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VOLUME 49 ISSUE 04
6
CHANCELLOR SEARCH
MEET YOUR MAKER
After the resignation of Chancellor Ken Haycock last June, CapU continues the search for his successor.
The debut of our new Q&A series, featuring a one-onone chat with local jewelry designer Marie Foxall.
SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 04 | 2015
GENDER PARITY IN PARLIAMENT
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CONTENTS
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
01
02
03
06
Cover Art
Editor's Desk
News
Arts & Culture
07
10
13
18
Arts & Culture
Features
Calendar
Humour
CRISTIAN FOWLIE
FASHION AND THE FRESHMAN
GETTING AN ERECTION FROM POLITICAL SELECTION
MISS UNDERREPRESENTED
CHANCELLOR POSITION REMAINS VACANT
SEPTEMBER 28 OCTOBER 04
MEET YOUR MAKER: MARIE FOXALL
PHONEY NEWS
THE STAFF STAFF THIS ISSUE COURIER COLUMNISTS Andy Rice
Therese Guieb
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR
Carlo Javier
Gabriel Scorgie
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR
Kevin Kapenda
Mark Crickmay
OPINIONS EDITOR
ARTS + CULTURE EDITOR
FRED ULRICH JR. Fred Ulrich Jr. commonly known to the staff as F-U2 is a disgruntled alcoholic who once achieved his 15 minutes of fame playing the accordion for a now defunct band whose name we cannot publish due to, uh, standards. In this column, he’ll be talking about things that society just might be too caught up on. So he’ll be talking about a lot of things.
LEAH SCHEITEL
Christine Beyleveldt
Alva Tang
CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER
Cristian Fowlie
Syd Danger
ART DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Tianyi Bao
Brandon Kostinuk
BUSINESS MANAGER
WEB EDITOR
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
CONTRIBUTORS TAELORE KEYANA JASPER GRAU KEARA FARNAN TIM HORAN JAMES MARTIN JESSICA LIO MILANA BUCAN
VIVIAN LI MEGAN COLLINSON KSENIA KOZHEVNIKOVA PAUL BOICI ZED ALEXANDRA BRENNA MACKINDER
SABRINA KUHN Props to Sabrina Kuhn for being the most eager columnist of the year! Bonus points for being the first one to apply! After spending some time last year writing for the Courier to fulfill the obligations of the Arts and Entertainment Management program mandate, Sabrina is now writing without the requirements of her professor.
TERRY YAN This column will feature the members of Capilano University’s international education community. Each writer will come from a different culture and each of them will talk about their experiences being immersed in a society much different from where they came from. This week, we’ll learn about Terry Yan from Vancouver.
JAMES SAVILLE SCOTT BARKEMEYER
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Leah Scheitel is really quite the polymath. She flew under the radar as one of the top students in the CapU business program last year, was a former triathlon superstar and knows the histories of both Saturday Night Live and each of the American secretaries of state by heart. However, in this column, she’ll talk about the two things she loves best — politics and men.
THE CAPILANO COURIER is an autonomous, democratically-run student newspaper. Literary and visual submissions are welcomed. All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Capilano Courier will not publish material deemed by the collective to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. The views expressed by the contributing writers are not necessarily those of the Capilano Courier Publishing Society.
EDITOR'S DESK
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
GETTING AN ERECTION FOR POLITICAL SELECTION Andy Rice EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I’m not a political person. The idea of getting a lawn sign, to me, is unfathomable. If blue moons are supposed to be rare, then it would take a thousand in every shade between cyan and ultramarine before I ever bellied up to the desk at my local campaign office. Whenever people start talking politics I immediately shrink into whatever piece of furniture I’m sitting in. I feel as though I’m playing a perpetual game of “don’t pick me”, like the kid in class who forgot to study or the most virginal attendee of a birthday party where the main activity is 10 consecutive rounds of Never-Have-I-Ever. Unlike my predecessor here at the Courier, I don’t watch CBC’s Power and Politics religiously and I didn’t stream the latest debate. I’m going to be straight-up with you: I’ve never voted either. Not once in my life. (Well… I did cast a ballot for the Courier’s Board of Directors election last year but that’s not exactly altering the Canadian political landscape in any meaningful way.) I can’t help but wonder sometimes: does my lifelong lack of political involvement render me unfit to lead a student newspaper in an election year? Probably, but I guess it does make for some pretty balanced coverage. Glass half full, right? (Nope!) That doesn’t mean for a second that I don’t think that politics are important though. In this world, you get what you
give. Political input is directly responsible for political output. That’s why I’m starting to feel guilty that I’ve let this country down for every election since I was old enough to vote. I didn’t think anything of it the first time, or the second time, but in retrospect I was being hugely frivolous with an opportunity that people have literally died in their fight for. I’ve always justified my lack of political participation by never really complaining about anything that happened in this world as a result. When it comes to Canadian politics especially, I’m the quintessential definition of a sheep. But when you suddenly become the editor of a student newspaper, you start to see things differently. You have to. Throughout the process of hiring this year’s Courier staff, I made every attempt I could to assign roles based on people’s strengths. At the same time, I was taking my own weaknesses into consideration. I knew this paper would have to be political at times. It would have to cover issues I knew little, or cared little, about. It would have to broach tough subjects, sometimes even in controversial ways, and I needed people who could conduct themselves with a well-informed level of respect but also a mischievous sense of curiosity — people whose own strengths would take flight whenever mine reached the end of the runway. Through that symbiotic relationship, a strange thing has begun to happen to me. Slowly, I’ve started applying my own mischievous sense of curiosity to politics.
The first step was learning how to vote, a subject I researched heavily for last week’s special feature. This week, we’re running another piece, written by our opinions editor Kevin, regarding women in politics. As we get closer to Election Day, there are even more political stories in the queue, covering a wide cross-section of voices and viewpoints. I may even write some of them. I have a friend in Victoria who collects lawn signs like my treadmill collects dust. She goes door-to-door with her favourite MP and frequently posts things on Facebook that are more political than you could ever imagine. No matter how much time I spend watching CPAC, I still don’t think that could ever be me. It may not be you either, and that’s fine as long as neither of us check out completely. The future is all of our responsibility. When you really think about it, it’s probably the only responsibility we have as humans in the grand scheme of things. This year, I’m vowing to play a bigger part in shaping this country. I may be a just grain of sand, but what good am I doing if I’m not even on the beach with the others?
What are the chances the Internet will actually work this year?
THE VOICEBOX with Carlo Javier
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
It’s working pretty well so far. Can you just appreciate it for now?
Why does it cost an additional 35 cents to pay by phone to park here? Is it just another way that Parking Services want to fuck students, instructors and staff?
You can pay by phone to park here?! Woah. Mind blown. Also, please don’t assume that the Parking Services department is in the business solely to take advantage of students, instructors and staff -- that’s just rude. Those are my people, brah.
How do I approach the cute girl in my Communications class?
With extreme caution and a lot of
THE CAPILANO COURIER
I hear you guys pay your writers, do you really? Hi George! How you been? Absolutely! Come to our story meetings on Tuesdays at noon at Maple 122. Pick up an article, write it up and get paid for it. It’ll look good on your résumé.
If you come this Tuesday we’ll have
In due time.
The Voicebox is back! If you have any questions, concerns or any other bitchin’ to do, text it over to our boy Carlo at 778-865-2649. “Please text me,” he says. “No one else does.”
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
When’s Dr. Michael Markwick gonna run for Prime Minister?
NEWS
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
CHANCELLOR POSITION REMAINS VACANT University to continue search for potential successor Carlo Javier EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Months after Dr. Ken Haycock’s resignation, Capilano University’s chancellor position remains vacant as the school’s Alumni Association and Board of Governors continue its search for a suitable successor. Haycock’s announced his departure back in June, a little over a year after he began his stint as chancellor of CapU. In an official statement, Haycock told the university that he believed that an individual with a different skill set and experience could be a better fit for CapU. According to CapU President Kris Bulcroft, the university has to follow a search process that is loosely outlined in the University Act. “As a university, it’s the responsibility of the Alumni Association, so we’re like all other universities, it’s the Alumni Association that really helps us look for candidates, vet candidates and then our Alumni Association, according to the University Act, sets up their own process of how to go about doing it,” Bulcroft said. Al-
though the Alumni Association has a big role to play in terms of helping the school locate a candidate, the decision is ultimately left at the hands of the Board of Governors. “So then the Alumni Association makes a recommendation to the Board, and it’s the Board that has the final approval for the chancellor,” Bulcroft added. The qualifications for a potential candidate are extensive. The suggested prerequisites include that, ideally, the chancellor holds some history with CapU, that he or she has a certain national or international recognition in his or her own field and that the chancellor is capable of being a model ambassador for the community that CapU serves. For Bulcroft, there are two primary factors that make an ideal chancellor. “One of the most important things is that we have to have somebody who’s really passionate about Capilano,” she said. Post-secondary institutions across the province vary in focus, and CapU is one of the universities that classifies itself as a teaching-intensive institution. For Bulcroft, a chancellor who understands CapU’s values as a teaching university is of great significance.
Furthermore, a chancellor who maintains a connection with the community is also important, particularly an individual who lives and holds considerable interaction with the North Shore. “I think those are two really important characteristics. The chancellor is also really important in terms of having, I think, some experience serving on boards and also knowing a bit about governance systems, and if they know something about universities in a general way, that’s helpful too,” she added. The chancellor's role is ceremonial as well. He or she is the one who presents all degrees and credentials at convocation. The chancellor also serves as a member of the school’s Board of Governors and the Senate. Outside of his role as chancellor, Haycock was a former municipal councillor on the North Shore, as well as the chair of the West Vancouver Arts Centre Trust. One of his last projects for CapU was a collaboration with the University library on a variety of student and facultyfocused initiatives. “Ken’s been very kind to the University and I really appreciated the work he did,” Bulcroft continued. “I enjoyed working with Ken. He
came really well-suited in terms of all those things I just mentioned about what we need in a chancellor. He put in a lot of hours. You know, the chancellor doesn’t get paid, this is totally a voluntary position for somebody, so he put in a lot of effort as chancellor and I really enjoyed working with him. He knew a lot about universities, he added a lot to our governance system and I was sorry when he resigned, but you know, he has to make decisions that suit his lifestyle and needs.” Despite his departure, Bulcroft still sees Haycock as a member of the CapU community as a former chancellor and as an honorary degree recipient, “He’s part of the Cap family, and even though he’s no longer chancellor we still think of him as part of our family.” Note: Haycock did not respond to interview requests before press deadline.
TRAIL TIPS
How to ensure safety while enjoying outdoor activities this fall Christine Beyleveldt
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
On Aug. 29, District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services spent three hours trying to remove a woman who had injured herself jumping from the falls over Lynn Canyon. On Sept. 11, a male cliff-jumper drowned, adding his name to the list of many thrill-seekers who have lost their lives there. He was recovered by RCMP divers the following day. RCMP and North Shore Search and Rescue were kept busy this past summer due to a number of calls relating to incidents of trapped or injured hikers. Lynn Canyon has been a particular area of concern, as its whirlpools and eddies often trap unsuspecting swimmers and jumpers. Due to the number of incidents there is always at least one park ranger patrolling the canyon. Although, safety is not just a responsibility of the rescue teams, North Shore Search and Rescue and the RCMP are constantly reminding travellers to be aware when they head out into the wilderness. Even if one is careful, it’s still possible to run into dangerous situations — especially as the season changes and the sun sets earlier it’s easy to get lost after dark. “I always plan my route and then tell someone where I’m going,” said Hannah Jensen, an avid hiker and student at Simon Fraser University. “[Also] it is important to get an idea of the difficulty of the hike you are going on so that you can gauge if it is appropriate for your skill level.”
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The Grouse Grind, which is considered a staple climb for Vancouverites, was recently voted among the top five most dangerous trails in the world. Although only three people have died mid-Grind since the 1990s, it is a difficult trail for rescuers to access. According to Outside Magazine, “the trail is so grisly it often takes 12 rescuers to get a hiker off the mountain.” One such incident was caused by an avalanche triggered by the hiker in mid-winter, when the trail was supposed to be closed. Quarry Rock in Deep Cove also has its fair share of incidents. Nearly every weekend, the search and rescue team reports cases of climbers straying too close to the edge of the massive stone lookout and becoming trapped. While climbers should always be aware of the dangers in their environment, they are impossible to predict. “Weather can be extremely volatile in the mountains,” said Jensen. “Pack extra layers. So if I was going for a hike up Seymour on a summer day wearing shorts and a
t-shirt, I would probably have a waterproof shell, a toque, gloves and possibly even a fleece in my backpack.” Bringing adequate food and water is another important safety measure, according to Michael More O’Ferrall, a mountain biking enthusiast. “[I] ensure that I have enough water and food for the ride for myself and by chance another person,” he said. “What I mean here is if somebody that I ride with is not prepared, I need to be prepared enough to get them out with enough water and fuel.” Among the essentials, Jensen and More O’Ferrall note that they both include emergency blankets, hand warmers, a cell phone, whistle, bear spray and bells, first aid kit and a map or GPS. Regardless of a person’s fitness or experience level, it is prudent to avoid participating in outdoor activities alone. “It is better to travel in groups while in the outdoors, and preferably in a group of three or more,” explained Jensen. “Say you’re in a group of
two and one person injures [himself or herself] quite badly. In order to get help, the second person has to leave the injured alone on the trail, which is not ideal.” For more outdoor safety tips pertaining to the North Shore, visit Northshorerescue.com/education. NORTH SHORE HIKING STATS • OVER 150,000 PEOPLE HIKE THE GROUSE GRIND ANNUALLY, BUT 80 OF THOSE WILL NEED TO BE RESCUED FROM THE TRAIL EACH YEAR. • THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH ON THE GROUSE GRIND IS FROM CARDIAC ARREST, WHILE THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH IN LYNN CANYON IS DUE TO DROWNING AND DEATH ATOP THE STAWAMUS CHIEF IS LIKELY TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO FALLING OR ROCK SLIDES. • MOUNTAIN LIONS AND BEARS POSE VIRTUALLY NO THREAT TO HIKERS. AMONG THE WAYS STRANDED BACKPACKERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE INCLUDE LIGHTNING STRIKES, BEE STINGS AND BUTT CHAFE. • THREE PEOPLE HAVE DIED ON THE GROUSE GRIND SINCE 1999, INCLUDING ONE CAUGHT IN AN AVALANCHE.
NEWS
THERESE GUIEB
EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR NEWS@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
STUDENTS SHARING PERSPECTIVES
ChatLive aims to keep students engaged, connected and inspired Jessica Lio CONTRIBUTOR
For students who want to explore captivating issues in a supportive and conversational environment, the ChatLive discussion series on campus is the perfect place to share opinions with other students and faculty at Capilano University. Organized and hosted by the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, these discussions are meant to engage students with a variety of interesting topics and inspire them to think outside of their academic disciplines. This semester, students can expect to address ideas relating to Indigenous rights, environmentalism, freedom of religion, cultural appropriation and more. On Oct. 1, ChatLive is holding a discussion titled Welcome to the Anthropocene. Anthropocene refers to a time period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. When asked to
elaborate on the chosen discussion topic, Cheryl Schreader, Geography professor at CapU and ChatLive guest speaker explained that human impact has changed things profoundly in terms of atmosphere composition, species’ diversity and landscapes, which affects us both locally and on a global scale. “We want to have people think about and discuss the human impact on not only climate but our role on the environment in which we’re a part of,” she said. According to Schreader, ChatLive is a place where students can go and feel comfortable listening, asking questions and really getting into discussions. Students will also be able to reflect on the film Manufactured Landscapes, which deals with ideas about industrial work and the life cycles of manufactured products. The film will be screened on Sep. 30 at 7 pm in the Bosa Film Centre. On Oct. 8, Sean Ashley, professor of Sociology at CapU and ChatLive guest speaker will be presenting a discussion titled Is Religious
Freedom Possible in a Diverse Society? According to Ashley, the goal is not to challenge the validity of religious beliefs but rather to allow for people to discuss the reality of religion, its cultural functions and whether religious rights should trump certain Canadian laws. “I think it’s a very serious topic right now in Canada,” Ashley noted. “It’s certainly one that university students in particular should be engaging in.” Ideally, he would like to see a diverse range of views presented by the students. “Students will come from a lot of different perspectives on religion itself,” he said. “I’m hoping that they are going to take away a different perspective.” Sam Riesco, a returning ChatLive student, expressed her enthusiasm about the program, mentioning that the diverse range of topics and the informal setting are what appeal to her most. “I like hearing all the different viewpoints and ideas, interacting with students and facul-
ty,” said Riesco. “It’s an easy way to get involved [with] current issues and what’s happening on campus and within the community.” ChatLive meets for ten Thursdays each semester from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm in in Library 188. By attending three or more ChatLive sessions over the course of the semester, those wanting to earn a notation on their transcript can log in to their student accounts and register as they would for a regular class. Students are welcome to drop-in and free pizza is provided for attendees. For more information on the ChatLive series visit Capilanou.ca/ChatLive.html or contact Dr. Rachel Clearwater at rachelclearwater@ capilanou.ca.
WORKSHOPS ON CAMPUS
A look at CapU's resources for student success Milana Bucan CONTRIBUTOR
Many students struggle in balancing school, work and other activities, which prevents them from adequately preparing for their careers after graduation. Luckily, there are free resources to help students start up in their industry available on campus year-round. Student Employment Services (SES), located in Birch 270 offers an array of services to help students prepare for their dream jobs. SES is offering workshops throughout the semester such as, Resumes: Get into the Yes Pile, Writing a Winning Cover Letter, Networking 101 and LinkedIn Advanced: Tips for Networking.
Eilidh Sligo, career services assistant at CapU, explained that these workshops were created “to provide employment information to larger groups of students, arising from questions that students were concerned about.” Many students aren’t aware that these services are available to them in order to guide them in job searching and starting career portfolios. According to Sligo, preparing a resume and writing a cover letter can be frustrating and time consuming, although if done right a resume is guaranteed to end up in the possible hires list. After receiving hundreds of resumes and cover letters, employers and recruiters spend seconds scanning each one. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that the resume and cover letter are a valuable first impression.
The interview process is the second step to the hiring process. Knowing the questions that may be asked and having a chance to practice answering them is helpful in boosting self-confidence. Being prepared shows a responsible and reliable character, noted Sligo. Additionally, dressing appropriately and displaying good etiquette at work emits professionalism. Being on social media and having an online presence are also imperative to putting oneself out there, as well as networking with potential employers. Recruiters nowadays refer to the Internet to find additional information on potential hires. “Don’t post anything inappropriate on Facebook is something to keep in mind,” said Sligo. In addition to the student success work-
shops offered by SES, career management workshops are also held every Tuesday from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm in Library 186. Sligo encourages students to attend the career fair hosted by CapU on Oct. 8 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm in the Birch building cafeteria. For a list of exhibitors for the career fair visit Capilanou.ca/list-of-exhibitors.html. For more information on the schedule of SES workshops visit Capilanou.ca/calendars. Book an appointment with Eilidh Sligo or Nancy Tran at the SES for free individual career consultations.
WHAT’S NEW WITH THE CSU? Board of directors meeting
life, and Ben Glassen, CapU senate representative, to visit the Sunshine Coast regional campus. A motion to pass a letter regarding the New Students’ Services and Technology fee was sent to the University board on Sept. 22 was not passed, since it was declared redundant. CSU president Zach Renwick brought up a number of ideas to better integrate incoming student board members into the CSU’s board of directors, including the proposal of holding bi-weekly one-on-one meetings with board members and directors, and the establishment of a minimum set of standards on board members. Renwick also suggested the implementation of
an online voting system for the election of representatives for the CSU. Taylor Wilson, vice president of external relations, brought up the topic of the Student Union Development Summit (SUDS), remarking on its atmosphere and suggesting that the CSU should carefully consider its choice in attending the event. Wilson also reported on advocacy in the external community focusing specifically on the housing and societies act, suggesting an open dialogue.
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
On Sept. 17, the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) held its board of directors meeting. Jessica Lar-Son gave a presentation to the board on behalf of the Association of British Columbia Students (ABCS). The ABCS is a lobbying effort on behalf of students that appeals to the provincial government for the needs of students. The CSU has been an active member of the ABCS since its inception in 2012. Lar-Son discussed how the ABCS travelled to Victoria for Advocacy Week, petitioned a scholarship program for graduate students, expressed the demand for student housing on behalf
of Capilano University and called for the elimination of interest during student loan grace periods and adequate funding for Adult Basic Education programs. The board continued to discuss unfinished business from the previous meeting, and under the Operations committee’s recommendation, the Marketing and Communication sub-committee will be under an Executive committee in the future. Sabrina Oulette, Global and Community Studies representative, was appointed to the Services, Operations and Student Life committees. The motion to release $150 from the regional campus development line was passed which will enable Kate Phifer, vice president of student
THE CAPILANO COURIER
Christine Beyleveldt CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
CAP YOU
CARLO JAVIER
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR CARLO.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
KICKING INTO GEAR
Veterans have high expectations for CapU's soccer teams Kevin Kapenda
team, it’s just more talking to guys on the field,
OPINIONS EDITOR
encouraging them and letting them know what they could improve on,” explained Wooley. “I often tell guys to just get stuck into tackles, go in
After an eight-month layoff, both the Capilano
hard and show the coach that you are willing to
University Blues varsity men’s and women’s
put your body on the line for the team.”
soccer teams returned to the pitch to begin
For the new ladies, Ruygrok insists that it is
their new seasons.
essential that younger players up their physi-
Rebuilding is a term that can definitely
cality during games because they may be much
be used to define both squads, as most of
smaller and younger than most of their op-
their rosters are composed of first year play-
ponents. “The biggest issue with the women’s
ers. But according to team captains, Olivia Ruygrok and Devan Woolley, their squads’ overall lack of collegiate experience does not mean expectations are low. In fact, both Ruygrok and Woolley believe that post-season berths are possible if their teams continue to improve game by game, meaning that the success of this season for both programs largely rests on the development of their freshman players. For third year striker and midfielder Olivia Ruygrok, the biggest priority for her team this season is to forge a new identity after welcoming more than 10 new players and a new coaching staff to the program. “It’s definitely a rebuilding year as we have 16 rookies and only five returning players, and also our head and assistant coach are new too,” explained Ruygrok. While recent campaigns have not been so fruitful for the women’s program, she believes that the strength of their freshmen class could help the team achieve new heights. “In past years we haven’t done as well as we would
team is our aggressiveness on the pitch,” said have hoped. Like last year was one of the
the playoffs this year. That’s our main goal,
Ruygrok. “When you come out of high school
worst records we’ve ever had in the program,”
despite having a rough start in which we saw
and you have your first game it’s kind of a
said Ruygrok, “But our new head coach, who
two red cards in each of our first two games
shock to your system because you are playing
won a national title himself, believes we can
and a disallowed goal in our third.”
with people that could be four to five years older
make it to nationals with the talent we’ve re-
Tightening up at the back and competing
than you that have had all this time to become
cruited and the talent we already have.”
until the final whistle are just a few things
more of an aggressive player on the field, espe-
With regard to measuring the success of
Woolley believes his team must do to achieve
cially since most of our girls are smaller in size
the team this year, Ruygrok believes that
greater things this year. “For the guys team,
than some of our opponents.”
their season will hinge on whether or not they
in the past, scoring goals because it’s been an
Expectations are as high as ever for CapU’s
deliver in the playoffs. “I’m expecting at least
issue, so ideally we’d like to score more. But,
soccer programs as both Woolley and Ruygrok
to do really well in provincials, and if we make
conceding less goals is our number one objec-
believe a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Associa-
it to nationals that would be amazing, but
tive, because goals will come but keeping a
tion (CCAA) nationals’ berth in Ontario could
we’ll play it game by game,” she said.
clean sheet at the back is what’s going to win
be imminent if their teams continue to make
Fourth year centre-half and midfielder De-
us games,” stated Woolley. “Sometimes our
improvements in training and fixtures. So far,
van Woolley, is also optimistic that his young
team kind of falls apart after we’ve been scored
the CapU women’s and men’s teams are 1-1-
team can elevate their performances this sea-
on, this year we are really working on keeping
1 and 0-3 respectively with a games in hand
son after a shaky start to this campaign. “Also
our heads up after conceding and recognizing
against Douglas College, the so-called “teams
like the girls team, we have five returning
that the game’s not over until it’s over.”
to beat” on Sept. 23. If momentum-acquiring
players from last year, so we’re a really young
As team captains, most of the mentoring
wins can be achieved over the first place wom-
team with a lot of first years,” said Woolley,
that Ruygrok and Woolley have been giving
en’s, and second place men’s Douglas Royals,
“But with that being said, there is a lot of skill
to incoming recruits centres around increas-
then maybe CapU will soon be known as the
and we’re really confident that we can make
ing their physicality on the pitch. “For the guys
PacWest conference’s school to beat.
SHOOTING FOR THE GOLD
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
Blues men’s basketball team has a new head coach Alva Tang
with at Quest — deemed him the perfect fit
As a coach, there are two things that
be excellent student athletes,” he said.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
for the Blues men’s basketball team. “They
Kannemeyer values most: the adaption of
Kannemeyer bases these values off of
got together and
his X’s and O’s to his
the acronym FAST: Family, Accountabil-
On Aug. 10, it was announced that Jon
basically
decided
personnel and team
ity, Selflessness and Trust. These are what
Acob would be the new head coach of the
that it would be a
building. “I like to do a
he believes should intertwine with the four
Capilano University Blues varsity basket-
good transition for
lot of team building so
sectors of student life: practice, games, aca-
ball team. However, due to family reasons,
the Cap players to
by the end of the sea-
demics and the community. Excited to cre-
Acob has taken a year leave, entrusting the
have a coach come
sons, we all really love
ate a bond with the team, Kannemeyer is
future of the men’s basketball team into
in on an interim
and respect each other,
also looking forward to having the opportu-
Cassidy Kannemeyer’s hands.
basis that knew a
we all have fun togeth-
nity to coach at the PacWest Level for the
With an impressive history of wins and
lot of the players
er and those things,”
sixth year, and seeing if his philosophies
a varied background in teaching men’s bas-
already,” he said.
he said. “If a player’s
will translate into some wins for the team.
ketball, Kannemeyer has his vision set and
This
season’s
healthy and happy,
“I hope to bring a strong work ethic and a lot
clear on the team’s potential for success.
roster has a lot
and a coach is happy,
of energy to the program and hopefully that
“I’ve either coached against, coached, tried
of quickness and
then everybody’s hap-
rubs off on the roster and we’re able to deliv-
to recruit or have recruited all of them,”
athleticism
py and the play will
er an exciting product,” said Kannemeyer.
said Kannemeyer, “You take notes on play-
Kannemeyer
reflect that.”
“One that is fun for the students at Cap to
ers even if you don’t recruit them.”
strongly believes that this will be what
Outside of the gym, Kannemeyer believes
come see and support us…. My hope is that
This, he believes, is a big reason that
drives the team. “I hope to bring an up-tem-
that academics always come first. “I hope to
the energy I bring will help us win some
Acob, CapU Athletic Director Milt Williams
po offence, one that I’ll feature what I be-
bring a strong belief in academics so it rubs
games, make playoffs and be a competitive
and Quest University head coach Sean
lieve is a very strong guard-oriented roster,”
off on the players and really support them
force in the playoffs. We will be a team to be
Shook — who Kannemeyer worked closely
he said.
to try and put them in the right positions to
reckoned with.”
5
and
ARTS & CULTURE NEWS MEET YOUR MAKER:
MARK CRICKMAY
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR ARTS.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
IS THERE A SPECIFIC TEMPLATE OR FORMAT THAT YOU FOLLOW FOR CRAFTING JEWELRY? IF SO, WHERE DID YOU LEARN IT?
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR WORK? In this day and age, it is becoming increasingly
I am not a classically-trained jeweller, so I find
more important to consider where our clothing,
that my design and creation process is all over
food, and consumer products are coming from.
the map. Some of my geometric pieces are cre-
By creating carefully considered, locally-made
ated first by sketching and doodling shapes
jewelry, I hope to do my small part to encour-
until something clicks and it looks just right,
age my community to sustain itself locally. As
then transferring the image to a computer to
part of this ethos, I have been organizing pop-
create a template for me to precisely hand-cut
up shops with two other local jewelers, Andrea
the metal. For some of my newer pieces, the
Rokosz and Karen La, where we select a col-
inspiration comes directly from the material
lection of hand-crafted or locally designed items
itself, such as a unique crystal or clear PVC
by our peers to promote and support the com-
tubing or translucent plastic cord… I play
munity of makers in our midst.
around with the materials until I find the
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE THAT YOU’VE DONE AND WHY?
IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO STUDENTS INTERESTED IN THIS LINE OF WORK? ANY PARTICULAR PATHWAYS, EXPERIENCES OR OTHER ARTISTS TO STUDY?
The Perseus Necklace is a personal favourite
I think the important thing to know about
(and the ring that matches it is on my finger
any artistic pursuit is that there is no one per-
every single day). Those pieces incorporate
fect way to go about it. I have many jeweller
my favourite three-dimensional shape (the
friends who did the two-year jewelry program
tetrahedron) and represent a major leap for
at VCC and absolutely rave about it! On the
the Wasted Effort aesthetic and evolution of
other hand, I took a couple night classes and
my personal metal smithing abilities. Once
invested many hours of personal research,
I successfully created the first setting for a
video tutorials, trial and error. I think it is im-
Perseus piece, it opened up a world of design possibilities that had previously felt off-limits to me.
portant to know yourself and how much you’re
As far as building a business, I think that
perfect way to incorporate them into a piece of jewelry.
MARIE FOXALL
FROM WASTED EFFORT
Mark Crickmay
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Wasted Effort falls far from the self deprecating title that it holds — on the contrary, every effort appears to be quite concerted. Marie
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE HANDCRAFTED JEWELRY, AND IN THIS STYLE?
Foxall is a Vancouver-based jewelry designer
I have always been a maker and I love learn-
who has become recently successful with her
ing new skills – the impetus to start creating
simplistic designs for “no-fuss, style-conscious
jewelry came from a desire to learn something
people who want to look amazing but don’t
completely different from all of the other artis-
want to waste any time thinking about it.”
tic crafts I had previously pursued. The sim-
Wasted Effort is hand crafted, ethically
plicity inherent in my original pieces was a
sourced, and locally made — everything that
result of my introduction to these basic metal
a conscious consumer should be looking for
smithing techniques and my affinity for clean,
from a designer. Coming from a non-tradi-
geometric design.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED?
IS WASTED EFFORT A SOLO EFFORT?
I truly hope that when someone wears a piece
are picking up the line. Having had some
I am Wasted Effort and Wasted Effort is me!
the time and care that has gone into each de-
time to experiment with designs and gradu-
I do the design, production, marketing, art di-
sign and each individual piece. I want people
ally move into owning a business has helped
rection, customer service… you name it. I am
to value the difference between mass-produced
make Wasted Effort what it is today. Surviv-
reaching the point where I will need to hire
jewelry and something made with care by hu-
ing trends and evolving with the times is a
some additional help with production and a
man hands. I love connecting with my custom-
challenge for any company, and it is one that
few other tasks: interested parties, keep an
ers and hope that they each impart their jewel-
Foxall strives to surpass.
eye out for that call to action!
ry with meaning and their own personal story.
tional background and experimenting with styles and materials appears to be working for Foxall, especially now that local stockists
and soon Sriracha was tickling taste buds
First it was edamame, then kale took over,
A look at current across the country. It seems as though every food week bringstrends a new food trend into the fold, so and soon Sriracha was tickling taste buds
we caught up with Mijune Pak from the popular blog Followmefoodie.com to bring us up to speed on the newest nosh.
week brings a new food trend into the fold, so we caught up with Mijune Pak from the popular blog Followmefoodie.com to bring us up to speed on the newest nosh.
DAIRY-FREE YOGURT “One of the new things is fermented dairy alternatives, different ways of fermenting them. Essentially, they’re yogurts but it’s a different way of making them using hazelnut milk and almond milk.”
most of my peers would agree that it should occur naturally. Most of us started slowly, gradually building the business while we worked at other jobs, eventually taking the leap towards working for ourselves. That natural progression allows for a better sense of how your business works, what you value, and most importantly, whether or not you actually enjoy it!
BONE BROTH
“When we think of barbecue we think of hick-
“In order to make broth you kind of always
ory or applewood, but hay is becoming pretty
have to use bone so sometimes I think it’s
popular. They started introducing it as kind
not even the idea that’s new it’s the fact that
of this nouveau thing in fine-dining restau-
they’re just adding things to the descrip-
rants… It’s lighter, more earthy, a bit nutty
tion — they’ve always used bone but people
and not as harsh as wood.”
don’t necessarily know that it goes in a particular dish.”
GRAINS, NUTS & SEEDS “Rather than using just rice for a risotto, peo-
HARISSA CHILI PASTE
ple are using nuts or seeds or raw grains as
“We don’t have much [Arabic] cuisine in
well. I think some people are also testing that
Vancouver so it’s just a condiment that
as an answer to the gluten-free thing… If you
people have heard of less. Chefs are always
have it at its purest state you often don’t have
looking for something new. They hate when
as many problems.”
everyone’s doing the same thing.”
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
HAUTE STUFF
across the country. It seems as though every
SMOKING WITH HAY
committing to anything long-term.
THE CAPILANO COURIER
First it was edamame, then kale took over,
of my jewelry, they understand and appreciate
willing to invest in this line of work before
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@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
SCRATCHING THE SURFACE
How the popularity of disk jockeys has created a new rock star Jasper Grau CONTRIBUTOR Music in the last century has consistently yielded innovations in style and technology. The roaring 20s saw the rise of popular jazz and ragtime, and later on everything from barbershop to thrash metal, hip hop to rock, would have its time under the spotlight. Musicians went from playing small shows in cafes and communes to becoming cultural icons and superstars. While live music was traditionally played with instruments by a band or artist, a new musical style emerged in the 1980s — the disc jockey (DJ). Since then, DJs have dominated several underground genres and sub-genres but it wasn’t until recently that DJs garnered a massive public appeal and were able to fill stadiums consistently. Despite both musicians and DJs enjoying huge fan bases there is still a sense of polarization between the two. Trevor Risk, guitarist for local band Sun-
shine and Medium Cool, as well as a DJ under the group Ice Cream Social, has seen both sides of the music scene. “The DJ scene and the traditional live band and artist world are unfortunately constantly comparing one another,” he said. “A DJ is more like a stand-up comedian — its one person against a crowd of people... You have a repertoire of songs and you sequence them in a way to keep the crowd's tide constantly in motion… There's a certain satisfaction in attempting to hold a room captivated for half an hour with one's own words and music and performance, but the fact that I am relying on a few other people to play and hit their cues, there's certainly more freedom to DJing — being up on stage alone and curating and sequencing songs in a way to make the clubber satisfied.” Adam Fink is also an aficionado of both the DJ and live band scenes, playing in a plethora of local acts. “You can't compare Jimi Hendrix to Skrillex,” he said. “It's not
an apt comparison and in fact it's pretty lazy. We live in a great world where every piece of music is available at your fingertips. There is enough room for people to enjoy both things. The majority of bands these days play to prerecorded tracks. I don't think it makes them less of a musician.” Both DJ’s and musicians appear to be borrowing skills and techniques from each other — appealing to a larger and more diverse fanbase is becoming increasingly important. “There are many different aspects to DJing. For instance, there are scratch DJs, mixing DJs and of course the DJs that press play. Talented DJs are able to create a new way to experience the music using mixing, scratching or with live instruments,” explained Michael Beggs, a producer/DJ under the name SUAVE, who is neck deep in the local house scene. A talented DJ has a wide range of tools at his or her disposal that makes a gig a lot more complex than
those who would simply press ‘play’ and let the tracks go. “DJing is all about being able to read the vibe of the crowd while expressing yourself creatively,” said Beggs. Though it sounds simple, it isn’t something that all DJs or musicians are able to accomplish. It seems that more often than not musicians and DJs are trading techniques with each other, blurring the lines between the two positions. It is becoming increasingly difficult to tell which camp will sustain the musical market. Both have their target audience and both hold mass appeal for different reasons. Twenty to 30 years ago people may not have predicted the culture of DJs to be a lasting one. Fast forward to present day and it’s become hard to tell who is amassing more popularity. What is clear is that there would not be DJs without music, and there would not be certain types of music without DJs. The rest is a question that only time can answer.
FASHION AND THE FRESHMAN
Are high-end retailers sustainable for today’s students? Taelore Keyana
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
Just like the needs of college freshmen, fashion is ever changing. Now, with retailers such as Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom invading Vancouver’s fashion scene, students with a budget feel pressured to purchase from these high-fashion names to stay on trend with the students who have no budget. Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom are both fashion retailers that play home to many brands that often dominate the runways during New York Fashion Week. Christian Louboutin, Dior, Chanel and Valentino are only a small selection of the luxury labels that can be found while browsing through many high-end locations. While big labels offer a substantial price tag for trendy styles, retailers such as Forever 21 and H&M offer similar styles, but at a price that is kinder to one’s wallet. Even though these affordable options are available, many young adults still choose to dress themselves in styles that boast big-name designers. Nicole Jonzon, a fashion merchandiser based in Vancouver, believes that it is a mix of self-indulgence as well as inherent wealth that has young society buying these goods. “I think it has to do with all of those. Someone who can afford higher priced brand names is going to buy them for their own self-indulgence and also the quality of the product,” she said. But according to Mindy Hagan a fashion blogger based in Toronto, Ontario selfindulgence has nothing to do with it. “They do it because they are spoiled,” she said. “It would be self-indulgence if they regularly shopped at Joe Fresh or other moderatelypriced brands.” Hagan goes on to explain
7
that matching runway styles to a college budget is a question she gets most often from her readers. “They always want dupes — something fresh but still frugal. My recommendation often includes H&M and American Apparel. I also always suggest to check consignment stores because you’ll always find a gem.” Nordstrom opened up a flagship store in Vancouver’s Pacific Centre on Sept. 18, and the gala event was overrun by young adults. Many were already clad in couture designer wear as they stood in a line that wrapped around the block. Mark L., an employee of the department store was baffled by the student turn out. “Nordstrom aims to sell to everyone with luxurious taste but the majority of people who shop in our stores are in their late twenties and early thirties. They’ve also established themselves already,” he said while picking up a black Jimmy Choo high heel embellished with gold studs, “So buying these kinds of items is like second nature to them. They do it not to feel good, but because they can afford it. I have yet to figure out how young people in school can shop here on such a regular basis.” More inexpensive retailers like Forever 21 and H&M have a huge audience of their own. Carrying styles for both men and women, as well as young children, already gives them a large and very diverse audience. In addition to having options for many people, their prices are more realistic for the everyday person. These styles work for many people because the articles of clothing match what is considered stylish and trendy by in-
— MEGAN COLLINSON
CONTRIBUTOR
ternational runways and fashion magazines. However, some say that stores like Forever 21 and H&M are ‘fast fashion’. Natalia Consualiz, a self-proclaimed fashionista in UBC’s General Sciences program, compared these shops to fast food establishments. “Easy access and cheap prices, that’s putting it bluntly,” she said. “Those stores have so many locations and their prices are, like, really low. But that doesn’t mean it is of any quality or value. Just like a cheeseburger from Micky D’s it does the job, but it’s not good quality.” Whether your fashion fix comes from a high end retailer or something more budget
friendly, it’s all personal taste. The money someone spends and the store they shop in will always change with the fashion industry. Students will budget their money however they see fit, and others will buy a new pair of Christian Louboutin stiletto’s as they see fit. Some students feel the heat when it comes to buying the latest trends and it’s not usually the one ones that can afford it – they’re just doing it as second nature.
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WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
TORO Y MOI
RYAN ADAMS
DRAKE + FUTURE
THE ZOLAS
Biltmore Cabaret
1989
What a Time to be Alive
Wino Oracle
Carlo Javier
Mark Crickmay
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
While it’s certainly not uncommon for famous musicians to cover each other’s songs, singer-songwriter Ryan Adams has taken the idea one step further by replicating an entire album. His latest release puts a deeper spin on each of the 13 tracks found on Taylor Swift’s 1989. Having used only a four-track tape recorder to put down the songs, Adams has given the project a rougher and more analog-sounding feel than Swift’s original. While it lacks any and all popstar polish, that’s where the beauty lies. The songs hold up just fine without it. Adams digs into each lyric as if it was his own, finding layers of sonic potential and profound sadness that weren’t mined in the first go-round. “Welcome to New York”, gives off instant Springsteen vibes with maybe a touch of Arcade Fire for modernity. “Blank Space” and “Shake It Off” are more low key with Adams’ voice just above a whisper and his fingerpicked guitar figures landing like raindrops on a window. “Style” is evocative of The Strokes and when he opens up to a pitchy wail during “Bad Blood”, things are in full grunge mode. The already-great chorus of “Clean” is further heightened in its simpler state and the pining vocals and tack piano on “This Love” are so Neil Young that it hurts. If 1989 wasn’t the hit it turned out to be for Swift, it could have been for Adams. The songs are simply too good, and after the initial recognition-factor wears off you forget his is a covers album at all. Both releases feature the same songs in the same order, which is a testament to Swift as a writer. (Yes, she really did pen them all.) Adams versions are sincere, wellcrafted and catchy in a whole new set of ways, proving there are multiple sides to the same story and that Hollywood starmaker machinery might not be as vital as we thought. At the end of the day, good music is good music and Adams saw the potential in Swift’s popular ode to the millennial era. As one of the best poets and songsmiths of our generation, he’s paid her a huge compliment, but it’s one she wholeheartedly deserves.
For the most part, album collaborations in hip-hop are like promises of improved Internet connectivity at Capilano University – they sound fantastic in theory, but when they actually happen, you remember why they were deemed to good to be true in the first place. This is just the case with the muchawaited collaboration with Drake and Future, What a Time to Be Alive. Initial rumours of the mixtape were justifiably rampant. Future is coming off a very wellreceived album with DS2 and Drake was coming off a Polaris Music Prize nomination, derailing the career of Meek Mill and prepping his own upcoming album, Views from the 6. To further the hype, a few days before its release, What a Time to Be Alive was revealed to have a very Watch the Throne-esque album cover and there’s nothing more the hip-hop community loves more than a beef. Yet, the mixtape just wasn’t that great. Maybe it’s the overhype, or maybe it’s because the mixtape, though billed as a Drake and Future collaboration, really is just a Future album laced with some verses from Drake. It doesn’t help that Drake’s verses err more towards being lackadaisical, save from songs like “Big Rings” and “Diamonds Dancing.” What a Time to Be Alive isn’t all negative, however. Future shines in his mixtape closer, “Jersey,” while Drake truly delivers some of his best work with “30 for 30 Freestyle,” the lone song produced by his running mate, 40. In the end, it’s kind of plausible that the mixtape billed to be a Drake and Future collaboration, should really be just hailed as The Future album with Drake verses here and there so that we can release it through Drake’s lucrative Apple Music deal mixtape.
The Zolas have always had a bit of a melancholy, UBC arts student kind of vibe to them. With Wino Oracle the group embraces their pop roots and moves into the light away from the shade, so to speak. Taking hints from the likes of The Strokes, The Shins and Grizzly Bear, Zach Gray and Tom Dobrzanski turn to fully producing the EP out of Dobrzanski’s Monarch Studios in Vancouver. While the four-song EP is not a complete turn in direction it does show a clear pop distinction, whereas Ancient Mars expressed a more diverse collection of moods and textures. This is the sound and feel of a Light Organ label record — vivacious, poppy and appealing. “Molotov Girls” hits harder than most Zolas tracks ever have, that is until a familiar feel kicks in with the chorus. The dynamic duo appear to have taken notes from local alt-pop heroes Hot Hot Heat both sonically and vocally. Gray explores his vocal range with “Island Life”, deepening into an attainable baritone. The rest of the band appear to be holding back and testing out their appeal to restrictions. Wino Oracle is less explorative than The Zolas previous releases, however, it does represent a certain maturity and decisiveness. This could be a really great lead up to a full-length album, as a standalone four-song EP it presents a few new trickles of excitement but does follow a particular format for the most part. Gray appears to have traded a bit of his poetic justice for stripped back pop structure and lyrics which, given that this formula lends itself to future flexibility, may be beneficial in garnering attention. Overall, Wino Oracle is upbeat, well written and a great representation of where The Zolas stand in their current culture — alive and decidedly pop.capturing the mood perfectly.
Usually, a sudden relocation, particularly to a smaller venue, doesn’t spell good things for a show. In the case of Chaz Bundick, more popularly known as Toro y Moi, moving his show from the Commodore Ballroom to the Biltmore Cabaret may have been the best thing that happened for his Vancouver show on Sept. 18 — other than the performance, of course. The groovy melodies of opening band Astronauts, etc. started the night off on a high note. Their smooth 70’s vibe brought nearly the entire crowd up out of their seats and closer to the band that, admittedly, has never toured out of their hometown. Astronauts, etc’s fittingly “chill” sound set the stage perfectly well for the man credited by Rolling Stone and NPR for spearheading the late-2000’s surge of “chillwave.” Bundick, his glorious afro and the rest of Toro y Moi’s touring band members kicked their set-list off with the mellow “Half Dome,” before moving onto funkier dance rock tracks like the sing-along friendly “What You Want” and the popular “Spell It Out.” Toro y Moi’s latest album, What For? marks both a departure and a return to roots for the artist. Here, he eschews the synth and electro for the traditional instrumentation he first started with. The intimate setting of the Biltmore Cabaret provided a helping hand in Toro y Moi’s electric set. “Run Baby Run” and its infectious hook proved incredibly popular for the moderately-packed crowd, while “So Many Details,” off of his third album Anything In Return, also drew a raucous response. Bundick may not have liked the relocation, since it was presumably off of underwhelming ticket sales, but really it wound up being for the better.
8
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
Andy Rice
THE CAPILANO COURIER
Carlo Javier
FEATURES NEWS
MISS UNDERR WHY CANADIAN POLITICS HAS SO FEW WOMEN Kevin Kapenda OPINIONS EDITOR
CURRENT SITUATION Women make up over half of Canada’s population but only about one quarter of the country’s elected members of Parliament are female. The Senate is not doing any better, with only 31 of its 105 senators being women. Reasons for why women are underrepresented in Parliament are complex and numerous. University of British Columbia researcher, Grace Lore, believes that there are many longstanding characteristics of Westminster politics that make running and taking an interest in Parliament unappealing for some women. “One of the things that deters women from running for office is our style of politics,” explained Lore. “Our [House of Commons] is aggressive and confrontational by nature, which is not very appealing for women.” She went on to name other possible deterrents, including the treatment of female politicians by the media. “Media portrayal of female politicians and double standards that exist between them and their male counterparts, like emphasis on their appearance, is also something that can discourage women from entering politics,” she said. “For example, there has a lot of talk about Hilary Clinton’s age. But if she is to be elected next year in November, she would have been the same age as Ronald Reagan.” The last time voters went to the polls,
9
which was in May of 2011, was not a great year for trying to elect more women to Parliament. That year, women only consisted of about 31 per cent of candidates, of which only 25 per cent were elected to Canada’s 41st Parliament. Any person hoping that the 42nd Parliament will be any better may be out of luck. Only a small amount of spots to represent each of the four major parties remain unfilled across Canada, and it appears that women will only make up about a third of their candidates again, like they did four years ago. While roughly 35 per cent of BC’s candidates running for the four major parties will be women, this represents a large step backwards from the 41 per cent plateau the province hit four years ago. On the North Shore, women make up about 40 per cent of the candidates, with five representing each of the four major parties across the region’s three seats. Lore, who also does work for Equal Voice Canada, a multi-partisan organization whose goal is to encourage and help more women run for office, believes that parties must do more to make their slates more inclusive, since whether a candidate is a women or not has little impact on who voters decide to elect. “What is clear is that women do not get punished for being on the ballot because of their gender. Voters make their choice based on the party they want to win, not the gender of the candidate in their riding,” explained Lore. “Therefore, it is on the parties to encourage more women to run.”
If you’ve been following the election even a little bit, you’ve probably heard discussions in the media about the role various demographics will play during the campaign. Seniors, parents, students, visible minorities, urbanites and rural Canadians will all impact the outcome of the election in their own way. In addition to choosing our next government, many members of those groups will also stand for office, running for parties or as independents in the 338 ridings across Canada. While the number of visible minorities elected to Parliament will almost surely increase this year, gender diversity among candidates and MPs is something Canada is still struggling with. We have fewer women in Parliament than 48 other countries. In regards to this election, there will be more than three times as many men running than women for the four major parties nationwide. A lack of gender diversity is said to, at times, impact the way political decisions are made in Parliaments and the style of politics used by lawmakers to debate issues. Experts say that there are many different things that can be done to not only elect more women to legislatures, but to make politics more appealing to women as well. What is clear is that something must be done if Canada is to increase gender parity in its Parliament, because very little has changed since citizens went to the polls four years ago.
“
ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF SPOTS TO REPRESENT EACH OF THE FOUR MAJOR PARTIES REMAIN UNFILLED ACROSS CANADA, AND IT APPEARS THAT WOMEN WILL ONLY MAKE UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THEIR CANDIDATES AGAIN, LIKE THEY DID FOUR YEARS AGO.
”
GABRIEL SCORGIE
REPRESENTED
“
THERE ARE A LOT OF WOMEN TODAY WHO ARE LEADERS IN BUSINESS, ACADEMIA, SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION, ADVOCACY AND THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR… IT IS ON CITIZENS TO ENCOURAGE THE AMAZING WOMEN THEY KNOW TO RUN AND REPRESENT THEM.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE UBC student Julie Van de Valk and SFU student Amelia Hill are two young women who are building careers in politics by being leaders on their respective campuses, and even running for municipal office in the case of Hill last year. Van de Valk is a member of the UBC Board of Governors and the student coordinator for UBC 350, an advocacy group focused on raising awareness about environmental issues on campus. Van de Valk decided to involve herself in politics because she was passionate about environmental issues and realized it was the best way to not only raise awareness about them but advocate for change too. “I started working on environmental issues as a young child,” she recalled. “The older I got and [more I] learned about the world though, I realized that a lot of those issues can really be addressed through policy, and policy is created through politics.” Van de Valk is optimistic that female representation in Canadian politics will continue to rise because women have already come so far. “It’s that historical legacy of women not being in politics that is leading to today’s lower numbers,” she said. “With everything I’ve seen though, I do believe that it is definitely improving and changing, which is something that I’m excited about.” Much of her optimism also
”
comes from what she describes as a more inclusive mentality among young people. “I think that there is a sense amongst our generation that women can do anything. I think it’s a belief that is prevalent on campus and among younger people in general.” Hill, who ran for District of North Vancouver council in last year’s civic elections, believes that women are still underrepresented in Parliament because of longstanding perceptions that politics is unsuitable for women. “I think that it’s still considered taboo for a woman to be involved in such a muddy, controversial area,” said Hill. “I can say from experience, when I was telling a lot of people about my campaign last year, they met me with grimacing faces, like that’s not a place where a woman belongs.” Hill also feels that female candidates are not just encountering road bumps as adults, but are not being taught as young girls, like she was, to think they can contribute to politics. “I think that women aren’t given that opportunity as kids, by being told that they could be a world leader one day or an MP,” argued Hill. “Instead, we are told woman can be a stay-athome mom or a nurse, not that those aren’t strong jobs for women. I don’t think that politics is often in the ball park as a possibility for many women.” While both Hill and Van de Valk admit there is much more work to be done with regard to making politics more inclusive to women, they are both more than happy
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to play their parts on campus, encouraging young women to not only get involved in with their respective organizations, but to get out and vote in the upcoming election. Hill, who is the President of the SFU Young Liberals of Canada chapter hopes her involvement in politics can influence and encourage more young women to follow suit. “I hope that just seeing young women being in politics helps other young women, and young people in general, get involved,” said Hill. “As a Liberal on campus, I always encourage young women to pledge to vote or get involved in these issues, regardless of which party they choose to support.”
CLOSING THE GAP Encouraging strong and accomplished women to run for office is something that Lore believes is essential to closing the gap between male and female representation in Canadian Parliament. “There are a lot of women today who are leaders in business, academia, social contribution, advocacy and the non-profit sector,” stated Lore. “It is on citizens to encourage the amazing women they know to run and represent them.” What has Canada falling behind the rest of the world in terms of female representation in politics may not be in the way we view politics ourselves, but in the way we elect our politicians. Lore explained that while Equal Voice does not have an official position on proportional representation or PR, that type of voting system tends
to elect more women on average than the single-member plurality structure the country currently uses to elect its Parliament. Van de Valk believes it could go a long ways to fixing the current gender rift we have in Ottawa today. “I think we can definitely bring about some electoral reform that has a focus of engaging women in politics,” she said. While calls to elect more women to Canada’s 42nd Parliament may not be answered this October, they’re only growing louder, according to Lore. Equal Voice is receiving increased amounts of support and attention from voters and media outlets, which Lore believes will only put more pressure on the parties and leaders to get more women elected. “The response to Equal Voice’s work and objective to get more women elected to parliament has been really positive across the country. People are starting to demand more because we are right where we were four years ago in terms of female candidates running,” she explained. “We have also been getting a lot of media attention from both local and national publications like The Globe and Mail and the CBC, which is great.” If you would like additional information on Equal Voice, the number of women running in the federal election or any of the statistics mentioned in this article, please visit Equalvoice.ca for more.
— CRISTIAN FOWLIE
10
FEATURES NEWS
CAROL BAIRD ELLAN NDP (BURNABY NORTH—SEYMOUR)
WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN UNIVERSITY? Commerce and then Law at UBC.
AT WHAT AGE OR TIME DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED OR TAKE AN INTEREST IN POLITICS? Very recently. As a sitting judge I was required to be impartial and foreclosed from joining or campaigning for political parties.
WHAT DID YOU DO AS A CAREER BEFORE ENTERING POLITICS?
I was called to the bar in 1980, worked as a corporate commercial/tax lawyer for two years, then as a Crown prosecutor for 10 years, then as a provincial court judge from 1993 to 2012, serving a five-year term as the first female chief judge of the BC provincial court from 2000 to 2005.
HOW HAS THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS ACQUIRED THROUGH YOUR CAREER HELPED OR PREPARED YOU FOR A RUN AS A CANDIDATE OR CAREER AS AN MP?
I am schooled at reading law and legislation, advocating for a cause, listening, building consensus, making decisions and exercising judgement. I have an inside perspective on the justice system, court administration and the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN TO RUN IN POLITICS AS MOST COMPETITIVE PARTIES' SLATES ARE STILL DOMINATED BY MEN?
In terms of encouraging women, Premier Rachel Notley gave an interview before the Alberta election in which she said women need to be coaxed; asked several times, before they will agree to or decide to get involved in politics. It was similar on the bench in relation to administrative positions, in my experience. I had to be asked three times before I agreed to become an Associate Chief Judge and then again before I agreed to be Chief Judge. In each case I had to make sacrifices in relation to lifestyle and family. To some extent, in my view, is a matter of making these things an easier choice for women. If we were more accommodating of child care requirements, the need for flexible scheduling and such things as virtual meetings, I believe more women would choose to take on more challenging positions. In the legal profession, the work schedule is not friendly to lifestyle balance. That applies to a lot of upper echelon positions and politics is one of them, particularly on the federal level. For me at my stage of life it is less an issue now, but for many young potential candidates the schedule may be a deterrent.
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PAMELA GOLDSMITH-JONES LIBERAL (WEST VANCOUVER—SUNSHINE COAST—SEA TO SKY COUNTRY)
DECISION 2015
MEET FOUR OF THIS YEAR’S FEMALE CANDIDATES
LYNNE QUARMBY GREEN (BURNABY NORTH—SEYMOUR)
WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN UNIVERSITY?
WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN UNIVERSITY?
AT WHAT AGE OR TIME DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED OR TAKE AN INTEREST IN POLITICS?
AT WHAT AGE OR TIME DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED OR TAKE AN INTEREST IN POLITICS?
I did a B.A. in Political Science, and M.A. in Political Science with a focus on Local Government, both at UBC. I also have an MBA from SFU in Aboriginal Business & Leadership as well.
I was raised with parents who were very involved with local things in West Vancouver. We were raised going to council meetings, having councillors in our living room and hosting election night parties.
WHAT DID YOU DO AS A CAREER BEFORE ENTERING POLITICS?
On my own, I ran for council in North Vancouver in 1992 at the age of 31. I ran for West Van Council in 2002 and was elected mayor in 2005 for two terms until 2011. After leaving the office of mayor, I have run my own consulting practice, helping businesses understand municipal policy.
HOW HAS THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS ACQUIRED THROUGH YOUR CAREER HELPED OR PREPARED YOU FOR A RUN AS A CANDIDATE OR CAREER AS AN MP? I didn’t know it at the time, but I would later find out that my education was really relevant to local politics.
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN TO RUN IN POLITICS AS MOST COMPETITIVE PARTIES' SLATES ARE STILL DOMINATED BY MEN?
Well, I think it’s really incumbent on the women who are in politics to reach out and support women. Men can do that too. I’ve had many mentors who are men. But to create an inclusive environment, it is important for women to play that role. Politics should really be the type of job that is open to everyone. I have volunteered for campaign schools and have been telling women who are involved in their communities to take that involvement one step further and run for councils or school boards. In fact, chairing a Parent Advisory can be much harder than being a municipal councillor.
I started out at UBC where I received a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology and a master’s degree in Oceanography. I then received Ph.D in Biochemistry [at the University of Connecticut].
My entire life I’ve been an engaged citizen. Since I was a kid, I’ve been writing letters for environmental causes and human rights issues. I’ve always been an active participant, but have never ran or thrown myself into politics until this year.
WHAT DID YOU DO AS A CAREER BEFORE ENTERING POLITICS? I run a research lab at SFU and I am the chairperson of the SFU Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
HOW HAS THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS ACQUIRED THROUGH YOUR CAREER HELPED OR PREPARED YOU FOR A RUN AS A CANDIDATE OR CAREER AS AN MP?
I feel as though I’ve accidentally acquired the perfect skill set to be an MP without ever planning to do that. Because I’ve been teaching for 30 years, I’m very comfortable speaking in front of an audience, and also very comfortable answering questions from an audience. I love learning, and so it’s exciting in politics to learn so many things so fast about so many different issues. As a professor I’ve been working with young people my whole life, so I care a great deal about the future. My role as a professor has had me very much in tune with the various changes in our society, the moods of different generations and what they want their future to look like for them.
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN TO RUN IN POLITICS AS MOST COMPETITIVE PARTIES' SLATES ARE STILL DOMINATED BY MEN?
One of the things that are important to me and may be to some women is the Green Party’s collaborative and cooperative approach to politics. Our party puts the individual MP before the Party, so that I am always representing the interests of my constituents. As a member of the Green Party, we are highly encouraged to be respectful of others, to work across party lines, and not to get hung up on ideological differences, but to find a good cooperative way to solve problems, which I feel can be attractive to women.
ELAINE ALLAN CONSERVATIVE (VANCOUVER CENTRE)
WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN UNIVERSITY?
I hold a degree in Mass Communication from Carleton University, and studied French at Laval University. I also have a certificate in peer counselling from UBC and an MBA that I earned through an American school called Kaplan University.
AT WHAT AGE OR TIME DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED OR TAKE AN INTEREST IN POLITICS?
I’ve been interested in politics my entire life. My parents and grandparents all talked politics around the dinner table, so I grew up with it. Kim Campbell, though, was a fantastic role model for me in the 1980s and 1990s. Wonderfully enough, here I am in Vancouver Centre running in her old riding. I believe she was a great role model for women then, and still is for women today.
WHAT DID YOU DO AS A CAREER BEFORE ENTERING POLITICS?
I was an executive director in the non-profit sector for an organization called Shelter Net BC.
HOW HAS THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS ACQUIRED THROUGH YOUR CAREER HELPED OR PREPARED YOU FOR A RUN AS A CANDIDATE OR CAREER AS AN MP?
I find my communications degree useful in this moment, as well as my MBA skills. Running a campaign is a lot like starting up a small business. You need HR, you need revenue generation or fundraising, you need strategy, you need to harness technology and you need to know about customer acquisition, or in this case connecting with your voters.
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN TO RUN IN POLITICS AS MOST COMPETITIVE PARTIES' SLATES ARE STILL DOMINATED BY MEN?
Women that I meet and women that I’ve known, I say get involved and work with me, and learn how to do this because running is something you could do too. Therefore I am trying to involve many women to work alongside me and learn alongside me because this is my first time running as well. Much like in our House of Commons, women are underrepresented in board rooms and executive positions in business as well. Companies that are recruiting more women are realizing they become more profitable and successful because they are representative of a larger segment of the population, which helps them in things like marketing, customer targeting and product development.
PEPPERONI CHEESE VEGETARIAN MEAT LOVER’S HAWAIIAN MEDITERRANEAN DEMOCRACY.
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
Capilano Courier Annual General Meeting + Board of Directors Election Tuesday, September 29 at Noon Maple 122
THE CAPILANO COURIER
Grab a slice, help us out. Quorum is 15. Pizza is delicious.
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CALENDAR NEWS
28 MONDAY
CANUCKS VS. COYOTES
ROGERS ARENA 7 PM • $41.25 TO $207.25
I’m predicting a veritable Loony Tunes on ice when the Vancouver Canucks face the Arizona Coyotes in this preseason game. Here’s hoping the home team can ‘meep-meep’ their way to a win over that ne’er-do-well bunch of coyotes. After all, they’ll have Wile E. Desjardins on their side.
VSO MASTERWORKS
ORPHEUM THEATRE 8 PM • $18 TO $80
ANDY RICE
CALENDAR EDITOR EDITOR@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
15 29 TUESDAY
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is kicking off its 97th season with a biggie, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major. Miriam Fried, one of the best violinists in the world, will be in town to play lead fiddle and good ‘ole Bram Tovey will be up there waving the baton as he’s done for the last 15 years.
QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE 5:30 PM • $7
Since 1983 the Vancouver Art Gallery has been located in the city’s former courthouse at the corner of Georgia and Hornby. Soon though, it’s slated for relocation to a new building at the corner of Georgia and Cambie. At this meeting, architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron will unveil their concept drawings.
Apparently this is a one-man show about a boy and his cardboard robot. Show up and find out why the robot seems happy. Maybe you'll actually find out that the robot isn't happy at all but rather that humans are simply terrible at reading emotion. I'm purely speculating here, but I have a hunch.
30 WEDNESDAY
Whether you know him from Soundgarden, Audioslave or his solo career, it’s indisputable thatChris Cornell is a total beast. On this night, he’ll be in Vancouver as part of his solo acoustic tour, joined by alt-rock songstress Hemming. If you don’t have tickets yet you kind of screwed up, because it’s sold out.
THE FRATELLIS
COMMODORE BALLROOM 7 PM • $20 With a name like The Fratellis, I thought these guys would be a bunch of Italian mobsters who played loud music and waved their hands a lot. Instead, they’re a rock trio from Glasgow, Scotland. Their last names were Lawler, Wallace and McRory but they changed them all to Fratelli and started playing music together. Posers.
01 17 THURSDAY
ARE WE COOL NOW?
02 FRIDAY
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04 THE CAPILANO COURIER
HARVEST HAUS
QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE PLAZA 6 PM • $35 TO $275 I’m going to warn you right now that this event is a total money-grab, but it’s almost too awesome to pass up. The second annual Harvest Haust boasts a variety of grilled meats, German hefeweizens and traditional Oom-Pah-Pah bands in a festive Bavarian setting — outdoors at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza. Wear you lederhosen!
AIR SUPPLY
Beloved singer-songwriter Dan Mangan has joined forces with playwright Amiel Gladstone for Are We Cool Now?, an “indie rock road trip” on which a couple contemplates their place in the world and with each another. Sounds dangerous and awkward. Maybe they should have called it Are We There Yet?
I don’t actually think I know any Air Supply songs, but my parents probably do. These guys are a soft rock duo from Britain. They formed in 1975, which means they might be old enough by now to require an air supply just to get through this performance. Good foresight with the name, guys!
POTTER’S HOUSE OF HORRORS
POTTER’S FARM & NURSERY 5 PM • $6 TO $40 + SC
Surrey is scary enough even without a Halloween haunted house, but the folks at Potter’s Farm & Nursey seem to think they can give Whalley a run for its money. This year’s display features two haunted mansions. Even if you’re not scared by those, the city’s carjacking and teen pregnancy rates will give you plenty to worry about.
BOOBIES AND WEINERS
HOT ART WET CITY GALLERY 7 PM • $ FREE
GET YER YA-YA'S OUT!
If you didn’t see enough ya-ya’s at the Boobies and Wieners show, you could head on over to the Kay Meek Centre afterwards. Catch blues/roots guitarist Steve Dawson and an all-star cast as they reimagine the Rolling Stones’ famous 1970 live album, Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!
VANCOUVER OPERA: RIGOLETTO QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE 2 PM AND 7:30 PM • $50 TO $165
Vancouver Opera presents Rigoletto, one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most revered classic operas. It’s basically about a court jester with a sharp tongue and a soft side trying to shield his daughter from the evils of the world. As you can probably imagine, that doesn’t go to well and there’s all sorts of family drama.
FALL FAIR
MOUNT PLEASANT FARMERS MARKET 10 AM • $ FREE
The Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market is a regular weekend activity in Vancouver, but only once a year do organizers hold a Fall Fair. The event promises to offer an assortment of fall produce, food trucks, crafts, treats, games and even a pumpkin patch that’s being brought in by Taves Family Farms out in Abbotsford.
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If you’re a Spirit of the West fan, you’ll know that the band’s lead singer, John Mann, has Early Onset Alzheimers Disease. He also got hit with colorectal cancer a few years back. Still performing, he’s collaborated with Canadian playwright Morris Panych for a theatrical take on his journey through life before and after his diagnoses.
HARD ROCK CASINO 8 PM • $45 TO $65 + SC
KAY MEEK CENTRE - GROSVENOR THEATRE 8 PM • $25 TO $52 + SC
SUNDAY
THE WAITING ROOM
ARTS CLUB - GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE 7:30 PM • $29 TO $49 + SC
THE CULTCH 8 PM • $20
This event returns for its third year, featuring the work of over 100 local and out-of-town artists. It promises to be immature, explicit and super dirty. It’s also free. There will be fancy hot dogs served and a demonstration of sexy figure drawing from the folks at Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School.
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CAPILANO COURIER AGM
MAPLE 122 NOON • A WEEK’S CALORIC INTAKE
VAG DESIGN CONSULTATION
THAT ROBOT SEEMS HAPPY
CHRIS CORNELL
CapU’s Student Employment Services department is hosting a workshop on résumés and how to get yours into the ‘yes’ pile. Learn creative ways to make yourself look like the best burger flipper the Fleetwood McDonald’s ever had, and how to organize your work experience in a way that… well, works.
Come join us in Maple 122 for the Capilano Courier Publishing Society’s annual board of directors’ election! There will be free pizza for all who show up to vote. Could you imagine if Elections Canada bribed us all with free pizza at this year’s federal poll? I did the math. That would take 7,191,522 pizzas!
HOT ART WET CITY GALLERY 7:30 PM • $10
ORPHEUM THEATRE 8 PM • $49.75 TO $83.75
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT WORKSHOP
LB 186 11:30 AM • $ FREE
03 14 SATURDAY
DOORS OPEN VANCOUVER
VARIOUS BUILDINGS ALL DAY • $ FREE
For one day only, the City of Vancouver will open up 18 of its civic buildings for free public tours. Most are community centres but there are a few really cool ones thrown in like the False Creek Energy Centre, Vancouver Police Department Mounted Unit, National Works Yard, Tactical Training Centre and 3-1-1 Call Centre.
TOBIAS JESSO JR.
RICKSHAW THEATRE 8 PM • $20
Every time I see the name Tobias, I always think of Tobias Fünke from Arrested Development. I’m not sure if Tobias Jesso Jr. also has a moustache and frequently covers himself in blue paint (Google tells me that no, in fact, he does not) but maybe he’ll make an exception for this show.
LIONS VS. ROUGHRIDERS
BC PLACE 4 PM • $40 TO $130
BC Lions take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Pretty self-explanatory. Does anyone else find it kind of funny that a CFL team from Regina is named after a studded condom though? Or that a studded condom is named after a CFL team from Regina? I do, but please don’t hold that against me.
OPINIONS
KEVIN KAPENDA
OPINIONS EDITOR OPINIONS.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
HANDS ON THE WHEEL
Distracted driving campaign has questionable focus James Martin CONTRIBUTOR Anyone who spends much time on or near the roads can attest to the fact that plenty of drivers use their mobile phones while behind the wheel. It’s an unfortunately common practice that persists despite laws prohibiting the practice and numerous publicity programs warning of its dangers. The campaigns to discourage this behaviour have taken on many forms in order to get the point across over the years, but the most recent one seems to have taken a wrong turn. The VPD, in conjunction with ICBC and the provincial government, announced in early September that they will be cracking down on distractions beyond just mobile phone usage. The examples given for what else could qualify you for a distracted driving ticket ranged from the reasonable (applying makeup) to the ridiculous (drinking coffee). Other ticketable activities specifically mentioned in press interviews include eating while driving and allowing a dog sit on the driver’s lap. The extremely broad-reaching nature of this campaign raises questions about the effectiveness of this “crackdown”,
the validity of any tickets issued for these newly targeted “offences” and the very nature of where we ought to draw the line on the definition of distracted driving. Unlike using a handheld electronic device while driving, there are no laws in the BC Motor Vehicle Act specifically prohibiting any other types of distractions behind the wheel. The only piece of legislation that could possibly apply to any of the newly-targeted activities would be section 3-114-1A of the MVA, which very simply reads “a person must not drive a motor vehicle… without due care and attention”. It’s a rather broad and vague law, ideal for covering the entire spectrum of unforeseeably dumb choices a careless driver might make but also potentially open to abuse if applied too liberally. Does applying makeup behind the wheel automatically preclude due care and attention while driving? Given the amount of focus needed on a mirror instead of the road, I’d say yes. What about eating? A bowl of cereal or a sloppy sandwich are terrible ideas that would definitely interfere with a driver’s ability to stay focused and in control of their vehicle, but if that driver were to make
a wiser choice in their road food the answer becomes less clear. It’s hard to argue that a box of chicken nuggets wedged in the cup holder is much of a distraction when a driver can pop them in their mouth without taking their eyes off the road. When it comes to coffee, there should be a law mandating that I be drinking it on long road trips if “due care and attention” is the name of the game. The variety of scenarios regarding what may or may not be a true distraction behind the wheel is simply too vast and complex to codify. It’s easy to think of additional scenarios that could be distracting for some people, such as a screaming child in the back seat or a stereo system with a bafflingly unintuitive interface, but passing laws against every imaginable thing with the potential to distract would be ludicrous. What is distracting to one driver can be a non-issue for another. The VPD does have a point in that a driver who allows their attention to be diverted from the road for any reason is a dangerous driver. However, comparing activities most drivers can do without relinquishing any due care and attention, such as drinking a beverage, alongside quantifiably more dan-
gerous actives, such as using a cell phone, could be harming their message. By implying that both activities are equally dangerous, one might infer that using a cell phone behind the wheel isn’t nearly so dangerous after all. Additionally, threatening a ban on practices as common as using cup holders for their intended purpose runs the risk of generating increased disrespect and disregard for all traffic laws in general, including the more logical ones that keep us safe. At the end of the day, this campaign may be doing exactly what it’s intended to do. Lots of things can be distracting, but the popular conversation around this press release seems to focus on the idea that most of these newly adopted driving distractions aren’t nearly as bad as using your phone. Perhaps the idea all along was to subtly reinforce the increased dangers of cell phone use behind the wheel. Of course, a driver who is not paying attention for any reason should be undoubtedly ticketed. I just hope that the laws are reasonably enforced in the spirit of true safety and not used as a ticketwriting scheme for every driver exiting a Tim Hortons drive-through.
WEEKND WOMEN
Why society rarely demands politeness from hip hop Tim Horan CONTRIBUTOR
he said. Watch any mainstream rap video from the past fifteen years and I will guarantee there is at least one shot of a chick in a bikini shaking her ass for the camera. Sex sells. If it means showing a couple clips of a stripper spinning around a pole to increase viewership and album sales, so be it. Widespread calls for hip hop to change its lyrical motif with regard to women and sex since the 1980s and 90s have been largely unsuccessful, and have arguably fuelled the culture instead of derailing it. Rap was born out of violent urban neighbourhoods, and when we listen to it we get a glimpse into that world. That’s where the draw is. It’s why hip hop is the music of choice for many white teens that are fascinated by it, but also why it is no longer genuine. Artists have been going mainstream and making huge amounts of money spitting bars about hoes for years, and it’s not going to change unless that cash stops rolling in for the rappers, and usually white executives facilitating their music’s production and distribution. It’s no wonder why people got angrier when an academic wore a “sexist” shirt because it is widely assumed that they should know better, whereas with hip hop artists, it’s assumed that they don’t. Chris Brown is a known abuser, yet he’s still making serious bank doing features for top artists. At the end of the day, what makes a hip hop banger hot is its production value, and catchy punchlines about guns, drugs, and women. It’s what people want or do when they’re having fun, and it’s why less and less people care about racy lyrics in hip hop today.
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
stands out in the current pop landscape. Justin Bieber has been trying for years to shed his soft image but he’ll always be the kid that sang “Baby.” The closest listeners get to the dark, brooding rhythm and blues of The Weeknd is Drake, but his persona still matches Bieber’s aesthetic more closely than The Weeknd’s. The Weeknd’s appearance and personality are what draw people in, therefore people don’t focus too much on what he says. Another reason there is next to no backlash to the borderline sexism found in his lyrics is that in hip-hop, it’s par for the course. Both mainstream and underground hip-hop have been filled with sexist attitudes for years. Take Memphis-born rapper Juicy J, for example. His songs are filled with bars like “Your baby mama’s not a ten but when I’m drunk she close enough,” and “If I tip a bitch, we fuckin’, it ain’t no discussion.” And guess what? No one cares. He still did a feature for Katy Perry and he’s never ended up on a Fox News split screen apologizing for something
THE CAPILANO COURIER
As the politically correct police march forward on their quest to make sure no one is ever offended by anything, society is slowly being shamed and censored into a state of constant apology and second-guessing. Just ask Dr. Matt Taylor, a physicist who was part of the team that landed a spacecraft on a comet last fall as the culmination of the ten year, four billion mile Rosetta mission. His crime: wearing an ugly shirt covered in cartoons of half naked women with guns. Almost immediately feminists everywhere took to Twitter to voice their concerns with his fashion sense. They called him sexist and even went as far as demanding he be fired, completely ignoring the scientific breakthrough his team had just made. A teary apology at the highest point of his career followed and all was forgiven. But what ought to be eluded to instead of forgotten is how a Caucasian scientist’s t-shirt managed to cause more of an uproar than, for example, the misogynistic and eerie lyrics of The Weeknd, whose singles are currently topping US and Canadian charts. Toronto’s own The Weeknd is currently one of the biggest artists on the pop charts. His latest album, Beauty Behind the Madness, currently tops the Billboard 200, while two of its singles, “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills,” occupy the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100. As a result of his album’s
success, he’s launching a North American tour this November, in which he will be headlining multiple shows in arenas for the first time. His commercial success is undeniable, but it’s hard to understand how he has gained so much popularity in our increasingly PC society considering his songs feature bars akin to those you would find in a 2Chainz trap banger. Lines like “She ‘bout to go downtown for a whole hour/ If I had her, you can have her, man it don’t matter,” and “I just fucked two bitches ‘fore I saw you,” might make someone wonder why there isn’t an army of offended feminists using their Twitter fingers to call for boycotts of his shows. That is, until you realize that this dark sense of hedonism rampant in his music is its appeal. Pop is a musical landscape filled with Ed Sheerans and Justin Timberlakes — soft dudes you would bring home to meet the parents. The Weeknd is the guy you wouldn’t. Hell, even if you invited him he wouldn’t show up because he’s too busy popping molly in the club with a different girl. That’s why he
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OPINIONS
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
TIME TO RECONCILE
Why the next government needs to make reconciliation a national priority Leah Scheitel CONTRIBUTOR
Canada has a big issue to resolve and it’s not the upcoming federal election. This is an issue that has spanned generations, made us look like a joke on the international stage and has many notable people calling for action on it, from the United Nations to Miss Universe. It’s the issue of how exactly how to make amends with generations of abuse against Indigenous peoples of Canada. After six years of research, reports, testimonies and interviews, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released a 600-page document detailing its findings and recommendations to move forward and repair some of the relations with Canada’s First Nations people. Most of the report pertains to residential schools and the cultural genocide at the schools, which was plentiful. For 150 years, First Nations children were stolen away from their families and put into “foreign” schools and were taught to be white. As a result, languages were lost, cultural traditions abandoned and generations of First
Nations people endured rampant sexual and physical abuse. The effects of the abuse are still felt across the country, as the last residential school was closed in 1998. Our treatment of First Nations people has created an uneven playing field for them and yet, we still continue to deflate the game balls. First Nations people face more socio-economic hurdles, have higher chances than most demographics of developing various health issues and are more likely to be placed in the hands of the system that cheated them in the first place. According to a report by Maclean’s, more First Nations children are taken away from their families today than at the height of the residential school era. This is because it is those schools that broke the current generation of First Nations parents during their own childhoods. “Aboriginal children are 10 times more likely to be placed in foster care than the Canadian average and make up half of the roughly 60,000 kids in care,” read the 2014 article penned by Tamsin McMahon. Add in the immense danger of sexual abuse First Nations girls and women face, and the fact that all the calls for a national inquiry to find their sisters, mothers, wives and friends
have fallen on deaf ears by the government, and it’s a nuanced issue that deserves our time and attention. It’s sad to report this, but Harper’s government has done a better job at ignoring the issues than it has at solving them. The Tories have remained absent from many national conventions dedicated to First Nations issues, most recently in July, when they didn’t send even a low-ranking member of parliament to the Assembly of First Nations’ 36th annual general meeting. It should be noted that the three other main party leaders — Liberal Justin Trudeau, Green Elizabeth May and NDP Thomas Mulcair — all showed up, eager to show their support in lieu of any government support. This should be a campaign issue, as it’s a huge black mark on Canadian history. We pride ourselves on being a peacekeeping nation but are ignoring the cultural genocide that occurred on our own soil, by our own government. No wonder we are getting called out by the rest of the world for our terrible ability to even recognize the problem. As John Ralston Saul wrote in the Globe and Mail, “This is the single most important issue before us, whether we have recently ar-
rived in Canada or have been here for centuries. This is the prime issue on which we should be judging governments or potential governments.” He’s not wrong. So this October, let’s judge the three major parties vying to form government on what they would do to bring justice to the 1200-plus missing and murdered Indigenous women whose cases remain unsolved, and heal the wounds inflicted by residential schools. Let’s shed light onto an issue that, until it’s partially on its way to being resolved, can never have enough light on it — because if it’s not talked about, it will remain the giant skeleton in our closest. After enduring years and years of abuse, some of which is still ongoing, First Nations peoples deserve our concerted and uninterrupted attention. There is a large possibility that the winners of the Oct. 19 election will only win a minority government, requiring cooperation between parties. Let’s hope for the sake of national unity that no matter the make up or colours of the 42nd parliament, they work to make Truth and Reconciliation the priority it deserves to be.
LUXURIOUS LUNCHBOXES
Why organic grocers segregate the privileged from the mainstream Keara Farnan
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
CONTRIBUTOR
For many years, upscale grocery stores, commercial food chains and restaurant advertisers have been suggesting to the public that costlier organic products may be better for one’s health than mainstream food items. Although this argument is very convincing, it is difficult to determine whether organic foods will be an advantage to a specific individual, with consideration to one’s personal eating habits, physical fitness and age. For example, when consumers prowl through the meat section at their local chain grocer, they are usually not searching for grass fed livestock with fancy labels in vacuum-sealed packaging. Instead, shoppers are looking for two-for-one deals on meats, fish or poultry that is being sold for half the price. This way, they will not be spending more money on chicken that tastes nearly the same as the organic brand’s hens, minus some antibiotics and hormones. Dieticians and health experts often claim that eating food that is non-organic may weaken one’s wellness and expose individuals to all sorts of chemicals and bacteria. However, these additives are added to meat and vegetables to help reduce germs, not increase them. If the use of antibiotics and hormones in raising livestock was that dangerous to costumers then health authorities would have eliminated the sale of non-organic products completely. When looking at the Canadian Health Guide, there is no indication whatsoever that non-organic foods
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should, or ought to be, entirely exempted from one’s diet. In fact, this brochure encourages the consumption of fruits, vegetables and lean meats, regardless of whether they are organic or not. Big box grocers such as Whole Foods are an example of a store that carries a wide range of natural and supposedly highquality products. Whole Foods has been in Vancouver since the 2010 Olympics and is known for their tasty desserts, speciality food products, artisan deli and organic produce. Their pastries are baked daily and decorated by a team of skilled employees. Whole Foods sells all kinds of expensive products such as organic breakfast cereals, fruit bars, sodas and cookies that are purposely overpriced and worth much less than their retail value. These over-inflated prices are not only defended by upscale retailers, but consumers too, because unlike General Mills, Unilever or Kellogg’s, specialty producers only use certified organic ingredients that are usually free from genetic modification — or, as John Oliver enthusiasts would say, the chains of Monsanto. According to the online blog Elitedaily. com, many not-so-staple food products can also be bought at Whole Foods so as long as you are willing to cough up the cash. These items include things like swordfish, craft sausage, kale-infused ice cream, truffles and even camel milk. In a current society where children are just as adept as adults with regard to brand recognition, the impact of sending kids to school with expensive food products that some of their classmates may not be able
— KSENIA KOZHEVNIKOVA to afford could potentially lead to even more bullying than we already have today. If one child is being sent to school with $4 Vega bars and another is eating a cheaper food product that is processed and deemed to be unhealthy by the parent of the other kid, one can only guess how much shame that young pupil will feel after being told he is eating dirty, unhealthy or poor food. If this type of divisive bullying based on socio-economic background already happens with regard to the brands of clothing parents dress their kids in, there is no reason why it couldn’t happen at the lunch table as well. If society is not careful, food could start to play a more influential role in dividing Cana-
dians along economic lines. As awareness increases about the contested benefits of shopping at upscale natural grocers, indifference about why people still choose to buy processed foods could also start to grow, leading to more self-consciousness and embarrassment about what we choose to eat as a country. With economic uncertainty around retirement security, employment and the cost of living, it is best to save each and every dime you have and not waste your cash on foods you can get for half the price. Stop wasting your paycheque on fancy elitist organic products — your bank account and old self will thank you.
COLUMNS
CARLO JAVIER
COLUMNS EDITOR CARLO.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
ALRIGHT, HEAR THIS On tampons and niqabs Leah Scheitel COLUMNIST
I want to start this with a period. Specifically, Megyn Kelly’s period, as it is the most newsworthy one of the US Republican nomination race — which is the best thing to pay attention to, if you want to have the most frustrating day and if you need more reasons to make fun of stuffy white dudes. But it was at the first GOP debate where Megyn Kelly, a Fox News Anchor Barbie, questioned Donald Trump to such a degree that he insinuated that she must have been menstruating, because obviously that’s the only reason she could have been asking tough questions — she must have been shedding her uterine lining and not trying to do her job as a journalist. Yes, that was definitely it. Of course, the Twittersphere was justifiably enflamed, outraged at his comments, bringing even Rupert Murdoch out of wherever he counts his money to lecture Trump on his comments. While he can repeat until his last breath that he meant to say that blood was coming out of her nose and not her vagina, no one believes him. He even became a great spokesperson for Tampax — “For blood coming out of your whatever, there’s a Tampax for that.” There seems to be an ongoing trend for male public figures and politicians to preach to women about things they don’t know much about, such as birth control, periods and wardrobe choices. While having a committee of white privileged men commenting on a female’s body is something that might be okay
in a modelling show, it’s kind of weird when they try to politicize things that they know very little about. As a vagina-bearing woman, I think it might be nice to rid the men of their period ignorance by telling them every little detail. If they are so curious to comment, spare no details in the story of your menstrual cycle. Talk about the first time you got it and the last time you got it. Tell them of the one time you got it when you were in class and had to cross your legs so tight and hoped that plug was good enough. Tell them what it feels like, what it smells like and how you can’t stop eating when you get it. Tell them to the point that you put them in a bad mood, and end it with, “Was that uncomfortable for you? That’s just my uterus.” While I’m on the topic of my fellow females, let’s talk about women, their choice in dress and the Canadian government. Specifically,
let’s talk about Zunera Ishaq, the 29-year-old Muslim woman from Pakistan who’s trying to become a Canadian citizen. The issue is that Ishaq’s religion and cultural beliefs dictate that she must cover her face behind a niqab, but the Canadian government won’t let her take her oath of citizenship while her face is covered. Ishaq isn’t completely unreasonable — she removed it to pass her citizenship exam and removed it to let a government employee verify her identity, but wants to keep it on during the citizenship ceremony, something that the Canadian government is saying is a violation of Canadian values. This is a very polarizing issue. So polarizing that it’s making educated feminists battle against each other as Alise Mills and Amanda Alvaro did on CBC’s Power and Politics on Sept. 18. It’s polarizing as Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Thomas Mulcair are politicizing this one case to bring down
Stephen Harper, making it look like he’s more of an asshole than he already looks. And it’s polarizing because it does make Canadians question their values — should we allow women to bring over traditions from other religions and cultures that don’t match our own and that we don’t understand? I could give two shits about religious freedoms and don’t really care about culture in this issue. What I care about is believing in women and letting them choose for themselves. If Ishaq or any other woman wants to cover their face at any time, I will stand up for that, just as I believe in a women’s right to choose what to do with her body, who she should or should not sleep with and if she wants to keep a baby. Because ultimately, it’s her body, not mine. And it’s definitely not Harper’s, or any other political pundits to comment on. That’s just the straight of it. While the argument could be made that her fight to wear the niqab is anti-Canadian, the niqab also sadly represents values of a culture and religion that we perceive as suppressing women into a subservient role under male dominance. Personally, I would rather live in a society that holds women in a higher esteem than that. I put my belief in women over my belief in a set of arbitrary values that are dear to the “Canadian family”, as Harper has said. Men talking about women’s body parts and how to cover them shouldn’t have a place in political discussions, and it’s sad that it has for so long. It distracts from more well-deserving issues. When I hear these issues being politicized, it makes me want to stuff a tampon in places it wasn’t designed to go.
WHY YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS SUCK The Richmond Night Market Fred Ulrich Jr. COLUMNIST
ently, but I just don’t see where the enjoyment is. Perhaps people refuse to believe that something they wanted to be awesome was actually a disappointment, and delude themselves into thinking they’re having a good time. If you’re still convinced that going to a night market might be fun — and it certainly can be fun — I would suggest any of the other options in town when next summer rolls around. The Summer Night Market, at the Richmond Night Market’s former location, offers a free and scaled-down authentic night market experience with all the food and products you’d expect and less of the crowds you’d rather not deal with. Closer to Capilano University, the Shipyards Night Market by Lonsdale Quay is a local option that is also free, has a beer garden, and doesn’t even require crossing two bridges to get to. If you really want to get out this year and try to figure out for yourself what all the hype is about, the Richmond Night Market is open until Oct. 12. Seriously though, I wouldn’t recommend it.
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
ing and waiting in line for far too long, you’ll pay inflated carnival food prices for a serving of something that may (hopefully) be delicious but will certainly disappoint in terms of size. With luck, you’ll be able to finish your tasty treat while standing in the crowd before an accidental bump to your elbow sends it plummeting to the ground. Trying food from multiple food vendors simply takes too long and costs too much, and the lack of sufficient space to sit down to eat doesn’t do anything to help the enjoyability of the experience. With so many unique and delicious options available elsewhere in Richmond and Vancouver, I’d much rather save time and money restaurant-hopping for equally novel and delicious food, and being much more comfortable while I’m at it. Other highlights from the Richmond Night Market include a giant stage with zero performances, an unbelievably long lineup to have your photo taken on the “Throne of Rotato” (yes, the lovechild of Game of Thrones and spiral-cut potato skewers), and a giant creepy rubber duck overlord supervising the night’s activities. All in all, I simply cannot fathom why so many people continue to crowd their way into the Richmond Night Market, night after night. Maybe I’m wired a little differ-
THE CAPILANO COURIER
On the list of “must-do” summertime activities in Vancouver, there’s probably nothing more over-hyped than the Richmond Night Market. What promises to be a stimulating night of exotic foods and exciting bargains mostly just delivers disappointment and boredom with a side of frustration. The bullshit begins before you even get inside as you’re made to wait in line to pay an entrance fee. This would be fine if the Richmond Night Market was anywhere near as much of an “event” as it claims to be, but there is literally nothing to do inside beyond waiting in more lines to pay for more things. Rather than just charging vendors a couple extra bucks, the organizers have instead gone through the trouble of setting up toll gates for the customers so that all who enter feel compelled to stick around and “make the most of it” once they’re inside and realize they regret their decision. Beyond the entrance you’ll find endless booths of stuffed toys, makeup, jewellery, knives, as-seen-on-TV mops, and every other verity of the exact same crap you can find in
a small shop hidden in an undesirable corner of your local mall. There are very few things for sale here that you can’t get elsewhere, and far too many vendors selling the exact same thing. After realizing that nothing there really interested me, I tried to play along and kept my eyes open for one of those cool cell phone cases that the market is so famous for. There were plenty to choose from, but none that I hadn’t already seen and passed over earlier that day at a kiosk in the mall. If you’re really into Korean socks, there were a few vendors who all had the same deal that looked pretty good, but otherwise planning to do any shopping at the market is simply not worthwhile. So what about the food, then? Many people will argue that the culinary aspect is what the Night Market is really all about anyway. To be fair there are some unique and tasty treats to be found. Unfortunately, everything about getting your hands on said treats kind of ruins the experience. The food section of the Night Market is obscenely overcrowded. It can take several minutes to navigate a single corner while trying not to get mystery sauce on your shirt from some stranger’s dinner as you’re squeezing through the crushing mass of humanity. After finding a food stand that looks interest-
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COLUMNS
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WHAT IF I LEAVE THIS TOWN?
Body policing isn’t funny – it shows you’re a jerk Sabrina Kuhn COLUMNIST
Nicole Arbour’s “Dear Fat People” video has been making its rounds on the Internet with enough notoriety that she made an appearance to defend herself on The View. This video lacks so much compassion that it makes my heart hurt. Of course, she would just say that’s the extra 100 pounds I carry around making my heart hurt, but I digress. The first time the video appeared on my Facebook feed I made it through 20 seconds before shutting it off in disgust. To stab down on fat people isn’t satire, it’s continuing the narrative that fat people aren’t worthy of respect, the right to make their own choices about their body and adequate medical care that doesn’t revolve around their bodies’ composition. I’ve been fat my whole life. I was born a big baby, so much so that when my brother was born and my mom tried to recycle some of my more gender neutral clothing, he was swimming in the clothes. I was also born with a heart condition, and because of that, my weight has been on the back of my mind since I was eight years old. My weight also seemed to be on everyone else’s mind because I was bullied daily for being fat throughout elementary school and into junior high. This bullying and emphasis on my size from an early age messed up my relationship with food in a big way. I would hoard food that I enjoyed for the fear of it being taken away. I would lie about my eating habits and I would stop eating altogether because I couldn’t
conceive a world in which eating would make my life any better. Being fat is something I’m still acutely aware of. Advertising and the fact that I have four stores that carry clothes in my size remind me on the daily that this world is not built for me. I have been using the word “fat” to describe myself because when I say it, I’m saying it in the same way as I would tell someone that I am relatively tall. That does not mean that anyone else has the right to take that description and use it as a way to be hurtful. Fat people know this video’s message because other people have been saying the
same words for years so loudly and viciously to the point where fat folk have been dehumanized. Damn right fat people coined the term “fat shaming” because so many people have been humiliated for their size, which may or may not be in their control. Arbour was called out on The View for her video being borderline bullying. I had the same contempt after watching her video as I did when I was 13 and the boy I liked told me he would only consider dating me in secret, because he didn’t want to be made fun of for being seen with me. This is not edgy comedy. This is a thin, con-
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES Studying Abroad 101 Terry Yan
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
GUEST COLUMNIST Congratulations! You’ve been accepted into the study abroad program! You’re excited about this new adventure and can’t wait to pack your bags and take off. But before you go, there are a few things that you should know. I am a fourth year business student who recently studied in Innsbruck, Austria through Capilano University’s study abroad program. I'm here to break down my experiences before, during and after this life-changing journey. As someone who was born and raised in Vancouver his entire life, this program was a great experience to see the world and get out of my comfort zone. I applied in January and was accepted in February into the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI) program. In order to gain insight, I read every single trip report written by participants and also spoke to many people who studied abroad in different countries. Each of them talked about how life-changing it was and how they wished they could do it again. They all said that I was going to have the time of my life and if I had any questions, just ask them. The countdown began two months before it was time to leave Canada. This would be the first time I would
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be on my own overseas and I couldn't wait! One of the biggest challenges I faced was creating a budget and sticking to it. A majority of your funds will disappear if you don't track your spending. The first month, I was excited and made many impulse purchases. Later on, I suffered from buyer’s remorse and realized that they were unnecessary. I learned from that and did my best to exercise self control the rest of the way. An Excel spreadsheet next to your budget is an ideal way of tracking your spending and once you reach your limit, cut yourself off. Living away from home requires research on items that I need to bring, such as adaptors and proper clothing. The outlets outside of North America require you to have an adaptor to charge your electronics. The United Kingdom has its own socket and the rest of continental Europe uses a different socket. There will also be unexpected costs abroad to account for, such as a USB Ethernet cable and an Ethernet cable. My dorm room setup required me to buy these two separate items if I wanted Internet. Besides a phone, the Internet is the next most important possession. Another unexpected purchase I remember involved students from a warmer country who did not bring anything but t-shirts and shorts. They all had to buy clothing in Austria because they were suddenly in the mountains. It also rained a lot in the first half of the program even though it was the summer, thus winter coats came in handy.
When l settled into my new home and felt comfortable in my surroundings, it was time to make new friends. I was excited about this part as communicating is one of my stronger traits. There were 26 students in the same program and a total of three Canadians. We all got to know each other and shared common interests. Everyone wanted to know about each other's city and school and discussed visiting each other one day. Every student was assigned a mentor to help them adapt to their new home and together we went hiking in the outdoors and gathered for delicious schnitzel meals. I also attended events whenever invited, as it was the best way to meet other international and domestic students. I don't drink but I still attended pub-crawls and met other students from the university. You would be surprised to know that although we live in different parts of the world, we're all very similar in values, goals and interests. When the program came to an end, we all went our separate ways, but we still remain in touch through Facebook. In the future, if I visit any of my friends’ cities, I will know someone and can visit all the lesser-known locations that only a local knows about. I've made lifelong friends around the globe, learned about other cultures and feel fortunate to have had that opportunity.
ventionally attractive woman cutting people down for the way they look. Being the person this video was made to talk to I was reminded of all the abuse that led me to being suicidal when I was 15. I believed no one would love me, that I would never be thin or pretty, and because I would never be either of those things I wasn’t worthy of love or friendship. These jokes weren’t funny when it was being said in the schoolyard and it’s not funny now from an Internet celebrity. The truth of the matter is that healthy food sometimes isn’t affordable. I am lucky because I have a good résumé and I’m an educated white woman and finding a decent paying job is in reach. I live in an area that’s got lots of accessible grocery stores. However, if you look at marginalized communities some don’t have the income to buy healthy food, the time necessary between their multiple jobs to prepare that food, much less the time to sit down and eat a meal or go to the gym. People with the same message as Arbour are not a motivation for me to get off my fat ass and do something about my weight. She is a flashback to all the harmful bullshit I have been listening to my entire life, and if hearing the same arguments didn’t motivate me before, it sure as hell doesn’t now. Call it a joke, call it satire, question my sense of humour, I don’t believe that comedy needs to target groups of people and enforce negative stereotypes. If you can’t be a comedian without making fun of people who are constantly told they’re less than human, you need to reevaluate your career.
HUMOUR
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PHONEY NEWS
Unicode unveils Emoji version of controversial Bulcroft effigy Andy Rice EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Technology has thrown Capilano University's administration a curveball amidst what has been an otherwise quiet period of relief from former faculty member George Rammell and his incessant sculpture-making. Back in June, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) released a report that accused the University of depriving the one-time Studio Art professor of his academic freedom. A year earlier, Rammell had created an effigy of CapU president Kris Bulcroft to voice his frustration with the various program cuts made under her regime. The sculpture, which showed a “grotesque” ventriloquist version of the president and her poodle, Margaux, was seized in May 2014 on the grounds of bullying and personal harassment. It was later returned to its creator in pieces. According to CAUT, Rammell was justified in his critical expression and the
University’s treatment of his work was out of line. The organization recommended that CapU issue Rammell a formal apology but the University refused to do so. As a result, CAUT threatened censure actions against the institution over the summer, although none have been formally announced. However, a second and completely unrelated organization has decided to take punitive measures into its own hands. The Unicode Consortium (Unicode Inc.) revealed on Sept. 14 that it would be rolling out a new Capilano Universitythemed emoji as a promotional teaser for its Unicode 9.0 update slated for early 2016. Inspired by what they called “the spirit of free speech”, the icon digitizes a second work created by Rammell more recently, once again protesting the cuts by depicting the president choking out the University’s ceremonial mace. “We’ve received quite a few requests for this emoji over the past 18 months and we think it’s long overdue, said Donald Karr, a media spokesperson for Unicode
Inc. “Seeing how we’re always a couple of years behind in keeping up with demand for new emojis, we decided it would still be relevant and appropriate to kick up some dust at Capilano University. We’re a big advocate for freedom of expression and the events that transpired there in 2014 really bothered us. Therefore, we wanted to honour George in the only way that we know how.” The Courier was not able to reach Rammell directly for comment, but a neighbour said he appeared “visibly pleased” with the announcement. Upon hearing the news, he allegedly drove straight to the Apple Store in Metrotown where he purchased a new iPhone 6 for the sole purpose of using its emoji capabilities on the largest screen possible. When the icon finally became available worldwide on Sept. 21, he was among the first to use it. “He’s been texting me nonstop,” said the neighbour, “Mostly just using emojis — an emoji of the sculpture, a thumbs up
sign, a few happy faces and the occasional moustache thrown in.” Several Capilano Courier editors have also been receiving similar messages from Rammell. The icon has proved popular among CapU students as well, although it is currently blocked after a firewall was implemented by the University’s IT department over the weekend. Compatibility tests conducted before press time showed that anything above the Unicode 6.0 update of 2010 will likely be unable to load on student or faculty devices until further notice. “I used it once last week and now it’s like it doesn’t even exist,” said Communications student Marcia Peterson. “I feel like we’re reliving the censorship scandal of 2014 all over again.” The University’s media department declined to comment on the matter, calling the story “false”. And they’re right. It is.
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— PAUL BOICI
☞
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
Come write for us! Story meetings Tuesdays at noon • Maple 122 • We pay for your words! ✍
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THE CABOOSE HOROSCOPES IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK: Friends will convince you to go out and drink to celebrate. Congratulations on beginning your long descent into crippling substance abuse.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19):
You’ll feel like something is off all week. This is the first time you’ll realize that there is something horribly wrong with you fundamentally.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20):
Again, not much is happening for you this week but thank you so much for taking the time to check.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20):
A photo posted on Facebook will vastly overstate how interesting your life is.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22):
It will dawn on you that although you can’t depend on other people for your happiness, you can use them for sex — and that will make you pretty happy.
LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22):
You will break your parents’ hearts this week when you tell them about your recent love for local improv classes.
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THINKING CAP
Q
THE UBC ALMA MATER SOCIETY RECENTLY INTRODUCED THE NEST, A NEW BUILDING THAT INCLUDES A ROCK CLIMBING GYM, A GROCERY, NINE RESTAURANTS AND A VARIETY OF OTHER AMENITIES. WHAT SHOULD THE CSU BRING TO CAMPUS TO BUILD STUDENT UNITY?
“An arcade, street fighter type of games.” — John Pratt Second Year Arts and Sciences
LIBRA (SEPT. 22 - OCT. 23):
It will be a bittersweet week. The stars have aligned for you and another astrological sign will help answer a burning question you’ve had. Unfortunately, it’s cancer.
SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 21):
Try not to focus on the loss of a loved one this week. Instead, put all that emotion into hating the people in front of you at Starbucks..
“I think an adult-sized Crash Crawly’s would really bring us together as a student body.” — Justin Anthony Seely Scott “I don’t really know what year I am” Communications
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21):
It will be a struggle to keep a smile on your face. Just remember that servers and baristas aren’t therapists and they don’t want to hear about your problems.
“A bar. All of the other large campuses each has a bar, it’s a good place to socialize.” — Nick Lan Second Year Arts and Sciences * Fun Fact: in the 1970’s Capilano College did have a campus pub called The Coach House!
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19):
You’re finally going to feel as if your life is starting again. You will deserve all the praise you receive this week. Even your parents didn’t think you were coming out of that coma.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18):
VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 21):
Ryan Adams’ cover of 1989 will bring up all kinds of confusing emotion inside of you.
This week, you will be the friend that makes everyone else feel better about their lives.
“We should build a skate park here.” — Tomas Danco Second Year Engineering
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20):
Not a winner. Please try again.
SUDOKU
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 04
LAST WEEK'S SOLUTION
“Sleeping spaces, because they got rid of sleeping spaces in the library. And fucking spaces.” — Anonymous
SUBMIT YOUR WINNING SOLUTION AND BE ENTERED TO WIN TWO GENERAL ADMISSION PASSES TO THE VANCOUVER AQUARIUM!
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