Capilano Courier Vol 45 Issue 20 by Capilano Courier

“Pushing buttons since 1968”

Volume 45

N O R T H V A N C O U V E R / / M arch 1 2 , 2 0 1 2

Issue N o. 20

Fat Cats in Power

with STUDENT RALLIES // SENIOR MEMOIRS // VIDEO GAMES // and so much more ...

TABle of contents Vol. Forty-Five | Issue 20

Pushing buttons since 1968

Contac t u s Praise? Damnation? Let us know what you think:

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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 Publishing Society.

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Israel vs. Palestine; plus two schools that you don't go to bitch about stuff they don't like

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St. Patrick's Day Edition! Featuring topless elves/leprechauns/Madchild of Swollen Members editor-in-chief

editor-in-chief

Samantha Thompson

Sarah Vitet

Fe a t u r e s

The government … it will climb in your window … snatch your people up! It's 1984, man!

Ar t s

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a rt d i r e c t o r

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Seniors are full of insight and wisdom, like my bitch, Marilyn Hagerty. The Olive Garden rules!

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Leanne loves salad, and so should you! The bottomless salad at the Olive Garden is my jam a rt s e d i t o r

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humor

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O pi n i o n s

Mail-order brides, gender-bending fashion models, and Stephen Harper ... Marry, Fuck, Kill

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JJ Brewis JJ Brewis is the reincarnated form of Judy Garland, Walt Disney, and young Marlon Brando. Visit his travels on Twitter @jjbrewis

ter Angry Let Week of the Capilano Courier, On page three of the March 5th Capilano Courier, there is a comment in "The Voicebox" calling ARAMARK "Pig Dogs" for the price charged for a "Granola Bar and a Red Wine". I would like to point out that ARAMARK does not sell wine on campus, and we do not operate the concession for the Theatre where wine is offered. The comments are inaccurate and offensive and I would like an immediate retraction. Sincerely, Dan Traviss Food Service Director ARAMARK, HIgher Education Capilano University

The Courier would like to apologize for any misconceptions that were caused by the Voicebox suggesting that Aramark was responsible for selling wine on campus, as evidently they do not. The Voicebox is written in a satirical style, and nothing said in that space is meant to reflect true news. We are sorry that it was misunderstood, and in the future we will be more careful to ensure no offensive statements are made, as this instance was an editorial error on our part. The comments in question do not reflect the views of our newspaper as a non-profit publishing society, and were meant to be taken light-heartedly as sarcasm, though we agree that the comments were taken too far. We understand your concern, and appreciate that you contacted us. We cannot stress enough that no offense was intended, and we did not mean to upset anyone or spread false information. In the future we will be publishing articles that include many fun facts about ARAMARK and their food services, and any students with concerns about either should contact us at editor@ capilanocourier.com. We welcome all points of views, and will gladly publish letters discussing both the benefits and drawbacks that an exclusivity contract has at a university. Regards, The Courier Editors

from the editor //

Not a Time for Debate

omen make up over 70 per cent of the world’s poor, and over 65 per cent of the world’s illiterate. Women’s unemployment rates run 50 to 100 times higher than men’s in many industrialized countries, and women make up less than six per cent of senior management jobs in the world. Canadian women are paid 20 per cent less than men on average, which is the largest pay gap of all the countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In developing countries, women spend 31 to 42 hours per week in unpaid work, while men spend 5-15 hours in unpaid work. In developed countries, women work at least two to five hours per week more than men. With these statistics alone, the inequality between men and women is already clear. However, women are also at a greater risk for many kinds of violence. Genital mutilation, sexualized assault, domestic violence, gender-based violence, early marriage, unsafe pregnancy and abortion, forced sterilization, and honour killings are only some of the ways women are violently marginalized every day around the world. These are very real problems, and deserve more respect than a single International Women’s Day could possibly convey. Even so, it is important to honour International Women’s Day, and use it as a reminder of how far we have come, but more importantly how far we have left to go before true gender equality is reached. There are people who don’t feel the same way. There are people who thought that it was appropriate to advocate against women’s rights on International Women’s Day. Even on our own campus, there were people who thought it was okay to debate women’s rights on the one day of the year that these things should not be debated. Capilano’s Heartbeat club organized a “pro-choice vs. pro-life debate” to occur on International Women’s Day. The UBC Lifeline club hosted a protest on the same day, complete with graphic “abortion imagery” and that never-apt comparison of abortion with genocide. Many anti-choice groups on campuses around B.C. are also hosting abortion debates this month, including UBC, SFU, and the University of the Fraser Valley. The fact that Capilano’s debate was scheduled right on International Women’s Day denotes a serious lack of respect for the women who suffer the consequences of unsafe abortions all over the world. While I am not afraid to declare that I am pro-choice, my complaint with the debate is not that other people on campus are advocating against choice. On any other day, I would have no problem with the Heartbeat club utilizing their freedom of speech, so long as they are truthful in their claims and ethical in the way they direct their campaigns. Having a debate regarding a women’s right to choose on International Women’s day is offensive, and I don’t care if I sound like a stereotypical “angry feminist” by saying that. International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is on Mar. 21, and it can be safely

assumed that there will be no “pro-civil rights vs. pro-white-power” debates anywhere, because not only is that unbelievably insensitive and offensive, it would in all likelihood be considered targeted hate speech. Regardless of which side of the abortion “debate” you consider yourself to be on, International Women’s Day is not an appropriate time to host a discussion about whether women should have full rights over their bodies or not. Unfortunately, campus clubs were not the only ones hosting debates about women’s rights on International Women’s Day. In the United States, Republicans in the House of Representatives held a hearing on an anti-choice bill they have been trying to pass, in various incarnations, for the past 15 years. It provides provisions regarding who can accompany a young woman across state borders in order to have an abortion. The bill has been opposed by the American Medical Association, as well as several other major medical associations. In addition to this bill, women’s rights have been the source of heated debate recently in the U.S., of course, in regards to birth control insurance coverage in particular. Still, debating an anti-choice bill on International Women’s Day did not impress very many people, including NARAL Pro-Choice America, who said that the congress members “are as shameless as they are out of touch.” A 2009 Guttmacher study found that unsafe abortion results in the deaths of 20 million women annually, which equates to roughly one woman dying every eight minutes from unsafe abortion. It is not too much to ask to take one day off debating abortion in order to honour these women. At the very least they deserve to have one sacred day where, out of respect, nobody hosts any anti-abortion events. Using International Women’s Day in order to further an unrelated and, in fact, contrary agenda is inappropriate. Even if the day accomplishes little of real substance towards women’s equality, at the very least we should use it to honour the women who have suffered, and continue to suffer. It is only in doing so that we can comfortably debate important issues, and recognize that gender inequality remains a very real thing in every corner of the world. — Sarah Vitet // editor-in-chief

The Voicebox

with JJ Brewis Look for the Voicebox on Tuesday afternoons in the Birch cafeteria, to anonymously “voice” your “opinion” on any “topic.” Introverted alternatives include emailing your opinion to voicebox@capilanocourier.com, or texting (778) 886-5070. “The definition of feminism is equality for all genders. So what do feminists do? Create ‘International Women’s Day.’ Hipocrasy [sic] much?” Every week, I prepare to engage in responses for The Voicebox, and I usually don my ‘silly sarcastic’ or ‘sassy bitch’ hat. This week, those hats have no place in terms of answering a question such as this. I don’t actually have a name for the hat I am wearing in answering this, so I will name it “Everyday Toque”. It is wrong for me to call people names, tell them their opinion is wrong or stupid, and to get angry and write a response. Very wrong. I shouldn’t do any of those things. But I am about to do not one of them, but all three. You, frankly, need to be hit upside the head with an inflatable bat, and then be sent to a corner to think about things. But before that, you need to be educated to understand what some things are really about. You need to get off your fucking horse. I should not assume you are a male, so I will say IF you are (and you’re not a self-hating woman), you re-

ally need to become read and versed in the historical struggle that women, as a gender, have faced worldwide, and throughout history that continues to this day. Basic shit that you get to do like make decisions, think for yourself, and choose your government? Yeah, women around the world have fought for the right to be able to do that. Not to do anything MORE than their equal male counterparts, but just to be on the same level. In many parts of the world, women can’t choose what to do with the unborn babies in their wombs, decide who will run their government, or even walk around showing more than an inch of their face. I really have an issue with people saying “Why isn’t there a White History Month?” or “Where’s the Straight Pride Parade?” Every fucking day is white history day. Every moment is a straight pride parade. It’s the same thing for women. Misogyny still exists today. Women are bought and sold against their will in some parts of the world. Even in Canada, abuse on women, both mental and physical, is a huge issue. So don’t you dare ask what International Women’s Day has to do with equality. So the next time you think of asking me, or anyone, such a ridiculous, shameless, and selfinvolved question, think about your words for a moment. It’s hateful, uneducated, and fucking pathetic.

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EDIT OR // Gurpreet Kambo // ne w s @ c api l ano c o uri e r. c o m

Pro-Israel, Pro-Palestine Middle East conflict also sparks conflict amongst opposing activists locally By Leah Scheitel // writer

the capilano courier | vol. 45 issue 20

“I

t is always important to confront injustice wherever it is,” says Charlotte Kates, co-organizer of Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW), an event occurring from Mar. 5-9 across Canada. “In Palestine, the struggle to end that injustice has become a symbol and a flashpoint around the world, standing for confrontation of oppression and colonialism,” Kates continues. The conflict over the Israeli and Palestinian territories is one with a complex history that goes back centuries, in part due to Israel being the “promised land” for several world religions. The Israeli Apartheid Week is a movement that sprung up among university and college campuses across North America in response to the ongoing Middle East conflict. It started in 2005 at McGill University in Montreal, and has since gained momentum within various student bodies. According to Ed Lavalle, a political science teacher at Capilano University, this issue appeals to students for a number of reasons. “The whole Israeli Apartheid Week phenomenon is about eight years old, and over those eight years there have been some very strong campus actions, calling on the board of governors of various universities to withdraw their endowment and other investments from companies that have cooperated with the state of Israel or have done something in particular to show that they are opposed to the rights of the Palestinians,” he summarizes. He continues, “Students have gravitated towards the Israeli Apartheid week because they like the issues and because of the scope of what it does. The scope is BDS; Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. It’s neatly packaged, and put in a way that students can access and relate to it.” Although the IAW has been gaining momentum since its commencement, there have also been many critics. A commentary from the McGill Daily student newspaper condemns IAW and the BDS movement: “Though the IAW’s stated intent is to advocate for Palestinian human rights, their actions end up serving to demonize and delegitimize Israel,” says the article, which was signed “the McGill students for Israel.” Lavalle says that the quality of life of Palestinians is very different to their Jewish counterparts in Israel: “Basically Palestinians are discriminated against,” he says. “For example, they can’t use certain highways that connect settlements as they’re banned from using them. Their minimum wage levels are lower than for Israelis, or the Jewish population. And there is price discrimination. It was established a couple of years ago that the Palestinians had to pay four times as much as Israelis do for water.” Charlotte Kates says that the main objective of the IAW is to raise awareness about the issues surrounding the conflict: “IAW is an educational week that raises the level of awareness about the apartheid nature and policies of Israel against Palestinians, as well as the Palestinian civil society call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel, and the substance of the Palestinian movement,” she explains. Kates believes that students have many questions about the issues, and what Canada’s role is in the debate: “What is the occupation of the West

Bank? What is the siege of Gaza? How can people support 7 million Palestinian refugees struggling to return home? Why are Palestinian citizens of Israel subjected to mass discrimination? IAW events cover all of these topics and more. Here in Canada (the birthplace of IAW), it's particularly important to draw attention to both the official Canada/Israel relationship.” Canadian politicians have been vocal about the debate. In 2011, ex-Liberal leader Michael Ignatiff stated that the IAW was “a dangerous cocktail of ignorance and intolerance, and threatens the mutual respect of Canadian society.” Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has publically criticized the IAW, saying, “In reality, this week is nothing more than an unbalanced attempt to paint Israel and her supporters.” Professor Lavalle believes that speaking out against Israeli Apartheid is particular to the current government: “Canadian governments have

been careful and followed the UN line, which says that there should be two states in the region, one for Israel and one for Palestine,” Lavalle explains. “Our previous governments have always been very supportive of a diplomatic and negotiated settlement to produce a two-state solution in which both people could live in peace. The current government has changed that, and had been much more vocal in support of the State of Israel and much more blameworthy towards the Palestinians.” According to Lavalle, current attitudes toward Israel may be informed in part by historical events involving the Jewish population: “There is a huge amount of guilt in the West over two very real things: the historical role of anti-Semitism in the Western Christian society, and secondly, the facts of the Holocaust, in which very few states played a positive role in the defense of the Jewish population against the genocide that was

// Jillian Aquino planned and then substantially executed by the Germans.” Because of the polarizing nature of the issue, tension is often high between the opposing groups, along with sharp criticism that they have for each other. “There is opposition to IAW from defenders and promoters of the Israeli apartheid system. They don't like the discussion of Israel as an apartheid state,” Kates says. “IAW and the BDS movement are an impediment to peace,” writes the McGill Daily. “Their fight to delegitimize Israel precludes discussion, serving only to further divide the two states. IAW efforts are not progressive and are based on a dangerously distorted reality.” As Lavalle says, “There are very few people who are interested in the issue that don’t have an opinion on it. It’s hard to fall in the middle on this one.”

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Graduation, Schmaduation Lack of cap and gown requirement at Emily Carr upsets student

By Gurpreet Kambo // news editor

ne often sees ads from post-secondary institutions of happy students dressed up in a cap and gown, earning their degree, and perhaps with a flourish throwing their cap in the air. This is the popular North American image of a university graduate, and Shauna Woods-Gonzalez wants to have a traditional university graduation. A fourth year student at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Woods-Gonzalez was not happy to hear that her alma mater does not require students to wear the traditional cap and gown for graduation. “[The cap and gown] is symbolic, and it is something I have imagined for many years,” she says. “[It] also represents the graduates as pro-

// Jason Jeon fessionals, as we should be when we graduate. I, along with many other dedicated students, find that this trivializes our education and significance of graduation.” The lack of a cap and gown requirement is one that was decided upon by students themselves. Several years ago, the provincial government amended the B.C. University Act, changing the status of several post-secondary institutions to that of a University, which mandated many changes at these schools. “When we received University status in 2008, we polled students about whether they would like to wear a cap and gown at convocation,” says Barry Patterson, Executive Director of Communications at Emily Carr University. “The majority of those who responded did not wish to wear a cap and gown, and since this time, the matter

has not come up. To address those that wished to have formal attire, the University created scarves for the event, which reflect the specific degree awarded.” However, Woods-Gonzalez feels that this is too important of a tradition to be left to a survey, particularly one done so long ago: “Not only do I find this a matter to not be surveyed, I do not think that a survey from over five years ago is relevant to the current demographic of students. The cap and gown is a symbol and tradition and is not questioned at any other university I have heard of,” she says. “Opinions vary throughout individual demographics … What I find interesting is how this issue was even brought up for discussion. I could not see any other university putting this up for discussion.” Despite the lack of dress code, Emily Carr does encourage students to dress formally for the event: “The majority have worn formal or semiformal attire, but others have chosen to wear attire that reflects their personal style or cultural background,” says Patterson. Emily Carr being an Arts institution, some students may use the event to express their creativity, or personal quirks. “Due to the certain individuality of our student body, certain individuals take the event as an opportunity to make a statement,” says WoodsGonzalez. “Last year, one student arrived in her pajamas. Not only is this an absolute embarrassment for myself as a student of the university, it is appalling to the school and graduating class in its entirety.” Patterson notes that, in the past, this decision was made democratically, and that the university is open to instituting the requirement, if the students will it. However, Emily Carr has

never had a cap and gown requirement for their graduation ceremony. “If the majority of students want to wear gowns, then we will accommodate their request, if time and resources permit us to do so for this year. If not, we will certainly address it for next year’s convocation ceremony,” he says. To this end, Woods-Gonzalez has been in contact with the students’ union about doing another student survey. However, Woods-Gonzalez is aware that another survey of the students may fail to meet result she wishes. Regardless of whether or not she is successful, she still wishes to attend her convocation in the traditional attire – if she can get a group of people to show up together in cap and gowns. “I think it would look strange if I was the only one in a cap and gown!” she notes. “I find it upsetting that most people I have discussed this with, including students, say, ‘What do you expect? You go to art school,’” says Woods-Gonzalez. “The problem is, I do not go to art school; I go to an accredited art university. I am getting my undergraduate degree, just as anyone else would at UBC, Capilano, or SFU. I do not think the image of a casual convocation represents us as the outstanding arts university that Emily Carr is. If our school took this more seriously, so would the students.” Until a survey is completed, it appears as though cap and gowns will remain voluntary. “I want to change this frivolous altering of tradition,” Woods-Gonzalez says. “I have been imagining my undergraduate convocation for many years, and the way my school has decided to approach the ceremony is not only disappointing, but a complete embarrassment.”

McGillLeaks publishes confidential internal documents Anonymous group launches online platform for leaks By Erin Hudson // The McGill Daily (McGill University)

policy, approved in 2007, applies to all members of the McGill community, and such reports will not be considered cause for reprisal. Under the policy, an improper activity is “an act or omission committed by a [member of the university community] that constitutes ‘Academic Misconduct,’ ‘Research Misconduct,’ or ‘Financial Misconduct.’” The policy also states that, in all McGill activities, the university “seeks to promote a culture based on honest, transparent, and accountable behaviour.” It is unclear what the relationship is between this policy and McGillLeaks’ actions. In its statement, McGillLeaks discussed its “leak” of documents: “We do not see the leak and the new level of transparency it produces as ends in themselves. These documents are only as important as your pursuant critical analysis and initiative,” the statement read. McGillLeaks stated it would publish submissions of documents related to McGill that are “classified, confidential, and/or not yet public.” The group advised any contributions to be made anonymously and advised against contacting the group from the McGill network. On the morning of Mar. 6, vice-principal (external relations) Olivier Marcil released a state-

ment to the Daily: “This breach of confidentiality is an attempt to hurt the well-being of the university, and hurts individuals whose only intent is to support our students and professors. We deeply regret this invasion of their privacy,” the statement read. According to the statement, the university has initiated a forensic analysis “to determine the source of [the] violation of our confidential files,” and warns that they “will take immediate legal action against those who are responsible.” “This information is gathered under the standard professional practices of philanthropy,” the statement continued. The same statement was sent by DAR to alumni on Mar. 5, but it was attributed to Weinstein. The release of confidential files has raised concerns over the protection of private information and general security in the campus community. In a Mar. 6 email to all staff and students, Marcil indicated that McGill has called the police. Both the Daily and Canadian University Press received letters from the university’s lawyers, demanding that the sites take "immediate necessary measures to remove any link" that redirects users to the McGillLeaks site. The Daily and Canadian University Press have removed the links pending consultation with their lawyers.

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ONTREAL (CUP) – Documents from McGill’s Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), many of which are marked “confidential” or “highly confidential”, were posted online on Mar. 3 by the anonymous group McGillLeaks. In a statement on its website – which had no content remaining as of Mar. 8 – McGillLeaks had announced its intention to release hundreds of documents over the next three weeks, starting with the release of DAR documents pertaining to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and defense industries. The documents were available to download from three different hosting sites linked to on the McGillLeaks website until Mar. 6, when the links stopped functioning. The statement from McGillLeaks was taken offline on Mar. 7. The first release of documents contained donor and corporation profiles, correspondence pertaining to corporate funding, histories of corporate donations and relations, and industrial partnerships – notably, a Memorandum of Understanding between McGill and Canadian pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline Inc.

On its website, DAR states that its “many programs and activities help the university establish and maintain strong relationships with alumni, donors, and potential donors.” DAR employees report to vice-principal (development and alumni relations) Marc Weinstein. In its statement, McGillLeaks verified the authenticity of the documents on its website and stated that the contents of the documents have not been altered. McGillLeaks outlined three goals for its public release of the documents: to provide an account of a “corporate university’s inner workings,” to supply accurate information regarding McGill’s relations with the private sector, and to create transparency. “While not exhaustive in any sense, the documents are primary source material on the university’s role within the competitive market, and how it conceives of that role,” the statement reads. “We are cognizant of the fact that the methods used by McGill are similar to those of many other ‘public research universities,’ and thus are relevant not only to those with an interest in McGill.” The university has a policy regarding safe disclosure in recognition of the “necessary and valuable service” and of the “good faith reporting of improper activities ('whistleblowing')." The

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m o n day m a r c h 1 2 MONGO BINGO – BILTMORE EDITION Bingo and music! Got the itch to play bingo but being around old people reminds you of your mortality and makes you fearful of death? Head down to the Biltmore and play bingo with people as youthful as you! Hosted by the Knights of the Roundtable, who are DJs! So like, dancing too? 8 PM. The Biltmore Cabaret. $1/card, $5/6 cards.

NATIONAL NOODLE MONTH March is National Noodle Month! Why do we need a National Noodle Month, you ask? Why not! I respond with a gleeful laugh. What other food is the perfect food to eat when you are drunk at 1am at the house of a person you barely know, but has SO MUCH ramen in his cupboards that there’s no way he’ll miss just one package? That’s right. Celebrate accordingly!

ST. PATRICK’S WEEK Like all other holidays, St. Patrick’s day has extended to a full week. Wear green every day! Dress up? Give gifts! Why not! I’ll take any excuse to celebrate and I’ll be enthusiastic the ENTIRE TIME. I will not get tired of it!

FACT #1: COCA-COLA DEFINITELY GIVES YOU CANCER According to an article by The Province, Cocacola is altering their manufacturing process because currently, they are over the “safe” limit for carcinogens! They’re currently only changing their production in the States though, so Canadians will continue drinking poison!

FACT #2: GHOSTS ARE REAL When I typed in “yahoo answers are ghosts real” into my google search bar, the first answer that came up was, “Yes, ghosts are real, they are merely people without bodies. They are not however as common as some seem to think. Some people see them while others do not and even then some ghosts show themselves only to certain people at certain times.” Thanks for clearing that up, Yahoo Answers!

FACT #3: HOW TO BECOME A GOTH Here are eight steps to becoming a goth, courtesy of wikihow.com/Be-Goth: 1) Listen to Goth music. 2) Dress the part. 3) Learn as much as you can [about Goth culture]. 4) Start reading suggestions: Bram Stoker, William S. Burroughs, Edgar Allen Poe, etc. 5) Develop the Attitude. 6) Go to Goth clubs. 7) Borrow/buy some magazines on Goth culture. 8) Have fun!

FACT #4: I SAW A HOT DUDE ON THE BUS TODAY He had like a beard and really pretty eyes and I lurked him pretty hard. Lurking dudes on the bus is my jam right now. If you are a hot dude and you ever get a weird feeling like someone is staring at the back of your head, it’s probably me.

CELTICFEST VANCOUVER Are you a fan of all things Celtic? This is your week! From Mar. 14-18, CelticFest Vancouver will be hosting a huge variety of events celebrating our Celtic roots. Check out www.celticfestvancouver.com for a full list of events. Some of them are free!

FORUM: DISORDERED EATING Know someone with an diagnosed eating disorder or maybe worried about a friend or loved one? Check out this forum where “holistic health coach Shelley Ugyan shares her own experience … and provides information on how to be supportive.” 7 PM. John Braithwaite Community Centre (145 W. 1st St.). By donation!

CAPILANO U SMALL ENSEMBLES Are playing at the Presentation House! Check out what the young people of the Jazz program are getting up to and maybe make some cool new friends! 8 PM. Presentation House (333 Chesterfield Ave.). $10 (free cookies and tea!).

t u e s day march 13 NOTHING IS HAPPENING OR HAS EVER HAPPENED OF IMPORTANCE ON MARCH 13 So I’m just going to put some fun facts in here. Enjoy!

we d n e s day mar. 14 THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES This is basically exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of video game music arranged for orchestra! Perhaps this is the missing “link”… between your love of orchestral music and video games???? $56.75 – $152.50.

t h u r s day mar. 15 ST. PADDY’S DAY PUB NIGHT The CSU is hosting a celebration in honour of St. Patrick, famous leprechaun! Partiers are encouraged to wear green and get wasted. There will be karaoke and, undoubtedly, people wearing silly hats. Someone please do some Enya. Tickets can be purchased at the CSU office. 7:30 PM. Mosquito Creek Bar and Grill (2601 Westview Dr.).$10 (includes burger and beer).

SWOLLEN MEMBERS What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Week than by seeing Swollen Members. Pretend it’s 2001! Shout, “PLAY FUEL INJECTED. WHERE’S NELLY FURTADO.” Wear green? Definitely get drunk. 9 PM. Venue (881 Granville St.). $22.50.

LUNCHTIME CONCERT As a part of CeltFest Vancouver, Ivonne Hernandez and Jeremy Walsh are giving a free lunchtime concert downtown! Hernandez “brilliantly embodies a new and multi-cultured vision of folk music” whereas Walsh “has been described as "one of the finest Canadian folk singer/songwriters of his generation". Fun! 12 – 1 PM. Plaza@ Pacific Centre. Free!

friday march 16 NO ISLAND ALBUM ANNIVERSARY SHOW These guys! These guys all go to school at Cap! You should go and support them and listen to a “new brand of rock that blurs the lines between genres and generations.” Also featuring Isobel Trigger and Bed of Stars. 7:30 – 10:30 PM. Joe’s Apartment (919 Granville St.). $10 advance/$12 at door.

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saturday mar . 17

ST. PATRICK’S DAY From what I remember, St. Patrick originally became famous because he chased all the snakes out of Ireland. Using religion? Witchcraft? I’m not 100 per cent sure. Maybe they were metaphorical “snakes”; evil, Protestant “snakes”. I’m rambling; you should probably just get drunk.

TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES RUG EVENT Looking for the perfect fair-trade rug for your redesigned living room? Look no further! From Mar. 16–25, “over 100 luxurious Bunyaad will be on display and available to purchase at this unique annual event.” Neat-o! There will also be an educational seminar held on this night, Mar. 16. Learn all about Asian rugs! 7 PM. Ten Thousand Villages Canada (2909 W. Broadway St.). Cost of rug.

FASINFRANK SNAP FASHION SHOW F As In Frank, local vintage clothing boutique, is releasing a “re-worked clothing line made from recycled vintage materials” called Snap. Check out the new looks at this fashion show, which will also feature (non-reworked) vintage clothing. Plus, after party with DJs! Always fun. 10 PM. Fortune Sound Club (147 E. Pender St.). Price unlisted.

BOOK SMUGGLER’S DAY From 1866 to 1904, book smugglers smuggled Lithuanian-language books into Lithuania, defying a ban by Russian authorities who were trying to stamp out their culture! Fuck yeah! Celebrate this awesome day by defying authority eg. defacing an advertisement by giving all the models unibrows.

VISIONARIES: PHOENIX CHAMBER CHOIR “Phoenix is privileged to present the rarely-heard Luminosity by British composer James Whitbourne, a brilliant work for choir, organ, tanpura, viola and percussion … Also on the programme is an achingly beautiful setting of Sara Teasdale’s There Will Be Rest by Frank Ticheli.” Music! 8 PM. Holy Rosary Cathedral. $25/20.

SPIRIT OF THE WEST Canadiana! These guys are straight out of Vancouver, so if you feel like folking out hard and feeling really locally patriotic, check it out. They were super famous for a while in the ‘90s. 7 PM. Commodore Ballroom. $44.

BIG ST. PAT’S NIGHT OUT This night features international Celtic-fusion superstars Delhi 2 Dublin and special guests from Luxembourg, Dream Catcher. Except genredefying, multilingual musical fun! 8 PM. The Vogue Theatre. $35/30.

MAGNETIC FIELDS I was gonna go to this but then I changed my mind. Like Magnetic Fields are really cool, but I just bought tickets to Wayne Shorter and I’m trying to save money to go travelling this summer and … Magnetic Fields just lost. But you should go! It’ll be fun. 8 PM. Vogue Theatre. $32.50.

GYPSY MARKET: SPRING VINTAGE SALE Basically a big cool garage sale at the Biltmore! This sounds rad: over 25 select local vendors selling sweet vintage clothing, books, home decor, and more. Plus, two DJs and drink specials! Can anyone say “day drunk shopping”?? I can. I wish I said it more often, when asked, “What’s up?” 11 AM – 5 PM. The Biltmore Cabaret. $2 entrance.

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE The opening night of this classic Rossini opera! Vancouver Opera will be performing “the greatest comic opera of them all” from Mar. 17-25; get your culture on and check it out! See www. vancouveropera.com for more details and full schedule. 7:30 PM. Queen Elizabeth Theatre. $35 – $180.

sunday march 18 THEE AHS, WOOLWORM, RUSKIN I will always rep Thee Ahs, I will always rep Woolworm, I don’t know who Ruskin is but hey, they’re playing with two of my favey bands! Cool beans, rock and roll. 8 PM. The Waldorf (489 E. Hastings St.). $10.

8TH ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE Kid-friendly family fun! Who doesn’t love a parade? Props to the homies who know why I, personally, do not like this parade (and, trust me, normally I love parades) and can no longer play the song “Mairi’s Wedding” without feeling a little berserker. 11 AM. Downtown Vancouver. Free!

Features

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ED I TO R S / / S ar ah v i te t + Samant ha Thompson // s pe c i al fe ature s . c apc o uri e r@ gmai l . c o m

ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE Quebec rallies against a tuition fee increase By Claire Vulliamy // arts editor

hile the ongoing teachers’ strike continues to make headlines in B.C., Quebec is host to a strike of a different kind. As of Mar. 5, 123,265 students have rallied together – and with that number growing daily, the Quebec student strike is a force to be reckoned with. It all began in March of last year, when the Quebec Liberal government, under Jean Charest, tabled a budget that included a 75 per cent increase in tuition over the next five years. This amounts to an increase of approximately $325 per year, beginning in Sept. 2012. Demonstrations had been held previously for a “fair budget”; however, the announcement led to an intensification of student action. Most recently, students in Quebec have embarked on a “general strike”, which means that students across the board, regardless of institution, are participating or welcome to participate. Various student groups have joined in, the latest being that of Concordia University. Many others have plans to begin striking later in March. On Jan. 21, two associations who represent a large number of the student groups in Quebec, Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ) and the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ), made a decision to schedule the beginning of their strike on Mar. 22. The Battle Lines

Quebec’s History of Student Activism This is not the only time students have gone on strike in Quebec. Most recently, in 2005, students led by ASSÉ went on strike to protest the $103 million cuts made to student bursaries. The government instead took that money and put it into repayable loans. At its peak, the strike was 230,000 students strong, and the pressure put on government forced them to reverse their action. The first general strike occurred in Quebec on 1968 in protest of multiple issues within the education system, including over 4,000 students being barred from postsecondary due to a lack of resources. In an interview with Dominion magazine, // Tiaré Jung Sophie Schoen of ASSÉ explains, “Low tuition action. As quoted in the McGill Daily, “Three the student strikes. In an open letter addressed in Quebec is a direct result of the major student Montreal riot police came at me, clubbed me in to Line Beauchamp, the Minister of Education strikes.” the ribs and stomach with a baton, knocked me in Quebec, they said, “Of all students in Canada, In 1996, the government under the Parti over – I don’t know if it was a club that knocked those in Québec have been able, until now, to Quebecois was planning on raising tuition fees. me over or one of them pushing me, you know, it benefit from a system where education is rec- In response, the students went on strike. all happened so fast – I popped right back up and ognized as a priority that must be funded by the “It wasn’t as massive as the strike in 2005, but it they pepper sprayed me in the face.” government. This is, according to us, the only way did force the government to step down from their Again on Feb. 24, students marched through to build a system of post-secondary education decision to raise tuition,” says Schoen. downtown Montreal. The march was organized that allows students to have access to it regardShe believes that the ongoing mobilization of in part by The Coalition large de l’Association less of their socio-economic background and of students is essential, and that while strikes are pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (CLASSE the province in which they study.” difficult to organize, “a strike is what it takes.” or Coalition large de l’ASSÉ), who are involved in Here at home, CFS-BC is also well aware of “It’s really important that people understand a large part of student action, and have also spear- the events. this point, that an organized student moveheaded protests regarding tuition fees in the past. “Canadian Federation of Students B.C. sup- ment is the only barrier to having a situation in At its peak, an estimated 15,000 students were ports the strike action of Quebec students. We Quebec in which inaccessible education is the participating in the march. A smaller group that sent a letter of support already and we hope to norm,” says Schoen. continued to march towards the Jacques Cartier see them succeed,” says Zach Crispin, the orgaMeanwhile, in B.C. Bridge in order to block it had a standoff with the nization’s chairperson. riot police, where pepper spray was used. Beauchamp has continued to say that the gov- B.C. had its own tuition freeze until 2002, when CLASSE spokesperson, Gabriel Nadeu- ernment will not back down on their decision. Gordon Campbell came into office and dereguDubois, was impressed by the turnout: “We’ll be Global News quotes Beauchamp’s aide, Hélène lated tuition, meaning that post-secondary inmore and more thousands on strike in the up- Sauvageau as saying, “There is no plan to change stitutions could determine autonomously how coming days and weeks. I think now this govern- the tuition increases … It’s being done to assure much they wanted to charge. ment has no choice, it has to listen to us, and it the quality of teaching here.” “Our government, the Liberals, deregulated has to stop increasing tuition fees.” tuition fees, and so tuition fees skyrocketed that The Comparison Argument year across the province and then continued to SUPPORT FOR THE MOVEMENT In an article published in Montreal’s Gazette do so for another year,” says Crispin. The Simone de Beauvoir Institute, a feminist or- newspaper, Alex Woznica wrote that the tuition At the time, B.C. had the second-lowest tuition ganization related to Concordia, has openly op- increases “are quite reasonable,” as they bring the fees in the country at $2,592 a year for the averposed the tuition hikes. fees back to 1968 levels, adjusted for inflation. age undergraduate. After removing the freeze, Gabrielle Bouchard, a student at the Institute What’s more, he says, is that Quebec tuition will tuition jumped up to $4,735 a year in a two-year who spoke at a press conference, explained that still be the lowest in the country. time period. “this amount of money will be more expensive “I think that that’s really wrongheaded, I think The CFS campaigned against the deregulated for a woman than for her male colleagues” as there’s no reason that people shouldn’t be upset fees, says Crispin: “Students mobilized across the women’s wages remain lower than their male that they’re harming the best post-secondary sys- province, called it a day of action, [and] put a lot counterparts. tem in the entire country,” Crispin says. of pressure on the government.” The Canadian Federation of Students, at a Quebec’s average yearly fee for full-time stuContinued on page 9 … national level, has expressed their support for dents is $2,415 a year, whereas the Canadian av-

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Since the announcement of the tuition hikes on Mar. 17, there has been widespread backlash from Quebec students. Protests have taken place regularly, and more recently there have been encounters with riot police, even resulting in injury. On Mar. 7, a protest culminated in an attempted occupation of the offices for the Conference of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities (CREPUQ). Riot police attempted to break up the crowd of demonstrators blocking the building. “It was really peaceful, except for when we were at Loto-Québec when the police set off flash-bombs,” Noémie Roy-Gibeault, a student at the protest, told The Link. Later, reports came out that a student had been hit in the eye with a stun grenade, and would potentially lose vision permanently. On McGill’s Tuition Truth blog, it was reported that his loss of vision had been confirmed. Four protesters in total had to be taken to the hospital. This is just one incident in a series of clashes. On Nov. 10, 2011, approximately 30,000 students in Montreal boycotted their classes and went on a march through downtown Montreal. The march ended at McGill, and some students decided to stage a peaceful occupation of McGill’s James Administration Building, according to the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). Meanwhile, others stood outside and formed a human chain. The police were called to the scene, and some protesters began throwing items such as sticks and water bottles. Later, the riot squad arrived and protesters, including those that were peaceful, were indiscriminately hit with batons, pepper spray, and tear gas, reports the McGill Daily. A professor, who was walking by and stopped to observe the events, was also dragged into the

erage is $5,138. These low levels are the result of a tuition freeze that lasted from 1994 until 2007, until it was removed by the Liberal government under Charest. While some groups argue that the tuition hikes are only fair, one of the main groups involved in the action taken against the hike, l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ), believes that tuition should be free for everyone and that education is a “fundamental right of our society, and not a privilege.” The government has also said that with the tuition increase comes an increase in funding to universities, and more student aid. However, as reported by Maclean’s, while tuition fees will increase at a steady rate, university funding increases won’t. The largest tuition increase will come in the 2014-2015 academic year.

f e at u res

We need a new system, not a new Prime Minister By Leah Scheitel // writer

“T

he question you want to ask yourself is: is Canada a democracy? Is the democracy in Canada working?” says Dr. Hedy Fry, Liberal MP for Vancouver Centre. “I think right now the robocall challenges the first aspect of a democracy; the free and fair right for citizens to vote without interference.” Canada oversees the democratic elections of over 40 different countries to ensure that they are fair, yet the recent robocall scandal has pulled into question the validity of our election results. There have been reports of voters of the May 2011 federal election being purposely misled with false information, resulting in them being unable to vote. If the claims of the scandal are true, it could mean that Harper’s majority government is a hoax, and built upon a fraudulent voting system. Even more alarming is that our democratic system isn’t working properly, and the people in power may be taking advantage of its malfunction.

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Effects of the Scandal

While it is still uncertain who is ultimately responsible for the robocall scandal, it is apparent that Canadians aren’t taking this matter lightly. There has been uproar across the country since the story broke, with political activist groups like FairVote.ca and Lead Now demanding a public inquiry into the scandal. “I think first we have to find out what happened. All of the indicators point to the Conservatives as being the architect or mastermind behind all of this,” says Libby Davies, NDP MP for Vancouver East. “It throws into the integrity of the election process. That is why it is so serious. It could have very serious consequences. It could mean that the election results in a number of ridings are null and void. This is to be determined, but that is what we are potentially looking at.” As of Mar. 2, Election Canada’s spokesperson John Enright confirmed that they have received over 30,000 messages by way of phone, emails, and letters from the Canadian public after political parties suggested there had been a theme of potential electoral fraud in their ridings. There are nine ridings under question in B.C. alone. Davies, too, suspected electoral fraud in her riding of Vancouver East after last year’s federal election. “We certainty got lots of complaints,” she says, “and this is why we forwarded it onto Elections Canada. We don’t have the resources to do our own investigation. I do know that on Election Day and a few days after, people were phoning us, saying that they were very upset because

// Britta Bachus

THE PROBLEM WITH CANADA they received calls sending them to the wrong poll and giving misleading information. I had no idea that it was also happening in so many other places.” Because this is unprecedented in Canada, it’s unclear what will happen if the perpetrators are caught. “Presumably there will be fines, there might be criminal charges resulting in imprisonment, but it’s not clear,” says Tim Schouls, a political science professor at Capilano University. “It is not clear of the nature of what was done. If there was electoral fraud and a deliberate attempt to mislead and compromise the ability of people to vote, that constitutes a criminal act, but what the sentence would be would be determined by judges when these individual go to court.” “The question here is, are the people who conducted the calls instructed by those higher up in the chain of command,” he continues. “The

higher you go, the more serious the charge, and potentially the more devastating the sentence will be.” Fry thinks that the public needs more education on the foundations of a democracy. “What we have to do is educate the public. Most people don’t know anything about a democracy; they just think it is a place where you get to vote. It is important [that we], and especially the media, be on guard, against the infringement on democracy.” So far, the no political party has taken responsibility. Stephen Harper has denied that the Conservative Party has anything to do with the calls, blaming the charges on a smear campaign against his party by the other political parties. The robocalls, however, are related to a bigger issue. Canada’s electoral system potentially has a lot of problems; maybe it’s time Canadians took a look at their other options.

The Current State of Canadian Voting Since confederation, Canada has used the firstpast-the-post voting system, which was adopted from British parliament. This electoral system has a winner-takes-all effect, and there is no requirement for the winner to gain the majority of votes to control the majority of the power. Wayne Smith, executive director of FairVote.ca, says that this is a huge detriment to out country’s politics. “We have a voting system where there is only one winner, and lots of losers,” says Smith. “Winning is everything and it encourages the kind of vicious, cut-throat politics that we’ve seen in election campaigns. There is a lot of dayto-day ordinary nastiness – that is borderline illegal – that people take for granted as part of our politics.” “If they can keep voters from voting for somebody else, it is just as good as getting a vote for

f e atu r e s themselves,” he adds. “This is built right into our system. For each party, there are the seats that they take for granted, [saying] ‘Yeah we’re going to win that, so we don’t have to pay any attention to it.’ And then there are the ones where they’re going to lose, so they don’t have to pay any attention to those ridings. All of the elections are decided by a small number of voters, usually less than 20 per cent, so our elections are decided by a few swing voters in a few swing ridings, and all of the parties’ efforts are devoted to identifying and moving those voters.” This strategy often results in political parties using negative advertising to shine a spotlight on the weaknesses of their opposition, and slandering party leaders. “Under a winner-takes-all system, it’s just as productive to discourage other people’s supporters from voting as it is to encourage people to vote for you,” Smith explains. “That is becoming more and more of a feature of our politics.” Although Britain has its own political problems, their first-past-the-post system isn’t under as much scrutiny as the Canadian one, which seems to be affected by the dirty-style of politics in the United States. “This particular issue is about an American style of dirty politics that’s now come to Canada. Deliberately misrepresenting information is not permissible, it’s not legal, and it’s a matter of getting to the bottom of it,” says Davies. Schouls agrees: “The kind of smear campaigns that you see emerging in Canada and character assassination is something that we have taken, as some degree, from the Americans. It has been proven through scientific studies that this type of smear politics works, but I think that any informed voter quickly sees through what is going on and finds it edifying. “ BEHIND THE TIMES

assured that it will pass without incident in the Senate as well,” says Schouls. DEMOCRACY OR DICTATORSHIP

With these raised concerns, it is natural to wonder if Canada has a democracy. “There are six fundamental pillars of any democracy, and if the government fails on one, it is not a true democracy,” says Fry. The six pillars are: the rule of law, an independent judiciary, a free press within the media, a free and civil society, and a parliament that is free of government interference. “You have to ask yourself if our democracy, at this moment, is abiding by the rule of law,” says Fry. While currently the Canadian system may enable a benign dictatorship, Schouls believes that Canada has the resources to not fall victim to it. “When we use the term benign, it means that the individual in question is not a source of oppression and such,” he explains. “What we have in the Canadian case is a hierarchal structured system of power in which the government allows those at the top to utilize that power with very few constraints. They can utilize that power to good effect or to ill effect or perhaps to no effect … When we have a majority government, as we do now, it more or less renders the House of Commons powerless, in that the Prime Minister, in use of party discipline, can command that support of the majority of the members … and can essentially do what he sees fit.” In situations like these, Canadians can benefit from opposition parties and media outlets, holding the government responsible. “What I do think we have in Canada is a fairly THE SENATE PROBLEM rigorous opposition in form of the NDP and the Although electoral reform is one option, Liberals,” says Schouls. “We have a vigorous meCanada’s system suffers from more than just dia, and we have the opportunity as a civil society a fault electoral process. There is also concern to express our discontent in all kinds of ways.” with the Senate, a very powerful body within the ADOPTING A NEW SYSTEM Canadian Government. In our current political system, it is relatively As a result of the robocalls, people are demandeasy for a party to gain the majority of seats in the ing inquiries into the scandal across the naHouse of Commons, making it easier to proceed tion. On Mar. 3, Lead Now, an independent with their political agenda. Since Stephen Harper advocacy group, held a rally in downtown has been Prime Minister, he has made effective Vancouver calling for a public inquiry. On changes ensuring that his political agenda will Mar. 5, there was a similar one in Ottawa, with meet as little opposition as possible. For a law to over 200 people marching to Parliament Hill, be passed in Canada, the bill has to be approved demanding action. by two bodies: the House of Commons and the What the action will be from the government Senate. What Harper has done is slowly gain the is uncertain. Although there is substantial evimajority of the power in the Senate. dence to say that the first-past-the-post system The House of Commons is made up of 308 is outdated and not suitable for Canada, there is seats, all occupied by the elected members of no evidence to believe that switching to a proporeach riding, and are fixed upon the federal elec- tional representation government will eliminate tions. Currently, the Conservative party holds electoral fraud. 166 of the seats. The Senate is the other half of Before any action is taken in regards to reformCanadian parliament, and the Governor General ing the voting system is considered seriously, appoints Senators upon recommendation of the both Davies and Fry agree that there are some Prime Minister. questions that need to be answered, and some Senators can hold seats until the age of 75, at research that needs to be done into possible which time they are forced to retire. When there other systems. is a vacancy in a Senate seat, the Prime Minister Fry believes that we should not be hasty will make recommendations to the Governor in adopting another nation’s system because General as to who should fill the vacancy. what works for another country might not work “He will endorse and appoint members of the in Canada. Conservative party, and those individuals then “Canada is a different nation. We should look understand that they are supposed to vote in at other countries and their practices, and we ways that is in endorsement of the Conservative should investigate them,” she says. “We should legislation,” Schouls explains. “So Harper has openly, as a civil society, speak about them and gradually, over the course of the time he’s been decide what is best for us.” Prime Minister, has been changing the composi“I don’t believe that there is any one system tion of the Senate.” that we can say is pure,” she adds. “Look at Italy Of the 105 seats available in the Senate, 59 are with a proportional representation system, and currently held by Conservative Senators. how corrupt it was there.” “They have a double majority now, in both houses, so when legislation goes through the Conservative MPs failed to respond to the House of Commons, Harper can be relatively Courier’s interview requests as of press time.

Adding Fuel to the Fire cont’d … The victory was won in 2005 when the cap was put in place that meant that tuition could not rise faster than inflation, which is at a rate of two per cent. Currently, B.C.’s tuition fees are just under the Canadian average, but above five other provinces: Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island. Furthermore, it is the only province without a provincial grants program. Another victory was the removal of tuition fees from Adult Basic Education (ABE), which allows adult students to take K-12 courses. In 2002, post-secondary institutions were allowed to charge fees for these programs, but in 2007, campaigning from students led the government to once again remove tuition from ABE. Crispin says that while there have been successes over the last ten years, B.C.’s student movement could learn a lot from Quebec. “We should look to the Quebec student movement as an example of what we should be doing on an ongoing basis and work toward that point, because it’s really where we need to be to lower tuition fees to the levels that they need to be at,” he says. “We need to increase the fight back against the government for increasing tuition fees, for reducing funding to postsecondary education, and the best way to do that is to be united in our campaign work.” Crispin cites CFS-BC’s Education Shouldn’t be a Debt Sentence campaign, which aims to pressure the government to reduce tuition fees, looking at the high levels of student debt as the negative outcome of the fee levels. Canada The ongoing trend in Canada sees much less funding for universities from the government, and much more coming from students. In 1977, government funding accounted for 84 per cent of university budgets, whereas student contributions came to about 13.7 per cent, according to Statistics Canada. Currently, however, government funding is at 57 per cent, whereas student funding totals 34.2 per cent. In times of government austerity measures, if this trend continues, power struggles such as the strikes in Quebec will only become more common. Students in Quebec have vehemently guarded their post-secondary system’s low tuition for years, and the recent actions make it clear that they will not give it up easily. The continuing police brutality and ensuing injuries only feed the fire that has been kindled. In a statement issued by ASSÉ after the Mar. 7 events, translated from French, they write: “In the face of these profoundly unjust and undemocratic threats, we call for the ardent continuation our political struggle, our demonstrations, our actions that disrupt the daily routines of social and economic elites who violate our right to education. Let us not be deterred psychologically and physically by violent police officers! By the force of our numbers, the force of our actions and our efforts, we shall overcome!”

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Canada is one of the only larger countries to still use the first-past-the-post system, along with India and Britain. Most developed countries use a form of proportional representation, in which a party gains seats based on the proportion of the overall votes they received. “Most industrial democracies changed the way they vote between 50 and 100 years ago, and we’re left behind. Canada is actually, contrary to the way we think of ourselves, one of the world’s oldest democracies, and some of our democratic institutions are a little creaky with age,” says Smith. FairVote.ca endorses a proportional voting system, and wants to educate Canadians on the voting options available. “One of the reasons that we want to promote proportional voting systems is because they promote diversity and promote cooperation within the system. Every party gets the number of seats in proportion to the amount of votes they got, and it isn’t common for any one party to get the majority of the seats. This means that they have to cooperate, they have to share power, and they have to get along. They don’t have an incentive to go right back to the polls in an attempt to gain a majority.” Davies also backs the idea of adopting a proportional representation system into Canada. “Proportional representation, overall, will make our way of voting stronger and much more representative,” she says. “It’s a very healthy thing. I think it would encourage people to be involved more and feel like their vote really counts.” Although proportional representation systems work in other democracies, Canadians don’t seem interested. B.C., P.E.I. and Ontario have all held referendums on electoral reform, letting citizens decide if they wanted to replace the first-past-the-post system with proportional representation, or combine the two systems,

as has been done in other democracies, like New Zealand. The referendum was rejected in every case. “There are a lot of citizens who are concerned that a proportional representation system wouldn’t necessarily serve Canada well,” explains Schouls. “For example, what a proportional representation system would do is almost always deliver minority governments, and some say that makes it very difficult for governments to advance their agenda. If they’re constantly hostage to the positions of, or to the desires of, minority parties that they have to appease, they can’t act decisively in moving their agenda forward.” “Sometimes, people are hesitant,” Schouls continues, “saying ‘I don’t know, our single-plurality system isn’t great but the alternative isn’t great either,’ and that is why some have suggested that we look at a mixed member system, like Germany or New Zealand. But even that, in the cases of Prince Edward Island and Ontario, where it was offered to the citizens in a referendum, they refused it.” There has been speculation that the referendums were rejected because Canadians weren’t sufficiently educated about the different electoral systems. “It has been argued that if we used a proportional representational system of voting, we’d have a more democratic outcome,” says Schouls. “The temptation to interfere in the voting process might be just as great in either model. The motivation might be just as tempting because a small shift in the popular vote for one party or another could result in a significant increase or decrease in seats captured.”

arts

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EDIT OR // Cl aire Vul l iamy // arts @ c api l ano c o uri e r. c o m

REMEMBER ME, REMEMBERING YOU

Arts Sh ort s

Seniors’ memoir writing workshop highlights the importance of telling our stories

applicants were asked to supply a writing sample. “Everyone who applied was a really good writer so we didn’t choose based on writing skill,” says Ritchie. The reading of the memoirs itself was hosted by Coyote, whose fast-paced stories in between readers kept the night sharp and focused. “I could tell from the very first night that this was going to be a special group, and nobody let me down,” said Coyote, in her introduction to the evening. The writers' stories covered a broad range of topics, though many people wrote about their parents, or family members. From funny, to nostalgic, to tear-jerking, Lifestory had the audience fully engaged throughout the night. The majority of Coyote’s published works are short stories based on her life, so teaching memoir writing is a good fit. However, Coyote found teaching seniors how to write much more rewarding than teaching university students: “I really like working with seniors,” says Coyote. “I find that they want to be there.” From personal experience working with her own grandmothers, Coyote knew the value of family lore and history, thus teaching seniors how to write their memoirs has a particular kind of importance. Though the class was not gender-specific, there were 19 women enrolled and only three men. Coyote notes that she works with a lot of older women, though not by specific design, and that they are a demographic who may have previously been discouraged from writing

their stories. “They may have grown up at a time when women did not have a lot of access to become a part of history in the same way,” she says. “And they weren’t empowered to write autobiographies like men would have been.” She hopes that offering the seniors’ memoir writing workshop helps to address that somewhat. “Three weeks ago, I really never thought that I would honestly write anything,” says Marshia O’Neil, who read a powerful story about her mother attempting suicide. Though she’d had people tell her to write her memoirs before, O’Neil didn’t think she was at a point where she knew how to start. “Ivan would give us direction, and as she was talking, telling us what to write, thoughts were coming through. … Ivan is an amazing teacher, very inspiring, she could encourage anyone to write.” Through the workshop, O’Neil decided that she would continue writing her memoirs, and was able to bond with her sister through sharing her stories. Her husband also recently passed away, and she was able to write him a goodbye letter, which she says was very healing: “I found a part of me that I had no idea really existed,” says O’Neil. “So I’m really really grateful. I’m really going to write.” For Mildred Strominski, the workshop gave her a new attitude towards writing: “You’ve heard of this thing, writers’ block, which is really just excuse making,” says Strominski. “Other occupations don’t have, like, engineer’s block.” Once all the excuses were taken away, Strominski was able to make writing a habit, working it in between morning runs. “I got to let go of a lot of those things that get put away, and I have been making it a habit,” says Strominski. “I’m doing it, and that’s a great reward.” While the writers came from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, the desire to write their stories down is what brought them together. “It’s important that we write down our stories, share them with other people, and listen to other people’s stories,” Coyote told the crowd. Coyote sees the value of giving everyone a voice and through Lifestory the participants were able to find the tools to write down their experiences, so they could be shared with others: “I just think the world would be a better place if we all understood each other better.”

proved just what direction indie music may be headed towards a mass of loyal fans and enthused onlookers. Opening a show to a mostly unengaged audience is never fun to do, but luckily opener Slim Fathers managed to grab the audience attention with their own unique style of proto-art punk. Female fronted and unapologetic, Slim Fathers’ sound was angular, angst-ridden, and often aggressive. Forgoing the typical song structure, Slim Fathers leapt between noisy guitar drones complimented by lighter guitar harmonies, to full on emo-punk breakdowns –something that I thought I left behind in high school, but am thankful has reared its head again. Being Slim Fathers' second show ever, I will be very excited to see them in the future after they’ve got their band feet a bit wetter. Following up the only local Vancouver act on the bill

was Brooklyn’s Mr. Dream, lovingly referred to by audience members as Mr. Nightmare – and I hope you can read the sarcasm in my use of the word “lovingly”. It’s not often you see touring acts that really suck, but Mr. Dream may have been one of the more awful acts I’ve seen in years. Interestingly enough, two of the band’s members write for online music magazine, Pitchfork. Between songs they jokingly referred to themselves as the band System of a Down, which wouldn’t have been too off-point had they changed their singing style and smarmy attitudes. The music was bland, unimpressive, and replaceable. Imagine listening to a modern rock radio station and melding every band into one: that was how Mr. Dream sounded. Maybe shittier, even, because they looked like they didn’t want to be in Vancouver.

// Jim Brown By Sarah Vitet // Editor-in-Chief

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“W

hen his family was asked what they remembered most about him,” read Patricia Morris, “they hesitated, and then fondly recalled Boris never peed in the shower – at least not on purpose.” Morris’s piece was a touching obituary for her friend Boris, whom she described as having taste buds “so well-developed that we could call them flowers.” Morris was one of 12 senior writers sharing their work at the Vancouver Public Library on Mar. 1, at an event called Lifestory: Sharing Our Memoirs. Though 12 people read their work at the event, there were 22 participants in the memoir writing workshop, which was led by local writer Ivan E. Coyote. When Coyote was the Writer-inResidence at the VPL in 2009, she led a similar seniors’ memoir writing workshop, which turned out to be extremely popular. “This one was, again, very popular,” says Amber Ritchie, the Community Relations Librarian. “We had more interest than we could fit in; we have a really long waiting list and a lot of people asking when we’re going to do it again,” she says. The Friends of the Vancouver Public Library is a non-profit group that helps raise funds to support programming at the VPL. They approved the funding for the seniors memoir writing workshop, which was offered for free, as all VPL programs are, and on a first-come-first-serve basis, though

Under Review

Slim Fathers, Mr. Dream, Cloud Nothings at The Media Club Highly acclaimed blogosphere poppunk darling Cloud Nothings (a.k.a Dylan Baldi) has caught a lot of peoples attention in the last few months with the release of his album Attack On Memory, which was engineered by legendary Steve Albini (who also worked with Nirvana, The Pixies, and Jesus Lizard,). Last Mar. 7 at the Media Club, he

The 2012 Vancouver Short Film Festival wants you! For its third annual year, Vancouver will play host to the highly acclaimed Vancouver Short Film Festival. Drawing submissions from a diverse community of Vancouver’s video, film, and animation artists, the 2012 Vancouver Short Film Festival hopes to continue its status as one of Vancouver’s best filmbased celebrations. The festival first begun as the Vancouver Student Film Festival (VSFF), which was first was held on Aug. 23, 2005 at the Pacific Cinematheque. It was a complete success, meeting sold-out crowds and presenting 12 of the most successful post-secondary student filmmakers and graduates in Vancouver. In its second year, the VSFF expanded to 17 films over a course of two days, and was moved to the Vancity Theatre. In 2009, the Vancouver Student Film Festival’s name was changed to the Vancouver Short Film Festival, in order to accommodate professional filmmakers, in addition to students. During last year’s festival, there were over 45 films shown by students and filmmakers from all across British Columbia. In previous festivals, students, graduates, and professional filmmakers have all entered the festival, competing for awards, and, last year, over $18,000 worth of prizes. This year, all professional artists will receive an artist fee following the screening at the festival. Additionally, the festival will be running a special deal for five students entering from the same school. Both emerging and established filmmakers are welcome to participate and observe the festival, and as of now, the festival is accepting submissions, and will until Aug. 1 at 6pm. The festival will take place Oct. 26 and 27, and will be held at the Vancity Theatre. There are no time limits for films, but those interested are encouraged to remember that it is a short film festival, so the shorter, the better. By Victoria Fawkes // Staff Writer

Trying to wash away the horrible taste left on the audience’s pallet, Cloud Nothings took the stage. All the members looked like band geeks, with unbuttoned shirts exposing scrawny chests; however, Cloud Nothings’ volume, listenablity, and musicianship was on a level unseen by the other bands that night. Although deafeningly loud, all the hooks off Attack On Memory translated well live, including Dylan Baldi’s newfound throat scream, which was unheard of on the last two Cloud Nothings records. Save a few hard to watch “jam sessions” that literally made my ears pop, Cloud Nothings sent everyone out into the night feeling pretty swell. By Colin Spensley // Writer/Photographer

A r ts

Game On Retro video games expo takes over Vancouver By Niggie Purrahnama // writer

ttention all retro video game nerds: to those of you who still have your Super Nintendo out and ready to go, get excited. On Mar. 17, Gamedeals Video Games will be hosting a Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo full of fun, social activities, and, yes, there will be alcoholic beverages available. Brian Hughes, the owner of Gamedeals, a video game store in Vancouver, and creator of the Retro Gaming Expo, thinks that retro video games have a unique appeal. “I find that a lot of people prefer retro games to modern ones,” he says. “These are the games we grew up with, and like the music we listened

to in high school, they will always have a special place in our hearts.” This appeal reaches all ages. Hughes says that he has been aiming to attract a demographic ranging from ages 16 to 35 for this event. Hughes’ inspiration to create a Vancouver version of the Retro Gaming expo came from the hype and popularity created by other cities, like Seattle and Portland: “I've only ever been to the Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and it was awesome,” states Hughes. This past experience has given Hughes not only the drive, but also the proper knowledge and networking in order to create a successful event. The Expo will take place at the Columbia in New Westminster. When asked why the event wasn’t to be held in central Vancouver, Hughes points out

that the layout and size of the Columbia was a right fit for the event, and the fact that the space is fully licensed is definitely a plus. The venue is strategically close to both the Columbia Skytrain station, and Hughes’ own Gamedeals store. There is a long list of different performers and presenters who will be attending the event, one of whom is none other than John Hancock. Described as “a long-time video game collector, enthusiast, and historian,” Hancock’s love of video games has resulted in a large video game collection that has been reviewed and publicized by the media. He was also one of the organizers for the Portland Retro Video Game Expo. Causing a bit of a media stir for the expedition is the up-and-coming new Youtube game show,

Game To Win. Game To Win will be featuring one of their episodes live at the event, choosing guests at random and putting them up to diverse retro gaming challenges, with prizes for the winners. There will also be performances, such as Geeks After Dark, a nerdy yet classy array of burlesque performers putting on a show geared to the tastes of the retro gaming crowd. Hughes’ main objective for the event is, quite simply, “to have an awesome time. Anytime we can get like-minded people together for a party is a win in my books.” The event will take place at the Columbia Theatre at 530 Columbia Street in New Westminster, on Mar. 17. Tickets are available online through the Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo website.

OUT THERE IN THE GREAT WIDE SOMEWHERE Someplace Unknown proves the potential of books in the digital age By Samantha Thompson // editor-in-chief

“I

There are many other pieces of electronic literature that require the same level of interactivity from the reader. I, You, We by Dan Waber and Jason Pimble, for example, requires the reader to move around a floating atmosphere related to the title’s pronouns. RedRidingHood by Donna Leishman uses Flash to retell the classic childhood tale in modern day, combining comicstyle illustrations and jazzy music. The reader has to click through the story, but in the style of a “choose-your-own-adventure” novel, the things the reader clicks on affect the story that they experience. Hanks emphasized that the digital platform provided endless opportunities for the writer and the writer. “That’s the nice thing,” he says. “The sites can evolve as technology and we evolve. The fact that we read books on touchscreens and yet the books aren’t interactive is a shame.” Someplace Unknown is also unique because each chapter is a single page, which Hanks did intentionally in hopes that he could eliminate the distraction of turning pages. Each chapter is usually a self-contained scene, he says, so “it’s more natural for [the chapters] to exist on their own.” It feels as though society has only recently moved into the “digital age”; however, electronic literature is not a new concept. Pieces such as Afternoon, a story, which was published in 1987, is recognized as the first hypertext fiction – where the reader clicks on links in the story to move from one aspect to another. The unique

// Desiree Wallace

characteristic of electronic literature is that each piece has very little in common with any other piece of literature, except that they are composed in digital environments. The Electronic Literature Organization defines it as “work with an important literary aspect that takes advantage of the capabilities and contexts provided by the standalone or networked computer.” Electronic literature is not without its critics, however. Natural concerns come up about the longevity of the genre and archiving the work, as well as how effective the platform is in storytelling, when it leaves so much interpretation to the reader – more so than the average paper book. Hanks has his own take on this: “A reader’s imagination will always beat anything you can create yourself,” he says. Electronic literature will only be as successful as its creators make it. Hanks has worked to ensure his novel gets maximum publicity and interactivity, by offering the reader the opportunity to share his novel via Twitter or Facebook between sections of the story. He has received strong responses, particularly in foreign markets, universities outside of major cities, and religious institutions. He has also set up a second site which the story leads up to, where readers can pay $10 to send him their deepest darkest secret. In return they will receive others’ anonymous secrets back, which is allowing strangers to connect in a vulnerable, yet powerful, way – and a huge part of Someplace Unknown is connection. “I think [the title] nicely represents as all. People and their histories are infinitely complicated,” says Hank. “Not only is it impossible to truly understand someone and why they do the things they do; it’s impossible to understand ourselves – but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.” The genre of electronic literature will be constantly evolving, but novels like Someplace Unknown demonstrate the full potential of what we can do with this digital world. “I would never pretend that I can change the face of publishing with my sites,” says Hanks. “[The sites are] a lot of work that most writers would rather not do … but I think they offer something different.” “In the end, publishing in any form should have the same goal: to tell stories to as many people as possible, in the best way possible.”

the capilano courier | vol. 45 issue 20

deally a book would have no order to it, and the reader would have to discover his own,” said Mark Twain. In the time when Twain was writing, books were much more limited in their physical capacity than they are now. Books were bound, pages in order, and the reader would experience the story from front cover to back cover. However, the advance of technology has led to the exploration of different mediums for books. E-books and e-book readers are constantly increasing in popularity, with even the most hardened bibliophile eventually dipping their toe in the waters of electronic reading. However, while e-book readers allow you to carry hundreds of stories with ease, authors are still limited in what they can do with their story. The emerging trend of digital novels is more flexible. Authors are telling their story on the Internet, and in doing so are pushing the boundaries of what story-telling can be. The digital platform opens up many doors for authors that did not exist before. It is for this reason that AJ Hanks chose to publish his first novel, Someplace Unknown on the web. “I wanted to use whatever method could reach the most people in a way that’s easy and inexpensive for them. With a site, there are no national barriers and no specialized devices required,” he says. “If technology delivers something fun and new, as long as it relates to the story and furthers the reader’s connection to it, I can adapt the site.” Hanks spent some time with a literary agency in New York City, but he felt that “traditional publishing could do more to embrace interactive technology, social media, and most obviously, the Internet.” He found inspiration for Someplace Unknown in a vivid image: “The land bridge to an island created when Los Angeles siphoned water from Mono Lake.” “When the lake’s water fell, coyotes could walk across to feast on endangered birds … So what’s horrifying to one, can be delicious for another – all happening because aggression is part of nature, and humanity was too distracted to think

about the consequences … and yet there’s a happy ending,” says Hanks. “Some concerned folks successfully fought to raise the water level. I guess you could say bullying happens everywhere in nature, and so does the more human concern of counteracting it by being vigilant and by doing the right thing.” His novel is set up on two interconnected websites. The first hosts the novel itself. Readers click through the pages, which are accompanied with the occasional interactive image. Messages pop up whenever Hank needs to communicate an instruction with the reader; for example, telling them to click on the “smudge of mud” in a picture. Initially, the novel costs $5 for readers to access – though the first few chapters are free, so that readers can decide if they want to purchase the novel. “I was pretty careful to only include things that would bring the reader closer to the story and its themes,” he says on choosing which interactive features to use in telling his story. “Early on, I tried to use audio and video files, but it gave the reader way too much information … I also hoped the interactivity would bring the reader inside the younger narrator’s head a little further.” Someplace Unknown weaves stories of multiple characters together, frequently switching viewpoints so that the reader begins to put the pieces of the story together as they proceed through the novel. It is a novel about “secrets, perception, faith, guilt, and suicide,” according to Hanks.

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EDIT ORS // Col in spensl ey // c o l umns . c apc o uri e r@ gmai l . c o m

STUDENT FOODIE

It’s big salad time!

// Columnist

unforgettable. I like beets, apples, yams, artichokes, and so much more! The success of a salad is in the pairing of items. You can learn what works best from recipes, but I usually do it by trial and error. Now you need to choose a protein. It could be anything from the very obvious meat choices like bacon, sliced ham, turkey or chicken, or delicious cheese, but beans of any kind, egg, and tofu are often cheaper alternatives, and are just as delicious.

grapeseed oil, but I use butter for that extrarich yummy flavour sometimes, too. Take them off the heat and add a pinch of salt; mix them up and you’re done! I recommend that if you are not the kind of person that has a lot of vegetables on hand at one time, you should buy some canned things. Artichoke hearts, beets/pickled beets, and beans are great for salads, and last forever when you buy them canned. Firmer vegetables and fruits, like apples, carrots, and yams, seem to last longer, so they might be a good choice for you if you are not CRUNCH AND GARNISH quick to use your veggies. I also find that I have The next step is to find your perfect crunch and/ one or two salads that I eat over and over that I or garnish. Personally, I don’t feel like a meal-sal- love. Don’t feel pressured to have something new ad is complete without some nuts or croutons. every day – sometimes just switching up the type In a perfect world, I would like to have a stash of of lettuce is enough to give your salad a whole pecans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin new feel. seeds, pine nuts, and sliced almonds on hand at Here are three salad dressing recipes which all times for this cause, but I usually just have pe- can be paired with your favourite vegetables to SALAD GREENS cans. This is mainly because nuts can get pricey, make your perfect healthy fast food meal. To start, you will need to get some leaves. There but check out the bulk food section to battle Chow chow thrifty friends! are a number of options including romaine, but- these high prices. ter lettuce, iceberg lettuce, spinach, “spring mix,” A tasty additional step is to toast the nuts. etc. I am not a fan of iceberg for its wateriness, es- Toasting them creates a chemical reaction, Ruby Balsamic Blast pecially if you are trying to make a meal out of it. which causes the nuts to evolve into buttery, In fact, Romaine lettuce has anywhere from two toasty, taste-bud-blowing bombs of yum. Also, 1/2 C olive oil to ten times as many nutrients as iceberg lettuce, if you fry up a can of chickpeas with some salt 1/4 C balsamic vinegar depending on the vitamins and minerals being and garlic they make a great crispy crouton-like 3 Tbsp ketchup examined. A good rule of thumb to go by is the topping. Yum! 1tsp oregano greenness: the greener the vegetable, the more Store-bought croutons are okay, and home1/4 tsp thyme nutrients it generally has. made ones from old bread are delicious, but 1/4 tsp salt they are not quick unless you pre-make them. COMPLIMENTARY VEGETABLES and PROTEIN This super tasty, tangy-sweet recipe is a classic. Croutons are best made from slightly stale bread, Try it with some romaine or curly endive, beets, red The complimentary vegetables can be nor- but you can use fresh bread too. Take the bread onion, feta, and pumpkin seed. mal like carrots, tomatoes, and green pep- and cut it into small cubes, and fry them on the pers, but branching out will make your salad stove until they are crispy. It’s healthier to use

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Leanne comes from a long line of food lovers, and has been cooking since she was eight years old. She has spent many years creating the perfect chocolate chip cookie. In spite of all of her food experimentation, to this day her favourite meal is still a delicious bowl of popcorn.

Citrus Cream Dream

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eed food on the fly? Fast food is your answer! And believe it or not, fast food does not need to be pre-cooked, prepackaged, full of preservatives, or from a chain restaurant. In fact, one of my fastest meals comes straight from the fridge: it’s super fresh, fast and full of nutrition. This wonder-meal is salad. Salad can emerge in a variety of forms, but if you super-size it and load it with protein and nutrients your salad can even take the place of a full meal. People might wrinkle their noses or laugh at the idea of a salad as a meal, but it is surprising how filling it really can be with the right ingredients. The first trick is knowing what to put in your salad, and the second trick is having your salad ingredients on hand at all times so that you can make it when you are in a hurry, instead of resorting to other, less healthy means. Salads are do-able and so delicious! Here is how you do it.

With Leanne Kriz

1/2 C mayo 3 Tbsp oil 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp mustard 1/4 tsp salt This is great with all sorts of combos, but my total favourite is, spinach, hard boiled egg, green onions, bacon bits, croutons, and toasted pecans. Use your dressing sparingly; it is easy to overdress with this one.

Oh Orient! ¼ C soya sauce ½ C olive oil 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 3 Tbsp honey 1 tsp fresh ginger 1 clove garlic This is a really fun recipe that you can do so much with. Try pairing it with butter lettuce, grated carrot, cucumber, radish, tofu or chicken, and sesame seeds for a delightful, western-oriental meal.

NOT WHAT NOT TO WEAR

Denim daddy

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nce a look rocked only by bikers, Albertans, and gay dads, denim-ondenim, a.k.a The Canadian Tuxedo, is taking the fashion world by storm. Most of you are probably still a little skeptical, but I can confidently say that this is a trend I wholeheartedly endorse. Denim is a hard-wearing fabric with a richly textured history; it looks good on everyone; and it's cheap and easy to find at your local thrift store. Rocking a great all-denim ensemble looks rugged and brings to mind virile images of conquering the Wild West – not to mention that it's also hilarious. But why, you may ask, is this look, once so reviled, now the hottest thing on the streets? Well, Dan Savage of Savage Love once said that going all-denim was the soft-core version of going allleather. Unless you're Lady Gaga or a subscriber to Cuir magazine, going all-leather does nothing but make everyone around you uncomfortable, as Tobias Funke famously proved in Arrested Development. So, duh, go all-denim. Not only will it make you look slimmer and more fashionforward, if done right, you'll also become a stainrepelling machine capable of stopping dirt with a mere glance of your rugged visage. The best part about putting together your own denim sandwich is the thrill of the challenge.

With Cheetah Powers // Columnist

There's something fun about spitting in the face of every fashion rule ever and coming out looking totally sharp in the end. Naturally, there are a few things I would avoid unless you want to look like you're on your way to a Tim McGraw concert. Make sure that you're mixing several shades of denim – light blue with dark, or, better yet, black or coloured denim. Conversely, try matching your denim pieces exactly if you've got some self-confidence – the effect will be like a tall pillar of stonewashed awesomeness. Whatever you do, don't wear a top and bottom only slightly different washes of denim apart, because then you'll just look like someone's dad at the PNE. The look wants to look deliberate, not like you get dressed in the dark. As far as the rest of your outfit goes, stick with the classics. A fresh white tee or crisp dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled, is the perfect balance of class and sass that will make people want to have sex with you. Stick with a classic shoe in cognac brown or black. Suede, shearling, leather, canvas, and wool – natural fabrics play up your blues best. For the bitches, florals and lace will also look sharp, just avoid anything too folk-y unless you're going line dancing. You should also bling out! You can get DIY pyramid studs in silver, gold, and a range of fin-

ishes from sewing supply stores or online places like Etsy.com. Cover your country-ass denim jacket in glittery pentagrams and sew a giant patch of Justin Bieber on the back of that shit! Denim-on-denim, after all, is a pretty big joke anyway so you might as well go all out. Just remember: if you find yourself being approached

by a lot of burly, leather-clad men, you're doing it right. Cheetah Powers is a long-time hoarder and lover of fabulous clothes. She believes that a truly stylin' outfit should always be affordable, universal, and easy to pee in.

C o lu mn s DIVIDED WE STAND

Subordination of tenancy

ancouver is listed as the second most expensive city to live in according to the eighth annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey. With such high rental rates, it comes with no surprise that our mayor Gregor Robertson’s vision of Vancouver is that of condo profits and development projects. With a campaign largely funded by developers, Robertson and his crew are giving massive tax breaks to many private enterprises under the guise of creating more rental housing. Are they affordable? No, they are limited and luxurious, well out of the price range of your average Vancouverite. With 52 per cent of the population being renters and vacancy rates under one per cent, the majority of people are fighting for a minority of space. Within this housing crisis of low supply and

high demand, it’s an ideal market for landlords. Tenants are often subordinated by the inequality within this relationship. Often I ask myself: why do I need to supply references when the landlord is not expected to do the same? After all, I am paying more than half my income into their pocket and having to live under their power. With rent increasing with inflation, as wages and other social securities remain the same, the percentage of our total income being allocated to rent is increasingly unaffordable. Rent increases in Vancouver have often exceeded inflation, which is two per cent, with a sharp 5.5 per cent increase in 2007, and a 3.8 per cent increase in 2008. In Vancouver, 27 per cent of renters have an “affordability problem,” defined as paying more than 30 per cent of one’s income towards their

With Harrison Pratt // Columnist

housing, according to a report by economic research company Will Dunning Inc. to the City of Vancouver in 2009. There are some policies in place that seem to protect tenants. The Residential Tenancy Act includes a limit on rent increases annually of two per cent plus inflation. However, also included within the act are ways around this, which landlords often use to victimize renters. Within the last month, a 45 per cent rent increase was issued to the senior residents living in the Lions Manor by the Mount Pleasant Housing Society, a non-profit seniors housing project. The clause within the B.C. Residential Tenancy Act allows a landlord to raise their property’s rent to match the general market value of the surrounding area. In other words, if your neighborhood is being gentrified, then

Harrison Pratt is a musician, formerCapilano film student, and resident of East Vancouver. His experiences working minimum wage and handing over most of his income to pay for his previous education have led him to write about issues affecting the low-income population of Vancouver.

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rents may increase way beyond the standard two per cent via a bylaw loophole. The laws in place to restrict the increase of rent in B.C. are feeble, and with city-sanctioned gentrification, the threat of displacement is, for many, a real fear, the only option being to move somewhere cheaper (if you can afford the plane ticket). Since we can’t rely on our governments to protect the general public, we must – and can – collectively take action. As of recently, a new organization called the Vancouver Renters’ Union has formed. They describe themselves as a “vehicle for renters to collectively determine housing rights, rents, and stability through collective bargaining and political action.” This organization takes after the labour union model to better the conditions of tenancy. Another organization that gives support for tenants is the Tenant Resource Advisory Centre (TRAC). They provide tenants with resources for legal education and information about residential tenancy laws in B.C. They keep tabs on issues faced by tenants and some of their key issues include assisted living, human rights, and evictions for renovations. Renovictions are another form of legislative trickery – landlords are allowed to evict tenants for renovations, which allows them to raise rents to whatever pleases them financially - yet another clause in the Residential Tenancy Act that allows landlords to bypass the two per cent increases. One example is the case of Allman v. Amacon in 2007, in which Amacon Property Management Service tried to evict over 100 tenants in the Richmond Gardens complex for renovations. The court ruled against Amacon and in the favor of the tenants rights. Even though the tenants won the case, winning in Supreme Court is a huge investment in time and energy. TRAC believes that the Residential Tenancy Act should be amended to protect tenants from evictions based on renovations. The majority of people in Vancouver are vulnerable in terms of security for housing. With the many loopholes in the B.C. Residential Tenancy Act, which favor landlord capital gain, tenants are regularly being taken advantaged of. The relationship between tenant and landlord needs to change. Many groups within Vancouver are addressing these issues on a one-to-one basis, and there is support out there for tenants in distress. Getting involved in social organizations like the Vancouver Renters’ Union, the Tenant Resource Advisory Centre and other grass roots organizations like Renters at Risk are important for your participation in democracy and social change. TRAC has a resource online in PDF format called “The Tenant Survival Guide” that outlines many things you should know as a renter in B.C. Personally, my advice to you in any transaction with landlords is to be well informed with your rights and get everything in writing.

O pinions

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Edi tor // Marco Ferreira // o pi ni o ns @ c api l ano c o uri e r. c o m

THE GUY EVERYONE LOVES TO HATE Harper government demonstrates its competency people that they would win him more votes than he would lose. On top of that, anything that was controversial would be forgotten by the next election, anyway (Think people are going to remember robocalls? Think again.).

// Stefan Tosheff By Samantha Thompson // editor-in-chief

ince Stephen Harper became Prime Minister six years ago, I have hated him. A lot of my friends, too, find him irritable and hard to deal with. Yet, for the last three elections, Harper has gotten his party elected – and with increasing success. In 2011 he formed Canada’s first majority government since the election in 2000. With a majority government a party has a lot of power – a fact of which Harper is acutely aware. It seems that although my personal feelings toward the guy are less than favourable, he must be doing something right in the eyes of some Canadians, because he keeps getting re-elected. Although the economy has been in his favour (people are more likely to vote Conservative in uncertain economic times), Harper is also a very good politician. There are a number of things that he has done because they appealed to enough

The arts tax credits are beneficial because they assist, in particular, lower-income families in potentially enrolling their children in programs outside of school. Although direct government funding for these programs would be better, a little assistance is better than none at all. Economic Action Plan In 2006 the Conservatives lowered the GST to Although the Economic Action Plan has under- six per cent (from seven per cent) and in 2008 gone considerable criticism for being too flashy they lowered again to five per cent. Although (huge signs marked every site of the plan, which the government is now collecting less taxes that allegedly were not actually made in Canada but could potentially be recycled into social proimported from the U.S.), it did benefit Canadians grams, the average consumer has to pay less tax in many ways. It provided funding to projects that initially to the federal government when they may not have occurred otherwise, including purchase products or services. Capilano’s own new film building. Changes to Parliament While supporting projects, it simultaneously worked to stimulate the suffering economy by During their time in government the generating jobs in multiple sectors. According Conservatives have also made several changes to a press release from Jan. 2011, the EAP had to the House of Commons. On Dec. 16, 2011, 26,000 projects underway or completed. In its the Fair Representation Act passed, raising the second year, it was aiming to deliver $28 billion number of seats in the House from 308 to 338. in stimulus. Fifteen seats will be added to Ontario’s repreIn a release from Feb. 2012, Minister of sentation, three to Quebec, and six to both B.C. Industry Christian Paradis said, "The Harper and Alberta. Government is focusing on what matters to With this Act, the government worked to inCanadians – job creation and economic growth.” crease representation to provinces whose popuThe EAP is a strong initiative because it ensures lations are increasing at a rapid rate. It helps to that the government is taking on responsibility ensure representation of Canadians is more for getting the economy out of the recession as proportional to the population in that province, quickly as possible. which is a good thing. In 2011, the Conservatives also introduced a More money for you bill that proposed legislation that would make Under the banner of the Economic Action Plan, significant changes to the Senate. The bill sugthe Harper Government has also introduced gests an implementation of term limits for all a number of new tax credits for Canadians. In Senators, whereas currently Senators are in the budgets of 2009 and 2010, Harper intro- their position until age 75, at which time they duced a tax credit for first-time home buyers are forced to retire. It also proposes that Senaand home renovation. In 2011, they added tors become an elected position, whereas curan arts tax credit for children, which is a 15 rently they are appointed by the current Prime per cent non-refundable credit to “help better Minister whenever a vacancy comes up (this is recognize the costs associated with children’s part of the reason why the Conservatives have artistic, cultural, recreational, and developmen- so much sway presently; they have a majority in tal activities.” They also added a tax credit for both the House and the Senate). The bill has been volunteer firefighters. on the table since last May though, so it’s not

moving anywhere quickly. Although the bill may not be proposing the best changes to the Senate, the Senate is in desperate need for reform, so this is a step in the right direction. Fantastic PR In addition to his more “serious” governmental endeavours, Stephen Harper has other things going for him. He is one of the few elected officials who has perfect hair, all the time (almost LEGOlike, really). He also has an affinity for cats, and he and Laureen Harper foster cats at 24 Sussex, advocating for the SPCA and Humane Society. The Conservative website has an entire section dedicated to “10 things you might not know about Prime Minister Stephen Harper”, which details his affinity for movies, curling, karaoke, and the Beatles. He is currently writing a book about the history of professional hockey and learning to speak Spanish. Besides Harper himself, the Conservatives really know how to sell a brand. They are the only political party to include a “shopping” section on their party page, where you can buy apparel, a Harper bobblehead, an apron mocking the Liberals, and a Family Party Pack which gives you everything you need to campaign for the Tories with your whole family. Stephen Harper and the Conservatives know how to make their party known, and present their leader as a down-toearth average guy – something that is invaluable in a world where many people are instantly assumed to be sleazy and untrustworthy. While this compilation is by no means inclusive, it has demonstrated the importance of perception through politics. Stephen Harper has done many things lately that I have a more and more difficult time dealing with, but it would appear that in his time as Prime Minister, he has done some good things for Canada. Although I will not turn around and start endorsing his every move, I will give him one thing – Harper sure knows how to get elected.

THE male is in the fail Radio contest gets hung up on human rights hook the capilano courier | vol. 45 issue 20

By JJ Brewis

// Art director

nternational Women’s Day is an important day for not only women, but for all of us in the quest for human equality. In a case of terrible timing, a Halifax radio station contest has unfortunately lined up the closing date for an offensive contest with this past Mar. 8, which happened to be this year’s International Women’s Day. In terms of radio prizes, this is a far cry from Nickelback tickets – and somehow even more objectionable – with the winning contestant slated to “win a mail-order bride.” Yikes. Halifax’s Q104 FM (or “the almighty Q,” as they call themselves) is the predominant hard rock station for the city, with mainstay artists ranging from Metallica to AC/DC. The contest, organized by the station, is cleverly dubbed “The Male is in the Czech”. The contest promised to reward the winning male contestant with a trip to the Czech

Republic in which he is treated to a plethora of dates with the local Flying Hearts International Dating Service in Prague, potentially leaving with a mail-order bride of his choice. QFM Program Director J.C. Douglas says, “There's obviously no sexual connection with the dating. If a date is not successful, it won't go any further. If a date is successful, it could lead to matrimony.” Halifax activist Derrick Dixon got word of the contest and was immediately appalled: “I knew immediately that something wasn't right, I felt it in my gut,” he says. “I passed the link onto a few other friends and they were completely appalled. We decided to try to do something about it.” Dixon went online and called for like-minded individuals to arrange a protest that asked for the station to end the contest, issue a public apology, and to donate the contest’s funding toward a local Continued on next page …

// Chris Dedinsky

opinions The Male is in the Fail cont’d …

Some Dudes are Hot as Ladies Advocates for gender-boundaries do more harm than good By Victoria Fawkes // staff writer

n the cover of the February 2012 issue of Canada's Fashion magazine, there stands a statuesque and feminine model, with a halo of long blonde hair and a frothy pale pink gown. Inside the magazine, the angelic woman models a series of ladylike pantsuits and colorful mod dresses. The men and women that admire the undeniable beauty of model Andrej Pejic may be surprised to discover that the gorgeous female cover model is, in fact, a man. Depending on who you ask, some believe men and women should act within society's constructed gender confines, while some believe that the expanding of gender values clears the way for more acceptance and tolerance. Instances of gender intolerance must be treated seriously, in every age group. Though it’s important to take gender-based harassment seriously in schools, it doesn't stop there. In late May 2011, readers of the men’s magazine FHM voted Pejic to its "100 Sexiest Women" list. FHM is a mainstream magazine geared toward heterosexual men, so this would have been a great accomplishment for all transgendered men and women worldwide. However, the commentary that followed Pejic’s listing was degrading and prejudiced. “Although his sexual identity is ambiguous, designers are hailing him as the next big thing. We think 'thing' is quite accurate … The blonde gender-bender has jumped the gun in hoping he might one day be signed as a Victoria's Secret Model (Pass the sick bucket). Well, he might have a hard time keeping it a secret then,” the magazine commented. The magazine went on to further abuse Pejic and famed British transgender model Lea T.: “More troubling is the fact that Andrej is not the only one when it comes to supermodels that are not all they seem. The current face of Givenchy and 'lady' locking lips with Kate Moss on the cover of Love magazine is transgender model Lea T. who began life as Leandro. One fashion trend we won't be following.” Although FHM apologized and cited the review as a premature posting by one of its writers as soon as criticism arose, the damage had been done. In May 2011, a topless Pejic graced the cover of Dossier magazine. The public uproar was so loud from those offended by (turned on by?) Pejic’s topless cover that Barnes & Noble first refused to sell the magazine, but then later relented and stocked the issue, provided it was swathed in a sheet of plastic that covered Pejic’s supposed ‘naughty bits’. However, Pejic (and many others) couldn’t see what everyone was getting so excited about: “I think the question really isn’t the gender of the person on the cover, it’s whether it’s porn or it’s art. And clearly, it’s art, so art really should not be censored in a democratic society.” Pejic certainly isn't the only topless man to grace magazine covers. It's obviously the fact that Pejic was a man who embraced his own femininity that made people take offense. Although Pejic’s lifestyle and career veer pretty far toward liberal standards, those against the idea of going outside gender roles are often easily offended, to say the least. Consider one infamous J. Crew nail polish ad. In April 2011, a photo that was emailed through J. Crew’s newsletter depicted creative director

// Shannon Elliott Jenna Lyons painting the toenails of her young son Beckett in a bright shade of pink. Below the picture, the caption read, “Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon.” Media Research Center’s Erin Brown called the ad “blatant propaganda celebrating transgendered children.” In an opinion piece released soon after the ad, Brown continued her criticism of Lyons, stating, “Not only is Beckett likely to change his favorite color as early as tomorrow, Jenna's indulgence (or encouragement) could make life hard for the boy in the future. J. Crew, known for its tasteful and modest clothing, apparently does not mind exploiting Beckett behind the facade of liberal, transgendered identity politics.” Neither J. Crew nor Jenna Lyons responded to the criticism. Jenna Lyons knew better than to apologize for the values of acceptance and open-mindedness she wanted to pass down to her son. She came to the logical choice that forcing your child to spurn a specific colour or activity just because gender stereotypes say they should is misguided. Clearly, if Beckett prefers to paint his toenails rather than take part in a more male-oriented activity, Lyons will encourage him to do what he enjoys. By doing this, Lyons made a positive and loving choice for her child, letting him know that she accepted him no matter what his preferences were. According to a recent study in Pediatrics, parents and adults like Erin Brown, who are uncomfortable with gender non-conformity, may be more likely to treat children acting outside these boundaries differently or badly. “In some cases, they believe they’re helping the child, that gender nonconforming won’t be accepted by other people,” says Andrea Roberts from Boston’s Harvard School of Public Health, who researched the study. “But of course, abuse

is never protective.” After the study concluded, researchers found that the children who conformed to their gender the least were almost twice as likely to report any kind of childhood abuse over those who did confirm to typical gender roles. Those who were researched on also reported symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. As a result, children and adults should not be forced into the tight little pink and blue boxes that their separate genders have previously demanded. Jo B. Paoletti, the author of the book Pink and Blue: Telling the Girls From the Boys in America, voiced her opinions about the overreactions after the J. Crew story broke: “Lots of kids, say, seven and under, might ask their parents for something that would seem to be cross-gender, and I think most parents, especially in the privacy of their own home might think, what’s the big deal?” said Paoletti. During their formative years, children should be allowed to experiment with all the colours and toys they like until they find what is right for them. Above all, it is so important to understand that the path to peace and acceptance runs right through a thick wall of boundaries, misunderstandings, and gender-related hate, and to advance in the world, this wall must be torn down by society. Those who are critical of parents who support a child’s gender non-conformity may blame the parents when instances of gender-based bullying occur. Though some critics may see bullying and harassment as an inevitable part of youth that simply must be endured, these people must change their perspective and realize that the long-term negative impact that bullying leaves can be avoided just by promoting understanding and acceptance throughout all age groups at every opportunity.

the capilano courier | vol. 45 issue 20

women’s group. The station refused to back down. Dixon elaborates: “I felt even more strongly about it once I realized that the closing date of the contest was Thursday, Mar. 8, International Women's Day. This contest is in contrast to everything that International Women's Day stands for.” The protest was arranged for Mar. 8, in which several dozen people raised awareness against the campaign outside the station. Dixon certainly has a point, and the offensive content of the entire image surrounding such a contest is more than alarming. If humans are still being raffled off as prizes, perhaps our human equality progress isn’t nearly as progressive as we think it is. The problem, he says, is embedded more in the idea of the contest than what is actually being won. Technicalities from the station’s side insist that they are not giving away an actual woman (even though their actual tagline promises “the Male is in the Czech, win a mailorder bride from the mighty Q!”), but an option for the man to pick a woman after his string of pre-organized dates. However, even the possibility of leaving with a woman and having that be part of the prize package is a pretty scary one at that. Says Dixon, “It promotes the idea of a woman as something to be won, bought, and sold. Women are still fighting for equality in many ways in Canadian society and elsewhere in the world, and contests such as this reassert and normalize sexism rather than making an effort to combat it.” It appears that a standoff based on technicalities is what kept the contest going, and kept Dixon’s protest in full force. Even with a major media backlash, QFM is marching on without looking back. Perhaps it’s a state of stubborn branding identity, but ultimately, it is shocking that the contest ever saw the light of day in the first place. Surely there is at least one person in power at the station that would take the contest out of circulation for bad press alone, nevermind the whole human-rights-violation-thing. Though the station did go through with the contest, the protest was effective in getting at least one major advertiser, the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission, to pull ads from the station based on the press. Douglas states, “It's somewhat disconcerting, because we really think it's been misunderstood … It seems like some of these people have taken a look at the icing and decided they don't like the cake." The issue of gender is important here, as Dixon explains: “It is highly important that more men engage in this conversation, as the majority of media in North America is controlled by men, for men and is geared toward their desires.” Really, nobody wins here, ironically despite the fact that this is all stemming from a ‘contest'. But that’s just it – it’s a contest that historically rewards a material prize to a winner, be it a good or service. What QFM is saying with this message is that a woman – a human being – is a fit prize to be exchanged for currency.

C a b o o se

C aboose

➽

Edi tor // MIKE BASTIEN // c abo o s e . c apc o uri e r@ gmai l . c o m

the capilano courier | vol. 45 issue 20

Super superstitions

Stepping on Cracks Niggie Purrahnama

13 Leah Scheitel

Passing Scissors JJ Brewis

Breaking Mirrors Claire Vulliamy

I was walking down the vacant streets the other day and I saw the most irresponsible thing I could have imagined: a woman in heels stepping on a crack in the pavement. She must’ve been blind behind those Gucci glasses if she couldn’t see the smooth paved sidewalk that surrounded her. Had she not stopped to consider all those before her that had encountered this awful experience? Had she even taken a moment to remember the good old tune that we all sang as children that warned us of the repercussions of stepping on cracks? This hyperactive, idiotic, and ignorant woman clearly has no conscience if the idea of her mother crying out in grief is as casual to her as ordering a skinny latte. As soon as that five inch black stiletto heel hit the uneven surface, I saw the depths of hell open up and swallow her whole. To her I say, “Good day, and enjoy the agonizing pit that has become your new home.”

Thirteen. This number has haunted me my entire life. I was born on a Friday the 13th, in the middle of February, and I blame this date on my lack of love. Think about it: Nov. 1 is All Saints Day, and all the demons come out to play the night before on Halloween. If you apply the same logic to Valentine’s Day, Feb. 13 could be known as the day of love for demons. Add that with the stupid thirteenth number, and a Freaky Friday, and basically I was doomed to drastically fail at love since the day I was born. Fucking great. I’ll just delete my Plenty of Fish profile now, get a litter of cats, and wither away as a crazy old cat lady. Can’t wait to explain this to my mother when she asks why she never got any grandkids.

A few years ago, I worked as a lackey at a postal outlet. It was pretty dreadful, but filled with lots of strange bonuses, such as the ability to talk to my favourite customer, Cindy Huntress, the apartment wrestler. Sometimes I would check my Myspace messages on work terminals whenever my evil boss, Naziza, wasn’t constantly monitoring me (to be fair, I did try to go on Dudesnude. com one time. ONE TIME). She was beyond nutty, but being superstitious since childhood, her “new” superstitions have sadly rubbed off on me. One time, Naziza needed to cut up a bunch of address label stickers, and started looking for the scissors. I was using them and went to hand them to her. I have never seen such an offended facial expression in my life. “PUT THEM DOWN. NOW!” she shouted at me at the top of her lungs. I was so alarmed, I spat the chai out of my mouth all over my REALLY COOL Distillers t-shirt. “Do you want to steal each other’s luck?” she asked me curtly. I then learned the lesson of never physically passing a pair of scissors. It could seriously fuck up your deal with the laws of fate and gravity and time-traveling toymakers. Plus, old witches will yell at you.

I’m an angry person, so I have lots of experience with breaking things, and let me tell you, it’s true. Breaking mirrors puts some serious witchcraft on you. First of all, punch a mirror and your knuckles will bleed like crazy for at least 30 minutes. It doesn’t make any sense, it’s as if your own reflection has it out for you. There can’t even be that much blood in your hands; it’s like your heart exploding, but in your fingers, which is pretty fucked up, if you ask me. Even after you break the mirror, the voodoo isn’t over. Try cleaning it up? Takes hours. Days later you’ll be pulling shards of mirror out of your freaking eyes. That’s why I don’t break mirrors anymore. I have become a changed person. Now I just crash into parked cars. MONSTER TRUCKS, BITCHES!