VOICES: SCIENCE: LIFESTYLE:
FOUR HISTORICAL CANADIAN WOMEN
MAYA BEEKEPING PRACTICES
BEST CALGARY PUBS FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Look at you — you’ve made it to the third month of the year. March can be a tough month to get through. With midterm season at its peak and a tough first half of the semester over, I often find myself grasping for air when searching for the barely-there smidge of energy I have left. It’s the season to skip one class in order to catch up on another class, and then feel guilty because you’ve been missing class and are making the cycle worse. Maybe you’ve dropped your skincare routine or have stopped going to the gym altogether — we get it, it happens to the best of us. The shiny New Year’s goals you set yourself a few months ago seem so far away now.
It’s not all bad though, as
March brings with it the hopes of spring. With spring comes the chance to begin again. As the snow starts to thaw, you can begin to take baby steps toward freeing yourself from the monotony that your busy schedule has created in your life. You can start by ensuring you’re at least washing your face every night. Maybe even get off your phone during study breaks and stretch your back a little. Sometimes doing something, even if done poorly or half-assed, is better than not doing it at all. We’re not aiming for perfection here, just a slight change. Enough to free us from the torpor of winter and get that serotonin coursing through our veins once more.
This month we celebrate
International Women’s Day. Taking place on March 8, it is a day to reflect on gender equality, reproductive rights, violence and abuse against women, and the many other challenges women all over the world face. Tell all the women in your life you love them. Take some time to educate yourself on said issues and expand your horizons. Maybe buy them a coffee or flowers to show appreciation for who they are and what they go through.
Lastly, take some time to unwind this month. Pi Day and St. Patrick’s Day happen on March 14 and 17, respectively. Make sure you party it up with friends at your local pub, chug as much green beer as you physically can, and maybe
eat a few slices of pie here and there. The light at the end of the tunnel is visible. We’ve made it through the first half of the semester, we can definitely make it through the second. You’ve got this.
— Valery Perez, Gauntlet Editorial Board
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: Kimberly Taylor // Anjali Choudhary // Mackenzie Ashcroft // Sylvia Lopez // Jett Ryan // Allan Birkett // Megan Wilson // 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 bi-weekly 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 sweaty leprechaun in the pot of gold. We urge you to recycle the Gauntletby respecting women and drinking beer in our name.
Cover Photo by Ramiro Bustamante Torres
ery and redirection program called the Leftover Foundation when the program’s founder, Lourdes Juan, saw that households weren’t able to get food equitably.
In an interview with the Gauntlet, Cindy Posada, Fresh Routes’ community engagement coordinator, further explained how the company works.
insecurity.
“More than four million people struggle with the burden of food security in Canada, with a disproportionate number of Black, Indigenous and racialized Canadians identifying as food insecure because of enduring racialized income inequality,” read their website.
the University of Calgary every Thursday in the Kinesiology building from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.”
In their 2022 Impact Report, Fresh Routes reported that their mobile grocery stores stopped in over 70 communities in Calgary.
Julieanne Acosta News Editor
Fresh Routes is a not-forprofit that looks to provide
ACCOMMODATIONS »
healthy and affordable foods to Calgarians — especially the city’s most vulnerable populations.
The organization began as a pilot from Calgary’s food recov-
“We’re a mobile grocery store,” said Posada. “We go to places where it is difficult to find healthy food because of mobility. [For example], maybe food sources are very far away. We go once a week and bring food for everybody. Our mission is to get everybody access to healthy food with affordable prices.”
Fresh Routes notes on their website that it is clear that race has an impact on food
Fresh Routes goes across the city at different dates and times to accommodate communities in need. They began partnering with Indigenous communities and their nutritionists and dieticians to bring healthy food to First Nation communities and also serve the University of Calgary community once a week.
“We go to Indigenous communities once a week and we have different markets across the city,” said Posada. “We go to
“Operating year-round, rain, snow or shine, our mobile grocery stores stop in over 70 communities throughout Calgary, serving over 6,000 Albertans each month. In 2022, we have sold [around] 196,000 lbs of fruits and vegetable in an effort to build a sustainable equitable and inclusive food system,” the report read.
To support Fresh Routes, students can choose to give a one-time or monthly donation online or volunteer.
Students from the Undergraduate Biological Sciences Equity Sub-Committee (UBSEC), in partnership with Enrolment Services and Student Accessibility Services, initiated an accessibility pilot project in the Science Theatres to help reserve seats for those who may or may not have formal accessibility accommodations.
With the help of the Registrar, courtesy stickers were placed in certain seats in the Science Theatre lecture halls as it was deemed to be one of the most crowded spots on campus.
The idea was spearheaded by a group of undergraduate students within the undergraduate group of the Equity Committee of Biological Sciences, UBSEC
“We basically had brainstorming sessions where we were trying to decide on projects that we could actually do something about,” said Constance Finney, associate pro-
fessor and chair of Equity Committee of Biological Sciences.
Finney elaborated that the group aspired for an initiative that could yield immediate, tangible results.
Initially, the group wanted to address equity within the context of hybrid learning, but with the return on campus, they recognized the need for physical accessibility measures that most had forgotten due to remote learning.
“The project was something relatively straightforward that we could push,” said Finney. “And it was something that our committee could start from beginning to end, and be able to really get something done.”
Similarly, Betalihem Lemma, an undergraduate representative in the sub-committee, expressed the importance of increasing accessibility for those who have non-visible accommodating needs.
“I think that it’s great that we’re pushing to gain more accessibility on campus,” said Lemma. “Es-
pecially for individuals who may not visibly appear like they need accessibility and people who don’t have formal accommodations.
“I think it’s important that we are casting a wide net so that we can make it inclusive for as many people as possible,” Lemma continued.
While the initiative evidently includes those who have longterm accessibility issues, it also encompasses individuals with temporary mobilization accommodations such as pregnant individuals or those with injuries.
“It’s a lot broader than people think,” said Finney. “If at any point you have a mobility issue or an access issue, then this initiative can be of benefit to you.”
Overall, the committee hopes that this project will not only raise awareness, but eventually translate into a campus-wide initiative.
“It’s just reminding people that access is not equal for all, and reminding them that equity is
important,” said Finney. “These small things make for a better overall equitable campus.”
The group is currently holding a survey to help garner feedback from the campus community and transform the project into a campus-wide initiative. Finney emphasized that this feedback is crucial in order to move the initiative forward. If successful, this would enable a campus-wide roll out of courtesy seating stickers in other crowded lecture halls.
In their concluding remarks, Finney also acknowledged the help of the Enrolment Services and the Student Accessibility Services in bringing the pilot project to fruition.
“They were supportive and made sure the project can actually move ahead,” said Finney.
Surveys for the initiative can be accessed through a QR code on posters posted across campus or by reaching out to biosciedi@ ucalgary.ca.
Kimberly Taylor Volunteer
TheUniversity of Calgary’s Reach Out: Awareness and Education Initiative is an ongoing program that tackles the stigma around suicide and equips students with skills to recognize warning signs and what to do if they think their peers might be struggling.
Reach Out is a part of the university’s Suicide Awareness and Prevention Framework and is funded by the Students’ Union’s (SU) Quality Money program. Student Wellness Services provides various resources for students through this initiative including a two-day assist training and an online Livingworks certificate.
The program aims to increase awareness and reduce stigma by increasing community awareness of both suicide and suicide prevention resources, providing
training and education through various workshops and engagement after training with debriefings and dialogue.
The workshops vary in length and modality. In-person or asynchronous online options are available through the program’s website
In an interview with the Gauntlet, Mandy McCaughley, community training coordinator with Student Wellness Services and Gabriela Arteta, co-op student and program assistant talked about how this program is based on unique situations and needs of university students.
“We certainly know that post-secondary students do experience high levels of mental health concerns and we also know that most mental health conditions emerge by young adulthood which aligns with the time that many individuals enroll in post-secondary,” said McCaughley. “When students are
experiencing declines in their mental health or going through difficult times this could potentially put them at risk of having thoughts of suicide.”
McCaughley explained that there are a variety of warning signs, but most relate to significant changes in mood or behaviour, such as suddenly skipping classes. Some people at risk of suicide may directly talk about it, or may begin talking down about themselves. Community members in regular contact with others are the most likely to recognize these changes, but may not know what to do.
“Warning signs can look a variety of different ways. However, any time that we’re seeing a significant change in behaviour can be a warning sign. That’s another reason that peers or people having regular contact with students play an important role because they’re in a good position to potentially recognize those signifi-
cant changes,” said McCaughley. “That could be changes in mood [or] change in outlook on life. We might start to see feelings of hopelessness or talking about feeling like a burden. We might see possibly an increase in substance use behaviour, talking directly about suicide or talking about a plan. The training programs that we offer do provide more information about how to recognize some of those different warning signs.”
McCaughley talked about how community can have an effect on suicide prevention and the importance of recognizing changes.
“The role that community plays in suicide prevention is key,” said McCaughley. “Community members, such as peers, student leaders, staff, faculty are often true first-responders in terms of recognizing signs in someone or they might be receiving disclosures. We really need to equip campus members
to have the skills to respond in a compassionate and caring way and also know how to effectively refer students to additional support.”
Mental health concerns can make students feel isolated, both when they are experiencing those concerns, and when they are recognizing those concerns in someone they care about. Arteta reminds students that they aren’t alone.
“It’s just really amazing to see that there are so many people out there that are interested about this and want to help others around them. It’s gratifying to see that it is getting somewhere and it’s getting to a lot of people who want to reach out and help,” said Arteta.
Students can connect to the student-at-risk team if they believe someone is in distress. If there is an immediate risk, students can contact campus security or 911.
Anjali Choudhary
Voices Assistant
Former Supreme Court of the United States Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, famously said that, “women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”
For many, as for Ginsburg, the courtroom is the epitome of a place where powerful and consequential decisions are made. However, for much of history, women have been systematically left out of the legal profession. Even after women were legally allowed to practice law, they continued to face great barriers and a lack of recognition. While Ginsburg was well-renowned, Canada has its own history of trailblazing women lawyers who many Canadians have never heard of. In celebration of Women’s History Month, here are five women who have paved the way for myself — a law and society major — and all other women entering the legal profession.
censed lawyer. Martin not only faced hurdles by the Law Society of Upper Canada — now the Law Society of Ontario — to stop her from entering the profession, but she also faced hostile public opinion throughout her career which often prevented her from appearing in court. Martin nonetheless persisted, and because of her bravery and resilience, women now make up about half of the legal profession in Ontario.
Violet King Henry
Violet King, graduating from the University of Alberta in 1952, was the first Black woman to become a lawyer in Canada. After graduating, King highlighted both the racism and sexism she faced in public speeches. She also went on to become the first woman to be given a senior management position with the YMCA. Today, despite women making up a larger percentage of the legal profession, they continue to be underrepresented
in senior legal positions globally. King was a woman who defied the countless odds stacked against her at the time and was not only a trailblazer, but also very successful in her time as an articling student and practicing lawyer.
Roberta L. Jamieson
Roberta L. Jamieson is a Mohawk woman who was the first woman elected as Chief of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory and the first Indigenous woman to earn a law degree in Canada in 1976. Since her time as a McGill University undergraduate student, Jamieson has been a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights which drove her desire to pursue law. Jamieson has been appointed to multiple high-level public service roles with provincial and federal governments and Indigenous organizations. All of her efforts have resulted in her being appointed to the Order of Canada — one of the country’s
most prestigious recognitions. In a country that continues to systematically oppress Indigenous peoples and continues to foster discrimination against women, Jamieson has broken unimaginable barriers throughout her career.
barbara findlay
barbara findlay, a queer feminist lawyer, became a licensed attorney in 1977 after studying at the University of British Columbia. This was only 10 years after homosexuality was decriminalized and 28 years before same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada. At only 17 years old, findlay was institutionalized by a university psychiatrist into a psychiatric facility for admitting to same-sex attraction.
She told CBC News, “At some point, after I graduated from law school, I realized that I was kind of standing on two icebergs and they were floating apart: one was ‘lesbian’ and one was ‘lawyer’.
But I knew that if I was going to survive, I was going to have to be a lesbian lawyer.”
After over 45 years, findlay continues to advocate for the rights of the queer and trans community in B.C., making important strides, such as handling crucial child-custody cases for same-sex couples.
These individuals are only a few examples of the women who faced unimaginable obstacles to enter and change the legal system — an institution that was built on the foundations of exclusivity. Their identities as women and members of other marginalized groups cause their stories to get lost in history and have their contributions overlooked. As women in university, we navigate paths that have been paved by countless others before us who were brave enough to challenge the systems designed to exclude and oppress us. The least we can do in their honour is remember their names.
Clara Brett Martin
Before 1897, not one woman in the entire British empire had obtained a legal degree. On Feb. 2, 1897, Clara Brett Martin created history and became the first woman lawyer in Canada and across the empire. Martin was a trailblazer for women in the academic realm in many ways. After being admitted to university just three years after women were allowed to do so, she constantly challenged all efforts made to prevent her from becoming a li-
“These individuals are only a few examples of the women who faced unimaginable obstacles to enter and change the legal system [...] ”These women have made breakthroughs for other women in the Canadian legal system. AYMEN SHERWANI
Maharaja Duleep Singh, whose lands they also annexed in the process. Do you see how odd that sounds in one sentence?
lifetime of the British Empire — the extortion and manipulation of someone in an effort to make them relinquish their land and assets extended to Canada as well, extending all the way back to the fur trade and the eventual Métis scrip, as many of you may recall from history class. The systemic annexation of Indigenous peoples’ lands was directly related to economic disparity manufactured by European demands — like the overhunting of beaver and the gold rush.
Aymen Sherwani Voices EditorThe Koh-i-Noor diamond has recently reappeared in the news, this time due to controversy surrounding the U.K.’s Queen-consort Camilla Parker-Bowles’ desire to wear the colonial-era gemstone embedded in her coronation crown,
despite calls for the diamond to be returned to the Punjab region being louder than ever. Although there is a widespread understanding of the diamond being a stolen artifact, the British Royal Family continues to regard the term “stolen” as debatable, instead regarding the Koh-i-Noor to be a “gift” given to them by the five-year-old child emperor,
The unfortunate reality is that this was not an isolated act in the
Indigenous peoples, many of them children, were given land titles but, as they were young and could not profit from the land, they were coerced into selling them in exchange for money — often for a fraction of the real value. Other minors also had their land sold and assigned to others without their free and voluntary consent or knowledge.
“Canada is a country that
consists of Indigenous people who’ve been here for millennia who welcomed in settlers, in some cases, and were overrun by settlers in others,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, avoiding CTV News’ question of whether the country exists on stolen land.
“It’s more accurate to call them invaders because they came here specifically looking for land and resources and gold and riches,” responded Sylvia McAdam, a law professor at the University of Windsor who is from nēhīyaw Nation in Saskatchewan.
Whether it be the Koh-i-Noor diamond or the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples in Canada, there seems to be a clear colonial divide that continues to exist between those who live in a post-colonial reality and those who uphold the institutions of the former’s oppressors.
Voices Assistant
As a law and society student, I was introduced to the concept of wrongful convictions in my very first semester through a particularly passionate professor. Having had my entire education grounded in the idea that the criminal justice system can, and does, fail, I was shocked to find out that others had learned and internalized the opposite. Wrongful convictions are a particularly difficult concept to digest because the trust in our systems to correctly bring justice to offenders and victims is crucial for the functioning of a country like Canada. So, when we so clearly see a failure of that system, discussing it seems almost taboo. Regardless, however difficult those conversations may be, the situation is unbelievably more difficult for individuals who have faced wrongful convictions.
Ronald Dalton, speaking at the annual Pro Bono Students Canada UCalgary Wrongful
Convictions Panel, shared his story of how an unqualified and false forensic opinion led to his wrongful conviction and imprisonment for over eight years. Eventually, after creating a strong appeal case — including nine of the world’s top forensic experts disagreeing with the initial finding — Dalton was exonerated.
Wrongful convictions may seem like a rare, once-in-a-lifetime anomaly to some, but the statistics are far more troubling than that. A new database at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law documents 83 cases which have been overturned due to some miscarriage of justice. Already being a high number, this only includes cases that have actually been overturned, which requires access to available resources for individuals to deal with a gruesome, long and resource-intensive process. For many, this may not be possible.
Dalton emphasized the fact that the miscarriages of justice are not simply unbelievable abnormalities that occurred.
Speaking to the wrongful convictions of his time, he said, “they were not aberrations, they were actually part of a pattern of mistakes that get made.”
This issue becomes even more complex and worrying when considering the comparatively higher rate of fear racialized people face when interacting with the justice system — potentially leading them to not appeal miscarriages of justice.
“When I look at the [wrongful conviction] files that come
to me, I see a clear pattern,” the federal Justice Minister David Lametti told Global News. “The applicants are overwhelmingly white men — the prison population does not look like that.”
“I think we need to celebrate mistakes or at least acknowledge that they are regularly made, accept it as part of the system and then move on to fixing it,” Dalton said when asked what he would change about Canada’s criminal justice system to reduce the likelihood of wrongful
convictions.
“The most important thing to tell people is […] to question everything. The reality is that the truth will always stand up to scrutiny. So, there’s no harm done in questioning everything,” he added.
Dalton also underlined the importance of general public awareness about the occurrence of wrongful convictions.
“This is a system made up of human beings and human beings make mistakes,” he said.
Ultimately, despite our desire to believe that the criminal justice system is infallible, to err is human. That is not, however, an excuse to not uphold the status quo. If to err is human, we must work towards beating out that aspect of humanity as much as possible, for the sake of our justice system.
Dalton, an exoneree full of hope and positivity for the future of our criminal justice system, despite the numerous ways in which it failed him, concluded by claiming, “just being aware is the first step to enlightenment.”
“Canada is a country that consists of Indigenous people who’ve been here for millenia who welcomed in settlers [...] and were overrun by settlers in others [...]”The British Royal Family is in hot water once again. AYMEN SHERWANI Is the justice system really ‘just’? VALERY PEREZ
the passion behind the project as it being a collaboration between them and other NUTV members on board. They emphasize the importance of having a female-driven comedy series to show that not only can girls be funny, but they deserve a place in film too. Having the support from others in the studio to bring the series to life has played a big factor in alleviating concerns and revitalizing the project when times may have gotten tough.
cedent.
“Film is a little bit of a boy’s club and this TV show that a girl could watch that is made by girls, starring girls, written by girls to show that it’s not just a boy’s club,” Weaver said.
Sheroog Kubur Arts & Science EditorNUTV has been the heart of film production at the University of Calgary and they’re kicking off a new year with a new series headed by women, for women. Dames World is NUTV’s first femme-driven series following two dames trying to make sense of their university life. The showrunners are Abby Kendall and Lisa Weaver, two students passionate about film and even more about putting together a good series.
Weaver compares Dames World to shows like Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson’s Broad City and Lena Dunham’s Girls — two stoner comedy series led by women. Both series have been instrumental in the comedy sphere for women, getting critical acclaim for their audacious characters and witty writing. The series also is inspired by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey’s Wayne’s World, a classic in the two-friends-getting-into-shenanigans subgenre.
“Ingrid [Vargas], who is the head producer at NUTV, had been talking about how she’s been wanting to make a stoner comedy for a while, and she
actually approached Lisa and I separately,” said Kendall about how the show was initially pitched to them.
“A question with Ingrid was who would we do it with,” Weaver said about working with Kendall. “After meeting Abby, it was like, oh this is going to be perfect.”
True to their inspirations, Kendall and Weaver play exaggerated versions of themselves. This includes a played-up valley girl accent, à la Paris Hilton, and exaggerated facial expressions for some visual intrigue. While the characters are dramatized versions of the duo, the jokes all come from them — no facades required.
“We do have a lot of the same ideas — like when we throw an idea out there the ball gets rolling and then we have a whole episode planned,” Kendall said about the writing process for the series.
Both Kendall and Weaver have a background in film, Kendall being a current film studies student at U of C and Weaver having studied television production at SAIT before joining NUTV. Weaver attributes her love of filmmaking to the shorts she would make when they were
able to experiment creatively in class and Kendall fell in love with the medium after taking an introductory film course. The passion led Kendall to direct a short film, Alleviate, which was able to be premiered at multiple film festivals.
The duo attributes much of
“When you get an idea, it can be super ambitious and it doesn’t really always come into light. When we came up with Dames World, we talked about it a lot. But having a group together and a big team has been really great,” Kendall said about the support they received while working on the project. “Just having people have our backs and show us we can happen.”
Weaver also emphasizes that the film industry can become a boys-only club and while the crew at NUTV had been very supportive of the series, it’s important to have femme-driven productions to combat this pre-
The series premiered on NUTV’s YouTube channel on March 10. The ambitious duo don’t plan on stopping any time soon and plan to start production for the second season in the fall. In true stoner comedy web series fashion, it’s only a matter of time before these dames get picked up by a network for a full-fledged series.
“Dames World is NUTV’s first femme-driven series following two dames trying to make sense of their university life.”Check out Dames World on YouTube. MEGAN KOCH Crew filming the series. credit YAIZA LOPEZ GARCIA SAN ROMAN
Bee stings hurt and can give people anaphylactic shock resulting in death. Approaching a beehive to extract honey is a perilous process that requires specialized equipment. Beehives are usually kept far away from people’s homes — unless you are a member of a Maya beekeeping family living in the Yucatán peninsula. For generations these families living in the Yucatán peninsula have kept bees in their homes, sharing the space harmoniously.
PhD Candidate Veronica Briseño Castrejon with the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary spent several years living in the area near Tulum in the Quintana Roo state of Mexico and formed relationships with several of these Maya beekeeping families. She is currently doing ethnographic and ethnoecological research on the
ancient tradition of beekeeping. Beekeeping supports the people and the biodiversity of the area, with both coexisting in harmony.
In an interview with the Gauntlet, Castrejon said that while working on her master’s degree in innovation in Mexico she was drawn to this unique relationship with bees.
“Through environmental education for children and young people, and well, everybody, we wanted to learn more about the native bees,” she said. “Native bees have been linked ancestrally to the cosmology and way of life of Native first peoples in Mexico and in some places this relationship continues.”
Castrejon’s research is focused on environmental design, but it also brings together many different disciplines and focuses on the interactions between dwellings, humans, plants and animals. The keystone of this research is the Xunan-Kab, the Maya stingless bee, or Melipona beecheii, and the ways the construction indus-
try impacts the bees.
“I want to know this practice has been impacted but not only that I am looking at the ancient design of Maya stingless beekeeping and dwelling and this study from the ancient and archaeological information is going to be compared to Maya biocultural spaces and experiences of today to inform and support the current practice,” she said. “The bees are a key system of many other interrelated systems in the way of life of Maya people.”
Bees are important pollinators, but their numbers are struggling. Castrejon said there is currently fear that insect populations will collapse worldwide. This could cause serious food security problems, and students may wonder what they can do to help.
“If one wants to do something for bees and our environment it is not about having a new eventful hobby with a big hive with honeybees in your backyard, we must establish a different bond
with them and learn from the people who have been living among the bees with a respectful ecological knowledge like Maya people,” Castrejon said.
Her research has highlighted that bees are more than just pollinators or part of a food web — they are also political.
“Another way to understand my own profession as an architect, Maya architecture and design is adapted to the environment in a very respectful and wise way to other forms of life — considering bees and putting them at the centre,” said Castrejon about what she has learned from this research.
This is a different approach to development than is common in the construction industry, which often disregards local knowledge with the intent to improve standards of living. This improvement can be detrimental to not only bee populations but also local people as it disrupts the longstanding relationships that have worked well for thousands
of years.
Xuanan-Kab are also spiritual and intertwined with Maya worldviews and ways of being. Castejon’s research is guided by Maya elders and spiritual guides. Xunan-Kab are depicted as deities and there are 10 pages dedicated to them in the few remaining Maya books. The Maya language itself reflects the longstanding relationship between the people and the bees.
“Native languages and nature are reciprocal,” said Castrejon. “They evolve together, and if one of the parts disappears, the other necessarily dies.”
Castrejon’s research wouldn’t be possible without the Maya beekeeping families who have given their time and taught her the deep cultural principles that underpin the practices.
“I have lived with them and they have opened their knowledge, their heart, to my understanding,” she said. “They have changed my way of perceiving this work and many others.”
Calgary is getting ready to host another edition of the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games for a week of impressive displays of athletic prowess. The event will happen next year in the last week of February and will comprise eight total winter sports that will attract top Canadian athletes. The city will be expecting around 4000 people — including 1300 athletes, coaches, and officials — to come and make this one of the best editions Canada has hosted.
The logo reveals a new surge of expectations and helps share some of the concerns people had for this edition, as many saw it as a logistical challenge since the city had a bit more than a year to come up with their beginning structural phase. Karen Dommett, the general manager of the games, told the Calgary Herald that organizers had less time to prepare compared to other host cities because of many delays tied to COVID
“We’re doing this planning in 14 months when you would traditionally have three years. So we’re drinking from the fire hose. Plans are happening quickly,” Dommett said.
Dommett went on to complete that community leaders and venues alike have been kind and supportive despite the tight deadline. The event is also counting on a volunteer system that is already open for Calgarians to join on their website. It is estimated that 750 volunteers would be enough to help the event run as efficiently and smoothly as possible following their projections. However, the call for volunteers couldn’t be more strongly reinforced since the deadline is rapidly approaching.
The city looks ecstatic with the prospect of hosting the games. Mayor Jyoti Gondek said that the venues holding the games are ready to welcome the athletes and the staff to celebrate Calgary’s diversity and inclusivity.
“These athletes and their
stories demonstrate the transformative power that the Special Olympics Canada organization has had in our communities,” said Gondek to the Calgary Herald. “They go above and beyond to ensure that everyone is given a chance to play and is treated with dignity.”
There will be seven venues hosting the eight games in total. The WinSport Hill will be hosting alpine skiing, Bowling Depot will be the five-pin bowling venue, Confederation Park will host cross-country skiing, North Hill Community Curling Club will be hosting curling, Seven Chiefs Sportsplex will be hosting both figure skating and floor hockey, while Fort Calgary will be the venue for snowshoeing, and the University of Calgary will have the honour of being a venue for the speed skating competition that will be held at the Olympic Oval.
The athletes that dominate the leaderboards in this edition will have a shot at qualification for a spot at the 2025 Special Olym-
pics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. This is an incredible opportunity for any competitor at this level. However, to get there, they must first win it all in a city that isn’t a stranger to the Olympic games. Dommett told the Calgary Herald that the rich Calgarian Olympic legacy will be one of the event’s themes.
“We will be doing some special medal ceremony presentations in collaboration with Chinook Blast that will take place downtown at Olympic Plaza, that legacy venue from 1988 that was built intentionally for medal presentations,” she said. “We are so excited to offer that experience to our athletes.”
The event is expected to bring $10.7 million into Calgary making a considerable impact on the city both culturally and financially. Beyond this projection, TC Energy and the Flames Foundation have both signed in as sponsors for this edition of the games. TC Energy president and CEO, Francois Poirier said that it was an honour to be serving as
the games’ co-chair, alongside Cheryl Bernard, the renowned Olympic curler.
“Not only am I honoured to be serving as co-chair of the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024 along with Cheryl Bernard — a great leader and advocate for the benefits of sport — but I’m also proud that TC Energy and our incredible employees are supporting the games through sponsorship of the Volunteer Program. We are united in our belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in sports. Together, we are committed to making these games a memorable and impactful experience for all involved,” said Poirier in the press release.
Bernard went on to say that the sponsorship money is going to be put to good use as a stream to directly make sure that the operations for the games run smoothly, as well as to insure the proper spending for the legacy program.
“I’ve lived in this city my entire life and what I have wit-
nessed is people that step up,” said Bernard in the press release. “They step up when it matters most. They sponsor, they donate their time, they volunteer, and all of that creates magical events as most of us have seen.”
Dommett is truly excited to be a part of such a great and rich Special Olympic history. She highlights the importance of an event of this magnitude in an athletes’ lives.
“By removing barriers to allow them to compete at their highest level, you truly get a front-row seat to humanity,” said Dommett. “You will have that front-row ticket to watch some of the most magical moments of sport unfold right in front of your eyes. And I promise you, having been part of a few of these, there’s nothing that compares.”
This event will truly be a test of our adaptability in facing COVID and a display of community values and fellowship, showing just how well Calgary can unite to provide the conditions for it to thrive and develop.
Thrifting has been steadily gaining a popular following over the recent years. While the practice of repurposing clothes has always existed, recently we’ve seen it discussed and even celebrated publicly, with “Thrift with me” style YouTube videos and TikTok hauls accumulating thousands of views.
With the increasing rates of inflation and more public awareness about the ethical dangers of fast fashion, it’s no wonder that more and more consumers are looking to shop second-hand. If you’re a beginner to the second-hand clothing market or even a seasoned thrifter looking to refresh the basics, here’s a list of things to keep in mind before you start shopping.
Create a wishlist
Now’s the time to search through your closet and do an inventory of the items you have and the items you’re wanting for. Having a direction, even an aesthetic to aim for when shopping can help you stay
focused. You don’t need to have all the specifics down, but establishing the type of garments, style, and colour you’re looking for is a promising start.
One of the many benefits of shopping second-hand is the oneof-a-kind gems you can’t find anywhere else, It can be very tempting to make rash purchases under the guise of getting a good deal. Setting
an upper limit to how much you’re willing to spend on a particular trip can help you be financially responsible while also giving yourself the room to treat yourself.
Locate the stores you’re interested in
Second-hand shops, like their first-hand counterparts, can vary greatly, from the pricing, garment sizes, and selections (modern, luxury, vintage) offered. Narrowing
down the stores that offer pieces that are both accessible and of interest to you will help cut down the time you spend shopping considerably. Consider looking through online establishments, as they tend to offer a more inclusive range of clothing.
Clothing brands are notorious for having inconsistent sizes. To save time and peace of mind, try noting
down your average shoe sizes, pant length, hip and waist diameter and shirt size. Also, write down your preferences on how you like your items to fit. For example, do you like your clothes to fit tighter or looser than average? There’s no use in snagging that pair of boots if they just end up pinching your toes.
Knowing your sizes will only get you so far when determining what pieces look best on you. Dressing in comfortable and tighter-fitting clothing can let you try on certain garments overtop without even having to resort to the fitting room.
Inspect
Thrift stores often don’t have return or exchange policies, making regretful purchases harder for you to recoup from. When inspecting your garments, look for signs of damaged or poor quality like stains, zipper and button defects, and piling to name a few. Certain defects can be easier to repair than others, while others are better left up to a professional.
St. Patrick’s Day is one of the springtime’s most anticipated events for university students in Calgary. The annual celebration on March 17 is an occasion for socializing, excitement and enjoying Irish culture. Whether you are looking for a casual night out with close friends or a wild atmosphere, many bars in Calgary cater to students for St. Patrick’s Day.
Jameson’s Pub — 1230 17 Ave
SW
Located in the heart of downtown Calgary on 17th Avenue, Jameson’s Pub is a sought-after destination for university students. The pub provides a traditional Irish ambiance with its dark interior, Irish symbolism, and green decor. Jameson’s Pub is well known for its outstanding catalogue of Irish whiskeys, beers and ales. For St. Patrick’s Day, Jameson’s will have live music performances all day long
and Irish dancers to celebrate Irish culture. Green beer on tap is also a certainty during the festivities.
Ship and Anchor Pub — 534 17
Ave SW
The Ship and Anchor is a popular hangout spot for students in Calgary. Located in the trendy Beltline district, the pub extends a large outdoor patio (weather permitting) and is known for its laid-back atmosphere, friendly staff, and delicious menu items. On St. Patrick’s Day, the pub will have live music performances inline with their modern country meets punk rock environment. Green beer and festive food specials are sure to return during this year’s Irish holiday.
National on 10th — 341 10 Ave SW
National on 10th is a locally well-visited gastropub located in the Beltline district of downtown Calgary. The pub commits to an Irish-themed celebra-
tion on March 17 that will last well into the late-night hours. As the sun goes down, so too do the crowds of patrons, to the basement for an exuberant night filled with dancing along to the live DJ’s setlist. The pub also neighbours various popular bars and restaurants like Craft Beer Market and Greta Bar. Be sure National on 10th is the destination for an energetic nightlife experience.
The Unicorn Superpub — 223 8 Ave SW
This pub on Stephen Avenue is a hotspot for Calgary nightlife It has three floors including a rooftop patio, a main-level sports bar, and a Celtic-themed basement. An array of 4K televisions and sports games welcome you when you walk in as you float freely, visiting all levels. On St. Patrick’s Day, the pub offers a festive menu featuring green beer, an Irish-inspired character and food specials. The “Unicorn,” as commonly referred to, is another desired
spot for students looking for a wild night out.
The Pig and Duke Pub — 1312 12 Ave SW
The Pig and Duke is a cozy neighbourhood bar in the Mission district of Calgary, which passes along the Bow River in downtown Calgary. With a more relaxed vibe, the pub is an excellent destination for a close group of friends looking to spend quality time while enjoy-
ing drinks and delicious food. The pub also has pool tables and dart boards to provoke competitive fun among friends.
Several more bars in Calgary provide an entertaining St. Patrick’s Day and a welcoming atmosphere across the city. No matter the mood or location, students will find a heterogeneous mix of pubs celebrating the same Irish theme. Remember to drink responsibly and have a fun and safe St. Patrick’s Day.
Energy transition is an inevitability. What is in our hands is our role in shaping its trajectory, especially as Albertans. The Canada Energy Regulator has concluded that Alberta has the second highest level of greenhouse gas emissions per capita in Canada, at three times the national average. Of these, 52 per cent are attributable to oil and gas production, the industry most under fire by the Liberal government’s proposed Just Transition legislation.
But what is the so-called Just Transition? The proposal is the product of a set of federal government consultations that concluded in April of last year, which encompassed 17 roundtable meetings with provincial governments, Indigenous groups, scientific experts, unions and industry leaders, as well as over 30,000 written submissions from everyday Canadians. Drawing from this dialogue, the government put together a framework for a low-carbon future.
The goal is to transition economies away from fossil fuel dependence while helping workforces to graduate from fossil fuel extraction to green energy jobs.
Minister of Natural Resources
Jonathan Wilkinson announced in early 2023 the federal government’s intention to introduce a Just Transition bill in the House of Commons. This has been met with fierce opposition in Alberta, from politicians across the political spectrum.
Much of this opposition fails to realize that public opinion supports the notion that energy transition is inevitable. A 2020 Abacus Data poll found that 75 per cent of Canadians feel it is a necessity for a healthy and prosperous environment here at home and around the world. More surprisingly, perhaps, is that even in oil-rich Alberta, that number sits around 60 per cent.
Albertans are aware of the damage the tar sands have on regional biodiversity and their contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions. Global social trends have contributed to this majority opinion, but so has thorough research proving the economic efficiency of
energy transition policies.
In 2022, the Institute for New Economic Thinking at Oxford University found that a global economy built entirely on clean energy would yield $12 trillion in savings over the next half-century. In other words, not only would transitioning to green energies be environmentally sound, but also financially logical. This trend can be interpolated to Alberta. A 2022 joint investigation by researchers from the London School of Economics and Oxford concluded that as states seek carbon neutrality and demand for fossil fuels plummets worldwide, high rates of unemployment and decreased public revenues are on the horizon for Alberta unless the province transitions in the next decade. This isn’t a matter of if Alberta decides to transition to green energies, but when our province decides to catch up to other jurisdictions across the globe.
Furthermore, most Albertans recognize that energy transition
is not aiming to punish Alberta workers for the industries they work in. Economic diversification is front-and-centre, since reducing reliance on the global oil market will not only favour the environment, but also pad the provincial economy in the coming decades. Through consultations, the federal government has collaborated with field workers and Indigenous populations to design what Louisa Da Silva called a “soft landing” for fossil fuel workforces in an interview with CTV News Edmonton. Da Silva, executive director of industry non-profit Iron and Earth, approaches the policy with nuance. She believes that existing energy infrastructures will be critical to building a sustainable renewables sector in Alberta, and that the legislation will grant public-civil society partnerships the time and financial resources needed to ease transitioning workforces. Despite scientific evidence and substantial public support, Alberta lawmakers continue to oppose the
bill. This has created a roadblock to achieving the forward-thinking change needed to build a renewable energy-based economy. The UCP government is unwavering in its resistance. Premier Danielle Smith has branded the policy as a polarizing tactic and spreading misguided fear about job loss.
Environment minister Sonya Savage has furthered these claims, arguing that a full transition will be in order once renewables are more efficient and effective, despite evidence that they already are. The provincial government is mortified of potential upheaval by top UCP donors in the fossil fuel industry, including CEOs and board members of corporations like Cenovus.
Even the NDP opposition has shied away from propping up the relatively moderate federal plan.
NDP leader Rachel Notley has called the emissions targets contained therein “unrealistic” and impractical for Alberta’s economy.
The NDP too is concerned about
the political costs of denying support to an archaic, but still entrenched industry in battleground Calgary ahead of the 2023 election. The chance to form government is on the line, and with razor-thin margins separating the NDP and the UCP in recent polls, cost-benefit calculations take precedence over ethical environmental decision-making.
Energy transition is here, and it isn’t going anywhere. We have the power to support a vision that aligns with the majority view on tackling the climate crisis, beginning with reducing our emissions contributions. A shift to innovative, renewable energy sources would expand the job market and cushion the economy in the face of a global oil price slump. Albertan politicians must give up tired, unfounded rhetoric and instead become part of a wider conversation to succeed in the face of inevitable transition. Otherwise, we’ll get dragged along and wish we had acted sooner.
Sometimes things work out in our favour, but whether it’s due to luck or something that we do unconsciously, only the stars know.
Pisces (February 19–March 20)
Is it luck or is it being more stubborn than a mule?
Aries (March 21–April 19)
Is it luck or is it aggressively making a choice before it’s made for you?
Taurus (April 20–May 20)
Is it luck or is it keeping a healthy distance so nothing gets traced back to you?
Gemini (May 21–June 20)
Is it luck or is it the subtle string-pulling with all the connections you’ve made?
Cancer (June 21–July 22)
Is it luck or is it emotionally manipulating everyone a bit for things to go your way?
Leo (July 23–August 22)
Is it luck or is it talking the talk so no one questions what you’re doing?
Virgo (August 23–September 22)
Is it luck or is it doing everything yourself so it goes the way you want it to?
Libra (September 23–October 22)
Is it luck or is it weaponized incompetence?
Scorpio (October 23–November 21)
Is it luck or is it hiding your intentions from everyone so no one goes against you?
Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)
Is it luck or is it flirting with the right people to get what you want?
Capricorn (December 22–January 19)
Is it luck or is it tirelessly planning everything and having backups just in case?
Aquarius (January 20–February 18)
Is it luck or is it already knowing what the worst-case scenario is because you’ve run a simulation of it at least 10 times in your head?
DOWN
Can you name mythological figures that show up on modern day media?
2. Daughter of the ________ Goddess is the captivating debut of author Sue Lynn Tan and is inspired by the Chinese goddess Chang’e.
5. The titular character from this YA series is a wise-cracking son of Poseidon and is getting a TV adaptation through Disney+.
6. In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, the West African trickster god Anansi is associated with what animal?
7. While not truly a god, in Lilo and Stitch, Lilo believes this fish controls the weather.
9. The Studio Ghibli classic film Princess _________ draws inspiration for its nature spirits from Shinto beliefs.
10. This Hawaiian volcano goddess has a full-page on the American National Parks Services website dedicated to her.
1. Which Greek hero who slays the Minotaur did Suzanne Collins cite as her inspiration for The Hunger Games?
3. In this superhero mini-series, this actor plays three different roles in a story intertwined with the Egyptian gods.
4. Name of the production featured at the University of Calgary which tells the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece.
8. God of War Ragnarök, the latest installation in this hit video game series, is loosely based on events from what mythology?
Send a photo of a completed crossword to volunteer@thegauntlet.ca
Congratulations to Alessandra Schreier, Brayden Konno and Malea Nguyen for being the first three submissions last issue!
Be among the first three submitters to be congratulated in our next issue and win a Gauntlet toque!
PLUS OVER 150 MORE ARTISTS STILL TO BE ANNOUNCED!
