Consent Matters

FIRST PEEK

January 18, 2016

“I think it’s okay up to an extent, as long as it’s not too offensive [or] too much.”

Sherman Chow Third-year computing science

healthcare and education. For me, this is a huge deal. A government can, and should, have extensive and stable public services — but they need funding to do that, and this is one way the state can collect that money.

The second is due to the kind of workplace that public stores create, that private stores don’t. Employees work better hours, and for better wages.

Everything we do is political.

The books we read, the news we watch, the food we eat, and yes, where we buy our cheap six-packs.

Recently, I have had this conversation a lot. And every time I do, I’m always taken aback when people tell me they’ve never really put too much thought into where they buy their drinks, food, and the like. I’m surprised by this because of how important it is to be conscious of the politics behind how we spend our money.

I buy my alcohol only from BC public liquor stores for three main reasons.

The first is right there in the store’s name: it’s public.

This means the money I spend there will be returned to me via stronger public services, like

They are all unionized and receive much better benefits than the minimum-wage employees at private stores. Frankly, I don’t care if I pay an extra $1 each time I buy some Growers, so long as the workers are being treated well and are making a fair wage.

The third is largely tied to deregulation. It’s no secret that if you privatize a service or a commodity, you risk facilitating a more lax approach to regulation of said service. To keep

liquor in the hands of the state keeps regulation strong and transparent.

So there they are: my reasons for purchasing only public liquor. Like them or not, they are an extension of my values.

These values are a part of me, and I believe that it’s important to uphold them. That’s why I try to be politically conscious of where and how I spend my money.

Similarly, we send a message every time we buy local. All too often we try to hide from politics, claiming that it doesn’t really affect us. But we are lying to ourselves every time we say that, and frankly, we aren’t doing ourselves any favors by denying the importance of political consciousness.

Where you buy your liquor is just the tip of the iceberg. Life is political, and we should strive to be more aware of how our actions, or purchases, ripple out. There is no shame in acknowledging the deep political roots in our society, and making changes in your life to better reflect your values.

“I don’t really mind it, because I hear them outside of class a lot [. . .] it just makes class seem a little less rigid when you see the teacher more as a human who swears and does that sort of stuff.”

Talor Mykle-Winkler Second-year BPK

“Go for it. It’s great, it’s fine, I don’t care. I guess it’s not always called for — it depends on context — but if it slips out. . .”

Juan Odorico Second-year international studies

“I’m okay with it. They can pretty much say whatever, as long as they’re not offending anyone.”

Rhyss Gardiva Third-year Health Science

“As long as it’s not used excessively, I’m fine with it. I guess it depends on the context as well, but for the most part, I’m fine with it.”

Philomena Chenne Fourth-year Criminology and Sociology

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NEWS

January 18, 2016

news editor email

Jamal Dumas news@the-peak.ca

associate news editor Nathan Ross

Have you been thinking about becoming a NOW student (Nights or Weekends) at SFU? These courses are ideal for those who are looking to be students while working a steady job during the week, and info sessions are taking place at both Vancouver and Surrey campuses next week.

On January 19, a session will take place at the Harbour Centre. Two days later, a similar session will take place at Surrey. Both events start at 6 p.m.

Lisa Dimyadi / The Peak

The first indigenous professor to be recruited under SFU’s Aboriginal Faculty Recruitment Plan was hired in the Department of Education last month.

The plan, unrolled by the VP Academic office two years ago, will fund the creation of up to two new Aboriginal faculty positions each year. When a position is filled, the office then pays for three years of salary and benefits, after which the faculty is required to continue to support the professor.

“This is a way of trying to increase the number of Aboriginal faculty in the university, but it’s not the only way we recruit Aboriginal people,” explained VP Academic Jon Driver.

However, the new assistant professor hired in education has chosen to remain anonymous in the wake of their appointment. “[They’re] sensitive about being identified [as] having been

recruited in that particular way,” confirmed Driver.

“Even though this is not the intention, whenever you have a program [where] you’re trying to incentivize people to bring in underrepresented groups there’s always the concern that someone could get a job not because they are the most qualified person but because of some aspect of who they are.

Driver stressed, however, that the same commonplace standards of rigour are upheld when faculty are hired under the recruitment program.

“I’m confident that when we do the hiring that we get very good people,” he said.

The program has also sparked the creation of four other positions since 2014 for Aboriginal hires in business, health sciences, communications, and environment. Unlike in the Education department, searches to fill these new positions have to date turned up empty handed.

According to Director of the Office for Aboriginal Peoples William Lindsay, these failures are in part due to the limited number of Aboriginal academics available at SFU. “We do have some areas that are strong in Aboriginal faculty; those are Education,

First Nation Studies, and Health Sciences,” said Lindsay. “But in the other faculties there is little to no Aboriginal faculty representation.”

The initiative is also coupled with a scholarship program for indigenous graduate students to help them complete their degrees and go on to obtain their doctorate.

The monetary support for the recruitment plan is derived from the VP Academic’s strategic initiative fund allocated for such projects. Driver says that the program costs the university between $90,000–$100,000 per Aboriginal faculty member each year, as most new hires are brought on board as assistant professors.

Lindsay emphasised that it is important to increase the number of aboriginal academics at SFU in order to indigenize curriculums, attract Aboriginal grad students, and encourage Aboriginal research and community partnerships.

“It could make a substantive difference for SFU in the eyes of the Aboriginal community,” he noted. “[SFU’s] getting known for being one of the major universities that is welcoming Aboriginal people and initiatives, so this can be one of SFU’s reputation projects.”

Despite the limited success since the program was enacted in

2014, Driver insists that the longterm project will be successful.

“I think we need to continue the program until we see an increase in the number of Aboriginal faculty members at SFU,” he said.

Driver and Lindsay both acknowledge that some aspects of the program are ambiguous; namely, identifying a potential recruit as being an indigenous person. Thus far they agree that the candidates recently hired were clearly identifiable as Aboriginal, but they also noted the need to rely on a person’s selfdeclaration and their relations with Aboriginal communities in order to approve a person’s suitability for the positions.

“It’s not a completely clear cut definition, and I think if we were to see somebody who had very close ties to an Aboriginal community [including through research], we would be interested in recruiting them,” Driver explained. “I could imagine, for example, recruiting indigenous people from outside of this country for these positions for a more global perspective.”

However, the need to bring more Canadian Aboriginal people into the university is still a top priority.

“The intention [of the program] is to recruit people who would be clearly identified as Aboriginal in Canada,” he said.

If you’re looking to make your time at SFU Surrey a little more exciting — or if you missed your chance up on Burnaby Mountain — Club Days are happening this week down at the Surrey Mezzanine on both January 18 and 19!

Pop on by from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on either day to see if you can’t find a new fit for you for the upcoming year.

On January 23, there will be a free public forum discussing the vanishing cultural heritage of Iraq and Syria. On top of learning about the countries and their current situations, there will be a brief history of the Middle East as well as a couple of visual presentations about Iraq and Syria.

This event will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the 1900 room at Harbour Centre. It is free and open to all adults, but participants are encouraged to register online ahead of time.

NEWS

In a society where the media dictates beauty standards, oftentimes a mirror can be a girl’s worst enemy.

SFU student Taylor Hui has set out to change that mentality with her not-for-profit organization BeaYOUtiful. The program — which is aimed for girls in grades six and seven — spends six weeks focusing body positivity, self-confidence, and helping these girls to redefine ‘beautiful.’

The program was inspired by her experiences growing up. As a child, Hui faced negativity, competition, and bullying. Despite facing adversity, support from friends and family helped her get through the difficult times and propelled her into even bigger challenges, like facing the modelling and acting industries.

Hui acknowledges, though that she was the exception among her friends.

“My parents were my biggest supporters, and helped me get through. Unfortunately, my friends had self-esteem issues, eating disorders, [and] very little support [. . .] my friend realized the importance of her looks in grade three,” Hui explained. “No girl should feel that at such a young age.”

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January 18, 2016

So Hui made it her mission to help young girls. In grade 11, she came up with the current curriculum that BeaYOUtiful mentors teach throughout the six weeks. In grade 12, she was able to implement the program in schools.

Despite the enthusiasm that Hui felt for the program, members of the school board challenged her on her qualifications. However, Hui was determined to show the school board why she was fit for the job, despite her young age and lack of a degree.

“You can give me a textbook, sit me in lectures, make me memorize definitions. . . but you can’t be taugh+t experience,” she said. She stressed the fact that she didn’t want the program to be an extension of school, but a chance for them to connect with other girls and the mentors in a safe environment. “We’re not there to be a teacher or a counsellor. We are there to be a sister.”

Having heart-to-heart conversations, listening to speakers, and creating dream boards are some of the many ways that BeaYOUtiful instills confidence in the young girls. Hui asks that the girls be vulnerable so as to get “the most out of the experience.”

Since its inception, the program’s core team has expanded with people who share Hui’s passion for making a difference.

Alyssa Magahis, BeaYOUtiful’s events coordinator, first got involved when a friend asked her to join. After successfully mentoring a group of girls, Magahis was eventually asked to take on the role she currently has.

“I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives, but didn’t really know how,” she said. “This program really warmed my heart and helped me achieve this goal.”

BeaYOUtiful, now beginning its fourth year, shows no signs of slowing down.

In 2015, Hui and BeaYOUtiful created the “Spoil Me Royal Project” to help one lucky girl have the ultimate prom experience complete with a dress, make-up, and a limo — a dream that many girls in the Lower Mainland are unable to afford due to financial struggles.

Possibilities for expansion into other parts of British Columbia, Canada, and the rest of the world are long term goals for Hui, but for now, Hui’s focus is set on reaching as many students as possible.

For those students that are looking to make a difference, Hui urges them to consider becoming a mentor for BeaYOUtiful.

Whether Hui is in front of the camera or travelling around the world, she ensures BeaYOUtiful will always be a “passion project” that keeps her grounded. “[BeaYOUtiful] reminds me always that I am beautiful, and I hope that other girls will learn to see that in themselves.”

Photo courtesy of Caroline Ross

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6 NEWS

Justin Lee, Irvin Ho, and Shun Lee, three SFU graduates, have made waves with Young Guys Finance, a website that educates young people through videos and workshops about personal finance. Back in 2014, the trio realized that most young people didn’t know how to manage their finances to maximize returns and thus took it as an opportunity to begin their venture.

In an interview with The Peak , the three spoke about their inspiration and approaches to teaching, and also gave some tips to students.

The Peak: What was the inspiration for your venture?

Shun: We noticed that there really weren’t any resources that were tailored to young Canadians like us. This was when we saw the opportunity to create something that could benefit people similar to us.

January 18, 2016

Irvin: We started to experiment with budgeting, apps to manage money, and investing. We also started to ask our peers about their knowledge on personal finance and the common answer was that they had no idea what they were doing.

P: What is the reaction that you have received so far?

Justin: It’s been really exciting. We’ve gotten positive messages from students and professionals from all backgrounds complementing our new approach to financial literacy.

Shun: One of my favorite quotes from one of our readers was “I love that your content is informative in a simple and concise way, and I appreciate the humor you smuggle in here and there.”

P: How has it been working with one another and how important is teamwork to you?

Shun: All of us have a slightly different background in terms of our own studies and profession. I enjoy my responsibility within the team because in the

areas where I lack in-depth knowledge, Justin and Irvin are able to help fill the gap with their expertise.

Irvin: We have spent countless hours working on projects together, we are almost family at this point.

P: What approaches do you favor to educate millennials financially?

Shun: [Being] concise, yet informative. Very few millennials are willing to sit down and read through dozens of financial books to learn how to start saving or investing.

U of W’s graduates make it to Forbes list

UBC aims to reduce animal use for research purposes [VANCOUVER] — The University of British Columbia achieved a 16 per cent decrease in its usage of animals for teaching and research experiments in 2014, as compared to the statistics for 2013.

Most of the animals used (62.5 per cent) were rodents, with over half subjected to minor or no discomfort, and each receiving individual veterinary care. Although animal research still continues to attract strong criticism from various animal rights activists, UBC is one of only two Canadian universities to disclose statistics for animals used for research.

With files from The Ubyssey

[WATERLOO] — Apoorva Mehta and Peter Szulczewski, both graduates of the University of Waterloo have been listed on Forbes’ “Top 40 richest entrepreneurs under 40” list.

Mehta is the founder of Instacart, an app which allows users to grocery shop online and have it delivered to their home. Szulczewski is the CEO of Wish, an online shopping app which tracks user preferences and sends them customized suggestions for purchasing.

With files from The Imprint

Irvin: We aim to cut the crap and focus on what millennials need to learn.

P: What financial advice would you give to students?

Justin: Always ask for student discounts. Worst case, they say ‘no’, best case, you get a small discount for something. I would suggest paying off student debts before investing. Debt will cripple your net worth.

Shun: It’s time in the market, not timing the market. Make sure you start investing money early to give it time to grow.

Irvin: All your monthly expenses can and should go through a credit card. If you’re spending on these expenses, why not consolidate your spending, why not earn some cash-back or rewards on the side, and why not start building your credit score now?

P: What would you say are the top 3 skills behind successfully managing finances?

Justin, Shun, & Irvin: 1. Being persistent and sticking to your investing plan, rather than chase the highs and lows of the stock market.

2. Being honest with yourself and spending within your means.

3. Investing in a portfolio where you can set it and forget it.

Western alumni honored with Order of Canada [LONDON] — Richard McLaren and P. Kim Sturgess, two alumni of Western university will be awarded with the Order of Canada, for contributions to Canadian society.

McLaren is being honored for his work in the field sports law and arbitration. Sturgess is being recognized for work empowering women engineers and for her company WaterSMART, which focuses on improving water management in Alberta.

With files from Western Gazette

NEWS

January 18, 2016

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Build SFU General Manager Marc Fontaine announced that this past December, SFU signed a loan for $44.3 million for the building of a new Student Union Building. The loan, which is set approximately at a 4.14 per cent interest rate, will be for a 20year term commencing on December 31, 2018 and continuing until 2038. In the next few months, a contractor for the building of the new SUB will be searched for.

Construction is scheduled to begin sometime this summer.

SFU will be putting their dancing shoes on once again for the third annual SFU Dance Marathon (SFUDM), an event organized by a dedicated team of students in order to raise funds for the patients at BC Children’s Hospital.

In the 10-hour event packed with games, activities, and a whole lot of dancing, SFU students will be participating to raise funds for the kids at BC Children’s Hospital.

“SFU Dance Marathon is not only a philanthropic event on campus, but we are part of a greater movement across North America,” said Caitlyn Schwab, co-president of SFUDM. “Over 300 high schools and universities work in part with Children’s Miracle Network to run Dance Marathons. Together we have raised over $106 million dollars for local children’s hospitals.”

Participants will also have the opportunity to win prizes throughout the night, as well as hear speeches from BC Children’s Hospital’s miracle children. The team is already hard at work fundraising for the kids, as they held a “Bowling

for Miracles” night in December and partnered with Chop Shop Hair Salon in New Westminster, with the proceeds of each haircut going towards their cause.

Amy Gill, the team’s Public Relations Officer, outlined the vision of the marathon this year. “The goal for this year is to raise $25,000 for the BC Children’s Hospital,” she explained. “Apart from that, another major team goal this year is to raise more awareness about SFU Dance Marathon — not only within the SFU community, but across all of the Lower Mainland.”

Each executive team member has their own personal reasons

for getting involved with the cause. Schwab’s nine-year-old cousin was born with a severe heart defect, and underwent three open heart surgeries at BC Children’s Hospital.

“If it was not for the incredible work done by the staff at BC Children’s Hospital, my family would not be so lucky as to have my cousin [here today],” she said.

This year’s marathon will be held on February 20, 2016, and registration for dancers to join individually or on a team is now open on the SFUDM website, and volunteer applications are also live on the site until the

countdown for the big day. Yasamin Houshmand, internal relations officer, said of SFUDM’s opportunities for students, “We are helping students gain valuable leadership, sponsorship, event planning and technical skills [in the process].”

For community outreach coordinator Marlena Ornowska, the Dance Marathon has a special place in her heart. “It is hard to describe [how special the event is] to someone who has not attended a dance marathon before,” said Ornowska, “but the message and sentiments of this movement stay with you for so much longer than just the duration of the event itself.”

An SFU Beedie School of Business lecturer is putting her money where her mouth is. Lisa Papania has opened a new vegetarian restaurant as the culmination of the courses she has been teaching for the past decade.

Papania is the founder of Lupii Café, which focuses on serving up sustainable, vegetarian options, with a menu that

revolves around ingredients gathered daily. Overloaded stock or spare food from local farms and markets are sourced to make the dishes at Lupii, without waste becoming an issue.

Lupii Café is also a home for many community activities such as monthly community dinners, drop-ins for parents, a homework help club, and movie nights, all of which facilitate a fun atmosphere that anyone can enjoy.

Dr. Papania said that her background was essential in the creation of the café. “All of the courses I have taught for the last 10 years have been around social and environmental responsibility,” she said. “All of the courses I taught have been around understanding what happens to food waste.”

She noted that a major reason she created the café was to offer a space where people could meet each other and where new ideas could be adapted into actions that would benefit the community.

To that end, a lot of the projects going on under the café’s roof are focused around the people it serves.

“We have [a] community dinner which happens once per month.

People can meet each other and form social networks. We get involved in community projects, like charity,” said Dr. Papania.

The café has also started a new initiative called “The Lupii Box,” a weekly delivery service. Fruits, vegetables, soups, and preserves can all be delivered to your door, helping to minimize the café’s waste.

According to Dr. Papania, 40 per cent of all food produced and distributed along the chain is wasted. While dumpster diving — the act of reclaiming food from the trash — has become a popular trend lately, The Lupii Box aims to eliminate that middle step and ensure that good food is reaching people who want to eat it.

Now that Lupii Café is up and running, it is going to focus on existing projects — like the Lupii Box and the community dinners — as well as remain open to the possibility of new, upcoming events.

Said Papania, “If people start getting connected, they will take more responsibility for what happens beyond themselves.”

VP Student Services Darwin Binesh announced that the SFSS had come to an understanding on a new fee for the U-Pass system and the SFSS is preparing for an upcoming referendum to approve the new fee. He also noted that the new contract might change the way that opt-outs are handled.

Currently five per cent of students are eligible for optouts if they fall into a specific category, with one per cent being eligible for a discretionary opt-out typically reserved for students who live in areas not serviced well by transit.

Currently this one per cent cap is being pushed by demand , and the new contract may create a new category in the five per cent for these students.

Both the SFSS and Graduate Student Society (GSS) will present oral arguments in front of the National Energy Board (NEB) on January 22 at the Delta Hotel in Burnaby over the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion that will see another pipeline added to Burnaby Mountain. They will be voicing their opposition to the pipeline.

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OPINIONS

Dear editor, Re: “SFU’s men’s rights activists protest new ‘friend zone’ bench unveiling” The Hi-F.I.V.E Movement for Mental Health Executive Committee was disheartened by your “humour” article, dated November 9, 2015, regarding The Friendship Bench (the Bench).

We acknowledge that it is supposed to be entertaining, but we are nonetheless concerned that it damages our efforts to eliminate a stigma that has been so pervasive and unyielding. We believe your article actually perpetuates the stigma surrounding mental illness as early as the first sentence through the author’s tone and language, and by comparing the Bench to the undesirable “friend zone” (perhaps that undesirability is a not-so-subtle parallel?).

When the National College Health Assessment surveyed SFU students’ mental health in 2010 (the most recent data available), 83.6 per cent of students felt overwhelmed by all they had to do; 43.9 per cent felt things were hopeless; up to 11 per cent had seriously considered suicide; and almost two per cent had attempted to take their own lives. This is no laughing matter.

In fact, the Bench was donated to SFU by a man who lost his son to depression, and ultimately suicide. He generously donated the $5,000 Bench and a year’s worth of mental health resources to help raise awareness and prevent

future tragedies. The idea of him and his invaluable work becoming associated with the article in question is, frankly, mortifying, which is why we decided to exclude his name.

This piece was published a mere two weeks after the Bench was permanently installed and recognized as a permanent symbol of mental health, as well as SFU’s commitment to a stigma-free community.

Considering how new the Bench was at the time of your article it is more than likely that many of your readers did not have an opportunity to appreciate the significance of the Bench, instead forming an impression based on your satire, or dismissing it altogether. This is a tragedy in itself and hard to undo.

Since The Peak is unwilling to remove the content from its archives, we can only hope that its availability does not discourage students in distress from seeking help or make them feel that this is in any way representative of SFU’s stance on mental health and illness.

The media are one of the most frequently identified sources of mental health information and journalists have the power to shape coverage of it — let’s work together to better understand and de-stigmatize it.

Sincerely, Hi-F.I.V.E Movement for Mental Health, 2015-16 Executive Committee [The Peak could not confirm all the percentages in this letter]

January 18, 2016

Should professors be allowed to drop F-bombs in lecture? For years, Dr. Michael Persinger’s first-year psychology course at Laurentian University has included a disclaimer form on the first day of class that warns students of the use of foul language.

To me, this is ideal.

However, the school recently removed Persinger from his teaching position for administering these “Statement of Understanding” forms. The document informed students of a list of nearly 30 potentially offensive words that they would encounter in the course, including homophobic and sexual slurs as well as vulgar and obscene language. The document suggests that if a student feels uncomfortable, they can feel free to transfer to a different section.

Following complaints from students, university administration decided to remove Persinger, not because of his use of obscene language, but on the grounds that faculty may not have students sign a waiver form as a component of the class.

Persinger stated that he began distributing these forms over 10 years ago after the dean at the

opinions editor email

Adam Van der Zwan opinions@the-peak.ca

time suggested it due to the student complaints.

What a catch-22. It’s difficult to see what the decision to remove Persinger achieves. The student union says that the form is not a contract, and according to CBC News, Persinger would not have forced any student to leave the class if they did not sign it. It is merely an engaging way to ensure students are aware of what follows in the class.

This decision seems to echo a common trend throughout Canadian universities as of late — that students are being needlessly sheltered.

Why does this waiver suddenly justify the removal of a popular professor? It suggests that Persinger would have been better off if he simply conducted the course with no prior warning to students of the potentially offensive course content.

Honestly, if a student doesn’t agree with the waiver or the proposed course content, then they can switch to another section. That was the original purpose behind having a waiver.

Students should attend university to have their beliefs

challenged and to be exposed to real-world content such as offensive language. Our universities are not building the minds of our students by restricting content that may shock them.

In the real world, there are no options to stifle offensive content. When we inevitably find ourselves confronting bigots and foul-mouthed individuals, how then will we react?

Persinger intended to make students think about why certain language makes us feel the way we do. By introducing them to this content early, students would be better equipped to think rationally when faced with offensive material.

This was undoubtedly a poor decision by the university administration. Sure, they may have enforced a redundant rule regarding students signing nonlegally binding and unnecessary contracts, but at what cost?

Now, they find themselves in the spotlight of criticism regarding speech and academic freedoms.

The students who wished to take this class with Persinger now find themselves without an informative course that introduced them to real-world language.

Ultimately, it is the student’s decision to take whichever courses they’re interested in, and I’d be ashamed of SFU if it were to take similar actions toward its professors.

OPINIONS

We’ve got Jeremih cranked as loud as our petty laptop speakers will go, and we shout, “commit to not committing!” and high-five each other a little too hard.

We’re half-kidding. After all, it has a ring to it and we’re fueled up on angst and desire. But there is a point to it — a truth value that isn’t as bad as it may sound.

When I say commit to not committing, I’m not advocating for hook-up culture. I’m not saying skip all your classes, quit your job because you don’t like getting up early, and hang out in your bedroom avoiding responsibility. I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t enter a relationship, or that the commitment of a relationship is anything that should be toyed with.

Rather, I mean that you have every right to stop answering people when they ask you where you’ll be in two years. You have every right to stay single despite the questions regarding your relationship status at every family gathering. You can transfer universities, you can switch jobs, you can move out of your parent’s house, and you can move to a different country.

And more importantly, when you do, you are under no obligation to put your life under a time-frame for the benefit of other people’s knowledge.

January 18, 2016

Essentially, we’re upwards of 20 years old, and there is no requirement stating we have to commit to some kind of life plan right now — if anything, we can commit to the impermanence of our situations, and embrace our ever-changing lives.

‘Not committing’ has nothing to do with avoiding responsibility, and everything to do with embracing flexibility. We in our twenties are living out some of the most flexible times of our lives, and it’s important to accept the possibility that there are things in our lives that hold us back, and despite our commitment to them, it may be time to walk away.

Young adults are terrified of commitment. We avoid it like the plague, and often try to cover it up with a half-hearted joke. In one of the several communications courses I took, we learned about methods of persuasion — that people feel uneasy about backing out of a purchase if there was some level of commitment involved. School life and career choices are no different.

There is a time and place for commitment. But I think we need to be careful with what we choose to commit to in our twenties, and more than that, I think there needs to be an understanding of the importance of walking away. I don’t want to end up pursuing a career because I felt obligated by a commitment I made to my parents or friends. I don’t want to end up maintaining an unhealthy relationship because I’m too afraid to walk away.

We can be flexible right now.

Completely. I don’t think it’s something to be wasted. That’s what I mean when I refer to not committing, but it’s a whole lot easier to just high-five your roommate and toast your wine glasses to being “committed to not committing” than it is to try and explain it. And a lot more fun.

Having a conversation about mental health can be difficult, especially if those involved are uneducated or have preconceived notions on the issue. Hypotheses about why people suffered from mental illness have varied throughout history — from being possessed by demons to having your mind taken away — and treatment has ranged from eating a strictly vegetarian diet to not having treatment at all.

By the 1960s, a wave of deinstitutionalization swept the United States, moving mentally ill people from institutions to local mental health homes. Having the mentally ill out of institutions led to a rise in homelessness and increase in violence due to lack of treatment and follow-up care. With those suffering from schizophrenia, depression, and other mental illnesses on the streets, it really is no wonder that our grandparents have a different and perhaps fearful view of the mentally ill.

Surely there were people with depression 50 years ago. Post-partum depression in women must have existed, and those traumatized by ‘shellshock’ (now known as PTSD) must have been seen walking around. Our knowledge has increased, but 50 years later, our conversations are still stifled by our lack of understanding.

I asked my grandpa this: “What do you think about mental health? How do you think we can help these people in society?”

Grandpa was less enthusiastic about this topic. “In the 50’s, straitjackets and padded cells helped these people.

Then people were released and began to run loose in the streets, getting into all kinds of trouble. No one wants to talk about that stuff. Those people are dangerous and should be locked up,” he said.

Sorry Grandpa, but we do need to talk about this stuff. It’s 2016, and we’re still sweeping mental illness under the rug.

We don’t lock up these patients, we help them.

Of course, we are moving forward: Bell’s annual “Let’s Talk” campaign has generated nearly $100 million for mental health initiatives in Canada since 2010.

More celebrities are openly discussing mental health issues and have in turn opened up a conversation on these topics through social media.

Despite this, our generation still has a difficult time asking for help. In a school environment, we have classes to pass, student debts to pay off, and people to please. Millennials were dubbed by Business

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Insider’s Kevin Loria as “the most stressed out generation.”

High levels of stress can lead to a number of unhealthy habits as well as anxiety, depression, and even suicide.

Sure, we have pills to take and doctors to see, but if we’re so scared about what other people will think about us, then what are the chances that we are going to use these resources effectively, if at all?

As of 2012, Canada spends a whopping seven cents per every healthcare dollar on mental health, which is lower than other developed countries. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health estimates that “1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental health or addiction problem.”

That one in five could be a family member, best friend, or someone sitting across from you on transit.

As someone who has depression and anxiety, these facts are disturbing. We shouldn’t need to institutionalize everyone that suffers from mental illness. We need to be more comfortable with the term, its background, and what it entails. We don’t have to be psychiatrists, but what we do need to be is respectful and understanding.

So there, Grandpa. Your granddaughter has depression. But don’t lock me up in an institution because of it.

Let’s talk about it instead.

10 OPINIONS

As seems to happen regularly these days, scientific developments have turned science fiction into science fact.

It is now feasible for humans to ‘edit’ their genes, perhaps much like I, a writer, am editing this article and ensuring every aspect of it meets my expectations before it goes to print. The technology called CRISPR has been touted as revolutionary; Gizmag stated this month that it could be effective in tackling blindness, while ArtsTechnica claims it may eliminate conditions such as muscular dystrophy.

Moreover, in the near future, humans may be able to have geneticists edit their children’s genes.

A scary proposition perhaps for aficionados like Asimov, Ellison, and their ilk. These science fiction writers, through narrative, told morality plays and cautionary

tales warning of the dangers of unchecked human ambition.

It may sound slightly silly to say it, but perhaps we should go back to the realm of what once was science fiction then, to understand what we are getting ourselves into. These stories are often not merely entertainment, but important cultural artifacts about where our culture has been and where it might be going. Many cultures place great importance on stories as a way of passing on meaning, something that North American culture seems to lack.

Much of the science fiction writing advocates extreme caution in the area of genetic engineering. They suggest that this is a Pandora’s Box that humanity must open very carefully, if at all.

The benefits it could be great, but humanity may not be self-disciplined or benevolent enough as a whole to ensure this great power does not destroy it entirely.

One of my favourite treatments of the topic is a 90’s film called Gattaca. At the time this movie came out, such technology seemed at the very least, so futuristic that it wouldn’t exist in our lifetime. The film portrays a

January 18, 2016

society in which gene editing has existed for some time, the technology is at a stage of maturity and has fundamentally changed and been integrated into the fabric of society.

In this post-genetic engineering society, technology has created a division between the haves and have-nots, with the line being those who had ‘natural’ births and those who were designed. In the film, Ethan Hawke plays a young man who aspires to become an astronaut,

MASTER OF DIGITAL MEDIA INFO SESSION JANUARY 27th

though he has an enormous barrier: not only in that he has natural, unedited, human flaws, but also that society harshly discriminates against him and all such people.

I won’t spoil the ending for you. However, considering the systemic and overt discrimination that humans have invoked historically, and continue to put on those who do not fall within

the majority, the type of society that the film proposes is not a far-fetched proposition. Note that humanity has essentially faced the worst ethical perils of genetic engineering before.

Hitler’s attempts to wipe out those he considered inferior — non-whites, homosexuals, the disabled, mentally ill — was a form of genetic engineering as well. In his attempt to create the perfect Aryan race, surely he would have made use of this new technology if it was available at that time. Humanity ignores its own past at its great peril.

I am not suggesting that we should ban this technology outright, but that humanity should proceed with an extraordinary amount of caution. This could certainly be a pivotal moment in human history, like the the discovery of fire, the invention of farming, and the printing press.

However, it should be treated like the discovery of fire; it could change our lives for the better, but if done irresponsibly, it could destroy us all.

First sold in 1907 by North America’s biggest chocolate company, I present to all of you the most deliciously infectious confection ever put on the chocolate conveyor belt: the Hershey’s Kiss.

Wrapped in an eye-catching array of multicolored tin foils, these pint-size goodies are nothing short of a gift from the universe; a true testament that most beautiful things can

indeed be found in the smallest of places.

These delectable and voluptuous flat-bottom treats are what dreams and desire are made of. With over 60 different flavours to choose from, it truly is a treat suited for everyone’s palate. Poignantly simple and less calorically intimidating than a deep-fried stick of butter, its teardrop-shaped body is something truly worth crying about.

Admit it: the kiss is probably the most confusing if not utterly befuddling method of showing affection next to being forced to make a BuildA-Bear for your ex. Whose idea was it to stick their tongue down the throat of their significant other and play a period of tonsil hockey? At least a hug makes sense! With a hug you can steal warmth or feel the invigorating contours of

your lover’s chesticular cavity and areolas.

A smooch is just well-choreographed slobbering given the Hollywood makeover. It’s an utterly ridiculous display of affection that is probably the reason we need flu shots and therapy. If you want my opinion, we should just scrap this archaic spectacle of sucking face for something more proficient and germ-free: handjobs.

Industry – Focused Program Startup Business Support 4 Major Canadian Universities Competitive Scholarship Opportunities

TH 6 PM JOIN US ON JANUARY 27 , 2016 at CENTRE FOR DIGITAL MEDIA VER, BC 685 GREAT NORTHERN WAY, VANCOU sion Register online at thecdm.ca/info-ses

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ARTS

arts editor email

January 18, 2016

FF

For me, Alan Rickman will always be the perfect movie villain. The first film I ever saw him in was Die Hard as Hans Gruber, and while his immense talent did not stand out to me at the age of eight, it would two years later, in 2001.

While 10-year-old me was marveling over the casting choices of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as Harry, Ron, and Hermione in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — for looking exactly as how I pictured them in them from the book — the casting choice that always amazed me most was that of Alan Rickman as Severus Snape.

He managed to perfectly capture the aura that surrounded Snape in the books. Most notably, he could remove the warmth from his eyes. In the book Snape’s eyes were described as “cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels” — the complete opposite of Alan’s eyes. Actor Alan melted into the character of Snape

— there was no distinction between the two when on screen.

This ability to fully become Snape was shown repeatedly throughout the series. And while the series was full of emotional moments, Alan’s final scenes were some of the most poignant. He captured the calm turmoil of Snape, and was able to convey his strong emotions in a way that was true to Rowling’s vision.

This wasn’t the only role he seamlessly melted into. In hindsight, eight-year-old me should have been more impressed with his portrayal of Hans Gruber in Die

Hard. He was the strongest actor on set, and he became Hans with no traces of Alan Rickman left behind.

Bruce Willis was always Bruce Willis as John McClane, but Alan was Hans Gruber as Hans Gruber.

He also proved this yet again in his role as Sheriff George of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Alan Rickman the person never showed or competed for attention when on screen. Even when providing his voice to Marvin in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, he was Marvin, not Alan.

Aside from his ability to melt into a role, I will always remember

Alan through the kind words of those who knew him best — peers in the world of acting. The praise of the life that he had outside of acting and of the person he was in his daily life contribute to his memory. He was not only a great actor, but also a great man. He supported his costars no matter what, and the stories about how he acted on set and treated them after filming further prove this point.

Daniel Radcliffe, in a social media post about Alan following his death, stated, “I know other people who’ve been friends with him for much much longer than I have and they all say, ‘If you call Alan, it doesn’t matter where in the world he is or how busy he is with what he’s doing, he’ll get back to you within a day.’”

Maybe it is the anecdotes mixed with his ability to melt into a role that cause me to crown him the perfect movie villain. Knowing that he was so good as a person but oh so bad as a character made his ability to be evil all the more amazing.

In losing Alan Rickman, we lost an amazing actor whose versatility and skill might never be replaced. However, he will live on through those performances, and an entire generation who will never forget that the section on werewolves begins on page 394.

Jessica Whitesel arts@the-peak.ca

11

FOOD FIGHT

Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House in Burnaby lives up to its name — behold, vegans, here is your Vietnamese food paradise.

The extensive 100 per cent vegan, no MSG menu won’t break your bank any more than a typical Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver; this is what gives grand bragging rights to this small restaurant shoved in a corner of a hidden community shopping centre. A place like this is worth the trek (being on a street somewhat disregarded by public transit) because it’s unique both in concept and product to any other fully vegan restaurant in Metro Vancouver.

This business has been run by passionate vegan manager Kim Nguyen for over 12 years. She is visibly dedicated to promoting the vegan lifestyle taught by the Supreme Master Ching Hai, the spiritual teacher of the Quan Yin Method, a spiritual teaching.

Nguyen is without a doubt proving with the success of her business that the vegan movement is relevant, and that fresh, delicious vegan foods are accessible and possible.

The ambiance of the restaurant is peaceful and positive in a way that serves the vegan community. The ceiling, walls, floor, chairs and tables are all woodbased, and although it is quite small — seating up to 28 people on tables of four — the place is often packed during lunch and dinner peak hours. Every time I drop by, I find myself surprised

at how many vegans are in my community. During the more quiet hours, strangers lean over their tables to talk to one another or to offer a friendly suggestion of their favorite dishes to an obvious newcomer.

The business is kept running by two to three staff members in a home-style kitchen, one of whom — including the wonderful and hardworking manager Kim Nguyen — will always give you short and sweet service, but happily explain who Supreme Master Ching Hai is when people ask about the portraits of her on the walls.

When I say their food is inexpensive, I mean it. There is not a single dish on the menu over $10, appies range from $4–8, and dessert is under $4. All the meats on the menu are imitation meats in dishes like sweet and sour chicken, but there are quite a few veggie-based dishes like the sesame eggplant tofu or stir fried vegetable chow mein, for those who are not a fan of imitation meats.

I could weep over their spicy noodle soup — partially from the spice, but mostly from how amazing it is. The soup comes with various steamed veggies, tofu, and vegan ham on top, and is very flavorful while maintaining the clean cut taste of fresh ingredients with no MSG. All the vegan desserts are beyond incredible, especially for the price, but my favorite would have to be the vegan cheesecake. It’s cashew-based, with the same dense texture of classic cheesecake. I don’t know how it was possible, but I did not miss the cheese.

Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House offers up masterful homestyle Vietnamese recipes and gracefully encourages the vegan lifestyle. One of my favourite quotes gracing the posters on the wall: “Be vegan, make peace.”

FEMINIS feminis

HaTe

ST st

14 ARTS

“What if the devil decided to quit. . . and moved to the City of Angels?” is the tagline for Fox’s new show Lucifer, premiering January 25 on Fox. It’s 2015 and Lucifer (Tom Ellis) has come to L.A. for a vacation that he hopes will last the rest of eternity. The same eternity that God meant him to spend ruling over Hell.

Instead, the sassy devil has pulled a runner, opting to own a nightclub and enjoy a few human delights. He takes immense pleasure in drawing confessions of desire out of the humans he runs into and then helping them abuse those feelings into manifestations of power and corruption.

Not even a minute into the episode, Lucifer has managed to bribe a police officer to get out of

January 18, 2016

a speeding ticket. He loves getting people to do precisely what they’re not supposed to. I’d be perfectly content to watch a show purely about Lucifer playing around with paltry human lives, but the show takes a turn when a friend of his is murdered, forcing Lucifer’s old habits come back with a vengeance.

The devil’s job in Hell is to punish those who have earned an eternity of torment. Lucifer’s natural affinity for restitution has grown restless without a neverending queue of the damned to oversee. So, he becomes hell-bent on bringing his friend’s murderer to justice and punishment.

He meets the detective in charge of the investigation, Chloe Dancer (Lauren German), and rather stubbornly forces her to accept his help, given certain “charms” that he thinks will aid the investigation.

He’s referring to his aforementioned ability to persuade people to reveal their hidden desires to him.

All the while, Dancer thinks he’s crazy for believing himself to be the actual devil from Hell.

In typical fashion, Dancer appears to be the only human

immune to his powers, and she conveniently has no current relationship. It doesn’t take a detective to see the romantic subplot coming.

Aside from that, Ellis plays the part of Lucifer flawlessly.

It’s based on the comic Lucifer by Mike Carey, but only in the loosest of senses. The comic book purists may hate that the cop procedural storyline seems to have chewed up and spit Lucifer out, but it’s still a very watchable show.

The show is clever, well-written, and it explores the question of morality in a playful way.

This is clearly seen, for instance, when Amenadiel, an angel sent from God, appears to persuade Lucifer to go back where he belongs, to maintain the balance of good and evil. At the end of the pilot, it’s looking like a war between the forces of Heaven and Hell wouldn’t be a misguided prediction. Epic war of angels?

Sign me up.

The show has already sparked controversy from AFA’s One Million Moms, who’ve petitioned Fox not to air such a show. They

think a show which humanizes the devil as a compassionate, likeable, caring entity will cause children to worship Satan.

They’re not completely accurate. Yeah, Lucifer’s the main character, but that doesn’t make him likeable. He’s sassy and witty, a maybe a tad obsessed with torturing evil-doers, but I wouldn’t be friends with the guy.

a little bit ambitious and a little bit audacious about the sonic landscape we were trying to create,” stated Chalifour.

Towers and Trees have been touring their latest album West Coast through Chilliwack, Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Courtenay. Led by singer-songwriter Adrian Chalifour, this five-piece band has started to make a real name for themselves throughout Canada with their first full-length album release.

Following the success of their EP Broken Record, featuring their most well-known track “Montreal,” West Coast promises to be an evolution in the band’s classic indie sound. With narrative lyrics, and moments of experimentation — such the track “Tide I” — the album brings much to the table. True to it’s name, it captures the essence of the West

Coast: melodic, free-spirited, and slightly sad.

Unlike some more wellknown indie bands, each song in West Coast is refreshingly unique, while still maintaining a cohesive album. Easy to listen to and versatile, West Coast should quickly become a staple in any self-respecting hipster’s playlist.

Featuring the talents of Dave Arter (bass), Jesse Boland (drums),

Adrian Chalifour (vocals/guitar), James Liira (keys), and Dave Zellinsky (lead guitar), the touring band found their sound “mainly though playing live,” as Chalifour says.

“When we started playing live, our sound really grew, and became known as this band that has this big sound,” he continues.

It was this “big sound” that Towers and Trees wanted to pursue in their latest album. “We wanted to be

The story of the album West Coast came from a very personal place, says Chalifour. “The songs were coming out of a pretty turbulent time in my life. . . closing the book on some pretty big things,” he says. In writing the songs for the album, Adrian underwent “a discovery process about [his] identity as a man, as an artist.” Chalifour continues, “it was important to me that we tried to capture that trajectory on one work, and try to give it this fluid sort of journey.”

On their stop in Vancouver, Towers and Trees performed at The Media Club on January 9.

Well, maybe I would. He does have a certain magnetism that draws the audience in, but it’s also abundantly clear that he’s not a good guy. A character both massively entertaining and intriguing, Ellis delivers the Lucifer bad-boy persona flawlessly.

Even if you don’t like it at first, there’s still a very good chance you’ll soon enjoy Lucifer as a guilty pleasure. It’s just that enticing.

The band had an amazing energy the entire performance, with the individual band members displaying a great cohesiveness as they sang gorgeous harmonies.

The sound was big as promised, very much deceiving of a larger venue.

At all times there was a connection to the crowd, Towers and Trees somehow cracked the code to engage even the most disengaged audience members.

From more gentle soulful folky tunes, to dark, energetic rock pieces, the set was diverse and attention-grabbing.

The genuine passion behind the music was clear, as was the level of talent that Towers and Trees possesses.

Before the interview finished, Adrian said that “art is made to be shared.” And in the case of Towers and Trees it most definitely should be shared.

ARTS

January 18, 2016

15

I never met David Bowie. I’ve probably never even breathed the same air as him. But when I heard he had died, my chest felt tight.

The celebrity obituaries have been pooling in for the past week with no signs of stopping.

Many of these people knew him personally. I can’t pretend I know anything about the man — all I know is the music. So, instead of telling you his life story, I’m going to tell you mine, through five of my very favourite David Bowie songs.

1. “Space Oddity” – David Bowie (1969) Fun fact: “Space Oddity” began as a novelty song. Bowie’s first album sold poorly, and his career seemed to have burnt out before it had even begun. Luckily, “Space Oddity” was a sleeper hit, and became the singer’s first success. Its tender melodies and sci-fi aesthetic were enough to convert a generation of fans — including me, age 10. I sang along in my bedroom and painted my face. I wanted to become an astronaut but wasn’t sure if I could breathe in space. (As I later discovered, I could not.)

2. “Ashes to Ashes” – Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980) Turns out, in grade eight, I made a pretty terrible boyfriend.

I was clingy, anxious, and sullen. I holed up in my room and listened to classic rock. I was really into David Bowie, as most weirdo teenagers are.

There’s a line in “Ashes to Ashes” where Bowie croons “I’m happy / hope you’re happy too.”

This was all I wanted to say to my high school girlfrien d. Turns out she wasn’t, and I was promptly dumped. I deserved it, but I’m still thankful that Bowie gave a voice to my teenaged insecurity.

3. “Five Years” – Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) I fell in love with quite a few David Bowie songs before “Five Years,” but this was the first one that felt like it was mine.

No one else knew about it — it never charted as a single, and never made as big a cultural impact as his biggest hits.

This was the first time that I delved beyond Bowie’s bestof. I listened to his discography endlessly and was still hungry for more. But for a while, nothing matched the high of this one, the song that felt like a well-kept secret.

4. “Heroes” – “Heroes” (1977) “Heroes” was one of the first “our songs” my partner and I ever had. We turned it up as loud as it could go and sung to it at the top of our lungs in parked cars. Whenever it came on, we would stop whatever we were doing and begin hollering. We didn’t care if our voices cracked or if anyone else could hear.

“Heroes” is the perfect love songs for misfits who have found each other, and David Bowie was there when I found mine.

5. “Valentine’s Day” – The Next Day (2013) Like most Bowie fanboys, I did my best to conveniently forget most albums he had made since Let’s Dance in 1983. It’s not that they weren’t good — it’s that they were ordinary. If there’s one thing that should never be associated with David Bowie, it’s the mundane.

The Next Day changed all that. It was Bowie’s second wind, the sprint at the end of

the marathon. I reviewed it for The Peak in one of my first articles, saying it “manages to rise to the level of Bowie’s

best work.” My favourite track, “Valentine’s Day,” reminded me of the first time I had heard “Space Oddity.”

I listened to it on Sunday while I watched the news of his death flood my Facebook feed. I was a different person, and so was he.

HELP WANTED PAID POSITIONS AVAILABLE The Simon Fraser Student Society is seeking undergraduate students for the Independent Electoral Commission.

One (1) Elections Chief Commissioner Application deadline: Friday, January 22nd, 2016 at 4:00 pm The anticipated term start date is Monday, February 1st, 2016 and may continue until Thursday, December 1st, 2016.

Four (4) Commissioners Application deadline: Friday, January 29th, 2016 at 4:00 pm The anticipated start date is Monday, February 8th 2016 and may continue until Friday, April 29th, 2016.

The IEC is responsible for administering the student society elections. Please refer to By-Law 15 Elections in the SFSS Constitution and Bylaws on our website.

Please submit your cover letter and resume to minutes@sfss.ca

16

SPORTS

January 18, 2016

sports editor email

Nick Bondi sports@the-peak.ca

The women’s basketball team earned a decisive 76–47 win against Seattle Pacific Thursday night.

SFU held Seattle to only 20 points in the first half, and improved their record to 6–6 overall. Ellen Kemp led the Clan with 23 points, and Rachel Fradgley led the team with nine rebounds.

Their next game is this Tuesday against Western Washington.

SFU won one of four duels at the Tracy Borah Duals in Gunnison, Colorado.

The Clan lost their duels to Colorado Mesa, University of Central Oklahoma, and Western Colorado State, but won their duel against Colorado State University.

Redshirt Sophomore Morgan Smith had a strong day, winning all four of his matches.

Sexual assault on universities campuses across BC is a real and pressing issue, and the athletes of the SFU Clan are doing their part to put a stop to it by collaborating on a video discussing the topic.

The video was put together by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a group consisting of representatives from all SFU varsity teams, including the football, basketball, volleyball, and track and field teams.

“All NCAA schools are required to have a campus SAAC,” explained Ryan Yewchin, one of the representatives for the Men’s Wrestling team, as well as the representative for the GNAC conference at the NCAA Division II level. “SAAC provides a way for student athlete engagement and acts as a liaison between student athletes and administration at the institutional, conference, and national levels of the NCAA,” Ryan said.

The video is part of a larger, top-down initiative by numerous Division II schools, as part of the US White House’s “It’s on us” initiative. It features athletes from various SFU athletic teams describing why consent matters to them, indicated by a written card.

“As a member of national SAAC it’s one of my responsibilities to ensure initiatives at the National level are communicated to and acted on

by SFU and the GNAC as a whole,” said Yewchin. “On a personal level,

I am very motivated to address and engage with topics surrounding sexual assault and interpersonal violence. Being able to speak publicly and work with Health and Counselling to engage and dismantle rape culture is a powerful opportunity.”

“It’s always been an important issue, just morally and ethically speaking,” explained Helen Yan. She is one of the representatives of the Volleyball team, and is featured in the video. “I think it’s important to show, especially from both female

and male points of views, why it’s important to each person individually. It’s not something that people like to talk about typically, but people need to talk about it. It has to be put out there publicly, that it’s not OK without consent.

“I grew up in a predominantly female household,” Yan continued.

“My dad had to work somewhere else, and I had a lot of friends who had gone through issues with consent. But when I was younger we didn’t know any better. But now that I’m older, looking back I realised people should have probably helped [those friends] — they should have talked to someone.

So now, growing up and reflecting on the past, I want people to know about consent, and be aware that it does matter.”

The video was made with the assistance of SFU Athletics, who helped in the production aspects.

The two organizations worked in tandem to insure that the message came across in a powerful way.

“Vital work for both the video and the Consent Matters campaign as a whole was also done

by Rebecca Langmead, a former basketball player now working in health and counselling,” elaborated

Yewchin. “Steve Frost, our sports information director, and Gabe Lynn were also fantastic to work with from the production aspects of the video,” he continued.

As of publication time, the video has over 1100 views in over a week on YouTube. Ryan attributes the success of the video to the way the message was delivered, as well as the production quality of the video.

“The reception to the video has been overwhelming positive,” said Yewchin. “Gabe Lynn did a phenomenal job filming and editing the video. It does a great job allowing the student athletes in the video to express why dealing with sexual assault matters to them. Seeing my friends and teammates have the courage to show why this is such a personal topic is extremely powerful.”

You can get involved with the #ConsentMattersSFU campaign by visiting their information booths at the Burnaby campus on 20th, and 27th, and Surrey Campus on the 26th, or by sharing your answer to “Why does consent matter to you?” on social media using the hashtag. Members of the community are encouraged to familiarize themselves with SFU’s sexual assault website: www. sfu.ca/sexual-assault.

Tommy Gallagher of Keswick, Ontario has signed his national letter of intent to compete for the Track and Field team next fall.

Tommy is a top middle distance runner, finishing 13th in the 1,500 at the 2015 Canadian Youth Track and Field Championships.

It can only be attributable to human error. . .

That you don’t watch our videos youtube.com/thepeaksfu

SPORTS

Sydney Shortt is one of only 16 members of Simon Fraser’s women’s field hockey team. Combining an athletic schedule with an academic schedule, Sydney goes to two practices a week and at least one game every weekend.

While this may not sound overly time-consuming, consider this: the women’s field hockey team has nowhere to practice or play their games on SFU’s campus. This is because none of the fields on campus have the appropriate marking lines for field hockey. Instead, Sydney must take the bus, a ride from anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes (assuming the buses are on time) to her hour-and-a-half long practices, as well as her weekend games.

In total, what could be just 90 minutes of her time if the practices were at SFU’s campus, turns into about four hours total. The games themselves are four hours alone, not including travel. More than once throughout the term, Sydney has begun the transit to her

The SFU Clan Men’s Basketball team was defeated 90–67 by Western Oregon Thursday night to fall to 1–12 on the season and 0–7 in GNAC Conference play. Western Oregon is now 6–1 in Conference Play and 13–2 on the season.

The first half looked very promising for the Clan with the team building an early 28–20 lead after Junior Guard Hidde Vos scored five consecutive points.

This is when Western Oregon stalwart Andy Avgi began to take control of the game. Avgi was named the GNAC player of the week last week, averaging 29 points per game. The Senior Forward hit a fadeaway jumper and was fouled

January 18, 2016

practices only to receive a call 45 minutes into the trip that, due to poor weather conditions, practices have been cancelled.

With an athletic season that lasts six months from September until March, that time adds up, and the blatant waste can have a huge impact on Shortt’s academic schedule.

An engineering student, Sydney takes two math classes and a physics class with labs for each, as well as two Mechatronic System Engineering courses, each of which include lecture and lab components. Since all her classes are in Surrey, her day includes taking transit to those as well. Obviously very busy with a challenging course load, Shortt often has difficulty finding enough hours in the day. Maybe it’s just in the family genes.

Sydney’s mom Liz, whom Sydney describes as “adorable and pretty incredible,” played soccer all throughout university while obtaining a math degree. Now, she plays field hockey with a bunch of other moms. Sydney claims it’s “honestly the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” The resemblance between their passions is uncanny.

Once or twice Sydney has been able to call her mom for help, whether it be for math or computer science. Most notably, however, was the time when Liz was called due to Sydney fainting on transit and waking up in a pool of her own blood.

On the way back from a field hockey team event in mid-October, Sydney fainted and fell over, hitting her head on the concrete ground in the Production Way SkyTrain station. Likely caused by her naturally low blood sugar and low blood pressure, she woke up surrounded by blurry faces and a pool of blood around her body.

She called an ambulance and was taken to Richmond hospital.

On the ride there, she called her mom, who immediately booked a flight for that same day from Calgary to Vancouver to take care of her daughter. It was determined that Shortt had nearly broken her nose and had received a minor concussion.

Michael Harper (right) finished with a team high 17 points. for the ‘and-one’ to tip the momentum in Western Oregon’s favour.

Clan Senior Guard Michael Harper drove down the lane for a basket and then scored on an ‘andone’ in the closing minutes of the first half as the two teams traded

Austin Cozicar / The Peak

blows in an intense stretch of action. With less than 10 seconds left in the half, Sophomore Guard JJ Pankratz drove to the basket and sunk a lefty layup to pull SFU within one. Unfortunately, Western Oregon sunk a buzzer beater to take a 42–39 lead into the half.

Sydney was out of field hockey practices for two weeks and out of games for an additional two weeks until she was cleared by doctors.

She explained how frustrating the situation was, but stated that, “considering my major, my mental well-being comes before sports.”

She also was able to spend time with her mom, and “had a really good time with her, even though I was only partially aware of what was going on.”

Back in the game now, Sydney reflects on the past four months.

Despite not having earned as many wins as the team would like, she recognizes the odds against them: the team has no official coach, no home playing field, has no funding

The second half was all Western Oregon. Avgi took the game over in the opening minutes of the half scoring on jump shots, fade aways, drives to the basket, running the fastbreak, and setting up teammates for easy buckets. In the first 12 minutes of the second half, Western Oregon ripped off a 36 to 10 run that made the final eight minutes essentially garbage time.

Michael Harper led the Clan with 17 points and Point Guard Andrew Williamson scored 15 points in the first start of his SFU career. Coach Virgil Hill explained that the decision to start Williamson for the injured Max Barkeley was only made that morning. Hill stated how Williamson “had a great week of practice. I call him a silent assassin. Quiet guy [. . .] who plays with a sense of confidence and poise.”

Coach Hill also commented on the game and the team’s upcoming matchup. “Unfortunately the game is forty minutes

17

from the university, and isn’t considered a varsity team.

Reduced to club status, their funding comes mostly from the players themselves and the fundraisers they host. Sydney says that any external funding they received now would probably go towards a coach, a role they’ve been without all season. They recently found a temporary coach, Abigail Raye, who competed with Team Canada and appears to be a good fit, but they only have her for a month due to money issues.

So while Sydney is confident that this new addition will be a great help to the team, it’s a very short-lived victory. Sydney remains hopeful that the budget situation will improve over the following months and that Spring term will bring more wins, fewer injuries, and maybe even a coach.

and it’s a tale of two halves.

We’ve come across this again and again, where we will be in a [close] game at the half [. . .] and then the first five minutes we just can’t seem to summon that next gear that the other teams do” he lamented.

Hill also discussed the challenge of defending a player like Andy Avgi. “We said we were going to pick our poison and not double team him. We let him get twos instead of [allowing open] threes.”

On the prospects for a victory this Saturday against Concordia University, Hill explained how it is “a very winnable game [. . .] we have been bullseyeing for the last week or so.”

18 SPORTS

The voting process makes it difficult to take the award seriously

Last Monday, Lionel Messi won the Ballon D’or, a yearly award given out by FIFA to the top player in world soccer. Each country’s national team’s head coach, captain, and one journalist gets a vote. These people are allowed to vote for three players; the first player gets five points, second gets three, and third gets one. But like all things FIFA, the process by which this award is voted on is an absolute joke.

However, in a rare instance of transparency within FIFA, we can actually look at the ballots cast by all participants. My main issue with the voting process is the obvious strategic voting, blatant homerism, and in some instances, straight-up ineptitude.

Let’s start with the strategic voting process. As captain of Argentina, Lionel Messi is eligible to vote for the award. He didn’t vote for himself, but he did vote for

It was a mixed bag over the weekend for the Men’s Hockey team.

The Clan won both games, but in extremely different fashions. The first game featured SFU coming back from a three-goal deficit and the ejections of their top defensive pairing to win in a shootout — the other saw SFU roar out to a 5–1 lead before winning 6–4.

“It was good to get on the road early in the second semester and come away with four points,” said Head Coach Mark Coletta talking to The Peak. “[It was a] good bonding trip for the boys, and we had some new guys in the lineup,” he said.

The first game on Friday night got off to a horrible start for SFU. Easter Washington managed to

three of his Barcelona teammates in Luis Suarez, Neymar, and Andres Iniesta. He conveniently left off his main competitor, Cristiano Ronaldo, and put Neymar second, probably to give himself a better chance of winning.

Ronaldo wasn’t much better, as he voted three of his Real Madrid teammates — Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, and Gareth Bale — as his nominees. At least Neymar voted for Messi for first.

There are some prime examples of homerism on this list, and you can start with German National Team manager Joachim Low, who voted for Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, and Toni Kroos, all German players. Belgium captain Vincent Kompany voted fellow Belgians Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne first and second respectively, although he did vote for Messi third. Peru captain Claudio Pizarro just straight up voted for his teammates at Bayern Munich. Cote d’Ivoire media member Khalil Adam voted for fellow countrymen Yaya Toure as his first-place vote.

But perhaps the best examples are the voters who submit ballots that make you question if they watched the sport at all in the past 12 months. Perhaps

score two goals by the 8:56 mark of the first, both at even strength.

It went from 100 to 0 for SFU real quick after that, as their top defensive pairing in Williamson and St. Pierre were both ejected for fighting. Eastern Washington scored on the ensuing powerplay to make it 3–0 and put the Clan in a huge hole.

January 18, 2016

the weirdest ballot I found on the list is Fiji media member Sanju Prasad, who on his ballot ranked Toni Kroos third, Thomas Muller second, and Javier Mascherano first. Now I’m not saying Mascherano is not a good player.

He certainly is. But ranking him above Messi and Ronaldo is totally ridiculous.

Other ballots that are totally out there include Tom Saintfiet of

Togo, who thought Kevin De Bruyne was the best player of 2015, and the head coach of the Pakistan national team, who voted for Arjen Robben as the best player for some reason.

This whole process is ridiculous, and it could be made a lot simpler. The votes here should not count for the final winner.

Instead these votes should be for who gets nominated for the

top three. From there, an expert panel can pick who the winner is. Although the right winner was chosen, it’s worrying that this award is in the hands of voters who seem like they don’t really know what they’re doing.

Until FIFA fixes the voting process, I’m going to have to take the winner of the award with a healthy dose of skepticism.

However, SFU was able to battle back. A scoreless second led to an early goal by Brendan Lamont in the third, and goals from Robson Cramer and Saylor Preston tied the game at three heading to overtime. The game went to a shootout, where forward Tyler Basham scored the winner to give SFU an improbable three points.

“Well Friday night we had a bad start overall,” explained coach Coletta. “A couple of fighting majors that, while the referee’s discretion is always going to be his own, we didn’t think they should have been majors. So you’re down two defencemen right away, and then you’re down three to nothing.

“We got an early goal right away on the powerplay in the third, to make it 3–1, and that sparked the boys even more to find a way to battle. We just stuck to the systems and didn’t panic.”

Saturday’s game was a different tale. SFU was able to hold a 5–1 lead after two, thanks to some great shooting, as they scored three goals on nine shots in the middle frame. The third period saw Eastern Washington score three to make the Clan sweat a little at 5–4, but Matthew Berry-Lamontagna scored to restore a two goal lead and put the game to rest.

“I thought [the team] played really well,” said Coletta. “We came out in the first period and the second period way better than we

had the night before. Our start was good, we kind of laid down in the beginning of the third there. But I think we weathered the storm and then went back to the game plan.

We’ve been preaching stay the course, stay within the systems all year so far, and not trying to do stuff individually when you’re down a goal or two.”

The back-to-back situation meant a few players were able to make their season debuts.

Dyllan Quon, Mak Barde, Mitch Crisanti, and Spencer Quon all made their debuts over the course of the two games.

“Dyllan Quon on the back end did a good job of jumping in and playing good defensive minutes for us,” coach Coletta elaborated. “Barden, Crisanti, and Spencer Quon did a good job of just finding their groove after four months of not playing any hockey games, and just practicing. [. . .] To be honest, there’s no substitute for practice versus games. I think they’re pretty tired after Saturday night.”

HUMOUR

January 18, 2016

humour editor email

Justin Stevens humour@the-peak.ca

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20 HUMOUR

My fellow students, I come before you today humbled before the one true power in our lives.

We are perpetually overcome by the benevolence of its embrace, that we are crippled in the moment and unable to complete any other task. Surrounded by

a force all-powerful and invisible to the naked eye. It is everywhere, lingering in the backs of our minds and taking over our consciousness in our most dire moments. My dear undergraduate brethren, I bring to you the word of sleep.

What is there for us, when all the cards are down — when we feel like we have nothing left inside?

My friends — there is sleep!

Or when the monotony of life pushes us towards the bear hug grip of turmoil and depression?

Brothers and sisters — there is sleep!

January 18, 2016

Whence do we travel, when our minds are beat and we cannot tolerate another moment of our petty selfish existences?

To the blissful snore-filled oasis that is sleep!

I tell you dear colleagues, sleep is all around us, and we are all subject to its mercy.

To not indulge in sleepiness, my friends, is to be subject to the dire consequences of its sinful opposite: wakefulness.

Wakefulness is as omnipresent and as far-reaching as sleep.

It comes to us in many forms, tempting us away from the indulgence that keeps us healthy and sane. Wakefulness overcomes us

in our moments of critical need, tearing us from our comfort and shrouding us with the sickening lot of studying and assignments.

Poisoning our minds with the notion that we must ward off the soft embrace of sleep with the sinful aids of coffee, or worse — fresh air!

So I say to you, my fellow students, repent! Engage in the warm embrace of lethargy, and rest with me in prayer, for to not do so is to suffer the undignified temptations of wakefulness. To refute the word of sleep is to deny what makes us human — an obstruction that is a sure-fire means to our destruction.

Repent!

To SFU, I can’t figure out these recycling stations at SFU. I don’t know where to put anything.

Speaking of sanitation, the Burnaby campus is filthy. I’d pick up garbage but every time I try to, I get an uneasy feeling. And a lot of split ends. I feel like this is all related to the new SFU board of whatevers.

Cory Xin Hi Cory, Congratulations for tearing yourself away from your portable witchcraft device.

The new administration is indeed seeking change. So stay away from the litter! I clean the school. It’s my damn job.

You want to help? Be a decent university citizen. Maybe don’t stuff garbage between lecture hall seats. Or not literally everywhere in the library. Or, here’s one: can you actually LINE UP for the 145? I’m standing at the bus stop, completely corporeal, and you walk in front of me. Why do you think I’m even there? To listen to you bastards talk about Much Music? Or your Catholicism?

Do you ever wonder why doors at SFU just won’t open sometimes, Cory? Almost like someone’s holding them back?

Sometimes you “students” don’t deserve it.

Don’t touch the garbage. You won’t put it in the right damn receptacle because you won’t put down your damn personalized calculator to look at the damn pictures. They’re just graphics, for God’s sake.

But, really, the school isn’t more dirty than the man, Simon Fraser, himself. Maybe we at the new management just wanted to keep the school as “impeccable” as him. Ever think of that, Cory?

I tell you what, a university named “Louis Riel” wouldn’t be haunted. I’d make damn sure of that.

Want to talk more? Whisper “Father of Manitoba” in an SFU mirror thrice. I dare you.

The Ghost of Louis Riel, Head of Sanitation

HUMOUR

In a shocking move, The Best Master Key Church of Khaled — or DJ Khaledism, as it more commonly referred — has been given recognized faith status by the United States government.

For those not in the know, DJ Khaled is a Miami producer, spinner, and ad-lib master of the millennial generation. He is widely recognized for his profound statements on the nature of success and good hygiene. For many young people, Khaled’s social media postings are tantamount to hearing the Gospels of Christ live on the mound.

As such, the strong devotion to the maxims of Khaled have now led to the formation of a modern faith around his tenets.

Based out of Biscayne Bay, Miami, the faith was founded by devotees to the DJ who strove to take their reverence to the

“I’ve worked here as a campus security guard for more than 30 some-odd years —and nothing prepared me for the unspeakable act those two students were doing inside that there avacado.”

Sixty-one year-old Bruno McPherson struggles to find the words to describe his security shift on SFU’s Burnaby Campus late Friday evening. While the

January 18, 2016

divine level, forever touched by his sizzling bangers and enlightened Snapchat swagacity.

Pamphlets produced by the church emphasie “being the best” in the mould of Khaled’s own record label, We the Best Music. The journey of a DJ Khaledist involves self-discovery of the various keys of life and blessing up to the most, all in the high hopes Khaled will snap another piece of wisdom to further his devotees’ spiritual journey to happiness.

Snapchat, being a key aspect of Khaled’s life, must also be an active part of his disciples’ lifestyle. DJ Khaledists regularly snap pictures of themselves winning every day in their life and doing something that proves they are the best.

Repentance is also important in DJ Khaledism, especially when a devotee fails to instantly stay up to date on a Khaled’s Snapchat stories.

It is reported that disciples must pray at an altar to Khaled and acknowledge that “they played themselves” to be number one again.

Modern theologians are puzzled by the new faith, as devotees genuinely believe their religion is not a

picture of what happened is almost too clear in his mind, reciting his description has been nothing short of mortifying.

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parody, unlike previous fads such as Pastafarianism and Dudeism.

Religious scholars have drawn parallels to older faiths, such as Christianity. Dr. Balthazar Bibliographia, a Harvard Divinity School professor, has written a paper comparing Christ’s twelve apostles with the first followers of Khaled’s.

There are even dissertations being developed by religious scholars in search of further parallels in Khaled’s own life to that of Christ. There are also rumors of a small offshoot of the official Church of Khaled, with followers who believe Khaled is the reincarnation of Jesus himself.

DJ Khaled himself has never officially endorsed the faith. But a priest of Khaled, Don Dada Jason Knight, has announced that Khaled sent a series of coupons to the church so devotees could get discounts on We the Best merch. Whether or not the faith will stand the test of time is questionable, but DJ Khaledists promises to bring their message worldwide, and promises that their church in Miami will be surpassed by “another one.”

Amidst what seemed to be a typical night of monotony on Burnaby Mountain, McPherson took his usual stroll through the

AQ when he discovered two students engaging in explicit sexual activity in the cramped crevice of SFU’s most famous fruit.

“I saw them there in it going at it like rabbits — or trying to, anyhow. Didn’t seem like they really knew what they was doing. I’m all for students having ‘relations’ behind close doors, but sweet Jesus, not in front of Terry [Fox]! Have some gosh darned respect.”

The students were apprehended and taken to the SFU security offices where they were questioned on their grievous debauchery. When probed regarding why copulation in an oversized mexican berry was of interest, the perpetrators placed blame solely on a recently published SFU-centric spoof issue of The Peak titled Peakmopolitan.

Although the students have asked for their names to be kept anonymous, The Peak did catch

up with SFU’s filthy fruit philanderers from their cells for further comment on the lustful affair.

“If one party is to blame, it’s those bastards at Peakmopolitan.

They made us do it. We waited most of our degree for someone to bestow upon the sacred sexual truths of the avocado, and for what? My partner and I fell off the fucking thing six times trying to get that one move right and now we’re facing academic suspension.”

The students are set to go before an SFU Senate hearing within the month to plead innocence on their crime of avocadobased indecency.

SFU has made no comment on the events as of publication time. However, rumours are swirling that the administration will come down hard on the students to deter others from further defacing what some are beginning to call “the Sexacado.”

January 18, 2016

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CLUBS EXPOSURE June 29, 2015

GOIN' CLUBBING!

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Lisa Dimyadi photos@the-peak.ca

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January 18, 2016

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Features Editor email

hen I was in the eighth grade, I read The Giver. The novel was centred around a 12-year-old boy who lived in a society that could only see black and white, devoid of all emotion, passion, and colour. I remember thinking that the world he lived in seemed so cold. They eliminated the concept of colour in the name of equality.

At the time, I thought that kind of ‘colour blind’ mentality only existed in the world of fiction. But shortly after I immigrated to Canada, I discovered that racism in this country is often met with the same oversimplified, cold approach to eliminating systemic discrimination. Unfortunately, race issues are often plagued by ignorance and oppression. Claiming that you don’t see colour or that society shouldn’t see colour only hurts those who have experienced racism firsthand.

‘Colour blindness’ in itself denies those who have faced discrimination the ability to share their stories. When I realized this, that novel I read in high school suddenly seemed much more real than it did before.

Sentiments such as “I don’t see colour” or better yet, “all people are the same to me” are the foundations of this approach. This viewpoint may seem to be about equality on the surface — it is, after all, principled on the idea that we should all be treated the same.

However, being colour blind as a response to racism actually

Tamara Connor features@the-peak.ca

negates the diversity of experiences among individuals, and only perpetuates racist ideas.

To put it simply, seeing colour isn’t racist, but seeing one colour as being superior or preferable to another is racist.

The colour blindness argument, in a way, distorts the definition of racism. This idea has been elaborated by many, but E.J.R. David, an American journalist and professor at the University of Alaska, sums it up the most eloquently, “pretending or choosing to not see color [sic] will not solve racism; colorblindness will just ignore racism and maintain it.”

Disguised under the premise of fairness, colour blindness only sweeps the issue of racism under the rug, leaving those who are affected by it more frustrated, angry, and oppressed than ever.

At the age of 15, I immigrated to Canada with my family. I was born in the Philippines but spent my entire childhood growing up in Hong Kong. When I first registered for high school here, I was told that I would have to take an English test, since I had moved to Canada from another country. Even though I told the secretary that English was my first language, as I had gone to an international school with a Canadian curriculum in Hong Kong, she still insisted that I had to take the test in compliance with school procedure.

The test had one question that had to be answered in paragraph form. I quickly filled up two pages

January 18, 2016

with my answer and shocked the teacher when I asked her for more paper. And her shock at what I was capable of stuck with me.

As my time spent living in Canada has gone by, I have had many conversations centred around where I lived before Canada, and over the years I have received many comments like, “oh, you moved from Hong Kong? But your English is so good. I thought you had grown up here!” or “you have no accent whatsoever — I had no idea you had moved here from another country!” Making comments about one’s accent, and the lack thereof, is discriminatory.

I watched my parents struggle to find employment. My dad, who had over 30 years of accounting experience, did not have his credentials recognized here because they were obtained in the Philippines. I remember him looking through a catalogue of classes offered by the Burnaby School District for Continuing Studies, and considering whether

he should take an “Accent Reduction” course to increase his chances of employment.

These were a few of the experiences my family lived through.

We were judged, often incorrectly, based on our immigrant status. While Canadian society had guidelines in place for newcomers to Canada, these guidelines certainly don’t apply for every immigrant. The disparities in this system were evident even within the experiences of different members of my own family.

Even though Canada prides itself on being an accepting and diverse country, these subtle nudges to assimilate into Western society are very much still there.

My family’s story is only one of many examples of how race is only one aspect of a multitude of life experiences. Even if a group of people come from the same country, they live through different events, have a variety of backgrounds, and have many components to their identity — and while their culture is certainly part of that, it doesn’t tell their whole story.

Instead of being colour blind, we should act as allies to marginalized groups, and give them the opportunity to tell their stories. The issue of race is complex — comprised of the intersections of culture, background, and lived experiences. Colour blindness is nothing but an oversimplified, unproductive approach to racism in Canada.

No one is colour blind — we should acknowledge colour and appreciate the diversity it creates.