Bill 21
International students share reactions to Quebec's recent ban on religious symbols. P2
Lest we forget
We remember
Langara international students weigh in with their views of Canadian veterans.langaravoice.ca
Adoption denied? Don't cry.
By LAUREN GARGIULOAdopting a furry critter is not an option for everyone who lives in Canada, but alternatives such as fostering pets can allow those who don’t have a permanent status in Canada the companionship that comes from having a pet.
Having a pet as a companion has been said to reduce stress, increase happiness, and help combat loneli-
Only people who have permanent residency or citizenship in the country are allowed to adopt from B.C. has 37 shelters across the province. Humane Canada’s 2017 Canadian Animal Shelter Statistics
Legacy lingers
Indigenous leader: colonialism effects still alive
By STEVEN CHANGIndigenous students at Langara are still dealing with negative stereotypes regarding their identity and their past.
At a college family studies’ event on atrocities, divisions and traumatic memories in human history, an Indigenous strategist spoke to students about the impact of colonialism on Indigenous families.
Kory Wilson, Executive Director of Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships at BCIT, said the legacy of colonialism is sadly still around in Canada and getting worse in some ways, and education is the key to overcoming it in Canada. She encouraged students to learn about Indigenous culture.
Langara student Virginia Lecoy, said education was used as a weapon against Indigenous people. Today, she is using education to help herself navigate in the Western world.
“Even though the residential school doesn’t exist anymore, intergenerational trauma remains in families. There are signs of micro aggression from people telling us to get over our history, ” Lecoy said.
Second-year associate general Arts student, Megan Hill, expressed the desire for the public to raise awareness with not appropriating Indigenous culture and seeking it for profit.
Report shows that in 2017, 45 per cent of shelter dogs and 60 per cent of shelter cats were adopted into new homes.
The remainder of the animals were either returned to their guardian, euthanized, transferred, "returned to the field "(cats) or subject to other outcomes, according to the report.
As alternatives to adoption, people can foster, house sit, visit petting zoos or similar establishments. Annually, Langara hosts a destress fest towards the end of the year where students
can play with puppies that have been brought in temporarily.
Temporary residents are allowed to foster pets, but they are not able to adopt them.
Natalie Hellyar, who graduated from Langara’s fine arts program in April 2019, is torn about the policy.
As much as she would like to adopt an animal, she is unsure about where she’s going to end up in a couple of years.
“I feel like it’s selfish to adopt a pet if you don’t know where you’re going or what you’re doing,” she said.
Catfe, in Downtown Vancouver, a coffee shop that is also home to multiple cats, allowing visitors to play with the felines, most of which are available for adoption.
Doug Ferguson, a cat whisperer at Catfe, said fostering can be a great short-term solution.
Although the policy that only people with permanent residence and Canadian citizens can adopt is not a law, Ferguson said it’s a policy shelters have all implemented for a reason, as they have had problems in the past.
“It’s not anyone’s fault, but there were people who adopted [a pet] with the best intentions but then they have to go back to their country and can’t take the pet with them,” he added.
“It’s ironic when we weren’t allowed to embrace our own culture all these years. Now you see people wearing the headdress as a joke.” As an educator, Wilson said that students from all backgrounds need to be empowered with formal and informal education to boost their self-esteem.
“Discrimination makes people feel disengaged and alone,” she said. “Marginalized people don’t feel validated. When people’s voices aren’t being heard, they ended up retreating."
Sociology instructor at Langara, Indira-Natasha Prahst, said that it is important to provide young Indigenous students with a spark of moti vation to stay in school.
Prahst said Wilson is a role model for the Indigenous community.
“There is a disconnect with how the curriculum is being taught about Indigenous culture,” Prahst said. “So having more Indigenous scholars, teachers and mentors would really
ONLINE SPECIAL
AT LARGE
PRODUCED BY LANGARA JOURNALISM STUDENTS | WWW.LANGARAVOICE.CA
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Adoptable cats lie in their beds at Catfe in Downtown Vancouver, available for visitors to play and spend time with them. LAUREN GARGIULO PHOTO
Temporary residents in B.C. cannot adopt pets but there are other options
“I feel like it's selfish to adopt a pet if you don't know where you're going...”
— NATALIE HELLYAR, RECENT LANGARA GRAD
Wanted: more disability services
By RAY CHOPPINGLangara College has announced an online system for students with disabilities to arrange appropriate support services at the school.
Director of accessibility services, Suzanne Munson, told The Voice that they recently launched a new case management system.
“Our students are now able to do certain things online like submit requests for semester accommodations, accommodation letters, and book exams,” Munson said.
The student management system, called Accommodate, is an American product, and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Munson explained they chose an American system because the Accessible Canada Act is still in its infancy.
“So that’s why we went with the US product because we knew it would be accessible,” she said.
The news comes after the provincial government announced a series of public consultations on accessibility.
Shane Simpson, minister of social development and poverty reduction, said at a Vancouver community consultation on Nov. 1, that the government wants to ensure future spaces are designed to be accessible to everyone and not just aim for ramps and accessible doorways.
“We need to work on changing the culture of how we view disability,” Simpson said. “That may be the most important thing of all.”
According to visually impaired, psychology and philosophy student, Samaneh Nikmanesh, navigating the Building A can be hard when it’s so loud and crowded.
“This is supposed to be a college, not a market,” Nikmanesh said.
Building A is one of the original campus buildings not built under the same regulations as the college’s newer Science and Technology Building.
“The A building gets very full at certain times of the day,” said visually impaired, creative writing student Gabor Bene, who takes the majority of his classes there. “I tend to avoid it during those times.”
Navigating the older buildings is not the only challenges some Langara students face.
“Langara’s accessibility services are not current. They are not up to date on blindness,” Nikmanesh said.
Langara College does offer an in-house transcription service through the Centre for Accessible Post-secondary Education Resources BC, for visually impaired students, but issues can still arise when access to course material is delayed, according to Bene.
“It’s a process,” Bene said.
The provincial government is hosting a series of community meetings to learn what the residents of B.C. want from provincial level legislation in regards to accessibility.
Bill 21: condoning racism
Students and instructors weigh in on the recent Quebec law
By KRISTEN HOLLIDAYJashan Singh believes that in Canada, you shouldn’t have to choose between your job and your religion.
A recent Quebec law has the fourth-year Langara business administration student reflecting on the impact of intolerance on people who put down roots in Canada, thinking the country values multiculturalism.
“You came here, you are working so hard, and contributing to the economy,” Singh said. “In the end, what are we going to get? A restriction on our religion? That’s not fair.”
Bill 21 was passed by Quebec’s provincial government in June 2019 which bans public workers, such as teachers, police officers and lawyers, from wearing religious symbols. These include turbans, kippahs and crosses. While providing or receiving some public services it is forbidden to wear anything covering the face. Coalition Avenir Québec says this bill protects state secularism, but
Ranil Prasad, a campaign manager for the BC Humanist Association, disputes that claim. The association of atheists and agnostics believe compassion and morality are possible without religion.
Indira-Natasha Prahst SOCIOLOGY INSTRUCTOR
Prasad spoke about the bill at a UBC event, which was hosted by the Hillel Jewish Students’ Association and the Kazakh Student Association on Oct. 30. He said even in a secular state everyone should be heard.
“This doesn’t mean excluding people based on how they look from society, which is what Bill 21 does,” Prasad said.
Langara Canadian studies instructor Lee Blanding believes Bill 21 is
B.C. politics gain leftism
New provincial political party promising greener policies
By GINA ROGERSWith young voters making up the largest voting demographic in Canada, a new provincial political party launched this past week — directly catering to youths.
The total percentage of Canadians who voted in 2019 went down from 2015. While the number of young voters was not available for the most recent election, statistics show they climbed 18 per cent from 2011 to 2015. The October federal election left many students unsure of the future, especially about the environment and the planet they will inherit.
“Young people see that if we don’t solve the climate crisis, we cannot solve the affordability crisis,” Stuart Parker, BC Ecosocialists spokesperson said.
The BC Ecosocialists say they want to offer a solution to young voters who are students.
“We have to get back to a properly funded system… it means taxing the very rich right here,” said Parker, who was a Green Party leader prior to the launch of BC Ecosocialists.
Langara political science student Dayla Hart said she was dissatisfied with the federal election but wasn’t surprised with the results.
Hart believes in eco-socialism but views the BC Ecosocialists as an awkward middle ground between entryism and grassroots organizing.
“But with the benefits of neither,” she said.
Hart used 24-year-old NDP candidate Yvonne Hanson as an example of effective entryism and grassroots organizing, using an established party to present new
leftist ideas.
“They actually have a chance of winning,” Hart said.
Stephen Phillips, political science department chair at Langara, said that the BC Ecosocialists want housing to be declared a social right and the government to become more involved in building housing.
“No other party, not even the NDP has gone that far,” Phillips said. “So that’s a message that I feel might resonate well, particularly with younger voters.”
Parker believes that the platform BC Ecosocialists is offering something Canadians have been wanting.
“I think Canadians have been really short-changed,” Parker said. “We decided to do this because we knew there’d be an appetite for it.”
The next provincial election is on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.
an attack on religious communities. He has friends in the Jewish community who are impacted by the bill and thinks it’s “terrible” Canadians haven’t done more to protest.
“It puts the lie to this idea that we’re a multicultural country in an ideological sense,” Blanding said. Sociology instructor Indira-Natasha Prahst, who teaches a racism and ethnic relations course at Langara, said the students in her class waited for federal leaders to react with a plan to tackle this during the election and were disappointed with silence.
“It leads to a serious question and that is, are we condoning this act of racism,” Prahst said.
56% 48%
39%
2 Atlarge THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV
Gandeep Kaur and Ransher Randhawa, sit with friend Jashan Singh (right) at Langara College. Singh said Bill 21 is intolerant and negatively impacts religious communities in Canada. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO
Percentage of registered youth voters who voted in the 2017 provincial election
Percentage of registered youth voters who voted in the 2013 provincial election
Percentage of registered youth voters who voted in the 2009 provincial election SOURCE: ELECTIONS BC VOTER
FOR YOUTHS AGED 18 - 24
Langara offering new service for students with disabilties, but some still want more
PERCENTAGES
Tim's kiosks a hit
Students say self service reduces wait times
By LINA CHUNGShouldering their housing risks alone
Students: school lacking support for those seeking housing
By PALAK KLAIREWith no campus housing nor college website to help find housing, many Langara students find they are forking out more rent than they can afford or living far from campus.
While BCIT and KPU offer offcampus housing communication platforms for student-to-student housing options, this same kind of information is unavailable on Langara’s website, frustrating many who come from abroad or outside the city.
“It’s really hard to find accommodation,” said Ekroop Kaur who studies web and mobile development at Langara. “Being a student you have
to take care of many things; it should be in (your) budget.”
Reba Noel, the manager of student engagement at Langara said the demand to provide this kind of information on the website is not high enough.
“Personally and professionally I would refer people to UBC’s site because that encompasses a close geographic area,” said Noel, adding that students must ensure online housing advertisements are reliable, and that safety and security of students must be a priority.
Many Langara students look for
accommodations on third-party websites.
“There are some greats risks about that,” said Noel. “When you go about that kind of service you have to make sure there are mechanism or practices in place where you can mitigate with that risk.”
Using websites or social media to find rental accommodations is a great way to connect people, but they can also be a hotspot for fraud, according to the Langara Student Union Internal Vice President, Keshav Rai.
“Sometimes finding a place to stay without knowing about it isn’t safe,”
Rai said.
On the BCIT website a disclaimer says they do not “assume any responsibility for agreements made between the student and the landlord.” The site also states they do not “screen, inspect, warrant or approve,” any agreements or accommodations.
“There are other ways students can find a trustworthy place when it comes to shared and affordable accommodations, said Himanshu Gautam, a student-elected member of the Langara College Board of Governors.
“Some of my friends have pages on Instagram, where they provide information about jobs and accommodation,” Gautam said.
Punjabi Market revamp taking too long
Motion has yet to show improvements or increase foot traffic
By HENRI NGIMBISPunjabi Market venders in Vancouver are migrating to Surrey on account of better business opportunities, leaving the culturally unique South Vancouver
area fighting for its existence.
In an effort to revitalize the epicenter of the city’s South Asian community, Councillor Pete Fry successfully passed a motion entitled, Punjabi Market at Fifty: Celebrating the Past and Planning for the Future in June 2019.
“I know that things have really started to slide and deteriorate. We’ve lost a lot of that cultural component,” Fry said. Shops that have left the Punjabi
Market are being replaced by franchises such as Tim Hortons and Freshii Inc. Shop owners say they have fewer customers than before and are struggling to keep their businesses alive.
"Many Indian families have moved to Surrey where Indians have opened new shops,” said Inderit Bunwait, part owner of Amrit Fashions. “In addition, charges over here are becoming very expensive,” he added.
Others simply lament the loss of the neighbourhood’s rich history.
“It is true that when the Punjabi Market opened 50 years ago, there were mainly food and clothes stores for Indian customers,” said Harinder Toor, who opened the Punjab Food Center in 1981.
Toor said customers visiting the neighbourhood’s new franchises aren’t shopping the older shops that still remain in the market.
“Many Indians used to live over here. This market was the first to open in the whole B.C.”
In order to help the market survive, the proposal of the India Gate was first introduced by the Gordon Campbell administration in 2008. To this date, it has not been executed. Since then, residents find themselves betrayed by politicians.
Section 6 of the, Punjabi Market at 50, motion states that; new construction and residential development has the potential to transform the area.
Pardeep Kohli, owner of Kohli Men Hair Stylist Ltd and Kohli's Mastercuts Hairstyles said with or without the government’s help he remains optimistic about the future of the market and sees the city with a mentality of globalization which is a quickly changing city.
“The city administration thinks of bringing back customers over here by modernizing the infrastructure around the market. But it takes too long,” said Kohli.
“We have more and more mixed communities than before with new business ambitions,” Kohli said.
Two new kiosks installed to improve wait times at Langara’s Tim Hortons, have left some waiting.
Chartwells, the company that manages the food services at Langara, worked with the college to install two Tim Horton’s self-serve kiosks in an attempt to alleviate long lineups. The units became functional at the end of August.
Langara student Nabi Akhtar, who frequents the kiosks, said one has often been out of service and is semi-satisfied with wait times.
“There could be some improvements, especially if they fixed the other kiosk,” Akhtar said.
Anh Nguyen ACCOUNTING STUDENT
Rizwan Bandali, Chartwells’ Food Services Director, said they have keys to open the kiosk and do a reboot. If a reboot doesn’t correct the error, the next step is to contact SyCom Technologies, a third-party tech support company, to troubleshoot.
Anh Nguyen, an accounting student, who for the past two weeks has exclusively used the kiosks, said she is happy overall with the shortened wait time.
In regards to lining up for the counter, “I don’t want to waste my time,” Nguyen said.
Eva Hartkopf, a women studies student, said she believes many customers don’t use them because they simply don’t know about them.
According to Mark Adams, director of ancillary services at Langara, two locations were considered for the kiosks. They chose the current location due to cable and network connections and avoiding potential hallways congestion issues. For customers not wanting to use the kiosks or stand in line to order from the counter, there is another option. Tim Hortons launched their own App for mobile purchasing in July 2017, which can also be used for pickup orders at Langara.
TIMBITS OF TRUTH
» Swimming in coffee
Canadians drink more than 14 billion cups of coffe a year. Enough to fill more than half of Lake Superior.
» Top of the world, Ma
Tim Hortons remains at the top of Canadian's fast food chain, outselling every other fast food restuarant!
» The regular, please "Double Double" is so entrenched in our language, it officially was added to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary
SOURCE: NEWS OUTLETS
Campusnews EDITOR MANDY MOON | THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 2019 | THE VOICE 3
Students examine flyer seeking others for shared accomodations, posted on the Student Life bulliten board outside the cafeteria. PALAK KLAIRE PHOTO
“Many Indians used to live over here. This market was the first to open in the whole B.C.”
— HARINDER TOOR, PUNJAB FOOD CENTER
“Sometimes finding a place to stay without knowing about it isn't safe.”
— KESHAV RAI, LSU INTERNAL VICE PRESIDENTInderit Bunwait, part owner of Amrit Fashions, standing dutifuly at shop counter. PHOTO HENRI NGIMBIS
Thrifting interview outfits
Students getting more creative in how they find professional clothing
Thrift stores and homemade clothing alterations are becoming a more popular source for students wanting to improve their selection of professional clothing due to tight budget constraints.
Jane Cronin, a volunteer with HOB Thrift Boutique, said, “a recent graduate from university with her first job came in, she got a whole wardrobe here for a hundred dollars.” Cronin’s co-worker, Irene Regin, added, “I think it’s appealing because of the price point.”
Langara student Elize Sonsini, prefers to shop secondhand, said, “I really find good stuff like good things for a good price in a very good condition.”
However, some, like Langara student Deep Kur, disagree. “I wouldn’t consider going to a thrift store to get my interview clothing, because I find that all of these stores don’t have good quality.” Kur added she prefers to buy new, shopping for professional attire at H&M and Banana Republic.
Heather Workman, the chair of the co-op and career development center at Langara, said that thrift stores are fine to shop at, but it depends on the workplace you’re applying for.
“As an individual that’s interviewing, you’re trying to understand what the workplace looks like and how people interact,” Workman said.
According to Workman, it’s best to prepare what you’re going to wear a few days ahead of time to reduce the stress of meeting a prospective employer for the first time.
ABOVE: The collared shirts rack in a thrift store. Vintage collared shirts can add personality to professional attire.
BELOW: A large part of the appeal of thrift stores to young people is the price tag.
BOTTOM CENTER: A man learning how to repair and alter clothing at the Stitch Up workshop hosted by UBC Sustainability and Frameworq.
MIDDLE CENTER: Two women work together while repairing clothes at the Stitch Up workshop. Frameworq runs these workshops to divert clothing waste from entering the landfill.
“You don’t want that as an additional panic for you the morning of an interview,” she said.
Additionally, more college students are learning how to make alterations to their clothes before an interview. Frameworq is an organization that runs workshops dedicated to teaching people how to make alterations and upcycle clothing to reduce the amount of clothes that go in the garbage. Irina Mckenzie, the founder of Frameworq, said, “[Making alterations] helps with the wallet and that’s really fantastic because that just means somebody doesn’t have to buy new stuff all the time. They can just use a little bit of creativity and some skill to make something new.”
However, making alterations isn’t necessarily a skill all young people have. “It’s something that can be considered an old people activity, and you know what? No, it’s just a life skill really,” McKenzie said.
Amy Robichaud, executive director of Dress for Success Vancouver, an organization that provides free interview clothing to women, agrees. “The ability to make or do modest alterations yourself can make a huge difference to your wardrobe. With YouTube and a plethora of online tutorials being able to do really modest and basic alterations can make a huge difference to your wardrobe,” Robichaud said, adding, “price, value, sensibility, and professional appearance has much more to do with how our clothes fit and not necessarily how expensive they are. If you can do that yourself you can stretch your dollars really really far.”
4 THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 2019 | EDITOR JOE AYRES
A tie: COURTESY OF PNGIMG.COM
LEFT: Display mannequins at a thrift store. When selecting what to wear to an interview it is important to consider the culture of the workplace; choosing to dress too formal is just as bad as choosing to dress too casual.
ABOVE: Frameworq founder, Irina Mckenzie (left), instructing a woman (right) attending the Stitch Up event. Mckenzie said knowing how to make basic alterations and repair clothing is a life skill that saves people money.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Rows of clothes for sale in a thrift store. When shopping for professional attire one of the most important aspects to consider is the clothing's fit. If an article of clothing is loose, alterations can easily be made.
Fabrics that aren't green
A look at three
popular materials harmful to the environment
Before throwing away your old clothes you may want to consider the type of materials used in these clothes. Certain materials can have a negative environmental impact both in their production and the pollution they create when they end up in the landfill.
Cotton
Cotton is one of the oldest fabrics and while many people may think cotton clothing is environmentally friendly, Jun Yin, a regional hydrogeologist working for the Minis -
try of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations, said otherwise.
“To produce cotton, a large amount of water is needed, adding stress to those water scarcity areas,” Yin said.
Polyester
Polyester is harmful to the environment because the production of polyester uses fossil fuels. When thrown away, microfibers from polyester become problematic. “Because [microfibers] are not biodegradable, they will be discharged to the
Stories and photos
by Anita Zhuocean through hydrological cycle,” Yin said.
Leather While leather may be natural, growing cattle livestock generates excessive amounts of methane. “Methane is a strong greenhouse gas, and its global warming potential is 100 times greater than normal greenhouse gases such as CO2.”
Yin concluded, “as long as it is a product, it will go through processes and each step generates waste and produces a carbon footprint – more or less.”
5 News&Features
Video on Frameworq's Stitch Up event at youtube.com/user/ voicelangara
According to the World Bank, the fashion industry and textile production and dyeing is responsible for up to a fifth of all industrial water pollution. When companies such as Forever 21 continue to produce cheap clothes, that water has also effectively gone to waste when the garments are out of commission. CHRISTINA DOMMER ILLUSTRATION
Fast fashion? Try fast trashin'
Fast-fashion pioneer
Forever 21 is closing its doors in Canada, and I say good riddance.
The Los Angeles-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late September, closing many of its stores across Europe and Asia. Forever 21 issued a statement that it would be retreating back into the U.S. to reconsider and refocus its brand image.
If you’ve ever shopped at a Forever
OPINION
CHRISTINA DOMMER
21 store, you’ll know it’s an overwhelming experience: clothes wall-to-wall, stuffed clearance racks, jackets with tacky slogans on the back. The stores take up valuable real estate at shopping malls, with
some reaching 20,000 square feet (1860 sq. m)—that’s bigger than a hockey rink.
I'd liken shopping at Forever 21 to reading a textbook without pictures or diagrams to break it up. There might be some interesting information in there, but it’s not worth rooting through such a large volume of words.
The clothes might be inexpensive, but that doesn’t add up to much because the quality of Forever 21’s
Foreign film aids culture
Canada is a leading country where much of the population has foreign roots. In other words, Canada is a cultural microcosm that represents many of the same aspects as the other main global communities. The Canadian government must establish a fair balance in the importation of cultural movies and scientific movies related to education.
Foreign movies will always be welcome in Canada. They convey cultural, social and economic messages that the country needs to strengthen its diversity and develop
wares means they won’t stay in your closet for long. As such, Forever 21 also takes up valuable real estate in landfills. While competitors Abercrombie & Fitch and Zara have upped the quality of their products, Forever 21 has stuck to its dirt-cheap guns and paid sorely for it. Also, the increasing popularity of online shopping is rendering brick-and-mortar retail obsolete.
The World Wildlife Fund estimates that 20,000 litres of water goes
into producing the equivalent of a single cotton T-shirt and a pair of jeans. When you put that in a landfill, all that water goes down the drain with it.
Shoppers are tired of wearing something that’s cute one week and a dud the next, or breaking a zipper the second time they use it. Let Forever 21’s departure serve as a warning to retailers everywhere: consumers value quality over quantity.
THE HIGHEST GROSSING FILMS OUTSIDE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SOURCE: BOX OFFICE MOJO
its economy. The importation of films in the last ten years in Canada shows the influence of Asian movies, such as The Farewell, The Parasite, and The Great Battle, all which are distributed by Netflix Canada. Canada, with its tradition of democracy and a high respect for international relations, has signed bilateral agreements
with foreign countries in the areas of scientific research, education and trade. Foreign movies do not only include cultural topics, but also cover many themes that the world of globalization demands.
OPINION
HENRI NGIMBIS
$870 million
Wolf Warrior 2 (2017), Mandarin $610 million
The United States, for example, has a large influence in the Englishspeaking Canada because of the common language. There are several successful Canadian and American film co-productions such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the Saw series.
In 2011, Toronto ranked third behind Los Angeles, New York
The Passion of the Christ (2004), Armaic, Hebrew, Latin
$427 million
The Intouchables (2011), French
in total film production in North America. In 2015, two Canadian co-productions were nominated for Best Picture in the 88th
$345 million $302 million $230 million
Spirited Away (2001), Japanese Dangal (2016), Hindi Life Is Beautiful (1997), Italian (ALL FIGURES IN U.S. DOLLARS)
Film Academy Awards. Canada is a key country in global film production. That also means Canada can help shape culture of the future.
Viewpoints 6 THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 2019 | EDITOR CHRISTINA DOMMER CONTACT US Online at langaravoice.ca Twitter @LangaraVoice The Voice is published by Langara College’s journalism department. Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration. We welcome letters to the editor. They may be edited for brevity. Your letter must include your name and phone number. HOW TO REACH US PHONE 604-323-5396 E-MAIL thevoice@langara. bc.ca WEBSITE langaravoice.ca DROP-IN Room A226 Langara College SNAIL MAIL The Voice 100 West 49th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 2Z6 INSTRUCTOR Erica Bulman MANAGING EDITOR Christina Dommer PAGE EDITORS PAGE 1 Mathilda de Villiers PAGE 2 Missy Johnson PAGE 3 Mandy Moon PAGE 4 & 5 Joe Ayres PAGE 6 Christina Dommer PAGE 7 Tierney Grattan PAGE 8 Joshua Rey MANAGING WEB EDITOR Agazy Mengesha WEB EDITORS Adam Levi Maxim Fossey Austin Everett Liam Hill-Allan SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Chelsea Liu REPORTERS Anita Zhu Henri Ngimbis Kristen Holiday Gina Rogers Lauren Gargiulo Lina Chung Palak Klaire Ray Chopping Soubhik Chakrabarti Steven Chang WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Have a different point of view? Write us. Journalism instructor Erica Bulman oversees The Voice. Email: ebulman @langara.ca
French fest in Canada
Foreign films step foot in B.C.
By LAUREN GARGIULOLove, empowerment and coming-of-age were the main themes that dominated the French and American Independent film festival Champs-Élysées 2019. Alliance Française, a French language school in Vancouver, premiered a selection of feature and short films from the biggest film festival in Paris, Champs-Élysées, last weekend.
For the past three years, the independent French film festival has been touring the United States, showcasing a selection of films, and showing some of them for the first time in Canada.
The Champs-Élysées Film Festival is a “gate between the French and American film industries,” said Justine Lévêque, the artistic and events director for the film festival, “We mainly have American blockbusters in France. We don’t really see American indie movies.”
The festival’s main goal is to correct this problem and bridge the gap between independent films in France and America. Sophie Dulac, a prominent French producer and distributor noticed this gap,
and created Champs-Élysées in 2012 as a solution.
While foreign films to the average film viewer have almost become a genre, UBC film professor Christine Evans has a different view.
“Foreign film is an oxymoron. I love the term.” Evans said, “Obviously an American film playing in Japan is foreign, as the language it’s not the same.” Character archetypes and themes are often globally recognizable, Evans said.
The four short films and two feature films selected to play Nov. 1-2 in Vancouver were selected by Regis Painchaud of Visions Ouest Productions and Eloïse Loriot
the coordinator for the festival at Alliance Française. “It’s a very important festival in France,” Loriot said. “It’s interesting to see these French Independent films.”
All of the films shown during the festival tour premiered for the first time in North America. Due to French filmmakers often not having distribution in North America, and American filmmakers not having distribution in France, this may have been the only time any of these films were on the big screen in Canada.
Volunteer benefits
Post secondary institution scholarships value student volunteering
Students hoping to get scholarships should not only think about their grade point average but also building a portfolio that includes volunteering experience, said the woman who helps Langara College’s students navigate various opportunities in the community and on campus.
Cannabis' spiritual use
Event uses cannabis for meditation
By SOUBHIK CHAKRABARTICannabis has been legalized in Canada for over a year now, and this newfound freedom has helped users find their inner selves.
UBC adjunct professor Mark Haden said that psychedelic plants and substances can help people reflect on themselves and that it is a way to connect with one’s inner self.
“There is no specific spiritual path that is more helpful,” Haden said. The Spirit Plant Medicine Conference, an international gathering of
notable cannabis activists and casual enthusiasts, was held at UBC from Nov. 1-3 and had attendees try out a new form of meditation -- one with cannabis as an integral ingredient.
Rachael Carlevale, a cannabis activist and conference presenter guided attendees through the evening in an attempt to calm their mind and refocus.
“It’s a relationship you’re building,” she said during her session, “to see it [cannabis] as a friend or an ally.” Carlevale wanted people to use cannabis with a purpose and to help them reach a goal.
One attendee, named Trina, asked for her last name to be withheld.
Trina said she loved how cannabis and meditation can go hand in hand. “It’s both informative and engaging,” she said about the session, “They are partners, for sure.”
Trina added that even though Canada legalized cannabis over a year ago, there is still this feeling of stigma around the use that persists. “People are very cautious. We know that people are watching.”
Not all experts agree this is the best method for meditation. Deboragh Varnel, a certified teacher of Transcendental Meditation since 1984, says cannabis and meditation can never mix.
“We ask students to refrain from taking cannabis fourteen days before starting the meditation course,” Varnel said, “It’s important that you don’t have something coursing the nervous system when meditating.” When meditation is meant to refine the nervous system, release stress, and improve your mental activity, it’s hard to accomplish when an opposing force like cannabis is still in your system.
Maggie Stewart, the coordinator of Langara’s volunteer program said volunteer hours are a big part of what universities are looking for in scholarship applicants, and it also rewarding for students to give back and be part of a community. Stewart, said she wouldn’t be the person she is today without volunteering.
“Back when I was a Langara student, I volunteered one thousand hours in one year,” said Stewart, and said people who volunteer gain both personal and financial benefits, such as leadership, networking opportunities and scholarships. “I received scholarships that I would never have received without being so involved in my community.”
Stewart said that “although volunteering doesn’t have a direct financial gain it definitely pays off”. In the nine years since VOLT began, students have logged more
than 730, 250 hours on-campus and off-campus volunteer hours, according to Stewart.
Shu Kurihara, an exchange student from Japan in the LEAP program at Langara said he never really volunteered until coming to Canada and that he is really enjoying volunteering.
“It’s a good thing and I’ve made friends,” Kurihara said, “I learned a lot of things I didn’t know before volunteering.”
Kurihara says that he recommends for everybody to take up a volunteer position.
Fulton Tom is a Langara professor and the organizer of the Good Swap, a free thrifting event where he gathers up clothes from across the city and has the student volunteers help run the event. Activities also included wrapping delicate objects and help keep things organized. “So that’s one of the nice things,” Tom said, “if they have a couple of hours, they can volunteer during their school day and then go to class.”
The Good Swap also collects donations and gives them to the Langara College Foundation. For Stewart, grades and volunteering are positively linked, for reasons like volunteering students end up spending more time on campus and working in community.
7 Arts&life EDITOR TIERNEY GRATTAN | THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 2019 | THE VOICE
In order from left to right, Antonia Raoux, Regis Painchaud, Justine Levesque and Eloïse Loriot. LAUREN GARGIULO PHOTO
“I received scholarships I would never have received without being so involved in my community”
— MAGGIE STEWART, VOLT COORDINATOREvent presenter Rachael Carlevale leads participants through meditation and breathing exercises. SOUBHIK CHAKRABARTI PHOTO By GINA ROGERS
Different countries, same game
U.S. basketball different from Canadian: new Falcons players
By STEVEN CHANGWhile the game of basketball serves as a universal language among hoopers, there are differences in the sport between Canada and the United States. Something that the Falcons have learned over the past three years.
This year’s Langara women’s basketball team has three U.S. recruits that all played in the junior college level for two years before coming to Canada.
Meagan Briggs is from Redding, California, studying Criminology. She came to Langara with former junior college teammate Emma Jones, looking to learn about basket-
ball in a different environment.
“Besides the rules being a little different, I would say there are more team components in Canada, whereas in the States you see a lot of individual players trying to carry the entire team,” Said Briggs, on team culture between the two countries.
Jones, from Camas, Washington and enrolled in Recreational Management. She spoke about transitioning to Canadian basketball.
“Every coach is going to be differ-
ent with their play calls, but the terminology is similar. Sometimes coach will use a different vocabulary, then Meagan and I would look at each other and recognize the plays we’ve learned from the past,” Jones said.
Third year General Management student, Katie Skipworth from Lebanon, Oregon, also had to make adjustments to her game because the rules in PACWEST are slightly different.
“In the States, you get a 30-second shot clock and here it’s 24 seconds,” Skipworth said. “That’s a huge differ-
ence for us, especially for me being a point guard that needs to bring the ball up the court.”
The three U.S. transfers said the competitiveness in American basketball culture begins at an early age.
Jones said basketball got competitive in the first grade. Briggs’ first team was in the third grade.
Briggs says Canadian youth sports programs are leaning towards participation and the U.S. focuses more on developing individual athletes.
“It’s more participation in Canada and putting kids in a team-oriented environment. Whereas in the States, we start training kids at a young age just to get better,” Briggs said.
The U.S. Players hope to bring success to the Falcons this season.
FALCONS GAMES
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Last game: Okanagan Coyotes 53 , Langara Falcons 50. At Langara College
Nov.1, 2019
Next Game: Langara Falcons at Capiliano Blues, Nov.8,2019 at 6 P.M.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Last game: Okanagan Coyotes 93, Langara Falcons 88. At Langara College
Nov. 1, 2019
Next Game: Langara Falcons at Capilano Blues, Nov.8, 2019 at 8 P.M.
Ping pong club growing, needs space
have scheduled times to play, though they also allow informal practice day to day. On the day members want to play, they text their interest via their Whatsapp group, Langara friends, and hear back from others who also want to play.
Sometimes there’s a wait.
With the interest in the sport increasing each year, the Langara ping pong club has been struggling to keep up with the demans and hopes either the student union buys a second table or the college will add some on campus. The club has approximately 100 members who all play on the sole table owned by the Langara Students’ Union. The tournaments
“There’s over 12 people and you need to wait for 30 minutes to one hour,” said Alex Utsumi an engineering program student.
Saransh Kumar, a biology student, has seen increased interest from students in the ping pong club especially on Clubs Day in September.
That day, “60 people enrolled,” said Kumar.
Reza Shamekhi, president of Langara’s ping pong club, has more than 200 signatures from Langara students who would like LSU or Langara to purchase another ping pong table. He says the gym would be a great place to locate a second or third ping pong table. Shamekhi
even suggested outdoor ping pong tables located around campus.
Shamekhi said in addition to loving the sport, he’s made friends at the table.
“I didn’t know anyone,” said Shamekhi, a firstyear general sciences student. “One day, I went into the Langara Student Union (LSU) building, saw some people playing ping pong and asked if he could play and they said yes.”
Shamekhi will decide what his next steps are to lobby for more ping pong tables on campus.
“I’m improving my leadership actually,” said Shamekhi.
Ping pong originated in Victorian England around the 1880s where it was played as an after-dinner parlour game by the upper-class. It didn't become an official Olympic sport until 1988 at the Seoul Summer Games.
8 Sportsnews THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 2019 | EDITOR JOSHUA REY
Falcons' Katie Skipworth (Left) and Meagan Briggs (Right) defend against Okanagan's Elizabeth Henne in a game on Nov.1, 2019 at the Langara College gym. STEVEN CHANG PHOTO
More members are joining and a new table is needed
By LINA CHUNG
“It’s more participation in Canada and putting kids in a team-oriented environment."
— MEAGAN BRIGGS, FALCONS PLAYERReza Shamekhi PING PONG CLUB PRESIDENT A student plays a game of ping pong at the LSU Building. The ping pong club has got so many members and one table isn't enough. LINA CHUNG
“There’s over 12 people and you need to wait for 30 minutes to one hour.”
— ALEX UTSUMI, PING PONG CLUB MEMBER
