knowing all the students at RC will help to create an environment where I can look to my colleagues for their opinions and advice. This will also foster a positive atmosphere where students can feel comfortable approaching me about any issues or concerns they may have in relation to the Student Union. I want to represent students because I believe their viewpoints should be represented and I would like to be the voice though which they can convey their opinions to the Student Union.

Editor’s note: The above are printed as submitted by candidates.

They have not been edited unless they exceeded the allotted space. Candidates who do not have either a photo or a write up missed the deadline. Candidates are also listed in no particular order, save the executive candidates.

brunswickanopinion

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 8

editor@thebruns.ca

Vote yes for the press Why the Brunswickan needs your help

letters to the editor tell us what you think

RE: Opinion on Transit Strike Chris,

The Brunswickan is asking students for a $1.50 increase to their media fee per semester next year.The reasons it is needed are laid out by Christopher Cameron. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan rently offer students.

In the past few years there have been no increases to the Brunswickan in any To the Point regard. There have been cuts to salaries, Christopher the quantity of papers distributed and Cameron the number of positions available.

We have also not received a fee increase in over ten years.

Dear UNB students, rather than a The general student argument is letter to the editor, this week you will students working for the Brunswickan have one from. should take salary cuts, that we just If you have not noticed the ads in need to cut from somewhere else in the paper or posters around campus, our budget, or that we should operate the Brunswickan is asking for a $1.50 solely by volunteers. increase to the media fee per semester Fair comment, but the current emnext year. ployees who work for the Brunswickan Although I understand when stu- get paid less than minimum wage based dents see another fee increase, the first on how many hours they put in weekly. thing they want to do is scream “no They do it because they love UNB and more fees,” I ask you to hear me out. this publication.

First of all I will address the biggest I have witnessed more hard work argument against us asking for a fee then I could have expected from each of increase. my staff members at hours they should There is a surplus of newspapers be relaxing, not to mention the 25 plus left over. volunteers we have who devote their I completely agree with what stu- time week in and week out. dents say about that, BUT the thing This has been the case since 1867. with the number of copies we print is it This publication has a rich history directly affects our advertising revenue. that continues to surprise me the more If we decrease the number of copies I look back at old issues. we print, our revenues decrease. If that Did you know the Brunswickan had happens then we would have to ask for a war correspondent? more money from students than we are.

Did you know the Brunswickan We are looking for new ways to make helped found the Canadian University up for revenues that would be lost Press? by reducing our circulation with our Did you know that Dalton Camp online presence, but what that means and Bliss Carman are Brunswickan is we need a strong website, which we alum? currently struggle to keep updated with The point of all those questions is the limited staff we have. that we have a rich history. Not only This leads into what we hope to do is it rich, but it has evolved through its with the increase, should we get one. existence as well.

It would in no way go toward the Beginning as the University Monthsalaries of current positions. We would ly, a magazine, the Brunswickan moved use it to hire two new employees who into newsprint in different formats would focus on our online presence. throughout the years.

With this focus, we hope to serve Up until Jan. 7, 2009 we were printstudents better, rather than having to ing broadsheet newspapers, but as a make more cuts to the services we cur- money saving measure moved to our

the brunswickan

About Us The Brunswickan relies primarily on a volunteer base to produce its issues every week. Volunteers can drop by room 35 of the SUB at any time to find out how they can get involved.

The Brunswickan, in its 145th year of publication, is Canada’s Oldest Official Student Publication.

We are an autonomous student newspaper owned and operated by Brunswickan Publishing Inc., a non-profit, independent body.

We are a founding member of the Canadian University Press, and love it so.

We publish weekly during the academic year with a circulation of 6,000.

Letters Must be submitted by e-mail including your name. Letters with pseudonymns will not be printed. Letters must be 400 words at maximum.

Deadline for letters is Friday at 5 p.m. before each issue.

Editorial Policy 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.

The opinions and views expressed in this newspaper 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 or on thebruns.ca 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.

current tabloid format.

This was a major decision of our editor-in-chief at the time, Josh O’Kane, and managing editor, Tony von Richter. Their decision shaped how this publication moved and will continue to move forward.

After the 2008-2009 publishing year, the Brunswickan’s financials were less than ideal as we were running a deficit (that is no fault of O’Kane or von Richter).

In May 2011, when the year-end financials were finalized, the Brunswickan was finally out of the deficit we were in for multiple years.

I need to stress that breaking out of the deficit came because of cuts and pinching money as much as we could.

We have continued to do this again this year, but there are no guarantees that we will be able to make up for lost revenues due to the state of the journalism industry and the inability (currently) to have a website that brings in significant revenue.

We are at another crucial point in the Brunswickan’s history, but this time we’re running out of places to cut our service and at the same time keep it where we would, and students would like to see it.

This is a chance for you to play a role in your publications history. By voting yes for this fee increase, you students will be leaving your mark on this publication and will be able to say that you helped the Brunswickan expand in ways it could not have done easily, if at all, without you.

Students, this is your voice on campus. Vote to ensure it continues to stay strong.

Christopher Cameron is the Editorin-Chief of the Brunswickan and can be reached at editor@thebruns.ca or in SUB room 35 throughout the work week.

I recently read your piece regarding the transit labour action in Halifax.

The workers of Halifax have every right to go on strike. The workers are not stopping the people from getting to work- the city is, by not paying them enough and forcing drastic restructuring upon them. Since the transit is so important- the city should be quick to resolve this issue since the ball is in their court.

I would like to make you aware of some things.

Firstly, the type of shift scheduling you are referring to is actually dubbed as “seniority scheduling.” You mention that you have never heard of this kind of system? Well, it is actually the case that this system of shift scheduling is a common practice amongst transit authorities throughout North America and parts of Europe- and has been for almost 50 years. Seniority scheduling also extends to other parts of even the municipal level (including police officers, firefighters, and paramedics to name a few). The transit workers in Halifax have every right to want to keep this system of scheduling since it is a common practice supported by good reasons.

It would not be fair to the workers to take this away simply because the city wants to save some money. To simply dismiss this without considering the actual facts really points towards an unfamiliarity what you are talking about. Supporting yourself with mere personal experience isn’t very effective either.

Secondly, the issue of the wage increases. I find it bizarre that you don’t offer any perspective or analysis of the wage issue. This is an issue that does require some background and thought. The workers want 2.75% while the city is only willing to provide 2%. You come the conclusion that 2% is sufficient. Have you, however, looked at recent years? It may be the case that there hasn’t been a

Staff Advertising Sales Rep • Bill Traer Delivery • Dan Gallagher

Regards, Meredith Briden

want to voice your opinion? e-mail: editor@thebruns.ca

21 Pacey Drive, SUB Suite 35, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3 main office • (506) 447-3388 advertising • (506) 452-6099 email • editor@thebruns.ca twitter • @Brunswickan www.thebruns.ca

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief • Chris Cameron Managing • Liam Guitard News • Hilary Paige Smith Arts • Alex Kress Sports • Bryannah James Photo • Andrew Meade Copy • Kathleen MacDougall Production • Sandy Chase Online • James Waters

wage increase in a few years. I think, before you become too judgemental of the workers, you have to also consider the rising inflation and the rising cost of living in Nova Scotia.

The issue of wage increases is really a matter that must be examined using at least some statistics and records to support your point- but you don’t do any of that. What is more is that you bring the inter-provincial dispute into the picture- but not in a useful way.

To say Acadian’s situation is worse doesn’t automatically make Halifax’s any better- especially since we don’t have any analysis or perspective on the wage issue.

It is the case that the Halifax transit system is under siege by neo-liberal cost saving austerity and that the workers will be the ones victimized.

Then, however, comes the classic counter argument: where will the city get the money? I think that as a rule any city should devote the necessary fiscal resources into supporting a transit system so that it can run efficiently and smoothly. After all, most people are using the transit to either get to school or to work- which in turn means more money for the city. The city of Halifax should pour the necessary money into the transit system instead of cutting back and victimizing workers. In the recent past the Halifax municipality has not hesitated to use tax money on much less important matters- including paying a Beatle more than one million dollars to come sing silly love songs in the park.

I have been reading the Brunswickan for a few years and I have never been this disappointed in such a lacklustre effort to cover a serious matter.

In the future please read up on what you are discussing before dismissing it and analyze what is going exactly.

I feel that you would do well to take a first year elective in basic political science or political economics.

Contributors Cherise Letson, Josh Fleck, Haley Ryan, Sean O’Neill, Alanah Duffy, Nick Murray, Tova Payne, Colin McPhail, Jennifer Bishop, Sarah Vannier, Bronté James, Damira Davletyarova, Amy MacKenzie, Luke Perrin, Lee Thomas, Susanna Chow, Ben Jacobs, Sarah Cambell, Brandon Hicks, Heather Uhl, Adam Melanson, Derek Ness, Lindsey Edney, Brad McKinney, Patrick McCullough, Leonardo Camejo, Tim Lingley, Tomi Gbeleyi

brunswickanopinion

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 9

Niqab ban oppresses new Canadian citizens

Hilary Sinclair The Link (Concordia University) TORONTO (CUP) — Immigration Minister Jason Kenney — (dis)reputable for his support of deportation policies — is in the spotlight once again. This time, it’s for his recent implementation of the niqab ban at Canadian citizenship ceremonies.

Coincidentally, Kenney made this an issue last December, when the Supreme Court of Canada was hearing arguments in the case of a woman who wanted to testify in court while wearing the niqab.

Kenney stated that the veil “reflects a certain view about women that we don’t accept in Canada. We want women to be full and equal members of Canadian society ... certainly when they’re taking the citizenship oath, that’s the right place to start.’’ Right place? Is Kenney going to determine a woman’s place by violating her right to wear what she wants? This isn’t just about the citizenship oath: Kenney is also a strong supporter of the proposed Bill 94 in Quebec. If implemented, the bill would seek to deny women who wear the niqab essential services.

Aneesa, a vibrant and educated South Asian woman, has been wearing the niqab for 15 years. She was born and raised in Toronto, where she attended the University of Toronto and obtained a degree in Near Eastern Studies at the St. George campus. She is now a married mother of two and a small business owner.

Aneesa is also treasurer and secretary for the largest home schooling organization in Canada, as well as head of a magazine dedicated to topics concerning Muslim women.

“I have grown up seeing women wear niqab for thirty years in this country. Why are they being harassed and targeted now?” she says.

“One of the beauties of living in Canada was the strong commitment to tolerance. That acceptance is what made Canada beautiful — that it was

okay to be you, that it was okay to disagree.”

Aneesa says her neighbours have no problem with her dress, and it doesn’t cause anyone else harm. “I am a law-abiding citizen. I respect the existing laws of this land. I am a proud Canadian. My niqab does not cause any citizen harm. They should be discussing more pressing topics affecting this country such as issues pertaining to the gun registry, joblessness, food price hikes. Not a ban that fuels misunderstandings.”

Aneesa also condemns the hypocrisy of those within the Muslim community who did not support the rights and freedoms of women who wear the niqab. “Had the community been stronger and more tolerant within,” she says, “a ban would not have effectively been implemented.

How is it anyone’s business how I choose to dress, especially Muslims who oppose it? I’m not forcing anyone to wear it.”

Elizabeth Strout teaches English in Egypt, but was born in Quebec to Protestant parents. She converted to Islam in 2010 and wears the niqab.

As a child, she always admired the veil in spite of having no understanding of Islam or veiling.

“It’s absurd that secular, western governments have taken it upon themselves to dictate to Muslims what their own religion does or does not require of them,” Strout says.

“By banning the veil, even if it’s only in certain situations, the government is effectively saying that the veil is in some way harmful to the citizens of this country.”

Strout also renounces the idea of women being oppressed by the veil.

Male relatives in her family, including her husband, have no say in what she does or doesn’t wear.

I am someone who wears the hijab, the more common head-covering worn by Muslim women, and as a Canadian citizen, I am deeply concerned about the implications of this ban. It goes against the observance

BruceF / Flickr CC of religious freedoms that is outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Rarely will you come across a niqab-wearer who isn’t willing to cooperate with basic security measures. The ban in practice does not ensure that everyone is reciting the

Money won’t make amends

Capitalism cannot “fix” First Nations’ relationship with Canadian government

Adam Gaudry The Martlet (University of Victoria) VICTORIA (CUP) — While there has long been a “moral imperative” argument to renew indigenous-Canada relations, the idea that there is an economic imperative to “fix” this relationship is a relatively new one, emerging after a series of Canadian court cases in the 1990s obligated government and industry to consult indigenous communities before extracting resources from their territories.

Economic development is seen as the future of indigenous communities by many, both indigenous and otherwise. But when we unpack this term and examine how government and industry use it, we can recognize it as another colonial-style “development” program that ultimately undermines the long-term sustainability of local indigenous economies.

I am not talking about all types of economic development, or the type of small-scale community economic development that most indigenous communities want, but a very specific kind of capitalism based on largescale resource extraction. This usually involves some sort of community-corporate partnership that is supposed to create jobs through industry employment, as well as provide some trickledown for local contractors to supply industry. The idea is that the presence of big business will also create demand for small business.

This logic is based on a misunder-

standing of the issues facing indigenous communities. The government reasons that indigenous communities are in need of economic development, and big business needs the resources on indigenous lands. So a mutually beneficial partnership can be created — one side has resources, the other cash and jobs. Supposedly everybody wins.

Yet, the central concern for many indigenous peoples remains: how can we protect our ways of life from colonialism, government interference and environmental degradation? If these are indeed the goals for our communities, the solutions being offered to us — large-scale projects like dams, mines and pipelines — do not get at the heart of the matter. Rather, they propose the most destructive, shortsighted and risky projects imaginable. These projects will undermine the long-term viability of land-based cultural practices, the very thing communities are trying to protect and revive.

Furthermore, capitalist economic development does not address the colonial power imbalance that has created poverty, educational disparities and struggles for cultural survival in Indigenous communities. In fact, capitalist development was the primary motivation for the theft of our lands and the criminalization of indigenous governance in the first place.

While we can argue the merits of capitalist economic development in indigenous communities, the idea that this is the basis for greater unity doesn’t really hold up to any scrutiny.

In fact, most indigenous-Canadian government conflict is over capitalist economic development anyway. The Oka crisis was about a golf course on a burial ground, Grassy Narrows was about a pulp mill polluting water, Caledonia was about a housing development on reserve lands, and the Atlantic lobster fishery felt threatened

by Burnt Church setting a few lobster traps. Now, 61 First Nations have voiced collective opposition to the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline in B.C., which has led to tension with the federal government.

Can capitalism be the driving force for better indigenous-Canadian relations? No. This relationship tends to be “good” when indigenous peoples are saying “yes” to government-backed corporate projects, but strained when indigenous people want to follow their own path and reject large-scale developments. This kind of relationship is neither healthy nor functional — it is based on indigenous communities toeing the line.

Real understanding is not facilitated by economics; it is a social and political process. We need to have better interpersonal relations and express respect for one another in everyday ways. The original view of indigenous-Canadian relations was not a unified state, but a treaty relationship between separate polities that respected the independence of one another. This is what a “fixed” relationship should look like — two political communities engaging in respectful dialogue.

oath during citizenship ceremonies, as is its stated purpose. It is only a deliberate attempt to target and attack women who wear niqab, a gesture of intolerance and discouragement for those who seek to live in Canada. Hate the niqab, disagree with it, but do not ban a woman’s

right to wear it.

Kenney made it clear that the citizenship oath ceremony was the “right place to start.” The real question is, where will it end?

brunswickanopinion

10 • Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

Student

Viewpoint.

Are you voting in the UNBSU election?

Let everyone know what’s on your mind.

Emma Pinfold

Ashley Hayes

Marc Belliveau

Fraser Ross

“No, I don’t pay attention to the that.”

“Yes, to make the school a better place.”

“Yeah, what she (Ashley) said.”

“When is it?”

Charles Duplessis

Billy GIbbs

Brad Walton

Scott Brayall

“Didn’t only two percent of people vote last year?”

“Yes, because I hate those people who don’t vote and then complain.”

“You bet I am, ‘cause Joey’s da boss!”

“I’ll vote, I just need to find out where to vote.”

The newspaper industry is in a tough position and the student newspaper industry is no different. Production costs and increases in minimum wage aren’t making things easier. This is why we need your money.

This would be the first fee increase in over ten years. A lot has changed since 2001 and in order for your paper to serve you better, we need this increase.

It will allow us to structure our services to suit your needs and help us get with the times.

The funds will be devoted to enhancing our online presence and increasing our use of multimedia. The fee will also create two new student jobs with the sole purpose of producing up-to-date online content, video and building school spirit.

In addition, this $1.50 increase will help keep your community newspaper afloat and avoid a looming deficit situation.

The Brunswickan is a publication for students by students. We cover issues that matter. We’ve been keeping the university and the student union honest since 1867 and we plan to keep it that way.

Please support your student paper and vote YES to your voice on election day.

the brunswickan needs your help. we are asking for a $1.50 increase to your media fee.

General inquires: managing@thebruns.ca

brunswickanarts State of the arts: How arts funding affects our communities arts@thebruns.ca

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 11

Ali Hackett Nexus (Camosun College) VICTORIA (CUP) — When Stephen Harper famously declared that “ordinary people” don’t care about arts funding during the 2008 election campaign, artists and arts groups were quickly forced to prove their worth.

In 2009, $45 million was cut from the federal arts budget, and not long after, the government of B.C. made serious cuts of its own. Since those serious cuts to arts funding in 2009, many artists and arts groups in B.C. have had to find innovative ways to generate money while struggling to make ends meet.

The Victoria Spoken Word Festival is one of the affected groups, and is coming into its second year without any government funding.

Missie Peters, festival director, said it’s the only one of its kind in Canada, but that their application for a government grant was denied. The festival pairs emerging poets with professionals from across the country to help them develop new skill sets. In lieu of government funding, Peters was inspired to fundraise for the festival herself and decided to register it with IndieGoGo, one of the biggest online funding platforms.

“The idea really was for me to be able to connect with the spoken word community, and the people who love the art form across the country,” she said. “In this way, we can pool funding on a national level, get people excited, and get some exposure for the festival, in addition to getting funds.”

Beyond the funding, which at press time was only $50 short of its $1,000 goal, Peters said she’s received community support in the form of billets, drivers, and other volunteers.

“To me, getting people who may not have otherwise had an opportunity to get involved is almost as valuable, or more important, than the money,” she said. “It’s really made us build that local network.”

The Spoken Word Festival’s situation is not unique.

This festival has had a positive experience without government funding, and although it hasn’t been easy, Peters said she’s proud that the festival has been able to succeed without any grant money.

Public investment equals public enjoyment Keith Higgins, a Vancouver-based artist, has been involved in artist-run organizations since the ’80s.

He has helped create all sorts of institutions, including Artspeak Gallery, The Pacific Association of Artist-Run Centres, and continues to run Publication Studio Vancouver, a small publishing house, among other initiatives.

He believes that although there are ways for artists and arts groups to generate income, public investment allows artists to be more experimental in their work.

“We’re quite lucky to have an institution like the Canada Council [for the Arts], which awards money based on the perceived merits of the work, and exists at an arms length from political imperatives,” said Higgins. “That really allows a multiplicity of voices.”

Higgins said that when it comes to discussing arts funding, the focus often tends to revolve around whether or not artists can produce work, but said that’s not necessarily the issue.

“You’re going to see art made,” said Higgins, “but you’re not going to see it. What public investment often ensures is that the public will have access to the culture that’s being made.”

Whether it’s paintings, sculpture, plays or writing, the access to culture is an important distinction.

Although there’s some truth to the “starving artist” stereotype, having poor artists doesn’t necessarily serve the community.

“If I see it from my point of view,” said Higgins, “I see the arts as a welcoming space. Quite often in theatre, music or dance, you find a haven for people who, for one reason or another, find they don’t fit in somewhere.”

Higgins also said that exposure to arts and different culture can enhance communication within a community.

“We’re more able to get along as communities and as societies when there’s access to culture,” said Higgins, “especially when there’s culture being produced that’s actually responsive to the community.”

According to Higgins, the importance of the arts isn’t often acknowledged. The debate about the value of art can be a heated one. Opponents of public arts funding say an unfair advantage is given to people who get grants over those who don’t. Beyond that, it’s hard to place a monetary value on something as subjective as art. That being said, Higgins maintains that culture is worth investing in, for both social and economic reasons.

“The provincial government in British Columbia, regardless of its political stripes, has rarely stepped up with adequate or reasonable levels of support, especially when it comes to access to culture,” he said. “The

WhiteFeather Hunter is the executive director of the Charlotte Street Arts Centre in Fredericton. She says arts funding has been cut every year for the centre, and they’re looking for more corporate sponsorship. Tim Lingley / The Brunswickan unfortunate thing about that is people without access don’t know what it’s like to have those facilities in their communities.”

Higgins feels that the underinvestment in culture has left us in a negative cycle. One result of this historic lack of appreciation is that many artists have left their communities in search of a place where they will feel valued.

It’s also hard for artists to lobby for federal money, either from the Canada Council for the Arts, or the Canada Cultural Investment Fund, when they haven’t received previous investments at the provincial or municipal level.

Artistic independence Ian Case, general manager of the Intrepid Theatre, said they’ve had to make administrative changes, including the reduction of staff, to keep up with funding cuts. Case has been working at Intrepid for almost 10 years, and said the loss of provincial gaming grants and cuts to arts funding in 2009 has had huge impacts on the arts community in B.C. When Case started, government funding made up 45 to 50 per cent of Intrepid’s annual budget; now it’s

provincial government works on a sort of binge-purge cycle, as far as budgeting goes,” said the artist. “About a year and a half before an election, they suddenly have money for things. Abruptly after the election they say, ‘By the way, our budget forecasts weren’t quite right,’ and the austerity measures roll out.”

Art economy The B.C. Arts Council (BCAC) is a provincially funded peer-review panel that gives grants to artists and arts groups. The government appoints its members but the panel operates under its own mandate.

“Once the government gives us the money they do not interfere in how we distribute it amongst the disciplines and applicants,” said Stanley Hamilton, BCAC chair.

The BCAC acts as an advocate for the arts, and has a different funding pool than the gaming grants or the Ministry of Community, Sport, and Cultural Development, another provincial contributor to arts funding.

Last year the BCAC contributed almost $17 million in arts grants, across 225 communities in B.C. Hamilton said almost 80,000 people are employed in the

“

It’s always been my feeling that the arts allow us to think about bigger issues, and to see things in a way we haven’t seen them before. The arts often show us a creative way forward when faced with tough times.

about 30 per cent. The theatre company increasingly relies on earned revenues, donations and sponsorship to make ends meet.

“As the company has grown, it’s become less reliant on [government funding],” said Case. “Having said that, government funding is still really important, not only for Intrepid Theatre, but for all the non-profit arts organizations, because it allows them to maintain the accessibility and affordability of their programs.”

Increased reliance on commercial or box-office sales means looking less at pushing the boundaries and more at marketing towards mass appeal.

“Having government funding means we can offer work that you might not see otherwise,” said Case.

“It also encourages artists to test their limits, and create work that is more exciting than regular commercial fare.”

The B.C. Liberal party recently reinstated $15 million in gaming grants, bringing the total to $135 million annually. They’ve guaranteed the same amount for the next fiscal year, but still haven’t outlined a sufficient long-term strategy — at least not in the point of view of Higgins.

“Anybody whose lived here will tell you that the

”

arts sector in B.C. The economic impacts of the arts are felt regionally, as well, and it’s not just the employment of the artists. Hamilton points to the Belfry Theatre and the Victoria Symphony, both of which receive operating grants from the BCAC, as supporters of the local economy. Their audiences tend to spend money on dinner or drinks when attending shows, as well as parking, public transportation and cabs.

Case also knows the effect of the arts on the economy and he’s often asked to argue for the arts from the economic point of view. He cites the 2010 Greater Victoria Arts and Culture Sector Economic Activity Study, completed by Dr. Brock Smith of the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria, as a great example of the success of arts.

“It’s not a small industry,” said Case. “It creates a lot of jobs, and it’s an economic generator municipally, in terms of activity downtown.”

The study said the total economic activity generated by the Greater Victoria arts and culture sector in 2010 was $170 million in net income. This takes into account all expenditures by part-time artists and hobbyists, full-time artists, arts businesses and organizations, as well as money spent by arts patrons, and is

the equivalent of $21 million in property tax revenue.

The report shows that money invested in the arts scene in Victoria not only stays in the community, it draws people here. The vibrancy of a city rich in culture entices investors and tourists alike.

Higgins, too, applauds the economic impact of the arts, but said wages are still pretty low when compared to the provincial average, and a lot of artists are struggling. Higgins is also the executive director of the UNIT/PITT Projects, formerly the Helen Pitt Gallery, and said they almost had to close their doors due to gaming grants cuts in 2009. When the gallery moved, the only premises they could afford in Vancouver didn’t have plumbing or heat.

“We’re managing, but I wouldn’t ask somebody else to work in these circumstances,” said Higgins.

“I’ve got full-time work here: publishing, presenting exhibitions, putting on public programs. But my salary works out to about 10 bucks an hour once you break it down over all the work I’m doing. The ability to apply for the [gaming grants] again is going to ease a lot of pain.”

All points to public funding Jo-Ann Roberts, host of All Points West on CBC Radio One in Victoria, said exposure to and involvement in the arts fosters our ability as a society to think creatively.

“It’s always been my feeling that the arts allow us to think about bigger issues,” said Roberts, “and to see things in a way we haven’t seen them before. The arts often show us a creative way forward when faced with tough times.”

She makes the case for publicly funded art and includes some of CBC’s programming in that category, although not everyone agrees. Opponents of the CBC say taxpayers’ money would be better spent elsewhere and the market should dictate art consumption.

The issue with this, said Roberts, is that when left in the hands of private media corporations, the focus becomes generating profit, rather than the public interest.

“Because [CBC] is not tied to meeting just what shareholders want, we can often present what is not commercially viable, at least initially,” said Roberts.

She cites CBC Radio 3, which promotes independent music, and their annual literature competition, Canada Reads, as two of many examples of how CBC makes art accessible to the public.

The bottom line when it comes to arts funding, according to Roberts, is providing avenues for arts groups to be heard. She said arts cuts directly impact the state of arts in Canada.

“If art isn’t publicly funded,” said Roberts, “there’s less reason for private news or broadcast organizations to cover and support the arts, because they’re not feeling any competitive pressure.”

12 • Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

One-on-one with The Brunswickan:

brunswickanarts

Julie Scriver, art director for Gallery Connexion and part owner of Goose Lane Editions

Haley Ryan Arts Reporter Last weekend the Brunswickan caught up with creative director and part owner of Goose Lane Editions, Julie Scriver.

Scriver, originally from Montreal, moved to Fredericton the day after her wedding when her husband got a job at Theatre New Brunswick. She started out being a tour hand with the theatre group as well, before deciding to pursue her own publishing career with Goose Lane.

The Mount Allison alum and board member of Gallery Connexion sat down with the Brunswickan in the publishing house’s cheerful, book-lined conference room.

Brunswickan: What did you want to be when you grew up?

Julie Scriver: I started taking dance because my older sister danced, and that became a real passion for me, then trained professionally to dance professionally. It was all I ever wanted to do. [But] after my first year of full-time dancing I had to stop because of an injury, so I got to kind of reinvent my life at the tender age of 19. I felt like I’d already had a whole life so then I got to do something else. I went to Mount Allison ... it was a terrific place to go for school. When we leave home you have this wide open field, and you ... become who you think you are, we kind of find our way in that first step outside the family cocoon.

B: How did you get into publishing?

JS: I was interested in publishing, writing, literature, whatever that meant, so the publishing game in town was Goose Lane Editions. I basically went and knocked on Peter Thomas’ door [former head of the company] and said “hey, I’d really like to work for you.” He was not very encouraging at first, but February of 1985 is when I started working for him for free.

I did everything from pack books to read

manuscripts.

Peter was very ambitious, interested in taking things beyond the scope of the original poetry. He kept finding all these great stories in New Brunswick. It was very, very exciting. You know it was early days, we were going by the seat of our pants and our enthusiasm.

B: So you had a love of books from a young age?

JS: I grew up in a household that was just chock-full of books of every kind and really great music of all kinds, and my dad is a very, very avid reader ... we used to sit around the dinner table and talk about what we were reading. My conviction I wanted to be in publishing was based on the love of books.

That really intimate experience of how we invest ourselves in a story. My evolution as a designer is really born out of that, those early experiences of that engagement with a book, in terms of object and story and the sharing you do around a book ... it’s always been a big part of my life.

B: What does your job entail?

JS: As a designer ... I’m creating those experiences for other people. If I do my job really, really well, as a reader you would experience delight in engaging with that content, and if then you stopped and kind of thought about what it is delighting you, then you might think oh I really like how the type sits on this page, I really like how these images complement each other ... but I don’t want to be yelling at you all the time.

B: And how did you get into exhibition design with museums and history centres?

JS: The exhibition design grew from an original project with the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Tom Smart [a former curator] was putting together an exhibition and needed a brochure to go with the exhibition and interpretive panels, but I started talking to him about different ideas for space, if you could engage people in this way, and he said “well, why don’t you just work on

Julie Scriver is the art director for Gallery Connexion and a part-owner of Goose Lane Editions.

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan that?” My whole life seems to have been an many options, that’s a really good thing in measuring everything by the dollar value incredible series of gifts from people, who a lot of ways and that people actually acquire attached to it, and a lot of places need it. have said “here, give it a whirl.” training ... but from an employer’s point B: Besides Fredericton, is there anywhere You have to think about direction of of view, so much of it is that individual’s in the world you would like to be? travel, and different media, and colour, and engagement in what they really want to do.

JS: I really love Montreal. I never ever texture, and sound. It explodes the whole As many connections as you can make imagined I would live anywhere else. It’s potential of creating an experience for that ... getting out there and making those really regained its vibrancy and that holds a person, which is just so interesting, because connections is really important because lot of appeal for me. I love the multilingual it really engages my imagination. ultimately everything we do is about rela- aspect of it, I really miss French. But I don’t B: What would you recommend for tionships. It’s the people that you meet and know if I would want to live in Montreal ... younger people wanting to get into publish- the openness you have to an opportunity. I’m very, very happy in Fredericton. I feel ing or the arts?

I think we’ve moved away a lot from vol- very connected here, it’s that whole relationJS: The reality is there are more educa- unteerism ... but think there’s just so much ship thing. It’s my mantra. tional opportunities. Now there are just so to be had by volunteering and not always

brunswickanarts

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 13

Forty-eight to create Brandon Hicks The Brunswickan The basement floor hallway of Bridges house was slightly clogged up, despite the “Femme Bots!” team’s best efforts. The six girls had lights set up, chairs moved into the hallway, in order to film one of the major shots in their film. Half of the group was in costume for this scene, and all were serving some purpose, whether it be in front of the camera, or behind it.

They seemed relaxed, trying different ways of acting the scene out, getting a couple extra takes, just in case, and getting out of the way of anybody who wished to get by in the hall. They would mess up a take, then play it back with playful glee, before trying it once more. Any spectator would have never guessed that the six of them only had one day to get all of their filming done.

In fact, the time spent on each scene was rigidly scheduled before hand, so they could keep their goal of writing Friday night, filming Saturday and editing Sunday, in order to bring the total time spent making the film to 48 hours.

Fredericton’s fourth annual 48 Hour Film Competition invited filmmakers from around the province to compete by making a short film in a single weekend.

Each team is given a place, an object and a picture. In the case of the “Femme Bots!” the location was a rehabilitation centre; the object was a Neville Jones residence plastic mug, and the picture was of a young woman with a metallic, steam-punk-esque eyepatch. Each team picks up its “inspiration package” with these contents on a Friday, and from then until 5 p.m. on Sunday, they set off to make what they hope will be a Fredericton 48 hour classic.

The “Femme Bots!,” comprised of Britany Sparrow, Jennifer Farris, Kaleigh Stultz, Irenia Roussel, Victoria Clowater,

The “Femme Bots!” team, Britany Sparrow (left), Jennifer Ferris (front centre), Kaleigh Stultz (back), and Victoria Clowater (right) edit their film for the 48 Hour Film Competition. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan and Sarah Campbell, is the first all-female team to take part in the Fredericton 48 Hour Film Competition sponsored by Department of English, UNB and the NB Film Co-op.

The annual competition, in which several teams (18, this year, with a total of 137 people), use their own equipment or rentals to script, shoot and edit an entire short film in only 48 hours.

After they were content with their shots

in the hallway, they moved into Bridges’ recreation room, the location in which the majority of their movie would be filmed.

The room was filled with make-up, production equipment, coffee cups, and boxes of Timbits.

“We’re lucky to have most of our locations to shoot so close together,” Farris said.

The group quickly shifted positions; those who were filming, or controlling the lighting the scene before, began to act.

“This is very much a collaboration,” Sparrow said.

“Everybody does a bit of everything.

That’s what we had originally intended, and it actually worked out to be that way.”

The filming wrapped up Saturday night.

The team then got some rest before waking up the next morning to edit, first at Sparrow’s home, then finishing touches were made at the Harriet Irving Library.

At 4:45 p.m. Sunday, the team huddled

around the screen of a laptop to view the finished film. As the “Femme Bots!” watched their six-minute movie, they reacted in the same way they filmed it: with pride, laughter and a sense of accomplishment.

Their movie, The Trouble with Rehab, along with the other 17 films will be shown at a gala screening with awards at the Garrison District Ale House at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27. Admission is free.

Rape defences in the media and a UNB connection Haley Ryan Arts Reporter Wealthy people who are robbed at night aren’t blamed for having an expensive coat, or being “stupid enough” to walk in the dark.

If your car is stolen, you probably won’t have friends telling you how silly it was to park in your own driveway, and you should’ve been prepared for that to happen.

Generally, when a crime occurs, the victim feels empathy from the public.

What they have, or haven’t done, simply doesn’t matter and the blame rightly falls on the criminal.

This is true of most crimes – besides rape.

There is a long history of rape-defenses used by men who have assaulted women, or those who try to explain why it happens; she was wearing revealing clothing, she was hitting on me, she was walking alone at night, she was essentially “asking for it.”

The attention is usually on what women should be doing to deal with this potential situation, and how we should always be “on the look out” for sexual assault; if we’re not prepared, well, that’s half our fault.

Liz Trotta, a Fox News correspondent, has been the most recent figure to receive a lot of attention about her hate-speech aimed at female soldiers.

In an interview on Fox, she commented on a new Pentagon report which contained the unsettling statistics that violent sexual assault against women in the military has gone up 64 per cent since 2006.

Was she outraged? Did she discuss how the American defense system should investigate this alarming increase?

Nope.

Trotta actually looks confusedly

into the camera after reading the statistics, and asks “Now, what did they expect? These people are in close contact.”

And she doesn’t leave it there; she continues to complain about the feminists who have “directed” the government to spend money on “sexual counsellors all over the place” and oh, the horror, actually support these women who are now being “raped too much.”

I’d hate to ask her how much raping was “just enough.”

It boggles my mind how many people can have such little respect for women who have been sexually assaulted. Can they not imagine the shock and pain of being violated like this? I have no explanation, because there isn’t one. There is no excuse for stating such damaging lies about rape. Men can control themselves, and women shouldn’t be blamed for a criminal act that happens to them.

Of course, for every Liz Trotta there is a Jon Stewart who will call her out on her insane arguments, which is great, but we have to wonder how someone can make comments like that in the first place.

While we as Canadians can roll our eyes at Fox News, and like to think our media would never support damaging views of rape, this isn’t always the case.

In 1993 there was an opinion article published in the Brunswickan, written by mathematics professor Matin Yaqzan that clearly condoned date-rape.

Within the letter - which was published under the “opinion” section but had nothing accompanying it to show how false it was - Yaqzan “explains” why he thinks these rapes occur.

“Perhaps it should be mentioned that the human nature, in particular, the male’s drive for sex, has not changed during the last few thousand

The media needs to be aware of defending rape, whether directly or indirectly.

European Parliament/Flickr CC years,” Yaqzan writes in his article.

“For such boys, by the time they reach 17 or 18 years old, regular sexual intercourse must become a necessity. For those entering a university, the co-ed residences may be helpful, but they do not provide the opportunity for sexual gratification for all the male students, and therefore the reason and the need for the so-called ‘date-rape.’”

He, like Trotta, uses the old excuse of the male sex-drive. Apparently, Yaqzan thought young men had to date-rape to get rid of those pesky sexual urges which completely controlled their brains.

The obvious issue was how the

Brunswickan allowed this hate speech to be published unchecked or commented upon from other scholars at UNB, such as psychological or sexuality professors who could have explained Yaqzan’s position was wrong, and insulting to both genders.

The danger of these comments by Yaqzan and Trotta, though nearly 20 years apart, remains the same.

Although small, there is a possibility some people might think they are correct, and so feel justified in assaulting a woman either on campus or in the military because of “close contact.”

When we see evidence of rape myths, of course we will have an emotional reaction. It’s understandable to

want to call for Yaqzan’s retirement, which did happen, or Trotta’s removal from Fox News, which I hope occurs but can’t count on.

As much as I wish statements like these weren’t publicized, we have to act on the fact that they were, and create discussions and awareness about just how false they are. No matter where you are or what job you have as a female, no matter what you’re wearing, you should never expect to be raped, let alone apologize for what people think you did to provoke it.

Men and women need to speak out loudly against hate speech like this, and be the honest voice of reason if our media isn’t filling that role.

brunswickanarts

14 • Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

are you an arts guru and feel youcould addto brunswickan arts coverage in fredericton? e-mail: arts@thebruns.ca

Plenty of Fish on the internet The New Position Sarah Vannier True tales from online dating part one: A guy meets a girl for a drink a few days after New Year’s Eve. She isn’t very talkative so he keeps asking her questions. He asks how she spent her New Year’s Eve. She says, “Alone. Trying on hats.” There was no second date.

Online dating. Whether you think it’s the best invention since sliced bread, or you think it’s a sign of the apocalypse, there’s no denying that it has become a popular part of the university dating scene.

And, why not? University students, more than any other group, use technology to stay connected, and over 60 per cent of them spend three hours or more online every day. With all that time in front of a screen, it’s no wonder we’re turning to technology to help us find a date.

Gone are the days when you had to make up some story about how your eyes met over the last butternut squash at Sobey’s.

According to a survey done by Match.com, 20 per cent of single people have gone on a date with someone they met online.

But is online dating a blessing or a curse?

True tales from online dating part two: A girl goes on a coffee date with a guy she meets on the Plenty of Fish website. He’s nice enough but she isn’t really feeling a spark. He spends a good amount of time telling her about his pet bunny that he loves very, very much. She mentions she thinks she is allergic to rabbits.

He offers to get rid of the rabbit. He then talks about his love of hunting. There was no second date.

A 64-page report, called “Online Dat-

ing: A Critical Analysis from the Perspective of Psychological Science,” was just published by the Association for Psychological Science and takes a close look at the good and bad of online dating.

So, what are the pros? First, online dating gives you access to a whole pool of people who you probably wouldn’t meet otherwise. Where else can you go where you know you’ll be surrounded by people you know who are available and interested in dating? Plus, being online takes away some of the anxiety you might feel if you want to approach someone in a bar or other social setting.

Second, some dating websites (e.g., eHarmony) use formulas to identify the people they think would be a good match for you. Interestingly, a lot of these formulas were designed by psychologists based on what we know about qualities of successful relationships (e.g., similar or compatible values, energy level, communication styles, etc.). Although there is debate over how well these formulas actually work, they can be helpful in narrowing down your pool of potential partners.

Finally, online dating is convenient. You can do it whenever you want, wherever you want, and looking however you want.

People can get busy with school and work, and sometimes we just don’t have enough time to go out into the world and meet people.

So what’s the downside of online dating? Well, it turns out that people are pretty good at knowing what they want in a partner, but they aren’t very good at identifying the qualities of a partner that would make them compatible. You might think you want someone who is smart, attractive and funny, but we forget to think about things like shared values,

willingness to live in a different city, or desire for children. All of these things will be important in the long run.

The way we look at profiles on dating websites can also set us up for failure. When someone sits down in front of a computer, and has hundreds of profiles they can flip through, a few things happen.

The more profiles we look at, the less likely it is that we’ll actually contact anyone. Having too many options can cause something called choice overload.

Choice overload happens when we are so overwhelmed with the number of options we have, we avoid making any decisions.

Also, the more profiles a person looks at, the less they pay attention to any of them. And even worse, having more options makes someone more likely to overlook the qualities that signal compatibility (e.g., values), and instead focus on qualities that are less important (e.g., nice smile).

Should you give online dating a go?

Absolutely! It’s a great way to meet people outside of your social circle and worst case scenario, you have an interesting story to tell. Plus, that survey by Match.com found that after meeting someone through a friend/family member or at work/school, dating sites are the third most common way for people to meet partners.

True tales from online dating part three: A women has been talking to an interesting man on OKCupid for the last few months but they both have such busy schedules they can never find time to meet. One Thursday night they are chatting online and he suggests they throw social convention out the window, leave their homes right away, and meet for a post-midnight coffee. She agrees and they sit in Tim Horton’s in their pyjamas. They have a good time. There might just be a second date…

The Overlooked:

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman (pictured centre in Pirate Radio) often plays supporting roles, but always steals the show. Screenshot Ethan Pierce The Brunswickan Ever been left with a sad, empty feeling after you finished a superb movie, and you know it won’t have a sequel?

You tried all the movies that were recommended to you by your friends but you still can’t find another one quite like it. Sometimes during a search for a new movie to watch, you ignore older titles because of their age. This column – The Overlooked – is about those older movies you may not have heard of, or just simply didn’t give a fair chance.

Ever heard of Philip Seymour Hoffman? Here’s an actor who can play any role, in any movie. You might recognize him from such movies as Along Came Polly (2004), as Ben Stiller’s friend Sandy or most recently in Ides of March (2011) as George Clooney’s Senior Campaign Manager and Moneyball (2011) as the coach of the Oakland A’s baseball team. Hoffman mainly plays secondary roles in the majority of his films, except in Capote

(2005), in which he played the lead role of Truman Capote. Hoffman has played various roles in different film genres. Here are some of my favourite “overlooked” films done by him.

The first is Flawless (1999). Robert De Niro plays the lead role of Walt Koontz, a conservative, homophobe, “local hero” police officer, who suffers from a stroke and is left with impaired speech stance and a damaged ego. Rusty (Hoffman), a drag queen neighbor of Walt’s, is having financial trouble with getting his transsexual operation. Rusty makes a deal with Walt to give him voice lessons to help restore his speech. Walt must deal with his homophobic and conservative nature to regain his confidence and ego. In this movie, two individuals with completely different lifestyles find friendship despite their differences.

The second film is Pirate Radio (2009). Although not very old, I felt it was greatly overlooked when released.

This comedic film is based during the 1960s on a ship anchored in the North Sea; with it, a radio station

called “Pirate Radio” specializing in broadcasting rock and pop music that was frowned upon in the United Kingdom. Carl (Tom Sturridge), is expelled from school and sent to live with his godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy), the manager and owner of Pirate Radio Station. The crew of the ship is made up of bumptious disc jockeys headed by the American DJ “The Count” (Hoffman).

Despite the every regulation created by the government to shut them down, the radio continues to find a way to prevail. Each of the crew members onboard have uniquely different characters, and through many personality clashes throughout the movie, they all make up the best broadcasting team that any rock & pop radio station could ask for.

Through Philip Seymour Hoffman’s distinctive and multifarious roles between both films, you’ll be laughing one second, and be impressed and serious the next. Hoffman may play supporting roles most often, but he always steals the show.

brunswickanarts

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 15

All-N.B. cast portrays an all-N.B. past in The Dollar Woman Lee Thomas The Brunswickan There’s a dark secret in New Brunswick’s past.

It may seem astonishing, but local communities’ impoverished members used to be annually rented to the lowest bidder.

It was only a little over a century ago that these “pauper auctions” sold their final woman ... for a dollar.

This appalling piece of local history is the inspiration for the tale of The Dollar Woman, a play by Walter Learning and Alden Nowlan.

The play, set in a small Sussex area town in the 1880s, follows ideological divisions within the community, and the resulting conflict between its members.

The production itself has been the source of controversy in the past and raises many issues which continue to be relevant today.

“It’s an important story to hear because poverty is still a universal problem,” said Ilkay Silk, director of drama at St. Thomas University. Silk was involved in the very first performance of the play, 35 years ago, and is now the director of this year’s production.

The Dollar Woman’s 35th anniversary

production will feature an all-New Brunswick cast, in accordance with Theatre New Brunswick’s mission to “inspire and entertain our audience while celebrating New Brunswick’s best theatre content and artists.”

“It’s a great opportunity to be on stage with all this local talent,” said Wally MacKinnon, who plays the role of Alex McKay. “It’s wonderful to be able to tell a New Brunswick story with a New Brunswick cast.”

Co-author and TNB founder Walter Learning will be making an appearance at this year’s performance in the role of George Francis Train, a newspaper editor who helps to bring an end to the auctions.

He said he was “thrilled to be asked”

by Silk to participate in this very special production of his work.

For those who haven’t seen the play performed, this year’s performance will be a wonderful first-time experience. The local talent and content bring a unique element to the stage.

“It’s an experience for the audience because you see the debate within the play,” Learning said.

“It’s not black and white.”

Front (left to right) Georgia Priestley-Brown, Jane Wheeler, Darrell Mesheau, Jacob LeBlanc. Back (left to right) Jeffrey Bate Boerop, Ian Goff, Graham Percy, Walter Learning, Wally MacKinnon, Marshall Button, Robbie O’Neill, Nora Sheehan. Jill Scaplen / Submitted Silk said the intimate space of the Black Box Theatre at STU is ideal for the play.

“The audience sits all around, and to experience this subject in such an atmosphere is very special,” Silk said.

“Theatre New Brunswick is over 40

years old, and it’s nice to be able to redo some of the original stories, especially ones like this, about local history.”

The Dollar Woman will be showing from Feb. 29 to Mar. 3 at 7:30 p.m., and on Mar. 4 at 2 p.m. at The Black Box

Theatre, St. Thomas University. Tickets, available to students for $10 (adults $25), can be purchased at The Fredericton Playhouse box office or by phone at 4588344 or 1-866-884-5800. Additional information is available at www.tnb.nb.ca .

try a new tune. write for bruns arts.

brunswickansports

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 16

sports@thebruns.ca

MacDougall named 2013 Universiade head coach

Nick Murray The Brunswickan UNB Varsity Reds’ hockey head coach Gardiner MacDougall has been named Canada’s head coach for the 2013 Winter Universiade, in Maribor, Slovenia.

This will be MacDougall’s second trip to the Universiade games. In 2007 he won a gold medal as an assistant coach under Saint Mary’s Huskies head coach Trevor Steinburg. Varisty Reds players on that team included Dustin Friesen, Darryl Boyce, Rob Hennigar and Colin Sinclair.

Since the CIS conferences began rotating representation duties in 1997, the AUS is the only conference to win gold.

The 11-day tournament is scheduled to start Jan. 30, and although star AUS players will be required to answer the call for their country, play will resume as normal throughout the conference.

UPEI head coach Forbes MacPherson, and StFX head coach Brad Peddle will join MacDougall, and while these coaches are used to competing against each other, MacDougall says any competitive tension has to be put aside.

“Last time, we all met at the airport in Halifax and all three [coaches] had lost their last game before leaving for Torino,” MacDougall said. “You have to shake that off though because now you’re on the Canadian team.”

When picking players for the team, MacDougall says that any player in the AUS is fair game. He said there will be a lot of input from every coach around the AUS, because when selecting a team, it’s not just based on skill and stats.

“There’s a skill level and there’s a performance level,” MacDougall said, “but there’s also the intangibles of putting the right people in the right roles. When you put a group together, it’s not just finding the 12 top-skilled forwards. It’s [about] 12 forwards that are going to be able to play significant roles for our team.”

MacDougall has had some international experience other than the 2007 Universiade. He also represented Canada for Team Western at the under-17 Canadian Amateur Hockey Association World Championships.

A native of Bedeque, PEI, MacDougall originally got involved with coaching back in 1986 as a coach at Frontier College

“UNB to me is my NHL. I thoroughly enjoy each and every day,” says MacDougall. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan Residential School in Cranberry Portage, Manitoba, roughly nine hours north-west of Winnipeg.

“It was part-time coaching and part-time teaching,” MacDougall recalled. “I ended up coaching five teams that winter and got totally immersed in the game. I didn’t really know anybody in Manitoba but I was fortunate to get in the inner circle in Winnipeg.”

MacDougall remembered many “top quality” coaches, which he befriended and got into that inner circle of the hockey community in Manitoba.

“I was fortunate to get to know people like Mike Sirant (current head coach at the University of Manitoba) and Andy Murray (former L.A. Kings and St. Louis Blues coach) and become part of a circle. Doug MacLean (Florida Panthers President/ General Manager) was also a mentor to me, being from the Island working at his hockey

the panel voice your opinion

camps. So it really started in those roots.”

MacDougall went on to a number of different coaching positions including the Flin Flon Bombers and the Lebret Eagles of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

This is his 12th season coaching the Varsity Reds and he’s the most successful coach in the AUS. Since coming to the team in 2000, MacDougall had led UNB to three CIS championships and won CIS coach of the year in 2010.

He is also the coach to have the most wins in UNB history, but his impact on his players far exceeds what they accomplish on the ice. He said success doesn’t come from one person but rather the group as a whole.

“It’s like anything in life, it’s about meeting good people and having good friends and good contacts,” MacDougall said.

“That’s what makes successful coaches is good people. Our motto here at UNB is to ‘make a significant difference’, that’s

my goal every day I come to the rink is to make a significant difference. Hopefully at least one person a day. Sometimes it’s with our own team, sometimes it’s with a youth team, and sometimes it’s with going to school visits.”

Having bachelor degrees in both education and physical education, MacDougall stresses the importance of academics.

Last semester alone, 14 players on the team achieved GPAs above 3.3, making them eligible to be Academic AllCanadians.

Last semester, Luke Gallant spoke about his experiences at UNB, and said one of the most important things he’s learned from coach MacDougall.

“You’re a person for a lot longer than you are a hockey player.”

MacDougall said the performance part of the team’s success is incredibly gratifying, but there’s also the developmental part of

How many games will the Varsity Reds men’s hockey semifinal series take?

K. Bryannah James

Christopher Cameron

Josh Fleck

I think the Reds are going to win the series in three straight games.

Although Fullerton hasn’t played as much this season due to injury, now that’s he’s better, he’s been playing like the top CIS goalie he is. With him in net, top defensive pairing of Harty and Gallant and the strong Bailey line, I can see them dominating three straight games.

It will take four games for the Varsity Reds to overturn the UPEI Panthers.

Yes, UPEI has been trouble for UNB this year, but they are on a hot streak that I wouldn’t want to get in front of.

The guys have had their ups and downs this season, but now is the perfect time for everything to be coming together. Getting their No.1 ranking back should fire them up. They are prone to lapses, so I will say they will beat themselves in one of the games.

Take the series 3-1.

Sports Editor

being a coach he finds truly rewarding here at UNB. “UNB to me is my NHL. I thoroughly enjoy each and every day and there are enough challenges as a coach to get better and to be successful. But getting calls from past players as to how they’re doing is great.

I got a call from Jesse Furguson who said ‘coach I just got my second gold medal.’

He won a national championship here then when he got his chartered accountancy he considered that his second gold medal. So to see players come out of this program and do so well in the private world is really special.”

As a result of his dedication to coaching and the success he’s brought with it, MacDougall was honoured in 2009 with UNB’s president’s medal, UNB’s most prestigious honour. He is the only coach to ever be awarded the medal.

EIC

Sports Writer

Heather Uhl Sports Writer

All five games. Matt Carter and Chris Desousa have been thorns in the V-Red’s side all season; six and seven points respectively in four games vs UNB.

brunswickansports

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 17

UNB swimmers qualify for CIS championships Bronté James The Brunswickan Most university students spend their free time socializing, but these five UNB swimmers are spending their time practicing and competing in the water.

“It’s really exciting to go there and swim against faster swimmers,” says CIS qualifier Danielle Losier.

Jessica Leblanc, Danielle Losier, Kaitlyn Young, Juliana Vantellingen, and Chris Garcelon are qualifiers for CIS, and will be competing at the University of Montreal.

Of those qualifying for CIS, Losier is the only one who has qualified in the past. Leblanc, Young, Vantellingen, and Garcelon are looking forward to the new experience.

“We’re all just really excited to go,” the qualifiers say.

Although Leblanc and Losier follow a usual pre-swim routine of water and exercise, Young and Vantellingen have different pre-swim rituals.

Vantellingen, wearing two swim caps and Young eating half, and only half, of a banana, they have found their own unique way of preparing for a swim.

Leblanc says her parents wanted her in a sport, and she picked swimming. With 11 years passed, she is still competing.

Young says she has been swimming for 12 years, and is influenced by her dad, who swam in university.

“My dad swam in university, and it’s always been kind of a thing,” Young says.

“I’ve always been in the pool.”

While Young was influenced by her father, Vantellingen got her inspiration in a different way.

“I was nine years old and watching Olympic swimming with my dad and thought that I wanted to do that too,”

From left to right: Jessica Leblanc, Danielle Losier, Kaitlyn Young and Juliana Vantellingen. Chris Garcelon missing from photo.

Bronté James / The Brunswickan Vantellingen says.

“I just started and never stopped.”

With practices four to five times a week, schoolwork and a social life are hard to balance, according to the qualifiers.

If they are not found practicing in the pool they are spending long hours at the library, Leblanc says. School is priority, and they all agree their social lives are minimal.

“Any time you’re not swimming you’re doing work or sleeping,” Losier

says.

“Or eating,” Young adds.

With early morning practices, schoolwork, and the right amount of sleep, they all depend on one another for motivation to keep going.

“Swimming is a really tough sport, and it’s hard mentally sometimes to keep everyone motivated,” Losier says.

“Waking up at six in the morning four to five times a week isn’t exactly fun, so [we have to] overcome being unmotivated.”

“All the times you feel like ‘ugh, I shouldn’t have woken up,’ but you really should have because you would have missed out,” Young says.

Although they all agreed qualifying for CIS has been one of their greatest experiences, they were happiest when Vantellingen qualified after her 800 meter race.

“She swam such a long race, 800 meters, so we didn’t know if she was gonna make it,” Losier says.

“When I finished the race I burst

into tears,” Vantellingen says.

As a team they spend their time bonding with cheers, stretches, suppers, and comical banners with headlines such as NOTORIOUS UNB. With their time dedicated to swimming, they all agree that qualifying for CIS made it all worth it.

“All the work you put in is worth it. It’s like, ‘finally’ because it doesn’t always happen,” Losier says.

Women’s basketball see sliver of hope in making AUS playoffs Sean O’Neill The Brunswickan

UNB dropped SMU last weekend to keep their playoff hopes alive. If they win both games this weekend against Dal by a spread of more than 25 points they will take the final playoff spot.

Tim Lingley / The Brunswickan

It was Senior’s Night at the Currie Center and the women’s basketball team’s motto was, “we don’t lose on Senior’s Night.”

Head coach Jeff Speedy walked shoeless -- he and his coaching staff did this for a Right to Play initiative -- to half court, picked up a microphone and stared at his three graduating players: Megan Corby with parents Bill and Pam, Emma Russell with Frank and Crystal, and Jordanne Holstein with Speedy’s parents Carl and Jennifer, because her family couldn’t make it from Alberta.

Holstein stood with crutches and a leg cast because of her achilles injury last week. But the other two played like they would never play again.

The standings dictated that it may be the case.

With Saint Mary’s in town and its playoff spot already secured, the Huskies played like they were stuck in Halifax and the Reds took advantage for their best win of the year, 76-54.

“I really think they dug deep because it meant a lot to them to send their three graduating players out on a winning note,” Speedy said after the game. “Clearly, that’s what I should have been tapping into all year, I guess, doing it for each other cause that’s what they did today.”

“That just shows what we can do,” Russell said after the game. “And that’s the frustrating thing because we have that much talent in there.”

Claire Colborne led the Reds again, with 19 points, but Corby had 18 and Russell scored 17 with 14 rebounds.

With 26 seconds left, Colborne

smartly fouled a Saint Mary’s player so Russell and Corby could be subbed out. The crowd cheered and both embraced Speedy on the UNB floor one last time.

“I was just so proud,” Russell said when ref lecting on that moment.

“Proud of the team, proud of myself and it’s good to feel that I played my hardest. And [I] did what I can do in my last home game in front of my home crowd, show them what I could do.”

“Just proud of my team and proud of myself and proud of the coaching staff and proud of the fans behind us.

That was the most fans we’ve had at a game for a while.”

SMU’s Justine Colley was held in check all day, scoring only seven points on 2 of 8 shooting with five assists and three rebounds. Speedy credits their zone defense, which the team doesn’t play a lot, to frustrate the presumptive league MVP. “Their zone offense hurt us a lot down there in November,” Speedy said. “So we really worked hard on that all week to match up differently than we did down there and it was quite effective.”

The news got better for UNB. Despite its woeful 5-13 record, its nearest playoff rival, Dalhousie, dropped both games to Cape Breton this weekend.

This means that if the Reds beat the Tigers in both games in Halifax next weekend by more than 25 points, they will beat Dal to the finish line and grab the sixth and final AUS playoff spot.

But as Speedy said after the game, “strange things happen when you work hard.”

The games begin at 6 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

brunswickansports

18 • Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

voice your opinion Men’s ball loses by heartbreaking point Sean O’Neill The Brunswickan

editor@thebruns.ca

There was 12.5 seconds left on the clock. The UNB Varsity Reds were leading the Saint Mary’s Huskies 86-85 in a four-point game, which both needed to get in the playoffs.

Here’s how it went.

Both teams are out of timeouts and in the penalty.

The ball is inbounded to SMU’s Tory Fassett, who has 22 points on the night. UNB’s Dan Quirion picks him up and follows him chestto-chest, and Fassett knives toward the hoop.

11...10...9...8...

Fassett lets a shot go that clanks off the rim. A mass of humanity is underneath the basket fighting for the ball. Fassett comes up with the rebound and puts it up again but misses.

7...6...5...4...

The ball lands in the hands of Jerome Smith who lays the ball in.

The Huskies lead by one.

3...2...

A quick inbounds pass goes to Reds guard Will McFee who was already at half. He takes two steps then pulls the trigger.

1...

The ball hits the back of the rim and than bounces out and with it goes the Reds playoff hopes.

The crowd at the Currie Center gasps.

UNB’s Michael Fosu is facedown on the ground in exhaustion as the Huskies pile on Smith underneath a few feet away.

“I don’t know what to say, man,” DesRoches said after the game. “It’s heartbreaking. We worked our asses off today.”

“We can only play the game in front of us and that’s what the kids did today,” said head coach Brent Baker.

“It comes down to a missed play, a missed box-out. We made them miss; we made them do what they had to do. We just didn’t grab the loose ball and grab the rebound.”

On t he prev ious possession, graduating forward Alex DesRoches hit two free throws to give the one-point advantage back to UNB. “When I hit the last two foul shots, I thought we had it,” DesRoches said after the game. “With 10 seconds left, one stop and I was like, ‘I’ll go get the rebound and it

A point-for-point game ends in a heartbreaking one point loss to Saint Mary’s. Andrew Meade /The Brunswickan would be over and they’d foul and we’d knock ‘em down.’”

“I just wish we had that last rebound.”

The difference in his stat line would be minor if he had that last rebound, but in the standings it would have been critical.

“I think both teams could have kept calling timeouts until infinity and we’d still have a one-point game both ways, all the time,” Baker says.

Later on Saturday, Dalhousie beat Cape Breton at the Metro Centre, which gave the Tigers and Huskies the final two AUS playoff spots. In Baker’s four years as coach of the

program, the team has made the playoffs once.

Fassett led SMU with 22 points and nine boards. Harry Ezenibe had 18 and 12 off the bench.

DesR oches wa s ca l led “M r.

Double-Double” by Baker in pregame. And in his final home game before he heads to Australia to play semi-pro basketball after graduation, he had 21 points and 10 rebounds.

He’s played the last few weeks with turf toe. Quirion had 16 points and Fosu had 13.

The Reds finish the season next Friday and Saturday at Dalhousie.

Tip-off is at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m.

thebruns.ca

brunswickansports

Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145 • 19

DesRoches: The accidental athlete

By Sean O’Neill

“I’m a freak, man.”

Alex DesRoches is sitting at Tim Horton’s eating a Boston Cream and drinking a medium (formerly large) double-double.

With an hour to kill before work one day, he ate four of the gooey donuts. He has a Coke with his meal before every shift. He also admits to eating a full McCain’s pizza and guzzling a couple more Cokes when he comes home.

That’s 2,760 calories.

With this diet, DesRoches should barely squeeze into a size 50 pair of jeans. But he’s a 23-year-old student at the University of New Brunswick, and his job for the past five years has been playing basketball for the Varsity Reds.

His coach calls the 6’4 forward Mr. DoubleDouble, but it’s hard to determine whether he’s referring to points and rebounds or sugar and cream.

This calorie intake would leave most men rooted to the hardwood like an anchor. Instead he averaged 11.4 points and 7.9 rebounds for his five-year career.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

“We didn’t have a clue who he was” Alexander Paul DesRoches’s basketball journey started in the seventh grade, much later than most athletes begin. Organized sports weren’t part of his childhood because his childhood wasn’t organized.

His parents divorced when he was an infant. He spent the majority of his time with his mother Diane, in Dieppe, and every second weekend he travelled to PEI to be with father, Calvin.

In grade seven, his friend Luc Drisdelle convinced him to tryout for the basketball team at École AnnaMalenfant. He made the team, but didn’t compare himself to Drisdelle.

Going into Grade 10, he sprouted to 6’4 and his natural athletic gifts began to show. His high school gym teacher, Roger Cormier, told him to try out for the Canada Games team in Fredericton. DesRoches said, “Why not?”

Fred Connors, had watched every single one of these kids before, until a string bean from Dieppe walked into the gym. Connors looked and said, “Who is this guy?”

As coach of New Brunswick’s men’s basketball team for the 2005 Games in Regina, Connors had done 3 ID camps around the province, scouting players who would come to the tryouts in Fredericton.

The final roster consisted of numerous eventual CIS players and a CFL linebacker.

And DesRoches.

He was one of 25 to survive the original 60, solely on raw athleticism and intrigue. While Connors thought he was “too small for the four and didn’t have the skill set for the three,” after the second tryout, DesRoches was on the plane to Regina.

During the tournament DesRoches was the first man off the bench, but would be subbed out earlier than he wanted. Being the team’s sixth man and one of the top five players on the team in its efficiency rating wasn’t good enough.

Connors, who is now the women’s basketball coach at St. Thomas University, said after taking him out of a game, “Look how far you’ve come.

You weren’t on our radar and now you’re playing at the Canada Games.”

“It was a real pleasure to coach that guy,” Connors said.

When he arrived back at Mathieu-Martin for his final year of high school, his confidence was as high as the CN Tower. At his first practice he looked at his teammates and said, “Hey, Jared! Check this out!”

He took the orange ball, bounced it off the floor and smashed the ball through the rim with both hands.

“Without making that team I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now,” DesRoches says.

But where was he going? He won team MVP in his final year of high school but offers from

universities didn’t come, nor were his marks worthy of acceptance. He spent his high school years barely studying, keeping a 60 average and goofing around in class.

DesRoches decided to try his luck with the RCMP. There was one problem. At a party in grade 12, he was offered some marijuana and tried it. He says he hasn’t smoked since. He was rejected and told to come back next year if he stayed clean.

He spent the rest of the year working at Canadian Tire, and going to community college to upgrade. He discussed taking kinesiology with a guidance counselor. “It’s either Dalhousie, UNB or Memorial.”

“I didn’t want to go to Newfoundland, Dal was pretty expensive so I might as well apply to UNB,” he said.

After being accepted, he emailed UNB coach Thomas Gillespie, and gave him his basketball C.V. and list of coaches to contact.

“I invited him to workout in the summertime,” Gillespie said. “I said, ‘You’re going to have to tryout and earn your way on the team.’ In terms of coaching, you’re not going to make a promise you can’t keep.”

Despite spending the majority of his time working at Canadian Tire, taking classes at community college and using his spare time not working on his jump shot, dribbling, passing or defensive stance, he made the team and averaged 20 minutes a game, seven points and five rebounds for his rookie year.

UNB went 2-18 in his rookie season and Gillespie, DesRoches’ first AUS coach left the team at the end of the season.

“When you’re losing it’s a lot more difficult to keep a happy camp,” Gillespie said, who is now the interim coach at CBU. “When players aren’t meeting expectations, they’re probably not going to hear a bunch of things they want to hear.”

UNB hired former StFX player and women’s head coach Brent Baker. The first thing he was told about DesRoches from assistant

coach Kirt Mombourquette was that he was athletic.

His first impression was the same thing, and that he was as intense as Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight.

That intensity almost made DesRoches quit. On Jan. 31, 2009, the Reds were sitting in the locker room at the Oland Centre in Antigonish after getting destroyed by StFX, 97-71. The night before in Sydney, Cape Breton, whooped UNB 91-62. “He was ready to tap out,” remembers Baker. “He had had enough.”

After the game, DesRoches was supposed to lead the team cheer in the locker room. He refused and Lonzel Lowe did instead. He was sick and tired of losing, but was cursed out for his antics.

“After that I assured him, we’re going to win, we’re going to get better every year, we’re going to win here, you just have to trust me,” Baker said.

More than three years later, DesRoches says, “Baker is like a dad to me. With my dad not being around as much and him being around every single day...”

“The worst day.”

Oct. 2, 2011, the first weekend of DesRoches’ final year at UNB. Mombourquette was there on Friday, but missed Saturday and then Sunday’s exhibition games.

This wasn’t out of the ordinary; the man the team called “Mombo” didn’t make it to every game.

Baker was told roughly 10 minutes before tip-off why Mombourquette wasn’t there. Immediately after the game when the team was huddled together, Baker said, “After shaking hands, go straight to the locker room. Don’t talk to your mom, don’t talk to your dad.”

The players rushed down the Currie Center stairs to the locker room and sat in surprise.

“Why is Baker pissed?

We won!”

T he lo c ker ro om do o r opened and in walked Baker and Dr. Rice Fuller from UNB Counselling Services.

“Guy s ,” Baker said as he started to choke up, “Mombo passed away.”

DesRoches dropped his head and let the time pass in a blur. “I cried for like 20 minutes straight.”

After showering and getting dressed, teammate Colin Swift said, “let’s go get a bite to eat.” The two had known Mombourquette the longest and didn’t want to be alone. Baker told them to come with him instead.

“I thought it was important that [DesRoches and Swift] who had the longest relationship with him and they should be together and they should know what’s going on,” Baker said.

In the

car waiting for their coach, DesRoches tried to answer the questions that didn’t make sense.

“Was it a heart attack? He was a healthy guy.”

Baker got in the car and decided to be frank. He asked if they wanted to know.

“Don’t fucking tell me, coach,” DesRoches said.

Mombourquette was 37 years old. The team has worn a black band around the left shoulder strap of their jerseys in tribute since.

He didn’t sleep a wink that night. Two days after the news, the team went to the wake. The casket was open. It was the second wake DesRoches had been to and the first for a person he cared for.

He thought he had grieved enough in the prior 48 hours to last a lifetime.

“I can do it. I can do it.”

The team walked down the hall where there was a montage of pictures.

“Keep it together. Keep it together.”

He turned the corner at the funeral home and saw Mombourquette in the distance. He broke down.

“He was probably the closest to Kirt Mombourquette,” Baker says, “because they’re very similar in the way they played, hard and stuff like that, and very passionate. That drove us closer together.”

DesRoches stared at Kirt for 20 minutes through watered eyes, looking at his friend. His casket was surrounded by notes from his children and he was wearing a St. Louis Cardinals jersey, his favorite team.

The first weekend of the regular season, Baker picked up Mombourquette’s son Lance so he could give the guys timbits after the game, like he always did. DesRoches noticed him reading a book but it had pages ripped out.

“Lance, what happened?”

“Daddy fixed it and put tape on it. Daddy can’t fix it anymore, mommy has to.”

Twenty-three days after the wake, Mombo’s Cardinals are playing game six of the World Series and his V-Reds are in Ottawa for a tournament. If St. Louis lost to the Rangers that night, the championship is going to Texas. In the bottom of the 11th, the Cardinals’ David Freese hit a walk-off home run to send the series to seven, ending one of the most dramatic games in sports history.

In a hotel room more than 1700 km away from Missouri, Mombo’s players were jumping and screaming at 12:38 in the morning. Reds rookie Seth Amoah yelled, “I know that was Mombo!”

The next day, the Cardinals won the World Series.

“Hey, it’s Australia” “What are you doing after school?” Robbie Linton asked DesRoches in January, the only graduating player on UNB’s basketball team.

“I don’t know, man. I kinda wanna play ball somewhere. But I don’t really have any connections.”

Linton, who’s from Coffs Harbour, Australia, had some. He hooked DesRoches up with Matt Shanahan, who currently is the Development Manager for the Coffs Harbour Suns.

If they had hooked up a month earlier, DesRoches could be playing pro ball down under this year. But the NBL of Australia has already begun its season and only allows two import players per team.

After a week of deliberation, DesRoches bought a plane ticket and will travel across the world after he graduates in May and play with the Suns before trying out for the NBL next year.

DesRoches tree-planted his way through UNB, so he doesn’t lack for independence. He also lacks wanting to end his basketball days.

“I’m gonna play the basketball-travel-the-world card as long as I can. If that’s under a year or if that’s five, 10 years, that’s what I’ll do.”

And if it doesn’t work out?

“Once I decide or once they decide it’s not in the cards for me, I’ll come back and apply for the R.C.M.P. unless I love it there and find a good job there. I’m super spontaneous and random like that.”

Tim Lingley / The Brunswickan

brunswickansports

20 • Feb. 22, 2012 • Issue 22 • Volume 145

Dalhousie reclaims AUS men’s volleyball title Heather Uhl Staff Reporter The Dalhousie Tigers would dominate the AUS men’s volleyball championship over the weekend, defeating the UNB Varsity Reds 3-1 twice.

Heading into the weekend, the V-Reds sat in second place, with Dal hosting the first game of the championship. It was a hard-fought four-set match in Halifax, where the Tigers first defeated the Reds 3-1 (25-18, 25-22, 28-30, 26-24).

From there, the fate of the championship title rested in Sunday’s game. If the V-Reds had won, there would have been a third match; if Dal won, the championship title was theirs.

It was a tight game Sunday until the fourth set, when the Varsity Reds’ momentum fell apart completely.

“That’s just kind of the way we’ve been playing for last couple of weekends unfortunately,” said UNB head coach Dan McMorran.

“We play some great ball then take some points. And when you’re riding those kinds of waves it’s difficult to generate momentum. When you’re playing against a team like Dalhousie and we’re riding a wave over here, they can pounce on things pretty quick.”

Reminiscent of the last two games in the regular season - where the Varsity Reds lost against Dal - the team was riding a wave of wining a set then losing the next. Playing as hard as they could, the V-Reds still lost 3-1 (28-26, 24-26, 25-19, 25-20).

The first two sets were point-forpoint, with the first set going to Dal and the second to UNB. In the third set the V-Reds dropped a few points, giving Dal the chance to pull ahead.

Dalhousie reclaimed their AUS men’s volleyball title this weekend after defeating the Varsity Reds in both matches.

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan By the fourth set, the momentum was completely gone and it seemed like a different team was playing against the Tigers. At the technical timeout, the score sat 16-7 in Dal’s favour. The final set score was 25-20 after a UNB comeback that came too late.

“We’ve got no excuses,” coach McMorran said. “Dalhousie came out and played with a defensive in-

tensity the last couple of weekends and we struggled to match that.”

Sunday’s game was the last for John Sheehan, a disappointing finish to his Varsity Reds career.

“We didn’t play very good today, and they [Dal] played good for the last four games,” Sheehan said after Sunday’s game. “They deserve it [championships].”

“We couldn’t get a pass-up, we

couldn’t side out on them and I mean we just handed them a bunch of points. We didn’t really start going until our backs were against the wall, I think it was 20-10, we did a good job at chipping back but still 5 points down.”

With this win, Dalhousie reclaims the AUS championship title that UNB stole from them last year.

“Our conversation will be about

not enjoying the taste that’s in your mouth right now, and if that’s the case then it’s about how do we get better and how do we improve upon that,” coach McMorran said.

“I like the squad that we have, I like the returning group that we have, we got almost everyone coming back, we’ve got some very high quality recruits coming in and hopefully we’re not in this situation next year.”

Here’s a question: What is a home field advantage?

Heather Uhl Staff Reporter The term ‘home field advantage’ is thrown around a lot at most sporting events. Yet, if all courts and rinks have two league standards, how is there an advantage to playing on a home court?

Except that there is an advantage to playing on a home court, but it’s only really noticeable when the team plays an away game. A team’s wins tend to be associated with whether or not the team was home or away.

For Andrew Costa of the V-Reds men’s volleyball team, the home court advantage is a bonus.

“I mean, you have fans out there.

You got the crowd behind you whether you’re having a good game or a tight game. Errors might affect you more in a different gym, where at home the fans will keep you pumped up and keep you staying focused. I find that always helps.”

The effect of the fans is an idea that is seconded by Daniel Quirion of the men’s basketball team. In an email, Quirion said, “When you play anywhere else it’s somewhat of a challenge because every gym has a different environment. Moreover, another advantage is having the crowd’s support. The fans that attend our games provide us with the extra energy we need to make things happen on the court and we truly appreciate it.”

Quirion also pointed out that the first part of home field advantage is the team gets to play where they practice.

The team is naturally comfortable when it comes game time.

“You feel much more comfortable playing at home, which results in increased confidence in your game.

Couple that with the energy of the fans; there is really nothing better than playing for your university and in front of your home crowd.”

So, it’s safe to say the fans are a big part of the home field advantage. With fans comes energy and confidence to take down whichever opponent steps to the plate.

In essence, the fans create an empowering atmosphere for the players, which is why Emma Russell, of the women’s basketball team, appreciates the Red Brigade.

“I think the Red Brigade has done a great job this season at getting behind the teams and supporting them, especially men’s basketball.”

The fans aren’t the only part of the home field advantage, even if they play a big part in empowering the teams.

Another aspect to the advantage is familiarity, as Costa pointed out.

“It’s your home court. You practice there everyday and you know what it is like and how to play there and how to react to certain balls different.”

This is an interesting state of af-

fairs for the V-Reds, considering most of the teams have migrated to the new Richard J. Currie Center.

With the new gym, home court advantage for the players might not be as strong.

For Russell, in her fifth and final year, “The Pit” will always be home.

“For me, being in my last year, it is hard to say that the Currie Center is home because the four years before this year were spent in The Pit.” That said, Russell loves playing in the Currie Center, and the new center is home for the rookies, but The Pit has a history to it.

On the other side of the fence and in his third year of play, Quirion said, “The Currie Center is definitely home! Don’t get me wrong The Pit was great as well but I can honestly say the Currie Center is the best facility I have ever stepped foot in and I am sure many will agree with me on that one.”

There was a teething period,

though, as Costa pointed out.

“I mean home court advantage didn’t feel like home court advantage for the first few matches, but by now it’s been a full season. For me, personally, it probably wasn’t until around Christmas time that it felt like the LB Gym to me, where I knew my place, I knew where the balls go and stuff like that.”

So home field advantage is a combination of being comfortable on the court, knowing the court well - or at least better than the opposing team - and the will of the fans in the stands. Of course, as anyone following the V-Reds this season would know, home field advantage doesn’t guarantee a win.

“You got to show up and you got to perform, and you got to execute,” Costa said. “Whatever team shows up to play, they’re going to win.”