Capilano Courier | Vol. 50, Issue 12.

VOLUME 50, ISSUE 12

JANUARY 22–29, 2018

NEWS

CapU Works to launch reusable container program

SPORTS

In appreciation of Blues team managers

Pardon My French The politics behind French Education in BC

PG. 10

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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EDITOR'S DESK

VOL. 50 ISSUE 12 JANUARY 22–29 CAPILANO UNIVERSITY READY TO LAUNCH CAP CORE

News

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Campus Life

2018 RAIL JAM

6 IS CAPU STRESSING ANIMALS TO HELP STUDENTS DE- STRESS? Opinions

8 IS 2018 THE YEAR OF CANADIAN HIP-HOP OR MORE “DESPACITOS”?

Columns

10 PARLEZ-VOUS FRANÇAIS? Feature

12 NORTH VANCOUVER CRAFT BEER CRAWL

Special Feature

17 CHILLING WITH CLUB SOFA

Arts & Culture

18 CAN I SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER PLEASE? Sports

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ART DIRECTOR

Carlo Javier capcourier@gmail.com

Rachel Wada artdirector.capcourier@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Justin Scott manager.capcourier@gmail.com

Cristian Fowlie pm.capcourier@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR

COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER

Christine Beyleveldt news.capcourier@gmail.com

John Tabbernor community.capcourier@gmail.com

OPINIONS EDITOR

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Tia Kutschera Fox opinions.capcourier@gmail.com

Andy Rice andy.capcourier@gmail.com

FEATURES EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Helen Aikenhead specialfeatures.capcourier@gmail.com

Aki Guomundsdóttir, Annalisse Crosswell, Sarah Schmidt, Alexander Derbas, Carlin Parkin

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Rachel D'Sa arts.capcourier@gmail.com

COVER ARTIST

CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS

Greta Kooy campuslife.capcourier@gmail.com

Valeriya Kim, Jackie Duck, Laura Pummell, Rachel Wada, Chelsea O'Byrne, Maria Centola

Chelsea O'Byrne

ONLINE EDITOR

Jessica Lio online.capcourier@gmail.com

EDITOR + COLUMNIST PORTRAITS

Rachel Wada

COPY EDITOR

Leah Scheitel copy.capcourier@gmail.com

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deemed by the collective to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. The views expressed by the

​We acknowledge that the work we do and the

contributing writers are not necessarily those of the

institution we serve happens on the unceded territory

Capilano Courier Publishing Society.

of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

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Should have studied French

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12

CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF “Hurry up with my damn croissants.”

– Kanye West I dominated high school Spanish classes. From Grades 9 to 11, I was a complete maverick in the popular language elective. So good that my classmates often thought that I was already fluent in the language. Some believed I was Hispanic. It was hard to blame them for thinking that I came from a Hispanic background – my full name, Carlo Miguel Javier, probably gave them that impression.

Because of the 300+ years of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, much of the Spanish language has become part of the Filipino lexicon, and while there are two national languages in the Philippines – Tagalog and English – Spanish vocabulary remains a prominent part of the dialogue. This is why I was so good in my first three years of high school Spanish. I knew what most of the words meant, and by knowing the vocabulary, I was able to excel in putting phrases and sentences together. In Spanish 9, our teacher went through the class, head-by-head, making everyone collectively count up to 100. I remember being able to do that shit all by myself, and faster too.

Like any story about greatness, downfall ultimately and inevitably follows. We see it all the time, Batman lost to Bane and was left (temporarily) trapped in The Pit, Taylor Swift got petty and Kanye got louder. The only difference between the aforementioned heroes and myself is that they, more or less, came back from defeat. I didn’t.

I sucked in Spanish 12. Students who take the class in its eventual fourth year tend to have a pretty good comprehension of the language and its complexities. Although I was certainly still confident in my supreme vocabulary, the nuances regarding conjugation, tenses and overall technical grammar had passed me by. For three years I coasted on a singular talent – everyone else worked, caught up and eventually surpassed me. For the record, I didn’t fail Spanish 12, I did a solid job in the course, but my perch at the top was no longer mine to claim.

Years later, I realized that my biggest mistake in high school language classes was not that I barely tried in Spanish. It was that I took Spanish when I should have taken French. Like most of the things students learn from Canada’s high school curriculum, the lessons I learned in Spanish classes have been all but useless to me since. Nothing ill against the Spanish language, but you just don’t see people going around saying hola to one another.

While I can’t ever know for sure, having a better grasp of the French language likely would have been more useful for me than Spanish. For one, I could visit the wonderful city of Montreal and brag about how I have some semblance of understanding of French.

Two, I actually live right at the heart of Maillardville, the largest Francophone community west of Manitoba. I even went to a French middle school! In retrospect, it is a regret that I didn’t pursue French studies in my high school years. Although some will tell me that it’s never too late to learn, I have already missed out on the unbeatable classroom experience that I could have had years ago. More saddening is the understanding that I took Spanish in high school because it was the easy way out.

In this issue, our features editor, Helen Aikenhead, looks at the state of French immersion programs in BC. In her research, she concludes that while constant cuts to education have hampered the programs, one important factor has kept Canada’s official second language alive in the West: culture.

NEWS

CSU requests resignation from First Nations Student Liaison Geronimo Alec allegedly failing to perform work duties CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR

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CapU will consider including a living wage for workers in 2030 Master Plan SEIU 2 responds to Dangerfield’s “non-response” TIA KUTSCHERA FOX OPINIONS EDITOR

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ast year, the cleaning staff at Capilano University applied to the Labour Board for the right to join the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 2 and its subsidiary campaign, Justice for Janitors. The campaign strives to get cleaners at post-secondary institutions throughout Canada paid a living wage. They finally won in June after their employer, Best Service Pros, stalled them with a hearing on the grounds that “it would proliferate bargaining units.”

During the Fall semester, an open letter circulated the CapU campus calling for a living wage for all workers, which was signed by student clubs, other unions and faculty departments. Some students also signed a petition agreeing to support the cleaners and university workers in their fight for a living wage, which the Living Wage for Families Campaign placed at just over $20 per hour for Metro Vancouver workers, well above the $11.50-12 that CapU’s 29 cleaners earn.

After a meeting with the Student Worker Alliance Group (SWAG) at the

end of November, CapU President Paul Dangerfield issued a response stating that he would consider making the living wage an “element” of the 2030 Campus Master Facilities and Urban Plan.

Dangerfield declined an interview and instead Senior Communications Advisor Cheryl Rossi issued the following statement, “CapU will begin work on its 2030 plan next year, at which time the University will consider, amongst other matters, the well-being of our employees in connection with their ability to live and work on the North Shore. There are no changes to the University’s position at this time.”

SEIU 2 organizer Zoe Luba isn’t impressed by Dangerfield’s lack of support for the cause. “I take his assertion that he would consider putting living wage in the campus plan for 2030 as a non-response, to me it’s not a final answer, I think it just means that we need to keep pushing for him to move more quickly on this,” she said. “They [the cleaners] can’t wait till 2030 for a living wage. They’re living in poverty right now.”

Luba is also convinced that Dangerfield’s reluctance to implement a living wage is not due to CapU’s financial inability. “I know the University has the funds now to make this transition happen. We’ve met with the main organizer for living wage for families campaign. She’s broken it down

for us, shown us statistically how it works, showed similar-sized contracts like Vancity or City of Vancouver, and they’ve transitioned. They’re living wage employers now. It’s not about ability, it’s about political will.”

SWAG President Leticia Fox noted that the open letter shows that not everyone on campus is reluctant to support the campaign. So far they have received 1,200 signatures – 18 per cent of last semester’s enrollment according to information provided

by Institutional Research Analyst Nancy Morris. Fox says they are still accepting signatures, and Luba added that the petition would soon go online and become more accessible.

SWAG is currently trying to get more students involved and aware of the issues. “[The workers] are all a part of this community, they should be able to support their families without working every single day,” said Fox. While the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) has been supportive of the campaign, they did not sign the open letter and Fox would like to see much more involved support from them. “They meet with the administration who has the power to implement this policy fairly often, they have a lot of pull and influence, so we are hoping the CSU can back us on that,” she said.

he Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) has requested that First Nations Student Liaison Geronimo Alec resign for failing to properly perform the duties associated with his position last semester, which he held for three consecutive terms. Executive Director Chris Girodat explained that the board couldn’t compel a liaison to resign, but under their rules they can remove a board member by resolution at a general meeting. Instead his resignation was requested. This comes just a couple months after the Board of Directors prepared to reduce Senate Representative Erik Steel’s stipend to zero dollars for the same reason, prompting his swift resignation prior to their vote on Nov. 3.

“It’s an unfortunate situation when someone is so busy with other stuff that they can’t do any work for the board,” said Vice President Equity and Sustainability Owen Sigurdsson, adding that he presented a notice of motion at the last board meeting on Dec. 15, which read that he would request Alec’s resignation at the board meeting on Jan. 12. “There have been numerous complaints about this individual, they haven’t fulfilled their job requirements whatsoever.”

The complaints about Alec’s failure to perform his work duties were not made internally. Fine and Applied Arts Faculty Representative Abbey Doucet explained that the CSU has received numerous complaints from First Nations students who felt that their needs weren’t being properly addressed, which would’ve fallen to Alec as their liaison. “There already has been a process to address these concerns, so it’s not just on a board level, it’s from his constituents,” she said.

Sigurdsson added that he addressed the complaints with Alec last semester and informed him that First Nations students had asked for his resignation as their liaison. To this Alec reportedly responded that he would make a concerted effort to attend more board meetings for the CSU and perform his work-related duties or he would resign.

First Nations Student Services and the Kéxwusm-áyakn Centre have also been in touch with the CSU, requesting that Alec’s responsibilities be assigned to other CSU staff instead.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12

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NEWS

CapU Works to launch new reusable container program

Pilot project could prevent 12,000 disposable containers from being thrown out each year CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR

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ew reusable salad containers will come into circulation at the Capilano University cafeteria the week of Jan. 22. This new “Greentainer” pilot project was an initiative that Tourism Management student and CapU Works Student Organizer Tessa Janzen spent the last five months developing.

She created a business case to show stakeholders the financial savings of a reusable container program as well as the environmental impact.

A previous reusable container system existed in the cafeteria, which Janzen admitted wasn’t marketed very well.

Students had to ask for the reusable containers stacked behind the counter instead of the regular disposable containers, and paid a $2 deposit, which caused unnecessary backlog in the system when they returned their containers. The Greentainer pilot project will completely replace disposable salad containers at the cafeteria and students won’t be required to pay a deposit fee.

“We thought about doing a deposit system like the old way because it would encourage students to bring them back obviously, because that’s the main concern with this type of program, people need to return them for the recycling to keep going,” said Janzen. She does worry that with no deposit fee they will lose numerous reusable containers, but

considers it a risk worth taking. She believes that even if the cafeteria loses 30 per cent of their containers it will still prevent waste. “We thought let’s just try 100 per cent adoption, no fee and really drive home the idea of returning the container on the day that you use it,” she added.

Janzen estimated that the reusable containers would prevent about 12,000 disposable salad containers from clogging the waste stream every year. These new Greentainers are made from recycled plastic and will last about 300 uses before they begin to break down. Students will be able to return their containers to one of four stations located around campus in the Bosa, Fir, Birch and Library buildings.

Janzen believes this pilot project will be beneficial for the school. The zero waste stations found in every building on campus were placed to help students cut down on waste by encouraging them to sort their waste by containers, beverage containers, mixed paper, organics and garbage. “But they’re not going in the right bin per say,” said Janzen. The waste stream is contaminated when people don’t correctly sort their disposables.

Last year’s waste audit, an annual event that sees students sort through CapU’s garbage and recycling, showed that even several years after the zero waste stations were installed on campus there was still a high rate of contamination. Janzen said that while students appeared enthusiastic about sustainability and reusable containers during Sustainability Week in October 2017, in her opinion, students don’t always know how to correctly sort their disposable containers. “We heard from students that they’d be really interested,” she said. “It’s just a simple way to get engaged in waste reduction that everybody can get involved in.”

The cafeteria staff are currently being trained to work with the new system when it becomes fully operational. “To get all stakeholders to say yes we just had to make it as simple as humanly possible,” said Janzen, and that meant eliminating the deposit she initially thought would

be part of the new system. Even still she and other students involved with CapU Works will be present in the cafeteria the week of the project’s launch to explain it to students.

Capilano University to launch Cap Core beginning Fall 2018 New program will revamp school's approach to students' electives JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR

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apilano University will restructure how its degree programs approach their students’ electives starting this fall with a new program called Cap Core. This new initiative will bring more organization and focus to the elective setup for all students entering degree programs.

“We really wanted to put together a program of courses that were more intentionally designed and selected, and made available to students so that they would be able to see the connection between the courses they were taking for their major or main study and the courses they were taking as electives,” said dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and one of Cap Core’s primary designers, Julia Denholm.

Cap Core consists of 30 credits spread out over four years, with half of the credits going to classes outside of a student’s

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THE CAPILANO COURIER

program of study. The new program is split into three sections: Foundation, Integration and Professional Practice.

Foundation will make up six credits and include one numeracy class and one literacy class. These courses cover anything from a basic 100 level English class to an upper level math class depending on the student’s interests and capabilities. Integration, which at 18 credits makes up over half of the program, consists of classes related to self and society, science and technology and culture and creative expression – requiring students to take at least three credits in each section. Lastly, Professional Practice consists of an experiential component and a Capstone project.

Denholm noted that CapU currently has a “traditional Canadian approach to electives,” but with Cap Core the school is shifting towards an American-style system. CapU was the first Canadian university to be accredited by the North West Commission of Colleges and Universities, which is the US Department of Education considers an authority on the quality and effectiveness of higher education in the Northwestern United

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States.

Cap Core aims to increase the opportunity students have to broaden their academic horizons through elective courses and turn them into classes that both fit into student’s programs while introducing them to new and exciting topics.

“It’s a framework for students to choose their elective courses in a meaningful way, so that whatever electives you choose they fit together somehow and you can work toward having a common goal for those courses,” said Derek Murray, an instructor in CapU’s History Department who also helped design Cap Core.

The designers will continue to develop Cap Core even after it is implemented in the fall. Denholm admitted that while she’s very excited to see the new system in practice, the designers made compromises. Originally, they hoped to see interdisciplinary courses taught by teams of instructors, but these ideas couldn’t be realized immediately.

“What we have at the moment is something that’s a little bit different. We still have something that looks, for now, quite a lot like the American general

education model,” she said.

Denholm and the rest of the Cap Core team are currently in the process of bringing courses into the program and preparing for its launch in the Fall semester of 2018. “We’re just putting courses through the approval process, so it’s going to look like there’s not a lot to choose from, but there will be, it’s coming,” she said. Denholm believes that the current Cap Core program will act as a foundation for future growth that will hopefully one day achieve the grander vision she and her team share.

“The other thing that we’re really hoping is going to happen is that some of our specialty programs where the classes are restricted to only students in the program might look and say, ‘you know what, we’re going to put on a general course in our area that will be open to all students to take.’ How cool would that be?”

For more information on Cap Core visit Capilanou.ca/programs-courses/cap-core

CAMPUS LIFE

–VALERIYA KIM

WHO YOU

2018 Rail Jam to bring a social scene to the annual winter sports showcase Despite tight budget, CSU is sure this year's event will be bigger and better than before

Stuart Werner talks scuba diving and transitioning to the School of Business

ANNALISSE CROSSWELL CONTRIBUTOR

University made it an accessible trip due to their class schedule regulations for the program, allowing study abroad students to experience the culture efore Stuart Werner suited up for the formal around them without being bombarded with a heavy world of business, the third-year Capilano course load.

University student lived in a castle with the “I had been to Norway, Sweden and Denmark Queen. In one of the years leading up to his decision before, so I thought I’d go to Finland and sort of to join the business realm, Werner worked for the check off the last Nordic country. I also chose Finland Queen’s summer home in Scotland, after becoming because I wanted to go somewhere no one else from interested by his sister’s previous work experience Cap was going. Nothing against people from Cap but there. He first worked as a gift shop and general public I found I just wanted to go somewhere and be forced grounds attendant, then as a housekeeper. He notes to meet people,” he said. that his experience, though at times not glamorous, Thanks to his own passion and drive, and a was incredibly valuable. The now-extinct program, he’s been opportunity not only gave him able to explore everywhere from the chance to see members of the the Philippines to Vietnam and royal family on the daily, but also Australia. After his first sizeable "...I’m in the business presented a valuable aspect that diving trip, which was his program here and I he holds near and dear to his program’s month-long practicum think the teamwork and in Playa del Carmen, Werner heart – travelling.

Over the years, Werner has communication aspect continued in the industry for five virtually seen it all (though he years before making the decision of scuba diving can be to go back to CapU to pursue an argues he still holds a long list of places he’d like to visit). “When applied to everyday life." education in business.

I originally did the program that Though he’s already had the Cap used to offer [the Capilano opportunity to mix business and College Professional Scuba Dive pleasure, Werner notes that his Instructor], it was because I had scuba diving and travel experience just graduated high school and won’t leave him when he’s out I didn’t necessarily know what on the field. “When you dive, you I wanted to do. I looked at the program and saw that usually go in pairs and groups, as the safest option.

I could do a year of scuba diving and I could still say So you’re relying on your buddy, your buddy is relying that I was going to university, or at that time college, on you. Maybe it won’t be the diving directly, but, you so I enrolled,” he chuckled. “I’m also an ocean lover and know, I’m in the business program here and I think I did know how to scuba dive before the program, so I the teamwork and communication aspect of scuba knew that it would be something that I would enjoy.” diving can be applied to everyday life,” he said. “And Werner’s passion for travel and adventure grew potentially I’ll meet some clients through it as well. with his experience, leading him to take on a semester While others go golfing, I could go scuba diving and abroad in Helsinki in the spring of 2017. “The Finnish talk about the business world.” people are very reserved to begin with, so it takes a while to get to know them. But once you do meet them they’re the friendliest people ever. It was nice in travel aspects, of course. I got to go to Russia, Estonia, and Sweden and things like that. They’re all next door to each other so it was great,” he said about the five-month experience. He additionally noted that the RACHEL D'SA ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

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hat began as a school project in 2013 is now one of the most highly anticipated events at Capilano University. The annual Uncapped Rail Jam is an opportunity for skiers and snowboarders to put their skills to the test on a makeshift obstacle course in the Cedar courtyard and students to come out and watch. This year though, there's a new organizer at the helm. The Capilano Students’ Union (CSU)’s Vice President Student Life Yats Palat is coordinating the event with help from the Outdoor Recreation Department. Specifically, Instructor Chris Carnovale and CapU students Christian Nordgard and Kate Boddington, who will be involved in bringing in snow and rails and setting up. This year’s set up ensures proper equipment installation due to the implementation of enhanced safety protocols.

Palat emphasized that the event will be about much more than just the winter sports. “We’re also going to add a social side to it,” he said. He is confident that there is plenty of money left to cover the cost of the event, even though the CSU’s back to school party in September, CAPtivate, cost 80 per cent of their events budget which had been set aside for the entire academic year. Following a referendum last spring, the CSU raised their fees, which allowed for a new outdoor recreation budget that will cover the Rail Jam. The increased funding means that the CSU can “build [events] to be bigger and make them more engaging” said Palat.

There will be DJs at the event and Palat is seeing that space heaters are put up. A beer garden will also be open until 4 p.m., although Accessibility Justice Coordinator Andrew Dillman raised his concerns at a board of directors meeting on Jan. 12 that the CSU might be promoting a drinking culture by beginning to serve alcohol at 11:15 a.m.

Every year, the CSU partners with a local charity to put on the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on February 1. They are partnering with local charity Warming the Homeless this year. The North Vancouver-based organization aims to provide packages of warm clothing to Vancouver’s homeless in the cold winter months. Although their presence at the event is not guaranteed, the CSU encourages donating to Warming the Homeless, and will put in place donation boxes across campus over the course of the next couple of weeks.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12

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OPINIONS

Puppy Love or a Parasitism?

–JACKIE DUCK

Is CapU stressing animals to help students de-stress?

SARAH SCHMIDT CONTRIBUTOR

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apilano University students have the opportunity to play with dogs to de-stress during exam week, at the end of every semester. This is not a unique idea, as many universities have

similar programs to help students get through exams. But how much thought goes into the well-being of the animals?

While so far, there have been no reported issues with these events at CapU, and both trainers and students seem to enjoy it immensely, other universities have come across problems. The University of Canberra in Australia has a “stress less” petting zoo event, where students could “pet puppies and cuddle chickens.” But recently, the animal activist group PETA has called out the University of Canberra

regarding their petting zoo.

The animal-welfare group said that a university campus is no place for a petting zoo, as loud busy environments around strangers aren’t good for the wellbeing of young animals, and ironically, will cause them stress. In response, the University cancelled their petting zoo and put a different event together for the occasion. This response raises the question as to whether CapU should do the same, but after closer inspection it’s clear the events aren’t comparable. Dogs

and farm animals are very different, dogs have been socialized to be around humans and often thrive on the companionship, whereas farm animals can have varying temperaments. Additionally, not everyone knows how to properly handle these animals, while most people know how to treat a dog. Young farm animals should not be in petting zoos as they are more delicate and could easily be stressed. The well being of the animal should always come first and it is to the responsibility of the owner or trainer to avoid knowingly put an animal in harm's way.

While PETA does make a fair point about stressing out animals, the messages pushed by this group should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. During their “Holocaust on Your Plate” campaign, they publicly shared images and acted out scenes comparing the everyday food you eat to the horrific events that took place during WWII as well sd insisting that Jesus was a vegetarian. Let's not forget about their 2014 scandal where during that year 2,454 of the 3,369 cats to enter their shelters were euthanized, and only 16 cats were actually adopted, and the rest were sent to other shelters. So they are not the most reliable source of information regarding animal welfare.

While nobody wants to de-stress at the expense of animals, it’s fairly safe to say having fun with Fido during exam week at CapU isn’t a problem, and can be a good time had by all.

Closing the door on potential buyers Weaver’s anti-foreign ownership proposal isn’t going to make Vancouver more affordable GRETA KOOY CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

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ew Zealand applied a ban on foreign real estate ownership on Jan. 1 in an effort to reclaim its housing market. The ban came as a result of an influx in offshore interest and purchasing of real estate, to the point that The Economist named it the country with the most unaffordable housing prices in the world last year. In 2016, 1.16 million acres were bought by foreign buyers. The ban prevents anyone who isn’t a New Zealander, an Australian or a permanent resident to purchase property in the country. In an attempt to follow suit, BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver has proposed that the province do the same, targeting more specifically overseas speculation.

The increasing cost of living in Vancouver and lack of affordable housing is overwhelming, and a problem that has been evident for some time. Discussed by all parties during the last provincial

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election, the issue of affordable housing still needs attention. A ban on foreign real estate purchasing and investment, however, is not a solution to the housing nightmare in the province. Weaver’s promotion of anti-foreign investment in the province is not a new idea. And although he and others that support the idea of banning foreign property ownership may have only the best intentions, these attempts to confront inflating housing costs are futile.

In the summer of 2016, the Liberal government carried out a 15 per cent surtax on foreign buyers in Metro Vancouver. This was former premier, Christy Clark’s answer to the housing crisis. When the tax was first implemented, housing prices did cool down temporarily, but it didn’t last long. By early 2017, housing prices were practically back to normal, and it still hasn’t been shown that Clark’s foreign homebuyer tax has helped at all.

Around the same time that Clark introduced the surtax, Weaver put forward a private member’s bill banning foreigners from buying farmland greater than five acres in BC, saying that the Liberal’s levy didn’t apply to all investment properties.

Foreign investors would simply look beyond traditional income properties and take advantage of acreage on farmland.

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Weaver’s 2016 bill failed, and the same is likely to happen to his more recent proposal.

Drawing closer to the government’s February budget release, BC Finance Minister Carole James dismissed Weaver’s proposed ban in an email to CBC News, saying that banning foreign investment will not be used to tackle the housing crunch. Like James, BC Premier John Horgan disagrees with Weaver’s bid. “BC’s the gateway to Canada and I don’t believe we should we curbing people from coming here”, Horgan said to CBC News. “I’m a child of an immigrant and virtually everyone I see here is a child of an immigrant.”

Fearing that a ban on foreign real estate ownership would send the wrong message, Horgan also stated that the February budget will not include anything about a ban on foreign buyers. It would, however, include strategies such as building more rental units and family-sized homes.

David Parker, New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Export Growth who introduced the bill in December, told Stephen Quinn from CBC’s Early Edition, “The underlying point for us is that we think the New Zealand market for homes should be for the people who live in them.”

Weaver echoed this sentiment to Mike Smyth of The Province, “The problem is

not the people who are coming here, the problem is the people who are not coming here. We’re not talking about immigrants or refugees. We’re talking about people sitting in office towers around the world who dump capital here as a safe haven to park their money.”

In September 2017, Statistics Canada reported that non-residents owned 5.1 per cent of the total value of homes in Metro Vancouver, and 7.6 per cent in the greater Vancouver area. However, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported only 4.8 per cent of Vancouver homes were owned by non-residents. But numbers don’t reflect the reality of the situation, as many owners hide behind the guise of trusts and shell companies as a way around hurdles like Clark’s foreign buyer tax.

Only two solutions have been publicly debated thus far: more surtaxes on foreign buyers, and the outright ban on foreign property purchases. Neither have been shown to be effective. Foreign-acquired property isn’t reflecting local income, and loopholes are allowing offshore money to inflate housing costs. What needs to be discussed is a middle ground solution that addresses the unaffordability of housing in the province without labeling BC as hostile to foreign buyers. A ban is the exact opposite of what to do.

@CAPILANOCOURIER

Hindsight is 2020 Oprah as president would be a bad joke for the USA ALEXANDER DERBAS CONTRIBUTOR

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or the upcoming 2020 US presidential elections, it has been debated whether or not global icon, Oprah Winfrey, will run. Both on and off air, Oprah has hinted at her intentions to proceed with her path to the US 2020 Presidential Elections. Ever since her Golden Globes speech on Jan. 7, Oprah has made headlines of her potential run. In her speech, she described her life, philosophy, career, certain political stances, and the direction she viewed the United States is taking.

But Oprah isn’t fit to run for the 2020 election. As a celebrity who specializes in and has a career oriented towards the media, talk show hosting, and philanthropy, she has little to no government, economic, or military experience. Suggesting that Oprah should run for president only encourages continued mockery and stupefaction of the United States government and its

international reputation. One celebrity is enough for the White House – another celebrity won’t solve the US’ leadership problem. According to a poll taken earlier this month by PBS NewsHour, the majority of Americans are clearly against the idea of Oprah running for President as well, with 54 per cent of them not in favour of her running.

If we select doctors based on their merit, qualifications, and work ethic to save lives and help their patients, why don't we do the same with those who want to run the country? In a perfect world, only candidates with the relevant political, economic, and government experience should qualify to run for leader of the free world. As author and political writer, Sophia Nelson, explained to Politico, “I love Oprah — love her! — but she is not ready or qualified to be the leader of the free world.”

Some Democrats and long-time supporters of Oprah still see potential in her to challenge Donald Trump’s presidency in 2020 and to reverse the current path the US is heading towards.

Many of her supporters, such as Emily Stewart of Vox, cite reasons for her

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–LAURA PUMMELL

to run such as her ability to “inspire, lead, create, and change.” Being the well-known television host of her hit show The Oprah Winfrey Show, she has

If we select doctors based on their merit, qualifications, and work ethic to save lives and help their patients, why don't we do the same with politicians who are supposed to serve our country? gone from rags to riches in the classic American Dream success story. The polarity between Trump and Oprah in political views and background are major factors contributing to Oprah’s ability to potentially secure the Democratic nomination, not to mention the buzz created around the possibility

of a first female President. Democratic strategist, Jesse Ferguson, explained on Politico that, “People will take her seriously not because she is a celebrity but because of who she is — because she’s genuinely a self-made success story and because she’s made a career out of helping other people.”

Oprah may have the charisma, motivation, desire and leadership skills required to lead the USA and to rival Trump in the 2020 Presidential elections; however, she does not have the experience and essential knowledge to be in public office. She should start small, for example, as a state governor, and work up to the federal level if she desires to go towards the path of public office. Being the president is no joke, and Oprah becoming one would only further ruin the integrity of that title and what it means to the history of the US and its people.

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COLUMNS

STAFF EDITORIAL

All or Nothing: Confessions of a closet perfectionist TIA KUTSCHERA FOX OPINIONS EDITOR

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ello, my name is Tia and I’m a perfectionist. I’ve been one for almost 26 years, but I didn’t recognize at first that I had a problem.

When you’re a kid, perfectionism is a good thing, as the stakes are low and the rewards high. It’s easy to get good grades and praise without working too hard. Nobody called it perfectionism at the time – I was just an A student, and someone who was “going places.”

As I got older, my expectations stayed the same, but the game got harder. You may not know this, but it is common for perfectionists to be Grade A procrastinators. See, with perfectionism, it’s all or nothing. You either give 100 per cent or ignore it entirely. If it can’t be perfect then it’s worthless. You get the point. This is how my mind works.

So, looking at assignments or tasks is actually the hardest part of school and work because I imagine it the way it’s “supposed” to be done (aka perfectly) and doing any assignment “perfectly” is a huge amount of work. The thought of this amount of work is overwhelming, so comes a cycle of self-doubt, anxiety, procrastination, self-loathing, panic and then hurried accomplishment. Lather, rinse, repeat.

It’s only been in the past couple of years that I’ve realized that my procrastination is a symptom, not a source. Just last Spring, I found myself on the verge of a nervous breakdown in the counselling office explaining that I felt overwhelmed with my course load and felt on the brink of failure. The counsellor, looking concerned, asked what my GPA was. It was 4.33. I could tell the counsellor was trying not to laugh, and they assured me that I was going to be alright, and that I just needed to stop being so hard on myself it was not the end of the world if I got a B instead of an A+. They were right, but at heart I still didn’t believe it, because I walk the precarious edge of total success next to spectacular failure. There are so many started then abandoned projects, exercise plans and hobbies, and their common thread is the grandiose visions I had for how those things would work out. When they didn’t, I gave up. Worse, there are so many opportunities I’ve missed out on because I felt I wouldn’t be able to do them well enough.

My first time trying university, I experienced a serious bout of depression and ended up skipping enough classes to warrant a GPA of 1.7. I dropped out and moved back home, defeated. So this second round was really important to me, and I was determined to succeed.

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–RACHEL WADA

Unfortunately, that meant I needed to get the best marks possible. All or nothing.

It got to a point where I couldn’t balance my life properly, and I felt on edge all the time. I had to change something. So, I decided to stop trying to do things “perfectly.” For example, I don’t make goals to exercise everyday, now I set a goal for three times a week, and if one of those times is a five-minute exercise video done half-heartedly, it still counts 100 per cent. It’s definitely

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not easy, but I’m making progress and my life is definitely more balanced. For example, I’m kind of untidy. Normally I would wait until I had eight hours to completely clean and organize the fuck out of the messy area, which meant it would never get done. Now I do things in spare bits of time here and there, and slowly my place is getting tidier.

The hardest part is mental, I have to forgive myself and be okay with doing things halfway. “Halfway is better than no way” has become my mantra. The

mental part is a work in progress. For example, I got a B last semester and I’m still working on being okay with that.

Like someone dealing with an addiction or mental health problem, working on this doesn’t mean my perfectionism magically goes away. I’ll always be a perfectionist at heart. But I’m learning how to move forward anyways, and how to kick ass, 80 per cent of the time.

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Is 2018 the year of Canadian hip-hop or more “Despacitos”?

KEVIN KAPENDA COLUMNIST

B

y the end of 2017, it was clear that hip-hop had come a long way since the 1980s. In just 30 years, the genre has evolved from drawing widespread scorn from politicians and the criminal justice system, to dominating mainstream music. Last year, Billboard’s year-end “Hot 100” chart featured nine hip-hop songs in the top 20.

Hip-hop’s ascension as de facto pop music has piqued the attention of leading acts in other genres, such as “afrobeat” and “EDM” exemplified in Drake’s collaboration with WizKid and Calvin Harris’s chart-topping album Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1. With so much international and cross-genre collaboration in North American hiphop, one has to wonder what sound will dominate airwaves in 2018.

Two years ago, Rihanna’s use of Carribbean-inspired dancehall melodies and incorporation of island patios into her hit song “Work”, set of a chain reaction in hip-hop that would define that year’s sound. Drake would follow-up his feature in “Work” by incorporating both afrobeat and dancehall beats and lyrics into his anthem “One Dance”, as well as “Controlla” and “Too Good”.

Both artists – who were heavily criticized for superficially americanizing African and Caribbean music, much

POSTCARDS FROM THE UK

Leaving the nest for the great unknown AMANDA MITCHELL COLUMNIST

G

rowing up, I always imagined that one day I would pack up my belongings, purchase a one-way ticket to the other side of the world and leave the nest for the great unknown.

I would hear stories of people who would arrive in another country with no plan and little preparation, leaving their experiences abroad in the hands of fate. In reality, this is not usually what happens, but there is an option for students who want to experience the thrill of going away – study abroad.

As a high school student, it was

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like Bieber was this year for jumping on “Despacito” – nonetheless opened the door for increased collaboration between the so-called mother continent and its vast diaspora.

Other artists, such as PartyNextDoor and Tory Lanez, two Torontonians of Caribbean descent, incorporated dancehall into their hits “Not Nice” and “Say It”, while Kranium’s “Nobody has to Know”, which featured versatile American rapper Ty Dolla Sign, remains one of the year’s top rap-reggae collaborations.

Last year, North American hip-hop was also invaded by an island, albeit a far less sunny one. Grime, the rough-and-tumble hip-hop permeating out of the UK went mainstream, with MCs like Giggs, Skepta and Stormzy becoming notable across the Atlantic.

Stormzy couldn’t have released his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer at a better time, with two continents on the grime train. For Giggs and Skepta, their notability was achieved by collaborating on three songs in Drake’s More Life.

Skepta would close out the year with the release of “Ghost Ride”, a non-album playlist featuring ASAP Rocky and upand-coming ASAP Nast.

Predicting what country or sound will influence American hip-hop next is no easy task. However, one thing that is near certain is that it will have to be in English. While many American rappers hopped on French and non-English tracks over the years, the inverse is unlikely to work stateside.

Canadian hip-hop is uniquely positioned to repeat its strong 2015 south of the border, which saw PartyNextDoor, Tory Lanez and The

Weeknd breakout. As for who might be able to replicate those artists’ rise to US stardom, NAV and Jazz Cartier seem like good bets. NAV has already collaborated with the likes of 21 Savage, Gucci Mane Lil’ Uzi Vert and Metro Boomin – who executively produced his debut album, Perfect Timing.

Another unforgettable pillar of the music landscape was the advent of “Despacito” and the juggernaut potential English/Spanish melees have in the US. “Despacito” took off when Justin Bieber’s English verse was added to the song, the unspoken requirement for it to be played on Canadian and non-Spanish American radio. The last time a Spanish/English song made it to #1 in the U.S. was the “Macarena” in 1996.

Despacito was originally released in January 2017 and the remix with Bieber that April. On the other hand, the original “Macarena” was released in 1993, two years before the English/

Spanish version dropped in 1995. There are clear benefits to having Spanish-only songs, such as many Spanish-speaking populations throughout the Americas and Europe not speaking English.

However, if English verses from popular hip-hop and R&B singers can be added to Hispanic anthems as quickly or quicker than Bieber was added to “Despacito”, not understanding threequarters of your favorite song could become the new normal.

Whatever city, nation or sound ends up dominating hip-hop in 2018, they can rest assured it won’t be easy to remain on top. Infatuation with afrobeat and dancehall soared and crashed in 2016, and I’m betting grime won’t rise to the same heights it did in 2017.

Listeners are constantly looking for new sounds beyond MCs and singers that are already established, a desire that has blessed us with Lil’ Uzi Vert and cursed us with XXXTENTACION.

imperative that I attend a university with a study abroad program, even ruling out schools that did not have such option. Fortunately for me, Capilano University not only offers full-term, 12-credit semesters in other countries, it also offers unique short-term field schools. And while I fully intended to take a full semester abroad, the glimpse that a short-term field school would provide was necessary, as I wanted to be certain that I would choose the most suitable city to my liking.

On Feb. 9, 2017, I headed off for a 10-day field school to London. It changed my life. Not only did I earn three credits for an upper level elective, but I met some of the greatest students and instructors at CapU. By the time our return flight hit the runway, I knew London was the city I was going to for a full semester.

During the London Field School, I took a day trip to CapU’s partner school in England, the University of Hertfordshire. I toured the campus, familiarized myself with the facilities and met follow study abroad students

attending the school at the time. Had I not attended this day trip, I would have had greater difficulty choosing which school to apply to.

The application process for the full term abroad, I’ll admit, was not a piece of cake. Competition was steep and due to considerable interest in U of H, much of the acceptance ended up being based on GPA. Thankfully, I made it.

While GPA was integral in the process, there were other factors that played a role, too. Relationships with instructors, community members and other students were also considered.

While study abroad marks an exciting and new venture in my life, questions about home have rightfully been asked.

Other students and friends have asked about my job at home, where I will stay and whether I will be studying abroad with friends. Luckily, my work has allowed me to take a temporary leave of absence, ensuring employment upon my return. As for working in England, I did not feel that it was feasible to work for only six months, so I put a considerable amount of savings away for

this experience to ensure that I would be covered for my time abroad. This however, does not mean that working abroad is impossible.

I entered this experience knowing that it may have to be done alone. I was okay with travelling by myself because I knew that I would meet new friends in England. For others, it was important to know that someone was joining them, and that’s okay too. I have always been an independent individual, and because I’ve had the privilege to travel a lot as a child, I am aware of the sacrifices that often have to be made abroad.

This international experience will be a life changing time in my life and I’m so excited for what lies ahead. As I head into a new adventure, I hope to learn what it’s like to balance long distance relationships, enhance what little cooking skills I have, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and be thankful for a home in Canada.

Cheerio!

–JANICE CALLANGAN

HIP TO THE GAME

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FEATURES

PARLEZ-VOUS FRANÇAIS? Keeping Canada's second official language alive amidst major cuts to French immersion programs in Vancouver schools

BY HELEN AIKENHEAD ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHELSEA O'BYRNE

Y

ou may remember way back in

2016 when it was announced that the previous provincial government had fired the entire Vancouver School Board (VSB) for refusing to approve a balanced budget by the government-given deadline.

What you may not know is that despite the lack of a sitting elected board in the period following the dismissal, major discussions about Vancouver's educational system carried on as usual.

One of the decisions made during that period – a decision made by a single trustee appointed by the Ministry of Education – was to make major cuts to Vancouver's French immersion programs.

It's often believed that the further you travel from the East coast, the less weight the French language holds, despite its status as an official language of Canada. By that logic, these cuts taking place on the opposite side of the country wouldn't seem like a big deal.

However, none of that is true. In fact, just looking at the school system here is one of the clearest means of debunking this myth. “French immersion has been a growing and successful program in Vancouver for over 30 years,” said Glyn Lewis, executive director at Canadian Parents for French BC and Yukon (CPF).

“It's got a very good reputation and great teachers, and because it has such a good reputation and because families are increasingly recognizing this as a life changing educational experience, more and more families are trying to get into French immersion. And that's not just the case in Vancouver, that's the case across British Columbia and in fact, across Canada.”

According to the most recent reports on the provincial government's official web page, the French immersion student population has increased roughly 30 per cent over the last 10 years, and the French immersion population makes up around 10 per cent of the total student population in BC. Despite the steady incline, the cuts announced last spring will have a noticeable impact on young students seeking a bilingual education, and will greatly decrease these numbers over time.

Looking more specifically at what is being affected, the approved cuts will remove a quarter of the total French immersion kindergarten classrooms in Vancouver. That means five classes will

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be cut, which works out to 135 children entering the school system who will be denied their chosen education. “This is within the context of phenomenal interest and phenomenal demand in Vancouver for French immersion,” said Lewis. “Before the cuts even happened, they had a 400 [student] long wait list for French immersion... now the wait lists are even worse.” With the French immersion program, there are only two main entry points. The first is in kindergarten, and the second is the late French immersion program, which accepts students in Grade 6. So, of the hundreds of children currently on the waitlist, these cuts mean that an additional 135 of them will only get another chance to enter the French immersion program when they reach the seventh year of elementary school.

“Looking more specifically at what is being affected, the approved cuts will remove a quarter of the total French immersion kindergarten classrooms in Vancouver. That means five classes will be cut, which works out to 135 children entering the school system who will be denied of their chosen education. ”

Alternate to French immersion, students coming from households in which French is already spoken have the option of enrolling in schools in BC's French language school board, Conseil scolaire francophone de la ColombieBritannique (CSF). “It’s a different system than in the French immersion program,” explained CapU Language Resource Centre Supervisor and French instructor, Catherine Gloor. “Because the French immersion program is meant for kids who are learning the language and as they progress through high school, they actually take less classes in French, the idea being that they will most likely be going into English universities.” As Gloor further explained, in French immersion, students receive

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strictly French instruction until English is introduced in Grade 4, and becomes increasingly utilized in the classroom until Grade 12 where only one course, French language, is taught in French.

Whereas in the Francophone program, English language is the only class that isn't taught in French. Being that students enrolled in this program would typically come from a French family, French culture is also something that's included in the experience. “And it's really meant also for children to blossom in and embrace the French culture – their French identity,” said Gloor.

Because of Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Minority Language Educational Rights, Canadians hold the right to be educated in one of the country's two official languages – meaning French speakers outside of Québec, as well as English speakers studying within the Eastern province, have the right to access an education in the province's minority language. However, there are some criteria that need to be met. For example, in English-majority provinces, parents can send their children to a Francophone school if French is the parents' first language, the parents had their primary education within Canada in French – not including French immersion – or, the child has a sibling who received or is receiving a French education.

Like the numbers seen in French immersion enrolment, schools in the CSF have incredibly high demand.

“Francophone schools in BC have been growing a great deal actually, so much so that this past year they had to open two new annexes in Vancouver,” said Gloor. These annexes came after fights of their own where Francophone parents and the school board took the former BC government to court to demand more spaces in Francophone schools. “So with all that pressure, two new annexes were opened this past year,” Gloor explained.

“They're small schools, but it allows more room in the other elementary schools.”

Those interested in French immersion are hoping for similar results. When BC elected a new government this past May, and a new Minister of Education was appointed, parents and organizations like the CPF asked the new minister to hold a by-election which is where every trustee publicly committed to reversing the cuts as soon as possible. Months later, at a late December board meeting,

FIG. 1 Progression of student enrolment in French Immersion in the last the last 10 years

statistics from gov.bc.ca

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“There are a lot of languages that are spoken before French, this is really quite a multicultural place... but that's what makes this place so lively, right?“

it was school staff who presented to the board, and the staff who stated that they cannot reverse the cuts. “And this is where you get the tension between staffs and boards,” said Lewis. “There is some power sharing that has to happen but ultimately the board was elected, and the board has a mandate. And ultimately, it's the responsibility of the staff to live up to the mandate that the board was given from the residents of Vancouver.

That's the way that most people look at this.” Now, despite registration for the Kindergarten entry point opening last week, the cuts have still yet to be reversed.

Whether it’s the staff or the VSB, French immersion programs aren't being cut for no reason. The VSB has said that there are two logistical reasons for

cutting the programs, neither of which are the first of their kind in the BC system – a lack of space and a shortage of teachers. To the CPF and many like-minded parents, space is not an agreeable argument as the students must be placed somewhere, whether that's a French or an English class. Former VSB chair, Patti Bacchus, wrote an article for the Georgia Straight, citing that there is no clear-cut solution. “French immersion is complicated,” wrote Bacchus. “You can’t just add a kindergarten class here and there. You have to plan for subsequent years... That requires figuring out where you have enough classrooms available and whether you’ll be needing them over the next eight years, or longer.” In the article, Bacchus goes on to explain the further

complications in planning where to place French – immersion classes, such as a higher concentration of special needs students and English-language learners being placed in the English classes, as English classes aren't choice programs like fine arts, international baccalaureate or French immersion classes are.

The BC teacher shortage has been a problem long plaguing the province's schools so it's hard to argue that point. Although there is a longrunning teacher shortage in general, French teachers are in an even shorter supply. “We empathize with them on the French teachers,” said Lewis.

“We think that they [provincial and federal governments] could be doing more, but at the same time we also recognize that there's other folks who

have to step forward to help alleviate the shortage. And that includes post secondary institutions and that includes government.”

As far as post-secondary goes, with more people studying the language at a post-secondary level, the more French teachers can be produced and help with the shortage. At CapU, there is a lot of potential for students to help with the shortage in the future. There are more French courses offered than in any other secondary language programs at Cap, and enrollment is high. “We have so many high school graduates who are wanting to continue learning French, so, the enthusiasm is there for sure,” said Gloor. “And I'd say also particularity with international students. We are having more and more international students coming to CapU and they're particularity interested in learning Canada's other official language.”

But what about life outside of school?

When compared to cities out east, Vancouver is certainly not a top contender for having the most French culture. But that doesn't mean the Francophone communities here aren't lively and proud groups. And while there may not be a single specific area of the city dedicated to French culture, there are many pockets of French communities spread throughout the Lower Mainland.

“There are a lot of languages that are spoken before French, this is really quite a multicultural place... but that's what makes this place so lively, right? And the French community, the Francophone community still has a great presence,” said Gloor. “I think what helps ground it is very much the Francophone school system. I'd say the French immersion programs are a great help as well, because that adds up Francophiles into the mix.”

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NORTH VANCOUVER CRAFT BEER CRAWL A tour of North Van’s craft destinations

BY JUSTIN SCOTT ILLUSTRATION BY MARIA CENTOLA

I t’s not breaking news that vancouver has become quite the destination for craft beer. The carbonated (or nitrogenated!) creation has been gaining traction in BC since the early 2000’s, but the craft has seen a true boom over the past five years. At times, it feels as though there is a new brewery opening every week, and there very well may be. As exciting and intoxicating as this trend is, the rapid growth rate occasionally leads to breweries or neighbourhoods not garnering the reputation and respect they’ve rightly earned.

One of the main ways Vancouverites classify their breweries is geographically.

East Van is one area and Brewery Creek another, both with a plethora of breweries and craft beer institutions.

With so many establishments in such near quarters, craft beer crawls have become an exciting and somewhat memorable way of trying most of the beer certain areas offer.

It seems though, that in Vancouver’s craft beer boom, one area has been overlooked as a home of some of the city’s finest brews. North Vancouver has slowly and quietly fostered some of Vancouver’s finest breweries – something not lost on the brewers located across the Iron Workers Memorial and Lionsgate bridges. “We treat it differently,” said Black Kettle Brewing’s Head Brewer Phil Vandenborre. “We like our community to stand out from brewery to brewery.”

So, it seems then, that as most other craft hubs have their crawls, North Van should too. Below is the Capilano Courier’s North Vancouver Craft Beer Crawl. After visiting all the breweries this side of the inlet has to offer and sampling their offerings, this is what we’ve come up with.

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DEEP COVE BREWERS AND DISTILLERS Address: 2270 Dollarton Hwy #170 Hours: 12–11 p.m. (weekdays) 12 p.m.–12 a.m. (Fridays and Saturdays) 12–1 p.m. (Sundays) Recommended Beer: Luminescent Chocolate Coconut Porter Food: Wide variety including appies, sandwiches and flatbreads BRIDGE BREWING Address: 1448 Charlotte Rd Hours: 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Recommended Beer: The Fuzz Milkshake IPA Food: Tacos BEERE BREWING COMPANY Address: 312 East Esplanade Hours: 2–11 p.m. (Thursday and Friday) 12–11 p.m. (Saturday) 1–8 p.m. (Sunday) 2–9 p.m. (Monday to Wednesday) Recommended Beer: Juice Cleanse NEIPA, or whatever’s new on tap Food: Pepperoni and cheese sticks GREEN LEAF BREWING CO. Address: Lonsdale Quay Market Hours: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. (Monday to Thursday) 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

(Friday and Saturday) 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Sunday) Recommended Beer: Pie Hole Pale Ale Food: Pepperoni and Cheese Sticks (you're welcome to bring food in from the Quay Market) HEARTHSTONE BREWERY Address: 1015 Marine Dr. Hours: 11 a.m.–11 p.m. (Thursday to Saturday) 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

(Sunday to Wednesday) Recommended Beer: Highschool Sweetheart Sour BLACK KETTLE BREWING COMPANY Address: 720 Copping St Hours: 11 a.m.–7 p.m. (Monday to Saturday) 1–5 p.m. (Sunday) Recommended Beer: India Session Ale Food: They have a food truck

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I

t’s

2:25 p.m. on a Friday afternoon and you’ve just finished class for the week.

Half of you craves nothing more than to curl up in your bed under the biggest and most comfortable blanket you have, accompanied by the latest season of whichever Netflix show you’re binging at the moment. The other half however, the more adventurous side, is telling you to go get a beer, or 10, with friends and to forget all the stresses that student life brings for the evening. We’ve all been there and it’s a real dilemma. What I’m about to propose, however, may very well be the perfect compromise – a North Vancouver craft beer crawl! Why not stay within the comforts of the North Shore, while having more fun than you probably would have by going through the process of crossing the water to go to whatever overpriced and overhyped place your friends have promised will “be lit” that night. Instead, visit your local breweries, try their beers, meet the people responsible for the liquid delicacies and get home at a decent hour.

For the purposes of this crawl, we will work our way from the breweries closest to Capilano University’s campus to those more centrally located. They are all on main transit lines, and are gloriously close to one another. It’s recommended to get a tasting flight at each brewery so as to try a variety of brews.

First up will be Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers. Tucked away in Dollarton Highway’s business park, Deep Cove is home to more than just good craft beer, which makes it an ideal start to the crawl. One of the most important things to keep in mind when embarking

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on a beer crawl is that no matter how impenetrable you may think you are, you’re going to be drinking, probably a lot, so getting some food in your belly will be crucial. Luckily for you, Deep Cove has you covered. They offer a widevariety of food from a caprese salad or their take on poke, to stomach-coating sandwiches perfect for starting this voyage. Deep Cove’s head brewer and production manager, Brett Jamieson, pointed to the mortadella sandwich as his favorite. However, this isn’t a food crawl, so let’s get into the beer – something Deep Cove also happens to be pretty good at making. “We run with the ethos that no matter how esoteric we’re getting with a beer, we always need to bring it back to ‘will people want to drink this?” explained Jamieson. This mindset can be seen across their full line of beers. Whether it’s their black IPA with spruce tips or their chocolate coconut porter, no matter how experimental Deep Cove gets, their beers remain incredibly drinkable. With a variety of core beers, Deep Cove has something for everyone. Jamieson’s favorite is their Method Pale Ale, but according to the man making the beer, no matter what your preference, you’ll find something you like.

Next up is Bridge Brewing. North Vancouver’s OG brewery, Bridge has now moved into their second location and has become the go-to brewery for many North Vancouverites. Founded way back in 2012, Bridge has built itself into something more than a brewery, it’s become a community. It has a tasting room and a patio, both offering a

comfortable atmosphere that encourages socializing. “We have our regulars,” said Head Brewer Sean Kellock, discussing the loyal following the brewery has accumulated. Regulars aside, Bridge is a place you can go assuming you’ll likely run into someone you know. In terms of their beer, few do it better. Their most popular beer is the ever-approachable Bourbon Blood Orange (BBO) wheat ale, but they offer far more than that.

At any one time, Bridge will have 10 beers on tap, with six being their core brews – their Pale Ale, BBO, Stout, Sidecut and Hopilano IPA’s and their Kolsch. The other four will be seasonal or experimental brews that always impress. Kellock recommends trying a combination of the two in a flight.

“If I’m pouring someone a flight, I’ll do two of our staples like the Bourbon Blood Orange and Sidecut, and then two of our new things on tap,” he said.

Additionally, Bridge offers some of the best tacos on this side of the bridges and maybe in the city.

After Bridge, it’ll be time to head over to Lower Lonsdale to visit North Van’s newest brewery. Opening this past year, Beere Brewing Company is still in its infancy. However, their age should not be considered a lack of experience. Head Brewer Matt Beere had been home brewing for 10 years before he decided to open shop. Since then, Beere has quickly developed a reputation of not just offering great beer, but exciting ideas as well. But don’t take my word for it, or Beere’s, North Van’s other brewers have noticed the up and coming establishment as well. “They’re producing beers

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that are extremely drinkable but also extremely adventurous,” Bridge’s Kellock said of Beere. They have four core beers – their Go Easy Pale Ale, Cold Brew Coffee Stout, Pushing Daylight Saison and a rotating IPA – but what has really set them apart is their constant unleashing of new recipes.

“We’ll have a new beer each week,” explained Beere. The brewery’s tasting room is also unique. Upon entering the cozy space, it becomes apparent that it was designed to facilitate discussion, not just consumption. “There are no TV’s because we want people to socialize, we want them to talk,” said Beere. So, when entering Beere, be prepared for good beer, good people and a good time.

Once you’re done at Beere, Green Leaf Brewing is just a stone’s throw away, located in the Lonsdale Quay Market. Green Leaf is about quality over quantity. They have three core beers in their Pie Hole Pale Ale, Bitter Leaf IPA and Lloyd’s Lager, along with seasonal beers like their Azacca Cadabra ISA and LoLo (short for Lower Lonsdale) Stout. Due to its location, Green Leaf can get very busy at times. It’s right by the SeaBus and has an amazing view of Vancouver’s harbour, so if you can get a seat, you’ll be taking in an amazing view with some equally satisfying beer.

Additionally, while they offer cheese and pepperoni sticks, the good folks at Green Leaf encourage their patrons to grab their favorite dish from the Quay’s market and bring it to their tasting room to be paired with the beer.

The last leg of the crawl will take us west of Lonsdale to Marine drive. Due to

Black Kettle’s hours, these last two stops are interchangeable depending on the time. They both offer substantial food and uncompromised beer. Assuming you won’t be rushed, Hearthsone Brewing is up first.

Named after a wood burning fireplace’s hearthstone, the brewery that now occupies Red Truck Brewing’s old space couldn’t have a more perfect name.

Upon entering the location’s restaurant, visitors are immediately greeted by a feeling of warmth and snugness – they literally have a wood burning pizza oven.

Hearthstone is home to both traditional and experimental beers. Brewery Manager, George Woods can be thanked for this. Growing up in Scotland, Woods brought a new perspective to North Van’s beer scene. He earned his brewing stripes at fabled Scottish brewery BrewDog, then after a season in Whistler decided to stay on Canada’s West Coast. Ever since, Woods has been expressing his passion for beer with a slew of flavorful and drinkable beers. At this point in the crawl it’s probably time to get some more food and Hearthstone’s restaurant will have you covered. All their food is worth a try, but get a pizza, just trust me. In terms of beer, a flight will be needed as Hearthstone has too many different and delicious beers to try.

Their Chocolate Milk Stout is a must, as is their Highschool Sweetheart Sour.

Aside from those, Hearthstone offers a selection of recipes based in traditional beer styles, but Woods has taken a few and made them his own – like their Wyld Raspberry Sour for example. They also have the Rizzla Rice Lager for those of who don’t get along especially well with gluten.

The end of our glorious journey couldn’t be at a more fitting location.

Black Kettle’s founders Bryan Lockhart and Phil Vandenborre are some of the most welcoming guys you may ever meet. After homebrewing together for years, the duo made a promise to one another one night, after having a few of their creations, that they would open a brewery. So, they did. “We wanted Black Kettle to feel like an extension of our living room,” Vandenborre explained.

And does it ever. Black Kettle’s founders’ attitude towards their brewery can almost be tasted in its brews. No matter which ones you try, the beers are all well balanced and drinkable. They’ll have seven to eight beers on tap at any one time, ranging from lighter offerings like their acclaimed Pale Ale and ISA to the heavier Imperial IPA. When glancing over their beer list, you may notice that Black Kettle also tends to brew more traditional beers and that’s not by chance. “I like chasing styles that craft beer has forgotten about,” said Vandenborre. Black Kettle also offers food. They have their own food truck based in their parking lot with offerings that pair perfectly with their beers.

Once you're done at Black Kettle the night (or day) is yours, so have fun and enjoy responsibly.

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12

13

SHORTS

The Best of Cinema in 2017 AKI GUOMUNDSDÓTTIR CONTRIBUTOR

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Jordan Peele Get Out One of the best reviewed and most talked about films of the year, Get Out should in the very least be lauded for its brilliant script. It's like Woody Allen meets Spike Lee meets Alfred Hitchcock. A satirical rom-com thriller prison break flick? That sounds like a terrible film school type of pitch, but in the end, it all works perfectly.

I don't consider this a horror film, though, but that's what's brilliant about it: it's unique and hard to pigeonhole. In fact, most people will hate my description of it.

Well, too late. Go watch it and make up your own mind.

Oscar nominations are about to be announced on Jan. 23, and of course that turns everyone – from professional critics to your retired great-aunt – into a passionate pundit with a favourite for every category. This is a particularly difficult year to make predictions, due to the abundance of excellent films that are simply too different to compare. Here are my picks.

They are the best picks. Terrific picks. Don't believe the other picks. They're fake picks sponsored by North Korea.

BEST SCORE Jonny Greenwood Phantom Thread

OVERRATED MOVIE OF THE YEAR Dunkirk

BEST ACTRESS Brooklynn Prince The Florida Project

Greenwood's previous scores and his career with Radiohead point to dark, melancholy, eerie music that is still incredibly memorable. But this score is actually a romantic, jazzy, classical crossover score that really shows a different side of Greenwood. It's his best since There Will Be Blood. Plus, every Hans Zimmer score sounds pretty much the same these days and it's really hard to tell if there's an earthquake going on while you're in the theatre, or if it's just Hans Zimmer on steroids blasting through the speakers. Chill out, dude.

I’m both a Christopher Nolan fan and a history buff and Dunkirk does look and sound amazing, but calling it one of the best war movies ever made is pretty laughable. Dunkirk is a good movie, and a technical marvel, but story-wise and character-wise it's actually pretty shallow and forgettable.

Prince has won a bunch of awards for Breakthrough Actress but that's usually a bullshit category to isolate young performers from their older peers. At six years old, she balanced innocence, humour and despair, and gave a performance with the virtuosity of a Meryl Streep. With the amazing Frances McDormand and Sally Hawkins to compete with, I think it's unlikely Prince will actually win an Oscar this time, but she deserves to stand alongside the veteran actresses for this mind-blowing part. Stand aside, Meryl – Twenty nominations and three Oscars is enough for you – just saying.

BEST SONG “Mystery of Love”

by Sufjan Stevens, Call Me By Your Name Not only because I'm a big Sufjan Stevens fan, but because it's an amazing song and it fits so perfectly in the movie it makes you want to cry. It's okay if you do.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Roger Deakins Blade Runner 2049 Deakins has been nominated for an Oscar 13 times before, but Blade Runner 2049 literally looks like it's from the future in its flawless lighting and colouring.

Deakins is the master of light, his statuette is long overdue, and no selfrespecting cinematographer in the world will disagree with that statement.

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No, I haven't watched The Emoji Movie, but Terrence Malick's latest really makes me wonder if he is an actual genius or just a pretentious douche who sometimes gets lucky. This is an unbelievably pretentious, long, aimless film and the most absurd waste of a good cast in recent memory (Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Natalie Portman).

I probably paused it about eight times.

Don't bother.

BEST ACTOR Timothée Chalamet Call Me By Your Name I'm a longtime Gary Oldman fan, and I haven't seen his portrayal of Churchill yet. I'm sure it's amazing and he'll win the Oscar for it. But Chalamet's performance was the most memorable for me. It's an incredibly difficult part and he nailed every second of it.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY James Ivory Call Me By Your Name The 89-year-old James Ivory is a legend mostly known for his British period dramas like Howards End and The Remains of the Day, but you'd never guess this film was written by an old man. It's a fresh, nonjudgmental account of summer love set in Italy in the 80s. It's graceful, passionate and not a word is wasted in a brilliant script. Supposedly, even novelist André Aciman preferred Ivory's ending to his own. I haven't read the book, but I can't see a way to top Ivory's eloquent, humane, and bittersweet ending.

WORST MOVIE OF THE YEAR Song to Song

UNDERRATED MOVIE OF THE YEAR Wind River Taylor Sheridan, writer of Sicario and Hell or Highwater, wrote and directed this amazing neo-Western thriller about the rape and murder of a teenage girl in a snowy Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

You'd think 2017 would be the perfect year for a film like that to be taken seriously. It was well received critically but has gotten essentially no awards or nominations.

Jeremy Renner is fantastic in it, and the film has one of the best endings of the year. Definitely underrated.

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BEST DIRECTOR Sean Baker The Florida Project I do admire the complex visions and technical achievements of Guillermo del Toro and Christopher Nolan, but I vote for Baker because I deeply admire the courage of someone willing to tell a story like this on a small budget starring a non-professional actress he found on Instagram and a six-year old, plus an amazing Willem Dafoe. Baker achieves the level of empathy of master directors such as Charlie Chaplin, Vittorio de Sica and Ken Loach with this unforgettable movie about poverty and childhood in a welfare motel just outside of Disney World. That's a powerful and rare achievement, and to me, it's more meaningful than big-budget showmanship.

BEST PICTURE Emma Stone La La Land Just kidding! The Florida Project. Drake and I don't have a lot in common, but we do agree on this one. It's a social realism masterpiece, and its low-budget, limited release status should not get in the way of it being recognized as such. Willem Dafoe has received dozens of acting awards for his supporting role in this film (and is still a frontrunner for the Oscar), which means critics and academies have seen it.

That makes it even more absurdly elitist that they have for the most part failed to recognize the film as one of the year's best.

Well, let's just say that Americans' voting behaviour will always be a bit of a mystery to the rest of us...

CALENDAR

JANUARY 22

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PASSION PIT

FRI

SHRED FOR THE CAUSE LADIES NIGHT MT. SEYMOUR

MON

SEYMOUR MOUNTAIN 6 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. / $10

It’s unfortunate that this event takes place on a glorified hill instead of someplace like Cypress. For the price, however, it’s hard to complain. Tickets are by donation, with a minimum of $10 and $7.50 from every lift ticket will go to The Bloom Group.

ROCK PAPER CORDUROY CORDUROY BAR 8:30 P.M. / $5

This event is no joke. Don’t even think about competing until you can beat all your friends 100 per cent of the time. You’ve got to be in tiptop shape to compete with these people.

23 TUES

CANUCKS VS. KINGS

COMMODORE BALLROOM 7 P.M. / $37

ROGERS ARENA 7:30 P.M. / $23

I do not envy people who write about music with any consistency.

It is absolutely painful for me to describe how a band sounds. Look, Passion Pit has that one song that is played absolutely fucking everywhere. If you like that song, go see them.

One of the reasons I put Canucks games in the calendar is because of the joy I get watching ticket prices fall through the floor. Judging by the standings, things aren’t looking so good for the team. Maybe it’s time they relocate to Memphis.

FULL PINT COMEDY

A TRIBUTE TO DJANGO REINHARDT

You remember that time I said open mic nights in calendars tend to just be space fillers? Yeah, my stand on that hasn’t changed much.

Look, it’s not my fault event organizers assume nobody has money to spend right after the holidays.

Believe it or not, Django Reinhardt has been dead for over 50 years.

I bet all you people in the Jazz program already knew that though.

Reinhardt lost two fingers in a house fire. I bet the people on stage at this event have all their appendages.

GRANVILLE ISLAND BREWERY 7 P.M. / FREE

24 WED

CAPILANO UNIVERSE: MAKING A MARK! WEST VANCOUVER MEMORIAL LIBRARY 7 P.M. / FREE

This event is trying to encourage people to start drawing again. The full title of the event is "Drawing as a Form of Thinking for NonArtists", but that seemed too long to put as the header. I like that they specified the ‘non-artist’ part, mostly because I’m not an artist.

BLUESHORE THEATRE 8 P.M. / $27 – $30

27 SAT

ADAM SANDLER WITH SPECIAL GUESTS DAVID SPADE & ROB SCHNEIDER!

25 THURS

Ever wonder what the inner workings of an arena is like? No? Me neither. You should go anyway. Maybe you’ll learn something interesting like where they inflate all the footballs before CFL games.

Canada’s rugby team is probably ranked higher than the Canucks are, so if you want to see a sporting event this week, this is the one. Rugby players are the strangest people I have ever met. The atmosphere at the games are usually a lot of fun.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN GALLERY 7:30 P.M. / $10

By now, most people have heard that Mayor Gregor Robertson is not seeking re-election. So, why not turn the election into a reality show?

That’s what the people at Hot Art Wet City thought when they came up with this idea for a comedy show.

Adam Sandler on tour is a phrase I did not expect to write. Doesn’t he know it’s too cold to wear khaki shorts and a polo shirt in Vancouver?

I don’t know what to expect from this, but if you’re a fan of his work, I wouldn’t miss this chance.

BC PLACE 11 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. / $20

BC PLACE 5 P.M. / $14

VANCOUVER’S NEXT TOP MAYOR

ORPHEUM THEATRE 7:30 P.M. / $125

ALL ACCESS TOURS OF BC PLACE

CANADA VS. URUGUAY RUGBY WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

28 SUN

BETWEEN THREE WHEELS HAVANA THEATRE 2 P.M. / BY DONATION

I have no idea what this is, but if it isn’t a Vancouver rip-off of Between Two Ferns I will be sorely disappointed.

TWO LIONS KARAOKE

DIVERS’ WEEKEND

Every week, young people from North Vancouver make terrible decisions at this bar. It is the perfect breeding ground for regret. It’s right next to a 24-hour McDonald’s, there’s a gas station that sells smokes and all the people you haven’t seen since high school will be there. You will regret going, but you will always go.

The 19th annual diving exhibition. There will be dive shows, workshops, dry land training and lots of other fun activities.

Really, any excuse to go to the aquarium is a good one as far as I’m concerned.

TWO LIONS BAR 9 P.M. / FREE

VANCOUVER AQUARIUM 10 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. / $39

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12

15

ARTS & CULTURE

Giving up the spotlight On CapU grad Ben Bilodeau's move from the spotlight, to backstage RACHEL D’SA ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

E

ven before Ben Bilodeau wrapped up his time at Capilano University, as a graduate of the Musical Theatre program, he knew career acting wasn’t what he wanted. Now running his own production company, Ben Bilodeau Productions, he’s shed the actor limelight and instead is pursuing his inner spotlight.

As this is your own, self-titled, passion-filled business endeavour, how do you find it running the production company?

I started the company two years ago. It came from years of me working as an actor in town, but I struggled for years not knowing how to make theater fit in to my life. It was when I put the pieces together that I found what I like about acting is the storytelling, and that I could have more control over what stories I tell by taking the responsibility of producing them myself.

Running my own company has been pure joy. I think the best way to describe it is this: after my first production, after tripping over every aspect of producing and learning as much as I could as fast as I could. I paused and thought, “That was amazing. I want to do this again, right now!" And I'm very lucky that I have found something in my life that fulfills me, and drives me to become better.

Was there a specific moment that

you decided to stray away from the stage's spotlight and was it at all difficult?

It was a slow burn. From my very first show, I always found myself thinking about what I would do if I was in charge.

And I also was having trouble finding roles I was passionate about performing.

It took me about four years to figure out I needed to create my own work.

Your productions always seem to have unique aspects to them, that fight against traditional storytelling setup. Where do you find the inspiration for your shows?

I look for a story in a modern setting, because I want to relate to the current state of the world. And secondly, I look for characters driving the story with their choices and personal changes. In the past few years I've really had my eyes opened to the need for better representation for women on the screen and stage, so I place a lot of importance on looking for scripts with great roles for women.

You’ve had the chance to work with some talented fellow artists by your side throughout this process. How do you select or find other artists to collaborate with?

I originally was very against auditions.

I thought I knew enough people to cast these small shows that I was producing without having to "waste time" seeing groups of strangers. Then for Bachelorette, I was convinced by my co-producer to do auditions. The dozens of amazing actors I met during the process, and the six actors who brought that script to life completely changed my opinion. I think a simple way to put it is this. If you give people a safe, supportive place to show you what they

can bring to a project, you will be amazed by what people will bring to the table.

Where do you plan to go with the company?

The concepts are always the same areas.

Growing the voice of my company in the arts community, and then growing the voice of the Arts in the city of Vancouver.

What that means at this point, is increasing the amount of projects I do and doing more things that create discussion and networking.

my company. But I now am looking to get back to practicing my acting skills, as they are very rusty. It's important to me I don't lose the perspective of what it's like to be in the actor’s shoes.

Would I ever go back? No. I would like to find a balance where I get to play small characters I’m passionate about, and don't have to stress about the production side.

Maybe once or twice a year. Hopefully it's for other companies that I want to succeed and it's another way I can support the community.

Do you still practice acting and would you ever consider going back to it full-force?

Funny you use the word "practice" – I've performed on stage once since starting

To see what Ben Bilodeau Productions is currently working on and to view behind-the-scenes footage, visit Benbilodeauproductions.com.

a white actress. “It really shocked me because, the description was she was blonde, she had lighter skin,” she said. “I felt very honoured.”

Character-wise, Flaemmchen exhibits an independent, strong-willed personality, as well as an ability that Cantuba described as “knowing how to get what she wants through her looks.”

Research was an integral part of Cantuba’s preparation for the role of Flaemmchen. Much of her studies were dedicated to understanding the political and economical state that Germany was in during the 1920s. Moreover, Cantuba was also highly invested in the culture that thrived in that era. “I was really interested in the fashion, the architectural buildings that they had,” she said. “I like to pretend that I’m actually in Berlin at that time, so a lot of research on buildings, the fashion, what type of hair and makeup styles they had.”

Performed in four days towards the end of the fall semester, Cantuba

attested that it took until the third night for her to really shake off the jitters and excitement surrounding the show.

And although a four-day run appears to be short, it did not seem to matter, as the show was able to nab an Audience Choice nomination from Ovation Awards. “It was a surprise for sure, people actually saw the show,” Cantuba said.

In the current, tumultuous entertainment climate that can often be marred by controversies regarding diversity and whitewashing, seeing productions that strive to make change can be a breath of fresh air. While CapU’s Arbutus Studio is certainly a smaller space in a smaller community, its work towards providing a spotlight for an incredibly diverse group of student-actors on campus cannot simply be overlooked.

A standing ovation CapU’s Grand Hotel gets recognized by Lower Mainland musical theatre community CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

D

espite its relatively modest space and neatly tucked away location on Capilano University, Arbutus Studio has managed to draw a steady audience attendance and even steadier critical acclaim for its host of productions throughout any given school year. The 2017 production of Grand Hotel was no exception, as evidenced by its nomination for Ovation Awards’ Audience Choice Outstanding Musical Event.

Set in 1920s Berlin, Germany, the story follows the intertwining lives of a host and workers at the lavish Grand Hotel. In a booming era that was sandwiched by two great wars, Grand

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Hotel features an eclectic group of characters trying to find their way in a momentary blip of peace.

One such character is the ambitious Flaemmchen, portrayed by Sarah Cantuba, a second-year musical theatre student. Cantuba found out about her casting through the most unconventional of means. Some time after partaking in the general audition call for Grand Hotel, she received a congratulatory Snapchat from a friend after she unknowingly landed the co-lead role of Flaemmchen. “I didn’t even check my email yet,” she recalled.

For Cantuba, her performance in the production not only marked her first major part in a CapU-based production, but her casting in the particular role was also a point of surprise. “She [Flaemmchen] is typically blonde, blue-eyes, doe-eyes kind of look,” Cantuba said. “So, that’s why I was pretty surprised at me getting the role.”

Born in Canada, Cantuba is of Filipino descent, playing a role often written for

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–PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW OKUDA

@CAPILANOCOURIER

Chillin' with Club Sofa Indie jazz pop band discusses ‘chilling’ and the making of their new album CARLIN PARKIN CONTRIBUTOR

K

icking back with friends can often result in group ideas that seem bright in the moment but end up proving otherwise. However, on occasion, kicking back produces something kickass, which was the case for Vancouver-based band, Club Sofa. What seemed like just another day of hanging out with friends, ended in bringing second-year CapU Jazz Studies program students Dominique Halberg (lead guitar), Payton Hansen (vocals and rhythm guitar), Jess Jones (drums) together with off-campus bassist Jasmine Carlin, to form the band Club Sofa.

“One day Jasmine and I were just hanging out, and Jasmine said, ‘Oh, I want to learn how to play bass’ and I said, ‘Oh, I can teach you how to play bass',” Jones recalled. “We started jamming with Payton and we just did covers and then we got a gig. We panic-

called Dom [lead guitarist Dominique Hallberg], and then panic practiced for two weeks, and then that was the birth of Club Sofa.”

As for the origin of their name, Carlin presented the band with a list of names on her phone, and after passing over the tempting option of “Slug Moms,” they settled on their final name. “It’s like a play on club soda, but it implies that all we do is chill, which is true,” said Hallberg.

The four artists have been able to carve out a name for themselves in a short amount of time, and while in the midst of their chilling they’re booking large amounts of shows. Since starting the band last April, they’ve gotten consistent gig offers with a few of their friends in the robust local scene, notably the bands Peach Pit, Winona Forever, Schwey, Dante’s Paradise and Wax Cowboy. Having played several shows last August, which they felt were too many; they were prompted to cut down on performances to make time for schoolwork and recording an album.

When asked to describe their sound, brainstorming yielded the following genre: indie pop, jazz, “with a question mark at the end,” added Jones. The group got their start by playing punk

covers from Bikini Kill and The Stooges, and that influence is evident in one of the early tracks on their Bandcamp page called “cool 4 me”. In time, their style gravitated to more of an indie sound with jazz elements, which their upcoming album will further explore.

Jones characterized Club Sofa’s collaborative songwriting style as “tossing things around,” however it usually begins with Hansen or Jones

“If we were offered to go on tour forever, would I do it? Probably.” composing a foundation of chords. From there tweaks are made to the order and the rhythm until they’re both satisfied.

They’ll then write a bass part for Carlin, though she’s prone to surprise the group with her own embellishments. Lyrics are then written by Hansen while Hallberg crafts a lead guitar part. Lastly, Jones will get behind the drums and the four will continue to make changes until the full song has coalesced.

“When I bring something to the group, I want people to change it. I don’t want to bring something to the group and

have them be like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s great!’ It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I want it to be changed,” said Hansen.

Currently the band is hard at work on their first album and music video. Upon its release, the group will be looking to see what comes of it as they note that they’re open to the idea of playing in Club Sofa as a career. “We all obviously have rational careers in mind but it’s one of those things that if you’re in a band and you’re studying music in school, it’s in the back of your mind. If we were offered to go on tour forever, would I do it? Probably,” said Jones. Until that moment, however, Club Sofa is content with playing shows, writing solid music and chilling.

Club Sofa will be playing on Feb. 3 at The Roxy, and Feb. 15 at Fox Cabaret.

To check out their music and get more details at Facebook.com/clubsofaband/.

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12

17

SPORTS

Can I speak to your manager please?

Unnoticed by most, the managers of the Blues teams ask for little but give all they have JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR

I

n the sports world, much of the attention from media and fans is usually directed towards players and coaches, and on occasion, administration.

However, amidst all the commotion and excitement that is inherent to organized sports, people are inevitably overlooked. More often than not, that shadow falls on a team’s support staff. A perfect example of this is the Capilano University Blues team managers. Their names won’t be found on any roster sheet, but don’t be mistaken in thinking they’re not a part of the team. Although their roles vary, most Blues varsity teams have at least one manager who does whatever is needed of them to ensure that the players and coaches can stay fully focused on their task at hand – winning.

Managers perform a variety of tasks.

From keeping stats and scouting opponents, to organizing the coach’s office space and helming the coach’s emails, the managers are incredibly active behind the scenes. However, managing a Blues team is purely a volunteer gig, almost always performed

by CapU students. As it can become a

Natasha Kroll: “They treat me like a member of the coaching team and I am thankful that I get to be a part of this incredible team.”

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serious time commitment, taking on the responsibility is not for the faint of heart, but rather the ambitious and driven.

Becoming a manager

“I met Cassidy last year, but I didn’t really get to know him until this year,” said first year Business student Ryan Fonseca, who alongside fellow first year Business student Jeremy Chu, manages the men’s basketball team. “I was emailing him throughout the summer to try to be a part of the varsity Blues basketball program and showed up to open tryouts on Sept. 20. There was a spot on the development team and the manager position was open as well and he offered it to any of us that wanted to take it,” Fonseca explained.

Both Fonseca and Chu were offered the managerial position after trying out for the team. While they didn’t make the varsity squad their first year, they were also offered spots on the program’s development team, which plays in the highest division of the school’s men’s league. “I was trying to play for the team, but I took the opportunity to play on the development team and he offered me the manager position,” Chu recalled. Fonseca and Chu jumped at both opportunities, seeing them as a way to get more experience and time around the team as well as show how committed they are to the program.

The two help in practices any way they can. “If there’s a guy missing we’ll join the drills. Anything that keeps the flow going and makes the transitions in practice easy so the players can do their jobs and the coaches can do their jobs,” Fonseca explained.

Although the different teams’ managerial positions are often made known through social media and other channels before their seasons begin, it seems that finding mangers at tryouts is a common occurrence.

“I didn’t expect to be a manager at first,” said second year Human Kinetics student Rudy Mulenda, who managed the men’s volleyball team last year.

Originally from Belgium, Mulenda came to Canada last year to study at CapU. Upon arrival, he decided that he would try out for the varsity volleyball team.

“I was like, ‘okay, I’m going to join the volleyball team,’ because I played volleyball in Belgium for seven years when I was younger,” he said. However, things didn’t go quite as planned.

Mulenda had underestimated the level of play on the team and didn’t make the cut. “The coaches told me that I was a bit rusty and my level wasn’t good enough to be on the team to which I was like, ‘yeah you’re totally right',” he recalled. “When I saw the other guys playing I knew that for now I don’t have the same level, but I still wanted to be involved, so they offered me the manager position.”

As he had just moved to Vancouver,

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Rudy Mulenda: “The guys and the coaches they helped me a lot, [...] They were helping me to reach my goal and I really appreciate that.”

Mulenda’s new position was about more than just volleyball. “I wanted to because I had no friends or family here and it was a good opportunity to be a part of something,” he said.

Once Mulenda assumed his position as team manager, the work began. He was responsible for tracking the team’s statistics during games, setting up the team’s camera and recording their games. Mulenda also practiced with the team, helped individual players with their games and helped the coaching staff with what they needed. Once the season hit, Mulenda was in the Sportsplex helping with practice or other tasks four or five times a week and attending most of the team’s games. “I had to train with the guys and then help the coaches also, so it was like balancing the coaches and the players,” he said.

This task is something that Natasha Kroll, the current women’s volleyball team manager can resonate with. Now in her fourth year of her Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Kroll, who played on the team during her first year, has found herself helping the team both on and off the court. As

much as she helps the team in practice, be it tossing players balls or serving during drills, Kroll truly thrives in an administrative role. “I love being organized and organizing things so it’s really fun for me to help out with the stats and paperwork,” she said. “I know most people hate that kind of stuff but I really enjoy it.” And there may be no other team in need of her help quite as much.

Responsibilities

“The biggest thing is the support.

She’s there to take on anything I need,” women’s volleyball head coach Cal Wohlford said. “I have a reading disorder, I’m dyslexic, so sometimes reading my emails and doing my reports are a little bit on the difficult side for me, so she tackles that,” he continued. In fact, Wohlford and Kroll had discovered that they work well together before she returned to manage.

Kroll decided to retire from Blues volleyball after her first year because she found balancing sport and school to be too strenuous in addition to an ankle injury. “Since I’m here for my education I decided that was what I

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Ryan Fonseca: “If there’s a guy missing we’ll join the drills. Anything that keeps the flow going and makes the transitions in practice easy so the players can do their jobs and the coaches can do their jobs.” needed to focus on,” she said. However, this was not goodbye for the coach and then ex-player. “After I decided to stop playing I decided to find a job and ended up working for Cal at his volleyball store in Vancouver,” Kroll recalled.

She’s now worked there for three years.

Then, last summer Wohlford and Kroll began discussing how she could once again get involved with the program and managing seemed like the perfect option.

And having been a part of the program for a year, Kroll already knew much of the staff and some of the coaches so she was able to get right back into the swing of things.

For Mulenda, meshing with the team wasn’t quite as easy. He had no prior experience with the program or its players. “At the beginning it was really hard,” he said. “You arrive in a place where everyone knows each other, it’s a team, so they’re like, ‘ok, we have a new guy,’ and I was a bit shy and didn’t know what to expect, so at the beginning I was mainly on my own.”

Eventually however, Mulenda began to gel with the guys – a moment the players remember fondly. “Rudy was

awesome!” said outside hitter Justin Yee. “He was a nice guy to have around.

He was one of the boys basically and the whole team eventually got really close with him by the end of the season.”

Mulenda also began to have a far greater effect on the team than just providing assistance in practice and statistics. “If something was wrong I loved giving advice,” he said. And the players were just as enthusiastic about receiving it. “If anyone ever was struggling, after talking with him your head was a lot clearer and you were just happier and in a better mind set,” said middle Zarley Zalusky.

The position also benefitted Mulenda on a personal level. When he arrived at CapU he was out of shape. So even though he wouldn’t be playing with the team, Mulenda made it a goal to get into the shape he would need to be in if he were to play. “The guys and the coaches they helped me a lot,” he said. “They were helping me to reach my goal and I really appreciate that.” “He become one of the most integral parts of our team dynamic inside and outside of the gym,” added team captain Simon Friesen.

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Jeremy Chu: “I was trying to play for the team, but I took the opportunity to play on the development team and he offered me the manager position.”

This season Currently, Fonseca, Chu and Kroll are all managing their teams. Kroll enjoys being around the sport and the work she does as the manager. “They treat me like a member of the coaching team and I am thankful that I get to be a part of this incredible team,” she said.

“One of the things I wanted to do when I came to Capilano was to be a part of the basketball program,” Fonseca said.

“Whether it be as a manager or to be on the development team, just to be a part of the culture has been a great time so far.” Chu agreed and added that they both hope to earn a playing role on the team next season.

Unfortunately, Mulenda decided not to return as manager this season. Although he wanted to, the time commitment was too much. He does feel that the managers often deserve more recognition than they receive, which is something Wohlford agrees with. “They definitely go unnoticed,” the coach said. He could remember a time when was an assistant coach for the UBC men’s volleyball team, that after noticing the team’s manager

may not have known how appreciated she was, Wohlford mentioned it to the coach who later applauded her.

“We were on a road trip and he said something to her and oh my god, she was beaming for the rest of that weekend,” Being a manager then, is no easy task. It’s a job with no real description other than to help in any way you can, or are needed to. It’s often a way for ambitious athletes to show their dedication to the Blues program, while integrating themselves into it. It holds no promises though. Even if it never leads to a roster spot however, managers are just as integral to the Blues program as any player. They allow the teams to reach their maximum potential, yet ask for little in return – they are the best teammates a player could ask for.

“I’ll always be a Blue in my mind. Even though I’m no longer the manager, I always think about them,” said Mulenda. “I told them, we’re not just a team, we’re a family. I know I can trust those guys and they can trust me.”

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12

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CABOOSE

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CAPILANO CONFESSIONS

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HOROSCOPES

THE VOICEBOX with Justin Scott

Hey, I went on a date with your News Editor this week

“This would have gone a lot faster if I didn't have four boys talking to me.”

Get a birthday pie. They taste much better than cake.

ARIES (MAR. 21 – APR. 19)

Whoa, so did I

“Has anyone ever walked out of the Maple lounge unscathed?”

Knowledge is graduating from university; wisdom is knowing that an arts degree doesn’t qualify you for a job.

Wait, I did too…

Alright there boys, settle down

TAURUS (APR. 20 – MAY 20)

–

It’s time to take down the Christmas tree.

I think she’s already taken by a certain whimsical lumberjack

“Blowjobs get you places.”

–

GEMINI (MAY 21 – JUN. 20)

Your parents miss you.

Do you know what the sin cave is?

“The worst pick-up line I've ever gotten is 'do you believe in reincarnation?”

LEO (JUL. 23 – AUG. 22)

Mother always said it would turn out like this.

123456

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VIRGO (AUG. 23 – SEPT. 21)

Your significant other is about to become much less significant.

SUDOKU

Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.69)

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Difficulty: Hard

6

5

LIBRA (SEPT. 22 – OCT. 23)

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4

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“I had two sips of wine and things started getting foggy.”

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4

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Get ready for the permanent feeling of existential dread.

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SCORPIO (OCT. 24 – NOV. 21)

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1

Now would be a good time to get that puppy you always wanted.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 – DEC. 21)

Instead of crying, try eating a big box of chocolate.

1

“My school schedule this semester hasn't been friendly to my burlesque classes.”

Turns out you looked better before the weight loss.

The Voicebox is back! If you have any questions, concerns or any other bitchin’ to do, text it over to our boy Justin at 778-873-7288. “Please text me,” he says. “No one else does.”

“Contrary to popular belief, I don't just date pasty white boys!”

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CANCER (JUN 21 – JULY 22)

The one with the doorbell?

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IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK:

Me too

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“Its hard for me to walk through the local supermarket without getting praised by members of my community.”

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CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 – JAN. 19)

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1

9

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sat Jan 20 03:34:17 2018 GMT. Enjoy!

That crippling selfconsciousness you’re feeling isn’t unfounded.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 – FEB.18)

A turtle can run faster than you.

PISCES (FEB. 19 – MAR. 20)

Buy yourself a new coat.

Your old one smells.

Read more and submit your own confession at capilanocourier.com/confessions

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 12