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FIRST PEEK
September 8, 2014 · Volume 148, Issue 2
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September 8, 2014
challenges. I was always very careful about what I said when I was younger, which most likely resulted in me giving an insincere or evasive impression. As such, I’ve attempted to break those internal walls down during my time at university; in the process, I’ve often overstepped my boundaries, speaking brusquely in situations that may have required more subtlety. When it comes to the benefits of being direct, let me be blunt. I believe that when it comes to relationships — be they work related or personal — it pays to tell it to someone straight instead of beating around the bush. When you’re routinely honest with someone, your word becomes more reliable; you can be approached without fears of being duplicitous. Nevertheless, there is a stigma associated with being direct that has caused me to more carefully pursue a balance between being blunt and remaining quiet. The words associated with being assertive are overwhelmingly negative. Sure, one can be described as honest or direct, but they can also be called arrogant, overconfident, and insistent. When describing women in particular, these descriptions can often take the form of bossy or bitchy. In personal life, navigating the fine line between being assertive and being an asshole comes with its fair share of
Nevertheless, putting those blunt feelings out there can also lead to refreshment and growth as a person. When I bottle up my direct and honest opinions, I often find my emotions build to a point where conversing productively is difficult. Instead of resolving an issue at its inception by discussing the problem, choosing to remain silent can lead to confusion and feelings of betrayal. The other person may then ask whether this is the way you’ve been feeling all along. There are certain situations when speaking directly can be a strong asset. At The Peak, for example, we constantly make
stylistic decisions that require us to separate personal feelings from the decision-making process. I often become very invested in my own work, which causes me to want to sympathize or console someone when I have to critique their content in turn. However, I’ve found that this can quickly lead to more emotions becoming embroiled in a process that is purely professional, resulting in hurt feelings. By speaking to the point without commiserating, a decision is seen as a calculated determination based on the merits of the work, rather than a judgment on someone’s skills or intellect. In the future, this allows people to trust that your decisions are based on merit rather than petty emotional responses. As with all things, it’s important to realize that being direct may not be appropriate in all circumstances. Sometimes we don’t need to hear a blunt assessment of the situation, but rather need a person who will just sit and listen. Social interactions aren’t black and white — as much as I’d like them to be — and being direct isn’t a panacea for traversing conversations. Nevertheless, being honest in a constructive manner, rather than speaking rudely as the stereotype might suggest, may be a good path to take when navigating the shades of grey in between.
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013
4 NEWS
September 8, 2014
PIPING UP
BOARD SHORTS
Kinder Morgan surveys Burnaby Mountain as potential pipeline site
Canada’s National Energy Board recently issued a review granting permission to Kinder Morgan to study the possibility of running a pipeline under Burnaby Mountain to the Burrard Inlet. The energy company wants to do so as part of a plan to increase capacity of their existing pipeline. SFU’s John Clague and Doug Stead, professors of earth sciences, are working with Kinder Morgan to enact the study, though many SFU alumni have spoken out against the project. Mike Soron, executive director of Sustainable SFU, says that his group is currently reminding students that these pipeline plans,
In an attempt to make the SFSS food bank more accessible to the SFU community, the board is looking into providing certificates to services on campus such as the SFU Dining Hall. Concerns were voiced about the stigma around these certificates which could make people uncomfortable about using the food bank. In order to address these concerns, the vouchers would come in a form akin to the cards used by all diners in order to prevent attention being called to food bank users.
“threaten both the health and safety of our student members and communities worldwide that are vulnerable to climate change.” Sustainable SFU is “encouraged by the actions of campus climate leaders like Dr. Lynne Quarmby,” said Soron. Quarmby, chair of molecular biology and biochemistry at SFU, along with a small group
called ForestEthics, launched a constitutional challenge against the National Energy Board in May. They objected to the decision, claiming that the review obstructs public participation and silences public concerns. In late June, SFU ecologist Wendy Palen led a demonstration with other academics calling for a
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moratorium on oil sands and pipeline projects until such developments are consistent with the government’s commitments to carbon pollution reduction. Palen was also a cosigner of an article recently published in Nature magazine that cited what the authors interpreted as flaws of how decisions regarding oil sands are made. The study argues that debate regarding individual projects only considers short-term costs and local benefits without accounting for long-term consequences extending to multiple or worldwide projects.
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“If Canada and the United States continue to move forward with rapid development of these reserves,” Palen is quoted as saying, “both countries send a signal to other nations that they should disregard the looming climate crisis in favour of developing the most carbon-intensive fuels in the world.” Clague stands by his decision to research the topic. While sympathetic towards concerns about the project, he is confident that such a pipeline route “is less expensive than [one] near the surface through Burnaby neighbourhoods,” and
eliminates the disruption of those neighbourhoods. Clague also responded to Sustainable SFU’s claim that the pipeline poses a threat, saying that he believes, if properly constructed, it “would pose no risk either to people or the environment.” He pointed to the hydrocarbon pipeline that “has operated beneath Burnaby without leaks,” and the “light oil products [which] have been shipped from the Chevron Refinery in Burnaby through Burrard Inlet, English Bay, and the Strait of Georgia,” all without incident for 60 years. He argues that the ‘real issue’ is not the safety of the pipeline, saying, “Opponents of the Trans Mountain pipeline project should worry less about pipeline safety and more about our government’s energy export policies.” He continued, arguing that individuals would be better off changing “their focus and pressure our federal government to provide leadership in reducing Canadians’ rampant consumerism, while changing our economy to one based more on renewables.” Despite Clague’s assurance that the pipeline would be beneficial to the community, local resistance persists. Sustainable SFU, according to Soron, promises “a number of community events already planned” concerning the issue, and regular encouragement for student involvement. One goal of the group, says Soron, is “seeing SFU divest its endowment from pipeline companies like Kinder Morgan and [. . .] fossil fuel companies.”
NEWS
September 8, 2014
5
PASS THE BUCK
BMO finds half of Canadian parents pay children’s tuition The board of directors approved a letter to be sent to the Ministry of Advanced Education with the intent to initiate discussions on changing its member-authorized targeted levy to an institutional mandatory fee. The student society fee is currently being used to fund the design work for the Student Union Building (SUB) and stadium seating project. However, in order to obtain the proper loans to begin construction of the SUB, the SFSS must be able to guarantee to the banks that they will be able to repay those loans. The current problem is caused by the fact that any existing student society fees can be overturned by referendum, and as such banks are hesitant to lend money. The decision, which would have to come to the membership for approval at the SFSS’ Annual General Meeting (AGM) this fall, would create a fee that, being institutionalized, could not be overturned before the loan is repaid. Once repaid, the institutional mandatory fee would no longer be collected.
The board accepted the resignation of their chief electoral officer (CEO) and former president, Lorenz Yeung. The SFSS has issued a callout for nominations to fill the position, which will end at noon on September 22; the board will select a candidate on September 24. The appointment for the position of CEO will last for the duration of the fall semester, when Yeung’s term would have ended. Having held the position since December 2013, and after overseeing an eventful election last Spring, Yeung is now ready to hang up his hat. Reflecting on the experience, he imparted some words of wisdom: “Last election showed how just a handful of votes can change election outcomes. Everyone should vote.”
A recent Bank of Montreal (BMO) study claims that almost half of Canadian parents expect to pay for all or most of their children’s post-secondary education. The survey included 1,000 parents from coast to coast, who were questioned regarding the cost of tuition, books, living cost, and school supplies. However, associate VP of students, Tim Rahilly, suggested that SFU may not follow mainstream trends. “I think SFU is perhaps a little different than some other schools insofar as the use of the student loan system. I think we have more part-time students proportionally than some other schools,” said Rahilly.
He explained, “I think our student demographic is slightly different because we draw from the nation of people who are relatively close by, along with people who are either first generation or new Canadians and so they tend to be a little bit more financially conservative. They don’t necessarily like to have a lot of debt, if I can stereotype slightly.” Rahilly also served on the board for the Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC), which surveyed second and third year students this past year regarding the way students across Canada pay for their schooling. According to the
survey, 71 per cent of middle years students at SFU rely on their family, spouse or parents for financing. The CUSC study notes that although 73 per cent of students across Canada under 20 are relying on family for financial support, only 30 per cent of students 30 or older rely on their families the same way. Rahilly speculated that this difference may stem from parents’ desire to continue providing for their kids. “[Parents] seem quite comfortable having those students live at home,” he explained. “I think that has two elements to it. One means that it saves the
students the cost of renting or other housing costs, and secondly, I think it means that that particular family wants to stay involved and give support to that student.” Despite the high number of students who are financially supported by their parents, the CUSC also revealed that 46 per cent of students at SFU work off campus, five per cent work on campus and two per cent work both on and off campus. The study also notes that there are varying degrees of how students say work affects their schoolwork. “You have some students that reported negative impact to their work, but I think there’s some other work that shows that students who work, be it on campus or off campus, if they’re working a moderate amount then that is actually beneficial to them,” Rahilly commented. No matter how SFU students pay for their schooling, Rahilly encourages working while attending university: “It gives them good skills, it keeps them involved, it means that they’re earning some money, and that is generally a positive thing.”
HEALTH WEALTH
TSSU files grievance over international student health plan
SFU’s Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) has filed a grievance against the university based on the claim that SFU is exploiting its international students by imposing an over-costly mandatory health plan. TSSU spokesperson Melissa Roth stated at a recent town hall meeting on August 29 held by the SFSS that the mandatory health plan is “just one example of how international students are being gouged. [. . .] [The TSSU] would like to be in a coalition with any
group that is against this gouging and using international students, frankly, as a cash cow.” All international students are automatically enrolled in the plan, which costs $336 for the semester. This is more than double the price of the previous plan — which cost $126 — as well as that of plans offered at several local universities. The provider, Guard.me, was chosen out of a number of bids from cheaper alternatives; the plan itself is the most expensive of the proposed options. It also pays five per cent of each student’s fee back to SFU. “They’re using it to fund the basic budget at SFU,” said Roth. This coverage is required for students who have lived in BC for less than three months, after which time they are considered a BC resident and may apply to be covered by the BC Medical Services Plan. All residents are legally obligated to enroll in the MSP, which covers all medically required services. Members of the TSSU can have their MSP premiums covered by
the university, and are also eligible to receive 50 per cent of the Guard. me fee back. However, the union is filing a grievance with SFU not only for the increase in fees, but because employees have allegedly only been receiving 25 per cent of the promised 50. Once an international student can prove they have alternative coverage, such as MSP, they have the choice to opt out of Guard.me — nevertheless, Roth describes doing so as a “complex process.” The TSSU has also taken issue with the fact that students who have proven alternative coverage are re-enrolled in the plan automatically the following semester. They pointed to the University of Fraser Valley’s model in which coverage is automatically converted to MSP. TSSU member Derek Sahota told The Peak that when they met with university administration, “[The administration] said some things we found really offensive.” The university has issued the
following statement from associate VP of students, Tim Rahilly, but declined to comment further: “International students are required to carry basic medical insurance, but [. . .] we discovered many of them did not purchase coverage. We have a duty of care for our students and believe that providing a mandatory medical insurance plan for all international students is the best way to ensure their well-being. “The welfare of our students is an important issue and something we will further discuss with the TSSU at arbitration meetings scheduled in December.” The TSSU will officially challenge the administration in these meetings on December 4 and 5. They will request that all members be refunded the additional alleged 25 per cent withheld by the university and, while it is not a part of the grievance, the TSSU proposes that SFU reconsider the whole process once the contract with Guard.me is up at the
6 NEWS
A new course offered this fall by two SFU professors will open entrepreneurial avenues to undergraduate students in all faculties. The 200-level introductory course, BUS 238: Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Innovation, emphasizes cooperative, teambased approaches to entrepreneurship and innovation. Available to any student who has 12 or more credits, the course will make upperdivision business classes accessible. Taught by Sarah Lubik, lecturer in the Technology Entrepreneurship@SFU program, and Andrew Gemino, professor of management information systems, BUS 238 demonstrates that you don’t have to take courses in business fundamentals — such as finance or accounting — to learn about entrepreneurship at SFU. For the duration of the course, Lubik and Gemino intend to bring in multiple guest speakers from differing disciplines to
September 8, 2014
discuss team-based approaches. As of yet, the guest speakers have not been confirmed. Lubik told The Peak, “The course looks at empowering students in understanding themselves as entrepreneurs and innovators. It looks at studying problems, going deep into problems.” According to Lubik, this type of course instruction will allow all students to develop basic, core skills necessary for any innovator or entrepreneur. “This course is important because entrepreneurship and innovation skills are important no matter what faculty you are in, no matter what you think your future is,” Lubik said.
She added that the course will help students develop “the ability to come up with an idea that actually meets needs [as well as] the ability to execute on an idea and to iterate, and to pivot.”
Widower Powel Crosley has gone back to school at University of Alberta to study the rare form of ovarian cancer that killed his wife. After taking introductory courses in biochemistry and oncology, one of Crosley’s professors asked him to do lab research alongside masters and doctoral students. Recently, he was awarded $50,000 in grants to continue studying granulosa cell tumour of the ovary, or GCT. “[My wife’s] motto was: the answer lies in the lab,” said Crosley. “She was pretty persistent about things she believed in. And so I’m just basically completing her mission.”
In addition to these benefits, Lubik said the course is important for the university and its students because it brings together all of the different faculties involved in entrepreneurship and innovation. “It is open to everybody, regardless of faculty,” she said. According to Lubik, one of the most important skill sets in entrepreneurship and innovation relates to the ability of people to work in a team and cooperate to succeed at an entrepreneurial goal.
“The reason I keep saying ‘team’,” she told the Georgia Strait, “is because traditionally, business schools have tried to teach entrepreneurship to business students, not realizing that as soon as you get out into the real world, you’re going to be working with people who don’t speak that language — who are completely different from you.” Lubik emphasized the importance of involving students who have the ability to work across disciplines because of the challenges — such as communicating in different
University of Toronto fourth year history and political science student and research fellow of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Council of Canada, Jozef Kosc, made waves in the foreign policy world this summer at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. In addition to researching economic development policies for the OECD Observer, Kosc was published in international journals such as Atlantic Voices and The Journal of Political Studies. He intends to serve his country in the future through work in the Canadian Foreign Service. “Having met diplomats during my time abroad, their duty, drive, and perseverance are qualities I’ve come to strongly admire,” Kosc said. With files from The Varsity
languages — that are encountered in different fields. In such situations, it becomes important to find a common language or conversational style which allows everyone involved to bridge disciplinary jargon. She concluded, “No matter what your discipline or interests are, entrepreneurship and innovation skills will give you greater flexibility, more value for many potential employers and the security of knowing you have the ability to create and seize your own opportunities.”
The Canadian Federation of Students — Nova Scotia (CFSNS) launched Mental Health Matters this week, an awarenessraising campaign to improve mental health services for university students. The CFSNS expressed concerns over a lack of services on campus, which can negatively impact students. This is especially important for first years, who face stress from a plethora of issues, such as being away from home, student debt, personal relationships, and their studies. According to David Pilon, program leader for Special Mental Health Services at Capital Health, 75 per cent of mental health illness starts before the age of 25, meaning university students are particularly vulnerable.
With files from Canadian Press With files from Global News
NEWS
7
September 8, 2014
BUS TRUST
SFU Woodward’s played host to CreativeMornings Vancouver last Friday, September 5. The event featured Andrea Chlebak, Senior Digital Intermediate (DI) Colourist and Director of Creative Services at Central. In her capacity as a colourist she has worked on popular Hollywood films such as Elysium. The morning’s talk was accompanied by free breakfast.
The SFU Software Systems and the Mechatronics Systems Engineering Student Societies held a joint frosh event for incoming students from Wednesday, September 3 to Saturday, September 6. The students partook in a range of activities, from circuit building exercises to a “Midnight Madness” all-night event at Burnaby campus, with the week culminating in a final barbeque in English Bay.
SFU’s City Conversations presented “The Arbutus Corridor: A Way Forward?” last Thursday, September 4. The focus was on the conflict between Canadian Pacific Rail and the City of Vancouver over the sale of the Arbutus Corridor. The session began with a survey of the issue by an advisory panel of neighbourhood representatives and was then opened up to the room for discussion.
Translink announces bus driver barrier pilot project
Translink has announced that it will implement a pilot project to install bus driver barriers on a number of Coast Mountain buses to protect its employees from violent assaults by unruly passengers. The move follows Translink’s “Don’t Touch The Operator” campaign, which was launched in March to combat the increasing number of assaults on bus drivers. As of July 31, the number of assaults on operators in 2014 totalled 65. In a news release on August 29 regarding the Pilot Barrier Program, transit police stated, “Bus operators should not have to go to their workplace every shift with the fear of being verbally or physically assaulted.” In March, three young women allegedly attacked a bus driver, grabbing her by the hair and punching her. One month later, a woman leapt out of her wheelchair and punched a bus driver in the head while attempting to bite him. Similar attacks range from death threats to physical abuse to spitting on the drivers. Following these incidents, Coast Mountain Bus Company, Translink’s largest operating company and the contract operator for bus transit services in Metro Vancouver, decided to consider installing plexiglass barriers in accordance with drivers’ wishes. However, Ruth Armstrong, a representative of the Metro Vancouver Transit Operators union, Unifor 111, responded that drivers would not be in favour of the barriers if they were mandatory. Armstrong told the Vancouver Sun last March that some drivers expressed feelings of claustrophobia behind the shields, while others felt they were unnecessary. “Though, if I was doing a late night shift through
the downtown core, then I might want a shield. And I should have that option,” she said. A late-night driver himself, Derek Metz operates the number 19 bus through downtown into Stanley Park. As someone who has encountered assault, Metz told the Vancouver Sun that he wouldn’t mind if barriers were mandatory, because he feels they are essential to maintaining drivers’ safety.
“You never know what you are going to get with these people. The potential for them to do something harmful is very real,” he said. Gordon Price, director of SFU’s City Program, echoed Armstrong’s concerns, but added that a balance needs to be pursued in order to preserve the “emotional capital” that comes with greeting your bus driver or acknowledging your fellow passengers.
“A lot of [drivers] really value the interaction they have with the public,” he said. “From a social trust point of view, there’s a price to pay here that shouldn’t be discounted. This ability to have interaction, just a friendly smile or a hello, even a name, that really counts.” He also said that design elements such as height, transparency, and whether or not the barriers can be removed easily all need to be considered when implementing the pilot program. Nevertheless, Price feels that these initiatives mark steps in the right direction. “The protection of the driver clearly has to be a high priority for Translink,” he said. “[However], I think it has to go in conjunction with other things, and that is effective use of the transit police, cameras where appropriate, things like that. I don’t think there’s a single solution to this.” In the long term, Price advocates for preserving the human interaction on transit. “Being able to say thank you to the bus driver or again acknowledge them with just a word or two, that I think is necessary for the kind of society where trust is something that gives it strength,” said Price. “And if a barrier makes it seem inappropriate or not possible, then there is a real loss there.”
CHOOSE
FAIR C H OTRADE OSE
FAIR TRADE 5,000
MILES AWAY
A FARMER WANTS TO THANK YOU MILES AWAY
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8
OPINIONS
September 8, 2014
opinions editor email / phone
Adam Van der Zwan opinions@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
PIPELINE PROPOSITION
Kinder Morgan expansion: a plea for personal action
Simon Fraser University is a progressive academic think-tank of 30,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff, with a handful of critical departments who pride themselves on breeding socially responsible citizens. However, SFU seems to be allowing Kinder Morgan to expand its pipeline infrastructure through Burnaby Mountain, SFU’s home. Please take a minute to understand the grim irony in this situation.
From my experience at SFU, many students, faculty and university representatives are opposed to any kind of pipeline expansion. So, now that there is a pipeline of crude black gold — the currency of corporate rule — soon to be built right under our feet, we should do something about it.
Many of us will do what we have been taught: try to understand why this is happening by raising critical questions about all stakeholders involved. Why does a corporation have power over the municipal governmental body and the university? If Derek Corrigan, Burnaby’s mayor, really does not support the pipeline expansion, it’s odd that he’s simply supervising the Kinder Morgan worksite and only intervening if bylaws are broken.
Where are the municipal outreaches and community initiatives to work together to stop the pipeline expansion? Where is the response from SFU’s political and legislative bodies? Why are local media outlets reporting the story as a clash between the municipality and Kinder Morgan, when the approval of the pipeline expansion already sounds the municipality’s downfall? But before we propose questions that shift responsibility into the hands of others, perhaps those
of us who do not support the pipeline expansion should look into the level of personal responsibility we have invested in the cause. It’s important to understand that natural resource commodification, corporate takeover, and government legislation at all levels have resulted in blunders in the past. If we do not want to see a pipeline built under our feet on Burnaby Mountain, we need to recognize the conditions that have manifested around us over
time. We must take some level of responsibility to push the transition to our future into conditions that are more equitable than the ones we live in today. Every day at SFU, I see a large populace of students who have no sense of certainty behind their values and self-proclaimed moral codes, but I also see a portion of individuals who are grounded in their beliefs and passionate about a cause. So where is this passion on a pragmatic level? If you take a strong oppositional stance on the pipeline expansion, maybe you should also take a few minutes to reflect on how much responsibility you’ve taken to change the conditions, and how you can take leadership to create positive change. As students of SFU who do not want to see an oil pipeline go through the land upon which our education is built, we are powerful stakeholders. As students of the university, we have access to a wide range of resources and networks, an open space for collaboration, and a large portion of forward-thinking individuals who already stand against the project. Whatever cause you believe in that has led you to oppose this pipeline expansion, it connects you with a range of other individuals whose passions have led them to take the same stance. Yes, Kinder Morgan is looking to build a pipeline through Burnaby Mountain: what are you going to do about it?
BOOHOO
WOOHOO Comics on TV
90’s Classic Rock Dustin Simmonds
If you’re a comic book fan like me, then this fall is an exciting time. The television lineup has five confirmed comic-inspired shows, with a sixth in production. Two of these shows, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Arrow, are making their return. The CW Network will be airing The Flash, which like Arrow, is shot locally. Fox is also looking to cash in on the superhero craze with Gotham, which chronicles the city in the years
between the Wayne murders and Batman’s debut. NBC will step out of the mainstream with Constantine, based on the successful Hellblazer series. And finally, we’re on the lookout for the CW’s iZombie, which features a certain university campus we should all find rather familiar! Comic book fans will now have a show to watch every weeknight on the small-screen; it’s a great time to love comics!
Having grown up listening to my dad’s old records, I am a huge fan of classic rock. While I realize that sentence itself might make me seem old to our readers, I have never felt that my choice of music ages me. That is, until I was listening to Rock 101 the other day, and the radio station that was formerly home to “the best of the ‘60s, 70s, and ‘80s” became the home of the “best of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and
‘90s.” Since when is music from the ‘90s considered classic? And did we seriously just trade the rock of the ‘60s for the rock of the ‘90s? For those of you who aren’t familiar with the music of the decades, that means we just traded music from The Beatles, The Rollings Stones, and Jimi Hendrix for Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews Band, and Björk. That is what you call a terrible deal.
OPINIONS
September 8, 2014
9
RESTAURANT ROOTS
Tim Hortons should be kept Canadian
I am in a flurry of motion. Tapping my feet, checking my watch every 0.62 seconds, I throw several anxious glances at the customs officer. Come on. I have a bus to catch at noon, and it’s already 11:40 a.m. Ten agonizing minutes later, I’m through the gates and rushing through the arrivals hall to the bus terminal. That’s when I see it. Inside SPAR, an Irish convenience store, is a Tim Hortons coffee machine and doughnut rack. For a split second, I smile, immediately thinking of Canada. But then that second’s gone, replaced by ‘Oprah say what?’ thoughts as I wander into the store. If I were more daft, I’d probably prod the machine. As it is, I’m gobsmacked. A Tim Hortons in Ireland of all places? It doesn’t make sense. The machine with the bold brand name on it flutters its eyelashes innocuously at me.
Timbits; now, there are around 800 branches in the States. With Tim Hortons’ recent sellout to the American owned Burger King, the current plan to set up more branches elsewhere in the world and become a global superstar could eventually bury its Canadian roots. Fellow customers will nod automatically and indulgently at the reminiscent old geezer insisting that Tim Hortons used to be solely Canadian.
I didn’t have time to buy any of the Timbits on sale, or issue a firestorm questionnaire at the salesclerk, but as I sat on the bus, watching Irish cityscape and countryside slide by, I mused rather sadly, “I thought Tim Hortons was supposed to be Canadian.” Is it so bad to want a company to just be national or even local? Why do so many companies have to become global? With so many businesses hungry for expansion, one of the ways to stand out is to stay true to your roots and cater to a smaller, more specific audience.
There’s still a strong appreciation for local and national brands like that family-run fish-and-chips store. With smaller establishments, your experience is much more intimate; you might be friends with the owner or know the history of the place right from its very beginning. Likewise, there’s something special about seeing a Tim Hortons branch and feeling that familiar bloom of Canadian pride — after all, it was founded by a very famous Canadian hockey player. It’s definitely not McDonalds, which you can find in even the most remote places of the world. I don’t
know about you, but I go into Tim Hortons feeling more chipper than when I go to McDonalds, possibly because I subconsciously associate it with Canada more than McDonalds, but possibly also because I love their white hot chocolate so goddamned much! Currently, Tim Hortons is a larger food service operator in Canada than McDonalds, bringing in more than one-fifth of the nation-wide fast food revenue — which is quite an achievement! There was once a time when Americans had to make the trip over the border to enjoy some
Tim Hortons is often seen as a symbol of Canadian identity, much like the maple leaf or hockey. The company has woven itself into the Canadian fabric, and I would hate to see it become a stitch on other countries’ quilts. Please, don’t let Tim Hortons become the next Dunkin’ Donuts. Call me selfish, but Tim Hortons shouldn’t be shared with the world. If the world wants it, they can come to Canada, and find us Canadians already at the counter.
ALUMNUS ACUMEN
SFU graduate says study what you love The value of a degree should not be based solely on the merits of how employable it makes you. I find that this mindset tends to lead to overfixation on a single goal. This is a shame, as the first year of university is the best time to experiment and find your calling. Oftentimes you will find that you are playing to your strengths when you stumble upon a subject you are passionate about. Speaking from personal experience, choosing a degree is hard. It’s perhaps one of the most stressful things you will ever do after high school. Honestly, even if it took longer than I planned, I don’t regret switching from a science-based health program to an arts-based one in order to find the right fit for my strengths. It’s important to choose a subject that genuinely interests you, instead of how employable it makes you. During university, you are encouraged to make your own decisions and find your own path instead of following the opinions of your parents and teachers. Studying what interests you is perhaps the best way to not only open more opportunities, but achieve success in life.
The university programs at SFU are structured in a way that allows you to take courses outside of your major. However, I find my peers too often squander this opportunity and take only the bare minimum. If your sole goal is to get a job right after graduation, there are cheaper alternatives, such as technical schools. When you come to
university, you come to learn, and finding a successful job afterwards is a side benefit to this. On the other hand, I agree that getting a university education is a hefty investment, one which many hope will net them substantial returns. But as a university student you are trained to think critically and problem solve; you can take what you’ve learned from your degree and apply it to other career paths. Someone with a genuine interest in what they are studying should research all possible paths available to them. If you have a passion for something, you will certainly find a way to make it work for you. Aside from the personal benefits to your well being in enjoying what you do, having a genuine interest in a topic means that you are more likely to understand it, instead of just memorizing and regurgitating course material until the end of the semester. To be poetic, when you study something you enjoy, you take the information you find and make it part of yourself. As a result, you are more likely to do well in classes
because of your interest, as opposed to obligation. Another benefit is that you are able to share a common interest with your professors, which can help build connections later in your career. Success in academics opens up other opportunities in the long run, such as internship possibilities and financial awards. These can help ease your financial burden in university and prepare you in your future career.
In the end, you must make whatever you feel is the right decision. However, there are few reasons not to study what you want. Even if you do choose to focus on a more job-oriented approach, taking a minor to further supplement your current program can benefit you in the long run. Studying what you love will ultimately lead you to a happier life.
10 OPINIONS
September 8, 2014
NAUGHTY NEWSPAPER
MR. RIGHT WING
I choose Mulcair over Trudeau
In their roles as Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, there are very few things that Stephen Harper and Tom Mulcair agree upon, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is the Opposition’s role to disagree with the governing party in order to ensure that any legislation brought forward is given suitable scrutiny before being made into law. The two men agree on one thing however: Justin Trudeau should not be allowed the keys to 10 Sussex Drive next October, and not just because they want them for themselves. Though the Liberals currently lead opinion polls for both party support and choice of best Prime Minister, in light of recent events the data should be a bit concerning for the Liberal Party. Despite their lead, party support has dropped since the last poll, as the Conservatives move to catch up. The same could be said of the leadership poll, which saw Harper tighten the gap between himself and the Liberal Leader. Though Mulcair and the NDP currently trail the pack, Mulcair has a plan to convince Canadians
that he is the true progressive leader Canadians need, and plans to make this clear in the year leading up to the 2015 election. In contrast to Trudeau’s lack of solid stances on policy, the NDP leader plans to make the party’s stance clear on a variety of issues, including health and child care, First Nations rights, and the environment, to name a few. Mulcair claims he will offer both toughness and deep experience, which is something everyone can agree the Liberal leader is lacking.
Mulcair’s attacks on Trudeau as being light on policy may have found him an odd ally in the Prime Minister. While the Conservative stance regarding the young leader has never altered from their “he’s not ready” line, the Prime Minister stepped up the rhetoric during his annual Stampede barbeque speech, where he said that “[Trudeau] has [. . .] absolutely nothing of substance to offer.” Harper spent most of this speech taking aim at Trudeau, without mentioning Mulcair by name, which seems to indicate that either he doesn’t see Mulcair as a threat to a continued Conservative government, or at the very
least, sees him as less of a threat to the country than a Liberal government under Trudeau. One should also take into account both the Prime Minister’s and the Opposition leader’s experience. Though Harper now enjoys a majority government, it is easy to forget that the two minority governments prior to 2011 give the Conservatives the distinction of having the longest lasting minority government in Canadian history, with a total time of just under five years. This is impressive when one considers that the average lifespan of a Canadian minority government is less than 18 months. But Mulcair is not new to politics either, bringing in 20 years of experience at both provincial and federal levels. In addition, Mulcair is considered by many to be instrumental in helping his predecessor, the late Jack Layton, catapult the NDP from thirdparty to Official Opposition status in the last election. Do not underestimate this man. Against these two political giants, Trudeau brings a mere eight years of experience in the political arena. The Liberals are banking on a man who has nothing more to offer than his father’s name and his mother’s good looks. As much as it pains me to admit it, if given the choice between a Liberal or an NDP government, I would cast my vote for Mulcair, who is the lesser of two evils as far as our country is concerned.
TA-dating article unfairly persecuted
From the printing press to Twitter, the modernization of media technology has made information more easily accessible to the distant masses. While this has been largely to society’s benefit, it’s not without drawbacks. Among these is the ability of journalists to create narratives of outrage that can bully small figures without proper nuance. One of the latest victims of these rhetorical rampages is Robert Nanni, a writer for The Gazette, a school newspaper for a not-terribly-significant Ontario University. In his article entitled “So You Want to Date a Teaching Assistant?” Nanni lays out a disjointed series of flirting mechanisms for undergraduates to gain the romantic attention of TAs. Since its publication, accusations of sexism, harassment promotion, and a host of other things have made Nanni’s article into a nation-wide discovery. But is Nanni really deserving of such a witch-hunt? First of all, this article was placed in the humour section of the paper. Humour, by its very nature, pushes boundaries and relies on the alphabet of stereotypes. If deliberately sought, one can easily find things to be offended by in nearly any corpus of humour. If we were to expect the same level of political correctness to regulate comedians as other public figures, it would strangle their raison d’etre. Therefore, as a society we give more leeway to people operating in the arena of humour, letting people like Colbert, Leno, and Mercer say things that we would never allow Couric, Obama, or Harper to get away with. This is a leeway we need to afford to Mr. Nanni as well. Secondly, we need to realize that, while Nanni seems to be encouraging people to develop inappropriate relationships, his intended audience
are the undergraduates, not the TAs themselves. When we develop rules to prevent romantic relationships from developing in circumstances of a power imbalance, we need to understand the primary onus is on the person with greater authority, not the one with less. If Nanni was suggesting predatory behaviour on the part of the TAs, even with the cloak of humour, he would be well deserving of angry censure. But this is not what he did.
Perhaps the most serious charge people have leveled against Nanni is that he has promoted sexual harassment. But if one actually reads the text of the article itself, rather than merely relying on the sound bites picked up by the national media, one sees a picture that is far more nuanced. The Canadian Labour Code defines sexual harassment as “any conduct, comment, gesture or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offense or humiliation to any employee.” The actions Nanni actually suggests in his article — glancing at a TA’s public Facebook profile, asking smart questions during class, or wearing moderately revealing clothing — hardly qualify for this designation. Unless his critics are suggesting that TAs should insist their students only ask dumb questions or have the authority to control their tutorials’ dress code? Both the author and the newspaper displayed tremendous courage in defending themselves from the onslaught of national outrage, and while they have stated that “[their] priorities concerning such topics remain the same,” they have understandably removed the article from the internet. Here, as in so many other places, ire seems to have triumphed over nuance.
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September 8, 2014
Supplemental  Application  to  Participate  in National  Energy  Board  Public  Hearing  for Trans  Mountain  Pipeline  ULC The  National  Energy  Board  (NEB)  began  a  public  hearing  into  Trans  Mountain  Pipeline  ULC’s  (Trans  Mountain’s)  proposed  Trans  Mountain  ([SDQVLRQ 3URMHFW 3URMHFW RQ $SULO 2YHU LQGLYLGXDOV DQG JURXSV ÂżOHG $SSOLFDWLRQV WR 3DUWLFLSDWH LQ WKH KHDULQJ DQG WKH %RDUG admitted  1,650  participants.  Description  of  the  Project  The  Project  would  expand  the  existing  Trans  Mountain  pipeline  system  located  between  Edmonton,  Alberta  (AB),  and  Burnaby,  British  Columbia  (BC).  It  would  include  approximately  987  NP RI QHZ SLSHOLQH QHZ DQG PRGLÂżHG IDFLOLWLHV VXFK as  pump  stations  and  tanks,  and  the  reactivation  of  193  km  of  existing  pipeline.  There  would  also  be  an  expansion  of  the  Westridge  Marine  Terminal.  New  pipeline  segments  would  be  added  between  (GPRQWRQ DQG +LQWRQ $% +DUJUHDYHV DQG 'DUÂżHOG BC;Íž  and  Black  Pines  and  Burnaby,  BC.  Reactivation  of  existing  pipeline  segments  would  occur  between  +LQWRQ $% DQG +DUJUHDYHV %& DQG 'DUÂżHOG DQG Black  Pines,  BC.   7KH 3URMHFW DSSOLFDWLRQ DQG DOO UHODWHG ÂżOLQJV FDQ EH found  on  the  NEB’s  website. Supplemental  opportunity  to  participate  in  the  NEB  Hearing  Recently,  Trans  Mountain  submitted  a  new  preferred  corridor  for  its  delivery  lines  from  Burnaby  Terminal  to  the  Westridge  Marine  Terminal,  through  Burnaby  Mountain.  The  original  Application  to  3DUWLFLSDWH 1RWLÂżFDWLRQ SRVWHG IRU WKH 3URMHFW GLG not  contemplate  this  new  preferred  corridor  through  Burnaby  Mountain. Should  those  who  are  directly  affected  by,  or  have  relevant  information  and  expertise  related  to,  the  new  preferred  corridor  through  Burnaby  Mountain  wish  to  participate  in  the  hearing,  they  must  apply  to  do  so.  The  Project  is  being  assessed  under  both  the  National  Energy  Board  Act  (NEB  Act)  and  the  Canadian  Environmental  Assessment  Act,  2012  (CEAA  2012).  Under  the  NEB  Act,  those  who  are  directly  affected  will  be  allowed  to  participate  and  those  with  relevant  information  or  expertise  may  be  allowed  to  participate.  In  addition,  if  the  Board  is  of  the  opinion  that  an  applicant  has  relevant  information  or  expertise  about  the  environmental  assessment  under  the  CEAA  2012,  then  they  will  be  allowed  to  participate.  While  the  Application  to  Participate  form  allows  applicants  to  indicate  their  preferred  method  of  participation,  the  Board  will  decide  how  best  to  hear  from  each  approved  participant  on  a  case-Âby-Âcase  basis.  Applicants  must  clearly  describe  their  interest  in  relation  to  the  List  of  Issues  for  the  hearing  (included  in  the  Application  to  Participate  form)  and  how  they  are  directly  affected  by,  or  have  relevant  information  related  to,  the  new  preferred  corridor  through  Burnaby  Mountain.  ([LVWLQJ SDUWLFLSDQWV QHHG QRW DSSO\ DJDLQ &RPPHQWHUV PD\ FRPPHQW RQ DQG LQWHUYHQRUV PD\ DVN TXHVWLRQV ÂżOH HYLGHQFH SUHVHQW argument  on,  any  component  of  the  Project,  including  the  Burnaby  Mountain  section. The  Application  to  Participate  is  on  the  NEB’s  website  at:  www.neb-Âone.gc.ca under  Major  Applications  and  Projects,  select  Trans  Mountain  Expansion This  supplemental  Application  to  Participate  process  will  be  open  from  8  September  2014  to  24  September  2014.  Individuals  and  groups  applying  to  participate  must  provide  enough  information  for  the  NEB  to  decide  whether  participant  status  should  be  granted.  Applications  will  only  be  considered  from  individuals  and  groups  who  are  directly  affected  by,  or  have  relevant  information  and  expertise  related  to,  the  new  preferred  corridor  through  Burnaby  Mountain.  Contacts  Information  on  NEB  hearing  processes  and  participant  funding  is  available  at  www.neb-Âone.gc.ca/TransMountainExpansion.  If  you  require  DGGLWLRQDO LQIRUPDWLRQ WKH 1(% KDV D GHGLFDWHG 3URMHFW VSHFLÂżF 3URFHVV $GYLVRU 7HDP WR SURYLGH DVVLVWDQFH Process  Advisor  Team,  NEB  E-Âmail:  TransMountainPipeline.Hearing@neb-Âone.gc.ca  Telephone  (toll-Âfree):  1-Â800-Â899-Â1265
FEATURE
September 8, 2014
features editor email / phone
Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
13
Fear of a
A-447? Written by Max Hill Designed by Phoebe Lim
planet
How The Simpsons took over the world, and got inside our heads Back in those halcyon days when I had home-recorded VHS tapes and late-night cartoon marathons in lieu of summer jobs and print deadlines, my sister and I would exhaust each and every Simpsons videotape we owned, to the point where we could no longer attribute the loud wheezing of our long-abused VHS player to poor craftsmanship. Of course, my father, our Homer, who habitually joined us in our nonstop binge-watches, had no one to blame but himself. We knew each joke by heart, every episode by its opening couch gag, and each film reference by instinct — even if we hadn’t yet seen the films they were referencing. Many young people of our age (millennials, as we’ve been unwillingly labelled) likely have similar stories of lazy Sunday pajama-clad Simpsons sprees. Despite occasional maternal handwringing and the often over-our-heads political barbs, The Simpsons were my teacher, my mother, my secret lover. They taught me more about the nuances of family, culture, and society than public schooling or an emaciated prepubescent social life ever could.
Straight out of the gate, The Simpsons es-‐ tablished an immuta-‐ ble presence in the pop culture of the era. Twenty years and a dizzying dip in quality later, it’s become increasingly hard to think of a time when The Simpsons legitimately held claim to the title of the greatest TV show of all time. But those of us who grew up with Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie remember how the show once blended self-aware humour, biting social commentary, and unashamed slapstick to make for one of the most well-realized explorations of the human condition this side of Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Occasionally, shades of the old Simpsons — the family my generation and my parents’ fell head over heels for — will shine through, but by and large, their glory days are far behind them. Thankfully, the
show’s 25th anniversary this December inspired FXX to air the entire series in a blissful two-week marathon, introducing a new generation and reintroducing an older one to the glory days of primetime TV’s greatest achievement. In honour of the show we grew up with, The Peak is taking a look back at the show’s beginnings, as well as its lingering effects on the language, TV, and culture of the present day.
Imagine a time when there was no Breaking Bad, no Sopranos, no Orange is the New Black — where the best you could expect on the tube was the sort of wholesome, saccharine sitcoms we now know only as the subject of merciless satire for better shows: The Cosby Show, Full House, Growing Pains, and so on. Sure, there was a hint of subversiveness in shows like Cheers and Roseanne, but the sort of challenging, intellectual fare we’re accustomed to now would have been unheard of in the preSimpsons era of TV. Enter Matthew Groening (it’s pronounced Gray-ning): a bearded comic book nerd and cartoonist at the Los Angeles Reader, an alternative rag for which he also delivered papers and answered phones. Groening’s strip, Life in Hell, featured anthropomorphic bunnies and explored themes of religion, philosophy, culture, and language. Though unmistakably neither yellow nor human, Groening’s rabbits were Simpsonian both in vibe and aim; a tongue-in-cheek send-up of everything from love and sex to death and morality. Among the many fans of the strip was James L. Brooks, a Hollywood bigwig and famed writer on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, one of the gems of TV’s first Golden Age. After winning multiple Oscars for writing and directing the maudlin 1983 hit Terms of Endearment, Brooks found his way back to television with The Tracey Ullman Show, a fledgling primetime sketch comedy program hosted by a British comic relatively unknown in Canada or the States.
Among the show’s variety of segments were elaborate musical numbers choreographed by a then-unknown Paula Abdul; sketches tailored to show off Ullman’s talent for vocal mimicry; and, of course, the occasional animated short.
The story has since become apocryphal. Groening, encouraged to pitch Brooks his Life in Hell characters as an animated segment for the Ullman show, was hesitant to hand over the rights to Fox. “I was made aware that I might lose ownership of whatever I pitched [to the network],” Groening told The Hollywood Reporter. “Instead of pitching Life in Hell, I drew new characters on the spot. I’d had them in mind for a while but had never drawn them.” In Brooks’ waiting room, minutes before the pitch, he scribbled down his new idea for a series of shorts: a family of five, named after his own family — except, of course, for Bart, a stand-in for Matt. Premiering on April 19, 1987, The Simpsons shorts quickly became the breakout hit of the show; their popularity inspired Fox to feature the clips alongside trailers before movies. “I went to a theater, and the moment The Simpsons came up on the screen, the audience burst into applause,” said Groening. “That was the first major indication of, ‘Whoa, we have something here.’”
The popularity of the shorts led Fox to consider the possibility of a full-length show; it would become the first animated
sitcom since The Flintstones, more than three decades earlier. According to Brooks, animator David Silverman — who’d go on to be one of the show’s biggest creative influences — cornered him drunk at a party, begging him to give the Simpsons their own slot.
Luckily, the network was hungry for a hit, as shows like Ullman were suffering from low ratings despite critical acclaim. With Brooks’ backing, the show was picked up for a 13-episode debut season, with Groening, Brooks, and Brooks’ longtime collaborator Sam Simon as executive producers. On December 17, 1989 (just under 25 years ago today), The Simpsons debuted on primetime with an episode-length Christmas special, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” Sporting subversive, anti-authoritarian humour, casually crude animation, and brief hints of the sort of introspective genius that would become commonplace in the series’ own Golden Age, The Simpsons proper became an immediate and all-consuming hit. Though The Simpsons’ first two seasons were immensely popular, controversy and strife festered behind the scenes. Animation flubs were common in the show’s early days, and commentators were quick to criticize the show’s supposedly amoral messages. Sam Simon, who was responsible for much of the show’s early success — assembling its impressive team of nerdy, Harvardeducated writers; editing and re-editing and then re-editing scripts; encouraging voice talent to record their lines together in one room rather than separately — suffered strained relations with creator Groening. Simon resented receiving less credit than the show’s official creator, whereas Groening was critical of Simon’s creative fingerprint on the series.
Simon left during the show’s fourth year, though he retained a producing credit and received royalties for the series long after his departure. The Simpsons would switch showrunners every two seasons during its best seasons — generally agreed as occurring between 1991 and 1997 — and these would become the seasons that established it as the unique, genre-bending masterpiece it’s now considered to be.
Straight out of the gate, The Simpsons established an immutable presence in the pop culture of the era. The early seasons cast Bart Simpson, the flippant daredevil of the family, as the show’s protagonist, much to the ire of conservative critics and families fearing their children might ape his penchant for bad behaviour. Tongue-in-cheek catchphrases such as “Don’t have a cow, man” and “Eat my shorts!” only heightened the cultural tensions spurred by Bart’s devil-may-care attitude. The cultural outcry against Bart’s antics went hand in hand with an influx of Bartthemed merchandise — hats and shirts which eventually moved to the black market as more and more teachers began to ban the spikyhaired troublemaker’s image in their classrooms. At the peak of Bartmania, Michael Jackson even offered to write a novelty song in honour of the character. “Do the Bartman” would go on to top the UK charts, though it was never officially released overseas. As the show gained more popularity and both its animation and writing improved, Groening, Brooks, and Simon passed the baton to Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who served as showrunners during the show’s third and fourth seasons. These are generally agreed to be the first seasons in the show’s Golden Age — writers like John Swartzwelder, David M. Stern, and a young Conan O’Brien worked with Reiss and Jean to create some of the show’s most legendary episodes, such as “Kamp Krusty,” “Homer at the Bat,” and “Marge vs. the Monorail,” respectively. The next seasons polished the show’s mix of subversive humour, broad comedic situations, and emotional gravitas. The show won
multiple Emmys and critical acclaim across the board, becoming so famous as to warrant a public denunciation from then-president George H. W. Bush. In 1999, Time magazine rated the show as the best in television history, and even saved a space for Bart among its 100 most influential people — despite the show’s spotlight long ago having transferred to Homer, the series’ bumbling but wellmeaning patriarch. For Simpsons fans such as myself, these years exist encased in a sort of pop cultural amber. They’re untouchable. They didn’t just change the face of TV for good; they also changed us, and (mostly) for the better.
The influence of The Simpsons on today’s television landscape is hard to miss — Family Guy, South Park, Beavis and Butt-Head, Bob’s Burgers, King of the Hill, Futurama, and countless others have taken proverbial pages from the book of Simpson, to varying degrees of success. The calculated blow dealt to TV by that yellow fivesome meant an influx of shows which aimed similarly to challenge the status quo: The Office, Malcolm in the Middle, Married… with Children, and even The Daily Show followed in the footsteps of that Springfieldian family, and shades of its meta humour can be seen even in more recent fare like Community, Archer, and Rick and Morty. But The Simpsons also introduced viewers both young and old to a radical, counter-cultural way of thinking, diametrically opposed to the milquetoast nuclear family values of The Cosby Show and Full House. Bart’s opposition to authority and gleeful taste for mayhem made him the poster-child for the MTV generation; Lisa’s uncommon intelligence and subsequent disillusionment with institutions betrayed the show’s own distrust of the powers that be; Marge’s gracefulness under the pressures of domesticity made her the unlikeliest of feminist heroines. For his part, Homer, the show’s breakout protagonist, was an all-out deconstruction of the classic family man of sitcoms past — simultaneously a source of humour and tender-
ness, bigotry and warmth, idiocy and insight. Though each member of the Simpson family has since been simplified and sterilized to the point of unrecognizability, there was a time when each stood as a sign both of the strength of the series and of the changing tides of 20th century society. The show satirized the pillars of North American society — religion, media, politics, sex, race, class — with both wit and warmth. Episodes explored the characters’ faith and moral beliefs, as well as their prejudices and preconceptions, in a way that was both informative and insightful. The Simpsons’ creative use of language also had a lasting effect; phrases like “d’oh,” “yoink,” and “meh” have been popularized by the show, and quotes from its best episodes have found their way into the everyday slang of superfans and casual viewers alike. Of course, the show’s best feature may well be its most obvious — it’s really, really fucking funny. In its heyday, The Simpsons combined self-referentiality, political satire, wordplay, slapstick physical gags, rapid-fire witticisms, celebrity impressions (sometimes done by the celebrities themselves), and off-the-wall absurdity, all making it the funniest show ever to air on primetime television. To watch these episodes now, many of the references seem dated or passé, but the show itself is still as laugh-out-loud hilarious as ever. So — what happened?
The jury’s out on when The Simpsons officially ‘jumped the shark.’ Some cite the season 12 episode “Homer vs. Dignity,” in which Homer is implicitly raped by a panda at the Springfield zoo, as the series’ nadir; others mention the season nine bomb “The Principal and the Pauper,” where supporting character Principal Skinner is revealed to be an impostor, abandoning much of the series’ canon up to that point; and many diehards will go as far back as season eight — usually cited as part of the series’ Golden Age — and cite “Homer’s Enemy,” in which Homer indirectly causes the death of a rival at work then loudly snores through the funeral.
Each of these episodes shows a disregard for the emotional core of the series and a general lack of consistent characterization — whichever you may choose as the official point of no return, things were never the same for The Simpsons after about season eight or nine (depending, of course, on who you ask). Money disputes among cast and crew obfuscated the show’s creative integrity; constant changes in showrunners and writers resulted in a serious lack of consistency; and, frankly, they may have just run out of ideas after over 500 episodes and almost 25 years on the air. I know I would. Just five years ago, The Simpsons beat out the legendary Western drama Gunsmoke as the longest-running scripted primetime TV series of all time; it also holds the title of longest-running animated series and longest-running sitcom. Its cast of recurring characters numbers in the hundreds, and its recycled plot points surely run a similar tally. If nothing else, FXX’s Simpsons marathon gives viewers ample opportunity to watch the steady decline of the series in real time — the jokes sag along with the verisimilitude and consistency of the characterization, and the cries of helpless fans echo soundlessly into the void. But hey, maybe I’m being a little dramatic. If nothing else, a 25th anniversary celebration is a great chance to introduce the new generation to the show which ingrained the same sardonic indifference that launched a thousand anti-millennial op-eds. Once upon a time, The Simpsons was among the most ground-breaking, envelope-pushing cultural creations of all time, and its scope and breadth of vision remains impressive despite its inevitable decay. So if you take one thing away from this piece, it’s this: watch the damn show. I’d be willing to go toe to toe with anyone who’d argue that South Park, Family Guy, or even Seinfeld can stand up to The Simpsons at the zenith of its creative quality. In the same way the show still links my sister and I, it links a generation of like-minded viewers together, yearning for donuts and slouching towards Sunday afternoon TV binges in a manner distinctly yellow in tone.
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ARTS
Never mind the Sex Pistols; forget the Ramones. When it comes to punk rock, there never was a better band than Sleater-Kinney1. Two guitars and a drum set is all it took for three women from the rainy Pacific Northwest to take the world by storm, one killer guitar lick and passionate, no-holdsbarred vocal at a time. Before Carrie got famous as one half of the Portlandia team, before Janet did triple time drumming for Bright Eyes, Stephen Malkmus, and Quasi, before Corin had two kids and went solo — before all of that, we were blessed with just over a decade of music from the greatest band you’ve never heard. It’s true, Sleater-Kinney came from the same riot grrrl roots as groups like Bratmobile and Bikini Kill. They held true to the DIY
ethos and punk spirit of those groups long after they’d graduated from those ranks and made it to the big leagues, but the trio always had too much to say to be tied down to any one movement. They could claim fans among all disciplines — metalheads, punk rockers, indie kids and bearded folksters — and they borrowed from all genres in turn, making for a sound that was peerless then and hasn’t been matched since. It wasn’t just about sending a message and making noise doing so, though Sleater-Kinney were pretty much unmatched on both
that push us toward a positive outlook, helping us to reach a state of optimism and to find our own silver lining.
As we all know, the right kind of movie can give us feelings of hope that rekindle the strength to reach our highest potential in life; it can encourage us to create, inspire, and dream about what we are able to do with the power we possess as human beings. The following films are among many masterpieces
arts editor email / phone
September 8, 2014
A high school student named Charlie experiences the highs and lows of his young life as he starts to discover friendships he’s never known and changes in life that he could never have anticipated. Even though Charlie is going through these new challenges, the support he receives from his new-found friends encourages him to look to the future with the highest positive mentality and find hope.
those fronts. There was also plenty of tenderness there, a beating heart behind all the steel wool. “One More Hour,” maybe their best track (maybe), is the ultimate breakup anthem sung from both sides at once, hinting at a brief romance between singer Corin Tucker and guitarist Carrie Brownstein. Tucker’s impassioned vocal delivery, one of the band’s signatures (that voice!), kept their approach unique in its raw emotionality, and Brownstein and Weiss’ uncommon rhythm section never let up once. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the band never overstayed its welcome.
An aspiring singer named Gretta goes through her own journey after a producer named Dan makes it a point to help her create an album that will be accepted, not only by Dan’s music company, but also by the general public. Like any other artist, Gretta experiences personal difficulties (such as her strained relationship with her exboyfriend), but she is able to move past this, see the break in the clouds, and reach success with Dan’s support.
A zombie simply named R falls for a young woman named Julie who is still living
Tessa Perkins arts@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
That Sleater-Kinney’s career was short and sweet only adds to their legend; it’s no hyperbole to say they never made a bad record. Seriously. Trying to argue over their best LP with a fellow fan is next to impossible — I mean, how do you choose between the gnawing punk of Dig Me Out and the savage Bush-era indictment of One Beat? What about the messy pre-Weiss assault of Call the Doctor, or that noisy behemoth of an epilogue, The Woods? In flagrant disobedience of the punk rock rulebook, Sleater-Kinney’s sound only got louder and more immediate with each record
as a human being. As a zombie, R lives a life that has no direction; in meeting Julie, he discovers a sense of humanity that is still left inside him, allowing him to strive for a more positive sense of purpose and see the light at the end of the tunnel.
An aspiring architect named Tom is in a relationship with a girl named Summer which spans over 500 days and is presented over the course of the film. Like in many movies centering on a relationship, the two eventually part ways. Despite this circumstance, I strongly regard this movie as one that
— all of their records are great, but none are laid so bare as their final one, and the career-ending tour that accompanied The Woods is still the zenith of Sleater-Kinney’s already astronomical achievements. This is a group that went out on top, unwilling to see themselves fall into anything close to obscurity or mediocrity. Maybe that’s why their music still hits so hard today. Listening to these records now — and surely again, once Sub Pop re-releases them in the recently-announced remasters due in early October — the aural assaults packed into every vinyl groove are still felt as palpably as they were a decade ago or more. Some bands live on trying to recapture their glory days, and others fizzle out before they’re really able to make a mark. Very seldom has a band like Sleater-Kinney come around, and for them to have left us such a wealth of amazing, pulse-pounding, fucking life-affirming music is only a testament to how well they still deliver, almost 10 years after their untimely demise. 1 Okay, except for maybe The Clash, but they shouldn’t count anyway.
can lead us to find the bright side in our lives, as Tom is eventually able to find the strength and positive mentality to move forward in his life.
A man named Pat struggles with his own mental health as he attempts to live his life in a more positive light. This film carries its own significance, not only in capturing the common theme of these five films so directly, but also due to how Pat’s mental struggle influences and encourages him to view the aspects of his life with a positive perception rather than a negative one.
ARTS
Brill Bruisers , The New Pornographers’ sixth studio album and first in four years, is simultaneously an impressive return
Life After Beth’s overblown tone is as forced and unbearable as trying to urinate kidney stones. The movie’s central pitfall is analogical to an uncoordinated idiot who attempts to spin plates on sticks while riding a unicycle, and juggling chainsaws. This is an aggravating experience because the film attempts to juggle far too many things at once while not doing any of
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to form and a progression of the band’s sound. The album stands among the Vancouver collective’s best earlier works Twin Cinema and The Electric Version , as focused, intelligently written pop music. Yet, rather than just existing as a retread of these past glories, Brill Bruisers manages to expand the band’s sound in unpredictable new directions. Chiefly, there is a newfound focus on synth textures that serves to enhance and distinguish their already impressive songwriting. This progression seems like a necessary step for the band. After stalling slightly with their relatively mellow previous record, Together , Brill Bruisers is all energy. It’s a fighter of an album that proves that the band has more than a little life in it.
them well: a romantic comedy with an uninteresting relationship, a dark drama that studies a cipher, and a zombie movie that brings nothing original to the well-explored lore. It makes the mistake of having too many dark moments coincide with unfunny running gags. None of the one-dimensional characters are interesting and the storytelling merely plods along to the predictable and inevitable conclusion. Yet all of the performances are played at an exasperatingly exaggerated tone. Jeff Baena’s directorial debut follows Zach Orfman (Dane DeHaan in his typecast role as a disturbed teenager) as he grieves the tragic death of his girlfriend, Beth Slocum. When
The title track opens the proceedings, immediately pulling the listener in with its deceptively simple “ba-ba-ba” refrain and propulsive beat. It bores its way into your head like the best pop songs do and soon, without your knowledge or consent, you’ll find yourself humming along. While the title track could easily fit on one of the band’s earlier, more traditional rock releases, much of the rest of the album serves to move the band forward into a more synth indebted direction. That is not to say that electronic instrumentation overwhelms the album, rather the tasteful synths of “Champions of Red Wine” or “Backstairs” subtly reinforce the celebratory mood of the songs. Instead of feeling like a forced attempt to keep up with
Beth miraculously returns in an odd alternate form where her appearance is intact while gaps exist in her short term memory, Zach is overjoyed but slowly realizes that this is not the girl with whom he fell in love. The characters are all tedious caricatures designed to brew as many laughs as possible, yet these poorly conceived personae are the same ones for whom we are to empathize. Caricatures work for comedy not tragedy, or in this case, neither. Beth’s parents are overbearing and like to yell at the same time, so we can’t understand what they are saying; Zach’s brother is a security guard who has a power complex; and Beth is a nymphomaniacal zombie chasing Zach. Zach is meant to ground the film and offer it heart as he learns to let go and not live in the lie that is his new relationship with zombie Beth. However, this depth is neglected in order to exploit the ensemble of the surrounding caricatures. If you don’t leave decapitated by the chainsaws, finally passing the kidney stone will kill you.
the times or a drastic makeover, this electronic progression of the band feels quite organic. The New Pornographers have existed as a group for 15 years and are all accomplished musicians in their own right, so this comes as no surprise. Although they work as a cohesive unit throughout the album, the eight member band’s greatest strength has always been the diversity of their sound. The New Pornographers’s three lead vocalists — alt country legend Neko Case, AC Newman, and Dan Bejar — all have distinct voices and their songs often have a lyrical focus. While Newman is the primary songwriter, and sings lead most often, Case’s voice serves as his powerful, melancholy foil while Bejar’s spoken-word style musings further diversify the album.
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Somehow The New Pornographers have always made this eclectic mix work. While they have slipped into a formula in the past, Brill Bruisers succeeds in furthering their sound while being firmly grounded in their sophisticated pop songwriting. While the album begins with the title track’s callback to the band’s power-pop roots, the finale of “You Tell Me Where” exists as something entirely new. Newman and Case trade lines over a minimal synth and bass line that eventually explodes into a cathartic, celebratory climax. It’s a perfect closer that couldn’t have existed on any of their previous records, a reminder that even after 15 years the New Pornographers are nowhere near complacency.
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September 8, 2014
What do you think when you hear the word jihad? Is it a brownskinned, long-bearded man screaming allahu akbar with a bomb strapped to his chest, out to kill the infidels? There is also another jihad: the struggle that burns inside Little Terrors’ young protagonist Sahmi as he wrestles to connect Islam’s teachings with the radical actions of the terrorist group that has drafted him. The genius of Canada’s Maninder Chana brings these two jihads together in his directorial debut. Little Terrors attempts to bridge Western and Middle Eastern cultures with a message that is both an outcry to stop generalizing, and a sermon preaching
against the reasoning of evil men who twist religion to brainwash and manipulate vulnerable, unstable minds. There are compassionate Muslims and radical ones, kind Americans and those who are rudely ignorant. These characters are judged as respectable or deplorable based on their actions, not their religions. To demonstrate that the radical jihadist groups have manipulated the Qur’an, the director contrasts the terrorists’ actions with epigraphs quoting Mohamed between each episode of the movie. It’s an emotionally convincing approach, but one that doesn’t resonate intellectually — one must wonder if he is also taking these excerpts out of context, or if they conflict with other passages in the Qur’an. Luckily Chana isn’t making a documentary on the subject as his ambitions lay elsewhere — to tell the plausible and raw story of a boy chosen by Islamic fundamentalists to join a terrorist cell with plans to bomb an American embassy in Delhi. He is taken to a
training camp where he is brainwashed and trained to fight a holy war against a people that sadistically kill and control their brothers in Palestine and Iraq. These half-truths and one-sided stories manipulate the vulnerable boy. As Sahmi’s training progresses, you see his worldview shift from natural compassion to deep hatred and a closing of the mind to everyone around him. When an American journalist
enters the story, he ignites an inner jihad in Sahmi, for he brings a new perspective. This man isn’t the evil monster that the leaders of the terrorist group have made him out to be. The journalist has done nothing deserving of torture, except to be American and not Muslim. In a touching and poignant scene, the broken and bruised journalist pleads with Sahmi to recognize the evils of what they
have done to him by explaining the allegorical elements in Star Wars. In this elucidating scene, the journalist treats the boy like a boy in contrast to the jihadists who brutally dehumanized the boy. What a genuinely moving and affecting movie this is! If it weren’t all so relevant, so true, so convincingly acted, so beautifully realized from a production standpoint, so restrained in its depiction of brutality, so meticulous in the developments of Sahmi as a character, and in the end so resolute and haunting in the bitter simplicity and profundity of the concluding sacrifice, then we could dismiss it as some twisted form of manipulation where brutal acts are shown for the sake of showing brutal acts. Instead there is a piercing authenticity that breaks our hearts and infuriates our consciences. Little Terrors isn’t based on a true story, but it contains more truth than most fact-based films out there.
SFSS ENHANCED HEALTH & DENTAL PLAN
A Plan for your everyday adventures A new flexible benefit model offers undergraduate students a choice between different levels of coverage. The Plan covers health, dental, vision, and travel benefits. You are automatically enrolled in the Enhanced Plan.
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Basic HEALTH & DENTAL PLAN
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Change-of-Coverage Period You can either choose a different level of coverage, or opt out during the Change-of-Coverage Period from Aug. 28 - Sept. 15, 2014. You can also enrol your spouse/dependants during this time. The Member Services Centre is also there to assist you from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays.
Toll-free: 1 866 369-8795 Health & Dental Plan Office: MBC, Room 2240
Are you a graduate student? You are covered by a separate Plan, the GSS Graduate Plan! Please visit www.ihaveaplan.ca for more details.
ARTS
Since his debut at Music Waste in 2011, Cloudface (aka David Reynolds) has become a figure of local music folklore. With only a handful of releases under the moniker and Vancouver shows a rarity these days, Cloudface’s set at the upcoming New Forms Festival is the perfect chance to remind people why the electronic producer is a Vancouver mainstay. Though Cloudface is only a couple of years old, Reynolds has been making and experimenting with electronic music for nearly two decades. Originally under the name Eagleroad, Reynolds saw the name change as a chance for a clean slate. “I was just feeling like it was time to change. I kind of intended to keep both [music projects] going but then never really did [. . .] I just wanted to have a fresh start. I’d been playing shows around town as Eagleroad for a couple years at that point and I wasn’t very proactive with it. Whereas I wanted to start something new and actually be more dedicated towards it.” For one main difference between Eagleroad and Cloudface, look no further than their discographies. While Reynolds never officially released anything under Eagleroad, Cloudface has enjoyed multiple releases, including one earlier this year. Untitled , a 12-inch from UK sub-label Black Opal, came out in June and was Cloudface’s longest release — a project in the making since 2012. The resulting seven tracks on Untitled are a fluid groovetrain, with Reynolds seamlessly combining ambient sounds with infectious beats keeping time. It’s a perfect soundtrack for any scenario, whether you’re at an after-hours party or in your room trying to finish a paper. While previous years have found the festivities taking place across the city, 2014 finds all of New Forms Festival taking place under one roof — or should I say dome? “It’s definitely in line
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with the whole aesthetic of electronic music,” says Reynolds, about the decision to hold this year’s New Forms inside of Science World. “It’s this big geodesic dome, which looks so rad. It’s an icon of the Vancouver skyline, but it also looks super techno, like a spaceship. I’m excited to see how it turns out.” Being able to read and react accordingly to a crowd is something Reynolds finds very important. With increased recognition and larger venues, Reynolds has found himself on stages almost completely removed from the crowd. One recent example had him 30 feet away from the closest person, something that doesn’t match well with Cloudface’s intimate beats. “For the kind of music I make, it relies heavily on the connection with the crowd and just getting really deep into whatever vibe of the night is appropriate. You can’t do that if you’re in the middle of a big stage.” If the music doesn’t speak for itself, consider this: Reynolds is playing his third New Forms Festival in four years — an uncommon feat considering the festival’s tendency to avoid repetition. “As far as Vancouver music festivals go, [New Forms] is my favourite. They do such a good job and it’s just a good weekend — being a part of it is even more fun than just attending.”
Enjoy an evening of art, cheese, wine, and mingling with our MFA graduate students during their opening reception of Lossless on September 10 in the Audain Gallery at the Woodward’s campus. Lossless is an exhibition featuring final projects by the 2014 MFA graduating candidates at SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts; the featured candidates are Deborah Edmeades, Jeffrey Langille, Avery Nabata, Nathaniel Wong, and Luciana D’Anunciacao. Video, sculpture, performance, and installation projects by this year’s graduates share a number of related themes, while formulating distinct frameworks for individual investigation. This exhibition is truly a culmination of the candidates’ studies. After investing long hours of research and late evenings assembling the projects, the exhibition showcases their individual
artistic expressions and their personal perceptions on the concept of Lossless. The word ‘lossless’ is based on the term ‘lossless compression.’ “It is the idea that nothing is lost from an idea,” says Wong. For example, it is the act of articulating a perception of the world, where nothing is lost in the articulation, and the perception is identical to what was perceived. With his work, “On the Validity of Illusion,” Edmeades explores the question of illusion through video, within which there are elements of object making, works on paper, performance, and elements of Walter Benjamin’s “theory of experience” and reverse method acting technique. “How is it that there is always something new?” Lagille’s moving image landscape work, draws witness to a landscape that is not a surface — not topography — but a vital process. With “Growth, Endlessness, Blocks,” Nabata observes buildings, as “precarious structures left on the edge of regrowth or destruction.” They are “blocks of time and type; structures on the edge of change;” simultaneously ending and beginning.
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Within “Thus Spoke Death and Transfiguration,” Wong’s videos are embedded into sculptures, there is music and moving images, and within something quite humourous there is also something quite serious. “Of course, something is lost, but maybe things aren’t just lost, but other things are gained that we didn’t know,” Wong says of the idea of Lossless. Lastly, D’Anunciacao explores the notion of displacement within the dual nature of installation and performance. “When will my hands become roots?” is in between a gallery piece and a performance piece. The room is left in the same configuration; as it shifts between one state and the other, the space becomes a place that belongs to neither one nor the other.
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SPORTS
September 8, 2014
sports editor email / phone
Austin Cozicar sports@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
Miryam Bassett size is intimidating. The first class was a bit more intimidating than the second one, but I found it interesting. It’s cool in university because you get to choose what you want to do whereas in high school, other than choosing math or sciences, there is a lot more specific things you can choose. “I got to choose what I was more interested in than in high school, so I feel I’ll like university, academically, a lot more.” Although the prospect of moving away from home is intimidating to some, Bassett enjoys the freedom. “So far it’s definitely been exciting and it’s cool having your own little space that you can be in charge of. It was a little stressful to begin, but I look at it now and it’s a fun sort of atmosphere. You get used to it quickly.” Perhaps it helps that her sister, Rebecca, who is a year older and headed into her sophomore year, is also an athlete and around to help her through the trials of university life. “My sister’s on my team, so I’ve been introduced to a lot of her friends [. . . and] I’ve had someone telling me positive things about the university, someone, like a family member I can always go to if I need any help or have any questions who I know will always be there to help me out.
Austin Cozicar Sports Editor
Entering your first year of university can be quite a challenge. From the size of lecture halls, to the fact that you have to buy all of your textbooks, it’s an intimidating step up from high school. To top it all off, it’s probably the very first time you move out on your own, or are at
least much more removed from home than you’re used to. In the first few weeks, it’s common to just want to retreat into a shell. Although, certainly, it’s a time of excitement, it’s also a pretty stressful time before the big jump up becomes just another routine (and then come finals). Enter Miryam Bassett, a freshman cross country runner from Nanaimo, who during her high school career, won various cross country and track and field championships. Now, she
resides in residence where she is making the tough transition from high schooler to university student. However, for the most part, she is excited by the experience rather than scared: “First of all, it was really intimidating but it’s also kind of exciting. I’ve only been here for two days but it’s gotten really exciting pretty fast and I’ve already gotten kind of used to it, [for example] living here.” Discussing her first classes, Bassett explains, “The [class]
“It’s definitely nice having a sister here,” she added. She did, however, allude to the stressful application process, pinpointing the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). SFU, as an NCAA school in Canada, has to play by NCAA or American rules, which require the use of an SAT to decide if a student merits admission to university. For Canadian universities, this is usually unnecessary but
SFU’s NCAA status adds this challenge. “It was sort of stressful with the whole NCAA thing, making me do a SAT and stuff like that,” Bassett explained. “The SAT is very different from school in Canada; you can tell it’s very American. The test was very hard, [though] it wasn’t difficult as in hard to write [but] it was hard because it was long. Personally, I didn’t think it was the best.”
Bassett mentioned that she chose SFU over some American schools for a better education: “I had a few other universities come talk to me, the ones that I was considering the most were in the States. I chose SFU because first off, the academics are a lot better — for me, they had what I wanted. “It wasn’t all academic,” she added, praising SFU’s cross country program. “The athletics were more like what I wanted; they have a really good program, especially on the girls’ side for 850m.” With the school year starting, Bassett has to focus on her academics in addition to athletics, as she works toward a kinesiology degree in hopes of becoming a physiotherapist. She observed, “They say a lot that you’re student athletes, and student comes first so what I really want to do is keep on top of school while also keeping up my athletics. The thing is if you don’t do well in school, you can’t compete.” As for the transition from from high school to university athletics, Bassett noted the faster, more intense pace of the NCAA, a feeling most students can relate to when they first come to university, with greater workloads and more trying schedules. However, just as the athlete adjusts to higher pace, so does the student adapt to their new surroundings.
SPORTS
Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams had successful seasons last year. The women’s team made the national championships, and ended up in seventh place “out of probably 350 teams total,” according to coach Brit Townsend. The men’s team just missed the national championships, however, they “were very strong in the west regional championship,” said Townsend. Now entering their third year in the NCAA, both teams are championship contenders, with a pre-season poll ranking the women’s team as first in the GNAC and the men’s as third. To get there, though, both teams will have to work hard. “We have to qualify for the West regional championship in Billings, Montana in November and they will take six teams from our region to qualify for the national championship [. . .] in the beginning of December,” observed Townsend. The men’s team is likely to feature last year’s GNAC freshman of the year Oliver Jorgensen as their
It’s one of the most exciting times of the year. No, not because school starts (although there is certainly excitement to be had, I’d rather be on a beach), but because it’s hockey season. Perhaps I should clarify: it’s not just because it’s hockey season, but more specifically, it’s before hockey season. It’s the time before the season begins, before any colossal meltdown, before any hard-nosed coach who produces interesting sound bites turns out to be probably the wrong choice.
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lead runner, a position he served last season. It should be noted that the Abbotsford native narrowly missed making the cut for the national championships as an individual by just five seconds. The team will also be bolstered by two freshman from Sherbrooke, Quebec: Phillipe Gravel and MarcAntoine Rouleau. Townsend stated that the duo “for sure, will be a huge factor” and “will make an immediate impact on [the] program.” Travis Vugteveen, who was redshirted last year, will run this year. Townsend described him as one of the “top cross country guys.”
Junior Cameron Proceviat, who was one of the “strongest track runners last year,” rounds out the team along with freshman Max Drummer, sophomore Ephraime Tadresse, and senior Austin Trapp. “I would say those would be our key men for this upcoming cross country season,” said Townsend. The coach explained the drive behind the men’s team: “Their goal
is to make the national championships, because they didn’t make it last year.” On the other hand, the women’s team did make the national championships last year, and thus their goal is to beat, or at least match their placing last year. “Our goal would be definitely to be in the top 10 again, as we were last year, and hopefully [we can do] even better if everyone’s healthy,” said Townsend. The team will, however, have to contend with a changing roster, losing last year’s lead runner Lindsey Butterworth, whose NCAA eligibility for cross-country ended last season. As a result, the team is young, with no seniors whatsoever.
“We have lost two seniors that were key people, my top two seniors,” Townsend told The Peak . “It’s a very young team; we actually have no seniors at all other than Jennifer Johnson who is a grad student. The rest are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors.” However, she is confident that with the new additions (including Johnson, Paige Nock, Miryam Bassett and Julia Howley) that the team will still be a force to contend with. Returners include Rebecca Bassett, Emma Chadsey (“one of our top runners last year”), Kansas Mackenzie and Peggy Noel. Townsend maintained that both teams need to focus on closing the gap behind their front-runners. As
whether it stays that way throughout the season is hard to say, but right now everything looks good. For now, we can just bask in the glory of optimism. With that being said, perhaps you’re reading this as a cynical column suggesting that the pre-season is the only time for optimism. But that’s far from the truth, as I am legitimately excited for the Canucks’ season.
All we have now is an abundance of new prospects, completely new management who seems to take action, a promising new coach, and a bunch of interesting signings. At this point, there is none of the drama that develops throughout the
season, nor has any free agent turned out to be overpaid and ineffective, and there’s still the chance that some prospects could make the team this year. As of this moment, we can still believe that the team could be a playoff contender;
At this point in the season, it feels like the Canucks could do anything, and truthfully they could. It’s certainly possible that last year was a minor blip, perhaps brought on by
points are awarded to the top five runners of the team, it would be advantageous to have the runners behind first place closer together. “The thing we have to work on most is to have as many people close together in competition, so as close as they can be to our top runner. That way, our gap from first place to fifth place, or even seventh place, is not very big. That’s our best chance of beating other teams.” For now, though, Townsend likes what she sees, saying, “The next couple of years for us look really good on both sides; we’ve got some really good new people.” Both teams open up their season at the Ash Creek Invitational in Monmouth, OR on Friday, September 12.
the wrong coach for the job. And the truth is, they have certainly made enough moves to radically change the team, for good or bad. I think they certainly could be a contender this year, and it seems that a retool rather than a rebuild may be possible. Also, the truth could be the other way around. Perhaps they are a team on the eve of a rebuild. But really, that’s the fun, you just don’t know. I’ll be watching, that’s for sure.
22 SPORTS
September 8, 2014
“There’s always a thousand things to improve on,” she said, after the game. “We’ll look at the stats from our coach and she’ll tell us what our passing percentage and hitting percentage was, but I think mainly it’s limiting errors when it’s still early in the season. It’s easy to make those mistakes but I think that [change] will come later in the season.” In all, it was a good start for the Clan. Fans will most certainly hope that this is a preview of what they will see night in and night out against their GNAC rivals.
Thursday night, the women’s volleyball team played a onesided game against their nonconference opponents, the Columbia Bible College Bearcats, sweeping them in three sets, and improving over their 3-1 victory against them last year. Although the Clan opened up scoring, the first set started off close, as at the first time-out the score was only 10-7 SFU; it looked as though the game truly could go either way.
After that, however, the Clan kicked into gear, winning the first set comfortably 25-17, with 14 kills. The second set wasn’t any closer, with SFU getting out to a quick 12-5 lead. At one point
On a clear Thursday evening at Terry Fox Field, the SFU men’s soccer team opened their season with a 3-0 victory over the Sonoma State University Seawolves. The Clan were dominant in the first of three non-conference matchups in their schedule. Much like in their three pre-season wins, the Clan put their feet on the gas straight away with blistering pace, dangerous set pieces, and high pressure on and off the ball.
they had a 13 point lead, before the Bearcats attempted to rally back before losing the set by 11. Kelley Robinson had a critical dig to secure the 24th point of the set. In the third and ultimately final set, the Bearcats opened the scoring. It was a tight beginning, but as in the first set, the Clan pulled away and, after a while, it became apparent that the Clan’s
skills were too much for the Bearcats to handle. The Bearcats fought back hard, resulting in an incredible back and forth rally near the end of the game, but ultimately, the back and forth ended with the 22nd point for the Clan. They took the set 25-17, completing the sweep. Statistically, the Clan were lead by Devon May and
With less than 20 minutes gone in the first half, the ball first found the back of the net after Alex Rowley’s dangerous corner kick was mishandled by the Seawolves goalkeeper Sean Taufer and Clan defender Alexander Kleefeldt pounced inside the box, seizing the opportunity. This ignited the squad’s momentum instantly, as just moments later the men added another goal from a string of plays by some experienced squad members. Sonoma State’s set piece cross was confidently punched out by Clan keeper Brandon Watson before captain Jovan Blagojevic surged down the left wing to lay off a pass for Ryan Dhillon who had his first attempt saved by Seawolves keeper, but made no mistake on his rebound, taking the score to 2-0.
Additional pressure from Blagojevic was key to the third goal, after the attacker began cutting in from the wing with stepovers before being fouled outside the 18-yard box.
The ensuing free kick attempt from the captain was tipped by freshman Niko Schroettle into the back of the net and would be SFU’s final goal.
Brooklynn Gould-Bradbury. May was the focal point of their attack, with 12 kills and many chances to add to that total, while Gould-Bradbury provided the perfect set-up throughout the night, with 30 of the team’s 41 assists. Despite her team’s relative ease in handling the Columbia Bible College Bearcats, May still sees room for improvement.
Brandon Watson provided a fitting end to the first half highlights when the shot-stopper came out big and robbed a Seawolves penalty kick to preserve his clean sheet. Second half proceedings included more goalkeeping heroics, but this time from the Seawolves’ Taufer, who denied a penalty kick struck from Blagojevic at the restart. In the end, the Clan achieved their victory amidst many rough tackles and yellow cards, much to the excitement of the home crowd. “I think we’ve come a long way since we started the beginning of pre-season,” said head coach Alan Koch. “I love the character of the group, and the willingness to win, and tonight wasn’t really our best game but I spoke to the guys at halftime and said it’s going to take
a mature second half to go out there and get the result. “The maturity and experience of the seniors and returners showed that they know what it takes.”
SPORTS
It’s that time of the year when hockey will soon be upon us, and it just wouldn’t be right if we didn’t start off with some good ol’ fashioned rumours. The latest rumour is that by 2017, the NHL will have added four more franchises to the league, and even though the league has officially denied it, sports commentators are already busy talking about where these four teams may appear. According to the experts, the next expansion will feature the return of hockey to Quebec City and a second team in the Greater Toronto Area, along with new teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. First of all, I don’t understand why Las Vegas needs a hockey team. Putting a team in the middle of the desert so far has not gone well: The newly rebranded Arizona Coyotes, for instance, are still struggling financially and are currently relying on a taxpayer subsidy to
Now for all Clan home football games, SFU students can take a free shuttle from the Burnaby campus to Swangard stadium, a stadium near Metrotown, where SFU will play in order to make way for BuildSFU’s construction plans. The Pepsi student shuttle leaves the upper bus loop by the Cornerstone building 90 minutes before the start of every home game. The shuttle will then return the students half an hour after the game has ended. “With the move to Swangard this year, we recognized that it would be tough for students to get there and we wanted to solve that issue for them,” said Ben
September 8, 2014
fourth most valuable team in the NHL, currently valued at around $700 million. Though, normally, fourth place is nothing to write home about, it’s worth noting that the three teams leading the pack are all members of the Original Six, and that Vancouver is only $150 million out of second place. This goes to show how profitable a team in Vancouver is, and would continue to be in the future. Despite only being in the NHL since 1970, the Canucks have managed to produce one of the highest revenues, and they’ve done it without winning a championship.
stay afloat, all amidst continued relocation rumours. On the other hand, the nostalgic fan in me loves the idea of Quebec returning to the NHL — after all, my first NHL game was the Canucks hosting Guy LaFleur and the Nordiques at the Coliseum. As for Seattle, the addition of another team that’s actually in the Pacific Northwest might provide the Canucks with a true rival. (The Flames and the Oilers already have the battle of Alberta to worry about.)
Hodge, SFU Athletic’s manager of communications and marketing. In addition to a free shuttle, the games themselves remain free for SFU students, while tickets for youth (18 and under), seniors, and SFU staff are $2. Otherwise, tickets cost $8 for benches, while seats are $10. Students can also participate in the Fraser Nations Rewards Program in which they are rewarded points for each game they attend, regardless of the sport. If a student attends 25 games, they will be entered into a raffle for a grand prize trip to Hawaii. “Come to a game, it’s free admission to a game. If it’s football you get a free shuttle to the game and you can win prizes if you come,” explained Hodge. “It’s a good offer for students who are looking for things to do.” The next shuttle leaves for Swangard stadium at 11:30 a.m. when the Clan face the Western Oregon Wolves on Saturday, September 13.
But if we really want to provide the Canucks with a decent rivalry, why not go one step further? If Toronto can supposedly support a second NHL franchise, why not Vancouver? Both teams are known for their capacity crowds but it should be noted that the Canucks currently hold the longest active consecutive sellout streak in the NHL. Though Toronto’s Air Canada Centre can hold an extra thousand people, this is still an impressive feat. Financially, the Canucks are also holding steady, with the
Another reason why Vancouver would make an excellent destination for an expansion team is the infrastructure. With apologies to Giants fans, the Pacific Coliseum could easily be upgraded in order for NHL hockey to return. While
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smaller than the Canucks home across town, the Coliseum still has the capacity to seat just over 16,000 hockey fans, which is something the Giants only managed to approach a handful of times last year, with their average capacity being 38.5 per cent. For those of you who think that 16,000 is too small a number, consider that the Winnipeg Jets’ MLS Centre seats a thousand less than that. A second franchise in Vancouver would come with a ready-made set of fans, consisting of those who feel betrayed by the Canucks’ high ticket prices, those who have been on the waiting list for seemingly ever, or those who are just tired of having a team that has not yet been able to deliver a single championship. Who knows? Maybe we could even name the new team the Millionaires and see if they could pull off a repeat of 1915 and finally deliver Lord Stanley’s Cup to the city. Alternatively, we could just be like Toronto who brag about their glory days even though they haven’t won anything since there were more than six teams in the league.
Chief Electoral Officer Nominations Now Open! The Simon Fraser Student Society is seeking a volunteer for the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) position on its Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The successful candidate will be paid a stipend and is responsible for administering the student society elections. The CEO will be appointed to a term ending November 30th, 2014, with a possible extension to November 30th, 2015. Prior experience with electoral process and policy interpretation is an asset. If you are interested in the position, please send your resume and cover letter to minutes@sfss.ca along with your contact information. The deadline for applications is noon, Monday September 22nd. Candidates are also encouraged to attend the meeting of the SFSS Board of Directors at 5:30PM, Wednesday September 24th.
24 DIVERSIONS / ETC
September 8, 2014 FREE CLASSIFIEDS are available to SFU students for personal use. 30 words maximum. Drop by The Peak offices in MBC 2900 to submit your ad, or go to our website: www.the-peak.ca or email: classifieds@the-peak. ca. One ad per person. All others: $12 + GST per week, prepaid, for 30 words. Each additional 10 words: $1 + GST. Five ads or more for the special price of $8 + GST per ad. Cash or cheque only please. Make cheques payable to: Peak Publications Society, mail with the ad, attn: Business Manager.
CLASSIFIEDS@ THE-PEAK.CA Are you Gay, Bi-sexual or just not sure? Need a safe place to talk? HOMINUM is an informal discussion and support group to help gay, bisexual and questioning men with the challenges of being married, separated or single. We meet every Monday Evening in locations around the Metro-Vancouver Area. For information and meeting location, call Don: 604-329-9760 or Art 604-462-9813.
1- Anklebones 5- Fleur-de-___ 8- ___-deucey 12- Monumental 13- Puccini classic 15- Prolonged unconsciousness 16- Actor Morales 17- Charged 18- Pianist Gilels 19- Trading ship 22- Opposite of post23- China’s Chou En-___ 24- Knowledge 26- Takes by theft 29- Add fizz 31- ___ glance 32- Looks for 34- Writer Loos 36- Steals 38- Actress Witherspoon 40- Spillane’s “___ Jury” 41- Cleft 43- Spiritual sustenance 45- Yiddish plaints 46- Thin and watery 48- Black tourmaline 50- Observed 51- Fond du ___ 52- Doze LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
BURRIS/CANADA WAY: bright bachelor suite for one. Available September 15, 2014. $495/month, utilities, ldry, cbl incl. One year lease preferred. Two blocks from major bus/bike. SkyTrain routes to SFU, BCIT, Douglas College. Pls. contact ROSE: 604-522-3362/ 604 530-4313 off./ cell: 604-619-1146 f5 This is supposed to be a Hemmingway story? With this ending?
As an SFU student, you pay a subscription fee to the Peak Publications Society. For paying, you get access to a weekly copy of The Peak filled with news and views of interest to you, and are eligible to become a member of the Peak Publications Society. Benefits of membership include the opportunity to run and vote for the Peak Publications Society Board of Directors, to place free classified ads, to publish your work and opinions in The Peak, to become eligible to be paid for your contributions, and to apply to become an editor or staff member. Your contribution also helps provide jobs and experience for other SFU students, maintain an archive of SFU history through the eyes of students, maintain a computer lab and web site, and support student journalism across Canada.
54- Three-dimensional vision 61- Black 63- Champagne buckets 64- Bear in the sky 65- Burn balm 66- Clear the boards 67- Escaping fluid 68- Confined, with “up” 69- Suffix with glob 70- Small children
6- “___ She Lovely?” 7- Con game 8- Bandage brand 9- Rival 10- Islamic chieftain 11- Ivy League school 13- Mobile home 14- Start of a Dickens title 20- Lukas of “Witness” 21- Asta’s mistress 25- Title bestowed upon the wife of a raja 26- Halts 27- Next largest scoop 1- Abound after tea 2- Church recess 28- Appears 3- Person who is liable to 29- Orgs. tell untruths 30- Kind of alcohol 4- Winter hanger 31- Horace’s “___ Po5- Shark’s offering etica”
33- New Zealand parrot 35- Loser to DDE 37- Regal address 39- Shut in 42- Digits of the foot 44- Cries of discovery 47- Free laces, say 49- Supernatural 52- Type of tide 53- Word that can precede bodied and seaman 55- Creamy-beige color 56- Actual 57- Scottish Gaelic 58- Hydrox rival 59- H.S. exam 60- Tibetan oxen 62- After taxes
Students who have paid their tuition fees and do not wish to support their student newspaper may request a membership fee refund from the Business Manager, but MUST provide a copy of their REGISTRATION SUMMARY, RECEIPT, and STUDENT ID between Tuesday, September 8 and Monday, September 15 at 4:00 p.m. No refunds will be issued outside of this time frame. Students claiming refunds will lose all privileges of membership for the semester, but membership will resume upon payment of student fees next semester. Questions? Call 778-782-3598.
Do you want to hear your voice on the radio?
To attend various music events? To have fun? Then CJSF radio is for you! Join CJSF 90.1 FM as a volunteer and take a 45-minute orientation tour WR OHDUQ PRUH DERXW LW 'URS LQ RQH RI WKHVH WLPHV WR ¿QG RXW ZKDW \RX can do and learn at your campus radio. (We’re in TC216 right over the Burnaby campus main entrance.) 1st Friday of the month at 3pm 2nd Tuesday at 4pm 3rd Thursday at 3 pm Hope to see you there! 4th Wednesday at 6:15 pm
HUMOUR
September 8, 2014
humour editor email / phone
Jacey Gibb humour@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
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26 HUMOUR
September 8, 2014
September, Cram walked home with a senior from her school and laughed at some of his jokes but then continued to not invite him in afterwards for some quick intercourse. A similar incident also occurred just last month when classmate Brody Steeves invited her to the beach, where they made sand castles, swam in the water, and “didn’t even hook up once.”
A Coquitlam teen has been left frustrated and confused after his crush agreed to watch a movie at his place, then proceeded to not make out with him. “It doesn’t make any sense,” Derek Tanner told The Peak, immediately following the occurrence, which took place last Friday night. “I asked if she wanted to come over and watch The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and she said ‘yes.’ I don’t know how I could have made my intentions any clearer.” The accused, Brandy Cram, reportedly came over at the time they agreed upon and brought microwave popcorn, which Tanner took as a sign that she was interested in going to second base with him. The
Inspired by last week’s infamous leaked photos of dozens of Hollywood’s top actresses, a new hack attempt of Google Drive almost caused further damage; fortunately, all that was compromised were the US’ topsecret nuclear launch codes.
teens then proceeded to watch all 142 minutes of the superhero action-blockbuster, completely uninterrupted by any sort of sexual advance from Cram. “I even suggested we go to the downstairs TV room so we could be away from the rest of my family,” Tanner explained.
Though Cram had never expressed any romantic interest in him prior to the hangout, Tanner claims he can’t think of any other reason why she would have agreed to come over and enjoy friendly conversation. “Do I think she just wanted to watch The Amazing Spider-Man
2? Of course not. No one wants to watch The Amazing SpiderMan 2.” This isn’t the first time that Cram, who’s in the same Grade 11 English class as Tanner, has been reported to hang out with guys in a platonic setting and not instigate coitus. Last
The unknown Google Drive hacker initially reported on Saturday that he would be selling naked pictures of all sorts of big-time celebrities — from the likes of Angelina Jolie to Emma Watson — a ploy which ultimately failed, thanks to speedy action from the US Department of Defense (DoD). “We sprang into action as soon as we heard about a potential hacking,” explained Dan Hendricks, a spokesperson for the DoD. “We didn’t manage to protect everything they were going after, including some government documents — a couple military secrets, launch codes, or whatever — but thankfully we stopped the world
from getting a look at any more naked celebrities.” While the Department of Defense say they understand the situation’s gravity, they believe a much bigger tragedy was avoided. “We just couldn’t sit by and let our perfect image of Hermione be ruined like that,” Hendricks told The Peak. “They already got J-Law, those hacker bastards. Enough was enough.” As for the nuclear launch codes, which are now available for anyone to download on popular torrent website The Pirate Bay, Hendricks says he’s not too concerned. “That part of the story has really just fallen by the wayside,” he explained
nonchalantly. “Most people don’t read past the part that says there are no new naked pictures.
“You’d think somebody would’ve asked why the government put these codes in a Google document in the first place, but no one has,” Hendricks continued. “In fact,
At press time, Cram had not confirmed the exact details of either occurrence, but did refer to the two victims of the previous incidents as “a really funny guy” and “super nice,” respectively. While the investigation in to Tanner’s claims is ongoing, police are urging males of all ages to not get hung up on whether or not a girl is sexually interested in them and are recommending they just enjoy platonic friendship for the rewarding experience it can be.
every person I’ve heard ask about the codes just wants to know if it spells ‘BOOBS’ upside-down.” Hendricks did say that the entire affair has really opened his eyes about online privacy and the risks of putting information online: “It’s scary how easily private documents can get into the wrong hands, and we’re going to work our hardest to make sure everyone is protected. So, whether it’s secret military codes that put the lives of all Americans in jeopardy or naked pictures of yourself, we’re going to make sure they’re only seen by those who really need to: you and the government.”
HUMOUR
September 8, 2014
Lily Li / The Peak
On August 26, in a move that no one could have possibly predicted — except maybe economists who have already read the books — the House of American fast-food giant Burger King announced their acquisition of Tim Hortons through a bloodied massacre. The acquisition, which is being referred to as the Bread Wedding, reportedly cost $11.5 billion and will secure the company as the third-largest quick-service restaurant chain in all of Westeros. “We’re very excited to announce the almost complete eradication of Tim Hortons, who I think we can all agree had
it coming,” a spokesperson for Burger King told the press after the deed had been done. The merger thus far has garnered mixed responses, with some economists praising it for being a satisfying twist that brings Tim Hortons’ story to an ironic close; others are responding more critically, disappointed because Tim Hortons was one of their favourite fast-food restaurants.
Speculation is already running rampant on why Burger King, a subsidiary of investment firm 3G Capital, would maim and execute Tim Hortons’ employees and loved ones in cold blood instead of following more traditional corporate merger protocol. Rumours that Burger King
massacred the company to enjoy tax breaks in Canada have largely taken over nerd chatrooms across the internet. “This arrangement isn’t about seeking out tax exemptions in a Canadian market,” said Burger King CEO Daniel Schwartz, as he wiped the blood from his trusty broadsword. “The merger is an opportunity for both companies to build off of each other’s target consumer bases and grow together.” Despite the somewhat radical acquisition methods, Schwartz dispelled concerns that this will impact the quality of Tim Hortons products Canadians have grown to love. “Anyone worried about how the merger will affect the watered-down, cream-overdosed coffee they’re so fond of doesn’t have anything to worry about. As long as they swear allegiance to the House of Burger King, there probably won’t be anymore bloodshed in this feud. Maybe.”
Max Hill, a communications student currently studying at Simon Fraser University, recently had this very article published in the humour section of The Peak, the school’s student newspaper. Hundreds of students have since read this article, and reception has been uniformly positive. “I can’t even express how grateful I am,” Hill told The Peak. “I mean, I’ve thought about writing for the humour section forever, but I just never had the confidence [. . .] I’m glad I did. I’m on top of the world right now.” Hill thanked his mother for always encouraging him, as well as the many students who help to make The Peak one of Canada’s student newspapers. According to Hill, he has been considering ideas for his first humour article for several semesters, but none of those panned out. “I had an idea for a story where SFU became infested by rabid grizzly bears, but — I mean, it’s been done before, right?” Hill also noted he wanted to write a story about a writer for The Peak interviewing himself, but dismissed this idea as “too meta.” Recently hired humour editor Jacey Gibb similarly expressed elation at Hill’s first contribution to the paper’s section. “It’s just a really strong article,” Gibb told The
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Peak. “I mean, I get a lot of submissions for this section, so I have to be picky when I’m choosing what to put in the paper. But Max’s article just blew me away.” Gibb declined to comment on whether this article would be Hill’s last, but noted, “I sure hope not — I don’t want to have to write the whole section myself!” After surveying a group of Peak readers across SFU’s Burnaby campus, the consensus seems to be that Hill’s piece was definitely “an article” and “published in this week’s issue.” Some students were even seen giggling politely while reading this piece, and others still were heard remarking to themselves that the central idea was “clever.”
Hill seemed unsurprised by these reactions. “I’m a pretty clever person,” he said. “I mean, that’s what my mom always says.” When contacted by The Peak, Hill’s mother declined to comment. So, what’s next for Hill? When asked, he seemed hesitant to submit more articles like this one to the humour section. “I’ve been thinking about doing a follow-up story, but I’m not sure what it would be,” he said. “I mean, I don’t want to overdo the joke, right? That would just be annoying.” For those looking to read this article, you already have.
28 LAST WORD
On June 5, 2001, when I was just seven years old, Christy Clark began her reign as BC’s Education Minister. The BC Liberals, a party Clark now leads, ran on a platform entitled “A New Era for British Columbia” which promised to “create a public education system that’s the envy of the world.” Since that day, Clark’s policies have certainly marked a new era for British Columbia — one with a deeply broken and battered public education system. On my last day of the first grade, the collective agreement between the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) and the BC Government expired. In her campaign, Clark had vowed to increase parental involvement in the public education system, restore education as an essential service, and ensure that school would remain in session for students in the event of a strike. These promises manifested themselves in several legislative actions, most notably through Bill 27 and 28, which both passed on January 27, 2002. These bills imposed the teachers’ contract, and effectively stripped the BCTF of the right to collective bargaining, including their ability to negotiate class size, composition, and other working and learning conditions for teachers and students alike. The BCTF reported that this cut roughly $275 million in education funding, leaving our teachers with some of the lowest salaries in Canada. The salary increases that were established in the teachers’ contract were delegated to the school districts across the province, leading to incredible deficits in my school district during my time in grades three and four. To top it all off, Bill 19 was passed in 2005, which extended the imposed contract of Bill 28 into 2006. As a result of this unreasonable neglect, the BCTF went on strike in October 2005. In 2005, I moved to another school district in BC, and there I had my first experience with a teacher who was willing to donate hundreds of hours of volunteer work to provide me and my peers with a quality education. She held book clubs, taught us to sing French music, and even
features editor email / phone
Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
September 8, 2014
took us all on a weekend camping trip to Cultus Lake where we carved soapstone and found salamanders. This teacher, who took extra time to listen to me, who sparked my love of literature and outdoor education, was one of thousands of BC teachers who went on illegal strike in protest of their treatment by the Liberal government for over two weeks. At the end of this strike in 2006, a five-year tentative agreement was signed by both teachers and the government which included a signing bonus and wage increase for educators.
The years between 2006 and 2011 were big for me. I was in a pubescent hot mess of pimples and crushes, sneaking out of my parents’ houses and getting into trouble. Eventually, I moved away to finish my public education career in the same sleepy small town I started it in. There, I met teachers who, again, donated hundreds — maybe thousands — of volunteer hours towards extra-curricular music, theatre, and film programs that have since served as the foundation of my passion for filmmaking and community service. Meanwhile, on April 13, 2011, the BC Supreme Court ruled that Bills 27 and 28, enacted by the BC government in 2002, were “unconstitutional and invalid.” As a result, the government was given 12 months to remedy its illegalities and return the language about class size and composition to the contract. The next year, my final one in the public education system, my teachers went on a three-day strike to protest the lack of action by Christy Clark’s government in addressing the illegality of Bills 27 and 28. Bill 22 was then legislated to bring teachers back to school after spring break. As the Liberals still had not struck a collective agreement with teachers and their illegal actions had not been addressed, the BCTF took the BC government back to the Supreme Court.
My graduating year, 2012, was a success largely due to the immense support of my teachers. Despite my disappointment in losing extra-curricular privileges such as in-school film festivals, extra rehearsals, and after school support, I left the public education system with immense gratitude for many teachers who mentored me far beyond the curriculum. That same year I began my career at SFU, and began working for an organization in East Vancouver that serves some of the city’s most vulnerable inner-city children. In 2013, around the time I started working with this organization, a report was published stating that BC has the highest rate of child poverty in all of Canada: 19 per cent of children in our province live in poverty, compared to the 13 per cent national average. We must consider that many children who miss school due to strikes may not even be having their most basic needs met. BC public schools provide meal programs, education, and support to children who otherwise may not receive these essential services due to financial barriers. These barriers simply will not be broken down by the $40-a-day offered by the BC government for every day on strike after September 8, 2014. In order to serve BC’s most vulnerable youth, the government needs to find a way to deal with the teachers effectively and fairly.
Almost 12 years to the day of the enactment of Bills 27 and 28, the BC government was ordered to pay the BCTF $2 million in damages for its ongoing neglect to address the language of class size and composition. On August 30, 2014, Christy Clark ended her recent silence on the matter with a series of tweets, the first of which read, “We remain committed to negotiating a fair deal with the BCTF, but it has to be affordable for taxpayers.” Allowing BC’s students to have access to necessary support in a safe environment does need to be affordable for British Columbians, but Clark and the Liberal government have neglected the concerns of our teachers far past the point of no return. Court battles, media campaigns, and $40a-day band-aids are just some ways Clark and her government evade the BCTF’s concerns, and these ploys are costing taxpayers and children alike. Christy Clark, I was in the BC public school system with you for over a decade. Now, as a taxpayer and citizen fighting for the basic human rights of children in this province, I urge you and your government to give the BCTF a fair deal.