Volume 09 // Issue 08
News Student Rights Centre Report Remains in Limbo
January 17 2017
Culture New Club Calls for Compassionate Eating Ethics
Opinion Health Care Privatization Is Not the Answer
R
THE RUNNER
A run-down of everything you need to know about Canadian Oil
find us online / runnermag.ca / @runnermag / facebook.com/runnerMAG / INSTAGRAM.com/RUNNERMAG
02 Table of contents
04
staff
News|KPIRG Offices Broken Into Over Holidays
The KPIRG office door was found ajar by cleaning staff early on Dec. 13 with the lock broken. An office computer, an iPad, and other KPIRG equipment have been reported stolen.
Coordinating Editor
07 08
Tristan Johnston editor@runnermag.ca
Managing Editor
Connor Doyle managing@runnermag.ca
culture|New Club Calls for “Compassionate” Eating Ethics Without being vegan-exclusive, KPU’s new “Let’s Be Compassionate” club aims to unite students with a passion for nature.
Production Manager
Danielle George production@runnermag.ca
Art Director
Scott McLelland art@runnermag.ca
Features|Canada’s Biggest Pipelines
The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association has laid claim to approximately 119,000 kilometres of pipeline—enough to circle the earth three times.
Photo Editor
Tommy Nguyen photos@runnermag.ca
Associate Editor
13
Alyssa Laube staff@runnermag.ca
Opinions |Health Care Privatization is Not the Answer
Web Editor
Joseph Keller web@runnermag.ca
Health care is a basic right, and giving doctors more power to interpret and arbitrate patients’ access to it doesn’t seem to be the optimal solution to the problem.
Operations Manager Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca 778.565.3801
#FeatureTweets
Kwantlen Improv @KwantlenImprov
#BestPhoto
Our beautiful home! Kwantlen is stunning in the snow. @KwantlenU @KSAcouncil #KwantlenImprov
KPU Study Abroad @KPUStudyAbroad Thank you #KPUStudyAbroad incoming students for joining #KPUOrientation. We are thrilled to have you with us! #KPUInternational
Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C, V3W 2M8 778.565.3801 www.runnermag.ca Vol. 09, Issue no. 8 January 17 2017 ISSN# 1916 8241
Contributors Paula Aguilar Kyrsten Downton Kier-Christer Junos
Braden Klassen Nat Mussell Rosaura Ojeda
Cover
In the high arts community, comics-based artists are considered especially heinous. In the City of Vancouver, the dedicated art directors who investigate these vicious illustrators are members of an elite squad known as the Special Visuals Unit. These are their stories. Student Publication Fee Opt-Outs available in person Jan 16 - Feb 20. Student ID & Proof of registration and payment required. PIPS Office: Arbutus 3710, Surrey Campus.
The Runner is student-owned and operated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University students, published under the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society. The Runner recognises that our work, both in and out of the office, takes place on unceded Coast and Strait Salish territories, specifically the shared traditional territories of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Sto:lo and Tsawwassen First Nations. Our name is inspired by the hun’qumi’num meaning of Kwantlen, which is tireless hunters or tireless runners. Just as Kwantlen is adaptable and changing so is The Runner.
Hours: 10 - 5 Monday to Friday. Phone: 778-565-3801 Email: office@runnermag.ca
Editorial 03
From The Editors The Runner needs you
On February 7 and 8 please vote “yes” on The Runner’s referendum question to increase our publishing fee. We at The Runner hope to serve you better by creating video content, increasing our web presence, and publishing on a weekly basis. (© European Union 2014 - European Parliament)
Tristan Johnston |Coordinating Editor Ever since our founding in 2009, the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society—which funds The Runner and Pulp, and which all current students are members of—has been operating on a budget of $0.75 per credit. With your vote, we’d like to increase this number by 20 cents per credit. Hypothetically, if you’re taking four courses when the fee change is approved, you would go from spending $9.00 on PIPS to $11.40. Currently, PIPS receives about $230,000 per year from students,
depending on enrolment. We project that our proposed fee increase would bring that number to around $290,000. As time has gone on, The Runner has improved in every aspect. We deliver more content, faster, and of greater relevance to KPU students. We continue to publish around the calendar, we have live-streamed the last two KSA debates, and we even covered the 2015 federal election, interviewing almost every candidate from KPU campus ridings, and will be using the lessons we’ve learned in May for the B.C. election. For financial reasons alone, The Runner has reached a limit of how
much we can grow. We want to establish a new staff writer position dedicated to local, community stories. Producing video content and printing issues once a week are other pressing goals for our publication, as is having more capital available for funding Pulp and potentially new student publications. But we simply can’t do that without a fee increase. With a fee increase of 20 cents per credit, we estimate that we will be able to put out an extra 70 per cent in print content. Publishing once per week allows us to write about stories that would otherwise be “stale” and would give even more opportunities
for our contributors to have a hand in the paper. That doesn’t even take video production into account, but it does make it an attainable addition to what we can offer KPU students. One of the things that makes The Runner different from other student newspapers is that we pay our contributors very well. In order for us to increase our print while adding video without a fee increase, we would have to cut contributor pay drastically, which would be harmful to the quality of the paper. Since most of our contributors use the money from articles they write to supplement their incomes, it would be harmful and discouraging to suddenly take that away. Furthermore, The Runner’s main job is to serve the KPU community. This means keeping the administration and the Kwantlen Student Association in check, and asking hard questions while also giving our readers a good picture of what’s going on around them. The other purpose of The Runner, and PIPS in general, is to give students an early entry into publishing and journalism. Many current and former contributors and staff have used their experiences to get internships and full-time jobs at various publications across Canada. So what happens if our vote fails? The simple answer is that nothing will change. The Runner will continue the work as we have always done, delivering content at the same pace and in the same quantity. But a great opportunity for improvement will have been lost. So if you support what we at The Runner or Pulp do, vote “yes” to our referendum question during the KSA elections on February 7 and 8. You will not only be supporting us, you’ll be supporting everyone we feature in our pages both now, and in the future.
Student Rights Centre Report Remains in Limbo KSA waiting to release document compiling student complaints
News Briefs
Joseph Keller | Web Editor The Kwantlen Student Association’s Student Rights Centre—which assists students involved in disputes with KPU staff or faculty—has created a report detailing issues with the university’s structure and policies that have been brought to the Centre by KPU students. Unfortunately, the report cannot presently be released to the public. Early last year, the SRC began collecting anonymous case studies of students who came to them throughout 2015, using the complaints to identify and address systemic issues with the university’s policies and procedures. This information was compiled into a 19 page report which was completed in November 2016. “What we want people to do after reading this report is say, ‘There’s more that, as a university, we can do,’” KSA Vice President Student Services Tanvir Singh told The Runner in November, shortly after the SRC completed the document.
The report was originally planned to be released on Nov. 22. However, the Kwantlen Student Association has opted not to release the report until after SRC members have had a chance to meet and discuss its findings with university officials. “The university tells [the Kwantlen Student Association] about any big issues that happen with the university a week or a day before, and even that one day gives us time to prepare,” Singh told The Runner in November. “Even if they know we may not like whatever they’re doing, they give us the respect of telling us beforehand, and so we think that’s a decent expectation for them to have of us.” Singh said that the SRC had planned to meet with university officials by the report’s originally planned Nov. 22 date, but as of this time the meeting has yet to take place. The KSA holds firm to their explanation that they are waiting to discuss the report with university officials before allowing outside eyes to see their findings.
After reaching out to the university for comment on the meeting process, The Runner was told by KPU’s media and communications manager Corry Anderson-Fennell that she was unable to find a university official who is aware of the report. According to Singh, this is because the KSA only meets with university officials once or twice a month, and due to the holiday break and prioritization of other items on the KSA’s agenda they have not yet brought up the Student Rights Centre Report. “In terms of the report itself, literally no one at the university knows about the contents of the report and not many more know that it exists at all,” says Singh. Singh also requested that The Runner not contact KPU’s liaison to the KSA, Vice Provost Jane Fee, regarding this report. At this time it is unclear when exactly this document will be made available to the public.
What’s Happening this week
Jan 17
Lord of the Rings Trivia
Where are they taking the hobbits? If you know the answer, you might be able to throw down at the KSA’s Lord of the Rings Trivia night, which kicks off a three-day movie marathon of the acclaimed trilogy.
5 - 7, Grassroots, free.
Jan 21
Surrey Hospice Society Forum
The Surrey Hospice Society is reaching out to the city’s community for this forum on end-of-life choices, which will specifically look at how culture enters into the conversation. 11 - 5, Cedar conference centre on the Surrey campus, free.
Jan 23 Self-Defence Classes
Women Organizing Opportunities for Women and the Kwantlen Student Association are teaming up to offer a series of free self-defence classes open to all KPU students. Stay safe!
12:10 - 12:50, Cedar gym on the Surrey campus, free.
Jan 25
Guitar Lessons
The Kwantlen Student Association volunteer START program is offering free guitar lessons on the Richmond campus for all aspiring Rock Gods. Learn how to shred and look cool doing it! TBD, Richmond campus, free.
Jan 26 Flin Flon Flim Flam
KDocs is screening a film ahead of the season this year, presenting Flin Flon Flim Flam, a documentary which examines mining in Arizona. Stick around afterwards for a Q&A discussion. 4 - 7, Fir 128 on the Surrey campus, free.
Jan 26
Open Mic & Karaoke Night
One part alcohol, one part open stage, one part half-remembered anthems from the 1980s. There is no better recipe for embarrassing yourself in front of your friends. You can practically hear Journey now… 6 - 8, Grassroots, free.
04 News
KPIRG Offices Broken Into Over Holidays
Student group’s off-campus office hit with burglary on Dec. 13 Joseph Keller | Web Editor The Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group’s off-campus office was broken into on Dec. 13, along with several other offices in the 72nd Street building. The office door was found ajar by cleaning staff early Wednesday morning with the lock broken. An office computer, an iPad, and other KPIRG equipment have been reported stolen. A credit card and some banking information were also taken from the KPIRG office, but were later found abandoned in another office that had also been ransacked. KPIRG is a student-funded and owned organisation, meaning that their equipment is paid for by KPU student fees. To steal equipment from KPIRG or other student organisations is to steal from the pockets of students at KPU. “KPIRG has an obligation to its staff. All KPIRG staff members should be working in a place where they can feel safe and secure and this recent break-in has definitely raised concerns,” says KPIRG Administrative and Research Coordinator Richard Hosein. “We’re lucky that no critical or personal information was stolen about staff or students.” Other organizations based in the
On Dec. 13 the offices of the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group were broken into. An office computer, an iPad, and various other equiptment have been reported stolen. (Courtesy of KPIRG)
Surrey office building were hit with break-ins as well. Most notably, a wheelchair valued at around $9,000 was stolen from one disabled tenant. According to Hosein, a Gofundme fundraiser will likely be setup to help cover some of the cost of a replacement wheelchair for the tenant. Coinciding with this break-in is a recent decision by the KPIRG board of directors to approve a move for the organisation to a larger and more suitable space. KPIRG’s new home will be located directly next door to its current offices, but the space—in addition to being bigger than the current office—will be located on the second floor of a more secure building. KPIRG personnel are hopeful that the
move will cut down on the chance of any future theft of the group’s property. KPIRG staff point to this incident as evidence of a need for the organisation to have office space on campus. It has been pushing for the Kwantlen Student Association and the university to grant KPIRG space on the Surrey campus for some time. Hosein says that he would like to have the office protected by KPU’s on-campus security personnel, as well as other on-campus security measures such as the recently installed CCTV security cameras. “We’re an independent student society funded by students and run by students and we still are unable to
have a physical presence on campus, and [the break-in] is a good example of why we need space on campus,” says Hosein. The Surrey RCMP was contacted as soon as the break-in was discovered and is conducting an ongoing investigation. In the meantime, Hosein
says some of the building’s other tenants have been conducting their own, side investigations by contacting local pawn shops and buy-and-sell sites in search of the stolen property. Any information regarding the incident should be brought to the attention of Surrey RCMP.
Birch building Construction Begins Following Long Delay New clubs and activity rooms set to open in March or April Joseph Keller | Web Editor After a lengthy delay, construction finally began this month on renovations to the club spaces and other amenities in the Surrey campus Birch building. The project—which according to KPU’s Deputy Provost and Vice Provost Students Jane Fee was originally planned to be completed by September of last year—suffered a number of issues with contractual obligations and the permit approval process. This led to an estimated completion date of January 2017, as reported by the Kwantlen Student Association’s General Manager Jeremy McElroy. This date, too, was unfortunately pushed back, and with construction now in full swing the Kwantlen Student Association says it is hopeful that the renovated space will be fully furnished and accessible to students by March or April. “There have been a number of setbacks for the project including a significant delay of approval of the development permit, as well as backordering of necessary equipment,” reads McElroy’s November 25th report to KSA Council. “Coupled with the institutional closure over the holidays the project will not be complete by January as originally scheduled.”
Plans for the renovated Birch building. The earliest estimate for construction to be completed, Sept. 1, has come and gone. The KSA now hope to reopen the building to students in late spring. (Courtesy of KPU)
In his subsequent report to council on December 16, McElroy stated that the KSA is “working to condense the construction timeline” and that the constructor they hired planned to work “in advance of the holidays to get orders in and shave as much time off the build as possible.” Students visiting the Birch build-
ing in the meantime—which is also home to the on-campus, Sodexo-run cafeteria—will find that the cafeteria seating moved from one side of the second floor to the other, while the side that originally contained the seating has been sectioned off for construction. The cafeteria will remain operational throughout the
process. KSA VP Student Services Tanvir Singh explains that the university had applied for permits for both the deconstruction of the existing club space as well as the construction of the new spaces and seating area in the summer, in hopes of speeding up the application process and allowing for
an efficiently scheduled deconstruction/construction timeline. Unfortunately, the City of Surrey would only allow for one permit to be considered at a time, causing significant delays before work on each step could begin. Singh says that the work which has already been completed has also taken longer than expected. Compounding this issue, the university’s contract with Sodexo specifies that the cafeteria must remain open during the entire process. Despite the setbacks, the KSA is looking forward to having the upgraded space for students come spring. “We’re hoping to have the rooms ready by about March, and programing up with students having access to the space,” says Singh. Once completed, the Birch building will feature a new recreation room, a revamped social justice space, and upgraded accommodations for clubs like Women Organising Opportunities for Women and Pride Kwantlen. Included with the new WOOW space will be a women’s centre, which will feature a public kitchenette and a library of social justice reading materials. The KSA will also receive space in the renovated building.
KSA Proposing Bylaw and Regulation changes to Titles, Compensation, and More KSA hopes to get at least 200 students to vote by referendum in March Alyssa Laube | Associate Editor The Kwantlen Student Association is aiming to alter its bylaws and regulations this year, and will need 200 students to vote in person at its annual general meeting in March to do so. Most of the changes being made are to the details of roles and titles for executives, but director compensation, meeting location, and chief returning officer requirements will also be addressed. A primary concern for the KSA is its current quorum of 200 students needed for referendums, as it prevents progress and developments from being made. The Association is hoping to reduce that quorum to 150 at this year’s meeting, but will still need 200 until it succeeds. “Getting the vote in for the bylaws is something that is very, very difficult, and we’ve been trying it for a couple of years,” says Tanvir Singh, VP student services for the Kwantlen Student Association. “We think that that cap is hard enough that it would be difficult to get that many students out, but not impossible. This year we’re going to have to do some miraculous things to get those students out.” As VP Student Services, Singh
Alex McGowan at a council meeting in July 2016. Alex and other KSA executives are trying to reduce the current quorum of 200 students needed for referendums to 150 students. (Alyssa Laube)
will be taking on several new responsibilities if the referendum results in the Association’s favour. First, he will be increasing his involvement in academics, driving narratives and initiatives for open education resources, education rights and access, and relevant policies. Second, he will be acting as an advocate to try and strengthen the KSA’s internal student advocacy. This role will demand that he has his ear to the ground for what KPU students want to see. VP Finance & Operations Rawan Ramini will also be accepting more
responsibility outside of completing the KSA’s budget. In addition, VP Student Life Natasha Lopes will become more of “the liaison for student life on campus,” and will be paying particular attention to clubs. The chairperson of the executive committee, Alex McGowan, will have his title officially changed to president of the Kwantlen Student Association, something he often goes by regardless. McGowan will also broaden his set of duties, as the Association endeavours to “define the role of the president.”
“We shifted a lot of roles onto the president,” says Singh. “By training councillors and senators and working with them directly, we’re really giving him a leadership role.” A more recent version of the Society Act which the KSA operated under has raised some concerns for the association as well. Namely, it cannot pay its directors according to the act, and would like to continue doing so. That will also show up in the bylaw change referendum. Finally, the KSA will be trying to shorten the list of requirements for its chief returning officer. “We pay significantly more than almost any other student association does when it comes to our chief returning officers, and we think it’s because they need a minimum of five years of experience for their first year. What we would like to change it to is having our CRO have three elections worth of experience,” says Singh. “Currently we’re using the CRO from Capilano, and they pay significantly less.” “We’re getting the bylaws to reflect what we do rather than having the bylaws tell us what to do,” he concludes. “We’re just excited and we hope that we reach our quorum for our general meeting.”
KSA to Release Campus Space Audit Report will compile info on public spaces across KPU campuses Joseph Keller | Web Editor The Kwantlen Student Association has been working on an audit to find out how effectively campus space is utilized at KPU for the past year. KSA members decided to do the audit after realizing that neither the student association nor the university had any sort of comprehensive document detailing the space unused and available for students on campus. “It’s been an ongoing and very, very chaotic project, the reason being that this is the first time that any students at KPU or the KSA have ever decided to do a project like this,” says KSA Vice President Student Services Tanvir Singh. The audit required a group of students to look around campus and evaluate the spaces that students have available to them. While the project was initially conceived as a relatively simple and straightforward report, it has since grown in scope and complexity. The project was originally spearheaded by Singh and KSA Vice President Student Life Natasha Lopes, before being passed to John Shruktaj and other KSA members. “Back when I was directly in charge of the project, one of the things we found was that we want-
ed to keep it really simple. But as we kept going on we found all these different measurements that we could use,” says Singh. Some of the original measurements used for the space audit were noise levels and the availability of electrical outlets. Soon after, auditors added other categories, such as ease of access and proximity to amenities. The report later became more complex with the introduction of categories for the type of space, from academic spaces such as the library to non-academic recreational spaces such as the front of the main building on the Surrey campus. While the full results of the report won’t be publicly known until after its release, Singh says that the general takeaway is that there are many spaces on campus that are currently underused. The KSA is hopeful that the document will be invaluable for students, clubs, and university officials to refer to while planning events. “One of the things we’re making sure of is to make it a very professional document that’s accessible for not only the KSA and students but also the university,” says Singh. “They’ve been waiting for this project for a while as well, because they are interested to see not just what exactly kind of spaces we do have but what the
perception of those spaces are.” While the space audit is nearing completion, there is no way of knowing when exactly the document will be released. Singh says that the KSA may opt to wait until the current ren-
ovations to club spaces in the Birch building are completed this spring before finally releasing the report. According to Singh, “It’ll be done when it’s done.”
The KSA will release an audit on campus space utilization (Tristan Johnston)
News 05
WOOW, KSA to Offer Free Self-Defence Classes Program begins Jan. 23, will be open to all KPU students Paula Aguilar Student-led feminist organization Women Organizing Opportunities for Women, in tandem with the Kwantlen Student Association, is giving KPU students the opportunity to learn self-defence techniques for free. The program, entitled “Lunch and Learn”, will begin with a 45 minute crash course on Monday Jan. 23 at noon in the Surrey campus’ Cedar gymnasium, and will be aimed at students who might not be experienced in self-defence. Notably, this program is open to all genders. KSA VP Student Life Natasha Lopes, who is also an organizer for WOOW, says that she wants “as many students [as possible] to be able to touch consent culture or be a part of the movement.” “Consent culture doesn’t just include women; it doesn’t alienate people. It’s everybody coming together for one cause—to change our culture from a very oppressive, very patriarchal society to something that welcomes all genders, all orientations, and just gives everybody equal opportunity.” Lopes would like to see the self-defence classes become a regular event on the Richmond, Langley, and Cloverdale campuses as well. “They’re free and they’re drop in sessions, so if you only have fifteen minutes, by all means attend … if you don’t feel comfortable in in the sessions, you can leave.” Five classes have been planned for the Surrey and Richmond campuses, with the first three teaching students about anatomy and physical reaction to impact, and the final two focusing on carrying through with the physical self-defence exercises. The self-defence classes are facilitated by a group called Wenlido, a not-for-profit group of women teaching self defence to women and their children since 1976. With so much experience behind them, Lopes felt comfortable trusting Wenlido to help “allow people to realize that they can take control over themselves,” as a part of the ongoing “Our Bodies, Our Voice” campaign. “Issues with consent are everywhere,” says Lopes, “and what I’ve seen—just from within the student union world—is that a lot of student unions are running these campaigns because we all have the same issues. We all have problems with harassment on campus. You should never equate education to fear. And that’s part of what we’re trying to alleviate.”
06 Culture
The Westerman Legacy and the Future of Student Life Plans underway for Surrey property bequeathed to the university Joseph Keller | Web Editor Not too many KPU students know who the Westermans were, despite the considerable role the couple played in the birth of our university. In 1982, Ernest and Margaret Westerman sold a plot of land to Kwantlen College that would later become KPU’s Surrey campus. Had the Westermans opted to sell the property to a housing developer—who surely would’ve given them a lot more money than the fledgling post-secondary institution—KPU never would have become the school it is today. The Westermans added to their contribution in 2014 when, after Margaret’s passing, their personal residence was also left to the university. Now, plans are underway on how to take advantage of the additional real estate, both in the short and long term, and also how to memorialize the couple who made KPU what it is. “KPU and the KSA are working together to honor the Westerman house and the Westerman legacy of giving back to the community,” says Kwantlen Student Association Vice President of Student life Natasha Lopes. The sizable Westerman property is located directly next door to the
Wallace Construction’s excavator removes rubble from the demolished Westerman property on Dec. 8, 2016. (Tommy Nguyen)
Surrey campus. The house, garage, and driveway were demolished earlier this month, leaving behind the Westermans’ old orchards and hazelnut trees. Currently, the property is left vacant, although the orchards and hazelnut trees continue to be tended to and harvested by KPU agriculture and horticulture programs. With the demolition of any structures on the property, the land will soon be avail-
able for student use. In the short term, a report by the KPU Environmental Sustainability Committee from this past summer notes that the space could be well used for activities like bocce ball, croquet, football, soccer, and frisbee, while long term plans are being finalized for the property. There are plenty of options for what to do with the newly acquired real estate, and nothing is set in stone
notice of referendum
KSA
GENERAL
ELECTION
february 7 & 8, 2017
Students will vote on a referendum question in the KSA election. Bring your student ID to a voting booth on campus to cast your vote!
for the future of the property just yet. However, a likely possibility—and favorite option as far as the KSA is concerned—is the construction of a new student union building that would house the KSA offices, club space, and other student life initiatives. Lopes says that the KSA is also planning on expanding the campus community garden—currently named
after the Westermans—to include the Westerman’s orchards. It’s fitting that the Westermans were able to make this final contribution to the students of KPU. Since the institution’s founding, and after her husband’s passing in 1984, Margaret continued to feel close to the KPU community. “I’ve had 24 years alone in that house, but I haven’t felt lonely once,” Margaret Westerman told the Kwantlen Chronicle in 2008, after receiving an honorary membership from the KSA. “Just seeing those students is what keeps me going.” To further honor the couple who were highly active in the community and beyond, the KSA organized a food drive to run through December until the campuses closed for the holidays. The drive supported the KSA food bank program, which aims to provide food for KPU students in need. “Ms. Westerman was a huge proponent of food safety and community members having access to food,” says Lopes. “She would consistently volunteer in the community, sponsor food drives, and give back in some shape or form.”
[ Voting ]
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 & Wednesday, February 8, 2017 10 am – 7 pm All Campuses
[ PIPS / Runner Fee Question ] Do you support an increase to the Student Publication Fee from $0.75 to $0.95 per credit in order to: improve The Runner's coverage of student news and culture at KPU by adopting a weekly publication schedule and integrating web and video-based content; improve Pulp Magazine's ability to produce a sustainable, quality arts and literature student publication; and support the ability to create additional student publications through the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society?
Yes or No
New Club Calls for “Compassionate” Eating Ethics
Culture 07
“Let’s Be Compassionate” club president welcomes all nature lovers Alyssa Laube | Associate Editor Without being vegan-exclusive, KPU’s new “Let’s Be Compassionate” club aims to unite students with a passion for nature. That includes advocacy for plant-based eating and anti-factory farming efforts, which vegetarians and vegans may find themselves gravitating towards, but omnivores are welcome and encouraged to sign up for membership as well. Club President Richard MacMillan was initially inspired by the university’s now-defunct Animal Rights Collective, and “wants to honour all of the things that [that group] has done.” Still, he hopes to take the Let’s Be Compassionate club in a new direction, one more focussed on community both in and outside of the realm of animal rights. “Practically everyone has an animal that they love or an animal issue that speaks to them, or they’re concerned about the environment, or just interested in the health benefits of eating more plants,” says MacMillan. “I really want to be inclusive. I don’t want to give them the impression that anyone should feel uncomfortable or judged or questioned, because that’s not what makes me feel comfortable and I don’t want to
President Richard MacMillan of the Let’s Be Compassionate club stands outside Grassroots Cafe Jan. 11, 2017. (Alyssa Laube)
preach that. But at the same time, my hope is that someone who’s interested in an issue like animal cruelty will bring come to the group and we can start a campaign.” The club is still taking steps towards maturity. Having only been approved by the Kwantlen Student Association over the holidays, it is currently in its embryonic stages, but MacMillan has high hopes for future
events and campaigns. Some of his current aspirations are working with the KSA to promote meat-free eating on-campus—potentially by hosting cooking classes or dinners—inviting a vegan bodybuilder to present at KPU, screening documentaries like Cowspiracy, and starting a book club for relevant materials. MacMillan is also being careful to avoid excessive bias within the
club by offering presentations that not only support the aims of plant-based eating, but also disagree with them. One potential method used by organizations such as KDocs in the past is organizing panels discussions, where experts of diverse fields and opinions answer questions from the KPU audience. “I know there’s always two sides to every story … so I’d like to kind
of present varying viewpoints to people and allow them to interpret the information for themselves,” says MacMillan. Being vegan doesn’t exclusively mean keeping animal products out of your body, and the Let’s Be Compassionate club will address issues such as vegan fashion and beauty as well. Potentially, that could mean working with design students to produce cruelty-free t-shirts for club members and students in the community. Kwantlen Student Association VP Student Life Natasha Lopes says that “the different types of clubs we get demonstrate the students we have on campus. It represents a want and a need to fill that niche,” which is why the KSA moved to approve the club’s foundation. Lopes plans to connect the Let’s Be Compassionate club with the Sustainability Committee in the future, although that collaboration has not yet been confirmed. “It’s wonderful to see the fact that clubs are expanding into a different realm, i.e. food and talking about nature and how to eat plant-based diets, which is something the KSA very much endorses,” says Lopes. The date, time, and location for club meetings is currently undecided, but will be made public as soon as possible.
KPU pilots Remote Science Labs Starting this spring
Students will operate real world lab equipment from across the Strait of Georgia Joseph Keller | Web Editor Kwantlen Polytechnic University students taking Introductory Physics this semester have had, for the first time, the option of taking the lab portion of the course from the comfort of their homes. A program piloted for this spring will see students operating lab equipment located at North Island College via a web-based platform. This will be the first time the technology has been used in Canada despite being developed right here in British Columbia. Students who have opted for the online section will complete their lab assignments on their computers, rather than coming into class. Their actions will control robotically operated lab equipment at the North Island College Remote Web-Based Science Laboratory. Students will be able to see their results in real time via webcam. “The only difference compared to a regular lab that you do on campus is the distance between you and the equipment,” says KPU Physics Professor Dr. Takashi Sato, who is running the course. According to Sato, the lab ses-
Physics instructors Jillian Lang and Dr. Takashi Sato looking forward to the first semester-long remote science labs at KPU in Spring 2017. (KPU/Flickr)
sions for this pilot course will be exactly the same as the other Introductory Physics labs held locally on campus. KPU labs on campus offer all the equipment and amenities of the North Island College lab. However, it’s very feasible that this system could be utilized in the future to offer KPU students access to resources not available locally.
Sato says that the key advantage of this online lab section, over its more traditional in-person counterparts is the accessibility it offers students who may have trouble traveling to campus to complete the labs. Offering the ability to do lab assignments from home fits with KPU’s goals of providing open education. This remote lab system offers
students a more realistic lab experience than they would be able to have using a virtual simulation. According to Sato, realistic simulations are very hard and expensive to make, but much more straightforward. “The experience in the lab that we want students to have is to see what it’s really like to operate the equipment,” says Sato. “There’s some
quirkiness that comes with physical experiments that, in a simulation, may be kind of smoothed away. We want students to encounter [that quirkiness] so they can learn the skills to overcome that.” The technology for these remote labs was developed at British Columbian universities over the past several years through B.C. Campus, a provincial governmental organisation that promotes innovation in open education. A similar system, known as North American Network of Science Labs Online, is based on the B.C. program, and is already being utilized on a trial basis across several institutions in Colorado. This semester, the classroom portion of Introductory Physics is still being taught on campus and faceto-face with Dr. Sato. Sato says the Physics department will consider offering a fully online version of the course in later semesters. “The class is on campus this time because we’re taking things one step at a time, but the vision is that the entire course will go online,” says Sato. “That’s really the point of it. We want to offer flexibility to students.”
Written by
Alyssa Laube Associate Editor Art by
Nat Mussell contributor
The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association has laid claim to approximately 119,000 kilometres of pipeline—enough to circle the earth three times. Those projects led to a $11.5 billion increase to the country’s gross domestic product along with a great deal of harm done to the environment, and whether or not that is a worthy price to pay has been hotly debated since pipeline opposition first picked up in the 2000’s. CEPA has also attached their name to the Integrity First program, designed “to help pipeline companies share and implement leading practices, keeping pipelines safe and communities protected,” as written on their website. All 12 member companies under the CEPA must abide by those guidelines, but they often serve the purpose of keeping appearances while enforcing very little regulation. As demonstrated by oil spills and civil direst over pipelines throughout the past few decades, they are neither safe nor adored by the community at large. Proof of that came to KPU in 2015, when the university signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. With the MOU came an institutional promise to plaster Trans Mountain’s name on KPU’s Environmental Protection Technology Lab in exchange for $300,000 in scholarships. The Kwantlen First Nation and KPU students and faculty rallied against it to success, and have not come directly into contact with pipelines since. More information about the 2015 MOU can be found in The Runner’s Archives. It’s likely that students enrolled at KPU still hear about pipelines today, as they’re hard to avoid. Oil is consistently in the news and media, particularly with environmental-
ism gaining steam and controversial political decisions made in reference to them. The federal government—with fresh face Justin Trudeau to represent them—has let down many of the country’s environmentalists this year. They approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion as well as Enbridge’s Line 3, though Northern Gateway was rejected. A Husky Energy oil pipeline spilled 250,000 litres of blended crude into the North Saskatchewan River this summer, and in demonstration of the lack of reform by the Liberals, 2,400 litres of oil were dropped into the ocean off the coast of B.C.’s Bella Bella. For those who haven’t been following the progress of the country’s biggest pipelines this year, here’s what you need to know.
Trans Mountain The Trans Mountain Expansion Project—also known as the Kinder Morgan Pipeline—was given the go-ahead by Trudeau in December and Christy Clark earlier this month, meaning that three times the amount of oil it originally carried will soon be pumping from Edmonton to Burnaby. From there it will be shipped off to either Asia or nearby Chevrons, likely by one of the 30 new tankers that will start sailing off of the coast. The expansion will suck up $6.8 billion and 1,150 kilometres of pipeline, releasing between 13.7 and 17 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere annually. Because oil from the Trans Mountain Expansion Project will be exported mostly to Asia, the federal government is looking forward to building a trade relationship with the continent. In particular, it would be economically wise to strengthen their ties to China. Job creation was another talking point for the expansion, although only 50 permanent positions, and an unknown number of temporary jobs, will become available as a result of its construction. $26.5 million in federal and municipal taxes will be made between now and the expansion’s 30th year running, according to Kinder Morgan. Justine Nelson, chapter coordinator for the Pipe Up Network, works towards educating people about the Kinder Morgan
pipeline. Nelson, who was with Pipe Up through the MOU controversy, thinks that the federal government “has, on a variety of points, made a mistake in the approval” of the expansion. Trudeau’s decision to go forward with the Trans Mountain Project shows that he chose Alberta over B.C., she believes, amongst revealing other flaws in his approach to environmentalism. “First and foremost is the relations with the indigenous communities and the lack of true consultation that was done with indigenous communities along the pipeline route,” she says. “Their idea of reconciliation, which is something that they’re really pushing, doesn’t seem to line up with their on-the-ground action.” “This pipeline is going to severely put us back on even thinking about being able to reach our climate targets from Paris. It kind of defeats the purpose of making targets because, realistically, it’s going to raise our emissions.” After Trudeau approved Kinder Morgan this November, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson publicly announced his displeasure. “Approving Kinder Morgan’s heavy oil pipeline expansion is a big step backwards for Canada’s environment and economy,” said Robertson, in a press statement. “This project was approved under a flawed and biased Harper-era regulatory process that shut out local voices and ignored climate change and First Nations concerns.” He continued, “I—along with the tens of thousands of residents, local First Nations, and other Metro Vancouver cities who told the federal government a resounding ‘no’ to this project—will keep speaking out against this pipeline expansion that doesn’t make sense for our economic or environmental future.” And so they have. Protests are continuing all around Canada, not only by First Nations communities but all Canadian residents. Other than the obvious environmental impact of the pipeline, it will send tankers through an area home to already-endangered Orca whales.
Energy East Physically speaking, this is a big one. The Energy East pipeline would demand $15.7 billion and 4,600 kilometres of pipeline, stretching across six provinces and transporting 1.1 million barrels of crude oil every day. Unlike most of the other pipelines being proposed, this oil would go to Eastern Canada refineries as well as Europe and India. If everything goes according to Energy East’s plan, that process will be in full swing by 2021. However, there have been several obstacles for its hearings with the National Energy Board. In August, after it was discovered that two panellists had privately
met with a TransCanada Corp. consultant, protestors made such a fuss at one of them that it was cancelled. The next month, the three-member panel announced that it was involved in a conflict of interest, and was therefore unqualified to act in a legal setting. There is not yet a new panel, and until there is, the nearly two-year review of the project cannot begin.
Northern Gateway This pipeline would have sent 525,000 barrels of crude oil from Edmonton to Kitimat every day. Like the Kinder Morgan Expansion, its purpose was to get oil from here to Asia. One of the most significant concerns with Northern Gateway was that the tankers transporting its oil would have to go through the Douglas Channel—a valuable ecosystem and sometimes perilous route—before breaking out to the Pacific Ocean. It would also send the ships through First Nations territory, and the invaluable Great Bear Rainforest. Cabinet had backed the pipeline, but Trudeau shut it down this year, saying that “The Great Bear Rainforest is no place for a pipeline and the Douglas Channel is no place for oil tanker traffic.”
Line 3 This pipeline is almost entirely in Canada, already approved by the president and Trudeau, and in fact, entirely operational. Enbridge is just replacing it, doubling the amount of oil travelling from Alberta to Wisconsin, and spending $7.5 billion to do so. It is set to be completed by 2018.
Keystone XL Expanding from the east border of Alberta all the way to the the south border of Nebraska, Keystone XL was rejected by U.S. President Barack Obama last year. Though, according to TransCanada, the battle isn’t over. It has filed a $15 billion challenge that the project was treated unfairly under the North American Free Trade Agreement, and launched a federal lawsuit hoping to gain a declaration of Obama using his influence improperly.
The Pacific Northwest LNG Famously, Justin Trudeau approved the Woodfibre LNG Limited pipeline, valued at $11.4 billion. A hot topic with this project is the danger it poses to salmon. Young salmon in the wild use the Skeena River estuary near Lelu Island as both a migration route and nursery, and now, the LNG’s export terminal will take its place. Over 100 scientists criticized the project’s environmental assessment, with many others joining in on the chorus. 190 legally binding conditions, covering wetland, wildlife, and health concerns, were released along with the approval. Deemed a top gas emitter in Canada with a pollution rate of between 6.5 and 8.7 megatons of greenhouse gases per year, this product, too, would be exported to Asia. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has published that the LNG will raise the province’s emissions by 8.5 per cent and the country’s by 0.75 per cent.
10 Feature
Concerns with the Canadian Federation of Students “Not Discussed” at Annual Meeting Though still unsatisfied, the KSA will continue to attend meetings in good faith Alyssa Laube | Associate Editor The Canadian Federation of Students has partially addressed a list of concerns put forward by a coalition of their members, including the Kwantlen Student Association, at their national general meeting last month. Some members feel dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting and claim that several important propositions for reform were not adequately discussed. While the CFS has stated that those concerns raised in the coalition’s letter to the Federation that were not covered will be brought up at the next meeting in June, the KSA remains generally dissatisfied with the response they received, and plans to keep seeking reform within the Federation in the future. “The KSA has been expressing frustrations with the way the CFS operates for a couple of years now. The recommendation that I came into my office with was, ‘Don’t go and don’t interact, it’s not worth our time,’” says KSA President Alex McGowan. “I followed that recommendation in my first year, but this past year I decided to check in for myself and see how it’s going.” McGowan went to the Federation’s semi-annual general meeting in June and “experienced some of the same stuff that was described” to him in his orientation, such as alleged social exclusion and restrictive dialogue. There, he found other student union delegates who shared his discontent with the CFS. “Over the last six months or so I’ve been coordinating with them and we’ve been talking about how we can improve [the CFS] to make it an organization that is worth participating in,” he says. About the coalition and its requests, McGowan feels that the Federation did not ignore them, but silenced them. This is a complaint he has previously expressed towards the Federation, and though the dissatisfaction has been addressed, he believes the issue remain unresolved. “They never reached out to me or the KSA, but my understanding is that the national executive did reach out to some members of the group
Alex McGowan unites with other students who are disappointed with the CFS. This photo was taken during the CFS National General Meeting back in November 2016. (Victoria Morton/Facebook) that got together to try and propose the changes.” “I wouldn’t say we were ignored,” he says. “At the meeting it was very clear and acknowledged that there was a very large group of student members that were frustrated.” However, McGowan notes that “the vast majority of our concerns and suggestions weren’t taken into account—they weren’t even discussed. There just wasn’t enough time allocated to discuss them.” Despite the lack of attention given towards the coalition’s complaints, McGowan remains dedicated to the push for reformation, and in his position with the KSA he will continue to work with the Federation. “For the KSA, our position is always and always has to be attending the meetings in good faith and striving to represent our students’ interests. While it’s frustrating that most of the suggested changes to the CFS were not even discussed, my goal is to make sure that the next generation of KSA executives are up to speed with where we’re at and which changes we tried to propose this year, so that they’re in a good position to move forward with them next year.” McGowan also notes that the coalition of dissatisfied member associ-
ations is still in contact, even after the meeting. “The next step is to keep the conversations going and make sure that we can continue to push for changes in the CFS,” he says. Bilan Arte, national chairperson for the CFS, says that the meeting was a success, as over 30 of 40 resolutions were covered. “From my perspective, it was a very productive consultation amongst members about how they wanted to shape the student movement over the next six months,” she says. “I think it’s unfortunate that we didn’t have an opportunity to discuss all of the resolutions, but it’s also an opportunity for getting even more feedback and opportunity to consult with members on the ground before having a full consultation around them at our upcoming meeting in June.” Arte claims that each resolution proposed was the subject of about 72 hours of discussion, “not only during primary sessions but also at regional meetings, constituency meetings, conference meetings that happened before the general meeting.” She partially attributes the 10 undiscussed resolutions to a fire alarm that went off unexpectedly. She recommends that students interested in seeing the CFS’ minutes,
agendas, and financial documents contact their student union’s delegate for their notes taken at the meetings. There were 16 campaign motions, two policy motions, and five budget motions taken into account at the meeting. Some of those included topics on mental health, student housing, and bylaw amendments. One particularly important motion that was raised by the coalition was to make essential information— such as financial statements, minutes from meetings, and constating documents—easily accessible. It was agreed that “the Federation shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the relevant information is readily available, either publicly or upon reasonable request. The Federation shall endeavour to, at all times, be able and willing to grant reasonable requests for information without undue delay,” as written in the national general meeting opening plenary agenda. It was also resolved that “all CFS budgets, including the previous year’s projections, be available online no more than one week after each general meeting, updated with the most recent year-to-date expenses; and … that CFS, and CFS-Services be required to produce their own independent budget, both to be adopted by the membership at general meetings.” Transparent finances are a well-established concern about the Federation, as an undeclared bank account containing $600,000, with $500,000 withdrawn over the past five years, was discovered in 2014. Considering that it is currently running an approximate $700,000 deficit—as well as the enormous amount of funding they receive from student fees—many members were not happy to hear of the secret account. “We’ve been having a conversa-
tion around this account for close to a year now. We’ve brought it up at about three different national general meetings, so I think it’s great that the Federation ensured that they were able to actually post it and distribute it in our financial statements,” says Arte. “In essence, because of this discovery, we had to go back and check all of our books and we also had to do our due diligence in terms of engaging with an external auditing firm to undertake that process, to make sure that we were getting a full amount of what happened. Because we were able to complete that process in time for this general meeting, we had a full discussion about those too, and were able to actually pass them.” She adds that the auditors were able to fully reconcile the money in the undeclared account within their financial statements for 2013, 2014, and 2015. Still, the concern about financial transparency was reflected in the plenary minutes, according to a resolution that promises unions dissatisfied with the accessibility of the Federation’s financial information a full refund for the membership fees paid between 2015 and 2017. Another reform from the meeting was that the perceived impractical number of students that need to sign a petition in order for their student union to go to referenda to leave the CFS has been reduced from 20 per cent to 15 per cent, and they can now vote online as well as on a paper ballot at referenda. Finally, several responses to social issues were confirmed, including fostering a pro-choice environment, writing letters to families of those hurt or killed by hate crimes, and supporting protesters at Standing Rock.
PORTRAIT: Nicole Kwit draws a caricature for an attendee of the Surrey Welcome Week event. Jan. 10, 2017. (Paula Aguilar)
IN FOCUS: Young filmmakers gathers to present their visual media messages to the audience of this year’s KPU DigitaLENS Film Festival. Jan. 6, 2017. (Jeremy Tardiff)
QUEUE: Tour group #10 waits for their turn to enter the Arbutus Library. This year’s Spring Orientation saw approximately 300 new students tour the Surrey Campus. Jan. 3, 2017. (Tommy Nguyen)
IMPACT: Criminology professor Greg Simmons explain the impact of B.C. Salmon Farms on wildlife on Jan. 11, 2017. (Tommy Nguyen)
PLAY: Improv students take part in a warm-up exercise led by Daniel Chai during the weekly Kwantlen Improv class on Jan. 9, 2017. (Paula Aguilar)
RUN WITH the stories you care about
R
THE RUNNER
Make Art take photos Write stories
get paid get experience in journalism by contributing to the runner Contact: Editor@Runnermag.ca
opinions 13
Health care Privatization is Not the Answer
Advocates for a two-tiered health care might be suffering from symptoms of affluenza Braden Klassen| Contributor The Supreme Court of B.C. is hearing a charter challenge from Dr. Brian Day, who says that Canada’s laws preventing doctors from practicing publicly and privately are in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and should be repealed so that Canadians—or at least those who can afford it—can have better access to the health care that they deserve. Day, who owns the Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver, cites the increasing wait times for those who are seeking medical aid as a sign that publicly-funded health care is failing British Columbians, and that the best way to remedy this is to introduce a system that enables wealthier people to buy their way into skipping the line. This creates what’s called a two-tiered medical system, which is similar to the system that the States and some European countries have. Essentially, unless you have the tens of thousands of dollars it takes to buy your way into the top tier, you’re out of luck.
(Rosaura Ojeda)
The crux of Day’s argument is that doctors should be able to set their own prices for treatment and exceed the limits that are currently being imposed by Canadian medicare laws. He wants doctors to be able to charge more for their services without a cap, and argues that this is somehow going to benefit Canadians in the long run. As a man who owns a for-profit private health practice, Day would most certainly stand to make much
more money if he were to get his way, and isn’t even trying to conceal the conflict of interest this creates. It’s hard not to picture him cheerfully twerking on a table surrounded by the Canadian wealthy elite, brandishing their mad stacks of bills by making it rain. Though perhaps, in his arrogance, Day is truly unaware of the obvious self-interest in his cause and really believes that he’s fighting the good
fight on behalf of all Canadians. Even if that were true, his audacious claim that prohibiting doctors from hiking up their prices somehow offends the basic human rights of all Canadians is just too absurd to escape scrutiny. Health care is a basic right, and giving doctors more power to interpret and arbitrate patients’ access to it doesn’t seem to be the optimal solution to the problem. The varying European models of private-public
hybrid health care systems seem to work in their own way, but the private sector of health care in Australia has caused an increase in patient wait times for public health care because doctors are beginning to devote more time to the patients who pay more for their medical services. The Canadian health care system hasn’t faced a legal challenge of this variety since the Chaoulli case in 2005, when someone with more money than patience and their self-interested physician decided that it wasn’t fair to disallow private health insurance as payment for public health services. They lost, and universally accessible health care survived in Canada. Health care is to be distributed according to each citizen’s need, not their ability to pay their way through. This ideal transcends the growing forces of income inequality, prejudice, classism, and judicial partiality that is present in so many other aspects of life in this country, and it should be preserved for the good of all Canadians, regardless of wealth.
Don’t Groan Over Your Student Loans Important info to consider when signing up for debt Paula Aguilar Considering the price of university tuition, coupled with the ever-rising cost of living in the province, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for B.C. students to be able to afford post-secondary education without the help of a Student loan. This somewhat faustian agreement with a bank or government can be hard to comprehend, so here are a few points to keep in mind when signing on the dotted line. Student loan files are subject to verification at any time. Any time during your studies you could be asked to provide utility bills, rent receipts, pay stubs, day care payments, child care subsidy, bank and financial statements, and tax returns to prove that the information that StudentAid BC has is correct and has not been falsified. Your funding will be held until audits are completed and any false statements or failure to disclose information can restrict you from financial assistance for up to five years. By signing the agreement with StudentAid B.C. you are giving them access to private information. When you sign the student loan agreement you authorize Canada, its contractors, B.C., and any B.C. collection agent to get information to locate you from any of your current, past, or future employers. This includes name, SIN, banking information, permanent and alternate address, and telephone numbers. They also will now have
access to your bank account and permission to withdraw money directly from it for accrued interest or missed payments. To stay eligible for funding while at school, you must attend for the entire study. Student loans require you to report any changes in program of study, study period dates, marital status, and sources of income. If you stop attending classes or drop below your required course load, you may be considered withdrawn for student-assistance purposes. Further funding by Studentaid B.C. will be denied after withdrawing two times from school. Student loan payments are required to start six months from your study period end date. During those six months, interest will accumulate on your student loan. You have the choice to pay the interest or have it get added to the principal loan. If you fail to make payments for two consecutive months, you could be denied further financial assistance, or you could be required to immediately pay all or part of your outstanding loan balance. It is important to remember that most of the decisions that are made by StudentAid B.C. can be appealed. There are free advocates who you can contact in order to get help with any Student Aid B.C. question or any issues with student loans, such as those at PovNet.org; or, you can talk to the financial aid assistants at your school.
14 Opinions
Surrey’s Ban on E-Cigarettes in Public Places Raises Important Questions Namely, to vape or not to vape?
Kyrsten Downton| Contributor If you ask someone whether they think e-cigarettes are safer than real cigarettes, you’ll most likely hear a strong opinion about it. However, if the person you ask lives in the City of Surrey, the answer you hear may not even matter. For anyone who isn’t familiar with vaping, e-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that often look like a real cigarette. The device is filled with a liquid, usually made up of nicotine, flavourings, and other chemicals. When it heats up, the liquid turns into a breathable vapour. In December, the City of Surrey banned the smoking of e-cigarettes in the same areas that traditional smoking has been banned. The ban was in response to the numerous complaints that the city council had received regarding vaping in public places, as reported by CBC News. Vapers must now stay 7.5 metres away from bus stops and transit shelters when they light up. The city council also banned the use of e-cigarettes in restaurants, workplaces, and other public spaces earlier this year. It seems clear that Surrey is treating e-cigarettes the same way as real cigarettes, despite the ongoing debate
(Scott McLelland)
that they are not equal. Personally, I can’t stand it when I’m next to someone and they blow their smoke near my face. I choose not to smoke, so it really angers me when I feel like I don’t have that freedom. Others would argue, however, that second-hand smoke from e-cig-
arettes is not as dangerous as second-hand smoke from tobacco cigarettes, and the argument can be made that it shouldn’t be treated the same way. E-cigarettes are fairly new on the market and have not been the subject of the same extensive research that regular tobacco cigarettes have.
Much of the research conducted on e-cigarettes has reached conclusions varying between them being safe and unsafe. Therefore, it is hard to say if the effects of vaping can seriously damage a person’s health or the environment, either from first or second-hand smoke. The City of Surrey has to be as
safe as possible regarding e-cigarettes until more extensive research is conducted. It is the city counsel’s job to ensure the safety of everyone, and there is no way to say definitely that vaping isn’t dangerous. Even though I do not vape, I understand that people who vape have the right to make that decision. However, it isn’t fair for someone who chooses not to vape to be forced to breathe it in. If a person is a guest in another person’s home, they likely wouldn’t start vaping without their host’s permission. How is this any different than being surrounded by strangers at a bus stop? Not smoking or vaping in a public space should be a common courtesy. Everyone shares the same air, but not everyone can deal with breathing in secondhand smoke. How is a vaper going to know if the person standing next to them at the bus stop has severe asthma? There is no way of knowing for sure. So walk the 7.5 metres away from the other people at that bus stop to vape. Don’t vape in your favourite local restaurant. You will not only be following the by-laws, you will be respecting the other people around you.
Why We Can’t See the Stars Light pollution is more dangerous than it sounds Alyssa Laube | Associate Editor Earth and outer space lovers have been protesting light pollution since before the 21st century began. The push against excessive artificial light got its big break with the dark-sky movement, spearheaded by astronomers afraid of losing sight of the stars. Since then, the movement has welcomed activists of all occupations, including biologists who study darkness and the effect it has on the environment. The most common complaint about light pollution is that it blots out the expansive majesty of the cosmos. As a girl who’s always lived in the city, I know this to be true—I didn’t really see the stars until I made a trip out to an off-the-grid island last summer, and the view took my breath away. The shrouding of the stars in light is known as skyglow, with artificial skyglow being caused by things like skyscrapers and stadiums. There are plenty of other ways to categorize light pollution as well, such as light trespass, over-illumination, glare, and light clutter, all of which essentially describe too much
light where it doesn’t naturally exist. Damage to the environment is another reason to take a stance against light pollution. Of course, turning on enough light to power the whole world sucks up energy at an exponential rate, boosting global electricity consumption and, as a result, greenhouse gas emissions. On a smaller scale, ecosystems suffer from ecological light pollution. Nature revolves around the rising and setting of the sun, which manmade light interferes with. If certain flowers stop blooming during the night because of nearby lamp posts, moths cannot pollinate them, and both species suffer. Algae blooms are a dramatic result of ecological light pollution, caused when light-deterred zooplankton don’t come to the surface to eat the algae. These have the potential to kill all of the plant life within a lake and considerably damage the water quality. Millions of birds have died by flying too close to well-lit skyscrapers during migration, since they are naturally drawn to sparkling beacons and bulbs. There is proof that too much exposure to light can detriment human health as well. It’s commonly accepted that staring at a phone or television
screen before bed can cause sleep disruption and insomnia, but more adverse medical issues have also been observed, such as headaches, fatigue, stress, and anxiety. The individual solution to these issues is relatively simple: use less light. Try to be as mindful every day as you are on Earth Day. Keep your lights on a timer or sensor, and switch over to low-pressure sodium lamps and full cutoff lighting rather than traditional fixtures. You can also put the effort into writing an outdoor lighting ordinance—a set of rules designed to reduce light pollution—for your community. It is up to municipal, provincial, and federal leaders to ensure that Canada is using the smartest light sources that they can, with LED and low and high pressure sodium lamps the most efficient options. Parts of Hawaii, California, and Arizona have already taken these steps by using less pollutive street light bulbs. Ensuring that there is not an unnecessary amount of light in the cities or streets is also a responsibility of the government, but as always, the civilians must pressure them to take the leap. (Danielle George)
Show us your story #runnermag Your picture could be selected as our featured photo!
Sudoku
SUDOKU No. 165
Tough
6 2 4 1
7 8 2 3 2 3
5 7 8
7
5 Tough 1 4
4 9 8 5 7 2 1 3 The solutions will be published6 Previous solution - Medium
2 6
4
3 ough
5 6
9
6 1 2 9 7 3 4 7 8 4 1 2 5 9 5 9 3 6 8 4 7 8 3 9 5 1 6 2 2 6 5 4 3 7 1 4 7 1 8 9 2 5 9 5 6 2 4 8 3 3 4 8 7 5 1 6 ns will be published in the 1 here 2 7 3 next 6 issue. 9 8
9 8
6 8
8
3 8 4 7
5
5 6 2 7 8 3 1 9 4
6
8 3 1 4 9 6 7 2 5
2 3 4 7 9 8 6 1 in 5
6
8 1 7 5 6 9 1 4 2 6 5 3 9 2 4 8 the7 3
6 9 4 2 1 3 2 8 3 5 9 7 5 4 7 6 next 8 1
4
5 8 7 6 4 1 3 9 issue. 2
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. © 2017 Syndicated Puzzles
4 4 1
5
9 5 4
3 7 1 6 5 2 9 3 8 1 6 4 7 8 2 5 here 4 9
For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com
Sagittarius Capricorn 6 23 1 - Dec 2 9 Nov. 21 7 3 4 5 8 Dec. 22 - Jan 20
Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19
7 to hide 8 your 4 Google 1 search 2 history 5 from 9 6 Learn your5cat before 9 it3loses6the last8thread 4 of respect 7 2 it had for you.
It’s gotten to the point where everything you read sounds like a Donald Trump tweet. Sad!
8 3 9 5 1 6 2 7 2 6 5 4 3 7 1 8 4 Pisces 7 1 8 9 2 5 3 Feb 9 205- Mar 6 20 2 4 8 3 1 4 to8enter7an era5of your 1 life6that later 9 You3are about historians will label the “mayonnaise on toast” 1 2 7 3 6 9 8 4 period.
Previous solution - Medium
© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles
8
6 9 37 2 8
Previous solution - Medium
6 8
3The year is 2049. Dabbing is the only currency still 1recognized by the world government. 4 9 6 Aries 7 Mar 21 - Apr 19 2To save time, load your phone with recordings of 5things you regularly say to people. Don’t forget the explanation of how your lover left you and the time your parents died of shame.
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such thatGemini each row, column and 3x3Cancer box contains every number uniquely. May 21 - Jun 20 Jun 21 - Jul 23 © 2017 Syndicated Puzzles
2
DOKU
e.
Horoscopes
“Amish people selling drugs!” you scream as the Occasionally you’ll hear them moving around down Forstrap many strategies, and tips, doctors you to the bed and put cotton inhints your there at night. Shuffling at first, but banging on the mouth. a CBC executive scribbles hastily on ceiling beams and basement door the longer you go visitNearby, www.sudokuwiki.org the back of his Zoloft subscription. without visiting them.
If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps Libra Virgo and books. Visit www.str8ts.com Sept 24 - Oct 23
Aug 24 - Sept 23
If you were one of the Girls, you’d be Shoshanna. If you were one of the Friends, you’d be Chandler. And if you were one of the Stranger Things, you’d be the fuckin’ Demigorgan.
Forget what those jokers at the CRTC told you, your blog about Trudeau’s nipples IS important and you WILL be remembered as the greatest artist of your generation.
Taurus Apr 20 - May 20 You know what’s weird? You can write the word “hyphenated” without using a hyphen, but to write the word “non-hyphenated” you have to sacrifice an innocent to the dark lord Molag-bal.
Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23 Smiling slyly out of the corner of your mouth while tilting your head forward and raising a single eyebrow has been declared a capital offence in almost every country on earth.
Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22 Your aesthetic for the week: Shakespearean vaguebooking.
notice of polls
KSA
GENERAL
ELECTION
february 7 & 8, 2017 [ Voting ]
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 & Wednesday, February 8, 2017 10 am – 7 pm Campus Representatives (4 positions) The election will be held for all current Council positions. Bring your student ID and vote for your new KSA student representatives!
KPU Langley
• • • •
Langley Campus Representative (1) Richmond Campus Representative (1) Surrey Campus Representative (1) Tech / Cloverdale Campus Representative (1)
Constituency Representatives (7 positions)
In the Rotunda
• • • • • • •
KPU Surrey
Faculty Representatives (14 positions)
In the East Building by the Bookstore
KPU Richmond
In the Surrey Main Atrium
KPU Tech
In the Student Lounge by the Cafeteria
• • • • • • •
Aboriginal Students Representative (1) International Students Representative (1) Mature Students Representative (1) Queer Students Representative (1) Students of Colour Representative (1) Students with Disabilities Representative (1) Women’s Representative (1)
Academic and Career Advancement Representative (1) Arts Representative (4) Business Representative (4) Design Representative (1) Health Representative (1) Science and Horticulture Representative (2) Trades and Technology Representative (1)