The Voice • February 22, 2017 • Volume 48 • Issue 32

AT LARGE

ISSUES & IDEAS

Transit woes

Food security

Vancouver's cold weather raises concerns about future winters for Canada Line. P2

2015

W EE

ONLINE SPECIAL

Read 'the kids are NOT alright' to better understand how junk food affects children. P7

Talking Stick Fest Video of festival showcasing First Nations arts, crafts and performers: langaravoice.ca

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A P ER P S N EW E Y E A R of T H T WO

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PRODUCED BY LANGARA JOURNALISM STUDENTS | WWW.LANGARAVOICE.CA

South Van skaters zoned out

Young dancers get a 'leg up'...P4

City shuts down local skateboard park for unlicensed operation

FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • VOL. 48 NO. 32 • VANCOUVER, B.C.

Get a Leg Up on page 4

 By CASSANDRA OSBORNE

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ancouver’s only indoor skatepark has been shut down for operating without a valid business license; the owner says he’s been trying to secure one for four years.

Ben Chibber has tried to get The Dry Spot Indoor Sk8Park licensed since he opened it seven years ago. He was fined $18,000 on Monday.

Chibber had been operating “contrary to several city orders to cease,” according to the city. The city said Chibber had been operating the skatepark in an industrial space approved for wholesale use, violating zoning regulations.

"There hasn't been a licenced indoor skatepark in Vancouver -ever- in the history of the city," Chibber said. "The city has made it very difficult for me to obtain a licence."

He said it is the only indoor skate park in Vancouver that provides a full park experience. The problem, Chibber believes, is his skatepark is an unusual business in the area and the City of Vancouver has no precedent.

“The city has made it very difficult for me to obtain a license.”

— BEN CHIBBER, THE DRY SPOT INDOOR SK8PARK OWNER

He now aims to properly develop the warehouse in hopes of obtaining a license.

Chibber has a separate skateboard brand business, Monke Skateboards, he started 13 years ago in the warehouse and is currently licenced. Six years after starting his skateboard brand he added the indoor skatepark as a complementary business, operating in the same building. It was when he decided to expand a third time that the city “got wind” of Ben Chibber the skatepark.

THE DRY SPOT SK8PARK OWNER The skatepark acts as a place for young people to skateboard in a safe, clean, indoor environment where they can build a proper skate foundation, he said.

Sean Brothers, a customer of Chibber's, hopes the park will be able to operate again soon. He has seen the considerable effort and money put in to satisfying city requirements.

Catalyst Dance member Sophie Brassard practices for the upcoming Leg Up! Dance Project performance, part of a program which helps emerging artists break into their professional field. DAVID COOPER SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Gender requirement 'restrictive' Female & male categories leave non-binary students behind  By SAM MOWERS

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angara’s current election for student representatives of the education council calls for a male and female elect, alienating some students who don’t identify as either.

The election campaign, with voting running from Feb. 15 to Feb. 24, is considered by some to be outdated and “restrictive”.

Kit Pacilla, a Langara gender studies student, said the policy is prohibitive to students like themself, who don’t identify as male or female.

“As a non-binary student I think

that’s typical but very restrictive,” they said. “I am glad that there is a space for the two binary genders."

Pacilla added “I also hope that those aren’t specifically looking for cis-gendered students.”

They were referring to individuals who identify with their gender assigned at birth.

“Because there are binary trans people as well who should be applicable to those rules,” he said.

The council is composed of 21 voting members, four of whom are students.

Two are elected in September, and two more are currently standing for election to serve for a one-year term.

Half of the elected students must be male and half female.

The council votes on issues such as college policy on grading, withdrawal, curriculum content and awards for excellence.

According to the Procedures for Election to the Langara College Education Council, “the principle of gender equity will be maintained whenever possible.”

Saod Alkhaldi, a business student at Langara, thinks the policy is sensible because it ensures that neither men nor women are excluded.

“If they opened it up and had [all] males or [all] females, one of either gender will be mad,” he said.

Asha Rungta, an early childhood education student at Langara, said she thinks that a meritocratic approach — where people are selected based on merit — would be appropriate.

“Who cares about the gender of the person as long as they’re working toward our comAsha Rungta mon goals?” she EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION said.

STUDENT The election is in progress with voting open until 4 p.m. on Feb. 24.

New budget aims to lower student debt B.C.'s loan interest rates to be decreased  By TANNER BOKOR

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he B.C. government announced on Tuesday that it will cut student loan interest rates in half, bringing the province’s total investment in post-secondary education above $2 billion for the first time.

As part of this year’s budget student loan interest rates will be lowered in August and based on the prime-lending rate. The student loan repayment

process will be streamlined as a fixed amount per student and will allow students to work while studying without impacting their financial assistance.

“Advanced education got a significant budget increase, and that will flow to colleges and universities,” said B.C. Minister of Advanced Education, Andrew Wilkinson. “Most of it flows into payment for staff salaries… That’s where the teaching occurs.”

Student groups, some of whom have lobbied for lower loan interest rates for years, felt mainly validated.

"We’re very happy to see that the government has listened," said Alex McGowan, chair of the Alliance of BC Students.

Langara College officials said it is a

good thing that overall funding levels are being maintained because further investments in post-secondary programs are badly needed.

“The lack of substantial new investment will continue to pose challenges for many institutions in the sector,” said Ian Humphreys, Langara College provost and vice president, academic and students.

Humphreys cited expansion of the Aboriginal Service Plan as one example lobbied on by the college that wasn’t included in this year’s budget.

Jessie Smith of the Langara Faculty Association, which launched its Open the Doors campaign earlier this week to call for increased post-secondary funding, said that modest budget increases

haven’t kept up with inflation and rising costs.

“In fact, when you look at the per student grant, we've had a 20 per cent reduction at Langara College," Smith said.

The Langara Students' Union also pledged to continue efforts to increase education spending.

“The LSU believe that it is very important for the government to recognize the importance to increase funding for post-secondary institution,” said the LSU Media Committee in an emailed statement.

The budget also includes a $1.7 million increase to help schools provide better support for students who utilize financial services.

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Atlarge

THE VOICE | THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2017 | EDITOR EMELIE PEACOCK

Students give writer new voice

Jarrod Cook works with electrical engineering students Alex Berlingeri and Max Prokopenko on facial recognition for a modular communications system tailored to Jarrod's needs.

SASHA ZEIDLER PHOTO

Students design communcations system for writer with multiple sclerosis  By SASHA ZEIDLER

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arrod Cook’s 17-year journey of writing his book inspired a team of UBC engineering students to build him a communication sys-

tem.

Cook, who is quadriplegic due to his battle with multiple sclerosis, connected with the students through the Neil Squire Society, a non-profit that develops computer-based assistive technology for people with disabilities. As a fourth-year project, the electrical engineering students are designing a communication system tailored to Cook’s specific needs.

Cook, along with friend Trevor Mills,

has been writing and editing a book of “I always feel like I’m learning from short essays called Ponderations. The him through his writing and I’m rewriting process consists of Mills lip ally excited to see what happens when reading, or gohe is able to ing through the communicate alphabet until with less efCook indicates fort,” Mills the correct letsaid. ter with an Since last eyebrow moveSeptember — HARVEY JIANG, UBC STUDENT ment. students HarThis timevey Jiang, Max consuming method results in roughly Prokopenko, Mitchell Ho and Alex three words written per minute. Pon- Berlingeri have spent roughly 400 derations, meant to inspire readers to hours working with Cook and Mills to think, has taken 17 years to write due develop a modular system. Using eye to Cook’s restricted communication tracking and facial recognition, Cook is abilities. able to indicate a specific section of the

“He is one of the most optimistic people I have ever seen in my life.”

Transit ice crisis baffles TransLink still investigating icy tracks ahead of possible snowfall

Delta B.C. rebrands Campaign aims to shed 'Corporation' tag and market as a city

 By EMELIE PEACOCK

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 By ALYSE KOTYK

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ith snow forecast to fall this weekend in the Lower Mainland, TransLink continues to investigate why the Canada Line experienced track problems in Richmond during the region’s recent cold snap.

In early February, transit riders to and from Richmond faced significant delays because of snow and ice. Now, TransLink and Canada Line customers are looking ahead to what this means for future winters, and possibly this weekend.

“We’ve had many winters for Canada Line with freezing weather, with snow with no issues, so the question for us right now is why did it happen this year,” said Chris Bryan, a TransLink media relations officer.

Bryan pointed out that TransLink has measures in place to deal with the effects of cold weather, including “spray trains” that spray the track’s power rail

alphabet or letter with a movement of has proven to be a tremendous asset in his eyebrows or mouth. the testing process. “[The engineers and Trevor] are pa“He is one of the most optimistic tient, and that’s all that matters to me,” people I have ever seen in my life,” JiCook said of their collaboraang said. tion.

With Ponderations comThe system will allow pleted, their search for a Join the Cook to communicate Canadian publisher is Watch a video conversation quicker and with less underway. Cook continof the design effort. ues to devote himself to #hashtag “The ability to help the projects he starts. process bit.ly/#### somebody rather than “I am very bad at quitlangaravoice.ca ting,” Cook said. improve a process in a company or create a dif The functioning ferent device is what drew prototype will be complete me into this,” Prokopenko said. and available to help others in Despite Cook’s condition, his dedisimilar situations in early April. cation to making this project a reality

Commuters in Richmond during this February's snowstorm. SUBMITTED PHOTO with de-icing agents, sand to help with traction and on-train staff to help troubleshoot issues as they arise.

After the last drop in temperature, however, Bryan said a buildup of ice on the track led to a failure of the train’s electrical connection, particularly as the trains crossed the Canada Line Bridge into Richmond.

Richmond resident Dominique Vaz, who uses the Canada Line daily to commute to her job at UBC, said her usual hour-and-a-half journey took more than four hours during the last shutdown.

“The only way to get to and from Richmond is the Canada Line,” she said. “And when that fails, there’s no backup plan. I feel like Richmond always gets screwed over.”

Richmond Coun. Linda McPhail said the city contacted TransLink with requests to find out why the Canada Line had such track issues and to outline its plans to mitigate delays in the future.

“If you don’t have a reliable public transit, people are going to be like ‘I can’t chance it, I’ve got to go in my car,’” she said.

elta — or the Corporation of Delta as it is officially known — wants to become a city and is asking only those residents opposed to the idea to send in ballots by March 31.

All municipalities in B.C. are legal corporations, yet Delta is the only one in the province using the word “corporation” in its name. To become a “city,” Delta first has to determine how many residents are opposed to the move, and is asking naysayers to fill out ballots at city hall and recreation centres.

Delta Coun. Sylvia Bishop said becoming a city will raise Delta’s profile for individuals and businesses looking to relocate. It will also clear up political misunderstandings, such as when a recent delegation from Delta visited Rotterdam and was mistaken for a private corporation.

“People are always asking, ‘Well, what do you mean corporation of Delta?’”

Bishop said. “They think we’re some private business.”

Maple Ridge dropped the “corporation” tag in 2014, with only three people opposed to the name change. Maple Ridge Coun. Kiersten Duncan said be-

coming a city was the right move.

“It’s significantly easier to get funding and support from organizations and corporations and other levels of government,” she said.

Delta’s cost to run its campaign, which includes ads in local newspapers, is $5,000. Considering voter turnout for municipal elections in Delta has hovered around 30 per cent, the name change is not likely to face mass opposition.

“I would be surprised if we had more than a couple thousand [opposed],” said Lauren Munden, senior policy analyst at the Corporation of Delta.

If the name change goes ahead, very little of significance will change. Signs will be replaced as they age, stationery will be phased out and benefits Delta enjoys as a municipality, such as applications for provincial grants, will remain.

OTHER NEW B.C. CITIES

'CITY' PREFERED TO CORPORATION

Maple Ridge 2014

West Kelowna 2015

Pitt Meadows 2007

SOURCE: GOV.BC.CA

Campusnews

EDITOR CHELSEA POWRIE | THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2017 | THE VOICE

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Broader themes at career week

Visit langaravoice.ca for more coverage

Annual Langara event will expand this March with new employers  By EVAN HAGEDORN

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é

Maggie Ross, manager of the Langara student conduct and judicial affairs department, headed the college's process of implementing a new provincially-mandated sexual violence policy. CASS LUCKE PHOTO

New policy says speak up Langara's sexual assault policy focuses on student concerns  By SYDNEY MORTON

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tudents are more comfortable speaking up and reporting incidents of sexual violence now that Langara College has adopted a new policy on sexual violence and misconduct.

In 2016, Langara College began drafting a policy in accordance with new B.C. laws that state post-secondary institutions must regularly update them. The policy defines consent and outlines the college’s stance on sexual violence and harassment. Students had the opportunity to be part of the draft-

ing process through discussion groups Janine Sicotte, a peace and conflict and an online questionnaire. studies student, helped consult on the “The policy is a statement of the po- new policy. She said student feedback sition the college takes around sexual was vital in the process and as a surviolence.

The vivor of sexual procedures are violence, she felt how someone it was important who has expeto provide input. rienced sexual “People were violence can acvery much imcess support,” passioned and — DEBORAH SCHRATTER, LANGARA said Maggie interested about COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Ross, manger this. This wasn’t of the Langara just making a student conduct and judicial affairs de- policy because the government told us partment. to,” Sicotte said. “This was the first time

“I think students should always know what their rights are.”

that being able to relate to the victim/ survivor side of things, I was able to take that perspective and make it something useful.”

Langara communications officer Deborah Schratter is informing students about the new policy.

“I think students should always know what their rights are,” Schratter said.

“These are basic human rights and especially in a time like this it is important for us not to lose sight of what those basic human rights are, to feel safe and supported.”

The policy will officially be implemented in September 2017.

Spaghetti sticks stir up debate at café

Lollipop Moment Café claims raw pasta greener, cleaner option than wood  By VIOLETTA KRYAK

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A customer at Langara College's Lollipop Moment Café uses raw spaghetti to stir her coffee, an option that has proved popular. VIOLETTA KRYAK PHOTO

he Lollipop Moment Café at Langara College is using raw spaghetti as coffee stir sticks in an attempt to reduce waste and promote an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

This is the first instance of spaghetti used as stir sticks at Langara, though UBC's campus has used them for several years. The manager of Lollipop Moment Café, Tahai Zhog, said he uses spaghetti because it is easily compostable. He also wants to ensure cleanliness, since he doesn’t know how wood gets treated before becoming stir sticks.

Plus, the change has been popular.

“Everybody loves it. That’s why we keep using spaghetti, although the cost is higher than using the wood,” Zhog said.

The question of which type of stir stick would be better for the environment is a tough one, as experts would have to compare the impact of cutting down trees to the impact of growing the grain, and possibly using chemicals and pesticides.

“I’m not familiar with any studies off

the top of my head that say one is better than the other,” said environmental studies co-ordinator Katrina Erdos.

“And those kinds of evaluations are hard to make.

Spaghetti should be sustainable, and so should be the wooden stir sticks.”

A potential isTahai Zhog LOLLIPOP MOMENT sue for students is CAFE MANAGER that the spaghetti used is not vegan, GMO-free or celiac-friendly. Zhog, however, is not worried.

“If the person’s intolerance is that severe, they are facing risks all around, not just in our spaghetti,” Zhog said. “I started using spaghetti last term, so far nobody said 'That gluten is going to kill me.'”

Some students find the change charming.

“I think it is so funny! It is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen! It’s good, it’s something different,” said business management student Laura Duong.

rom March 13-17, Langara College’s annual Co-op & Career Week will appeal to a larger number of students than ever before.

In past career weeks, there has been a strong presence of business and mathematics related career opportunities. At this year's event, career opportunities from a wide variety of courses offered at Langara, including arts, will be presented from past graduates and companies.

These changes come as both experiential learning and work integrated learning are being highly demanded from industries.

Jennifer Reid, Co-op & Career Development Centre instructor, said the event is seeing science and other related industries increasing their campus presence through working with students on integrated learning projects.

“Our school of management has done it well for years and years by bringing in projects from employers and that kind Jennifer Reid of thing,” Reid CO-OP & CAREER INSTRUCTOR said. “And we're slowly starting to see it in [courses] like environmental studies and geography.”

This year’s event will also incorporate Langara’s Volt program. Volt is a student volunteer program that promotes community engagement, social awareness and student development “speed connecting” events, similar to speed dating, which allow students to network with different volunteering organizations.

Maggie Stewart, co-ordinator for Volt, said that although students don’t always have the proper career experience on their resumes, that can be gained in different ways.

“We're looking to help students develop both personally and professionally through volunteerism,” Stewart said.

With the high volume of career options being implemented into this year’s event, the Co-op & Career Development Centre has decided to assign a specific academic subject to each day, leading to a more structured and navigable event for both students and employers.

One employer attending the event, Brett Kendrick, managing partner of Nurse Next Door Home Care Services, will be looking for students who are interested in health care, and have a drive to make a difference.

“With our own company, we're always looking for people that are great culture-fit to join in,” Kendrick said.

CO-OP & CAREER WEEK

SCHEDULE OF THEMED DAYS

Monday Community programs and social sciences

Tuesday Mathematics and science

Wednesday Creative arts and humanities

Thursday Business management

Friday Health sciences SOURCE: JENNIFER REID

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Arts&entertainment

THE VOICE | THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2017 | EDITOR CLARE HENNIG

Festival showcases diversity of aboriginal dance

Coastal First Nations Dance Festival returns to Vancouver for 10th year in a row  By CHRISTOPHER THOROSKI

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ancers of Damelahamid is preparing for the annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival, from Feb. 28 to March 5 at the Museum of Anthropology.

This is the tenth year the festival is being held in Vancouver to showcase the relevance and diversity of First Nations song and dance in the region. The festival is also having a jubiMargaret lee anniversary this Grenier year, having started ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 50 years ago in Prince Rupert.

Margaret Grenier, the festival’s artistic and executive director has been directing the dance group since 2008 and believes the event helps to strengthen the community.

“It’s something that symbolizes the interweaving of community, our practices and also the generations that have worked in order to bring song and

“It's something that symbolizes the interweaving of community.”

— MARGARET GRENIER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

dance back to the coast,” Grenier said.

She has also noticed that indigenous dance forms have been more recognized within the greater community in recent years.

“What I see is that our dance is now being presented in a lot of venues and a lot of spaces where even three years ago we wouldn’t necessarily be part of those dance festivals or in those spaces,” Grenier said.

Grenier’s son, Nigel Grenier, is the outreach coordinator and lead dancer of the event. He described the festival as a chance for the public to see the artistic diversity of indigenous communities.

“People who haven’t been exposed to this before and [who] come to the festival for the first time, we hope that this is one of the thing that strikes them,” Nigel Grenier said. “[We want them] to realize just how rich that diversity is.”

Local dancers will perform alongside international artists from Australia, New Zealand, Alaska and South America.

Langara College's Elder in Residence, Mary Jane Joe, said the festival is crucial to maintaining First Nation culture and traditions.

“To have a dance celebration in this day and age is important, very important. It’s an expression of who we are,” Joe said.

Watch Dancers of Damelahamid rehearse langaravoice.ca

Catalyst Dance members Jenna Kraychy, Sophie Brassard, Brittany Angus, Carly Penner and Kestrel Paton practise for upcoming performance.

SUBMITTED PHOTO BY DAVID COOPER

Dancers emerge into the light South Van group transforms students into professionals  By RICA TALAY

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atalyst Dance, a South Vancouver dance group, is getting a leg up in their career with their upcoming production Chiaroscuro.

The show is produced by Dezza Dance as part of the Leg Up! Dance Project, an initiative to support emerging dancers. The event will be held at Moberly Arts & Culture Centre on March 10 and 11.

Chiaroscuro showcases contemporary dance pieces and is accompanied by the End Tree, a Vancouver-based band. Dance routines choreographed by students are based on the theme of chiaroscuro, meaning a contrast of light.

“In visual art, [chiaroscuro] just means the light and the dark and the shading, so all the dances have this theme of exploring dark and light,” said Desirée Dunbar, the artistic director and founder of Catalyst.

Dunbar began Catalyst, a mentorship program within Dezza Dance, when she realized that young dancers didn’t know how to brand themselves while keeping up with their dance skills as upcoming professionals.

“Our initiative is to give young emerging dance artists the opportunity to perform and present their work and to show what they love to do and what

“All the dances have this theme of exploring dark and light.”

— DESIRÉE DUNBAR, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CATALYST

they’re passionate about,” said Dunbar.

Kestrel Paton, a 19-year-old SFU dance student and member of Catalyst,

said the best part of the program is the group of people who have created a safe space for her as she discovers herself through dance. “[It] is really nice to have, especially as you’re figuring yourself out and figuring out your dancing and who you want to be,” Paton said. “So you know that wherever you want to branch out to you’ll have these people to work with you as well.”

Sophie Brassard, another Catalyst member and SFU alumna who choreographed her own routine in the show, is also grateful for the tight-knit group.

“We’ll have a max of five or six people in a dance so you just get a lot of performance time and experience which helps you grow really fast,” Brassard said.

Silent auction to fund art scholarships Students' work for sale to highest bidder  By CASS LUCKE

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Jonathan Pretty, student in Langara College's fine arts diploma program, paints one of his multimedia projects. CASS LUCKE PHOTO

ward-winning artwork by Langara College fine arts students will be selected for a silent auction, held in the campus’ employee lounge, on March 9.

At least 20 students' pieces will be displayed and put up for sale. Money raised in the auction will be matched

by Langara and will go to the fine arts scholarship fund.

“We had a plethora of beautiful work that was just not doing anything,” said Suzi Webster, the fine arts department chair.

Webster said she hopes the event will raise a few thousand dollars.

“We wanted to have an event that would raise money supporting the scholarships, celebrate art and create an opportunity for alumni to come back and let us know how they’re doing," Webster said.

Aidan Hanlon, an alumnus of the fine arts diploma program, said the auction is a way for former and current students to connect.

“I think it’s good for people still

studying at Langara to see what can happen if you keep at something you are really passionate about,” Hanlon said.

The price for each piece depends on the artwork but starting prices will begin around $100. There will also be a variety of unframed prints available for $25 each.

“It’s difficult to handle both a parttime job and school, so having financial support is a huge help,” said current fine arts student,Aileen Yadokoro.

Webster described the auction as “an opportunity for the Langara community to buy very high quality work at reasonable prices.”

SILENT ART AUCTION

WHEN TO LOOK, BID AND BUY

March 6 Art pieces in-

stalled in preparation for silent auction.

March 7 Viewing and bid-

ding starts prior to the auction.

March 9 4:30 -6:30 p.m. Final event of the auction, with additional prints for sale, in the employee lounge.

SOURCE: FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT

Lifestyles

EDITOR LAUREN BOOTHBY | THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2017 | THE VOICE

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Veggie dating seduces singles

Attendees look for an organic connection and discuss their reasons for going vegetarian or vegan at a Veg Speed Dating event at Buddah-Full restaurant in North Vancouver on the Friday before Valentine's Day. Participants had until midnight to find a mutual match. SYDNEY MORTON PHOTO

Vegetarian and vegan singles search for dates who share their lifestyle  By SYDNEY MORTON

V

egans and vegetarians looking for love are igniting a new dating trend.

Despite Vancouver being one of the most vegan and vegetarian-friendly cities in the world, looking for love with someone who shares a plant-based lifestyle can be a challenge for vegan and vegetarian singles.

That’s why restaurant owner Leanne Ringer hosted a Veg Speed Date event at Buddha-Full, a vegan res-

taurant in North Vancouver, the Friday before Valentine’s Day. Ringer said she wanted to create a sense of community through events catering to vegans and vegetarians.

The room buzzed with excitement as the ten men and twelve women foraged through potential matches to find their veggie soulmates. Each pair mingled for five minutes until a bell signalled it was time to move on.

“I have actually gone on dates with guys online and they told me that they

“I'm not the vegan police: you have to be more forgiving.”

— RENÉE SAMSON , SERVER

considered not even messaging me back because I’m a vegan,” attendee Stevee McDade said. “It deters guys. They think it's high maintenance.”

But diet is not restricting for everyone.

“It’s really hard to find a good vegetarian guy for sure, especially in Van-

Athleisure clothing hot for Spring Vancouver brands embrace casual-chic trend

“A lot of social activities revolve around food,” attendee Lois Salmond said, who has been to 25 meetups. “It’s a good group of people who are politically aware, and aware of the environment and concerned about animals too.” growth.”

Zend Conscious Lounge in Yaletown is hosting a Veg Speed Date on March 9 for straight and LGBTQ singles.

Digital tools may help students prepare for midterms

cation technology for the past 20 years and is the CEO of online course provider eCampusOntario. He said learning apps can improve student productivity and the quality of their work, and can better accommodate students’ schedules, both helping to ease academic stress.

“I think [study apps are] a good thing,” he said. “I would encourage students to bring devices to class always, and to use them actively in the class.”

But study apps are not for everyone. While language student Matthew Chow uses language apps in his spare time, when it comes to the classroom, he sticks with his pen.

“I prefer handwritten notes,” Chow said. “Just because it allows me to absorb the material a bit better.”

Porter said the popularity of learning apps will only increase in the future.

Smart apps, smart brains  By SHOJI WHITTIER

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 By LAURA BROUGHAM

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thleisure is a popular trend for spring in the Lower Mainland with athletic wear jumping off treadmills to join the workforce.

Vancouver-based companies like lululemon athletica and Kit and Ace have begun stocking clothing for the both business and leisure. Fashion blogger Samantha Sito said the distinction between work and athletic clothing at the office is not as clear as it used to be.

“That line is now blurred as athleisure is a comfy alternative to workwear and [yoga pants] can look professional when paired with a blazer,” she said in an email.

Leah Emmott, owner of local yoga apparel company Inner Fire Apparel, said the West Coast style of black leggings paired with tops with elaborate designs can have a multi-purpose function.

“I think what’s cool about [leggings] is you can dress them up. They look re-

couver,” attendee Renée Samson said.

“I’m not the vegan police: you have to be a little more forgiving.”

Vegetarian Meetup group Meatless Meetup also hosts events and an online community to make meaningful connections for anyone interested in learning about plantbased meals. Organizer Nancy Callahan thinks its important to create a community where people can feel safe to ask questions and make pressure without finding a romantic partner.

Pairing leggings in neutral tones with a conservative top, blazer or jacket and accessories make athletic wear acceptable as business casual. PIXABAY PHOTO ally great with heels. They look good underneath a long tunic or dress or a more casual long shirt,” Emmott said.

As students look to enter the professional word, athleisure can be a modern and casual way to update their wardrobes.

Langara co-op and career de-

velopment instructor Dionne Orrange said athleisure may be acceptable for some jobs, but not if they interact with customers.

“There definitely are certain workplaces where it is appropriate,” Orrange said. “Most [work] environments, I

tudents returning to tackle midterms after spring break may want to give their studies a digital boost.

Study apps like Listastic, Quizlet and Evernote, help some students keep track of assignments, studying, and take notes to supplement instruction in the classroom. While some students prefer traditional pen and paper, others find the electronic approach more appealing to help them perform their best.

Economics student Arthur Egeoz uses online tutor app Khan Academy with videos and exercises to help him study and stay focused.

“Online [study apps] make you concentrate more,” Egeoz said. “It’s good like that.”

Langara political science student Vedrana Tomić said she uses language apps Babbel and Duolingo to practice French. “[Study apps are] a lot more engaging, because it does it repetitively and it’s more catered towards you,” Tomić said. “Your prof can’t be with you 100 per cent of the time.”

David Porter has worked with edu-

STUDY APPS

 Organization

List-taking apps like Wunderlist, calendar apps like Google Calendar, and homework-tracking apps like myHomework Student Planner

 Note-taking

Evernote, Bear, and Microsoft OneNote are examples of crossplatform note apps.

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THE VOICE | THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2017

Viewpoints

| EDITOR BONNIE LEE LA MADELEINE

Native Wanted: real gentlemen culture C not for show hivalry is dead, hopefully.

When the provincial government mandates that all B.C. campuses must educate their students on what is sexual consent and what is rape, it suggests that something must be going horribly wrong in the way boys and young men learn about empathy, sympaSASHA thy, and physical LAKIC boundaries.

What we can

OPINION

H

ow much can I learn and connect with the peoples of Canada simply by watching a performance or purchasing artifacts they produce?

The annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival will quietly celebrate a 10-year partnership with the UBC Museum of Anthropology at the end of this month, while the country marks its 150th anniversary and ponders the recommendations handed down by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Anniversary celebrations are already underway. Many of them include First Nations and aboriginal dance, art, and cultural performance. It seems odd that the events that mark Canada’s establishment come at a time when the country is also trying to heal. The presentations of a unified history of Canada do not not reflect the experiences of many Canadians. People are calling out that history because it does not respect all the peoples who live within it’s borders.

Odder still is the sense that the BONNIE LEE dances, the art LA MADELEINE and the storytelling feel more like a grab for tourism than a desire to build inclusive community in Canada. At least, that was how I felt after watching a presentation at a Vancouver City Council meeting on Jan. 24 that outlined a year of First Nations and aboriginal events the city has planned for the country’s celebrations. It was partially sponsored by national and provincial

tell from numbers released by Statistics Canada is that the assailant in 94 per cent of the sexual assaults reported in 2014 were male. What’s worse, StatCan found that the number of reported sexual assaults has remained stable compared to the relative decline in other violent crimes since 2004.

The key word here is reported. Men are also victims of sexual assault, but they are much more reluctant to report than even women are, for fear of ridicule or disbelief according to StatCan. Despite the reluctance of both men and women to report the true numbers of sexual assault, the troubling lopsidedness of StatCan’s findings demands that everyone, and men in particular,

must re-examine their place in adult relationships.

Men look to the socially constructed “gentleman” to guide their attitudes and behaviour towards women.

Chivalrous brutes like James Bond and Dan Bilzerian come to mind, who, when revisited, set normative male standards by manhandling, belittling and objectifying most women they encounter.

For generations, we have rarely questioned the protector and warrior

roles that are almost universally expected to be filled by “good men.” Is it a surprise that rape culture continues to shape the behaviors of young men today?

Although Langara’s new sexual consent policy is taking the male perspective into account in a very exemplary manner, as it does with the rest of the gender spectrum, it is equally important that we teach young males, that growing up means questioning and rooting out the archaic ways of the men before us.

“[M]en in particular must re-examine their place in adult relationships.”

OPINION

“The art and storytelling feel more like a grab for tourism.” tourism boards.

My misgivings may also come from a conversation I had last October with Aaron Nelson-Moody, a master carver and instructor at Langara, who is teaching the reconciliation carving course.

During our conversation, he talked about the goal of carving in his community: to carry a tradition from one generation to the next.

“You have to re-carve [the totem] every generation,” he said. “Its being part of a continuum of carving 'and ceremony that has been going on for 12,000 years here.”

If he is right, then learning and understanding is participatory, then the gateway to connecting with all Canadians starts by entering into each others’

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.

CONCEPT: LAUREN BOOTHBY; COMIC: CASS LUCKE

Veggie-only love breeds narrow minds S

eeking out people who already think like you might help to ensure a sort of stability in your relationship, but it can also mean depriving yourself of new ideas.

For example, Vancouver vegetarians can now find love partners who share their values by participating in veggie speed dating.

These veggie dating groups appear to have one goal: to help people find new friends and partners with common interests. By limiting your exposure to only people with ideas identical to yours

limits your social circles. Yet, most people don’t willingly seek out people who don’t share their values.

I was speaking to a vegetarian friend, who is considering veganism, about this new dating trend and about inter-foodie VIOLETTA relationships. We KRYAK were joined by an

avid meat-eater.

The vegetarian argued that food preferences come from people’s moral position, making it impossible to date someone who has a different philosophy. Being a vegan is a statement of identity, and thus plays a big role in their love-choices. Going to such groups or websites just increases the chances of finding someone who shares a compatible moral position.

The meat-eater, however, said that food preferences have nothing to do with someone’s love-life. Going on dat-

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ing sites for specific groups limits options, he thinks. He said letting such a small aspect of someone’s lifestyle influence who a person dates is shallow.

Limiting your social circle to those who think like you could lead to apathy in the future as you fail to grow and be challenged by the differing opinions of those around you.

A person might start thinking that everyone shares his beliefs. Over time this may make it harder to be open to chance encounters, and that would be a big mistake.

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Issues&ideas

EDITOR MELANIE GREEN | THURSDAY, FEB.23, 2017 | THE VOICE

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Food crisis craves solution Food security is an issue in the wealthiest city in Canada

Forced to eat kibble

Many seniors struggle to afford healthy options  By KURTIS GREGORY

T

Lower to middle shelves in the grocery store, eye level with younger children, display major food companies' top-selling sugary cereal.

'The kids are NOT alright'

SASHA ZEIDLER PHOTO

New study finds that food marketing is putting children's health at risk  By SASHA ZEIDLER

F

ood companies like Kraft and Kellogg’s are targeting their marketing to children and are partly to blame for the tripling of childhood obesity rates over the last 40 years, according to a new study by the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.

According to the study, lowincome families are more susceptible to this form of marketing, purchasing products like Froot Loops and Eggo Waffles.

Kimberley Berger, executive director of South Vancouver Family Place, said that of the 200 families they see per week, those with a limited income do not have access to affordable and nutritious food.

"If you're in the store, you're tired, you don't have a lot of money, and your child says: 'I want that one instead' because it looks better and it is marketed towards them, sometimes the parent is just going to grab that one,” she said.

The study also shows that standards for marketing and nutritional labels are industry-regulated with sugary options like Lucky Charms, defined as “healthy choices”.

“Marketing to children should not happen.”

ADRIENNE MONTANI, ADVOCATE

"Marketing to children should not happen, and it's been ramping up de-

spite its supposed controls,” said Adrienne Montani, provincial coordinator for First Call BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. “What we see is the outcome of that, and the way it relates to low-income families.”

Marketing towards children is to blame for processed foods making up 60 per cent of the average family’s dietary purchases, said the study.

Family dietitian Jill Wallace thinks that both the marketing and the grocery store industry are adding to this problem by the way they present unhealthy foods.

"The food that is available for kids, the processed food, is full of sugar and salt and all sorts of things that do not need to be in there,” said Wallace. “The more they eat it, the more they are going to get used to it.”

CHILD POVERTY IN B.C.

Poverty rates

595,000 B.C residents live below the poverty line - meaning one in five children are impoverished

Parents are working

50.3 per cent poverty rate for kids with single parents who work full-time

B.C. rates higher than rest of Canada

17 of 29 districts had rates even higher than 20 per cent.

SOURCE: FIRST CALL BC WEBSITE

Free bag o' groceries for hurtin' students College starts a pilot project that aims to help food insecure students get access to nourishment  By SASHA LAKIC

A

s of Feb. 1, cash-strapped students at Langara College have been able to grab a free bag of groceries and toiletries from the financial aid office in the T-Building.

The Community Cupboard, which operates like a food bank, is a 12-week pilot project developed by The Hub, the Langara Foundation and the financial aid office. It is designed to help out food-insecure students throughout the latter part of the spring semester.

Jagmail Dhillon, a first-year computer science student who spends $100 per week on groceries Jagmail Dhillon and has to keep a COMPUTER SCIENCE part-time job to STUDENT cover expenses,

welcomes the Community Cupboard.

“It would be really helpful for me,” said Dhillon. “I could invest more time into my studies and save money.”

Laura Vail, the assistant registrar for financial assistance and information

to see more,” Vail said.

The project was created to be as barrier free as possible, so although students are required to complete a brief survey, no proof of financial need is necessary, Vail said. The survey will collect data for

“In March, we see students running out of money and that's when we expect to see more.”

LAURA VAIL, ASSISTANT REGISTRAR FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

services, said students are most financially stable in the first two months of the year. So far, less than five students have used the service.

“In March, we see students running out of money and that’s when we expect

demand for a permanent program later.

“Bags are pre-packed and students typically have a vegetarian and nonvegetarian option,” Vail said.

In a room adjacent to the financial aid office, orange Langara tote bags are

stuffed with food and hygiene products that sit side by side on a grey shelf.

According to a study in partnership with Canadian universities and the charity Meal Exchange, 39 per cent of post-secondary students in Canada are food insecure, defined by the researchers as having “limited or inadequate access to food due to insufficient finances.”

Graham Riches has studied food insecurity since 1986. The UBC School of Social Work professor is critical of the existence of food banks, seeing the financial uncertainties as a systemic problem.

“It’s a question for the authorities and the students,” Riches said. “Why aren’t they putting pressure on the politicians to actually engage the issues of adequate welfare benefits, student loans, and grants?

"I think it’s totally unacceptable, given the wealth of this province.”

he struggle to meet basic food needs is a stark reality for Vancouver seniors and some are forced to choose between paying their rent and feeding themselves.

According to Chantille Viaud, the director of community food initiatives at Gordon Neighbourhood House which hosts weekly inexpensive or entirely free lunches, high rent often forces many seniors to reduce how much they eat throughout the week.

“We’ve even heard horrific stories in the West End of folks who are eating pet food for protein because it’s cheaper than buying other sources,” Viaud said. “[Some] will go for days and days just eating tea and bread and they will come into a community lunch, like we offer, and that will be their one protein for the week."

The community house advocates for the development of a national food policy emphasizing that food is a human right and Canada has a legal obligation to respect it, Viaud said.

Barbara Kirby, an advocate and consultant with multiple years of experience helping seniors navigate available services, has found the struggle with rent impacts their ability to meet basic needs.

“They’ve lived in the same place for 40 years and now the building is being torn down and the current rents today are much higher than what they’ve been paying all those years,” Kirby said.

According to a 2015 study conducted by the Office of the Seniors Advocate, 60 per cent of B.C. seniors live on less than $30,000 a year.

On Feb. 13, the federal government initiated a consultation process for a new poverty reduction strategy, which is a comprehensive plan to address the root causes of poverty.

Currently B.C. is one of the few provinces that does not have a plan.

A proposal in fall is expected.

Seniors share coffee at Gordon House community lunch. SUBMITTED PHOTO

8

Sportsnews

THE VOICE | THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2017 | EDITOR ALYSE KOTYK

For more photos, visit langaravoice.ca

Dragon boat crew building stamina Langara Ligers begin season early with winter practices  By JASON GILDER

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Alumnus touches world championship Langara College alumnus Matson Lalor competes against Swedish opponent at Peter Bakonyi World Cup. KURTIS GREGORY PHOTO

Former Langara student fences in international competition  By KURTIS GREGORY

Lalor’s former coach and mentor, Igor Gantsevich, said the tournament ormer Langara student Mat- was a chance for him to get used to the son Lalor finished as the senior level of competition. top-ranked Canadian in his “Matson’s a junior. So to make the age group last weekend at the jump from a junior national team memPeter Bakonyi World Cup at the Rich- ber to a senior national team member mond Oval. is a big jump,” At just 19, Lalor Gantsevich is nine years under said. “It’s his the average age second or of the épée fencthird event at ers, and finished this level, this 118th overall. is the Olym“It’s a great oppic category —MATSON LALOR, FORMER LANGARA STUDENT portunity to fence level so you’re the best guys in going to have the world and test myself to see where I Olympic champions to world champiam on the world stage and get to com- ons.” pete and have fun,” Lalor said.

Despite the high level of competition,

F

"It's a great opportunity to fence the best guys in the world and test myself."

Lalor won two out of five of his bouts in the first round, known as the poule round. This placed him high enough on the standings to qualify for the elimination rounds, known as the tableau rounds.

“Even where he is now it’s a successful tournament because he’s already done better than every other Canadian his age,” said Lalor’s father, Braedan, after his son passed the poule round.

In the first round of elimination Lalor faced Robin Kase, a 24-year-old from Sweden. With a final score of 15 touches to 11, Lalor was eventually eliminated by Kase, ending his run in the tournament.

“I was a little bit slow to learn and adjust at the beginning. I figured it out after the first five touches. I was just a

little too far behind to catch him,” Lalor said, after he was eliminated.

Overall, though, he was pleased with his performance.

“I was pretty happy with how I fenced ," he said. “I started to feel some of my fencing come together.”

Next season, Lalor will compete at the senior level. He hopes to continue his training while studying at Emily Carr University of Art + Design.

FALCONS' TALLY WOMEN

W-L 5-12

Ranked: 6th

MEN

W-L 13-4

Ranked: 2nd

fter holding their first practices of the year, Langara’s dragon boating club is fueled by the prospects of challenging their rival in Vancouver’s biggest dragon boat competition this spring.

Last season, the Langara Ligers came just shy of winning a gold medal in the recreational B division at the 2016 Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival. They were beaten by the Czech Republic’s Czech Dragons who pulled ahead of the Ligers in the last 10 seconds of the race.

In his second season with the Ligers, computer science student Donat Daoutov is excited about competing this year and said his teammates hope to face their Czech adversaries again.

“They would definitely value beating our rivals, even though we only faced them once,” Daoutov said. “It still boots motivation to think about having these certain teams and competing against them.”

To truly challenge the Czech team, Ligers manager and kinesiology student, Aidan Menard pointed to the Ligers’ need to continue improving their endurance in long distance races.

“The main thing is starting practices earlier,” he said. “Trying to get that base fitness and making sure we have all of our refinements and technique down.”

The Ligers began practices in September 2016, a stark contrast to the team’s first year when they commenced in March. Menard added that practicing in the cold this season has led to increased endurance.

Shamus Menard, Ligers assistant manager said the Czech team has a unique way of competing.

“They wave the flags and they yell,” he said. “While they were paddling, they were yelling and we were head-tohead with them down the race course.”

The 2017 Dragon Boat Festival takes place from June 23-25 in False Creek.

The Ligers' first race is on May 6.

Falcons fail to impress in season's final stretch Both men and women's teams falter in secondto-last games  By DUNCAN ANDERSON

W

ith spots secured in the PacWest Basketball Provincial Championships, the Langara Falcons men and women's basketball teams lacked the motivation to win their penultimate games last Saturday.

Both of the teams lost against the Douglas College Royals with final scores of 7161 for the women and 96-88 for the men.

“Sometimes when you have a game like that, you tell your guys you gotta keep it going but it’s kind of hard,” said head coach of the men’s team, Paul Eberhardt. “The

level of intensity wasn’t as high as it should have been.”

Even so, the men’s team automatically qualify for the semi-finals on March 3 at Quest University with their second-place regular season finish. They will play the winner of the Capilano Blues and the Camosun Chargers game on March 2.

“Our goal at the start of the year was to win the league but if not win the league then come second,” Eberhardt said. “So we accomplished that goal with coming second and we are pretty pleased with where we are at.

But Eberhardt isn't just looking for a second place finish.

“Our goal is to win it,” he said.

The women’s team is full of mostly

first year players and experience has been a topic of concern for them this season.

“We were actually leading the majority of the first half [of the game] and I guess the reason why we lost was because of our age,” said Trisha Francia who plays on the women’s team.

But for Winston Brown, head coach of the women’s basketball team that excuse has been overused.

“Being a younger team was an excuse earlier in the season but that is getting old. In the second last game of the season it would have been nice to see some more maturity,” Brown said.

As high school season is entering the playoff stage, Brown has begun recruiting new players for the women’s team next year, putting pressure on the current team members to perform in the provincials.

“Intrinsically, there is a feeling of them needing to solidify a spot and show their worth and value for next years’ team,” Brown said. "We have a — PAUL EBERHARDT, talented young team, and also MEN'S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH a few talented recruits coming in."

"The level of intensity wasn't as high as it should have been."

Falcons forward Randjodh Hare battles for the ball at tip off against Douglas College Royals. SUBMITTED PHOTO