The Confluence Issue 35

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Photo Feature

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Sorority Pg. 4

The

Confluence

My Best Girl

October 7th 2013

October 7th 2013

United nations to investigate Pipeline

David Eby Visits CNC

The Confluence - News

Garett Svensen, Editor-in-Chief.

Garett Svensen, Critic for Advanced Education, David Editor-in-Chief.

Eby visited CNC on September 25th. As The Yinka Dene Alliance, a body part of a tour of the 25 BC post-secondary comprised of Nadleh Whut’en, Nak’azdli, institutions, Eby spent a couple of hours Takla Lake, Saik’uz, Tl’azt’en and meeting with students, staff, faculty and Wet’suwet’en Nations, has made a written members of the Students’ Union. request to Professor James Anaya, the Eby listened to the student body, UN spesial Rapporteur on the Rights gathering stories for a report on advanced of Indigenous Peoples for intervention education he is compiling. He expressed concerning the proposed Enbridge concern at the repeated anecdotes of Northern Gateway pipeline. stressed out students trying desperately The proposed pipeline, which the to make ends meet while studying, often Alliance terms a “subject of unprecedented dropping out part way though a course of controversy and opposition,” would cross study due to financial reasons. the territories represented by the Yinka While BC in general has recovered Dene Alliance for approximately 25% of greatly from the 2008 financial crash, BC its length. The proposed pipeline would youth are still in dire straits. Eby claimed carry thinned, high-pressure bitumen that 18% of the youth between 19 and from Bruderheim, Alberta to Kitimat, 25 in British Columbia are completely British Columbia, and then return the disengaged from the economy: not “condensate” used for thinning back to working at a job, receiving social assistance Bruderheim. The proposed pipeline has become controversial due to the amount or going to school. of unique ecology, watersheds and First Eby, during a roundtable discussion Nations territory it would cross, with with students and Students’ Union an estimated 50% chance of the pipeline representatives, said that the purpose of his failing and spilling over the first 50 years visit was, as the new Advanced Education of its operation. The Yinka Dene Alliance Critic, to check trends discussed in the has declared that the proposed pipeline Legislature, and see if the testimony of is unacceptable in their territory and students is in line with what is being that the Government and Enbridge have reported in Victoria. He will be making disregarded their rights to their land in a report to the Legislature on the state of violation of UN law.

Advanced Education in BC in the coming months.

Professor Anaya will be visiting Canada from the 7th of October to the 15th, with a visit to British Columbia on the 10th. Part of his duties, according to his UN mandate, are to “formulate recommendations and proposals on appropriate measures and activities to prevent and remedy violations [of human rights and fundamental freedoms.]”

Volunteers Wanted

Garett Svensen, Editor-in-Chief.

Throughout the year there are ongoing volunteer opportunities with CNCSU.

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If you are interested, the fastest way to volunteer with us is to register with our email list online. Just go to our facebook page and click on the email signup button just under our banner. Don’t forget to check on the form that you are interested in volunteering with us.

Garett Svensen, Editor-in-Chief

Taren Johnson, Web Manager

Clubbing Garett Svensen, Editor-in-Chief.

The CNC Clubs are starting up for the year, and volunteers are needed to help run them. Everyone who signed up for a club on clubs day has been sent an e-mail from CNCSU with the contact info for those who signed up. If you missed clubs day, or did not receive an email, you can still sign up, contact us at the Students’ Union and we can put you in touch with club organizers.

If you want a club to happen, you will have to put in a couple hours a month organizing it. For official recognition and club funding, ten students must sign their name and student numbers to the Club Official Recognition Request Form, available from the SU office. From the ten, three need to be elected to handle the administration work. It’s not a huge commitment, typically amounting to a page or two of paperwork and a couple of mass emails every month, but is essential for a well-organized club.

Please have the Club Official Recognition Request Form filled out and delivered to the Students’ Union by October 21st to get official recognition and funding by the end of October.

The Confluence is produced every two weeks at the CNCSU office on CNC’s Prince George campus by Garett Svensen.

Submissions, inquiries and requests can be made to news@cncsu.ca, in person at the CNCSU office room 1-303, or mailed to “The Confluence c/o CNCSU 3330-22nd Ave. Prince George, BC. V2N 1P8” All submissions are welcome.

After vetting, edited content may be compensated at the CNCSU Executive Board’s approval.

Advertisement rates are available upon request.

2013 OCTOBER

MONDAY

TUESDAY

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Presidential Search Committee

2

14

8

9

21

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15

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Sisters in Spirit Vigil

SATURDAY

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11

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17Confluence 18

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CNC Farmer’s Market

Vanderhoof Student Appreciation

Submission Date

Thanksgiving

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4 Confluence Submission Date

Ed. Minister Visit

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3

FRIDAY

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25

Zombie Walk

CNC Farmer’s Market

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Weather Environment Canada 7-Day Weather Forecast: For Prince George, BC. 7 October - 13 October 2013 Monday, Oct 7: 11°C, Cloudy, rain.

Tuesday, Oct 8: 9°C, 4°C, Partial Cloud, rain.

Wednesday, Oct 9: 8°C, 2°C, Cloud, rain.

Thursday, Oct 10: 8°C, 1°C, Sunny.

Friday, Oct 11: 7°C, -1°C, Cloudy, chance of rain.

Saturday, Oct 12: 10°C, -1°C, Cloudy, chance of rain.

Sunday, Oct 13: 10°C, 0°C, Cloudy, chance of rain.

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Confluence Submission Date Trick or Eat Halloween

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Eric Depeneau, CNCSU Quesnel Rep www.free-printable-calendar.net

Hello everyone!

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Eric Depenau. I am in my third year of general studies at the CNC Quesnel campus and will be Quesnel’s Student Union Rep temporarily. I enjoy the environment here at the campus and am proud to be a CNC student as well as a member of the CNCSU. Over the remainder of the 2013 fall semester, the SU and the students of CNC will work toward creating a more vibrant campus life. In Quesnel specifically, we will begin to build partnerships with local businesses that will add benefits to campus membership, as well as plan events that will introduce students to one another and help our community. I am available through email at all times and would be excited to help with any sensible initiative brought forward by my fellow students.

Depenaue1@outlook.com I look forward to working with all of you!

The Confluence - News

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WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

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SUNDAY

October 7th 2013

October 2013

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The Confluence - News October 7th 2013

October 7th 2013 In both the happiest and saddest of times, we stick together and support one another’s decisions one hundred percent.

Alpha Pi Beta is more than a sorority. We are sisters. We are family when one of us needs family the most.

The Confluence - Arts

Alpha Pi Beta Sorority

The sorority was formed in the same year that the University of Northern British Columbia opened. It was made up of only five girls who created opportunities on campus, charity events and fundraisers. However, after the first few years, the sorority started to get smaller and smaller and it was up to only two girls to spread the news about the sorority and make a difference in campus life. In 1995, UNBC had a fraternity and because of reasons involving alcohol, they were banned from the university.

The university wanted to shut down the sorority as well, but after countless hours of public speaking, the sorority was able to prove itself worthy to stay at UNBC. In 1996, we were officially recognized as a club at the university, and every year we prove ourselves by raising funds and creating opportunities that are both fun and safe that girls can enjoy.

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A∏B

In Alpha Pi Beta there are three words that describe us and what we stand for: passion, pride and philanthropy. Passion is just one word that we, the sorority, would use to describe our group of girls.

We are like family to each other. If one of our sisters is having problems with Alexandra Tuttosi, stress because of school or family related Contributor. problems, one of the sisters will be there Moving to a new town, for them and may do something nice to attending a new school and cheer them up. Each and every girl takes making new friends are hard pride in the sorority. We all get sweaters, for most people. At the University and when we wear our letters or represent of Northern British Columbia, there is a the sorority, we make sure that we show club that will not judge you for who you our pride to encourage people to join are, will not judge you for anything about us. We are constantly looking for new you, and will not haze you for any reason. opportunities to help out by volunteering That club’s name is Alpha Pi Beta Sorority. in the community. Not only do we It was founded in 1994, and we’ve had to volunteer different places around Prince fight to keep it running. Because of our George, we also fundraise and donate passion for this club, we are finally able to the proceeds to charities around the expand as a whole after 19 years. When community, such as women shelters and pledges first hear of the sorority they don’t the SPCA. All of the girls that are part of think much of it, however after being in a the sorority are very friendly and include very interactive environment and around everyone in every activity or event that we so many great people, they know right are a part of. away if the sorority is a place for them, or not.

October 7th 2013 The Confluence - Arts Page 5

The Boardwalk Snih, 2013

A Warm Cup on a Crisp Morning -Photography by Mariah Snih

A Bridge Snih, 2011

Before a Breath Snih, 2013

October 7th 2013 The Leaf Snih, 2011

The Confluence - Arts

“I am Mariah Snih, and I am inspired by the world around me. I try to look at things in a new light, and do my best to capture the image in my own way.�

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Spider Globes Snih, 2013

October 7th 2013

Ryan Fournier:

Feeling Homesick

Ryan Fournier, Contributor.

I really enjoy going to Vancouver to watch the BC Lions play live at BC Place. I

wish I could attend every Lions home game. I hardly ever watch the Lions on T.V. because it reminds me of all the good times and how much fun it is to be there live. I’m still a diehard fan, and will always follow the Lions no matter what.

I just can’t watch them play at home on T.V. Once you go to a live game you will understand what I’m talking about.

The Confluence - Sports

I also don’t like being here in Prince George when I know that the Lions are practicing during the week, because I should be in Surrey, watching my team practice and getting ready for every game with the team.

I have great times with my teammates that I know from my previous three seasons with the club. So it’s not easy being unable to see them every day that they’re out on the field and I’m here in Prince George, away from my team and friends.

Not too many people my age get the experience of being with a pro football team like I do. This is why I take it to heart, and want to be with the Lions as much as possible. Even though I’m going to school here in Prince George, the Lions never forget about me. They call me before the start of every CFL season, showing how much they enjoy having me as part of the team, as their team fan.

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I really appreciate how the players never forget about me and always ask about me.

This shows me, and other people, that the Lions really care about their fan base in and out of the Lower Mainland. I’m already looking forward the 2014 CFL

BC Lions Practice

season, because next season I’m planning on going to Vancouver for a month. Maybe I will go for part of August.

I want my parents to come and visit me while I’m down in Vancouver with my team, so that they can see what it’s like to be around a pro football team and what it’s like to wake up every day doing what you love to do, day in and day out. I hope to get a job with the BC Lions so I can eventually live in Surrey or one of the suburbs of Vancouver and work for the BC Lions.

Ryan Fournier, BC Lions #1 Fan

instrument, you will never understand the From Guns and Roses cover of “Knocking on Heavens Door” to Hedley’s love you would share with that instrument.

It is something that will never break, and “For the Nights I Can’t Remember,” my you will not ever break touch. Someday girl knows all of my favourite songs by Sean Milton, maybe your guitar, piano, drums, or even heart. All songs are powerful in their Contributor. violin will get too old to play, but will still own way. If I were to play a romantic Most men have a special sound to another woman she plays; Adam always be there.Your first instrument will woman in their life, as do I. always be your first therefore you will Sandlers’ ‘Wanna grow old with you,’ or My special woman is not like any other always remember. There is this special Aerosmith’s ‘Don’t Wanna miss a Thing.’ women; my girl has six stings and is a bond between a man/woman and the No matter what the situation she knows Fender. Although she is a guitar, she is as instrument, and once this bond is formed the perfect song to play. With her body special to me as ever. She sticks around it will never be broken. and my talents we can set the mood to through both good and bad times. She anything we want. Our favorite song My guitar is my best girl: she has six has helped me out on many occasions together is Jim Boyd’s ‘A Million Miles strings and she knows all about heartbreak and always found a way to put a smile on Away’. When we play our favourite song, and things. She may just be a wooden my face or dry a lonely tear. My best girl it’s a magical moment. Whatever the time object, but she’s still special to me. Most knows all my favourite songs and how or whatever the mood, she will know the of you probably won’t understand the to play them too, but with my help, of perfect song for us to play together. bond a man and a guitar share. Although course. There will always be a special bond I may go with other women from time to You may love music or just listen to between me and my guitar—forever and time, one thing for sure, I’ll always come music for your entertainment.

Until you always. back to her: My best girl. create that certain bond with a specific Not many people can understand a man’s Week #5 Contest Entry Form - Win prizes! – Deadline Friday Oct. 11 noon love for his guitar. Although it is just wood and steel strings, it is still just as special.

I don’t exactly have a name for my guitar, except for being called my ‘girl’ or ‘baby’.

My girl is an acoustic Fender and I have been with her for three years. I try my best to keep her happy; I make sure she has fresh stings, kept clean, and always kept in tune. I knew from the start that I just had to have her. She shined so bright in the light and once I play the G chord, she sounded heavenly. I make sure that the guitar strap matches, since we all know Health and Wellness Centre (1-460) Did you know the Centre has a Nurse Practitioner how much women feel about how they and a Physician available to help you? look like. Another key feature that led me to her is her decals, the designs on the This week’s word: W E L L N E S S head stock and around the sound hole. She Find words. Rearrange the letters to form other words – e.g W E S can become S E W. Write down your was simply the most beautiful guitar I have words here. They must be 3 letters or longer. No proper names (caps). Use back of page if needed… ever seen. ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ Whenever I started going through good ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ or bad times, my girl was always there for me. When my auntie passed away, my girl ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ was there to help dry my tears and ease ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ the pain. She knew the exact songs to play. ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ It was as if she was my own personal pain killers. My girl knew I was going through ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ a rough time and eased my sorrow. During more?  Drop in Library Contest Box or email contest@cnc.bc.ca - Deadline Friday Oct. 11 at noon the summer was the best time. We would go down by the river and just sit there for Your name ____________________________________________ Phone __________________ Check one hours. There was nothing but the sounds of the river flowing, birds chirping, and my  CNC Student 2 weekly prizes from library display case: one for most words + one random draw.

Max 2 wins per person in our fall contests. Winners are in grand prize draw Oct. 18 beautiful guitars sound blends in so well. I couldn’t have asked for a better time: my  CNC Employee/Community member 2 weekly prizes of free book coupons: one for most words + one random draw. Max paradise. The things she gets me through 2 wins per person in our fall contests. Winners are in grand prize draw Oct. 18 are amazing. The way she cuddles me when Sponsored by CNC College Store + Impark + CNC Library I hold her or stroke her strings is magical.

Good luck!

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CNC Services Word Scramble

The Confluence - Sports

October 7th 2013

My Best Girl

October 7th 2013

Harassment

By Paul Strickland

There was a bright sun over Frack City, and the steel pipes to the nearby gas plants glistened.

However, it was also -35 C during that early Saskatchewan winter, and ice crystals floated over the partly snow-covered dunes of the nearby sand hills. The cold was beginning to seep into the offices of the Frack City Fair Trader.

Tony, 51, covered education as well as the courts, but it was getting to be a difficult time. Teachers were in a dispute with public school employers, and they were working to rule. Tony was keeping in regular touch with the executive members of the teachers’ union to stay informed of any possible intensification of job action, but almost every day a parent came into the office with a rumour of a wildcat strike about to happen. Bill Kaiser, 29, the city editor, and Martin Petine, 30, the wire editor, had children in local schools, and they, too, heard rumours through their children about a wildcat strike. In a serious community newspaper of record, one couldn’t ethically print rumours. But Bill and Martin kept loudly hinting, for the benefit of all the reporters in the newsroom, that Tony wasn’t on top of the story and wasn’t showing the appropriate level of professional interest in his beat.

The Confluence - CNCSU

Tony, a winner of several journalistic prizes, wasn’t popular. He was active with the union, and, after twenty years’ experience with the newspaper chain that owned The Fair Trader, he was now entitled to five weeks’ vacation. The junior editors were as yet qualified to take only three weeks of holidays, and they thought unions created inefficiencies.

One Thursday that early December another rumour began circulating that the teachers were about to wildcat. Tony called the numbers for the teachers’ association’s president and vice-president, but reached only answering machines. He called the school district superintendent, who told him district administrators did not know whether a walkout would occur Friday, the following Monday or at some future date.

Tony advised Bill he would keep trying to reach the teachers’ union representatives to get an update.

were to be closed, and who had said 45 minutes earlier that it was not at all clear whether teachers would go out Friday or Monday.

“Are you saying you don’t want to do the story, Tony?” Bill said. “If that’s what you’re saying, I’ll give it to someone else who will do the story.” Tony said that was not what he was saying.

Tony asked Martin who the principal of Many Island Lakes Elementary School was. It was one of 65 elementary schools in Frack City. Martin said it was George Hutchins. By then it was 4:30. The school office was closed. Hutchins was not listed in either the phone book or the city directory. (Tony wondered why he had not been given this tip earlier when someone at the school could still be reached, especially when the information was such common knowledge as Martin said it was when he announced it to the newsroom.)

Bill repeated that Martin was just trying to help, and told Tony he should call a parent with children at the school. When Tony tried to call the school district secretary, Wanda Sylvan, for the name of the chair of the Many Island Lakes Elementary School Parent Advisory Council, he got a recording. Tony told Bill he knew a community program co-ordinator at the school, but couldn’t remember her name right off the bat, and he wasn’t sure if she could speak for parents anyway.

In frustration, not very loudly, Tony said this was the whole story of the education beat during the current labour dispute.

“There are rumours among parents and The information Tony had from the superintendent appeared to have been among teachers in lunchrooms, but, if any contradicted by Martin. of them can be reached at all, they don’t Bill asked who said the school would be closed Monday. Martin said his wife did, but want to be quoted,” Tony said. He added that, this close to deadline, it would be added he refused to allow his wife to be quoted. a needle-in-the-haystack exercise to go Tony showed Bill his notes from the superintendent that the teachers’ walkout could through the phone book white pages and be either Friday or Monday, or even later during next week. Tony said there was still no to find homes in the Many Island Lakes established information yet on what the teachers would do. He was trying, in effect, to Subdivision to try to find parents with compare the information he had with the information that Martin had brought in to try children at Many Island Lakes Elementary. to get a better idea of what might actually happen, and to decide what it would be safe (Tony was venting the frustration other to put in an article for the morning’s paper. reporters in the newsroom had typically felt when bureaucrats were unco-operative Bill said, “Are you starting in on that again?!” or unavailable, and these other reporters Tony responded it had been implied that he didn’t know enough on his beat. Bill said had slammed down phones and used far Martin was just trying to help with a tip on his beat. Tony said the implication seemed more colourful language than Tony would ever consider using.) to be he was asleep at the switch, but pointed out he had made twenty-five to thirty calls to everyone possible, including the superintendent, who should know if schools

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Martin came in just after 4:00. He said loudly out to the whole newsroom, “MANY ISLAND LAKES ELEMENTARY IS CLOSED MONDAY. IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE PRINCIPAL. ALL THE PARENTS KNOW. DO WE HAVE THAT OR NOT!?”

Tony told Bill that was not accurate.

Tony advised he had been concerned about Tony called Ms. Sorrento back. She how the tip had been conveyed, but had explained how provincial-exam students not been upset. He also said he had just could attend school the next Monday wanted to point out he had been doing his despite the walkout. But she added the best. schools would be closed to all other students.

Bill started shouting. “Tony! This seems to be happening all too much.You get all Tony finished his story on the imminent sensitive and offended when people are walkout by 6:30 and then drove to the trying to help you! We’re going to have to Frack City Public Library to check for do something about you, Tony!” e-mails from friends, and generally to relax after a bad day. He sat on a high This was loud enough for everyone stool situated in front of one of the public within a radius of two desks to hear.

Internet terminals, and began reading one Tony went back to Martin’s desk to e-mail from a European friend. ask if he knew of any Many Island Lakes Suddenly he felt faint and started sliding Elementary parents he could phone to off the stool. He woke up, probably a mere quote. forty-five seconds later, on the floor below Martin said loudly, “I was trying to help the chair. you with a tip, and this is the reaction I get! Thanks a lot! YOU ASS! It’s not up to me to give you names of contacts to call!

YOU’RE the education reporter. That’s YOUR job! You should be doing your job as education reporter.”

Tony walked away. Martin walked into the managing editor’s office. Tony withdrew to the lunchroom upstairs, where both the day-shift and night-shift composing-room shop stewards, Jill Harris and John Taber, were having coffee. “How’s your day going?” Jill asked. Tony described what had just happened.

“I’ll be all right,” he told the reference librarian. “It’s time for me to go home.”

“No,” said a retired nurse who had observed the incident and had talked to the reference librarian about it. “Any time there’s a loss of consciousness, you need to be checked out in Emergency.”

October 7th 2013

Martin went back to his desk.

was working or not. The managing editor conceded the machine had glitches that would sometimes cause it to go on and off without warning. Tony said he had missed teachers’ association faxes before. Bill checked the machine but couldn’t find any teachers’ association releases.

It wasn’t a very dignified exit out through the circulation department and down the elevator on a stretcher for the short trip to Frack City District Hospital.

All the medical devices in the department beeped at intervals like the equipment behind the counter of a McDonald’s. Tony was quickly put on several monitoring machines. The ambulance paramedics stood by until the emergency department physician, Dr. Attley, saw him.

Several tests were run, but after two hours Dr. Attley concluded, “No sign of anything serious. It was probably just stress from Christmas shopping.”

He ordered Tony released, and a friend he had called from Emergency drove him back to his car at the library.

The Confluence - CNCSU

Martin walked over to Bill’s desk. Bill said, “Tony is upset because you mentioned a tip about Many Island Lakes Elementary when he didn’t know about it.”

Around 5:30 Tony finally reached Bea Sorrento, school board chair, who said the teachers’ association had sent out a fax at 4:30 announcing a Monday walkout and wondered why the Fair Trader hadn’t received it. “Do you not have electronic means of receiving such releases?” she asked. No fax had been received at the offices of the Fair Trader. Tony asked the managing editor whether the fax machine

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John hurried downstairs from the lunchroom, walked immediately into the newsroom and spoke sharply to Martin, who seemed to back down from his aggressiveness. He didn’t bother Tony any more during his shift.

the caledonia writers’ series presents a reading for people who find the internet too slow

BRIAN FAWCETT 17