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CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013
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When I graduated high school, I wasn’t a particularly decisive person. I decided to go straight to post-secondary from high school because I didn’t know what else to do with myself. I ended up going to SFU because it’s where my friends weren’t going, and my small rebellious streak resented the idea of following everyone else to UBC. I also wasn’t overly ambitious. I enjoyed doing well in school and in my menial teenage jobs, but I didn’t push myself in the same way that my overachieving pals did. I wandered through my first year of university, trying a little of this, a little of that. I was the princess of non-commitment. When I found The Peak, I changed. Writing for this newspaper kindled a personal drive that I didn’t know I had. To see my byline in print gave me a thrill I’d never experienced before. To be able to approach brilliant, influential faculty and administration members as a snotnosed 18-year-old and having the power to ask them whatever I wanted was intoxicating. Here was something I loved to do, something that I didn’t just want to do well; I wanted to be the best. Over the past four years, I’ve worked my way up The Peak’s limited totem-pole, eventually taking the newly-created position of Editor-in-Chief. Yeah, I’d say there was some ambition behind that. Here’s where things get cheesy. If I hadn’t gone to that first meeting on a Wednesday in my second year, I could still be wandering around aimlessly. When you find
something that awakens that competitive drive in you, it becomes your baby. The Peak is my baby, and I am a tiger mom. Whenever this little student newspaper faces a threat, my immediate instinct is to take no prisoners.
This newspaper has been my training ground, my friend group, my dating service, my livelihood. Now in the last week of my undergrad, I can say without any hesitation that it’s the best thing that I’ve done during my time at SFU. The Peak has given me the opportunity to travel and meet students like me from all over North
America. It’s allowed me to take chances and print things that make people extremely angry. It’s let me mess up. Everybody should be so lucky. Find your Peak, your training ground, while you’re still here. Don’t wander through your education, or worse still, rush through it. Your passion may be part of your curriculum, but it may be elsewhere. Never again will you have as open, fluid, and safe a space in which to learn and grow. With the evergrowing pressure, competitive nature, and difficulty of the world outside academia, that is an opportunity none of us should ignore.
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NEWS
SFU’s ceremonies and events office is calling all “professional musicians and closet composers, experienced songwriters and those who always wanted to try,” to enter the Legacy Song Contest for a chance at making university history. “Because we’re celebrating our 50 year anniversary, we thought it would be really fun to create [a school song] that could be a legacy for the next 50 years, and hopefully beyond,” said Sue Porter, associate director of SFU ceremonies and events.
news editor email
April 7, 2015
All members of SFU’s faculty, staff, students, and alumni are invited to enter by uploading either a video or audio submission to the contest’s Strutta site by May 31. The criteria on the website is deliberately vague. “We didn’t want to influence people in terms of the kind of song they would create. We really wanted to leave it open to every possibility,” said Porter.
However, she emphasized that “the song has to be original, less than two minutes in length, [and] we want it to represent SFU’s vision of engaging the world.”
Porter added that the song should be memorable and easy to sing. “We don’t want something so complicated that no one will remember how to sing it,” she said. “It [should be] appropriate for use at all kinds of SFU events, and [. . .] the lyrics [should] appeal to someone of any generation.” Porter explained, “We don’t want something that’s too 2015, and that uses references and concepts that people wouldn’t know 20 years from now.” After discussing the competition criteria, the organizers decided against limiting the contest to “fight songs” — chant-like songs for athletic events — or “alma mater songs” that are more formal, processional tunes for ceremonial events and convocations.
Leah Bjornson associate news editor news@the-peak.ca
Instead, the contest parameters are broad, and organizers anticipate that entries may fall anywhere between a fight song and an alma mater song, or could even be more pop-inspired and catchy.
A panel of “celebrity” judges, including representatives from the administration, faculty, alumni, and student body, will decide upon five or six finalists entries. The judges have not yet been determined. From June 15 to August 1, the entire community will have the opportunity to view and vote for their favourite finalists once a day online.
2015 METRO VANCOUVER
TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT PLEBISCITE
Elections BC is administering the vote-by-mail plebiscite from March 16 to May 29, 2015. You can vote if you are:
■ A Canadian citizen ■ 18 years of age or older, on or before May 29, 2015 ■ A resident of B.C. for at least six months, on or before May 29, 2015 ■ Registered to vote in B.C. ■ Living in Metro Vancouver You can ask for a voting package to be mailed to you by calling 1-800- 661-8683 or online at elections.bc.ca /ovr. You can ask for a voting package until midnight on Friday, May 15, 2015. Elections BC must receive your completed ballot package before 8 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2015. Visit elections.bc.ca or call 1-800-661-8683 for more information.
ele c tio n s . b c .c a 1- 8 0 0 - 6 61- 8 6 8 3
Melissa Roach
The winning song will be announced and played live at noon during the 50th Anniversary Celebration on September 9 at the Burnaby campus. Winners will receive a $2,500 prize, and two runner ups will be given $500 each. Porter pointed out that the American songwriter and composer Cole Porter actually wrote his school song for Yale, which is still used to this day, “so maybe [we’ll] get to find the next Cole Porter.” SFU President Andrew Petter commented that with the 50th anniversary, “We’re entering a new era of engagement with our students, alumni and supporters. I am delighted that a member of the SFU community will be instrumental in creating a new musical legacy for the university.”
NEWS
April 7, 2015
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PAPER CAPER
SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts (SCA) welcomed students to the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts for an inspiring dance performance titled SHIFT. From April 1–4, SCA students performed on stage in collaboration with Canadian choreographers. The dancers showcased their techniques and emotions within the contemporary setting.
“I think a poor situation was made worse by poor decisions,” replied Johnny Aether when asked how he felt about the removal of over 1,000 issues of The Peak from stands late last month. Aether is one of several individuals who have given conflicting reports concerning the incident. According to statements from multiple individuals, the removal was a reaction to an article published in The Peak in which members of the editorial staff endorsed six candidates for the SFSS executive positions. By the afternoon of Monday, March 23, the day the paper was published, approximately 1,050 out of the 1,600 total papers distributed were missing from stands on the Burnaby Campus.
After the SFSS board meeting on Wednesday March 25, SFSS Chief Electoral Officer Oscar Sanchez, approached The Peak with a report he had received the night before. “At around midnight on Tuesday the 24, we received a complaint from a student about a large number of Peak papers being in the CSSS [Computing Science Student Society] lounge,” Sanchez explained. “The complaint was filed with photographic evidence.” According to the student who made the report, who opted to remain anonymous for the article, “I was in the lounge Tuesday evening when I saw Ben Rogers, Jade Katherine Andersen, Johnny Aether, and Corbett Gildersleve sitting there next to the newspapers in the lounge and they were tearing all the opinions page from the newspaper and throwing them in a pile on the floor.” They continued, “They also mentioned that they need to PEE on them and start talking about
A discussion titled “Art Activism: The Cairo-Tehran Connection” invited attendees to examine the creative ways in which women are challenging the status quo in Egypt and Iran. Held on March 31, the second of this four-part series looked at how independent female musicians and filmmakers are influencing the sociopolitical scene in Egypt. how misleading is the peak and all of these stuff [sic].” Two members of The Peak proceeded to the CSSS lounge, where they found approximately 800 papers stacked in several corners of the room. The four individuals named in the report have all been affiliated with the SFSS over the past several years. Andersen and Rogers both held the position of applied sciences representative, while Gildersleve was just recently elected to the position for the 2015–2016 term. Aether ran for the position of SFSS President as the leader of the LAN Party, but was not elected. When asked about the incident, Aether explained that he was not personally involved — however, he alleged that members affiliated with the LAN Party were. “Jade Andersen, for starters, she felt like something ‘needed to be done,’” Aether alleged. “Jade was like, ‘Oh my gosh I know what we’re going to do. We’re going to steal all of the Peaks.’” Although he never saw Andersen or Rogers, the current SFSS applied sciences rep, physically remove papers from the stands, Aether continued, “From the second you guys started putting out those papers, Jade had a stack of at least two or three with her.” A second report sent to The Peak on April 2 also singled out
Andersen. A student reported, “I watched Jade Andersen shove stacks and stacks of [The Peak] into the three oversized bags. She tried to recruit a few students to do this alongside her, myself being one of them.” When confronted with these allegations, Andersen denied moving the papers, but did admit to being involved in the discussions. “I feel like yeah, at some point, I must have grabbed one or two from the stands,” she continued, recalling her involvement. “I’m sure I removed a few papers here and there.” According to Andersen, the “reallocation” of papers was the result of the work of a large number of students, whom she declined to name. She said that many students were upset with the editorial piece and the lack of response to student concerns from The Peak.
Rogers supported Andersen’s account: “Indulging in their right to a free newspaper (or a dozen) was an idea some of the students had fielded on Sunday and the majority of people in the discussion felt it would be well within the realm of ‘law abiding.’”
He continued to recount how students began dropping off stacks of papers in their respective DSU common rooms. This report is confirmed by security footage from SFU, in which multiple students are seen dropping off Peak papers in the CSSS lounge. Andersen and Rogers said students then began to remove the page with the editorial from the collected papers, discarding it on the floor of the lounge. “Everybody was doing that,” Andersen said. “I definitely removed page 10. A lot of people removed page 10.” However, upon realising that The Peak contained other important stories — specifically, those covering the elections and the Louis Riel House rally — Andersen said the group decided to begin restocking stands with the amended copies. Shortly after, members of The Peak arrived at the CSSS common room, removing the remaining 800 papers from the lounge. When asked whether she felt the actions taken were positive, Andersen said, “I’m a staunch utilitarian and I believe it’s not the actions, it’s the results, so yeah I do believe it was a good thing to have happened. It got students more interested.” Rogers echoed Andersen’s sentiments: “The students who were liberating the newspapers seemed to be having a lot of fun and I am really quite proud to see such a normally apathetic bunch of students
Students from Interactive Arts and Technology (IAT) 833 showcased their talents at an art showing and dance party held on Tuesday, March 31. Projects displayed included POEME: A Poetry Engine, an installation created by Shannon Cuykendall described as “powered by your movement,” as well as a performance piece by Kıvanç Tatar titled Deep Breath.
stand up and fight for something they believed in, whether I personally share their values or not.” According to Sanchez, while reprehensible, these actions would likely not result in the retroactive disqualification of any electoral candidates, since they did not “impact the legitimacy of the vote and the electoral process.” The Peak’s editor-in-chief, Alison Roach, condemned the actions of any individuals involved in the removal of papers, saying that it constitutes theft. She also stated that the Peak Publications Society will continue to investigate the incident with the assistance of SFU Security.
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April 7, 2015
The SFSS set the revision and implementation of the draft Code of Conduct for SFSS board members as an organizational priority. The code was originally prepared last summer. President Chardaye Bueckert motivated in favour of the code: “It’s formalizing the mechanism whereby students can relay [their] concerns. [. . .] It’s positive inasmuch as it does empower council to be more of an advisory body.” She continued, “I would also point out that this has been outstanding since 2013, when over 600 students signed a petition asking that SFSS do this very thing and implement such a Code of Conduct.” The board also requested that Council, which meets after board, strike a working group to review and implement the proposed code. Each council member on the working group will receive a $50 honorarium.
With the end of the spring semester in sight, the Simon Fraser Student Society’s (SFSS) 56th president, Chardaye Bueckert, is preparing to make way for number 57. From the successful negotiation of two collective agreement contracts to the failure to pass the Build SFU debenture question at the January Special General Meeting to the Freedom Square plaque being returned to its rightful home, Bueckert’s term has been punctuated with highs and lows. We spoke to the outgoing SFSS president about her time in office and what she plans to do next. If you had to describe your term in one word, what would it be and why? “Accomplished? For two reasons. I think for one, our board has really accomplished a lot this year. And then, for myself, I’m quite proud to say I’ve fulfilled almost all my campaign platform promises, and [for] the two that are outstanding, substantial work has gone towards, and I’m confident that in the next year they’ll be fulfilled.” What specific campaign promises are you proud of? “The expansion of the food bank. We now have long-term sustained funding for the program, it’s been expanded to the Vancouver campus, it’s soon to be ready for the Surrey campus, and that was a big thing in my platform. Another thing that I’m proud of is we completely changed the society’s child care policies, so now there’s a lot more funding for students who have children, if they wish to participate in the society as a councillor, as a member of a committee, or as a member of the board of directors.” When you were elected, you came into a board where the majority of members were from the opposing slate. Did that affect how the board functioned? “I think definitely at the beginning it did. There were some tensions there. But as the year progressed, we kind of came to see that our areas of agreements and mutual interests certainly outweighed any differences in priorities that we had.
Chardaye Bueckert spent a year as the society’s External Relations Officer before being elected President. I think [. . .] we all really realised that we’re all here for the same reason, which is to make SFU a better place for students, and while we had different ideas about how to exactly go about doing that, it’s also not a zero-sum game.”
throughout, people were talking about the BC Open Textbook Program, supporting students from Louis Riel House who have been displaced, issues of transit and student loan interest rates; these are issues that, less than a year ago, weren’t really salient. These were not the big topics of conversation. And for me, to have I’m really excited to all of that advocacy work just be able to take that I’m so passionate about my elected official hat and got involved to do, become this valence issue that off for a while. everyone gets on board with [is] very exciting.” How does your experience on this board compare to your experience Moving forward to this year’s on the 2013/2014 board as the Ex- election results, most students ternal Relations Officer? elected were members of the “I felt this year a lot more en- REAL slate; however, the student gaged with the board itself, simply elected to President was the only because I was on campus a lot more independent presidential candiand I was doing more of the inter- date, and someone who has not nal work [. . .] I just felt a lot more previously worked on board. Do cohesion with this board, particu- you think this has any meaning larly with the at-large and faculty behind it? representatives. You look out at our “I think that Enoch had a office, they’ve become really good very well-researched platform friends, and there’s a lot of camara- and he clearly knew what he was derie there, which is really unique talking about, even though he and not something I saw to the wasn’t a quote-un-quote ‘insame extent in the last board.” sider;’ so I think that, my hope anyways, was that it was at least Was there any one moment this partially the quality of his platyear that made you think, ‘This has form that contributed to his all been worth it’? electoral victory. [. . .] I think “There’s been a lot of them. that the fact that he was an outIt’s been a really great year. But I sider and not as experienced as think my kind of moment [. . .] others was mitigated by the fact was this year at the debates when, that he had such a knowledge of
Talha Qadir / The Peak
what the priorities for the next year should be.” How does it feel to be moving on? “Good. I’m really excited to just be able to take my elected official hat off for a while and focus on some other stuff. But it’s also scary! I’ve been doing this for two years, so it will be a very big change of pace.” What are you doing this summer? “I’m hoping to take the summer to learn French — I’ve applied for the Explore program — and then I’m going to be going on to graduate studies in political science. I don’t know where yet; I’m also going to be taking the summer to apply to grad schools. And then I also was accepted into the BC Legislative Internship program, starting in January 2016, so I’ll be in Victoria doing that for six months.” What advice do you have for the incoming board of directors? “Always come with your listening ears on, because even if you disagree with someone, everyone has got into this and has taken the time and effort to run for a position because they care. And so, I think listening to those different perspectives and trying to amalgamate them into something better than your own individual position is really valuable, [. . .] that’s why we have 16 people elected and not just one.”
The board voted in favour of the creation of a temporary project worker position to do a full accessibility assessment for the society this summer. VP Finance Adam Potvin spoke in favour of the position: “It could only benefit the society with having the time and resources to conduct surveys, to focus on accessibility issues as they pertain to the website and to student spaces.” The proposed accessibility projects assistant position would also entail looking into how other institutions approach accessibility. The budget is yet to be determined. Not all board members were equally convinced that a new student hire was the best way to improve the society’s accessibility. Concerns of redundancy arose over the fact that the board already has an Accessibility Fund Advisory Committee (AFAC) that could do the same thing, as well as whether a student could complete a proper financial audit. Bueckert pointed out that AFAC members already feel “quite maxed out” and adopting this position would be in line with the society’s goal of “moving to governance, rather than operations.”
NEWS
An SFU archaeology class has been given a one of a kind opportunity this semester to oversee a project of over 900 stone artifacts collected from a farm near Fort St. John. Under the guidance of Barbara Winter, a class of 18 students identified, catalogued, and photographed artifacts dating back 7,000 to 10,000 years. The collection is being curated by students through the resources of the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and will be returned to the Treaty 8 Tse’K’wa Interpretive Centre, which is being built to house this collection. The artifacts come to SFU courtesy of Len Donaldson. Donaldson collected these artifacts
SFU is designing an official app with the help of students from the software engineering course CMPT 275. Roughly 100 SFU students are feverishly working on the app, designing features for SFU transit, Connect, Canvas, calendar, and wayfinding.
Students may be able to enjoy the new app as soon as fall 2015, according to Herbert Tsang, CMPT 275 instructor and adjunct professor in the department of Interactive Arts and Technology at SFU. He sets different themes for every class he instructs, and for this particular course, the theme for is the information portal for SFU. Tsang explained, “It’s a class project per se, so we have about
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whenever he found them scattered over the land he owns and manages, gradually developing an impressive collection. The artifacts in the collection provide influential information can be gained, from an area where archaeological evidence is scarce and migration theories are still hotly debated. “A wonderful opportunity presented itself when Len Donaldson
offered the collection to SFU last year,” said Winter. “It is both a hands-on project in museum curation for the students, giving them experience in the development of a collection, and a wonderful way to support First Nations communities in the north.” Jan Anderson, a research assistant with the SFU Archaeology Department and member of the class, says that this collection
15 different teams that are working on this theme, but they can choose their own features and functionalities.” Serena Chan, one of the students participating, explained that the strength of her group’s app is its wide array of options for users. In the beginning, Chan said that project seemed overwhelming, but now students are coming close to a finished product and even focusing on optimizing the app’s performance. According to Chan, “If you’re not connected to the Internet, you can use the offline map. If you are connected, our app includes Google Maps. A lot of groups had interesting ideas for new features such as wayfinding, loyalty programs for dining services, and even a bitcoin wallet.” There are a lot of common functionalities in the prospective SFU official apps, such as bus schedules, SFU email, calendars, and Canvas. However, many students are integrating new and interesting themes into their apps, such as wayfinding on campus, a system to keep track of the library books,
connections with dining services on campus, and incorporation of social media. “There are many things that people are exploring at this point,” noted Tsang. The best app will be selected at the end of April once students from CMPT 275 submit their final projects. If all goes well, the plan is to hire the winning team and work with them to perfect an official app for SFU. “We are going to have 15 different apps finished by the end of this semester. The plan is to pick winners,” Tsang asserted. Mark McLaughlin, executive director at SFU Ancillary Services commented, “[What] we would like to do is come up with a new [app], not just with fresh technology, but with some really exciting features that will really be used by students.” According to McLaughlin, the app should be ready by the fall release date if the university and the students can perfect the app over the summer. McLaughlin pointed out that “it’s important that private information such as username and password are secure for the official SFU app.” Since SFU does not currently have an official app, both Tsang and McLaughlin believe
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means a lot to her and to the other students in the class. “To be able to get hands on with all these super cool lithic tools [. . .] ties together all the things that I’ve worked on,” said Anderson. “I love archaeology because I like knowing that somebody else used these.” These tools led Anderson to hypothesize as to the life of early humans: “What would someone have done with this? Would they have been butchering an animal, tanning a hide, woodworking? I wonder what their life was like. That’s a neat connection with people who were just going about their daily lives like we were,” she said. According to Anderson, this collection provides a physical connection to the Treaty 8 First Nations’ important ancestral heritage. This collection allows these peoples to hold objects originally used by their ancestors. “Here’s something that is a teaching collection, and you can
connect with the people that were your ancestors and have something that is known that they held in their hand,” stated Anderson. “That’s kind of what I’d like us to give back to the Treaty 8 People.” Winter is also advising the Treaty 8 First Nations in their plans for Tse’K’wa, a centre to be built at the site of Charlie Lake Cave. The cave was excavated years ago by SFU professors of archaeology Knut Fladmark and Jon Driver, the latter of whom is SFU’s current VP Academic. In 2014, the Treaty 8 bands purchased the site, which has since yielded information on early people and animals in BC at the end of the last Ice Age. Winters and Anderson hope that the return of this collection will assist the Treaty 8 First Nations communities to gain material from their cultural heritage, building on and solidifying the narration of their own history as well as that of British Columbia as a whole.
that the upcoming one will be very useful for students. “We are really hopeful that the app will take off and there will be an app, but right now, it is one step at a time,” said McLaughlin.
“The app is coming, definitely, so watch out and we hope that everybody will download, use it, and give us a feedback so that we can make it even better,” concluded Tsang.
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April 7, 2015
would not disrupt the design of the buildings and landscape.” Since then, Janolino noted that he has yet to see sufficient improvements to campus accessibility. “I am disappointed in the lack of change on campus regarding the elimination of hazards at SFU,” he wrote.
Anthony Janolino, a blind SFU student who has been navigating the university’s campus for years, recently suffered a fall that left him with a severe concussion. The incident occurred on January 26 at the Burnaby campus, on an outdoor staircase between the West Gym and Shell House residence. This area has a number of staircases in different directions and the set in question was without a railing. Janolino has long been an advocate for accessibility at SFU, sitting on the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) council as a representative for Students United for Disability Support (SUDS) as well as serving on the society’s Accessibility Fund Advisory Committee (AFAC).
Michael Geller, an adjunct professor at the SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development, gave a rousing lecture entitled “12 Great Ideas for Vancouver from Around the World” to an eager audience on the night of Wednesday, April 1 at Harbour Centre.
Geller, a renowned Vancouver architect whose work includes helping with the planning and
SFU’s 50-year-old flagship campus has proven on more than one occasion to be an accessibility challenge for students with disabilities. Last summer, SUDS led an accessibility walk across Burnaby campus with the help of the SFSS. Participants were blindfolded, given a few strategies, and led across campus in the dark to demonstrate the dangers visually impaired students encounter on a daily basis. The reflection pond bridge in the AQ gardens posed a great challenge for the blindfolded walkers.
Janolino told The Peak that he himself has fallen off the bridge twice in his post-secondary career. He added that each time he sustains an injury, he files a report, but rarely hears back from the university. Following the walk, the student groups filed a report with recommendations to make the campus safer, which was presented to SFU president Andrew Petter. In a letter to the university, Janolino referred to the meeting with Petter, saying, “We even went as far as discussing ideas of making non-obtrusive modifications so as the safety measures
In light of Janolino’s most recent accident, which has necessitated his withdrawal from a course, the SFSS has written a letter to reiterate its concerns around the issue of accessibility. The letter states, “We, the Simon Fraser Student Society, are worried about the recurrence of such an incident. We therefore repeat our request submitted in September 2014 that the University endeavour to increase campus accessibility for all students.” SFU administration issued a statement on April 3, with the
development of SFU’s own UniverCity, drew on his professional experience as well as his travels to over 55 countries to give concrete suggestions about how Vancouver could become a more livable city. Here is a small sampling of Geller’s “12 Great Ideas.”
“Becoming a more pedestrianoriented city”
“form follows finance.” He argued that Vancouver needs to have a better process for planning. Rather than asking for applications for rezoning, he said that the city should have a development plan that pre-zones each area. He noted the need for consistency of scale and a multiplicity of housing options in such a development plan.
“Making Vancouver a friendlier city” Geller cited a study by the Vancouver Foundation which found that Vancouver residents feel isolated and that the city is unfriendly. He noted that, while we have events like the Celebration of Light and the Dîner en Blanc, we need more community events that bring people together. Moreover, Geller stressed the need for new condo developments to include communal spaces to make them friendlier and encourage community.
Geller pointed out that Vancouver’s Granville Mall is a poorly designed pedestrian zone. He cited examples of major European cities that have vibrant pedestrian zones and suggested that Vancouver should follow suit. He stated that the experience of these zones could be enhanced with more plantlife and better paving.
“Promoting transportation options” Vancouver has made great strides in promoting cycling over the past decade, noted Geller, but we still have some ways to go. For comparison, Amsterdam has underground parking garages for bicycles. He suggested the possibility of a tram system. To fund transit, he said, we could look to road pricing, as is done in Chile.
“Becoming a better planned city” Geller believes in the maxim that “form follows function,” but he acknowledged that, in Vancouver,
“Becoming healthier and safer” Geller suggested that, along with environmental impact assessments, the city should also conduct health impact assessments. He noted that the CBC science program The Nature of Things selected UniverCity as a case study in how communities can reduce obesity. — Geller only alluded to the transit referendum in his presentation, but he talked to The Peak after to clarify his views. “I agree with all the people who say it was a mistake to even have it,” he said. “But, having done it, I feel it’s better to vote
assurance that accessibility issues are important to the university. SFU stated, “the safety and well-being of all students on campus is a top priority. The University is looking into this matter.” At the latest SFSS board of directors meeting on April 1, board members approved the creation of a temporary accessibility projects assistant position. The hired assistant would work in conjunction with AFAC to assess need and implement improvements to society accessibility. SFSS president Chardaye Bueckert motivated in favour of the motion to approve the position, saying that AFAC members feel “quite maxed out” and would benefit from additional aid. Bueckert emphasized a serious need for assessing society accessibility: “We don’t even know in what ways [students with disabilities] are inhibited from participating in the student society.” She concluded, “I think our job as a board of directors is to support those students and to address the needs that they are articulating to us.”
yes and start to get some of these infrastructural improvements than to try and make a point by voting no.” He noted that the vote to approve the UPass at SFU itself only passed by a “narrow” margin. Once Geller concluded, the floor opened to questions from the audience. Over a dozen audience members took the opportunity to voice their own suggestions for improving Vancouver. Despite having opposing views on how to achieve a more liveable city, participants engaged in a lively and impassioned debate on the topic. The level of engagement at the event surprised Geller. “Too often we have very heated community meetings to oppose a particular project. We rarely have conservations about the broader things,” he commented. “I was shocked, to be honest, by how many people came forward and wanted to talk about [their] ideas.”
NEWS
SFU genomics students are taking a closer look at their DNA than they’ve ever been able to before. As part of MBB 462, students can opt to send in their DNA in the form of cheek cells in their spit to 23andMe, a private American company that offers genetic testing for $199. The tests reveal genetic predispositions to certain diseases and the ancestry of the client, as well as statistics on the amount of their DNA that may have come from Neanderthals. Ryan Morin, an assistant professor of MBB who has taught the course since Spring 2014, said that “in the context of a course like human genomics, it’s a good opportunity to offer [the 23andMe testing].” As part of the course, students learn about the complexity of human DNA as it
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relates to the immune system and diseases like cancer. This isn’t the first time SFU students have investigated their own genes. This semester, students in HSCI 442 analyzed the part of their DNA that interacts with their immune response. They have been studying how forms of a certain gene, HLA, affect immune cells’ reactions to other cells that are infected with a virus. Zabrina Brumme in the Faculty of Health Science is researching how that variability affects people with HIV. The use of genetic testing for treatment has been making headlines in provincial news. Recently, a BC woman named Trish Keating received treatment for her cancer with consideration paid to the specific genetic makeup of her tumour. She was treated with a drug normally used for treating high blood pressure and it proved to be effective, rendering her cancer undetectable.
This type of tailored approach to treatment is referred to as
‘personalized medicine,’ and has been a long-standing goal of genomics research. However, the results of 23andMe testing aren’t meant for diagnostic use, leading critics to question the results’ accuracy. Morin acknowledged that in any test like this, “We usually can only capture a small fraction of where the genetics are in the genome [. . .] we are missing part of the story.”
Break-in at UBC restuarant results in canned pop theft UVic conference highlights the diversity of autism On April 2, UVic hosted the third annual Autism’s Own Conference, celebrating World Autism Awareness Month. The conference was held to celebrate the autism community and culture. Patrick Dwyer, the chairperson for the Society for Students with a Disability (SSD), said, “Each person on the spectrum is hugely unique. It’s incredibly diverse. If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” With this in mind, the conference aimed to break the myths surrounding autism. The discussion panel was free and open to the public.
At approximately 4 a.m. on Monday, March 30, a break-in occurred in the UBC Student Union Building at the Chinese restaurant, The Moon. There was no cash on the premises and valuables were secured. An unidentified man spent 45 minutes breaking into the place, but ended up leaving with only soft drinks. The restaurant has since been cleaned up and the security has been double-checking doors to make sure it doesn’t happen again. “Unless he was able to get hold of The Moon’s secret wing recipe, there’s not a lot he would have been able to get away with,” said Shaun Wilson, head of AMS security.
There are also other hurdles that genetic testing must go through in order to become widespread practice. In 2013, 23andMe did not receive approval from the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to the fact that their test would count as a “medical device.” As such, it was warned to stop offering their test in the United States. Despite these setbacks, the potential for 23andMe looks promising. In February of this year, the FDA changed its position and granted approval for a test to detect
whether a patient was the carrier for the gene that leads to Bloom syndrome. The gene is very rare in the normal population, but has a much higher incidence in Ashkenazi Jews. As genetic testing is already a typical part of checking an infant’s health, more widespread applications may be the next logical step. Morin agreed that the future of medicine lies in part with genetic testing, adding that “in some patients, this is going to be the only way we can treat them.”
University of Calgary mascot arrested! . . . Just kidding In honour of April Fools’ Day, the University of Calgary pranked students by publishing an article that suggested that their beloved mascot, Rex, had been arrested. After clicking on the article, students were greeted with the message, “Just kidding, Rex is awesome! Happy April Fools [sic] day everyone.” Similar pranks ensued at university campuses around the country, including McGill’s announcement of a fall reading break and SFU’s own claim to have launched Texting-Free Walking Zones to prevent injuries from texting while walking.
With files from The Ubyssey With files from University of Calgary
With files from The Martlet
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OPINIONS
As April showers roll into Metro Vancouver, students are likely to roll out some extra cash when purchasing a six pack or a bottle of red for their end-ofterm parties. The Liberal government’s initiative to increase taxes on wine and allow certain liquor retailers to move into grocery stores has local bar and liquor store owners wondering how they are going to keep their heads above water. According to Business in Vancouver, markups under the old, two-tiered tax system created a retail price for each bottle of wine, which was then reduced by different percentages to create a of variety wholesale prices depending on the retailer. The new system, which began on April 1, offers a similar set of markups, but instead of the formula adding up to different retail prices, it now adds up to a universal wholesale price that applies to all wine retailers, public and private. According to Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton, “the new wholesale pricing model is about enabling more competition in the marketplace,” meaning that privately-owned and government-funded retailers
will be forced to compete with one another. This is definitely more problematic than it may seem. Vancouver wine lawyer Mark Hicken suggests “government stores will likely lose money system-wide with the new margin structure if end consumer prices stay the same.” If government stores can no longer compete, then the Liberals’ plan will result in a weaker public system that may eventually lead to full privatization — something that I feel isn’t in the best interest of British Columbians.
Another major change is that grocery stores will soon start to phase in liquor. The BC Liberals have created a lottery scenario that will select liquor stores to relocate to grocery aisles, guaranteeing the success of those lucky businesses but likely taking down other retailers in the area. The Tyee states sheds light on Suzanne Williams, a very unhappy local bar and liquor store owner. She feels the government has not adequately explained the complexities of the new system to her, and has put forth an unfair timeline for the lottery application, as she received her application a mere day before the lottery began. Moreover, its exhaustive list of
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requirements has her shaking her head at the lack of communication the government has had with liquor retailers. We are moving into a system rife with complication and inequalities that will affect consumer prices as well as liquor store operators and employees. This seems to contradict the idea that the changes were made to enhance the billion dollar industry. Without a doubt, vendors will do everything in their power to keep their prices low. This may not be difficult for small private businesses that are willing to relocate and cut wages, but the fact remains that the government is failing a whole lot of stores, bars, and private retail owners. Anton has justified this initiative to the public by suggesting that it will “level the playing field,” but you don’t have to look hard to see how unfair, unjust, and deceitful these changes really are. The BC Liberals have unveiled a confusing and chaotic system that appears to have no real winners. Anton suggests that it’s impossible to see how the change will affect businesses, and that the government should not be blamed for any future inflation. But it seems clear to me that these supposedly ‘modernized’ regulations do nothing but add stress and disarray to one of BC’s most lucrative industries.
opinions editor email
Adam Van der Zwan opinions@the-peak.ca
This Christmas I sat down, flipped on my TV, and engulfed myself in the guilty delights of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s Comfort Food series. As a trickle of drool anointed my chest, I watched caramelized onions pleasurably swim in sizzling butter and huge steaks detox their glistening fat while generously smothered barbeque sauce. Of course, the loud and excitable Oliver didn’t highlight how the resulting steak and onion sandwich, if eaten on a regular basis, may hail adult-onset diabetes and a myriad of other diet-related diseases that are, for lack of a better term, inducing population control. Why would he? He’s an international public figure with a corporate reputation to uphold, and this is delicious comfort food. This is why I find it so ironic that Oliver has involved himself in a campaign to teach children how to grow and prepare their own ‘nutritious food.’ His campaign website quickly rambles off a couple of unfortunate health statistics and proclaims its goal to “create a movement powerful enough to force all G20 governments” to make food education in public schools mandatory. To clarify, yes, fast food and other packaged goods permeate Western food industries. While cooking skills diminish as ubiquitous ready-to-go meals flourish, it’s a shame (though not surprising) that 42 million children
under age five are unhealthy. Yes, I believe that governments should make more efforts to ‘get kids while they’re young’ and teach them about what ‘food’ really is. I just find it an enormous shame that it may take a celebrity campaign to instigate such a widespread change. Jamie Oliver, whose loaded “insanity burgers” boast “ultimate indulgence,” is really a trademark fraught with irony, capitalizing on some of the most severe health issues of today. To worsen matters, CBC recently posted an article outlining Oliver’s plan to call upon Canadian politicians to join the movement. He claims that “he’s not political, but the issue of healthy food [is] a politically charged one.” Buddy, if you’re blatantly not political, why are you making such a bold statement about how politics should run? Is this what your manager asked you to do? I’m definitely not political, but I’m going to “force governments” to plaster my face over 42 million overweight children and call it change. You’re welcome. I guess it doesn’t help matters to find out that Oliver launched his restaurant chain in Toronto last year. Yum! More steak sandwiches for everyone. But please don’t visit his restaurant; grow and make your own nutritious food. Didn’t you hear we’re having a global health crisis? Maybe Oliver should stop pretending he knows politics, and do what he does best: cook comfort food. And maybe wealthy governments should think for themselves and cook us up some common sense. That way we all have a better chance to live well, without a trademarked tongue sampling our salty global stew for hints of butter and cash.
OPINIONS
By the year 2065, SFU will be closing for good. At least, that’s the only explanation I can come up with to justify SFU’s 50th anniversary Legacy Song Contest: it must just be a midlife crisis. While it may seem like an innocuous move on the part of the administration’s Ceremonies and Events Office, instigating the creation of a school anthem is a poor if not insulting way to celebrate this institution’s half-century milestone. President Andrew Petter clearly understood and exemplified the spirit of our school in his online letter launching the 50th Anniversary Campaign on September 5, 2013. He stated that “SFU has grown up without growing old; we still have the same spirit of adventure, hunger for new ideas, and willingness to do things differently that characterized SFU from the beginning.”
Unfortunately, this contest is a clear betrayal of that idea. A school song is not in tune with the bold and unconventional nature for which SFU is known. In Canada, universities with official ‘school songs’ seem limited to very old and proper institutions, such as McGill, Bishop’s University, and Trinity College — all of whom were established prior to the 20th century. While ‘fight
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songs’ (chants tied to athletic programs) are more common, SFU’s history of anti-war pacifism renders this style inappropriate to adopt. Quite simply, an anthem is not a tradition that matches the spirit of a school that opened so recently, and was made famous through its activism and radical figures. As the “instant university,” SFU’s original chancellor Gordon Shrum also insisted the school have “instant tradition.” Though artificial and sudden, elements like our school’s crest and its Scottish themes were instantly made traditional, and have remained so since. However, a school song just wasn’t one of these instant elements. In 1967, at SFU’s first convocation ceremony, an instrumental piece entitled the “Simon Fraser March”
premiered. The suite was a gift from New York composer Paul Reif, and was performed by the Kitsilano boys’ band. While this could have become SFU’s song, clearly an anthem just wasn’t a tradition that people cared about enough to continue with. To try and resurrect the idea now doesn’t reflect our history; it ignores it. This isn’t to say that SFU should not attempt to create new traditions. New traditions are great, but it doesn’t make sense for SFU to make new old traditions. In fact, the new song’s goals listed in a press release — including something to chant during sporting events and at convocation — have already been achieved through traditions that have evolved naturally. As someone who has attended many Clan sporting events, I know that the audience has never been at a loss for what to chant at the end of the game. Cedric
Chen’s off-key rendition of Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” meant to get in the heads of opposing players, will always inspire more pride in me than anything this contest could possibly generate. And when it comes to something to play at convocation, SFU’s internationally renowned pipe band will surely make this new song look silly. The SFU Pipe Band is an enduring part
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of a real tradition and pride at our school. I’m for chanters, not chants. I’ve always been proud that SFU has a different culture than that of a standard university, and a school song will do nothing but move us closer to being like everyone else. So when it comes to the Legacy Song Contest, I’m singing an out of tune “baby, baby, baby, no.”
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12 OPINIONS
April 7, 2015
Dear The Peak,
Earlier this week, the Canadian Supreme Court decided in a 5–4 decision that the Federal government is entitled to destroy all of Quebec’s data from the long-gun registry (LGR), which was scrapped a while ago. While registry data from other provinces had been destroyed in November 2012, a protracted legal battle from Quebec challenged the Federal government’s decision to scrap Quebec’s data, since the province plans to proceed with a registry of their own. When it comes to public safety, this is yet another step in the wrong direction for the Conservative government. While Harper is all too happy to lock up gun offenders and throw away the key, he adamantly refuses to use the LGR and strict gun control as a preventative measure. Canadians should be very afraid. The LGR and the Canadian Firearms Act were introduced in 1995 as response to the gun control movement spurred on by the tragic shooting at the École Polytechnique in 1989. Since the dissolution of the LGR in 2011, Canada has seen several horrific shootings — most recently the assault on RCMP officers in Moncton last year and the Parliament Hill shooting in January of this year. Both involved the use of long guns. Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the Ottawa shooter, used a lever-action Winchester rifle, which would have been registered in the LGR. The rifle in question may have indeed been
in the registry, but those records have since been destroyed. I don’t want to argue that a longgun registry should be established depending on the occurrence of highly publicized shootings. Stricter gun control measures should not be a reaction to tragedies, nor should a myopic focus on such tragedies be used as justification for why gun control doesn’t work.
The facts in this case are indisputable. According to Statistics Canada, “the number of homicides involving long guns since the introduction of stricter gun laws in 1991” was down by 65 per cent in 2010. Since such laws were introduced, the rate of spousal homicides involving a firearm dropped by 74 per cent. When the long-gun registry was still in existence, police accessed it more than 17,000 times a day. Conservative Public Safety Minister Victor Toews has said that the LGR “does nothing to help put an
Exercise? Ain’t nobody got time for that! You have last-minute essays and finals to procrastinate on. There is no time in your already busy schedule to go work out at the gym. Do you really want to part with more of your hard-earned cash? You already have one membership digging into your wallet on a monthly basis, and you can’t expect those episodes of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to watch themselves.
end to gun crimes, nor has it saved one Canadian life.” Clearly the Conservatives need to take a closer look at the numbers. One of the main criticisms launched by the Conservatives was that the LGR was too expensive; Stephen Harper has therefore made the logical step (sarcasm heavily intended) to permanently destroy the whole thing, meaning that the over $1 billion in taxpayer money will have been completely wasted. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. I’m hesitant to wade into this shitstorm of hot air and rhetoric, but here I go. People use guns to shoot people. Whether or not the average gun owner wants to shoot someone is irrelevant; modern guns are tools that make homicide easier. The very least that can and ought to be asked of gun owners is to comply with safety regulations. Here the tradeoff is clear: A small inconvenience and modest registration fee for gun owners in exchange for possibly one fewer innocent death at the hands of a gun. That’s a deal Canada should be willing to make.
Moreover, exercise is hard work; it makes you sweaty and disgusting. The only way you’ll start to see results is if you eat healthier, too. And be honest: You are not ready to give up that BBQ Bacon Roller value box with optional chocolate lava cake anytime soon. Sure, beach season is on the horizon and you want to look good for everyone. But do you know what’s sexier than a six pack? Confidence in who you are.
[Your article endorsing SFSS candidates] was published under Opinions and I would never argue that anyone should not have the right to voice their opinion or have it published. That said, The Peak is the only student newspaper and the sad truth is that there are likely more students who read the opinion section of The Peak than who read candidate platforms or watch the election debates. The opinions of Peak writers and editors have the power to sway the vote, and this is a power that should be taken more seriously. I implore The Peak to remove this article from their website immediately. In its place I would like to see an article outlining why it was wrong for The Peak to endorse certain candidates and not others, and how it intends to ensure its articles (even opinions) are neutral and unbiased for the remainder of the election period. In addition, I would like The Peak to release an apology to all the candidates for their behavior. If The Peak would like to run an article regarding endorsements, I would like to see them find someone to endorse each of the candidates and make sure they are all fairly represented. Alternatively, I would recommend polling the student body and making election predictions based on this poll. Again, opinion or not, The Peak has a responsibility to emphasize fair exposure to all candidates. Thank you for your time, Tennille Lewis ___________________________ To The Peak, I am writing to express my support for and approval of the opinions piece published
Are you looking to tone that gluteus maximus but find yourself intimidated by Crossfit and P90X? Well, look no further, friends. I have just the thing you’ve been searching for. Slip into some comfortable neon spandex and dust off your parents’ old videotape collection. It’s time to Jazzercise! Get those quads squealing with delight as you dance your way to a better bod. Embrace the workout sensation that has lasted over 40 years. Get up and boogie
in last week’s issue endorsing candidates in the SFSS elections. I write this as an individual SFU student, not as a representative of any organization, nor on behalf of anyone else. The opinion expressed here is my own and mine only. I believe the media, especially student media outlets, have an important role to play in student union elections. With low levels of student participation in SFSS elections, much of which is attributable to a lack of awareness, any attention to candidates and issues is positive. Endorsements play a particularly important role, in my opinion. Firstly, they distill the large amounts of information available into an easily digestible format for students who are not highly involved in student politics. Second, by paying attention to all the various election materials and events, they provide an incentive for candidates to attend debates and produce better researched platforms in the hopes of getting an endorsement. Endorsements elevate elections from a popularity contest to a more experience-based competition. Thirdly and most importantly, it allows student journalists to act as opinion leaders. Having people who are informed about issues speaking publicly about their views is an integral component of democracy. This is especially true during election times. I should note that I do not necessarily agree with all the endorsements you made, but I am very supportive of your decision to make them. I hope you will continue this practice moving forward. Sincerely, Chardaye Bueckert
with Zumba’s aerobic arch nemesis and shed those unwanted pounds away. Follow a workout by instructor Judi Sheppard Missett, a woman so eccentric and sexually frustrated that you’ll continue working out just to hear what she says next. Above all, revisit a time when group fitness classes didn’t take themselves so seriously, but instead focused on making things fun and accessible for everyone.
ARTS
arts editor email
April 7, 2015
Barbara Adler’s work doesn’t fall neatly into one genre. She’s working on her masters of fine arts in interdisciplinary studies at SFU, and regularly collaborates with other artists on a variety of projects. “The things we make are hard to pin,” she says. Even within the interdisciplinary studies program, it is difficult to find a concrete definition of the field. “It’s a big question and we talk a lot about that, but never come to a consensus,” Adler notes. Adler isn’t the only one involved in this show with a connection to SFU. Dancer Billy Marchenski graduated from the acting program, Mascall’s partner John Macfarlane teaches lighting design and technical direction, and composer Stefan Smulovitz is a staff member who also teaches music. Focusing mostly on music and text-based mediums of poetry, prose, and spoken word, Adler was
Jim Smith, co-founder and producer of the DanceHouse contemporary dance series, describes Kafig Brasil as an antidote to the other shows that the series has presented this season. “The four shows this season have all had a dark and broody tone to them,” he said. “It’s a bit of a reflection of the world around us. There’s a bit more anxiety about safety and security.” At last comes this show about movement for the sheer joy of it. “It’s highly athletic and energetic. They dance with audacity,” said Smith. “It’s gritty and natural – the joy of movement for the sake of movement.”
given the opportunity to explore the intersection of text and movement when she was invited to be a research participant with Mascall Dance. “There are intersections and commonalities, but there are also challenges with text. The audience tends to interpret the movement as a literal interpretation of the text,” she says. During her creative process, Adler attended rehearsals at Mascall Dance and improvised with the dancers. Artistic director Jennifer Mascall wanted Adler to have sense of how dancers improvised, and there was a lot of back and forth among them during the collaboration. Adler describes Mascall’s choreographic style as always pushing the dancers to the limit of what they’re comfortable with in terms of improvisation. “It’s one thing that makes it exciting to work with her — it’s exciting to be a little terrified all the time,” laughs Adler. Adler is also interested in improvisation in her own artistic practice. She refers to her improvised moments of storytelling as a form of banter with the audience. “It’s all about conversation and less about bodies and space,” she explains. Mascall Dance began working on this project almost two years ago, collaborating with many artists
Combining elements of urban, street, hip-hop, and capoeira movement forms, Compagnie Kafig is made up of dancers from the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janiero. “They haven’t been trained as dancers all their lives; there is a rawness, [a] real talent,” said Smith. This
Tessa Perkins arts@the-peak.ca
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from a variety of disciplines. The Three Cornered Hat is a culmination of that work. The show was presented last year as part of the Dancing on the Edge festival, and this year it’s being remounted in its new evolved form. Studying movement, space, and human interaction, The Three Cornered Hat studies the moments we might otherwise miss. “One of [Mascall’s] concerns is setting up movement that allows people to see spaces that they usually don’t notice,”
says Mascal. For example, the space between people’s lips as they are about to kiss becomes very noticeable in that moment, but it is usually not given any thought. According to Alder, Mascall wants to find ways to make these unnoticed spaces legible and noticeable. The show is humorous yet profound, and it presents intricate scenes of various abstracted human interactions. There is also plenty of audience engagement, and stacks of ubiquitous
red notebooks are used as versatile props that become stools, stepping stones, and even a mop. This updated version of the show will be presented in a larger venue than last time around; it’s an intelligent work that deserves the larger audience.
background adds an element of authenticity to the show. While there are some virtuosic acts and tricks in the show, it is not so much a circus format as it is a contemporary dance show involving specialized talents. The dancers use props, but these are used more to set the context
than as gimmicks or as part of the choreography. “You can sense that martial arts is a physical system that underlies the movement,” explained Smith. According to him, the different styles involved are ingredients that blend “like perfumes that swirl in the night. There are different essences that come together. There are no hard edges — the genres mix in a very natural way.” The show features four different French choreographers in Anthony Egea, Céline Lefèvre, Octávio Nassur, and Denis Plassard, but it all comes together as one cohesive work. “You don’t see where one choreographer ends and another starts,” said Smith. “The range of choreographers makes for an interesting melange.” Similarly, the soundtrack draws from a variety of sources. “There are a wide mix of influences; the sound design is
very cleverly done,” explained Smith. “It’s nuanced and evolves around you.” The genres of hip-hop and urban dance have undergone a recent evolution as they move from the street to the stage. These techniques have become more performative, evolving to include elements of contemporary dance and larger themes or messages conveyed through movement. “We’re seeing the evolution of hip-hop and street dance; these are now welcome forms of performance,” said Smith. With such a diverse set of influences and talented group of dancers, Kafig Brasil is sure to be a stunning show.
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Raise your heart rate and take a deep breath of fresh air: It’s almost time to stock up on enough summer fun to get you through next winter. Every summer, BC attracts some of the biggest performers worldwide to its music festivals. Here is a rundown on some of the best festivals at whatever distance you want to travel.
For the homebody The Vancouver Folk Music Festival (Jericho Beach Park, UBC) If you are looking for that unplugged vibe, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival is set to feature the best folk artists from around the Lower Mainland. The chill atmosphere at the event is also ideal for those who don’t enjoy being jostled around by the crowd.
Vancouver International Jazz Festival (Vancouver) The Vancouver International Jazz Festival will be held at several locations across Vancouver.
This year’s festival is set to kick off with six-time Grammy winner Buddy Guy, and will feature artists for all jazz tastes at whatever venue you prefer.
FVDED in the Park (Holland Park, Surrey) The unpronounceable but popular FVDED in the Park returns to Surrey this summer. This year’s lineup includes Deadmau5 and The Weeknd. If rap, hip-hop, or R&B is your thing, this festival is packed with some of the best around — it is sure to be a wild night for all of those party animals out there.
For the day-tripper Squamish Music Festival
Please visit the website for more information: www.talk.go.kr Contact information: Consulate General of the Republic of Korea 604-681-9581 vanedu@mofa.go.kr
By far the biggest festival to hit BC this summer will be the Squamish Music Festival. The stellar line-up this year includes headliners Mumford & Sons and Drake, alongside indie sensation Of Monsters and Men. This festival is ideal for top 40 music lovers, as they will get to hear some of the most popular hits from the past year. As always, indie fans will be overwhelmed trying to choose which bands to go see.
Pemberton Music Festival The Pemberton Music Festival has just released their outstanding lineup, which includes The Black Keys, Hozier, and Missy Elliot alongside an astronomical array of genres including indie rock, rap, electronic, and alternative.
Any music fan will be scrambling to choose which artists to go see.
For the adventurous soul Center of Gravity (Kelowna) The Center of Gravity beach festival in Kelowna is a big draw for fans in the interior. This July, the heart of Kelowna will be lit up by the festival’s many sports and music events. Past lineups have included music sensations like Tegan and Sarah and Chromeo, so if you like (Canadian) indie pop, keep an eye out for this year’s line-up.
Sunfest (Duncan) and Rockin’ River Musicfest (Meritt) Sunfest and Rockin’ River are two huge country music festivals that take place on the August long weekend on opposite sides of the province. Both of these festivals draw huge stars: this year Sunfest features Keith Urban, and Rockin’ River has confirmed Lady Antebellum. For any major country fans, deciding which of these festivals to attend is going to be a trial. — No matter your travel spirit, there is a summer music festival somewhere in BC just for you. When you go, make sure to snap a few photos to remind yourself just how great the summer of 2015 was for next winter.
ARTS
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playing a mix of Shakespearean and non-Shakespearean works, such as Much Ado about Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, Guys and Dolls, The Count of Monte Cristo, and more.
Free Shakespeare in the Park Summer has long been renowned as the ideal time for bathing in the sun, enjoying delicious icy treats, travelling to idyllic locations, and shedding away any lingering residue of the winter blues. But summer is also the season when some fantastic Shakespeare festivals pop up across North America. If you are planning to travel to the States or another Canadian province this summer, I suggest squeezing in some time for the Bard. Here is a list of six awesome festivals showcasing the works of Shakespeare this summer.
Stratford Festival The Stratford Festival, which takes place in Stratford, Ontario, is one of the most celebrated Shakespeare festivals in the world. It offers a medley of classical, contemporary, musical, and Shakespearean theatre. This summer, the festival’s plays are centred around the theme of discovery and presenting several iconic plays such as Hamlet, Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Sound of Music,
Every so often, a down-to-earth musical group magically appears that rattles your bones and makes you think, ‘Wow, I guess not all Vancouver bands sound the same after all.’ Rubacava, led by BFFs Sylvie Bridgman and Dan Ponich, is one of those bands. With their debut EP, Time and Vices, already in the bag, the powerhouse duo is back in action with their sophomore album, The Magenta EP. It’s a collection of four bold and danceable tracks that hit you with in-your-face beauty.
For anyone lucky enough to be in New York this summer, Free Shakespeare in the Park offers free theatre viewing to its audiences in one of the hottest tourist spots in New York City: Central Park. One of the main goals of the festival’s organizers is to make theatre accessible to all audiences, and the festival even offers a Mobile Unit that travels to and performs in different locations within New York City. The two Shakespearean plays being performed this summer are The Tempest and Cymbeline.
Utah Shakespeare Festival Carousel, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Alchemist.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan
stories. Much Ado about Nothing is set post-Second World War, while Othello presents the struggles of an Aboriginal protagonist.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan takes place in one of the most beautiful places in Canada, the banks of the Saskatchewan River, from the middle of July to August. Interestingly, the two plays in this year’s festival, Othello and Much Ado about Nothing, offer audiences a unique spin on the original
Bard on the Beach
Sylvie and Dan have been making sounds together since their days in a local folk band Wintercoast. Maintaining influences from that genre, along with pop and blues, it’s undeniable that the boldness of rock has taken them on an adventure lately. They cite artists such as Noel Gallagher, Conor Oberst, Band of Skulls, Beck, The National, Damon Albarn, Elbow, Kasabian, and Alt-J as inspiration. It’s clear that the duo have grown up since Time and Vices. They have crafted a lusher sound, thick with loud, emotional grooves and polished vocals. The intro track, “Magenta,” introduces us to Sylvie’s fairytale-like keys and Dan’s smooth guitar, both of which intensify as the bass and drums kick in, culminating in a catchy loudness that shows off the whole band and their connection.
“End of April” follows, highlighting the band’s enticing juxtaposition even further through Sylvie and Dan’s contrasting but complementary vocals. “When I’m Coming Down” weaves sharp guitar, dancing piano, and lyrics that gnaw at your emotions. The highlight of the album is the final track, an incredibly catchy tune titled “Black Calico.” Dan’s Jack White-style vocals are a thrilling surprise, and the haunting outro, a layered duet, will leave you with chills (the good kind). Listening to The Magenta EP is like being in on a secret; Sylvie and Dan have shared a glimpse of their intimate musical adventure with us — and I’m not complaining. Sylvie and Dan make one hell of a team, and this is one hell of an album.
If you don’t plan to travel to a distant location this summer, you still have the option of attending Bard on the Beach in Vancouver, one of the largest (and, in my opinion, one of the best) professional Shakespeare festivals. This year, they are presenting three
works of Shakespeare as well as a new work set during Shakespeare’s time, namely The Comedy of Errors, King Lear, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Shakespeare’s Rebel.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Taking place in Ashland, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a great option for Vancouverites who want to remain within a drivable distance from home. The festival offers a longer-running season of theatre from February to November and is
Located in Cedar City, Utah, the Utah Shakespeare festival has been crowned with many prestigious awards in the past, including an Emmy Award and a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional theatre. This year, the festival runs from June 25 to October 31 and will put on eight classical and contemporary plays, such as Henry IV Part Two, King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, Dracula, and South Pacific.
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Over the course of 34 shows and workshops, the fifth annual Verses Festival brings together adults and youth from across Canada and the US to celebrate a “variety of crafts that focus on words,” according to Jillian Christmas, the Festival’s Artistic Director. The Festival recently transitioned from its previous title, the Vancouver International Poetry Festival, in order to be more inclusive. “All kinds of performances are included,” noted Christmas. “That’s attributed to the change and rebranding of the festival to be as open to all genres and presentation forms as possible.”
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The Festival provides an open and engaging atmosphere that’s easily relatable for all attendees. From a visual arts project on display, to conversations and workshops led by award-winning poets, to slam poetry, spoken word, and youth competitions, Verses offers something to be enjoyed by all lovers of words. Events focus on such topics as politics, human rights, the representation of minority groups, and growing your writing craft. For most of the events, Christmas explained, “the poetry is the point, [it’s] not [about] the points.” The emphasis is on the experience for many, rather than a competitive spirit. But for those who enjoy a little competition, slam poetry is there to fit their interest. “I hope that people will be more willing and continue to be willing to cross over between genres, to support each other, and to witness what has been going on around them,”
said Christmas. “There’s such a vibrant community.” She hopes the festival will “highlight and lead [artists] to support each other, and keep the conversations going.” The festival also offers many unique events you might not find elsewhere, such as the ASL Showcase on May 2, which will feature poets performing pieces in American Sign Language with interpreters translating their works into English simultaneously. Another powerful event comes in the form of Take Back the Mic. Performers will transform their personal trauma into art through the power of the spoken word. According to the festival website, the event is “a celebration of the strength and bravery within our community.” Something else to look forward to this year is the Gala event, Jangle and Shout. During this event “almost all festival performers will do a twominute introduction to what they do,” said Christmas. This is a great introduction for festival-goers to types of poetry and performances they may never have heard of before. Ultimately, Christmas hopes the festival “will spark writing that will be celebrated for the years to come.”
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Travelling through time and across continents, Jeff Latosik’s second poetry collection, Safely Home Pacific Western, is an explorative journey. Latosik reflects on his own life and experiences while questioning humankind and its many complexities. Unanswered questions and ambiguous meanings run rampant throughout the poems, but somehow Latosik never loses sight of his audience, keeping them safely buckled in for the ride. The poet’s previous collection, Tiny, Frantic,
Stronger, received high praise from Canada’s poetically inclined, earning him the 2011 Trillium Award for Poetry. The award is given annually to Ontarian authors of all genres. Latosik shares his fame with past winners Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, and Michael Ondaatje. Latosik’s poems cover a myriad of topics, including authenticity, gentrification, the tradition and history of music, and relationships. In “Signage,” Latosik describes the gentrification and development of our changing cities. He laments the loss of what was once familiar: “What’s there now: Sak’s convenience boarded up, seized by the city.” The city is “transmogrified” in the blink of an eye, leaving the poet wondering if his
senses lied, or if he was “serving an unusual punishment in heaven.” Latosik’s poems are not static. As the title of the book suggests, the poems’ subjects and locations are constantly in flux. In “Safely Home Pacific Western (I),” Latosik sets the poem’s theme and situation in one place, then drifts off to another, a tendency he maintains throughout the collection. Here, the poem begins in a numbered seat of an airplane, destination unspecified. “New coordinates and years slacken like a wave,” he describes; and just like that, we are transported to a different time, place, and experience. The poem oscillates between memories and the present, highlighting the poet’s struggle to live in the moment and the way that our past shapes our current and future experiences. Some of Latosik’s poems have an easily discernable meaning, but others are a cryptic jumble of metaphors that I, for one, could not figure out. Regardless, there was always a nugget of imagery or human experience to latch onto. “Aubade Photoshop” could be about several things, and the fluid nature of Latosik’s poems suggests more than one meaning. Amid the confusion, however, are moments of striking clarity — imagery so relatable that readers will feel a sense of stability amongst the everchanging landscape of Latosik’s poems. Though His meaning may never become clear, readers of Safely Home Pacific Western will inevitably find their own, as long as they’re up for the ride.
SPORTS
sports editor email
April 7, 2015
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Austin Cozicar sports@the-peak.ca
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w Before returning to Beedie Field to face the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders, SFU’s softball team participated in the Mizuno Tournament of Champions in Turlock, CA from March 27-29. The Clan went 2–4 and were outscored 37–14. During the tournament, the softball team played its 1,000th game.
The Clan Athletic Awards Banquet, held last Wednesday at the Hilton Metrotown, honoured SFU’s student athletes. Hosted by senior volleyball player Amanda Renkema and redshirtjunior offensive lineman Quin Courtney, the event was lighthearted and included playful jokes about the high turnover of coaches in recent years. Even technical issues that caused an over-20 minute delay wasn’t enough to dampen the moods of those in attendance. “I’m always amazed to see the student athletes’ accomplishments — both on the field and off the field,” said outgoing athletics director of advancement Steve Lewarne. “All too often we’re able to see what their accomplishments are in competition, but it isn’t until we get to an event like this that we are able to see what they do in the classroom and we do truly have some remarkable and amazing student athletes.” Before athletes received their awards, members of the SFU Athletics staff were honored for their achievements. The Director’s Award, which acknowledges a special contributor over a multi-year period, went to Margaret Jones, SFU Athletics’ special projects coordinator who has worked at SFU since its inception. In Jones’ honour, a new award was created, the Margaret Jones lifetime achievement award. Head physiotherapist and senior woman administrator Laurie Freebairn became the first recipient, having been SFU’s head physiotherapist since 1987. Freebairn is retiring in May. The VW Kip Dougherty award for trainers and managers went to the SFU football training staff: Darren Correa, Steven McGee and Jeffery Yu. Director of football operations Mike Lionello received the Fred Dietrich award for enhancing the student athlete experience.
On a road trip down to Oregon, SFU lacrosse won 10–7 against the Oregon Ducks in Eugene, OR on Friday, March 27 before dropping a 19–5 result against Cal Poly. Against Oregon, midfielder Sam Clare led the team with four goals, but went goalless and only managed one point against Cal Poly.
Softball’s Kelsie Hawkins received the first student athlete award, the Rick Jones Award for Courage. Hawkins, now a senior, left school in her freshman year to be with her mother, who had been diagnosed with latestage brain cancer. Last year was supposed to be her senior season, but Hawkins suffered a back injury and was forced to sit out.
Brandon Watson, the men’s soccer goalkeeper, won the Bill DeVries award for academic and athletic performance. Watson currently has a 4.1 GPA in biomedical physiology and kinesiology. The volleyball team was awarded the President’s Academic Team of the Year award for a collective GPA of 3.14, while the women’s cross-country
team won the President’s Athletic Team of the Year award. June Davies, Lorne Davies’ wife, presented the Lorne Davies Award, which awarded seniors for athletic performance, classroom performance, and community work. The men’s award went to Jovan Blagojevic, while the women’s went to crosscountry and track athlete Lindsey Butterworth. A moment of silence was held for Lorne Davies, who passed away in February. Middle distance runner Lorenzo Smith took home the Clan’s Department Scholar Athlete Award for his 4.21 GPA. The Terry Fox Award for Inspiration was also swept by middle distance runners, being awarded to junior Cameron Proceviat and graduate student Jennifer Johnson. Johnson came back from injuries that plagued her undergraduate career to compete as a graduate student at SFU, where she received All-American honours. Proceviat claimed
GNAC titles and is president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. The night closed with the Athlete of the Year awards, which were drawn from the individual most valuable player awards from each team. On the men’s side, the award was narrowed down to five finalists: Blagojevic, football’s Jordan Herdman, track athlete Oliver Jorgensen, basketball player Sango Niang, and swimmer Adrian VanderHelm. The women’s award was narrowed to four: track’s Rebecca Bassett, Butterworth, basketball’s Erin Chambers, and wrestler Bailey Halvorson. Ultimately, Blagojevic, who was not in attendance as he was playing a match with the Whitecaps FC 2, won the men’s award. Blagojevic was this season’s West Region and GNAC player of the year, and became the first Canadian university soccer player to be drafted in the MLS. Butterworth and Chambers both took the female athlete of the year award. Butterworth won the 800-meter title at the NCAA indoor track and field national championship, while Chambers shattered GNAC scoring records for women’s basketball.
Last week, the men’s golf team were named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference team of the week for their first place finish at the Cal Baptist Invitational on March 24. The men’s golf team have one more tournament — the Western New Mexico Invitational held in Goodyear, AZ this week — before participating in the GNAC Championship.
Sophomore Clan wrestler Mallory Velte placed third at the 63 kg weight class at the 2015 ASICS Women’s University Nationals held in Oklahoma City, OK on Saturday, March 28. Freshman Francesca Giorgio placed sixth in the 60 kg class.
SFU Hockey announced last Wednesday that they have signed defenceman Darnel St. Pierre in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). The Kelowna native had 13 goals and 44 points in 48 games last season. “Darnel is a much-needed addition to the back end of our hockey team,” head coach Mark Coletta said in a press release. St. Pierre is the second announced recruit, joining fellow KIJHL defenceman Robson Cramer.
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one shy of his career high. Head coach Alain Vigneault may have a goalie controversy on his hands come playoff time — where have we heard that one before?
The Stanley Cup playoffs will soon be upon us, as 16 teams will battle it out over four
The Clan opened the outdoor track and field season at the UBC Open with a strong showing. A total of five athletes earned automatic invitations to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship later in April. On the men’s side, the long jump was heavily dominated by SFU, as two athletes reached the qualifying standard for the GNAC championship (6.86 metres). Topping the leaderboard with the longest jump was Vladislav Tsygankov with
best-of-seven rounds for the Stanley Cup. As of right now, the playoff matchups are far from set — the battle to get into the final spots in the Western and Eastern Conferences probably won’t be decided until the final day of the regular season, but the contenders have pretty much all locked up their playoff spots. Here are a couple of teams that could make a serious run, and ones that just don’t have what it takes to be champion.
a jump of 7.37 metres. Vladis Moldavanov’s jump of 7.15 metres, Jerry He’s 6.85 metres, and Andy Vo’s 6.78 metres all met the GNAC provisional qualifying standards. The Clan almost swept the competition, with three other SFU jumpers placing just outside the top five, finishing sixth through eighth place. “All four jumps were personal bests, they were all great jumps and I’m just hoping to continue seeing improvement,” comments head coach Brit Townsend. “Long jump was the most exciting result of the weekend.” Moldavanov also qualified for the GNAC championship jumping a total of 14.48 metres in the triple jump event, .19 above second place.
Last year’s Eastern Conference champions and runnersup, the Rangers have catapulted themselves to the top of the Metropolitan division. Goalie Cam Talbot should be in the conversation for team MVP, as he posted a .926 save percentage when Henrik Lundqvist was down with injury. Rick Nash has also had a resurgence this year, with 40 goals as of March 29,
The SFU women found similar success. Monique Lisek won the women’s 400 metre hurdles with a time of 1:02.01, along with a second-place finish in the long jump. Ella Brown also earned a first-place finish in the triple jump event at 11.52 metres. While Lisek topped the NCAA provisional qualifying standard, Brown’s jump was enough to qualify her for the GNAC championship. In addition to their wins, Lisek and Brown also ran the 200 metre dash, finishing third and fifth. The first outdoor event kickstarts what hopes to be an exciting season for the Clan. “After our indoor season, I’m pretty excited to be headed to outdoors,” said coach Townsend. “It’s a great way to kick off the season, to see where we are in training and
Boston — if they even make it into the playoffs — would be easy prey for teams such as the Montreal Canadiens or New York Rangers. The Bruins are a shadow of their former selves. The bruisers that won the Stanley Cup against the Canucks back in 2011 just aren’t a dominant force anymore. They are usually one of, if not the top team at even strength, but this year they’ve been just average, scoring only 128 goals and letting in 121. In comparison, last season the Bruins scored 175 and only let in 110. If these trends continue, there is no chance the Bruins make it past the first round.
The Minnesota Wild looked down and out just a few months ago. On January 15, the day they traded for Devan Dubnyk, they had 41 points in 42 games, and were just five points up on Arizona. They have won 26 of the
our preparation for higher level meets coming this weekend.” In Seattle, at the Spring Break Open, Ryley Carr finished second in the women’s hammer throw event with an average distance of 43.77 metres, while Selina Byer won the women’s javelin throw with a winning average of 42.22 metres. Joining the two women in Seattle, Peter Behncke finished second in the men’s hammer throw along with two fifth-place finishes by Jacob Karamanian and Sam Humphreys in the men’s javelin throw and pole vault, respectively. Kansas Mackenzie and Miryam Bassett placed third and fourth respectively in the women’s 1,500 metre event, while Bryce West placed third in the women’s 400 metre dash.
34 games since then, and have catapulted firmly into a playoff spot as a result. It doesn’t hurt that they do have a pretty good team behind Dubnyk, with NHL superstars Zach Parise — who is currently 11th in the league for goal scoring with 30 goals — and Ryan Suter. At the end of the day, the Wild will go as far as Dubnyk takes them, and if he remains the hottest goalie in the NHL, the team could make a serious run.
A popular target for a while now, the Flames are simply punching way above their weight. Their advanced metrics are just terrible, with their Corsi for percentage at a paltry 44.7 per cent, 28th overall — behind even Toronto. They are 28th in Fenwick for percentage, and despite this, they’re in a tight battle with LA for one of the final playoff spots, a spot they are far from guaranteed. Whoever is paired with them first round, if the Flames even make it that far, should consider themselves blessed, as playing this team is pretty much like getting a first round bye.
Joel Webster ran a 21.98 while Daniel Kelloway ran a time of 22.21, earning the men second and fourth place finishes in the men’s 200 metre dash, while Hameet Dhillon and Stuart Ellenwood earned third and fourth place in the men’s 400 metre dash. SFU also dominated the 1,500 metre run. Led by Max Trummer, the Clan claimed the first six spots of the leaderboard that included Lorenzo Smith, Brendan Wong, Ephraim Tadesse, Mateo de Dalmases, and Dylan Freinhofer, respectively. For coach Townsend, the team’s victory is a sign for the Clan to really step it up. “The training is done and we’re prepared, we just need to get some good weather to go out there. We’re ready.”
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To tell you the truth, I don’t see one clear winner this year. The juggernauts of last year, Chicago, LA, and Boston, just don’t seem like the same teams this year. Though Anaheim have made an impression, head coach Bruce Boudreau has had troubles in the playoffs, with many of his teams succeeding in the regular season only to suf-
fer early playoff losses. I think the Ducks will find a way to leave the playoffs early. And though teams like Nashville and St. Louis are contenders, they have no real record of playoff success. The Canucks may be a longshot, but I think that against the right team, they could have some success. It’s open season.
Although it’s been 22 years since their last cup win, as the most decorated team in NHL history, you can never count out the Canadiens. Goaltending is crucial in the postseason and Montreal has the best goalie in the league in Carey Price, who has been especially phenomenal this year. Much like Price, PK Subban, and Max Pacioretty have been great
young players for years, and have accumulated the experience to take the team to the next level. They may not have any superstar forwards with the name recognition of Sidney Crosby or Patrick Kane, but the Canadiens’ talent pool is unbelievably deep. I think 2015 is the year they finally bring Lord Stanley back to Montreal for a 25th time.
A good indicator of future success is 5v5 close, defined as when the game is tied or within one goal in the first or second periods or tied into the third period. Tampa Bay and Chicago are two of the top teams in the league in this regard. Chicago will likely have Patrick Kane back at this point in the playoffs, and reports indicate he could return earlier than
the 12 week period originally estimated. But it’s the abundance of young talent that I believe give the Lightning the edge. Along with Steven Stamkos, they have Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, and Nikita Kucherov. If Ben Bishop or backup Andrei Vasilevski can get on a roll, Tampa Bay will be taking home their second Stanley cup come June.
I’m thrilled that there are more Canadian teams in contention this playoff season, but if I’m being realistic, I’d put my faith in the Canadiens. I’m not as big of a hockey fan as my fellow contributors (I’m a soccer guy), but from an outsider’s perspective and as a goalkeeper myself, I predict Carey Price will be vital to the Habs’ success this time around
— he’s got a ridiculous save percentage and a proven track record in the postseason. For this reason, I’d put the Preds in the final as well, with the reliable Pekka Rinne between the pipes. Montreal’s attack will also be buoyed by Max Pacioretty and his clutch finishing, who’s notched 10 game-winning goals throughout the regular season.
The firepower of both the Ducks and the Penguins should allow them to battle through any offensive cold streaks throughout the playoffs, but the biggest variable for the two teams will be goaltending. Marc-Andre Fleury has proven to be incredibly clutch at times, while Frederik Anderson is still unproven in the playoffs.
In order for Pittsburgh to reach the finals, they need to stay healthy and keep the duo of Malkin and Crosby at top form. This matchup would be a high-scoring affair, and this bodes well for both teams — but the volatile factors of health and goaltending sway my prediction. I believe Pittsburgh will win it all.
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The two-day CFL national combine came to an end on Sunday, March 29 with two prospects from SFU football vying for a spot on one of the nine CFL teams across Canada. Wide receiver Lemar Durant (Coquitlam, BC) and defensive back Matt Isherwood (Abbotsford, BC) were invited to the national combine in Toronto, ON over the weekend, participating in various drills including the bench press, 40-yard dash, and vertical jump. Leading all receivers, Durant made a name for himself as a top three receiver with 26 reps on the bench press, placing first among receivers and tying for sixth overall. His rep score was three better than wide receiver and combine leader Sammie Coates’. He also finished fourth overall in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.55 seconds, once again
On a brisk Thursday evening at SFU’s Beedie Field, the Clan women’s softball team won backto-back games over Northwest Nazarene Crusaders in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader — a first for the team this season. The Clan got a rather slow start in game one, as the Crusaders built a 6–1 lead after four innings
April 7, 2015
leading all other receivers. Adding to his impressive showing at the combine, Durant earned a fourth-place overall finish in the vertical jump with a leap of 36 inches. Durant’s draft stock has steadily risen and has culminated this weekend with his strong overall performance, and all nine teams took notice. “The work that I put in the offseason, training for all aspects of my game, strength, speed, agility, and endurance are attributed to my work ethic,” said Durant. “I feel that I have a lot of knowledge of the game and can find ways to get open.” In the eight games Durant played this season, he registered
55 catches, amounting to 685 receiving yards and four touchdowns. His combination of size, speed, and strength make Durant an appealing prospect.
of play. SFU held strong until the bottom of the fifth inning, where they pressured their opponents into a calamitous series of errors and notched a staggering 11 runs. Freshman pitcher Alia Stachoski maintained her strong throws to prevent the Crusaders from changing the scoreboard and secured the comeback victory. A stunning double play from third baseman Stefanie Sheard at the top of the seventh was enough to seal the deal, as the Clan won the first game 13–6. With momentum in their way and a boisterous crowd behind them, the Clan went on to take game two. Junior Jessica Goulet took over the mound and threw five strikeouts in the rematch.
Matt Isherwood had his work cut out for him, competing against a particularly strong field of defensive backs that included Chris Ackie and Tevaughn Campbell. But for Isherwood, it was a chance to prove himself. “It was a good experience and it helped to prove to myself that I can play with the top players in the country,” he commented.
The Crusaders did not back down, and stole home base in the fourth inning to push ahead of the home side by a single point. But sophomore Robyn Mogavero made a strong response and smacked a long drive out to centre field in the bottom of the inning to help junior Nicole Ratel score her run and draw the scores even. Crusader batter Whitney Carlton smashed a home run to damper the mood and put the away side ahead again in the fifth inning. After loading bases up, SFU quickly regained composure, going two points further thanks to standout batter Alex Baylak. The Regina native notched her fourth run, batted in at the crucial
Isherwood made a total of 62 tackles and catching three interceptions during the 2014 season. Coming off a minor back injury, Isherwood displayed his skill and determination in the one-on-one drills, catching the attention of the BC Lions, Hamilton Tiger Cats, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ottawa Redblacks, and the Toronto Argonauts, all of whom he earned interviews with. So what’s next for these athletes? For both Durant and Isherwood, it’s only a matter of
moment to help Mogavero hit a run home. At one out away from taking the win, the Clan conceded a two-run single by Crusader batter Kendra Day. But the short-lived comeback was vanquished by an even more defiant Clan side, as Danielle Raison scored the valuable game-winning point with bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to finish 6–5. “I’m proud that we worked hard to the end to get the win. I think that shows really what we can do and how we battle right to the end,” said Raison after the victories. “Of course we still have things to work on, but it’s a nice feeling to see it all come together.”
time until the May 12 CFL draft date arrives. “I’m going to try [to] do a pro-day at SFU in the next couple weeks, and then it’s just training and waiting for the draft,” said Isherwood. The SFU pro-day — where scouts from various professional teams come to SFU to look at Clan football prospects — is slated to take place early in April, and is the next opportunity for Durant and Isherwood to convince scouts to draft them.
DIVERSIONS / ETC
Across 1- Grannies 6- Monumental 10- Signs 14- Diciembre follower 15- Change the decor 16- Christmas song 17- Throat problem 18- Approach 19- Away from port 20- Adventurous expedition 22- Phraseology 24- Whiz 26- Edmonton team 27- Wide strait 31- Dwarf with glasses 32- Lout 33- From head ___ 36- Abner’s adjective 39- Storage shelter 40- Hue 41- Assistant, particularly to heads of state 42- Skye cap 43- Discovers 44- St. ___ fire 45- Gun, as an engine 46- Capable of being cured 48- The other inheritor 51- “Rope-a-dope� boxer LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
April 7, 2015
SFU Public Square presents Catriona Strang and Michael Turner at Lunch Poems at SFU on April 15, SP LQ 6)8 +DUERXU &HQWUH¡V Teck Gallery (515 W Hastings St.). Free admission, no registration required. For more information visit www.sfu.ca/publicsquare/ lunchpoems Ad text: MATH GOT YOU SCARED? WORRIED ABOUT THAT UPCOMING FINAL? Contact Scott Cowan for all your Math/ MACM tutoring needs. Competitive rates, extensive experience and great past reviews! scottc@ alumni.sfu.ca f13 Are you Gay, Bi-sexual or just not
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sure? Need a safe place to talk? HOMINUM Fraser Valley is an informal discussion and support group to help gay, bi-sexual and questioning men with the challenges of being married, separated or single. Our next meeting is 7:30 pm on Friday, February 27th. For information and meeting location, call Art 604-462-9813 or Don 604-329-9760. The Peak puts on super fun trivia at the Highland Pub on the last Monday of every month and the March edition has a theme: SeinIHOG 7KDW¡V ULJKW D VKRZ \RX DUH probably too young to have seen when it aired live. But no matter, you and your pals should come down and drink some beers while you answer fun questions. Plus, there are prizes for everyone!
GOOD LUCK! THIS IS OUR LAST ISSUE OF THE SPRING SEMESTER. WE AT THE PEAK WISH YOU ALL THE BEST WITH YOUR EXAMS. WE WILL BEGIN PUBLISHING AGAIN ON MONDAY, MAY 11. 52- Cabbage salad 54- Compositions 59- Romance novelist Victoria 60- Metal filament 62- Claw 63- Potpourri 64- Warts and all 65- Pineapple fiber 66- River of Flanders 67- Nerve network 68- Strangle
7- Quick look 8- Boise’s state 9- Hallway 10- Momentarily 11- Polite refusal 12- Wails 13- Smelting waste 21- Frozen water 23- Drug-yielding plant 25- Singer John 27- Fluid-filled sac 28- Very funny 29- Excuse me Down 30- Tacit assent 1- Capone’s nemesis 34- Advanced in years 2- Architectural pier 35- Puccini classic 3- Soft ball brand 36- Leg or arm 4- Geographical expanse 37- Worshiped one 5- Highest singing voice 38- ___ majeste in women 40- War within the same 6- East ender? country
41- ___ carte 43- Professional charges 44- Controversial 45- Daniel Webster, e.g. 47- Suffix with glob 48- Loses heat 49- Stan’s pal 50- Bluffer’s ploy 52- Bok ___ 53- Sealed document 55- Scarf 56- Choir member 57- Yellow of an egg 58- Dagger of yore 61- End for Siam
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT CONTRIBUTING TO THE PEAK ? WHY NOT COME BY ONE OF OUR COLLECTIVE MEETINGS THIS SUMMER. YOU CAN MEET THE EDITORS, WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND LAYOUT TEAM, ASK THEM YOUR QUESTIONS AND SEE HOW YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET INVOLVED. AND HAVE YOU HEARD? WE EVEN PAY CONTRIBUTORS NOW. YOU’D BE SILLY NOT TO JOIN IN.
EVENT LISTINGS ARE FREE FOR SFU STUDENTS AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS. SEND THE DATE, TIME, LOCATION, NAME, AND A 15 WORD DESCRIPTION TO CLASSIFIEDS@THE-PEAK.CA
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HUMOUR
Non-humans of SFU
April 7, 2015
humour editor email
Jacey Gibb humour@the-peak.ca
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28 LAST WORD
features editor email
Brad McLeod features@the-peak.ca
April 7, 2015
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WRITTEN BY CÉCILE FAVRON
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ith newly-elected SFSS president Enoch Weng preparing for his first term, he undoubtedly is feeling a combination of excitement and nerves. Whatever happens though, it will take a lot to have a more turbulent start than Christy Clark had. It was 26 years ago this week that our current premier won the title of SFSS President. Her contentious stint as president would last less than two months before she was removed from office. The shock of her win and her subsequent fall was recorded by The Peak’s team, including Andrew Tomec, writer of the April 6, 1989 front page headline “Grassroots gains, Unity upset” — the latter slate was Clark’s. It was an ironic headline in a polarized but largely apathetic environment for SFU student politics. Christy Clark squeaked her way into the presidency by a margin of just six votes in what Tomec still believes to be “the most perplexing Student Society election results in recent history.” She was the only Unity candidate to win an executive spot, and was quoted following the elections as saying her slate “had great candidates, but a lousy campaign.” Breaking down the election results, Peak contributor Bryan Bedford said “Clark did not win the election, Mendes lost it.” Paul Mendes, the Grassroots candidate and incumbent president, “had a whole slate of
candidates that ran the place [SFSS] as a kind of a cabal,” according to Tomec. But that was just the nature of SFSS politics at the time. Still recovering from its fanatical roots in the 1970s, by 1989 SFU hosted a healthy population of unapologetically left-wing student politicians. “SFU was the hotbed of revolutionary thought” explained Tomec. “[Even] The Peak was being run as a kind of socialist collective.”
Right-winger Christy Clark was all too aware of what she was up against. “The left-wingers on campus have a solid constituency of nine or 10 percent of the student population,” Clark was quoted as saying before the election. “When we [moderates and right-wingers] do well, that’s when you see an added six or seven per cent tacked on to the popular vote.” According to Tomec, the SFSS was led by the civicallyengaged, leftist Grassroots slate with a largely apathetic majority of students “barely aware that there was a student government at all.” Grassroots, with their years of steady hold on student government, had been using student money to
“support left-wing causes — unions, labour groups, political causes in Central America,” remembered Tomec. “Students like Christy Clark were really, deeply offended by the way that money was being spent by forum, [Clark] was saying ‘spend it on student issues or don’t spend it at all.’” And so Clark fought her way into the Grassroots-dominated agenda. Before she ran for SFSS president, she had already served a term as Internal Relations Officer. “She was a bit of a pitbull, she was very articulate, very forthright and did not mince words about her displeasure with the way student politics was being run,” remembers Tomec. “People were mobilized by her personality; she was a very effective student politician.” Nevertheless, the politics of apathy won out and Grassroots still dominated the SFSS executive board after the 1989 election. Despite her disappointment, Clark tried to be positive about the outcome, stating following the election that “there are a lot of new people [on forum], and I don’t see a lot of confrontation ahead . . . our goals are the same.” That optimism turned out to be very naive. “It didn’t take long for a group of recently elected forum members to begin scheming to discredit Christy Clark’s election victory,” wrote fellow Unity member Gerald Christendom in a Letter to the Editor in May of that year.
During their campaign, the Unity Slate had broken some election rules and Clark was slapped with a $60 fine. On April 10, Clark received notice of the fines by mail. SFSS election rules stipulated that all fines must be paid within 30 days of the notification date. However, there was a discrepancy in the Electoral Standing Committee’s requirements. Clark was notified that her fines were due on April 30, in 20 days rather than 30. Clark paid on May 8 — 29 days after she had received notification of her pending fees. Following her late payment, the Grassroots-dominated forum moved to give the Electoral Standing Committee the power to enforce the rules that govern SFSS elections. Clark’s stature as SFSS President was declared void. “I’m a student, I’m not made of money,” complained Clark in The Peak in the first week of May. “I paid late last year.”
The decision to cancel Clark’s candidacy was coined the “Christygate” scandal by The Peak — Clark called it “a partisan move” and “a power grab on the part of Grassroots.”
Clark wasn’t going to go away quietly. “I will pursue legal action immediately if forum defeats me,” she declared. “I have a responsibility to those who voted for me. I owe it to them to fight and to win.” The decision held, and in subsequent Peak interviews, Clark maintained that she had full intention of going to court, paying the legal fees out of pocket. “I’m going into debt. I thought of selling my car, but it’s worth about $50. If it’s got a full tank of gas and a couple of textbooks in the back seat then it is worth about $100. So I’m borrowing money from private sources like friends and family who believe in what I’m doing.” But her court case was not heard in time for her to regain her presidency. “I couldn’t have the case heard this summer because of court scheduling, and now we’re facing a by-election,” she explained in her by-election campaign run. In the November by-election that year, Clark lost her bid for Presidency by 112 votes to Grassroots. Her loss signaled the end of her career in student politics at SFU. She left SFU soon after, before completing her degree, and went on to be elected as a BC MLA six years later. Though Clark’s run for SFSS president was a disaster from start to abrupt finish, it did not dissuade her from a long and rocky career in BC politics — most recently as our honourable, and often scorned, premier.
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