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UVIC LIFE

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PAUL VOLL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

wo.

TThat’s the number of goals the Vikes women’s field hockey team allowed over the entirety of the 2024 season, en route to the program’s sixth straight U Sports national championship title.

It was fitting then, that defender Anni Kleinschmidt made the final play of the gold medal game on Nov. 3, deftly intercepting an aerial pass — York University's last-ditch effort to break through the Vikes’ defensive line — securing a 1-0 win, and continuing the team’s national championship streak.

The Vikes erupted in celebration; field hockey sticks flew into the air, and all 17 players sprinted toward Duncan-born goalkeeper Anais Chace, who didn't allow a single goal against in four games at nationals.

Fourth-year defender and co-captain Libby Hogg, who now has four national titles with the Vikes, said her initial feeling following the final buzzer was relief.

“It was like, okay, all our hard work that we put in this year is a

success, again,” said Hogg.

The Vikes felt some pressure to continue the national win streak and “uphold the legacy,” said second-year forward Amanda Adams, who provided critical scoring at nationals with three goals in the tournament,

UVic’s run of six consecutive national titles began in 2018 (excluding the COVID-19impacted 2020 season), after nine seasons without a title.

However, a big reason for the program’s success, which now includes 17 national titles since 1975 — second only to UBC’s 19 — can be traced even further back than that.

In 2003, current head coach Krista Thompson, who was the program’s assistant coach at the time, started the Rising Stars program, which allowed the Vikes to offer scholarships to future Vikes women’s field hockey athletes.

The concept was simple: provide a weekly field hockey training session for girls aged 8-18, divided into two groups from fall to spring, and the registration costs for the sessions would go towards field hockey scholarships. The program grew each year, and the revenue it generated helped the team

incentivize potential recruits.

In 2018, the dividends of Rising Stars truly took shape. That year, the Vikes graduated five players from the Rising Stars program to their varsity team — all of whom had already spent ten years of development with Thompson and the program, tracing back to when they were eight years old.

"They're a generation who want to be involved and add value"

That season, the team won a national championship, breaking their nine-year drought — and they haven’t relinquished the trophy since.

“That’s when we started to win,” said Thompson. “It’s one of the pillars of our program, I would say.”

The success of Rising Stars has allowed the Vikes to primarily

construct their recent rosters from local, island-grown talent — without impacting the program's ability to be competitive. In fact, the local athletes that the program helped develop have been integral to the team’s current run of six consecutive national titles — a feat only outmatched in U Sports field hockey history by UBC, when Canada’s national senior field hockey team was centralized at UBC and made up much of the Thunderbirds roster.

This season, 16 of the 23 players on the Vikes’ roster are from Vancouver Island, and 15 of 16 came through Rising Stars.

Hogg — who has been selected as a U Sports All Canadian the past two seasons — entered the Rising Stars program when she was eight years old.

“My mom just signed me up one day,” said Hogg, who now, along with other Vikes field hockey players, helps coach the Rising Stars program throughout the season.

“It's cool to come full circle and be coaching it, because I remember when I was in the program and looking up to the coaches that came and helped us,” added Hogg.

Several Rising Stars and Vikes alumni have also had opportunities

to play and train with Field Hockey Canada teams at both junior and senior levels, including Hogg, who now also trains with the national team, with a goal to make the senior roster for the upcoming Nations Cup in February.

Hogg is part of another initiative which co-aligns with the Vikes’ current six-year run of dominance. In 2018, coaches Lynne "Buzz" Beecroft and Krista Thompson shifted the team’s co-captain structure to a “leadership group,” made up of four captains with representation from each year of athletes.

“Each captain is responsible for their year,” said Thompson. “This year we have a second year, third year, fourth year, and fifth year [in] the leadership group … I lean on the athletes a lot in terms of what's going on [with the players] and what their needs are … they're a generation who want to be involved and add value.”

Hogg has been part of the leadership group since her first year with the Vikes, and said the structure helps ease communication and decisionmaking throughout the team...

Photo courtesy of Krista Thompson

KIERA CLARK VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER

Whether you’re looking to enjoy festive lights, explore historic Victoria, or go Christmas shopping, these six holiday-themed activities and events are the perfect way to celebrate the end of the semester.

LIGHTS OF WONDER

Until Dec. 31, head downtown to see Lights of Wonder, a stunning light display in Centennial Square. The space has been transformed into a magical outdoor event with themed light exhibits, interactive light tunnels, and a 40-foot holiday tree. The lights turn on at 4 p.m. every day, and they turn off at 9 p.m. from Sunday—Thursday, and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Along with special events from Dec. 20–31, there will also be a ferris wheel, available for free or by donation.

GINGERBREAD SHOWCASE

Habitat for Humanity Victoria and amateur bakers in the city have come together again this year for Habitat for Humanity Victoria’s 16th Annual Gingerbread Showcase. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Jan. 5 at the Hotel Grand Pacific, this year’s theme is “Through a Child’s Eyes.” According to Habitat Victoria’s website, the Gingerbread Showcase is their “premier annual fundraising event, contributing to helping local families get a hand-up into affordable home ownership.” You can view this year’s creations online, and vote for your favorites by donating to Habitat for Humanity Victoria!

4CATS HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS

Looking to get creative or make a homemade gift for the holidays?

4Cats has a variety of holiday-themed clay workshops available throughout December. They offer instructor-led

The UVic logo:

HANNAH LINK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

UVic unveiled a new logo collection, or “mark,” last month, signifying the start of a new design era for the university. We decided to dig deeper into the history of the UVic brand to understand where it all began. We also reached out to UVic for comment on the process of this latest design.

and self-guided workshops, making it a great option for both beginners and more advanced artists. They have several project options for December including a snowman mug, gingerbread-house-inspired tea light homes, and handmade ornaments. Workshops range from $20-$35 per person, and can be booked on their website.

HOME ALONE IN CONCERT

Have you ever wondered what a movie would be like with a full symphony orchestra playing the soundtrack live? Join the Victoria Symphony at the Royal Theatre on Dec. 21 and 22 for this special holiday event, featuring Home Alone . As the movie plays, the symphony will perform John Williams' original score for the beloved holiday classic. There will be 7 p.m. performances on Dec. 21 and 22, plus a 2:30 p.m. performance on Dec. 22. Tickets will start at $29.

HOLIDAY MARKETS

There are a number of holiday markets happening in and around Victoria this December. On Dec. 14, visit the Fernwood Community Centre for the Coastal Bead Collective and Friends Indigenous Holiday Market, open 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., featuring around 20 Indigenous artists.

The Bastion Square Holiday Market is from Dec. 13–15 and 19–24, and is open 11 a.m.to 5 p.m.

The 29th Annual Moss Street Holiday Market will be held on Dec.14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association, with more than 70 vendors. Whether you’re looking for gifts or something for yourself, these markets will have everything from clothing and jewelry to chocolates, wine, and cider.

how it's going, and where it started

THE COAT OF ARMS

The university’s coat of arms pays homage to its days as Victoria College, which was

That’s where the martlet birds come from, since they are prominent in McGill’s brand visuals even today.

The coat of arms is still used in formal settings, and features the colours blue, yellow, and red. It also contains UVic’s two

“A multitude of the wise is the health of the world,” in Hebrew and Latin, respectively.

THE CREST AND LOGO

this recent update, or in the brand refresh as the crest, with the words “University of Victoria” written below or beside it.

The crest still features the three martlet birds, but this time in a monochrome look of either blue, black, or white. It’s essentially that can be found all over campus.

THE UVIC EDGE

The university's biggest rebrand in recent history happened in 2015, with the reveal of the Edge. This is the visual that we’ve likely all seen on Brightspace, course outlines, and merchandise in the last few years.

When it was unveiled, the Edge was not meant to signal a change in logo. Instead, it intended to introduce a new idea of a “mark,” which a UVic spokesperson explained as “a visual way of showing our informal name.”

This mark featured the colours blue and yellow with a red wave accent, and has been in use for ten years as UVic’s standard visual. The university also used the concept of the Edge in marketing, as a word to describe UVic’s stand-out qualities.

THE LATEST REFRESH

UVic recently revealed a new mark, which contains the colours green and yellow on the “V” of UVIC, where the Edge pattern once was.

A spokesperson explained that the UVic would like to move towards more widespread use of this new mark because of the colonial nature of crest-like symbols.

UVic also sees the removal of the colour red as distancing themselves from traditional institutional appearances. The website states that red is “associated with power and is overly common in the postsecondary landscape.”

The colours blue, green, and yellow are intended to represent the trees, ocean, and sun — elements that are central to campus life at UVic.

This brand refresh took four months, and was performed by the university’s communications and marketing team. A

KARAOKE

CHRISTMAS AT CRAIGDARROCH CASTLE

All throughout December, Craigdarroch Castle will be decorated for the holidays, offering visitors a “unique glimpse into authentic Victorian toys and traditions.” These self-guided tours allow you to explore the castle at your own pace. It is important to note that Craigdarroch is a historic building with no ramps or elevators, so it is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible. The castle is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closing for Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission for adults is $22.50, but students get a discounted rate of $18.50. They are also offering a special “Create at the Castle” workshop on Dec. 14, where guests can learn to make Victorian-inspired holiday earrings.

resources were used for the creation of this new mark.

who we are, what we stand for and where we want to go,” they said.

Logos courtesy of UVic.

UVIC LIFE

Is napping in class disrespectful or relatable? Here's what professors really think We scoured the halls looking for profs to weigh in on this snoozy subject

HANNAH LINK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

We’ve just passed the time of year when it becomes increasingly difficult to stay awake in class. With finals now upon us, the Martlet decided to ask professors around campus what they think when they see a student doze off while they’re teaching.

In a Reddit post from over a month ago, some professors weighed in on their thoughts about sleepy students. Here’s what the profs we spoke to had to say:

DR. ROGÉRIO DE SOUSA, PHYSICS

“My first thought is that I must be boring, that I should teach with more excitement. I’m very nice to my students and I want them to enjoy my class. If they’re sleeping, either they’re tired, they didn’t sleep the previous night, or my class is boring.”

DR. ERIN KELLY, ENGLISH

“My take is that it’s my job to make sure that there is a good learning environment for everyone in the class. If someone sleeping in class is disturbing other people and interfering with other people’s learning, then I need to do something in the

moment. Otherwise, I think the only person they’re hurting by sleeping is themselves, because they’re missing class, and heck, it might be because they are ill or they have something difficult going on.”

DR. PIERRE - LUC LANDRY, FRENCH

“I will always think that that student probably did not have enough sleep — too busy with coursework, or [a job] outside of the class…. It happened to me before when I was a student — I did fall asleep in some courses,

DR. SCOTT MCINDOE, CHEMISTRY

“One of the things about students falling asleep in your class is that I think there’s a lack of awareness among students that we can see them as well as they can see you. So whether they’re talking, or whether they’re sleeping, or on their phone, if I’m looking at you, I can tell that you’re doing all those things.”

DR. ALISON MURRAY, ANTHROPOLOGY

“I almost just think it’s funny. Because, usually, it would be right after lunch in the class that I have right when you want to be napping. Every once in a while, I’ll see someone sitting there with their eyes shut, and then it just makes me chuckle. I have fallen asleep in class before when I was an undergrad — right after lunch.”

unfortunately, because I was overworked and I didn’t have time to sleep…. It distracts me but it also kind of makes me feel bad for the student, so I don’t want to make it a big deal.”

The Victoria Event Centre will become ENCORE BY PAPARAZZI in 2025

Sorry, what are we encoring again?

COOPER ANDERSON SENIOR STAFF EDITOR

In a Nov. 15 Instagram announcement with comments disabled, the fate of a beloved Victoria venue was sealed. The Victoria Event Centre (VEC), a space previously dedicated to bolstering emerging new artists and good music, will be converted into ENCORE BY PAPARAZZI in 2025.

ENCORE BY PAPARAZZI on Broad St. is a sister location to the club’s original location, Paparazzi Nightclub, located on Johnson St. The twin nightclubs will be on the same city block, and those mourning the loss of the Victoria Event Centre are beginning to get the idea that ENCORE is going to be exactly that — a twin of Paparazzi.

The VEC’s space has been for sale since this summer, after a “substantial rent increase” shut them down. Their last day of operations was Oct. 27, but this has not stopped supporters from speaking about their grief for the space online. User @missrosiebitts said under a recent Instagram post: “I feel like the VEC and I have grown up as artists together. It has been my longest home venue … I’ve produced and performed in countless shows at the VEC over the last 18 years … It’s heartbreaking to think it will cease to exist.”

User @allasagna replied too, saying: “I've always been a firm proponent that the VEC is hands down the best venue in Victoria.”

User @peteheredotcom agrees: “A lot of the Love that exists around me in my life can be directly tracked back to the space and community in and around the VEC.”

Paparazzi does seem to be aware of the weight of accepting this sacred offer, saying on their Instagram they intend to “keep this space open and thriving for Victoria Night Life and the Vibrant Arts Community.” They also claim that ENCORE will be dedicated entirely to arts appreciation during weekdays, where live shows and events will be held. However, they say that “weekends will come alive with live DJs and a spacious dance floor,” meaning we will definitely still be getting a weekly dose of the typical Paparazzi-esque experience. But did Paparazzi really hear that we “wanted more” of “the signature classic PAPARAZZI vibes that [we] have come to love”? And what are those vibes, exactly? A recent Instagram post on Nov. 29 shows off pink drink-cover stickers that say “Hands Off,” advertising that anyone who wants a drink cover can ask for one from a bartender for free. User @olivethistea comments:

“That’s great! Now let’s keep this energy with the new venue.”

Their sarcastic red-heart emoji says it all — should we really be excited that at this fine establishment, for $0 we can… lower our risk of being drugged? Most clubs I know of use their Instagram to advertise upcoming events and season lineups. It seems

like Paparazzi understands that safety at their club is something they will need to promote in order for ENCORE to be well-received, nevermind successful, once it opens.

Their mission is currently not going well. A recent Instagram post from @victoria_city_canada said simply,

“Victoria’s Paparazzi nightclub will open a new venue in 2025,” and the first comment is:

“And we’re all upset about it.”

Cleo Philp, a student from the university of Victoria, expressed the idea that Victoria nightlife has become an unsafe place — especially for queer people — telling Chek News that “a lot of [their] queer friends have had unfortunate experiences of being harassed by straight and non-queer people, and have generally had a bad time” at clubs in the area.

Paparazzi’s slow slip from being one of the few gay venues in Victoria has not gone unnoticed by the general community. A UVic student who wishes to remain anonymous told the Martlet last year that his straight, male friends started suggesting going out for drinks there in August 2023, whereas before then, it was known to all of them as a gay club.

“I don’t think I would quantify [Paparazzi] as a definitively queer space,” he said at the time.

A spokesperson from Paparazzi told the Martlet in an emailed statement that its “guests make up a cross-section of Greater Victoria,”

and that there is no way to check everyone’s identity at the door. While this is true, according to the first ever census data including transgender and nonbinary people, Victoria has the most gender diversity out of any large urban centre in Canada (0.75 per cent).

It would be wrong to assume that the cross-section of Greater Victoria would not include queer people, and everyone deserves an equal opportunity to drink, dance, socialize, and build community without fear of being discriminated against.

We want to know: What will happen

to the rich community surrounding the Victoria Event Centre? Only time will tell if Greater Victoria will actually give Paparazzi their encore.

Illustration by Zoe Bechtold.

Illustration

Chief commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Comission has passed away Murray Sinclair's legacy will live on at UVic

RAAMIN HAMID CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Murray Sinclair, chief commissioner of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), passed away on Nov. 4, 2024, leaving behind lasting impacts on education and reconciliation within university curricula.

The TRC was a national inquiry in which commissioners heard the stories and experiences of residential school survivors — one of the commissioners being Murray Sinclair.

“Education has gotten us into this mess, and education will get us out,” Sinclair famously said of reconciliation.

Marion Buller, UVic’s Chancellor and former chief commissioner of the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, said that education has shifted since after the national inquiry into residential schools and that dialogue now exists after the work Sinclair did with the TRC. This was something previously not discussed. “As Murray so wisely said Buller. “The national inquiry exposed a lot of truth.”

Bunni Williams, an Indigenous Studies student at UVic, said Sinclair’s work has opened up conversations

about what truth and reconciliation actually means, but they are apprehensive about the steps the university is actually taking towards education and reconciliation.

“I’m not sure if we are doing the right thing,” Williams said.

Much of UVic’s faculty had the opportunity to work with and learn from Sinclair, including Carey Newman, UVic’s Impact Chair in Indigenous Art Practices and the artist behind the Witness Blanket — a commemorative piece for the TRC.

The Witness Blanket is created from objects collected from residential schools, churches and government buildings. The commissioners of the TRC themselves, Sinclair included, chose this piece as a representation of residential schools and its survivors.

In the documentary created for the Witness Blanket, Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket, Sinclair encouraged everyone to interact with the blanket, using it as a way to explain that it’s “the most will ever have with an existing

The Witness Blanket is one of the many symbols of the work the TRC did to commemorate the existence of residential schools:

in and from there that’s where they begin to take action,” said Newman. “Reconciliation exists in actions, not in the thoughts.”

UVic has taken recent action towards reconciliation by recently

be here unless it was for the work of Sinclair and the TRC. “We wouldn’t be having this conversation without

Both of Sinclair’s grandparents and

parents were attendees of residential schools. Through the TRC, Sinclair heard the stories of thousands of residential school survivors. After hearing these stories, he referred to the policies of the residential school system as “cultural genocide.”

Newman said the actions Sinclair took and the work he did was not performative, nor was it simply because it was his job. “He did it because that’s what he believed in,” said Newman.

Alyssa Dobie, another Indigenous Studies student at UVic, said, and Reconciliation Commission has

education.”

The belief-driven approach Newman talked about is apparent in Sinclair’s diverse involvement not only with the TRC, but with various other boards and committees. He worked to bring together the Canadian judicial system and Indigenous ways of governance. In 2011, Sinclair received an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Winnipeg. The university’s website states that

of Pictures in the Sky,’ and Sinclair has spent his life creating a new image of justice for Aboriginal people.”

While there is no doubt that Sinclair has impacted the work of education and reconciliation at UVic, the university still has more work to do. system that is built on oppression, racism and violence through policy reform … we need a full system overhaul,” said Williams. “University and learn."

Medical experts needed to combat drug disinformation, says Victoria addictions physician 'It's not so much not doing the right things — it's not doing them at scale'

ETHAN BARKELY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In November, Dr. Ryan Herriot made national news when he helped set up an unsanctioned overdose prevention Jubilee Hospital. A similar site was set up outside Nanaimo Regional General Hospital that same week. by a team of volunteers from different backgrounds, including nurses, social workers, and physicians, as well as a number of people who have been directly impacted by the overdose crisis.

Herriot, a specialist in family and addictions medicine, has been working in the field since 2015. In 2016, a year after he finished his family medicine residency, the B.C. government announced a public health emergency in response to the “significant increase in drug-related overdoses and deaths.”

As of September, the B.C. government estimates that 1 749 people have died in 2024 due to toxic drug overdose, bringing the total number of deaths since 2016 to 15 822.

Herriot told the Martlet that he “We had lots of supervised consumptions, lots of handing out of Narcan kits and other supplies, beds. It was a fantastic success.”

However, he also says there is much more work to do as B.C. moves towards its ninth year of the public health emergency.

doing them at scale. So, we have overdose prevention sites, but nowhere near enough,” said Herriot. done the thing,’ when we’re not even close to saturation.”

Part of the reason for setting up

hospitals in B.C. currently do not have overdose prevention sites of their own. In November, Filter reported that internal Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) documents showed there was a plan on the island — Royal Jubilee, Nanaimo Regional, and North Island Hospital in Campbell River.

However, the documents show that in April — when the B.C. government announced the public spaces, including hospitals was put on hold “based on government direction.”

In an interview with the Martlet, it is to have overdose prevention services at hospitals, as well as out in the community.

“It's really to facilitate a safe work environment for everyone who works inside the hospital. Avoiding the use of substances in hospital bathrooms, and so on. And also helping people stay engaged in care,” he said.

In addition to overdose prevention resources, Herriot said that tackling the issue of drug supply is essential to ending the overdose crisis. Two issues that “often get muddled,” he says, are potency and purity.

“The potency of fentanyl means that it's very challenging for

prescriptions to keep up … what we've seen is that tools that traditionally worked quite well, like methadone, still work, but nowhere near as effectively in a great many people.”

“The second issue of the supply is it's uncertain purity … it's like you went to the liquor store and you bought some beer, and you don't really know if it's like 2 per cent alcohol or 40 per cent … and you don't know if there's methanol in there or some other contaminants, distinct problems with the unregulated supply that often get mixed up.”

For Herriot, the conversation around the overdose crisis has

years, turning what should be a public health issue into a political one.

“There was this debate in the House of Commons about safer supply as a concept. I had a lot of people get in touch with me and talk

defending the concept of safer supply,” he said. “My response was, terrible. I don't care how well she did. The very fact that this is being debated on the floor of the House of Commons is a problem.’”

The overdose crisis was a major issue in B.C.’s recent election, in

which John Rustad and the BC Conservatives attacked the NDP over “failed experiments” with accusing them of “enabling addiction.” Herriot hopes that re-centering the discussion around experts in the field, rather than politicians, will allow the province to take the steps it needs to combat the crisis.

“We need to kind of lower the temperature on this … one of the ways to do that is to have lots of experts in the media on a regular basis.”

Photo via UVic website.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Ryan Herriot

"I'm not indecisive... or maybe I am?"

Decarbonizing UVic's energy plant is

a critical but costly step towards a greener

campus

Replacing natural gas boilers will cost more than ten million dollars

FERNANDA SOLORZA SENIOR STAFF WRITER

UVic has set out to reduce its carbon emissions by 50 per cent below their 2010 baseline by 2030, and reach net zero by 2040. In 2023, UVic’s carbon emissions were just under ten thousand tonnes (10 000 tCO2e). To reach this goal, UVic aims to replace the natural gas boilers in the district energy plant with electric ones.

The biggest challenge UVic faces in achieving its sustainability goal is its current reliance on natural gas boilers. The four massive boilers, located in the district energy plant, supply heat to 80 per cent of campus buildings. Heating is the largest source of UVic carbon emissions, accounting for 97 per cent of total tCO2 emissions.

UVic’s solution is to source heating from a renewable, reliable, and sustainable source, such as hydroelectric power. Changing UVic’s heating source from natural gas to hydroelectric power aligning UVic’s energy practices with its commitments under the BC Climate Change Accountability Act.

UVic has been working closely with BC Hydro to ensure success on this project. In an email to the Martlet, a UVic spokesperson said, “BC Hydro has been involved since the early stages of

within the electrical grid to support the operation of the new boilers.”

UVic has continued to “transition away from the use of natural gas when building systems reach end-of-life or when equipment needs to be replaced,” said the spokesperson. New enhancements to energy metering and automation have helped UVic to access more detailed data and identify opportunities to conserve energy and lower emissions.

“When we are planning new construction or major renovations,” said the spokesperson, “Campus Planning and Facilities Management identify building project requirements that meet or exceed energy and green building

design standards.”

Buildings such as the National Centre for Indigenous Laws and Fraser Building expansion, which are currently under construction, have replaced their natural gas boilers with heat pumps.

Since 2019, campus floor area has increased by 11 per cent, with the addition to the Fraser and Engineering building expansions, as well as adding new residence buildings — Cheko’nien House and Sngequ House. Nevertheless, according to a UVic spokesperson, these buildings contribute less than one per cent to UVic’s total GHG emissions, thanks to UVic’s prioritization of lowemission technologies.

The District Energy Plant

was completed in 2023, but is currently has been selected and a construction manager [has been] hired to aid in project planning,” the spokesperson said. Once the project gets approval from the Board of Governors, construction is expected to start in Spring 2025.

build an expansion to the existing District Energy Plant to house two new electric boilers,” said the spokesperson.

Once the boilers are installed, as well as the associated pumps, heat exchangers, and transformers, UVic will prioritize and immediately reducing its buildingheating carbon emissions. The gas boilers will be kept as a redundancy in case of extremely cold days.

This project is estimated to require at least $10 million. In an email to the Martlet , BC Hydro said that it has multiple programs and incentives such as “Feasibility Study Funding” to support business customers. UVic confirmed securing this fund, stating that “BC Hydro has been a key partner in the project providing over $2 million in funding support.”

The remaining necessary funding will come from the Environment & Climate Change Canada’s Low Carbon Economy

Fund, the provincial Carbon Neutral Capital Projects fund, and internal funding, although the spokesperson said that “additional Institutional funding is also required, and is under review by the Board of Governors.”

It is still unknown how disruptive this construction will be for everyday campus life, how long it will last, or if additional CO2 emissions may result from construction. According to the spokesperson, UVic has been working on developing interim measures to decrease CO2 emissions while the project is underway, such as the Continuous Optimization Program undertaken by UVic’s Energy Management team and Facilities Management, “which has historically reduced campus emissions by one–two per cent annually.”

“The right-sized electric boilers are designed to meet our heating needs without adding operational complexity or requiring new construction,” said the spokesperson.

Although there are still some aspects to revise, including construction planning and budget, decarbonizing UVic’s district energy plant is a critical step in its sustainability journey, and its alignment with the BC Climate Change Accountability Act.

Photo by Fernanda Solorza.

Vancouver Island-born players are bringing home

Two.

That’s the number of goals the Vikes women’s field hockey team allowed over the entirety of the 2024 season, en route to the program’s sixth straight U Sports national championship title.

It was fitting then, that defender Anni Kleinschmidt made the final play of the gold medal game Nov. 3, deftly intercepting an aerial pass — York University's last-ditch effort to break through the Vikes’ defensive line — securing a 1-0 win, and continuing the team’s national championship streak.

Fourth-year defender and co-captain Libby Hogg, who now has four national titles with the Vikes, said her initial feeling following the final buzzer was relief.

“It was like, okay, all our hard work that we put in this year is a success, again,” said

The Vikes felt some pressure to continue the national win streak and “uphold the legacy,” said second-year forward Amanda Adams, who provided critical scoring at nationals with three goals in the

UVic’s run of six consecutive national titles began in 2018 (excluding the COVID-19impacted 2020 season), after nine seasons without a title.

However, a big reason for the program’s success, which now includes 17 national titles since 1975 — second only to UBC’s 19 — can be traced even further back than that.

The concept was simple: provide a weekly field hockey training session for girls aged 8-18, divided into two groups from fall to

spring, and the registration costs for the sessions would go towards field hockey scholarships. The program grew each year, and the revenue it generated helped the team incentivize potential recruits.

That season, the team won a national championship, breaking their nine-year drought — and they haven’t relinquished the trophy since.

“That’s when we started to win,” said Thompson. “It’s one of the pillars of our program, I would say.”

The success of Rising Stars has allowed the Vikes to primarily construct their recent rosters from local, island-grown talent — without impacting the program's ability to be competitive. In fact, the local athletes that the program helped develop have been integral to the team’s current run of six consecutive national titles — a feat only outmatched in U Sports field hockey history by UBC, when Canada’s national senior field hockey team was centralized at UBC and made up much of the Thunderbirds roster.

This season, 16 of the 23 players on the Vikes’ roster are from Vancouver Island, and 15 of 16 came through Rising Stars.

Hogg — who has been selected as a U Sports All Canadian the past two seasons — entered the Rising Stars program when she was eight years old.

“My mom just signed me up one day,” said Hogg, who now, along with other Vikes field hockey players, helps coach the Rising Stars program throughout the season.

“It's cool to come full circle and be coaching it, because I remember when I was in the program and looking up to the coaches that came and helped us,” added Hogg.

Several Rising Stars and Vikes alumni have also had opportunities to play and train with Field Hockey Canada teams at both junior and senior levels, including Hogg, who now also trains with the national team, with a goal to make the senior roster for the upcoming Nations Cup in February.

Hogg is part of another initiative, which co-aligns with the Vikes’ current six-year run of dominance. In 2018, coaches Lynne "Buzz" Beecroft and Krista Thompson shifted the team’s co-captain structure to a

“leadership group,” made with representation athletes.

“Each captain is responsible said Thompson. “This year, third year, fourth [in] the leadership group athletes a lot in terms [with the players] and … they're a generation involved and add value.” Hogg has been part of since her first year with the structure helps ease decision-making throughout

“You always have a team that you’re able second-year forward leadership group] is really Adams also attributed success to how close the field. “Every weekend out…. It’s probably ever been on.”

Similarly, when asked November where the Toronto, fifth-year player spoke first about times before commenting on

“Weirdly, we picked year, [and had] movie the vibes were just Kleinschmidt. “The time my teammates was the the games are what we're want to play, but for me important thing is my

“They all really care added Beecroft, who began in the mid 2000s of Boston, and sometimes Ivy League Division August after training Beecroft intended for as an opportunity to competition before the begins, as well as time know one another.

“It's as much a team-bonding off the field as it is on thought process,” said In recent years, the players time to explore the city, Sox baseball game, and, they always eat dinner fusion restaurant, Li’s.

“[Coaches] "Buzz" and … I think we had three

PAUL VOLL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

titles at a historic rate

made up of four captains from each year of responsible for their year,” year we have a second fourth year, and fifth year group … I lean on the terms of what's going on what their needs are generation who want to be value.” of the leadership group with the Vikes, and said ease communication and throughout the team.

safe person on your able to talk to,” added Adams. “I think [the really good to have.” attributed the team’s on-field the players are off of weekend we’re hanging the closest team I’ve asked about nationals in team spent a week in player Anni Kleinschmidt times with her teammates, the games themselves. up crafting a lot this nights. I don’t know, just good,” recalled time that I spent with the most fun. Obviously, we're there for and we me personally, the most teammates.” care about one another,” began a yearly tradition taking the team to sometimes New York, to play 1 universities in late camp. for the trip to serve both play against elevated the U Sports season time for players to get to team-bonding opportunity on the field. That's our said Beecroft. players have been given city, attend a Boston Red and, according to Hogg, dinner at the same Asian Li’s. and Krista love this place or four dinners there,

and that was the same last year,” Hogg said, laughing.

During down time at the hotel, Kleinschmidt said some players organized sketches to perform for the team. On this year’s trip, Kleinschmidt and a few others performed a synchronized swimming routine in the hotel pool.

“It’s just to make people laugh,” she said. “Everybody's super comfortable with each other … and the sketches are really silly.”

On the field during the Boston trip, the team tied Dartmouth College after leading most of the game, and lost 3-1 to Harvard, the seventh-ranked team in the United States. The Vikes were also scheduled to play a game against Yale, but it was cancelled due to weather.

Back in Canada, the Vikes began their 2024 season with consecutive 6-0 wins against the University of Calgary, before running into a UBC team who almost ended the Vikes’ season early. After two ties and a 0-1 loss to UBC over the course of the season, the Vikes needed to beat the Thunderbirds at UBC to secure the Canada West Championships and qualify for nationals.

Coach Thompson’s message going into a game with such high stakes was to “pretend like it’s just a big playdate, and have fun out there,” Hogg recalled. “Everyone went in with the mindset of, ‘this could be our last game,’ so just leave it all out there.”

The game was deadlocked at zero until Kleinschmidt stepped up for a penalty stroke with twelve minutes remaining and delivered a well-placed shot in the pouring rain past the sprawling UBC goalkeeper. The Vikes went on to win 3-0, and for the sixth year in a row, ended UBC’s season and nationals aspirations.

“Yeah, I think they very much don’t like us. But, not my problem anymore,” joked Kleinschmidt, who’s now in her final year at UVic.

With a berth to nationals once again secure, the Vikes enjoyed their last practice on Oct. 31 before leaving for Toronto — which, of course, was “costume mandatory.”

Anni Kleinschmidt, whose nickname on the team is “Anni-Bananni” or “Banan,” practiced in a big, floppy banana suit. Ten players dressed up as the Thumbs from the movie Spy Kids, and a few of the rookies showed up as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (likely an easier costume to practice in).

This year’s Halloween costume practice wasn’t the first, said former head coach

Beecroft, who is now in a mentor-coach role after spending 39 years in her former role, shaping the program into what it is today.

“If the athletes are having fun, they're more apt to try new things and be successful,” said Beecroft, who admits that while she may not have been the “best tactician,” she always prioritized a positive, encouraging environment.

“I think you only ever grow if you allow yourself to make mistakes, and I am somebody who allows that to happen … because that's an opportunity to learn,” she said.

At nationals, the Vikes were met with a new challenge: playing on York University’s rubber base turf instead of the water-based turf they play and practice on at UVic, which lubricates the pitch, reducing friction and allowing for smoother play.

“What you couldn't do there that is easy on our surface is dribble or carry the ball, because it would get stuck more [easily] in the fibers,” explained Thompson.

The turf frustrated the Vikes players in the first and second game of the tournament, said forward Adams, but the team was able to adjust by the third game, cruising to a 3-0 win over York on Saturday, Nov. 2, before facing the host team once again the following day in the gold medal match.

“It was obviously harder on Sunday. I think there's more nerves, there's anxiousness,” said Thompson.

Before the players went onto the field for the final game, Thompson played a video in the locker room of Vikes field hockey alumni wishing the team well.

“It definitely brought tears to some people's eyes,” said Adams. “Like, even when you graduate from this program, you're still always a part of the team.”

Illustrations by Sage Blackwell.

Are we witnessing the death

of U Sports hockey? New NCAA eligibility

ERIC KWAKERNAAK

VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) has long been considered the pinnacle of junior hockey. The organization, which is composed of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and the Western Hockey League (WHL), consistently develops some of the best hockey players in the world, evidenced by CHL alumni currently representing about 50 per cent of NHL players as of the 2024/25 season. However, the CHL also plays a major role in the development of collegiate athletics in Canada. Due to its long term designation as a “pro league” by the NCAA, CHL hockey players have been historically banned from attending Division 1 schools in the U.S. after they play within the league. Instead, the CHL heavily encourages graduating students to play U Sports hockey, going as far as establishing a 1993 scholarship program which has granted full scholarships to almost 8 000 former players from just the WHL alone. It’s a

rules could spell the end

as demonstrated by last year's U Sports hockey championships, where former CHL players made up over 80 per cent of the tournament's players.

The very survival of U Sports hockey

CHL players, and the scholarships that come with them.

However, on Nov. 7, those programs were forced to sit idly by and watch as the NCAA made a landmark decision — a massive rule change that has already sent shockwaves through the Canadian junior hockey landscape, and may spell the end of U Sports hockey as we know it.

Starting in the 2025/26 season, CHL compete in Division 1 college athletics.

The ruling was made following a classaction lawsuit from Rylan Masterson, a current Canadian junior hockey player whose college eligibility was denied in 2022 after he appeared in two pre-season OHL.

However, even without Masterson’s intervention, this was a move that felt in many ways inevitable. The NCAA has been

for high-level university hockey in Canada

recent years, all stemming from the 2021 Supreme Court decision to overturn name,

name, image, or likeness.

But regardless of whether we saw it coming or not, the NCAA’s ruling has left the hockey world scrambling for a foothold. It’s been, in a word, chaos.

change have been teams in the lower-level junior hockey leagues in Canada and the U.S. development leagues like the USHL (United States Hockey League), BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League), and OJHL (Ontario Junior Hockey League), have long been able to attract promising young talent because of their ability to

high-level hockey while still maintaining their NCAA eligibility.

However, that appeal has now been lost, and as a result, these leagues are being gutted of their stars. In the month since the NCAA decision, the BCHL has already lost 15 of their best players to CHL programs, which prompted them to host

an emergency board meeting on Nov. 20. drop in the ocean compared to the waves being sent towards U Sports programs, which could start to see a tsunami of changes coming their way.

“I feel like I’m in the unknown,” Queen’s University men’s hockey head coach Brett Gibson told Sportsnet. “I know it's going

One thing is for certain: U Sports hockey NCAA sports is a multi-headed monster, and competing with it is an impossibility. Its programs have more money, more time ever, nothing stopping them.

Going forward, U Sports programs may have to rely on intangible variables to attract talent. The ability for athletes to for their hometowns and home provinces. They might also begin to target Canadian hockey players who require degrees from Canadian schools for their chosen career

paths, such as those looking to pursue law or medicine.

“If you want to live in Canada and work in Canada, for a lot of these players, it's important that their education comes from up here,” said Todd Johnson, coach of the University of Regina Cougars. For coaches like Gibson and Johnson, those hidden gems; searching for the players who slip through the cracks, overlooked and ignored by NCAA them will require working overtime.

is this the death of U Sports hockey? No. It isn’t. Not really. Why? Because this is hockey, damn it. It is, and always will be, Canada’s sport. There is talent in every corner of this country, and Canadian universities will to their programs.

That being said, the NCAA’s landmark decision has undoubtedly made the path for competitive U Sports hockey rocky and uncertain. Now, it’ll be up to individual programs to pave their own ways forward.

Don't call me 'Amazonian' Let's stop commenting on people's bodies, even when it comes to height

HANNAH LINK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Nearly two years ago I was sent the link to a Martlet article written by some tall guy who was complaining about people commenting on his height. I’m a 6’2” woman who also complains about it from time to time, and my friend sent camaraderie.

I remember not loving what he had too hard being a tall man. As I read, I appreciated how he acknowledged that being non-male makes being this large much, much harder. I sympathized with his struggle of being recognized only for his height.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned from constantly having my height commented on is that people feel okay mentioning it because they think they’re acknowledging a good feature.

People know it’s not okay to comment on weight (or even sometimes shortness) because society has decided that those things are usually undesirable, so commenting on them is automatically rude.

Being a tall woman is sort of the middle ground here, because even though being tall isn’t bad, it’s best to be tall if you’re also a man. And even if you’re commenting on the stature of a tall man, is that really the best idea? You’re instantly placing value on the body of a stranger, which is a strange thing to do.

mentioning anything about someone’s body is just something we should avoid, even if you think it’s a compliment. Bodies are so deeply personal, and you really have no idea about anyone’s other than your own.

Maybe I’ve already heard that I’m tall twice that day, and your comment

tall women are interesting to people, mind when thinking about the “perfect” partner. I once had a woman at a nail salon tell me that, in her country, I would

interested in me. I’ve even had the parent of another kid from my high school tell me that I’m “freakishly” tall. These comments took a lot for me to overcome. Everyone is insecure in middle school, but when I stopped growing at age 11, these comments started to hit me often and hard. Why do we put so much emphasis on marriage prospects for young girls? Can’t I just go to school?

gravitated towards artistic activities, I was constantly bombarded by teachers and coaches who wanted me to play basketball.

I was once even “scouted” in a bookstore by a sports agent who wanted me to play volleyball. While that might sound nice to some people, it was an awkward encounter that made me feel like my body was someone else’s pawn. Now, as an adult with a bit more confidence, these comments and

One thing I’ve heard a couple of times recently is that I’m “Amazonian,” which many reasons. It makes me feel fetishized, and it’s a disgusting and dehumanizing way of addressing Indigenous people.

There are certainly racist undertones to societal perceptions of height. The myth of the “athletic savage” persists today, where people think that racialized groups are inherently superhuman athletes and that their bodies are designed for sport.

That’s where I think this “Amazonian” idea comes from — that Indigenous

people are “warriors” whose bodies are special. This kind of thinking is not only flawed, but it has dangerous implications when perpetuating the myth of “race.”

My body is not an interesting resemblance to some fantastical “other” group of people. It’s my body. I am meant to be this size because I belong to a diverse species — homo sapiens. I’ve also heard that it sucks to be short. I feel for anyone who has been of their stature — or any part of their

In the end, I see being tall as an me a stronger, more resilient person. And it is also quite nice to be able to reach things.

The writer of that Martlet story is now my boyfriend — and one of our the tall “club” we happen to belong to.

North America's fragile economic alliance is a threat to our future

FERNANDA SOLORZA SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Rising tensions between the U.S., and the car industry have emphasized the neocolonial mindset that governs North America.

most insulting thing I’ve ever heard from our friends and closest allies, the United States of America,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford during a press conference, in response to President Donald Trump’s threats to

Although I agree that countries should always prioritize their own sovereignty and economic stability, Ford’s comments and his insistence on a bilateral treaty between the U.S. and Canada highlight the neocolonial

are only worth something when they

Canada as the U.S.’s top trade partner. According to the United States Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of

of 2024, setting a record high of US $334 billion.

“We complement each other, and president Claudia Sheinbaum during called “mañaneras.” “There’s no subordination here,” she said.

USMCA regulations and acting as China’s “backdoor” is misleading. Neither Canada nor the U.S. have under the USMCA’s dispute mechanisms on these grounds, indicating a lack of substantial proof to back these accusations.

In the automotive sector — a cornerstone to the USMCA trade —

from American and Canadian workers while allowing Chinese companies like BYD, Tesla’s largest competitor, However, BYD does not even operate you know who does have BYD manufacturers? California and Ontario. This double standard reveals the neocolonial strategies that the U.S. and Canada implement in their politics. Is there such a thing as a free market monopolize? The General Directorate of Mining Development of the Ministry companies with foreign capital per cent correspond to Canadian capital and 10.2 per cent to American companies contribute less than one

and only 0.62 per cent of annual guaranteed employment.

Canadian mining corporations

Silver have even pursued arbitration to avoid paying debts, such as a $180 use open-pit mining methods that have devastated communities and ecosystems all under NAFTA, the previous USMCA, which shows that these treaties are shaped to serve

Ford’s insistence on a bilateral treaty between the U.S. and Canada

whose value lies primarily in its lowcost labour force and natural

nations, as suppliers of cheap goods and services while denying them equal footing in political and economic discussions will be detrimental to the

North American economy.

similar economic and political bloc between Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. On top of that, always been strong.

Nevertheless, this possible transition will be devastating for the three economies. Instead of perpetuating double standards and neocolonial practices, the U.S. and equal partner, and work together to strengthen the North American economy.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Could the new 'Wicked' movie spark a retun to classic moviemusicals?

Wicked proves the importance of keeping the original soundtrack

COOPER ANDERSON SENIOR STAFF EDITOR

I viscerally remember how I felt when I first watched the trailer for the live-action version of Aladdin — I cried. The songs, cut with crisp dance clips, and the way scenes were teased and then pulled away, sparked a feeling of childhood wonder. I immediately felt the need to see it.

However, it’s been a while since a trailer for a movie-musical has pulled me in this way. Many writers today choose to distance movie-musical adaptations from what they’re adapting — they remove plot points from the stage shows, and eliminate almost all of the original songs. This is probably an effort to avoid being labelled as “cringe,” as musicals often are — especially in the case of popular franchises such as Mean Girls , which is meant to appeal to general audiences.

When Wicked (2024) was announced, I was worried it would be the same; replacing entire songs with electric guitar riffs, fast fashion costuming, the works. Thankfully, my fears were put to rest with the first official trailer, which premiered during Super Bowl LVIII in February 2023.

Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in the movie, sings the iconic song “Popular” in the first 30 seconds of the trailer, proving she was right for the role after controversy surrounding her casting. Her rendition is a beautiful opening to the rest of the trailer, which also includes vocals from Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.

Only "Popular" and "Defying Gravity" are featured, but I was grateful that the effort was made to arrange the songs in a satisfying way, so that the emotional journey of the trailer was clear.

Around Wicked ’s release, an

additional trailer was released, demonstrating how the cast sang the majority of the music live on-set. This trailer once again forwards Grande, as she riffs backstage in her Glinda costume, while Erivo is shown flipping around in the air on her witch’s broom, reminiscent of a RedBull stunt video.

Using live vocals was important to the film’s director and production team.

“Effectively, our movie set is also a recording studio,” said director Jon M. Chu in the trailer.

“So that raw and real emotion that we are recording on set right now will be what you hear and experience in the theatre.”

I recently saw Wicked , and I agree. While there is definitely still reverb and audio editing, the vocals are ultimately authentic, and sound great. The film followed a classic moviemusical format, where writers convert running musical sections into dialogue, but dress up all the main songs into big numbers.

This was a relief to me, because it means the movie feels similar in structure to the original stage show.

Wicked had fast and mesmerizing group choreography, which was amazing to see, because ensemble is the core of theatre. Other adaptations which omit their ensemble often feel empty as a result. "Dancing Through Life" was one of my favourite numbers, because it exemplifies how to properly adapt a showtune for the silver screen. The new version of the song doesn’t just mirror the original — the production is completely different — but the essence of the song remains.

The film version of "Dancing Through Life" makes you think this is how it was always intended to be — crescendoing alongside

'Chromakopia' follows a familiar formula, but still surpasses

JONAH DEVLIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Masquerading is nothing new for Tyler Okonma, known more commonly by his stage name Tyler, The Creator. From his animated commercial appearances and fashion line to album covers and many monikers (Tyler, The Creator, Wolf Haley, Gap Tooth T), the rapper consistently offers a different version of himself. And true to form, on the cover of his latest studio album, Chromakopia , he graces the cover — wait for it — wearing a mask. This is no coincidence.The vulnerability at the core of Chromakopia is hidden behind a mask of sorts.

an upbeat dance number, where huge, cylindrical spinning library shelves are used as jungle gyms for acrobats to flip on, and Jonathan Bailey gets to show off his triple-threat qualities as Prince Fiyero.

Every main character sings at some point in the film, and their performances were all electric.

My one concern is the long gap before the second part of the movie will come out, which covers Act II of the musical.

There was a world where the entire musical fit in one film, but, in a statement posted on X in 2022, director Jon M. Chu said synthesizing the material was a challenge.

“As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years,” he wrote. But could a November 2025 release date for the second half of the movie musical dull the hype that the first half has built? If the eight-year-long marketing campaign for the first film — which has been a box office success — is any indication, audiences will be just fine waiting a year for Act II.

I know I am.

Chromakopia is yet another victory lap for the California native, following 2021’s Call Me If You Get Lost , a personal story of identity and fatherhood, and the winning vulnerability heard on 2019’s Igor . But Chromakopia takes a step forward on the storytelling front.

On “Hey Jane,” Okonma raps about impregnating someone, and struggling with the idea of fatherhood — a recurring theme throughout.

“Like Him” pays tribute to his mother while admonishing his absentee father. “Mama, I’m chasin’ a ghost,” he raps. The track closes with a poignant and revelatory clip

from his mother, taking blame for his father’s absence. It’s a full circle moment for long-time fans, as Okonma has struggled with paternal problems since the early 2010s.

Chromakopia has moments of levity: “Noid,” the lead single, is an eclectic banger with a Zambian flavour, while “Darling, I” and “St. Chroma” balance sweet and sappy. Several others (“Judge Judy” and “Take Your Mask Off”) play with the idea of identity. Despite the flashy style, Okonma’s hip-hop roots remain, with layered lyrics and complex beats.

The album lacks anything overwhelmingly new, however. The sound sticks close to what we’ve heard before, and these arrangements are anything but surprising. But he finds a sense of peace by the end, shedding his mask and encouraging listeners to seek their own comfort.