The Gauntlet -- October 2022

Getting through the first half of the semester

October marks the official turn of the season. Not only are students neck deep and scrambling with midterms, but we’re also slowly easing our way into cooler temperatures. While Halloween festivities are underway, October also celebrates a variety of occasions including Canadian Islamic Heritage Month. This commemorates the significant contributions that the Muslim community has brought to Canadian society. The Gauntlet acknowledges and celebrates the large representation of Muslim students and individuals that not only make up the substantial part of our campus community, but the Canadian mosaic at large. The Canadian society thrives from their vibrant heritage that continues to enrich Canada as we know it today. We should take this time to further reflect and strive to combat discrimination, Islamophobia and hate crimes directed to

Islamic communities across the country. This is a great reminder for the ongoing work needed to better cultivate a compassionate and inclusive society.

However, creating a compassionate, inclusive society starts with strong, competent leadership that will propel these values forward. The election of Danielle Smith to lead the United Conservative Party has not been off to a promising start. Her values and policies threaten to further divide the already divided Albertans and Canadians.

It is ever more crucial to safeguard and be mindful of the constitutional laws that undergird principles that allow for the democratic processes that we enjoy today. While the Gauntlet will always encourage the diversity of opinions, her inconsiderate comments about “discrimination” are profoundly insulting and hurtful to the lived experiences of the diverse population that she is

representing, who had actually suffered through prejudice, gender bias, racism and more. Additionally, her plans to prioritize further alienation from the rest of Canada is not only counterproductive, but would also hinder progress not only for our province, but the country at large. Although it has only been a couple of weeks since her inauguration, we can already feel the tension that her leadership would bring across the province. As university students and members of the community, it is important that we continue to hold our leaders accountable to the groups that they intend to represent.

Moving away from politics, we also encourage taking a charitable approach to commemorate this spooky season. The Leadership and Student Engagement hosts the annual Trick-or-Eat program where students help collect food donations to the Students’ Union Campus Food Bank. This would be a fun way to dress up

STUDENTS’ UNION

for Halloween, if you so choose, while also contributing to a good cause. With the growing inaccessiblity of this economy, it is more crucial to lend a hand to students and other members of the community to ensure that they have access to the basic necessities.

October is indeed a hectic month. Amidst academic obligations, be sure to also squeeze in a time to slow down and rest. With basketball season starting, this could be a fun way to de-stress while also supporting our Dinos basketball team. With frantic schedules and the cool breeze outside, tuning in to a live action sports game might just give you the mental break that you need. Here at the Gauntlet we wish you good luck with all your exams, as we definitely need some too.

MASTHEAD

Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Lopez eic@thegauntlet.ca

News Editors: Julieanne Acosta Eula Mengullo news@thegauntlet.ca

Opinions & Humour Editor: Ava Zardynezhad opinions@thegauntlet.ca

Arts & Science Editor: Sheroog Kubur arts@thegauntlet.ca

Sports & Lifestyle Editor: Rodrigo Verney sports@thegauntlet.ca

Voices Editor: Aymen Sherwani voices@thegauntlet.ca

Visuals Editors: Megan Koch Valery Perez visuals@thegauntlet.ca

Layout Editor: Ramiro Bustamante Torres layout@thegauntlet.ca

Volunteer Coordinator: Namratha Badawadagi volunteer@thegauntlet.ca

Online Editor: Masoud Karimi Fatemi online@thegauntlet.ca

Business Manager: Gurman Sahota business@thegauntlet.ca

Contributor: Jillian Cung // Nimra Amir // Amanda Wilson // Andrea Silva // Logan Jaspers // Josie Simon // Megan Wilson // Mackenzie Ashcroft // Sylvia Lopez // Furor Arma Ministrat Room 319, MacEwan Students’ Centre 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 http://www.thegauntlet.ca

The Gauntlet is the official student newspaper of the University of Calgary, published monthly throughout the year by the Gauntlet Publications Society an autonomous, incorporated body. Membership in the society is open to undergraduate students at the U of C, but all members of the university community are encouraged to contribute. Stories under the Opinions and Voices sections contained herein are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily represent the views of the entire Gauntlet staff. Editorials are chosen by the majority of the editorial board. The Gauntlet is a forum open to all U of C students but may refuse any submission judged to be racist, sexist, homophobic, libelous, or containing attacks of a strictly personal nature. We reserve the right to edit for brevity. Grievances regarding the Gauntlet follow a three-step process which requires written decisions from the Editor, the GPS Board of Directors, and the Ombudsboard. The complete Grievance Policy is online at: thegauntlet.ca. The Gauntlet offices are located on Treaty 7 land.

The Gauntlet is printed on recycled paper and uses an ink made from the juice of the carved pumpkin. We urge you to recycle the Gauntlet by creating a paper-mache version of the pumpkin.

– Eula Mengullo, The Gauntlet Editorial team

Cover Photo by Ramiro Bustamante Torres

U of C to continue annual Trick-or-Eat event

Julieanne Acosta News Editor

Every year, around Hal loween, the University of Calgary’s Leadership and Student Engagement office (LSE) hosts Trick-or-Eat — a fundraising event that collects non-perishable goods. All pro ceeds go towards the Students’ Union (SU) Campus Food Bank and the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank.

“Food security means differ ent things to different people. For some, that means skipping breakfast to keep costs down, for others that means a lack of access due to transportation or other reasons to healthy food on a regular basis,” read the SU’s website. “Whether it’s an emer gency or a chronic issue, no body should go hungry or have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from.”

Other than the Trick-orEat event, the SU Food Bank accepts non-perishable food items and monetary donations through their GoFundMe or via cheques addressed to the SU Campus Food Bank year round.

With rising inflation and gen eral costs of living in Alberta, it is clear that events like this are vital to helping the student population. In a research study conducted by Meal Exchange

in 2021 at the U of C, 66.1 per cent of student respondents were facing food insecurity.

Various themes emerged that negatively affected students’ food security — such as food on campus being limited and does not meet the proper needs of students with dietary restric tions, the hours of food vendors not being compatible with stu dent schedules, food on cam pus being expensive for many students and that the U of C as a building is quite isolated and does not have much access to restaurants or grocery stores off campus or nearby.

In a statement to the Gaunt let, SU Vice-President Student Life Adrian Alcantara talked about the importance of this event for the food banks it sup ports.

“Trick-or-Eat is a great an nual event that supports both the SU Campus Food Bank and the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank. Food costs are increas ing dramatically, as are other student expenses like tuition, fees, and textbooks,” wrote Al cantara. “The Campus Food Bank has seen increased de mand since the start of the school year and Trick-or-Eat will really help to keep our shelves stocked with good food for those who need it. Our goal is to bring in over 6,000 pounds

of food this year. We encourage the university and surrounding community to make a food or monetary donation this month in support of Food Security Month.”

The event aims to beat the 2010 record of 6,300 pounds of food donated. This year, the event is including a faculty competition — with each fac ulty soliciting donations from their own communities lead ing up to the Oct. 27 event — to help raise donations. The faculty that gets the most do nations will win a trophy and prizes from Crave Cupcakes.

This year, the event will occur on Oct. 27 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. To learn about items eli gible to donate, visit the U of C Trick-or-Eat webpage.

9, Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary.

Editors: Julieanne Acosta & Eula Mengullo

Pat Adams REMEMBER THAT SUNSET WE SAW FROM HERE ONE TIME? 1984 Collection of Julia and Yolande Krueger

MEGAN KOCH

U of C hosts Trick-or-Eat fundraiser for students.

“Whether it’s an emergency or a chronic issue, nobody should go hungry or have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from”

U of C partners with Bird Canada to solve transportation concerns

been an ongoing concern for students and researchers. According to a transportation survey case study, the first/last mile refers to the beginning or end of a trip made by public transportation. If the walking route is long on either end of the trip, this can discourage people from using public transit.

pedestrians or bicycles, but to date we have not had any major incidents in this regard. We have also not had any information on serious injuries for riders. Our decision to limit the speed of the scooters on campus along with a no-ride zone in the campus centre may have assisted in keeping these potential incidents low,” she said.

Eula Mengullo News Editor

The University of Calgary has partnered with Bird Canada to address “last mile” transportation concerns on campus. With other alternatives having been tried in the past including Car2Go, Bird provided a program that could assist in this solution.

In a written response to the

Gauntlet, Susan Austen, director of parking and transportation on campus, discussed the implementation of e-scooters and how they could be beneficial for students.

“The partnership between Bird and U of C is not financially driven. Instead of commissions, we ask Bird to provide student ambassadors on campus that can respond to issues of scooter parking and place-

ment and provide educational opportunities on scooter use and the program when appropriate,” said Austen.

With other programs having been implemented before, Austen said that the university finally settled on Bird Canada when they approached U of C in 2021. They proposed the pilot scooter program that could assist in solving the “last mile” transportation issue that had

Although Bird scooters are not allowed in main pedestrian areas of campus from the transit station to the Kinesiology building, they are an option for navigating routes around campus perimeter such as McMahon Stadium, University District, or Foothills campus. Overall, this makes nearby communities more accessible to students.

In recognizing that this may compel some safety concerns, Austen mentioned that there has not been any major incidents reported regarding pedestrians or riders.

“There were concerns expressed prior to the program regarding interactions with

The main rules for users include parking the scooters in their designated zones or bike racks. Scooters are also prohibited from being used inside campus buildings.

The university encourages the use of safety gears like helmets and the courteous operation of scooters, especially when sharing sidewalks with pedestrians.

The university’s Bird program is set to be reviewed annually, and changes will be made as often as deemed necessary.

Any issues regarding the use of e-scooters on campus can be reported to the campus Parking and Transportation Services.

MEGAN KOCH

Bird Canada helps tackle transportation concerns.

VOICES »

Sherwani

The Q Centre has reopened: Here’s a peek inside

space for people to be themselves and receive natural support from other community members and volunteers.”

In the past, the space has fa cilitated name changes for con cerned students who wanted to be able to use preferred names on campus servers in accordance with their sexual and gender identities, as well offering a Queer Mentoring Program that work towards student solutions surrounding coming out, iden tity, networking, friendship, dat ing, volunteering, working, other extracurricular activities, stress, relationship issues, and/or health and wellness.

themselves or get an understand ing that it is okay to be queer.

“The mentoring program helps students be more comfort able in their own skin and learn some great tools from people who have been through it all,” she continued. “People can apply to this program via the Q Centre website, and applications close Nov. 4.”

The centre’s open house had about 80 students walk through the doors, making it clear that students — especially newer ones — are excited to be on campus, to gather and make meaningful connections, especially within the space.

Aymen Sherwani Voices Editor

After what seemed like quite the controversy surround ing the Students’ Union’s (SU) COVID-19 precaution policies, the Q Centre — the campus hub for sexual and gender diversity —

BALLIN’ ON A BUDGET »

has officially reopened its doors to U of C students, with their first open house which was on Oct. 6. Despite being told to keep their doors closed by the SU, while other services were prioritized in the reopening process, the Q Centre continued to emphasize the importance of their pres

ence on campus for LGBTQ2SIA+ students and plan to show it this academic year.

“I think the Q Centre is very important,” said Isi Parente, a program coordinator at the Q Centre. “It not only offers resour ces and formal support to the community, but also offers a safe-

“My favourite service is the Q Mentoring Program,” said Par ente. “Matching undergraduate students with more established community members creates an invaluable experience for both the mentors and the mentees [because] not all students have safe home environments to be

“I love the vibrant community that I get to work with every day — every day I meet a new com munity member with a new story, and look forward to seeing them in the space,” concluded Parente.

For inquiries, visit the Q Cen tre’s website or email them at qcentre@ucalgary.ca.

Saving and budgeting as a student

Jillian Cung Voices Assistant

You have probably heard all the basics about budgeting, but as university students, many of us are financially vulnerable, making budgeting even more significant in our lives. Saving money as a student has become especially relevant due to tuition increases with the cost of living starting to become more than the average person can manage. Budgeting becomes even more important as we get into issues like inflation where the cost of living is skyrocketing, making it more difficult for university stu dents in particular to cover all the costs that they need — espe cially if wages are stagnant. The concerning number of houseless people and, in particular, house less students is illustrating the realities of a high cost of living. Thinking wisely about your financial means is important, especially for expenses like gro ceries. However, what is the per fect balance between sticking to

a budget without feeling over whelmed with the cost of every purchase and buying what you need? Sometimes people get anx ious about purchasing necessities because the money accessible to them is scarce. Since I started living on my own and was — un fortunately — no longer reaping the privileges of free-loading from my parents, I found myself feeling overwhelmed with how pricey necessities can be. One thing I have been doing heavily is reducing my meat consump tion — my whole world feels pre occupied with beans, eggs and tofu. Since I started living on my own, I have been exploring lowcost simple vegetarian meals to help save on the expense of meat when I can. However, changing your diet to reduce costs is not feasible for everyone, especially with students that have pre-ex isting health conditions.

Besides attempting to reduce their grocery bill, where else can students manage their budget wisely? It’s hard to reduce living expenses further than finding

cheaper alternatives to grocer ies but some students have other things to consider like transport. In high school, I could borrow my parent’s car when I needed it, however, after living on my own I only had two options — purchase a car or learn to love public transit. I was blown away at the amount of money I was saving using public transit in comparison to purchasing a car, maintaining it and dishing out

insurance fees. As students, we purchase a U-Pass through the university anyways so if using public transit does not cause any problems for you other than a learning curve — I think it’s worth giving it a shot.

Living on your own is also mentally taxing — so mental health services are definitely a necessity so we do not all fall into the void of burnout. Some people prefer getting active while others

prefer to relax with their favour ite film. Do you love using the gym facilities but do not want to spend the extra money to get a membership? No worries — your U of C expenses already include an Active Living membership that you are not allowed to optout of.

I hope these saving tips and tricks leave a bit more room in your wallet as the colder weather approaches us.

MACKENZIE ASHCROFT

MACKENZIE ASHCROFT

The Q Centre is located in MacEwan Hall, beside the Black Lounge.

Advice on how to budget as a student.

Exploring the Canadian Muslim identity for Islamic Heritage Month

Jillian Cung Voices Assistant

October is Islamic Heritage Month, and it is important to uplift voices within the Muslim community when Islamophobia runs rampant in Canada — which hits home especially because Calgarian Muslims deal with the consequences of it. Being a reli gious minority in Canada can feel isolating — especially considering how Statistics Canada is reporting that Canada is developing into a less religious nation.

The Gauntlet had the oppor tunity to sit down with a Muslim student to learn a bit more about her experiences in Canada. The contrast between growing up in a country like Pakistan, which is heavily intertwined with religion in all aspects of daily life — and living in Canada where religion

has a weaker influence in our cul ture — is further elaborated on by Najaah Faisal, a third-year stu dent at the University of Calgary.

“Over the years, I was able to identify with the Canadian identity, along with being a Pak

istani-Muslim woman because all of these experiences have shaped who I am as a person,” said Faisal.

Muslims being a minority in Canada can make it difficult to get appropriate accommodations. Faisal explained that the issue

with getting religious accommo dations in Canada is that people are usually unaware of religious practices.

“Let’s say I need to pray and need five minutes off [from work], it would be hard to explain why

this is such an important part of my life,” she said.

Being Muslim in two differ ent environments gave Faisal a chance to further explore her Muslim identity.

“While in Pakistan, I could say my religion came to me naturally because of the environment I was in, but on the other hand, living in Canada allowed my religious ex perience to be more individual — more for myself,” she said, adding that it allowed for her to deepen that connection with Islam.

Knowing your religious back ground goes beyond a product of your environment and can be comforting. During Islamic Herit age Month, consider educating yourself about the barriers Mus lim people face in Canada, their rich cultures — because Islam is not an ethnicity — histories, and their general lifestyles.

Historical events during Danielle Smith’s lifetime she might have missed

Aymen Sherwani Voices Editor

Recently, the new Alberta premier Danielle Smith has made comments sup porting unvaccinated persons and how they are “the most discriminated against group that I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime.” The comments have been swarmed with wide spread criticism online and from other voices in the Can adian political community. Smith, leading the province under the banner of the United Conservative Party ( UCP ), was born in 1971 — we thought it

would be time to provide a his torical lesson, with respect to discrimination, of her lifetime.

The Alberta Eugenics Board dissolved and forced steriliz ation ends (1972):

Smith would have been oneyear-old when forced steril ization was made illegal in Canada — if her mother had been a person of interest to the Alberta Eugenics Board even just a year prior, she would not have been born. At the same time, forced steriliz ation practices still exist as an open secret within the Can adian healthcare industry as,

most recently, 60 Indigenous women have come forward to file a class action lawsuit alleging that their fallopian tubes were tied without their consent as early as the late 80s.

The Sixties Scoop (1960s-1980s):

The Sixties Scoop was the government-approved mass removal of Indigenous chil dren from their families, only to be placed in the foster care system — without the consent of their families. Children were kidnapped in the thou sands — renamed, deprived of their cultural connection and abused due to their identities. Smith would have been around nine-years-old at most during this time, no doubt living par allel to the stolen generation who were forced to live with the consequences.

The Equal Credit Opportun ity Act (1974):

Canadian women were not allowed to own credit cards until the Equal Credit Oppor tunity Act was passed in 1974

— meaning Smith’s own moth er was unable to own a credit card until the now-premier was three-years-old. Prior to the act, banks were able to refuse Canadian women their credit cards — especially if they were unmarried. Good luck gaining financial in dependence as a queer person or widow without a husband to co-sign and verify that your hormones wouldn’t induce ir rational overspending.

The last residential school was closed (1997): Smith was 26-years-old when the last residential school in Canada — Kivalliq Hall in Ran kin Inlet — was closed in 1997. In 1998, Smith won an elect ed seat in the Calgary Board of Education, being well into politics as early as her time as an economics major at our very own University of Calgary and serving as the president of the Progressive Conservatives club. These schools operated in every province in the coun try, with the largest number of them existing in Alberta.

One would expect this close proximity of oppression to im pact Smith’s understanding of what discrimination looks like — newsflash, it’s not irrespon sible adults who are willingly choosing to prolong a global epidemic.

Amidst the controversy, Smith has forward to address her comments but falling short of an apology — instead, she defends her intentions.

“My intention was to under line the mistreatment of indi viduals who chose not to be vaccinated and were punished by not being able to work, trav el or, in some cases, see loved ones,” she said, but failing to understand it means to spread a disease. “I did not intend to trivialize in any way the dis crimination faced by minority communities and other perse cuted groups […] we need to actively work together as Al bertans and Canadians to end discrimination.”

If anything, Albertans are in for quite an interesting period until the upcoming 2023 prov incial election.

MEGAN KOCH

AYMEN SHERWANI

Bake Chef offers some Halal options.

CIFF 2022 in a nutshell

Sheroog Kubur Arts & Science Editor Nimra Amir Arts & Science Assistant Amanda Wilson Volunteer

The Calgary Inter national Film Festival (CIFF) is the most cov eted event for film enjoyers across the city, and this year’s iteration did not disappoint. CIFF continued to support the hybrid model of having both in-person and online screen ings of limited titles, but over all the festival had a new life in jected into it. While it’s nearly impossible to catch everything that CIFF had to offer this year, there were a couple of highly anticipated releases and some underground favourites, and each of them were well worth the time.

Sheroog’s Reviews:

Kikino Kids, dir. Billy Bilinsky — 5/5

This Alberta short perfectly captured the rose-coloured ex periences of a day in the life of a kid in a tight-knit community. It was goofy and silly, but perfectly encapsulated the feeling of being surrounded by a world you have yet to explore. The on-screen cast ages ranged from 5–12 years, each telling stories from different perspectives. The scenes felt like a vignette back into your child hood — counting coins to buy something from the convenience store or daring your friends to go explore the home with the crazy owner. The short’s cinematog raphy shone the most in this film by making the sky seem bluer and the grass greener. While the actors were endearing in their portrayal, having shots that mim

icked a store clerk watching them peruse the aisles and an aunt chasing them through the hall ways really sold the experience.

It’s hard to come by movies that offer pure escapism these days, with the market being sat urated with gritty realism and thinly-veiled political commen taries, but this short offered the antidote to that. Each story was just kids being kids in their own silly way — it was never forced or boring. The atmosphere was a community coming together to work on a project, and that kind of energy can’t be commodified. It was a reminder to not take life so seriously and just laugh some times.

Emily, dir. Frances O’Connor — 4/5

Emily is the type of movie you watch curled up at home while the wind is biting outside.

The film felt cold and distant from the titular character, Emily Brontë, author of her only novel, Wuthering Heights. This stylis tic choice captured the essence of the story perfectly as it was a tale of a woman who was mis understood her whole life. Emma Mackey portrayed this version of Brontë beautifully, embodying the energy of an estranged young woman who doesn’t quite fit in with the expectations of society.

But rather than her being a defi ant and confident character who actively fights against societal expectations, she’s awkward and uninviting. The film was faithful to the depictions of her by her sister Charlotte and didn’t stray away from the author’s perceived persona.

The film chose to understand Brontë by the relationships in her life, first with her sister, then brother, then with her se cret lover. The heavy contrast between her relationships with Charlotte (Alexandra Dowling) and her brother Branwell (Fionn Whitehead) was jarring — while both encouraged her to live her life on her own terms, one was filled with careful expression and the other with lethal hedonism. Her later romance with William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Co hen) was intense and passionate, but wasn’t as emotionally evoc

“Each story was just kids being kids in their own silly way — it was never forced or boring.”

ative as the earlier depictions of her. This film was a looking glass into Brontë’s life and dipped its toe into a multitude of different stories without straying too far from the source, which made it both entertaining and palatable.

Nimra’s Reviews:

I Like Movies, dir. Chandler Le vack — 5/5

Chandler Levack’s I Like Mov ies set in early-2000s Burlington, Ontario is a funny but touching coming-of-age feature debut that follows teenage cinephile Law rence Kweller (Isaiah Lehtinen).

Unlike the rest of his fellow peers at high school — or “idiots” — who will probably enroll in some Canadian university to take tourism or business manage ment, Kweller has big plans to enroll in New York University’s (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts once he graduates. That is when his life will truly begin and until then, everything else is just a placeholder.

Levack perfectly balanced Kweller’s character with humour so that he is likeable no matter how pretentious he gets.

Throughout the number of outbursts and arguments with everyone from his mom (Krista Bridges), to his manager (Romina D’Ugo), that force Kweller to ac cept that his life will truly begin when he wants it to — whether that is at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts or not — you cannot help but empathize with him. After all, even if you are not a “film bro,”

growing into yourself is not easy for most. A universal feeling that was captured so originally with out the American football match es against rival high schools or homecoming scenes that most coming-of-age movies fall back on.

Broker, dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda — 4/5

The Busan Family Church, home to one of the many “baby boxes” disseminated across South Korea, is under tight surveillance from detectives Lee (Lee Jooyoung), and Ji-Sun (Bae Doona), who are hoping to crack down on suspected illegal child trafficking. They just happen to be in luck one rainy night when the baby

left by young mother So-young (Lee Ji-eun), is stolen by brokers Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), and Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won).

When the mother returns for the baby the next day, she is left with very little choice but to join the brokers in finding the baby a suitable home among their net work of wealthy parents.

It is no surprise after starring in Parasite that Song is a power ful lead actor but it is Gang who stands out as the perfect counter part to his more self-interested partner. Throughout the movie, we see him develop fully through out each part of their trip. He is not just a broker for the profit, he is one so he can do the right thing — to help children find a home that he never got. A point of re sentment that without any force fulness he comes to terms with when he sees the hardships of a mother like his who has chosen

to abandon her son. A powerful moment, among many, in the beautifully slow-paced movie.

with his latest film, Decision To Leave to leave fans and movie goers stunned once again.

The film chronicles a sleep de prived but dedicated detective, Hae-joon (Park Hae-Il), and a re cent widow, Seo-rae (Tang Wei), who has become the prime sus pect in her husband’s case. How ever, tensions arise when Seorae’s allure obscures Hae-joon’s professional judgement.

Amanda’s Review:

Decision To Leave, dir. Park Chan-Wook — 4/5

Acclaimed South Korean direc tor Park Chan-wook has returned

Decision To Leave has been described as the most Hitchcock ian-style film that is not by Alfred Hitchcock. While the pressure between the two leads boils over in a traditional manner — the film is built as a highly unique puzzle that is bursting with motifs and symbols that are begging to be solved. Another highlight of the film is its clever incorporation of dry yet sharp humour. The script is wonderfully sculpted and the elements of humour are the de tails to provide life to a murder mystery. The charm of Decision To Leave is its ability to equally urge its viewers to laugh, think and tear up.

Decision To Leave is as heart-wrenching as it is hilarious. The film is a worthy addition to Park’s catalogue and is one to be revisited over time.

Seeing the hoards of lines outside each theatre was a com forting return to something we haven’t been able to experience for a while. CIFF is a place where film enthusiasts, casual viewers and people who happen to be at the right place at the right time can go to see something mesmer izing. Interacting with some lo cal directors and seeing the film community come out was special, and it’s an experience that every one should take advantage of.

courtesy CIFF

courtesy CIFF

courtesy CIFF

“...even if you are not a ‘film bro,’ growing into yourself is not easy for most. A universal feeling that was captured so originally...”

Kikino Kids was part of the Alberta Spirits shorts package.

One of the venues for CIFF was the Globe Cinema.

One of the venues for CIFF was the Cineplex Odeon at Eau Claire Market.

ARTS & SCIENCE »

OSMOSIS JONES »

Editor: Sheroog Kubur

New evidence shows white blood cells can repair or fight during an infection

Ramiro Bustamante Torres Layout Editor

It was a long-held belief that a monocyte’s function was to fight off infections with neutro phils, but a recently published paper demonstrates a discrep ancy in the amount of cell re cruitment per site of infection may be due to monocytes having a different function. When the body is faced with an infection after skin damage, white blood cells are recruited to fight off infections. The types of white blood cells sent in are divided into categories based on func tion — neutrophils and mono cytes are within the category of phagocytes, a “cell-eating” type of white blood cell. Monocytes have the ability to change into dendritic cells and macrophage cells, both types of phagocytic cells as well.

“It’s been a long project. Our initial question when I first started was, what roles do specific immune cells have at

sites of infection, specifically, the recruited blood cells, so the immune cells that are derived from blood, they get recruited to sites of infection. And I want ed to figure out what did the neutrophils do? What is a mono cyte? Do they have the same roles or different roles,” said Dr. Rachel Kratofil, a researcher from the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases in the Cum ming School of Medicine. “The neutrophils arrived first, and then the monocytes [arrived] second. Then the next question was, where do they localize?”

During her Ph.D. at the Univer sity of Calgary, Kratofil worked in the Kubes Lab with Staphyl ococcus aureus (S. aureus) — a bacterium found near the res piratory system or surface of the skin — and used an animal model to simulate the immune response of a skin infection of S. aureus at both a low-dose and high-dose conditions. In her experiments, Kratofil found evidence of the monocytes not

interacting with the bacterium but only surrounding the infec tion site and persisted as macro phages for weeks after being infected — this was true for low-dose conditions. However, in high-dose conditions, neutro phils outnumbered monocytes by a lot in recruitment.

“The differences between the low and high-dose were quite drastic. In the high-dose infection, there was tons of tissue damage and it was all neutrophil-driven, very few monocytes were recruited,” said Kratofil. “The reason why we chose a lowered dose was so that it could be more physiologically and clinically relevant.”

A major point of the findings was the interaction of mono cytes with growth hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin. These two hormones are relat ed to skin repair and ghrelin was found to be produced by monocytes, which would regu late leptin. Without ghrelin, the hormone leptin would promote

vascular growth unregulated and lead to scarring instead of healthy skin growth.

“The really interesting mech anistic side of the paper was finding out that these are hor mones normally associated with eating, [feeling] hungry or feeling full. They actually have an immune function and tissue repair. So the connection be tween monocytes and ghrelin, leptin and angiogenesis, was really what was novel about the paper,” said Kratofil. “What’s really promising, we think, is that for patients that have these chronic swings and chronic in fection, we can go on with a gh relin treatment or an anti-leptin treatment to try and expedite the wound healing process.”

Kratofil has started her post doctoral fellowship at New York University’s Langone Health where she continues her re search on host-pathogen inter actions with S. aureus. She discussed how there are many directions that her research can

lead, such as studying immune mechanisms and searching for hormones not previously considered to interact. Krato fil shared how she had worked away from her initial proposal and focused on what interested her — which led to her discov ery.

“I think it’s really important to do a project that you’re most excited about. When you find something that can be really cool and interesting, go with your gut because there were several times when I was told not to do this experiment, I was told not to pursue this topic,” said Kratofil. “It paid off in the end because I had forgot ten that I want to pursue this more. If you really have an itch to pursue this one experiment, just go for it.”

To read Dr. Katofil’s pub lished paper in Nature, you can find it online. For more re search found at the Snyder In stitute you can check out their website.

SYLVIA LOPEZ

SPORTS & LIFESTYLE »

Editor: Rodrigo Verney sports@thegauntlet.ca

Recap: Dinos basketball host the Calgary Cup

Rodrigo Verney Sports & Lifestyle Editor

The University of Calgary Dinos men’s basketball team came back home after a week of playing against the highest level of basketball there in San José, Costa Rica. Having the pleas ure of hosting the Calgary Cup, the Dinos had a chance to put everything they learned to the test while they faced three Can ada West teams in a small tour nament over the course of the weekend of Oct. 7–9, right here at the Jack Simpson Gym. Having a chance to display what we might expect during the season, the Dinos knew they had to deliver.

The first contact with our op ponent’s list didn’t scare the team. After having experienced play time with key NCAA teams in San José, they felt well prepared and were looking forward to starting the Calgary Cup.

“We are doing the right things to have the right results and not just trying to run out and grasp a win,” said Dinos’ head coach Dan

Vahooren.

Even though the team carried the same confidence, it wasn’t an easy task. Their three opponents were top contenders in the league and to face them all in a back-toback system would require an in credible amount of critical tactic al decisions to be able to keep up.

The Dinos’ first opponent to start the cup was last year’s Ontario University Athletics champions, the Brock Badgers. Already starting off with a hard task, the Dinos struggle to set the lead early and the Badgers dominated the game, holding on to a double-digit lead through out most of the game. The Dinos saw difficulty trying to penetrate their active defense which was constantly trying to hedge our point guard into giving up the ball. They suffocated our of fense by basically doubling up on the point guard as soon as he crossed half-court. A move that slowed our scoring ability even with Ezeohoa Santiago and Noah Wharton doing everything possible to set the other guys

up with good looks and scoring themselves. Their star player Jessie Barnes took control of the offense on the other side, pene trating the defense with much ease. Even with the man-to-man defense, the Dinos implemented.

The Badgers took this game 97–82.

Their answer to this, however, was to focus on being the best team they could be and the rest would sort itself out.

“The preparation is not any different than any other team. We are trying to focus on our selves,” said Dinos guard Noah Wharton. “Just be the best that we can be. Whatever the out come is, is what will happen.”

The second matchup was against the University of Brit ish Columbia Thunderbirds. The well-known rivalry between these two teams means that this game has more weight than the usual deal and the Dinos knew that better than anyone else.

The game was much more flu id this time around. The offense had a lot more ease penetrating their defense and getting to the paint. The use of the pick and roll was leading to more points and the triangulation between our guards and our centre re sulted in more open, or other wise less, contested shots for us. Even though we had a great game, that doesn’t mean we were able to snatch off a win.

The Thunderbirds’ incredible resilience and transition domin ance were enough to give them the win with a mere four-point lead. UBC won 81–77.

The University of Regina Cougars was our last contender

of the weekend. The Dinos had a tough weekend and their prize was to face a team that made a deep playoff run last season. Truly a testament to how diffi cult and draining back-to-back games can be. Fortunately, the Dinos were able to come out with the victory this time around, surpassing a contender that will be back for blood dur ing their season. But as we saw Sunday the 9th, they might have to work a bit harder next time.

The Dinos pulled through win ning 87–85.

Pre-season is always a mo ment to experiment and under stand how the team works together. Just as professional basketball player Draymond Green said in his podcast, “it is the smallest edge that gives the win.” To win or lose depends on so many factors. The real focus should be on how the team is do ing and how they play off each other. In this regard, the Dinos are excelling and we are all ex cited to see what they’ll do in their season.

courtesy DAVID MOLL Dinos basketball teams play at the Jack Simpson Gym.

“We are doing the right things to have the right results and not just trying to run out and grasp a win”

Andrea’s Book Nook: Non-fiction book recommendations

his existence was considered a criminal and punishable act. The author shares various anec dotes of growing up surrounded by poverty, violence and sys temic oppression, and how his skin colour gave him both priv ileges and challenges in a div ided and hostile environment. I personally recommend listen ing to the audiobook, which is narrated by Noah himself.

of many diseases. Overall, the message of this book is crucial: sleep is something people need to be more attentive about in order to have a better quality of life.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari:

way the world works.

The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter--And How to Make the Most of Them Now by Meg Jay:

Silva Volunteer

T here are many people who have gone through lifechanging events or have helped to change other people’s lives — and some are even willing to share what they’ve learn ed. Here are a few non-fiction books that are definitely worth your time.

Born a Crime: stories from a South African childhood by Trevor Noah: This book is a memoir of The Daily Show’s host, Trevor Noah’s experiences of growing up biracial in South Africa. In this book, Noah shares his per spective as the child of a Swiss father and an African mother born during Apartheid, where

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams by Matthew Walker: After watching a TED Talk about the book and the re search behind the informa tion, I felt compelled to read it. Why We Sleep is an insightful non-fiction read that goes into the massive impact that sleep has on every aspect of our life, and how it is systematically underrated by modern society. In this book, sleep expert Mat thew Walker examines how our sleeping habits are determining factors of our mental health and wellbeing, productivity and how it helps in the prevention

This is a different type of read from the last two men tioned. Throughout this book, Harari tells the story of human ity from how it all began 13.5 billion years ago to the present day. At first, it may seem like an intimidating read, but the narrative is extremely fluid, en tertaining, and contains some subtle humour. This book not only describes the events and processes that have brought us this far, but also invites the reader to reflect on the future and what kind of world we want to have and how sustainable the current model is. I recommend reading this book not only for all the information you will learn but also for how it can change your perspective on the

As indicated in the title, the premise of this book is that the choices we make in our twen ties are the most crucial and impactful ones we will ever make. Divided into three sec tions “Work,” “Love,” and “The Brain of the Body,” this is a thought-provoking read filled with actionable advice on how to be conscious and intention al about the decisions we make in this period of our life. The author combines her research and clinical work to provide the reader with a realistic picture of what are the typical issues and challenges people in their twenties face, and what are the scientifically proven strategies to deal with them. Overall, this is a non-fiction book that in vites the reader to reflect on the importance of our twenties and how to make them worth while.

Andrea

VALERY PEREZ

Halloween costumes you maybe never considered

Sophia Lopez Editor-in-Chief

F

or the last few years we’ve seen the same Hallow een costumes repeated over and over again. While some of them will never get old, like a classic devil and angel, it’s time for some new ideas to take the spotlight. Although there’s noth ing wrong with a typical spooky costume, here’s a list of some po tential Halloween costumes that will make it seem like you put a bit more thought into the whole process than you actually did.

Patrick Bateman from Amer icanPsycho:

This movie has been trending again for whatever reason, so dressing up as Patrick Bateman from American Psycho is sure to be a popular costume this year. This man is a psychopath with mommy-issues. Once you channel that energy, the next step is the outfit. Find a suit, a red tie, and slick back your hair and you’re good to go. If you’re concerned about the suit, you

can still transform into Bateman by draping over a transparent raincoat or poncho. You might as well splatter yourself in red paint while you’re at it to com plete the look.

Serena Williams: Why not pay tribute to one of the greatest athletes of our time in a cute mini tennis skirt? I know Serena Williams would love it. Accompany this mini skirt with a matching or col our-coordinating top and visor, along with your hair up in pony tail, bun or braids. Maybe hit the gym for five-straight years prior to Halloween to try and emulate Williams’ incredible physical form. While you might not get exactly there, it’s the effort that counts.

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw from TopGun:Maverick:

Here’s an excuse for men to grow out a patchy mustache before it’s even Movember.

Miles Teller, who plays “Roost er” in Top Gun: Maverick has gained lots of attention over

his All-American ‘stache and oiled-up pecs. No one wants to mistake the oil all over your chest with sweat at the Hallow een party — but both are pretty bad either way. So maybe skip that part and just try your best to grow out a mustache and get yourself a pair of those ar my-guy sunglasses.

Fembot from Austin Powers:

This alternative costume idea will help you stop drifting towards choosing that devil or angel costume. Being a fembot from one of the greatest movie series for Halloween is a great way to look chic, and you won’t be blending in with anyone else. While this costume isn’t as easy to DIY as the previous ones, Pur chasing a little loose dress with big, fluffy pom-poms will really be worth it — especially if you get cute little matching heels to complete the look.

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake double-denim mo ment:

Here’s an idea for a couple

feeling a bit lost. Go live that early 2000s fantasy you’ve both always desired. Most people own at least one piece of denim, so you’re already halfway there. This look that Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake wore together in 2001 to the Amer ican Music Awards is not good, and it will never be good. How ever, it is still a remarkable mo ment in our history, and it must be celebrated. If you think you have enough denim on, no you

don’t — keep stacking. What bet ter way to bond with your part ner than to wear tacky outfits together?

BONUS

Julia Fox:

Wear the most atrocious outfit on earth and just walk around saying “I actually did it myself, yeah. Yeah.” Boom, you’re done. It’s not that hard to be an icon.

MEGAN KOCH

Different Halloween costumes to try out.

OPINIONS & HUMOUR »

Danielle Smith’s serious unseriousness made her premier

Logan Jaspers Opinions & Humour Assistant

To give credit where it’s due, Danielle Smith’s victory in the United Conservative Party (UCP) leadership race is a remark able comeback.

As a reminder, our new pre mier led the Wildrose Party into the 2012 provincial election, an election for which polling said the Wildrose would comfort ably win. But they didn’t and two years later, she and most of the Wildrose caucus defected to the Progressive Conservatives. This didn’t last though — she lost the nomination race for her district and left politics.

For most, these events would have been the final chapter of their career in public service. In deed, Smith went into radio and Alberta went on without her. But, when Jason Kenney’s approval rating tumbled, she saw an oppor tunity. A decade after seizing de feat from the jaws of victory, she’s finally premier.

However, her competition en route wasn’t exactly impres sive. In second place was Travis

Toews, Alberta’s Jeb Bush — a boring, establishment politician devoid of charisma and authenti city. It didn’t help that as finance minister, he carried the Kenney premiership’s baggage by associ ation.

One moment that captured the mood of Albertan conservatism at-large was during the Western Standard’s “frontrunners” debate, where you can make out one at tendee accusing Toews of jailing pastors, likely referring to the arrest of pastors James Coates and Artur Patkowski for violat ing lockdown restrictions. As the dictionary definition of milque toast, Toews was never right to represent that rage, but as a key cabinet minister of a government that jailed holy men, the people who made Smith premier view Toews as an enemy. His cam paign was never going to succeed in this environment.

By contrast, I expected, earlier this summer, that Brian Jean was an early favourite to become pre mier. He had positioned himself as Kenney’s natural alternative by criticizing him from the right for months, criticism that was

materially vindicated when he won the by-election to Fort Mc Murray-Lac La Biche.

It’s true that Jean’s style of populism had a constituency — but Jean himself didn’t. Despite pitting himself as the rugged, rural right-wing populist op position to Kenney, Jean ran an anemic, wonkish campaign that turned off the voters he’d been courting. When he tried to be fiery and passionate, it came off as forced.

If Jean ever had any mojo, then Smith quickly stole it. Her making the Alberta Sovereignty Act (ASA) the central plank of her platform was short-term genius. For Albertans discontented with our relationship with the rest of Canada, it was fresh, creative, snappy and concrete — unlike Kenney’s pseudo-referendum and vague promises of standing up to Ottawa.

Whereas Jean seemed distant and Toews was too close to Ken ney, Smith’s seeming sincerity and effective communication in addition to the marquee prom ise of the ASA is what won her Alberta’s premiership. As her

meagre 53 per cent of the vote on the sixth ballot shows, it was a divisive campaign, but she had to win enough votes and she succeeded.

Of course, now that she has the job, governing is a differ ent matter. Making Ottawa into a boogeyman responsible for Alberta’s woes — woes which will be magically fixed by the ASA — is unserious politics. As many more qualified scholars have pointed out, the ASA goes beyond mere unconstitutional ity — it’s an attack on the rule of law itself.

With vocal opposition to the ASA in the UCP caucus, includ ing from most of her leadership competitors and Jason Kenney, it’s not guaranteed the provin cial legislature will pass it. If it passes, it’s doomed in the courts. If by some miracle it becomes law, its passage would cause massive capital flight out of Al berta — what corporation would invest in a place that refuses to uphold the law simply because the province dislikes them?

But the UCP base wasn’t in terested in a premier focused

on governing. If they were, they would have chosen Rebecca Schulz, the fourth place contest ant and the only serious person in the race. They wanted a cham pion of their anger who spoke to them concisely and earnestly. Smith’s unseriousness may seem self-evident to many, but to enough Albertans, especially in rural Alberta, she speaks genu inely about the issues pertinent to their lives.

Though our conceptions of success inevitably differ, I want Smith to succeed — she’s my premier too, but I have no rea son to think she won’t at least try to pass some version of the ASA Though she’s already backed off on the most extreme parts of the ASA, it’s worth remembering all politicians’ chief concern is being re-elected. Straying too far from her key promises would alienate the voters who made Smith premier to begin with. Now that she’s finally ac complished what she seemed destined for in 2012, I doubt she’s eager to set off on another course of political self-destruc tion.

VALERY PEREZ

New premier for the United Conservative Party.

Horoscope: What Halloween candy are the signs?

Monster movie mayhem

Josie Simon Seasoned Trick-or-Treater

Whether handing out candy, watching a scary movie with your sneaky link, or studying for midterms on Oct. 31, we all have the same question — what Halloween candy best represents me? To answer this, we turn to the stars.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

You’re cunning, ruthless, vindictive and secretive. There is an air of mystery around you that others can’t help but admire. Like a Caramilk bar, you’re feared by most.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

You’re an independent risk-taker who loves honest and intellectual conversations. You’re a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, optimistic, outgoing, but sometimes over-confident.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Your enthusiasm and drive inspire those around you. Like a Snickers bar, you’re emotionally complex and bold. However, you often crack under pressure.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

You’re hesitant to express your true feelings to the outside world. Like M&M’s, you appear strong on the surface — but, you’re emotionally fragile deep inside.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Since you were late to your ECON class last Wednesday, your psychic abilities have intensified. Kit Kat bars are similarly supernatural. Like you, they’re wise and intuitive.

Aries (March 21 –April 19)

You are impatient, reckless and often selfish. However, most people find you quite charming. No other candy matches you more than Warheads. They are unique, aggressive and direct — just like you.

Taurus (April 20 –May 20)

Like Pop Rocks, you’re short-tempered and prone to burnout. While exciting to be around, you tire quickly and often leave a bad impression.

Gemini (May 21 –June 20)

You’re two-faced and judgemental. However, deep inside, you crave love and acceptance, just like Candy Corn.

Cancer (June 21 –July 22)

Your emotional and sentimental tendencies are charming to some and irritating to others. Rockets exemplify your loyalty and sensitivity. They’re consistent and reserved, just like you.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)

Your lack of self-awareness is getting out of hand. You are a Tootsie Pop, relentless, tenacious and egoistic.

Virgo (August 23 –September 22)

Recently, you’ve been over-studying and ignoring your basic needs. Like a Coffee Crisp, you prioritize productivity, sensibility and practicality over pleasure and joy.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

There is no candy that matches your friendly and extroverted personality like Skittles. You feel deeply and often sacrifice your own happiness for the benefit of others.

ACROSS

3. This psychological slasher about a small-town girl who is more sinister than she seems is currently in theatres.

4. This actress is known for her spook-tacular performances in Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Stranger Things

5. A modern master of horror, this director is known for his shocking plot twists and political commentary.

7. For those who want spooky but not scary vibes, I recommend this late 90s Disney channel classic about a 13-year-old witch.

8. David Bowie stars as the Goblin King in this campy cult classic.

9. This actor, normally known for his raunchy adult comedies, is the voice of Dracula in the Hotel Transylvania series.

10. As names go, guys named Jason generally aren’t great, but you especially wouldn’t want to run into one on Friday the ________.

DOWN

1. This vegetarian vampire family has a skincare routine like nobody else. They don’t just glow, they sparkle.

2. You might hear this title and think of a green creature with

stitches, but did you know the name refers to the scientist?

6. This 2000s claymation film about three spunky kids and a house with carnivorous tendencies is still horrifying as an adult.

Send a photo of a completed crossword to volunteer@thegauntlet.ca

Be among the first three submitters to be congratulated in our next issue and win a Gauntlet toque!

Megan Wilson Wednesday Adams’ Babysitter

SYLVIA LOPEZ