January 2018
BCIT & BEYOND
LIGHT T SPOT N E D U ST
COSMETICS CULTURE LEARNING TO LEARN MANTAR’S DREAM JOB + good news, poetry & more
CUBE OF TRUTH: Animal Cruelty SITE C: A Dam Debate ART FEATURE: Jeremy Un
3700 Willingdon Ave. SE2 Building, 3rd Floor Burnaby, BC V5G 3H2
BBY / DTC / ATC / BMC / AIC
CONTRIBUTORS
Sheldon Lynn Aaron Guillen Twila Amato Catherine Garrett
Graham Cox Sean Murphy Gabriel Laubach Jake Agudera
Emily Vance Ryan Judd Jeremy Un Dayna Weststeyn
The views expressed in this issue are not neccesarily those of LINK magazine, its contributors, or supporting partners, including (but not limited to): the BCIT Student Association, third-party advertisers, and/or annual sponsors. LINK magazine encourages open, respectful dialogue in the community and is happy to help facilitate discussion with our writers whenever possible. photo: graham cox
3 Introduction 4 Good News 28 Art Feature 30 Poetry
6 Student Spotlight
Landon McGauley turned a life-changing injury into extreme opportunity. Catherine Garrett and Graham Cox try to keep up.
10 Cube of Truth
Find out what shocking demonstration caused Sean Murphy to contemplate food outside the Skytrain station.
Pitch an idea or just tell us how we’re doing:
editor@linkbcit.ca www.linkbcit.ca
Selenna Ho Managing Editor
Dan Post Publisher
#BCITandBEYOND
Madeline Adams Assistant Publisher
Lili Motaghedi Promotions
LINK is published 8 times annually and proudly printed on campus by Campus Print & Copy. Copies are distributed to all 5 BCIT campuses. LINK is a proud member of the Magazine Association of BC. www.magsbc.com
14 Site C
Emily Vance examines the conflicted energy project with so much at stake for governments, citizens and the planet.
Featured Contributors
18 Safe in my Skin
Twila Amato
Twila Amato puts her best face forward and highlights the power of powder in the lives of men and women.
annual sponsors:
22 True Calling Catch up with Broadcast grad Mantar Bhandal as he calls the shots, shifts and shenanigans of the good ‘ol hockey game. By Aaron Guillen & Sheldon Lynn.
Broadcast & Online Journalism
@twilamam
Twila is currently a 2nd-year broadcasting student, who hopes to give back to the community through the positive use of media. When she’s not hunting stories and shooting videos, she’s giving skincare and makeup advice. When she has extra time, she bakes desserts to share.
Sean Murphy
Broadcast & Online Journalism
26 One Way or Another
Dayna Weststeyn knows at least one BCIT instructor going the extra mile to reach every student in his classroom. @seanmurphy
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604.451.7191
Sean is in his first year of the BCIT Broadcast & Online Journalism program. He also works at the BCIT Writing Centre as a peer tutor, and volunteers at The Cinémathèque. He enjoys local music, overly complicated board games, and a good cup of black coffee.
Intro
Photo by Samuel Scrimshaw on Unsplash
January 2018
Break from the Everyday. A
On the cover:
heinous roar exploded in the air. The sound – a weird mix of gunshots and blow horns in the dead silence – seemed like a soliloquy growing into multiple frantic noises. As I walked closer to the edge of San Francisco’s famous Pier 39, the culprits came into view. Sea lions, basking in the midnight moon, joined together in a cacophonous choir. Split between those trying to sleep, and those vying for the attention of passers-by, these majestic creatures slid lazily on and off each other, fighting for a spot amongst the clan. Their whiskers were barely detectable, but the arch of their 800lb-plus forms were slimey enough to enhance their silhouettes against the dim lighting.
Landon McGauley 1st-year Broadcast & Online Journalism photo: graham cox
october 2016
Sophia Hsin
Meet the designer behind Instagram’s favourite hedgehog
VFW Spring/Summer ‘17 photo feature
DOPE HAUS The doors are open at this underground feminist radio station.
plus: Colin Kaepernick, posture products & The Magnificent 7
BCIT
BCIT & BEYOND
Fentanyl
It’s closer than you think. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.
FRANK OCEAN media democracy days
"Know the media, be the media, change the media." Review: Pac-Man Championship 2
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In Memoriam LINK magazine would like to acknowledge the passing of our little buddy, Amelia the Hedgehog, who graced the cover of our October 2016 edition. Our condolences go out to her owner Sophia Hsin in her time of mourning. RIP Amelia.
www.linkbcit.ca
Indeed these famous “Sea-lebrities” and their breathtaking dissonant symphony attracted many of us people walking along the boardwalk late at night. Behind me stood a family and a toddler whose screams and laughter added even more discourse to the orchestra’s climax. Adults were taking photos, despite the awful lighting, and trying to record the sea lion cries. And in return, the sea lions continued with their singing, sliding, and sleeping. Truth be told, the animals weren’t doing very much, yet we were all extremely amused and started clapping our hands, cheering for them. We loved gathering together to watch these sublime creatures who in turn gathered to watch us curious animals. One sea lion even took the time to lift his heavy arm and wave before slouching back down and joining his familial mounds of gluttonous energy. And I waved back with both my hands whilst jumping up and down and laughing.
That’s just one small snapshot in the lives of the sea lions, and a glimpse into the perspective of a student on winter vacation. And that’s kind of what LINK magazine is all about: sharing little stories, small snapshots into the unique lives around us. With this new year just starting, we’re back again with more stories from our awesome creative community of which you are all a part. Our Student Spotlight this issue (p6) shines on Landon McGauley, a mini-celebrity in his own right, whose experience overcoming an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, translates into awe and admiration from onlookers who watch him speed down the mountain in an adaptive sit ski. Aaron Guillen checks in on BCIT alum Mantar Bhandal (p22), who landed his dream job after graduation, and Emily Vance explores both sides of the Site C dam – from the environment to the economy (p14). Twila Amato brushes up on the many layers to skincare and cosmetics culture (p18), going beyond superficial stereotypes to look deeper than skin, while Sean Murphy takes a few minutes out of his day to enagage with activists that others simply ignore (p10). While the flap of these pages may not necessarily beckon you like the cries of a sea lion, we try our hardest to make the stories in each issue just as memorable, and we’re excited to continue sharing them with you in 2018 and beyond.
— Selenna Ho Managing Editor
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Searching for a way... There is a new search engine on the scene, and this one is making a big environmental impact each time you search. Ecosia.org supports tree planting around the world by donating income generated from ad revenue through their search engine to tree planting in vulnerable environmental areas. They currently support tree planting initiatives in Ethiopia, Morocco, Peru, Madagascar, Tanzania and Indonesia, and the list is growing. There are currently 7 million active users using Ecosia, which has generated a total of €5,755,872 so far. In October 2017 alone, Ecosia donated €303,949 — 42% of their income that month. So the next time you want to find ‘PIZZA NEAR ME,’ plant a tree at the same time.
ALEXA, where is the nearest bathroom? BCIT’s Dr. Bill Klug was inspired with his recent trip to the re:Invent conference in Las Vegas. When he returned, he had his 2nd-year students in the Cloud Computer Option of the Computer Systems Technology program to start writing Alexa “skills” that apply to the BCIT campus. His dream is to have Amazon Echo and Alexa on BCIT’s campuses to help make student and visitor’s lives easier with tasks like: booking study rooms, finding your way around campus, searching BCIT Student Association events and resources, and way more to make life at BCIT easier and cooler.
A star is born. From 2013 to 2014, Sea Star Wasting Syndrome hit many breeds of sea stars along the West Coast – from British Columbia all the way down to Mexico. This syndrome caused the sea stars to disintegrate into mounds of goo, and virtually disappeared from many beaches along the coast. Although they are not completely in the clear and some cases of the syndrome are still being reported, they are making a huge comeback and are being spotted again in small numbers!
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Good News ______________________
Universal good. The Universal Human Declaration of good is a call to every single person on earth to collectively stand together and work towards a common good. This movement was started by Jacqueline de Raadt from ASTTBC. Her goal is to have the declaration translated into 23 different languages and signed by every person on earth. She believes that by having humanity acknowledge and agree to stand together, that the collective positivity can create a shift in consciousness on our planet. Sign the declaration yourself at: www.universalhumandeclaration.org
good news Makin’ bank.
photo courtesy vancouversun.com
www.linkbcit.ca
David Katz is a Vancouver-based CEO of The Plastic Bank, a social enterprise aimed at ending poverty while making an environmental impact. The organization looks at waste plastics not as trash, but as currency. Much of the pollution in our oceans is attributed to ultra-poor areas in the world, where people have many more priorities on their plate than recycling. The Plastic Bank is introducing and building plastic collection depots in these areas in the world where people can exchange waste plastic for currency, fuel, wifi access, vouchers for education, or other beneficial services. The Pastic Bank then take these waste plastics and turn them into Social Plastic, which is recycled plastic used in many different ways (like packaging for example) and used by different corporations including: LUSH Cosmetics, Shell, and Henkel, to name a few.
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rrett ine ga r e h t ca ox words graham c s o t pho
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Student Spotlight Landon McGauley
Landon McGauley is a 22-year-old BCIT Journalism student, public speaker, and sit skier. He broke his back in a mountain biking accident at age 15 when he lost control of his bicycle, and has been living in a wheelchair ever since. He competed in the X Games two years ago, and is now a full-time student here at BCIT. The Quesnel native was also the youngest competitor in the mono skier cross-field at the games. Since his injury, Landon has been involved with the High Fives Foundation, an organization that provides injury prevention awareness and resources to injured athletes. I was lucky enough to be able to sit down with him and ask him some questions about how the accident changed his life.
www.linkbcit.ca
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Tell us about your accident.
It happened in 2010, on July 4th at Sunpeaks, the ski resort in Kamloops. I was in a downhill mountain bike race. I had ridden the course a ton of times, I was about 100m from the finish line and I crashed, which resulted in a spinal cord injury.
Did it have an effect on your life, both as an athlete and as a whole? How was the adjustment period? Pretty much everything was different, not one thing was the same. I guess brushing my teeth was not harder, but short of that I had to pretty much relearn how to do everything. I was pretty quick in the hospital though, I was in there only three months but it was a really intense three months. It was all day, long every day, rehab and physio.
What was it like competing at the X Games? Can you tell us about the atmosphere? What were your goals going into the competition? The X Games were insane, it was something I’ve always really wanted to do, even more than standard ski racing. I never really liked that sort of organized sort of thing. The X Games are all about action sports, which is what I was into. I always
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wanted to go and compete, so when I finally made it, it was incredible! I was pretty scared for a month or so before, even found myself losing some sleep over it because I knew that on the course there was a 65 ft jump that I was going to have to hit. So [the experience] was intense, but I think a lot of it was the build up, more of the anticipation. Once I was there it was kind of calm and I was able to do what I practiced.
What’s the qualification process like for the games?
I just happened to know some of the right people. I put a couple pictures and videos and other content of me out there hitting some bigger jumps that I was happy with and certain people saw it and invited me. It was sweet. At the end I felt like I was the rookie there, and that people either didn’t know me or didn’t think that I should be there. I think I proved them wrong. At the end of the competition, a guy who organizes the event came over to me and said that he was really impressed and that I was invited back for as long as they were running the event.
What do you hope to accomplish in your skiing career post-BCIT, and even just right now?
Right now I have not ski-raced in two years, and I’m pretty ok with that. Maybe after I’m done school and my life kind of goes
“ At the end, I felt like I was the rookie there and that people either didn’t know me or didn’t think that I should be there. I think I proved them wrong”.
that way, I’d go back into it, if not I’m totally happy. I’d love to compete in the X Games again if they run the event again- they haven’t ran my event in the last two years but I just like to ski and have fun.
What originally attracted you to the BCIT Journalism program?
I knew that I wanted to be involved in action sports. Before I hurt myself, I wanted to be an athlete. Then, after I hurt myself, I struggled with how I was going to stay involved with it and then I figured that I could find a way to announce things and stay involved with it through announcing and speaking. This was the most obvious way that I saw to do that, by getting through this program.
Is there a way in which you plan on merging your experience and skills that you are gaining from this program with being a pro athlete? Yeah. I think more so in the people I’ve met through athletic endeavors. Hopefully they will combine with
www.linkbcit.ca
the skills I’m learning through the journalism program and that will hopefully be my way into the business.
Do you have any role models either in professional sports or the broadcasting industry that you emulate? With skiing, I’ve obviously had a ton of people I’ve looked up to a lot. I have a good friend, his name is Josh Douick. He is a professional sit-skier from Vernon. He’s a big role model of mine and then guys like Craig McMorris,who is Mark McMorris’s brother, he’s a professional snowboarder but also announces. I like his style and his lifestyle too.
What are your career goals after you are done at BCIT? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? It’s pretty niche right now, but I’d love to be involved in some action sports stuff specifically. There is this guy called Sal Masekela, the host of the Redbull Signature Series, which is an hour-long show all about action sports. I would love to do something like that. That would be the dream and why I got into this program.
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The Cube
of
Truth
Where: Broadway - City Hall Skytrain Station When: Dec 29 - 31, 2017 Who: Anonymous for the Voiceless
Learn more at:
www.anonymousforthevoiceless.org
Sean Murphy attends a public demonstration by the global activist group whose shock tactics are creating conversation around animal cruelty.
If you happened to pass by the Broadway - City Hall Skytrain station during the break and saw a square of people dressed in all black, wearing Guy Fawkes masks and quietly holding laptops in front of a projection screen displaying gruesome images from inside a slaughterhouse, you probably just kept walking. If you stopped to talk to them, you would’ve learned that they were members of the Vancouver chapter of Anonymous for the Voiceless demonstrating against animal cruelty with a technique they call a Cube of Truth. Anonymous for the Voiceless is an animal rights activist organization with chapters on every continent. Their website boasts of at least 1,938 demonstrations in 358 cities around the world. Their public outreach initiatives include displaying disturbing images of standard-practice footage from inside our own local slaughterhouses, dairy farms and chicken farms, coupled with facts and figures to share with the public in an effort to convert people to a vegan lifestyle. Their name, and the masks, are a nod to the online “hacktivist” group Anonymous, who you might know from (among other things) various Canadian government hacks related to Bill C-51 back in 2015. But this was no group of hacktivists out here demonstrating in the cold weather – these were activists, and volunteers, raising awareness about the animal cruelty that clearly pervades so many different farming industries. Unlike many of the passers-by outside the Skytrain station who simply averted their gaze or pretended to be on their phones, I chose to ask organizer Geoff Regier more about the demonstration. “We’re here to spread awareness about the unnecessary suffering inflicted on innocent animals for the sake of our indulgence. We hope to inspire people to choose a more compassionate diet free of animal products.” Regier is a former undercover investigator for Mercy for Animals. For two years he worked at Chilliwack Cattle Sales, Maple Lodge Farms and Gray Ridge Eggs Farms, secretly filming the conditions of the animals there using a portable camera hidden behind sunglasses. Regier’s footage was made public and used in several media exposés throughout 2016. For the Vancouver Cube of Truth, he opted to show hidden camera video from inside Maple Lodge Farms – Canada’s biggest poultry producer – revealing the cruelty and violence that he says occurs daily. This is the same footage that led to Maple Lodge Farms being fined $6,000 in March of last year for causing unnecessary harm after a 12-hour transportation of chickens led to 860 of them arriving frozen to death.
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www.linkbcit.ca
Feature Activism
Today, Regier also does animal rights outreach as TV Outreach for Animals, taking a more personable approach and ditching the Guy Fawkes mask. He sets up a portable TV system near Skytrain stations to screen footage taken from modern farms and slaughterhouses, and then talks to commuters that seem interested, providing them with pamphlets and an introduction to a vegan diet. “Sometimes we can get through to people. It’s almost never the first time, but we might put it in their heads. Occasionally I get to be the final point where someone [decides] to change their diet. But for the most part, it’s about planting the vegan seeds.” For this latest installation, Regier provided a projector that cast video onto a 10‘ X 16’ screen outside the station.
photos by sean murphy
“Sometimes we can get through to people. It’s almost never the first time, but we might put it in their heads.” 11
“The powerful act of marching together with a shared purpose gives people a sense of community.” Volunteers were underneath it, holding signs that simply read “Truth.” Directly in front of the station exit were four more volunteers, two holding laptops presenting similar imagery while the other two sporting the “Truth” signs. Nearby, other participants performed outreach tasks, approaching anyone observing the display to discuss what they’re viewing and trying to convert them to veganism. British Columbia is the most vegetarian-friendly province, according to a poll commissioned by the Vancouver Humane Society, with 13% of respondents identifying as “vegetarian/mostly vegetarian” and 26% trying to eat less meat. But what about the other 61%? According to the Canadian Meat Council, total Canadian sales of dairy, meat and poultry exceeded $37 billion in 2012. The industry though, expects to see a dent in this soon, not only caused by animal rights activism, but also the expected overhaul of the Canadian food guide which recommends a diet that leans more towards veganism than omnivorism. Passers-by gawk and go, waving off the outreach volunteers. One comically points to his watch. Some stare for a moment, emit a frustrating sigh or otherwise rumble obscenities to themselves before disengaging. Others stop and talk with the activists. Stories are shared between the activists during short coffee breaks. Smiles break out when one mentions that a stranger’s ready to make the decision to go vegan. This was Anonymous for the Voiceless’ biggest outreach event in Vancouver to date. Other Lower Mainland activist groups involved include: Vancouver Chicken Save, Liberation BC and the Vancouver chapter of Direct Action Everywhere. Plans are set for another Cube of Truth demonstration in August when the two founders of Anonymous for the Voiceless plan to visit the city from Melbourne, Australia. Vancouver is no stranger to activism. Look no further than the Museum of Vancouver, where current exhibit A City on Edge: A Century of Vancouver Activism, is now on display and details everything from the anti-Asian race riots of 1907 to last year’s Kinder Morgan demonstrations. “The powerful act of marching together with a shared purpose gives people a sense of community engagement with their city, province, country, and the world,” states Kate Bird, a retired Pacific Newspaper Group librarian and co-curator of the exhibit. This Cube of Truth was deliberately timed to coincide with the end of the year; the organizers hope those they interact with will choose to go vegan as a New Year’s Resolution, participating in what has previously trended as #VEGANUARY. For Kirsten Reyes, she hopes this leads to more animal rights activists, sharing with me this analogy from online activist Earthling Ed: “Imagine that as you are walking down a road and you see a man beating a dog with a stick. He looks up, sees you, and shouts to you to join in with him. You now have three choices: You join in with the man in beating the dog. You refuse to participate in any abuse and walk on by (this is like being a vegan). [Or] You refuse to participate and actively stop the man from beating the dog (this is like being a vegan activist). Only as an activist does the dog get saved.” From what I observed that weekend, there remains many conflicting opinions around animal rights. But I also found information and support for networks that I was not even aware of. Whatever your stance may be, these groups hold events that are open to anyone, and volunteers are always willing to have an honest and respectful conversation with you. So the next time you see them out in the streets, why not take a minute to find out more, you never know what you might learn about yourself.
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www.linkbcit.ca
13
C
SITE
“Can you tell me how Site C will affect your community?” Ken Boon, the President of the Peace Valley Landowner Association, sighs before giving a small laugh of resignation. It’s a big question, and one that he’s been grappling with for years.
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words emily vance
photos ryan judd
Feature Politics & Environment
A little backstory.
It’s called Site “C” for a reason. Site C is the third and final planned hydroelectric dam on the Peace River in northeast BC, following the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and the Peace Canyon Dam. It draws on the water storage of the existing Williston Reservoir. This means Site C will generate approximately 35% of the energy produced at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, with only 5% of the reservoir area. The Site C Dam was given the go-ahead by Christy Clark and the BC Liberals on December 16th, 2014, and is widely viewed as the BC Liberals’ project. It’s being implemented based on the claim that our demand for clean energy will continue to increase alongside our population. Our current Premier John Horgan used the $4 billion that has already been sunk into the project as the rationale to continue. In his announcement speech, Horgan stated that this was his most difficult decision in his 30 years of public policy.
Differing expectations.
For Ken Boon, the new government seemed like a dream come true at the beginning. “What makes it so bad for everybody now, especially with the new government, [is that] I think we all expected something better.” He believes that there is deep division about Site C within the NDP itself. Boon says that many people in caucus, including key cabinet ministers, were opposed to Site C. “Many of them have been coming to the Paddle for the Peace for years and really spoke their mind.” Andrew Weaver, the head of the BC Green Party that shares power with the NDP, has been firmly against Site C. In an open letter dated December 4th, 2017, Weaver suggested that instead of locking ourselves to the Site C dam, “we should seize this opportunity to build clean, distributed power that puts us on the cutting edge of innovation, and provides jobs and benefits to local communities.” The innovation of alternative energy portfolio consists of wind, geothermal, and enhanced conservation that was put forth as a viable alternative in the independent review of Site C by the BC Utilities Commission, which I will elaborate on later. Investing in the W.A.C Bennett Dam in the first place was immensely risky when BC Hydro built it in the 1960s. The company hadn’t fully commercialized the technology to get the power that the dam was generating down to Vancouver. BC Hydro President Chris O’Riley says that, “to do that today would be incomprehensible. Your risk-management practices wouldn’t allow you to do such a thing.” The Benett Dam went on to provide BC Hydro with a full quarter of its power, showcasing how sometimes much-needed innovation is gained at a risk. www.linkbcit.ca
“What makes it so bad for everybody now, especially with the new government, [is that] I think we all expected something better.” 15
The BCUC report.
An independent review of Site C by the BC Utilities Commission was published on November 1st, 2017. The NDP had campaigned on a promise for independent review before proceeding (or not) with the dam. The report wouldn’t explicitly say if it was best to scrap the project or push forward. However, the report was explicitly clear on one thing: waiting around to make a decision was the worst option. It found that in the short term, the greatest economic risk of Site C is that it will go over time and over budget on construction. More time would mean more funds, and a longer wait for a payoff. The panel found that the price of energy will experience,“considerable upward pressure,” and warns that even minor price increases would in turn make it harder for low income households to afford the energy they need. The review points to new alternative energy technology such as wind and geothermal, as well as conservation, as providing the same benefits to customers as Site C would but with, “an equal or lower Unit Energy Cost.” It also points to the potential that these technologies have for becoming less expensive over time as they are developed further. This innovation would be a less certain route than hydroelectricity, but could potentially pay off huge in the long run. An additional and problematic issue pointed out in the report is the geotechnical risk of working on the Peace Valley. The BCUC reported that there are tension cracks which have opened up along the riverbanks, as well concern that the surrounding bedrock is made of unstable shale. This could increase the, “risks of landslides, dam failure, and increased expenses and delays.” Some residents of the Peace Valley were relocated there from the site of the W.A.C Bennett Dam in the 1960s. Ken Boon, along with the rest of the Peace Valley Landowner Association, thought the review’s message was clear: the project should be cancelled. With Site C, life will never be the same for the people of the Peace Valley. Their rich, Class 1 farmland would be swallowed up by water, as well as the rest of the multigenerational farmland. Boon points to food security in an increasingly unstable global climate, and the need to work in harmony with Indigenous communities as huge issues of the project.
Who supports it?
The Site C Dam project has been supported by business interests in British Columbia who believe that it will promote job creation within the province. In a news release on December 11th, The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade lauded the completion of Site C as the, “right decision for the future of our province.” President and CEO Iain Black says that, “ensuring a domestic source of clean, reliable hydroelectric power helps secure our energy system for the growth of businesses and sectors... for decades into the future.” It points to British Columbia’s ability to generate clean hydroelectric power as a competitive advantage in the world of business. A report from BC Hydro shows that in October of 2017, Site C employed a total of 1,974 workers, 81% of which were British Columbians. 132 were Indigenous, and 270 were women. The majority of engineers, consultants, and project management were British Columbian, at 94%. The most outside work was in the category of
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“The report was explicitly clear on one thing: waiting around to make a decision was the worst option.”
construction, labour, and services, at 78%. However, the report doesn’t take into account work such as manufacturing, which is done outside of the province. Researchers from the University of British Columbia’s Water Governance program conducted analysis on Site C from an economic standpoint, using numbers from BC Hydro and the BCUC Review. The press release from their ‘Site C: Summary of Key Research Results’ states that: “Site C generates significantly fewer jobs, produces electricity at a higher cost, and entails significantly higher risks of future cost overruns.” It goes on to praise the benefits of alternative power, saying that in the medium and long-term, “site remediation, geothermal construction, and energy conservation will create thousands of jobs each year.” Through 2030, the BCUC alternative portfolio creates between 22% and 50% more employment than Site C.
“Approval will represent a complete betrayal of First Nations, and the vast majority of British Columbians.”
Indigenous issues.
At the heart of all this is the conflict between the NDP’s sworn implementation of the principles of reconciliation, and their approval of the Site C Dam. Indeed, the governing agreement between the BC NDP and the BC Green Party states that the adoption of the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), along with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action is, “a foundational piece of this relationship.” “I am not the first person to stand before you and disappoint Indigenous people,” John Horgan stated on December 11th, when he announced that construction of Site C would proceed. He was singing a different tune just a few months earlier, at the Reconciliation Expo on September 24th. Horgan stood on stage that day wrapped in a blanket given to him by Indigenous Elders. He shared that same stage with Grand Chief Phillip Stewart, who has been a vocal opponent of the project. The Grand Chief has said that, “a project approval will represent a complete betrayal of First Nations and the vast majority of British Columbians who stand in steadfast opposition to the Site C Dam project.” The West Moberly First Nations group announced their intention to launch an injunction on the basis that Site C infringes on their Treaty rights as set out in Treaty 8 agreements. They are bolstered by the findings of the BCUC. In a press release dated Dec 11th, 2017, Chief Willson says that they are confident that the courts will grant the injunction because, “the court can actually save British Columbia billions of dollars, and protect our constitutional rights at the same time.” BC Hydro says it will use the results of these consultations to, “help support the development of mitigation measures, approaches to construction, or strategies to avoid impacts,” which is not a concrete promise of anything. As always, development comes with a price tag. Of this one, we must ask ourselves: is the cost worth the outcome, especially when there are alternatives? The importance and feasibility of these alternatives need to be considered, especially when what many consider progress is disruptive to the lives of many others. If reconciliation is to be more than lip service like Horgan made it seem to be at the outset, then Site C seems to be a major, and potentially irreversible, step backwards for his party.
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Cosmetics – both makeup and skincare – have always given cause
for debate, especially today when it seems everyone has an opinion on what others should or shouldn’t do with their bodies. For some, makeup is a way of life; a personal choice for how they want to be perceived. For others, it’s just a perpetuation of unhealthy beauty standards, encouraging people to hide their true self and present a fake image to the world. No matter what your stance, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry with roots as far back as ancient Egypt, and we can never really know what motivates someone to decorate the skin they’re in.
words twila amato photos jake agudera
few years ago, I lived in a restrictive community where skincare and makeup were frowned upon. It seems I had stumbled into a group where cosmetics were seen as selfish and narcissistic – sinful even. I didn’t realize how judgmental and harmful the mentality was until I was made to feel shame for painting my nails for a friend’s wedding. When I eventually moved back to Vancouver, where the culture is much more tolerant of makeup, I began to explore cosmetics as a means to take care of myself, but also to regain who I am. I wasn’t addled with acne or anything, but the stress of my experiences in that city, fending for myself without knowing the language, had taken its toll. Taking care of yourself is not a crime, and this is exactly how I was beginning to understand cosmetics. To me, like so many others, cosmetics offer a way to practice self-care, a means to help me feel comfortable in my own skin. Makeup helps me express my inner self. On days when I feel fierce, my makeup is bold. On days when I want to have a subtle or understated look, my makeup is muted. It helps me show the world how I’m feeling – or how I want to feel – and helps me feel more assured. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate my natural face, but being 18
Feature Opinion
able to highlight or tone down certain features makes me feel in control of my body and my image, the thing that my previous community didn’t permit me to have. This is the understated power of cosmetics: to give an individual control over an important part of their lives. Many people argue that makeup is purely superficial, a tool for commercial interests, and strictly for aesthetic purposes. What they fail to understand is the deeper, internal impact that it can have on people. Yes, cosmetics throughout history have sometimes been purely utilitarian, for dramatization and/or purely aesthetic purposes, but when we look deeper into it, we see the spiritual element of makeup and often ritualistic part of various cultures. There is no single era or culture that first popularized cosmetics, but one thing is for certain: makeup is present in almost every society on this planet, and has been for www.linkbcit.ca
ages. It’s also worth noting that even though makeup has become gendered today, historically both men and women have used various cosmetics to take care of themselves and to alter or enhance their appearance. Ancient Egyptians used ‘kohl’ (a precursor to our modern day mascara) around the eyes because they believed it would help protect them from the harsh sun. They also used beeswax to help take care of skin. Ancient Greek women used olive oil mixed with charcoal as eyeshadow and mascara, and men and women used lead to lighten their skin. Romans used rosewater and milk baths to take care of their complexion, and men used paint to cover up bald spots. In ancient China, nail colour showed one’s social class: during the Chou Dynasty (c. 600 BCE), royals wore gold and silver nail colours while the lower classes were not permitted to wear any. In ancient Japan, geisha used crushed safflower for lipstick, and lead paste (later changed to rice powder paste) for foundation. 19
’m no geisha, but skincare and makeup do help me prepare for the day ahead. Going through my morning routine helps me wake up and get ready to face the day. It’s my way to encourage myself and say: “You got this.” When you take the time and care to dress your face like this, it’s almost a meditative experience, giving you time to brace yourself for whatever the day may bring. Makeup also helps to boost confidence and thus helps support one’s overall wellbeing. According to psychologist Dr. Michael Serafin, taking the time to nurture and nourish yourself through skincare and makeup gives you the opportunity to build self-appreciation. He says that while you’re taking care of 20
your surface self, you should also take care of your inner being by looking at yourself through a loving and positive perspective. Taking care to be mindful in this way is something we should all be doing, men and women alike. Attention men: if you take longer to get ready because you have a 10-step skincare routine, you’re no less of a man. According to industry experts, more and more men are using makeup for the purpose of making themselves feel safe in their own skin. In the subreddit “Makeup Addiction,” a 45-yearold man posted about how makeup is helping him feel good in his own skin. Other male commenters chimed in
about how makeup has also helped to boost their confidence. On the flipside, a woman is no less a woman if she chooses not to have a “mini spa” session in the morning; she simply has a different way of taking care of herself. Even just having the power to choose between putting on makeup or not putting it on helps make you feel safe and good. Appreciating, honouring, and respecting your inner self, no matter what that looks like, translates to self-confidence and develops outer beauty. It transfers to the way you carry yourself, how you treat others, and thus how others will treat you in return. As far as I’m concerned, loving yourself through cosmetics is basically a gift that keeps on giving.
hen one gains control of their own image and their own life, they feel a lot safer. Makeup helps you do this by giving you the power to decide what goes on your skin, how you’re going to present yourself, and in turn, how you assert your identity. That’s not to say that you’re hiding yourself or that you’re imperfect and can only be fixed with makeup. Rather, you’re choosing ways to make yourself feel safe and comfortable in your skin. You’re choosing ways to make yourself feel confident, and using cosmetics is just another way to do it. At the same time, we should be aware of how damaging cosmetics can also be; check in with yourself and reinforce that you’re doing this for you, and not for anyone else. You’re doing this not so you can look like the model in the ad, but to present the face you want to show the world, and to empower yourself. Cosmetic products are generally marketed to women, with cutesy names, sweet scents, and highly feminine packages. But these days, not only are more and more men getting into using makeup, but more of them are starting to be brand ambassadors for cosmetics companies, even launching their own brands. Makeup enthusiasts all know who Jeffree Star, James Charles, and Manny Gutierrez are. If you follow www.linkbcit.ca
skincare trends, you’ll also know that South Korean boy bands like EXO and BTS model for and advertise popular cosmetics companies. Throughout history, men and women alike wore makeup. Cosmetics had nothing to do with asserting sexuality per se – it was just the thing to do, just like they had different outfits for different occasions. Somewhere along the line though, makeup became exclusive to women as our societies’ views on masculinity (and femininity) changed. But here’s the thing: we shouldn’t equate makeup and skincare with sexuality; using cosmetics to take care of ourselves shouldn’t have to be questioned, and there should be no restrictions on them either. I invite you to look at cosmetics differently and see how we can help create a healthy relationship with makeup, tearing down barriers and simply allowing people to practice this beautiful form of self-care on their own terms. Remember: personal wellness comes in many forms, and for some, it might be hot pink with just a splash of yellow. So the next time you see a guy or a girl with a full face, or someone is taking their sweet time getting ready, remember that this could simply be their way of taking care of themselves. Maybe you should experiment with skincare and makeup too, and see what it does for you. I mean, who doesn’t love having a subtle glow? 21
T RU E CA L L I N G
From his childhood lifelong passion for living room to the network studio, th hockey into a once -in-a-lifetime oppois BCIT grad turned a r tunity.
Mantar Bhandal is one of the freshest faces in sports broadcasting. At just 21, Mantar has landed himself a dream job as play-by-play commentator and analyst for Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition. When he’s not calling games, Mantar keeps busy producing original music, co-hosting an indie podcast, and hitting the gym. Not long ago he was graduating from BCIT’s Radio Arts and Entertainment Program (Class of ‘16), and already Bhandal is well on his way to becoming a household name in hockey. words aaron guillen
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photos sheldon lynn
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Alumni Class of ‘16
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When did you realize you wanted to go into the journalism industry? Ever since I was 10 I knew I wanted to do play-by-play. In Planning 10, a high school class, we were told to make three career choices. Once we plugged them in [online], it would give us three institutions we could go to. I put play-by-play for the first, second and third choices, and BCIT was the only campus that popped up. After doing more research and reading alumni testimonials, I applied for the fall of 2014. I needed 50% to pass the entrance exam and I got 51. How useful was the BCIT program? It has meant everything. I came to BCIT straight out of high school as a very sheltered kid. BCIT taught me how to reach out and communicate properly […] and work on technical skills, such as graphic design and audio production. Before I studied at BCIT, the amount of knowledge I had was the size of a chickpea. Now it’s the size of a big ol’ tree. Those two years taught me a lot. What was your first job after graduating? A month after graduating, one of the faculty members from the radio program
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told me about a job opening for hockey commentating in Merritt where he had previously worked at Q101, a local radio station. After sending them my demo reel and passing multiple rounds of interviews, it ended up between me and this other guy. The hiring manager ended up choosing the other guy, saying that though he liked me, the other guy would be a better fit. A couple days later, the manager called me and said that the guy they chose got cold feet and offered me the job on the spot. I will never forget those 10 months in Merritt with extreme weather. In the winter, it would go down to -40oC and in the summer it would shoot up to +40. What emotions ran through your head when you got your current job? It almost never hit me. I had just moved back home this past April and didn’t have any career prospects when out of left field, Bhupinder Hundal, a member of the BCIT Broadcast Advisory Council, Facebook messaged me. There were only two messages: one saying, “call me” and the other with his phone number. When I called him, he asked me why I hadn’t called him
earlier. He knew that I was unemployed and offered me a job in play-by-play because he had seen my work in Merritt. I was blown away. Right after that phone call I turned to my friend and said, ‘I think I just landed my dream job.’ I’m honoured to be a part of the team (at Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Edition). Is this your dream job? To be honest, I never want to stop growing. I live by the quote, “Always keep moving forward. If not, you’re moving backwards.” One day I hope to call games in English on national TV. Since I was 10 years old watching hockey, it’s been my dream. I hope to leave a legacy and an impact for future broadcasters. As much as it is a dream to be in this position, I don’t want to stop here. I want to get better. When you’re not calling games, what’s the day-to-day like? I work as a server in a restaurant. It pays the bills. In the meantime, I work out every day. I was pretty overweight when I came back from Merritt. Having to walk to the gym in -40 weather wasn’t fun. I ate a lot of ice cream and frozen pizzas. When I came back I was at
240 and now I’ve shed it down to 200. Any extra time is spent singing or playing guitar, drums, and bass. About that – being a musician... Why keep producing and creating music when, to many, you have success as a broadcaster? I think it’s good to have another outlet. I like to think of myself as a multidimensional person. Music was a way to get through tough times in life. When I was a kid, both of my parents battled with cancer. Music was a way to escape that. When I started playing those instruments, I was able to channel how I felt and create my own things. Nowadays, it isn’t as much important as it was before, but it played a big role in growing up. Tell us about your Unsportsmanlike Conduct podcast... I decided that having a podcast was a good idea to stay active in the industry in a different way. My friend Bailey Meadows, a guy I met in the BCIT program, co-hosts the show with me. We found that we held interesting conversations about hockey and thought, ‘Why not make it into a podcast?’ It’s not just something you’d hear in the bar,
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but something that I think is more insightful, because we have some background knowledge. Bailey and I have both played goalie positions. Did you know the coach never talks to a goalie during a game? We have many segments we do. One of them is called “Hey You!” where one of us has a message for someone or a group of people that have a strong opinion. On the last episode, I went off on people who agreed with goalies and their superstitions. One day we hope to be Tim and Sid, or Jay and Dan, hopefully on TV. What would you say is the hardest part of your job at Hockey Night in Canada? Before this job, I had never called a hockey game in Punjabi before. I speak it at home all the time, but that’s nothing compared to gamespeak. There’s no direct translation for “dumping a puck in.” I’m still learning to say the correct words, while keeping it entertaining too. My parents and co-hosts have helped me learn a lot. Who are your inspirations? Ron MacLean. He’s one of the best storytellers out there. Many people forget
that it’s so important to performance. If you’re a good storyteller, it doesn’t matter what your voice sounds like; you’ll be a great broadcaster. Brian Adler has been a big help for me too. He’s worked for MTV and has tons of oncamera experience. He taught me that if I want to emphasize something important, I should lean in and speak more quietly. Those little details are hugely important. How do you set yourself apart from the competition? Don’t back down from a challenge. When you’re 20, and move to a small town after not having lived anywhere on your own, it’s intimidating. It all starts with your mindset. Work on yourself and keep improving your skills. If you can’t take advice, how are you supposed to grow? Tune in to Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition for doubleheader NHL action every Saturday at 7pm ET / 4pm PT on OMNI Television. See clips of Mantar doing his thing online at: www.omnitv.ca and subscribe to“Unsportsmanlike Conduct” on the Podcast app.
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ONE WAY, OR ANOTHER. Dayna Weststeyn examines different teaching styles, and sits down with BCIT instructor Ken Marken to discuss his philosophy on making class fun.
photos dayna weststeyn
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fter graduating high school, I started my higher education journey at Simon Fraser University studying Biomedical Physiology. Most Canadian universities and colleges consider a fulltime course load 4-5 courses per semester, which I already thought was pretty heavy. But when I started at BCIT to specialize in Ultrasound Technology, I found the transition from the typical university workload to BCIT’s five classes plus three labs quite challenging. I was initially overwhelmed with balancing lab time, regular classes, my personal life and work outside of school, while trying to find time to study. Gradually I fell into a routine and began balancing my schedule effectively. Unlike most post-secondary schools where students obtain a degree but still often do not have the expertise or qualifications to work in their desired field, BCIT prepares students to begin working right after graduation. Though the workload is challenging at the time, all of the courses and labs directly relate to the student’s future work environment.
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BCIT’s high employment rates post-graduation are due to the preparedness of students that result from this intensive learning environment. But with attention and energy spread so thin with this heavy workload, how can the information that is constantly being taught, be balanced with the way it is being delivered? I began noticing that some classes were easier to pay attention in and absorb information. I started to pay attention to the way the material was presented and taught, as well as my overall experience in my classes and labs. Did the teaching style and way material was presented play a larger role in the student’s learning outcome, or was it all on the student’s shoulders to learn the material and succeed? Participation rates and diversity in post-secondary institutions are steadily on the rise1. With more backgrounds, languages and perspectives entering the classroom, active learning is becoming more important to bridge the gap between the different learning styles
Figure out your preferred learning style and experiment with different techniques for strategies to help bolster your focus and learning. Check out: intelligent.com
Feature Education
that inherently come with these varied classrooms. There are those that learn well regardless of the method, those who may have difficulty learning for whatever reason (language barriers, learning disabilities, etc.) and those who are just naturally less academically inclined1. Student diversity also impacts the learning environment because of different learning methods, personal experiences, future goals, likes and dislikes, as well as personal circumstances2. I noticed that some instructors would structure their classes in a way that really accommodated students diverse learning, and maximize their time in the classroom. With so little time and energy that each student has to give to each class at BCIT, the many different teaching modalities (such as lecture notes, videos, drawings, hands-on activities and games) can provide a positive learning environment and contribute strongly to success in understanding and absorbing the information in class.
just sitting back and passively listening to information lectured. He believes that, “ideally, as an instructor, you want to make connections that are engaging and encourage students to learn about the topic you are covering,” and that, “explaining things from different perspectives or using physical models to convey information reinforces a student’s understanding of a topic.” With a general decline of self-care due to class related stress throughout the semester, it can be difficult to stay fully present during class and process all of the material. I find it easy to get distracted by work plans, social media and friends while sitting in class. These distractions also seem to amplify with stress and exhaustion. But when you are in an interactive learning environment, you are forced to participate, pay attention and get involved with the material being taught. Humour can be an effective but underused tool in classrooms, which keeps
“Varied teaching styles not only maximize the students time in school, but ultimately leads to success in their desired field. “
The increased need for a variety of learning methods has prompted a movement to shift the focus from the professor-centered lectures, towards more student-centered learning, known as individualized studentlearning. But are there certain methods that are more successful in translating the material from the instructor to the students most effectively? Studies have shown that when teachers focus on providing an understanding about learning outcomes, specifically what students are required to know for each topic, and structure course content accordingly, student learning is improved1. In order to obtain this information, the constructivism philosophy believes that students have to construct knowledge, and that they do this through different learning activities1. Constructivism, coupled with a focus on learning outcomes, provides an environment centered around engaging students in active learning in order to acheive their class objectives, rather than just having the information passively presented to them.
K
en Marken is an instructor in the Ultrasound department at BCIT and uses many different teaching styles in the classroom to engage, entertain, promote participation and adapt new phenomena like social media. Ken says his philosophy is that, “education should be relevant, interesting and informative. Everyone has their preferred mode of gathering and thinking about information. For example, I try to incorporate elements of visual, auditory, relational and kinesthetic aspects into my classes.” I’ve had the pleasure of having Ken as an instructor. He shows videos, provides materials for the students to build anatomy structures, creates 3D anatomy structures to show the class, as well as leads drawing activities and games. Students simultaneously learn and enjoy this environment, rather than
the environment light and maintains attention3. Ken works to incorporate social media into the classroom setting and works to use it as, “a learning tool and augment my teaching style. For example, students use their personal mobile devices to share photos of our drawing or model building activities, or collectively participate in online polling, such as Poll Everywhere.” Part of adapting to different classrooms and teaching needs involves trying to concoct new teaching modalities. Ken says his, “current ideas come from different sources; reading articles or books, observing how my own children like to learn, or thinking about how I would like to learn about things myself.” As diversity in learning needs continue to increase in the classroom, it is important that the way material is taught correlates and adapts to the way students learn in a studentfocused method. Incorporating different teaching modalities throughout the students’ courses and encouraging engagement through active learning leads to more engaged students who have richer learning experiences. Varied teaching styles not only maximize the students’ time in school, but ultimately leads to success in their desired field. Though this method requires a significant amount of dedication and time from the instructor, the success and increased rate of learning for students is ultimately much higher. Each student that enters the classroom brings different experiences and backgrounds to the table, so why limit the learning potential by teaching in a single style?
Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. (4th edition). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Santangelo, T. & Tomlinson, C. (2009). The Application of Differentiated Instruction in Postsecondary Environments: Benefits, Challenges, and Future Directions. International Journal of Teaching and Education in Higher Level Learning. 20(3): 307-323. 3 Lei, S., Cohen, J. & Russler, K. (2010). Humor on Learning in the College Classroom: Evaluating Benefits and Drawbacks from Instructors’ Perspectives. Journal of Instructional Psychology.37(4): 326-331. 1 2
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Jeremy Un 3rd-Year Architectural Science / Sculptor
Jeremy Un is a Vancouverite with aspirations to be an architect. He enjoys creating, whether it be music, art, or food. His favourite sculpting medium is paper. Jeremy describes it as: “a versatile yet predictable material that I have grown to enjoy working with. It started with origami boats and cranes, and recently, I’ve been experimenting with pleating curves.” When sculpting with paper, he likes to play with different translucencies, weights, and textures that also add to the sculpting vocabulary.
dodecahedron lamp light sculpture
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Feature Artist: Jeremy Un
oceanic paper sculpture
wind and stone paper sculpture
clock wood sculpture
Check out more of Jeremy’s creative work online: www.jeremytom.com instagram: @tom_jeremy
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Creative Writing Poetry
Lounging in Your Lived-in Room by Gabriel Laubach
Gabriel Laubach is a first-year student in the Electrical Foundations program. Since he was young he’s been fascinated by story. It began with Star Wars and after that he was hooked. Movies, books, TV, magazines, music, tall tales around a campfire – anywhere he could find a good story, he wanted to know where it was. After nearly 30 years of searching for exciting stories, Gabe now uses poetry and short story to, in a sense, return the favour that he’s found in the artists he loves.
It’s as simple as an abbreviation of a word To the change of a sentence to a phrase The synopsis of a Terrence Malick film Teleportation in the stead of a scenic drive Fighting with the clock Always tick-tock-ticking Make time for time Make a time peace No need to wipe the sweat from your brow As you race from one thing to the next As you swipe left and right Searching for some form of connection Stronger than your current coffee shop wifi Wanna make face time But real face-to-face time The smell of your coffee breath ferments the conversation And that ol’ Stompin’ Tom shirt is ripped and ragged
You treat words like a dance floor As you float from one syllable to the next Your laughter thunders and roars Your joy could make a food poisoned person puke rainbows Pour yourself a cup of earl grey And draw up a bath of clocks To steep yourself in time Turn down the thermostat to 100 below So we can slow time Freeze this whole living room So each breath is sheer and truly realized You really notice each moment when they are harder to take in I am not here to be a burden Nor take up too much of your time I just wanna wash your dishes I ain’t got nothing on but a pot of coffee And your cup of tea
turn your diploma into a degree
Re sta ur an t loc at ed jus t a us ! few mi nu te s wa lk fro m ca mp WIL LIN GDO N AVE .
473 7 WIL LIN GDO N AVE . BUR NAB Y
MO SCR OP
FREE SANDWICH
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