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CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013
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FIRST PEEK
February 23, 2015
This comes with a certain amount of baggage. Most of the time, they know me by her favourite pet name — Smelly — before they ever see my face. They’ve heard about the time I dove into the shallow end of the pool on our family vacation, only to emerge looking like something out of the movie Carrie. Working in an office of your friends and peers is a wonderful thing, but there are certain difficulties that come with being the youngest of the group. I’ve had the good fortune to have worked in a few different environments lately alongside many incredibly bright, good-humoured young adults. Almost exclusively, all of them have been older than me. It’s also not uncommon for me to be the second Roach working at a job, either. The dynamic between me and my future co-workers is usually predetermined by the impression they get of me from my older sister and boss — our radiant Editor-in-Chief, Alison.
Being the youngest in the workplace can be intimidating. It’s easy to feel dismissed, underqualified, undeserving. What’s more, the fear that I had been hired due to nepotism — and that others would perceive it that way — rather than based on my skillset, was a cloud that darkened my first weeks of work at the paper, especially. As a result, I’ve often found myself in a ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ kind of mindset. All there was for
me to do was to do my work, build up my confidence, and hope that my sister’s peers would become my peers, too. Having been in my editing job for a year, I find myself taking on more responsibility in my position at The Peak. It’s a strange feeling, coming to grips with the idea that you might actually know what you’re doing after feeling uncertain for so long. Adopting the philosophy that nothing is inherently good or bad, and only thinking makes it so, I’ve tried to approach it from a different angle. Instead of feeling like I shouldn’t be where I am, I look to great people who have accomplished things at an early age. Usually the remark people make is that that person did something noteworthy, “and they were only this old.” Instead of feeling like a faker, I’ve realized I might try taking pride in the work I do, while always trying to rise to the occasion. And maybe, just maybe, I will be known as simply ‘Melissa,’ and not ‘Smelly.’’
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NEWS
February 23, 2015
news editor email
Leah Bjornson associate news editor news@the-peak.ca
Melissa Roach
Tickets were sold out for an interdisciplinary performance presented by SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement, titled “Spell to Bring Lost Creatures Home.” The performance incorporated the works of visual artist Shary Boyle and songwriter Christine Fellows in a series of vignettes, projected live and accompanied by music.
SFU community members of all genders mobilized inside a Burnaby campus men’s washroom last Wednesday to advocate for gender-neutral washrooms on campus. The event, humorously called the “Shit-in,” was a sit-in protest during which students took a stand for inclusivity of transgender students and faculty at SFU. The group that organized the event, the Gender Inclusive Washroom Committee, argues that the gender binary of public washrooms makes them uncomfortable and unsafe environments for transgender and gender nonconforming people.
The Shit-in lasted from 1 p.m. to about 3:15 p.m. Student advocates demonstrated in the southern hallway of the 3000 level of the AQ outside the washroom, where they sat on chairs with their pants around their ankles, holding signs with messages such as, “Say no to gender policing,” and “Check your potty privilege.” Several staff and students joined the protest, including gender, sexuality, and women’s studies lecturer and critic-in-residence for Canadian Women in the Literary Arts, Lucas Crawford. Recent research supports the protesters’ concerns that gender-segregated washrooms are in fact dangerous. A 2013 study produced by the Williams Institute of the University of California, Los Angeles showed that 70 per cent of transgender people surveyed in the Washington, DC area faced harassment or assault, or were even denied entrance to washrooms of their identified gender. Study author Jody Herman wrote, “The concept of two separate and opposing genders — men and women — is entrenched in our
society and reflected in our built environment.” In essence, the socially learned concept of the gender binary is reflected in how our public washrooms are organized. Signage at the Shit-in conveyed this with a more playful tone, declaring that people have been “potty trained.” Theron Meyer, a third year gender studies student who helped organize the event, explained, “[The Shit-in is] supposed to raise awareness among students about trans safety and their accessibility when it comes to accessing washrooms. [It is] also [meant] to create a kind of dialogue between university officials and students, a dialogue between students.” The group is also circulating a petition, addressed to the university administration, to make the change to SFU washrooms. Meyer expressed their hopes for the event: “What I hope to happen today is just to do our thing and to see some more signatures on the petition.” SFU’s associate VP student services, Tim Rahilly, issued a statement on behalf of the administration leading up to the
event. It reads, “the University has taken steps to provide gender-neutral spaces throughout our three campuses in Burnaby, Vancouver, [and] Surrey.” Rahilly went on to say that no formal complaint has been made to SFU’s Human Rights and Equity Office regarding gender-neutral washrooms, but the university is working alongside the Simon Fraser Student Society to change the policy to allow preferred names on student IDs. Meyer told The Peak that the response they had received from the university so far had been “very defensive,” as it states that the school has “already met all these plans and all these changes in terms of trans inclusion.” The university also cited the five single-person gender inclusive washrooms that have already been established in the AQ. “My response is that it’s not good enough,” Meyer stated. “I want the university to know that we’re not angry, we’re just dissatisfied. We’re not trying to shame or vilify them, but we want the change.”
SFU’s Task Force on Flexible Education hosted its third “World Café” on the relevance and flexibility of a university degree. The event, open to students, staff, and faculty members, was previously held at the Burnaby and Vancouver campuses. It addressed questions such as, “How can SFU provide more relevant learning experiences to its students?”
On Thursday February 19, the SFU Vancouver Speakers Series, in partnership with SFU Public Square, hosted a lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and writer Chris Hedges titled “The Rules of Revolt: What do citizens owe ourselves, each other, and our governments?” The event took place at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church.
NEWS
February 23, 2015
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Concerned residents of the Louis Riel residence at SFU Burnaby have formed a working group to advocate against the building’s potential closure. Formed on Friday, Feb. 13, the group has launched a petition to ensure that “all the current and future low-income families and graduate students in Louis Riel House are provided with appropriate housing on the SFU Burnaby campus.” Students have repeatedly raised concerns over the presence of mould at SFU’s Burnaby campus over the past few years. More recently, those concerns have centered around the condition of Louis Riel House. The university is currently in the process of performing a full building assessment on a roomby-room basis regarding moulds and indoor air quality, and will be releasing the results of that survey in the upcoming weeks.
Teresa Dettling, a student and single mother who has lived in Louis Riel for the past two years, told The Peak that she is concerned that the university might close the residence. When asked whether she is nervous about the presence of mould in some units, she replied, “Even if we wanted to go somewhere else, we don’t have the money. It’s just not there.” Louis Riel residents, which include graduate students, families, and mature students, currently pay $843 per month for a one bedroom suite or $991 per month for a two bedroom suite. This is comparable with the traditional-style apartments in McTaggart-Cowan Hall ($2,576 per term or $644 per month for four months) or the Townhouses ($2,972 per term or $743 per month for four months). For Dettling’s neighbour, Mai Abdelmoaty, whose husband is finishing his PhD in electrical engineering at SFU, staying in Louis Riel also means keeping her family together. “This community let me keep my family in one spot, instead of me staying home and my husband coming here for his studies,” stated Abdelmoaty. Louis Riel residents sign a fouryear limited contract when they first arrive at SFU, which is meant
to ensure that affordable housing is always available for new students. “I planned to stay for the maximum time I could stay,” Abdelmoaty said. “But now, if they really close it, I have to adjust my plans.” Dettling is worried that instead of accommodating mature students and their families in other residences on campus, the university might advise them to look for housing in UniverCity or off of the mountain. “SFU doesn’t want family housing because it’s not profitable,” Dettling asserted. “This is going to cost money. It costs money when you make a mistake. They gambled that we would leave quietly, they
gambled that no one would know what they were doing. And they lost. Because this is gentrification. This is what slum lords do.” Tim Rahilly, SFU associate vice president, students, responded to these comments in an email to The Peak. He explained that the university has “worked to develop a comprehensive review of the residence, and have been communicating with residents to keep them informed since last summer. “The well-being and safety of our students is a top priority,” continued Rahilly. “With [Louis Riel House] coming to the end of its life cycle, we are now working towards a decision to ensure students and
families are living in healthy and safe locations. We will continue to assist students and families as we develop next steps.” For the working group, the next steps involve continued petitioning of the university for alternative, affordable housing, should the building be closed. The residents also discussed the possibility of pursuing legal action against the university at their most recent meeting on Feb. 21. Ultimately, Dettling said that she is ready for a fight: “I won’t stop, and I won’t give up, and I won’t back down because I have so much to lose if this community is not continued.”
A recent scientific paper published in Nature focusing on the analysis of a partial human skull provides substantial evidence for the “Out of Africa” theory. The skull — also referred to as a calvarium — was discovered in 2008 when excavators expanding a sewage line accidentally poked through the roof of a cave which had remained sealed for the past 30,000 years. The morphological characteristics of the fossil skull were analyzed fairly quickly. The results suggest that it was closely related to modern Africans and Upper Paleolithic Europeans.
However, it’s taken several years to precisely date the skull to 55,000 years old using Uranium-thorium dating. This is the first fossil evidence that modern humans and Neanderthals coexisted in Israel 55,000 years ago, and possibly interbred. This evidence also fits the genetic and archaeological models for the dispersal of modern humans in waves out of Africa instead of evolving on the way to Europe or in Europe. All these conjectures were gleaned from one partial skull found in a cave that still has more secrets to uncover. SFU professor of archaeology Francesco Berna, who worked with the archaeological team on analyzing the calvarium, has been conducting further work at the Manot Cave in Israel where the skull was discovered. “When you get into the cave, you need a minute to adjust because it’s very dark,” he explained.
The cave is large with steps leading down and huge columns of stalactites and stalagmites extending from floor to ceiling. Excavations take place every year inside the cave, from which researchers remove sediments to process and clean bones and artifacts. By analyzing the mineralogy from the sediments, Berna is trying to see “how they are built up and how the humans used the cave.” This allows him to see natural processes, and human actions like trampling and making fire. Meg Thibodeau, an MA student whose main interest is how early humans made and used fire, assisted Berna last year in the Manot cave with sediment analysis. As an archaeologist, the most exciting thing for Berna was when his predictions concerning how humans used the cave and where they made fire coincided to where they actually did. “You feel so excited,
everything starts to make total sense” he said. Berna plans to continue working on this cave with the team in order to find more clues regarding
when the Upper Paleolithic began. “If we can get to the Middle Paleolithic to Upper Paleolithic transition, it will be fantastic. That will be a major discovery,” he said.
6 NEWS
February 23, 2015
In anticipation of the Simon Fraser Student Society’s (SFSS) upcoming Spring Jam concert on Friday, March 20, The Peak sat down with two members of the opening band, Derrival. They will be playing alongside DJs Cash Cash and Stafford Brothers at the show, which will take place next month. The local group recently won second place in The Peak Performance Project, and have been performing together for five years. The band also has an SFU connection; bass guitarist and bass synthesist Deven Azevedo is an environmental science student who also serves as a student representative on the university’s board of governors. Derrival’s vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Adam Mah, is also a student, currently attending Capilano University for its arts and entertainment management program.
The Peak: How will the Spring Jam be different for you from other shows? Mah: I don’t think we’ve ever played a university show of this scale. We’ve played Capilano before, but it’s super small. It will be really cool to get into a larger environment. Playing with two bands that are more EDM-based will be interesting. Azevedo: I think it will be largely a different crowd, if they come early enough to see us [laughs] — a different crowd in terms of their taste for music, which is neat because I
think we’re kind of going a bit more [towards] synthesis in our music. It will be interesting to see if they dig some of our stuff. P: What can people expect from you at the concert? A: Probably a few new songs. So, in terms of content, that will be something new and different. I guess we haven’t actually seen what the stage setup will look like, so there’s a potential for something different . . . M: Back-up dancers, confetti cannons [laughs]. I’ve heard
There is still more time to apply for Personal Credits of up to $3000 for educational, language or cultural programs. Individuals who received a Common Experience Payment under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement are eligible for up to $3000 in Personal Credits for education programs and services. These include courses at universities, colleges, trade or training schools or for programs and workshops provided by community-based groups or cultural centres for activities related to Aboriginal language and culture. Personal Credits can be used by a Common Experience Payment recipient, shared with up to two family members or pooled for group education services. The deadline to apply has been extended to March 9, 2015. Help with completing the Personal Credits Acknowledgment Form is available. Find out more at www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca or by phone: Scan with your mobile device
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that one of [the other performers] dresses up as a kangaroo. P: I think they actually bring an inflatable kangaroo. M: So, we might have to get an inflatable animal. [. . .] I could just bring my cat. A: We got a new instrument — a new bass synthesizer — which with these big subs they have will hopefully shake the ground. P: What impact, if any, have events like these had on student life at SFU? A: It seems like over the past two years that I’ve been here, or year and a half, it feels like something has been changed. I think that these concerts have had a role in that in terms of there’s something to do up here, occasionally. [. . .] So, I do think it’s part of a change for the better in terms of more of a community feel. On the Facebook page, there are a few remarks that were expressed that they said it would be more broad and it’s still very EDM. [. . .] I think there are ways that could definitely improve it, that could help the community be stronger, but I think it’s a step in the right direction. P: Where does the name Derrival come from? M: When [Tokyo Police Club] released Champ, I watched an interview where they talked about how they used the dictionary to find the name of the album. I thought would be a cool idea, so we found the words ‘departure’ and ‘arrival’ in the dictionary and we mashed them together. [Quoting David Bowie] The truth is, of course, is that there is no journey. We are arriving and departing all at the same time. P: On a scale of ‘meh’ to ‘OH MY GOD,’ how excited are you for the concert? Both: OH MY GOD!
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Board members were tasked earlier this month to recommend ways to move forward with the Build SFU projects following the Special General Meeting (SGM) on January 19. At the meeting on Wednesday, they presented the results of their discussions. At-large representative Rebecca clarified that the recommendations were based on the assumption that the No to Build SFU campaign will be putting a ‘revoke the levy’ question for the Spring referendum. The group recommended that the board refrain from asking any question related to the debenture (loan) in the spring referendum. Instead, they emphasized the need to reevaluate the project as it currently stands, as well as consider increasing financial support for students through the Build SFU bursary. The board moved to task the existing working group to look into financial assistance options as well as to develop potential referendum questions in case they become necessary.
VP student life Kayode Fatoba began a discussion with reference to this year’s SFSS Appreciation Gala that he had begun to organize through the events committee. Fatoba stated that at the events committee meeting, business representative Shadnam Khan had moved to postpone the event indefinitely. Fatoba asked for an explanation, and wanted it to be discussed at the board table. At-large representative Rebecca Langmead replied, “The events committee felt as though it was inappropriate for the committee to approve the event as it was our understanding that the event would not be open to all of our membership.� She then went on the address the nature of the discussion itself. “To add this to the board agenda as a way to make a personal attack on a
NEWS
committee member and a board member is very unprofessional, and I would advise against it,� she said. “This is not the first time personal attacks have been made, and I would ask that those who have been victimised by such personal attacks understand that they have legal options and health and counselling if they need it.� SFSS president Chardaye Bueckert echoed Langmead’s sentiments. “This is the third straight board meeting where there’s been unnecessary conflict that could be resolved with one-on-one conversations,� she said. “Students are paying hundreds of dollars right now to have this meeting. Let’s not hash out interpersonal stuff at the board table.�
Considering that the SFSS plans to eventually move its offices to the proposed Student Union Building (SUB), the society approved the future surrender of a portion of its square footage in the Maggie Benston Centre (MBC) back to the university. The SFSS would surrender 1,174.86 square metres of space to the university in September, 2017, in return for $3,500,000. Reflecting the recent uncertainty regarding the Build SFU projects, the paperwork declared that should the SUB project not proceed, the agreement would be nullified.
February 23, 2015
SFU alumna Julia Kreutz and her two business partners have reached the semifinals of the Start Something with Alesse competition with their nonprofit startup, the East Side Sock Club. The East Side Sock Club aims to support local Vancouver artists as well as help the homeless population in the Downtown Eastside by donating socks to its inhabitants. The non-profit plans to buy designs for socks from local artists, manufacture the socks, sell them to local retail partners, and, for each pair sold, donate a pair to local organizations. These organizations will then distribute the socks to the homeless population of Vancouver. Kreutz, who graduated SFU in 2013 with a Bachelor of Education, is a curator at the Gam Gallery, which she started in 2009. Along with Colin Cej, a graphic designer who rents studio space at the Gam Gallery, and Tarah Hogue, her cocurator at the gallery, Kreutz entered the competition. The three entrepreneurs have been best friends since high school. Kreutz explained that the
of the DTES. “It’s kind of a community that thrives off one another because artists have to always find the cheapest rent for their studio spaces and the same with people who are less fortunate,� she said. The Start Something with Alesse competition is now in its fifth year of fostering both nonprofit and for-profit startups across Canada. This year, 1,403 ideas were submitted to compete for the grand prize, which includes $5,000 and a mentorship program to help bring the winner’s idea to fruition.
The project is currently only in the beginning phases as the three try to secure partnerships and look into manufacturing. However, Kreutz intends to use the prize money and mentorship should they win to pay the artists, raise awareness about the project, and to move ahead with manufacturing the first batch of socks. Kreutz spoke about the future of the organization: “We’re starting with socks and I guess
In the piece, “Graduate student society AGM discussed elections, term limits,� published on the same date as the above, please note that the GSS plan is provided by StudentCare Networks, and is not at all related to the Guard.me plan provided by the university for international students.
we’re hoping it will grow to different clothing or things. We are just putting one foot in front of the other, trying our best to represent the artists in a positive way and give them a platform to present their art.� The club has already chosen its first artists to be featured: Sean Karemaker, Tyler Robbins,
and Ola Volo. Regarding the role of design in the project, Kreutz explained, “[ We’re trying] to have them be funky and cool, but at the same time have it not just be about fashion and the art world but also to have it reach people who need help in our community at a more personal level.�
DÊlai prolongÊ pour prÊsenter une demande de crÊdits personnels d’une valeur pouvant atteindre 3 000 $ pour des programmes Êducationnels, linguistiques ou culturels. Les bÊnÊficiaires du Paiement d’expÊrience commune en vertu de la Convention de règlement relative aux pensionnats indiens peuvent recevoir jusqu’à 3 000 $ sous forme de crÊdits personnels pour des programmes ou services d’Êducation.
Article Corrections Regarding the article “Study aims to reduce stigma around mental health,� published on February 16, 2015, The Peak would like to clarify that Rod Lal is not a professor, but is currently a PhD candidate in Educational Psychology and has taught as a sessional in the department.
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impetus to enter came from Cej. He “saw [the competition ad] on the side of a bus in Vancouver. They had a billboard on the bus and he was like ‘Oh, that’s awesome,’� Kreutz told The Peak . “He was the one who actually came up with the idea.� On how the project benefits the community, she said, “I think it speaks to the area of the Downtown Eastside. [The area] holds the largest number of studios and artists, but it’s also the home to many [single room occupancies] and homeless people who find shelter there, find help for their addictions, and find community there.� Kreutz elaborated on how the project fits the collaborative spirit
Cela comprend des cours dans des universitÊs, des collèges ou des Êcoles de mÊtier ou de formation, ou des programmes ou ateliers fournis par des groupes communautaires ou des centres culturels qui offrent des activitÊs liÊes aux langues ou à la culture autochtones. Les crÊdits personnels peuvent être utilisÊs par les bÊnÊficiaires du Paiement d’expÊrience commune ou partagÊs avec un ou deux membres de leur famille, ou encore mis en commun dans le but d’obtenir des services d’Êducation collective. La date limite pour prÊsenter une demande a ÊtÊ prolongÊe au 9 mars 2015. De l’aide pour remplir le formulaire d’attestation de crÊdits personnels est offerte. Pour plus d’information, consultez le site Web www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca ou communiquez par tÊlÊphone avec les organisations suivantes : Balayez avec votre appareil mobile
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8 NEWS
February 23, 2015
— was actually the result of a landslide that was triggered by an earthquake. The landslide drove a wave into Lituya Bay that ran 518 metres up the opposite slope of the inlet, stripping the old growth forest.
Lake tsunamis are a real and dangerous threat that an SFU professor believes British Columbians need to be more aware of. According to John Clague, an SFU professor in the department of earth sciences, “The public and other government agencies don’t seem to be aware that this is a hazard that is potentially a deadly one.” Clague became interested in this research after observing the consequences of the 2007 landslide into Chehalis Lake. The impact of the unstable shoreline hitting the water caused a wave that exceeded 30 metres. If this event had occurred in the summer months when individuals had been camping along the lake, Clague asserts that it could have resulted in deaths. “If that had happened in July it could have killed 50 people!” he exclaimed.
When landslides cause lake tsunamis, the waves they create spread away from the point source much in the same way as they do when “throwing a pebble into a pond.” However, these waves can be very large, and have the potential to do a lot of damage. These are distinct from the tsunamis caused by earthquakes
that affect large areas and travel far distances. The effects of landslide tsunamis are highly dependent upon location. As Clague explained, “A big enough landslide falling at a high enough speed can produce very, very large waves, but they diminish faster away from the source”. The 1958 tsunami in Alaska — the largest in modern history
British Columbia contains many lakes and extensive fjords along its coastline that put it at a particularly high risk for this type of tsunami. In Norway, where there is a similar coastal geography and a more densely populated coastline, landslide-triggered tsunamis have lead to more than 100 deaths this past century. With increasing coastal populations in British Columbia, Clague explained, “We need to look at our coastlines and look at our lake shorelines, and identify areas where there might be a hazard. Right now, we just don’t know.”
A glass of wine not equivalent to an hour at the gym Students wielding hunting knives stir controversy Students at the University of the Fraser Valley have voiced their discomfort with fellow students carrying knives around campus. Mike Twolan, head of UFV security, points out that “Carrying a knife [. . .] is not against the law. Certain knives are against the law: switchblades, stilettos, blades that retract and protract automatically, spring-loaded.” Although the discomfort of others does not make carrying a knife illegal, Twolan does not support students bringing knives to school, and UFV security is working on a policy to restrict it. However, this is keeping in mind that to some students’ knives, such as the kirpan, hold religious significance.
In contrary to recent viral claims, University of Alberta researchers have proven that drinking one glass of wine does not give the same benefits of working out. A study produced by U of A’s Dr. Jason Dyck in 2012 found that the polyphenol compound resveratrol — found in red wine — may naturally make exercising easier, especially for heart failure patients. Though resveratrol appears naturally in foods such as nuts, fruits and red wine, Dyck noted that one would have to drink “100 to 1,000 bottles [of wine] a day” to reach the prescribed amount used in their study.
Ryerson introduces a major program in a native language Ryerson University’s department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures (LLC) introduced a new BA program, the bachelor of Language and Intercultural Relations. The degree program, which is the LLC’s first, will allow students to pursue a major in literature studies in their native language. Dean of the faculty of arts, Jean-Paul Boudreau, said, “We think that language and the importance of linguistic diversity is really foundational to building a strong, first-rate University.”
With files from The Gateway With files from The Eyeopener
With files from The Cascade
OPINIONS
It has been a little over a year since the Mr. Right Wing column first came into existence. In that time, I have done my best to try and keep our readers aware of the fact that the opinions they hold, popular or not, are not necessarily the strongest ones on a variety of issues. In this space I have brought up the legalization of marijuana, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and even broached the uncomfortable topic of abortion, all while taking time to criticize Trudeau at least once a month. Yet, I realize now that I have never once explained to readers the motivation behind why I write what I write and pledge my support to my party. So, in the interest of clarity, allow me to explain just why I am a Conservative. Let me start by stating that I am probably not as conservative as you would think. For example, I am a strong supporter of the healthcare system as it operates in our country, which is
February 23, 2015
not something one might expect from a hardline right-winger. I am also a strong believer in social programs and income assistance as a temporary measure to aid those in need. I do, however, believe that we need to set conditions and standards on those assistance programs so that they are not abused, and so that the funds that are distributed from them are used appropriately. In most political organizations, such a deviation from the typical ideals of conservatism would see me alienated or denied participation. Fortunately, I belong to a party that embraces diversity of opinion, so that I can still believe both in the right of same-sex couples to get married, and that no doctor should be forced to perform a procedure that they believe compromises their own integrity and morality, including abortion or euthanasia. If I were to be a Liberal supporter, I would have to abandon those beliefs, but as a Conservative, I can remain true to my own ideals. Furthermore, I believe that the government should seek to balance its budget not by raising taxes, but by using the funds available to them in order to meet the needs of its people. National budgets need to operate the same as personal ones; I cannot simply force my employers to give me more money, and neither should our elected officials.
A government needs to be able to deliver on promised programs without increasing the burden on Canadian citizens, especially those who are gaining little to no benefit from such programs. I believe in a strong Canada; one whose trade is not solely reliant on the United States, but who reaches out to the world in order to maximize opportunity. I believe in a country under the rule of law, with a code of crime and punishment, whose elected representatives leaders respect, uphold and obey the laws of the nation, even when they do not necessarily agree with them.
I believe in a Canadian Armed Forces that is fully equipped to continue a proud legacy of serving in humanitarian missions in the wider world. I believe in having a leader who represents the Canadians who put him in office, and is not afraid to stand up for what is right, especially when it isn’t easy. So I am now, and will forever be, a Conservative.
opinions editor email
Adam Van der Zwan opinions@the-peak.ca
I’d like to respond to last week’s article titled “Obese modelling encourages unhealthy lifestyles,” which claimed that overweight bodies are more susceptible to disease and other health risks, and therefore shouldn’t be put in the media spotlight. This article is fat-shaming at its most dangerous and disturbing, and it’s crucial to speak out about these types of discrimination. The crux of writer Anthony Bianco’s argument relies upon the stereotype that all fat bodies are inherently unhealthy. Not only is this not true, but it leads to the oppression of fat people and the impossible notion that there is one uniform “healthy body weight.” Bianco stated the weight and height of Tess Holliday — a hugely successful model and body-positive activist — as if that is any indication of Holliday’s health. Let me be as clear as possible: a person’s size or shape provides absolutely no grounds for assumption about their health, personality, or human rights. As Bianco wrote, “Her recent ascent to fame now makes her a role model for millions, and sends the message that having a weight labelled as obese is okay, or even cool.” First of all, it is never okay to diagnose someone with obesity unless you are a healthcare practitioner. In her book Health at Every Size, Dr. Linda Bacon wrote, “Fat isn’t the problem [. . .] A medical establishment that equates ‘thin’ with ‘healthy’ is the problem.” The article in The Peak also avoids using the word “fat,” which is the first sign of
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fat-shaming. The use of words like “grossly overweight” and “obese” are misinterpreted as value-neutral because they are used in a medical context — this is just as discriminatory as calling someone “fat” as an insult. As writer and activist Lindsay King-Miller wrote in an article for Bitch last year, “if you don’t need to be thin to be considered a worthwhile or complete person, then ‘fat’ isn’t an insult, just a descriptor.”
Finally, epidemiological studies on weight rarely account for factors like socioeconomic status, activity, and nutrient intake, which all are equally relevant is assessing risk for disease. The presumed public health crisis of obesity is actually more of a moral panic against the publicity of fat bodies. But the weakest aspect of Bianco’s argument by far is the assumption that fat models hold ideological influence over the public. It’s laughable to presume that the success and fame of fat people could somehow force consumers to make choices that will leave them susceptible to disease and other health risks. If we see any ideological consequence of a diverse presentation of bodies in mainstream media, it will most likely be the shocking realization that it’s acceptable to have a body that doesn’t resemble all the overwhelmingly white, able-bodied, thin, and cisgender models currently in the spotlight.
10 OPINIONS
As you are probably already aware, the transportation funding plebiscite is fast approaching and both sides of the debate are actively trying to win your vote. The ‘no’ side, championed by the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation (CTF), has arguably been the more vocal side, but it is important to consider what they have to say with a healthy dose of skepticism. There is one point in particular that the CTF has decided to dwell on: the question of TransLink, its management, and perceived waste. The ‘no’ side wants you to believe that a ‘no’ vote on this plebiscite will send a message to the provincial leaders that you are unhappy with TransLink, as a company, and want to see a change in their leadership or structure. It will not.
The City of Kamloops recently denied a proposal from Councilor Donovan Cavers to add the word “estil,” meaning “stop” in the Aboriginal language Secwepemc, to their traffic stop signs. The council’s reasoning was clear: To add the word violates the Motor Vehicle Act. An additional language could prove to be hazardous, as drivers could become confused, which could be potentially dangerous. Such changes to these traffic signs should not be seen as a “driving hazard,” as multilingual road signs are in place in other
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guaranteed (or as close to guaranteed as you can get) to be spent on transportation projects. It really is a damn good deal. For a small 0.5 per cent increase in the PST, our fair city will get more than 30 kilometres of new rapid rail transit, a 25 per cent increase in bus service, 2,700 kilometres of bikeways, and a new Pattullo bridge.
The purpose of this plebiscite is very clear, and the voting options are very simple. We have the opportunity to approve or disapprove of a new funding source for regional transportation projects — specifically, the projects outlined in the Mayors’ Council Plan. The vote is a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ If you agree that the projects will benefit the region and agree with the funding proposal, then vote ‘yes.’ If you’re absolutely sure that you don’t agree
with the funding source, then you should probably vote ‘no.’ In no way, shape, or form is this vote about TransLink’s governance structure, management, or responsibilities. After all, the provincial government leaders aren’t mind readers, and despite what the CTF would like you to think, there simply isn’t a way a ‘no’ vote can be interpreted as a ‘yes to transit, but no to TransLink.’ It’s a completely ludicrous idea; you can bet your
bottom dollar that a ‘no’ vote will be interpreted as a big fat no to transportation projects. The CTF and their cronies have attempted to hijack this vote and deflect public debate onto the agency in charge, instead of the real debate on the projects and their funding source. Still unsure of how you’re going to vote? Here are few more facts to persuade you: once this funding source is secured, it is
That’s not much for what will certainly be a world-class transportation system, which our region desperately needs. The nice thing about this plan is that it offers something for literally every region within Metro Vancouver, and for all transportation modes. Everyone will benefit, whether they take transit or not. So in the next month or two, get registered to vote, make sure you do your research about the projects and funding source, and finally: vote! Just remember what you are actually voting for.
parts of the country. Although Cavers’s proposal contravened provincial law, such a proposal was a positive step in respecting local First Nations culture and promoting racial equality.
Contrary to our provincial government’s beliefs, multilingual signs help non-English speakers reduce risk while driving. Moreover, these signs show respect and inclusivity to different cultural populations, which is a big step in making a more tolerable, free, and equal society. Declining the use of multilingual signs is a big deal, as it rejects racial equality by promoting ignorance toward the Secwepemc language and people. A better resolution would be for provincial laws to take into consideration the culture, history, and language of regions such as Kamloops. They might even consider multilingual headers on drivers’ licences, as speakers of other languages might be less confused in reading the important information on these cards. Today, many Secwepemc people still live in Kamloops, and have tried hard to preserve their language through different projects.
The Secwepemc language plays such a great role in this culture, that it is unsurprising for an activist like Cavers to make such a bold move in calling for the acknowledgment of Shuswap history. Cavers’ language proposal should be commended as a step forward on the long road
to equality — a prospect that our multicultural nation should continue to push for. Before we can fully recognize Aboriginal culture in Kamloops and cultural equality among Canadians from all backgrounds, provincial laws that promote cultural inclusivity must be created.
To address the issue of multilingual signs as driving hazards: if they truly are, then bilingual stop signs in eastern Canadian provinces such as New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island would be driving hazards as well. There are even road signs containing both English and Chinese in Richmond. However, these signs are not viewed as driving hazards, according to the laws in these regions.
OPINIONS
Canadians often fail to realize the difference between trophy hunting and hunting for food. These two types of hunting are prevalent in Canadian society and history, but one places trophies on a wall, while another puts food on the table. The slaughter of animals purely for the purposes of adding another bearskin rug or mounted set of antlers to a wooden hunting shack is not okay in my mind, but hunting to put food on a table is another story. While a small percentage of seal hunting is done by Inuit people today, this practice has been tradition among many indigenous cultures, including those of Canada and the United States. In Canada, there has been a great deal of outrage over the traditional Inuit ritual of seal hunting. Many agencies see this as inhumane, uncivilized, or completely unnecessary. In other words, many people in Canada associate seal hunting with traditional Inuit practices, and view consumption of seal meat as barbaric. Don Cherry, Canadian celebrity and host of Hockey Night in Canada’s “Coach’s Corner,” expressed this view during a
February 23, 2015
Saturday night broadcast last week. He referred to colleague Ron MacLean as “a savage [and] a barbarian,” for eating a seal burger from a restaurant in St. John’s. This view is not uncommon among Canadians, but is deeply problematic — associating one of the oldest, most sacred practices of the Indigenous Inuit peoples of Canada with plain savagery.
Though Cherry’s views might echo those of most Canadians, seal hunting should not be associated with barbarism is any manner. Just as other hunting industries are regulated, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) heavily regulates the seal hunting industry to maintain humane standards and allow for the protection of the seal population. Misconceptions abound in regards to this practice, starting with viewing the hakapik — a club used to kill seals — as an inhumane ways to hunt these animals. This is addressed on the Government of Canada website, which states that the hakapik is “at least as humane as, and often more humane
than, the killing methods used in commercial slaughterhouses.” Yet, when it comes to traditional Inuit hunting practices that have been passed down through generations of hunters, we still associate seal hunting with cruelty. Seals are cute. They present an awful picture when dragged over the ice, but so do lambs or piglets — all of which are main portions of the food industry. Most animals are cute, but the cuteness of seals is used to prove that only barbarians could kill something so sweet. When it comes to other animals like deer or lambs, rarely are pictures of their cuteness shoved in the faces of the public. Hunting is an time-honoured way of providing food for one’s family, and there’s no reason for us to think differently about the hunting that occurs today. People who hunt for food rather than for trophies often fill their freezers with game meat, and teach their children to do the same. When hunting is used as a way to feed a family, or simply a way to put meat on the table, I support it. Properly purchasing licenses (the profits of which may be used to fund habitat preservation efforts), shooting only game in season, and following the regulations established by the DFO all make for environmentally sustainable and humane hunting. In all respects, the seal hunting industry in Canada falls under this category.
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Where would our lives be without wisdom? Our society thrives — and is dependent — on wisdom to succeed. Generational knowledge and experience is passed down among family, at work, and at school; sometimes this knowledge is amended due to societal or ideological change before it is passed down further. Regardless, the experiences that past positions have had remain
embedded in history, forever to be referenced and applied. Wisdom is everywhere. I’m offered wisdom every time I flip on the TV or browse the Internet; this university is essentially wisdom in a concrete enclosure; my grandmother splurges neverending wisdom as she pounds back the whiskey. I don’t know what I would do without the knowledge that has been passed down to me. Three cheers for wisdom!
Who the fuck named those terrible, crooked teeth at the backs of our evolutionarily shrinking jaws? I associate wisdom with good judgement, peace and prosperity. When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I felt none of those things. In fact, all I felt were the effects of the copious T3s, stool softeners, and ice packets I had
to use during the week that my face resembled a grapefruit. The pain was astounding. I didn’t gain any knowledge or self-fulfillment as I drooled all over my pillow, practically suffocating on gauze. The only wisdom I took from the experience was that I never wanted to go through that hell again!
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ARTS
December 18, 2014 marked the end of an era in the edutainment community, as Stephen Colbert achieved immortality and set off to the moon in Santa’s sleigh along with Alex Trebek and Abraham Lincoln. Five days earlier, I set off to New York City with the aim of witnessing one of the last live tapings of The Colbert Report. It is a show that galvanized me to pack up my small suitcase with the
arts editor email
February 23, 2015
most absurd (and most soughtafter) favourite items that I found in my wardrobe. Keep in mind, this included my Humphrey Bogart-meets-Hellboy urban-demon style trench coat, my Superman t-shirt, my peach-yellow Chinese 100 per cent acryclic scarf, my one-size-fits-Sasquatch black shoes with extra width, and lastly, my Irish green jeans that I borrowed from Jim Carrey after he was done playing The Riddler. After settling my accommodations, I headed straight to 513 West 54 Street for a chance to see my favourite comedian in person. I was number 45 in the standby line; the day’s show accepted only 25 of those. I grudgingly went away and decided to go sleep, if only to calm my excited nerves. The next day, I was number two in the standby line. I got in. It was surreal. After we were warmed up by a local comedian and practiced
laughing exercises, Stephen entered with polite pomposity and heartwarming generosity as he began his favourite part of the show – Q and A with the audience members. The show started when Stephen finished answering his 10th or 11th question. Topics discussed in the show’s segments included lowering prices of oil, letting a sponsor rebrand the show, and Jeb Bush eyeing a presidential run. After seeing Kendrick Lamar debuting a new untitled song (which has since made its way onto his upcoming third album), Stephen thanked him and waved goodbye to signal the end of that night’s show. He then answered one last question from the audience, which was about advice for improv classes. I found Stephen’s answer to be great advice for life as well. Stephen said, “Listen to other people. They are more important than you.” And that was it.
Tessa Perkins arts@the-peak.ca
Even though I couldn’t get in for another live taping the next day, I was able to get an autograph and a rare Medal of Truthiness (only four other people in the world possess this artifact of a bygone edutainment empire).
Stephen Colbert was recently in the news again, this time for being honoured at the 10th annual Oscar Wilde Awards on February 19 for his contributions to Irish film and television. The event took place at the Bad Robot production company of JJ Abrams, located in Santa Monica. Abrams also
honoured Irish painter Colin Davidson, and the ceremony featured performances from Gavin James and Megan O’Neill. The Oscar Wilde Awards, hosted by the non-profit USIreland Alliance, has become known and appreciated for its casual and non-pretentious atmosphere, as well as introducing Irish performers to a broader audience. Previous recipients and presenters have included Tom Cruise, Al Pacino, Jodie Foster, Julia Roberts, Paul Rudd, and Kate Winslet. It’s too bad that he is only receiving the award now, as it would have been a perfect addition to one of my favourite segments on The Colbert Report: “Who’s Honoring Me Now?” Colbert is scheduled to take his new position at The Ed Sullivan Theatre on September 8, 2015 when he takes over The Late Show from David Letterman.
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W rit t en by CLARA CHOW Lay out by CHRISTY LUM Illus t rat ions by RACHELLE TJAHYANA
16 ARTS
February 23, 2015
DREAM BIG
You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma Speaking in drawls and singing their hearts out, the cast of Studio 58’s Oklahoma did this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic justice. In Oklahoma Territory (just before it became a state in 1906), Laurey (Alexandra Wever) plays hard to get with Curly (Owen Bishop), a local cowboy who wants to take her to the box social in his “Surrey with the fringe on top” (a fancy horsedrawn carriage). Meanwhile, her friend, Ado Annie (Adelleh Furseth), does the opposite with any man who “talks purdy” to her. Annie’s song “I Cain’t Say No!” stood out due to Furseth’s
hilarious facial expressions and gestures. Annie has been promised to Will Parker (Sean Sonier), but when the travelling salesman Ali Hakim (Arash Ghorbani) comes through town, she falls for him. Ali Hakim is one of the funniest characters in this musical, as he peddles his wares while trying to stay out the line of fire of Annie’s father. Laurey likes Curly, but is afraid of being too forthcoming, so she entertains the idea that her farmhand Jud Fry (Kamyar Pazandeh) might take her to the box social. Curly goes to visit Jud at the smoke house where he’s staying to have a heart-to-heart. He ends up discussing how easy it would be for Jud to hang himself and end his misery, and the emotional intensity displayed as Jud sang “Pore Jud is Daid” was mesmerizing. Through it all, Laurey’s Aunt Eller (Olivia Hutt) offers her advice
and tries to mediate the various conflicts that arise. Her southern drawl was one of the strongest of the cast, and she served as the voice of reason holding everyone together. This production made the best of their relatively small space, particularly during their creative staging of Laurey’s nightmare dream sequence about Jud. Also notable was the use of a clothesline covered in white sheets to show shadows mirroring Laurey as she dances in the grove. I attended on sing-along night, and we in the audience had a blast shouting out songs like the everuplifting “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” along with the live band. There’s something about the innocent, youthful joy that emanates from the characters in this musical that leaves you uplifted and hopeful, and that’s what has made it such a popular, enduring production. As the cast belts out “Yeeow!
Aye-yip-aye-yo-ee-ay!...O - K - L - A - H - O - M - A, OKLAHOMA!” you get the feeling that, no matter what, everything is going to be “OK.”
SFU DANCE
Twelve is a diverse showcase of SFU talent
FEB 25 VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE 2 pm - 6 pm
SEMINARS start at 1 pm
Twelve is an SFU dance production featuring 12 student-choreographed pieces from different styles of contemporary dance. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their talents in choreography and performance, and to give dancers a platform to participate in a well-produced program. The choreographers were also given the unique chance to work with lighting designers. Students from every year of the dance program are participating in the show, either as a choreographer, performer, or both. “The program provides a scope of talent at SFU, from graduating students to first years,” according to Kayla DeVos, one of the artistic directors for the show.
arts@the-peak.ca
www.studyandgoabroad.com
“The show will be a comprehensive sample of the work SFU students are producing.” From solos to duets and large group pieces to video projections, finding an underlying theme for the show is challenging. Each piece is diverse in style, origin, and process. A number of pieces were developed through classwork, stemming from the creation of movements that contrasted the dancers’ natural tendencies. “They needed to find something that is outside of their comfort zone and to think outside the box,” said stage manager Wilson Terng. Other pieces were developed independently. Artistic director Desi Rekrut noted that some students drew from outside sources, while others searched inward for inspiration. Development of the production began at the end of the fall semester last year, when students presented their pieces in auditions. The submissions were then selected by a panel of judges. The students have put tremendous
amounts of hard work into each of the pieces, Treng noted. Some have been rehearsing and refining their piece for months. One of the two video projections featured in the show will be a summary of the students’ experiences within another culture; they explored the outer extremities of the human body as they reflected on the similarities found in diversity. Another piece experiments with the connection between light and sound, and their relationship with movement and space. “I personally have a preference towards group pieces. It’s just interesting to see the synchronization and then the whole group movement [where] everyone is all in sync and moving as one,” Treng said. “It’s quite elegant, I find.” As Rekrut pointed out, the pieces “are all so different — it’ll be more of an experience.”
ARTS
February 23, 2015
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CINEPHILIA
This season, Pacific Theatre takes on The Whipping Man, a play about slavery and relationships set in post-civil war USA. Written by Matthew Lopez in 2006, this contemporary take on an era rife with societal tension promises to take audiences on an intriguing and emotional journey. Set during Passover in 1865, Officer DeLeon returns from fighting for the Confederates in the American Civil War to find his family missing from their home, and two of his former slaves residing there. Badly wounded, the two emancipated men, Simon and John, are forced to nurse DeLeon back to health. The struggles they face trying to figure out complex relationships, sharing a common faith, and finding out secrets lead to many difficult discoveries, all during a holiday that celebrates the liberation of Jewish slaves from Egypt. The play itself has won numerous accolades, including Obie and Lucille Lortel Awards. Pacific Theatre’s production of
The Whipping Man will raise the stakes, featuring stellar talents including director Anthony F. Ingram and actors Tom Pickett, Carl Kennedy, and Giovanni Mocibob. Recently nominated for a Jessie Award for his role in Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, also with the Pacific Theatre, Carl Kennedy sat down with The Peak to discuss this new take on the play. He will be playing John, a young, newly-emancipated slave.
Kennedy feels a deep personal connection to the piece. “[The play] is a part of my history; being from the south and being African-American, any of my ancestors could easily be the characters from the play,” he explained. “Growing up in the south, even present day there is still a lot of personality left from those former times.” As a metaphor, Kennedy stated, “if you watered down orange juice, you still know it’s orange juice.” The play, he stated, “is about interpersonal relationships. The
son of the family [that owned slaves] is coming back to a home that was completely ruined. Two slaves are left, Simon and John, and it’s them figuring out their relationships with Captain DeLeon.” The setting is one rife with social tension, stated Kennedy: “It’s set post civil war — the war is over, the South lost, and slavery is no more. “I play the younger of the two slaves, John,” Kennedy explained. “There’s a big age gap between the two.” This age gap is also an ideological one, he argued, quoting telling dialogue between the two emancipated men in the show: “you survive your way, I’ll survive mine.” The play questions the idea of ownership, and how the ex-slaves deal with the concept of their own freedom. Kennedy stated that his character can finally “own things just to own them,” a new and freeing experience for him. The concept of freedom itself is explored in the play. “There is obviously an [exploration] of what freedom actually is, and taking it to another level,” Kennedy said. “You can be a slave to any addiction, to your old ideas.”
Fifty Shades of Grey, an adaptation of E. L. James’ book of the same name, grossed over $100 million in North America on its opening weekend and has become the centre of hype for many moviegoers. The film has promised audiences socially acceptable soft-core porn, despite the fact that the material on which the titillating images are based is radically unnerving and intensely disgusting. Anastasia Steele is a broke university student that gets the opportunity to interview a young self-made billionaire, Christian Grey, when her roommate that works for the school paper falls ill. A spark ignites between the unlikely pairing. Anastasia is obviously enchanted and intimidated by Christian, but still she refuses to sign Christian’s sexual contract. The businessman is flawless on the outside — rich, caring, and charismatic — but in reality he’s a psychopathic sadist. Despite the abusive sexual relationship, Anastasia stays with Christian because she sees glimpses of kindness and, more importantly, a wallet full of cash. This movie wants to have its cake and eat it too; the cake being sexual abuse. The narrative is opposed to the disturbing nonconsensual sex in the film, but the aesthetics glamorize the act. There are two opposing elements fighting to dominate the film: one is uninteresting, and the other is immoral. The story wants to be about how sexual abuse affects a person’s sexual relationships. We are told that Christian was molested as a child, which
is supposed to explain his BDSM fetish. For him, Anastasia is merely an object to be used for his sexual gratification. She is clearly opposed to being flogged and beaten in the bedroom; her arc as a character is that she learns to stand up against her abuser and leave the relationship. By contrast, Christian’s development throughout the rest of this series (beware, there are two more coming) appears to be that he learns to overcome his childhood trauma and to treat his sexual partners as people, not objects. Taken on this level, the film is feeble and stiff. The characters’ psyches remain relatively unknown to the audience, while the two leads, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, fail to hint at any deeper hurt through their interactions. For all its ineptness as an examination of the effects of sexual abuse, the narrative, taken on its own, is not immoral. Films that depict immorality need not be immoral themselves. The film’s immorality lies in its voyeuristic tendencies meant to titillate the audience, and its aesthetic approval of nonconsensual sex. The graphic sequences are backed by a risqué score (notably a slowed-down remix of Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love”) and shot with vibrant colours that directly contrast the lifeless decor of Christian’s office or Anastasia’s apartment. Additionally, Dakota Johnson’s performance has a duality that can be interpreted as having intense pleasure or aching pain; however, the film’s form leads you to believe the former, despite the story implying it to be the latter. It amazes me how sophisticated audiences have become at processing and piecing together fragmented images to understand stories, yet they are still lacking in understanding how or why a scene is constructed. Well-intentioned viewers may watch this film but fail to see the immorality.
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Jim White loses his job at an affluent high-school where he coached football, and relocates to a poor rural area, McFarland California, where his white privilege is tested. There, he learns to accept his Mexican immigrant neighbours. White coaches the school’s cross-country team of teenage boys to not only be fast runners, but educated young men with aspirations to do more than just work on the fields of their farming community. Do they win the championship? Does the coach begin to recognize his own sense of superiority? Do the teenage boys go to college? McFarland, USA is a Disney movie, so these things are never seriously doubted. This Kevin Costner film is set during the 1980s, but its message and conflict are attempts to rejuvenate today’s American culture that has lost its hope in the American Dream. Costner spoke to The
February 23, 2015
Peak about his upcoming film and why he believes it will resonate with audiences even with a predictable story. “Films are emotional experiences,” Costner said. “When movies are working at their very best, they become about moments that you’ll never, ever forget, and we carry the moments of films throughout our whole life.” A hint of marital conflict, a strain in a father-daughter relationship, and a dose of economic hardship has Jim feeling like he’s being torn apart on and off the field. “Jim White had to balance his own life, his own daughters who maybe took a backseat sometimes to these boys, who may be asked a question point blank: ‘are we as important as these boys?’” Costner said. The story is Disney-fied, but true. The boys of McFarland won nine cross-country state championships while changing aspects of a community’s culture in the process. “What makes it inspirational? Just the fact that there’s a level of authenticity,” said Costner. According to Costner, the original script did not have this authenticity: “A writer writes a story in the way that he thinks.” Jim is presented in the film as a strict but caring coach. “As I read about Jim White in Sports
Illustrated, as I read this story, to me some things that were in that script did not jive [with] what I thought would be possible. There’s no way that the results could have happened from these young men given some of the things that the character was doing,” Costner explained. Consequently, the boys’ farmer parents recognized the value of education and they aspired for their children to have the opportunity of some other vocation. McFarland, USA follows almost every sports movie trope, but at heart it is about the power of the American dream. “And I think the things that get set in McFarland, seeing these people firsthand, up close in these fields that they’re simply working there, these incredible hours through very difficult weather conditions, every day of their life for one reason and one reason only: to advance their children and to give their children a better opportunity.” At a time when people are calling into question their patriotism, McFarland, USA serves to inform us that the American Dream is “alive and well in McFarland.” Predictable and formulaic or not, Costner believes the film’s power is in its message: “There’s nothing more American than a parent trying to make their life better for their children.”
R.H. Slansky’s 2014 novella Moss-Haired Girl is a fictional autobiography of former circus performer, Zara Zalinzi annotated by the fictional author Joshua Chapman Green. The writing includes a detailed description of the fictional author’s introduction, as well as footnotes which offer further commentary on Zalinzi’s autobiography. The autobiography is noted to include many falsifications, some exaggerations, and perhaps intentional misplacement of facts. The reader is informed of any contrary details through Green’s detailed footnotes, and is presented with a believable account of the life of circus performers during the 19th Century. A notable feature of the novella is its use of narrative prose, which calls to attention the nature of the writing process. The book also presents a unique view into the curious nature of the circus, circus life, and the reliability of family lore. The story-within-a-story follows Zara Zalinzi, a former circus performer who worked under the role of the MossHaired Girl or Circassian Princess; the titles appear to be interchangable, though for unspecified reasons. Zara was supposedly born under the name of Sarah Salinsky, and she travelled with a circus company under a director she called the Showman, who, according to Green, was most likely the “illustrious H.R. Putnam.” The name H.R. Putnam seems to be a reference to reallife infamous showman P.T. Barnum, who founded a circus known as Barnum & Bailey Circus in America in 1919. Throughout the novel, Green points out the clever nature of Zara’s writing and draws attention to the “facts” Zara paints in the autobiography in comparison to the evidence he has gathered through his research. This includes her use of unintentional — and sometimes intentional — misspelling of words and meanings to
displace the reader’s full awareness of the actual facts. One footnote that repeatedly appears focuses on Green’s search for the Salinsky family history, where he often recounts finding plausible listings of people mentioned in her autobiography under different variations of their surnames. It is interesting to note that the spelling of Zara’s actual last name, Salinsky, is similar to the spelling of real-life author R.H. Slansky’s family name. As the story progresses, more information and details about Zara’s life are presented through the footnotes, rather than the actual autobiography. At the same time, the differences between the “facts” and Zara’s version offers a deeper connection and understanding of her motivations, and the methods through which she chooses to write her truth. One fine example comes when Green discovers the true nature of Zara’s origin. Zara presents her mother as the daughter of a prestigious family living in Virginia, United States. Green points out the lack of evidence in the family registry, and the likelihood that her mother was actually a runaway slave of African-American descent. The contrary facts and the details of Green’s research are merely speculative, but they show in detail how simple truths can be hidden beneath other equally simple, yet falsified or exaggerated, untruths. Moss-Haired Girl is an enjoyable, light read with stylistic flair. Though Green’s annotations are ultimately just as fictitious as Zara’s autobiography, the elements of Slansky’s writing and the novella’s presentation offer the reader plenty to reflect upon.
SPORTS
sports editor email
February 23, 2015
Austin Cozicar sports@the-peak.ca
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Softball is a true team sport — one in which every player must exert confidence in their positions and maintain a consistent mental and physical alertness when called upon in order for the team to win. For the shortstop, however, there is the highest demand for these qualities, and every movement requires great agility. Enter Danielle Raison, SFU’s starting shortstop and one of the most vital cogs to the Clan outfield. The senior member of the team is entering her final season, and recalls her transition to the position from third baseman during her years of club softball. “We had a couple of third basemen and fewer at shortstop, so I decided to make the move over there,” says Danielle. “I had a strong enough arm and was still on the left-hand side of the field, so it made for a pretty easy transition. It stuck with me, and I played all the way through to university.” Danielle’s love of the outdoors and being active stems from growing up in her family acreage and spending time riding her horses. Despite attending an arts school with no sports teams, she spent as much time outside of
the classroom as she could playing soccer and softball. “I played metro soccer and high-level softball as well, so I was active as a child!” adds Danielle. “I’ve always played very competitive and medalled at three nationals for youth ball. “Time commitments made me choose one [sport]. I think I was better at softball, and that’s why I chose it; you get to play in the summer and it’s nice.”
With a wealth of experience playing at such high levels, the Langley native began a strong commitment to her sport and to training harder to open the door to joining a university team. Thankfully, Danielle became a Clan player, and faced a new level of competition within the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. “[Moving to] shortstop at a university level from club ball is a big move. There are so many more
things to incorporate into your game — not just fielding the ball and throwing the ball. You need to know the plays and be aware of the game a whole lot.” Every aspiring player needs expert guidance and leadership to advance their game, and Raison feels that head coach Mike Renney has helped her game improve each day. “He’s a really knowledgeable softball coach, [. . .] There is always something you could be working on and he always pushes you to do better,” she notes. “As soon as you reach one milestone, he has another one to make you continuously get better.” Since her arrival in shortstop zone, Danielle has proven to be a key part of the Clan’s success. An unfortunate knee injury kept her sidelined for a majority of the 2014 campaign, one in which the team struggled into last place in the conference with only four wins. Regardless of the setback, Danielle took every step to return to full fitness, while also helping her team weather the storm without her. “After my surgery, it was nice to just get back on the field and into normal practices. It was a pretty awful feeling having your girls do their normal routine while I was on the sidelines doing something a lot less,” she explains. “I like
getting back to the swing of things. As one of the few upperclassmen last year I was still there helping out the younger girls and still playing a part in the team.”
With her emphasis on helping her teammates, it should come as no surprise that Danielle has chosen Health Science as her major here at SFU; following her upcoming fourth year of study, she will pursue a nursing career. She is confident that she possesses the skills necessary for yet another demanding position.
“I want to use the skills I’ve used here to be a team player and carry that into the health field and a career setting that I really enjoy.” Her contributions as a team player have already made an impact in preseason play, as the Clan returned from their recent 12-game road trip having already beaten the wins record of last season. “I think we’ve got off to a great start going 7–5,” she says. “We’ll use this to identify things we need to work on and get ourselves rolling for the season. Making the playoff spot is a goal of ours, and definitely attainable.” The future indeed looks bright with Danielle back on the field, where she continues to both improve her game and lead her teammates into a brand new season.
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On Saturday, February 14, senior Erin Chambers shattered the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) women’s basketball scoring record after putting up a career-high 41 points in an 81–75 victory against Saint Martin’s University — accounting for half of the team’s total score. “It was a hard-fought game, it definitely didn’t come easy,” said Chambers. “I just got in the zone, shots were falling, and my teammates were looking to me.” With the 41-point game, Chambers cruised to 1842 career points, soaring past the previous record of 1831 points achieved last year by former Montana State University-Billings guard Bobbi Knudsen. The total was only the fourth 40+ point game in GNAC history, and the third-highest individual score ever. “I didn’t actually know at the end of the game that I got 41 points, or that I broke the record,” she explained. “Once I got off the floor, all my teammates [were
Just a few days ago, it appeared as if SFU football had already picked their new head coach — various reports indicated that SFU had chosen Williamette College head coach Glen Fowles to take over for the recently departed Jacques Chapdelaine. Fowles was on a shortlist of three candidates, which included Hamilton Tiger Cats special teams coordinator Jeff Reinebold and Malone University offensive coordinator Joel Penner. However, SFU remains without a new head coach, and all three of
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asking], ‘Did you do it, did you do it?,’ and I looked to Emily [Wright, the assistant coach], and she said, ‘Yeah, you did it.’” Total points wasn’t the only GNAC record that Chambers broke — she also now holds claim to most free throws made, with 446. Head coach Bruce Langford, who coached Chambers at BC’s U-17 tournament before her time with SFU, praised her for her versatility. “She was always a good player,” he explained. “She’s always had the ability to play the point, play the two, play the forward position, play the post position, which was really helpful in games because you can change up what you’re going to do with her.”
Chambers is entering the final stretch of her college career, with only one regular season game remaining of her fourth and final year on the Clan court. In only her second year, she was second in scoring on the team, with 13.5 points per game to former Clan star
these candidates are now off the table. While it is true that Fowles made it past Reinebold and Penner in the selection process, according to an SFU Athletics source, he was never formally offered a contract. Athletics director Milt Richards broke off talks with Fowles before an offer was made. Though not referring to the candidates by name, Richards told The Peak Thursday that “at this point, I just didn’t feel that the three were the exact right fit for what we want, and we’ve got a very deep pool so we’re talking to some other candidates.” As of right now, the two candidates for the job are Khari Jones and Kelly Bates, neither of whom are strangers to Greater Vancouver area, having both played and coached for the BC Lions.
The men’s basketball team returned to their winning ways Thursday night, putting up a 103–87 victory over Saint Martin’ University. This marks the Clan’s sixth Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) win, double their previous record. Guard Justin Cole once again led SFU in points with 23.
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe’s 16.8 points per game. When Raincock-Ekunwe graduated the following year, Chambers had large shoes to fill — and she did more than fill them. Last season, she had 23.1 points per game, and this season improved to an NCAA Division II-leading 24 points per game. “It’s nice to see the development of players [. . .] and it’s nice to see them have their moment in the sun where they get to do very well,” said coach Langford. “It [will] be nice to see them take that skill set and confidence to wherever they want to go with it in the world.
“She’s a very skilled kid, it’s good to see her have success,” he added. With the four-year playing limit in the NCAA, players often end their university level careers at their prime. “It’s kind of weird to think that I came in as a rookie and I was a little bit unsure of myself, then by the end of your career here you’re at your prime and feeling really good about your game,” said Chambers. “It’s a little bit sad, but I’m planning to go play pro in Europe, so basketball doesn’t end for me quite yet. “I get to keep rolling and building on that, so that’s exciting too,” she concluded.
Jones was most notably the offensive coordinator for the BC Lions last season. However, he was demoted to receivers coach as a casualty of the team’s coaching change.
Both candidates’ coaching experience has been mainly in the CFL — neither has held a coaching position at a university football program. As well, both Bates and Jones have a connection to former coach Jacques Chapdelaine. Chapdelaine was the offensive coordinator of the BC Lions prior to Jones, meaning that should Jones get the job, this would be the second position wherein Jones has replaced Chapdelaine. Bates both played for and coached alongside Chapdelaine during his time as a BC Lion. Jones went in for an interview Friday, and Bates interviews on Monday. Richards stated last Thursday, “Hopefully by the end of next week or so, we’ll have a new coach.”
Bates was the running backs coach of the BC Lions from 2012 up until this January — another victim of the coaching change. He also served as the Lions’ draft coordinator. The two candidates spent last season on the same coaching staff.
Softball split the Desert Stinger held in Las Vegas from February 13–15, to improve to a 7–5 record — surpassing last season, where they had only four wins. “I am really pleased to be returning home with a winning record,” head coach Mike Renney told SFU Athletics. “This team is a more battle-tested group than last year’s team, and although we are still young, it’s a competitive and driven bunch.”
SFU’s Abby Lloyd won silver at the Women’s College Wrestling Association Nationals held in St. Louis, MO on Saturday, February 14, while three other wrestlers — Bailey Halvorson, Darby Huckle, and Payten Smith — achieved bronze medals. As a team, SFU finished fourth. The Clan won the national championship in 2013.
On February 17, the UBC Thunderbirds Twitter account announced that Spencer Moore, a linebacker from St. Thomas More Collegiate, who had initially signed a letter of intent with SFU football, has instead committed to UBC. Last week, recruiting coordinator Bryan Wyllie told The Peak that Moore was the most collegeready prospect of the thenfour signings.
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As a hockey fan, I’m always debating with friends over which rules the NHL should change to make the product more enjoyable for fans. I’ve got a lot of problems with you, Gary Bettman — here are some changes you should make to the NHL starting immediately:
The salary cap is flawed in a number of ways. First of all, it dries up the free agent market, leading to gross overpayments for players such as David Clarkson. The only true way to get top-end talent under a salary cap is to tank, which is happening to a number of teams this season, and will only become more prevalent in the future. Eliminating the salary cap would rejuvenate the free agency and trade market, as well as reduce the incentive to tank.
SFU’s track and field team competed at the University of Washington (UW) Husky Classic and the UW Open from February 13-15. Clan senior Jennifer Johnson moved to first in the GNAC and third in NCAA Division II competition by shaving eight seconds off her previous best time for the 3000 m race.
SFU Athletics announced February 16 that TSN commentator and SFU alumnus Farhan Lalji will be the MC for the Gathering of the Clan breakfast to be held on Tuesday, March 3. The event, which will also feature Steve Nash as a speaker, costs $200 per seat, and aims to raise money for athletic scholarships at SFU.
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Preseason was important back in the ‘70s when players had to get rid of their beer guts. Today, being an athlete is a yearlong commitment, and players stay fit throughout the offseason — it’s big news when a hockey player shows up to training camp overweight or out of shape. This would allow the regular season to start earlier and end earlier, which would be good for business, as the Stanley Cup finals wouldn’t have to compete with the NBA finals for ratings, where it gets routinely trounced (in the American market, at least). You could also say that the preseason is important for player evaluation, but the league could easily extend the number of games a rookie can play without a year of his contract counting from nine games to 15 — and give teams incentive to try out the youth in the first few games.
The shootout isn’t necessarily a bad way to decide a
Saturday night’s match against the Trinity Western Spartans was a huge test for the Clan. Not only were the Spartans top of the league, but they led the league with a total of 99 goals, and boasted the best penalty kill and powerplay on the road. The Clan were up to the task though, winning 3–0 while holding the Spartans to just 24 shots, and peppering the opposing goalie with 40 of their own. “I thought it was a good 60 minutes, total team effort,” said head coach Mark Coletta after the game. “All the guys played well. It was one of those games that you wait for, and we finally got it, even though it’s late in the season.” The Clan got off to a great start. Just 3:30 into the opening frame, forward Josh McKissock was left all alone in front, and easily buried the rebound off a point shot from defenceman Tyler Mah.
game, the NHL just needs to make sure that it decides as few games as possible. Giving three points for a regulation win instead of two seems to be the easiest solution, as it would give teams chasing a playoff spot or teams trying to win their division more incentive to go for it at the end of a game. It doesn’t
sit well with me that winning in regulation and winning in a skills competition gives you the same amount of points.
Trinity Western almost answered with a goal of their own immediately after, but were stopped by Clan goaltender Andrew Parent, who had a very strong game. McKissock nearly got another one later on, just tipping wide a shot from the side of the net.
the night when forward Tyler Basham was able to get past his check, get his shot off, pick up his own rebound, and deposit it into the back of the net on the wraparound. It was just a fantastic goal. Parent wasn’t done with the spectacular saves, either, making a great glove save off a point-blank chance. The third was filled with penalties, three for Trinity Western alone. SFU at one point had a 57 second five-on-three but couldn’t capitalize, the best chance being when Tyler Basham hit the post. No goals were scored, but the Clan clearly dominated the play thanks to all the powerplay time. Coach Coletta revealed the team’s plan to shut down their high-scoring offense after the game: “I think you want to just stay tight to guys on the ice, and you want to battle for loose pucks. The defensive zone structure hasn’t changed, it’s just a matter of heart and soul. “There’s no crazy systems that will win hockey games in the defensive zone. It’s just battling hard and making sure you’re first to loose pucks, and you’re willing to pay the price.”
SFU increased their lead to two right before the end of the period. A mistake at the blue line sent forward Jono Ceci in all alone. He made no mistake, streaking in from the left and quickly snapping a shot high glove to make it 2–0 Clan. The second was dominated by SFU, as the team outshot Trinity Western 14–5. The Clan got their third and final goal of
Contracting at least two teams would help the business aspect, as the richer teams would not have to help prop up
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teams that are too inept to get fans to the rink. My vote is for the two unmitigated disasters that are the Florida Panthers and the Arizona Coyotes. Relocation would be a good idea as well, but with the Canadian dollar slumping, even the currently profitable Canadian markets aren’t a sure bet.
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Thursday night at home, the women’s basketball team faced off against the current best team in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. The Seawolves were first in the conference coming into the game 13–1, and boasted the conferences’ best offence and defence. The fact that SFU held them to just 63 points is impressive, but they couldn’t pull off the victory, losing 63–59 in a contest that wasn’t decided until the last minute. “I thought we played a little nervous in the first half, and it hurt us in a bunch of ways,” said head coach Bruce Langford after
On Saturday night, Clan guards Sango Niang, Justin Cole, and Daniel Deflorimonte played their last game in the West Gym. While the tribute before the game was moving, the sendoff — a 112–84 loss against the Central Washington (CWU) Wildcats — was probably not the one the SFU seniors were looking for. “I think the emotions of Senior’s Night, and the emotions of the last home game affected us,” said
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the game. “I thought they were the aggressor, they got way more offensive boards then we got, and they got a little bit in our heads. [. . .] In the second half we showed character and grit. I thought we were pretty good in the second half in a lot of ways, but we missed key shots at crucial times.”
After tying the game at 4–4 earlier in the first half, Alaska went on a 9-2 run, and it started to look like the game might be a blowout. The press defence by
head coach James Blake. “I’ve gone through quite a few last games of the year with seniors, and it’s always hard to gauge how people are going to react to the night [. . .] They kind of got caught up in it and forgot what our game plan is.” Though SFU did not score first, they actually jumped out to the early lead — peaking at 18–14. Deflorimonte — the only one of the seniors to play his entire collegiate career at SFU — opened the scoring for the Clan. Fittingly, much of the early scoring belonged to the seniors: the first 12 points scored by SFU came from the three outgoing seniors. Despite the early lead, the Wildcats quickly clawed their way back,
Alaska was causing trouble for the Clan, as they were turning the ball over frequently and allowing opposing players easy drives to the net. But the Clan was able to claw back into the game with two big threes, cutting the lead down to five with just under eight minutes to go. After that, the half turned into a defensive chess match — neither team putting up many points — with the end of the first half ending 29–21 Alaska.
SFU came flying out of the gates in the second half, going on a 15–4 run and temporarily taking the lead. By the middle of the half, the game was tied at 41, and from then on it was a back and forth affair that kept the crowd at the edge of its seat. With the game so close, every Clan possession seemed do or die. However, a few key misses — and a foul or two too many — ensured the eventual Seawolves victory.
taking the lead and running with it. Though the early first half was close — the Wildcats were up only one point — the last eight minutes of the first changed things. The Clan only scored 15 points, while the Wildcats put up 32.
While the final result was far from what any Clan fan would describe as a good game, many of the individual results were solid. All three seniors had great nights. Cole led the team in scoring for the second night in a row with 23 points, while Deflorimonte — who averages 5.9 points per game, and has only hit double digits five times this season — notched 13 points. In the end, the night will likely be remembered not for the final result, but for being the final chance to see Niang, Cole, and Deflorimonte playing live in a Clan jersey, barring an alumni game appearance. Coach Blake had nothing but praise for the three outgoing seniors. “All three of them are just great kids. They just want to help the team get better,” he said. “I’m pretty sure if we had more of those types of guys that we’d be better overall as a team.” “It was very emotional knowing it was my last [at home],” explained Cole, who transferred to SFU from Chaffey Community College with Niang two seasons ago. “We have three more away games coming up, but it ain’t nothing like playing at home in front of your family and friends.”
Much of the second half was close, but the gap created by the late first half run proved too much for the Clan. Wildcat center Jason Stroud’s defensive play proved to be a real thorn in the Clan’s side, with four blocks, three more than anybody else in the game, while teammate Dom Williams achieved a double-double with 27 points and 10 assists. A below-average night on the three-point line did not help things, as the Clan only shot seven threes, down from their conference leading average of 12.6 per game.
In a tight defensive game, Meg Wilson led the way for the Clan. Along with 13 points scored, she led the team with six rebounds and had four of the team’s five blocks on the night. She was also on the court for 35 of the game’s 40 minutes.
The Player of the Game award could go to any of the seniors, but the edge goes to Justin Cole. Not only was Cole the scoring leader with 23 points, but also one of the clear drivers when it looked like SFU could still make a comeback. There might not have been a comeback, but you can’t blame Cole for that, with 14 points in the second half alone.
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HUMOUR
February 23, 2015
humour editor email
Jacey Gibb humour@the-peak.ca
SFU bear sightings (Elizabeth Pau & Justin Stevens)
Seagull Square (Jill Mandrake)
The Adventures of Agoraphobia Man: World Defender (Jacey Gibb)
If HAL 9000 worked at the W.A.C. Bennett library (Eric Smith & Justin Stevens)
Pun 2 3 (Sarah Walker)
Email humour@the-peak. ca to find out how your comics can be featured in The Peak.
HUMOUR
After experiencing disappointing levels of snowfall since opening in November, local ski destination Cypress Mountain has reportedly halted regular attractions and will, for the rest of the “season,” be offering a new range of dirt-orientated activities better suited for the mountain’s current conditions. “We wanted our faithful customers and season ticket holders to still be able to enjoy the mountain they know and love, regardless of what the average daily temperatures and lack of snowfall have to say,” explained Cypress Mountain marketing representative Charlene Willis. “With this exciting crop of fun, familyfriendly activities, you’ll soon be asking yourself, ‘Snow who?’” The slate of attractions, which will become available March 1, are advertising “new classic activities” such as downhill mud-skiing and
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mud-snowboarding, dirt snowshoeing, and even a twist on an old favourite, soil-tubing. Willis says that depending on how temperate things remain, conditions might also permit for visitors to take advantage of the expansive cross-country silt-skiing trails that Cypress is sure to become popular for. The “multi-faceted mudplex,” as it’s being described, is the first of its kind in the world, and could arguably pave the way for similar ventures elsewhere, depending on whether the rest of the season turns a profit.
“Cypress Mountain is going where no ski and snow resort has gone before,” added Willis. “We’re hoping folks will come out, grab hold of the nearest dirt tube, and join us for what’s sure to be a heck of a ride!”
In addition to the new attractions, construction is now underway on a new 50-person spa on the mountain that will offer several mud-related relaxation experiences. “Mud baths, loam facials, mud pedicures, clay massages. Are some of those things even real? We’re going to find out at Cypress Mountain’s Premiere Spa and Salon Retreat,” explained Willis. “We’re interested in giving visitors the full Cypress Mountain experience and if that means caking them head to toe, literally, in local mud, then we’ll do it. Basically we’ll try anything at this point.” This comes as good news for locals who already purchased season passes for Cypress Mountain earlier this year, as Willis says these individuals will enjoy priority guestlisting to the spa when it opens and two-for-one tube rentals throughout all of March. So far, the announcement and new activities have drawn a polarized response from those on social media, with some praising the integration of mud as creative and exciting while others argue that Mount Cypress is prematurely committing to a passing fad, a decision they’ll regret once global warming is proven to be nothing but a hoax.
Dear Jacey, The last three Parks and Recreation -filled years spent with you have been great, and there’s no easy way for me to do this, so I’m just going to say it: I think I should start seeing other people. This probably won’t come as a total surprise for you. We’ve been like strangers for months, ever since we jokingly watched Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution together the morning after — while you were stuck on the couch, too hungover to function. Remember that? We laughed for hours at Pitbull’s terrible hosting, and poked fun at how impossibly irrelevant a New Year’s special with Enrique Iglesias was in the year 2014. That was the last time I actually remember being happy with you. With us. Shortly after that, you started your
new semester, and things totally changed. I want you to know that I don’t blame you, and I hope you don’t blame me either. You’re really busy, and the shows nowadays don’t have the same draw like they used to.
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The television landscape is always shifting, and I knew there would be bad days as well as good days when I agreed to be your TiVo. But it’s like I don’t even exist to you anymore. It’s not my fault they decided to split Mad Men’s final
season into two parts and have a 10 month hiatus in between. Just like it wasn’t my fault that TLC decided to cancel Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo or that Californication went off the air back in June. How was that show still even on? Never mind, though. This isn’t the time or place for another one of our David Duchovny-fuelled arguments. Not because I’m right or because I’m right, but because the days for those are over. Remember how good things were in the beginning? Episodes of Modern Family and The Simpsons backlogged for as far as the menu could scroll. We used to spend hours across from each other, you shirtless on the couch, wearing those pajama pants that were so torn around the cuffs that you turned them into shorts, with your hand perpetually stuck in a rotating bag of either Cool Ranch or Nacho Cheese Doritos. Do you think we got too comfortable
with each other? Maybe that’s why you started to drift away from me. The time we spent together was amazing, really, but I need a change. I want someone who comes home from school and is too lazy to go to the gym later on. I want someone who will put reruns of 16 & Pregnant before their school work and any other obligation that might inevitably come up. I want. . . someone else. I wish I could say that we’ll still be friends, but we both know that’s not true. I’ve already called your cable company, and they’re supposed to be setting me up with someone new. Maybe they’ll even be “the one”? I suppose there’s only one way to find out though. Take care of yourself, Jacey. I’ll never forget those Breaking Bad marathons we shared together. Always in your heart (but not always on your mind),
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features editor email
Brad McLeod features@the-peak.ca
we sat in the bleachers overlooking the men’s basketball game and discussed plans for upcoming Black History Month celebrations for the Black Awareness Students’ Initiative Network, an older white gentleman came over to our seating area and politely asked us to watch his bag. With a smile, we motioned him to leave his belongings with us. We proceeded to converse but
he quickly posed the awkward question of whether we were sisters of his black friend Tonya. Pardon our French but, “the fuck we look like?” We stared at each other in disbelief, wondering whether we were back in 1968, where every black person apparently knew each other. It was the second time that week that we were “Mauried” — yes, “Mauried.” You know, “are you the sister/daughter/cousin of my black friend?”
Being the only black student in the class isn’t a rare experience. Tokenism is pervasive in the classroom, as well as in social encounters and at the workplace. Being tokenized may instantly transform you into an expert on all things black, but it does not make you the voice of all black people. However, when it comes to distasteful comments, there are a plethora of examples to draw from. My braids, my cornrows, my Afro or my kinky curls are not yours to touch. The texture and quality of black hair hold a magical and endless fascination for some people, and this seems to make them instinctively want to touch it. Our hair is not on display for strangers to simply touch. Personal space is learned and respected at a young age, and this is a clear invasion of it. I remember another preposterous moment when a fellow student, who may listen to hip-hop more than I do, declared themselves “blacker” than me. Breath… they know not of what they speak. As Saul Williams powerfully states, “We cannot continually barricade ourselves under some falsified idea of race, because our idea of blackness and race is sim-
ply reactionary. Africans didn’t walk around Africa being black and proud, they walked around proud.” Defining ourselves as, opposed to being defined by others, is always a challenge; there is no single definition of blackness. Our blackness is not defined by the music we listen to, how we dress or how we speak. If the latter were true nearly anyone could be “black!” You see, we can’t just choose to be black for one month out of the year. It’s an ongoing, lived experience. And we can only go through so many of these situations before being driven up the wall. It is crucial to respond to instances of prejudice with intelligence, and even to be witty! But asserting oneself in the face of casual racism is conflicting, as we run the risk of being misinterpreted. Responding with aggression will only serve to shut down communication. You’ve got to play fool to catch the wise, as they say; observe situations in order to become aware of the environment and the individuals within it. When you are the only black student in your class and a question related to civil rights surfaces, you are well-prepared for the eager 40-plus eyeballs staring and waiting on your response.
The nod is a symbol of unity and form of acknowledgement in the black community. It’s a metaphorical ethnic solidarity, a handshake. Use the nod. As you walk through the halls, the nod says, “I see you,” and “more power to you,” when you’re in an overwhelmingly white space. Our roots and lin-
eage are diverse, and through our ties and heritage the nod maintains our sense of community. This speaks volumes when you’re outnumbered. In the same way a smile from a stranger can pick you up when you’re down, the nod manifests as a source of community connection.
The phrase “more than just a month” refers to the importance of continuing to celebrate Black History beyond the confines of the February alone. Knowing and understanding our past builds a foundation for our future. The practice must not begin and end in the month of February. In contemporary western society, many make the claim of being “colourblind” or that they “don’t see colour.” But this narrow mentality only denies racial experiences, and invalidates racial inequalities, by wrongly asserting that race does not matter. Social inclusion cannot be reached if these stories are not acknowledged. Equality does not mean justice. Canada cannot sit idly by in the wake of the #Black-
February 23, 2015
LivesMatter movement taking shape in the United States. Our communities, our streets, our schools, our homes, and our prisons in the “true north strong and free” are not free of antiblack racism. There is a need for collective accountability. Events like “Pardon me for being ____.”, organized by the Black Awareness Students’ Initiative Network, are efforts to unite black, biracial, Caribbean and African diaspora students, as well our allies within the SFU community, to create space, dialogue and networks that illuminate our lived experiences here at Simon Fraser University. Black History Month celebrates a rich, grand, and vast cultural tradition, and it does
not simply belong to blacks — it has universal significance, which embraces the concept of equality. We are a part of a diverse community of staff, scholars, and learners; however, there is a huge underrepresentation of our experiences at SFU. Thus, Black History Month and “Pardon me for being ____.” is a movement of resistance against the onedimensional image of our experiences, and an opportunity to create a discourse among the student body. It is a creation of space that offers a competing view that more accurately reflects the reality, where individuals of different origins see themselves represented, feel respected and empowered.