2
February 17, 2014 · Volume 146, Issue 6
Maggie  Benston  Centre  2900 Simon  Fraser  University 8888  University  Drive Burnaby,  B.C.,  Canada  V5A  1S6
Peak  OFlCE IS LOCATED ON THE SECOND mOOR OF THE -AGGIE "ENSTON #ENTRE UNDERNEATH (IGHER 'ROUNDS COFFEE SHOP
WWW.THE-PEAK.CA
»
»
»
» » »
»
»
» » »
» CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013
»
FIRST PEEK
February 17, 2014
3
4
NEWS
In light of BC’s new recommendations on liquor laws, as well as the SFSS’s upcoming spring concert, the question of alcohol availability on campus has once again been raised. As demonstrated by the online buzz surrounding Rashed Aqrabawi’s September article “Nice Kickoff Concert, but where was the booze?”, alcohol on campus is a hot topic. And due to the government’s recent announcement of its intentions to overhaul the province’s liquor laws, including the sale of alcohol in grocery stores, students may eventually see changes on the Burnaby campus. According to John Flipse, SFSS food and beverage services manager, the ability to purchase alcohol at Nesters
February 17, 2014
news editor email / phone
Leah Bjornson associate news editor news@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
Melissa Roach
The Olympic Games are a time of global celebration and, inevitably, with celebration comes spending. Jules Boykoff of Pacific University, a former member of the US Olympic soccer team, spoke on Feb. 14 at the Djavad Mowafaghian World Art Centre about “celebration capitalism.” Celebration capitalism, a theory coined by Boykoff, refers to the economic state that emerges during a time of exhilaration and extravagance. Boykoff analyzed manifestations of celebration capitalism in the political contexts of the most recent Olympic Games — Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014.
or a liquor store on the mountain might potentially change things for the better. “Currently there is a beer and wine store at the Mountain Shadow which
might probably notice a decline in business [. . .] [Liquor sales could] draw more people to Cornerstone and assist other businesses [. . .] on the hill,” Flipse said. He conceded, however, that “nothing will happen quickly.” Eric Olson, manager of Nesters Market, says the most requested service by the Burnaby Mountain community is alcohol sales. Many Nesters customers leave the mountain searching for alcohol near where they purchase their groceries; therefore, the sale of alcohol in Nesters may not only serve the emerging community, but also the grocery store’s best interests.
Nevertheless, Olson said that there is still “too much uncertainty to provide concrete information on the recommendation,” and that he is unsure about the sale of alcohol at the grocery store. However, a liquor store is included in the plan for the new lot being developed by Cornerstone — who gets the rights to that store remains to be seen.
The Burnaby Mountain Business Association had been discussing alcohol sales on the mountain, especially since there is now a larger community as a result of UniverCity expansion. One of the possibilities that SFU Community Trust (the commmittee responsible for community planing on the hill) is considering is that of a private liquor store which would attempt to meet the demands of communities on the mountain, including those residing in UniverCity. Community Trust president and CEO, Gordon Harris, said, “With the minister’s announcement of them accepting all 73 recommendations [. . .] we’re very encouraged that it might mean that we’ll be able to continue [government liquor sales] discussions with the province sooner rather than later.” “We’re committed to ensuring the provision of a liquor store for the residents of the university, and the mountain residents have identified different priorities from child care centers, elementary schools, pharmacy, grocery stores, and now a liquor store,” Harris continued. “We’re doing our best to make it happen. The problem is that the provincial government believes we’re still a small market.” Olson hopes students have faith in the upcoming plans saying, “The development phase will change a lot of things at SFU, and we want students to know that Nesters is a part of this community and its future.”
On Feb. 11, PhD student Sieun Lee facilitated a Philosophers’ Café on depression, or what he referred to as “the ‘common cold’ of mental disorders.” This interactive session was held at the City Centre Library (just across the street from the SFU Surrey Campus). The informal discussion addressed the causes and appropriate methods and techniques with which conscientious members of society should be addressing the “Epidemic of Depression.”
Coinciding with Valentine’s week, SFU’s Centre for the Comparative Studies of Muslim Societies and Cultures hosted a lecture, as part of the Spring Colloquium Series, titled “Rumi’s Religion of Humanity: Why Love Matters for Justice.” On Feb. 13, Hossein Houshmand addressed the role of love “as the physician of our many illnesses,” through the perspective of renowned 13th-century poet, theologian and mystic, Jalaluddin Rumi. Houshmand argued that “if the society is to be stable ‘for the right reasons,’ its basic principles must be embraced with love and compassion.”
NEWS
SFU researcher Jill Murphy is saying ³KҽQ JһS OҥL VDX´ (see you soon) Canada, and “good morning” Vietnam as she heads overseas to pursue research related to mental health practices. The study will be conducted in coordination with Simon Fraser University and the Institute of Population, Health and Development in Hanoi, represented by Elliot Goldner and Dr. Vu Cong Nguyen, respectively. Funded by Grand Challenges Canada, the pilot project aims to test the feasibility of a large scale training program for health care workers in Vietnam. Researchers hope that the information gained will be used towards improving health care
February 17, 2014
systems and mental health care conditions around the world. Management of mental health is lacking for most populations; it is a growing issue that continues to be stigmatized and misunderstood, even in countries like Canada. In many less developed countries (LDCs), services are lacking and knowledge is insufficient in areas related to mental health.
The country of Vietnam was chosen partly because Simon Fraser University already has a strong connection with Vietnam. Vietnam is also economically and socially similar to many other LDCs. The research will focus on common mental health disorders such as depression,
anxiety, and other mood disorders. Many of these illnesses are correlated, and often a decrease in mental health leads to or aggravates physical health problems. As the World Health Organisation predicts, depression could become the second leading cause of disease worldwide by the year 2020. Murphy explained that there continues to be a stigma around mental health, which causes people to fall into a state of anxiety, discomfort, or shame. To alleviate this issue, she advised that doctors be provided with better resources so that they can recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental disorder and manage the situation in a culturally appropriate manner. Doctors should also be able to provide the appropriate treatment, and provide strategies and tools with which patients can educate themselves. “Research has shown that primary health care workers, [such as] doctors and nurses, can successfully treat common mental disorders such as
depression and anxiety,” said Murphy. “Improving training and support of these health care supporters can lead to a great deal more services available on the primary care level.” She continued, “Mental health has been neglected globally, in countries like Canada, because they have often been stigmatized [...] In the future it is important that mental health no longer be seen as something separate but be integrated in the broader context of the global health.” In Vietnam, Murphy plans to interview health care professionals about their work environment, with a specific focus on their workload, attitudes, and understanding of mental health issues. “Primary health care workers are the first point of contact for patients when they seek help [for] mental illness,” Murphy said. “The ability of these primary health care workers to successfully integrate mental health interventions into their everyday practice can determine whether or not people receive adequate and successful care for their mental disorders.” Murphy will also be gathering information from patients about the health care system and its ability to provide help when it is needed. Lastly, surveys will be given out to different sample populations for a broader perspective on the overall occurrences of mental disorders. For Murphy, this research is her stepping stone towards bigger goals — she hopes it will contribute to the “growing body of information” around mental health and “improve services around the world,” eventually moving towards integrating better health care in other countries and building connections and opportunities for those suffering from mental illnesses.
5
6 NEWS
Sales at the SFU Bookstore have dropped by between eight and ten per cent annually over the past two years from $13 million in 2012/13 to an estimated $10.6 million this academic year. Projections show further decline over the years to come. The bookstore’s financial situation was under discussion at last month’s board of governor’s meeting. The board believes the decrease in profits is the result of a combination of things, including professors assigning less printed material and students finding alternative options to buying textbooks. The numbers indicate that change is on the horizon for the SFU Bookstore. Pat Hibbits, vicepresident of finance and administration, spoke to the idea of moving in the direction of more
February 17, 2014
digital material, “You have to give more space to things other than textbooks [. . .] there isn’t an expanding need for [them].” A survey of 450 SFU students last fall showed that more and more students are finding alternatives to shopping at the bookstore for course material which is having a direct impact on textbook sales. Of the students surveyed, only 67 per cent bought a textbook, whether from the bookstore or some other source. The remaining 33 per cent used other means: some borrowed from a friend or a library, searched for the information online or in an unassigned book on the same topic, or even rented the book. Those who buy textbooks are also finding other means of getting their books, with only 68 per cent of buyers going to the SFU Bookstore. The next most popular method of purchase is finding used books on social media like Books2go and Locazu. Hibbits said, “We always thought that our big competition was Amazon, but in fact, that’s not that much of a competition. It’s actually students making other choices.”
Hibbits stressed the importance of the need for adaptability, “Some of the things we’re trying to do is to tap into the electronics market, whatever that looks like,” she said. Also, SFU Document Solutions is making efforts towards the BCcampus Open Textbook Project, which encourages institutions to pick up standardized texts that can be developed and made more accessible. Despite the challenges faced by the bookstore, Hibbits assured
that prices on textbooks will stay the same and that they are only trying to recover costs. A special task force of faculty and students is at work on the “textbook affordability conservation process” to make books more affordable for students. The gifts, clothing, and other books are where the margins are a little higher. Although the VP believes that the sales drop will plateau at some point, she recognized that the market for textbooks is
ever-shrinking and the traditional “old-way bookstore” is on its way out. She said, “Every bookstore in the country, I think, is facing the same kind of challenge.” This challenge may give way to a different sort of store, “Perhaps, rather than thinking of it as the SFU Bookstore, you [should] think of it as the SFU store.”
NEWS
SFU has joined UBC and École Polytechnique de Montréal in a joint venture to establish the Canadian International Institute for Extractive Industries and Development (CIIEID). Officially launched on Jan. 29, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) proposed the project in order to promote socially and ecologically responsible mining practices in less-developed countries. Controversy surrounding the organization’s corporate and governmental ties has emerged among several student and public interest groups at UBC and SFU. Bern Klein, executive director of CIIEID, told the Vancouver Sun that “the institute’s mission is to help national, regional and local governments to leverage mining and resource extraction into longterm, sustainable livelihoods.” The joint proposal for the institute submitted by SFU, UBC, and EPM was awarded $24.6 million in federal funding by the DFATD this past November. The grant will be used to build and then run the institute for five years. In addition to the grant provided by the DFATD, the three coalition members along with their strategic partners have agreed to commit $15 million in funding and in-kind aid towards the CIIEID. Strategic partners for the organization include NGO’s, international governmental and development bodies, and industry mining companies such as Stantec, Asanko Gold, and Goldcorp.
February 17, 2014
After the grant runs out, the Institute will search for funding from their strategic partners. Physical headquarters for the CIIEID will be on the UBC campus. Daniel Shapiro, dean of SFU’s Beedie School of Business and member of CIIEID’s executive board points out that artisanal mining (small-scale mining operations that utilize traditional, non-mechanized extraction techniques) normally occurs without regard to environmental and social responsibility, which can
create problems for the communities in which it occurs. “These countries want to expand their extractive industries, and in some cases, the ways they’ve been doing it turns out okay; in other cases, the results will be disastrous. This is what we’re trying to work toward — preventing this,” Shapiro said. Programming and outreach will be limited by the project’s mandate to areas that Canadian extractive corporations have already invested in. Klein points
to mining organizations in Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru as potential partners. Some controversy regarding the motivations behind the project has sprung up among concerned students and community members; some worry that an association with corporate bodies may reflect poorly on the reputation of the academic institutions. A group of concerned UBC students discussed the ethical concerns surrounding SFU and
7
UBC’s involvement in the CIIEID on SFU’s radio station, CJSM 90.1, on Jan. 22. “Canada does not have a track record of strong corporate social responsibility,” cautioned Sam Stime, a UBC graduate student involved with UBC’s Social Justice Society. He also raised concerns over the fact that several members on the CIIEID’s executive have had corporate mining ties in the past. SFPIRG, a social justice organization on SFU’s campus, has also been vocal in raising concerns about the CIIEID’s structure. Jennifer Moore, program director for MiningWatch Canada, told the Vancouver Sun that she worries that the independence of the CIIEID will be compromised by the fact that the majority of its funding comes from the DFATD. However, Shapiro and fellow board member and SFU professor Carolyn Egri asserted that academic independence is tantamount to the CIIEID. “There’s a really strong principle of academic independence and integrity running throughout the project,” said Egri, whose research focuses on corporate social and environmental responsibility. Egri maintained that allowing corporate involvement in the CIIEID is important in tackling the problems at hand: “If there’s a problem, you have to solve it by including the people who are contributing to the problem. Excluding them won’t help at all.” Shapiro added, “We are independent. We are all university people who cherish independence, so we are not an arm of the government in any way.” You can follow Freya Olson
BRING ALL YOUR FRIENDS TO THE PEAK’S REFORM-A-PALOOZA ‘014! It’s time to vote on THE PEAK’s long-awaited new constitution! Leave your mark on SFU history! Bring your friends! Meet interesting and attractive people!
photo by Paul Joseph
We need as many people as possible, so we’ve got all kinds of incentives, including door prizes and FREE hot dogs (including veggie dogs) for those who stick around to vote!
Head to the Convocation Mall from 12:30 to 1:00 on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25! The only excuses for missing it are if you’re dead or in jail! And if you’re in jail, BREAK OUT!
8 NEWS
February 17, 2014
Haida tattooing makes its mark The ancient art of Haida tattooing has recently garnered new interest after being featured in the Vancouver Sun on Jan. 17. According to new research from the Bill Reid Centre for Northwest Coast Art Studies, located within the First Nations Studies at SFU, the Haida practiced the art of tattooing for centuries before European contact. Always a part of Haida culture, these tattoos represent crests, similar to what coat of arms represented for Europeans. These crests were symbols of status, social adornment or selfadornment. Each person, depending on their rank and their family, had a right to wear certain crests on their skin — just as they had a right to sing certain songs while others did not. Haida tattoos were linked with the ceremony of potlatch: individuals were honoured with
tattoos that were unveiled during a dance. Since Haida traditions were often passed down by word of mouth, a great deal of cultural knowledge was transferred orally at these potlatches from one generation to the next — including knowledge of the status and spirituality of other members. The staff at the Bill Reid Gallery, explained, “The potlatch was the legally binding system for the Haida people, just like a signed contract would have been for the Europeans.” They said that tattoos “were celebrated at the potlatch [. . .] so that the other members of the community could recognize the right that [. . .] individual [held, as represented by] that particular crest.” British Columbia is home to more than 40 different First Nations peoples, each with their own territory, culture and government. Among First Nations, the Haida are known for their art, and home territory of Haida Gwaii, which is also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands. Gregory Williams, who is the first formally trained Haida tattoo artist in more than 100 years
and is himself Haida, explained the artform to The Peak: “There is a strict rule that makes Haida art [authentic]. It is in the way the drawings are done and the space is filled between the negative and the positive space.” The exposition on Haida Art at the Bill Reid Gallery stated, “There is a formline system of expression using mostly the Uform and the ovoid form.” This means that most Haida drawings use a combination of those two forms to represent crests. The colors used — black and red — also distinguish Haida tattoos. Williams, who lives on Haida Gwaii, believes in continuing and sharing this art form. “Even if the Haida tattoos are part of our culture, it is important for me that we share it with visitors who come to Haida Gwaii,” he said. “This way they can go back home with a memory on their skin of their trip.” Williams hopes to soon open a store in Haida Gwaii, called Haida Ink, where he would train at least five other Haida tattoo artists who could continue his work.
Kids game their way to emotional health
Brainwave-sensing technology and a tablet game app may help children living in poverty to relax and focus enough to learn in school, thanks to research led by SFU professor Alissa Antle and her team at the School of Interactive Art and Technology. The idea came to Antle while she was speaking with a counselor at a NGO-funded school in Pokhara, Nepal. She realised that her previously designed bio-feedback systems could potentially be adapted to create games which would enable Nepali children to practice self-regulation. The goal of the technology is to support the children’s’ ability to learn, as many are coming from high-stress situations, such as households with
domestic violence and extreme poverty. “It will prepare them to get ready to learn some basic literacy,” Antle said. A child logs in to the game by touching a photo of their face. The technology picks up brainwaves, sensing when that child is relaxed, focused, or anxious. When children are relaxed or focused, the games respond and they win challenges, gaining tokens. “The challenge was to get the kids to do what I wanted them to do with their bodies, [for example] relax, without them knowing anything about computers or being able to read instructions,” Antle said. “We needed a system with zero barrier to entry.” The three games which will be field tested this fall were designed to be culturally relevant to the children. One game involves blowing on a pinwheel. “When you blow, it relaxes you, and the neurofeedback loop makes the pinwheel spin,” explained Antle.
Another game asks kids to relax, causing a paraglide to land. It will land if the child relaxes, otherwise it is sent back up into the mountains on thermals. Teachers will be able to monitor the children’s progress. “It usually takes six to eight weeks of 10 minutes a day to see noticeable effects,” Antle said. She continued, “Anecdotally, we noticed that [working with a previous system] not only were children more able to calm themselves, but as a caregiver, you could remind them of images in the game and this helped them to settle down.” Antle and the researchers are entering the “usability testing” phase. They will be testing the games with children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Surrey and starting a parallel project to develop new culturally relevant games for these children. “The approach may be suitable for millions and millions of kids,” Antle said. “My goal
would be to hand it out to groups who could roll it out all over the world. Child soldiers
in Africa, children with ADHD in Canada. Hopefully, it’s a tool that could help lots of kids.”
PANCAKE BREAKFAST AUDITION FOR V-‐DAY! womenctr-‐vday@sfu.
ca
FEBRUARY 20, 2014 10AM TO 3PM AT TC3013 - DONATIONS WELCOME All genders welcome! Wheat free option and unlimited butter!
Personal Credits Notice
If you received a Common Experience Payment, you could get $3,000 in Personal Credits for educational programs and services. The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The healing continues. Since 2007, almost 80,000 former students have received a Common Experience Payment (“CEP�) as part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. CEP recipients are now eligible to receive non-cash Personal Credits of up to $3,000, for either themselves or certain family members, for educational programs and services. What are Personal Credits? Personal Credits may be used for a wide range of educational programs and services, including those provided by universities, colleges, trade or training schools, Indigenous Institutions of Higher Learning, or which relate to literacy or trades, as well as programs and services related to Aboriginal identities, histories, cultures or languages.
the terms and conditions. Personal Credits of multiple CEP recipients can be combined to support a group learning activity. How can I get Personal Credits? Each CEP recipient will be mailed an Acknowledgement Form. If you do not receive an Acknowledgement Form by the end of January 2014, please call 1-866-343-1858. Completed Acknowledgement Forms should be returned as soon as possible and must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2014.
How do I redeem my Personal Credits? Once approved, you will be sent a personalized Redemption Form for each individual using Personal Credits How much are Personal Credits? at each educational entity or group. CEP recipients have the option of Adequate funds are available for each Once the Form is received, provide sharing their Personal Credits with CEP recipient to receive up to $3,000 it to the educational entity or group certain family members, such as: in Personal Credits, depending on listed. The educational entity or group š Children š Spouses your approved educational expenses. must then complete and mail back š Grandchildren š Siblings Which educational entities and the Redemption Form postmarked no groups are included? A list of later than December 1, 2014. approved educational entities and groups has been jointly developed by Canada, the Assembly of First Nations What happens to unused Personal Credits? The value and Inuit representatives. If an educational entity or of unused Personal Credits will be transferred to the group is not on the list, please consult the website for National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and Inuvialuit Education Foundation for educational programs. more information. Will I receive a cheque? No. Cheques will be issued For more information, including how Personal Credits can directly to the educational entity or group providing be redeemed by certain family members of CEP recipients that are deceased, visit www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca the service. or call 1-866-343-1858. Who can use Personal Credits? CEP recipients can use the full amount themselves or give part or all of The IRS Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) provides immediate their Personal Credits to certain family members such and culturally appropriate counselling support to former as a spouse, child, grandchild or sibling, as defined in students who are experiencing distress.
s WWW RESIDENTIALSCHOOLSETTLEMENT CA
NEWS
February 17, 2014
11
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! AD ON MI E T
SFU NEEDS BETTER RECREATION AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES. Lots of ways to provide your input about a proposal under consideration: 1. Scan the QR code, review the proposal, and answer the question online (YES – there’s only 1 question!) 2. Visit http://surveys.givingopinions.ca/s/b554sfu/, review the proposal, and answer the question online, or 3. Drop by one of our tabletop survey stations around Burnaby campus before February 28 and give us your thoughts in person 4. Come to one of our Town Hall meetings: February 18 12:30-1:20pm in Saywell Hall 10081 February 19 2:30-3:20pm in West Mall Centre 3260 February 20 3:30-4:20pm in IMAGES Theatre
Thank you for taking the time to give us your opinion! Your input will be considered by the SFU Board of Governors in its decision regarding the proposal.
12
OPINIONS
February 17, 2014
It’s been a disheartening start of the year for book-lovers. Developers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have recently invented a book system called Sensory Fiction that is designed to help readers feel a protagonist’s emotions by physically simulating the moods of a novel as one reads. At first I was intrigued by this invention, but upon closer analysis I wonder whether these developers have ever read a book purely for enjoyment. The device is comprised of a high-tech book and vest. That’s right, a vest that contains a heartbeat and shiver simulator, a body compression system, audio speakers and temperature controls. As the reader flips the page, the vest senses the part of the story and acts accordingly. If the protagonist is stranded in a scorching desert, the vest will turn the heat up to allow readers a chance at heatstroke as well. If a character is trapped in a frozen lake with no way to break through the ice, the vest will not only chill your bones, but will compress your midsection with swelling airbags, sure
opinions editor email / phone
Joel MacKenzie opinions@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
to give claustrophobic people heart attacks. So now, suffocation is accompanied with its own lighting system and soundtrack! What, can’t breathe? How about some daunting orchestral music? Of course, I exaggerate with my examples, but the real system is not too far off. A system that stimulates distress would undoubtedly cause readers discomfort and distraction from the story itself. Apart from the hypothetical reader looking (and sounding) ridiculous, the developers’ ideological approaches are problematic, as well. They claim that the book will enhance readability, liken fiction to near-reality, and create new avenues for “sensory” authors to convey their stories.
But novels do not need to be enhanced. I am sure that any avid reader, such as myself, would agree that the entire premise of a novel is to internalize a story without the help of machines or equipment. To read a book is to stretch the mind and allow for one’s
imagination to cascade relentlessly. Reading a book should be a completely personal experience, unconstrained by airbags and temperature gauges. To truly enjoy a book, one should feel the protagonist’s emotions for oneself without them being spoonfed by an artificial ambience. Technology like this would not create new avenues for story conveyance; it would only restrict these avenues. Authors would not have the freedom to illustrate any complex emotions, but would be more confined to simple, one-dimensional feelings. Happy or sad. Red light or blue light. The human mind is one that can experience multiple emotions at one time, and a novel, without wires or batteries, allows a reader to imagine exactly this, and even more. MIT, I’m sorely disappointed with what your research has led to. Sensory Fiction is a step back, as it undermines the values of traditional books and assumes that readers are not intelligent enough to experience the moods of a novel on their own. As one Guardian reader says online, these inventors are “sheltered, vociferously literal, deeply unimaginative nerds” and are “the last people in the world who ought to be mucking around with books.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Let’s leave a novel to it’s independent, imaginative reader, and save the electronic simulations for elsewhere.
OPINIONS
February 17, 2014
privacy and equality is a scary threat to the current state of civil freedoms. What frightens me most about Glass in the hands of law enforcement officials is the ability to identify a face, and match it with records stored in a database. With the extensive GPS and cyber-data collections officials have access to, they would essentially have a person’s whole life story laid out on a pane of glass. From the first mention of Google Glass, it seemed inevitable that this state-of-the-art technology would eventually be used as a surveillance tool for law enforcement officials to further infringe on our privacy. That’s why it comes as no surprise that the NYPD recently purchased a few pairs of the cutting-edge specs to test their efficiency in the field. Government law enforcement officials who walk around with computerized glasses capable of recording, facial recognition, and access to a myriad of federal databases — does this not sound like a dystopian fantasy straight out of an Orwellian nightmare? In The Peak’s fifth issue this semester, Adam Van der Zwan wrote an insightful piece on the legal implications of Google Glass. Although the legal implications are unnerving, the potential for infringement on
This means profiling based on where we have been, what we’ve searched on the Internet, and what kinds of photos we’re tagged in. This will only serve to encourage police profiling. Tactics like “Stop-and-Frisk,” popular in recent New York history, in which officers stop individuals on the street and pat them down simply because they look suspicious, are bound to become more popular. Apart from racial profiling, Google Glass and similar technologies invite a new kind of profiling: one reliant on digitized history. Google Glass’s recording capabilities are another obvious potential privacy
infringement. Consider how much can be recorded when everyone is wearing recording devices on their faces. Of course, this could potentially work in favour of the general public: law enforcement officials will be under just as much surveillance as the rest of us. In any police encounters we could request Glass footage of the event from an officer’s point of view, and have video evidence of exactly what happened. But this one positive hardly outweighs the negatives. Consider facial recognition capabilities. At this point in time, Google Glass lacks the ability to recognize faces, but it is not a stretch to imagine that this feature will be possible in the future. The government has proved that they’re willing to spy through any means, as we’ve seen recently with our own Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) using airport wifi to do so, or America’s National Security Agency (NSA) collecting user data from smartphone apps like Angry Birds. There seem to be no limitations on how far officials will go to protect us from ourselves. Beyond Google Glass’s potential legal problems, we need to worry more about its use as a surveillance tool. It is bound to infringe on our privacy, alienate us into compliance and remove a few more of our civil liberties.
13
you hear the people sing, singing the songs of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again.” The refrain of this number from award-winning musical Les Misérables may call to mind the stages of Broadway or the shaky cameras of the 2012 Hollywood production, but since November 2013, the song has been given a shocking real-world analogue: in the streets of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, public protests and skirmishes between activists and law enforcement have proven that truth is indeed stranger than fiction. What started off as a small protest of 2,000 people on Nov. 21 has since exploded into mass riots across the country, primarily in Kiev and Western Ukraine. Thousands more join the demonstrations every week. Protesters and police forces have now met in several clashes, and government buildings have been seized by activist groups. Numbers of protesters have now been estimated
between 400,000 and 800,000, and the movement has been given an unofficial title by those involved: the Euromaidan, or Eurosquare. So what caused this all to happen? What launched Ukraine, a country whose daily happenings tend to fall under our radar, into international headlines? The short answer is this: the catalyst for this uprising was the announcement by President Viktor Yanukovych that the country was renouncing the European Union in favour of closer economic ties with Russia. To some observers, this may seem inconsequential, but Ukraine has been divided between these two powers since gaining its independence just over two decades ago, and the country has played a careful balancing act ever since: as a former Soviet state, Ukraine’s recent history has been coloured by its negotiated relationship between the EU to the west, and Putin’s Russia to the east. For example, Ukraine has some basic agreements with
NATO, but also leases the port of Sevastopol to Russia for its Black Sea Fleet. The nation has made several steps towards integrating
party — from prison, where she is currently serving a seven-year sentence for abuse of power and embezzlement.
again being subjugated to Russia, a situation the nation finally escaped in 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union.
with the EU, but also maintains close economic ties with Moscow, its largest trading partner. The western regions of the country tend to be pro-Europe and the eastern and southern regions proRussia, to the point where it defines political parties. This dichotomy has even lead to fist fights in the Ukrainian Parliament over a bill to adopt Russian as the country’s official language. The Euromaidan protests have also united the opposition parties of Ukraine. One of the demands of the European Union was that President Yanukovych release his archrival Yulia Tymoshenko — the former Ukrainian prime minister and leader of the oppositional All-Ukrainian Union “Fatherland”
Many, including members of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, have expressed skepticism over Tymoshenko’s sentencing, seeing it as a form of revenge the president has taken against the woman who helped overturn his 2004 election amid allegations of vote-rigging. Supporters of Fatherland include Vitali Klitschko, a former world heavyweight boxing champion and the head of the pro-EU Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms. Ukraine’s far-right nationalist party, Svoboda, has also joined in the protests, all of them calling for the resignation of the president and for new elections to take place. For many in the pro-EU crowd, there is a fear of Ukraine once
Apart from a brief period between the downfall of the Russian Empire and the establishment of Soviet rule, Russia has dominated Ukrainian culture, economic practice and political process since the Middle Ages. Perhaps the most glaring reminder of Russian oppression in Ukraine is the Holodomor, or Extermination by Hunger, a manmade famine wherein seven to 11 million Ukrainians starved to death due to Stalin’s attempts to collectivize Soviet farming. It is easy to see why one would be resentful of Russian interference in Ukrainian life. Ukraine is also in the unenviable state of living next to a powerful neighbour who wants access to its resources, and is not afraid
to do whatever is necessary to get them. Russian President Vladimir Putin has his own reasons for pressuring the former Soviet Republic into rejecting the EU — not least of which is his proposal of a rival economic union known as the Eurasian Economic Union, or the EAU. Putin has gone so far as to threaten economic sanctions on Ukraine. During the pro-Western government of Yulia Tymoshenko, Russia shut off natural gas exports to Ukraine twice, which did significant damage to the nation’s economy. Putin is also a shrewd politician — shortly after Yanukovych rejected the EU, Russia offered a $15 billion stimulus package and a 33 per cent price cut for natural gas, which will certainly help the Ukrainian economy in the future. Historically, Ukraine has been the breadbasket of the Soviet Union as well as its predecessor, the Russian Empire. With its large coastline on the Black Sea, it has also been the site of some of Russia’s only all-weather ports,
making the nation both economically and strategically important to the Russians. On a more cynical note, and perhaps in the thoughts of many in the pro-European camp, Ukraine has acted as a defensive buffer for Russia against invasions from the West — something Putin still fears, and perhaps with good reason. If Putin can’t bring Ukraine back into the Russian fold, he will do everything in his power to keep it separated from the West. His unpopular decision to derail the deal with the EU and sign with Russia aside, President Yanukovych is not the most popular character. He was blocked from office in 2004 amid the aforementioned allegations of vote-rigging, and since returning to power in 2010, he has been accused of corruption and mismanagement of the nation’s economy. Indeed, one might argue that it was the president’s decision to send in the riot police that caused a peaceful protest to escalate into the ongoing violent situation which has dominated news stories over the past months. As the sun rose the morning after riot police violently broke up what was at that point a small, peaceful rally, the cries were no longer for integration with the European Union. They were for the resignation of the president, and a guarantee for human rights and democratic freedoms for all Ukrainians — something protesters continue to fight for to this day. Government tactics have only become more oppressive and violent since that first day: the initial death of four protesters has led to many others, and uploaded Youtube videos of activists being beaten and abused have multiplied. In late January, sources revealed that text messages had been sent to those suspected to have engaged in the Euromaidan protests by the Ukrainian police, warning them that they “are registered as a participant in a mass riot.” On the other hand, supporters of the government have seen riot policemen set aflame by Molotov cocktails thrown from the crowds, the statue of Vladimir Lenin in Kiev’s Bessarabska Square toppled and replaced with a red and black insurgency flag, and several government buildings occupied by protesters. Barricades were torn down by police forces, but were promptly rebuilt. Even more terrifying for the government — and also denied by them — are reports that some units of the military had refused orders to deploy to Kiev, renouncing the use of force against the protesters. The situation further escalated again in the New Year, as the Ukrainian Parliament passed
sweeping anti-protest laws that criminalized each and every method employed during the protests. This was done despite the fact that opposition members were not present, and the texts of the documents weren’t available to be read before going to a vote. This led to an outcry both from opposition parties and the international community, with the US Department of State expressing that “the process and substance of the Rada’s (Ukrainian Parliament) actions today cast serious doubt on Ukraine’s commitment to democratic norms.”
in a forest the next day — Verbytsky’s dead body was recovered hours later. These anti-protest laws, coupled with the increasing levels of brutality on the part of government forces, have begun to erode Yanukovych’s traditional support base. Most of the laws were rescinded shortly thereafter, while protest numbers continue to grow. With the Olympics in Sochi currently occupying the world’s attention, it is unlikely that we will see any big moves over the next couple of weeks. Both sides will likely bide their time until
Possibility number two is that Yanukovych does resign as president, fulfilling the wishes of most Euromaidan activists. Though the pressure on the Ukrainian president increases with each public protest, this too seems to be an unlikely outcome; the president has already focused a wealth of time and energy on securing ties with Russia and maintaining his control over the nation. It will take a lot to force him out of office. The third possibility (and, unfortunately, the most likely) is that violence will continue to escalate, Yanukovych will panic and call in
The German Foreign Minister also commented that “the limitation of civil rights will lead Ukraine only further away from Europe,” which seems to be exactly what Yanukovych is going for. Far from discouraging the protesters, this move was met with a gathering of 200,000 activists in central Kiev, who marched on Parliament in defiance of what they termed the “Dictatorship Laws.” They were met by police forces, and several were injured and killed during the clashes between the two groups. Later in January, prominent Euromaidan activists Ihor Lutsenko and Yuriy Verbytsky were abducted from the Kiev hospital where they were receiving treatment. Lutsenko was found beaten
they can once again gain the attention of the world. At this point, there are really only three possibilities for the future of the Euromaidan protests. Possibility number one is that the government manages to strike a deal with the opposition leaders, and muddles through for another year until the 2015 election. Given that 82 per cent of protesters, when interviewed in early February, maintained that they would continue protesting until their needs are met — namely, that Yanukovych resigns and elections are held — and that a third of Ukrainians have come out in favour of closer ties with Russia, this outcome seems highly unlikely.
the military to disperse protesters — an act that would likely lead to the civil war many have already begun to predict. Given the staunch opposition between the two sides concerned, as well as the international debate it has sparked, this seems to become more and more of a foregone conclusion with each passing day. If that happens, it is likely that Russia will step in to protect its interests as it has done countless times before, and we will be looking at a whole new situation, one that has the potential to change the face of Europe, and possibly the whole world. For now, we in the West can only watch and wait, hoping that a peaceful solution can still be reached.
16 OPINIONS
From Turkey to the Ukraine to Thailand, 2013 was the year of the protester. In each of these cases, mass street protests were rallied against their respective governments with the opposition demanding reorientations in policy. In our societal milieu, we are often inspired and entranced by these bold expressions of civil society. But we must be careful not to automatically place halos on the protesters, and weigh the downsides of mass street protests against the purported abuses of their establishment opponents. Our cultural repertoire tends to accentuate admirable examples of mass protest. We tend to immediately associate protesting with either opponents of authoritarian regimes, like the students of Tiananmen Square, or with decidedly progressive currents in democratic societies, like the US Civil Rights movement. Civil society is an important factor in keeping governments in check between elections, but we must keep in mind that the facets of civil society most able to organize and mobilize are not necessarily truly representative of the people. The level of engagement needed to devote days of one’s life to congregating in political centres is high, and not an opportunity available to all citizens. On the other hand, when available, the ballot box can be a great political equalizer, giving voice to segments of society that are only mildly political, unwilling to actively engage in the more taxing burdens of participatory democracy. In each of the aforementioned mass anti-government
February 17, 2014
protests that emerged in 2013, however, protests were organized against governments that came to power in (relatively) clean elections on the backs of constituencies from their respective societies’ periphery. In Turkey, after decades of political repression, Islamists have worked their way into power by appealing to the traditional values of peripheral Anatolian interior. In Ukraine, Yanukovich’s pro-Russian policies have gained traction with the aspirations of the country’s less developed east. And in Thailand, populist social welfare rhetoric gave the ruling Pheu Thai the support of the rural and impoverished north.
Yet for protesters in Taksim, the Euromaidan and Bangkok, the governments they challenged were not dictatorial specters, but the products of the political periphery found outside the confines of their cosmopolitan centres. And while it may be perfectly fine to voice opinion, it is not okay to use the longterm disruption of public and private spaces as a weapon to extract concessions on the part of an elected agency — a tactic employed in all three cases. When there does not exist an accessible way to change government direction at the ballot box, it is understandable that we look to assertive forms of participatory democracy — like the illegal occupation of public spaces — as an acceptable (and even admirable) way of challenging injustices of the status quo. But we cannot automatically transfer the halos we don on those forces to those who coerce the products of the ballot box.
One of the most consistent themes of the current Conservative government has been developing and promoting this country’s history and sense of self. A week and a half ago, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Chris Alexander tabled a bill that will continue this development of national pride, one that will drastically alter the process by which a person can become a Canadian citizen. The bill includes a variety of changes that will make it more difficult to become a Canadian citizen. Our country currently has some of the most lenient rules regarding citizenship, which has led to Canada being used by people who commit residency fraud, for which the RCMP is currently investigating more than 8,000 cases. The new bill also addresses those who spend the minimum amount of time in Canada required to become a Canadian citizen, while spending the majority of their lives outside the country, unaware of our culture. The first of these changes will raise the residency requirement from the current three years to four, with time spent in the country before obtaining permanent
residence status not counting towards the requirement. Though this may upset some, the new residency requirement is still a full year less than both the United States and the United Kingdom. This new requirement will also allow for a greater integration into Canadian society and will serve, according to Alexander, as “a demonstration of one’s commitment to reside here and to participate.” Another major change, and one that I cannot endorse enough, it the change to the language and knowledge test. Under the current system, applicants aged 18 to 54 must pass both a language and a knowledge test, and may take the knowledge test with an interpreter present.
The new legislation says anyone between the ages of 14 to 65 must pass both tests in either French or English without the use of an interpreter. It substantiates the idea that those who have been here long enough to fulfil the residency and citizenship requirements should be able to speak one of our official languages, something that has been in place in many other countries for quite some time.
This bill will also address the issue of the remaining Lost Canadians, extending them and their children retroactive citizenship. These are the descendants of Canadians born prior to Canada’s first citizenship law in 1947, who were ineligible under current laws for a variety of reasons. Many of them have always believed themselves to be Canadians, but officially had no status as Canadian citizens. This bill will finally fix that wrong. This bill also carries some harsh penalties. The current penalty for residency fraud is a mere $1,000, not much of a deterrent. The new fines jump to $100,000 for immigrants falsely claiming to be living in Canada in order to maintain their status and thus qualify for citizenship. This bill will also allow the Canadian government to strip citizenship from Canadians who commit acts of treason, engage in terrorism, or take up arms against Canada, so long as they are dual nationals. This portion has been heavily criticized, but it makes sense: if you are willing to take up arms against this country, you should not be among its citizenry. Canadian citizenship is not a right, it is a privilege, and one that Canadians need to start taking more seriously. This bill is a solid step in the right direction, and shows the world that we as Canadians consider citizenship in our country to be a thing of great value.
OPINIONS
A few days ago, I spent my night watching movies on Netflix with my girlfriend. We scrolled through its virtual library, indecisive and frustrated. The “good” movies we’ve already seen two or three times. We found ourselves in the depths of the C-list movies, and after about an hour of bickering over which obscure movie to take a chance on, we re-watched Transformers for the third time. Transformers is an entertaining movie and all, but when it comes to Netflix, I seem to continually find myself obligated to either settle on a movie I’m not entirely sure I want to watch or rewatch one I’ve already seen. The way we have grown to use Netflix reveals some deep seated social issues. The ignorance and irresponsibility of mass consumers have shaped the program into a tool for creating binge-watching addicts. On the technical side of things, Netflix is the best medium of its kind. It’s
we
February 17, 2014
convenient, a f f o rd a b l e, straightforward and simple. There is no doubt it deserves to be as popular as it is. Its nature, though, of giving complete power to the consumer, is problematic. The free access to over 3,000 movies and complete television series has led to viewers who feel like they literally cannot stop watching. I’ve heard many stories of friends who let entire weekends be consumed by watching a television series from start to finish without even leaving their homes. Many cannot seem to handle the sort of control and freedom Netflix provides; they just don’t know where to draw the line and say when they’ve had enough.
The over-consumption of movies has begun to redefine the purpose of a film as well as create a less fulfilling
experience. Movies have turned into a tool of procrastination and a way to fill the void of our boredom and laziness. In the past, with DVD rentals, one or two movies a week was enough; now, two or three movies are watched in one sitting. Since we have the capability, we jump from one movie right to the next, and we don’t allow ourselves to critically analyze or appreciate the quality of an individual film. It does not really matter if the film is thought provoking, wildly entertaining, or of good quality; Netflix invites us to watch a movie just for the sake of watching something. It can be a movie you’ve already watched, or simply a recognizable title — as long as a movie looks mildly entertaining, it’s good enough to be added to the six hour movie marathon you have “unintentionally” started to avoid doing anything productive. The Internet gives us access to a ridiculous amount of content, and Netflix is just one of the many tools we as consumers use to abuse this access. In an ideal world, we would learn to use this tool simply as a means to enjoy many films. Instead, we use it to rot away our time and destroy the value of a movie.
17
CHOOSE YOUR CERTIFICATE ADVERTISING – MEDIA MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION EVENT MANAGEMENT FASHION MANAGEMENT & PROMOTIONS FINANCIAL PLANNING GLOBAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MARKETING MANAGEMENT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
APPLY NOW!
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATES business.humber.ca/postgrad
AT ITS VERY BEST
18
ARTS
February 17, 2014
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! SFU NEEDS BETTER RECREATION AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES. Lots of ways to provide your input about a proposal under consideration: 1. Scan the QR code, review the proposal, and answer the question online (YES – there’s only 1 question!) 2. Visit http://surveys.givingopinions.ca/s/b554sfu/, review the proposal, and answer the question online, or 3. Drop by one of our tabletop survey stations around Burnaby campus before February 28 and give us your thoughts in person 4. Come to one of our Town Hall meetings: February 18 12:30-1:20pm in Saywell Hall 10081 February 19 2:30-3:20pm in West Mall Centre 3260 February 20 3:30-4:20pm in IMAGES Theatre
Thank you for taking the time to give us your opinion! Your input will be considered by the SFU Board of Governors in its decision regarding the proposal.
arts editor email / phone
Daryn Wright arts@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
Despite Ron Jeremy’s absence — porn’s most shot actor with an impressive 2,000 films under his belt was scheduled for another day — Vancouver’s Taboo: Naughty but Nice Sex Show offered plenty more jaw-dropping reasons to pay it a visit. From Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, the Vancouver Convention Center was filled with vendors selling sex toys of every colour, shape, size, texture, and flavour. Sexologists were giving talks on everything from foreskin to nipple-play, and there was even a curtained-off area called The Dungeon where no cameras were allowed (let your imagination run wild). “The magic moment is when your tongue flicks the F-spot!” An unconventional welcome, booming over a loud-speaker, met guests as they first arrived. One of the most popular talks was by sexologist Dr. Jess, though the event featured plenty of other seminars lined up one after the other. Perhaps the most informative aspect of the evening though came from conversation with crowded vendors. Making their way through booths and nearly-naked men, guests arrived at what was almost out of place: a museum-like set-up, looking like something from a Jane Austen novel with high-end, fashionable corsets. “Melanie Talkington has the largest collection of antique corsets in the world. When Taboo found out about her [show at the Louvre in Paris] they asked us to come,” explains Stephanie, an exhibitor for Lace Embrace Atelier. Dressed in attire designed by Melanie Talkington herself, Stephanie says that they opted for a more “museum-esque” set-up to show that there is still an element of class and high-end fashion to the corset. Selling corsets and lingerie modelled after antiques, Stephanie says that their custom-made attire not only attracts people with fetishes from all over the spectrum, but is appealing outside the bedroom as well. “There’s steampunk, there’s historical — people who like to dress up as historical figures […] and then there’s modern women who come to us for medical corsets, as well as for weddings and proms. Some are even champion weight lifters that need custom corsets,” she says.
Fanned out on a seductively comfortable looking bed at Posh Passion Parties’ booth was the steamy adult trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey. Posh Passion Parties does inhome educating and demonstrations on how to spice things up in the bedroom. Tastefully put by the company’s director Coralie Lynch, “We basically tell you everything your mom didn’t tell you about sex. So moms teach us how to get pregnant, and we teach you how to have orgasms.” The long line to sign up indicated people were eager to learn. Lynch says books like Fifty Shades have “made things more mainstream. It’s made more women, who would have never had a party like this before, more [open] to the idea.” As people open up about what happens under their sheets, organizations like Metro Vancouver Kink are poised to inform people how to do it properly. Kink’s director at large says that their monthly “play parties” allow people to explore sexual activities like bondage and roleplaying. These parties offer a way for people to build connections in the kink community and to know that they shouldn’t be ashamed of what they are personally fond of. Passion was evident in every vendor’s voice as they explained their contributions to the Taboo exhibition. But no one was more heated than — brace yourself — The Peak’s very first humour editor. Now founder of the Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project, Glen Callender contributed for 10 years to the very paper you’re reading. Callender has since taken his ambition down yonder. “CAN-FAP promotes foreskin education, appreciation and stimulation, and advocates for the human right for all children, male, female and intersex, to grow up with intact genitals, so they can have the decision for themselves if some part of their genitals is [to be] cut off,” said Callender. His reason for starting such a movement? “Well, I have a really, really great foreskin. I’m not going to lie to you. It’s a fantastic foreskin.” At the age of eight, Callender discovered the process of circumcision and found it deeply disturbing. He didn’t want other little boys to be “strapped down and have a wonderful body part cut off” so starting his own movement seemed logical. If there’s one thing to take from Vancouver’s Taboo: Naughty but Nice Sex Show it’s that no aspect of sexuality should make you feel ashamed. And remember: play safe!
ARTS
February 17, 2014
19
20 ARTS
Kat Wahamaa wears a lot of hats. Along with being a musician and a mom, she is also a publicist and the co-artistic director of an artist’s collective. Her band Kat and Tony recently released a new album, Everything Blue, and she is currently playing mandolin and singing in the Firehall Arts Centre’s The Drummer Girl with her longtime friend and colleague Lauri Lyster. Wahamaa has known Lyster since 1996 when she played on Wahamaa’s solo album Wise Woman. The Drummer Girl is a show about Lyster’s experiences as a professional musician in Vancouver from playing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to being part of a jazz ensemble. “It’s kind of universal. It’s Lauri’s personal experience; she’s a multi-disciplinary artist who works in many different genres,” said Wahamma. “The show is about what it’s like to be a mom and a musician.”
Set in the years of near-conflict after WWII through the early 1960s, Michael Hollingsworth’s play The Cold War is an entertaining commentary on what it means to be Canadian — past and present. Presented by SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts theatre department, The Cold War tells the story of Canada’s tumultuous political history alongside tales of struggle from its female citizen Mary Muffet, who has been pushed out of the workforce and back into the home.
February 17, 2014
Lyster’s and Wahamaa’s careers are similar in more ways than one: “I can relate to all the different places you can find yourself in as a musician and you’re thinking something like, ‘At least he didn’t throw up on my shoe,’” laughed Wahamaa. “It’s a mom’s perspective which I can relate to as well,” she continued, “I believe in engaging children in the joy of making music.” Although Lyster incorporates many songs into her show, there are also many sections of dialogue and humourous anecdotes she shares with the audience. “It’s interesting, extremely engaging,
Although its topics are serious, The Cold War is sure to be a historical romp, energetic and detailed, typical of Hollingsworth’s style. Not only for those passionate about history, theatre, and feminism, it appeals to anyone looking for a new and refreshing performance to see in downtown Vancouver as winter trudges on. A cast of 11 SFU theatre students play over 70 characters in this fast-paced production. June Fukumura (previously seen in Women of Troy and Donut Holes in Space), plays Mary Muffet, a modern working woman who loses her job at a munitions factory and is forced into being a homemaker. Fukumura encourages audiences to enjoy the intricate story lines. Kiki Al Rahmani (previously seen in Women of Troy
and there’s a wonderful selection of tunes,” said Wahamaa, “and the writing is also entertaining.” After hearing about Lyster’s experiences, “the audience will leave uplifted by the music and the humour,” said Wahamaa. “It’s also an eye-opener in some respects,” she continued, “it’s not all glamour and limos. They’ll see that there’s such a broad spectrum of artists to discover, and maybe they’ll be inspired to make some of their own music.” While possibly eye-opening about the realities of the music industry, Wahamaa said that the institution is part of the culture
and Picnic), who plays Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, lends to the historical side of this play. When studying her character, she realized how fascinating Canadian history can be. Movements that are still ongoing struggles today, such as gender equality and First Nation’s rights, were advancing by leaps and bounds during this time period — with the help of PM Diefenbaker. According to Rahmani, much of Canada’s history is either unknown, or underappreciated and this play brings this history to a place that is both accessible to the public and highly compelling. Assistant director Sarah Faye Bernstein (from the Jamie and Sarah Experience Project) spoke about the inspiring work of director D. D.
in North America and musicians support it regardless. “The music industry is this thing that’s over there and looms over everything musicians do,” she continued, “it’s a continuum, so I can’t say whether it’s good or bad.” The Internet, for example, has both a good and bad side, said Wahamma: “It allows you to share your music with a huge audience, but it creates anonymity on a grand scale.” On Wahamaa’s new Kat and Tony album, she seems to have done things her own way. The album was completed over a couple
Kugler. Not only a professor at SFU, Kugler is also a freelance director and dramaturg who has worked throughout Canada. He is most known for his adaptation of Newhouse and his play Not Wanted on the Voyage, both written with Richard Rose. Bernstein describes how watching him work is truly an experience in itself, as his eye for detail makes the play what it is. If the historical aspect of The Cold War doesn’t spark the imagination, then the satirical dark humour and big, bold costumes and props promise memorable entertainment. From a Russian Mata Hari-esque spy, to televisionobsessed children, hilarious characters will rule the stage, causing all kinds of trouble. The Cold War addresses intriguing subjects, from
of years, and songs were recorded in Japan and Mission, BC. Wahamaa and partner in music and life Tony Rees are glad to have this album finished and she said they ended up with almost two more albums worth of material. Kat and Tony also play with other artists: “It’s nice because we can just go out the two of us or we can bring a seven piece band,” said Wahamaa. The Drummer Girl premiered in 2012, and Wahamaa and the entire cast is looking forward to remounting it. The show is about life as a musician, and as Wahamaa said, “Being a musician, there’s no lack of interesting times. There’s also the pure joy that the music gives you, putting you in the flow; the here and now.” Just like a great song, Wahamaa said of the show: “It’s gonna leave you feeling good, and the feeling will linger.”
You can follow Tessa Perkins
blackmail and espionage and the rise of the “bigger is better” mentality, to the fear of nuclear attack. Hollingsworth’s typical “big” aesthetic is prevalent in the exaggerated costumes and props, and is in contrast to the contained blocking and staging. So, if you find yourself with a hankering for something refreshing and new, SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts theatre department promises a fabulously good time.
ARTS
Christian Parenti: Rethinking the State in the Context of Climate Crisis Wednesday February 19, 7 pm, Free, RSVP required Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema
February 17, 2014
21
Author Christian Parenti
Human Rights Watch Traveling Film Festival February 20–23, 7 pm, Free, RSVP required Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema Still from Camp 14 Total Control Zone
2nd Annual Jim Green Memorial Lecture: A Night of Storytelling with Bob Williams Thursday February 27, 7 pm, Free, RSVP required Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema SFU’S GOLDCORP CENTRE FOR THE ARTS 149 W. HASTINGS ST. SFUWOODWARDS.CA
Jim Green
22 DIVERSIONS / ETC
1- Mineral used as a gem 6- Tattled 10- Swedish auto 14- “Goodnight” girl 15- Dedicated to the ___ Love 16- Up to it 17- Actor Quinn 18- Heaps 19- Sphere 20- Genuine 21- Abnormal fear of drafts 23- Pen name 25- Ceremonial prayer 26- “Fancy that!” 27- Surgery souvenirs 29- Examine account books 32- Compel 33- Quattro minus uno 36- Blueprint detail 37- Monetary unit of India 38- Lumpy fuel 39- Metal container used for frying 40- Plant anew 41- Fenced areas 42- More pleasant 43- Coop denizen 44- Institution for teaching 47- Teachers in habits
51- Amounts 54- And others, briefly 55- Impulse 56- Christmas song 57- Gettysburg general 58- Words of comprehension
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 2 $
3
7
6
8
, 6
8
/ .
7
, 3
% 2
/
$
0
8
5
*
(
7
6
(
( 6 3 1
1
, 6
$
2
'
5
$
$
0
,
6
7 6
6 $
&
0
2
,
1
2
1
$
8
1 $
0 3
1
2 1 2 :
/
,
)
6
5
$
,
/
'
(
(
$
0
/
<
( 2
, '
$ /
( 7
8
( *
, &
( 3
6
:
2
,
7
2
+
2
/
'
(
1
'
2
9
(
,
/
.
)
(
=
6
,
2
3
2
/
(
0
/
'
3
$
1
(
$
-
2
$
5
1
'
-
/
3
*
3
6
;
*
5
9
(
2
7
5
(
(
( $ 5
/ <
& +
;
. $
( 8 5
1
59- British nobleman 60- Following 61- Curve 62- Numbered rds. 63- Orgs. Down 1- Ornamental coronet 2- Bay window 3- Foot-operated lever 4- Involving Plato’s cave, e.g.? 5- Meditative sect 6- Clan symbol 7- ___ about (approximately) 8- Carson’s successor 9- Translocate 10- Wooden shoes 11- Addis ___ 12- Exhausted 13- Fasten, at sea 21- Answer to a sea captain 22- Bring on board 24- Can be used to catch fish or surf! 27- Deep sleep 28- Ship’s company
February 17, 2014
29- Nile biter 30- Put ___ fight 31- TV room 32- Melt together 33- Craggy hill 34- Far out! 35- Golfer Ernie 37- Easy chair 38- Water-bottles 40- Public disturbance 41- Affirmative reply 42- Don’t bother 43- Towel word 44- Small firework 45- Swearword 46- Broadway actress Uta 47- Vends 48- Les ___-Unis 49- Hazardous gas 50- Oodles 52- Exactly 53- Able was ___... 57- Actress Farrow
“I should have written for The Peak!”
SPORTS
Five straight losses to open the season leave plenty of room for improvement
It was hardly a banner week for the SFU softball squad, as they opened their season with five straight non-conference losses at the Desert Stinger, hosted by the University of Montana-Billings over reading week. The Clan’s first game — a 9–7 loss to the University of Mary — was one of the team’s best outings of the event. “I saw a lot of positives and I was pleasantly surprised by our offensive production,” said head coach Mike Renney. That
sports editor email / phone
February 17, 2014
offence continued in SFU’s second game, but the girls allowed 13 runs in a 13–6 loss to fall to 0–2. “I didn’t think we would put that many runs on the board this early but we still need to put more up than our opponents so we’ve got lots of work to do,” he added. The Clan were able to hang in against Humboldt State, the defending NCAA Division II West Region Champions in their third contest, but ultimately lost 6–4 to the fourth-ranked Lumberjacks. But over the next two games, the Clan imploded. SFU lost their final two games, against Fort Lewis College and Regis University, by a combined 22–1; both were decided in just five innings, thanks to the mercy rule. Despite the tough trip, Renney remains positive. “A number of our goals [. . .] were met,” he said after the final game. “Primarily, our freshman got in and played a lot so they
got a measure of where they are and where to need to get to because clearly we have a long way to go.”
He continued: “I was pleased with our offence early on and unfortunately after a couple losses it disappeared. I think that was a product of us falling behind, and our young players trying too hard. “We’ll look forward to the next opportunity and hopefully we will enter each game with a purpose and we’ll be working on the things we need to address.”
Adam Ovenell-Carter sports@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
It was a game of momentum shifts and early season jitters, but the 17th ranked Simon Fraser lacrosse team ran away with a 16-9 victory over Div. II opponent Western Washington Vikings on Feb 8. After coming out strong and posting a 6–0 lead at the end of the first quarter, the Clan ran into a few hitches, giving up seven goals over the next two quarters and scoring only six, narrowing the lead to 12-7 after three. While the Vikings refused to give in, the Clan shut the door on them quickly, giving up just two goals to the visitors and tallying four in the final quarter to make the final score 16–9. Ten different Clan players potted goals in the contest; sophomore Tyler Kirkby lead the way with five goals and an assist. After playing his first year down at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY, Kirkby was very pleased with his first outing with the Clan. “I thought it was pretty exciting. Everyone has been chomping at the bit to start playing. I could see the jitters out there in everyone, including myself, but all in all we found each other and made the good things happen,” he said. Four other Clan players recorded multiple points in the opening matchup. Sophomore Andrew Branting and junior Sam Clare both tallied two goals and an assist each, while junior Ward Spencer scored a goal and
23
two assists, and sophomore Lyndon Knuttila recorded a goal and an assist. Other goal scorers included juniors Casey Foster, Cameron Chisholm, and Matthew Bailey, with senior defenceman Riley Wanzer and junior Mark Hilker also scoring their first goals of the season. The Clan dominated offensively, outshooting the Vikings 47–23 over the course of the game. Goaltending duties were split between both Clan goaltenders, with senior Darren Zwack getting the start and freshman Jeremy Lasher taking over in the second half. Vikings goaltender Jordan Johnson stood tall, recording a .659 save percentage with 31 saves on 47 Clan shots.
Most of the Vikings goals came off of power plays, with 7:30 minutes of penalties plaguing the Clan, including two stints of being down two men. The Vikings, meanwhile, were shorthanded for just 2:30. Keeping their composure and controlling their checks will be something the Clan has to focus on in the future as they look to play some tougher opponents. The Clan were supposed to play Portland State in a double header on opening weekend but due to stormy conditions on the I-5, Portland was unable to attend so the game will be rescheduled. The Clan’s next home game is on March 1 versus rival #8 Oregon.
24 SPORTS
Many NHL teams might be apt to complain that the Olympic break interrupts the momentum they have during the season. The Canucks are not one of them. The only momentum the Canucks have had lately is that of a downward spiral, with each game more painful to watch than the last. With a seven-game losing streak and only four wins since Dec. 29, losing has become expected. Any bandwagon fan can point out these facts and tell you how much this team stinks. But things might not be as dire as they seem. In the case of standings, although the Canucks have removed themselves from the playoffs, they’re still just one point behind the last place team in the playoffs, despite an abysmal start to 2014. Although many of the teams fighting for a playoff spot alongside the Canucks have games in hand, the fact is that they are not going win every single one of them. Chances are some of them are going to have a weak last quarter of the season. The Canucks will be right back in the race if they start winning some games. Another factor that is easy to overlook is the multitude of injured Canucks. With Henrik Sedin, Mike Santorelli, Kevin Bieksa, and Chris Tanev out,
February 17, 2014
and with players like Hamhuis and Richardson missing games, the team has been hurting. Even the depth took a hit with depth defencemen Yannick Weber and Andrew Alberts missing multiple games. The Olympics will provide a chance for many of these players to heal, or at least miss fewer games. Even those playing in Sochi can expect less ice time than under Tortorella, as players like Canadian Olympian Dan Hamhuis won’t have to carry the defence on a team of all-stars. Overall, if this team makes the playoffs, they will be better because of the adversity they faced. Instead of coasting to the playoffs with a guaranteed division title, they really have to work for it this time around. If some momentum is gained now, it is possible that they will carry it into the playoffs, assuming they make them.
Although some blame the Canucks recent woes on Tortorella, and despite complaints that he works them too hard, his attitude is exactly what the Canucks need for a good playoff push. With all that positivity, however, they still need to win some games. It is no longer guaranteed that the Canucks will make the playoffs. But this Olympic break gives the Canucks a much needed opportunity to reset, with their playoff hopes still very much alive.
Sometimes an upset just isn’t in the cards. Just as it was looking like February might be kind to the Clan, on Feb. 13 SFU lost 89–79 to Seattle Pacific University Falcons. SFU had beaten third-place Alaska Fairbanks on Feb. 1 and lost an 84–83 heartbreaker to Western Washington, who sit in second, one week later. With just one Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory entering February, and then having held their ground against two of the conference’s top three teams, the Clan had every reason to feel good about themselves.
But against the Falcons, the conference’s top team, the Clan were brought back down to Earth. A 10-point loss to a team that was 11–2 entering the contest is respectable for a beleaguered Clan team, however, and there were plenty of positives in the game. Four players scored double-digit points, with Sango Niang’s 26 leading the way. The team shot 54.5 per cent from the field, 46.2 per cent from three-point range, and ended the game on a 24–9 run. But the Clan’s largest lead was three points — the game’s opening score — and lasted 19 seconds. Against a lesser opponent, those shooting numbers may have resulted in a lasting lead. But against a team shooting almost 60 per cent from the field and 55 per cent from three, it wasn’t enough. “We came up against a very disciplined team tonight,” said head coach James Blake after
the game. “[Players] had good individual efforts but we need more ball movement to get more players involved in the offence.”
The Falcons methodically built up an 80–55 lead with over seven minutes to play. Had the Clan’s late-game siege been successful, it would’ve been the story of the season. Instead, it feels more like a drop in the ocean. However respectable the final score was, it’s another loss in what’s been a frustrating season. The loss drops the team’s conference record to 2–11 with just five games to go.
SPORTS
From the first tip-off, the ball was in Clan hands for nearly the whole first half. The dominant opening 20 minutes against the Western Oregon Wolves led to the Clan’s tenth victory in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). Erin Chambers scored the first basket setting the tone for the rest of the game, but the score didn’t really start to ramp up in SFU’s favour until after the first media timeout early in the contest. The Wolves scored on a couple of free throws to bring the score to 14–10, but SFU would hold them to just four more points over the latter half of the opening frame.
February 17, 2014
Though Chambers opened the scoring, the star of the half was Rebecca Langmead, who scored 16 points and boosting the Clan’s slight edge to complete dominance. While the Clan could find space at will in the Wolves’ end, there were no holes in the Clan’s defence, and at the midway point SFU was dominating Western Oregon, 35–14.
“We came out really strong defensively,” said point guard Marie-Line Petit, who had six
assists on the night. “We knew really they had two weapons offensively, and we controlled them really well.” But the Wolves turned things around in the second, draining 17 points in just over eight minutes. The previously tight Clan defence became sloppy, with WOU’s Kelsey Henry putting on a show much like Langmead in the first, dominating for a short time. “[The Wolves] had that extra spark, maybe, that extra edge,” conceded Petit of her opposition’s strong second-half start. But the Clan’s first-half cushion gave them a chance to regain their momentum. Halfway through the second, SFU rallied off 10 straight points, including two three-pointers by Chambers. Langmead scored a careerhigh 24 points, and though the Wolves won the second half 36–35, the 21-point gap secured in the first by the Clan meant a decisive win, and a 10–4 conference record.
GET OUT OF THE RAIN & PLAY SOCCER INDOORS! MEN’S, COED AND WOMEN’S LEAGUES SPRING / SUMMER SOCCER STARTS MARCH 7
REGISTER AT NSSOCCER.COM
25
26
HUMOUR
February 17, 2014
humour editor email / phone
Brad McLeod humour@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
HUMOUR
BURNABY — Despite seeing each other regularly and having no reason not to spend time together whenever they want, a group of continually single buddies are still calling their Friday outings to the bar a “guys night out”. According to Stan Patrick, a 25-year old intern at a startup company, he and his friends still often refer to their plans as a “guys night out” even after years of not having any steady girlfriends or females in their group. “We normally hang out, go to the bar a couple times a week and I don’t think there’s ever been women involved in any of these outings or attempting to stop them,” Patrick explained, “but occasionally we just have to have a ‘boys night’, you know what I mean?” The group of six guys, who all met in high school and haven’t progressed much since that time, believe that calling it a “guys night out” really helps them feel as if going out together is a break from their routine activities. “It almost makes it seem like we’ve been working all week at
February 17, 2014
27
nine to five jobs and coming home to our wives and families for the rest of the week and this is our one night ‘out’,” Patrick explained. “In reality, other than Jonesie who has soccer practice on Thursdays, I’ll be seeing them every night before ‘guys night’ any way.” While “guys night out” has no discernible difference from any other night in the lives of the group referred to by themselves — and only themselves — as “the boys”, they maintain a strict code of conduct. “We have a few rules on ‘guys night’ . . . no inviting ladies, no hitting on ladies, no talking to ladies and most importantly no talking about ladies,” group loudmouth Gary Gumbs told The Peak. “This is guys night and we’re going to talk about guys, like guys like to do!”
Although the group is fervent about these rules, they say they will break them if any woman ever expresses even the slightest interest in joining them. “I mean, sure it’s guys night out but if any women wanted to
come along we’d be cool with it as long as they went along with what we wanna do,” Gumbs explained chuckling along with his pals, “or she could choose what we do, I mean we don’t even have to go out if she doesn’t want to . . . we could just stay home and talk, that’d be a wild night!”
For now though, “the boys” say their traditional “guys night out” will continue and they have no plans on changing the name. “Fuck it, it’s called ‘guys night out’, I don’t care if it’s the same as what we do every night,” Gumbs explained. “I look forward to every week and never miss it. Do you hear
what I’m saying? I’ve never had anything else to do on a Friday night for the past seven years . . . at least let me call it ‘guys night out’.” You can follow Brad McLeod
28 LAST WORD
features editor email / phone
Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560
February 17, 2014