Rules and responsibilities of disclosure............7
A recent Supreme Court ruling relaxs rules for disclosing HIV to sexual partners if risk is low
V
the oice
produced by langara journalism students
Students suffer longer wait times for counselling
Check us out onli LangaraVoic ne at e.com Look for our exclusive feature on ho w lockout is aff the NHL ecting local bars and pub s
october 18, 2012 • Vol. 45 no. 3 • vancouver, b.c.
DRY AUTUMN WEATHER HOLDS OUT TO SHOWCASE VIBRANT COLOURS OF FALL
During this stressful time of year, it can take up to six working days to get an appointment for advice By ANNE ELLISON
D
uring the first round of midterms, the counsellors at Langara are as swamped as students. Although spikes during exam and registration periods are to be expected, the demands on counselling departments across Canada are increasing, according to Langara counsellor Tim Charters. “It’s kind of hectic around here,” said Tim charters Charters, who pracCounsellor at Langara College tices career, academic and personal counselling. “They should hire some more [counselors],” said health sciences student Desiree Bigornia, frustrated by the long wait for academic advising. Students can wait up to six working days for an appointment. Counsellors are working within the constraints of funding (just over $1 million annually) to serve the needs of roughly 10,000 Langara students. The department employs one parttime and eight full-time counsellors. Two full-time and one part-time student services assistants are on hand to answer general career and courseplanning inquiries.
See Counsellors, page 2
SASCHA PORTEOUS photo
Students on campus enjoyed Wednesday’s dry weather and bright autumn colours despite the threat of rain in upcoming forecasts.
Election results still not public Newly-elected board members only disclosed in LSU meeting Monday
MEMBERS
Newly elected
Evelyn Zeng, board member at large
Adrien Fu, disabilities liaison
Adam Giesbrecht, queer liaison
Ranhawa Gunkirat, women’s liaison
Emma Munroe, environmental issues coordinator Source: LSU board members
By Tanya Hill
T
wo weeks have passed since the Langara Students’ Union elections during the first week of October. However, official election results have still not been posted on their website or otherwise. Repeated attempts by the Voice to obtain the official results have been ignored. This Voice reporter was able to find out the election winners from the newly elected members themselves at the annual general meeting. Several of the new members spoke after the annual general meeting about their thoughts on upcoming initiatives. “I would like to see more transpar-
ency, outreach and general student awareness of LSU activities,” said board member at large Evelyn Zeng. The LSU annual general meeting and passing of the budget was held on Sept. 20. When asked about the pending information regarding over $40,000 of unaccounted student fees reported several weeks ago, Adrien Fu, disabilities liaison, stated, “I want to get as much student input as I can before making any financial decisions.” Langara business student Dean Tsatouhas was at the AGM and spoke to Langara Published, a student blog at the College. “I asked why there was a $10,000 to $15,000 increase in student honorariums,” said Tsatouhas.
“After some beating around the bush I got an unclear answer,” he added, paraphrasing that “the LSU stated that ‘the board has been much more active this year.’” Langara Published previously interviewed Langara student and former board member Muneori Otaka about his experience with the LSU. “I assumed from attending the meetings that the majority of the board members just want the titles, and the power to spend money,” Otaka said. “Of course, not everyone on the board was like that, and there are a few intelligent students who are genuinely there to serve students.” Full election results are expected to be posted this week on LSU’s website at www.lsu.bc.ca.
Thousands of fruit and nut trees will be planted By RYAN BANAGAN
Vancouver Park Board continues to plant trees along streets and in parks for Greenest City 2020 Action Plan
T
he Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation is committed to planting 150,000 new trees throughout the city by 2020. The Park Board is responsible for maintaining Vancouver’s urban forest of approximately 140,000 street trees that line boulevards and medians, along with trees in over 200 public parks. Vancouver city council completed the first major step when it approved the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan in July 2011. The plan is divided into ten smaller plans, each with long-term goals that address three overarching areas of focus: carbon, waste and ecosystems.
Printed on recycled paper
The Park Board is focusing their attention on increasing the number of Vancouver’s food-bearing trees by 50 per cent. “Goal six, access to nature, has two targets. Plant 150,000 trees and have all Vancouver residents live within a fiveminute walk of a park, greenway, or other green space by 2020,” said Niki Sharma, Park Board commissioner. “Trees provide an incredible array of environmental, social and economic benefits, including cleaner air, habitat and food for wildlife, reduced erosion, improved water quality, increased property values and neighbourhood pride,” said Park Board communications manager Joyce Courtney. In order to reach the target, the board requires public and private part-
ner contribution. The board estimates one third of the trees will be planted on private properties. The remaining two thirds will be planted on streets, in parks and on other public properties. Two thirds of the trees will come from the Park Board’s own tree farm in Langley, said Courtney. City staff is projecting about 3,000 street trees will be planted in 2012. The annual planting program costs about $650,000 from the Park Board capital budget. The unit cost of a new tree is $375. In 2012 there was $67,400 added to the budget to support maintenance of these new trees. Maintenance fees include pruning and controlling pests and diseases.
RYAN BANAGAN photo
The Greenest City 2020 Action Plan aims to increase food-bearing trees in Vancouver by 50 per cent.
News
Editor AUDREY McKINNON
The Voice, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012
Pursuit of co-ed cans to continue
Seniors to double: south Van optimistic Neighbourhood care homes aren’t worried about funding or an increase in need.
Last years’ queer liaison was not voted back in, but her heir says he’ll soldier the fight for mixed loos.
By JANA MINOR
S
By Kevin Hampson
T
he Langara Students’ Union’s new queer liaison Adam Giesbrecht, will continue his predecessor’s push to change the B-building washrooms to unisex, he said Tuesday. Unisex washrooms are an accommodation for transgendered people who face discrimination and violence in public washrooms, according to former queer liaison Andy Sandberg. Sandberg said she has been developing her proposal for months. In preparation, she spoke with unisex bathroom advocates at Simon Fraser University. She also checked with city hall to ensure the proposal does not contravene city regulations. The SFU unisex bathrooms are only single-stall units, but multi-use unisex bathrooms wouldn’t be a first in a B.C. school. The University of Victoria opened some of the first multi-use coed washrooms in Canada this summer. A comment on UVic’s newspaper the Martlet, said there are far more women than transgendered people and a higher proportion of women are assaulted. “Now the much greater percentage of women who have been abused must go out of their way to use the more hidden [single-sex] washrooms? . . . To convert the main visible washrooms at the expense of vulnerable women is selfish,” the comment read. Another post asked if “gender-inclusive washrooms [are] creating a whole new dynamic of safety/harassment problems.” Sandberg said that safety has increased where unisex bathrooms have been adopted, though she was not aware of any data to support the claim. “We’ve talked to people who’ve experienced desegregated washrooms [at SFU],” she added. “There have been no complaints that I’m aware.” First-year business student Melissa Nestoruk raises different concerns. “Girls need to get ready in a bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror, I don’t want a guy watching me,” she said. Sandberg said privacy concerns would be solved by putting mirrors in the stalls. Other students were more supportive. “It would take a little bit of time . . . but you could learn to live with it,” said third-year general studies student Ryan Thorne. Langara administration did not respond on the possibility of unisex bathrooms in the B Building.
KEVIN HAMPSON photo
The LSU’s new queer liaison is still hoping to get mens’ and ladies’ symbols on the same signs in Langara’s B Building washrooms.
2
MICHAEL LETENDRE photo
A Langara student inverts his pocket on Friday, Oct. 12 at Langara Gardens at 57th Ave W, Vancouver, B.C. Students are feeling the pinch of high housing costs in Vancouver.
High cost housing gauges students
Housing inaffordability isn’t just a problem for home buyers; high rental prices can also be difficult to balance with the cost of education. By Michael Letendre
V
ancouver is experiencing a shortage of affordable housing, and it may be placing post-secondary students in a position where their quality of life is affected. The Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation says housing costs should not exceed 30 per cent of household income to be affordable, yet half of people under 35 in Vancouver are spending more than half of their income on housing, according to the City of Vancouver’s Task Force on Housing Affordability. Langara science student Anna Khalina works 30 hours per week to support herself and pay for school. She pays $600 a month in rent and considers herself fortunate to have that rate, but still struggles to juggle school and work. “With bills and with rent and with the workload, it’s hard.” B.C. does have a subsidized housing program. But, the B.C. Housing website states, “Subsidized housing vacancies are limited, and many thousands of people are waiting for housing.” The City of Vancouver has tried to create more affordable housing through projects like its Short Term Incentives for Rental Housing program, which offers developers incentives for making buildings with 100 per cent
rental units. Condos for sale in south Vancouver go for up to $550,000, so developers may need convincing to rent. Councillor George Affleck said that programs like STIR are not creating enough affordable housing. He cited a STIR development at 1401 Comox St., where rent is expected to cost around $1,400 per month. “I don’t see these units as being affordable.” “Nothing much has changed since I was a student when it comes to affordability,” said Affleck, a former Langara journalism student. “Obviously, it’s a problem.” Helesia Luke, co-owner of Ethos Strategy Group, a planning, research and communications firm that works on public interest issues in Vancouver, is concerned about the welfare of students. “It’s obviously a really precarious place to balance high housing costs with the growing cost of education, so it’s sort of a double whammy.” As for solutions, Luke said, “We need a national affordable housing strategy. We’re the only G8 [Group of eight] country that does not have one.” Steve King, a computer science student at Langara, had to take out student loans to support himself. “I don’t like being in debt,” said King. “I don’t think anybody does.”
SIGNS
on campus Posters found on
Langara billboards Room For Rent on 49th and victoria $420+internet/160 sq/ft -sublet one room in two-bedroom suite.
room for rent furnished $470/utilities included -one bedroom in two-bedroom suite.
2 bedroom basement suite $780 -two-bedroom basement suite. Washer, no dryer.
brand new ground floor 1br $700-$750/utilities included -private entry one-bedroom.
student accomodation available $425 -one room in two-bedroom suite.
enior citizens make up 14 per cent of South Vancouver’s population and that’s estimated to double by 2029. Despite projected pressure on existing seniors’ services due to an increase in numbers, care workers have an optimistic outlook. “In Canada, we’re getting better at helping people have more dignity at the end of life,” said James West, a support worker at the Arbutus Ridge, Shaughnessy and Kerrisdale Friendship Centre. Accommodating more seniors is a “priority issue,” said West, adding that the centre hopes to open a second location. A.S.K. provides transportation, meals, fitness and social programs for seniors for free. “As long as funding is in place, we’ll be OK,” said West. “Seniors vote so often, their funding doesn’t get cut. And the people controlling the purse strings also have aging parents.” Because more elderly are also living longer, seniors aged 85 and older are the fastest growing population subgroup in B.C according to BC Stats. “We have seniors who are 100 and living at home with no pain, no glasses, no medication,” said Leah Deslauriers, the seniors’ program coordinator at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. “We’re afraid that boomers will use up all our pensions and health care. Will it actually happen? Who knows, there’s lots of people living at home with dementia now.” Increased health and lifespan of senior citizens may actually mean decreased demand for residential care james west homes, she added. A.S.K. support But for the six worker per cent of the senior population that ever lives in a care home, the current wait time is between eight to 10 months for admission to a nursing home. Wait times are shorter for assisted living and independent living buildings as long as seniors aren’t choosy about where they have to go.
COUNSELLORS,continued from page 1 “Students’ lives are more stressful than in the past,” making it more difficult to handle the hurdles of post-secondary education, said Charters. He also encounters more students coping with increasingly serious mental health issues. Charters says financial pressures, bleak employment prospects and high competition cause the increase. An uncertain job market weighs heavily on students to choose the right courses and to excel in them. Charters sees his busy day as positive. Mental health disorders are less stigmatized and more students are coming forward. Students who seek advice are more likely to succeed. To balance growing demand, there are more group information sessions and workshops. A stress management workshop will be held on Nov. 7, with course-planning sessions held every two to four days throughout November.
Campus news
Editor Jeremy SALLY
The Voice, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012
3
Langara Kendo club hits campus hard Japanese martial art roaring and lunging into college this fall By Brandon Kostinuk
T
JEREMY SALLY photos
Screaming lunges are the norm for UBC’s kendo club, especially for Seattle’s Dana Chinn (left) who powered through her opponents.
Langara students iLead the way ahead Today’s leaders speak at the college to groom the stars of tomorrow By JUDY CHERN
L
angara’s first ever leadership conference on Friday, Oct. 26 is calling all students who want to have their voices heard and make change in society. The iLead conference is a precursor to a new student leadership program and will feature nine speakers with a range of specializations, including Grammy award-winning composer Bramwell Tovey. Tovey has led orchestras from all over the world, including the Vancouver Symphony Orchesta, and brings an artistic front to the topic of leadership. Marketing executive Wayne Culligan will also be speaking at the conference. Culligan has more than 15 years of experience in the field, including a position at Alliance Atlantic that saw him manage numerous television and motion picture marketing efforts. “Twenty-first century social, educational and economic needs call for
skilled leaders,” said Shirley Roberts, manager of student assistant programs in an email. She says that employers look for people that can demonstrate leadership ability, but we also need those who can create jobs and programs that are currently lacking in society. Roberts said that the conference was created with the belief that everyone has some leadership potential. “We want to recognize where the participants are currently at with their ideas and skills and build from there,” she said. Organizers hope to teach skills that are applicable in both business and community. These include team building, project planning, and how to recognize an opportunity to “fill a gap” in society. The conference aims to engage students across all faculties and make sure that each department is equally represented. The extended deadline to apply has passed, but slots may still be available. For more information, check iLead’s Twitter account @ileadlangara or the conference’s website at langara.bc.ca/ ilead.
he Kendo Club has arrived: $30 membership fee and one bamboo sword is required to participate. Students Aaron Lev, Sei Kaneko and instructor Raymond Chow began organizing the Langara Kendo Club in August, but everything from school approval to gym time is now being settled. “For me, kendo was a way to incorporate discipline in my life,” said Lev, adding, he hopes it can do the same for others. But Lev said his short-term goal is simple: to introduce others to the sport. Kaneko, an international student, said she helped start the club to meet new people, while doing something she loved to do in Japan. Kendo is more than a martial art, said Kaneko, its style and structure, rooted in Japanese tradition, instills character and respect, and fosters a sense of community. Lev and Kaneko also praised Chow’s role, saying the club wouldn’t be in the position it is without his guidance and leadership. The club has also affiliated itself with the Steveston Kendo Club and the UBC Kendo Club, so members will benefit from seeing a series of different coaches. They include Steveston Kendo Club head coach Ray Murao, a seven-time Canadian national team member and five-time national team coach. David Harding, head instructor for the UBC Kendo Club, said the sport is physical but severe injury is rare. “The most common injuries are blisters on the foot because you have to practise in bare feet,” said Harding. Club organizers have another information session tonight, Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. in room C123. See the Langara Kendo Club Facebook page for information.
“YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL IN SILK” Hand embroidered silk dresses-wrap skirts from India “Princess design” $75.00 $ 45.00 $25.00 Ponchos-Shawls- (Wool natural fiber) $25.00 -$15.00 (Rayon) and other India products. Student Union Building Langara Community College October 22-27 For further information please e-mail karma2great@yahoo.com
Entertainment
Editor MICHELLE GAMAGE
The Voice, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012
Zombie thriller a yawnfest
Tables turn in teacher art exibit Langara fine arts instructors show off their artistic abilities in an “inspiring” show in the faculty lounge
The Virtual Stage’s latest play, written and directed by Andy Thompson, fails to frighten or entertain
By JANA MINOR
S
By Kevin Hampson
A
play that involves getting chased around Vancouver by the living dead, while desperately seeking a cure for a plague turning citizens into zombies and getting drenched by rain, ultimately fails to thrill. The Zombie Syndrome is a new interactive play where an audience of around 10 become the protagonists of the show by following their smartphones and several odd-ball characters, in a quest to find the laboratory of zany scientist, Dr. Mosenski. There they must nab the antidote to the syndrome that’s turning Vancouverites into walking corpses. The play’s location is kept from the audience until a day or two before the show, when audience members receive a call from a “sergeant” who informs them of the upcoming date. The ad-libbed banter between actor and audience is the best thing about the show. It creates an edge, as no one knows exactly whats going to happen – not even the actors. The downside is that the audience spends most of the show trekking around outside in the seasonal rain looking for clues. Each character appears briefly before sending the audience on their way, leaving little opportunity for character development. In terms of story, The Zombie Syndrome is a preachy morality play about the evil of private corporations and the good of public health care. Dr. Mosenski “demanded his work be provided to the public free of charge,” explains the doctor’s nephew. But he was thwarted by the play’s real villains: “scum-sucking corporate pigs . . . driven only by profit.” The zombies are as superficial as the other characters, despite their potential for symbolism. If they had represented a real-life horror, such as drug addiction or AIDS, they would have been scarier. Instead we learn that the pitiable corpses are merely victims of greedy pharmaceutical companies. The story fails to get off the ground and even the height of the action feels anti-climactic. The plot is weak, as a result of the absence of any strong characters with conflict, and fails to create dramatic tension. Still, the show does deliver some amusing theatre. The Zombie Syndrome runs until Oct. 31, with tickets selling for $25.
4
RICHARD HODGES photo
Gina Ciccone, 23, drinks a Blue Buck by the Philip brewing company at The Roxy open mic night on Tuesday. Blue Buck is a deep amber coloured beer with a crisp finish and a delicate hop aroma. The Blue Buck is a legendary animal rumoured to grant travellers, who are lucky enough to catch a glimpse, safe travels and good fortune.
Celebrate craft-y Vancouver draught
tudents have the chance to critique their instructors’ work at the Fine Arts Faculty Art Show. The show, in its second year, is a rare opportunity for instructors to showcase their work. The show runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 25 and is free of charge. Students are invited to browse the art in the faculty lounge, room A194. “Some are really inspiring,” said first year fine arts student Georgia Williams of the pieces at the Oct. 11 opening in the faculty lounge. The show includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery and multimedia installations. “It gives you a new perspective on your teachers,” said Christian Vistan, another fine arts student. The show has no formal theme but a recurring motif is the depiction of many iconic figures. Luke Blackstone’s mechanical sculpture features Leonardo da Vinci and Suzi Webster’s pop art print fuses Marilyn Monroe with Che Guevara. Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, Ernest Hemingway and Charles Darwin all cameo in Jake Hill’s multimedia sculpture, Beards of Better Men. Yet not-so-famous people such as Brian McGibney’s bronze sailboat sculpture have inspired other works. The sculpture is inspired by McGibney’s memories of sailing with his father, who cannot sail anymore due to illness, on Okanagan Lake. “I love sailing,” said McGibney. The small sculpture weighs nine kilograms and took 100 hours to make. It’s titled Close Hauled, a nautical term describing a boat sailing as directly into the wind as possible without capsizing, or tipping over.
October is B.C.’s craft beer month, and brewers are marking the event with seasonal flavours By Richard Hodges
F
or the second straight October, British Columbia is celebrating craft beer month. The expanded celebration will see more than 112 casks tapped around a city that is increasingly committing to home-brewed suds. B.C. beer drinkers spent $111.5 million on microbrews in 2011, a sharp increase from $56 million in 2007, according to statistics from the Liquor Distribution Branch. It’s enough to see the market share of craft beer in the province hop to 12 per cent. It’s a wave Steamworks brewery president Walter Cosman and his partner, former Langara student Marc Roberts, are hoping to ride as they recently introduced their products into private and public liquor stores. “People love buying quality products and supporting local companies and we’re both those things,” Cosman said. “But it’s a tough market to crack and there’s a lot of elements at play.” Cosman added that the company has spent several million dollars in their efforts to expand past the local Gastown market.
Steamworks is also one of numerous local breweries offering a seasonal pumpkin beer this month, a limitedtime ale that the major breweries can’t offer. Graham With of Parallel 49 Brewing Company recently took home third prize in the specialty category of the 2012 B.C. Beer Awards held this past Friday with his ode to the fall vegetable. “The Schadenfreude Pumpkin Oktoberfest is something we can do as a microbrew,” With said. “We have flexibility in our brewing and we can have fun with that.” The appeal of craft brews isn’t lost on Langara students. Second-year business student Joel Coakley says that he doesn’t mind paying a bit extra for a better beer. His current favourite six-pack is the Philip brewing company’s “Blue Buck.” “I’m not a huge drinker,” Coakley said. “I drink to celebrate and you have to get something special when you’re celebrating.” Meanwhile fine arts student Alex Burr enjoys the variety offered by limited runs of microbrews. “They’re fun and they always have different stuff to try,” said Burr.
Tried and true brews
Schadenfreude, a pumpkin logger, from Parallel 49 brewing company
Pumpkineater, a pumpkin ale, from Howe Sound brewing company
Back Hand of God, a stout, from Crannog Ales
Stumpy, a coffee porter, from R&B brewing company Farmhand, a saison, from Driftwood brewery Blood Alley Bitter, an extra special bitter, from Russell Brewmaster
JANA MINOR photos
Top to bottom: Two women admire Helena Wadsley’s painting, Left Behind; Giselle Ouero looks at instructor Suzi Webster’s print Marilyn Che 2/4; Art student’s view instructor Stephanie Aitken’s oil painting on linen.
Lifestyles
Editor omar shariff
The Voice, THURSDAY, october 18, 2012
SPOOKY SELLOUT: HALLOWEEN IS NOW A $322-MILLION CASH COW
5
Hangout offers variety to locals South Van community centre offers a variety of programs to the public By Simone Pfeiffer
T
CARA McKENNA & OMAR SHARIFF photos
It is the middle of October and Halloween is already in full swing. Clockwise from top: Halloween decorations have been up at this house on King Edward, near Main Street since the beginning of the month. This feisty little pumpkin-man is standing vigil outside the Safeway at Oakridge Centre where various pumpkins and gourds have been on sale for weeks. Just a few short decades ago, this spooky holiday was limited to one day, but now it has turned into a month-long event for the benefit of businesses. With seasonal knick-knacks and doodads for sale, retailers are cashing in on the Halloween buzz. According to a report from the Bank of Montreal, in 2011 Canadians spent $322 million on candy and snack foods in the month of October. A Harris Decima poll also found that the average Canadian household is planning to spend an average of $75 on Halloween purchases this year.
Craft fair to fund United Way Langara College will host a sale to aid Lower Mainland charity By JENNIFER THUNCHER
Alan Brain Sociology instructor and Langara United Way committee member
“
We emphasize homemade items.
Langara is hosting a week-long craft fair in support of the United Way of the Lower Mainland. The fair will be held in the lobby of the A building from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26. Half of the total amount raised from the craft fair will go to the United Way, and the other half will go to a scholarship or bursary for Langara students. The college has its own United Way committee which is made up of faculty and staff. Sociology instructor Alan Brain, who is on the committee, helped plan the fair. “We emphasize homemade items,” said Brain, adding that the United Way of the Lower Mainland is the charity of choice for Langara. “Just look at the list of organizations they support -- everything from wom-
en’s shelters, children’s organizations to environmental groups.” The amount raised from the craft fair is added to money made from other special events, such as the rubber duck race and the hotdog sale, from earlier in the month, as well as other craft fairs held during the charity campaign. “The three or four [craft] fairs taken as a whole raise the most money of all the special events,” said Joanne Rajotte, Langara United Way committee member. “So [they] are very important to the overall success of Langara’s United Way campaign.” According to Brain, the special events combined raise approximately $10,000 of roughly $30,000 the committee makes for the charity during its annual fall campaign. There will be between 10 to 20 different vendors each day who will sell
things like scarves, soaps, clothing, and jewelry. Small services like watch repairs will also be available. In Vancouver, the United Way of the Lower Mainland focuses on poverty, bullying and social isolation. Asked if they will support the fair more because of its connection to a charity, the reaction of Langara students was mixed. General studies student Kiesha Go says that while she would browse the fair regardless, the connection to a charity encourages her to buy. “I think then that I am actually helping too,” said Go. Other students just like a bargain. “I love it! I love stuff like that,” said computer science student Stephanie McCrae. McCrae says she will definitely be stopping by to see what all the vendors have to offer.
he rain may have started but the vibes are good at Marpole Place Neighbourhood House. The local community centre is located at 1305 W. 70th, and membership costs $12 per year. According to Cindy McMillan, one of two full-time employees at the house, it was initially used for seniors only. “Community members lobbied the city to use the heritage building as a community centre.” Different kinds of clubs, classes, workshops and events are some of the activities offered at the neighbourhood house. Those who wish to start a club can contact the house, but people can only initiate projects that are open to everyone. “There can’t be [any] exclusivity. It can’t only be for friends,” said McMillan. “It’s a place where the community has things happen and they make them happen here.” Free workshops include the very popular UBC Law Clinic. The law students’ legal advice program, run by UBC law students, offers attendees free legal advice on issues such as residential tenancy, small claims and immigration. Bringing the community together through shared meals is another goal of the neighbourhood house. Each Friday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., breakfast is offered for $3, with coffee or tea an additional 50 cents. Dinner, consisting of three courses, plus dessert, is held on Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Though it’s prepared by a professional cook, it costs just $6 per person, which McMillan notes is made possible by a team of volunteers. She says that the crowd, usually between 25 and 40 people, is a mix of seniors, working people and families. These dinners give people in Marpole the opportunity to get to know their neighbours said McMillan. The neighbourhood house also plays host to the Marpole Arts Collective which spotlights local musicians, poets and other performers. Art installations by Emily Carr students are also displayed during the event. The event happens every last Friday of the month at 7 p.m. and admission is free.
EVENTS
at Marpole Place House 1 2 3 4 5
October 18 - Chair Yoga October 19 - Ping Pong Club October 20 - Telus Super Saturday for Kids: Access to Adventure October 22 - Marpole Community Toastmasters meeting October 23 - Drum lessons October 24 YWCA Single Moms’ Support Group Source: marpoleplace.ca
6
Editor ALEX SKERDZHEV
The Voice, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012
Supreme Court’s new HIV ruling a problem T
hanks to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, those with HIV no longer have to disclose their condition to a partner if their viral load is deemed low enough. Said loads measure the disease level in the bloodstream, with a low load containing roughly 1,500 copies of HIV per millilitre. In trying to strike a balance between the rights of people living with the virus and the risk of others contracting it, the decision unfortunately only stands to complicated things further. For example, after the ruling, the court revisited the case of Clato Mabior, who was charged with having sex with nine women Gillian hames without disclosing his HIV status. Initially convicted in six cases, he was later acquitted of the remaining three. The court now says three of Mabior’s previous six convictions can be upheld because in those particular cases he didn’t use a condom, and one acquittal can likewise be upheld because he did protect himself and had a low viral load. Investigations had to be conducted to discover when he wore a condom and when his viral load was legally low enough. So how exactly could the use of a condom be proven in court? The Supreme Court’s ruling leaves too much up for interpretation. Used correctly, a condom is around 95 per cent effective at preventing transmission of HIV, but if a matter comes to trial, it would not only have to be proven in court that a condom was used, but also that it was used correctly. Furthermore, viral loads can vary even with consistent treatment, and a low load does not guarantee automatic safety for the partner. The risk of transmission under these conditions is extremely low, but it is not zero. If a partner gets infected with HIV while a condom is used with a low level viral load, said partner will not be able to take any legal action. The Supreme Court attempted a compromise between the legal responsibility of those with HIV and the risk of transmission. However, they have just made a complex issue more complicated.
viewpoints
Counselling department needs more resources T
he Langara counselling department is severely under-funded, under-staffed and unable to handle the amount of students seeking help. Something must be done about this immediately.
Running a staff of eight full-time counsellors, along with one parttime, to satisfy the needs of about 10,000 students is unreasonable. Besides putting a lot of strain on the faculty, it Alex skerdzhev probably also limits how much time is devoted to each case and the quality of services offered. To be clear, this in no way reflects poorly on the working staff, who try their hardest to personalize and
OPINION
tailor every session to each individual’s need, but there comes a point of diminishing returns. A week’s long waiting time for roughly half-anhours’ worth of sit-down is not good enough to balance out the scales and stem the growing tide of individuals worried about their mental health. One strategy the department has adopted in the hopes of mitigating this growing crisis is group sessions. This is quite self-explanatory: a group of students meet with one counsellor where everyone gets a chance to discuss each individual problem in an open forum environment. While this strategy certainly has its benefits and is undoubtedly much more cost-effective than one-on-one sessions, the obvious flaw in this system is that people may be a lot more reluctant to completely open up in front of their peers.
Nothing will ever replace an personalized session where the full appointment is devoted to, and focused on, one individual. Even though it may seem like a six-day waiting time is not nearly as bad as it could be, a week can still seem awfully long to someone who needs help, especially so if the person is hesitant, too insecure or too self-conscience to ring the alarm bell and drop in for immediate, emergency help. Today’s job market presents a bleak future for tomorrow’s graduates. That, along with steadily-increasing costs of living only serves to further frustrate students already on edge due to course-work and other events in their lives. It is the duty of this college to make sure students’ cries do not go unheard.
OPINION
We want to hear from you
Did we get a fact wrong? Tell us. Got a different point of view? Write to us. Problems with what we’ve said? Let us know. Journalism instructor Nicholas Read oversees The Voice. Email him at nread@langara.bc.ca
V
the oice 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. All letters must be signed. They may be edited for brevity. Names may be withheld in special cases, but your letter must include your name and phone number.
HOW TO REACH US PHONE
604-323-5396
FAX
604-323-5398
thevoice@langara.bc.ca
DROP-IN
Room A226 Langara College There is a mailbox at the entrance to the journalism rooms.
SNAIL MAIL
The Voice 100 West 49th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 2Z6
WEBSITE www.langaravoice.com
EDITORIAL STAFF THIS ISSUE: MANAGING EDITOR/ PAGE 6 Firstname Lastname
PAGE EDITORS PAGE 1 Ashley Viens
PAGE 2
Audrey McKinnon
PAGE 3 Jeremy Sally
PAGE 4 Michelle Gamage
PAGE 5
Omar Shariff
PAGE 7
Carly Smith
PAGE 8 Sasha Porteous
WEB EDITORS Lev Jackson Brandon Reid Carrissa Thorpe
Student union lacks financial transparency and accountability T
he Langara Students’ Union is not telling anyone how the $42,000 budget surplus from their Students’ Issues Action Committee is being spent. SIAC received $54,000 last year and only spent $12,000, but how the remaining funds are being used is unknown. The LSU will not release the minutes from last year’s meeting when the SIAC and its funds were discussed. So far, the union has been using red tape as a means of hiding its spending, but it should no longer be allowed to continue controlling the information it releases regarding its actions. There has to be accountability. The elected LSU is funded with
student money, and yet how this benefits Langara students is unclear. There is no information available that provides actual detail of how the union is making a positive difference. The organization does participate in protests such as the “Where’s the Funding” movement, which the union became michael involved with in letendre 2011 to increase government funding for students. However, there has been a lack of results stemming from that particu-
OPINION
lar campaign, as well as other similar endeavours undertaken by the LSU. There is no information available to find out if the union has done any lobbying, which would probably be the more effective strategy to employ in order to get the most consistent results. The LSU has to stop taking advantage of its power and must use its position to give students an organization that will work to help and protect them. Langara students should not be spending thousands or dollars to support what is a clandestine organization that has no practical purpose. What the LSU actually does and how it helps students are questions that need to be answered.
REPORTERS Gillian Hames Michael Letendre Kevin Hampson Jana Minor Richard Hodges Katja De Bock Brandon Kostinuk Bronwyn Scott Simone Pfeiffer Jennifer Thuncher Samuel Reynolds Ryan Banagan Judy Chern Steven Chua Annie Ellison Tanya Hill Julia Knox
WEB REPORTERS Clayton Paterson Hayley Doctor Stacy Thomas
Contact us: Online at langaravoice.com
Twitter at @langaraVoice
Issues & ideas
The Voice, THURSDAY, October 18, 2012
Editor carly rhianna smith
7
Be aware of your sexual security It’s important to be informed about the ways your carnal well-being could be in jeopardy
Many knock new disclosure ruling In certain cases, HIVpositive people won’t be criminally charged for not disclosing their status By JULES KNOX
W
hen is it OK to keep a secret to yourself? The Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Oct. 5 that when an HIV-positive person uses a condom and has a low viral load, they don’t need to disclose their status to their partner. The unanimous decision has renewed the discussion that seeks to balance the rights of those at risk of infection with the rights of an HIV-positive community that already feels marginalized. Both sides of the issue have ex-
pressed outrage. “I know the experts are saying that there’s virtually no risk. But I haven’t heard anybody saying that there is zero risk,” said Susan Kensett, a community health nurse at Langara. Prior to the latest decision, a landmark 1998 ruling required an HIV carrier to disclose their status if there was a “significant risk of bodily harm.” But it wasn’t clear if wearing a condom reduced the risk to a low-enough level. The law was recently reinterpreted to rule that an HIV carrier using a condom must also have a low viral load. HIV-positive people who don’t have a low viral load and do not inform their partner of their status may be charged with aggravated sexual assault, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. “If you act responsibly and take pre-
cautions to protect your partner with a condom, why should you be facing a criminal conviction?” said Cecile Kazatchkine, a spokeswoman for the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. She calls the decision a huge step backwards. “It flies in the face of public-health messages,” she said Adam Giesbrecht, the queer liaison for Langara Students’ Union, says he is shocked to hear the latest Supreme Court ruling. “It’s a criminal act if you’re not telling someone. What if the condom breaks?” Giesbrecht thinks it’s important to talk about sexual history with a partner. “If I’m going to have relations with a person and we can’t talk about serious things that could affect your life, then why are we in a relationship?”
Adam Giesbrecht Queer liaison for Langara College
“
It’s a criminal act if you’re not telling someone. What if the condom breaks?
KATJA DE BOCK photo
People banded together at the 2011 Vancouver SlutWalk to protest the notion that how a woman dresses determines if she will be raped.
Feminists rejuvenate anti-rape movement After years of being told “no means no,” some feminists are now saying that isn’t enough to protect potential victims of rape.
By KATJA DE BOCK
W
omen are challenging traditional attitudes toward rape because sexual assault is still a serious concern. Past anti-rape slogans like “no means no” may not have been effective, so feminists have redefined a new version, “yes means yes.” “Yes means yes is more like a clear and constant yes. It’s a little more [sexually] empowering,” said Jessica Smith, co-organizer of SlutWalk Vancouver. “Women do like sex and want to have sex and that’s totally cool!” The Criminal Code of Canada says that mutual, conscious consent is needed before sex.
According to the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia, there are over 1,000 physical or sexual assaults against women every week in B.C. Over 90 per cent of rapists are male. “We still live in a world where in general, the face of power is male. Sexism is alive and well,” said Nancy Pollak, women’s studies instructor at Langara. “Where ever I go and however I dress, no means no and yes means yes” was a slogan of the Take Back the Night movement. In the 1970s, demonstrators marched the streets and held candlelight vigils to protest violence against women. Pollak said this was sort of an old version of SlutWalk.
SlutWalk started in 2011, after Constable Michael Sanguinetti, a Toronto police representative, said “women should avoid dressing like sluts” to protect themselves from rape. Thousands of women and men marched the streets in provocative outfits to protest this attitude of victim blaming. Some reluctantly agree with him. “It shouldn’t happen, but if you dress provocatively, you gain that attention, whether you like it or not,” said Langara transfer student Corbin Lowe. Smith appeals to men to be allies. “It’s the job of every man and woman to fight inequalities and the rape culture,” she said. “No woman ever wants to be raped,” said Pollak
On campus harassment a hidden problem Certain groups at Langara are targets of assault, often don’t report incidents By steven chua
H
arassment targeting “plus-size women” and transgender students is an invisible problem in Langara College. Langara Students’ Union liaisons say people under-report insults and intimidation towards these groups. Gunkirat Rhandawa, the LSU women’s liaison for the past year, says she hears about people insulting “plus-size women,” but doesn’t receive complaints. “They do see something going on, but nothing comes to me, unfortunately,” she says. Langara students have seen it happen. Heather Helevang, a second-year business student at Langara, saw that “guys would make comments” towards “fairly overweight” girls. A more dramatic problem faces LGBTQ members. People discriminate against the college’s transgender community, says Andy Sandberg, LSU queer liaison for the past year. Sandberg says some transgender students encounter people “shouting, demanding that they leave, challenging [their] gender” in washrooms. In the past year, five people approached Sandberg about the problem. Nancy Pollak, a Langara women’s studies instructor, says issues are under-reported because what constitutes harassment is hazy. “You’re not going to find statistics on it,” says Pollak. “There’s a tremendous confusion between playful behaviour and harassment.” Langara human rights co-ordinator Linda Sum says she’s received one harassment complaint this year. She couldn’t give details due to privacy issues. “We don’t get a lot of complaints that are processed here, which, you know is not to say there aren’t issues,” she says. Langara’s 2011 human rights office report stated two complaints were made that year. One was based on sexual orientation, another on sexual harassment. On the other hand, Langara security says previous partners are the problem. Security is usually called when women feel threatened by former partners, Langara safety and security manager Dan Krefting says. Krefting says that between April and June this year, 36 security investigations have been conducted. He could not specify how many were harassment cases. There are ways people are fighting back against these problems. Sandberg is trying to desegregate washrooms, making it harder to single out and intimidate transgender students. Langara is partnering with the nonprofit social justice organization Mosaic to develop a theatre empowerment program. It will encourage women to share experiences of harassment and discrimination by re-enacting their stories. Details will posted on the Mosaic website.
sports
The Voice, THURSDAY, October 18, 2012
Editor Sascha Porteous
Hockey crowd turns to Giants Vancouver’s next best team hooks new fans thanks to NHL lockout By KATJA DE BOCK
A
ustin Vetterl’s life is all about hockey. The 18-year-old Vancouver Giants player is happy to see more Western Hockey League supporters as a result of the NHL lockout. Vetterl, also a Langara College student, said it’s obvious that fans will always want to watch hockey. “[The lockout] is kind of good in a way for us.” The lockout has resulted in more ticket sales at the Pacific Coliseum, said Vancouver Giants ticket sales and service manager Sheldon Arsenault. Due to good weather in early fall, the sale increase was slow, but the Giants predict it will climb. Arsenault wasn’t working with the Giants during the 2004-05 NHL lockout, but was told that ticket sales skyrocketed after the NHL cancelled the entire season in February 2005. Arsenault isn’t happy about the lockout. “I’m a hockey fan first and foremost,” he said. “But there is hope that [WHL] attendance will increase.” Austin vetterl NHL labour ne18-year-old gotiations have Giants forward resulted in a preseason lockout. Last week, the NHL cancelled all games until Oct. 24. No professional hockey on television means more time to study for Vetterl, who is one of 15 Giants players enrolled at Langara College. However, you won’t see the athletes on campus. The players go to class near the Giants’ training facility in Ladner. “They’ve all passed their Langara English test,” said Steve Fera, education advisor for the Vancouver Giants. The athletes study communications in an online course because they are on the road for half of their games. On Friday, Oct. 12, the Giants lost at home to the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-4, but you couldn’t tell from the enthusiastic crowd of nearly 7,000 supporters. Brenda Jung prefers the Giants to the Canucks. “It’s less expensive and the players are better,” the fan said. “They play hard, they give it their all.” Jung’s support goes so far that she emblazoned her red car with a gigantic Giants logo. She says they are a good team, and well-behaved young men. “When they are not playing and you run into them, they’re so polite.”
8
Whitecaps battle for playoff spot Fans hope that with two games left, Vancouver can clinch a place in top five By BRONWYN SCOTT
T
SASCHA PORTEOUS photo
Seattle Thunderbird defenceman, Jesse Forsberg, (left) and Vancouver Giants forward, Tanner Moar, release some steam during a heated game, Friday night at the Pacific Coliseum. The Thunderbirds defeated the Giants 6-4 in front of 7,000 WHL supporters.
Vancouver Giants
Finished last season losing in the first round of the playoffs
Team is off to a slow start with only two wins in nine games
15 players enrolled in Langara online learing
Next home game - Oct. 20 vs. Calgary Hitmen
he Vancouver Whitecaps coach, Martin Rennie, hopes to take his soccer team to new heights of hope and glory. With only two regular season games to go, the Whitecaps are vying for the final playoff spot, in what is just their second year in Major League Soccer. Five Western Conference teams will meet with five Eastern Conference teams late November to battle for the MLS Cup. Langara soccer fans are optimistic that the Whitecaps will clinch the final playoff spot. “First and foremost, [Rennie’s] got a lot of Scottish players, which for me is good,” said David Shankland, head coach of the men’s soccer team. “He’s definitely done his home- Stefano Mattia work on his league Whitecaps ball manager and and the players.” Langara soccer Langara Falcon players agree. “They’re gelling as a team,” said Falcons player Stefano Mattia, ball manager for the Whitecaps. “[Rennie’s] got a different aspect of a European game, . . .which helps a lot,” he said. “And its worked.” Another Whitecaps fan attributes the teams success to the large number of home games. Four of the last eight have taken place in Vancouver. “I think they are better at home than away,” said Jesse Holowaty, a general studies Langara student who plays soccer on the women’s team. “If they keep the momentum going they’ll do well. . . . I think they’re going to make it,” she said. Business student and men’s soccer player, Ramsey Alfantazi, predicts that they’ll make it to playoffs but not get far. “They just got in [to MLS] . . . they shouldn’t get too ambitious right now.” How far they go depends on how much the players want it. “It’s up to them . . . if they have the desire to win,” said Shankland. The Oct. 21 game against the Portland Timbers will be in Vancouver, and the Oct. 27 game will be in Utah against Real Salt Lake.
New men’s b-ball coach changes it up “ This is a special year because most of the guys have been with us for three years
PAUL NAKA, Falcons Assistant Coach
The Falcons are stacked with senior players ready to bring their A-game
By Brandon Kostinuk
T
he Langara men’s basketball team has a new head coach, but the real buzz is around the team’s depth and experience, says assistant coach Paul Naka. Naka said this year’s squad is extraordinary because of their strong team chemistry. “We’ve had social cohesion before but not like this,” he said. “This is a special year because most of the guys have been with us for the last three years.” Given Langara’s academic structure it’s common to see second-year players graduate or move on to another institu-
tion, so having several third-years is unique, said head coach Paul Eberhardt. The Falcons finished in fourth place last year and succumbed to an early playoff exit, but with several returning players, they are ready to shake off last year’s disappointing playoff run. The team opens the season at home on Friday, PAUL EBERHARDT Nov. 2 against Falcon basketball team head coach Douglas College. It will be Eberhardt’s season debut. He takes over for Jake McCallum who is now acting director of athletics and intramurals at Langara. Eberhardt brings decades of coach-
ing experience, most recently at R.C. Palmer Secondary School where he led the boys team to a BC Championship title in 2011. Eberhardt admitted his philosophy is different than his predecessor’s. “I emphasize a running game a lot more, more transition, more fastbreak,” he said. “Sometimes it’s difficult for the players to stay in their lanes, but they’re willing to learn.” Third-year centre Jitinder Lohcham commented on the team’s new playing style. “This year it’s all about transition, run-and-gun, fast-paced ball,” he said. “We could be one of the top teams this year.” Forward Garrett Ling-Lee looks forward to the season. “It should be an exciting year, expect to see increased intensity and up-tempo play on both sides of the ball.”
BRANDON KOSTINUK photo
Garrett Ling-Lee trains for the men’s basketball opening game, Nov. 2, against Douglas College