Over The Edge Volume 23, Issue 2

Over The Edge

UNBC’s Independent Student Newspaper est. 1994

Signs of the Times Volume 23, Issue 2

Free overtheedgenewspaper.ca

October 4, 2016 ote-newspaper@unbc.ca Colin Slark | OTE

Colin Sl

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| EIC

Letter from the L

ast Friday’s unveiling of UNBC’s new partnership with the Lheidli T’enneh is fantastic. The Lheidli T’enneh are an integral part of the local community and it is nice to see recognition of this in the new flag, the new sign, and the memorandum of understanding.

Over The Edge is the University of Northern British Columbia’s independent student newspaper. Our office is located on the 2nd floor of the NUSC building in room 6-350.

We are an equal opportunity publication which represents students in the UNBC and Prince George community. Our publication supports student writing by welcoming news, arts, sports, culture and opinion articles, as well as photography, comics, and creative writing submissions.

Every year, we provide employment as editors, designers, and managers to students with a passion for journalism and are always looking for motivated individuals to work and volunteer in our collaborative environment. Over The Edge offers competitive advertising rates for space in our print publication as well as online.

Next deadline: October 12

It would be easy to fly a “mission accomplished” sign and believe that indigenous issues in this country are being resolved, but serious underlying issues still exist. Many first nations are outraged at pipeline development in Canada. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women inquiry has

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T’enneh Memorial Park, and now this.

However, it is important to remember that these are not signs of a problem that has been solved, but instead are signs of a problem that is still being solved.

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Prince George has been making a lot of positive moves lately, with the Lheidli T’enneh being recognized as the host first nation of the 2015 Canada Winter Games, the renaming of Fort George Park to Lheidli

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been created, but has yet to produce tangible results. High profile snubs by indigenous leaders towards the premier and Prince William show that there exists a significant dissatisfaction towards governmental authority. Don’t trick yourself into thinking the problem is solved, think hard about indigenous problems and how we can further resolve these issues. This agreement between the Lheidli T’enneh is a good step forward, not a step across the finish line.

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NUGSS

Have You Joined an SLO Yet?

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hether you are congratulating yourself on surviving your first month of university, or wondering where all your years of studies have gone, it is always the right time to join a Student Led Organization! UNBC has over 50 Student Led Organizations (previously referred to as “clubs”) for students to choose from, so chances are high that you will be able to find a group that you are interested in.

While we all love studying (that’s why we are in school… right?), I guarantee your university experience will be greatly improved by joining an SLO. Most academic programs have a corresponding SLO, which can connect you to other students that share similar interests, as well as allowing you to interact with faculty outside the classroom. In some cases, you can listen to guest speakers or attend conferences to further your learning.

You can also get a break from your studies by joining an SLO with a social focus. Work off some stress on one of the sports teams. Express your creativity through an arts-focused group. Or simply find a support network from a great group of like-minded people. A huge benefit of these SLOs is that they are cross-disciplinary, allowing you to meet other students that you may not have otherwise had the opportunity to engage with!

SLOs can help you give back to the community as well!

All SLOs just participated in Northern Students Give Back, the annual fundraiser run by NUGSS, which raised nearly $4,500 to support AiMHi this year. Beyond raising money, the groups were able to interact with each other and have a great day giving back to the community of Prince George, which is so supportive of UNBC year round. Many SLOs complete charitable work throughout the year as well, from volunteering for causes, to organizing fundraisers to support initiatives they care about. If you have a cause you are passionate about, share that with your SLO and they may be interested in helping you provide support to the initiative!

Now that you are convinced that SLOs are an incredible (and essential) part of your university experience, check out all the organizations you could join, and contact the NUGSS VP Internal, Ana Saenz, at nugss-internal@unbc. ca to get connected to the ones that interest you most!

Alpha Pi Beta Sorority

Northern Economic Student Society

Acappella Club

Northern Historical Student Society

Badminton

Optometry Club

BC Young Liberals

Outdoors Club

Chemistry Club

Poker Club

Commerce Student Society

Political Science Student Association

Computer Science Club

Pre-Dentistry Club

Dance Club

Pre-Med Student Association

Drama Club

Psychology Club

Debate Society

Pre-Vet Club

DIY Club

Quidditch Club

English Student Society

Redeem Christian Fellowship

Environmental Engineering Student Society

Societe FrancoFun Nordique

Fencing Club

Sports Appreciation Association

Film Club

Students for a Green University

Focus Club

Student Planners’ Association

Forestry Club

Synthetic Biology Club

Health Science Student Society

Table Tennis Association

Instrumental Music Club

TWS Fish and Wildlife Student Chapter

Intervarsity Christian Fellowship

Weightlifting Association

International Studies Student Association

World University Services Canada

Jack.org

Zen Club

Jean Paul II Catholic Club League of Environmental Science Students Math and Physics Student Society Medieval Club Musical Productions Club Nerdy Gaming Club Nursing Club Northern Anthropology Student Society

4

UNBC Life

Backyard BBQ Sam Wall News Editor

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ith some incredible acts and an actual barbeque, this year’s Backyard Barbeque was not one to miss! The party was raging late into the evening despite a second year of rain at the event. Several pairs of shoes were destroyed by mud but that didn’t stop the hundreds of students from stomping their feet along to the music. UNBC students are an unstoppable bunch.

The Backyard Barbeque takes place every year outside of the NUSC Event Space and the Thirsty Moose Pub. This year brought out an immense amount of talent, including acts such as The Statistics and Genevieve Jade, who started the evening with some alternative and folky sounds. As the evening sky darkened and the rain started coming down, The Zolas came on stage to pick us up and drop us back down with their indie-rock stylings with an electronic twist. Next we saw SPR & Jimi Smyth get the EDM vibes going, leading straight into uplifting beats by the deceptively named Sleepy Tom. This event sold over 1000 tickets, not including those bought at the door. By the time the headlining act, LOUDPVCK, was on stage, hundreds of attendees were gathered around the stage to give this vivid electronic sound their best. The stage was completely packed most of the night, making dancing at the front of the stage an experience in keeping your balance as everyone around you danced in the rain.

Sam Wall | OTE

Another exciting thing about this year’s event is this was the first year that the Barbeque has had an actual barbeque!

Hot dogs were donated by Integris Credit Union, and were available by donation. The funds for the dogs were donated to AiMhi. There was also a beer garden available outside so attendees could enjoy a drink while watching their amazing music, or hang out inside the NUSC event space to escape from the rain and mud. The party rounded off around midnight, making for an incredibly packed bus full of muddy 20-year-olds on the way to the Generator after-party.

The Backyard Barbeque is an annual event at UNBC in September to provide an opportunity for new and returning students to mingle with friends new and old. This event is brought to you by NUGSS, FOCVS Events, Cariboo Brewing, and the City of Prince George. All evening staff and volunteers from NUGSS and FOCVS Events could be seen working diligently to make this event be there best it could be. Hat’s off to them as well as the other sponsors and attendees for contributing to create an incredible event! Be sure to keep your eyes open for ticket sales and get your early bird prices for next year!

Sam Wall | OTE

Snitches get Riches

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Chronicles of the Quidditch Club: NSGB Tierney Watkinson Distribution Coordinator

studentpages.scad.edu

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hen your club is fairly new it can be difficult to convince people, especially people you have yet to meet in person, that they should sacrifice their Saturday for a fundraising event.

And that is how one of my roommates and I ended up being the loneliest Quidditch players in the history of all things magical at Northern Students Give Back 2016.

When Tim, my roommate, heard that no one had replied to my plea for members to attend the fundraiser, he immediately volunteered. Tim did not know what he was getting into. I tried to warn him. I told him it was going to be a long day.

Tim didn’t believe me. He even seemed excited. Needing attendees, I did not have the courage to stamp out his enthusiasm.

While the annual fundraiser is a lot of fun with a group, it was looking more and more like the Quidditch Club would just barely meet the minimum requirement of volunteers for the day. Even with all the magic in the world, two people is not enough to play a game of Quidditch.

On Saturday the 24th, the chosen day, we met at 8:30am in the living room. I could tell that Tim was starting to believe me. 8:30 in the morning is too early to be alive on a Saturday.

When Tim and I arrived at the NUSC Space at UNBC, we entered the lineup of fellow drowsy students. Uncomfortable with the fact that our club was still one person short of our three-person quota (each club, depending on their status, was to bring three to five members to participate), I was desperately scouting the crowd, hoping to spot a fellow team member—although, as I said before, I wasn’t sure what all of them looked like. Luckily, the Musical Productions Club entered the registration line behind us. A friend participating with that club but who was also a Quidditch member graciously agreed to sign in as our

third club member, and we were saved.

NUGSS provided the volunteers with a breakfast selection of bread, bread, natural cream cheese, and bread. There was also free coffee in the NUSC space, where we found the table labelled “Park” and waited for further instructions. I desperately wanted coffee but Tim advised me against using my newly obtained mason jar – also provided by NUGSS, for water – for fear of it shattering and causing a disaster.

Before I got desperate enough to try it Ana Saenz, Vice President of Internal Affairs, came to the podium to present Northern Students Give Back (NSGB) and officially begin the fundraiser. This year, NUGSS switched from hosting Shinerama, which raised funds in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada, to AiMHi because while Shinerama was a good cause, it was unclear where exactly the funds students raised were going. While they were certainly going to Cystic Fibrosis Canada, it seemed that the funding was going primarily towards travel expenses rather than the research itself. AiMHi is based in Prince George; through NSGB, a NUGSS initiative, UNBC students impact the community positively and in a more direct way.

AiMHi provides services and support for those with special needs and their families.

The representative of AiMHi, introduced by Saenz, not only explained the organization’s purpose but also gave out prizes to students who answered her questions about AiMHi. These questions included when it was founded (1957), hours of operation (Monday through Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm), it’s location in the city (950 Kerry Street), and what the organization does. When she finished her presentation, the presenter handed out the surplus prizes and made certain members of the audience extremely happy.

I had opted to have the Quidditch team stationed in the Park rather than at a specific

business to collect donations, so after a quick trip to Tim Hortons (to obtain caffeine in safe paper cups), our team of two travelled to Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. Suddenly, we felt very lost and very indecisive. The Park, much like the world, is a pretty big place and we weren’t sure where our club belonged in it. Everyone else was setting up around the outdoor stage, so we assumed we should do the same. Poor, poor Tim had to follow me around as I insisted on scouting out a suitable place to set up the Quidditch hoops.

There was a hold up as I discovered one of the many Pokestops. Eventually we found a place that was far enough from trees to avoid injury and close enough to the public washrooms for convenience. Putting up the goal hoops takes a rather long time with just two people, and by the time we finished we could see NUGSS in the far distance hauling in the barbeque to prepare for lunch sales.

remained unfortunately isolated on our hilltop. Besides the odd fellow student, we had no visitors. Alone, we listened to the band croon Ed Sheeran covers while we tossed a quaffle back and forth and reflected on our club’s lack of appeal.

It was a sad day for Quidditch. For NUGSS and Northern Students Give Back, however, the fundraiser was a success. Offering face-painting, slack-lining, hoola-hooping, and other activities or demonstrations in return for donations is so much more rewarding and interactive than simply collecting donations in front of a city business. It was the first year that the event was hosted as a barbeque in Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, and I hope it continues to be hosted there in following years.

There were about a dozen other clubs in the Park that day: the Pre-Vet, Instrumental, Fencing, Nursing, Engineering, and Outdoors Clubs, to name a handful. Later in the day a few members from the Volleyball and Drama Clubs came over and played a quick game of no-bludger Quidditch. This would be the highlight of our day. From our vantage point, Tim and I could hear the music from the outdoor stage and we could see small groups enjoying the activities that other clubs were hosting. We, however,

Tierney Watkinson | OTE

6

News

Admin Building Renamed to Charles J. McCaffray Hall Sam Wall News Editor

On September 28th, 2016, the Administration building of the University of Northern British Columbia’s Prince George campus was renamed to “Charles J. McCaffray Hall”. This is based on a decision made by UNBC after a letter was submitted to the Prince George Citizen by Tom Steadman in light of McCaffray’s passing. McCaffray was a long time community member of Prince George and known to have a “quiet” role in the creation of the university.

“It’s a great day for UNBC and I’m really pleased that our students will be able to see right on the side of one of our buildings an honour for one of the very founders of the university,” said UNBC President Daniel Weeks, “forever our students will be referring to this as Charles J. McCaffray Hall and it’s really good for our students to see that the university they come to was started by some really caring people in our community.”

Charles McCaffray was an influential leader of education in Northern British Columbia. In the 1980’s, he was the President of the College of New Caledonia, and was the first one to suggest the idea of creating a university. This would allow northern citizens to have easier access to higher education without having to travel long distances.

McCaffray accomplished this goal by being part of the “No Name Group” and the Interior University Society (IUS), which drew the attention of acclaimed Swedish educator Dr. Urban Dahllöf of Uppsala University. Ultimately Dahllöf ’s international credibility and report on the feasibility of creating a northern university was the final push to get the idea off the ground. “Charles McCaffray’s determination as an academic champion and educator, and his ability to unite skeptics towards a common goal laid the foundation upon which UNBC is built,” said UNBC President Dr. Daniel Weeks.

Shortly after McCaffray passed away in 2015, business leader and early founder of UNBC Tom Steadman wrote an article in the Prince George Citizen. This letter expressed his sense of loss and discussed McCaffray’s role in UNBC. Steadman and others approached UNBC with the idea of memorializing McCaffray in some way. After being passed through the Senate and Board of Governors, the decision was made to name the Administration building after Charles J. McCaffray.

A special dedication ceremony was held at 2pm on September 28 to officially rename the building to the Charles J. McCaffray Hall. The event was lead by UNBC President Daniel Weeks, who provided the opening and closing remarks. Tom Steadman also spoke at the ceremony, telling stories about McCaffray, while Liam Stewart, McCaffray’s grandson, thanked the university on behalf of their family. A plaque and a painting of McCaffray by Maureen Germaine were unveiled and will soon take up residence on the walls of the Charles J. McCaffray Hall.

Wendel Schwab | OTE

News

Nizdeh Nekeyoh Hohudel’eh Baiyoh Sam Wall News Editor

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n the morning of September 30th, an incredible moment of reconciliation and partnership occurred between the University of Northern British Columbia and the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation. A couple of weeks ago a mysterious sign appeared beside the turnoff into UNBC, it’s contents hidden by a tarp. This sign runs curiously parallel to the sign which says “University of Northern British Columbia.” For the approximately one hundred people who attended, including students, staff, faculty, and elders, the morning revealed a beautiful new sign.

This sign reads: “Nizdeh Nekeyoh Hohudel’eh Baiyoh,” the much negotiated translation for UNBC in the Carrier language. This sign serves as a greeting to those who use the university and the land it is on. The ceremony to unveil the sign was led by Edie Frederick, who welcomed attendees to the land. UNBC President Daniel Weeks and Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dominic Frederick also addressed the crowd, affirming the importance of this unveiling in strengthening relationships. According to Chief Dominic, “part of the culture is to use the names of places.” President Weeks said that the Lheidli T’enneh “honor us by allowing us to put the sign up, that’s why it’s such an important partnership with them to make sure that the language is correct.”

This was a very special day, as the new sign wasn’t the only thing being celebrated.

The sign is one of several ways in which UNBC and the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation are solidifying a long partnership. After the unveiling, the entire crowd walked towards the flagpoles, where one of four poles was flag-less. In a combined effort, President Daniel Weeks and Chief Dominic Frederick raised the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation flag.

Shortly after this, the two sat down to sign the first Memorandum of Understanding between the university and the First Nation. The celebration continued into the recently named Charles J. McCaffray Hall (the administration building) for refreshments and great company. It should be noted that it was Orange Shirt Day (an annual event in remembrance of the Indigenous children who endured residential schools). It was an incredible day of celebration, remembrance, and hope for the future.

Sam Wall | OTE

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News

UNBC Creates Sexual Assault Task Force Sam Wall News Editor

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any students may not be aware, but there has been a change in the climate of colleges and universities across British Columbia. In April of this year, Bill 23: Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act was introduced to British Columbia’s legislature. This act requires all post-secondary institutions across British Columbia to create a stand-alone Sexual Assault Policy for students. This is in response to the pervasiveness of sexualized violence in post-secondary institutions. All post-secondary institutions in BC have a oneyear time frame in which to comply with the legislation by creating a policy.

The corresponding policy must specifically address sexual violence issues among students, and must clearly state the university’s policy and procedure for addressing such issues. Procedures for making a complaint or report of sexual misconduct and responding to a complaint or report must be included and available.

One of the catalysts for the creation of this new legislation is the creation of similar policy in Ontario. In BC, this legislation was brought forward by Andrew Weaver, the Minister of Advanced Education. Like Ontario’s legislation, BC’s policy seeks to put pressure on universities and colleges to continue reducing the incidence of sexual violence on campus. Ideally, this will create an overall safer campus and meet the unique needs of students.

There have been many high-profile cases in the media of post-secondary institutions handling campus sexual violence poorly. One case that demonstrates the importance of appropriate legislation is the case against Brock Turner, a student at Stanford who was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to a mere 6 months in prison, and was recently released after serving only 3 months. Stories like these indicate the priorities of rape culture and how its insidious nature is running wild in university communities. Approximately 90% of sexual assault cases are not reported. Add to that that many universities have been found to be underreporting the number of sexual violence incidents, it is of immense importance that all universities and colleges, including UNBC, address this issue.

To begin creation of a policy, a President’s Task Force on Sexual Violence was formed in the spring of 2014 to make recommendations on how the sexual assault policy should proceed. The task force worked with students, faculty, staff and community members to come up with 13 recommendations, which were submitted to UNBC President Daniel Weeks on September 16 (check out unbc. ca/sexual-violence-awareness-response) to view those recommendations. A steering committee has been struck to address one of those recommendations. It includes Faculty member Dr. Gary Wilson, Assistant Director Student Affairs Brenda Slomka, Northern Women’s Centre Executive Director Sarah Boyd, and Human Resources Manager Kerry Roberts.

Up until now, sexual violence on campus has been addressed using the Student Conduct policy and the Harassment and Discrimination policy. These policies work well to address misconduct and harassment in general terms, and the sexual assault policy will work as a more cohesive set of procedures to ensure sexual violence is addressed in a coherent and consistent way.

Bill 23 requires that universities consult significantly with students and other community members in creating and reviewing their policy. This requirement will be tackled by the Steering Committee, so look out for opportunities to get involved and have your voice heard.

So far President Weeks has met with NUGSS President, Arctica Cunningham and NBCGSS President, Trina Johnson. “Sexual violence is a societal issue that has a detrimental impact on students at university campuses across the country,” says Cunningham, “Sexual violence against any person is unacceptable,” added Johnson.

Bill 23 could also help universities prioritize help for those students who have been victims of sexual violence and assault. Student services, such as the Northern Women’s Centre, a non-profit society on campus, have been working for years to provide a safe space for all selfidentified women. They also accept volunteers to help with events and provide information, so contact Sarah if you’re interested in getting involved with the NWC’s consent campaign, or grab one of their “Got Consent?”

buttons to show your support for a safe campus.

Security also plays a large part in addressing any immediate or long-term safety concerns encountered by students.

There are also several places on campus where students can receive support or referrals for support such as counselling, the peer support network, the Northern Pride Centre, the First Nations Centre, and others. These services contribute to making UNBC a safe, connected community, and the sexual assault policy will only help to reinforce that.

Opinion

9

Grant’s Rant: Who are your Gods now?

Grant Bachand Contributor

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eligion is having a tough go with millennials these days. However the worship of deities has not lost popularity. It is hard to find people who are young these days who are strongly devoted Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and etc.

That is not saying there are none. Religion certainly is not dead, but the weekly or daily worship has slowed down with the modern generation. We are, however, just as devoted to worshiping people or things as we have ever been. I know this because recently a cosmic event happened in the world of our modern deities. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie filed for divorce.

Yes, our modern gods are now celebrities.

Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Kim Kardashian, and so many more. We look to them like the people of the Greek myths, watching Prometheus bringing them fire from the Gods. These people live lives that many of us are envious of and want to emulate. The fact that they are just people doesn’t seem to enter the minds of some people.

with CNN breaking the news to him live on air for all the world to see. Clooney visibly saddened by the end of his friend’s marriage.

With all of us looking to our new gods with woe and joy who is there to ensure these gods are even good? Who stands to the parapets of public opinion and lobs attacks at these deities for their sometimes-juvenile behavior?

The tabloid website Gawker has gone bankrupt and been sold to Univision after an almost Machiavellian attack by Peter Thiel and Hulk Hogan, which arose after Gawker published a Hulk Hogan sex tape.

Now I am not one to jump on the side of groups that promote hurtful attacks on people but it is hard to say that in our world of wonder for these people did Gawker not provide a much needed service.

The debate rages on about whether we should or should not invade the private lives of celebrities. On one side people say that when someone becomes famous they are opening themselves up to the public scrutiny, the kind that is warranted and the kind that is not.

The other side says that becoming a public figure does not open someone up to the invasions into the personal life of celebrities or the life that they do not want to show to the public. It is hard to fully believe that we owe celebrities the same level of privacy rights as those who are not celebrities.

A celebrity wields power that the average person does not; they have such a wide range of influence and control that some individuals may never understand. They create culture trends and encourage various lifestyle decisions that we might only dream of accomplishing. Therefore, organizations like Gawker are a necessary evil in this world

to ensure that there is a check on power.

It should also be understood that celebrity culture is palpable. Donald Trump is a magnification of reality TV, and now he might be able gain access to the launch codes of the world’s largest nuclear arsenal. It is only right that we have organizations that show these people for who they really are. Not gods amongst humans, but ordinary people.

People who have fears, joys, and issues like the rest of us. Without this grounding for society we may actually one day believe that Donald Trump is our only hope.

The mob mentality society has for the excitement and praise of these people seems to drown out the rational powers of critical thinking. It is rational to say that Justin Bieber is not the world’s best singer, he is just a very popular one. One would state that he is the best based on the international praise he receives for his singing.

When Angelina Jolie filed for divorce, all the news networks covered it and gave it primetime coverage. Words of woe and joy could be seen throughout the chambers of Twitter and Facebook and on every news channel ribbon. Some members of the congregation preached joy over the spilt on behalf of Team Jennifer Aniston.

Others pronounced it the end of an era, and ran up and down the comment feeds using crying emoji in response to the loss.

Even George Clooney was brought in,

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Opinion

Cats Rule and Dogs Drool Jordan Tucker Guest Contributor

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hen I was but an 18 year old lass, a want to cement my burgeoning relationship with proxy fur children and a sucker for a sad story landed me in the position of being the full-time caretaker to two cats. The story was that they were part of a litter of feral kittens, born in the barn of a women’s studies professor I looked up to and was also terrified by. A friend of mine made the pitch to me at midnight, when I was drunk: “Do you want some cats? They’re super cute and you have to take two, or else they’ll resent their captivity.”

“I love cats, yes,” I said, stalling and also hammered. “But I’ll need to ask my boyfriend.”

This, by the way, is when all good decisions are made. It’s how John A. MacDonald tricked a bunch of British dudes into forming Canada, without ever asking anyone who wasn’t drunk, or who had already lived on the continent for thousands of years. He got all the other European guys hammered and made them sign a document.

So, bearing in mind this proud cultural heritage, I decided to ask my boyfriend, who was also drunk, what he thought.

He agreed - with reservations. He prophetically and emphatically declared that were we to break up, I would gain full custody of the cats. He had already had a early-adulthood quasi-divorce, and the furbabies from the bones of that broken relationship were currently living with his elderly British parents. His dad loved it, his mom... not so much. “WHEN ARE YOU TAKING YOUR CATS?” She would shriek into the phone from Toronto for the next three years, as we hid all evidence of the fresh cats, as though his original cats were the unwanted and untalented dull, pimply-faced children of a previous marriage. His poor mother never found out, and those original cats haunt her home to this day.

The relationship broke up, and the cats stayed with me. Both of them. For the next possibly up to 30 years of their life. Shitting and shedding and shredding my sofas with their ungrateful little

... or, how I learned to stop dog-lusting and love my little fur-bombs. claws, vomiting on everything in sight.

And they don’t really do anything. They sit around and purr and sleep and chase each other around. They don’t go for walks or anything. They basically eat money and every once in awhile they kill something or do something cute. Feeling a bit resentful of my eighteen year old self, I began to wonder if I shouldn’t have perhaps gotten a dog.

Here are the pros of dog ownership. Dogs are made of love and happy-squish. Their tails can wag so much that they might throw out their hips and backs. They can literally throw out parts of their bodies because they’re happy. The only human equivalent of that I’ve heard of is old dudes having heart attacks during sex. As well, unlike my undying crone-cats, who will likely be incontinently destroying my house long after I’ve entered my third marriage, dogs die after eight years. It’s the pet equivalent of that friend who knows to leave politely after a weekend. Cats, on the other hand, overstay their welcome long after their appeal has worn off, like Edward Snowden in Russia.

Cats will literally charge you money to shit inside your house. Every time a cat takes a dump, it is pooing on dollars of your hard earned money. Cat litter is about

fifteen bucks a box, and if you have two cats, as I do, you will spend thirty dollars every month at LEAST for the privilege for your cats to shit in a box and stink up your home. Most cats tend to be allergic to ammonia, as well, which their piss is completely full of. So if you don’t clean their box quickly enough (easy if you have two cats and are prone to sleepovers elsewhere) they will pee all over your bed or clothes like a 15 year old Northern BC kid returned home from his first pit party.

But with Palm Bays, and more evil intent.

scientists have found the Higgs-Boson but I can’t google a dog. Thanks a lot, Maclean’s #1 small university, for the degree.). As well, dogs poo on command, so you basically have an automatic dispenser for the front steps of your enemies. All you have to do is add paper bag and flame to voice your displeasure. I was sold on the dog train, and fully prepared to give my cats to whomever wanted to shave them and do medical experiments on them (and was willing to respond to a Kijiji ad and take their favourite blankies with them. I’m not a monster).

I started getting dog fever. I began pointing out every cute dog I passed. All cats look basically the same-- tail, four legs, look of perpetual dissatisfaction because they found out your secret shame and are judging you for it. Whereas with dogs, there are so many different KINDS. There’s tall ones and fat ones and fluffy ones and curly ones and ones that are silly and ones that are serious and ones that look like ghost pelicans (I tried to google a photo for this article, but apparently “drippy moss-furred skinny long-beak dog” is inadequate as a search string. Like,

So when my friend asked me to dogsit his little terrier-boxer for two weeks while he was away, I immediately said yes. I wanted a taste of responsibility to stall my dog lust, but I also wanted to see how my cats would handle it, should the Prince George medical research community already have enough cats. And so I was given sweet Pogo in trust for two weeks. It was a very eye-opening experience about how ill-prepared I am to own a dog, especially a dog as special as little Pogo. He had a few issues. He insisted on being hand-fed. He was alternately clingy

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and terrified of intimacy-- if you didn’t let him sleep in the bed he would . At one point I was upstairs and heard a fearsome screaming downstairs. I ran to the kitchen, worrying that Pogo had found his inner wolf and devoured a cat whole. Instead, I discovered sweet little Pogo, covered in his own pee, having shit himself in fear as the cat towered around him, his fuzzy tail raised like a war flag at the one who had invaded his territory. My boyfriend drily remarked that while he liked Pogo, he didn’t respect him. All of this added up to a fresh knowledge that while cats are horrible, they aren’t prone to embarrassment. If my cat pooped himself, I would be mad. It is impossible to feel anything but sorry for a sweet and stupid dog. Dogsitting that little dog was like watching a youtube video of a baby falling off a table all the time. I don’t have the emotional energy for that much concern and alarm and horror.

I have stuff to do. And that is why I have fallen in love once again with cats, the crappy little teenagers of pets. They’re total dicks but at least they don’t ask for your sympathy. They would find it condescending and shit on your “get well” card.

I write this from beneath twenty pound pile of buzzing fur. My cat Simon has resisted all of my attempts to tell him to go away while I write, because he is a cat who does not understand currency. He does not understand that I must provide for him by tapping at a metal box for hours. He understands that he is not getting pets, which is wrong. He slid underneath my arms like a slippery, cuddly

ninja, and has refused to move. Lifting him is not an option-- he is fat and as I am poor, my protein intake ensures that my muscle mass will be minimal. It’s akin to attempting to move a zamboni with a pair of wet noodles.

And the zamboni has fur and claws.

creating something beautiful only to see it destroyed, reflecting on the impermanence and imperfection of the world. This, I tell myself as I drop a wet turd from the scoop and miss the bag, slipping it right onto my socked foot. Yes, cats will keep you humble.

It wouldn’t work, anyways. He’s too dumb to register rejection, a cat equivalent of the boneheaded bro who keeps messaging you to “Netflix and chill” despite your never once answering his messages. The other night I got two hours of sleep because he kept stampeding into my arms and meowing until I pet him to sleep. First year Women’s Studies me would have looked at her future in horror- surely there’s some sort of picket or petition that could keep this cat from trampling all over my unconscious womanly form. But alas, it didn’t even occur to me that I could throw him out of the bedroom and lock the door until 6:30 in the morning.

Which, to be fair, I only figured barely out after graduation. Ladies, you can boot them out whenever you want (some guy once left his sweater and shirt behind “by accident” and I put it in a bag on the front stoop and locked the door. Not today, Satan!) But still, I prefer to have my cats on my bed most nights, even if they tend to attack my feet with their vicious claws anytime I shift in my sleep. They’re my little fuzzbuddies, and keep me from taking myself too seriously.

No matter how smart or awesome I think I am during the day, I’m still going to have to go home and scoop cat turds into a Save On bag. I tell myself that it’s sort of like Buddhist monks raking sand over and over,

There’s an old wives’ tale that seems to summarize some sort of cultural mythos-that is, if you die, your dog will lie down next to your body and die as well. Your cat, meanwhile, will eat your eyeballs and shit wherever it wants. This adage is meant to tell us something about how dogs are loyal pack animals and cats are disloyal vultures, but it’s always made me disrespect dogs. It makes them sound like Betty Cooper out of Archie Comics. Initially, she sounds nice because she bakes cookies and knits sweaters for Archie, and lights up with joy every time he makes her ride on the handlebars of his bicycle to go sit in the park. Then you grow up and realize that the reason Archie took Betty on such cheap dates was because he spent all of his money fuelling up his jalopy to take Veronica to Pop Tates for a burger, and that Betty has literally no self esteem whatsoever.

And you see that Veronica was the smart one all along-- she treated Archie like she treated all of the other guys she was dating-- with a reserved, “what can you get me” mentality that translated, in the messed-up sexist dynamic of perpetually 1950s Riverdale, into Veronica being a big ol’ slut and Archie being a gosh darn down on his luck good old boy.

Although I guess we can’t come down too hard on old Betty-- all she wanted was to raise babies and she knew she wasn’t going

anywhere but Riverdale, she didn’t have any options of class mobility and Archie was better than psychopathic Reggie Mantle or anger-issues Moose. Veronica and Betty were both pragmatic economists of their gendered realities, but I still think Veronica had sense by having a little more pride about the whole thing. All cats are secretly Veronica Lodge.

The creature that has kept you captive and forced you to take baths and dressed you in little Halloween costumes and forced you to shit on command has, hallelujah, died, and your best course of action is to die too? Veronica wouldn’t stand for that, and neither should my fuzzy companions.

If I died and came back as a ghost and saw that my cats were dancing on my corpse wearing capes made of my skin and scarves of my intestines, I would salute them.

Godspeed, you furry bastards. You were my pathetic captives for years but you got yours, eventually. Your ancestors were lions and you’re not letting your gradual devolution into housepet stop you from getting your glorious revenge at my entire species. I hope you eat my heart and take a smelly dump in my favourite shoes.

12

Culture

Cracks

A Night at the Observatory

Sam Wall News Editor

Monique Gendron Production Coordinator

perfection is secret allies with shame; sharing stories, i am empowered by quiet voices who captivate, realize beauty speak loud, surprise emerge elegantly from deep

“

It’s not an ideal night, is it?” Glen Harris, the treasurer at the Prince George Observatory remarked as we stared upward at the cloudy night sky.

Indeed, it wasn’t a perfect night for stargazing, but that didn’t stop the crowds of people from massing at the secluded building located 20 kilometers from the city limits. Families and amateur stargazers alike had gathered at the observatory to witness the spectacular night show that was the Perseid meteor showers, which occur yearly between July 23 and August 20, peaking on the night of August 12. This year was meant to be especially spectacular with nearly double the usual rate of meteors falling into our atmosphere, with at least 200 shooting stars falling every hour, known as an “outburst.”

dark flowing currents

During this celestial event, the observatory held a free evening for everyone to experience the night sky through a high powered telescope.

my eyes half

Glen talked me through a little about what they do at the observatory.

closed, a strain in my neck, my flaws run through me like cracks, diffuse from under -cover bullet wounds invisible until they begin to bleed fractured glass, aged and dust-covered, a mirror like a serene lake only beautiful as a face unmarred by ripples of a skipped pebble

“We’re open every Friday night after sunset,” he told me, “but for special events like these, special celestial events, we open in the middle of the week.”

He had organized this event, as well as other events held both at the observatory and in other places around town, and he told me also about tours that people could book at the observatory.

“We can tailor our tours for a specific age group.”

This allows parents the ability to introduce their children to astronomy in a fun and hands-on way. “We get a lot of Scouts and Brownies,” he added, laughing.

Soon after, we wandered around in search of the observatory president, Blair Stunder. We found him inside the observatory classroom, explaining to a small group how you could ‘hear’ meteorites on the radio.

“Sometimes, when you’re tuned into a Vancouver station, you can hear a ‘pop,’ and that’s a meteor coming into our atmosphere.” I could only nod my head in fascination.

Out of curiosity, I asked him what we could still learn from meteor showers.

“How small and insignificant we are,” he replied after a moment’s pause. “Looking through a telescope is like looking at a leaf and saying you’ve seen the forest.”

Even so, this particular leaf in the universal forest had attracted quite a crowd to the observatory. Blair told me that events like these are really helpful for spreading the word about the observatory, and from the lineup out the door to look through the telescope, it was obvious that this one was quite the success.

I asked him then about some of the regular activities held at the observatory.

“Most of us here are just amateur astronomers.”

However, some of the astronomers do some high level contributions. Blair told me about one of their members who goes down to the observatory in Hawaii to study debris paths.

“We also have classes here in January, to help introduce some people to astronomy who might not know so much about it.” Those are classes that I may consider taking myself. I learned more in my one visit to the observatory than I did in all of my high school science classes.

Soon after, I said goodbye to Blair and joined the crowd outside to catch the first few minutes of the meteor shower. It was the stellar event that I came to see, after all.

Culture 13

The Pains of Pumpkin Spice Danielle Toth Contributor

E

nough with the pumpkin spice craze, sheeple,” says Brian Hickey in his PhillyVoice article. Yes, that is correct, this is a grown man who is using the word ‘sheeple’ without a hint of irony. While I am generally not one to defend the capitalistic practices of corporations, I couldn’t help but want to defend ‘the man’ when I read these words.

Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte, often dubbed the PSL, has long been the source of divide between the ‘basic’ and the rest of the world. Hickey is not the first to complain about an annual “pumpkinspiceification”, as he refers to it in his article, and he won’t be the last. From beer and hummus to toothpaste and condoms – yes, you read correctly – pumpkin spice has long since passed the limits of pastries and beverages. Hickey, however, is very clear about his opinion on the autumn trend.

He referred to the onslaught of pumpkinthemed items as a “cultural abomination”

and to their consumers as “culinary sheeple.”

Hickey lays out a resentful argument that the staying power of the pumpkin’s popularity is evidence that “people will drop hundreds of millions of dollars if an effective marketing campaign/conspiracy hits its sweet spot.”

Well, duh.

This is not new information. In fact, inspiring people to drop millions of dollars through clever campaigns is literally the premise of capitalism and marketing – it’s simply how markets are created. But why does Hickey seem so offended by society’s recent pumpkin infatuation, when there are many other capitalist schemes more deserving of his hate?

It’s also worth noting that Starbucks has kept its marketing campaign for this product relatively clean. In comparison with Dr. Pepper’s 2011 ad campaign that marketed its product using the catchphrase “it’s not for women,” Starbucks is relatively

innocent. Starbucks doesn’t use misogyny or racism to sell its product, so why does the romanticization of seasonal changes pose such a large problem?

In fact, with fall signaling the end of summer and sunshine, maybe a caffeinated pick meup isn’t the worst idea. If I want to cope with a rainy transition to gloomy weather – where I spend my weekends reading textbooks instead of camping – by buying myself a pumpkin-flavored latte, then I’ll do it.

Hickey supplements his argument with a quote from Len Gigante, a retired hostage negotiator. In 2011, Gigante tried – and failed – to launch a National Anti-Pumpkin Day. When asked about his reasoning, Gigante reasons that “it’s just out of hand… We don’t eat Christmas trees.”

While this is true, we do not generally eat Christmas trees, Gigante seems to be forgetting about the winter craze that sweeps the nation when Starbucks breaks

out its seasonal peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog-flavoured lattes in November.

However, Starbucks, the victim of Hickey and Gigante’s abuse, is far from faultless. CEO Howard Schultz is renowned for a lack of follow-through on corporate promises, and the company has a bad environmental rap for its non-recyclable paper cups. On top of that, Starbucks is also criticized for its dreaded ‘clopening’ shift where staff members close the café at night, only to return in a few hours to open the store for their next shift.

If you’re going to protest capitalism, I’ll join you – so long as the weather is nice.

If you want to boycott Starbucks for an equally overpriced local coffee shop (who will probably be offering pumpkinflavoured beverages, too), I’ll meet you for coffee. However, if your inspiration for the contempt is due to a seasonal vegetable, I’ll take a rain check. In fact, I’ll probably drink my PSL and laugh.

Transitioning From a Big City to a Small City Jade Szymanski Contributor

A

s a Vancouver native, it has definitely been a shock moving to such a small town as Prince George. Now I know this isn’t how everyone feels, and Prince George might even be a bigger town than the one you grew up in, in which case I sound like a pretentious, uptight Vancouverite. However, compared to the metropolis known as Vancouver, Prince George is but a blip on the map which is often referred to “you’re moving all the way up where?!” by all of my friends who can’t grasp the concept of trading urban living for something a bit more wholesome.

People often ask me why I moved to the middle of nowhere for schooling and up until I actually got here, I started to have doubts and ask myself the same thing. No longer would I have the daily luxuries of summiting tall mountains and wading in the Pacific Ocean; finding tranquility in familiar forests and action among the lively city; running into old friends by accident

on the street and meeting up with new ones in coffee shops. Even though I was giving up the comforts of my hometown, I’ve always wanted to experience the serenity of a small community, as a big city can sometimes get overwhelming.

While moving up here, my parents and I decided to drive so I could jam pack the car with useless garbage I didn’t really need. Although I’m sure every university student can only dream of spending 9 hours squished in a car with nobody to talk to but your parents, I wasn’t exactly stoked about the idea and decided to pull an all-nighter with my friend the day before I left so I could sleep the entire trip. When I woke up from my groggy stupor, I found myself peering out on the outskirts of what would be my new home for the next four years.

The first couple of days here were clouded by the excitement of moving in and exploring campus. After about a week or so however,

reality had started to finally creep in and I had a mix of emotions. There was no bubble tea spots in town (except for one sushi place but please don’t go there it’s so bad and an embarrassment to call bubble tea), and the closest grocery store was Save-On Foods (which in my opinion is overpriced).

What kind of town has 4 Save-On Foods within 12 km of each other but no bubble tea within 5 hours? I realized something had to be done about the disappointment I was feeling inside, and I was the only person who could solve my predicament.

Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I realized I had to change my state of mind. If I truly made myself believe that I wouldn’t like Prince George then I would begin to accept it and hate my time here. Instead, I decided to make the most of my university experience and explore the town for its hidden gems. Having a small city means having a small campus, which is something I find very refreshing. Seeing familiar

faces in the halls and in your classes makes building friendships much easier and worthwhile. Furthermore, something I never got to experience in Vancouver is the actual feeling of a community, as the people here are much friendlier and it’s pretty hard to get lost in town.

When it comes down to it, the best tip when making such a drastic transition is compromise. Although you may not find the same amenities you had back home, you can find alternatives for your old habits and give the new ones a chance. I ended up getting my mom to send me dried tapioca balls and taro tea mix in the mail so I could make my own bubble tea in my dorm, and I got my best friend’s More Rewards card number that I can use at Save-On Foods to get discounts on my purchases. Although it may take some time, I am adjusting to my new surroundings and am pleased with the progress I have already made here.

14

Culture

You’re Eating Too Many Avocados Danielle Toth Contributor

“Guacamole costs extra. Is that okay?”

M

ost customers at a Chipotle restaurant know this is true, but that doesn’t stop them from adding guac anyway.

In fact, with the tight budgets of most university students, maybe guacamole has become a sign of hipster affluence and riches. But stand-up paddleboarders and yogis alike take warning: the cost of guacamole is likely to rise even more.

The fact is, once you’ve welcomed avocado toast in your life, there’s no going back. Unfortunately, that’s a sacrifice we might need to make soon, because, according to the California Avocado Commission (CAC), interest in avocadoes has tripled in the past three decades, and farmers are struggling to keep up. National Geographic suspects that the creamy green fruit might be headed toward a “quinoa moment,” where demand escalates past sustainability.

To understand what this means, we’ll revisit your high school economy class, but with less teen angst. When a product is in low demand, the product has a lower price because suppliers have extra product. When a product is in high demand, the product is more “scarce,” so sellers can afford to raise the price, and customers are still willing to pay for it. Usually this price stabilizes at an equilibrium price. Avocados, however, seem to be immune to the laws of economics.

How did avocados, a wrinkly green fruit with a huge pit, become so popular? Why are so many people buying them now, when thirty years ago, people would have laughed at an “avocado cleanse”? An avocado? That looks like a baby alligator! they would’ve laughed. No thanks, I’ll stick to my bourbon and cigarettes – doctor’s orders.

Recently, from Dr. Stephen Pratt to Cosmopolitan magazine, avocados have been declared a superfood. Pair their superfood status with a health-crazed and appearanceobsessed society, and you have a recipe for success (hint: it’s the same recipe as guacamole). But here’s the catch: the global demand for avocados has outpaced supply, and the farmers producing it are feeling the pinch.

The so-called “alligator pear” also has a lucrative $435 million industry in California, as reported by the CAC, which produces more than 95% of all American-grown avocados.

But the historic drought has taken its toll in the Golden State.

In light of the rising water prices, farmers in the southern part of California, where most of the avocados are grown, are switching to cheaper crops like grapes and strawberries.

Even with the promising beginnings of the rainy season, it isn’t enough for farmers to justify growing avocados.

The CAC also notes that it takes 74 gallons of water to produce a single pound of avocados – significantly more than peaches, lettuce, or strawberries.

Chipotle uses about 97,000 avocados a day, or about 35 million pounds per year: this shortage could spell disaster for them. In 2014, Chipotle made the terrifying announcement that it might suspend guacamole service at its restaurants in the future. While that is still a possibility, that fateful day is not today. For now, maybe save your money on the extra guacamole and save up for a paddleboard instead.

With the nearby American avocado source looking bleak, Canadian guacamole-lovers are putting their faith in avocados imported from Chile and Mexico. Unfortunately, Chile is facing the same drought issues as California, and farmers are growing the fruit at an unsustainable pace that could crash the economy when the demand lessens.

Avocado farmers have begun exploiting rivers, draining groundwater, and Civil Eats reports that avocados are even taking away drinking water sources for the country’s citizens.

Mexico is facing a unique problem of its own, with indications that avocados might follow in the footsteps “The Great Lime Crisis of Spring 2014,” as named by the NY Times – a time when even some of the most respected bars in Vancouver committed blasphemy by serving their gin and tonics with lemon.

Surprisingly, the crisis was partly due to Mexican gangs demanding a cut of the profits from producers and restricting the supply, which drove the prices even higher. According to a report by Vocativ, the cartels can’t resist the allure of the $1 billion avocado industry. In some cases, cartels control everything from avocado production to distribution.

recipehubs.com

UNBC Life 15

Join the Club

World Cup of Ehh...

Tierney Watkinson Contributor

Colin Slark Editor In Chief

W

hen I stepped onto the field for that first rugby practice, I was terrified.

I hadn’t played sports in high school. I was shy. Excluding the occasional, lonely walk to the grocery store the amount of exercise I was getting at the time was deplorable.

Somehow though, I ended up joining rugby.

Somewhere around UNBC I had seen a poster advertising the Women’s Rugby club, but for various reasons I put off investigating the lead for another year.

Finally, after a great deal of hesitation, I made myself email the club president.

I found out the practice times, and promised myself I would go.

When I pulled up to the field’s parking lot, I could see that there was a crowd of people already there. I parked, turned off the ignition, and decided to hide in my car for a few minutes. After all, I might be making a terrible mistake. These might be terrible people. I might be terrible at rugby. I might leave the practice terribly embarrassed and never be able to show my face again.

I got out of the car. I’ve been a member of the UNBC Rugby Club ever since.

That first practice, I arrived afraid and left feeling as though I could be a part of something great. The other players were extremely welcoming, and despite my fears nobody minded that I didn’t know anything about rugby. After the practice was over, the coach enthusiastically told me about the gear I would need (cleats and a mouth-guard), and his hopes and team goals for the year. I went home feeling like I had accomplished something.

Joining a team was one of the best things I could have done for myself. I became part of something. While we didn’t (and still don’t) get to go to as many tournaments as we would have liked, we became a unit. For being one of the roughest, most physical sports out there, rugby involves some of the best people I have ever met.

I learned how to give a hit and how to take one. I found my voice and started to shout

for the ball instead of waiting meekly for someone to pass to me. Through rugby, I got drunk for the first time. I learned how to be fit and healthy. I met my first boyfriend. I found friends. I got out of my house more.

This isn’t to say that rugby has been my saving grace. I’m not always happy; it’s definitely not always fun. Injuries happen.

Parties don’t go as planned. Practices get missed. Members, and coaches, quit or move away. This past year, the club has been struggling to keep interest going. We haven’t been to tournaments for a while.

I don’t regret any of it. Whether or not you get to go to the tournaments, working and succeeding with a team is an amazing feeling. Failures are easier to take and feel easier to overcome when you have a support group. It is easier to keep fitness goals when you have a team relying on you to be at your best. Having somewhere to go twice a week was, at least to me, a tremendous relief when it came to the buildup of negative emotions that are born of university and not knowing what to do with your life. The hard work and banter we shared at practices made me forget, for a couple hours, that I had assignments due and hundreds of pages to read, I am not necessarily trying to convince those who read this article to join rugby, although I would highly recommend it. The club, which is co-ed this year, holds practices Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at the John McInnis Jr. Secondary School field from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. If you are interested, find the UNBC Rugby Facebook page or contact us at unbcwrfc@gmail.com.

But it doesn’t have to be rugby. Find your team. Whether it is the Nerdy Gaming Club, Fencing, Musical Productions, Students for a Green University, Quidditch, the Medieval Club, or a city-based sport or club – find something. NUGSS has a list of school clubs on their website. It is never too late to join one of them. Do it.

You won’t regret it.

T

he World Cup of Hockey is over with Canada having reaffirmed that they’re the greatest hockey-playing country in the nation. The NHL clearly wanted this tournament to be a competitor to the Olympics. The best international teams playing each other in a best-on-best tournament that unlike the annual IIHF World Championships, allows teams to draw from their full talent pool as no one is still competing in the playoffs. It had potential, but it absolutely failed in its goal.

The talent pool was both too diluted and too concentrated. By only inviting six countries and making strange patchworks teams from multiple countries, it made it so that it eliminated the possibility of a smaller country like say Latvia or Slovenia making a run as an underdog, and Team USA, which should have been a major competitor, was brutally weakened by the loss of its young talent to the under-23 Team North America.

You could argue that Team Europe was an underdog, but a team featuring Zdeno Chara, Marian Hossa, and Anze Kopitar should have been underestimated.

When Canada came back to win game 2 of the final series against Europe with a frantic 3-minute miracle comeback, it should have felt like a joyous moment. The players streaming off the bench towards netminder Carey Price seemed pleased, but not terribly thrilled, as if the players didn’t really believe in the weight of the trophy they were about to receive (except for Drew Doughty, relieved that his late penalty didn’t cost Canada the game, and Brad Marchand, who scored the game winner). It was tame compared to any of the celebrations of the past two Olympics (both for the men and women’s teams).

Why should they have celebrated? They faced disinterested competition from weakened teams. Congratulations should be given to Team Europe however, who forged

chemistry and passion when arbitrarily assigned to the same team with no preexisting nation vs. nation rivalries.

If the NHL is to do this tourney again, and indications are that they are inclined to do so, some serious changes will need to be made, especially if they want to cut into the popularity of Olympic hockey. A “world cup” should represent the entire world, not a small pool of elites. Imagine the FIFA World Cup with only Germany, Brazil, Spain, and Italy playing. It would be tremendously dull. Team North America needs to be disbanded. With Canada’s core aging and Team USA underperforming, these teams cannot afford to have such a large chunk of talent taken away from them. Team Europe should not exist or at least be drawn from a different pool of nations with some of the current nations represented being given their own teams.

If this is supposed to be a “world” tournament, then at some point it’s going to have to take place outside North America at some point - all three editions of this incarnation of the tournament have taken place in Canada. If it was still called the “Canada Cup”, then sure, but it’s not, so it doesn’t need to be in Toronto or Montreal every time.

If the NHL wants the world to take their tournament seriously, it needs to take its tournament seriously. Don’t hold your breath though, the NHL has never been good at figuring out when the right time to make adjustments has been given the dreadful state of some of the more southern American teams. Also, what was with those animated LED boards? Advertisements on jerseys would be preferable to having to watch Tim Hortons ads both during the game and the intermissions.

Filbert Cartoons

Coffee Break

Anthony Labonte

filbertcartoons.com

Pokemon Go Monique Gendron